South Africa: Consequence management central to defeating fraud

The speedy finalisation of disciplinary cases and implementation of consequence management remain central in instituting a culture of intolerance to corruption and fraud within the Home Affairs Department, Parliament says.

While we welcome the implementation of the Counter Corruption and Fraud Prevention Strategy, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs underscored that it is only through effective consequence management that the department will successfully win the war against malfeasance, committee chairperson, Mosa Chabane said.

The committee received an update on the departments initiatives to counter fraud and corruption.

Chabane commended the suspension of five officials as a result of a Public Protector report, as well as the 215 arrests that have been effected since the inception of Operation Bvisa Masina in 2015. The arrests included 123 Home Affairs officials, 84 syndicate members and eight South African Police Service members.

While acknowledging that the justice processes can be arduous due to various reasons, the committee said there is a need to conclude internal disciplinary processes quicker to ensure consequence management.

The committee also expressed its appreciation to Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who reported that he is engaging with Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, with the aim of enabling him to charge an official that left Home Affairs for the Sport, Arts and Culture Department.

We commend the action by the Minister, especially in the context of the worrying trend of officials that resign from one department when facing disciplinary cases, only to reappear in another department. The actions by the Minister will ensure that any official accused of wrongdoing is taken through the necessary process.

The cooperation with law enforcement agencies is welcomed but must be strengthened at all times to close any gaps that might be exploited by criminals working together with officials of the department, Chabane said.

The committee welcomed news that the department is performing at an average of above 70% in relation to investigating reported cases of fraud and corruption within 90 days, which will ensure the speedy resolution of cases.

The committee has also committed, from time-to-time, to request updates on the disciplinary cases within the department, Chabane said.

Despite this, the committee raised concerns regarding the slow turnaround times in vetting officials, as per the security requirements.

The committee called on the State Security Agency to increase its capability to ensure that vetting is done adequately within a reasonable time to prevent any unwanted elements from accessing the departments service points.

Regarding security at Home Affairs offices, the committee said the lack of cameras and electronic monitoring systems is a longstanding concern, which affects the departments ability to safeguard its systems.

The committee noted the financial challenges faced by the department and the entire public service in ensuring effective funding for programmes. The committee has urged the department to find workable solutions in order to meets its objectives.

Review process of visas and permits



Regarding the review process of visas and permits, the committee called on Motsoaledi to table a report whenever it is available to enable the committee to appraise itself on its findings and recommendations aimed at improving the permit system.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Reopening of voter, candidate registration for local elections welcomed

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has welcomed the Electoral Commission of South Africas (IEC) decision to reopen the voter and candidate registration for the 2021 local government elections.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Committee said it is aware that the announcement came after the Constitutional Court dismissed the IECs application to postpone the elections until a later date, due to safety concerns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Constitutional Court on Friday ordered the IEC to hold the local government elections by no later than 1 November 2021. The Committee noted that the IEC had since rescheduled a registration weekend for the weekend of 18 and 19 September 2021.

The committee believes that this new registration weekend affords many South Africans who were unable to register as a result of precautions due to the pandemic an opportunity to register and update their voter registration details.

The committee believes that it is vital that every eligible South African has an opportunity to register in a manner that is safe to their health, reads the statement. The committee also noted that the IEC had taken a decision to allow political parties and independent candidates an opportunity to nominate candidates after the registration weekend has occurred and after the voters roll has closed.

It said it was aware of the contention around this decision from various parties. Committee chairperson Fikile Xasa said it was important to give the IEC the space to navigate this period in a manner that will ensure that the country holds safe, free and fair local government elections.

The committee has scheduled a meeting with the IEC for 22 September 2021 to assess its readiness for hosting the elections between 27 October and 1 November, as directed by the Court. The committee last met with the IEC on 6 April 2021 to discuss its preparations for the 2021 local government electoral cycle in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the then anticipated third wave of infections.

The committee has already engaged the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to satisfy itself that the ward delimitation process in preparation for the elections has been completed. The MDB informed the committee that it handed over the final wards to the IEC on 1 December 2020.

The scheduled meeting of 22 September 2021 will provide an optimal opportunity for the committee to follow up with the IEC regarding the implementation of the Constitutional Court Order, as well as the challenges that may have been experienced in this regard.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Domestic Violence Amendment Bill revised to reflect gender-neutrality

The Domestic Violence Amendment Bill has been revised to reflect gender-neutrality.

The bills gender neutrality amendments were approved during a sitting of Parliaments Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee on Tuesday.

The move will make this South Africas second gender-neutral Act after the Cybercrimes Act.

In the bills amendments, traditional pronouns such as he, she, him or her, have been replaced by gender neutral terms such as they, them or their where appropriate.

Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, John Jeffery, said gender-neutral terms seek to include every person in society.

A non-binary [term] is more inclusive because you dont just have he and she, you also have intersex people or people who dont identify as either. In the context of domestic violence, I think gender identity becomes very important, the Deputy Minister said.

Committee chairperson, Gratitude Magwanishe, said language used in legislation is bound to evolve.

I generally think that non-binary language is going to become a standard way of drafting [legislation] going forward... to ensure that our legislation is inclusive of everybody. So a lot of investment is needed in ensuring that [Members of Parliament] and officials in departments are trained to write in that way going forward. Society is evolving and our legislation should also evolve, he said.

The committee also approved an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which now reflects that the identity of an accused person, witness or victim under the age 18, may not be revealed.

The Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill and Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence bills will now go to the National Assembly due to meet on Friday for approval.

If approved, the bills will be sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for assent. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-09-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Employers under scrutiny in E Cape blitz inspection

The Department of Employment and Labour has slammed employers in the wholesale and retail sector for non-compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act in the Eastern Capes Sarah Baartman District.

The department is undertaking a two-week long blitz, which kicked off with 45 inspections conducted in different sectors in the Sarah Baartman District.

Twelve inspections were conducted in the wholesale and retail sector. Three were conducted in the hospitality sector, 21 in miscellaneous sectors and nine in the farm sector.

Four compliance orders and one written undertaking due to underpayment of employees were given out in the wholesale and retail sector, with the employers being given 14 days to comply.

The inspections saw a total of alleged 71 foreign nationals apprehended by Home Affairs Department and SAPS, with 68 of them being male and three female. Amongst these immigrants are nationals of Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe, the department said.

The department said those who were arrested will appear in court on Wednesday.

Employment and Labour inspectors are scattered in operation, along with the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Departments of Home Affairs and Health, as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS) in an effort to scrutinise compliance with labour legislation in and around Addo and Kirkwood.

The aim of the inspections is to educate and enforce compliance with labour legislation, ensure compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, including the Immigration Act, and administer on-site vaccination.

The department has noted with concern the rife allegations of exploitation of workers, in particular foreign nationals within certain sectors of the economy and areas within Sarah Baartman District. It is therefore the responsibility of the law enforcers to ensure those found to be delinquent face the full might of the law," said the provincial Head of Department, Nomfundo Douw-Jack.

Inspections will continue in Kirkwood and Addo until 17 September 2021.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Researchers slapped with R50m fine for misleading Capitec report

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has imposed a R50 million administrative penalty on Viceroy Research and its partners for peddling false and misleading information about Capitec Bank in 2018.

The penalty, said the authority in a statement on Wednesday, was imposed jointly and severally payable by the respondents within 30 days from the date of the order.

The FSCA found that the Respondents had contravened Section 81(1) of the Financial Markets Act 19 of 2012 (FMA) in that during January 2018 they published false, misleading or deceptive statements, promises or forecasts regarding material facts about Capitec, which they ought reasonably to have known were not true.

The FSCA said: Further, notwithstanding being made aware that what they had published was false, they failed to publish full and frank corrections thereof, as required by Section 81(2) of the FMA.

In determining an appropriate administrative penalty for the above contraventions, the FSCA took into account the need to deter such conduct, saying it was a serious offense that can cause significant harm to investors, listed entities and the broader market, hence the need to impose a penalty that would serve as a deterrent.

The authority said the degree of co-operation in relation to the contravention, the FSCA had to enlist the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the USA to compel a representative of the Viceroy Research partnership to be questioned under oath.

Additionally, the FSCA said it had to consider the nature, duration, seriousness and extent of the contravention, saying Viceroy had made a concerted effort to publish these statements as widely as possible, knowing that Capitec was a systemically important financial institution in South Africa, and that these statements had the potential to trigger a run on the bank.

The FSCA also considered that the publication of the statements immediately caused the Capitec share price to decline by 23.12% while the research company gained financially

Capitec is a systemically important financial institution in South Africa, therefore the Respondents false statements, and their failure to subsequently publish corrections of these statements, posed a clear and present threat to the stability of the South African financial system, reads the statement.

FSCA Commissioner Unathi Kamlana said the penalty was particularly significant as it demonstrated how far the FMA reaches.

Although the Viceroy Research Partnership, and its partners, are not financial institutions, and are domiciled in a different jurisdiction, their comments about South African listed securities make them subject to the stipulations of the Act.

The penalty also makes it clear that breaching our financial sector laws has serious consequences, said Kamlana.

The FSCA also investigated possible Insider Trading (Section 78 of the FMA) and Prohibited Trading Practices (Section 80 of the FMA) in Capitec securities during the period of the publications but has not found any evidence of such contraventions. Those two investigations have therefore been closed without any enforcement proceedings being instituted.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-09-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit Vietnam

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and the Republic of Korea from September 10 -15 at the invitations of his counterparts of these countries, the Vietnam News Agency reported on September 8.













Chinese Foreign Ministser Wang Yi will tour across four Asian countries, including Vietnam, starting this weekend. (File photo: AFP)



During his Asian tour, he is scheduled to stop over in Vietnam on September 10-12, the State-owned media agency said, citing sources from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



While in Vietnam, Wang will co-chair the 13th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation along with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.



According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and the Republic of Korea are close neighbours and important partners of China. They are all with China on the front line in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as on post-pandemic recovery.



The spokesperson said Wangs upcoming trip shows Beijing attaches great importance to promoting friendship and cooperation with these countries.



Diplomats will discuss ways to safeguard multilateralism and uphold global fairness, as well as peace and stability in the region.
More than 331,000 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine arrive in Vietnam

Around 331,000 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from Belgium arrived in Vietnam this morning, September 8.



Of the figure, 166,140 doses landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City and the remainder arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine batch arrived in Vietnam on September 8

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology is the importer of this vaccine batch.



More Covid-19 vaccine batches are expected to be brought to Vietnam from September as the country is speeding up vaccinations.



According to customs agencies, favourable conditions have been created to facilitate the clearance of Covid-19 vaccine batches. Most Covid-19 vaccines have arrived in Vietnam recently from Pfizer and AstraZeneca.



Currently, many cities and in Vietnam, including Hanoi, are temporarily short of the Moderna vaccine to give second shots. Some experts suggested using Pfizer to replace Moderna for the second jab. The Ministry of Health has considered the solution for this problem.


Virtual 7th GMS Summit slated for September 9

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen will preside over the seventh Greater Mekong Subregion (7th GMS) Summit via videoconference on September 9, the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced in a press release on September 7.













Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh will attend the event, along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh, Chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing, Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa.



Under the theme "GMS: Renewed Strength to Face the Challenges of the New Decade, the meeting will review the progress of GMS cooperation since the previous summit held in March 2018 in Vietnam, and chart future activities and direction of the cooperation in the next three years with the support from the ADB.



It will also serve as an opportunity for participants to express their commitments and contribution to a more integrated, prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive subregion in addressing challenges for economic growth and social development in the subregion, region, and beyond.



The GMS programme is based on consultation and dialogue among GMS members. It focuses on high-priority subregional projects in the fields of transport, energy, telecommunication, environment, human resource development, tourism, trade, private sector investment, and agriculture, according to the press release.
Researchers use Juncao to rehabilitate polluted soil in northern China

People's Daily Online) 17:52, September 07, 2021

Researchers from central Chinas Henan province are in the process of filing a patent application for a kind of Juncao (meaning a herbal plant for growing edible mushrooms) thats able to absorb 20 grams of lead and 2 grams of cadmium from 1 mu of soil (1 mu is 667 square meters) every year.

Photo shows a man carrying Juncao from the Lyuzhou No. 1 program on his shoulders across farmland in central Chinas Henan province. (Photo/Qiao Di)

The Juncao grass, named Lyuzhou No. 1, can grow to a height of about 5 meters without having to be fertilized, or sprayed with pesticides. The lifespan of the plant can reach 20 to 30 years, researchers with the Henan Academy of Sciences (HAS) based in northern Chinas Henan province told Science and Technology Daily.

We are the first in the country to use Juncao to curb heavy metal pollution in soils in northern China, said Yu Xuejun with a research center under the HAS, disclosing that they are applying for a patent for the Juncao soil rehabilitation project.

As a low-cost, profitable, industry-oriented and sustainable ecological approach to restore soil health, the Juncao project provides a solution for farmland rehabilitation in northern China. As a major agricultural province in China, Henan faces an arduous task in tackling difficulties related to improving its soil, especially with regards to curbing heavy metal pollution in the soil.

Yu introduced that there are two mainstream methods to restore soil heath. The first is to deactivate heavy metals in the soil through the use of stabilization chemicals. This approach has proven to be less effective and costly. The second method is to remove the detrimental heavy metals found in the soil through phytoextraction. This approach has constraints as well, with some useful plants unable to survive through the winter in northern China for example. Whatre more, after being processed, the plants have to then be incinerated upon disposal, which will generate additional costs and lead to carbon emissions.

Four years ago, the HAS kicked off its Lyuzhou No. 1 test program, with the hope that it would become an effective solution to aid in the recovery of soil health. And their efforts have since been repaid in full. At a conference on high-quality grass promotion held in May 2020, Henan revealed a plan for expanding the planting area of the Lyuzhou No. 1 Juncao to 500,000 mu during a period of three years, and 1 million mu during a period of five years.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
China's foreign trade sustains growth momentum

Xinhua) 08:09, September 08, 2021

Aerial photo taken on July 13, 2021 shows a container terminal in Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang Province.(Photo by Long Wei/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade sustained growth momentum in the first eight months of the year as external demand continued to pick up and the economy maintained stable development.

In the first eight months of the year, the country's total imports and exports expanded 23.7 percent year on year to 24.78 trillion yuan (about 3.84 trillion U.S. dollars), data from the General Administration of Customs showed Tuesday.

The figure marked a 22.8-percent increase compared with the level registered during the same period in 2019, according to Customs data.

Both exports and imports logged double-digit growth in the January-August period, surging 23.2 percent and 24.4 percent from a year earlier, respectively.

Trade surplus increased 17.8 percent year on year during the same period to 2.34 trillion yuan.

Exports of mechanical and electrical products and labor-intensive products registered double-digit growth in the January-August period. Exports of mobile phones, clothing and accessories, and plastic products increased 9.2 percent, 17.9 percent and 24.6 percent, respectively.

The breakdown shows a broad-based uptick across all types of goods. In particular, the rebound in Chinese-made consumer goods such as electronics, furniture and recreational products possibly reflected retailers in advanced economies replenishing their inventories ahead of the Christmas shopping season, said Sheana Yue, an economist at London-based economic analysis firm Capital Economics, in a note.

In the first eight months of the year, China's trade with its top three trading partners -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the United States -- maintained sound growth.

During the period, the growth rates of China's trade value with the three trading partners stood at 22.8 percent, 22.1 percent and 25.8 percent, respectively.

China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road rose 24.6 percent to 7.29 trillion yuan during the same period, the data showed.

Private enterprises saw imports and exports increase 29.9 percent to stand at 11.92 trillion yuan in the first eight months, accounting for 48.1 percent of the country's total, up 2.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year.

The imports and exports of state-owned enterprises rose 25.2 percent to reach 3.81 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.4 percent of China's total foreign trade value during the period.

In August alone, the country's imports and exports rose 18.9 percent year on year to 3.43 trillion yuan, representing a yearly increase in China's foreign trade for 15 consecutive months, the data showed.

While China's foreign trade is expected to continue the growth, analysts have warned of uncertainties that could have a possible impact on it.

High prices of raw materials, fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and delays in sea shipping will further squeeze the profit margins of foreign trade enterprises and affect their willingness to accept new orders, said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Global firms eye growing opportunities under China's wider opening up

Xinhua) 08:13, September 08, 2021

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Foreign firms are striving to tap into China's services sector as they continue to see robust demand amid the country's opening-up efforts.

China announced at the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) that it would open up at a higher level.

It will implement across the country a negative list for cross-border services trade, scale up support for the growth of the services sector in the Belt and Road partner countries and share the nation's technological achievements with the rest of the world.

China's openness is at record high in history, not only in its financial sector but in all respects, said Calvin Fu, chief representative at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) China Office.

The country is working to further open its economy and trying to help the global community get the quickest recovery from the pandemic, Fu said.

Hailing China's economic resilience and inclusiveness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fu said the ADGM, an international financial center, is eager to leverage the CIFTIS and bring leading global financial institutions to invest in China.

The improvement of the business environment in China is quite visible, convincing and sustainable, said Fu, adding that the country's market size, the government's success in dealing with the pandemic and abundant talent are attractive to foreign investors.

In July, China introduced its first negative list for cross-border trade in services at the Hainan free trade port, marking the highest level of opening-up in the realm.

GLP, a global investment manager and business builder in logistics, data infrastructure, renewable energy and related technologies, said China's institutional innovation is encouraging. The company believes that the negative list would lead to further upgrade of the cross-border supply chain businesses and higher growth rate.

China's high-quality development and dual-circulation strategy would undoubtedly bring more opportunities, said Gao Tan, general manager of GLP Supply Chain Services.

"We have provided integrated supply chain services to our clients in China during the pandemic and helped them move their products to fulfil overseas demand through our smart global logistics network," said Gao. "With booming demand in cross-border trading services, we are highly confident in the Chinese market."

Statistics have shown the encouraging performance of the services industry in China. In the first seven months of the year, the country's services trade rose 7.3 percent year on year to nearly 2.81 trillion yuan (about 435.04 billion U.S. dollars).

J.P. Morgan Futures Co., Ltd. has completed a new round of capital injection of over 300 million yuan in June this year, showing the firm's confidence in the prospects of China's financial services sector.

"The Chinese market is so huge that our global clients have shown great interest in it," said Rochelle Wei, CEO of J.P. Morgan Futures Co., Ltd., adding that the company has been helping its clients in China and abroad to expand their business.

Vivian Jiang, Deputy CEO of Deloitte China, said there is still a gap between China and developed countries in the proportion of the service sector in their gross domestic product.

"But we are confident of the Chinese services market as the country pursues balanced development between its manufacturing and services sector amid high-quality development," she said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China to keep an eye on Taliban's terrorism promises after announcement of Afghan interim govt

Global Times) 08:15, September 08, 2021

The Afghan Taliban on Tuesday announced key members of its new interim government, whose structure shows the Taliban want to ensure its political dominance and absolute control in the country and means the Taliban at this stage will still prioritize solving internal problems rather than responding expectations from the international community, Chinese analysts said.

Although the key positions of the interim government are dominated by Taliban members, the Taliban might share some grass-root positions with non-Taliban forces in the country, analysts said.

However, some of these Taliban senior members are on the UN sanctions list, which remains a major concern for the international community and also increases difficulty for this interim government to be recognized widely and restore normal international exchanges, said Chinese analysts, adding that China will keep paying attention to the situation and will not change its position of urging the Taliban to keep what was promised.

Mullah Hasan Akhund was announced as prime minister of Afghanistan's caretaker government on Tuesday, with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi named as the acting deputy prime ministers, media reported.

Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network designated as a terrorist organization by the US, will be the acting interior minister, the Taliban's main spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, informed during a news conference in Kabul. Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, was appointed as the acting defense minister. All these appointments were for an interim government, Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul.

It was not clear what role in the interim government would be played by Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban supreme leader. He has not been seen or heard in public since the collapse of the Western-backed government and the seizure of Kabul last month, Reuters reported.

"The structure of the new government has shown that the Taliban will dominate all key positions. They want to take control but meanwhile are hoping to present an inclusive image to the world. But they face difficulties in establishing a political structure by both the Taliban and non-Taliban, evident in their postponement in announcing the formation of the interim government," Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of the Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The Taliban have stressed that it would build an open and inclusive government with a moderate approach and would not become a haven for terrorist organizations.

However, given the complex history and situation in Afghanistan, there still lies a great deal of uncertainty whether it can have a clean cut with their old allies, which means that whether the international community will readily recognize the interim government remains a question, Liu noted.

Zhu Yongbiao, Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies in Lanzhou University, mentioned that the interim government does not seem to be as "inclusive" as it claimed because the key positions have been taken by members of the Taliban.

Besides Haqqani, the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada will be the emir of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," media reported.

Zhu said that the appointment of the emir makes the new political system in Afghanistan similar to the previous one allowing the emir to live in Kandahar where the administrative work of the country will be shared by the PM and other senior officials.

An expert on counterterrorism and Afghan affairs in Beijing, who asked to remain anonymous, said that "due to the previous terrorist attacks at the Kabul airport, the IS-Khorasan is the terrorist group that the Taliban can decide to cut off, but the Taliban is unlikely to deal with all terrorists in Afghanistan with the same standard."

"The Taliban may keep some terrorists in the country as bargaining chips to make deals with other neighboring countries and major powers worldwide, so it is unrealistic to expect the Taliban to have a clear and absolute cutoff with all terrorists in Afghanistan at this moment," according to the expert.

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a major concern for China and the Taliban are aware if it wants to maintain a sustainable ruling of the country, China is the only major power that could provide meaningful support. Therefore, it would take some actions on the matter to meet China's request, the expert said.

Wang Jin, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies of Northwest University, believed the appointments of the interim government display certain degree of inclusiveness.

An inclusive government for the Afghan Taliban is not what we used to understand as sharing power with other political groups. The Taliban had made it clear previously that it would take the dominant role in the new government and share positions of ministers for basic departments with other political groups, Wang noted, adding that he was a little surprised to see the appointment of Mullah Hassan Akhund as the prime minister of the new interim government as he was on the sanctions list of the UN.

The Afghan Taliban are hoping to join in the UN, but the decision to appoint some on UN's sanctions list as senior officials on key positions in its interim government may create more difficulties for it to communicate with the international community.

Similar to Zhu, Wang said that other senior officials in the new interim government are on the UN sanctions list, which means it will be more difficult for it to deal with the international community and the West.

The nominations for these positions also showed that the Afghan Taliban are taking a realist political view hoping to consolidate the domestic political situation first and later start to gradually promote international relations, Wang said, noting that regardless of the reasons for the decisions of the new interim government, the Afghan Taliban still have a long way to go in either solving domestic problems or dealing with international ties.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
U.S. overwhelmed with rising COVID-19 patients, alarmed schools after Labor Day

Xinhua) 08:36, September 08, 2021

A healthcare worker watches a patient in the "COVID Area" of the Beverly Hospital in Montebello City, California, the United States, Jan. 22, 2021.(Xinhua)

The rise in hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients is straining resources in many states. Hospitals in Florida and Mississippi have said in recent weeks that they are running out of ICU beds, which also affects patients who need other kinds of health care since the facilities don't have the space or staff to treat them.

NEW YORK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 is unlikely to be going away completely in the United States, an expert has warned, as the country remains burdened with surging cases, rising deaths, occupied hospital ICUs and alarmed schools right after Labor Day.

"It is really important that we convey that success does not equal no cases. Success looks like very few people in the hospital and very few dying," U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a recent interview with Politico.

The continued increase in COVID-19 cases over Labor Day weekend forced many Americans to change or cancel plans, bringing what began as an optimistic summer to an end on a decidedly somber note. "This is obviously a very difficult part of the pandemic," Murthy said.

HOSPITALS STRAINED

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals in the United States has more than doubled since last Labor Day, a sobering statistic that illustrates how the Delta variant has hampered progress in curbing the pandemic even as vaccines became widely available, reported The Washington Post on Tuesday.

There were 38,192 people in hospitals with the virus last Labor Day, on Sept. 7, 2020, at a time when the promise of a vaccine rollout was still a few months away. This figure has skyrocketed to 99,270 by Sept 6. 2021, a 160 percent increase, according to the report.

The rise in hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients is straining resources in many states. Hospitals in Florida and Mississippi have said in recent weeks that they are running out of ICU beds, which also affects patients who need other kinds of health care since the facilities don't have the space or staff to treat them.

Healthcare workers operate in an ICU in the "COVID Area" of the Beverly Hospital in Montebello City, California, the United States, Jan. 22, 2021. (Xinhua)

In the meantime, the seven-day average of confirmed cases of the pandemic stood at 132,135 nationwide on Monday, with its 14-day change striking a 12-percent fall. COVID-19-related deaths were 1,385 on Monday, with the 14-day change realizing a 31-percent rise, according to The New York Times.

Equally worrisome, reported Forbes on Tuesday, 21 states have yet to reach the goal U.S. President Joe Biden set for the United States to having 70 percent of adults at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19, even though the country surpassed the milestone in August, but an uptick in inoculations is bringing many places closer.

Furthest from the target Biden initially set for Independence Day are West Virginia, Wyoming, Mississippi and Idaho, which have all partially vaccinated less than 60 percent of adults. Another 10 states yet to crack a 65 percent vaccination rate are North Dakota, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Indiana, South Carolina, Montana, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri.

SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS, NURSES

School districts across the country have been struggling with dwindling staff numbers after teachers left the profession amid coronavirus lockdowns last year, and now, as Delta infections spike, reported Business Insider on Sunday.

Those factors, coupled with more full-time teachers testing positive for COVID-19, have led to an increased demand for substitute teachers, which are also now in critically short supply in many districts, according to the report.

Districts in Georgia, California, Florida, Idaho and other states are struggling to fill their substitute teacher rosters. Some are even offering more money and perks in what is typically a low-paid and inconsistent job, it added.

A student of Montrara Ave. Elementary School has a COVID-19 test in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Xinhua)

Meanwhile, the United States is grappling with a shortage of school nurses. Pandemic aside, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that schools have one full-time nurse for every 750 students.

"Now, when students and schools may need nurses more than ever, it's estimated that about a quarter of schools still have no nurse at all," reported CNN on Monday, adding that the country has had a shortage of school nurses for years, but the burden is clear now.

The latest data from a national school nurse workforce study, published in the Journal of School Nursing in 2018, found approximately 39 percent of U.S. schools employ full-time nurses and about 35 percent employ part-time school nurses, while 25 percent do not employ school nurses.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Trade in services speeds up digitalization of world economy

09:03, September 08, 2021 By Yu Yichun, Wang Xinping ( People's Daily

People visit the exhibition booth of JDL, the logistics branch of e-commerce giant JD.com, at the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services held at the China National Convention Center, Sept. 5, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Du Jianpo)

The 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) just concluded in Beijing on September 7. Multiple forums were held at the event during which Chinese and foreign officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and international organization representatives exchanged views on the high-quality development, open cooperation and new digital ecology of service trade.

Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, global foreign direct investment (FDI) plunged by 42 percent, and service trade has also been hit hard. However, the accelerating digitalization of the service trade sector is bringing new opportunities to the sectors restructuring and the development of new service trade.

The average growth of global trade in services in the recent decade is twice that of the trade in goods. The service trade sector is playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting global growth and organizing the global value chain.

China, continuously expanding its service trade, has ranked as the worlds second largest trader of services for seven years, which caught high attention from the guests attending the 2021 CIFTIS.

China is constantly promoting the integrated development of service trade, said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Regional Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, adding that as the worlds second largest importer and the fourth largest exporter of services, the country is continuously developing its service trade and making it diverse. Kwakwa believes that service trade will help countries recover from the pandemic faster and better, and accelerate the digitalization of the world economy.

President Marcos Troyjo of the BRICS New Development Bank said the trade in services is even more important given the rising trade protectionism. Service trade is occupying an increasingly larger share in global trade, and benefits a series of sectors such as manufacturing, he noted.

Troyjo gave a high evaluation on Chinas sci-tech development, new approaches to industrialization, and efforts on intellectual property protection, which he believes are very important for restructuring the global value chain.

Steven Barnett, Senior Resident Representative for China at the IMF, said service trade doubled its share in the global economy over the past 20 years, while trade plays a very important role in the global economy. Chinas continuous opening-up is conducive to the liberalization of service trade and will inject new energy into global recovery, he added.

As a new form of global trade and a new engine of trade in the future, digital economy was one of the buzzwords at this years CIFTIS. It is reported that the global exports in digital trade bucked the trend and expanded by 3.8 percent last year, further increasing its share in service trade to 62.8 percent and contributing 98.3 percent to the growth of service export.

During the Forum on Trends and Latest Developments of Digital Trade of the CIFITS, participants offered ideas and recommendations on how China and the world should advance digital economy and trade, from legal construction to infrastructure reinforcement, and from sustainable development to digital transformation of enterprises.

Mohan Munasinghe, the vice chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said good management of digital technologies and trade in the post-pandemic era will guarantee sustainable development. He believes Chinas experience in sustainable development is worth learning from, saying the country has embarked on a path of inclusive and green development and established new models of sustainable development through finding a balance among economic development, social development and ecological protection.

Rich Lesser, CEO of Boston Consulting Group, said China has a solid foundation of industry and consumer internet market, and boasts world-leading digital ecology. It enjoys broad prospects in digital trade development, and its innovative service modes can be promoted globally, he noted.

China plays a leading role in the world in terms of the construction of digital platforms, said Luis Diego Monsalve, Colombian Ambassador to China, adding the country has built digital platforms that enable people to enjoy financial and educational services from a distance, which has facilitated trade and investment and created substantial development opportunities.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Traditional Chinese Medicine offers Ethiopians better alternative to regain health

Xinhua) 09:13, September 08, 2021

Chinese acupuncturists treat Ethiopian patients with acupuncture at Tirunesh Beijing hospital on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Aug. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Berhanu Kedir, 34, is one of the many outpatients who have been receiving the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for treatment at the Tirunesh Beijing Hospital on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Kedir suffered a car accident seven months ago and has since struggled with long-term waist and left leg pain as well as difficulty of speaking.

"My pain, however, has largely reduced over the last three weeks ever since I started acupuncture therapy," Kedir told Xinhua, while receiving the acupuncture treatment on the premises of Chinese-backed Tirunesh-Beijing Hospital.

"The Chinese doctors use acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion and other techniques to treat neck, shoulder, waist and leg pains, nerve dysfunction and some mental and psychological disorders," said Liu Ruiqiang, who is the leader of the 22nd batch of Chinese Medical Team in Ethiopia.

According to the team leader, the two highly experienced Chinese acupuncturists can treat about 25 Ethiopian patients a day, helping more than 700 locals relieve from physical pains every month.

"We have been treating diseases such as body, muscle and joint pains, paralysis, and migraine since our arrival at the hospital's acupuncture treatment center nine months ago," said Lin Guoping, one of the Chinese acupuncturists.

Lin said he sees an increasing number of patients who are referred to the center and undergo acupuncture therapy, an ancient Chinese medicine-based approach to treating a variety of conditions by triggering specific points on the skin with needles.

Kedir, who was in a coma and could not speak for months due to the damage on his head during the car accident, is now witnessing major improvements in his health.

"After I have undergone the acupuncture therapy, my speech, waist and leg conditions have improved," Kedir said.

"Now, I walk, wear my clothes, eat food and serve all my other needs without help," said Kedir, appreciating the traditional Chinese medicine in the hospital," he added.

Lia Hailu, 22, is another regular outpatient who was admitted in the acupuncture center a month ago after she has suffered from facial palsy which involves a paralysis on one side of her face.

"I felt the symptoms just one morning and found my left-side face did not move and tended to droop," said Hailu, who was confused about what to do until she was referred to the Chinese acupuncture treatment center.

"Since I have undergone the therapy, my leaps returned to normal position and my left side face started to function. Unlike the first days of the illness, now I can close my eyes and drink water properly," she said.

She said the acupuncture treatment was the best treatment she could find to cure her illness.

"I will recover fully from my illness in 15 days," Hailu said.

Apart from treating the locals, the acupuncture center serves as a platform where in the Chinese doctors are imparting the Traditional Chinese Medicines to the fellow Ethiopian health professionals.

"Our country is committed to assisting the healthcare system in Ethiopia and the Chinese doctors who specialize in surgery, orthopedics, acupuncture, obstetrics and gynecology as well as pathology and radiology deliver sweeping health services in the hospital," said Lin.

Seble Mamo, who serves as the chief Ethiopian acupuncturist in the center, said the Chinese acupuncture is reaching more needy people, helping to cure locals from a variety of illnesses such as headaches, blood pressure, and sleeping problems, among others.

"Unlike other modern-day treatments, the acupuncture therapy is much preferable among Ethiopians as it is administered without side-effects," said Mamo.

Mamo attended a two-month training on the acupuncture therapy in China along with her colleagues as part of the Ethiopian government's effort to expand the TMC in Ethiopia.

Mamo said the TCM therapy is gaining popularity among Ethiopians and instead of seeking long-term medication, many locals now tend to try the treatment, which they see as a safer alternative following more recovered cases.

"Those patients who come to the acupuncture center at the early stage of their illness get cured quicker than those patients with chronic illnesses," Mamo said.

Mamo said she is happy working with the Chinese acupuncturists from whom she draws good knowledge and experience. She recommends the acupuncture health education to be given in Ethiopian universities to serve the over 110 million population of the east African nation.

"I witnessed several patients who came into the center assisted by a caregiver but sturdily walked out of the hospital having undergone the acupuncture treatment," Mamo added.

Amid increasing difficulties induced by the ongoing COVID-19, the 22nd batch of Chinese medical team in Ethiopia, consisting 15 doctors and an interpreter, has been serving the people of Ethiopia fearlessly at Tiruneh- Beijing Hospital, also known as the Ethio-China Friendship Hospital since November 2020.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese automakers ready for win-win cooperation with European counterparts: CEO

Xinhua) 09:26, September 08, 2021

MUNICH, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and European auto firms should take advantage of their complementary roles in the industry to share product platforms and technologies, so as to achieve win-win outcomes, head of the Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) European branch said here on Monday.

Entering overseas markets, especially such a crucial one as Europe, allows Chinese auto brands to expand and grow stronger, Xianghua Qiao, chief executive of GWM Europe, told Xinhua at the ongoing International Motor Show (IAA) in Germany.

"Therefore, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary for us to come to the show," he said.

During the auto show, Qiao's company announced the global debut of a plug-in hybrid version of its WEY Mocha, a mid-size utility vehicle.

Boasting intelligent driving and a pure electric range of over 150 km, the car is expected to be available for pre-order by the end of 2021, with the first deliveries in the first half of next year.

This year's IAA, themed "What will move us next," focuses on transforming the auto industry toward climate-neutral mobility.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, Britain agree to advance cooperation on climate change

Xinhua) 09:35, September 08, 2021

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Alok Sharma, president-designate of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Britain both expressed willingness on Tuesday to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to tackle climate change and work together to achieve positive outcomes at global climate change and biodiversity conferences.

The pledges were made during a meeting via video link between Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Alok Sharma, president-designate of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to take place in Glasgow in November.

Stressing solidarity in the face of climate change, Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said it is hoped that COP26 will send a strong political signal to firmly uphold multilateralism, respect multilateral rules, and promote actions; actively call for all parties to transform climate goals into specific policies and actions; and complete the negotiations on the implementation details of the Paris Agreement to ensure that global climate governance continues on the right track.

China and Britain have maintained a good cooperative relationship in coping with climate change and both put forward stronger independent contribution targets and carbon neutrality visions, the vice premier said, calling for further dialogue and cooperation from both sides.

China currently holds the presidency of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), and it is willing to work with Britain to promote the success of the two conferences, Han said.

Hailing China's efforts in tackling climate change, Sharma said Britain looks forward to expanding exchanges and cooperation in climate finance, energy, carbon trading and other fields with China, and is willing to strengthen dialogue and coordination with China to achieve positive results of COP26 and COP15.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Qianhai plan gives greater impetus to Hong Kong's economy: senior officials

Xinhua) 09:36, September 08, 2021

Aerial photo taken on July 16, 2020 shows Wan Chai of south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said that with the expansion of its area, Qianhai, as a modern service zone, will further reform and open up, and will definitely provide more opportunities for Hong Kong professional service providers in the future.

HONG KONG, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A new plan issued on Monday by the central authorities for further development of a cooperation zone for Shenzhen and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will provide Hong Kong with a greater impetus for its economy, senior officials of the HKSAR government have said.

According to the plan, the reform and opening up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, will be comprehensively deepened.

Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that with the expansion of its area, Qianhai, as a modern service zone, will further reform and open up, and will definitely provide more opportunities for Hong Kong professional service providers in the future.

The HKSAR government will definitely take an active, progressive and proactive part in building the Qianhai zone, Lam said.

Combo photo taken on Oct. 7, 2020 shows the skyscrapers supported by the No. 10 centralized cooling station (top) and the inside view of the No. 10 centralized cooling station (bottom) in China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Qianhai &Shekou Area in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government, said that Qianhai and Hong Kong form complementary functions with each other and the HKSAR government will work together with relevant financial authorities and regulators to formulate strategic plans and specific policy arrangements for Hong Kong's future development as a financial center.

Teresa Cheng, Secretary of Justice of the HKSAR government, said that Qianhai will become a new platform for the cooperation between Guangdong Province and Hong Kong.

The Qianhai plan clearly stated that it will improve the level of opening up legal affair, and build an international legal service center and an international commercial dispute resolution center in the zone.

After Qianhai's expansion, there will surely be more registered Hong Kong-invested enterprises, which will creat more opportunities for Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution industries, Cheng said.

She urged Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution industry to seize the opportunities provided by the Qianhai plan and match with Qianhai's development based on the principle of mutual benefit, mutual contribution and sharing, so as to jointly carry out international commercial dispute resolution business.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, Vietnam agree to enhance inter-party exchanges, boost ties

Xinhua) 09:40, September 08, 2021

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with Tran Cam Tu, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, and head of the Committee's Inspection Commission, via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's top anti-graft official Zhao Leji met with Tran Cam Tu, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, and head of the Committee's Inspection Commission, in Beijing via video link Tuesday.

Noting that China and Vietnam are socialist countries led by communist parties, Zhao, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said that leaders of the two parties have reached plenty of important consensus on the promotion of the healthy and stable development of relations between the two parties and the two countries.

China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the consensus of the top leaders of the two parties, deepen exchange of experience in the governance of party and country, and promote exchange and cooperation in the fields of discipline inspection and supervision, to provide political guarantee for the steady and sustained development of bilateral relations and the cause of socialism of the two countries, Zhao said.

Tran Cam Tu said it has always been Vietnam's top priority to develop and enhance friendly relations with China, and the CPV stands ready to work with the CPC to enhance inter-party exchanges, and deepen cooperation in discipline inspection and supervision, to strive for new progress in relations between the two countries.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese mainland reports 19 new imported COVID-19 cases

Xinhua) 10:14, September 08, 2021

Passengers arrive at Terminal 2 building of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 24, 2020.(Xinhua/Ding Ting)

BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tuesday saw 19 imported COVID-19 cases newly reported on the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Wednesday.

Nine of them were reported in Yunnan, six in Shanghai, and four in Guangdong, said the commission, adding that one suspected case was newly reported in Shanghai, who had arrived from outside the mainland.

There were no new deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, it said.

A total of 8,523 imported cases had been reported on the mainland by the end of Tuesday. Among them, 7,905 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 618 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 95,083 by Tuesday, including 795 patients still receiving treatment.

A total of 89,652 patients had been discharged following recovery, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

There was one suspected COVID-19 case on the mainland on Tuesday.

Eleven asymptomatic cases were newly reported, all arriving from outside the mainland. There were a total of 390 asymptomatic cases under medical observation on Tuesday, of whom 358 were imported.

By the end of Tuesday, 12,129 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 212 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 63 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 16047 cases, including 837 deaths, had been reported in Taiwan.

A total of 11,825 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 61 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 13,742 had been discharged in Taiwan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese banks steer loans to real economy amid recovery

Xinhua) 10:15, September 08, 2021

BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's six major banks cranked up loan support for the real-economy sectors in the first half of the year (H1), as demand was further unleashed amid sound recovery momentum.

The latest semi-annual reports of the six largest state-owned commercial banks show that each of the four biggest lenders issued more than one trillion yuan (about 154.97 billion U.S. dollars) of new loans in H1, injecting cash into key real-economy sectors such as small and micro firms, agricultural and emerging industries.

The demand from businesses for credit loans was further unleashed as epidemic-control efforts took hold and economic fundamentals sustained upward momentum, said Wang Jiang, head of the China Construction Bank (CCB).

With the structure of credit-loan supply optimized and the financing services becoming more targeted and precise, the banks played a positive role in forging the recovery of the real economy, industry professionals noted.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) took the lead in steering loans to small and micro-sized enterprises, followed by the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) and Bank of China (BOC).

The growth rate of inclusive loans issued by the ICBC stood at 40.4 percent in H1, while that for the ABC and BOC also surpassed 30 percent.

Green loans grew steeply within the context of China's carbon goals. By the end of June, the ICBC, ABC, BOC and CCB all reported a green-loan balance of more than one trillion yuan.

The lenders also ratcheted up financial support for strategic emerging industries, led by the BOC. The bank saw loan issuance to the sectors skyrocket 83.5 percent from the end of last year.

Zhang Qingsong, head of the ABC, said the bank stepped up credit-loan support for rural vitalization. By the end of June, the bank reported that the balance of loans issued to county-level regions stood at 5.9 trillion yuan.

Based on the principle that "houses are for living in, not for speculation" and the country's regulatory control on forestalling and defusing financial risks, loans to China's property sector saw slower expansion in the first six months.

Official data shows that outstanding property loans went up 9.5 percent from last year to 50.78 trillion yuan as of the end of June. According to the banks, the new loan quotas issued were mainly for meeting residents' demands for buying their own houses to live in.

Over the next half year, loan issuances will maintain steady growth momentum, while the structure of credit loans will be further optimized, the banks said.

As credit-loan demand for rural vitalization, the green economy and advanced manufacturing are robust, the Bank of Communications will step up project reserves for those sectors, said Liu Jun, head of the bank.

Personal loans will also be emphasized by the banks during the period. The Postal Savings Bank of China said it will provide more credit loans to retail businesses, with a focus on agricultural projects and small and micro-sized loans.

The ABC will prop up financial support for county-level regions, private businesses and manufacturing sectors that lack cash inflows, said Zhang.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
HK eases restrictions on travel, integrates with national devt

Global Times) 10:20, September 08, 2021

China's bay area flourishing, new growth pole for world economy

File photo shows a glimpse of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Photo/China News Service)

Authorities in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) announced Tuesday that the city will soon lift strict restrictions on individual travel from the Chinese mainland and Macao. Experts said this is a significant move to open amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and it could offer a boost to the city's virus-stricken economy since arrivals from the Chinese mainland account for the majority of tourists and visitors to Hong Kong, meanwhile it will also expedite the economic integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam said at Tuesday's weekly press briefing that the SAR government will roll out the "Come2HK" scheme on September 15, which will offer quarantine-free entry to non-Hong Kong residents from the Chinese mainland and Macao SAR.

Hong Kong will allow up to 1,000 visitors to cross the border every day at both Shenzhen Bay Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port.

Meanwhile, Lam announced the "Return2HK," a scheme that allows Hong Kong residents to return from the mainland without going through quarantine. The scheme was suspended in early August due to the epidemic flare-ups in some mainland localities.

"Apart from accelerating vaccination, schemes like 'Come2HK' and 'Return2HK' will help restore exchanges with the mainland, especially increase the exchanges of personnel, capital and trade between the two places, thereby greatly improving Hong Kong's job market and injecting more vitality into Hong Kong's economic development," Liang Haiming, dean of the Belt and Road Institute at Hainan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Prior to this, some Hong Kong industries such as tourism, aviation and logistics have been hit hard due to the strict restrictions on exchanges with the mainland. And it is temporarily difficult for the unemployment rate to return to the pre-epidemic 3 percent level, Liang noted.

Hong Kong's unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, down to 5 percent in the three months to the end of July.

The Chinese central government rolled out two concrete plans this week, stipulating to create new home space to provide convenience to residents from both Hong Kong and Macao in their life and employment in the Greater Bay Area.

In the near future, Hong Kong residents can expect to enjoy convenience in areas such as transportation, communications and payment in the Qianhai economic zone in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, according to a development plan for a cooperation zone for Shenzhen and Hong Kong that was issued on Monday.

Separately, Chinese central authorities unveiled one day earlier a plan for the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in the Hengqin economic zone in Zhuhai, Guangdong to bolster Macao's higher education, scientific research and development, the tourism and leisure industry and finance.

The plan includes measures to build Hengqin into a new home for Macao residents to live and work in, such as exemption of income tax margins, lowering and gradually calling off charges for long-distance phone calls and cross-border internet connections between the two places.

Kris Tsang, founder of Shenzhen-based 708090 Co-working Space, told the Global Times on Tuesday that his firm, established six years ago in Qianhai, has witnessed many young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong chasing their dreams in the mainland.

"The release of the Qianhai plan further reinforces the confidence of more Hong Kong youth who have the willingness and determination to enter mainland markets especially starting from the Greater Bay Area," Tsang noted.

Dynamic integration

As southern China is now undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation both economically and socially, with the accelerated construction of the Greater Bay Area which was incubated from an ambitious blueprint two years ago now forged to down-to-earth action plans, the Hong Kong and Macao SARs have felt the urge to participate widely in the nation's dual circulation strategy.

The move not only enriches the practice of "one country, two systems," experts said, but also demonstrates the nation's unwavering determination to push high-level opening-up.

Lam on Monday called on various sectors in Hong Kong to seize the opportunities from new the plans concerning Qianhai and Zhuhai and push forward the development of the Greater Bay Area.

"According to my observations, more business entities from Hong Kong and Macao are actively exploring opportunities in Guangdong by tapping the advantages of supportive policies in the Greater Bay Area," Deng Yu, senior analyst at the Bank of Communications, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Deng attributed the attractiveness of the Greater Bay Area to its regional synergistic development, which also differentiates itself from other three global bay areas - New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.

The number of Global Fortune 500 companies' headquarters in the Greater Bay Area has surpassed that in New York for the first time, becoming a new growth pole for the world's economy, according to research by the 21st Century Business Herald in August. With four new companies added, China's Greater Bay Area became host to 25 Global Fortune 500 companies this year, outweighing New York which has 24.

As one of the most economically vibrant areas in China, the Greater Bay Area contributed to 12 percent of the country's GDP with less than 0.6 percent of the country's area and permanent population of about 70 million as of the end of 2020, official data showed.

However, compared with three other global bay areas where between 80 and 90 percent of GDP comes from the tertiary sectors, the proportion of tertiary industries in the Greater Bay Area is just over 60 percent of the economy, meaning there is huge room to grow.

"High-end manufacturing, high technologies, modern services and finance are the pillar industries that the Greater Bay Area will push ahead with utmost efforts in the current transitional period by drawing on years of accumulated manufacturing capabilities in Dongguan, innovation capabilities in Shenzhen and Hong Kong's world-class financial services," Deng said.

New 'one country, two systems'

Under the plan, Hengqin, which is three times the area of Macao, will be run under a dual-leadership model via a committee co-led by the chief executive of Macao and the governor of Guangdong Province. The committee will decide on major plans, policies and important personnel appointments within the zone.

"The plan has showed a new idea in governance to specifically deal with the situation in Macao, as the special administrative region needs to find more diversified paths for development in the future rather than merely relying on gambling industry," Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studies at Nankai University in Tianjin, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Macao needs more land to realize those new constructions, but now the new development idea is not just about Guangdong providing lands or construction only and leaving the governance to Macao, Li said.

"The central government wants both sides to find an innovative model of governance that can effectively combine the advantages of the two systems, and to maximize their unique strong points," he said.

But there are some external voices, which remain suspicious and hostile toward the Chinese mainland, who said the move is intended to change "one country, two systems" into "one country, one system," and in the future, a similar measure will be implemented in Hong Kong as well.

Chinese mainland experts said that "one country, two systems" is a dynamic idea and it should be improved and innovated with the development of the country and the change of the international situation.

In recent years, the development of Hong Kong and Macao has been slower than most major cities in the mainland, so in fact the two SARs desperately need integration with the mainland to seek a new development path, said experts.

The 2019 political turmoil in Hong Kong had exposed that the city needs reform and innovation in governance to solve long-standing problems, so this kind of problem-oriented idea is guiding the country to issue new plans and explore new paths for "one country, two systems," analysts noted.

At present, Hong Kong and Macao have very different development models, and they are facing different problems and challenges, so they cannot share every experience or measure, but if Guangdong and Macao have a successful experience in the Hengqin cooperation zone, it will be possible to see another zone emerge between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, analysts said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
China-Russia service trade goes digital amid pandemic

Xinhua) 13:11, September 08, 2021

HARBIN, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- At an e-commerce livestreaming base in a border city in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, anchorwoman Fang Ziyue was busy introducing commodities in front of a camera.

"The Russia-made chocolate I'm holding tastes deliciously sweet," said Fang, standing in front of a shelf packed with different kinds of goods imported from Russia.

The cross-border e-commerce livestreaming base is in the Heihe Area of China (Heilongjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone in the city of Heihe. Established last year, it now has 35 studios for livestreaming shows.

From January to June, the cross-border e-commerce trade volume of the Heihe Area of the free trade zone reached 640 million yuan (about 99.14 million U.S. dollars), up 17 percent year on year.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the personnel exit and entry on the China-Russia border, the cross-border service trade between the two countries has been going digital online.

In Suifenhe People's Hospital in the border city of Suifenhe, Zhao Jing, a doctor in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), always carries her mobile to answer questions from her Russian patients at any time.

The hospital established a national base for TCM service exports in 2013, which promotes medical tourism, including health checkup management and the TCM service trade.

Zhao, also deputy director of the base, said it provided remote consultation for Russian patients through online Q&As and video links following the pandemic.

Via a social networking app, Vyacheslav Kurmanov asked Zhao about the prescriptions of TCM-made pills and their effect.

Kurmanov visited the hospital every year with his family for TCM care and therapy until the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He said he is very interested in TCM, and the online consultation is convenient for them to ask for professional help.

According to the hospital, the base has served more than 1,500 Russian patients online since the pandemic.

The pandemic has provided opportunities for Jin Peng, 29, who has started an online education company in the provincial capital of Harbin. The company hires foreign instructors to teach Russian online and offers audio, video, and text documents via internet platforms.

The company also serves as an agent serving Chinese students who want to study in Russia. Via the company, more than 200 students have registered at institutions in Russia to learn online since 2020.

"During the pandemic, we maintained business contacts with several Russian universities through various online methods to discuss details about students studying abroad. The internet has made the contacts convenient," said Jin.

Song Kui, an expert on the China-Russia regional economy, said new technologies such as "internet+," big data, and 5G promoted the province's service trade development with Russia.

"Digital technology will help make the service trade with Russia more convenient and efficient," he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China to make blacklist for bribers

Xinhua) 14:02, September 08, 2021

BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities will introduce a blacklist system for bribers to intensify the fight against corruption, according to a guideline.

Research shall be carried out to put in place punishments regarding bribers' market access and qualification restrictions, says the document made public Wednesday.

The document was jointly formulated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission, as well as a series of Party departments and top judicial authorities.

Stressing that punishment shall be given to both those who take bribes and those who offer them, the guideline specifies the investigation will focus on those committing multiple bribery, huge bribery or bribery to many people; Party members and state employees offering bribes; bribery in key areas and fields; and major commercial bribery.

It asks for measures to ensure that illegal interests obtained from bribery shall be confiscated, recovered, or restituted according to law; and that other improper interests obtained, such as professional titles, political honors, business qualifications and academic degrees, shall be canceled or revoked.

While punishing bribers, authorities shall also fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of the persons and enterprises involved to ensure the legitimate operation of enterprises, says the document.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Louis Moinet is proud to be supporting the famous Only Watch charity auction. This ninth edition will bring together some of the most beautiful watchmaking Maisons and will present one-of-a-kind pieces, all created exclusively for the event. All proceeds will be donated to the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy (AMM) in order to fund research into therapeutic solutions for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.



For its third participation, Louis Moinet is presenting the world-first Memoris Spirit. This creation represents the latest evolution of the chronograph. Under the aegis of a legendary name, this watch is synonymous with progress and the transformation of the genre. Born of unbridled imagination and experience gained from winning more than 40 international awards, it is undoubtedly one of the achievements enlivening the contemporary superwatch sector while preserving a quintessentially craft-based nature.



Memoris Spirit represents an approach to innovation leveraging the potential of fine mechanical engineering while refusing to compromise on unique elegance. It stems from numerous interacting factors: the quest for beauty, the assurance of comfort on the wrist, along with ergonomics and functionality.

Memoris Spirit  Louis Monet

Hand-assembled in keeping with Swiss tradition, Memoris Spirit "Only Watch" draws its essence from an abundance technical details, original colours and splendid finishing.

Memoris Spirit Only Watch  A timepiece unique in the world

Memoris Spirit "Only Watch" chronograph appears attired in a new grade 5 titanium case featuring flowing curves and an exceptional 40mm diameter. This boldly assertive housing is particularly light and, based on technical studies, the use of strongly convex watch glass enables optimal layout while ensuring peerless comfort on the wrist. An XXL sapphire dome has been entirely developed to highlight a unique mechanism. The result of each chronograph operation (start, stop, reset) can thus be admired at leisure. One press on the dedicated single pusher activates an impressive show starring the column wheel with its toothing and precisely cut vertical columns.



This original creation features a unique colour combination: a magnificent gold-toned hours and minutes dial, a translucent black and blue flange to separate time read-off, along with a blue-lacquered mainplate to highlight the mechanism. The dial is delicately adorned with rhodium-plated hour-markers and new contemporary hands to ensure perfect legibility. To highlight the mechanical aspect of the creation, the counters have been crafted from an innovative, entirely translucent material.



Finally, the entire reverse side of the movement is revealed through a sapphire crystal caseback surrounded by the engraved inscription "Only Watch - N01/01". The openworked lugs with their pure, avant-garde design offer a pleasing contrast between satin-brushed and polished surfaces.



This is the first time that Louis Moinet has opted for an integrated design: the case and the rubber-finished alligator strap merge to form a single entity on the wrist. The integrated strap perfectly matches the shape of the case, resulting in a modern chronograph exuding a rare degree of sophistication.
Quick, what comes to mind when you think of the brand Parmigiani Fleurier? First of all, if youre familiar with the company, congratulations  youre one of the knowledgeable minority. Despite producing fine watches for a quarter of a century (thanks to the expertise and experience of master watchmaker and brand founder Michel Parmigiani), the company remains very much a connoisseurs brand. Watch designs are predominantly classic, with the exception of examples such as the brands previous collaborations with Bugatti, which ventured far into the avant-garde realm. The refined mechanics featured in Parmigiani Fleurier watches ranged from high complications such as minute repeaters to novel functions such as the Hijri perpetual calendar and creative displays as seen in the telescoping hands of the Ovale Pantographe.

With the addition of Guido Terrini to the management team, taking on the daunting role of CEO during a particularly sensitive economic period worldwide, Parmigiani are launching a new interpretation of their all-time best-selling Tonda collection. This new sub-identity of the Tonda, called the Tonda PF, represents a distillation of Parmigiani Fleuriers aesthetic codes, resulting in a balance of understated elegance and luxury detailing.

Tonda PF Micro-Rotor  Parmigiani Fleurier

The launch models of the Tonda PF comprise an automatic-winding (micro-rotor) time-and-date watch, a three-counter chronograph, an annual calendar and  at the pinnacle of the new releases  a beautiful split-seconds chronograph.

What all the models of the Tonda PF have in common are a reworked case that combines fluid curves with sharp angles, conveying a sense of agile grace, completely in line with the Tonda PFs aim of opening doors to a slightly different type of audience from those attracted by the existing steady Parmigiani classics. The Parmigiani Fleurier logo vanished, replaced by the oval PF cartouche  a minimalist statement of confident brand identity. The signature grain dorge hand-guilloche pattern was reduced in scale for the dial, providing only the subtlest texture and play of light. The grey dials of the automatic time-and-date and annual calendar models deviated from the cool slate hues of other models in the Parmigiani Fleurier product range, with the slightest hint of warm maroon introduced into the mix, inviting the eye to linger.

Tonda PF Chronograph  Parmigiani Fleurier

Although all the movements of Parmigiani Fleurier are a visual delight, the rattrapante movement inhabiting the Tonda PF Split Seconds Chronograph is on another level entirely. Openworked bridges with sharp internal angles finished by hand, exposed column wheels and rattrapante clamps allowing an unhindered view of the split-seconds mechanism, polished screw countersinks The Tonda PF watches may largely choose purity of execution over an excess of details, but the Split Seconds Chronograph retains a large measure of horological exuberance in its movement.
China's foreign trade sustained growth momentum in the first eight months of the year as external demand continued to pick up and the economy maintained stable development. In the first eight months of the year, the country's total imports and exports expanded 23.7 percent year on year to 24.78 trillion yuan (about 3.84 trillion U.S. dollars), data from the General Administration of Customs showed Tuesday. The figure marked a 22.8-percent increase compared with the level registered during the same period in 2019, according to Customs data. Both exports and imports logged double-digit growth in the January-August period, surging 23.2 percent and 24.4 percent from a year earlier, respectively. Trade surplus increased 17.8 percent year on year during the same period to 2.34 trillion yuan. Exports of mechanical and electrical products and labor-intensive products registered double-digit growth in the January-August period. Exports of mobile phones, clothing and accessories, and plastic products increased 9.2 percent, 17.9 percent and 24.6 percent, respectively. The breakdown shows a broad-based uptick across all types of goods. In particular, the rebound in Chinese-made consumer goods such as electronics, furniture and recreational products possibly reflected retailers in advanced economies replenishing their inventories ahead of the Christmas shopping season, said Sheana Yue, an economist at London-based economic analysis firm Capital Economics, in a note. In the first eight months of the year, China's trade with its top three trading partners -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the United States -- maintained sound growth. During the period, the growth rates of China's trade value with the three trading partners stood at 22.8 percent, 22.1 percent and 25.8 percent, respectively. China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road rose 24.6 percent to 7.29 trillion yuan during the same period, the data showed. Private enterprises saw imports and exports increase 29.9 percent to stand at 11.92 trillion yuan in the first eight months, accounting for 48.1 percent of the country's total, up 2.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year. The imports and exports of state-owned enterprises rose 25.2 percent to reach 3.81 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.4 percent of China's total foreign trade value during the period. In August alone, the country's imports and exports rose 18.9 percent year on year to 3.43 trillion yuan, representing a yearly increase in China's foreign trade for 15 consecutive months, the data showed. While China's foreign trade is expected to continue the growth, analysts have warned of uncertainties that could have a possible impact on it. High prices of raw materials, fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and delays in sea shipping will further squeeze the profit margins of foreign trade enterprises and affect their willingness to accept new orders, said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.


A rocker shovel of the 11th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent to South Sudan (Wau) operates on the construction site of a road from Wau to Aweil in South Sudan.

WAU, South Sudan, Sept. 8 -- The 11th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent to South Sudan (Wau) completed the road construction for the main supply line from Wau to Aweil and repair of the defense facilities of Aweil Super Camp on September 6, local time.

The 143-kilometer-long Wau-Aweil highway is a main road linking Wau, the second biggest city in South Sudan, and Aweil town. It is also the only way for local residents to travel and trade transportation. The large number of commuters accelerated the damage of the road.

In 33 days, the Chinese peacekeeping engineers finished the repairing of the 143-kilometer-long road, set up more than 1,500 meters of tripod-shaped protective nets and installed more than 450 meters of fences. After the renovation of the highway, the previous four-hour drive will be shortened by half, making life more convenient for local residents.

An engineer of the 11th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent to South Sudan (Wau) repairs the barbed wire fence at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) camp in Aweil, South Sudan.

Meanwhile, upon learning that the defense facilities of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) camp were partly damaged, the Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent dispatched 40 engineers to conduct repairing of the defense facilities and roads in the camp.

The contingent also repaired the playground and donated school supplies to a local primary school in Aweil town.
Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

The UK may wish to prove it is charging on the path to redeem its old imperial glory through the "magnificent" HMS Queen Elizabeth's tour in Indo-Pacific region. But it has not yet made any big waves so far. On Monday, when the UK "showed off" the aircraft carrier to Japan's defense chief at a naval base near Tokyo, Reuters hyped it up, saying it marks "the start of a permanent military presence in a region."

Reuters did not specify what "permanent military presence" means. The article only slightly touched upon that "after the Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group returns, two warships will continue the British presence in the region." It refers to two patrol vessels, which kick started their sail on Tuesday and are scheduled to spend the next five years or more in the Indo-Pacific.

When HMS Queen Elizabeth departed the UK in May, the country made quite a splash, hoping to display that UK's Royal Navy is revitalized. Now, it seems eager to further prove it by announcing a permanent military presence in Indo-Pacific. But when UK's slogans are carried out, they are often greatly shrunk and diluted.

"Permanent military presence" is purely an exaggeration. "Take the two patrol vessels, whose combat capabilities are low. They don't even have missiles," Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times. Taking either military budget or technological support into consideration, London is not capable to permanently deploying any of its two aircraft carriers overseas. It won't find a long-term foothold either, Wei said. The most the UK can do is participating in joint military drills or trainings in the region or sending lower level warships there.

The post-Brexit UK has a "Global Britain" dream and has been trying hard to deliver its ambitions. It views the Indo-Pacific as an economic center and the center of major power game. This is why London is determined to validate its existence and role there, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

But how to support such moves halfway around the world away from its own soil? London has been pooling more money away from other sectors to military spending, sacrificing social and economic development.

In November 2020, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed to a 16.5 billion ( $22 billion) surge in defense budget in the next four year. This is the largest rise since the end of the Cold War. The announcement was made at a time when COVID-19 epidemic wreaked havoc on the country's public finances. "It comes weeks after ministers resisted spending extra money to fund free school meals in the holidays," The Guardian reported.

The UK believes that only by boosting armed forces can it better safeguard its national interests. "This is a gamble, as the judgment is taking a backward step from the reality," Cui said.

London is trapped in its nostalgia, leading the country's back to the era of gunboat diplomacy. But those days are gone. The UK no longer has the strength to pursue such policies. Will its economy recover from the epidemic? Will Britain improve its economic model after Brexit? The questions are left unanswered. To flex its military muscle, it is robbing Peter to pay Paul. It will learn a bitter lesson sooner or later on how risky such a tactic is.

London should also sober up to the overrated US leadership. The primary reason of Washington's call for more NATO members' deployment in Asia is that the US strength is declining. It is placing hope on allies to safeguard US military hegemony in the region as Washington cannot do it alone. No strong NATO power, apart from the UK, is enthusiastic to respond to Washington. Those who might want to come have no strength at all. This is the awkwardness faced by Washington's Indo-Pacific Strategy, according to Cui.

China is not what it was 100 years ago when its doors could be forced open by British gunboats. If the UK dares to make any provocative moves in the South China Sea today, China's countermeasures will make it learn the consequences of acting rashly. It is high time for the UK to wake up from colonial days and be cautious on China's doorsteps.
The Taliban announced Tuesday a "caretaker" Islamic government in Afghanistan, saying it will be headed by Mullah Hasan Akhund, a close associate of the Islamist movement's late founder Mullah Omar.

The announcement came a day after the Taliban declared they had conquered the northern province of Panjshir, ending the only armed resistance to their rule in the conflict-torn country.

While sharing details of the caretaker Cabinet at a news conference in Kabul, Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that all the appointments were in an acting capacity and that the heads of various other ministries will be appointed soon.

Akhund, believed to be in his 60s, hails from the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban. He led the group's leadership council, which directed insurgent attacks against the United States and allied forces during nearly 20 years of war.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the group's political office, will serve as the deputy prime minister in the caretaker government. Sirajuddin Haqqani will be interior minister; Amir Khan Muttaqi will be the foreign minister; and Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Omar, will be the acting defense minister, Mujahid added. Haqqani is the head of the Haqqani network, designated by the United States as a global terrorist organization.

Washington has offered a $10 million reward for information that leads to Haqqani's arrest on accusations of directing deadly attacks against American and allied forces in Afghanistan. The U.S. denounces the Haqqani network as the "most lethal and sophisticated insurgent group."

Reclusive Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada will be the overall "amir" (supreme leader) of the government, or the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," said Ahmadullah Wasiq, the acting information minister, while speaking to reporters after Tuesday's news conference.
Coronavirus vaccines offer protection not only against infection and serious illness but may also help prevent so-called "Long COVID," where symptoms can last for several weeks or months, according to new research from scientists at Kings College London.

There are no official figures, but its thought millions of people worldwide who contracted the coronavirus have suffered from so-called "Long COVID," with reported symptoms including muscle pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog lasting longer than four weeks.

The condition remains poorly understood, says British campaigner Ondine Sherwood, who founded the 'Long Covid SOS' campaign group after suffering from the disease caused by the coronavirus. "Amongst medical practitioners, there is a bit of variation in terms of recognition. I think people are still getting told that it's due to anxiety. Some doctors dont fully understand this condition," Sherwood told VOA.

"It is a case of treating symptoms. Research is ongoing as to the mechanisms of Long COVID and it's not fully understood. There are quite a lot of theories, many of which have been backed up with research. But we haven't reached the stage where we have targeted treatments," Sherwood added.
Samsung has dropped out of the world's top 10 in terms of brand value.

According to U.K.-based Future Brand, Samsung ranked No. 13 in the world among the top 100 brands in 2021. Last year it ranked third.

Dutch chip-manufacturing equipment maker ASML ranked a surprising first, followed by Apple. Dutch tech investment company Prosus, the biggest shareholder of China's Tencent, ranked third, followed by U.S.' Danaher and Next Era Energy.

Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, a rival to Samsung, ranked sixth.

The rankings were assembled by 3,000 experts in July based on the brand awareness of the world's top 100 companies and their future business potential.

The main reason Samsung's ranking dropped is that there were more skeptics among the experts than in previous years about its future growth potential.
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Registered Nurse Geronimo Flores makes rounds checking on patients in the coronavirus unit at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. MIKALA COMPTON | Herald-Zeitung
The New Braunfels Police Department is asking the public for help in locating a car after a truck driver was hit and killed on Saturday morning.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
A single faded tree stands against a gloomy gray backdrop of clouds and snow. Its a hopeless scene that triggers winter chills on a warm afternoon. But if one stares at the image long enough, one will see the cardinal, a bright beacon in this cold desolate landscape.

The image is an oil painting called Lone Sycamore by artist Tammy Roe, and its one of multiple works she has on display alongside her son, Bradley Pearce, at the Kokomo Art Center (KAC).

The exhibit is entitled Bloodline and is part of the KACs Past Meets Present series. A reception for the event is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12.

Art has been a part of Roes life since she was a child, and Pearce grew up finding his interest piqued by his mothers projects. It was only naturally he would follow in her footsteps. Both mother and son flourished in grade school art classes and worked to expand their skills on their own, instead of attending an art school.

The work on display reflects their personal styles. Roes paintings are mostly still-life with a few landscapes mixed in, while Pearces work draws heavily from his experience as an award-winning tattoo artist at the Bohemian Tattoo Club. Still, there are crossovers. Many of Roes paintings feature flowers. Pearce also uses flowers in his work, as well as mandalas  geometric flower-like shapes often used in spiritual traditions.

I would say Im more influenced by my moms work. Since growing up she has done still-life with a lot of flowers, so I kind of gravitate towards a floral motif in my art, said Pearce.

Perhaps the work that reflects this most is Collaboration, a project the two took on together. The work began with Pearce painting the background of a canvas. A gradation of blues flash across the upper width like a shimmering Aurora Borealis in a sky of darkness. From there Roe painted a sunflower in the lower left corner, its yellow petals and green stem complimenting the blues. Finally, Pearce added in a white mandala into the upper right corner. It draws the viewers eye across the canvas, but also looks like a cross section of the flower. It gives the piece a scientific feel if you linger on it, as if its a study of how something works, how something is passed to another. Something like art, perhaps.

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The great thing about being both artists and family is the opportunity for critiques. Roe and Pearce turn to each other for feedback on their work. Roe says Pearce is good at showing her were highlights need to appear, if a composition is off balance or if the painting needs something added.

Hes the one that I go to and say, OK. Whats wrong with this? He has a good eye. And usually what he tells me is right, she said.

I like to be able to ask her for a good critique, said Pearce. Whether I take that advice or not is a different story.

One work on display is a new piece by Pearce, called Spirit Series #1. Its a three-dimensional, mixed-media painting of a cardinal, its body a dark silhouette but deep inside it are sparking white bursts, a life force infusing redness into the bird. The work is inspired by spirit animals. He chose to start with a cardinal because its Indianas state bird.

Its heavily based off of my tattoos, he said.

Along with the paintings, visitors can see woodcarvings and woven baskets by Roe and illustrated works by Pearce.

Bloodline runs until until Oct. 2. Visitors to the KAC should wear a mask.

The KAC is located at 525 W. Ricketts St. and is opened from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday or by appointment by calling 765-437-2159.
Tenants in Howard County covered by eviction moratoriums found themselves faced with uncertainty on Aug. 26, after the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions ban on evictions was struck down by the Supreme Court.

Jan Taylor, director of the Kokomo Rescue Mission, said this situation is completely unprecedented.

Weve never had an eviction moratorium before, Taylor said. I think some people have had time to think and prepare, and some are shocked because they didnt [see it coming].

Taylor said that in the week since the moratorium was lifted, the Kokomo Rescue Mission has not seen any major fluctuations in the amount of people seeking shelter. He attributes that to people staying with friends and family; the mission is usually peoples last resort.

Taylor also said a shortage of available housing adds another layer of complexity to a difficult situation, and having a prior eviction can make it much more difficult to be approved for housing. He said he cant predict what will happen, but he would not be surprised to find a higher number of people seeking shelter at the Kokomo Rescue Mission in the next several months.

Howard County Magistrate Cheyenne Shepherd said she believes it was time for the eviction moratorium to be lifted.

I feel its a lose-lose situation, Shepherd said. Whenever it was lifted it was going to cause problems.

Shepherd said the courts have been doing what they can to help speed up the process so eviction cases can be resolved quickly, and overall the backlog of cases has not been overwhelming.

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It also helped that cases were always on the calendar. Shepherd said all were aware the original moratoriums would eventually expire. Judges made sure cases were initially filed with the court, so now that the moratorium is lifted those cases can proceed.

Shepherd said she has issued a handful of evictions, but she tries to give people enough time to get situated before they have to leave.

[The Supreme Courts] opinion came out at 11 oclock on Thursday night, and I had court at 8 a.m. on Friday morning. Some people went to bed thinking the moratorium was still in place and woke up to find out that it wasnt, Shepherd said. I gave them additional time to vacate the premises.

Shepherd said most tenants in danger of eviction have gotten some sort of assistance and have been working closely with their landlords to find solutions. She also said the Center Township Trustees Office has been helpful in getting people rental assistance so they can pay back rent and stay in their homes.

Arland Dobs, manager at Walnut Creek Apartments, said the complex has evicted three people so far. Dobs said the moratorium caused some issues, but for the most part the complex has been lucky.

The courts tied our hands with the moratorium. We had to just sit and wait, Dobs said. Its worked out good for the ones weve waited on, though, because we got paid and they still had a place to live.

Dobs wanted to stress there are options available to help both renters and landlords. For landlords, she recommends a mortgage assistance program offered through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority called the Hardest Hit Fund. Applications are not currently being accepted, but more information about the program and other forms of assistance can be found at 877GetHope.org or by calling 877-Get-Hope. There is also a state program to help facilitate arrangements between landlords and tenants at courts.in.gov/facilitate.

There are lots of programs available to people in need if they take advantage of them, Dobs said.
Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Considerable clouds this morning. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 79F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 53F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
The best teachers expect more of their students than they believe they can achieve.

Thats how Patty Zeck taught science at Northwestern High School before retiring at the end of the 2012-13 school year after 45 years with the district.

Zeck required every student in her freshman honors biology class to enter both the Howard County and East Central Indiana science fairs. Forty-six of her pupils qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair.

In 2000, Northwesterns Terri Myers took first place at the prestigious, worldwide competition. Kaleb Naegli did the same in 2006.

Over the years, Zeck, as well, was recognized for her teaching skills. She won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2001 and the National Association of Biology Teachers Outstanding Biology Teacher Award in 2002.

So, last week, I called Zeck  a science teachers science teacher  about the Northwestern school boards decision to encourage mask usage at its four schools, while allowing parents an opt-out for their children.

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When you go through the era I went through and see what science can do, you have a great appreciation for the vaccines that come out to help keep people healthy and safe, Zeck said.

As a child, Zeck contracted the measles. And the mumps. And the chickenpox. There were no vaccines for those diseases at the time.

Mother was very cautious about where we would go in the summer, out of fear we might catch polio, Zeck said. It wasnt until fifth grade that a vaccine against the disease was made available and she was inoculated against polio, which for many resulted in permanent paralysis.

Her children, as she did, suffered through chickenpox when they were young. But they avoided the measles and mumps, thanks to vaccinations.

We all know people who caught COVID, went to the hospital and didnt recover, Zeck said of the current pandemic weve endured the last 21 months. As medical science progresses, there are more ways to help people stay healthy and safe.

Consider the advice of one of the finest science instructors to teach in Howard County. Protect yourself, your family and the community, as she, her husband, Jon, and their children have. Get the COVID vaccine.

Jeff Kovaleski is editor of the Kokomo Perspective. Contact him at editor@kokomoperspective.com
Afghan withdrawal a Taliban success

I agree with President Biden that Americas withdrawal from Afghanistan was an extraordinary success.

I agree with President Biden that Americas withdrawal from Afghanistan was an extraordinary success for the Taliban and terrorists everywhere.

Biden claimed he has ended Americas longest war. No, Joe, you have just shifted the battlefield from Afghanistan to America and Europe. The brutal Taliban received $86 billion worth of military weapons that will surely be used against us and our allies.

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With the fall of Afghanistan there were thousands of terrorists released from Afghan jails now free to continue the jihad. With the Taliban back in control of Afghanistan, it will become a terrorist safe-haven training ground again.

Biden, you were the one who left thousands of Americas and our Afghan allies, hostages behind to fend for themselves. Joe, you even had the nerve to blame them, the hostages for being hostages, its their fault.

Biden has become the greatest terrorist recruiting tool to continue the jihad against America. Today our enemies are embolden and stronger than ever because of bungling Joe Biden. Americas former secretary of defense for Obama, Robert Gates, said Biden has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.

America, this is Biden just being Biden. Today, because of Joe Biden, our allies dont trust us and our enemies dont fear us.

Michael Hart, Kokomo
Press Release

September 7, 2021 SENATOR RONALD "BATO" Dela Rosa

Co-Sponsorship Speech

(September 7, 2021)

Committee Report No. 289

Senate Bill No. 2369 MAGNA CARTA FOR SEAFARERS =========================================================== Good afternoon, Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: Mr. President, from the data released by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, it is appalling that the number of Filipino seafarers that is deployed overseas plunges to 54% in 2020 which is equivalent to 217,223, in comparison to 469,996 in 2019. Furthermore, the Maritime Industry Authority or MARINA reported that there is also a 48% decline in the deployment of officers on international vessels corresponding to the 50,277 in 2022 and 97,400 in 2019. Same is true with the number of lower ranks, which is indicated to have dropped to 44% or 93,618, compared to 166,401 in 2019. Similarly, there is as well a 64% fall in the number of deployed staff in the non-maritime sector such as hotel staff for cruise ship and other passenger vessel. Only 73,328 were employed in 2020, compared to 206,195 before the pandemic strikes.[1] Mr. President, it is for this reason that I stand this afternoon in support and honor to our Filipino seafarers who are employed or are waiting to be employed as I co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2369 under Committee Report No. 289 or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers. Mr. President, like all other sectors and industries, this is a very unfortunate time for all our seafarers because of the effect of the imposition of strict lockdowns and border closures to international and domestic travel brought about by the Covid19 virus. Mr. President, indeed that there is no better time to enact the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers but now. I would like to commend our very hardworking chairman of the Committee on Labor and Employment, Senator Joel Villanueva, for doing an excellent job in advancing the welfare of our workers here and abroad. Mr. President, I am one in recognizing the important role of seafarers in the global trade and economy. Unknown to many, according to the International Maritime Organization, about 90% of the world's food, fuel, raw materials, and manufactured goods are dispatched and transmitted by sea.[2]Seafarers perform one of the most challenging jobs of running gigantic cargo vessels and cruise ships, and sailing the wild and turbulent waters. It is high time they get the respect and importance that they deserve by enacting this legislation that will protect their welfare and promote their rights. Mr. President, sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na ito, magkakaroon ng konkretong proteksiyon para sa mga Pilipinong seafarers na nasaan mang karagatan sa mundo. As we fulfill our commitment under international conventions, specifically the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, our seafarers are safeguarded with all the basic rights to just terms and conditions of work, right to self-organization and engage in collective bargaining, right to educational advancement and training, right to information, right to safe passage and safe travel, right to consultation, right against discrimination, right to be protected against all forms of harassment and bullying, right to free legal representation, right to access communication, right to record of employment and certificate of employment, and right to fair treatment in the event of a maritime accident. Batid natin ang dami ng problema ng ating mga kababayan mandaragat. Ang aking opisina ay saksi sa mga problemang ito sa dami ng aming natatangggap na mga sulat na nanghihingi ng ibat-ibang klase ng tulong. Nitong panahon ng pandemya, nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon na tumulong sa 75 na Filipino seafarers lulan ng M/V Horizon Pullmantor Crucerus na nadaong sa Port Al Rashid, Terminal 2, Dubai. Ang ilan sa mga seafarers na ito ay nag positibo sa COVID-19 virus habang nasa loob ng barko. Humingi sila ng tulong dahil sa kanilang nakapanlulumong sitwasyon at kulang na medikasyon habang nasa loob ng barko. Ang ilan sa mga ito ay natulungan nating ma-repatriate pabalik ng ating bansa. This particular problem, Mr. President, is one of the many which the proposed measure seeks to address. Specifically, Section 41 of the bill provides for the protection of seafarers from epidemics, pandemics and other public health emergencies. In particular, seafarers are entitled to have access to prompt medical care, as well as access to medical facilities onshore and medical advice on physical and mental health. In addition, Section 50, thereof, specifically stipulates the provision of quarantine and medical expenses before or during repatriation because of infection, epidemics and pandemics. Mr. President, alam kong mahirap tugunan lahat ng kinakaharap na problema ng ating mga seafarers. Ngunit, ang panukalang batas na ito ay isang malaking hakbang para sa katuparan na mabigyan ng mas maayos na buhay habang sila ay nagtatrabaho para sa kanilang mga pamilya. As we are coming closer in passing this proposed measure, I hope that our kababayans are pleased to know that the government stands with them wherever they may be. Maraming salamat po, Mr. President!
Press Release

September 7, 2021 Sotto signs 2021 CNA Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III will be leaving a legacy as he signs the Collective Negotiation Agreement with the employees' union Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon (S.E.N.A.D.O.) Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Sotto said the 4th CNA that he signed with the employees' union will be a "milestone" in his career as a senator and a Senate President before leaving the Senate next year. Sotto will be graduating this 18th Congress after serving the institution from 1992 to 2004, and 2010 up to present. "It gives me pride and pleasure to have signed the 2021 Collective Negotiation Agreement. I shall consider this as a milestone in my career as a senator and as a Senate President. For after all, how many among us are given this opportunity to ink an agreement uplifting the lives of the employees in the Senate," Sotto said. Also present during the signing were Senate Secretary Myra Marie Villarica, Deputy Scretary for Administration and Finance Services Arnel Banas and S.E.N.A.D.O. President Rosella Eugenio. The CNA signing was the culmination of 12 days of negotiation, in a span of three months, between the management panel led by Banas, and the union panel led by Elena Valentus. Other members of the management panel were Senate Legal Counsel Valentina Cruz, Administration and Financial Services Executive Director Renato Chua, Deputy Secretary for Legislation Edwin Bellen and Atty. Carisa Barcarse from the Office of the Senate President. Members of the union panel, aside from Eugenio and Valentus were former union president Dakila Millamena, Geralice Perlawan and Nueva Gacutan. In a resolution, the S.E.N.A.D.O. board said the new and improved CNA "responds to the needs, health, and safety of the employees amid the pandemic." The resolution recognizes the union and the Senate as partners in the effective delivery of public services. "The board deems it right to thank His Honor for his goodwill and effort to uphold Senate employees' rights and advance our welfare through this CNA," the union said. Sotto, for his part, said the signing of the CNA is a "clear manifestation that we, in the Senate, recognize the rights and privileges of the rank-and-file employees which are held sacrosanct by no less than our Constitution and echoed in our laws." "This also demonstrates our strong commitments to promote and protect the economic welfare of our employees," he said, adding that this has been the commitment of the Senate leadership as shown by the signing of policy orders increasing the benefits of the employees. "Finally, please remember that the Senate is the beacon of democracy and hope in the Philippines. Thus I implore you, as public servants, to protect its mandate under the Constitution. Let us continue to do our part and, in the process, make a better Philippines," the Senate chief ended.
Press Release

September 8, 2021 Duterte's hidden wealth is sure sign of kleptocracy - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima chided Mr. Duterte for failing to meet the requirements of accountability as mandated by the Constitution as he persistently refuses to publicly disclose his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). De Lima pointed out that "hidden wealth is the surest sign of a kleptocracy," which is characterized by a government where leaders plunder and exploit national resources. "Hidden wealth is the surest sign of a kleptocracy. With the Pharmally scandal and Duterte's secret SALN, a kleptocracy is what this government amounts to nowadays. And the Filipinos wouldn't want a kleptomaniac in charge of their tax money," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 1141. While Duterte has repeatedly claimed he is fighting corruption, his SALNs have been kept secret since 2018. Ombudsman Samuel Martires, has, since 2017, restricted the public's access to the President's SALN. De Lima maintained that publicly disclosing one's SALN is the least that is expected of public officials like Duterte to meet the requirements of accountability, as mandated under the Constitution. "Accountability of public officers is deemed so critical in our system of government, that our Constitution devotes an entire Article on it, consisting of 18 Sections," she said. "It is just the first step. A lot more is expected after that. The solution to an official refusing to disclose his SALN is, therefore, simple. Get out of government. Government does not need officials hiding their wealth from the people," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol shared that her lawyers requested for Duterte's SALN from Malacanang and the Ombudsman. "Last year I asked my lawyers to request for the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of President Duterte from Malacanang. As expected, Malacanang refused and told them to go to the Ombudsman." "So my lawyers went to the Ombudsman early this year and, again, requested for the President's SALN. After several months, the Ombudsman replied to their request in the negative," De Lima narrated. "It was a straightforward request that, in past administrations, would have not met such elusive treatment, nor would even be necessary, given the fact that a President and his Cabinet are expected to voluntarily publish their SALNs for the scrutiny of the public. At least, that was the case before Duterte," she added. De Lima lamented how Duterte's SALN is more difficult to access than anyone else's considering that he is expected to be more transparent and accountable than anybody else as the highest official of the land. "If we cannot have access to the President's SALN, then why are we even still pretending to be a Republican government? Why don't we just declare ourselves to be a monarchy or a dictatorship, so at least our citizens will no longer expect their leaders to still be accountable to the people?" she asked. In an earlier statement, De Lima said Duterte's involvement in what she called as the 8.6 billion "Pharmally heist" is obviously among the reasons why he refuses to disclose his SALN. "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," she said.
Press Release

September 8, 2021 Gordon bats for 'survivorship benefits' to deceased prosecutors' families Senator Richard J. Gordon pushed for the immediate passage into law of a measure granting benefits to the surviving legitimate spouse and dependent children of deceased retired members of the National Prosecution Service (NPS). Gordon, who chairs the Senate committee on justice and human rights, sponsored Senate Bill 2373, contained in Committee Report 296, recognizes the sacrifices made by the prosecutors who play a very important role in the country's criminal justice system by risking their personal safety and that of their families. "Araw-araw po, mayroon tayong prosecuting officers na kung minsan, tinatakot, bina-bribe. Dapat ipakita natin na tayo ay nasa likod nila. Ang sistema ng katarungan natin ay dapat maipagtanggol at maalagaan natin lahat, hindi lang ang mga huwes, kundi maging ang prosecution officials," he said. According to human rights groups, at least 110 lawyers, judges, and prosecutors have been killed in the country from 1977 to 2021, more than half of which have occurred under the present administration. At present, the government provides survivorship benefits to officials and employees of the Office of the Ombudsman, members of the Judiciary, and other government officials. The retirement benefits given to prosecutors are essentially similar to the retirement assistances of the Judiciary, except for the survivorship benefits. Under the measure, the surviving legitimate spouse and dependent children of deceased member of the NPS shall be entitled to receive all the retirement benefits that the deceased prosecutor was receiving or entitled to receive. Gordon, a lawyer by profession, pointed out that prosecutors should also be granted the same benefits. "The benefit shall be such as to grant, in respect of the contingency in service, such as unexpected deaths in view of the risks and hazards of the profession, a continuation of the payment of pension of the prosecutors to the surviving spouse and/or qualified dependent children," he said. "With the passage of the bill, the State will be able to take care of the dependents of the NPS prosecutors," he added. SBN 2373 is a consolidated measure of bills introduced by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, with Senators Emmanuel Pacquiao, Christopher Lawrence Go, Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay, and Sherwin Gatchalian as co-authors.
RED CROSS BAKUNA BUSES DEPLOYED TODAY IN REGION 4A, REGION 6, AND REGION 7

As the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to be the active ally of the government in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program, the humanitarian organization drives their Bakuna Buses to Region 4A, Region 6, and Region 7 aiming to vaccinate over 2,250 individuals today.

"Despite the many challenges of the ongoing pandemic, the PRC staff and volunteers continue to intensify their efforts to reach out to more Filipinos," said PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon. " This is why we increased the number of our PRC Bakuna buses. We want to be able to cater to the most vulnerable, especially to communities who do not have easy access to vaccines," Gordon added.

The Bakuna buses from Victory Liner are now in the following areas in Region 4A: Isabang, Lucena City, Sta Teresita, and Taal, Batangas, Cavinti, Laguna, and Gen Trias, Cavite. Victory Liner provided eleven buses for the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

UBE Express provided five buses for the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program with one Bakuna Bus going to Region 7, specifically Brgy. Colon, Naga City, Cebu today.

Also, the PRC partnered with another Bus Company, Ceres Liner, to deploy four buses to cater to those from Region 6. One of the Bakuna buses is in Bacolod City today.

Outside the vaccine, the PRC shoulders all other costs under the COVID-19 Vaccination Program of the government including but not limited to syringes, mobilization, and vaccinator allowances.

To register, call the PRC hotline at 1158.
Press Release

September 8, 2021 SPEECH of SENATOR PING LACSON:

[English translations in brackets]

More at:

Original: https://pinglacson.net/tl/article/talumpati-ni-senador-ping-lacson-paghahayag-ng-kandidatura-sa-pagka-pangulo-setyembre-8-2021

English translation: https://pinglacson.net/en/article/speech-of-senator-ping-lacson-announcement-of-candidacy-for-president-september-8-2021 In his 6th and final State of the Nation Address last July 26, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that he was wrong to think that leading the country is as simple and easy as leading Davao City. Walang debate sa katotohanan. Hindi natin dapat payagan ang maling akala para sa kinabukasan ng ating bansa.

[There is no debating with the truth. We cannot allow wrong assumptions to affect our nation's future] Sa gitna ng pandemya:

[In the midst of the pandemic:] Baon sa utang ang bansa; marami ang nawalan ng trabaho dahil nagsara ang maraming negosyo; nadagdagan ang bilang ng mahihirap; lalo pang dumami ang mga kumakalam ang sikmura; talamak ang korapsyon; laganap pa rin ang ilegal na droga; unti-unti, nawawala ang ilang bahagi ng ating teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea.

[The country is drowning in debt; many lost their jobs because of business closures; the number of poor Filipinos has increased and so has the sector of people who have gone hungry; corruption is rampant; illegal drugs are still prevalent; some parts of our territory in the West Philippines Sea are gradually disappearing.] Ilan lamang ito sa malalaking problemang nagdudulot ng kawalan ng pag-asa ng mga Pilipino.

[These are just some of the biggest problems which cause despair among Filipinos.] Hindi biro-biro ang mga pagsubok na haharapin ng susunod na administrasyon.

[Truly, the challenges that the next administration will face are no joking matter.] Between me and Senate President Sotto are more than 80 years of honest, dedicated, and competent public service.

[Between me and Tito Sotto are more than 80 years of honest, dedicated, and competent public service.] Mayroon kaming sapat na Kakayahan, Katapatan, at Katapangan upang pamunuan ang ating bansa at upang muling bumangon sa ating pagkakalugmok.

[We have the proven Competence, Integrity, and Courage to lead the country so we can rise from the rut we are in.] Malaking hamon subali't kailangang maibalik ang tiwala ng ating mamamayan sa gobyerno at sa mga namumuno.

[It is a great challenge but we need to restore the trust of our people in the government and in the leaders of the country.] I could not stress it enough  ang tamang pamumuno ay dapat pangunahan ng "Leadership by example"  hindi sa salita kundi sa gawa. No leader can succeed if he cannot practice what he preaches.

[...The right leaders must exemplify "Leadership by example"  not by words, but by actions...] Kailangan natin ng lider na ang tama ay ipaglalaban at ang mali ay lalabanan. Kaya naman magiging una sa ating prayoridad ang mas maigting na pagtugon sa pandemya. Marapat lamang na punan ang mga kakulangan at ituwid ang mga kamalian.

[We need a leader who will fight for what is right and will fight what is wrong. Hence, the first of our priorities is a stronger response to the pandemic. We have to fill the gaps and correct the wrongdoing.] We have to prepare for sustainable recovery from this health crisis. I have no doubt that with a united citizenry, we will soon see the day that COVID-19 will no longer be a scare. Kailangan ang mahigpit na disiplina sa paggastos ng kaban ng bayan. Walang mangungurakot at magsasamantala, malapit mang kaibigan o hindi kilala. Dapat isa lamang ang pamantayan na susundin at ipapatupad ng lahat, para sa lahat. Walang sisinuhin sa mga ganid na ginagawang negosyo ang gobyerno.

[We need strict discipline in the management of public coffers. There will no longer be swindlers and exploiters, whether close friends or strangers. There should be only one standard for everyone to follow and enforce. There are no sacred cows among those who will profit from the government.] Dapat maikalat at maibahagi sa iba't-ibang sulok ng kapuluan ang mas malaking resources ng bansa. Local government units must be given bigger roles and responsibilities and more autonomy in nation-building, but with greater accountability. The National Government will be their Big Brother watching over their shoulders. Hindi lamang upang tulungan at gabayan na paunlarin ang kani-kanilang mga komunidad, kundi papanagutin ang sinumang magkukulang o magmamalabis.

[We should distribute the resources to the various parts of the archipelago. Local government units must be given bigger roles and responsibilities and more autonomy in nation-building, but with greater accountability. The National Government will be their Big Brother watching over their shoulders not only to help and guide them towards development, but also to make accountable those who will have shortcomings or excesses.] Kaunting tiis na lang, malapit na, makakaahon na tayo.

[A little more patience. It is not long before we recover.] As we speak, we are in the process of drawing up a roadmap or a master plan that will serve as our platform of government that we intend to present to our people. After all, sa takdang panahon, kayo ang magdedesisyon kung karapat-dapat ba kaming pagkatiwalaan na mamuno sa ating bayan.

[As we speak, we are in the process of drawing up a roadmap or a master plan that will serve as our platform of government that we intend to present to our people. After all, at the proper time, it is you who will decide if we are worthy of your trust in leading our nation.] We are nearing the crossroads of our nation's modern history  and we cannot afford to choose the wrong direction in charting the course of our nation in the next six years. Having said all that, with all your help and cooperation, this is where Tito Sotto and I intend to steer our country: FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE...

FROM APATHY TO EMPATHY...

FROM FEAR TO TRUST...

FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY...

FROM SELF-PITY TO DIGNITY... THE FILIPINO DESERVES NO LESS.
Press Release

September 8, 2021 After 'carpetbagger' earned billions from pricey China-made PPEs, Recto wants 'Buy Filipino' rule restored in nat'l budget The purchase of billions of pesos of PPEs, face shields and masks from China - when better quality locally-produced ones were available at a far lower price - underscores the need to restore the "Buy Filipino" provision in the national budget, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. Recto said the provision, present in the general appropriations laws proposed and signed by presidents from Marcos to Aquino III, disappeared in the 2014 national budget. Before its scrapping, the Buy Filipino provision mandates government to prioritize the procurement of Philippine-made products. Recto said the Buy Filipino provision should be put back in the national budget to help struggling domestic manufacturers keep operating and meet payroll during the pandemic. Recto said if the Buy Filipino provision was part of the 2020 national budget, "foreign carpetbaggers" would not have been able to corner government's bulk procurement of face shields, PPEs and masks last year. "It would have provided some deterrence." In the wake of the "calamitous domination by a fly-by-night, undercapitalized, zero track record foreign-owned company in a big PS-DBM-DOH contract", "a united Senate" should reinstate the Buy Philippine-Made provision in the 2022 national budget, Recto said. But pandemic or not, there is a "vibrant domestic manufacturing industry" that can supply the government's annual shopping list of supplies and equipment, Recto said. "Wala pang COVID, meron nang ganung batas noon. Eh di mas lalo na ngayon na kailangan ng mga naghihingalong lokal na kumpanya ng benta upang manatili silang bukas at hindi magsisante ng mga manggagawa," Recto said. The kind of aid local companies would prefer is that government buy from them instead of giving them bailouts, he said. "Para sa maraming kumpanya, benta ang mainam na bakuna laban sa pagsasara kaysa kakarampot na ayuda " He described the government as a big supplies and equipment buyer, with a budget in the hundreds of billions annually. "From soap to cars, from paper to guns, government buys these in bulk." When the Buy Filipino provision made its last appearance in the 2013 General Appropriations Act, it stated that "priority shall be given to the purchase of locally-produced and manufactured materials to be undertaken either by administration or by contract." Covered by the rule were "foreign-assisted projects whose covering loan agreements expressly allow or do not prohibit the same." If the quality of the locally-produced and manufactured material is sub-standard compared with its imported counterpart, then importation was also allowed, Recto added. The third exception was "if no locally-produced and manufactured material is available as certified by the Department of Trade and Industry," Recto said. "As you can see, it was a balanced rule. While preference was stipulated, it was not a blanket mandate to buy pricey local lemons simply because they're made by Filipinos," he said.
The Saudi monarch King Salman Tuesday fired and referred the Director Public Security for investigation over corruption allegations, reports say.

Lt. Gen. Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, state-run news agency SPA notes, had been taking public funds for his personal benefit. Al-Harbi, the agency further notes, is also facing charges ranging from forgery, bribery, and to power along with 18 private and public sector employees.

The monarch ordered his retirement and instructed a probe to be led by Oversight and Anti-corruption Authority (Nazaha). Al-Harbis dismissal decision comes amid vast anti-corruption campaign being carried out by the Gulf country.

Nazaha also reportedly arrested several other people including a Saudi Ministry of National Guard major general and three retired officers of the same rank. The kingdom was ranked 52nd on the Transparency international Corruption Perceptions Index 2020.
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Corruption case against assistant to former Deputy PM Arkady Dvorkovich reaches court

   / 

10:46 08/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 8 (RAPSI)  A corruption case against Anastasia Alekseyeva, assistant to former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, has been forwarded to Moscow's Meshchansky District Court.

Yet another case is opened with respect to director of company "Medpolymerprom" Alexey Borisov, who stands charged with transferring a bribe. The case has not yet been scheduled for consideration.

Investigators allege that Alekseeva, when holding her office, received a bribe in the form of a New Year trip to Phuket and a May trip to the Dominican Republic between 2015 and 2016. The ex-official was detained in February 2020.

Earlier, the Moscow Ostankinsky District Court found the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Medpolymerprom Group of Companies, US citizen Gene (Eugene) Spektor, guilty of mediating this bribe and sentenced him to 4 years in prison with a fine of more than 14 million rubles ($192,000 at the current exchange rate). Spektor fully admitted his guilt, the case was heard under a special procedure; the decision came into legal force.
Russian court to rule on expulsion of Paul Whelan to US by end of September

 Sergey Vedyashkin, Moskva news agency

12:50 08/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 8 (RAPSI)  The Supreme Court of Russia Republic of Mordovia is to consider a petition for the expulsion of American citizen Paul Whelan, convicted of espionage, to the United States to serve his sentence there, lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told RAPSI.

Whelan wants to personally attend the hearing, which is expected to be held on September 27 behind closed doors, Zherebenkov said.

Whelan is a citizen of the U.S., Canada, Ireland and Great Britain. He is the chief safety officer of BorgWarner, an American worldwide automotive industry components and parts supplier. The foreigner was arrested in late 2018 during a spying mission, according to the Federal Security Service.

In June 2020, the Moscow City Court convicted Whelan of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years behind bars. The hearing was held behind closed doors. The man is serving his sentence in a penal colony in Russias Republic of Mordovia.

The Foreign Ministry of Russia reported that papers classified as state secret were seized from Whelan during his arrest on December 28. His lawyer confirmed this information.

According to Zherebenkov, his client came to Russia in December 2018 to attend the wedding of his acquaintance. He received a flash drive containing culturological information he was interested in, including photos and videos. There were also classified data on the flash drive, the lawyer said, but emphasized that his client did not have a chance to use the flash drive before he was detained.
Felicia Frazar is the managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail her at felicia.frazar@seguingazette.com .
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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[September 08, 2021] Coveo Announces New Features to Help Equip Frontline Agents to Deal with Service Pressures Elevated by Higher Customer Expectations MONTREAL, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coveo , a leader in relevance platforms that transform search, recommendations, and personalization within digital experiences, today at Coveo Relevance 360 , announced Personalized Agent Full Search and a Slack connector built on the latest technology from Salesforce and Coveo.

Service and support interactions have often become make-or-break for customer loyalty. Due to the rise of self-service, customers typically come to the contact center with only their most complex and frustrating problems, often as a channel of last resort. A recent Microsoft survey found that 36% or respondents thought the most frustrating aspect of a poor customer service experience is an agent that lacks the knowledge or ability to solve the customers issue. Combined with generally increasing customer expectations, and the switch to remote and hybrid work, this has put more pressure on customer service agents and can be a major factor in staff turnover and talent scarcity. Coveos new agent experience aims to equip customer service and support representatives with the information they need to be productive and proficient, even on day one. We regularly connect with our customers to get a better understanding of what technology would help make their employees' jobs easier, said Sawan Deshpande, General Manager Service and Workplace at Coveo. The resounding consensus was that customer service agents crave the ability to personalize the full search experience for their own specific needs. Coveos new agent search experience features: Personalized Agent Full Search: A customized search page that adapts to each agent, provides a powerful full search experience with adanced facets and personalization capabilities. Agents are able to view all of their recent searches and recently opened documents, and can save their own facets and filters. Built with Coveos new UI library called Quantic, which leverages both the new Coveo Headless UI framework and Salesforces latest UI technology Lightning Web Components (LWC).

A customized search page that adapts to each agent, provides a powerful full search experience with adanced facets and personalization capabilities. Agents are able to view all of their recent searches and recently opened documents, and can save their own facets and filters. Built with Coveos new UI library called Quantic, which leverages both the new Coveo Headless UI framework and Salesforces latest UI technology Lightning Web Components (LWC). Slack Connector: Agents now have easy access to search Slack conversations directly within Salesforce. This connector includes hybrid indexing, a rich dataset that opens new relevance capabilities, and they can choose which users or channels to index.

For more information, visit the Coveo website . Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Coveo.



About Relevance 360 Week

Coveo Relevance 360 Week is an interactive virtual summit that connects you to the experience leaders, strategies and AI technology you need to build great experiences that get results. With 20 sessions, 4 specialized tracks and a 48-hour Hackathon happening over 3 insight-packed days, discover all the ways that applied AI can improve individual interactions and entire digital journeys. This is the premier event for DX leaders looking to deliver outstanding experiences across websites, commerce, service, and the digital workplace. Relevance 360 is September 8, 9 and 10. Register to attend. About Coveo

We believe that relevance is critical to winning in the new digital experience economy. Coveo is a market-leading AI-powered relevance platform. We aim to enable our customers to deliver the relevant experiences that we believe people expect in the new digital economy. Our SaaS-native, multi-tenant platform injects search, recommendations, and personalization solutions into digital experiences.



We provide solutions for ecommerce, service, website, and workplace applications. Our solutions are designed to provide tangible value to our customers by helping drive revenue growth, reduce customer support costs, increase customer satisfaction and website engagement, and improve employee proficiency and satisfaction.



Our AI powers relevant interactions for hundreds of the worlds most innovative brands and is supported by a large network of global system integrators and implementation partners.



Coveo is a trademark of Coveo Solutions Inc.



Stay up to date on the latest Coveo news and content by subscribing to the Coveo blog , and following Coveo on LinkedIn , Twitter , and YouTube . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4601b19-b425-4b8c-8582-1cf84827ae89 Highwire PR for Coveo

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Two diamond shaped, rubble-pile asteroids have been observed near Earth, and were photographed by unmanned spacecrafts in 2018 and 2019. Scientists at OIST and Rutgers University have used a simple model normally reserved for the flow of grains to explain their unusual shape. In this image, a photograph of one of the asteroids, Bennu, is shown on the left. On the right, a simulation using the model is shown. As can be seen, the shape of the simulation matches that of Bennu. CREDIT OIST

Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) and Rutgers University have used simple concepts from granular physics to explain the curious diamond shapes of two "near Earth" asteroids.

Asteroids are rocky bodies that orbit the sun. What makes them fascinating to researchers is that they are made up of leftover materials--the matter that didn't get absorbed into the larger planets when the solar system formed, around 4.6 billion years ago. Thus, they can shed light on the early days of the solar system and the formation of the planets. Most asteroids are trapped in the asteroid belt, a region between Jupiter and Mars. This distance from Earth makes them difficult to study. But, occasionally, an asteroid will escape and drift closer to Earth, making it possible to photograph them up close using a unmanned spacecrafts.

This is what happened with these two diamond shaped asteroids--Bennu and Ryugu. Both Bennu and Ryugu are classed as rubble-pile asteroids, which means they are made up of many smaller pieces of rocky material that are loosely held together by gravity. Essentially, they're just grains that interact with each other, like the sand on our beaches.

"Previous models have attributed these diamond shapes to the forces caused by the rotation, which resulted in material being driven from the poles to the equator. But when the asteroids were simulated using these models, the shape was flattened or asymmetric rather than diamond, so we knew something wasn't right," explained Dr. Tapan Sabuwala, lead author of the paper published in Granular Matter and researcher in OIST's Fluid Mechanics Unit. "We found that these models were missing a key ingredient, the deposition of material. And a simple granular physics model, normally used for the deposition of grains like sand or sugar, could predict the observed shape."

Imagine pouring sand or sugar through a funnel. A cocktail of different forces will ensure that it forms a conical pile (like a party hat). Granular physicists can predict the shape of the pile based on the different forces that act on the grains. Dr. Sabuwala, alongside Professor Pinaki Chakraborty who leads the Unit and Professor Troy Shinbrot from Rutgers University, transferred these ideas to the asteroids.

Dr. Sabuwala explained how, on these asteroids, gravity is oriented differently compared to that experienced by a sandpile on the beach. "We had to factor this into our model, alongside the fact that the asteroid's rotation also plays a significant role," he said.

So, instead of the conical shape seen in the accumulation of grains on Earth, the forces at work on the asteroids produced diamond shapes. The centrifugal force, caused by rotation, decreased near the poles of the asteroids, causing material to accumulate there, and resulting in their distinctive elevated appearance. Another important distinction of this model (when compared to previous ones) is that it suggests that these rubble-pile asteroids did not start as a sphere and deform into a diamond shape. Rather, the accumulation of debris caused the diamond shape to form very early on in the formation of the asteroid, and any subsequent reshaping was minimal. Furthermore, the notion that the diamond shapes were cast during the early stages of the asteroid formation, while at odds with previous models, is consistent with recent observations.

The researchers went on to show the accuracy of this model through simulations and found that the simulated asteroids formed the distinctive diamond shape, further supporting their theory.

"We have used simple concepts of how grains flow to explain how these asteroids assumed their curious shapes," said Professor Chakraborty. "That simple ideas can illuminate complex problems is, to us, perhaps the most delightful aspect of this work."



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To investigate the physics underpinning white dwarf evolution, astronomers compared cooling white dwarfs in two massive collections of stars: the globular clusters M13 and M3. These two clusters share many physical properties such as age and metallicity, but the populations of stars which will eventually give rise to white dwarfs are different. This makes M13 and M3 together a perfect natural laboratory in which to test how different populations of white dwarfs cool. CREDIT Credits: ESA/Hubble, NASA, and G. Piotto et al.

Could dying stars hold the secret to looking younger?

New evidence from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope suggests that white dwarf stars could continue to burn hydrogen in the final stages of their lives, causing them to appear more youthful than they actually are. This discovery could have consequences for how astronomers measure the ages of star clusters, which contain the oldest known stars in the universe.

These results challenge the prevalent view of white dwarfs as inert, slowly cooling burned-out stars where nuclear fusion has stopped. Now, an international group of astronomers has discovered the first evidence that white dwarfs can slow down their rate of aging by burning hydrogen on their surfaces.

"We have found the first observational evidence that white dwarfs can still undergo stable thermonuclear activity," explained Jianxing Chen of the Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, who led this research. "This was quite a surprise, as it is at odds with what is commonly believed."

White dwarfs have cast off their outer layers during the last stages of their lives. They are common objects in the cosmos; roughly 98% of all the stars in the universe will ultimately end up as white dwarfs, including our own Sun. Studying these cooling stages helps astronomers understand not only white dwarfs, but also their earlier stages as well.

To investigate the physics underpinning white dwarf evolution, astronomers compared cooling white dwarfs in two massive collections of stars: the globular clusters M3 and M13. These two clusters share many physical properties such as age and metallicity (the abundance of heaver elements), but the populations of stars which will eventually give rise to white dwarfs are different. This makes M3 and M13 together a perfect natural laboratory in which to test how different populations of white dwarfs cool.



"The superb quality of our Hubble observations provided us with a full view of the stellar populations of the two globular clusters," continued Chen. "This allowed us to really contrast how stars evolve in M3 and M13."

Using Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 the team observed M3 and M13 at near-ultraviolet wavelengths, which is ideal for finding blue and faint stellar objects in the crowded globular clusters. This allowed the researchers to compare more than 700 white dwarfs in the two clusters. They found that M3 contains standard white dwarfs, which are simply cooling stellar cores. M13, on the other hand, contains two populations of white dwarfs: standard white dwarfs and those which have managed to hold on to an outer envelope of hydrogen, allowing them to burn for longer and hence cool more slowly.

Comparing their results with computer simulations of stellar evolution in M13, the researchers were able to show that roughly 70% of the white dwarfs in M13 are burning hydrogen on their surfaces, slowing down the rate at which they are cooling. The hydrogen would have been supplied by the star's outer shells leaking into space.

This discovery could have consequences for how astronomers measure the ages of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The evolution of white dwarfs has previously been modeled as a predictable cooling process. This relatively straightforward relationship between age and temperature has led astronomers to use the white dwarf cooling rate as a natural clock to determine the ages of star clusters, particularly globular and open clusters. However, white dwarfs burning hydrogen could cause these age estimates to be inaccurate by as much as one billion years.

"Our discovery challenges the definition of white dwarfs as we consider a new perspective on the way in which stars get old," added Francesco Ferraro of the Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, who coordinated the study. "We are now investigating other clusters similar to M13 to further constrain the conditions which drive stars to maintain the thin hydrogen envelope which allows them to age slowly."

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.



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Russias Soyuz MS-18 crew ship (foreground) and Nauka multipurpose laboratory module are pictured docked to the station as it orbited above Africas Indian Ocean coast.

Two Expedition 65 cosmonauts will soon exit the International Space Station for the second spacewalk in less than week to continue configuring a Russian science module. Meanwhile, two astronauts are gearing up for another spacewalk, while the rest of the crew conducts space research and lab maintenance.

Two Expedition 65 cosmonauts will soon exit the International Space Station for the second spacewalk in less than week to continue configuring a Russian science module. Meanwhile, two astronauts are gearing up for another spacewalk, while the rest of the crew conducts space research and lab maintenanceRussia's new Nauka multipurpose laboratory module (MLM) saw its first power and ethernet cable connections last Friday during a seven-hour and 54-minute spacewalk with Flight Engineers Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov. The duo from Roscosmos will perform another spacewalk on Thursday at 11 a.m. EDT to continue more Nauka cable connections and install new handrails on the MLM.

The two cosmonauts spent Tuesday getting their Orlan spacesuits ready, organizing spacewalk tools and preparing the Poisk airlock for Thursday's excursion. NASA TV will begin its live spacewalk coverage at 10:30 a.m. on the NASA app and the agency's website.

Just three days after that two astronauts will exit the U.S. Quest airlock to modify the Port-4 (P4) truss structure and ready the orbital lab for its third set of Roll-Out Solar Arrays. Commander Akihiko Hoshide from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet from ESA (European Space Agency) will don their U.S. spacesuits on Sunday and begin their spacewalk at 8:30 a.m.

The spacewalking pair today reviewed their tools and the modification kit they will install on P4 then studied the upcoming robotics maneuvers planned for the excursion on a computer. NASA TV will broadcast Sunday's spacewalk starting at 7 a.m.

The station's three NASA astronauts focused mainly on a variety of research work as well as the upkeep of the orbital lab.

Flight Engineer Megan McArthur started Tuesday exploring how microgravity affects drug metabolism. She first retrieved genetic samples from a science freezer then analyzed them to help scientists understand biological changes in space and monitor astronaut health.

McArthur then partnered with NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei in the afternoon reviewing their support roles for Sunday's spacewalk with Hoshide and Pesquet. Vane Hei then joined Flight Engineer Shane Kimbrough and serviced life support components that remove carbon dioxide from the station's cabin.

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Scientists at Cincinnati Children's have discovered a molecular pathway that triggers potentially fatal cardiac atrophy. Finding a way to interrupt this process could help protect people during space travel. CREDIT Cincinnati Children's Hospital

In many situations, heart muscle cells do not respond to external stresses in the same ways that skeletal muscle cells do.

But under some conditions, heart and skeletal muscles can both waste away at fatally rapid rates, according to a new study led by experts at Cincinnati Children's.

The new findings, based on studies of mouse models, represent an important milestone in a long effort to prevent or even reverse cardiac atrophy, which can lead to fatal heart failure when the body loses large amounts of weight or experiences extended periods of weightlessness in space. Detailed findings were published online June 24, 2021, in Nature Communications.

"NASA is very interested in cardiac atrophy," says Jeffery Molkentin, PhD, Co-Director of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's. "It might be the single biggest issue for long-period space flights and astronaut health, especially when re-entering a higher-gravity situation, whether that's arriving at Mars or returning to Earth."

Astronauts and cosmonauts have been exercising in orbit to minimize loss of muscle mass ever since doctors observed years ago that returning spacefarers have often been barely able to walk upon returning to Earth. Along the way, clinicians also have observed increased risk of heart trouble during the recovery period.

The new findings from Molkentin and colleagues help explain why the heart also is affected by muscle-wasting conditions, which in turn suggests potential new ways to prevent or treat the problem.

A three-pronged attack on heart cells

The research team studied mouse models in several ways to trace the withering of heart cells to a three-step molecular process.

Like skeletal muscle, the heart can either grow larger or smaller depending on workload. The new research identifies a process whereby the gene thrombospondin-1 can result in a dramatic loss of heart mass.

The overexpression of thrombospondin-1 in the hearts of mice lead to rapid and lethal loss of heart mass, called atrophy, by directly activating the signaling protein called PERK. Excessive PERK activity, in turn, triggers a response from the transcription factor ATF4, which together directly program the atrophy of heart muscle cells.

The longer these genes are active, the more severe the atrophy becomes. Eliminating or reducing the activity of these genes would block or reduce the atrophy response, which could be an attractive new strategy for addressing loss of heart muscle during extended periods of space travel.

"Our findings describe a new pathway of muscle mass loss," Molkentin says. "More research is needed to develop methods or drugs that can interrupt this signaling pathway through these genes to stop cardiac atrophy once detected."

Next steps

Researchers still need to confirm that the process observed in mice also occurs in people. More work also is needed to determine whether drugs exist (or need to be developed) that can safely manage the molecular activity the research team has identified.

In humans, even though we lack the ability to replace lost heart muscle tissue, it should be possible to rehabilitate weakened or atrophied heart muscle cells back to their original state.

###

About this study

In addition to Molkentin, Cincinnati Children's researchers contributing to this study include co-first authors Davy Vanhoutte, PhD, and Tobias Schips, PhD, (now at Janssen Pharmaceuticals); Alexander Vo, BS, Kelly Grimes, PhD, Tanya Baldwin, PhD, Matthew Brody PhD, (now at the University of Michigan), Federica Accornero, PhD, (now at the Ohio State University), and Michelle Sargent, BS.

Funding sources for this study include the National Institutes of Health to Molkentin (2R01HL105924) and a grant from the German research foundation Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to Schips (SCHI 1290/1-1).



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Longtime harness racing industry participant Thomas Malcolm 'Tom' Manes passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 6 at his Cedarvale Farm, in the presence of his loving wife and children at the age of 87.

During his short, hard-fought fight with cancer, Tom continued to demonstrate tremendous bravery and determination, as he did throughout his entire life. His strength served as an inspiration to his family.

Tom was the son of the late Oscar and Rowena Manes. He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna (McMillan) Manes, for over 62 years, his two sisters, Jean Dryer and Pat (Bill) Dawkins, sister-in-law, Marnie Manes; his sons Bill (Val), Brad, Barry (Tracy) and daughter Janis (Peter) Krause. He is also survived by his nine grandchildren; Brett (Jessica), Terresa (Chris), Ryan, Laura, Katelyn, Rachel, Ben, Jeffrey and Addison; and his six great grandchildren, Nolan, Cadence, Layla, Jordyn, Blakely and Talya, and many nieces and nephews. Tom was predeceased by his brothers, Harold and Dave Manes, brother-in-law Stu Dryer and sister-in-law, Madeline Manes.

Tom was born on July 19, 1934, in Chinguacousy Township (Brampton, Ont.). From a young age, Tom was a hard worker and a true entrepreneur, providing for his family. He worked multiple jobs, including working at the Ford plant, IGA, Manes Country Market and Mohawk Racetrack as the operator of the Leaser for 30 years. In the later years of his life on his hobby farm, he sold Christmas trees, produce, and raised chickens, cattle and ducks.

In addition to his hard-working personality, Tom was also known for his collection of old tractors, card skills and his love of desserts, especially pie and ice cream. He was a generous family man who made everyone feel welcome in his home. There was always a cold beer on tap for anyone who visited the farm.

The family would like to thank Marie, Mark, Jennifer and Dr. Abboud for the compassionate care he received in his home.

As per Toms request, cremation has taken place. An intimate memorial service will be held for the immediate family at the Nassagewaya Presbyterian Church later this week.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a memorial donation to the Cancer Assistance Services Halton Hills (CAShh) or Nassagewaya Presbyterian Church.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Tom Manes.
Just Released: Stephen E. Strang's New Book, 'God and Cancel Culture,' Published September 7, 2021

Award-Winning Journalist Challenges Christians to Stand Strong Against Cancel Culture



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Hamilton Strategies

Sept. 8, 2021



ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 8, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- Stephen E. Strang, award-winning journalist and founder of Charisma Media, announced the forthcoming publication of his latest book, "God and Cancel Culture: Stand Strong Before It's Too Late," released on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.



Says Strang about his new book and the circumstances that led him to write it, "Today, 64 percent of Americans believe cancel culture is a threat to their freedom, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll. Among Republicans, that figure is even higher, at 80 percent. While the term 'cancel culture' applies to conservatives who oppose the politically correct crowd, it is part of a bigger effort to cancel Christianity and those who espouse biblical principles. It almost seems this is the beginning of the endand that Christians are in an unprecedented season of fragmentation, political division and actual separation on many fronts.



"Yet now is not the time for Christians to be divided," continues Strang. "The body of Christ is a big, diverse family, and we must choose to cheer one another on. This book will help Christians realize the seriousness of the battle before us and illuminate the present circumstance for the purpose of doing goodto bring hope.



"Christians must not lose heart," he emphasizes. "We must stand strong and not be intimidated. We must prayand we must believe God for a great awakening."



"God and Cancel Culture" features compelling interviews with a cross section of leaders. In clear, authoritative prose, Strang's new book also does the following:

Documents what is happening in the country right now;



Shares how believers can respond;



Explains why Christians can look to the future with hope;



Helps readers understand that no matter how bad things seem, God always comes through.

"God and Cancel Culture" will document what is happening in the country, how believers can respond, and why they can look expectantly to the future.



Stephen E. Strang is the best-selling author of "God and Donald Trump." The founder and CEO of Charisma Media, Strang was cited by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Evangelicals in America.



SOURCE Hamilton Strategies



CONTACT: Jeff Tolson, 610-584-1096 ext. 108, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com


Minister Files Federal Lawsuit After Being Denied the Right to Hold Prayer Vigil on the Grounds of the U.S. Capitol for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Christian Defense Coalition

Sept. 8, 2021



WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, applied for a permit to hold a: "Prayer vigil and remembrance for all those who perished on 9/11 and to pray for God's protection over America."



That permit application was denied by the U.S. Capitol Police because Rev. Mahoney was told the grounds around the Capitol are "restricted" and the permit would not be processed.



However, the grounds around the United States Capitol are not restricted. Business is going on as usual at the Capitol. Thousands of visitors walk across the grounds of the Capitol every week and recently Congressman Bush was allowed by the U.S. Capitol Police to camp out on the steps of the Capitol for several days and hold a major demonstration to protest evictions.



Harmeet K. Dhillon, CEO of the Center for American Liberty who is representing Rev. Mahoney states;

"Denying a minister and faithful parishioners the ability to pray outside the U.S. Capitol in the memory of the 9/11 tragedy is unfathomable while Congresswoman Cori Bush and others are allowed to protest at the exact same location."

Below is a link which contains the stamped complaint;

https://www.dhillonlaw.com/lawsuits/rev-mahoney-v-capitol-police/



The case is Mahoney v. U.S. Capitol Police Board and it is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.



Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments;

"In response to this outrageous violation of the First Amendment and free speech, I have filed a federal lawsuit which will be heard this week. Could anyone have ever dreamed we would see the day where a peaceful prayer gathering would be banned from the grounds of the U.S. Capitol?



"The First Amendment ensures every American the right to peacefully express their views in the public square free from government intimidation, harassment or favoritism. Sadly, that is not happening at the U.S. Capitol.



"Let's be clear, as of today, the United States Capitol Building is no longer 'The People's House,' but rather its is a place where the First Amendment is being trampled. For if free speech can be denied at the Capitol, than First Amendment rights are in danger in every community across America."

For more information or interviews please contact:

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741



SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition



CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741


Eltizam Asset Management Group, subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company, has announced the acquisition of Inspire Integrated (formerly Multiplex Services), a real estate and facilities management company in Dubai, for AED37 million ($10 million).

A major physical asset management company and a top investor in the built asset environment, Eltizam said this comes as part of its strategy to expand the group's real estate, infrastructure property management, facilities management and project delivery services.

Inspire Integrated, which will continue to operate under the same name, specialises in infrastructure and real estate solutions, facilities management, and project delivery services.

The Dubai group's level of experience has resulted in highly complex contracts due to its robust asset and life cycle plans, highly regulated compliance-based settings, service resilience structure, and HSE performance record.

Also, the Inspire project delivery services can provide cost-effective, low-risk, high-quality solutions from conception and design to planning, completion, and move-in, it stated.

Commenting on the acquisition, Group CEO Chris Roberts said: "This strategic move will further enhance our position in the regions real estate and infrastructure sectors in both property and facilities management services."

"With our combined portfolios and capabilities, as well as our IoT and AI-enabled solutions, it will ensure service excellence and consistent results that benefit all of our stakeholders," he noted.

As part of Eltizam Group, Inspire Integrated will be providing seamless integrated infrastructure and real estate property management and FM services and project delivery services to its clients and community, joining a diverse set of companies including Tafawuq and Fixis FM in addition to Three60 Community Management, Omnius Real Estate Services, 800TEK Maintenance Company, and OrionTEK Innovations.

Andrew Law, Executive Director, Inspire Integrated, said: "We are confident that through this acquisition Inspire Integrated will have access to a wider breadth of talent, support and expertise to advance our service capability."

"We believe that being part of the Eltizam Group will enable us to accelerate our business growth and allow us to offer better value for money to both our existing and future clients," he noted.

"With strong values culture already embedded into the Inspire workplace, it will be a smooth transition to incorporate the Get Wonky corporate culture of Eltizam, seen as a key alignment during the acquisition process for both companies," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The University of Birmingham, has teamed up with technology major Siemens, to transform its Edgbaston (UK) and Dubai campuses into the worlds smartest global campuses, creating a Living Lab where research, teaching and learning all benefit from access to new data and connectivity.

It will be done with a combination of digital sensor and analytic technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), decentralised energy generation and storage in addition to renewable energy and concepts that help change users behaviour.

The Living Lab will capture data from the Universitys building technologies, estates infrastructure and energy plants and use it for innovation, R&D activities, as well as teaching, said a statement from University of Birmingham.

Scrutinising energy demand and production - from systems to individual consumers/producers (prosumers) - with live data from across the sites provides a unique opportunity for applied learning for students and creates a platform for cutting-edge research, it stated.

Siemens said it will be sponsoring a team of PhD studentships at the university based in the UK and Dubai.

Their research projects will be co-designed by Siemens and the University to address important challenges in data, technology, urban systems and the NetZero goal.

This year, the University of Birmingham will become the first in the world to roll out Internet of Things (IoT) technology at scale. Starting in Autumn, the first phase of this major energy efficiency project will include the roll out of 23,000 enlighted IoT sensors across the university estate, it stated.

On its ambitious vision, Professor Tim Jones, Provost and Vice-Principal, said: "Our goal is to deliver the campus of the future, using cutting-edge technologies to make our university campuses in Edgbaston and Dubai the smartest globally. This will enhance our student experience, create new research and innovation opportunities, whilst significantly reducing our carbon footprint."

"As we approach COP26 in Glasgow this autumn, it is clear we are into the decade of delivery for NetZero targets. University-Industry strategic partnerships, such as ours with Siemens, are important for helping to identify pathways for turning targets into reality," he added.

Matthias Rebellius, managing board member of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure,: "As one of the largest institutions in the UK, with a global community of more than 38,000 students, the University is already an energy prosumer and these technologies will be further optimised in the future energy system we are now working together to achieve."

"Partnerships like this are extremely important for gathering new insights, testing and developing new technologies and creating efficient and sustainable energy infrastructures. The universitys campus in Dubai will be a global example of sustainability at the rescheduled Dubai Expo 2020," he noted.

CEO Siemens (GB & Ireland) Carl Ennis said: "We are excited to be working with the University of Birmingham on this project and confident that together we can develop a clear pathway to the University becoming a smart campus and net zero."

"Our goal is to apply the Universitys strategic vision to their campus. We will uncover where carbon savings are possible by managing resources more efficiently, in a system that is adaptable to changing demand. All of this can be achieved with a combination of connected digital technologies, artificial intelligence, decentralised energy generation and storage, renewable energy and ideas that help change users behaviour," he noted.

In addition, Siemens will deliver a 10-year bureau for Energy and IoT services to ensure that the University reaps the full potential of both the technology and industry expertise, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX), the export-financing arm of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), has entered a strategic partnership with Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Chamber of Commerce and Industry as part of its efforts to support Emirati exporters and build a diverse and sustainable national economy.

Both parties formally sealed their cooperation during a recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which aims to advance the UAEs economic diversification efforts in line with the countrys preparations for the next 50 years.

The MoU comes as part of ADEXs commitment to contribute to national efforts aimed at enhancing the level of the countrys competitiveness in line with the economic diversification policy and a fundamental pillar of its sustainable development goals. The agreement also aims to expand the range of the countrys exports and enable local exporters to explore new opportunities in global markets.

The agreement was signed by Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri, Acting Director General of ADEX, and Mohamed Hassan Al Sabab, Acting Director of RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

As part of the MoU, the two parties agreed to unite their efforts to enhance the global competitiveness of UAE exports, whether goods or services, as well as provide support to national companies that would ensure their sustainable growth as they enter new regional and international markets.

The two parties will work closely to promote Emirati exporters and find new markets for their exports, including providing credit facilities to importers and foreign buyers purchasing the locally made goods and services, and thereby boost the countrys export volume. The agreement also includes enhancing the knowledge and awareness of local companies and manufacturers regarding the availability of ADEXs financing services and how they can benefit from it. Furthermore, both parties will share relevant export strategies that enhance investor confidence, support local goods and its market position, as well as empower local exporters on how to optimize business prospects.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD and Chairman of the Executive Committee of ADEX, said: Our MoU with RAK Chamber is a major step towards strengthening our cooperation with all stakeholders. Together, we will support national endeavors and provide effective solutions to enhance the competitiveness of UAE exports and increase the contributions of our local exporters to the countrys sustainable economic development. Our collaboration reflects our firm commitment to establish strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships with relevant institutions.

We are committed to continue optimising all available resources and capabilities to build an economic support system that will help reinforce the UAEs leading position in export and import trading. Moreover, we will work towards further develop the countrys presence on the global commercial and trade map according to its vision for the next 50 years, which will represent a new era of progress and growth for the nation.

Al Dhaheri said: We are pleased to sign a strategic partnership with RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This forms part of our efforts to utilize our resources to expedite the growth of export sector according to our governments initiatives to Diversify the economy. We are confident that the new collaboration will have a significant and positive impact on all fronts. We reaffirm our commitment to provide an integrated package of financing services to importers of UAE products and services, whether they are a public or private entity. Through these initiatives, ADEX is well-positioned as an organization to help increase the volume of national exports and find new markets for them.

Al Sabab said: We are honored to collaborate with ADEX and we commend them for extending their support to local companies and manufacturers in Ras Al Khaimah. ADEX will help stimulate new activities in key sectors which can bring about positive impact to our national economy. This new agreement is a significant development in our strategic partnerships which will enable the business sector to implement programs and plans that are relevant to the UAEs comprehensive economic program. We will also help create an ideal environment that will strengthen the private sectors socio-economic contributions. We look forward to working with ADEX and share our expertise, best practices and latest data to develop an environment that stimulates business and investment activities in line with UAE Centennial 2071.

Apart from data sharing, the two parties will also hold regular meetings to implement and follow-up on the agreed programs. In addition, they will host workshops and seminars as well as conduct workshops and training to increase the awareness about ADEXs financing services.

For 2021, ADEX has allocated AED735 million ($200 million) to finance qualified export transactions of national companies. Through its direct and indirect funding program, ADEX provides loans and guarantees to qualified foreign buyers of UAE goods and services with payment made directly from ADEX to the UAE exporter, reducing their risk of delayed payment or non-payment. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubais food and beverage (F&B) trade, excluding tobacco, with Africa reached $13.9 billion during the 2015 to 2020 period, while the sector has been identified as a key factor expected to drive bilateral trade in the short-term, new Dubai Chamber analysis has revealed.

In 2020, the value of food and beverage trade (excluding tobacco) between Dubai and Africa amounted to $2.4 billion in food and beverage trade, marking a growth rate of 18 percent compared to the previous year and the highest level since 2017.

Dubai's food and beverage trade with Africa accounted for around 13% of the emirates total trade volume with the continent, over the same period, excluding trade in gold, jewellery and precious stones. Dubais exports in this category amounted to 31 percent of the trade volume, and re-exports represented 23%.

The analysis was released in the lead up to the 6th Global Business Forum Africa, organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai. The study highlighted Dubai-Africa F&B bilateral trade trends by region, as well as the potential avenues for future cooperation.

In 2020, North Africa accounted for the largest share of Dubai-Africa F&B trade, reaching a value of $971.2 million, followed by East Africa ($828.3 million). Southern Africa ranked third among Dubai's largest food and beverage trading partners, with a total value of $362.9 million.

According UNCTAD data, Africa registered a negative trade balance of $20.1 billion in F&B products with the world, and this trend was most prevalent in North, Middle, and Western Africa, indicating sizeable business opportunities in those regions.

The study concluded with a positive outlook for Dubai-Africa F&B bilateral trade, given Africas expanding urban F&B market, which offers vast opportunities for Dubai investors in warehousing and cold storage for agricultural outputs, farm equipment, transport, and repair services, among others.

GBF Africa 2021 will be organised at Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme Transformation Through Trade, with the forum bringing government and business leaders from the UAE, Africa and other markets together to explore new prospects for economic cooperation and investment opportunities in promising African markets.

As the Official Business Integration Partner for Expo 2020 Dubai, Dubai Chamber is organising several high-level business forums at the mega event, with the 6th GBF Africa taking place October 13-14th, 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai, followed by the inaugural GBF ASEAN and the 4th GBF Latin America.--TradeArabia News Service
Expo 2020 Dubais Design and Crafts Programme has launched Menasa  Emirati Design Platform, which showcases more than 40 local and international designers, telling stories of the UAE through exclusive curated design collections.

Millions of visitors to Expo 2020 will have the opportunity to explore and experience traditional Emirati crafts and traditions through a contemporary lens, with Menasa featuring seven exciting design collaborations between local and international artisans and designers under the title of Craft Stories, and Designer of the Week  a showcase of 24 designers and organisations from across the UAE, highlighting the breadth and vibrancy of the countrys contemporary design scene.



Dr Hayat Shamsuddin, Senior Vice President, Arts and Culture, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: The collective approach of Menasa, which means platform in Arabic, is inspired by the theme and spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. By bringing together artisans and designers from the UAE and around the world, we are nurturing a rich cultural and creative dialogue that will contribute to a meaningful legacy after Expo 2020 closes its doors.



The content that we are bringing to Expo through Menasa is innovative and intriguing, and will capture the hearts and imaginations of our visitors. We are very proud of this programme and believe that it will help to ignite a new appreciation of Emirati crafts as a contemporary and living expression of our cultural identity  locally and globally.



Commissioned and curated by Menasa, Craft Stories is a dialogue between local and international designers and artisans who were invited to explore and represent Emirati crafts and culture in a new way. Merging the skills and rich heritage of Emirati artisans with contemporary creativity and innovation in techniques and materials, each story is a multi-layered journey that reflects many facets of the UAE, its landscape, people, traditions, values and identity.



A series of documentaries, shot on location around the UAE, will be exhibited alongside the design collections, drawing visitors farther into the intimate worlds of the artisans and their crafts and traditions, including clay, safeefa (palm frond weaving), talli (embroidery), sadu (bedouin weaving), gargour making (wire-crafted fish traps), pearl diving and coffee making.





8,000 Waves: The Pearl Diving Story is Menasas debut Craft Story and a collaboration between Todomuta, a Spanish design studio, and Asateer, an Emirati design studio  founded by Mohammed Al Suwaidi, the grandson of a pearl diver  that specialises in the creation of handcrafted products from mother of pearl and raw materials.



Crafted in metal and inlaid with mother-of-pearl cut from oyster shells farmed locally in Ras Al Khaimah, the rhythmic, reflective forms of the collection evoke the 8,000-year history of pearl diving in the Emirates, the waves of the Arabian Gulf, the reflections of the sea, the sun and the light, and the shape of the boats that once carried the pearl divers for months at a time. The collection includes a feature wall sculpture and limited-edition candleholders and incense burners.



Designer of the Week will present a unique snapshot of the thriving creative activity across the UAE by representing 24 UAE-based established and emerging designers, as well as the public and private organisations that support the local crafts and design community, whether through funding, promotion, providing exhibition space or safeguarding skills.



Many of those highlighted will present new collections created for Menasa, and many have expanded their practice into a new design discipline, with products including homewares, fashion accessories and local crafts. Each will be showcased within the Menasa space through a display of their curated work. From traditional handcrafts to digital design, and from product design to illustration and fashion, the diversity of UAE-based designers disciplines, practices, materials and products will be explored through these displays.



Samer Yamani, Curator, Menasa  Emirati Design Platform, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: Crafts have a special, innate power to communicate a local culture, a nation and its identity. Giving this power a poetic approach, we used Emirati crafts as a communication tool and merged it with design, new technologies and materials to convey more local stories and to intensify the experience for our visitors through our exclusive design collections.



Menasa is presenting the diversity and vibrancy of the crafts and design scene in the UAE as a testimony of this historic moment celebrating its Golden Jubilee and hosts the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.



All design pieces and collections will be exhibited and available for sale from Menasas design space, which will feature a dramatic 13-metre window display, designed by Carmelo Zappulla and Rami Al Ali, merging 3D printing with local crafts. Located at the ground level of the Rove Expo 2020 hotel, next to Al Wasl Plaza, Menasa  Emirati Design Platform will be open daily for the duration of Expo 2020 Dubai.



The curated selection of designers and crafts organisations at Menasa  Emirati Design Platform is drawn from 11 countries, across four continents. UAE designers and organisations include Al Ghadeer UAE Crafts, Alia Bin Omair, Ammar Kalo, Bil Arabi, Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, Khalid Shafar, and Tashkeel. International designers and design brands include BD Barcelona Design (Spain), Estudio Campana (Brazil), Iwan Maktabi (Lebanon), Klove Studio (India) and Nicolas Jebran (Lebanon).



Expo 2020 will run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, inviting visitors from every corner of the globe to discover a wide range of cultural and artistic initiatives dedicated to broadening horizons and bringing people, communities and nations together.  TradeArabia News Service
Chariot, an Africa focused transitional energy company, has signed a contract with Stena Drilling to use its Stena Don drilling rig for the planned Anchois gas appraisal well within the Lixus licence, offshore Morocco.



Drilling operations anticipated to commence in December 2021 and are expected to take up to approximately 40 days. Stena Don is a semi-submersible rig, suitable for drilling, completion, and workover operations.



Appraisal drilling objectives:



 Unlock the development of the discovered sands by confirming the gas resource volumes, reservoir quality and well productivity.

 Provide a future production well for the development of the field.

 Potentially deepen the well into additional low-risk prospective sands with the aim of establishing a larger resource base for longer term growth.



Adonis Pouroulis, Acting CEO of Chariot, commented: "The signing of this contract is an important moment in our planned drilling campaign for the Lixus Licence, offshore Morocco. We anticipate drilling commencing in December, with the well expected to take up to 40 days to drill.



As a team, we have been keenly focused on delivering the drilling campaign that we recently raised money for, and we are pleased that this contract award brings us a step closer to achieving this. We look forward to keeping our stakeholders appraised we get closer to the spud date.  TradeArabia News Service
Deutsche Hospitality (DH), which is set to open 20 new hotels by the end of 2023 in key leisure destinations in the Middle East, has announced the launch of its first Steigenberger Hotel in Doha, Qatar.



The group is targeting establishing hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Salalah, Jeddah and Riyadh, a DH statement said.



Steigenberger Hotel Doha represents the new luxury flagship hotel of Deutsche Hospitalitys major brand, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, the largest German hotel brand in the Middle East.



Located in the heart of the commercial district of Doha, the flagship property is part of Deutsche Hospitalitys tenacious expansion plans for the region offering pure luxury and hospitality at its best to the Middle East. Steigenberger Hotel Doha will welcome guests and residents to its exclusive property full of character, glamour and elegance during Fall 2021 with soft opening scheduled during the month of September.



Steigenberger Hotel Doha brings an element of sophistication to one of the worlds most coveted destinations. The hotel features 206 guest rooms, including 28 suites and a lavish Royal suite, opulently designed for business and leisure travellers alike.



Offering an extraordinary and memorable travel experience to all guests, the expansive property boasts five dining outlets comprising of an international all-day dining venue, including a retail / cafe & Bakery section with direct access to a luxury retail shopping centre, speciality restaurant European Bistro, a lobby Cafe and an outdoor terrace featuring a wide variety of Levantine and Mediterranean Cuisines to cater to all tastes in a lively atmosphere.



CEO Marcus Bernhardt said: We are delighted to announce the launch of our first Steigenberger Hotel in Doha, Qatar which is one of the most dynamic cities in the region. We are excited to bring the Steigenberger core values of tradition, passion and perfection to Doha, offering luxury experiences and world-class hospitality.



General Manager Sherief Abouelmagd added: We look forward to delivering the legacy of the Steigenberger brand fused with Qatari hospitality to our guests, presenting limitless elegance and remarkable service. The Steigenberger brand represents forward-thinking German hospitality uniting heritage and modernity where everyone is greeted with genuine warmth and experience excellent service.



Conference and banqueting space across five expansive meeting rooms, each named after popular German cities, house the latest amenities and serve as an ideal venue for board meetings, business or private events. The hotel also boasts a Grand Ballroom, accommodating up to 350 guests designed with an elegant staircase and breathtaking chandeliers, making it an idyllic destination for a wedding or intimate celebration. Other facilities include a state-of-the-art gym extending over two floors, a wellness centre and a rooftop pool offering stunning panoramic views of the city.



The groups robust global expansion plan spans across its portfolio, including Steigenberger Icons, Steigenberger Porsche Design Hotels, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX by Steigenberger, Jaz in the City, IntercityHotel and Zleep Hotels.  TradeArabia News Service
British Airways has today launched BA Better World, its new sustainability programme, furthering its commitment to put sustainability at the heart of its business, from reducing emissions and waste and contributing to the communities it serves.



At an event at British Airways Heathrow engineering base the airline unveiled a new look for one of its most fuel-efficient short-haul aircraft, an A320neo, which it has painted in its new BA Better World sustainability colours as part of a partnership with aircraft manufacturer Airbus.



After unveiling the new aircraft livery, British Airways announced a collaboration with bp, committing to source sustainable aviation fuel with respect to all its flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during the UKs COP26 climate change summit being held in Glasgow later this year. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is blended with traditional jet fuel to comply with aviation fuel certification standards. The SAF sourced for the COP26 period provides a lifecycle carbon reduction of up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel.



In a UK first, British Airways also announced that its customers can purchase sustainable aviation fuel to reduce their carbon footprint via its not-for-profit organisation Pure Leapfrog. This is in addition to the existing option for customers to offset their emissions.



The collaboration with bp forms part of British Airways long-term commitment to the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel. The airlines parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF, with British Airways forming partnerships with a number of technology and fuel companies to develop SAF plants and purchase the fuel, including with Velocys in the UK and LanzaJet in the US. British Airways, as part of an IAG commitment, recently stated it would power 10 per cent of its fuel needs with SAF by 2030.



British Airways CEO and Chairman Sean Doyle said: With BA Better World were on our most important journey yet - to a better, more sustainable future and one which will ensure the long-term success of our business. Were clear that we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the planet and have a detailed plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft, improving our operational efficiency and investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emissions aircraft.



It is only through working in partnership with Government and industry that well be able to reach our targets and Im delighted that, thanks to our new collaboration with bp, were able to source enough sustainable aviation fuel with respect to all our flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during COP26, substantially reducing the emissions associated with taking our customers to and from COP26 by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. This commitment for COP26 is in addition to the mandatory carbon trading we already operate in the UK and our own further voluntary carbon offsetting of our UK domestic flights.



Martin Thomsen, CEO of bps aviation division commented: We're thrilled to collaborate with British Airways by supplying sustainable aviation fuel with respect to all of its flights from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh for the COP26 event. Our companies have a long-standing relationship and will continue to work together on sustainable aviation fuel supply initiatives on an on-going basis.



At bp we want to help decarbonise the aviation industry and we will continue to collaborate with industry stakeholders and governments to explore viable options to help scale up sustainable aviation fuel more broadly.



Many of the flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during COP26 will be operated by the airlines new BA Better World aircraft, an Airbus A320neo.



Julie Kitcher, Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Communications at Airbus, and a member of the UK Governments Jet Zero Council said: Were delighted to be partnering with BA on this journey and feel proud BA has chosen one of our A320neos to highlight the importance of sustainability for the future of the industry.



The aircraft has 20% less fuel burn & CO2 emissions compared to A320ceo and 50% less noise so it's a great choice and I am looking forward to seeing the new livery in the sky.



BA is committed to a sustainable future and contributing positively to climate change mitigation and adaptation. We will achieve the ambition of a net zero carbon emissions industry by 2050 through cooperation and collaboration and this initiative is a clear example of that, she added.



At the event, the airline showcased some of the initiatives it has introduced to improve sustainability in the air and on the ground, including switching from diesel to renewably powered electric pushback vehicles and removing weight from its aircraft by introducing lighter seats and trollies, inflight magazines and paper flight manuals.



It also outlined its efforts to remove single-use plastic and source more products made from recycled materials, including its First Class duvet and World Traveller Plus amenity kits.



The airlines new sustainability strategy is not simply focused on the planet, with two further priorities concentrated on its people and driving responsible business. Today the carrier also announced a new BA Better World Community Fund to further the positive work it does within the UK and global communities it flies to and pledged to take positive action in many other areas of its business.  TradeArabia News Service
Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), a leading investment company chaired by Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, has announced that one of its affiliates today (September 8) signed a definitive agreement to sell a 23.75% interest in Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to an affiliate of Cascade Investment, its long-term investment partner in the luxury hospitality group.

The transaction is being concluded on the basis of an enterprise value for Four Seasons of $10 billion with cash proceeds to KHC of $2.21 billion, said the statement from KHC.

In the all-cash deal, Cascade will increase its existing 47.5% stake to 71.25% by purchasing half of the existing 47.5% stake from KHC. Four Seasons Founder and Chairman Isadore Sharp, through Triples Holdings Limited, will retain his 5% stake, the statement added.

The transaction is likely to be completed in January 2022, pending regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Through this deal, KHC is expected to report a gain of $1.57 billion.

KHC said following the transaction and through its affiliates ownership of 23.75% in Four Seasons, it remains strongly committed to the group and looks forward to continuing to assist Four Seasons with its growth plans.

The Saudi groups involvement with Four Seasons dates back to 1994 when it had identified Four Seasons as a possible global leader in the luxury hotel management sector. At that time, an affiliate of KHC acquired a strategic minority interest in the luxury hotel chain via a partial public take-over bid.

The investment was a win-win, with KHC assisting Four Seasons strategic growth plans by acquiring and developing numerous international luxury hotels for the Four Seasons brand, including the flagship George V Hotel in Paris.

Following the transaction, an affiliate of KHC will continue to own a 23.75% stake in Four Seasons and will continue to support the company and its considerable growth opportunities through KHCs ongoing representation on the Board of Directors, and its ownership of Four Seasons-branded luxury properties.

Since 2007, Four Seasons has been owned privately by an affiliate of KHC, Cascade Investment, a private investment entity that holds the assets of Bill Gates, and Isadore Sharp.

With the support of its shareholders, Four Seasons has indeed become the leading luxury hospitality group, operating 121 hotels and resorts and 46 residential properties in 47 countries and with over 40,000 employees.

Avington Financial Limited acted as exclusive financial advisor and Hogan Lovells as legal advisor to Kingdom Holding Company in connection with the transaction.
Help India!



The report reveals that only 4% of Dalit and Adivasi children have been attending online classes regularly, as opposed to 15% of children overall.

Suchitra | TwoCircles.net

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NEW DELHI  Chandni, a class 5 student from Dumbi, a Dalit-Adivasi village in Jharkhand, cannot read a single sentence in Hindi. She is now expected to read thick English books with complex sentences and words she cannot understand. She was doing well in school before the lockdown, but online education and inaccessibility to tuition have made her forget what she learnt in school. Chandni is not the only one. According to Road Scholarz, a voluntary research organization that surveyed 1400 families spanning over 15 states and UTs in India  out of the 36 children in this village, 30 could not read a single word.

Worried, many parents feel that their children are lapsing into illiteracy.

An emergency study published by Road Scholarz reveals that up to 97% of parents of school-going children want schools to reopen. The survey targeted 1400 impoverished hamlets and bastis, with 60 per cent Dalit-Adivasi households and children attending government schools. The report, released on Monday, was prepared by IIT economics professor Reetika Khera, economist Jean Dreze, and researcher Vipul Paikra, with the help of nearly 100 volunteers.

The image painted by this study is bleak, particularly in rural regions, where only 8% of children attend online classes, and only 8% of parents feel like their child has adequate access to online education. Almost half of the children surveyed couldnt read more than a few words.

Nemi Devi, a resident of Dumbi, said, They even knew how to spell their parents name, now my children have forgotten to even write our names. Lockdown has taken away education from my children. I fear they will also end up like us, illiterate and without good jobs.

The study found out that in several states (including Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh), almost nothing has been done to assist offline pupils in continuing to learn in some capacity during the lockdown.

Earlier in July, UNICEF and UNESCO expressed similar concerns, stating that the closure of primary and secondary schools in 19 countries had affected over 156 million pupils. Some of the losses that children may suffer as a result of this can never be recuperated, ranging from learning loss and emotional discomfort to missed meals and impaired social skill development.

Inaccessibility to online education

As many civil society leaders have noted time and time again, online education is a very large hurdle in the lockdown, and schools should have been the last to shut and the first to reopen. The survey notes a big challenge among the accessibility of online education wherein only 24% and 8% urban and rural areas respectively studied online regularly. Many rural homes do not own a smartphone. That is just the beginning: even among homes having a smartphone, the proportion of youngsters who study online regularly is only 31% in urban regions and 15% in rural ones. Smartphones are often used by working people and may or may not be available to schoolchildren, particularly younger siblings, just 9% of all surveyed children owned a smartphone. There are also additional difficulties with internet access, such as inadequate connectivity and a lack of funds to access mobile data packs.

In terms of those who did not have smartphones, the survey found little indication that they were studying at home on a regular basis. Nearly half of the offline students in rural regions were not learning at all at the time of the survey, it added. Only in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Rajasthan were some attempts taken, such as providing worksheets to youngsters offline or ordering teachers to visit parents houses for guidance on a regular basis.

In Dumbi, one such teacher was awarded a Savitribai Phules photo, but even with his efforts, childrens literacy is in freefall.

Literacy rates

According to the 2011 census, average literacy rates in the age group of 10-14 years ranged from 88 per cent to 98 per cent in the surveyed states, with an overall average of 91 per cent across India. Literacy rates exceeding 90% would seem to be the norm for that age group ten years later. Literacy rates in the 10-14 age range among surveyed children, on the other hand, are as low as 74 per cent in urban regions, 66 per cent in rural areas, and 61 per cent for rural Dalits and Adivasis. The illiteracy rate in the 10-14 age range among surveyed rural SC/ST families is 39%, up from 9% in dominating situations ten years ago. This is the result of longstanding inequality mixed with a lopsided lockout.

Dalits and Adivasis further excluded

Even among underprivileged families, the numbers for Dalit and Adivasi families are considerably worse than for others, whether we look at online education, regular study, or reading ability. For example, just 4% of rural SC/ST students study online on a regular basis, compared to 15% of other rural children. In the reading exam, only around half of them were able to read more than a few letters. Rural SC/ST parents were unanimous in their desire for schools to resume as soon as feasible.

83% of SC/ST parents feel like their childs ability to read and write has declined, as opposed to 66% dominant caste parents. Only 5% of SC/ST students are able to attend live, online classes, the rest either dont or have to look at videos and offline material, which is unsatisfactory. 43% of SC/ST students are not able to study at all, as opposed to only 25% of dominant caste students. The survey points to an instance of such discrimination in Kutmu village of Latehar district (Jharkhand), where most of the households are Dalits and Adivasis, but the teacher belongs to one of the few dominant-caste families in the village. Some members of these dominant-caste families openly asked the survey team, If these [SC/ST] children get educated, who will work in our fields?. None of the 20 Dalit and Adivasi children they interviewed in Kutmu were able to read fluently. Their parents complained bitterly about the teachers irresponsible behaviour, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

Child labour

In the group of children between 10-14 years of age, there is a rising incidence of child labour. A large majority of girls in that age group, for instance, are doing some household work. In rural areas, about one-fourth of girls in the same age group had also done unpaid work in family fields in the preceding 3 months, and a substantial 8% had done some paid work. Boys in the same group also have done labour, but figures of household work are not as high for boys. SC/ST children were also pushed to help in fields and faced discrimination from dominant caste members of the village as well. With the shutdown of schools, all states examined have eliminated midday meals. Approximately 80% of parents with a kid enrolled in a government school reported getting some food (mostly rice or wheat) as a replacement for their childs midday meals. However, only a tiny percentage received cash, and a sizable number did not get anything throughout that time period.

The school survey gives an inkling of the colossal damage created by extended lockdown in India  one of the longest in the world. Reopening schools is just the first step, and is still being debated. Even preparations for that first step (such as repairing school buildings, issuing safety guidelines, training teachers, enrolment drives) are virtually invisible in many states. Soon after the Covid-19 crisis struck in early 2020, all schools were closed without batting an eyelid and most of them are still closed till present. When schools have reopened, the focus has been on higher classes instead of the younger children, who need their teachers help the most. Schools must be reopened, especially in the case of marginalized children who are already missing in large numbers from the education system.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that Afghanistan today stands at the crossroads of history and called for neighboring countries of Afghanistan to exert more positive influence on the development of the situation.

Wang made the remarks via video to the Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan attended by his counterparts from Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting came a day after the Taliban announced the formation of an interim government in Afghanistan.

Wang said the "interim" nature of the Taliban government shows that the future of Afghanistan is still faced with uncertainties.

He said, as neighbors, China and the other five countries have witnessed the consequences of the decades of war on the Afghan people, and have also directly endured the negative influence of the spillover.

"No country is more unwilling than we are to see Afghanistan return to war or disaster, and no country is more eager than we are to see it return to peace and development," he said.

Noting the situation in Afghanistan is moving from chaos to governance, Wang called on the neighbors to seize the key opportunity, boost communication and coordination, focus on common concerns, and exert more positive influence on the development of the situation while respecting Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

China to provide humanitarian aid

Wang said China has decided to provide Afghanistan with 200 million yuan ($30.96 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines in line with the need of its people.

Noting that Afghanistan has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world, he said China will donate 3 million vaccine doses to the Afghan people and is ready to do more to help it with the fight against COVID-19.

To help the country facilitate contact with the outside world, especially access to humanitarian materials, China is willing to work proactively to restart freight train services between China and Afghanistan, Wang said.

He added that China will support, as its ability permits, the peaceful reconstruction and economic development of Afghanistan when security in the country is in place.

'U.S. and allies have duty to aid Afghanistan'

The hasty withdrawal of the United States and its allies from Afghanistan signals that power politics, military intervention and the so-called "democratic transformation" they pursued have ended in failure, said Wang.

Afghanistan, however, still faces serious challenges such as humanitarian crisis, livelihood and the COVID-19 epidemic, and some international forces are likely to create new problems for it through political, economic and financial means, he said.

Wang said, as initiators of the problems, the U.S. and its allies should learn the lesson and assume their due responsibility.

"They have more of a duty to supply economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people than any other country," Wang said, adding that they are obliged to help Afghanistan maintain stability and move towards positive development while respecting its sovereignty and independence.

'Taliban should honor commitments with acts'

Wang said the neighboring countries should guide and urge the Afghan Taliban to unite all ethnic groups and factions to build a broad and inclusive political framework.

He added, the Taliban should also pursue a moderate and stable domestic and foreign policy, make a clear cut with terrorist forces, and establish and develop friendly relations with all countries, especially with its neighboring countries.

The Taliban's positive stance on political construction, counter-terrorism and friendship with neighbors since they entered Kabul are welcomed, Wang said, adding the key for them is how to translate it into concrete actions.

He stressed the importance of being broad and inclusive, and of resolutely fighting against terrorism on the part of the Taliban.

It is hoped that the Taliban will fulfill the commitments they have made to win more international recognition, Wang said.

'Neighbors cooperate on terrorism and drugs'

The changed situation in Afghanistan has complicated the international and regional counter-terrorism situation, and some international terrorists in Afghanistan are planning to infiltrate into neighboring countries, Wang said.

He called for the neighboring countries to strengthen cooperation on border control and capture and eliminate terrorist groups from Afghanistan so as to ensure regional security and stability.

Noting the Taliban's recent announcement that they will no longer produce any drugs, Wang said the neighbors should help Afghanistan to carry out alternative cultivation and jointly eliminate the sources of drugs in the region.

"China is ready to take joint actions with all parties to combat transnational drug crimes in the region," he said.

'FMs' meeting is timely and necessary'

Noting the foreign ministers' meeting chaired by Pakistan is the first such effort, Wang said it marks the official establishment of a coordination and cooperation mechanism among Afghanistan's neighbors so that they can jointly cope up with the situation.

"It is timely and necessary, as the meeting will help Afghanistan's neighbors speak with one voice and send a clear political signal," he said, vowing China's continued support of the unique mechanism.
BEIJING, Sept. 8 -- Since January 2021, a one-year-long nationwide special operation aiming to crack down military-related counterfeiting crimes has been jointly conducted by the Politics and Law Commission of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), in a bid to effectively crack down on military-related counterfeiting crimes.

Since the launch of the special operation, in 29 provinces and municipalities, police and military security departments have obtained and verified more than 1,900 criminal clues, cracked down 12 criminal gangs involved in illegal production and sale of uniforms of the Chinese armed forces, wiped out 56 dens for producing and selling counterfeit goods. Totally 744 suspects were arrested, more than 4.75 million sets of fake military uniforms and 1.46 million pieces of uniform accessories were seized.

The special operation has dealt a heavy blow to criminals and effectively curbed the momentum of crimes of illegal production and sale of counterfeit military uniforms and accessories.
They belong to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and had refused to cooperate with the police for national security. The pro-democracy group is accused of being a foreign agent. As in the case of the Teachers Union and the Civil Human Rights Front, the Alliance now considers disbanding.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - Police this morning arrested four leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which every year on June 4 organizes the traditional vigil in memory of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

The arrests were triggered after the pro-democracy group refused yesterday to give law enforcement information about its activities and financial resources, violating Article 43 of the draconian national security law imposed by Beijing.

The authorities accuse the Alliance of serving foreign governments. The leaders of the 32-year-old organization have rejected the accusation, saying that the police's demands have no legal basis. They stressed that they are indeed "agents" but of Hong Kong peoples conscience," and that it is not up to Chief Executive Carrie Lam to determine who represents Hong Kong's civil society.

The arrests have affected the vice president of the Alliance Chow Hang-tung and three members of its committee: Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai and Tang Ngok-kwan: they risk up to six months in prison and a fine of 100 thousand HK dollars (about 10,900 euros).

This is not the first time the police have arrested Chow. A lawyer, the Alliance leader today was supposed to debate the bail request for Gwyneth Ho, among the 47 activists arrested on February 28 for organizing or taking part in the summer 2020 Democratic Front primaries.

Yesterday, City Security Secretary Chris Tang promised swift action against those who refuse to cooperate with the National Security Police and did not rule out more arrests.

The alliance has been targeted by the executive branch and pro-Beijing figures for months, who are calling for its dissolution under the security law.

Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, among the most important figures of the democratic group, are already in jail on charges of participating in unauthorized demonstrations in 2019. At the end of the month, a meeting will decide whether to disband the organization or not.

In an editorial published by the Hong Kong Free Press on the eve of the arrests, the president of the City Association of Journalists Chris Yeung, writes that accusing the Alliance of being a foreign agent "defies common sense." He adds that accusing thousands of people who paid tribute to Tiananmen victims of being part of a foreign plot to undermine national security "is an insult to the collective conscience."

Under pressure from the authorities, two other historic organizations such as the Teachers' Union and the Civil Human Rights Front recently disbanded. The former was the city's largest trade union, the latter the leading democratic coalition.
"So many people in the world, so many, millions, who do not have the right to eat, do not have the right to education, do not have the right to work: they are the new slaves, they are those who are on the peripheries, who are exploited by everyone. Even today there is slavery: let us think about this a little. We deny these people human dignity."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Men and women are equal", equally sons and daughters of God "in Christ". "They have the same dignity." It must be reaffirmed because, even today, we hear "expressions of contempt for women," and still "there is slavery for women." The passage from the Letter to the Galatians on the common filial in God gave Pope Francis the opportunity to strongly affirm the equal dignity of men and women and among all human beings.

Speaking to the 8,000 people present in the Paul VI Hall for the general audience and continuing the cycle of catechesis dedicated to the Letters of St Paul, Francis, offhand, said, "How often do we hear expressions that despise women! How often have we heard, 'But, no, don't do anything, [these are] things of women.' But look that man and woman have the same dignity, and there is in history, even today, a slavery of women: women do not have the same opportunities as men. We must read what Paul says: we are equal in Christ Jesus."

"The Apostle - Francis stressed audaciously confirms that the identity received with baptism is so new that it prevails over the differences that exist on the ethnic-religious level: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female (Gal 3:28). We often read these expressions way too quickly, without grasping the revolutionary value they possess. For Paul, to write to the Galatians that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek was equivalent to an authentic subversion in the ethnic religious sphere. By the fact of belonging to a chosen people, the Jew was privileged over the pagan (cf. Rom 2:17-20). Paul himself affirms this (cf. Rom 9:4-5). It is not surprising, therefore, that this new teaching by the Apostle could sound heretical. Even the second set of equalities, between those who were free and those who were slaves, introduced a shocking perspective. The distinction between slaves and free citizens was vital in ancient society. By law, free citizens enjoyed all rights, while not even the human dignity of slaves was recognized. Thus, finally, equality in Christ overcomes the social differences between the two sexes, establishing an equality between man and woman which was revolutionary at the time and which needs to be reaffirmed even today. As we can see, Paul confirms the profound unity that exists between all the baptized, in whatever condition they are bound to, because every one of them is a new creature in Christ. Every distinction becomes secondary to the dignity of being children of God, who, through his love, creates a real and substantial equality."

"This - he added - also happens today: so many people in the world, so many, millions, who do not have the right to eat, do not have the right to education, do not have the right to work: they are the new slaves, they are those who are on the peripheries, who are exploited by everyone. Even today there is slavery: let us think about this a little. We deny these people human dignity."

"As we can see," he reiterated, "Paul affirms the profound unity that exists among all the baptized, whatever condition they belong to, because each of them, in Christ, is a new creature. Every distinction becomes secondary with respect to the dignity of being children of God, who through his love achieves true and substantial equality. We are all sons and daughters of God. We are equal."

"We are, therefore, called in a more positive way to live a new life that roots its foundational expression in being children of God. It is decisive even for all of us today to rediscover the beauty of being children of God, brothers and sisters among ourselves, because we have been united in Christ. The differences and contrasts that separation creates should not exist among believers in Christ. Rather, our vocation is that of making concrete and evident the call to unity of the entire human race (cf Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Cost. Lumen gentium, 1). Everything that exacerbates the differences between people, often causing discrimination  all of this, before God, no longer has any meaning, thanks to the salvation effected in Christ. What is important is that faith that operates according to the path of unity indicated by the Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is that of journeying decisively on along this path. In equality, which was made by Jesus."

"Paul emphasises that faith in Jesus Christ has allowed us to truly become children of God and his heirs. We Christians often take for granted this reality of being Gods children. Instead, it is good to remember with gratitude the moment in which we became such, the moment of our baptism, so as to live the great gift we received with greater awareness." With reference to baptism, Francis returned to invite people to know the date of their baptism and celebrate it.

After the speech, in greetings addressed to those present, Francis wished the students well. "My thoughts - he said to the English - go in a special way to those who will be resuming school in the coming weeks. Dear young people, may this academic year be for all of you an occasion of cultural growth and a deepening of the bonds of friendship. On you and on your families I invoke the wisdom and joy of Christ".

And to the Arabs he added: "You children, young people, students and teachers who are returning to school in these days, may the Lord help you to preserve faith and cultivate science, to become protagonists of a better future, in which humanity can enjoy peace, brotherhood and tranquillity".

To the Poles, finally, he spoke of the upcoming beatification of Cardinal Stephen Wyszynski and Mother Elizabeth Rosa Czacka. "May the spiritual testament of the Primate of the Millennium: 'I entrust everything to Mary,' and the confidence of Mother Elizabeth Rose in the Cross of Christ always be the strength of your nation," he said. On Cardinal Wyszynski St. John Paul II uttered the historic words: 'On the See of Peter there would not be this Polish Pope, if there had not been your faith, which did not bend before prison and suffering, your heroic hope, your trust to the end in the Mother of the Church.' God bless Poland. May your great saints and blesseds sustain you."
For UN experts, Tehran has raised "significantly" the quantities of uranium to 60%. Criticism of "obstacles" to monitoring activities, while security issues remain "unresolved". Israel reinforces plans for an attack and seeks to "minimize" the Iranian presence in the region.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Iran has significantly increased the amount of highly enriched uranium in recent months in violation of its commitments under the 2015 agreement (Jcpoa), which restricts nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of sanctions.

This is what emerges from a double report published yesterday by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), updated at the end of August. The reserves of uranium enriched to 60% have exceeded 3.67%, rising to 10 kg from 2.4 kg in May; uranium at 20% has increased from 62.8 kg to the current 83.4 kg.

The UN body also had harsh criticism for the leadership of the Islamic Republic for hindering an investigation on past activities and jeopardizing important monitoring activities, complicating the resumption of talks. At the heart of the experts' accusations is the failure to explain the discovery of traces of uranium in several old and undeclared sites; this is coupled with the request for urgent access to some monitoring equipment, to keep track of ongoing activities.

One of the two reports analyzed by Reuters states that "The Agency's confidence that it can maintain continuity of knowledge is declining over time and has now significantly further declined," adding that while the agency needs to access the equipment every three months, it had not had access since May 25. "This confidence will continue to decline unless the situation is immediately rectified by Iran."

"The Director General is increasingly concerned that even after some two years the safeguards issues outlined above in relation to the four locations in Iran not declared to the Agency remain unresolved," the second of the reports said

Over the past two years, Tehran progressively violated the terms of the pact by easing restrictions on nuclear activities. The first steps in this direction date back to 2019, in response to the May 2018 withdrawal by the then US President Donald Trump from the JCPOA and the reintroduction of the toughest sanctions in history, causing a collapse of the Iranian economy. The temporary agreement expired on June 24 and international diplomats have been working on a new nuclear deal. However, the aftermath of the presidential elections that saw the victory of the ultra-conservative Ebrahim Raisi raises fears of a definitive collapse of the talks.

Meanwhile Israel is strengthening the plans of a possible attack against Iran and that, in the last phase, have undergone a "strong acceleration". The confirmation comes from General Aviv Kohavi, Chief of Staff of the Defense Forces, who pointed out that "a significant portion of the increases reserved for the defense budget, as agreed recently, was intended precisely for this purpose. The senior military officer then added that efforts are underway throughout the Middle East to control Iran's allies. The goal, the general concluded, is to "minimize the Iranian presence" in the region, with a particular focus on Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah.
by Alessandra De Poli

The Iranian regime is Shia, while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is Sunni. In Afghanistans new cabinet, all Taliban leaders have a post, but a dichotomy still divides urban and rural Pashtuns, especially those in the provinces near the borders, this according to Riccardo Redaelli, professor of geopolitics at the Catholic University of Milan.

Kabul (AsiaNews)  It makes no sense to equate the new Taliban government with that of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Although the Taliban say that they were inspired by Khomeinis Islamic Republic (Jomhuri-ye Eslami), Afghanistans former archenemy, doctrinally the analogy does not hold, explains Riccardo Redaelli, professor of geopolitics at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan (Italy), who has been several times in Afghanistan with NATO's ISAF mission.

In the Shia world there is a division between political and religious power. The Shia clergy is hierarchical, with ascending levels. The highest level is that of the marja' al-taqlid, which literally means source to follow and is a figure with greater doctrinal authority.

The marja al-taqlid leads the community of the faithful waiting for the return of the Mahdi, the hidden imam who will return to save the world. This system, Shiisms highest expression, works in Iran because the Rahbar, the Supreme Leader, who today is Ali Khamenei, leads the Islamic Republic pending the return of the Mahdi, Redaelli adds.

The emir (Amir) is unique; there is no theological, doctrinal and political split. If this were the case, it would really be a great innovation in the Sunni world, notes the scholar, who in the 1990s worked on the border between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, leader of the Taliban since 2016, is the head of state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. His title is commander of the faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin); he is not only a spiritual guide.

For the post of prime minister, Akhundzada has proposed Mohammed Hasan Akhund, who is on the UN terrorist list, while Abdul Ghani Baradar, right-hand man of Mullah Omar (the founder of the Taliban) who was thought to be destined for a prominent position, will become deputy prime minister.

Mullah Omar's son, Mullah Yaqub, will be Defence Minister, while the Interior Ministry went to Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has a million bounty on his head and is the son of the late Islamist leader Jalaluddin. While these are not the same players from the 1990s, they are their heirs.

The Haqqani network has planned most of the attacks in Afghanistan in the last 20 years, explains Redaelli. How could they be expected to form a moderate government?

Nor is it an inclusive cabinet. The loya jirga could have been included in the Emirate, but it would not have resolved the question of the form of government.

The loya jirga is a large assembly of notables, traditionally ethnic Pashtun, but in past years it has also included representatives of other Afghan ethnic groups.

Although all Taliban leaders have obtained a post, internal divisions continue, which do not concern so much the cities, the capital Kabul and Kandahar, the historic centre of Pashtun power, as differences within the same tribal group.

The dichotomy is not so much between these two centres of power, but among Pashtuns themselves, between the urbanised and the rural who live near the borders and are more traditionalist, the Catholic University professor adds. It is a historical duality.

In Afghanistan it is said that the Durrani have the crown, but the Ghilzai hold the rifle. The Ghilzai (or Ghilji) are the largest Pashtun ethnic group and held power until the Durrani dynasty founded modern Afghanistan in 1747.

For these reasons, too, it is difficult to imagine that the new government will be able to exercise strict control over the provinces. Far from Kabul, violence is the order of the day.

We know that every Taliban guerrilla has been promised a woman. Now that they have come to power, the rural tribes will feel entitled to do what they want, comments Redaelli.

As always, the population will be the loser. Without Western aid, the humanitarian crisis risks turning into a tragedy.

Certainly, the Taliban will not fall because people die of hunger, unless the situation degenerates to the point that protests and demonstrations break out. But then, the Taliban have always crushed them.
The majority of Marylanders already have, leading to one of the nations highest vaccination rates, which Gov. Larry Hogan has touted repeatedly. He said Monday the state had reached another milestone, with more than 95% of seniors having at least one dose of vaccine. More than 8 in 10 of those age 12 and older have have gotten a dose as well.
For the Pfizer vaccine, it seems clear to me that it can be done and it should be done, Toner said. It may be a little more complicated for Moderna, which is still being used with emergency use authorization. So, its not clear to me that we have the same latitude for off-label use.
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners, however, updated restrictions last month regarding all gatherings and meetings involving county staff and county facilities. In awareness of increasing COVID-19 infections and in order to protect staff and the community, all county meetings or gatherings where physical distancing of six feet is not possible will return to a virtual environment.
Just because mom sets fire to the house or dad fires a gun in the air doesnt automatically equate to a child at risk, he said. Maybe all of us, from front-line law enforcement and prosecutors to the courts and parole and probation, need to be looking at situations where children are exposed to violence but havent been victims, and need to consider if there are other interventions.
An assistant states attorney in the city for 12 years, Hanna said Wednesday that shes handled more than 100 jury trials, prosecuting murders, felony drug cases and juvenile crimes. In her last four years in the prosecutors office, before leaving in 2015, she prosecuted homicide cases.
UB ice scientist among authors of new IPCC climate change report

The edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet. For a decade, glaciologist Sophie Nowicki has played a lead role in coordinating international efforts to understand how climate change is impacting the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Credit: Jason Briner

Sophie Nowicki is one of 18 lead authors on a chapter about ocean, cryosphere and sea level change, reflecting a decade of leadership on international collaborations

The IPCC report also shows that human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of the climate, as some of the impacts could be slowed and others could be stopped by limiting warming.  Sophie Nowicki, Empire Innovation Professor of Geology University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences and UB RENEW Institute

BUFFALO, N.Y.  How will climate change impact Earths ice sheets in the 21st century? And how much will sea levels rise as a result? For a decade, glaciologist Sophie Nowicki has played a lead role in coordinating international efforts to answer these and other questions about the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. The resulting research, conducted by a global community of scientists, is now helping to inform decision-making worldwide on issues relating to climate change. Projections from a major ice sheet modeling project called ISMIP6, which Nowicki co-leads, are among the data included in the latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And Nowicki is one of 18 lead authors of a chapter on ocean, cryosphere and sea level change in the new IPCC publication, released in August as the first installment of the IPCCs Sixth Assessment Report on climate. Two key takeaways from the analysis: Climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying. However, we can still slow the warming  if we act now to make deep cuts to emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. It is indisputable that human activities are causing climate change, and climate change is already affecting every region on Earth, says Nowicki, PhD, Empire Innovation Professor of Geology in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences and UB RENEW Institute. However, the IPCC report also shows that human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of the climate, as some of the impacts could be slowed and others could be stopped by limiting warming, she says. The report stresses the need for immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

The end of the century may feel far away, but its a very human timescale

Consequences of a warming world will include increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons, and heat extremes that could endanger health and agriculture more often, according to IPCC projections. Sea level rise will contribute to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion. The intensity of these and other impacts will depend on what actions the global community takes today to reduce emissions, Nowicki says. So, in some ways, this question lies at the heart of the IPCCs findings: What kind of world do we want to leave behind for our children, for the next generation? The end of the 21st century, a focus for the IPCC assessment, may seem distant, but it is really a human timescale, Nowicki notes. Sea level change affects everyone on the planet, says Nowicki, who has two school-aged children. How much sea level will rise by the year 2100, when my children will be in their 90s, depends on what we do in the coming years. Sea level will continue to rise in response to the climate change that occurred in my grandmothers lifetime. This change is already committed (or locked in) and not reversible. But the much larger potential sea level change due to current and future global warming is highly uncertain. We can still slow down changes in the polar regions and corresponding sea level rise, but we need to do so now  before irreversible changes are triggered in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. NASAs Sea Level Change Team has created a simple online tool that helps people envision some of these potential futures, says Nowicki, who is part of the NASA group. The tool shows how sea levels could rise around the world from now through 2150, drawing from the latest data in the IPCC report. Users can view different emissions scenarios to see how cutting greenhouse gases emissions could help to lessen the effects of climate change on oceans.

Working on the IPCC report was a new experience

The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. The organizations reports are a key input for international negotiations, providing information on the status of climate change, including impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC has three working groups: Working Group I, dealing with the physical science basis of climate change; Working Group II, dealing with impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; and Working Group III, dealing with the mitigation of climate change. The August report presents the contributions of Working Group I to the IPCCs Sixth Assessment Report. Nowicki has extensive experience with large collaborative projects: As co-lead for ISMIP6  the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project  she pulled together over 60 ice, ocean and atmosphere scientists to generate new estimates of how melting ice sheets could impact global sea level by 2100. The effort was born through a workshop she organized several years ago. Data from ISMIP6 informed the IPCC report, as well as studies like a 2021 paper in Geophysical Research Letters that models future scenarios for the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, and a 2021 study in Nature that shows how deep cuts to emissions could dramatically slow down the process of sea level rise this century. Even with all these past projects, working on the IPCC report was a completely new experience for Nowicki. As an IPCC author, your task is to assess the current scientific knowledge on climate change, including our past, present and future climate, she explains. You have to be impartial and cannot push forward your favorite research topic or ideas. Your role as an IPCC author is to combine multiple lines of evidence, not create new research. Everyone in your chapter needs to agree on what is written, but the assessment goes further than simply your chapter team, she adds. Scientists from other chapters and other IPCC reports provide feedback on what you write. In addition, external experts and governments review successive drafts of the reports. Each review comment needs to be addressed. It is a rigorous, transparent endeavor that in the end captures the current state of knowledge.
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Presbyterian Church Ntanfoang in Bali Nyonga Facebook

Militiamen in Bali Subdivision, fighting for an independent state of South Cameroons or Ambazonia, have outlawed all activities of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC.

Over the weekend, the armed fighters rolled out an audio message warning Christians to steer clear of all PCC houses of worship under pain of death.

The militia, named Buffalos of Bali, under the command of self-styled General Grand Pa, blame PCC authorities for failing to indict state forces following the August 22 incident at Presbyterian Church Ntanfoang that left Rev. Voma Simon Montoh injured and Grace Titalabit death.

Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, reported that on Sunday, 22nd August 2021, they were duly informed that:

"Church Service was in session at the Presbyterian Church Ntanfoang in Bali Sub-division, the seat of the Bali Presbytery when it was interrupted by gunshots. The Pastor of the congregation who doubles as the Presbyterial Secretary for Bali Presbytery, the Rev. Voma Simon Montoh was on duty ministering to the Christians in Church when suddenly there was a loud explosion outside close to the Church House, followed by random gunshots. It was in the course of this reckless shooting we learnt that bullets were rained on the Church house injuring the Rev. Voma Simon Montoh on the arm and killing a female Christian of the PCC by name Grace Titalabit instantly in Church.

The PCC Moderator went on to condemn in strongest terms this unnecessary and inhuman treatment meted on Gods children by those who are supposed to protect them. We call on both parties to cease fire unconditionally especially on Sundays and that a proper investigation is conducted by the government and other International Bodies and those responsible be brought to book.

Armed separatists in Bali claim that the moderator and the parish pastor lied by not outrightly blaming state forces for the incident.

After the burial of Grace on September 4, militiamen in Bali said the PCC would only operate in Bali if the Parish Pastor of PC Ntanfoang and the Moderator resign.

The Bali Buffalos, the Bali restoration forces hereby ban the PCC from functioning in Bali Nyonga until the moderator and pastor resign, said one of the rebels in viral audio. Anybody who goes to any Presbyterian Church for any reason in Bali will be killed. All Presbyterian Churches in Bali will remain shut down.

According to the military, the August 22 incident was triggered by an improvised explosive device detonated by armed separatists near PC Ntanfoang. The rebels had detonated the explosive targeting a military vehicle. Following the explosion, the military fired deterrent shots and reportedly got a response from the militiamen.

The gun exchange triggered by the separatist bomb is said to have led to the death of a Christian.

Pundits have blamed armed separatists for planting an improvised explosive device near a house of worship.

In the meantime, PCC houses of worship remain closed as faithful fear for their lives.
But 7:59 a.m. came and went. At 8:15 a.m. Garcia left her child at the bus stop and went to get her car, telling her to get on the bus if it came. It didnt come, and Garcia drove her daughter to Eastport Elementary School. She took off Wednesday, so she didnt need to get to work.
Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, a Democrat from Maryland who serves as the chair of the Naval Academy Board of Visitors, was not consulted or notified by the president about the decision to ask the six members to resign, he said in a statement. However, he said he respects the presidents ability to appoint members to the board, just as Trump did.
Lindsey Eldridge said she did not immediately have information about what caused the police officer to shoot in the 600 block of Laurens Street, near the Upton Metro station. The spokeswoman said she had no information that anyone was struck by the officers gunfire.
Beyond the acreage and owner-occupancy requirements, the new legislation would also mandate that farms produce at least 2 acres of ingredient  excluding water  used to in the brewing process. Existing rules do not specify how much of the ingredients farm breweries need to produce, and Director of Planning and Zoning Jenny Jarkowski previously said the existing rules can be gamed; for example, a single hop bush grown on a farm brewery would satisfy the current laws cultivation requirements.
When they did the school impact analysis ... they said that this development would not put schools over capacity, she said. Theyre not considering the size of these classrooms, the classrooms are so tiny and they go by head count instead of the size of whats inside.
Officers responded at 5:15 a.m. on July 19, 2020, to the 7000 block of Arundel Mills Circle, where police say a man was shot after he got in a verbal altercation with the suspect. Jeppi and three friends were leaving the casino when they passed Johnsons silver Infiniti sedan. Johnson, who was sitting in the driver seat, and Jeppi got into an argument and Johnson fired one bullet into Jeppis torso, according to the county states attorneys office.
Steven Nathaniel Davis, 32, was also sentenced to five years in prison for second-degree assault to run concurrent to the five years he must serve for first-degree assault and using a firearm in a felony crime. Davis was arrested and charged for the assault in September 2019. His sentence counts the three years that have elapsed.
Police alleged in charging documents that surveillance footage of the night shows Nnam, the male victim and another man walking across the courtyard over to an unknown person who police say Nnam hits in the head. The video then shows crowds scattering away from the men, showing one man lying in the center of the courtyard where police later found two spent bullet shell casings, according to charging documents.
The question is, has Ida shaken up the administration sufficiently to redo the plan so as to prioritize climate resilience infrastructure and carbon reduction measures. These should be overriding themes. Current land use, building and transportation practices must integrate resilience and fossil fuel usage. The city also must commit to substantial reduction of its own fossil fuel use and provide education and a range of incentives to help citizens move more effectively to reduce their carbon footprint.
I read his books and I watched you work and I can tell you that Wes has a life experience and an ability to lead that I never thought that we would have in a candidate for governor, Pittman said in the video. It would be irresponsible of me not to get behind Wes.
Welcome to Sophi Knows. September 11 has come and gone but should stay in our minds every day. We came together as a nation and should strive for that again.
Welcome to the Chelsea FC News in five minutes here on the channel today featuring Romelu Lukaku, Toni Rudiger, and Ben Chilwell. Romelu ...

http://www.chelseadaft.org/2021/09/chelsea-fc-news-in-five-minutes-lukaku.html





Romelu Lukaku has a thigh problem that has been bothering him for a while and came to the fore whilst away with Belgium. Will he be fit for Chelsea to face Aston Villa this weekend?Toni Rudiger is no closer to agreeing to a new Chelsea contract according to reports with his contract expiring at the end of this season.Ben Chilwell has not featured for Chelsea at all this season so far with Marcos Alonso starting and Chelsea fans have expressed concerns which have been answered by Thomas Tuchel.Have a watch of the video and let me know what you think in the comments section below!
Though NorthShore and Edward-Elmhurst have less geographic overlap than NorthShore and Advocate did, they are still both part of the broader Chicago metropolitan area. It might be particularly important to insurers to have the new system as part of their networks because those insurers may serve employers in Chicago that have workers in the northern and western suburbs.
Employees at Uniteds Chicago-based headquarters are currently on a hybrid schedule that includes both remote work and time in the office. Management and administrative employees granted a religious exemption would also be placed on temporary unpaid leave until the airline determines applicable safety protocols, and whether the position requires that they come into the office.
The American Association of Poison Control Centers says cases related to ivermectin have more than doubled over the last year, with 459 recorded in August alone. Most of that appears to be happening outside of Illinois, though: A spokesperson for the Illinois Poison Center said the state has recorded only seven calls dealing with ivermectin so far this year.
A new governor could, for instance, rescind Newsoms order to phase out new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 or his push to restrict oil and gas drilling, since those were issued by executive order. A governor could also appoint new officials who were less keen on climate regulation to various agencies, including the Air Resources Board, although doing so could set up a clash with the Legislature, which oversees appointments. Any governor would also have broad latitude in shaping how existing climate laws are implemented.
Verbitsky told airport employees there was a bomb in her checked luggage that was on the plane after she was told she and her party were too late to board the plane, deputies said.
After Lurrys death, a police sergeant was charged with misconduct for releasing video showing another officer slapping Lurry and pinching his nose. Sgt. Javier Esqueda, who was stripped of his badge and gun and transferred to desk duty, said he released the video because he believed the department was trying to cover up the arrest. Esqueda has been praised as a whistleblower by advocacy groups.
Were being hoodwinked once again, and here we are saying we have to hurry up and vote for this so social equity people can get a piece of the pie, Beale said. We are not getting a piece of this pie, because the same people who wrote this (state) law are the same people who own all the dispensaries.
When Massey filled out the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives form to purchase the firearm, however, he presented an Indiana state ID listing an address in Hammond, prosecutors said. He also checked a box certifying he was not currently charged with any felony cases in any district.
Heres a look at rain totals from throughout the state as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, which were recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Weather Service:
No one could have imagined on Sept. 10, 2001, that an American president would authorize the use of torture against alleged enemies in secret prisons. Or that hundreds of American Muslims would be arrested and detained without charges for days, weeks or months. Or that hostility toward Muslims would grow widespread enough to require a new term: Islamophobia. Or that the government would soon be collecting millions of records of phone communications  many of them in violation of the law.
Illinois must be smart about how it uses license plate reader technology, but it should also seize on its utility as a potent law enforcement tool in expressway shooting investigations. Expressways have never been immune to gun violence. But the rising frequency of shootings on the Dan Ryan, the Edens, the Eisenhower and other major metro highways mandates a strong, swift response. Driving on a Chicago expressway will always stoke stress  but it shouldnt mean a mother, a grandmother or any other citizen risking their life.
With results showing Stevenson trailing by a few thousand votes out of more than 3.6 million cast, he began the process for a recount by reviewing a portion of ballots in selected counties. He contended the partial recount indicated he would win by some 40,000 votes and his team argued the case before the Illinois Supreme Court, which at the time was made up of four Democrats and three Republicans.
A press conference for the 2021 Great Wall International Folk Culture and Arts Festival was held in Beijing on Tuesday, announcing the festival will be held from Sept 15 to 17 in Langfang and Qinhuangdao of North China's Hebei province.

Held by the People's Government of Hebei and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival will spread and pass on the culture of the Great Wall and the Belt and Road through various activities, including performances, exhibitions and seminars.

Xia Yanjun, vice-governor of Hebei province, said: "With folk artistic and cultural groups and folk technique inheritors as the main guests of the festival, we hope folk art and culture can promote cross-border communication and spread beautiful things. The organizing committee has the confidence to make it an international communication platform for art and culture on which people can cooperate, learn from each other and make their culture prosperous."

About 600 guests will attend the festival, including officials from UNESCO and the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts, diplomatic envoys and cultural and artistic officials from various countries, as well as domestic folk art agencies, groups and artists.
China's foreign trade sustained growth momentum in the first eight months of the year as external demand continued to pick up and the economy maintained stable development.



In the first eight months of the year, the country's total imports and exports expanded 23.7 percent year on year to 24.78 trillion yuan (about 3.84 trillion U.S. dollars), data from the General Administration of Customs showed Tuesday.

The figure marked a 22.8-percent increase compared with the level registered during the same period in 2019, according to Customs data.

Both exports and imports logged double-digit growth in the January-August period, surging 23.2 percent and 24.4 percent from a year earlier, respectively.

Trade surplus increased 17.8 percent year on year during the same period to 2.34 trillion yuan.

Exports of mechanical and electrical products and labor-intensive products registered double-digit growth in the January-August period. Exports of mobile phones, clothing and accessories, and plastic products increased 9.2 percent, 17.9 percent and 24.6 percent, respectively.

The breakdown shows a broad-based uptick across all types of goods. In particular, the rebound in Chinese-made consumer goods such as electronics, furniture and recreational products possibly reflected retailers in advanced economies replenishing their inventories ahead of the Christmas shopping season, said Sheana Yue, an economist at London-based economic analysis firm Capital Economics, in a note.

In the first eight months of the year, China's trade with its top three trading partners -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the United States -- maintained sound growth.

During the period, the growth rates of China's trade value with the three trading partners stood at 22.8 percent, 22.1 percent and 25.8 percent, respectively.

China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road rose 24.6 percent to 7.29 trillion yuan during the same period, the data showed.

Private enterprises saw imports and exports increase 29.9 percent to stand at 11.92 trillion yuan in the first eight months, accounting for 48.1 percent of the country's total, up 2.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year.

The imports and exports of state-owned enterprises rose 25.2 percent to reach 3.81 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.4 percent of China's total foreign trade value during the period.

In August alone, the country's imports and exports rose 18.9 percent year on year to 3.43 trillion yuan, representing a yearly increase in China's foreign trade for 15 consecutive months, the data showed.

While China's foreign trade is expected to continue the growth, analysts have warned of uncertainties that could have a possible impact on it.

High prices of raw materials, fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and delays in sea shipping will further squeeze the profit margins of foreign trade enterprises and affect their willingness to accept new orders, said Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.
You are here: Business

China's central bank will add 300 billion yuan (about 46.49 billion U.S. dollars) of reloan quota in the next four months to support small and micro firms and self-employed businesses, according to the People's Bank of China (PBOC) Tuesday.

The PBOC will prop up policy support for key areas and weak links, Pan Gongsheng, deputy governor of the PBOC told a press conference, adding that the bank will make good use of the reloan quota to support smaller businesses.

Official data shows that China has issued 6.1 trillion yuan of inclusive loans to small and micro firms since last June.

The outstanding amount of the inclusive loans surged 29.3 percent year on year to 17.8 trillion yuan by the end of July.
You are here: China

China has reduced the number of COVID-19 medium-risk areas to three as of Monday, since it cleared all high-risk areas in late August, a health official said Tuesday.

Preventing imported cases and the spread of the virus remains the top priority of current epidemic prevention work, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission, at a press conference held by the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19.

He stressed implementing personal protection requirements and closed-management measures for high-risk working staff, demanding strict disinfection for high-risk environments and goods.

Mi also called for continuous efforts to promote vaccination.
Chinese authorities will introduce a blacklist system for bribers to intensify the fight against corruption, according to a guideline.

Research shall be carried out to put in place punishments regarding bribers' market access and qualification restrictions, says the document made public Wednesday.

The document was jointly formulated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission, as well as a series of Party departments and top judicial authorities.

Stressing that punishment shall be given to both those who take bribes and those who offer them, the guideline specifies the investigation will focus on those committing multiple bribery, huge bribery or bribery to many people; Party members and state employees offering bribes; bribery in key areas and fields; and major commercial bribery.

It asks for measures to ensure that illegal interests obtained from bribery shall be confiscated, recovered, or restituted according to law; and that other improper interests obtained, such as professional titles, political honors, business qualifications and academic degrees, shall be canceled or revoked.

While punishing bribers, authorities shall also fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of the persons and enterprises involved to ensure the legitimate operation of enterprises, says the document.
"At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger... We come to Iraq with respect for its citizens, for their great civilization and for the religious faiths they practice." Those are the words spoken by former U.S. President George W. Bush as he launched the Iraq War in 2003. Eighteen years on, what he said seems cold comfort compared to the suffering of the Iraqi people.



The reconstruction of Iraq is still in the most fragile of stages, the lives of the people have yet to be improved and extremist ideas continue to surge. The country lingers in a transitional period of political reconciliation and the road to national rejuvenation remains difficult to navigate.

U.S. attempts to recreate Iraq in its own imagean American-style democracy in the Middle Easthave failed. Current U.S. President Joe Biden has made it clear that the country will completely end its military's combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021.

With the Taliban taking back control of Afghanistan in August, the U.S. has made a quick exit from the country, which was also caught up in the same "war on terror" and "democratic transformation" as Iraq. So, the question becomes, what has the U.S. brought to Iraq and what has Iraq been left with?

The suffering

In 2003, then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell held up a vial containing white powder to persuade the world that Saddam Hussein's regime was concealing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) during his presentation making the case for a war with Iraq to the UN Security Council.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with French media back in 2014, "The entire world remembers the U.S. secretary of state demonstrating the evidence of Iraq's WMDs, waving around some test tube with washing powder in the UN Security Council. Eventually, the U.S. troops invaded Iraq, Saddam Hussein was hanged and later it turned out there had never been any WMDs in Iraq."

The U.S. invasion was not only a disaster for Iraq and its people, but it also served as the prelude to a nightmare for the U.S. itself, as well as a serious security threat to the Middle East and other regions worldwide.

According to the pre-war hypothesis, the Iraq War was supposed to be an offensive like the Gulf War, in which the U.S. army would win through absolute military superiority in a very short time and at minimal cost or damage. Nevertheless, the war ended up lasting nine years, costing $1.9 trillion in total and killing or wounding more than 50,000 U.S. troops.

In this war, the U.S. military repeatedly broke the principle of proportionality, according to which the use of force should be in proportion to the end expected to meet and prevent the innocent from being further harmed. The U.S. even used this opportunity to test new weapons. Millions of Iraqi civilian casualties ensued and nearly 5 million found themselves displaced.

The original political landscape and balance of power in Iraq were challenged, and the country fell into disarray, with terrorist organizations eyeing an opening to recruit and grow.

In 2011, the Syrian civil war broke out and the border between Iraq and Syria was out of control. The so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS) extremist group seized the moment of chaos and saw it as a foothold to launch terrorist attacks across the Middle Eastand even the world. Non-conventional security risks confronted the international community and soared because of lone wolf or lone actor attacks and transnational radical jihadist influence.

The Pandora's box opened by the U.S. in 2003 has led to global instability to this very day.

U.S. mission accomplished?

Successive U.S. presidents since Bush, however, have insisted that the military operations in Iraq did in fact achieve the projected objectives. But what purpose does the U.S. mission exactly serve?

To topple Saddam Hussein? That was achieved shortly after the invasion. On May 1, 2003, Bush announced that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" with the infamous Mission Accomplished banner hovering over him aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

Yet even the most optimistic observers must admit that such a statement was grossly misguided, to say the least. High-risk areas run rife, and order has still not been restored in the country.

To fulfill U.S. commitments? The U.S. Government contends the Iraq War intended to free the Iraqi people, to protect regional allies from the threat of WMDs and to make the region more peaceful and stable. In this sense, it has been a total failure. Iraq has been in turmoil since the war erupted. At its peak, the country suffered more than 70 attacks a day within its borders.

To achieve some unnamed self-interests? The U.S. energy and defense industries have profiteered immensely from military operations in the Middle East over the past two decades. Although U.S. officials have rejected the notion of fighting for commercial interests, recent years have seen a decline of the Middle East's role in U.S. global strategy. This decreasing emphasis on the Middle East is in line with the energy revolution and the continuous advancement of the U.S. energy independence policy as it has reduced dependence on the Middle East. And that is clearly not the result of an "accomplished" U.S. political agenda and social reconstruction in Iraq.

Non-duplicated state-building

In June 2003, Iraq started its postwar rebuilding. What kind of country should it turn into? This was an issue that should have been left to the Iraqis themselves. However, the U.S. overstepped its role, lecturing the country about a U.S.-style democracy. Later in 2004, the Bush administration formally initiated a campaign to promote the so-called "democratic transformation of the Middle East."

Democracy is vital for the promotion of political modernization, but there should never be a single model, let alone one to be defined only by the U.S. America's forcible export of its own culture and value system not only further confused those societies in transition, but also stigmatized Islam and Muslims on a global scale, resulting in serious racial and cultural discrimination.

The U.S.-led transformation has failed to accelerate the reform of Middle East countries and instead led to a resurgence of radical religions in the region and undermined the process of political modernization.

Over the past decade, Iraq has endured a prolonged period of reconstruction with intensive external intervention, while its national interests have yet to be guaranteed.

Today, Iraq still faces political conflict, a lagging economy, a brittle security environment and sectarian as well as ethnic violence. With the withdrawal of U.S. troops, it needs to find one way or another to real reconstruction; a way that is consistent with its national conditions.

The author is a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies.
You are here: Travel

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The Subash Buddhist Ruins in the dusty scrublands surrounding the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's Kucha city host a ghost city that keeps the region's Silk Road legacy alive today. WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY

The Subash Buddhist Ruins stand like sandcastles washed over by the waves of entropy in the seas of sand and time.

They appear as nubs of mud-brick buildings in the dusty scrublands surrounding the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's Kucha city.

These hunks of rammed earth that jut from the gravel offer the few remaining visual hints of the once-flourishing administrative center of the ancient Chousi region.

Chousi translates as "crossroads "in the Uygur language, since the complex was located at a principal junction of the north-south and east-west Silk Road trade routes.

Today, these chunks of buildings and bulwarks stand crumbling at the intersection of space and time.

The 200,000-square-meter settlement not only hosted local nobility and over 30,000 monks at its peak during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) but also was a destination for merchant caravans and Buddhist pilgrims from neighboring civilizations.

Today, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, built between 220 and 420, continues to attract people from every corner of the globe, especially travelers and archaeologists.

The only things that live here now are tiny wild watermelons that local people brew into alcohol to treat rheumatism.
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Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (Rear) speaks during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 7, 2021. The Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi were named as the acting deputy prime ministers, while Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the late Taliban co-founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, was appointed as the acting defense minister.

Amir Khan Muttaqi was appointed as the acting foreign minister, Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, was named as the acting interior minister and Abas Stanikzai as the acting deputy foreign minister, the Taliban spokesman said.

Mujahid said that the appointments of the interim government were not final as these were acting positions, and the remaining posts would be announced at a later date.

The move was aimed at carrying out necessary government works, he said, stressing that it was an "acting" government and the group would try to take people from other parts of the country.

He did not elaborate on how long the caretaker government will serve.

Basir Faqiri, a shop owner in Kabul, hoped that lasting peace would be restored in the war-torn country with the formation of the caretaker government.

"The announcement of the acting government is another step toward the peace and prosperity of Afghanistan," said Faqiri, planning to reopen his shop and restart his small business.

"I hope the Taliban soon finds some solutions for political and economic uncertainties," he said.

Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada said in a statement after the announcement of the acting government makeup that the new leadership would ensure "lasting peace, prosperity and development", and urged people not to try to leave the country.

He said that all will take part in strengthening Afghanistan and "in this way, we will rebuild our war-torn country."

He told Afghans that the ultimate goal of the new authorities would be to "put the country on its feet as soon as possible" and rebuild the country.

The formation of the caretaker government was announced after the Taliban said on Monday it had completely captured Panjshir, the last holdout province of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

Panjshir, some 200 km north of the capital Kabul, had been the last province in Afghanistan uncontrolled by the Taliban after the group seized most of Afghanistan's territories since early August in its blitz attacks, including Kabul.

The last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan at mid-night on Aug. 30, one day before the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden, ending a 20-year invasion war into the Central Asian country.

In 2001, the U.S.-led military forces invaded Afghanistan under the pretext of searching for Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

During the past two decades, the U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan have caused more than 30,000 civilian deaths, and turned about 11 million people into refugees, leaving Afghanistan in desperate need of stability and rehabilitation.

The Taliban has previously promised to build an inclusive government and hoped that Afghan people would help in the country's transition.

At a press conference held on Aug. 18, the first since Taliban's takeover of the capital Kabul on Aug. 15, spokesman Mujahid said the Taliban wants to have good relations with everybody to develop the country's economy and achieve prosperity.

The Taliban supreme leader had declared a general amnesty, promising to ensure the safety of the contractors and translators who had worked for the United States and allied forces, the government soldiers who had been fighting the Taliban for years, and those whose families were attempting to leave Afghanistan, Mujahid said.

He also said women could work and study in different fields within the framework of Sharia or Islamic law, and they would be offered all rights within the Islamic principles, because women are vital parts of the society.
 Flash

Turkey and Egypt started the second round of normalization talks on Tuesday in the Turkish capital of Ankara, in a bid to end years of strained ties.

"If we reach a consensus after the meetings, we will take the necessary mutual steps to appoint an ambassador," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Turkey is also open to start talks for reaching a maritime boundaries agreement if Cairo agrees, Cavusoglu spoke to the NTV broadcaster.

On May 5, the two countries held the first round of normalization talks in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, which was the first direct high-level meeting held by the two sides since 2013.

The relations between Ankara and Cairo deteriorated in 2013 following the ouster of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who was supported by Turkey.
 Flash

Another 37,489 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 7,056,106, according to official figures released Tuesday.

The country also recorded another 209 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 133,489. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest data came as the British government has confirmed that the National Health Service (NHS) will receive an extra 5.4 billion pounds over the next 6 months to support its response to COVID-19 and help tackle waiting lists.

The British government has been warned that 14 million people could be on NHS waiting lists by next autumn, due to fears of a hidden backlog of patients who are still yet to come forward for treatment, without extra action being taken.

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the additional funding was "critical" to ensure the NHS "has what it needs to manage the ongoing pandemic and helping to tackle waiting lists."

Meanwhile, nearly 89 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 80 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

"It is a phenomenal achievement that four in five adults across the UK have now received both COVID-19 vaccines, which have built a wall of defence around the UK and are allowing us to live safely with this virus," said Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

More than half of all teenagers aged 16 to 17 in England have already received their first dose, just over four weeks after the green light was given for this age group to be offered the vaccine.

It comes as a new campaign has been launched on social media to encourage more vaccine uptake among younger adults and children eligible for the jab.

The chief medical officers of Britain's all four nations are reviewing the wider benefits of vaccinating healthy 12 to 15-year-olds, such as minimising school absences, after Britain's vaccine advisory body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), declined to recommend a widespread rollout to the age group on health grounds alone.

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.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that the Chinese side is ready to work with Tajikistan to build a community of development with rich connotation and an indestructible community of security.

In a telephone conversation with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Xi also called on the two sides to jointly safeguard the shared interests of both countries and promote regional peace and development, noting that next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two sides.

Xi congratulated Tajikistan on its upcoming 30th anniversary of independence, noting that China-Tajikistan relations are at an all-time high.

The two sides have firmly supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, which demonstrates a high level of strategic mutual trust, Xi said.

Meanwhile, the two sides have carried out close cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the solidarity of friendly neighbors, Xi added, noting that the two sides are iron-clad partners who can count on each other.

China and Tajikistan, Xi stressed, should continue to focus on high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road and promote cooperation in economy and trade, interconnectivity, digital economy and other areas.

The Chinese side encourages its companies to invest and develop their businesses in Tajikistan, and stands ready to expand imports of quality green agricultural products from the country, Xi said.

Both sides should give full play to the joint prevention and control mechanism at border crossings to ensure the China-Tajikistan freight transport artery stays smooth and efficient, said Xi, adding that China is ready to continue supporting the Tajik side in fighting the pandemic and to deepen medical cooperation between the two countries.

Xi noted that China speaks highly of the work done by the Tajik side since it assumed the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), saying that China will fully support Tajikistan in fulfilling the duties of the SCO presidency and ensuring the SCO summit marking the 20th anniversary of the organization a success.

He added that China would like to take the summit as an opportunity to enhance solidarity and mutual trust among member states, deepen their security and practical cooperation and promote greater development of the SCO from a new starting point.

Rahmon said Tajikistan and China are comprehensive strategic partners and their relations in various fields have seen continuous and steady growth.

Tajikistan appreciates China for its long-time selfless and sincere help to Tajikistan, in particular its timely COVID-19 vaccine assistance, which has vigorously supported Tajikistan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Rahmon said.

Tajikistan is willing to work together with China to deepen cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, security, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and enrich the Tajikistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.

The Tajik president also thanked China for supporting his country in fulfilling the responsibilities as the SCO chair, saying that Tajikistan is willing to continue closely coordinating with China in the development of the SCO.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan, and agree to continue deepening counter-terrorism and security cooperation and to jointly maintain regional security and stability.
 Flash

A foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday warned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority that "Taiwan independence" leads to a dead-end and the "dollar diplomacy" trick is despicable.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks after Taiwan warned Honduras against "flashy and false" promises by the Chinese mainland after Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro vowed to establish diplomatic relations with China if her party wins the election in November.

"Following the one-China principle is the overriding trend with popular support, and China welcomes all the words and deeds that align with the one-China principle," Wang said.

There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The one-China principle is a widely recognized norm for international relations and universal consensus of the international community, he added.
 Flash

China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Wednesday met with President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien via video link.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, said that China-Vietnam ties had been continuously developed in a positive way.

Wang said that China is willing to work with Vietnam to deepen good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and make unremitting efforts to build a community with a shared future of strategic significance.

The CPPCC National Committee is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the VFF Central Committee, and continuously enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, he added.

Do Van Chien, for his part, said that the Vietnamese side highly appreciates the brilliant achievements of the CPC over the past century, and is willing to work with the CPPCC National Committee to consolidate and develop traditional friendly relations, deepen cooperation and promote greater development of bilateral ties.
Choteau, MT (59422)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. High 74F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low near 40F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration (Stargardt Disease) Market: Information by Diagnosis (Fluorescein Angiography and others), Management (Magnifying Spectacles and others), End User (Hospital & Eye Clinics and others) and Region - Forecast till 2027

The Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration (Stargardt Disease) Market is expected to register a CAGR of 6.7% and is anticipated to reach USD 1593.885 million by 2027.

uvenile Macular Degeneration Market China and India contribute to the growth of the market. On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa hold the least share of the market due to the low prevalence of macular degeneration in the region and limited availability of funds and availability of medical facilities. The Middle East has a huge share for the Juvenile Macular Degeneration Market due to the presence of well-developed countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. However, due to the presence of a huge opportunity for the development of the market, Africa region is expecting a healthy growth in near future. Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration (Stargardt Disease) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period 2017-2023.

Sample Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4935

Key Players in Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration Market Acucela Inc. (U.S.), Alkeus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan), ProQR Therapeutics NV (Netherland), Sanofi (France), Bayer HealthCare (Germany), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Copernicus Therapeutics Inc. (U.S.), Grupo Ferrer Internacional SA (U.S.), Iris Pharma (U.S.), Nemus Bioscience Inc (U.S.), Ophthotech Corp (U.S.), Iconic Therapeutics (U.S.), Adverum Biotechnologies (U.S.), PanOptica (U.S.), RXi Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Neurotech Pharmaceuticals (U.S.)

The European juvenile macular degeneration market accounted for 32.7% market share in 2016. In Europe, Germany, the U.K, and France are the largest contributors to the market owing to the availability of funds for research, and extensive research and development activities in ophthalmology. The development of novel therapies and other treatment options for juvenile macular degeneration also fuel the growth of the market. The Middle East & Africa exhibit steady but positive growth owing to low technology penetration in developing regions of Africa, and increasing demand for diagnostics services in developing regions. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates accounts for the largest market share for macular degeneration.

READ MORE @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/juvenile-macular-degeneration-market-4935

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uvenile macular degeneration is a genetic eye disorder that causes progressive vision loss. This disorder affects the retina, the specialized light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. Specifically, juvenile macular degeneration affects a small area near the center of the retina called the macula. The macula is responsible for sharp central vision, which is needed for detailed tasks such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces. The market is mainly driven by factors such as the increasing prevalence of eye disorders, development of new drugs and therapies, and emerging government policies. However, the high cost of treatment and lack of reimbursement is expected to restrain the growth of this market.

uvenile Macular Degeneration Market China and India contribute to the growth of the market. On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa hold the least share of the market due to the low prevalence of macular degeneration in the region and limited availability of funds and availability of medical facilities. The Middle East has a huge share for the Juvenile Macular Degeneration Market due to the presence of well-developed countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia. However, due to the presence of a huge opportunity for the development of the market, Africa region is expecting a healthy growth in near future. Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration (Stargardt Disease) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period 2017-2023.

Sample Report: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4935

Key Players in Global Juvenile Macular Degeneration Market Acucela Inc. (U.S.), Alkeus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan), ProQR Therapeutics NV (Netherland), Sanofi (France), Bayer HealthCare (Germany), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Copernicus Therapeutics Inc. (U.S.), Grupo Ferrer Internacional SA (U.S.), Iris Pharma (U.S.), Nemus Bioscience Inc (U.S.), Ophthotech Corp (U.S.), Iconic Therapeutics (U.S.), Adverum Biotechnologies (U.S.), PanOptica (U.S.), RXi Pharmaceuticals (U.S.), Neurotech Pharmaceuticals (U.S.)

The European juvenile macular degeneration market accounted for 32.7% market share in 2016. In Europe, Germany, the U.K, and France are the largest contributors to the market owing to the availability of funds for research, and extensive research and development activities in ophthalmology. The development of novel therapies and other treatment options for juvenile macular degeneration also fuel the growth of the market. The Middle East & Africa exhibit steady but positive growth owing to low technology penetration in developing regions of Africa, and increasing demand for diagnostics services in developing regions. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates accounts for the largest market share for macular degeneration.

READ MORE @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/juvenile-macular-degeneration-market-4935

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The global Hands-Free Power Liftgate Market report offers a comprehensive assessment of the market for the forecast years. The report contains several segments and an analysis of the market trends and growth factors that are playing a vital role in the market. These factors encompass the drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This global industry offers an outlook on the strategic development of the market in terms of revenue profits over the forecast period 2021-2026.

The key market players for the global Hands-Free Power Liftgate market are listed below:

Brose

Volkswagen

Hyundai

Others

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The Global Hands-free Power Liftgate Market Report is equipped with market data from 2016 to 2026. The report gives a market overview covering key drivers and risk factors. The report is bifurcated by top global manufactures mentioning sales, revenue, and prices as applicable. It also evaluates the competitive scenario of the leading players. The report expands to cover regional market data along with type and application. The report forecasts sales and revenue from 2021 to 2026. The detailed sales channel is also covered in the study.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Hands-free Power Liftgate Market

The global pandemic COVID-19 has affected the Hands-free Power Liftgate market directly or indirectly. This study covers a separate section giving an explicitly clear understanding of the aftereffects of this pandemic. The detailed study highlights the probable outcomes of this global crisis on the Hands-free Power Liftgate industry. The impact study on production, supply-demand, and sales provides a holistic approach to the future.

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The data analysis in the report helps in understanding the anticipated Hands-free Power Liftgate market dynamics from 2021 to 2026.

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The graphs, tables and pie charts, and info-graphics covered in the report will help in a better understanding of the report.

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To better understand the market scenario, the Hands-free Power Liftgate market is segmented as below:

By Types:

Kicking

Non-kicking

By Applications:

Sedan

SUV

Other

By Regions:

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

(U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Central & Eastern Europe, CIS)

(U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Central & Eastern Europe, CIS) Asia Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, India, Rest of Asia Pacific)

(China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, India, Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Rest of L.A.)

(Brazil, Rest of L.A.) The Middle East and Africa (Turkey, GCC, Rest of Middle East)

The content of the study subjects includes a total of 14 chapters:

Chapter 1: To describe Hands-free Power Liftgate product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market driving force, and market risks.

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Chapter 4: The Hands-free Power Liftgate breakdown data are shown at the regional level, to show the sales, revenue, and growth by region, from 2015 to 2020.

Chapter 5 and 6: To segment the sales by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2015 to 2020.

Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11: To break the sales data at the country level, with sales, revenue, and market share for key countries in the world, from 2016 to 2021 and Hands-free Power Liftgate market forecast, by regions, type, and application, with sales and revenue, from 2021 to 2026.

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Surge in usage of wireless monitoring devices and increase in population of aging people across the globe drive the growth of the global patient monitoring devices market. However, high cost associated with patient monitoring devices is anticipated to restrain the market growth. Furthermore, increasing technological advancements are expected to provide new opportunities during the forecast period.

The Patient Monitoring Devices Market generated $25.76 billion in 2019, and is estimated to reach $44.86 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 4.4% from 2020 to 2027.

Based on product type, the cardiac monitoring devices segment contributed to the largest share in 2019, accounting for more than one-fourth of the total share, and is estimated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period. However, the remote patient monitoring devices segment is estimated to portray the highest CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period.

Based on end-user, the hospitals segment accounted for the largest share in 2019, holding more than half of the total share, and is expected to maintain the largest share throughout the forecast period. However, the home setting segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 5.0% from 2020 to 2027.

Based on region, North America contributed the highest share, accounting for more than two-fifths of the total market share in 2019, and will maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 5.5% from 2020 to 2027.

The leading companies, such as Medtronic Plc., Biotronik, and Boston Scientific Corporation, have adopted  product development and partnership strategies to improve their market share and positioning.

Key Findings of the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Market:

CHF was the leading segment in 2015, and is expected to maintain its lead throughout the analysis period.

Diabetes will be the fastest growing segment throughout the analysis period.

Devices will be both the highest revenue generating and fastest growing segment of the global remote patient monitoring (RPM) market.

Saudi Arabia market for remote patient monitoring is projected to grow at a high CAGR of 21.3%.

U.S. was the largest country market in 2015, and is projected to maintain its lead until 2022.

Leading market players analyzed in the research include Biotronik, Medtronic, Inc., GE Healthcare Ltd, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nihon Kohden Corporation, Masimo Corporation, Omron Healthcare Co. Ltd, Johnson and Johnson, Koninklijke Philips N.V., and Abbott Laboratories.

Read More: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/remote-patient-monitoring-market.html
Vazquez spoke with police the next day and told detectives 21-year-old Nahkyn Durazzo had threatened her and OBanner and told her they were all pulling up on OBanners house immediately. She conceded she, OBanner, their child and OBanners mother were all at the home at the time and that OBanner was the only adult man in the house, but she claimed she did not know where he had gone after the shooting.
The concerts charitable and educational elements will be part of the coverage on all the networks. There will be interviews with New England farmers and reports on year-round Farm Aid activities. Farm Aid was founded in 1985 to raise money and awareness of American farmers. The organization provides assistance to farmers in crisis, lobbies for change in factory farming practices, supports family farms and helps get farmers access to resources they need.
Banks is hardly agnostic on the subject of Trump. His Capitol Hill office is filled with Trump memorabilia, including a framed front page of The Washington Post from the day after the former presidents first Senate acquittal on impeachment charges, autographed by Trump himself. In January he voted against accepting the results of the election, and in July he was one of two Republicans whom House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to seat on the commission investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He has on his staff the son of Tucker Carlson, one of the most vocal pro-Trump hosts on Fox News.
Access to health services  and particularly mental health services  has long been a major challenge for too many community college students, President Cheng said in the announcement. By utilizing telehealth technology, students will now have the opportunity to easily and safely get the care they need from practitioners with specific expertise on meeting the unique needs of college students. This is a major expansion of mental health services, and it is sure to make the college experience more manageable for the students we serve.
Climate delay is just as dangerous for our kids, for our communities, as climate denial, because they both lead to the same thing, which is not taking action to invest in the kinds of things that will bring all these benefits to our communities, and help keep us on track in reducing emissions, she said.
He had every chance to walk out, Brett Eagleson said. He was alive after both planes hit. He spoke to my brother, Kyle, and he told my brother that he was going to do what he could to help with the evacuation and then he was going to get out. Then colleagues of his told us that he was last seen going back up the stairs to grab the radios. ... He was alive. He could have walked out the front door.
Cut Bank, MT (59427)

Today

Sunshine in the morning followed by partly cloudy skies and gusty winds during the afternoon. High 69F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 38F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
We have the right to say no, Wrobleski said of Berrys refusal to allow officers in his apartment. Its his right as an American citizen ... Unless the police get a warrant, we the people have the right to keep them out of our house. A mans house is his castle.
Doctors have stressed the need for antiviral medications that patients could take orally at the onset of symptoms to stop the coronavirus from advancing. This class of drugs, which emerged in the 1960s, is used to help with viruses such as herpes, flu and HIV. Several drug makers are testing medications for COVID-19 now.
Patrick McSweeney, an attorney for the plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits, said Tuesday he had notified the high court that he will ask for a rehearing, but such requests are rarely granted. From 2016 through 2020, the court granted rehearings in just two of the 86 requests it received, said L. Steven Emmert, an appellate attorney who publishes a website focusing on appellate rulings in Virginia.
My oldest son said to me tonight, Do I need to go to that meeting to make sure youre going to be OK? Ownby said. I am a School Board member and I shouldnt have to worry about my safety. I shouldnt have to worry that there are police officers out there. My $400 a month is not enough, thats not why Im here.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

Thunderstorms during the morning will give way to partly cloudy skies this afternoon. High 87F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday cautioned against privatising public sector undertakings in the country by the Centre and said the policy of the state government is to retain the PSUs as such and turn them profitable.

Announcing the takeover of the Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited-Electrical Machines Limited (BHEL-EML) in northern Kasaragod district, he said the government would prepare a masterplan for each PSU to expand and diversify its activities and make them capable of reaping profit.

BHEL-Electrical Machines Ltd, Kasaragod, was a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) and a subsidiary of BHEL, a Maharatna company.

"The state government has decided to take over the PSU in view of the privatisation threat. Ours is a government which recognizes the significance of a public sector undertaking," Vijayan said in a Facebook video.

The PSU was taken over by spending a total of Rs 77 crore including Rs 43 crore for its revival, he said adding that the company would be given a fresh lease of life with advanced facilities.

The state government also decided to give the salary arrears of the company employees who had been suffering for the last two years without any earning and a total of Rs 14 crore would be spent for the same, he said.

"Two kinds of approaches have been prevailing in our country with regard to public sector undertakings. One is to privatise them and the other is to strengthen such institutions further," he said adding that privatisation was getting more priority after the recognition of the globalization policy .

Stressing that the state government is against the privatisation of PSUs, the Chief Minister also said its policy is to expand and diversify the institutions' activities and thus turn them profitable.

"For this, separate master plans will be prepared for each PSU in the state," Vijayan added.

The Kerala government had recently allowed BHEL to exit the joint venture (JV) with the state-run Electrical Machines Ltd.

It had also decided to purchase the shares in view of the Centre's decision to disinvest its shares in BHEL-EML.

While BHEL had 51 per cent stake in the PSU, the state government had 49 per cent share in the JV.
Chennai: At 9.4 per cent, salary hikes in 2022 are expected to return to pre-pandemic level with information technology, e-commerce and professional services projecting over 10 per cent raise.

By a survey of professional services firm Aon India, companies increased salaries by 8.8 per cent on an average in 2021. For next year, Aon has projected a 9.4 per cent rise in salaries across 39 sectors in India. The survey analysed data from 1,300 companies.

In 2019, the actual salary hike stood at 9.3 per cent and it had dipped to 6.1 per cent in 2020. Salary hike stood at 12.6 per cent in 2011 and 15.1 per cent in 2007.

The top three sectors with the highest salary increase projected for 2022 are IT, e-commerce and IT-enabled services.

IT is expected to provide an average salary hike of 11.2 per cent while the raise would be 10.6 per cent for e-commerce and professional services. The sectors with the lowest salary increase projected for 2022 are hospitality, engineering services and energy.

There has been an increase in the share of companies which would go for more than 10 per cent pay hike in 2022 at 24.7 per cent compared to 20.4 per cent in 2021.

Meanwhile, the percentage of companies which would give no pay hike has come down from 2.5 per cent in 2021 to 1.1 per cent in 2022. Those giving less than 5 per cent hike also have come down from 7.3 per cent to 4.5 per cent.

Among the responding companies 61.9 per cent predicted improvement in business outlook for 2022 compared to 45.4 per cent in 2021 while 26.6 per cent sees no impact in 2022 versus 22.9 in 2021. On the other hand, only 11.5 per cent predict a decline in business outlook against 31.7 per cent in 2021.

"While 2021 is a year where certain sectors remain under stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses have an optimistic view going into 2022 and are projecting higher salary increases. We see positive sentiment across most sectors, high investor confidence with sustained foreign direct investment flowing into the country and growing consumer demand across most segments," said Nitin Sethi, partner and CEO of Aon India.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Malayalam TV serial actress, facing probe for allegedly violating temple customs by stepping into a ceremonial boat wearing footwear, on Wednesday complained of abuse and threat by unknown people via phone and social media platforms.

Nimisha said she had withdrawn the photos of her sitting on the sacred boat from the social media handle as soon as she came to know that what she did was "wrong" and against customs and tradition.

"I did not know that stepping into the Palliyodam (the ceremonial snake boat) was wrong and it was meant only for the temple rituals. So, I deleted the photos soon. But, since then, I am facing threat and verbal abuse from unknown people," she told media.

Those who are making threats were not even sparing her family members, she alleged.

The actress also said she would not have stepped into the boat if anyone in the temple management or the local people warned her against it.

As the issue became a controversy, Thiruvalla police had registered a case against her based on a complaint by the Puthukulangara Palliyoda Seva Samiti.

Palliyodams or snake boats are used by the famous Aranmula temple for the traditional water procession in Pampa river.

Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the IPC had been imposed against Nimisha and her friend, who accompanied her.

The offence was bailable, police added.
Chennai: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a "visionary document" that recognizes the importance of liberal arts and focuses on a multidisciplinary approach in education.

In his address here after virtually inaugurating the Moturi Satyanarayana Center for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences at KREA University, he also called for more institutions to explore offering interdisciplinary courses.

"The National Education Policy 2020 is a visionary document that recognizes the importance of liberal arts and focuses on a multidisciplinary approach in education in tune with contemporary times."

"It aims at de-compartmentalising Indian education and breaking the rigid and artificial barriers between professional vs liberal education," Naidu said.

As NEP rightly points out, even in ancient times, 'good education' was described as the knowledge of the 64 kalas or arts.

This included knowledge in scientific fields like chemistry and mathematics, vocational fields such as carpentry and clothes-making, professional fields such as medicine and engineering, as well as soft skills such as communication, discussion and debate, he said.

He noted that students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics must get adequate exposure to liberal arts and social sciences in their undergraduate programs.

Various assessments of such courses where humanities and arts are well integrated have shown an enhanced creativity and innovation, higher social and moral awareness, improved critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills among students, he said and pointed out that many engineering colleges were moving in this direction .

IIT Bombay has recently introduced an interdisciplinary undergraduate course that covers liberal arts, science and engineering in one programme, he said.

The VP appealed to parents to encourage and infuse in children curiosity for arts, literature and social sciences from a young age.

"In a race to make it to the top national institutions of science and engineering, we are ignoring essential subjects in school such as languages ??and social sciences," he said, adding, rote learning practices will ruin the creative abilities of a child.

"Higher educational institutions in liberal arts too must continue this spirit of inquiry and creativity in their campuses. In the research on social sciences, we need to encourage more diverse voices and not limit universities to become exclusionary spaces and echo chambers," he said.
They are very respected forces of the country but on gender equality they have to do more and sometimes the resistance does not come out well," said the bench. (Representational image: joinindianarmy.nic.in)

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that the government in consultation with the three service chiefs  Army, Air Force and Navy  has decided to allow induction of women in the National Defence Academy for permanent commission and described its decision as historic.

The governments decision to open the gates of Punes Khadakwasla-based NDA to women candidates follows the Supreme Courts August 18, 2021, interim order allowing women candidates to appear in the NDA examinations that were slated for September 5. It had directed the Union Public Service Commission to issue the required notification and give it wide publicity.

Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati on Wednesday told a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh, I am delighted to share this. Girls will be admitted in NDA. We will place a detailed affidavit. The Centre, however, sought an exemption from allowing women candidates for this years exams since procedural and infrastructural changes in the NDA would be required.

Reports said that women cadets will be able to enter the NDA at Class 12 level.

Appreciating the decision of the armed forces, the court said, The armed forces are respected in the country but for gender equality they need to do more. We are happy with the stand. We are also conscious that reforms cannot happen in a day.

The Supreme Court further said, If you had been instructed on the last hearing that this decision is being taken we would not have needed to interfere. You have to file an affidavit on what you are doing, what will be the steps in the future and what orders will be required from us.

Directing the government to put on record a detailed affidavit by September 20, mentioning details such as steps being mulled, timeline etc, the court said that it hopes the armed forces value the important role women are performing and urged the armed forces to adopt a proactive approach in assigning gender-based roles rather than the court having to intervene and nudge them.

The next hearing in the matter will take place on September 22.

Presently, women can enter 10 arms of the Army but not the combat arms. A decision to accept women into the Army's Infantry, Armoured-Mechanised forces and artillery is yet to be taken.

The Indian Air Force has deployed women in combat roles and employs women fighter pilots. The Navy is looking to progressively induct women onboard warships.

The top court had, by its February 17, 2020, judgment while granting permanent commission to women officers belonging to short service commission in Armys non-combat streams, called for a change in attitudes and mindsets as it slammed the governments opposition to granting permanent commission to women officers on grounds of their physiological features, including their household responsibilities.

While rubbishing the government's argument that women are handicapped by physiological and other factors as an affront to their dignity as Army officers, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who had authored the judgment said, To cast aspersion on their abilities on the ground of gender is an affront not only to their dignity as women but to the dignity of the members of the Indian Army  men and women  who serve as equal citizens in a common mission.
Cairn will drop cases to seize diplomatic apartments in Paris and Air India airplanes in the US in 'a matter of a couple of days' after the refund, he said adding Cairn's shareholders are in agreement with accepting the offer and moving on. (Twitter)

New Delhi: UK-based Cairn Energy PLC on Tuesday said it will drop litigations to seize Indian properties in countries ranging from France to the US, within a couple of days of getting a $1 billion refund resulting from the scrapping of a retrospective tax law.

The firm, which gave India its biggest onland oil discovery, termed "bold" the legislation passed last month to cancel a 2012 policy that gave the tax department power to go back 50 years and slap capital gains levies wherever ownership had changed hands overseas but business assets were in India.

The offer to return money seized to enforce retrospective tax demand in lieu of dropping all litigations against the government "is acceptable to us," Cairn CEO Simon Thomson told PTI in an interview from London.

Cairn will drop cases to seize diplomatic apartments in Paris and Air India airplanes in the US in "a matter of a couple of days" after the refund, he said adding Cairn's shareholders are in agreement with accepting the offer and moving on.

"Some of our core shareholders likes BlackRock and Franklin Templeton agree (to this). Our view is supported by our core shareholders (that) on balance it is better to accept and move on and be pragmatic. Rather than continue with something negative for all parties which could last for many years," he said.

Seeking to repair India's damaged reputation as an investment destination, the government last month enacted new legislation to drop Rs 1.1 lakh crore in outstanding claims against multinationals such as telecom group Vodafone, pharmaceuticals company Sanofi and brewer SABMiller, now owned by AB InBev, and Cairn.

About Rs 8,100 crore collected from companies under the scrapped tax provision are to be refunded if the firms agreed to drop outstanding litigation, including claims for interest and penalties.

Of this, Rs 7,900 crore is due only to Cairn.

"Once we get to final resolution, part of that resolution is us dropping everything in terms of litigation. We can do that within a very short period of time, just a matter of a couple of days or something," Thomson said. "So we are preparing on the basis of getting this resolution quickly, all these cases being dropped, and putting all this behind."

He said all enforcement proceedings will be dropped.

"Everything will be dropped. There will be no more litigation, that will be it. It will clear the matter up," he said. Asked if the company would make a comeback to India, Thom-son said India will become another potential investment destination once the issue is closed.
Farmers during their protest march against the central government's three farm reform laws, in Karnal, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (PTI)

Karnal: A large number of farmers stayed put outside the gates of the district headquarters here on Wednesday as they remained firm on their demand for action over a police lathicharge on a group of peasants on August 28.

Locked in a showdown with the Haryana government, the farmers squatted at the gates of the mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening after talks with the local administration failed. Many spent the night outside the mini-secretariat.

The protesters' main demand centres around IAS officer Ayush Sinha, the former sub-divisional magistrate of Karnal. He was transferred out as part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle.

The officer, whose suspension farmers' union leaders are demanding, was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to "break heads" if the protesters crossed the line.

About 10 protesters were hurt in the clash with police as they tried to march towards the venue of a BJP meeting. Their leaders also claimed that a farmer died later, an allegation rejected by the administration.

A number of farmers along with many leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) spent the night outside the main entrance of the mini-secretariat.

In the morning, volunteers at the protest site were seen preparing tea and serving breakfast.

"We are not going anywhere from here until our demands are met," Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni told reporters on Wednesday.

On the demand for Sinha's suspension, he said, "First, we are saying transferring him is not a punishment. We are also saying when farmers are booked for even road blockade, why not take action against the officer who ordered (police) to break heads. Is there any law under which such an order can be given?"

The movement of traffic on the Delhi-Karnal-Ambala NH-44 remained normal.

Security had been beefed up here on Monday, a day before farmers' mahapanchayat, and central forces deployed.

The gherao began on Tuesday evening, several hours after farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states reached Karnal's New Anaj Mandi for the mahapanchayat, riding tractors and motorcycles.

They marched on foot from the mahapanchayat venue to the mini-secretariat about five km away.

Protest leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav are also at the gherao site.

Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav had on Tuesday said that the administration had invited the farm leaders for another round of talks and that it was hopeful of resolving the issue.

The Home Department has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in Karnal until Wednesday midnight as the situation is "still volatile".

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) banning gathering of people have been imposed in the district.
HYDERABAD: Telangana High Court on Wednesday found fault with the state government for not putting in place measures to deal with the anticipated third wave of Coronavirus.

Criticising the government for not holding a meeting of Statutory Experts Committee constituted under National Disaster Management Act so far despite alarm bells of the third wave ringing, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice T. Vinod Kumar observed that the pandemic will not refrain from spreading as the state is unprepared.

In some states, cases are increasing day-by-day. New variants of the virus are being traced. For the time being, there are no such instances in our state. But it could spread any time at a fast pace, the bench pointed out.

At one stage, the ACJ asked the state government to be serious about the issue. He underlined that the court had on August 8 directed the government to submit minutes of meetings of Experts Committee constituted to suggest the necessary action plan for dealing with the pandemic. But advocate general B.S. Prasad submitted on Wednesday that the meeting has not yet been held.

We are not saying that the government is not doing anything. You have to do many things in view of reports that the third wave may severely hit children. But you are doing only small things. You should be more attentive. We have several times asked you about the paediatric infrastructure available in the state to deal with Covid cases. But we have not got any information about it, Justice Ramachandra Rao stated.

The court slammed union government for not yet taking a decision on including life-saving drugs required for treating Covid-19 patients in National List of Essential Medicines. It sought immediate action on this crucial issue by the next date of hearing.

The Acting Chief Justice said more seriousness is required on part of both central and state governments in being pro-active and taking faster decisions, rather than wait for untoward incidents to occur.

The court asked the advocate general to furnish a report with details of current positivity rate in different districts of the state on the basis of RT-PCR tests. It also directed him to furnish the proceedings of expert committee, sero surveillance report and paediatric infrastructure available to tackle the third wave of Coronavirus.

The next hearing on the case will be on September 22.
Among the arguments advanced by Stalin against the CAA included a contention that it was "against the basic structure" of the Constitution and divided people. (Representational Image: PTI)

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution urging the Centre to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 to "protect and ensure unity and communal harmony and uphold the secular principles" enshrined in the Constitution.

The Centre should also fully give up its initiatives related to preparation of the National Population Register and National Register of Citizens, Chief Minister M K Stalin said in his initial remarks on the CAA and ahead of proposing the resolution.

Tamil Nadu became the eighth state to pass a resolution against the CAA, while neighbouring Kerala and Puducherry were the first state and first union territory respectively to go against the Centre's 2019 amendment law on citizenship. The Union Territory was under Congress rule last year.

Stalin said the CAA was a a "big betrayal" of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees as it "usurped the rights" of a section of them who do not desire going back and wanted to settle down in India.

"If those (refugees) from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can come (to India and get citizenship), why is there a bar on those belonging to Sri Lanka? This is the biggest betrayal of Sri Lankan Tamils (refugees)," he said.

Far from being concerned about Tamil refugees, the Union government actually discriminated against them and that was why this piece of legislation has to be opposed, he added.

Refugees should be treated as only fellow human beings and there must be no discrimination on any grounds, be it religion, race or their country of origin and only this could be the "correct view."

Among the arguments advanced by Stalin against the CAA included a contention that it was "against the basic structure" of the Constitution and divided people.

While the CAA provided for citizenship for refugees belonging to several faiths, "Islamic people have been deliberately avoided and since this divides people based on religious lines, our party opposed this in the introductory stage itself (in Parliament)."

India "glittered" as the world's biggest democracy only due to its "Unity in diversity" philosophy and people transcended several barriers, including religion and language due to this, he said.

Stalin said India's freedom was won only because of a united fight from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari and the CAA impinged the hoary tradition of harmony. This law, that paved the way for "creating differences among the Indian people, was unnecessaryt" and hence should be rescinded, he said.

The resolution moved by Stalin said the CAA passed by Parliament in 2019 "is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India."

As per established democratic principles, a nation should be governed taking into consideration the aspirations and concerns of the people belonging to all sections of society, the resolution said.

"But it is clearly seen that the CAA was passed in such a way that it does not accord a warm support to the refugees considering their plight, but instead discriminates against them according to their religion and their country of origin."

Hence, to "protect and ensure the unity and communal harmony in this country and to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, this August House resolves to urge the Union government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019."

The Bill was adopted by voice vote.

The main opposition AIADMK's members were not in the House during its passage. They staged a walkout over issues they tried to raise during the zero hour.

Opposing the resolution, the BJP MLAs staged a walkout and later speaking to media, the party's legislature party leader Nainar Nagendran said the CAA has absolutely nothing against Muslim people.

"The CM today speaks of communal harmony, but does not even greet people for Hindu festivals, including Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali," Nagendran said.

All other parties, including AIADMK's ally PMK, supported the resolution in the House.

Leader of the Opposition K Palaniswami told reporters that they could not raise key issues in the House as they did not get the nod from Speaker M Appavu and even some views expressed by them -following permission for a brief while- were later expunged.

Condemning this, Palaniswami said, his party staged a walkout.

Listing schemes like two wheeler scheme for women beneficiaries, he said the DMK government has "given up" this and one after the other, such welfare schemes of the AIADMK regime were being scuttled, he claimed.

Tamil Nadu follows Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh (Cabinet resolution) and Telangana (also, against National Population Register and National Register of Citizens), which had passed resolutions against the CAA.

Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Jharkhand Assemblies had passed resolutions against the NRC and NPR, while Gujarat and Goa passed resolutions and a "congratulatory motion" respectively in favour of the CAA. The Meghalaya Assembly had passed a resolution, urging the Centre to keep the state out of the ambit of the CAA.
The court further noted that at the present stage, it will be difficult to issue general directions, especially with regard to diversity of conditions and our directions should not infringe upon the administrative powers of the state governments. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday junked a PIL filed by Youth Bar Association of India for directions to the Centre for providing door-to-door Covid vaccination to all citizens, particularly the elderly, differently abled, people from weaker sections and those not capable of online registration.

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli, also dismissed another PIL, which demanded compensation for kin in each Covid death, treating it as medical negligence.

Rejecting the PIL, the court said, The vaccination programme is underway and this court is monitoring the progress under the suo motu cognizance. We have also formed a national task force on the same issue.

The court further noted that at the present stage, it will be difficult to issue general directions, especially with regard to diversity of conditions and our directions should not infringe upon the administrative powers of the state governments, including the door-to-door vaccination.

The top court advised the petitioner to better approach the Union Health Ministry with its suggestions that may be considered at an appropriate level.
The court faulted the GHMC commissioner and Hyderabad police commissioner for delay in filing their counters. Both of them were directed to apprise the court as to what measures they had taken to restrain devotees from immersing idols in Hussainsagar lake and the security arrangements made by the city police to restrain devotees thronging to Tank Bund.  Representational image/DC

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday took the state government to task for not following the directives of Central Pollution Control Board (PCB) in banning idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP) using toxic synthetic colours.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice M.S. Ramchandra Rao and Justice T. Vinod Kumar observed that the government did not seem to be serious in enforcing the rules, and thereby causing pollution in the water bodies during the Ganesha Chaturthi festivities.

The bench was dealing with a contempt case filed by Mamidi Venu Madhav, an advocate, against the GHMC commissioner, the PCB and the Hyderabad police commissioner for not implementing the orders of the High Court in the writ petition filed by him. In his petition, Madhav sought a direction from the court to restrain people from immersing Ganesh idols made of plaster of Paris in Hussainsagar as the lake has already reached the highest level of pollution due to continuous immersion of Ganesh idols.

Reacting to the governments contention that it was educating people by issuing advisories to only use clay Ganesh idols, Justice Rao observed that the government and its authorities were bound to enforce the prevailing laws, statutes or rules.

When government counsel tried to explain that all measures to clean up water bodies were taken up immediately after the immersion, the court commented that they were doing it with public money. You are not interested in implementing the rules, but spending taxpayers money. It should be prevented, the bench said.

Referring to congregations and rallies on the day of immersion, long queues of vehicles towards Tank Bund from every corner of the city and heavy crowds at Hussainsagar, the court questioned the commissioners of the Hyderabad and surrounding commissionerates why they were not initiating to take steps to divert immersions to various other ponds, apart from Hussainsagar.

The bench also reminded the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee about its responsibilities during the 10-day Ganesha festival and more importantly on the day of visarjan (immersion).

L. Ravichander, senior counsel representing the Ustav Committee, explained the work of his client. But the court was not convinced and did not take his explanation into consideration.

The court faulted the GHMC commissioner and Hyderabad police commissioner for delay in filing their counters. Both of them were directed to apprise the court as to what measures they had taken to restrain devotees from immersing idols in Hussainsagar lake and the security arrangements made by the city police to restrain devotees thronging to Tank Bund.

Justice Ramachandra Rao observed, The state government seems to be under the impression that this case is not important. It is really very sad to see the conduct of the state. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the state does not think that the PCB guidelines are important. The police commissioner has no time to file his counter affidavit and the GHMC filed the counter today at 10.25 am. If this is the case, when should the court pass its orders as the Ganesh festival commences on September 10 and when can the order of this court be given wide publicity?

As the Ganesha festival commences on September 10, the division bench may pronounce its orders in a day or two.
The biggest challenge for Mr Mohapatra is to resolve the issues with the new income tax portal that has been facing continued glitches more than two months after it was launched with much fanfare. (Twitter)

The 1985-batch IRS officer Jagannath Mohapatra has little time to settle into his seat after finally being confirmed as chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), three months after the extended tenure of his predecessor P.C. Mody ended. The biggest challenge for Mr Mohapatra is to resolve the issues with the new income tax portal that has been facing continued glitches more than two months after it was launched with much fanfare. Its an embarrassment that the finance ministry would like to put behind it at the earliest. With the last date for filing I-T returns approaching fast, there is little time to lose.

Apparently, Mr Mohapatras confirmation as chairman was pretty much along expected lines. He did not face a lot of competition. His only rival was his batchmate Ms Anuja Sarangi who is currently member, administration, at CBDT, but he had a clear edge.

Some have pointed out a curious detail that is missing in Mr Mohapatras appointment letter issued by the department of personnel and training (DoPT). By not defining the duration of his term, observers say that the government has indicated that Mr Mohapatra may serve well beyond his retirement due in April next year. The precedent was set when his predecessors Mr Mody and Sushil Chandra were retained as chairmen after their retirement on contract

Haryana CM Khattar has his way

The tussle between Haryana chief minister Manohar Khattar and his home minister Anil Vij is also being played out in the state bureaucracy. They have often clashed over policy as well as transfers and appointments of officers to key positions in the government. In the latest round of jousting, Mr Khattar has overruled Mr Vij and ordered the appointment of IPS officer Kala Ramchandran as principal secretary of transport, a cadre post held by the IAS. Interestingly, this is in addition to being additional director general for crimes against women.

So, once again, the simmering IAS-IPS rivalry has been forced into the open. Mr Vij, sources have told DKB, was opposed to appointing an IPS officer on a cadre post designated for IAS officers and had cited IAS cadre rules that required the state government to take prior approval of the Central government. Curiously, Mr Khattar also ignored the advice of chief secretary Vijai Vardhan who too reportedly objected to naming non-cadre officers to cadre posts of the IAS.

Mr Khattar is, however, used to having his way. He has earlier appointed nine IPS, IFoS and IRS officers to posts reserved for the IAS, which prodded the Centre to demand an explanation from the Haryana government. No one knows what became of that!

Kerala babus are overstretched

The situation couldnt be more ill-timed. Kerala is not just battling Covid but also an acute shortage of IAS officers, especially in the secretary rank, leaving chief secretary V.P. Joy with an overstretched and stressed team just when he needs all hands on board.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has admitted that the government is functioning with only 62 per cent of the allotted strength of IAS officers and 52 per cent of the allotted strength of IPS officers. The situation is no better in the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) with only 62 per cent of the allotted 107 posts occupied.

While there are several factors for the situation, including the natural increase in the number of posts over the years, informed sources have told DKB that the biggest reason is the sheer number of IAS officers who chose to leave on deputation to the Centre or their home state on inter-cadre deputation.

Apparently, 22 IAS officers are currently on Central deputation while two are serving in their home state. Similarly, 23 IPS officers are on Central deputation while one is on inter-cadre deputation in his home state.

Kerala now has a mere 10 secretary-rank officers and 12 principal secretaries, who together are holding multiple portfolios. To make up for the deficit, the state government had, earlier this year, appointed additional and joint secretary rank officers to secretary-rank posts, but surely more can be done.

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Britain has a minister for loneliness. So does Japan. But loneliness is not just a First World problem. Nor confined to the elderly. It is now a stark reality even in a country like India with a predominantly young population. The Covid-19 pandemic has just made things worse.

What Covid-19 did was to freeze our lives. A year and a half later, it is becoming glaringly obvious that the gradual reopening of society and the economy is not going to make things easier automatically. Enforced social isolation has aggravated the problem of loneliness, across all age groups. What is truly worrying is that despite the high decibel talk about mental health, loneliness, per se, and its impact on health and well-being, still dont get much public or policy attention.

Loneliness was on the rise even before the pandemic. Social isolation and loneliness are widespread, with some countries reporting that up to one in three older people feel lonely, the World Health Organisation says. There is a lot of research showing the serious impact of social isolation and loneliness on older peoples physical and mental health, quality of life as well as longevity.

While most studies reporting the burden of loneliness were conducted in industrialised nations where aging and many socioeconomic stressors are affecting social networks, similar problems are emerging in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) like India, notes a 2020 study titled Prevalence and correlates of loneliness in India: A systematic review by Mahbub Hossain, Neetu Purohit, Nusrat Khan, E. Lisako J. McKyer, Ping Ma, Sudip Bhattacharya and Priyanka Pawar.

The researchers note that despite a high burden of loneliness across the nation, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the prevalence or other quantitative measures of the severity of loneliness in India. They stress that its critical to understand how different sociodemographic factors, socio-cultural norms and co-morbidities are associated with loneliness to inform further research and interventions to address the same.

Why is loneliness not on the policy table in India?

One key reason is that loneliness is a subjective experience. This makes it hard to identify.

Loneliness is a state of the mind. It can exist even if one lives in crowded spaces. It is a marker of a lack of social connect. Even before the onset of the pandemic, many elderly people in the country experienced loneliness. What is new is that more young people have experienced it, because of the restrictions on mobility... says Dr Soumitra Pathare, director of the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy in Pune.

The other reason is stigma.

Sonali Vaid, a Harvard-educated public health expert, says many young people are reluctant to admit to loneliness. They would much rather say they are bored. Many also dont wish to acknowledge that virtual social networks dont necessarily make for emotional connections.

Many elderly people have withdrawn into a bubble after long stretches of complete social isolation, says Ms Vaid. Some have lost their appetites; others find it difficult to communicate, she points out.

Because loneliness is not a disease, it is not a priority for the policy folks.

For example, what really affected a lot of people was the closure of public spaces, like parks, during the second wave when there was a sharp spike in infections and deaths in many parts of India, Ms Vaid notes. If you are closing parks, where will ordinary elderly people go for a walk?

What happened as a result in many instances was counterproductive. Younger people climbed gates and hit playgrounds and parks. The elderly met in drawing rooms, and the infection spread.

Even now, hardly anyone talks about the importance of ventilation, of being outdoors, says Ms Vaid.

Vicky, a South Delhi hairdresser and an anguished parent, constantly worries about his moody and often listless four-year-old. The child has not been to any pre-school or had play time with other children. He stays indoors the entire day Once, a cousin dropped in, with his child. My son was thrilled. All through last year and till recently, he did not go to a park. Nowadays, I take him for a walk in the neighbourhood park, before leaving for work. He enjoys it, but most of his time is spent with adults.

Vicky did not think his son was enjoying online classes. He probably feels lonely. He stands in the balcony looking longingly at puppies down below.

Who are the worst-hit by the loneliness crisis?

What is worrying, says Dr Pathare, is that in a country like ours which suffers from an acute shortage of mental health professionals, those who are more vocal about their needs get attended. In the process, the real needy get pushed to the back of the queue, because the number of people who need counselling or mental healthcare have risen sharply. This is what I would call diversion of resources from those in real need to those who are less needy in a scarcity situation.

A medical doctor working in a government hospital in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district flags the severity of the social isolation and loneliness crisis for those living in abject poverty. Most elderly people who are coming to the hospital are in a serious condition because of the extreme delay in accessing treatment. This happened, he says, because their primary caregivers died of Covid-19. There was simply no one to bring them to the hospital. Many who visit government hospitals are also unable to articulate their feelings of extreme social isolation, loneliness and the sense of being abandoned.

How does one battle the hidden pandemic of loneliness?

Clearly, the starting point is to talk about it. Only then can it get on to the policy table. Loneliness cant be cured by medicines. Neither can there be top-down solutions. What will go a long way are social interventions. Dr Pathare talks about one community-led intervention his organisation is involved in. We are training young people - college students to become peer counsellors, support other young people by active listening, behavioural action, etc. This is mental health first aid. In Gujarat, we are training community volunteers in 500 villages as part of a programme called atmiyata. This is about teaching how to practice empathy. It involves four to five sessions.

India still largely depends on the family to take care of its elderly and its young. But there are new realities in the pandemic-battered world. What is needed is social care. And it has to be low-intensity, low-cost, scalable and sustainable, as Dr Pathare puts it.
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A Texas family sought assistance to get out of Afganistan, but Biden's State Department allegedly attempted to block the rescue. Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin calls it a wrong move on the administration. After the August 31 deadline, many American and Afghani allies had to rely on rescue from groups other than the US government.

Last Tuesday, Rep. Mullin said the State Depart stopped his rescue of Americans trapped in Kabul. The focus of the rescue are US citizens and three children who got out by land at great risk, to them and their saviors.

Texas family rescued despite no government assistance

Mariam, a Texas resident, was with her three children who the Biden administration stranded after the deadline. Mullin and GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson, with the assistance of Army veteran Cory Mills were the facilitators that got the family out, reported the Daily Mail.

He added that their group had to cross 20 checkpoints and bribe the Talibans with up to $4,000 per person. The bribe included the woman's family members and whoever accompanied them, noted CNN.

In the same report, the US government claimed they did something, but Mills contested that it is not the truth. The officials of the Biden administration are salvaging it to tarnish its reputation.

The Republican said that the State Department told the embassy concerned not to help them whatsoever. He said it came from the Ambassador that they will provide no assistance. One State Department representative was asked for comment on Mullin' allegation has not been answered.

Mullin added that the second day when they had the family nearly out was when they interceded, but only after Mills did the hard work in Kabul, despite Biden's State Department's attempt to deny the blocked rescue from happening.

Read Also: Joe Biden Forsakes Afghan Interpreter Who Rescued Him in Blackhawk's Forced Landing Due to Snowstorm in 2008

Dangerous overland rescue

The woman and her family had endured many grueling hours in traveling to a haven and in continual danger until they were out of the country. There was no attempt to get the family out, except by the effort of those involved. Administration officials say they helped, but it is reportedly not true. The claim is merely to save the president's dismal actions and failure. The daring private rescue took two weeks when Mullin and Jackson were reached by the family trapped in Kabul. They weren't the only ones trapped and abandoned.

Keeping everything under the radar, lawmakers with a team of contractors work with a group against time to get the trapped family out. Mullin clearly said they were blocked from day one, and everything was dodgy. Instead of the State department trying to help, it acted like the Taliban's big brother, which crosses out the Kabul airport as the exit point. The woman and her family had to escape overland.

Last Monday, the State Department issued guidance when the family crossed into the border, noted Fox. Mullin grated at the claim and noted they were opportunistic. Cory Mills spoke out and scoured the credit grabbing of Biden's State Department.

Related Article: US Republican Charged that Biden Lied Big Time Over the Evacuation of US Citizens with Recording as Proof

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The assassin who killed Robert F. Kennedy could get parole and be released from prison if the California parole board goes through with the recommendation last month for Sirhan Sirhan after two of the victim's sons supported the suspect's release.

Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the victim, clearly expressed her belief that the killer should remain in prison despite her sons supporting his parole. "Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again," she said.

Kennedy Assassin's Parole

Last month, a California parole board recommended Sirhan to be released. The suspect shot RFK to death in1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The gunman was imprisoned for 53 years and California Gov. Gavin Newsom will have the final say in whether or not Sirhan gets his parole.

Six of RFK's sons expressed their support of their mother's stances on Sirhan's parole while two others have voiced out their support of their father's killer. In a statement, Douglas Kennedy, one of the two who supported Sirhan's parole, said that despite living in fear, he saw a man who was worthy of compassion and love, Business Insider reported.

Read Also: Donald Trump Beats Joe Biden in 2024 Presidential Election Poll After Afghanistan Chaos, Civil Unrest Brexit Warning

Kennedys' six children who opposed Sirhan's release said in a statement that they wanted to make their stance clear that they did not want the suspect to get parole. They said that the board's ruling ignored the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California.

However, Sirhan's attorney, Angela Berry, gave out sentencing memorandums that focused on the suspect's youth at the time of the murder. Sirhan was only 24 years old when he fatally shot Kennedy during the latter's run for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States, CNN reported.

Committing The Same Crime

Berry said her client was a Palestinian who became a refugee at the young age of four and witnessed brutalities that most people could not even dream about before he immigrated to the U.S. In a hearing last month, Sirhan said he was not angry despite being locked for years because he was grateful that his life was spared despite the crime he committed. "I disagree with them outright. I'm grateful for having my life spared from the gas chamber. I value my life so much. I would never put myself in jeopardy again," he said.

Sirhan said he did not remember shooting Kennedy in 1968 but recalled that he vehemently opposed the latter's support for Israel. The gunman's parole caused widespread criticism for Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon for not sending a prosecutor to oppose Sirhan's parole.

Ethel's statement said her family was urging the Parole Board staff, the full Board, and Gov. Newsom, to reverse the initial decision. She said that they planned to challenge the process at every single step. Kennedy's widow asked for support from her late husband's supporters who continued to remember the politician in their memory and hearts, Fox News reported.

Related Article: Prominent South Carolina Attorney Resigns From Firm To Seek Rehab After Being Shot 3 Months Following His Wife, Son's Death

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On Monday, an Ohio court refused a preliminary injunction that would have required a hospital to continue providing Ivermectin, a parasite treatment often used in livestock, to a man in an intensive care unit with COVID-19.

"Judges are neither doctors nor nurses," Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster wrote in his judgment, which came two weeks after another judge authorized West Chester Hospital to provide Ivermectin to Jeffrey Smith, 51, temporarily.

Smith, a father of three, tested positive for COVID-19 on July 9, according to court papers. He was sent to West Chester Hospital's intensive care unit six days later, where he remained Monday. Since August 1, he has been on a ventilator.

Wife prompts Ohio hospital to administer Ivermectin to her husband

Last week, Oster heard two days of testimony in the case of Smith's wife, Julie Smith, who filed a lawsuit on August 20 to force West Chester Hospital to provide Ivermectin as recommended by Smith's physician, Dr. Fred Wagshul. According to McClatchy News, the doctor recommended a 30 mg dosage of Ivermectin once a day for three weeks.

Julie Smith took the hospital to court when the physicians refused; and after a months-long struggle, a separate Ohio judge ruled that he receive the medication. That order was for 21 days. According to the complaint, Jeffery, a father of three, tested positive for COVID-19 on July 9 and was sent to the ICU less than a week later as his condition rapidly deteriorated.

He may or may not have been immunized against COVID-19. The medical personnel treated Jeffery with Remdesivir, plasma, and steroids, which brought him to a period of relative stability. When Jeffery's condition began to deteriorate again on August 20, he was placed in a medically induced coma, Daily Mail reported.

Julie contacted Dr. Wagshul, who recommended the untested medicine to Jeffery without seeing him. The patient's wife then asked for Ivermectin to be given to her sick husband; but his physicians refused, claiming that it would conflict with the drugs he was already taking, according to the complaint.

Read Also: Prominent South Carolina Attorney Resigns From Firm To Seek Rehab After Being Shot 3 Months Following His Wife, Son's Death

Health organizations refrain from using Ivermectin as COVID-19 medicine

The physicians stated that there was nothing further that could be done. Julie claims she offered to sign a waiver releasing the hospital and its doctors from any liability arising from the requested treatment, which the hospital denies in its court filing.

There is minimal evidence that Ivermectin is useful in the treatment of COVID-19, according to federal agencies and medical organizations. However, as right-wing media promoted it as a COVID-19 therapy, prescriptions - and associated calls to poison control centers - surged in 2021.

In humans, Ivermectin is used to treat parasitic infections like lice and worms that cause river blindness. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized it for use in animals for comparison purposes, including as a livestock dewormer and heartworm prevention for dogs and cats.

However, until more clinical trials are completed, the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Medical Association have all warned against the use of Ivermectin as a COVID-19 therapy. Per NPR, most previous studies on the drug's potential to combat COVID-19 had insufficient information and severe methodological flaws, according to the National Institutes of Health, which has not made an official recommendation.

Related Article: Arkansas Prisoners Claim Doctor Gives Unproven COVID-19 Treatment Ivermectin to Run Secret Experiments

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The discovery of an ancient mass grave with decapitated gladiator bodies by archeologists was similar to other sites in the domain of ancient Rome. One of the hypotheses based on the nature of the grave is it has similarities to Ephesus in Turkey.

Researchers who came across the remains were not expecting to see that a grave in Britain would be very close to another Roman settlement. One assumption is that it would forever change the conquest of Britain and its beliefs until now. Ancient Rome had an impact on old Britain after conquering it.

Roman occupation in the ancient British Isles

About 2,000 years ago, the islands were finally subdued by the Roman empire, with higher culture than that of early Britons. Rome's legacy is still in the country and even in modern-day Britons that is evident, reported The Express UK.

The changes that came after Romans pacified the isles brought about new ideas about food, culture, music, and religiosity with new art concepts. But it came at the cost of Briton and Roman lives, as resistance to the enlightenment of Rome wrought wars as far as Cawdor in Scotland.

Central to the conquest of Britain is the building of Roman fortifications like walls and forts in different locations in the country. Most are in higher ground or overland areas, with more excavations where ancient mass graves with headless gladiators' bodies.

Read Also: Nails Used to Crucify Jesus Christ May Not be the Real Ones Due to Bone Fragments

Broken Human Remains found in York

More find includes the excavation at York, which turned out to have mysteries hidden for a long time. Inside the ancient mass grave are the remains of many men suspected of having died in gladiatorial combat. Based on the unusual position of the remains, when attempts to identify was not easy, noted the Daily Mail.

A documentary on Youtube, the Smithsonian Channel, covered the topic and explored it further. Scientists made an interesting analysis of the remains of the York grave. They concluded that all the skeletons that belonged to men were mature and fighting age, not a soldier with skulls near the bodies. It could be that the men in the grave are gladiators who fought battles in arenas, who may have died in combat as well.

The documentary remarks that Gladiators were non-Romans, fighting in battle similar to the theater. Remains were dug up for support to prove it was native Britons, not Roman soldiers lying in the grave, to prove their hypothesis. The skeleton bones show injuries suffered by the men and signs of brutal fighting like a gladiator would likely sustain. Bones that were cleanly sliced, with a sharp ax or a sword, were evident.

Researchers investigated and realized this grave in Britain is similar to a Roman cemetery in Turkey, about 2,000 miles away. Ephesus is a former regional center of archaic Rome, with a theatre able to seat 25,000 at one time. In 1993, a cemetery like the York grave close to the local gladiator arena was discovered.

Bodies in the Ephesian graves were very similar, and they have assumed to be gladiators based on the skeleton condition. The documentary stated the resemblance was too coincidental to ignore. Kurt Hunter-Mann, an archaeologist, said that the ancient mass grave with decapitated gladiators' bodies is very similar to Ephesus.

Related Article: Ancient Roman Armory Dating Back to 100 B.C. Discovered in Son Catlar, Spain

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Dr. Anthony Fauci has come under fire again after newly released documents appear to contradict his previous claims that the National Institute of Health did not fund gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses.

A 900-page internal document obtained and released by The Intercept through a Freedom of Information Act request showed the work of EcoHealth Alliance, an American research non-profit that receives funding from the NIH to perform research on novel coronaviruses found in bats at the Wuhan lab.

Coronavirus Research

The documents also showed a grant proposal that Ecohealth filed with the NIH, wherein the non-profit requests $3.1 million for the "Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence." Under the project, researchers will screen thousands of lab workers for novel bat coronaviruses.

Documents show the NIH, which is run by Fauci, awarded the grant for 2014 to 2019 and was subsequently renewed before it was canceled under former President Donald Trump's administration.

The proposal also directed at least $599,000 to the Wuhan Institute of Virology where researchers are tasked with identifying and altering bat coronaviruses that could infect humans.

The grant proposal also addressed concerns associated with the experiment, writing: "Fieldwork involves the highest risk of exposure to SARS or other CoVs, while working in caves with high bat density overhead and the potential for fecal dust to be inhaled," according to Yahoo News.

Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has previously admitted that the United States gave the Wuhan lab funding for research. However, he has firmly and repeatedly denied that the studies qualified as "gain-of-function."

Read Also: Joe Biden Receives Hostile Welcome in New Jersey; Protesters Call The President Worthless as He Visits Storm-Damaged Northeast

Dr. Ralph Baric from the University of North Carolina, one of the U.S. scientists who collaborated on the 2015 research on bat coronaviruses with scientists from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, said none of the viruses they studied were related to Sars-Cov-2, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Importantly, independent studies carried out by Italian scientists and others from around the world have confirmed that none of the bat SARS-like viruses studied at UNC were related to SARS-COV-2, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said in a statement.

Baric also added that they never introduced mutations into the virus' spike that would give it the ability to infect human cells.

What is "Gain-of-function" research?

"Gain-of-function" studies require researchers to alter or modify the genetic code or place organisms in different environments to increase their pathogenesis, transmissibility or host range.

These types of research create modifications in hopes of developing vaccines and therapeutics to make the organisms less likely to pass on infections. However, it can also create a potentially more dangerous strain.

Scientists partaking in "gain-of-function" research argue that the research can help prepare for future outbreaks and pandemics.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, later blasted Fauci in a tweet, claiming the NIAID director "lied again" after the release of the internal documents.

Surprise surprise - Fauci lied again



And I was right about his agency funding novel Coronavirus research at Wuhan.



Read this thread and the papers released. https://t.co/zQizKXLdbd  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2021

Richard Ebright, a chemical biology professor from Rutgers University, also took to Twitter to slam Fauci's claim that the NIH did not support "gain-of-function" research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

"NEWLY RELEASED documents provide details of US-funded research on..coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology..The Intercept has obtained more than 900 pages of documents detailing..work of..EcoHealth Alliance..at the Chinese lab.."https://t.co/n3OkFAq3kM  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021





Related Article: Assassin Who Killed Robert F. Kennedy Could Get Parole; Victim's Family Speaks Out

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Hunter Biden's artwork is in the crosshairs of the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee, as the president's son seeks to make millions in the art world.

"It is the Oversight Committee's responsibility to scrutinize Mr. Biden's business activities because he chooses to conduct them in the most murky and corrupt corners of international affairs," said Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) in a letter obtained by The NY Post on Tuesday.

Hunter Biden's New York art dealer, George Berges, is putting exorbitant price tags on the pieces, much above what Hunter feels they would earn, according to Comer. Because he is the president's son, Hunter Biden understands that purchasers would pay exaggerated rates for his paintings, he said. Berges, who previously stated that he intended to be the art world's leader in China, is selling the works of the nascent artist Hunter Biden for $75,000 to $500,000.

Berges' agreement with the White House to keep purchasers unidentified - even from Hunter - offers additional obscurity for the buyers of Biden's artworks, according to the lawmaker. Hunter's ambition to start a new career by selling his artwork at Berges' SoHo gallery in October was also questioned by the Republican, the NY Post reported. 

President's son aspires to make money through his artworks

Comer concluded the letter by requesting that Berges turn over information to the committee about the dealings from November of last year to the present, including who bought what pieces and who attended Hunter Biden's art shows, to assist the committee with its investigation of possible undue White House influence.

Hunter Biden's art deals have drawn criticism because of the ethical dilemma the White House has created by permitting the anonymous selling of the artwork.

Anyone wealthy enough - including, possibly, American foes - might use the anonymous sales of the president's son's artwork to buy their way into the Biden family's and the President's good graces.

Per Daily Mail, Hunter Biden's artwork will be sold anonymously following exhibits in Los Angeles and New York City's renowned SoHo district, both of which Hunter will visit. The 51-year-old recovered drug addict's creative debut has been marred by ethical questions about whether prospective purchasers would spend half a million dollars merely to obtain entry to the White House.

In a 2015 interview with Resident, Berges stated that he aspired to be the art world's leader in China. One New York art expert told Comer in the letter that the hype around Hunter's debut is disrespectful because it makes it appear as anybody could accomplish it. Berges has justified his high assessments by claiming that money alone cannot determine an artist's worth.

Read Also: Joe Biden Receives Hostile Welcome in New Jersey; Protesters Call The President Worthless as He Visits Storm-Damaged Northeast

Hunter Biden arrest rumor

Previously, President Joe Biden's son has been the target of unfounded social media conspiracy theories. According to a website called Real Raw News, the US military detained Hunter Biden on Monday morning at Washington Dulles International Airport. He was allegedly coming from Dubai with "two underage female companions and many kilograms of crack cocaine."

According to CrowdTangle, a social media analytics service, the article received over 1,200 shares on Facebook in only three days. It has also sparked a surge of social media messages reiterating its allegations. Biden's taxes and international business dealings have drawn significant investigation, notably his service on the board of a Ukrainian energy firm while his father was vice president. He's also been candid about his drug and alcohol abuse.

Hunter Biden, on the other hand, has not been arrested. Real Raw News has made false allegations about the military detaining high-profile politicians and other public figures on several occasions. That story is linked to the debunked QAnon conspiracy theory.

The president's son being detained at a major international airport would create international headlines. However, no credible news organizations have reported that Hunter Biden is in custody, according to USA TODAY.

The website "contains comedy, parody, and satire," as per a notice from Real Raw News. But there's nothing in the Hunter Biden article that suggests it's satirical. Real Raw News has previously produced fabricated news articles about famous people being detained.

Related Article: Hunter's Laptop Reveals How Joe Biden Meets with Son's Business Partners in Vice President's Office in 2014



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Authorities reported Wednesday that a fire at a jail in Indonesia killed at least 41 people and injured eight more, adding to the feeling of urgency in the country's overcrowded jail system, which the COVID-19 pandemic has already battered.

According to Rika Aprianti, a spokesperson for the Directorate General of Prisons, the cause of the fire at the Tangerang jail, some 25 miles west of the nation's capital of Jakarta, is still being investigated.However, the Jakarta police believe a short circuit caused it in the prison's electrical system.

Dozens of inmates die following prison fire

On Wednesday morning, a picture of dozens of orange body bags laying on the floor of a hospital was shown on Indonesian national television, bringing the fire's human toll home. The minister of law and human rights, Yasonna Laoly, visited the jail on Wednesday to examine the damage and said he had directed personnel to focus on the facility's evacuation and the recovery of the victims.

BREAKING  A massive fire at a prison in Western Java, Indonesia has killed at least 41 inmates and injured 39 others pic.twitter.com/JH14fbvwRj  Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 8, 2021

According to the police, eight individuals were badly hurt in the fire, while local media stated that more than 70 people were injured in lesser ways. Officials added that all of those slain were detainees. The fire started about 1:45 a.m. in a cell block for narcotics-related inmates, The New York Times reported.

Per RT, local media footage of firemen battling the blaze has gone viral, implying that the fire has spread over a major section of the structure. The fires were eventually limited to one cell block. While the origin of the fire is still being investigated, police spokesperson Yusri Yunus informed local media that a short circuit sparked the inferno in one of the prison's blocks.

Tangerang Prison was built to hold around 1,225 inmates and is located in an industrial region outside of Jakarta. It is mostly used to jail drug offenders. Prior to Wednesday's fire, however, the institution housed more than 2,000 inmates, according to Aprianti, who noted that the C Block was overcrowded with 122 detainees at the time of the disaster. The jail had a capacity of only 600 people, according to official statistics.

Read Also: China Intensifies Entertainment Crackdown, Suspends K-Pop Fan Accounts on Weibo for "Irrational Star-Chasing Behavior"

Jail overcrowding is one of Indonesia's dilemma

Fifteen prison guards protecting the cellblock were unharmed, the spokesman for the Justice Ministry's prisons department confirmed. Laoly promised to take measures to prevent a repeat catastrophe, including repairing power outages in 477 prisons across the huge archipelago nation.

In Indonesia, where overcrowding has become an issue in jails coping with low budgets and high numbers of inmates imprisoned in a war on illegal drugs, jailbreaks, and riots that result in a fire are widespread.

Prisoners enraged by limits on family visits and the early release of 115 other inmates to prevent the spread of the coronavirus set fire to jail on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in April of last year. During a riot earlier in 2020, prisoners set fire to jail in Banda Aceh, although no one was killed as a result of the fires, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Related Article: Russia Continues Battling With Massive Wildfires Across The Central Region





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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been residing in California with their son Archie and daughter Lilibet since they formally stepped down from their royal duties in March 2020. Their time as senior royals in Britain's most renowned family, though, is still being debated.

According to a royal author, something Prince Charles had planned for the future did not sit well with the Duchess of Sussex, who was worried about the implications for her children. It's no secret that when Prince Charles takes the throne, he intends to make many reforms, one of which is his desire to "slim down the monarchy."

Only Prince Charles, his wife, his two sons, and their spouses were to be regarded as senior royals prior to Megxit, Cheat Sheet reported. According to Robert Lacey, an author, and historian for Netflix's The Crown, Meghan Markle was not pleased with Prince Charles' plans.

Meghan Markle expressed disappointment that Archie would not become a prince

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry's wife expressed her disappointment with her son not being granted the title of prince, although she did not elaborate on why he was not given the title. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are scheduled to visit the Queen in the coming months to introduce their baby Lilibet to her great-grandmother.

Per The Sun, the Sussexes have now volunteered to fly the Duchess of Sussex to London to visit Queen Elizabeth II, which will be her first trip to the UK since Megxit. And, according to a source, it's uncertain whether the pair will spend Christmas with the Queen after not doing so for the last two years.

The Sussexes did not attend Christmas last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, instead of spending Christmas with the Royal Family, they spent it in Canada. Furthermore, according to a scathing poll, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's popularity among Brits has plummeted to new lows.

According to a YouGov poll, just 26% of British people "like" Meghan Markle, while 65% detest her. Prince Harry has a net favorability rating of -25 percent, with just 34% of respondents say they like him and 59% say they don't.

Read Also: Britney Spears' Father Finally Files Petition To End Conservatorship; Singer's Lawyer Claims Jamie Tries To Avoid Accountability, Justice

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may return to the UK

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want their daughter to be christened in the United Kingdom with the Queen's presence. The Sussexes' second child, Lilibet Diana, has reportedly made an official request to see the Queen for her to meet her 11th great-grandchild.

Since they stepped down as working royals, Meghan and Harry have had a difficult relationship with the Royal Family. However, Prince Harry claims to remain close to his grandmother and wants his kid to be christened at Windsor.

Lilibet Diana, often known as Lili, is named after Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and her great grandmother's pet name. She was born in a hospital in Santa Barbara, California, in June, but because no date has been chosen, speculation is prevalent that, with travel being an issue, they may opt to do it in the United States.

The Sussexes have yet to reveal even a peek of their daughter's appearance, and the odds of a Windsor homecoming appear to be dwindling as the days pass. Although no official date has been established, speculation is widespread. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the Sussex's son, was baptized in the private chapel at Windsor Castle in front of close relatives and friends in July 2019.

When the service was held, he was only two months old. Because Lilibet is now older than Archie was at the time of his christening, it's obvious that the pair is eager to choose a date, as per MIRROR.

Related Article: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's Return to the UK May Happen Sooner; Couple Makes Shocking Bold Request to Queen Elizabeth

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With efforts to electrify its vehicle lineup, the Japanese automaker Toyota is investing $13.6 billion in battery technology over the next decade. With government and market pressure for electric vehicles, Toyota joined other vehicle manufacturers in the industry as they take a serious step in funding the future of its vehicle lineup.

Toyota Invests Around $13.6 Billion in EV Battery Technology

Toyota announced that it would be investing $13.6 billion in efforts to go all-electric. The investment will predominantly focus on production, $9 billion allocated for such, The Verge said.

By 2025, Japan's largest car company aims to have 10 battery production lines and eventually progress to have 70 production lines around the world. The goal is to produce as much as 200GWh of batteries, according to Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda during the company press briefing.

Executives also mentioned that Toyota expects to slash the cost of batteries by half in the second half of this decade, Auto News reported. The company has already begun test drives of a working prototype of its solid-state batteries last year, part of its previously announced goals.

Toyota announced its electric vehicle strategy earlier this year - a plan to release 70 electric cars globally by 2025, including 15 fully-electric models and hybrids and hydrogen-powered models. By 2030, the company said that it wants to have 80% of its lineup to include a type of battery power.

According to Maeda, the company is "focusing on safety, long service life, and high-level quality" when producing good, low-cost, and high-performance "batteries that its customers can use with peace of mind."

According to Auto News, sales goals for Toyota's electric vehicles include selling 8 million electrified vehicles, including 2 million battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, by the year 2030.

Toyota said that it would spend $13.5 billion developing EV battery tech, while Volkswagen said it may have to spend more to deliver its planned transformation towards autonomous driving https://t.co/LjfGDMfHwz pic.twitter.com/BwdKUOkqmO  Reuters (@Reuters) September 7, 2021

Read Also: 2022 Toyota Tundra Poll Reveals Fans Dream Specs: 360 Camera, Fuel Economy, Improve Tow Rating, and More!

The Age of Electric Vehicles

Toyota joined the many major automobile companies in going electric. While hybrid vehicles are still the predominant engine being offered by companies in the effort to be more electric, more and more automakers are offering all-electric vehicles.

Ford has come out with its all-electric pickup truck, the Ford F-150 Lightning, an EV designed to enhance Ford's customers' lives, Lighting Chief Engineer Linda Zhang said. Its specs and price offer so much functionality beyond being a powerful pickup. It can be a backup power generator as well.

The German company Mercedes-Benz also debuted a fleet of all-electric vehicles recently in its IAA Mobility show. Mercedes has already produced EVs in its EQS lineup, but they are keen to push forward its goal of going all-electric - a plan worth $47 billion.

Currently, Tesla is still the leading electric vehicle company in sales. However, recently, the American EV and clean energy company's CEO Elon Musk admits "production with positive cash flow is extremely hard," in a recent tweet.

Car companies are still finding a balance between continuously being profitable and answering the demands of governments for a cleaner and more sustainable solution for vehicles.

Related Article: Elon Musk Tweets Harsh Reality of Tesla Electric Car Production: It's "Extremely Hard"




Disney+, the flagship streaming service of Walt Disney Co., will land in South Korea on Nov. 12, the company said Wednesday, heating up competition in the local video streaming market.







Walt Disney Company Korea said the highly awaited service will give South Koreans access to the media giant's trove of content from Pixar productions to Marvel and Star Wars franchises.







The service is competitively priced in the country against rivals, with a monthly subscription fee of 9,900 won (US$8.50), compared with Netflix's lowest monthly price of 9,500 won.







The platform will offer original Disney content as well as South Korean productions through its "Star" brand, the company said.







Disney+'s launch has been highly anticipated after the company first announced late last year that it will offer the service in the country.







The nearly 2-year-old streaming service has already racked up 116 million subscribers globally as of July thanks to its plethora of popular content.







Disney, however, will face stiff competition in South Korea's already crowded video streaming market, which is dominated by rival Netflix.







As of June, Netflix had 7.9 million monthly active users in the country, while Wavve, a homegrown streaming platform run by major broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS as well as top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co., logged 3.88 million users, according to data from market tracker Nielsen Koreanclick.







Ahead of Disney+'s launch in the country, Netflix said in February that it would invest $500 million in South Korean content this year.







Wavve has also promised to invest 1 trillion won in content by 2025. (Yonhap)








Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki attends the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, Tuesday. Yonhap
K bank's logo



By Anna J. Park



The corporate value of the country's first internet-only bank, K bank, is rising rapidly  especially in the over-the-counter (OTC) market  on expectations over its initial public offering (IPO), planned for 2023.



After its competitor, KakaoBank, made a successful debut on the benchmark KOSPI last month, with its market cap reaching 35 trillion won ($30 billion) as of Wednesday, K bank's privately-held shares, traded through OTC markets such as Seoul Exchange, saw a huge increase in their value recently.



According to records at Seoul Exchange, K bank's shares are being sold for 32,000 won each, a whopping 77.78 percent jump from previous trading sessions when the price was 14,000 won. At 32,000 won per share, the bank's market cap exceeds 12.2 trillion won.



At the end of August, K bank's OTC share price was around 12,000 won, but this has risen quickly in the past week.



Market watchers believe that increases in KakaoBank's stock price, rising more than 140 percent from the initial allotment price for the IPO, has produced the upward movement in K bank shares.



"With the successful listing of KakaoBank on the KOSPI, interest in K bank is increasing. Given that KakaoBank's price-to-book ratio (PBR) stood at six or seven, and if that figure applies to K bank's corporate value, the latter's expected market cap is around 10.2 trillion won," said Choi Nam-gon, an analyst at Yuanta Securities Korea.



A recent research paper published by Morgan Stanley, which estimated K bank's market cap at 8 trillion won, also worked in favor of the bank's rise in corporate value.



However, some market watchers urge caution, as OTC market stock prices are volatile and market caps tend to be exaggerated compared to actual corporate value due to this volatility.



Others pointed to differences between K bank and KakaoBank, in that the latter has much more direct accessibility to consumers, due to its close ties with the country's largest mobile messenger platform. Increased competition with Toss Bank, the third internet-only bank here, slated to start operations later this month, is another factor that has created concerns over K bank's future success.



However, company officials stress that K bank has its own strengths, including the platform's "openness," which allows proactive partnerships with other business entities, such as major mobile carrier KT and BC Card, both of which are major shareholders in the bank. Its close partnership with the country's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, has also contributed to the bank's popularity among Korea's younger generations.


Financial Supervisory Service Governor Jeong Eun-bo, left, and Woori Financial Group Chairman Son Tae-seung / Yonhap



Civic groups urge watchdog to continue legal battle



By Park Jae-hyuk



Speculation is growing that the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) may abandon its legal battle with Woori Financial Group Chairman Son Tae-seung, as the watchdog is apparently facing multiple difficulties appealing a recent court ruling that ordered it to revoke a heavy sanction it had placed on him.



According to the Financial Services Commission's (FSC) litigation guidelines, the FSS under the supervision of the FSC must make its decision on the appeal and notify the Ministry of Justice of its decision by Aug. 10, seven days after receiving the written judgment from the court.



The FSS received the document on Sept. 3, a week after the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of Son in a lawsuit he had filed to ask the court to order the watchdog to revoke a "reprimand warning" on him regarding his part in Woori Bank's mis-selling of derivative-linked funds (DLFs), which led to massive losses of its customers' investments.



After announcing on the day of the ruling that it would make its decision on the appeal as soon as it finishes reviewing the written judgment, the FSS has reiterated that it is discussing the matter with the FSC and legal experts.



However, the FSC has maintained a negative stance on the heavy sanctions imposed by the FSS on CEOs of financial groups involved in the fund fiasco, and legal experts have expressed skepticism about the likelihood of the higher court overruling the lower court's decision.



FSS Governor Jeong Eun-bo's underscoring of the importance of relying less on "reactive sanctions" is also interpreted as a signal of his intention to resolve the watchdog's conflict with Woori, which was first sparked by his hawkish predecessor, Yoon Suk-heun.



"Our duty as a financial supervisor is supporting financial firms, not regulating them," Jeong said in a speech last month marking his appointment. "The FSS is a supplier of financial supervisory services for the private sector."



Another unfavorable factor for its appeal is that the FSS needs to look for new lawyers, because its legal representatives in the first trial moved last month to law firm Jipyong from HMP Law.



Observers view the fact that the court agreed to the necessity of sanctions against Son, despite its objection to the level of punishment, as a possible reason for the FSS to drop the appeal, because the watchdog can avoid criticism for its previous decision to discipline him.



"Nothing has been decided yet regarding the appeal," an FSS spokesman said. "We will make an announcement as soon as we make our decision."



Those who support the FSS lodging an appeal mention that it has been unprecedented for a state-run institution to accept the decision in the first trial of a controversial lawsuit without any judicial precedent.



In addition, the FSS's decision may affect the ongoing lawsuit with Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Ham Young-joo, who also asked the court to order the watchdog to revoke a heavy sanction it had slapped on him for his responsibility in Hana Bank's mis-selling of DLFs. The ruling on this case is expected to be made in January next year at the earliest.



If the FSS decides not to appeal the ruling involving the Woori chairman, it can be interpreted as it also abandoning the legal battle with the Hana vice chairman.



Against this backdrop, progressive civic groups issued a statement earlier this week to call for the FSS to lodge an appeal to protect financial consumers. Financial lobby groups, on the other hand, urged the financial authorities to enable companies to control their internal affairs autonomously.


Lim Bo-rah, a pastor of the Sumdol Presbyterian Church in Mapo District, Seoul, speaks during a press conference held to announce the launch of "Christians for a World Without Discrimination and Hatred" in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap



By Park Ji-won



Protestants and Catholics joined hands to launch a Christian solidarity network to pass an anti-discrimination bill, amid a backlash from conservative Christians against sexual minorities.



Representatives of up to 32 Christian organizations, such as the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) Human Rights Center, the human rights center of the Social Apostolate of the Society of Jesus Korea and a group of Korean Anglican priests seeking justice, gathered Monday to announce the launch of the organization called "Christians for a World Without Discrimination and Hatred."



In a declaration stating the launch of the organization, it said "Jesus loved those who were hated by others and seen as immoral, sinners, minorities or weak and created a community while eating with them  We support the legislation of the anti-discrimination law as we are Christians." It also urged lawmakers to pass the bill as quickly as possible.



"It is a historic day for Catholic and Protestant churches to join hands to expel discrimination in the church community. The two churches cooperated with each other in the 1970s as missionaries and for human rights. Now, the coalition can create an opportunity to bring the community to oppose discrimination and to love others," Rev. Park Seung-ryul, head of the of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) Human Rights Center, said during the press conference.



Liberal and progressive lawmakers have for years been proposing bills for anti-discrimination laws, which mainly stipulate guarding against discrimination of people based on certain traits  including sexual orientation. The moves have been supported by leftists and some religious groups such as the NCCK and the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. But conservative church groups have maintained opposition against the passage of the anti-discrimination law largely because they believe homosexuality is contrary to the teachings of the Bible according to their interpretation of it.



The organization is planning to work towards the passage of the bill as well as to help religious communities to be more welcoming of minorities, it added.


First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun speaks during a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting at the Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps



Gov't urged not to put the cart before the horse in North Korea policy



By Nam Hyun-woo



The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has come under fire for defending North Korea's suspected resumption of its nuclear development program in Yongbyon after the vice minister stated that it would not be in violation of a series of inter-Korean agreements which contain Pyongyang's promise to abandon such a program.



Cheong Wa Dae also said it agreed with the vice minister's remarks, sparking criticism that the government is pandering to the North for the sake of pursuing President Moon Jae-in's peace initiative.



During a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting Tuesday, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun said he did not think North Korea's suspected restart of a nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, which was reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), would be a violation of the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration between President Moon and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.



"I cannot say whether the report alleging North's nuclear program is correct or not," Choi said.



"Among the inter-Korean agreements in the Panmunjeom Declaration and the Pyongyang Declaration, measures that North Korea made tangibly are still in effect," Choi said, citing the North's shutdown of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and Dongchang-ri missile launch site.



The presidential office agreed with Choi's assessment  a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said: "The office's stance is similar with Choi's view."



The comments came after a recent IAEA report, which said there were indications of the North starting the operation of a radiochemical laboratory, which oversees the reprocessing of nuclear fuels to produce plutonium, at its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon. It added restarting operations of the reactor and the laboratory was "deeply troubling" and a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.



Contrary to the government's interpretation, the Panmunjeom Declaration, which was adopted in April 27, 2018, states: "South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula."



In the Pyongyang Declaration, which was signed five months later, the North expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of its Yongbyon nuclear facility.





North Korea leader Kim Jong-un waves to the crowd during his visit to a Youth Day celebration in Pyongyang in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, Aug. 31. Yonhap
People wait to get coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap



South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases surged to over 2,000 again in a week on Wednesday as authorities step up antivirus efforts and the vaccination drive to curb the pandemic.



The country added 2,050 more COVID-19 cases, including 2,014 local infections, raising the total caseload to 265,423, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).



The latest caseload bounced back to over 2,000 in a week.



It is up from 1,597 on Tuesday, 1,375 on Monday and 1,490 on Sunday, when new cases usually remain lower than other weekdays due to less testing over the weekend.



Daily cases have stayed in the four-digits for the last 64 days amid the fast spread of the more transmissible variants nationwide.



The country added four more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,334.



Health authorities expressed worries about the virus resurgence in the Seoul metropolitan area, which could spread across the nation when people travel during the fall harvest Chuseok holiday, set for Sept. 20-22.



Among the locally transmitted cases, 77.3 percent were from the greater Seoul area, home to half of the nation's population.






gettyimagesbank



This article is the last in a three-part series to highlight growing anti-China sentiment in Korea and the current state of relations between the two countries.  ED



Clive Hamilton shares Australia's lessons from Chinese infiltration, advises South Korea to stand firm against assertive China



By Lee Gyu-lee



In a highly globalized world, cultural, economic and diplomatic interactions between countries are inevitable, especially when a certain country "pays well" with lucrative business opportunities.



But what if doing business with that country requires the counterpart to make considerable concessions in areas regarding key values such as freedom and sovereignty? What if the collision of money and freedom is seen as inevitable as a result of interaction with that country? These are the questions some nations, particularly those in the West, have been grappling with in recent years since they learned that China's rise as the world's second-largest economy has come at the cost of freedom. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has flexed its muscles in every key decision behind the scenes to redirect the global order.



As Australian author Clive Hamilton explains in his best-selling book "Silent Invasion," the CCP has taken multiple approaches to "infiltrate" foreign countries, utilizing party-backed institutions and the Chinese community overseas to spread Beijing's propaganda, lobbying politicians, and making generous donations and investments to get what the country wants.



The West has begun to take actions against this subterfuge.



In the United States, then-President Donald Trump blacklisted China's tech giant Huawei in 2019 and restricted its access to U.S. technologies such as processor chips and Google services, claiming the company was involved in espionage and had ties with the CCP.



Despite being the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei's 5G broadband network equipment was also banned in Australia in 2018 and the United Kingdom in 2020, for reasons of national security.





The partially obscured logo of Chinese tech giant Huawei whose 5G network equipment was banned in several countries. Yonhap



To cut the CCP's influence on U.S. campuses, the U.S passed a bill earlier this year that restricts universities hosting CCP-funded Confucius Institutes from receiving any federal funding, unless they agree to give the host university authority over the institute and provisions to grant academic freedom.



In Australia, which has been one of the biggest targets for China's infiltration tactics, the government imposed wide-ranging laws in 2018 to prevent foreign interference in politics and other domestic affairs. The laws required lobbyists working for foreign governments to publically register themselves and expanded the definition of espionage to include industrial espionage and theft of business trade secrets.



Another bill was passed that year to ban foreign donors from paying for political campaigns targeting Australians.



A string of counter-infiltration measures taken by Western countries has raised a key question for South Korea: Is it safe from infiltration by China?



Considering its past experiences and an ever-growing Chinese population in the country, the answer is maybe not.







Chinese nationals, including ethnic Korean Chinese citizens, represent the lion's share of the foreign population in South Korea. The number of Chinese citizens staying in Korea was on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Data compiled by state-run Statistics Korea showed that the number of Chinese nationals in Korea, including those without visas, was over 894,900 in 2020, roughly 44 percent of all foreign nationals residing in the country.



On South Korean university campuses, Chinese students dominate foreign student numbers, until last year when Vietnamese students took the lead with a slightly higher percentage. According to Statistics Korea, Chinese students accounted for about 76 percent of all foreign students in 2010, but the number slipped little by little to about 40 percent in 2019, then to 34 percent last year.





Professor Clive Hamilton, who is the author of "Silent Invasion" / Courtesy of Clive Hamilton

Based on Australia's experience, Hamilton, who is also a professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University in Canberra, advised South Korea to keep a watchful eye on the Chinese community, noting it is a conduit for the spread of CCP propaganda.



"Beijing weaponizes Chinese students abroad. Universities become afraid of their Chinese students and allow them to undermine academic freedom," he stated in a recent email interview with The Korea Times.



In his book, he delves into several cases where universities in Australia were pressured to avoid teaching anything that defies the CCP's party line and faced a backlash for "upsetting" the Chinese  some even involved Chinese diplomatic officials. He also goes on to explain how the Australian government came to put in place a set of measures to counter China's infiltration.



"After Beijing had spent many years quietly building a network of influence in Australia, around 2018 the Australian government became alarmed and began to put in place measures to protect Australia's democracy and sovereignty," the professor said.



"(The public) were alerted to the problem mainly by media reports concerning donations by Chinese business people to our political parties, and the way certain politicians began kowtowing."









South Korea has experienced its own Chinese student-led collective action that pitted Chinese against locals.





Korean students and civic group members protest near the Chinese Embassy, located in central Seoul, in support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, in this file photo from November 2019. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



During the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement in 2019, tensions between Korean students, supporting the Hong Kong protest, and Chinese students led to scuffles at several universities. Chinese students also vandalized school bulletin boards and banners that were expressing solidarity with the movement, despite Koreans' arguing for freedom of speech.



The clash between South Koreans and Chinese students came nearly a decade after the nation was shocked by Chinese students violently assaulting a Korean human rights activists.



During the 2008 Olympic torch relay in Seoul, hundreds of jeering Chinese, mostly overseas students here, came out on the streets throughout the city and attacked small groups of pro-Tibet protesters who were voicing Tibet's right for independence from China's invasion and annexation of the bordering country.



Amid the conflict, the Chinese Embassy in Korea stepped in to express its regret over what was happening on local university campuses.



Anti-China sentiment has been growing here in recent years as South Koreans, particularly younger people, are infuriated with Chinese propaganda and its attempts at cultural appropriation, claiming to be the origin of traditional Korean clothing, hanbok, and the staple Korean fermented dish kimchi.



South Koreans simmering with discontent toward an assertive China took collective action against Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon's ambitious drive to create a Chinese cultural town in the province.



Gangwon Province's joint project with the CCP's official People's Daily newspaper and led by the local construction company Kolon Global met with an enormous backlash and a petition, which resulted in its shutdown.



"Kolon Global has internally decided to call off the project. We are aware that they are sorting out joint ventures and are waiting for them to officially announce the cancellation," an official for Gangwon Province told The Korea Times.



However, unlike in the West, incidents like Chinese students' collective actions and the scrapping of Gangwon Province's Chinese cultural town project have not resulted in a policy discourse to address or curb China's influence in South Korea.



Economic retaliation



The country's heavy trade reliance on China is most often mentioned as a key factor that keeps Korean politicians silent on delicate matters.






By Lee Hyo-jin



Migrants' rights groups here are demanding the government pay COVID-19 disaster relief money to all foreign residents without discrimination, as a vast majority of them have once again been excluded from the financial support program.





A coalition of migrants' rights groups stage a rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae, July 6, urging the government to provide COVID-19 disaster relief fund to all residents of foreign nationality in Korea. Yonhap
Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae speaks during a meeting with society-related ministers at the Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



The government will expand support measures for people studying or planning to study foreign languages that are not widely learned here but are believed to be important to the country's national interests.



Study programs will be increased in particular for middle and high school students from multiracial families, who live in advantageous conditions to develop bilingual abilities.



The education ministry announced a five-year plan, Wednesday, to improve education in what it calls "special foreign languages," to be applied from 2022 to 2026.



Korea has designated 53 languages that are not widely used around the world but have importance for the country's national development considering diplomatic relations with those countries. There is demand for people speaking such languages here, but not many take it up.



"The previous five-year plan from 2017 to 2021 focused on supporting universities offering majors in those minority languages, such as helping students study the target languages in those countries or offering them scholarships," said Lee Jae-bok, an official of the National Institute for International Education, an affiliated organization of the education ministry.



But starting with the second five-year plan, the government will expand support measures for more social groups, especially for children from multicultural families whose numbers are growing, according to Lee.



He said such children live in advantageous conditions to become bilingual, while it will be beneficial for both the children and the country to enhance their bilingual abilities.



"The majority of children from multicultural families are currently middle and high school students. In this case, each regional education office can contact them directly, so the ministry plans to create a standard curriculum for the languages that the offices can provide to schools for the students to use," Lee said.



Previously, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies and a consortium between Chungwoon University and Dankook University were designated as specialized educational institutions for minority languages, while the government offered support measures for 15 languages  Indonesian, Malaysian, Mongolian, Burmese, Vietnamese, Swedish, Arabic, Uzbek, Farsi, Khmer, Turkish, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian and Hindi.



For the new plan, the government will add five more languages.



It will also develop education programs to cultivate professionals speaking in the designated languages for specialized fields, such as translators of Korean literature and cultural content, and experts in specific regions in the world.






South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed Wednesday to boost exchanges and cooperation in security and defense fields, Seoul's defense ministry said.







The meeting between Vice Minister Park Jae-min and his counterparts from 10 Southeast Asian nations took place via video links on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) which kicked off in the day for a three-day run.







ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.







During the talks, Park introduced the country's New Southern Policy that aims at deepening ties with ASEAN, and vowed continued efforts for peace and stability in the Asian and Pacific regions by further invigorating multilateral cooperative mechanisms, according to the ministry.







"The two sides agreed to further strengthen their cooperation in defense and related industries, as well as in non-security fields," the ministry said.







The vice-ministerial dialogue has been held on an annual basis since being launched in 2017, excluding last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.







This year's SDD brought together senior officials from major countries including the United States, Japan, China and Russia, as well as civilian experts, who will explore ways of cooperation in various security fields such as the global health crisis, and cyber and space threats, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)


Baekgu sits in front of its new house during a ceremony to appoint it as an honorary rescue dog by South Chungcheong Province, Sept. 6. Yonhap



By Hwang Dong-hee



A dog named Baekgu has become Korea's first honorary 119 rescue dog after playing a critical role in the search for a missing elderly woman.



According to the South Chungcheong Provincial Government and emergency officials, the dog was given the title Monday for helping rescue workers find its owner, a 93-year-old dementia patient who fell unconscious in a field, 2 kilometers from her home, Aug. 25.



The woman's daughter, surnamed Shim, filed a missing person report to police after being unable to contact her mother for hours. They checked CCTV footage and saw Kim leave the village at dawn. But despite search efforts with volunteers, they could not find her for nearly two days.



The dog stayed by its owner's side, keeping her warm during the rain. Rescue workers were eventually able to pinpoint her location after detecting the dog's body temperature using a drone with a thermal camera.



At around 3 p.m. on Aug. 26, 40 hours after her disappearance, a small heat signal was detected on the search drone's thermal camera  it was the body temperature of Baekgu.



Rescue workers found the woman at the location and brought her to a nearby hospital immediately. They said the drone could not detect her because her body temperature had dropped and it was raining heavily. She is now recovering after being treated for hypothermia.





Baekgu sits next to Shim, left, in front of its new house during the ceremony for the dog, Sept. 6. Yonhap




The floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Wednesday ratcheted up pressure on the front-running opposition presidential contender over a snowballing political meddling scandal allegedly involving him.







"People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Seok-youl should apologize to the public and put himself up for investigation with sincerity," DP floor leader Rep. Yun Ho-jung said in his parliamentary speech marking the opening of a regular legislative session.







Suspicions have grown that Yoon, who served as prosecutor general from 2019 to March 2021, prodded the main opposition party to lodge criminal complaints against several pro-government figures ahead of the parliamentary elections in April last year, possibly to influence the polls.







Yoon resigned from office in March and joined the main opposition PPP as the front-running conservative presidential contender.







The DP floor leader accused Yoon of "going far beyond just meddling in politics as (a member of) the national prosecution service to engage in illegitimate politics from Seoul's Seocho-dong," he said, referring to the neighborhood where his former office as the top prosecutor is located.







"He used the prosecution's investigative power for private interest and carried out personal revenge. He meddled in national elections through collusion with an opposition party."







Yun also urged the PPP to expel from the party all those who are involved in the scandal, pledging further legislative efforts to reform the prosecution service.







On the economic front, the floor leader underlined the importance of financial support for those hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially small merchants, self-employed people and the culture and art sectors.







He also said the party will introduce a housing policy in which the state will guarantee a housing supply for people to meet their life cycles.







Yun also called on the two Koreas to hold an early meeting of their Red Cross bodies to facilitate regular reunions of families separated by the division of the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)


Members of a consultative body created by the country's two major parties hold its first meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday, to review details of the ruling party's contentious revision bill to penalize publishers of alleged "fake news." Joint Press Corps



By Jung Da-min



A consultative body created by the country's two major parties held its first meeting, Wednesday, to discuss details of the ruling party's contentious revision bill to penalize publishers of alleged "fake news."



The likelihood of the body reaching an agreement, however, appears slim as the participants have clearly different opinions on the issue. Wide speculation is that they will end up with no results and the clash between the parties will resume ahead of the planned National Assembly plenary vote on the bill on Sept. 27.



The eight-member consultative body is comprised of four lawmakers, two each from the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and four media experts, two recommended by each party.



The DPK and the PPP agreed to form the consultative body, Aug. 31, after rounds of discussions over the bill between the parties fell apart. The DPK had initially planned to railroad the legislative process of the bill using its super majority in the National Assembly, but faced strong backlash from opposition parties as well as civic and media organizations here and around the world advocating freedom of expression.



While the two parties agreed to operate the body until Sept. 26, a day before the scheduled plenary session, the eight members of the consultative body are not likely to reach an agreement over the bill by the deadline, considering that the parties put forward members who have been strongly voicing the views of their respective parties.



The two experts representing the PPP side are Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Law School professor Moon Jae-wan and Shin Hee-seok, a legal analyst with the Transitional Justice Working Group, a Seoul-based organization advocating human rights.



Shin sent a letter to the Office of the United National High Commissioner for Human Rights last month to raise issue with the DPK bill. In response, Irene Khan, a U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, delivered an open letter to the South Korean government late last month, in which she said the bill could severely restrict the rights to freedom of information and of expression of the media.



Representing the DPK side are Song Hyun-joo, a media professor at Hallym University who has publicly expressed support for the DPK's bill in his recent columns, and Kim Pil-sung, a lawyer at local law firm Garosu who is known for defending Chung Kyung-sim, wife of scandal-plagued former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, over her document fabrication to help her daughter gain admission to a local medical school.



While the two sides still remain at odds over the bill, discussions are unlikely to yield an agreement by the deadline, and clashes between the parties are expected to resume at the Assembly. The DPK has said it will put the bill to a vote at the Sept. 27 plenary session regardless of the outcome of the discussions, whereas the PPP has said the bill should not be passed if the consultative body fails to reach an agreement.






Yoon Seok-youl, the front-running opposition presidential contender, on Wednesday once again denied allegations that he tried to meddle in politics while he was the chief prosecutor, branding the claims a "political maneuver" intended to overturn his lead in the race.







The suspicion implies that Yoon, who served as prosecutor general from 2019 to March 2021, prodded the main opposition party to lodge criminal complaints against several pro-government figures ahead of the parliamentary elections in April last year, possibly to influence the polls.







Yoon has denied the suspicion since it was first raised by local news outlet Newsverse last week.







The allegations are based on "dubious documents whose source and author are nonexistent," Yoon said during a hastily called press conference at the National Assembly.







"It is such a pity that political maneuver and propaganda such as this should be mobilized every election season," he said.







The reaction came as the snowballing scandal is roiling Yoon's presidential campaign as his party, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is set to kick off a primary race to pick its flag-bearer for the March 9 presidential election.







News reports said a key prosecution official close to Yoon provided the main opposition party with two letters of official complaints to be filed against three pro-government figures and several other journalists just ahead of the April 15 general elections.







Taking issue with the letters in question, Yoon said "anything such as paper or digital documents should be taken as a basis for raising allegations only after their source or author is confirmed."







Yoon added he is willing to join a parliamentary session anytime to subject himself to scrutiny on the issue. (Yonhap)


gettyimagesbank



The heads of South Korea's major conglomerates on Wednesday launched a business council to foster hydrogen as a clean energy source and expand its value chain.



Heads of 10 conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor, SK, POSCO, Lotte and Hanwha, launched Korea H2 Business Summit to encourage corporate investments and expand the hydrogen industry's value chain ranging from production, transport, storage and uses.



The business leaders launched the Korean version of the Hydrogen Council  a global coalition of CEOs committed to expediting the energy transition with hydrogen  as part of industry-wide efforts to cut carbon emissions and capture a growing share of the emerging energy market.



They held the H2 Business Summit on the sideline of the H2 Mobility+Energy Show, which kicked off at KINTEX in Ilsan, just north of Seoul, for a four-day run, with more than 150 companies and research institutions from 12 countries.






By Peter S. Kim





Last week China delivered on its commitment to tackling what it recently called "society's opium" by restricting minors' online gaming time to three hours during weekends and holidays. Many parents worldwide would be tempted to quietly applaud the move from the increasingly authoritarian state if it were not part of a greater clampdown on democracy.



The campaign against China's big tech companies has been going on for months now, and the latest move is carefully packaged to gain the support of the Chinese public. The scrutiny placed on its tech companies seems to be part of a broader "cleansing" of the political and social side effects from decades of economic growth and embracing capitalism.



With the world turning against China and its renewed communist ideals, President Xi Jinping seems to have decided the time is right to sacrifice financial and economic gains for the sake of reestablishing the Communist Party ethos. South Korea is heading in the opposite direction with the scrapping of gaming curfew for minors.



The law was introduced in 2011 to control gaming addiction and banned gamers aged 16 or under from playing online games between midnight and 6 a.m. The government decided to abolish the law, concluding it was ineffective in solving the issue and recognizing its breach of personal freedom. Instead, the focus will shift to raising awareness and treatment for those in need.



Since China's emergence as an industrial superpower, Beijing's climb up the technological learning curve was considered a policy priority of unequaled importance. In hindsight, China's relentless goal of achieving technical prowess was one of the underappreciated factors sparking the US-China trade tensions.



President Xi's "Made in China 2025" turned out to be the tipping point alerting the world that China is not merely content to establish low-end manufacturing sectors. The U.S., in particular, saw China's pursuit of technology as an audacious challenge to its century-old supremacy. While the importance of the tech sector remains a priority for China's leadership, Chinese tech's rapid growth and scale are beginning to threaten the Communist Party's grip on its economy.



Just like China is sacrificing economic benefits from memberships of international organizations by refusing democracy for Hong Kong, Beijing seems ready to slow its advances in the technology sector to avert creating a monster it cannot control.



Attacking the tech sector serves a couple of purposes for China's powerbrokers. First, it sends a strong message to its people that the party is aggressively narrowing the wealth gap between the wealthy and the working class. Of course, this is a political strategy commonly used by Western politicians.



During China's last anti-corruption campaign, the targets were government officials and property tycoons. This time, the tech tycoons like Alibaba's founder Jack Ma brazenly glorifying the power of technology was a step too far. Alibaba's pledge last week to "donate" over $15 billion to the nation is a humble bow to the general public as it is to the Communist Party.



The news about China's state-owned media branding online games as modern age "opium" is an easy shot at the billionaires making riches at the expense of everyday citizens and their children. Second, the rising power of mainland tech companies makes them too big to fight later if left on their current growth path.



Their formidable control over an economy is already on display in developed economies, and COVID-19 has morphed their domination. I believe China is pressing a "reset button" by pre-empting future obstacles which could threaten the communist regime.



For years, investors have assumed that jeopardizing the tech sector will come at an unacceptable cost, even for the diehard communist party members. However, for the coming years, we should expect China to engage in an extended period of prioritizing its political agenda over economic ones.



Over the past few decades, we have seen China offer irresistible financial incentives for foreign firms to bring their investments onto the mainland and share their latest technology with local companies. However, the financial incentives dissipate visibly once the locals have acquired the necessary technology.



South Korean companies were one of the first to gain a first-hand experience of this with their rush to set up a manufacturing base in China. Many Korean companies are now diversifying their focus elsewhere, with state-backed incentives fading and labor costs rising. Countries like Vietnam and India are taking their place, but the transition is slow and costly for Korea Inc.



There is a silver lining for Korean industries from China's pivot away from the scrutiny of its national champions. With China pausing its pursuit up the technology value chain, other technology companies worldwide have a chance to forge ahead.



For years, China's state-backed companies chased Korea's traditional industries with vigor, much like Korean companies did to their Japanese counterparts from the 1980s. China's state-backed entry into steel, chemicals, and automobiles had already placed Korean companies on the back foot.



Even high-tech industries such as semiconductors have come under fire from Chinese competition in recent years. China's scrutiny of its tech giants provides an unexpected opportunity for Korean companies to move ahead on innovation and slow the rapidly narrowing gap.



August's export figures indicate strong growth led by new industries such as semiconductors, biotech, and electric vehicle batteries. With China looking to brace for President Xi's version of the "long march," Korea's pursuit of high-tech industries could receive unexpected help from its neighbor.





Peter S. Kim (peter.kim@kbfg.com) is a managing director at KB Financial Group.


Heads of major conglomerates attend the?launch of the H2 Business Summit, aimed at enhancing cooperation in the hydrogen sector, at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. From left are Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, POSCO Group Chairman Choi Jeong-woo and Hanwha Group President Kim Dong-kwan. Yonhap



By Kim Hyun-bin



Major conglomerates agreed Wednesday to cooperate in developing a nationwide hydrogen ecosystem, during the H2 Mobility + Energy Show held at the KINTEX, in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. They also held the Korea H2 Business Summit on the sidelines of the event, aimed at fostering this cooperation and working with the government to come up with policies to support the development of the local hydrogen industry.



A "hydrogen committee" created at the summit will be in charge of helping local firms enter the global hydrogen market, strengthening cooperation between member companies in the sector, hosting global events to attract foreign investment and jointly signing partnerships with foreign hydrogen technology firms.



The?H2 Business Summit was participated in by 15 conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor Group, SK, POSCO, Lotte Group, Hanwha and Hyosung with the firms laying the foundation for the committee.



Prior to this, they had promised to invest a combined 43.4 trillion won by 2030 to establish facilities for hydrogen production, distribution, storage and utilization.



"We are late comers in establishing a balanced hydrogen industry ecosystem compared to advanced countries. We are capable and have confidence as local conglomerates have global competitiveness in all industrial sectors," Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun said.



"We hope the Korea?H2 Business Summit will not only boost individual companies' competitiveness, but also get policymakers and the financial sector to move as one to complete a hydrogen industry ecosystem for the development of the local hydrogen economy."



POSCO Group Chairman Choi Jeong-woo emphasized the importance of the private sector coming together to energize the "hydrogen economy," vowing that his company will take a leading role in the country's carbon neutrality efforts.



"Steel emits the lowest amount of CO2 compared to other metal materials, but the production capacity is overwhelmingly higher than other industries inevitably emitting larger amounts of CO2 annually," Choi said. "As part of POSCO's efforts to lead the country's carbon neutrality goals, we will commercialize the use of hydrogen to reduce iron ore in the manufacturing process" without melting it, thereby emitting less CO2."







From left, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and Hyosung Group Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang are briefed about a trailer drone showcased at the H2 Mobility + Energy Show at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Yonhap
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks during a press conference in Kabul, Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap





Haibatullah Akhundzada / AFP-Yonhap

The Taliban announced their government on Tuesday, with a U.N.-blacklisted veteran of the hardline movement in the top role, weeks after they swept to power and toppled the U.S.-backed president.

But as the Taliban transitions from militant force to governing power of Afghanistan, security officials grappled with a growing number of protests against its rule, with two people shot dead in the western city of Herat.



Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund  a senior minister during the Taliban's brutal and repressive reign in the 1990s  was appointed acting prime minister, a spokesman said at a press conference in Kabul.



The Taliban had promised an inclusive government that would reflect the ethnic makeup of the country, but all the top positions were handed to key leaders from the movement and the Haqqani network  the most violent branch of the Taliban known for devastating attacks.



None of the government appointees were women.



"We will try to take people from other parts of the country," spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said, adding that it was an interim government.



Shortly after the new lineup was revealed, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the secretive supreme leader of the Taliban who has never been seen in public, released a statement saying that the new government would "work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and sharia law".



"The new Taliban, same as the old Taliban," tweeted Bill Roggio, managing editor of the U.S.-based Long War Journal.



Mullah Yaqoob, the son of the Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar, was named defense minister, while the position of interior minister was given to Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network.



Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar, who oversaw the signing of the U.S. withdrawal agreement, will be a deputy to Hassan.



"It's not at all inclusive, and that's no surprise whatsoever," said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.



"The Taliban had never indicated that any of its cabinet ministers would include anyone other than themselves."





Afghan women hold placards as they take part in a protest in Herat, Sept. 2. Defiant Afghan women held a rare protest saying they were willing to accept the all-encompassing burqa if their daughters could still go to school under Taliban rule. AFP-Yonhap



'No rush' to recognize Taliban



Following their 20-year insurgency, the Taliban now face the colossal task of ruling Afghanistan, which is wracked with economic woes and security challenges  including from the Islamic State group's local chapter.



A growing number of protests have emerged across the country over the past week, with many Afghans fearful of a repeat of the Taliban's previous brutal and oppressive reign.



Hundreds gathered at several rallies in Kabul on Tuesday  a show of defiance unthinkable under the last regime  where Taliban guards fired shots to disperse the crowds.



In Herat, hundreds of demonstrators marched, unfurling banners and waving the Afghan flag  a black, red and green vertical tricolor with the national emblem overlaid in white  with some chanting "freedom".



Later, two bodies were brought to the city's central hospital from the site of the protest, a doctor in Herat told AFP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.



"They all have bullet wounds," he said.



Demonstrations have also been held in smaller cities in recent days, where women have demanded to be part of a new government.



The Kabul-based Afghan Independent Journalists Association said 14 journalists  Afghan and foreign  were detained briefly during the protests in Kabul before being released.



The Taliban spokesman late Tuesday warned the public against taking to the streets.



"Until all the government offices have opened, and the laws for protests have been explained, no one should protest," Mujahid said.



The group  which executed people in stadiums and chopped the hands of thieves in the 1990s  has previously said it would not stand for any resistance against its rule.



Washington, which has said it is in "no rush" to recognize the new government, expressed concern Tuesday about members of the government but said it would judge it by its actions.



"We note the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates and no women. We also are concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of the individuals," a State Department spokesperson said.



"We understand that the Taliban has presented this as a caretaker cabinet.



However, we will judge the Taliban by its actions, not words."



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a visit to Qatar, said that the Taliban were honoring promises to allow Afghans to freely depart Afghanistan so long as they had travel documents.



U.S. President Joe Biden has faced mounting pressure amid reports that several hundred people, including Americans, have been prevented for a week from flying out of an airport in northern Afghanistan.





In this Aug. 15 file photo, Taliban fighters take control of Afghan presidential palace in Kabul. AP-Yonhap
Religious conservatives pray outside the Supreme Court of Justice in Mexico City, Sept. 6. Conservative Mexican groups protest with prayers in front of the Supreme Court, which is debating a historic project that considers the criminalization of abortion in the first stage of pregnancy unconstitutional. EPA-Yonhap



Mexico's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it is unconstitutional to punish abortion, unanimously annulling several provisions of a law from Coahuila  a state on the Texas border  that had made abortion a criminal act.



The decision will immediately affect only the northern border state, but it establishes a historic precedent and ''obligatory criteria for all of the country's judges,'' compelling them to act the same way in similar cases, said court President Arturo Zaldivar. ''From now on you will not be able to, without violating the court's criteria and the constitution, charge any woman who aborts under the circumstances this court has ruled as valid.''



Those circumstances will be clarified when the decision is published, but everything points to that referring to abortions carried out within the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy, the period allowed in the four states where abortion is already legal.



The decision comes one week after a Texas law took effect prohibiting abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity in the fetus. It allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who ''aids or abets'' a woman getting the procedure.



Only four Mexican states  Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Hidalgo  now allow abortion in most circumstances. The other 28 states penalize abortion with some exceptions.



Lawyer and activist Veronica Cruz, director of the collective ''Las Libres,'' or ''The Free,'' said the decision ''tears down barriers'' by sending the message that women cannot be charged for abortions.



There are currently no women imprisoned for abortions in Mexico, but there are some 4,600 open investigations for it, said Cruz, whose organization freed the last women who had been in prison for it.



Cruz believes the feminist movement will have to maintain pressure on state legislatures to change their laws, because as long as they exist someone will be trying to punish a woman.



''In Mexico, we don't have any chance of legalizing nor decriminalizing in one go. It has to be state by state,'' Cruz said. That is why activists have been working in one coordinated strategy to force change region by region, he said, to corner the politicians so that ''there's no way not to legislate'' because it would be ''politically incorrect to not eliminate the crime of abortion.''





In this Sept. 28, 2020, file photo, women and feminist group members protest against the criminalization of abortion in Guadalajara, Mexico. EPA-Yonhap
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, center, plays Connect 4 with resident Janet, left, with carer Lakshmi at right, during a visit to Westport Care Home in Stepney Green, east London, Sept. 7, ahead of unveiling his plan to fix the broken social care system. AP-Yonhap



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans on Tuesday to raise taxes on workers, employers and some investors to try to fix a health and social care funding crisis, angering some in his governing party by breaking election promises.



After spending huge amounts of money to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson is returning to an election pledge to address Britain's creaking social care system, where costs are projected to double as the population ages over the next two decades.



He also moved to try to tackle a backlog in Britain's health system, which has seen millions waiting months for treatment from the state-run National Health Service, after resources were refocused to deal with COVID-19.



"It would be wrong for me to say that we can pay for this recovery without taking the difficult but responsible decisions about how we finance it," Johnson told parliament.



"It would be irresponsible to meet the costs from higher borrowing and higher debt," he said, outlining increases that broke a promise made in his Conservative Party's 2019 manifesto not to raise such levies to fund social care.



British politicians have tried for years to find a way to pay for social care, though successive Conservative and Labor prime ministers have ducked the issue because they feared it would anger voters and their own parties.





A video grab from footage broadcast by the U.K. Parliamentary Recording Unit shows Britain's Prime Minister Johnson making a statement on health and social care in the House of Commons in London, Sept. 7. AFP-Yonhap



Ignoring disquiet in his party, Johnson outlined what he described as a new health and social care levy that will see the rate of National Insurance payroll taxes paid by both workers and employers rise by 1.25 percentage points, with the same increase also applied to the tax on shareholder dividends.



He said the increases would raise 36 billion pounds ($50 billion) over three years.



Finance minister Rishi Sunak later underlined there was no going back on the state's enlarged role in social care. "This is a permanent new role for the government, and as such we need a permanent new way to fund it," he told a news conference.



The pound fell against the euro and dollar after the announcement, which the Institute for Fiscal Studies said would increase Britain's tax burden to 35 percent of GDP  a peacetime record.



Johnson has tried to cool anger at the hikes within his own party, which for decades has positioned itself as a defender of low taxes. Some lawmakers fear the rises could lose them support at an election due in 2024.



Johnson later said he did not want any further tax rises, but declined to rule them out entirely when asked.





Britain's Prime Minister Johnson takes part in an activity during a visit to Westport Care Home in Stepney Green, east London, Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap
On 7 September, the anniversary of Brazils Independence Day, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets to express their support for the embattled President, who himself made an appearance at the two largest rallies in Brasilia and Sao Paulo.

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On 7 September over 1,000 people staged protests in El Salvadors capital, San Salvador, against a new law implementing the cryptocurrency bitcoin as legal tender alongside the US dollar, the countrys official currency.

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Customer Analytics - UI Engineer Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Marketing Summary

Posted: Aug 27, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200214358 Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new 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. The Product Marketing Customer Analytics team is seeking a UI engineer to support customer analytics with advanced, scalable and robust architecture, tools, and data products. We looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated engineer with front end and design experience, who can build full-stack web applications and data analysis pipelines to enhance the way we visualize and interact with our data. Ideal candidate will have a high attention to detail, and can abstract these details into framework level software solutions. Key Qualifications 5+ years of JavaScript experience, including concepts like asynchronous programming, closures, types, and ES6

5+ years of programming experience using JavaScript frameworks like React,Redux, NodeJs, HTML,CSS,REST, Web Services

4+ years of experience with Java

3+ years of experience in agile ways of working in a distributed geographical model

2+ years of experience in designing, prototyping and implementing user interfaces (UIs) Description Technical Experience in Spring, Rest WebServices Experience with CSS pre-processing frameworks (Sass or Less) Experience in designing, developing, and managing highly optimized, flexible, and scalable data insights, interaction and analytical tools for customer analytics. Experience building a low latency platform (highly distributed, scalable with high availability) Deep experience in developing custom UI frameworks and developing robust, low latency and fault tolerant applications dealing with very high volumes. Work closely with data analyst, project managers, and back-end engineers to implement versatile front-end solutions. Explore product concepts to find promising directions that address both human and business needs. Architect efficient and reusable front-end systems that drive complex web applications Deliver innovative, engaging prototypes using the latest in front-end technologies. Problem Solving Structured thinking with ability to easily break down ambiguous problems and propose impactful data modeling designs. Communication Strong documentation and technical writing skills. Attention to detail and effective verbal/written communication skills. Environment / Culture Can work effectively on sometimes ambiguous data and constructs within a fast changing environment, tight deadlines and priority changes. Education & Experience Prefer: BS/MS in Computer Science, Quantitative Finance, Math, Physics or a related field


Let your passion for people be the driver of your success at Sodexo. Through your leadership, your team will make a real impact every day.

Sodexo is seeking a Food Operations Manager 2 for it's operations at St. Camillus, in Syracuse, NY. Since our founding in 1969, St. Camillus' mission has been to provide high-quality services and facilities emphasizing the rehabilitation of individuals to their maximum potential.

The successful candidate will:

be responsible for purchasing, menu compliance, inventory, food cost analysis and food production;

ensure Sodexo Culinary standards including recipe compliance and food quality are implemented;

oversee the hiring process as well as mentoring and training new hires;

have the ability and willingness to develop and motivate team members to embrace culinary innovations;

responsible for day to day production and staffing;

ensure food safety, sanitation and workplace safety standard compliance

Is this opportunity right for you? We are looking for candidates who:

have a work history demonstrating strong employee engagement leadership skills, as well as previous management experience and the ability to work collaboratively;

have culinary production experience and a strong background in safety and sanitation compliance;

can manage multiple priorities, demonstrate professional communication skills, and a passion for a high level of customer service.

Learn more about St. Camillus

At Sodexo, we believe every employee should have the resources to be their best. As part of our overall rewards, we offer benefits programs designed to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle including health, dental and vision insurance. We also offer other benefits like paid time off, financial and savings programs, 401k, and access to our employee assistance program and other discounts. Click here for more information about Sodexo's Benefits

Not the job for you?

We offer Food Service Management positions in a variety of business segments, including Corporate, Schools, Universities, Government and Agencies, Healthcare, Senior Living and Sports and Leisure locations across the United States. Continue your search for Food Service Management jobs.



Working for Sodexo:

At Sodexo, you will find the ingredients for a great career in food service management. With benefits including schedules that encourage work-life balance and continuing education opportunities, you'll enjoy an improved quality of life that's unique in the hospitality industry.


IT-System Analyst (Morrisville, NC): Work on end-to-end IT delivery of enterprise solutions, contributing in each phase of the software development lifecycle embedded with Agile methodology. Collaborate with business domain specialists & project teams to understand relevant business processes & the nature of technology requirements. Design efficient IT systems to meet business & technological needs. Perform data analysis using SQL to support the validation of business requirements & prototyping of functional solutions. Deconstruct existing functions of the current, legacy processing platform in Mainframe & define the approach for development, upgrade, & maintenance of strategic applications in Java & .NET. Develop custom reports & dashboards in Tableau & Microsoft Business Intelligence tool for management reporting that effectively communicate trends, patterns, & predictions using relevant data. Source data from multiple systems into the Data Lake or Amazon Web Services cloud to support data analytics for dynamic reporting. Design workflows in SharePoint, JIRA Odyssey, & Atlas to create custom notifications using HTML. Partner with programmers, engineers, & organizational leaders to identify opportunities for process improvements & recommend system modifications to reduce technical debt. Reqs Masters degr plus 1 yr exp. Please forward your resume to Credit Suisse, P.O. Box AL109CSNC, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1016, New York, NY 10020. No phone calls.

recblid 9fdvlegcqw29uab1hxpoy71mtiyxhg








IT Systems Administrator About Tulsa Community College

Tulsa Community College is committed to creating equitable and inclusive work environments to support the success of the full range of our employees.



We believe that employees who feel valued and respected will create policies, programs, practices and services to effectively meet the needs and exceed the expectations of our increasingly diverse student populations.



We encourage candidates to apply who have demonstrated capacity to create inclusive work environments, to work effectively on increasingly diverse teams, and to serve the increasingly diverse college community.



We are committed to hiring and retaining a racially diverse, culturally competent staff at all levels of the organization who not only reflect the demographics of our students, but also continue to deepen their skills and competencies to serve the full range of our community.



Job Summary:

Provide support for mission critical enterprise and departmental systems for IT. Perform day-to-day maintenance and repairs including, but not limited to, upgrades, server installation, and diagnosing/resolving problems in a timely manner. Administration of Linux and Microsoft Windows servers in a virtualized environment. Responsible for backup and recovery of systems, server security, and network configuration. Management of SQL Server environment and administration for internal websites.

Campus: Metro

Classification: Staff

Position Type: Full-time

Curricular:

If Faculty, Contract Length:

Job Code Number: 3553F-8-22

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems or appropriate field of study. Degree requirement may be substituted with equivalent work experience.



Appropriate Microsoft, Linux, or VMWare certifications.



Require demonstrated working experience in MS Windows & Linux Server environments, virtualized server environments preferably in VMware, basic storage experience (SAN, NAS), server security, backup & recovery and network configuration.



Excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.



Initiative to maintain current knowledge and skills related to information technology.



Attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications:

Starting Salary Range: $46,188 - $52,972

Work Schedule:

Monday  Friday 8-5

On call 24/7

Posting Date: 08/23/2021

Closing Date:

Open Until Filled: Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Advertised Department: Information Services

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Chief Flight Instructor About Tulsa Community College

Tulsa Community College is committed to creating equitable and inclusive work environments to support the success of the full range of our employees.



We believe that employees who feel valued and respected will create policies, programs, practices and services to effectively meet the needs and exceed the expectations of our increasingly diverse student populations.



We encourage candidates to apply who have demonstrated capacity to create inclusive work environments, to work effectively on increasingly diverse teams, and to serve the increasingly diverse college community.



We are committed to hiring and retaining a racially diverse, culturally competent staff at all levels of the organization who not only reflect the demographics of our students, but also continue to deepen their skills and competencies to serve the full range of our community.

Job Summary:

Under CFR 141.85, bear the responsibility to certify each student's training record, graduation certificate, stage checks, end-of-course test reports, and recommendation for course completion. Ensure that certificated flight instructors, certificated ground instructors, or commercial pilots (with a lighter-than-air rating) pass an initial proficiency check and assess a recurrent proficiency check every 12 calendar months. Assure that FAA approved curriculum, training techniques, procedures, and standards are met, reviewed, and modified when needed.

Campus: Northeast

Classification: Administrative

Position Type: Full-time

Curricular: Aviation

If Faculty, Contract Length:

Job Code Number: 4514F-7-22

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in an Aviation related field.



Flight training civilian and/or military of 3 years and 1000 hours or 1500 hours dual given.



2000 flight hours PIC (pilot in command).



2 years as an Instrument Instructor and 250 hours instrument dual given or 400 hours instrument dual given.



100 hours of actual or simulated instrument time.



Ability to fly FAA flight evaluations in outdoor conditions from subfreezing wind-chill to heat indices up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Must be able to fly in daily Oklahoma weather conditions.



Ability to hold an FAA Class 3 medical certificate.



Ability to be on call outside of typical working hours, including weekends, early mornings, and late nights.



FAA Commercial Rating, FAA Instrument Rating, FAA Multi Engine Rating, FAA Class 3 Medical, FAA Certified Flight Instructor Rating (CFI), FAA Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating (CFII), FAA Certified Flight Instructor Multi-engine Rating (MEI), and a valid State issued Driver License. Preferred Qualifications:

Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (ATP).

Starting Salary Range: $57,452 - $66,250

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm and on-call beyond regular work hours to include weekends, early mornings, late nights as needed.

Posting Date: 07/06/2021

Closing Date:

Open Until Filled: Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Please see Special Instructions for more details.



This is a Safety Sensitive position pursuant to Oklahoma Statute OKLA. STAT. tit. 63,  427.8 (2020).

Advertised Department: School of Science and Mathematics

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Operations Business Coordinator, Marcom Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Marketing Summary

Posted: Sep 7, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200284099 Marcom is Apple's Global Marketing Communications group. We oversee all of Apple's advertising and marketing to ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class customer experiences. The Operations Business Coordinator provides administrative support for all aspects of the vendor (freelancers & staff augmentation agencies) budget process across Marcom. This role reports into The Operations Business Management lead. Key Qualifications Deep understanding of MS Office and Mac OS tools - specifically Excel pivot tables

Experience with digital accounting / project management tools preferred

3-5 years relevant experience Description Provides day-to-day support for team budgets Maintain budget trackers and forecast documentation Receive bi-weekly burn report documents from agencies, incorporate into master budget trackers. Flagging risks and opportunities to Operations Business Manager team as needed. Developing Purchase Requisitions and submitting for approvals. Ingesting estimates, invoices, and accruals from agencies. Checking for accuracy and submitting for approvals. Maintain master rate card documents Partner with Finance budget coordinators to ensure timely submissions and approvals. Provide documentation and support to Operations Business Manager and senior stakeholders as needed. Administrative expert in regards to budgeting process. Documenting all aspects of budget tracking, forecasting and burn reports, rate benchmarks, and roles. Developing process changes to enable budget tracking moving offline to online. Analysis of burn reports/project actuals. Education & Experience Bachelors degree preferred


Stock Market News

UK Market Close - FTSE 100 trims losses; airlines fly over plans to end UK traffic light system for international travel 08-09-2021 02:57



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 87F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Under pressure from the big landlords, the Supreme Court has nullified an extended moratorium on evictions, implemented in the interest of slowing the spread of COVID. Some seven million Americans are behind on rent and millions of working-class families now face a tsunami of evictions. What does all of this mean for the longstanding crisis of housing in the richest country on earth?

The institution of American homeownership played an essential role in tethering millions of workers to capitalism during the post-World War II economic expansion. This was particularly true in the case of higher-income wage earners and veterans who benefited from the G.I. Bill of Rights. With relatively affordable prices and government subsidies specifically offered to white workers, millions of renters became new homeowners, attaining some level of net worth for the first time.

Under pressure from the big landlords, the Supreme Court nullified an extended moratorium on evictions / Image: Kjetil Ree, Wikimedia Commons

Small-scale landlordism became a common aspiration for workers with secure enough incomes to save for multiple down payments, allowing some to leave the ranks of the working class entirely. But the position of this layer of the American middle classrooted in the ownership of residential propertywas always precarious, and has unraveled as the crisis of the system deepens.

Today, as the cost of housing in the United States rises at the fastest rate in 30 years, a colossal concentration in housing is underway, accelerated by the pandemic-triggered economic collapse of 2020. Housing is now unaffordable for tens of millions of US workers, and homeownership is all but a luxury good in most parts of the country. Large financial firms are eating up increasing amounts of the housing stock, driving prices to new levels. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, limited housing supply, low rates, a global reach for yield, and what were calling the institutionalization of real-estate investors has set the stage for another speculative investor-driven home price bubble.

The American capitalists are cheering this on, with Bloomberg arguing that America Should Become a Nation of Renters, praising what they call the liquefaction of the US housing market. This liquefaction is forcing new numbers of workers to rent, at a time when rental profits are increasingly captured by investorsthe big bourgeoisie and the financial firms that manage their assets.

Acquisitions of foreclosed homes by large investors first accelerated soon after the Great Recession. Initially, the crisis increased the number of small landlords. A study of US landlords in 2016 found a significant rise in the number of taxpayers reporting rental income after the 2008 crisis, when many folks took advantage of the glut of foreclosed single-family properties being sold at low values. This allowed many of these new landlords to receive passive income throughout the tepid recovery, while dispossessed homeowners had their housing payments funneled into the pockets of their landlords as rent. This process served to dislodge single family homes from the single families that had once owned them. However, once these homes were thrown into the rental arena, market forces took effect, consolidating properties in the hands of larger and larger owners, separating a segment of those new small landlords from the passive income they had recently captured.

In July of this year, the Journal of Urban History published a rigorous academic study by Brett Christophers analyzing the economic factors at play in the resulting consolidation. Soon after the 2008 crisis, major investment firms began acquiring large blocks of homes at foreclosure auctions; in October 2012, investment interests consumed an estimated 20% of all home purchases. By the end of this period, a small number of large investors, led by the Blackstone Group, controlled tens of thousands of properties each in metro areas across the country.

The consolidation was aided by efficiencies of scale at several points. The foreclosure wave put large quantities of similar properties up for sale at the same time, allowing them to be purchased in blocks, using concentrated cash reserves acquired from previous decades of monopoly activity. The geographic concentration of these units then allowed these large firms to exert a monopolistic power on local rents, driving up the value of their properties and powering even more purchases.

After the Obama-Trump recovery consolidated institutional investors as the new landlords for a massive segment of renters, the 2020 economic crisis intervened again to concentrate the market even further. With the largest disruption to employment in history, the ability for many workers to pay rent effectively collapsed overnight. While the limited government response offered significant support for landlords, many small landlords still dipped into savings and sold properties in response to their disappeared rental income.

After the 2008 crisis, landlords took advantage of the glut of foreclosed single-family homes being sold at low values. Now homeownership is all but a luxury good for most workers / Image: phlcouncil.com

On the other hand, the survival of the institutional landlords was never really in question. The stimulus support simply subsidized their acquisition of even more market share. Housing everywhere is sliding into the hands of those with extra cash, and as the crisis deepens, the threshold for enough cash gets higher and higher, primarily benefiting the same monopolists who have capitalized on every other element of the ongoing economic crisis. The Supreme Court decision to overturn the eviction moratorium will likely accelerate this process. While there is no auxiliary army of renters available to immediately take over these leases, a new wave of evictions will allow small landlords to unload even more properties to the large real estate interests who have been waiting for this development. Without a revolutionary change, the next wave of crisis is likely to be even worse.

There are advantages to increased concentration and coordination of housing. As just one example, the struggle to mitigate climate change will require huge, coordinated shifts in living patterns that will benefit from centralized planning and execution. But capitalism isnt structured to do this in a healthy and sustainable way. The ongoing consolidation of housing promises only to destabilize the living conditions for millions of workers while injecting new fungible assets into the market.

Quality, affordable housing should be a right for everyone, yet this is impossible in a system based on profit making and economic concentration. Instead of foreclosures driving new rounds of private concentration, the IMT calls for the nationalization of foreclosed and vacant homes, to be allocated to those in need, as part of a voluntary socialized plan for housing, operated under democratic public control. In the final analysis, only the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a socialist workers government can resolve the housing crisis in the interests of the majority.

Originally published 27 August at socialistrevolution.org |
The African Development Bank returns as a top-tier partner of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF)  Africas largest agriculture conference  to be held in a hybrid format 6-10 September 2021.

The Bank has earmarked $100,000 to support this years annual AGRF, which will be headlined by African Heads of State and Government, and will bring together delegates from governments, civil society, the private sector and research communities. The Government of Kenya and the AGRF Partners Group are hosting AGRF 2021, organized under the theme, Pathways to Recovery and Resilient Food System.

As Covid-19 continues to cause disruptions across Africa, we must prioritize policy and facility support that focuses on rebuilding infrastructures that foster the production, processing and availability of more  and more nutritious  food to feed Africa. AGRF is the platform to move these policy conversations forward, addressing every facet of the continents food system, said Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, African Development Bank.

Vice President Dunford leads the Banks digital delegation to AGRF, including; Atsuko Toda, Director for Agricultural Finance and Rural Development; Martin Fregene, Director for Agriculture and Agro-industry; Edson Mpyisi, Chief Financial Economist and Coordinator of the Banks Enable Youth program; Olukemi Afun-Ogidan, Digital Agriculture Flagship Coordinator; Grace Vuhya Obeda, Principal Youth Employment Officer; Hafou Toure from the Banks Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department; and Bank Principal IT Solutions Architect Thierno Diarra.

The delegation will take part in more than a dozen AGRF 2021 sessions or pre-summit side events.

Dunford will deliver remarks during the launch of the Africa Agriculture Status report on Tuesday, 7 September, from 14:00 East Africa Time (EAT). The session focuses on unpacking the concept of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems. Dunford will be a panelist in the AGRF parallel workshop addressing Building Strong Food Systems through Inclusive Data on 10 September at 11:00 EAT. She will present at the Walking the Path: Commitments Framework session later on Friday, from 14:00 EAT.

Director Toda will speak to the Banks Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative during AGRFs Rural and Market Development parallel workshop on 8 September at 11:00 EAT. Toda also took part in three pre-AGRF side events on 6 September: as a panelist for the session Unlocking African Public Development Banks Catalytic Role as well as the session Unlocking AfCFTA Trade Opportunities for SMEs. She also spoke during the Writing the Blueprint for Rice Self-Sufficiency in Africa panel.

Agriculture and Agro-industry Director Fregene headlined three AGRF pre-summit sessions, talking about the Banks Technologies for African Agricultural Technologies (TAAT) flagship initiative at the TAAT Africa-organized side event on 6 September, then segued into a second session about the Banks Livestock Investment Masterplan, organized during the same period by the Bank and the International Livestock Research Center. At 16:00 EAT on Monday, Fregene was the keynote speaker about Rehabilitating Acid Soils for Food Security in Africa. On 9 September, he serves as a panelist at the Sustainable Productivity Platform (NET ZERO) parallel workshop from 11:00 EAT.

Bank Chief Financial Economist and ENABLE Youth Coordinator Edson Mpyisi is a panelist at AGRFs Generation Africa parallel workshop on 10 September from 11:00 EAT. Generation Africa brings together young entrepreneurs, innovators, movers and shakers in Africas agri-food sector.

Olukemi Afun-Ogidan lends her experience as the Banks Digital Agriculture Flagship Coordinator at AGRFs AgTech and Digitalization parallel workshop, which will focus on ways to increase the innovation sustainability of digital solutions for African agriculture. The workshop starts online at 11:00 EAT on 10 September.

Bank Principal Youth Employment Officer Grace Vuhya Obeda and Hafou Toure, representing Agricultural Finance and Rural Development, are judges for the Summits Pitch AgriHack Competition this year. Bank Principal IT Solutions Architect Thierno Diarra serves as a judge with the AGRF GoGettaz competition.

The Banks participation at AGRF 2021 is part of ongoing efforts to help align Africas voice into commitments to be made at the United Nations Food Systems Summit later this year.
Mahen Seeruttun a pris la parole le 7 septembre 2021 a la FSC House en seconde partie du 7 septembre 2021 lors de la ceremonie de la National Insurance Claims Database a Maurice.

I am very pleased to address this distinguished audience for this awareness event on the introduction of a National Insurance Claims Database.

We have the honour of welcoming virtually distinguished personalities from regulatory bodies across Africa, Middle East and Asia.

Your presence today bears testimony to the relevance of this project across continents.

This event reflects our common vision to create a progressive and dynamic insurance industry in Mauritius, an industry in which all of us have an important role to play in service to the nation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

When we took the helm of this Government, we billed ourselves as a Government of change, a Caring Government, a Government which will deliver on its promises.

Our Government Programme 2020-2024 spells out our agenda for a peaceful, safe and secure Mauritius. Numerous initiatives have been introduced, some of which launched by the Honourable Prime Minister himself such as Ensam Pa Laisse Koltar Touy Nou Fami.

Among our list of priorities, we are very much concerned about motor insurance.

Since it is mandatory for drivers to purchase motor insurance, it goes without saying that there is a corresponding responsibility on Government to create such a marketplace that offers fair and reasonably priced policies to the people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Motor insurance serves such a vital social purpose.

It is most probably the single class of general insurance business that generates the most interest in the population. Lets look at some metrics:

(i) At the end of June 2021, the number of vehicles registered at the National Land Transport Authority stood at 610,658.

(ii) We have probably one of the most concentrated vehicle density in the world  200 vehicles per square kilometre!

And the more vehicles we have, the higher the risk of accidents particularly with more and more high-performance engines on our roads.

(iii) The first semester of 2021 has been a bumpy ride with 12,488 road accidents.

(iv) And, from January to June this year, we mourned over 50 fatalities.

The social cost is enormous.

Pain, suffering, traumas, disabilities and fatalities hitting both the young and old.

There are too many of our countrymen who are grieving the loss of a dear one, whether a parent, a child, a spouse or a friend.

It is socially unacceptable.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

One accident is one too many.

There is a crying need to instill a stronger sense of social responsibility among all motorists and road users.

Government has relentlessly legislated and introduced policies and stronger penalties to make our roads safer.

We have been advocating Zero Tolerance policies.

There is still much to be done.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am happy to announce that we are gearing up for a definite turning point in the history of the insurance industry.

My Ministry, in collaboration with the FSC, is steering the implementation of the National Insurance Claims Database and will put in motion a Reward-Penalty system which will both ensure a better-focused, more accountable structure to protect Mauritian citizens.

These projects are set to shake up the very foundations of the industry and bring tremendous benefits to all.

I will not go in the details of the projects which have been canvassed by the Chairperson and the Chief Executive of the FSC.

I will briefly mention some more promising gains I see coming up post-implementation.

Firstly, the system will go a very long way in improving road safety.

We shall now have an intelligent platform to which stakeholders will be connected that will give important details such as claims history of each and every driver.

There will be no escape from details being logged on the system.

As such, I have every reason to believe that the system will promote a more responsible driving culture in the country.

We all want to see better attitudes and road etiquettes.

It will be good for drivers, good for passengers, good for road users.

To reckless, dangerous and accident-prone drivers, I would say a bon entendeur, salut!

Secondly, Ladies and Gentlemen, in a highly competitive and limited market such as ours, a commitment to Customer Obsession is critical for businesses.

Today, insurers are offering policies mostly on the basis of pricing policies.

The system will henceforth bring a level playing field for all, the same data will be available to every insurance company.

Pricing models will take into account pertinent information such as driver profile, as well as vehicle type, not readily available till now.

The natural consequence would be competition on both Service and Cost.

Mr Maraye, the Ombudsperson for Financial Services, here with us will surely agree to what I am saying.

I have no doubt that insurers will improve their role from managing costs to delivering greater care to their customers, better service in terms of swift payment of valid claims and improve response time to customer queries.

In turn, this will lead to better adherence to the Insurance Code of Practice.

Mr Ramkhalawon, Secretary General of the Insurance Association of Mauritius, has been talking about the merits of the Claims Database as well as the Bonus-Malus system and I am comforted that the whole community of insurers are well behind us in these initiatives.

Thirdly, Ladies and Gentlemen, transparency will generate more fairness and swiftness.

I am aware of the degree of public concern surrounding the issue of motor insurance.

There is a strong customer perception that insurers always try to wriggle out of payment.

I hear from my constituents all the time and I receive many complainants in my office ever since I joined this Ministry saying: lassurance pas oule paye or lassurance pe tarde pou paye.

There are so many outstanding recoveries, so many deadlock cases as well as protracted periods for Motor Vehicle Insurance Arbitration Committee (MVIAC) to provide its rulings.

This is indeed a very sore area which I believe has been left to fester for too long.

We shall be acting on improving this situation decisively and swiftly.

As mentioned by the Chief Executive in his address, a Steering Committee is being set up.

This Steering Committee will be chaired by Mr Purmessur, Permanent Secretary of my Ministry, and I am confident that under his able leadership the introduction of the Claims Database will be expedited.

Fourth, Ladies and Gentlemen, is data availability.

Better data will lead to better policies to better serve society.

In less than two months, my Ministry has been at the heart of three initiatives aimed at improving data capture and data quality which testifies the commitment of this Government to foster a data quality culture.

Data forms the very basis of everything Government does from our services, our decisions to our policies.

It is, therefore, vital that we have data we can trust. And Trust, ladies and gentlemen, will help enhance customer confidence and reliability in insurers, brokers and adjusters.

The FSC, in its role as regulator, watchdog and protector of the insurance industry, will be publishing analysis of the data gathered by the database which will feed into planning and enable data-driven policy orientation.

For instance, the regulator will have a better understanding of the causes of any future peaks and troughs in policy pricing and call for any remedial action required by its regulatees.

And Fifth, Ladies and Gentlemen, is Certainty and Swiftness.

The ultimate objective is that we need greater certainty on outcomes of claims.

International experience from countries having implemented such a system shows that the outcome of claims can be predicted with reasonable certainty.

Claimants will have confidence that claims will be paid swiftly.

There will be less reason to occasion delays or engage in long-drawn adversarial proceedings which adds to financial burdens.

On the strength of digitalisation, we should envision such a state where claims would be sent and settled even before a car is towed away.

And indeed, there will be better certainty on the condition of vehicles.

As surprising as it may be, in this day and age, we may still not know whether a car was once a total loss!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The arguments are clear and logical.

Government will use its very best endeavours to amplify its social purpose with the implementation of such initiatives.

Our Vision is to see the National Insurance Claims Database cast its net beyond motor insurance to other classes of general insurance business.

I would wish to extend my gratitude to the Insurers Association of Mauritius, to the leadership of Insurance Companies and Brokers for working together with the FSC and my Ministry to shape the claims landscape in a way that is fair, legitimate and affordable.

I am profoundly optimistic that this once-in-a-generation industry reform will serve the country well and that generations to come will live to see a better world.

I thank you all for your kind attention.
21 Winners of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Fashion Awards 2020 from Ghana, Namibia and Zambia were celebrated during the ceremony; 2 New fashion awards 2021 were announced by Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies.

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany conducted an award ceremony to felicitate and celebrate the winners of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother FASHION AWARDS 2020. The awards were announced in partnership with the African First Ladies, also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother expressed, I am very happy and proud to meet our winners of the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Fashion Awards 2020 and welcome them to our newly established Fashion with Purpose community. I am impressed with their designs that deliver strong and influential messages to empower infertile women and say No to Infertility Stigma, via sensitizing our communities.

During the Award Ceremony, Merck Foundation CEO advised the winners, the young African Designers on how their respective designs can be created and executed to open a dialogue and create the culture shift desired.

The Videoconference was also attended by past winners of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Fashion Awards. It was also attended by Fashion designers & students and media representatives across Africa.

My vision is to develop a community of young African Fashion Designers in order to catalyze a movement, that reaches and extends far beyond just fashion, and creates a culture shift and be the voice of the voiceless in their communities.

Fashion industry has already got enough flakes for being superficial. Lets change this perception and create a meaningful fashion trend aiming to educate our communities. I love fashion and I strongly believe that designers can make designs for Men and Women that they would be proud to wear to show their contribution toward their communities, villages, and cities across Africa, added Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.

As a part of the awards, Merck Foundation has provided the winners with one-year access to an online educational training program called MasterClass which is an immersive online experience and self-paced learning course that can be accessed anywhere with the Internet and offers online courses in many areas such as: art of designing, fashion, photography, lifestyle, discovering your inner voice and many other areas of Media, Film making and storytelling etc.

I am very excited to be a part of the Fashion with a Purpose community in Africa, led by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej. She is a true fashion icon, who has a unique style. It was an absolute honour to meet her and be mentored by her. Thanks to Merck foundation for involving us in such important campaign, emphasized Joel Musasa, Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Fashion Awards 2020 winner from Namibia.

During the Award Ceremony, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej also announced Call for Applications for their annual competitions for the best design that carries messages to address sensitive social and health issues. The two awards launched for the year 2021, for African Fashion Designer community are:

1. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards More Than a Mother 2021: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about Infertility Prevention, Breaking Infertility stigma, and/or Empowering Girls and Women through Education.

Submission deadline: 30th October 2021. Click here (https://bit.ly/3jMQErs) to view more details.

2. Merck Foundation Make Your Own Mask Fashion Awards 2021: All African Fashion Designers and Students are invited to create and share designs of masks and other clothing items that carry messages to encourage people to wear masks to show they care and at the same time make it creative and fun!

Submission deadline: 30th October 2021. Click here (https://bit.ly/3yWxzYs) to view more details.

List of Award Winners of Merck Foundation More Than A Mother FASHION Awards 2020:

Winners from Ghana in partnership with H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother.

GHANA

Leticia Ashie Owusu

Gifty Amonu Essel

Kizito Ronald Jr

Placid Leke

Anuja Bharti

Paul Akrofie

Desmond Nhyira Amankonah

Winners from Namibia in partnership with H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother.

NAMIBIA

Linrico Humphries

Stephany-Lee Schmidt (Libi)

Aina Shigwedha

Hope Gowera

Joel Musasa

Eugenia Benard

Paulton Luciano Witbooi

Winners from Zambia in partnership with H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Former Lady of Zambia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother.

ZAMBIA

Nelly Banda

Ruth Chimbala

Cecilia Njobvu

Linda Ngwira

Naomi Soko

Gibstar Makangila

Kasonde Makangila
Its only by learning more about what leads someone to suicide, the ways we can help to prevent it, and what resources are available  and not being afraid to ask when were worried about someone, or for help when we need it ourselves  that we can empower our communities to address this leading cause of death, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
I think that the future of our party is to be a party of ideas and not to be a party about any one individual, and I think we will learn a lot from the next set of primaries, CNBC quoted Toomey as saying. I think after what happened post-2020 election, I think the presidents behavior was completely unacceptable, so I dont think he should be the nominee to lead the party in 2024.
Beyond that, Schlossberg said there are broad, cultural issues that must be dealt with if the state really wants to cut down drug deaths. Opioids, mental health issues and suicides are part of a deaths of despair dynamic, he said, that is tied to societys not fulfilling some peoples basic needs.
In Allentown, you used to get issued a set of gear. Now you get issued two sets of gear, Kiskeravage said. Guys are coming out of the academy with two complete sets of gear. Back in the day, youd get a set of gear and people would say, If you want any spare gear, go out back and look and see who retired. Whatever gear is laying there you can use it as your backup set. They dont need to do that anymore.
For UM administration and the Montana University System, the issue of guns on campus has become more than a theoretical debate. House Bill 102, one of the most unrestrictive gun laws in the country, passed in the Montana legislature this spring.
State

NMA demands probe into Mizo girls death

DIMAPUR, SEP 8 (NPN) | Publish Date: 9/8/2021 1:03:54 PM IST

Naga Mothers Association (NMA) has demanded immediate impartial investigation into the mysterious death of Jones C Malsawmkimi, a Mizo girl, who was working at the Assam Rifles Composite Hospital at Sukhovi, Dimapur.

In a memorandum to the Nagaland governor, NMA president Abei-u Meru and joint secretary Malsawmthangi Leyri demanded that a special investigation team be constituted at the earliest to seriously and impartially investigate into this sexual crime against a young army woman, Ms. Jones C. Malsawmkimi, in the State.

Referring to a letter of Dr. K. Pachhunga, Mizo MLA from her constituency of 33-Lunglei (Mizoram), to the President of India, NMA said the letter gave credence that there was much more than the witness accounts of those arrested by the police in connection to the case.

NMA has, therefore, sought the governors intervention into this crime of violence against women in the State and ensure justice for the unfortunate death of Jones C. Malsawmkimi.

Police forms SIT

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe into the death of Jones C Malsawmkimi.

Informing this to Nagaland Post, commissioner of police Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo on Wednesday said that the SIT was investigating the case.

Tetseo also said that unless the final post-mortem report was out, nothing much can be said.

Only after we receive the final report, cause of death will be ascertained he added.
Sheikh Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to construct an elevated circular roadway around the capital city against the backdrop of land scarcity.

She gave the directive while approving a proposal for time extension and cost hike of a project on the four rivers around the capital city in a meeting of the executive committee of the National Economic Council.

The PM, who virtually presided over the ECNEC meeting from the Ganabhaban, observed that such an elevated circular road would be suitable amid the land shortage, said planning minister MA Mannan at a briefing at the planning commission.

State minister for planning Dr Shamsul Haque was present.

A total of eight proposals, including one for the revision of the project titled Construction and Installation of Demarcation Pillars, Walkways, Bank Protection, Jetties with allied work on Evicted Foreshore Land of the Rivers Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Sitalakhya, were approved in the meeting.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority that has been implementing the much-talked-about rivers protection project since 2018 had sought both cost hike and time extension for the project.

Following the revision, the project cost increased by Tk 352.5 crore to Tk 1,181.10 crore from the original Tk 848.5 crore and the deadline was extended by one year to June 2023.

The BIWTA in its proposal had shown incorporation of new components in the project, including construction of 35.35 kilometres of drain along walkways, and changes in the rate schedule as the major reasons for seeking the revisions.

The PM also directed setting up body scanners and goods scanners at land-border stations as she was approving a project on the construction of physical infrastructures at Hili, Burimari and Banglabandha LC Stations at an estimated cost fo Tk 80.61 crore,

She also suggested that a minimum maintenance charge should be taken from the cleaners for their accommodation facility in buildings under the city corporations.

She said this while approving a project worth Tk 1,142.27 crore to build some 3,040 residential flats for cleaning workers of 66 municipalities.
The High Court on Wednesday asked the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman remove all defamatory contents on estranged couple Imran Sharif and Eriko Nakano from online platforms.

An online bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman also directed the Cyber Police Centre of the Criminal Investigation Department to take action against people involved in posting defamatory contents against Eriko.

The bench asked Imran Sharif, the Bangladeshi husband of Japanese Eriko, to remove CCTV cameras installed at Imrans rented flat at Gulshan-1 in the capital where the estranged couple has been living with their two Japanese minor daughters following an order of the court.

The bench allowed Eriko to stay at the flat with the two daughters for four nights  September 9, 11, 13 and 15  and asked Imran not to stay at the flat during the nights.

The court allowed Imran to stay with the children in the nights of September 8, 10 and 14 when Eriko would stay in a separate room in the flat without the children.

It allowed the parents to go separately outside the residence with their children for the purposes of refreshment of the children aged between 9 and 11.

Imrans lawyer Fawzia Karim opposed the court order for allowing the mother to travel with the children outside the residence, saying that the father would not be able to seek any legal remedy if the children were confined to the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka.

Fawzia also prayed for removal of all defamatory contents on Imran and Eriko from online platforms.

The court issued the fresh order as Erikos lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir in a new application alleged that his clients right to privacy had been violated due to the round-the-clock presence of Imran in the flat and installation of CCTV cameras inside the flat.

Eriko also prayed for a directive to the cyber crime unit of the police to identify the perpetrators who posted many defamatory contents about her on online platforms.

The bench is scheduled to hold further hearing on September 18 on the writ petition filed by Eriko on August 18 seeking custody of the children.

Eriko in her petition alleged that the children were brought to Bangladesh from Japan on February 18 by their father keeping the hearing in a family lawsuit filed by their mother pending with a Japanese court over the custody of the children and the process of divorce sought by Eriko filed on January 28.

Eriko travelled from Japan to Bangladesh on July 18 to respond to an order issued by a family court in Bangladesh on February 28 allowing Imran to keep the children in his custody until the mother submitted her explanation in the case filed by him.

The High Court after hearing Erikos writ petition on August 19 directed Imran to produce the two children before it on August 31 and asked the police to ensure presence of the father with the children.

The CID took the children into their custody after rescuing them from the custody of their father on August 22 and kept them in the Victim Support Centre.

Later on August 23, the bench allowed the mother to visit the children in the morning and the father to visit in the afternoon.

On August 31, the bench asked the estranged couple to live in a rented flat in Dhaka together until September 16 with their two children, directed the director general of the Department of Social Services to assign a deputy director to monitor the activities of the couple and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner to deploy women police force for the security of the couple and their children.

Erikos lawyer told the court that his client had applied for divorce on January 28 with a Japanese family court and she was unwilling to live in the same house with her husband.

The court also set September 16 for further hearing on the matter and expected a good settlement of the guardianship dispute during the period.
Coos County Democrat North Country Health Consortium to expand student assistance programs

by Angel Larcom REGION  During its Aug. 18 meeting, the Executive Council approved $75,000 for the North Country Health Consortium to expand its Student Assistance Program into under-served schools.



NCHC's Student Assistance Program has been around for over a decade and provides in-school counselors to address underage or high-risk drinking and drug misuse. The organization serves ten schools, including Woodsville Middle and High Schools, Lisbon Middle and High Schools and the North Country Charter Academy.



Other schools include the White Mountains Community College, White Mountains Regional High School, Berlin High School, Groveton High School and Gorham High School. The additional funding will now allow NCHC counselors to establish services in the Berlin and Groveton Middle Schools and transition part-time positions to full-time at the Gorham and Berlin High Schools.



NCHC Senior Program Manager Bob Thompson said the funding was timely. While the data is not yet in on COVID-19's impact on youth drug and alcohol misuse, he said community reports indicated a rise in activity.



"The mental health challenges and substance use challenges that our students are facing right now are directly related. We know anecdotally through educators and community partnerships that our youth are struggling to cope with this different way of living - not just in school but out of school as well," stated Thompson.



Both the Littleton High School and Bethlehem's Profile School provide similar services, though internally funded. However, Thompson said it remained tricky for small, underfunded school districts to absorb the costs of such preventative programs.



NCHC Student Assistance Program Coordinator Laura Hosley added, "Some schools have had a revolving door when it comes to staffing. It's difficult for them to keep somebody in place for any length of time to get the training and become experienced and fluent enough with the program. We found that there's a real advantage to providing a level of continuity that the schools wouldn't be able to have on their own."



Hosley said the agency looked to fill service gaps in several North Country school districts and the programs were successful because they removed barriers. Full-time, in-school counselors could forge relationships and teach curriculums, she added.



"The bottom line is we want to do good for the students. We want to give them the help that they deserve so they can move on and become successful independent adults, which is hard, especially now," stated Hosley.



Substance accessibility has increased in recent years, noted Hosley. She said it was partly due to the opioid crisis and increased internet access. Another, more critical factor was the rise of stress, depression and anxiety during the pandemic.



"With this program, you can help reach the younger kids and teach them coping skills and emotional regulation. It's huge for them to recognize what those feelings are and ask for support to help them avoid a dark path. The earlier you catch somebody, the easier it is to impart on them the emotional development that's required to be successful," added Thompson.



The Executive Council approved an additional $2,032,630 for the continuation of rapid response crisis intervention services, mental and substance use disorder treatment and other related recovery services for youth and adults who are under or uninsured and impacted by COVID-19. A portion of that funding will also serve healthcare professionals. REGION  During its Aug. 18 meeting, the Executive Council approved $75,000 for the North Country Health Consortium to expand its Student Assistance Program into under-served schools.NCHC's Student Assistance Program has been around for over a decade and provides in-school counselors to address underage or high-risk drinking and drug misuse. The organization serves ten schools, including Woodsville Middle and High Schools, Lisbon Middle and High Schools and the North Country Charter Academy.Other schools include the White Mountains Community College, White Mountains Regional High School, Berlin High School, Groveton High School and Gorham High School. The additional funding will now allow NCHC counselors to establish services in the Berlin and Groveton Middle Schools and transition part-time positions to full-time at the Gorham and Berlin High Schools.NCHC Senior Program Manager Bob Thompson said the funding was timely. While the data is not yet in on COVID-19's impact on youth drug and alcohol misuse, he said community reports indicated a rise in activity."The mental health challenges and substance use challenges that our students are facing right now are directly related. We know anecdotally through educators and community partnerships that our youth are struggling to cope with this different way of living - not just in school but out of school as well," stated Thompson.Both the Littleton High School and Bethlehem's Profile School provide similar services, though internally funded. However, Thompson said it remained tricky for small, underfunded school districts to absorb the costs of such preventative programs.NCHC Student Assistance Program Coordinator Laura Hosley added, "Some schools have had a revolving door when it comes to staffing. It's difficult for them to keep somebody in place for any length of time to get the training and become experienced and fluent enough with the program. We found that there's a real advantage to providing a level of continuity that the schools wouldn't be able to have on their own."Hosley said the agency looked to fill service gaps in several North Country school districts and the programs were successful because they removed barriers. Full-time, in-school counselors could forge relationships and teach curriculums, she added."The bottom line is we want to do good for the students. We want to give them the help that they deserve so they can move on and become successful independent adults, which is hard, especially now," stated Hosley.Substance accessibility has increased in recent years, noted Hosley. She said it was partly due to the opioid crisis and increased internet access. Another, more critical factor was the rise of stress, depression and anxiety during the pandemic."With this program, you can help reach the younger kids and teach them coping skills and emotional regulation. It's huge for them to recognize what those feelings are and ask for support to help them avoid a dark path. The earlier you catch somebody, the easier it is to impart on them the emotional development that's required to be successful," added Thompson.The Executive Council approved an additional $2,032,630 for the continuation of rapid response crisis intervention services, mental and substance use disorder treatment and other related recovery services for youth and adults who are under or uninsured and impacted by COVID-19. A portion of that funding will also serve healthcare professionals.

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Littleton Courier Perseverance, hard work, dedication enables local teen to earn dual degrees



Rochelle receives dual degrees at her high school graduation including an associate degree from White Mountains Community College. Dr. Chuck Lloyd (to the right of Rochelle) poses with her and her parents. (Courtesy Photo) (click for larger version) LITTLETON  Seventeen-year-old Rochelle Eastman fast tracked her education and found a way to maximize earning academic credits. While enrolled at Littleton High School, Rochelle leveraged dual enrollment programs with [ White Mountains Community (WMCC) beginning when she was only 15, to earn enough credits for an associate degree and open educational pathways for her future. Her perseverance and dedication to learning paid off in a big way.



At her high school graduation, a surprise was in store for Eastman, as she was not only awarded her high school diploma, but was algo greeted on the stage by White Mountains Community College President Dr. Chuck Lloyd, who was on hand to congratulate the enterprising student.



"When I received my high school diploma, Dr. Lloyd also presented me with my associate degree," said Eastman. "I earned two degrees on my high school graduation date. I was so surprised; I had no idea that he was going to be there. It was really awesome and meant a lot to me."



True to the community college mission of celebrating each student's success, Lloyd took the time to drive to Littleton that morning to celebrate one of WMCC's newest and youngest graduates. In those final few months of high school, she had worked hard to complete the remaining credits needed to complete her associate degree in health science. Graduating from college is a big accomplishment anytime, but being able to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree shows just how committed Rochelle is to learning and getting ahead.



"Rochelle was a celebrity," said Dr. Lloyd. "She was beaming and there was a lot of admiration from her peers who all just graduated high school and saw that she had a leg up on them."



While this was a special day for Eastman, it was also for Dr. Lloyd as he celebrated the first high school student to graduate with a dual degree from WMCC.



"I was probably more excited than Rochelle when I was driving up that Saturday morning," Dr. Lloyd added. "For anyone that knows me, this has been a dream of mine for years that finally came to fruition. It dates back to when I worked in admissions at NHTI  Concord's community college  and I used to say that it would be great if people knew that they could be taking college courses while in high school and walk out with dual degrees."



In addition to the Running Start and eStart programs, WMCC also offers the Early College program which allows high school students to enroll in regular college credit courses on campus that can be applied to a degree or certificate program or transferred to another institution. These courses are taught by WMCC faculty and cost high school students 50 percent of the regular tuition of the course. State-funded STEM Scholarships can also be applied to these courses. Eastman has taken advantage of the Running Start, eStart, and Early College programs.



Eastman is a trailblazer, and her story helps start mapping the way for other high school students to see the college pathways that are available. Dr. Lloyd, WMCC and Community College System of New Hampshire's ultimate goal is that Rochelle's story spreads to all students during their high school years.



Her educational journey doesn't stop here. This fall she's headed to the University of Denver and plans to work in medical science. Because of her WMCC degree and accepted credits that will transfer to the university, she is already halfway to the finish line of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biological science. This path will take less than two years, after which she plans to continue her education and earn a master's degree, giving her another leg up with the potential to earn a graduate degree when her peers are finishing a bachelor's degree. She's set up for success.



"Rochelle's mature and confident beyond her years," continued Dr. Lloyd. "Here she is, fresh out of high school, talking about a master's degree already when a lot of people her age are trying to figure out what's next after high school. This is something that will carry her into life. When she gets her master's degree in a couple of years, she will head into a career and she'll start working on the skills that she needs next for a promotion."



This process also has financial savings and is attainable with forward thinking and starting early. Eastman says it's as easy as asking a few questions to determine the best route.



"I started out by talking with my guidance counselor who helped me figure out the best option and said I could use my time to my advantage and take college classes and get credit. I started taking a few classes in the summer between my junior and senior year, just to kind of see if that was something that I would be comfortable with," she explains.



Eastman is a prime example of how mapping things out and pushing herself can open doors and help get ahead in life. She is eager and ready for her next journey at the University of Denver but credits this experience with launching her journey.



"I won't realize how much I've benefited from this for years to come," she added. "The connections that I made at White Mountains Community College will last a lifetime and I'm so appreciative of the support and opportunities that they gave me."



Even though she graduated several months ago, her relationship with WMCC didn't stop and Dr. Lloyd has invited her back to speak with future high school students about her story to encourage more down this path.



"I'll just say once again, how proud I am of Rochelle," said Lloyd. LITTLETON  Seventeen-year-old Rochelle Eastman fast tracked her education and found a way to maximize earning academic credits. While enrolled at Littleton High School, Rochelle leveraged dual enrollment programs with [ White Mountains Community (WMCC) beginning when she was only 15, to earn enough credits for an associate degree and open educational pathways for her future. Her perseverance and dedication to learning paid off in a big way.At her high school graduation, a surprise was in store for Eastman, as she was not only awarded her high school diploma, but was algo greeted on the stage by White Mountains Community College President Dr. Chuck Lloyd, who was on hand to congratulate the enterprising student."When I received my high school diploma, Dr. Lloyd also presented me with my associate degree," said Eastman. "I earned two degrees on my high school graduation date. I was so surprised; I had no idea that he was going to be there. It was really awesome and meant a lot to me."True to the community college mission of celebrating each student's success, Lloyd took the time to drive to Littleton that morning to celebrate one of WMCC's newest and youngest graduates. In those final few months of high school, she had worked hard to complete the remaining credits needed to complete her associate degree in health science. Graduating from college is a big accomplishment anytime, but being able to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree shows just how committed Rochelle is to learning and getting ahead."Rochelle was a celebrity," said Dr. Lloyd. "She was beaming and there was a lot of admiration from her peers who all just graduated high school and saw that she had a leg up on them."While this was a special day for Eastman, it was also for Dr. Lloyd as he celebrated the first high school student to graduate with a dual degree from WMCC."I was probably more excited than Rochelle when I was driving up that Saturday morning," Dr. Lloyd added. "For anyone that knows me, this has been a dream of mine for years that finally came to fruition. It dates back to when I worked in admissions at NHTI  Concord's community college  and I used to say that it would be great if people knew that they could be taking college courses while in high school and walk out with dual degrees."In addition to the Running Start and eStart programs, WMCC also offers the Early College program which allows high school students to enroll in regular college credit courses on campus that can be applied to a degree or certificate program or transferred to another institution. These courses are taught by WMCC faculty and cost high school students 50 percent of the regular tuition of the course. State-funded STEM Scholarships can also be applied to these courses. Eastman has taken advantage of the Running Start, eStart, and Early College programs.Eastman is a trailblazer, and her story helps start mapping the way for other high school students to see the college pathways that are available. Dr. Lloyd, WMCC and Community College System of New Hampshire's ultimate goal is that Rochelle's story spreads to all students during their high school years.Her educational journey doesn't stop here. This fall she's headed to the University of Denver and plans to work in medical science. Because of her WMCC degree and accepted credits that will transfer to the university, she is already halfway to the finish line of earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biological science. This path will take less than two years, after which she plans to continue her education and earn a master's degree, giving her another leg up with the potential to earn a graduate degree when her peers are finishing a bachelor's degree. She's set up for success."Rochelle's mature and confident beyond her years," continued Dr. Lloyd. "Here she is, fresh out of high school, talking about a master's degree already when a lot of people her age are trying to figure out what's next after high school. This is something that will carry her into life. When she gets her master's degree in a couple of years, she will head into a career and she'll start working on the skills that she needs next for a promotion."This process also has financial savings and is attainable with forward thinking and starting early. Eastman says it's as easy as asking a few questions to determine the best route."I started out by talking with my guidance counselor who helped me figure out the best option and said I could use my time to my advantage and take college classes and get credit. I started taking a few classes in the summer between my junior and senior year, just to kind of see if that was something that I would be comfortable with," she explains.Eastman is a prime example of how mapping things out and pushing herself can open doors and help get ahead in life. She is eager and ready for her next journey at the University of Denver but credits this experience with launching her journey."I won't realize how much I've benefited from this for years to come," she added. "The connections that I made at White Mountains Community College will last a lifetime and I'm so appreciative of the support and opportunities that they gave me."Even though she graduated several months ago, her relationship with WMCC didn't stop and Dr. Lloyd has invited her back to speak with future high school students about her story to encourage more down this path."I'll just say once again, how proud I am of Rochelle," said Lloyd.

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Littleton Courier Business Finance Authority funds detox center infrastructure

by Angel Larcom

NH BFA Senior Credit Officer Jeremy Stanizzi, AHEAD Housing Executive Director Mike Claflin, NH BFA Executive Director James Key-Wallace and Executive Councilor Joe Kenney (left to right) discussed infrastructure funding at Bethlehem's new detox center on Sept. 2. (Photo by Angel Larcom) (click for larger version) BETHLEHEM  Recent funding support from the NH Business Finance Authority allowed AHEAD Housing to increase capacity at Bethlehem's new detox center, formerly known as the Friendship House.



The $1 million BFA investment allowed AHEAD to replace old administrative offices with additional patient rooms and install a new central air system where one had not previously existed. According to AHEAD Executive Director Mike Claflin, an updated septic system is the last remaining element to increase facility capacity to fifty beds.



However, finding enough nursing staff to oversee the detox unit remains a problem for facility management company Amatus, Inc. The current patient capacity will remain at 34 until enough qualified nursing staff can be hired to oversee programs.



"Amatus has had a hard time locating nurses, especially for the second and third shifts. But if anyone can make it work, it's this company. They know it's a long-term process," noted Claflin.



When AHEAD Housing first built the treatment facility in 2017, the maximum capacity was 28 patients and no medical detox services were available. It remains the only drug treatment facility in the North Country and the only one within an 80-mile radius.



"This facility has been an important part of the community for a long time, and it's gone through a number of evolutions. Because of its ups and downs, no banker would do what needed to be done," stated BFA Executive Director James Key-Wallace.



In October 2020, the North Country Health Consortium announced plans to suspend programming at the Friendship House in Bethlehem. The facility closed in mid-Dec that year.



AHEAD Housing quickly entered contract negotiations with Amatus Recovery Centers, a Maryland-based recovery company with 14 treatment centers in New Hampshire, Georgia, Texas, Ohio and several other states. While management hoped to reopen in April, state licensing procedures delayed the process, and the facility didn't resume operations until two months ago. BETHLEHEM  Recent funding support from the NH Business Finance Authority allowed AHEAD Housing to increase capacity at Bethlehem's new detox center, formerly known as the Friendship House.The $1 million BFA investment allowed AHEAD to replace old administrative offices with additional patient rooms and install a new central air system where one had not previously existed. According to AHEAD Executive Director Mike Claflin, an updated septic system is the last remaining element to increase facility capacity to fifty beds.However, finding enough nursing staff to oversee the detox unit remains a problem for facility management company Amatus, Inc. The current patient capacity will remain at 34 until enough qualified nursing staff can be hired to oversee programs."Amatus has had a hard time locating nurses, especially for the second and third shifts. But if anyone can make it work, it's this company. They know it's a long-term process," noted Claflin.When AHEAD Housing first built the treatment facility in 2017, the maximum capacity was 28 patients and no medical detox services were available. It remains the only drug treatment facility in the North Country and the only one within an 80-mile radius."This facility has been an important part of the community for a long time, and it's gone through a number of evolutions. Because of its ups and downs, no banker would do what needed to be done," stated BFA Executive Director James Key-Wallace.In October 2020, the North Country Health Consortium announced plans to suspend programming at the Friendship House in Bethlehem. The facility closed in mid-Dec that year.AHEAD Housing quickly entered contract negotiations with Amatus Recovery Centers, a Maryland-based recovery company with 14 treatment centers in New Hampshire, Georgia, Texas, Ohio and several other states. While management hoped to reopen in April, state licensing procedures delayed the process, and the facility didn't resume operations until two months ago.

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Newfound Landing Manufactured home park in Hill purchased by residents



From left, Brookside Cooperative Secretary Lynzey Ly and President David Kirsch. Photo courtesy NH Community Loan Fund. (Courtesy Photo) (click for larger version) HILL  The homeowners in Brookside Mobile Home Park recently purchased their 21-unit manufactured-home park, making it New Hampshire's 139th resident-owned community (ROC).



Using training and technical assistance from the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund's ROC-NH team, homeowners organized and formed Brookside Cooperative, Inc. in April 2021.



The cooperative then negotiated with the park's owners, Timothy and Sherri Minor, reached a $440,000 purchase price, and finalized the deal Aug. 31 with a mortgage from the Community Loan Fund.



Sherri Minor said, "Being a family-owned and -operated business has made us really understand the people and know them and their families. I have great comfort in knowing they own it as a group. I know what it means to them."



Co-op President David Kirsch said that through the work of buying their community he has already seen a heightened sense of responsibility and more engagement among Brookside's residents.



"We are making plans for getting all urgent repairs completed and looking to the future to see what else we can do to improve the condition of the park. There is a growing sense of community that I didn't see before. I can envision our small park hosting events for our residents to enjoy together," he said. "None of this would have been possible had we chose to just let some other private investor buy the park."



On the day of the closing, co-op Treasurer Ellie Duclos remembered the day she phoned ROC-NH's office looking for help.



"I called because I didn't want to see the park bought out. As a ROC, we have the control and ability to do what needs to be done," she said. "We have an amazing board, each with their own unique outlooks, abilities, and experiences that I believe will bring this park together to form a fantastic community."



Brookside Cooperative is Merrimack County's 20th ROC. Those communities contain 1,201 permanently affordable homes.



Cooperative ownership means Brookside's homeowners are now eligible for products and services, including real mortgages, that haven't been available to them. Studies show that when the land is secure, the availability of home financing improves the home's value, the owner's ability to make improvements, and overall housing affordability.



The nearly-8,500 homeowners in New Hampshire's ROCs, spread across every county, also have access to management guidance, technical assistance, and leadership training in which they earn college credit through ROC-NH and its national network, ROC USA.



For 38 years, the Community Loan Fund has worked across New Hampshire to connect people, families, and business owners with the loans, training, and advice that allow them to have affordable homes, secure jobs, and quality child care, and become more economically stable.



A complete list of ROCs in New Hampshire is available at https://www.communityloanfund.org/co-op-list/.



More information on the Community Loan Fund is online at



About the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund



The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, based in Concord, turns investments into loans and education to create opportunity and transform lives. We collaborate with a wide range of donors and investors, and with business, nonprofit and government partners, to provide the financing and support people need to have affordable homes, have quality jobs and child care, and become financially independent. Established in 1983, the Community Loan Fund was one of the first Community Development Financial Institutions in the nation, and has received industry awards and recognition for social impact, financial strength, and performance. HILL  The homeowners in Brookside Mobile Home Park recently purchased their 21-unit manufactured-home park, making it New Hampshire's 139th resident-owned community (ROC).Using training and technical assistance from the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund's ROC-NH team, homeowners organized and formed Brookside Cooperative, Inc. in April 2021.The cooperative then negotiated with the park's owners, Timothy and Sherri Minor, reached a $440,000 purchase price, and finalized the deal Aug. 31 with a mortgage from the Community Loan Fund.Sherri Minor said, "Being a family-owned and -operated business has made us really understand the people and know them and their families. I have great comfort in knowing they own it as a group. I know what it means to them."Co-op President David Kirsch said that through the work of buying their community he has already seen a heightened sense of responsibility and more engagement among Brookside's residents."We are making plans for getting all urgent repairs completed and looking to the future to see what else we can do to improve the condition of the park. There is a growing sense of community that I didn't see before. I can envision our small park hosting events for our residents to enjoy together," he said. "None of this would have been possible had we chose to just let some other private investor buy the park."On the day of the closing, co-op Treasurer Ellie Duclos remembered the day she phoned ROC-NH's office looking for help."I called because I didn't want to see the park bought out. As a ROC, we have the control and ability to do what needs to be done," she said. "We have an amazing board, each with their own unique outlooks, abilities, and experiences that I believe will bring this park together to form a fantastic community."Brookside Cooperative is Merrimack County's 20th ROC. Those communities contain 1,201 permanently affordable homes.Cooperative ownership means Brookside's homeowners are now eligible for products and services, including real mortgages, that haven't been available to them. Studies show that when the land is secure, the availability of home financing improves the home's value, the owner's ability to make improvements, and overall housing affordability.The nearly-8,500 homeowners in New Hampshire's ROCs, spread across every county, also have access to management guidance, technical assistance, and leadership training in which they earn college credit through ROC-NH and its national network, ROC USA.For 38 years, the Community Loan Fund has worked across New Hampshire to connect people, families, and business owners with the loans, training, and advice that allow them to have affordable homes, secure jobs, and quality child care, and become more economically stable.A complete list of ROCs in New Hampshire is available at https://www.communityloanfund.org/co-op-list/.More information on the Community Loan Fund is online at www.communityloanfund.org About the New Hampshire Community Loan FundThe New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, based in Concord, turns investments into loans and education to create opportunity and transform lives. We collaborate with a wide range of donors and investors, and with business, nonprofit and government partners, to provide the financing and support people need to have affordable homes, have quality jobs and child care, and become financially independent. Established in 1983, the Community Loan Fund was one of the first Community Development Financial Institutions in the nation, and has received industry awards and recognition for social impact, financial strength, and performance. www.communityloanfund.org

Newfound Landing Massachusetts man finishes first at Run Your Buns Off race Brown brothers, Follansbee to be inducted into Newfound Hall of Fame Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 00:07:46|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Foreign firms are striving to tap into China's services sector as they continue to see robust demand amid the country's opening-up efforts.

China announced at the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) that it would open up at a higher level.

It will implement across the country a negative list for cross-border services trade, scale up support for the growth of the services sector in the Belt and Road partner countries and share the nation's technological achievements with the rest of the world.

China's openness is at record high in history, not only in its financial sector but in all respects, said Calvin Fu, chief representative at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) China Office.

The country is working to further open its economy and trying to help the global community get the quickest recovery from the pandemic, Fu said.

Hailing China's economic resilience and inclusiveness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fu said the ADGM, an international financial center, is eager to leverage the CIFTIS and bring leading global financial institutions to invest in China.

The improvement of the business environment in China is quite visible, convincing and sustainable, said Fu, adding that the country's market size, the government's success in dealing with the pandemic and abundant talent are attractive to foreign investors.

In July, China introduced its first negative list for cross-border trade in services at the Hainan free trade port, marking the highest level of opening-up in the realm.

GLP, a global investment manager and business builder in logistics, data infrastructure, renewable energy and related technologies, said China's institutional innovation is encouraging. The company believes that the negative list would lead to further upgrade of the cross-border supply chain businesses and higher growth rate.

China's high-quality development and dual-circulation strategy would undoubtedly bring more opportunities, said Gao Tan, general manager of GLP Supply Chain Services.

"We have provided integrated supply chain services to our clients in China during the pandemic and helped them move their products to fulfil overseas demand through our smart global logistics network," said Gao. "With booming demand in cross-border trading services, we are highly confident in the Chinese market."

Statistics have shown the encouraging performance of the services industry in China. In the first seven months of the year, the country's services trade rose 7.3 percent year on year to nearly 2.81 trillion yuan (about 435.04 billion U.S. dollars).

J.P. Morgan Futures Co., Ltd. has completed a new round of capital injection of over 300 million yuan in June this year, showing the firm's confidence in the prospects of China's financial services sector.

"The Chinese market is so huge that our global clients have shown great interest in it," said Rochelle Wei, CEO of J.P. Morgan Futures Co., Ltd., adding that the company has been helping its clients in China and abroad to expand their business.

Vivian Jiang, Deputy CEO of Deloitte China, said there is still a gap between China and developed countries in the proportion of the service sector in their gross domestic product.

"But we are confident of the Chinese services market as the country pursues balanced development between its manufacturing and services sector amid high-quality development," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 00:07:57|Editor: huaxia

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during the opening ceremony of the International Motor Show Germany (IAA Mobility) in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 7, 2021. Angela Merkel opened the IAA Mobility in Munich on Tuesday. (Oliver Tamagnini/IAA/Handout via Xinhua)

MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday opened the International Motor Show Germany (IAA Mobility) in the southern German city of Munich.

Merkel said she was pleased that the car industry has consistently taken up the challenge of developing alternative drive systems.

She said that it is now evident that the trend is towards electromobility and that the transport sector can and must contribute a great deal to climate neutrality.

With the slogan "What will move us next," IAA Mobility focuses on green mobility, featuring electric cars and even bicycles.

Historically held in Frankfurt every two years, for the first time the show is now hosted by Munich as part of efforts to revive the event.

According to the organizers, the IAA has attracted about 700 exhibitors, among them automobile brands, bicycle manufacturers, as well as major tech industry actors and suppliers.

Alongside German companies like BMW Group, Volkswagen and Daimler, Chinese participants including automaker Great Wall, hi-tech company Huawei and other brands are also present at the show. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 00:21:14|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- With the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) drawing to a close Tuesday in Beijing, the country has expressed its willingness to share technological achievements with the rest of the world to contribute to the global economic recovery.

Under strict epidemic control and prevention measures, this year's CIFTIS has attracted more than 12,000 enterprises. Representatives from 153 countries and regions signed up for the event, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

The 2021 CIFTIS hosted exhibitions, forums and business talks covering 12 major service trade sectors, said Yan Ligang, director of the Beijing municipal commerce bureau.

Preliminary statistics showed that this year's CIFTIS saw a total of 1,672 various projects and contracts concluded, said a press conference held Tuesday afternoon at the fair.

This year's fair highlighted new formats and models such as digital trade, 5G communication, and the industrial Internet of Things. It also comprehensively exchanged new ideas, displayed new services, and released current achievements. At the same time, it took place both online and offline via digital technology, which demonstrates the great potential of China's digital and intelligent economic development, said Wang Zhihua, an official with the MOC.

MOC data showed that China's services trade rose by 7.3 percent year on year to nearly 2.81 trillion yuan (about 435 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of the year.

SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES

Foreign exhibitors and commerce officials have expressed their great interest in investing in the Chinese market at the fair as China has massive potential for services trade development. It will also bring opportunities for other countries, thus providing new globalization momentum.

Nicolai Meyer Lehmann Lundsbjerg, general manager of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, said: "I think this year's CIFTIS will give the Danish companies a good opportunity to meet other collaborative partners in China."

Ivo Ganchev, a businessman from Bulgaria, hoped that Bulgaria and China would have more in-depth exchanges in promoting software outsourcing, financial technology, infrastructure, and other services areas.

Gianpaolo Bruno, director of the Beijing Office of the Italian Trade Agency, said he hopes to take advantage of the CIFTIS platform to help Italian enterprises enter the Chinese market. The agency also wants to promote aspects of the service industry such as catering, health, medical and safety equipment, and tourism in Italy.

Conor O'Sullivan, manager of the Irish Food Board's China office, said the CIFTIS offered great exposure for Irish products in China and a platform for seeking opportunities for collaboration.

"Local partners are often very innovative and understand the market better. So we want to provide them with good ingredients and work with them to develop products that suit the market," he said.

Mattias Debroyer, the economic and commercial consul with the Brussels Agency for Business Support, said 90 percent of the economy in Brussels is services-based, especially digital, financial, and sustainability services in terms of architecture, engineering, and ecology.

"We are here to promote cooperation. I hope that visitors can learn more about Brussels, the advantages of investing in Brussels, and our strong sectors," he said.

SHARING ACHIEVEMENTS

Against the backdrop of international trade suffering a significant shock since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has adopted various measures to boost the opening-up of the services trade sector. These measures include implementing a negative list for cross-border services trade countrywide and exploring the development of national demonstration zones for the innovative development of trade in services. They also include scaling up support for services sector growth in the Belt and Road partner countries, among others, said Li Jun, director with the Institute of International Trade in Services under the MOC.

The CIFTIS is China's solution to connect with the international market and engage in international cooperation, which is of great significance to the rebound of trade in services and the recovery of the world economy, said Li.

China's online shopping giant JD.com has invested heavily in helping global sellers expand their market presence in China.

According to Gao Liqiang, vice president of JD Group, an innovative supply chain of high-quality fresh aquatic products connecting ASEAN has been constructed to deliver fresh seafood from Southeast Asian countries onto the tables of Chinese consumers at a speed unimaginable years ago.

Liu Hui, director of the JD Research Institute for Consumption and Industrial Development, said the group established cooperation with over 90 percent of the 2021 Fortune 500 companies, seeking a deeper integration into the global industry chain with its digital capabilities and supply chain resources.

The 2021 CIFTIS also paid great attention to supporting the development of the services trade industry in Belt and Road countries and regions.

Zhai Dongsheng, director of the Belt and Road Initiative Center under the National Development and Reform Commission, shared some insightful episodes showcasing the shared benefit of the B&R.

In China, health services in frontier regions such as the northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are relatively underdeveloped compared with other parts of the country. But still, they have taken advantage of geographical advantages and remote internet service technology to provide medical and health services to patients in central and southeast Asian countries, with good economic and social benefits, according to Zhai.

Alfredo Rolando Grosman, president of the China-Peru Investment Development Association, said: "The CIFTIS is a great event for win-win cooperation between China and Belt and Road countries, for example, my country Peru. Many young Peruvian technological companies would benefit greatly from trade in services with fellow technology counterparts in China." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 02:27:19|Editor: huaxia

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An Afghan Taliban member stands guard outside the airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Sept. 6, 2021. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

-- The Taliban announced the formation of caretaker government in Afghanistan, with Mullah Hassan Akhund as the acting prime minister.

-- The appointments of the interim government were not final as these were acting positions, and the remaining posts would be announced at a later date, said Taliban spokesman.

-- The Taliban previously promised to build an inclusive government and hoped that Afghan people would help in the country's transition.

KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference here that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi were named as the acting deputy prime ministers, while Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the late Taliban co-founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, was appointed as the acting defense minister.

Amir Khan Muttaqi was appointed as the acting foreign minister, Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, was named as the acting interior minister and Abas Stanikzai as the acting deputy foreign minister, the Taliban spokesman said.

Mujahid said that the appointments of the interim government were not final as these were acting positions, and the remaining posts would be announced at a later date.

The move was aimed at carrying out necessary government works, he said, stressing that it was an "acting" government and the group would try to take people from other parts of the country.

He did not elaborate on how long the caretaker government will serve.

An Afghan man pushes a handcart on the street in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Kabir/Xinhua)

Basir Faqiri, a shop owner in Kabul, hoped that lasting peace would be restored in the war-torn country with the formation of the caretaker government.

"The announcement of the acting government is another step toward the peace and prosperity of Afghanistan," said Faqiri, planning to reopen his shop and restart his small business.

"I hope the Taliban soon finds some solutions for political and economic uncertainties," he said.

Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada said in a statement after the announcement of the acting government makeup that the new leadership would ensure "lasting peace, prosperity and development", and urged people not to try to leave the country.

He said that all will take part in strengthening Afghanistan and "in this way, we will rebuild our war-torn country."

He told Afghans that the ultimate goal of the new authorities would be to "put the country on its feet as soon as possible" and rebuild the country.

Military vehicles run in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

The formation of the caretaker government was announced after the Taliban said on Monday it had completely captured Panjshir, the last holdout province of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

Panjshir, some 200 km north of the capital Kabul, had been the last province in Afghanistan uncontrolled by the Taliban after the group seized most of Afghanistan's territories since early August in its blitz attacks, including Kabul.

The last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan at mid-night on Aug. 30, one day before the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden, ending a 20-year invasion war into the Central Asian country.

A CH-47 Chinook is loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 28, 2021. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs/Handout via Xinhua)

In 2001, the U.S.-led military forces invaded Afghanistan under the pretext of searching for Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

During the past two decades, the U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan have caused more than 30,000 civilian deaths, and turned about 11 million people into refugees, leaving Afghanistan in desperate need of stability and rehabilitation.

The Taliban has previously promised to build an inclusive government and hoped that Afghan people would help in the country's transition.

At a press conference held on Aug. 18, the first since Taliban's takeover of the capital Kabul on Aug. 15, spokesman Mujahid said the Taliban wants to have good relations with everybody to develop the country's economy and achieve prosperity.

The Taliban supreme leader had declared a general amnesty, promising to ensure the safety of the contractors and translators who had worked for the United States and allied forces, the government soldiers who had been fighting the Taliban for years, and those whose families were attempting to leave Afghanistan, Mujahid said.

He also said women could work and study in different fields within the framework of Sharia or Islamic law, and they would be offered all rights within the Islamic principles, because women are vital parts of the society. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 16:11:42|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said Wednesday that it firmly supports the Hong Kong police in arresting members of an anti-China group in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong police's national security department arrested Wednesday Chow Hang-tung and several other members of the notorious Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, in accordance with Schedule 5 of the implementation rules for Article 43 of the national security law in Hong Kong as they disobeyed related requirements to provide information.

Anyone violating the national security law in Hong Kong and Hong Kong laws will be punished according to the law, the spokesperson of the office said in a statement.

The office firmly supports the police in assuming its responsibility, preventing, stopping and punishing acts and activities endangering national security effectively, and genuinely safeguarding national security. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 19:24:44|Editor: huaxia

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Commemorative activities were held in multiple places in New York City, the United States, on Sept. 11, 2018 in memory of the victims from the Sept. 11, 2011 terror attacks. (Xinhua)



Twenty years after 9/11, these are the lessons we should be learning and the plans we should be making.



WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- While the 9/11 attacks killed several thousand Americans, the "endless wars" that the U.S. launched as part of the global war on terror "cost much more," renowned Harvard University professor Joseph S. Nye has said.

"The damage done by Al-Qaeda pales compared to the damage we did to ourselves," Nye, dean emeritus of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, told Xinhua in an email interview.

By some estimates, nearly 15,000 American military members and contractors were killed and the economic cost of the wars that followed 9/11 was more than 6 trillion U.S. dollars, Nye said. "Add to this the number of foreign civilians killed and refugees created and the costs were enormous."

"The opportunity costs were also large. When President Barack Obama tried to pivot to Asia -- the fastest growing part of the world economy -- the legacy of the global war on terror kept the U.S. mired in the Middle East," said Nye.

"The problems of terrorism remain" though some say that despite these costs, the United States prevailed in the global war on terror with Bin Laden and many of his top lieutenants killed, and there has not been another major terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland with the scale of 9/11, he noted.

U.S. national flags fly at half-mast at the Washington Monument in commemoration of the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Sept. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

LESSONS FOR U.S.

"Looking forward, when the next terrorist attacks come, will presidents be able to channel public demand for revenge by precise targeting, explaining the trap that terrorists set for us, and focusing on creating resilience in American responses," said Nye.

"Twenty years after 9/11, these are the lessons we should be learning and the plans we should be making," he said.

As a counterfactual history of the past 20 years, imagine what the world would be like if U.S. President George W. Bush had avoided the tempting rallying cry of a global war on terror and responded to 9/11 by carefully selected military strikes combined with good intelligence and diplomacy, said Nye.

Or, if he had gone into Afghanistan, imagine that he had got out after six months, even if that had involved negotiating with the Taliban, he said.

"What 9/11 illustrates is that terrorism is about psychology, not damage," said Nye.

The Tribute in Light art installation is presented to symbolize the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center site in New York, the United States, Sept. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The professor said he believes that "future historians will regard Sept. 11, 2001 as important as Pearl Harbor was on Dec. 7, 1941." The surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor killed some 2,400 American military personnel and destroyed or damaged 19 naval craft including eight battleships.

"In both cases, however, the main effect was on public psychology," said Nye.

"The 9/11 terrorist attacks were a horrific shock to our psyches. Images of victims jumping from towers are indelible, and intrusive security measures disrupted our lives," he said.

For years, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had tried to alert Americans to the Axis threat but failed to overcome isolationism, and all that changed with Pearl Harbor, according to the professor.

In the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush advocated a humble foreign policy and warned against the temptations of nation-building, but after the shock of 9/11, he declared a "Global War on Terror" and invaded both Afghanistan and Iraq, Nye said.

"Given the proclivities of top members of his administration, some say a clash with (then Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein was predictable in any case, but probably not in same manner and level of cost," said Nye. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 19:25:56|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- China attaches importance to the Taliban's announcement of the formation of a caretaker government in Afghanistan, together with some important personnel arrangements, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

According to media reports, the Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister.

"This has ended the more than three weeks of anarchy in Afghanistan and is a necessary step toward Afghanistan's restoration of order and post-war reconstruction," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press briefing.

China's position on the Afghanistan issue is consistent and clear, said Wang, adding that China upholds a policy of non-interference, respects Afghanistan's sovereign independence and territorial integrity, and supports the Afghan people in choosing a development path that suits their national conditions.

Wang said China hopes that Afghanistan will build a broad-based and inclusive political framework, adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, fight firmly against terrorism of all kinds and establish friendly relations with all countries, particularly with neighbouring countries.

China stands ready to maintain communication with Afghanistan's new government and leaders, and hopes that the new government will broadly absorb opinions from Afghan ethnic groups and parties, and meet the Afghan people's aspirations and the expectations of the international community, Wang said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 19:40:40|Editor: huaxia

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A worker makes preparation for the reopen of a cinema in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 8, 2021. Malaysia reported another 19,733 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total to 1,900,467. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 19,733 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total to 1,900,467.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that three of the new cases are imported and 19,730 are local transmissions.

Another 361 deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 19,163.

Some 22,701 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 1,632,631 or 85.9 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 248,673 active cases, 904 are being held in intensive care and 430 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

The country reported 326,476 doses administered on Tuesday alone and some 63.7 percent of the population have received at least one dose and 49.9 percent are fully vaccinated. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 20:56:37|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Opening-up is China's basic national policy that will never waver, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks in response to a question on the remarks by some people in the United States concerning Chinese government's efforts to strengthen market regulations.

The Chinese government has stepped up efforts in anti-monopoly oversight and investigated and punished acts of unfair competition to maintain orderly and fair competition in the market, Wang said, adding that such move is in line with relevant laws and regulations and is the common practice of managing economic activities in many countries.

"It is fundamentally conducive to the fair, orderly, and sustainable growth and development of the Chinese economy, and is good to the world economy in the long run. Chinese and foreign investors, business operators, and consumers will eventually benefit from it," he said.

Opening-up is China's basic national policy that will never waver, Wang said, adding that as a matter of fact, China is making ever greater strides in opening-up at a high level.

China has announced it will implement across the country a negative list for cross-border services trade and support Beijing and other localities in piloting the alignment of domestic rules with high-standard international free trade rules. The State Council issued measures to promote trade and investment facilitation and deepen reform and innovation in pilot free trade zones, in an effort to enable trade, investment, international logistics and the financial sector to better serve the real economy.

"China will, as always, provide better safeguards for foreign investors to do business in China. We will work with other parties to uphold openness and cooperation for mutual benefit, share development opportunities and jointly promote world economic recovery and growth," Wang said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 23:57:54|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday attended the first meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries in Beijing via video link.

Noting that Afghanistan is now standing at the crossroads of history, Wang said that the country is still facing severe challenges, such as humanitarian issues, people's livelihoods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Some international forces may also use political, economic and financial means to create new troubles for Afghanistan.

The neighboring countries, more than anyone else, want to help Afghanistan get out of chaos, he said. They should exert a positive influence on the situation development on the basis of respecting the sovereign independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.

Wang stressed that the United States and its allies should learn profound lessons and assume their due responsibilities on the Afghan issue.

"The common view of the international community is that the end of military intervention by the United States and its allies should be the beginning of them assuming their responsibilities," Wang said.

"They are more obligated than any other country to provide economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, and help Afghanistan maintain stability, prevent chaos and move toward sound development on the premise of respecting the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan."

He said the neighbors should guide and urge the Afghan Taliban to unite with all ethnic groups and factions, build a broad and inclusive political structure, pursue moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, draw a clear line with terrorist forces, and establish and develop friendly relations with other countries, especially neighboring countries.

The Taliban has recently made positive statements on issues such as forming a government, fighting terrorism and making friends with its neighbors. "We welcome the statements and the key is to transform them into concrete action," he said, adding the two most important points are extensive tolerance and resolute crack down on terrorism.

Afghanistan's neighbors should play a unique role in addressing their own legitimate concerns and providing a good external environment for Afghanistan's stability and reconstruction, Wang said.

Wang announced that China has decided to urgently provide 200 million yuan (30.96 million U.S. dollars) worth of grain, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines to Afghanistan, according to the needs of the Afghan people.

He said that China has decided to donate 3 million vaccine doses to the Afghan people in the first batch. China is also ready to provide more anti-epidemic and emergency materials to Afghanistan under the China-South Asian Countries Emergency Supplies Reserve.

Participants positively evaluated a series of consensuses reached at the meeting and agreed to institutionalize the meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries.

The first meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries was chaired by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Also attending the meeting were Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Khadzhiev. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 10:36:47|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- President of Libya Presidency Council Mohamed Menfi on Tuesday received credentials of the new ambassadors of Britain, Germany, Bangladesh, and Venezuela.

Menfi stressed the depth of the relations between Libya and those countries, praising their support for the Libyan dialogue, said a statement issued by the Presidency Council.

The ambassadors conveyed greetings of their respective governments to the president, expressing hope for the return of stability and peace to Libya.

They also stressed the importance of enhancing the relations between their respective countries and Libya, lauding the efforts of the Presidency Council to unite the country's institutions and achieve peace and stability. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 21:09:19|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it had summoned the Ethiopian Ambassador to Khartoum as the Sudanese authorities found 29 bodies in a border river.

"On Aug. 30, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of Ethiopia in Khartoum after the Sudanese authorities, during July 26 and Aug. 8, 2021, found 29 bodies carried by Setait River, east of the villages adjacent to Wad El Helew locality in Kassala State," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry informed the Ethiopian ambassador that the bodies belonged to Ethiopian citizens of the Tigray region, whose identities were identified by some Ethiopian individuals residing in Wad El Helew area, the statement said.

The ministry asked the Ethiopian ambassador to convey this information to the authorities in his country, according to the statement.

Sudan has been hosting a great number of Ethiopian refugees whose flow to Sudan has recently increased due to the conflict between the Ethiopian army and the fighters of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

According to UN statistics, the total number of the Ethiopian refugees in Sudan amounted to around 90,000, most of them are women and children.

On Nov. 4, 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed decided to enter into a military confrontation with the Tigray region to prevent instability in his country after the region conducted local elections in defiance of the federal government which described the vote as illegal.

The Ethiopian army has managed to quickly control the region, but during June and July the TPLF has restored control over most of the areas of the region from the army. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 21:26:31|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of diplomats and businessmen from Arab, African and Asian countries witnessed on Tuesday an evening ceremony in Cairo for the inauguration of the Afro-Asian Union for Tourism, Crafts, Research and E-Commerce (AFASU), which seeks to further connect African and Asian countries in various fields.

Hossam Darwish, president of the union, said that AFASU will be concerned with many areas of cooperation between African and Asian states, including tourism and travel, space, research, e-commerce, crafts, cinema, women's causes and more.

"AFASU aims to establish strategic and investment partnerships between African and Asian states, develop our businesses together and work together in agriculture, industry, commerce, tourism and traditional crafts," the AFASU chief told Xinhua.

He added that AFASU will communicate soon with Chinese officials to discuss prospect cooperation, for the union hopes to open an office in China.

For his part, AFASU first vice president, Ahmed Taalab, said that "the basic and greater goal of the union is to eliminate poverty and unemployment and achieve sustainable development."

He pointed out that the union officially has 18 member states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Rwanda, Mali and Tanzania, noting that at least 12 of them have now AFASU representation offices and the rest will do in a couple of months.

The new union, AFASU, is one of the several unions of the Cairo-based Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization (AAPSO), which was established in 1958 and currently has at least 90 member African and Asian states.

"This new union is one of AAPSO's several unions in various fields, which is established to fulfil the dire need of further communication between the peoples of Asia and Africa and to develop and improve their cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, medicine, art and other fields," Helmi al-Hadidi, head of AAPSO, told Xinhua during the inauguration ceremony. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 21:57:18|Editor: huaxia

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A man wearing an outfit made from African print fabric poses for a photo in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, Sept. 1, 2021. Bakari Sibanda, founder and creative director of Harare-based #byBakari fashion brand, uses African print fabric to make stylish clothing that reflects the artistic expression of African culture. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

by Tafara Mugwara

HARARE, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- In a world in which tradition and modern fashion are largely considered by many to be mutually exclusive, a Zimbabwean fashion entrepreneur has found a way of fusing tradition and modernity in eye-catching ways.

Bakari Sibanda, founder and creative director of Harare-based #byBakari fashion brand, uses African print fabric to make stylish clothing that reflects the artistic expression of African culture.

Inspired by his love for culture and passion for fashion, the talented young designer set up his business in 2018 and is already making waves on the local fashion scene.

"Print has always been something that was my favorite, something that I would like to wear, then I decided, from my background, my cultural background, we have our own prints that people haven't been looking into for a long period of time. Then I decided to mix both, both my cultural background and the fashion aspects of it and then the brand was born," he told Xinhua in an interview.

Visitors to Sibanda's shop in central Harare are greeted by a variety of dynamic and colorful boldly designed products that include hats, jackets, backpacks among other things.

To him, African textiles and their intricate composition of designs are more than just a fashion trend, they portray and celebrate African tradition and culture in their own unique manner.

Celebrating culture should not be dull and reserved for the elderly, he believes, but can be exciting as well for the younger generation.

"I realized that the African print back in the day it was associated with only the older age, then I realized that maybe I am gonna bring it back in a way that resonates better with the younger generation and bring it in a way that is more stylish maybe people would actually focus on it," Sibanda said.

Despite the increasingly interconnected global world, Sibanda believes that tradition still has room, and can flourish side by side with modernity.

"I feel like most young people have been moving away from their cultural background because you know how now the world is a very vast and big world and people are adopting different cultures," he said.

With his drive and determination, the fashion entrepreneur has seen his brand gaining prominence among the youths.

In Zimbabwe, people are increasingly wearing African print fabric to traditional events, weddings and other social gatherings. African print fabric is now frequently appearing on fashion shows and beauty pageants.

African fabric, or wax print, is made from 100 percent cotton, or waxed cotton, and contains bold and brightly colored designs.

Not only is Sibanda celebrating African culture through African fabric, the designer is also using fashion to bring together different cultures.

"I work with prints from all over, you find that there is South African print, which is Nguni print, there is the Ndebele print, I have worked with Kente which is from Ghana, I have worked with quite a number of different prints from all over (Africa), so I feel like I am using fashion to try and bring all cultures from different parts of Africa and bring them so that everyone gets to appreciate them," he said.

Despite gaining a foothold in the competitive fashion industry, Sibanda admits that setting up the business was never an easy walk in the park, considering that the world is on the cusp of an unprecedented pandemic.

"In the fashion industry, coming up with a brand I feel like there is a lot that's involved. It includes your goals, your passion, the drive that you have, I feel like the personal touch that I give to my brand is something that makes it unique. The way I interact with my clients because sometimes some people can actually tell that we can see your personality from the designs that you come up with," Sibanda said.

With the pandemic pushing most businesses online, Sibanda has utilized virtual platforms to make sure that he stays connected with his clientele.

"Social media has had a huge impact when it comes to my brand because you would realize that most of my clients, I would say 80 to 90 percent of my clients are actually from social media," he said.

Looking to the future, Sibanda is optimistic that the appetite for local products will continue soaring, and he would love to see his products in every household. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 00:49:45|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday declared drought, which is ravaging several parts of the country, a national disaster.

Uhuru Kenyatta directed relevant agencies to spearhead government efforts to assist affected households, including water and relief food distribution.

"The decision follows today's meeting between the Head of State and 85 leaders from Kenya's Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL)," the presidency said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

It said more details of the government's comprehensive drought mitigation measures will be released in due course.

Relief agencies say more than 2.1 million people in the ASAL of Kenya are severely food insecure, following two consecutive poor rainy seasons that have hampered crop production. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 03:03:11|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- For the first time in seven years, Kenyan farmer Jessica Wanjuki, who keeps more than 150 chickens on the outskirts of Nairobi, has decided to free-range them.

Over the years, she has been feeding the improved indigenous birds commercial rations, getting eggs and meat for sale.

The farmer, however, cannot sustainably do it anymore as the cost of commercial feeds in the east African nation hits a record high.

"Keeping the chickens in their cages full-time is no longer sustainable. The cost of a 70 kg bag of feed has increased from 2,200 shillings (about 20 U.S. dollars) to 25.5 dollars in about three months," said Wanjuki.

The cost of feed in Kenya has been pushed up by scarcity of animal feed ingredients that include soya, sunflower cake, fishmeal, wheat pollard, maize and maize germ and cotton seed cake.

Kenya hardly produces enough of the ingredients, including maize -- the country's staple -- thus relies on imports. While some of them such as maize and cotton seed cake are sourced from neighboring countries, including Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania, others like soya and sunflower cake are sourced from as far as China.

A global shortage of most of the ingredients has seen thousands of Kenyan farmers dig deeper into their pockets to feed their cows, chickens and pigs.

The worst hit are chicken and pig farmers as the majority of them wholly rely on commercial rations.

Unlike dairy farmers, who only buy commercial concentrates to feed their animals during milking, poultry and pig keepers fully rely on the feed.

"My production costs have doubled making pig farming an unprofitable venture," said Fred Kimetto, a pig farmer in Uasin Gishu in the Rift Valley.

Kimetto buys a 70 kg bag of feed depending on the stage of growth of the animals at between 23 dollars and 30 dollars, up from 18 dollars and 26 dollars.

"The challenge is that as the cost of production increases, the price of livestock products has not increased to cushion us from losses," said Kimetto.

Joseph Karuri, chairman of the Association of Kenya Animal Feeds Manufacturers (Akefema), blamed the current increase in prices to COVID-19 disruption, which has affected global supplies.

According to him, Kenya produces low quantities of soya beans, sunflower or cotton whose by-products are soybean meal, sunflower and also cotton seed cake are major sources of protein in the manufacture of animal feeds.

"Kenya entirely depends on imports from Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia but the adverse effects of COVID 19 have hurt supplies. The countries have constrained supplies," he said.

As Kenya struggles to import, some growers of the animal feed ingredients in Kenya are exporting them to markets like the United Arab Emirates where prices are high. Among those being exported are wheat bran, sunflower cake, wheat pollard and maize germ.

Global prices of the products have increased by between 30 percent and 200 percent since 2020.

Erratic rains in Kenya have also compounded problems for farmers after affecting maize production.

Kenya is expected to record declined maize production this season due to low rains in growing areas of the Rift Valley. The country is expected to harvest less than its annual average maize production of 40 million bags against a consumption of over 52 million bags.

"It is a tough time being a livestock farmer in Kenya. This is no longer profitable business. One now has two options, either to sell the animals and quit the business or scale down operations until prices come down," said Kimetto, the pig farmer, noting that formulating animal feeds on the farm to cut costs is not an option since the cost of ingredients have gone up, with some like soya and fishmeal not readily available.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that there are some 18 million cattle in Kenya, 18 million sheep, 28 million goats, 3 million camels, about 400,000 pigs and 32 million poultry.

The livestock is kept by about 7 million smallholder households.

Beatrice Macharia of Growth Point, an agro-consultancy in Kajiado, noted that Kenya's main undoing is using maize and other human feed products to make animal rations.

"That competition certainly brings problems in times of scarcity. Kenya has not embraced yellow maize as an animal feed ingredient to avoid reliance on white maize, which is human food," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 05:52:07|Editor: huaxia

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Staff members count votes at a polling station in Rabat, Morocco, Sept. 8, 2021. Polls for the lower house and local elections in Morocco closed as scheduled at 7:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, and preliminary results are expected early Thursday morning. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua)

RABAT, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Polls for the lower house and local elections in Morocco closed as scheduled at 7:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday, and preliminary results are expected early Thursday morning.

In total, 17,509,127 voters were registered to cast their ballots for 395 seats in the House of Representatives, or the lower house, and more than 31,503 local and regional officials.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Interior, the turnout in this election reached 50.18 percent at the closing time.

All polling stations were closed at 7 p.m. local time in accordance with the legal provisions, it added.

The election of the provincial councils will be held on Sept. 21, and the election of the House of Councillors, or the upper house, is scheduled for Oct. 5.

It is the third time that Morocco has held such elections ever since the country adopted a new constitution on July 1, 2011. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 22:53:49|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Minister of Health Jens Spahn and Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, reiterated the importance of people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at a joint press conference here on Wednesday.

The number of unvaccinated people in Germany is "still too high," Spahn said. "If we do not increase the vaccination rates drastically, the ongoing fourth wave can take a fulminant course" this autumn and winter, he warned.

The share of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients in intensive care units already exceeds 90 percent, according to Spahn, who spoke of a "pandemic among the unvaccinated."

Almost 51.3 million people in Germany have been fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 61.7 percent, according to the RKI. Around 55 million people have received at least one vaccine dose.

In order to revive the country's flagging vaccination campaign, the government is planning a nationwide "vaccine action week" from next Monday, offering "creative" opportunities to receive a jab without pre-registration and bureaucratic hurdles at as many locations across Germany as possible, Spahn said.

The number of daily COVID-19 infections stabilized at 13,565 new cases registered within one day on Wednesday, only 34 more than seven days ago, according to the RKI.

The seven-day COVID-19 incidence rate per 100,000 residents in Germany slightly fell from 83.8 cases on Tuesday to 82.7 on Wednesday, compared to 75.7 seven days ago, according to the RKI.

Although incidences could decline on a day-to-day basis, it would be necessary to look at the data over a longer period, said Wieler when asked if the pandemic situation in Germany was improving. "We do not see any trend so far of incidences dropping," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 00:24:50|Editor: huaxia

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A parade is held to mark the 30th anniversary of the independence of North Macedonia in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sept. 8, 2021. (Photo by Tomislav Georgiev/Xinhua)

SKOPJE, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia on Wednesday marked the 30th anniversary of its independence.

In a video message to the citizens, President Stevo Pendarovski said that on this day 30 years ago came true the dream of all generations that fought and died for the country's freedom.

"Today, we have the privilege of having our own independent state and at the same time a great responsibility to invest in it to be a worthy home for every one of us," Pendarovski said.

Pendarovski, accompanied by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and other officials, laid wreaths on the graves of former Presidents Kiro Gligorov and Boris Trajkovski, contributors to the country's sovereign statehood.

To mark the occasion, the authorities organized a series of events, including music performances and a parade of health workers, police and army members, athletes and firefighters.

Over 95 percent of the country's citizens voted in favor of independence in 1991. North Macedonia has been a candidate for European Union (EU) membership since 2005. Enditem


ZANU PF Nyanga North constituency MP Chido Sanyatwe is reportedly leading the race to take over as the Manicaland Zanu PF provincial womens league chairperson, with several districts said to be backing her ahead of the elections expected to be held next month.

Sanyatwe is wife to Zimbabwe ambassador to Tanzania and former Presidential Guard commander, Anselem Sanyatwe.

She is facing competition from this incumbent, Happiness Nyakuedzwa who is determined to return her seat despite being dumped by her district, Makoni, last month.

Makoni district, however, endorsed Nyakuyedzwas husband, Albert for the provincial chairmanship where he will battle it out with current chairperson Mike Madiro.

Party insiders, who commented on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation and also breaking the partys regulations that prohibits candidates from campaign, said Sanyatwe is leading the race.

Cde Sanyatwe has done a lot for her constituency, she has been helping women with poultry projects, sewing machines among other projects, so people are appreciating what she has been doing and she is being supported by many districts in upcoming provincial elections, said a womens league provincial member.

What is interesting in the womens league elections Cde Nyakuedzwa is not wanted in her own Makoni district; this is an advantage for Sanyatwe. Mutasa district is supporting Sanyatwe.

Aspiring candidates who are eyeing for provincial positions are allegedly holding secret campaigns.

Zanu PF acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa recently warned party members to desist from campaigning as this was disturbing the partys restructuring process.

Zanu PF Manicaland spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka yesterday said he was expecting party members to follow the partys pronouncement.

The party is yet to make a pronouncement on the elections and party members are expected to follow what the party is saying. So far, we have restructuring exercises for cells and branches.

Sanyatwe was elected into leadership of Manicaland province and was promoted to secretary for administration in the womens league in 2013.

After being elected into Parliament in 2018, Sanyatwe is a member of the portfolio committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts. Newsday
Old offer letters for resettlement land and land permits are being replaced with new documents that have improved security features to curb illegal parcelling out of land and weed out fake offer letters.

Most people who obtained an offer letter legally and have been using their land will have little trouble getting the new document, basically just signing a form.

New guidelines for the allocation of A1 plots have been distributed to provinces and districts to curb illegal land allocations as part of the process of cleaning out corrupt officials and what amounts to rural land barons.

There have been a growing number of reports of fake offer letters, and people being conned to pay a bribe to a dishonest official or a fee to a criminal who claimed contacts with officials, despite the fact that land allocation is done for free.

Some culprits have already been arrested and brought before the courts.

President Mnangagwa recently encouraged all Zimbabweans to follow due process in acquiring land, while warning invaders that they could not succeed.

Lands, Agriculture Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka said all offer letters will now have improved security features, and are issued through the province and districts, upon signing the requisite acceptance and acknowledgement forms.

Older offer letters will be replaced with new serialised offer letters with new security features. These will be collectable from the provinces and the districts. This will weed out old fake offer letters.

A1 farmers received their permits from Lands Officers from 2014 onwards or from other authorities prior to 2014. To further curtail illegal land allocation, a new permit with improved security features will also be issued, he said.

Minister Masuka said while every Zimbabwean had the right to land, due process should be followed in applying for land.

It is the responsibility of the State, not individuals, to alienate agricultural land.

As we follow the Presidents directive to weed out invaders, law-abiding Zimbabweans are urged to assist Government in exposing land invaders, including their handlers and masters. Land invaders  you have been warned, he said.

The current policy position on land redistribution focusses on identifying for re-allocation land from multiple farm ownership, abandoned farms, under-used farms, derelict farms and farms found to be above the maximum size for the ecological zone.

Applications for land are made through the district committees and vetted by the provincial committees.

Minister Masuka said the waiting lists were in excess of 250 000 across all provinces because of the soaring demand for agricultural land.

Unfortunately, not every Zimbabwean wishing to get land will be allocated land. However, one does not have to own land to undertake farming or engage in a profitable agricultural business.

Government has recently approved a Joint Venture Agreement Framework such that investors can legally farm with the consent of Government.

This method allows for access to agricultural land for production purposes while ensuring there is skills transfer to the land reform beneficiaries, he said.

Minister Masuka said continued reports of corruption across all land categories were worrisome and Government did not tolerate any unbecoming behaviour that is prejudicial to the cherished land reform programme.

We must collectively fight corruption. Please report any suspected case of corruption to the nearest provincial or district lands office, or the police or the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission. The Ministers office is also open to receive any such complaints or reports.

The public is advised that no payment is required for any of the processes associated with the application, vetting and allocation of agricultural land, he said. Herald
ZAMBIAS ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has accused Zanu PF of launching cyber-attacks against its leadership, which it says could sour relations between the two neighbours.

UPNDs Hakainde Hichilema scored a stunning landslide victory over incumbent Edgar Lungu in Zambias presidential election last month, the margin of his victory surprising pundits, but also showing the level of disillusionment with the performance of the former leader.

But UPND is seen as close to Zimbabwes opposition, the MDC Alliance after inviting its leaders, Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti and other opposition figures in the region to Hichilemas inauguration.

At the inauguration, President Emmerson Mnangagwa had the indignity of having to share the platform with the opposition that the countrys courts have ruled to be illegitimate. His spokesperson, George Charamba recently attacked Hichilema as a sellout and it appears the ill-feeling between the two administrations is persisting.

UPND spokesperson Joseph Kalimbwe said Hichilema and his party were being targeted by Zanu PF cyber-attacks which he said were scandalous.

We are in Zambia talking about the need to tackle corruption in our country but across the border Zanu PF supporters think the message is directed at them and so they start to attack and demonise us, Kalimbwe tweeted.

Not even our own political opponents attack us like they do. Its scandalous!.

Kalimbwe told NewsDay yesterday that they were being attacked on social media platforms by some Zanu PF members who were criticising Hichilemas personality and policies.

He said the Zanu PF party has always been uneasy over UNDPs close relations with Chamisa.

We have always been victims of several online attacks on the party and the President. Not so long after the presidential spokesperson (Charamba) labelled President Hichilema a sellout, several other members of the ruling Zanu PF party attacked us online with regards to our policies which have nothing to do with Zimbabwean governance.

Such actions do not guarantee amicable diplomatic ties. UPND as a ruling party does not concern itself with the affairs of its neighbour, Zimbabwe, but on the contrary, Zanu PF members have been very much concerned with how President Hichilema runs Zambia.

Zanu PF acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa said he was not aware of any case where members of the ruling party had attacked the Zambian government.

He said if indeed there were attacks against UPND, from Zimbabwe, it was not from Zanu PF.

I cant comment on the alleged attacks against the Zambian party because I am not aware of such an incident, Chinamasa said.

I am yet to check on the alleged attacks. As Zanu PF, we remain friendly with the Zambian government. Zanu PF has never been a hostile party.

Zimbabwe and Zambia have a long history of cordial relations, therefore; I would say it is the work of detractors who go online in the name of Zanu PF just to spoil the good relationship between us and the UPND. Those people would go online in the name of Zanu PF just to tarnish our image.

Zanu PF had been enjoying good relationships with Lungu, who reportedly banned MDC Alliance activities in his country. Newsday
SUNGURA maestro and Zimbabwe Red Cross humanitarian ambassador Alick Macheso yesterday lamented the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and urged citizens to get vaccinated to save lives.

The Madhau hit-maker made the remarks on the sidelines of a media tour of the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Clinics COVID-19 vaccination site in central Harare.

As musicians, we work with the public, so at Orchestra Mberikwazvo, we found it necessary to get vaccinated as we lead by example complementing government efforts in combating COVID-19 not by just singing, but lets take the lead and get vaccinated, he said.

It is almost two years now since artists have not gone to work and I believe getting vaccinated can be the only way to get back to normalcy. I, therefore, urge fellow artistes, our fans and Zimbabweans at large to get vaccinated because we dont know where this pandemic will take us.

Macheso said people should not listen to street theories.

Lets not listen to those lots of theories discouraging people from getting vaccinated, these vaccines have been proven by health authorities so they will not kill us, lets get vaccinated, he said.

Speaking at the same event, Zimbabwe Red Cross Clinical director Joel Tapi said they opened the vaccination site to augment governments vaccination drive.

Zimbabwe Red Cross Clinic belongs to the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society that plays a humanitarian role in assisting the government and in terms of our model as a clinic we thrive to ensure that we are offering high quality medical care at a low cost.

We intend to bridge between the private and public sectors, he said.

In support of the governments COVID-19 response, we have also embarked on offering the vaccines (Sinovac and Sinopharm) to the general public for free, operating just like any other institution.

We are seeing quite a number of people who are turning up to receive their vaccines on a daily basis.

Tapi said as a clinic they offered a variety of services which include general practitioners, laboratory services, dental clinic and also specialist clinics that have experts such as physicians, gynecologist, orthopedic and neuro surgeons. Newsday
A HARARE man wants the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) to expedite investigations against the Sheriff of the High Court, whom he is accusing of fraudulently attaching and selling his property.

Norbet Njazi claims that the Sheriff, Mcduff Madega, corruptly transferred and sold his property at Adylinn, Bluffhill which was bonded by CBZ bank.

Njazi claims that the Sheriff deliberately did not advise CBZ about the sale. He said he owed the banks over $100 000, an amount more than the value of his property and the bank could have obviously objected to the sale, if it had been advised of such plans.

In a letter dated August 23, 2021, Njazi dismissed the Sheriffs claims that he was not aware that there were bonds registered on his house because such ignorance proved that he failed to exercise due diligence when he was performing his duties.

He also claims that the Sheriff proceeded to attach and sell his house although he had been advised by his lawyers about the CBZ bonds to the property.

Njazi also accused the Sheriff of conniving with lawyer Kudzashe Gama of Gama and Associates, who was hired as a conveyancer, to attach, sell and transfer his property in a fraudulent and corrupt manner.

Njazi lodged a complaint against Gama at the Law Society of Zimbabwe and the matter is still under investigation.

I write to follow up on progress regarding my case against the Sheriff of the High Court of Zimbabwe Mr Mcduff Madega, case ref RR36/07/19, Njzazi said in the letter.

The last update I got was in July 2021 when I was advised by the investigation officers who are handling the case that the statement of procedure which was issued by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) concluded that the Sheriff did not have a case to answer because he acted according to the law and that he followed proper procedures to sell my house, Njazi wrote.

However, we then held a meeting with the investigation officers on the July 15, 2021 to discuss the statement of procedure. In the meeting, I had an opportunity to go through the statement of procedure and I noted a number of anomalies.

He said the investigation officers advised him that they had also noted that some points given by JSC in the statement defending the sheriff contradicted High Court rules and procedures which must be followed by the Sheriff in executing his duties which warranted further investigation.

In their statement of procedure, JSC said the sheriff was not aware that the property had mortgages, and that mortgage is not an encumbrance to a sale in execution and that a property can be attached and sold in execution of a court order in the existence of mortgage bond against the property, Njazi said.

I am aware a mortgaged property can be attached and sold in execution but my complaint is the corrupt manner in which the matter was handled which resulted in me reporting this case.

The second issue I noticed which is tantamount to serious fraud is that the Sheriff used certificates in terms of deeds registries regulations certifying that he failed to locate my original title deed no 7199/2009 when he transferred my property to the new buyer. How could he fail to locate the original title deed when my lawyers had written two different letters advising him about these bonds? My original title deeds are with CBZ and the bonds have not been cancelled.

In June, Zacc recently launched investigations against Madega following complaints by at least nine people, who accused him of illegally selling properties attached by the courts. Newsday
I could not be more upset and disappointed, he said. If these allegations are proved to be true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic, when being vaccinated is one of the most important steps anyone can take to keep their community safe from COVID-19.
In a public announcement Tuesday morning, health officials warned residents they may not be able to receive care at the level they normally would at certain medical facilities. The agency added its goal will continue to be to extend care to as many patients as possible and to save as many lives as they can.
Pichardo is also accused of assaulting a 44-year-old woman, striking her in the head with a branch and knocking her unconscious on the same day in the park. Prosecutors say he then stole her purse and phone and tried to remove her trousers.
He also had a significant role in overseeing labor relations, governmental affairs, and legislative affairs, and he worked closely with the Governor and other senior officials in the Executive Chamber. Percocos power was amplified by his unique relationship with Governor Cuomo; he had worked with Governor Cuomo in a number of roles, and was known for being close to him and his family.
At his Manhattan Federal Court sentencing, Luis Meson, 33, apologized to the court and his family for his careless decision to participate in the illicit drug enterprise known as Mikes Candy Shop, which claimed at least one life.
Camila, who only used her first name in court, said that Salzman parroted Ranieres belief that girls could consent to sex as soon as they were able to conceive.
Lt. Alexander Bobo was arrested Aug. 15 for punching the woman and ripping her hair extension out of her head in an incident on Clarkson Ave. near E. 91st St. in Brownsville, Brooklyn, according to a criminal complaint. The woman suffered bleeding and bruising in the assault, the source said.
One of her favorite beach traditions was ringing in the New Year in Long Branch with her closest friends despite the frigid temperatures, her family said in a statement. It was all about the joy of the moment with Stephanie and sharing it with the people she cared about.
Police believe Ishmael Simmons, 35, shot Shakeinne Jones the night of Aug. 7 in a confrontation on Anderson Ave. near W. 164th St. in Highbridge. They released a mugshot of Simmons Wednesday and are asking the publics help tracking him down.
De Blasios City Hall has been at war with cops since his first days in office, Mullins said. Charges against union activism that City Hall doesnt like  speaking truth to those who claim power  is sadly what weve come to expect from this administration.
My brother, my best friend, my first friend, my protector, my hero, Cori wrote on Facebook after Duvals death. Words cant express the impact you made on me. Words can never express the LOVE you showed me nor the life lessons you taught me. I feel like you wished me into existence how bad you told our parents you wanted a little brother. And you never fell short of what a big brother embodied EVER.
Police found the officer, whos been on the NYPD since 2003, after his sister hadnt heard from him since Sunday and asked cops to do a wellness check at his home, sources said.
But critics in Suffolk law enforcement circles and Sinis opponent in the November election say Smith and Creighton both sold drugs to undercover police many months before their customers overdoses. Those critics say Sini and his office could have used those busts to get them off the street sooner.
I was touching his hand and his face, his legs, recalled Singh, who moved to Queens in 2007 before earning enough to bring his wife and son over from India in 2018. I was talking to him, and there was no movement ... I felt like I was going to die.
Wichita police have identified the alleged gunman as Keshawn Maurice Dawson, who got into a scuffle at the Enigma Club & Lounge before getting the boot shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Authorities said the suspect did leave, but he returned a short time later with a gun and opened fire into the popular night spot from the sidewalk outside.
I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. Im resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders ... I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.
This is a situation where we have a very young, innocent child who has been taken from the community due to the actions of some individuals who have demonstrated complete disregard for the welfare of their fellow human being, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Maj. Ryan Butler told reporters at the crime scene.
Its undisputed that the delta variant is far more infectious than their prior version of the virus, and that children are more susceptible to the delta variant than to the form from a year ago, he said. In particular for children under 12, they cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, theres really only one or two means to protect them against the virus as either stay at home, or mask.
Lowry referred to the nations head immunologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, as Dr. Falsey, and allegedly referred to the 80-year-old director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as a liar and a sexual deviant. He also used his pulpit to share misinformation about climate science and pushed the absurd QAnon theory that powerful liberals drink the blood of babies.
The 30-year-old assailant from Lower Saxony, who was not identified due to German privacy law, was convicted of severe aggravated assault and breach of the peace and quickly given a one-year suspended prison sentence, the German news agency dpa reported.
The 57-year-old former Amazon CEO is one of several investors in Altos Labs, a Silicon Valley startup working to create a reprogramming technology aimed at rejuvenating cells and potentially prolonging life, the MIT Technology Review reported. The goal of the labs anti-aging method is to revert adult, specialized cells into stem cells, which in turn, have the potential to turn into any kind of cell.
More than 800 residents living in the nursing homes, which all appear to be under the same ownership, traveled 55 miles from Baton Rouge to the warehouse in the city of Independence just before the storm struck. The state health department said it learned of deteriorating conditions at what they called a warehouse site, about 50 miles outside of New Orleans, the same day Ida made landfall on August 29.
Riley, who served four years in Iraq and Afghanistan, first showed up at the home around 7:30 p.m. Saturday and knocked on the door, telling the woman who answered that God had sent him to talk to Amber, according to police. The woman told him that there was no Amber and he left, only to find Gleason mowing the lawn.
Lagging vaccination rates across demographics have contributed to Florida becoming one of several COVID hot spots during the virus third wave this summer. Gov. Ron DeSantis attempted to ban mask mandates in schools for the 2021-22 school year, but Miami-Dade is one of a few districts that have defied DeSantis and required masks for students anyways.
At one point during the standoff, Arias grabbed the womans boyfriend and came to the door with a gun pointed at his head, the chief said. He eventually released the hostage but went back inside and made very concerning comments, saying he did not want to go back to prison and would not do so, according to police.
Weve got to go way back in time to Kathie, because everything the defendant did in this case stems from covering up his part in her death, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said as he started his closing argument at Dursts California trial for the murder of his best friend Susan Berman in 2000.
When I first started, I was so hyped, and then you get those hours of driving and you get tired, but when you step out of these cars, and you see the names, its like, What am I complaining about? I get to drive this vehicle, and these people dont get another day on this earth, Cabrera told the Daily News.
I hope that parents can be listening to us in terms of what they need to do which is best for their children, but Im willing to take a look at all options, she said. Because if these numbers start going up again, and we have to figure out a way to contain that ... I will take more actions if necessary.
People are in pain. People need help. They need food. They need a place to stay, Hochul said after touring damaged houses along 152nd Street near Kissena Park. We have a humanitarian crisis in the city of New York as we speak  Im going to do everything I humanly can with the resources of the state.
We operate on the idea that there is a threat out there, and that we have to continuously hunt for that  before the event, during the event, after the event, and not just at the event, but around the city, Miller said. Weve stepped it up this year, not because of specific information about something in New York, but because we want people to see it, we want people to know theyre safe and we want people to know that were here and that were protecting that event.
I think what the governor has to do is reach out to everybody, not try to be everybodys friend, not give everybody everything they want, Bloomberg said as Hochul stood beside him near Ground Zero, their first appearance since she was sworn in as the states first female governor on Aug. 24. Shes got to say, This is whats right for the city. Shes got to be a leader, not a panderer.
Bidens administration has struggled to reach Americans reluctant to get vaccinated, which has hampered the countrys efforts to squash the pandemic. After the release of the data, the president acknowledged that the U.S. is not where we need to be in the recovery.
Those charges include allegations that they conspired to block the certification of 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.
Progressives, on the other hand, are threatening to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure deal unless all 50 Democrats in the evenly divided Senate vote to pass the much bigger deal, which includes big bucks to combat climate change but also expensive goodies like free community college and pre-school and expanding Medicare.
If a majority of voters say yes to the first question, the governor will be recalled. The candidate with the most votes on the second question would then win the election, with no majority required.
One change from the remote arguments will stay for now. The justices said they will continue their practice during the pandemic of allowing audio of oral arguments to be broadcast live by the news media. Before the pandemic, the court would only very occasionally allow live audio of arguments in particularly high-profile cases. That meant that the only people who heard the arguments live were the small number of people in the courtroom. The court releases a transcript of the arguments on the same day but, before the pandemic, only posted the audio on its website days after.
In 1985, an 8.0 earthquake with an epicenter about 200 miles west of Mexico City leveled the metropolis, killing at least 5,000 people in the region. In 2017, more than 300 people in Mexico were killed by a 7.1 quake in the same region.
Together with a cameraman, they stood on the edge of a ledge, recounted Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russias state-funded TV channel RT, on social media cited by The Associated Press. The cameraman tripped and fell into the water. There were enough witnesses  no one had even figured out what had happened when Zinichev rushed into the water after the man and fell onto a protruding stone.
During her second appeal of a World Trade Center disability denial, NYCERS concluded that city EMT Ivonne Sanchez was not disabled and could return to work as an FDNY EMT, even though she was already retired on a three-quarters pension and had been diagnosed with 9/11-related breast cancer, asthma and GERD. After multiple rejections and appeals, NYCERS approved her  for asthma only. Put bluntly, if she died of cancer, her children would not receive accidental death benefits.
Attica unfolded as an expression of complete frustration for people in prisons not only New York but across the country. The conditions in Attica were outrageously brutal and inhumane. Many people of influence knew it and empathized. There was an outpouring of pleas for a peaceful resolution between the authorities and the incarcerated men involved in the uprising. People of all walks of life, including state legislators, were imploring Rockefeller to come and speak with the men. The head of the Department of Corrections was there in the yard trying to negotiate and progress was being made, but there were sticking points, including amnesty for those involved in the uprising. Yet the governor refused to come and talk with them. And Attica exploded into a bloodbath.
We honor 9/11 survivors in diverse ways, as is entirely appropriate. In the best spirit of hope, the survivor awakens us from our slumber. At the 20th anniversary, in the wake of our lost wars and the mayhem we created in the name of avenging 9/11, the challenge is, in the words of Lincoln at his Second Inaugural, to bind up the nations wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan  to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. And that, he said, must be done with malice toward none. In our perilous moment now, we turn to the 9/11 survivor for their special wisdom to end our numbing, heal our souls, and direct us to peace.
I am doing great, he tweeted 11 days later. Ive had my very own Its a wonderful life week of people insisting I make the world slightly better. Wow! Thank you, I love everyone right now but lets keep expectations reasonable!
It has been my honor to serve as the anchor of Noticias Telemundo where we rigorously cover the most important news for the Latino community. I look forward to this unique role where I can reach different audiences in English and Spanish across the NBCUniversal News Group and Telemundo, he added.
Ankur Dahiya, who launched his software startup RunX last year during the pandemic lockdowns, believes that remote work has helped him hire employees that otherwise may not have been candidates. The eight-worker startup rents a San Francisco office one day a week so Dahiya can meet with employees who live nearby, but other employees are in Canada, Nevada, and Oregon. The workers living outside of California have been flying in once every three months for super productive meetings and brainstorming, says Dahiya, who has previously worked at Facebook and Twitter.
Spirit Airlines, based in Miramar, experienced the industrys most notable spate of cancellations and delays, blaming staffing and technical issues. And now the airline has joined American Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines in projecting declines in bookings from the fall into the winter. Spirit is also cutting back on the number of flights it intends to operate in the third quarter.
Yes, people are concerned about the delta variant. Yes, that is having an impact in the short term on peoples travel plans. But people in general, travelers seem to be very confident that this is just a temporary bump in the road, Pewitt Yancey said. Once you start to look out to a more medium length time horizon, people seem to believe that either the situation will pass, or they will travel anyway, even if it hasnt passed.
The states hospitals are still inundated with COVID-19 patients compared to the rest of the nation, according to data last updated on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About 87% of Floridas inpatient beds are occupied. About one out of four of these patients has COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Melia Orlando Celebration has been celebrating its 10th Anniversary since Aug. 13 with birthday cake bashes, flash mobs by the pool, family movie nights and classes with topics from cooking to Zumba. The festivities come to an end Sept. 12.
Sanchez, who has a masters degree in health center administration and is a specialist in neurology, also has a passion for food preparation and, like her partner and now a friend of hers, Uchimura, she comes from a family of merchants.
Originally from China, Qiu and his wife, Wen Pan, worked in the restaurant industry for several years before growing their passion for baking beyond the hobby level, opening their first shop in 2019 on Aloma Avenue. Their wares became an instant hit on social media. Seasonal offerings and character macarons catapulted their following into the thousands.
Wayne Grant, Jr., 27, faced a federal charge of bribery after officials said he struck a deal to smuggle methamphetamine into the Central Florida prison in exchange for money, according to William Daniels, spokesperson for Middle District of Floridas U.S. Attorney Office.
It makes me realize that when she stood out there with us, when Black Lives Matter was... marching and she was marching along with us, she knew that she would not try any of these cases, Joanne Celestin said. She has one job, one job only, and thats to bring justice. That is her job and she refused to do so. She has failed us all.
But the state quickly appealed and was granted an automatic stay typically provided to the government in such lawsuits. The lawyers for the parents who sued DeSantis and other state leaders then asked the judge to lift the stay, arguing children faced the very real prospect of irreparable harm, if school districts could not enforce mask mandates.
In their petition, the districts argue the health department rule does not state the opt out must be unlimited and does not prevent them from putting parameters on their opt out. All three school systems mandate masks unless a child has a medical exemption, which their attorneys argue is permissible under the rule.
These two are frequent guests at the Green Roof Inn and have yet to learn their lesson, Sheriff Rick Staly said. Between these two poison peddlers, they had enough fentanyl to kill 481,000 people, which is more than the population of Flagler and St. Johns County combined!
Last week, Bryan Raymond planted the tree in a stubborn pothole along Honda Drive just off U.S. 41 in south Fort Myers. Raymond, who owns Progress and Pride Fitness Group, said the idea of planting a banana tree ripened in his mind after having to fill holes in the street with cement multiple times.
He was last seen wearing a multi-colored camouflage dive suit and had been diving from a 28-foot vessel. Evans was in the ocean with two other boaters when he went missing, according to the agency.
The latest version of this phenomenon began in Cuba over a century ago when the American military pushed the Spanish off of the island. President William McKinley could have simply turned the government over to the native Cuban rebels, who were more than willing and able to govern themselves. Instead, McKinley appointed Gen. Leonard Wood as Military Governor and charged him with bringing about a new order of things on the island. The general took this charge with zealous seriousness.
Yet there are still people working every day to honor the victims of 9/11. In fact, remember that 25-year-old firefighter I mentioned above? The one whose mother I met while she was hoping against all odds that her son might still be alive? Well, his name was Michael DAuria. And people from around the globe still post on his online memorial wall to let his family know theyre keeping his memory alive.
The Lakeland Ledger reported that when Riley first showed up at the familys home and started talking about how God had sent him to these strangers house, they threatened to call the police  to which Riley responded: You dont need to call the cops because Im the cops for God.
There is nothing bad about Disney  and Im not on their payroll, said Martin Kessler, president of Econometrics Corp. and Winter Park economist, looking ahead. Our future is going to be in leisure  The key is to exploit to the hilt all the benefits we can get out of the industry.
First, a tropical wave is expected to pop up off the western African coast and onto the NHCs radar in the next few days. Some development is possible, and its odds of becoming a tropical depression are 70% over the next five days.
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The National Committee for Rally and Development (CNRD), in power in Guinea since Sunday, will meet the political class at a date yet to be specified, PANA learned Tuesday from a well informed source in the Guinean capital
Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - The Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness recorded three deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 55, official sources told PANA on Wednesday in Port Louis
Rome, Italy (PANA) - Sustainable agri-food systems are a "critical part of the actions and solutions" to the climate crisis, food insecurity and biodiversity loss, which are global crises the world is facing today, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General QU Dongyu told Members of the Organization on Wednesday
Lome, Togo (PANA) - The Togolese government has released a sum of 300 million CFA francs for the benefit of the artistic sector as part of the Fund for Aid to Culture, PANA learned from official sources here Tuesday
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Farmers protest that began from kisan mahapanchayat at Anaj Mandi on Tuesday morning in Haryana's Karnal has entered its second day in front of the mini-secretariat as more and more people from the surrounding areas continue to join the sit-in demonstration.

Talking to IANS, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said, "We will continue to stay here and as we have already put forth our demands to the district administration, now it is up to the state government officials to take a call."

The protesters have set up tents outside the DC office. Some farmers have even said that the protest in front of the district administration office will be extended if their demands are not met.

Kisan Mahapanchayat took place Tuesday morning during which an 11-member farmers' delegation went to meet Karnal Deputy Commissioner to submit a memorandum of their demands.

The demands included an FIR and strict action against SDM Ayush Sinha, who on August 28 instructed the police to beat the protesting farmers. A video-clip of Sinha ordering the force to smash the farmers' heads had stirred a row after it went viral on social media. The farmers demand compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge and died later due to heart attack along with a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the wounded persons.

However, none of the protesting farmers' demands were accepted by the district officials after which they decided to gherao (surround) Karnal's mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening resulting in heavy traffic jam in the city.
Amid farmers protest in Karnal, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday that the government should avoid confrontation with the farmers and find amicable solution.

He said confrontation is not good as farmers have every right to protest peacefully for their demands.

Hooda said, "the farmers are demanding MSP guarantee and go and see what is the position in Mandis as even input cost of the farming is not covered."

The government should initiate talks with the farmers immediately and come out with some solution, he said

Meanwhile, a meeting of farm leaders with local administration has begun in Karnal on Wednesday with farmers demanding action against SDM Ayush Sinha and an independent inquiry in the matter.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, activist Yogendra Yadav are among the 13 representatives participating in the meeting with District administration officials.

Before going for the meeting, Rakesh Tikait said, the Khattar government is conspiring to limit the farm agitation to Karnal, which will not be successful. He said the farm protests at borders of Delhi will continue. He added that he will not waste the energy in the protest at Karnal and would like to solve this issue as soon as possible.
Nudged by the Supreme Court, the Centre on Wednesday informed the apex court that it has taken a decision to allow women into the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that there is "good news", as a decision has been taken at the highest level that women will be inducted into the NDA, and the chiefs of three Armed Forces have also agreed.

"A decision has been taken at the highest level of forces and the government that girls will be inducted into the National Defence Academy," she said, adding that the decision had been taken late Tuesday evening.

However, the government informed the bench also comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh that it needs some time to frame guidelines to pave the way for women to take NDA courses and sought exemption for the exam this year.

Justice Kaul said that the court has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves, and sometimes things only move when the court steps in. "Armed forces are respected forces of this country. But on gender equality, they have to do more", he said.

"We are extremely glad to know that the armed forces themselves took the decision to induct women into the NDA. We know that reforms cannot happen in a day... The government will place timelines of the process and the course of action," he said.

Bhati said it will be path-breaking and generational reform. However, the top court emphasised that it is important for it to take a stand on these issues. "We want them to take a proactive approach themselves in ensuring gender equality rather than waiting for courts to intervene," the bench noted.

The top court also asked the Centre to inform "What it is doing now? What is it planning to do in the future?"

Bhati submitted that Centre will place a detailed affidavit. "On June 24, the exam was postponed to November this year. Please grant status quo in these exams as this needs procedural and infrastructural changes," she added.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Kush Kalra, seeking the NDA to open its doors for women aspiring to join the Armed Forces. The plea was argued by senior advocate Chinmoy Pradip Sharma. The plea also sought a direction from the court to allow women to get trained in the Indian Naval Academy as well.

On August 18, the Supreme Court had said the mindset is not changing and emphasised why judicial orders are required to allow women candidates to take the entrance exam for the NDA, even after the top court's judgment expanding the horizons and extending the permanent commission in the Army to women.

The top court passed an interim order allowing women to take the exam slated on September 5. It told Centre to file its reply by September 20 and adjourned the hearing to September 22.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/08/2021 -- The latest study released on the Global MSME financing Market by AMA Research evaluates market size, trend, and forecast to 2026. The MSME financing market study covers significant research data and proofs to be a handy resource document for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people to have ready-to-access and self-analyzed study to help understand market trends, growth drivers, opportunities and upcoming challenges and about the competitors.



Key Players in This Report Include:

Axis Bank (India),Bajaj Finserv Limited (India),Central Bank of India (India),Federal Bank Limited (India),HDFC Bank Limited (India),ICICI Limited (India),Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (India),State Bank of India (India),Union Bank (India),Utkarsh Micro Finance Bank (India)



Download Sample Report PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/150427-global-msme-financing-market



Definition:

MSME financing is done to support businesses in terms of finance, infrastructure and other areas. The unsecured loans are offered by several financial institutions to meet various business-related expenses on credit. These loans are given with eligibility criteria which the applicant needs to meet. It is also offered under several government schemes such as Credit Guarantee Funds Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), and Prime Ministeras Employment Generation Program (PMEGP). According to small finance forum, reducing MSME finance gap is important for the governors, financiers and other private sector players to target high potential growth areas and therefore more efficiently support MSME sector development.



Market Trends:

- Growing Number of Small and Medium Size Enterprises



Market Drivers:

- One of The Key Sectors of Indian Economy Is MSME Which is Fuelling the Market



Market Opportunities:

- Government Initiatives for Supporting Small Business Sector in Country

- Increased Access to Finance



The Global MSME financing Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below:

by Organization size (Small enterprises, Medium enterprises), MSME loan type (Working capital loan, Term loans), Financial institutions (Banking institutions, Non-banking institutions), Company type (Partnership firm, Proprietaries, Limited company, Private Limited Company, Others)



Global MSME financing market report highlights information regarding the current and future industry trends, growth patterns, as well as it offers business strategies to helps the stakeholders in making sound decisions that may help to ensure the profit trajectory over the forecast years.



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Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share, and growth rate of the following regions:

- The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.)

- North America (United States, Mexico & Canada)

- South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.)

- Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.)

- Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia).



Objectives of the Report

- -To carefully analyze and forecast the size of the MSME financing market by value and volume.

- -To estimate the market shares of major segments of the MSME financing market.

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- -To offer precise and useful details about factors affecting the growth of the MSME financing market.

- -To provide a meticulous assessment of crucial business strategies used by leading companies operating in the MSME financing market, which include research and development, collaborations, agreements, partnerships, acquisitions, mergers, new developments, and product launches.



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Major highlights from Table of Contents:

MSME financingMarket Study Coverage:

- It includes major manufacturers, emerging player's growth story, and major business segments of MSME financing market, years considered, and research objectives. Additionally, segmentation on the basis of the type of product, application, and technology.

- MSME financing Market Executive Summary: It gives a summary of overall studies, growth rate, available market, competitive landscape, market drivers, trends, and issues, and macroscopic indicators.

- MSME financing Market Production by Region MSME financing Market Profile of Manufacturers-players are studied on the basis of SWOT, their products, production, value, financials, and other vital factors.

- Key Points Covered in MSME financing Market Report:

- MSME financing Overview, Definition and Classification Market drivers and barriers

- MSME financing Market Competition by Manufacturers

- Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on MSME financing Market

- MSME financing Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2021-2026)

- MSME financing Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2021-2026)

- MSME financing Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis MSME financing Manufacturing Cost Analysis, Industrial/Supply Chain Analysis, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Marketing

- Strategy by Key Manufacturers/Players, Connected Distributors/Traders Standardization, Regulatory and collaborative initiatives, Industry road map and value chain Market Effect Factors Analysis.



Browse Complete Summary and Table of Content @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/150427-global-msme-financing-market



Key questions answered

- How feasible is MSME financing market for long-term investment?

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- What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global MSME financing market growth?

- What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are?



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Hurricane Ida perfectly illustrates the devastating impacts of climate change. Stopping the Line 3 pipeline, in line with Indigenous demands, is a perfect opportunity for political leaders to take climate action.

by Sonali Kolhatkar

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana, triggering a slow-moving disaster as floodwaters breached the levees around New Orleans. Nearly 2,000 people were killed over several weeks, hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Environmental scientists warned that Katrina was a taste of what was in store for the Gulf Coast region if climate change continued unchecked.

But greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise, and exactly 16 years after Katrina, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 miles per hour and up to 10 inches of rain, leaving more than 1 million households in Louisiana without power. The remnants of the storm traveled up the East Coast with flash floods killing at least 15 people in New York and damaging homes and public transport infrastructure.

While some media coverage celebrated the fact that the post-Katrina levees around New Orleans remained intact, the real story is that Idas behavior fits the profile of storms fueled by a rapidly changing climate, and no levees will be strong enough to provide enough protection against such relentless hurricanes year after year.

For Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson, the wreckage of Ida is a surreal reminder of what he and others in the Gulf Coast region experienced 16 years ago. In a recent interview, Akuno shared that it unfortunately brings back some painful memories. As the former executive director of the Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund (PHRF), which was founded in the aftermath of Katrina, Akuno has experience witnessing inept government responses to such disasters.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under President George W. Bushs leadership, spectacularly failed to address the needs of Katrinas victims and survivors, mutual aid groups like PHRF stepped in. Today, the same appears to be happening, and Akunos newer, Mississippi-based organization Cooperation Jackson is scrambling to aid evacuees.

The worst effects of climate change are here now, and we have to build the systems and infrastructure to be able to deal with this, says Akuno. But he admits that Whatever we can amass is only going to scratch the surface of the overall need, and there has to be broader systemic change in order to deal with these crises in the future.

Satellite images show the shocking extent of devastation in the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Ida. Whether or not President Joe Bidens administration responds more efficiently to the needs of Idas survivors compared to Bushs response during Katrina remains to be seen. But government responses to climate-related disasters, while necessary, are part of the downstream solutions that center on the symptoms of climate change.

The multiple upstream solutions to climate disasters include building resiliency before storms hit, and, most importantly, require swiftly mitigating the causes of climate change. Few political leaders since the 2005 Katrina disaster have been willing to take strong action on that critical front.

At the same time that residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, and New York are facing the horrors of damaged homes, flooded streets, and no power, Indigenous communities in the Midwest are fighting against a pipeline that will transport climate-change-causing fuels across their lands. The Enbridge Line 3 pipeline is being upgraded in order to transport tar sandswhich are considered the dirtiest fuel left on the planetacross pristine lands where the Anishinaabe people grow wild rice.

The state of Minnesotas estimate put the social and climate impacts of the completed project at $287 billion over 30 years. The last thing our rapidly changing climate needs is yet another oil pipeline, and yet few leaders appear willing to stand in the way of fossil fuel company profits.

President Biden can suspend Line 3 right now, says Tara Houska, founder of the Giniw Collective, in an interview. All it would take is the stroke of a pen. Houska has been part of a years-long resistance movement against the pipeline that has been calling on Democratic Party leaders like Biden and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to stop the pipeline.

In spite of their stated acknowledgment of the dangers of climate change and the need to mitigate it, neither the federal nor state leader has taken action against Line 3. They say they get it. Its a lot of talk, and very little walk, says Houska. Theyre still allowing the [fossil fuel] industry to continue to build and expand.

Akuno worries that the Republican Party, which has an even worse record on climate change, will try to exploit Democrats failures in their bid to resume political control of Congress in 2022. Were already hearing signs in some of the local right-wing media trying to make this [Hurricane Ida] an Afghanistan.

In just a few months, national leaders and civil society members will convene in Glasgow, Scotland, for the next United National Climate Change Conference known as COP 26. Akuno has been involved in social movement responses to the conference and says without hesitation that the Biden administration has simply not done enough as a global participant. Weve been deeply dissatisfied with the approach and orientation that theyre taking toward the mitigation aspects of climate change, he says.

A press release for the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which was released in early August, spells out deeply ominous warnings:

Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already set in motionsuch as continued sea level riseare irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years.

Hurricane Ida is clearly illustrating the climate devastation we face, and the Line 3 pipeline offers an equally clear opportunity to do something about it. Yet, a Democratic administration that has a stated commitment to tackling climate change and a Democratic governor who has made a similar pledge are both refusing to act.

Gov. Walz in defending his support of the Line 3 project said, Ive made the case and shown policies that we need to move away from fossil fuels but, in the meantime if were gonna transport oil, we need to do it as safely as we possibly can. It is not clear why Walz feels such a strong obligation to ensure the transport of fossil fuels in the face of massive opposition and against his own stated desire to address the sources of climate change. Do we really need to allow a fossil fuel company to do this? asked Houska. This oil is meant for foreign transport; its not meant for Minnesotas energy security.

Shes right. Neither Biden, nor Walz, and certainly not the people of Minnesota nor the United States as a whole, gains anything of value from the Line 3 project. Instead, at stake isin the words of Enbridge CEO Al Monacolots of free cash flow to the companys shareholders.

Even in the infrastructure bill that lawmakers are currently debating and that is a centerpiece of the Biden administrations legislative agenda this year, few climate-mitigation aspects have survived the aggressive deal-making between the two major parties. In other words, as the nation is ravaged by floods, droughts, wildfires, and other real impacts of climate change, our political leaders have no plan to immediately do something about greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.

As corporate profits continue to be valued more than our climate and our species, Houska urges us to have, a radical shift in the way in which we view our place in the world. Taking the long viewwhich our politicians appear unable or unwilling to takeshe reminds us of what is far more important than corporate profits: There has to be a recentering of nature in who we are as people and the centering of basic truths: that we cannot live without clean water, clean air, and clean soil.

This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute.
Volodymyr Zelenskys action before his visit with President Biden is both inflammatory and short-sighted.

by David C. Speedie

On the eve of his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on September 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pulled the plug on the opposition news outlet Strana.ua and imposed sanctions on its editor-in-chief. This is not the first time Zelensky has cracked down on opposition media. Earlier this year Zelenksy banned three of his countrys television news stationsNewsOne, 112 and ZIKaccusing them of peddling Kremlin-funded propaganda. A veteran of the broadcast media himself [he was previously a comedian], Zelenskys action may perhaps be seen at first glance as largely symbolic. It is, in fact, both inflammatory and short-sighted.

First, it should be noted that the three channels are ultimately owned by one Viktor Medvedchuk, a friend of Russian President Putin who is widely regarded as Moscows unofficial ambassador to Ukraine. This was most likely a factor in Zelenskys decision; Medvedchuk is personally critical of Zelensky and his administration, but, that said, the media outlets have avoided ad hominem attacks and concentrated on three main topics: the designation of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine as a civil war; the support of a majority of citizens of Crimea for the annexation of the peninsula by Russia in 2014; and the strong advocacy of restored relations and trade between Ukraine and Russia. The first two of those themes are demonstrably true and the third is certainly defensible as mutually beneficial in the long term to Ukraine and Russia. This may perhaps have motivated one of Zelenskys key allies, Rada [parliament] speaker Razumkov, to oppose the presidents actions against the networks, saying that sanctioning television networks is bad, no matter who they belong to.

This is by no means the first time that muzzling the media has been employed as a weapon by authority bodies in Western Ukraine. For example, in 2018, the Lvov region implemented a law banning public use of the Russian languageand cultural products, a prohibition that included songs, films, booksand television. Moreover, the Lvov legislators called for nationwide application of the bana proposal that, thankfully, has not yet been adopted.

It is perhaps tempting to see this as a kind of relatively innocuous sidebar issue to the violence that has claimed 13,000 lives in a war of attrition between West and East in Ukraine, a war that involves claims for a degree of self-determination for the eastern regions. It is not so. In the 1990s I visited another part of the former communist space where tensions simmered between center and regionthe Transylvanian mountains of northern Romania. My vivid recollection is how intense the passions were between the Romanian majority and Hungarian minority over language issues, from street signage to religious worship. In Ukraine, Russian has long been recognized as a state language, along with Ukrainiansomewhere around 30% of citizens see it as their first language, and virtually all Ukrainians have some Russian. There have been recent impulses to relegate Russian to a regional language status, along with Polish and Hungarian [tensions among the much smaller Hungarian-speaking minority are also high].

All this suggests that Mr. Zelensky has a tiger by the tail, a self-defeating act that has been variously interpreted as being [a] to boost poll numbers that have seen his support halved from 73% to the mid-30s; or [b] impress Biden by poking Moscow in the eye [if this latter is the case, it hardly succeeded; the consensus was that Zelensky left Washington with significantly less than he had hoped for.] In the end, the language issue writ large only underscores the key factor in the Ukrainian conflict, described eloquently by my fellow ACURA board member, Nikolai Petro: this is a profoundly divided countrysocially, culturally, politically. On my first visit to Ukraine in 1993 I remember clearly the words of a veteran professor at Mohyla Academy University Kiev: Always remember that there are four UkrainesEast, West, Crimeaand Kiev. It is difficult to argue that this has changed much.

Author Bio: This article was produced by Globetrotter in partnership with the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord. David C. Speedie, a Board Member of ACURA, was formerly Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on U.S. Global Engagement at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. Prior to this, he chaired the Program on International Peace and Security at Carnegie Corporation.

Source: Globetrotter
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/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63994eb4a8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399864de8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63994eb4a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399864de8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6399868a18)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399864de8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399864de8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897a680)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399869130)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399869130)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63992a4020)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63992a5c98)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63992a4020)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63992a5c98)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63992aaa80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63992a5c98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63992a5c98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897a410)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f639919d8e8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f639919d8e8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6398ef64a8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6398ec6d50)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6398ef64a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6398ec6d50)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6398f03d68)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6398ec6d50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6398ec6d50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897ac80)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6398ed6358)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6398ed6358)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Homestead, FL (33030)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours. High 88F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Iceland start ham radio training in October Iceland's next course for their HAREC equivalent amateur radio license begins in October and ends with an exam from Fjarskiptastofa (Electronic Communications Office of Iceland) in December.



The course for the 50 question HAREC exam takes 2 months with 3 online sessions a week, unlike the UK with its multiple exams you only need to take a single exam to get the full licence.



A translation of an IRA post reads:



The course will be in distance learning, ie. held over the internet and taught via a computer (or smart device) where the instructor and participant "meet" in an electronic lesson through their own equipment.



Electrical engineering, radio technology, regulation and radio business will be taught. The course takes place three days a week, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 18:30-21:30.



It is under consideration to offer exams simultaneously in three places in the country, in Hafnarfjorur, in Akureyri and in Egilsstair.



The basis for the regulation on the activities of radio amateurs no. 348/2004 with subsequent amendments. Website:

https://www.reglugerd.is/reglugerdir/eftir-raduneytum/samgonguraduneyti/nr/3732



More information will be announced on the IRA site next week

https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Iceland
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Congresswomen Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib participated in a roundtable discussion with Anishinaabe leaders regarding the history of treaty violations in the area and the lack of tribal consent to pipeline construction on Sat., Sept. 4, 2021.
EQS Group-Ad-hoc: SoftwareONE Holding AG / Schlagwort(e): Sonstiges

SoftwareONE gibt Anderungen in der Aktionarsstruktur bekannt



08.09.2021 / 07:00 CET/CEST

Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.





NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ANY JURISDICTION, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED UPON IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY OFFER OR COMMITMENT WHATSOEVER IN ANY JURISDICTION.

Medienmitteilung - ad hoc Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR

SoftwareONE gibt Anderungen in der Aktionarsstruktur bekannt

Stans, Schweiz I 8. September 2020 - SoftwareONE Holding AG gab heute bekannt, dass insgesamt 8'621'223 Aktien durch KKR und die Erben von Patrick Winter verkauft und im Markt platziert wurden. Jean-Pierre Saad bleibt Mitglied im Verwaltungsrat.

SoftwareONE wurde daruber informiert, dass KKR 8'213'023 Aktien und die Erben von Patrick Winter 408,200 Aktien verkauft haben und dass diese Aktien wie am 7. September 2021 angekundigt im Markt platziert wurden. Nach Abwicklung der Transaktion, deren Abschluss am 10. September 2021 erwartet wird, wird KKR keine Anteile an SoftwareONE mehr halten und die Erben von Patrick Winter einen Anteil von 2,49%.

Daniel von Stockar, Verwaltungsratsprasident von SoftwareONE, erklart: Im Namen des Verwaltungsrats mochte ich KKR fur die langjahrige strategische Partnerschaft und die wertvollen Beitrage zur erfolgreichen Entwicklung von SoftwareONE danken. Wir freuen uns, dass Jean-Pierre Saad weiterhin als Mitglied des Verwaltungsrats mit uns zusammenarbeiten wird.

Als Vertreter von KKR sagten Jean-Pierre Saad, Partner und Head of TMT in Europe und Philipp Schaelli, Principal TMT Europe: Wir haben uns sehr gefreut mit den Grundern und dem Management von SoftwareONE zusammenzuarbeiten und das Unternehmen dabei zu unterstutzen, sich zu einem echten europaischen Marktfuhrer im Bereich Technologiedienstleistungen zu entwickeln, mit einer grossartigen Erfolgsbilanz, welche von der Offentlichkeit anerkannt wird.

Infolge der Transaktion wird erwartet, dass sich der Freefloat von SoftwareONE (exklusive Aktien unter Lock-up) auf rund 66% erhohen wird. Mit rund 29% werden die Grundungsaktionare Daniel von Stockar, Beat Curti und Rene Gilli zusammen den grossten Anteil an SoftwareONE halten.

KONTAKT

Patrick Zuppiger, Chief Communications Officer

Tel. +41 44 832 82 00, patrick.zuppiger@softwareone.com

Anna Engvall, Investor Relations

Tel. +41 44 832 82 00, anna.engvall@softwareone.com

UBER SOFTWAREONE

SoftwareONE mit Sitz in der Schweiz ist ein fuhrender globaler Anbieter von End-to-End Software- und Cloud-Technologielosungen. Mit einem auf IP- und Technologiedienstleistungen ausgerichteten Portfolio ermoglicht SoftwareONE es Unternehmen, ihre kommerziellen, technologischen und digitalen Transformationsstrategien ganzheitlich zu entwickeln und umzusetzen. Dies wird durch die Modernisierung von Anwendungen und die Migration geschaftskritischer Workloads in Public Clouds erreicht, wahrend gleichzeitig die zugehorigen Software- und Cloud-Bestande und -Lizenzen verwaltet und optimiert werden. Die Angebote von SoftwareONE sind uber die eigenentwickelte digitale Plattform PyraCloud verbunden, die Kunden datenbasierte Informationen zur Verfugung stellt. Mit rund 8'300 Mitarbeitenden und Vertriebs- und Dienstleistungskapazitaten in 90 Landern bietet SoftwareONE rund 65'000 Geschaftskunden Software- und Cloud-Losungen von mehr als 7'500 Herstellern. Die Aktien von SoftwareONE (SWON) sind an der SIX Swiss Exchange kotiert. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter SoftwareONE.com.

SoftwareONE Holding AG, Riedenmatt 4, CH-6370 Stans

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This media release may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to the group's future business, development and economic performance. Such statements may be subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, such as but not limited to force majeure, competitive pressures, legislative and regulatory developments, global, macroeconomic and political trends, the group's ability to attract and retain the employees that are necessary to generate revenues and to manage its businesses, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and general financial market conditions, changes in accounting standards or policies, delay or inability in obtaining approvals from authorities, technical developments, litigation or adverse publicity and news coverage, each of which could cause actual development and results to differ materially from the statements made in this media release. SoftwareONE assumes no obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

IMPORTANT REGULATORY NOTICE

This announcement is not for publication, distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia), Canada, South Africa, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction where such an announcement would be unlawful. The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession this document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The securities referred to herein will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Section (4)(a)(1) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act, subject to prevailing market and other conditions. There is no assurance that the offering will be completed or, if completed, as to the terms on which it is completed. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration thereunder or pursuant to an available exemption therefrom. Neither this document nor the information contained herein constitutes or forms part of an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States. There will be no public offer of any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

In member states of the European Economic Area, this announcement and any offer if made subsequently is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation ("Qualified Investors"), and does not constitute and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an invitation to the public in connection with any offer or constitute any offer to the public, each within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The offer and sale of the securities referred to herein will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities. For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended.

In the United Kingdom this announcement is directed exclusively at "qualified investors" (as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulation")) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (ii) who fall within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) of the Order, and (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"); any other persons in the United Kingdom should not take any action on the basis of this announcement and should not act on or rely on it. In the United Kingdom, any investment activity and the securities to which this announcement relates are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. This announcement does not constitute and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an invitation to the public in connection with any offer or constitute any offer to the public, each within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation. The offer and sale of the securities referred to herein will be made pursuant to an exemption under the UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities.

No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the underwriting bank or banks (each, an "Underwriting Bank") or by any of their respective affiliates or agents as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

In connection with the offering of the shares of SoftwareONE Holding AG (the "Shares"), each Underwriting Bank and any of its respective affiliates acting as an investor for their own account may take up as a proprietary position any Shares and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for their own account such Shares. In addition, each Underwriting Bank or its respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which any Underwriting Bank (or its affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Shares. The Underwriting Bank(s) do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so.

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 for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness. This announcement does not purport to identify or suggest the risks (direct or indirect) which may be associated with an investment in the Shares. Any investment decision in connection with the Shares must be made solely on the basis of all publicly available information relating to the Shares (which has not been independently verified by the Underwriting Bank(s)).

The Underwriting Bank(s) is/are acting on behalf of the selling shareholders and no one else in connection with any offering of the Shares and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Underwriting Bank(s) nor for providing advice in relation to any offering of the Shares.
After increasing its total number of deaths by 968 over the weekend, Florida added three more on Tuesday. Deaths are counted on the day they occur, not the day they are reported, and can take up to two weeks or more to be reflected in the data.
During the dreaded king tides, which begin Thursday, South Florida is prone to sunny day flooding, when streets can be inundated by water without the slightest hint of rain, when an intrusive sea lifts fancy boats to street levels, forces tourists to slosh their way through the streets, and sends cities rushing to erect barricades.
Police are investigating a possible case of animal abuse after two puppies, "on the verge of death" and living in deplorable conditions, were removed from their owners in Casabermeja.

A tip-off from a concerned neighbour led officers from the Guardia Civils Seprona branch, responsible for animal welfare and environment protection issues, to the farm in Malaga province.

The police officers removed two puppies from their owners and the animals, now undergoing veterinary treatment, are safe in the hands of the local association Ladram.

The complaint was made in mid-August when a local resident who frequently passed through the area saw the two animals in a "pitiful" state. They claimed that the six-month-old female mastiff and a one-year-old German shepherd were kept in kennels for days on end, with little room for their droppings.

Seprona carried out an inspection and verified that the two puppies did not live with the minimum health conditions required and opened proceedings, while removing the two animals from the owners.

Veterinary reports, that SUR has seen, said the two dogs were on the "verge of death". The mastiff puppy was "in a stunted state", with a severe infestation of ticks and "with clear signs of being in poor hygienic-sanitary conditions." She also had severe anaemia, among other conditions.

The German shepherd was malnourished and infested with ticks. He also suffered from anaemia and other illnesses derived from lack of care.
Banco Sabadell has proposed the closure of 320 branches in Spain, affecting almost 31 per cent of the bank's network in the country.

If the plans go through some 1,900 employees, around 12.5 per cent of the 15,000 workforce it has in Spain, would lose their jobs.

Sabadell said that, of the 320 branches, some 176 would be converted to offer basic services via electronic banking machines.

Some 1,639 branch office employees would be affected by the cuts, according to union sources, while the rest, around 260 employees, would be lost from corporate centres and corporate services.

Sabadell justifies the cuts on a search for greater profitability, by transforming its business model, and has set out the objective of reducing it costs by 100 million euros.

The CCOO union said that it rejects "all the explanations given" and unlike management, seeks other alternatives to this process."

The union has also criticised the " millionaire salaries" of management and alleges that new hiring has been carried out during 2021.
A shock plan that the Spanish government has prepared to try and contain the rise in wholesale electricity prices will be discussed by the Cabinet next Tuesday, 13 September, sources have confirmed to SUR.

Ministries have accelerated their work in recent days as the price for generating electricity continues to climb, reaching historic highs.

The average daily price of electricity will break a new record this Thursday (9 September), reaching 141.71 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), its highest price in history and 4.4 per cent higher than that registered this Wednesday (135.65 euros).

The Government is considering plans to reduce "to a minimum" the special Electricity Tax, which currently levies 5.11 per cent on consumer bills. This has been suggested by, Nadia Calvino, who has served as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Spain since July 2021 and as Minister of Economy since 2018 under prime minister Pedro Sanchez.

She has indicated that "taxes is one of the changes we are looking at" to ensure that the average amount of the electricity bill for this year is similar to that of 2018, following the commitment announced by Sanchez a few days ago.

The special Electricity Tax, which is also monitored by the European Commission, is set at 5 per cent but could decrease. It generates an income for the State of about 1.2 billion euros per year and, in addition, it is collected for the region, for which they would have to be compensated by Madrid.

This possible reduction would be added to the drop in IVA sales tax from 21 to 10 per cent, that has been in force since last June.

The Minister of Social Security, Jose Luis Escriva, has defended the impact of the current electricity prices in the wholesale market will be "reasonably limited" on the bills of most consumers, although they will have greater impact on those that have the regulated tariff (PVPC).

Escriva has insisted that the prices in the wholesale market go through "many filters" and he expects a "limited effect" on what the customers pay on their electricity bill. There will an impact, a small one, and it will definitely not be double.
Just hours ahead of the coronavirus curfew review this Wednesday (8 Septmeber), no Andalusian town with more than 5,000 residents exceeds the rate of 1,000 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days.

The Junta de Andalucia regional government proposes a limitation on mobility at night between 2am and 7am in those towns and cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants where there is a cumulative incidence at 14 days of more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.

The Junta's Territorial Committees of High Impact on Public Health meet every Wednesday and make their decisions about coronavirus control measures once all the epidemiological data been evaluated.

According to the latest figures from the region's Ministry of Health, there are nine municipalities exceed the rate of 1,000 cases in 14 days, but none have more than 5,000 inhabitants. The Territorial Committees of High Impact on Public Health will have to decide whether or not to apply perimeter closures to the towns. There are three in Huelva, two in Granada and Jaen, one in Almeria and Cordoba and none in Cadiz, Malaga and Seville.

The municipalities are Alhabia (with an incidence rate of 1,034) in Almeria province and Villaharta (3,864.7) in Cordoba. In the province of Granada are Nevada (2,611.9) and Viznar (1,107.8).

In addition, there are Canaveral de Leon (1,010.1), El Almendro (1,071.4) and San Silvestre de Guzman (1,140.1) in Huelva, and, finally, Torres (1,020.4) and Huesa (1,485.9) in Jaen province.

Cadiz, Malaga and Seville are the only provinces that do not register any municipalities with a cumulative incidence rate above a thousand this Wednesday.
Announced Tuesday, Sept. 7, Mark H. Weichold, Class of 1978 will serve as the Interim Provost and Vice President for Texas A&M University.
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
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It has been a while since we discussed some positive issues on this opinion piece; this is largely due to the fact that there were really no positive news to discuss.

Hence today I will try and focus on the good that government has delivered on. We are seeing signs of change and the desire to give into some of the calls of the people, even though this is not done in stark terms as one would expect. However, change is being recorded regardless of the magnitude but it is positive change nonetheless.

Reconstruction Fund

On Monday, the King launched the Reconstruction Fund and effectively some millions have been raised to capitalise the project. A resource mobilisation committee has been put in place to ensure that the funds are not misused, keep boloslina at bay. This is a good move, it is exactly what the country needs, we need to rebuild the infrastructure that we are losing on a daily basis, it is critical for our development trajectory. I would like to advocate for privatising of the fund, give it to one of the insurance companies in the country to manage, they have the experience and the technical expertise needed in managing claims. This will ensure to reduce leakages due to corruption and will ensure that those who have already claimed from their private insurers do not benefit from this fund. Also, we still need to deal with the underlying factors that got us to this situation as a country. If we neglect discerning voices we are likely to end up needing more reconstruction funds. This will boost economic activity and probably get the country growing again, however, if the unrest is not curtailed businesses might not take up this fund even.

PMs COVID-19 relief

A couple of moons back, the prime minister pledged E140 million to over 300 000 households or people in the country. This is approximately 30 per cent of the population and this support is much welcome even though it is quite minimal, but it is something. I can only advocate for a fair process in the identification and distribution of the funds; we need a report on how they were spent. Table a report in Parliament, have the auditor general look at it and let us stem the corruption out of our system. One might think that government is now playing politics and trying to diffuse the tensions and gunner support of the masses. This, to me, is a sign that government is changing, its beginning to listen to people and addressing their needs. In my books this is all we really need, a government that is responsive to the needs of the people, a government that understands their plight and a government that stands ready to listen and adapt to the needs of the people. We hope that government will continue expediting efforts to set up the national unemployment benefit fund. We need to ensure that our social safety nets are effective and able to deal with national emergencies.

The NDMA

Let me also commend the work of the NDMA in assisting households that were affected by the storms earlier this year and assisting the country manage COVID-19. We can only advocate for improved efficiencies within the fund, improved accountability and improved responses to the countrys needs. Let us curb the corruption and over pricing of commodities being purchased by the agency. This is one agency that always works with very minimal resources, but this time around we have seen the impact; all the aid was flocking for the COVID-19 pandemic and we did not get much to support disaster victims but we have seen impact. This shows that if we are not relying much on aid we are still able to solve our problems.

Royal tax proposal

On Sunday, we learnt that the Finance Ministry is tabling a proposal that seeks to limit the number of people within the royal household that benefit from VAT exemption. The clarity in defining what one means by family is quite critical. This Bill will contribute to broadening the tax base and reduce revenue leakages from the economy, which is something that the country can do with. If the proposal passes, extended family members and married children of the King will now pay VAT. Effectively the proposal will tighten screws and really define what family means. This is yet another progressive move from government, it shows that regardless of the fact that no one is communicating that something is changing, but something is changing for the better. This will undoubtedly increase our tax base as a country, we can only hope that the Kings Office will ensure due diligence in dealing with VAT claims.

Keep it moving

As we keep it moving, we need not forget that there is need for dialogue, we can only hope that His Majesty will open space for it; yes we agree that the best way to solve issues is dialogue. What we need is for leadership to allow space for that dialogue and keep it moving.
MBABANE  A man who was supposedly found by his neighbours with sliced and decomposing human remains at Mantabeni on Monday is assisting police with investigations.

The remains were discovered by his neighbours daughters, who then informed their mother. The children are believed to have been drawn by a foul smell emanating from their neighbours house and went to investigate. That is when they discovered the human body covered in corrugated iron sheets inside the one-room flat belonging to their neighbour.

Flies

According to the mother of the young girls, Nomsa Dlamini, the children told her that they had seen a human being lying down with flies around his body. She stated that she then rushed to the neighbours house, and to her surprise, she saw a decomposing body with the intestines placed next to it. The mother said the body had a missing leg and seemed as though certain parts of the flesh were sliced. As I was still shocked by what I was seeing, the suspect came and forced me to leave his house and I did so, she narrated in an interview. Dlamini said she then called a member of the local community police forum to inform him about the incident. When she and the community police members came back, they found that the suspect had left, with the remains placed in a plastic bag. With help from the community police and some community members, the man was later found the following day.

Dlamini said that the incident traumatised her daughters so much that they were unable to eat anything since seeing the body. She requested that the police and public help her and the children by offering counselling. Community police member Themba Dlamini said the suspect allegedly confessed that the body belonged to his brother, but denied being the one who killed him. The suspects brother was last seen in the area about two weeks ago. The suspect is said to have informed them that his brother committed suicide last Saturday, but he could not tell anyone about it. We then called the police to come and witness what had happened. They came and took him and the remains which were in the plastic bag, he said. Themba said it was not the suspects first brush with the law as in 2018, he was arrested alongside two other men for alleged rape and was released because of an alleged mental illness. Yesterday, police officers visited the scene again, possibly to collect more evidence.

Flies

This journalist was not allowed to come close to the scene as police were yet to conclude their investigations. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that the suspect was in police custody. She stated that the police were still investigating the matter and could not yet confirm if the suspect was behind the alleged killing. Vilakati said she also could not confirm if the remains belonged to the brother of the accused. We are still investigating on what really happened and if the body really belonged to the accuseds brother. All I can confirm for now is that he is in police custody and will be here until we have answers. she said. Vilakati then thanked the community for informing the police and not taking matters into their own hands. She encouraged the community to trust the police by informing them on such cases in order for them to be assisted accordingly.
MBABANE  In a statement of witnesses that has been forwarded by the Crown to the court, none of them mentioned MPs Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, save for one who alleges that the former gave him money for transport to attend a meeting at Hosea.

During the pre-trial conference of the MPs, the prosecution stated that it had over 50 witnesses, but would not be in a position to disclose their identities due to security reasons. In their statements, the witnesses did not mention anything about being incited by either of the legislators. There are about 10 statements which have been annexed to the bail application filed by the two incarcerated legislators and most of them are from Hlatikhulu and Lavumisa. Some of the witnesses are Asian businesspeople whose shops were looted and burnt during the political unrest in the country. Most of the witnesses informed investigators about what they saw and the damages caused following the looting and vandalism of various properties.

Incite

The duo stand accused of acting jointly with Siphofaneni Member of Parliament Mduduzi Magawugawu Simelane in inciting people of Eswatini to revolt against government. It is alleged that as a consequence of the alleged incitement by the trio, there were riots in all the regions of the country. According to the prosecution, these riots caused a loss of life, bodily injury to people and destruction of private and public properties. In their new bail application, the duo argued that there was absolutely no casual link between them and the acts of terrorism that are alleged to have been committed at their instance. They told the court that the statements of the witnesses furnished to their attorneys were all of a general nature, dealing in essence with damages suffered by the deponents during the looting. Meanwhile, in a confirmatory affidavit, the two MPs lawyer, Thulani Maseko, submitted that on August 20, 2021, he was handed a number of statements by witnesses. I have perused them carefully and categorically state that the statements are all, in essence, of a general nature, dealing with looting and damages suffered by the witnesses. Not one of these witnesses implicate the applicants (Mabuza and Dube), argued the lawyer.

Maseko further highlighted that at this stage, he had not received any further statements or any evidentiary material, linking the applicants with the alleged crimes. During the pre-trial conference on August 2021, the prosecution undertook to serve us with audio and video recordings and further statements of witnesses by close of business on that day, but to date we have not received any, submitted Maseko. It was further his averment that the criminal case against the applicants remained weak.

Officer

The human rights lawyer also brought it to the attention of the court that he had a conversation with resigned police officer Cebile Cece Shongwe, who informed him about her conversation with the retired army commander. She informed me that the retired army commander told her that the arrest of the applicants was effected at the instance and instruction from His Majesty King Mswati III, who felt that the applicants were the cause of the political unrest and were undermining his authority, alleged Maseko. He went on to tell the court that on August 18, 2021, a memorandum drafted by the South African advocate who is representing the State appeared in the media. The memorandum, which was written by Advocate Gareth Leppan, now forms part of the MPs contention that there was allegedly no case against them.

In the memorandum, the advocate stated that: Having perused the available materials thus far, it is apparent that there is no source of evidence that proves the case against one or more of the suspects, but rather presents a mosaic, which at this stage, does not contain all the required pieces, and it is thus to these missing pieces that this memorandum is directed. In the correspondence, the advocate went on to state that, a perusal of the translated statements of Mabuza and Dube revealed that the contents thereof were not necessarily consistent with the affidavits deposed to by certain persons who were present when the speeches were made.

Sedition

He further stated that various offences relating to the actions and/or words of the suspects potentially came to mind, including sedition, treason, public violence, offences under the Suppression of Terrorism Act, incitement to commit the said offences, refusal to obey police officers lawful commands and even as discussed, murder. However, as it stands, no one offence has its elements fully satisfied. In my view, this may as well be corrected by further attention to the speeches made by the suspects for example. In addition, the proposed further investigation will hopefully reveal the said outstanding evidence, reads part of Leppan correspondence to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) dated August 10, 2021. Continuing with his confirmatory affidavit, Maseko said in his considered view and taking into account all the above factors, the applicants had no case to answer, but were allegedly being targeted for expressing their views that the King was unhappy with. He told the court that the charges were politically allegedly motivated.
MBABANE - For South Africa Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Organ Troika Technical Fact-Finding Mission to Eswatini was a disappointment.

The minister made her views known during an interview on Newsroom Afrika yesterday morning, where she responded to questions related to the political situation in different countries on the African continent. Pandor had just finished responding to questions on whether South Africa (SA) would host refugees who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover last month, which was when Newzroom Afrikas Xolani Mngambi touched on the issue of the Troika fact-finding mission to Eswatini. Mngambi said the minister was part of the SADC delegation of ministers involved in the issue but that there had been no feedback on the mission.

Position

The news anchor asked the minister to state the position of SA in as far as issues of Eswatini were concerned. In response, Pandor said statements were issued by the Troika Organ and that she was part of the delegation but that the chair, which was Botswana at the time, issued statements on behalf of the delegation of ministers. I was quite disappointed, we were on a fact-finding mission and what we found in Swaziland (Eswatini) was that our colleagues in government essentially wanted government to brief us when we wanted a wider set of briefing as we wished to speak to the broader stakeholder including non-government stakeholders, she alleged. Elaborating, Pandor said they wanted the wider stakeholder base so that they could have a full understanding of the events that had unfolded.

She alleged that they were unable to get an agreement that they could speak to stakeholders. The view of the Eswatini colleagues was that the SADC Troika chair had asked that we meet the formal government structure, she alleged. According to Pandor, they did manage to persuade some stakeholders but not as broadly as they had intended. We returned and reported to our superiors on this and our concerns. We communicated our dissatisfaction to our colleagues in Eswatini. Subsequent to the visit, a technical task team was sent by SADC and it comprised of officials from the different countries. I understand that a report has now been submitted to the former chairperson and now that Cyril Ramaphosa takes over, I am looking forward to getting a briefing about that report, the minister said. Mngambi then chipped in and stated that the issue was an absolute concern.

He then posed another question to Pandor where he ascertained if Eswatini, as a country whose foreign policy was based on human rights, would still want to cooperate. In response, Pandor said SA cooperated with all countries under SADC and encouraged dialogue. So should Eswatini want to dialogue, perhaps to find solutions to ensure political stability, SA would be ready to assist in that regard. This publication sought to ascertain if indeed the delegation was informed to engage government only. A call was made to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Thuli Dladla who, however, said she was not aware of the interview. Dladla advised this reporter to contact Deputy Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku by virtue of the fact that he was the acting prime minister when the SADC Troika team visited the country.

Self-exiled

Meanwhile, self-exiled political activist and Spokesperson of the Swaziland Solidarity Network Lucky Lukhele said the sentiments by Pandor were concerning. I could see that she tried to be as diplomatic as she could but you could pick that South Africa is upset, but it looks like Botswana was the one that was playing the royal family card, Lukhele said. It should be noted that when the SADC Troika team visited the country, a concern was raised following allegations that the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) was not invited to appear before the technical mission. As a result a letter was written by other concerned parties to the SADC Secretariat highlighting the exclusion of some political parties from what was supposed to be an all-inclusive process.

According to a letter from some members of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, they reiterated that they were happy to appear before the team to make their presentation in relation to three issues, being; the socio-political situational analysis, the cause(s) of the crisis and the way forward. However, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum indicated that it had come to their attention that some political parties such as PUDEMO, Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), and the Swaziland Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) among others, had not been invited to meet with the distinguished SADC Organ Troika Technical Team. They stated that as the Multi-stakeholders Forum, they were deeply concerned about the alleged exclusion, as it may have a catastrophic effect on the legitimacy of the recommendations that the technical team will make to the principals. The forum asked to impress on the technical team to spare no efforts in ensuring that no organisation was left out, in particular political parties. Meanwhile, this publication reported last month that the report on the SADC Troika fact-finding mission to Eswatini was not part of the issues endorsed or deliberated upon during the Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and government.

Summit

At least this was according to a communique which was issued at the end of the summit. Instead, the summit received a report of the outgoing Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, and commended him for his outstanding leadership and continued efforts to address peace and security threats during the year, notwithstanding challenges posed by COVID-19. South Africa President Ramaphosa was elected chairperson of the Troika. This automatically means that the issue of Eswatini where there was unrest which resulted in some people being killed, vandalism, looting and burning of some businesses, will now be handled by that country.

Ramaphosa takes over from Masisi, who initially sent over the fact-finding mission to investigate the unrest which occurred in the country.

According to Masisi, the report was handed over to the King. According to the SADC guidelines, Ramaphosa may call an extra ordinary meeting of the Troika during the course of the year. However, if no issues arise, the Eswatini report may be attended to during the next SADC Summit, which is expected to take place in August 2022 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
GAMULA  The arson attack at the home of top detective Senior Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane is believed to be linked to his role in the arrest of two Members of Parliament (MPs) in Hoseas Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisis Mthandeni Dube.

Sihlongonyane, who is the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) countrywide, claims to have received over 400 audio and WhatsApp messages from different South African numbers after the arrest of the two legislators. The duo was arrested at the end of July on charges of contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act. Sihlongonyane shared the audios and WhatsApp messages with this publication.

Messages

One of the messages threatened Sihlongonyane that he must be well informed that the worst was still to happen to him and his family following his involvement in the arrest of the two MPs. Asked if he had reported the threats to the police, Sihlongonyane stated that it would be a waste of time doing so as these people were not in the country. When further asked if he had involved his counterparts in South Africa to assist in investigating the source of the messages, Sihlongonyane said he had not and did not intend doing so. I think you cannot waste time trying to find the people behind the messages. I know the people who are behind what is happening currently in the country. But I would like to state that I am not shaken by this and they are cowards as they are not coming out and confronting me in person, but resort to using social media platforms, he added.

The top cops rondavel was burnt down by a fire which was started by unknown arsonists on Monday at around 9pm. Sihlongonyane said the arsonists crawled through a fence and when the dogs barked at them, they managed to throw the petrol bomb that ignited the thatched rondavel. He said the dogs ran away after the explosion that was sparked by the petrol bomb. Sihlongonyane explained that he was away from home when the incident happened and he had left three of his sons at home in one of the houses. The senior police officer stated that he was told by his sons that they heard dogs barking but when they went out of the house to ascertain what was happening, they did not see anything hence they went back to sleep. He said after a moment, they heard a loud bang from the explosion caused by the petrol bomb thrown into the rondavel.

Sihlongonyane added that his sons called him and the police, who swiftly arrived but found that the arsonists had fled the scene. He said the police managed to call personnel from the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES); however, they found that the damage was already extensive as the whole thatched roof had collapsed and burnt all the household items. He mentioned that the burnt items were worth about E80 000 and they included a bed, stove, refrigerator, plastic chairs, block molder, filing cabinet, tiles and sink. The senior police officer expressed belief that the burning down of his house was other means used by the people who were calling for political reforms to lure him to join them.

Some of the messages sent to Sihlongonyane



Stop being a coward



U talking nonsense le live alisilo lakini one day u will regret



U will be pensioned soon siyoke sbone lohulumende wakho uyokunaka yini



Yemnumzane kunjani?



Kunjani yebabe Sihlongonyane?



Unganglalelisi lite mine



Manje wena uthulele ini ngikhuluma nawe



Futsi wena ngiyakufungela, sitokushisa uphila. Ngitsi noma ungabhaca kwani kepha sitokushisa ugabe lithayi



Solo angikakhohlwa ngawe. Ngiyeta kuwe, maka ku calendar mhlaka 4 August
The number of POS and e-commerce transactions in Bahrain shot up by 65% in August, year-on-year, reaching a total value of nearly $744 million during the month, after topping $3.62 billion in the first half of 2021, the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has revealed.

According to new figures from the CBB, there were more than 11.3 million digital transactions in Bahrain last month, valued at BD279.6 million ($743.7 million). The value of e-commerce and point-of-sale (PoS) payments rose by 50% in August 2021 compared to the same month last year. There were more than 53 million digital payments in the first half of 2021, the data shows.

The figures reflect the trend in the rest of the GCC, which is currently experiencing a region-wide surge in online and digital payments as countries accelerate their transition towards cashless societies in the wake of the pandemic.

Lockdowns last year caused a dramatic shift towards digital payment systems. Bahrain's national electronic wallet, BenefitPay, announced a 785% increase in the number of remittances through its Fawri+ service (an online payment service introduced under the Electronic Funds Transfer System) in 2020  exceeding $5 million.

Research from the European Payments Council indicates that the MENA region will process around 139 billion individual non-cash transactions in 2022, which is 90 billion more than five years ago.

Bahrain is among the leaders of the Middle East's march towards a paperless financial system, thanks to its innovative regulation of FinTech. Bahrain boasts some of the world's most advanced digital infrastructure and has produced several leading start-ups that are disrupting the region's digital payments infrastructure.

Dalal Buhejji, Executive Director of Business Development Investment Origination at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: "Even before the pandemic, the GCC was embracing digital and mobile banking and payments. Bahrain has anticipated the trends that were catalysed by the pandemic. The Kingdom has a proven track record of reacting quickly to embrace emerging financial technologies and flexibly regulate them. An example of our forward-thinking regulatory framework is the way the Kingdom mandated the adoption of open banking. Our regulatory approach, along with our advanced digital infrastructure, is why we are at the forefront of developing the technologies, solutions and ecosystems that will form the future of the region's digital economy."

Reforms to open banking are expected to have broad ramifications for the payments business, according to a recent survey from McKinsey, published in 23 August. When respondents to the survey were asked what government- or regulator-driven action would be most effective in steering customers to digital payments, 27% nominated regulatory approval for open banking. In 2018, Bahrain made a leap forward in the financial services sector, issuing open banking rules, followed by a framework with guidelines on data sharing and governance in 2020. - TradeArabia News Service
Twenty-one French companies will be in Dubai from 12 to 15 September 2021 for The Big 5 show, the sectors flagship trade show in the Middle East. At a time when the building sector is in the middle of a major digital, energy and environmental transformation, France's watchword will be Innovation!

During four days, the French companies will address these major issues by offering solutions such as access control, water consumption management and leak prevention, Facility management, BIM (building information modelling), green and connected structures in urban areas, new energy production techniques and photoluminescent road marking.

French companies have already established initial contacts with real estate developer Azizi Developments during virtual business meetings, organised last June by Business France (project introductions, requirements and referencing process).

CEO Farhad Azizi said: "We look forward to partner with more best-in-class suppliers from Europe, and especially with many from France. Through our extensive reviews of the world's best suppliers, we aim to deliver above and beyond our promises to our valued investors and end-users in terms of build quality and time."

"France has a lot to offer and we are delighted to soon be sourcing more renowned and highly distinguished brands in construction and innovation from it," he noted.

The appetite for innovative or even disruptive technologies and for high-end products in the region is a real boon for France, whose excellence and expertise are strongly recognized.

Frederic Szabo, Managing Director, Business France Middle East commented: In order to meet the main requirements of the current construction projects in the Middle East region, Frances quality and reliability of its solutions cover all structural and finishing works. Its high technicality, innovation, and design addresses energy, environmental and digital, challenges, as well as indoor air quality and risk management."

"While time has come to meet again in September at The Big 5, for the great return of French exhibitors at the show, we organised not less than 9 different pavilions spread across 7 halls to welcome 21 French companies," he added.
Top Ministers and experts from all over the Arab world will come together to discuss Arab Water Security for Peace & Sustainable Development at the 5th Arab Water Forum (AWF) from September 21 to 23, 2021 at Grand Hyatt, Dubai.

More than 800 high-level participants including government ministers and undersecretaries, high government officials, public and private sector organisations from 22 countries, are expected to attend the Forum that will witness more than 50 experts discussing water scarcity and sustainable development across the region.

During the event, in both hybrid and physical form, the winners of the 2021 Arab Water Prize for Creativity and Innovation in the field of Water Science, awarded to institutions, scientists and other distinguished contributors in research and development in the field of non-conventional water resources, will be announced.

AWF is held under the patronage of the UAEs Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, and supported by the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt (MWRI), in cooperation with national, regional and international partners.

The confirmed VIPs to attend the event are Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, UAE; Prince Khaled Sultan Bin-Abdulaziz, Honorary President of the Arab Water Council & Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Foundation & Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz International Prize for Water; Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Minister of Water Resources & Irrigation Egypt; Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, UAE; Eng Wael Bin Nasser Almubarak, Minister of Electricity & Water Affairs, Bahrain; Prof Asem El-Gazzar, Minister of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities, Egypt; Eng Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani, Minister of Water Resources, Iraq; Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senegal; Tariq Abu Flika, Minister of Water Resources, Libya; Loic Fauchon, President, World Water Council (WWC); Prof Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, President, Arab Water Council (AWC); and Secretary General League of Arab States (LAS).

The Forum will shed the light on some of the key topics such as: Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus, Climate Change Impact on Arab Water Security, Water Desalination as a Strategic Option for Sustainable Arab Water Security, Sharing Water and Benefits for Peace and Development, Effective Water Governance towards Achieving Peace and Stability, Hydro-diplomacy and Water Politics in Transboundary Water Management, Riparian Partnerships in Developing and Managing shared Water Resources and Governing Laws, among others.-- TradeArabia News Service
GE Healthcare, Gustave Roussy and the Egypt Ministry of Health (MOH) have signed an agreement leveraging Gustave Roussys One Stop Breast Cancer diagnostics program to increase the speed and the accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis in Egypt.



This new collaboration between GE Healthcare and Gustave Roussy, under the patronage of the Egyptian MOH, aims to accelerate this initiative for early detection and treatment planning of breast cancer through the creation of rapid breast cancer diagnosis clinics in Egypt.



Gustave Roussy, a pioneer in "one-stop diagnosis", has been offering a dedicated reception service since 2004, enabling a diagnosis to be made within a day in most cases of a breast anomaly detected in the city. This multidisciplinary service brings together professionals from different specialities, all experts in breast cancer (radiologists, surgeons, pathologists, oncologists, nurses, technicians, etc.).



This unique pathway demonstrates that coordination between different specialties, processes and innovative technologies can achieve excellent clinical and operational results and decrease the financial cost of breast cancer treatment. Since 2004, more than 21,000 women have participated in the one-stop rapid diagnosis clinic at Gustave Roussy, and more than 80% of them were able to obtain results and treatment planning if needed the same day.



As part of the collaboration, Gustave Roussy will train clinical and administrative staff, and support the implementation of standard operating procedures and clinical algorithms to help set up One Stop Clinics in the country. The aim of this collaboration is to improve the speed and quality of diagnosis and to reduce the costs of care, from consultation and diagnosis to treatment.



We appreciate GEs support for the One Stop Clinics, which will contribute to high-efficiency, faster diagnoses  what usually takes weeks can happen within a matter of hours. This will improve treatment response indicators and work toward our goal of saving lives, said Dr Khaled Mujahid, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health & Population in Egypt in a statement.



"We are extremely proud that Egypt has chosen to deploy to women the one-stop diagnosis concept invented at Gustave Roussy. Women's health and the early diagnosis of cancer are causes that mobilize us and for which we deploy a lot of energy in order to develop new solutions. We are convinced that the hope of curing cancer in the 21st century lies largely in the fields of personalized prevention and rapid diagnosis," commented Prof Fabrice Barlesi, CEO of Gustave Roussy.



GE Healthcare is a long-term partner in supporting the development of Egypts healthcare infrastructure and delivering training for healthcare professionals. Our partnership with the Ministry of Health to speed up breast cancer diagnostics is a true milestone in the delivery of world-class healthcare in the country. These new solutions are designed to expand capacity and improve quality and speed for diagnosis and help meet the needs of community. said Nael Dabbagh, general manager for Mena, Turkey and Central Asia at ?GE Healthcare.



Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Egypt, accounting for 35% of cancers with around 22,000 cases diagnosis in 2020.



GE Healthcare's comprehensive diagnostic imaging and monitoring portfolio can be deployed throughout the patient's cancer or cardiac journey, from initial screening and diagnosis, through therapy guidance facilitating minimally invasive treatment, to monitoring patient progress.  TradeArabia News Service
The EMEA business region of Petronas Lubricants International (PLI), a leading lubricants manufacturer, recently announced a new partnership with Treedom.

Treedom is the first web-based platform in the world for planting trees remotely and follow the project online and overall, support CO2 emission absorption across the globe. The partnership marks a new milestone in PLIs sustainability efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

PLI is started its journey with Treedom at the Unstoppable Heroes - Petronas Urania Roadshow, which kicked off this summer. The European roadshow made its first stop in the UK before travelling to numerous locations across the EU, including Spain, Portugal Italy, Turkey, Romania, and Poland.

In an effort to support neutralising the environmental impact of the carbon emissions produced by the roadshow, and to cement the companys dedication to its corporate social responsibility, PLI will start by planting 1,000 trees with Treedom in the Petronas Urania Forest.

The Petronas Urania Roadshow is designed to be as self-sustaining as possible, right down to the Petronas Urania product itself.

The lubricant is engineered with CO2 reduction in mind, the new Petronas Urania 5000 5W-30 maintains a much thinner film compared to conventional 5W-30 oils, significantly reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions.

Altogether, the range meets the strictest international standards for quality and environmental impact.

PLIs journey to reach its 2050 net zero carbon emission goal is well underway and the Treedom partnership is just one of those steps being taken. Through the collaboration with Treedom, the trees planted will not only contribute to absorbing carbon emissions, but also directly support societal and economic growth of the local communities they are located in, in countries all over the world.

Treedoms trees, including avocado, baobab, lime, tephrosia and coffee, all of which answer numerous Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations. Treedoms trees contribute to 10 of the 17 goals, including no poverty, zero hunger, responsible consumption and production and decent work and economic growth, to name a few.

Domenico Ciaglia, MD EMEA, PLI, said: We are excited to be partnering with Treedom as part of our Petronas Urania Roadshow. This is just the first of many collaborations we have planned. Reaching our 2050 net zero goal is an essential part of the Petronas agenda and by working with Treedom we can give something back to the planet from both an environmental and community perspective. We hope that the roadshow will be a positive vehicle to demonstrate PLIs progress and commitment to reduce environmental impact.

Federico Garcea, Founder & CEO, Treedom, said: We love to work with companies who are dedicated to making positive change, and are thrilled to be partnering with PLI for their roadshow this summer. There is total transparency in Treedoms efforts to reduce environmental impact of carbon emissions and help businesses action the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. -- TradeArabia News Service
Siemens Healthineers, a leader in healthcare imaging and diagnostic technology, is showcasing a variety of its cutting-edge laboratory diagnostic portfolios at the EGY Health International Congress and Exhibition that is taking place from September 7 to 9, 2021, at the Egyptian International Exhibition Centre (EIEC).

Industry events, such as EGY Health, that convene an impressive depth and breadth of stakeholders from across the medical field are crucial to the mission of Siemens Healthineers, said Michael Schmermer, Managing Director Siemens Healthineers - Egypt, Djibouti, Eretria, Sudan, and Libya. We know that strong partnerships improve access to healthcare. We look forward to strengthening our existing partnerships and creating new business relationships as we continue to drive innovation to help humans live healthier and longer.

Siemens Healthineers is not only featuring innovative products from several portfolios at the event but is also presenting during the Congress. On September 9, Eng Mohamed Gharib, Automation & Diagnostics IT Business Manager, Middle East and Africa at Siemens Healthineers will be speaking on the topic of lab digitalisation and workflow excellence.

Throughout the three-day event, Siemens Healthineers will be showcasing some of it laboratory diagnostic solutions such as Covid-19 portfolio: FTD SARS COV 2, Clinitest Covid-19 AG rapid test, and SARS COV 2 antibody (Total & IgG); the Atellica portfolio: Atellica Solution, Atellica Neph 630, and Atellica Hematology; the Hemostasis portfolio; the POC portfolio, the Atellica VTLI, Atellica DCA, and the Atellica Urine.

Siemens Healthineers is a leading medical technology company with over 120 years of experience, 18,500 patents globally, and over 50,000 employees in more than 70 countries. An estimated five million patients worldwide everyday benefit from the companys innovative technologies and services in the areas of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging, laboratory diagnostics and molecular medicine as well as digital health and enterprise services.-- TradeArabia News Service
ABS, a global satellite operator, in partnership with iSAT Africa, a leading satellite solution provider, announced the launch of managed data services on ABS-3A satellite. It will be operating on the ST Engineering iDirect Newtec Dialog platform for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

The deployment of this platform offers cost-effective, robust, high-speed broadband services for general enterprises, oil and gas and NGOs users. It is suitable for remote sites in Africa, Middle East and Europe not connected via terrestrial networks as well as for those locations that require diversification of network infrastructures and back-up services for fibre links.

The Dialog platform offers high versatility and supports MF-TDMA and SCPC technologies with advanced bandwidth management features.

The satellite links are operated through a dedicated antenna on ABS-3A at the teleport in Lario, Northern Italy, which offers high reliability, redundancy and interconnectivity to all the main data centres across Europe.

At iSAT Africa, our aim is to bridge the digital gap in rural and remote African communities by using IP centric 2G/3G/4G technologies, said Rakesh Kukreja, Managing Director of iSAT Africa.

This requires backhaul that is cost-effective coupled with high performance and availability. ABS-3A, a high-performance satellite provides excellent coverage of Africa and Europe while the Dialog platform offers us a single management platform for all markets starting from a smaller site within a rural community to full macro sites for thousands of subscribers for voice and data. The most important part of this partnership is making services economically viable for rural communities.

ISAT is a long-standing and valued customer. With the first deployment of a Dialog hub, it is expanding its portfolio with ST Engineering iDirect, said Pieter Paul Mooijman, Regional Vice President Africa.

Using its multi-service capability, Dialog will allow ISAT to move into new business areas as and when required, resulting in a high degree of operational flexibility and agility. Combined with ABS reach across the region, this is a winning solution for the provision of connectivity to remote areas of Africa and EMEA.

The partnership with ISAT & ABS reaffirms our commitment to deliver flexible, rapidly deployable satellite internet solutions to a growing customer base, notably in Africa, with the highest industry SLAs, said Paolo Pusterla, MD of EMEA.

By using ST Engineering iDirects technology, we are providing state-of the-art and spectral-efficient connectivity to support key verticals across the whole EMEA region.-- TradeArabia News Service
From its strategic location at global crossroads and strong financial reserves and sovereign wealth funds to investment in major development and infrastructure projects, the UAE has been able to create a modern, dynamic and diverse economy in only 50 years.

It is, though, the desire to keep pushing forward, to keep extending the nations horizons, that has ensured the UAE remains a global beacon for talent, innovation and endeavour, and a model environment for investment and entrepreneurship, says a report.

The UAE, for instance, ranked first regionally and 9th globally in the Global Competitiveness Report 2021 issued by the Global Competitiveness Center, and ranked first globally in 22 indicators. In a staggeringly short time, it has managed to redefine the limits of the possible.

The priority for the next 50 years is to continue accelerating economic development and unlocking opportunity, especially by encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises and instilling a culture of entrepreneurship throughout the country.

Global magnet for capital and talent

One of the key pillars of the UAEs ambitions is to attract FDI in key sectors, particularly those associated with the knowledge economy and advanced technologies. Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, innovative medical technologies, high-speed transportation, augmented virtual reality, robotics, self-driving cars and renewable energy are all fields in which the UAE wants to excel in the immediate term.

Despite the UNs figures that global foreign direct investment flows decreased by 42% in 2020 over Covid-19, the UAE has seen 44% growth in inward FDI flows in 2020, compared to 2019, to reach AED73 billion ($19.87 billion). The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 15th globally in terms of its ability to attract foreign direct investment, according to the results of the Global Foreign Direct Investment Report for the year 2021 issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. It attracted FDI of $19.9 billion in 2020, a growth of 11.24 percent over 2019, despite the pandemic.

The UAE also ranked first in the West Asia region, receiving 54.4% of the total FDI inflows, amounting to $36.5 billion, and first in the MENA region, receiving 40.2% of the total FDI inflows, amounting to $49.4 billion.

The forecast is healthy, with the flexibility and attractiveness of the UAEs business environment, and the constant update of provisions and procedures to meet global standards, keeping the capital inflows coming.

Another sign of the positive investment climate is the UAEs GDP, which totaled $421 billion in 2020, despite the global pandemic. Per capita GDP rose to $43,100, exceeding that of countries such as the UK, Spain, New Zealand and France.

Solid economy despite adversities

The UAEs ability to recover from the pandemic owes much to the prompt, nationwide action taken in March 2020, and the efficacy of sanitation, lockdown and social distancing measures deployed in the weeks and months that followed. In economic terms, the Central Banks comprehensive support was equally crucial, contributing some AED100 billion and a range of support packages to the economy. As a result, the UAE ranked first in the Arab world and second globally in the Resilience to Epidemics 2021 index, issued by the Consumer Choice Center to rate nations response to the onset of Covid-19.

The UAE Central Bank now estimates that positive growth rates for the national economy will be restored by the end of 2021, with estimates of up to 2.5 percent growth in real GDP, and 3.6 percent growth in real non-oil GDP. In 2022, this will reach 3.5 percent growth in real GDP, and 3.9 percent growth in real non-oil GDP.

The government is working with all stakeholders to double the national economy over the next 10 years to reach AED3 trillion by 2031.

An ideal industrial base

The UAE has undergone continuous transformation to create the ideal platform for economic success in a rapidly evolving world. In recent years, this has included investment in its digital infrastructure, which ranks first in the Arab world, and legislative changes to create the most competitive regulatory and procedural umbrella.

The UAE has also become a global and regional headquarters for more than a quarter of the worlds 500 largest companies. It remains a primary investment destination for foreign capital, where the countrys major projects in tourism, industry, transport and renewable energy projects are principal targets. Today, the UAE is one of the most advanced countries in the world in creating a regulatory environment that protects the investor and supports commercial activity, providing a flexible and competitive legislative and procedural umbrella that helps stimulate foreign investment and ensures business stability.

Free zones contribute greatly to this environment, and the UAE is home to more than 28 business and logistical zones with global competitive capabilities. The total trade of goods for free zones rose to AED658.9 billion in 2019, an 11 percent increase on the previous year. The value of imports from free zones amounted to AED340.6 billion in 2019 while free zone exports rose to AED41.1 billion and re-exports totalled AED277.1 billion.

The UAE is, in many ways, a nation built on trade, and its logistics infrastructure directly connects it to more than 250 cities around the world. Its shipping lanes offer routes to more than 400 cities, and its land, sea and air transport system is the most efficient and the most geographically broad in the region. It boasts 10 commercial airports, 27 airline licenses, 105 shipping companies, 12 sea and commercial ports, and about 310 marine berths, besides the oil ports, with a handling capacity of more than 17 million tons annually, and with a tonnage amounting to 80 million tons of cargo.

In conjunction, the UAEs industrial sector enjoys an exceptional support system, helped by economic stability, its strategic location and strong and continuous government investment. The country is also rich in traditional and renewable sources of energy, such as minerals, gas and raw materials important for the nations industries.

The UAE is also deeply invested in the energy sources of the future, with renewable energy a top priority. There are many pioneering efforts to adopt the latest innovations that confront the impact of climate change and mitigate global warming. The Emirates Energy Strategy 2050 targets a mix of renewable and clean energy sources to ensure a balance between economic needs and environmental goals. The country will invest AED600 billion until 2050 to ensure that the demand for energy and sustainable growth in the countrys economy is met.

Projects of the 50

As the UAE opens the chapter on the next 50 years, Projects of the 50 sets in motion key initiatives that will determine the nations economic success, with a particular focus on developing a knowledge economy, fostering innovation, establishing stronger bilateral relations with international partners and continuously upgrading the legal frameworks to attract investment, ideas, entrepreneurs and highly skilled professionals from around the world.

All these factors are highlighted by "Projects of the 50, a comprehensive economic and developmental program to showcase the capabilities and international standards available in the UAE to investors, entrepreneurs and talents of different nationalities and in various economic sectors.

Taken together, the UAE remains a base from which people everywhere can achieve their ambitions, the report said. - TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia has removed the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Argentina from the entry banned country list as of 11 am today (September 8) through the country's land, sea and air ports, a media report said.



Citizens will be allowed to travel to the three referred countries, an official source in the Ministry of Interior was quoted as saying by Saudi Press Agency (SPA).



The source stressed the importance of adhering to all the precautionary and preventive measures adopted.



He explained that all procedures and measures are subject to continuous evaluation by the competent health authorities in the Kingdom, according to the developments in the epidemiological situation in the world.



The Saudi authorities had suspended travelling to and from a number of countries in the world, based on continuous monitoring of the epidemiological situation locally and globally, and any epidemic threats in any of the countries.






ICAOs 2021 Stocktaking for in-sector CO2 reductions concluded recently with calls for high ambition from governments and industry leaders, and highlighting important new innovations to accelerate sustainable aviation.



Aeronautical pioneers, industry leaders, technical experts, researchers, innovators, and national authorities shared their ambitious plans for decarbonizing international aviation during the four day event with over 1,000 virtual participants from every world region.



The event opened with inspiring statements from UK Aviation Minister Robert Courts (MP), UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, and ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar.



Subsequent sessions were opened by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Norways Minister of Transport Knut Arild Hareide, and World Economic Forum President Borge Brende.



In setting the scene for the event, the latest science was reviewed by IPCC WG1 Co-Chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte, followed by remarks on industry emissions reductions commitments from IATA CEO Willie Walsh.



The 2021 Stocktaking provided a platform for youth inputs, including young entrepreneur initiatives and an ISAE-SUPAERO announcement on the founding of their Institute for Sustainable Aviation. ICAO announced an open call for the establishment of a youth umbrella group which would allow young people from around the world to engage with the aviation community on sustainable aviation, with progress expected as soon as end October.



Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General of Airports Council International, outlined a zero carbon goal for airports, and Germany also announced a funding and demonstration initiative for Power to Liquid (PtL) fuels during this session, as part of a 1.5 Billion Euro funding scheme. The oneworld Alliance also took part, following up on its 2050 net zero emissions target announced at last years ICAO Stocktaking with an announcement of its new carbon roadmap to achieve that goal.



The technology session featured presentations from manufacturers and researchers on new aircraft designs to reduce CO2 emissions, and the clean energy session heard a wide range of options on sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen, and electrification, including updates on the new Irena report on Reaching Zero with Renewables - Biojet Fuels. SmartEnergy also announced a new partnership with Sunfire during this session on a new PtL fuels project in Iberia.



During the discussions on innovations in airports, operations and infrastructure, it was made clear that a comprehensive green energy transition for aviation would require both cleaner energy and modernized airport infrastructure. This was emphasized by Air Liquide announcing new airport hydrogen partnerships and initiatives.



During the discussion on enablers for a green transition, the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) announced the first three certifications under the CORSIA Eligible Fuels certification standards. ICAO and UNEP-FI also announced a future collaboration to bring together the aviation and the financial services sectors to accelerate green transition investments.



The Stocktaking concluded with a Green Policy Day, opened by Jaco Stremler, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation of the Netherlands. He called for the policy day to be seen as the start of a green policy decade for aviation, with subsequent discussions emphasizing the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships.



Encouraging closing remarks were made by ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano, followed by an inspirational message from U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry encouraging countries at the ICAO Assembly in 2022 to set a long-term goal.



The closing session also heard from the High-Level Climate Champion Gonzalo Munoz, who highlighted the global nature of the industry, and that aviation requires international efforts to achieve its zero target and getting on the right track with immediate actions.



All of the seminar speakers and participants were encouraged to join the ICAO Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation, a forum for stakeholders seeking to facilitate the development of new ideas and accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions that will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions at source, on the ground, or in the sky.  TradeArabia News Service
UA freshman Audrey Kim sits at her dorm room workspace, where she crafts custom jewelry pieces for her small business, Beads by Dree. She is wearing several of her own hand-crafted necklaces, bracelets and rings.
University construction crews spent the past year and a half completely revamping the upper two floors of Mullins library, which was last renovated in the 1990s. Crews opened up space by moving 1.5 million books offsite, allowing for more study spaces. Phase 2 of the construction project will include the renovation of the first two floors.
UA students have expressed mixed feelings after officials announced a renewed campus mask mandate in early August. Administrators were able to institute the UA System-wide policy when a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge blocked a state law making it illegal for public institutions to mandate masks.
Tameeka Hunter is a professor in the rehabilitation track of the Counselor Education and Supervision Program, based in the Graduate Education Building. Her students and colleagues say she was denied reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Oasis of Hope Second Chance Thrift Shop, located in Rogers, Arkansas, provides jobs and free clothing to those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction while they work the Oasis Northwest Arkansas recovery program.
New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him on his fruitful exchanges with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and expressed Russias strong commitment to further deepen its Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership with India.



Prime Minister Modi expressed his appreciation for the visit of the Russian delegation led by Secretary Patrushev at a time when major changes are taking place in the region, said an official statement.



He asked Secretary Patrushev to convey his thanks to President Vladimir Putin for his constant attention towards the India-Russia Partnership.



He also said that he was looking forward to welcoming President Putin in India in the near future, for the bilateral summit.



Prime Minister Modi in a tweet said he was happy to meet Secretary Patrushev and that the visit allowed useful discussions between both sides on important regional developments.



Was happy to meet Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia. His visit allowed useful discussions between both sides on important regional developments, the Prime Minister tweeted.



Earlier, the Russian top official met with EAM Jaishankar, who said that the two had very useful discussions on Afghanistan.



Glad to meet Secretary of Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev.



Very useful discussions on Afghanistan, he said.



The situation in Afghanistan had come up for a thorough review during talks here between NSA Ajit Doval and Russian Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev.



The talks, which were held as a follow-up to the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 24, were the first detailed and extensive review of the Afghanistan situation, involving the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and security agencies, with Russia after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on August 15.



UNI/RN
New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) As India prepares to host the Leaders Summit of the BRICS nations on Thursday, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two important documents have been adopted during important meetings of the grouping held over the past few months under Indias Chairship  one related to strengthening and reforming of the multilateral system, and the other on the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan.



During the BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - Summit of 2020, Prime Minister Modi had highlighted the need and support for reform of the UN Security Council, dealing with the menace of terrorism jointly and the role that BRICS economies can play in Earths recovery.
New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) Amid rising concerns over the presence of international terror groups in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said that the use of Afghan soil to promote terrorism in any manner by any country is unacceptable and the Taliban must live up to its declarations to that effect.



Addressing a conference on Afghanistan, Jaishankar also said that the world should not countenance interference by external players, especially those intensifying violence at this difficult time.



Jaishankar said that the worlds approach should be guided by the UN Security Council resolution on Afghanistan 2593, passed on August 30 under Indias month-long presidency of the Council..



Another issue he raised was on resumption of travel out of Kabul, which he said was a priority.



The virtual conference was co-convened by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.



Addressed the Afghanistan conference co-convened by @SecBlinken

and @HeikoMaas.



Resumption of travel out of Kabul is a priority.



Use of Afghan soil to promote terrorism in any manner by any country is unacceptable. The Taliban must live up to its declarations to that effect.



The world should not countenance interference by external players, especially those intensifying violence at this difficult time.



Our collective approach should be guided by UNSC resolution 2593, he said in tweets.

The holding of the conference also comes on a day India and Russia held talks on the developments in Afghanistan, a day after the Taliban named its caretaker government in Kabul in which 17 of the 33 ministers figure on the UN Sanctions List.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and visiting Russian Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev met here for inter-governmental consultations on Afghanistan.



There was convergence of views on all majors issues and common threats, including on the need for the Taliban to adhere to promises, on the threat from Islamic radicalisation and extremism, the presence of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and threat from terrorism spreading to Central Asia and India.

The Russian security chief also met EAM Jaishankar and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

UNI/RN
Grimace is a what? McDonald's manager's interview leaves the internet even more confused


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Library and Art Gallery Initiatives

Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry of Culture will be launching several initiatives in relation to the public library and art galleries.

The aim is to promote the love of reading and books, and the work of Gibraltars artists and art galleries.

The Book Club for children returns to the John Mackintosh Hall Library on Wednesdays at 5pm, as from the 29th of September. This is aimed at young people aged between 8-12 and will encourage reading and promote the love of literature.

Storytelling for the younger ones will restart at the library on the 14th of September, led by a group of committed volunteers. Sessions will run on Tuesday afternoons at 4:30pm with morning sessions on Thursday mornings at 10:30am.

If you are interested in being a volunteer, please contact the Development Unit to find out more on 20049161 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In addition, GCS will be offering guided tours at GEMA Gallery, Montagu Bastion, every first Tuesday of the month. These will start on Tuesday 5th October at 11:30am. Places can be booked by email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 20041826.

There will also be a guided tour at the Mario Finlayson National Gallery on Thursday 30th September at 10:30am. Call 20043709 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to secure your place.
National Day Beach Information

'Beach goers wishing to set up in preparation for National Day will be allowed to do so on the preceding evening, that is, Thursday 9th September 2021 but not earlier.'

The Government is informing the public that the Lifeguard Service at Public Beaches will conclude on Sunday 12th September 2021; this being the last day during which this service will be active.

The umbrella stores will continue to be available for public use until 30th September 2021.

The Department of the Environment, Sustainability, Climate Change and Heritage would like to take this opportunity to inform the public that the setting up of beach furniture overnight is not an authorised practice. Nonetheless beach goers wishing to set up in preparation for National Day will be allowed to do so on the preceding evening, that is, Thursday 9th September 2021 but not earlier. We urge all beach goers to refrain from setting up or cordoning off areas of public beach any earlier, as this would only cause unnecessary disruption to the daily beach operation. Firstly, it would prevent the adequate cleaning of the beaches and then it could pose a danger to beach users, creating delays in the access to the shoreline in the case of an emergency.

The Government says it would also like to remind the public that we are not entirely over the COVID-19 pandemic yet. 'With this mind we would like to appeal to the communitys sense of civic consciousness expecting beach users to take heed of any pertinent Public Health advice, understanding that such precautions are necessary to ensure public safety.'

'We thank all beach goers for their co-operation and wish them all an enjoyable National Day.'
National Day 2021

The Government is strongly encouraging members of the public to exercise civic consciousness and community responsibility during National Day.

'Gibraltar needs to live with and beyond COVID, as COVID has not gone away. Plans for the 2021 National Day celebrations have been revised in light of the recent COVID-19 cases on the Rock.'

The advice from Public Health is to avoid large public gatherings. Family or friend gatherings at beaches, swimming pools or other areas, should be kept to small groups and social distancing requirements should be adhered to.

If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, please inform GHA 111 at the earliest opportunity and strictly follow their direction.

The Minister with responsibility for Public Health, Prof John Cortes, said: It is up to every Gibraltarian to act responsibly during National Day, in the best interests of Gibraltar, and so protect our families, friends and community in these still extraordinary times. If you do choose to make use of our beaches, bathing pavilion and swimming pools, keep group sizes to a minimum, keep a safe distance from others outside your social bubble and practise good hand hygiene. And so, safely and responsibly, enjoy National Day!.
The SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP) team has the pleasure to announce the publication of the Gender Equality Organizational Assessment Tool (GEOAT) in Spanish.

This WCO tool aims at assisting Customs Administrations in assessing their policies, practices and activities, in order to identify areas where gender equality can be addressed as an integrated part of Customs Administrations reform and modernization agenda. The GEOAT is a comprehensive and practical guide that supports Customs Administrations in the implementation of gender mainstreaming through project management. It includes a number of Key Principles, each representing different areas of competences of Customs through which gender equality and diversity can be promoted including Employment and Compensation, Work-Life Balance and Career Development; from Violence, Governance and Leadership and Customs Administration and Stakeholder Relations to Health, Safety and Freedom. The GEOAT also includes Cross Cutting Policies which are key to considering on a horizontal basis when implementing gender mainstreaming.

Gender Equality and Diversity is a priority for the SECO-WCO-GTFP. With that in mind, the Programme has included the topic in all its Organizational Development activities since the beginning of its implementation. As a result, and with the aim to foster its outreach, the GEOAT has been translated into Spanish this year to enable Spanish-speaking Customs Administrations to benefit from it in their own language and support sustainable priority reform initiatives in the field of Gender Equality and Diversity and Inclusion.

The Spanish version of the GEOAT has been translated by the GTFP with the financial support of the Switzerlands State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It is now available for all WCO Members via the following link:

For more information on the GTFP, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org
On 8 September 2021, the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, gave a special online lecture to Customs officers who benefited from a scholarship under the Japan-WCO Scholarship Programme. These scholars are either following a Masters Degree Programme in Public Finance at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) or in Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Rights at the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU).

Secretary General Mikuriya introduced the most recent topics addressed and activities undertaken by the WCO Secretariat since the WCO Council Session in June 2021. He described the WCOs response to the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing the actions taken to facilitate global vaccine supply, bolster the international supply chain and combat fake, substandard and counterfeit vaccines, as well as the support provided to Member Customs administrations from small island economies and those affected by fragile borders. He also touched upon the importance of Customs exploring and adopting new technologies and ideas, and the need for the WCO to enhance its strategic partnerships with other international organizations in order to position Customs as a reliable and trusted government advisor on trade matters.

During the interactive session following the lecture, Dr. Mikuriya answered questions and listened to scholars comments. He made frequent references to the situation in the scholars own countries, while outlining the WCO Secretariats contribution to supporting Members and raising the profile of Customs. He also shared some insights into areas of future work for the Secretariat. The lecture offered a good opportunity to update scholars on the WCOs activities and to acknowledge the role they can play in supporting Customs modernization efforts in their respective administrations.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 76F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 11:30:15|Editor: huaxia

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A Wellington Cable car shuttles on the rail in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 8, 2021. Areas outside Auckland moved to Alert Level 2 from 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, which means businesses and schools are back to normal, with masks mandatory in certain settings and gatherings limited to 50 people in size. Auckland will remain at Level 4 for at least another week. New Zealand moved to a lockdown on Aug. 17 after the first COVID-19 Delta variant case in the Auckland community was identified. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 21 new community cases of Delta variant of COVID-19 on Wednesday, all in the largest city Auckland, which brought the total number of confirmed cases in the country's community outbreak to 855.

Auckland has so far recorded 838 community cases and the capital Wellington has 17 cases, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference.

Of the total cases reported in the community outbreak, there are 830 cases found to be clearly epidemiologically linked to another case or sub-cluster, and 25 for which links are yet to be fully established, Bloomfield said.

Of the current community cases, 37 cases are being treated in hospitals, including six cases held in intensive care units (ICUs) or high dependency units (HDUs), he said.

New Zealand also reported one new coronavirus infection in recent returnees. The case came from the Philippines and has remained in a managed isolation at a quarantine facility in Rotorua, Bloomfield said.

The total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand since the start of the pandemic has risen to 3,473, according to the Ministry of Health.

Areas outside Auckland moved to Alert Level 2 from 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, which means businesses and schools are back to normal, with masks mandatory in certain settings and gatherings limited to 50 people in size.

Auckland will remain at Level 4 for at least another week. New Zealand moved to a lockdown on Aug. 17 after the first COVID-19 Delta variant case in the Auckland community was identified. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 12:12:27|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The head of Australia's COVID-19 Taskforce Lieutenant-General John Frewen has said the success of the vaccine rollout is now reliant on public uptake rather than supply as the country continues to battle the third wave of infections.

The early stages of the vaccination program in Australia was plagued by under-supply problems.

Frewen said that an imminent influx of mRNA Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would ramp up the rollout in September.

"This takes us beyond the phase in the vaccine rollout where we were really mRNA supply constrained," he was cited by Australian Community Media as saying on Wednesday.

"The vaccines are coming, the distribution networks are in place and expanding. It all comes down now to public willingness to come forward," he said.

On Wednesday morning, Australia reported 1,721 new locally-acquired COVID-19 infections, 1,480 of which were from New South Wales (NSW), the country's most populous state with Sydney as the capital city, where the state health department also recorded nine deaths.

"There have been 148 COVID-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021," said the statement from the NSW health authorities.

Victoria, the second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, reported a further 221 new local cases.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) recorded another 20 new cases on the 27th day of its lockdown, which is due to end on Sept. 17.

Andrew Barr, the chief minister of the ACT, stressed that restrictions would only be eased when it is safe to do so.

"Our primary goal remains the health and protecting the health of our community," he told reporters.

"We are very acutely aware of the need to also consider the economic impacts and the mental health and wellbeing impacts that come from ongoing public health restrictions," he added.

So far about 64 percent of Australians aged 16 and over had received at least one coronavirus vaccine and 39 percent were fully inoculated, according to the Department of Health. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 12:41:35|Editor: huaxia

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Family members of the victim of a fire at a prison cry in Tangerang, Indonesia, Sept. 8, 2021. Fourty-one people were killed and dozens of others wounded in a fire that broke out at a prison located in Tanggerang town near the Indonesian capital Jakarta early Wednesday, a police officer said. (Xinhua/Veri Sanovri)

JAKARTA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 41 people were killed and about 80 others injured as fire broke out at a prison in Tangerang town near the Indonesian capital Jakarta early Wednesday, officials said.

All the injured people were taken to nearby hospitals and health clinics, and eight prisoners were seriously injured, according to Jakarta police chief Inspector General Fadil Imran.

The fire occurred at 2:20 a.m. local time and was extinguished at 3:30 a.m., and electrical short circuit was believed to be the cause of the fire, said Jakarta police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Yusri Yunus.

The overcrowded block, which was designed for holding 40 prisoners, accommodates 122 people, said Rika Aprianti, a spokesperson for the prison department at Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Ministry.

Many of the prisoners held in the affected block were those involved in drug and narcotics related cases, according to her. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 14:46:15|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least three crude bombs exploded Wednesday outside the house of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Arjun Singh in the eastern state of West Bengal, officials said.

No one was killed or wounded in the explosion. However, the splinters hit the metal gate of the house.

Singh, according to reports, was in Delhi and not present inside his house.

The explosions took place at Jagatdal North 24 Parganas district, about 96 km north of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.

BJP's West Bengal branch has blamed members of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress party for throwing the bombs.

"Member of Parliament (MP) Arjun Singh residence was attacked by miscreants, they came and hurled bombs. If MP and members of legislative assemblies (MLAs) house is not secured then anyone can understand the condition of common man in Bengal," Ritesh Tiwari, vice president of BJP in West Bengal wrote on social media.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar described the incident as "wanton violence" in state and said he had flagged his concern to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"Wanton violence in West Bengal shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions as this morning outside residence of MP Arjun Singh is worrisome on law and order," the governor said in a brief statement posted on social media. "Expect prompt action West Bengal Police. As regards his security the issue has been earlier been flagged, Mamata Banerjee."

Singh's house is currently being guarded by India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force.

Police said they have registered a case and ordered an investigation.

Singh was formerly affiliated with Trinamool Congress and switched over to the BJP in 2019. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 17:49:14|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), Malaysia's mega rail project jointly constructed with a Chinese contractor, has completed the vaccination of all its personnel with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

The ECRL's main contractor China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) said Wednesday in a statement that all the staff are expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of September this year.

"This is to ensure the personnel actively working at its 164 priority locations, including the excavation works of 10 tunnels, are fully immunized and to ensure the steadfast progress of the national megaproject," it said.

Mohd Fauzi Hassan, person-in-charge from Qualitas Health Group, the healthcare organizer of this vaccination drive, said it is crucial for the project to vaccinate its own staff, as well as relevant subcontractors and suppliers.

"It is our honor to be able to participate in one of Malaysia's mega projects by vaccinating the workforce behind the ECRL project. It is crucial to vaccinate not only its own staff but also those of their subcontractors as well as suppliers, to ensure a safe working environment for all," he said.

The vaccination campaign was approved by the Public-Private Partnership COVID-19 Industry Immunization Program and carried out at the ECRL Dungun and Chukai Base Camps in Terengganu state, and the Pahang Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in Pahang state in August and September.

Meanwhile, for employees within the Klang Valley, vaccinations were carried out earlier in July and August under the construction industry vaccination program at the CIDB Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur.

The ECRL runs from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and travels across the peninsula to Kelantan state in northeastern Malaysia.

The mega railway project is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country, by linking its less-developed region on the East Coast to the economic heartland on the West Coast upon its completion in 2026. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 19:52:31|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's COVID-19 infections grew by 3,677 to 243,719 in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said Wednesday.

It also marked the eighth straight day to exceed 3,000 cases daily.

The disease has so far claimed 982 lives in the country after six more patients aged over 60 died in the past day.

More than 19,400 COVID-19 patients across the country remain hospitalized, while over 29,600 asymptomatic or mild cases are receiving treatment at home, according to the ministry.

The resurgence of infections came with the highly contagious Delta variant spreading fast in most of the country's 21 provinces.

Health authorities said the country's Delta wave is expected to peak in late September, urging the public to follow all relevant health guidelines.

The Asian country reported its first imported COVID-19 case in March 2020, and confirmed its first locally transmitted case in November last year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 19:58:31|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte formally accepted on Wednesday the ruling party PDP-Laban's nomination to run for vice president in next year's national elections.

"No words can express my gratitude for your continued trust and confidence in my leadership and for nominating me as the party's official vice presidential candidate in the 2022 election," Duterte, 76, said in a speech during the party's national convention held in Pampanga province, north of Manila.

The party also nominated Duterte's long-time aid and Senator Christopher Go as the party's official presidential candidate, while Go declined the nomination.

"I have already respectfully declined your endorsement through a letter I sent last week. I am hoping that the party will continue to respect my decision," Go said, adding he would continue to support the party and urged them to prioritize other personalities who are interested to run for presidency.

Eight government officials are also named as PDP-Laban's official senatorial candidates in next year's polls. Candidates for the 2022 elections will officially file their candidacy in October.

Duterte thanked his party mates and political allies for their support of his administration. "I cannot thank you enough for your strong support for the administration's priorities, especially our fight against illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption, and poverty."

"I am hopeful that this will allow me to continue serving the Filipino people and help lead the entire nation towards greater progress," Duterte added.

Duterte said his running for the vice presidency is due to "a sense of love of country."

"I want to see the continuity of my efforts even though I may not be the one giving the direction."

Duterte was elected president in the May 2016 elections. The constitution limits Philippine presidents to a single six-year term.

The vice president is elected separately from the president under the Philippine law. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 21:18:05|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Investment Board Nepal (IBN), a high-level government body formed to facilitate large-scale investments, on Wednesday unveiled a strategic plan aiming to attract investments of 10 billion U.S. dollars in the next five years.

Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is the board's chairperson, rolled out the "Business Plan 2021-2025" on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

"The IBN aims at attracting projects worth 10 billion U.S. dollars in the next five years as per the plan," the agency said in a press statement.

Under the five-year business plan, efforts would be made to create jobs for at least 100,000 people through the implementation of investment proposals.

Addressing the anniversary ceremony, Deuba said his government is committed to creating a conducive environment for private sector investment through necessary legal and policy reforms.

He acknowledged, however, that attracting large-scale investments in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging. "The COVID-19 has led nations to lean toward inward investments, so attracting investments is likely to be more challenging," he said.

According to Deuba, Nepal faces an annual fiscal gap of 6 billion U.S. dollars in its effort to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030. "The IBN has an important role to play in mobilizing private sector investments, including FDI (foreign direct investment), to fulfill this gap," he said.

On the occasion, Nepali Finance Minister Janardan Sharma also said that domestic resources are not adequate to take the country toward strong economic growth.

"We want to bring foreign investments and encourage domestic private sector too," he said. "But we have to approve the investment proposals in a timely manner so that the investors could implement the projects at a cost as low as possible."

According to the minister, who is vice chairperson of the IBN, the board has approved investments worth 833 billion Nepali rupees (7.07 billion U.S. dollars) for 27 projects over the past decade. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-08 23:43:40|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tibetan studies in China have made rapid progress and achieved a qualitative leap in recent years, while the electronic age of Tibetan language supports the vigorous dissemination and development of Tibetan culture, said Kibaki Tanaka, a Japanese Tibetan culture expert.

Tanaka, a researcher at The Nakamura Hajime Eastern Institute, has visited Tibet seven times between 1985 and 2007. He has published dozens of books on Tibetan culture and thangka, a traditional Buddhist painting, and has promoted the spread of Tibetan culture in Japan by planning and holding thematic painting and photo exhibitions.

He told reporters in a written interview that China has established a Tibetology research center and its affiliated publishing house has published a large number of Tibetology-related books. In addition, many excellent books on Tibetan culture in the Tibetan language have been published in China.

The expert said "The Chinese Tripitaka," published in the Tibetan language by the Tibetan research center, is an amazing work.

"Before the book was published, I have always used the scanning copies of woodcut prints for my research, and this movable type printing edition of 'The Chinese Tripitaka' has proofread the four woodcut prints. The publication of such a valuable document is a great achievement for future generations and researchers around the world," he said.

Tanaka was also deeply impressed by the development and application of the Tibetan language input method in China.

"The development and application of the Tibetan input method is huge social progress. After it was installed on computers and smartphones, it is easy to use and fast to input, which is really huge social progress," he said.

In 1997, the research center of the Tibet University developed the international standard of a basic set of Tibetan coded characters for information technology and information interchange. Since then, the Tibetan input method, Tibetan character recognition system, Tibetan office software operating system and other Tibetan software and application systems have been developed, bringing the Tibetan language with a history of more than 1,300 years into the electronic era.

Thangka, the Tibetan painting on cotton or silk, was also an important object of Tanaka's study. He believed thangka originated from hanging scrolls of Buddha paintings in India, which were introduced to Tibet along with Buddhism from India. The spread of thangka to the Chinese mainland can be traced back to the Mongol Empire, after which it went through the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

"Most Chinese thangka painters use thangka paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries as models for their creation," Tanaka said. "But if you want to restore thangka murals from the 15th and 16th centuries, you need to use thangka patterns from that era as a model, and currently there are not many Chinese painters studying thangka paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 00:01:08|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has opened its doors to Afghan refugees, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said Wednesday night.

"We stay steady where others waver: tonight we welcome Afghan nationals including women and kids seeking refuge," Locsin said on Twitter. "Our doors are open to those fleeing conflict, persecution, sexual abuse and death."

Locsin said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will issue a statement on the matter, stressing "we're not interested in publicity or thanks."

The Philippines has started moving out its citizens from Afghanistan as the Taliban gained control of the country last month with the United States withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan on Aug. 30.

The DFA issued an alert level 4 for Afghanistan "due to the uncertain security situation in the country." Enditem
Jaiz Bank Plc has received a $25 million shariah-compliant Line of Financing (LOF) from Islamic Corporation for the Development (IsDB) to support small and medium scale enterprises in the country.

Chief Executive of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of IsDB Group, Ayman Sejiny, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Jaiz Bank, Hassan Usman, both signed the loan agreement to support the SMEs.

The intervention will also cover those adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a statement by the group.

The contract details indicated that out of the total sum of $25 million funds provided, $10 million is allocated under the ICD's $ 250 million COVID-19 support package to help the private sector affected by the pandemic by leveraging on the expertise of the banking system of its member countries.

ICD's line of financing facility will help to expand Jaiz Bank's customer base by the provision of Shariah-compliant financing in response to a growing demand for Islamic finance to support, among others, COVID-19 affected projects and industries, the statement added.

Sejiny, said, "Continuous cooperation between ICD and Jaiz Bank, the pioneer in Islamic banking in Nigeria, will result in easier access by SMEs to Shariah-compliant financing that will meet their funding needs, as well as assist in keeping businesses open and preserving jobs, which is in line with ICD's commitments to help the Nigerian economy to overcome the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen financial inclusion."

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He said,"We have no doubt that this line of financing facility will provide much needed support to private sector businesses including those which have been affected by the pandemic."

On his part, Usman said, "We are delighted with this partnership with ICD which has started in 2018 with a $20 million Line of Finance to support SME's in Nigeria, the line was fully utilized by eligible SME's with a substantial portion going to the Agricultural sector.

"The facility was fully repaid earlier this year and has helped in generating over 791 direct jobs and put the Bank among the major Banks in repatriating non-oil export proceeds for the country."

According to him, "The additional $ 25 million line of financing facility will further enhance the bank's capacity to continue to provide support to the local private sector enterprises with substantial socio-economic impact".

Usman said Jaiz bank appreciated ICD for extending the facility in such a challenging time due to the COVID-19 pandemic when economies needed banks to further support their customers, especially SMEs in order to foster economic growth and direct job creation."
Nigeria's crude oil reserves declined by about 600 million barrels on the back of reducing investments in the last few years, industry data on the matter has revealed.

Information from the British Petroleum (BP) Statistical Review, 2021 indicated that between 2017 and 2020, a three year period, Nigeria's reserves did not grow, but rather fell from 37.5 billion barrels to 36.9 billion barrels in 2020.

But to resolve the issue, the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has earmarked 30 per cent of profit oil and profit gas from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) exploration services, in a bid to beef up the country's reserves.

With deteriorating facilities Nigeria was in July and August unable to meet the quota allocated to it by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries

A report by Mordor, a market intelligence and consulting services firm, said that the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly hampered the growth of the market in Nigeria, mainly due to global oil and gas demand contraction and global economic slowdown.

"The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the crude oil price crash of April 2020, leading to a significant reduction in Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) spending by oil and gas companies globally.

"The country's national oil and gas companies were already struggling with liquidity and cash shortage, and due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the situation has further deteriorated, "Mordor said.

"However, some of the major factors driving the market include increasing investments in the upstream sector and the development of large-scale and modular refineries in the country.

"Oil and gas production had been hampered in Nigeria in the past few years due to the attack on oil and gas infrastructure by militants. Furthermore, oil theft has been one of the major issues faced by the oil and gas market in Nigeria, which resulted in huge losses to operating companies in the country.

"Such factors are expected to have a negative impact on the market growth during the forecast period," it said in the report tagged "Nigeria Oil and Gas Market: Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact and Forecasts," covering between 2021-2026.

According to the firm, lack of infrastructure, uncertainties in regulations, and security concerns have led Nigeria to underutilise its refining capacities, thereby pushing the country to become a net importer of refined petroleum products.

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However, it stressed that Nigeria is on the edge of altering refined products' supply dynamics in the region with the help of the upcoming Dangote Refinery, and it is expected to become the regional refining hub in the coming years.

It added that the shift to gas is also supported by the fact that major oil reserves are likely to get dry in the coming three to four decades, hence, the oil market is considered to be one of the most vulnerable markets where natural gas has the highest potential to penetrate.

However, it noted that China National Offshore Oil Corporation mobilised a $3 billion investment, in addition to the $14 billion already spent on its existing oil and gas operations in the West African country.

"A large share of this investment goes into the operations in Nigeria. One of the most ambitious ultra-deep offshore projects is the Egina oil field in water depths between 1,400 and 1,700 meters, "it stated.
The Nigerian equities market yesterday closed on a negative note, to halt the two consecutive days of positive sentiment trading by investors at the close of business the previous week.

At the close of trading yesterday, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) All-Share Index (ASI) declined by 8.12 basis points, representing a drop of 0.02 per cent, to closed at 39,252.89 basis points. Similarly, the overall market capitalisation value shed N5 billion to close at N20.451 trillion.

The market loss was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are; Flour Mills of Nigeria, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Holding, Dangote Sugar Refinery and May and Baker Nigeria.

However, investor sentiment as measured by market breadth closed positive, as 21 stocks advanced while 15 declined. Linkage Assurance recorded the highest price gain of 8.93 per cent to close at 61 kobo, per share. FTN Cocoa Processors followed with a gain 8.89 per cent to close at 49 kobo, while Mutual Benefits Assurance went up by 7.14 per cent to close at 30 kobo, per share.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) rose by 5.77 per cent to close at N5.50, while Universal Insurance gained five per cent to close at 21 kobo, per share. On the other hand, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria led the losers' chart by 9.56 per cent to close at N6.15, per share. Consolidated Hallmark Insurance followed with a decline of 8.62 per cent to close at 53 kobo, while Sovereign Trust Insurance lost 7.69 per cent to close at 24 kobo, per share.

May and Baker Nigeria lost 6.67 per cent to close at N4.48, while University Press shed 6.03 per cent to close at N1.09, per share.

The total volume of trades increased by 17.0 per cent to 210.954 million units, valued at N1.384 billion, and exchanged in 3,989 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Bank topped the activity chart with 30.521 million shares valued at N282.145 million. Mutual Benefits Assurance followed with 26.827 million shares worth N8.004 million, while Sovereign Trust Insurance traded 21.377 million shares valued at N5.136 million.

Universal Insurance traded 12.945 million shares valued at N2.590 million, while Honeywell Flour Mills transacted 12.917 million shares worth N48.033 million.

On trading activities for this week, analysts at United Capital Plc said "We expect the market to drift sideways barring any major trigger. We anticipate some investor bias for banking stocks, as market participants position for interim dividends."

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Investment analysts have said that activities in the nation's stock market will be bullish this week over positioning by investors in interim dividend stocks.

They posited that the market provides an ample opportunity for capital gains but advised investors to position in only fundamentally sound stocks. According to analysts at Cowry Assets Management Limited, in the new week, we expect the equities market index to trade positively as investors position ahead of qualification period for interim dividend payment.

Analysts at Cordros Securities Limited predicated that "This week, we expect earnings from the big banks, specifically Guaranty Trust Bank Holding Company (GTCO) and United Bank for Africa (UBA) to drive buying sentiments on the bourse, as the declaration of interim dividends may likely accompany the results.

"Overall, we advise investors to take positions in only fundamentally justified stocks as the unimpressive macro story remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings."
Last Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari fired the erstwhile Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman, in what he said was a move to "strengthen weak areas" in his government. Emmanuel Addeh writes that while the former minister's tenure remained largely uninspiring, there's the need for his replacement to hit the ground running with less than two years to the end of the current administration.

Just like the election of his former boss raised the hopes that a new Nigeria was in the offing, Mamman's appointment to oversee the beleaguered power sector was greeted with much enthusiasm.

The expectations were higher, given that he was taking over from the current Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola, who many thought was seriously overburdened with two critical ministries, a development that perhaps tamed his much-talked-about uncommon capacity to deliver.

Reclusive, rarely seen, rarely heard, Mamman soon began to unravel, or to put it aptly, just refused to unravel in spite of all the initial high aspirations, fuelled by his boss's promise to finally give Nigerians reliable electricity supply.

With no clearly marked achievement in two years and no communication where they probably existed, Mamman will arguably go down in history as being the only head of a ministry who literally left Nigerians in the dark as to his plans and goals from when he took office till when he was given the red card a week ago.

Unwarranted Bickering

Like schoolboys, Mamman sought to, as put by his Media Aide, Aaron Artimas, "whip the agencies into line" because each of them were claiming autonomy.

The "sacking, unsacking and resacking" of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, was one of the running battles he had with his lieutenants.

The former minister also had brushes with the former Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Usman Mohammed as well as a former Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Damilola Ogunbiyi, who he indicated were constituting a wheel in the cog of the progress of the power sector.

Added to that, there was a major disagreement between the minister and the ministry of finance over whether he had the power to remove the head of NBET, which is under the ministry of finance. These unwarranted bickering consumed a lot of the energy that would have been channelled to providing Nigerians electricity.

As reticent as he was, Mamman never failed to denigrate his predecessors. For instance, in responding to his critics who raised questions over his qualification to head the all-important power sector, Mamman said last July that people like one of his predecessors; Prof. Barth Nnaji would have transformed the ministry if performance was based on paper qualifications.

In addition, he claimed that he inherited a chaotic sector from his predecessor, Fashola, who's now overseeing the works ministry.

Nigeria's Electricity Supply

In one of his rare appearances on television, 63-year-old Mamman countered Nigerians who constantly complain of erratic supply of electricity, insisting that the entire country now enjoys between 18 to 24 hours of power everyday.

Mamman, who spoke in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari administration had improved the infrastructure in the power system in the last five year even when Nigerians were living in utter darkness.

But his position ran contrary to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), which coincidentally, released a statement at the time, listing the lack of electricity as Nigeria's biggest challenge.

Not a few Nigerians thought it was an insult for the minister to barefacedly tell them that power supply to their homes had become stable even when it was obvious that it was far from the truth.

The minister disclosed that some power plants had been completed by the current administration, which he said would further get better with the coming of Siemens AG, a German company into the system.

He said: "The President has come out with Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) to ensure that all infrastructure is improved. So, many substations are now in place across the country. We have improved the 330 KVA, which is the highest voltage in the country.

"We have also improved the 132 substations. Kashimbilla has been completed which is 40mw. We have reached up to 70 per cent of Zungeru in Niger. One of the biggest projects, the Mambilla, which has been lingering for over 40 years, has commenced.

"We have finished the feasibility studies, the land and area survey and waiting for contractors to mobilise to site. We have improved our services. Before this government, they gave light less than 10 hours a day, but today I can tell you that we give light from 18 to 24 hours in a day." Not a few Nigerians took that statement with a pinch of salt.

Inchoate Mambilla Project

Having hailed from Taraba, stakeholders expected the erstwhile minister to make some headway in the over four-decade Mambilla hydropower project, located in the state. But till he left last week, most of the issues hampering the project remained unresolved.

Originally conceived in 1972, the capacity of the project was increased to 3,050MW in 2012 and has practically been put on hold due to administrative and legal issues.

Set up to comprise four dams and two underground powerhouses, having 12 turbine generator units in total, as part of the plans to solve the perennial problem in the power sector, Mambilla is expected to be Nigeria's biggest power plant.

In addition, it is expected to produce approximately 4.7 billion kWh of electricity a year and will generate up to 50,000 local jobs during the construction phase.

Over 40 years later Mamman said that under his superintendence, the federal government had finished the feasibility studies, the land and area survey and was waiting for contractors to mobilise to site as well as commencement of payment of compensation to host communities in Taraba state.

Just when everyone thought the project was gradually taking off, Sunrise, the first contractor for the project resurrected, flaunting documents that it said entitled it to some form of compensation for alleged breach of contract, came into the picture.

Accusing the government of defaulting on a $200million settlement agreement it entered with the company, Sunrise contended that the deal was supposed to make it relinquish all claims to the $5.8 billion project, which has now been revised.

A $200 million deal brokered by the ministry of power and the ministry of justice to settle the matter out-of-court has also met with a brick wall as the $2.3 billion project continues to remain in the doldrums.

Siemens Deal Forgotten?

With the noise that heralded the signing of a deal with Siemens AG of Germany last year, one would have thought that government would keep the same energy in the execution of the agreement. However, enthusiasm has long waned with no further information concerning the project.

The agreement, which was meant to be implemented in phases was expected to see the upgrading of 105 power substations and the construction of 70 new ones.

Under the deal for which the government had made an initial N8.6 billion commitment, about 3,765 distribution transformers will be installed and 5,109 km distribution lines will be built with a potential generation capacity of over 13,000 mw as opposed to the current transmission of 4,500mw.

In phase one, 7gw was expected to be achieved between then and end of 2021, with the upgrading of transmission and distribution of the TCN and Distribution Companies (Discos) expected to contribute an additional 2gw.

For phase two, the government said that 11gw will be achieved between 2021-2023, with full use of existing generation and last mile distribution capacity, while the phase three will see the achievement of 25gw between 2023-2025 with appropriate upgrades and expansion in generation, transmission and distribution.

But since the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the payment of 15.21 million (N6,940,081,465.20) offshore and N1.708 billion onshore as part of Nigeria's counterpart funding for the power deal, not much has been heard.

The deal also involves Siemens' support for the regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), towards improving metering in the electricity industry in the country.

Funding without Impact

In a note marking his one year in office, Mamman stated that the federal government had secured a cumulative sum of $6.150 billion for the funding of various capital projects in the power sector.

He said that as a market in transition, the sector had been experiencing teething challenges, adding that due to lack of infrastructure, the sector was unable to effectively utilise its generation capacity of over 12,000MW and incurred over N254 billion as the cost of unutilised capacity.

"I am glad to state that to date, a total sum of $6.150 billion has been secured for infrastructural development" he said.

A breakdown of the funds showed that the Siemens deal would gulp $2.3 billion while the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP) will consume $1.6 billion.

In addition, the federal government noted that a $550 million facility had been secured for the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) from a World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) arrangement, including another $1.7 billion to ensure that the power industry becomes more efficient.

It stressed that with the $6.150 billion in funding, the present administration has commenced the implementation of critical infrastructure that will enable the country to achieve generation, transmission, and distribution of 25,000MW of electricity by 2025.

However, the impact of this funding is yet to be felt by Nigerians, most of who still live in darkness and deploy air-polluting generating sets as a source of their own electricity.

Charity Begins Abroad

Despite the shortage of power supply in the country, Mamman opened negotiations with the Republic of Chad in an agreement that would see Nigeria commence the supply of electricity to the North-central African country.

To consummate the agreement, the Chad Minister of Energy, Mrs Ramatou Houtouin, flew into Abuja, while the Nigerian team was led by top officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

A few months earlier, the Chadian ambassador to Nigeria, Abakar Chachaimi, asked for his country to be connected to Nigeria's electricity grid during a visit to the minister in Abuja.

Chachaimi argued that connecting Chad to Nigeria's electricity grid would further enhance the historical and economic collaborations between both countries.

If the agreement is eventually reached, Chad will add to the number of countries that depend partly on Nigeria for their electricity needs, including the Republic of Benin, Niger Republic and Togo. For a country that could not power itself, seeing the logic in the minister's thinking was almost impossible.

Lowering Performance Bar

Under Mamman, the ministry of power and the agencies celebrated what should ordinarily be seen as the shame of a nation, for what it usually terms improvements.

"Successful transmission" of a peak of 5,584.40MW was worth celebrating, where smaller and less endowed nations like South Africa could boast of total domestic electricity generation capacity of 58,095 megawatts.

Mamman, was ecstatic about the news of the 'peak performance', describing it as "impressive". Tagging a 5,5840mw power transmission as "impressive", to many Nigerians, was the height of the celebration of mediocrity.

That in 2021, a country of over 200 million people, sector leaders would be celebrating just over 5,000mw as an achievement when Brazil with almost the same population and conditions as Nigeria's generates 150,000MW, according to the International Energy Agency (EIA), beats all rational imaginations.

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Added to that, between February 17 and last month, the national grid had experienced at least four collapses, including a partial collapse leading to power outage in some parts of Nigeria in the second month.

Also, extensive power outage was experienced in March when 18 plants, accounting for most of the electricity collapsed; in May when another system collapse took place and in August when the power grid failed.

Yet the position of the ministry was that grid collapses had reduced since the minister took over power.

Hospitalisation and Denial

After Buhari relieved him of his job, there were news reports that the former minister collapsed when he for wind of the information and was thereafter receiving treatment in hospital.

But Mamman told BBC Hausa, that he had been ill before he was fired, noting that he was instructed that he needed some 'rest', adding that he had foreknowledge of his sack.

He maintained that on Monday night, Buhari called him on the phone to inform him of the impending sack and thanked him for his support for his administration.

Whatever difference that explanation made, one thing is clear, Mamman met Nigerians in darkness and left them in darkness.

Little Progress in Metering

Under Mamman, the federal government began a national metering programme, which according to the government has seen the distribution of about 750, 000 units to Nigerians.

Although, millions of Nigerian homes remain unmetered, Mamman said the scheme funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was to end estimated and arbitrary billing for electricity.

Defending His Achievements

But in a note, Mamman who thanked Buhari for granting him the opportunity to serve in his administration, said during his stint, he made giant strides, but failed to list them.

"My sincere gratitude also goes out to everyone at the federal ministry of power and its supervising agencies, without your tremendous and selfless efforts, we couldn't have recorded the giant strides we achieved in the past two years," he wrote.

Agenda for Aliyu

No doubt, the job of the new minister of power, Abubakar Aliyu, is clearly cut out. Nigerians are not asking for the impossible. They simply want stable power supply and commensurate payment for what is consumed.

The former Deputy Governor of Yobe state and erstwhile minister of state, works and housing must hit the ground running and ignore the temptation to begin new fights.

Aliyu must realise that this is not the time to pull his weight in the wrong direction. He must work assiduously to complete ongoing projects where they exist instead of chasing shadows and must imbibe the culture of talking to Nigerians about progress and challenges.
Monument Group, a top tier Nigerian conglomerate active in the Real Estate, Energy, and Fintech sectors, has announced its plans to participate in the upcoming Dubai Expo 2020.

This was disclosed at a roundtable discussion hosted by the Group in collaboration with Jonomi Ventures, an emerging venture capital firm focused on early-stage start-ups in Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Speaking about the Group's plans to explore opportunities provided by the Expo, an Executive Director of the Group, Mr. Faiz Imam stated that, "Monument is keen on participating at the Nigerian Trade and Investment Forum of the Dubai 2020 Expo. We recognize the abundant opportunities offered by the Expo and we look forward to tapping from them."

The event, which had in attendance the Nigerian Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Dansanta Rimi as well as renowned business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from the Middle East, Africa and Asia regions, was held in Dubai. The discussions centered on cross-border investments, business development and opportunities across both countries.

In the same vein, the Nigerian Ambassador to the UAE noted that the expo is a great opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its excellent investment opportunities, as well as abundant human and natural resources. Nigeria will be participating in the nine business forums initiated by the Expo organisers.

Also speaking at the event, a Managing Partner of Jonomi Ventures, Mr. Boye Balogun expressed his enthusiasm about the Expo and emphasized the need for continuous collaboration between Nigeria and the UAE to in other to harness opportunities.

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Mr. Balogun observed that, "We are barely scratching the surface of what increased collaboration between the two countries can deliver in the Finance, Technology, Agriculture, Hospitality and Oil & Gas sectors amongst others. With the 2020 Dubai EXPO fast approaching, now is a critical time to accelerate ventures and create new initiatives for the future."

The Dubai Expo 2020 aims to increase awareness about the challenges faced by humanity on a global scale. The world's greatest show will bring together more than 150 countries for 182 days of fun, networking, innovation and promoting international relationships. The Expo was slated for October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2020 but was postponed as a result of challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The event is now scheduled for October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Nigeria is one of the over 150 countries that have confirmed their participation in the Dubai Expo 2020. Its participation revolves around the theme: "Harnessing Opportunity, Creating the Future."
When Mary Ndun'gu bumped into Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga while visiting her daughter at the County Referral Hospital, she was both elated and confused.

"I mean, he is the governor and what would he be doing there? He was just walking around and he even stopped to greet me. It was unexpected," she recalls.

But unknown to her, it is normal for the Nyeri county boss to make impromptu visits to different parts of the county without large entourages and motorcades.

From walking or driving himself around the towns inspecting roads to checking markets for Covid-19 compliance, stopping in a shopping centre to interact with people or his personal favourite, visiting different hospitals and other health centres in the county, Mr Kahiga says results-oriented actions is a dose of what the county's different sectors need to deal with governance issues.

The county boss says his greatest drive in life is passion and an insatiable desire to get things done.

When he met Ms Ndun'gu on August 2, Mr Kahiga's tour of the hospital had been prompted by numerous complaints from members of the public on lack of drugs.

"My visit to the referral hospital, in particular, was prompted by claims on social media and by our senator that there were no drugs in hospitals," he told nation.africa.

In a video of him at the facility that has been trending online, he is seen confronting a security guard over visits by patients.

He then toured the maternity wing where he was informed that the patients were asked to purchase drugs and medical gloves from outside the hospital.

Rubbed some county leaders the wrong way

"There is someone who is messing us around here by telling people to purchase gloves yet we have boxes of gloves lying in the stores," he is heard saying on the video.

According to him, the random and unplanned visits reveal the real situation on the ground with wananchi talking about their experiences and what they need.

He says that this helps him understand and relate with the people and he is also able to address the real challenges bedevilling the Nyeri population.

"I do the random visits just to get the real situation on the ground. Wananchi rarely lie. They will give their genuine concerns. I have always visited our hospitals to understand and address any challenges. I engage with the medical workers, nurses, patients and visitors to keep monitoring our performance. I am passionate about our health and endeavour to allocate as much money as is available," Mr Kahiga added.

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But the governor's new style of governance appears to have rubbed some county leaders the wrong way.

From interviews with wananchi, the governor appears to have gone full circle from a reserved, diplomatic, and cautious politician to a combative leader ready to take on his critics.

Since he joined politics in 2017 after he was picked as a deputy to the late Nyeri county boss Wahome Gakuru, Mr Kahiga had always avoided confrontational politics.

His open attack on his political rivals and competitors in the 2022 governor's race especially Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina has confounded both friend and foe.

But Mr Kahiga says he cannot allow his opponents to continue belittling him in public and adds he will not budge.
If your spouse is suicidal, there is the unfortunate possibility that they might take their life despite your efforts to help them recover. It is also possible that your spouse may commit suicide way before you spot any tell-tale signs. Coping with the death by suicide of a loved one will take a heavy toll on you. However, there are certain steps you can take to ensure that you don't lose yourself even as you mourn.

The immediate aftermath

Avoid taking responsibility for your spouse's death by suicide. According to Deborah Serani, a psychologist and the author of Living with Depression, you must hold very tightly to the fact that you aren't responsible for your spouse's suicide in any way. This will allow you to grieve and heal properly. "Don't set a grieving timeline. During your mourning season, take time before you can put your sadness and loss to rest. It will also take a long time before you can envision certain possibilities such as love and dating again," she says. If the immediate aftermath gets too tough, speak to a professional counselor.

The reminders

You had created memories with your partner that may not be easy to let go of. These can include wedding anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and annual family get-togethers. "Bear in mind that new events, experiences, and moments without your spouse will bring down heavy bouts of sadness and painful memories," says Ms. Serani. To cushion yourself, she advises that you prepare for these occasions ahead. "Prepare how you will go through the calendar dates you marked together to avoid suffering heavy traumatic reactions." If some events and occasions are too painful to hold alone, consider shutting them down. "Do not feel guilty if you opt to cancel occasions that are too painful to continue observing alone," she says.

Children

If you have children, it might be difficult to reveal to them that their mother died by suicide. If you must reveal this detail, you will need to know what part of the whole information they are ready to consume and understand. You may overwhelm them if you openly narrate what happened or break their trust by withholding the truth. "While they will feel ashamed, anxious, or partly guilty, you'll need to gradually disclose what happened in a language and manner they can comprehend," says child therapist Teresia Muragu. "For instance, after some time has passed, you can bring up the topic of depression, potential effects on victims which include suicide, and let them pick the cue," she says. Pay attention to ensure they have healed. Children whose parents attempt suicide or die by suicide, research shows, are likely to make attempts on their own lives.

Family and friends

You will need a support system comprising of your closest family members and friends. According to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a medical practitioner and the author of Life After Suicide: Finding Courage, Comfort, Community After Unthinkable Loss, you will get a clear glimpse into the recovery process if you create bonds with family and friends, and social associates who have gone through a similar loss. Additionally, there are social support groups for spouses bereaved through suicide that you can join for emotional support and companionship. This will help you learn from other people who have dealt with similar losses. "Hearing another person's stories of love, loss, and healing will serve as a powerful tool against any pervasive feeling of isolation most survivors of death suicide suffer from," she says.

Social stigma

People will talk. They will find reasons why your spouse decided to die by suicide. You may be the common denominator for the death of your spouse. "Victims of suicide are not well accepted by society. Death by suicide is regarded as less worthy of being marked and mourned," says Susan Gacheru, a family therapist based in Nakuru. "On the other hand, those who are left behind are saddled with judgment and stigma and seen as the primary reason why someone chose to take their own life, or as the catalyst to the depression that pushed them to suicide. You may find yourself concealing evidence or information about your spouse's death. Do not succumb to feeling shamed by your spouse's death or get compressed by social fear to not grieve your loved one," she says.

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Renewable energy technologies like solar lanterns, solar panels and biogas digesters offer the prospect of affordable power in remote communities. For the last 30 years, international organisations have been involved in projects to make these technologies available to users in African countries. Mainly this has been done free of charge and has included efforts to build local capacity and reform policy.

But despite these efforts, internationally funded renewable energy projects have often failed after they withdrew their support.

In the last decade, international organisations have been moving away from this aid-led approach to a more market driven approach. The reasoning is that market driven approaches will enhance technology ownership and long-term adoption. They often require users to pay fully or partly for equipment and maintenance through loans and subsidies.

But will this approach work better? In my recent PhD research, I studied five internationally funded renewable energy projects to understand how they might contribute to the limited adoption of renewable energy in Ghana. In the research, I compared the implications of aid and market-driven approaches.

Although market driven approaches tend to create an environment for multiple actors in the renewable energy sector to build their collective capacity, they don't always include the rural poor. The insights from this work could help explain why renewable energy technology is being adopted so slowly and help find a solution. My work also forms part of the literature on innovation studies.

Renewable energy in rural areas

Ghana's grid electricity is supplied by hydroelectric power (39.9%), thermal power plants (56%) and renewables (0.2%). Adding decentralised renewable energy brings the total electricity from renewable sources to 0.5% by the end of 2017. In remote Ghanaian communities, renewable energy technologies are the preferred means of electrification.

My study found that purely donor-funded renewable energy projects may aim to build local capacity but usually involve only one actor: renewable energy companies. Moreover, the projects tend not to allow space for a range of actors to get involved. They only train local companies or technicians.

As a result, they do not build the collective capacity necessary for renewable energy development. For example, in the Switch Africa Green biogas project I studied, there was usually only one supervisor from either the implementing Ghanaian government agency or the donor. Community members were not employed to build strong networks around installed renewable technology. This meant users did not have anyone to contact when systems broke down.

In market-driven projects, there are more interactions among different actors. This transfers knowledge and builds capacity. For example, local technicians can do repairs, and rural banks are involved in disbursing loans.

For example, in a project in northern Ghana, local companies were engaged to sell solar home systems at subsidised prices. This project had several levels of supervision related to the funding bodies, coordinating government agencies, and a ministry. This built a group of actors who could design projects that suited people's needs and enhanced ownership.

Making it work for rural communities

But my study also found threats to capacity building in the market approach. First was the short term of engagement for local actors. Usually, after only two years, grid electricity was extended to beneficiary communities, or the national utility took over mini-grid operations. Some people would abandon the renewable technology and this reduced the market for repair work.

The successful implementation of renewable energy projects in rural communities is a time-consuming process. It's important to understand local contexts to ensure that the technology is appropriate, develop sale strategies and establish mechanisms for maintenance. Project implementers need time to comprehend user priorities, changing energy demand, energy-use behaviour, and income patterns. For example, some rural dwellers can make payments only after harvest seasons.

Short project timelines hamper the development of such local knowledge.

Another drawback of the market approach arises when projects wind up. The travel cost to remote communities is not affordable for local repair companies. And rural users tend to abandon solar home systems, rightly believing that grid electricity can power high voltage appliances and meet their increasing energy demand.

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Flexible renewable energy systems (such as mini-grids) are sensitive to irregular income patterns because users can disconnect and reconnect when funds are available throughout a project's lifespan.

In contrast, the Apex Bank solar project revealed that fixed systems, even at subsidised prices, are often beyond the purchasing power of the rural poor. In any case, local companies tend to sell systems in relatively affluent rural communities to meet targets and pay back loans. Fixed systems don't cater for increasing energy needs, either, and can break when misused.

Choosing for the long term

For market-driven approaches to be inclusive, it's critical to choose the right technology. Moreover, it must meet the needs of the rural poor long after projects have been implemented.

Appropriate rural electrification policies have a crucial role in making these projects inclusive. Policies should support flexibility in meeting a wide range of energy demands. They should also create an environment for the long-term use of technologies.

Dr. Basil Amuzu-Sefordzi, Postgrad Research Fellow at UWA AfREC, The University of Western Australia
President Buhari meets with a Saudi Arabian minister in Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday played host to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs at State House, Abuja, declaring that the oil rich kingdom has been quite kind to Nigeria.

Receiving Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, the president said with Nigeria's large population and infrastructural deficit, the country needed all the revenue she could get from oil, a mainstay of the economy, "and Saudi Arabia has been very kind to us, making sacrifice by reducing production to accommodate us a number of times."

President Buhari noted that the relationship between the two countries is very strong, "and dates back in time, both at the personal and national levels."

"It is long and steadfast," the President added.

Mr Al-Saud brought greetings from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, saying the kingdom appreciates the relationship with Nigeria, "which dates back 61 years, and we want to strengthen it even further."

The two countries, he said, have good prospects both economically and politically, not just among the leaders, but also the people.

"There's still a lot we can do together," the prince submitted.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media and Publicity)

September 7, 2021
President Muhammadu Buhari has appreciated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for conceding oil production quota to Nigeria in the past.

The president, who spoke Tuesday at the State House, Abuja, while playing host to Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, declared that the oil rich kingdom has been quite kind to Nigeria.

According to a release issued by the Media Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, the president said with Nigeria's large population and infrastructural deficit, the country needed all the revenue she could get from oil, a mainstay of the economy, "and Saudi Arabia has been very kind to us, making sacrifice by reducing production to accommodate us a number of times".

President Buhari noted that the relationship between the two countries is very strong, which dated back in time, both at the personal and national levels.

"It is long and steadfast," the president added.

Prince Al-Saud brought greetings from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, saying the Kingdom appreciates the relationship with Nigeria, "which dates back 61 years, and we want to strengthen it even further".

The two countries, he said, have good prospects both economically and politically, not just among the leaders, but also the people.

"There's still a lot we can do together," the Prince said.




What is the difference between a variant of interest, like Mu, and a variant of concern, such as Gamma?





"A variant of interest is distinguished by its geographic location, with some changes in its genetic structure compared to the original virus," said Juan More, a comparative immunology physician and researcher at San Marcos University in Lima.





On the other hand, a variant of concern shows evidence of a different behavior, which poses a threat, as was the case of the UK (Alpha) and Brazilian (Gamma) variants.





The Mu variant was first identified in Colombia, but is already found in 39 countries, including Peru, where the Gamma variant predominates, followed by Lambda, and Delta.





The expert stressed the need to bring calm to the population because new variants will continue to emerge, and this should not cause fear or concern.





"In fact, identifying the new variants is important. The key is to monitor them," the San Marcos researcher remarked.





More explained that viruses usually mutate, noting that emphasis must be placed on the early detection of abnormal behaviors, such as speed of replication or lethality, which is not the case with the Mu variant, fortunately.





"The variants we have found so far behave similarly in the way they cause the disease," he said in an interview with TV Peru.





According to the physician, it is important that people know that all the variants, including the Mu strain, are neutralized by the vaccines that we know, thus avoiding severe cases and deaths due to the infection.





(END) KGR/RRC/RMB/MVB

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To date, according to the National Health Institute (INS) , Peru has reported 99 cases of the Mu variant, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified as a "variant of interest."Publicado: 8/9/2021
Comunicado del Gobierno peruano sobre Venezuela.

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?? AHORA | Titular de la PCM, @GuidoPuka, encabeza Consejo de Ministros en el que participa todo el gabinete ministerial, a fin de atender las necesidades mas urgentes del pais de manera intersectorial y articulada. pic.twitter.com/mXADnlSyO7
TBILISI, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili discussed the regional cooperation and a number of other issues during their meeting today in Tbilisi.

At the press conference after the meeting, the Georgian PM said that the stability of Armenia in both political and economic areas is very important for Georgia.

This is directly linked with the stability of our country. Respectively, our regional goals are three  peace, stability and welfare. Georgia has always supported peaceful cooperation and coexistence in the South Caucasus, we have proved this with our work some times before. Several months ago, we have achieved success with the leaders of the three countries  Georgia and especially with my mediation, with the direct participation of Mr. Prime Minister, as well as with the efforts of the Azerbaijani President. It was connected with the return of the Armenian captives and the handover of key documents, the maps, to Azerbaijan. This successful precedent gives us an opportunity for optimism. I once again reiterated my readiness to the Prime Minister that Georgia will continue to play the role of the active mediator in order to restore trust which is very important, the Georgian PM said.

He noted that Georgia is ready to discuss new cooperation ideas and projects.

At their meeting the Armenian and Georgian PMs have also discussed issues connected with economy, trade, transport and communication, as well as talked about Pashinyans large-scale programs.

We have also talked about the fields of tourism, energy and culture with the Armenian Prime Minister. These are the issues which we discussed and share completely the same visions over it. I want to state that our country has an interesting transit potential, which we have also discussed. This potential must be used fully, he stated.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Georgia on September 8 on an official visit.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Most of the discussion between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is on an official visitor to Georgia, and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garbiashvili was dedicated to the agenda of opening an era of peaceful development in the region.

''Yes, we mutually state that, unfortunately, there are many unresolved issues, conflicts and threats in our region, but we try to help each other to focus on the opportunities that exist in parallel. I think that supporting each other in utilizing the opportunities is the very formula that should make risk management more feasible and accessible for us'', ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told the reporters.

The Armenian Prime Minister thanked his counterpart for assisting the return of 15 Armenian captives on June 15.

''During those days, when we were discussing, we called each other several dozen times, it was a pre-election campaign period, and I was even joking, saying that during those two days I communicated more with the Prime Minister of Georgia than with our voters. I think that those two days were very important in terms of forming a new level of personal cooperation between us'', Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan also emphasized that fact that both Armenia and Georgia continuously demonstrate their committment to democracy and democratic processes, which creates new opportunities for the development of relations. ''I presented to Prime Minister Garibashvili our proposals and perceptions over regional issues and solutions enshrined in the Action Plan of the Armenian Government. I think there are new opportunities here as well, the use of which is not a reality yet, but we were talking about the fact that we should make efforts to use those opportunities'', the Armenian PM said, adding that transit opportunities of Armenia and Georgia were discussed with the Georgian PM.

''By the way, this does not refer to the transit opportunities of Armenia separately, or of Georgia separately. We discussed what we could do to increase each other's potential. You are aware that projects are being implemented in the field of energy, we are also discussing programs in the field of transport communication, I hope that we will be able to find the most effective option from the possible solutions'', Pashinyan concluded.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Kristine Ghalechyan received on September 8 the delegation of Babak copper, a company operating in the field of copper production in Iran, headed by Executive Director of the company Mohammadreza Mirzaei. The company is a leading mining company in Iran.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Mohammadreza Mirzaei thanked the Deputy Minister for the reception and noted that the his goal is to present the potential of their company and discussing the investment opportunities with the Armenian side.

Welcoming the members of the delegation in Armenia, Kristine Ghalechyan stressed that there are already successful programs and successful cooperation between Armenia and Iran in many spheres, noting that she is glad to state that the subsoil sector is in the interest of the Iranian side.

During the meeting, the representatives of Babak Copper Company presented details about the company's activities in Iran, informed about the production capacities of the company and the technology of in tank leaching used in copper production. It was mentioned that the company has invested more than 400 million euros in Iran; the issue of investment opportunities in Armenia was discussed.

An agreement was reached to organize another meeting with Babak copper company with the participation of Armenian companies operating in the field and to jointly discuss the proposal of the Iranian side.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. High-level Armenian-Georgian talks led by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili have ended in Tbilisi.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Prime Ministers of the two countries met with the media representatives and made statements summarizing the results of the talks. The full text of the statements is presented below.

Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili

Mister Prime Minister,

Members of the delegation,

Welcome!



I welcome my friend and my colleague, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.



It is a great honor for me to host him here in Georgia. Once again, I would like to congratulate Mr. Prime Minister on the victory in the recent elections. Of course, it is an excellent opportunity for a new era in Armenia and for the Armenian people. I have familiarized myself with Mr. Prime Minister's new vision, which is focused exclusively on his country's stable development and the Armenian people's prosperity.

Of course, the war in Karabakh has been a challenge for our region, but now, getting acquainted with Mr. Prime Minister's new vision, I am confident that this challenge will transform into a new opportunity, opportunity that will bring prosperity to Armenia and the Armenian people. I want to also say that we attach enormous importance to Armenia's political and economic stability, as it is tied directly to the stability of our country and the region in general.

Consequently, I would encapsulate our common regional goal in three words: peace, stability, and prosperity, something that binds together all three countries of our region. As you know, Georgia has always been an advocate of peaceful cooperation and coexistence in the South Caucasus. And we proved it in deed not long ago. A few months ago, we had an opportunity-namely through my mediation and direct involvement and commitment from Mr. Prime Minister, and through the efforts of the President of Azerbaijan-and we, the leaders of our three countries, succeeded in achieving an agreement on releasing Armenian POWs in return of providing Azerbaijan with maps. This successful precedent gives us an opportunity for optimism.

I reassured to the Prime Minister my full commitment to continuing active mediation toward confidence-building, something very important to us as the cornerstone of our further cooperation. We are open to discuss new ideas for cooperation, new projects. Of course, we discussed issues related to economy, trade, transport, and connectivity, including large-scale projects suggested by Mr. Prime Minister. We also talked about tourism, energy, culture, education. These are the issues we just discussed and have a perfect agreement on.

I want to say that our country has very exciting transit potential, something we also discussed, so that our countries' potential may be used to the fullest.

I want to also note that given the numerous conflicts raging in the course of the past three decades in the region, with some of them still unresolved, our common vision and effort must be dedicated to the region's gradual transformation into a place of new opportunities, development, and peace. This must be our main vision, and we will continue working in this direction.

Once again, I thank Mr. Prime Minister for his visit. It is an honour and joy for us to host him.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan

Esteemed Mr. Prime Minister,

Firstly, I want to thank you for the warm reception. Of course, our countries and peoples are linked with centuries-old friendship, and I have to continue the idea of Prime Minister Garibashvili that one of the key peculiarities of our todays discussion was that the biggest portion of our today's talks was dedicated to opening an era of peaceful development in our region, something my political force and I discussed with our citizens during the recent early elections.

Yes, we mutually state that, unfortunately, there are many unresolved issues, conflicts and threats in our region, but we try to help each other to focus on the opportunities that exist in parallel. I think that supporting each other in utilizing the opportunities is the very formula that should make risk management more feasible and accessible for us.

Once again, I want to thank Prime Minister Garibashvili for his assistance in the repatriation of 15 Armenian POWs on June 15. During those days, when we were discussing, we called each other dozens of times, it was a pre-election campaign period, and I was even joking, saying that during those two days I communicated more with the Prime Minister of Georgia than with our voters. I think that those two days were very important in terms of forming a new level of personal cooperation between us, and the atmosphere created during those days is an excellent basis for more effective and closer relations between our countries and Governments.

We agreed to reactivate the work of the intergovernmental commission in the near future. I must also emphasize the fact which has been emphasized before. In terms of our relations, it is very important that our countries continue to show their commitment to democracy, to democratic processes, and this, I think, also creates new opportunities for us to develop our relations. In terms of our relations, it's very important that our countries continuously demonstrate their commitment to democracy and democratic processes, which creates new opportunities for the development of relations.

I presented to Prime Minister Garibashvili our proposals and perceptions over regional issues and solutions enshrined in the Action Plan of the Armenian Government. I think there are new opportunities here as well, the use of which is not a reality yet, but we were talking about that we should make efforts to use those opportunities.

Yes, we discussed the existing transit opportunities. By the way, this does not refer to the transit opportunities of Armenia separately, or of Georgia separately. We discussed what we could do to enhance each other's potential. In that sense, now you are aware that programs are being implemented in the field of energy, we are also discussing programs in the field of transport communication, I hope that we will be able to find the most effective option from the possible solutions.

I must state that in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, our specialists have cooperated quite actively and continue to cooperate. Here, too, we have expressed readiness to jointly develop our capabilities to fight against this evil.

Of course, the presence of a large Armenian community in Georgia is a very important factor for our relations. Our position is that the Armenians of Georgia, as full-fledged citizens of Georgia, must continue to serve, be a key factor in the stability, unity, development of Georgia, this is the position we have, we express. I want to thank the Government of Georgia for the opportunities created for the preservation and development of the identity of the Armenians of Georgia. This is a topic that unites us, makes our relations more effective, promising and strategic.

We discussed many issues, and I think it could be noted by the time we spend on the discussions. The agenda of our cooperation is very wide, and the most important recording is the following: we agreed that we should focus more on the results, so that our high-level political dialogue can be reflected by concrete numbers in various sectors of the economy.

Thank you.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The official visit of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to Georgia continues.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan visited Heroes Square of Tbilisi and paid homage accompanied by the Guard of Honor, placing a wreath at the eternal fire.

Afterwards, a meeting between Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili took place.

Salome Zourabichvili welcomed Nikol Pashinyan at the presidential residency and highlighted the official visit of the Armenian PM to Georgia, which shows the high level of political dialogue between the two countries and the readiness to develop multidimensional cooperation. .

The Prime Minister thanked the President of Georgia for the warm reception and noted that he is glad to meet with her again. According to Nikol Pashinyan, relations with Georgia are of great importance for Armenia both in the context of strengthening bilateral friendship and ensuring regional stability.

The interlocutors exchanged views on strengthening the Armenian-Georgian political dialogue, deepening trade and economic cooperation, and strengthening humanitarian ties. The issue of regional stability and security was touched upon. The President of Georgia and the Prime Minister of Armenia stressed the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully.

In the evening, in honor of the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, an official dinner reception will be held on behalf of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan met with Marshal of the Senate of Poland Tomasz Grodzki in Vienna.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the National Assembly, during the conversation it was recorded that the close cooperation in the parliamentary format plays an important role in enriching the agenda of the Armenian-Polish interstate relations and deepening the existing friendly ties.

Alen Simonyan informed his Polish counterpart that Armenia expects assistance from its partners in the peaceful and lasting settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, as well as political pressure on Azerbaijan to release prisoners of war and civilians immediately.

In response, Marshal of the Senate of Poland Tomasz Grodzki said that Poland's position from the beginning was that all conflicts should be resolved peacefully without casualties. He stressed that the situation should be resolved as soon as possible and all those detained by Azerbaijan should be released immediately.

The President of the National Assembly of Armenia invited his counterpart to pay an official visit to Armenia, during which the formats of further cooperation will be outlined.
US President Joe Biden has extended by another year an executive order that envisages unilateral sanctions against foreign organizations and individuals accused of electoral intervention, according to a statement released by the White House, Tass informs.

September 8, 2021, 09:25 Biden extends decree on sanctions over meddling in US elections

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 8, ARTSAKHPRESS: On several occasions in the past, the document served as a basis for imposing sanctions on organizations and individuals from Russia over alleged election meddling. Moscow has strongly and consistently rejected all accusations of attempts to interfere into the electoral process in the US.

"I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13848 with respect to the threat of foreign interference in or undermining public confidence in United States elections," Biden said in a statement, released by the White House on Tuesday.

"Although there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcomes or vote tabulation in any United States election, foreign powers have historically sought to exploit Americas free and open political system," the US president said.

According to the statement, the development of digital technologies in past years "created significant vulnerabilities and magnified the scope and intensity of the threat of foreign interference."

"The ability of persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States to interfere in or undermine public confidence in United States elections, including through the unauthorized accessing of election and campaign infrastructure or the covert distribution of propaganda and disinformation, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on September 12, 2018, must continue in effect beyond September 12, 2021," Biden said.
A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison in Indonesia overnight on Tuesday, killing 41 inmates.

Firefighters battled to extinguish flames while smoke billowed from the compound on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta.

Red Cross officials evacuated victims to ambulances and dozens of bodies in bags were laid in a room at the Tangerang prison.

Detectives in Jakarta are investigating the cause of the fire, which started about 1.45am. Evidence pointed to a short circuit in one of 19 cells in prison Block C2, which was stuffed with 122 prisoners.

Most of the 41 killed were drug convicts, including a man from South Africa and another from Portugal.

A terrorism convict and a murder convict were also killed, according to Indonesias Justice and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly.

The prison following the fire (Via REUTERS)

He expressed his deep condolences for the victims families and pledged to provide the best treatment for those injured.

This is a tragedy that concerns all of us, Mr Laoly said.

We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire.

Hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent inmates from escaping after the flames were extinguished.

Police Chief Fadil Imran said: The situation is now under control.

Eight people were hospitalised with severe burns and nine with light injuries were treated at a prison clinic.

Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound.

Tangerang prison was designed to house 1,225 inmates but has more than 2,000, according to a spokesperson for the corrections department at the Justice Ministry.

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I think were tired. Weve all been pushed to our limit because of this pandemic (and so much else). And so, were not conducting ourselves at our best. I know Im not.

There are real issues, however, to talk about here. Lets talk about bullying in school, and lets find real solutions (remembering that bullies are usually victims, too). Lets talk about suicide and drug and alcohol use, and how to improve the emotional and mental well-being of our children. Lets talk about how to keep our children safe while also ensuring a robust education. Lets talk about the heroic work of our teachers, staff and families this past year, and how to support them when they feel overwhelmed. Lets talk about the grief were all feeling for the deaths of children and educators in our community. Lets talk about how we have children going hungry or sleeping on floors or facing racial disparities in their education. Lets talk about policy and curriculum changes, ensuring every child is seen, valued and empowered  and able to diagnose and heal injustice. Lets talk about how to affirm cultural identities and develop critical thinking and academic abilities across lines of difference.

These things matter.
Likewise, Haines said, the Schine still qualifies for another $1 million from the state in the form of a Restore NY Communities Initiative grant awarded to the city on the project's behalf in 2018.

However, Bowers owes $9,186.55 in city, county and school district taxes from 2020-2021, city Treasurer Robert Gauthier told The Citizen on Wednesday, plus another $1,380.13 in city taxes from 2021-2022. The developer owed a similar amount last year, prompting the listing of the Schine property in a tax sale, but Bowers paid the debt by that October.

Meanwhile, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation told The Citizen there have been no changes to the status of the project, but did not provide further comment. The office holds a preservation covenant through July 25, 2036 on the Schine, and therefore must approve any changes there, as a condition of grant money the state has awarded the project.

In October, Licata told The Citizen that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the developer's progress on rehabilitating the Schine  and prompted Bowers to reevaluate precisely how it will do so.
The county health department continues to hold vaccination clinics and the vaccine is available at pharmacies. But Cuddy acknowledged that it has been a challenge to boost the vaccination rate.

"We're finding that it's very helpful when we have one-on-one conversations to answer people's questions. But that doesn't happen with everyone," she said. "We are absolutely looking for a manner in which to provide the information that is trusted and credible and accurate that these age groups will listen to.

"Who needs to be that spokesperson? Who needs to be that trumpet to reassure people that getting the vaccine is the right thing to do? It will prevent people from becoming sick. It will prevent people from dying."

Cuddy does believe that vaccine mandates will help increase the county's vaccination rate. In August, the state announced that health care workers, including those who work in hospitals and nursing homes, will be required to get vaccinated. They have until Sept. 27 to get their first dose.
More recent first ladies, like Laura Bush, who was an elementary school teacher and librarian, had stopped working outside the home after having children and were not employed when their husbands were elected. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama were working mothers who decided against continuing their careers in the White House.

Jill Biden, 70, is forging a new path for herself and her successors.

The first lady has said she always wanted to be a career woman. She taught at the Virginia community college during the eight years that her husband was vice president and was not about to let the added responsibility of being first lady force her to give up a career she so closely identifies with.

Teaching isn't just what I do. It's who I am, she says.

Women made up nearly half, or 47%, of the U.S. labor force in 2019, according to Catalyst, a womens workplace advocacy group.

Leaders of the nation's largest teachers' unions are pleased that one of their own is now in a position to help influence the administration's education policies and raise the profile of a profession in which many have long felt unappreciated.
Though water was running again in his area, most hospitals in the region remained shuttered and the parish was in desperate need of temporary shelter for first responders and others vital to the rebuilding effort, he said.

Warner Thomas, president and CEO of the state's largest hospital system Ochsner Health warned that it would be some time before two Ochsner hospitals  one in Terrebonne Parish and the other in Lafourche Parish  fully reopen. Emergency rooms at the two hospitals, however, were operating.

Carnival Cruise Line announced Tuesday that it will keep one of its ships, Carnival Glory, docked in New Orleans through Sept. 18 to serve as housing for first responders.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said while there had been much progress in restoring water and power, "theres an awful lot of work to be done.

Without power, the Louisiana heat is the hardest thing to cope with, said Kim Bass, who lives in St. John the Baptist Parish. She and her husband are using a generator to keep food refrigerated but have no air conditioning. Water service is intermittent.

So you may have water one minute, then you may not have water for the next two days, Bass said.
The 2nd Circuit said it was successfully proven that Percoco accepted bribes and promised to perform official actions to further the interests of an energy company, Competitive Power Venture. And it said prosecutors had proven that Percoco, in a second scheme, agreed with Aiello to advance the interests of Aiello's real estate development company, COR Development Co.

The appeals court agreed with lawyers for Percoco and Aiello that a judge's bribery instructions to the jury fell short of the legal standard that was recently clarified in another New York state corruption case, but it said the error was harmless and the jury would have convicted anyway.

Prosecutors declined through a spokesperson to comment. Messages seeking comment were sent to lawyers for Percoco and Aiello.

Trial evidence overwhelmingly showed that Percoco and his co-conspirators understood that payments to Percoco's wife for a low-show job as an education consultant" were in exchange for his help in getting energy company CPV a deal requiring New York state to purchase power from the company, the 2nd Circuit said.

In an amusing moment at trial, the payments were described in coded communications between the co-conspirators in 2012 as ziti," a reference to how payoffs were described by characters on the award-winning HBO series The Sopranos."
Geely invests US$50 million in tech company ECARX

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Geely Automobile Holdings Limited has signed a strategic investment agreement with auto intelligence technology company ECARX Technology Co. Ltd., the automaker announced on Tuesday.

Under the agreement, Geely will invest about US$50 million for the tech companys 1.51% stake via leading ECARXs B funding round. With the investment, Geelys latest move in the field of auto intelligence, both parties will work closely to build industry-leading intelligent and connected open platform for much more intelligent and safer mobility user experience.

Established in 2016, ECARX commits itself to building an open ecosystem platform for intelligent and connected vehicles with a focus on solutions that encompass the SoC, cockpit and vehicle operating systems, software, autonomous drive solutions and also vehicle driving chip sets.

In 2020 and 2021, the tech company has received strategic investment from Baidu, SIG (Susquehanna International Group, LLP), CVC (Corporate Venture Capital) and Hubei Changjiang Jingkai V2X Industry Fund LLP.

Currently, the tech company has set up offices in Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Dalian in China and Gothenburg in Sweden.




Hesai partners with Black Sesame to promote autonomous driving commercialization

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Hesai Technology, Chinas advanced laser radar manufacturer, has officially entered into a strategic partnership with Black Sesame Technologies, a Shanghai headquartered AI company focusing on autonomous driving computing solutions.

Black Sesame and Hesai signing ceremony; photo credit: Black Sesame Technologies

The partnership will co-develop integrated autonomous driving solutions to push forward the deployment and commercialization of intelligent and self-driving technologies. The companies will adopt the smart car + intelligent road strategy to realize the mass production of relevant solutions.

Hesai Technology has accumulated profound expertise in core components and technologies: self-developed LiDAR chips, automotive volume production capability, functional safety, interference rejection technology, and LiDAR perception based on deep learning, with clients from over 30 countries and regions. Hesais comprehensive LiDAR matrixes can be applied to autonomous driving, car-road synergy, and other auto-related scenarios.

In the past two months, Hesai Technology partnered with several major players in Chinas auto industry, including Li Auto and Baidus JiDU Auto, tech providers such as Didi, Baidus Apollo, WeRide, and Horizon.

Black Sesame Technologies is an AI company focusing on image processing, perception algorithm, and SoC design. Based on its high-performance computing chips and platforms, the company provides intact autonomous driving and car-road synergy solutions.

Black Sesame is also the sole Chinese manufacturer with two high-computing-power chips passing the ISO26262 auto-grade functions security standard.

By virtue of the supply chain synergy from both parties, the partnership will bring a safer, more reliable, and easy-to-use autonomous driving solution together.
Dongfeng to sell 1.15% stake in Stellantis

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Dongfeng Motor Hong Kong signed an agreement with BNP Paribas on September 7, Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited said in a document to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.

Peugeot 5008; photo credit: DPCA

The bank will help to sell Dongfeng Motors 36,060,000 common shares in Stellantis for a total of 600,399,000 euros. The shares, priced at 16.65 euros per share, accounts for 1.15% of the company which resulted from FCA and PSA merger. After the deal, Dongfeng Motor holds 4.5% stake of Stellantis. The Chinese company also promised it will not any stake in Stellantis within 90 days.

By the end of March, Dongfeng Motor (Hong-Kong) International Co Ltd. held 5.62 percent of Stellantiss outstanding common shares. When FCA and PSA completed the merger, Dongfeng is required to sell approximately 36 million Stellantis common shares to third parties by December 31, 2022.

On Tuesday, GAC Group was reportedly to transfer the 20% share it holds in GAC FCA, Stellantiss joint venture with GAC Group, to Stellantis. According to a local report, both parties have negotiated on the share transfer and are going through relevant process. After being reached for comment, GAC Group said talks about share transfer are indeed underway, but the concrete percentage has not been decided yet.
Tesla sells 44,264 China-made vehicles in August

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Tesla sold 44,264 China-made vehicles in August, jumping 34.26% month over month, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

(sales of the first three months refer to those sold in China market)



To break down the monthly volume, Tesla shipped 31,379 China-made vehicles to overseas markets while the wholesale volume in China amounted to 12,885 vehicles, surging 49.5% compared with the previous month.

BYD continued to outsell Tesla with new energy vehicle (NEV) wholesale volume exceeded 60,000 vehicles to 60,858 in August. Both companies were followed by SAIC GM Wuling (43,783), SAIC Motor PV (16,998) and GAC AION (11,613). But Tesla shipped the most China-made NEVs to other foreign markets, followed by SAIC Motor PV (4,074), BYD (781) and AIWAYS (103).

According to the association, the monthly wholesale volume of locally-made new energy passenger vehicles in China more than tripled to 304,000 vehicles, jumping 23.7% month over month as well. For the first eight months of this year, the countrys new energy passenger vehicle wholesale volume surged 222.5% to 1.643 million vehicles.

Monthly locally-made NEV wholesale volume of Volkswagens two joint ventures totaled 11,756 vehicles, accounting for 69% of the total volume of all automobile joint ventures in the biggest market, the association added.
Gasgoo Daily: New BYD Song PLUS EV to use Huaweis motor system

With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

New BYD Song PLUS EV starts to use Huaweis motor system

According to information from Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the new BYD Song PLUS EV turned to adopt Huaweis all-new electric motor system.

Huawei executives pay visit to Dongfeng parts company



Many executives from Huawei, including sales head of Huawei intelligent vehicles solution business unit and general manager of Huaweis company in Hubei province, paid a visit to Dongfeng Motor Parts and Components Group recently. Both parties talked about potential cooperation in connected and intelligent vehicle.

Over 37K vehicles sold during Chengdu Motor Show

A total of 37,730 vehicles were sold during the 10-day Chengdu Motor Show and the sales reached RMB6.516 billion.

New Subaru BRZ comes back to China

The new-generation Subaru BRZ will come back to Chinas market with deliveries to start from the end of March in 2022.

Photo credit: Subaru

Tesla sells 44,264 China-made vehicles in August



Tesla sold 44,264 China-made vehicles in August, jumping 34.26% month over month, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

China's homegrown PV deliveries fall 14.7% YoY in Aug. 2021



In August 2021, around 1.477 million locally-produced PVs (referring to cars, MPVs, SUVs and minibuses) were handed over to consumers in China, representing a year-on-year drop of 14.7% and a month-on-month decline of 3.3%, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Dongfeng to sell 1.15% stake in Stellantis



Dongfeng Motor Hong Kong signed an agreement with BNP Paribas on September 7. The bank will help to sell Dongfeng Motors 36,060,000 common shares in Stellantis for a total of 600,399,000 euros.

Hesai partners with Black Sesame to promote autonomous driving commercialization



Hesai Technology, Chinas advanced laser radar manufacturer, has officially entered into a strategic partnership with Black Sesame Technologies, a Shanghai headquartered AI company focusing on autonomous driving computing solutions.

GAC FCA said to close Guangzhou plant



GAC FIAT CHRYSLER Automobiles Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as GAC FCA), Stellantis N.V.s Chinese joint venture with GAC Group, will halt work at its Guangzhou-based factory, and shift the production to the factory in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, according to a local media outlet.

Geely invests US$50 million in tech company ECARX



Geely Automobile Holdings Limited has signed a strategic investment agreement with auto intelligence technology company ECARX Technology Co. Ltd., the automaker announced on Tuesday.
Gasgoo Daily: XPeng introduces ridable robot unicorn; Tesla operates Yunnan-Tibet super charging route

With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

XPeng introduces ridable robot unicorn

XPeng Robotics, an XPeng ecosystem company, introduces its first ridable robot unicorn, which boasts various cutting-edge technologies, such as power modules, motion control, intelligent navigation, and human-bot interaction.

Photo credit: XPeng

Tesla operates Yunnan-Tibet super charging route

Tesla started to operate its Yunnan-Tibet super charging stations route, which covers 2,800 kilometers and have 14 super charging stations and one destination charging station.

Photo credit: Tesla

OEMs NEV subsidy sum for 2016-2020 totals RMB32.95 billion

According to a document of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, the total subsidy sum for automakers totaled RMB32.95 billion from 2016 to 2020. Many automakers got subsidies over RMB1 billion, such as BYD, BAIC, Dongfeng, Tesla, Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motor, SAIC and GAC.

Chengdu aims to add 450,000 NEVs by 2025

Chengdu said in a planning that the city aims to add another 450,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) by 2025, including 5,000 fuel cell vehicles. By that time, the city will have a total of 600,000 NEVs in total.

FAW-VW-Audi hit hard by chip shortage

People familiar with the matter said to a local media outlet that FAW-VW-Audis production is severely hit by automotive chip shortage. The joint venture reportedly plans to produce the A6L for just one day in September.

BYD Semiconductor resumes IPO program



BYD Semiconductor, the semiconductor unit of BYD Company Limited (BYD), has recently resumed its IPO process, which was halted in mid-August due to a regulatory investigation into its advisory law firm, according to a local media outlet.

Former Geely executive joins Xiaomi-backed capital firm, likely to lead vehicle business



The Beijing-based venture capital company Shunwei Capital, co-founded by Xiaomis founder, president, and CEO Lei Jun, recently updated its management team portfolio on its official website. The update showed that the former dean of Geely Automotive Research Institute, Hu Zhengnan, joined the company as a venture partner.

Nissan Aug. China sales fall 10.6% YoY



Nissan Motors China sales in August (including PVs and LCVs) boosted 18% month on month to 113,166 units. However, compared to last year, monthly sales dropped 10.6% due to Coronavirus, raw material shortages, and severe floods.

Tesla finishes construction of Shanghai-based Supercharger production plant



Tesla completed the construction of its Supercharger production plant in Shanghai in late August and is going through debugging of the equipment that will run from August 21 to September 25, according to a local media outlet.

Geely Auto August sales down 22% YoY



Last month, the groups total sales (including the sales of LYNK & CO-branded vehicles) fell 22% year on year to 88,348 vehicles, and its year-to-date sales grew by 9% from a year ago to 817,860 vehicles, just completing 53.5% of its annual sales target (1.53 million).

Chinas July NEV sales account for 53% of global NEV sales



2.84 million new energy passenger vehicles were sold globally from January to July, 48% of which were sold in China. For July alone, Chinas NEV sales accounted for 53% of the global NEV sales volume, according to Cui Dongshu, the secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Cao Cao Mobility raises 3.8 billion yuan in Series B financing



Cao Cao Mobility, a ride-hailing platform strategically invested by Geely Technology Group, announced earlier this week it has closed the Series B funding with 3.8 billion yuan ($588.609 million) raised, marking the first domestic equity investment in a ride-hailing service provider for the year of 2021.
Mazda Aug. China sales declines 27% YoY

Beijing (Gasgoo)- In August, Mazda Motors China retail sales fell 27.7% year on year to 12,528 vehicles, representing another drop of 7.1% compared to July.

the Mazda 3 Axela; photo credit: Mazda



With 8,790 vehicles sold, Changan Mazda accounted for roughly 70% of Mazdas sales in China. At the same time, FAW-Mazda delivered a sales volume of 3,738 vehicles.

By the end of August, Mazdas year-to-date retail volume in China amounted to 122,890 vehicles. The cumulative sales of Changan Mazda were 82,686 vehicles, while FAW-Mazdas sales were only half of the other joint ventures volume, at 40,204 vehicles.

According to the CPCA, FAW-Mazdas annual sales volume continues to drop, from 124,000 vehicles in 2017 to 80,000 vehicles in 2020. In addition, Mazda brand also started down a slippery slope, as the brands China sales peaked in 2017 at 300,000 vehicles and declined 30% to 210,000 vehicles in 2020.

In August, Changan Mazda, a 50/50 joint venture between Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Auto) and Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda Motor), will be restructured by introducing FAW Group as a new investor, signifying the final solution to the long-rumored combination of Mazda's two Chinese joint ventures.
LUCERNE, SwitzerlandVendo Services is hosting its quarterly Merchant Conference today.

The conference series supports Vendo Merchants by providing new insights, fresh data, powerful tools, and networking opportunities.

Beginning with a short overview of the latest e-commerce market data, attendees will be able to see how their performance compares with other Merchants. This will be followed by a discussion on how merchants can participate and learn from Vendos approach to innovation and product discovery. Finally, the new Mastercard regulations will take center stage.

Networking will create opportunities for merchants to connect with old acquaintances and forge new business relationships.

I could not be more pleased with the opportunity to bring our merchants together during the pandemic and help them make progress with their business. Based on the number of attendees this will be our largest conference yet, said Thierry Arrondo, COO, Vendo Services.

"Vendo conferences and meetups, whether digital or in-person, have always provided a really useful and unique forum to discuss the state of our industry," said Jesse Garza, CEO, 1984 Agency (a 10-year industry leader). "Whether its industry-wide or a focused event such as their LGBTQ meet-up I always leave with more to consider and new revenue-generating opportunities. Vendo cares about moving the industry forward and developing tools based on our collective needs from paysites, to cams, to dating, and beyond."

Vendos Merchant conferences are part of a series of ongoing virtual events hosted by Vendo Services to support the exchange of information and mutual growth of Vendo merchants in a rapidly changing e-commerce and regulatory environment.

Vendos purpose is to make payments simple by inspiring growth and passion," said Mitch Platt, CEO, Vendo Services. "Our merchant conferences are the perfect venue to share global market trends, discuss latest innovations, learn how to grow your business, and participate in unparalleled networking opportunities."

Please visit the event website for more info.

Vendo is a payment facilitator for e-commerce. The company creates advanced tools using its expertise in data. These tools help clients reach their potential by increasing conversion and lifetime value while minimizing risks. Founded in Switzerland in 2011, the company has teams in Europe, North America, Asia, and South America.
People should think about the safety not only of yourself but of our community, Reich said. Its about taking care of each other, not just ourselves. Think back to the time when we were trying to get seat belts approved and mandatory. Finally, the government had to say, Look, this is a major safety issue for the entire nation. And they made it the law. Same thing for children getting their vaccines for school. Thats how weve been able to wipe out many of these viruses and diseases.

Yet, Reich is a realist and acknowledges that vaccines have been, like so much else, politicized.

We have so much dissension, not just in this country but the world, about peoples 'right to decide,' she said. Thats important, but not when it comes to masks. At some point you have to say that for the good of our entire society, we need to do this and make it required.

Whats baffling to Reich is the dismissal of science during the ongoing COVID debate. She was aghast, for instance, to learn that some misinformed people are injecting a horse dewormer, ivermectin, to treat COVID.
The Hill, by SIMONE LEDEEN (Link: Democrate are abandoning US allies: Is Egypt next?)

The Biden administration and leftist congressional allies have perpetuated a tired charade of prioritizing human rights over other security-focused considerations with regard to relations with several key partners, including Egypt. One of the loudest Democratic voices in opposition to continued security assistance for Egypt is Sen. Christopher Murphy (Conn.), who questions a number of established partnerships supporting U.S. objectives across the Middle East.

In the past weeks, much has been revealed by our appalling abandonment of U.S. citizens and allies in Afghanistan. If promoting human rights was a primary consideration, the Biden administration would not support the Taliban  a designated terrorist organization under the United Nations and U.S. Treasury Department  which, this past week, blamed the U.S. for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

With this new reality, it is worth circling back to the administrations dangerous approach to the U.S.-Egypt relationship, where some hard questions must be asked of Democrats advocating a halt to critical security assistance.

Egypt faces multiple security challenges and requires urgent assistance in order to continue providing leadership on regional security matters. The nation and its president, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, are critical bulwarks against the Muslim Brotherhood and other radical islamist groups. It is clear that if security assistance is not provided by the United States, Egypt will seek it elsewhere, likely with Russia or other strategic rivals.

The House passed a 2022 foreign aid bill that proposes withholding $150 million from Egypt  a larger amount than in previous years  and that does not include the standard national security waiver for a portion of that withheld assistance. Due to long-standing fiscal problems, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cairo is financially strapped and now risks losing U.S. financial assistance, which constitutes a big chunk of its annual military budget. Meanwhile, as its budget is expected to remain in a deficit through 2025, pressure is building in Egypt for more austerity measures. With citizens under 30 representing more than half the total population, the trajectory is unsustainable.

Our interests are harmed without Egypt as a key partner. Egypt has fought a Sinai insurgency, which at times, has spilled over into other parts of the country. The ISIS affiliate in Egypt has claimed responsibility for most attacks and the country has been under a state of emergency since April 2018, when two ISIS-claimed suicide bombings at churches in Alexandria and Tanta killed at least 45 people.

Next to the Sinai Peninsula, Sisi helped to broker peace  at least for now  in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Although Egypt has historically played an important role in Israeli-Palestinian relations, many were caught off-guard by this development. It is a fragile peace, but this Egyptian-negotiated ceasefire highlights the critical regional leadership Cairo can and should provide.

Egypt faces a strategic challenge on its western border from the multi-year civil war in Libya and significant related security threats. Cairo is concerned that Turkish-sponsored Syrian mercenaries, combined with Erdogans support for the Muslim Brotherhood, could create an Islamic-oriented government in Tripoli. While a ceasefire was signed in 2020, Libya remains volatile and insecure. Building on U.S. strategic security relations with Egypt, Central Command is currently engaged in a massive regional military exercise called Bright Star. In its statement on the exercise, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo states that the U.S.-Egypt security partnership plays "a leading role in regional security and efforts to combat the spread of extremism." To illustrate the size and scope of this exercise, other countries participating include: the United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Kuwait, the UAE, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania as well as Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Greece and Pakistan. This exercise is in addition to the counterterrorism training that took place earlier in the year.

Cairos security is also challenged from the south, as the Nile River flows through Sudan and into Ethiopia. Egypt depends on the Nile River to meet 95 percent of its water needs. Ethiopia, which also relies on the Nile for water, built and filled the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam despite objections from both Egypt and Sudan. Both countries say that once filled, this dam will increase water instability; a particularly serious problem for Egypt as its major cities are growing exponentially. Searching for sustainable solutions to this emerging water crisis, Egypt has requested assistance from U.N. and African Union friends and allies to reach a rapprochement with Ethiopia and hopefully avoid a military confrontation.
China urged Australia on Tuesday to face the crux of the setback in bilateral ties and stop hyping up the so-called theory of China coercion out of political self-interest.

In a speech on Monday, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg claimed that China's combination of economic power and global connections "poses new and significant challenges for many countries", and "Australia is facing this pressure more sharply than most other countries".

He said that Australian businesses should adopt a "China-plus" strategy to diversify their markets instead of overly relying on one country.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a daily news conference that Australia has benefited greatly from cooperation with China, and China has never done anything to undermine Australia's sovereignty.

In a spirit of openness, inclusiveness and mutual benefit, China is committed to building an open world economy and sharing development opportunities with other countries, Wang said.

He noted that Australia has violated market principles and used bullying to restrict normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, which disturbed the good momentum of bilateral cooperation.

On the other hand, he added, Australia claims to be a victim, and at the same time gangs up with some countries to put pressure on China.

Such moves violate international law and the basic norms of international relations, as well as interfere in China's internal affairs and core interests, he said.

The current difficulties in China-Australia relations have been created unilaterally by Australia, Wang said, urging Australia to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, respect basic facts and objectively and rationally view China's development.




Donna is played by Colleen Bade, who said she knew she wanted to play this part after seeing the movie depiction in 2008. She said she relates to Donna, as shes watching her two teenage daughters grow up and become adults, similarly to how Donna does with Sophie.

Teri Wilson and I, who plays Tanya, we did Mama Mia! at the Lincoln Community Playhouse in 2018. I played Rosie for that show, and shes reprised her Tanya roll, but this time I get to be Donna, Bade said.

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While Bade has acted on and off throughout the years in Lincoln and Hickman, this is her first time back to the Community Players stage since I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change in 2004.

Im kind of excited to do a show here again, just because there are a lot of people in the community that I know still live here from when I went to high school here, Bade said. So itll be fun to see some of the old faces. It hasnt changed much. Jamie was the last director that I worked with. I know theyve done some updates, but it feels the same to me.
But they don't need a hospital, Tanis and Mansur said. They need a place to sober up and get help.

Services exist that do that to a certain level. The Crisis Center, a 24-hour crisis shelter, has limited space and is designed to help those with immediate substance abuse or mental health needs. But to be admitted, the person has to be awake.

The Montana Rescue Mission, which operates the Men's Shelter and Women and Family Shelter, is a private religious organization, and has an intoxication policy that prevents those who might pose a serious threat to themselves, to staff or to others using the mission from staying there.

The Yellowstone County Detention Facility is operating at maximum capacity and so only those arrested for violent crimes are booked.

Tanis and Mansur, along with the Downtown Billings Alliance, believe a sobering center can fill that gap. The resource would serve as a place where individuals could sober up enough to be released on their own.

Upon leaving, the center would put those individuals in contact with workers or programs that offer addiction and counseling services.
The proposed new hires and the strategies for more effective call response come from a pair of studies presented to the city earlier this year that aimed to improve performance and operations at the police and fire departments.

The two studies were performed by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Safety Management. Representatives from CPSM observed operations at the Billings Police Department and the Fire Department last year and then made a host of recommendations in the form of two reports presented to the city earlier this year.

The BPD study made 102 recommendations for the department, many of them focused on internal operations, organization and policy.

For the fire department, the study called for the creation of two new mobile response teams, among other changes. Each team will consist of two emergency medical technicians that will respond to emergency calls that don't involve fire.

"Billings has a serious public safety problem," Cole told the group at the campaign launch. "There's no way to sugarcoat this unfortunate truth."

Cole told the crowd it's not just crime, which has increased dramatically over the last few years. Calls for service to the fire department has risen faster than firefighters can keep up.
The completely rebuilt vintage steam engine has been running great during this tour. Dickens said, Number 4014 has performed outstandingly throughout the trip. All of the long hours we put into its restoration and continuing maintenance are paying off. Its running great, but were always looking for ways to make it run more efficiently and flexible from a logistics perspective.

Dickens and his team converted the Big Boy from coal fuel to oil fuel, which helps make the engine run cleaner and more efficiently. This is the first major tour since that conversion to cleaner burning oil fuel. Due to the restoration, No. 4014 is likely in better condition now then when it was new. Its also been upgraded with all modern railroad electronics, including Positive Train Control (PTC), Cab Signaling, communications, and more.

The world knows that Cheyenne is home to Big Boy  and Dickens said that it absolutely does help increase awareness of Cheyenne as a railfan and tourist destination.  In every city and town we visit, we introduce the Big Boy to new railfans who cant get enough of it.
Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Gov. Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship," said Janna Farley, the communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota. Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota.

Noem argues in her order that medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening and that she made the order in the interest of women's health and safety.

Physicians, under South Dakota law, are already required to meet with a pregnant woman and perform an examination before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion. Women are required to wait 72 hours before the procedure. The law also requires abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy to be performed in a hospital and outlaws abortions entirely after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless it is a medical emergency.
Limited visitation seasons at northern parks like Glacier, as well as competitive reservations at popular parks like Yosemite, could lead campers to brave the smoky conditions rather than forego a trip altogether, the authors said.

Those patterns could change, particularly after the past two years of severe, pervasive fires that were not accounted for in the study, said Margaret Walls, a senior fellow with Resources for the Future who co-authored the study. She thinks the potential for smoke could factor into future plans.

In the past, maybe you just went. You didn't think about the smoke, Walls said. "You used to be able to say, itll be all right around the Grand Canyon. Not anymore.

When the Boundary Waters in Minnesota's Superior National Forest was closed last month, Farquhar was one of hundreds of paddlers who lost out. The outfitters who rent canoes, sell supplies and help them plan their trips also were hit hard.

Typically, the parking lot of Sawbill Canoe Outfitters is full of cars in August and all its roughly 200 canoes are in the wilderness, said Clare Shirley, the third-generation owner. Despite a blue sky and no smell of smoke recently, the boats were all on their racks late last month and the parking lot was nearly empty.
Diners may show the record to restaurants in lieu of their paper vaccination card.



WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is buying an extra 250,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Spain as it tries to keep a surge in vaccination rates going during an outbreak of the coronavirus in Auckland.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the doses will arrive Friday and she has also got a second, larger deal in the works with another country.

New Zealand was slow to get its vaccination rollout going but has been catching up to other developed since the outbreak of the delta variant began last month. About 55% of New Zealanders have received at least one dose.

New daily community cases have been decreasing and were down to 13 Thursday. Auckland remains in a strict lockdown and health authorities try to extinguish the outbreak entirely.



CARSON CITY, Nev.  All 17 counties in Nevada will be subject to an indoor mask mandate by the end of the week.
However, the more deeply I examined the issue, the more I realized that, for a variety of reasons, the framers of the Constitution could not have contemplated the idea of placing in the president the authority to unilaterally terminate treaties. Indeed, the location of such awesome authority in the hands of the executive would have undermined their design for the conduct of American foreign policy, which was grounded on the principle of shared or collective decision-making among the departments of government, and the rejection of independent presidential power.

This extensive research led to the conclusion that the framers had placed the termination authority in the treaty power, that is, the hands of the president and the Senate, to terminate treaties, just as they possessed the authority to make treaties. In short, the principle of symmetry governed. This constitutional conclusion collided with my view at the time that the Constitution wisely vested the termination authority in the presidency.
The British Library has an unrivalled collection of Zoroastrian manuscripts and therefore welcomed the opportunity to display three of its Zoroastrian treasures in the current exhibition Epic Iran organised by the V&A with the Iran Heritage Foundation in association with The Sarikhani Collection. The exhibition is open until 12 September 2021 by ticketed admission only. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are released on Tuesdays at 12.00.

The exhibition covers approximately five millennia of Iranian history and is the first of its kind since the Royal Academy's International Exhibition of Persian Art of 1931. Arranged in nine sections it explores and brings together the whole range of Iranian material cultures from the earliest known writing to the 1979 Revolution and beyond. Out of around 300 exhibits, the British Library contributed fifteen manuscripts which will be the subject of two blogs. In this first post I will focus on the three Zoroastrian items.

Zoroastrianism, the religion of the ancient Iranians, owes its name to Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) whose hymns (Gathas) are thought to have been composed 1500-1000 BCE. It teaches the importance of good thoughts, words, and actions, in a dualistic cosmos where the forces of the All-knowing Lord, Ahura Mazda, are constantly opposed by those of the Evil Spirit, Angra Mainyu. Originating in Central Asia, Zoroastrianism spread east to China and south to Iran where it became the main religion from the sixth century BCE until the mid-seventh century CE. After the arrival of Islam, Zoroastrian refugees from Iran established settlements in Gujarat, India, where they were called Parsis (Persians). Zoroastrian diaspora communities have since become established worldwide.

Zoroastrianism is essentially an oral religion. The oldest scriptures, referred to as the Avesta or Zend, are in an Old Iranian language, Avestan. They were not written down, however, until around the sixth century CE during the Sasanian period, many centuries after their composition. Even after that, the main liturgical texts were transmitted orally. This is partly the reason that, apart from the Ashem vohu fragment mentioned below, there are no manuscripts surviving from before the end of the thirteenth century.

The earliest extant Zoroastrian text, the Ashem Vohu prayer



The Ashem vohu prayer transcribed in Sogdian script, dating from around the ninth century CE (British Library, Or.8212/84). Public domain

This fragment dates from around the ninth century CE and comes, not from India or Iran, the lands associated today with the Zoroastrianism, but from Dunhuang in Central China, where it was discovered in the Mogao caves by Aurel Stein in 1907. It contains a short text in Sogdian (a middle-Iranian language) about the prophet Zarathushtra followed by a phonetic transcription into the Sogdian script of one of the holiest Zoroastrian prayers, the Ashem vohu, composed originally in Avestan. Remarkably, the language of the prayer is neither recognisable as Sogdian nor Avestan, but is likely to represent a much older Iranian dialect, perhaps an archaic form of Avestan. The prayer must have been preserved orally in this ancient form, which remained unaffected by the codification of the Avesta in the Sasanian period, when the sacred texts were first written down (N. Sims-Williams, The everlasting flame, p.94).



Zoroastrianism was carried eastwards to China from the early centuries of the first millennium CE by Sogdian traders, whose homeland was the area of Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan. This document provides written evidence for its continuation there up to the ninth century and, more importantly, it is the only example of its kind, dating from about four centuries earlier than any other surviving Zoroastrian text.

An illustrated law book



The opening to chapter nine of the Videvdad Sadah (British Library, RSPA 230, ff. 151r-152v). Public domain

The Videvdad Sadah is a liturgical presentation in Avestan of the most important of Zoroastrian legal works, the Videvdad (Law repudiating the demons). The text, described as sadah (clean), i.e. unaccompanied by any commentary, is recited in a ritual context. This opening shows the beginning of chapter nine which concerns the nine-night purification ritual (barashnum nuh shab) for someone who has been defiled by contact with a dead body.

Most of our Zoroastrian manuscripts originate from India, copied by and for the Parsi community which traditionally emigrated from Iran from about the eighth century onwards. This beautifully written and decorated copy, however, was made in Yazd, Iran in 1647 by a Zoroastrian Mihrban Anushirvan Bahram Shah who copied it for a Zoroastrian of Kirman called Marzban Sandal Khusraw. Whereas Zoroastrian manuscripts are generally unillustrated except for small devices such as verse dividers and occasional diagrams, this one, exceptionally, contains seven coloured illustrations six of trees and one diagram. The heading here has been decorated very much in the style of contemporary illuminated Islamic manuscripts.

This copy was most likely brought to India from Iran by the Iranian poet and writer, Siyavakhsh Urmazdyar, himself a descendant of the original patron, in the mid-nineteenth century before being acquired by Burjorji Sorabji Ashburner (fl.1817-1895), a successful Bombay businessman who presented it the Royal Society, London in May 1864. Transferred to the India Office Library in 1876, it was incorporated into the British Library collection in 1982.

The Bundahishn (Primal Creation)



Chapter 27 of the Bundahishn,On the nature of the plants (British Library, Mss Avestan 22, ff. 82v-83r). Public domain

The Bundahishn, or Primal Creation, is perhaps the most important Zoroastrian work on cosmogony and cosmography. Composed in Pahlavi (Middle Persian) during the early Islamic period, it is conventionally dated to the ninth century. It presents the Zoroastrian world view beginning with a detailed account of the perfect creation of the All-knowing Lord, Ahura Mazda (Ohrmazd in Middle Persian), which was attacked by the Evil Spirit, Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), and contaminated with disease and death. The cosmic drama culminates in the resurrection of the dead and the defeat and removal of Evil from Ohrmazds world and its perfection at the end of time. The cosmographic parts of the text include descriptions of the worlds lands, rivers, lakes, mountains, plants animals, and human races.

The text of the Bundahishn is preserved in two distinct versions, an Indian and a more complete Iranian one. This manuscript gives the text of the Indian Bundahishn and is written in Pazand, a phonetic Avestan script. Copied in India in the seventeenth or eighteenth century, it was acquired by East India Company surgeon Samuel Guise (1751-1811) while working at the East India factory at Surat and was purchased by the East India Company Library after his death.

A published catalogue of Epic Iran is available by the three curators: John Curtis, Ina Sarikhani Sandmann and Tim Stanley Epic Iran: 5000 years of culture.

Readers who can visit the British Library can also see a small display of Zoroastrian manuscripts in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library



Ursula Sims-Williams, British Library, Lead Curator Persian

CCBY

Further Reading

Domenico Agostini and Samuel Thrope (tr), The Bundahisn: the Zoroastrian Book of Creation, New York, 2020

Almut Hintze, An introduction to Zoroastrianism, in British Library, Discovering Sacred Texts, September 2019

Jenny Rose, Zoroastrianism from the early modern period, in British Library, Discovering Sacred Texts, September 2019

Ursula Sims-Williams, Zoroastrianism in late antiquity, in British Library, Discovering Sacred Texts, September 2019

, Zoroastrian Manuscripts in the British Library, London, in A. Cantera (ed.) The Transmission of the Avesta (Wiesbaden, 2012): 173-94

, Digital Zoroastrian at the British Library

Sarah Stewart with Firoza Punthakey Mistree, Ursula Sims-Williams, The everlasting flame: Zoroastrianism in history and imagination, London; New York, 2013
Inside Slab City, The Lawless City in the Desert offers a glimpse into the daily lives of people who live in Slab City, an off-the-grid community located in the Salton Trough area of the Sonoran Desert in Imperial County, California. Slab City is a place where people who don't want to live in mainstream society go to live by their own rules. Many of the people who live in Slab City live extraordinary lives. One eccentric fellow in this video pets and kisses his western diamondback rattlesnake, calling it a "good boy", despite the fact that it could kill him at any moment. The residents of Slab City have to come up with innovative ways to survive out in the desert, and it's pretty cool to see how they do this. Each resident has their own story about what brought them out to live in this unique community.

From youtube:
Regulators in North Carolina found artwork by famed artist Ralph Steadman, on Flying Dog's Freezin' Season beer, somehow objectionable. Naturally, Flying Dog, who has a history of winning these arguments, has them headed for court.

Reason:

The offending labellike all Flying Dog beerscontains a distinctive cartoon image by illustrator Ralph Steadman, whose work with the Maryland-based brewery dates back to its roots in the gonzo-lands near Aspen, Colorado. It's not clear exactly what the state's regulators object tothough the naked, humanoid figure on the beer's label does sport a small appendage between its legs. Caruso says he suspects that "tail-like thing" is what triggered the ban.

Officially, however, all Flying Dog has been told is that the label is "inappropriate" and "in bad taste." That is all it takes for North Carolina to prohibit the beer from being marketed, sold, and distributed. The North Carolina ABC did not return requests for comment on Tuesday.

"The regulation is, on its face, in constitutional 'bad taste,' as it is in clear violation of the First Amendment," attorneys for Flying Dog, including veteran First Amendment lawyers Greg Doucette and Marc Randazza, argue in court documents. They say banning the beer label is an unconstitutional viewpoint-based restriction on speech, similar to restrictions that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down.
Volusia County Councilperson Fred Lowry has been hospitalized with COVID-19. Lowry was aggressively spreading disinformation about the virus before his hospitalization. Lowry is suffering double pneumonia induced by a disease he previously denied exists.

Mr. Lowry also apparently enjoys name-calling.

News Journal Online:

Fred Lowry, a councilman for Florida's Volusia County and a loud COVID-19 denier, is in the hospital with a severe case of COVID-19, according to the County Chair Jeff Brower. "He is in the hospital wrestling with COVID-19. It's been about three weeks now," Brower said on Tuesday as Lowry, 66, missed a county council meeting for the second time. Lowry, a Republican halfway through his second term on the Volusia County Council, spread COVID-19 disinformation and conspiracy theories, going so far as to say the pandemic was a hoax. "We were lied to," he said in a sermon at Denton's Lakes Baptist Church. Lowry often criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci, whom he nicknamed "Dr. Falsey," and insisted the top health official was a liar and pervert. Other conspiracies Lowry promoted had to do with media coverage of hydroxychloroquine and the Wuhan lab-leak theory.

Councilperson Lowry is also apparently active at his church. The article shares that this church has quite a few people out with COVID, but masks are certainly not required.
Last Friday, US District Judge Max Cogburn ruled that Lonnie Billard, a gay substitute drama and English teacher in North Carolina, was wrongfully fired in 2014. Cogburn ruled that the Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Charlotte, North Carolina violated federal protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and that the school's actions weren't protected by constitutional rights to religious freedom. According to EDGE Media Network, Cogburn also ruled that "the school's action didn't fit into exemptions to labor law that give religious institutions leeway to require certain employees to adhere to religious teachings."

"Plaintiff is a lay employee, who comes onto the campus of a religious school for the limited purpose of teaching secular classes, with no mandate to inculcate students with Catholic teachings," Cogburn wrote. The school and diocese are considering whether to appeal the ruling. via LGBTQ Nation

Billard initially filed suit in 2017, three years after he announced his wedding to another man on Facebook in 2014. Within weeks of the social media announcement, Billard was informed by the school's assistant principle that he no longer had a job at the school. After Billard's firing, local diocese spokesperson David Hains stated that Billard was fired for, "going on Facebook, entering into a same-sex relationship, and saying it in a very public way that he does not agree with the teachings of the Catholic Church."

The lawsuit sought back pay, benefits, punitive damages, compensatory damages for emotional distress, and a court order blocking the school and diocese from firing other LGBTQ+ teachers in the future.

In a statement to The Charlotte Observer, the diocese wrote: "The First Amendment, federal law, and recent Supreme Court decisions all recognize the rights of religious organizations to make employment decisions based on religious observance and preference. They do not  and should not  compel religious schools to employ teachers who publicly contradict their teachings."


Spain's youngest Catholic bishop, Xavier Novell, resigned last month after confessing that he fell in love with the author of Satanic-themed erotic fiction. Novell was a high-profile bishop in Solsona, Catalonia who made waves for his support of the Catalan independence movement, conducted exorcisms, and backing of bullshit "conversion therapy" to "change" a person's sexual orientation. His girlfriend Silvia Caballol has written such literary masterpieces as El infierno en la lujuria de Gabriel (The Hell of Gabriel's Lust). From the BBC News:

In the blurb for one of her works, the reader is promised a journey into sadism, madness and lust and a struggle between good and evil, God and Satan with a plot to shake one's values and religious beliefs. Neither the ex-bishop, who is now 52, nor the novelist have responded to the reports although Religion Digital quoted him as saying "I have fallen in love and want to do things properly".

The Catholic Church didn't have much to say about the matter although Dominican nun Lucia Caram described Novell as "out of his mind."

Nowell is currently seeking work as an agronomist.
Sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Writer Beware is one of the longest-running and most oddly satisfying literary blogs on the 'net, tracking the weird and wild world of shady agents, vanity presses and other predatory goings-on that target new writers. The latest, though, is the weirdest and wildest yet.

Authors across the country report receiving a cheesy sweepstakes-like mailer touting a co-authorship opportunity with a NYT-bestselling author, with all the red flags of trickery: an application fee, an NDA to sign, and a named agent/publisher with no form in the business.

It turns out, amazingly, that the author is realit's historical romance legend Judith McNaughtsuggesting perhaps that the elderly writer is merely looking for an appropriately unestablished successor to inherit/ghostwrite the brand. Maybe she just hired the wrong sort of headhunter?

But then it turns out that no-one seems to have heard from McNaught in a while.

And then it turns out the person sending the mailers shares a name with a convicted criminal.

Victoria Strauss:

wow. It gets darker. Monica Main has a rap sheet.

A reader directed me to this 2007 article, which describes a Federal prosecution against Main and her husband for fraud. According to the article, more than 1,200 people signed up for a trading system sold by the Mains, and lost a total of $3 million. I looked the case up on PACER: the court ordered the Mains to pay a $9 million penalty plus the $3 million customers lost, and permanently enjoined them from engaging in any commodity or options trading.

That's not all.
Finish this article for as low as $1 when you purchase a day pass. Just click the sign up button to purchase. If you are already a subscriber, just click log in to continue reading.
Communications Workers of America is considering a strike by nurses and staff at Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo, amid union claims of severe understaffing by Catholic Health.

In a statement, the union claims that staff routinely work through lunch hours and breaks because coverage at the hospitals is unavailable and that there is a lack of necessary supplies to do their jobs properly as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Erie County.

Despite deep staffing shortages and limited supplies, nurses and other front-line workers at Catholic Health have been risking our own health and the health of our families to provide care to Buffalo during the pandemic," said Jackie Ettipio, president of CWA Local 1133. A strike authorization vote is under way Wednesday and Thursday. If the workers vote in favor, it would give the union the power to call a strike, if it decides to do so.

In response, Catholic Health vowed that Mercy Hospital will remain "open and operational" if the CWA 1133 takes about 2,000 workers on strike after a contract expires Sept. 30. "We have a comprehensive strike contingency plan that includes hiring fully licensed, highly experienced, vaccinated temporary replacement nurses and other qualified staff who will provide uninterrupted care to our patients."
The school also spent $27,000 to install air purification systems in each classroom.

But now the mask mandate means that the school faces the loss of tuition from parents who have indicated they will pull their children from the school, according to court papers.

Lucian D. Visone, a board member and treasurer for the school, said in court papers that as many as 50 to 60 students  as much as 20% to 25% of its student body  may be pulled from the school if the school must enforce a mask mandate.

WNY school officials praise Hochul for 'clarity' on mask mandate Gov. Kathy Hochul's announcement of a universal mask mandate in all state K-12 schools was welcomed by some, opposed by others, and not unexpected.

The school charges tuition of between $7,250 and $11,250 per student, depending on grade level.

If the school has to abide by a mask mandate, "it will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue," Visone said.

"A loss of revenue of this magnitude is highly likely to put (the school) out of business and force (it) to close and lay off its staff," Visone said in court papers.

The parents chose to enroll their children at the school because they did not want their childrens education and development negatively affected by masks and a lack of normal human interaction for a third consecutive school year, according to the suit.
Buffalo police divers and other agencies suspended their search of the Niagara River as darkness fell Tuesday evening without locating two men seen in the water near Broderick Park earlier in the day after a van drove into the river, according to Buffalo Police spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge.

Police received a 911 call just after 7 a.m. about someone in the water yelling for help, Deputy Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said.

Police also received a report of a second person in the water being carried downstream.

DeGeorge said witnesses described one of the two men as a Black male wearing a black shirt and the other as a Hispanic male with a gray beard and a green or camouflage coat. It was not clear which of the men had been driving.

City surveillance cameras captured footage of a white or silver Dodge Caravan with a dent in the front passenger door driving through the railing and into the water from a parking lot near the southern end of the park, Gramaglia said.

Police do not know what caused the vehicle to drive into the water.
We think of pregnancy as a happy time, Berga said, and it's not happy if you get a Covid-19 infection.

So far, almost 139,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated nationwide, Berga said. Evidence has shown that vaccine particles did not become part of human DNA or transfer to unborn children, she said, but does show that mothers have been able to pass protective antibodies to their children while both inside the womb and breastfeeding.

This virus can cause havoc, she said. This vaccination does not.

The research is affirming for Liwosz, 34, an associate professor of chemistry at DYouville College. She and her husband, Tim, a chemistry instructor at UB, live in the Buffalo Parkside neighborhood with their daughter, Ryan, 5, and sons Clark, 3, and Henry, born June 6 and weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

All three children were delivered naturally, full-term and healthy.

Liwosz spent a few weeks deciding whether to get the Covid-19 vaccine after she learned in late February she would soon become eligible. During that time, news emerged that thousands of pregnant health care workers who got vaccinated earlier had promising results, as did stories about women with Covid-19 ending up hospitalized and losing babies.
Alycia Sawyer's children donned their masks, raincoats and rain boots and backpacks stuffed with supplies as they made their way into Boston Valley Elementary School.

"I think myself and my children are so excited, I really think it's going to be a good year, no matter what challenges we face," said their mother, Alycia Sawyer. "It was refreshing today. Despite everything going on in the world, I feel like today was more of a fresh start since I've felt since the beginning of 2019."

Sawyer said even though everyone was wearing masks, you could still see the smiles.

She said the Hamburg Central School District has done a good job keeping parents informed of developments and Covid-19 safety precautions.

There were no nerves this year, just excitement, she said.

"I think this year was easier than last year," she said. "I think us parents, juggling work and then home life and educating our children on top of it, that was a lot pressure on us, and I think for the kids, too, it was a lot of pressure on them."

She said the uncertainty of not knowing if kids would go back to school or stay remote was difficult.
It started out damp, and there were a few delays, but by Wednesday, students throughout Western New York had walked through the doors for their first day of school.

"It was refreshing today. Despite everything going on in the world, I feel like today was more of a fresh start since I've felt since the beginning of 2019," said Alycia Sawyer, said after dropping her two children off at Boston Valley Elementary School in the Hamburg Central School District.

It's a sentiment felt throughout the area, even if everything did not go smoothly. Buffalo had some delays caused by the nationwide bus driver shortage and by health checks at the door.

"When were gathered here today on a day like this so special, after 18 long, hard, difficult months, for all of us, we are filled with joy, we are filled with gratitude that we are here today," Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said as he marked the first day at Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Buffalo reduced the number of bus routes to account for a shortage of 150 bus drivers this year. And Wednesday, there were 30 drivers who did not report to work, Cash said.

"We had the other 480 drivers drop their children and then the drivers went back to pick up the children," he said. "Parents were informed there were driver shortages."

And when they got to school, some students encountered long lines outside as they waited to enter the buildings. Cash said that was probably due to the health screening.

"They have to get their temperatures checked through a scanner. Some schools are more efficient at that," Cash said. "But this is the first day, so we're pressure testing that system as we go through."

Parents picking up their children up from Frederick Law Olmsted Elementary School Wednesday afternoon were generally pleased with how the drop-off went earlier in the day. The long lines and initial inconveniences were not too much of a bother, they said.

There was just a huge long line to get into school, I think because parents couldnt just drop their kids off," said Meaghan Tost, a North Buffalo resident, who has a pre-kindergartener and a first grader attending the school.

They couldnt help navigate their kids to their classrooms, so we stood in line for 10 minutes in the rain. For the first day it was understandable. I think if this happened forever, it would be too much, but for the first day, it was understandable. I think for the first week youve just got to be patient, Tost added.

Holly Sinnott, a resident of the Elmwood Village who has a third grader, also agreed the morning drop-off went as well as could be expected.

Because of the busing transportation, theres a lot of unknowns there with the lack of drivers and shortages but, you know, it went OK. Everybody got in safely. It was just a little wait. It was expected, but I think it will get better in the next few days, Sinnott said.

Sweet Home Central School District also brought students back Wednesday, where Laurie Crissys daughter, Morgan, and son, Wyatt, returned to the classroom in person for the first time since March 2020.

Morgan, a fifth grader at Glendale Elementary School, and her brother, Wyatt, who is in third grade, were so excited about going back they were up much earlier than normal.

At 5:30 I had two kids ready to go to school, Crissy said.

For mom, the rain-soaked morning drop-off at the Town of Tonawanda school after so many months away was emotional.

Back to normal, she said. Our new normal.

Melissa Yourston, whose daughter, Haylie, is starting eighth grade at Sweet Home Middle School in Amherst, said she tries to remain hopeful about the school year as the Delta variant spreads.

In her banking job, she interacts with colleagues in other states. One is in a district that went into the classroom for two weeks before having to revert to remote learning because of a Covid-19 surge.

Its definitely a concern I have that we wont make it through the entire school year, Yourston said.

Still, Haylie was thrilled to go back to school Wednesday, her mother said.

Its a little quiet in the house this morning, Yourston said.

Back to school took on new meaning this year, after two school years were interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in remote and hybrid learning.

Leilon Duff, who has a freshman and a senior at Hamburg High School, wondered about the effect being out of school for so long will have on children.

"It will be interesting to see how they learn, their sleep habits, how they work with the schedule," she said. "Last year it was a little bit of anxiousness as to how things were going to work. I'm glad they're in five days a week."

She said her daughters were excited to see their friends, although they found some positives in hybrid learning.

Her daughters wanted to be vaccinated, and the whole family has gotten the vaccine.

"I'm glad the vaccine is out there, it does give me a certain sense of comfort," Duff said.

News Staff Reporter Harold McNeil contributed to this article

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Barbara O'Brien Reporter I grew up in Rochester, graduated from St. Bonaventure University and worked in radio before joining The Buffalo News. I report on issues in local communities. Over the years I have covered stories in every town in Erie County. Follow Barbara O'Brien 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

Stephen T. Watson News Staff Reporter I report on development, government, crime and schools in the northern Erie County suburbs. I grew up in the Town of Tonawanda and worked at the Post-Standard in Syracuse before joining The News in 2001. Email: swatson@buffnews.com Follow Stephen T. Watson 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
"If we don't respect deadlines, we're no better than Russia or other countries that flaunt the laws enacted by duly elected bodies," she said.

In addition, several other Walton supporters sought a reversal of Sinatra's ruling because of the close relationship of his developer brother  Nick Sinatra  to the mayor and connection to building projects in the city.

But neither commissioner cited Sinatra's refusal to recuse himself from the case as a basis for an appeal. Instead, Zellner pointed to the 2020 adjustments in voting deadlines enacted amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The Friday decisions, he said, now place an "undue burden" on the Board of Elections and open the door to others seeking to join the mayoral ballot.

"In fact, we have already been contacted by individuals who say they are planning to submit independent petitions of their own, since the validity of standing deadlines has been called into question," Zellner said. "The potential, present and future, in these precedents for creating confusion for candidates and voters, as well as chaos that could bring our operations to a halt for prolonged periods, is of great concern to me and, I believe, many members of the public."
Some protesters, including those holding bicycles, pushed at the two men to get them out of the intersection, with the men pushing back at times. No injuries were reported and the protesters eventually moved on.

The menacing count was charged as a hate crime because Cremen is accused of using racial slurs against the diverse group of protesters. He was issued appearance tickets to return to court at a later date.

Siegel pursued charges and said hes frustrated police didnt intercede in the moment. Two police vehicles are seen clearly in video and photo images from the scene. One inched forward as the first protesters encountered the two men, but it doesn't appear the officers got out of their vehicles to defuse the situation.

They just turn a blind eye to it, Siegel said.

Rinaldo said in an interview that, generally speaking, both protesters and people who disagree with them have the right to express their opinions.

He said officers try to give the protesters space even though theyre not supposed to be walking down the middle of the street interfering with traffic without a permit for the march.

Whats the most expedient thing to do? Keep everybody moving, Rinaldo said.

News Staff Reporter Jay Tokasz contributed to this report.

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. . .

PLAN AHEAD  Reservations are needed by Friday for the United Way of Greater Niagara Awards Breakfast and Campaign Kickoff at 8 a.m. Sept. 24 at Niagara Riverside Resort, 7001 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls. Tickets are $25. Call 731-4580.

. . .

SCRATCH THE DATE  The Chautauqua County Historical Society has canceled its annual Evening with the Lincolns gala, scheduled for Saturday, for the second year in a row because of the increase in Covid-19 cases. Refunds are available or tickets can be held for next years event.

. . .

NOT FORGOTTEN  Members of the Class of 1970 at Bishop Timon High School will celebrate a Mass in memory of deceased classmates at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Holy Family Church, 1885 South Park Ave. All family members, friends and alumni are welcome.

. . .
Low- to moderate-income residents in parts of Erie County are being invited to add their input at three public hearings scheduled for next week on how federal block grant funds ought to be spent in their communities.

The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning Wednesday announced the upcoming citizen forums, which are intended to help determine the needs and priorities of low- to moderate-income residents who live within the Erie County Community Development Block Grant Consortium, which comprises 34 municipalities. The consortium excludes the City of Buffalo, the towns of Amherst, Cheektowaga, Hamburg and Tonawanda, as well as their villages, all of which receive their own federal funding, according to county officials.

By participating in these public forums residents are able to advocate for what is important to them, add their own voice to the community discussion, and let officials know what they value right in their own neighborhoods, said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz in a statement Wednesday.

Citizen input can impact how our communities look and function for years to come so it is important that we hear from as many people as possible, and I encourage residents to attend and make their voices and concerns heard, Poloncarz added.

The public forums are scheduled for:
When Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation last week extending the ability of governments to hold meetings online or by phone during the pandemic, she and other officials gushed about transparency and accessibility.

But if Hochul really wants to show that shes a new breed of leader, that insufficient move will be just a first step because theres so much more she can do if New Yorkers are really to have the open and accessible government they deserve.

Even the extension itself, which might seem sensible as the Delta variant rages, is but a half step. In a joint statement, a coalition of good-government groups rightly point out that the choice between in-person and remote meetings was a false one. They note that, while safer during a pandemic, remote meetings also make it considerably more difficult for reporters and the public to voice their opinions, press officials on issues, or get statements on the record.

They are calling for a hybrid model in which, for example, a board president and chief executive might convene in-person with members of the public who want to show up. Meanwhile, other board members as well as citizens who might benefit from remote meetings  such as those with disabilities or transportation challenges  could still participate virtually.
But Circuit Judge Denny Chin, writing for the three-judge panel that heard arguments on the appeal in March 2020, said there was no reason to overturn the convictions.

"We conclude that there was sufficient evidence to support each of defendants' convictions, the district court did not err in instructing the jury, it did not abuse its discretion in admitting the challenged evidence while precluding other evidence, and it did not err in denying Gerardi's motion to dismiss the false statement charge," Chin wrote. "Accordingly, the judgments of the district court are affirmed."

Kaloyeros' attorneys, like Ciminelli's, signaled that his client will continue to appeal.

We are disappointed with the outcome today," the Kaloyeros lawyers, Reid Weingarten and Michael Miller, said in a statement. "We believe that Alain created enormous value for the State of New York as the leader of SUNYs cutting edge, high-tech research and development program and committed no crimes along the way. We will continue to pursue all of Alains options to seek his exoneration.

Kaloyeros has also remained free pending his appeal. His lawyers, like Ciminelli's, could appeal the three-judge panel's ruling to the full 13-judge appellate court, and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The program, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, is titled "American Resilience: 20th Anniversary Commemoration to 9/11 Heroes."

The flags themselves have received special attention this year, as well, Macadlo said.

This year ... were tagging all these flags, Macadlo said. These are not just flags.

Jay Bonafede, communications director for the Central Atlantic Division of the American Red Cross, said the group's work helping stage the flag memorial is among the most moving traditions the organization does each year.

"Personally, being part of an organization that is still supporting these families 20 years later is one of the things that makes me proudest to be a Red Crosser, and it is truly an honor to work with these incredibly resilient families and call them my friends," Bonafede said.

In the years following Sept. 11, 2001, Macadlo had looked to good memories involving her brother and family as sources of strength. At the 10-year mark from Sept. 11, Macadlo had made peace with the fact the body of her twin brother had not been identified, and might never be.

"Holding on to the memories is much more important than holding on to something more concrete," she said then.
Larry Wills of Lewiston was fishing the Niagara Bar doing some combat trolling over the weekend while competing in the LOC Derby and found plenty of salmon marks with bait at the dropoff. It wasnt until he slid off the drop into 185 feet of water before he hit a big salmon using the 450-foot copper and an e-chip paddle teaser program. His secret bait was a MC Rocket, an artificial herring strip in a frog pattern. His 31-pound, 11-ounce salmon placed third overall in the LOC Derby. First-place salmon was caught off Olcott, slightly to the east off the power plant, in 500-plus feet of water. The grand prize fish came 2 miles west of Wilson off a diver in 80 to 90 feet of water set back 180 feet with a purple/silver fish paddle and a purple glow head that held hardened herring strips that had been soaking in Pro Cure herring oil. Read about the top LOC Derby catches in the Outdoor Column this Sunday.

John Van Hoff of North Tonawanda walked down to the Waterport Dam in Orleans County on Tuesday during his lunch hour, and he was surprised to see numerous salmon swimming around with no fishermen in sight. There are some fish available for anglers, but it is still very early in the run. The rains Tuesday and Wednesday will help. You have two options for targeting salmon out of Wilson, Olcott and Point Breeze. You can fish the inside waters for mature kings or head out to deeper waters for more stable conditions and a mixed bag of fish, salmon and trout. Out of Point Breeze, Capt. Lou Borrelli, of Get the Net Charters, headed offshore for fishing, motoring out to the 27 line, and trolled north. The bite was not hot and heavy, but they picked at a few steelhead as they approached the 30 line. Riggers were parked at 75 and 85 feet with fixed cheaters 10 feet above. As they hit 515 feet of water, the 85-foot rigger fires with a Warrior Lures Blue Jeans on the 10-foot cheater. It turned out to be a beautiful 15-pound steelhead. No, they were not in the derby.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. (Photo/ANI)

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 8 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tabled an anti-CAA resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday urging the central government to repeal the act.

Stalin said in the Assembly, "This August House considers that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in the year 2019 is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India."

"Therefore, to protect and ensure the unity and communal harmony in this country and to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, this August House resolves to urge the Union Government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019," he added.

The CAA allows persecuted minorities belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to avail of Indian citizenship.

The Opposition parties and several groups have protested against the implementation of CAA. CAA's detractors believe that the law coupled with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is intended to target the minorities in India. (ANI)
Canada's Leylah Fernandez became a social media darling during her US Open run. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

This year, Flushing Meadows, N.Y., looks North to find its stars.

Canadian youngsters Leylah Annie Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime made history on Tuesday, reaching the 2021 US Open semifinals in the Women's and Men's singles tournament, respectively.

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Following in the footsteps of fellow Canadian and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, Fernandez defeated No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in a thrilling 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) contest. She'll face World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semis on Thursday.

On the men's side, Auger-Aliassime took the first set against Carlos Alcaraz Garfia before the Spaniard retired with a right-adductor injury in the second set.

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At the ages of 19 and 21, Fernandez and Auger-Aliassime have emerged as two of the most popular players on the tour, so it is only natural that social media gleefully celebrated their wins.

Fernandez's victory over Svitolina was enough to send the internet into a frenzy. Add in fellow Montreal native Auger-Aliassime's feat and Twitter became one giant chant of 'O Canada.'

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Of course, it wasn't just Canadians who got excited.

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Fernandez's quarterfinal opponent also had some kind words.

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Auger-Aliassime, however, is already looking beyond the duo's latest wins.

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Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Canadians have been so successful at the US Open, as it turns out the youngsters have had a secret weapon all along.

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This is not the outcome any of us wanted, but it is the outcome that we have, Milley told troops who flew evacuees out of Afghanistan. And know that at the tail end here, what you did as individuals and collectively was something enormously heroic and honorable and noble. You can always hold your heads high.

Milley spent much of the weekend traveling through Europe, speaking to U.S. service members who participated in the evacuation. The effort got more than 124,000 Americans, Afghans and others out of the country in the wake of the governments collapse amid a violent and swift Taliban takeover. The Biden administration has been criticized for the turbulent evacuation that left many at-risk Afghans behind, and after an Islamic State suicide attack killed many Afghans and 13 U.S. troops at a Kabul airport gate.

Milleys messages to the troops has been a thank you, punctuated by a heavy pep talk.

Milleys audience included the aircrew of the C-17 that took off from Kabul with 823 people crowded on board. In the early days of the evacuation, Afghans frantically climbed onto the aircraft. Rather than force some to get off, the crew decided to take off with what Milley said was three times their normal load of people. Photos of the jammed plane went viral on social media.


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EOG Resources, a sand processing plant in the northeast corner of Chippewa Falls, has sued the city over its tax bill.

The Houston, Texas-based company filed the lawsuit in Chippewa County Court, claiming that the plant should have a 2021 assessment no higher than $1 million, and the correct taxes should be no higher than $19,031.

However, the city assessed the property this year at $27,276,300, and based on the citys tax rate, the property tax bill was set at $519,092.

In the lawsuit, the company contends the fair market value of the property is just $1 million as of Jan. 1, 2021.

As a result, the property tax imposed on the property for 2021 may be excessive in at least the amount of $500,061, the lawsuit claims.

Plaintiff is entitled to a refund of 2021 tax in the amount of at least $500,061, or such greater amounts as may be determined to be due to plaintiff, plus statutory interest.

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Chippewa Falls Mayor Greg Hoffman said he was aware the lawsuit was coming. He declined to comment further on the lawsuit. City attorney Bob Ferg did not return calls for comment.
The School District of La Crosse is now offering COVID testing at every school building, with additional testing opportunities during the week for district families.

As we begin this school year, we are recognizing that COVID will continue to be something we will need to navigate as a school community, the District said in an email Tuesday to students and families. One of the most important mitigation strategies we can put into place to keep our community healthy and our students engaged in in-person learning is to ensure that sick individuals stay home and are tested for COVID as quickly as possible.

In partnership with DHS, the School District will provide PCR testing to students with COVID symptoms, conducted onsite at the childs school by trained health staff. In-school COVID testing will require parental consent, and results from the nasal swab testing will be likely be available within 24 to 48 hours. Students will be sent home until results are received.

Students and their families and staff, regardless of symptoms, may also take advantage of antigen and PCR testing during the following days and times:

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Evers predecessor, Republican Gov. Scott Walker, did not issue any pardons during his eight years in office. Evers changed that course in October 2019, issuing the first four pardons in nine years.

Hearing from any one of our pardon recipients youll hear stories of redemption, service to others, and hope for the future, Evers said in a statement. As I said when I reinstated the pardon board, I believe in forgiveness and the power of redemption, and I believe the people of Wisconsin do, too.

Also Tuesday, Evers announced a new application that allows people to get a pardon for multiple felony offenses, instead of just one. Previously, applicants could only be pardoned for their most recent felony offense, meaning older cases were ineligible.

Evers said the updated eligibility guidelines make a correction to a process that was preventing folks from receiving pardons not because their crimes were more serious or because they posed a greater risk to the community, but due to the timing of their convictions and sentencing.
Manila (CNN Philippines Life, September 8)  Ever since the pandemic started, schools around the country have entered the remote learning setup. But as other countries have decided to reopen schools a year after, the Philippines remains one of five countries around the world that still hasnt made that decision.

Parents, students, and teachers are appealing that the government reconsider the return to face-to-face classes, especially after the past year exposed difficulties for them  including increased expenses, mental health concerns, and dropout rates. One such group calling for this change is Aral Pilipinas.

Aral Pilipinas is a group of education practitioners, parents, students, and development workers who advocate for the continuity of education in times of crises. Their call: allow limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas for school year 2021-2022.

Of the many organizations under Aral Pilipinas, one of them is the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP), an association of parent leaders enrolled under the governments Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which provides conditional cash grants for health and education to the poorest of the poor. The countrys most vulnerable families have been rendered even more vulnerable because of the changes in the education of their children.

A problem of access

One such parent is Novelardo Diacamos Jr. from Cebu. With two children still in school, he shared that remote learning has been difficult because of finances and technology needed.

Pag kailangan ng online tapos wala load, [maghahanap] ka pa na pang load. Minsan hirap nga [maghanap] ng pang load, iisa lang ang cellphone na ginagamit, Diacamos says.

The amount that these parents are struggling to raise? 50 worth of load daily, from Monday to Friday. This is on top of the tuition fee, internet connection, electricity bills, and learning equipment needed (following the minimum specs set by the Department of Education (DepEd) would set you back by at least 20,000).

Pwede na siguro 30-50 bawat araw o 1GB per day lang tapos mga three to four hours nila gagamitin. Walang load Saturday at Sunday; weekdays lang meron, Diacamos adds. Dito sa Cebu, estimate ko lang 5,000 mahigit [na estudyante sa] whole district [ang dapat] bigyan ng load subsidy. Hindi pa sila lugi dyan, kahit pang CSR lang ng bawat negosyante.

Annabelle Luna, a parent from Manila, shares a similar struggle. She adds that the pandemic has affected her husbands employment, thus making it even more difficult to pay for the Wi-Fi vouchers and gadgets required for their children to attend online classes. They even had to sacrifice paying for food and utilities just to keep their three kids in school.

Sa part ko [bilang] nanay, ang hirap din mag adjust ng budget kasi nga po walang maayos na pasok ang mister ko simula ng pandemya Nagpahiram ng isang tablet si Yorme Isko [Manila Mayor Isko Moreno] pero di po sapat kaya no choice kundi gumawa ng paraan mabigyan sila ng cellphone for online classes po nila, Luna says. So doon adjust ng budget, apektado yung para sa food at bills.

According to the Philippine Business for Education, a nonprofit formed by the countrys top CEOs as a response to the need for education and economic alignment, these sentiments are reflected across the country as a problem of accessibility. PBEd Communications Manager Marie Adelle Banta cites the Pulse Asia 2021 survey on distance learning.

Not all students have access to resources that will allow them to fully participate in class, Banta says. Blended learning requires gadgets and internet connectivity. With the economy in recession and high unemployment rate, many households are still scrambling for resources to provide these learning requirements for their children. Yet, one out of four parents say that they think their children are not learning in the current setup.

We arent learning

Many parents and children feel they arent learning with the remote setup, affecting their confidence and mental health. Luna shares that her children, who used to take initiative in preparing for school, have altogether lost interest in their classes after the shift in system.

Simula kasi ng remote learning ay maaga pa lang ay mga nakasimangot na sila habang nagko-connect, may time na stress na stress sila dahil di maunawaan ang sinasabi ng teacher kasi choppy, Luna says. Yung behavior nila medyo apektado kasi nga po iritable sila.

This uncertainty in the setup of remote classes has led to students losing their interest in school. Unreliable internet connections, lack of teacher feedback on take-home modules, and the blurring of lines between home life and school life: these combined, have led to a frustrating school year for many.

For Diacamos, he shares that there are too many distractions at home, from house chores to neighbors popping in, leaving his children unfocused. For the Luna household on the other hand, the limited space at home has pushed her children to have online classes simultaneously, and this cacophony of voices was made even worse by noises coming from the neighborhood.

Parents cannot replace teachers

Parents are doing their best to co-teach their children alongside teachers. Many parents say they have already forgotten their school lessons, but this is an even more difficult task for parents who have not finished schooling in the first place.

Ang pinaka-challenging para sa akin ay parang bumalik ka din sa pag aaral. Minsan hindi mo alam ang sagot, pikitmata na lang din, Dicamos says. Tapos minsan, para lang masagutan yung module, ikaw na lang ang sasagot kahit mahirap ang pagintindi.

Kahit na magshift sila sa module, mas lalong problematic kasi walang teacher na mag-guide para mas madaling sagutan, Luna says. Once alam ko yung question, yun ipinapaliwanag ko. Pero mas maraming limot ko na rin yung mga dapat isagot.

Beyond tutoring, parents also find themselves having to fill the shoes of teachers admin-wise. This includes scheduling their childrens classes, arranging for module pick-ups, and managing a classroom at home  tasks which they did not have to worry about pre-pandemic.

The current setup is difficult not only for parents, but for teachers as well.

PBEd calls for the immediate and safe resumption of face-to-face classes, in consideration of public health standards, Banta says. But foremost, we should prioritize teachers and teaching support staff in the vaccination programs of the government.

Pilot run around the corner?

There have been several attempts at pushing for a trial of face-to-face classes in the lead-up to the opening of classes this month, but President Rodrigo Duterte has denied all proposals so far because of the threat of COVID-19 transmission.

But DepEd, together with the Department of Health, is trying to propose anew, a few days before school starts on Sept. 13. Their joint issuance recommends a dry run of limited in-person classes in 120 schools, 20 of which have been added to accommodate private schools. The issuance follows Senate pressure on DepEd to strengthen lobbying for in-person classes, and it has so far been approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for COVID-19.

The proposal will be tackled at the next Cabinet meeting, and awaits President Dutertes verdict. And according to Presidential Spokesperson Roque, there is a likelihood that the President may approve the proposal.

Now, ang initial reaction ng Presidente, kung talagang pilot at sa mga areas na mababa talaga ang kaso, he may allow it, Roque says. Pero dapat pilot muna and areas na mababa talaga ang kaso.

DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan says that should President Duterte approve the pilot run, teachers who will be part of the chosen 120 schools will be vaccinated.

"May kasunduan with the Department of Health na yung mga nasa schools na kalahok dito sa pilot face-to-face ay kahit hindi nasa priority areas ay bibigyan ng consideration para sa vaccination," Malaluan said during a virtual briefing.

To further answer the fears regarding virus transmission, Banta shares that local studies have shown its possible to reopen without endangering the students and the community at large.

The Philippine Pediatric Society backed a global study that the reopening of schools has not been associated with an increase in COVID-19 infection rates in the community, Banta says. When transmission in communities is low, we dont see spikes of cases in schools. Layers of risk mitigation activities can be implemented to further reduce school transmission.

These interventions include:

 at the home level: personal and household health monitoring;

 at the school level: water, sanitation, hygiene facilities, proper ventilation, universal wearing of face masks, safe distancing, assignment of response personnel;

 at the community level: contact tracing, safe transportation, and testing

A safe return to face-to-face classes is possible but requires political will and strong follow through from the government. The individual, family, and societal costs of learning losses will be too difficult to carry and will impact the future generation, Banta says.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  PDP-Laban has no backup plan in case Sen. Bong Go refuses to be the ruling party's standard bearer in the 2022 elections, one of its officers admitted on Wednesday.

"As of now, I'll be honest with you, wala talaga kaming iniisip na plan because we want to be fair also with Sen. Bong Go na we are pushing for him to be the standard bearer tapos pangit naman na we are talking about somebody else or nag-iisip kami ng ibang options," PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag told CNN Philippines' The Source.

[Translation: We are really not thinking of any other plan because we want to be fair also with Sen. Bong Go; we are pushing for him to be the standard-bearer and it might not look nice if we are talking about somebody else or we are considering other options.]

"Right now, PDP-Laban is really in a position that we will really push hard for a Go-Duterte tandem," he added.

Matibag also said they have not given Go a deadline to accept their endorsement to run in tandem with President Rodrigo Duterte, but noted that the senator is aware of the one-week filing of Certificates of Candidacy set by Commission on Elections next month.

Matibag expressed hope that the "solid support" of the party members will encourage Go to push through with his presidential bid.

PDP-Laban is scheduled to meet on Wednesday afternoon in San Fernando, Pampanga, with party chairperson Duterte presiding the convention.

RELATED: With hundreds attending, PDP-Laban says national convention won't be a superspreader event

Around 400 members are expected to attend the national convention, where the party will reveal their 2022 candidates. Other participants will attend the meeting virtually.

Matibag stressed that the event, which will start at 1 p.m., will not be considered a superspreader as health protocols will be strictly implemented.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8) President Rodrigo Duterte again defended his former economic adviser, Michael Yang, who has been entangled in controversies hounding the government's procurement of supplies for its COVID-19 response.

Speaking at the PDP-Laban national convention Wednesday, Duterte argued that Yang  who has been linked to the embattled Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation  was only a "middleman" for the Philippine government and a foreign company providing medical goods.

"A Chinese doing business because we were encouraging everybody in the world to come to the Philippines and do business," Duterte said during the event  where he was also officially endorsed as the ruling party's vice presidential bet.

"Akala ko ba (I thought) we were trying to invite everybody to do business in the Philippines? Ang key diyan si (The key here is) Yang. Yang is known to me," he added.

Yang, a Chinese national who has been doing business in Davao City, made headlines due to his alleged ties to Pharmally  the government's biggest provider of medical supplies amid the coronavirus crisis.

The firm has recently been in the limelight of congressional hearings as lawmakers questioned the government's purchase of allegedly overpriced face masks, testing kits, and personal protective equipment.

RELATED: Senators disappointed that foreign-led firm got better govt deal than local manufacturer

On Tuesday, the Senate issued warrants of arrest against Yang and five Pharmally officials for their failure to attend the chamber's inquiries. Yang vowed he would be present in the next hearing scheduled on Friday.

Duterte, for his part, vouched for the innocence of his former appointee.

"Wala naman si Michael Yang. He has no manufacturing factory in Davao. Walang record 'yan. Hindi kriminal 'yan," the chief executive said.

[Translation: Michael Yang has no manufacturing factory in Davao. He has no record, he's not a criminal.]

In the same speech, Duterte also brought up criticisms of the Health department's handling of pandemic funds highlighted in the Commission on Audit's report. The President said he would resign if Health Secretary Francisco Duque or officials in the executive department are proven to have engaged in corrupt activities.

"Maski malayo ako sa mga transactions diyan (Even though I'm not directly involved in the transactions), being the President of the executive department and of the country, talagang mananagot ako (I would be responsible)," Duterte said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  Mayors in the National Capital Region said they were upset and could not understand the national government's sudden decision to extend the implementation of modified enhanced community quarantine in the region.

Speaking to CNN Philippines on Wednesday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said she was disappointed with the sudden shift in policy.

"Masama ang loob ko, or should I say disappointed ako kasi nagkaroon ng anunsyo na hindi naman pala kumpleto ang detalye. Kahapon panic attack ang mayors lalo na ako kasi ang laki ng lungsod ko," she said.

[Translation: I am upset, or should I say disappointed because there was an announcement without complete details. Yesterday, mayors panicked, including me because I have a large city.]

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora told CNN Philippines' The Source he was "not privy" to what happened during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Tuesday.

The IATF has deferred the pilot implementation of general community quarantine with an alert levels system in the NCR from Sept. 8-30. It decided to retain Metro Manilas MECQ status until Sept. 15.

READ: IATF postpones GCQ with alert levels in NCR, Metro Manila to remain under MECQ until Sept. 15

"The Metro Manila mayors depend on the guidelines given to us. I saw a resolution yesterday that was supposed to be implemented starting today but I don't think it was promulgated," Zamora said.

"We were already prepared to implement GCQ with granular lockdowns starting today but as I received the information last night that the MECQ will be extended, we simply just have to keep the status quo for the moment. As to what happened, I am not privy to that," he added.

Other mayors also have no clue as to what prompted the last-minute decision.

"Para po sa mga nagtatanong...as of now ito pa lang din po ang alam namin," Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto tweeted Tuesday evening.

[Translation: To those who are asking, as of now, this is also what we know.]

Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro also lamented the sudden policy shift.

"Tingin ko, hindi lang mga negosyante ang nagalit, madami ding mga mayor ang nagalit sa nangyari [I think it's not just the businessmen who are angry, even the mayors are upset with what happened]," he said in a radio interview.

He also told CNN Philippines that the sudden decision not only caused confusion among the public, it also showed the lack of coordination within the country's pandemic response task force.

"Nakita natin hindi lang kalituhan sa mga tao kundi walang pagkakaisa sa IATF sa paggawa ng desisyon," he said.

[Translation: We saw that it not only confused the people, it also showed theres lack of coordination within IATF when making a decision.]

RELATED: 'Maawa naman kayo': Govt hit for last-minute decision to retract GCQ shift in Metro Manila

Under MECQ, indoor and outdoor dining and personal care services like beauty salons, beauty parlors and nail spas will remain closed in Metro Manila at least for another week. Virtual religious activities are permitted.

CNN Philippines' Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8) A faction within the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has officially endorsed the tandem of Senator Bong Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as its presidential and vice presidential bets for the 2022 elections.

Members of the ruling party unanimously voted to nominate the two during their national convention held Wednesday in Pampanga.

Duterte, who presided over the event, thanked the group led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for the nomination.

"I am hopeful that this will allow me to continue serving the Filipino people and help lead the entire nation towards greater progress," Duterte said in his speech.

"Alam mo kung bakit ako tatakbo ng (Do you know why I'm vying for the) vice presidency? Is it ambition? Maybe. But is it really a sense of love of country? Yes. Because I want to see the continuity of my efforts even though I may not be the one giving the direction. Baka makatulong lang ako (Maybe I can help)," he added.

While Duterte accepted the call of the party members, Go maintained he would be declining the endorsement.

"I have already respectfully declined your endorsement through a letter I sent last week. I am hoping that the party will continue to respect my decision," the former special assistant to the President said in a separate statement.

Prior to the event, Go has repeatedly expressed he was not interested in seeking the presidency as he remains focused on his job as senator.

Initial Senate slate bared

Meanwhile, the Cusi-led group also named eight personalities that will make up its initial senatorial ticket.

They are:

- Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez

- Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade

- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo

- Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello

- Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Greco Belgica

- Rep. Rodante Marcoleta

- Public Works Secretary Mark Villar

- Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque

Amid the infighting in the ruling party, Cusi earlier said he reached out to Sen. Manny Pacquiao and asked him to consider joining their senatorial slate.

The boxer-turned-lawmaker has yet to formally declare his plans for 2022, but his spokesperson and political adviser previously told CNN Philippines that Pacquiao's presidential bid is already set in stone.

Pacquiao's faction is set to hold a separate convention later this month.

CNN Philippines' Eimor Santos and Alyssa Rola contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The Senate Committee on Finance is calling for an allocation for the special risk allowance, or SRA, for healthcare workers.

During the deliberations on the proposed 5-trillion national budget, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) revealed there was no allotment for the SRA for healthcare workers as the country continues to wage on through the COVID-19 pandemic.

SRA has yet to be included in appropriations, but for hazard pay, it is included since it is part of salaries of healthcare workers," said Budget Undersecretary Tina Canda. "For meals, allowances, and transportation, this is supposed to be charged in the regular budget of [the Department of Health]."

Under Bayanihan 2, an SRA is given to healthcare workers who directly cater to COVID-19 patients. DBM said the SRA receive range from 3,000 to 5,000 per month.

According to Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, this is a small price to pay healthcare workers, who tirelessly dedicate their lives during the pandemic.

Were talking about our doctors and nurses and ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ay 3,000 to 5,000 isang buwan," said Recto. "Buhay nila nakataya. Napakaliit lang na halaga nito. Were talking of a 5-trillion budget."

[Translation: Were talking about 3,000 to 5,000 per month for our doctors and nurses. Their lives are being put at risk. This is just a small amount.]

The DBM said the amount proposed by the Health department to fund the SRA next year amounts to 52.2 billion.

The Health department has yet to formally submit the proposal to the DBM as it still needs to determine the number of healthcare workers who will receive the SRA.
Cebu (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The Cebu provincial government will soon issue a new memorandum that will shorten the quarantine period for fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) for not more than five days, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said late Tuesday.

Vaccination is a personal choice, and it should be incentivized, Garcia told reporters in a press briefing.

Under the latest protocol, ROFs as well as overseas Filipino workers will be tested upon arrival and will be placed in a quarantine facility or a hotel.

On the fifth day, they will undergo another swab test and if they tested negative for COVID-19, they will be released from the quarantine facility. This is once again a deviation from standard testing on the seventh day of quarantine as mandated by the national COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force.

However, Garcia said there is no date yet on the implementation of the new protocol.

On Sept. 7, Garcia discussed the new protocols with top regional officials of the Department of Tourism, Department of Health, Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ); Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Association of Cebu; and the Overseas Workers Welfare and Administration.

If approved, ROFs may present their vaccination card, government certification of vaccination or the BOQ-issued International Certificate of Vaccination upon arrival at the airport.

OFWs, on the other hand, may present their Philippine Overseas Labor Offices-verified vaccination card or government certification of vaccination.
(CNN)  When FBI agent Mark Calnan finally met the kingpin whose drug syndicate he'd been investigating for the past six years, he was surprised.

With his black hair parted down the middle and modest fashion sense, Tse Chi Lop didn't look like the head of a multinational operation that had flooded the streets of New York with heroin before his arrest on August 12, 1998.

And, as he sat in a spartan interrogation room in Hong Kong, he didn't really behave like one, either.

Suspects usually reacted to arrest in one of two ways, the now-retired agent told CNN from his home in New Jersey. Combative types embraced the machismo that helped them navigate the cutthroat world of drug dealing. Cooperative ones worried that not talking meant longer prison time.

Tse didn't do either. He was calm, friendly and strategically tight-lipped -- even when Calnan told him the United States would be requesting his extradition.

Tse just smiled.

"He was impressive," said Calnan. "He was different."

By the end of that year, Tse was in New York, where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to import heroin into the US and was sentenced to nine years in prison. But if the authorities that put Tse behind bars were hoping he'd emerge from prison a changed man, it seems they were wrong.

Two decades later, Tse had allegedly become the head of a methamphetamine cartel earning an estimated $17 billion a year. Long since out of prison, he was reportedly living a lavish lifestyle built on the drug empire he purportedly operated with relative anonymity until his existence was revealed in a news report in 2019.

Then in January this year, Tse was arrested at Amsterdam's Schipol International Airport at the behest of Australian Federal Police (AFP), which had led a sprawling, decade-long investigation into his organization.

The man who once calmly sat opposite Calnan is now accused of being the mastermind behind the Sam Gor syndicate, arguably the biggest drug-trafficking operation in Asia's history. Australian authorities are seeking Tse's extradition on methamphetamine trafficking charges.

Tse, through his lawyer, declined to speak to CNN for this story. During an extradition hearing in June, he told a Dutch judge he was innocent of the charges.

As prosecutors prepare their case against Tse, CNN has investigated his early years, to better understand the man Australian authorities claim is one of the most-successful meth masterminds of the 21st century.

This is the story of Tse's first syndicate: how it thrived in American prisons; how police from around the world tore it apart; and how, from its ashes, this seemingly unassuming man from southern China was, allegedly, able to lay the groundwork for a multibillion-dollar drug empire from a prison in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The FBI investigation that led to Tse's arrest in Hong Kong began on a street corner in the Bronx, about 20 years after the US government launched its war on drugs under President Richard Nixon.

To end what Republicans called in 1980 a "murderous epidemic of drug abuse" sweeping the country, the government had invested heavily in anti-drug policing and passed laws that toughened sentences for drug offenders.

But the tough mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes and investments in policing were not having the desired effect.

By 1992, heroin in the US was getting cheaper and purer, according to a White House report at the time, and most of it was coming from Southeast Asia. That heroin was among the purest found in the US, the report said, and easy to overdose on from small amounts. The consequences were dire, especially in New York City, which was home to most of America's heroin addicts. Thousands of people were sent to emergency rooms each year after using the drug. Hundreds were dying.

That year, Calnan got a tip from a colleague about drugs being sold in the Bronx, on the corner of 183rd and Walton, and it would change his career. At the time, he was working for the FBI in New York, as a member of the Criminal Squad 25. C-25, as it was known, was tasked with tackling the growing problem of organized crime involving Asians and Asian-Americans -- especially those dealing the heroin from Southeast Asia that was flooding into the US.

As Calnan and his team began to surveil the street corner, a few miles from Yankee Stadium, and identify suspects and tap phones, one name kept coming up: Sonny.

The problem was there were at least two suspects named Sonny. There was Sonny from New Jersey and Sonny from Leavenworth, the US penitentiary in Kansas. One was Sonny on the outside and -- to their surprise -- the other was Sonny on the inside.

Sonny on the outside, they learned, was a Malaysian heroin dealer living in New Jersey. Sonny on the inside was the boss, and he had figured out how to run a heroin business from a federal prison.

Yim Ling didn't hear the assailants quietly enter her home in Kingston, New York, on a warm autumn day in 1983. She was in her bedroom, changing to go to work at her family's Chinese tea house, when someone grabbed her from behind.

She fought back, but one of her kidnappers allegedly covered her mouth with a chemical substance, likely chloroform, according to an account from a local police officer assigned to the case.

The government believes Yim was accidentally killed in the initial struggle, though her captors never mentioned that when extorting her husband for nearly $200,000 in ransom. Yim's body was never found.

Authorities charged several people for the abduction, including Yong Bing Gong, then a 23-year-old former employee at Yim's family tea house. Gong was sentenced to life in prison, where he became Sonny on the inside: the supplier for the heroin dealers on the New York street corner Calnan was monitoring.

Gong was cutting drug deals in the very place meant to punish people for dealing drugs.

Gong spoke to CNN through phone calls, letters and emails, though he declined to discuss specifics about his conviction on heroin trafficking charges, which were handed down while he was in prison. Gong hoped that sharing parts of his story would bring attention to what he feels are his unfairly long sentences. He was handed another 27 years in prison for heroin trafficking in addition to his first life sentence. After nearly 40 years behind bars, Gong believes he has paid his debt to society and should not be "left to rot and die, forgotten and forsaken by everyone I know."

"I know I am not an angel, but I am still a human being," Gong said.

Born in 1960 in Malaysia, Gong turned to a life of crime at a young age. His father owned a timber company in Indonesia and was often away, and his mother had six children -- too many to focus on controlling her wayward son.

That left Gong, as he put it, to "run the streets."

He joined a gang at 12 years old and eventually became a lieutenant. By 20 he was in a Malaysian jail, serving a two-year sentence after several run-ins with the law. Following his release in 1982, he went to the US.

Within about a year, he was in prison for Yim's abduction.

At first, Gong found incarceration to be "mostly boredom and drudgery." He needed something to spice up his day-to-day existence. So, after an introduction from another inmate, he turned to heroin dealing.

Flamboyant, talkative and somewhat brash, Gong was a born networker, and there was no better place to meet new clients than in prison. Gong would cut deals with other inmates, then coordinate with his contacts on the outside to sell the heroin over the prison phone system. Everyone spoke in code because the inmates' calls are always recorded, though not always monitored.

Calnan's investigation revealed that Gong was Sonny on the inside, supplying heroin to a Puerto Rican gang on the corner of 183rd and Walton Avenue in the Bronx. He was also Sonny from Leavenworth, which referred to the Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, one of the oldest federal prisons in the US. It is one of several facilities that has held Gong since his sentencing in 1983.

Calnan's team subpoenaed the prison tapes and cracked Gong's code, which wasn't terribly complex -- sometimes it just meant referring to heroin as "menus" and dealers as "Chinese restaurants." C-25 now had a major case on its hands, and like any major case, it needed a name.

They chose Sunblock, named after Sonny and the cell block they found him in.

The heroin Gong was dealing almost certainly came from the Golden Triangle, the historically lawless border region where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.

The area's climate is ideal for cultivating poppy, the plant used to make opium and heroin. The surrounding hills and jungle make it hard for law enforcement to access the area, allowing the militias and warlords that dominated the Myanmar side of the region to become some of the world's biggest heroin dealers.

Production surged in the 1960s, when these groups realized they could use labs to process poppy into stronger narcotics, such as morphine and heroin. And it continued to boom in the following decades.

By the late 1980s, the drug was flooding into the US. Heroin from Southeast Asia accounted for 56% of the US supply -- and nearly 90% of New York City's -- by 1990, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Five years earlier, it had been just 14% of the American supply.

Getting these drugs into the US fell in large part to Americans and Canadians of Chinese descent, or people with links to Sino-Thai or Chinese criminal groups, according to the US Justice Department.

People like Paul Kwok.

Though court records say Gong and Kwok met in prison, Gong told CNN they first crossed paths while living in New York in the early 1980s.

In 1983, Kwok, a Canadian national, was sentenced to federal prison in the US for heroin trafficking. By coincidence, he ended up in the same prison as Gong, and the two grew closer. Eventually, they went into business together.

As Kwok got closer to being eligible for parole, he was transferred to a Canadian prison before being released in 1990. He eventually began using his contacts to import heroin into Canada. Back then, it was easier to get illicit drugs past customs in Canada than in the US, according to Calnan. Kwok then moved the heroin across the US-Canada border, which in the early 1990s was less difficult to cross undetected than it is now.

In the US, Gong would use the network of customers he had developed in federal prison to find buyers.

The arrangement worked well. By the start of 1994, Gong and Kwok had so much heroin coming in they started looking for more ways to smuggle larger quantities into the US.

So Kwok turned to the Sicilian mafia in Montreal for help. The Sicilians agreed, for a fee, to hide Kwok's heroin alongside their own drugs and drive all the contraband to a barbershop on Long Island. Kwok's associates would then pick up their heroin there and bring it to Gong's buyers.

When the FBI uncovered the Sicilian connection, Operation Sunblock became a major international case. Calnan and his team were now going after a global syndicate that involved multiple organized crime outfits. The stakes were higher.

The FBI ran at least four wires, monitoring phone calls for potentially incriminating evidence of heroin deals. Calnan hired a longtime undercover agent to conduct drug deals with Gong's organization to gather more evidence. By September 1995, Sunblock had obtained enough information to indict or arrest more than a dozen people. Kwok was apprehended in Canada on behalf of US authorities and Gong was indicted from prison.

Kwok appeared to be the man in charge, at least at first. He was stoic and serious, and appeared to command respect and deference in the criminal underworld. So Calnan and a US attorney assigned to the case went up to Canada to interview Kwok in prison to gauge whether he'd cooperate.

Talking proved dangerous. Shortly after Kwok was detained, two men approached his wife to ask if he was working with authorities. She then received "numerous threatening phone calls" warning her husband against saying anything to the police, she said in a letter to the judge hearing the case.

Later, a group of inmates who saw Kwok briefly in the company of law enforcement bashed his head against the wall in the jail bathroom, knocking him unconscious. Kwok's attorney said his client was targeted because it appeared he was cooperating.

Still, Kwok decided to take the risk. He told a judge that he decided to offer information so he could get out of prison as early as possible to take care of his wife and young son.

Kwok and one of his lieutenants, it turned out, could give the FBI the identity of their supplier in Asia -- an unassuming, 33-year-old Chinese-Canadian man with poor taste in fashion and hair parted down the middle.

His name was Tse Chi Lop.

Tse was born on October 25, 1963, in Guangdong province, southern China, before the start of the Cultural Revolution -- the bloody movement in which Mao Zedong attempted to reassert his leadership over the Chinese Communist Party by radicalizing the country's youth against anyone deemed disloyal.

After the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution and the chaotic dissolution of the Red Guards, as the young paramilitary groups were known, some formed an amorphous gang called the Big Circle Boys. It was this criminal group which Tse joined.

By the 1990s, the Big Circle Boys were major players in the Golden Triangle-North America heroin trade -- and were fine cutting deals with almost anyone if there was good money to be made.

The syndicate's decision to get into business with the Sicilian mafia impressed Calnan. Most Asian gangs in the US, he found, wouldn't form partnerships like that. Tse approached his trade like a business, found value in new partnerships but was smart enough to try to stay under the radar.

"He used cooperation, he crossed borders. He thought outside the box, and we had to do the same thing or else we never would have caught him," Calnan said. "We had to be as good as he was."

After Kwok and Gong's 1995 arrests, it would take Calnan and the Sunblock team nearly three more years to snare Tse, because he was purportedly in mainland China, which doesn't have an extradition treaty with the US.

The FBI was seemingly out of options until 1998, when Calnan's Canadian colleague got wind that Tse was traveling to Hong Kong. If police arrested him in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, which did have an extradition treaty with the US, Tse could potentially be sent to New York stand trial.

Calnan convinced the FBI to fly him and the Canadian agent to Hong Kong to assist with the arrest, and on August 12, the Hong Kong Police Department nabbed Tse at a local diner. Within months, he was in America.

Ceci Scott, the assistant US attorney on the case, recalled that after Tse landed in the US, his lawyer seemed eager to reach a plea agreement. Calnan believed Tse was doing everything he could to get quickly to Canada, where his wife lived with their two children that were born in the early 1990s -- a daughter and a son who had a lung problem and breathing issues since birth.

While Tse wanted to cooperate enough to reduce his sentence, he wasn't willing to reveal all. "I think he knew that we knew that he wasn't telling us everything," Scott said.

But the way Tse carried himself stuck with Scott. "I remember thinking, God, he's just got the most unusual demeanor, a kind of a down-to-earth personality," she said.

Eventually, Tse reached a deal with prosecutors that saw him plead guilty to conspiracy to import heroin into the US. Avoiding a trial allowed Tse to cut his prison time, and limit the amount of information that would exist in the public record. Today, the exact extent of his role in his first heroin syndicate remains a mystery. We don't know how much heroin he supplied to Gong and Kwok, nor do we know if Kwok was his only customer. Calls to Kwok's family and former attorney went unanswered.

Tse's nine-year prison sentence was handed down on September 26, 2000, though he only ended up serving six. Prison would mark the start of a second chapter of Tse's life, giving him the opportunity to learn from drug dealers in the US.

It was also where, allegedly, Tse met his next partner.

After driving through the lush greenery of the rural Appalachia, Tse would have arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution, in Elkton, Ohio, handcuffed, shackled at the feet and chained around his midsection.

Elkton is a low-security federal prison. It sits atop a hill and has a fence with wires to keep inmates from escaping into the surrounding pine trees. But inside, security precautions are not overwhelming, former inmates and staff say. Most convicts there are either non-violent offenders or people nearing the end of their sentences getting ready to reenter society.

"It was a different environment from multiple prisons I've been in," said Charles King, a former inmate who arrived at Elkton in 2006, the year Tse left federal prison. "It was more open arms, more welcoming."

King and others said the prison felt like a secure college campus. Inmates lived in one of several concrete-floored dormitory-style buildings with shared bathrooms and common space. Three or four men slept in small, crowded cubicles divided by cinderblock walls four to five feet high, easy enough to see over the top of.

By 2002, two years after his conviction and sentencing, Tse claimed to be almost penniless and requested a waiver for legal fees to file appeals or sentencing reductions. He said in court filings all he owned was $500 worth of clothes and $1,000 donated to him by friends and family, although it's possible he chose not to report any holdings outside the US.

Prison was likely an adjustment for Tse, but if he was troubled those around him mostly didn't see it. Ben, a pseudonym of a former Elkton inmate who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity, said Tse was "a pretty nice guy" who always had a big smile.

Other drug dealers in that prison wanted to make it known they were "big guys," Ben said. Tse, by contrast, was pretty humble, Ben said, and didn't really care about reputation or street cred.

Elkton housed about 1,500 prisoners during Tse's tenure. Ben said there were about a couple of dozen inmates who were ethnically Chinese, and most spoke Cantonese. Tse was one. Another was Lee Chung Chak.

Lee had snuck into the US across the Canadian border on July 4, 1994, to coordinate what was supposed to be a major heroin deal, but the FBI were on to his associates.

It's not clear if Tse and Lee knew each other before Elkton. But the prison's Cantonese-speaking community was small enough that Lee and Tse almost certainly would've met one another. By the time they were both released in 2006, they were comfortable going into the drug business together, Australian authorities would later allege.

Though Tse told the US government he planned to open a restaurant once out of prison and expressed "great sorrow" over his criminal past, he and Lee purportedly had their sights on methamphetamine.

Meth was becoming increasingly popular in the US during their time in prison, and it represented a potentially far more lucrative business opportunity than heroin. Because it is made from chemicals, not crops, there would be no need to worry about a poor harvest affecting supply, which happens with heroin.

Australian authorities allege that by 2010, Tse and Lee had formed a meth syndicate that police call Sam Gor, a nickname for Tse that means "brother number three" in Cantonese. Its members, according to reports, simply call it The Company.

Sam Gor is believed to be made up of former rival triads who united in the name of making money, as Tse and Kwok did with the Sicilian mafia. Together, these gangs allegedly manufactured synthetic drugs on an industrial scale in large swathes of the under-policed jungles of Myanmar, the same place where Tse allegedly sourced his syndicate's heroin in the 1990s.

Sam Gor's purported strategy was simple: make enough meth to create an economy of scale and drive down the cost-per-unit. Then flood the market with this cheap and addictive product to get new customers, and watch the money pile in.

The syndicate became one of the biggest drug-trafficking operations in Asia's history, according to Australian authorities. It held -- and may still hold -- the biggest market share of an illicit economy that, in 2019, was valued at a staggering $30 billion to $61 billion.

The human cost has been "devastating," said Jeremy Douglas, the regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The number of reported users in countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have increased significantly since 2015, according to figures from the UNODC. More than 206,000 people across Southeast Asia sought treatment for methamphetamine use in 2020, but the real number of addicts is likely much higher because of the stigma surrounding addiction. Many people who want help choose to avoid treatment, or they simply may not have access to the same resources they would in Western countries.

And thousands of addicts and small-time dealers have been killed by police in countries waging bloody, take-no-prisoners drug wars, like in the Philippines.

Police in Thailand arrested Lee in October 2020, just a few months before Dutch authorities nabbed Tse in Amsterdam. Australian authorities alleged that Lee had played a "key role" in the multibillion-dollar methamphetamine syndicate. One investigator told Reuters that Lee's "star had risen to be an equal or even a bigger player" to Tse.

Lee's lawyer did not respond to CNN's request for comment.

Putting them behind bars was a tremendous achievement. But the meth has continued to flow without them.

The UNODC said authorities across Asia seized 170,000 kilograms last year, a new record even though most countries in the region sealed their borders to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Meth prices were not affected, meaning these busts did not impact drug supply in any meaningful way, according to the UNODC.

Experts say to truly upend the meth trade, law enforcement in the Golden Triangle need to get serious about tackling the systemic issues that have allowed drug dealers in the region to thrive for decades, whether they're making heroin or meth. That means finding a political solution to Myanmar's decades-long civil war, so militias no longer turn to illicit economies to fund themselves. It's a tall order, especially for a country ruled by a military junta that earlier this year overthrew a democratically elected government.

When Scott, the US attorney who helped put Tse in prison, heard about his arrest in January, she winced.

"We had no information about him doing anything with meth," recalled Scott, who no longer works at the Justice Department. "Obviously, he met people."

Scott loved her job as assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of New York but said drug cases sometimes left her conflicted, especially in a liberal city like New York.

By the late 1990s, the painful unintended consequences of the war on drugs were becoming clear. Tough punishments meant to deter would-be drug users and dealers had flooded American prisons with non-violent offenders, the majority of whom were from minority communities.

"A lot of the prosecutors in that office were questioning how effective those laws were," Scott said.

Incarceration is meant to punish criminals and protect society from them, but it's also meant to rehabilitate them.

Instead, the war on drugs created a vicious cycle. Drug dealers went to prison for years thanks to tough sentencing laws. Limited resources were dedicated to getting criminals to change their ways. So prison ended up offering convicts the opportunity to network and learn from each other.

Several studies have shown that incarceration, in certain circumstances, can have a criminogenic effect -- instead of deterring criminal behavior, it reinforces it. A 2002 analysis of convicted felons in Jackson County, Missouri, found that incarcerated drug offenders were five to six times more likely to commit another crime than those placed on probation. Another study in 2012 found that, in some cases, crime pays. Those who were put behind bars earned, on average, about $11,000 more in illegal income than those who had not spent time in prison.

Academics in Denmark who analyzed the country's entire prison population found in 2020 that for criminals sentenced to prison for drug offenses, there was "strong evidence of reinforcing peer effects on recidivism" -- that is, drug dealers who met other drug dealers in prison learned from each other and ended up back in jail.

Calnan said he did a double take when the name of the man who calmly sat across from him in Hong Kong popped up in the news more than two decades after their meeting. He hadn't given Tse another thought after his conviction in 2000.

He never thought Tse would, allegedly, become "one of the biggest international drug dealers of all time," Calnan said.

"Looking back on it, it's not surprising at all," Calnan said. "He (Tse) had the skills, and of course time in prison is networking like crazy."

Calnan realized later that the moderately successful heroin dealer he put behind bars was smart enough to run a criminal empire, and savvy enough to know how to use prison to his advantage.

"(Sunblock) begins with guys in prison networking," Calnan said. When it came to Tse Chi Lop, Calnan said: "I don't doubt ... that's exactly what he did also."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Demise of a kingpin, rise of an empire"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7)  Award-winning director Erik Matti puts the spotlight on another social ill in the second installment of his crime thriller film, "On The Job."

The renowned filmmaker explores a different side of corruption in the sequel, "On The Job: The Missing 8." It tells the story of a journalist who investigates disappearances linked to the government.

The film is making its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 10. It is also vying for the Golden Lion - the highest prize awarded in the competition of the prestigious festival.

The movie will also be screened in Rome and Milan after premiering in Venice.

In a virtual press conference, Matti said Filipinos will be able to relate to the themes in the film, which revolve around crime, corruption, and the impact of media.

"I think yun yung exciting because certain parts of the film becomes really true to us if you watch it. Di mo na alam if you're watching a make believe story or if you're really watching real life," Matti explained.

[Translation: I think that's what's exciting (about the movie) because certain parts of the film becomes really true to us if you watch it. You don't know anymore if you're watching a make believe story of if you're watching real life.]

"On The Job: The Missing 8" features a star-studded cast that includes John Arcilla, Lotlot de Leon, Dennis Trillo, and Christopher de Leon.

'On The Job' gets a second life as an online series

Matti's "On The Job" franchise will be transformed into a six-part series that will be exclusively available on streaming platform HBO GO.

The first two episodes will feature the 2013 movie and never before seen clips. The succeeding episodes will revolve around the sequel.

Matti said he enjoyed creating the series because they were able to bring back stories they had to remove in the first film.

"It gave me a chance to breathe more life to the franchise...So ako [So personally] when we decided to do a series cut of it, I really embraced a series. Inembrace ko talaga yung format ng series [I really embraced the series format]...The kind of excitement it gives per episode, iba rin [it's different]. Iba rin yung pakiramdam niya [The feeling is also different]. And that we're pretty proud of."

Despite the first two episodes featuring most of the 2013 film, Matti encourages viewers to still watch the start of the series to see the new flavor added to the story.

The first three episodes will be available to stream or download on HBO GO starting Sept. 12, with new episodes out every Saturday.

Choosing the next social issue to highlight in 'On The Job'

The first 'On The Job' film in 2013 starring Joel Torre and Gerald Anderson was based on true events, and the sequel is no different. Matti said he was fascinated by several issues like gambling and the black market of medicines. However, the team made its decision after seeing reports about Cambridge Analytica's parent company and the 2016 Philippine elections.

Matti revealed he doubted if they should continue the current plotline about "fake news," given the major events changing the country's landscape since the 2013 film came out. Ahead of the premiere, he said he believes the series became more relevant with the 2022 national elections coming up.

"Andiyan parin yung fake news at lahat. But the added context is the series is built upon the election...So parang again without intending it to be that, nagkaroon ng ibang talking point yung series because of the times, what's happening now," Matti said.

[Translation: The fake news and other issues are still there. But the added context is the series is built upon the election. It just so happens that the film becomes relevant again without intending to be. There is a new talking point for the series because of the times, what's happening now.]

However, Matti clarified that he does not create films to push for an advocacy. The director explained, he makes films to tell interesting stories with relatable characters.

Meanwhile, the lead actors hope viewers will draw inspiration from the movie to fight for what is right and to help spark change in their own lives and in society.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7)  A wind dynamics expert conducted a series of simulation exercises, measuring the effectiveness of face shields against particles found in the air.

Engineer Joshua Agar, an assistant professor from the University of the Philippines Institute of Civil Engineering, said the idea to test the effectiveness of face shields came when he was playing billiards and he started to wonder if theories of wind dynamics can be applied to it.

Agar was able to simulate three scenarios on face shield use, which later on showed there is no guarantee these plastic shields can provide an additional layer of protection.

Scenario 1: High momentum cases with face shield

The simulation features a person in direct contact with an infected person and within one meter from the subject. The infected person directly coughs or sneezes on the other.

Agar noted that this scenario usually happens in hospital settings.

"Papunta siya roon sa faceshield, naredirect siya sa side kaso nagkaroon ng reverse flows po rito nagkaroon po ng mga vortices po," he said. "Nangyari na deposit ngayon doon sumilong ngayon kung ano na introduce po...doon po sumilong kung anong airborne particles sa likod ng face shield, kasama pa 'yung face natin kung wala tayong face mask tataas po ang chances na ma-contract ang virus."

[Translation: The (airborne particles) went to the face shield and despite being redirected on its side, it can also show the reverse flows of wind creating vortices. This means airborne particles have been deposited at the back of face shield and the surface of our face is also involved. If we are not wearing face mask, then that means greater chance of contracting the virus.]

Scenario 2: High momentum cases with face shield at 45 degree angle

In another scenario, where a person is wearing a face shield but is not directly facing the infected person, Agar said vortices may still be formed, which means air particles can still accumulate on the face shield.

"'Yung flow mapapansin niyo nagkakaroon ng vortices and then nag-reverse po ang air so mas malala po ngayon kung naka-face kayo ng sideways from the source," Agar said.

[Translation: The flow still creates vortices and there's still a reverse flow of wind which means it's worse when you are facing sideways from the source (of infection).]

Scenario 3: Low momentum cases, virus now present in the air

Agar said wearing face shields can pose even more danger if a person wears them in an area where virus particles are already present in the air.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC acknowledges the airborne transmission of COVID-19.

"Sabi ng CDC airborne na ang particles...kung nag-walk po kayo across doon sa environment kung nasaan ang virus, nag-act po kayo ngayon as vacuum cleaner," Agar warned.

[Translation: The CDC said the coronavirus is now airborne and if you walked in an environment where it is present in the air, you act like a vacuum cleaner.]

"Hinihigop mo ngayon ang nasa air, so doon po nagsettle ang airborne particles sa likod ng face shield, sa face, so na-aggravate po," he added.

[Translation: You are absorbing the airborne particles which will settle at the back of face shields, on your face, so this aggravates the situation.]

What's next after the simulation exercises?

Agar said he has no plans of publishing his study on face shields, citing lack of funds.

"Medyo masakit po sa bulsa to publish it," he noted. "Siguro ipaubaya nalang o i-refer sa iba and sila nalang mag-pursue."

[Translation: It's expensive to publish it. I would rather refer it to others for them to pursue the study.]

Agar said he is open to collaborate with other experts to study the face shield effect.

The World Health Organization said it is not yet time to scrap the use of face shields - despite lacking evidence on their effectiveness.

Malacanang also said the face shield policy stays for now.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte and Cabinet officials did not touch on their sudden decision to postpone the implementation of general community quarantine with alert levels in Metro Manila during the two-hour address taped late Tuesday.

The public waited for updates or an explanation for the change of heart.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) announced on Sept. 4 that the National Capital Region (NCR) will shift to GCQ with granular lockdowns. Three days later, the government announced it will push through but the guidelines are being finalized for the implementation on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, however, officials backtracked, saying the capital region will stay under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine pending fine-tuning of the new policy.

Metro Manila mayors said they were upset and could not understand the national government's sudden decision. Restaurant owners were also dismayed since they bought perishable items to prepare for their slated opening.

Meanwhile, Duterte said he will address the nation twice a week to give updates on COVID-19 response efforts.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte is asking for more understanding from healthcare workers, who are getting impatient with the delay in the release of their benefits.

During his public address that aired on Wednesday morning, Duterte said the government may use the funds from "abandoned" infrastructure projects to give medical frontliners their special risk allowance and other benefits.

The President also said health workers have every right to demand for their benefits. He assured them that as long as the government finds the sources of funds, they will receive their benefits.

"Konting pag-unawa po. Kung meron lang talaga, bakit hindi namin ibigay? Anuhin namin ang pera na hindi naman amin? You'd be the first to benefit, especially during this time," he said.

[Translation: A little understanding, please. If we have the money, why won't we give it? What will we do with the money that is not ours?]

"Build, Build, Build" is the Duterte administration's flagship infrastructure program.

"You must know that there are projects now na talagang on deck na dapat gawin na kanselado na. It would not be as rosy as before na project dito at project doon because the money from time to time, kailangan mo ito bigla na lang," he said. "Medyo minsan ang iba we totally just abandon it for this year."

[Translation: There are projects that are supposed to be started, but these are canceled now. Unlike before that we have projects left and right, things won't be as rosy now because we will need money for some things that will suddenly crop up. Some of our infrastructure projects will be abandoned this year.]

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government has granted 14.3 billion in healthcare worker benefits since the start of the pandemic.
(CNN)  The Dixie Fire in northern California is on its way to becoming the largest wildfire in the state's history, officials say.

It has burned 917,579 acres and was only 59% contained as of Tuesday. Currently, the largest fire by acreage for the state is the August Complex, which burned 1,032,648 acres in 2020.

The Dixie Fire started on July 14 and has damaged or destroyed at least 1,282 structures, according to Cal Fire.

Of the top 20 largest wildfires since 1932, 17 have occurred since 2000; 11 since 2016; five in 2020  and three from this year.

"For September through December the entire state shows drier, more wind events, and large fire activity to continue for the next three months," said Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter.

Firefighters in California made significant progress against the Caldor Fire over the weekend, allowing for some evacuation orders in the Lake Tahoe region to be downgraded.

As of Tuesday morning, the Caldor Fire had consumed 216,646 acres near the California-Nevada border. The flames are 49% contained about three weeks after it started on August 14, Cal Fire said.

While still massive, the Caldor Fire's growth slowed over the weekend, adding just 842 acres in a 24-hour period between Friday night and Saturday night, according to CNN's analysis of fire information. That's a far cry from its explosive start, when the fire grew to nearly 100,000 acres in its first week.

Since it began, the Caldor Fire has destroyed more than 990 structures, including homes, business and other buildings, Cal Fire said. More than 27,000 structures are threatened.

Evacuation orders for the city of South Lake Tahoe were downgraded to evacuation warnings, nearly a week after thousands in the resort town clogged roadways when officials told them to get out because flames were racing into the area. Residents and visitors were allowed to return home over the weekend.

Other parts of El Dorado County saw their evacuation orders downgraded to a warning Saturday while other warnings were lifted, according to Cal Fire.

The areas of Fallen Leaf Lake, Christmas Valley, Meyers and North Upper Truckee remain under an evacuation order.

Across the state border in Nevada, mandatory evacuations in Douglas County were downgraded to precautionary evacuations Saturday, according to an announcement on the county's website, opening the door for some residents there to return home.

Progress accompanied by new fires

As fire officials recorded progress in the Caldor Fire, three new wildfires popped up Sunday in California.

In Amador County, near where the Caldor Fire is burning, the Lawrence Fire exploded to 46 acres, burning grass, brush and timber, Cal Fire said.

The fire prompted brief road closures and evacuations as it threatened a handful of structures, but firefighters were able to quickly mitigate the threat. The Lawrence Fire was 90% contained Monday.

Farther north in Placer County, the Bridge Fire burned 411 acres with 25% containment. Cal Fire noted evacuations are in progress.

In Southern California, the Aruba Fire sparked in San Diego County, burning 54 acres southeast of the community of Rainbow, Cal Fire said. It was 75% contained Tuesday.

Overall, California has tallied 7,171 fire incidents in 2021 as the state suffers through a brutal fire season made worse by climate change that is fueling a grueling drought and high temperatures.

Nationally, 78 large wildfires are currently burning across 1.9 million acres, the National Interagency Fire Center said. Idaho has 20 fires and Montana has 17.

This story wsa first published on CNN.com, "Dixie Fire is blazing its way to becoming California's biggest ever."
(CNN)  Mexico's Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that penalizing abortion is unconstitutional, in a decision expected to set precedent for the legal status of abortion nationwide.

"Today is a historic day for the rights of all Mexican women," said Supreme Court Chief Justice Arturo Zaldivar.

The court ruled Tuesday against a law in the state of Coahuila, which threatened women who undergo abortions with up to three years prison and a fine.

The law, according to Coahuila Penal Code Article 196, allowed prosecution of both a woman seeking an abortion and the person who "causes her to have an abortion with her consent."

The top court's decision against such penalization is "a historic step," Justice Luis Maria Aguilar said.

"Never again will a woman or a person with the capacity to carry a child be criminally prosecuted," he added. "Today the threat of imprisonment and stigma that weigh on people who freely decide to terminate their pregnancy are banished."

Elsewhere in Latin America, Argentina's Senate approved a bill to legalize abortion in December 2020. The Senate voted 38-29 to give millions of women access to legal terminations under the law supported by President Alberto Fernandez.

The vote comes as US states just north of the border move to restrict abortion access, most notably in Texas.
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Cumberland County

Claremont management staff leaving amid transition to private provider

Sentinel file Leadership at Claremont Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Middlesex Township is reportedly leaving as the facility transitions to the private sector.

Several of Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers top-level staff have or are expected to depart as the transition of the county-owned nursing home to a private provider gets underway.

Allaire Health Services, which is currently acting as a management consultant at the facility in anticipation of closing on the purchase, is recruiting for a chief administrator and a director of nursing at Claremont.

The goal is to keep everyone, but we know thats not always realistic, said R. Kyle Kramer, Allaires chief strategy officer.

We obviously are disappointed that the individuals in question are looking to move their employment elsewhere, Kramer said. While its our hope that everyone who is part of the team today will stay on and be part of the team tomorrow, thats not always something we can control or guarantee.

Cumberland County approves agreements for Claremont sale; Allaire to begin management consulting immediately Allaire Health Services will assist with the day-to-day operations, including increasing staffing and resident population, while completing its due diligence prior to closing

At the end of the July, Allaire inked agreements with the Cumberland County commissioners to purchase Claremont, which the county has been looking into selling since late 2020 due to the facilitys ongoing difficulties. Until the transaction closes, Allaire is acting as a contract consultant for the facility.

Allaire has staff at its other facilities and on its corporate management team that can step into the roles in the near term, Kramer said. A licensed nursing home administrator is legally required to operate any given facility.

If we need to, we certainly have the ability to move somebody and take care of the requirement, Kramer said, and Allaire maintains additional licensed administrators on its team for such contingencies.

Recruiting for the higher-level positions adds to the overall challenge of staffing at Claremont, which still has dozens of vacancies for front-line nurses as of last months county report. The facilitys average daily patient count was around 139 residents in July, less than half of Claremonts 282-bed capacity. The county has closed several floors of the nursing home due to a lack of patients and staff.

Claremont residents say staffing situation growing more dire throughout sale process Residents say turnover has become much more acute in recent months due to the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic and the countys stated intention to privatize the facility

First and foremost what were trying to do is stabilize the staffing, thats a critical issue, Kramer said. Allaire has also worked over the past month to build relationships with hospitals and other providers to improve the pipeline of patient referrals, he said.

The issue of privatizing Claremont has been fraught over the past 10 months. The countys Republican commissioners, Gary Eichelberger and Vince DiFilippo, ultimately voted in favor of selling to Allaire, saying they saw privatization as the only viable path forward; Democratic commissioner Jean Foschi voted against, having voiced objections to a process that she said was too oriented toward a fast sale and did not give enough considerations to the alternatives.

Claremont has lost over $3.3 million during the first seven months of 2021, according to the countys most recent financial reporting. Eichelberger and DiFilippo have said they would be unwilling to subsidize the nursing home with general county tax dollars for any extended period of time in order to keep the facility under public ownership, and the possibility of tax increases featured heavily in the debate over the nursing homes future. Opponents of the sale argued that the county should spend a portion of the tens of millions of dollars it is receiving through federal stimulus allocations to float Claremont and buy it more time under public control.

Although Claremonts staffing and resident count were falling short prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health emergency greatly accelerated the problem, with patient counts and revenue beginning to plummet in April 2020.

DOH to require nursing homes to have 80% of staff vaccinated or undergo more frequent testing One in eight Pennsylvania nursing homes meets the 80% target, which is not enough from a public health perspective to prevent future outbreaks of the virus, the Health Department said.

COVID-19 remains a challenge, with the county reporting last month that an unvaccinated staff member had exposed residents on the facilitys first floor and C-wing area to the virus, resulting in mass quarantines. Several residents subsequently tested positive for the virus, county staff reported.

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid is expected to issue a regulation requiring vaccines for nursing home staff, the Biden administration announced last month, and Gov. Tom Wolfs administration has also issued a rule requiring nursing homes and other congregate care settings to have an 80% staff vaccination rate or else submit to more frequent testing.

Claremonts vaccination rate for staff was 62.6%, according to last months county report, and 97% for residents, with only four residents unvaccinated.

Claremonts sale price, under the sales agreement, is to be $22.25 million. The countys net proceeds from the sale will be lower after consulting fees paid to Allaire as well as to Susquehanna Group Advisors, the countys divestment consultant.
On Aug. 23, Estep attended an in-service day of training during which he spoke with teachers and toured buildings and grounds. On that day, he expressed admiration for South Middleton School District and asked School Board President Elizabeth Knouse if it would be possible for him to serve as superintendent on a long-term basis.

From Aug. 23 to Sept. 2, the South Middleton School Board convened six executive sessions to discuss personnel issues  mostly surrounding the proposal to hire Estep to be superintendent for a period not to exceed three years, board vice president John Greenbaum said Tuesday. He thanked Estep for changing his plans.

I know you had turnover in your leadership staff, Estep said. I feel reinvigorated because three to four weeks ago I was eyeing what I was going to do in retirement.

Im hoping I can be the right person at the right time, he said. I want to come in and help stabilize things. I want to help finish the assembly of the leadership team over the next few years. Because my greatest area of strength is in financial affairs, I want to dig into the finances to make sure we are in a good place and continue to head in a good direction.
York led a small group of badly outnumbered American soldiers behind German lines to disrupt machine gunfire in the woods of northern France during the waning weeks of the war. More than 20 German soldiers were killed and 132 captured, winning York widespread fame and a Medal of Honor.

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Mastriano, a Republican who represents Franklin County in southcentral Pennsylvania, did not respond to messages left at his Capitol office and on his cellphone Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It feels like the integrity is coming back, hopefully this new edition next year will finally correct these issues that have been prevalent and help get the story back on track," said James Gregory, a doctoral student in history at the University of Oklahoma who has researched the actions of other men in York's unit.

In the 2014 book "Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne," Mastriano repeatedly dismissed any notion that there is a legitimate dispute about the site where he claims this battle took place. He has claimed that "we know with certainty the location of the York action," that it was "discovered with 100% certainty" and that it "has been located and verified."
As for what should happen to the leprechaun, ODowd continues, He needs to retire to Gloca Morra where theres a twinkle in every eye and a begob and begorrah on everyones lips and a drink in every hand served by a bosomy barmaid who sings Toor a Loora Loora on demand.

But it seems the leprechaun isnt all that keen to walk off into the Emerald Isle sunset just yet. Notre Dame has officially declared this whole affair, Malarkey!

In both the upraised fists of the leprechaun mascot and the use of the word fighting, the intent is to recognize the determination of the Irish people and, symbolically, the universitys athletes, the university said in a statement.

Hopefully, this sets the record straight for those who incorrectly assumed the leprechaun is making fists because he had one too many Kilkenny Cream Ales and went looking for trouble.

If youre still not convinced, you can take it up with the leprechaun himself. He has his own Twitter account.

Kudos to Notre Dame and its supporters for not caving. I, while not a Notre Dame fame, happen to love leprechauns, even the pugnacious ones, and was only persuaded recently that they arent real. Im still not convinced.
To me, its not the journalism portrayed in Lou Grant that marks his importance. Nor is it his incredible performances in the television miniseries of Roots or Rich Man Poor Man; both of which I loved as a young girl, or the endearing Pixar film Up.

No, what resonates are the stands that Asner took when he wasnt acting, when he wasnt playing a role.

Look to his earliest memories for the seeds of the political and social activism that would later derail his career for two decades. Asners awareness of bigotry and willingness to not only stand up for the voiceless, but to do so at great personal cost, those impetuses were planted early.

Asners religious training, studying Hebrew and having a grandfather who was a Yiddish scholar, were deeply impactful. The term mensch was wisely included in several of the recent tributes.

Start with that junkyard, his fathers work. He wasnt the proprietor of a landfill, but rather the steward of business that found value where others didnt.

Both of Asners parents were immigrants, his mother from Russia and his father from Lithuania.

His two best buddies when the Asners lived near the stockyards, they were both Mexicans.
One thing should be clear about our 20 years in Afghanistan and any war  in-country help is critical.

Locals become interpreters and guides, people who forge connections for our military and literally aid us during any number of dangerous scenarios. No military accomplishes its mission without them.

Getting those people to safety, who in Afghanistan have now been branded as traitors by the Taliban and other extremists, was always going to be part of our withdrawal from the country.

And yet we are witnessing scenes of death and despair unfolding at the airport in Kabul. How did this happen?

The warning signs were there in the reams of inspector general reports that for years chronicled every aspect of our military and other efforts in Afghanistan.

But the reports clear warnings about problems with the Afghan special immigrant visa, which were initially intended to take around nine months to acquire, were obviously heeded too late.

Such visas are the route to migrant papers, which so many Afghans now hold without a flight out, or are still desperately trying to obtain.
Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science associate professor at the University of the Philippines, said the fact that Duterte has the audacity to run and the party nominated him indicates they've been emboldened by the approval and trust ratings of the president despite the bungling of the pandemic response.

Polls indicate strong support for Duterte running in tandem with his daughter, Sara Duterte, as the candidate for president  though he suggested he might step out of the vice presidential race if she announces a bid for the top job.

Sara Duterte, 43, is currently the mayor of Davao City and is a member of the regional HNP party, which she founded in 2018. She has supported her father's party at the national level.

Under Philippine law, the vice president is elected separately from the president and Dutertes party on Wednesday nominated his longtime ally and former aide Sen. Christopher Bong Go for the candidacy.

But Go, who had told the party at the end of August that he had decided not to run for president, in what analysts suggested was a move to pave the way for Sara Dutertes candidacy, declined the nomination.
The popularity of the two parks and historic site, in addition to Hawn State Park and others in the area, contributed to what was estimated to be 18 million visitors as many as 10 years ago, when it was also estimated that for every dollar spent by Missouri State Parks to operate the state park system, Missouris economy saw a $26 return on investment.

Comparing the November 2017 and December 2020 annual data sheets for each property, the numbers look different between the non-pandemic year, and the year when three-fourths of the months were marked by COVID-19.

For St. Joe State Park, 2017 brought in 652,804 people by November, accounting for 30,431 ORV permits sold and bringing in $20,163 dollars in local and state sales tax. In December 2020, the park tallied $22,245 in local and state sales tax and 36,032 ORV permits sold, but saw fewer people in attendance, with just 442,191 visitors.

St. Francois State Park brought in 280,011 visitors by December 2020 as compared to November 2017s 287,612, but it brought in $11,811 in state and local sales tax in 2020, more than 2017s $9,833 total.

While the two parks saw mild reduction in 2020 visitors, the Missouri Mines State Historic Site saw an increase in attendance compared with 2017. By December 2020, the site had 42,756 visitors, compared with 40,615 by November 2017.

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com.

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Mayor Nikuyah Walker apologized for the firing of Police Chief RaShall Brackney during Tuesdays City Council meeting.

I would just like to thank Chief Brackney for her leadership and apologize on behalf of the city for a termination that has tarnished her reputation, Walker said during the Recognitions and Proclamations portion of the meeting.

[Brackney] someone whos managed to survive in an institution of policing for over 30 years  and to be able to show up in this city after 2017, take all the torment and vitriol that shes experienced and most of it was not based on any facts, and still attempt to reform a police department that clearly doesnt want reform, Walker said.

Walker spoke for about eight minutes.

  to take what doesnt seem like much information and terminate her in this very public way  that is shameful, Walker said.

But Walker  like all other members of the City Council  was not involved in the decision and had no power to stop it. Walker said she was unaware of the decision until it was announced. The police chief is hired, managed and, sometimes, fired by the city manager.
Within hours, the pieces were gone. They were hauled away on a flatbed truck to cheers from the remaining crowd and claps of thunder from a midday storm. The pedestal is to remain for now, although workers are expected to remove a time capsule from the structure on Thursday.

The work proceeded under a heavy police presence, with streets closed for blocks around the area, but no arrests were reported, and no counter protesters emerged.

Those who opposed the statues removal often noted its artistic significance and Virginias centrality to the Civil War. They argued that taking the statues down would amount to erasing a key part of the commonwealths history. As recently as several years ago, key government officials argued for keeping it in place.

After a rally of white supremacists in the city of Charlottesville erupted into violence in 2017, other Confederate monuments started falling around the country. But at the time, local governments in Virginia were hamstrung by a state law protecting memorials to war veterans. That law was amended by the new Democratic majority at the Statehouse and signed by Northam, allowing localities to decide the monuments fate as of July 1, 2020.
"You don't realize unless you're right here how large that is, especially when you see it in comparison to the man. This is a day that's been a long time coming," Northam said.

"Any remnant like this that glorifies the Lost Cause of the Civil War, it needs to come down. This is, you know, hopefully a new day, a new era in Virginia. And in this country where, you know, we can welcome people and we can embrace diversity. And there's no more important place to do that one on Monument Avenue, leading right to the capital of what used to be the Confederacy."

"This is a step in the right direction but that doesn't mean that everything's fixed. We still have a lot of work to do."

"It took longer than we thought. But the day is here. And I think it's pretty apropos that the only remaining monument on this tree-lined street is Arthur Ashe, and I'm pretty confident he'll withstand the test of time," Stoney said.

"I think there's a lot of opportunities, not just here at the circle but the whole treelined street. I'm going to trust the process that our partnership will produce hearing from the community, and hearing from the neighbors directly who live here, and I'm confident we're going to produce something that's the opposite of what this is," Stoney said pointing to the strapped-up statue.
To even that playing field, the job site Indeed says it may put screens in its office kitchens to enable at-home workers to chat casually with the in-office ones. But could that possibly work? Talking into a laptop to colleagues in an office 100 miles away seems no more an intimate experience than communicating with your 200 friends on Facebook.

Is it fair to let people who come into work enjoy advantages over those doing much the same thing from their family rooms?

It is. First off, in-person collaboration is essential to many corporate cultures. Thats the case at Apple, according to CEO Tim Cook. As a concession to those who dont want to be chained to the office five days a week, Apple said it would develop a hybrid plan whereby workers could come in only three days. Some Apple employees have objected even to that, insisting that they want to perform their jobs where they choose.

But showing up, alas, is often part of the job description. Besides, many workers  nurses, police, kitchen staff  never had a choice of making a living from the comforts of home.
By their very simplicity, they starkly illustrate just how twisted the old districts were.

The first go at redesigned districts was presented by two consultants assisting the commission  one appointed by Republicans and one appointed by Democrats (an example of the partisanship that crept back into the process, as mentioned earlier).

Their party origins aside, the two consultants came up with a redistricting plan for Northern Virginia that is remarkably balanced geographically.

Dont celebrate too soon, however, for there are some sticking points.

The pair did not take into account where incumbent lawmakers now live.

We consciously did not look at incumbents, partly because of the time crunch  the commission is on a tight deadline  and partly because we had not received direction from the commission, said Ken Strasma, the consultant chosen by the Democrats.

And so the straightforward, rationally designed districts that the consultants devised have ended up placing some incumbents in the same district. Since only one lawmaker can represent each district, the changes automatically set up potential losses for incumbents.
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Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
How many games will the Broncos win during the 2021 season?

You voted:
Louisville-based Sierra Space inked a deal with Kanematsu Corp. of Japan in an effort to open up its space programs to a more global market.

The companies are opening up global access to low-Earth orbit (LEO) with Sierras Dream Chaser spaceplane and LIFE habitats space station allowing for new business opportunities in space, according to a Wednesday news release.

The company recently broke off from Sierra Nevada Corp. to become its own entity. It has about 1,200 employees, 700 of which are in Colorado. The company is looking to hire more than 170 more in Colorado.

Kanematsu previously supported Sierra Space on multiple Japanese cooperative programs. The expanded agreement focuses on the development of Commercial LEO Space Station partnerships in the Japanese space market.

LEO commercialization needs to be a global effort and Kanematsu is a key partner for Sierra Space. As an innovative leader at the intersection of aerospace, electronics, materials, technology, and manufacturing, Kanematsu shares Sierra Spaces vision for the new space economy, said Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space, in a statement. We are very pleased to enter into a new, expanded agreement with Kanematsu to foster international relationships and further deploy Sierra Space technology as well as leverage the impressive capabilities of Japanese industry for our commercial space station.

Kanematsu brings a wealth of experience in the marketplace and we are proud to have them represent the commercial business of Sierra Space in Japan.

Colorado and Japan are becoming fast partners when it comes to the race to space. Just last month Japan-based ispace Inc. announced a Denver location to join ispaces operations in Luxembourg and Japan, developing robotic spacecraft technologies. At the 2021 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs last month, Denver-based ispace technologies USA unveiled the companys Series 2 lunar lander to carry bigger payloads, have the ability to land or orbit the moon, and survive a lunar night.

We are very excited to have a strong relationship with Sierra Space, the world leader of commercial space industry especially on the free-flying commercial space station and Dream Chaser, said Ryoichi Kidokoro, senior executive officer of Kanematsus Motor Vehicle & Aerospace Division. Our commitment to contribute to the Japanese space industry as well as our heritage and experience in the space business of more than 20 years in Japan, will bring additional value to the Japanese customers and enables both Sierra Space and Kanematsu to become successful in the Japanese market.

"There are huge opportunities and potential collaborations in the free-flying commercial space station in Japan, with both heritage space and non-space companies.

Here's a link to Sierra Space's video rendering of the project.
Ugandas number three operator, Africell, is to leave the country after seven years.

In a letter circulated to its employees the company says it will cease operations on 7 October, although staff employment will end on 30 November. The letter to its staff says that Africell will no longer accept new customers. The remaining period will allow existing customers to migrate to other networks.

A statement by the company blames stiff competition  and it does seem that Africell hasnt found it easy competing with the local units of MTN and Bharti Airtel.

MTN Uganda has more than ten million subscribers. Africell has about 2.3 million subscribers in Uganda, according to the firm's website.

UK-based Africell Group entered the Ugandan market in 2014 by acquiring Orange Uganda. It also has operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia and Sierra Leone, and is planning to launch operations in Angola by the end of this year.

Ugandan press reports say it has been mostly known for its affordable internet service packages and relative network stability. In fact the Uganda Communications Commission last year rated Africell top performer in terms of service delivery.

However, Ugandan reports also say that, in 2019, the company was reported to be in debt to the tune of 250 billion shillings (about $70.7 million), a debt that may partly have been inherited from Orange. In the same year it made a loss of more than 1.5 trillion shillings (about $424 million). Ziad Daoud was named Chief Executive in 2019 in efforts to stabilize the company. He resigned in March 2021 and was replaced by Houssam Jaber.

In August this year, another Ugandan operator, Smart Telecom, announced it was leaving Uganda after failing to realize its business objectives.
The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, has submitted an offer to buy a 60% stake in the mobile phone towers unit of the kingdoms second-largest telecom company, Zain KSA.

PIF's offer to buy a 60% stake for $484 million in Zain Saudi Arabias towers infrastructure in a deal that would value the unit at SAR3 billion ($807m), said local media reports.

In a filing with the Saudi Stock Exchange, the operator stated its board approved the non-binding offers. Prince Saud Bin Fahad and Sultan Holding Company will each take 10% stakes.

Combined, the three investors will take over 8,069 towers. Zain will keep ownership of the remaining 20% of the tower unit, including wireless communication antennas, software, technology, and IP.

If the deal goes ahead it would be the first sale of telecoms infrastructure in the kingdom, despite years of the three main mobile operators trying to reach a deal with each other or with external investors.

Zain KSA is the Saudi unit of Kuwait-based telecoms operator Zain Group.

The offers submitted do not represent any binding commitment and the final agreements are subject to the approval of the official authorities, internal approvals of the respective acquirers, the completion of satisfactory due diligence by the acquirers, and any other conditions that may be agreed between the parties, Zain KSA said.

Earlier this year JV plans between Zain KSA and fellow Saudi telecoms player Etihad Etisalat Co., or Mobily, to merge the towers of both under a single entity fell through when Mobily backed out citing strategic reasons.
Namibia's largest telecommunications company, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC Namibia) is set to list on the Stock Exchange (NSX) by the end of November 2021 and 367.5 million shares are to be made available to the general public, MTC chairperson Theo Mberirua said.

Namibias largest mobile network operator (MNO) by subscribers expects to generate between N$3 billion and N$ 3.5 billion (210 to 245 million U.S. dollars) from the public sale, with historically disadvantaged Namibians getting first priority in acquiring a share in the company.

The general public can expect soon to be listed MTC shares to be more affordable after the company split its shares in a 1:30 ratio. This split was revealed by the company's chief financial officer, Thinus Smit, who said it would ensure affordability.

This split has now led to MTC's initial 25 million shares to be subdivided, into small rations, but at a cheaper price  and now the company has an issued share capital of 750 million shares. Of these 750 million shares, the state will get rid of 367.5 million shares, representing 49%, which is expected to rake in between N$3 and N$3.5 billion.

State holding company Namibia Post and Telecommunications Holdings Limited will retain a minimum of 51% of MTC post-listing.

It is anticipated that the prospectus will open on 20 September and that MTC will be listed before the end of November 2021.

A few days ago, the Minister of Public Enterprises, Leon Jooste said that MTC Namibia has proposed the largest public offer by a Namibian firm since the founding of NSX, which is a total of 49% of its ordinary shares.
Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC on Maintenance on International Peace and Security

News

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Ireland.

First, I want to sincerely thank the Elders for being with us today. President Robinson and Elder Emeritus Brahimi, your briefings were both important and alarming. I also thank former Presidents Johnson Sirleaf and Zedillo for your presence with us today. This Council needs the wisdom, clarity and courage that your messages convey.

Mary, Lakhdar, you have called our attention to the deep challenges we face. The challenges we often struggle to recognise, and the challenges we have many times failed to address.

In your calls you recognise a common inescapable reality: the challenges we face are too great, and too global, for any one country, to overcome alone  whether a small island like my own, or a global superpower of whom there are several at this table. Thats why we all sit in this symbolic horseshoe, looking across at each other, talking about working together, not always succeeding in doing so.

Time and again, we pay lip service to the imperative of unity of purpose, to the need for this Council to listen to other voices, the voices of regional organisations and of influential and experienced actors, such as The Elders. Your messages today drive home the truth - we are bound together by our inaction, as well as by the responsibility for the consequences of that inaction.

The inescapable reality is that multilateralism must be at the heart of how we seek to deal with our global challenges, not least to the threats to international peace and security. That was the ambitious vision of the drafters of the Charter in 1945; with the almost unbridled optimism that their determination to work together could save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. That is actually the momentous responsibility placed on the shoulders of this Council every day. And that is the clarion call we heard this morning from the Elders.

For a small country like Ireland, multilateralism is in our DNA. We are a global island, deeply connected in everything we do. It is at the core of how we approach international peace and security. It is expressed in our commitment to the blue helmet of UN Peacekeeping. It is expressed in our commitment to promoting disarmament in Irelands foreign policy. And, it is grounded in our lived experience of conflict. An experience that continues to teach us that for peace processes to be sustainable, they must be inclusive, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable, often women and other marginalised groups, are not only heard but listened to. Our commitment to multilateralism is matched by our courage to defend it.

The threats to peace and security have changed since 1945. Today, climate change is the defining challenge of our generation. Its impact is global and our collective security is at risk. We have heard, first hand, in this Council how the negative effects of climate change are compounding other drivers of conflict such as poverty and inequality to undermine stability in regions like the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. If we fail to face up to the reality, the destabilising effects of climate change will eventually be felt in all countries.

We are using our Presidency this month to consider the concrete steps this Council can take in response to climate security risks. We must put the necessary systems in place to allow this Council to take account of the adverse impacts of climate change in the delivery of its mandate.

Like many around this table, and around the world, I am inspired by the work and the wisdom of the Elders. As an Irish woman, the words of Irelands former President Mary Robinson have particular resonance. Many have mentioned the crisis in Afghanistan today. With the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan foremost in my mind in recent weeks, I am reminded of something former President Robinson once said, and I quote:

In a society where the rights and potential of women are constrained, no man can be truly free. He may have power, but he will not have freedom.

This Council continues its urgent consideration of the situation in Afghanistan in debate on Thursday, and in the negotiation of the mandate for the UN mission in Afghanistan. As we do so, I call on this Council to do everything in its power to promote and to protect the human rights of the brave women of Afghanistan. A key measure of the new dispensation in Kabul will be how it treats its women and girls.

Afghanistan is but one of the many crises which this Council is grappling with. From Ethiopia to Yemen, to Haiti and Syria, we must work together on collective responses to increasingly complex challenging circumstances. The promotion of respect for human rights, including the protection of civil society space and of human rights defenders, must lie at the heart of our commitment to these and other countries in crisis.

It is a lesson hard learned that at the Security Council, we simply cannot afford to be divided on issues that require urgent action. If and when we are divided, the vulnerable in fragile contexts suffer the consequences. Appeals for a united Council may sound idealistic, but this is not merely an ideal. This is a reality for millions of vulnerable people around the world. These people, many faced with war, famine, sexual violence in conflict  are relying on us, here in this room, to come together and to act. This is our responsibility, individually and collectively. That was the promise of the Charter in 1945. That is still the promise of the Charter in 2021. We know that The Elders are working tirelessly to help realise that promise and we will rely on your encouragement today to fortify our efforts at this table.

I will now resume my function as President of this Council.

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It may not be the worst intersection in the world, but on school days between 7:40-8:20 a.m. and 3-3:20 p.m. the corner of D Street and Mountain View Road is easily the worst intersection in Moscow.
The Baptist College of Florida (BCF) in Graceville will host a professional development symposium for the schools Teacher Education Division on Thursday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The event will be held in the Kinchen Center on the BCF campus. Dr. Terri L. Mossgrove will be the special guest speaker.

Mossgrove is a career educator and researcher focused on providing meaningful and equitable educational opportunities for diverse student populations, and specifically multilingual learners.

She has worked with students in Pre-K-12 schools, adult literacy, and English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Currently, she serves as the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) chair and adjunct professor at BCF and is a professional learning specialist for World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

During the symposium, participants will consider how Florida standards and the WIDA English Language Development Standards framework fit together. Florida has been a member of the WIDA Consortium since 2015 when it adopted the WIDA English Language Development Standards.
The Baptist College of Florida (BCF) in Graceville will host its annual Missions Conference, scheduled for Monday, Oct. 18, through Wednesday, Oct. 20.

The theme this year is Turning Challenges into Opportunities.

During this event, BCF faculty, students, and staff will join with representatives from a wide variety of missions agencies to discuss the new challenges facing the world, and the subsequent opportunities that are opening as a result, BCF advised in a press release.

The annual conference is punctuated each morning with a chapel service at 9:30 a.m. in the R.G. Lee Chapel located on the BCF campus. Missions displays will be set up in the BCF Wellness Center Monday, Oct. 18, from 10:30 a.m.4:30 p.m., Tuesday from 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.8 p.m., and Wednesday from 8 a.m.12 p.m.

In addition, a student lunch will be served on Tuesday by the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief Team, and there will be a Missions Round-Table Discussion Tuesday evening in the Wellness Center. The Missions Conference will conclude on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at noon.
ABBEVILLE  Lindsay Rane Carter has been selected by Yellowhammer Multimedia to receive a 2021 Women of Impact Award. Carter, an attorney and director of external affairs for Great Southern Wood Preserving Inc., is one of 20 women selected for this years class of honorees.

The announcement from Yellowhammer said the awards are a celebration of strong women who shape and propel Alabama.

The list for this year  the fourth for the Alabama-based media outlet  includes respected leaders, advisers and mentors who empower others through the lives they devote and trails they blaze across non-profit, business and governmental sectors, according to Yellowhammer News. From renowned medical experts to small business owners and innovators  soldiers on the front lines against COVID-19, to champions fighting for a better Alabama every day  these women are a force in our great state and we are delighted to tell their stories.

The honorees will be profiled individually on the Yellowhammernews.com website, beginning Sept. 1.

Carter, a graduate of Auburn University, joined Great Southerns corporate legal department in 2012 where she worked as a legal assistant while pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from Faulkner Universitys Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery.
They were nice people. It doesnt make sense. I cant get it through my head," Rivera said.

The girl who survived is in stable condition at a Tampa hospital, officials said. A family statement said she has already undergone four surgeries to repair 10 wounds but is alert, reading, writing and generally in good spirits. The Associated Press is not identifying her because of her age.

She was very scared when this happened, but she just prayed during the event and knew it would be OK, their statement to WTVT-TV said. We appreciate all the well wishes, kind words and prayers.

Gleason's mother, Pamela Freeman, declined to comment Tuesday.

Thirty miles (48 kilometers) from the shooting, no one answered the door Tuesday at Rileys home in the Tampa suburb of Brandon. The house was already decorated for Halloween, with a scarecrow and jack-o-lanterns. Neighbors said Riley was quiet and didnt socialize, but last week he stopped John Morris wife, who has cancer, and said, I want to pray for you.

It was odd. He didnt make it loud or anything. He didnt talk to us much and then all of a sudden he comes up with this, said Morris, 77.
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation. It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world.

Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center was an accident. However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error. It was traumatic and terrifying. I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day. Allow me to share some of their experiences.

Today, only two members of our current congressional delegation were in Congress at the time: Sen. Richard Shelby and Congressman Robert Aderholt. Shelby was actually chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. He was immediately briefed by the CIA; however, amazingly, he was not placed in a protective bunker. He quietly sat in his office with his staff and watched the day unfold on television.

Congressman Robert Aderholt, who was a brand new 33-year old congressman, recalls he and his wife, Caroline, were taking their daughter to her first day of school while all the 9/11 events were unfolding. That daughter, Mary Elliott, is now a senior at Auburn.
German companies in Vietnam look to diversify supply chain due to Covid

A ship docks at the Tan Cang Cai Mep Terminal in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa

Ninety percent of German companies in Vietnam are seeking new or additional suppliers in Asia Pacific due to mobility restrictions in the country.

The majority of respondents, 83 percent, reported supply bottlenecks and price increases caused by transport problems, according to a survey by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).

What has led to the current transport problems are a lack of freight capacity and containers.

Other issues that caused supply bottlenecks are increased demand or insufficient production capacity (67 percent) and halted supplier production (58 percent).

The impacts of supply bottlenecks on German companies are longer waiting times, higher purchase prices and production halts or downsizing, according to 58 percent of respondents.

Half of respondents have no choice but to either increase or plan to increase the manufacturing prices of their products.

Two-thirds of German companies are also considering relocating their production to the E.U.

The Vietnam survey is part of the global enquiry by DIHK, which polled 3,000 business leaders from Jul. 22 to Aug. 9.
Pets are not immune to the privations of the Covid-19 outbreak in HCMC: Their owners are unable to get them food or veterinary care amid the lockdown restrictions.

Nguyen Huy Hoang was thrilled when his groceries finally arrived last weekend a week after he had ordered. The resident of HCMCs District 1 now has enough food to last a week, but has no idea how to buy food for his two cats.

He says: "They are not a fan of rice and meat, so I feed them dry cat food and pate, but it is takes too long to get those things at the moment."

When HCMC authorities imposed social distancing and required people to stay at home, many pet stores had to shut down since they are not "essential."

Hoang resorted to ordering online in local supermarkets, but had to "book 3-4 times and wait for days" due to the shortage of delivery workers.

He is among a large number of pet owners in the city who have struggled to buy food for their animals or take them to the vet amid the month-long lockdown.

Cats adopted by CJ van Vuuren and her team. Photo courtesy of Animal Welfare Awareness Movement and Cat Sanctuary

In a locked-down area in Binh Thanh District, Nguyen Quynh Tram, a student, tried to feed her two cats shredded chicken and fish after she ran out of cat food two weeks ago.

"But they only eat one or two bites and sometimes do not come near their bowls," she laments. She contacted many pet stores, but the waiting time was too long.

"And of course I could not ask the volunteers to help me buy pet food since it is not listed as essential."

She was jumping for joy when city officials allowed delivery services to resume operations in high-risk areas on August 30, but found that like Hoang she had to wait for days before her orders arrived.

While food is a big concern, many pet owners are also anxious they cannot take their furry friends for veterinary care.

CJ van Vuuren, founder of Animal Welfare Awareness Movement and Cat Sanctuary in District 2's Thao Dien Ward, says it is a desperate time for pets, owners and animal rescue groups since only a few vets are open and it is hard to reach them due to the travel restrictions.

"I am very frustrated because three cats at my shelter died recently."

Some illnesses can be treated at home but others require serious veterinary care and treatment, she points out.

In July netizens were shocked to know about two youngsters in the southern province of Long An who were fined for taking a cat to a local veterinary clinic after it was deemed an invalid reason.

"Veterinary services are not essential," Duong Minh Tri, deputy head of Long Ans veterinary department, said.

A dog owner and his canine in HCMC, July 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Many people are also worried about their pets mental health since they have been cooped up inside for too long.

Vuuren says some of her friends dogs are now "depressed and destructive."

"Since they were trained to [poo] outside, they refuse to do it on fake grass indoors. Some said their dogs are frustrated and running around and destroying things inside the house," she worries this could lead to serious kidney problems.

Some people are unable to take care of their pets because they have been sent to quarantine.

Many families have hung signs outside their houses asking strangers to feed their dogs and cats through the gates while they are away.

Some others have come to grips with the fact they cannot take care of their pets anymore because of the financial burden.

Hong Anh of Tan Binh District wrote in a Facebook group called Nhan Nuoi Cho- Meo Bi Bo Roi (Adopt Abandoned Dogs And Cats): "I have to move and cannot afford to have my puppy any more. I can give him for free as long as you love him and can come to my place to pick him up."

A dog plays with a box of grass on a balcony in HCMC. Photo courtesy of Nguyen Minh Anh

Helping hands

Online groups have become a place for pet owners to seek support.

From finding pet stores and making pet food to looking for new shelters, the online community offers Saigon pet owners well-meaning advice, hoping they can overcome the lockdown.

Many people and groups have adopted cats and dogs they saw on the streets before finding them new homes through Facebook groups like Nhan Nuoi Cho- Meo Bi Bo Roi.

In District 2, Elizabeth Homfray and her team at Laws For Paws Vietnam, a volunteer organization working for the welfare of dogs, have rescued numerous abandoned dogs and cats amid the lockdown.

Homfray tells VnExpress International: "We adopted Richie, who was left behind by a woman who moved back to England. And also Buddy. He was adopted after a foreigner had a mental breakdown and had to move back to England for treatment."

With HCMC still in the throes of the Covid outbreak and with more than 265,000 patients and a lockdown without an end in sight, pet owners know they have to adapt by changing their pets food and hope they have no health issues in the absence of veterinary services.

Those with Covid and isolated at home keep away from their pets too, fearing the animals will get infected.

In guidelines issued last week on how to take care of Covid-19 patients at home, the health ministry said patients and their family members should neither come into contact with pets, nor let the animals come into contact with other people and animals.

"I put my two cats in one bedroom while I stay in another bedroom with Covid," Nguyen Truong Thinh of District 11 says.

"I wanted to install a camera in my room so I can see them all day, but no one can do that at the moment," he lamented.

"With people dying and struggling with this outbreak, some people might say we are selfish since we only care about our pets. But pets are [also] family members."
People at a Covid-19 vaccination station in Hanoi in July, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has asked Singapore for support with Covid-19 vaccines, emphasizing that it was an urgent issue for Vietnam now.

In a phone call with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan Tuesday, minister Son expressed high appreciation of Singapore's support so far, especially its commitment to provide essential medical equipment and supplies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

A foreign ministry statement said that Son stressed the issue's urgency for Vietnam in order to protect the health of its people, including experts and foreign citizens living and working in Vietnam.

Son congratulated Singapore on becoming the first country in the world to have 80 percent of the national population with two doses, and suggested that it considers supporting or transferring spare vaccine doses to Vietnam as soon as possible, either via government aid or the Covax facility.

Foreign Minister Balakrishnan said Singapore always attached importance to its strategic partnership with Vietnam and believed Vietnam will soon control the pandemic.

He said Singapore was ready to support nearby countries, including Vietnam, with medical equipment, test kits as well as vaccines as soon as possible.

He hoped that the two sides could soon reopen their borders, facilitating the travel of citizens of both countries.

In their talks, the two ministers agreed to organize soon the 14th political consultation between their foreign ministries in preparation for upcoming high-level visits.

Singapore's Temasek Foundation on Monday presented Vietnam with 16 ventilators and hundreds of thousands of medical protective gear.

Vietnam aims to receive 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to inoculate 70 percent of its 96-million population in order to achieve herd immunity by April next year.

So far, more than 22.67 million people have been vaccinated, with over 3.4 million getting two doses.
Saudi eases travel restrictions imposed over Covid, Vietnam still in ban list

A Saudi man wearing a face mask arrives at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 16, 2021. Photo by Reuters

Saudi Arabia said Tuesday it was lifting a ban on travel to three countries after imposing the restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19.

The kingdom would reopen on Wednesday its land, sea and air ports to the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Argentina, the official SPA news agency reported, citing an interior ministry source.

The UAE, and especially Dubai, is a key leisure destination for Saudis. In May, Saudi Arabia allowed its citizens vaccinated against the coronavirus to travel after a year-long ban.

It later decided to allow only fully vaccinated citizens to travel from August 9.

Riyadh's decision to lift the ban came hours after a phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, SPA reported.

Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and from the UAE along with Vietnam and Ethiopia on July 3, after these countries recorded cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The kingdom has administered more than 38 million doses of vaccines against Covid, according to figures published by the health ministry on Tuesday.

It has so far recorded more than 545,000 cases of coronavirus, including over 8,500 deaths.
A humanitarian disaster is brewing in Ethiopias Tigray region and the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara. Nine months of fighting between militant groups supporting the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces have left Tigrays civilian population with few resources. By early June, up to 900,000 Tigrayans were facing starvation and 5.2 million people, nearly 90 percent of the population, needed food aid.

Hope that conditions might improve arrived on June 28, when the Ethiopian Government announced a unilateral humanitarian cease fire and the withdrawal of Ethiopian National Defense Forces from Mekelle. However, Tigray remains cut off from vital services, including humanitarian delivery of food and fuel. Roads into the region have been blocked off, a bridge that served as the only land conduit into central Tigray was destroyed, and requests for permits to fly humanitarian aid from Addis Ababa to Tigray have been ignored.

The expansion of the conflict into neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar has also taken its toll, with hundreds of thousands of internally-displaced persons in these regions in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Eritrean refugees in northern Ethiopia have also been attacked both by the Eritrean Defense Forces and by militants associated with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front  attacks the United States condemns in the strongest possible terms. USAID is committed to helping the people of Ethiopia by continuing to provide life-saving assistance, including in Amhara and Afar, as security allows.

The flow of humanitarian assistance [to Tigray] remains woefully insufficient. This shortage is not because food is unavailable, but because the Ethiopian Government is obstructing humanitarian aid and personnel, including land convoys and air access, said USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres noted that Humanitarian organizations require roughly 100 trucks worth of assistance and supplies to reach Mekelle every day. Yet, since mid-July, an average of less than 10 trucks per day have been able to get through.

According to the United Nations, if aid delivery does not resume soon, there will be an imminent threat to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, while hundreds of thousands more are poised to slide into starvation.

The U[nited] S[tates], said Administrator Power, calls on the Ethiopian Government to immediately allow humanitarian assistance to swiftly move into Tigray in order to prevent a catastrophic stop to food assistance that millions need to survive.
Sept. 7

Kuyron Benally, 45, of Jackpot was arrested at 1790 Jaguar Drive for battery on a protected person and on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $5,110

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Rudy Carrillo Jr., 22, of Elko was arrested at 208 Idaho St. for failure to appear on a traffic citation. Bail: $640

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Justin P. Mauldin, 31, of Battle Mountain was arrested at the Salt Lake County Jail for violation of probation and on a criminal justice detainer.

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Sarkis Meguerditchian, 41, of Murray, Utah, was arrested in Salt Lake City for violation of probation.

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Luna N. Serrano, 46, of Sacramento was arrested at Elko County Jail on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime. Bail: $25,000

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Mart T. Watts, 59, of Ogden, Utah was arrested at the Rainbow Casino for driving under the influence, failure to yield, and on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $1,460

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I am scared if they split us and not let us leave, she said. If we cant get out of here, something wrong will happen. And I am afraid of that.

The former U.S. military interpreter, at the hotel with his family of eight children and wife, said he would expect beheading by the Taliban given his work with the U.S. military, and based on what rights groups say are past Taliban attacks on Afghan civilians who have worked with U.S. forces.

They'll probably kill him, McGrath agreed, expressing fear for the man's children as well.

The interpreter had always told his American comrades that he believed his work with them was in service of his own country, the retired colonel said. He put a lot on the line by lining up with us, McGrath said.

An array of Americans -- many of them with some past experience in Afghanistan, or other ties -- have been working for weeks to try to help evacuate at-risk Afghans. Much of that effort is focused now on the planes in Mazar-e-Sharif.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  More than 14 months before the midterm elections, the Republican frontrunner in Nevada's U.S. Senate race is raising fears of voter fraud and talking about preemptively mounting legal challenges  a sign that the election denialism that marked the last cycle may carry over into the next.

Adam Laxalt, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is aiming to unseat Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and thus swing power to Republicans in the now-evenly split chamber.

With me at the top of the ticket, were going to be able to get everybody at the table and come up with a full plan, do our best to try to secure this election, get as many observers as we can, and file lawsuits early, if there are lawsuits we can file to try to tighten up the election, he told radio host Wayne Allyn Root on Aug. 24.

He's one of many Republican candidates running for state and federal office next year that remain committed to the false narrative that the 2020 election was stolen or tainted by fraud.

Laxalt, the grandson of former Nevada Sen. Paul Laxalt and son of former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, served as state attorney general from 2015 to 2019 and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2018.
The group announced an interim government, once again declaring Afghanistan an "Islamic Emirate". This means there will be the leader, or Amir al-Mu'minin, who will hold executive power over the other arms of government. Afghanistan will also have a Prime Minister and two Deputy Prime Ministers.

No women are represented in the government as of the first announcement, a move that has been swiftly condemned by groups inside the country as well as globally.

The big names

Hibatullah Akhundzada, Leader - He is believed to be in his 60s and has been the leader of the Taliban since 2016. The old leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is believed to have been killed in 2013 in a US airstrike. Akhundzada is in charge of political, military and religious affairs.

Mullah Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister - A founder of the Taliban. He previously served in the first Taliban government between 1996 and 2001, as deputy prime minister and foreign minister. He is currently on a UN sanctions list.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister - Co-founder of the Taliban. He was captured in 2010, only being released as part of a prisoner swap with the US in 2018. In 2020, he helped negotiate the Doha agreement and personally spoke to President Trump.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, Interior Minister - On the FBI wanted list with a $5 million dollar bounty on his head. He is the head of the Haqqani network, which is infamous for committing horrible atrocities during the war. The US designates it as a terrorist organization.

Mohammad Yaqoob, Defense Minister - Son of Mullah Mohammed Omar and believed to be in his 30s. Associated Press reported that, during the Taliban sweep across the country, Yaqoob had implored allies not to act in retribution against Afghan government forces they captured.

The reaction has been poor

Despite the announcement being yesterday, there has already been protests in Afghanistan against the lack of women's representation in the new government. Reportedly, women were beaten before the protest was dispersed with aerial gunfire. In response, the Taliban spokesperson said there would be further announcements regarding the full cabinet, which is yet to be finalized.

The EU criticized the Taliban for backtracking on promises to be "inclusive and representative". After a meeting of 20 Western nations on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban's government "certainly does not meet the test of inclusivity, and it includes people who have very challenging track records".

"The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support - any legitimacy, any support, will have to be earned," he said.
Recall elections are gaining interest in the mainstream as the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, faces an election of this nature on 14 September.

One question circulating is if it is possible to remove a president through a recall election.



When the drafters of the constitution were evaluating the punishments Senators and Presidents could be subjected to, recalls were ruled out.

The President of the United States cannot be recalled. Rather they can be impeached and removed from office by Congress. An act of this nature was attempted twice under Presidnet Donald Trump. However, each time, he was acquitted in the Senate after being impeached in the house.



In most states that allow a recall election to take place, voters in the state decided the fate of the governor or other official. When it comes to impeachment, only those in the House of Representatives and Senate vote on the matter.

Which political offices can be recalled?

The only high-level politicians in the US who can be recalled are governors. In twenty states, governors can be recalled through various means. The remaining states do not have laws on the books that allow for the removal of a governor through recall elections.

Additionally, most small political jurisdictions in the US, such as countries, cities, and towns, allow for the recall of public officials. Most recently, in 2020, city council members in Santa Cruz, California, and Sebastian, Florida, were recalled because of misconduct and allegations of malfeasance, respectively.

Gubernatorial Recalls

Although only two governors have ever been successfully recalled in US history, a fifth of states have laws on the books allowing the practice. However, various types of recalls exist in the US, and they can be broken down into four major categories:

Simultaneous recall election;

Separate special election;

Retention recall election; and

Recall trial.

Simultaneous recall election

Six states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, North Dakota, and Wisconsin -- allow for a simultaneous recall election which can take two forms.

The first is what Ballotopedia calls a standard subnational election, in which any number of challenges in which any number of challengers may appear on the ballot alongside the sitting governor.

If one of the challengers garner more votes than the sitting governor in the election, they assume power. If the governor receives more votes, then they maintain their position.

The second type of election is called a two-part election in which registered voters are asked two questions:

Should the current governor be recalled?

And if so, who should replace them?

Should the majority of voters vote not to recall the governor, the second question is considered void.

A two-part election is what is occurring in California.

Voters are asked whether they would like to recall Gavin Newsom, and if they vote YES, they are asked who they believe should replace him. While Gavin Newsom currently holds the lead in the polls, Democrats are wary after Gov. Gray Davis was recalled in 2003, leading to the governorship of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Separate special election

The next type of recall is called a separate special election and is similar to the two-part election described above.

Rather than the ballot posing two questions, the election process is broken into two phases. During the first phase, voters are asked one question: if they would like to recall the governor. If a majority votes to remove the leader, another election is taken place to elect the successor.

In most cases, the lieutenant governor takes over until the special election can take place.



This recall is the most common and forms part of state law in Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island.

Retention recall election

The third type of recall is known as a retention recall election and can be seen in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, and Washington.

This type of recall shares some similarities with the separate special election.

Elections are held to ask voters if they would like to recall the governor. If a majority votes to keep them in office, they remain. However, if a majority chooses to recall, the governor must step down and normally replace the lieutenant governor until elections are held; no special election is held.

Recall trial

Recall trials are the least common form of removing a governor. Only Virginia uses this method.

In Virginia, the governor is tried before a circuit court. In the case the governor would rather be heard by a jury, a request can be made. Should the decision not go in the governors favor, an appeal can be made to the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Should the court find that the recall is valid, the governor will be removed from office and replaced.

What governors have been removed from office?

The first governor to be removed from office through a recall was Lynn Frazier of North Dakota in 1921. After being re-elected for a second term, an economic depression rocked the state, leading to a grassroots movement calling for the recall of Gov. Frazier.

Until 2003, Frazier was the only governor to have been recalled.

However, California governor Gray Davis lost his recall election and was succeeded by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Davis had been elected for a second term. Still, shortly after, a Republican-led by Representative Darrell Issa, who had hoped to replace Davis, gathered enough signatures to prompt a recall.

The petition circulated read [Governor Davis's actions were a] gross mismanagement of California Finances by overspending taxpayers' money, threatening public safety by cutting funds to local governments, failing to account for the exorbitant cost of the energy, and failing in general to deal with the state's major problems until they get to the crisis stage.

Although leading up to the election many polls showed him the lead, Davis lost the recall with the YES votes representing around 55 percent.
The most draconian abortion law in the US has gone into effect this week. Abortion after six weeks of pregnancy is banned, a period where many women don't yet know they are even pregnant. Abortion is also banned even in cases of rape or incest. The law also encourages people to file lawsuits against those that practice these abortions and those who recommend others to having one, with reward of up to $10,000.

The law hasn't appeared from nowhere and it has been supported not just by conservative politicians and groups, but also many big businesses, who regularly profess their support for women's rights on social media. Their financial support over the years has been documented by Popular Information, a newsletter that regularly exposes company funding practices, has listed huge companies in America that have funded groups that support the law.

Even those companies which are silently standing by, not in terms of posting tweets but with real action like boycotts, are complicit in allowing the State government to trample over women's rights.

These companies bankrolled the sponsors of the abortion ban

AT&T - 301,000



Comcast/NBCUniversal - $58,250

CVS Health - $72,500



UnitedHealth Group - $90,000



Anthem - $87,250



Charter Communications - $313,000



USAA - $152,000



Farmers Insurance - $120,000



General Motors - $72,750

What businesses have been against the law?

Lyft, the car hailing company, have said they would donate $1 million dollars to Planned Parenthood, as well as setting up a legal fund to cover drivers who may be sued for taking people to abortion clinics.

Uber has said they will also create a legal fund for their drivers. Bumble, the dating company, sent a memo to employees. The company generally does not take political stands unless it is relevant to our business, CEO Shar Dubey said in the memo. But in this instance, I personally, as a woman in Texas, could not keep silent.

Why have companies been silent?

In modern consumer society, consumers are as much influenced by what they want to buy as the values companies have that they are buying from. Businesses in the past have influenced debates surrounding abortion, such as in Alabama in 2019 where 200 CEOs denounced the abortion laws there. But if the financial impact is not significant enough, the nbusinesses are likely to play along.

Companies have been willing to take stands against other civil rights issues in Texas recently, but it seems abortion doesn't factor into this. In terms of the restrictive voting laws, companies were quick to address the issue. For example, American Airlines told the New York Timess DealBook the company had hoped for a different outcome and wanted legislation making it easier to vote, not harder. Perhaps companies, with the majority having male CEOs, just don't think it's an important enough issue.

Factoring into this, Texas has made a concerted effort in recent years to attract big business. Tesla has recently moved to the state from California, while Apple has recently built a new campus in Austin. Money talks, and as long as there isn't significant enough pressure on companies that will hurt their bottom line, then there probably won't be a greater pressure on the Texan government.
China has made marked progress in developing different types of COVID-19 vaccines, including two nucleic acid vaccines soon to enter late-stage clinical trials overseas, a senior health official said on Tuesday.

Zheng Zhongwei, head of China's COVID-19 vaccine development task force, said during a news briefing that all five vaccine development technologies pursued by Chinese researchers have seen at least one product entering human trials.

Among them, one mRNA vaccine and one DNA vaccine  both belong to the category of nucleic acid vaccine products  have each obtained approval to launch third-stage clinical trials overseas, he said.

Three domestic inactivated vaccines have gained conditional market approval and two have been granted emergency use authorization, he said.

One recombinant subunit vaccine has been approved for emergency use, while three others are undergoing third-stage clinical trials and five others are going through early-stage trials.

One adenovirus-based viral vector vaccine has obtained conditional approval, and three other products have entered the initial stages of trials.

One viral vector vaccine based on weakened flu virus is going through second-stage clinical trials, and is preparing for third-stage trials overseas.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (Rear) speaks during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 7, 2021. The Taliban announced on Tuesday night the formation of Afghanistan's caretaker government, with Mullah Hassan Akhund appointed as the acting prime minister. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban said on Tuesday that Mullah Hassan Akhund was appointed as the prime minister of Afghanistan's caretaker government.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi were named as the acting deputy prime ministers, while Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the late Taliban co-founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, was appointed as the acting defense minister.

Amir Khan Muttaqi served as the acting foreign minister and Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, was named as the acting interior minister, the Taliban spokesman said.

Abas Stanikzai was appointed as the acting deputy foreign minister.

The spokesman said the appointments of the interim government are not final as these are acting positions, and the remaining posts will be announced at a later date.

The move is aimed at carrying out necessary government works, he said.

The spokesman stressed that it is an "acting" government and the group will try to take people from other parts of the country.

He did not elaborate on how long the caretaker government will serve.

The formation of the Afghan caretaker government was announced after the Taliban said on Monday it had completely captured Panjshir, the last holdout province of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

Panjshir, some 200 km north of the capital Kabul, had been the last province in Afghanistan uncontrolled by the Taliban after the group seized most of Afghanistan's territories since early August in its blitz attacks, including Kabul.

The last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan at mid-night on Aug. 30, one day before the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden, ending a 20-year invasion war into the Central Asian country.

The Taliban previously promised to build an inclusive government and expressed hope that Afghan people would help in the country's transition. Enditem

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Editor: GSY
Bill No. 3637 on virtual assets was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada at the second reading on Wednesday, and it was supported by 276 MPs.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said in Telegram that currently the daily turnover of virtual assets in Ukraine is UAH 1 billion, but all this is in the shadows. Thus, international exchanges are not able to enter Ukraine. Taxes are not paid on any transactions with virtual assets.

"Thanks to the [adopted] bill, this will be settled. Favorable conditions will be created that will allow companies to register in Ukraine, and not abroad. The budget will receive taxes, and entrepreneurs feel protected. Only a few countries in the world have legalized crypto assets  Germany, Luxembourg, and Singapore. Ukraine will be one of them," he said.

"Now virtual assets have become an object of civil rights, an object of civil circulation. However, there is a lot of work ahead. During the year we must amend the Civil Code and, of course... the tax code, develop by-laws," the head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, said.
Vodafone Ukraine Group has closed a deal to purchase 99.99% of shares in PrJSC Farlep-Invest, which operates under the Vega brand, as well as at least 95% of the charter capital of Cable TV-Finance LLC, the press service of the mobile operator reported on Wednesday.

"Vodafone Ukraine plans to continue to carry out the same types of economic activities, which are now carried out by PrJSC Farlep-Invest and Cable TV-Finance LLC. For Vodafone Ukraine, the purpose of the purchase of these companies is the further development of business in the field of telecommunications, in particular, fixed-line services," the report says.

The company said that PrJSC Farlep-Invest and Cable TV-Finance LLC own a frequency resource in the 2.3 GHz range (15 MHz in six regions), as well as in the 2.5-2.7 GHz range.

As reported, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine on August 19 allowed PrJSC VF Ukraine to buy the telecom operator Vega (Farlep-Invest).

Vodafone Ukraine is the second largest mobile network operator in Ukraine.

The national telecom operator Vega is part of the telecommunications division of Rinat Akhmetov's SCM group. The operator offers comprehensive solutions in the field of fixed-line telephony, broadband Internet access and data transmission. The company is present in 22 regions of Ukraine.
Head of the Servant of the People faction David Arakhamia has denied information that Denys Shmyhal may be dismissed from the post of Prime Minister in October, as well as about a complete replacement of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

"As for the prime minister, this is a fake piece of news for sure. There will be no complete replacement [of the Cabinet of Ministers]," Arakhamia told journalists on the sidelines of parliament on Wednesday.

He also said that the meeting of the faction for discussing personnel issues will tentatively be held on Monday, September 20, before the start of the next plenary week.
The Servant of the People parliamentary faction will not support the draft resolution on the appeal to the American lawmakers on granting Ukraine the status of the main ally outside NATO (MNNA; No. 5380) at the voting during the extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday, head of the faction David Arakhamia said.

"After the visit [of President Volodymyr Zelensky] to the United States of America, there were a lot of consultations on this topic. Yesterday, Ambassador Markarova expressed her opinion, many experts, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Stefanyshyna [Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration] also expressed their opinion. And as of now, we are inclined to believe that we will not support this resolution, "Arakhamia told reporters on the sidelines of parliament on Wednesday.

At the same time, he noted that the Servant of the People faction will take part in an extraordinary meeting of the parliament, dedicated to the consideration of this issue, in order to "convey its position to the voters."

According to Arakhamia, the status of the main ally outside NATO was originally created in order to provide "an impetus, a signal that they can be in the status of allies from the United States to countries that cannot be NATO members."

"But our Constitution says that we are moving towards NATO, we have a roadmap on how we should get into NATO, we have carried out many reforms and changes in order to be compatible with NATO. That is, this is not our status [main ally outside NATO]," the parliamentarian emphasized.

Arakhamia also noted that in case of obtaining the status of the main ally outside NATO, there are risks in which "there are a number of people in America who do not want to give Ukraine NATO powers, and as soon as we ourselves give the opportunity to grant us a status that actually gives nothing. Afghanistan, by the way, had such a status and we see how it all ended."
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine is preparing changes to the quarantine resolution, which proposes to give more rights to vaccinated citizens during the quarantine restrictions of the "yellow" and "red" zones, Health Minister Viktor Liashko said during a government meeting on Wednesday.

"Following the practice of European countries and the United States, we propose to bring the quality of life of the vaccinated population closer to normal. Therefore, we and the ministries began work on amendments to quarantine standards to strike a balance between protecting the population from coronavirus and its well-being. In particular, we envisage that most of the restrictions peculiar to 'yellow' and 'red' level of epidemiological danger will not be applied if personnel or visitors of these establishments are vaccinated," he said.

At the same time, according to the minister, one dose of the vaccine will be enough for the "yellow" level of epidemic danger, and for the "red" level, it will be necessary to undergo a full course of vaccination.

"For example, the work of educational institutions in the 'yellow' zone will not be limited, provided that 80% of employees have a vaccination document with at least one dose," added Liashko.

The minister stressed that the new restrictions would come into force at least a week after the government's consideration.

"Only when the resolution comes into force, and this is at least seven days from the moment of consideration at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, we propose to convene the National Commission on Commission on Environmental Safety, Manmade Disaster and Emergency Response, which will consider the issue of establishing a 'yellow' level in the country. By that time, everyone, in particular educational institutions, will continue to work according to the rules of the 'green' level," Liashko explained.
Rada does not support appeal to U.S. Congress to grant Ukraine bilateral status as major U.S. ally outside NATO

MPs did not support the Verkhovna Rada's appeal to the U.S. Congress to grant Ukraine bilateral status as a major U.S. ally outside NATO (MNNA).

At the extraordinary plenary session, 24 MPs voted for the relevant resolutionNo. 5380 (at least 226 votes in support are needed to make a decision).

As said in the explanatory note to the draft resolution, the appeal to the U.S. Congress to grant Ukraine bilateral status as a major U.S. ally outside NATO is justified by the Russian Federation's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation's supply of weapons, military equipment and ammunition to illegal armed groups.

"As of today, the security situation in eastern Ukraine deteriorates because of increasing Russia's military presence near Ukraine's borders and in the occupied Ukrainian Crimea, as well as provocations by Russia in the occupied part of eastern Ukraine," the Verkhovna Rada said in a statement.

A draft resolution on the Verkhovna Rada's appeal to the U.S. Congress to grant Ukraine bilateral status as the U.S. main non-NATO ally (MNNA) was reported in parliament (No. 5380). The document will be considered at an extraordinary meeting of the Council on September 8. The collection of signatures for the extraordinary meeting was initiated by the MP of the European Solidarity faction Oleksiy Honcharenko.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said that the status of the main non-NATO ally (MNNA) is suitable for countries that do not plan or cannot join the North Atlantic Alliance, and Ukraine has decided that its goal is NATO membership.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine will be the main U.S. ally in NATO, not outside NATO, and the idea of applying to the U.S. for the status of a major ally outside the Alliance does not bring any "added value" to Ukraine's security.
Ukraine's status as main U.S. ally outside NATO is outdated idea, accession to Alliance is matter of principle  Podoliak

Granting Ukraine the status of the main U.S. ally outside NATO is an outdated idea; for the president and his political team, Ukraine's full-fledged accession to the North Atlantic Alliance is the matter of principle, adviser to the head of the President's Office of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak said.

"For President Volodymyr Zelensky and our entire political team, Ukraine's full-fledged accession to NATO is absolutely fundamental. Not any 'outside NATO' statuses, but accession to the Alliance," told Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that in 2017, the Verkhovna Rada had already voted for a similar appeal to the United States, respectively, now "it is more logical to hold a discussion about the formats and tools for working with NATO and the United States, which could strengthen common security."

After Zelensky's visit to the United States, according to Podoliak, Ukraine's positions have changed a lot.

"Ukraine received a major defense agreement signed by the ministers of defense of Ukraine and the United States. Ukraine also received both support for its course towards NATO membership and specific joint projects with the U.S. side to strengthen our security. So the status 'outside NATO' is definitely outdated and a rather limited idea for Ukraine," he said.
On Friday, September 10, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a roundtable talk entitled "Two years left before Verkhovna Rada elections. First signs of start of parliamentary campaign." Participants include Director of the Institute for Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov; political expert Kostiantyn Matviyenko; Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko; co-founder of the national platform Dialogue on Peace and Safe Reintegration Oleh Sahakyan (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
KYIV. Sept 8 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The state enterprise Horse Breeding of Ukraine, subordinate to the Ministry of Economy, which includes a number of stud farms, has entered into agreements for the lease of part of the land of state enterprises with unidentified persons who grow and sell crops, as a result of which the farms incur losses, and horse breeding branches in the country are threatened with extinction.

This was announced by the president of the Association for Horse Racing, Tetiana Andriyshina, during a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

"The Horse Breeding of Ukraine state enterprise was actually artificially created as a corruption structure over state stud farms, which were deprived of all functions: they do not conduct independent economic activities, unknown persons enter them, with whom an agreement on joint cultivation of the land is concluded, as a result of which during 10 years the stud farms have gone bankrupt," she said.

According to her, state stud farms do not receive the crop they own, since it is exported by private individuals, with whom Horse Breeding of Ukraine allegedly concluded land lease agreements. Thus, the stud farms incur losses due to the inability to receive income from the sale of the harvest from the land belonging to them, as well as due to the need to pay land tax, utility bills, wages and other expenses in full.

Andriyshina noted that her organization and employees of the stud farms appealed to law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Prosecutor General and the president with a request to stop corruption in the state enterprise, but to no avail.

According to her, in connection with the situation at Horse Breeding of Ukraine, the employees of the stud farms are delayed in paying their wages, the enterprises do not carry out veterinary control of the condition of the animals, and besides, race horses cannot be tested at the Kyiv Hippodrome. In addition, the animals do not receive adequate nutrition.

"We appeal to the president: if you don't need a Ukrainian horse breed, if you don't need the Ukrainian-born Oryol trotters, let's hand them over for meat, stop mocking horses and people," the expert said.

She also clarified that the Association for Horse Racing had recently submitted a request to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food for receiving a state budget subsidy at the rate of UAH 51,000/year for one fertilizing stallion and UAH 31,000/year for a mare, and is currently awaiting the results of its consideration.

During the press conference, the deputy director for research of the Institute of Animal Husbandry of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Iryna Tkachova, clarified that since the independence of Ukraine, the number of horses has decreased by 3.1 times, from 700,000 in 1991 to 226,000 this year, 95% of which are used for running a personal peasant farm.

As reported, the Ukrainian government in December 2010 reorganized state-owned horse breeding enterprises that were not subject to privatization into the state enterprise Horse Breeding of Ukraine. The state-owned enterprise permanently uses 54,100 hectares of agricultural land, of which 43,500 hectares of arable land.
TIU Canada, a major foreign investor in Ukrainian solar energy, returns to court tomorrw seeking reconnection of its Nikopol solar station. The case will be heard by the Kyiv Northern Appellate Commercial Court at 11:00 PM, September 8, 2021. A three judge panel consists of the presiding Judge A.G. Maydaneevych, B.O. Tkachenko and O.M, Gavryliuk will hear the case number is 910/3844/20. The address is courtroom #7, 1a Sholudenka Street in Kyiv.

TIU Canada, the plaintiff in the case, was illegally disconnected from the electricity grid on March 2, 2020, by the Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant (NFZ) whose ultimate beneficial shareholders are Igor Kolomoyskyi, Gennadiy Bogolyubov, and Viktor Pinchuk. The case can be viewed online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnljwMv_fuE

TIU Canada is a leading Canadian-based solar energy producer, which has been working in Ukraine since 2016, and is a leading solar energy producer. The company commissioned a 10.5 megawatt solar power plant in Nikopol, Ukraine, in January 2018, and an 11.3 megawatt solar station in the Mykolayiv region in April 2019. An additional 33 megawatts of solar power generation has been commissioned in the Odesa region, for a total of 56 megawatts nationwide. TIU Canada has invested more than $65 million in Ukrainian solar energy over the last four years and was the first investor in Ukraine under the Canadian Ukrainian Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA).
On September 16 -17, 2021 Odessa will host the VI International Investment Promotion Forum Odesa 5T & Odesa Region

Odesa 5T is a business event arranged in the South of Ukraine, an international platform for interaction, networking, cooperation, dialogue and discussions between the governmental agencies, municipalities, the international community, diplomatic missions, organizations, foundations, business circles and experts.

Odesa 5T features projects in five key directions of the city development: tourism, transport, technology, trade, trust.

For the sixth year in a row, Odesa 5T will serve as a platform for business and start-up presentations, a perfect spot to meet new partners, investors, business angels, a platform showcasing Odessa's capacities, the business community of this city, Ukraine and the whole world.

This year the event has reached a new level: there will be a joint presentation of the investment potential of Odessa and the Odessa region.

The Forum will focus mainly on the Odessa Development Strategy 2030, a new large-scale project to create an eco-industrial park "Priority Development Zone in Odessa", trends in the regional investment market, government support for domestic and foreign investors.

The business vision "Odessa Region - 2050" initiated by the Odessa Business Club will be presented to the participants.

The event will be attended by the leading Ukrainian and international speakers.

On the first day of the event, September 16, the pannelists will discuss the following:

 Instruments of state support for investment activities as drivers of the regional economic growth.

Speakers:

Sergey Grinevetsky, Head of the Odessa Regional State Administration

Dmitrii Sinichenko, Chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, representative of the EBRD

 Trust "Dialogue between Government and Business"

Moderator: Sergey Tetiukhin, Deputy Mayor of Odessa

Speakers:

Anatolii Dolinnii, Ukrainian Business Council

Maksim Svirsky, Manager of the Executive Committee under the City Council

Anna Derevianko, EBA

Artem Stepanchuk, TM UFT

 Industrial parks

Speakers:

Roman Babitskii, Chairman of the Council for the International Investment and Economic Development of Ukraine

Eymantas Kludoulas, Klaipedos FEZ

Yuri Filyuk, "Prompribor"

Vitali Barannikov, Ecopolis KhTZ

Svetlana Yarovaya, Vinnytsia Municipal Innovation Center, Vinnytsia Industrial Park

Alongside, several memorandums will be signed.

On the first day, the Made in Odesa & Invest in Odesa exposition will be open for public on the territory of the concert hall, where entrepreneurs and representatives of the municipality will showcase the products, services and projects made in Odessa.

At the end of the first day there will be the traditional evening 5T Awards ceremony, which will recognize projects and companies that have achieved success in the five key areas of Odesa 5T and contributed to the development of the city in 2020.

On the second day, September 17, the leading speakers and fundraisers from Europe, as well as the well-known urbanists and architects from Ukraine will take the stage.

A workshop with the designer and chief urbanist of Eindhoven, Cees Donkers (Netherlands) is a must-be event.

Daria Pikalova, fundraiser of the Odessa 5T grant office, will present the results of the grant project Digital Cultural Routes: A Tool for the Development of the Cultural Sector, a mobile application called Let's Odesa.

Note: We took all the possible preventive measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 as per the official requirements.

+38 (063) 450 72 50

https://forum5t.com.ua
(Reuters) - Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the senior Taliban leader appointed as acting Afghan prime minister, is an experienced former cabinet minister with the ear of the movement's spiritual head, according to Taliban sources and analysts.



Akhund is longtime head of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body Rehbari Shura, or leadership council. Analysts see Akhund as a political figure, with his control over the leadership council also giving him a say in military affairs.



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When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, he served first as foreign minister and then as deputy prime minister. Like many of the incoming cabinet, he is under U.N. sanctions for his role in that government.



Akhund does not appear to be a religious scholar with the standing of spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, according to Asfandyar Mir, an analyst at the United States Institute for Peace, who has closely studied the Taliban leadership.



"He appears to be more of a political person," he said. "His main claim to power is that he had a very senior role pre-9/11."



Like many in the hardline Islamist movement's leadership, Akhund derives much of his prestige from his advanced years and proximity to the Taliban's late founder, Mullah Omar.



Akhund is believed at least in his mid-60s and possibly older. A European Union sanctions notice puts him as old as 76.



"He is very old in age, he is the oldest person in (senior) Taliban ranks," said a Taliban source.



A U.N. sanctions report describes him as having been a "close associate and political adviser" to Omar, and one of the Taliban's most effective commanders.



Akhund is also well regarded across the organisation and is particularly close to Akhundzada, a Taliban source said.



"People respect him very highly, especially Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful)," he said, using Akhundzada's honorific title.



At the same time, as an ethnic Pashtun from the southern province of Kandahar, from which the Taliban emerged in the early 1990s and where it draws some of its strongest support, he is likely to appeal to the movement's core base, Mir said.



But like many of the group's leaders, little is known in the West about his thinking, he added



(Reporting by Alasdair Pal; Editing by Mark Heinrich)


Factbox: Who are the key figures in the new Taliban government?

A member of Taliban forces stands guard at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, (Photo : REUTERS/Stringer)

The Taliban on Tuesday announced https://www.reuters.com/world/india/taliban-fire-air-scatter-kabul-protesters-no-reports-injuries-2021-09-07 key acting ministerial positions.



Here are some facts about the main appointments:



MOHAMMAD HASAN AKHUND, ACTING PRIME MINISTER



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Akhund is the longtime head of Taliban's powerful decision-making body Rehbari Shura, or leadership council. He was first the foreign minister and then deputy prime minister during the Taliban's last rule from 1996-2001.



Like many in the Taliban leadership, Akhund derives much of his prestige from his proximity to the movement's reclusive first leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar.



He hails from Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban.



A U.N. sanctions report described him as a "close associate and political adviser" to Omar.



Akhund is highly respected within the movement, especially by its supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, a Taliban source said.



Some observers see Akhund, believed to be in his mid-60s and possibly older, as more of a political than a religious figure, with his control over the leadership council also giving him a say in military affairs.



ABDUL GHANI BARADAR, ACTING DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER



Baradar was once a close friend of Mullah Omar, who gave him his nom de guerre, "Baradar" or "brother".



He served as deputy defence minister when the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan.



Following the fall of the Taliban government, Baradar served as a senior military commander responsible for attacks on coalition forces, a U.N. sanctions notice said.



He was arrested and imprisoned in Pakistan in 2010. After his release in 2018, he headed the Taliban's political office in Doha, becoming one of the most prominent figures in peace talks with the United States.



AMIR KHAN MUTTAQI, ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER



Originally from Paktia, Muttaqi calls himself a resident of Helmand.



Muttaqi served as minister of culture and information during the previous Taliban government, as well as minister of education. Muttaqi was later sent to Qatar and was appointed a member of the peace commission and negotiation team that held talks with the United States.



Neither militant commander nor religious leader, according to Taliban sources, Muttaqi is the chair of the Invitation and Guidance Commission, which during the insurgency had led efforts to get government officials and other key figures to defect.



In statements and speeches while fighting raged for control of the country, he projected a moderate voice, calling on forces holed up in provincial capitals to talk to the group to avoid fighting in urban areas.



In the weeks after the fall of Kabul, Muttaqi played a similar role with the lone holdout province of Panjshir, calling for a peaceful settlement to hostilities.



MULLAH YAQOOB, ACTING DEFENCE MINISTER



Son of the Taliban's founder Mullah Omar, Yaqoob had originally sought to succeed his father in 2015. He stormed out of the council meeting that appointed his father's successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, but was eventually reconciled.



Still in his early 30s and without the long combat experience of the Taliban's main battlefield commanders, he commands the loyalty of a section of the movement in Kandahar because of the prestige of his father's name.



He was named as overall head of the Taliban military commission last year, overseeing all military operations in Afghanistan and was one of three deputy leaders, along with Baradar and Sirajuddin Haqqani.



Although considered a relative moderate by some Western analysts, Taliban commanders said he was among the leaders pressing the military campaign against the cities to be stepped up in the weeks before the fall of Kabul.



SIRAJUDDIN HAQQANI, ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER



Head of the influential Haqqani network, Sirajuddin Haqqani succeeded as its leader following the death of his father, Jalaluddin Haqqani, in 2018.



Initially backed by the United States as one of the most effective anti-Soviet militia in the 1980s, the semi-autonomous group was blamed for some of the deadliest attacks on coalition forces.



The network, whose exact status within the Taliban structure is debated, has been named a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States although the Taliban itself has not.



The United Nations Sanctions Committee also has also said the group, based in the lawless frontier areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has close involvement in drugs production and trade.



Haqqani is one of the FBI's most wanted men, due to his involvement in suicide attacks and ties with Al Qaeda. The U.S. State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest.



ZABIHULLAH MUJAHID, ACTING DEPUTY INFORMATION MINISTER



The long-time spokesman for the Taliban, Mujahid has for more than a decade been the key conduit for information on the group's activities, regularly posting details of suicide attacks through his Twitter account.



No photo of him existed until he gave his first press conference following the fall of Kabul last month, and for years American military intelligence believed Mujahid was a persona for several individuals running the group's media operations.


London takes aim at New York with five-year financial plan

A woman exercises with a dog near the City of London financial district, in London, Britain, (Photo : REUTERS/John Sibley)

Britain needs to ease taxes on banks and make it easier to hire staff from abroad, its financial and professional services lobby said in a blueprint to help London unseat New York as the world's top international financial centre within five years.



The strategy paper on Tuesday from TheCityUK reiterated some ideas already aired in government-backed reports and elsewhere in recent months as the City of London looks to recoup ground lost following Britain's departure from the EU.



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"By some metrics, the UK is losing ground: London is currently slipping further behind New York each year while other centres are strengthening," the paper said.



The U.S. financial capital overtook London in 2018 in a leading annual survey, it said, adding that New York dominated in stock market listings.



"The UK therefore needs to adopt a relentless focus on strengthening its international competitiveness to win back the prize of being the world's leading international financial centre," TheCityUK lobby group, which promotes the wider financial sector abroad, added in the paper.



Britain's departure from the European Union effectively closed London off from its biggest financial services customer, adding further pressure to catch up.



The finance ministry has already set out reforms to make London's capital market more competitive, and TheCityUK set a five-year target for London to "out-compete its rivals" by amending tax, visa and other rules.



Britain's financial services minister John Glen said competitiveness is core to all the government is doing and it shared TheCityUK's ambition to grow the financial market as freedom from the EU offered a clear opportunity.



"It won't be about deregulation and looking to a race to the bottom as perhaps some anticipated," Glen told a launch event for the paper, adding that people were looking for incremental rather than radical changes in capital markets.



"We can be more nimble," Glen said.



Becoming the global hub for financial data, sustainability investing and investment and risk management will also be crucial in helping Britain overtake New York, TheCityUK said.



The total tax rate for a London bank is 46.5%, 13% higher than a New York based bank, it added.



Glen said he recognises that taxing banks needs to be competitive alongside the United States and elsewhere.



The single most important issue for financial firms is being able to hire globally, TheCityUK CEO Miles Celic said.



"In conversations we have had with government, I think that is something that is absolutely understood," he told reporters.


Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy El-Gebaly said on Tuesday that Gulf security is a red line, stressing Egypt's rejection of any attempts to hinder the freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf and interfere in the internal affairs of the Arab World.

El-Gebaly was speaking during his meeting with Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC) Saqr Ghobash on the sidelines of his participation in the Vienna-hosted fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and the first Global Parliamentary Summit on Counter-Terrorism, according to a press release by the parliament.



El-Gebaly asserted the necessity of maintaining constant consultations and coordination between Egypt and the UAE to strengthen regional stability and security, saying he is looking forward to boosting the Egyptian-UAE parliamentary relations and intensifying cooperation between the Egyptian parliament and UAE national council.



Meantime, Ghobash hailed relations binding Egypt and the UAE at all levels and bilateral coordination in various fields and at regional and international events.

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Cairos civil protection units managed to control a destructive fire that broke out at dawn on Wednesday in 12 wood shops in the bustling Al-Sharabiya district that claimed no casualties, a statement by the governorate said.

As soon as the blaze was reported, all concerned authorities were notified and the situation was dealt with by deploying 25 fire engines by civil protection forces, the governorate said.

Natural gas and electricity services were also disconnected from the site of the fire in coordination with the concerned authorities to avoid fueling the flames.

Cairos Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal toured the scene of the incident to inspect civil protection units efforts to control the fire.

According to the statement, he called for the quick removal of all traces of the fire after the Public Prosecution and the relevant authorities conclude their investigations.

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Humanity is facing its most difficult test in a long time, as it counters several challenges represented in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic and the repercussions of climate change, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Wednesday.

These challenges impose a new reality that requires more innovative ideas in decision-making, the Egyptian president stressed.

El-Sisis remarks came in his recorded speech delivered during the first edition of the Egypt Forum for International Cooperation (Egypt ICF) held on Wednesday in Cairo.

Organised by the Ministry of International Cooperation under the auspices of President El-Sisi, Egypt ICF witnessed the participation of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the ministers of international cooperation, manpower, education, planning, local development, communication, and others.

The first edition of the forum is held under the slogan Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Development and aims to bring together the concerned parties to promote joint action, support the UN agenda to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and mobilise international efforts to counter global challenges.

Egypt is one of the first countries [worldwide] to develop a long-term strategic plan to achieve sustainable development by 2030, El-Sisi said, pointing out that the objectives of Egypt's sustainable development vision for 2030 is consistent with the UN goals.

The president stressed the importance of achieving African integration through activating the executive mechanisms of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

The AfCFTA was signed in March 2018 in Rwandas Kigali and activated in May 2019. African countries began officially trading under the agreement in January 2021 following months of delays owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the African Union, the AfCFTA is set to be the largest free trade bloc in the world in terms of the number of participating countries since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation in 1994.

Egypts Foreign Ministry had earlier stated that the AfCFTA will reflect on more than 1.2 billion people, with a total domestic product of about $3.4 trillion.

Tackling the need for joint action, El-Sisi stressed that governments cannot alone achieve green recovery, which has become a top priority.

The president stressed that we should not lose sight of the different economic and social conditions of emerging and developing countries that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a matter that hinders their ability to participate in green recovery.

El-Sisi concluded that he hopes the Egypt ICF will contribute to supporting the international community's efforts to achieve sustainable development.

The forum was attended by high-level officials from Africa, Europe and Latin America, heads of international and regional financial institutions, and representatives of the private sector and civil society.
The energy ministers of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan agreed on Wednesday on a roadmap to supply Lebanon with Egyptian natural gas to generate electricity amid the ongoing Lebanese energy crisis.

The announcement came during a joint press conference in Jordan in which they agreed to revive the Arab Gas Pipeline to transport Egyptian gas to Jordan, where it will be used to produce additional electricity for the network linking Jordan with Lebanon via Syria.

Egyptian Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla stressed that Cairo hopes to export natural gas to Lebanon as soon as possible.

Egypt is working to speed up coordination for the delivery of Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon through Jordan and Syria, given Egypts keenness to ease the burdens of the Lebanese people and to contribute to Lebanon's support and stability, El-Molla said.

As per the agreement, Egyptian gas will be transported via Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon to activate gas-operated power plants that have been dysfunctional for 11 years.

Lebanons energy crisis has significantly worsened when its two main power plants, which had been generating 40 percent of the countrys energy, were shut down in July due to fuel shortages.

A political vacuum has persisted in Lebanon for a year now, with the country scraping by without a government since Hassan Diab resigned as premier in August of last year.

Lebanons caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar expressed his gratitude to Egypt, Jordan, and Syria for the initiative they took to revive the quadripartite agreement to transport Egyptian gas to Lebanon through Jordan and Syria.

Lebanon hopes it will benefit in the nearest time possible from the Egyptian gas to feed the 450 megawatt Deir Ammar power plant, which provides more than four hours of electricity daily for the Lebanese people, Ghajar said.

The meeting comes after Damascus welcomed Lebanons plea to extend gas and electricity pipelines from Egypt and Jordan through Syrian lands to Lebanon.

In a statement in August, US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea was cited as affirming ongoing negotiations with the World Bank to provide the funding required to purchase Egyptian gas, develop the electric transport lines, and fix gas pipes.

The Arab ministers also agreed to discuss the status of the Syrian infrastructure for electricity transmission.

The gas pipeline, which passes from Egypt through Jordan to Syria, from Homs in the centre of the country, has been repeatedly bombed by terrorists and armed groups. The section of the pipeline in Syria must now be expanded and maintained to function again.

Syrian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Bassam Tohme said the Arab gas pipeline is one of the most important joint Arab cooperation projects."

Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt signed the project's memorandum of understanding in 2000. Jordan joined in 2001, Tohme noted.

The Arab gas pipeline was implemented in three phases, the first from Arish to Aqaba with a capacity of 10 billion m3 per year, and the supply of natural gas from Egypt to Jordan began under this phase in July 2003.

The second phase, from Aqaba to the Rehab area in the north of Jordan, saw gas delivered to power plants in the north of the kingdom in February 2006. The pipeline was then extended from Rehab to the Jordanian-Syrian border in March of 2008.

The southern part of the third phase of the pipeline in Syrian territory, extending from the Jordanian-Syrian border to the city of Homs, was completed in July 2008. Egyptian natural gas began to be exported to Lebanon via Jordan in November 2009 and stopped in 2011.

Jordan's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati said that Wednesdays meeting was based on the belief that cooperation between the countries sharing the gas pipeline is an effective and influential step in supporting strategic projects and promoting common interests, which will positively reflect on economic and social development in these countries.

Egypts natural-gas production rose to 7.2 billion cubic feet per day, up from 6.8 billion during fiscal year 2018-19 and 3.8 billion cubic feet in 2012, thanks to discoveries over the last three years, mainly from the giant Zohr Field in the Mediterranean Sea that was discovered in 2015 and is believed to be the largest-ever gas discovery in Egypt and the Mediterranean.



Zohrs daily production  estimated at 30 trillion cubic feet  exceeded three billion cubic feet in 2020, making up 40 percent of Egypts total gas output, according to previous statements by El-Molla.

Egypt plans to use its location on Europes doorstep to become a major supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the continent, which is transitioning away from other fossil fuels.

Egypt has the infrastructure for the transport and handling of natural gas, with a main network of 7,000km of pipelines, as well as a distribution network of 31,000km, and 29 gas-treatment plants in addition to two LNG facilities.

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Related Cairo and Moscow aim high

Hanafy Gebaly, the speaker of Egypts House of Representatives, and Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of Russias Federation Council, met on Wednesday to discuss relations between the two countries.

The meeting came on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which is being held in Vienna, Austria, between 5 and 8 September.

According to an official statement, Gebaly praised how the relations between Egypt and Russia have seen remarkable growth in recent years.

This reflects the keenness of the leadership of the two countries to push forward the strategic partnership between them to new heights and in a way that also reflects their international and regional influence and weight, said Gebaly, revealing that the strategic partnership agreement between Egypt and Russia will go into effect early next year and that this means that relations between the two countries will get closer in the political, economic, and cultural fields.

Gebaly also referred to the fact that the two countries are currently involved in a number of joint projects being implemented in Egypt.

We have the Dabaa Nuclear Plant west of Alexandria and the Russian Industrial Zone in the Suez Canal Zone, both of which are still under construction, said Gebaly, also praising Russia for deciding to resume direct charter flights between Russian cities and Egypts two Red Sea resort cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada last month.

The resumption of these flights reflects the current stability and security in Egypt and Russias interests in forging closer relations with Egypt in all fields, said Gebaly.

The Egyptian parliamentary speaker and his Russian counterpart also reviewed the current negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Gebaly emphasised that Egypt will never compromise its share of the Nile Rivers water, which is a right that does not negatively affect the right of other states to achieve sustainable development.

From her side, Matviyenko said Russia firmly believes in Egypts international influence and its pioneering role and weight in the region.

Our meeting today reflects the strategic nature of the current relations between Egypt and Russia, said Matviyenko, adding that Russia fully supports Egypts position concerning the GERD negotiations because it aims to preserve the right of the Egyptian people in the Niles waters.

Matviyenko also voiced support for pushing parliamentary relations between Egypt and Russia forward as part of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

I am sure that the strategic partnership between the two countries, which will go into effect in 2022, will be a big success and of mutual benefit to the two peoples.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi received on Wednesday a message from Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawwaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in which he commended Egypts strategic and pivotal role in protecting Arab national security and defending the issues of the Arab nation.

The message was delivered by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah during his meeting with El-Sisi in Cairo in the presence of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Kuwaiti Ambassador in Egypt Mohamed Al-Zoweikh, said a statement by Egypts Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

The Kuwaiti Emir hailed Egypts tireless efforts to consolidate security, stability, and development at the regional and international levels.

He also expressed in the written message the pride of the Kuwaiti government and people for the strong historical ties and close relations that unite them with Egypt and its people in various fields, according to Rady.

From his side, El-Sisi asked Al-Sabah to covey his greetings to the Kuwaiti Emir, stressing the significance of Egyptian Kuwaiti relations, which extend through decades of fruitful mutual cooperation and close coordination.

Such depth of mutual relations was embodied in the common denominators and mutual consensus in views and visions between Egypt and Kuwait towards the various issues and crises of the region and mutual support to the stances of the two sisterly countries in all international and regional forums, the statement quoted El-Sisi as saying.

El-Sisi also stressed Egypts keenness to develop close bilateral cooperation and coordination for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples, as well as the Arab nation, Rady noted.

During the meeting, the president discussed with Al-Sabah various aspects of bilateral relations in light of the imminent convening of the joint committee between the two countries.

They also deliberated on issues on the Arab and regional arena, especially the developments in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan, Rady said.

Moreover, the president affirmed the link between Gulf security and Egyptian national security, praising the important role played by the State of Kuwait and its leadership in addressing the challenges facing the Arab nation.

President El-Sisi has recently stressed that the Gulf region is one of the main pillars of Arab national security and is closely linked to Egyptian national security.

His remarks came during a meeting with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid in late August on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership.

Egyptian Kuwaiti cooperation and coordination towards developments in the Middle East represents a mainstay for achieving regional stability and a major pillar of the priorities and constants of Egyptian policy, the Egyptian president said.

While from his side, Al-Khalid stressed Egypts pivotal role in the region as a fundamental pillar for the security and stability of the Arab world, an Egyptian presidency s1`tatement said at the time.

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Egypt and Turkey agreed to continue engaging in exploratory talks between them, a joint statement issued by the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries said on Wednesday.

A second round of consultations was held between the two countries delegations  headed by Turkeys Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sadat Onal and his Egyptian counterpart, Hamdy Loza  in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday September 7-8.

The Egyptian and Turkish delegations discussed bilateral issues as well as a number of regional concerns like the situation in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and the East Mediterranean, the joint statement said.

The two sides agreed to continue the consultations, asserting their desire to achieve progress in the issues discussed in the talks as well as the need to take additional steps to facilitate the normalisationof relations between the two countries, the statement said.

The exploratory talks come as Turkey attempts to end its differences  that have been impacting its economy  with regional powers over several crises in the region.

The first round of talks  held in early May in Cairo  was frank and in-depth as described by a joint statement by the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries at the time.

The two sides also addressed bilateral issues as well as a number of regional issues, particularly the situation in Syria and Iraq, and the need to achieve peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the statement said.

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Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held separate talks on Wednesday with Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as well as with South Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Beatrice Wani-Noah.

Shoukry's meeting with Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is currently visiting Cairo, tackled means of promoting bilateral cooperation at all levels as well as a host of issues of mutual concern, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez said.

The meeting falls within the framework of promoting cooperation with all African countries.

During the meeting with Wani-Noah, Sameh Shoukry asserted Egypts support of the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan.

Shoukry also pointed out that Egypt will continue to support South Sudan against obstacles facing the country including the COVID-19 pandemic and the floods, noting that Egypt is committed to rehabilitating South Sudanese cadres in all domains.

Meanwhile, Wani-Noah hailed Egypts role in supporting South Sudan in all fields.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez also said the meeting tackled boosting bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining current efforts to achieve strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries to serve mutual interests.

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Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reiterated Egypt's constant keenness on supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the important role the agency is playing in backing the Palestinian refugees.

Shoukry's remarks to the effect came during talks with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini at the Foreign Ministry's HQ on Wednesday.

Shoukry said he is looking forward to maintaining cooperation with the UNRWA in order to alleviate suffering of the refugees, with special focus on regional challenges and ongoing COVID-19 impacts, said Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez.

The Egyptian foreign minister added it is important to guarantee the agency will continue taking its humanitarian and relief responsibilities, added Hafez.

Shoukry appreciated the role the UNRWA is playing in promoting stability in the Middle East region, pointing to the Egyptian efforts being exerted to back the Palestinian people, according to the spokesperson.

Shoukry said the international community should play its role in handling the challenges facing the Palestinians, said Hafez.

In turn, Lazzarini commended the role played by Egypt and the country's strenuous efforts to back the agency and the Palestinian refugees.

He posted Shoukry on the latest developments pertaining to the UNRWA's mission.

Lazzarini said he is looking forward to maintaining coordination and consultation with the Egypt in order to achieve the agency's goals on the ground.

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Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reiterated in a meeting on Wednesday with Sudanese counterpart Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi in Cairo Egypt's firm and strong commitment to supporting the transitional phase in Sudan, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

According to the Egyptian foreign ministry's statement, the meeting is part of the constant coordination and consultation between Egypt and Sudan regarding various aspects of bilateral relations and regional and international issues of joint interest.

The meeting discussed a number of African and Arab issues of mutual concern and the meeting of the regular session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level on Thursday .

The two officials also asserted during the meeting their keenness on further boosting joint ties on all fronts between the two countries.

Shoukry and Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi discussed ways to boost joint Arab action mechanisms for facing growing challenges in the Arab world.

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed on Wednesday that the new developments in Afghanistan would certainly have big repercussions on the entire region, saying conflicts over the past years have depleted the region.

"A transformation with such nature and magnitude will undoubtedly have big repercussions on the entire region," Shoukry said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

"We will wait and see how the new government in Taliban will operate and how it intends to sustain the commitments it made before," he said.

Asked whether he sees the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a disengagement from the region, Shoukry stated that the US, as a superpower that has many interests and very deep relationships in the Middle East cannot disengage from the region.

Egypts top diplomat indicated that the US would continue relying on its traditional relationships and partnerships, including Egypt, to maintain its interests and provide the security and stability the region needs.

He also revealed that the new existing situation in Afghanistan would be on the top of issues to be discussed by the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo on Thursday.

"The region is now undergoing a very turbulent and volatile situation that is not contributing to achieving security and stability," the Egyptian foreign minister said citing ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Libya.

It is of the best interest of the countries of the region to expand communication and understandings to help achieve security and stability in the region, he Shoukry noted.

Asked about restoring diplomatic relations with Turkey, Shoukry said in the interview that Egypt was seeking ways to restore ties with Turkey.

Egypt is eager to find a resolution and a formula for restoring normal relations with Ankara, but more work needs to be done, he stated.

"When Egypt is 'satisfied' that outstanding issues have been resolved, the door will be open for further progress," Shoukry said.

Shoukry's statements came few hours after the conclusion of the second round of exploratory talks between the officials of the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries held in Ankara.

According to a joint statement issued earlier on Wednesday, both countries agreed to continue engaging in exploratory talks between them.

GERDs decade-long dispute

On tension with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Shoukry stated Egypt has no interest in armed conflict with Ethiopia over the controversial almost-complete Nile dam.

During the interview, he affirmed that Egypt was dedicated to negotiations and keen to avoid any military conflict but all options are always open.

"For ten years, Egypt was committed to the negotiating process [of GERD] to reach a satisfactory solution to all sides," he said.

"We have been committed over the past ten years to reach peaceful solution to the issue in accordance with international law, and we will continue adopting such an approach till the political will of Ethiopia to sign a deal is demonstrated," he said.

Egypt and Sudan  the two downstream countries  have been negotiating for almost a decade now with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding deal on the GERD, the construction of which started on the Blue Nile in 2011.

In early July, the UN Security Council held a session on the GERD, which was held at the request of Egypt and Sudan, in an attempt to settle the dispute over the Ethiopian dam.

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

Egypt and Sudan have been pushing for signing a comprehensive and legally binding agreement with Ethiopia over the GERD, while Addis Ababa refuses and says it seeks mere guidelines that can be modified at any time at its discretion.

Egypt fears that the unilateral filling and operation of the massive hydropower project will significantly diminish its water supply.

Egypt, which is considered one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, receives around 60 bcm annually, mainly from the Nile. However, its needs stand at around 114 bcm, placing the 102-million-citizen country well below the international threshold for water scarcity, at 560 cubic metres per person annually.

While Sudan says without agreement the GERD will put the operation of its Roseires dam and the lives of millions Sudanese at "a very high risk".

Its Roseires Dam is located only 15km away from the GERD and has a reservoir that is 12 times smaller than the storage capacity of the GERD's 74 billion cubic metre (bcm) reservoir.

Sudan believes the GERD will completely change the flow regime of the Blue Nile by flattening its hydrograph, and with its gigantic size it "poses substantial threats to Sudan if not properly designed, constructed, filled and operated.

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Nearly 80 rebels and pro-government troops have been killed in fighting for the strategic Yemeni city of Marib, military sources told AFP on Wednesday.

"Sixty Houthi rebels were killed most of them in air strikes conducted in the last 24 hours -- while 18 pro-government troops were killed and dozens injured in clashes over the past 48 hours," a government military official said.

The figures were confirmed by other military sources, while the rebels rarely report casualty numbers.

Battles between Yemen's government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iran-allied Houthi rebels have intensified in recent days in the province of Marib, according to the military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The fighting was concentrated in the north and west of the governorate.

The official said air strikes have also intensified.

The rebels themselves reported early on Wednesday that the coalition has launched at least 30 such strikes against them across Marib province.

"The Houthis launched last night a military offensive that continued into the early hours of Wednesday morning," the pro-government official said, adding loyalist troops were able to repel the insurgents despite a small advance on the northern front.

Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthis have been locked in war since 2014, when the insurgents seized the capital Sanaa.

In February, the Houthis escalated their efforts to seize Marib, the government's last northern stronghold in fighting that has killed hundreds on both sides.

Control of the oil-rich region would strengthen the Houthis' bargaining position in peace talks.

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As the dangers for migrants in Yemen intensify against a backdrop of conflict and the COVID-19 crisis, nearly 5,000 Ethiopians stranded in Yemen are waiting for their chance to safely return home, the UN news center reported Wednesday.

This week, about 300 migrants are scheduled to depart Aden for Addis Ababa on two Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flights run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The Organization hopes to continue at this pace, operating two flights per week until the end of the year and plans to expand VHR to other places such as Marib where the conflict persists.

"Since the start of the pandemic, migrants in Yemen have been pushed even further into the shadows," said John McCue, IOM Yemens Deputy Chief of Mission.

"We call on donors to make more significant contributions to this crucial lifeline which provides thousands of stranded migrants with their only chance to escape a dangerous situation and make their way home," McCue said.

An estimated 32,000 migrants are stranded in dire conditions in the country mainly in urban transit hubs due to COVID-19 mobility restrictions which have impeded their journeys to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

These restrictions have meant that smuggling networks on this route are not as lucrative as they once were. To make up for financial losses, some are adopting alternative ways to exploit migrants and make a profit.

Some migrants are forced to work off their debts on farms while others are exposed to gender-based violence (GBV) and abduction for ransom. The vast majority lack access to water, food, sanitation and health care.

Many migrants have become increasingly desperate to return home. Since May 2020, an estimated 18,200 in Yemen have made the perilous return journey by sea to Djibouti or Somalia, using the same network of smugglers they used heading to the Arabian Peninsula. Dozens of migrants have drowned this year after overcrowded boats capsized.

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Jewish settlers on Wednesday stormed Aqsa mosque under the protection of Israeli police.

According to eyewitnesses, the settlers entered the mosque in groups from Bab Al Magharba (Morocco gate) and carried out provocative tours.

The so-called Temple Mount groups had incited settlers during the past days into storming the mosque on the occasion of the new Jewish year.

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The Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that the Ethiopian ambassador in Khartoum was summoned on Aug. 30 in the wake of finding 29 bodies floating down Setit River separating Ethiopia's Tigray region from Sudan.

Sudanese authorities have taken all necessary legal measures and notified the Ethiopian ambassador that the bodies, found during the period between July 26 and Aug. 8, belong to Ethiopian citizens from Tigray region.

The Foreign Ministry asked the Ethiopian ambassador to report the incident to Ethiopian officials.

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The European Union is "ready to do more" to help Libya organise elections planned for December, the bloc's chief diplomat Josep Borrell said Wednesday in Tripoli.

But "there is no time to lose to approve the necessary legislation, go to the parliament, and start the necessary preparations" for the December 24 vote, Borrell said at a news conference with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush.

Borrell singled out "reform of the security area" as one field where Brussels could help, following its disintegration and replacement with a patchwork of militias and armed groups since the toppling of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

The oil-rich country split between two rival administrations backed by foreign powers and myriad militias.

The two camps signed a ceasefire in Geneva in October and an interim government was established earlier this year to lead Libya towards polls.

The lack of a constitutional framework, however, has called the vote into question as tensions resurface.

Mangoush last month refused to rule out delaying the elections if parliament took too long to pass the necessary legislation.

While hailing "much progress" over the past year, Borrell warned that "time is flying" in which to put the rules in place, with only 105 days remaining.

"Now it is time to implement and consolidate this progress," he said.

Mangoush said Tripoli also wanted "more cooperation with the EU" on elections and "managing the porous southern borders".

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Wednesday that time was running out for Iran to return to a nuclear deal after a scathing report by the UN atomic watchdog and Tehran's signals that it would take a while to return to talks.

The IAEA released a strongly-worded report Tuesday saying monitoring tasks in Iran have been "seriously undermined" after Tehran suspended some of the UN agency's inspections of its nuclear activities.

After ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi took over as new president of the country, Iran had also suggested that talks aimed at reviving the stalled JCPOA were unlikely to resume for two to three months.

"I'm not going to put a date on it but we are getting closer to the point at which a strict return to compliance with the JCPOA does not reproduce the benefits that that agreement achieved," Blinken told reporters in Germany in response to a question on the point at which it would no longer be possible to return to a deal.

Germany found the delay signalled by Tehran "far too long", Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

The German minister said he had telephoned his new counterpart in Tehran to get him to "return more swiftly to the negotiating table".

Nevertheless, Maas said Berlin still expects the new Iranian government to continue to support results from negotiations that had taken place so far.

Raisi became Iran's president in early August, taking over from moderate Hassan Rouhani, the principal architect on the Iranian side of the 2015 agreement.

The 2015 deal offered Iran an easing of Western and UN sanctions in return for tight controls on its nuclear programme, monitored by the UN.

In retaliation for former US President Donald Trump's withdrawal three years ago and his subsequent imposition of swingeing sanctions, Iran in effect abandoned most of its commitments under the deal.

But Trump's successor President Joe Biden wants to bring Washington back into the agreement.

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A top Lebanese intelligence official said Wednesday the country would not deport six Syrians back to their war-torn homeland, after they were detained last month for smuggling themselves across the border.

The army reported on August 28 that it had arrested six Syrians for "entering Lebanon illegally" and had referred them to the General Security apparatus.

Activists have raised the alarm over their fate, especially after four of them were detained near the Syrian embassy.

"General Security will not deport the six Syrians and will work to regularise their legal status," the agency's chief official Abbas Ibrahim told AFP.

The six hail from Syria's southern province of Daraa, where regime forces have in recent weeks been pushing to retake every inch of the region from holdout rebels.

A brother of one of the detainees told rights group Amnesty International that he had received a call on August 26 to collect his passport at the embassy, then stopped responding to his messages after picking up the document.

Amnesty earlier Wednesday warned of "grave risks awaiting them in Syria" if the six were sent back.

Its statement came a day after it published a report in which it warned that "no part of Syria is safe to return to".

It said dozens of Syrians who had returned home from abroad had been subject to detention, enforced disappearance, torture or rape by Syrian intelligence forces, including children.

Lebanon, which is grappling with an economic crisis, says it hosts some 1.5 million Syrians, including more than 850,000 registered as refugees with the United Nations.

The Mediterranean country started repatriating Syrian refugees in May 2019 from its soil, in a move that has repeatedly been condemned by human rights groups.

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Israel sent reinforcements into the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to capture six Palestinian prison escapees and prevent possible violence, the army said.

Army chief Aviv Kohavi had decided to "reinforce IDF troops... with combat battalions, observation troops and a number of IDF aircrafts that are observing the area to assist in capturing the security prisoners and thwart terrorist attacks in the region", it said in a statement.

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Pakistan is hosting a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan to discuss the situation there.

A foreign ministry statement said Wednesday's meeting will be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will preside over the meeting, which aims ``to work together for the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic links.``

The development comes a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan, stacked with veterans from their hard-line rule in the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the US.led coalition.

So far Pakistan has not commented on the formation of the interim government.

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The Russian-UAE Business Forum held its third session at the headquarters of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Russian capital, Moscow, as part of a visit of an Emirati delegation led by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Emirates News Agency (WAM), reported Wednesday.

The visit, that will continue until 12th September, aims to enhance the level of economic and trade cooperation and mutual investment between the Emirate of Sharjah and the Republic of Russia, as part of the growing relations between the UAE and Russia across various domains.

The forum held virtually was attended by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul al-Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs; Mohammed Ahmed bin Sultan al-Jaber, UAE Ambassador to Russia, Abdallah Sultan al-Owais, Vice-Chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the UAE-Russia Business Council and head of the delegation and Sergey Gorkov, Chairman of Russia-UAE Business Council, among other senior officials from both sides.

Al-Falasi said that the meeting reflects the close interaction between the business communities in both countries and their desire to boost economic ties, pointing out that the UAE is one of the main destinations for Russian tourists as a result of the various facilities and benefits provided by the state.

"This is shown in the steady increase in the number of tourist trips, which affirms the strength and size of relations between the two countries, " said the minister.

He added that the meetings will contribute to raising tourism cooperation during the coming period, noting that the precautionary measures and the pioneering steps taken by the UAE thanks to the visions and directives of its leadership, in terms of daily tests and vaccination campaigns for the countrys citizens, residents and visitors have greatly contributed to accelerating the recovery of the tourism sector in the U

Al-Falasi hoped that this meeting would positively serve the aspirations of both countries in all fields, especially in the field of tourism.

He pointed out that the volume of trade exchange between the UAE and Russia has grown significantly in recent years, as Russia ranked first among the UAE's trading partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, while the UAE maintained its position as Russia's main trading partner in the Arabian Gulf. The UAE's exports amounted to about AED28 million in 2021, and about AED55 billion in trade exchange between the two countries from 2015 to 2020.

The UAE Ambassador stated that Russia has become a preferred destination for Emirati tourism, and many elements make the two countries able to develop relations in this sector and push them forward to serve their common interests.

For his part, Gorkov said that the forum is a continuation of the previous meetings that took place in the UAE, which aimed to strengthen partnership in the economic fields, hoping that the visit of the Emirati delegation would achieve the desired goals and contribute to building strategic relations that strengthen vital economic partnerships, including the tourism, investment, trade, innovation and advanced technology sectors.

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Germany's foreign minister has responded skeptically to the Taliban's announcement of an interim government line-up for Afghanistan.

Heiko Maas released a statement Wednesday, a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government. The Cabinet is stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the US led coalition. Germany was a major troop provider for that alliance.

Maas said his country is ready to provide humanitarian aid via the United Nations and will continue to speak to the Taliban to secure the departure from Afghanistan of former employees and others.

He added that any commitment beyond that will depend on the Taliban's behavior.

Maas said: ``The announcement of an interim government without the participation of other groups and yesterday's violence against female demonstrators and journalists in Kabul are not signals that make us optimistic about that.''

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Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said Wednesday that his country was "transparent" about its nuclear activities, the day after a UN atomic watchdog report criticised it for lack of cooperation.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran's serious cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency is a clear example of Iran's will to be transparent about its nuclear activities," Raisi told European Council chief Charles Michel by phone, according to an Iranian presidency statement.

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The first edition of the Egypt Forum for International Cooperation (Egypt ICF), organised by the Ministry of International Cooperation, kicked off on Wednesday under the patronage of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi with the participation of high-level representatives from global development and financial institutions.

Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said at the forum that the total international cooperation portfolio in Egypt amounts to $25 billion, which contributes to implementing a large number of development projects.

Al-Mashat added that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed significant economic challenges across the world. Countries need to adopt a multilateral concept and create global partnerships to navigate through the crisis anda finance projects that achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Addressing the forum in a recorded statement, President El-Sisi stated that the COVID-19 crisis has transformed African societies in substantial ways, which requires governments, international development partners, and citizens to act with renewed purpose and imagination to ensure that progress is sustained, fitting to the global context, and that it is widely shared among Africas people and institutions.

President El-Sisi underlined the importance of upscaling strategies for social and economic inclusion that are in line with green recovery, as developing and African countries face a "double crisis" in responding to the economic and climate challenges of the future.

There is no doubt that governments alone will not be able to achieve this recovery, so the pivotal role of the private sector and international financial institutions is necessary for a sustainable future through innovative mechanisms for resource mobilisation and blended financing, along with tapping on the potential of technology and digital transformation to achieve economic and social development for the whole world, the president noted.

El-Sisi added that Egypt is one of the first countries to develop a long-term strategic plan to achieve sustainable development for 2030 based on national priorities and principles while taking into account the environmental dimension to overcome the effects of climate change.

From this standpoint, Egypt welcomes close cooperation with international financial institutions, the United Nations and its affiliated agencies to enhance development efforts and provide the necessary expertise to countries in the Middle East and Africa regions, and to join forces to support the African continental vision for 2063, and accomplish what has adopted by the world in the Paris climate agreement, the president added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Jeffrey Schlagenhauf noted that the finances Africa has secured over the past years to achieve its SDGs agenda are not enough, as the continents countries are suffering several challenges.

Schlagenhauf revealed that these finances amounted to $41.4 billion in 2018 and 2019, which is insufficient when compared with the continents needs. He stressed the necessity of mobilising international finances to achieve the continents SDGs agenda as well as catalysing the private sector to play a role in this regard.

Multilateral international cooperation has proven its vail during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, he said, adding that continuing this effort is imperative for the sake of attaining the full recovery from the pandemic.

He also asserted the OECDs commitment to support the economic transformation in Africa and its integration into the global economy and trade.

During the first day of the forum, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships of European Commission Jutta Urpilainen stressed the importance of the topics that Egypt ICF is discussing in its two days to create partnerships in order to attain the SDGs.

Urpilainen said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected 4.5 billion people and its repercussions are elevating in the absence of economic equality.

Together, we can promote sustainable development and raise the education distribution between women and young people. The European Union is willing to cooperate constantly with all parties to support development efforts, said Urpilainen.

Egypt ICF is hosting over 42 representatives of distinguished national, regional, and international policymakers, private-sector stakeholders, development leaders, civil society bodies, and think tanks.

The event is organised in coordination with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

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Twenty years after the horrific terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the world is certainly a far more dangerous and chaotic place. It is a major historical irony that while marking this extremely sad anniversary, the US and the world are not just back to square one, but even worse on several levels and fronts.

The absurdity is not just that the Taliban, the extremist group which the US ousted after occupying Afghanistan in 2001, is back in control of that war-torn country, but also that the key threat, terrorism, has metastasised and become much bigger than it was 20 years ago.

The initial declared goal of the so-called war on terror that the US launched in reaction to the 2001 terrorist attacks in which nearly 3,000 Americans died was to prevent another attack on the US homeland. While no further 11-September-style attacks have taken place in the US, the countrys intelligence agencies remain on high alert to prevent smaller terrorist attacks by Al-Qaedas extremely vicious upgrade, the Islamic State (IS) group, or Daesh, which also has a transnational presence.

Americans, like all other peoples of the world, are not immune to so-called lone-wolf terrorist attacks or suicide car bombs in major cities.

With the technological advances that have taken place, terrorist groups might have given up on obtaining chemical or biological weapons, as was once feared after the 11 September attacks. Instead, they have been working to develop programmes aimed at launching cyber-attacks that could bring havoc to electricity and water networks, as well as military and government agencies, banks, financial institutions and even media companies.

Moreover, while nearly 100 Americans have been killed in domestic terrorist attacks in recent years, especially after the rise of IS, over 7,000 Americans have died in failed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Over $2 trillion was spent in the attempt to rebuild these two countries that the US invaded and then occupied. These vast funds were largely wasted on corrupt governments and warlords, and they even created more divisions and bloodshed in the two countries.

With regard to improving stability in the Middle East and reducing worldwide levels of terrorism, the so-called war on terror has largely failed. Terrorism has continued in the broader Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions. Today, the number of attacks and victims worldwide is three to five times higher annually than it was in 2001.

Political conditions across the Middle East and North Africa region also remain violent and unstable. The so-called Arab Spring in 2011 yielded more repression and terrorism than democracy and stability. In Europe, as well as in the US, the reaction to the flood of refugees from unstable Middle East countries such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan has been the rise of populism and right-wing governments, something that has been eagerly watched by IS as confirming its false propaganda that the real war is between the Christian-Jewish West and Islam.

Even Democratic Party US President Joe Biden, who came to office declaring that America is back, has found himself in practise carrying out the America First policies crafted by his predecessor Donald Trump. The messy US pullout from Afghanistan, without any coordination with close NATO allies such as Britain, France, Germany and other countries who had a military presence there, has renewed serious doubts about the strength of the Atlantic alliance.

In real terms, terrorist groups such as IS and Al-Qaeda are now celebrating after achieving their strategic purpose of driving the US out of the broader Middle East region such that extremists will have a greater chance of controlling more failed states including Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Yemen.

Despite the official Taliban rhetoric, Afghanistan will soon turn into a magnet for extremist and terrorist groups, and while these might not necessarily immediately plan attacks against the US, they are likely to threaten the countrys neighbours, including India and China. Moreover, the very nature of terrorism has changed, and terrorists can now plan for an attack in a hideout in Kandahar or in Yemen just as effectively as they can in an apartment building in New York, London or Paris.

Over the past 20 years, the US and its Western allies have ignored dealing with the key reasons that have largely led to the rise of terrorism in the region, topped by the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine. Israels right-wing government has managed to sell to the world the idea that its occupation of Palestine is not the central issue in the region, but that this is rather the war on terror. Meanwhile, terrorist groups have continued to use US indifference and blind bias towards Israel as major recruitment tools to deceive many angry young people into joining their ranks.

Had the enormous funds that the US spent on useless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq been used to finance development plans, education and creating jobs for the many unstable countries in the Middle East region, this would have been a much more successful strategy in fighting the threat of terrorism in the region.

But this is likely to remain wishful thinking, and the US will most likely now enter a long period of isolationism, leaving other world and regional powers to set the agenda for this troubled region for many years to come.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The second round of exploratory talks between Egypt and Turkey took off in Ankara on Tuesday amid low expectations that it would lead to a breakthrough in relations between the two countries. Relations between the two have been tense since 2013 over Turkish interference in Egyptian affairs. Earlier this year, Turkey promised it would do its best to resume relations.

The first round of talks, explained Rakha Hassan, a former assistant to Egypts foreign minister, came at the request of various parties in Turkey that favoured normalising relations with Egypt, namely the Turkish opposition, businessmen, and the moderate wing of the ruling party. However, Egypt cannot accept mere words from the Turkish regime. They have to be followed by deeds, he said.

Meanwhile, the talks were an opportunity for Egypt to pinpoint issues necessary to normalise relations with Turkey, namely the need for Egyptian interests to be preserved and for Turkey not to interfere in Egypts domestic affairs and to stop sheltering members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).

This was in addition to halting TV programmes attacking the Egyptian government. Egypt has also asked Ankara to stop interfering in the affairs of the Arab states, especially Libya and Syria, Hassan told Al-Ahram Weekly.

Professor of international relations Tarek Fahmi said that this weeks talks would not be merely exploratory but would aim to set priorities for both sides. Cairo has demands, including the halting of the media campaign against Egypt and procedures taken by Ankara with regard to granting nationality for Egyptians residing in Turkey, he said.

Positive steps have been taken on the bilateral level. TV programmes attacking Egypt presented by anchors Mohamed Nasser or Moetaz Mattar have been stopped, though others are still running. Egypt wants Turkey to deport Egyptian citizens convicted in court cases in Egypt including those accused of assassinating [former prosecutor-general] Hisham Barakat.

Fahmi said that there had been hardly any progress on the regional level, namely in Libya. Ankaras behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean region was also in violation of Greeces territorial waters.

The fact that the present round of talks is being held in Turkey indicates that Ankara is willing to respond to Egypts demands, Fahmi said.

The talks, headed by Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza, came at the invitation of the Turkish foreign ministry. They were supposed to evaluate the outcomes of the first round of consultations, how far Egypts demands were met, and to agree on a course of action.

Commentators agree that both sides have good reasons to bridge their differences and resume diplomatic ties.

However, regional matters are expected to be more challenging. Hassan said that the Libyan issue was one of the main issues in determining the course of Egyptian-Turkish relations. Both sides have called for the withdrawal of mercenary fighters from Libya and are interested in a settlement, he explained.

But what will be the fate of the Turkish military presence in Libya, a presence that is not acceptable to Egypt, he asked. Is the withdrawal of Turkish units from Libya a possible option for Ankara?

Turkey provided political and military support, including mercenary fighters from Syria, to the Tripoli-based Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) at a time when Egypt backed its rival Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA).

Another thorny issue will be Egypts alliance with Greece. It is not expected that Cairo will change its alliance policy in the Eastern Mediterranean in Turkeys favour, and President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi stressed during his meeting with Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades in Cairo this week that Egypt stood solidly behind Cyprus and against practices that may compromise its sovereignty, a reference to Turkey.

The two leaders reiterated the importance of enhancing their trilateral agreement with Greece. Turkey and Cyprus are locked in a border dispute, and Cairo and Ankara are at odds over maritime boundaries and gas rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey described last years maritime demarcation deal between Egypt and Greece as null and void, and it has refused to recognise a similar deal signed with Cyprus in 2013.

The growing cooperation between Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus was recently reflected in the signing of a tripartite military cooperation deal in March. Under this deal, the three countries will expand joint military exercises and training activities. Last week saw the kick-off of the Egyptian-Cypriot military training exercise Ptolemy 2021 in Cairo.

Relations between Cairo and Ankara became tense after the ousting of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Morsi, who belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood, was supported by the Turkish regime.

A few months later, Cairo expelled the Turkish ambassador from Cairo in reaction to Ankaras repeated criticisms of Egypt. Turkey responded by declaring the Egyptian ambassador persona non grata.

Since then, Turkey has provided a safe haven for MB members and a platform to attack the Egyptian government via broadcast television stations and news sites. However, Turkey expressed a wish earlier this year to resume diplomatic ties with Egypt and to improve cooperation after years of tension.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu in a statement in March announced that diplomatic contacts between Turkey and Egypt had started without preconditions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Ankara was ready to open a new chapter with the Gulf and discuss Eastern Mediterranean agreements and developments in Libya with Egypt.

In mid-March, the Turkish leadership made another concession: TV channels run by the Egyptian opposition in exile and headquartered in Istanbul were instructed to tone down their criticism of the Al-Sisi government. This paved the way for the first two-day exploratory meeting of the two countries deputy foreign ministers in Cairo in May.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Egypt and Turkey said that the discussions had been frank and in-depth.

Although Ankara toned down or cancelled media shows that were directly attacking the Egyptian government, it attacked a judicial ruling issued against some Brotherhood members, which was considered by Egypt as interference in its internal affairs.

Fahmi saw two possible scenarios after this weeks round of talks  either a partial resolution of some differences, leaving others to be solved by time, or the gradual resumption of relations by taking slow steps.

Ankara is after a partial deal, while Cairo is after a full one.

Both scenarios are likely; however, the first is more realistic, Fahmi added.

A breakthrough in the current situation or the resumption of diplomatic ties is not straightforward, said a diplomat who talked on condition of anonymity.

Will Turkey be able to give up its ideological support for the Brotherhood? Will differences in the ideological foundations of the two regimes impede their rapprochement? Will Ankara make concessions in Libya? Or can the Turkish regime under Erdogan give up its role as the hub of Egypts opposition in exile?

These were some of the questions he asked, adding that their answers would provide insight on where the relation between Cairo and Ankara is headed.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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The Bright Star 2021 joint military exercise, hosted by Egypt, kicked off at the Mohamed Naguib military base in the Northern Military Zone on 2 September. Twenty-one countries are taking part in the two-week drills which conclude on 17 September. The participating countries include, among others, Egypt, the US, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Cyprus, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Kenya, Italy, Spain, the UK, Greece, Kuwait, and France.

The size of the participant forces makes Bright Star 2021 the largest and most important military training exercise in the world, said the Egyptian chief of military staff at the ceremonial launch of the event. Military Spokesman Colonel Gharib Abdel-Hafez Gharib said during the orientation session that this years exercise had four main aims: irregular combat training, developing interoperability using the latest global combat systems, strengthening strategic and security relations among participant nations, and exchanging expertise and developing combat methods of participant forces.

The American director of training expressed his sincere gratitude to the Egyptian Armed Forces for hosting Bright Star 2021. The US regards Egypt as one of its most important strategic partners in the region, he said. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), in a statement released by its public affairs office on 4 September, said that this years exercise would build off the success of Bright Star 2018. Approximately 600 US military personnel will participate in the exercise, which was originally scheduled for 2020, but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Major General Steven J deMilliano, director of Exercises and Training Directorate at CENTCOM, said the exercise is an important professional development tool to test and validate concepts, procedures, and tactics. More broadly, they enable militaries to grow capabilities and prepare to quickly respond to demanding crisis situations.

The scenario for this year will test each countrys ability to work together to address regional challenges across air, land, sea and cyber domains, the CENTCOM statement continued. The exercise construct will consist of a field training exercise with a combined-arms live-fire exercise, command post exercise and a senior leader seminar to facilitate information sharing from the tactical to the strategic levels. Exercise Bright Star builds on the strategic security relationship between Egypt and the United States, which plays a leading role in regional security and efforts to combat the spread of extremism. The first Bright Star exercise took place in 1980 with this year being the 17th iteration.

It appears that the main common denominator among the many participant forces is their desire to hone strategic and tactical expertise and interfacing in dealing with unconventional threats. Of particular importance is the qualitative training in counter-terrorism operations in light of the proliferation of terrorism in this region where widespread warfare and strife provides fertile soil for breeding terrorism and extremism. Although the phenomenon has receded due to the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, it is widely believed that the notorious terrorist organisation is regrouping and rebuilding its networks, not only in Syria and Iraq but also in the Sahel region in Africa, especially given the ongoing precariousness of the situation in Libya and its porous borders with Chad, Niger, and Mali. Al-Qaeda, too, may be making a comeback despite the debilitating setbacks it sustained from counter-terrorist operations or its rivalries with IS affiliates, in the Sahel in particular. So it is little wonder that counter-terrorist capacity building should still receive high priority in the Bright Star training agenda.

In this regard, Egyptian and US troops concluded a joint training exercise specifically designed for counter-terrorism. SOFO3 drills were carried out by Egyptian paratroopers and commanders together with US Special Forces in the framework of an expertise exchange programme. The drill was another manifestation of close Egyptian-US military cooperation in the fight against terrorism. This relationship has been steadily developing for four decades, despite some interruptions due to exceptional circumstances such as the Gulf War, the upheaval after 2011 and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. But the fact that joint drills and manoeuvres have resumed with increasing energy after each interval reflects Washingtons and Cairos eagerness to develop their bilateral military and security relations, as well as the US recognition of Egypt as a major power in the Middle East and a major contributor to regional security efforts, as deMilliano indicated.

In light of the many military and non-military factors that qualify Egypt to play a leading role in this regard, the collaboration is expected to grow even more in coming years. Indeed, recent developments already point in this direction, most notably the several recently signed cooperation and coordination protocols and MoUs such as the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Memorandum of Understanding (ACSMOU) signed by CENTCOM Director of Logistics and Engineering Major General Jeffrey Drushal and Egyptian Assistant Minister of Defence for International Affairs Major General Mohamed Salah on 27 April this year. In addition, we have seen the many high-level exchanges of visits, the most recent of which was the visit that the US Naval Forces Central Commands Commander of the US Fifth Fleet Charles Cooper II paid to the Berenice Naval Base where Egypts Southern Fleet is headquartered. Then, in August, the guided missile cruiser USS Monterey made the first visit of a US warship to Berenice, Egypts largest military base in the Red Sea.

Military observers in Egypt have described these developments as indicative of a qualitative shift in Egyptian-US military cooperation and a reflection of the two sides awareness of the security and military changes in the region. Brigadier General Mohamed Qashqoush, one of the senior military officers of the Egyptian paratrooper forces that took part in the first edition of the Bright Star drills, believes that the two countries are not only taking these factors into consideration in general but also in the specific context of regional security arrangements after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and US redeployment in the region following the end of combat missions in Iraq. It will be important to focus on military cooperation between the US and Egypt and their allies in the framework of future arrangements in this regard, Qashqoush said, adding that the joint military exercises, and particularly the activities designed to transfer expertise and provide training in modern weapons systems, are probably a part of this framework.

The configuration of participant nations is also useful to consider in this context. Most of them are friends and allies with both Egypt and the US and most have conducted regular exercises with the Egyptian Armed Forces. Among Egypts non-regional partners, this applies in particular to France, Spain, Britain and Pakistan. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, Egypts increasing military cooperation with Cyprus and Greece has been crowned by the Medusa drill series while in the Arab region, in addition to the regular bilateral and multilateral exercises with Gulf countries, neighbouring Sudan is of particular note. Cairos military relations with Khartoum have increased exponentially in the two years since the overthrow of the Omar Al-Bashir regime. Cairo has also concluded various military cooperation agreements with a number of other African countries, such as Kenya which took part in Bright Star 2021.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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On Saturday, Egypt will see the launch of the new National Strategy for Human Rights, a document of around 100 pages that stipulates a set of government commitments to improve elements of socio-economic, cultural, and political rights in the country over the next five years.



Better access to job opportunities, education, healthcare, and religious freedoms are among the highlights of the document co-drafted by government officials and a group of civil society figures during a period of over a year.



According to government and civil-society sources familiar with the text, the document also shows a commitment to improving political rights. However, on this issue in particular there may be different reactions.



Chair of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights Essam Shiha said the state was offering a comprehensive overview of different types of rights in the new strategy, including the socio-economic rights that are the priority of the people and the political rights that have been heavily lobbied for by human rights organisations in Egypt.



The authorities have accommodated a good part of the ideas that civil society has introduced on political rights, Shiha said. But there is the context as well, which among other things includes the majority wish of the people to have stability and security, he added.



According to a government official involved in the drafting of the document, the text is designed for a five-year term. This, he said, was a recognition on the part of the government that the strategy is a step that can be followed by other steps.



Another government official said that it was important to note that the document is not just about the middle of the road of what the government and civil society could agree on. It is also the middle of the road of what different government bodies think is plausible and can be done.



Finding a consensus was hard work, he stated.



When we talked about the rights of elderly people or citizens with special needs, for example, we certainly would have wanted to commit to doing more, but we had to be mindful of budget constraints. So, we committed to what we are sure today that we can do, and we hope that we can do more, he said.



He added that the same applies to political rights and liberties. There had to be agreement among the many concerned government bodies [including the security side] on what could be done in view of the crucial security agenda.



Both government sources, who spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly on condition of anonymity, argued that it made perfect sense for the greater part of the document to be dedicated to socio-economic and cultural rights because the strategy is designed to be in line with national and government concerns.



They added that the right to an end of all forms of religion-based bias was a lot more important to the vast majority of the population than the demand to facilitate the right to demonstrations, for example.



According to Nigad Al-Borai, a long-time human rights activist who was involved in the consultations over the document, the references in it to political rights and liberties are not bad at all  in the sense that this is the first time that the government has taken upon itself the task of working towards improving these rights and liberties.



Looking at the glass as half-full rather than half-empty, this strategy offers a precedent in the sense that it is a commitment on the part of the government to working on improving the quality of human rights, including political rights and liberties, Al-Borai said.



He added that it was better to start somewhere than object to the document as insufficient and then get nothing from the government.



But neither Al-Borai nor Shiha overlook the voices within the human rights community that argue that the circulated content of the document falls short of their expectations, especially on the issue of pre-trial detention. Al-Borai is also aware of demands in some human rights quarters for the government to reconsider its position on some detainees associated with political activism.



These, he said, were legitimate concerns. However, he added that most such issues were already addressed in the text of the 2014 constitution and legal texts that have been public for a long time.



It is not as if we dont already have some decent legal and constitutional framing for human rights. We do. It is a question of the levels of implementation, he argued.



The difference between the 2014 constitution, which I think is a very good and very progressive text, and this new National Strategy for Human Rights is that the latter is a commitment that the government co-wrote, Al-Borai said. And it is quite something to have the government signing up to what it is willing to do, he added.



Human rights developments in Egypt traditionally get a lot of world attention, especially from the organisations concerned. They are also sometimes brought up in high-level political talks.



Egyptian officials for their part have often said that the countrys security bodies have to face up to militant groups that try to provoke instability.



We have international obligations, and the state has shown its commitment, especially within the UN Human Rights Council, to honour these obligations. It has been a work in progress, Shiha said. The very fact that we are now having this comprehensive strategy is part of this progress, he added.



The issue is not closed  as is the case with all other countries in the world, the debate on human rights in Egypt is an ongoing question, he said.



We do discuss all matters of human rights with the Egyptian government on a regular basis, but we do this behind closed doors for the most part to ensure a candid conversation and some good outcomes, said one Cairo-based Western diplomat.



With the upcoming release of the new National Strategy for Human Rights, the diplomat added, all the friends of Egypt will be in a better place to discuss the matter with the government.



Egypt, government officials say, will always act to address matters of human rights in line with the Egyptian agenda where security inevitably figures highly.



According to Al-Borai, what counts now is the implementation of what the government has committed itself to in order to keep the momentum going.



The release of the National Strategy, he added, had come side by side with a few, but systematic, releases of political figures that had been in pre-trial detention in Egypt, with some in a complex legal situation due to a sequence of charges.



Al-Borai and Shiha credit the hard and diligent work of civil society for having secured the release of the new strategy. It was, they said, testimony to the power of incremental steps.



We in civil society can help the government to improve its performance on human rights. We cannot just confine ourselves to criticism, even when criticism is due. We have to encourage the positive steps to keep them coming, Al-Borai said.



While some critics have called the new strategy an act of PR on the part of the government, Al-Borai and Shiha argue that the issue is not about the intentions of the government but rather about what the government is now committed to doing.



It is a strong show of political commitment, and we never expected to have all our concerns fixed in one go, Shiha concluded.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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The last step to the official establishment of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) was taken on 2 September after President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi ratified the forums charter and approved Egypts membership.

The charter, signed by the forums founding members in Cairo in September and approved by parliament in December last year, aims to bring the major producers and exporters of natural gas in the East Mediterranean region into one organisation to promote their interests in this sector.

The founding members are Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Palestine, and France. Both the US and the EU are observers.

Established in 2019 as an international organisation headquartered in Cairo, the forum also seeks to kick off dialogue among its members on natural gas issues and lay out policies and programmes necessary for them.

According to a report released by parliaments Energy Committee, the forum will ensure proper investment in the natural gas reserves of the East Mediterranean region at the present and in the future.

It aims to create a kind of sustainable partnership among its members and an international market for natural gas in a way that will guarantee the needs of consumers, the report said.

The energy ministers of the member states of the EMGF held their first ministerial meeting via video conference in Cairo last March, where they endorsed the EMGFs statutes and programme for 2021.

The meeting also discussed developing a long-term strategy for the forum and launching initiatives on gas decarbonisation and liquefied natural gas as a shipping fuel, in line with global environmental trends.

Dedicated groups of experts will be formed to draft a long-term strategy for achieving the two initiatives, said a statement released by the Egyptian Petroleum Ministry.

The EMGFs energy ministers agreed to hold their next ministerial meeting in Cairo during the last quarter of 2021, said a statement, adding that in January next year, Cyprus, as the first founding member in alphabetical order, will be the first president of the forum.

Osama Mobarez, undersecretary at the Petroleum Ministry in Cairo, was named acting secretary-general of the EMGF.

Following President Al-Sisis ratification of the EMGFs charter last Thursday, Mobarez tweeted that this is a very important step for the East Mediterranean countries and a big win for Egypt in particular. The fact that the charter selected Cairo to host the headquarters of the forum will turn Egypt into the regions major hub for natural gas producers and exporters.

Mobarez said that EU Ambassador in Cairo Christian Berger has officially requested to join the EMGF as an observer. The EU has been a strategic partner to the forum since the launch of its meetings, Mobarez said.

Berger indicated during a meeting with Minister of Petroleum Tarek Al-Molla that Egypts continuous efforts in the Mediterranean region and its initiative to establish the EMGF highlights its role in reinforcing cooperation in the field of energy. Egypt has received full support from the European Union, which is looking forward to joining as an observer of the forum.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum, any East Mediterranean country producing or consuming gas or any transit country whose objectives are in line with the forum can join the EMGF after taking necessary membership measures.

Gas reserves in the East Mediterranean were also on the agenda of a meeting between Al-Sisi and his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades in Cairo on Saturday.

In a press conference on 4 September at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Anastasiades said the formation of the EMGF would push energy cooperation between Egypt and Cyprus to a new level.

Within the framework of this forum, we are currently working on establishing a pipeline under the Mediterranean to transfer liquefied gas from Egypt to Europe via Cyprus, Anastasiades said, also noting that specialised committees made up of officials from the two countries will meet on 15 September to turn this project into reality.

Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry Natassa Pilidou said on Saturday that Egypt and Cyprus had decided to reopen discussions over a joint scheme that will see natural gas from the offshore Aphrodite Field in Cyprus piped to liquefaction plants in Idku and Damietta in Egypt to be re-exported to European markets.

It was expected that Egypt would start receiving Cypriot gas during 2022, but recent estimations say the project could be finalised around 2024-25, said Pilidou, adding that the Egyptian-Cypriot gas pipeline will contribute to supporting growth and containing the negative economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic; hence the need to accelerate the implementation of the new project.

Al-Molla said Egypt has two natural gas liquefaction plants, one east of Alexandria at Idku owned by the Egyptian Liquefied Natural Gas Company and the other in the port city of Damietta belonging to the Spanish-Italian Union Fenosa.

Hossameddin Saleh, chair of parliaments Energy Committee, said in a statement that the Egyptian-Cypriot agreement on the new gas pipeline reflects the growing friendly relations between the two countries and shows that energy, particularly in the form of natural gas and electricity, can be a tool for reinforcing friendships among nations.

Al-Sisi and Anastasiades are set to meet again in October and December at two planned tripartite summit meetings with Greece to push economic cooperation further among the three countries.

Egypts natural gas also figured prominently during discussions in Damascus in Syria on Saturday. According to reports by Reuters and AP, Syrian officials welcomed a Lebanese request to import Egyptian gas for energy generation via Syrian territory after a Lebanese minister paid a high-level visit to Damascus on 4 September.

The plan would revive a 2009 agreement that allows Egyptian gas to be pumped via a pipeline from Jordan to a Lebanese power plant in the countrys north.

The petroleum ministers of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan were scheduled to meet in Amman on Wednesday to discuss reviving the 2009 agreement after approval from the US which is imposing sanctions on Syria. The meeting would take place upon the invitation of Jordan's Minister of Energy Hala Zawati.

Awad said that pumping the Egyptian gas to Lebanon will help the country ease its chronic fuel shortages and also generate economic benefits for Syria, which is suffering from US economic sanctions.

The Egyptian gas sends a message of friendship and cooperation to most countries in the region, he added.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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A high-level Lebanese delegation visited Syria some days ago in the first such visit to Damascus since relations were frozen due to the Arab and Western boycott of the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

The visit by Zeina Akar, Lebanons defence minister and deputy prime minister, was not meant to improve relations or to reintegrate Syria into the Arab sphere, however.

Akar was in Syria in order to gain approval for gas and electricity networks from Egypt and Jordan to go through Syria to Lebanon after the US gave the green light for Beirut to pursue efforts in this direction.

Some Lebanese political forces saw the visit as a way to normalise relations with the Syrian regime, while the Syrian opposition said the operations would allow the regime to bring the rebel city of Deraa under its control.

Three weeks before the visit, the US told Lebanon it had approved gas pipelines and electricity networks to go from Egypt and Jordan through Syria to Lebanon. The US gave Lebanon the permission to visit Syria to discuss the details of the project.

Lebanon suffers a shortage of electricity and gas, which it can only secure via marine pipelines and electricity grids since it shares borders with Syria and Israel. But Syria is subject to US sanctions that do not allow any country to interact with it, making the US permission essential.

On 19 August, US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea informed the Lebanese presidency of the US administrations decision to help Lebanon bring in Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria.

Lebanon had presented the request to the US after former Lebanese prime minister Saad Al-Hariri talked with the Jordanian leadership to persuade the US to approve the transport of natural gas from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria and Jordan.

Al-Hariri visited Egypt on 14 July and asked President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi to allow the export of the gas, which could save Lebanon some 50 or 60 per cent on its fuel costs.

Following correspondence between Syria and Lebanon, the former approved the request. The two parties agreed to follow up on the decision through a joint technical team.

Akars visit to Syria was a continuation of this technical path, though the Syrian regime is hoping the visit will also open the door to a resumption of Arab relations after a 10-year boycott.

Political leaders in Beirut warned against the resumption of official relations with the Syrian regime, however. Opponents of the Lebanese Hizbullah group and Syria stressed that the current economic and political crisis in Lebanon was caused by Syria and Hizbullah, the weakening of the state at the hands of Hizbullah and its allies, and the corrupt management of the Lebanese state.

The gas project is also meant to transport Egyptian gas to Jordan, where it will be used to produce additional electricity for the network linking Jordan with Lebanon via Syria. It also aims to transport Egyptian gas via Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon to activate gas-operated power plants that have been dysfunctional for 11 years.

The gas pipeline, which passes from Egypt through Jordan to Syria from Homs in the centre of the country, has been repeatedly bombed by terrorists and armed groups. The section of the pipeline in Syria must now be expanded and maintained for it to function again.

According to analysts, Syria agreed to the project because the Syrian regime will gain free electricity by transporting power via its grid to Lebanon. Syrias people currently suffer from daily power cuts that can last for hours.

Syria will also benefit from transporting gas to northern Lebanon, acquiring large amounts of gas which will allow it to operate its power plants. It will be able to levy taxes on the project, which is said to be funded by the World Bank.

The Jordanian electricity network passes through Deraa in southern Syria, and this will require a regional and international understanding over Deraa with the participation of the US, Russia, Iran and Israel, possibly allowing the Syrian regime to forcibly take control of this rebel city.

More meetings are likely to be held between the countries concerned in the project, namely Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. But probably they will not lead to another desired goal for Syria, which is to extend bridges of communication between Syria and the rest of the Arab world.

Lebanon, on the edge of bankruptcy, will not be able to secure the financial resources for the project alone, and the technical and other aspects of the project will need much discussion as well as a time frame, infrastructure and equipment not likely to be available in Syria or Lebanon.

Moreover, according to experts, transporting gas to Lebanon will take between eight months and a year, while Lebanon is in need of emergency plans, not long-term strategic projects.

With debts of $96 billion, equivalent to 164 per cent of GDP, Lebanon hopes the World Bank will grant it a loan to pay for the project.

For some, the electricity and gas project appears to be part of a political game, more than an economic operation, led by the US. The features of this game are unclear, but it may be part of a grander scheme.

For the time being, despite its green light to Lebanon to pursue the project, the US is adamant about enforcing the Caesar Act, legislation that sanctions the Syrian government for war crimes, until the Syrian regime embarks on wide-ranging political reforms that are unlikely to materialise in the near future.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Regime conducts deadly strike on northwest Syria clinic



AFP, , Wednesday 8 Sep 2021



Four civilians, including a young woman and a child, were killed on Tuesday in rare artillery fire on the provincial capital of Idlib, the UK-based war monitor said



Regime shelling on a medical centre in northwestern Syria killed a woman Wednesday, in the latest in a long list of government attacks on health facilities, a monitor said.



The pre-dawn shelling in Marayan hit a building housing one of the few health centres in this part of Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.



An AFP photographer saw men salvaging medical equipment from the damaged two-storey building on the ground floor, where the health centre was located.



The wife of the centre's director, who lived on the destroyed first floor of the same building, was killed by the shelling, the Observatory said.



In recent days, regime and allied forces have ratcheted up their attacks on parts of the Idlib region still controlled by rebel and jihadist groups.



Four civilians, including a young woman and a child, were killed on Tuesday in rare artillery fire on the provincial capital of Idlib, the UK-based war monitor said.



The Idlib region, which is home to about three million people and borders Turkey, is the last pocket to oppose Damascus in the decade-old conflict.



After a months-long military offensive to flush out the enclave sparked fears of the war's worst bloodshed yet, a ceasefire deal was reached in March 2020.



The agreement brokered by the regime's and the rebels' main backers Russia and Turkey respectively has largely held since, despite sporadic flare-ups such as that seen this week.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422657.aspx
Syria refugees suffered abuse, torture upon return



AP, , Wednesday 8 Sep 2021



The Syrian government and its chief international backer, Russia, have publicly called on refugees to return home and accused Western countries of discouraging it with claims that Syria is still unsafe



A number of Syrian refugees who returned home have been subjected to detention, disappearance and torture at the hands of Syrian security forces, proving that it still isn't safe to return to any part of the country, Amnesty International said Tuesday.



In a report entitled ``You're going to your death,'' the rights group documented what it said were violations committed by Syrian intelligence officers against 66 returnees, including 13 children between mid-2017 and spring 2021. Among those were five cases in which detainees had died in custody after returning to the country torn by civil war, while the fate of 17 forcibly disappeared people remains unknown.



The report strongly counters claims by a number of states that parts of Syria were now safe to return to. It criticizes Denmark, Sweden and Turkey specifically for restricting protection and putting pressure on refugees from Syria to go home. It also criticizes Lebanon and Jordan, which have some of the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita.



In Lebanon and Turkey, where many refugees face dire living conditions and discrimination, governments have put increasing pressure on Syrians to return. Turkey has reportedly forcibly deported many Syrians in the last two years expulsions that reflect rising anti-refugee sentiment in a country that once flung open its borders to millions of Syrians fleeing civil war.



Denmark and Sweden earlier this year started revoking the residency permits of some Syrian refugees, arguing that the Syrian capital, Damascus, and neighboring regions were now safe.



Few experts agree with that assessment. While the security situation has stabilized in government-controlled areas and many parts of central Syria previously held by opposition rebels, forced conscription, indiscriminate detentions and forced disappearances continue to be reported. Entire neighborhoods are destroyed, and many people have no houses to return to. Basic services such as water and electricity are poor to nonexistent.



``Any government claiming Syria is now safe is willfully ignoring the horrific reality on the ground, leaving refugees once again fearing for their lives,'' said Marie Forestier, researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International. She said that while military hostilities may have subsided in most parts of Syria, the Syrian government's ``propensity for egregious human rights violations has not.''



The Syrian government and its chief international backer, Russia, have publicly called on refugees to return home and accused Western countries of discouraging it with claims that Syria is still unsafe.



In its report, Amnesty urged European governments to immediately halt any practice directly or indirectly forcing people to return home. It also called on neighboring countries Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, which host the bulk of the Syrian refugee population, to protect them from deportation or any other forcible return, in line with their international obligations.



It said Syrian authorities in some cases have targeted returnees to Syria simply for having fled, accusing them of treason or supporting ``terrorism.''



The Syrian government routinely dismisses accusations of human rights abuses as lies.



The report documents serious violations committed by the Syrian government against refugees who returned to Syria from Lebanon, as well as from Rukban an informal settlement between the Jordanian and Syrian borders and also from France, Germany, Turkey, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates between mid-2017 and spring 2021. It was based on interviews with 41 Syrians, including returnees and their relatives and friends, as well as lawyers, humanitarian workers and Syria experts.



In some cases, the human rights violations included rape or other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary or unlawful detention, and torture or other ill-treatment, the report said.



Syria's 10-year war has killed about half a million people and forced about 5.6 million to flee abroad as refugees, mostly to neighboring countries.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422672.aspx
Sudan summons Ethiopian ambassador over Setit River floating bodies



MENA, , Wednesday 8 Sep 2021



Sudanese authorities have taken all necessary legal measures and notified the Ethiopian ambassador that the bodies, found during the period between July 26 and Aug. 8, belong to Ethiopian citizens from Tigray region



The Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that the Ethiopian ambassador in Khartoum was summoned on Aug. 30 in the wake of finding 29 bodies floating down Setit River separating Ethiopia's Tigray region from Sudan.



Sudanese authorities have taken all necessary legal measures and notified the Ethiopian ambassador that the bodies, found during the period between July 26 and Aug. 8, belong to Ethiopian citizens from Tigray region.



The Foreign Ministry asked the Ethiopian ambassador to report the incident to Ethiopian officials.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422679.aspx
Egyptian and Russian parliamentary speakers discuss GERD, joint projects



Gamal Essam El-Din, , Wednesday 8 Sep 2021



The meeting came on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which is being held in Vienna, Austria, between 5 and 8 September



Hanafy Gebaly, the speaker of Egypts House of Representatives, and Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of Russias Federation Council, met on Wednesday to discuss relations between the two countries.



The meeting came on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which is being held in Vienna, Austria, between 5 and 8 September.



According to an official statement, Gebaly praised how the relations between Egypt and Russia have seen remarkable growth in recent years.



This reflects the keenness of the leadership of the two countries to push forward the strategic partnership between them to new heights and in a way that also reflects their international and regional influence and weight, said Gebaly, revealing that the strategic partnership agreement between Egypt and Russia will go into effect early next year and that this means that relations between the two countries will get closer in the political, economic, and cultural fields.



Gebaly also referred to the fact that the two countries are currently involved in a number of joint projects being implemented in Egypt.



We have the Dabaa Nuclear Plant west of Alexandria and the Russian Industrial Zone in the Suez Canal Zone, both of whichare still under construction, said Gebaly, also praising Russia for deciding to resume direct charter flights between Russian cities and Egypts two Red Sea resort cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada last month.



The resumption of these flights reflects the current stability and security in Egypt and Russias interests in forging closer relations with Egypt in all fields, said Gebaly.



The Egyptian parliamentary speaker and his Russian counterpart also reviewed the current negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).



Gebaly emphasised that Egypt will never compromise its share of the Nile Rivers water, which is a right that does not negatively affect the right of other states to achieve sustainable development.



From her side, Matviyenko said Russia firmly believes in Egypts international influence and its pioneering role and weight in the region.



Our meeting today reflects the strategic nature of the current relations between Egypt and Russia, said Matviyenko, adding that Russia fully supports Egypts position concerning the GERD negotiations because it aims to preserve the right of the Egyptian people in the Niles waters.



Matviyenko also voiced support for pushing parliamentary relations between Egypt and Russia forward as part of the strategic partnership between the two countries.



I am sure that the strategic partnership between the two countries, which will go into effect in 2022, will be a big success and of mutual benefit to the two peoples.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422680.aspx
Egypt, Turkey to continue exploratory talks in future



Ahram Online , Wednesday 8 Sep 2021



According to the joint statement, the Egyptian and Turkish delegations discussed bilateral issues as well as a number of regional concerns like the situation in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and the East Mediterranean



Egypt and Turkey agreed to continue engaging in exploratory talks between them, a joint statement issued by the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries said on Wednesday.



A second round of consultations was held between the two countries delegations  headed by Turkeys Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sadat Onal and his Egyptian counterpart, Hamdy Loza  in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday September 7-8.



The Egyptian and Turkish delegations discussed bilateral issues as well as a number of regional concerns like the situation in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and the East Mediterranean, the joint statement said.



The two sides agreed to continue the consultations, asserting their desire to achieve progress in the issues discussed in the talks as well as the need to take additional steps to facilitate the normalisationof relations between the two countries, the statement said.



The exploratory talks come as Turkey attempts to end its differences  that have been impacting its economy  with regional powers over several crises in the region.



The first round of talks  held in early May in Cairo  was frank and in-depth as described by a joint statement by the Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries at the time.



The two sides also addressed bilateral issues as well as a number of regional issues, particularly the situation in Syria and Iraq, and the need to achieve peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the statement said.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422689.aspx
Amid public unease about their marriage due to the financial dispute between Komuro's mother and her former fiance, the princess will likely decline a lump-sum payment of up to about 150 million yen ($1.36 million) that is traditionally given to female royal family members upon their departure from the household, another source said earlier.

As the princess has indicated that she will not accept the lump-sum payment, the government is discussing whether it is legally possible under current rules not to offer the payment, which would be financed by taxpayers' money, in accordance with the princess's unprecedented request, according to an agency official.

The usual ritual ceremonies associated with such a marriage are not likely to be held either.

The agency is considering forgoing the rites, such as an official engagement ceremony called "Nosai no Gi," in which the families of the betrothed exchange gifts, and a "Choken no Gi" ceremony to officially meet with the emperor and empress prior to marriage.

It is still possible that she would pay a personal farewell visit to the emperor and Empress Masako, as well as former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko.

Under the current rules, female imperial family members lose their royal status upon marrying commoners.

Since Japanese imperial family members do not have passports, the princess needs to first make a family registry with Komuro as an ordinary citizen before applying for her passport.

While the Imperial Household Agency is arranging to register their marriage in October, it could be delayed to sometime in November depending on factors such as the coronavirus situation, according to the source.

A series of necessary procedures related to their marriage are expected to be concluded by a press conference to mark the Nov. 30 birthday of Crown Prince Fumihito, the father of Princess Mako and the emperor's younger brother, according to the source.

The Imperial Household Agency is studying the possibility of preparing an occasion for the couple to explain their feelings about the marriage.

Komuro and Princess Mako met in 2012 as students at International Christian University in Tokyo and were unofficially engaged in September 2017.

However, the agency announced the postponement of ritual ceremonies related to their marriage in February 2018 following media reports of the money dispute linked to Komuro's mother.
By Mitsuya Tanaka, KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 08:41 | All, World

Former U.S. Pacific Command chief Harry Harris has called on Washington to reassess its longstanding policy of keeping its commitment to Taiwan's defense ambiguous, warning that China is seeking to "dominate" the self-ruled island.

China is on a quest to "first isolate and then dominate Taiwan," Harris, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea until January, said in a recent interview with Kyodo News, joining a chorus of warnings from the U.S. side over Beijing's stepped-up military pressure on Taipei.

The U.S. administration of President Joe Biden has demanded that China cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan, while assisting the democratic island in maintaining a "sufficient self-defense capability" such as through arms sales.

At the same time, the U.S. government has maintained an ambiguous position regarding the use of military force in response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan, a tactic known as "strategic ambiguity."

But Harris, who led for three years until 2018 what has since become known as the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said, "We should reconsider this, our longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity."

"If, at the end of that...reassessment, we keep the same policy, that's fine. But we shouldn't keep it simply because we've done it that way since the late 1970s," he added, speaking from his home in the western state of Colorado.

The strategic ambiguity policy was adopted after U.S.-Taiwan relations became "unofficial" in 1979, with Washington switching its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

The policy is intended not only to deter China from using force against Taiwan but also to deter Taiwan from seeking independence, as neither Beijing nor Taipei can feel certain about U.S. intervention to defend Taiwan should a conflict arise.

Harris said the United States should be "clearer in what our responsibilities are" under the Taiwan Relations Act, a piece of U.S. legislation that governs the unofficial ties with Taiwan, noting that Washington has "not been consistent" especially over its arms sales to Taiwan.

"If you're not consistent in what you sell Taiwan or any other country, then how can they be -- how can they adequately plan for their military readiness, in the long run?" the former ambassador said.

His remarks appear to indicate cases in which weapons sales to Taiwan were delayed depending on U.S.-China relations at the time.

"Ambiguity can get you in trouble," he said.

Harris also said warnings issued by top U.S. admirals in recent months portraying the threat of Chinese invasion of Taiwan as imminent should be taken "seriously" and that the United States should "prepare accordingly."

Harris' successor Philip Davidson said in March that China could try to invade Taiwan "in the next six years."

Adm. John Aquilino, the current commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, also warned that "this problem is much closer to us than most think" without specifying by when he expected the Chinese military to become capable of invading the island.

Taiwan and mainland China have been separately governed since they split as a result of a civil war in 1949. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province, has since endeavored to bring the island into its fold.

Harris, meanwhile, was skeptical about any breakthrough in the near future amid the intensifying U.S.-China competition, saying Washington and Beijing "fundamentally disagree on how to approach the current international order."

He blasted Beijing for its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy, human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur minority in China's far-western Xinjiang region, intellectual property theft and "outlandish territorial claims" to virtually all of the South China Sea.

"We believe that the Chinese government...doesn't keep its word," he said.

In dealing with China's growing assertiveness in the region, Harris said it is "critical" that the United States and Japan hold military exercises together, given their common defense capabilities such as the F-35 stealth fighters and Aegis ships.

He also urged Japan and South Korea to set aside their disputes on wartime issues and focus on "what's happening today" in the Indo-Pacific region.

The cooperation between the United States and its two closest allies in Asia is "critical in order to successfully meet the challenges that confront our three countries," which include those related to China, he said.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 9, 2021 - 21:39 | World, All

North Korea staged a military parade early Thursday to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the country's founding, state-run media reported, with leader Kim Jong Un struggling to cope with the nation's worst food crisis in more than a decade.

Clad in a grey suit and tie, Kim watched the parade that began at midnight in Kim Il Sung Square, the capital's central area named after his grandfather and North Korea's founder, according to video footage broadcast later by the official Korean Central Television.

The military parade, believed to be aimed at generating national unity while avoiding a provocative tone, was North Korea's first since January this year, when the country held the first congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in nearly five years.

Thursday's parade, in which paramilitary and public security forces took part, may also have been related to last month's South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises that prompted the North to warn of a "serious security crisis."

Pyongyang has long lambasted military drills between Seoul and Washington as rehearsals for war and invasion.

The two-hour footage, however, did not show ballistic missiles such as one that could target the U.S. mainland. Kim did not make a speech at the parade.

At a military parade in October 2020, North Korea showed off its cutting-edge intercontinental ballistic missile on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling party, while unveiling a submarine-launched ballistic missile in January 2021.

Thousands of participants in Thursday's parade were confirmed not to have worn protective face masks, as North Korea claims the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 has not made inroads into the nation.

The country's economy, meanwhile, has been languishing further, at a time when its negotiations with the United States on denuclearization and sanctions relief have been at a standstill for around two years.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) attends a military parade in Pyongyang in the early hours of Sept. 9, 2021, as reported in North Korea's Rodong Sinmun. (Photo courtesy of Korea Media)(Kyodo)

North Korea said earlier this year in a report to the United Nations that it has suffered its worst food crisis in over 10 years, with fears mounting that the country's citizens have encountered difficulties in obtaining daily essentials.

Kim said in June that the food situation in North Korea was "getting tense" as its agricultural sector was devastated by powerful typhoons and flooding in 2020.

The nuclear-armed nation also appears not to have imported food products recently from China, which is known as its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as it has blocked the border with its neighbor amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pyongyang has cut off land traffic to and from China and Russia since early last year to prevent the intrusion of the virus, first detected in China's central city of Wuhan in late 2019.

North Korea is seen to be vulnerable to infectious diseases against a backdrop of chronic shortages of food and medical equipment triggered by international economic sanctions designed to thwart its nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions.

Previously, North Korea barred foreigners from entering the country during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014.

North Korea was established on Sept. 9, 1948, backed by the Soviet Union, Russia's predecessor state.

On the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the nation's founding, Kim received messages from several political leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

"I highly value the development of the China-DPRK relations and have intent to develop these ties of friendship and cooperation on a long-term basis and in a stable way," Xi was quoted by the news agency as saying in his message.

DPRK is the acronym of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

Putin told Kim in his message that relations between Russia and North Korea are "based on the good traditions of friendship and mutual respect," according to KCNA.

In the 1950-1953 Korean War, the North supported by China and the Soviet Union fought against the South backed by U.S.-led U.N. forces. Pyongyang has no diplomatic ties with Washington as the war ended in a cease-fire rather than a peace treaty.

Related coverage:

North Korea promotes leader Kim's close aide to Politburo position

North Korea seems to restart operations of main nuclear reactor: IAEA
By Komaki Niregane, KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 12:21 | Sports, Arts, Feature, All, News

The use of deaf interpreters as signers in live ceremony broadcasts during the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics has won plaudits from Japan's deaf community for its innovative approach to the service.

Broadcast via NHK's educational channel, the deaf interpreters, for whom sign language is their first language, were able to convey more detailed and nuanced coverage of the Olympic closing ceremony and Paralympic opening ceremony by communicating information provided to them by signers who can hear.

Deaf viewers of the ceremonies praised them on social media for being "very understandable." They helped viewers "enjoy (the ceremonies) with the entire family," the posts said.

Some experts now expect the more descriptive signing method will be used more regularly in the future.

"On most occasions, including the prime minister's press conferences, people without hearing impairments have worked as sign language interpreters," said Harumi Kimura, 56, an instructor of sign language interpretation at the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities.

Kimura, who is deaf herself and works as a newscaster for NHK's Sign Language News 845, says there is a form of sign language mainly used by people without hearing disabilities called Signed Japanese, or Manually Coded Japanese, which is not as widely understood among the hearing-impaired public.

MCJ, based on Japanese word order, uses the signs of the Japanese Sign Language, the predominant form of communication among deaf people in Japan, and has an entirely different structure and grammar from the Japanese language.

With MCJ alone, some deaf people struggle to comprehend due to differences in understanding, depending on their Japanese language proficiency level since Japanese is not their first language.

NHK used sign interpretation in broadcasting the ceremonies in expectation there would be a higher than normal percentage of deaf viewers. Employing deaf interpreters, who rely on the JSL they speak every day, was a game-changer as they utilize the more natural and expressive form of communication.

Specifically, an interpreter without hearing loss, known as a "feeder," formed a team with three deaf interpreters, the former listening to events unfold on TV while simultaneously translating the broadcaster's description to one of the trio, who rotated every 15 minutes to cover the up to three-hour-long ceremonies.

The deaf sign interpreters won praise in messages on Twitter, with many people speaking of their "rich facial expressions." According to Kimura, lip and eyebrow movements, among other facets, are important in the construction of JSL grammar.

Kimura said NHK deserved congratulations for hiring such a well-seasoned group of professionals who demonstrated a high level of concentration in carrying out their role.

The feeders, for their part, not only conveyed the on-the-spot coverage of the announcers but devised ways of augmenting the viewers' experience with detailed information while watching the images of the ceremonies, Kimura said.

The performance during the opening ceremony of the Paralympics by guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei, for example, "expressed an uplifting feeling" to deaf people, although music is alien to them, she said.

Feeders are indispensable when deaf interpreters are involved, but Noriko Miyazawa, 60, a sign language interpreter who also works as a feeder, stressed they must deliver "quick, short, and precise" interpretations.

Feeders should be fluent in JSL to converse freely with deaf interpreters, Miyazawa said, adding that she makes careful preparations to ensure smooth communication with deaf interpreters by holding sessions with them ahead of conferences and other events.

Although deaf interpreters are active overseas, such as on occasions when the United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth II delivers an annual Christmas address or for breaking news stories, the practice is still not widely used in Japan.

For the Paralympics' closing ceremony, NHK again used deaf interpreters in broadcasting live via its educational TV channel. But Kimura thinks deaf interpretation could have a much broader impact in society if also used in other areas.

"More deaf interpreters and feeders should be developed so that they can be used in times of disaster and other emergency situations," Kimura said.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 14:43 | All, Japan, World

A group of Japanese university students are pitching for donations via crowdfunding to support two boys suffering childhood cancer in war-torn Syria.

The boys are Salah, 10, and Ibraheem, 9, who the students got to know through a nongovernmental organization. They are fighting the disease in Aleppo, northern Syria, and are unable to receive adequate treatment.

The students began their activities last year and have set a goal of 700,000 yen ($6,350) for this year. The money will be used for medical treatment for the boys and their travel expenses to hospitals.

Tamami Yoshioka, a sophomore at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies whose major is Arabic, has been participating in the project since last winter.

Making use of her language skills, Yoshioka, 22, has been exchanging messages with the boys' families, and she said she feels an acute need for assistance.

In addition to health conditions of the boys, she was informed of the harsh life of Syrian citizens under economic sanctions.

Yoshioka and other students said that under the global coronavirus pandemic, many people are in difficult situations, but the group does not want to unilaterally scale back international cooperation.

So far, the students have reached this year's goal of donations, but they are seeking more support and will be accepting donations until late in the evening on Monday.

More information is available at https://readyfor.jp/projects/team_beko_syria
KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 20:16 | All, Japan

A South Korean district court on Wednesday dismissed a wartime labor-related damages lawsuit against Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp., on the grounds that the plaintiffs launched the suit after a statute of limitations on the civil case had expired.

The same Seoul Central District Court judge dismissed a similar suit against another Japanese company, Mitsubishi Materials Corp., last month on the same grounds.

After the South Korean Supreme Court in 2018 ordered Nippon Steel and another Japanese company to compensate plaintiffs over forced labor during World War II, a spate of rulings against Japanese firms followed in lower courts. But this year, plaintiffs in similar cases have lost in district courts, signaling disagreement among judges on this matter.

The two suits were filed in 2019 and 2017, respectively, by relatives of laborers during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. In both cases, Judge Pak Song In determined that plaintiffs had lost their right to seek claims in 2015.

Three years earlier, in 2012, the Supreme Court, in a groundbreaking decision, said the right of individuals such as former wartime laborers to pursue compensation from Japan was not nullified by a 1965 agreement between Japan and South Korea.

The Civil Code in South Korea stipulates that victims lose their right to claim damages if they do not seek claims within three years of discovering harm. In the two district court rulings, Pak saw the statute of limitations begin to run in 2012.

After relevant cases were sent back to appeals courts for retrial following the 2012 landmark decision, the Supreme Court in 2018 ordered Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to compensate groups of plaintiffs.

Based on the October 2018 ruling against Nippon Steel -- the first of the two handed down by the top court that year -- an appeals court in Gwangju in the country's southwest has ruled that the statute of limitations on wartime labor compensation claims began to run in 2018.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule in the future on when the clock began ticking on the statute of limitations regarding this issue.

Ties between Japan and South Korea, already strained largely over historical issues, have worsened since the 2018 top court rulings.

Japan maintains that issues relating to property and claims between the two countries and their peoples stemming from the colonial rule have been settled "completely and finally" under the 1965 bilateral accord, under which Japan provided grants and loans to South Korea.

Related coverage:

Court approves seizure of South Korean company payment to Mitsubishi Heavy
KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 20:42 | All, World

A fire broke out at a prison near the Indonesian capital Jakarta early Wednesday, killing 41 inmates including two foreigners, according to the government and local police.

The fire at the Tangerang penitentiary just outside Jakarta, also left 81 others injured, including eight seriously, they said.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly told reporters that among those killed were a terrorism convict and a murder convict, as well as a number of drug offenders.

The two foreigners who died were from South Africa and Portugal, the minister said.

The prison accommodating 2,072 inmates has been operating at overcapacity and the block where the fire occurred had held 122 inmates, he said.

Officials said 15 prison staff were on duty at the time of the fire but no casualties were reported among them.

The cause of the fire, which was first detected shortly after 2 a.m., was under investigation, but the police said it may have been caused by a short circuit.

Overcrowding is a problem in most prisons in Indonesia.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 9, 2021 - 04:59 | All, World

Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, Europe and elsewhere on Wednesday agreed to work together in dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, as they seek to ensure safe departures for those fleeing the Taliban-controlled country, the Japanese government said.

With concerns growing that uncertainty and insecurity could lead to a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pledged during the online meeting to provide $65 million in fresh aid through international organizations to assist locals with shelter, food, water and other needs.

The meeting, hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, was joined by participants from a total of 22 countries, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Motegi had earlier said the meeting was expected to be joined by China and Russia. But the two countries were not mentioned in the press release.

Blinken hosted the meeting in Germany, on the second leg of a trip that also took him to Qatar, following the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan late last month. The pullout marked an end of the two-decade war triggered by the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, on American soil.

But an unexpectedly swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, an Islamist group, during the U.S. military's drawdown led to a chaotic evacuation process at the international airport in Kabul as many Afghans who worked with the United States rushed to flee the country, fearing for their lives under the new rulers.

The United States has aided the evacuation of some 125,000 people from Afghanistan, including 6,000 American citizens, according to Blinken. President Joe Biden has vowed to continue to work with other countries to ensure the safe passage of Americans, Afghans and foreign nationals who wish to leave the country.

Blinken said at the outset of the ministerial meeting that the Taliban, including the recently announced caretaker government and any eventual Afghan government, should be held to its commitment to allow foreign nationals, visa holders and Afghans to travel outside the country if they wish.
By Rachael Bayliss-Chan, KYODO NEWS - Sep 8, 2021 - 12:30 | World, All, Coronavirus

For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia and New Zealand have been lauded for successfully seeking zero community transmissions of coronavirus through strict border measures that saw their citizens live with relative freedoms.

But the arrival of the highly infectious Delta variant is forcing the two nations to rethink their zero tolerance approach to COVID-19, as infection numbers swell to record highs despite weeks of lockdowns.

The current outbreak hit Australia first. On June 16, a Sydney driver transporting international airline crew was found infected with the virus. As related Delta infections spread, a lockdown was imposed on the country's largest city.

The lockdown has since expanded to cover New South Wales, where Sydney is located, and two other regions, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. But the lockdown and contact tracing measures Australia has relied upon so far have failed to curb the virus's spread.

New South Wales is now seeing most infection cases in the nation, hitting over 1,000 new cases a day despite enduring months of lockdown. The lockdown has also failed to bring down cases in Victoria, the state further south.

The deteriorating situation in Australia's southeast prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrison to concede in August that it is "highly unlikely" the country will return to zero cases in the community.

Authorities are being forced to abandon the zero-COVID strategy and turn instead to vaccinations as the path to freedom.

This has caused a split between the country's state and territory leaders, however, as some of those boasting zero community infections within their borders backpedal on their agreements to reopen once 70 to 80 percent of the adult population is vaccinated.

"The idea that we would prematurely decide to deliberately import the virus...is complete madness," said West Australian Premier Mark McGowan in a social media post late last month.

The state's slow vaccination efforts, as well as McGowan signaling his intention to keep its borders closed after vaccination rates reach the nationally agreed level, have left outsiders wondering how long the state will remain closed off to the rest of the country.

Across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand, the detection of a single case in its largest city Auckland put the entire population of 5 million under the highest-level restrictions on Aug. 17.

Under the country's zero-COVID strategy, all schools and businesses were closed apart from those providing essential services, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, as infection numbers continued to rise.

Unlike in Australia, New Zealand's political leadership so far remains behind the strategy, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying "it's not only possible, it remains the best strategy."

The strategy also has backing from the country's scientists.

"We can just see what's going on in other countries, that this was absolutely the right decision to make," said Siouxsie Wiles, a microbiologist and associate professor at the University of Auckland.

"The whole idea of learning to live with the virus is actually not learning to live with the virus, it's learning to live with a certain number of deaths in your community," she said.

Wiles said she opposes New Zealand following Australia in shifting focus from the number of cases to the number of hospitalizations with the Delta variant.

After three weeks of a nationwide lockdown, restrictions were eased in most of the country on Wednesday, leaving the strictest measures in place just in Auckland at least until next week as community transmission cases have persisted there.

While New Zealand seems to have ridden out its worst outbreak during the pandemic, the latest wave has prompted debate on how long the zero-COVID strategy will remain viable for the nation.

Speaking on television program Q+A on Aug. 22, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins conceded that the Delta strain raises "big questions" about the country's pandemic response, as he questioned the adequacy of existing measures to contain the virus.

"At some point we will have to start to be more open in the future," Hipkins said.

Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist and associate professor at the University of Auckland, agrees, saying New Zealand will have to "let go of the fluffy blanky we've enjoyed for so long," referring to the safety and security citizens have enjoyed in a land free of COVID-19.

As the debate unfolds, New Zealand is now turning its focus to ramping up the country's vaccine rollout to forge a path out of the pandemic. So far, however, authorities have avoided clarifying what percentage of vaccination is needed to trigger a border reopening.

"I think we need to aim really high, rather than set something at 80 percent or 85 and then think we've got the job done," said Petousis-Harris.

"We haven't adjusted to the idea that we have to live in fear of getting this. But I think hopefully if our vaccine rates are high enough, then we hopefully won't have to live in that fear."

Rates of infection and death from the virus in the two countries remain well below most comparable nations, with Australia recording around 65,000 cases and slightly over 1,000 deaths, and New Zealand logging around 4,000 cases and 27 deaths.

Vaccination rates are also relatively low, with Australia sitting at 39 percent of the population over the age of 16 fully vaccinated, and New Zealand at 32 percent of the eligible population inoculated.
New Delhi:

Buoyed by the Congress's massive victory in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, three Hindi heartland states, several BJP leaders in Maharashtra are in talks to switch loyalty to the Rahul Gandhi-led party or the NCP, opposition leaders claimed on Thursday. The BJP on Tuesday faced its worst election losses since coming to power in 2014 with the Congress wrested three crucial states ahead of general elections next year.

Speaking to news agency PTI, NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "The atmosphere in the country is changing after the BJP's defeat in three states. The BJP is not going to win the 2019 (Lok Sabha) polls".

"In the last few days, several MPs and MLAs who had joined the BJP after quitting NCP or other parties (ahead of 2014 elections) are willing to join our party," Malik claimed.

Another NCP leader said the seat-sharing talks between the Sharad Pawar-led party and the Congress and others are yet to be concluded, and those ready to defect from the BJP might bag some such tickets.

Read | Suspense remains over CM names in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, ball in Rahul's court

"There are some seats where consensus has not been reached between the Congress and NCP. In case a suitable potential candidate crosses over to NCP from the BJP, we may field him/her from such a seat," the leader said, adding that there are at least eight Lok Sabha constituencies where talks are inconclusive.

There are reports that many of these disgruntled BJP leaders have been loggerheads with the party leadership as their as their ambitions have remained unfulfilled and their voice is not heard in the party.

Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, however, has dismissed the claim, saying "Nobody is leaving the party after the poll results. The party has broadened its base in Maharashtra and elsewhere over the past four years".

Read | K Chandrasekhar Rao, KCR, takes oath as Telangana Chief Minister for second time

The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year.

Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday.

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Imphal:

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday urged women to take part in politics and influence positive changes in the system while acknowledging the fact that their involvement in panchayat-level affairs has increased over the years. The BJP government in the state is committed to working for the empowerment of women, the chief minister asserted.

Time has come for women to engage in politics beyond the panchayat level. Ever since the BJP-led government came to power, around 1.5 years ago, it has been working relentlessly to check crimes against women, Singh said at a memorial here on the occasion of Nupi Lan Day.

Nupi Lan Day is observed annually in memory of women who opposed the oppressive colonial policies in 1904 and 1939. The Britishers had forced Manipuri men to work as bonded labourers. In retaliation, a group of Meitei women torched bungalows of British officers during the first uprising.

Read More | Mizoram Election Result 2018: CM loses Serchhip, Champhai South

A similar protest in 1939 saw womenfolk demanding an immediate end to rice export from Manipur as the state was experiencing a near-famine situation.

History speaks volumes about the spirit and courage of Manipuri women. However, paying tributes and organising functions is not the objective, we need to take inspiration from their deeds in our everyday life, Singh said.

The present government does not pay lip services, it focusses on implementing schemes and policies for womens empowerment, he said.

A special fast-track court was established last year and 12 persons have been convicted for various crimes committed against women, Singh maintained.

Talking about his governments initiatives, the CM said the number of women personnel in the police force has increased since his party came to power, with some of them occupying ranks of superintendent of police and commanding officer of Manipur Rifles.

We wish to provide a platform where women police officers can prove their mettle and work in tandem with their male counterparts, he said, adding that the government has also made provisions to ensure that girls get a proper education in schools.

Also Read | Mizoram Election Result 2018: Cong stumped out, MNF wins 26 seats

Top government officials on Wednesday paid floral tributes to the Meira Paibis (women torch bearers) at the memorial. Artistes also performed a play reconstructing the events of 1904 and 1939.

Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh, who was present at the programme, said if efforts made by women to cleanse the society is supported by men, the multi-ethnic state can take giant leaps towards development.
New Delhi :

The Congress has started reaching out to the independents as Rajasthan appeared to throw a hung Assembly in late afternoon trends. Congress state president Sachin pilot, who took an almost unassailable lead against BJP minister Yunus Khan in Tonk, said that although the party will get the majority, they have started contacting like-minded parties. We are moving towards a full majority and I am sure it will be clear once final numbers are in, but still we welcome all like-minded and anti-BJP parties to support us and we are in touch, Pilot said in a press conference in Jaipur.

According to sources, the state Congress chief has contacted eight independents who were leading from their respective seats. Earlier in the day, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that Congress will form the government in the state as peoples mandate was in favour of the party. Gehlot also said that the Congress party was ready to welcome independents who want to support them.

Also Read | Assembly Election Result Live Updates: Congress sweeps Chhattisgarh, hung Assemblies likely in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

Congress has won the mandate. Numbers can go up and down, but the public's mandate is in the favour of Congress. We will get a clear majority, still we would want independent candidates & parties other than BJP to support us if they want, the Congress leader said.

Independents and smaller parties are likely to have a big say in government formation in Rajasthan as their total tally crossed 20. The BJP, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up with the Congress partys lead and was ahead only in 76 seats. However, the numbers were kept changing at regular intervals.

Click here to follow the Live Updates of Rajasthan Assembly election results.
New Delhi :

A Maoist was killed in an encounter in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, the police said. The security personnel recovered a huge cache of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the encounter spot, they added. The encounter took place around 9 am near the Tarrem village, which is located nearly 450 km from Raipur, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg said.

Acting on a tip-off that a group of 25 to 30 Maoists was trying to damage the Basaguda-Tarrem road by triggering a landmine blast, a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police rushed to the spot, he said. As the security personnel was cordoning off a forest patch near Tarrem, the Maoists fired at them, leading to the gun-battle between the two sides, he said. A Maoist, whose is yet to be identified, was killed and a muzzle loading gun were recovered from the spot, Garg said.

Read More | Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results 2018: Here's the full list of winners

As many as 25 IEDs, Naxal literature and other items were also seized from the site, the Superintendent of Police said.

On November 29, a Maoist was killed on the Dantewada and Sukma border in Chhattisgarh in an encounter with the security forces. On November 26, at least eight Maoists and two police personnel were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, the police had said. The gun battle took place at a forest in Kistaram area bordering Telangana when a team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Sukmas Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena had said. Eight bodies of Naxals have been found at the encounter spot, he said. Two District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were also killed in the exchange of fire, the SP had said.
New Delhi:

Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday passed a resolution asking party president Rahul Gandhi to take the final call on chief ministerial face, amid anticipations for the name of the top post candidate in the state. Being asked about the new chief minister of the state, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the process is ongoing and the party believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each and every elected legislator. Hence, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will take the final call once he knows the opinion of each legislator in the party. Kamal Nath and Congress stalwart Jyotiraditya Scindia were the front-runners for the chief minister's position.

The development came after the Congress on Tuesday emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh, managing a wafer-thin majority in Assembly elections 2018. While the Congress has bagged 114 seats in the state, the BJP, in a tantalising see-saw battle with the grand-old party managed to get 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats.

Though Chouhan won from his traditional Budhni constituency with 1,23,492 votes, as many as 14 ministers from the previous BJP government lost their respective constituencies. Shivraj defeated former Union minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav in Budhni. While the BJP has been in the power since 2003, Chouhan has been ruling the state since 2005.

Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav have extended their supports to the Congress, as the Rahul Gandhi-led party was two short of the simple majority-mark - 116 seats, in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Read | Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Rahul Gandhi to take final call on chief ministerial face, says Kharge

The BSP president claimed that the electorate of Madhya Pradesh was upset with the policies of the BJP government in the state and, therefore, wanted to keep it out of power.

"That is why people preferred the Congress as a strong alternative. They voted for it with a heavy heart ... had it (Congress) followed B R Ambedkar and worked for the development of lower class, tribal and minorities, then there was no need to form this (BSP) party," Mayawati was quoted as saying by PTI.

Also, Akhilesh Yadav, welcomed the people's mandate in the state, saying, "we didn't perform well but we would like to thank the public of Madhya Pradesh for supporting us. We have decided to support Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BJP has spread hatred and deceived public, they will be given an answer in Lok Sabha elections".

Apart from these two regional parties, the Congress claimed to have support of the Independent candidates also, and, therefore, wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh.

Speculations had been also rife that the BJP will meet Anandiben Patel to retain its power as the Congress did not touch the simple majority mark in the state. However, outgoing Chief Minister Chouhan later refuted such reports, saying that they would not stake claim to form government as they are losing the majority in the state.

Read | Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns as CM, says will provide constructive criticism as Opposition

On Tuesday night, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had declared victory in Madhya Pradesh, saying it was time for a change and that the party would take forward the development work. The Gandhi scion also said that the selection of chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will be done smoothly.

As a courtesy visit, Kamal Nath, the CM-elect in Madhya Pradesh also met former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his residence in Bhopal. Congratulating the Congress for being the voter's choice in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan extended his best wishes to Kamal Nath.

At a press conference in his Bhopal residence, Chouhan also accepted his responsibilities for the BJP's defeat and expressed hope that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will fulfil his promises to the people in Madhya Pradesh. Being in Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan also assured to cooperate and provide constructive criticism to the new government in the state.

Read | Congress president Rahul Gandhi summoned for controversial remark on BJP counterpart Amit Shah

The election to 230-member Assembly was held in Madhya Pradesh on November 28 with a record 75 per cent of the state's 5.03 crore voters exercised their franchise. In 2013 Assembly elections, the BJP had won 165 seats while the Congress got 58 followed by the BSP (4), and Independent candidates (3).
New Delhi:

Meghan Markleas sartorial choices have been under the fashion-police radar for quite some time now. Sweeping aside the fashion critics, Meghan made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards and her look was completely one of class epitome. The Duchess of Sussex who attended the British Fashion Awards to honor Clare Waight Keller, Givenchy's designer and the woman behind Meghan's royal wedding dress andA countless other outfits of Meghanas royal look was seen in a black one-shouldered, thigh-high slit gown by Givenchy.A

Check out her stunning look here:A

Cradling her baby pump like she always does, the Duchess looked breath-taking. Meghan paired her dress with a Tamara Mellon Gold sandals and Pippa Small jewelry. Going all minimalistic, Meghan had her hair in a neat bun.

Her surprise appearance according to reports, was fully attended for her go-to Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy. On stage, Meghan presented the Womenswear Designer of the Year award to Keller and started her speech.

Keller and the Duchess of Sussex have established a strong bond since her wedding. And according to reports, it is said that they also worked together for one of the best-kept fashion secrets of the year-Meghan's wedding dress. The designer reveals that Meghanas royal wedding gown was so covert that even Prince Harry wasnat aware of it until the morning of the ceremony.A
Kolkata:

Buoyed by the partys win in three states, the Congress in West Bengal on Wednesday said it would like to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state alone. WBPCC president Somen Mitra said the state unit would convey the decision to the partys central leadership.

Our party high command has never asked us to go for an alliance. Rather it has asked us to strengthen our organisation in the state. We want to fight Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, Mitra said at a party programme here.

His comments came a day after the resurgent Congress won the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan defeating the BJP and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh.

Read | Suspense remains over CM names in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, ball in Rahul's court

Recently opposition parties including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress have met in Delhi to discuss ways to defeat the BJP led government at the centre.

The Trinamool Congress leadership in West Bengal has maintained that they want to contest in all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
New Delhi:

Overuse of smartphones and its negative impact among children are making one country, in particular, take a huge leap. After teachers from across the globe have taken measures to stop students from checking their smartphones in classrooms, France has banned all children under 15 from using their smartphones in school.

This new cell phone restriction was first implemented in 2010 where smartphones were only banned during class hours. This new law, which was passed in August now extends the prohibition even to breaks and mealtimes. The ban includes tablets and smartwatches, too.

According to the Associated Press, students under 15 must turn their phones off or put them in their lockers. There is, however, an exception to the ban on students with disabilities who requires an extra hand.

Read | Mistletoe at Christmas and the mystic story of love and more

School administrators can, however, choose whether or not to extend the ban to students over 15.

This new law came about after lawmakers were worried about students becoming too dependent on and distracted by their smartphones. "Being open to technologies of the future doesn't mean we have to accept all their uses," stated Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, news agency Agence France-Presse reported. He praised the legislation as "a law for the 21st century," and claimed it would improve discipline for France's 12 million schoolchildren.

This new smartphone prohibition in France should also awaken adults and to start limiting their smartphone usage as well. Adults as much as children are also affected by these technological advancements that lie at the palm of your hand. A recent survey reports that more people than ever are being injured by their smartphones. Blurred vision, eyestrain, dry eyes, sore neck muscles, declining memory are just a few of the negative impacts from the overuse of smartphones. Perhaps this new law in France is an awakening for all.
New Delhi:

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday hailed the Congress victory in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and said that it was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics". An evidently happy Sonia Gandhi had also credited Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the victory in the Hindi heartland on Tuesday. "Rahul Gandhi has worked hard... led the party, NDTV quoted UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as saying.

The Rahul Gandhi-led party made significant gains in the Assembly elections this time by ousting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the three states.

Read More | Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections Live: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns, says he's free now

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said that Rahul Gandhi had passed all leadership tests, and would emerge as the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections.

"People have tolerated too long the misgovernance and the misrule of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his NDA government. And this (results of elections to state assemblies) is an indication that they are totally unhappy with him," the former union minister told PTI. "And the manner in which they (BJP) have carried on certain personal propaganda against Soniaji and Rahulji... people are not tolerating. This is the success not only of the Congress party but also of the (party) leadership," he said.

Also Read | Assembly Election Results 2018: Modi taught me 'what not to do', says Congress president Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, he said, has also been successful in mobilising all the forces against Modi. "This (poll to the assemblies) is quite a manifestation of the combination of all the opposition parties against Narendra Modi and NDA," Moily said.

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New Delhi:

NASAs Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft has discovered ingredients for water on a nearby asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft has found traces of hydrogen and oxygen molecules part of the recipe for water and thus the potential for life embedded in the asteroids rocky surface.



OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft arrived at its destination asteroid Bennu on December 4. No spacecraft has ever orbited such a small cosmic body. Launched on September 8, 2016, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, OSIRIS-REx is NASAs first mission to visit a near-Earth asteroid which will help unveil the mysteries of our solar systems formation.



When samples of this material are returned by the mission to the earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new information about the history and evolution of our solar system, Amy Simon, a scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, said in a statement.

The spacecraft is aimed to at least collect 60g of dust and gravel. However, Osiris-Rex wont be landing on asteroid Bennu but, rather use 3-metre mechanical arm to vacuum up particles in 2020. The spacecraft will head towards Earth in 2021.

We have found the water-rich minerals from the early solar system, planetary scientist Dante Lauretta from the University of Arizona, who is also OSIRIS-REx missions principal investigator, said. Asteroids are among the leftover debris from the solar systems formation some 4.5 billion years ago.

Were really trying to understand the role that these carbon-rich asteroids played in delivering water to the earth and making it habitable, Ms. Lauretta added.

On August 17, spacecrafts PolyCam camera obtained the image from a distance of 2.2 million kilometres.



At Bennu, the spacecraft will spend the first-month performing fly-by of Bennus north pole, equator and south pole, at distances ranging between 11.8 and 4.4 miles (19 and 7 km) from the asteroid. The spacecraft will extensively survey the asteroid before the mission team identifies two possible sample sites, which will allow the team to pick one for sample collection, scheduled for July 2020. After the sample collection, the spacecraft will head back towards Earth before ejecting the Sample Return Capsule for landing in the Utah desert in September 2023.



The name of the spacecraft and asteroid come from Egyptian mythology. Osiris is the god of the afterlife, while Bennu represents the heron and creation.







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New Delhi:

Chocolate liquid for a road, wont that be a scene straight out of Johnny Depps Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Well, for a town in Germany, the scene for a chocolate road became a reality but at a convenience cost. According to reports, a road in the western town of Westonnen was brought to a standstill on Monday after a tank of chocolate in a factory spilt and poured into the street forcing the road to shut down.

Given the piercing weather, the chocolate quickly was reported to solidify quickly that required a lot of scrapping and shoving after an extra coat of chocolate was added to the thick graphite. According to BBC reports, about 10 sq m (108 sq ft) was cleared by 25 firefighters using shovels, hot water and blowtorches. Employees of the factory itself were also reported to have assisted in the chocolaty emergency.

Read | 102-year-old from Australia becomes the oldest skydiver in the world

The DreiMeister chocolate factory boss said if the spill had happened closer to Christmas, that would have been a catastrophe. Employees of the factory also helped with the sugary emergency.

"Despite this heartbreaking incident, it is unlikely that a chocolate-free Christmas is imminent," the fire department said.

DreMeister assured local media that its factory would return to normal operations on Wednesday.

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New Delhi:

Isha Ambani and Anand Piramals wedding makes lavishness lookout for a new word! One of the most extravagant weddings in India till date, many have even gone as far as to call their wedding --- The Wedding of the Century! After all, a billionaires daughter's wedding doesnt get inscribed into the book of weddings often.

Isha Ambani's wedding is creating a huge buzz not only in India but all over the world Best wishes to both Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal #IshaAndAnandSpiritualUnion pic.twitter.com/oCMvimOSut  The Wood Story (@Woodveneers_) December 13, 2018

But when it does, it makes it to the front page and you simply hire the Queen of pop, all the way from Los Angeles, to perform at the sangeet ceremony or have the United States Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sip those martinis.

Also Read | France bans children under 15 from using smartphones in school

While the wedding of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal had all the Bollywood A-listers as guests, the preparation and the cost that daddy Ambani shelled out is even beyond our wildest imaginations. From decorating the 27-storey Antilia like the Pandora Nights from the movie Avatar of James Cameroon to keeping ready luxury cars such as Jaguar, Porches, Mercedes Benz, etc for guest transport, the cost of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal sure is worth all the hype of talks.

According to multiple media reports, the cost of the wedding is estimated to be around $100 million, yes you heard that right, $100, that will be Rs 710 crore. Here are the few lists of the long-week wedding extravaganza that made the cost exorbitant beyond words:

-Wedding card estimated to cost around Rs 3 lakh per piece

-The Pop Queen Beyonce was said to be rewarded Rs 21-28 crore for her performance

-For the guests, the Ambanis booked around 40 chartered flights because Ambani guests only fly luxury

-Luxurious cars like Jaquar, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMWs available solely for guests transportation

-After the wedding, the newly married couple will move into their Rs-450 crore Gulita mansion in Mumbai facing the Arabian sea, which is a gift by the Piramals for son and new daughter-in-law.

Read | Mistletoe at Christmas and the mystic story of love and more

Phew!!! This wedding sure will be one to be remembered in ages to come.




New Delhi:

Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, popularly known as KCR, on Thursday took oath as the chief minister of India's newest state for a second straight term. KCR, who steered his party to a thumping victory in Telangana, was sworn in by Governor ESL Narasimhan at a low-key ceremony on the lawns of Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.

TRS MLC Mohammed Mehmood Ali, who served as deputy chief minister in the previous government, also took oath as a minister. KCR had Wednesday said that his new cabinet would be named after five to six days.

In September, the 64-year-old had dissolved the assembly and decided to go for early polls in a bid to de-link it from the national elections, a gamble which paid off well. His party wrested 88 seats, a two-thirds of the 119-member Assembly.

The Congress, which formed a mega alliance of four opposition parties, was decimated to 19 seats. Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, which was part of the alliance named 'Praja Kutami', was reduced to just two. The Telangana Jana Samiti and the CPI couldn't even open their accounts.

Read | Goa CM Manohar Parrikar won't celebrate birthday this time, PM Modi wishes good health

In the run-up to the elections, KCR, who championed the statehood movement, invoked 'Telangana pride' to counter Naidu. His party termed the Andhra chief minister as an outsider, a pitch that resonated well with the common men. The BJP, which deployed star campaigners like Yogi Adityanath, won just a single seat.

The effective strength of the TRS has further gone up after support from L Ramulu Naik, a Congress rebel who won from Wyra, and TRS rebel Korukanti Chander, who won from Ramagundem on a Forward Block ticket.

A sidelined KCR left the NTR-founded TDP and formed the TRS in 2001 to fight for separate Telangana, which came into existence on June 2, 2014.

Observers credit the massive election success to KCR's populist schemes such as "Rythu Bandhu", a social security pension scheme and a life insurance plan for farmers.

Read | Suspense remains over CM names in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, ball in Rahul's court

With the state polls over, KCR would now focus on the next year's general elections, as he has said, the victory would enable the TRS to play a crucial role in national politics.

He has been active in the national arena over the past few months, trying to stitch a non-Congress and non-BJP front. He has held meetings with several key opposition leaders, just like his arch-rival Naidu, and even flew to Kolkata once to meet Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.

"...Congress-mukt Bharat..BJP-mukt Bharat...that is needed..," Rao had told a press conference after his victory lap on Tuesday.

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New Delhi :

Leaving behind the ghosts of 2014 and a series of electoral losses, Congress president Rahul Gandhi led his party to a massive victory in the crucial heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The resurgent Congress dismantled BJP in Chhattisgarh, showed the door to it in Rajasthan and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Madhya Pradesh.

In 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, the Congress had won 68 seats while the BJP reduced to just 15 seats. In Rajasthan, the Congress party wrested power from the BJP by winning 99 of the 199-seats where polling was held. The BJP could manage to win only 73 seats but other won big and bagged 27 seats.

Also Read | Victory and defeat an integral part of life, congratulate Congress for winning, says PM Modi

BJP's bastion Madhya Pradesh also disappointed Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was seeking a fourth term. In a neck-and-neck contest, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state but fell short of a majority by two seats in the 230-member house. The BJP won 109 seats, the BSP two, the Samajwadi Party one, and independents four.

The Congress' morale-boosting victory in the heartland states came on a day when Rahul Gandhi completed his one year as the party president. The outcome of Assembly elections in three crucial states will also strengthen Rahul Gandhi's position as the leader of the anti-BJP front under consideration for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Democracy has won!



Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence & truth over lies.



This victory is yours. #CongressWinsBIG pic.twitter.com/8d9JjsQuKP  Congress (@INCIndia) December 11, 2018

However, the disappointing news for the Congress came from the northeast as the party lost its last bastion Mizoram where the MNF handed the ruling party a body blow. Led by its CM designate Zoramthanga, the MNF won 26 of the 40 Assembly constituencies. The Congress, who was in power in the state for the last 10 years, was reduced to just five seats with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla losing from both the seats he contested.

Also Read | Assembly Election Results 2018: Congress writes to governor, stakes claim to form govt in Madhya Pradesh

The only positive for the BJP in these Assembly elections was that the party opened its account for the first time in Mizoram. In south, the TRS registered a thumping victory and crashed the 'Maha Kootami' alliance stitched by Rahul Gandhi and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.

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New Delhi:

In a big relief to the Central government, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed all the petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the Rafale deal. The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph. The Chief Justice of India said that there is no doubt in the process of acquisition of the fighter jets and saw no reason to intervene. It also said that it is not for the Supreme Court to compare the price.

"We are satisfied that there is no reason to doubt the process is followed and the need of aircraft is not in doubt, the top court ruled. We cant sit in judgment over the purchase of 36 aircraft against 126 fighter jets, the court said. The court had reserved its verdict after a hearing on November 14, indicating it would not go into the contentious issue of pricing in the deal.

Have no doubts over the process of procurement in #RafaleDeal: CJI



Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/JkWlOOWk8B pic.twitter.com/LRULVuT4pS  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 14, 2018

Read More | Why Rafale deal cant become a scam

Giving a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government, the Supreme Court bench said that nobody questioned the procurement of the Rafale jets when the deal was finalised in September 2016, adding that questions were raised only after former French president Francois Hollande came out with a statement. The top court said that it can't be the basis of a judicial review in the deal.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the matter was crystal clear from the beginning and that they have been saying that the allegations leveled by the Congress were baseless and was only to gain political mileage.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on SC dismisses petition seeking Court probe in #Rafale deal: The matter was crystal clear from the beginning and we have been saying that the allegations leveled by Congress were baseless and to gain political mileage. pic.twitter.com/G1Nfsv64j6  ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2018

CJI Ranjan Gogoi says 'we can't compel government to purchase 126 aircrafts and its not proper for the court to examine each aspect of this case. It isn't a job of court to compare pricing details.' #RafaleDeal https://t.co/DWHMCpqIRa  ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2018

The Supreme Court has clearly stated that it is outside their jurisdiction to probe into the #RafaleDeal. We continue our demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate the #RafaleScam. Sign this petition to demand transparency: https://t.co/NnqEJCCgOX  Congress (@INCIndia) December 14, 2018

"In our opinion the Supreme Court judgement is totally wrong, the campaign will certainly not drop and we will decide if we will file a review petition," Prashant Bhushan said.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the judgment on the Rafale deal is not a setback for the party.

Advocate ML Sharma was the first petitioner in the case. Later, another lawyer Vineet Dhanda had moved the top court with the plea for a court-monitored probe into the deal. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh had also filed a petition against the fighter jet deal. After the three petitions were filed, former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie along with activist advocate Prashant Bhushan had moved the Supreme Court with a plea for a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the deal.

The Centre had defended the deal for the 36 Rafale fighter jets and opposed public disclosure of the pricing details. India signed an agreement with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in a fly-away condition as part of the upgrading process of Indian Air Force equipment. The deal is estimated to be about Rs 58,000 crore (about $8 billion).

Supreme Court said what it thinks was right but the political parties demand a JPC probe into #RafaleDeal: ANI quoting TMC MP Saugata Roy



Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/JkWlOOWk8B pic.twitter.com/2u3ZXAtRaQ  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 14, 2018

The Rafale fighter is a twin-engine Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation.



The BJP said that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the party should apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Supreme Court has given a clean chit on the deal.

While reserving the verdict on November 14, the top court had said that the pricing details of the Rafale jets could only be discussed after it decides on whether to make it public. The observation by a Supreme Court bench had come after the government refused to publicly divulge pricing details of the deal, saying it would give an advantage to Indias enemies.

Also Read | No scandal in Rafale deal, says French ambassador to India

While hearing a bunch of pleas alleging criminality in Rafale deal and seeking court-monitored probe into it, the top court had asked wide-ranging questions from the government on issues including lack of sovereign guarantee from the French government, selection of Indian offset partner by the Dassault Aviation and need of entering into Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France.

The court had taken note of submissions and counter-arguments on the pricing of the fighter jets with the petitioners alleging that the government has been giving bogus arguments and hiding behind the secrecy clause.

Vehemently defending non-disclosure of price publicly, Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for Centre had said that the cost of a bare Rafale jet as per 2016 exchange rate was Rs 670 crore and the disclosure of price of a fully loaded aircraft would give an advantage to the adversaries.

Bhushan had claimed that the Union Law Ministry had red-flagged two issues  the absence of sovereign guarantee by France and the international arbitration clause in IGA as per which the arbitration seat would be at Geneva -- but the government went ahead with the deal.

Venugopal had admitted that there was no sovereign guarantee but said that France has given a letter of comfort which would be good enough as a governmental guarantee.

Read More | Rahul Gandhi says 'Demonetisation like Rafale was a crime against India and a huge scam'

The court during the hearing on the bunch of pleas had also interacted senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officers and enquired about the requirements of the force.

The IAF officers had emphasised in the apex court the need for induction of four plus or fifth generation fighter aircraft like Rafale, which have niche stealth technology and enhanced electronic warfare capabilities.




New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress engaged in war of words after the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the petitions challenging the controversial Rafale deal between India and France for procurement of 36 Rafale jets saying there was no occasion to "really doubt the decision-making process" warranting setting aside of the contract. While BJP president Amit Shah demands Rahul Gandhis apology after the courts verdict, his Congress counterpart maintained that there was a massive corruption in the contract, using the barb of "chowkidaar chor hai" (watchman is a thief) against the prime minister.

Addressing a press conference along with party's top leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram and Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, Gandhi said corruption had taken place in the contract which he asserted will be proved by his party and claimed that the basis of the court judgement is a CAG report that has neither been seen by anyone, nor shared with Parliament's Public Accounts Committee. He asserted that no such report was given to the House panel headed by Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge.

Seconding Gandhis statement, Kharge said he as chairman of the PAC has not seen any such report of the CAG that the Supreme Court judgment has cited and termed it "strange" as well as "untrue".

Also Read | Rafale Deal Verdict: Arun Jaitley rejects Congress demand for JPC probe, says 'truth has only one version'

"When the CAG does not have the report, how will it come before the PAC. Who gave the report, where is the report. Where did the report come from," he wondered, alleging that "this is far from truth".

Taking a dig at the government, Gandhi said: "I am seriously not able to understand. You are laughing, but I'm not able to understand this. When one speaks a lie somewhere it comes out. The government has to make us understand, where is the CAG report. Please show it to us, to the PAC chairman. Or is it with some other PAC that PM Modi has set up in the PMO or some other Parliament in another country, like France. It is possible in today's world under Modi ji."

Gandhi also accused the Modi government of destroying "all institutions" and asserted that corruption has taken place in the Rafale deal under its watch.

"While the Election Commission says something, the Supreme Court says something else and the judges come out and say some other things," he said.

"There is a theft of Rs 30,000 crore and it is farmers' money.... This money is taken by them, everybody in the country knows and understands.

"The 'chowkidaar' has done a theft and we will prove it...People of India know that Prime Minister Modi is a friend of Anil Ambani...The people of India know the truth and they understand the truth.

"Modi ji can run as much he wants, but no one can save him from being caught. The moment there is a probe by the JPC only two names of Anil Ambani and Narendra Modi will come out," he said.

Also Read | Rafale Deal: Here's the Supreme Court verdict | In 10 points

The Congress chiefs reactions came hours after Shah accused Gandhi of misleading people and endangering national security with his allegations about the Rs 58,000 crore deal. Shah said the verdict was a slap on the face of those who levelled such charges.

Shah likened Gandhi's allegations against Modi to throwing mud at the Sun, saying it cannot dim its fire and the mud falls on those who throw it.

Top ruling party leaders, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, also joined the issue, even as BSP supremo Mayawati, often a bitter critic of the BJP, said the apex court's order will definitely give some respite to the central government.

In a statement, Mayawati also called for fundamental reforms in all defence related procurement to address doubts about them.

Jaitley said all the figures by the government are correct and the figures by Gandhi are false. Jaitley also rejected the Congresss demand for a JPC probe into the Rafale deal.

The Congress claimed the Supreme Court has vindicated its stand that the issue of "corruption" in the Rafale fighter jet agreement cannot be decided by it and challenged the Centre to constitute a JPC to probe the deal.

Reviews of this kind can only be done by judiciary, not by a partisan body, Jaitley said on the demand for a JPC probe.

Holding a press conference along with Sitharaman, Jaitley said: The truth has only one version and falsehood has many. That is why Mr Rahul Gandhi quoted several figures.

Also Read |Rafale Deal: Anil Ambani welcomes verdict, says top court established falsity of wild allegations

The Rafale deal has protected both security and commercial interest of India. Security interest because it increases combat ability of India, commercial interest because the final price was significantly lower both for aircraft and weaponised aircraft than what was negotiated in 2007 and 2012, said Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley added: Falsehood has a very short life. In this case, it was a few months. Falsehood lowers the credibility of its creator.

Sitharaman said the UPA wanted to buy 18 aircraft and manufacture the rest. We bought 36 aircraft due to time lost.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) will take oath as Chief Minister of Telangana for a second term precisely at 1.34 pm on Thursday. KCR, as he is popularly known, is likely to take oath at the auspicious time according to the chief priest of the Yadadari temple. He will be sworn in by Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan in a simple ceremony, according to sources. The sources also said that there is a possibility that KCR might take the oath along with five other ministers, while other ministers will be sworn in at a later date.

The TRS stormed back to power on December 11 after winning a thumping majority in the Telangana Assembly. It won 87 seats in the 119-member House, and 47 per cent of the vote share in the state.

Read More | Assembly Election Result LIVE: Potential chief minister candidates in Rajasthan, MP reach Delhi to meet Congress chief Rahul Gandhi

The Prajakutami (Peoples Alliance), forged by the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI, won 22 seats with a combined vote share of just under 32 per cent. The AIMIM won seven seats, Independents two and the BJP one.

After the results were announced, KCR said he would increase his national outreach by playing an active role in Andhra Pradesh politics and national politics. Chandrababu Naidu came to Telangana saying he wants to work in the interest of Telugu people. I also want to work for Telugu people. If someone gives you a birthday gift, dont you give a return gift? As part of my national outreach, I will work in Andhra Pradesh also. Chandrababu Naidu will soon see what impact I will have there, KCR said as quoted by news agencies.

Also Read | Winter Session of Parliament 2018: List of bills to be introduced, considered and passed

I want to reiterate here that we are going to play a crucial role in national politics. I will give a new definition to the national political scenario. The coming together of four parties like Prajakutami is not an alliance. We will work for a non-Congress, non-BJP front at the national level. Telangana has proved it this time to the nation  we are a non-BJP, non-Congress party and people have elected with a resounding majority again, he added.

The police department on Wednesday issued a traffic advisory asking the public to avoid the Raj Bhavan road between 12 pm and 3 pm in view of the swearing-in of Rao and take alternative routes to their destinations.

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Mumbai:

The Maharashtra government will mark 77th raising day of the first Mahar Regiment here on December 15, two weeks ahead of the anniversary of 1818 Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district. According to a government source, the aim behind observing the raising day in December is to defuse tension ahead of January 1.

Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima Koregaon on the 200th anniversary of the decisive battle between forces of the Peshwa and the British East India Company came under attack on January 1 this year, leading to protests across the state.

Dalits commemorate the 1818 battle as the victorious British forces included a large number of Mahar soldiers. Mahars are a prominent Dalit community in Maharashtra.

Some right-wing organisations had opposed the commemoration of the East India Company's victory as it ended the Peshwa rule in Pune.

As per the records, the first battalion of the Mahar regiment was established in Belgaum on October 1, 1941.

But a source in the BJP-led government said Thursday that the raising day function will be held this month so as to erase the perception created by incidents of January 1 that the government is anti-Dalit.

The government also fears fresh trouble as Dalits will be visiting the war memorial on January 1 like every year.

Minister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble said apprehending fresh attempts to rekindle the controversy, the government has held meetings with all stakeholders including sarpanchs (village heads) of local villages.

There would be elaborate security at the memorial and in surrounding areas, he said.

A sarpanch belonging to the NCP has issued a diktat that shops and eateries in the area should be shut down on January 1 in defiance of a government order that all these establishment should remain open, he said.

Taking no chances, the government, through the Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute, has made arrangements to provide food to those who visit the memorial, he said.

Another source said the government has denied permission to the Elgar Parishad to organise any function at the site.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, has approved of the signing of an agreement on the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in the Portuguese Republic between Government of Republic of Portugal and Government of the Republic of India.

This groundbreaking agreement would be setting an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Portugal on sending, accepting Indian workers. A Joint Committee will be set up to follow up the implementation of the same.

In a Tweet PIB said #Cabinet approves agreement on the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in the Portuguese Republic between India and Portugal?

#Cabinet approves agreement on the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in the Portuguese Republic between India and Portugal#CabinetDecisions



Read: https://t.co/z4DaL5bK8M ? PIB India (@PIB_India) September 8, 2021

Inking this agreement with Portugal will add new destination for Indian migrant workers in an European Union member nation, especially in the context of many Indian workers who have returned to India following the Covid-19 pandemic. It will provide new opportunities for skilled Indian workers and professionals. With the conclusion of this agreement, Portugal and India will have a formal arrangement for the recruitment of Indian workers. Indian workers would have enhanced job opportunities to work in Portugal. The Government-to-Government mechanism proposed in the agreement will ensure that the movement of workers happens smoothly with maximum support from both sides.

Goa CM reverses ban on priests visiting homes for Ganesh Chaturthi puja

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After a bomb threat email to Delhi Police cautioned about terrorist group Al Qaeda preparing an attack on the airport, security at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has been beefed up. According to an official statement from the airport, the threat was determined to be "non-specific" following an inquiry, and the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was dismissed from the airport.

"However, an extra alert has been issued, and all security procedures at IGI Airport have been enhanced," the notification added.

"On Saturday, IGI police station informed Airline Operations Control Center (AOCC) at the airport about a bomb threat e-mail received with the subject of planned bomb blast by Al Qaeda Sargana at IGI airport stating that Karanbir Suri alias Mohamad Jalal and Karanbir Suri's wife Shaily Sharda alias Haseena are coming to India on Sunday from Singapore and plan to put the Bomb on IGI in 1-3 days," it added.

The Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC) found that a similar threat message had been received in the recent past, with the identical names of the couple and the same threat language. The SOCC notified all concerned agencies and issued a high-level warning to duty employees.

At IGI Airport, anti-sabotage inspections were conducted at all terminals, and access control, vehicle inspections at entry nakas, and AOR patrolling were increased. A meeting of the BTAC was also called. The threat was pronounced non-specific at about 7.18 p.m., and BTAC was terminated at about 7.22 p.m., according to the airport authorities. Delhi Police has been requested to look into the investigation report of earlier threat messages involving the same couple and also check up the e-mail source.

Uttar Pradesh Police security wing gets ISO certification

BJP appoints Dharmendra Pradhan as partys election in-charge for UP assembly polls

Bihta will have to be declared an 'emergency zone': Nikhil Anand
The National Security Advisors' level meeting between India and Russia on security issues, including the Afghanistan crisis started in New Delhi on Wednesday.

This is following US President Joe Biden has said that China has a problem with the Taliban and he was sure that it will try to work out an arrangement with the insurgent group. Biden told reporters at the White House that Pakistan, Russia and Iran too have a problem with the Taliban, which seized control of Afghanistan on August 15.

The Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will be discussing these security related issues with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev following the situation that arises after the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan. Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a two-day visit for a "High Level India-Russia Intergovernmental Consultations" on the invitation of India's National Security Adviser.

India and Russia face common challenges from Afghanistan, like the rise of terrorist groups, increased drug trafficking, organised crime and the flow of refugees. And, also the fact that a very large amount of very advanced US Military equipment is now in the hands of a large number of known terrorist organisations who are now parts of the Afghan militia, therefore, both countries wanted to discuss threadbare discussion on these security-related issues.

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Kathmandu, September 8

The Ministry of Health and Population has informed that Nepals Covid-19 tally has reached 859,535 as of Wednesday afternoon.

The ministry said 1,640 new cases were confirmed in the country in the past 24 hours.

In this period, 9,767 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which returned 1,347 returned positive. Likewise, 3,688 people underwent antigen tests for the virus, of which an additional 293 tested positive.

Of total tests, 13.79 per cent of the PCR and 7.94 per cent of antigen samples returned positive, keeping the overall per-day positivity rate at 12.18 per cent.

As of today, there are 29,479 active cases across the country. Of them, 1,789 are hospitalised, 488 in intensive care units and 140 on ventilators.

In the past 24 hours, 2,161 people have achieved recovery whereas 10 deaths have been reported.

Of the total cases so far, 733,161 people have achieved recovery. Likewise, 10,889 died, according to the ministry. The countrys recovery rate is 94.8 per cent and the death rate is 1.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, 123,286 people were vaccinated today.
4-H Military Partnership

Thanks for the support!

The Indiana 4-H Military Partnership (formerly Operation: Military Kids) has phased out programming. It has been an honor to support Indiana's military families and youth since 2005.

All military youth are encouraged to connect with the 4-H program in their community. With over 1,500 military youth annually enrolled in Indiana 4-H, you are sure to connect with other military kids!

For further support, please connect with the family support program of your specific branch/component. Additional details can be found at http://www.militaryonesource.mil

Military Teen Adventure Camps
Why Give a Gift to 4-H?

The Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program is the largest statewide youth serving organization serving over 130,000 Indiana youth in 2015. It is the only youth organization that is affiliated with the state's land-grant institution, Purdue University. Today Indiana 4-H is reaching new audiences and first generation 4-H families through it's growing STEM programming and military partnerships.

A recently released report entitled The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicates "the true value of 4-H programs comes not from short-term results or even the effects over a few years. It comes from the programs' influence on lifelong pathways of development."
FCW Insider: September 8, 2021

Newly released strategy and technical guidance documents covering zero trust and cloud security are open for comment as part of a federal push to improve federal government cybersecurity.

The Biden administration is eyeing booster shots for some Americans, but for its vaccination and testing program for federal employees, those who are two weeks out from a completed vaccination are considered covered without a booster shot, for now.

In her new role, Yung will help federal agencies with critical IT and cybersecurity investments through the Technology Modernization Fund.

An automated FedRAMP review process will speed up authorizations, drive continuous improvement and put cloud service providers in the driver's seat.

Quick Hits

*** The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on the issuance of U.S. passports by the State Department, according to a new oversight report. The State Department's Office of Inspector General reported on Tuesday that new passport issuances fell to a record low of just over 13,000 in May 2020, down from nearly 1.7 million new passports in May 2019. Among multiple agency issues, the report found that delays, lack of coordination and a lack of agility in two major IT modernization projects on systems at State's Bureau of Consular Affairs prevented the shifting of any of its passport operations to telework.

*** The National Academy of Public Administration announced the launch of the Center for Intergovernmental Partnerships on Tuesday. The new Center is designed to help foster cooperation across different levels of government, and will initially focus on coordination challenges posed by the rapid ramp-up of federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amazon paid 492 million directly to the UK taxman last year (PA) (PA Wire)

Amazon said it handed 492 million directly to the UK taxman last year and invested more than 1.6 billion in its British operations amid a pandemic-fuelled surge in online shopping.

The online retail giant said the direct tax bill increased by more than two-thirds from the 293 million paid in 2019, with employer taxes accounting for the bulk of the rise as it boosted its UK workforce.

The tax bill followed total revenues of 20.63 billion for the group in the UK during 2020, up from 13.73 billion in 2019.

Figures for Amazon UK services recently filed with Companies House are set to show pre-tax profits leaping 25% to 128 million on revenues for that division of 4.85 billion.

Direct taxes paid for the UK-registered division  which provides warehousing and delivery services for the firms UK retail operations  stood at 18.3 million in 2020, up from 14.5 million.

Controversy surrounds Amazon and its UK tax bill, as the group officially reports its British retail sales through Luxembourg with Amazon UK services representing only a small part of the wider UK operation.

But the technology titan stressed its UK retail sales, related expenses, profits and taxes are recorded in the UK and therefore reported, and paid, directly to HM Revenue & Customs.

It added that it also paid 1.06 billion in indirect taxes last year, taking its total UK tax contribution to 1.55 billion, up from 1.14 billion in 2019.

This was driven by the VAT on its increased sales and higher employee taxes as its staff numbers rose.

Electric delivery vans are packed at the Amazon warehouse in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA Wire) (PA Wire)

Amazons UK workforce now stands at more than 55,000 after another 10,000 jobs have been created so far this year, with more staff being recruited to meet soaring demand.

It announced last week that it was adding another 2,000 UK jobs on top of this as part of a big expansion.

The business is hiring new staff for its offices in London and Manchester, as well as tech hubs in Cambridge and Edinburgh, and it is looking for staff across its UK fulfilment centres.

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But the hiring spree comes amid a mounting recruitment crisis in the UK, with Amazon resorting to offering new warehouse recruits a 1,000 joining bonus as it tries to attract staff.

We are proud of the significant economic contribution we are making to the UK economy

It is also offering a 50 weekly attendance bonus at a number of sites for staff who have 100% attendance for all shifts to help the group in the run-up to Christmas.

Amazon said it had made investment in its UK warehouses and delivery stations, including the workforce, of more than 32 billion since 2010.

Research compiled for the group by the macroeconomic consultancy Keystone estimates that Amazon has supported 164,000 job opportunities through companies in its supply chain last year.

It also claims to support another 175,000 UK positions through small and medium-sized businesses that sell their products through Amazon.

Amazon said: We are proud of the significant economic contribution we are making to the UK economy.

Looking ahead, we know that the UK remains full of opportunity and we continue to be excited by the potential to continue to invest, create jobs, develop talent and have a positive impact in communities across the country.
OAKVILLE, Ontario, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schools back and so is MADD Canada with its dynamic Youth Education Programs to teach students about the risks of alcohol, drugs and driving.



Educating youth on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving, with the goal of building a foundation for safe and sober driving habits in the future, has been a major part of MADD Canadas work since 1994, said MADD Canada National President Jaymie-Lyne Hancock. We are excited to begin a new year of engaging students in this important conversation and equipping them with the information and tools to protect themselves from impaired driving.

MADD Canadas Youth Education Programs are delivered to hundreds of thousands of students, ranging from Grades 4 to Grade 12, across Canada. All programs are available in the traditional in-person format or in a virtual format, depending on school preferences and safety protocols. Schools wishing to book any of these programs can visit www.maddyouth.ca for more information.



The School Program is delivered to Grades 7 to 12 students across the country. Each year, a powerful new dramatization is produced. The 2021-2022 program, titled Wrong Turn, tells the story of four friends who set out on a camping trip and make some terrible decisions that change their lives forever. That fictional story is followed by testimonials from real-life victims who share their heartbreaking experiences. The School Program engages students with realistic scenarios in which they may need to make a choice about driving impaired, or riding with an impaired driving, and what choices and options they have to protect themselves. The program is available in the traditional large assembly format, in-class presentations or as virtual presentations. View the Wrong Turn promotional video.





In Ontario and Saskatchewan, MADD Canadas unique travelling classroom, SmartWheels, educates students in Grades 4 to 6 about the harmful risks associated with alcohol, drug use and impaired driving. Two 42-foot recreational vehicles have been specially outfitted with large projection screens, individual virtual reality goggles and tablets for each student. Where in-person presentations are allowed, the RVs visit schools and welcome students on board to participate in a fully interactive presentation. The program has also been effectively adapted as a virtual presentation for schools that cannot host in-person presentations yet. In both formats, students participate in multiple choice questions and choose your own scenario situations, see a video of a young person who lost his two best friends in an impaired driving crash, and get an idea of how it looks and feels to drive impaired. The presentations engage students in activities and discussion about how they can protect themselves from impaired driving, both now and when they reach the driving age. Learn more in our SmartWheels video.





The Weed Out The Risk (WOTR) program, developed by Springboard with additional content from and program delivery by MADD Canada, engages students in Grades 9 to 12 in a conversation about the myths and facts about cannabis use, driving after cannabis use and being a passenger with an impaired driver. With discussion sparked by interactive activities, games and videos, WOTR engages students in a non-judgmental manner to encourage open and honest dialogue. The presentation is available as an in-classroom or a virtual presentation. Learn more in our WOTR video.

All MADD Canadas education programs are supported by educator guides that help teachers and guidance counsellors continue the sober driving education message all year round.



Student surveys have shown that 5% of students in Grades 7 to 12 reported they drove after drinking and 4% reported they drove within two hours of using cannabis. Further 15% of students reported riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol and 10% reported riding with a driver who had been using drugs.

Story continues

Educating students abut the risk of impaired driving needs to begin before they reach the driving age, said Ms. Hancock. Through our Youth Education Programs, we begin that conversation early and revisit it often throughout the schools years so that when young people reach that age when they are faced with situations involving alcohol or drugs and driving, they have the information and the confidence to make the safe choice and protect themselves.



MADD Canada thanks the generous and committed sponsors of our Youth Education Programs, including the following lead sponsors:



School Program: KAG Canada, Alcool NB Liquor, LCBO, Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation, PEI Liquor Control Commission, Saskatchewan Government Insurance and Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.





SmartWheels in Ontario: LCBO.





SmartWheels in Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Government Insurance and Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.



View the full list of sponsors of MADD Canadas Youth Education Programs.





CONTACT: For more information, contact: Jaymie-Lyne Hancock, MADD Canada National President, 705-623-3148 or jhancock@madd.ca. Deb Kelly, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 240 or dkelly@madd.ca.




(Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co.s directors must face an investors lawsuit accusing them of failing to properly monitor safety issues and the development of 737 Max jetliners whose two fatal crashes have cost the company more than $20 billion. Delaware Chancery Judge Morgan Zurn threw out some claims against Boeings board, but said Boeing shareholders produced enough evidence to justify pursuing claims that directors missed a red flag about the 737 Maxs safety issues in the first crash in October 2018. That incident raised issues about a flight-control system that the board should have heeded but instead ignored, the judge said in her 102-page decision. Boeings board didnt move to gain greater oversight over quality and safety until a second Max plunged into a field in Ethiopia in March 2019, according to a complaint filed by the New York State Common Retirement Fund and the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado. But the board failed to focus on safety even before the first crash, the investors claim.

The second disaster, which brought the death toll from the two accidents to 346, spurred a global grounding that plunged Boeing into one of the deepest crises in its century-long history. Investors suits against company directors have been consolidated in state court in Delaware.

We are disappointed in the courts decision to allow the plaintiffs case to proceed past this preliminary stage of litigation, Boeing said in an email. We will review the opinion closely over the coming days as we consider next steps.

Read more: Why Boeing 737 Max Is Finally Close to Flying Again: QuickTake

An automated flight-control system known as MCAS was implicated in both crashes, triggered by a single malfunctioning sensor. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration cleared the Max aircraft to resume commercial flight last year after Boeing fixed the flawed design and made other extensive modifications to the Max jets flight-control computers.

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Disgruntled investors claim Boeing CEO David Calhoun, who was lead director when the fatal accidents occurred, made public representations he knew were false about the boards response to the first 737 Max crash in hopes of salvaging directors reputations. Zurn backed up their contentions, noting Calhoun made four misstatements after Lion Air Flight 610 plunged into the Java Sea in 2018, killing, all 189 people aboard.

Calhoun took over the top job at Boeing early last year, after Dennis Muilenburg was ousted for botching the companys response to the crashes.

That disaster should have served as a wake up call to Boeing directors, Zurn said. Instead, board members ignored the Lion Air Crash and the consequent revelations about the unsafe 737 MAX, the judge wrote. Investors claim that led to the second fatal crash in 2019.

Zurn did throw out claims against individual Boeing executives, saying it was the board that failed to make any good faith effort to implement and oversee a board-level system to monitor and report on safety.

Zurn acknowledged the primary victims of Boeings lax oversight were the passengers of the two 737 Max flights and their families.

While it may seem callous in the face of their losses, corporate law recognizes another set of victims: Boeing as an enterprise, and its stockholders, the judge said. The crashes caused the company and its investors to lose billions of dollars in value. The case is In Re Boeing Co. Derivative Litigation, 2019-0907, Delaware Chancery Court (Wilmington).

(Updates with Boeings response in the fifth paragraph)

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(Adds investor quotes and details throughout, updates prices)

* TSX ends down 0.1%

* Index touches a record intraday high of 20,897.57

* Energy sector declines 0.7%; materials down 0.6%

* Shares of uranium producers jump

By Fergal Smith

TORONTO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged lower on Tuesday as worries about the global economic outlook weighed on resource shares, with the market pulling back from a record high.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended down 14.80 points, or 0.1%, at 20,806.63, after touching a record intraday high of 20,897.57.

Investors have come back from "the dog days of summer" with a more cautious attitude toward stocks, said Macan Nia, senior investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management.

The concern is that there has not been a pullback in the market but also that the global spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus could slow economic recovery.

U.S. crude oil futures settled 1.4% lower at $67.35 a barrel, pressured by concerns about weak demand in the United States and Asia as well as a stronger U.S. dollar, and copper futures were down 1.2%.

The energy group on the TSX retreated 0.7%, while the materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.6%.

Still, loose monetary policy and earnings growth remain supportive of stocks, said Nia, adding "just because we've had the strong returns it doesn't mean the market can't drive higher."

The TSX has advanced about 19% since the start of the year.

The financials sector, which accounts for about 30% of the Toronto market's value, gained 0.3%, while information technology was up 0.4%.

Uranium producers Denison Mines Corp and Cameco Corp were the biggest gainers. Both ended more than 7% higher.

Investors await a Bank of Canada interest rate decision on Wednesday.

The central bank is expected to keep interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.25% and to wait until October before cutting its bond purchases further, a Reuters poll of economists showed. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Additional reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler)
The Biden administration's focus on science will include a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence. The Commerce Department, National AI Initiative Office and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy are forming a National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) to advise the President and federal officials on AI-related issues.

NAIAC will provide guidance on several AI concerns, including "competitiveness," employment, scientific progress, the viability of national strategy and future initiative revisions. The committee will also address ethical issues ranging from workforce equity to accountability and algorithmic bias.

Members will come from a "broad and interdisciplinary" pool including academics, companies, non-profits and federal labs. They'll be accepted on a continuous basis, with any eventual vacancies filled as they pop up.

This isn't the first major organization influencing the US government's use of AI. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence has been urging officials to treat AI as a major concern. Members of Congress have also been pushing for greater adoption of AI in government. However, NAIAC could make AI a frequent consideration in government policy, not to mention shape AI-specific policies.

Whether or not the committee satisfies enough people is another matter. Some in Congress want hard limits on the use of AI, including a Democrat call for an outright ban on facial recognition in federal government. It should still lead to more informed decisions on AI  it's just uncertain whether or not those decisions will include all the right voices.
About 252,000 new coronavirus cases were reported among children last week, according to data compiled by two health organizations. This marks the largest number of new pediatric COVID-19 cases in a single week since the pandemic began, and it comes as millions of kids head back to school.

This surge in pediatric cases between Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 represents nearly 27% of all new COVID-19 cases reported during that time period, according to the weekly report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Childrens Hospital Association. The organizations compiled data from 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

There was a drop in child COVID-19 cases around the start of summer. Just 8,447 new pediatric cases were reported during the week of June 24, which is roughly 30 times less than the total reported last week. A case decline was seen among adults earlier in the summer as well, and pediatric cases appear to have generally risen and fallen with the number of cases reported among adults.

COVID-19 cases among children (seen in dark blue) rose recently to their highest level since the start of the pandemic. Cases among adults (seen in light blue) have also gone up. (Photo: aap.org)

Geographically, the South has seen the highest spike in pediatric cases in recent weeks. Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi are among the states that saw the highest number of new cases between Aug. 19 and Sept. 2. California, the nations most populous state, has reported the highest number of pediatric cases since the start of the pandemic, followed by Florida and then Illinois.

The AAP and CHA noted that their data was limited due to some states no longer reporting child hospitalizations or undercounting cases.

Southern states have reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases among children over the past week. (Photo: aap.org)

As of Sept. 2, more than 5 million children have tested positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic.

More research is needed to determine the viruss long-term effects on this younger population, but the AAP said current data indicates that COVID-associated hospitalization and death are uncommon in children.

At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children, the organization said. However, there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effect.

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Over the past month, roughly 55,000 children have been admitted to U.S. hospitals with cases of COVID-19. Hospitalizations among children had been falling since January but abruptly skyrocketed at the start of July, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Plexiglass dividers surround desks as students return to in-person learning at a school in Long Beach, California, on March 24. Pediatric COVID-19 cases had dropped at the start of summer but are now again rising. (Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON via Getty Images)

Both the AAP and CHA have encouraged all eligible Americans to get vaccinated as soon as they are able. Children become eligible at age 12.

Roughly 62% of people ages 12 and older have been fully vaccinated in the U.S. as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.

Federal health officials have suggested varying timelines for when vaccinations may be available for those younger than 12. AAPs president, Lee Savio Beers, said Tuesday that she expects vaccine trial data for children to be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for review by the end of this month or early October. The vaccine will then be considered for emergency use authorization.

And so what that means is that once that data is submitted, the FDA will have a chance to look at it to determine the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and consider the risk-benefit for children, she told NPR.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that the latest weekly count of pediatric cases was three times higher than the weekly cases reported in June. It was 30 times higher.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
(Bloomberg) -- Deutsche Telekom AG will use proceeds from the sale of its Dutch unit to acquire a greater stake in T-Mobile US Inc., deepening its shift to the U.S. market where it leads the industry in the next generation of mobile technology.

Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners will purchase T-Mobile Netherlands for 5.1 billion euros ($6.1 billion) from Deutsche Telekom and venture partner Tele2, which owns a 25% stake, the private equity firms said Tuesday. Bloomberg reported on Monday that the German company was nearing a deal and that the private equity consortium was a strong contender.

Deutsche Telekom will use some of the proceeds to help fund a deal with SoftBank Group Corp. to increase its holding in the U.S. The Japanese company said it will acquire a 4.5% stake of Deutsche Telekom and sell some of its T-Mobile US shares. The deal will leave Deutsche Telekom with a 48.4% stake in T-Mobile US, just short of its goal to acquire a majority holding.

The German companys Chief Executive Officer Tim Hoettges also said in a conference call on Tuesday that Deutsche Telekom will take action on its 12% holding in the U.K.s BT Group Plc sometime in the next year.

T-Mobile US accounts for nearly two-thirds of Bonn-based Deutsche Telekoms sales. The unit raised its forecast for subscriber growth in July and plans to build out capacity, targeting new businesses such as driverless taxis.

Deutsche Telekom shares rose 0.5% to 17.98 euros at 10:32 a.m. in Frankfurt trading. The stock has gained 20% this year. SoftBank shares closed 9.9% higher.

Share Swap

SoftBank will swap part of its T-Mobile US stake for an initial 225 million shares of Deutsche Telekom. The German company will then use $2.4 billion of proceeds from the Dutch sale to pick up another 20 million T-Mobile shares, according to a statement.

Deutsche Telekom intends to offset potential dilution to earnings per share through share buybacks in the medium term, Hoettges said on the call.

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For Warburg and Apax, their purchase will be one of the largest transactions in the European telecom sector this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Warburg Pincus and Apax previously teamed up in 2019 to take U.K. satellite company Inmarsat Plc private in a $3.4 billion buyout deal. The value of Tele2s stake is about 860 million euros.

The sale had also attracted interest from Apollo Global Management Inc. and Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries Ltd., Bloomberg News has reported.

Private equity firms are often drawn to telecom assets as they can gain control of underlying infrastructure, which offers steady long-term returns. In May, the Dutch telecom group Royal KPN NV said it had rejected an unsolicited high-level approach from investment firms EQT AB and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners.

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Reuters

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Macau casino operator stocks plummeted by as much as a third on Wednesday, losing around $14 billion in value, as the government kicked off a regulatory overhaul that could see its officials supervising companies in the world's largest gambling hub. With Macau's lucrative casino licences up for rebidding next year, a government proposal to revise the city's gaming law spooked a Hong Kong market already slammed hard into the red by a broad Beijing regulatory crackdown, across sectors from technology to education and property, that has sliced hundreds of billions of dollars off asset values https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-crackdown-wipes-hundreds-billions-off-top-companies-values-2021-09-13. Wynn Macau led the plunge, falling as much as 34% to a record low, followed by a 28% tumble for Sands China.
More than 70% of Egypt's young and fast-growing population of over 100 million is financially underserved, despite mobile penetration exceeding 90%.

Traditional banks often overlook this segment because of their spending power or financial status, and fintechs have seized the opportunity to cater to their needs.

One such fintech is MNT-Halan, and today, the company, which describes itself as "Egypt's leading fintech ecosystem," is announcing that it has closed a $120 million investment.

The investors backing MNT-Halan include private equity firms Apis Growth Fund II, Development Partners International (DPI) and Lorax Capital Partners, as well as VCs like Middle East Venture Partners, Endeavor Catalyst and DisruptTech.

They join previous local investors like GB Capital, DPI, Algebra Ventures, Wamda, Egypt Ventures, Shaka VC, Nowaisi Capital, Unidelta and Battery Road Digital Holdings that have backed the company in the past.

In 2017, Mounir Nakhla and Ahmed Mohsen started Halan as a ride-hailing and delivery app offering two and three-wheeler services to customers in Egypt. Since then, it has provided other features, including wallets, bill payment services, e-commerce with buy now, pay later (BNPL) and micro and consumer loans, all in a bid to become a super app.

Then in June of this year, Netherlands-based MNT Investments BV entered a share swap agreement with the Egyptian super app to accelerate the progress of its payments and lending arm, especially in BNPL across Egypt and the MENA region.

Before the merger, MNT acquired the shares of Raseedy, the first independent and interoperable digital wallet in Egypt licensed by its Central Bank to disburse, collect and transfer money digitally through mobile applications.

As MNT-Halan, it has also obtained the micro, consumer and nano finance licenses to provide services to both businesses and consumers across Egypt.

This has enabled the company to build a fintech ecosystem that connects consumers, merchants and micro-enterprises via a digital platform and payment solutions.

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As a business and consumer lender, MNT-Halan offers BNPL services, nano loans, microfinance, SME lending, payroll lending and light-vehicle finance.

Its digital payments ecosystem provides services around loan disbursement and collection, peer-to-peer transfers, payroll disbursement, remittances and bill payments.

Then in mobility, MNT-Halan provides courier, delivery and ride-hailing services.

MNT-Halan claims to be Egypt's largest and fastest-growing lender to the unbanked. Serving over 4 million customers in Egypt, of which 1 million are monthly active users, MNT-Halan has disbursed over $1.7 billion worth of loans to 1.8 million borrowers since inception. The company also claims to process $100 million monthly, growing 20x over the past five years.

The investment, a mixture of private equity and venture capital money, will help the company improve its technology and product while scaling to customers within and outside Egypt.

We are at the forefront of the digital revolution sweeping across Egypt, bringing together the unbanked population with our technology. We are on track to bring financial inclusion to tens of millions of Egyptians. As a result, we will unleash this segments earnings potential and drive greater participation in the economy, said CEO Nakhla.

One of its investors, Apis Growth Fund II, is a London-based private equity fund. It makes quasi-equity investments in the financial sector and related market infrastructure -- payment gateways, switches and payment platforms -- in Africa and Asia.

MNT-Halan is its first landmark investment in Egypt but second on the continent after taking part in TymeBank's $109 million investment in February this year.

Apis Partners co-founders and managing partners Matteo Stefanel and Udayan Goyal said this in a statement, We are thrilled to be investing in MNT-Halan, which is our first investment in Egypt. Our belief is that they will be the leading player digitizing the unbanked and bringing financial services to millions of underserved customers in the country.

"We look forward to partnering with them to extend their impressive growth trajectory and believe Mounir Nakhlas track record, combined with MNT-Halans tech team and operational expertise, provide the ideal opportunity to invest in Egypts fintech sector.

Prior to this news, Halan as an independent entity had raised $26.4 million, according to Crunchbase. This investment takes it to a combined total of $146.4 million, of which the latest is one of the largest raised in Africa this year and continues to prove the dominance of fintech on the continent.
Photo credit: Boston Globe - Getty Images

Last month, Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of murdering Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 6, 1968, was recommended for parole. The decision came after Los Angeles County prosecutors did not oppose Sirhan's release for the first time since his conviction. In response, Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, released a rare statement to NBC News, discussing her opposition to Sirhan's parole.

"Bobby believed we should work to 'tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world.' He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband," Ethel Kennedy wrote.

"Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again," the statement continued.

Per NBC News, at the bottom of the typed statement, Kennedy added a handwritten note. It read: "He should not be paroled."

Photo credit: Ron Galella - Getty Images

Ethel Kennedy's statement is in accord with many of her children, who released their own statement opposing the recommendation. Joseph, Courtney, Kerry, Christopher, Maxwell, and Rory Kennedy all signed the message, which asked the California Parole Board and Governor Gavin Newsom to reverse the parole recommendation.

"We are in disbelief that this man would be recommended for release," read the statement from six Kennedy siblings. "We urge the Parole Board staff, the full Board, and ultimately, Governor Newsom, to reverse this initial recommendation. It is a recommendation we intend to challenge every step of the way, and we hope that those who also hold the memory of our father in their hearts will stand with us."

Per the Associated Press, two of Ethel and Bobby Kennedy's other children are in favor of Sirhan's release. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy have both expressed support for the parole, though the latter with some reservations.

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Sirhan latest appeal marks the 16th time h has sought parole. Sirhan was convicted of shooting the senator in 1968 and sentenced to death, but when California banned the death penalty, his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Over the years, Sirhan has maintained that he does not remember the shooting.

Read six of the Kennedy children's full statement here.

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NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing their focus on travel technology innovation, Fareportal, the company that powers online travel agencies CheapOair and OneTravel, announced this week that CheapOair, in partnership with American Airlines, has launched their AAdvantage customer enrollment program. CheapOair Rewards members are now able to sign up for the American AAdvantage loyalty program with ease at the time of booking. This innovative partnership and technology integration will provide an effortless experience for CheapOair Rewards loyalty members by eliminating the need to go through a separate sign-up process for AAdvantage on the American Airlines site. With the launch, CheapOair becomes the first OTA to offer this level of access to their customers.

Fareportal Logo (PRNewsfoto/Fareportal)

"We are passionate about building cutting-edge technology solutions for the traveling public. Members of our loyalty program, CheapOair Rewards, will now be able to enjoy the benefits of their membership in the program, and at the same time earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles," said Glenn Cusano, Co-CEO and CFO of Fareportal.

"AAdvantage makes earning and redeeming miles for travel easy, so collaborating with Fareportal to offer a seamless way to enroll in the program makes perfect sense," said Neil Geurin, Managing Director of Digital and Distribution for American Airlines. "We look forward to welcoming new members onboard as part of their journey with CheapOair."

CheapOair Rewards offers travelers access to member-only deals, allows earning and redeeming points to save on bookings, unlocks benefits as they reach higher tiers, and provides a seamless travel booking and service experience. The company plans additional enhancements to the program in the coming months.

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next-generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and OneTravel , Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat. Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international and domestic flight, hotel and other travel and add-on ancillaries.

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SOURCE Fareportal
DUBLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Micro-mobility Market Report 2021-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

The global micro-mobility market size is expected to reach USD 69.32 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 13.7%, from 2021 to 2028.

The growing carbon emission by traditional fuel-based vehicles has been a key concern for government authorities. The sustainability move toward smart cities is one of the key factors responsible for the adoption of eco-friendly and cost-effective transportation.

Since the electric kick scooters, electric bicycles, and electric skateboards run on batteries, there are no carbon or gaseous emissions from these vehicles. This mode of transportation is gaining popularity amongst environmentally conscious commuters. Adopting such eco-friendly vehicles not only reduces the carbon and sulfur emissions in the atmosphere but also decreases fuel consumption. Furthermore, these vehicles use ultra-quiet chains for operating the electric motor, thereby facilitating noise-free rides.



The market growth can be attributed to the growth of the shared micro-mobility service industry across the world, which has spurred the demand for electric kick scooters, electric bicycles, and electric skateboards. Companies such as Bird Rides, Inc.; Lime; Spin; and Uber Technologies Inc. offering electric scooter-sharing services, are procuring electric kick scooters mainly from manufacturers such as Ninebot-Segway, Yadea Technology Group Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd., and Xiaomi.



Furthermore, the penetration of electric kick scooter-sharing services is witnessing an exponential adoption rate since 2016. Companies such as YoBike and Pony Bikes; Urbo Solutions and Bleeper Bikes; and Bykeare offering electric bicycle-sharing services across Europe. The growth of the market can be attributed to the increasing adoption of scooters and bicycles as the preferred mode of transportation, especially from the time when electric kick scooters and electric bicycles entered this market space.



The Asia Pacific region is expected to emerge as the prominent region with China as the largest electric kick scooters market owing to the presence of several electric kick scooter manufacturers such as JIANGSU XINRI E-VEHICLE CO., Air wheel Holding Limited, Yadea Technology Group Co., Ltd., LTD., and Xiaomi in China.

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The country accounted for the largest share of the market in 2020. Moreover, the regional market growth can be attributed to the increasing need for reducing carbon emissions and developing technologically advanced and fast-charging stations.



Micro-mobility Market Report Highlights

The electric bicycle segment dominated the market in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 62.52 billion by 2028

The sealed lead-acid battery segment dominated the market in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 36.68 billion by 2028

Asia Pacific is projected to account for the largest market share and is expected to reach USD 32.01 billion by 2028

Some of the prominent participants in the industry are Yadea Technology Group Co. Ltd.; JIANGSU XINRI E-VEHICLE CO., LTD.; Xiaomi; SEGWAY INC.; SWAGTRON; Boosted USA; Airwheel Holding Limited; YAMAHA MOTOR CO. LTD.; Accell Group; and Derby Cycle

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology & Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Micro-Mobility Market Variables, Trends, and Scope

3.1. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping

3.2. Market Dynamics

3.2.1. Market driver analysis

3.2.1.1. Increasing adoption for shared micro-mobility services

3.2.1.2. Rising consumer awareness of eco-friendly transportation

3.2.1.3. Volatility of raw material prices

3.2.2. Market challenge analysis

3.2.2.1. Range anxiety amongst the consumers is posing a challenge for the adoption of electric kick scooter

3.3. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.4. Business Environment Analysis Tools

3.4.1. Industry analysis - Porter's five forces analysis

3.4.2. PEST analysis

3.5. Product Pricing Analysis

3.6. Micro-Mobility Market: Competitive Insights

3.6.1. Recent developments and impact analysis, by key market participants

3.6.2. Key company ranking analysis, 2020

3.7. Impact of COVID-19 on the Micro-Mobility Market



Chapter 4. Micro-Mobility Market: Vehicle Type Outlook

4.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018 - 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)

4.2. Electric Kick Scooters

4.3. Electric Skateboards

4.4. Electric Bicycles



Chapter 5. Micro-Mobility Market: Battery Outlook

5.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018 - 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)

5.2. Sealed Lead Acid

5.3. NiMH

5.4. Li-Ion



Chapter 6. Micro-Mobility Market: Voltage Outlook

6.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018 - 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)

6.2. Below 24V

6.3. 36V

6.4. 48V

6.5. Greater than 48V



Chapter 7. Micro-Mobility Market: Regional Outlook

7.1. Micro-Mobility Market, By Region, 2020 & 2028

7.1. Market estimates and forecasts by vehicle type, 2018 - 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)

7.2. Market estimates and forecasts by battery, 2018 - 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)

7.3. Market estimates and forecasts by voltage, 2018- 2028 (Revenue, USD Million)



Chapter 8. Competitive Landscape

8.1. Company overview

8.2. Financial performance

8.3. Product benchmarking

8.4. Recent developments

Yadea Technology Group Co. Ltd.

Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd.

Gotrax

Bird Rides, Inc.

Derby Cycle

Airwheel Holding Limited

Accell Group

Boosted Usa

Mellow Boards Gmbh

Swagtron

Segway Inc.

Xiaomi

Iconbit Gmbh

Zhe

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5po12x

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Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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SOURCE Research and Markets
Hydrogen may help wean telecoms off emissions-intensive power for remote infrastructure FILE PHOTO: Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R) is pictured in Namie Town

By Aaron Sheldrick

TOKYO(Reuters) - As the world rushes to cut carbon emissions, hydrogen fuel cells may offer global telecoms an environmentally friendly solution to power energy-hungry remote networks, experts say.

Telecoms run vast arrays of relay stations, data centres and other infrastructure that need reliable, constant power. Hydrogen fuel cells, invented in the 1800s and used in U.S. and Russian space programmes, can replace noisy, polluting diesel generators that sometimes run 24 hours a day, their proponents say.

The cells are quiet, have few moving parts and only emit water. With the UN in August sounding "code red for humanity" over global warming, such power sources are attractive for a sector that accounts for 3% of global energy consumption.

"They are a great concept and I think that diesel generators are on their way out," said Uwe Lambrette, a partner at consultancy Oliver Wyman, who focuses on telecommunications.

Emissions from powering networks and IT make up nearly a third of the carbon footprint of telecom companies, Lambrette said, based on a survey of 19 global operators.

Telecoms need generators that can quickly power up during electricity outages, and in remote locations they are often the sole power supply. Solar and wind, which do not always provide stable power levels, are not workable, experts say.

Fuel cells strip electrons from hydrogen using a catalyst, combining the resulting gas with oxygen. This produces electricity, heat and water.

But the technology still has barriers to overcome. The fuel is difficult to store and little infrastructure is in place for transporting it long distances from where it is produced. The cost of hydrogen is also high: roughly 10 times as much as diesel in some markets.

In Japan, hydrogen enjoys strong government support, including subsidies for technology and infrastructure. Hydrogen-fuelled buses and cars are increasingly common and Toyota is building a prototype city powered by the gas near Mt. Fuji. Many companies see an opportunity.

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"In Japan, fuel cells are usually used as a combined heat and power source or for transport," said Mike Benner, a Tokyo-based consultant on electricity grids and power systems, who has also worked in Japan's mobile phone industry.

Benner said that "there are lots of reasons why hydrogen has not been a backup power application," including that the fuel is "notoriously difficult to store."

GenCell, a small Israeli company that went public last year, is working with one of Japan's major telecoms operators to test its G5 fuel cell unit, CEO Rami Reshef told Reuters. The company's shareholders include Japan's TDK Corp.

Reshef declined to identify the Japanese company. It announced in July that Germany's Deutsche Telekom is also testing its fuel cells, and the G5 is in commercial use in 14 countries, including the U.S. and Japan, Reshef said.

Panasonic said it was working on fuel-cell projects but declined to provide details.

"Our pure hydrogen fuel-cell generators are still at the testing stage, not only for the telecoms sector but also for other industries," a Panasonic spokesperson said.

Hitachi has considered hydrogen fuel cells as backup power units for data centres but is not adopting them because of "difficulty in securing and storing hydrogen fuel in a stable manner" and not being able "to sufficiently confirm (their) safety," a spokesperson said.

Other companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Toshiba either declined to comment or did not respond to multiple inquiries.

Reshef said backup power from the G5 in Japan would cost about $0.83 per kilowatt hour (kWh) compared with $1.22/kWh for diesel generators, a calculation Benner said "seems reasonable".

"There's no doubt fuel cells can work," said Tomas Kaberger, affiliate professor at Chalmers University of Technology."But where does the hydrogen come from? If transported, it would likely increase costs even compared to diesel."

In Japan, hydrogen gas is usually produced by refineries and chemical makers as a byproduct or through steam or gas reforming processes and is transported in high-pressure tanks.

Hydrogen has an energy density nearly three times that of diesel but costs about 1,100 yen ($10.00) per kilogram in Japan, while the fossil fuel costs an average of 133 yen a litre, or roughly 1 kilogram, for consumers.

To produce the same amount of energy for the same cost, the price of hydrogen would have to fall to roughly twice that of diesel, according to U.S. government data.

Graphic: Hydrogen fuel production - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/xklvyrkjwpg/Hydrogen%20coal%20gasification.png

Most hydrogen comes from fossil fuels and is called brown or blue hydrogen because it is not emissions-free. But more companies are investing in electrolysers powered by renewables to produce "green" hydrogen.

The United States aims to reduce the cost of green hydrogen to $1 per kilogram by 2030, while $150 billion in projects for producing the fuel were announced globally in 2020, compared with none five years earlier.

Graphic: Clean hydrogen boom - https://graphics.reuters.com/SHELL-HYDROGEN/azgvoexgbvd/chart.png

In Japan, Softbank estimates more than half of its 700,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in the year through March 2020 came from its 230,000 base stations. Softbank has 1,000 diesel generators and is not testing or using hydrogen fuel cells.

The other two main telecoms in Japan, KDDI and NTT DoCoMo, did not respond to written requests for comment. The three operators are building nearly 70,000 new base stations to handle the ever higher loads of data on mobile networks. More than 20,000 of those need continuous, reliable backup power, according to GenCell.

($1 = 109.9900 yen)

(Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
Israel will once again begin welcoming small international tour groups later this month.

Starting Sept. 19, the country will allow small groups between five and 30 people to enter from "green," "yellow," and "orange" countries, Reuters reported. All group members must be fully vaccinated.

Travelers will also have to show proof they received the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within six months of traveling to Israel or that they received a vaccine booster, the wire service reported. To enter, tourists will also have to show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their arrival and undergo a serological test upon landing in Tel Aviv.

Israel will not limit the number of tour groups allowed as part of the new policy, but groups from countries on the "red" list  Turkey, Mexico, Bulgaria, and Brazil  will not be allowed.

Israel

Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

Israel first opened to vaccinated tour groups in May, including those with the popular Birthright Israel program, but paused its border opening in August due to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant, according to Reuters. In June, the country pushed back plans to welcome fully vaccinated individual tourists, who will still not be allowed.

Currently, the United States is on the "orange" list, according to the government, meaning that individual travelers must quarantine upon arrival, regardless of their vaccination status.

Constantly shifting international travel rules have become a hallmark of the pandemic era. Last week, the EU removed the U.S. from its list of safe countries and several countries have since implemented new restrictions, including Spain and Denmark. Others, like Sweden, have outright banned American tourists.

Meanwhile, other destinations have welcomed travelers from the U.S. in recent days, including Abu Dhabi, which opened to fully vaccinated international travelers over the weekend; and Canada, which started allowing vaccinated American travelers to enter last month.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
Attackers are actively exploiting a Microsoft remote code execution vulnerability using malicious Office files, the tech giant has warned. The vulnerability known as CVE-2021-40444 affects Windows Servers from version 2008 and Windows 7 through 10. What attackers are doing is sending potential victims an Office file and tricking them into opening it. That file automatically opens Internet Explorer to load the bad actor's web page, which has an ActiveX control that downloads malware onto the victim's computer.

Several security researchers reported the zero-day attacks to Microsoft. One of them, Haifei Li of EXPMON, told BleepingComputer that the method is 100 percent reliable  all it would take to infect a system is for the victim to open the malicious file. In Li's case, the attack they came across used a .DOCX document. Microsoft has yet to roll out a security patch for the vulnerability, but it has published mitigation methods to prevent infection.

The tech giant says Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can both detect the vulnerability and prevent infection, so users need to keep them updated and running. Further, it advises disabling all ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer to render it inactive for all websites. Microsoft's security warning contains information how to do that, which involves updating IE's registry and rebooting the computer.
With Nobu Hotel Miami Beach recognized top in their destination

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The readers have voted, and Nobu Ryokan Malibu, a member of the Nobu Hotels collection, has been recognized as the #1 Best Resort Hotel in the Continental U.S. as well #1 Best Resort Hotel in California in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards 2021. The hotel also placed in the top 20 of Top 100 Hotels in the World.

Nobu Ryokan Malibu

Nobu Ryokan Malibu is a triumph of architectural carpentry and subdued hospitality. Having opened in 2017, this exclusive hideaway honors the traditional Japanese Ryokan, featuring teak soaking tubs, indoor/outdoor fireplaces, serene outdoor patios, timeless artwork, and gracious accents. Seamlessly blending traditional Japanese minimalism with the elegant flair of the California coastline, this adult-oriented retreat boasts a rich, natural aesthetic and an ethos of pure tranquillity, complete with personalized service and luxurious amenities.

Also awarded and recognized as among the best in their destination is Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, voted #5 of Top Hotels in Miami Beach.

"We are extremely honored to be recognized by the readers of Travel + Leisure in this prestigious survey. This is a tremendous achievement, and we would like to recognize the amazing colleagues in Malibu and Miami Beach for their hard work and dedication. We also thank are guests and travel partners for their unwavering loyalty to the brand as well as the support and commitment provided by our hotel owners," said Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hospitality.

Travel + Leisure recognizes the top hotels, islands, cities, cruise lines, airlines, spas, and more around the globe, based on the results of the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2021 readers' survey. Readers rated hotels on the following characteristics: rooms/facilities, location, service, food, value. Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2021 is featured in the October issue on newsstands September 17.

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Nobu Hotel Miami Beach

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SOURCE Nobu Hospitality
Automated Coding Analysis for Inpatient and Outpatient Care

Atlanta, GA, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Streamline Health Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRM), provider of the eValuator Revenue Integrity Program to help healthcare providers proactively revenue leakage and financial performance, today announced it has signed a contract with a Cerner EHR-based health system located in Eastern North Carolina. The nearly 300-bed medical center will use eValuators automated pre- and post-bill coding analysis technology to help improve revenue integrity and financial performance from their inpatient and outpatient services.

Streamline Health is leading an industry movement to enable every hospital in the country to use pre-bill technology to improve financial performance. With eValuator, providers are identifying and addressing coding issues before they contribute to revenue leakage, denied claims and non-compliance exposure. The company combines this new technology with expert auditing services to deliver a complete Revenue Integrity Program to its clients. The eValuator program helps users optimize coding and documentation accuracy for every patient encounter prior to billing, substantially improving current financial performance while also assisting in the transition to new payment models.

As another provider joins the movement to pre-bill revenue integrity with eValuator, we recognize and appreciate the trust these organizations are placing in our coding optimization technology, stated Tee Green, President and Chief Executive Officer, Streamline Health. Coding accuracy drives compliant financial performance, and we are pleased that this medical center agrees eValuator is the ideal solution to proactively identify and address the issues that contribute to revenue leakage or risk exposure.

About Streamline Health

Streamline Health Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRM) is a leader in pre-bill revenue integrity solutions for healthcare providers. Our eValuator Revenue Integrity Program includes integrated solutions, technology-enabled services and analytics that drive compliant revenue across the enterprise. We share a common calling and commitment to advance the quality of life and the quality of healthcare - for society, our clients, the communities they serve, and the individual patient. For more information, please visit our website at www.streamlinehealth.net.

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To Learn More

Jacob Goldberger

Director, Investor Relations and FP&A

303.887.9625

jacob.goldberger@streamlinehealth.net




TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Canada's biggest retail event of the year, Retail Council of Canada's RCC STORE 21 conference is next week, September 13-16, 2021 and will, over four information-packed days in an all virtual format, reveal cutting-edge learnings, strategies, and actionable recommendations from the most internationally respected retail influencers today.

RCC STORE 21 logo (CNW Group/Retail Council of Canada)

As retailers' and consumers' optimism grows, and businesses look at how to build even stronger post- pandemic enterprises, the RCC STORE 21 conference will share inspiring examples from around the globe of fascinating retail trends and research findings, reconsidered approaches for store operations and digital transformations, tips on managing a dispersed workforce, and dynamic and unexpected marketing strategies that will resonate with consumers in the new retail reality.

This year's powerful lineup of 60 + speakers includes:

Opening the conference will be Walmart's Nabeela Ixtabalan , EVP, People & Corporate Affairs, who will discuss how one of the largest retail employers is adapting to the new normal and the future of work. She will also be speaking with Arianna Huffington , Founder & CEO, Thrive Global and Chester Elton, author, speaker, organizational culture and employee engagement and leadership expert about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in retail.

Futurist superstar Doug Stephens will connect how the total reinvention of many aspects of daily life because of the pandemic will reshape not just how consumers shop but why they shop and, share an actionable roadmap for retail leaders to consider as they plan for what is not yet here.

Renowned China marketing expert and best-selling author, Ashley Dudarenok , one of the top 20 visionaries according to The Holmes Report , named guru on digital marketing and fast-evolving trend in China by Thinkers50, and the personality behind the world's #1 YouTube business vlog about the China market, Ashley Talks China , discusses how China's new retail and tech giants are shaping the future of global commerce.

Media personality Amber Mac will provide the tech insider's overview on the four key global retail tech trends that are-shaping retail's future including voice commerce, retail robots, social commerce and XR experience.

Google Canada's Eric Morris, Managing Director, Retail, will present insights on the five new consumer habits that will forever change retail.

Bunnings' Michael Schneider, Managing Director, (Bunnings is Australia's leading home improvement hardware store and has been voted Australia's most trusted retail brand for the last 15 years in a row!) will discuss how earing trust and loyalty has been at the heart of Bunnings' success.

Mintel , the renowned global market research firm will explore how retailers can focus on what matters to consumers now and how companies can adeptly navigate the new retail landscape as the next normal unfolds.

IKEA Canada's CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Ward will share how IKEA is re-envisioning its business and is continuing to push all its partners to offer healthier, more sustainable solutions at a scale that Canadians can afford.

John S. Thorbeck, Chairman of Chainge Capital, whose impressive credentials include being a former CEO of GH Bass & Co (PVH), Rockport (Adidas), as well as senior executive for Timberland Co and Nike, will review rising consumer and investor expectations for sustainability and outline innovative ways it can be achieved with less risk and capital.

And, to close the four-day conference, Ian Black, Country Manager for Shopify Canada, will share some of the most innovative ecommerce ideas executed over the last few months that are likely to inspire many new trends in the year ahead.

These and many more perspective-expanding sessions will make RCC STORE 21 the landmark retail event of the year. See full agenda.

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RCC STORE 21 is less than a week away! Visit https://www.storeconference.ca/tickets to purchase your tickets.

Media is welcome to attend RCC STORE 21.

About Retail Council of Canada

Retail is Canada's largest private sector employer. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members represent more than two thirds of retail sales in the country. RCC is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association that represents small, medium and large retail businesses in every community across the country. As the Voice of Retail in Canada, we proudly represent more than 45,000 storefronts in all retail formats, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers and online merchants. www.RetailCouncil.org

Retail Council of Canada Logo (CNW Group/Retail Council of Canada)

SOURCE Retail Council of Canada

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Future Market Insights (FMI) in its recent study highlights key developments in the pelvic floor diagnostics market, affecting growth across various segments including products and end-users. The study predicts the demand for uroflowmetry devices and anal manometry systems to rise at a high pace during the forecast period.

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pelvic floor diagnostics market is estimated to total US$ 1.8 Bn in 2021, find ESOMAR-certified consulting firm Future Market Insights (FMI) in a recent market study. With a favorable demand outlook, FMI projects the pelvic floor diagnostics market to grow at a 6.2% CAGR during the assessment period.

FMI Logo

Increment in healthcare expenditure across the globe along with the rising demand for technologically advanced pelvic floor diagnostics are identified as chief factors augmenting growth of the global pelvic floor diagnostics market.

Disruptions in supply chains and lockdown restrictions had caused delayed treatment and diagnostic appointments worldwide, which hampered sales of pelvic floor diagnostic devices in 2020.

However, expedited vaccination drives and increasing research and developments in healthcare technology are anticipated to bode well for the market, which will register year-over-year growth of 7.0% in 2021.

Growing incidence of pelvic disorders among pregnant women and increasing awareness regarding the importance of early diagnosis of pelvic disorders are pressing upon the need for highly effective pelvic floor diagnostics devices.

Overall expansion of healthcare infrastructure has resulted in higher number of diagnostic imaging centers. This also is translating into impressive prospects for sales of latest technologies in ultrasound imaging systems for high-resolution imaging.

These developments, coupled with government policies favoring investment towards research and development will aid the overall market expansion.

FMI has forecast the U.S. to continue dominating the North America pelvic floor diagnostics market. Rising prevalence of pelvic disorders, coupled with rapid adoption of technological advancements in the healthcare sector will continue driving sales in the U.S.

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Request a report sample with 250 pages to gain comprehensive insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-13752

"Besides investment in research and development, market players are expected focus on strategic collaborations to encourage awareness among consumers and offer them advanced healthcare solutions," says the FMI analyst.

Key Takeaways:

Sales of ultrasound systems are projected to grow at a 5.7% CAGR, holding 37.7% of the total market share.

Applications of pelvic floor diagnostics in hospitals are anticipated to rise at a 5.5% CAGR. The segment is projected to account for 64.2% of the total market share in 2021.

The U.S. is estimated to account for 81.5% of the North American pelvic floor diagnostics market share, owing to a subsequent rise in healthcare expenditure.

The U.K. will emerge as an attractive market, growing at a 5.8% CAGR over the forecast period.

The Brazilian pelvic floor diagnostics market will continue exhibiting high demand, expanding at a 5.5% CAGR.

Sales prospects of pelvic floor diagnostics in Mexico are projected to be bright, accounting for 38.4% of the total market share.

Japan and South Korea are anticipated to account for 32% and 19% of the total market share respectively.

Prominent Drivers:

Surging prevalence of pelvic floor disorders especially among pregnant women has fuelled the demand for advanced healthcare.

Rising healthcare spending and favorable reimbursement policies will encourage research initiatives in the market, enabling growth over the forecast period.

Discover more about pelvic floor diagnostics market with figures and data tables, along with the table of contents. Ask an Analyst@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-13752

Competitive Landscape

Leading players operating in the global pelvic floor diagnostics market are investing in research and development to offer innovative and efficient pelvic floor diagnostic devices. In addition, collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions for production facility expansion will remain a part of lucrative growth strategies. For instance:

In March 2021, HOYA Corporation signed a five-year contract with Hitachi for technical advancements and the supply of diagnostics ultrasound systems and ultrasound sensors.

In June 2021, Neusoft Corporation unveiled its product portfolio comprising medical imaging for diagnosis including NeuAngio 30F high-speed floor-mounted DSA system.

Leading players operating in Pelvic Floor Diagnostics Market profiled by FMI include:

LABORIE Inc.

CooperSurgical Inc.

SRS Medical

Medtronic Plc

MEDSPIRA

MEDKONSULT medical technology s.r.o.

Albyn Medical

PENTAX Medical

Olympus Medical Systems

Stryker's

EndoMed Systems

Richard Wolf

Scholly Fiberoptic

Zhuhai Seesheen Medical Technology

KARL STORZ

Cadwell

The Prometheus Group

Neurosoft

Noraxon USA

More Insights on FMI's Pelvic Floor Diagnostics Market

The latest market study on the pelvic floor diagnostics market by Future Market Insights gives a detailed segmentation for the forecast period of 2021-2031. In order to gain a better perspective of the global pelvic floor diagnostics market potential, its growth, trends, and opportunities, the market is segmented on the basis of:

Product:

Urodynamics Systems

Uroflowmetry Devices

Anal Manometry Systems

Cystoscopes

Ultrasound Systems

EMG

End-User:

Hospitals

Diagnostic Imaging Centers

Specialty Clinics

Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia

Oceania

Middle East and Africa

We Offer tailor-made Solutions to fit Your Requirements, Request Customization@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-13752

Key Questions Covered in Pelvic Floor Diagnostics Market Report

The report offers detailed insights into pelvic floor diagnostics market demand outlook for 2021-2031

The market study also highlights projected sales growth for pelvic floor diagnostics market between 2021 and 2031

Pelvic floor diagnostics market survey identifies key growth drivers, restraints, and other forces impacting prevailing trends and evaluation of current market size and forecast and technological advancements within the industry

Pelvic floor diagnostics market share analysis of the key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others.

Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage on Healthcare Domain

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About Future Market Insights (FMI)

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, and has delivery centers in the UK, U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.

Contact:

Abhishek Budholiya

Future Market Insights,

1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower,

Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A,

Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai,

United Arab Emirates

For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com

For Media Enquiries: press@futuremarketinsights.com

Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/

Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/pelvic-floor-diagnostics-market

Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/pelvic-floor-diagnostics-market

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SOURCE Future Market Insights
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Cassava Sciences, Inc. ("Cassava " or the "Company") (Nasdaq:SAVA) from September 14, 2020 through August 27, 2021 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas alleges violations of the Securities Act of 1934.

If you purchased Cassava securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Cassava Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or rpatel@bernlieb.com

According to the complaint, Cassava issued materially false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose adverse facts pertaining to the quality and integrity of the scientific data supporting the company's claims of efficacy for its Alzheimer's drug (simufilam), which were known to, or recklessly disregarded by, the Defendants as follows: (a) that Cassava and senior management claimed that results from an interim analysis of simufilam demonstrated that patients' cognition and behavior scores both improved following six months of simufilam treatment, and; (b) that Cassava touted an FDA meeting they stated supported green-lighting a Phase 3 trial beginning in the second half of 2021.

On August 24, 2021, a citizen petition was submitted to the FDA asking the FDA to halt all ongoing studies with simufilam while the agency verifies data the company has submitted so far. The petition raises serious concerns about the quality and integrity of the laboratory-based studies surrounding this drug candidate. The petition further identified "errors and anomalies" in the data "of a sufficient frequency and magnitude to strongly suggest scientific misconduct."

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On this news, the price of Cassava shares fell almost 32%, declining approximately $37 per share per share on August 24, 2021.

On August 27, 2021, before the market opened, Quanterix Corp. ("Quanterix"), an independent company, issued a statement denying the Company's claims, stating that it "did not interpret the test results or prepare the data" touted by Cassava.

On this news, the Company's share price fell $12.51, or 17.6%, to close at $58.34 per share on August 27, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 26, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.

If you purchased Cassava securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/cassavasciencesinc-sava-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-fraud-stock-435/apply/ or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or rpatel@bernlieb.com

Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2021 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information:

Rujul Patel

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

https://www.bernlieb.com

(877) 779-1414

rpatel@bernlieb.com

SOURCE: Bernstein Liebhard LLP





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Savosolar Plc

Company Announcement, Insider information 8 September 2021 at 11.15 a.m. (CEST)

Savosolar has agreed with Nordea to extend the bank guarantee limit

Savosolar Plc has agreed with Nordea Bank Plc's Finnish Startup & Growth unit to extend the EUR 0.9 million bank guarantee limit for a further period of 12 months. The company uses the limit for guarantees required during project deliveries and warranty periods, among other things. Finnvera Plc provides the bank with a counter-guarantee of 50% of the limit.



SAVOSOLAR PLC

For more information:

Savosolar Plc

Managing Director Jari Varjotie

Phone: +358 400 419 734

E-mail: jari.varjotie@savosolar.com



Savosolar Plc discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Market Abuse Regulation ((EU) No 596/2014, MAR). The information was submitted for publication by the aforementioned person on 8 September 2021 at 11.15 a.m. (CEST).



About Savosolar

Savosolar with its highly efficient collectors and large-scale solar thermal systems has taken solar thermal technology to the next level. The companys collectors are equipped with the patented nano-coated direct flow absorbers, and with this leading technology, Savosolar helps its customers to produce competitive clean energy. Savosolars vision is to be the first-choice supplier to high performance solar installations on a global scale. Focus is on large-scale applications like district heating, industrial process heating and real estate systems  market segments with a big potential for rapid growth. The company primarily delivers complete systems from design to installation, using the best local partners. Savosolar is known as the most innovative company in the business and aims to stay as such. The company has sold and delivered its products to almost 20 countries on four continents. Savosolars shares are listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden with the ticker SAVOS and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland with the ticker SAVOH. www.savosolar.com .

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The companys Certified Adviser is Augment Partners AB, info@augment.se , phone: +46 8-604 22 55.




NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2021 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Piedmont Lithium Inc. ("Piedmont" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:PLL). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Piedmont 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]

In 2020, Piedmont signed a deal to supply Tesla Inc. with lithium sourced from its deposits in North Carolina. Then, on July 20, 2021, Reuters reported that Piedmont "has not applied for a state mining permit or a necessary zoning variance in Gaston County, just west of Charlotte, despite telling investors since 2018 that it was on the verge of doing so." Reuters further reported that "[f]ive of the seven members of the county's board of commissioners, who control zoning changes, say they may block or delay the project because Piedmont has not told them what levels of dust, noise and vibrations will occur, nor how water and air quality would be affected."

On this news, Piedmont's stock price fell $12.56 per share, or 19.91%, to close at $50.52 per share on July 20, 2021.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris 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, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm 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.pomerantzlaw.com.

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SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP





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COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Law firm Smiley Wang-Ekvall (SWE)  leaders in business bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization law; business litigation; and real estate transactions - announced today that the majority of the firm's attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

"It is a high honor for so many of the firm's lawyers to be included among such a distinguished group of legal practitioners across the country," said SWE Partner Robert Marticello. "This peer recognition is a testament to the dedication our attorneys have to our clients."

The following Smiley Wang-Ekvall attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for their work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Costa Mesa:

Kyra E. Andrassy

Kraig Kilger

Robert S. Marticello

Philip E. Strok

In addition, attorneys Michael Simon and Tim Evanston were again recognized by Best Lawyers as 'Ones to Watch,' also for their work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on peer-review evaluation. The organization received more than 15 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America  , more than 10.8 million votes were analyzed. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed.

Smiley | Wang-Ekvall achieves unparalleled results for its clients in the areas of business litigation, real estate transactions, and bankruptcy and insolvency matters, combining the hands-on attention and cost-effectiveness of a small firm with the depth and breadth of experience of a large firm. Visit http://swelawfirm.com/ to learn more.



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SOURCE Smiley Wang-Ekvall
Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy (US Navy/Reuters)

Tensions escalated in the South China Sea after China called the presence of a US guided-missile destroyer in the contested Spratly Islands a violation of its national sovereignty.

The US navys 7th Fleet said in a statement that the Chinese governments accusation they trespassed without seeking permission was false and part of the countrys campaign to misrepresent lawful maritime navigation.

The USS Benfold took part in a 7th Fleet Freedom of Navigation Operation about 12 nautical miles off Mischief Reef on Wednesday, according to the navy.

The PRCs statement about this mission is false. USS Benfold conducted this [operation] in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in international waters, the statement said.

The operation came just days after China passed a law demanding foreign vessels submit notice before entering waters it claimed in the disputed island chain. The navy says it did not provide any such notice.

A spokesman for Chinas People Liberation Army (PLA), senior colonel Tian Junli, said in the state-run newspaper Global Times that it warned off the USS Benfold after it trespassed into areas adjacent to the reef.

He said the PLA Southern Theater Command would stay on high alert to assert its sovereignty over the islands and surrounding waters, parts of which which are also claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Vice president Kamala Harris travelled to Vietnam in August to rally their support in combating Chinas bullying in the South China Sea and pressure the country into following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As part of the navy operation, neither the USS Benfold nor the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group training elsewhere gave notice to any country claiming ownership to parts of the sea, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt Mark Langford told Stars and Stripes.

He told the outlet it was the navys seventh operation of its kind so far in 2021, with the previous action in the Spratly Islands in February.

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China has turned reefs into islands by reclaiming land and building milady infrastructure throughout the Spratly Island chain, including on Mischief Reef.

The 7th Fleet said in its statement that the reef is not entitled to a territorial sea under international law as it has a low-tide elevation in its natural state and is submerged at high tide.

The land reclamation efforts, installations, and structures built on Mischief Reef do not change this characterization under international law, the statement said.

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A little over a week ago, Magnachip Semiconductor was notified by the US Treasury Department that it had identified national security risks in the Delaware chip company's proposed US$1.4 billion sale to Chinese private equity firm Wise Road Capital. Soon after, the department would recommend US President Joe Biden block the deal.

This new focus on "non-notified transactions" illustrates how comprehensively the US is trying to limit China's opportunities to obtain Americans' personal data and intellectual property.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

The spotlight on these mergers added to other measures - the Treasury Department's blacklist of Chinese companies that allegedly have ties to China's military and the Commerce Department's export control regulation - that prohibit American capital from investing in Chinese firms and restrict sensitive technologies from being sold to China.

Even before this heightened examination, the sharp focus the US put on Chinese acquisitions during the Trump administration had already depressed deal activity to a fraction of its 2016 peak. The new effort signals the business and financial decoupling of the world's two largest economies that is unlikely to roll back under President Joe Biden.

Last year, the regulatory gatekeeper - the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency body led by the Treasury Department that scrutinises the national security implications of cross-border deals - sifted through hundreds of non-notified transactions and identified 117 for potential review.

For context, Chinese buyers completed 107 transactions in the US since 2017, according to PitchBook, a deal data provider. All the deals done in the past five years would have been put on possible review.

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CFIUS does not disclose specific deals under review and relies on classified information to make its decisions. But at a recent briefing by the Treasury Department, lawyers representing cross-border acquisitions said, the committee called in twice as many non-notified transactions as in 2018 and 2019 combined, and is on pace for a 50 per cent increase in 2021.

A Treasury Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

These foreign-merger reviews do not single out Chinese acquisitions; the regulations do not mention China by name. But for the most part, the ones being reviewed are Chinese investors, according to a CFIUS lawyer, who asked to remain anonymous because the client work is private.

"It is consistent with the narrative that we have been hearing, staffing up and budgeting up the group to look for transactions of interest - even if it means going into the past," the lawyer said.

"The concern with China, which has been well publicised by the Biden administration, is still very much front and centre," the lawyer added.

CFIUS has always had the authority to probe deals that are already completed or that the committee had not been previously aware of. But such reviews were very rare - until recently.

Ever since the first Bush administration blocked an acquisition by the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Company (CATIC) in 1990, the number of revoked Chinese deals stayed extremely low until the last decade, when the US began to address China's use of mergers and acquisitions to obtain intellectual property and trade secrets.

But it was President Donald Trump who kicked investigations of non-notified deals into high gear. In its 46-year history, CFIUS has only blocked fewer than 10 deals that had not been submitted to the agency for review. Four were revoked during the Trump administration.

Then-US president Donald Trump accelerated the push for CFIUS to review - and block - Chinese acquisitions of American businesses that might pose national security threats. Photo: AFP alt=Then-US president Donald Trump accelerated the push for CFIUS to review - and block - Chinese acquisitions of American businesses that might pose national security threats. Photo: AFP

The Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) was passed in August 2018, expanding the kinds of transactions subject to CFIUS review, including real estate purchases in sensitive locations.

That week, the Trump administration ordered Chinese conglomerate HNA to sell its US headquarters in midtown Manhattan because, officials said, its proximity to Trump Tower posed a security concern.

In 2019, CFIUS directed Beijing Kunlun Tech to divest Grindr, a gay dating app it had bought a year earlier, saying that sensitive personal information by military personnel who frequented the site could be used by China to compromise US national security.

Last August, Trump signed an executive order to require Chinese company ByteDance to divest its TikTok video-sharing app over data concerns. The ultra-popular app was formed after ByteDance's 2017 US$1 billion acquisition of the US video app Musical.ly.

President Biden dropped Trump's threat to ban TikTok in the US, but the security review of the Musical.ly acquisition is continuing. If the committee concludes that TikTok remains a security danger because it is obliged to answer to Beijing, the deal can still be unwound.

ByteDance, the video-sharing app TikTok's parent company, may still face the unwinding of a 2017 deal for Musical.ly. Photo: AP alt=ByteDance, the video-sharing app TikTok's parent company, may still face the unwinding of a 2017 deal for Musical.ly. Photo: AP

Mario Mancuso, head of CFIUS and national security practice at Kirkland Ellis, said that the inspection of non-notified deals was only growing. The rise is driven less by who is in the White House, and more by the strategic competition the US confronts in China, he added.

Mancuso said that the 117 non-notified deals identified by CFIUS last year were probably a much smaller subset of the transactions the staff actually looked at. "They represented just those deals that looked sufficiently interesting to warrant an outreach," Mancuso said, adding that "many more" are likely to be reviewed annually.

The drive to investigate non-notified transactions came partly because investors weren't filing as often as regulators had hoped.

"People recognised that one way you could potentially get around CFIUS was just to hide," said Tyler McGaughey, a former committee official now heading up the CFIUS practice at Winston & Strawn in Washington. "So some of the most risky transactions weren't being filed."

"Up until FIRRMA, the non-notified team was not a separate team, so people were looking for transactions on an ad hoc basis," said McGaughey, who was a senior official on the CFIUS team at the Treasury Department until January.

The steps in a CFIUS foreign investment national security review. Photo: Congressional Research Service alt=The steps in a CFIUS foreign investment national security review. Photo: Congressional Research Service

Since FIRRMA provided the committee with a bigger budget, it rejiggered the team, made new hires and procured more resources. The team was divided into three units, one of those a new set of investigators dedicated exclusively to non-notified transactions.

The team looked for foreign transactions through commercial databases, news articles, bankruptcy filings, among other sources, searching for transactions that had not been submitted for a CFIUS review. Recently, the Treasury Department also set up a mailbox to receive tips from the public.

"It's been an incredibly significant structural change that is designed to be more aggressive," said McGaughey. "Those case officers aren't doing the normal case review, so they have more freedom in time and flexibility to actually go look for non-notified transactions."

McGaughey said that about 10 people are dedicated to non-notified transactions now and that the number continues to grow. Overall, the number of staff has at least tripled since 2018.

The added resources freed CFIUS to look into more deals. Sometimes, it means reaching back years.

Businesses that accumulate US personal data - from Social Security numbers to lifestyle information - are the focus, especially the ones completed years ago.

Since Biden took office, data security has become an even more urgent issue as the US, China and Europe all scramble to draft laws on the topic. As tensions escalate and competition intensifies, China will remain a primary focus for CFIUS.

"We know that CFIUS has contacted companies for investments that were completed almost a decade ago," said Kirkland's Mancuso. "CFIUS is methodically turning over stones to try to assess which non-notified deals should now be reviewed."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Company Will Monitor Progress Toward Reducing Poverty, Malnutrition and Food and Water Insecurity

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Bureau for Resilience and Food Security recently awarded global consulting and digital services provider ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI) a new five-year $69 million task order to support the collection and use of high-quality population-based survey data in various countries. The task order was awarded under the General Services Administration OASIS indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract.

ICF will use innovative data collection tools, monitoring modalities and analysis to monitor progress toward sustainable reductions in hunger, poverty, malnutrition and water insecurity in countries around the world. Data collected through these efforts will support monitoring and evaluation of important U.S. government strategies like the Multi-sectoral Nutrition Strategy, the Global Water Strategy and the Feed the Future Global Food Security Strategy.

ICF has implemented USAID's Demographic and Health Surveys Program since 1984 and supported the agency's food security surveys for the past decade. The company has helped the agency and its field missions meet specific accountability and adaptive management needs in their efforts to build resilient communities and countries.

"We understand the nuances and complexities it takes to collect and analyze data and disseminate survey results for complex population-based surveys," said Mark Lee, ICF executive vice president and public sector lead. "We are proud to build on our long-standing work to help USAID strengthen and improve its data collection methods and share evidence of the impact of its programs, which will lead to a more holistic understanding of the well-being, food and water security, and resilience of communities around the globe."

ICF helps create sustainable, resilient societies that fulfill their citizens' needs. The company collaborates with development agencies to examine linkages between health and various development priorities, including food security and nutrition, biodiversity, climate change, water and sanitation, urban development, migration, human trafficking and global health security.

Story continues

Read more about ICF's international development and climate and resilience services.

About ICF

ICF is a global consulting services company with approximately 7,500 full- and part-time employees, but we are not your typical consultants. At ICF, business analysts and policy specialists work together with digital strategists, data scientists and creatives. We combine unmatched industry expertise with cutting-edge engagement capabilities to help organizations solve their most complex challenges. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future. Learn more at icf.com .

Caution Concerning Forward-looking Statements

Statements that are not historical facts and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may concern our current expectations about our future results, plans, operations and prospects and involve certain risks, including those related to the government contracting industry generally; our particular business, including our dependence on contracts with U.S. federal government agencies; our ability to acquire and successfully integrate businesses; and the effects of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and related federal, state and local government actions and reactions on the health of our staff and that of our clients, the continuity of our and our clients' operations, our results of operations and our outlook. These and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements that are included in the "Risk Factors" section of our securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and we specifically disclaim any obligation to update these statements in the future.

Contact: Lauren Dyke, lauren.dyke@ICF.com, +1.571.373.5577

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SOURCE ICF
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Vext Science, Inc. ("Vext" or the "Company") (CSE: VEXT) (OTCQX: VEXTF) a cannabinoid brand leader based in Arizona, leveraging its core expertise in extraction, manufacturing, cultivation and marketing to build a profitable multi-state footprint, announced today that it will be virtually participating in two upcoming conferences:

VEXT Science Logo (CNW Group/VEXT Science, Inc.)

Beacon Securities Virtual Cannabis Conference 2021 is being held on September 9, 2021. Vext CEO Eric Offenberger will host one-on-one investor meetings throughout the day



Echelon US Cannabis Conference, being held on September 22, 2021. Investors can tune in here to listen to Vext's CEO Eric Offenberger present between 1pm and 1:30pm ET.

For more information about the conferences or to schedule a 1x1 meeting with management, please contact your respective conference representative. For more details, visit Vext's investor website or contact the IR team at investors@vextscience.com.

About Vext Science, Inc.

Vext Science, Inc. is a US-based Cannabis THC and Hemp cannabinoid products company manufacturing THC cartridges, concentrates, edibles, and accessories under the Vapen Brand, and Hemp based products under the Pure Touch Botanicals brand as well as the Vapen CBD brand. Based in Arizona, Vext Science, Inc. has one of the leading THC concentrates, edibles, and distillate cartridge brands sold in most of the state's 100+ dispensaries. Herbal Wellness Center is one of Arizona's leading dispensary banners and we execute all aspects of the cultivation, extraction, edibles infusion and manufacturing processes which ensures a product of the highest quality and purity. Product quality and purity are core to our marketing strategy. Vext Science, Inc. is executing its business growth by leveraging experience and expertise in extractions, product manufacturing, and marketing to expand in the U.S. through revenue and profit-sharing joint venture partnerships. For more information visit our website at www.VextScience.com.

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For more details on the Vapen brand:

Vapen website: VapenBrands.com

Instagram: @vapen

Facebook: @vapenclear

COVID-19 Risk Factor

Vext may be impacted by business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19. An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic, or a similar public health threat, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, or a fear of any of the foregoing, could adversely impact Vext by causing operating, manufacturing, supply chain, and project development delays and disruptions, labor shortages, travel, and shipping disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). It is unknown whether and how Vext may be affected if such a pandemic persists for an extended period of time, including as a result of the waiver of regulatory requirements or the implementation of emergency regulations to which Vext is subject. Although Vext has been deemed essential and/or has been permitted to continue operating its facilities in the states in which it operates during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no assurance that the Company's operations will continue to be deemed essential and/or will continue to be permitted to operate. Vext may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, operating results, financial condition and the trading price of the Company's Common Shares.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in Vext's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related COVID-19, to future developments and the business and operations of Vext, the proposed operational timeline for the joint venture with Texoma and the Processing Facility, and revenue and profit contribution for Vext's operations.

Although Vext has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; being engaged in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. Federal laws; change in laws; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindered market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Because of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward- looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. Vext disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and Vext does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

Eric Offenberger

Chief Executive Officer

844-211-3725

SOURCE VEXT Science, Inc.

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More than 600 rural Stafford County residents and businesses may soon have a way to connect to high-speed internet.

On Tuesday, supervisors gave the green light for county staff to apply for another Virginia Telecommunications Initiative Grant to expand broadband service into the Hartwood, Rock Hill and GriffisWidewater districts. Comcast Corp. is the co-applicant on the grant, which has a Sept. 14 deadline to apply.

Supervisor Cindy Lamb said the county used the state grant program four years ago to bring broadband to her Aquia District.

Through the VATI grant process, we got over $780,000, in addition to other moneys we received from other areas to provide that coverage in Stafford County, Lamb said. This particular VATI grant that we have  is now extending that into Hartwood, Rock Hill and GriffisWidewater districts, who are equally negatively impacted.

The original grant, executed in partnership with KGI Communications of King George, has already provided fixed wireless service for residents at Marlborough Point, Widewater and along Aquia Creek, as well as about 100 homes in King George County.
Chamberlin noted the district is now seeing seven-day case and positivity rate averages that we have not seen since February of this year, which is very concerning.

She added that with the holiday weekend and some labs being closed, case numbers could climb even more this week.

Chamberlin said testing, vaccinations, masks and social distancing are all important in dealing with the high level of transmission in all of our localities.

The unvaccinated who have close contact with anyone infected should quarantine and get tested, Chamberlin said. If the test comes up negative, the person should be tested again within five to seven days after the exposure or if symptoms arise. Anyone who has been vaccinated and has contact with an infected person should be tested three to five days after exposure and wear a mask in public for 14 days or until getting a negative test result.

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Wednesdays updated district data shows positive cases continue to climb and reports four deaths so far this month.

The local deaths included a King George woman in her 80s, a Stafford man in his 50s, and a Spotsylvania woman and Stafford man, both in their 60s.
The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support, Blinken told reporters. Any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned, and we heard that across the board, from everyone participating in today's session.

U.S. engagement with the Taliban and a new government will be for purposes of advancing the national interest and those of partners, and in ways that are fully consistent with our laws, he added.

Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pressed demands for the Taliban to allow Afghans to travel freely and to respect their basic rights, including women's. They also pushed the Taliban to ensure that Afghanistan is not used to launch attacks, refrain from reprisal attacks and allow humanitarian access.

Blinken said the U.S. is still assessing the announcement and noted that the Taliban has billed it as a caretaker Cabinet. We will judge it, and them, by its actions," he said.

Maas said the make-up so far of the new government is not the signal for more international cooperation.
She found home in a vibrant public housing complex in the city of Kent, south of Seattle. There, residents from different countries communicated across language and cultural barriers, borrowing salt from each other or watching one another's kids. Olow felt she flourished in that environment.

Then 9/11 happened. She recalls feeling confused when a teacher asked her, "What are your people doing?" But she also remembers others who "said that this isn't our fault... and we need to make sure that you're safe."

In a 2017 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. Muslims, nearly half of respondents said they experienced at least one instance of religious discrimination within the year before; yet 49% said someone expressed support for them because of their religion in the previous year.

Overwhelmingly, the study found respondents proud to be both Muslim and American. For some, including Olow, there were occasional identity crises growing up.

"'Who am I?'  which I think is what many young people kind of go through in life in general," she says. "But for those of us who live at the intersection of anti-Blackness and Islamophobia ... it was really hard."

But her experiences from that time also helped form her identity. She is now seeking a seat on the King County Council.
THE DESCRIPTION of what went right for the U.S. and NATO in Afghanistan is short. After the 9/11 attacks on America, the need to eliminate terrorists operating out of Afghanistan was patently clear. The American and NATO invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001 quickly defeated and chased the governing Taliban and their fellow al-Qaida extremists into sanctuaries in Pakistan.

This fundamental war aim was promptly achieved, and a new Islamic democratic government was installed.

But that achievement was not maintained. After nearly 20 years of fighting, the Taliban have returnedalong with al-Qaida and ISIS.

What went wrong?

Under the U.S. Army/Marines 2006 Counterinsurgency Manual, the militarys strategy was clear, hold, build. The 2014 update now dubs this strategy: Shape-clear-hold-build-transition. The theory is once a district is cleared, held, institutions and infrastructure built, and the attitude of the local population shaped, the new government can be transitioned in.

The policy should have been clear, hold, build and pursue, with the main effort being constant pursuit. The failure to relentlessly chase down and eliminate the insurgents allowed them to return and re-establish themselves.
PLATTSMOUTH  A man who drove drunk on Highway 75 before stopping at his Plattsmouth home entered pleas to two charges Tuesday morning.

Michael M. Sullivan, 52, accepted a plea deal in Cass County District Court. He pled no contest to a Class W misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol-third offense. He also pled no contest to a Class I misdemeanor of fleeing to avoid arrest.

Prosecutors reduced their original Class IIIA felony charge of DUI-.15+-third offense in exchange for his pleas. There was no agreement regarding sentencing recommendations.

Deputy County Attorney Richard Fedde told the court a resident called authorities after spotting Sullivans vehicle on Highway 75 at 5:31 p.m. April 29. The caller said Sullivan was driving in a reckless manner and was swerving in and out of lanes while crossing over the Platte River.

The emergency dispatch center alerted Cass County Sheriffs Office deputies about the situation. A CCSO deputy spotted Sullivan in his white Ram pickup at the intersection of Highway 75 and Oak Hill Road. Sullivan stopped at the intersection for a moment, but he then drove through a red traffic light in the southbound lanes.
Recently deposed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has sought publicly to explain his sudden escape from Kabul as Taliban fighters entered the capital on August 15, a move that cemented the hard-line fundamentalist group's hold on most of the country.

Saying he "owe[s] the Afghan people an explanation," Ghani posted a statement on September 8 saying "it was never my intent to abandon the people."

But he said that "after Taliban unexpectedly entered the city," his palace security urged him to leave because "to remain risked setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s."

Ghani eventually flew to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), where he received political asylum.

The Taliban has since declared a new government headed by the militant Islamist group's veterans in an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as some Afghans have protested against the imposition of harsh restrictions on freedoms and women's rights.

The leader of the National Resistance Front (NRFA), Ahmad Masud, son of the storied late mujahedin commander known as the "lion of Panjshir," Ahmad Shah Masud, has vowed to resist Taliban authority in the rugged Panjshir Valley, north of Kabul, with the help of thousands of dedicated fighters.

A former World Bank employee and Kabul University dean, the 72-year-old Ghani became president after a deeply contentious election in 2014 that required Western mediation to settle.

His government participated in mostly stalled intra-Afghan peace talks in Doha with Taliban representatives that began in late 2020, although the Taliban kept up its campaign of violence throughout much of the process.

Western officials and analysts have expressed stunned surprise at the rapid Taliban advance capturing Afghan territory once the U.S.-led military withdrawal officially began in May.

U.S. President Joe Biden blamed Afghan forces' perceived unwillingness to fight for the collapse and said Ghani had discouraged earlier evacuations in order to avoid a mass exodus from Afghanistan.

After the withdrawal was declared complete on August 30, Biden said in a televised speech that he expected the Afghan government "to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown [but that] turned out not to be accurate."

Biden said "the people of Afghanistan watched their own government collapse and the president flee amid the corruption and malfeasance, handing over the country to their enemy the Taliban and significantly increasing the risk to U.S. personnel and our allies."

In his statement on September 8, Ghani said that "now is not the moment for a long assessment of the events leading up to my departure" but vowed to "address them in detail in the near future."

"Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life," Ghani said, "but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens."

He added: "I have devoted 20 years of my life to helping the Afghan people work toward building a democratic, prosperous, and sovereign state -- it was never my intent to abandon the people or that vision."
The Taliban had stressed that it would form an inclusive Islamic government and would not monopolize power following its rapid takeover of Afghanistan last month.

But the new, theocratic government unveiled on September 7 is made up exclusively of veterans and loyalists of the Taliban, a militant Islamist group that is predominately Pashtun, the ethnic group that makes up about 40 percent of Afghanistans population of 38 million people.

This is an ethnically homogeneous, 'mullahcratic' government, said Ali Adili, a researcher at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, an independent think tank in Kabul.

Of the 33 cabinet ministers named on September 7, 30 are Pashtun, two are ethnic Tajiks, and one is Uzbek. The government does not include any members of the Shiite Hazara minority, which has suffered deadly attacks at the hands of the Taliban in the past.

It also includes no women.

Seventeen of the cabinet ministers are on the United Nations sanctions list for their ties to terrorism.

There are no figures from the toppled, internationally recognized government in Kabul.

Also shunned were the powerful Islamist military-political parties -- collectively known as the mujahedin -- which fought the Taliban in the 1990s and have dominated politics since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 that ousted the Taliban.

Experts say the makeup of the new, exclusively Taliban government could be an attempt to address infighting and rivalries that have intensified since the Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15.

The Taliban administration as it is currently composed has not been recognized by any country as of September 8. Observers say the militants are unlikely to receive international recognition, a blow that would deny them access to billions of dollars in frozen assets and foreign aid.

The international community said they want the Taliban to form an inclusive government, said Haroun Rahimi, an assistant professor of law at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Its hard to see how this could satisfy anyones definition of inclusivity.

New Government, Old Faces

The Taliban named its new government the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the official name of its brutal regime that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996-2001.

The new government is led by Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, who is the supreme leader or "Amir ul-Momineen," the leader of the faithful. He will have the ultimate say in the country under a system reminiscent of the clerically led establishment that has ruled neighboring Iran since 1979.

Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund -- a UN-sanctioned founding member of the group in the early 1990s -- has been named head of government and will oversee day-to-day affairs. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban and the groups most public face, will be Akhund's first deputy.

Other key positions have been filled by two powerful military leaders: Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of the late Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, was named defense minister. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the U.S.-designated Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban faction, will serve as interior minister.

The militants also abolished the Womens Affairs Ministry and reestablished the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. In the 1990s, that ministry was responsible for enforcing the Taliban's morality laws, including its strict dress code and gender segregation in society. The ministrys dreaded police were notorious for publicly punishing offenders in violent ways.

The Taliban insisted the ministers were appointed in an acting capacity and the makeup of the interim government could change.

But observers say that is unlikely.

The Talibans new government tells us that they only consider themselves entitled to running an Islamic government, said Adili. I believe they were unwilling to accommodate non-Pashtun communities in their government. The only non-Pashtuns are Talibs that have been part of their movement for years.

Prevent Divisions

The militants had repeatedly delayed the announcement of their new government before September 7.

Experts say the Taliban was awaiting the final withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan by August 31. Another reason was the anti-Taliban resistance in Panjshir Valley, the last pocket of resistance to the Taliban which the militants said they captured on September 6, a claim that has been denied by the opposition.

But observers say the most likely explanation of the delay is Taliban infighting.

The militant group has remained a relatively coherent fighting force despite succession crises, competition from the global appeal of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, and a deadly war against foreign and Afghan forces for nearly two decades.

But longtime divisions and rivalries within the Taliban have become more visible since it regained power.

The Taliban is divided between two main factions: the Haqqani network, the most militarily powerful faction of the Taliban. Its power base is in southeastern Afghanistan and Pakistans northwestern tribal region. The network commanded military operations in 21 eastern and northern Afghan provinces. Many members of the network are from the Ghilzai tribe of Pashtuns.

The other faction is dominated by the Durrani tribe based in and around the southern province of Kandahar, from where many members of the Talibans leadership council hail, including Mullah Haibatullah, Mullah Hassan Akhund, and Mullah Yaqoob.

The announced composition of the government can serve no purpose other than make senior Talibs content, said Rahimi. That makes me believe they had to do it to prevent further divisions."
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse was on MSNBC's "All in with Chris Hayes" Tuesday to talk about the potential matchup with Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert.

The latest draft of the congressional redistricting maps would put Neguse, a liberal from Boulder, against Boebert, a fierce Trump Republican from Rifle.

After a big windup on clips showing some of Boebert's controversies, host Chris Hayes held on the matchup for only a bit at the beginning of the 7-minute segment.

"The maps could change, and I suspect they're likely to change," Neguse replied, as he guided the interview into Colorado's independent redistricting commission, which Democrats hope to emulate nationwide.

Then he circled back to Boebert.

"This particular campaign, to the extent the map lines were finalized in that fashion would be an interesting one, as you astutely described (that) our world views could not be more different, and obviously we have a very different view about governing and ultimately how to represent our constituents," he said. "It would make for an interesting campaign."

The back half of the interview included discussion on how redistricting determines the outcome of elections when political partisans draw the lines. Until voters passed amendments Y and Z in 2018, the lines were drawn after every census by partisans and officeholders, and these decisions usually wound up in court.

"Extreme and partisan gerrymandering has become extreme and pervasive across the country, and in particular Republican-governed states, largely, in states like Texas (and) Florida, where clearly you have legislatures who will work to corrupt the redistricting process," Neguse said.

You can watch the clip by clicking here.

+3 Census data reveals population adjustments needed in draft maps Official census data is here, and that means the preliminary redistricting maps need population adjustments. Here's where.

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Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Mainly sunny. High around 85F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low 54F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Retail firearms and gunsmithing shops are ready to temporarily store personal guns for residents who may be suicidal or violent, vacationing or having children over. Jake Tyrrell, owner of JT Tactical Firearms and Gunsmithing, works with a customer at his shop on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Colorado is the first state in the nation to compile an online list of safe storage sites, to help prevent deaths by suicide and create a safe environment for children and adults. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
The man accused of killing 10 people, including a police officer, in a Boulder supermarket will undergo an evaluation of his mental competence to stand trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani apologized for failing to preserve Afghanistans constitutional system of government in a new statement that disputes reports that he fled the advancing Taliban in a helicopter laden with millions of dollars.
A federal judge has denied Aurora police officers qualified immunity in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the fatal 2019 shooting of Shamikle Jackson, who was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of his killing.
FILE PHOTO: The logo for Coinbase Global Inc, the biggest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, is displayed on the Nasdaq MarketSite jumbotron and others at Times Square in New York, U.S., April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo
The city of Denver plans to shut down Civic Center Park next week because of concerns over safety and sanitation, Denver Parks and Recreation announced.

The closure will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 15, though fencing began being set up around the park Tuesday. Scott Gilmore, deputy manager of parks and recreation, told CBS4 on Tuesday the closure would likely last for at least two months, if not longer.

Its not safe to walk through the park, Gilmore told CBS4 of the park between the City and County Building and the State Capitol. We need to take back the park.

The city announcement attributed the closure to crime in the park, calling it a "hotspot for violence, crime, drug sales and substance misuse."

So far in 2021, there have been 452 reported crimes at and around Civic Center Park  26% were property crimes, 23% were drug-related and 15% were violent crimes, according to data from the Denver Police Department.

These crimes have included 54 assaults, 11 robberies, two sexual assaults and two murders. Just last month, a triple shooting in the park left one man dead and two men seriously injured in the early evening of Aug. 6, according to police.

The city has been trying to tackle crime at the park for years. In 2018, Denver used its portion of $21.5 million in state aid to address low-level crime in and around the park after more than 2,400 drug arrests occurred in the area in 19 months, mostly among repeat offenders.

Before that, in 2007, Denver police began an effort to keep repeat offenders out of the park by asking judges to order them to stay away, and pushing for the maximum penalty against offenders who failed to do so.

Sanitation issues are also contributing to the closure, the announcement said. It said, in recent weeks, the park has accumulated food waste attracting rats, human and pet waste, "excessive" amounts of trash, graffiti and improperly discarded needles and drug paraphernalia.

The current challenges within Civic Center Park have reached a tipping point, creating conditions that put the publics health and safety at risk, Mayor Michael Hancock said in the announcement. This cannot and will not be allowed to continue. This is the peoples park and we are taking steps so that everyone can once again feel safe and welcomed there.

Last year, the city health department closed Lincoln Park just east of Civic Center Park for several weeks because of a rat infestation and other sanitation concerns.

Though neither Gilmore nor the announcement mentioned homelessness as a reason for the closure, the park has become a popular site for illegal homeless camps and the target of numerous sweeps in the past.

During the closure, Civic Center Park will be cleaned up, with plans including turf restoration, tree rehabilitation and adding additional lights throughout the park, the announcement said.

Gilmore told CBS4 the city will also upgrade the camera system to cover the whole park and will keep park rangers in the park nonstop" after it reopens.

(The goal) is to restore Civic Center Park, Denvers beloved National Historic Landmark in the heart of our city, by providing a safe, clean and inviting public space," said Happy Haynes, executive director of Parks and Recreation, in the announcement.

Besides the announcement, Gilmore and Denver Parks and Recreation have not responded to requests for comment regarding the park closure.

Civic Center Park was Denvers first national historical landmark, designated by the U.S. Department of Interior in 2012. The park  located at 101 W. 14th Ave.  has served as a designated community gathering space since 1886.

The parks structures are more than 100 years old, with many part of Mayor Robert Speers contribution to the national City Beautiful movement during his term from 1904 to 1912.

The area features the Greek Amphitheater, Voorhies Memorial, multiple statues and 25,000 square feet of grass and flower beds.

Over the years, the park has hosted countless festivals, protests and other events, including the annual Denver PrideFest, Taste of Colorado and Christkindl Market.

Many of these events have been canceled or relocated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which might have contributed to a recent lack of cleaning and increase in sanitation issues.
Legislation proposes restarting the Smart Cities Challenge

To spur adoption of smart city technologies, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) has introduced legislation to renew and expand the Department of Transportations 2015 Smart Cities Challenge.

The Smart Technologies for Accessible and Resilient Transportation (START) Act aims to promote the deployment of innovative technologies by providing assistance to local governments considering transportation solutions that improve access, equity and data security while reducing traffic congestion, costs and carbon emissions.

According to the bill, the Department of Transportation, among other federal agencies, will be responsible for reviving and designing a new Smart Cities Challenge that would award annual grants to communities that integrate advanced technologies into city planning initiatives and demonstrate ways they can mitigate transportation challenges and improve safety and sustainability. Grants range from $5 million to $40 million, with a $250 million cap for fiscal years 2022 through 2025.

Smaller grants will be available for those communities researching the benefits of smart transportation solutions. State and local governments, transit agencies and nonprofits would all be eligible to apply for a grant through the START Act.

In addition to funding state and local governments smart city programs, the START Act would create a resource center that to help communities develop and implement intelligent transportation systems or smart city programs. The center will also be feature a collection of smart city transportation best practices.

The Transportation Departments original Smart Cities Challenge was instrumental in generating interest for smart transit initiatives. Columbus, Ohio, the winner of the contest, was awarded more than $50 million in funding from private and public partners. It used the funding to test connected vehicles, event parking management, mobility assistance, mulitmodal trip planning and build the Smart Columbus Operating System, an open, secure data platform for solving complex urban challenges.

My legislation will provide unprecedented funding assistance to diverse, underprivileged communities which will translate into lives saved, fewer crime incidents, shorter commutes, a reduced health burden, and carbon emissions averted, Clarke said. Moreover, the START Act will ensure the federal governments role in supporting our Smart City efforts as we ready for the challenges of the coming decades.
Education

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On the fence: Roosevelt Elementary shares heartfelt messages with community

The message of Mohawk Strong has been prominently displayed on the fence that faces 15th street at Roosevelt Elementary since the start of the pandemic. After almost two years with Mohawk Strong, Principal Dan Arjes decided it was time to give new messages to the community.

Weve had the same message now for almost two years and I felt like I needed to do something a little bit different and keep it kind of fresh, said Arjes.

Lisa Grouette / LISA GROUETTE Globe Gazette First-graders Finn Ketelsen (L) and Savai Martinez press blocks into the chain-link fence, spelling out the word "kindness" at Roosevelt Elementary in Mason City on Tuesday.

From now until November and then during the spring, every classroom from kindergarten to 4th grade will display a heartfelt word that has meaning to them. Every Monday a new message will be displayed on the fence and the old one will come down. The messages are meant to serve as a reminder to the community when they pass by.

I really wanted to keep it connected between our students and our community, said Arjes. The great thing about the fence is its very visible. Its seen a lot and I thought it would kind of boost some energy back into the community.

Arjes said he knows some of the messages that will go up, but some will be a surprise for him. With each new word every week, Arjes recommends that people keep their eye out for the new messages.

The first word, kindness, went up on Tuesday morning and was selected by Matt Tweetens first grade class. Tweeten said the word was selected due to how easily a person can display kindness towards others.

Abby Koch / Abby Koch Globe Gazette Students in Matthew Tweeten's first-grade class at Roosevelt Elementary in Mason City stand alongside the message they created in the fence on the playground, which says "kindness."

(Kindness is) just something thats so easy for us to do, said Tweeten. Theres a wide range of skills in first grade as far as strong readers and strong math thinkers. But one thing that we can all be really good at is spreading kindness.

What the word kindness meant to Tweetens students varied depending on student and how to spread kindness.

(A student said it) was letting people play with you. Another one was helping out people if they need help up or if they fall down. I thought those are kind of interesting, random ones, but thats just an instant response as far as everyday thinking of a six-year-old, said Tweeten.

All of the 17 first graders that morning worked together, with a bit of help from teachers and parent volunteers, to pop in reusable plastic squares that displayed their message on the fence. Each square took a little bit of muscle power and determination from the first graders, but they quickly found a rhythm.

Every student had their own approach with putting the squares into the fence. Some worked with a friend to fill out entire sections with solid color. Some chose to make a pattern. Others chose to make parts with random color squares.

Arjes said with each student taking their own approach to the project, the students made it their own.

Lisa Grouette / LISA GROUETTE Globe Gazette First-grader Ahni DeRoos presses blocks into the chain-link fence around Mason City's Roosevelt Elementary playground to spell out the word "kindness" on Tuesday.

They have some ownership and pride in that message and all of our kids throughout the year will be able to take part, said Arjes.

Tweeten says he wants to see community members get inspired by the message and spread kindness to others in their own ways towards friends and strangers.

I think it would be great to hear stories of ways people have spread kindness because of our word, said Tweeten.

Arjes said he was happy to start with the word kindness as the first fence display.

I think in todays world, we see a lot of examples of how kindness could have been a more appropriate choice for everybody, said Arjes. Its a great way to kick this off and its just a constant reminder thats really important for our students and also for our community.

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The primary performances goals for the iJAG program are for high percentages in graduation/GED rate and success after graduation. Success after graduation would be categorized as a student with employment after graduation, post-secondary school or training, or a combination of the two.

Statewide and school performance outcomes are used in JAG's accreditation process. State and local affiliates must receive standard accreditation and remain a member of the JAG National Network.

iJAG's electronic data management system provides tracking of students served, services delivered, and outcomes achieved.

Board director Jacob Schweitzer asked if the board will receive information on the success rate from the follow-ups post-graduation. Superintendent Dave Versteeg answered the district does receive information on the success of the program but has never shared it. Versteeg added they can share that information if desired.

Board director Jodi Draper shared her appreciation for the program and the impact it has with students.
When it came time to discuss the item, Adams asked Burnett what the timeline would be for the utilities work. "This project will be done this year," Burnett said.

As for the overall hotel work, David Rachie, a developer on the project, said in August that financing should be completed by the end of September and construction would take 20 months from that point.

In early April, the Mason City Council approved a new timeline for the project where the developer would work to close on financing for hotel by July 1. Before that, in December 2020, there was a more tentative projection that financing and construction in early 2021 could be possible.

Bonus number: $2.5 billion: Spokespeople for the SOO Green Line, which will run from Mason City to the Chicago metropolitan area, estimate that a new 349-mile, 2,100 megawatt energy transmission line could cost about $2.5 billion.
From a 1965 wedding announcement in the Globe Gazette, Anita Ann Hartwig and Chris P. Andersen were wed on Sunday, June 20 of that year. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. August J. Hartwig of Bradford while he, an Airman Second Class, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Grant Andersen of Alden.

Chris Andersen Jr. and Susan O'Connor, two of Anita and Chris Andersen Sr.'s children, recalled how their parents met, and just how important they were to each other.

"They met at the skating rink in Iowa Falls," O'Connor recalls. "My mom's date didn't show up, and my dad took her home.

"They were always together," O'Connor said. "They enjoyed the same things, antiques, flowers and people."

Though that short announcement piece from more than a half-century ago didn't speak much to the couple's dynamic, one in the Globe Gazette from June 2009, when they were celebrating their 44th anniversary, captured a great bit of rapport between the two during a free movie night event at East Park.

"Shes a cheap date, Chris Sr. said, with a laugh, while sitting with Anita.

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The virus was more efficient in spreading among the unvaccinated so that you blunted the expected benefit of vaccines, Vermund said.

The crisis escalated rapidly from June to August. About 400,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded for all of June. It took all of three days last week to reach the same number.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The 2021 delta-driven onslaught is killing younger Americans at a much higher rate than previous waves of the pandemic in the Northeast last spring, the Sun Belt in the summer of 2020 and the deadly winter surge around the holidays.

During the peaks of those waves, Americans over 75 suffered the highest proportion of death. Now, the most vulnerable age group for death is 50 to 64, according to data from U.S. officials.

Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter, when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at a quarter-million per day.

The U.S. is now averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August.
But in a recent New York Times column under the headline The Right-Wingers Who Admire the Taliban, Michelle Goldberg describes a surprising amount of sympathy on the right for the new rulers of Afghanistan.

Of course, the cranks weighed in. White supremacist Nick Fuentes describes the Taliban as a conservative, religious force, while the United States is godless and liberal. He says that the triumph of the Taliban is unequivocally a positive development.

The Proud Boys registered their admiration for the Taliban, as well: They took back their national religion as law, and executed dissenters. Hard not to respect that.

So much for the fringe. But Fox News Tucker Carlson, probably the most prominent white nationalist in America, also spoke approvingly of the Taliban: They dont hate their own masculinity. They dont think its toxic. They like the patriarchy. Some of their women like it, too. So now theyre getting it all back.

So maybe comparisons between the right wing and the Taliban arent so far-fetched after all. Neither believes in democracy. The Taliban dont even pretend otherwise. They impose their ideology by force, with little regard for the wishes of the Afghan population.
She said Piranesi was the book I never thought I would get to write. I never thought I would be well enough.

For a long time, I had brain fog, and you cannot write a novel if you can get no consistency of work and you cant build on the work you did yesterday or a few days ago, Clarke told The Associated Press. But when I got better enough to be able to work fairly consistently, my cast of mind, my imagination, was not changed. The things that fascinated me and the landscapes in which I wanted to wander, that remained the same. It was perhaps one of the few things that has stayed the same about me.

She said she hoped her victory would encourage other women incapacitated by long illness.

Piranesi was published in 2020, as much of the world was experiencing lockdown, isolation and dislocation because of the coronavirus pandemic, and struck a chord with many readers and critics.

I think a lot of people who have experienced lockdown have found echoes in the situation that Piranesi finds himself in  more or less alone, in a house that is the whole world, Clarke said.
Bobe said she did not yet know how many jobs were added or how much money was invested by the company.

We are working with the company to finalize the numbers, she said.

Once the city finds out those figures from Essel Propack, Danville officials will then request the appropriate amount of money from the Tobacco Commission, Bobe said.

We hope to confirm the final numbers with the company in the very near future, she said.

However, based on preliminary data, it looks like the company exceeded its investment obligation, Bobe added.

Under an agreement, Essel Propack would make its investment and create the additional jobs over three years. The jobs would pay an average of $45,000 to $47,000 annually.

Hair and beauty care products and pharmaceuticals are driving a lot of growth, Parag Chaturvedi, the India-based companys head of operation in the United States, told the Danville Register & Bee in December 2018.
Perry also is the project manager for Danvilles economic development office.

Danville Economic Development Director Corrie T. Bobe told the Danville Register & Bee after the event the jobs salaries will be well above the average annual salary for the city, which is about $38,000.

This employer will provide wages, on average, at over $60,000 per year, Bobe said. So theyre really elevating the quality of jobs that are available for our local residents.

KDM President and Chief Information Officer Larz Kegerreis said that with the COVID-19 pandemic, it opens up the opportunity to really do work from almost anywhere.

When we made the decision of where we wanted to locate our headquarters in this division, we wanted to be somewhere where the quality of life is really second to none, he said during his remarks.

Kegerreis, who has lived in the Danville area since 2013, said, We have really enjoyed our lives here in Danville.

The area is the kind of place where the company wants its employees to raise their families, he said.

We wanted to contribute to this community and to bring jobs here, Kegerreis said.
St. Thomas University student Gisela Castro Medina, 19, the former chairwoman of the school's Republican Party chapter, also faces criminal charges for allegedly recruiting girls for Lazzaro.

According to the lawsuit, Medina targeted young women or girls on social media and introduced them to Lazzaro to be used for sex in exchange for money and gifts. The lawsuit says the girl was 14 when she befriended Medina in 2018. In May of 2020, when the girl was 16, Medina recruited her to meet Lazzaro and began grooming her, explaining that he was a powerful, prominent and wealthy businessman and political figure.

From May to July 2020, Lazzaro arranged for cars to bring the girl to his home on several occasions, and he committed multiple commercial sex acts against her, the lawsuit says.

After months of repeated sex trafficking of the girl, Lazzaro attempted to coerce her into silence, the lawsuit says. According to the lawsuit, after the girl posted something about Lazzaro and Medina on social media, Lazzaro's attorneys reached out to the girl's father in July 2020 and offered the family hush money and a non-disclosure agreement. The attorney allegedly suggested that the girl was aggressively seeking to defame the Lazzaro and Medina, the lawsuit says.
Today's recall will be the biggest election since Joe Biden became president, and its results may hint at the political trajectory of the country.
Reversion is needed and needed now, he said. This decision was not entered irrationally. It was done with public input and the time has come today.

Henry County is represented by Jeremy Carroll, who followed Piepgrass with his opening comments.

Henry County is not an advocate or proponent of reversion, but under the statutory framework, the city can do this, Carroll said. The county entered negotiations to make reversion less impactful on the county, and it gives us some degree of control.

The county believes we need additional time.

Carroll told commission members that the reversion of Martinsville is the most complicated reversion in the history of Virginia and will be no easy task.

This is the first reversion to entail the consolidation of school systems, Carroll said. Consolidating those functions is not as easy as flipping a switch. We will need to conduct studies.

Rather than requiring the County to lurch into reversion on July 1, 2022 we should be provided time ... we do not believe it is in the best interest to rush this process.

Reversion has long history
***

On May 29, 1890, the cause was clear as the veil fell from the new statue.

Veterans shouted and cried and hugged each other. The young men roared out with their applause, the Dispatch wrote. It was an extraordinary exhibition of joy; a tidal wave of ecstasy. ... Lee was the beautiful personation of a people and their cause. ...

Oh! who among the elderly people that saw them yesterday but was carried back to 1861, when the Southern troops came to Richmond; when the war spirit was glowing in every breast; when patriotic fires burned in all hearts; when every note, every syllable of the popular air spoke to our honest purpose  to live or die for Dixie. 

That image of Richmond has persisted for more than a century, even as the city and region have increasingly reckoned with their history of slavery and racism.

But the voices that rose anew on May 29, 2020, had roots from many generations before. Consider the Richmond Planet, the African American newspaper in Richmond that was founded in the 1880s by former slaves and was long led with fervor by editor John Mitchell Jr.
Labor Day, with its traditional backyard celebrations signaling the setting sun for summer, may bring an unwelcomed guest to the festivities: the delta variant.

In a blunt warning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging unvaccinated people not to travel this holiday weekend with the altered version of the novel coronavirus still strongly circulating. The federal agency also said even those fully vaccinated need to weigh the risks when considering mingling about with others.

Area health leaders are worried the increased social interaction could add fuel to the already fiery spread of COVID-19 where the average daily caseloads are at levels not seen since February.

"Given the rapid spread of the delta variant, there are significant concerns about Labor Day gatherings further contributing to the rising number of cases we are seeing in our area and across the region," Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer with Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee this week.
GREENSBORO  N.C. A&T has canceled its homecoming parade, as well as some other homecoming events, the university announced Wednesday.

The university shared updated details about homecoming and new safety guidelines and vaccination requirements for outdoor and indoor events in a news release. A&Ts homecoming will run from Oct. 24-31.

A&T canceled the parade, the "Aggie Fan Fest" festival, and the annual Greek cookout sponsored by Student Activities, all in an effort to manage crowding at events, according to the release.

Dubbed The Greatest Homecoming on Earth because of its size, duration and sheer number of events, among other things, A&Ts homecoming is one of Greensboros largest annual gatherings.

The university says total combined attendance at all homecoming events tops 100,000 in a typical year and that the eight-day gathering pumps more than $10 million into Greensboros economy.

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The school held a scaled-down virtual homecoming in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A&T announced this summer that, with many people now vaccinated and North Carolina no longer mandating masks outdoors, they would hold the event in person once again.
NAGS HEAD  The Graveyard of the Atlantic is full of mysteries and among the most haunting is the fact that historic shipwrecks can move or appear to go missing.

Cyclones are sometimes blamed, but North Carolinas coast is also a place where turbulent currents can change the seafloor in unexpected ways.

Its with that in mind that a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expedition went searching for more than a dozen historic shipwrecks off Cape Hatteras, most of them tied to acts of war. The goal was to create new sonar images of the wrecks and collect data for a proposed expansion of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.

The sanctuary was created to protect the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor, but historians note there are also internationally significant wrecks in the region from World War I and World War II.

In some of the sites, even at a macro level, we see shifting of sands covering and uncovering portions of sites, according to maritime archaeologist William Sassorossi, who was part of the expedition team. This speaks to the dynamic nature of Cape Hatteras and the impact of the currents moving over the shipwrecks, either adding or moving sand off of them. ... Ships do get covered up and seem to go missing.
Richmond, Virginia's Monument Avenue statue of Robert E. Lee, a symbol of Confederate glorification that became the epicenter of calls for racial justice in the city, will be removed from its pedestal Wednesday morning.

The 60-foot-tall bronze statue of the Confederate general atop a horse will be removed in pieces 131 years after it was first erected.

The administration of Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday that preparations will begin Tuesday evening, when crews will install protective fencing along Monument Avenue and Allen Street. The statue itself will be removed Wednesday morning. On Thursday, crews will remove the plaques at the base of the statue and replace a time capsule believed to be at the site.

The Lee statue is the last Confederate icon along Richmonds Monument Avenue to be removed.

In Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, the removals have signaled the rejection of Confederate glorification  a movement that sought to perpetuate discrimination against Black people while denying that a key impetus for the Civil War was the defense of slavery.
This is absolutely insane and I am very concerned about it, James said in November. To have a shooting in broad daylight like this in the middle of downtown  a heavily populated area, people going to court, people going to work, people just trying to live.

In the more recent shooting, the chief was just as incredulous.

But in this case, the people going to work were police officers.

So James said Greensboro police are considering new security measures, possibly including fencing around the headquarters parking lot. Assistant City Manager Trey Davis, who oversees the police department, told the City Council last week that the city and county already had been working on a security plan after several shooting incidents in and around Governmental Plaza downtown.

The city also will hire a consultant to enhance security at the Melvin Municipal Office Building.

If nothing else, the incidents make unsettlingly clear not only the extent of the violence that has recently wracked the city but the sheer brazenness of it as well. Are these people really that dumb or they do they simply not care?

As for the officers, it is yet another challenge in an already dangerous and stressful profession.
In this March 2021 photo provided by Pfizer, a technician inspects filled vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the company's facility in Puurs, Belgium. Pfizer and Moderna have filed FDA applications for booster doses but the government will decide on extra Johnson & Johnson doses later, once that company shares its booster data with the agency.
"The history of this litigation has given us reason to be skeptical of the representations by the Legislature and its counsel in this matter," the Supreme Court wrote in an order Tuesday.
McMahon had not issued a final ruling on the constitutionality of the legislative subpoena for Rice's records; the Legislature has until Sept. 17 to file its next brief on the matter.

Kyle Schmauch, a spokesperson for Republicans of the Select Committee on Judicial Accountability and Transparency, said Tuesday lawmakers will discuss steps following the court's ruling.

"The Legislature gave the court an opportunity to reconsider and clarify concerning parts of its order," Schmauch said. "The justices addressed a couple of those items and ignored others. Members of the Select Committee on Judicial Accountability and Transparency will be discussing next steps with each other, the Department of Justice and the Legislature's special counsel."

Last week Speaker of the House Wylie Galt and Senate President Mark Blasdel, both Republicans, appointed Abra Belke, chief of staff to the Senate Majority, as special counsel. Belke's work will include duties outside of the select committee and will serve at the pleasure of the speaker and president.

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The Sand Lake Fire, discovered Sept. 1, was recently mapped at 145 acres. Growth is minimal for the Sand Lake Fire, reported an update Tuesday from the incident management team, though it was expected to grow Wednesday. Because of the dangerous inaccessible terrain, the fire is being monitored, but remains unstaffed.

The Trail Creek Fire made a push Monday toward the area of Gibbonsville, Idaho.

The Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 6 has ordered additional resources to help fight both the Trail Creek and Alder Creek fires. Firefighting resources have been stretched thin this summer.

Saxton said resources become available when firefighting efforts on other fires nationwide are considered complete.

Bryant Creek is a tributary of the Big Hole River and the Bryant Creek Road joins Highway 43 at the Dickie Bridge Campground.

Multiple forest closures are in effect for the area, which can be viewed online at inciweb.nwcg.gov. Highway 43 and the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway remain open.

Since the beginning of the year, Montana has experienced 2,208 wildland fires that have burned nearly 850,000 acres. Missoula County has had 113 wildland fires in 2021 so far; 65% of which have been human-caused. Illegal debris burning is the leading cause.

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The trip by the Australian ministers strongly reinforces Australias active engagement in our region, a government statement said.

Australias tough quarantine restrictions for international visitors mean that Payne and Dutton will meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the United States. The two countries normally take turns hosting the annual meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., last year.

Dutton, who was infected with the coronavirus during a Washington, D.C., visit last year when he was minister for home affairs, said his upcoming U.S. trip is an important opportunity to build on an already-strong defense relationship near the 70th anniversary of the signing of their bilateral defense treaty.

Payne said one of the most pressing issues to be discussed in all four countries is cooperation on the region's recovery from the pandemic.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
DECATUR  National acts have visited the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater since its first show two years ago.

The latest act, the Bobby Lyle and Dave Stryker and the Billy Rogers Tribute Band, will be on stage to help Decatur and a special facility.

This group came about as a tribute to raise money for the substance abuse program, said guitarist Dave Stryker.

Crossing Healthcare will receive the proceeds from the one-night event. The all-star band, which comprises Stryker, Lyle, Ron E. Beck, Terry Burns and Jorge Nila, will perform Saturday, Sept. 11.

Rogers was a guitarist from Omaha, Nebraska. He was one of the really fine jazz guitar players, Stryker said.

Rogers was also related to philanthropist Howard Buffett. Howard asked if wed put a band together to celebrate Billy, Stryker said. And raise some money for Crossing Healthcare.

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According to Stryker, Rogers was successful playing with the Crusaders and other musicians, including Lyle, a jazz and soul pianist. Rogers passed away in 1987 from a drug overdose.

When we put this together, the idea was to put on a nice concert, Stryker said.

The style of the show will be an eclectic fusion, mixing jazz, funk, and R&B. Songs include Lyles latest hit Living in the Flow.

Stryker will perform a few of his own instrumental versions of 1970s pop hits, including Papa was a Rolling Stone, Everybody Loves the Sunshine, and songs from Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye.

All proceeds are going to Crossing Healthcare and treatment of substance abuse, Stryker said. But were there to celebrate music and hopefully have a nice evening.

PHOTOS: Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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DECATUR  Despite concerns over the dropping of a residency requirement for new officers, the Decatur City Council unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the union representing the citys police officers.

The contracts ratification was one of many significant actions taken by the council Tuesday night, which also included the approval of a one-cent "amusement push tax" on each bet placed on video gaming terminals operating in Decatur and agreeing to provide $200,000 in COVID-19 stimulus funds to the Childrens Museum of Illinois.

And Dennis Cooper, who was selected last week to replace former Councilman Rodney Walker, was sworn in as the councils newest member at the top of the meeting.

The new contract with the Policemen's Benevolent and Protective Association Unit 39 covers all working conditions, including salaries, training, hours, uniforms, equipment, sick leave and vacations.

Among the highlights are a 2.25 percent annual increase in base pay and changes to health insurance provisions that put the department on the same benefit plan as other city employees, the latter a change long-sought by the city.

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But in a concession to the union, the city dropped its insistence that new police officers live within Decatur city limits for the first five years on the job.

This is a reversal of recent city policy, which has been to mandate residency for new hires. The city passed a residency ordinance in 2016 for non-union hires and later worked the five-year requirement into the contracts of the city's two other collective bargaining units.

The police department was the last holdout in city government, with the city and union agreeing to let an arbitrator decide on the issue.

However, faced with recruiting challenges, the city decided to drop the issue, meaning that new officers will have to abide by the existing requirement that they live in Macon County or any municipality that extends into Macon County.

Several council members begrudgingly supported the deal despite worrying about the possible fallout.

"This sets a very dangerous precedent now for our other unions  AFSCME, the firefighters union, etc.," said Councilman Bill Faber. "They will say, 'why should we make this concession to you?' It's really disappointing the members of our community that we value so much, our police officers, choose not to want to live with us."

Assistant city manager Jon Kindseth acknowledged earlier this week that the concession will "likely have an impact" on the residency policy for other city employees.

Councilman Chuck Kuhle, though agreeing that residency should be revisited in the future, said that "it's a buyer's market right now" for police officers.

"I think we've got to back off a little bit and make it easier to try to get people to want to be police officers in this city," he said.

Department turnover has been a problem the past few years, with officers retiring at a faster rate than new recruits can be trained an sworn in. Recruitment is down too.

Beyond the residency concession, the city also threw in a one-time $1,000 "hazard" pay bonus and a $1,000 recruitment bonus for each new officer brought on by an officer to help address these challenges.

City manager Scot Wrighton said the city has been preparing for the contract by setting aside funds the past couple years in anticipation of the raise in base pay, which he said would cost the city in the "hundreds of thousands" over the life of the contract.

The 49-page agreement was ratified by a vote of union membership in August. It has a retroactive start date of Jan. 1, 2020 and runs through Dec. 31, 2023.

Meanwhile, the city also pushed forward with the 1-cent "amusement push tax" on each bet placed on video gaming terminals operating in Decatur.

Only three municipalities in Illinois, all in the Chicago suburbs, have imposed such a tax. Video gaming operators have sued to stop such laws.

However, a provision was included in omnibus gaming legislation that passed the Illinois House in June that would prohibit cities from imposing such a tax.

It was not taken up in the Senate, but it has some cities scrambling to enact a "push" ordinance before they're no longer able to.

"There are not very many cities that have started doing this, and it might normally be the prudent path to wait and see how this works out in litigation," Wrighton said. "But I don't think that's appropriate in the current circumstance, even though there is a high probability that we could be sued, because the legislature ... is likely to say those who have already done it ... will be grandfathered and we want to be one of those."

Decatur has the third-most video gaming terminals of any city in the state, generating more than $30 million revenue in 2019, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Of that, about $1.5 million flowed into city coffers.

Wrighton said that, conservatively, the push tax could generate an additional $700,000 to city coffers.

Members of the council suggested that the tax was a way to collect more than the "crumbs" the city currently receives for video gambling as compared to the state, establishments and video gaming terminal operators.

The ordinance takes effect Oct. 1.

Also, the council approved allocating $200,000 from the city's portion of American Rescue Plan funds for the Children's Museum of Decatur.

It's been a challenging 18 months for the museum, which shuttered in mid-March 2020 and reopened in April 2021. The museum reported a loss of about $350,000 in revenue in 2020, according to museum president and CEO Abby Koester.

"These funds will really put us on the right track to recovery so that we are in a good place when we finally can recover and we're not still trying to tread water and try to catch our breaths," she said.

Also at council, Cooper was sworn in as the body's seventh member. Cooper emerged as the unanimous choice to replace Walker last week following closed-door interviews conducted by the six incumbent council members with four finalists. Cooper, 69, worked in various roles for the Illinois Department of Corrections from 1975 to 2007, jumped right in, commenting on the city's mask policy and the police union contract.

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A Belleville man has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for robbing four metro-east businesses in 2019.

Cameron J. Blake, 23, on Tuesday was sentenced to 252 months on four counts of interfering with commerce by robbery and three counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, according to a release from United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Illinois.

Blake pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court.

According to court documents, the four separate robberies occurred throughout December 2019.

The documents state Blake robbed two ZX gas stations on Dec. 2, 2019, one in Belleville and one in Swansea, and then robbed a Huck's Food and Fuel in Belleville. Blake threatened employees with a gun with a flashlight attachment and too cash "by force."

Blake also entered a Domino's pizza in Belleville on Dec. 27, 2019, and demanded cash with a similar firearm, the U.S. attorney's office stated.

As part of his sentence, Blake will serve a three-year term of supervised release after his prison term.

The Belleville and Swansea police departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

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U.S. President Biden, General Austin and General Milley need to be charged with treason for failure of Afghanistan withdrawal.

Commander in Chief U.S. President Biden plus Generals Austin and Milley surrendered to the Talibans at Kubal Afghanistan Airport.

Biden, Austin and Milley got the three steps of the withdrawal wrong.

First step, get all American citizens out first on U.S. military airplanes. Second step, destroy all American weapons left behind. Third step, all American soldiers leave last.

President Biden, General Austin and General Milley abandoned the $10 billion Bangram Air Force Base in Afghanistan and didnt tell the Afghans soldiers they were leaving.

Left the Taliban $85 billion of America's newest military weapons -- helicopters, planes, Humvees, vehicles, night visions, soldier clothes and helmets paid for by the American taxpayers. Also the Taliban will use the $85 billion military equipment to kill American soldiers.

Then U.S. President Biden, General Austin and General Milley let the Taliban have checkpoints completely surround the Kabul airport. The Taliban checkpoints tore up American citizens' passports, beat up American citizens and wouldnt let them get on U.S. military planes. 5,000 American citizens were left in Afghanistan from this Taliban debacle.

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Gets worse. Then the Taliban let on purpose the ISIS-K suicide bomber get through to kill 13 American soldiers. The greatest U.S. military blunder in history.

U.S. President Biden, General Austin and General Milley did this on purpose to humiliate the greatest military in the world, which is the U.S. military.

U.S. President Biden, General Austin and General Milley need to be charged with treason for these reasons and removed immediately, for this was done on purpose.

George Culley, Pinckneyville

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ABINGDON, Va.  As a Buchanan County native, Food City President and CEO Steve Smith understands the destruction flooding can cause.

We know firsthand how a torrential rain can come down those mountains and make those creeks rise in just a short period of time and how devastating the water can be, Smith said Tuesday. We just want to help them get back on their feet and help them get back to some normalcy in their lives.

The Aug. 30 flooding in Hurley as a result of the remnants of Hurricane Ida resulted in the death of one person, knocked 20 homes off foundations and washed away several trailers. Electric and water service to the area was disrupted. Water service may take up to a year to be restored.

After seeing photos of the destruction and speaking with family and customers in the area, Smith announced an effort that will bring an estimated $150,000 to $200,000 in relief to the area.

The grocery store chain, with 138 locations in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia, shipped a truckload of bottled water to the area last week. At a news conference Tuesday at the companys Abingdon distribution facility, Smith promised more help is on the way from Food City and its partners.

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As Newsom campaigned with Harris, his Republican rivals greeted voters across the state. Talk radio host Larry Elder, the GOP frontrunner, told reporters in Los Angeles that Harris and Biden were trying to distract attention from Newsoms record on widespread homelessness, rising crime and long-running school and business closures during the pandemic.

They are so afraid, they want to federalize this election. This is about California, said Elder, who could become the states first Black governor. This federal firepower is not going to help him.

Elder spoke briefly with reporters after voting at an election center and before starting a statewide bus tour. Asked if he had concerns about the integrity of the election, he said there might very well be shenanigans, as there were in the 2020 election, referring to former President Donald Trumps unsupported claims of fraud in his loss to Biden.

In a briefing with reporters, Newsom campaign manager Juan Rodriguez and other advisers said the governor's bold actions to contain the coronavirus may prove decisive.
The mystery of a young Spotsylvania County woman who disappeared nearly six years ago will be broadcast worldwide Wednesday evening.

A segment on 19-year-old Katelin Akens, who went missing during a trip to Reagan National Airport with her former stepfather, will be featured on the Investigative Discovery channels In Pursuit With John Walsh program, beginning at 10 p.m. The program will also be streamed on Discovery+.

Akens mother, Lisa Sullivan, said she has never lost hope in trying to find her daughter, who was born 25 years ago last Thursday. She believes her former husband, James Branton, of Partlow, was probably the last person to see Akens.

Branton had agreed to drive Akens to the airport on Dec. 5, 2015, for her flight home to Lake Havasu, Ariz. Akens had flown to Virginia to visit her newborn nephew.

Sullivan dropped off Akens at Brantons home and 4 1/2 hours later, Branton texted Sullivan, saying he had dropped Akens off at the Springfield Metro station. But investigators later said the young woman never made it to the airport, and her phone never left the Fredericksburg region.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is not a personal choice. It never was, really, but the onslaught of cases fueled by the delta variant has removed any doubt.

And yet thats not what Floridas governor would have you believe. On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis actually uttered these incredible  and incorrect  words about the vaccine: Its about your health and whether you want that protection or not. It really doesnt impact me or anyone else.

Doesnt impact anyone else? Talk about a profile in selfishness. Roughly 46,000 have died of COVID-19 in his state since the pandemic began. Too bad we cant ask the thousands who have died SINCE vaccines became available if they wished everyone around them had gotten vaccinated.

This governor already has gone to war against school boards and parents who want to keep kids safer in schools with mask mandates. Hes fought against cruise lines that want to preserve their businesses by making sure their customers can stay COVID-free on ships, by requiring vaccines. Now hes dismissing the role of vaccines in reducing community spread.

And its the opposite of what he says. COVID-19s spread actually is a community problem, and solving it starts with vaccines.
Epworth United Methodist Church

1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Bill Roberts. Church has reopened its 10 a.m. worship service for attendance. Epworth UMC continues to follow the appropriate COVID-19 social distancing guidelines as outlined by the N.C. governor and the CDC.

Forest Hill United Methodist Church

265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship: 9 a.m. Sunday school/small groups: 10 a.m. Traditional worship: 11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be livestreamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc .

Harmony United Methodist Church

101 White St. NW, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Thad Brown. Services are held in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. The mask requirement has been lifted. People who have been fully vaccinated can attend without a mask. If not, you must wear a mask during the services. Pews are set up for social distancing. Masks are available. Enter from any door. For more information, call the office at 704-782-8237 or the pastor at 704-791-2883.
Why? Why? Why?

This question haunts anyone who has lost a family member or friend to suicide. We deal with the question of what could we have done and wonder why it had to happen?

North Carolinas famed photographer John Rosenthal faced these questions in 1965 when his friend, a former girlfriend, Amylu Danzer, took her life and he deals with them again in a new book, Searching for Amylu Danzer.

Rosenthal grew up in New York City and its suburbs but made his way to Wake Forest College. After graduation in 1964 he entered Columbia University for graduate work in English.

On February 25, 1965, his mother called him to let him know that Amylu Danzer was missing. The day before, Amylu and her mother had gone to nearby Jones Beach together. After an argument, Amy had walked away along the beach with a sketchbook. Her mother said Amylu had then disappeared.

Amylu's mother thought she might have made her way to New York City hoping to visit John, her longtime friend.

John immediately began looking for her. He walked up and down the streets of the West Side of New York near Columbia. With a photographer's eye John describes the sights and scenes as he walked along the city streets hoping to see Amylu.
A large stretch of highway between St. Louis and St. Charles will close Wednesday as one of the 13 Marines killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, in late August is escorted home.

Police will escort Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz from St. Louis to Baue Funeral Home at 3950 West Clay Street in St. Charles. The escort will begin at 1 p.m. and will close westbound Interstate 70 from St. Louis Lambert Airport to the Cave Springs road exit, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a statement.

Schmitz was one of 13 Marines killed at an airport in Kabul by a suicide bomber. He and the other Marines were helping people evacuate from Afghanistan as Taliban forces took over the country following the U.S. withdrawal from the country.

A public visitation for Schmitz will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, starting at 3 p.m. at the funeral home. A private funeral service and burial will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

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The full City Council is set to consider an eight-year contract with the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police that would give rank-and-file officers a total of 20% in raises.

The council Workforce Development Committee on Tuesday approved the deal Mayor Lori Lightfoot is proposing with FOP Local 7 without dissent. The full City Council will consider it next week.

The proposal would grants officers 20% raises over eight years, 10.5% of it retroactive to 2017, when the last FOP contract expired.

Police would get another 9.5% in raises going forward into 2025.

The retroactive pay would cost about $365 million, according to the city. Lightfoot set aside about $103 million in this years budget to cover part of the police back pay. Her administration plans to refinance existing debt to pay for the rest of it.

Aldermen expressed concern Tuesday with some language in the agreement and some situations it doesnt address.

Southwest Side Ald. Mike Rodriguez, 22nd, said officers should be required to disclose outside jobs theyre working after they get off shift or on their days off. Its important that officers dont come to work tired from another job, since they need to be sharp to make split-second decisions, Rodriguez said.

City negotiator Mike Frisch said the city is still bargaining with the FOP to require officers to disclose when and where they work outside jobs and limit the number of outside work hours. That would be handled in a separate deal, he said.

And North Side Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, noted the proposed contract includes several statements of values, such as language stating that officers who are whistleblowers about misconduct are acting in the highest standards of the profession.

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Given those value statements, Vasquez said he wished the contract explicitly condemned racist behavior by officers, especially in a city where Black and brown folks at times feel like their interactions (with police) are ones where they have concerns about the officers.

The deal does include various police accountability measures, which the mayor has touted as part of her push to show shes reforming the department.

Among those are the elimination of a requirement that police disciplinary records older than five years be destroyed; an end to allowing officers to change their testimony during disciplinary investigations after viewing video evidence; and recognition that officers who report potential misconduct are acting in the highest traditions of public service.

The agreement also addresses how to deal with a new state law that allows anonymous complaints against cops and no longer requires complainants to sign affidavits attesting to the accuracy of their statements.

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Sixteen years and one day after volunteering for Katrina relief, firefighters from the metro-east are once again answering the call to assist Louisiana residents in the aftermath of hurricane Ida.

O'Fallon, East Side Fire Protection District, Lebanon, Belleville, Smithton, Highland and Freeburg firefighters and equipment left Tuesday morning to join other Illinois firefighters for a 14-day deployment.

Their mission will be to give Louisiana resident firefighters relief and time off to take care of personal business.

"The parish that we're going to go to, these firefighters were at the tip of the storm as it came through, complete devastation, " said O'Fallon Fire Chief Brad White. "The local area expects no power until the 20th of September. So they are in blackout conditions 24 hours a day.

"The volunteers, the career guys that are on the departments in that area and throughout the state, they're still on task to take care of the normal calls. But, their homes and their lives were disrupted through the storm as well," White said. "So this is an opportunity where firefighters from around the country are able to go down there and take over that responsibility ... so that they can focus on their families and assess their own situations and allow us to take care of their emergency responses that they would have to otherwise take care of themselves."

The metro-east group is part of a 15-engine, four fire-chief contingent. A total of 14 local fighters are part of the group.

They loaded personal gear and fire equipment into every available space before departing from O'Fallon for Louisiana on Tuesday. Besides the basic firefighter turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus, a trailer was packed with duffle bags loaded with personal items, water and enough food and MREs to sustain the firefighters for 72 hours.

The metro-east firefighters are volunteering for the relief effort.

"These guys are giving up their full-time jobs, taking a vacation from family and friends to go and help folks out of state," White said.

Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana on Sunday, Aug. 29, as a Category 4 storm, killing at least 13 people and leaving thousands without power. Continuing into the eastern U.S., the storm spawned tornadoes, record rainfall and flooding, killed at least 50 people in six Eastern states.

Deputy Chief Bob Lindauer of the Smithton Fire Department is making his second trip in 16 years to help in Louisiana.

Lindauer said metro-east firefighters didn't have a lot of down time volunteering in the aftermath of Katrina and expects it to be the same this time.

"When we went down for Katrina, I think we ran like 20 some structure fires and multiple other calls while we were down there," he said.

The local firefighters were happy to get the help from their metro-east colleagues.

"They were just excited to have us come down to help assist in any way we could," Lindauer said. "I just think it's awesome that we're able to go and support someplace that is that far away. I think that's great that we can go down and help them out in their time of need."

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The nation is on the brink of a severe housing disaster.

More than 1.2 million families are facing eviction in the coming months. Millions of others face foreclosures, persistent homelessness, unaffordable rental housing and out-of-reach home ownership.

The U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in late August striking down President Joe Bidens eviction moratorium will cause the pace of evictions to accelerate. The human costs of eviction are enormous, made worse by the ravages and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

The federal eviction moratorium, put in place by President Donald Trump and extended by Biden, was designed to buy time to get federal emergency pandemic funds to local jurisdictions to fill the gap between lost wages and unpaid rents.

Unfortunately, states and localities have moved at a snails pace to spend that money. As of early August, only 11% of the $46.5 billion of funds from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program had reached tenants and landlords.

The eviction blowout is the tip of the iceberg of a housing affordability crisis. For many households, rent or mortgage payments are absorbing half of their household budget and rendering the dream of homeownership impossible.

Many communities need more affordable housing stock, but the main driver of the crisis isnt housing supply; its who owns that supply during a time of extreme wealth gaps.

In some places, large corporations and private equity firms like Blackstone have moved in to buy up millions of units of rental housing, including single-family homes. Families locked out of homeownership are forced to rent the homes that they arent able to buy.

Other investor-buyers are removing millions of units of rental housing from the market and converting them to short-term rentals like Airbnb. This drives up rents for people who actually live in these communities.

Finally, wealthy investors from around the world are buying up U.S. real estate  not to live in, but as a form of wealth storage. In cities like Los Angeles, that means tens of thousands of units of vacant housing sit alongside tens of thousands of people without homes.

Many of these buyers are using anonymous shell companies to mask who the real owners are. Today, anonymous shell companies own 40% of the rental housing market, an estimated 18 million out of 48 million rental units nationwide, according to Census data.

After World War II, our nation experienced a similar housing emergency. Back then, Congress made expanding affordable housing a national priority. The famous GI Bill allocated funds to build rental housing and encourage homeownership with low-interest loans through the Veterans Administration and Farmers Home.

It wasnt an equitable program  nearly all of the households that benefited were white. But it moved millions of people from tenancy to homeownership, a ticket on the wealth-building train to the middle class. Lawmakers today could repeat a similar program without the racial bias.

But many communities arent waiting for the federal government to act. From Rhode Island to California, cities and states are levying mansion taxes, taxing luxury housing sales to fund permanently affordable housing. Other jurisdictions are taxing vacant units and passing laws requiring the disclosure of real ownership.

Who owns the housing matters. Communities need to expand the supply of local homeownership and permanently affordable rental housing, owned by nonprofits and community housing authorities.

Failure to act will lead to the destruction of stable communities and undermine the possibility of economic recovery for the majority of households.

Chuck Collins is the co-editor of Inequality.org at the Institute for Policy Studies.

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For example, the average home price in North Carolina in the mid-1970s was about $60,000, compared with $254,000 in July 2021.

By comparison, home prices in the Greensboro-High Point MSA increased 15.5% in July and 15.4% in June. When excluding distressed and foreclosed houses, prices rose 15.6% in July and 15.2% in June.

Meanwhile, the home-price hikes in the Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh markets jumped ahead of Winston-Salem, with the average home sale price being significantly higher in those markets.

Home prices in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia MSA increased 19.6% in July after being up 17.9% in June.

Home prices in the Durham-Chapel Hill MSA increased 19.7% in July after being up 18.5% in June.

Home prices in the Raleigh-Cary MSA increased 21.3% in July after being up 17.8% in June.

The Winston-Salem Association of Realtors reported Aug. 9 that the median home price in Forsyth was $281,895 in June and $268,774 in July.

By comparison, the median home price was $229,388 in June 2020 and $251,672 in July 2020.

Median is defined as the middle value in a list of numbers. The median home price has been above $240,000 for 12 of the past 13 months.
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Strates said in a telephone interview that the staff shortage was at the heart of the problem. And no matter how many more hours he, his brothers and others worked to compensate for the lack of help, it was no longer enough.

I genuinely take pride in what I do, but these last couple months it hasnt been up to my standards, and I cant keep doing that. Id rather close, Strates said.

The partners kept oSo up and running throughout the earlier parts of the coronavirus pandemic. During the height of the pandemic last year, they teamed with other restaurateurs to provide free meals to those in need. Altogether, they gave away hundreds of boxed meals that were distributed to Family Services Head Start clients.

Though Strates said that the oSo staff has been burning the candle at both ends, he held out hope that the restaurant would reopen in time.

We have decided to regroup, refocus, reenergize and restructure our business in order to hopefully come out of this stronger than ever before. But if we dont take a step back now, we will never take two steps forward in the future, he wrote.
Meanwhile, even as other Republican states plan to follow Texas, including Florida and South Dakota, the court was very clear that procedural issues wouldnt allow it to consider the constitutionality of the Texas Heartbeat Act. The act prohibits a physician from performing an abortion if the physician detected a fetal heartbeat for the unborn child or failed to perform a test to detect a fetal heartbeat.

Interestingly, the Texas law doesnt allow Texas officials to enforce the act. Instead, it authorizes private citizens to bring civil action against lawbreakers, including doctors, employees and insurers. In so doing, lawmakers rather cleverly established sovereign immunity for state officials should anyone try to sue them over the constitutionality of the law.

When various abortion providers and a private citizen sought an injunction against state officials, including the attorney general, they were essentially creating a firestorm in a mud puddle. They did manage to draw attention to the new law, however, and in doing so, forced five of the nine justices to rule (correctly, it seems to me) in such a way that women everywhere could get behind the idea of hating the court anew.

Bottom line: Because there were no real defendants, there was no live case and no dispute to reckon over. So, the Texas law went into effect.
An employee then used a knife to cut the goats neck, causing the goat to bleed to death, the agency said. The goat was conscious when its neck was cut.

Federal inspectors saw the incident and notified company officials about 11:20 a.m. that the assignment of USDA inspectors was suspended at the plant, the agency said.

This incident is considered egregious because there were multiple attempts to stun the animal in the absence of an immediate corrective action, and the employee made a cut on a conscious animal, said the agencys letter to Kristi Mitchell.

The (plant) does have a documented systematic approach to humane handling, which is considered robust, the agency letter said. However, the program was not being implemented at the time of the incident, so a suspension is being initiated.

On Aug. 18, the federal Food Safety and Inspection Service held the suspension of inspectors in abeyance, according to another letter that agency sent to Mitchell.

The plant submitted to the agency written corrective and preventive measures to bring the plant into compliance with humane handling of livestock requirements under federal law, the agency said.
There is no evidence in the record to suggest the Board retained the right to control the manner in which YVEDDI would transport students..., the court said. YVEDDI hired and controlled the drivers, owned its own vehicles, determined its routes, and set its own policies. The Board researched and reviewed YVEDDIs reputation, safety plans, and after contracting, provided the names and addresses of students to be transported, along with bell times.

The court also found that there was insufficient evidence that the student was discriminated against because of her gender or her disability.

The student and her mother filed a lawsuit in Stokes Superior Court in December 2018 against YVEDDI and the Stokes County Board of Education. The claims against YVEDDI have previously been dismissed. Attorneys for the student and mother appealed a February 2020 decision by Judge Eric Morgan of Stokes Superior Court to grant summary judgment, which means he ruled in the school boards favor without going to trial.

Kirk Sanders, one of the attorneys for the student and her mother, said Tuesday that he plans to file an appeal with the N.C. Supreme Court.
With Spartan pride in their hearts, the students and staff at Mount Tabor High School have begun the slow, painful process of healing as they mourn the death of a classmate.

On Sept. 1, William Chavis Renard Miller Jr., was fatally shot on campus around 12:05 p.m. A suspect is in custody, but authorities havent said whether that person has been charged.

NC law has extra protections in place as it relates to juveniles in our criminal justice system, District Attorney Jim ONeill said in a statement Wednesday. As a result, no information as to the identity of a juvenile or any charges that may have been drawn against a juvenile, may be made to the media and the public at large for dissemination, unless and until a juvenile case is transferred to adult Superior Court.

For its part, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is reviewing its response to the shooting and will meet with law enforcement and other outside agencies next week, Superintendent Tricia McManus said at a press conference in front of Mount Tabor on Wednesday.

Through those processes, we get to see what worked well, what could be adjusted, McManus said.
Piedmont Natural Gas said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with consumer and industrial groups in North Carolina that would lower the amount of its requested rate increase.

The utility filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission in March that would have raised the average monthly residential customer bill by $8.

PNG has agreed to a rate that would raise that monthly residential customer bill by an average of $5.50.

PNG said it plans to implement the increase in November.

The utility wants permission to recover up to $1.7 billion in capital expenses to accommodate growth in its communities, for infrastructure to decrease price volatility for customers, and for federally required safety improvements to its system.

Among the projects: construction of a new natural gas storage facility in Robeson County, and enhancements to a storage facility in Huntersville.

The utility said the increase is subject to the completion of the two construction projects and an audit of these projects by the commissions public staff, which represents the interests of consumers.
The systems said currently that 91%, or 685 of their combined 754 COVID-19 patients, are unvaccinated. About 95% of those patients on life support, or 138 of 145, are unvaccinated.

More (COVID-19 patients) are younger and many are from communities with low rates of vaccination and resistance to mask wearing, according to the statement.

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It tugs at the heart because so many of these COVID cases are preventable at this stage of the pandemic with readily available vaccines, Ohl said.

Snider said officials hope that increased awareness of the severity of the current wave of the virus will lead to more vaccinations.

Many of those unvaccinated patients are presenting with very advanced disease with COVID-19.

Snider said that after nearly 18 months of the pandemic, most individuals know of someone who has been infected with COVID-19, if not someone in their family or household.

Mann said each systems ICU units are being taxed on a daily basis.

We anticipated this in the first part of the pandemic that didnt quite materialize, but its happening today.

Limited ICU beds
HELSINKI (AP)  A privately-funded expedition, commissioned by relatives of the victims of the M/S Estonia ferry that sank into the Baltic Sea nearly 27 years ago, will dive into the vessels wreckage this month.

It's the latest attempt to gain more insight into one of Europes worst peacetime maritime disasters.

The goal of the dive, organized by a Estonia-based fund, is to find answers to questions that official joint and separate investigations by Estonia, Finland and Sweden have failed to provide on the vessels fate, the organization said Wednesday.

Although during these decades numerous different investigations have been carried out, they have not been able to give the survivors and close relatives of the deceased exhaustive answers regarding the reason why Estonia perished, the Mare Liberum fund, created in July, said in a statement.

The M/S Estonia ferry, which was traveling from the Estonian capital Tallinn to Stockholm in Sweden, sank in heavy seas on Sept. 28, 1994, killing 852 people, most of them Swedes and Estonians. Of the total 989 people on board, only 137 survived.
I feel very blessed to have been here as long as I have, Cohn said. Ive had the chance to make incredible partnerships in the city of Winston-Salem.

Those partnerships include many other faith leaders in the community  such as the Rev. Ginny Tobiassen, the pastor of Home Moravian Church, and Imam Khalid Griggs, the prayer leader of the Community Mosque in Winston-Salem, both of whom consider Cohn a friend.

I feel a void with him leaving the community, Griggs said. Hes made an ... impact on the religious community as well as the social justice and environmental community here.

He has been a wonderful friend and colleague in the faith community, full of energy and good humor, Tobiassen said of Cohn. He is a fine scholar and very generous in answering questions about the Hebrew Scriptures and Judaism.

He joined other faith leaders on many occasions, including in 2017, to oppose former President Trumps Muslim travel ban and urge Winston-Salem to adopt a resolution declaring this to be a welcoming city for refugees and immigrants.

Cohn contributed guest columns to the Journal on occasion  but not often enough. He approached the issues facing our community with insight and understanding. We were richer for his contributions.
No CRT in schools

I am so appreciative of the Tripp Jeffers Aug. 29 guest column, Critical Race Theory bill is a fabricated crisis. I have been tired and, frankly, disgusted, over the big to-do the Republicans have tried to make of this non-issue, frightening many people who dont know better. And its easy not to know better! Nobody even heard about critical race theory, except some in upper levels of academia, until some propagandists discovered it recently and thought, Aha! Here is a new, wonderful wedge issue we can exploit! But as Jeffers says, it is not something that is taught in public schools, nor will it be.

I am a professional historian, and I do believe our students need to be taught the multiple truths about all sorts of things and taught to think critically. Critical thinking has for years been touted as something that high school students should learn how to do  whether they are headed for college or not. And this is not critical as in criticizing something, saying it is bad. Rather, critical thinking is defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. So, critical thinking definitely has a place in our schools.
Nebraska

editor's pick topical alert top story

On 9/11, as StratCom played war game, the ugly reality of terror arrived

ERIC DRAPER, GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY President George W. Bush, flanked by Adm. Richard Mies (left) and White House chief of staff Andy Card, conducts a video teleconference on Sept. 11, 2001, at Offutt Air Force Base. Bush had stopped at Offutt on short notice, giving the Secret Service time to establish that Washington was secure.

OMAHA  On the clear blue September morning that terror struck America, Brig. Gen. Kelvin Coppock was preparing to grapple with mock nuclear hell from his desk at Offutt Air Force Base.

Brig. Gen. Kelvin Coppock

Coppock served as the U.S. Strategic Commands director of intelligence on Sept. 11, 2001. It was to be execution day for a giant exercise called Global Guardian involving many of StratComs 4,000 staffers at its Offutt headquarters, as well as military personnel at several other U.S. bases.

That was the day an escalating conflict with the fictional nation of Sloumonia would erupt into nuclear war.

As Coppock reviewed intelligence documents, a civilian colleague rushed into his office.

General, turn on your TV, he told Coppock.

They watched as smoke poured from the north tower of New Yorks World Trade Center after a plane crashed into it.

Minutes later, they gazed in amazement  along with millions of Americans  as a second jetliner plunged into the south tower.

Like everyone else, I was slack-jawed, astonished, bewildered and mesmerized by what I was witnessing, said Coppock, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in his newly published e-book memoir, Destination 9/11. I knew it was not an accident. I knew I was watching a deliberate attack on the United States of America.

By days end, StratComs faux Armageddon would give way to a real-world catastrophe that tested military leaders beyond anything the commands planners could have devised.

ROBERT C. HINSON Lt. Gen. Robert C. Hinson, deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command from 2000 to 2002, in his office.

Hijackers would crash three commercial airliners into critical targets, while the doomed passengers of a fourth would force it down in rural Pennsylvania before hijackers could ram it into a Washington landmark. The twin towers would collapse in a heap of rubble, and fire would gut one slab of the Pentagon. Almost 3,000 people would die; 6,000 more were hurt.

9/11 survivor talks to Southeast students On the 78th floor of the World Trade Center, Roselle was a model of composure.

At Offutt, Coppock and his boss, Lt. Gen. Robert C. Hinson, would monitor the unprecedented clearing of U.S. airspace of 3,000 aircraft, watching for signs of undetected hijackings.

They would personally brief President George W. Bush on the events of the day during the commander in chiefs short-notice visit to Offutt. And they would help shift StratCom to a war footing.

Kind of a Pearl Harbor

CHRIS MACHIAN, WORLD-HERALD Retired Lt. Gen. Robert C. Hinson visits the U.S. Strategic Commands former command center in August. Hinson was StratComs deputy commander on 9/11, supervising an exercise that was slated to escalate to a mock nuclear war that day.

The 9/11 attacks exposed big gaps in Americas readiness for terrorist attacks.

For years, the nations command and control system  of which StratCom is a critical part  had been relying on a system of sensors that looked outside U.S. borders, in space and across oceans for external threats.

Those sensors were set up to provide a 30-minute window of opportunity for military leaders to detect and assess those threats, and then advise the White House and Pentagon.

But nothing had prepared them to respond to multiple commercial airliners inside the United States that had suddenly been transformed into guided missiles, filled with human beings.

Kind of a Pearl Harbor, using our own aircraft, said Adm. Richard Mies, StratComs commander on 9/11, in a 2016 interview.

The 9/11 memorial through a sister's eyes On the morning before the museum opened to the public, Mary Lou Buss took the ferry from Staten Island to lower Manhattan to visit the place her sister died.

The Global Guardian exercise had been going on for more than a week, and much of the effort had been concentrated at StratCom and other military headquarters around the country. At the same time, NORAD  the Colorado-based North American Air Defense Command  was conducting a parallel exercise, Vigilant Guardian.

But by the morning of Sept. 11, the exercise had expanded to include placing real weapon systems on alert status. StratComs forces stood at the equivalent of DEFCON 3, the third-highest alert level.

Many served, some died: Nebraskans look back on the Afghanistan war No one is expecting ticker tape parades or dancing in the streets as the U.S. begins its withdrawal from Afghanistan. At best, emotions are mixed among Nebraskans who served.

Dozens of nuclear weapons had been loaded aboard strategic bombers at U.S. air bases in Louisiana, North Dakota and Missouri. Ballistic missile crews in the western Great Plains were on alert. So were several Trident submarine crews. A pair of Offutt-based E-4B Doomsday command aircraft were already airborne (which would later feed bizarre conspiracy theories about U.S. complicity in 9/11).

Everything that had already taken place meant that all the strategic forces were in positions of high readiness  which was unbelievably coincidental, and unbelievably convenient, Coppock wrote in his book.

WORLD-HERALD FILE PHOTO Then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Henry Shelton, left, congratulates Adm. Richard Mies as he takes over as commander of StratCom in 1998.

Mies had stopped at Offutts Officers Club for breakfast with some VIPs who were in Omaha to play in Warren Buffetts charity golf tournament. Although Global Guardian was in full swing, he planned to escort them on a tour of StratComs famous underground command center.

During breakfast, Mies learned about the plane that had struck the World Trade Center.

A few minutes later, I heard about the second plane, he said. I realized it was a terrorist attack.

Exercise is canceled

CHRIS MACHIAN, WORLD-HERALD The remains of the U.S. Strategic Command's underground command post at its former headquarters at Offutt. StratCom moved to a new headquarters building across the street in 2019.

Across the street, Coppock and his colleague dashed up three flights of stairs to Hinsons office. They quickly agreed that Hinson should assemble StratComs battle staff in the subterranean command center, 40 feet below the ground. Manned around the clock, it is the nerve center where StratCom watches the world for threats.

By the time they got there, almost everyone had already assembled, dressed in camouflage battle fatigues.

It was a whirl of activity, said Hinson, who is now retired and living in Omaha.

WORLD-HERALD Al Buckles

Mies, Hinson and several other officers sat side by side at a round table in the center of the room, their eyes on an array of eight screens on the wall.

In the early stages of the attack, the nations civil defense system, including StratCom, was as shocked and confused as anyone.

For a while, there was chaos as we figured out the real picture, Al Buckles of Papillion, StratComs deputy director of operations on 9/11, said in 2016.

UNO's Center for Afghanistan Studies office badly damaged in Kabul blast Sher Jan Ahmadzai, the UNO centers director, isnt optimistic that the center can rebuild. The damage from the bomb is terrible, and it is too dangerous to send Nebraskans there to start over.

Mies quickly pulled the plug on Global Guardian to focus on the terror threat. DEFCON 3 became real.

Exercise is canceled, the order said. Real world continues.

Indeed it did.

One screen kept track of planes that were thought to have been hijacked. American Airlines Flight 77, which hit the Pentagon, never made the list, Buckles said. United Airlines Flight 93 was at first thought to be headed toward Chicagos Sears Tower before it turned east. Passengers stormed the cockpit, preventing an attack on the Capitol or the White House.

Nebraskans from Afghanistan angry, fearful over home country's collapse For the past several days, I havent slept well. I have my phone in my hand all the time, Feroz Mohmand, 34, who now lives in Omaha. Im lost. Im shocked. Im helpless. I cant do anything.

Fears were also raised about two other flights, from Denver and Madrid, but those planes eventually landed safely.

You see all these events occurring, and you ask yourself, when does it stop? Hinson said.

One of the screens stayed tuned to live TV coverage of the attacks. Even at one of the militarys most sensitive command posts, the leaders relied on television for news about the attack.

Our sensors on 9/11 became CNN, Buckles said.

StratCom leaders were linked with the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon when the plane hit another part of the building. They could hear the distant explosion on the other end.

That changed everything, Coppock said in an interview. When you attack the Pentagon, or the White House or the Capitol, it becomes a huge StratCom element.

His job was to keep the intel screen updated with the latest information, including the status of StratComs forces.

Hinson was in touch with the commanders of those forces. Lt. Gen. William Keck, commander of the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, worried about the B-52s spread out on his runway, fully loaded with nuclear weapons for the exercise.

The president arrives

On that day of confusion, the unsheathed nukes looked like a ripe terrorist target.

Such an attack wouldnt have caused an atomic blast, Buckles said, but it could have done a lot of damage.

You would destroy half of Bossier City, Louisiana, with the explosions, he said. That would have been a way to really cripple us. All these nuclear weapons were exposed.

Concerns amped up higher when the Air Force One jet carrying Bush  who had been reading to schoolchildren in Sarasota, Florida, when the planes hit  headed to Barksdale because the base offered secure refueling. The presidential party remained in Louisiana for almost two hours.

The Secret Service didnt want Bush to return to Washington until the city was fully secure. Instead, they chose Offutt, where they knew that StratCom had a secure communications link.

Early in the day, Mies considered the possibility that Bush might fly to Offutt. He asked the 55th Wing to prepare Quarters 13, a building for VIP guests on Generals Row, for the presidential party just in case. Security teams swarmed through the bases housing area.

Without knowing whether he would come or not, we had started making preparations, Mies said. We didnt know how long the president might have to stay.

Only after Bush left Barksdale did leaders at Offutt find out that the president was headed their way.

We knew about half an hour out, Mies said. I didnt want a lot of pomp and circumstance at that point.

The 55th Wings security squadron hiked security tenfold after the attacks, Hinson said, limiting access to the base, barricading the flight line and covering the names of buildings.

When the president came, that just ramped up even higher, he said.

CHRIS MACHIAN, WORLD-HERALD President George W. Bush and his aides used this fire escape to get to the U.S. Strategic Command's underground command center during his stop at Offutt Air Force Base on Sept. 11, 2001. Adm. Richard Mies, who was then StratCom's commander, said he had never used the fire escape before.

Air Force One landed at about 1:50 p.m., escorted by two F-16 fighter jets. Mies picked up Bush in his Chrysler and drove with him to the underground command post.

They entered through a fire escape in front of the building that looked like a nondescript maintenance shed. Mies said it was the only time he ever used it.

When he went into the bunker  wow. Thats still a scene in the movie in my head all these years later, Ellen Eckert, a White House stenographer traveling with Bush, said in Garrett Graffs 2019 book The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11. Clearly the only way to go was down.

I think Adm. Mies was trying to get them underground as fast as he could, said Hinson, who had stayed in the command center to wait for the president.

Right out of a movie

Bush and a small group of aides descended several circuitous flights of stairs, down two hallways, past a guard and through double sets of doors to reach StratComs command post, called the Global Operations Center.

They saw a room about 30 by 50 feet, buzzing with activity. In the back, there was a second deck that could be cordoned off for highly classified discussions.

Its right out of a TV movie set  all these flat-screen TVs, all these military people, Andy Card, Bushs chief of staff, said in Graffs book. You can hear the fog of war, all these communications from the FAA and the military.

Bush sat down at the circular table between Mies and Hinson.

The president said, My word, I never realized there was this level of activity going on in this headquarters, Hinson recalled.

As the intelligence director, Coppock knew that he needed to brief Bush on the situation. With help from his staff, in 15 minutes, he pulled together a half-dozen briefing slides covering the latest news, the state of U.S. nuclear forces and some predictions about what might happen.

Already, it was clear from the intelligence streams that terrorist groups had carried out the attacks, not foreign governments.

He didnt really have any questions of me, Coppock said.

CHRIS MACHIAN, WORLD-HERALD A door to the secure communications room where President George W. Bush met with his top advisers via teleconference during his stop at Offutt Air Force Base on 9/11.

Bush stayed only a short while in the command center. He realized that his presence was interfering with the work there.

Its tough for the military folks  they all want to stand and show respect to the commander-in-chief, but you can tell they want to sit and do their jobs, Card said in The Only Plane in the Sky.

Bush also wanted to get to a secure communications room, where he could safely hold a teleconference with his National Security Council and other top officials in Washington.

That meeting convened at 2:30 p.m., with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice; Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta; CIA Director George Tenet; and Richard Clarke, chief counterterrorism adviser on the security council, among those taking part.

There was a lot of discussion about how to get New York and Washington back to some sense of normalcy, Mies said. It was clearly the presidents desire to get back to Washington as soon as possible.

He was totally uncomfortable with the idea that he was hiding in an underground bunker in Omaha, Nebraska, when the country was under attack, Hinson said.

A bolt out of the blue

WORLD-HERALD FILE PHOTO Air Force One, carrying President George W. Bush, leaves Offutt on Sept. 11, 2001.

With the nations airspace now cleared, the Secret Service deemed it safe for Bush to return to the White House. He left Offutt aboard Air Force One at 3:36 p.m.  so quickly that it took the planes pilot, Col. Mark Tillman, by surprise, according to The Only Plane in the Sky.

I started to race back to the plane. Hed already gotten there, Tillman said. Hes waiting at the top of the stairs and told me, Tillman, we got to get back home.

Coppock ran into a Secret Service agent who was left behind at StratCom.

You should have seen the look on that mans face, Coppock wrote in his book. When (the president) was ready to go, whoever was with him went. Whoever was not with him, didnt.

A 60-member battle staff, working 12-hour shifts, kept the command post operating even after the crisis had passed.

It was two days before StratCom even started to get back to normal, Buckles said.

He got home about 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. Only that evening did he find out that his son, a military officer working in the Pentagon that day, had gotten out safely.

I remember sitting on the back deck, kicking my shoes off, drinking a Scotch, Buckles said. It wasnt until that night I started comprehending what had happened.

The attack forced the U.S. military, and the entire government, to confront a foe in a way that they hadnt seriously considered before. Leaders at StratCom and NORAD realized that they had been well prepared to counter the fictional threat that they prepped for in Global Guardian but not for the real enemy that confronted them on 9/11.

This was a scenario that was a bolt out of the blue, said Hinson, who retired from the Air Force in 2003. 9/11 should never be forgotten. Nor should it ever be allowed to happen again.
Gordon was active with the organization from its beginning, and served on its board for seven years.

A lot of people join a board to say theyre on a board. That wasnt Jim. He was out there trimming trees and doing landscaping with me.

Just before she retired last year, Ayers got to work and found a voicemail from Gordon. He was calling to wish her well, and she was touched. She knew he was battling dementia, and that it might not have been easy for him.

That he made the effort to call me, thats who he was.

Gordon was a Lincoln High graduate who attended UNL as a Regents Scholar. But he liked to say he majored in partying and pool. He dropped out, got a job with the railroad, lost his student deferment and was drafted by the U.S. Army.

His years in Vietnam changed him, Kilgarin said. After seeing combat more than 30 times, he nearly lost part of his right leg to shrapnel and spent 17 months -- with more surgeries than he could count -- in a Denver-area Army hospital.

That experience, and the support he received when he returned to Lincoln, would drive him for the rest of his life. Its why he was so involved, Kilgarin said.
Still, Fehringer isn't sure that the department's arrest rate in sexual assault investigations  2.3% since September 2015  is a deterrent for sexual assault survivors weighing whether to make a report.

"I hope not," Fehringer said, noting the variety of reasons an investigation might end before an arrest is made. "We, again, respect victim survivors, so we don't dictate how long or if they want to be involved in the process.

"We just do the best that we can along the way. If it's all the way to the end, and at the end of the day we can say, 'We've done every step that we can take along this,' and we make an arrest or we can't  I think we have to live with that, unfortunately."

One obstacle Fehringer pointed to is the differing burdens of proof placed on police, who can arrest a suspect with probable cause, and prosecutors, who must prove a crime occurred beyond a reasonable doubt.

"If they don't make an arrest or the case is not referred to us, we'll never see it," Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon said. "I don't know how many of those have been referred to us. ... Those are difficult cases, but there are a lot of difficult cases that we charge, including sexual assault."
Mallery started asking other drivers if they were OK and what they'd seen.

One witness told him the semi driver, Crawford, had said he looked in his mirror and, when he looked forward again, collided with the rear of a pickup that had slowed due to traffic backing up trying to exit onto I-180 heading into downtown Lincoln.

Mallery said Crawford told another trooper that once he collided with the first vehicle, he had no brakes and couldn't stop.

Investigators believe he veered into the middle lane and struck more cars before rear-ending a seventh vehicle and stopping under the bridge.

Mallery said, after consulting with the Lancaster County Attorney's Office, they arrested Crawford for two counts of manslaughter based on "witness statements, lack of skid marks pre-impact, multiple vehicles struck, resulting in five passengers of vehicles being taken to the hospital and the death of two others."

He made his first court appearance Tuesday after prosecutors charged him with the two felonies.

Investigators say they believe speed and inattention were the primary causes of the crash.
But the liberal arts college in northeast Lincoln has enrolled more than 400 students in its first-year class for the seventh consecutive year.

Roughly one-fourth of the first-year students identify as ethnic minorities, and about 28% come to campus from outside of Nebraska, a spokesman said.

NWU also saw its second largest number of transfer students enroll this year. A total of 65 students transferred to the campus, including 18 students through a transfer agreement with SCC.

Concordia University reported an enrollment drop of 1.6% from last year, bringing its fall headcount to 1,172 students.

The Lutheran-affiliated university in Seward welcomed 366 new students to campus this fall, which is slightly fewer than the 375 who enrolled at Concordia for the first time in 2020, but more than the 339 first-year students in 2019.

Concordia also reports 447 graduate students this fall, including 141 students who are finishing their degrees after Concordia Portland closed its doors in Oregon last year.

Union College, also in Lincoln, as well as Hastings College and Midland University in Fremont, will count their students later this week.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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Lincoln City Councilwoman Jane Raybould announced Tuesday she will seek the District 28 seat in the Legislature being vacated by Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks when she is term-limited out of office at the end of next year.

"My priorities will be funding public education, criminal justice reform, mental health services, environmental resiliency and restoring state aid to cities and counties," Raybould said.

Raybould served on the Lancaster County Board before she was elected to the City Council in 2015. She was re-elected to a four-year term in 2019 to represent District 3 in southwest Lincoln.

In 2018, Raybould was the Democratic nominee for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Shes the second City Council member to run for a seat in the Legislature in the coming election: Council Chairman James Michael Bowers, who represents District 1 in northeast Lincoln, is running for the District 46 seat now held by Adam Morfeld. Morfeld, who also is being term-limited out of office, is running for Lancaster County attorney.

Raybould is the longest-serving member on what is a largely new city council, with four of its seven members elected in 2019 to their first terms in and its newest member this year.
County Board member Sean Flowerday said theyre trying to reward good behavior, and it will be retroactive, so employees who already have gotten the vaccine will be rewarded.

The program applies to full- and part-time employees.

The county employs about 900 full-time workers, plus some additional part-time seasonal workers, said Doug McDaniel, director of human resources for the city and county.

That means if the county got 100% participation, it would cost nearly $267,000.

The policy calls for paying employees $237.11 for the vaccine and $59.23 for the booster to account for the taxes that will be taken out. The money will come from the $3.5 million in county relief earmarked for public health initiatives. The city earmarked $7 million to public health initiatives.

Offering $100 incentives to encourage employees to get vaccinated was one of the ways the Biden administration recommended local and state officials use the relief money.

The National Governors Association website lists various incentives offered in different states -- everything from a $500 incentive to Colorado State Corrections employees who get vaccinated to four hours paid leave for state workers in Idaho.
Just six years ago, Elizabeth Holmes seemed destined to fulfill her dream of becoming Silicon Valley's next superstar. She was the subject of business magazine cover stories describing her as the youngest self-made female billionaire in history, former President Bill Clinton was reverently quizzing her about her thoughts on technology, and then Vice President Joe Biden was hailing her ideas as an inspiration.
Additional incentives would be provided for businesses that train employees in high-demand sectors for jobs that pay $24 an hour or more, said Wayne Johnston, chief of the agency's Business Assistance Bureau.

Union groups urged the commission to ensure some of the money is used to train workers to complete infrastructure projects  such as broadband, road and sewer work  funded by other federal relief money.

In other business, Eychner told the commission that the demand for the state's return-to-work bonuses was not as high as expected. The state has paid out nearly $930,000 to 774 people, with 3,600 more applications pending.

Eychner told the commission that it's clear the agency won't be paying out all of the $15 million set aside for the $1,200 bonuses, which could have provided return-to-work incentives for up to 12,500 workers.

The program offers the bonuses for people who were receiving unemployment as of May 1, returned to work between May 4 and Oct. 31 and worked at least four weeks for a single employer. Gianforte announced the incentives as Montana stopped paying an extra $300 weekly unemployment benefit.

The governor's office did not respond to a request for information on what he might suggest doing with the leftover money.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse and Reps. Jeff Fortenberry, Don Bacon and Adrian Smith penned the letter in support of Gov. Pete Ricketts request for federal disaster assistance.

We supported Governor Ricketts in his request for this aid and were glad to see the administration act quickly in response, the states congressional delegation said Tuesday in a joint statement. This disaster declaration will provide Nebraskans with the resources to rebuild and recover.

The governor declared a disaster on July 22. That declaration allowed the state to use the Governors Emergency Fund to address damage from the storms, according to the Governors Office, and was necessary to request the federal aid.

About a month after the historic windstorm, Omaha was hit with flash flooding that collapsed some sewers and forced water into businesses and homes. Omaha officials said at the time that the city expected to apply for federal disaster aid in that case, as well.

However, it was determined that the flooding did not cause damage to the extent that Omaha or Douglas County would qualify for federal funding, according to Bryan Tuma, assistant director at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.
The WHO chief said he received a message of clear support from health ministers at a meeting of the influential Group of 20 countries this week for a commitment to help hit a WHO target that all countries vaccinate at least 40% of their people by year's end.

A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose, Tedros said. There has been little change in the global situation since then.

So today, Im calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40% of its population, he said.

The WHO says 5.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far, but 80% of those have been to upper- and middle-income countries. Rich countries have also offered to donate 1 billion doses to other countries, but fewer than 15% of those doses have materialized," Tedros said.

He noted that manufacturers have pledged to prioritize the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to get vaccines to the neediest people in the world  no matter how wealthy the country.
As a male University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, I was disgusted about the report of a fellow student who had been sexually assaulted. Im sick and tired of seeing these reports all across this country.

This isnt a UNL problem, but we can certainly work hard to fix it here. I dont care if someone is flirting, what they are wearing or about any other excuse you can try and come up with. In no instance is it acceptable to sexually assault someone.

Women deserve better. It is terrible that due to the actions of men who are unable to behave like civilized human beings, women have to fear what may happen to them. Victims of sexual assault deserve better and deserve actual change.

Garrett Cantrell, Lincoln

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A demolition contractor that says it could save Wisconsin utility customers hundreds of millions of dollars will be allowed to participate in a review of plans to sell one of the states two nuclear power plants.

Dominion Energy is seeking regulatory approval to sell the Kewaunee Power Station to EnergySolutions, a Utah company that specializes in nuclear waste disposal and decommissioning.

The sale price has not been publicly disclosed, but according to applications filed with regulators, EnergySolutions would assume ownership of the plant and about $780 million set aside to cover the cost of decommissioning, estimated at nearly $724 million.

But NorthStar Group Services of New York says it could do the job for no more than $550 million, returning any remaining money to ratepayers.
Tails on the Trails

Located near St. Louis, MO (Ballwin), Tails on the Trails is a group of dog lovers who are ready to go "Beyond the Sidewalk" with their best furry friends. Their main goal is to spend true quality time with their pups doing fun activities, rather than just rushing through the daily grind by simply walking around their neighborhoods. They say you don't need to be a dog parent to join, but you'll have to embrace their pooches!

Phoenix Holistic Dog Meetup

This training group in Phoenix, AZ is for dog parents who want to have better relationships with their dogs, to enjoy good times, and to help their dogs reach their fullest potentials. Phoenix Holistic Dog Meetup welcomes all dogs, even "bully" and large breeds, because they know how challenging it can be to find a meetup that is willing to include them. This group offers a safe, loving environment where members can explore a new philosophy of holistic dog parenting.

Downward with Your Dog
A historic home for history

The building housing Racine Area Veterans Legacy Museum and Veterans Center at 820 Main St. is almost as historic as the artifacts inside.

It was built around 1850 by the Taylor family; lumberers for whom Taylor Avenue is named. Later, it was sold to the McClurg family, which Mary Knapp  daughter of Gilbert Knapp, the founder of Racine  married in to. At the end of his life, Gilbert Knapp lived in the home with Mary before he died on July 31, 1887.

According to Bill May, the next door neighbor on the 800 block of Main Street was Jerome Increase Case, founder of the Case Corporation. After Mary McClurg (nee: Knapp) died the year after her father, Case moved in.

By 1937, after a plan to turn the wood-framed structure into historic apartments (or something of the sort) fell through, the building ended up being taken over by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

In the 21st century, the VFW handed the building over to the nonprofit Racine Area Veterans Inc. Now, in addition to being the home of a museum and The Foxhole Lounge, it hosts meetings for a number of veterans groups. We want a social place for vets," May said.
In Racine County, the weekly high for vaccine doses administered in a week came the week of April 4 with 13,332 doses administered. The total then began falling almost every week down to a low of 1,418 doses the week of July 4. Since Independence Day, however, the total has risen every week, up to 2,928 the week of Aug. 29.

It seems like the vaccine incentive is working, Shannon Powell, chief of staff to Mayor Cory Mason, said Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, 48.5% of Racine County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19; statewide, 52% of Wisconsinites are fully vaccinated, according to the Department of Health Services.

That rate is still dragged down, however, by the citys lackluster vaccination rate. As of Wednesday, 46% of residents had received at least one dose, compared to 52.3% of county residents and 55.4% of all Wisconsinites who received at least one dose.

At the time the citys vaccine incentive program was put in place, that gap was even bigger. As of Aug. 17, according to state data, less than 40% of City of Racine residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while the countywide rate was 46.3% and more than half of all Wisconsinites were fully vaccinated.
Neighbor Keena Vos told aldermen Tuesday that the sound of a helicopter at the airport was loud enough to compare with the noise of a common kitchen blender running inside her home. Bringing the helicopter ambulances to Burlington, Vos said, would harm the quality of life for those already here.

You are turning Burlington into a Chicago suburb. Its a total shame, she said. The Burlington residents deserve better.

City officials recently arranged for Flight For Life to give aldermen a demonstration of one of its helicopters landing and taking off at the airport.

Several aldermen Tuesday expressed sympathy for the airports neighbors, and they briefly considered making noise mitigation part of the agreement with Flight For Life.

Alderman Bob Grandi called the helicopter ambulances a tipping point for an airport noise issue that has long been troubling neighbors and should be examined further.

We have a bigger issue that we cant keep denying, Grandi said. We need to figure out whats going on out there.
MADISON  Former Republican officeholders and elections experts from within and outside of Wisconsin said Wednesday that the GOP-ordered investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin lacks credibility, transparency and raises security risks and legal concerns.

A Republican Wisconsin lawmaker who heads the state Senates election committee separately defended the integrity of the states election process after a two-hour informational hearing attended by other Republicans who have pushed for investigations.

Im sorry, but there is not a reason to spread misinformation about this past election when we have all the evidence that shows otherwise, state Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, said after after she led a tutorial at the state Capitol for legislators and their their staffs about how the states elections function. That included a demonstration of voting equipment.

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Kentuckys former secretary of state, Trey Grayson, said the ongoing investigation in Wisconsin, like one in Arizona, are part of disinformation campaigns and threats to democracy.
GENEVA  A UPS parcel filled with marijuana was accidentally sent to the wrong address and is now in the hands of the Town of Geneva Police Department, which has gone to Facebook to try to find the rightful owner.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Town of Geneva Police Department said, Town of Geneva Police are hoping to find the rightful owner of this parcel that was returned to UPS last week. It was delivered to the wrong address and unfortunately the return address seems to be incorrect.

It went on to say, Luckily there was a very distinct odor coming from the package and UPS knew that there was significant value to the contents inside. To claim this package please contact Officer Linder at 262-248-9926.

In an update, the department explained, We understand that nobody will be claiming this package and that marijuana is becoming much more accepted in this country.

It ended by saying, For those of you that are struggling to find the humor in this post or believe that taxpayers money is being wasted, dont worry, its almost the weekend. And for the one person that has tried to claim it we appreciate your humor!
RACINE  A Racine man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl and causing her to become pregnant.

Kayon X. Holland, 21, of the 1000 block of Main Street, was charged with a felony count of second degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 16.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Nov. 7, 2020, an officer was sent to the Womans Health Pavilion at Ascension Hospital for a sexual assault.

Upon arrival, the officer spoke to a girl under the age of 14 who had given birth the day before. She said she met Holland on Snapchat in mid-January and met up with him sometime in February. He arrived at her home and they walked to a residence on Racine Street. He then sexually assaulted her.

An investigator was able to identify Holland and made contact with him. He said he met the girl in January or February and had sexual intercourse with her.

He said one or two months later she told him she was pregnant and she was 13. He told the investigator hes no longer interested in being with her but plans to be responsible for the child.

Holland was given a $25,000 signature bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Tuesday.
RACINE  Although the city government has long talked about having a municipal workforce that reflects the diversity of Racine, it has not happened at the rate some aldermen desire.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer Stay connected with local news, sports and politics. Unlock six months of unlimited access for only $1.

Alderman Edwin Santiago, who sits on the Affirmative Action Human Rights Committee, noted the challenges they have seen in the effort to diversify the city workforce to better reflect the city.

It just continues to be the same people, he said of those being hired. Its usually people who dont reside in the city.

For that reason and others, Alderman Jason Meekma has proposed that the city adopt a racial equity ordinance, based on policy, and hire someone to enforce it.

After discussion, the Committee of the Whole voted last week to send the matter to the Finance and Personnel Committee for further discussion.

The chairman of that committee will determine when the matter appears on the agenda; however, as was discussed in the meeting, budget season is upon city leaders, so time is of the essence where there are budget considerations.

Racial equity
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents working at Chicago OHare International Airports mail facility seized 19 counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.

The fake cards, seized Aug. 31, were on their way to a residential address in Wapakoneta, Ohio, the agency said. They had come from China.

The cards looked similar to legitimate vaccination cards, the agency said, but appeared to be fraudulent due to their low-quality appearance and misspelled words.

Customs and Border Protection had turned the case over to Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said customs spokesman Steve Bansbach, when asked whether there would be charges in the case.

The investigation on their side is ongoing, he added.

The agency also recently seized over 3,000 fake vaccination cards at the port of Anchorage.

Counterfeiters are savvy and follow trends in consumer demand, including the high demand for vaccination cards during the pandemic, LaFonda Sutton-Burke, the director of field operations for the Chicago customs office, is quoted as saying in the news release.
Prosecutors allege that Lewis filed false campaign finance reports related to her campaigns for city council where she provided inaccurate information about her account balances, contributions and expenditures. They also allege she misused funds belonging to her campaign by depositing campaign contributions to her personal bank accounts, as well as using campaign funds to pay for personal expenses.

Prosecutors say Lewis misled the city that she was owed reimbursement for expenses she incurred on city-sponsored travel when she actually paid for those expenses out of her campaign account.

For example, the complaint said she used nearly $400 in expenses during a family trip to Georgia in 2016, including payments at a trampoline park and fast-food restaurants. She also spent $310 in campaign money to attend a worship conference in Orlando, Florida, that had nothing to do with city business and $4,884 in campaign money for payments toward her apartment rent, the complaint said.
Lewis, 41, also falsely represented to the City of Milwaukee that she was owed travel reimbursement for expenses incurred while doing city business, when she had paid for those expenses out of her campaign account, the complaint said.

She violated state campaign finance laws by filing false reports, structuring a campaign contribution to avoid contribution limits and illegally used campaign funds for personal use, the complaint said. She defrauded the City of Milwaukee and her campaign of at least $21,666, the complaint says.

The felony charges were for misconduct in office between 2016 and 2020, intentionally filing a false campaign report, embezzlement of more than $10,000, and intentionally making an unlawful distribution from her campaign finance account.

Three of the felony charges are punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and 3 1/2 years in prison while the embezzlement charge is punishable with a fine up to $25,000 and 10 years in prison.

She also faces a misdemeanor fraud charge punishable by up to nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Lewis, in her Senate campaign launch video, touted her service in the U.S. Air Force, her current work as a pastor and her 2016 election to the Milwaukee City Council.
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.

Vote

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KEARNEY  A Kearney man already in jail for alleged drug distribution is accused of shooting a man Aug. 18 at East Lawn Mobile Home Estates.

Tyler Divan, 22, is charged in Buffalo County District Court with felony first-degree assault and using a weapon to commit a felony in the incident. Divan also is charged with felony distribution of meth and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in the same incident after suspected methamphetamine was allegedly found inside his vehicle shortly after the shooting.

Divan, a convicted felon, was arrested after the incident. Today, Divan remained at the Buffalo County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

Court records outline the case against him.

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On Aug. 18 the Kearney Police Department responded to East Lawn for a report of shots fired. Among the vehicles that witnesses described leaving the scene were a black sedan and a red sedan.

As police were en route to the call, officers saw a maroon car in a parking lot with Divan inside.

Police contacted Divan and saw bullet holes in the drivers side and damage on the passenger side of the car. The car is registered to Divan, according to records.
Moses Decker and two of his sons, Solomon and Reasoner, were the first men to settle the village of Deckerville, now known as Viroqua, in 1846. The family of Rufus and Martha (Hillyer) Dunlap were the second to arrive in August 1849. Along with their personal belongings, they brought along with them a stock of goods to sell. Rufus, Martha and their young family traveled from Ohio to Racine, Wisconsin in 1840. He later maintained property in Oshkosh while living in Waupun where he was a tavern keeper. Before arriving in Viroqua, the family lived in Verona, Dane County for three years. Their children which now numbered eight, from age 1 to 16, were the only children in the new settlement of Deckerville except for Reasoner Decker, age 16. The Dunlaps had a total of 11 children, three born after their arrival to Viroqua.

In 1850, Dunlap purchased two acres of land, which is now the corner of East Decker and South Main. This is the current location of Viroqua City Hall. On this property he erected a log building in which he operated the first hotel and the first store until his death. He kept a stock of dry goods, groceries and household goods. In November1851, Dunlap was admitted to the bar but never practiced law. Sadly, Dunlap passed away on April 20, 1855 at the age of 41.
The Vernon County Fairgrounds on Viroquas north side will once again echo with the sound of laughter, music, animals greeting passersby and squeals of delight as the fair returns Sept. 15-19 after having been canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 164th Vernon County Fair will include many of the same events and activities as in the past. The antique tractor pull is Thursday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m., the Badger State Tractor Pull is Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., horse pulling in front of the grandstand is Saturday, Sept. 18 at 10:30 a.m., the youth pedal tractor pull is by the milk house Saturday, Sept. 18 at 11 a.m., and the demo derby is Saturday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. Harness racing is only on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m.

The ever-popular Little Britches Dairy Show will hold its 30th event at the west end of the Hanson Arena, Friday, Sept. 17 at about 12:30 p.m. The show is open to youth who are too young to show through Junior Fair at fair time. Each child will show a calf that is under 4 months of age at fair time. The calf will be brought in that morning and taken home that afternoon. Each child will be asked to lead his/her calf around the ring and answer a question from the judge.

One event that wont be a part of this years festivities is the draft horse show because there isnt a superintendent.
About halfway up the driveway the load started to shift  toward me. I spread my arms as wide as possible and flattened myself out. I felt myself getting pushed backward by the weight just as Dad pulled onto the flat spot at the top of the driveway.

I looked down and saw my feet were right at the edge of the truck, just ahead of the freezer, stove and refrigerator that had slid backward. I could have been crushed by our appliances. But I wasnt. So we used a few pieces of twine to help secure the next load  and I still rode in the back just in case.

I also helped several staff members move  one couple I helped three times. As Dad would say, you gotta make the best use out of a strong back and a weak mind.

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I once helped a staff member move a large upright piano from his basement. Anyone who has moved a piano knows theres a reason why they are often sold with the house.

In this case the walls surrounding the steps had been enclosed after the piano was moved into the basement. It was a four-man job and the staircase wasnt wide enough to get two men on each side of the piano.
The staff and students of Northside Elementary and Coulee Montessori schools will be hosting a Fill It Up Friday donation drive this week to help Afghan children evacuees currently being housed at Fort McCoy.

Donation collection will be held this Friday at Northside Elementary School located at 1611 Kane St. in La Crosse. Those interested in donating items can drop them off at the schools office. Donation items will be accepted Friday from 7:45 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. After the donation drive, the items will be packed up and then delivered to Fort McCoy this weekend by school principal Nicki Pope.

Of the roughly 12,000 evacuees currently at Fort McCoy, about 1,800 are children. Items in most need at this time include clothing (bulk items accepted, summer/fall seasonal clothes only, no winter clothes at this time please), blankets, and toys. Items should be age-appropriate for children ranging from newborns to 18-years-old. Donated items can be new or like new, however, new items will have the quickest turnaround and can be distributed immediately, but nothing donated will go to waste. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
The former administration's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was the right decision. The way the current administration withdrew from Afghanistan was a total disaster. This should not be a surprise.

As Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense in the Obama Administration, said, "Biden has been wrong on every major foreign policy and national security issue over the last four decades."

Anyone with any common sense would not have evacuated the military personal before removing the US citizens, allies and military equipment. A better plan of withdrawal could have been achieved if the president would have picked people for his administration based on ability rather than diversity. They could have secured the City of Kabul but chose to let the Taliban have complete control. This allowed the ISIS attack killing 13 American soldiers.

The president said he would leave no US citizens behind. The total withdrawal from Afghanistan left 100's of US citizens and allies behind including young students. When we leave our own stranded behind enemy lines, our allies no longer have any trust in our government to have their backs.

We left 1000's of Humvees/armored vehicles, trucks, machine guns, assault rifles, artillery, drones and night vision goggles. Also left behind were over 100 helicopters and airplanes.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers.

Cleona Borough

China Moon, 457 West Penn Ave., follow-up, Aug. 30. Pass. No violations.

Heidelberg Township

Carusos Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, 1145 Heidleberg Ave., change of owner, Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Jackson Township

ELCO High School, 180 Elco Dr., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

ELCO Intermediate School, 100 Evergreen Dr., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

ELCO Middle School, 60 Evergreen Dr., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

Jackson Elementary School, 558 West Main Ave., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

Lebanon City

Harding Elementary School Cafeteria, 622 Chestnut St., Sept. 2. Pass. One small cockroach on a glue-board.

Henry Houck Elementary Cafeteria, 315 East Lehman St., Sept. 2. Pass. The employee restroom is missing a handwashing sign that specifically advises "food employees must wash hands."

Lebanon Middle School Cafeteria, 350 North Eighth Street., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Southeast Elementary Cafeteria, 499 East Pershing Ave., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Lebanon High School, 1000 South Eighth St., Sept. 1. Pass. A temperature measuring device for measuring ware washing wash and sanitizing water temperatures is not available.

Northwest Elementary Cafeteria, 1315 Old Forge Rd., Sept. 1. Pass. No violations.

Southwest Elementary School, 1500 Woodland St., Sept. 1. Pass. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of insect activity in the prep area.

Lebanon American Legion, 1410 Lehman St., complaint, Aug. 30. Fail. Thermometers for ensuring proper temperatures of food and equipment are not available or readily accessible. The frequency of cleaning, particularly in the concession stand area, is inadequate. The fryer in the concession stand, a slicer, a microwave and other equipment, all food contact surfaces, had food residue and were not clean to sight and touch. Old unused equipment stored in several areas should be removed from food facility. The storage area is very cluttered and disorganized. A bag of empanadas in the refrigerator were not marked with a date. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. The facility was using a two-compartment sink in the concession area for washing food equipment rather than the three-compartment sink that is available in the center of the facility. The food facility does not have a hand wash sink located in the food prep and ware washing area in the center of the facility. The food facility does not have a hand wash sink located in the food prep service area of the concession stand located in the rear of the facility. Exterior door located in the concession area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Lincoln Republic Club, 21 South Ninth St., Aug. 30. Pass. No violations.

Queens Natural Market, 742 Cumberland St., Aug. 30. Pass. No violations.

Millcreek Township

Fort Zellers Elementary School, 243 North Sheridan Rd., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

North Cornwall Township

CVS, 2200 Cumberland St., Sept. 2. Pass. Evidence of mouse activity in rear area by the electrical service panels.

North Lebanon Township

Ebenezer Elementary School, 1600 Colonial Circle, Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

New Covenant Christian School, 452 Ebenezer Rd., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Union Canal Elementary School, 400 Narrows Dr., Aug. 31. Pass. No violations.

Wendys, 1490 East Lehman St., complaint, Aug. 30. Pass. No violations.

North Londonderry Township

Texas Roadhouse, 61 North Londonderry Sq., complaint, Sept. 2. Pass. Employee beverage containers stored above food and food-contact surfaces at the cook line and meat preparation walk-in cooler. Food employees in cook line and food preparation areas were not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers. Food and ware washing employee changed tasks that may have contaminated hands without a proper hand wash in between. Accumulation of static dust on the fan guards of the refrigeration units within the walk-in coolers. Mechanical dishwasher temperature booster not properly functioning. A temperature measuring device for measuring ware washing wash and sanitizing water temperatures is not available.

Palmyra Borough

Wendys, 743 East Main St., Aug. 30. Pass. Dark biofilm-like residue on the deflector plate in the ice machine, located across from the walk-in cooler and freezer. Leaking at the faucet of the preparation sink, located at the rear of the facility near the ware washing area.

South Lebanon Township

Cedar Crest High School, 115 East Evergreen Rd., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Cedar Crest Middle School, 101 East Evergreen Rd., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

South Lebanon Elementary School, 1825 South Fifth Ave., Sept. 2. Pass. No violations.

Orioles Home Association, 544 East Cumberland St., opening, Sept. 1. Pass. No violations.

West Cornwall Township

Mt. Gretna Hideaway, 40 Boulevard St., Sept. 2. Pass. Clean food equipment and utensils in dish area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining or air drying. Food employees in prep area, not wearing proper beard covers. Assorted food in the salad unit baine marie was at 48 to 51 degrees F, in the prep area, rather than 41 degrees F or below as required. Blended crab dip was processed and stored in a manner that would not allow for proper chilling. Assorted containers and utensils had food residue and were not clean to sight and touch.
When shes off the clock from running VegFest or Lancaster Farm Sanctuary (where she handles marketing and events), Courtney Kokus likes to keep current on the vegan happenings in Lancaster County, which she says continue to grow. Heres where Kokus likes to grab a plant-based nosh or treat for various occasions, mixed in with our notes and reporting.

Brunch

Lancaster city is home to several spots that do vegan brunch, or offer vegan-friendly menu items. Her picks include:

Root (223 W. Walnut St.) is 100% vegan and has rotating brunch specials, Kokus says. (She says the mimosas arent too bad, either.)

Rachels Cafe & Creperie (201 W. Walnut St.; 608 Richmond Drive, Manheim Township) is where Kokus goes for crepes (ask for the vegan batter); she has a soft spot for the curry-scented, hummus-filled Mediterranean crepe. Vegan mozzarella and chickn are among the build-your-own-crepe options.

On Orange (108 W. Orange St.), said Kokus, is where you can order your own short stack of vegan Swedish pancakes paired with vegan sausage. We also noted a baked oatmeal served with walnuts and dried fruit.

Prince Street Cafe (15 N. Prince St.), Kokus likes the amazing vegan southwest breakfast burrito, which includes the mung bean-based JUST Egg patty, vegan cheddar and black bean spread. Shes also partial to the plant butter croissant with Everything Bagel seasoning stuffed with a JUST patty and more of that vegan cheese.

Ice Cream

For local plant-based ice cream, Kokus heads to Sugar Whipped (77 E. Main St., Lititz), which has incredible vegan soft serve. Their flavors change every week and its always delicious.

Baked goods

Two spots for vegan treats top Kokus list:

You cant go wrong with Cinnaholic (1831 Oregon Pike), Kokus says. Everything they make is vegan, but they truly make the best cinnamon buns.

Word of the cashew cheese cheesecake from Norbu (38 N. Christian St.) is spreading so fast that owner Tenzin Norbu is no longer promoting it online. Norbus sister, Justine, is making the cashew cheese herself. The menu, an homage to Norbus Bhutanese and Nepalese roots, includes several vegan dishes.

Pizza

For a pizza pie, Kokus likes Espinos Pizza (323 W. Lemon St.), which offers Teese mozzarella (made from pea protein); they get extra points for delivery.

Kokus also gave a shoutout to The Fridge (534 N. Mulberry St.), for its vegan cheese flatbread option, but her perennial Fridge favorite is the edamame hummus with veggies.

Special occasion

Kokus has high marks for Zoetropolis (112 N. Water St.), which she says is one of her favorite go-to restaurants. They have an extensive vegan menu, Kokus says. My favorite dinner is the pairing the vegan Caesar salad with the socca-battered mushrooms.

Sandwiches

Kokus couldnt decide, so she heaped praise for three local sammies:

Its a tie between the tofu banh mi at Rice & Noodles (1238 Lititz Pike) and its sister restaurant Sprout (58 N. Prince St.) and the oyster mushroom poboy at Root, Kokus says. Also noteworthy at Root, she said, is the avocado Reuben.

Dining with kids

For an evening out with her two kids, Kokus dubs Decades (438 N. Queen St.) as our favorite family restaurant. In addition to the bowling alley and arcade, the menu leans vegan, said Kokus, which includes a Nashville hot chickn sandwich and crab cakes made from oyster mushrooms.
Emotions ran high Tuesday as Lancaster County school districts began adhering to the Pennsylvania Department of Healths order requiring all individuals wear masks in schools.

Some school districts saw protests from parents and heated debate at school board meetings packed with hundreds of passionate residents.

School officials across the county said the actual school day, though, went smoothly, for the most part, as the vast majority of students arrived at school with masks on and just a few students werent compliant. Among those who didnt arrive with a mask, some simply forgot one, and others had a valid medical exemption allowed under the state order.

There were some students who outright did not comply with the mask order. How those students were handled varied by school district. Some were lenient on enforcement Tuesday, as schools are still figuring out who has valid medical exemptions and who doesnt.

Others were more strict. Elizabethtown Area School District, for example, offered a mask to a student who came to school without one, but if that student declined to wear it, that student was sent to the office and picked up by a parent  or, if that wasnt possible, separated from classroom activities for the day  according to school district spokesperson Troy Portser.

Demonstrations

Elizabethtown Area was one of at least two school districts that saw demonstrations related to masks Tuesday morning, but school officials said they remained peaceful. About 40 people marched outside the high school chanting and holding signs, sharing their opinions on masking, Portser said. Other than that, he said, students went through the school day like any other typical day.

On Monday, mask protesters gathered at Elizabethtown Borough Community Park. Organizers urged parents who opposed the mask requirement to keep their kids out of school and enroll them in a cybercharter school. Portser said he was not aware of any significant impact on attendance.

At Solanco School District, a group of parents traveled to each school to make their voices on masking heard, Superintendent Brian Bliss said. Anywhere from 12 to 50 parents, some there to submit their mask exemption forms, visited each school, Bliss said.

A video posted to Facebook on Tuesday showed parents holding up signs outside of Providence Elementary School. Someone who was identified on social media as the principal came outside and asked the group to stay off school property. The person who posted the video told a reporter that he didnt want to be quoted in the newspaper.

There are a number of parents that are upset about the mask requirement, so we continue to search for productive dialogue, find common ground, Bliss said. Admittedly, the common ground is a bit challenging, but were talking with each parent we can. Were having conversations, hearing what they have to say.

The school mask orders timing aligns with a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Lancaster County.

As LNP | LancasterOnline reported Friday, the county averaged about 170 new cases per day and 64 COVID-19 patients in its hospitals last week.

Following a 13-day stretch in early August without a single COVID-19 death in Lancaster County, the month of August finished with 18 deaths. On Aug. 31, four people died of COVID-19. That marked the first time since April 22 that four people died of COVID-19 here in one day.

Crowded board meetings

Still, many Lancaster County parents are upset. One can look no further than the crowded school board meetings held Tuesday night to see that.

For instance, about 70 people attended the Hempfield school board meeting. About half of them were not wearing masks  including board member Dylan Bard.

The meeting started with an announcement from board President Mike Donato, saying the district, like all other county school districts, is compelled to follow the order. He said parents who oppose the order can contact their state legislator, Gov. Tom Wolf or the state Department of Health.

At least 17 residents spoke, with about half urging the school board to defy the order and keep the districts original mask-optional policy in place.

One of them was parent Stacy Hernandez, who said requiring masks is child abuse and implored the school board to act against the state, no matter the consequences.

Freedom is never free, and we would never have this country if our forefathers laid down like a lot of you are doing, she said. Whats it going to be? Stand up and hold up your oath, or sit down and cower?

Joelle Rajkowski expressed how proud she was of her daughter, who boldly walked into school without her mask.

She was inspiring others to stand up for their constitutional right to breathe fresh air, she said.

On the other side, there were several doctors advocating the benefits of masks and asking the board to adhere to the states mask order to prevent more children from being hospitalized with COVID-19 and potentially experiencing traumatic, long-term effects. Those supporting masks asked the board to keep childrens health and safety first, as they did last year by adhering to the state mask mandate.

Rational, science-based decisions may be unpopular nowadays, said Dr. Melissa Sasso, with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, but it is ultimately courageous.

Another doctor with LG Health, Dr. Heidi Kistler, compared wearing masks to wearing a seat belt. Its not comfortable or fun to wear a seat belt, she said, but people follow the law because they want to protect themselves, she said.

Ignoring the risk will only increase the risk, she said.

At Warwick, about 200 people attended a school board meeting Tuesday night. Two had to be removed by police. The majority of residents who addressed the board wanted masks to remain optional.

Motions to go against the states order were tabled until Sept. 16.

More than 100 Pequea Valley School District residents attended a standing-room-only meeting Tuesday night. About two-thirds wanted the district to keep masks optional.

 Correspondents Laura Knowles and Emily Jones contributed to this story.
BEIRUT (AP)  A number of Syrian refugees who returned home have been subjected to detention, disappearance and torture at the hands of Syrian security forces, proving that it still isn't safe to return to any part of the country, Amnesty International said Tuesday.

In a report entitled Youre going to your death, the rights group documented what it said were violations committed by Syrian intelligence officers against 66 returnees, including 13 children between mid-2017 and spring 2021. Among those were five cases in which detainees had died in custody after returning to the country torn by civil war, while the fate of 17 forcibly disappeared people remains unknown.

The report strongly counters claims by a number of states that parts of Syria were now safe to return to. It criticizes Denmark, Sweden and Turkey specifically for restricting protection and putting pressure on refugees from Syria to go home. It also criticizes Lebanon and Jordan, which have some of the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita.

In Lebanon and Turkey, where many refugees face dire living conditions and discrimination, governments have put increasing pressure on Syrians to return. Turkey has reportedly forcibly deported many Syrians in the last two years  expulsions that reflect rising anti-refugee sentiment in a country that once flung open its borders to millions of Syrians fleeing civil war.

Denmark earlier this year started revoking the residency permits of some Syrian refugees, arguing that the Syrian capital, Damascus, and neighboring regions were now safe. Citing similar reasons, in 2019 Sweden announced it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency, ending a policy that started in 2013.

Few experts agree with that assessment. While the security situation has stabilized in government-controlled areas and many parts of central Syria previously held by opposition rebels, forced conscription, indiscriminate detentions and forced disappearances continue to be reported. Entire neighborhoods are destroyed, and many people have no houses to return to. Basic services such as water and electricity are poor to nonexistent.

Any government claiming Syria is now safe is willfully ignoring the horrific reality on the ground, leaving refugees once again fearing for their lives, said Marie Forestier, researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International. She said that while military hostilities may have subsided in most parts of Syria, the Syrian governments propensity for egregious human rights violations has not.

The Syrian government and its chief international backer, Russia, have publicly called on refugees to return home and accused Western countries of discouraging it with claims that Syria is still unsafe.

In its report, Amnesty urged European governments to immediately halt any practice directly or indirectly forcing people to return home. It also called on neighboring countries Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, which host the bulk of the Syrian refugee population, to protect them from deportation or any other forcible return, in line with their international obligations.

It said Syrian authorities in some cases have targeted returnees to Syria simply for having fled, accusing them of treason or supporting terrorism.

The Syrian government routinely dismisses accusations of human rights abuses as lies.

The report documents serious violations committed by the Syrian government against refugees who returned to Syria from Lebanon, as well as from Rukban  an informal settlement between the Jordanian and Syrian borders  and also from France, Germany, Turkey, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates between mid-2017 and spring 2021. It was based on interviews with 41 Syrians, including returnees and their relatives and friends, as well as lawyers, humanitarian workers and Syria experts.

In some cases, the human rights violations included rape or other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary or unlawful detention, and torture or other ill-treatment, the report said.

Syrias 10-year war has killed about half a million people and forced about 5.6 million to flee abroad as refugees, mostly to neighboring countries.



This story was first published on September 7, 2021. It was updated on September 8, 2021 to correct that Sweden has said it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency.
THE ISSUE

Saturday will mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City, the Pentagon and Flight 93, which crashed into a field near Shanksville in southwestern Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died in those attacks, including Dennis Cook, 33, a 1986 Lancaster Catholic High School graduate and bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, which lost 658 of its employees at the World Trade Center. This weeks Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline news pages and Perspective section were filled with reflections about this tragic anniversary.

Everyone who was alive and old enough to understand what happened on 9/11 experienced that terrible September day differently.

But there are certain unassailable facts about that day, confirmed by the independent, bipartisan commission that investigated the terrorist attacks. Because weve been alarmed by the conspiracy theories that this weeks 20th anniversary has resurrected, well quote here directly from the 9/11 Commissions report: At 8:46 on the morning of September 11, 2001, the United States became a nation transformed.

An airliner traveling at hundreds of miles per hour and carrying some 10,000 gallons of jet fuel plowed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. At 9:03, a second airliner hit the South Tower. Fire and smoke billowed upward. Steel, glass, ash, and bodies fell below. The Twin Towers, where up to 50,000 people worked each day, both collapsed less than 90 minutes later.

At 9:37 that same morning, a third airliner slammed into the western face of the Pentagon. At 10:03, a fourth airliner crashed in a field in southern Pennsylvania. It had been aimed at the United States Capitol or the White House, and was forced down by heroic passengers armed with the knowledge that America was under attack.

More than 2,600 people died at the World Trade Center; 125 died at the Pentagon; 256 died on the four planes. The death toll surpassed that at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

This immeasurable pain was inflicted by 19 young Arabs acting at the behest of Islamist extremists headquartered in distant Afghanistan.

Those are the bare, proven facts of Sept. 11, 2001.

Could have been yesterday

What they dont tell us is that Dennis Cook had two little girls who grew up to attend his alma mater, Villanova University. Or that his mother, Judy, sees this anniversary as indistinguishable from any other.

Every year is the anniversary, Judy Cook told LNP | LancasterOnlines Dan Nephin. Its not like I forgot my son in between those years. I think of him every day. ... (For) me, it could have been yesterday.

The 9/11 Commission's report doesnt detail how Mark Hershey of Manor Township saw, as Nephin wrote, the fireball resulting from the first jetliner ripping into the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. from the vantage point of his tugboat, which was in dry dock on Staten Island. Or how he boarded another tugboat to help evacuate traumatized people from Manhattan.

It doesnt tell of the nine days that firefighter Gregory G. Noll, of Manor Township, spent at ground zero after the Sept. 11 attacks as a member of Pennsylvania Task Force 1, searching the rubble for bodies and body parts so they could be returned to grieving family members for burial.

It doesnt tell of how Nazli Hardy  then an immigrant graduate student and now an associate professor at Millersville University  learned how to be American on 9/11 from the people who shared their water with strangers while walking across a bridge connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn.

As a Muslim, she wrote Sunday, I felt anger that my faith was hijacked by terrorists who used the banner of Islam to unleash mass murder. Still Muslim but now also a proud American, she wrote of the particular brand of freedom that the terrorists tried, but failed, to kill on 9/11.

The memory of 9/11

Dennis B. Downey, professor emeritus of history at Millersville University, wrote in Sundays Perspective section that the events of that tragic, mournful day upset Americas sense of being in the world, and the memory haunts us still, two decades later. ... (That) otherwise bucolic morning created a terrifying moment of unequaled and unimagined dread and loathing.

That day, Downey wrote, redefined our nations global foreign policy and our system of governance, and it reshaped popular culture in fundamental ways.

To recall its terrifying moments is not easy, but the memory of 9/11 must not be allowed to fade. Downey cited the Holocaust survivor and writer Elie Wiesel, who said: For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. For not only are we responsible for the memories of the dead, we are also responsible for what we are doing with those memories.

So we laud teachers such as Penn Manor High Schools Todd Mealy, a historian and author who told LNP | LancasterOnlines Mike Andrelczyk that he attempts to convey the historical significance of 9/11 in a relatable way to his students. He believes that one of the duties of the school system is to ensure that students have the knowledge about what happened in the past.

McCaskey graduate Andrew Dixon served as a U.S. Army sergeant. He was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and served this nation from 2003 until his retirement in 2020.

Dixon told Andrelczyk that its important to remember 9/11  just as its important to remember Pearl Harbor and the 1921 massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a racist white mob killed hundreds of Black residents and destroyed businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs.

We have a whole history of America that we cant forget about, Dixon said.

We couldnt agree more.

Stepping up

David E. Wood, of Manheim Township, is a retired U.S. Army National Guard brigadier general who now works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. In the Sunday Perspective section, Wood recalled his first mission after 9/11 as a reservist: to fly then-Gov. Tom Ridge to the Flight 93 crash site on the field near Shanksville. He spent the rest of the week  one of the longest weeks of my military career  flying support sorties and deploying Guardsmen to both New York and Washington, D.C.

Later, Wood was deployed to Afghanistan, where he commanded a helicopter unit for 14 months.

We thank both Wood and Dixon, and all the U.S. military members who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. But Wood wants more than our gratitude.

He noted that our nation has been through a terrible time  the COVID-19 pandemic, a contentious presidential election that ended with an outrageous attack on the U.S. Capitol, the nations exit from Afghanistan and the killing of 13 members of the U.S. military as we rushed to depart Kabul, the return to power of the Taliban.

Wrote Wood: I believe now more than ever that our nations leadership needs to step up and work toward binding the wounds that fester across our land. ... More than ever, this years 9/11 remembrance must be about how we get back to becoming a resilient nation. How we move our country forward in the face of adversity and challenge.

We must work together, Wood wrote, to tackle the challenges of our time, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similarly, Benjamin Pontz, a Strasburg native and Fulbright postgraduate scholar, believes, as he wrote in Sundays Perspective section, that Americans need to work together to reclaim a sense of national purpose ... to form bonds with one another across race, class and political affiliation; and to do hard things together.

In his interview with Andrelczyk, Andrew Dixon recalled the unity among Americans after 9/11 and expressed the hope that we can come together to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. To be together we have to really be together, he said.

Can we work together? Must our enemies be external in order for us to unite? Will the kind of unity we saw after 9/11 continue to elude us? This seems as good a time as any to ponder those questions.
Archbishop Carl Bean has passed away

Funeral Services will be held at Unity Fellowship Church on Saturday September 18, 2021.

Archbishop Carl Bean, a pioneering AIDS activist, trailblazer in the LGBTQ Church movement, and international advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer persons, passed away on September 7. He was 77-years-old.

A charismatic figure who attracted legions of gay and straight supporters, Bean was well-known in Los Angeles for establishing Unity Fellowship Church of Christ (UFC) in 1982 and implementing the Minority AIDS Project (MAP) in 1985, which was the first organization of its kind started during a period when the disease was relatively new.

Unity Fellowship, often noted as the first Black church for LGBTQ persons, has grown to more than 17 affiliates in the U.S. and the Caribbean. MAP, which still operates in South L.A. serving more 1,500 people a year, offers prevention, care and treatment services for low-income African American and Latino individuals at a high risk or living with the HIV/AIDS virus.

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Bean initially launched MAP with a group of volunteers meeting at a friends house and visiting local pantries to secure food for suffering individuals and families. Thanks to his winning personality, many influential Angelenos were persuaded to assist Bean, such as Danny Bakewell, Sr., former president and current chairman of the board of the Brotherhood Crusade, and the late Brenda Marsh-Mitchell, his executive assistant and then-president of Mothers In Action.

I will never forget going to the Brotherhood Crusades offices on Slauson and asking for a meeting with Mr. Bakewell, recalled Bean in his later years. Mr. Bakewells door was open a little and he heard me mention the words HIV and AIDS and he came out and told Brenda to let me in. Brenda told me then and there, it must have divine intervention and Gods will because its not everyday people walk in off the street and get a meeting with Mr. Bakewell.

Read Related: Wesson Dedicates Archbishop Carl Bean Square

Sharing his recollection of the encounter, Bakewell said, Archbishop Carl Bean came into my office and was the first person to explain to me that AIDS was not a White gay mans disease and that Black people were dying everyday from this dreaded disease.

He told me how we needed to open an Black AIDS Clinic to serve our community and our people and the Brotherhood Crusade was one of the first contributors to Dr. Bean and the Minority AIDS Project.

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Many years later, we now understand how right he was and how his leadership saved thousands, if not millions of lives, within our community. Dr. Bean was a pioneer in bringing to light the devastation of this disease in our community and I am proud that early on The Brotherhood Crusade was able to play a significant role in bringing Dr. Beans vision to our community, stated Bakewell.

Beans visionary leadership deeply affected journalist and social justice activist Jasmyne Cannick, who described the archbishop as a hero and a living legend in her comments about his legacy.

Carl Bean used his life to save the lives of others. He did that through his music, through the words in the books he wrote, through his preaching, and through the founding of an organization intent on making the world value the lives of Black men and women living with HIV and AIDS, she noted.

The world is a better place for us all because of the work and love of Carl Bean but it is especially better for Black same-gender-loving and LGBTQ people. So many of us have benefited from the activism Bean and elders in his generation engaged in on our behalf so that we could be who we are today.

He was a living legend and he was one of our heroes. I am grateful to have been lucky enough and more importantly smart enough to know and learn from him through the years. I am because of people like him. Pops was always supportive of me and always sending me messages of encouragement. He will be missed, but not forgotten, insisted Cannick.

Retired Congresswoman Diane Watson was another ally of Bean and aided him with obtaining HIV/AIDS services. Remembering their relationship, she said two years ago, I worked with Carl Bean and I knew that he could put together a program that would make people knowledgeable and avoid shunning against people who were diagnosed. Carl Bean was the coordinator, the inspiration and the person who could bring the community together regardless of the presumption in the street. I thank the Lord for Carl Bean.

Bean made such an impression on L.A. City Council President Emeritus Herb J. Wesson, that the councilmember designated the intersection of Jefferson Blvd. and Sycamore Ave. in South Los Angeles as Archbishop Carl Bean Square. During the street ceremony in 2019, Wesson said he knew Bean since 1982 and the minister was a determined man who developed MAP into a national movement.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Bean was born in May 1944. Raised in the church, he had a special affinity for music and sang in a melodious voice throughout his life. Bean was also involved with the NAACP youth program and learned about civil rights activism as a teen.

While Bean had accepted his sexuality as a youngster, his family and friends were not so understanding, leading Bean to hide his desires until he was outed by an acquaintance at 14-years-old. The episode led to his intense depression and forced hospitalization before he began to heal and was released.

At the age of 16, he relocated to New York City to pursue a gospel singing career. Over the next decade or so, Bean sang with several ensembles, acted in religious theatrical plays, and performed in several musical productions including Langston Hughes Black Nativity and Vinette Carrolls Dont Bother Me, I Cant Cope.

Bean moved to Los Angeles in 1972 and formed a gospel group called Carl Bean and Universal Love. After some Motown producers heard him singing, Bean was signed up to sing I Was Born This Way by Bunny Jones.

In a biography, author Mark Bowman wrote about Bean, The experience of recording this gay anthem in 1977 affirmed and illumined his call to ministry. The song received widespread playmoving up to #14 on the Billboard charts. He was finally able to publicly affirm being gay as a God-given gift.

Later, Bean began his ministerial studies at Samaritan College and was ordained in 1982 by Archbishop William Morris ONeill of the Christian Tabernacle Church. He founded Unity Fellowship of Christ Church and advertised his ministry in the L.A. Sentinel as a Bible study for gays and lesbians.

The fellowship grew in size and eventually the congregation bought a warehouse on West Jefferson Blvd., which became the mother church of Unity Fellowship. The church continues to minister to the LGBTQ community and also operates MAP on the campus.

In 2010, Bean published his autobiography, I Was Born This Way: A Gay Preachers Journey Through Gospel Music, Disco Stardom and a Ministry in Christ. In a chapter titled Grace and Mercy, Bean wrote, As I look back over this journey starting with my innocent days as a little boy running the streets of Baltimore, I see how love sustained me. Love from my biological mother, my grandmother, my godparents, friends, preacherslove born of a need for connectionto feel worth and wanted.

His celebration of life services are pending as of press time.

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European Union scientists have reported the continents warmest summer on record this year.

Measurements by the EUs Copernicus satellite system showed the average surface temperatures from June to August were about 1 degree Celsius higher than the 1991-2020 average.

Temperatures across Europe were also 0.1 degree Celsius warmer than the past warmest summers on record, in 2010 and 2018.

The 2021 summer temperature record marks the latest development in a long-term worldwide warming trend. Scientists have linked climate change on the planet to pollution emissions related to human activities.

The Copernicus observation program has been keeping temperature records since 1950. But its records are compared with other data going back to the mid-19th century.

The organization said that around the world, August 2021 tied for the third-warmest month on record. Temperatures in August were just over 0.3 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1991 to 2020 average, it reported.

In Europe, the data showed that August 2021 was near the 1991 to 2020 average. There were record-breaking high temperatures in Mediterranean countries, warmer-than-average weather in the east and generally below-average temperatures in the north.

Earlier on Tuesday, a group of environmental groups called for a postponement of a major United Nations Climate Change Conference because of the continuing COVID-19 crisis.

The COP26 conference, which was already delayed for a year, is set to open in early November in Glasgow, Scotland.

But the Climate Action Network, CAN, said it is concerned that many delegates from around the world may not be able to attend because of travel restrictions. In addition, many countries are struggling to control COVID-19 case numbers. Some countries are having difficulties getting vaccines, the group said.

Our concern is that those countries most deeply affected by the climate crisis and those countries suffering from the lack of support by rich nations in providing vaccines will be left out of the talks the CANs director, Tasneem Essop said in a statement.

The British government, which is holding the event, rejected calls for a postponement. It said the latest Copernicus report results demonstrate the urgency for leaders to deal with climate change issues.

COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma noted that while the conference had been delayed a year because of the pandemic, climate change has not taken time off.

Sharma added that conference organizers were working tirelessly with its partners and the Scottish government to ensure an inclusive, accessible and safe meeting in Glasgow.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters and The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

trend  n. the general direction in which something appears to be moving

emission  n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source

outbreak  n. a sudden start or increase in disease

accessible  adj. easy to find or reach

ensure  v. make sure something happens


A complex and costly flood prevention system helped protect New Orleans when Hurricane Ida hit the Louisiana city last week. Barriers, or seawalls, pumps and other controls blocked major flooding as the sea level rose sharply during the powerful storm.

But something else helped keep the water out of the city: the areas coastal wetlands. These expanses of earth are covered in shallow water most or all of the time. Many kinds of animals, grasses and other plants make up the ecosystem. The Louisiana wetlands slowed, redirected and helped contain the flow Ida that pushed in from the Gulf of Mexico.

There is always a benefit by having these wetlands between you and the storm, said Gerald Galloway. He is a former engineering professor and an expert on flood risks. He has served as an advisor to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The wetlands had been shrinking for many years in Louisiana. The state launched a major effort to renew the area and barrier islands after the disastrous hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005.

How do natural barriers protect against storms?

The plants and uneven ground of wetlands are part of the strong storm resistance the ecosystem provides. These elements slow and weaken the water and winds as the storm moves inland toward people and property.

Hugh J. Roberts is chief operating officer at the Water Institute of the Gulf, an environmental research group. He said wetlands help with storm protection because they are dissipating energy. In other words, wetlands help absorb the storms energy.

What about big storms like Ida?

Wetlands are generally most effective at lessening the harm from small to moderate surges of ocean water, said Ed Link. He is a researcher at the University of Maryland. He also was the leader of an examination of New Orleans storm protections after Hurricane Katrina.

With bigger storms like Ida, the protection the wetlands can offer may be more limited. Once the wetlands are full of water, they lose their ability to slow down waves. Storms can more easily travel over them, Link said.

Still, experts say natural barriers offer one more line of defense even with major storms and they can make a difference.

How is the state improving natural defenses?

Louisiana has been spending large amounts of money to restore its natural barriers to help protect against storms. Since 2007, the state has created or restored around 197 square kilometers of marshland and 97 kilometers of barrier island. Marshland is a kind of soft wetland.

The states most recent coastal protection and restoration plan includes several projects that build or protect more than 2,072 square kilometers of land. The total cost of such work is estimated to be $50 billion. But the projects are expected to prevent more than $150 billion in damage over the next 50 years.

Is the restoration working?

Even with such efforts, the states restoration work cannot keep up with its land losses.

Louisiana has been losing land since at least the 1930s. Flood control measures along the Mississippi River stopped the natural process that left materials from the river in the delta  the low-lying land next to the river. In 2012, state officials predicted their restoration work would someday stop the problem. Five years later, they were no longer making that prediction.

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority now says the restoration is simply slowing down the land loss.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor

**The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is fully responsible for all reporting.

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Words in This Story

shallow - adj. having a small distance to the bottom from the surface or highest point

absorb - v. to take in (something, such as a liquid) in a natural or gradual way

restore - v. to bring (someone) back to an earlier and better condition; to return (something) to an earlier or original condition by repairing it, cleaning it
The Taliban on Tuesday announced an interim Cabinet that placed longtime members of the group in top jobs. Many had led the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition and the Afghan government.

Interim Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund headed the Taliban government in Kabul during the last years of its rule. Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, will be the interior minister. The U.S. State Department considers the Haqqani network a terrorist organization.

It is not known what position in the government Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada will take.

There was no evidence of non-Taliban in the new interim government. That is a main demand of the international community.

A Taliban spokesman made the announcement. He did not say how long the interim government would serve.

So far, the Taliban have not shown any desire to hold elections.

The spokesmans announcement came hours after Taliban members fired into the air to force protestors in Kabul to break up. They also arrested several reporters. It was the second time in less than one week that the Taliban used such measures to break up a demonstration in the Afghan capital.

The demonstrators had gathered outside the Embassy of Pakistan to accuse the country of aiding the Talibans attack on the Panjshir area. The Taliban said Monday they had captured the area.

Afghanistans former government had often accused Pakistan of aiding the Taliban, which Pakistan denied.

Many women were among the protesters Tuesday. Some of them carried signs that denounced Pakistan.

On Saturday, Taliban special forces fired their weapons into the air to end a protest march in the Kabul by Afghan women demanding equal rights.

The Taliban again moved quickly to end Tuesdays protest when it arrived near the presidential home. They fired their weapons into the air and arrested several reporters covering the demonstration. In one case, the Taliban beat a reporter and then arrested him. He was detained for several hours.

This is the third time I have been beaten by the Taliban covering protests, he told The Associated Press on condition he not be named. I wont go again to cover a demonstration. Its too difficult for me, he added.

A reporter from Afghanistans popular TOLO News was detained for three hours by the Taliban before being freed along with his equipment and the video of the demonstration.

People waiting to leave the country

In the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, four airplanes being used to move about 2,000 fleeing Afghans were still at the airport.

Mawlawi Abdullah Mansour is the Taliban official overseeing the citys airport. He said only people with valid travel documents will be permitted to leave the country.

Most of the passengers are believed to be Afghans without correct travel documents.

Taliban members say they are trying to find out who among the estimated 2,000 people have valid travel documents.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Qatar on Tuesday that the Taliban had promised safe passage for all seeking to leave Afghanistan with valid travel documents.

He said the United States would hold the Taliban to that promise.

Its my understanding that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, but they have said those without valid documents, at this point, cant leave, he said.

He added: Because all of these people are grouped together, thats meant that flights have not been allowed to go.

The State Department is also working with the Taliban to permit additional airplane flights from Kabul for people seeking to leave Afghanistan, Blinken said.

Im Jonathan Evans.

The Associated Press and the Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

interim adj. not permanent; for a limited time

valid adj. acceptable under the law

allow v. to permit; to consider or treat as acceptable

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.


A Texas law took effect last week that bans most abortions, a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy. The law says abortions may not take place if the doctor can hear or see the fetuss heart activity. That is usually possible by about six weeks into a pregnancy. Most women do not even know they are pregnant within that time period.

Even before the restrictive measure took effect, abortion providers in neighboring states were receiving more calls than usual from women asking for help.

An Oklahoma clinic had received more than two times its number of calls, two-thirds of them from Texas. A Kansas clinic is expecting a patient increase of up to 40 percent based on calls from women in Texas. A Colorado clinic had already started seeing more patients from other states, so it increased its supplies and hired additional employees before the Texas law took effect.

Anna Rupani is co-director of Fund Texas Choice, a nonprofit that helps pay travel costs and more for patients seeking out-of-state abortions. "There's real panic about how are they going to get an abortion within six weeks," she said. "There's this fear that if I can't get it done in six weeks, I may not be able to get it done because I may not be able to leave my job or my family for more than a day."

Fund Texas Choice already has seen more women reaching out for help. The group usually gets about 10 new cases per week. But, it took calls for ten cases on Wednesday alone, when the new law took effect.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott banned abortions in March 2020 for about one month under a COVID-19 emergency order. One woman, Miranda, found out she was pregnant just as that order ended. She and her partner had lost their jobs in San Antonio during the pandemic. She said, "The last thing I wanted to do was be pregnant." She spoke about her experience on the condition that only her first name be reported.

Fund Texas Choice and the Lilith Fund, another group that offers patients financial assistance for abortion costs helped Miranda find treatment in Dallas, a five-hour drive away. The groups helped pay for her transportation, overnight stay and other costs.

"It's so comforting because it's like someone saying, 'We got you. Let's take care of this together,'" Miranda said.

Such aid will be even more critical for those seeking treatment under the new ban.

The Trust Women Foundation is a reproductive health justice group seeking expanded access to abortion. Their centers in Kansas and Oklahoma have set up more than their usual number of appointments in recent days.

Rebecca Tong, co-executive director of Trust Women Oklahoma City, said, "Oklahoma has just barely enough clinics for the amount of people here. If anyone is thinking, 'Oh, they can just go out of state, it'll be so easy,' a lot of clinics in the Midwest and South, we don't do abortion care five days a week."

Women who cannot travel or are fearful because they are undocumented immigrants might turn to abortion drugs, said Diana Gomez of the nonprofit media group Progress Texas. Several Republican-led states have passed laws making it harder to get such medicine. Texas is considering similar restrictions.

They are going to have to go underground and find alternative means in our state, Gomez said.

On Monday, American Attorney General Merrick Garland said the federal government will work to protect women who want an abortion in the state. The attorney general is the top U.S. law-enforcement official.

Im Dan Friedell.

Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

advocate - n. a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy

panic  n. a state or feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally

clinic - n. a place where people get medical help

access - n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone

alternative  adj. (always used before a noun) offering or expressing a choice

What do you think of the new law in Texas? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
American states that ban face coverings in schools may be discriminating against students with disabilities, U.S. Department of Education officials say.

The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has opened investigations into five states that ban face coverings, or masks. The states are Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

Suzanne Goldberg is the departments assistant secretary for civil rights. She informed the states of the investigation, saying that they could be in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. The 1990 law bans discrimination against people with disabilities and requires that children with disabilities receive a fair education.

Goldberg said in a letter that the investigation will focus on whether  students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are prevented from safely returning to in-person education, in violation of Federal law.

Uneven requirements among the states

The administration of President Joe Biden has said it would fight back against efforts by Republican state lawmakers to prevent mask mandates in schools. Those against the requirements say it is a matter of personal freedom. They argue that it should be up to parents and individuals to decide.

In the state of Tennessee, Republican Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order on August 16 letting parents opt out of any requirement that children wear masks in school. Two legal actions have since been filed against the order including one saying that it violates the ADA.

Four other states, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, have also passed laws or signed executive orders banning mask mandates in schools. But the states are not currently under investigation because court orders have blocked the bans.

In Florida, a court ruled on August 27 that school systems may go against the governors order and require students to wear masks. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said that wearing masks should be up to parents, and not the government. He has also suggested that wearing masks hurts kids ability to learn and communicate. The Florida Department of Education said they would appeal the courts ruling.

Sara Lee is a mother of two 10-year-old children attending school in Floridas Leon County. She said her children do not mind wearing masks at all.

In fact, I pick them up and Im like, You can take your mask off now,  Lee said.

A question of health or politics

Dr. Rochelle Walensky is director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. At a briefing on COVID-19 on July 27, she told reporters, Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with proper prevention strategy in place.

Walensky recommended that all students, teachers, workers and visitors wear a mask in schools. The recommendation is in effect for both unvaccinated and vaccinated people.

A recent CDC study says since the health agency updated its guidelines on mask-wearing, parents have gotten more worried about schools opening up in person. Before July 27, 58 percent of parents asked said they wanted their children attending school in person full time. But after the new guidance, that number fell to 43 percent.

Meanwhile, COVID infections among children have increased by five times over the past month, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children under 12 are currently unable to get COVID vaccinations. And children with certain disabilities and health problems are at greater risk of severe coronavirus infection and death.

Vaccine makers Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna say they are developing a vaccine safe for children aged 5 to 11.

A school system in Texas closed recently until after the Labor Day holiday when two of its teachers died of COVID-19.

Robin Lake is the director of the Center for Reinventing Public Education. The organization has researched schools reopening plans and coronavirus prevention policies.

Our school systems should have had strong safety and quarantine plans in place months ago, Lake said on Twitter. Anyone watching the science should have known fall reopening was going to be very difficult.

Miguel Cardona is the U.S. Secretary of Education. He said in a statement that it is simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor.

Quiz-US Opens Investigation into School Mask Bans Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

disability  n. a condition (such as an illness or an injury) that damages or limits a person's physical or mental abilities

heighten  v. to increase the amount, degree, or extent of (something)

mandate  n. an official order to do something

opt  v. to choose one thing instead of another 

quarantine  n. the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading

oath  n. a formal and serious promise to tell the truth or to do something
Waverly principal Melanie Casprowiak greeted students outside and helped direct them to their classrooms. She said the school held an ice cream social last week, which allowed her to get to know some students before the chaos of the first day. There are about 260 students enrolled at Waverly, and Casprowiak expects about twenty more to join.

Today Im reading a picture book to the little ones about how everyones name is special, she said. I have a chapter book for the older ones.

Casprowiak said that both parents and children are excited to be back on campus after such a long time away from the school community. In order to make in-person learning work, though, kids must wear masks on the sidewalks outside of school and while theyre in the classroom.

Alison Fletcher, who is starting third grade, had a clip-on hand sanitizer attached to her backpack in preparation for the increased handwashing/sanitizing that kids are well accustomed to at this point. For many, these hand sanitizer cases and face coverings are just another way to show their personality in the first day of school outfit.

Tuesday was the first day of school in Greater Albany Public Schools for first- through sixth- graders, seventh- and eighth-graders at Timber Ridge Middle School and all high school freshmen. Wednesday was the first day for everyone else except for kindergarten, which starts Monday.

Joanna Mann covers education for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6076 or Joanna.Mann@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @joanna_mann_.

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Jacob Oliva, public schools chancellor at the state Department of Education, said in a notice last week to local superintendents that enforcement must cease if the stay is lifted. That includes the effort to dock salaries of school board members or impose other financial penalties.

The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. DeSantis said at an appearance Wednesday in Palm Harbor that he is confident the state will prevail. The matter could ultimately be decided by the Florida Supreme Court.

The core of the governor's argument is that the recently passed Parents Bill of Rights gives decision-making authority to parents on whether their children should wear a mask to school.

What weve found is in the trial courts in Tallahassee, state and federal, we typically lose if theres a political component to it, but then in the appeals court we almost always win," the governor said.

Cooper seemed to go out of his way to point out that he has frequently ruled in favor of Florida governors in the past, including cases involving GOP Govs. Jeb Bush and Rick Scott. Cooper has been a Leon County circuit judge since he was first elected in 2002.
Episode 20: Richard Kyte and Scott Rada also discuss whether its OK to treat those who have not been vaccinated differently, and they debate the ethics of gambling.
If Reclaim Idaho was looking for a pair of foils to help promote its education funding initiative, the group could hardly do any better than the Republicans heading up education committees in the House and Senate.
I wholeheartedly support it.

I don't like it, but it's become necessary to fight the coronavirus.

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I disagree with it and refuse to be vaccinated.

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An archeologist Tuesday testified about her findings at two excavated sites, including one which contained an odd stain, during searches for Kristin Smart's remains at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores in March and April.

Cindy Arrington and her colleague Phil Hanes were hired by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office to conduct searches using ground-penetrating radar for possible burial plots on the property, during warrants executed on Flores home in the 700 block of White Court.

In one of the holes that were dug, Arrington described a lack of consistency in the sandy soil and a bathtub ring along the side of the wall, which she said was a good indication of a human burial site and that its contents was later removed.

When youre looking for human remains, one of the first things you want to look for is staining, Arrington said, adding that the dark stain did not match the surrounding soil. I did not say eureka!, a-ha! but as an archeologist, its indicative of human decomposition.

+4 Kristin Smart: K-9 handlers, forensic specialist testify on 2021 Arroyo Grande searches A forensic specialist and two K-9 handlers testified in court Thursday on details of their searches that occurred earlier this year under the deck of an Arroyo Grande home, where San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office investigators dug for evidence of missing 19-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.

The searches included two cadaver dogs that exhibited changes in behavior but no confirmed alerts on the same strips of land under the deck.

Search warrants were also executed at the same time on the San Pedro home of Paul Flores, who is accused of killing Smart, the 19-year-old Cal Poly freshman who went missing on May 25, 1996.

Smart was last seen with Paul Flores near the intersection of Perimeter Road and Grande Avenue, just steps away from their dorms, at about 2 a.m., according to witness Cheryl Manzer, who walked with them from a party before splitting off from the pair.

Paul Flores, 44, is charged with Smart's murder. His 80-year-old father, Ruben Flores, is charged with accessory to murder after the fact and is accused of hiding her body.

Both were arrested and charged in April. They have pleaded not guilty.

Arrington and Hanes took the stand Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores, which began on Aug. 2.

They both work for Sacramento-based Natural Investigations Company, which was hired by the Sheriffs Office to conduct searches on March 15 and 16, 2021. Both indicated recent successes with law enforcement in other cases.

Hanes, who specializes in the practice of remote sensing using ground-penetrating radar, was the first witness called by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle to describe the search using his equipment.

Hanes described the GPR as an emerging technology thats used to detect voids in soil and was used to conduct nearly a dozen grid searches on the property, including Grid 1 and Grid 3 underneath the deck, which revealed anomalies in the soil.

He added that further investigation, or a process called ground truthing that includes digging, was needed to explain what those anomalies were.

Using data taken from a 4-feet by 6-feet plot in a space hardly tall enough for a human being to stand, Hanes mapped a 3-D model of the site showing a blue blob extending several feet down, indicating the anomaly, that was encapsulated by white space, which was the surrounding soil.

Next, Peuvrelle displayed a time slice graphic model of the data from Hanes' radar search on the strip under the deck that showed heavy shades of orange and some yellow in one spot at the end of the graph, although most of the graphs color was blue.

We dont know what is buried there until we dig, Hanes said. [The] anomaly could be air introduced into the soil. There could be any number of specific reasons.

After Hanes, Arrington testified about her follow-up digs of the anomalies.

Arrington, who is a registered professional archeologist, said grids 1 and 3 were the only grid searches that showed a clear subsurface disturbance.

Grid 3, which contained a 4-feet by 5-feet, and 3-foot-deep anomaly and was located under the deck in a spot facing the southeast, did not show any signs of human decomposition, according to Arrington.

Arrington testified that Grid 1 lacked the layered characteristics of soil that had been undisturbed and had dark stains showing something was there," which had leaked fluid and was later removed. She added no bones, hair or other human body parts were located at the site.

After Sheriffs officials alerted Arrington to the soil stains approximately one-and-a-half feet to two feet down, Arrington said she sampled the darkest stain on the downward portion of the sloped area, where she believed the liquid pooled.

Soil samples taken from the site indicated human blood, although DNA could not be extracted, according to court documents filed by Peuvrelle.

But Arrington said the stains could also indicate decomposition fluid. She testified that although she is not an expert in human decomposition, she learned from past work with a scientist at the Forensic Anthropology Center in Tennessee, also called "the body farm," that the skeletalization process could take up to decades depending on soil conditions.

Arrington, who found evidence of Native Americans at the 2002 archeological dig at Yerba Buena Island, said decomposition stains can remain for thousands of years.

Bob Sanger, Paul Flores attorney, asked how the stained soil could be intact after it was excavated. Arrington responded by saying the stain along the wall of the site remained consistent, but not as they kept digging deeper.

The preliminary hearing continues at 9 a.m. on Wednesday in Superior Court.
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Lufkin EDC approves $100,000 grant for Angelina County Airport

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News The Lufkin City Council is scheduled to vote Sept. 21 on a proposed grant from the Lufkin Economic Development Corporation 4B board to the Angelina County Airport. SAMFORD

The Lufkin Economic Development Corporation 4B Board on Tuesday approved a $100,000 grant the Angelina County Airport will use to build a new taxiway.

This recommendation will be taken before the Lufkin City Council on Sept. 21, Lufkin EDC director Bob Samford said.

Theyre going to build a new taxiway that will provide additional hangars, Samford said. Theyve run out of space at the existing airport.

This money will help to fund an existing taxiway project Angelina County Commissioners approved at a meeting this summer, airport manager Gary Letney said.

We sure do appreciate (the Lufkin EDC) getting involved in (the project), he said. We have four people who have already signed letters of interest to build on that taxiway.

The four are interested in building hangars on the taxiway, something that hasnt been an option because the airport has been full. Each hangar will likely cost in the neighborhood of a quarter-million dollars, Letney said.

We can probably turn an extra $7 million or $8 million on economic output by these people building hangars, Letney said.

Airport operations support local economic development as it is one of the first places businesses looking to build in Lufkin see. An Economic Impact Study by Texas Aviation in 2018 indicated the airport had a $26 million impact on the local economy.

Every day, Samford said. And its not just new companies.  so many of these executives that we dont know about want to be able to come into our city, take care of their business and then go about their daily lives.

The airport was named Most Improved by the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation for improvements made in 2018 and has received numerous grants to encourage development. This latest grant is a new type of initiative for the Lufkin EDC, Samford said.

What wed like to do is make a better connection to the improvements in how we can help sustain and grow the airport, thereby increasing the number of jobs in Lufkin because of the availability of corporate air travel into our community, he said.

This funding will help support and maintain jobs currently at the airport, and Samford hopes it will contribute to the expansion of services at the airport.

Without rain, the airport hopes construction on the project will begin in early October. The county is currently attempting to place drainage pipes, which have been delayed because of a supply shortage, he said.

The airports game fence project  to prevent wildlife from entering the taxiways  is almost ready to go, as well. It will be about six weeks before that project starts, Letney said.

Samford drew comparisons between the airport grant and the Lufkin Forward project, saying they were similar because they were new and because they would help the overall growth of the community. While neither contributes directly to the creation of new jobs, they are both vital to enticing new businesses to look at Lufkin more seriously, Samford said.

This is another very innovative step the 4B is taking where we see an area where we havent done things in the past but we need to, he said. In order for us to continue to grow and to be a city where we grow long-term, generational jobs, its important we look at every aspect of economic development.
Bob Herbert, who was a renowned  and my personal favorite  columnist for nearly 20 years with the New York Times before he retired in 2011, was in Madison the year before to deliver the annual UW Law School lecture named for our late 2nd District Rep. Bob Kastenmeier.

It was a powerful lecture, some 10 years into the Afghan and Iraqi wars. He suggested that most Americans can't point out on a map where Iraq and Afghanistan are, nor can the country explain what it is we're fighting for.

Yet we continue these wars because so few Americans have a stake in them, he declared. There's no sense of a shared responsibility like we had during World War II.

"It's time to bring this tragic madness to an end," he said in that lecture, a full 11 years ago.

As I wrote in a column on Herbert's talk, he made it clear, as did Strassburg's letter, that if we go to war, everyone needs to sacrifice. Otherwise we can avert our eyes (or limit ourselves to standing and clapping at a sporting event while a military member is introduced) and let someone else do the suffering. Those brave men and women who are carrying the load are the ones suffering society's injustice, he added.
If the Line 3 replacement is completed, it will double the carrying capacity of the current line by initially carrying about 760,000 barrels of crude oil per day across Northern Minnesota from Canada to Superior, Wisconsin. This expansion would be disastrous for the fight against climate change as it would add 193 million tons of CO2 into our atmosphere, which is more than the entire state of Minnesota currently emits and is equivalent to adding 50 new coal power plants or 38 million new vehicles to the road, says the Sierra Club. The pipeline would also cross over 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi River twice. This puts watersheds and affected regions at risk during construction and at risk of spill if it is completed as Enbridge has had over 800 spills in the last 15 years. Some of these affected areas are territories where Ojibwe tribal members have protected property rights backed by treaties. The dangers of a new pipeline violates these treaties and threatens the Anishinaabegs culture and way of life.
You forget your restaurant is creating memories in peoples lives, Chris Marsicano said. A lot of people are sad to see us go, and they got a lot of good memories.

Dave Marsicano said besides the fish fry, the supper club also has been known for its ribs, prime rib and pasta.

It use to be steaks and chops and stuff like that, but we brought in a lot of new items, Dave Marsicano said. Since we announced we are selling, the prime rib has been flying out the door, because people say, I got to get the prime rib one more time.

Chris Marsicano said customers also have enjoyed the view of Delavan Lake, which can be seen from the back of the supper club.

The view has drawn them in over the years, Chris Marsicano said. They enjoy the food and they enjoy the socialization with the staff.

Challenges during the past year

Chris Marsicano said operating the supper club during the past year has been difficult with regulations that have been placed on dining establishments because of the coronavirus.

The government has made it harder to run your business with all the different regulations and rules that have come into play, he said.
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Prominent Afghan political figures who stayed behind say they had expected to meet with Taliban political leaders the following day to continue negotiations.



WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the country since Aug. 17 from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation formally known as Operation Allies Welcome.

DHS said in the latest updated released Wednesday that 17% of those arrivals are U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were in Afghanistan when the government there fell to the Taliban.

The remaining 83% are a mix of people. They include those with Special Immigrant Visas, for people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. or NATO. There are also other visa holders as well as applicants for visas who have not yet completed their processing. The remainder are various types of vulnerable Afghans who would be threatened under the Taliban, such as women and human rights advocates.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says a small number of evacuees have been prevented from entering the U.S. through multi-layered security vetting but he declines to provide specific numbers of provide details about the cases.


When coronavirus patients flooded hospitals in November and December, nurse Jackie Rehberg worked the COVID-19 unit at SSM Health St. Marys Hospital in Madison even as she was concerned about her own health because she was pregnant.

As she went on maternity leave in May, shortly after vaccines became widely available, cases and hospitalizations plummeted. By the time she returned last month, a surge fueled by the delta variant was underway. Her 12-hour shifts, the protective clothing she must wear and the uncertain fate of her patients remain the same, but this wave feels different.

Before, there was a lot more fear, Rehberg said. This time its more frustrating. At times, it can feel really infuriating because there is a vaccine out there that can help prevent some of the severe illness that were seeing.

Wisconsin topped 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations this week for the first time since early January, up from 74 patients with coronavirus infections in hospitals in early July. Amid staffing shortages and depleted patience, health care workers are exerting themselves with familiar routines, this time in disbelief.

Theres a real sense of anger at this COVID surge, said Dr. Doug Hobson, a palliative care specialist at St. Marys. The idea that there are members of our community who will not do the bare minimum to protect themselves  but also to protect their friends, loved ones and neighbors  is so hard to understand.

Statewide, as of Wednesday, 1,039 patients were in hospitals with COVID-19, nearly a third of them in intensive care, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. More than 91% of the states ICU beds were in use, the state Department of Health Services said.

Dane County had 88 COVID-19 hospitalizations, including 28 in intensive care and many transfers from other counties. Thats the highest level since late January and about five times the tally from two months ago, though well below the countys peak of 179 hospitalizations in mid-November.

About 70,000 doses of vaccine were given in the state each of the past two weeks, the most since mid-June. Still, only 52% of residents are fully vaccinated, well below the herd immunity level of 80% or so that health officials say can prevent outbreaks. The figure in Dane County is 69.7%, the highest rate in the state.

Staff burnout

On Tuesday, when a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and photographer visited St. Marys COVID-19 unit, nurse Alex Finch and respiratory therapist Kristie Reilly were in the ICU, which had eight coronavirus patients, all of them on ventilators to help them breathe. The hospital had a total of 20 COVID-19 patients, 15 of them not fully vaccinated. The five who were fully vaccinated are age 65 or older.

Finch typically works 12-hour shifts three days a week, but lately shes been doing that four or five days a week or logging 16 hours at a time. Even on days off, as she walks her dog or reads a book, she cant stop thinking about her unit, which she said is perpetually short staffed.

The whole time, in my head, I think, I should be at work, I should be helping, she said. A day of rest isnt really a day of healing. You feel so guilty.

The capricious nature of COVID-19 takes an emotional toll, as patients can decline rapidly with little warning.

Youll see somebody get better and better, and then youll be off for a day or two and come back and learn, Oh, they died, Finch said. Theres someone else in that room and were starting the fight all over again.

Among co-workers, mental health challenges are mounting. Many of them are seeking grief counseling, she said. Many have started on anti-depressants. A few have been having panic attacks, at work.

Reilly also does 12-hour shifts, moving from the COVID ICU to the regular COVID floor or wherever a respiratory therapist is needed. Each time, she has to put on and take off gloves, a gown and a face shield. She and the others also wear two face masks, including an N95, and caps on their heads.

On Tuesday, for lunch, Reilly ate half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before heading to another room. Theres days I dont drink anything, she said. We dont get much of a break because the patients are so sick.

The night before, she was tending to a COVID-19 patient when her pager went off, calling her to the emergency room to help put in a breathing tube. Afterward, she returned to the COVID floor.

Were exhausted, mentally and physically, said Reilly, who worries about exposing her son to the coronavirus. Hes 11, several months shy of turning 12 and becoming eligible for the vaccine. We cant go through this again.

Many of her unvaccinated patients tell her they wish they had been immunized. She recalls a Zoom meeting in which a dying, unvaccinated man begged his family to get the shots. You just hope he got through to some of them, she said.

Quote Were exhausted, mentally and physically. We cant go through this again.  Kristie Reilly, St. Mary's respiratory therapist

Death and denial

At other Madison hospitals, staff are similarly perplexed by the surge and preparing for the worst, again.

UW Hospital recently reconverted a dozen rooms to negative air flow, for potential COVID-19 patients, after switching the rooms back to regular care in the spring, said Dr. Jeff Pothof, chief quality officer for UW Health. He said administrators are considering when they might have to postpone elective procedures, as local hospitals did twice in 2020.

UnityPoint Health-Meriter  which had 27 COVID-19 patients Wednesday, 10 of them in the ICU  is also gearing up for more of a crunch. This summer when volume was low, one doctor was in charge of seeing COVID-19 patients each shift, said Dr. Kristin ODell, medical director for the inpatient doctors known as hospitalists. Now its two, and a third may soon be needed again, she said.

Im heartbroken that this is ongoing at the level it is, ODell said. Were tired.

At St. Marys, Hobson helps struggling COVID-19 patients stay comfortable and families decide whether to continue life support. Denial about the seriousness of the pandemic among some people is hard to take, he said.

After one of his patients died from COVID-19 complications, he got an angry call from a family member, he said. The person asked Hobson to remove COVID-19 from the death certificate. He refused, saying that lying on the document would be against his ethics.

Even now, a year and a half later, theres still so much misinformation that we have not been able to breach, and thats sad, he said.

With 8-year-old twins at home, Hobson carries personal and professional stress from the pandemic as it picks up again. We dont have time to cry and debrief and support each other because we have to rush to the next patient thats dying, he said.

On Rehbergs COVID-19 wing, a step down from the ICU, three patients died within 24 hours last weekend, two of them while she was on duty.

As a charge nurse who manages the floor, shes acutely aware of the nurse staffing shortage affecting St. Marys and most hospitals around the state and country, especially units like hers. Many of her colleagues have fled to jobs with few or no COVID-19 patients, such as surgery departments, outpatient clinics or infusion centers.

That means her 32-bed unit sometimes has seven nurses working instead of eight, forcing some nurses to care for five patients instead of four. They cant hire people fast enough, she said. As soon as you get someone in and trained, someone else is leaving.

Whether the current COVID-19 surge keeps escalating or wanes, St. Marys will do what it can to keep up, Rehberg said. But that wont be without consequences.

We can do this as long as we need to, but I think we are going to lose more nurses in the process, she said.

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Savage was helping load up the SUV and her small white sedan with fabric, sewing machines and other materials. She said she planned to drive the donations to Fort McCoy Wednesday night. McElrone would follow with the SUV the following day.

Chris Hennemeyer, who is leading the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops volunteer efforts at Fort McCoy, said his group has been working with Savage to get the sewing supplies up to the base.

We absolutely welcome it, he said of the reams of fabric. A lot of people boarded flights to the states with just one little bag.

The Catholic charity has been running some of the social centers for women and children at Fort McCoy. Volunteers set up a few sewing machines in one of the centers, and they were an immediate hit, Hennemeyer said.

Afghan women started making blouses and other clothes, with one woman even making a childs outfit from one of her blankets, Hennemeyer said.

We just had a little supply of fabric, he said. And they went through that in no time.

McElrone said the fact that the women jumped at the chance to begin sewing is part of what inspired her and Savage to start the fabric drive.
She tells the story like this: Maria accuses the nanny of pinching her arm and shows her mother a bruise to prove it. Furious, her mother fires the nanny. Guilt-ridden, the girl confesses: The bruise was from an immunization. She is grounded, and her grandmother explains to her the difference between lies and storytelling. She hands Maria a notebook, which the girl spends so much time writing in that she flunks second grade.

At 13 Escandon spent a year on a pig farm in Minnesota to learn English. Years later, she would take a creative writing class at UCLA Extension and become a bilingual writer. (She published her first two novels, "Esperanza's Box of Saints" and "Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co.," in English and translated them into Spanish.)

At 23 she moved from Mexico to L.A.  not for weather but for love. She and her then-boyfriend lived in a small room inside their friend's pornographic theater in Pico-Union, surviving on concession-stand food and attempting to launch a Spanish ad agency "with no money, no clients, no credit, no office."
"When I hit puberty," she tells us, "I was locked to the destiny of physical body. There was no more flying and dreaming in eternal time, there was only here and survival. There was a fire burning in my body, the same dangerous desire that had led my mother to disaster."

Her stepfather, "the monster," raged against her enjoyment of rock music, forbade her to sing, broke into her diary and mocked her, beat her with his belt. When her mother failed to stand up for her, she drowned her anger and misery in cheap vodka and beer.

Harjo became a mother at 17 and soon after moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her son to train as a pediatric nursing assistant. "The hospital work engaged me in a way nothing else had to that point. My innate impulse is healing, which is also standing up for justice, which can heal hearts and nations."

The connection made here between physical and spiritual healing, between the healing of the individual and the healing of the collective, is central to Harjo's identity. At the University of New Mexico, plans for a premed major dissolved as her focus became painting, poetry and the Kiva Club, the Native American student organization. Blissfully, Harjo, now a mother of two small children, blossomed in a "brave, brilliant, hilarious" circle of friends.
"This is a case of art really imitating life. There are moments in the show that are absolutely beautiful and may bring the staunchest of ranchers to tears.
BOISE  Though its only September, Idaho police have fatally shot more people in 2021 than in all of 2020. Idahos fatal police shooting totals are among the highest in its region as well.

Idaho police have fatally shot nine people in 2021 as of Sept. 1, topping 2020s statewide total of seven fatal police shootings, according to Idaho Statesman archives, Idaho media outlets and national publications.

The nine people fatally shot this year consist of eight men and one woman. Shootings have occurred across the state, with four fatal shootings taking place in the Treasure Valley (two each in Ada and Canyon counties) and four in East Idaho counties, consisting of Madison, Bingham, Bannock and Bonneville. One police shooting took place in North Idaho on Aug. 7, as police shot and killed a man in Kootenai County.

The most recent shooting took place Aug. 27 when at least one Nampa police officer shot 53-year-old Vladislav Fomin after he allegedly pulled a gun on police.

While Idahos population is smaller than some of its neighboring states, the number of fatal police shootings in the Gem State is higher than that of Utah, Nevada and even Washington, according to national databases compiled by The Washington Post and Mapping Police Violence, a research group that tracks fatal police shootings.

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JEROME  After years of private ownership and a battle between developers and residents, George Panagiotou is selling Devils Corral.

Devils Corral is a 197-acre property comprising sagebrush plains, canyons and streams, which are largely untouched. The property is surrounded by 8,000 acres of protected public lands, and Panagiotou touts that the property includes 25 acres of developable land below the rim of the canyon.

Panagiotou, known for his Oscar nomination for his fresh perspective on movie lighting design as well as several creative patents, purchased the property in 2000.

The first time I came to Idaho, I loved it. So a couple of years later, I moved here, Panagiotou said. I fell in love with the people. I was very surprised coming from Los Angeles  if you can understand that. The terrain and the geography was very intriguing. It was the typical stuff that makes everybody fall in love with Idaho; I was just a victim of the same things.

Panagiotou said he instantly fell in love with the property because of the amount of water available on the land as well as the wildlife diversity and profitable location, only hours from Sun Valley, Boise and Salt Lake City.
POCATELLO (AP)  Authorities have positively identified five bodies found at a Pocatello funeral home that is under investigation and are working to identify seven others and the remains of approximately 50 fetuses have been turned over to the Ada County Coroner.

The Downard Funeral Home was being scrutinized by police after a state health inspector contacted them about the business.

The East Idaho News reports the Pocatello Police Department is working the Bannock County Coroners Office to contact family members of the deceased.

At this time, detectives believe that decedents who were scheduled to be buried were buried, and the unidentified individuals that were found had been scheduled for cremation, a news release says. The remains of approximately 50 fetuses found at the scene are now in the custody of the Ada County Coroner for further investigation.

The Idaho State Journal reports the owners of the Downard Funeral Home have not publicly commented on the investigation.
The ceremony will be a milestone in a project long beset with bureaucratic tangles and a financial crisis but now on track for completion next year.

St. Nicholas brings me close to my brother, Anthoula Katsimatides said.

The lighting of the church will come from within. Through an innovative process, interior lights are being designed to illuminate thin panels of marble, mined from the same Pentelic vein in Greece that sourced the Parthenon, the ancient temple in Athens.

The church is being built in an small, elevated park overlooking the World Trade Center memorial plaza, close to the reflecting pools that mark where the twin towers once stood. A huge, bronze sphere that once stood between the towers now stands, dented and damaged, in the park just beyond the chapels doors. Tour and school groups often gather on a flight of steps leading to the shrine.

The shrines concrete shell, passed daily by streams of tourists, has been one of the most visible signs of the unfinished work of the ground zero rebuilding effort. Work to install its marble cladding has been proceeding at a fast pace in recent weeks in time for the ceremonial lighting, though the church isnt slated to be completed until next year.
Fire managers also routinely summon military drones to fly over fires at night, using heat imaging to map their boundaries and hot spots. They can use satellite imagery to plot the course of smoke and ash.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO ATTACK A BLAZE?

Generally the heat of a summer day is not the best time to fight wildfires.

We are pretty successful in the morning, late evening or overnight, Lane said.

ARE WILDFIRES HARDER TO BATTLE IN TIMBER OR GRASSLANDS?

Dry lightning puts dozens of fires on the landscape, Lane said, and weather is a major factor in their spread.

Wildfires in grassland tend to grow more quickly, and are more susceptible to expanding when there are high winds, Lane said. Fires in timberlands dont grow as fast, but they are more difficult to extinguish.

With grass, a little rain and it goes out, Lane said.

HOW TO SAVE HOUSES WHEN FIRES ARE CLOSE?

Lane said the building material used on a house, and the nearby vegetation, are big factors in determining if a house can be saved when fire approaches.
"Things have changed too much and too rapidly, said Zafft. We are in the midst of figuring out how this climate is going to impact our snow, our runoff and temperatures. I dont think we can really answer those questions yet.

Records going back to 1904 back up Wiersemas suspicions about extremes on the upper North Platte.

In 2011, high flows smashed all previous monthly averages for June and July. The 2019 flood was the worst by a more than 20% margin over the 1923 runner-up.

Yet since 2000, the river has had eight of its lowest-flowing Augusts on record. They included the sixth-lowest in 2012, 12th lowest in 2018, and third-lowest in 2020.

August 2021 verges on the 10 lowest on average. Mountain snow last winter and spring was about normal, but the ground was so dry from last year that much of this year's melt soaked in without contributing to the flow.

The pattern is becoming more common in the West, said David Gochis, a hydrometeorologist with the Boulder, Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Things have changed too much and too rapidly, said Zafft. We are in the midst of figuring out how this climate is going to impact our snow, our runoff and temperatures. I dont think we can really answer those questions yet.

Records going back to 1904 back up Wiersemas suspicions about extremes on the upper North Platte.

In 2011, high flows smashed all previous monthly averages for June and July. The 2019 flood was the worst by a more than 20% margin over the 1923 runner-up.

Yet since 2000, the river has had eight of its lowest-flowing Augusts on record. They included the sixth-lowest in 2012, 12th lowest in 2018, and third-lowest in 2020.

August 2021 verges on the 10 lowest on average. Mountain snow last winter and spring was about normal, but the ground was so dry from last year that much of this years melt soaked in without contributing to the flow.

The pattern is becoming more common in the West, said David Gochis, a hydrometeorologist with the Boulder, Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research.
The festival this year has been downsized  about 100 films will play, almost twice the number of 2020 but roughly half of a typical year. Some of the fall's top premieres  among them Dune, The Power of the Dog," Spencer" and The Last Duel"  opted instead to first unspool at Venice (though each will screen in Toronto, too).

Some of the most anticipated TIFF debuts include Michael Showalter's The Eyes of Tammy Faye," starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield as the televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker; Stephen Karam's adaptation of his Tony-winning play, The Humans; Antoine Fuqua's Los Angeles crime thriller The Guilty, with Jake Gyllenhaal; and Dear Evan Hansen, Stephen Chbosky's musical with Ben Platt reprising his Broadway role as an anxiety-ridden, depressed teen whose encounter with another high-schooler who kills himself thrusts Evan into an awkward spotlight.

Chbosky premiered his 2012 breakthrough The Perks of Being a Wallflower at TIFF. This time, a different festival experience awaits.

The one thing Ive learned in the last year and a half is to rid myself of expectations. Nobody knows what anything is from one day to the next. So I just am grateful we were invited and Im honored we were invited to open the festival, says Chbosky. At this point, it feels like its all icing.
The questions go beyond allegations of ties to terrorism. A more basic question is whether those evacuated from Afghanistan actually helped the United States in the 20-year war in Afghanistan. The U.S. priority list was always citizens first, followed by those who assisted American forces during the war. Other Afghans who did not aid the United States, even if they have a legitimate fear of Taliban rule, are not near the top of the list.

The most important point is that, given the frenzied evacuation, U.S. officials do not really know who they have airlifted out of Afghanistan. Look at this recent account in The Washington Post, quoting an Afghan named Mustafa who had helped U.S. forces and got onto an American plane:

Many [of those on board] had minimal identification and did not appear to have worked closely with the United States as [Mustafa] had, serving as a translator and analyst, the Post reported. They were just people, Mustafa said, who took advantage of the disorderly evacuation to flee their turbulent country. Nobody knows who was the good guy and who was the bad guy getting into the plane, said Mustafa ... Its a risky thing that I believe happened.

So bottom line, it will not be  or at least it should not be  easy for the Joe Biden White House to turn the page from Afghanistan. Of course they want to talk about the presidents agenda. But the Afghan evacuation happened, and now some U.S. citizens remain stranded in Afghanistan, while thousands of insufficiently vetted Afghans are arriving in the United States, courtesy of the administration. No president can walk away from that.

Byron York is a political correspondent.
"He is evil in the flesh," Judd said. "Just because you have mental health issues, does not mean you are not criminally liable."

Judd identified Justice Gleason, 40, as one of the victims. Citing a state privacy law, Judd only identified the other victims as a 33-year-old woman, her infant son and the boy's 62-year-old grandmother. Facebook posts and public records show Gleason was in a relationship with Theresa Lanham and they had a baby boy, Jody, in May. Lanham's mother, Catherine Delgado, owned the property and lived there. Gleason also had an 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

According to Judd and court records, on Saturday evening, about nine hours before the attack, Riley stopped his truck and confronted Gleason as he mowed his lawn. Riley, who lives 30 miles away in Tampa (50 kilometers), told Gleason that God had sent him to prevent a suicide by someone named Amber.

Gleason and one of the other victims told Riley no one by that name lived there and asked him to leave. They called 911, but when authorities arrived, Riley was gone. A deputy searched the area, but didn't find Riley. Judd said given the circumstances, there wasn't much more that could be done.
There is no statewide mandate for masks or vaccinations, said Pittsylvania-Danville Health District Director Dr. Scott Spillmann.

In case of medical emergencies, the county will have more than 30 fire and EMS providers working during the events main hours treating most minor injuries on site, Slemp said.

We will also be in contact with the hospitals checking bed status prior to making transport decisions, Slemp said.

Danville Vice Mayor Gary Miller, a cardiologist, said the event will definitely be a super-spreader and a disaster for our area.

I think its going to be a hot mess, Miller said.

A month or two ago before the spread of delta, Miller would have had no problem with the Blue Ridge Rock Festival. Now it should be canceled, he said.

Attendees will spread COVID-19 not only in Danville and Pittsylvania County, but to numerous other areas, he said.

Sovah Health-Danville is already overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, he added.

We dont have extra room for patients, Miller said. Were bringing in a petri dish, a reservoir of unvaccinated people who are going to spread the COVID.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Prolonged exposure to air pollution can be linked to an increased risk of stroke and coronary heart disease, even when levels are below the limits specified by the EU and WHO. This has been shown, among others, by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen in a large European study published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

"Our results indicate that the current air quality guidelines do not provide sufficient protection," says Petter Ljungman, associate professor at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and joint last author of the article.

The study is a major European collaboration and involves more than 137,000 participants from six different cohorts in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany that were followed for an average of 17 years. The researchers investigated whether there is a link between stroke or acute coronary heart disease and prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (particles with a mass less than 2.5 microns in diameter, PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), black carbon, and ozone (O 3 ).

"We discovered a 10 per cent increase in the risk of suffering a stroke for every increase of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter in the air where you live. Our study shows air pollution in urban areas is contributing to the risk of stroke even after adjustment for noise", says Annette Peters, Director at the Institute for Epidemology at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, who led study from the German side.

No safe thresholds

The researchers could also link nitrogen dioxide and black carbon to an increased risk of stroke. Only nitrogen dioxide was linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease; every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in nitrogen dioxide in the air saw a 4 per cent increase in the risk of coronary heart disease. However, the study cannot establish any causal link.

The researchers were unable to detect any safe thresholds below which levels of air pollution are harmless to cardiovascular health. The adverse effects of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide were also seen when analyses were limited to participants exposed to levels below the limits specified by WHO and EU (10 and 25 g/m respectively for PM2.5 and 40 g/m for NO 2 ).

"This is worrying and has a major impact on how aggressively we should strive for good air quality to prevent common and serious diseases," says Petter Ljungman.

Explore further Human health may be at risk from long-term exposure to air pollution below current air quality standards and guidelines

More information: Kathrin Wolf et al, Long-term exposure to low-level ambient air pollution and incidence of stroke and coronary heart disease: a pooled analysis of six European cohorts within the ELAPSE project, The Lancet Planetary Health (2021). Kathrin Wolf et al, Long-term exposure to low-level ambient air pollution and incidence of stroke and coronary heart disease: a pooled analysis of six European cohorts within the ELAPSE project,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00195-9
Diagram showing details of the lung screening experiment. Credit: European Respiratory Society/Benoit Audelan

An artificial intelligence (AI) program can spot signs of lung cancer on CT scans a year before they can be diagnosed with existing methods, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death with around 1.8 million lives lost around the world each year. Lung cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage when treatment is less likely to succeed.

Researchers hope that using AI to support lung cancer screening could make the process quicker and more efficient, and ultimately help diagnose more patients at an early stage.

Computerised tomography or CT scans are already used to spot signs of lung tumours, followed by a biopsy or surgery to confirm whether the tumour is malignant. But each scan involves an expert radiologist examining around 300 images and looking for signs of cancer that can be very small. Trials using CT scans to screen people with a high risk of lung cancer have shown promise, however screening is hampered by the practical difficulty of a radiologist reviewing each image, one at a time, to decide who needs further tests.

The new study was presented by Benoit Audelan, a researcher in the Epione project team of the Inria (France's National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology) centre at Universite Cote d'Azur. He worked with colleagues from the Universite Cote d'Azur, Therapixel (a software company specialising in artificial intelligence for medical imaging) and the University Hospital of Nice.

The researchers trained their AI program using a set of CT scans from 888 patients that had already been examined by radiologists to identify suspicious growths.

Then they tested it on different set of 1179 patients who were part of a lung screening trial with three year follow-up, using CT scans that were taken in the last two years of the trial. These included 177 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer via a biopsy after their final scan in the trial.

The program identified 172 of the 177 malignant tumours in those CT scans, meaning it was 97% effective in detecting cancers. The five tumours that the program missed were near the centre of the chest, where tumours are harder to distinguish from healthy parts of the body.

Researchers also tested the program on scans taken a year before the tumours were diagnosed in the same 1179 patients and it was able to identify 152 suspicious areas that were later diagnosed as cancer.

However, researchers say the program also identifies too many suspicious areas that are not cancer (false positives) and this would need to be vastly improved before the program could be used in the clinic because investigating all these would result in unnecessary biopsies.

Audelan said: "Screening for lung cancer would mean many more CT scans being taken and we do not have enough radiologists to review them all. That's why we need to develop computer programs that can help. Our study shows that this program can find possible signs of lung cancer up to a year earlier.

"The objective of our research is not to replace radiologists but to assist them by giving them a tool that can spot the earliest signs of lung cancer."

The researchers plan to work on a new system that will be better able to differentiate between malignant and non-malignant tissue to help radiologists decide which patients should be investigated further.

Professor Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, who was not involved in the research, is the European Respiratory Society Secretary General and a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Warsaw, Poland. She said: "Diagnosing lung cancer earlier is vital to improving survival rates and screening would be an important step towards that aim. Research shows that screening with CT scans could reduce lung cancer deaths.

"This work is promising because it shows that AI could help us to review lots of scans quickly and even pick up signs of cancer at an earlier stage. However, before this program can be used, researchers will need to make it better at distinguishing between lung tissue that is abnormal but benign and tissue that is probably cancer."

Explore further Ground-breaking trial pilots new tests to detect lung cancer earlier
Credit: DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4945

Certain racial and ethnic minorities develop type 2 diabetes at a younger age than white Americans, meaning current diabetes screening and prevention practices for them may be inadequate and inequitable, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

American adults are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at an average age of 50 years old, but the 3,022-participant study found the average age at diagnosis was four to seven years earlier in non-Hispanic Black and Mexican American adults compared with non-Hispanic white adults. More than 25% of non-Hispanic Black and Mexican American adults with diabetes reported a diagnosis before turning 40.

The study was published today, Sept. 7, in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Knowing when certain populations typically get diagnosed with a disease can help inform when doctors start screening to implement treatments that can slow or stop progression of the disease. Those screenings are covered under insurance plans when they are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the national independent panel of experts that systematically reviews evidence to develop recommendations for clinical preventive services.

"The earlier you can screen, the better, but the biggest barrier to screening is the tradeoff for cost and benefit. Screening too early when a disease is not prevalent is not cost effective," said corresponding author Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine and of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "The earlier you identify disease can make screening have the most impact when intervention may have greater benefit. Not doing so may contribute to substantial disparities in diabetes outcomes."

Burden of diabetes has shifted earlier in the lifespan

Preventive measures such as nutrition counseling, weight-loss and physical-activity programs and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Diabetes Prevention Program can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. The study findings suggest that greater prevention efforts are needed at younger ages in underserved communities to help narrow the gap in age at diabetes diagnosis, said first study author Michael Wang.

"Sixteen percent of non-Hispanic Black and 21% of Mexican American adults with diabetes reported a diagnosis before 35 years old in our study, which suggests that reaching young adults in these groups for preventive care is needed to address a critical period when diabetes is developing," said Wang, a fourth-year medical student at Feinberg.

The findings also highlight the need to recognize and address how social determinants of healththe economic and social conditions that influence individual and group differences in health statuslead to increased risk among minority populations and reflect an underlying health inequity, the study authors said.

20% people with diabetes don't know they have it

The study was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2018. This survey provides population-level data on age at the time of diagnosis in those who are aware of their diagnosis, but about 20% of people with diabetes do not know they have the disease, Wang said, which is why it is important to implement broader screening at younger ages.

The USPSTF recently announced new guidelines that lowered the recommended age from 40 to 35 to start screening adults with overweight or obesity for type 2 diabetes. Future research should consider whether even earlier screening is indicated among individuals with exposure to social risks, the study authors said.

"Unless your blood sugar climbs to an alarming level where you're experiencing fatigue, frequent urination and symptoms of hyperglycemia, your diabetes may remain undetected for quite a while," Khan said.

To screen for diabetes, doctors most commonly administer a blood test known as a hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) test, which measures a person's average blood sugar levels over the prior three months. Less than 5.7% HbA1c is normal; 5.7-6.4% is prediabetic and 6.5% is diabetic.

"We, as physicians, are always telling people to 'know your numbers," which has historically been about blood pressure and cholesterol, but it should be expanded to include HbA1C," Khan said.

Explore further Expert panel lowers routine screening age for diabetes to 35

More information: Michael C. Wang et al, Age at Diagnosis of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States From 2011 to 2018, JAMA Internal Medicine (2021). Journal information: JAMA Internal Medicine Michael C. Wang et al, Age at Diagnosis of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States From 2011 to 2018,(2021). DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4945
Commonly used drugs accumulate in our gut bacteria, which can change the drugs' effectiveness and affect the bacteria's metabolism. Credit: Copyright: Aleksandra Krolik

Common medications can accumulate in gut bacteria, a new study has found, altering bacterial function and potentially reducing the effectiveness of the drug. These interactionsseen for a variety of medications, such as depression, diabetes, and asthma drugscould help researchers to better understand individual differences in drug effectiveness and side-effects, according to the study published in Nature.

It is known that bacteria can chemically modify some drugs, a process known as biotransformation. This study, led by researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany, is the first to show that certain species of gut bacteria accumulate human drugs, altering the types of bacteria and their activity.

This could change the effectiveness of the drug both directly, as the accumulation could reduce the availability of the drug to the body, and indirectly, as altered bacterial function and composition could be linked to side-effects.

The human gut naturally contains communities of hundreds of different species of bacteria, which are important in health and disease, called the gut microbiome. The composition of bacterial species varies significantly between people and has previously been shown to be associated with a wide range of conditions including obesity, immune response, and mental health.

In this study, the researchers grew 25 common gut bacteria and studied how they interacted with 15 drugs that are taken orally. The drugs were chosen to represent a range of different types of common drugs, including antidepressant medications, which are known to affect individuals dissimilarly and cause side effects such as gut problems and weight gain.

The researchers tested how each of the 15 drugs interacted with the selected bacterial strainsa total of 375 bacteria-drug tests.

They found 70 interactions between the bacteria and the drugs studiedof which 29 had not been previously reported.

While earlier research has shown bacteria can chemically modify drugs, when the scientists studied these interactions further, they found that for 17 of the 29 new interactions, the drug accumulated within the bacteria without being modified.

Dr. Kiran Patil, from the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge, who co-led the study, said: "It was surprising that the majority of the new interactions we saw between bacteria and drugs were the drugs accumulating in the bacteria, because up until now biotransformation was thought to be the main way that bacteria affect the availability of drugs."

"These will likely be very personal differences between individuals, depending on the composition of their gut microbiota. We saw differences even between different strains of the same species of bacteria."

Examples of drugs that accumulated in bacteria include antidepressant duloxetine and anti-diabetic rosiglitazone. For some drugs, such as montelukast (an asthma drug) and roflumilast (for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), both changes happened in different bacteriathey were accumulated by some species of bacteria and modified by others.

They also found the bioaccumulation of drugs alters the metabolism of the accumulating bacteria. For example, the antidepressant drug duloxetine bound to several metabolic enzymes within the bacteria and altered their secreted metabolites.

The researchers grew a small community of several bacterial species together and found the antidepressant duloxetine dramatically altered the balance of bacterial species. The drug altered the molecules produced by the drug-accumulating bacteria, which other bacteria feed on, so the consuming bacteria grew much more and unbalanced the community composition.

The researchers tested the effects further using C. elegans, a nematode worm commonly used to study gut bacteria. They studied duloxetine, which had been shown to accumulate in certain bacteria but not others. In worms grown with the species of bacteria that had been shown to accumulate the drug, the behavior of the worms was altered after being exposed to duloxetine, compared with worms that were grown with bacteria that did not accumulate duloxetine.

Dr. Athanasios Typas, from EMBL, who co-led the study, said: "Only now people are recognizing that drugs and our microbiome impact each other with a critical consequence to our health."

Dr. Peer Bork, from EMBL and a co-lead of the study, said: "This calls for us to start treating the microbiome as one of our organs."

Dr. Patil said: "Next steps for us will be to take forward this basic molecular research and investigate how an individual's gut bacteria tie with the differing individual responses to drugs such as antidepressantsdifferences in whether you respond, the drug dose needed, and side effects like weight gain. If we can characterize how people respond depending on the composition of their microbiome, then drug treatments could be individualized."

The researchers caution that the study findings are only on bacteria grown in the lab and more research is needed to understand how bioaccumulation of medications by gut bacteria manifests inside the human body.

The study started as a collaborative project at EMBL Heidelberg and was concluded in the group of Kiran Patil after his move to Cambridge. It involved researchers from EMBL's Typas, Bork, Zimmermann, Hennig, Schultz, and Beck groups and Savitski team, as well the Genomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics Core Facilities at EMBL Heidelberg.

Dr. Megan Dowie, Head of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the MRC, said: "This study highlights the importance of the microbiome in drug delivery, effectiveness and safety. There's still a great deal that is not well understood about the microbiome and it's clear that further work needs to be done to understand the important molecular aspects involved here, which could lead to a positive impact on an individual's response to a range of commonly used drugs."

Explore further Commonly used drugs affect gut bacteria

More information: Bioaccumulation of therapeutic drugs by human gut bacteria, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03891-8 Journal information: Nature Bioaccumulation of therapeutic drugs by human gut bacteria,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03891-8

Provided by UK Research and Innovation
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Many people are worried about reports of "breakthrough" COVID-19 infections overseas, from places like Israel and the United States.

A breakthrough infection is when someone tests positive for COVID after being fully vaccinated, regardless of symptoms.

The good news is most breakthrough infections usually result in mild symptoms or none at all, which shows us that vaccines are doing exactly what they're supposed to doprotecting us from severe disease and death. Vaccines aren't designed to protect us from getting infected at all (known as "sterilizing immunity").

People with breakthrough infections can go on to infect others. Preliminary evidence indicates immunized people can have high levels of virus in the nose, potentially as high as unvaccinated people.

However, if you're vaccinated you'll clear the virus more quickly, reducing the length of time you're infectious and can pass the virus on.

Here's why breakthrough cases are happening, and why you shouldn't worry too much.

Two studies from the United Kingdom suggest the immunity we get from COVID vaccines wanes over time, after about four to six months.

While the more-infectious Delta variant continues to circulate, waning immunity will lead to more breakthrough infections.

But the reduction isn't large currently. Vaccine effectiveness is very high to begin with, so incremental reductions due to waning won't have a significant effect on protection for some time.

Israeli data shows some vaccinated people are becoming ill with COVID. But we need to keep in mind Israel's vaccine rollout began in December 2020, and the majority of the population were vaccinated in early 2021. Most are now past six months since being fully vaccinated.

Given most people in Israel are vaccinated, many COVID cases in hospital are vaccinated. However, the majority (87%) of hospitalized cases are 60 or older. This highlights what's known about adaptive immunity and vaccine protectionit declines with age.

Therefore we'd expect vulnerable groups like the elderly to be the first at risk of disease as immunity wanes, as will people whose immune systems are compromised. Managing this as we adjust to living with COVID will be an ongoing challenge for all countries.

What would be concerning is if we started seeing a big increase in fully vaccinated people getting really sick and dyingbut that's not happening.

Globally, the vast majority of people with severe COVID are unvaccinated.

We'll probably need booster doses

Waning immunity means booster doses will likely be needed to top up protection, at least for the next couple of years while the virus continues to circulate at such high levels.

Our currently approved vaccines were modeled on the original strain of the virus isolated in Wuhan, not the Delta variant, which is currently dominant across most of the world. This imperfect match between vaccine and virus means the level of protection against Delta is just a little lower.

Because the level of effectiveness is so high to begin with, this small reduction is negligible in the short term. But the effects of waning over time may lead to breakthrough infections appearing sooner.

mRNA vaccines in particular, like Pfizer's and Moderna's, can be efficiently updated to target prevalent variants, in this case Delta. So, a third immunization based on Delta will "tweak," as well as boost, existing immunity to an even higher starting point for longer-lasting protection.

We could see different variants become endemic in different countries. One example might be the Mu variant, currently dominant in Colombia. We might be able to match vaccines to whichever variant is circulating in specific areas.

The dose makes the poison

Your level of exposure to the virus is likely another reason for breakthrough infections.

If you're fully vaccinated and have merely fleeting contact with a positive case, you likely won't breathe in much virus and therefore are unlikely to develop symptomatic infection.

But if you're in the same room as a positive case for a long period of time, you may breathe in a huge amount of virus. This makes it harder for your immune system to fight off.

Sign of vaccine waning in new UK report among earliest vaccinees in ZOE COVID study of 1.2 million participants https://t.co/G5mWgp6Qud @bbchealth @timspector

Protection from infection:

Pfizer 88% -> 74% at 4 months

AZ 77% -> 67% at 3 months pic.twitter.com/B6RCPA4QT8  Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 25, 2021

This may be one reason we're seeing some health-care workers get breakthrough infections, because they're being exposed to high viral loads. They could be a priority for booster doses.

Might unvaccinated kids be playing a role?

It's unclear if children are contributing to breakthrough infections.

Vaccines aren't approved for young children yet (aged under 12), so we're seeing increasing cases in kids relative to older people. Early studies, before the rise of Delta, indicated children didn't significantly contribute to transmission.

More recent studies in populations with vaccinated adults, and where Delta is the dominant virus, have suggested children might contribute to transmission. This requires further investigation, but it's possible that if you're living with an unvaccinated child who contracts COVID, you're likely to be exposed for many, many hours of the day, hence you'll breathe in a large amount of virus.

The larger the viral dose, the more likely you'll get a breakthrough infection.

Potentially slowing the number of breakthrough infections is one reason to vaccinate 12 to 15 year olds, and younger children in the future, if ongoing trials prove they're safe and effective in this age group. Another is to protect kids themselves, and to get closer to herd immunity (if it's achievable).

A silver lining

Breakthrough infections likely confer extra protection for people who've been fully vaccinatedalmost like a booster dose.

We don't have solid real-world data on this yet, but it isn't surprising as it's how our immune system works. Infection will re-expose the immune system to the virus' spike protein and boost antibodies against the spike.

However, it's never advisable to get COVID, because you could get very sick or die. Extra protection is just a silver lining if you do get a breakthrough infection.

As COVID becomes an endemic disease, meaning it settles into the human population, we'll need to keep a constant eye on the interaction between vaccines and the virus.

The virus may start to burn out, but it's also possible it might continually evolve and evade vaccines, like the flu does.

Explore further New data shows the power of COVID vaccines

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
(HealthDay)There have now been more than 40 million cases of COVID-19 recorded among Americans, according to a database maintained by The New York Times. That's nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases.

With the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus cutting a swathe through the United States, and about 47% of the eligible population still not fully vaccinated, COVID-19 has roared back over a summer that began with Americans hopeful that the worst was behind them.

According to the Times, as of Sunday there have been an average 161,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the United States each day. Hospitalizations are topping 102,000 each day, and the daily COVID-19 death toll is now at 1,560.

The vast majority of people hospitalized and dying are unvaccinated, greatly burdening an already overburdened health care system. According to the Times, no state has yet gotten more than 70% of its population fully vaccinated.

Speaking last Wednesday, Gov. Brad Little of Idaho, a Republican, begged people in his state to get vaccinated: "I wish everyone could have seen what I saw in the ICU last night," he said.

Things are so bad in Idaho that rationing of care is underway.

Dave Jeppesen, the state's director of the Department of Health and Welfare, said on Tuesday, "When crisis standards of care are in effect, people who need medical care may experience care that is different from what they expect. For example, patients admitted to the hospital may find that hospital beds are not available or are in repurposed rooms (such as a conference room)."

Jeppesen added, "This is a decision I was fervently hoping to avoid."

In hard-hit West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, read out a list of people who had died of conditions linked to COVID-19 since Friday, and echoed Little's call for vaccination.

"We've got to get vaccinated for all, not just for you but for everybodywe've got to do this," Justice said. "We can stop a lot of this terrible, terrible carnage."

A busy, infectious long weekend

With the Delta variant surging and many Americans mask- and vaccine-free, new cases of COVID-19 spiked to levels over the long Labor Day weekend that were 300% higher than those seen over the same weekend in 2020, according to a new tally from Johns Hopkins University.

That means packed hospitals and rising numbers of infected children as a new school year begins, according to CNN.

"The takeaway for everyone is get your shots and certainly wear a mask for that added layer of protection if you're in public indoor spaces right now," Dr. Megan Ranney, professor of emergency medicine and associate dean of public health at Brown University, in Providence, R.I., told the news agency.

The surge in new cases could really hit a high point in about two weeks from now: Last year at this time, cases surged in 31 states, and the number of people testing positive for infection with then new coronavirus also spiked in 25 states, CNN said.

And last year, Americans didn't have the highly transmissible Delta variant to contend with. It's part of the reason that CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky last week urged people to curb their travel over the Labor Day holiday. She also again pushed for vaccination: Right now only 62% of Americans who are eligible for a vaccine (everyone 12 years of age and older) are fully vaccinated.

It's the unvaccinated who are landing in hospitals and dying, experts say.

"Here's the important thing: everyone that I'm hospitalizing is not vaccinated," Ranney told CNN. "We are, by and large across the country, not needing to hospitalize people that have gotten both doses of the vaccine. This is a disease of the unvaccinated right now."

Explore further New COVID cases were 300% higher this Labor Day weekend than last year

More information: Find out more about the value and safety of immunization against COVID-19 at the Find out more about the value and safety of immunization against COVID-19 at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
In this Sep. 7, 2021, file photo, a group of students and parents rally in front of Hempfield Area High School protesting the first day of the state-wide policy requiring masks to be worn in K-12 schools and daycares in Greensburg, Pa. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements. Credit: Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP, File

The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

"It felt like we had this forward, positive momentum," lamented Katie Button, executive chef and CEO at two restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina. "The delta variant wiped that timeline completely away."

It wasn't supposed to be this way. More than six months into the U.S. vaccination drive, President Joe Biden held a White House party on July Fourth to celebrate the country's freedom from the virus, and other political leaders had high hopes for a close-to-normal summer.

Then the bottom fell out.

The summer wave was fueled by the extra-contagious delta variant combined with stark resistance to vaccinations that formed along political and geographic lines, said Dr. Sten Vermund, of the Yale School of Public Health.

In this Aug. 17, 2021, file photo, patient with COVID-19 on breathing support lies in a bed in an intensive care unit at the Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport, La. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File

"The virus was more efficient in spreading among the unvaccinated so that you blunted the expected benefit of vaccines," Vermund said.

The crisis escalated rapidly from June to August. About 400,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded for all of June. It took all of three days last week to reach the same number.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The 2021 delta-driven onslaught is killing younger Americans at a much higher rate than previous waves of the pandemic in the Northeast last spring, the Sun Belt in the summer of 2020 and the deadly winter surge around the holidays.

During the peaks of those waves, Americans over 75 suffered the highest proportion of death. Now, the most vulnerable age group for death is 50 to 64, according to data from U.S. officials.

In this Aug. 26, 2021, file photo, an information sign is displayed at a department store in Rosemont, Ill. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements. Credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File

Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter, when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at a quarter-million per day.

The U.S. is now averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August.

Even before the delta variant became dominant, experts say there were indications that larger gatherings and relaxed social distancing measures were fueling new cases.

"We had been cooped up for over a year and everyone wanted to get out," said Dr. David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "In the face of that kind of strong change in behavior, even getting almost two-thirds of our adult population vaccinated wasn't enough."

In this Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Dr. William Dittrich M.D. looks over a COVID-19 patient in the Medical Intensive care unit (MICU) at St. Luke's Boise Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Kyle Green, File

The COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective against hospitalization and death, but many tens of millions of eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. Nearly 40% of Americans 12 and older are not fully protected.

In Rapid City, South Dakota, school officials have recorded nearly 300 cases among students and staff since classes began less than two weeks ago. Still, the majority of school board officials voted this week 5-2 against a proposed two-week mask mandate.

"Nobody wanted to be here. Everyone wanted the personal freedom to be away from masks and free of illness," said Amy Policky, who introduced the proposal with one other member. "But we have to look at the facts: We're having illness rage through the school and the community, so what can we do?"

Still, Yale's Vermund sees reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the next few months. Cases in most states appear to be plateauing and are likely to decline in the fall, buying health authorities more time to vaccinate adults and teenagers before flu season.

In this Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Jack Kingsley R.N. attends to a COVID-19 patient in the Medical Intensive care unit (MICU) at St. Luke's Boise Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Kyle Green, File

In this Aug. 28, 2021, file photo, holding her mother's hand, Brianna Vivar, 14, looks away while receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from pharmacy technician Mary Tran at a vaccine clinic set up in the parking lot of CalOptima in Orange, Calif. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

In this Aug. 18, 2021, file photo, medical staff move a COVID-19 patient who died onto a gurney to hand off to a funeral home van, at the Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport, La. The summer that was supposed to mark America's independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File

"If we can continue making progress between now and Thanksgiving, we may be able to substantially blunt the coronavirus surge in flu season," Vermund said.

While the economy has been rebounding strongly over the past several months, hiring slowed sharply in August in a sign that the variant is discouraging Americans from flying, shopping or eating out.

And on Monday, unemployment benefitsincluding an extra $300 a week from the federal governmentran out for millions of Americans.

Button, the North Carolina chef, was feeling great heading into the summer. Her team was mostly vaccinated in May and restrictions were loosening. But the crisis soon changed direction.

Button supports the mask mandate that was recently reinstated in her county but said her employees are exhausted by having to enforce it. And since she has no outdoor seating, some diners have been less comfortable coming in.

"It's hard to take a step forward and then take three steps back," she said.

Explore further Russia reports record daily virus deaths

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Figure 130 day mortality unadjusted odds ratios (OR, left) of variables and final Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model with estimated 30-day mortality adjusted odds ratios (aOR, right). Variables colored gray were not included in the final GEE model. An OR>1 represents increased occurrence of 30 day mortality. Abbreviations used: FiO2, fraction of inspired oxygen; RR, respiratory rate; SpO2, pulse oximetry; CRP, C-reactive protein; BMI, body mass index; CFS, clinical frailty scale. Blue variables were subsequently used in the final adjusted OR model. Credit: DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101122

Unwell COVID-19 patients may be treated just as effectively with oxygen through a mask rather than the sometimes difficult to tolerate therapy known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), according to a new study.

The patients in the study, whose frailty and other medical conditions meant they were unlikely to benefit from invasive mechanical ventilation and intensive care treatment, received treatment with either an oxygen mask or CPAP.

The study of CPAP was led by researchers at The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), and is published today in EClinical Medicine.

Though the study team argue more research is needed to confirm the findings and see if there are specific groups of patients who may benefit from CPAP, the research, they say, casts doubt on current national and international guidance that supports broad application of the treatment.

All the 479 patients from seven NHS Trusts across the North West of England had both respiratory failure from COVID-19 and pre-existing medical conditions which meant invasive mechanical ventilation in intensive care would not help them.

Overall CPAP did not improve mortality: 75.6 percent of the patients died after 30-days in the oxygen group (186/246 patients) whereas the figure was 77.7 percent in the CPAP group (181/233 patients).

In the study, almost 50 percent of the patients on CPAPin which oxygen under pressure is delivered through a tight-fitting mask under pressurechose to discontinue the therapy after around two days.

The clinicians involved say that might be because patients felt they did not feel benefit from the treatment, they found it hard to tolerate, or other reasons.

The study team hope the results can help clinicians guide patients to make informed, joint decisions, about whether to give CPAP treatment. Until now, there had been no information comparing CPAP to oxygen therapy.

The data adds to a recent national study which looked at otherwise healthy patients, excluded from the Manchester study, requiring oxygen who were likely to benefit from invasive mechanical ventilation and ITU treatment.

The study of the different patient group, not looked at by the Manchester team, is available as a pre-print and summarized in the BMJ, found CPAP reduces the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in the fitter COVID-19 patients.

Thattogether with the results of the Manchester studysuggest CPAPwhich requires high dependency care but can be delivered on a ward, might be more effectively used for otherwise healthy patients, freeing up beds in intensive care units.

Dr. Laurence Pearmain, a clinical researcher at The University of Manchester and a respiratory doctor at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of MFT, and funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), led the study.

He said: "CPAP therapy is commonly used for patients with respiratory failure from severe COVID-19 pneumonitis, including in patients not likely to benefit from invasive mechanical ventilation.

"But we show there is no evidence to demonstrate its superiority over conventional oxygen therapy in those patients.

"High patient-initiated discontinuation of CPAP suggests it can be a significant treatment burden for them; it's fair to assume that CPAP is a stressful experience for some patients. Conventional oxygen therapy, delivered by a mask is far easier to tolerate.

"Our study findings, including the absence of a clear benefit from CPAP in this frail patient population, can help inform often challenging conversations between patients and doctors when making treatment decisions surrounding breathing support.

"Ward-level delivery of CPAP also presents practical challenges to nursing staff, however, for some patients CPAP is a valuable and effective treatment when used in the correct context."

Co-author, Dr. Tim Felton, is Clinical Senior Lecturer at The University of Manchester, researcher at the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Consultant in Intensive Care and Respiratory Medicine at Wythenshawe Hospital.

He said: "We feel that reflection is warranted on the current treatment guidance and widespread application of CPAP for these patients who cannot be treated with mechanical ventilation.

"Given the resources required to provide CPAP, it raises questions as to whether it should be provided to patients who are not suitable for mechanical ventilation, which has been commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Some caution should be applied to these findings, as there may be patient sub-groups who benefit from CPAP in the setting of COVID-19. There have been no studies looking at predictors of CPAP efficacy in this patient cohort to date, and our study was not designed to address that question."

Dr. Patrick Bradley is an author and co-lead of the North West Collaboration Organisation for Respiratory Research (NWCORR) research network as well as a respiratory doctor at Blackpool Victoria NHS Foundation Trust, who provided statistical support for the study.

He said: "This project is a great example of what can be done when research-interested doctors from around the region work together, gathering much more data than any single hospital could do on their own. It has added meaningfully to our understanding of an important, unanswered question."

The paper, "Conventional oxygen therapy versus CPAP as a ceiling of care in ward-based patients with COVID-19: a multi-centre cohort evaluation," is published in EClinical Medicine.

Explore further CPAP reduces need for invasive ventilation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

More information: P Bradley et al, Conventional oxygen therapy versus CPAP as a ceiling of care in ward-based patients with COVID-19: a multi-centre cohort evaluation., EClinicalMedicine (2021). P Bradley et al, Conventional oxygen therapy versus CPAP as a ceiling of care in ward-based patients with COVID-19: a multi-centre cohort evaluation.,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101122 Gavin D Perkins et al, An adaptive randomized controlled trial of non-invasive respiratory strategies in acute respiratory failure patients with COVID-19, (2021). DOI: 10.1101/2021.08.02.21261379 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) , EClinicalMedicine
Olfactory bulb/peduncle alpha-synuclein staining predominance categorized by LRP progression-based classification [6]. Percentages add up to 100% within each LRP progression-based classification category, meaning all the caudo-rostral cases equal 100% spread across negative, peripheral and anterior olfactory nucleus predominance for alpha-synuclein staining. Similarly, the amygdala-based category cases add up to 100% spread across the peripheral and anterior olfactory nucleus predominance for alpha-synuclein staining (there were no amygdala-based cases that were negative in olfactory bulb/peduncle alpha-synuclein staining). When comparing these groups, age and sex adjusted p value

Results obtained in a study recently completed at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital reinforce the notion that dementia with Lewy bodies can be pathologically classified into two different disease types.

Dementia with Lewy bodies is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, and it affects millions of people globally. This type of progressive memory disorder has features associated with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

At the tissue level, accumulations known as Lewy bodies that contain the alpha-synuclein protein, are found in the limbic system of the brain, in the cerebral cortex and the brainstem.

Two years ago, researchers at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital demonstrated that pathological changes of dementia with Lewy bodies occur in two different forms. In the more common form of the disease, changes progress upwards from the brainstem, while those associated with the other disease type originate in the amygdala.

Now, the researchers have advanced their investigations further.

"We continued our studies, focusing on the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb is considered one of the first brain regions where alpha-synuclein accumulations relating to dementia with Lewy bodies occur," says Liisa Myllykangas, a neuropathologist and clinical instructor.

In the follow-up study, the researchers utilized a unique Finnish population-based neuropathological dataset (N=291). Alpha-synuclein accumulations in the olfactory bulb have not previously been investigated in non-selected population datasets.

Based on the results, two patterns of accumulations can be identified in the olfactory bulb, with differences seen in their anatomical location and severity.

"Comparing the findings with the two types of dementia with Lewy bodies defined in our prior study, we noted that the different alpha-synuclein accumulation patterns in the olfactory bulb have a strong association with these two disease types," Myllykangas says.

The results support the view that the first changes caused by dementia with Lewy bodies take place in the olfactory bulb in persons whose disease progresses to the amygdala and the rest of the limbic system at an early stage. In contrast, the onset of the other disease type occurs in the brainstem, spreading later to the olfactory bulb. The findings reinforce the notion that dementia with Lewy bodies can be classified into two different disease types.

Explore further Signs and symptoms of Lewy body dementia

More information: Eloise H. Kok et al, Alpha-synuclein pathology of olfactory bulbs/peduncles in the Vantaa85+ cohort exhibit two divergent patterns: a population-based study, Acta Neuropathologica (2021). Eloise H. Kok et al, Alpha-synuclein pathology of olfactory bulbs/peduncles in the Vantaa85+ cohort exhibit two divergent patterns: a population-based study,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02364-6
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers have found "no evidence of airborne transmission of COVID-19 within public washrooms", in a new study led by The Australian National University (ANU).

In a systematic review, published in Science of Total Environment, researchers looked at the risk of transmission of various viral and bacterial infections through inhalation, surface contact and fecal-oral routes in public toilets in studies published over 20 years from 2000 to 2020.

"We found no evidence of airborne transmission of pathogens, including COVID-19, in public washrooms," ANU Professor Sotiris Vardoulakis said.

"We found that the risk of getting COVID-19 from a public toilet is low if people keep up good hand hygiene and the bathroom is well maintained.

"We realize people are worried about using public washrooms during the pandemic, but if you minimize your time in the bathroom, wash and dry your hands properly, and don't use your mobile phone, eat or drink, then bathroom use should remain low risk."

The researchers say public health measures should still be strictly followed.

"People still need to stay safe and follow their local public health advice," Professor Vardoulakis said.

The study suggests appropriate hand hygiene, surface cleaning, disinfection, washroom maintenance and ventilation can minimize the risk of infectious disease transmission.

"Findings from other studies suggest that airborne transmission is a potential route of transmission of COVID-19. However, we didn't find evidence of that in public toilets in studies published during the first year of the pandemic," Professor Vardoulakis said.

"There are a number of reasons it is low risk in public toiletspeople don't spend a long time in bathrooms and don't interact with others.

"Importantly, the aerosols you may inhale when you flush the toilet come from your own human waste. The risk of cross contamination is not very highas long as people wash and dry their hands properly, and the washroom is well maintained and ventilated."

However, the study, which was funded by Dyson, did find defective plumbing may increase risk and recommended the need for more studies assessing SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk in public places.

According to the researchers, environmental samples from toilets in COVID-19 hospital wards in Singapore, China, England and Italy showed evidence of SARS-CoV-2 presence on common bathroom surfaces including the toilet bowl and lid, sink, tap and drain, and toilet door handle.

"Contamination is different from transmission. We found public washroom surfaces can become contaminated with bacterial and viral pathogens," Professor Vardoulakis said.

"However, effective hand hygiene, surface cleaning and good maintenance minimizes infection risk."

The study outlines a host of personal precautions, environmental hygiene and bathroom designs to consider reducing the risk of contamination and transmission in public toiletsincluding electric doors and closing the lid of the toilet before flushing.

Explore further COVID: Why you still need to wash your hands

More information: Sotiris Vardoulakis et al, Transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in public washrooms: A systematic review, Science of The Total Environment (2021). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Sotiris Vardoulakis et al, Transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in public washrooms: A systematic review,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149932
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Breathing water and salt suppresses the generation of respiratory droplets, and potentially reduces COVID-19 incidence and symptoms, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), Massachusetts General Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found.

Two parallel studies were conducted. In one, a randomized 4-arm study of 21 healthy human subjects, the researchers found that the breathing of humid air and the delivery of salt droplets sized to deposit in the nose, trachea, and main bronchi reduced the exhalation of respiratory dropletsrecognized to be a primary mode of transport of SARS-CoV-2by approximately 50% within 10 minutes following hydration. Suppression lasts around one hour on return to dry air conditions, while on exposure to divalent calcium and magnesium salts suppression continues for four to five hours. This clearing of respiratory droplets from the upper airways is similar to that achieved by the wearing of cotton face masks.

In a second study, a preliminary ecological regression study of COVID-19 cases in the United States between January 2020 and March 2021, the authors found a correlation between exposure to elevated airborne salt concentration in locations along the U.S. Gulf and Pacific coastlines with strong inland-oriented wind patterns and suppression of COVID-19 incidence and deaths per capita relative to inland counties by approximately 25%30%. The researchers accounted for ten potential confounding environmental, physiological, and behavioral variables.

The research was published today in the Molecular Frontiers Journal.

"Multiple mechanisms appear to contribute to the reduction of symptoms of respiratory diseases by the breathing of humid air," said Adriaan Bax, Ph.D., distinguished scientist at the National Institutes of Health and author of a recent article in the Biophysical Journal elucidating the effect of mask wearing on humidification of inhaled air. "This study suggests that among these mechanisms is the reduction of respiratory droplet generation, and that this may play a particular role in the observed effectiveness of cotton face masks at reducing risks of COVID-19."

"The natural and effective cleansing of the air we breathe is a balance between water and salt in the airways and the hydrated nature of the air itself," said David Edwards, Ph.D., formerly Professor of the Practice of Bioengineering (2002-2019) and now Associate at the Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and founder of the Boston-based health technology startup Sensory Cloud, which is one of the funders of the study. "Breathing humid and salty air appears to promote upper airway cleansing and to be a helpful practice in maintaining respiratory health in the face of the challenges to breathing clean air today."

"Our findings indicate that upper airway hydration can be an effective and broadly accessible approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the broader crisis in global respiratory health," said Dr. Dennis Ausiello, MD, director, CATCH, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Jackson Distinguished Professor of Clinical Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Explore further Researchers unravel what makes someone a COVID-19 superspreader

More information: Rachel D. Field et al, Inhaled Water and Salt Suppress Respiratory Droplet Generation and COVID-19 Incidence and Death on US Coastlines, Molecular Frontiers Journal (2021). Journal information: Biophysical Journal Rachel D. Field et al, Inhaled Water and Salt Suppress Respiratory Droplet Generation and COVID-19 Incidence and Death on US Coastlines,(2021). DOI: 10.1142/S2529732521400058
Figure 1. Fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and non-cardiovascular mortality stratified by fatty liver index and hypertension categories. FLD: fatty liver disease; FLI: fatty liver index. Credit: DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2021.1951836

The combined effect of hypertension and fatty liver disease on mortality does not seem to exceed their separate effects, according to a 34-year follow-up study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland. The results were published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology and will be discussed at the American Heart Association's Hypertension 2021 Scientific Sessions later this September.

The establishment of risk factors for cardiovascular disease has shaped clinical practice throughout the past century. Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, is the most common risk factor of cardiovascular disease. It affects over a billion of the world's population, contributing to 18 million cardiovascular deaths annually. The pathological accumulation of lipids in the liver, known as fatty liver disease, is another risk factor of cardiovascular disease. While it is less known to the public, fatty liver disease is very common, affecting a quarter of the world's population.

Individual cardiovascular risk factors have been widely studied. However, the body of literature on the combined effects and interactions of risk factors with each other on health is much narrower. Indeed, the newly published study is the first to assess the effect of the coexistence of hypertension and fatty liver disease on mortality.

The population-based study cohort consisted of 1,569 middle-aged Finnish men who took part in the Kuopio Ischaemic Disease Risk Factor Study. The separate and combined effects of different stages of fatty liver disease and hypertension on overall and cardiovascular mortality were assessed in a follow up of 34 years. While fatty liver disease and hypertension associated, both separately and combined, with a substantial risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, the coexistence of the two conditions associated with a similar or even lower overall hazard of mortality than the individual conditions.

If two factors interact with each other regarding an outcome, the effect of their coexistence would either be greater or smaller than the sum of their individual effects. In this study, the researchers found evidence of a negative interaction between fatty liver disease and hypertension on cardiovascular death in a population of Finnish men.

"That means that while both fatty liver and hypertension contribute to cardiovascular mortality alone, when they coexist, they could block each other's effect to some extent," says the first author of the article Mounir Ould Setti, medical doctor and researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.

These findings suggest that fatty liver disease and hypertension might not be completely independent of each other as risk factors of cardiovascular disease as was previously thought. The authors conclude that further research is needed on the topic and recommend adjusting for fatty liver disease or hypertension in studies evaluating the effects of the other condition on mortality or cardiovascular disease.

Explore further Fatty liver disease contributes to cardiovascular disease and vice versa

More information: Mounir Ould Setti et al, Negative interaction of fatty liver and hypertension on cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic men: 34 years of follow-up, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (2021). Mounir Ould Setti et al, Negative interaction of fatty liver and hypertension on cardiovascular mortality in non-diabetic men: 34 years of follow-up,(2021). DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2021.1951836
(HealthDay)Sit. Fetch. Stay.

Detect seizure.

Yes, you read that correctly.

While many dogs are adept at following basic instructions such as "sit" and "roll over" with some practice and the promise of a treat, new research shows dogs can detect seizures by scent up to an hour before they occur, potentially saving their human's life.

An estimated 3.4 million Americans have epilepsy, a neurological disorder marked by unpredictable seizures, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.

"People who have difficult seizures and who are terrified of taking a bath or going out alone in public, can take hope," said study author Neil Powell, a visiting scholar in biology at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland.

"We now have discovered a reliable way to train a seizure alert dog that will give them up to one hour's warning of an impending seizure," he said.

Anecdotal reports have suggested dogs have this innate ability, but the new study shows that canines' keen sense of smell allows them to pick up on odors that tend to precede a seizure.

The researchers put 19 pet dogs of various breeds, ages and genders to the test. No dog had experience with epilepsy. The animals were exposed to seizure-associated odors in sweat taken from people with epilepsy as well as a "control" scent. Researchers exposed the dogs to these scents and watched their responses.

All 19 dogs demonstrated behavior changes when they smelled seizure-associated odors.

"Some dogs even ran back and forth from other family members to tell them the person was about to have a seizure and all without any previous training," Powell said.

Training a dog to alert someone on an impending seizure is not difficult and could be done in six to eight weeks, using this simple scent-imprinting approach, Powell said.

"People with difficult-to-manage epilepsy should be entitled to a trained seizure alert dog, which would reduce risk of injury or sudden death, restore a person's independence and self-worth, [and] help reduce social stigma, which is widely associated with epilepsy," he said.

Powell said research is ongoing.

"Our continuing research may eventually lead to the discovery of an electronic device which would be sensitive to a surge in the biomarker we believe precedes seizures," he said.

The findings were recently published in the journal MDPI Animals.

Dr. Edward Maa is chief of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Denver Health in Colorado, and reviewed the findings. The new study "adds to the building literature that the dogs are actually keying in on a scent," he said.

Epilepsy Ireland and the nonprofit Disability Assistance Dogs of Northern Ireland helped fund the research.

Explore further Epilepsy and seizure disorder awareness

More information: Learn more about seizure dogs at the Learn more about seizure dogs at the Epilepsy Foundation

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

University of Minnesota researchers have developed a novel virus-like particle vaccine against COVID-19. Having been successfully tested in animals, the novel vaccinecreated as part of a study whose findings were recently published in the scientific journal PLOS Pathogensoffers a new approach in the global battle against COVID-19 and its emerging variants.

The researchers combined the advantages of the two types of traditional vaccinesvirus-based vaccines and protein-based vaccinesby preparing a bacterial protein that self-assembles into a virus-like particle. By displaying a COVID-19 protein on the surface of this virus-like particle, researchers produced a novel vaccine that is well recognized by the mammalian immune system, but yet does not have any viral infectivity.

Findings

Compared to the protein vaccine alone, the novel vaccine induced much stronger immune responses in animals.

The novel vaccine was highly effective against COVID-19 variants.

Testing showed that the novel vaccine effectively protects mice against COVID-19 infections.

Leading the research is Fang Li, Ph.D., a professor in the department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, in collaboration with Marc Jenkins Ph.D., a professor in the department of Microbiology and Immunology. Graduate student Qibin Geng contributed to the design and development of the vaccine. Researchers from New York Blood Center and University of North Carolina contributed to the characterization and testing of the vaccine.

"The global battle against COVID-19 requires more varieties of potent and safe vaccines," said Li. "The virus-like-particle nanoparticle system will be further developed to present a variety of COVID-19 vaccines to help battle COVID-19 and its variants."

More information: Qibin Geng et al, Novel virus-like nanoparticle vaccine effectively protects animal model from SARS-CoV-2 infection, PLOS Pathogens (2021). Journal information: PLoS Pathogens Qibin Geng et al, Novel virus-like nanoparticle vaccine effectively protects animal model from SARS-CoV-2 infection,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009897
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

As the UK considers new laws to permit assisted dying, The BMJ this week explores the debate around assisted dyingprescribing life ending drugs for terminally ill, mentally competent adults to administer themselves within strict legal safeguards.

The UK public has shown consistent support for legalisation, yet doctors' views on assisted dying are split, and most doctors' organisations take no position on the issue, explain editor in chief Dr. Fiona Godlee and colleagues in an editorial.

They point out that currently, fewer than 50 British citizens a year seek help to die in Switzerland, as many as 14% of UK suicides are among people with terminal or chronic illness, and some people ask loved ones or doctors to help, although those who agree risk investigation and potentially prosecution.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which opposes legalisation, is due to debate the issue at its annual meeting this month, with motions calling for it to move to a neutral stance, after a poll last year showed a split among members' views.

The BMJ has previously called for the professions' representatives to take a position of "engaged neutrality"neither in support nor opposition"because doctors should not obstruct a decision that is for society and parliament to make."

Neutrality is far from an abdication of responsibility, say the authors. Instead they believe that it enables organisations to facilitate and fully engage with essential yet currently lacking societal conversations about death and what it means to die well.

"No professional should be obliged to participate. But doctors who oppose assisted dying should not stand in the way of colleagues who find it ethically justifiable to assist a dying patient's death. Nor should they stand in the way of dying patients who reasonably are asking for doctors' help to end their life," they conclude.

Many will assume that faith groups are implacably opposed to assisted dying, but this is not the case, say former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord George Carey and Rabbi Jonathan Romain. They discuss their involvement in a new religious alliance in support of doctor assisted dying, and argue that nothing in the scripture directly prohibits assisting a death to end suffering.

"There is nothing holy about agony," they write. "If terminally ill people do not wish to live out their last few months in pain, for what purpose should they be forced to do so, and in whose interest is that life being prolonged?"

They acknowledge that this is difficult territory, but say it is religiously appropriate to try to navigate it. "If there is a right to die wellor at least to die as well as possibleit means having the option of assisted dying, whether or not it is taken up. That, surely, is a truly compassionate, and very religious, response."

The main arguments for legalisation are respecting self-determination and alleviating suffering, but Professor Ole Hartling questions whether self-determination is genuinely possible when choosing your own death.

As former Chairman of the Danish Council of Ethics and author of Euthanasia and the Ethics of a Doctor's DecisionsAn Argument Against Assisted Dying, he describes some of the critical issues that would arise if assisted dying were legalised and argues that autonomy is largely an illusion in the case of assisted dying.

"A patient overwhelmed by suffering may be more in need of compassion, care, and love than of someone kindly offering to help end his or her life," he writes. "It is not a question of whether people have a right to say that they are unworthy. It is a question of whether they have a right to be believed when saying it."

It's more vital than ever that we have data to support the debate on assisted dying, says Jacky Davis, consultant radiologist.

A recent BMA survey showed that more UK doctors personally support law change (50%) than oppose it (39%), and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to investigate how many dying people in the UK take their own lives and how many travel abroad to access assisted dying.

"The BMA survey results have forced people to question their long held assumptions about the status quo," says Davis. "It is to be hoped that the evidence from the ONS will do the same and that the information will be available in time for the forthcoming debate in the House of Lords."

The importance of using high quality evidence to inform legislative change is well recognised. But Katherine Sleeman and Gareth Owen argue that there are evidence gaps to fill and that we must prioritise research.

They call for a deeper understanding of public opinion to help guide any legislative change and say important questions about the effectiveness of consent as a safeguard and what exactly the role of the doctor should be remain unanswered.

"Whether or not assisted dying becomes legal in the UK, good palliative care, provided across care settings, is essential," they write. "In addition, much more needs to be understood about the perspectives of patients and carers towards assisted dying."

Disability rights activist Stephen Duckworth, says he is "deeply troubled by the persistent narrative that disabled people have something to fear from a change in the law on assisted dying."

He points out that transparent assisted dying legislation with appropriate safeguards and protections for disabled people can exist and already work effectively around the world.

"I am pleased that medical opinion in the UK is shifting," he writes. "It should not matter if we are disabled, medically qualified, both or neither, surely together we can recognise that the outright ban on assisted dying goes against an individual's right to choose?"

Two feature articles describe where UK healthcare bodies stand on legalising assisted dying, and ask will Scotland become the first part of the UK to legalise assisted dying?
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Eighteen months into the pandemic, monoclonal antibodies remain the only FDA-authorized outpatient treatment for patients with symptomatic COVID-19. Laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system's ability to target and block the virus that causes COVID-19 from infecting human cells, monoclonal antibodies have been shown to reduce the risk of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19 and of being admitted to the hospital. While the federal government has distributed over one million antibody treatments to states, prior anecdotal reports suggested they may have been underutilized.

A new analysis by a team of physician-researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, provides the first evidence that monoclonal antibodies were indeed underutilized in the first six months of FDA authorization. The team examined outpatient medical claims from a national database covering more than 200 million patients in the United States between November 2020when monoclonal antibodies were granted emergency use authorization by the FDAand April 2021.

"During our study period, more than 20 million Americans were diagnosed with COVID-19, yet we found that fewer than 70,000 patients received monoclonal antibody treatments out of a study base encompassing over 60 percent of Americans," said corresponding author Timothy S. Anderson, MD, MAS, a clinician-investigator and assistant professor medicine in the Division of General Medicine at BIDMC. "These medications were authorized on the cusp of the largest surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations and the initial stages of vaccine rollout, so health systems may not have had capacity to launch monoclonal antibody clinics immediately. However, we expected to see continued growth in their use over time and were surprised to find a sharp decline in monoclonal antibody use throughout early 2021."

Although additional research is needed to explore the factors that may have contributed to the low initial uptake of monoclonal antibodies, Anderson and colleagues speculate that they may include stockpiling of allocated treatments; limited distribution by health systems; barriers to patient access to treatments which require IV infusion; or hesitancy to adopt new treatments by providers and/or patients. The researchers also observed demographic and insurer differences in antibody use that suggest possible disparities in access; for example, while Medicare recipients made up 10 percent of the research population, they comprised only three percent of patients who received monoclonal antibodies.

"Many patients receive COVID-19 testing through school, workplace and sites outside the healthcare system, and these sites may not be equipped to refer patients to receive monoclonal antibody treatments, particularly if patients do not already have an existing relationship with a healthcare provider," added Anderson. "The public interest would be well-served by improved transparency on the use of monoclonal antibodies, as has been done with vaccine administration, including the data necessary to ensure equitable access to potentially life-saving treatments."

The study was conducted through the use of insurance claims data from the COVID-19 Research Database Consortium, which covers 200 million adults but does not capture treatments administered to other patients, including those receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal health settings, or treatments provided free of charge.

Co-authors included Ashley L. O'Donoghue, Ph.D.; Tenzin Dechen, MPH; Oren Mechanic, MD, MPH; and Jennifer P. Stevens, MD, MS, all of BIDMC.

Explore further COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies reduce risk of hospitalization and death

More information: Timothy S. Anderson et al, Uptake of Outpatient Monoclonal Antibody Treatments for COVID-19 in the United States: a Cross-Sectional Analysis, Journal of General Internal Medicine (2021). Journal information: Journal of General Internal Medicine Timothy S. Anderson et al, Uptake of Outpatient Monoclonal Antibody Treatments for COVID-19 in the United States: a Cross-Sectional Analysis,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-07109-5
Attorney Monica Tranel, representing the plaintiffs, said NorthWestern should finance the Laurel project independently  without obtaining preapproval from the commission  rather than rely on ratepayers to guarantee the company recovered the costs of the project. She said building a natural gas plant when climate change impacts are in front of us is irresponsible from both financial and livable climate perspectives.

They are asking Montana consumers to take on significant financial expense that their management and shareholders should take on, Tranel said.

Asked to provide comment on the judges order, NorthWestern Energy spokesperson Jo Dee Black said in an email that the company is reviewing the order.

In its filings, NorthWestern argued that what members of 350Montana pay for electricity is not germane to the groups purpose and that its members therefore dont have standing to bring the lawsuit. The utility company further argued that the injuries are too general and widely shared to confer standing. Both NorthWestern and the state also said the lawsuit is premature given that NorthWesterns application to build the Laurel Generating Station is still pending before the PSC.
Rebecca Parma, Texas Right to Lifes senior legislative associate, said they expected people to try to overwhelm the site with fake tips, adding "were thankful for the publicity to the website thats coming from all of this chatter about it.

And, Parma said, the website is just another facet of the network we already have in place. She said they have a network of anti-abortion attorneys and citizens who work with them, including people who are posted outside of abortion clinics and talk to people going in and coming out.

Julianna, who lives in Texas and has more than 136,000 TikTok followers, said that while she sees the tip website as more of a scare tactic than a threat, she has taken comfort in the like-minded people shes found in her quest to thwart it.

Weve grown up in this new age of technology, she said. So now you dont feel so isolated with what you believe in and your activism.

Sean Wiggs, 20, who goes by Sean Black on TikTok, came up with a shortcut people could use to autofill the questions on the site. Wiggs, who lives in North Carolina, said he has received an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, and that he hopes efforts like his lead to more people realizing the power that you have online.
So far, the spill appears to have remained out to sea and has not affected the Louisiana shoreline. There is not yet any estimate for how much oil was in the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard said over the weekend its response teams are monitoring reports and satellite imagery to determine the scope of the discharge, which is located in Bay Marchand, Block 4. Talos previously leased Bay Marchand, Block 5, but ceased production there in 2017, plugged its wells and removed all pipeline infrastructure by 2019, according to the company.

The company said it is working with the Coast Guard and Louisiana regulators to coordinate the response and identify the pipes owner.

During an overflight of the area on Sunday, the crew of a Coast Guard survey aircraft spotted another oil slick identified as coming from an oil platform belonging to S2 Energy, located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) away from the Bay Marchand site.

According to the Coast Guard, the company reported that it has secured the wellhead to stop the leak and deployed a boom to contain a roughly 1-acre (.40-hectare) area of oil floating on the water. The amount of oil that leaked from the platform has yet to be determined.
Bivens said pepper spray is typically less harmful than some other applications of physical force," but uses of pepper spray and other types of force are always viewed as serious matters within a correctional setting and are constantly reviewed to see if the use was appropriate or if a lesser use of force could have been applied."

Briggs was arrested at age 15 in the rape at gunpoint of a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years. The lawsuit alleged that an officer tried to break up an altercation using prolonged streams of pepper spray rather than one or two quick bursts, and one stream was aimed at Briggs' face after he was restrained and prone.

After he said he couldn't breathe, according to the complaint, he struggled on a slow walk to the infirmary and waited a half hour for treatment, but was only given an inhaler. Taken to a solitary confinement cell, he soon collapsed and died, the lawsuit said.

Abolitionist Law Center lawyer Bret Grotes said prison policy already bars pepper spray use on people with asthma during planned incidents such as cell extractions. In the future, he said, all staff will receive training on how pepper spray affects people with respiratory conditions and anyone with such a condition subjected to it must have their oxygen levels measured and be reviewed by the chief medical official on duty.

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Tucson collected more than $64 million from state sales taxes in the year ending June 30, making up 11% of its general fund revenue.

The complaint about Tucson's vaccine mandate was filed by Sen. Kelly Townsend, a Mesa Republican who has been one of the Legislature's most vocal critics of pandemic restrictions.

Separately, a coalition of educators, parents and advocates has sued to try to undo new Arizona laws that restrict local COVID-19 requirements. A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

At least 29 public school districts in Arizona have enacted their own mask requirements, accounting for more than 334,000 students and nearly 500 schools.

The Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported 1,982 new cases of COVID-19 and 54 deaths. About 56% of people in the state have received at least one dose of vaccine.

When Tucson officials adopted the vaccine mandate last month, they estimated about 1,000 city employees were unvaccinated. It was not immediately clear how many still haven't received shots.

Brnovich last month published a legal opinion saying businesses can require their employees and customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 but must allow reasonable religious and medical exemptions. He said government agencies are different because the Legislature specifically prohibited them from adopting vaccine mandates.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
President Joe Biden will need to keep Democratic lawmakers united to get that $3.5 trillion social, climate change and environment measure passed, as Republicans have vowed to block it. There is, separately, $550 billion in new infrastructure spending that the Senate approved on a bipartisan basis.

The OMB is also recommending additional money for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and renewing authorities for the Bureau of Reclamation so that it can respond to droughts.

Youngs blog post notes that more than $14 billion was needed to address natural disasters before Ida ravaged Louisiana, Mississippi and communities along the eastern seaboard as it traveled north. She estimates that another $10 billion will be needed to specifically address Ida, including funds for community development block grants, emergency highway relief and Small Business Administration disaster loans, among other programs. The sum for Ida-related expenses is rough as much of the damage is still being assessed.

The federal government is on track to have spent $6.8 trillion during fiscal 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Much of that spending reflects the relief such as direct payments and expanded jobless aid that were provided in response to the coronavirus pandemic that put the yearly budget deficit at $3 trillion.

Biden initially proposed a $6 trillion budget for 2022 as COVID-19 aid waned with a deficit of $1.8 trillion.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP)  The Colorado Supreme Court will not hear a lawsuit from the Daily Camera newspaper of Boulder that challenges the University of Colorado's refusal to reveal the finalists for the school president's job in 2019.

The Camera reported that the court denied its petition Wednesday. It had asked the court to determine who is considered a finalist for chief executive jobs not only at the university but at other publicly funded government entities under the Colorado Open Records Act. The law requires a finalists identity be publicly disclosed.

The Camera sued in 2019, seeking the names of six finalists interviewed by the Board of Regents to replace then-university President Bruce Benson, who was retiring. Mark Kennedy, a former president of the University of North Dakota who got the job, was the only candidate publicly identified by the university.

A district court judge ruled for the Camera in 2020. That decision was overturned in March by a Court of Appeals panel that found governmental entities can determine who is a finalist.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Some incoming Afghan refugees were greeted by two members of New Mexicos all-female U.S. House delegation, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, at Holloman Air Force Base.

Afghans evacuated in recent days by the American military are largely being processed at U.S. government facilities across the country, including Holloman outside Alamogordo and nearby Fort Bliss in westernmost Texas, before going to resettlement agencies that will determine their final destinations.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury of Albuquerque said Wednesday she felt fortunate to meet at Holloman with an Afghan interpreter who is seeking refuge in the U.S. with a wife and two children, as well as a support group for women seeking asylum in the U.S.

As these families transition into American life, there are different gender norms here in the U.S. Thatll be part of the journey as well, Stansbury said of the Tuesday tour of the air base.

Republican U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell recounted her contact with a plane load of about 150 evacuees from Afghanistan as they arrived at Holloman. She said the base is expecting to accommodate 5,000 refugees by Friday.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Pennsylvania's highway agency wants to prevent a major heavy equipment contractor from doing state work for up to three years because it pleaded no contest to theft after being accused of illegally diverting money and other benefits from its workers.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Friday asked an administrative hearing officer to sanction Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. of State College.

The agency says Hawbaker's status as a prequalified contractor can be suspended for theft. Hawbaker pleaded no contest last month and is on probation for five years. It also is paying more than $20 million in restitution to some 1,200 victims.

The attorney generals office accused Hawbaker of stealing from workers fringe benefits such as retirement and health insurance and using that money to pad its profits, undercut competitors and pay for internal projects and company bonuses.

A PennDOT spokesperson says the proposed administrative action is not common but can be prompted by criminal prosecutions in public contracting.

Hawbaker issued a statement saying it will vigorously defend the company and workers and that it always believed it was following all laws.
Similar vaccination programs have started at zoos in Detroit and elsewhere. Like humans, the animals get two doses about three weeks apart.

The Zoetis-made vaccine has been authorized by the federal government and Illinois officials.



OMAHA, Neb.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing that meatpacking workers and farm workers who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible for grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program.

Officials say the grants are meant to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work.

Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, says meatpacking plants saw some of the deadliest outbreaks and their workers deserve support.

While the rest of America could work from home," Perrone said, "these brave men and women continued to show up for work every single day to ensure that we all food on our tables that we could eat.
Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Tuesday that his budget director will leave the administration and will be succeeded by a GOP legislator.

Kurt Alme will step down as budget director on Oct. 1. The former U.S. attorney cited his family living in Billings and commuting to Helena weekly for work in his decision.

I enjoyed working with the governor, the great team he assembled, and our dedicated state workers, but commuting from Billings to Helena each week is unworkable for the long term, Alme said, going on to thank the governor.

Gianforte credited Alme with work on the budget, federal COVID-19 relief funding and tax reform during his tenure.

A brilliant and dedicated public servant, Kurt has been instrumental to our early success in leading the Montana comeback, Gianforte said in a statement. While Ill sorely miss Kurts leadership and counsel, family has to come first, and I understand and respect his decision. We are grateful for his around-the-clock service to the people of Montana.

Sen. Ryan Osmundson, R-Buffalo, will take the post.
The Suburban sped past Moore on U.S. 287 going south at 2:30 a.m. and he activated his lights and gave chase, ultimately giving dispatch a vehicle description and California license plate number. He pursued them for eight miles, going past the I-90 crossing, before he was initially hit by a bullet, prosecutors say.

His patrol video showed the car stopping in some grass, and after some silence, Moore can be heard moaning. Based on tire tracks and other evidence, prosecutors believe Lloyd Barrus did a U-turn, pulled next to Moores car and Marshall fired the fatal shots.

A trooper arrived at the scene at 2:45 a.m. and found Moore dead. An autopsy determined he had been struck twice in the shoulder and twice in the head.

The trooper observed 24 bullet holes or marks on the windshield and other parts of Moores car and he found 19 cartridges next to the car, all fired from a .308-caliber rifle.

During his arraignment, Barrus pleaded not guilty to 24 initial felony counts and one misdemeanor. When he asked to address the court, the judge cautioned him against speaking to preserve his right to remain silent.

He spoke anyway.
The Sand Lake Fire, discovered Sept. 1, was recently mapped at 145 acres. Growth is minimal for the Sand Lake Fire, reported an update Tuesday from the incident management team, though it was expected to grow Wednesday. Because of the dangerous inaccessible terrain, the fire is being monitored, but remains unstaffed.

The Trail Creek Fire made a push Monday toward the area of Gibbonsville, Idaho.

The Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 6 has ordered additional resources to help fight both the Trail Creek and Alder Creek fires. Firefighting resources have been stretched thin this summer.

Saxton said resources become available when firefighting efforts on other fires nationwide are considered complete.

Bryant Creek is a tributary of the Big Hole River and the Bryant Creek Road joins Highway 43 at the Dickie Bridge Campground.

Multiple forest closures are in effect for the area, which can be viewed online at inciweb.nwcg.gov. Highway 43 and the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway remain open.

Since the beginning of the year, Montana has experienced 2,208 wildland fires that have burned nearly 850,000 acres. Missoula County has had 113 wildland fires in 2021 so far; 65% of which have been human-caused. Illegal debris burning is the leading cause.

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PARIS (AP)  French doctors and scientists on Tuesday called on authorities to take action against the insults and threats including death threats  that they have frequently received during the coronavirus pandemic.

The doctors said they fear that someone from the world of conspiracy theories will take action, not just against them but against other medical professionals, and condemned the silence of authorities.

Its months that some of us are receiving, regularly, death threats. Be it via social networks  Twitter, email, by telephone, or by the post. We are targets, said Jerome Marty, a physician who heads a union for doctors in private practice, UFMLS.

Some doctors like himself receive threats several times a day, he said, and some now have bodyguards.

What we fear is not so much the threats to us personally, Marty said. Their biggest fear is that an anonymous doctor, an anonymous nurse, an anonymous scientist, the people fighting today in the face of the (COVID-19) crisis  will be assaulted by someone who takes action.

Those in the group included medical professionals who often appear on TV to explain the current state of the pandemic to French residents.
"Rob Rob Rob!"

Even in her texts, Ashwaqs urgent approach to life beams through. On Wednesday last week, she wanted to know if Id received her email with statistics about migrant farm workers and COVID in her homeland of Kashmir. We are working together on a story about malnutrition during the global pandemic, and Kashmir has a similar fruit industry to our Flathead cherry orchards in Montana.

On Thursday morning, I awoke to: Hey Rob! Not sure if you are able to get the message, but our internet and phone services have been shut. I had fixed a few interviews, but now I have no way to reach anyone. Hopefully things will be restored soon, but if not :( 

That might have been an inconvenience, until the next Signal text from my friend Anne, an editor for USA Today. We were all Harvard Nieman journalism fellows in 2020, now spread around the world in our newsrooms in Washington D.C., Abidjan, Shanghai, Detroit, Toronto, Istanbul, Laramie, Budapest, Boston, Beirut, Los Angeles, Moscow, Missoula and Srinagar, Kashmir. And Anne was seeing reports of India imposing a communications blackout on Kashmir and locking down neighborhoods while firing tear gas at protesters.
Buttes Irish remain loyal to their ancestral home  its history, its inhabitants. Daniel Mulhall, Irelands ambassador to the United States knows the feeling  he shares that same fierce loyalty. Butte and Mulhall  you could say its a match made in heaven.

The ambassador visited Butte Wednesday and gave a talk at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives. He felt right at home and called Butte a wonderful slice of Ireland.

Mulhall has a wealth of diplomatic experience. He was Irelands ambassador to Malaysia from 2001 to 2005. In 2009, he served four years as his countrys ambassador in Germany, followed by four years as ambassador in the United Kingdom.

Four years ago, his diplomatic career pressed onward as he moved across the Atlantic after being named Irelands ambassador to the United States, a job he still holds today.

The 66-year-old Irishman, a native of Waterford, has wanted to come to Butte since President Mary McAleeses May 17, 2006, visit.

He read with interest about her trip to the Mining City and wondered if he would ever be able to visit.

Fifteen years later, his wish came true.

I am following in the footsteps of so many Irish who came here, he said.

The man has three degrees in Irish history and is also well-versed when it comes to Butte Irish history. He talked about such early 20th century Irish dignitaries as Douglas Hyde and Eamon de Valera, both of whom were Mining City visitors and would each later hold the title of president of Ireland.

Butte was a major stop for Irish politicians, he explained. This was the place to be.

Mulhall takes his ambassadorship quite seriously and believes one of his major duties is to connect with Irish America. He explained that many of those long-ago immigrants arrived in stress but were able, in time, to create opportunities throughout the U.S.

The Irish dug the canals, built the railways, and worked the mines, he explained, and changed the fabric of America.

While researching Butte, he learned just how much the towns Irish immigrant population contributed to its growth.

A big chapter of Irish America happened in Butte, he said.

Mulhall humbly told his audience that Ireland owes its freedom, in part, to the immigrants who never forgot their homeland, including those who settled in Butte.

We would never have achieved Irish freedom without the Irish in America, he explained. They played a big part.

The Irish government is committed to the continuation of Irish studies in Montana. So much so, that Mulhall announced that the Friends of Irish Studies, based out of Missoula, will soon be the recipients of a $24,000 grant.

Working closely with the Butte Archives and Buttes Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Friends of Irish Studies will continue to promote Irish cultural events and education throughout Montana.

Following a reception at the Archives, Mulhall, along with his wife, Greta, and the Consul General of Ireland Robert ODriscoll were headed out to tour Butte.

Butte is part of our Irish story, he said.

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He then told her he was attracted to her, the lawsuit claims, and wanted to take her to a sapphire mine, knowing she was a rock hound from a history in her confidential medical records. He then entered her phone number from those records into his cell phone, the lawsuit says.

While Greer was on a stool and holding her chart, he said, I guess Ill have to leave this on my lap all day and hide this, indicating he had an erection. She immediately left but by the time she got to her car, he had texted her with reference to his erection, the lawsuit says.

More texts followed and throughout all events, the lawsuit says, she felt trapped because she suffered from a life-threatening medical condition and felt if she reacted the wrong way, she could lose her doctor and critical medical care and die.

Because of that and because she thought it was an innocent invite, she agreed to go to Renova Hot Springs near Whitehall with Greer one day. When they got there, the suit says, he stripped down and stood naked before she pointed out that there was another person in the pool.

She ultimately left and was walking down the road when he came up behind her, grabbed her and pushed against her with an erection, the lawsuit says.
Asked if he had downloaded the Chivo app, Emanuel Ceballos, said he had not. I dont know if Im going to do it, I still have doubts about using that currency.

Jose Martin Tenorio said he was interested in Bitcoin, but had not downloaded the app either. Im running to work. Maybe at home tonight.

In Santa Tecla, a San Salvador suburb, young attendants were waiting to assist people at a help center.

Denis Rivera arrived with a friend because they had been trying to download the digital wallet app without success.

He said he didn't understand why some people have been scandalized by Bitcoin. We've been using debit and credit cards for years and it's the same, electronic money, he said.

He was in favor of it and planned to use the $30 offered by the government as an incentive to try it out. I'm going to see how efficient it is and practical it can be and based on that decide if I keep using it or not.

Jose Luis Hernandez, owner of a barbershop in the area, came looking for information.

I have a small business and I want to know how to use the application and how are the rates and all of that, Hernandez said.
To Hartman, the Sept. 11 attacks seem like only yesterday. He recalls going into work at Muscatine Community College early to help develop continuing education classes. When one of his co-workers said a plane had run into a World Trade Center tower, his first thought was terrorism. The second plane confirmed it.

He recalls worrying about the New York City firefighters who responded. He knew they would go in to help the people still inside the towers and he knew not all the firefighters would be coming out.

It was a very dark day in our history but some of the things that came out of it really showed the spirit of America, he said. It really helped with the idea of brotherhood in the fire service.

He remembers 343 brothers who died that day doing their jobs in New York. Hartman said the reality that they had died trying to save people from the towers before they fell showed firefighters the purpose of their job. In the years since, firefighters were more appreciated. He believes firefighters now are seen in a different light than they were on Sept. 10, 2001.

Hartman said for firefighters every year when Sept. 11 happens, there are a lot of negative feelings, but there is also pride in the 343 firefighters who saved thousands of lives.

It does help us rededicate ourselves to serving the public, he said.

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MUSCATINE  An animal shelter in Muscatine is collecting donations to make sure four-legged friends in Louisiana who were the victims of Hurricane Ida are also taken care of during the recovery.

Meagan Koehler, president of It Takes a Village Animal Rescue and Resources in Muscatine, said the shelter has teamed up with 15 other organizations from eastern Iowa to collect supplies for the rescues and shelters that were hardest hit during the hurricane. She said the Humane Society of Louisiana is the point of contact for dropping off the collected items. The society has a warehouse in Louisiana where the items will be collected and disbursed as they are needed.

We are going to haul it ourselves, she said. It is going to be myself, my husband Casey, who is our vice president, and another volunteer Scott Brown. We are going to be using Hertz vans or U-Hauls. We dont exactly know what vehicles we need to rent yet because we dont know how large the turnout will be.

She explained one of the group's board members collected donations to help animals displaced by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Over 5,000 lbs of donations were collected in Muscatine.
Members of the Scott County Sex Offender Task Force held compliance checks of the countys registered sex offenders from Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 to insure proper employment, address and vehicle registration information.

Scott County Sheriffs Sgt. Josh Wall reported there are 510 registered sex offenders in Scott County. The compliance checks covered 370 of the countys registered sex offenders. Wall reported that 93 percent of those checked were in compliance with state law and local ordinances.

Of those not in compliance, nine were arrested and are facing new charges, while investigations are continuing in other cases.

Arrested in the sweeps are:

Jach Lynell Hayes, 32, of Davenport, who is on probation until May 29, 2022, on a sex offender registration conviction, was arrested Aug. 29. Hayes is charged with one count of sex offender registration violation-second or subsequent offense. The charge is a Class D felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of five years. Hayes was being held Monday night in the Scott County Jail on a $5,000 bond, cash or surety. He is to be arraigned on the charge during a hearing Sept. 23 in Scott County District Court.
Let him see everything that were going through and hopefully we can get the help that we need because theres a lot of loss, she said.

Lou DeFazio, a contractor and three-decade Manville resident, sat on his porch with a small Trump flag waving beside him and said the town needed better planning instead of presidential visits.

I think their efforts could be better spent in other areas," he said of Biden and other elected officials who were coming. I dont know what theyre gonna do for us.

In all, at least 50 people were killed in six Eastern states as record rainfall last week overwhelmed rivers and sewer systems. Some people were trapped in fast-filling basement apartments and cars, or were swept away as they tried to escape. The storm also spawned several tornadoes.

More than half of the deaths, 27, were recorded in New Jersey. In New York City, 13 people were killed, including 11 in Queens.

Biden's visit followed his Friday trip to Louisiana, where Hurricane Ida first made landfall on Aug. 29, killing at least 15 people in the state.
Texas previously allowed state-employed clergy to accompany inmates into the chamber, but its prison staff included only Christian and Muslim clerics. The new policy allows an inmates approved spiritual adviser to be in the chamber but the two cannot have any contact and vocal prayers during the execution are not allowed.

Texas prison officials say direct contact poses a security risk and the vocal prayer could be disruptive and would go against maintaining an orderly process. Aside from some prison officials, an inmates final statement and a doctor who announces the time of death, no one else usually formally speaks during an execution.

Dana Moore, Ramirezs spiritual adviser the last four years, said the request to let him touch Ramirez was about letting the inmate practice his Christian faith and treating him with a certain amount of dignity.

Moore and Kretzer say the laying of hands is a symbolic act in which religious leaders put their hands on someone in order to offer comfort during prayer or confer a spiritual blessing at the moment of someones death.
ST. JOHN, Ind. (AP)  Police officers swarmed a northwestern Indiana high school Wednesday on a report of an active shooter that authorities said turned out to be a false alarm.

No shots were fired and no gun was found after a room-by-room search of Lake Central High School, which was on lockdown for most of the day, St. John Police Chief Steve Flores said during a news conference.

Flores said a male student called 911 about 10 a.m. after hearing what he described as a bullet being chambered into a gun in a restroom, prompting numerous police departments to rush toward the school in the suburban town of St. John, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of downtown Chicago.

That student and another who was in the restroom were questioned and released from custody, Flores said. Surveillance video helped identify a third student who had just left the restroom and he was shocked when questioned by investigators.

He had no clue what was going on, Flores said. When we spoke to him, hes like: No, this is what I did. Im not sure what I would have done to make that noise.

Hundreds of parents rushed to the school of about 3,200 students as word spread about the lockdown but students werent released until mid-afternoon.
President Joe Biden walks on the tarmac with Col. Matthew E. Jones, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, before departing to visit New York and New Jersey to tour the hurricane-affected areas, from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Sept. 7, 2021.
Community asked to take survey on resources for individuals with disabilities
Tenison Llemelong, an administrative specialist from Securitas Security Services Inc., receives his first Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccination at the University of Guam Calvo Field House in Mangilao on Saturday.
***

After what seemed like an impossibly long hiatus related to the coronavirus, Jay Greenes historical lectures at the library resumed on Tuesday. (Or at least I have every reason to believe they did  Im actually writing this on Monday.) Look for more lectures on the first Tuesday of each month, starting with the last two entries in his World War II series on Oct. 5 and Nov. 2. Please remember to bring your mask. Welcome back, Jay!

***

I trust you were as moved as I was by last week's story about Emilio Moore, the 6-year-old who's fighting sarcoma in his leg. Word came in that the Aug. 28 event raised $13,445 and counting for Emilio's family and the sarcoma awareness organization MIB Agents. Hats off to Stephanie Grimes and the rest of the team at Core Community Fitness. Let's keep Emilio in our prayers.

***
The Rutherford Post Office is celebrating its 150th birthday on Sept. 25.

The first Rutherford Post Office was established on Sept. 25, 1871, three years after the railroad first passed through what was then called Rutherford Station.

The post office predated other notable Rutherford establishments like Inglenooks Chateau winery (1887), the St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School (1888), and the Rutherford Grange Hall (1916).

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One notable incident occurred just after midnight on July 11, 1927, when a blast of nitroglycerine blew off part of the front of the John Kane mercantile building.

The Star reported that robbers stole a small amount of money and some postal money order blanks, but they werent able to get into the safes strong box. The crime was linked to a string of post office robberies in rural California communities, and one of the suspects was arrested weeks later in Seattle when he tried to pass one of the postal money orders that had been stolen from Rutherford.

By the mid-1960s the post office had outgrown its original building, which had fallen into disrepair and was in imminent danger of falling down, according to the St. Helena Star.
1506  Police cited a car parked in a red zone on Library Lane.

1545  Dispatch received an automated call from an 866 number claiming to be from PG&E and claiming the power would be cut off if payment was not received in 30 minutes. Dispatch was connected to a live agent who requested debit/credit card information. When dispatch wouldnt fall for the scam, the scammer hung up. PG&E will never ask for immediate payment over the phone. When they do call, it will come from a 1-800 number. St. Helena police remind readers not to provide personal information over the phone.

1556  A woman received a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be her grandson. He said he was in trouble and needed money. It was a scam, and she didnt provide any money or personal information.

1916  A person reported being the victim of a hit-and-run 45 minutes ago. A witness took a photo of the responsible vehicle.

2051  Medical aid for a person having difficulty breathing on San Juan Court.

2228  Two suspicious vehicles parked in front of a Meadowcreek Circle home. Three people got out and walked near the bridge. One of the cars left, but police found someone sleeping in the other car. Police warned the person about St. Helenas ordinance prohibiting camping.
For conscientious St. Helena water customers, theres no more terrifying sound than the drip-drip of a water leak.

Except, perhaps, for the silence of a leak that goes undetected as the water meter quietly spins, racking up tremendous water penalties under St. Helenas Phase II water emergency.

Its alarming. All of us have to be so much more on top of water and making sure were proactive, said City Councilmember Anna Chouteau during Fridays meeting of the Water Advisory Board, which has the power to waive penalties for water customers who experience leaks and act promptly to fix them.

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As an example of a proactive customer, Chouteau praised St. Helena resident Ana Scofield, who immediately fixed a water leak at her home, then found and fixed a second leak a few days later. Scofield also capped an irrigation line she hadnt used since 2013.

Scofields $4,738 penalty was one of six waived on Friday. In each case, applicants demonstrated how quickly they acted to repair the leaks. In each case, the Water Advisory Board waived their entire penalty.
Outrage. Weve all experienced it. Sometimes we act on it, hoping to bring about an awareness in others of the injustice in front of our eyes. We may tamp it down so as to not make them feel uncomfortable. Or, we ramp it up a notch  using a loud voice accompanied by facial features and hand gestures  to emphasize our impassioned plea. Four hundred years later Benjamin Franklins words remain relevant. Until those of us who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are, little will be done to bring justice to inequities found in our immigration policies, socioeconomics, graduation rates and prison population.

During the last two weeks of August, major news networks displayed videos of thousands of Afghans attempting to flee their country. Many of them worked as interpreters for the military and the media. Communities across the United States opened their doors to these refugees. But not everyone. Annie Karni, of The New York Times, wrote that some Republican leaders expressed concern that President Biden was opening the United States to dangerous foreigners. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy was quoted as saying Well have terrorists coming across our borders. A similar mantra plays out daily at the border with Mexico. The belief, held by some, is that they are trying to take over our country. Another perspective  we are all immigrants. Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents came to America seeking a better life. Is it any different today? Ask yourself this question: When did your family/ancestors first come to this country? Why did they come? Or were they already here? The Indigenous people were already here. For more than 10,000 years the Wappo lived here in Talahalusi, (now known as the Napa Valley). Did our forebears take their land, deny them the respect deserved? Have we, as a community, acknowledged the sacred land beneath us? They place they called home. Are you outraged?
Otherwise, you could be more stringent because you want to be a bully, he said.

American Canyon also pointed to a Federal Aviation Administration letter saying the proposed buildings wouldn't pose a hazard to navigable airspace.

Oat Hill is about 250 feet in elevation and the only substantial hill in American Canyon on the west side of Highway 29. Napa County Airport is less than two miles away.

The eastern slope of Oat Hill is to have 18 three-story buildings with 291 units, with what city officials called modern farmhouse-style architecture. The development is to include a path allowing the general public to walk toward the top of Oat Hill and look at the view.

Next, the City Council at a future meeting will review the proposed projects design and tentative map.

This is the culmination of 21 months of design, (of) back-and-forth with the city, to get to the plan we currently have, which I believe will be a great benefit to the community, developer Rick Hess told the council.

Mayor Leon Garcia ended the session with comments praising the proposed development.
It remains to be seen who exactly would hear the case, should the court grant Roof a full hearing. All of the judges in the 4th Circuit, which covers South Carolina, have recused themselves; one of their own, Judge Jay Richardson, prosecuted Roofs case as an assistant U.S. attorney. The panel that heard arguments in May and issued August's ruling was composed of judges from several other appellate circuits.

Along with his request for a full-court hearing, Roof also asked that either U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts designate a panel to consider the rehearing petition or the 4th Circuit's chief judge designate other judges from within that district to make up such a panel.

After his federal trial, Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty in 2017 to state murder charges, leaving him to await execution in a federal prison and sparing his victims and their families the burden of a second trial.
MESA, Ariz. (AP)  Sikh entrepreneur Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed at his Arizona gas station four days after the Sept. 11 attacks by a man who declared he was going to go out and shoot some towel-heads and mistook him for an Arab Muslim.

Young Sikh Americans still struggle a generation later with the discrimination that 9/11 unleashed against their elders and them, ranging from school bullying to racial profiling to hate crimes  especially against males, who typically wear beards and turbans to demonstrate their faith.

As the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 nears, those younger Sikhs say much more is needed to improve how hate crimes against their community are tracked. The FBI didnt even begin tracking hate crimes specifically against Sikhs until 2015, and many local law enforcement agencies fail to record bias attacks comprehensively.

The onus is on a community organization like ours to identify the problem and then build support to ensure better reporting, said Satjeet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition. Formed in the wake of Sept. 11, the largest Sikh advocacy group in the U.S. documented more than 300 cases of violence and discrimination against Sikh Americans in just the first few months.
Armenia Administrative Court terminates proceedings on case of army General Staff ex-chief vs. President, PM

5 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh

Armenia President receives Russia counterparts special representative on international cultural cooperation

Armenia Police special forces apprehend fallen soldiers relative from outside government building

Xi Jinping denies personal meeting with Biden

Baku celebrates 'liberation' from Armenians

Survey: 48.4% of displaced Artsakh residents moved to Armenia (VIDEO)

756 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

World oil prices going up

Politico: European Commission chiefs classified speech found in trash

Armenia Court of Appeal continues considering appeal of case on ex-President Kocharyan, some other former officials

Biden: Extreme weather events will cost more than $100bn in damages this year

Newspaper: Armenia authorities agree to opposition proposal to hold parliament session on Goris-Kapan road issue

Newspaper: Armenia authorities send Karabakh Security Council chief as envoy to imprisoned opposition MP

Energy security expert: Artsakh economic growth averaged 10.5% since 2000

UN General Assembly 76th session kicks off in New York

Karabakh President's spokesperson: Azerbaijanis shoot in direction of Taghavard village, no victims

Armenia Investigative Committee: Battalion commander who was on-duty in Karabakh's Khtsaberd village is arrested

Trilateral MoC signed to raise level of seismic safety of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant to the highest level

Armenia opposition MP: Authorities didn't help Ombudsman prepare report on tortures of Armenian citizens in Baku

Hanged body of 44-year-old serviceman of Armenia MOD found in village

Armenia opposition MP slams parliamentary committee chairman's statement

Police apprehend armed student at Yerevan metro station

Azerbaijanis demand punishing Member of the Russian State Duma Vitaly Milonov

Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker receives Russia President's Special Representative

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

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Armenia PM, Slovakia FM discuss Karabakh peace process

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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

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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

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Slovakia FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS)

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Armenian historical sites in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, elsewhere in Azerbaijan systematically erased

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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

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Armenia pregnant woman with COVID-19 dies

Azerbaijan planning another festival in occupied Armenian Shushi

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YEREVAN.  Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The authorities will be subjected to another test on the Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] issue.

At the August 27 sitting of the NA [(National Assembly)] [Standing] Committee on State and Legal Affairs, at the request of [Committee] chair Vladimir Vardanyan, the [discussion of the] draft by [opposition] "Armenia" Faction MP Aghvan Vardanyan related to Artsakh was postponed. "Armenia" Faction MP Vardanyan had proposed to rename the [NA] Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and call it the "Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and Artsakh Issues."

At the special sitting of the [Standing] Committee [on State and Legal Affairs] on Friday, the opposition will again bring this draft to the agenda, which, by the way, according to the conclusion of the NA expert and analytical department, does not contain norms contradicting the Constitution. The parliamentary majority cannot argue that the draft has a problem with the Constitution, the legislation, and must decide whether to accept or reject the opposition's proposal. However, in all probability, they will reject [it], arguing that the formation of a [parliamentary] committee on the Artsakh issue will aggravate the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the representatives of the committee will not be able to go abroad and be hosted in various parliaments.

Official Azerbaijan has stated on various occasions that it forbids the RA authorities to travel to Artsakh, in general, to make the Artsakh issue an agenda of the RA. And it sends protest notes to other states, compiles blacklists for visits [to Artsakh] or any step aimed at the recognition of Artsakh.
Iran has increased its stocks of 60% enriched uranium approximately fourfold - from 2.4 kg to 10 kg - over the past three months, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran reported, excerpts from which are quoted on Tuesday by Bloomberg and Reuters.

Iran's reserves include approximately 10 kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity, according to an extract from the report, which is quoted by Reuters.

Iran has increased its stock of 20% enriched uranium from 63 to 84 kg. At the same time, the reserves of enriched uranium with a purity of less than 5% fell from 3,141 kg to 2,278 kg, but the reason is that a large amount of 2% uranium was enriched to a purity of 5%, TASS reports.

The IAEA also said that Iran has not yet provided the agency with access to monitoring equipment.

Iran's failure to meet the agency's requests for access to its monitoring equipment seriously undermines the agency's technical capabilities, Bloomberg quoted the report as saying.

IAEA inspectors noted that the information provided by Iran on the alleged nuclear facilities is technically incompatible with the results of observations. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated his concern that Iran still did not provide the agency with explanations about the presence of uranium particles at several sites that have not been officially declared by Tehran as nuclear.

Grossi also expressed his readiness to pay a visit to Iran to discuss the situation with the new leadership of the country.

The CEO is increasingly concerned that, after about two years, there are still unresolved guarantees outlined above for four sites in Iran that have not been declared to the agency, reads a report.

Since April, in-person talks between Iran and the international five (Russia, Great Britain, Germany, China, and France) have been held in Vienna with the aim of restoring the Iranian nuclear agreement in its original form: lifting US sanctions on Iran, fulfilling nuclear obligations by Tehran, returning the United States to the deal. The production of weapons-grade uranium in the country is a violation of the terms of the deal.
YEREVAN.  The president of Turkey made a public reference to the issue of relations with Armenia; in these statements, we see an opportunity to talk about normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, reopening of the Armenian-Turkish railway and roads. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at Wednesdays Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

"We [i.e., Armenia] are ready for such a conversation, which can get a broader context amid the described above. By and large, it is about turning our region into a crossroads connecting the East to the West, the North to the South. I am happy to record that the Russian Federation has shown a public willingness to actively assist in this process. The EU, France, the US are also interested in this process, and the interest of China and India toward the development of communications projects is well known.

Peace and stability in the region is our long-term strategy, we consider ourselves responsible for solving that problem. Peace, stability, cooperation are easily declarable and desirable goals, but reasonably thought-out, pragmatic efforts are required to achieve them; and the Republic of Armenia is ready to make such efforts," the Prime Minister added.
YEREVAN.  When presenting the government's five-year action plan on August 24, I recorded that the deepening or normalization of relations with bordering countries will be one of the important directions of the government's foreign policy, and this is recorded in the plan adopted by the National Assembly. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at Wednesdays Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

"This plan has become a working agenda for us. As you know, after being re-elected to the office of Prime Minister, I have been in Iran, and today I am leaving for Georgia. The topic of development of regional communications plays a significant role in the agenda of our discussions in both Iran and Georgia, and in this context I attach importance to the North-South [road corridor] project, which connects our border with Iran to our border with Georgia.

It is also very important for us to establish a railway connection with Russia and Iran. To resolve this issue, we are discussingin the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan trilateral formatthe matter of reopening communications. We are determined to make efforts to achieve concrete results, [but] realizing, of course, that Azerbaijan, in turn, expects to get communication with Nakhchivan.

"I do not consider it unnecessary to remind that we are ready to resume the [Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)] peace process with Azerbaijan within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship," he added.

Also, Pashinyan underscored the agenda of border delimitation and demarcation with Azerbaijan, around which they continue to work to create the respective necessary conditions.

"We hope to complete, as soon as possible, the process of returning our captives, hostages, and other detainees to Armenia," the Prime Minister added.
Azerbaijan continues to conceal the real number of Armenian prisoners. Lawyer Siranush Sahakyan stated this at Wednesdays press conference dedicated to the report of Armenias ombudsman on the torture and inhuman treatment of Armenians in Azerbaijani captivity.

She recalled many facts when Armenians were in Azerbaijan, whereas the latters authorities persistently continued to deny their being captured.

"[Armenian soldier] Erik Khachatryan's group, for example. They have been in the isolation ward of the [Azerbaijani] Ministry of Justice since December 5, but until February, Azerbaijan was trying to convince them that they did not have the five identified boys," the lawyer said.

Sahakyan added that we are dealing with a forced disappearance. "Official Azerbaijani data are incomplete and do not reflect the real picture. It remains to be seen how to deal with this war crime," she said

According to her, there is another Armenian serviceman regarding whom there is confidence that the Azerbaijani authorities deny it.

"There are reports that when [Armenian] people were held in solitary confinement for six months, they [the Azerbaijanis] were not allowing the ICRC to [see] them. We do not rule out other similar cases, just as we do not rule out that the people may have been killed," the lawyer said.

Also, Siranush Sahakyan noted that they have submitted 38 complaints, and dozens of cases are being investigated for violation of the right to life.

"Preliminary data show that people were killed. We are waiting for the results of the investigations to file complaints. We predict that there will be about 30 more cases. These do not include cases of enforced disappearances. There are more than 20 such cases," the lawyer said.

The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, in turn, noted cases when Armenian captives were hidden from the Red Cross and being transported in groups to hide them. As for the Azerbaijani trials of Armenian captives, the ombudsman assessed them as yet another crime.
Armenian civilians and servicemen captured by Azerbaijan have been systematically tortured; this refers not only to the deliberate physical suffering, causing pain, but also to causing mental suffering. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, stated this at Wednesdays press conference dedicated to his report on the torture and inhuman treatment of Armenians in Azerbaijani captivity.

He noted that, according to the facts, the Azerbaijani servicemen, special services officers, and prison staff who even tried to treat the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians a little better were subjected to special punishment.

"Of course, the cruelest treatment, conditions were during and immediately after being captured, especially by the [Azerbaijani] special services," said Tatoyan.

The ombudsman emphasized that this torture, humiliation, and inhumane treatment was widespread, ridiculing ethnicity and gross violations of religious rights.

He said the Azerbaijanis had treated very harshly during medical examinations, too.

Tatoyan presented other examples of Azerbaijani atrocities.

According to the Human Rights Defender, the Armenian captives in Azerbaijan were virtually deprived of hygienic means.

"During the private conversations with me, almost all the captives mentioned that as soon as the Azerbaijanis knew that there would be a visit by the Red Cross or the Russian military, they began to treat [them] as normal, and took to private talk the people they treated as normal, or prepared for [it] in advance," Tatoyan said. .

He noted that the Azerbaijanis were particularly cruel to receiving information, and, moreover, not the reality, but what the Azerbaijani authorities or the military want.

Tatoyan added that these Armenian captives were forced to sign documents in the Azerbaijani language, mocking and spitting on people, forcing them to make words of praise to the president of Azerbaijan, and humiliating Armenia. When they were filmed, these captives were forced to say positive things about their treatment.

Arman Tatoyan said that the Armenian servicemen who had fought in the April 2016 war or in the first Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war in the early 1990s were treated with a particular cruelty.

According to him, they have clear evidence that religious human rights have been violated; who had a cross, it was destroyed right in front of their eyes, then they were demonstratively to the church, and forced to tell the reporters that they were being treated well.

"The treatment of [Armenian] civilians was also cruel," Arman Tatoyan added.
The personal talks between Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili today were followed by the enlarged meeting of the governmental delegations of both countries during which Pashinyan and Garibashvili discussed a broad range of issues on the agenda of Armenian-Georgian friendly relations.

As reported the Government of Armenia, the Prime Minister of Armenia expressed gratitude to the Georgian side and the Prime Minister of Georgia for the efforts that Georgia made for the return of 15 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, emphasizing that this significantly contributed to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

In this context, Pashinyan attached importance to Georgias balanced position on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which needs to be based on the principles proposed by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. He also touched upon Azerbaijans destructive policy and anti-Armenian rhetoric which poses a threat to regional stability and security.

The parties exchanged views on the political situation in both countries. Prime Minister Pashinyan stated that international observers have recognized the elections in Armenia as completely transparent, free and fair for the second consecutive time in the history of the country.

The interlocutors discussed the paths for further development of economic relations and emphasized their willingness to further increase the volume of foreign trade turnover. In this regard, importance was attached to the activities of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. They also attached importance to the five-party format for cooperation (Armenia-Georgia-Bulgaria-Greece-Iran) and the ongoing activities for the draft agreement on the creation of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea international transport corridor.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on Wednesday received outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacote at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Greeting the Ambassador, His Holiness expressed his gratitude to the French government, namely Ambassador Lacote for the support provided to Armenia and the Armenian people during the pandemic, as well as the war and the difficult period after the war.

During the meeting, the Catholicos of All Armenians also voiced hope that France, as a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, will make its contribution to a just settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In his turn, Lacote expressed gratitude to the Supreme Patriarch for the cordial reception and emphasized that his mission is to maintain and ensure continuity of the friendly relations established between France and Armenia.

During the conversation, Lacote also stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has sparked several questions that the international community has yet to focus on and assess. In this regard, he assured His Holiness that France will continue to make efforts for a fair and peaceful settlement of the conflict. At the end of the meeting, the Supreme Patriarch wished the Ambassador more success in his future career.
High-level Armenian-Georgian talks led by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili have ended in Tbilisi.

As reported the news service of the Government of Armenia, the Prime Ministers of the two countries met with the media representatives and made statements summarizing the results of the talks. In his speech, Garibashvili touched upon the Armenian-Georgian cooperation, as well as the recent war in Artsakh. The full text of the statements is presented below.

Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili

Mister Prime Minister,

Members of the delegation,

Welcome!

I welcome my friend and my colleague, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

It is a great honor for me to host him here in Georgia. Once again, I would like to congratulate Mr. Prime Minister on the victory in the recent elections. Of course, it is an excellent opportunity for a new era in Armenia and for the Armenian people. I have familiarized myself with Mr. Prime Minister's new vision, which is focused exclusively on his country's stable development and the Armenian people's prosperity.

Of course, the war in Karabakh has been a challenge for our region, but now, getting acquainted with Mr. Prime Minister's new vision, I am confident that this challenge will transform into a new opportunity, opportunity that will bring prosperity to Armenia and the Armenian people. I want to also say that we attach enormous importance to Armenia's political and economic stability, as it is tied directly to the stability of our country and the region in general.

Consequently, I would encapsulate our common regional goal in three words: peace, stability, and prosperity, something that binds together all three countries of our region. As you know, Georgia has always been an advocate of peaceful cooperation and coexistence in the South Caucasus. And we proved it in deed not long ago. A few months ago, we had an opportunity-namely through my mediation and direct involvement and commitment from Mr. Prime Minister, and through the efforts of the President of Azerbaijan-and we, the leaders of our three countries, succeeded in achieving an agreement on releasing Armenian POWs in return of providing Azerbaijan with maps. This successful precedent gives us an opportunity for optimism.

I reassured to the Prime Minister my full commitment to continuing active mediation toward confidence-building, something very important to us as the cornerstone of our further cooperation. We are open to discuss new ideas for cooperation, new projects. Of course, we discussed issues related to economy, trade, transport, and connectivity, including large-scale projects suggested by Mr. Prime Minister. We also talked about tourism, energy, culture, education. These are the issues we just discussed and have a perfect agreement on.

I want to say that our country has very exciting transit potential, something we also discussed, so that our countries' potential may be used to the fullest.

I want to also note that given the numerous conflicts raging in the course of the past three decades in the region, with some of them still unresolved, our common vision and effort must be dedicated to the region's gradual transformation into a place of new opportunities, development, and peace. This must be our main vision, and we will continue working in this direction.

Once again, I thank Mr. Prime Minister for his visit. It is an honour and joy for us to host him.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan

Esteemed Mr. Prime Minister,

Firstly, I want to thank you for the warm reception. Of course, our countries and peoples are linked with centuries-old friendship, and I have to continue the idea of Prime Minister Garibashvili that one of the key peculiarities of our todays discussion was that the biggest portion of our today's talks was dedicated to opening an era of peaceful development in our region, something my political force and I discussed with our citizens during the recent early elections.

Yes, we mutually state that, unfortunately, there are many unresolved issues, conflicts and threats in our region, but we try to help each other to focus on the opportunities that exist in parallel. I think that supporting each other in utilizing the opportunities is the very formula that should make risk management more feasible and accessible for us.

Once again, I want to thank Prime Minister Garibashvili for his assistance in the repatriation of 15 Armenian POWs on June 15. During those days, when we were discussing, we called each other dozens of times, it was a pre-election campaign period, and I was even joking, saying that during those two days I communicated more with the Prime Minister of Georgia than with our voters. I think that those two days were very important in terms of forming a new level of personal cooperation between us, and the atmosphere created during those days is an excellent basis for more effective and closer relations between our countries and Governments.

We agreed to reactivate the work of the intergovernmental commission in the near future. I must also emphasize the fact which has been emphasized before. In terms of our relations, it is very important that our countries continue to show their commitment to democracy, to democratic processes, and this, I think, also creates new opportunities for us to develop our relations. In terms of our relations, it's very important that our countries continuously demonstrate their commitment to democracy and democratic processes, which creates new opportunities for the development of relations.

I presented to Prime Minister Garibashvili our proposals and perceptions over regional issues and solutions enshrined in the Action Plan of the Armenian Government. I think there are new opportunities here as well, the use of which is not a reality yet, but we were talking about that we should make efforts to use those opportunities.

Yes, we discussed the existing transit opportunities. By the way, this does not refer to the transit opportunities of Armenia separately, or of Georgia separately. We discussed what we could do to enhance each other's potential. In that sense, now you are aware that programs are being implemented in the field of energy, we are also discussing programs in the field of transport communication, I hope that we will be able to find the most effective option from the possible solutions.

I must state that in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, our specialists have cooperated quite actively and continue to cooperate. Here, too, we have expressed readiness to jointly develop our capabilities to fight against this evil.

Of course, the presence of a large Armenian community in Georgia is a very important factor for our relations. Our position is that the Armenians of Georgia, as full-fledged citizens of Georgia, must continue to serve, be a key factor in the stability, unity, development of Georgia, this is the position we have, we express. I want to thank the Government of Georgia for the opportunities created for the preservation and development of the identity of the Armenians of Georgia. This is a topic that unites us, makes our relations more effective, promising and strategic.

We discussed many issues, and I think it could be noted by the time we spend on the discussions. The agenda of our cooperation is very wide, and the most important recording is the following: we agreed that we should focus more on the results, so that our high-level political dialogue can be reflected by concrete numbers in various sectors of the economy.

Thank you.
The high-level talks between Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili ended in Tbilisi, and the Prime Ministers met with mass media representatives and made statements summarizing the results of the talks.

As reported the news service of the Government of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared that a huge part of the conversation with the Prime Minister of Georgia was devoted to the agenda for opening an era of peace and development for the Armenian people. The Prime Minister said the following:

Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

First of all, let me thank you for the invitation and the warm reception.

It has always been a great honor and pleasure for me to visit the capital of fraternal Georgia, because this is a good opportunity to first communicate with friends and second, to discuss issues of our bilateral, regional and international relations.

I am glad that quite effective cooperation has been established between our governments. I am sure that based on the results of our meeting, the cooperation will become more effective and closer.

The private conversation between the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia was followed by an extended-format meeting of the governmental delegations of the two countries. Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili discussed a wide range of issues of the agenda of Armenian-Georgian friendly relations.

The Armenian Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Georgian side and the Georgian Prime Minister for the efforts made by Georgia for returning 15 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, emphasizing that it was a significant contribution to peace and stability in the region. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan highlighted Georgia's balanced position on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which should be based on the principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The Prime Minister referred to Azerbaijan's unconstructive policy, anti-Armenian rhetoric, which is a threat to regional stability and security.

The Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia noted with satisfaction the significant intensification of high-level bilateral official visits in the last three years, which has given a new impetus to the Armenian-Georgian cooperation.

The parties exchanged views on the domestic political situation in the two countries. Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that for the second time in the history of Armenia the elections are recognized by international observers as completely transparent, free and fair, as a result of which it was possible to overcome the domestic political crisis in Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan noted that the strengthening of the rule of law, including the fight against corruption, opening the era of peace and development for the Armenian people, as well as for the region are the priorities of the Armenian Government's Action Plan.

The interlocutors discussed the ways for further development of economic ties. The sides expressed mutual readiness to increase trade turnover. In this regard, the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Armenia and Georgia was highlighted, the next sitting of which is scheduled to be held in Georgia at the end of this year. An agreement was reached to continue the ongoing programs, as well as to develop new initiatives in the fields of transport, energy, high technologies and other spheres.

The sides highlighted the five-sided format of cooperation between Armenia-Georgia-Bulgaria-Greece-Iran and the continuous work on the draft agreement on the establishment of an international transport corridor from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Tbilisi as part of the delegation led by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, had a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani.

As reported the news service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the interlocutors discussed issues on the broad agenda of the friendly and friendly-neighborly Armenian-Georgian relations and expressed willingness to make efforts for further deepening of cooperation.

Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that Armenia attaches great importance to the deepening of trade and economic cooperation with Georgia.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the agreement on the creation of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea international transport corridor and considered new opportunities within the scope of the corridor.

In the context of sustainable development and strengthening of security in the region, Minister Mirzoyan attached importance to the lifting of blockade of communication routes in the region, which will provide new opportunities for expansion of cooperation between Armenia and Georgia.

During the meeting, Minister Mirzoyan thanked the Georgian government for the medication efforts for the repatriation of 15 Armenian prisoners of war to Armenia and added that Azerbaijan continues to keep Armenian prisoners of war and civilians as hostages. He also presented the situation created as a result of the infiltration of Azerbaijani Armed Forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia which undermines regional stability.

Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mirzoyan emphasized the need for resumption of the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Twelve residents of Goris have been charged with egging Nikol Pashinyans car on the day of his visit to Goris. This is what the residents attorney Armen Melkonyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Charges have been brought against my clients since morning. Today 12 people were charged with allegedly egging the Prime Ministers car during his visit to Goris. Charges will be brought against another eight people tomorrow, meaning a total of 20 people, and Deputy Mayor of Goris Menua Hovsepyan is charged with allegedly being the organizer and the person who brought the eggs, he stated.

According to the attorney, the experts conclusion states that there has been AMD 24,000,000 in damages for egging the armored vehicle of Nikol Pashinyan. They are demanding AMD 24,000,000 as compensation. Of course, my clients didnt egg the cars, but even if they did, I dont understand how they could have caused so much damage. By the way, one of the accused says he is a supporter of Nikol Pashinyan and has known him since 2008, and that on the day of the visit, he had changed Prime Minister, but has also been charged, Melkonyan said, adding that the accused dont accept the charges and that signature to not leave has been selected as a pre-trial measure.
Panel discusses history of Oklahoma womens activism

Media Contact: Bonnie Cain-Wood | Manager, Library Communications | 405-744-7331 | lib-pub@okstate.edu

The Center for Oklahoma Studies will host a virtual book talk for This Land is Herland on Sept. 15 at 3 p.m.

The talk will be held on Zoom and will feature the co-editors of the newly released book, Patricia Loughlin and Sarah Janda. Three authors who contributed chapters to the book will also participate in the panel. This event is free and open to the public, but participants must register for the webinar. Registration information can be found at bit.ly/ThisLandIsHerland.

This Land is Herland: Gendered Activism in Oklahoma from the 1870s to the 2010s focuses on the role women have played in changing their communities through political activism. The book features 13 scholars of Oklahoma history writing about 13 women activists from the territorial period to the present. It documents the lives of a diverse array of historical figures who made impacts at local, state and national levels.

The history of Oklahoma has been influenced by a variety of groups and individuals over the years, but one of the things we have recognized for some time now is that the stories of women are not equally represented in how weve traditionally viewed that history, said Mary Larson, associate dean for Special Collections and co-director of the Center for Oklahoma Studies. By looking at women who were both historical actors and activists, this book brings more balance to our states story and provides a more holistic view of how weve evolved.

The book talk is sponsored by the Center for Oklahoma Studies. The COS serves as a gathering place for Oklahoma State University scholars and others whose work focuses on the 46th state, promoting activities that identify, examine and disseminate aspects of the states richly textured, multicultural past that impact the states present and influence its future.

For more information about this event, visit cos.library.okstate.edu or call 405-744-6588.

Story By: Lauren Whitmire | lib-pub@okstate.edu
Beijing hails end of Afghan "anarchy", pledges aid

Foreign minister Wang Yi held a virtual meeting with counterparts from Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on the situation in Afghanistan. File photo: AFP

China said on Wednesday it welcomed the end of "three weeks of anarchy" in Afghanistan with the establishment of a new interim government in Kabul, pledging US$31 million in immediate aid as it urged the Taliban to restore order.



The Islamist group seized control of Afghanistan as US troops withdrew last month and have set up a new administration that started work on Wednesday.



Despite previous promises that their rule would be inclusive, the government is drawn exclusively from loyalist ranks with established hardliners in all key posts and no women.



China has been scathing about the American withdrawal, which it criticised as ill-planned and hasty. On Wednesday it said the new government would help bring stability.



"China attaches great importance to the announcement by the Taliban of the establishment of an interim government and some important personnel arrangements," said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a press briefing.



"This has ended more than three weeks of anarchy in Afghanistan and is a necessary step to restore order and rebuild the country."



Foreign minister Wang Yi later held a virtual meeting with counterparts from Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan  all of which border Afghanistan.



He pledged US$31 million-worth of food, winter supplies, three million vaccines and other medicines.



"After security and other conditions are met, China is willing to help Afghanistan build projects that help to improve people's livelihood," Wang added.



He said neighbouring countries should take the lead in guiding the Taliban to "build a broad and inclusive political structure, pursue a moderate and stable domestic and foreign policy" and "draw a clear line with terrorist forces." (AFP)
Artist Dayo Laoye to present lecture Thursday

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Artist Dayo Laoye will present a lecture on Thursday, Sept. 9 at Southern Illinois University Carbondales Morris Library John C. Guyon Auditorium.

The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. SIU is committed to protecting the community, so all those attending the lecture must wear masks and follow current campus and state pandemic safety protocols. The lecture is part of the universitys Visiting Artist Program and sponsored by the School of Art and Design.

Laoye, who lives in Chicago, is a Nigerian-born artist educated in African and American academic institutions including contemporary African America art, according to his artist statement. Laoye has been exhibiting his works for more than 25 years.

He is a graduate of the School of Fine Art, Yaba College of Technology and worked for the Nigerian Television Authority, various advertising agencies as a graphic artist and two national newspapers as a political cartoonist.

Laoyes professional career, according to his artist statement, has inspired art communities and broader communities to partake in discussions on Yoruba culture and religion, and to use these discussions as a doorway to their global communities.

Laoye is working on a series of paintings  The Peoples Choice  inspired by the nations political process and another series of paintings  Negritude  that celebrate the diversity of beauty in the African American culture.
Four people, including two elementary school-age children, were shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide in Ohio, authorities said Tuesday.

Officers responded to a home on English Turn about 1:20 p.m. for a welfare check, according to the Avon Lake Police Department. Authorities called for more backup after they "observed a suspicious condition" inside the house.

When officers entered the residence, they found the bodies of the children and two adults, police said. The names of the victims were not immediately released, but authorities said the Lorain County Coroner was notified.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is assisting Avon Lake with the investigation.

In an email to NBC News Wednesday, Avon Lake City School District Superintendent Bob Scott confirmed the deaths of two students at Erieview Elementary School in Avon Lake, about 17 miles west of Cleveland.

"Our hearts are broken," Scott said in the email. "This tragedy defies understanding. We are all mourning the loss of this family and our students, but we are Avon Lake strong and we will work together to get through this terrible event."

In a letter to community members late Tuesday, Scott said the district was providing a team of guidance counselors and crisis response professionals to support teachers and students across all of its schools.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico on Tuesday near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, leaving at least one person dead and shaking buildings in the capital several hundred kilometers away.

The epicenter was 11 kilometers (seven miles) southeast of Acapulco in Guerrero state, the National Seismological Service reported.

A man was killed when a utility pole fell on him in the nearby city of Coyuca de Benitez, Guerrero state governor Hector Astudillo told Milenio TV.

But President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a video message that there were no reports of significant destruction.

"The epicenter was registered in Acapulco, Guerrero. Fortunately there is no damage in that state, no major damage," he said.

Utility poles and other debris fell on a number of vehicles in Acapulco and the facade of a church collapsed, according to an AFP correspondent.

Tourists evacuated hotels as dozens of aftershocks, including at least eight of magnitude 4 or above, rattled nerves.

"I was taking a bath and suddenly I felt a very strong movement and then I was scared and screamed," said a tourist from Mexico City who fled outside in only a bath towel.

"I came with my mom and we're on the 11th floor of the hotel," he said, hugging his 86-year-old mother, who was crying.

Acapulco Mayor Adela Roman said that the tremor sparked "nervous breakdowns" in the city.

"People are worried because there are aftershocks."

She said that "a lot of gas leaks" had been detected in residential areas.

Authorities in Acapulco opened sports centers for people to sleep in if they were afraid to go home.

A church in the city of Chilpancingo offered refuge to families evacuated from housing that suffered structural damage, the Guerrero civil defense service said.

- 'Very scared' -

The earthquake was felt strongly in parts of Mexico City, sending residents and tourists spilling into the streets from homes and hotels.

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"I'm very scared. I don't know if I'll sleep tonight. I'm worried about my daughter. I woke her up to take her outside and I didn't even put my shoes on," said 49-year-old resident Laura Villa.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage in the capital, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Twitter.

Several neighborhoods were left without power and the electricity board was working to restore it as soon as possible, she added.

Flashes of light were seen in the sky above the capital during the earthquake, which hit at a time when Mexico is facing a third wave of Covid-19 infections as well as severe flooding in some areas.

Bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Mexico is one of the most seismically active places in the world, sitting atop five tectonic plates including three major ones.

On September 19, 1985 a 8.1 magnitude quake in Mexico City killed more than 10,000 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

On the anniversary of that earthquake in 2017, a 7.1 quake left around 370 people dead, mainly in the capital.

str-jg-dr/rbu
The global Climate Action Network (CAN) issued a call Tuesday to postpone the upcoming United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, citing concerns over safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global inequality in access to vaccination.

Coming at the end of a summer that has seen dramatic extreme weather events such as heat waves, drought-induced famine, raging wildfires and drenching hurricanes, the two-week conference, which is scheduled to begin on Nov. 1, has come to be seen as humanitys last best chance to strike a global agreement to try to avert catastrophic climate change.

Originally scheduled to occur last year, but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the meeting will rely heavily on the findings of an alarming August report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that makes the case that time is running out for humankind to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The leading global climate activism network, which coordinates the international climate advocacy efforts of some 1,500 member organizations, CAN is worried that many delegates, activists and journalists from developing countries, where vaccines remain scarce, may not be able to safely attend. And they argue that since climate change is falling hardest on poorer countries, negotiations that exclude any of their representatives will lead to an unjust agreement.

With just two months to go, it is evident that a safe, inclusive and just global climate conference is impossible given the failure to support the access to vaccines to millions of people in poor countries, the rising costs of travel and accommodation, and the uncertainty in the course of the Covid19 pandemic, CAN, which includes member organizations such as Amnesty International and Greenpeace, said in its statement.

The government of the United Kingdom, which is hosting the summit, countered with a statement insisting the event could be held safely.

The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, one of the scheduled venues for the U.N. Climate Change Conference. (Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)

We are working tirelessly with all our partners, including the Scottish government and the U.N., to ensure an inclusive, accessible and safe summit in Glasgow with a comprehensive set of COVID-mitigation measures, said Alok Sharma, the president-designate of COP26, the official name for this years U.N. climate negotiations.

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While a majority of Americans and residents of Western European countries have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, many developing nations have been able to administer doses to as little as 2 percent of their population. The U.K. has promised to provide vaccination to any registered attendee, but hasnt actually distributed the vaccines yet.

While some member organizations privately hope the conference is not delayed, they are united in their effort to pressure the British government to make good on its promises of access.

Youre up against the clock, its the last minute for people to get vaccinated in time, said a source from an organization that belongs to CAN who requested anonymity. The goal of this is to really push hard for the U.K. to do what they said they would to make it possible for people to attend equitably.

That effort may already be producing results. The British governments response to CANs statement included a previously unannounced plan that delegates who have registered for a vaccine through the accreditation process are set to begin receiving their first dose this week.

But CAN said that that alone wont be enough, noting that there are other challenges for attendees from developing countries, even if they are able to be vaccinated.

Its incredibly challenging for some of our colleagues to be there regardless, Natalie Lucas, a spokesperson for the U.S. Climate Action Network, CANs American affiliate, told Yahoo News. People from the Pacific Islands, who are some of the most in danger from climate change, have to travel through New Zealand and Australia, which have some of the strictest COVID rules in the world. ... A lot of people have just said, We cant. The logistical challenges are too many.

A COVID-19 vaccine is administered on a vaccine bus in Glasgow, Scotland, in July. (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)

Lucas also argued that global travel at this time could increase the risk of viral transmission, even among the vaccinated, which can in turn lead to more dangerous infections among the unvaccinated. Some of these countries that people are going home to dont have significant vaccine distribution, she said.

Holding the event virtually isnt a good option either, according to Lucas, since the groundwork for making all the various meetings accessible hasnt been laid. Because weve been so focused on in-person, there is no plan to reinforce the virtual setting, she said. Weve heard from developing nations that they dont want it to be virtual.

If the climate negotiations arent delayed, CAN still plans to send staffers to lobby for an ambitious and equitable agreement.

Still, CAN hopes that a large majority of residents of every country will have been vaccinated by sometime next year and that the negotiations would occur then. But if the pandemic has taught us anything so far, its that no one can predict what the world will look like just a few months from now.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Zachary Horwitz, an actor in low-budget horror and science-fiction movies, has agreed to plead guilty to running a massive Hollywood Ponzi scheme.

Horwitz, 34, admitted in court papers that he duped investors into giving him more than $650 million for fictitious movie deals with HBO and Netflix.

While Horwitz repaid much of the money in order to lure victims into investing more, he also spent large sums of it to finance his "lavish lifestyle," according to his Sept.1 plea agreement with the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles. Horwitz acknowledged that he has failed to repay $231 million.

The agreement calls for Horwitz to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud at a hearing on Oct. 4. Prosecutors indicated in court records they will ask U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi to impose a hefty sentence in light of the huge sum Horwitz swindled. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Horowitz's attorney, Anthony Pacheco, did not respond to requests for comment.

Horwitz admitted in the plea agreement that for seven years he falsely represented to investors that his film company, 1inMM Capital, LLC, was buying foreign distribution rights to movies, then licensing them to Netflix, HBO or other platforms to stream online in Latin America, Australia, Europe and Africa.

Investors would "lend" 1inMM Capital from $35,000 to $1.5 million per film deal, and Horwitz guaranteed he would repay them within a year with a return of 25% to 45%, according to the plea agreement.

But Horwitz acknowledged in the agreement that the distribution and licensing contracts were forged. The effort to con investors into thinking they would eventually be repaid included showing them fake correspondence he claimed to have exchanged with Netflix and HBO executives.

More than 250 investors fell victim to Horwitz's scheme, the plea agreement says. They included several of Horwitz's closest friends from college, along with their parents, grandparents, siblings and in-laws, some of whom lost their retirement savings.

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Brian R. Michael, a lawyer for three of the college friends, said his clients were pleased that Horwitz "is being held accountable for his criminal fraud." The college friends have been trying to help federal investigators recover Horwitz's assets so that victims "can rebuild their lives after the devastating harm he has caused so many people, Michael said.

Horwitz, who grew up in Florida and Indiana, moved to Los Angeles in 2012. He befriended two brothers who helped him break into the film business: producer Julio Hallivis and his brother Diego, a director and producer. Under the name Zach Avery, Horwitz appeared in a series of their low-end films including "Trespassers" and "The Devil Below."

The Ponzi scheme turned Horwitz into a wealthy man. He traveled by private jet and bought a $5.7 million Beverlywood house with a screening room, gym and 1,000-bottle wine cellar, according to court records. Former friends said in court papers that he often bought courtside seats at Lakers games and once tried to tip a waitress $5,000.

Zachary Horwitz lived in this Beverlywood house when FBI agents arrested him there in April. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The scam began to unravel in 2019 when Horwitz was unable to meet investors' demands for repayment, sparking a lawsuit that alerted Netflix to his use of forged contracts.

Horwitz was arrested at dawn on April 6, when FBI agents raided the house in Beverlywood.

"The banging of the doors literally caused our walls to tremble and being woken up to a troop of FBI agents swarming our house was the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced," Mallory Horwitz, his wife, said in court papers.

Weeks after the arrest, Mallory Horwitz filed for divorce, saying in court that her husband had been "deceiving and manipulating me and everyone around him, and he is not the person that I believed he was."

A federal grand jury indicted Horwitz in May on five counts of securities fraud, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. If he goes forward with the plan to plead guilty to the single fraud charge, the others will be dismissed.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Reuters) - The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appealed on Wednesday to other humanitarian organisations to return to Afghanistan and for the World Bank to unlock funds to support the tottering healthcare system.

Peter Maurer made the comments in a briefing with reporters at the end of a four-day trip to Afghanistan when he met Taliban leaders including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban's political office.

"I do hope that other organisations can find a pathway back," Maurer said. "I appreciate all of those humanitarian organisations that have an ability to defreeze, to unblock their programmes because needs are uncontested."

"The more other organisations suspend or move out of Afghanistan, with their staff and with competent Afghan staff, the more there are expectations towards the ICRC."

Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been plunged into crisis by the abrupt end of billions of dollars in foreign aid following the collapse of the Western-backed government and the victory of the Taliban last month.

Maurer said the ICRC never takes positions on sanctions, but said World Bank support for the health sector was critical.

"I would certainly advocate for the Bank to look for the best possible way to resume support for health facilities in Afghanistan," he said.

During its period in power from 1996-2001, the Islamist militants had an uneasy relationship with foreign aid agencies, eventually expelling many. This time, the group has said it welcomes foreign donors, and will protect the rights of foreign and local staff.

Maurer said the Taliban had shown willingness for the ICRC to continue to monitor conditions in prisons and had expressed interest in the organisation helping to support former long-term prisoners.

The Afghan government released 400 "hard-core" Taliban prisoners last month as a condition for peace talks.

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"We are open to discuss what an adapted detainee and prison programme could look like," Maurer said.

The ICRC, which has worked in Afghanistan since 1987, deploys some 1,800 national and international staff in the country, including surgical teams.

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Dozens of women in Kabul and the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan have protested against the formation of an all-male interim Taliban government to rule Afghanistan.

Demonstrators said they would not accept a government with no women ministers.

Some women were reportedly beaten before the protests were dispersed.

Local news organisation Etilaatroz said some of its journalists were detained and beaten for covering the rally.

The Taliban, who have not responded to the allegations, warned that such protests were illegal.

They have said protesters needed permission to march, and should not use what they called abusive language.

On Tuesday, three people were killed during a demonstration in the western city of Herat.

The EU said the Islamist group had reneged on promises to make their government "inclusive and representative", while the US also expressed concern that the interim government includes figures linked to attacks on US forces.

Addressing reporters after a virtual meeting of 20 Western nations on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban's government "certainly does not meet the test of inclusivity, and it includes people who have very challenging track records".

"The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support - any legitimacy, any support, will have to be earned," he said.

But China said on Wednesday that it welcomed the end of what it called "three weeks of anarchy" in Afghanistan, and pledged $31m (22m) in immediate aid.

The formation of an interim government, China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters, is "a necessary step to restore order and rebuild the country".

The anti-Taliban National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) have urged the international community not to recognise the new government, calling the cabinet "illegal" and "a clear sign of the group's enmity with the Afghan people".

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The NRF, led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of the late resistance icon Ahmad Shah Massoud, have been fighting Taliban militants in the Panjshir Valley north of Kabul, which was Afghanistan's last anti-Taliban stronghold.

The Taliban insist they have now defeated the NRF in Panjshir, but NRF leaders say they are still fighting.

The new government

On Tuesday the Taliban announced the first appointments to their interim cabinet, which will be led by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund.

Hassan Akhund served as foreign minister, and then later deputy prime minister, when the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Like many of the new cabinet ministers he is under UN sanctions for his position in that government.

Speaking to Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Hassan Akhund said former Afghan officials should return to the country and that their security and safety would be guaranteed.

He said Taliban leaders face great responsibility towards the Afghan people, adding: "We have suffered heavy losses for this historical moment and the era of bloodshed in Afghanistan is over."

Another incoming minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is head of the notorious Haqqani network.

The Haqqani network has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by the US. It also maintains close ties to al-Qaeda.

The FBI says Haqqani was behind some of the deadliest attacks of the 20-year-long war, including a truck bomb explosion in Kabul in 2017 that killed more than 150 people.

He is wanted by the FBI over a 2008 attack on a hotel that killed an American.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in a sweeping offensive more than three weeks ago. They now face many tough challenges in the conflict-torn country, including stabilising the economy and gaining international recognition.

Ministers told to implement 'Islamic law'

The Taliban's spokesman announced the appointments at a press conference on Tuesday

Earlier on Tuesday, a statement attributed to Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada told the government to uphold Sharia law - Islam's legal system. The Taliban have been known for their extremely hardline interpretation of Sharia.

The Taliban want "strong and healthy" relations with other countries and would respect international laws and treaties as long as they did not conflict with "Islamic law and the country's national values", the statement said.

Hassan Akhund, the new interim prime minister, is influential on the religious side of the movement, rather than the military side.

His appointment is seen as a compromise, after recent reports of in-fighting between some relatively moderate Taliban figures and their hardline colleagues.

Analysis box by Lyse Doucet, chief international correspondent

A movement which has long moved in the shadows, whose names would surface only on the world's terrorism watch lists, is now announcing titles used in governments the world over.

Acting prime minister Mullah Akhund appears as a compromise candidate after reported rivalries among leading military and political figures who will serve under him.

Its caretaker nature also provides breathing space as the Taliban move from guns to government.

It also underlines the Taliban view that a Taliban victory can only mean Taliban rule. Sources say they pushed back against calls for an "inclusive" government. They balked at including former political figures and officials, who've had their turn at the top, and especially those tainted by corruption.

"Why should we let others pick our cabinet when other countries pick their own? "was one retort.

As for women, there was never a chance they would be given a ministerial role; the ministry of women's affairs seems to have been, for now, abolished altogether.

Other appointments to the new government include:

Mullah Yaqoob as acting defence minister. He is the son of Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will be one of the PM's deputies. He oversaw the signing of the US withdrawal agreement last year

Amir Khan Muttaqi, an interim foreign minister, also took part in the withdrawal talks
Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- When Anthony Stimler left Glencore Plc in August 2019, he had two big secrets: For a dozen years, hed paid millions in bribes to African officials and intermediaries. And he was now helping a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the company and numerous former colleagues.Corruption isnt exactly unheard of in the extraction and trading of commodities, especially in the developing world. But details of Stimlers cooperation deal, obtained from the U.S. attorneys office in M
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images; Joe Skipper/Reuters

Amazon ripped into SpaceX and Elon Musk in its latest FCC filing over a Starlink complaint.

The company said the SpaceX CEO believes "rules are for other people."

The letter comes a week after SpaceX said Jeff Bezos' lawsuits were hindering the company's progress.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Amazon ripped into Elon Musk in its latest filing in a series of tiffs with SpaceX over its plans to expand Starlink on Wednesday.

"The conduct of SpaceX and other Musk-led companies makes their view plain: rules are for other people, and those who insist upon or even simply request compliance are deserving of derision and ad hominem attacks," a letter from Amazon to the Federal Communications Commission said.

The letter, first reported by CNBC's Michael Sheetz, comes just a week after SpaceX responded to Amazon's protest. At the time, the space company said Jeff Bezos' lawsuits had "become a bigger bottleneck than the technology," pointing out that Bezos-owned companies including Amazon and Blue Origin had filed complaints against SpaceX roughly every 16 days this year. Musk said on Twitter that suing SpaceX, was Bezos' "full-time job."

In its most recent letter to FCC, Amazon said that SpaceX's letter was an "overheated response to an uncontroversial argument." The company said the response failed to address the issue and focused primarily on attacking Amazon instead.

"It is with a sigh that Amazon responds to SpaceX's recent attack on Amazon, which takes this familiar tack in order to distract from the actual problem," the letter said. "The approach comes from a playbook familiar to any regulator faced with the unfortunate task of evenhandedly applying its rules to SpaceX: concede nothing, ignore rules whenever possible, and when all else fails, malign those that invoke them."

The Amazon letter also focuses on criticising Musk, saying the SpaceX CEO demonstrates an unwillingness to comply with rules and government authorities and pointing out reports from The Wall Street Journal on Musk's "War on Regulators."

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Amazon's initial letter to the FCC registered concerns regarding SpaceX's plans to expand Starlink into Gen2. It called for the FCC to require SpaceX to submit a new proposal because its proposal offered two options for how it would expand its satellite system, instead of one.

Starlink is part of Musk's vision to build an interconnected internet network with thousands of satellites that would deliver high-speed internet to customers anywhere on the planet. Amazon's satellite-internet subsidiary - Kuiper Systems - has a similar vision, but is expected to take about a decade to fully deploy its planned 3,236 satellites. While the Starlink service is still in beta, the company has over 100,000 users in 14 countries so far. SpaceX has launched 1,740 Starlink satellites to date, and its second generation project plans to have nearly 30,000 satellites in total.

Amazon's latest complaint against SpaceX is one of many filed by companies affiliated with Bezos. Blue Origin, a space company launched by the billionaire, has filed multiple protests against NASA's decision to select SpaceX over Blue Origin for its project to put boots on the moon. Most recently, Blue Origin took the issue to federal court, calling the NASA decision "unfair" and essentially halting SpaceX's work on the project.

It is also not the first time that Musk and Bezos have sparred, as the two billionaires race to space.

When Bezos initially complained about the NASA decision for its lunar landing project Musk tweeted, "Can't get it up (to orbit) lol."

Spokespeople from Amazon and SpaceX were not immediately available to comment when contacted by Insider.

Do you work for Blue Origin or SpaceX? Reach out to the reporter at gkay@insider.com from a non-work email.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(This Sept. 7 story corrects to say 'picket', not 'strike', in headline)

(Reuters) - The labor union representing American Airlines pilots said it will begin informational picketing in coming weeks at the carrier's major hubs to protest their work schedule, fatigue, and lack of adequate accommodation over the summer.

The Allied Pilots Association will picket at Miami International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and other locations, it said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

"Our airline needs scheduling practices that support the safety margin, respect pilots' and passengers' needs, and de-risk American Airlines to protect and improve revenue," the union said.

American did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

In August, a union representing Southwest Airlines pilots filed a lawsuit challenging forced time off and other changes to working conditions imposed by the airline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Reporting by Akriti Sharma and Vishal Vivek in Bengaluru. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
The Daily Beast

via FacebookIn a stunning turn of events, a South Carolina man was charged Tuesday with shooting troubled attorney Alex Murdaugh in the head in an assisted-suicide plot to secure $10 million in insurance moneyjust three months after Murdaughs wife and son were murdered.The alleged conspiracy was laid out in court documents released after Curtis Edward Smith, 61, was collared for the botched Sept. 4 shooting, which Murdaugh, 53, survived.Mr. Murdaugh supplied Mr. Smith with a firearm and direc
Washington Examiner

Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch grilled Secretary of State Antony Blinken about who in the White House has the authority to press the button to silence President Joe Biden in a strange exchange during a Senate hearing that was supposed to be about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
This story originally appeared on CBS Miami.

Several people suspected of stealing the identities of those killed in the condo collapse in Surfside, Florida, have been arrested.

Betsy Alexandra Cacho Medina, 30; Rodney Choute, 38; and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, have been charged with multiple counts of identity theft, organized scheme to defraud and trafficking in credit cards.

"This unbelievable tragedy tore at our very hearts. The loss of 98 lives was and is still is painfully tragic. But for a group of alleged identity thieves, it was a time to make some money," said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

"While families and friends were an absolute emotional turmoil. Their model could have been your losses are our gain," she added.

The trio is accused of using the stolen identities to get or replace credit cards and then make purchases.

"They immediately started buying. I can tell you that between July seventh and ninth, just in those two days, there were 28 attempted transactions, including at an ATM at the Aventura Mall, which was caught on closed-circuit TV," said Fernandez Rundle.

She said authorities first learned of the identity thefts about two weeks after the collapse.

"It was first recognized by the sister of one of the deceased victims on or about July 9 of 2021. Think about that. That's only 16 days after the building's collapse, the sister notified the Surfside police department, and since the collapse that she had noticed that her mailing address was changed," she said.

Fernandez Rundle said when the woman received some of her financial statements, she realized that replacement credit cards were requested to be mailed to a new address, that there were multiple unauthorized wire transfers that were initiated from the deceased account to other accounts, and that a number of fraudulent purchases were put on these other cards.

One example included a July 8 purchase of Medusa sandals at the Aventura mall for $374.

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Surveillance cameras at the store captured the purchase by a woman who was later seen driving a Mercedes. The state attorney said the car's license plate came back to one of the suspected thieves.

Another pricey purchase was a black Versace purse, valued at $1,650.50, at the Versace store in the Miami design district.

People visit a memorial for the victims of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, on June 27, 2021. / Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty

Investigators believe they stole the identities of seven people, including three of those killed in the collapse and two survivors.

Fernandez Rundle said Medina was recorded ordering a replacement credit under the name of one of the victims and asked that it be sent to a residence in Hallandale Beach. The state attorney said the suspects did not live in the home but used it as a drop location for the credit cards they were acquiring.

"It's been more than two months since the unspeakable tragedy of the collapse of Champlain Towers South. We've been working so hard to bring closure to the families affected, to help the survivors relocate, to the families of the victims to find peace. Yet here we are faced with this incredible exploitation of the dead from this unspeakable tragedy," said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

If convicted, each person faces up to 15 to 30 years in prison.

Vice President Harris campaigns for California Governor Gavin Newsom

White House tackles rising prices, fuel supply issues

Biden to lay out six-step plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic
YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) -The detained leader of a separatist group in Nigeria has filed a lawsuit alleging that he was illegally transferred from Kenya to Nigeria and demanding he be freed and allowed to go to Britain, according to media reports citing legal documents.

Nnamdi Kanu, who holds British citizenship, leads the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group which campaigns for secession in part of southeastern Nigeria. Nigerian authorities have labelled the group a terrorist organisation.

Kanu disappeared from Nigeria whilst on bail in 2017 after spending two years in jail. He was re-arrested in June this year and is in Abuja facing trial for treason and other charges.

In a lawsuit against the Nigerian government and security services, filed in a court in southeastern Abia State, Kanu's lawyers alleged a series of violations of his fundamental rights, according to reports from several Nigerian media outlets.

It said Kanu should be "repatriated" to Britain and that if Nigeria wanted to detain him it should make an extradition request to the British authorities.

The Abia court confirmed a suit had been filed and a hearing was scheduled for Sept. 21.

In an email, a UK government spokesman said it was working to secure consular access to a British national detained in Nigeria.

"We are in regular contact with the Nigerian authorities and remain in contact with his family and legal representatives," the email said.

Britain previously asked Nigeria to explain the circumstances of Kanu's detention.

Nigeria has not revealed the circumstances of his detention. Kenya has denied involvement.

Kanu's detention has roiled the southeast regional homeland of the Igbo ethnic group, which tried to secede in 1967 as the Republic of Biafra, triggering a three-year civil war in which more than a million people died.

IPOB has repeatedly called on people across the southeast to stay at home in protest over Kanu's situation. It scheduled another stay-at-home day for Thursday to protest against a planned visit to the region by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amnesty International said in August that Nigerian security forces had killed at least 115 people and arbitrarily arrested or tortured scores of others as part of their crackdown on IPOB. Nigeria did not comment on the allegations.

(Reporting by Tife Owolabi and Angela Ukomadu, writing by Fikayo Owoeye, editing by Estelle Shirbon, Mark Heinrich, Elaine Hardcastle)
The Biden administration has asked 18 members of military service advisory boards, including 11 officials appointed by former President Trump, to resign or be fired, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

Why it matters: The officials include prominent former Trump advisors  like former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway and former press secretary Sean Spicer who were appointed to Air Force Academy and Naval Academy boards respectively just before the former president left office.

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Other officials include former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on the West Point board, former Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought on the Naval Academy's board and former White House liaison to the Justice Department Heidi Stirrup.

What she's saying: "The president's objective ... was to ensure you have nominees and people serving on these boards who are qualified to serve on them and who are aligned with our core values," press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing Wednesday.

"I will let others evaluate whether they think Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer and others were qualified, or not political, to serve on these boards."

"The president's qualification requirements are not your party registration, they are whether you're qualified to serve and you're aligned with the values of this administration."

Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday

Be smart: The boards' duties are "to inquire into the state of morale and discipline, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the academy which the Board decides to consider."

The president appoints six of each boards' 15 members  all of whom Biden has now asked to resign. Members typically serve their entire three-year terms.

The big picture: Spicer said on his cable news show that he will not resign, and that he will take legal action against the decision. Conway tweeted "President Biden, I'm not resigning, but you should." Vought also indicated on Twitter he would not resign, writing, "No. Its a three-year term."

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Meaghan Mobbs, a member of the West Point board, in a statement called the decision "unconscionable and not all in the spirit by which this Administration promised to govern."

Air Force Academy board member Michael Wynne told CNN, which first reported the news, "it was an honor to be on the board," and said he was disappointed he wasn't asked to remain.

Editor's note: This post was updated to include comments from Sean Spicer on his cable news show.

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President Biden is tapping former ambassador Lee Wolosky, who led President Obamas efforts to shut down Guantanamo Bay, to coordinate the administrations legal efforts to resettle Afghan evacuees, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Why it matters: By bringing in a seasoned attorney with experience in the public and private sector, Biden is trying to ensure that his administrations unprecedented resettlement program stands on solid legal footing.

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Wolosky, who will serve as a special counsel to the president, will take a leave from his firm, Jenner & Block LLP, to work with the National Security Council (NSC) and other administration officials on resettlement, as well as other issues related to the U.S. drawdown from Afghanistan.

Under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Wolosky served as Director of Transnational Threats on the National Security Council at the White House.

Obama put him in charge of efforts to shut down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in 2015 and made him an ambassador in 2016.

The big picture: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that at least 50,000 Afghans are expected to be admitted into the United States after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.

Last week, Biden appointed Jack Markell, a former governor of Delaware, to temporarily lead the Afghan resettlement effort in the United States.

The Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday urged Congress to provide an additional $6.4 billion for Afghan allies in part "to support processing sites overseas and in the United States," according to a blog post from OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young.

Go Deeper: Wolosky will be designated a special government employee with the expectation that he will serve for under 130 days.

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President Joe Biden. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Biden wants a clash with corporations, but Senate Democrats may not line up behind him.

Some want to scale back the degree of his tax increases on large businesses.

A pair of lobbyists - both former Senate Democrats - want to scrap a key part of the Biden tax plan.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

President Joe Biden's message hasn't strayed from his presidential campaign. He wants the largest corporations to finance the bulk of his economic agenda, intended to assault inequality and level the playing field for Americans.

"It's time for working families, the folks who built this country, to have their taxes cut," Biden said on Friday. "And those corporate interests doing everything they can to find allies in Congress to keep that from happening  I'm going to take them on."

He also ripped into 55 large companies that paid no federal income taxes in 2020, per a report from the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Those firms who paid nothing included household names like FedEx and Nike.

Meanwhile, others like Disney are scrambling to kill his proposed tax increases on Capitol Hill.

Biden struck an aggressive tone, picking a fight with large firms as Democrats attempt to meet a key deadline to pass his $3.5 trillion spending plan by September 27. A dozen House committees are drafting their parts of the bill, which will include paid family and medical leave, expanded Medicare benefits, housing aid, and a renewal of the Biden child allowance.

But swaths of Biden's domestic agenda have begun to crash into resistance from moderate Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Manchin called for a "strategic pause" last week and said he could not support such a large package. Sinema did as well last month.

A pair of former Senate Democrats who are now powerful lobbyists, Max Baucus and Heidi Heitkamp, are urging their former colleagues to preserve the "step-up basis," a tax loophole tilted toward wealthy Americans who pass onto heirs assets that grew in value during their lifetimes. Their heirs don't have to pay taxes on the received assets. Already, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, which happens to be Baucus's home state, has already expressed reluctance to eliminating the step-up basis.

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"The whole process is going to be ugly as hell, the likes of which I'm not sure DC has seen in years," Jim Manley, a former senior aide to onetime Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, told Insider. "How messy the tax provisions will be remains to be seen, but it depends how big of a reconciliation bill is proposed."

Senate Democrats aren't likely to adopt the Biden plan in full and instead will make revisions of their own. Sen. Ron Wyden, chair of the Finance Committee, said on Thursday that Democrats will be able to completely finance a package, regardless of its size.

"We will have an expansive menu of revenue options for the caucus to choose from," he told Insider. "My bottom line is we'll be able to pay for the priorities the caucus supports."

Insider obtained a copy of the tax increases Democrats are weighing. They include reining in supercharged CEO pay, targeting stock buybacks, and taxing capital gains - the growth in value for assets like stock between their purchasing date and when they're sold - equivalent to ordinary income. Bloomberg first reported the story.

Earlier this year, Biden laid out a wide-ranging tax plan which included:

Raising corporate taxes to 28% from 21%

Increasing the top individual income tax rate to 39% from 37%

Taxing unrealized capital gains at death

The corporate and individual income tax rate increases would partially roll back President Donald Trump's tax law.

Some Democrats are reluctant to increase taxes that much, warning it could damage the ability of American companies to compete. Both Manchin and Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia favor a smaller corporate tax hike, and both say they could back a 25% rate instead. If that ends up being the compromise, it would likely mean a smaller spending package, because Biden and Democrats have both largely said they want to fully pay for their spending.

It remains to be seen whether Senate Democrats can approve and draft the reconciliation bill by the end of the month. But they're still supportive of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's efforts to maneuver around a 50-50 Senate.

"It's worked so far, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois told reporters on Tuesday. "It's not always been the prettiest process, but that's Democrats."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos AP/FX

Halfway through Impeachment, the latest installment in Ryan Murphys American Crime Story anthology, an eager Linda Tripp sits among the remains of a holiday party in her living room. Shes waiting, it seems, for an elusive gift that never made it under the Christmas tree. Her eyes drill holes not into the fireplace, but instead the window.

Then come the headlights our conspicuously desperate villain has been waiting for. She ushers the government officials into her living room and, finally granted her 15 minutes in the limelight, musters her haughtiest tone. Were you not all briefed? she scolds. I assumed youd all come briefed.

Its in scenes like this that Sarah Paulson, Murphys inevitable but misguided choice to play the impossibly contradictory role, is at her most effective. Her Linda Tripp is a bruised ego come to lifea bitter tangle of disillusionment, misplaced anger, and corrosive envy. The dissonance between Tripps self-importance and her bumbling thirstiness captures Impeachment at its most withering. The series excels when it highlights the comical gaps between the American elites ego and the actual impression they leave on any normal human being. But its preoccupation with Tripps appearance, even as it tries to critique the maltreatment she endured in real life, flattens a thorny character into a two-dimensional caricature.

Impeachment: American Crime Story Avenges Monica Lewinsky and Turns Bill Clinton Into a Horror Villain

American Crime Story uses the benefit of hindsight to re-examine the pervasive news sagas that double as Americas favorite legends. The People v. O.J. Simpson methodically and convincingly chastised a sexist public for its treatment of Marcia Clark, and Impeachment clearly wants to bring a similar level of nuance to Tripps storyeven if it stops short of exonerating her. So why does this season spend so much time echoing the already well-established narrative that she was a dowdy, embittered old hag?

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As laughable Tripp certainly is in that post-Christmas party scene, that display of hubris is a welcome bit of humanityor at least, its a nice break from watching a thin, heavily padded actress wolf down a seemingly endless stream of frozen dinners.

Impeachment explores how narcissists, when emboldened with too much power, can convince themselves that all kinds of ego-stroking behaviors are actually good and moral. Although there was never any love lost between Tripp and Bill Clinton, the series posits that theyre not that differentneither can see past their own egos, which is why neither can admit even to themselves that they ever exploited anyone. While Clinton insists that allowing Paula Jones lawsuit against him to proceed while hes in office is the worst decision in Supreme Court historyDont talk to me about Dred Scott!Tripp spends multiple phone calls with her literary agent psyching herself up to sell out her friend.

I mean, someone needs to end this before anyone gets hurt, she says.

You could do a book, Margo Martindales literary agent Lucianne Goldberg replies.

You really think so?

It seems intentional that Beanie Feldsteins Monica Lewinsky not only looks but acts uncomfortably young. As told by Impeachment, Lewinsky was the victim of multiple transactional relationships with people who used their maturity and standing to gain her trust and then betrayed her. The Booksmart star captures the tempestuousness of young romantic and erotic obsession but struggles to accentuate her characters trauma as the abuse becomes public gossip. Scenes that should drive home just how deeply her exploitation ruptured Lewinskys young psyche instead feel like one-note moments of kiddie-crush desperation.

Then theres Paulsonand, yes, that fat suit. It figures that Murphy, who often taps Paulson to tackle his shows most daring high-wire acts, would want her to play Tripp, and sometimes it works. The American Horror Story MVP shines in scenes that let her play up the characters delusions of grandeur. When Tripp shows up at an electronics store in a full trench coat and sunglasses to buy a tape recorder, you can hear the spy-thriller music playing in her headeven if it is non-diegetic.

That said, however, Paulson never seems comfortable in her characters bodyperhaps because its not her body. (Or her nose.) Somewhere between the fat suit, the SlimFast we see Tripp making at the very outset of the show, and many frozen dinners eaten alone in front of the TV, it begins to feel as though Impeachment enjoys making fun of Tripps appearance just as much as it does criticizing others who did so when she was still alive. On the one hand, Impeachment makes sure to show us how upset Tripp is when she sees John Goodman playing her on SNLbut then again, she does so while once again shoveling frozen potatoes into her mouth in a darkened room.

No one is clamoring for a season of ACS that vindicates Tripp in the mold of, say, Marcia Clark, whose sympathetic portrayal in the first season of ACS prompted a long overdue re-evaluation. Still, the hollowness at Impeachments center stems, in part, from its reluctance to let viewers see the commonalities wed be ashamed to admit we share with Trippat least, so far.

Tripp was not the only person who spent several years in the 1990s poring over every detail of Monica Lewinskys sex life with lurid obsession. Critics only received seven out of 10 Impeachment episodes for review, which end before the Lewinsky-Clinton affair became public fodder. Perhaps in those last few episodes, well finally meet the most relentless villain in Lewinskys storya ravenous, tabloid-obsessed public that enjoyed every minute of her evisceration.

Why Is Sarah Paulson So Good?

It feels inevitable that well see Paulson re-enact the one news address the real Tripp ever gave before Impeachment ends. As she emerged from testifying before Kenneth Starrs grand jury, Tripp told the public, I am you Im an average American who found herself in a situation not of her own making.

As ludicrous as such a claim isTripp had, after all, just executed one of the most high-profile betrayals in human history from inside a building most Americans will never see in person, let alone set foot inits fascinating to imagine the parallels Impeachment could draw between Tripp and its viewers. After all, the you with whom Tripp was trying to align herself was not the real America, but its idealized version of itself. One could argue that this virtue-obsessed yet prurient government worker is a pretty great stand-in for the puritanical streak that continues to run through much of this paradoxical countrys veinsthat her inability, at every step, to acknowledge how shes using Lewinsky mirrors Americas own refusal to stop drinking its own Kool-Aid. But thats hard to get across when youre busy getting the fat suit and the yellow teeth just right.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A woman holds a banner that reads 'No to bitcoin' during a demonstration against the circulation of bitcoin in El Salvador. Photo: AFP

Bitcoins (BTC-USD) downward trajectory continued on Wednesday morning with its price tumbling 13.4% as El Salvadors decision to accept the crypto as legal tender hit some roadblocks.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency was trading at $45,189, down from more than $50,000 just a day earlier.

Some of El Salvador's citizens protested the move, amid fears that bitcoins volatility puts everyday investors at risk and because the poor may not be able to access the technology. There are also concerns about criminal activity and illicit transactions.

More than 1,000 people held a protest against the country's adoption of bitcoin on Tuesday.

"There is concern that by becoming known as a bitcoin haven, the country could attract the wrong kind of investment from criminal groups seeking anonymity," said Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown.

The rollout also faced tech issues. Initially, the government-backed digital wallet called Chivo was not available on platforms like Apple (AAPL) and Huawei.

Bitcoin slumped on Wednesday morning. Chart: Yahoo Finance UK

Later, the app could not deal with the high number of user registrations and the government had to take it offline and increase capacity.

When the price dipped on Tuesday, Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele tweeted that the country was "buying the dip" and had purchased 150 bitcoins, bringing the total number of bitcoins held by the country to 550.

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"Rather than having a positive impact on markets, investors were on a selling spree, despite bitcoin reaching its highest price since May, surpassing $52,000, said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Ava Trade.

He also said stocks that are correlated with cryptocurrencies also fell, including Coinbase (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR)  both fell nearly 4% and 9% respectively.

It didnt help that major exchanges reported operational issues, causing transactions to be delayed "in the midst of the market meltdown."

Read more: European markets slump after sombre Wall Street and Asia session

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To mark El Savador's bold move, Twitter and Reddit users had pledged to buy $30 worth of BTC on 7 September, dubbed "bitcoin day." MicroStrategy's CEO was part of the growing movement.

Some Reddit users even suggested that if all 3,316,862 community members were to buy $30 of bitcoin each on Thursday, $99,505,860 would be added to the cryptocurrency.

Streeter said "a pump and dump scenario is partly playing out after there were calls on social media forums for fans to buy tranches of bitcoin to celebrate the bitcoin law in El Salvador. Some speculators cashing in on the previous sharp gain may have sparked further falls."

Watch: What is bitcoin?
By Humeyra Pamuk

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said a provisional Afghan cabinet was not the inclusive government the Taliban had promised and that the Islamist group needs to earn the international legitimacy and support it seeks.

Blinken, visiting a U.S. air base in Germany that has been a transit point for evacuees from Afghanistan, also called on the Taliban to allow charter flights carrying Americans and at-risk Afghans to depart the country.

Taliban leaders filled all the top posts https://www.reuters.com/world/india/taliban-fire-air-scatter-kabul-protesters-no-reports-injuries-2021-09-07 in the government named on Tuesday, while an associate of the group's founder was named prime minister and the new interior minister appears on a U.S. terrorism wanted list.

Were assessing the announcement but despite professing that a new government would be inclusive, the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates, and no women," Blinken said at a news conference.

Washington was "concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of those individuals, Blinken added.

Blinken and his German counterpart Heiko Maas held a joint news conference after convening a virtual meeting of 22 foreign ministers plus officials from NATO, the European Union and the United Nations.

Blinken said all those in the meeting agreed on the need to hold the Taliban accountable before giving the new government legitimacy.

"The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support. Any legitimacy, any support, will have to be earned," Blinken said.

The United Nations has said basic services are unraveling https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/un-says-basic-services-afghanistan-are-collapsing-2021-09-07 in Afghanistan with food and other aid about to run out.

Small numbers of Americans still remain in the country, and their family members and other Afghans at risk continue to try to leave, but flights have been largely grounded since U.S. forces left Kabul's airport on Aug. 31.

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Planes chartered to carry people out of Afghanistan have been stuck at Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport, sparking calls for the State Department to do more to facilitate their departure.

Blinken said the United States was doing everything in its power to get the flights off the ground, but the Taliban was not permitting the flights to depart.

Weve made clear to all parties, weve made clear to the Taliban that these charters need to be able to depart, Blinken said.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne Psaledakis and Susan Heavey; Writing by Simon Lewis; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Taliban leaders Wednesday to allow charter flights to leave Afghanistan, saying it would demonstrate the group's "willingness to respect freedom of movement."

Driving the news: For days, the Taliban has been preventing the departures of at least four chartered evacuation flights from Mazar-e-Sharif airport, in northern Afghanistan.

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Blinken previously denied reports that the Taliban was preventing people with valid documents from leaving.

What he's saying: "An immediate way the Taliban can demonstrate its willingness to respect freedom of movement is by allowing the departure of charter flights with properly documented passengers," Blinken said.

"I think all of you know there are a number of such flights that have been waiting in Mazar-i-Sharif.

"Weve heard in some of our engagements with the Taliban their concern about a so-called brain drain and people with knowledge and expertise leaving the country.

"The best way to get people to stay in Afghanistan is to allow them to leave Afghanistan, as well as to uphold their basic rights."

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Bob Odenkirk during an appearance on BuzzFeed's

Bob Odenkirk is back at work on set for Better Call Saul.

The actor shared a behind-the-scenes update on Twitter on Wednesday, telling fans he was happy to be on set and at work on the AMC series alongside a photo of himself getting his makeup done.

The tweet arrives just weeks after Odenkirk revealed hed had a small heart attack.

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Odenkirk, who plays lawyer Jimmy McGill  aka Saul Goodman  on the series, collapsed on set in New Mexico back in July and was rushed to the hospital.

A few days after reports broke about his collapse, Odenkirk tweeted what happened and told fans he had a small heart attack.

He went on to add that he was going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery.

Im going to take a beat to recover but Ill be back soon, he said at the time.

With five seasons of Better Call Saul under his belt, the actor is currently shooting the sixth and final season, which is slated to premiere in 2022.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
A Chicago woman was arrested in a Florida airport after allegedly making a false bomb threat, officials said.

Marina Verbitsky, 46, of the Old Town neighborhood, was arrested Monday night at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Broward County sheriffs office said in a news release.

Verbitsky told airport employees there was a bomb in her checked luggage that was on the plane after she was told she and her party were too late to board the plane, deputies said.

Verbitsky was taken into custody and the plane, which was taxiing the runway, was rerouted. Passengers were evacuated, and after the plane was inspected,the threat was considered unfounded, deputies said.

Verbitsky was held at the Broward County Jail and is facing one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction, the sheriffs office said.
CHICAGO  A Chicago woman was arrested in a Florida airport after allegedly making a false bomb threat, officials said.

Marina Verbitsky, 46, of the Old Town neighborhood, was arrested Monday night at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Broward Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Verbitsky told airport employees there was a bomb in her checked luggage that was on the plane after she was told she and her party were too late to board the plane, deputies said.

Verbitsky was taken into custody and the plane, which was taxiing the runway, was rerouted. Passengers were evacuated, and after the plane was inspected the threat was considered unfounded, deputies said.

Verbitsky was held at the Broward County Jail and is facing one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction, the sheriffs office said.
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is imposing fresh regulations on its industries to promote their healthy development and the country's long-term economic policy remains unchanged, Chinese state media outlet the People's Daily said in an op-ed on Wednesday.

The reform measures are aimed at supporting the development of the private economy and the purpose of clarifying regulations, drawing bottom lines, and setting up "traffic lights" is to guide companies to obey the leadership of the ruling Communist Party, it said.

Starting late last year, various authorities in China have launched regulations and penalties across a number of sectors, in some cases altering long-term prospects of entire industries, at a pace that has roiled markets and stoked investor uncertainty.

Chinese authorities have recently appeared to be providing reassurances to businesses. China's Vice Premier Liu He on Monday pledged continued government support for the private sector.

The People's Daily said the regulations have achieved "early results" and were designed to curb "barbaric growth" of platform companies.

The policies introduced do not target specific firms, the paper said, adding that the country would continue to open up, protect the rights and interests of foreign capital and promote fair competition.

"The regulatory policies introduced treat everyone as equals, and are aimed at violations of laws and regulations, and are by no means aimed at specific industries or companies."

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
By Nate Raymond

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Chinese businessman was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in prison after admitting that he illegally exported marine technology with uses in anti-submarine warfare from the United States for the benefit of a Chinese military university.

Shuren Qin, who founded a company that sold oceanographic instruments, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston after admitting he illegally exported devices called hydrophones that can be used to monitor sound underwater.

Prosecutors had sought 7-1/2 years in prison for Qin, who must also pay a $20,000 fine. His guilty plea was conditional, allowing him to appeal a ruling by Casper to not suppress the evidence against him.

The marine biologist was charged in 2018 amid rising U.S. concerns about China's national security threat, a continued focus of the Biden administration. Qin, 45, had already served three months in jail after his arrest.

Defense lawyers said he founded LinkOcean Technologies Ltd in China in 2005 to provide oceanographic instruments to scientists, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 2014 as a permanent resident.

Prosecutors said Qin from 2015 to 2016 exported hydrophones to Northwestern Polytechnical University, a Chinese military research institute involved in underwater drone projects, by deceiving a U.S. supplier and without obtaining export licenses.

His lawyers say Qin was unaware of the university's intended purposes for the products, which also had civilian, scientific uses.

"These are not top-secret technologies," said Qin's lawyer, Sara Silva.

Qin, who lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts, in the Boston area pleaded guilty https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-businessman-admits-smuggling-us-marine-tech-china-2021-04-28 in April to 10 counts, including conspiring to commit export violations, visa fraud, money laundering and smuggling.

Prosecutors originally also accused Qin of exporting unmanned surface vehicles and robotic boats, and alleged he supplied $8 million in goods to Chinese government-controlled entities.

He instead only admitted to charges concerning 60 hydrophones worth $100,000.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Impromptu dancing breaks out at the end of the Sunday Jump poetry reading inside the Pilipino Workers Center. (Adam Amengual/For The Times)

The sun was setting into the haze, birds circling above an outdoor stage set up in a private residence at the top of Montecito Heights, as poets read of heartache and survival to an audience seated on hay bales.

The occasion was Readings at Sunset: A Queer Poetry Night, and before the pandemic, its host, Cuties Los Angeles, was a coffee shop in East Hollywood . The store closed under COVIDs financial strain, and now it has evolved into a virtual space curating in-person and online LGBTQ events.

That golden August evening was a sign of renewal but also of potentially irreversible change. Over a year marked by illness, anxiety and economic turmoil that has hit event venues particularly hard, poets found creative ways to gather online , but as social distancing measures have eased even in the face of the Delta variant, the vibrant poetry scene in Los Angeles is beginning to make a tentative comeback, with new sites established and old spaces reborn.

Featured poet Aiyana Sha'niel performs at Sunday Jump. (Adam Amengual/For The Times)

Among the new arrivals, open to masked audiences with proof of vaccination, are the Sims Library of Poetry in South L.A. and Re/Arte Centro Literario in Boyle Heights. Other hosts, including Sunday Jump in Historic Filipinotown and the Autry Museum of the American West, are Southern California mainstays making similarly cautious returns.

Re/Arte, an extension of the literary journal Dryland, opened in June as pandemic restrictions were easing and quickly became a fixture of Boyle Heights. Viva Padilla, the owner and editor-in-chief of Dryland, said she was inspired by some of Cubas cultural centers to envision her store as a neighborhood gathering place, selling affordable books and hosting conversations on Latinx politics and literature.

When the opportunity came up to do it and I was able to, I was like, I'm gonna just jump on it, and the timing was just perfect, said Padilla.

The venues open-mike event, Grito de Boyle Heights, is hosted by Sammy Quetzalli on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. During its second night, the interior was so crowded that audience members spilled out into the street, leaning into the doorway to hear the verses.

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One of the featured poets that night, Xolayruca, performed in a mix of Spanish and English, her stories rooted in her upbringing in the city of Bell. It wasnt just her first time headlining an in-person event since the start of the pandemic  it was her first live poetry event of any kind in more than a year.

"To have that kind of joy for Black and Indigenous people of color during these times is such an act of revolution," said Xolayruca. "It just feels like a renaissance for my soul."

Poets participate in a community reading at the Sims Library of Poetry in South L.A. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

Sims Library of Poetry had even more modest beginnings; USC professor Hiram Sims began lending poetry books out of his suitcase . Having officially opened last month, complete with a lounge and study area and housing more than 5,000 books, it is one of the few such spaces in the country dedicated to the performance, study and writing of poetry.

Sims' friend and colleague, who goes by the moniker AKoldPiece, was the host of "Pages on Stages," a recent reading featuring six graduates of the Community Literature Initiative poetry publishing class. The cozy carpeting and affirming chorus of "mmhmms" was a comforting reminder of the intimacy and live charge on which performance poetry thrives.

"I want people to treat this as a religious center," said AKoldPiece in an interview. "[For] a lot of us, poetry saved our lives, and that faith has brought us together."

Older venues that survived the pandemic are reopening to communities where they function not only as creative outlets but as cultural magnets. Sunday Jump has resumed in-person events at the Pilipino Workers Center  with limited attendance and masks required  after holding open mikes exclusively online since the pandemic spread.

The organizers have picked up a few lessons from livestreaming, and still offer it to anyone uncomfortable with attending in person. But they expressed relief at being able to gather again in the old neighborhood.

Stephanie Sajor and Eddy M. Gana Jr., Filipino American poets who perform as the duo Steady, are two of the co-founders of Sunday Jump. "My parents met in the neighborhood, said Sajor of Historic Filipinotown. I had a grandmother who lived [here] and they would attend community stuff here.

The most common misconception about the area, said Gana, is that the Filipino presence is a relic of the past. With the open mike, Sunday Jump hopes to encourage exploration of the neighborhoods still-living roots.

Peter Villafane performs a poem at Sunday Jump. (Adam Amengual/For The Times)

As much as these poets are defined by the city, their work also helps define L.A. One of its most visible poets, Yesika Salgado , has used her platform to boost the work of other locals. Her latest event, Trailblazer, a poetry series centering womens stories, is organized in collaboration with the Autry  the museums first post-pandemic outing.

Danyeli Rodriguez Del Orbe and Rhiannon McGavin both celebrated their newest books at Trailblazer. They had weathered the pandemic, as most writers have, by finding alternative ways of promoting their projects in a world without book tours.

Del Orbe, an L.A. transplant raised in the Bronx, self-published her first poetry book last year. Instead of traveling across college campuses, she performed from inside her home. There were some silver linings among the challenges.

"Fall of 2020 ended up being one of my most successful [seasons]," said Del Orbe. "Universities were able to pay  yes, less, but you also didn't spend that money traveling." It helped too that book sales rose during the pandemic, serving readers in their quarantined spare time.

Aman K. Batra, another poet featured at Trailblazer, also has seen the benefits of online performance and teaching. We have students from Nigeria, two in India, one in Bangladesh, the U.K., Canada, like everywhere, she said. I wouldn't change that experience for anything in the world. I would love to keep some kind of hybrid model.

But few poets would trade their travel budgets for the thrill of performing. For McGavin, a native Angeleno and L.A.s 2016 youth poet laureate, its difficult to generate the same level of excitement through a screen.

Chrissybaby performs a rap track at Sunday Jump in Historic Filipinotown. (Adam Amengual/For The Times)

I miss people so much, said McGavin. Poetry is an auditory form, a sonic form of art as much as it is written. I need the sound to go through other people's bodies.

Jacqueline Amezcua, who attended Cuties' queer-centered reading, remembers the first time her high school teacher took her and her classmates to Da Poetry Lounge in Fairfax. As an audience member, she thinks of readings as more than just a chance to see a poet in person.

"A big part of the live poetry events is also the communities, the environment that the audience creates," said Amezcua. "It's actually a conversation between the audience and the performer, and I think you miss that when you're online."

There is also spontaneity. At the Re/Arte reading, a glass bowl passed around for donations slipped and shattered all over the floor. After an awkward silence, the audience erupted in laughter. Something unexpected had happened  not a Zoom malfunction in the ether but a bowl breaking in Boyle Heights. Witnessing it felt like a privilege.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Energy ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon on Wednesday agreed a plan to bring gas and electricity to crisis-hit Lebanon at a meeting in Amman.

Egypt's minister for oil and mines Tarek al-Molla said that his country would "be ready to transfer gas (to Lebanon) as soon as possible" via the transnational Arab Gas Pipeline.

But damage to the pipeline and electricity lines during the decade of civil war in Syria means that energy supplies cannot start flowing before repairs are carried out.

In the push to help revive the stricken Lebanese economy, the US has given rare approval for the Arab neighbours to escape punishment under sanctions targeting the Syrian regime.

Fuel and power shortages are one of the most acute symptoms of Lebanon's economic collapse, paralysing the economy and vital services like hospitals.

The World Bank has labelled Lebanon's situation the worst economic crash since the mid-19th century.

On Wednesday, Lebanese Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar said the country needed "600 million cubic metres (21 billion cubic feet) of gas to provide 450 megawatts of electricity".

The gas pipeline linking Jordan and Syria was hit in August 2020 in a blast dubbed a "terrorist act" by Damascus.

Meanwhile "it will take several months to repair the damaged electric lines in Syria," Jordan's Energy Minister Hala Zawati said.

Zawati added that the infrastructure is "almost ready, but there are still repairs" to do.

Lebanon is also "working with the World Bank to ensure the financial resources needed to pay for energy imports from Egypt," Ghajar said.

mh-kt/rm/tgb/fz
By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has spawned a Greek alphabet of variants - a naming system used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to track concerning new mutations of the virus that causes COVID-19. Some have equipped the virus with better ways of infecting humans or evading vaccine protection.

Scientists remain focused on Delta, now the dominant variant around the world, but are tracking others to see what may one day take its place.

DELTA - STILL DOMINANT

The Delta variant first detected in India remains the most worrisome. It is striking unvaccinated populations in many countries and has proven capable of infecting a higher proportion of vaccinated people than its predecessors.

The WHO classifies Delta as a variant of concern, meaning it has been shown capable of increasing transmissibility, causing more severe disease or reducing the benefit of vaccines and treatments.

According to Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, Delta's "superpower" is its transmissibility. Chinese researchers found that people infected with Delta carry 1,260 times more virus in their noses compared with the original version of the coronavirus. Some U.S. research suggests that the viral load in vaccinated individuals who become infected with Delta is on par with those who are unvaccinated, but more research is needed.

While the original coronavirus took up to seven days to cause symptoms, Delta can cause symptoms two to three days faster, giving the immune system less time to respond and mount a defense.

LAMBDA  ON THE WANE

The Lambda variant had attracted attention as a potential new threat, but this version of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru in December, appears to be receding.

Although cases involving Lambda were rising in July, reports of this variant have been falling globally for the past four weeks, according to data by GISAID, a database that tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants.

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The WHO classifies Lambda as a variant of interest, meaning it carries mutations suspected of causing a change in transmissibility or causing more severe disease, but it is still under investigation. Lab studies show it has mutations that resist vaccine-induced antibodies.

MU - ONE TO WATCH

Mu, the variant formerly known as B.1.621, was first identified in Colombia in January. On Aug. 30, the WHO designated it as a variant of interest due to several concerning mutations, and assigned a Greek letter name to it.

Mu carries key mutations, including E484K, N501Y and D614G, that have been linked with increased transmissibility and reduced immune protection.

According to the WHO's Bulletin published last week, Mu has caused some larger outbreaks in South America and Europe. While the number of genetic sequences identified as Mu have fallen below 0.1% globally, Mu represents 39% of variants sequenced in Colombia and 13% in Ecuador, places where its prevalence has "consistently increased," WHO reported.

The global health agency said it continues to monitor Mu for changes in South America, especially in areas where it is co-circulating with the Delta variant. Maria van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases unit, said circulation of the variant is decreasing globally but needs to be observed closely. In a press briefing last week, White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said U.S. officials are watching it, but so far Mu is not considered an immediate threat.

MORE ON THE WAY?

Getting more people vaccinated against COVID-19 is critical as large groups of unvaccinated people give the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate into new variants.

That effort must be stepped up internationally to keep variants from emerging unchecked among the populations of poor nations where very few people have been inoculated, experts say.

Even so, while the current vaccines prevent severe disease and death, they do not block infection. The virus is still capable of replicating in the nose, even among vaccinated people, who can then transmit the disease through tiny, aerosolized droplets.

To defeat SARS-CoV-2 will likely require a new generation of vaccines that also block transmission, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine developer at the Mayo Clinic. Until then, Poland and other experts say, the world remains vulnerable to the rise of new coronavirus variants.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Additional reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Bill Berkrot)
Todays another busy day on the legal front for Floridas school mask disputes. This morning, Leon County Judge John Cooper will consider eliminating the automatic stay of his ruling against the states ban on school mask mandates. If he grants it, expect an immediate appeal. You can listen here. In the afternoon, federal Judge K. Michael Moore will hear arguments in the parent complaint that children with disabilities are losing their federal rights to a free adequate public education while the states order remains in place. Before you turn your attention to those hearings, read on for the latest in Florida education news.

Some Pasco County parents on Tuesday urged their School Board to say something about masks in light of all the court activity. The board listened but didnt act.

Masks continued to generate strong views in St. Johns County after the virus-related death of a student. District officials said they dont plan to require face coverings, but schools might temporarily close if quarantines grow, WJXT reports. More from the St. Augustine Record.

Several southwest Florida child care centers have imposed mask mandates and other restrictions to limit virus spread. Their goal is to avoid closing, the Naples Daily News reports.

How long will these mask mandates last? The Leon County school district set Labor Day as a benchmark to consider lifting its mask mandate. With cases still strong, the district kept its rule in place, WTXL reports.  The Duval County School Board agreed to leave its rule in place through December unless the community positivity rate declines below 8 percent, the Florida Times-Union reports.

Most students arent fighting Orange Countys school mask mandate. Teachers said theyre not having to spend their time enforcing the rule, Spectrum 13 reports.

Who opposes mask mandates? A new national poll shows opposition isnt as high in Florida as in other states, Forbes reports.

More coronavirus concerns

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Maybe the delta variant of COVID-19 has peaked. A University of South Florida expert predicts that it has, WKMG reports.

Still, the push to get school employees vaccinated continues. Thirteen unvaccinated Miami-Dade County school employees have died from COVID-19 since the start of the school year. The United Teachers of Dade hosted a vaccine pop-up clinic to encourage faculty and staff, along with area residents, to get inoculated, the Miami Herald reports.  Palm Beach County schools also are looking for ways to boost the employee vaccination rate. District data show less than 50 percent participation, though it might be higher, the Palm Beach Post reports.

The goal is to keep schools open. An Indian River County elementary resumed in-person classes after a week of remote learning because of quarantines, WPTV reports.  Indian River County school district officials said closing schools remains a last resort, as the move creates difficulties for families, TC Palm reports.

Learning from home during quarantine isnt easy. The St. Lucie County school district has established a quarantine support staff to help students whove been sent home, WPTV reports.

Still, some parents say going to school isnt safe for children with special needs. As districts canceled many virtual programs, the childrens options became limited, WFTX reports.

Other school news

South Florida schools wont be taking their state grades this year. If they had, many would have failed, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Wanted: Cafeteria workers. The Orange County school district is offering signing bonuses up to $3,500 as it tries to fill about 150 lunchroom jobs, WKMG reports.

Substitute teachers, too. The Seminole County school district is asking qualified parents to consider joining the substitute teacher pool, WKMG reports.

Its redistricting time. Ten Walton County residents have begun the work of redrawing school board member districts, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

Its a huge strain. An Alachua County high school experienced its fourth bomb threat of the year, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Dont miss a story. Heres the link to yesterdays roundup.

Before you go ... Its football season, which means its also marching band season. The FSU Marching Chiefs remembered the late Bobby Bowden in their halftime performance this past weekend.

  

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Every Thursday, get the latest updates on whats happening in Tampa Bay area schools from Times education reporter Jeffrey S. Solochek. Click here to sign up.
Sep. 8LAWRENCE  The body of slain Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario, 25, will be returned to the city early Saturday afternoon.

Rosario, a Marine for the past eight years, was killed by suicide bombers in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 26.

She will be escorted back into the city around 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, by a procession that will include Marines, Massachusetts State Police, Lawrence police and firefighters and local officials, said Francisco Urena, former local and state veterans director who is working with Rosario's family.

Urena said he wanted to work with the family on the details of Rosario's final, dignified service.

The procession will come off Interstate 495 at the Route 114 exit into Lawrence. The procession will make its way through the city on Route 114 to the Farrah Funeral Home on at 133 Lawrence St., Urena said.

Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 14, a wake will be held for Rosario at Veteran's Memorial Stadium on Osgood Street next to Lawrence High School. The wake will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the public is invited to pay their respects, he said.

At 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Rosario's body will again be escorted to Bellevue Cemetery at 170 May St. where she will be buried in the veterans' section, Urena said.

Rosario, a Lawrence High School graduate, had volunteered to be in Kabul screening women and children who were trying to leave the country before the Taliban again resumed control after 20 years of U.S. control.

"She volunteered for that final mission," Urena stressed, noting her memory will be equated to freedom.

There are "young kids who will remember her as the person who opened the gates for them to get on their plane," he said.

Rosalinda Rosario, 21, remembered her older sister as beautiful, caring and driven.

"She was just the best person. She was my hero, the hero of Lawrence, a hero who died helping people," Rosalinda said.

Rosario, who has also been referred to as Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, was among 13 service members killed in Kabul. Their remains were returned to United States soil at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday, Aug. 29 with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden and family members solemnly waiting.

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A GoFundMe crowd sourcing account has been set up to help Rosario's family.

"For those who would like to donate to the family, the ONLY verified means of collecting funds is through their GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/beb28aa9," according to a statement released by Mayor Kendrys Vasquez's office last week.

The mayor's office warned "any other fundraising or donation collection models that you see online or in-person up this point in time, were not created or authorized by the family. The list includes but is not limited to: Funds collected physically in-person, CashApp, Venmo, PayPal, Square, Facebook, DonorBox, DonorPerfect, Fundly, etc.," according to the statement.

In the wake of the killings in Kabul, military support websites and social media pages have issued warnings regarding fraudulent collection or donation sites.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
The Daily Beast

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyHistory may not be kind to George W. Bush because of his decisions post-9/11, among other things, but right now hes been somewhat transformed in the public eye as a resistance hero. Who would have thought?If its possible for him, it must be possible for others, right? The New Abnormal host Molly Jong-Fast wants to know: Will the same happen for, say, former and current Donald J. Trump allies?Do you think this will happen with Trump people or do you t
By Yuddy Cahya Budiman and Stanley Widianto

TANGERANG, Indonesia (Reuters) -A fire killed 41 inmates in an overcrowded prison block in Indonesia's Banten province on Wednesday, a government minister said, injuring scores more in a blaze that police said may have been caused by an electrical fault.

The fire, the country's most deadly since 47 perished in a firework factory disaster in 2017, broke out at 1.45 a.m. local time in a Tangerang Prison block, said Indonesian law and human rights minister Yasonna Laoly, after visiting the scene.

"We're working together with relevant authorities to look into the causes of the fire and of course formulating prevention strategies so that severe catastrophes like this won't happen again," the minister said in a statement.

The minister said two of the dead were foreign nationals, one each from South Africa and Portugal, and confirmed the prison was operating at overcapacity when the fire broke out.

Cells were locked at the time, the minister said, but with the fire raging uncontrollably, "some rooms couldn't be opened."

Earlier on Wednesday, Rika Aprianti, a spokeswoman for the ministry's prison department, said 122 were being detained on drug-related offences in a block built to hold 38.

Rika said all 41 fatalities were inmates, adding authorities were still evacuating the facility as of 9.00 a.m. local time.

Prisons in Indonesia are notoriously overcrowded, with experts saying the phenomenon is partly due to the emphasis on incarceration rather than rehabilitation of those convicted of drug-related offences under the country's strict narcotics laws.

On Wednesday morning local TV showed footage of flames engulfing the detention facility, and later, the building's charred remains as victims were pulled from the scene in orange body bags.

Dr. Hilwani from Tangerang General Hospital told Reuters that some of the bodies had been so badly burned they were unidentifiable.

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Another hospital official said some victims were in the ICU.

Nursin, a father of one of the victims, said at the prison that the family could not afford to pay his 22-year-old child's legal expenses before going to trial for a drug-related offence.

"We are poor...we couldn't free our child," he said, tearfully.

Jakarta police spokesperson told broadcaster Metro TV that 73 people had light injuries and the initial suspicion behind the cause is "an electrical short circuit."

The electrical wiring at the prison had not been upgraded since the 1970s when the prison was built, minister Yasonna told Wednesday's briefing.

The prison in Tangerang, an industrial and manufacturing hub on the outskirts of Jakarta, housed more than 2,000 inmates in total, far exceeding its 600 capacity, according to government data as of September.

Leopold Sudaryono, a criminologist and PhD candidate at the Australian National University, said that overcrowding also complicated emergency evacuation efforts, given the limited staff working at the prison.

"Fire detection efforts and evacuations are difficult," he said.

The head of the prison was not immediately available for comment on the ratio of inmates to guards, nor the capacity of the facility. Prison department spokeswoman Rika told local media that 13 guards had been on duty at the facility at the time of the blaze.

There have been several deadly fires in Indonesia in recent years. As well as the 2017 Tangerang fireworks factory blaze, a 2019 fire at a matchstick factory in North Sumatra killed 30 people.

(Additional reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Fransiska Nangoy and Johan Purnomo; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo and Kate Lamb; Editing by Ed Davies, Kenneth Maxwell and Kim Coghill)
A Florida judge on Wednesday permitted public schools to reimpose mask mandates, rejecting Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appeal of his previous ruling.

By Second Circuit Judge John Coopers order, Florida is prohibited from enforcing the mask-mandate ban, allowing school districts that defied DeSantis to maintain the practice temporarily while the case is reviewed by a higher court.

In July, DeSantis signed an executive order dictating that mask-wearing for children in public schools will be at the discretion of parents. The state subsequently claimed it could revoke the salaries of administrators in districts that violated the directive.

Wednesdays development comes after an earlier decision from Cooper in which he argued that DeSantis overstepped his authority in banning public institutions from implementing mask mandates. He said in his original opinion that Florida law does not support a statewide order, or any action interfering with the constitutionally provided authority of local school districts to provide for the safety and health of children, based on the unique facts on the ground in a particular county.

The governor appealed this ruling, but Cooper denied the appeal Wednesday, arguing that the state of Florida would not incur harm if the court lifted the stay, which temporarily paused any school mask mandates while the case was under review.

Its undisputed that in Florida we are in the midst of a Covid pandemic. Based on the evidence Ive heard, theres no harm to the state if the stay is set aside, he said.

Cooper noted that masks are the only protection mechanism for children against the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID aside from isolation at home, which he argued is more damaging to young students than mask-wearing.

Its undisputed that the Delta variant is far more infectious than the prior version of the virus, and that children are more susceptible to the Delta variant than to the form from a year ago, he said. In particular for children under 12, they cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, theres really only one or two means to protect them against the virus  either stay at home, or mask.

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Cooper said that young students arguably have no way to avoid this, except to stay home and isolate themselvesI think everybody agrees, thats not good for them, he added.

The case will now be escalated to the First District Court of Appeal to consider, and schools can require masks in the interim.

Theyll thoroughly consider the arguments of all parties, and theyll make a decision, then it may or may not end up at the Florida Supreme Court, the judge said.

More from National Review
Dontnod, the developer behind "Life Is Strange" and "Tell Me Why," will allow employees in its Paris and Montreal studios to decide if they'd like to work from the office or their homes.

Why it matters: Embracing remote work reduces industry gatekeeping and grants workers more control over their careers.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

The shift to remote work for most companies was due to the pandemic, which closed offices worldwide. However, companies are beginning to adapt how they approach offices moving forward.

Dontnod said that the pandemic simply accelerated these plans, however, noting that "the well-being of our employees is and has always been paramount, and [remote work] empowers all team members to work in the best possible conditions for them, according to their lifestyles and ways of working."

"We know that everyone has different needs and different ways of functioning, and that is why we wanted to create a program that would give everyone the freedom to choose how they want to organize their day-to-day lives," said CEO Oskar Guilbert in a prepared statement.

The big picture: The way developers are working is changing.

"Colleagues are now able to live and work from anywhere in France with the Paris office, or anywhere in Quebec with the Montreal office, with the same conditions and benefits as any employee," said Dontnod.

Companies like Ubisoft have also revised their policies; the developer announced its shift to a "hybrid" model of office and remote work in June.

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PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Wednesday that conditions were for now not right to pursue a reform of the pension system as the COVID-19 pandemic was not yet under control and the economic recovery not sufficiently robust.

"This process cannot resume until the pandemic is under control and the economic recovery is sufficiently solid. This is a prerequisite for the success of this reform. For now the conditions are not in place," he told a news conference following a cabinet meeting.

President Emmanuel Macron said mid-July that France would continue its pension reforms only once the COVID-19 situation was under control.

Financial daily Les Echos reported on Sunday that Macron wanted to push through part of his reform before the end of his term in May by scrapping some special early retirement plans and introducing a minimum pension of 1,000 euros for anyone who paid contributions over an entire career earning at least the minimum wage.

Pension reform was a central pillar of Macron's drive to create a more flexible labour market and reduce the state deficit, but his initial proposals infuriated unions and provoked weeks of protests and transport strikes just before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Macron put it on hold as he ordered France into lockdown a year and a half ago.

(Reporting by Elisabeth Pineau; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Richard Lough)
(In paragraph 11 of Sept. 8 story, corrects to show stock closed at $198.80, not $199.16, and YTD gain was 955%, not 1,052.46%)

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Akanksha Rana

BOSTON (Reuters) -GameStop Corp, at the center of this year's "meme stock" trading frenzy, on Wednesday reported a 25% jump in quarterly sales but failed to lay out fresh details about how it plans to refashion itself into a gaming and entertainment retailer.

Fresh from raising new capital and watching its share price march higher during the second quarter, GameStop executives reported that net sales, the company's main performance metric, jumped to $1.18 billion in the three months ended July 31 from $942 million a year earlier as vaccinations encouraged people to return to its stores.

Analysts had estimated sales of $1.12 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Despite the stronger numbers, investors reacted by pushing the shares down 7.7% in after-hours trading, complaining on the internet that the company was still not taking questions and was declining to tip its hand about future plans.

Wednesday marked the first time that GameStop's new chief executive, Matt Furlong, spoke to investors. Furlong, who joined in June, promised that the company's mission was still to "delight customers" and deliver value to long-term shareholders.

While the company has excited many retail investors with the prospects of building the leader in the video game business, which has higher revenue than the Hollywood movie industry, Furlong's post-results conference call lasted less than 10 minutes and did not allow for questions.

He also provided no financial forecasts.

Early this year, retail investors hyped stocks including GameStop on news site Reddit and brokerage site Robinhood, a blow to several established hedge funds that bet the stocks would tumble and creating such a frenzy of fortunes made and lost that the U.S. Congress held hearings to investigate https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/hedge-funds-robinhood-face-grilling-by-congress-over-gamestop-reddit-rally-2021-02-18.

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SHORT CALL, SHORT ON DETAILS

The quarterly results come as investors closely track chairman and top shareholder Ryan Cohen's efforts to reinvent the company by focusing more on e-commerce while also trying to rejuvenate the physical stores after a year of pandemic-related closures.

Whether Cohen, along with his new management team, will succeed is still unclear and there were no new hints on Wednesday only weeks after Cohen said in June, "You wont find us talking a big game, making a bunch of lofty promises, or telegraphing our strategy to the competition."

The company's shares fell nearly $15 or 7.4% in after-hours trading after closing the regular session at $198.80, marking a 955% increase so far this year.

Over half of the approximately $110 million worth of GameStop shares traded after hours on Wednesday came after the company's conference call. Some commenters on Reddit's wallstreetbets trading forum complained that the call was short and lacked specifics about GameStop's turnaround strategy.

GameStop reported a net loss of $61.6 million compared with a loss of $111.3 million in the year-ago quarter. The company also reported $378.9 million in expenses, up from $348.2 in the year ago quarter. "Revenues were just slightly higher than expected and operating expenses were meaningfully higher, so losses were wider than we expected," Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter wrote.

At the annual meeting in June, Cohen emphasized the company's focus on "long-term growth" as it takes on both big-box retailers and works to revive its own network of stores.

Cohen, the billionaire co-founder and former chief executive of online pet supplies retailer Chewy Inc, has hired several Amazon.com Inc veterans and raised funds for his turnaround efforts through a share sale while focusing on improving the stores' business by adding higher-margin products and better inventory.

This is GameStop's second straight quarterly revenue beat after having missed estimates for more than two years as the company struggled with gamers shunning physical discs to download and play online, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic.

Adjusted loss per share was 76 cents, compared with a loss of $1.42 a year ago but analysts had expected a 67-cent loss, according to Refinitiv IBES data based on the work of four analysts.

The company ended the quarter with $1.78 billion in cash and with no long-term debt other than a $47.5 million low-interest loan associated with the French government's pandemic response.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston, Noel Randewich in San Francisco, and Tiyashi Datta and Akanksha Rana in BengaluruEditing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Matthew Lewis)
Alexandrea Boyington was named teacher of the year two years ago

A teacher in Newton County, Georgia has been suspended after using a racial slur caught on camera.

The video of the Alcovy High School art teacher was posted on social media and sparked some outrage from students. As reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, the teacher, Alexandrea Boyington, is seen sitting at a desk and discussing when its okay to use the n-word.

Say I date a Black guy, Boyington, who is white, said. Then I can say n***a?

After many of the students replied no, the teacher continued, Cause I got a n***a, and the footage cuts off shortly after.

Apparently, several students were not impressed.

There was no reason for her to say that, said Malik Montgomery, a senior.

When I saw the video, I was disappointed because as a teacher you are supposed to keep your profession, and just keep your composure.

Boyington has been banned from the classroom following the incident. The district is now investigating the situation. Two years ago, she was named teacher of the year. Boyington has taught high school art for more than a decade.

Over the weekend, Newton County School System administrators received notification of a video circulating online that allegedly involved an Alcovy High School teacher making inappropriate statements in class, a spokesperson for Newton County Schools told Fox 5. The teacher, Ms. Alexandrea Boyington, is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation.

Montgomery said the teacher should just lose her job.

The incident comes nearly a month after another Louisiana school teacher made headlines for using the N-word.

Lafayette elementary teacher Julie Colley used the slur when commenting in a Facebook group called Whatz Goin On in Acadiana.

As previously reported by theGRIO, Colley was responding to a post about a back-to-school giveaway, and in a comment to the start time of the event, she wrote, Im not going at 6:30. Cameron St? Thats [n-word]ville after dark lol.

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The post was deleted from the groups page but lives on in screenshots.

Alexandrea Boyington (Credit: YouTube screenshot)

Marja Broussard, vice president of District D for the NAACP Louisiana State Conference, issued a statement at the time on Colleys words, writing, We are appalled and hurt, but sadly not surprised to learn someone entrusted to guide and nurture our children, so easily shared such hatred for Black and Brown people, in a public forum. The racist anti-Black mentality has been alive in our community for decades, and we will stand up against it every time until it is eradicated.

We will not tolerate this bigotry that continues to traumatize our youth and further the narrative that our Black children are second-class citizens, she continued. The NAACP Louisiana State Conference, along with our district leaders and members, are calling on the Lafayette Parish School Board and Superintendent Irma Trosclair to institute racial and cultural diversity trainings for all staff immediately.

This story contains additional reporting from theGRIOs Biba Adams.

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The post Georgia teacher suspended for reportedly using N-word in class appeared first on TheGrio.
The Wrap

Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary and top aide to Melania Trump, is publishing a new book in which she says the former first lady declined to call for peace during the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot. Trumps office has released a response statement that attacks Grisham for being unprofessional during her time in the administration. The bombshell snippet came via Politico Monday, which reported that Grisham texted Trump around 1:25 p.m. ET on Jan. 6, just after rioters who supported
(Bloomberg) -- Google has settled with a software engineer who the U.S. labor board alleged was fired for his workplace activism, one of five employees the government recently accused the company of terminating for exercising their legally protected rights.

The private settlement between the Alphabet Inc. unit and fired employee Laurence Berland was approved in July by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, according to agency records obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. The terms werent disclosed. Google, which has denied wrongdoing, and Berlands attorney, Laurie Burgess, declined to comment on the settlement.

The NLRB is still prosecuting other allegations against Google, including that employees were fired for protesting against the companys relationship with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and for creating a pop-up message informing co-workers of their labor rights. A San Francisco-based agency judge is hearing testimony on those claims at a trial, now in its third week.

In a complaint issued last year, the labor boards regional director wrote that Google tried to discourage employees from engaging in legally protected activism by firing workers including Berland, who was retaliated against for accessing documents and calendars that the company had made available to staff. The company issued a statement at the time saying that it honors employees workplace rights but punished those who abused their privileged access to internal systems, such as our security tools or colleagues calendars.

In testimony last week at the labor board trial, Berland said that he signed up for updates on changes to certain colleagues calendars in an effort to ascertain what role an anti-union consulting firm was playing in the companys censorship of internal criticism. Berland, who was called as a witness regarding some of the other allegations against the company, said that when he was questioned by Google prior to being fired, I told them that I accessed the calendars because I was concerned that our rights were being violated.

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Berland and the other employees were fired in late 2019.

Private settlements like Berlands are most often used when a company and a fired employee strike a deal in which the worker will get back pay but wont get their job back, said University of Wyoming law professor Michael Duff, a former labor board attorney. Absent a settlement, the labor board can order an employee to be reinstated with back pay, but has no authority to impose punitive damages, and appeals can drag on for years. The ultimate prevention in response to things like this is worker organizing, not any kind of legal process, Berland said last year.

The witnesses slated to testify at the ongoing trial include Google Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker. Judge Eleanor Laws, who is hearing the case, ordered Walker to submit to questioning from the fired workers attorney. In an order, Laws cited messages Walker sent employees emphasizing some of the Google policies at issue in the firings, and a blog post published under his name that told employees the company had placed employees on leave for conduct including sharing confidential documents outside the scope of their job, and causing a lot of stress by tracking a wide range of individual calendars of co-workers.

Burgess argued that Walker played a critical role in determining and publicly announcing that the workers purportedly violated company policy. In a sworn statement submitted as part of Googles unsuccessful efforts to prevent his questioning, Walker wrote that the blog post was actually authored by others, and he just approved it.

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HBO Max is heading to Europe. Back in June, the streaming service finally became available outside the US when it expanded to 39 territories across Latin America and the Caribbean. Now, the WarnerMedia-owned platform is making its debut in Europe on October 26th, starting with six countries in particular: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Spain and Andorra.

As part of the service's phased rollout, 14 other European regions will get access to it next year, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. WarnerMedia is also planning more territory launches for 2022, though it didn't say whether it's making the streaming service available in more continents.

Johannes Larcher, Head of HBO Max International, said in a statement:

"This is a historic moment as HBO Max lands in Europe. WarnerMedia movies and series like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory are passionately consumed by fans all across Europe, and HBO Max has been created to provide them with the most intuitive and convenient viewing experience to watch these and a diverse range of other amazing titles."

HBO Max typically offers two types of plans: Standard and Mobile. In the US, there's also an ad-supported tier that costs $10 a month instead of $15. As always, its subscription prices in Europe will vary per region, though it will likely be around that much, as well. WarnerMedia will reveal more details, including the service's prices and content offering in Europe, at a virtual launch event in October.
HOUMA, La. (AP)  The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 Wednesday, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew.

While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds.

The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths  of people ages 64 to 79  came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said.

More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The state's largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit.

Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley.

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In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running.

Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely.

Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that.

No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday.

Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area.

Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon.

Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm.

All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell.

Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said.

The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification." Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school system's website, with no timeline for a return in sight.

Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update posted Wednesday.

Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry.

About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety.

In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program.

Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm.

In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia.
Editors note: This story contains graphic content that could be upsetting to some readers.

An Idaho man who was accused of plotting to kidnap and rape a child has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing and distributing child pornography.

Colton Dune Turner, a 20-year-old Middleton resident, will spend the next 12 years in prison and will have 25 years of supervised release afterward, according to a news release from the Idaho U.S. Attorneys Office. In April, Turner pleaded guilty to one count of distributing and one count of possessing child pornography.

In November 2019, Turner was 18 when he was first arrested in Canyon County and charged in state court for possessing thousands of child pornography images while he allegedly plotted online to sexually abuse a child. Months earlier, in July 2019, the online platform MeWe had reported that three accounts on the website were used to distribute child porn, causing an investigation to begin, according to the U.S Attorneys Office.

A probable cause affidavit indicated that Turner had online conversations about sexually abusing children younger than 10. Turner also asked others online to come rape a girl with me, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.

Investigators carried out a search warrant on Turners home and said they found more than 2,000 child porn images on his phone. The pictures consisted of children ranging from ages 6 to 10 being sexually abused. Police also found one thick black rope, one thin black paracord rope, a roll of black tape, handcuffs, a pink bandanna, one container of personal lubricant, and one container of female sexual stimulating gel in Turners home, according to previous Statesman reporting.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Turner on similar charges, leading to the state charges being dismissed.

Federal authorities accused Turner of not only possessing and distributing the illicit material, but also creating it. Turner was accused of engaging with a juvenile in sexually explicit conduct in July 2019 while taking photos and videos.

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However, a single count of sexual exploitation of children was dropped as part of a plea deal Turner signed on April 13. In return for his plea, prosecutors also dismissed single counts of transporting and possessing child porn, as well as two counts of distributing child porn.

Turner was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Boise, according to the news release. In addition to the prison time, Turner must also pay $57,000 in restitution and register as a sex offender.

This is a particularly egregious case involving an adult using an online platform to exploit dozens of children, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Rafael Gonzalez said in the release.

Gonzalez thanked the members of law enforcement who investigated Turners crimes, including Middleton police, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Canyon County Prosecutors Office.

NEED TO REPORT ABUSE OR SEEK HELP?

To report suspected sexual exploitation of a child, visit icacidaho.org or report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.

To seek help educating children about online safety and personal boundaries, visit kidsmartz.org or request a presentation from ICAC at icacidaho.org/request-a-presentation.

The Faces of Hope Victim Center is available for victims in need of emergency services at 417 S. 6th St. in Boise. Victims should call 911 in emergencies or call 208-577-4400 on weekdays during business hours. Faces of Hope provides free medical care and forensic examinations for victims, as well as assistance with filing police reports and mental health care.

Survivors who may need help are also encouraged to contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
JOLIET, Ill.  State Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Wednesday that his office launched a sweeping investigation into possible systemic civil rights violations by the Joliet Police Department, where a video leaked by a whistleblower last year showed officers slapped a man, restricted his breathing and demeaned him as he was dying of a drug overdose.

Raoul's announcement came 20 months after the death of Eric Lurry, 37, and a day after USA TODAY published an investigation detailing how law enforcement officials kept information about the case under wraps for months and retaliated against the veteran officer who exposed the video.

Raoul said his office will conduct a civil patterns and practices investigation into Joliet police but it won't make any specific findings about Lurry's death or about the alleged retaliation against Sgt. Javier Esqueda, who was arrested on official misconduct charges for leaking video of Lurry's death in custody to a television reporter. Esqueda could face a maximum 20 years in prison.

If Raoul's team finds a clear pattern of violations, he could take the unprecedented move of issuing a consent decree against Joliet, which would force the department to follow a list of court-ordered remedies and submit to stringent monitoring.

The Department of Justice has enacted consent degrees in places such as Ferguson, Missouri, where the police shooting death of Michael Brown in 2014 led to weeks of protests. The agency has an active consent degree in Chicago after the shooting death of Laquan MacDonald, 17, by a police officer in 2014.

Raoul's investigation into Joliet marks the first time such an investigation has happened on the state level. Lawmakers in Illinois empowered Raoul's office to pursue these kinds of probes as part of a larger police reform bill enacted in July.

Eric Lurry

Joliet city councilmen and Mayor Bob ODekirk, a former police officer, sent a letter to Raoul last year to request an investigation into Lurrys death. Attorneys in Raoul's civil rights division began a preliminary investigation in September, he said, and reviewed thousands of pages of documents as well as public reports. Though he said Wednesday's announcement wasn't a conclusion that systemic problems exist in Joliet, there are things his office needs to look into further.

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"If we had started a preliminary investigation and found no indication of any violations, then we wouldn't be here now," Raoul said.

Both Esqueda and Nicole Lurry, Eric Lurry's widow, said they didn't know what impact Raoul's announcement would have on their individual cases.

Raoul made it clear Wednesday that his office did not expect to make any findings about any specific officers or cases at the conclusion of the investigation.

"We're not here to second-guess or reopen any investigations that the state attorney's office already completed," Raoul said.

Esqueda was placed on administrative leave in July 2020, just days after he shared a video with a CBS Chicago reporter showing that a police officer held Eric Lurry's nose closed in January as he sat barely conscious in the back of a squad car. Another officer later shoved a baton in Lurry's mouth trying to get drugs they said he ingested when they tried to arrest him.

One of the officers who arrested Lurry told others at the scene that he believe Lurry ingested drugs. But instead of calling an ambulance or trying to take him to a hospital, police drove him back to the police station, where the final violent encounter happened. Lurry died 10 hours later. A coroner ruled his death a drug overdose, and Joliet-area prosecutors cleared the officers involved of criminal wrongdoing. But Lurry's family, Esqueda and community leaders in Joliet believe the officers at least contributed to his death.

"I was disappointed at first, but after reading it again I am confident that Nicole Lurry and I will get the justice we are seeking for Eric," Esqueda said after reading Raoul's announcement. "I can't lose faith. Not now."

Aside from Lurry's case, Raoul was expected to meet late Friday with a group of Joliet residents to hear about experiences that they've had with Joliet Police. Raoul did not say when he expected his office to conclude the investigation into Joliet but compared it to the Department of Justice investigation into Chicago, which took 16 months.

Detective Dave Jackson, president of Joliet's Black Police Officers Association, called Esqueda a hero and said that Joliet Police's treatment of him has made it hard for him to convince people in the community to speak up about crimes in their neighborhoods.

"How can we tell the people 'see something, say something' when our own house isn't clean?" he said. "There's no way Sgt. Esqueda should be facing what he's facing right now."

Esqueda last month won a Whistleblower of the Year Award from The Lamplighter Project, a national organization of police whistleblowers.

Daphne Duret is a 2021-22 Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow at the University of Michigan. Contact Duret at dduret@gannett.com, @dd_writes, by Signal at 772-486-5562.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Illinois attorney general investigating police over array of concerns
By Sanjeev Miglani

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India and Russia believe that foreign militant groups operating from Afghanistan pose a threat to central Asia and to India and agreed to deepen anti-terrorism cooperation at a meeting of their national security chiefs on Wednesday, officials said.

The Islamist Taliban swept to victory in Afghanistan last month after two decades of fighting and announced a provisional government that has met with a guarded reception from the international community.

India and Russia were both deeply concerned at the developments in Afghanistan, an Indian government official said, following a meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in New Delhi.

The two sides agreed the Taliban must be held to their promises, which included respect for basic human rights, including for women, and not to allow their territory to be used by militants groups.

"There was convergence of views on the presence of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and threat from terrorism to Central Asia and India," the official said.

India fears that militant groups that operate from Pakistan may also use Afghan territory to orchestrate attacks and says Pakistan should be held responsible because of its close links to the Taliban.

Russia fears turmoil in Afghanistan could spill over into Central Asia, which it regards as its southern defensive flank and as a sphere of influence from which radical Islamist threats could emanate.

Patrushev and Doval discussed the deepening of bilateral security cooperation with a focus on further cooperation on anti-terrorism, combating illegal migration and drug trafficking, Russia's Security Council said in a statement.

India and Russia have long been close military partners but in recent years New Delhi has turned to the United States for weapons supplies and forged closed political ties.

But the Indian government official said the regional situation had changed dramatically following the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan and the capture of power by the Taliban.

(Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani, additional reporting by Tom Balmforth in Moscow; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Alex Richardson)
More than 100 students at an Iowa school staged a walkout on Tuesday to protest the school district for placing a teacher on leave who reportedly admitted to students he was bisexual.

The Winterset Community School District students sought to help Lucas Kaufmann, a seventh-grade literacy teacher at Winterset Junior High School, who was placed on leave following an in-class presentation about himself that contained an LGBT pride flag, according to Change.org.

"We're hoping that this will help Mr. Kaufmann," one 10th grader said during the walkout while donning a bisexual pride flag.

TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MONITOR EMPLOYEES' SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

The students asked about the flag during Kaufmann's presentation, to which he said he was bisexual, the Change.org description read.

Justin Gross, the district superintendent, told the Washington Examiner the district "became aware of concerns related to the content of a personality survey that was shared with students during class on Tuesday, August 31st."

"Once the district became aware of those concerns, Mr. Kaufmann was placed on administrative leave in order for the district to investigate those concerns. I am not able to comment further as this is an ongoing personnel matter," he said.

"It's showing how homophobic our town is, and it's not a good reputation for our school," said a former student of Kaufmann. "It's proving that kids cannot come out without punishment."

Another 10th grader, who launched a petition for Kaufmann on Change.org, said the district should have more diverse representation.

"When I was in junior high, it would have been great to have a bisexual teacher or someone that I would feel safe talking about my sexuality with," she said.

The online petition has collected more than 2,000 signatures.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Gross reportedly acknowledged that Iowa state law does not permit the dismissal of a teacher on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender, according to the Des Moines Register.

Story continues

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Iowa, Schools, LGBT

Original Author: Luke Gentile

Original Location: Iowa students walk out on school district that placed bisexual teacher on leave
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland will give COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to elderly people who were fully vaccinated at least six months ago, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

People over the age of 80 and those over 65 living in long-term residential care facilities will receive a booster dose of a vaccine such as those made by Pfizer or Moderna, irrespective of what vaccine they received initially, the ministry said in a statement.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Chris Reese)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is expected to travel to Egypt next week for the first public visit by an Israeli prime minister in over a decade.

The big picture: Israel officials speculate that by inviting Bennett publicly so early in his term, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government is trying to signal Egypt's importance in the region to the Biden administration.

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Flashback: Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had visited Sisi in secret, and he also met him at the UN General Assembly meeting in 2017.

But the last public visit came in 2010 when then-President Hosni Mubarak hosted a summit with Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

What to watch: Other than establishing a personal relationship, the meeting is expected to focus on Gaza.

Egypt is engaging both Hamas and Israel to try to stabilize and extend the ceasefire there while also seeking to broker a possible prisoner exchange between the sides.

Sisi is also expected to raise Israels relations with the Palestinian Authority and the possibility of a political dialogue of some sort with Abbas. Bennett recently publicly ruled out any such talks.

Worth noting: Ahead of Bennetts visit, Abbas visited Cairo last week for a trilateral summit with Sisi and King Abdullah of Jordan.

Sisi also called Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier this week to convey Rosh Hashanah greetings.

Sisi's office released a statement about the call in another sign of Egypt's openness to a more public relationship.

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Travelers arriving at Heathrow Airport on January 17 in London. Hollie Adams/Getty Images

The CDC and the State Department have issued new Level 4: Do Not Travel advisories.

The agencies urge Americans not to travel to Lebanon, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka because of COVID-19.

Nicaragua and Afghanistan were also added. Below is a list of all Level 4 Travel advisories.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, countries including the US have issued travel advisories meant to keep citizens safe and discourage travel to areas with high transmission of COVID-19.

While the State Department advises Americans not to travel to 97 countries because of the pandemic or other unsafe conditions, the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommends against traveling to 77 countries specifically because of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the CDC added a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Jamaica, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka, telling Americans not to travel to those countries because of "a very high level of COVID-19 in the country." France and the Bahamas, two popular tourist destinations for Americans, are also at a Level 4 warning.

Level 4 is the highest travel advisory that the agencies flag, and the new advisories have come as the Delta and Mu variants continue to spread around the world.

The CDC also added a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory for Anguilla, Australia, Brunei, Ghana, Grenada, Madagascar, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Some of the Level 4 advisories - such as those issued for Nicaragua and Afghanistan - have been issued for sociopolitical reasons.

Below is a table with all of the places the government recommends Americans avoid right now:

Read the original article on Business Insider
Associated Press

Fearing his parents wouldnt approve of his decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine but needing their signature, Andrew signed up for the appointment in secret, and then sprang it on them at the last minute. Republican lawmakers accused the health department of  peer pressuring  children to get the vaccine and criticized a top official who sent a memo to vaccine providers explaining that they could legally waive parental consent under Tennessee law.
Sep. 7Whether a senior in Wilson County high schools or a seasoned worker looking for a career change, there's something to be found at next week's Career and Hiring Expo.

Organized by Wilson Works, a division of the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, the job fair will showcase employment opportunities around the region. Wilson Works is partnering with the American Job Center, Wilson County Schools and the Farm Bureau Expo Center to maximize the day for employers, students, and job seekers.

The event will be held Sept. 14 at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon and will feature one session in the morning and another in the afternoon. The afternoon event will be open to the general public from 2-6 p.m. while the morning session is reserved for high school seniors.

During the morning sessions, students can visit with employers and find out more about jobs in sectors such as manufacturing, supply chain, construction, retail, healthcare and hospitality.

Jake Hammond is the career and technical education supervisor at Wilson County Schools. He said in a press release, "With seniors facing their final year of classes, events such as these can give them insight on how to best position their senior year. It can be overwhelming when deciding whether to work, pursue apprenticeships, or head to college."

The event is tiered in such a way as to maximize exposure for job seekers and employers alike.

In the same release, Tom Nelson, Chairman of Wilson Works and president of Performance Foodservice in Nashville said, "We wanted to produce an event that casts a wide net for all involved.

"From the perspective of an employer, we are certainly interested in attracting more talent to fill open jobs. But, we're also focused on helping students realize the many careers they can pursue in their community."

Those opportunities range far and wide and will include companies like FedEx Ground, Performance Food Group, Wilson Bank & Trust, American Wonder Porcelain, and Grade A Construction.

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Adina Chumley, director of Wilson Works, said that in addition to the companies, there will be training providers like TCAT, Ball State and Tennessee Tech who will have informational booths set up at the fair.

Chumley encourages job seekers to conduct a little research on the employers that will be there, to better understand what each company does and if it would be a good fit.

President of the chamber, Melanie Minter, said in the release, the goal is to match talent with opportunity. "We hear from employers every day, and the message is the same. We need more people," she said.

"With this event after Labor Day, and students back in school, it is a great time to support job seekers with an event that gets them in front of employers for a conversation, and in many cases an on-the-spot interview."

Other employers slated for the event are Journey's Distribution Center, PermaPipe, Destaco, Stansell Electric, Novamet Specialty Products, Tachi-S, Jones Bros. Contractors, City of Lebanon, Wilson County Schools, Mainstay Suites, Sleep Inn, Wilson County Motors, Royal Canin, Prospect Incorporated, QuickTrip, Culver's of Mt. Juliet, and Staffmark.

The event is free to attend. Students will register through their respective high schools. Meanwhile, job seekers can register online at www.wilson workstn.org.
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The civil trial of three former Wells Fargo & Co employees over their alleged roles in a scandal involving phony accounts kicked off on Monday, a rare public confrontation between a top U.S. banking regulator and former high-level bank executives. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is squaring off against executives it says are partly culpable for the San Francisco lender's misconduct before an in-house OCC judge in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in a hearing expected to last at least two weeks. The long-running scandal over Wells Fargo's pressurized sales culture that led staff to open millions of unauthorized or fraudulent customer accounts has cost the bank billions of dollars in civil and criminal penalties and has badly damaged its reputation.
US Vice President Kamala Harris (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Vice president Kamala Harris criticized Texas governor Greg Abbott for saying he would eliminate rape so women do not seek abortions in his state.

The vice president said Mr Abbott dismissed concerns about women who are raped and are seeking abortions.

The words that he spoke were the words that were, to arrogantly dismiss concerns about rape survivors, she said. And to speak those words, that were empty words, that were false words, that were fuelled with not only arrogance but bravado, that is not who we want in our leaders.

Ms Harris made the remarks in California while campaigning for governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election in the Golden State. The vice presidents remarks came as White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Mr Abbotts remarks earlier on Wednesday during a press briefing.

If governor Abbott has a means of eliminating all rapists or all rape from the US, then thered be bipartisan support for that, she said.

Mr Abbott was asked about rape victims having to carry their pregnancies to term because of the states ban on abortions after six weeks.

Rape is a crime, and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets, Mr Abbott said on Tuesday.

The White House and the governor have gone back and forth on the law, which bans abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is typically six weeks into a pregnancy and before most women know they are pregnant.

President Joe Biden has denounced the law and the provision in the law that would allow people anywhere in the United States to sue someone who aids and abets obtaining an abortion in Texas and receive $10,000 and payments for legal fees if successful. Mr Biden also said last week that he was told that the US Department of Justice might have to limit the independent action of individuals enforcing the provision he worried could lead people to act as vigilantes.
By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lawyer for a man linked by prosecutors to the anti-government Oath Keepers group on Wednesday asked a judge to consider moving his possible trial on charges of involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot away from Washington because he believes jurors in the city are politically biased.

Lawyer David Fischer represents former Navy intelligence officer Thomas Caldwell, 65, of Berryville, Virginia, who is among around 600 defendants charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack when Congress met to certify Joe Bidens November election victory over then-President Donald Trump. Earlier on Jan. 6 Trump had given a fiery speech to supporters falsely claiming his defeat was the result of fraud.

"There is so much prejudice against these defendants it's off the chart," Fischer said to U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, referring to Washington D.C.

Asked by Mehta how he knew that, Fischer said Washington was "very anti-Donald Trump."

Mehta did not immediately rule on Fischer's venue request.

In February Caldwell pleaded not guilty https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-capitol-riots/virginia-man-with-ties-to-anti-government-oath-keepers-pleads-not-guilty-in-capitol-riots-case-idUSKBN2AC2N5 to several charges, including plotting with others to disrupt the proceeding in Congress.

Caldwells attorney has denied prosecutors' statements that his client is a member of the Oath Keepers or that he has strong ties to the militia.

Also on Wednesday, Mark Connell, a lawyer for Mark Leffingwell, who faces riot-related felony charges, told U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson that defense and prosecution lawyers "need to iron out some details" of a possible plea bargain agreement for Leffingwell.

Leffingwell, of Seattle, was one of the first people arrested on riot-related charges. In a statement, an unnamed U.S. Capitol police officer said Leffingwell "punched me repeatedly with a closed fist. I was struck in the helmet that I was wearing and in the chest."

(Reporting By Mark Hosenball; editing by Grant McCool)
Sep. 8Dayton-area Muslims say they have mourned the tragedy of Sept. 11 like their fellow Americans for the past 20 years as they also have struggled with an onslaught of hate for them that still persists.

"One of the hardest things about Sept. 11 for every Muslim American is the bigotry," said Dr. Basel Yanes, co-founder of the Dayton Arab American Forum. "I mean, Americans of Arab heritage and Muslim Americans were mourning Sept. 11 like all Americans. And on top of that, they have to look over their shoulder now and put up with other things. So you get all these emotions mixed up."

Samina Ahmed, a member of the Springfield-based Miami Valley Islamic Association board, said she was shocked when she found out the attackers claimed to be Muslims.

"Because that's against our faith to do anything like that," she said. "They were Muslim by name, but they obviously didn't know the faith. The faith would never tell them to do something as horrible as what they have done."

Still, there was backlash. In 2001, hate crimes against Muslim Americans spiked. According to the FBI, there were 93 anti-Muslim assaults reported nationwide in 2001, compared to 12 in 2000. There were also 296 reported victims of anti-Muslim intimidation in the U.S. 2001.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a civil rights organization that advocates for Muslim American's rights, including through education and legal help. Whitney Siddiqi, community affairs director for the CAIR Ohio chapter, said the need for its services defending Ohio Muslims increases every year. Last year, over 220 Muslim Ohioans contacted CAIR seeking help with some form of discrimination incident.

Yanes said classmates called his daughter a terrorist a few times in the years after 9/11.

"These things were common," he said. "And most people don't even report them."

A few years ago, a long-time patient and friend of Yanes asked him what religion he is.

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"I said, 'I'm Muslim.' And the first thing this distinguished guy in his 80s said was, 'What? You hate us,'" Yanes said. "I didn't know what to say to that ... and this guy is an intelligent person, a respected person in the community."

Yanes explained that anti-Muslim hate, or Islamophobia, has long been mixed with prejudice against immigrants and racism. Many Americans incorrectly believe all Muslims are Arab or Middle Eastern, Yanes said. There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, with the majority living in the Asia-Pacific region, according to World Population Review.

Many Americans also assume all Arabs are Muslim, Yanes said. The majority of Arab Americans are Christian, according to the Arab American Institute.

"Much of bigotry is due to ignorance," Yanes said."And in the last 20 years, if anything, things seem to be getting worse."

A report from CAIR identified over 10,000 anti-Muslim bias incidents nationwide between 2014 and 2019 with a measurable spike in 2017 after the declaration of President Trump's Muslim travel ban.

Amina Wase, a 17-year-old senior at Centerville High School who is Muslim and Indian American, said the portrayal of Muslims in media has not helped.

"Media in general just plays such a huge role in reinforcing negative stereotypes," she said. "It's just so easy to be caught into this cycle, where you're constantly shown the exact same things and it just reinforces your ideas ... Our representation in media is almost always negative."

One study of the 100 top-grossing U.S. films from 2017-2019 found that only 1.1% of the characters were Muslim and a disproportionate number of those played violent roles.

Bridging the divide

Dr. Abdul Wase, Amina's father, said people are less likely to be hateful if they get to know a Muslim person.

"Xenophobia or Islamophobia arises just because people do not know other people," he said. "If you come to the mosque or if you meet Muslims and come to know each other one to one, then you really realize that they are the same people. They have the same goodness, they have the same bad people any community has."

A 2019 survey by the Pew Research Forum found that of nine major religious groups, Muslims and atheists were viewed the least favorably by Americans. Religious groups, including Muslims, were viewed more favorably by people with a personal connection to somebody in the group.

Ahmed, of Springfield, has devoted much of her life in the past two decades to educating non-Muslims about Islam.

"It's just the fear of the unknown ... I have a lot of non-Muslim friends who told me after the attacks, 'You need to speak up and you need to educate people. You need to let them know your faith is not like that,'" she said. "So then I started speaking out, going to colleges, going to churches, going to universities, wherever they would invite me, and tell them that my faith does not teach that at all and this is totally against the teaching of the Quran."

She tries to dispel misconceptions and explain that Muslims worship one god; they believe in many of the same prophets as Christians and Jews like Jesus, Moses and Abraham, but they believe Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet; and Muslim women like herself are not oppressed or forced to cover their hair. She gives out English copies of the Quran, Islam's central text which Muslims believe is the word of God, to anybody who wants one.

To show that Islam is a peaceful religion, Ahmed likes to point to a passage from the Quran that says, "whoever kills an innocent person it is as if he has killed all of humanity."

About this series

The Dayton Daily News is examining the lasting toll of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and what it means to our community 20 years later.

Sunday: The family of Alicia Titus remembers their daughter, who died while serving as a flight attendant on United Flight 175.

Monday: A Xenia man born on Sept. 11, 2001, has now joined the Air Force and is in boot camp.

Tuesday: How Wright-Patterson Air Force Base responded; Remembering a Mason woman who died in the attacks.

Wednesday: The impact on the local Muslim community.

Thursday: A local ER doctor who responded to Ground Zero.

Friday: The attacks changed Wright-Patterson  and the Air Force  forever.

Saturday: Readers share their memories of 9/11.
Reuters

Boxer Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday sued for libel an influential celebrity evangelist followed by millions of Filipinos, after he accused the eight-division world champion of embezzling funds intended for a $70 million sports complex. Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed "Owner of the Universe" and "Appointed Son of God", is a longtime friend and spiritual adviser of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, with whom Pacquiao has recently locked horns. The popular Pacquiao is considering running for president next year and has alleged corruption in Duterte's government and criticised his cosy relationship with China https://www.reuters.com/world/china/philippine-president-spars-with-pacquiao-over-south-china-sea-2021-06-09.
A Midlands man was killed in a shooting and a search is underway for the person who pulled the trigger, the Clarendon County Sheriffs Office said.

Kelvin Brunson died at the scene Monday, according to the sheriffs office. The 43-year-old Summerton-area resident had been shot multiple times, the sheriffs office said.

At about 12:15 a.m., Brunsons body was found in the driveway at 1265 Furse Road after sheriffs deputies and Summerton police officers said they responded to a complaint about gunshots being fired in the area. Thats in the Summerton area, near the intersection of U.S. 15/North Church Street and U.S. 301/Main Street.

Clarendon County Fire Rescue first responders attempted to revive Brunson but were unsuccessful, according to the sheriffs office.

No other injuries were reported.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was called in to help process the scene.

There is no word on a shooter, or shooters, or a motive for the gunfire.

No arrests have been reported. The sheriffs office did not say if this is considered an ongoing threat to the community, but investigators said they believe Brunson was targeted.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the sheriffs office at 803-435-4414, or CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.
Our culture of gun violence is ruining fun family events in the Kansas City area and worse, threatening the lives of kids.

The latest evidence of that was this past weekend when three 16-year-olds and a young adult were injured in a shooting at the popular SantaCaliGon Days festival in Independence.

Police are still looking for the shooter. We dont know his age but police said witnesses told them the shooter got into a shoving match with another teen and then pulled a gun out of his backpack.

Of course he did. In a society where gun possession is so valued and promoted even, what else do we expect a poor-decision-making teen to do to solve a conflict?

We might think that a kid with a gun is irrational behavior, but in a lot of ways it is actually rational behavior, said Ken Novak, a professor of criminal justice and criminology at University of Missouri-Kansas City. In a culture where there are so many guns out there, a kid knows they are at risk of becoming a victim of gun violence, so they carry a gun too. And so it goes.

In 2019, a teen involved in an altercation with some other teens shot and killed an innocent 25-year-old bystander at Kansas Citys First Fridays, another popular family fun event. First Fridays, which until then had drawn thousands to downtown, still has not recovered.

And according to news reports, some who were at the Independence festival when Sundays shooting occurred said they arent so keen on coming back next year. The festival has been going on at the historic Independence Square every Labor Day weekend since 1940.

After this recent weekend shooting in the carnival section of this annual eastern Jackson County festival, Independence police are working on ways to make the festival safer next year by creating a single entrance area and possibly using metal detectors. That sure says family fun, doesnt it?

Clearly safety measures are necessary. But that cant be the only answer because, experts agree, there is no single path to changing the culture. And thats whats needed.

Story continues

Too many of our youths have access to guns. We have to change the culture of guns  the idea that everyone has the right to have a gun at any time in any place  and the attitude that conflict is best solved with guns. Kids grow up thinking they have the right to have a gun, and if you feel threatened you can shoot somebody, said Robyn Thomas, executive director for the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and leader in the movement to end gun violence in America.

A problem of education, not a lack of policing

In Missouri and across the country, we have for decades tried treating youth gun violence as a crime problem. Millions spent every year on police budgets have not solved it. Schools already have a lot on their plate, especially since 2020 with COVID-19, remote schooling and learning loss, but a heftier helping of conflict resolution and teaching deescalation would help.

Using guns to settle disputes and arguments is normative around Kansas City, so we run the risk of viewing this violence as normal because it is what we have become accustomed to expect, Novak said.

Its an urgent public health crisis that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky says she wants to tackle without alienating responsible gun owners.

Because its true: Guns alone dont kill people; people use guns to kill people  an argument gun advocates are quick to make when challenged about the culture of gun violence in this country.

But there have to be rules, strict rules when guns are involved. And the lives of children, everywhere and particularly in Missouri, where kids die from gun violence at rates that are among the highest in the nation, according to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for American Progress.

Stricter gun laws help. Looking at homicides, a Giffords Center analysis found that states with the highest rates, including Missouri and Kansas, tend to have the fewest restrictions.

If there are guns in a home where children live, the adult gun owner should be held responsible for negligent storage of guns where a child can gain access. Missouri does not have any child access prevention laws. It should. Kansas has no state statute specifically relating to gun access by children, but prohibits anyone leaving explosive or dangerous substances where a child can get at them.

Kansans and Missourians need to remember that the law isnt solely about how we punish. Its also about what we praise. It can provide a tool for discouraging bad actors, sure, but where that fails, there is still its power to train good citizens. Ones who dont shoot members of their community at a family event.
InStyle

Welcome to the new Look of the Day, where we comb through every celebrity outfit from the past 24 hours and feature the single most conversation-worthy ensemble. Love it, leave it, or shop the whole thing below.
One of the largest Confederate statues in the country was taken down in Richmond, Virginia. The World Health Organization wants to hit pause on booster shots  for now. And nearly 20 years after Sept. 11, officials confirmed the identities of two more victims.

 Hey y'all! Laura here, with all of the biggest news Wednesday has to offer.

But first, something about this creeps me out  big time.  Birds with bigger bills. Bats with larger wings. Climate change is starting to make animals "shapeshift" as they experience changes in growth, according to scientists.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Confederate statue taken down

One of the largest and most recognizable symbols of Confederate history in the state of Virginia was removed Wednesday morning. Workers in Richmond harnessed the 131-year-old, 12-ton statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee and removed it from its 40-foot pedestal, eliciting cheers from hundreds watching. Some wore Black Lives Matter shirts and chanted, Whose streets? Our streets! and Hey hey hey, goodbye. Gov. Ralph Northam watched the statue come down and said the removal was overdue because Confederate history does not represent what Virginia is. The centerpiece of Richmond's Monument Avenue was the road's last remaining Confederate memorial after a movement to take the statues down. The monument's presence became the focal point for demonstrators rallying for racial justice last summer. A time capsule placed near the monument will be replaced by a new one containing artifacts depicting the events that led to the statue's removal. The statue will probably be stored in a state-run storage facility until a decision is made on what to do with it.

Nearly 100 Confederate statues came down in 2020, hundreds remain.

State of Virginia grapples with Confederate names on side streets.

Charlottesville removes statue that sparked deadly far-right rally.

The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee is removed from its pedestal on Monument Avenue on September 8, 2021, in Richmond, Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia is removing the largest Confederate statue remaining in the U.S. following authorization by all three branches of state government, including a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Powerful earthquake rocks Mexico resort city

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Acapulco residents swept glass and debris from their streets and homes Wednesday after a powerful earthquake centered near the Mexican resort city killed at least one person, damaged some buildings and sent others swaying. The magnitude 7 quake struck late Tuesday about 10 miles north of Acapulco, a coastal city of almost 700,000 people in the state of Guerrero on Mexico's southwest coast, leaving as many as 1.6 million in the dark, some as far away as Mexico City  200 miles from the epicenter. More than 150 aftershocks rolled across the region in the hours that followed. Guerrero state Gov. Hector Astudillo said a motorcyclist was killed by a falling post in the nearby town of Coyuca de Benitez. "The seven regions of the state report that the damages have been mainly landslides and stones," Astudillo tweeted.

A taxi cab was damaged by falling debris after a strong earthquake in Acapulco, Mexico, on Sept. 7. The earthquake struck southern Mexico near the resort city, causing buildings to rock and sway in Mexico City nearly 200 miles away.

What everyone's talking about

2 more 9/11 victims identified

Days away from the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the New York City chief medical examiner identified two more victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said Tuesday Dorothy Morgan and a man whose identity is being withheld at the request of his family are the 1,646th and 1,647th confirmed deaths from the 9/11 terror attacks. The two deaths were confirmed from DNA analyses of remains recovered from the site. Morgan's DNA came from remains recovered in 2001, and the unidentified man's DNA was confirmed from remains found in 2001, 2002 and 2006. Morgan worked for an insurance company on the 94th floor of the north tower, the first building hit in the attack. Morgan and the unnamed man are the first victims since October 2019 to be identified in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks that claimed 2,753 lives. There are 1,106 people, or 40% of the victims, who haven't been identified. The medical examiner's office hopes DNA technology developed by the U.S. military will result in more identities being found.

9/11 hijackers were 'hiding in plain sight' before attacks. How did they do it?

2001 Yankees recall 9/11 brought us together, lament how apart we are now.

Mourners place flowers and pictures on Kyung Hee (Casey) Cho's name at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on Sept. 11, 2020, in New York.

WHO chief: Hit pause on booster shots

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, called Wednesday for a moratorium on using coronavirus booster shots until the end of the year  or longer. He said low- and lower-middle-income countries cannot be "the second or third priority" for COVID-19 vaccines, adding their health workers, older people and other at-risk groups have the same right to be protected as those in wealthier countries. He acknowledged that third doses may be necessary for the most at-risk populations, where there's evidence of waning immunity  such as immunocompromised people who didn't respond sufficiently to their initial doses or no longer produce antibodies. "But for now, we do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated," Tedros said.

COVID-19 news: 13 staffers at Miami-Dade schools have died since mid-August; Hundreds of websites spread debunked COVID-19 claims. Catch up on the latest.

HERO Act means new COVID-19 safety standards for NY employers.

Detroit hospital workers sue to stop COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The FDA determined people with suppressed immune systems may not have gotten adequate protection from initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Real quick

Proud Boys rally again after quiet months since Jan. 6

After lying low for months since the riot Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol, members of the far-right street gang the Proud Boys have showed up at protests against mask mandates and coronavirus vaccine requirements. In recent weeks, Proud Boys have been spotted at rallies in at least five states. From Los Angeles to Columbus, Ohio, members have scrapped with counterprotesters after gathering for events branded as pro-freedom, pro-patriot or anti-COVID-19 restrictions. "They've been piggybacking on other people's events," said Jared Holt, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. "They go where they believe the culture war is being fought, because they see themselves as potentially violent enforcers in a broader culture war."

Police agencies brace for Capitol rally supporting Jan. 6 defendants.

Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan commission to study the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Partisanship was the reason Republicans gave to oppose it.

A break from the news

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Confederate statue, Mexico earthquake, 9/11 victims, COVID-19 booster shots, Proud Boys. It's Wednesday's news.
(Bloomberg) -- Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc called for an auction to settle whether Fortress Investment Group or Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC acquires Britains fourth-largest grocer.

Morrison said Wednesday that because neither bidder has declared their bid final, its in talks to arrange an auction ahead of meetings with shareholders around mid-October. Fortress said its still considering its options.

Shares of the supermarket operator rose as much as 0.7% to 293.20 pence. They have been trading ahead of CD&Rs top bid of 285 pence a share for two weeks.

News of the auction is the latest twist in the heated battle for Morrison, which is attracting buyout interest because of the large amounts of cash it generates, as well as its real estate portfolio.

The fight to control Morrison has been under way since June, when news emerged that U.S. private equity group CD&R had made an initial unsuccessful approach. Since then, the grocer first recommended a 6.7 billion-pound ($9.2 billion) offer from rival private equity group Fortress, before switching to back a 7 billion-pound proposal from CD&R.

Rare Process

Auction processes for public acquisitions are rare in the U.K., although the countrys takeover panel did recently propose one for the contested battle over U.K. asthma drug maker Vectura Group Plc. That auction never went ahead, however, as one bidder pulled out before it began, clearing the way for tobacco giant Philip Morris International.

Earlier in the year, an auction was held during the bidding war for U.K. security firm G4S Plc, pitting off suitors Allied Universal Security Services LLC and Garda World Security Corp.

Although CD&Rs offer is the highest currently on the table, Fortress has not walked away from the process, meaning it can still come back with a better offer. An accelerated auction process will help determine the highest final price each party is prepared to offer.

Shareholders will have the final vote to decide what will be Britains biggest take-private deal in at least a decade, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The grocer is scheduled to report first-half results Thursday, with analysts expecting a 29% gain in adjusted earnings per share.

Story continues

Fortress is leading a consortium that also includes Americas billionaire Koch family, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.

(Updates with shares in third paragraph)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
(Reuters) -Southeast Asian and Western countries have urged all sides in Myanmar to refrain from violence and allow in humanitarian aid, after a shadow government, formed by opponents of military rule, declared a nationwide uprising against the junta.

The National Unity Government (NUG) said on Tuesday it was launching a "people's defensive war" https://reut.rs/3zWzZY7 in a bid to coordinate groups fighting the military and convince troops and administration officials to switch sides.

A military spokesman dismissed that as a futile effort to gain world attention.

Security forces were out in strength in Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, on Wednesday, a day after protests and a flare-up in fighting between the army and ethnic minority insurgents.

"All parties must prioritise the safety and well-being of the Myanmar people," Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said, noting that security was necessary for humanitarian assistance to proceed.

Indonesia has taken a lead among Myanmar's neighbours in trying to resolve a crisis triggered when the military toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1.

Britain's Ambassador to Myanmar Pete Vowles on Facebook condemned the coup and what he called brutality by the junta and urged "all sides to engage in dialogue".

Security forces have killed hundreds of protesters https://reut.rs/3sze8TG since the coup while some junta opponents have formed armed groups under the banner of People's Defence Forces.

They have also forged alliances with ethnic minority armies long at odds with Myanmar's military.

Big protests took place in Sagaing, Magway, and Mandalay on Wednesday, while media reported fighting between the army and Kachin rebels.

It was not immediately clear if the developments were in response to the NUG's call and it remains to be seen to what extent the shadow government can influence the course of events.

Story continues

"The NUG declaration has received strong support on Myanmar social media," said Richard Horsey, a Myanmar expert at the International Crisis Group.

But he said it was not clear if opposition forces had the capacity to escalate the fight against Myanmar's well-equipped military and the NUG's declaration of "war" might backfire by making it harder for some countries to support it.

'BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD'

Chris Sidoti of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, a panel of international experts, said the NUG was frustrated by the junta's brutality and inaction by the international community.

"Violence is the cause of the suffering of the people of Myanmar, it is not the solution," Sidoti said.

"We empathise with the NUG, but we fear for what will happen as a result of this decision."

The NUG's defence ministry on Wednesday said 29 soldiers were killed in clashes in four regions and an unspecified number had defected. Reuters could not independently verify the information.

While Western countries have imposed sanctions to press the junta, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has led efforts for a diplomatic solution, but some members of the bloc, including Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, are exasperated by the absence of progress on a peace plan the junta had agreed to https://reut.rs/3tplB8e.

"Now with the latest event, you really have to go back to the drawing board," Malaysian foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah, told a news conference, referring to the NUG's call for a revolt.

An ASEAN envoy to Myanmar, Erywan Yusof, was quoted as saying at the weekend that the military had accepted his proposal for a ceasefire https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-junta-agrees-asean-call-ceasefire-distribute-aid-kyodo-2021-09-06 to allow aid distribution.

But no side in the conflict has confirmed this.

Asked on Wednesday for his response to the NUG announcement, his office said: "The Special Envoy is monitoring the situation closely."

In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesperson noted the declaration of a "people's defensive war" but called for peace to allow the aid and medicine delivery, the U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia reported.

"The United States does not condone violence as a solution to the current crisis," said the spokesman.

While most Western countries have condemned the army for ousting Suu Kyi's government, China, which has considerable economic interests in Myanmar, has taken a softer line in pushing for stability and non-interference.

The state-run Global Times newspaper warned against Western countries backing anti-junta forces militarily.

"If armed clashes are indulged and political extremist action is encouraged, then the country will be plagued by endless battles and trouble," it said in an opinion piece.

(Reporting by Reuters StaffWriting by Ed DaviesEditing by Robert Birsel and Gareth Jones)
Nancy Salzman

Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman has been sentenced to over three years in prison for her role in the suspected sex cult.

She pleaded guilty to racketeering offences in 2019. Investigators say Nxivm was a sex-trafficking operation disguised as mentoring group.

Salzman, 66, admitted in court to stealing the email addresses and passwords of Nxivm critics.

The group's spiritual leader, Keith Raniere, was sentenced to 120 years in prison in October 2020.

He was convicted of racketeering, sex trafficking, child pornography and other crimes.

In a Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, Salzman said she was "horrified and shamed" to have ever promoted Raniere.

She was quoted by the New York Daily News as saying Raniere is a "narcissistic sociopath". For years she mistakenly believed him to be an "oddly quirky, socially awkward, gifted genius", she said.

Salzman's attorneys said she now appreciates "the full weight of her wrongdoing while she served as Keith Raniere's collaborator and enabler" of the cult.

Federal judge Nicholas Garaufis, however, said that Salzman left "trauma and destruction" on her victims during her time with Nxivm.

In the sentencing memo from August, Assistant US Attorney Tanya Hajjar said that Salzman "disparaged or humiliated women and blamed victims of abuse" by helping spread Nxivm teachings.

"You never rejected [Raniere]. The door was always open but you never left," the New York Daily News quoted the judge as saying.

Salzman also admitted to altering videos of herself that were to be used in a lawsuit against anti-cult "deprogrammer" Rick Alan Ross.

She will report to prison in January 2022. The delay is intended to allow her time to recover from an unspecified medical procedure.

More on Nxivm:

Ahead of the verdict, the court heard audio and video testimonies from several former Nxivm members who detailed Salzman's role in the organisation.

Story continues

Founded in 1998, the Albany, New York-based group described itself as "a community guided by humanitarian principles" with the ultimate aim of "empowering" its members.

Nxivm claimed it worked with over 16,000 people and operated centres across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Several Hollywood actresses and the son of a former Mexican president were reportedly members.

Salzman's daughter, Lauren, was also a high-ranking member of Nxivm.

She faced up to seven years in jail, but in July was given five years of probation after helping prosecutors take down Raniere.
Orrin Heatlie, the main organizer for the Recall of California Gov. Newsom campaign, poses with a banner before recording a radio program at the KABC radio station studio in Culver City, Calif., Saturday, March 27, 2021. AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

The man organizing the recall election campaign against CA Gov. Gavin Newsom tested positive for COVID-19.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Orin Heatlie, the retired sheriff's deputy who helped organize the recall election campaign against California Gov. Gavin Newsom, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Heatlie told the paper that he tested positive on August 28 and that he was unvaccinated because he thought a previous bout with COVID-19 would help give him immunity. He claimed that he was experiencing mild symptoms and did not require hospitalization.

"People need to continue to stay diligent and stay safe," he told the LA Times. "Protect one another. Wash your hands and wear a mask where appropriate." He added that his wife and daughter were vaccinated.

Heatlie has faced criticism for associating with anti-mask, anti-vax, conspiracy elements throughout the recall election process.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani issued a statement Wednesday apologizing to Afghans for fleeing Kabul on the day the Taliban entered the capital city, calling it "the most difficult decision" of his life.

Why it matters: Ghani's decision to flee Kabul and seek asylum in the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 15 precipitated the collapse of the Afghan government.

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In a White House address the day after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, President Biden criticized Ghani and the Afghan security forces for choosing not to "fight for their country."

Ghani was also accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of public money as he fled Kabul, allegations he has vigorously denied. He said Wednesday that he and his top aides would submit to an independent investigation or audit to prove his innocence.

The big picture: Ghani's statement  his most extensive public remarks since the fall of Kabul  comes one day after the Taliban announced the formation of an acting government that features top loyalists and several internationally sanctioned terrorists.

What they're saying: "I owe the Afghan people an explanation for leaving Kabul abruptly on August 15th after Taliban unexpectedly entered the city. I left at the urging of the palace security who advised me that to remain risked setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s," Ghani said.

"Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens," he added.

"Now is not the moment for a long assessment of the events leading up to my departure  I will address them in detail in the near future. But I must now address baseless allegations that as I left Kabul I took with my millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people. These charges are completely and categorically false."

"Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president. I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be defeated."

The bottom line: "It is with deep and profound regret that my own chapter ended in similar tragedy to my predecessors  without ensuring stability and prosperity. I apologize to the Afghan people that I could not make it end differently," Ghani concluded. "My commitment to the Afghan people has never wavered and will guide me for the rest of my life."

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RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A few hundred Palestinians held protests in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday in support of six militants who broke out of a maximum security Israeli jail this week in an escape that has boosted Palestinian spirits and alarmed Israelis.

Israeli forces have mounted a search in an effort to capture the six Palestinian men who on Monday had escaped through a hole in the floor of a prison cell. The inmates, five of whom are members of the Islamic Jihad militant group and one of the Fatah group, have either been convicted or are suspected of planning or carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis.

Around 500 Palestinians gathered at nightfall in the cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and other West Bank locations, some chanting "freedom" and waving Palestinian flags.

"We came out in solidarity with our prisoners in the occupier's jails," said Jihad Abu Adi, 25, as protesters nearby set tyres ablaze. "It's the least we could do for our heroic prisoners."

The Israeli Prison Service said that in at least two jails, a few Palestinian prisoners had set fire to their cells. Details of Monday's prison break investigation are under an Israeli court-issued gag order.

Palestinians regard brethren jailed by Israel as heroes in a struggle for statehood. Israel says Palestinians involved in violent anti-Israeli activities are terrorists and is concerned Monday's escape could ignite clashes in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held consultations with defence and security chiefs on Wednesday, his spokesman said in a statement. "The events have the potential to impact numerous fronts," the statement said. "Israel is prepared for any scenario."

(Reporting by Zainah el-Haroun and Ali Sawafta; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Eleven parents of children who live with disabilities in Iowa are suing the state over the ban on mask mandates.

Why it matters: Concerned school parents are piling some of the heaviest pressure against political leaders in red states that are defying the CDC's recommendation on mask requirements, per Axios Des Moines' Linh Ta.

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Details: The Arc of Iowa, a disability rights group based in Iowa, is joining the lawsuit along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The lawsuit names Governor Kim Reynolds (R) along with school districts, including Des Moines, Iowa City, and Waterloo.

The lawsuit includes children who are too young to be vaccinated and those with disabilities that make them more susceptible to severe COVID-19 cases.

What they're saying: Prohibiting schools from taking reasonable steps to protect the health of their students forces parents to make an impossible choice: their child's education or their child's health, said Susan Mizner, director of the ACLU's Disability Rights Program.

In a press conference last week, Reynolds defended the ban and said that the risk of "serious illness among children is minimal and said that the low rate of hospitalization amongst children was encouraging.

Children make up a nearly a quarter of the new cases in Iowa, per the Des Moines Register.

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A professor at Portland State University resigned after he said the campus became a "social justice factory" and a place that made "intellectual exploration impossible."

Peter Boghossian, a philosophy professor and critic of what he calls a "culture of offense," resigned with an open letter Wednesday to the university, criticizing the school as a place where "administrators have abdicated the universitys truth-seeking mission."

TEXAS PRINCIPAL SUSPENDED AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF TEACHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY

"I never once believed  nor do I now  that the purpose of instruction was to lead my students to a particular conclusion," Boghossian wrote in the letter to provost Susan Jeffords. "Rather, I sought to create the conditions for rigorous thought; to help them gain the tools to hunt and furrow for their own conclusions."

"This is why I became a teacher and why I love teaching. But brick by brick, the university has made this kind of intellectual exploration impossible," the letter continued. "It has transformed a bastion of free inquiry into a Social Justice factory whose only inputs were race, gender, and victimhood and whose only outputs were grievance and division."

Students are being trained to be close-minded, he said.

"Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues," Boghossian wrote. "Faculty and administrators have abdicated the universitys truth-seeking mission and instead drive intolerance of divergent beliefs and opinions. This has created a culture of offense where students are now afraid to speak openly and honestly."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"Portland State has always been and will continue to be a welcoming home for free speech and academic freedom," the school wrote in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "We believe that those practices are not in conflict with our core institutional values of student success; racial justice and equity; and proactive engagement with our community."

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The statement added, "As with all personnel matters, we have no comment on Dr. Boghossians statement of resignation."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Portland, Social Justice, Woke culture

Original Author: Matthew Miller

Original Location: Portland professor resigns, saying university turned into 'social justice factory'
A nurse takes care of a baby outside a hospital after patients and personnel were evacuated following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Acapulco, Mexico, 07 September 2021 (EPA)

A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Mexico near the beach resort city of Acapulco on Tuesday night, leaving at least one person dead and causing damages to buildings, authorities said.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) found the magnitude of the quake to be 7.0, which hit 11 miles southeast of Acapulco in Guerrero state which led to downing of trees, landslides, rockfalls and power outages in several states.

A man was killed after a utility post fell on him in Coyuca de Benitez, a small town west of Acapulco, Guerrero state governor Hector Astudillo informed local television station Milenio TV.

Many gathered in the streets following the tremor, which was initially measured by USGS as 7.4 in magnitude.

"I was taking a bath and suddenly I felt a very strong movement and then I was scared and screamed," a tourist from Mexico City, who fled outside in only a bath towel, was quoted as saying by AFP.

"I came with my mom and were on the 11th floor of the hotel," he told the wire agency, hugging his 86-year-old mother, who was crying.

Another said she rushed out of the cinema hall following the quake. "We were in shock," Andrea del Valle who was sitting on a pavement with her partner after rushing out of a cinema told Reuters. "There were no earthquake alarms, so we felt it when it was already happening."

Central Roma Sure neighbourhood of Mexico City witnessed a power outage, forcing scared residents out of their homes, with some huddled together in rain with their family members

Yesmin Rizk, a 70-year-old resident in the neighbourhood, told Reuters that the tremors reminded them of 1985 earthquake, in which about 5,000 people died. "Im not sure well sleep tonight, they said.

While authorities also reported a gas leak in a cafe and damage to a hotel and a public hospital, president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador assured that there have been no major damages in areas near the epicentre or surrounding states.

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Mexican state power utility the Comision Federal de Electricidad said about 1.6 million people in Mexico City, State of Mexico, Guerrero, Morelos, and Oaxaca have been affected by the quake.

Additional reporting from the wires

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Biden said workers would earn high wages to prepare for climate change under his resilience plan.

The president's Build Back Better proposal includes jobs that pay "$45 or $50 an hour," he said.

He added that the plan would return $6 in savings for each dollar invested to prevent disaster.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Jobs that help prepare the US for the changing climate will pay a high hourly wage, President Joe Biden said after touring storm damage in New York and New Jersey on Tuesday.

"I think of one word when I think of climate change: jobs, good-paying jobs," he said. "Not $7 or $12 or $15, but $45, $50 an hour, plus healthcare. That's what is needed."

Biden's $45 figure is more than six times higher than the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has remained unchanged since 2009, when Biden was vice president in the Obama administration.

Businesses are increasingly finding it difficult to attract talent by offering less than $15 an hour, making that a de facto minimum wage in some instances.

Related video: Actual take-home pay from a $75,000 salary

Biden described increased spending on climate resilience as a smart investment, saying that each dollar invested under his Build Back Better plan in things like flood mitigation, forest-fire prevention, and burying electrical lines would ultimately lead to $6 in savings.

"The storm in the Gulf, as you've now figured out, can reverberate 10 states away," he said. "Supply chains and crop production get interrupted, driving up costs, devastating industries all over America. This is everybody's crisis."

Tripti Bhattacharya, an environmental-science professor at Syracuse University, told NPR that Ida had "just the right mix of weather conditions" in place to wreak havoc across the Northeast more than 1,000 miles from where it made landfall in Louisiana.

"A storm like this would have been exceptionally rare 20 or 50 years ago, but we have to start thinking about it becoming the norm as the climate warms," she said.

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Against that backdrop, Biden is pitching his multitrillion-dollar spending plan as a win-win in both economic terms and, more importantly, lives saved.

"It's serious, serious business," he said. "We got a lot of work to do."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Duke of York en route to Balmoral from Windsor - Jim Bennett

The Duke of York has returned to the Queens Balmoral estate in Scotland as attempts to serve legal papers on him over sex allegations continue.

Prince Andrew, 61, who has not been seen in public for several weeks, made the 500-mile journey from his Windsor home, Royal Lodge, to Scotland with his former wife, the Duchess of York, on Tuesday.

The visit to his mother, who remains on holiday at Balmoral, comes a month after efforts began to formally present him with a copy of a civil lawsuit in which his accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, alleges rape in the first degree and sexual assault.

He has so far avoided repeated attempts to formally hand him the lawsuit  which have involved a variety of couriers and professional process servers  but as such, has been unable to venture far from his home.

The visit to the Queen, 95, at Balmoral, the Dukes second this summer, was planned some time ago, The Telegraph understands.

On Wednesday night, it emerged that the Duke had been invited to a private lunch with the Queen at a lodge in a secluded forest six miles from Balmoral Castle.

The Duke was seen arriving at the property with his security detail at around 1pm, while Her Majesty was seen leaving around 90 minutes later, The Sun reported.

The Duchess of York joined the Duke in visiting the Queen in Balmoral - Peter Jolly/Northpix

It came after Sarah Ferguson gave an interview in which she said that she still stood by her nuptial vows to her ex-husband.

The Duchess told Polsat News: When you make that commitment, you decide to marry a prince. And I fell in love with him. He was a sailor, he is still. He was a helicopter pilot and was also a prince, by the way. I kept my commitment, no matter what.

People said, You got divorced. Im divorced, not divorced . . . they dont know how I feel. Divorce is one thing, but my heart is my oath, my obligation.

Sarah, 61, was in Poland last week for the opening of a cosmetic medicine centre, owned by her friend Dr Gabriela Mercik, where she was pictured cutting a red ribbon.

The timing of this Balmoral trip will have the added benefit of giving him a little more space and a lesser chance of approach.

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While Her Majestys sprawling 50,000 acre Aberdeenshire estate might give him more scope to enjoy outdoor pursuits, it is thought that attempts to locate him on public land will continue.

David Boies, Ms Giuffres lawyer, who has accused the Dukes legal team of stonewalling them, has made clear that wherever he is, they will find him and get someone there with the paperwork.

Mr Boies previously told The Telegraph that they were required to formally present the copy of the complaint under the Hague Convention because the Duke is a foreign citizen.

However, the Convention states that documents can be served by a method recognised in the defendants home country. Accepted methods of service in England and Wales include by first class post to an individuals last known address.

It comes ahead of the first court hearing in the case, on September 13, when Mr Boies is expected to outline the various attempts made to serve the documents.

The Dukes UK-based legal team, led by Gary Bloxsome from the London-based Blackfords law firm, is thought unlikely to take part in the telephone conference with Lewis Kaplan, the Manhattan federal court judge. To do so would be to submit to the US courts jurisdiction.

The judge is expected to allow Ms Giuffres team more time to track the Duke of York down.

Under the New York civil practice law and rules, papers must be served within 120 days of a civil complaint being filed, giving Ms Giuffre until December 8.

After that, the Duke could move to have the suit dismissed unless his accuser can show good cause for the delay.

If his lawyers do not acknowledge the suit, as appears to be their strategy, Ms Giuffre could file for a default judgment, asking the Southern District of New York court to find in her favour without the case proceeding to trial.

If and when the Duke is officially served with the lawsuit, he will have 21 days to respond.

Ms Giuffre, now 38, has accused the Duke of rape in the first degree, sexual battery and sexual abuse, when she was 17.

She claims the abuse took place at convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteins New York home, on his private Caribbean island and at the London home of socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who is awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, which she denies.

The Duke has not publicly acknowledged the allegations. However, he told the BBCs Newsnight in 2019: Ive no recollection of ever meeting her.
Activists from environmental group Greenpeace protested against a shipment of reprocessed nuclear fuel that was set to leave France for Japan on Wednesday for use in a power plant.

The load of highly radioactive Mox, a mixture of reprocessed plutonium and uranium, was escorted by police from a plant near the port of Cherbourg to the dockyard in the early hours of the morning.

A handful of Greenpeace activists waved flags and signs with anti-nuclear logos as they camped out on Tuesday night to wait for the heavy-goods truck transporting the high-security cargo.

The Mox from French nuclear technology group Orano is destined for a nuclear plant in Takahama in Japan and is the seventh such shipment from France since 1999.

Japan lacks facilities to process waste from its own nuclear reactors and sends most of it overseas, particularly to France.

The country is building a long-delayed reprocessing plant in Aomori in northern Japan.

"Orano and its partners have a longstanding experience in the transport of nuclear materials between Europe and Japan, in line with international regulations with the best safety and security records," Orano said in a September 3 statement.

The fuel is being shipped by two specially designed ships from British company PNTL.

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Qatar said the Taliban have demonstrated "pragmatism" and should be judged on their actions as the undisputed rulers of Afghanistan, but stopped short of announcing formal recognition of the Islamists.

Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah al-Khater told AFP in an exclusive interview that it would be up to the Afghans to determine their future, not the international community.

Doha was the central intermediary between the Taliban, who opened a political office in Qatar in 2013, and the international community including Washington up until the Islamist group completed their lightning takeover of Afghanistan last month.

"They have shown a great deal of pragmatism. Let's seize the opportunities there... and look at their public actions," said Khater, who stopped short of announcing formal recognition of Afghanistan's new rulers.

"They are the de facto rulers, no question about that," she told AFP in the interview, which took place late Monday, before the Taliban unveiled their hardline interim government.

The Taliban named an acting government headed by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund on Tuesday but have yet to receive formal recognition from any United Nations member state, including Qatar.

But Khater, Qatar's spokeswoman on the world stage as well as face of the nation's coronavirus response, noted "some good gestures" from the new Taliban rulers of Afghanistan.

"The very fact many evacuees were able to leave Kabul -- including many female students -- is a showcase, because without their cooperation, it would not have been possible," she told AFP.

Qatari recognition of the Taliban would not come immediately, Khater said.

"We don't rush to a recognition. But we don't completely disengage with the Taliban... we take the middle way."

For its part, the US said on Tuesday that it was "concerned" about the government unveiled by the Taliban earlier in the day, noting it was comprised solely of Taliban members and did not include any women.

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A State Department spokesman noted that it was a "caretaker" government and said "we will judge the Taliban by its actions, not words."

- Qatar in the spotlight -

Khater said that since returning to power, the Taliban had largely left Afghan health authorities, including female medics, free to continue their coronavirus response.

Calls from Western countries and NGOs for the group to respect the rights of women and minorities have mounted in the days since their shock August 15 takeover of Kabul.

"Afghanistan is a sovereign country... the people of Afghanistan should have their own say," said Khater.

"When we talk about Afghanistan being responsive to the international community, it does not mean that the international community can or should control the fate of the people of Afghanistan."

Qatar, a US ally that has emerged as a key player both in evacuations and diplomacy on Afghanistan, is host to the largest US airbase in the region.

Nearly half of the more than 120,000 people airlifted out of Afghanistan have transited through Qatar, which is also working on the ground to allow Kabul airport, barely operative following Washington's withdrawal, to reopen.

It was the deal struck between former president Donald Trump's administration and the Taliban in Doha in February last year that set the course for Washington's chaotic withdrawal and the militants' subsequent takeover.

On and off talks between the Afghan government and Taliban in Doha that followed the deal failed to deliver a workable blueprint for an inclusive government.

- 'Don't kill the messenger' -

Asked if Qatar's actions had contributed to the Taliban's re-emergence, Khater said: "Don't kill the messenger".

"Qatar has been the messenger... we have been facilitating," she added.

Qatar has been thrust into the international spotlight after enabling one of history's largest airlifts in response to the takeover.

Khater largely oversaw Doha's evacuation operations and even received some refugees in person.

On a two-day visit to the fabulously wealthy Arabian desert nation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced appreciation to Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in a public relations coup for the country.

Visits from a procession of top ministers and envoys, rounded off by Blinken, capped a whirlwind week of diplomacy on the world stage for Doha.

"Many people were questioning our mediation and approach, but now I think we are putting this to a real test and the entire world is looking at us to help and facilitate in this mediation," Khater said.

"If (the Taliban) respect human rights, women's rights, especially women's education, then there will be benefits for that. If they don't do that, then there will be consequences."

Despite the logistical challenges on the ground, the diplomat said she was hopeful aid efforts could resume, but said that UN agencies and their work should not be politicised.

"More engagement from the side of the UN in general would be helpful," she said.

"UN agencies shouldn't be politicised. They should be focused on the humanitarian and developmental aid."

dla/gw/lg/dwo
Florida governor Ron DeSantis (Getty Images)

Florida governor Ron DeSantis has announced a $5,000 signing bonus for police officers in Florida, in an attempt to attract out-of-state recruits to the area.

The Florida governor held a press conference on Tuesday at the Lakeland Police Department announcing the incentives he plans to present in the next legislative session, according to WFLA .

The main components of the programme include the signing bonus, making it easier for out-of-state officers to move to Florida, a scholarship programme for recruits to attend a law enforcement academy, and making the state police certification exam free for officers who are relocating.

Signing bonuses have become commonplace for many businesses amid labour shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov DeSantis and his supporters believe there is a lack of support for law enforcement in the United States, and he hopes that his plan will attract officers to move to Florida, according to WFLA. The move is likely to resonate among those who feel the police have been undermined and demonised amid calls to defund law enforcement.

The announcement also comes amid mounting speculation that Mr DeSantis is eyeing a potential 2024 presidential run. Conservatives have rallied around police forces across the US, and former President Donald Trump made law and order a hallmark of his political messaging. Mr DeSantis approval rating has taken a dive recently as his state struggles amid a surge of COVID-19 cases . However, Mr DeSantis dismissed 2024 chatter as nonsense .

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody commented on Gov DeSantis announcement, declaring that Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the country, according to Axios. Ms Moody also has said that any efforts to cut funding for the police are idiotic and negligent.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Adventurous Muscovites may soon be able to travel around parts of Moscow in driverless taxis as Russian tech giant Yandex plans to start testing the autonomous vehicles in the city this year, the company said on Wednesday.

Yandex, which operates a raft of services from online search to food delivery, has been testing self-driving technology for more than three years in Russia, Israel and the United States.

Robotaxis will available through the company's Yandex.Go application in one Moscow district for certain customers, Yandex said in a statement.

"The launch in Yasenevo is the first stage of a large Yandex project to launch driverless taxis," the company said. "Over time, there will be more cars, the number of locations you can go to and from will increase, and ever more people will be able to hail driverless taxis."

Russian legislation does not yet allow driverless vehicles to travel without a person at the wheel, except in special economic zones, such as the city of Innopolis in the Tatarstan region.

Restrictions on their use in certain areas of large cities could be partially lifted after a law came into force this year.

Yandex's fleet of around 170 driverless cars has travelled more than 14 million kilometres. The company also has self-driving robots for food delivery, which already operate on some U.S. college campuses through a partnership with online food-ordering company GrubHub.

Yandex owns a 73% stake in Yandex Self-Driving Group (SDG) and has agreed to buy the remaining share from Uber by the end of the year.

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Alexander Marrow and David Gregorio)
Watch: Sajid Javid insists new taxes needed despite 350m Brexit boost

Sajid Javid has defended the introduction of new taxes to help fund the NHS, insisting money saved from Brexit has already been used.

On Tuesday Boris Johnson broke two manifesto pledges in a single day, with an increase in National Insurance contributions and a temporary suspension of the triple lock on pensions.

The prime minister insisted the moves were necessary to deal with the backlog in the NHS built up during COVID and deliver long-overdue reform of the social care system in England.

Speaking this morning, the health secretary was forced to defend the measure when it was put to him that Johnson said during the Brexit referendum there would be an extra 350m a week for the NHS if the UK left the EU.

When asked where the money  estimated to be tens of billions of pounds  had gone, Javid said the pandemic meant more money was needed.

Health secretary Sajid Javid has insisted new taxes are needed to help fund the NHS. (Getty)

He told LBC: Despite all the extra money that's gone into the NHS because of the impact of the pandemic it hasn't been enough to meet the challenges.

Presenter Nick Ferrari asked whether the 350m-a-week claim was another lie from Boris Johnson".

Javid responded: As we've left the EU it happened at the same time as the global pandemic and that money and much more has gone into the health and care service.

We have seen in the first year of the pandemic that the government has put in an extra 40bn this year alone we've put in 20bn more into health and social care.

He added: The money has gone in. So much of it has gone into dealing with the pandemic  those vaccines, the extra PPE, the testing and tracing service  thats where it has gone.

So were not hiding any of this money  but we need to plan for the long term.

David Henig, the UK director of the Ecipe think tank, also highlighted the Brexit claims, tweeting: Why aren't we funding social care from the money we sent to the EU rather than a rise in national insurance? There was a bus.

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The governments plan will see the introduction of a new health and social care levy, based on a 1.25 percentage-point increase in National Insurance contributions  breaking a Tory commitment not to raise NI.

Under the new levy a typical basic-rate taxpayer earning 24,100 would pay 180 more a year, while a higher-rate taxpayer on 67,100 would pay 715.

As well as providing extra funding for the NHS to deal with the backlog built up during the pandemic, the new package of 36bn over three years will also reform the way adult social care in England is funded.

Javid said the decision to abandon the election pledge in order to provide 12bn extra a year for the NHS and adult social care was the sign of a responsible and serious government.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Javid said he appreciates the tax hike does not sit easily with everyone, but no responsible government, especially a Conservative one, can bury its head in the sand and pass these problems on to the next one.

But there has been criticism of the manifesto promise being broken  including from Johnsons former adviser Dominic Cummings, who tweeted: Every Tory MP stood on a manifesto promise NOT to put up income tax/NI.

The PM personally guaranteed it. If you vote to break your promise you will hear 'youre a LIAR...ALL THE SAME' for years.

Ahead of a vote on the plans on Wednesday, Johnson is expected to address the influential 1922 Committee of Tory MPs in a final effort to sell the package.

Reports suggested some Cabinet members had privately challenged Johnson when he unveiled his plan to them on Tuesday, but none have resigned over the principle and there was limited criticism among the Tory rank and file after the package was set out.

Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference while announcing his break of an election pledge not to raise taxes. (Getty)

Conservative backbencher Richard Drax said that as Conservatives, broken pledges and tax rises should concern us and called for a radical review of the NHS to ensure the money did not disappear into a black hole.

Another backbencher, Stephen McPartland, indicated that he could not support the governments plan for social care without more detail.

Despite the backlash, support for for the tax rise stands at 44% among all voters, according to a YouGov poll  while 43% said they opposed it.

Despite the near-even split, young people are more opposed to the plans  with 47% of 18-24 year olds arguing against it, compared with 26% who are in favour.

Opposition reverses in the older age bracket, with 68% of people aged 65 and over in support of the tax rise, compared with 23% in the same age bracket who are against it.

Watch: Johnson breaks manifesto promise with 12bn tax hike for health service
The world must take urgent action on climate change at upcoming UN talks in Glasgow or low-lying Pacific nations will face a "dire" future, Samoa's new leader has told AFP in an interview.

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who took office as Samoa's first female prime minister in late July, gave a stark assessment of the Pacific's prospects if efforts to tackle global warming continue to stall.

Mata'afa said rising seas were already swamping the region's tiny atoll states -- which include nations such as Tokelau, Tuvalu and Kiribati.

"With them, it's a real and present circumstance -- the water is gaining ground on them," she said Monday, adding that violent cyclones were becoming more common across the South Pacific.

Major storms "used to be every 50 to 60 years, now it's becoming every two to three years", she said.

"For us, we've noticed the impact on our coastal areas, and about 70 percent of our country is settled on the coast."

In a wide-ranging interview, Mata'afa also discussed the geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States in the Pacific, her disappointment at neighbouring Australia's climate stance and the implications of her ground-breaking election victory.

But front of mind was the 26th edition of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties -- COP26 -- scheduled to start in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November.

The summit will involve negotiators from 196 countries in the biggest climate conference since landmark talks in Paris in 2015.

Mata'afa said it was crucial that participants honour the ambitious goal set in Paris to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels.

To do that, she said carbon-emitting countries needed to prioritise saving the planet over economic growth, adding: "It's not rocket science."

"The Pacific was sort of a lone voice in the debate for a very long time, but I think the science advisers have now brought the world's thinking towards that."

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- 'Mature' China relations -

The 64-year-old admitted her frustration at regional heavyweight Australia, which refuses to adopt a net-zero emissions target while remaining one of the world's largest fossil fuel exporters.

"When you're working as a collective as we do in the Pacific, Australia is a part of that," she said.

"It is a frustrating element but that's the reality of our lives, you can't always agree."

She also bristled at suggestions by some in Australia that Samoa did not understand the risks posed by forging close relations with China, which is seeking to expand its influence in the Pacific.

"What they were saying was we weren't as well nuanced about how you have relationships with these big countries," she said.

"We've been independent since 1962, so we've been around the block. I think we understand quite well what our relationships are, just as Australia has its own relationships."

Mata'afa said the new government had no intention of changing its diplomatic recognition of Beijing and recognised the "One China" policy, although she remained open to trade with Taiwan.

She played down the impact of cancelling a Beijing-bankrolled port project agreed to by her predecessor, saying it was only at the feasibility stage when canned and would have no bearing on Samoa's "mature" relationship with China.

Quizzed on rivalries between China and the United States in the region, Mata'afa said she was comfortable dealing with both superpowers to pursue Samoa's best interests.

"In the geopolitical context, the reality of small countries is that we have to navigate our way through these larger countries and the issues they prioritise," she said.

Mata'afa has been a long-time advocate for women's rights and expressed hope her ground-breaking election win would signal a change of attitudes in the Pacific, which has one of the lowest rates of female parliamentary representation in the world.

"For gender role modelling, I've always believed that any women who achieved in whatever sector, once that happens other girls and women see that it can be done," she said.

"It's significant in that sense."

str-ns/arb/djw/axn/qan
Hollis Johnson/ Business Insider; Mike Blake/ Reuters

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has asked Amazon to provide details about COVID-19 misinformation on its platform.

The senator is asking how its algorithms work and how Amazon intends to crack down on false COVID-19 narratives.

Lawmakers have been pushing large tech companies for more transparency and oversight in their technologies.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Amazon is facing more scrutiny from Washington over the spread of COVID-19 misinformation on its marketplace platform.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter on Tuesday to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, saying the company's search engine is "peddling misinformation" about COVID-19 and its vaccines as the Delta variant of the virus spreads.

"This pattern and practice of misbehavior suggests that Amazon is either unwilling or unable to modify its business practices to prevent the spread of falsehoods or the sale of inappropriate products," Warren said in the letter. "An unethical, unacceptable, and potentially unlawful course of action from one of the nation's largest retailers," she said in the letter.

Warren said in August her staff investigated Amazon's marketplace and found that searches on the site for "COVID-19," "COVID vaccine," and "pandemic" listed as top results books and other products that contained inaccurate information regarding the spread of the disease and its vaccines.

The letter cites a book written by Joseph Mercola and Ronnie Cummins. Mercola has been labelled by the New York Times as the "most influential spreader of Coronavirus misinformation online." The book remains a highly-ranked result in both "books" and "all categories," and is listed a the #1 bestseller in "Political Freedom." Other books on top results listed include inaccurate claims about holistic remedies for COVID-19, such as "medicine" directly sold by Mercola's site, and ivermectin, a horse dewormer, according to Warren's letter.

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The senator called for an "immediate review" of Amazon's algorithms, giving the company 14 days to file a public report on the ways its algorithms direct consumers to COVID-19, and outline clear solution as to how they are also changing it.

"We are constantly evaluating the books we list to ensure they comply with our content guidelines, and as an additional service to customers, at the top of relevant search results pages we link to the CDC advice on COVID and protection measures," an Amazon spokesperson told Insider.

This is the second letter Warren has sent Jassy criticizing the role of Amazon's algorithm in misinforming the public about the coronavirus. The earlier letter, sent in April, pointed to instances where Amazon's COVID-sponsored content promoted masks and other personal protective equipment that were not authorized by the FDA. The company also supposedly left out product details that would help potential consumers verify the validity of the masks, like manufacturers and model numbers.

Warren noted in her most recent letter that Amazon no longer promotes any "sponsored" search results like it allegedly did with the non-FDA-approved masks. Amazon also features a banner when some COVID-19 terms are searched, prompting users to find out more on CDC's website.

Amazon, like many other algorithm-heavy companies, has remained fairly quiet on the exact way its algorithms work. Antitrust regulators and advocates have examined Amazon's secretive search algorithms before, finding Amazon tweaks its algorithms for the benefit of the company, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Amazon is one of several big tech-based companies that have received continued pushback from Washington lawmakers, who want these companies to do more to monitor and report instances of misinformation on their platforms. Executives from Facebook, Google, and Twitter all testified to Congress again in March about the issue.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc is weighing whether to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees and firing those who refuse to comply, the Financial Times reported https://www.ft.com/content/a4edfefb-4fba-46d9-bef3-2cfdba57bdb3 on Wednesday.

The oil major outlined a case for "selective vaccine mandates" initially at offshore and other remote locations, where staff live and work, and where World Health Organization-approved vaccines were available, the Financial Times said, citing an internal memo sent to Shell's executive committee.

The memo, dated Sept. 1, also said employees in other parts of the business could be subjected to mandatory vaccination "over time", according to the newspaper.

The document states that while "all reasonable efforts" would be made to avoid terminating employment of staff who refuse to comply with the vaccine mandate, the company "will be faced with no alternative but to do so", FT reported.

Shell declined to comment on the report.

Many companies have come out with mask mandates and changed their vaccination policies amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, spurred by the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair and Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)
Somalia's Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble on Wednesday accused the country's president of "obstructing" a high-profile investigation into the fate of an intelligence agent whose disappearance sparked an outcry in the Horn of Africa nation.

Ikran Tahlil, a 25-year-old officer with the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), was abducted near her Mogadishu home in June, and last week her employers concluded that she had been kidnapped and killed by Al-Shabaab jihadists.

The militants promptly -- and unusually -- issued a denial, while Tahlil's family accused NISA of murdering her -- a view backed by many Somalis who have taken to social media to denounce the agency and demand justice.

Roble fired NISA's director Fahad Yasin on Sunday after calling the agency's report "not convincing", but the official was reinstated the next day by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, commonly known as Farmajo, who dismissed the sacking as "illegal and unconstitutional".

The row intensified Wednesday after Farmajo promoted Yasin to the position of national security adviser, and now threatens to set off a full-blown political crisis in an already unstable country.

Roble said Farmajo's actions were harming the probe into Tahlil's disappearance "in the same way justice and rule of law agencies have been previously barred from exercising full investigation".

"That is a dangerous existential threat to the country's governance system," he said.

Roble, who was tasked with organising long-delayed polls to defuse protests after Farmajo controversially extended his mandate in April without holding a vote, also accused the president of trying to reclaim "the election and security responsibilities" from him.

A Swedish-trained civil engineer and political neophyte, Roble was appointed premier by Farmajo in September last year.

But the two men have frequently clashed in recent months, with the spat threatening to throw an already fragile electoral process into deeper peril.

Story continues

- Call for 'rapid resolution' -

The international community is already worried, with the United Nations, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the United States, the European Union and East African bloc IGAD among those urging the country's leaders to end their dispute as a matter of urgency.

"We urge Somali leaders to de-escalate the political confrontation surrounding this investigation and, in particular, avoid any actions that could lead to violence," they said Tuesday in a statement released by the UN assistance mission in Somalia.

"We... (call) for a rapid resolution of this dispute, including a credible investigation of Ikran's disappearance and the completion of the electoral process without any further delay."

Somalia's parliamentary polls are now scheduled to kick off between October 1 and November 25 following months of delays.

The vote for the lower house follows a complex indirect model whereby state legislatures and clan delegates pick lawmakers, who in turn choose the president.

str-amu/txw/yad
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed an executive order on Tuesday banning clinicians from prescribing medication abortions through telemedicine, the latest in a wave of red states trying to restrict access amid the growing threat to Roe v. Wade.

In her executive order, the Republican governor declared that abortion pills may only be prescribed or dispensed by a doctor who is licensed in South Dakota after an in-person examination. The order also blocks people, including physicians and manufacturers, from providing abortion-inducing medication via courier, delivery, telemedicine or mail service.

Abortion-inducing medications are also no longer allowed to be provided in school or on state grounds, according to the order, which also directs the South Dakota Department of Health to develop licensing requirements for pill only abortion clinics. The department will also need to collect data on how often medication abortions are performed as a percentage of all abortions and enhance reporting requirements on emergency room complications supposedly related to medication abortions.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's executive order allows abortion pills only if prescribed or dispensed by a doctor licensed in South Dakota and only after the patient is examined in person. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press)

Medication abortion, known as the abortion pill, has been available in the U.S. since 2000, when the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of mifepristone for early nonsurgical abortion. Pregnant people normally get a medication abortion by taking a combination of mifepristone and misprostol  usually spaced 24 hours apart  which essentially induces a miscarriage.

Mifepristone is approved for use at up to 10 weeks of gestational age, though it is used safely off-label at later stages. The drug blocks progesterone receptors that are necessary to maintain a pregnancy. Medication abortion is successful 93% to 96% of the time, according to Planned Parenthood.

The drug is very common. Medication abortions increased from 5% of all abortions in 2001 to 39% in 2017, even while the overall number of abortions declined, according to The Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research organization. The method allows abortion seekers to terminate their pregnancies safely and effectively in the privacy of their own home, provided they are in the early stage of pregnancy.

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Contrary to Noems order, clinical evidence overwhelmingly shows that medication abortion is very safe. A 2019 study found that people who received medication abortion doses by mail had similar outcomes as those who received an abortion at a physicians office and reported high levels of satisfaction with the service. Telemedicine for medication abortion has been particularly important in areas where people often have to travel more than 100 miles to access an abortion, making it the safest option for rural and low-income pregnant people.

The FDA announced in April that pregnant people would be able to get prescribed a medication abortion through telemedicine after President Joe Biden lifted the previous administrations restrictions on telemedicine abortion  something doctors have been fighting for long before the pandemic  due to the unnecessary COVID-19 risk of physically going into a health clinic for a medication abortion.

The past 20 years have given us just a glimpse of the transformative potential of medication abortion. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, medication abortion use was rapidly increasing  in fact, in just the last decade or so, the number of clinician-managed abortions using medication increased 73%, Guttmacher spokesperson Joerg Dreweke told HuffPost.

Beyond its exceptionally safe and effective track record, what makes medication abortion so significant is how convenient and private it can be  and how radically it could expand access to abortion care if freed from politically motivated restrictions, Dreweke added. Of course, thats exactly why anti-abortion policymakers and activists want to keep it out of the hands of people who want it.

Courts have declared that outright banning the option is unconstitutional, but other state-level restrictions like Noems order have so far gone into effect without legal challenges. South Dakota is one of 19 states prohibiting the use of telemedicine to prescribe medication for abortion, and 32 states requiring clinicians who administer the abortion pill to be physicians, according to The Guttmacher Institute.

South Dakotas order comes about a week after Texas anti-abortion law went into effect. That law bans abortions after six weeks  a time when most people are unaware theyre pregnant  and relies on private citizens to enforce it by giving bounties of up to $10,000 for successfully suing anyone accused of aiding and abetting abortion seekers in Texas.

Within a day of the law going into effect, at least six other states said they are looking to adopt a similar ban. North Dakota, Mississippi, Indiana, Florida, Arkansas and South Dakota have all voiced their intent to follow Texas, and Noems executive order on Tuesday brings her state one step closer to that reality.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
File: Governor Kristi Noem claims medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening (AP)

Access to abortion medicines will now be restricted in South Dakota after the states Republican governor Kristi Noem issued an executive order on Tuesday.

Medicine-induced abortions will now fall under state law that already mandates in-person consultations with physicians to undertake abortions.

Those seeking termination of their pregnancies through drugs will now have to procure them only from a state-licensed physician after an in-person examination.

Ms Noem, in the order, directed the state Department of Health to make these rules, despite the requirement of in-person consultations already in the ambit of the state law.

The rules will likely be an impediment to an anticipated decision from the US Food and Drug Administration later this year that will allow abortion medications to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.

The order comes a week after Texas implemented a stringent and controversial law that banned abortions once medical professionals detect cardiac activity emerging from the foetus, usually occurring around six weeks, when most women are not aware they are pregnant.

These policy moves are perceived to be a part of a nationwide push by Republicans seeking to outlaw most abortions, something that has caused nationwide outrage and anger.

President Joe Biden has pushed back against the Texas anti-abortion law, calling it almost un-American and has vowed help from the federal government to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.

The South Dakota law aims to stop the supply of drugs through mail or other delivery services from being provided in schools or on state property.

The order calls for more stringent reporting on medicine-induced abortions and any health complications related to them. Clinics that only prescribe medicine for abortions will have to present licences under this order.

Ms Noem expected the state legislature to turn the new rules into a law next year, the order stated.

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The governor claimed medicine-induced abortions were life-threatening, adding that the order was issued in the interest of womens health and safety, reported Associated Press.

She also urged for a stop of telemedicine abortion, something she alleged Mr Biden was permitting in order to undermine state laws.

They are working right now to make it easier to end the life of an unborn child via telemedicine abortion, Ms Noem said in a statement. That is not going to happen in South Dakota.

Under the existing laws in South Dakota, physicians have to examine a pregnant woman before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion.

The woman then has to wait for 72 hours before the procedure can take place. Abortions after the 12th week, or almost three months, have to be performed in a hospital and abortions after the 22nd week are strictly banned, unless there is a medical emergency.

South Dakotas Department of Health data from 2020 shows more than a third of the abortions  39 per cent  were carried out via medication.

Experts have termed Ms Noems order disappointing and an attack on abortion rights.

Janna Farley, communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, said: Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the US Constitution, and its disappointing that governor Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship.

It's clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota," Ms Farley told Associated Press.

Read More

Texas governor defends abortion law with no rape exceptions

Activists focus on tip site in protesting Texas abortion law
Sep. 8A 55-year-old Dayton man was sentenced Tuesday to more than a year in federal prison in connection to Social Security and COVID-19 relief money he got in his deceased father's name.

Jon Devol, aka John Atkins, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining nearly $60,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced Tuesday.

"After a recent Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General audit caused the benefit payments to stop in summer 2020, Jon Devol, also known as John Atkins, called the SSA office pretending to be his elderly mother whom he had fraudulently named as the payee," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a release. "According to court documents, Devol impersonated his mother throughout the 30-minute, recorded phone call.

"During the call, Devol provided his parents' Social Security numbers and when asked if his father was deceased, he said no. When the customer service representative reiterated that Devol's father was listed as deceased in the SSA database, the defendant said, 'That's a mistake,'" the release says.

The U.S. Attorney's office said Devol received the Social Security benefits between 2015 and 2020.

"Throughout those five years, Devol returned questionnaires to the SSA pretending to be his mother and stating the money was being used to care for his father's needs," the release says. "In May 2020, Devol also received a $1,200 COVID-19 relief stimulus payment in his dead father's name."

He was ordered to repay $58,782 to social security and $1,200 to the IRS for a total of $59,982.
A marijuana industry activist pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening to inflict "pain in every way" on a member of Congress shortly after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In U.S. District Court, via Zoom, Jason Robert Karimi, 32, admitted to calling a U.S. Representative from California, whose name is redacted from documents, from his cellphone in St. Paul and leaving a voice mail saying: "I want to see you as scared as possible, terrified and [defecating] your pants."

"We're coming for ya," Karimi continued. "We're going to [expletive] you up and ... we're going to end all political power you have [and] make it so you can't even walk in anything but a wheelchair." Karimi said the person's house had been vandalized but that "wasn't far enough."

The call came days after news reports revealing that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's house in San Francisco had been vandalized. Pelosi's office didn't respond to requests for comment.

Karimi pleaded guilty to one felony count of sending an interstate communication containing a threat. As part of a plea deal, federal prosecutors recommended he serve 10-16 months in prison and up to $40,000 in fines instead of the maximum 5 years in prison and $450,000.

In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp read the voice mail aloud.

"Did you leave that message knowing it would cause fear?" asked Steinkamp.

"Yes," said Karimi.

Karimi has actively blogged for a website that promotes marijuana policy in Iowa called "WeedPress," and he's appeared on local television stations there commenting on the industry. At a hearing in February via Zoom, Karimi appeared before the judge wearing a Rastafarian head garb and called himself "reverend."

He told the FBI agent he aspired to lobby the U.S. government on marijuana. He planned to move to South Dakota, and he's been temporarily living with a friend in St. Paul.

He said he frequently uses the tactic of "political threatening" to get noticed, according to court documents. He told the FBI agent he once expressed his intentions to a lawyer to "rip his son's guts out" and feed them to the son.

Andy Mannix  612-673-4036
One student was injured after a stabbing Wednesday morning at an Indianapolis high school, officials said.

Details on the condition of the injured student were not available, but a notice sent to parents and shared with NBC News indicated the incident occurred at North Central High School, which is part of the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township in the northern section of Indianapolis.

Students in the district returned to school on Aug. 4.

Due to an unfortunate event this morning at North Central High School where two students were involved in an altercation involving a knife, we are going to release North Central High School students early at 10 AM, today September 8, 2021," officials wrote in the notice.

The student with the knife was apprehended, and the victim received medical attention, according to Ellen Rogers, the district's community relations coordinator.

More information will be released later in the day, she said. School officials were working with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The police department did not have additional comment.
This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.

After spending so much time at home, the idea of sitting on an airplane for hours may seem like an adventure in itself. And when that journey ends on a tropical island in Asia, it's a welcome reminder that some things really are worth the wait.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe  to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated islands according to their activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness, and overall value.

The Philippines' Palawan not only made this regional list again at No. 5 (though down from No. 1 last year) but also earned a spot in the World's Best Islands list. When they arrive, guests find mountains as well as white sand beaches washed by the Sula and South China seas. Resorts range from eco-chic stays to the spectacular Amanpulo resort, accessible only by private plane. Its 58 casitas and villas are nestled in the lush hillside and along the beach; each villa has its own chef and butler.

Andaman Islands

Getty Images

Equally beautiful coastlines and crystal-clear waters beckon visitors to Koh Samui, Thailand (No. 2), Bali, Indonesia (No. 3), and the Maldives (No. 4). All three are also on the World's Best Islands list this year, thanks to their consistent ability to deliver unforgettable vacations, no matter your choice of activities and lodgings. "Nowhere else on the planet offers so much in one place," said one voter about Bali, while another elaborated, praising the island's "friendly people, excellent service, food and drink."

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But even with longtime reader favorites well-represented this year, it was India's Andaman Islands that emerged in the top spot. Read on to find out what sets the destination apart from the other havens readers chose as this year's best islands in Asia.

1. Andaman Islands, India

Andaman Islands

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Made up of roughly 300 islands, only 37 of which are inhabited, this archipelago in the Bay of Bengal has tropical rain forests, silky beaches ringed by mangroves, and extraordinary endemic wildlife. The islands offer a lot to look at  limestone caves, rice paddies, orange plantations, and thriving reefs. Some guests may want to follow the nature trails; some may simply stare out to sea. To experience it all, many travelers opt to take boat tours of Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, where they can see coral and sea turtles in particular. No matter your view, one reader promises, it will be nothing short of "breathtaking!"

Score: 91.24

2. Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui

Getty Images

Score: 90.34

3. Bali, Indonesia

Bali

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WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 90.32

4. Maldives

Maldives

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Score: 89.55

5. Palawan, Philippines

Palawan

Getty Images

Score: 88.63

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2021.
The trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a militia leader accused of atrocities in Sudan's Darfur conflict, will start next April, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Wednesday.

Abd-Al-Rahman, 70, an ally of deposed Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, was a senior commander of the Janjaweed militia -- a notorious armed group created by the government.

He will be the first suspect to be tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity over the bloody conflict.

The court's first trial chamber, comprising three judges, "scheduled the opening of the trial... for 5 April 2022,' the ICC said in a statement.

The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were displaced in the 2003-4 Darfur conflict.

Fighting broke out when black African rebels, complaining of systematic discrimination, took up arms against Bashir's Arab-dominated regime.

Khartoum responded by unleashing the Janjaweed, a force drawn from among the region's nomadic tribes.

In April 2007, the Hague-based court issued an arrest warrant for Abd-Al-Rahman, also known by the nom du guerre of Ali Kushayb.

He fled to the Central African Republic (CAR) in February 2020 when the new Sudanese government announced its intention to cooperate with the ICC investigation.

Four months later, he surrendered voluntarily.

In May this year, the ICC staged hearings to assess whether there was enough evidence for a full trial.

Prosecutors detailing 31 charges against Abd-Al-Rahman told the court that in August 2003 he, with the support of government forces was responsible for brutal attacks on villages in the Wadi Salih area.

The men carried out murder, rape and destroyed homes, and many people who fled were later hunted down and killed in cold blood, they said.

Abd-Al-Rahman personally killed up to three male detainees with a "stick or axe-like object", according to the charge sheet.

Bashir, who ruled Sudan with an iron fist for three decades, was deposed in April 2019 following months of protests.

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He has been wanted by the ICC for more than a decade on accusations of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In August, Sudan and the ICC signed a cooperation deal, an important step towards any trial of the former leader.

jcp/ri/pvh
Former President Donald Trump said Monday that the country loves both the Gold Star mother and her son, a 20-year-old Marine killed in the Kabul, Afghanistan, airport bombing, after the mother invited Trump to her son's funeral.

Trump thanked the mother for her actions and recognized her son, Kareem, in a statement Monday that was emailed to his supporters. The message made no indication of whether or not the former president would attend the service.

"Thank you Shana  our country loves you and especially loves your beautiful boy, Kareem," Trump's message read.



CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST ON THE AFGHANISTAN CRISIS

Shana Chappell, a resident of Norco, California, invited Trump to the funeral service after the former president sent out an emailed statement following her message to President Joe Biden on Aug. 30.

"I would love if some how my President (you Mr. Trump) could be present as i lay my Beautiful baby boy Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui to rest," Chappell wrote Thursday. "It would be such an honor to meet the real President of the United States of America, President Trump."



In the Aug. 30 post, the Gold Star mother criticized Biden for the deaths of her son and the 12 other American service members.

"You are a weak human being and a traitor!!!!" she said. "You turned your back on my son, on all of our Heros!!!"

Chappell accused Biden of not truly being the president.

"You are not the president of the United States of America Biden!!!!" she wrote. "Cheating isnt winning!!! You are no leader of any kind!"



Chappell swore at the president and said that "one way or another," Biden would be leaving the White House.

"If my president Trump was in his rightful seat then my son and the other Heros would still be alive!!!!" Chappell said.

Trump responded to the post Aug. 31, saying the Gold Star mother was "100% correct."



CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

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"If I were President, your wonderful and beautiful son Kareem would be with you now, and so would the sons and daughters of others, including all those who died in the Kabul airport attack," he said.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Afghanistan, National Security, Foreign Policy

Original Author: Luke Gentile

Original Location: Trump says country loves Gold Star mother who invited him to her son's funeral
Frank Scavo lied to a local newspaper about being inside the Capitol. (Photo: U.S. Attorney's Office)

Frank Scavo, a Donald Trump supporter from Pennsylvania who chartered four buses to D.C. on the day that the U.S. Capitol was attacked, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge on Wednesday.

As part of a plea agreement, Scavo pleaded guilty to one of the four counts in his criminal information during a virtual hearing before Judge Royce C. Lamberth. Scavo admitted that he willfully and knowingly paraded, demonstrated, and picketed in a Capitol Building.

Scavo, an Old Forge resident who said that about 200 Pennsylvania residents traveled on the trip he organized, initially lied to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, saying that he and his group didnt see what was going on inside the Capitol. But the news outlet spotted Scavo in news photographs inside the Capitol building.

Scavos plea deal requires him to cooperate with federal authorities. He could potentially provide useful information about other Pennsylvania residents who traveled on his buses and unlawfully entered the Capitol building.

His attorney said Scavo was ever regretful of having committed this crime. The government will dismiss three other counts at sentencing as part of his plea deal. His sentencing date was set for Nov. 22.

The FBI has made about 600 arrests in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, and hundreds of additional cases are in the works.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
A middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Andre Muniz is the latest addition to Decembers UFC 269 lineup.

MMA Junkie verified agreements are in place for the matchup between Du Plessis (16-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Muniz (21-4 MMA, 3-0 UFC) with a person close to the situation following an initial report from UFC broadcast partner ESPN. The person requested anonymity because the promotion hasnt made an official announcement.

UFC 269 takes place Dec. 11 but does not have a location or venue announced. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.

Du Plessis, 27, is shining for his native South Africa thus far in his octagon debut. Hes finished both of his UFC wins by stoppage, with knockouts of Trevin Giles and Markus Perez on his resume that includes 16 finishes in 16 wins.

Muniz, 31, meanwhile, will look to make it four consecutive wins to begin his octagon tenure. The Brazilian is coming off his most notable performance to date, as he submitted former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo Souza in gruesome fashion at UFC 262 in May. Muniz has 14 first-round wins on his record.

The latest UFC 269 card now includes:
The U.K. government is preparing to spend over half a million dollars to encourage the development of detection technologies for child sexual exploitation material (CSAM) that can be bolted on to end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms to scan for the illegal material, as part of its ongoing policy push around internet and child safety.

In a joint initiative today, the Home Office and the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) announced a "Tech Safety Challenge Fund" -- which will distribute up to 425,000 (~$584,000) to five organizations (85,000/$117,000 each) to develop "innovative technology to keep children safe in environments such as online messaging platforms with end-to-end encryption".

A Challenge statement for applicants to the program adds that the focus is on solutions that can be deployed within E2E-encrypted environments "without compromising user privacy".

"The problem that we're trying to fix is essentially the blindfolding of law enforcement agencies," a Home Office spokeswoman told us, arguing that if tech platforms go ahead with their "full end-to-end encryption plans, as they currently are... we will be completely hindered in being able to protect our children online".

While the announcement does not name any specific platforms of concern, Home Secretary Priti Patel has previously attacked Facebook's plans to expand its use of E2E encryption -- warning in April that the move could jeopardize law enforcement's ability to investigate child abuse crime.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp also already uses E2E encryption so that platform is already a clear target for whatever "safety" technologies might result from this taxpayer-funded challenge.

Apple's iMessage and FaceTime are among other existing mainstream messaging tools which use E2E encryption.

So there is potential for very widespread application of any "child safety tech" developed through this government-backed challenge. (Per the Home Office, technologies submitted to the Challenge will be evaluated by "independent academic experts". The department was unable to provide details of who exactly will assess the projects.)

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Patel, meanwhile, is continuing to apply high-level pressure on the tech sector on this issue -- including aiming to drum up support from G7 counterparts.

Writing in a paywalled op-ed in a Tory-friendly newspaper, The Telegraph, she trails a meeting she'll be chairing today where she says she'll push the G7 to collectively pressure social media companies to do more to address "harmful content on their platforms".

"The introduction of end-to-end encryption must not open the door to even greater levels of child sexual abuse. Hyperbolic accusations from some quarters that this is really about governments wanting to snoop and spy on innocent citizens are simply untrue. It is about keeping the most vulnerable among us safe and preventing truly evil crimes," she adds.

"I am calling on our international partners to back the UKs approach of holding technology companies to account. They must not let harmful content continue to be posted on their platforms or neglect public safety when designing their products. We believe there are alternative solutions, and I know our law enforcement colleagues agree with us."

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In the op-ed, the Home Secretary singles out Apple's recent move to add a CSAM detection tool to iOS and macOS to scan content on user's devices before it's uploaded to iCloud -- welcoming the development as a "first step".

"Apple state their child sexual abuse filtering technology has a false positive rate of 1 in a trillion, meaning the privacy of legitimate users is protected whilst those building huge collections of extreme child sexual abuse material are caught out. They need to see th[r]ough that project," she writes, urging Apple to press ahead with the (currently delayed) rollout.

Last week the iPhone maker said it would delay implementing the CSAM detection system -- following a backlash led by security experts and privacy advocates who raised concerns about vulnerabilities in its approach, as well as the contradiction of a "privacy-focused" company carrying out on-device scanning of customer data. They also flagged the wider risk of the scanning infrastructure being seized upon by governments and states that might order Apple to scan for other types of content, not just CSAM.

Patel's description of Apple's move as just a "first step" is unlikely to do anything to assuage concerns that once such scanning infrastructure is baked into E2E encrypted systems it will become a target for governments to widen the scope of what commercial platforms must legally scan for.

However the Home Office's spokeswoman told us that Patel's comments on Apple's CSAM tech were only intended to welcome its decision to take action in the area of child safety -- rather than being an endorsement of any specific technology or approach. (And Patel does also write: "But that is just one solution, by one company. Greater investment is essential.")

The Home Office spokeswoman wouldn't comment on which types of technologies the government is aiming to support via the Challenge fund, either, saying only that they're looking for a range of solutions.

She told us the overarching goal is to support ''middleground" solutions -- denying the government is trying to encourage technologists to come up with ways to backdoor E2E encryption.

In recent years in the U.K. GCHQ has also floated the controversial idea of a so-called "ghost protocol" -- that would allow for state intelligence or law enforcement agencies to be invisibly CCd by service providers into encrypted communications on a targeted basis. That proposal was met with widespread criticism, including from the tech industry, which warned it would undermine trust and security and threaten fundamental rights.

It's not clear if the government has such an approach -- albeit with a CSAM focus -- in mind here now as it tries to encourage the development of "middleground" technologies that are able to scan E2E-encrypted content for specifically illegal stuff.

In another concerning development, earlier this summer, guidance put out by DCMS for messaging platforms recommended that they "prevent" the use of E2E encryption for child accounts altogether.

Asked about that, the Home Office spokeswoman told us the tech fund is "not too different" and "is trying to find the solution in between".

"Working together and bringing academics and NGOs into the field so that we can find a solution that works for both what social media companies want to achieve and also make sure that we're able to protect children," she said, adding: "We need everybody to come together and look at what they can do."

There is not much more clarity in the Home Office guidance to suppliers applying for the chance to bag a tranche of funding.

There it writes that proposals must "make innovative use of technology to enable more effective detection and/or prevention of sexually explicit images or videos of children".

"Within scope are tools which can identify, block or report either new or previously known child sexual abuse material, based on AI, hash-based detection or other techniques," it goes on, further noting that proposals need to address "the specific challenges posed by e2ee environments, considering the opportunities to respond at different levels of the technical stack (including client-side and server-side)."

General information about the Challenge -- which is open to applicants based anywhere, not just in the U.K. -- can be found on the Safety Tech Network website.

The deadline for applications is October 6.

Selected applicants will have five months, between November 2021 and March 2022 to deliver their projects.

When exactly any of the tech might be pushed at the commercial sector isn't clear -- but the government may be hoping that by keeping up the pressure on the tech sector platform giants will develop this stuff themselves, as Apple has been.

The Challenge is just the latest U.K. government initiative to bring platforms in line with its policy priorities -- back in 2017, for example, it was pushing them to build tools to block terrorist content -- and you could argue it's a form of progress that ministers are not simply calling for E2E encryption to be outlawed, as they frequently have in the past.

That said, talk of "preventing" the use of E2E encryption -- or even fuzzy suggestions of "in between" solutions -- may not end up being so very different.

What is different is the sustained focus on child safety as the political cudgel to make platforms comply. That seems to be getting results.

Wider government plans to regulate platforms -- set out in a draft Online Safety bill, published earlier this year -- have yet to go through parliamentary scrutiny. But in one already baked in change, the country's data protection watchdog is now enforcing a children's design code which stipulates that platforms need to prioritize kids' privacy by default, among other recommended standards.

The Age Appropriate Design Code was appended to the U.K.'s data protection bill as an amendment -- meaning it sits under wider legislation that transposed Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into law, which brought in supersized penalties for violations like data breaches. And in recent months a number of social media giants have announced changes to how they handle children's accounts and data -- which the ICO has credited to the code.

So the government may be feeling confident that it has finally found a blueprint for bringing tech giants to heel.
BeInCrypto 

Ukraines parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has adopted a virtual asset bill legalizing and regulating cryptocurrency.

According to a local report, Ukraine has passed a law that makes cryptocurrency and other digital assets legal in the country. Bill No. 3637 On Virtual Assets, gives Ukraine the ability to now legally regulate digital currency. According to the bill draft, This Law regulates legal relations arising in connection with the turnover of virtual assets in Ukraine, defines the rights and obligations of participants in the virtual assets market, the principles of state policy in the field of virtual assets.

Despite the win for crypto, they still cant be used to pay for goods and services. It does, however, allow for blockchain companies to legalize individual business processes and work directly with the current banking system. Citizens can also freely buy and trade cryptos as things currently stand. The hryvnia remains the only legal currency.

This story was seen first on BeInCrypto Join our Telegram Group and get trading signals, a free trading course and more stories like this on BeInCrypto
After treating more than 45,500 COVID patients during the pandemic, most of them unvaccinated, Marylands hospital staffs are tired but fear more cases are on the way.

Officials from 60 hospitals and health systems in and around the state penned an open letter urging Marylanders to help by getting vaccinated.

Hospital workers have fought for more than 500 straight days to protect all of us from the coronavirus, the letter says. But its time for Marylanders to step up, to protect your children, yourselves, and your friends and neighbors. Roll up your sleeves and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The majority of Marylanders already have, leading to one of the nations highest vaccination rates, which Gov. Larry Hogan has touted repeatedly. He said Monday the state had reached another milestone, with more than 95% of seniors having at least one dose of vaccine. More than 8 in 10 of those age 12 and older have have gotten a dose as well.

Getting first shots in arms  especially among our most vulnerable populations  continues to be our primary mission, Hogan said in a statement. The vaccines are very safe, very effective, and they are widely available through pharmacies, primary care providers and mobile clinics across the state.

Delta variant fuels recent coronavirus wave

Still, the state already is in the midst of another coronavirus wave fueled by the more contagious delta variant and experiencing staffing shortages at some hospitals.

Bob Atlas, president and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association, said conditions could get worse if the virus continues to infect unvaccinated people, including students returning to in-person school and workers returning to their offices. This comes as hospitals cope with other respiratory viruses circulating and the impending flu season.

The state could begin to see a patient surge, Atlas said. We do not want to be in the position many other states are in, with steep increases in patients and limited resources to care for them. Hospitals want to be clear that vaccination makes a difference.

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Idaho and Florida are among the states reporting particularly stressed hospitals filled with unvaccinated patients suffering from COVID-19. Those vaccinated still can get infected and become sick but are far less likely to require hospitalization.

In Maryland, there were 817 people hospitalized with COVID-19 Monday, up from a low in early July when there were fewer than 100 such patients in hospital beds, but down from the pandemic peak in January of 1,952.

In the letter to Marylanders, hospital officials said almost all people being hospitalized for COVID are unvaccinated, despite the widespread availability of vaccines. About 5.3% of all COVID cases in Maryland since January and 4.6% of COVID-related deaths have been among fully vaccinated people, according to data provided by the hospitals.

And were sadly seeing a rise in COVID cases among those not yet eligible for vaccination  children under 12, the letter says.

In June, the states largest hospitals and health systems said they would require all their own workers to get vaccinated. And Hogan has since ordered all workers in hospitals and nursing homes to be vaccinated.

Atlas said Monday that the average vaccination rate for hospital employees in Maryland varied by facility but its above 80%, the same as the state as a whole. Some, he said, had rates exceeding 95%.

Every major health system in Maryland has signed the letter

More than four dozen executives signed the letter, including those from every major health system in the state: Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Maryland Medical System, LifeBridge Health and MedStar Health. The list also included some rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals and a small number from surrounding jurisdictions that treat Maryland patients.

Throughout the pandemic, access to vaccines has been an issue, with states such as Maryland working to overcome barriers, particularly for minority groups. But public health experts say misinformation about vaccine safety has been particularly harmful.

To understand Marylands unvaccinated, state health officials dug into their electronic records system to find those who had not been inoculated against COVID-19 and tapped DMI and EurekaFacts to conduct a survey of three groups: younger 18-to-30-year-olds, seniors age 65 and older and Hispanic people.

Officials interviewed 1,868 people who had not been vaccinated between June 23 and July 7, and the results were provided to The Baltimore Sun.

About 40% of the young adult respondents said they would definitely not get vaccinated, along with more than the 35% of seniors and 25% of Hispanic people.

As top reasons for going unvaccinated, all three groups cited perceived long-term side effects from vaccines that could be worse than the long-term effects from COVID-19.

One hurdle for vaccinations? Dispelling misinformation.

All three groups cited the speed of vaccine development for eschewing vaccines. Seniors also cited existing health conditions as a concern and younger people said fertility issues were a concern for them. Medical experts have sought to dispel misinformation about all of these topics.

Officials said messaging from health care professionals about what are normally mild and short-term side effects from the vaccines could help convince some people to get a shot. As could messaging about potential long-term effects of COVID-19 such as chronic fatigue, brain fog and loss of smell or taste or hair.

Specifically for the Hispanic population, tapping family, friends and elders could help with messaging. And employers could provide paid time off for vaccinations and other incentives, the officials said, though all three groups said protecting family and friends and themselves were top reasons to get a shot.

Officials said reaching the seniors still unvaccinated likely would have to be done by contacting people directly through mailers, calls and advertising.

The survey showed all three groups viewed doctors as the most trusted source of COVID-19 information, and unvaccinated people prefer to be vaccinated in their doctors office. The officials said doctors should be encouraged to communicate directly with patients and participate in advertising.

The survey did not ask about political affiliation, though national surveys, including one from the Kaiser Family Foundation in July, show that those most resistant to vaccination are younger men more likely to identify as Republican.

Baltimore Sun reporter Pamela Wood contributed to this article.
Work crews removed the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from its place on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, following a year-long court battle.

Any remnant like this that glorifies the Lost Cause of the Civil War, it needs to come down, Governor Ralph Northam told reporters at the site shortly before the statue came down. This is, you know, hopefully a new day, a new era in Virginia. And in this country where, you know, we can welcome people and we can embrace diversity.

Lawrence West, the founder of Black Lives Matter Richmond, said it was very satisfying to see the statue removed in comments to CNN.

Robert E. Lee standing here on Monument Avenue is very symbolic to the Confederate mindset, you know the levels of oppression that people feel on a regular day-to-day basis, West told CNN. With the coming down of the monument it is also a part of coming down with those types of ideals. It brings some closure to the conversation, Its OK to be racist.

Northam ordered the removal of the statue in June 2020 following massive, nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

A descendant of two former owners of the land where the statue stood as well as five resident of Richmonds Monument Avenue Historic District sued last year to prevent the removal. However, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled against both suits on September 3.

More from National Review
Disney World was not the happiest place on earth over the weekend.

On Saturday evening, a full-on brawl among guests aboard a ferry at the Magic Kingdom Orlando theme park was caught on camera and shared by various Disney fan sites.

As per the quick clip shot from above the fray, on a higher deck, multiple people are throwing punches, pushing each other and yelling. At one point a woman walking into the frame is attacked by another woman, and uses her backpack to swing back violently. Another woman tries to break up their fight as a young girl in a character hat holds her ears then grabs her in cheeks in fear. A baby in a stroller is off to the side.

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Oh my god! a woman screams amid the chaos.

The cause of the fight among the passengers on the Richard F. Irvine ferry is still unknown.

This incident appears to have occurred between two parties as they were boarding a ferry, a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriffs Office told the Miami Herald, adding that battery charges were filed against just one person.

In a statement, Disney World told the Miami Herald, The safety of our Cast and Guests is our highest priority. Please know this incident is being looked into by the appropriate teams.

On Twitter, many people shared the video, and expressed their concern over the guests behavior.

Just awful. If youre at #DisneyWorld you need to let things go and be adults. Very disappointing. Disney doesnt need this press.

I thought #Disney was the happiest place on Earth?

Disney is out of control lately. More fights have broken out in the past few years, crowds are nuts all the time, theyre gonna start charging for ride passes. Ugh, its just not how it used to be when I was a kid.

This wasnt the only disturbing incident at Magic Kingdom that night; Tom Sawyer Island was reportedly temporarily evacuated after the Orange County Sheriffs Office logged a suspicious person in the area. The person in question reportedly turned out to be a teenager who stole a hatchet prop.
A deputy mayor in New York is facing federal charges after police found unregistered firearms and fake federal badges allegedly tied to the official, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday.

Brian Downey, a Republican serving as deputy mayor of Airmont, was taken into custody last week for "purchasing a rifle suppression device over the internet," according to a readout from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities executed a search warrant on his home and found at least 13 firearms silencers and 16 "assault weapons," the District Attorney's Office said. The firearms were allegedly set on a rack in a room inside Downey's house, according to the criminal complaint.

FBI INVESTIGATING VERMONT STATE TROOPERS FOR ALLEGED COUNTERFEIT VACCINE CARDS

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Near the firearms, authorities uncovered a locked box, to which Downey claimed he did not have the combination, the complaint continued. Authorities forced the box open and discovered "numerous federal badges and credentials" under Downey's name for several agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department's Bureau of Prisons, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, authorities said.

"Also located within the lock box were Downey's United States passport book, United States passport card, and his New York state commercial driver's license," according to the complaint.

It is not immediately clear what Downey intended to use the fabricated badges for, and a communications representative with the Village of Airmont told the Washington Examiner it is unclear whether Downey is seeking legal counsel.

Downey was charged with several felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon, the unsealed readout said. Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said Thursday that the deputy mayor faces nearly a dozen state counts of criminal possession of a weapon in relation to the search warrant.

Story continues

"Our community is without a doubt safer today than it was yesterday," Walsh said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Downey was elected as deputy mayor of Airmont in 2019 and would be forced to vacate his seat if convicted.

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Tags: News, New York, guns, Firearms, FBI

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Original Location: New York deputy mayor facing firearms charges
The State Courts building. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  Two Singaporean women who taunted and hurled insults at an auxiliary police officer carrying out enforcement work for the National Environment Agency were each fined $3,000 on Wednesday (8 September).

Koh Lee Yen, 50, and Chee Kam Fah, 49, both pleaded guilty to one count each of using insulting words against a public servant under the Protection From Harassment Act.

The 22-year-old victim and her colleague had gone up to Koh and Chee, who were outside Lucky Plaza Shopping Centre's designated smoking area just before noon on 21 September last year.

The victim told the duo that she would be issuing them with a summons for a smoking offence and asked them for their particulars.

As the victim keyed their details into her electronic handheld terminal, the two women unleashed a series of insults.

Koh told the officer the following: Very crazy woman ah you; You shut up and ask for IC; You poor forever you know or not; Crazy girl, better go back and hug your pillow and cry, your salary not enough for me to buy a pillow ah I tell you, stupid; Mo ga gau which means No upbringing in Cantonese; and Shen jing bing which means Crazy in Mandarin.

Meanwhile, Chee told the victim the following: Your salary how much, one thousand only one month I think; Crazy; Talk to rich people nicely, youre a poor girl; I tell you you careful walk fall down ah you, careful yourself, dont bang to the car; and So what, pay only what, I got money" with a Hokkien expletive.

Chee also took out a $1,000 note and waved it at the officer's face while Koh told the victim, "You should just shut up and take the money."

The women's antics were captured on the victim's body-worn camera.

For their offences, Koh and Chee could have each been fined up to $5,000 and also jailed for up to a year.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, William Wells was teaching world geography at Amherst County High School when he learned a plane had flown into one of the buildings of the World Trade Center.

Wells, who years later became the schools principal and now serves as Amherst County Public Schools assistant superintendent, said he recalled thinking at first it might have been an accident involving a small aircraft. The grim reality hit that America was under attack a short time later during Wells planning period as he and other teachers watched the news coverage as the second plane flew into the World Trade Center and the towers fell.

It was an emotional toll, Wells said.

He recalled the somber mood in the school for the remainder of the day as students and staff monitored coverage and discussed what may happen next. Wells said educators told students they didnt have immediate answers but talked with students about concerns and fears while trying to carry on with school tasks as best they could.

You could just see it was weighing on everybody. They could tell it was wearing on me, Wells said. The emotions were raw that day as it happened.
They would have gotten away with it, Balian said, but then authorities reopened the investigation into Kathie's disappearance and Berman told Robert Durst she planned to speak with police.

She helped him get out of that jam," Balian said. "The thing she got was ... a bullet in the back of her head. By her best friend.

After Berman was killed, Durst returned to Galveston, Texas, where he had been living under an alias while hiding out from New York authorities reinvestigating his wife's death.

He killed a neighbor, Morris Black, who discovered his true identity. Durst was acquitted of murder at trial in 2003 after testifying that Black pulled a gun on him and was killed in the struggle for the weapon. But Los Angeles prosecutors were able to present evidence that he murdered Black to support their witness-killing theory.

The defendant runs and hides and flees to Galveston, and there's only one person who can lead the police to his doorstep, who knows who he is, who knows about the reinvestigation, Balian. What does he do? Like Kathie, like Susan, he gets wiped off the face of this earth. Chopped up and thrown in Galveston Bay.
US online payments giant PayPal Holdings is moving to expand its presence in Japan's payments sector. The company is set to acquire Japanese "buy now, pay later" firm Paidy.

PayPal announced on Tuesday it will acquire Paidy for about 2.7 billion dollars.

It plans to complete the acquisition by the year end.

Paidy, with 6 million members, enables online shoppers to make payments after they buy, without credit cards. Users can do so with a mobile phone number and e-mail address.

The startup says artificial intelligence is used to quickly assess credit risks.

"Buy now, pay later" service providers are racing to take market share amid growing demand among young users in the US and Europe.

Last month, US company Square announced plans to acquire Australian startup Afterpay.
Japan looks to shorten quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers entering the country from two weeks to 10 days as early as this month, opening the door to easier business travel.

The reduced isolation period would apply only to those who have received vaccines accepted for use in Japan: the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots.

The change will be included in a set of measures due out Thursday designed to ease coronavirus-related restrictions as Japan's inoculation campaign makes headway.

Shorter quarantines would give companies more flexibility to send employees on trips abroad, which many are reluctant to do under the current system. The powerful Keidanren business lobby has called for exemptions for vaccinated travelers.

Japan will consider exemptions to a more stringent quarantine protocol applied to travelers from areas where the highly infectious delta variant is prevalent. That protocol requires spending up to 10 of the 14 days of self-isolation at a designated quarantine facility. The list of applicable countries will be worked out going forward.

Another proposal would shorten the isolation time further for travelers who submit itineraries along with a written pledge to take specific steps to curb the spread of the virus. Japan hopes eventually to allow foreign travelers into the country under similar requirements.

The proposals also look to ease restrictions on vaccinated individuals in areas under coronavirus-related emergency decrees, an effort to boost Japanese economic and social activity disrupted by the pandemic.

The government plans to permit crowds at events beyond the current cap of 5,000 in such areas, if proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test is required or steps are taken to facilitate contact tracing.

It also intends to let restaurants serve alcohol if their COVID-19 precautions receive approval from local authorities or other third parties, and Japan is expected to let operating hours be extended beyond the current 8 p.m.
Tej Pratap Yadav announces a new subsidiary organisation to the RJD

New Delhi, Wed, 08 Sep 2021 NI Wire

Former Bihar Health Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasads son, Tej Pratap Yadav, has formed a news organisation, the Chhatra Janshakti Parishad. The Chhatra Janshakti Parishad is to serve as a parallel organisation to Chatra RJD, which is the partys official student wing.



Tej Pratap Yadav announced the creation of the new organisation amidst tussles between him and his brother, Tejaswi Yadav.



Tej Pratap who has been effectively sidelined in the RJD, announced the creation of the new organisation, not as a political challenge to the already existing student wing of the party, but to work towards mobilizing youth at the village level, effectively running parallel to the Chatra RJD.



Prashant Pratap and Aryan Rai, two of Tej Prataps supporters have been made top-office bearers of the Chatra Janshakti Parishad. Prashant Pratap holding the office of President and Aryan Rai is the office of Vice-president of the new organisation.



According to statements made by Tej Pratap, he has made the new organisation with the blessing of his father Lalu Prasad, which will work as a subsidiary to the RJD.



Although both Tej Pratap and RJD official statements say that there is no politics in the new development. Many political circles are seeing this as a reply to the removal of Tej Prataps close aide, Aakash Yadav from the post of President of the Chatra RJD, by the state unit president Jagdanand Singh.



Previously as well, Jagdanand Singh and Tej Pratap have not in the best terms. After an apparent falling out between the two, Singh was not allowed to enter the RJD office, when he wanted to leave his post. He was later, however, persuaded by Lalu Prasad and the Leader opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejaswi Yadav to remain as the President of the state unit of the RJD.

The BJP meanwhile used this awkward situation for the RJD and the family, to hit out on Lalu Prasad the chief of the party.

-Supratik Mitra (07/09/21)
There is so much research out there that kids need to have books at home that are their own and how that can impact their love of reading and impact their reading scores, Fouts said.

The school provides a book for students on their birthdays, and staff members host the Bryant Book Store at the end of the school year. Each student is able to pick four books that he or she can keep during the book store event.

Brandon Rohr with Brandon Built has paid for birthday books at Bryant, and he has donated money in order for the school to fill the vending machine with books.

Staff members have been asking the kids what their favorite books are and what they would like to take home to keep forever. They are also finding different ways for kids to earn a book from the machine. Along with their birthday book, students who earn the top dog honor for doing the right thing can get a book from the machine.

Fouts was giddy when the vending machine arrived at the school last month, saying it was the best day ever. Shes just as excited and eager to get books in the hands of students.

Thats my passion. I just want kids to love books because there is so much power in them, she said.
PORTAGE, Ind.  An Indiana Walmart employee turned in a wallet that had been left behind by a customer, but not before stealing the cash inside, police say.

Cynthia Sobczak, 58, of Lake Station, Indiana, was fired on the spot and then taken away to jail on a felony theft charge, according to police in Portage, Indiana.

Police said they were called to the local Walmart store on U.S. 6 at 7:45 p.m. Sunday and the alleged victim, a 59-year-old Portage man, told them he had left his wallet behind on the conveyor belt in the self-checkout area of the store.

When he returned a short time later to retrieve the wallet, he learned it had been found and turned over to the customer service center, police said. It was then he discovered all the cash had been stolen.

Video surveillance footage showed Sobczak picking up the wallet, looking inside and placing it into her Walmart smock pocket before walking into the women's washroom, the incident report says. She is seen leaving the washroom a minute later and reporting the discovery of the wallet to the floor team leader.

Sobczak first claimed she found the wallet in a bathroom stall.

"Am I going to jail?" she asked police.
A roundup of campaign news items of interest:

TRUMP TO IOWA: Donald Trump, the former Republican president, plans to hold a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 9, according to reports from the Des Moines Register and Fox News.

It would be Trumps first appearance in Iowa since the 2020 election. Trump won the 2016 Republican Iowa caucuses, then carried Iowa in both 2016, when he won the White House, and again in 2020, when he lost his re-election bid to President Joe Biden.

Trump has not yet said whether he plans to run for president again in 2024. His return to Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, will fuel that speculation.

NUNES TO IOWA: California Congressman Devin Nunes is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Iowa state legislator John Wills, Speaker Pro Tem of the Iowa House, according to a notice from Wills campaign.

Nunes, who is billed on the notice as one of Americas leading patriots and a frequent Fox News contributor, is scheduled appear at the event on Oct. 3 at Snappers Turtle Bay Cafe in Okoboji.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest from Tuesday:

SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION: The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has scheduled a State Historical Society of Iowa museum display and a bell-ringing ceremony Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Society members plan to honor first responders and commemorate victims with a bell-ringing ceremony outside the Capitol in Des Moines. Organizers say the Liberty Bell east of the Iowa Statehouse will toll first at 7:46 a.m. to mark the time of the attack on the World Trade Centers North Tower in New York City, and then later to mark the attacks on the South Tower and the Pentagon, as well the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

The tolling will follow a 5-5-5 ringing protocol used by many fire departments to honor the memory of firefighters who died in service.

After the bell ceremony, the public is invited to the State Historical Museum of Iowa from 10 to 11 a.m. to see a display that commemorates those who died during the attacks. The display also honors the service of Iowa City firefighter Glenn Pauley, who assisted in the rescue and recovery operation at the site of the Twin Towers in New York.
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Instead of giving us some compensation, they could have given us (immigration) papers, she said. All of us, all of the Hispanic workers, we saw the consequences of that cleanup work later on."

More than 112,000 people have enrolled in the federal World Trade Center Health Program, which offers free medical care to people who can document that they were exposed to dust from the twin towers, regardless of their immigration status.

Many of those enrollees have mild or controllable conditions, like heartburn, chronic sinus problems or asthma, that are common in the general public and may or may not be linked to the attacks. Others are more seriously ill or developed conditions rare for their age group.

Joan Reibman, medical director at the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, which has treated cleanup workers for years, said that many of them have developed a significant reduction in lung function, digestive disorders and PTSD.

They were exposed to terrible sights in those days, she said.

They faced barriers in seeking care, like economic vulnerabilities and not belonging to a union, she said.
I can think of no better way to experience Nebraska than through a visit to our State Fair. From the tractor pull to the incredible food and the project showcase run by 4-H and FFA, the Nebraska State Fair brings the best of our state to Grand Island for 11 days each summer. It was a pleasure to visit this years fair and talk with many Nebraskans while taking in all the fair has to offer.

The fairs traditions have a long and storied history. In fact, the State Fair is older than Nebraska itself: The first fair was held in 1859, when Nebraska was still a U.S. territory.

There was a nine-year gap until the next fair was held in 1868, but it has brought Nebraskans together every year since then, with the exception of a few years during World Wars I and II.

Not even COVID-19 could keep the fair from operating last year. They had to scale some things back, but they found a way to make it work.

Even after all these years of success, this years State Fair was one of the biggest ever. Fair staff did the math, and the 2021 State Fair offered visitors 4,425 hours of fun things to do and see. Its impossible to do everything you may want to each year, so Id like to tell you about some of my favorite attractions.
Legislative District 36, which I proudly represent, is one of many districts that fall within the required population guidelines. District 36 is a core legislative district with 21 communities, 13 school districts, five critical access hospitals and a diverse agricultural base all located within Custer County, Dawson County and the northern part of Buffalo County. Reconfiguring a legislative district can cause significant disruptions to people, schools, businesses, hospitals and our states No. 1 industry, agriculture.

Population numbers in District 36 have remained fairly constant over time because of the hard work and efforts of community leaders within the district. These leaders firmly believe the district is on the cusp of broad-based population growth. Our chambers of commerce and our local development companies have worked together on issues such as business recruitment and retention, workforce development, housing, school safety and tax policy. The critical access hospitals, which are major employers in District 36, have successfully built systems that enable them to work collaboratively to communicate the needs of the people they serve to the Nebraska Legislature through one voice. This has proven to be very valuable with issues such as Medicaid reimbursement. The same collaboration exists for our district schools, thereby allowing them to communicate their shared needs with a united and effective voice
SINGAPORE, September 08, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SubQuery announces a US$9M funding round for the first decentralized data aggregation layer for the Polkadot ecosystem. This round brings together key stakeholders into the Web3 Ecosystem, building toward SubQuerys vision as fundamental data indexing infrastructure for all Polkadot and Kusama parachains and applications.

SubQuery aims to improve access to decentralized blockchain data by creating a vibrant marketplace for data indexing and provisioning. Its technology provides Polkadot and Kusama developers with the tools needed to easily explore, transform and analyse on-chain data. As a result, blockchain developers can focus on product development and user experience rather than building their own querying systems.

This strategic round was co-led by Arrington Capital, DCG and Stratos Technologies, and included participation from Hypersphere Ventures, Neo Global Capital (NGC), Wintermute and Skynet Trading.

Arrington Capital believes SubQuery will become a core piece of infrastructure for all parachains and applications. Partner Ninor Mansor commented on the firms thesis for SubQuery; "SubQuery makes it easier to build. It scales to all parachains and could catalyze the next boom in activity on Polkadot & Kusama".

Matt Beck, Director of Investments at DCG reinforced this view by stating; "SubQuery is a critical part of the Polkadot stack and its deep relationships with leading Polkadot projects prove it."

Polkadots parachain architecture is a key differentiator from other Layer 1 blockchains. In contrast to competing single chain designs, each parachain serves as its own independent protocol, interoperating with other parachains through a common relay. To win a slot on the relay chain, parachains raise capital from the community via a crowdloan campaign, which requires participants to stake -- for the long term -- native Kusama or Polkadot tokens against their favourite projects. From the outset, SubQuery is built to integrate with any parachain with minimal configuration necessary.

Story continues

SubQuery is already serving millions of data queries each day to over 60 projects on Polkadot & Kusama. Of its existing customer base, SubQuery is integrated with established applications like Subscan, as well as Kusama parachain crowdloan winners: Acalas Karura, Phalas Khala, and Bifrost.

This round of fundraising will accelerate SubQuerys technical and community roadmap in 2021 and beyond. The team plans to decentralize the protocol by onboarding strategic external data service providers. Looking ahead, the team plans to integrate with other Layer 1 blockchains, including Solana, Terra, and others.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005482/en/

Contacts

Media:

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SubQuery

Head of Business Development

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+64 21 246 8993
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Data shows some Workers Across the United States are not Aware of Paid Sick Leave Protections Due to Coronavirus

Families First Coronavirus Response Act was created to provide federally funded paid sick leave for those sick with COVID-19.

Workers with COVID-19 can take paid emergency leaveat least for now. The U.S. is one of the only developed nations without universal sick leave. The problem is that less than one half of workers in America know its available, according to a new study. Researchers add that cases of sick employees who couldnt take time off work have tripled during the pandemic.

"When the government does not ensure that people have access to paid sick leave, people go to work sick," said study author Nicolas Ziebarth, an associate professor at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. "And when you have a virus going on  it could be the flu or coronavirus, it doesn't really matter -- then the sick people at work infect coworkers who go on to infect other people."

In March of 2020, the U.S. government introduced the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) in order to provide federally funded emergency paid sick leave due to COVID-19. After analyzing data, researchers found that between October and December of last year, eight million U.S. workers took advantage of paid leave in the policys first six to eight months. According to an article, the study found that part-time and foreign-born workers were most likely to be unaware of the program. Awareness of the COVID-19 sick leave was especially low among service and hospitality workers. Women had a 69 percent higher risk of unmet sick leave needs than men, suggesting universal paid leave can improve gender equity, according to Ziebarth.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga shocked the world on Friday when he announced that he will be stepping down and declining to seek re-election after serving one term. Suga, who made his resignation announcement after less than one year in office, was the successor of Shinzo Abe, the nations longest-serving Prime Minister. Sugas administration has been historically unpopular amongst the Japanese public due to their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and his decision to step down makes him a rare leader of a large, developed country to resign in large part because of the pandemic, in the works of the New York Times. Sugas departure has left an unexpected power vacuum in Japanese politics, but already one candidate has emerged as a major frontrunner. Ironically, the same crisis that brought Prime Minister Suga down is the very same one that brought Taro Kono to the forefront of the political melee. Taro Kono served as the minister in charge of battling Covid-19 in Japan. It is looking likely that Kono will garner the support of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), whose majority in the Japanese parliament ensures that any candidate who heads the party will ultimately win the race for Prime Minister. Kono emerged as the clear frontrunner in Japanese media polls over the weekend that asked respondents to indicate their preferred leader.

In addition to being known for his role in combating the novel coronavirus pandemic, Kono is also a noted anti-nuclear advocate with a long history of outspoken dissent about the nuclear energy that currently represents a fifth of Japans energy mix. Due to this history, the news of Konos ascent toward the Prime Minister position on Monday has already sent shockwaves through Japans energy markets.

Related: Is The World Investing Enough In Nuclear Fusion Research?

So far, renewable energy markets are winning big. Frenzied buying from retail traders sent Japans renewable energy stocks soaring Monday, in response to Konos emergence as a top contender according to reporting from Bloomberg. Solar and biomass power company Renova Inc. saw its stock increase by 15% while solar firm West Holdings Co. hit an all-time high after its stocks jumped 9%. These gains came at a cost to nuclear energy firms and power companies, and Kansai Electric Power Co. stocks notably dropped 2.7%.

Although the markets have already spoken, it remains to be seen whether Kono will stick to his staunchly anti-nuclear stance if he enters office as Prime Minister. Whether he will actually reflect his previous stance into his policies once the race for the prime minister position begins is a different story, Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at Tokyos Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. was quoted by Bloomberg. The market is just getting ahead of itself.

Nuclear energy has long been a point of contention in Japan, in both public and private spheres. Japan has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreements goals for curbing global greenhouse gas emissions, and that milestone will be extremely difficult to hit without nuclear energy. Currently, the national plan calls for renewable sources to provide between 22% and 24% of Japans electricity by 2030, and for nuclear energy to provide between 20% and 22%. But nuclear energy is a hard sell in Japan, a country that is still recovering from the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Just this week, a full decade after the tragedy caused by an earthquake and ensuing tsunami, the International Atomic Energy Agency is reaching out to Japan to work alongside them in their continuing struggles to manage the radioactive waste still piling up after the 2011 accident. Japan has continued to use more than a million tonnes of water to cool the damaged reactors and prevent a meltdown, and now theyre running out of storage space for the radioactive waste water. Their plan? Dump it into the Pacific Ocean.

The continued complications and hazardous aftereffects of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima throw the dark side of nuclear into stark relief for the Japanese public. While nuclear energy has long been a major part of the countrys energy mix and will likely continue to be in order to meet Japans climate change goals, it continues to be incredibly divisive. It remains to be seen whether Taro Kono will take the helm of Japan, but if he sticks to his guns, the Japanese nuclear energy sector could soon recede into the rearview.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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The UN has drawn criticism for what is seen as allowing China to continue using coal until 2040 while calling on other big economies to phase it out by 2030.

The criticism follows a Monday speech by UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Climate Action, Selwin Hart, who called on Australia to join other OECD economies in committing to phase-out coal use by 2030 as a means to achieving net-zero status by 2050 and contributing to the 1.5-degree Paris Agreement target.

National governments responsible for 73% of global emissions have now committed to net-zero by mid-century, and we urge Australia to join them as a matter of urgency, Hart said, adding Collectively these commitments must cut carbon pollution by 45% this decade if we are to keep our 1.5C goal within reach. We have seen strong new commitments from many key economies, including the US, Japan and the European Union, who are increasingly looking to their trading partners to follow suit.

Coal is a major export commodity for Australia and this year has been a bumper one for the most polluting fossil fuel as a shortage of supply and a boom in demand pushed coal prices to the highest in years. And unlike Australia, China is not being called upon to phase out coal by 2030.

The U.N. has exposed their real agenda this week, Australian Senator Matt Canavan told The Epoch Times this week following Harts speech. This isnt about changing the climate, it is about changing our society.

It does not seem that the Australian government has taken Harts call for action to heart.

"Australia has an important role to play in meeting [coal] demand. Coal will continue to generate billions of dollars in royalties and taxes for state and federal governments, and directly employ over 50,000 Australians," the countrys Minister for Resources and Water, KeithPitt, said in a statement following Harts speech, The official added that Australia was going to keep mining and using coal beyond 2030.

Australia has a good reason to stick with coal: coal mining and power generation employ some 50,000 Australians and coal exports account for about 16 percent of the countrys total exports over the last five years.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Oil prices rebounded early on Wednesday, rising by more than 1 percent, as nearly 80 percent of the total crude oil production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico remains shut-in more than a week after Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana.

As of 8:07 a.m. EDT, the prompt price of the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, traded above $69 per barrel, at $69.24, up 1.43% on the day. The price of Brent Crude was $72.48, up by 1.21%.

Oil was also supported by reports in recent hours that protests at various key Libyan oil terminals have disrupted loadings on tankers or the entire oil export operations.

Protesters at the Es Sider terminal have derailed the loading of a Suezmax tanker, Yannis P, sources familiar with the situation told Bloomberg on Wednesday.

According to oil engineers at the oil ports of Es Sider and Hariga who spoke to Reuters, protesters blocked exports at those ports. Three tankers are waiting to load at Es Sider and one at Hariga, according to Reuters sources.

At the same time, the slow resumption of U.S. Gulf of Mexicos crude oil production after Hurricane Ida also supported oil prices.

As of Tuesday, a total of 1.44 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil production was still shut-in, equal to 79.33 percent of all U.S. Gulf of Mexico production, data from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) showed.

Also as of Tuesday, five refineries in Louisiana remain shut, accounting for about 1.0 million bpd of refinery capacity, or 6 percent of the total U.S. operable refining capacity, the Department of Energy said in its latest update.

So far Hurricane Ida has resulted in 19.2MMbbls of production being lost, and with output still set to take a while to recover, these losses will only grow. Refinery operations appear to be making a quicker recovery, ING strategists Warren Patterson and Wenyu Yao said early on Wednesday.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Aramco has won a tender for the purchase of crude oil from Guyana and will likely enter into a one-year deal for the marketing of the commodity, Reuters reports, citing a Guyanese government official.

Aramco vied for the contract with 15 companies when Guyana launched the tender last month, but it was only awarded one loading for now, the natural resource minister of Guyana, Vikram Bharat, told Reuters. Bharat added the Saudi major will probably get a one-year contract, but the process has not yet been completed.

Aramco was the lowest bidder in the oil tender, offering a commission of $0.025 per barrel, the minister also said.

Guyana is a newcomer on the oil production scene but with great promise, as Exxon and Hess keep making discovery after discovery in the offshore blocks they operate, so far tapping into 9 billion barrels of reserves. For now, they are also the only actual producers of oil in the tiny South American country. The loading awarded to Aramco will be the country's fourth this year.

Guyana and neighbor Suriname, with which the country shares the prolific Guyana-Suriname basin, are eager to exploit their newly discovered oil reserves in a race with the energy transition.

"We have been called to leave our oil in the ground. We believe that's totally unfair," Guyana vice president Bharrat Jagdeo said last month at the Offshore Technology Conference in Texas. "Being a small country, we will not have the capacity and the framework for an optimum operation of the oil industry right now, but we will continue improving."

Upstream Online reported last month that the Guyana-Suriname Basin could see 10 drilling rigs in 2022 as exploration in the area accelerates. Exxon already has six drillships in Guyana waters, and TotalEnergies has deployed two in Suriname waters. The report notes that 15 companies in total hold drilling rights to acreage in the basin.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The relative stability of Libyas crude oil production and exports from recent months could abruptly end after protests erupted at several key crude terminals, including one that prevented a tanker from loading crude at the biggest oil port.

Protesters at the Es Sider terminal have derailed the loading of a Suezmax tanker, Yannis P, sources familiar with the situation told Bloomberg on Wednesday.

The demonstrators were demanding that the chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Sanalla, resign.

The tension among Libyas top oil officials escalated at the end of last month when Libyan Oil Minister Mohamed Oun said he had suspended NOCs chairman Sanalla.

In a separate protest, graduates were protesting at the port of Tobruk in eastern Libya, demanding employment, Argus reported on Tuesday, citing Libyan shipping sources.

The closure of the main gate of the Tobruk oil port, which mostly ships oil products, has not affected any tanker arrivals or departures yet. The gate, however, also serves the nearly Marsa el-Hariga terminal, which exports crude oil of the Sarir and Mesla grades.

Exports of the two crudes averaged 221,000 barrels per day (bpd) between June and August, Argus tanker tracking data showed.

The next tanker at either Tobruk or Marsa el-Hariga is due to arrive on Thursday, September 9.

The protests at Libyan oil terminals come at a turbulent time for the oil industry of the OPEC member exempted from the OPEC+ cuts.

The tension between Oun and Sanalla has been growing since Oun was appointed oil minister in March in the government of national unity, which includes a post for an oil minister for the first time in five years.

Libya will struggle to keep its oil production at current levels if the country fails to resolve a long-running dispute over its budget, Oun told Bloomberg last month. The success of Libyan plans to boost oil production remains in jeopardy due to disagreements over the nations budgetthe first national budget in nearly a decade.

According to secondary sources in OPECs latest Monthly Oil Market Report, Libyas crude oil production averaged 1.165 million bpd in July, up from 1.163 million bpd in June.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Heidi Kelly, the company's chief operating officer, said the company's involvement in agriculture was a big reason it purchased the plant.

We are dedicated to supporting the regional farming community, said Kelly, who is based in Denver.

She, along with plant manager Amber Hoban, make up what the company believes is the only female-led management team of a U.S. facility in the chemical and fertilizer industries.

Kelly said the company is excited about the opportunity and is excited to be a part of the community in Geneva.

Nebraska Nitrogen kept the vast majority of the plant's employees, including all who are involved in the day-to-day operation. It currently has 27 employees, but is looking to hire more and is focusing on recruiting locally, she said.
Local

Find out what could be in store as Omaha reimagines its public libraries

LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD The downtown W. Dale Clark Library, Omahas central library, could be demolished in favor of a new central hub elsewhere as the city weighs the future of its library system. LILY SMITH, THE WORLD-HERALD Library officials say the W. Dale Clark Library, which opened to the public in March 1977, has reached the end of its useful life.

Omaha is drafting the next chapter of its public library system, a plan expected to lead to the demolition of the downtown central library, a new central hub elsewhere in town and an overall reimagining of how the libraries can best serve patrons.

And the city may partner with an influential group of local donors to co-author the plan.

Heritage Services, the Omaha philanthropy group that has bankrolled numerous major civic projects since 1990, has been in discussions with the city about the future of Omahas 12 public libraries. While officials say planning is in the early stages, and no partnerships or financial arrangements have been formalized, some big-picture possibilities have come into focus.

One major change, a city decision not associated with Heritage, could be demolition of the downtown W. Dale Clark Library. As the citys central library, it houses most of the systems collection of books, as well as archives and genealogy services.

Library officials say the facility, which opened to the public in March 1977, has reached the end of its useful life. Laura Marlane, executive director of the Omaha Public Library, said the building is too big and expensive to maintain and is in need of costly repairs. The concrete structure, an example of Brutalist architecture, has Wi-Fi dead spots, and its outdated design doesnt allow for the kinds of community programming that libraries should foster, she said.

Hansen: Omaha's unloved Brutalist buildings near a decision point  go the way of Jobbers Canyon or get a new lease on life? Before we make such decisions  before we shrug, say Meh, these things are hideous and tear them all down  maybe we should think a bit more about our own history, two experts say.

Razing the downtown library, which is bounded by 14th, 15th, Douglas and Farnam Streets, would free up the plot of city-owned land at the west end of the Gene Leahy Mall, which is being revitalized as part of Omahas massive $400 million overhaul of the downtown and riverfront parks. The mall is expected to open to the public next Memorial Day.

A second plot of vacant land east of the library, between 13th and 14th Streets, is also up for grabs. It is currently being used as a construction staging area for the overhaul of the mall.

Together, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said, those two locations are prime sites for redevelopment. They sit in the heart of the downtown area and are across the street from the mall, which is expected to bustle with life once the park reopens.

The downtown library sites proximity to the mall has caught the eye of developers, some of whom already have approached the city with plans. Stothert didnt have additional details to share about what developments may come, but she said she envisions two different developments on those sites that complement each another.

Omaha's Gene Leahy Mall to reopen in 2022 as a 'highly activated' park Yoga and fitness classes, storytelling times for children, book clubs, movie nights and concert series are among the dozens of events expected to occur at Omaha's three downtown and riverfront parks.

An example of developer interest: In June, David Slosburg of Spruce Capital Group sent a letter to three top city employees to express interest in the downtown library site. The World-Herald obtained the Spruce Capital letter through a public records request.

I believe (Spruce Capital Group is) uniquely qualified to deliver a mixed-use development on the library site, Slosburg, a Heritage Services board member, wrote to the city. He did not return a phone message last week.

More information about the future of the downtown library site could be made public in the next few months, Stothert said.

Demolition of the downtown library would create the need for a new branch to serve nearby residents and downtown workers. The city plans to replace it, Stothert said, likely with a smaller branch site, though a location has not been publicly determined.

So where might a new central library go?

All signs point to somewhere near the intersection of 72nd and Dodge Streets.

A 2017 library facilities master plan identified the Dodge Street corridor from 72nd to 90th Streets as a possible location for a central library. A new central library near 72nd and Dodge is still in play, Stothert said, though she said it would be premature to declare a site.

Omaha City Council approves $80 million TIF request for redevelopment at Crossroads The Omaha City Council voted 7-0 to approve an $80 million tax increment financing request for the redevelopment at the former Crossroads Mall site.

The location would make sense, said Rachel Jacobson, president of Heritage Services. Its in the heart of the city; the nearby Crossroads redevelopment should breathe new life into the area; and theres a nearby ORBT bus line station for those who rely on public transportation.

Its right in the center of the city  that could be a great place for it, said Jacobson, who stressed that no location has been selected.

How does Heritage fit in?

Jacobson said the nonprofit philanthropy group has taken an interest in the libraries because its members believe in the mission of libraries, which she said contribute to quality early childhood education, literacy and lifelong learning. Libraries are truly the last noncommercial public spaces where people can gather to learn, collaborate and improve their lives, she said.

The reason that Heritage has an interest in libraries is because theyre really pillars of social infrastructure, Jacobson said. Theyre spaces for community connection.

Heritages potential involvement could elevate Omahas library system to an enviable national model. The nonprofit is composed of some of Omahas most prominent and powerful philanthropists, and its support for an array of past civic projects virtually guaranteed that they became reality.

Heritage has tapped donors who contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Omahas downtown arena and convention center; TD Ameritrade Park; a major renovation of the Orpheum Theater and construction of the Holland Performing Arts Center; and Omahas new veterans health center, to name a few.

The nonprofits most recent project is a $101 million science museum under construction in Lewis & Clark Landing along the Missouri River. The science center, which is being fully paid for by Heritage donors, will complement the ongoing revitalization of Omahas downtown and riverfront parks.

They have a great interest in our public library system, Stothert said. As with every project they do, they want to make Omaha better.

Omaha Luminarium draws first CEO from leading San Francisco science center The new leader of Omaha's riverfront science center comes from the Exploratorium, regarded as one of the worlds premier science museums.

As of 2020, Heritage had pumped more than $700 million in private dollars into some $1.2 billion of civic projects over three decades.

Such financial support has led to groundbreaking projects that come in on time and on budget. But Heritage also has historically insisted on overseeing every aspect of a project, from initial studies to planning to construction. Critics have said the process gives the philanthropy group too much control and influence over public projects that involve taxpayer money.

Jacobson said Heritage will be eager to solicit community feedback before it moves ahead on any specific library project. The group, she said, plans to work with stakeholders such as Omaha Public Library employees, the citys Library Board and the Omaha Library Foundation  the fundraising arm for the library system  as it moves forward.

If this project gets off the ground ... therell be broader opportunities for community input, Jacobson said. Thats very important, particularly because it involves the public libraries, she said.

What might the library system of Omahas future look like?

At this early stage, the structure of a reimagined Omaha public library system could go in many directions, but Jacobson and Marlane offered some examples of what other libraries are doing.

Part of the equation, Jacobson said, is about investing in the buildings themselves, creating incredible architecture that includes spaces for coworking and collaborating. Marlane said some library systems have begun to create more flexible spaces, with lightweight furniture that can be easily reconfigured and kiosks where people can check out laptops rather than be confined to a traditional row of computers.

Technology is sure to be a key part of the plan, and Heritage already has some experience in that area. In 2015, the group created Do Space, the private digital library on the southwest corner of 72nd and Dodge.

Founded in a former Borders bookstore, it was the first technology library in the country. It offers free access to ultra-fast internet, computer software and devices like 3D printers and computer-assisted laser cutters. There are classes for all ages on topics like coding and digital literacy.

In recent months, Heritage has explored whether the building could be renovated to become the new central branch, but Stothert and Jacobson said that option is no longer being considered.

Regardless, if Heritage and the city move ahead with a partnership on the libraries, Do Space is sure to be involved, Jacobson said. The citys Library Board has begun a strategic planning process and has invited Rebecca Stavick, CEO of the group that manages Do Space, to be part of the process.

Physical books arent going anywhere, Jacobson and Marlane said. Some three-quarters of all checkouts at Omaha libraries happen as a result of in-person browsing, according to Marlane.

But the way books are stored and presented to the public could look different some day. Jacobson said some libraries have moved away from the stack model. Marlane said smaller, curated sections of books are becoming increasingly popular.

With trees planted, some concrete poured, Omaha's Gene Leahy Mall begins to come to life MECA officials let a World-Herald reporter and photographer behind the construction fences to see how the Gene Leahy Mall overhaul is progressing.

The philanthropy group has discussed the possibility of adding a book bot system to the next central library  a robotic book delivery system in which large machines store thousands of books that have been assigned a barcode or chip that can be read by a computer. Jacobson said that is just one of many ideas that have been discussed.

Heritage members and the city have explored other cities libraries to understand what a vibrant, modern library system requires. In the summer of 2019, a group of people connected to Heritage joined Omahas city finance director in visiting multiple libraries in Chicago and Minneapolis.

Jacobson, who became Heritages president last summer after founding and leading Omahas Film Streams, said she has been impressed after researching libraries in Brooklyn, New York; Calgary, Alberta; and Tilburg, the Netherlands.

Mike Kennedy, president of the citys Library Board, said its exciting to see the donor group take an interest in such a vital city service.

I think Heritage Services has done a wonderful job for our crown jewels in the city of Omaha, and I think that (the libraries are one of those jewels), Kennedy said. I hope that they can get their vision finalized so that we can have open discussions with our stakeholders in the community.
Deliciously Healthy is sponsored by Certified Piedmontese Beef in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Healthy and savory? In my opinion, its the perfect combo. And this naan bread prosciutto pizza is just that.

First, dont be intimidated by making your own naan bread. Although many tackled bread making in 2020 during the pandemic, it can still feel a little overwhelming if youve yet to try it. Dont worry, its much easier than you think!

But before you start the bread, begin with the balsamic sauce. Get the balsamic reduction heating up and ready to go so it can set while we pull everything else together. It should have a syrup-like consistency before spreading on your pizza. Well get back to that later.

On to the dough. This part of the recipe calls for only two ingredients: flour and Greek yogurt. Its really that simple.

Cooking tip: Try self-rising flour. It has leavening agents already mixed in!

Now lets get our hands dirty and knead the dough.

Once your naans are kneaded and cut into balls, theyre ready to be flattened on your cookie sheet. Add a generous amount of mozzarella and pop them in the oven. Brown the cheese during baking  then its time for the good stuff. This melt-in-your-mouth Volpi prosciutto is the ticket to bursting flavor, paired with arugula and your balsamic reduction. Feel free to taste test the prosciutto before you place on your pizzas for good measure!

Salty, cured prosciutto, acidity from the balsamic reduction, creaminess from the mozzarella and freshness from the arugula  whats not to love?

Simple Naan Bread Prosciutto Pizzas

Recipe by Christopher Sinclair-McCalla

Yields: 2 to 4 servings

2 cups balsamic vinegar

 cup packed brown sugar

1 cups self-rising flour (gluten-free, if necessary), plus more for dusting work surface

(gluten-free, if necessary), plus more for dusting work surface 1 cup Greek yogurt

salt , to taste

, to taste 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups baby arugula

1 package thinly sliced Volpi prosciutto

|Preparation| In small saucepan, add vinegar and brown sugar; cook over medium heat until mixture starts to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture thickens into a glaze, or about  cup, stirring occasionally. Glaze should coat back of spoon. Remove saucepan from heat; cool completely before using, about 15 minutes.

In large bowl, stir flour, yogurt and salt until well combined. Use hand to form mixture into large ball of dough. Lightly dust work surface with flour; place dough over flour. Divide dough into 3 equal portions; flatten each portion into a circular shape and pierce with a fork to prevent expansion.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450F for the pizza. Place flattened doughs on a greased and flour-dusted or paper-covered baking tray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over each dough and bake 4 to 7 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove pizzas from oven and arrange Volpi prosciutto over melted cheese; return to oven for 2 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove pizzas from oven; sprinkle arugula on top and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Cut into slices; serve.
The move is aimed at helping hospitals cope with a new wave of COVID patients, driven by the spread of the delta variant. The center will help relieve some of the stress on hospital staff by taking over the job of making call after call for an available bed. Hospitals now are dealing with an increase in the number of patients with ailments other than COVID-19 in addition to the influx of COVID patients.

Two weeks ago, Ricketts declared a hospital staffing emergency, waiving some state licensing laws and regulations and issuing a directed health measure limiting some elective surgeries.

Metro-area hospitals are among those facing increases in COVID-19 and other patients. A total of 191 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Douglas County on Sunday. That number is about a month ahead of last falls surge, which pushed on to a pandemic high in late November.

Nationally, daily coronavirus cases are four time higher than they were following Labor Day weekend last year, according to the New York Daily News. Hospitalization rates also are up 157%, compared with Labor Day weekend 2020. Health officials attribute the 316% increase in daily infections to the highly contagious delta variant and to the large number of Americans who still are unvaccinated.
Prosecutor Molly Keane, a deputy Douglas County attorney, said its unknown how much lasting psychological damage was done to the child.

The girls mother wrote a victim-impact statement outlining her betrayal and anguish over the incident.

It has changed this childs life in ways we may never know, Keane said. How she survived this torture is a mystery. But she did  luckily for her, luckily for her family and luckily for this defendant. Because he would be charged with first-degree murder.

The 2-year-olds mother called police Dec. 17 to say that she was shuffling through her boyfriends phone when she came across a video from Dec. 14.

She recognized the background of the video as her storage unit near 129th Street and West Maple Road. Her heart raced as she saw the rest.

The video showed Coleman hanging her two year old daughter with a pink scarf, by her neck, from a shelving unit, causing her to become strangled, a detectives affidavit said.
Masks will remain optional in Millard Public Schools, except as necessary in isolated situations to control the spread of COVID-19, the superintendent said Tuesday.

But Superintendent Jim Sutfin and several board members said they are willing to change that approach if the case numbers warrant it.

The board took one hour of testimony on its optional mask policy Tuesday night. They heard from 26 people who argued the pluses and minuses of masking up kids.

Sutfin said requiring masks turns teachers into mask police, it hurts communication between teachers and students, and its disruptive to education.

But he said its not as disruptive as a classroom closure. He said parents must help keep rooms open by keeping home kids with COVID-19.

It is time for all of us to start rowing this boat together, Sutfin said. If we have to, we will close the room. And if I have to close rooms at the same rate I had to close them at the beginning of the year, then I will be back in front of the Board of Education proposing stricter guidelines.

Sutfin said that would mean asking the school board to impose a mask mandate.
Omaha is drafting the next chapter of its public library system, a plan expected to lead to the demolition of the downtown central library, a new central hub elsewhere in town and an overall reimagining of how the libraries can best serve patrons.

And the city may partner with an influential group of local donors to co-author the plan.

Heritage Services, the Omaha philanthropy group that has bankrolled numerous major civic projects since 1990, has been in discussions with the city about the future of Omahas 12 public libraries. While officials say planning is in the early stages, and no partnerships or financial arrangements have been formalized, some big-picture possibilities have come into focus.

One major change, a city decision not associated with Heritage, could be demolition of the downtown W. Dale Clark Library. As the citys central library, it houses most of the systems collection of books, as well as archives and genealogy services.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana health officials announced Tuesday they are revoking the licenses of nursing homes that were evacuated to a warehouse where seven residents died amid deteriorating conditions after Hurricane Ida.

The seven homes  all owned by one person  clearly failed to execute their emergency preparedness plans to provide essential care and services to their residents, Department of Health Secretary Courtney Phillips said in a statement.

Authorities found some seniors lying on mattresses on the floor, without food or clean clothes, and detected strong odors of feces in the warehouse, located in the town of Independence.

State health officials have launched an investigation into the deaths. A police official said the warehouse was equipped to handle 300 to 500 people but ultimately took in more than 800, all of whom were evacuated from the seven nursing homes before Ida roared ashore in southeast Louisiana on Aug. 29.
A message seeking comment was left for Upton.

Upton has not announced a reelection bid but had raised roughly $625,000 through June. Carra had collected about $108,000. Three other Republicans are running, too: Jerry Solis, Ezra Scott and Jon Rocha.

Trump endorsed Kristina Karamo for secretary of state, who so far is the only declared candidate, according to the state GOP. Secretary of state candidates are chosen at party conventions. Democrat Jocelyn Benson is up for reelection in 2022.

Karamo backed Texas' lawsuit that unsuccessfully tried to prevent Michigan and three other states from casting their electoral votes for Biden and to have state legislatures vote on certification.

In June, Karamo traveled to Arizona to watch an unprecedented review of ballots in the state's largest county  one Republicans launched in an effort to find irregularities that could support Trumps lies. Election experts have cited numerous flaws with the audit, the results of which have not yet been released.
President Joe Biden on Monday approved a disaster declaration in Nebraska related to severe storms and straight-line winds in July, opening up federal aid to help the state recover.

Federal assistance is available for state, tribal, local governments and some nonprofits in 14 counties for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and straight-line winds, according to a White House press release.

The counties are: Box Butte, Cass, Clay, Douglas, Fillmore, Grant, Hall, Hamilton, Madison, Sarpy, Saunders, Sheridan, Washington and York. Funds are also available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, according to the Governors Office  that money can help with public projects anywhere in Nebraska that aim to cut down on the risk for damage in natural disasters.

During a preliminary assessment, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was able to validate about $30.8 million in damage from the July 9-10 storms across the affected counties, a report from the agency shows.
Its a positive (for the GOP) but its small, she said.

At the same time, it would give Sarpy County more of a voice by keeping it intact, Linehan said. County residents now are in districts dominated either by Omaha or Lincoln.

Theyre always the stepchild, she said.

Waynes proposal put the core of old Bellevue into the 2nd District. He said the area has common interests with Omaha and has historically been part of the 2nd Congressional District. The area was moved into the 1st District under a controversial Republican plan 10 years ago.

His map would split Sarpy and Otoe Counties. Linehans map would split Douglas, Burt and Cuming Counties.

The committee is aiming to settle on a redistricting package by Thursday night, for distribution to fellow lawmakers and the public by Friday. The Nebraska Legislature is slated to convene Monday for a special session focused on the redrawing of state political districts that is required every 10 years following the federal census.

The Legislature has to complete its work by Sept. 30 so that counties, school districts and other local subdivisions have time to redraw their election districts and local election officials can make changes to voting precincts.
For example, UNL graduated a record 3,512 students last spring. The university increased its six-year graduation rate to a record 69.3%.

Were already seeing the impact of that push, he said. Now weve got to refocus on matching those same numbers on the incoming side.

Carter believes NU already has some of the pieces in place. This academic year is the first of a two-year tuition freeze across all of its campuses.

Another piece is the continuation of the Nebraska Promise program, which covers tuition for in-state Nebraska students who maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and whose family income is $60,000 or less. Carter believes spreading awareness of those two initiatives will help drive more growth.

Even with declines in overall enrollment, both UNL and UNO emphasized gains in key areas.

In its press release, UNL touted a 4.7% increase in first-time freshmen who are the first in their families to go to college.

Im especially pleased that those first-year students  both those who identify as first-generation and those who come from communities across Nebraska  continue to see our university as a place where they can grow and thrive, UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said in a statement.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's emergency situations minister has died during drills, the ministry said Wednesday.

Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, tragically died in the line of duty during inter-agency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergency situations, while saving a person's life," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

The ministry didn't offer any details about where or how he died. According to its website, in recent days Zinichev was on a trip to the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk. On Tuesday, he opened large-scale drills spanning seven regions in the Russian Arctic that were scheduled to last through Wednesday.

In a statement sent to the Associated Press, the ministry said Zinichev died while trying to save prominent film director Alexander Melnik, who came to the site of drills. The statement didn't elaborate as to what happened and whether Melnik survived.

The RBC news site reported, citing an anonymous source, that Zinichev died while taking part in a video shoot. He tried to save a cameraman who tripped and fell off a ledge into the water and they both died, the report said.

Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russia's state-funded TV channel RT, also said on social media that is what happened.
Together, were working toward a future that calls into play the next generation of engineers, inventors and innovators. To close the gender gap, we need a moonshot movement  a collective, national call-to-arms where public-private partners work toward a better, brighter future.

In this spirit, we introduce you to the Million Girls Moonshot. Across the U.S., technology corporations, schools and nonprofits  including the Intel Foundation, STEM Next Opportunity Fund, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Beyond School Bells, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, NASA, and many more organizations  are leveraging their strengths in the name of enhanced equity, gender, racial and socioeconomic diversity in STEM.

When we talk about shooting for the moon, we specifically mean the distance well go to close this gender gap. Without a diverse workforce, businesses may fail, and strategies arent as innovative.

Theres a reason for this collaboration  we intend to include girls in all communities by working with after-school programs in every state. Our objective is to reach 1 million girls, especially those of color, with quality STEM learning experiences that also will lead to opportunities to forge relationships and careers with mentors and role models alike.
BLOOMINGTON  Jamie Snows lawyers will be allowed to review thousands of pages consisting of prosecutors evidence against him in his 2001 murder conviction in the death of William Little in Bloomington, a judge ordered Wednesday.

Snow wiped tears from his face after his family and supporters applauded loudly when the judge granted the defense motion in a full McLean County Law and Justice Center courtroom.

I appreciate your ruling today. Thank you for allowing me to be here and be a part of this proceeding, Snow told the judge.

He told his family and friends "I love you, thank you all for coming," before walking out the courtroom.

Escapa said the nearly 8,000 pages of documents would probably prove or disprove a lot of things for the state and the defense.

Snow has sought all discovery documents since prior to his trial.

He and his lawyers were not aware of the additional 7,704 pages of documents produced by Illinois State Police and the Bloomington Police Department, and held by the McLean County States Attorneys Office, since they were revealed in 2016 under a subpoena.

Lauren Myerscough-Mueller, Snows defense lawyer from the Exoneration Project, said the new information is potentially pivotal to prove Snows innocence. It could include information about additional suspects, non-identifications of Snow, witness statements and confessions.

We dont know that unless we have all of this evidence, Myerscough-Mueller said.

She said the 7,704 pages of discovery  contained in 11 PDF files  is information that we just havent had before. And we need to have the ability to look into it and investigate it thoroughly as our ethical obligations as defense lawyers and as is the right of any criminal defendant in the state of Illinois.

McLean County First Assistant States Attorney Brad Rigdon argued that not all of the 7,704 pages are subject to be provided to the defense lawyers.

The judge ordered that Myerscough-Mueller could have the documents, but with redactions to private information within specific police investigative details.

Myerscough-Mueller filed the motion for discovery Aug. 3.

In a response to the motion dated Aug. 13, and reiterated in court Wednesday, Rigdon said the defendants list for information requested is vague and does not provide enough information for the State to provide a meaningful response to the items mentioned.

He also wrote that many of the pages within the discovery are duplicated and others are not subject to the rules of discovery.

Myerscough-Mueller said she had previously tried to obtain the documents through the Freedom of Information Act, but it was heavily redacted, noting many pages were black boxes.

It is honestly somewhat absurd that as post-conviction counsel, as counsel for petitioner, I cannot get access to the documents used against my client to convict him, Myerscough-Mueller said. I cannot adequately represent him and do my own due diligence without these documents.

Snow in 2007 was granted discovery documents when he began to represent himself in the case. He was provided about 800 documents and 30 tape recordings.

Another defense motion for DNA evidence also is pending before the court in Snows case.

Snow is due back in court for a status hearing Nov. 10.

The case was recently moved to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court because of conflicts of interest in the 11th Judicial Circuit.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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NORMAL  Heartland Community Colleges board held a special meeting Tuesday to cement language on how the vaccine and testing mandate will work for the school's faculty.

The board unanimously approved two memorandums of understanding with its faculty unions. The memorandums formalize the changes at the school to provide for steps like collecting COVID-19 vaccination status and weekly testing for faculty who are unvaccinated.

The unions requested the memorandums as a way to formalize the implementation, Pearce said, and the memorandums do not change the collective bargaining agreements with the unions.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Aug. 26 that all higher education employees and students would need to either be vaccinated or be tested weekly. He also reinstated an indoor mask mandate for the entire state, though Heartland had already taken that step on its campus. Last week, Pritzker extended the original Sunday deadline to Sept. 19.

Faculty at Heartland are represented by the Heartland Faculty Association for full-time professors and the Heartland Adjunct Faculty Association for part-time professors. Both are part of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

The unions provided Heartland with an example of a similar memorandum from another school, Pearce told The Pantagraph. From there they and the Heartland administration did some back and forth on edits and the unions approved the language.

Were working together with the faculty, Pearce said.

The unions have been motivated to keep its members safe, especially because they are the ones who are in the classrooms with students each day, Pearce said. Illinois Federation of Teachers president Dan Montgomery issued a joint statement with Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin approving of the mandate when it was announced.

Non-faculty employees are also required to be vaccinated or be tested weekly. The administration is working with outside contractors, such as the janitorial staff and campus security, to implement the requirements for them, Pearce said.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

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NORMAL  In a lab on the third floor of Moulton Hall on the Illinois State University campus, professor Mahua Biswas and two undergraduates are doing work that will hopefully lead to even smaller, more efficient electronics for everything from cell phones to solar arrays.

Biswas, senior Marcos Perez and sophomore Amelia Korveziroska are making silicon nanostructures and nanoparticles. They are trying to develop ways to make even smaller ones. The structures they create are finding uses in fields from renewable energy and space engineering to even the possibility of creating something like an invisibility cloak.

The group largely works with structures that are less than 250 nanometers across, Biswas said. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter and the structures are about one ten millionth of an inch wide. A human hair or sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick, while human DNA is about 2.5 nanometers wide.

Making nanoparticles of silicon of that size is very challenging, Biswas said.

Perez has worked with Biswas for a few semesters, on creating a method for making silicon nanoparticle spheres.

Marcos kind of established the process, Biswas said.

In his time working with Biswas, Perez has had opportunities to present both at ISU research symposiums and even international conferences, though it was held virtually due to the pandemic.

Korveziroska also looks forward to the opportunity to gain experience talking about their research later this school year. The experience is welcome, although talking in front of so many people can be intimidating, she said. Biswas pointed out that all the researchers participating had once been in the students shoes and that the other physics faculty members were impressed with the undergraduates.

It took the crew a little while to get their bearings and figure out a process that really seemed to work well.

Finally we were getting really good results getting nanoparticles by summer, Biswas said.

The work comes with experience learning to use a lot of new equipment as well. The group starts by preparing a small glass plate and then adding a thin film of a polymer to it. The various polymers give the silicon templates to grow on. They use a machine called a spin coater to deposit the polymer film on the plate.

The group also has access to a relatively new tool for them, an atomic layer deposition unit.

Think of it like an atomic 3D printer, Perez said.

It can build up structures a layer of atoms at a time. The process allows them to replicate the organic structures from the polymer into the inorganic silicon structures. Finding ways to produce smaller structures is a big topic in parts of the physics research road right now, Biswas said.

One tool that takes a little more work for the group to access is an imaging device that works at the nanometer level. Luckily, Biswas and more than 20 other ISU employees involved with the department have received a grant from the National Science Foundation to buy one for the school. The instruments cost around $400,000.

We did a tremendous amount of work last year (to apply for the grant), Biswas said.

Biswas has access to an imagining device at the Argonne National Laboratory, where she is a visiting researcher or from other physics departments. Once the images are created, Biswas sends them to Perez and Korveziroska, who use a computer application called Imagej to take measurements and see just how small the structures are.

The group is working with researchers at Argonne and Norbert Scherer at the University of Chicago. Some funding also comes from a corporate sponsor, Biswas said, showing the private business interest in the field right now as well.

Having a research mentor who is a researcher at Argonne is a benefit for the students as well, Biswas said. She tries to take all of the students who work with her to visit the lab. So far Korveziroska and Perez have not gotten to go, but they expect they will have a chance soon as they are just waiting on security clearance.

The hands-on experience is something both Korveziroska and Perez wanted from their undergraduate experience.

Initially I was interested in just getting involved in any kind of research, Perez said.

His advisor ended up connecting him with Biswas and he started working with her. Korveziroska joined after her advisor encouraged her to get involved in research early on in her college career. Biswas had taught one of Korveziroskas early physics classes, so Korvesiroska reached out to see if she could join the group.

Over the summer, Korveziroska and Perez received funding from the Undergraduate Research Support Program, provided by the Office of Student Research at ISU.

The experience also helps them in approaching some of the more abstract work they do in traditional classroom settings, Perez said.

It almost gives you a sense of confidence knowing, OK, Ive actually done this before, Perez said.

Korveziroska is taking a class discussing nanoparticles this fall, so the work is directly applicable for her. She has a real world understanding of how those particles are made.

(It helps with) understanding how theyre made, what they look like, its just very useful, she said.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

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CHICAGO  Former U.S. Sen. Adlai Stevenson III, a member of the influential Illinois political family, has died at his home on Chicago's North Side. He was 90.

His son Adlai Stevenson IV, who confirmed the Illinois Democrats death, said his father had dementia, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Before his health declined, Stevenson kept active organizing presentations and speakers for the Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy in Libertyville. He also worked on the family farm in Hanover, raising cattle, growing corn and hay for their feed, and chopping wood.

He just faded away, his son said.

Stevenson's great-grandfather Adlai E. Stevenson I was raised in Bloomington and whose political career eventually led to becoming vice president of the United States. Adlai Stevenson II was ambassador to the United Nations, governor of Illinois and two-time presidential candidate. Both are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Bloomington.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in a statement said: Adlai was my friend and partner in countless causes over the years. Like his father before him, Adlai was most at home in the cerebral world of politics. His most effective ally in retail politics was his beloved wife, Nancy. The two were inseparable and one of the best teams in Illinois Democratic politics. Loretta and I send our love and sympathy to Nancy and the family.

A Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War and Harvard University graduate, Adlai Stevenson III ran for governor of Illinois twice, losing his 1982 run by just 5,074 votes to Republican Gov. Jim Thompson. It is the closest Illinois election for governor in modern state history.

When running for the Senate, he asked then-Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley for advice.

My advice to you is dont change your name, Daley told him, the newspaper reported.

He spoke at the McLean County Museum of History in 2010 about his book, "The Black Book: Lessons from American History, Abraham Lincoln to Modern China."

"This was in an era of service, and patriotism wasn't just something that you would only wear on your lapel but something that was cultivated through a lifetime," he said. "We must recall America's values, and to face our past to succeed in the future."
Vermont, the final state that was part of Chicagos travel advisory, was added to the list Wednesday, putting the entire U.S. under the citys guidance for stemming the transmission of COVID-19.

Besides Illinois, all U.S. states and territories . are now subject to the advisory, under which unvaccinated travelers returning from those areas to Chicago must quarantine for a week, according to a Wednesday press release from the Chicago Department of Public Health. States get on the list by surpassing 15 daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, but Illinois is not subject to the advisory because the city does not want to restrict intrastate travel.

As a reminder, given the current surge across the country, unvaccinated Chicagoans should not travel right now if at all possible, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a statement. Getting vaccinated is the most important thing you can do to decrease your risk for COVID-19.

New Hampshire, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., have fallen below the 15 daily cases benchmark and could be removed from the list as soon as next week.

As of last week, the most updated guidance from the city recommended unvaccinated people get tested one to three days before leaving for their trip. Upon return, they should get a COVID-19 test three to five days as well as quarantine for seven days. If they choose not to get tested, they should quarantine for 10 days.

Chicago itself is seeing about 16.5 daily cases per 100,000 residents. Most recently, city data was showing an average of 446 daily cases and a positivity rate of 3.8%.
CHICAGO  A Chicago woman was arrested in a Florida airport after allegedly making a false bomb threat, officials said.

Marina Verbitsky, 46, of the Old Town neighborhood, was arrested Monday night at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Broward Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Verbitsky told airport employees there was a bomb in her checked luggage that was on the plane after she was told she and her party were too late to board the plane, deputies said.

Verbitsky was taken into custody and the plane, which was taxiing the runway, was rerouted. Passengers were evacuated, and after the plane was inspected the threat was considered unfounded, deputies said.

Verbitsky was held at the Broward County Jail and is facing one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction, the sheriffs office said.

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CHICAGO  Former U.S. Sen. Adlai E. Stevenson III, the fourth generation of an iconic Illinois Democratic political family to hold public office and who lost the closest governors race in state history, died Monday in his Chicago home. He was 90.

Stevenson, the namesake of a great-grandfather who served as 23rd vice president of the United States and a father who served as Illinois 31st governor and twice ran as the Democratic nominee for president, represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate from 1970 through 1981.

His wife of 67 years, Nancy Stevenson, confirmed his death.

When he was in the Senate, he didnt go to a lot of fancy dinners. He came home to dinner with the family, she said. That was his first and constant concern, the family.

House to return to Springfield on Thursday for further energy negotiations The Illinois House is scheduled to return to Springfield Thursday to try again at passing an elusive energy regulation overhaul days after the governors office announced support for a new proposal.

Stevensons political career began when he was elected in 1964 as a member of the Illinois House on the famous bedsheet ballot, where all candidates ran for at-large statewide seats because of redistricting problems.

He then successfully ran for Illinois treasurer in 1966, holding that office until November 1970 when he won a special U.S. Senate election following the death of Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen a year earlier.

Stevenson easily defeated Republican Ralph Tyler Smith, who had been appointed to the seat, taking 58% of the vote. After finishing Dirksens term, Stevenson won reelection in 1974, then decided not to run again in 1980. He stepped aside in January 1981 for fellow Democrat Alan Dixon, who won the November election.

In 1982, Stevenson ran for governor. He had initially sought the Democratic Partys backing for the office in 1968, but was brushed aside by then-Mayor Richard J. Daley. The 1982 matchup would go down as the tightest race for governor in Illinois history, with Stevenson losing by less than 1 percentage point  5,074 votes to be exact  to Republican incumbent James R. Thompson.

Perhaps the most memorable moment from that contest, aside from its close finish, was the debate over whether Thompson had implied Stevenson was a wimp.

He is saying, Me tough guy, as if to imply that Im some kind of wimp, Stevenson said during the campaign. Thompson famously replied, I have never called Adlai Stevenson a wimp, before saying he didnt know what a wimp was.

With results showing Stevenson trailing by a few thousand votes out of more than 3.6 million cast, he began the process for a recount by reviewing a portion of ballots in selected counties. He contended the partial recount indicated he would win by some 40,000 votes and his team argued the case before the Illinois Supreme Court, which at the time was made up of four Democrats and three Republicans.

Democratic Justice Seymour Simon joined the three Republican justices in ruling the states recount statute was unconstitutional, handing the victory to Thompson. In a 2000 interview with the Tribune, Stevenson alleged Simons vote was payback for Stevenson passing him up for a federal judgeship while he was senator. Simon vehemently denied the allegation as nonsense, while Stevenson further alleged a recount would have exposed Cook County Democrats to allegations of voter fraud.

It will always be uncertain what was the will of the people in the gubernatorial election of 1982, the three dissenting Supreme Court justices concluded in the controversial case.

In a 2017 interview with the Tribune, an 86-year-old Stevenson joked, I still havent conceded, by the way.

In 1986, Stevenson sought a rematch. After winning the partys nomination in the primary, he abandoned the Democratic ticket after Mark Fairchild and Janice Hart, followers of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, won the nomination for lieutenant governor and secretary of state, respectively.

Stevenson instead mounted a third-party candidacy on the ticket of the Illinois Solidarity Party, which all but ensured the clobbering Thompson gave him on his way to winning the third of his historic four terms in office.

After losing both the closest and one of the most lopsided races for governor, Stevenson did not seek office again. He went on to a lengthy private sector career with a focus on business relations in East Asia.

He also wrote The Black Book, which records American politics and history as his family knew it over five generations of active engagement, starting with Abraham Lincoln in central Illinois, according to the family obituary.

Nancy Stevenson summed up her 67-year marriage to him as one long adventure.

He was a man who loved to explore every time he was in a new place, she said. He loved to explore ideas, and he took his family with him every chance he got.

Stevensons great-grandfather, Adlai Stevenson I, served as vice president to President Grover Cleveland, helping deliver Illinois for Cleveland. The eldest Stevenson was twice elected to Congress from Illinois before twice losing reelection during Republican presidential years. He also ran for vice president on the losing presidential ticket of William Jennings Bryan in 1900 before narrowly losing a 1908 run for Illinois governor.

Stevensons grandfather, Lewis Stevenson, got appointed as Illinois secretary of state in 1914, but lost his 1916 campaign for reelection.

Stevensons father, Adlai Stevenson II, successfully ran for governor in 1948, ousting two-term Republican incumbent Dwight Green and becoming a national figure in the process. Stevenson had planned to run for reelection in 1952 before reluctantly getting nominated by the Democratic National Convention to run against overwhelmingly popular Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Eisenhower easily defeated Stevenson II in 1952 and again in 1956, when he received the Democratic nomination a second time. Stevenson II sought a third nomination in 1960, but lost out to the youthful John F. Kennedy, who won Stevensons own Illinois delegation with the support of Daley.

Stevenson III graduated from Milton Academy, Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He served with the Marine Corps in Korea and was discharged as a captain from the Marine Reserves in 1961.

In his bids for governor, the youngest Stevenson often said he was born to run for office and often referenced the political debt he owed his famous father.

In his 2017 interview with the Tribune, Stevenson noted that his son, executive Adlai Stevenson IV, and grandson Adlai Stevenson V didnt seem inclined to follow his footsteps into politics.

My father said he was born with an incurable hereditary disease of politics, Stevenson said. Apparently, the disease has been cured.

In addition to his wife, Stevenson is survived by two sons, Adlai IV and Warwick; two brothers, John and Borden; and nine grandchildren.

Service information was not yet available.

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The Illinois House will reconvene to consider a comprehensive energy proposal on Thursday, four days before Commonwealth Edison parent Exelon has said it will shut down one of its five state nuclear power plants if a bill with hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies isnt passed.

House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch said negotiations on an energy plan have been ongoing and expressed optimism that a long-discussed energy bill will be approved.

I am confident that we will have a plan that Illinois can be proud of and will be viewed as a model for many other states, Welch said in a statement.

During a one-day session that began Aug. 31 and stretched into the next day, the Illinois Senate approved an energy policy overhaul that includes a nearly $700 million bailout for Exelons nuclear plants. But the House had already adjourned by the time the early morning vote was taken.

The Senate proposal aims to put the state on a path to 100% carbon-free power by 2050, but it did not have the support of Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

A House plan introduced over the weekend has Pritzkers support, but its unclear whether it would have enough votes in the Senate  which would have to reconvene to take up any legislation passed by the House  to make it to the governors desk.

The House version improves on the Senates proposal by requiring a 100 percent reduction in carbon emissions for municipal coal by 2045 with the additional goal of reducing emissions by 45 percent by 2035, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in a statement.

We know our planet cannot afford to wait more than two decades before significant progress at reducing carbon emissions is made, and this bill is a reasonable path forward, Abudayyeh said. The administration looks forward to continuing discussions with our partners in the House.

The key issue in getting an energy package done has been the process for shutting down the Prairie State Generating Station in southern Illinois, a coal-fired plant that serves municipalities across Illinois. The Senate plan would shut down the plant by 2045  15 years after most other coal plants would have to close and the same year as natural gas plants would have to be shuttered.

Pritzker and environmental group allies want a requirement that the Prairie State plant  the largest source of industrial carbon pollution in Illinois and one of the largest in the country  reduce its climate-changing emissions in the intervening 24 years.

Exelon has long threatened to close two nuclear plants if it doesnt get enough money out of the state energy package, and after the Senate vote the company gave a Sept. 13 deadline for shutting down its plant in Byron, Illinois. Exelon said it would close its plant in Dresden in November. A third plant that would receive subsidies, in Braidwood, isnt threatened with being shut down.

Exelon says subsidies tacked onto customers bills are necessary to compete without cheaper, dirtier fossil fuels and subsidized renewable energy sources

Legislators largely agree on bailing out three of Exelons nuclear plants with money from utility customers. The company warned lawmakers in the summer of 2020, shortly after ComEd admitted in federal court that it engaged in a yearslong bribery scheme aimed at advancing its agenda in Springfield, that it would shut down its Byron and Dresden nuclear plants this year without additional help from the state.

The plants provide many well-paying union jobs and the threatened shutdown has made organized labor, another key constituency of the Democrats who control state government, central to negotiations over the energy proposal.

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Editor's Note: A previous version of this headline and story has been updated to reflect and clarify that the experts interviewed below are noting the challenges of mask-wearing during speech therapy sessions with young children. They are not suggesting that children go without face coverings or that they do more harm than good.

Face coverings make conversations more difficult for all of us. From muffled voices to not being able to see facial expressions, masks have been a barrier to effective communication in retail settings, offices and factories.

They are little more than an inconvenience for adults.

However, for children, who are learning to speak for the first time or who are at a stage of rapid language and communication development, masks are more than inconvenient.

Some say when it comes to speech and language, masks  while necessary  can hinder normal growth.

The pandemic impacted all of the kids I work with, explained Niccole Cornaghie, a speech language pathologist with the Early Intervention program, working in Franklin, Jackson and Williamson Counties. With masks, they dont get the visual clues that they previously did and those are important when they are learning to talk. They need to look at your face to see what you are doing with your lips, what you are doing with your tongue so they can imitate that.

Cornaghie said she prefers to wear a clear face mask so clients can see her mouth, but it is not possible in all settings and wearing a mask affects more than just talking.

We dont just work on language, we also work with the social and emotional part of it and social skills, of course, were really impacted. We rely more than you realize on facial expressions as social cues and that is hindered by wearing masks, she said.

COVID-19 did more than just requiring therapists and clients to mask up. In some cases, it changed the way professionals approached their work.

Erin Connelly, coordinator for speech and language services at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Clinical Center and the coordinator for clinical education for the SIU Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, said the pandemic required the clinic to transition from in-person visits to teleconferences.

The biggest challenge was learning how to communicate effectively over Zoom because you have to be a lot more expressive, she said.

Elizabeth Norton, assistant professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University in Chicago, said many therapists or speech language pathologists had to take temporary breaks from working with clients to transition to remote sessions.

We know a lot of kids missed out on services for a while and kids who needed to be evaluated for new services had a long delay, Norton explained.

When they were able to meet in person, Norton said masks just made things more difficult.

For example, for a child who might have trouble making certain sounds, one of the things that therapists might do would be to really show how they move their mouths to make those sounds. Obviously, that is extra challenging with a mask on. So I think in a lot of those cases, therapists tried to use clear masks or face shields, but it was still harder to understand, she said.

The problem is not just with masks  a required accessory in schools and day care centers across Illinois. The lockdowns and cancellations of everything  from childrens performances and birthday parties to play dates and family gathering  have also hindered language development in children.

Cornaghie explained, I feel that mostly it was the lockdowns where we were sheltered in place that probably impacted their development more than anything. Families stopped seeing extended family, they didnt venture out; they were just in their little bubbles. They didnt go places where they would have social interaction with their peers. There were fewer outings where kids were able to go and have good language-rich experiences like story time at the library or being at the park. They just didnt have access to those things.

Norton said it is unclear if the forced closures and remote learning negatively impacted language skills in all cases.

Children in remote learning might not have had the back-and-forth interactions that we know really support their language development. They definitely less interaction with peers, so that could have been an issue, she explained. It could also be the case that maybe a parent switching to remote work allowed them to have more time with their child and actually support and nurture their childs language development.

She added that a number of research studies are underway to measure the impact of masks and lockdowns on language development, and said one early study suggests it may be slowed.

We just dont know if it shows that because when they tested them they were wearing masks and werent able to do the required tasks as easily, Norton added.

Cornaghie explained many children appear to not reach milestones as quickly as usual simply because they missed learning opportunities during school and day care closures.

Connelly said she noticed a difference once she and her students were able to get back into the classroom.

I was really taken aback by the lack of language that our kids have, she said. Vocabulary particularly is significantly impacted for these younger kids.

She said she believes the lack of vocabulary  while not necessarily caused by the pandemic  was made worse by it.

Why is this happening? I think COVID brought it out more because what are our kids doing more than anything else? Theyre looking at a screen, she said.

Connelly explained that when children are looking at screens whether for school, watching television or playing a video game, they become oblivious of what is happening around them.

So children are not getting the same exposure to language, and their vocabulary is seriously suffering, she said.

Cornaghie said even though screens can be effective learning tools, it is a passive form of education.

Active learning is when you really make an impact in language development. It helps them learn better and retain concepts better, she said.

Connelly said speech and language delays can be overcome. She stresses involvement by family members.

Weve got to put down our devices and start talking to our kids and we have to take their devices out of their hands because if theyre on a device, they are not really listening anyway, she said.

She also said parents who believe their son or daughter has speech or language delays should consult with a speech language pathologist sooner rather than later.

Dont wait. Development happens from the time they are babies. Dont think, Oh, my kid is going to grow out of this, because if you wait too long, their neurological system is pretty well set and it becomes hard to remediate, Connelly said.

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After President Joe Bidens tragic spectacle of administrative incompetence, pundits said Afghanistan was going to be the chief issue in the midterm elections. Then the Supreme Court showed up as justices refused to halt a Texas legal maneuver that could stop abortions in the state and later elsewhere despite Roe v. Wade permission. Progressive punishment awaits.

The usually fiery, furious portion of the pro-choice crowd is especially aghast just as many in the pro-life crowd are saying that, if Texas can do it, so can every other conservative state out there. Gone, at least for a period, is what looked like a more analytically instructed, more socially cohesive future on the nation-ripping issue. A majority of Americans had been coming to think early abortions acceptable but later abortions unacceptable except in extreme cases, something of a compromise.

The whole, politically blistering issue about how much human life counts got going, of course, in 1973 when the Supreme Court removed abortion from state control, saying abortions would be legal up until the third trimester. At that point, as fetuses became viable and it would take something wrong with the fetus or something like a mothers fearsome health issue to say, go ahead, abort. The ruling was based on a right to privacy that may be implied in the Constitution but isnt really there.

Challenges to Roe v. Wade have been endless and futile until Texas cleverly said we are not going to have state officials out there breaking federal law. We are instead giving citizens the right to sue when an abortion is performed after the first heartbeat six weeks into pregnancy. A successful plaintiff will be recompensed all legal expenses plus $10,000. The Supreme Court did not detect a constitutional violation, state courts can maybe intervene, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to hop in with a new federal law, Democrats figure on winning midterm elections and the Supreme Court justices may take another look.

Definite dangers are that Democrats in Congress will do away with the filibuster to get Pelosis legislation through the Senate and pack the Supreme Court, a significant blow to our republic and constitutional authority.

During the infighting, we will continue to endure all the old, worn-out, pro-abortion arguments, such as the callously expressed right of a woman to control her body as if there is not a second body involved. Early on, you might see this evolving miracle as just a process, but oh so quickly we have a human creature, an unborn child getting ready for love and awareness.

Most abortions, its reported, result from unintended pregnancies -- how about cheap birth control? -- and were told here are unwanted children as if there were not vast numbers of people eager to adopt. But look, why should women with their special traits endure nine months serving humanity when men with their special traits get off so easily, as in the draft, the loss of all their rights often including existence? The drafts gone now but may return.

Yes, abortion can be important for a womans health and laws cant stop all abortions because many will seek risky abortions behind the scenes. But along with actual births, the number of abortions has been dropping. The Texas solution, the sort of thing that could be used to sue a neighbor for owning a gun, is not the right solution, but neither is our president. He not only wants the right to abortions but also wants taxpayers to finance them no matter what their own convictions are. Interestingly, he once said that, as a Catholic, he would never accept abortion in his personal life but would not impose his religious morals on others.

Lots in the secular camp dont like killing the innocent, either.

Jay Ambrose is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service.

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The proper and safe management of medical waste at vaccination centres in the Ahafo Region has served as a morale booster for health workers in the region.



According to the Medical Superintendent of Goaso Municipal Hospital, Dr James Ankomah, hitherto the disposal of medical waste had been a daunting task in terms of its handling and safe disposal.



and ever since the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Ahafo Region started collaborating with Zoomlion, the matter of handling medical waste has no longer been a problem, he said.



Dr Ankomah was speaking to journalists at the Goaso Municipal Hospital in Goaso on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, on the sidelines of a vaccination exercise.



He said with the introduction of waste segregation by Zoomlion has made it very easy to manage medical and general waste at the hospital.



He expressed his satisfaction at the response of residents to the ongoing vaccination exercise in the municipal.

He was very upbeat that their collaboration with Zoomlion would help curtail the spread of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.



Dr Ankomah who also doubles as the acting Director, Clinical Case at the Ahafo Regional Directorate explained that research and innovation have helped in the proper handling of the virus.



That, according to him, has aided both the GHS and the government in the handling of the virus in the country.



On the vaccination exercise, he noted that the response of the general public has been encouraging since it started on Monday, September 6, 2021.



Whereas a number of residents reported at the hospital for their dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, an equally good number of residents were also reporting for their shots of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, he said.



For the purpose of proximity, Dr Ankomah added that vaccination centres across the region have been decentralised to enable easy access by the residents.



Notable amongst the centres visited by journalists were Goaso Regional Hospital (GRH), Asutifi South District Health Directorate (ASDHD) Hwidie- Ahafo and Goaso Police Station.



The rest were Saint Elizabeth Hospital (National Catholic Health Service) and Saint John of God Hospital, Duayaw-Nkanta.

Though, he said the vaccines were in short supply, he was optimistic that the government was in the process of getting more vaccines to suffice almost everyone in the region.



"There has even been pressure on us for the vaccines but we are hoping that the government is in the process of making more of the vaccines available to cover almost everyone in the region," he said.



On misconceptions around the vaccines, he disabused the minds of many who still hold the view that there were ensuing side effects after taking the vaccines.



"I have taken my shot and all I felt was a slight headache and pains from the injection," he narrated.



The Bono Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Edward Ziddah, expressed his appreciation to the government and the GHS for the support in making the citizenry safe from the coronavirus pandemic with various measures including vaccination.

He said his outfit provided four coded bins for segregating the waste at every centre.



While the blue coded bin takes deposits of general waste, the yellow holds deposits of medical waste with two pedal bins also serving the same purpose.



He called on Ghanaians to cooperate with his outfit to facilitate a smooth exercise.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Ghana Free Zones Authority Congratulates the Newly constituted Board of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation.



The Chief Executive Officer and management of the Ghana Free Zones Authority have extended their congratulations to the newly appointed management board of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation.



Amb. Michael A.N.N.Y Oquaye, C.E.O. of the GFZA, expressed the hope of seeing the two institutions working closely together to advance the national development goals.



He also extended special congratulations to Mr. Kwame Asante Nsiah, the Ghana Free Zones Authority representative on the PHDCs governing Board.



The management board, recently named by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo following approval by the Council of State, has been sworn in by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy. The Board is chaired by Awulae Annor Adjaye II, the Presidents nominee to the Board. Others are Mr. Charles Owusu, C.E.O. of the PHDC; Mr. Kwame Asante Nsiah, Representative of the Free Zone Authority; Mr. Humphrey Ayim Darke, Representative of the Association of Ghana Industries; Mr. Senyo Kwasi Hosi, Representative of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors. Also on the Board are Mr. Yaw Agyemang-Duah, an expert in the downstream Petroleum Industry; Mr. David Ampofo, Representative of Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber; Maame Ofewah Sarpong and Hon. Samuel Erickson Abakah, who the President also nominated.







The Board is expected to provide the advice and direction needed by the newly established institution to develop an integrated petroleum industry in the country, which experts estimate to be worth over USD 60 billion when fully activated. This is in line with the Presidents vision for accelerated industrialization on the back of the countrys oil and gas resources.



This will enable Ghana to fully exploit its oil and gas resources and derive much greater values than it is currently doing. In addition, when completed, the hub will facilitate the manufacture of petroleum products such as plastics, fertilizers, and various industrial chemicals.



For its part, the Ghana Free Zones Authority is a public service institution designed to promote the processing and manufacturing of goods through the establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs). It is also mandated to encourage the development of commercial and service activities at sea and airport areas. The entity, GFZA was created by statute and came into being in 1996. The Ghana Free Zones Authority continues to focus on its mandate of supporting the Ghanaian industrial sector by licensing and working with companies focused on value addition, job creation, and export.



In their message to the Board of the PDHC, the CEO and management of the Authority expressed the confidence that the two institutions will engage constructively in advancing their common aims of supporting the Ghanaian industrial sector.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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The government is determined to ensure that by the year 2023, 5.7 million Ghanaians are put onto its ongoing water projects across the country.



She said these included water projects in Keta, Damongo, Tamale Water, Sekondi, Wenchi, Yendi and Sunyani.



According to Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Mrs Cecilia Abena, this was no mean achievement.



That is why I am proud to say that the government is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 for water and sanitation, she averred.



Mrs Dapaah was speaking to the media on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, during a working visit to the Keta Water Supply System in Keta in the Volta Region.



The working first afforded the minister and her entourage, who included her deputy, Mr Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, the chance to inspect progress of work on the Keta water project.



The minister, who was delighted at the progress of work on the Keta water system, commended the contractors, consultants and the municipal chief executive for the area.



She said in the case of Wenchi water project, the contractors were on-site, while for Tamale, Damongo water projects, value for money had been done, stating that all the sod-cutting we did last year are bearing fruits.



We are also doing value for money for Sunyani, Sekondi Takoradi water projects, she added.



However, she warned that no agency should be seen impeding the progress of the work.



The Keta water project, she said, was taken to Cabinet by her outfit, and then Parliament gave its approval which finally saw President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo okay it.



Value for money was done. So everything is under scrutiny and we pray that the 30 months given for the execution of the project would be adhered to so that they will be no delays, she intimated.



She added that her outfit also insists on quality of work, hence commended the chiefs and traditional rulers for their supportive role, especially in the provision of land for the project.



In this regard, Mrs Dapaah urged the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the area to ensure that compensations are paid to persons affected by the water project.



We dont want any hitches that will bring about delays, she noted.



She was also happy that provision has been made for workers to stay on site to ensure that the project is completed on schedule.

It is also good that we have workers staying on-site, and also to hear that the old bungalows are going to be rehabilitated and made fit for purpose for the workers, she expressed.



She indicated that expansion works will be carried on the water plant built in the year 1996, which benefit will inure to over 422,000 people.



Mrs Dapaah affirmed that the governments mantra of water for all was not just a slogan.



If people say we are sloganeering it is not true. It is not factual; everything that we say we try to do them. So work has started and very soon we will see action here, she assured.



She reiterated that the doors of her ministry were always opened to GWCL staff members at the site, contractors and consultants on the project and the DCE.



This, she pointed out, was key because it was an ongoing project, adding that it is the policy of government to make sure that all hamlets and towns en route of our [water] projects are served.



The District Chief Executive (DCE) for South Tongu, Emmanuel Lewis Agamah, said among communities that will benefit from the Keta Water Supply System include Agordome. Sogakope, Atiavi, Dabala, Lolito and Galosota.



The rest, he said, are Salo, Agottoe, Anloga, Woe, Tegbi, Dzelukope and Keta.



For his part, the acting General Manager of GWCL at Keta, Dr Remy Puoru, was full of praise for the government following its initiative to rehabilitate the Keta water project.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Mr. Joe Danquah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle Belt Development Authority (MBDA) has expressed worry about abandoned work on some projects being executed by the Authority, under the governments One Million dollar per constituency initiative in parts of the country.



He, therefore, gave a two-week ultimatum to contractors working on the abandoned projects to resume work or their contracts would be terminated, saying the Authority would serve notices to the recalcitrant contractors in that regard.



Mr. Danquah told Journalists during an inspection visit to assess the progress of work on the construction of classroom blocks, durbar grounds, markets, toilets and health facilities in the Jaman North District and Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region on Tuesday.



The Authority is executing similar projects in 109 districts and municipalities in the country.



Established in 2017 by Act 962 of Parliament, the MBDA exercises its mandate in five regions  Ashanti, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and Eastern Regions, and it is the main vehicle for spearheading the development of these regions.



Mr. Danquah explained the government had prioritised the One million dollar per constituency initiative as a vehicle to facilitate the development of the five regions, and warned contractors against shoddy works, saying the Authority would not hesitate to terminate the work of contractors who might frustrate the initiative.



He, however, commended some of the contractors for excellent work done on some of the projects inaugurated and handed over to the beneficiary communities and asked them to complete the remaining ones as scheduled.



Mr. Danquah inaugurated a six-unit classroom block with offices and stores for the Amponsakrom Methodist Basic School in the Wenchi Municipality constructed at the cost of GHC427,000.00



He also inaugurated a three-unit classroom block worth GHC237,000.00 for the Abotreye Municipal Assembly Junior High School as well as a 12-seater water closet toilet at Tromeso, also in the Municipality.



Mr. Danquah explained all these and several projects spread across the five regions showed the governments commitment to improving on the nations infrastructural development, especially in rural areas, and advised the beneficiary communities to adopt the culture of maintenance.



We have awarded contracts on many projects across the regions and it is imperative we go round to assess the progress of work and ensure contractors execute quality work that would benefit the people in the long term, he said.



Mr. Bernard Kwadwo Opoku, the Wenchi Municipal Works Engineer, commended the Authority for its intervention to improve on particularly education and health and assured the Assembly would support the communities to maintain the projects.



At Amponsakrom, Mr. Clement Bomasah, a teacher appealed for toilet and urinal facilities and implored the Authority to help fence the school as well to ward off animals.



Mr. Albert Baakebe, an opinion leader at Abotreye, also thanked the Authority for the classroom block and appealed for a toilet/urinal facility for the school.

Source: GNA









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Ghana remains a favourite destination for investment in Africa, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has assured Mr Irchad Razaaly, Ambassador-Designate of the European Union (EU) to Ghana.



In this regard, the Minister highlighted the political stability, open democratic values, free media and vibrant civil society which Ghana enjoys.



Madam Ayorkor Botchwey stated this when she received the Open Letters of the EU Ambassador-Designate in Accra.



She acknowledged the long-standing cooperation between Ghana and the EU which dated back to 1975 with the signing of the first financial protocol, the Lome 1 Convention, between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) the Member States.



The Minister alluded to the fact that the EU was Ghanas largest multinational development trade partner.



She reiterated Ghanas ready business climate, indicating that Ghana remained an important Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination on the African continent as in 2017, it ranked 7 out of 54 countries



Madam Ayorkor Botchwey informed that the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with its Secretariat in Accra, Ghana and Africa with its huge market potential, presents an opportunity for increased trade and Ghana was well-positioned to receive investors from the EU who wish to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Free Trade Area.



Concerning anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey noted that Ghana was delisted from the Financial Action Task Forces grey list, highlighting Ghanas commitment to combatting the financing of terrorism in line with international requirements.



She affirmed that the Ministrys doors were open for continuous cooperation with the Ambassador-Designate and further wished him a successful tour of duty.



On his part, Mr Razaaly called for the deepening of the already good relationship between the EU and Ghana.

Source: GNA









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Amnesty International has urged the Ghanaian Parliament and government to immediately withdraw the proposed Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 from consideration.



The human rights organisation in a public statement on Monday said the Bill gravely contravenes the principles of equality and non-discrimination, the rights to freedom of expression, association and privacy, and the prohibition of torture enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and international human rights treaties ratified by the country.



More specifically, Amnesty said the bill denies LGBTI persons the human dignity guaranteed to all persons under section 15 of the countrys Constitution.



"At a time when other countries around the world, including Angola and Gabon are lifting discriminatory laws targeting people for their real or perceived sexual orientation, Ghana must not go in the opposite direction," the statement said.



"The Ghanaian authorities are encouraged to protect equality and non-discrimination and other fundamental human rights of all people in Ghana".



Amnesty's condemnation of the bill follows a similar statement by United Nations experts which urged the government to reject a proposed family values bill, saying it seeks to establish a system of state-sponsored discrimination and violence against the LGBTI community in the country.







Source: graphiconline.com









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A 10-year-old genius girl has a higher IQ than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, and she wants to colonise Mars.



Adhara Perez Sanchez, from Mexico, scored 162 on her IQ test, which is believed to be two points higher than Einstein and Hawking, two of the cleverest men who ever lived. Adhara hopes to be an astronaut, travelling to space. She also plans to colonize Mars.



Though just 10, she is already pursuing two degrees in her native Mexico, one in systems engineering and the other in industrial engineering with a focus on mathematics.



Adhara was bullied at school by her mates who branded her a "weirdo" or "oddball", NBC San Diego reports.



As a result, the child decided she did not want to go to school anymore so her mother, Nallely Sanchez, decided to seek help for a different education plan.



Then it was revealed that she possessed the remarkable IQ of 162.



Following that she sped through the school system and graduated high school by the age of just eight. She has also represented her university, Universidad CNCI in Monterrey, by talking about black holes at an event hosted by Tijuana's Institute of Art and Culture.



Adhara wants to go to the University of Arizona where she hopes to be recognised by NASA for its space exploration programme.









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Mexico's Supreme Court has ruled that criminal penalties for abortion in the world's second largest Catholic nation are unconstitutional in a landmark ruling.



The unanimous vote by the 11 members of the high court on Tuesday comes as Texas took steps to restrict access to the procedure after enacting the strictest anti-abortion law in the country last week.



'This is a historic step for the rights of women,' Mexican Supreme Court Justice Luis Maria Aguilar said.



Abortion remains illegal in much of Latin America, with only four countries allowing it under all circumstances, and the move in Mexico makes it the most populous country in a region dominated by Catholicism to allow it.



The ruling follows moves in Mexico to decriminalize abortion at the state level, although most of the country still has tough laws in place against women terminating their pregnancy early.



Most recently on July 20, the Mexican state of Veracruz become the fourth in the country to clear away criminal penalties for elective abortion.



It followed votes in Mexico City, Oaxaca and Hidalgo to ease abortion restrictions in late June.



It comes as a women's movement has been growing in the country, where half of its congress is made up of female politicians, the Washington Post reported.



On Monday the National Action Party, one of the country's largest conservative opposition parties, voiced its opposition to the arguments being put forth by the court.



'We are in favor of the defense of life from conception to natural death, which is why we reject abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty and any scientific research that threatens human life, which must be protected by the State,' the group said in a statement.



Meanwhile in Texas last Wednesday, the state enacted the strictest anti-abortion law in the nation, which bans abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy.









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The driver of the Member of Parliament for Suhum Constituency, Samuel Kofi Adjei has been rearrested after a Koforidua Magistrate Court discharged him of a charge of causing harm with an offensive weapon.



This was after the Attorney-General filed a motion of nolle prosequi to discontinue the case of violence involving the suspect.



The accused, Samuel Kofi Agyei, was last week charged with the offence of causing harm with an offensive weapon contrary to section 70 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 ( Act 29) at the Magistrate court on September 2.



The Regional State Attorney, Emily Addo-Kyereh told the court presided over by His Worship, Eric Danning that the nature of the offence comes with severe punishment and therefore the accused may not avail himself to stand trial if granted bail.



The Magistrate adjourned the case to Tuesday, 7th September, for the ruling on the bail application.



But the AG on Tuesday filed a motion to discontinue the case.



Jamalo as he is popularly known was discharged after the motion was successfully filed but was rearrested to face fresh charges at a circuit court.



The suspect who allegedly inflicted deep machete wounds on the Lower West Akyem communications officer of the NPP at a funeral in the constituency was arrested after he turned himself in to the police last Wednesday.



He was reportedly accompanied by the MP, Kwadwo Asante. He was made to write his caution statement.



A free-for-all fight among members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Suhum constituency left two persons injured.



The Partys Lower West Akyem Communications Officer, Bernard Kwesi Amoani, was allegedly slashed with a cutlass on his forehead by the driver of the Suhum MP.



Another victim, Alexander Odei, sustained injuries on his lips during the chaos which ensued on Saturday, August 28.



According to an eyewitness, the violent attacks happened at the funeral grounds of the late father of one of the partys communicators, known as Opare.



It was between supporters of the Member of Parliament, Kwadwo Asante, and a Presidential staffer, Frank Asiedu Bekoe, popularly known as Protozoa.



The followers of Mr Asante allegedly made slanderous statements against Protozoa, who is seeking to contest the MP in the partys next primaries.



One of the followers of the presidential staffer, popularly known as Big Deal, allegedly took a microphone at the funeral grounds to announce and place on record that they have been prevented from greeting the MP.



Infuriated by the turn of events, the supporters of the MP allegedly attacked him, leading to the fisticuffs.



The driver of the MP, whose name was given as Jamalo, then inflicted a deep machete wound on the head of the communications officer.



The victim was admitted to the Suhum Government Hospital, where he was treated and discharged.



The Suhum District Police command has since launched investigations into the case.





Source: myjoyonline.com









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Former Central Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has expressed disgust over former President John Mahama's "do or die" affair comments regarding the 2024 general elections.



The former President, who is currently on a "Thank You" tour, during an interview on Akina Radio in Techiman warned that nothing will jeopardize his ambition to be President of Ghana again.



Mr. Mahama said he and his party - the National Democratic Congress - have "learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station".



If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. The right thing must be done. We will win our election at the polling station, he exclaimed.



He further emphasized that his party won't wait to be rigged for them to go to the Supreme Court seeking redress.



We will do everything to make sure the election is transparent and fair. We dont want to cheat them, so they shouldnt. We wont wait for any Supreme Court, no!, he accentuated.



Kwamena Duncan, in reply during Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', indicated that Mr. Mahama's comments make him cringe.



Finding the comments to be distasteful, Kwamena Duncan noted former President Mahama's comments don't shock him because, to him, he (Mahama) has been rehearsing it since he lost the 2020 Presidential elections.



He recounted the resistance Mr. Mahama mounted against the Electoral Commission declaring President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo winner in the elections, hence inciting his supporters to hit the streets in protest.



To Kwamena Duncan, Mr. Mahama has been exposed by his comments.



''Former President Mahama now is a warmonger, he is a warlord, he is a rebel leader . . . we saw the rehearsal. We saw it after the elections when he unleashed his vulnerable gullible supporters onto the streets," he asserted.



"President Mahama, what is he looking for?'' he further questioned.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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"Ghanaians are not ready for war," former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has hit back at former President John Mahama following the latter's ''do or die" comment during an interview on a Techiman-based radio station.



The former President, speaking on Akina Radio while embarking on a "Thank You" tour, stated categorically that he and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won't resort to the Supreme Court for election redress again.



He noted that they will meet the New Patriotic Party (NPP) boot for boot in the 2024 elections.



We learn from the past so we [NDC] have learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station.



If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. The right thing must be done. We will win our election at the polling station.



We will do everything to make sure the election is transparent and fair. We dont want to cheat them, so they shouldnt. We wont wait for any Supreme Court, no! Mr. Mahama told a shocked Presenter.



Kwamena Duncan wonders why the former President is so bent on becoming President again.



'" . . what is it that President Mahama continues to eye in the Jubilee House that he wants to go back and to collect with his hands?" he questioned.



Describing Mr. Mahama as a "rebel leader" for delivering what he termed as "war" comments, the former Minister stressed Ghanaians won't die for JohnMahama.



"This country has never either gotten to the brick of war or being in war; has never happened . . . the Ghanaian people, no matter the circumstances in which they find themselves, they will not get to that point where they will draw daggers. Ghanaians won't follow former President Mahama, who has been an Assemblyman, MP, Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and a former President before, and shed their blood for him to become President . . . this country, we're not ready. We're not prepared," he fumed.



Kwamena Duncan made these comments during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme Wednesday morning.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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A former Presidential Staffer, Charles Bissue, is demanding the state arrest and prosecution of former President John Dramani Mahama over his Do or Die comment.



According to him, John Mahama made this declaration in respect of what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) perceives of the 2024 elections.



Mr. Bissue argues that the statement made by the former President incites violence, and should there be any legal basis for him to be arrested and prosecuted, the state shouldnt hesitate.



Speaking on Adom FMs Dwaso Nsem show, Mr. Bissue remarked that John Mahamas comment is dishonorable to his office as a former head of state owing to the fact that he has a better understanding of the repercussions of his statement on national security.



He explained that inciting political tensions at such a critical time when neighbouring countries such as Guinea have just been hit with a coup, must be considered a major threat.



He continued that it is negligent of John Mahama to have chanted those words, especially on the back of a history of political violence Ghana had experienced.





Mr. Bissue emphasized that the excuse by Mr. Mahama that the NDC and himself cannot trust the Electoral Commission but resort to a rather hostile Do or Die affair at the polling stations is indicative of the partys [NDC] intention to disrupt public order and electoral process come 2024.Mahama should be invited and questioned over these comments. He knows much better. He shouldnt have conducted himself in that manner. You are preparing the minds of people for violence. Anyone who is contemplating violence will take action.We need to be mindful of our utterances. Weve just witnessed whats happened in Guinea. As one who touts himself to be a communications expertbut I think hes been negligent in what he said. For the fact that hes been a Head of state, and what the country has experienced in terms of civil unrest and coups, he should have been very mindful of his statement.But I am not surprised about his actions, Mr. Bissue added, as he explained the NDCs preoccupation with wining political power is by creating fear and panic, as they stain the credibility of state institutions with propaganda.He argued that the desperation of the NDC to win the 2024 election had caused them to dissuade the Ghanaian voter that the NPP is undeserving of another term after President Akufo-Addos administration.They wish to prepare the minds of Ghanaians that its a convention that there must be a political change in governance every 8 years irrespective of your performance. This will never work because the Ghanaian voters are discerning, Charles Bissue reiterated.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Tasmanian Devils were one of 13 marsupials whose DNA was analysed for evidence of viral fossils. Credit: Shutterstock

Fossils of ancient viruses are preserved in the genomes of all animals, including humans, and have long been regarded as junk DNA. But are they truly junk, or do they actually serve a useful purpose?

Researchers at UNSW Sydney, who examined the DNA and RNA of 13 Australian marsupial species, believe that viral fossils may be helping protect animals from infection.

"These viral fragments have been retained for a reason. Over millions of years of evolution, we would expect all DNA to change, however these fossils are preserved and kept intact," says doctoral student and lead researcher Emma Harding, from UNSW's School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences.

"Our study shows how the viruses buried in the animals' DNA are used to make what we call non-coding RNAs, which carry out tasks inside the animal cells such as protecting against outside infection.

"The animal DNA has basically grabbed a viral sequencewhich used to harm itand ends up using it for its own benefit."

If Ms Harding is right, her theory may have important implications for our understanding of the role of viral fossils in our own DNA and the animal kingdom in general. For example, viral fossils can be turned into RNA that binds specifically to the virusand destroys itif it tries to infect the cell again.

"This could be a mechanism similar to vaccination, but is inherited through generations. By keeping a viral fossil, the cell is immunized against future infection.

"If we can show it occurring in marsupials, it may also be occurring in other animals, including humans.

"So if we look more closely at the viral fossils inside our DNA, we could potentially get clues about how they may be protecting us," Ms Harding says.

Evolutionary rewind

To understand how Ms Harding arrived at her conclusions, it's worth stepping back a hundred million years to a time when Australia was once part of the Gondwanaland super-continent along with South America, Africa and Antarctica.

Scientists think the first marsupials originated in South America and later migrated to Australia via Antarctica. The lack of competing mammals in these southern regions may have allowed the marsupials to further evolve, with about 250 species now living in Australia, and about 120 in South America.

Ms Harding says when we look at the genetic makeup of Australian marsupials, the presence of viral fossils, known as endogenous viral elements (EVEs), are like time stamps marking when an animal was infected.

"My research looks at EVEs in Australian marsupials to firstly identify what types of viruses have integrated, and secondly investigate if they play an active role in the marsupial cells.

"One of the EVEs I found was from the Bornaviridae family of viruses, which first entered the animals' DNA during the time of the dinosaurs when the South American and Australian landmasses were still joined together.

"Bornaviridae viruses were previously thought to have evolved 100 million years ago. But the one I found in almost every marsupial DNA we looked at puts it at 160 million years oldso it was great to be able to contribute to our knowledge of evolutionary history.

"By understanding how viruses have evolved, we can predict how they may change in the future, and plan strategies to prevent outbreaks."

The work

The researchers examined multiple transcriptomesthe collection of all RNA in a cellof Tasmanian devils, tammar wallabies, long-nosed bandicoots, fat-tailed dunnarts, bare-nosed wombats, koalas and sugar gliders. They also looked at single transcriptomes of a false antechinus, Southern brown bandicoot, striped possum, Western pygmy possum, brushtail possum and a yellow-footed rock wallaby.

They used the genetic sequence of modern viruses, such as Ebola and Zika, to hunt through the transcriptomes and look for matchesfragments of ancient marsupial viruses. The benefit of searching through the transcriptome rather than the genome is that it finds viral fragments that are still 'switched on' and transcribedmaking RNA in the cells of marsupials, as opposed to stagnant fossils.

"Transcription is evidence that the EVEs are active in cells and possibly doing something functional," says Ms Harding.

Out of more than 130 known viral families, three were seen again and again throughout the marsupial species.

Bornaviridae, Filoviridae and Parvoviridae are commonly seen in eutherian (or placental) mammals, including humans. Ms Harding says she noticed a unique trend in marsupials where different parts of the viral genomes were retained as fossils over time.

"It was interesting to see that the DNA blueprints for two viral proteinsthe nucleocapsid, which is the shell of the virus, as well an enzyme essential for replicationwere very common in the marsupial.

"Our hypothesis is that these two proteins are good targets for antiviral defense, therefore copies of them have been kept in the genome. These copies can block areas of the incoming viral genome so the virus cannot properly make these proteins. Without the proteins, it cannot replicate and the immune system can clear the infection."

Protected species

The researchers also found evidence for small RNA molecules which are known to target and break down foreign viral RNA strands, adding more weight to the virus-fighting hypothesis.

"I found that some EVEs were spliced from the genome to create siRNA and piRNAtwo types of molecules that are used in the immune system of plants and animals including humans," Ms Harding says.

"These RNA molecules were enriched in the testis of the male marsupials, and may be helping to protect future offspring from viral infections. Marsupials have a very different development to other mammals, and are born without a fully functional immune system, so these small molecules may help them defend them while they are still growing."

The study was based on the available RNA sequence data of 35 samples from 13 marsupials. Ms Harding hopes future laboratory research will prove their role in viral immunity, which could lead to the development of novel RNA antivirals against a large range of viruses.

The research was published recently in Virus Evolution and a review is published in Microbiology Australia.

Explore further Unexpected diversity in virus-derived sequences in the human genome

More information: Emma F Harding et al, Ancient Viral Integrations in Marsupials: A Potential Antiviral Defence, Virus Evolution (2021). Emma F Harding et al, Ancient Viral Integrations in Marsupials: A Potential Antiviral Defence,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab076
Paleoambiental reconstruction of the Upper Cretaceous faunal association at Cerro Fortaleza including a nodosaurid ankylosaur and several notosuchian peirosaurids. Credit: Jorge Gonzalez.

Where skeletons are rare, isolated teeth can flesh out our understanding of ancient reptile-dominated ecosystems, according to a study published September 8, 2021 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE by Ariana Paulina-Carabajal of INIBIOMA (Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente) and CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas), Argentina, and colleagues.

South America hosts some of the world's most important fossil sites for understanding the history of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles. However, the Late Cretaceous Cerro Fortaleza locality in Santa Cruz, Argentina is surprisingly sparse. Though other nearby sites preserve diverse reptile assemblages, skeletal remains at the Cerro Fortaleza locality are limited almost entirely to one type of dinosaur: the giant sauropod Dreadnoughtus. In this study, researchers expand the known reptile diversity at this site using teeth.

In December 2016, fossil excavations at Cerro Fortaleza recovered 13 teeth and 9 tiny osteoderms (armor-like skin bones) representing a variety of ancient reptiles. Identification of these remains confirmed the presence of at least three types of dinosaurs: carnivorous abelisaurs, armored ankylosaurs, and long-necked titanosaurs. However, most of the teeth were identified as belonging to a group of land-dwelling cousins of crocodiles known as peirosaurs. Though these scant fossils don't allow precise species to be identified, they indicate a much greater diversity of reptiles at this site than was previously recognized.

Ankylosaur osteoderm, thin sections. Credit: Dr. I. Cerda.

These remains include some significant insights into the geographic ranges of certain animals. The presence of ankylosaurs (armored dinosaurs) at this site marks a geographic link between records of these dinosaurs from farther north in Patagonia and from farther south in Antarctica. And the peirosaurs (croc-cousins) at this site represent the southern-most record of this group. This study demonstrates the usefulness of small fossil remains like teeth in fleshing out our understanding of ancient environments and dispersal patterns at fossil sites where skeletal remains are rare.

The authors add: "Sometimes the skeletons do not appear. Thus, the diversity of dinosaurs and crocodiles for this area is revealed by tiny fossils, such as teeth and dermal ossicles. These findings reveal a faunal association that has not been previously found. Particularly the records of ankylosaur dinosaurs and peirosaurid notosuchians are among the most austral so far, for South America."

More information: Paulina-Carabajal A, Barrios FT, Mendez AH, Cerda IA, Lee Y-N (2021) A Late Cretaceous dinosaur and crocodyliform faunal associationbased on isolate teeth and osteodermsat Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) type locality, Santa Cruz, Argentina. PLoS ONE 16(9): e0256233. Journal information: PLoS ONE Paulina-Carabajal A, Barrios FT, Mendez AH, Cerda IA, Lee Y-N (2021) A Late Cretaceous dinosaur and crocodyliform faunal associationbased on isolate teeth and osteodermsat Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) type locality, Santa Cruz, Argentina.16(9): e0256233. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256233
Clarks Cove, Walpole. The Maine Department of Marine Resources issued the first aquaculture lease to Ed Myers of Walpole to grow mussels in Clarks Cove in 1973. The cove continues to be an important sea farming site today, nearly 50 years later. Credit: H. Leslie

Aquaculture creates many benefits for Maine people, including fresh seafood, stable jobs, and opportunities to enhance tourism, environmental conservation and community resilience. And, like all working waterfront activities, aquaculture operations occupy ocean space and are part of the busy coastal environment that we call home.

People have varied perspectives about aquaculture and the future of the industry in Maine. University of Maine scientists Melissa Britsch, Heather Leslie and Joshua Stoll explored these perspectives in a recently published article in the journal Marine Policy.

"We wanted to understand the diversity of views people hold about aquaculture in Maine," Britsch says. "What are people hopeful about? What concerns them? And most importantly, where is there common ground?"

The research team found that there is broad support for aquaculture development in Maine, but that different people prioritize different aspects of the industry. They identified four distinct perspectivesviews that are not necessarily compatible, but also not always in opposition. All four perspectives support economic diversification in coastal Maine, but they disagree about who should and will benefit from further development.

For example, some people focus on benefits to individuals, whereas others focus on the benefits and costs to coastal communities.

The four perspectives identified by the researchers:

aquaculture optimists, who believe that aquaculture development in Maine is a win-win for industry members and others who live and work on Maine's coast.

aquaculture anchors, who are enthusiastic about aquaculture and view it as a way to support Maine's coastal economy. However, they are concerned about the potential for negative environmental impacts and want to ensure that benefits from aquaculture are anchored in coastal communities.

aquaculture historians, who see the potential of further marine aquaculture development in Maine, but are cautious about the associated socioeconomic benefits that it affords coastal communities.

aquaculture agnostics, who have mixed feelings about the impact of aquaculture on Maine's coast. They see aquaculture as benefiting aquaculture industry members but believe that further growth will involve economic and spatial tradeoffs between aquaculture farmers and other users of Maine's coast, like commercial fishermen. They also believe that increased aquaculture development will reduce available space in Maine's coastal waters for commercial fishing, displacing fisheries and other marine uses of Maine's coast while having limited benefits for coastal residents generally.

"Given opposition to some recent specific project proposals, it is striking how broad support for aquaculture is in Maine, based on our study," says Stoll.

While information on the environmental impacts of aquaculture has been gathered for decades in Maine and elsewhere, relatively little social science research has been conducted. The team conducted the social science research with the aim of contributing to more transparent and inclusive visioning efforts and dialog about the future of aquaculture in Maine.

"Ultimately, managing coastal environments means managing the people who live and work in different ways in these placesplaces that are valuable to so many, for so many different reasons," says Maine Sea Grant director Gayle Zydlewski. "Understanding those reasons in a systematic fashionlike what has been done through this projectcan help support communities and the state as they make strategic decisions about aquaculture development."

The research was part of Britsch's graduate work at the University of Maine, where she was recently awarded dual master's degrees in marine biology and marine policy. As part of the study, Britsch interviewed people statewide who are knowledgeable about Maine's aquaculture industry and asked them to rank statements about the industry based on their agreement or disagreement with them. All participants ranked the same statements, which were drawn from a synthesis of published views about aquaculture in Maine over more than 20 years. People with similar rankings were grouped, resulting in four distinct perspectives. The perspectives were described based on interviews with the participants as well as the results of the ranking exercise.

Britsch is originally from southern Oregon and moved to Maine because of UMaine's marine science program, and specifically to work at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. Her graduate program, where she studied both the environmental and human dimensions of coastal marine ecosystems, helped to support her work, as did her earlier experiences working with Maine Sea Grant and scallop farmers out of the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. Britsch also worked for a business incubator client, Maine Shellfish Developers, during its early operations in Walpole.

"This research and my graduate degree experience more broadly helped me appreciate how complex ocean use is in coastal Maine. Understanding these dynamics and the opportunities and challenges that they create for coastal communities is particularly important as communities prepare to adapt to climate change," Britsch says.

Explore further New study finds blue mussels resilient to ocean acidification

More information: Melissa L. Britsch et al, Diverse perspectives on aquaculture development in Maine, Marine Policy (2021). Journal information: Marine Policy Melissa L. Britsch et al, Diverse perspectives on aquaculture development in Maine,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104697
In this Sept. 1, 2021, file photo, a firefighter lights a backfire to stop the Caldor Fire from spreading near South Lake Tahoe, Calif. An unidentified firefighter has died of an illness while assigned to one of California's largest wildfires, authorities said Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, marking the first death in a season that has seen blazes destroy thousands of buildings and force entire towns to flee. Edwin Zuniga with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said he couldn't provide other details on the death. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

The huge wildfire near the Lake Tahoe resort region was about half contained Tuesday, with the head of California's firefighting agency saying crews largely have been able to keep flames away from populated areas.

"We've been able to herd these fires around and outside of the main community corridors," California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief Thom Porter said.

That includes the city of South Lake Tahoe and nearby Meyers that were threatened by the Caldor Fire as it churned east, and the communities of Pollock Pines and nearby Sly Park near where the fire ignited 3 1/2 weeks ago.

"Unfortunately, that hasn't happened in every case," Porter said at a briefing. "But by and large, we've been able to do a great job in protecting lives, property."

Nearly 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the fire near Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, including 776 homes. Many were in the community of Grizzly Flats near where the fire started and was able to burn before officials could divert significant resources from other blazes scorching California.

Others include the Dixie Fire, the second-largest in the state's recorded history, which also has burned through rural, forested communities that firefighters were unable to protect.

South Lake Tahoe Council member John Friedrich waves to passing cars as they honk their horns along Highway 50 near Stateline, Nev., in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Friedrich was one of many residents who evacuated due to the Caldor Fire and just returned the day before. Credit: Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP

The perimeter of that fire, which is farther north in the Sierra Nevada, has grown to 800 miles (1,300 kilometers), said Tony Scardina, the U.S. Forest Service's deputy regional forester for California.

That's the equivalent of "driving the I-5 from the southern border of California to the northern border of California," he said of the major north-south interstate.

The Dixie Fire was 59% contained. It began in mid-July and has destroyed more than 1,200 buildings, including 688 homes.

Hot, dry, windy conditions across Northern California this week could spread existing or new fires, Scardina warned.

About 3,125 square miles (8,094 square kilometers) have burned so far this year, similar to the record 2020 fire season, Porter said.

"We are on par with where we were last year. That's sobering, and that is the new reality," the Cal Fire chief said.

Traffic flows along Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. Cal Fire officials downgraded some evacuation orders near Lake Tahoe and allowed thousands of South Lake Tahoe residents who fled the Caldor Fire last week to return home Sunday. Credit: Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP

California has experienced increasingly larger and deadlier wildfires in recent years as climate change has made the U.S. West much warmer and drier over the past 30 years. Scientists have said weather will continue to be more extreme and wildfires more frequent, destructive and unpredictable.

The entire state showing the potential for extreme fire danger in the next three months, Porter said.

"We're right smack in the middle of wildfire peak season," he said. "And so everybody needs to remain vigilant."

The Caldor Fire grew by just a few hundred acres over 24 hours, to just over 338 square miles (875 square kilometers), and containment lines were holding well, officials said at a briefing.

"We had very little challenging of the line anyplace on the fire," said Tim Ernst, a Cal Fire operations section chief.

Smoke shrouds parts of Lake Tahoe visible from Ski Run Marina in downtown South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Officials lifted the evacuation order on Sunday after firefighters successfully stalled the Caldor Fire from entering the resort town but warned residents that wildfires continued to cloak the city in smoke. Credit: AP Photo/Samuel Metz

Some sections of the perimeter were a concern, but on much of the blaze, the work turned to mopping up, pulling miles of fire hose out of the forest and knocking down dangerously weakened trees.

The fire, which has grown explosively at times, was tamed enough to allow authorities to lift mandatory evacuation orders for the 22,000 residents of South Lake Tahoe on Sunday.

But Ryan Okashima, the California Highway Patrol's assistant commissioner, urged residents to be cautious both in heeding evacuation warnings and when returning home.

"Please be patient, take your time as you're trying to get back to your homes," he said. "Please don't go to your homes until you're actually told that is clear to go to your homes."

The firefight was so intense that all eight available firefighting aircraft from the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve were called into service Sunday for the first time since 2012, said Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, who heads the California National Guard.

Traffic flows along Highway 50 near Stateline, Nev., as residents begin to return to South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. Cal Fire officials downgraded some evacuation orders near Lake Tahoe and allowed thousands of South Lake Tahoe residents who fled the Caldor Fire last week to return home Sunday. Credit: Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP

A sign outside a South Lake Tahoe Fire Station welcomes residents back to town after the lifting of the evacuation order Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. The resort town of some 22,000 was cleared last week due to the Caldor Fire. Credit: AP Photo/Samuel Metz

In this Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, an empty beach is seen after a mandatory evacuation was ordered due to the Caldor Fire in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. State fire officials say evacuation orders for the area were reduced to warnings as of 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5. Some 22,000 people had been forced to flee the popular resort and nearby areas last week as the Caldor Fire roared toward it. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

In this Sept. 2, 2021, file photo, a firefighter carries a water hose toward a spot fire from the Caldor Fire burning along Highway 89 near South Lake Tahoe, Calif. An unidentified firefighter has died of an illness while assigned to one of California's largest wildfires, authorities said Sunday, marking the first death in a season that has seen blazes destroy thousands of buildings and force entire towns to flee. Edwin Zuniga with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said he couldn't provide other details on the death. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

In this Sept. 3, 2021, file photo, the Caldor Fire consumes trees in Eldorado National Forest, Calif. An unidentified firefighter has died of an illness while assigned to one of California's largest wildfires, authorities said Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, marking the first death in a season that has seen blazes destroy thousands of buildings and force entire towns to flee. Edwin Zuniga with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said he couldn't provide other details on the death. Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Lela Hill sits in her family's moving truck after returning to South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Mid-move, her family was among thousands of people who were evacuated from the resort town due to the Caldor Fire last week. Credit: AP Photo/Samuel Metz

South Lake Tahoe resident Connor Jones sits with his dog on a smoke-cloaked empty beach in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Monday Sept. 6, 2021. Residents who fled South Lake Tahoe under threat of a wildfire were allowed to return as crews stalled the flames from advancing. Credit: AP Photo/Samuel Metz

Clearly Tahoe employee Ludovic Fekete checks on transparent kayaks aboard the company's new boat, the "Clearly Tahoe," at the Tahoe Keys Marina in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Fekete was one of many residents who evacuated due to the Caldor Fire and just returned the day before. Credit: Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP

But with improving conditions, Baldwin said a couple hundred troops, four Guard helicopters and other equipment were pulled back.

The Caldor Fire broke out Aug. 14 on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and gutted the community of Grizzly Flats as it roared up and over the crest of the mountain range to the eastern side, burning more homes and cabins along the way until it was prevented from reaching Lake Tahoe's south shore.

The fire has been "one of the most impactful events that I think we've ever seen here," said Mike Blankenheim, chief of the Amador-El Dorado unit of Cal Fire.

"The road back to some sense of normalcy for us is no doubt going to be long and no doubt going to have some challenges with it, but because of the efforts of this group here ... that path has a solid anchor point and we have a direction to go with that right now," Blankenheim told firefighters.

On Tuesday, more than 15,500 personnel were working on 14 active large wildfires in California.

Explore further California winds shifting as wildfire battles go on

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Band 1 cold cartridge assemblies. Credit: ASIAA/Yuh-Jing Hwang and ASRD

A new set of receivers installed on antennas at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have achieved first light. With it, they set a new record for the longest wavelengths visible with the radio array. The achievement has opened a window on the universe previously inaccessible at the telescope, thanks to an international team of engineers, including engineers from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).

Scientists achieved first light with the Band 1 receiver on August 14, 2021, with successful observations of the edge of the Moon, followed by the first successful interferometry test observations using two Band 1 receivers on August 17, and acquisition of the first radio spectrum on August 27. During the tests, scientists observed and successfully received signals from multiple celestial objects, including Solar System planets Venus and Mars, Orion KLa cluster of stars within a molecular cloud, VY Canis Majorisa red hypergiant variable pulsating star, and quasar 3C 279.

ALMA observes the universe over a wide range of radio wavelengths within the millimeter and submillimeter range of the electromagnetic spectrum with the help of specialized receivers. ALMA's 66 antennas were previously equipped with eight different receivers, operating at wavelengths from 3.6 mm (ALMA Band 3) to 0.3 mm (ALMA Band 10). These new Band 1 receivers are sensitive to radio waves between 6 and 8.5 mm in length, expanding the capability of the antennas to detect more wavelengths of light from distant cosmic sources.

Laurence Platt, an Electronic Technician at NRAO, works on a low noise amplifier micro-assembly. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF, S. Knighton

"This new band will help scientists to understand better how disks of dust that we see around many young stars grow into planets. It will also give us much more detailed images of hot plasma in galaxy clusters and around quasars, and help us to detect distant, dust-obscured galaxies that are as yet unknown," said Brian Mason, NRAO Staff Scientist. "ALMA's location in the southern hemisphere, combined with its large number of antennas and these new receivers, will enable unprecedented centimeter-wavelength views of celestial objects in our own galaxy and beyond."

The wavelength sensitivity of a radio astronomy receiver is only as good as the components it is made from. Two of the most critical components of Band 1, the low noise amplifiers (LNAs) and the local oscillators (LOs), were built at the NRAO's Central Development Laboratory (CDL). "LNAs play a key role in maximizing the sensitivity of receivers on ALMA and any other radio astronomy receivers and LOs allow it to be tuned," said Bert Hawkins, director of CDL. "Design and production of these two critical subsystems require highly specialized knowledge and skills. That's where CDL comes in."

Low-noise amplifiers are the active component closest to the antenna in a radio astronomy receiver, and as a result, play a critical role in their operation. "The role of low noise amplifiers is to set the noise performance of the overall receiver, so it is an important piece of the system," said Hawkins. "To do this, it has to add very little noise to the system, have high gain, and have an adequate dynamic range over the wavelengths being observed, and doing this is a specialty of our LNA team at CDL."

Jim Muehlberg, a Senior Electronics Engineer at NRAO, test a local oscillator using a network analyzer. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF, E. Lilly

Local oscillators produce signals that, when combined with amplified signals from space, convert the signals down to lower frequencies. "The best way to understand a local oscillator is that it allows us to take signals from space, which are embedded with scientifically useful information but are at frequencies too high to further process, and convert them down to frequencies where we can filter, digitize, and process to form an image without corrupting the useful scientific information within," said Hawkins. "The art of building a good local oscillator is to create a device that produces a strong, noise-free, tunable signalyet another specialty of CDL. In fact, we have built all the LOs for ALMA."

Mitch Wharam, a technical specialist at NRAO, mounts an amplifier into a dewar for cryogenic testing. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF, S. Knighton

The development of Band 1 was led by Taiwan's Academic Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), with support of an international team comprised of NRAO, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Canada, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) in Taiwan, and the University of Chile. The University of Chile assisted with developing and producing optical elements for the Band 1 receivers, including lenses and horn antennas.

Previously, CDL developed ALMA's Band 6 receivers, which are sensitive to radio waves between 1.1 and 1.4 mm in length (frequencies between 211 to 275 GHz). Band 6 is one of the most scientifically productive receivers used on ALMA.

Explore further New radio receiver opens wider window to radio universe
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

While researchers have found that adding a shelter cat to the family can help lower stress and anxiety for children with autism, a new study at the University of Missouri shows that joining a family does wonders for the felines, too.

"It's not only important to examine how families of children with autism may benefit from these wonderful companion animals, but also if the relationship is stressful or burdensome for the shelter cats being adopted into a new, perhaps unpredictable environment," said Gretchen Carlisle, a research scientist at the MU Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI) in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. "In our study, we found the cats acclimated well to their new families and became significantly less stressed over time."

The findings, published Monday in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, highlight the mutual benefits of human-animal interaction and build off previous MU research that found pets may help reduce stress and anxiety for both children with autism and their parents.

Carlisle and her team monitored shelter cats for 18 weeks after being adopted by Missouri families with at least one child with autism. The cats were first screened using the Feline Temperament Profile to identify shelter cats with a calm and laid-back temperament. After families selected a cat that had passed the screening, researchers made home visits to check on the cats 2-3 days after adoption and then every six weeks for 18 weeks, to see how they acclimated to their newly adopted families.

"Cortisol is a stress measure we tracked through collecting samples of the cats' feces, and we noticed a significant decrease in cortisol over time," Carlisle said. "Cats also tend to lose weight due to not eating if they are stressed, but we found the cats actually gained a bit of weight initially after adoption and then maintained their weight as time went on, so both findings indicated the cats acclimated well."

Carlisle explained that children with autism may have sensitivity or sensory issues and occasional problem behaviors accompanied by loud, sudden outbursts. Because of those concerns, shelter cats that have been screened for a calm, easy-going temperament may increase the likelihood of a better long-term match for both the children and the cat.

"It's crucial to look after the welfare of the cats from a humanitarian standpoint, and this research also helps animal shelter staff overcome the financial and management hurdles that can result when cats are returned to shelters if there is not a good fit with the adopted family," Carlisle said. "Obviously, the shelters want to place all of their cats in homes, but some families may require a more specific fit, and using research-based, objective measurements for screening temperament may help increase the likelihood of successful, long-term matches. Our hope is that other scientists will build on the work of our exploratory study so shelter cats and families of children with autism might benefit."

"Exploratory study of fecal cortisol, weight and behavior as measures of stress and welfare in shelter cats during assimilation into families of children with autism spectrum disorder" was published Monday in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

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UIC researchers create a sustainable electrochemical system in which a solar cell is attached to a well holding a liquid solution. When charged, nitrates from wastewater in the liquid solution are converted to ammonia. Credit: Meenesh Singh/UIC

Engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago have created a solar-powered electrochemical reaction that not only uses wastewater to make ammoniathe second most-produced chemical in the worldbut also achieves a solar-to-fuel efficiency that is 10 times better than any other comparable technology.

Their findings are published in Energy & Environmental Science, a top journal for research at the intersection of energy delivery and environmental protections.

"This technology and our method have great potential for allowing on-demand synthesis of fertilizers and could have an immense impact on the agricultural and energy sectors in developed and developing countries, and on efforts to reduce greenhouse gases from fossil fuels," said lead researcher Meenesh Singh, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the UIC College of Engineering.

Ammonia, a combination of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms, is a key compound of fertilizers and many manufactured products, like plastics and pharmaceuticals. Current methods to make ammonia from nitrogen require enormous amounts of heat, generated by burning fossil fuels, to break the strong bonds between nitrogen atoms so they can bind to hydrogen. This century-old process produces a substantial fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, which are a driving force of climate change.

Previously, Singh and his colleagues developed an environmentally friendly method to make ammonia by filtering pure nitrogen gas through an electrically charged, catalyst-covered mesh screen in a water-based solution. This reaction used only a tiny amount of fossil fuel energy to electrify the screen, which breaks apart nitrogen atoms, but it produced more hydrogen gas (80%) than ammonia (20%).

Now, the researchers have improved this concept and developed a new method that uses nitrate, one of the most common groundwater contaminants, to supply nitrogen and sunlight to electrify the reaction. The system produces nearly 100% ammonia with nearly zero hydrogen gas side reactions. The reaction needs no fossil fuels and produces no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, and its use of solar power yields an unprecedented solar-to-fuel efficiency, or STF, of 11%, which is 10 times better than any other state-of-the-art system to produce ammonia (about 1% STF).

The new method hinges on a cobalt catalyst, which the researchers describe along with the new process in their paper, "Solar-Driven Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia using Nitrate with 11% Solar-to-Fuel Efficiency at Ambient Conditions."

UIC researchers describe their sustainable electrochemical system to convert wastewater nitrate to ammonia. Credit: Meenesh Singh/UIC

To identify the catalyst, the researchers first applied computational theory to predict which metal would work best. After identifying cobalt through these models, the team experimented with the metal, trying different ways to optimize its activity in the reaction. The researchers found that a rough cobalt surface derived from oxidation worked best to create a reaction that was selective, meaning it converted nearly all the nitrate molecules to ammonia.

"Finding an active, selective, and stable catalyst that worked in a solar-powered system is powerful proof that sustainable synthesis of ammonia at an industrial scale is possible," Singh said.

Not only is the reaction itself carbon-neutral, which is good for the environment, but if the system is developed for industrial use, it may also have an almost net-negative, restorative effect on the environment.

"Using wastewater nitrate means we also have to remove the contaminant from surface and groundwater. Over time, this means the process may simultaneously help correct for industrial waste and runoff water and rebalance the nitrogen cycle, particularly in rural areas which may experience economic disadvantages or bear the greatest risk from high exposure to excess nitrate," Singh said.

High exposure to nitrate through drinking water has been associated with health conditions like cancer, thyroid disease, preterm birth, and low birth weight.

"We are all very thrilled with this achievement, and we are not stopping here. We are hopeful that we will soon have a larger prototype with which we can test a much greater scale," said Singh, who is already collaborating with municipal corporations, wastewater treatment centers, and others in the industry on further developing the system.

A patent for the new process has been filed by the UIC Office of Technology Management.

Co-authors of the paper are Nishithan Kani and Aditya Parajapati of UIC, Joseph Gauthier of Texas Tech University, Jane Edgington and Linsey Seitz of Northwestern University, Isha Bordawekar of Warren Township High School, Windom Shields and Mitchell Shields of Worldwide Liquid Sunshine, and Aayush Singh of Dow Inc.

Explore further Researchers identify new process to produce ammonia with a much smaller carbon footprint

More information: Nishithan C. Kani et al, Solar-driven electrochemical synthesis of ammonia using nitrate with 11% solar-to-fuel efficiency at ambient conditions, Energy & Environmental Science (2021). Journal information: Energy & Environmental Science Nishithan C. Kani et al, Solar-driven electrochemical synthesis of ammonia using nitrate with 11% solar-to-fuel efficiency at ambient conditions,(2021). DOI: 10.1039/D1EE01879E
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Clear communication with the public about COVID-19 vaccines is important because vaccination remains the best way to prevent the spread of the virus, according to Texas A&M University crisis communications expert Timothy Coombs.

But from the start of the pandemic, a basic principle of crisis managementthat a message has to be consistent to be effectivehas not been followed, said Coombs, an organizational communication professor in the College of Liberal Arts' Department of Communication.

The federal government took a "hands-off approach," he said, leaving messaging up to states, cities, and even corporations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 51 percent of the United States population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The messages we get from many government entities are that they are thinking more about themselves and elections than they are thinking about public health and public safety," Coombs said. "If you look at the messages coming out from local communities, they're very good because they're focused on the communities, but when you start looking at the state and the national level, we get a lot of messages that are political as opposed to public health, which doesn't help. This is a time when people do need to be united and think about what's best for public health."

Coombs developed the situational crisis communication theory. To help organizations effectively responded to a crisis, the theory considers key factors such as the type of crisis, if there is a history of crisis, and how responsible people will consider the organization to be for the crisis. According to Coombs, the more responsible an organization is, the more it should focus on victims and others affected by the situation.

"It's good to apply this theory to the current pandemic and vaccine situation, because for health crises, the focus is on the victims and that's what it needs to be on," Coombs said. "For instance, corporations need to talk a lot about what they are doing to protect customers and protect employees. And all the government entities need to think, "How can we best reach everybody?" And that's a real dilemma for organizations and for these public health officials."

Another problem faced by public health officials: social media, a main source of information for many individuals, is better at spreading false information than facts, according to health communication professor Lu Tang.

"When we studied vaccine misinformation on Twitter, researchers found tweets containing vaccine misinformation are more than twice as likely to be retweeted than tweets containing correct information," Tang said. "This is because misinformation is usually sensational and looks interesting, while tweets containing correct information sound mainstream and non-interesting."

According to Tang, vaccine misinformation has been circulating online since the start of the internet and is more accessible to the public today than it was in the early 2000s. This is partially due to the fact that social media allows people to find like-minded individuals, mobilize, and advocate for their shared beliefs.

But Tang said social media has its benefits when it comes to informing the public about a crisis and possible solutions.

"Social media is a big part of our society these days, and we need to try and understand the mechanism of social media more so we can respond accordingly," Tang said. "We are not helpless. If we can find out enough about social media and their roles in promoting misinformation, fact, or combating misinformation, then things can be done, either by appealing to the corporate responsibility of those big companies, through legislation or through public opinion."

Tang also said some social media companies are becoming more aware of the roles their platforms play in spreading false information to the masses, and some are even taking steps to combat the spread of misinformation about health and vaccines.

According to both Coombs and Tang, social media should be depoliticized in order to effectively combat COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation. They also said there needs to be empathy involved when communicating with the public.

As the pandemic continues, communicators continue their endeavors to get the right messages out and to stop the spread of false information.

"One of the key lessons we need to take away from the COVID-19 experience is that we need to prepare ahead of time," Coombs said. "You have time prior to a crisis to think, "Who are my audiences, who are likely to resist?" You can respond more quickly that way. If I make those decisions after a crisis, I've lost time. If I make those decisions before a crisis, I save time. And in this case, time is lives, hundreds of thousands of lives within the United States."

Explore further Individualistic COVID-19 vaccine messages had best effect in US study
An image from storm surge models of Hurricane Ida developed using the ADCIRC Surge Guidance System (ASGS). Credit: Coastal Emergency Risks Assessment (CERA)

More than half of the U.S. population lives in coastal watershed counties or parishes. Coastal communities along the Gulf of Mexico are among the most heavily populatedalso a region where high concentrations of energy resources have made it a national hub for many large-scale carbon-to-capture storage facilities.

The proximity to the ocean of both local communities and energy infrastructures make both extremely vulnerable to the devastation that can be caused by flooding and wind damage from severe weather events in the Gulf, which are increasing in both frequency and intensity with every hurricane season.

Clint Dawson, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics (ASE/EM) and director of the Computational Hydraulics Group at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences at UT Austin, is working to make storm surge predictions for hurricanes more accurate than ever. Thanks to a new grant from the Department of Energy (DOE), Dawson will lead an interdisciplinary research project to develop a computational "digital twin" framework that bridges the gap between multi-physics simulations and knowledge discovery through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, called MuSiKAL.

Simply put, a digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its entire lifecycle through regular real-time data updates provided by sensors spread across the object or system. Using simulations, machine learning and other decision-making technologies, digital twins can help predict future performance and behavior.

Dawson's team has been modeling storm surge predictions for two decades, from Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Ike and Harvey to this season's biggest storm to date, Hurricane Ida. And the storm surge expert will be the first to tell you that each brings its own set of unique characteristics. But lessons can still be learned from each that could inform future responses.

Currently when a hurricane model is running, measurements are being collected at very discreet placesalong the coastline and in the ocean, for examplebut these points don't represent every point in every region that might be impacted.

"We need to have a model that provides additional information. If we have that data available to use, it can better inform the models we are currently running," Dawson said. "And then we can go back and compare the models to the data for a more accurate picture."

Digital twins have already been developed for a variety of situationsfrom modern aircraft design to systems assisting in the management of entire cities. In the context of extreme weather modeling, the tech could enable even faster predictions of storm behavior in real-time by combining knowledge about previous storms with the aid of AI and ML.

"These models are very complex and can take hours to simulate on a supercomputer. If we can use machine learning based on data that's been collected from prior hurricanes that are very similar, then we could perhaps give faster predictions in real-time," Dawson said.

Through the Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program the DOE will support a collaborative team of experimental and computational scientists from the University of Texas at Austin, Louisiana State University, the University of Notre Dame and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. They will be led by Dawson alongside fellow ASE/EM professor and Oden Institute core faculty member, Tan Bui-Thanh.

Other UT experts participating include Bridget Scanlon and Alexander Sun from UT's Bureau of Economic Geology and Dev Niyogi and Zong-Liang Yang from the Jackson School of Geosciences.

The DOE has recently been investing in the development of Earth system models for climate research. Dawson said he looks forward to working on research that is directly related to climate predictions.

"I think this is going to be a groundbreaking project, and aligns well with the expertise we've been building up for 20 years," Dawson said. "Connecting with the Department of Energy to develop longer scale projections of what's going to happen to the energy sector and to society as a whole because of future climate is very exciting."

The Department of Energy's fund for Integrated Computational and Data Infrastructure for Science Research will provide $5.2 million overall to the project with UT Austin receiving $3 million.

Explore further Using machine learning and radar to better understand storm surge risk

More information: Coastal Emergency Risks Assessment page Coastal Emergency Risks Assessment page cera.coastalrisk.live/

Provided by Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences
This Sept. 1, 2021, screen grab provided by the Allen Coral Atlas shows a map of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: Allen Coral Atlas via AP

Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe.

The Allen Coral Atlas, named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change.

The group announced completion of the atlas Wednesday and said it is the first global, high-resolution map of its kind. It gives users the ability to see detailed information about local reefs, including different types of submarine structure like sand, rocks, seagrass and, of course, coral.

The maps, which include areas up to 50 feet (15 meters) deep, are being used to inform policy decisions about marine protected areas, spatial planning for infrastructure such as docks and seawalls and upcoming coral restoration projects.

"Our biggest contribution in this achievement is that we have a uniform mapping of the entire coral reef biome," said Greg Asner, managing director of the Atlas and director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation.

In this August 2018 photo provided by the Allen Coral Atlas, a shark swims on a reef in Ailinginae Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: Greg Asner/Allen Coral Atlas via AP

Asner said they relied on a network of hundreds of field contributors who gave them local information about reefs so that they could program their satellites and software to focus on the right areas.

"And that lets us bring the playing field up to a level where decisions can be made at a bigger scale because so far decisions have been super localized," Asner said. "If you don't know what you've got more uniformly, how would the U.N. ever play a real role? How would a government that has an archipelago with 500 islands make a uniform decision?"

The atlas also includes a coral bleaching monitor to check for corals that are stressed due to global warming and other factors.

Asner said about three quarters of the world's reefs had not previously been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, and many not at all.

In this December 2019 photo provided by the Allen Coral Atlas, Alexandra Ordonez Alvarez, from University of Queensland, collects georeferenced data on the Great Barrier Reef's Ashmore Bank in Australia. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: Chris Roelfsema/Allen Coral Atlas via AP

The project began in 2017 when Allen's company, Vulcan Inc., was working with Ruth Gates, a Hawaii researcher whose idea of creating " super coral " for reef restoration was funded by the philanthropic foundation.

Gates and Vulcan brought in Asner because of his work with the Global Airborne Observatory that had been mapping reefs in Hawaii at the time.

Allen, who said he wanted to help save the world's coral reefs, liked the idea of using technology to visualize data, so Gates connected the group with a satellite company called Planet, and Allen funded the project for about $9 million.

The University of Queensland in Australia used artificial intelligence technology and local reference data to generate the layers on the atlas. Anyone can view the maps for free online.

Both Allen and Gates passed away in 2018, leaving Asner and others to carry on their work.

In this Sept. 13, 2019, file photo, Greg Asner, managing director of the Allen Coral Atlas at Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, reviews ocean temperature data at his lab on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File

In this August 2018 photo provided by the Allen Coral Atlas, fish swim on a reef at Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: Greg Asner/Allen Coral Atlas via AP

In this Sept. 13, 2019, file photo, Greg Asner, left, managing director of the Allen Coral Atlas at the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science at Arizona State University, prepares to dive on a coral reef off the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas was named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change. Credit: AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File

"Ruth would be so pleased, wouldn't she?" Asner said. "She would just be tickled that this is really happening."

He said about a third of the calls he is getting are from researchers who hope to use the maps to "be sure that their planning and their reef restoration work is going to have its max efficacy."

When Gates found out she was sick, she selected friend and colleague Helen Fox from the National Geographic Society to help communicate with conservation groups about how to use the tool.

"It really was a global effort," said Fox, who is now the conservation science director for Coral Reef Alliance. "There were huge efforts in terms of outreach and helping people be aware of the tool and the potential scientific and conservation value."

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that about three quarters of the world's reefs had not previously been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, not one third.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A woman walks past a partial replica of the Earth during the IUCN congress in Marseille, southern France.

The world's most influential conservation congress, meeting in Marseille, will vote starting Wednesday on motions to protect and restore nature, including several that are mired in controversy.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not set global policy, but its recommendations have in the past served as the backbone for UN treaties and conventions, and will help set the agenda for upcoming UN summits on food systems, biodiversity and climate change.

Safeguarding the Amazon

An umbrella organisation representing more than two million indigenous peoples across nine South American nations has called for 80 percent of the Amazon basin to be declared a protected area by 2025.

Over the last two decades, the Amazon has lost roughly 10,000 square kilometres every year to deforestation, much of it through fires set deliberately to clear land for commercial agriculture or cattle grazing.

This destruction combined with climate change, scientists have warned, could push the world's largest tropical forest irretrievably past a "tipping point" into a savannah-like landscape.

"That's the emergency, not just for us but for humanity," Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal, a leader of the Curripaco people in Venezuela, told AFP.

'Protected areas'

One of the most hotly debated motions calls for designating at least 30 percent of the planet's land and water surface as protected areas. Many scientists and conservationists advocate for a more ambitious "half-Earth" target, and point out that any such areas will be meaningless if not backed up by rigorous monitoring and enforcement.

A similar proposal is at the heart of a draft UN treatyslated for completion next year at a biodiversity summit in Kunming, Chinato halt and reverse the destruction of nature, especially the accelerating loss of wild plants and animals.

The pace at which species are going extinct is 100 to 1,000 times the normal "background" rate, a widely accepted threshold for the kind of mass-extinction event that has only occurred five times in the last half-billion years.

Deep-sea mining

The IUCN's 1,400 membersgovernment agencies, NGOs and indigenous people's organisationsmust also decide whether to recommend a moratorium on deep sea mining and reform of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a intergovernmental regulatory body.

Industry says unattached rocks on the ocean floor some five kilometres below the waves are a greener source of mineralsmanganese, cobalt, nickelneeded to build electric vehicle batteries. Scientists counter that seabed ecosystems at that depth are fragile, and could take decades or longer to heal once disrupted.

NGOs tracking the discussion in contact groups Wednesday said several countriesincluding Germany, which sits on the ISA Councilwere indicating support for the ban.

Climate change commission?

The major drivers of species decline and extinction are habitat loss, hunting for food, poaching for animal parts, invasive species and environmental pollution.

But climate change is starting to loom large as a threat to wildlife, and a motion on the table would see the creation of a climate change commission within the IUCN.

"We would bring together the world's experts on climate change to help shape the agenda around species," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the IUCN's Red List Unit.

Some governments might object that such a commission would duplicate the work of other UN bodies dedicated to climate issues, he said.

Explore further Conservation meet mulls plan to protect 80% of Amazon

 2021 AFP
The model plant thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) in the greenhouse. Credit: University of Tubingen

Like animals, plants need to be on a constant lookout to recognize and respond to invasion by microbes. Plant immunity consists of two branchesthe initial defense begins with the detection of invaders by receptors at the cell surface, while a second alarm pathway is triggered by receptors within the cell.

Recently, evidence has been mounting that these branches of the plant immune system, previously thought to be separate, may be connected. Now an international research team headed by Professor Thorsten Nurnberger of the Center for Plant Molecular Biology at the University of Tubingen and by Professor Jane Parker of the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne has found evidence for the link. The team has discovered components that are involved in the signaling pathways of both branches.

Good immune defenses and the development of strong resistance to harmful microbes are important in plant breeding and crop production. The team's findings, which could lead to a new model of the plant immune system, have been published in Nature.

Compared with animal and human immune systems, the plant immune system is less well understood. Plant immunity is activated when special receptors on the surface of plant cells bind typical structures of microbial pathogens and recognize them. "This surveillance system usually triggers only a weak and non-specific immune response," says Dr. Rory Pruitt, first author of the study from Nurnberger's research group. Often, despite the defense, the pathogen can smuggle proteinsknown as effectorsinto the plant cells. Many of these effectors are designed to switch off plant cell defenses.

Pathogens stopped in their tracks

The second signaling pathway and branch of the immune system relies on the plant's recognition of the effectors; this fully engages the plant's defense system. "In most cases, it is this second line of defense that leads to major responses," Pruitt explains, "The plant sends the infected cells into programmed cell death, and lesions form in the leaf. The pathogens cannot spread further, and the infection is brought under control," says Pruitt.

When the research team used the model plant thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) to break down the two signaling pathways into as many detailed individual reactions as possible in the laboratory, unexpected overlaps between the two signaling pathways emerged. When certain components previously attributed to effector recognition in the second branch of the immune system were missing, the first signaling branch also failed to function in the recognition of microbial patterns at the cell surface.

"The two branches of the immune system converge in one node," says Thorsten Nurnberger. To incorporate the new findings into current models of the plant immune system, "we have to ask completely new questions," says Pruitt. It is still unclear how the components of the system interact in the activation of the two different levels of defense.

Parallels with human and animal system

It might also be worth taking a look at the better-researched immune system of humans and mammals. Plants lack the acquired immune response via antibodies which animals have. But there are parallels between the human/animal immune system and the plant system. "In the signaling pathways, astonishing similarities have been discovered in the chemical composition of the substances involved and in the molecular mechanisms," says Pruitt.

However, the reactions triggered in the further course of the immune response are very different in plants and animals, he says. Plant immune defense, Pruitt says, is a fundamental area of research for developing varieties optimized for different purposes for crop production and the control of plant diseases.

Explore further Two plant immune branches more intimately connected than previously believed

More information: Rory N. Pruitt et al, The EDS1-PAD4-ADR1 node mediates Arabidopsis pattern-triggered immunity, Nature (2021). Journal information: Nature Rory N. Pruitt et al, The EDS1-PAD4-ADR1 node mediates Arabidopsis pattern-triggered immunity,(2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03829-0
Powdered feldspar. Credit: Dr Hong Peng

Researchers have discovered a way to use mining waste as part of a potential cheaper catalyst for hydrogen fuel production.

Water splitting reactions that produce hydrogen are triggered using rare platinum ($1450/ounce), iridium ($1370/ounce) and ruthenium ($367/ounce), or cheaper but less active metalscobalt ($70,000/ton), nickel ($26,000/ton) and iron ($641/ton).

Professor Ziqi Sun from the QUT School of Chemistry and Physics and QUT Centre for Materials Science and Dr. Hong Peng from the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland led research to create a new catalyst using only a small amount of these reactive metals.

They combined them with feldspars, aluminosilicate rock minerals found in mining waste that Professor Sun said some companies pay about $30/ton to dispose of.

In the experiment, featured on the August cover of Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research, the researchers triggered a water splitting reaction using heated-activated feldspars nanocoated with only 12 percent of the cheaper reactive metals.

"Water splitting involves two chemical reactionsone with the hydrogen atom and one with the oxygen atomto cause them to separate," Professor Sun said.

"This new nanocoated material triggered the oxygen evolution reaction, which controls the overall efficiency of the whole water splitting process," he said.

Professor Sun said cobalt-coated feldspar was most efficient and optimizing the new catalysts could see them outperform raw metals or even match the superior efficiency of platinum metals.

He said the new catalyst could also potentially lower the cost of lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries and other sustainable energy solutions that relied on electrochemical conversions.

"This research could potentially add to Australia's renewable energy value chain by repurposing mining waste and adding new technologies to traditional industries.

"Companies like Tesla could potentially use this technology for energy production, advanced energy storage solutions like new battery technologies, and renewable fuel," he said.

Researchers are now looking to test the catalysts at pilot scale.

"Australia's abundance of aluminosilicate and the simplicity of this modification process should make industrial scale production of this new catalyst easy to achieve," Professor Sun said.

Feldspars make up about 60 percent of the Earth's crust, according to Professor Sun, whose previous research activated feldspars for use as potential low-cost anodes in Li-Ion storage.

He said the aluminosilicates were chemically inert, but heat caused defects that were useful for chemical reactions and electron transport.

Joining Professor Sun and Dr. Peng were other researchers from the QUT Centre for Materials Science including Professor Godwin Ayoko, Dr. Jun Mei and Dr. Juan Bai from the QUT Faculty of Science, and Associate Professor Liao Ting from the QUT Faculty of Engineering.

Professor Sun and Dr. Peng are both focused on developing materials for emerging sustainable technologies.

Dr. Peng is an expert in utilizing clay minerals and mine tailings for functional materials through low-cost mineral processing technology.

He said the mining industry produced tons of waste material each year that Australia could be using for sustainable technologies.

"Aluminosilicate is commonly found in various mining tailings and is so cheap that mining companies would normally pay to dispose of it," Dr. Peng said.

Explore further Scientists find cheaper way to make hydrogen energy out of water

More information: Jun Mei et al, In Situ Growth of Transition Metal Nanoparticles on Aluminosilicate Minerals for Oxygen Evolution, Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research (2021). Jun Mei et al, In Situ Growth of Transition Metal Nanoparticles on Aluminosilicate Minerals for Oxygen Evolution,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/aesr.202170018
Credit: University of Tsukuba

Iconic tyrannosauroids like T. rex famously dominated the top of the food web at the end of the reign of the dinosaurs. But they didn't always hold that top spot.

In a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, a research team led by the University of Tsukuba has described a new genus and species belonging to the Carcharodontosauria, a group of medium- to large-sized carnivorous dinosaurs that preceded the tyrannosauroids as apex predators.

The new dinosaur, named Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, was found in the lower Upper Cretaceous Bissekty Formation of the Kyzylkum Desert in Uzbekistan, and therefore lived about 90 million years ago. Two separate evolutionary analyses support classification of the new dinosaur as the first definitive carcharodontosaurian discovered in the Upper Cretaceous of Central Asia.

"We described this new genus and species based on a single isolated fossil, a left maxilla, or upper jawbone," explains study first author Assistant Professor Kohei Tanaka. "Among theropod dinosaurs, the size of the maxilla can be used to estimate the animal's size because it correlates with femur length, a well-established indicator of body size. Thus, we were able to estimate that Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis had a mass of over 1,000 kg, and was approximately 7.5 to 8.0 meters in length, greater than the length of a full-grown African elephant."

This size greatly exceeds that of any other carnivore known from the Bissekty Formation, including the small-sized tyrannosauroid Timurlengia described from the same formation. Therefore, the newly named dinosaur likely topped the food web in its early Late Cretaceous ecosystem.

The genus's namesake is fittingly regal; Ulughbegsaurus is named for Ulugh Beg, the 15th century mathematician, astronomer, and sultan of the Timurid Empire of Central Asia. The species is named for the country where the fossil was discovered.

Before the Late Cretaceous, carcharodontosaurians like Ulughbegsaurus disappeared from the paleocontinent that included Central Asia. This disappearance is thought to have been related to the rise of tyrannosauroids as apex predators, but this transition has remained poorly understood because of the scarcity of relevant fossils.

Senior author Professor Yoshitsugu Kobayashi at the Hokkaido University Museum explains "The discovery of Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis fills an important gap in the fossil record, revealing that carcharodontosaurians were widespread across the continent from Europe to East Asia. As one of the latest surviving carcharodontosaurians in Laurasia, this large predator's coexistence with a smaller tyrannosauroid reveals important constraints on the transition of the apex predator niche in the Late Cretaceous."

Explore further Meet Siamraptor suwati, a new species of giant predatory dinosaur from Thailand

More information: Kohei Tanaka et al, A new carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur occupies apex predator niche in the early Late Cretaceous of Uzbekistan, Royal Society Open Science (2021). Journal information: Royal Society Open Science Kohei Tanaka et al, A new carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur occupies apex predator niche in the early Late Cretaceous of Uzbekistan,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210923
Fossil marine algae and plant cuticle. Credit: University of Oslo

The Permian extinction, also called Permian-Triassic extinction or end-Permian extinction is the most severe biodiversity loss in Earth's history. According to Britannica, this extinction was characterized by the elimination of over 95 percent of marine and 70 percent of terrestrial species.

"For a period of time the whole planet was overheated and that quite likely contributed to this major killing of life on our planet," says Professor Wolfram M. Kurschner at the University of Oslo.

The trigger of this event has been controversial, but a new study by Kurschner and colleagues, published today in PNAS, shows how a massive and rapid increase in CO 2 caused by volcanism may have influence the climate and marine and terrestrial ecosystems 252 million years ago.

"For a couple of years we have had good evidence for a dramatic temperature rise associated with the mass extinction. Until now we had only a limited understanding of the causes," Kurschner says to Titan.uio.no.

Earth system modeling and carbon isotope records

The study has made calculations of the changes in the global carbon cycle by using an Earth system model. The model is fed with new compound specific carbon isotope records suggest that this massive release of carbon is a result of Siberian Traps volcanism. The carbon isotope record is dated by using astronomical cycles in order to better asses the rates of changes.

The biomarkers used for the carbon isotope analyses were lipids extracted from organic matter. This organic matter was produced by marine algae and land plants trapped in sedimentary rocks on the Finnmark Platform north of Norway.

"Until now it was difficult to pinpoint the source, the amount and the rate of the carbon released to the atmosphere. Our new model calculations suggest that the main source of carbon is mainly of volcanic origin as different carbon sources have very different carbon isotope signatures," Kurschner explains.

The model calculations were further improved by including recent studies of seawater acidity (pH) based boron isotopes.

"Our calculations show that two major pulses of volcanic CO 2 release are the main source for the rise in atmospheric CO 2 . It increased from about 400 ppmv to about 10.000 ppmv and thereby caused the very dramatic temperature rise at the time of end-Permian mass extinction event," Kurschner says.

The sixth mass extinction and modern anthropogenic climate change

Human presence has contributed to a huge loss biological diversity. It is by some called the sixth mass extinction. Climate changes plays an important part, but also for example the environmental pollution and the destruction of rain forests.

Kurschner thinks what happened more than 250 million years ago is highly relevant to the present-day climate change, despite being from the far geological past and being of a different magnitude.

"This event in the geological history can be used to better understand the effects of the current anthropogenic climate change, or as we geologist say: The past is the key to understand the future."

Even if we stop using fossil fuels right now, the rise in atmospheric CO 2 will still continue for the next decades before it levels out.

"This has an impact already now on our present climate as we have seen this summer with extreme weather conditions, for example the heavy rainfall and flooding in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands, and the extreme heat and drought in southern Europe."

"The effects will not be of such an extreme order as it was 250 million years ago, but it will absolutely influence the climate and the ecosystems on our planet," Kurschner says.

Explore further Researchers find oxygen spike coincided with ancient global extinction

More information: Ying Cui et al, Massive and rapid predominantly volcanic CO2 emission during the end-Permian mass extinction, PNAS September 14, 2021. Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Ying Cui et al, Massive and rapid predominantly volcanic CO2 emission during the end-Permian mass extinction,September 14, 2021. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014701118
Terrestrial birds are capable of flying for hundreds of kilometers over the open sea. Nourani et al. show that the autumn migration trajectories of some of these birds correspond with uplift over the sea surface. Suitable uplift means less drag, making sea-crossing less energetically demanding. Moreover, strong uplift can allow the birds to soar. Credit: Elham Nourani / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and University of Konstanz in Germany have identified how large land birds fly nonstop for hundreds of kilometers over the open oceanwithout taking a break for food or rest. Using GPS tracking technology, the team monitored the global migration of five species of large land birds that complete long sea crossings. They found that all birds exploited wind and uplift to reduce energy costs during flighteven adjusting their migratory routes to benefit from the best atmospheric conditions. This is the most wide-ranging study of sea-crossing behavior yet and reveals the important role of the atmosphere in facilitating migration over the open sea for many terrestrial birds.

Flying over the open sea can be dangerous for land birds. Unlike seabirds, land birds are not able to rest or feed on water, and so sea crossings must be conducted as nonstop flights. For centuries, bird-watchers assumed that large land birds only managed short sea crossings of less than 100 kilometers and completely avoided flying over the open ocean.

However, recent advances in GPS tracking technology have overturned that assumption. Data obtained by attaching small tracking devices on wild birds has shown that many land birds fly for hundreds or even thousands of kilometers over the open seas and oceans as a regular part of their migration.

But scientists are still unraveling how land birds are able to accomplish this. Flapping is an energetically costly activity, and trying to sustain nonstop flapping flight for hundreds of kilometers would not be possible for large, heavy land birds. Some studies have suggested that birds sustain such journeys using tailwind, a horizontal wind blowing in the bird's direction of flight, which helps them save energy. Most recently, a study revealed that a single speciesthe ospreyused rising air thermals known as "uplift" to soar over the open sea.

Now, the new study has examined sea-crossing behavior of 65 birds across five species to gain the most wide-ranging insight yet into how land birds survive long flights over the open sea. The researchers analyzed 112 sea-crossing tracks, collected over nine years, with global atmospheric information to pinpoint the criteria that the birds use for selecting their migration routes over the open sea. A large international collaboration of scientists shared their tracking data to make this study possible.

A dark morph Eleonora's falcon flying off Alegranza islet in the Atlantic Ocean. Despite being powerful flyers, Nourani et al. show that falcons are highly selective of supportive winds during trans-oceanic migration. Credit: Wouter Vansteelant

The findings not only confirm the role of tailwind in facilitating sea-crossing behavior, but also reveal the widespread use of uplift for saving energy during these nonstop flights. Suitable uplift means less drag, making sea crossing less energetically demanding.

"Until recently, uplift was assumed to be weak or absent over the sea surface. We show that is not the case," says first author Elham Nourani, a DAAD PRIME postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Biology at the University of Konstanz, who did the work when she was at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.

"Instead, we find that migratory birds adjust their flight routes to benefit from the best wind and uplift conditions when they fly over the sea. This helps them sustain flight for hundreds of kilometers," says Nourani.

The oriental honey buzzard, for example, flies 700 kilometers over the East China Sea during its annual migration from Japan to southeast Asia. The roughly 18-hour nonstop sea crossing is conducted in autumn when the air movement conditions are optimal. "By making use of uplift, these birds can soar up to one kilometer above the sea surface," says Nourani.

The study also raises the question of how migration will be affected by a changing climate. "Our findings show that many land birds are dependent on atmospheric support to complete their migrations over the open sea, indicating their vulnerability to any changes to the Earth's atmospheric circulation patterns," says Nourani. "Collaborative studies like this are important to unravel general patterns about how migratory birds depend on the weather patterns. This enables future studies to make robust predictions about how these birds will be impacted by climate change."

Explore further Study examines flight performance in the heaviest soaring birds

More information: Elham Nourani et al, The interplay of wind and uplift facilitates over-water flight in facultative soaring birds, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Elham Nourani et al, The interplay of wind and uplift facilitates over-water flight in facultative soaring birds,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1603
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope from Greenbelt, MD, USA, CC BY 2.0

NASA plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit Dec. 18, 2021, to serve as the premier deep space observatory for the next decade.

The agency set the new target launch date in coordination with Arianespace after Webb recently and successfully completed its rigorous testing regimen  a major turning point for the mission. The new date also follows Arianespace successfully launching an Ariane 5 rocket in late July and scheduling a launch that will precede Webb. The July launch was the first for an Ariane 5 since August 2020.

Webb, an international program led by NASA with its partners ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency, will launch on an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America. ESA is providing the Ariane 5.

The highly complex space telescope is currently resting in its final stow configuration at Northrop Grumman's facilities in Redondo Beach, California.

"Webb is an exemplary mission that signifies the epitome of perseverance," said Gregory L. Robinson, Webb's program director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "I am inspired by our dedicated team and our global partnerships that have made this incredible endeavor possible. Together, we've overcome technical obstacles along the way as well as challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. I also am grateful for the steadfast support of Congress. Now that we have an observatory and a rocket ready for launch, I am looking forward to the big day and the amazing science to come."

The Webb team is preparing for shipment operations, during which the observatory will undergo final closeout procedures and packing for its journey to the launch site. The major elements of the Ariane 5 rocket that will carry Webb into space have safely arrived in Kourou, French Guiana, from Europe.

The Webb telescope's revolutionary technology will explore every phase of cosmic history  from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe, and everything in between. Webb will reveal new and unexpected discoveries, and help humankind understand the origins of the universe and our place in it.

Explore further Webb completes testing and prepares for trip to Europe's Spaceport

More information: Mission information: Mission information: www.webb.nasa.gov
Comparison of cellulosic emulsion and microcrystalline cellulose hydrolysis kinetics. The conversion of cellulose was compared using a 0.6% cellulose emulsion and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) at four temperatures and an enzyme load of 53 FPU/g substrate. Data is shown as the mean values and error bars represent the standard deviation of three replicates. Credit: DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02008-7

Princeton researchers have developed a new way to make fuel from celluloseEarth's most abundant organic compound, found in all plant cellsspeeding up a notoriously slow chemical process and in some cases doubling energy yields over comparable methods.

Their platform uses a recently developed cellulose emulsion that makes it easier to metabolize the compound into other chemicals. Combining that emulsion with engineered microbes and a light-based genetic tool, the team showed that they could more efficiently make biofuels from cellulose.

A paper published July 17 in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels demonstrates the platform's performance with both ethanol, the current leading biofuel, and isobutanol, a biofuel that improves on ethanol as a drop-in gasoline replacement and can also provide the base for jet fuel. In both cases, the new method substantially improved speeds of production and yields compared to untreated cellulose.

"The main challenge is that cellulose is very hard to process. It first has to be broken down into individual sugar molecules before it can be turned into fuel," said Shannon Hoffman, a graduate student in chemical and biological engineering and one of the study's lead authors. "Our paper shows a new and more effective way to break down the cellulose for use in biofuel production."

Cellulosic biomass has long been seen as a key ingredient in curbing greenhouse gas emissions, providing the feedstock for a renewable and clean-burning transportation fuel. The U.S. Department of Energy has conducted a series of studies showing that at least one billion tons of biomass could be sustainably harvested each year in the United States without disrupting forests or food production to produce biofuels, largely from cellulose. But current processes that convert that cellulose to simple sugars for fuel production have faced economic challenges, due in part to slow conversion rates and inefficiencies.

This study shows a new approach. Instead of starting with cellulose crystals, the team started with emulsions of pre-treated cellulose, recently developed at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The emulsion makes it easier for enzymes to break tough cellulose chains into single glucose molecules and simultaneously feed that glucose to genetically engineered yeast for fermentation. And using light, the team controlled the yeasts' output, switching between metabolic pathways to optimize for the desired product.

In the first hour of cellulose digestion, their platform worked around 40 times faster than the untreated crystal cellulose. With isobutanol, it was up to four times faster overall and twice as productive.

While this study doesn't address all impediments to commercial viability, the results demonstrate a promising new direction in the quest to make advanced biofuels from dedicated energy crops and agricultural residues such as the stubble left in a field after harvest.

"If we want to reach the Paris Agreement goals of keeping global warming below 1.5 C, we need to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Even with optimistic electrification rates of cars and trucks, there's a gap to eliminate fossil fuels from transportation in that time period," said the study's principal investigator Jose Avalos, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. "We're going to need a sustainable, low carbon-emissions fuel to fill that gap. And then there are of course airplanes, which we don't expect we'll be able to electrify by 2050. So we are going to need sustainable biofuels for the foreseeable future."

Explore further New solvents to break down plant cellulose for bioethanol

More information: Shannon M. Hoffman et al, Cellulosic biofuel production using emulsified simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (eSSF) with conventional and thermotolerant yeasts, Biotechnology for Biofuels (2021). Journal information: Biotechnology for Biofuels Shannon M. Hoffman et al, Cellulosic biofuel production using emulsified simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (eSSF) with conventional and thermotolerant yeasts,(2021). DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02008-7
Researchers from the University of Leeds sent SSRL specialized equipment, which they used to study how detergents crystalize. The closest they came to setting foot inside a hutch at SSRL was remote images like this one, which they viewed from England. Credit: Thomas Barber/University of Leeds

Researchers at the University of Leeds deepened their understanding of a synthetic detergent without ever setting foot in the lab where their experiments took place.

By running remote experiments at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, researchers at the University of Leeds have advanced their research into the complex molecular structure of soaps.

Faidat Braimoh and Thomas Barber, graduate students in the university's School of Chemical and Process Engineering, wanted to carry out the experiments on the detergent sodium lauroyl isethionate to better understand how it crystalizes as it cools after being exposed to varying temperatures over different amounts of time. Such research could aid the design of more effective detergents, the researchers said.

But when Braimoh, Barber and their advisers, Leeds faculty David Harbottle and Kevin Roberts, conducted experiments using local facilities, they could tell something was happening that their equipment was not quite sensitive enough to discern. They would need, they realized, to collect data more rapidly to achieve their goals.

With that in mind, the team turned to SLAC's Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), one of the few facilities in the world that could collect data rapidly enough to meet the team's needsand where it was possible to do so without ever crossing the Atlantic.

Plus, Harbottle said, they already had a good working relationship with SSRL scientists. "Honestly, we like the team out there. They are very supportive. In this time when we're remote because of the pandemic, it's been very helpful."

So, Barber said, they packed up samples of their detergent solution along with special equipment for precisely controlling the temperature of the material and sent them off to California.

Once the samples and equipment arrived, SSRL scientists installed them into an X-ray beamline designed to rapidly capture data on how materials change over time as conditions, such as temperature, evolve. Then, Braimoh and Barber controlled their experiments from Leeds with SSRL-designed software that allows researchers to do most of the experimental work remotely.

"The SSRL team was extremely helpful and went above and beyond to support our team," Braimoh said. "We were given the full access and control needed to carry out the research. The level of training and support we received means we were well prepared to hit the ground running while continuing the research in a remote setting."

Barber agreed. "Achieving the level of accuracy and precision needed to run the experiments required exceptional communication, as well as the ability to adapt to the inevitable challenges incurred by COVID-19.

"Overcoming challenges sparked by the pandemic strengthened our ability to communicate and work with SSRL to carry out research that otherwise would not have been possible with international travel restrictions."
An analysis of 31 million iNaturalist records from the app's founding through 2019 found users are most active on weekends in the spring and summer months. They also tend to upload photos of organisms in or around urban areas. The findings help inform scientists who use data from the app in research. Credit: Jerald Pinson/Florida Museum of Natural History

Scientists analyzed more than 31 million iNaturalist records in a new study to find out who most often uses the popular nature app and what types of observations they submit. iNaturalist allows anyone with a phone or camera and an Internet connection to upload and identify photos of plants and animals anywhere in the world.

By examining all available iNaturalist observations from its launch in 2008 through 2019, a team of researchers found users were most active on weekends during the spring and summer months, often in or around urban areas. This was reflected in the types of animals and plants they captured.

"We wanted to know how iNaturalist data is distributed and what biases we need to be aware of when we're using it to analyze patterns of biodiversity," said lead author Grace Di Cecco, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Scientists are increasingly tapping into iNaturalist's massive cache of biological data to take the pulse of a changing planet. Information gleaned from the platform has contributed to more than 1,400 studies.

"We're able to look at patterns across time and space in ways we never could have done before, like how urbanization affects when plants start producing leaves or the length of the growing season," said study co-author Robert Guralnick, curator of biodiversity informatics at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Monarch butterflies topped iNaturalist's list of most-uploaded species, based on records from 2008-2019. Credit: Kristen Grace/Florida Museum of Natural History

With over 73,000 records, the most observed species on iNaturalist was the monarch butterfly, which regularly passes through urban areas during its annual migration. Western honeybees came in at a close second, with over 70,000 observations. Most of the remaining top 10 finalists were birds, including common favorites such as Canada geese, mallards and red-tailed hawks. The sole mammal to make the list, the eastern gray squirrel, came in 10th place, with just over 40,000 sightings.

"The organisms that do really well in urban areas were the winners," said co-author Michael Belitz, a doctoral student at the Florida Museum. "Less represented are the habitat specialists in areas that are harder to get to and where there are fewer people to make observations."

Highly active users primarily posted observations of plants and insects, likely because they're common in most environments and relatively easy to photograph, said Di Cecco. Large animals, many of which are inactive during the day, were among the least-documented organisms, along with small and fast-flying insects.

There were also stark differences in the number of photos and identifications submitted by users. Just 1% of the more than 1.7 million people with registered iNaturalist accounts uploaded more than 60% of the platform's observations.

"There are a huge number of people who are involved in iNaturalist, but there is also this core group of dedicated users who are providing tons of really high-quality data," Di Cecco said.

Great blue herons were among the top 10 most-uploaded species on iNaturalist, along with great egrets, Canada geese, mallards and red-tailed hawks. Credit: Jeff Gage/Florida Museum of Natural History

This isn't necessarily bad, said senior author Allen Hurlbert, a professor in the department of biology at UNC Chapel Hill: "If a million people each submit even just one observation, that's still a bunch of data."

While the researchers capped their analysis in December 2019, the number of iNaturalist users and observations has continued to skyrocket. Between January 2020 and July of this year, the number of observations more than doubled, jumping from the 31 million records analyzed in this study to more than 78 million.

"iNaturalist has grown exponentially by word-of-mouth because people recognize the power of the global community of expertise and the importance of the data we collectively generate," said Carrie Seltzer, iNaturalist's stakeholder engagement strategist.

With so much information at their disposal, researchers are constantly coming up with innovative ways to get the most out of each digital byte, allowing users to directly contribute to and hasten the pace of scientific discovery. Guralnick and his colleagues at the Florida Museum have used iNaturalist data to study how climate change and urbanization affect flowering time in plants and whether their associated pollinators are able to keep pace.

"It's not just about the individual species or the individual groups like birds, plants or insects. It's how that all works together," Guralnick said.

More information: Grace J Di Cecco et al, Observing the Observers: How Participants Contribute Data to iNaturalist and Implications for Biodiversity Science, BioScience (2021). Journal information: BioScience Grace J Di Cecco et al, Observing the Observers: How Participants Contribute Data to iNaturalist and Implications for Biodiversity Science,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab093
An illustration showing some of the hazards that the new Centre for Space Domain Awareness will investigate. Credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick

New ways of tackling the threat that space junk in our skies poses are being explored by University of Warwick scientists, as they pioneer new research that could help the UK fulfill its ambition to become a responsible spacefaring nation.

Scientists at a new Center for Space Domain Awareness are to focus attention on threats to the technology filling the skies above our heads in anticipation of a huge expansion in the number of satellites that provide vital services such as communications, navigation and Earth observation.

The University of Warwick is launching the Center for Space Domain Awareness to create a critical mass of research that tackles the growing threats to technology in Earth orbit. From the space junk that could collide with orbiting satellites, to the solar winds that could interfere with their electronics, the researchers at the new Center will pioneer new work to understand and characterize the near-Earth environment to support scientific, commercial, governmental and military applications.

Supported by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and UKSA, the new Center for Space Domain Awareness will be the first research center in the UK dedicated to investigating the sustainable use of the near-Earth environment. The Center is launched today (8 September) at the annual meeting of GNOSIS (The Global Network on Sustainability in Space), a Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) network of scientists and representatives from industry that aims to raise awareness of the problem of space debris and of space sustainability.

Professor Don Pollacco, Director of the new Center and Professor in the University of Warwick Department of Physics, said: "The near-Earth environment is becoming increasing important, and yet we don't know that much about what's really going on there. At the Center for Space Domain Awareness, we'll be concentrating on studying the solar wind and its impact on satellites and the Earth's atmosphere, and on the debris situation in all orbital regimes and its impact on spacecraft.

"Both those areas have become important, especially in terms of the UK's ambition to become a spacefaring country, and the responsibility that entails."

Since the start of space exploration around 6,000 satellites have been launched into orbit and that number is expected to increase massively, particularly with plans from some organizations for 'mega-constellations' of thousands of satellites.

Most of these are found in low-Earth orbit (LEO), less than ~1200km, as these orbits have become routinely (and relatively cheaply) accessible from the ground and are the ideal distance to obtain short latency for communications and high-resolution imagery.

While our satellites are key to the space-for-Earth industries such as telecommunications and internet infrastructure (including banking) and Earth Observation, the near-Earth environment has become littered with debris from multiple space launches, as well as decommissioned spacecraft that have been left to burn up in the atmosphere. The scientists at the University of Warwick have been working to develop new ways to search for debris in orbit through projects such as DebrisWatch, as well as investigating how the solar wind, given off by our Sun, can affect the operations of spacecraft.

Professor Pollacco added: "The bulk of modern society is dependent on space. But we now have a space traffic issue. Sooner or later, this is all going to become a big issue. From our point of view, the idea is to get onto it a lot earlier.

"In terms of debris, we don't know about the distribution with orbital height but we know that there are some orbits that have significant debris in. The material is moving quite fast, and its momentum can be significant. Something very small can take out a whole spacecraft.

"We also want to study the impact of charged build-up from the solar wind on spacecraft electronics."

Jacob Geer, Head of Space Surveillance and Tracking at the UK Space Agency, said: "Without satellites, we wouldn't be able to connect with our families at the touch of a button or check the weather before leaving the house. As we become increasingly reliant on these services, the threat of space debris could cause havoc for our day-to-day activities.

"This center will support the UK's growing need to track objects in space and shows how active our universities are in tackling space debris. We should see many civil and military benefits from this research as we look at ways to reduce and tackle the increasing congestion in space."

Jason Green, STFC Associate Director External Innovation, said: "Using research-based expertise to solve some of society's most pressing problems is the main aim of the STFC networks, such as GNOSIS.

"The GNOSIS network has provided the catalyst for this new center, which will no doubt enhance the UK's expertise in this area.

"The center will utilize STFC's experience in applying techniques from our research portfolio to tackle real-world challenges, along with the commercial connections developed within the GNOSIS network."

Dr. William Feline, Space Situational Awareness Project Technical Authority at Dstl, said: "Dstl has been working with Professor Pollacco and his team for a number of years in tackling the challenge of understanding how best to monitor satellites and debris in Earth orbit. The unique capabilities that they have brought to bear on the problem, including their world-class observatory facilities on La Palma in the Canary Islands, have rapidly accelerated the UK's capabilities in this area. As a result, Dstl recently sponsored a Fellowship in Space Situational Awareness at the University of Warwick. I'm really pleased to witness the growth in UK expertise which has helped lead to the creation of this new Center and I'm looking forward to working with them on the challenges faced by the UK and the world."

Katherine Courtney, Chair of the GNOSIS Board, said: "The volume of space traffic is increasing at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago. Nations and companies all over the world have growing ambitions for new space missions. The risks posed to those spacecraft from space weather, congestion and debris are a global concern.

"The Global Network on Sustainability in Space (GNOSIS) brings together scientists and industry to solve problems of how to safeguard the sustainable use of space for all. This new Center for Space Domain Awareness being announced today will help accelerate progress in understanding the nature and scale of the problems and will generate fresh insights into how to combat those. We are pleased GNOSIS has been able to play a role in the Center's formation and look forward to its future success."
A close-up of a kakapo. Credit: Jake Osborne

Before humans made their way to New Zealand, the critically endangered flightless parrot known as the kakapo likely numbered in the hundreds of thousands. By 1995, their numbers had dwindled to just 51 birds, including 50 isolated on tiny Stewart Island and a single male, known as Richard Henry, all alone on the mainland. Today, those numbers have grown to about 200 individuals.

Now, the first genome sequencing of the species offer some surprisingly good news: despite 10,000 years of island isolation and inbreeding, the kakapo appear to have lost potentially deleterious mutations rather than accumulating them. In fact, they now carry fewer deleterious mutations than now-extinct populations on the mainland once did. The analyses, conducted by researchers from Sweden and New Zealand, are reported September 8 in the journal Cell Genomics.

"Even though the kakapo is one of the most inbred and endangered bird species in the world, it has many fewer harmful mutations than expected," says Nicolas Dussex, a researcher at the Center for Palaeogenetics and Stockholm University. "Our data shows that the surviving population on Stewart Island has been isolated for approximately 10,000 years and that during this time, harmful mutations have been removed by natural selection in a process called 'purging' and that inbreeding may have facilitated it."

"In small populations, this type of harmful mutation can lead to genetic diseases," adds Love Dalen, of the Center for Palaeogenetics and Swedish Museum of Natural History. "Our finding of a reduced number of harmful mutations is therefore important, since it means that inbreeding in the present-day population is likely to have less severe impact than we had initially thought."

A kakapo. Credit: Jake Osborne

In the new study, the researchers report the first genome-wide analyses of the kakapo, including a high-quality genome assembly. All together, they sequenced and analyzed 49 kakapo genomes, including 35 representing members of the sole surviving island population and 14 representatives from the extinct mainland population.

In small populations, scientific theory suggests that deleterious mutations may accumulate, leading to an increased risk for extinction. But it's also possible that detrimental gene variants, exposed through inbreeding, could instead be eliminated from the population by natural selection, a process known as purging. In the new study, the researchers now find that the latter possibility more accurately describes what's happened in the case of the kakapo.

The researchers say that the findings can now be put to practical use in efforts to protect and grow the remaining population. For example, the genome data can be used to select breeding individuals that may be most helpful for future generations. "We show that the single male survivor from the mainland, Richard Henry, has more harmful mutations than Stewart Island birds," Dalen says. "Therefore, there could be a risk that these harmful mutations spread in future generations."

On the other hand, Richard Henry is also genetically distinct and may carry useful genetic diversity, he adds. This means that careful consideration must be given to pros and cons. It will therefore be important to carefully monitor the health and genomes of Richard Henry's offspring to ensure they don't introduce harmful mutations to the island population.

A kakapo. Credit: Jake Osborne

The findings in kakapo also have implications for endangered and small populations more broadly. "Our results are good news, not only for kakapo but also for the conservation of other highly inbred and isolated species, because they suggest that it is possible, under some circumstances, for small populations to survive even if isolated for hundreds of generations," says Bruce Robertson, University of Otago, who has studied kakapo genetics for 25 years.

"While the species is still critically endangered, this result is encouraging as it shows that a large number of genetic defects have been lost over time and that high inbreeding alone may not necessarily mean that the species is doomed to extinction," Dussex says. "It thus gives us some hope for the long-term survival of the kakapo as well as other species with a similar population history."

The researchers plan to continue investigating other extremely inbred avian and mammalian species to produce studies similar to this one. An important goal is to find out whether the health of today's kakapo is a rare exception, whereas most endangered species instead tend to accumulate harmful mutations.

Explore further Genome sequencing delivers hope and warning for the survival of the Sumatran rhinoceros

More information: Cell Genomics, Dussex et al.: "Population genomics of the critically endangered kakapo" DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2021.100002 , Dussex et al.: "Population genomics of the critically endangered kakapo" www.cell.com/cell-genomics/ful  2666-979X(21)00002-1
After the phone calls from my daughter and to the answering machine at home, I was standing at my desk assembling papers for the 10 a.m. client meeting when my phone rang again with a phone call from another colleague. I turned from my desktop and looked out the windows at New York Harbor. The caller was in a hotel room in Philadelphia and had seen news of the crash and fire at the World Trade Center on television. He was calling to see how we were and if we were affected by the crash. As I was telling him the plane had hit the other tower not ours, out of the corner of my eye to the right I became aware of a plane going past and out the harbor. As it turned near the Statue of Liberty and headed back toward New York City, the thought flashed through my mind that a news crew was flying by to see what was going on at 1 World Trade Center. However, very quickly I became aware of the fact that it was a large jet and I began to develop a sense of fear. The thought flashed through my mind that it might be a military jet and maybe it was attacking New York City or that there had not been a plane crash at 1 World Trade Center but rather a plane-launched rocket. In a matter of milliseconds I saw that the plane was not a military jet and that it had the markings for United Airlines. At this point the plane was obviously headed directly at 2 World Trade Center at what seemed like eye level. I was still on the phone. I believe I yelled into the phone, Holy s-, a plane is coming right at us! He is going to hit the building! and dropped the phone. I recall hearing the loud sound of the jet engines accelerating. It appeared that the plane banked and climbed slightly, then hit the building. To this day, I believe that if the jet had not accelerated it would have hit the building where I stood. Instead it hit more than 20 floors above me. I remember well the sound of screeching metal on metal, much like the sound of an automobile collision but magnified a thousand times, but I dont remember feeling the impact or seeing the after-effects of the resulting explosion. A colleague later told me that he had to hold onto one of the work station cubicle partitions in order to keep from falling over from the impact, saw ceiling tiles fall and that outside the office windows it was black as night, apparently from the fireball resultant from the exploding jet fuel.
Stefanik voted against the certification of President Joe Bidens Electoral College win. She has become a rising star in the GOP, ascending to the No. 3 position of House Conference Chair after the party pushed out Wyoming U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney.

Castelli said he will hold a formal kickoff event in the coming weeks and will be traveling throughout the North Country to meet with voters.

Castelli said in a follow-up interview that he believes that Stefanik has not gotten the job done for the people of this district.

We need somebody who will put country before party, somebody who they can trust to have their backs when they need it most, he said. She spends her time tearing us apart instead of solving our problems.

Among the issues are a declining population, decreasing jobs, families who are working too hard for too little and veterans still struggling to access health care services, according to Castelli.

He said the district needs to invest in its infrastructure and education. Todays jobs require more than a high school degree, he said.

He said another priority is addressing the climate crisis. The environment is a wonderful asset and an economic opportunity in the North Country.
CHESTER  The Saranac Lake man accused of causing a fatal crash after police said he drove the wrong way on the Northway while intoxicated was formally charged on Tuesday with aggravated vehicular homicide.

Dennis M. Ford, 66, was also charged with felony second-degree vehicular assault and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

Police said Ford was driving his 2017 Mini Countryman north in the southbound lane at about 10:30 p.m. on Friday in Chester when he crashed head-on with a 2004 Volvo XC70 traveling south.

The two passengers in the Volvo  27-year-old Matthew G. Huff, of Westfield, New Jersey, and 31-year-old Kerry OReilly, of Dorchester, Massachusetts  were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, 31-year-old Lauren Huff, was taken by helicopter to the University of Medical Center in Burlington. Huff is currently in stable condition, police said.

Ford was airlifted to Albany Medical Center following the crash and was initially listed in fair condition.

He was arraigned in Warren County Centralized Court on Tuesday following his release from the hospital.

He was sent to jail without bail and is due in Chester Town Court on Sept. 14.
Shes very quiet, but shes excited, Wright said.

Josie Bennett, 5, said she was most looking forward to eating lunch at school. Among her summertime activities were going swimming and camping.

Superintendent of Schools Dan Ward was greeting incoming prekindergarten and kindergarten students. They are starting a new school  just like he is. He took over as superintendent on July 1, after moving over from Fort Edward.

Ward said the energy is great in the district. Teachers, administrators, support staff and bus drivers are all working together toward a common goal.

Priority one is just keeping the kids safe and keeping them in school. We want to keep school as open as possible, he said.

He said that with over 2,200 students in the district, there likely will be positive virus cases. The district is ready.

Were going to have the safety procedures in place, so when there is a positive, we can act appropriately  working to isolate that positive and get them the proper support and medical care, he said.

That being said, the district is ready to pivot to in-person learning, if necessary. However, it is not substitute for being in school.
The Dommars left in just enough time as the rain fell. Others in the area of town, known as the Lost Valley, were trapped in their homes and had to be rescued by officials in boats.

But they had to contend with an explosion that tossed their roof down the street and set their house on fire. Meagan Dommar said a neighbor called to tell them about the blaze but she also recognized it in a news video while scrolling through social media.

I cant even explain the feeling, Meagan Dommar said. Our plan was to come back here obviously and go to the second story. We knew that the first story was probably going to be destroyed. The second story is where the nursery is. Was. So we were hoping to get to the story to save all the babys stuff. And then of course with the fire.  Its just been crazy.

The Dommars and others welcomed Biden, but some put out signs telling him to beat it. Someone had spray painted Trump 2024 on a couch put to the curb as trash.

In addition to the Dommars property, Biden saw heaps of discarded items put to the curb. There were mattresses, cabinets, broken musical instruments and childrens toys. A now dusty, reddish mud caked lawns and cars.
+2 Atlantic commissioners to vote on more staff, storage for election superintendent NORTHFIELD  Superintendent of Elections Maureen Bugdon may soon get some help in dealing wi

We are still waiting for money to happen, not time, said Evan Fauntleroy, a human services worker who said many in the department make just $25,000 a year. Atlantic County is known to be one of the lowest (paying for) salaried workers. Why is it so hard to fight for hazard pay when we were risking our lives?

Only nursing home and jail workers worked full time throughout the pandemic, DelRosso said.

DelRosso also said 14 of 17 counties on a recent phone meeting had made the decision not to award hazard pay as well.

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We all were using the same logic. There was a time period people didnt have to come to work. ... Some people were allowed to work from home. If they didnt have child care, they did not have to come to work, DelRosso said.

What about hazard pay for Meadowview? They never missed a beat. They worked double shifts and were short-staffed, Lawson said.

DelRosso said the administration is still studying the possibility of hazard pay for workers in Meadowview and the county jail.

After the meeting, DelRosso said its important to figure out how to do that while being fair to everybody.
+7 Naturopathic doctor in California first to be charged with faking COVID vaccines, vaccination cards Federal officials say the California doctor sold pellets that she claimed would confer "lifelong immunity" against COVID-19 and provided fake vaccination cards to patients.

Technically, these bills were not counterfeit, unless someone tried to spend them as cash. They are clearly labeled as imitation. On Amazon, stacks of $100 bills, labeled as prop money, are available for $9.99. Other websites offer everything from $1 to $100 denominations, while one even offers a package of prop bills depicting hundreds of thousands of dollars with a briefcase or duffel bag included.

The site warns that trying to spend the money is a federal offense. On Amazon, the suggested uses for the prop money include pranking your friends or using the bills in magic tricks.

Still, some prop money has found its way into circulation. News stories from around the country report warnings from law enforcement agencies about the realistic bills as well as charges filed against people trying to pass the bills.

Over the weekend, Melissa Milliken was given a prop $100 bill in payment at the restaurant where she works in Galloway Township.

They had no idea it was a prop! she wrote when asked for comment. She described the customers as church regulars who come in every Sunday, so she is confident they did not know the bill wasnt legit.

+2 Egg Harbor Township man pleads guilty to making false distress call, bank fraud CAMDEN  An Egg Harbor Township man has pleaded guilty to sending a false distress call to t
In Ocean City, where guards had seven beaches protected across the island this week, a Beach Patrol lieutenant said Wednesday guards were only allowing people to enter the water up to their knees.

Conditions are only going to get worse over the next couple days, he said. He asked not to be identified by name because he did not have authority to speak on behalf of the Beach Patrol. But he added that lifeguards throughout the region would give similar advice.

It could be a calm day or it could be a giant storm like there is off the coast, we dont want people to ever swim when there arent lifeguards, he said.

Rip currents are always strong when the waves are big. All that water rushing in has to find a channel back out to sea. A swimmer caught in a rip current can be quickly carried past the breakers. One of the most serious dangers to ocean swimmers is becoming exhausted fighting against a current. Instead, experts advise, swim parallel to the beach until clear of the current, then try to swim back in.

Another hazard is the power of the wave itself, which can slam down with considerable force. Surfers describe this as closing out, when the whole face of the wave collapses down. Both Mitstifer and Beck raised that as a possibility for these waves.
A week after heavy storms brought flash floods and tornadoes to much of the state, killing 27 people, Gov. Phil Murphy told residents Wednesday afternoon to prepare for another round of storms and to consider buying flood insurance.

I cannot believe we are talking about this, but here goes. We are at risk of severe storms this evening ... that will bring wind gusts and downpours into areas that need neither, Murphy said during a press briefing Wednesday.

He also said the state needs more options to deal with storms and flooding, and said buyouts of houses in particularly flood-prone areas may have to accelerate.

On Tuesday, Murphy toured areas of the state damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ida with President Joe Biden. The storm hit New Jersey last Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.

There was a bright spot in last weeks storm experience, Murphy said. Investments of billions of dollars to protect electrical substations paid off in the remnants of Ida.

In Hurricane Irene we had 2 million outages, Murphy said, many of which lasted weeks. We had 92,000 (in Ida).

The governor said warnings of new storms are reminiscent of last Wednesday.
The other option for Bidens campaign against ISIS-K or al-Qaida in Afghanistan is what is known as cruise-missile diplomacy, which displays a kind of toughness without the complications and unpredictability of involving ground forces. A president can order an airstrike on a training camp or weapons factory in response to a terrorist attack or some other affront to U.S. interests and honor, such as Saddam Husseins decision to expel weapons inspectors from Iraq.

Former President Bill Clinton used cruise-missile diplomacy in 1998 after al-Qaida attacked U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. One of Clintons targets was the al-Shifa complex in Khartoum, Sudan. At the time, Clinton said this was a facility with links to al-Qaida that was making nerve gas. That intelligence turned out to be wrong  and the Sudanese government, for its part, has long claimed that al-Shifa was an aspirin factory.

Fast forward to the present, and the parallels are obvious. The recent drone strike that the Pentagon originally said had stopped a vehicle bomb headed to the Kabul airport looks like it was something else. Hours after the strike, a family in Kabul said the U.S. hit the wrong target, killing several of its members.
Ultimately, the communities dealing with the opioid crisis might well have been better off if Drain had been willing to push through a settlement without the Sacklers immunity  and without their infusion of money. In addition to litigation accusing the Sacklers of playing a role in marketing OxyContin, a number of attorneys general sued the family for fraudulent conveyance, meaning they stand accused of taking money out of the company specifically to shield their assets from the coming litigation. And there appears to be some email evidence to back up that assertion. It is quite likely that had the hundreds of lawsuits aimed at the family been allowed to continue, the Sacklers themselves would have had to file for bankruptcy. In such a scenario, they would most likely have had to surrender much more than $4.5 billion.
National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15 to October 15 is celebrated nationwide as National Hispanic Heritage Month. It highlights the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic, Latinx and Latin American communities. During this month and throughout the year, Purdue University highlights the accomplishments, contributions, history of Latinx communities and Latinx Boilermakers.

History of National Hispanic Heritage Month

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson observed Hispanic Heritage Week. Twenty years later, this week was expanded to a 30-day period (September 15th-October 15th) by President Ronald Reagan. National Hispanic Heritage Month was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

September 15th is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16th and September 18th, respectively. Dia de la Raza is October 12th.
Time has passed, but grief remains fresh, and remembering the attacks can make it seem as if they happened yesterday. Im mindful that most junior officers serving in todays Army have no personal memories of what happened on September 11, 2001, and that most of our new recruits were born after that fateful date.

Having said that, all of them have volunteered to serve, and all of them will be trained and ready to react whenever and wherever duty calls them. We all hope to never see another day like 9/11, but hope is not a plan, so a new generation has stepped forward to do whatever it takes to defend our freedom.

Our soldiers of today  and the members of the other military services, as well as our first responders  stand in an unbroken line that dates back to our nations founding, a line that Im confident will never be broken. The 9/11 attacks were not the first time our nation was imperiled, but we stood strong then just as we had in the past, and we will continue to stand strong, thanks to those who are willing and able to hold the line against the enemies of freedom.

Im humbled and privileged to count myself among those who serve, and Im thankful that my career has brought me to the Quad Cities, a heartland community that is second to none when it comes to supporting our military. The values that define our nation are exemplified here, and stand in stark contrast to the values held by terrorists like those who attacked us 20 years ago. They did not win that day, and they never will.

Maj. Gen. Chris Mohan is commanding general of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command on Rock Island Arsenal and senior mission commander of RIA. He invites everyone in the Quad Cities to a 9/11 commemoration ceremony that will be held on the Arsenal on Friday, Sept. 10, at 10:30 am. The public is also invited to participate in a 9/11 flag walk that will begin that day at 6 a.m.

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The result can be charted: precipitation changes.

In California, two years of deep drought have set the state up for record-breaking wildfires. Already in 2021, more than 1.9 million acres have burned. Firefighters are warning that despite their all-out effort, the Caldor fire at Lake Tahoes edge may yet burn all the way to Nevada.

Out East, the ever-warming atmosphere retains more water  and then dumps it onto communities that are not built to sustain it. Some 41 million Americans, most in the East, live near enough to a floodplain to be in urgent danger from floods.

We grow used to these numbers, which once would have terrified us.

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 left 500 people dead and 700,000 homeless, and cost the federal government around $1 billion, a full third of the 1927 federal budget. In response to the devastation, tens of thousands of Black Mississippians left their homes and moved North and West.

In that historical migration Americans today might see their future. Our sea-to-shining-sea nation is becoming less and less habitable. Those with means may move farther north, but even in Canada, projected precipitation maps are ominous. Almost no part of the North American continent is safe from fires or floods.
The COVID-Delta variant is spreading rapidly amongst children and staff with optional masking and no quarantine measures or contact tracing strategies, the letter reads. These infections are also spreading among family and community members. We feel strongly that we need to come together as a community to slow the spread and flatten the curve of spread as much as possible. Schools must continue to take a multi-pronged, layered approach to protect students, teachers, staff, and to keep our community safe. Combining these layers of protection will make in-person learning safe and possible.

Still, the Board voted 5-2 not to impose a temporary two-week mask mandate. Board representatives Amy Policky and Clay Colombe introduced the resolution and were its lone supporters. Policky said the temporary mandate was needed as cases in schools are higher than this time last year, there is currently a high volume of students absent from school due to COVID, and there are not enough staff to adequately supervise all classes let alone teach them.
With a week full of travel, Executive Board meeting, and legislative committee meetings in Pierre, and the dedication of the new DEX complex at the state fair in Huron. I have to admit that I was happy to be busy and distracted for a moment from the failure and loss we have faced last week as a nation and the disappointment we felt as a people. My husband Bobby traveled with me this week, and he had a chance to sit in on the marijuana committee meeting with me. We had the opportunity to watch some great open debate between the legislators, testimony from experts, and lobbyists (proponents and opponents), presenting their positions.

After a lengthy discussion and lively debate was done, the Chairman called for a vote from the committee. He was fascinated to watch the process and after the vote, when all was said and done, he watched the legislators acknowledge the decision made and move on to the next item at hand. There wasnt conflict or anger. No one threatened each other or stomped out of the chamber. They simply accepted the will of the body and moved on to the next item on the agenda. His final comment to me as we left the capital building was, Wow, its great to see that the democratic process is still alive and well in South Dakota!
Allison Dunn, Classy Cowgirls by Nature, will have her Montana Made jams, jellies, sauces, syrups, handcrafts earrings, necklaces and other one-of-a-kind wire gemstone designs. Dana Stellato of Little Tin Cup Farm will have dairy goat milk soap and lotions with unique colors, textures, scents and shapes, and Trish Becker of Wild Turkey Acres will have original Montana Snow Dyed Silk Wild Rags scarves, two-sided aprons and intriguing shirts.

Lindas Designs, embroidery and crocheted finery, will have handmade baby blankets and a large selection of wildlife, flowers and one-of-a-kind machine embroidered items. MattiMos Makery by Sam Yeager from Stevensville will have Take & Make Kits and will take sign-ups for Darby Take & Make Group Workshops.

Kathy has Porcupine Jewelry, Medicine Bags and Twiggins. There will be live Fall Belgium Mums, a Spin Raffle offering area dining, fun gift certificates and gift baskets.

The Happy Fall Yall Arts & Crafts Show that benefits the nonprofit Social-Overall-Academics-Recreation (S.O.A.R.) is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, in the Darby Clubhouse, 106 N. Main St. in Darby.

"I think that taking the time to drive to Darby, to enjoy the fall colors and friendly faces this Saturday on an otherwise solemn day is a good way to remind ourselves how thankful we should be for what we have as Americans, Rogers said.

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A Stevensville man who allegedly drove with alcohol levels nearly three times the legal limit faces a sixth felony DUI charge.

Thomas Edward Shunkwiler, 66, appeared Tuesday in Ravalli County Justice Court.

Shunkwiler was arrested shortly after 10:30 p.m. Monday when law enforcement received a report that he was attempting to drive home after people at the bar where he had been drinking told him not to leave because he was highly intoxicated, according to the charging affidavit.

A sheriffs officer located Shunkwiler in his vehicle on Mission Street in Stevensville. It was was running and had its lights on.

Shunkwiler admitted to being at the bar and that he had consumed six margaritas, the affidavit said. When the officer asked Shunkwiler if he thought he should be driving based on his level of intoxication, he replied no.

A preliminary breath sample resulted in a .221 blood alcohol content, the affidavit said. In Montana, a driver is considered impaired with a .08 blood alcohol content. A breath sample at the detention center in Hamilton was .180.

Shunkwiler has prior DUI convictions in Montana in 1986, 1990, 2004, 2011 and 2014.
Garner, a mother of three and a grandmother of nine, has not talked about what happened since the day after, when she kept asking why this had happened to her, her daughter-in-law Shannon Steward said. After struggling with whether to settle the case since they could not know what Garner wanted, her family agreed to after finding a letter she had written to her family several years ago at the beginning of her dementia which showed that she thought peace and closure was important for her loved ones, Schielke said. It said, in part, Don't make it any rougher on yourselves by living in the past. Look out the front window. Don't dwell on what's in the rear view mirror.
ROME (AP)  The world's top Christian leaders  Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians  on Tuesday issued a joint appeal for delegates at the upcoming climate summit to "listen to the cry of the Earth" and make sacrifices to save the planet.

In their first-ever joint statement, the three Christian clerics said the coronavirus pandemic gave political leaders an unprecedented opportunity to rethink the global economy and make it more sustainable and socially just for the poor.

"We must decide what kind of world we want to leave to future generations," they said. But in the statement, they also noted that the threat is no longer far off.

"The extreme weather and natural disasters of recent months reveal afresh to us with great force and at great human cost that climate change is not only a future challenge, but an immediate and urgent matter of survival," said the statement from Francis, Archbishop Justin Welby of the Anglican Communion and the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

The statement sought to give a sense of urgency to the upcoming U.N. climate summit, which Francis at least is expected to attend in person. The conference, known as COP26, is scheduled for early November in Glasgow, Scotland.
At Liberty, May waved and shouted hellos. From time to time, he offered a few one-liners for comic relief.

Wave to your daddy  hes going to be upset if you dont, he told one Liberty student as she exited a car.

He repeated the directive to another student a few minutes later.

Wave  and one more time, he told her, joking that, Thats how you get Christmas presents.

At Liberty, parents Alishea Allen and Sherrod Owens dropped off their daughter, CeYanna, a sixth-grader.

Allen described her daughter as nervous but chill, but also joked that she was acting extra sixth-grader-ish, meaning her daughter didnt want her parents tagging along with her, or hugging her, or seen with her in any way.

Owens said his daughter is more nervous about being in the building, explaining that she was a virtual student at John M. Gandy Elementary last year.

Those in-person jitters are expected, though maybe not as much in Hanover as surrounding school divisions. Hanover schools Superintendent Michael Gill on Monday sent a long note to parents that reminded them just how far the school system and the school community had come in the last year.
I never wanted to change my name because it was the first gift I ever got from my mom. I was never a fan of changing my name. A lot of my friends did but the one thing that bothered me was what if people found out my name used to be Osama and I changed it. So, instead I rolled with the punches. If someone said bin Laden after I said my name, I would add a little humor to it and say Been working, or Been drinking. For years I approached the situation by making fun of it.

Around turning 30, I started to shut down the jokes. If Im friendly with you, I say, Everyone gets one bin Laden joke, dont waste it. But if I dont know you, I immediately shut it down. Im not playing those games.

I always tell people my name, unless Im sketched out by the situation and so, I say my name is Sam or something.

Over the years the jokes about bin Laden have come and go. When he was killed they resurfaced and Im wondering if they will again with the Taliban back in the picture.

I also wanted to become a pilot around the time of 9/11. When I was 5 years old I received a gift of a toy F-16 [Fighting Falcon] and the movie Iron Eagle on VHS. After I watched that, I was hooked.
Capitol Police escorted them back. There was some shouting about lack of public access to the statue's removal.

Northam was asked about this earlier in the morning and said, "Obviously there are different opinions of this statue and we've done everything we can to one make it secure but also to provide access. Whether or not you're in person, people can watch it on live stream, a lot of a lot of different ways, a lot of news agencies are covered, and so I think anybody that's interested, and I hope a lot of people are interested, will have the opportunity see it come down."

- Mel Leonor

9:25 a.m.: The Lee statue was lifted up from its pedestal at 8:54. There was singing in the background, and chants: "Whose street? Our street!"

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam shortly before Lee came down, along with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney were onsite as the statue was removed.

"You don't realize unless you're right here how large that is, especially when you see it in comparison to the man. This is a day that's been a long time coming," Northam said.
I was getting a lot of stuff through email that I missed. When I did try to enroll her ... in the virtual academy ... that was full, she said.

Cheryl Burke, chairwoman of the Richmond School Board and former principal at Chimborazo, was excited for kids to return, but also reflected on the state of some of the decades-old buildings in RPS.

Richmond Public Schools, in all sincerity ... are ready, prepared and set ... theres no doubt about it that every item that needed to be addressed in preparation for this, she said in an interview. The sad part about it is knowing how the conditions of many of our schools, we had to go through this particular pandemic to get the funding to upgrade and improve.

Wednesday morning, Henrico Superintendent Amy Cashwell visited three newly constructed schools  Holladay Elementary as well as Highland Springs and J.R. Tucker high schools  to celebrate the first day of school. Richmond also welcomed students into three new buildings: Henry L. Marsh III and Cardinal elementary schools and River City Middle School.
Michael Roussos, the top administrator at University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, has been named president of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, the health system announced Wednesday.

In San Antonio, Roussos helped create the Center for Life, the nations second hospital-based regional center for organ donation. He also led the hospitals transition to Epic, an electronic medical records system that VCU Health will implement later this year.

As president, Roussos, 44, will oversee VCUs hospital in downtown Richmond. He starts in December.

VCU Medical Centers commitment to its community is evident in the well-coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, national rankings and designations, and commitment to enhance the patient experience through the continued transformation of its downtown campus, Roussos said in a statement.

Roussos worked for HCA Healthcare for 13 years and rose to the position of CEO at Mainland Medical Center in Texas City, Texas, before joining University Hospital in San Antonio. He earned a bachelors in kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin and a masters of health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio.
It feels like the integrity is coming back, hopefully this new edition next year will finally correct these issues that have been prevalent and help get the story back on track, said James Gregory, a doctoral student in history at the University of Oklahoma who has researched the actions of other men in York's unit.

In the 2014 book Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne, Mastriano repeatedly dismissed any notion that there is a legitimate dispute about the site where he claims this battle took place. He has claimed that we know with certainty the location of the York action, that it was discovered with 100% certainty and that it has been located and verified.

Mastriano's research into York helped earn him a doctorate from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. But Gregory and others interested in York's story argue Mastrianos research is plagued with errors  small and large  and that a walking trail to the battle location that he helped build actually takes visitors to the wrong spot.

University of New Brunswick officials involved in reviewing Mastriano's work indicated they do not discuss such matters without the consent of the student involved  in this case, Mastriano.
EDITORS NOTE: Its been 20 years, and we havent forgotten. As we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Richmond Times-Dispatch asked readers to share their memories of that fateful day. Here are their responses.

So much of life at school ... would change forever

On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, I was standing at the sink of my art classroom in Chesterfield County, preparing for a day of classes with my beloved students. I had been teaching for 14 years, and my son was there at our school as a second-grader.

My colleague appeared at the door, practically speechless. She was able to utter the words, Come now. Planes, buildings ... We raced to our library back room.

As the morning unfolded before our eyes on the small television there, we watched the unthinakble unfold as well. Images that tore through us, too devastating to take in. Our challenge for the rest of the day was to know, try to comprehend, but to keep up our facade of professionalism and mask what we knew from our young students. They would find out all too soon.

As a parent, I had to begin to realize that I must help my 7-year-old son understand what had happened, and yet try to shield him from the worst of the horrors of that bright, beautiful, awful day.
Jill Biden, 70, is forging a new path for herself and her successors.

The first lady has said she always wanted to be a career woman.

Teaching isnt just what I do. Its who I am, she said .

Jill Biden started teaching English at a Roman Catholic high school in Wilmington, Del., in 1976, a year after she met and began dating then-U.S. Sen. Biden. She later taught at a psychiatric hospital and at Delaware Technical Community College. She earned two masters degrees and a doctorate in educational leadership during those years.

After Joe Biden became vice president in 2009, she joined the faculty at NOVA. She continued to teach there after he left office and throughout his 2020 campaign, including virtually after the pandemic hit.

Her virtual teaching continued as first lady, from her office in the White House East Wing or hotel rooms when she traveled to promote administration policies. She grades papers on flights.
AARP Virginia encourages

food-relief efforts in Sept.

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

AARP Virginia has had a long-standing partnership with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks to fight food insecurity across the commonwealth. From August 2020 to March 2021, despite the limitations placed on efforts by the COVID-19 pandemic, AARPs support of the We Care food boxes made a difference in the lives of more than 30,000 seniors in Virginia.

September 2021 is Hunger Action Month. AARP Virginia is asking readers such as yourself to consider what role you may play in fighting food insecurity in your community.

There are food pantries and hunger support agencies all over the state  some supported by public funding, others by private funding at such places as churches or community centers. Suggestions for how you can participate this year include leading a food collection drive through groups you're in, such as your neighborhood, a book club, a retired teacher unit, an AARP chapter, an alumnae group of your high school, a homeowners association or a civic organization.
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KB: I always think that funerals really are for the people who are still alive to deal with their grief, so I wouldnt do anything thats going to offend loved ones. I cant think of what it might be, but if theres a real disagreement on what is OK, then maybe take the people who are going to be crying and keep them in mind. But really, its your party. Plan what you want. There are so many options out there. Some people, they still think cremation isnt acceptable. Because death is so personal, theres always going to be people who think something is too far, even things that seem normal for your culture or for your generation.

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.
A Texas man admitted his role Wednesday in a gas pump skimming case that took more than $40,000 from nearly 300 people.

Leandro Leo Sanchez, 32, pleaded guilty in Roanokes federal court to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was allowed to remain free on bond pending sentencing.

Sanchez was one of about a half-dozen people involved in a scheme that operated out of Miami, authorities said.

Skimming devices were placed in gas station pumps in Clearbrook and Collinsville to capture account information from debit cards that were inserted into the machines by customers.

Once the data was accessed from the cards, it was re-encoded onto new cards that were used to withdraw cash from ATMs and make purchases from stores that included the Walmart in Clearbrook, Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams wrote in court documents.

Roanoke County police learned of the case in September 2017, when a bank customer reported that his debit card had been used without his permission at a Walmart ATM.

Reviewing footage from surveillance cameras, police identified three individuals at the ATM and later at a self-checkout register, where purchases of about $1,000 of merchandise were made with multiple cards.
Rocky Mount soon will be seeking a new police chief.

Ken Criner, who led the towns police department for seven years  and whose final months in office brought controversy and a suspension without pay  has retired. His last day with the town was Sept. 2 and his departure was announced Tuesday.

Hes led the department through some difficult times, said Rocky Mount Town Manager Robert Wood. We wish him the best.

Criners second in command, Capt. Mark Lovern, has been named interim police chief, said Wood, who became town manager in May. Rocky Mount officials will conduct a national search for Criners replacement.

Criners law enforcement career spans more than three decades, which makes him eligible for retirement under the state system. He joined the Rocky Mount department in 2010 after serving with the Roanoke Police Department. He was tapped to become chief in 2014 after the death of his predecessor, David Cundiff.
The Federal Aviation Administration has banned drones over and around the monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee ahead of its removal on Wednesday.

The ban, which covers a 2-nautical-mile radius around the statue, took effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and is to remain in place until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, according to the FAA order citing "special security reasons." Nautical miles are used in air, marine and space navigation to measure distance. A nautical mile is roughly 1.151 miles.

The Virginia Capitol Police, whose jurisdiction includes the circle at the intersection of Monument Avenue and North Allen Street where Lee has stood for 131 years , announced the flight restrictions on Twitter nine hours after they took effect.

Gov. Ralph Northam's administration announced Monday that preparations would begin Tuesday evening with the installation of protective fencing along Monument Avenue and Allen Street. The 60-foot-tall bronze statue will be removed in pieces Wednesday morning. Then, on Thursday, crews will remove the plaques at the base of the statue and replace a time capsule believed to be at the site.

It is the last Confederate icon along Richmonds Monument Avenue to be removed.
Tim Kaine is padding around his house these days in his bare feet. And when he is elsewhere, the Virginia Democrat is wearing flip-flops.

Its because one foot is bandaged, having been scalded when Kaine accidentally tipped a pot of boiling water on it while preparing his morning cuppajoe during a canoe trip along the James River.

The staged journey with family and friends over the river that bisects Kaines adoptive hometown, Richmond, is pegged to the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the federal Clean Water Act, instrumental in reviving the James, an historic habitat that, by the 1970s, had been decimated by industrialization and development.

As he went about the business of being a U.S. senator, said Kaine, sitting on the screen porch of his home in North Side several days into a Labor Day swing, the rubber sandals might have seemed out of place  until he traveled to nearby Fort Lee.

It is among three hastily organized hubs for absorbing Afghan refugees after the lightning collapse to the Taliban of their homeland, which for two decades was propped up by the United States.

Parents and their children arrived to the applause of soldiers. Each youngster was presented with a small American flag.
Gov. Ralph Northams posthumous pardons for seven young Black men in Martinsville who were executed in 1951 after being convicted of raping a white woman wont undo the terrible wrongs that occurred during Virginias shameful Jim Crow era. But they are a stark reminder that government can never be blindly trusted, and that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Northam acknowledged that the pardons do not address the guilt or innocence of the Martinsville Seven. There was physical evidence that the rape victim, 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, had been sexually assaulted, and two of the men admitted having consensual sex with her, but rumors that she was having an affair with one of the defendants were never brought up in court.

At this point, what really happened will probably never be known beyond a reasonable doubt.

However, the pardons do address what appears to be a complete lack of due process and the fact that at the time, rape was a capital crime in Virginia  but the death penalty was only imposed if the perpetrator were Black.

The executed men received a racially-biased death sentence not similarly applied to white defendants, Northam told a group of their descendants.
Our country is in serious trouble. Our democratic republic is in danger of disintegrating. We are at a critical crossroads and must begin working together to heal the division tearing our great nation apart. We must reunite to stand up for the truth.

The main truth we need to stand up for is the legitimacy of the 2020 Presidential election. Joe Biden won the election with 306 electoral votes and 7 million more popular votes than his opponent. Tragically, after this election, then- President Donald Trump began a daily public campaign spreading his dangerous conspiracy theory that the election had been stolen from him even though there was absolutely no proof. His dozens of court cases were summarily dismissed. The United States Supreme Court refused twice to take up his argument. The Georgia Secretary of State refused Trumps illegal request to invent enough votes to give him Georgias electoral votes. Vice President Mike Pence refused Trumps illegal request to nullify the electoral votes.
I come from a family of fighting men.

My cousin Adolph was a paratrooper who landed at Normandy on D-Day, and the parachute he used  stained with blood and dirt  was turned into my cousin Helens wedding dress. My father spent two years in Thule, Greenland, at a godforsaken outpost at the North Pole during (no pun intended) the Cold War.

My uncle Louie was a Marine, stationed in Beirut during one of the early crises in the 1950s, and my cousins Alex and Anthony served honorably in Vietnam. Last but not least, my brother Michael was stationed in Iraq during the prosecution of Saddam Hussein as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.

France. Greenland. Beirut. Vietnam. Iraq. Postcards from the front lines, and a part of my DNA. There is nothing more honorable than service to this country that has given so much, and asked for so little from the majority. But America has demanded that last full measure from the men and women, but especially the men, who have served in combat positions, and we only stop to consider the debt when tragedy occurs.

Last week, 13 U.S. service members were killed by terrorist bombs in Kabul. They were not in active combat. They were doing something that adds poignancy to their mission: Helping civilians escape the hellhole in Afghanistan created by the men in suits.
 After being a modern criminal justice reform success story, is Texas back to its "tough and tougher" past? | Main | "States of Incarceration: The Global Context 2021" 

September 8, 2021

BJS releases more notable new recidivism data, examining arrests over 10 years for state prisoners released in 2008

In this post from July, I flagged the Bureau of Justice Statistics' notable new report about the recidivism rates over five years for a set of state prisoners released in 2012. Today BJS released another new "special report" on recidivism, this one titled "Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 24 States in 2008: A 10-Year Follow-Up Period (20082018)." Here is the introduction and "Highlights" from the first page of the report:

Among persons released from state prisons in 2008 across 24 states, 82% were arrested at least once during the 10 years following release.1 The annual arrest percentage declined over time, with 43% of prisoners arrested at least once in Year 1 of their release, 29% arrested in Year 5, and 22% arrested in Year 10. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) used prisoner records from the National Corrections Reporting Program and criminal history data to analyze the post-release offending patterns of former prisoners both within and outside of the state where they were imprisoned. This report presents findings from BJSs first study of prisoner recidivism over a 10-year period. The study randomly sampled about 73,600 released prisoners to represent the approximately 409,300 state prisoners released across 24 states in 2008. These states provided prisoners records and the FBI or state identification numbers that are needed to obtain criminal history data on the released prisoners. These 24 states were responsible for 69% of all persons released from state prisons that year nationwide. HIGHLIGHTS: About 66% of prisoners released across 24 states in 2008 were arrested within 3 years, and 82% were arrested within 10 years.

The annual arrest percentage among prisoners released in 2008 declined from 43% in Year 1 to 22% in Year 10.

About 61% of prisoners released in 2008 returned to prison within 10 years for a parole or probation violation or a new sentence.

Sixteen percent of prisoners released in 2008 were arrested within 10 years outside of the state that released them.

Ninety percent of prisoners who were age 24 or younger at the time of release in 2008 were arrested within 10 years of release. A smaller percentage of those who were ages 25 to 39 (85%) and age 40 or older (75%) at the time of release were arrested within 10 years of release.

Seventy-five percent of drug offenders released from prison in 2008 were arrested for a nondrug crime within 10 years.

During the 10-year follow-up period, an estimated 2.2 million arrests occurred among the approximately 409,300 prisoners released in 2008.

A few of many prior recent related posts:

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 BJS releases more notable new recidivism data, examining arrests over 10 years for state prisoners released in 2008 | Main | SCOTUS stays Texas execution and grants cert on death row inmate's request for pastor's touch during execution 

The title of this post is the title of this notable new report from the Prison Policy Initiative authored by Emily Widra and Tiana Herring. Here is part of the start of the report:

Louisiana once again has the highest incarceration rate in the U.S., unseating Oklahoma to return to its long-held position as the worlds prison capital. By comparison, states like New York and Massachusetts appear progressive, but even these states lock people up at higher rates than nearly every other country on earth. Compared to the rest of the world, every U.S. state relies too heavily on prisons and jails to respond to crime....

If we imagine every state as an independent nation ... every state appears extreme. 24 states would have the highest incarceration rate in the world  higher even than the United States. Massachusetts, the state with the lowest incarceration rate in the nation, would rank 17th in the world with an incarceration rate higher than Iran, Colombia, and all the founding NATO nations.

In fact, many of the countries that rank alongside the least punitive U.S. states, such as Turkey, Thailand, Rwanda, and Russia, have authoritarian governments or have recently experienced large-scale internal armed conflicts. Others struggle with violent crime on a scale far beyond that in the U.S.: South Africa, Panama, Costa Rica, and Brazil all have murder rates more than double that of the U.S. Yet the U.S., the land of the free, tops them all....

The incarceration rates in every U.S. state are out of line with the entire world, and we found that this disparity is not explainable by differences in crime or violent crime. In fact, there is little correlation between high rates of violent crime and the rate at which the U.S. states lock people up in prisons and jails.

When we compare U.S. states and other nations in terms of both violent crime and incarceration, we find ourselves more closely aligned with nations with authoritarian governments or recently large-scale internal armed conflicts. Rather than any of the founding NATO member countries traditionally compared to the United States, the only countries that approach the incarceration rate and violent crime rates of the 50 states are El Salvador, Panama, Peru, and Turkey. Every U.S. state, and the United States as a nation, is an outlier in the global context. No other country incarcerates as many people, including countries with similar rates of violent crime.
Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) police officers load a body bag onto a van in the aftermath of a prison fire at a hospital in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia, 8 September 2021 (EPA)

At least 41 inmates were killed and 39 others injured in a fire at an overcrowded prison in Tangerang city near Indonesias capital Jakarta on Wednesday.

The fire broke out overnight, some time between 1 and 2am, a spokesperson for the prison department of the law and human rights ministry said. The cause is under investigation, Rika Aprianti was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.

Ms Aprianti said several of the inmates were there for drug-related offences. She, however, did not say how many people were present when the fire broke out, but confirmed the prison was overcrowded.

The block where the fire broke out had the capacity for 122 people, she said. It was built to hold only 38 people. The facility was still being evacuated as of 9am local time, Ms Aprianti said.

Footage shared by local media showed flames engulfing the prisons detention centre, and later photos showed officials carrying orange body bags out to a waiting ambulance. Some of the bodies were unidentifiable because they were badly charred, a doctor from the Tangerang General Hospital told Reuters.

Block C2 prison of the overcrowded jail in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia on 8 September 2021 (Reuters)

The prison in Tangerang  which is an industrial and manufacturing hub in the Banten province and is roughly 40 kilometres away from Jakarta  housed more than 2,000 inmates, much more than the prisons 600-person capacity, according to government data as of September.

Were working together with relevant authorities to look into the causes of the fire and of course formulating prevention strategies so that severe catastrophes like this wont happen again, Indonesian law and human rights minister Yasonna Laoly said in a statement after visiting the prison.

Some rooms couldnt be opened, as the fire raged, the minister said.

Two of those who died in the fire were foreign nationals, from South Africa and Portugal, Mr Laoly said.

The initial suspicion is this was because of an electrical short circuit, police spokesman Yusri Yunus told news channel Metro TV. The prisons electrical wiring had not been upgraded since 1972, Mr Laoly said.

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Overcrowded prisons are not a new phenomenon in Indonesia, where the emphasis is on incarceration instead of rehabilitation, according to experts.

At the Tangerang prison there are only five guards working one shift to guard a prison with 2,079 people, Leopold Sudaryono, a criminologist and PhD candidate at the Australian National University told Reuters.

There were 13 guards on duty at the time the fire broke out, according to Ms Aprianti.

This was the deadliest fire incident witnessed in Indonesia after one that broke out at a fireworks factory in 2017, killing at least 30 people, that also occurred in Tangerang.

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San Francisco-based startup Orbit Fab wants to be the go-to source for orbital refueling, and now it has raised over $10 million in its quest to get there. The money will go toward funding a refueling trial thats due to launch as early as the end of 2022, in which the company plans to send to space two refueling shuttles that will repeatedly perform a three-step dock, transfer fuel and undock process.

The round was led by Asymmetry Ventures, with participation from existing investor SpaceFund and new investors Marubeni Ventures and Audacious Venture Partners. Notably, both Northrop Grumman Corporation and Lockheed Martin Ventures also participated, the first time the two contractor-rivals have done an investment together, Orbit Fab co-founder Jeremy Schiel told TechCrunch.

We are the tide that raises all boats, Schiel said. We don't give either a competitive edge, but we can as a whole have better alternatives for sustainability in space.

Getting [the two primes] to play nice with each other, as he put it, is key for the company, which wants to position itself as the favored source for space refueling. Orbit Fab, which was a finalist in our TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield in 2019, has developed a refueling valve it calls RAFTI (Rapid Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) -- but this component must be installed before spacecraft leave Earth, which means that much of the buy-in from major customers like the aerospace contractors must occur before their satellites even enter orbit.

The idea is that spacecraft outfitted with RAFTI would be able to dock with one of Orbit Fabs refueling shuttles, which would be positioned in low Earth orbit, geostationary orbit and eventually even cis-lunar space. By 2025, Schiel said he hopes every spacecraft will have a RAFTI on it. In the long-term, the company is thinking even bigger: producing fuel in-space, using material mined from asteroids.

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We want to be the Dow Chemical of space, Schiel said. We want to be the first customers for lunar miners, asteroid miners, buying up their material that they mined off those bodies, and then convert that to usable propellants that we can produce in-orbit.

Orbit Fab says orbital refueling will be the bedrock of the burgeoning new space economy, in which goods and spacecraft will need to be transferred from one orbit to another (a maneuver thats extremely fuel-intensive), or to build out supply chains to return resources to Earth.

We want to be that supply chain of propellant, Schiel added.
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Twitters verification process has been somewhat tricky and troublesome. There have been several changes in the social network. However, Twitter has again announced that they are accepting requests for account verification. The verified Twitter account tweeted, We are re-implementing access to request a blue badge. If youre planning to apply and still do not have [] This article Twitter is accepting account verification requests again. Heres what you need to know appeared first on BreezySc
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Hong Kong, September 8 (ANI): Hong Kong Police have arrested four key members of the pro-democracy group behind the city's annual Tiananmen Massacre vigil.

According to Hong Kong Free Press, the arrests came the morning after they publicly refused a police demand for information as part of a national security probe into the 32-year-old group.

Chow Hang-tung, the vice-chair of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, and three committee members -- Simon Leung, Sean Tang and Chan To-wai -- were arrested early on Wednesday and are being held at separate police stations, according to the report.

The police were cited as confirming the arrests later in the day and adding that further arrests are not being ruled out.

The police sent a request seeking information from the group under provisions of the controversial national security law in late August, as the authorities believed the alliance had been working with foreign agents, which could violate the legislation enacted by Beijing last year.

Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong used to organize an annual vigil to commemorate victims of student protests that broke out in Beijing on April 15, 1989, and culminated on June 4 of that year in violent clashes which claimed over 200 lives.

In June 2020, the police banned the vigil for the first time in thirty years in view of protests in Hong Kong over Beijing's plans to adopt new security legislation, while officially citing the need to comply with coronavirus-related restrictions.

China, with the help of local authorities, has been ruling Hong Kong with an iron fist. Authorities have also begun clamping down on pro-democracy activists.

As China has strengthened control over Hong Kong through varieties of laws including the draconian National Security Law, the people of the semi-autonomous city are facing increasing policing and crackdown. (ANI)
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Remember those days when we came home with our luggage packed with beauty buys from Japan? It is especially gratifying when said products are not available back home. Now that shopping in Japan is but a hazy memory, theres still cause for joy. LITS, a newly launched Japanese brand in Singapore, is bringing a total of 18 products to our shores  many of which are beauty award winners.

But lets be honest. Theres a sea of beauty products in the market that promise to do wonderful things for our skin. And while we are not complaining about the wide range of choices we have here in Singapore (thank you, globalisation!), we often need some help deciding which new products to add to our beauty shelf.

Whats unique about LITS?

Two things that stand out for LITS beauty products are its scientifically backed, clinically-tested stem cell technology and accolades.

According to Mr Marcus Ang, General Manager, Alphico Marketing Pte Ltd, LITS is the first skincare brand in Singapore that uses Plant Stem Cell Technology to improve skin condition at the stem cell level, which is a major breakthrough compared to conventional skincare products that focuses on supplementing hyaluronic acid and collagen in your skin. In Japan, clinical studies on LITS users showed favourable results and this is reaffirmed by local testers who have seen visible results with continued use.

Since its inception in 2009, LITS has established itself as a dermatologist-approved, media endorsed', popular skincare brand in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Indeed, several LITS products, 6 to be exact, have been raved in the Japanese beauty industry, such as LDK Japanese Magazine, LIPS Japanese Magazine, Rakuten Shopping portal, VoCE Japanese Magazine, LDK Hall of Fame Award 2021.

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PHOTO: LITS Japanese skincare (White series)

So what exactly are stem cells, and what can they do for my skin?

Lets break it down here. Stem cells are regarded as essential cells for human well-being, and plant stem cells can boost, strengthen and protect our skin stem cells. Our skin works by a continuous renewal process activated by the skin stem cells located deep within the epidermis and dermis. Simply put, stem cells improve skin turnover and increase collagen and elastin production, which keeps the skin elastic and plump looking. However, with age comes lower stem cells production, which in turn decreases our skin regeneration abilities.

Heres the interesting part: LITS Stem Cell Technology adopts a two-pronged offensive and defensive approach to skin rejuvenation. The offence of the deeper dermal stem cells help boost the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid while supporting the defence of epidermal stem cells in our skins metabolism and cell turnover.

It sounds like we are on to a good thing. But, how do we pick and choose what suits our skin? No matter their purported skin-loving ingredients and clinically-tested technology, products that work for your BFF may not necessarily be right for you.

PHOTO: LITS Japanese skincare (Moist series)

LITS three product series address everyday skin needs: MOIST series to restore, boost and retain skin moisture levels; WHITE series to brighten dull skin and add radiance; while the REVIVAL series combat signs of ageing tackling wrinkle concerns.

Here are the top 6 products inducted into the Beauty Halls of Fame in Japan that are worth trying.

Award: LDK Hall of Fame Award 2021 by LDK Japanese magazine

Voted as Japan's No. 1 Moisturizing Lotion for two consecutive years, this product underwent unbiased blind tests; delivers intense moisture and nourishment to the deepest layers of the skin. Its unique blend of plant-derived stem cells ingredients (Swiss apple & comfrey root stem cells). The result? Ultra-hydrated, smooth, firm skin with smaller-looking pores.

Clinical research has shown that it can increase skin's moisture levels to 400% after 1 hour and 200% after 24 hours. This result is probably thanks to its formulation using three types of ceramides, two kinds of collagen and hyaluronic acid, to strengthen the skins natural barrier and counteract moisture loss.

Best of all, theres zero fragrances, colourants, mineral oils, parabens, or alcohol added.

Awards: No. 1 LIPS Cosme Award 2021 by LIPS Japanese magazine & No. 1 VoCE Cosme Award 2021 by VoCE Japanese magazine

Made with a moisture-intense blend of plant-derived stem cells ingredients (Swiss apple & comfrey root stem cells), the LITS Moist Milk Essence is a 2-in-1 milk lotion and essence formulation. This milky essence contains two types of collagen, ceramide and macadamia oil, to nourish, protect and strengthen your skin's natural barrier, giving the skin a moist and plump look.

(A-rated Award)

Award: LDK the Beauty Award 2021 by LDK Japanese magazine

LITS Moist Perfect Rich Gel, a 6-in-one moisturiser that boasts six different functions - lotion, serum, milk lotion, cream, face pack and base makeup; is a true winner. Goodbye bothersome 6-step Korean skincare routine, hello 1-step LITS Moist Perfect Rich Gel! Think of the time saved, the convenience and how it will help in your repeated half-hearted attempts at decluttering. Marie Kondo, anyone? Infused with plant-derived stem cells (Swiss apple & comfrey root stem cells) and two types of collagen, this formulation promises to restore, replenish, and retain the skins moisture.

PHOTO: LITS Japanese skincare (Revival series)

(Best Buy Award and No. 1 Award)

Award: LDK the Beauty Award 2021 by LDK Japanese magazine

Imagine a potent blend of seven plant-derived stem cell ingredients packed in tiny capsules that burst onto your skin only upon application. The LITS Revival Stem 7 Cream's exceptional hydrating properties accelerate natural skin stem cell production. No wonder it won the "Best Buy" and the "No. 1" awards conferred by LDK Japanese magazine.

Award: No. 1 Rakuten Award 2020 by Rakuten shopping portal

Sometimes, the packaging of a product is enough to get us to buy it. And when the product delivers, its a win-win. Each booster ball, made using freeze-drying technology, is equivalent to nine bottles worth of serum. Packed with high concentrations of hydrolysed collagen, apple stem cells and hyaluronic acid, these booster balls deliver moisture deep into the skin and restore skin firmness and elasticity. Clinical tests show 48-hour moisture retention.

Award: No. 1 Rakuten Award 2020 by Rakuten shopping portal

If serums are not part of your skincare routine, you are missing out. Voted Rakutens No. 1 beauty essence, LITS EGF+ Overnight Serum is an anti-ageing booster serum that reportedly repairs your skin with nourishing ingredients during the first 3 hours of sleep  the golden hours when your skins regeneration capabilities are at their optimum levels.

The key ingredient, EGF (epidermal growth factor), stimulates skin growth at the cellular level, enhancing dermal & epidermal stem cell activity, thereby accelerating skin regeneration. Combined with LITS Plant Stem Cell Technology, this serum (for use only once every night) helps in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, age spots and prevents pigmentation while enhancing the skins hydration levels.

LITS Skincare retails at selected Guardian stores and Japanese Specialty Stores such as Don Don Donki and Welcia-BHG.

Special deals abound at Guardian: Enjoy select LITS products at 25% off and Free Gift with Purchase.

Prices start from S$19.90 (LITS Revival Stem Power Shot Mask 3s) to S$59.50 (LITS Revival EGF+ Overnight Serum 20g).

Take advantage of the ongoing 9.9 sales and shop LITS beauty products at Lazada and Shopee.

New to Lazada? Use code YAHOO9OFF & get S$9 off S$18 spend.

Valid on 9 Sept only, for the first 100 users.

New to Shopee? Key in promotion code "SLNEW99", get S$10 off a minimum spend S$20.
Cellou Dalein Diallo says the coup "completes" the work that opposition groups had begun

Guinea's main opposition leader has welcomed Sunday's ousting of President Alpha Conde calling it an opportunity for a new beginning for the country.

Cellou Dalein Diallo said the army had made "a historic act that completes the fight" started by pro-democracy groups.

He urged the army to ensure there was national reconciliation.

The UN, African Union, and regional body Ecowas have condemned the coup saying that constitutional order should be restored.

They have also called for the release of President Conde who was last seen on Sunday surrounded by the army's special forces.

The coup leader Col Mamady Doumbouya told reporters on Monday that the ousted leader was in their custody and was safe.

Normalcy returned in the capital, Conakry, on Tuesday after the unease that followed Sunday's coup, journalist Alhassan Sillah told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

He added that people in opposition areas have also welcomed the dismantling of security check points which were put up by Mr Conde's administration to crack down on protests against him.

Mr Diallo was the president's main challenger in last year's election, which saw Mr Conde run for a controversial third term.

The ousted leader was initially elected in 2010 in the country's first democratic transfer of power.

Despite overseeing some economic progress, he has since been accused of presiding over numerous human rights abuses and harassment of his critics.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Diallo, who once served as Guinea's prime minister, called the coup "a victory of our people and the failure of the dictatorial regime".

He said the takeover "completes" the work of his National Alliance for Democratic Alternation party and other pro-democracy groups.

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The opposition leader said he would back the coup leaders in their fight against corruption and impunity, urging them to work together to "build a peaceful democracy in our country".

President Alpha Conde has not been seen in public since he was captured on Sunday

The coup has been widely welcomed by Guineans, hundreds of residents in the capital Conakry cheered on soldiers after it was confirmed that they had ousted Mr Conde's.

How did the coup happen?

In a broadcast on state TV on Sunday night, a group of soldiers announced the dissolution of the constitution, the closure of the borders and a nationwide curfew.

They said regional governors had been replaced by military commanders, and the ousted 83-year-old president was safe but in detention.

Coup leader Col Mamady Doumbouya said his soldiers had seized power because they wanted to end rampant corruption, human rights abuses and mismanagement.

Crowds have been cheering on the soldiers since the takeover was announced

Guinea's coup is the fourth time West Africa has witnessed an attempt to undermine democracy in the region since August 2020. There have been two military takeovers in Mali and a failed attempt in Niger.
8 Sep  Japanese action star Rina Takeda is currently in talks to star in the upcoming Hong Kong zombie movie, "Chungking Mansions".

As reported on Deadline, if all goes well, the "Attack on Titan" actress will play the role as a Special Agent from Japan seeking those who are responsible for the said outbreak.

The upcoming movie, which will be filmed primarily in English, will feature an international cast that also includes Hong Kong actress Wiyona Yeung, Singapore actor Desmond Tan and Rebecca Lim, as well as South Korean model-actress Go Joon-Hee.

However, the movie will be focusing on the story of an American man striving to save his wife and child who are held up in Chungking Mansions during a zombie invasion.

The upcoming movie may star Desmond Tan as well

(Photo Source: Rina Takeda Instagram, Desmond Tan Instagram)
This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.

The massive continent of Asia is home to what many T+L readers consider the best cities in the world  including Bangkok, Udaipur, and Tokyo  and within those bustling metropolises are some of the world's best hotels, according to our readers. How do we know? Because all but two of the hotels on this list made it into the Top 100 Hotels this year, a truly impressive feat.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe  to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

No. 2 Capella Bangkok garnered particularly strong praise from readers. "Fantastic service and facilities with amazing views of the river, large rooms, and extraordinary food and drink," gushed one voter. The Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, which came in at No. 8, got high marks for its attentive service. "They have their Thai hospitality down to a science," wrote one reader. "They literally could be the training grounds for anybody interested in working in the hospitality industry who wants to know what proper service is all about."

UNION lounge at The Opposite House

Owen Raggett/Courtesy of Swire Hotels

India's cities, as well as Singapore, are always well represented, but the No. 5 Peninsula Manila put the Philippine capital back on the list for the first time since 2014. "Great location with large rooms nicely furnished with outstanding common areas," wrote one respondent. "Food service and presentation is excellent. Outstanding value."

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The No. 1 spot this year went to the Opposite House, a Chinese boutique hotel that nabbed the third spot in the Top 100. Keep reading to see why readers think it's so special and which other hotels made the list.

1. The Opposite House, Beijing

The penthouse terrace at The Opposite House

Michael Weber/Courtesy of Swire Hotels

This hotel, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is a stunner at every level, beginning with the emerald-glass structure it inhabits in Beijing's historic Shichahai neighborhood. "Beautiful art everywhere," wrote one reader, who was also impressed by the guest accommodations and food. Rooms are minimalist with oak soaking tubs, plush beds, and other luxurious touches. The staff is attentive and welcoming, even to four-legged visitors, as one reader noted: "Pet-friendly with special treats and amenities available for guests' furry companions."

Score: 99.47

More information: thehousecollective.com

2. Capella Bangkok

river premiere suite bathroom at Capella Bangkok

Courtesy of Capella Hotels & Resorts

Score: 99.38

More information: capellahotels.com

3. The Temple House, Chengdu, China

Bitieshi Courtyard at The Temple House

Courtesy of Swire Hotels

Score: 98.94

More information: thehousecollective.com

4. The Oberoi, New Delhi

Bedroom in the delux suite at The Oberoi, New Delhi

Courtesy of The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts

Score: 98.90

More information: oberoihotels.com

5. The Peninsula Manila

Exterior of The Peninsula Manila

Courtesy of The Peninsula Manila

Score: 98.40

More information: peninsula.com

6. Hyatt Amritsar, India

The pool and exterior of Hyatt Regency Amritsar

Ali Ragoonwala/Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Amritsar

Score: 98.14

More information: hyatt.com

7. The Oberoi, Mumbai

The lobby at The Oberoi, Mumbai

Courtesy of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Score: 98.00

More information: oberoithotels.com

8. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

View of the pool at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 97.87

More information: mandarinoriental.com

9. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

Exterior of Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

Courtesy of Four Seasons

Score: 97.59

More information: fourseasons.com

10. Taj Palace, New Delhi

Exterior of Taj Palace, New Delhi

Jaideep Oberoi/Courtesy of Taj Palace

Score: 97.56

More information: tajhotels.com

11. The Sukhothai Bangkok

Celadon Authentic Thai Restaurant at The Sukhothai Bangkok

Sven Ellsworth/Courtesy of The Sukhothai Bangkok

Score: 97.25

More information: sukhothai.com

12. The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, India

Balcony view from The Oberoi Grand

Courtesy of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Score: 97.20

More information: oberoithotels.com

13. The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore

Exterior of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Edward Hendricks/Courtesy of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Score: 97.11

More information: fullertonhotels.com

14. The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Premier Suite - King bedroom at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Christopher Cypert/Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Score: 96.17

More information: ritzcarlton.com

15. Park Hyatt Tokyo

Interior of Park Hyatt Tokyo

Courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo

Score: 96.00

More information: hyatt.com

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2021.
SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for shooting another man in the leg during a robbery.

Dennis Lawson, 24, had pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court of second-degree robbery, willful injury and felon in possession of a firearm, all with a habitual offender enhancement.

District Judge Jeffrey Neary sentenced Lawson to 15 years on each charge and ordered them to be served concurrently, or at the same time. The 15-year sentence will be served back to back with a five-year prison sentence that was enforced after Lawson's probation in a separate case was revoked. He must serve at least 10.5 years before he's eligible for parole.

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Neary ordered Lawson's 20-year state prison sentence to be served back to back with a 51-month federal prison sentence Lawson received in July.

On May 21, 2020, Lawson was in a car with another man, who stopped and obtained $400 from an ATM at a Gordon Drive convenience store. When the man returned to the car, Lawson pulled a gun on him and demanded the money. After the victim refused, Lawson fired two shots, one of them hitting the victim in the leg and requiring several surgeries to repair.
SIOUX CITY -- The starting wage for production jobs at Seaboard Triumph Foods increased by $2.40 per hour, or about 13.6 percent, effective Labor Day, a day after the Sioux City pork plant celebrated its fourth anniversary.

New production hires now start at a base wage of $20 per hour, up from $17.60 per hour previously, according to a company spokesperson. Wages for current production employees now range from $20 to $22.25 per hour. In addition, workers now receive a $1 per hour shift differential, up from 20 cents per hour.

Wages also rose Monday for maintenance department workers, with a new range of $21.75 to $32.75 per hour. The low end of that range previously started at $19.35 per hour.

This is a great thing for the employees, Mark Nemitz, president of United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 222, which recognizes hourly workers at the plant, said in a news release from the company Tuesday.
Winuk: There was, of course, no escaping the tragedy of it. But you couldnt help but notice the way people came together and the way everybody wanted to pitch in whatever they could. I had never experienced that phenomenon before. We all hoped it would last forever, but everybody eventually gets back to their lives. When we first began this in 2002, we didnt want the remnants of 9/11 to just be about all the bad because there was good  the way we all focused on our common humanity. That was the genesis of this: Lets try to establish a ritual in this country that, at least on this one day a year, we rekindle that spirit and we come together because theres always going to be people in need. Theres always a way for people to be productive if we work together. Lets celebrate our differences instead of using them to divide. Its what makes this country great.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The summer that was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.
BOSTON (AP)  Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.

In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: "He should not be paroled."

"Bobby believed we should work to 'tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world,'" Kennedy, 93, wrote.

"He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband," she wrote, adding: "Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again."

Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Her statement came a week after former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK's oldest son, also denounced the possible parole of Sirhan, 77.

Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.
Jones in March offered a prosecutor in his office $1,000 to get a murder conviction and offered another prosecutor in his office $1,000 to say a case was ready for trial when it wasn't, the indictment says.

Also in March, Jones did knowingly use a threat and engage in misleading conduct to influence and prevent the testimony of a crime victim and did not assist the victim through the complexities of the criminal justice system and ensure that the victim was informed of his rights under the law, the indictment says.

It is important for the citizens of Georgia to know that our office will not hesitate to enforce the rule of law, including when it involves the actions of a public official, Attorney General Chris Carr said in a news release announcing the indictment.

Jones is charged with two counts of violation of oath by a public officer, two counts of attempted violation of oath by a public officer, two counts of bribery, two counts of influencing witnesses and one count of attempted subornation of perjury. All nine counts are felony charges.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Democratic state Sen. Kirsten Engel of Tucson resigned from the Legislature on Wednesday to focus on her campaign for the U.S. House.

Arizona's 2nd Congressional District race will be pivotal to the Democratic Party's efforts to retain the U.S. House majority, and this is not an endeavor to be taken lightly," Engel said.

I know how much work it will take to win this district, and I'm ready to take on that challenge whole-heartedly, Engel said in a statement.

Incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick is retiring. The district, which includes parts of Tucson and southeastern Arizona, has been highly competitive in the past, though it's unknown how the boundaries will change through the ongoing redistricting process.

Engel, an environmental law professor at University of Arizona, is in her first term in the state Senate following two terms in the House. She faces Democratic state Rep. Daniel Hernandez, who is best known as the intern credited with saving former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords when she was shot in the head.

State Rep. Randy Friese, another Tucson-area lawmaker, dropped out of the Democratic primary last week saying he needed to focus on his job as a doctor during the pandemic.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Former Republican officeholders and elections experts said Wednesday that the GOP-ordered investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin lacks credibility, transparency and raises security risks and legal concerns.

And a Republican Wisconsin lawmaker who heads the state Senate's election committee separately defended the integrity of the state's election process after a two-hour informational hearing attended by other Republicans who have pushed for investigations.

Im sorry, but there is not a reason to spread misinformation about this past election when we have all the evidence that shows otherwise," state Sen. Kathy Bernier said after after she led a tutorial at the state Capitol for legislators and their their staffs about how the states elections function. That included a demonstration of voting equipment.

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Kentucky's former secretary of state, Trey Grayson, said the ongoing investigation in Wisconsin, like one in Arizona, are part of disinformation campaigns and threats to democracy.
LaPLACE, La. (AP)  Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Louisiana, most of them outside New Orleans, still didnt have power Tuesday and more than half the gas stations in two major cities were without fuel nine days after Hurricane Ida slammed into the state, splintering homes and toppling electric lines.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  A statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee that towered over Richmond for generations was taken down, cut into pieces and hauled away Wednesday, as the former capital of the Confederacy erased the last of the Civil War figures that once defined its most prominent thoroughfare.
Abbott signed the measure into law in May. Although other GOP-led states have passed similar measures, they have been blocked by courts. Texas' version differs significantly because it solely leaves enforcement to private citizens who can sue abortion providers who violate the law.

Abbott was asked about the new abortion restrictions while signing into law an overhaul of Texas' election rules.

Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them," Abbott said.

Jones said Abbott's statements were both confusing and disheartening. She said shed like to hear more from Abbott on his statement on eliminating rape.

Certainly it is in our mission statement to work to end sexual violence, that is why we exist, but we are also very aware that that is an aspirational goal that yes, we do believe that this is a preventable crime, but it if it were that easy, rape would no longer exist, Jones said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Foes of the new Texas law that bans most abortions have been looking to the Democratic-run federal government to swoop in and knock down the most restrictive abortion law in effect in the country. But it's nowhere near that simple.
Five years ago: California and federal regulators fined Wells Fargo a combined $185 million, alleging the banks employees illegally opened millions of unauthorized accounts for their customers in order to meet aggressive sales goals. U.S. aviation safety officials took the extraordinary step of warning airline passengers not to turn on or charge a new-model Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, during flights following numerous reports of the devices catching fire. Greta Zimmer Friedman, identified as the woman in an iconic photo seen kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II, died in Richmond, Virginia, at age 92.

One year ago: The Northern California foothill hamlet of Berry Creek was largely destroyed in what would be the deadliest of the wildfires burning through much of the state; it left 16 people dead. More than a dozen California firefighters trying to protect a fire station in rugged mountains were overrun by flames; several were hurt as they deployed emergency shelters. Students across the nation ran into computer glitches as they began the school year with online instruction at home because of the coronavirus. Britains government banned gatherings of more than six people in England, as officials tried to keep a lid on daily new coronavirus infections.

Todays Birthdays: Ventriloquist Willie Tyler is 81. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 80. Actor Alan Feinstein is 80. Pop singer Sal Valentino (The Beau Brummels) is 79. Author Ann Beattie is 74. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is 71. Cajun singer Zachary Richard (ree-SHARD) is 71. Musician Will Lee is 69. Actor Heather Thomas is 64. Singer Aimee Mann is 61. Pop musician David Steele (Fine Young Cannibals) is 61. Actor Thomas Kretschmann is 59. Gospel singer Darlene Zschech (chehk) is 56. Alternative country singer Neko (NEE-koh) Case is 51. TV personality Brooke Burke is 50. Actor Martin Freeman is 50. Actor David Arquette is 50. TV-radio personality Kennedy is 49. Rock musician Richard Hughes (Keane) is 46. Actor Larenz Tate is 46. Actor Nathan Corddry is 44. R&B singer Pink is 42. Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson is 41. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas is 40. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 34. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (TV: Stranger Things) is 19.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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The revamped 2nd Congressional District would include the rest of Douglas County, all of Sarpy County and all of Saunders County. The district now is represented by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.

All three of Nebraska's representatives are Republicans.

The largely rural 3rd district, represented by Rep. Adrian Smith, currently covers 70 of Nebraska's 93 counties, stretching from South Sioux City and Falls City to Scottsbluff and Gering in the west.

Under both Linehan's and Wayne's maps, the Northeast Nebraska counties of Dakota, Dixon, Cedar, Knox, Pierce and Wayne would remain in the 3rd district, while Madison would stay in the 1st District. The Democratic map would keep Thurston County in the 1st district, while the GOP map would shift Thurston to the 3rd District, which is one of the nation's most Republican districts.

The Democratic map evens out the population among the three districts, while the Republican map has slight deviations. Legislative guidelines call for the districts to be as nearly equal as practicable in population.

Linehan previously expressed doubt that a proposal splitting Douglas County would advance very far in the Legislature, though she said she would take a look if somebody would bring me a map that would make sense.
The Linehan map, by contrast, would split Douglas County along Interstate 680 and West Dodge Road. Everything north and west of those main thoroughfares would move into the 1st Congressional District, which is dominated by Lincoln. The district is represented by U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

The revamped 2nd Congressional District would include the rest of Douglas County, all of Sarpy County and all of Saunders County. The district now is represented by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.

All three of Nebraska's representatives are Republicans.

The Democratic map evens out the population among the three districts, while the Republican map has slight deviations. Legislative guidelines call for the districts to be as nearly equal as practicable in population.

Linehan previously expressed doubt that a proposal splitting Douglas County would advance very far in the Legislature, though she said she would take a look if somebody would bring me a map that would make sense.

Linehan defended the change, saying that it would keep Sarpy County whole and follow natural boundaries. She pointed out other political districts divide Douglas County several ways, including proposed and historical Supreme Court, University of Nebraska Board of Regents and State Board of Education seats.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Health officials on Tuesday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 and the largest number of infected people on ventilators at South Dakota hospitals since last year.

According to the state Department of Health, there are 453 new infections. Tuesday's report doesn't include Labor Day or results from weekend testing which will be reported on Wednesday.

The new cases bring the total number of positive test results to 134,308. One person who died was in his or her 50s and the other in the 70s. One was a resident of a long-term care facility.

Fifty-eight of 213 people hospitalized were in intensive care, and 45 were on ventilators. Twenty-nine of the patients on ventilators were at Monument Healths Rapid City hospital.

Meanwhile, Sioux Falls-based Avera Health announced Tuesday that it will require full vaccination for its physicians, employees and volunteers by Dec. 1. The policy also includes students with rotations at Avera, contracted workers and vendors.

As a health care ministry, Avera is called upon to provide a safe and protective environment for our patients, their families and our employees. This is consistent with our mission and values, said David Erickson, chief medical and innovation officer in the news release.
PARIS (AP)  The trial of 20 men accused in a series of coordinated attacks on Paris in 2015 that spread fear across Europe and transformed France opened Wednesday in a custom-built complex embedded within a 13th-century courthouse.
Thats especially the case this year in regard to the 2nd Congressional District, as some Republican stalwarts seem set to call for splitting Douglas County between two districts to help GOP electoral prospects. In the wake of the new census figures, the 2nd District must shrink by 47,000 people to equalize population among Nebraskas three districts. Removing that many voters from the 2nd District while keeping Douglas County whole would make it difficult for the GOP to win either the House seat or the districts presidential electoral vote.

But the division of Douglas County, merely to serve a political partys narrow election interest, is blatantly opportunistic and deserves the Legislatures rejection.

Fierce brawls are likely, too, over state legislative boundaries in western and north-central Douglas County, especially in districts currently held by Democrats. Linehan offered reassurance to her colleagues in May that her goal isnt to blow up existing districts and start from scratch. On Friday, Nebraskans will see how closely map revisions follow that guidance.
Phil Valentine had been a Nashville institution and beloved talk radio host since the 1990s, an era that saw a boom in right-wing radio following Rush Limbaughs national ascent and new local hosts who were branded mini Rushes. Though he was conservative, Valentine didnt deny the severity of the pandemiche just didnt think anyone should be pressured to get the vaccine, and he would spotlight alternative treatments for COVID-19. In July, Valentine announced that he had tested positive for COVID, but still initially mocked those whod been vaccinated. Later in the month, his case got more severeand apparently he started changing his mind about vaccines, as his brother explained on CNN. Yet on Aug. 21, Valentine died of COVID, at the age of 61.

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According to Brian Rosenwald, a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Talk Radios America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States, Valentines death was part of a trend: He was the third conservative talk show host to die from COVID-19 just in the month of August. Dick Farrel, an anti-vax Florida radio host pictured above, had died of COVID just weeks before Valentine did. All these guys had been dismissive of the coronavirus vaccinesand they were projecting to an audience that didnt want anything else. On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Rosenwald about this grim trend in right-wing talk radio, and how the conservative media ecosystem has engaged with COVID and vaccines throughout the pandemic. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Mary Wilson: Last week, Joe Rogan also announced that hed gotten COVID. He had likewise held the vaccine at arms length. Why does this keep happening?

Brian Rosenwald: I think its a byproduct of the culture of conservative media. Rogan is kind of the next frontier of conservative media, in part because good conservative media sounds a lot like the conversation around a dinner table in a conservative family. Or, from the more energetic hosts, it might sound like the conversation in a neighborhood bar in a conservative neighborhood after theres been some consumption.

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As in, its conversationaltheres no fact-checker.

Oftentimes when guys get called out for spreading misinformation, theyll say, Well, Im an entertainer. Or: Im a talk show host. Im not a journalist. The job is to hold an audience, have an interesting conversation, share information that one might not get otherwise.

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I like to portray conservative media as a soap opera geared toward men, which means there have to be heroes and villains. The No. 1 hero in conservative media is the host: the guy whos going to defend your values, whos going to fight for you against people who you think are scorning you. Who are the villains? In a lot of cases, they come from what talk radio has long called the liberal establishment, and that is the Democratic Party. Its the mainstream media. It is universities and bastions of intellectualism. It is Hollywood. In short, its what they view as like cultural elites, people from the two coasts who sneer at the heartland and look down on it. That matters for COVID-19, because who is telling people to get vaccinated? Its the government, it is medical authorities, its people at the CDC, its highly educated elites. So its kind of natural that hosts would be asking questions or raising doubts about COVID-19 and what the authorities are saying, because it fits so seamlessly with what this medium has done for 30 years. Its a natural extension of things.

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Last fall, researchers at Pew asked Republicans if they thought the U.S. had controlled the pandemic as much as possible, and whether the whole thing had been overblown. The survey showed that Republicans who rely on Fox News or talk radio for their information were much more likely to say yes to both questions.

What youre seeing is the people who consume this conservative media, whove been listening to talk radio from the beginning of the pandemic, have been skeptical, have been thinking that people are making this into too big of a deal and are alarmist about it. Its a natural extension of that, now that we have vaccines, for them to say, The people telling us that you must get this vaccine are trying to force this on us.

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Why dont these conservative hosts have more room to say something like, This experiment with not getting vaccinated does not seem to be working for us?

Its a good question, and Im not sure theres an easy answer. I think so much of it is this robust relationship, this friendship between host and listener. That bond is the key to people tuning in, but its also, realistically, key to the advertising thats at the base of talk radio. The one thing the host doesnt want to do is damage that listener relationship because if they do and there are fewer people tuned in or theres less trust, then the hosts lose advertisers and revenue. At the end of the day, this is all business, and hosts know that their audience is probably getting other conservative media in there, whether its Fox News, Breitbart

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The audiences are going to change the dial. Theyre going to leave.

Right. We saw this in Donald Trump in 2016, when you had hosts who said they were anti-Trump. They were rock-ribbed conservatives, some of them institutions of their markets, and they were saying this guy is not one of us, that hes not a conservative, that hes morally bankrupt. Then theyd get callers whos say, What happened to you? When did you sell out? Some of the hosts then lost their jobs. What it comes down to is that they realize after a while that the audience drives this as much as the host does. As much as many see conservative media as hosts who are puppeteers dragging their audience around, its kind of the other way aroundhosts are afraid to lose the audience. They say to the audience, We share a set of values, we share a set of principles, and Im going to apply those principles to issues you may not have heard about. Im going to bring things to your attention. But at the end of the day, they dont want to go where the audience doesnt want to go.

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I remember watching Sean Hannity tell his audience that they make his job possible. And he said it that way while he was talking about whether he thought people should get the vaccine.

Hes kind of inched up toward the line of saying, Get vaccinated, and then theres usually some blowback and he pulls back: I never said that. Thats just the liberal media. I actually just said that you should go get information about it. Hosts are very sensitive to crossing the audience.

One person who helped me understand the way the vaccine issue in particular is framed in conservative media is Erick Erickson. He has ranted about vaccines, but on a recent show I listened to, he also insisted that getting a vaccine is a personal decision, and he said that kind of solemnly, as if he were worried about angering someone.

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Theres this two-step. What does he not say in there? He does not say, go out and get the vaccine, and he does not say we should have vaccine mandates. So theres a very careful line even for people who are trying to encourage their audience that vaccination is good and that its something that could save their lives. They dont want to say, You have to do this. They want to say, You should think about doing this.

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Here is something that stands out to me when I consider conservative media types and the way they regard COVID-19: Its just small- and medium-market hosts who are dying from COVID. Not the big shots. Not the ones with shows on Fox News.

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Fox has gone through so many chapters on COVID. Sometimes it seems to back off of the anti-vaxxer stuff. and sometimes it goes more in that direction. Early in the pandemic, Fox parted ways with Trish Regan from Fox Business because she was casting doubt on the topic. And around that time, I think it was reported that Tucker Carlson went to Mar-a-Lago to urge Donald Trump to take it seriously, to urge him to get people to take it seriously. And most of the viewers have been broadcasting remotely, but Fox has all kinds of requirements for its own offices, and has been operating remotely. If you watch what Fox is doing, that tells you its taking the pandemic more seriously on a personal level than what its telling people.

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Carlson has been vocally skeptical of the vaccine and of widespread government encouragement for people to get the vaccine. But we dont know if hes vaccinated or not. When asked, he said thats a personal question.

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The most ridiculous interview answer I think Ive heard. But yes, we dont know if any of these people are vaccinated. We dont know what theyre doing to take precautions. We know none of that kind of stuff. None of them have been open about it in a lot of ways. Thats a big difference with others: The people who are most opposed to vaccination have been very boldly saying, Im not doing this. Its been a badge of honor. But most of these leading conservative media practitioners have been fairly quiet on this.

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I imagine that if somebody sat down and actually surveyed all these hosts, youd find that the percentages are about the same between national hosts who are clearly anti-vax and local hosts who are clearly anti-vax. Were hearing more about the local hosts because there are many, many more of them. Theres another factor that has been brought up about Joe Rogan, which is that hes had monoclonal antibodies as a treatment. Rogan has a massively lucrative deal with Spotify, and studies have shown us that the wealthier you are, the better the treatment youre getting for COVID. The wealthy and the powerful are having access to treatments that the average Joe doesnt get.

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FXs latest installment of Ryan Murphys American Crime Story looks at the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, suggesting that perjury and obstruction, which were the charges the Housethough not the Senatefound Clinton guilty of, is the equivalent of the murders previous seasons explored. While the media firestorm at the time focused on the political dynamics, reverting to the default framing of a gladiatorial (courtroom) combat between two men, this post-#MeToo production foregrounds the women who were subject to Clintons advances instead of relegating them to the sidelines of their own story.

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However, time has done nothing to make the ethical issues less murky. Unlike, say, the Weinstein saga, this was never a simple case of a powerful man pressuring women into doing what he wanted but that they didnt. Some of the women Clinton put the moves on were definitely consenting while others found his attentions decidedly unwelcome. Whatever their reaction, all ended up being used as pawns by partisan interests, losing agency over their own experience.

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The Clinton impeachment was also the first major excursion into the post-truth world, where conspiracy theories and outright lies amplified by compliant media outlets and social media in its infancy were deployed as political weapons to muddy the waters, mobilize the base, and discredit the very notion of objective truth. However, after 20-plus years, it should be possible to separate fact from fiction. We take a look at whether American Crime Story has managed it.

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Betrayal at the Food Court

The episode starts with a fulcrum moment in 1998. Fresh-faced Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein) is packing up her apartment before meeting her friend Linda Tripp (Sarah Paulson) for lunch. Arriving at a food court, the unsuspecting Lewinsky is trailed by Men in Black until they ask her to accompany them to a room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where prosecutors from independent counsel Ken Starrs office are waiting to question her, telling her, Its about the Paula Jones case. Tripp urges Lewinsky to cooperate.

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This is true. Within hours of getting approval to extend his inquiry to include the Lewinsky affair, Starr arranged for Tripp to lure Lewinsky to the Pentagon mall. Lewinsky ended up being questioned for 11 hours in the hotel room. It was just like you see in the movies, she told a Forbes 30 Under 30 conference in 2014. Imagine, one minute I was waiting to meet a friend in the food court and the next I realized she had set me up, as two FBI agents flashed their badges at me. Immediately following, in a nearby hotel room, I was threatened with up to 27 years in jail for denying the affair in an affidavit and other alleged crimes. Twenty-seven years. When youre only 24 yourself, thats a long time.

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However, Lewinsky was up for a fight. Not only did she genuinely say Tripp should remain in the room because she wanted that treacherous bitch to see what she has done to me, as depicted in the show, but when urged by the FBI agents to accompany them, her response, at least according to the New York Post, was go fuck yourself.

[Read: Impeachments Villain Isnt Who You Think She Is]

Vince Foster

In a flashback to 1993, Tripp considerately brings lunch to Vince Foster, the deputy White House counsel for whom she works as an assistant. He leaves the office without touching it, drives to a park, and removes a revolver from the glove compartment. The next thing we see is his belongings being removed from his office, including a large box marked Whitewater.

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Foster was an Arkansas friend of the Clintons who found the partisan pressures of Washington, and the resulting attacks on his integrity, too much to bear. The U.S. Park Police, the D.C. coroner, and the FBI all concluded his death was a suicide, but in some quarters the shows accurate representation of his death will be considered invention. Multimillionaire conservative activist Richard Mellon Scaife funded a group of journalists to come up with Clinton gotcha pieces. One of these was Christopher Ruddy (now CEO of Newsmax), whose book about Fosters death alleged that he was in fact murdered by the Clintons because he knew too much about their financial malfeasance/his own affair with Hillary Clinton.

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Although Fosters death had already been the subject of two investigations, in 1995 a young attorney named Brett Kavanaugh convinced his boss, Kenneth Starr, that these unsubstantiated allegations provided legal grounds for including Fosters death in the Starr inquiry. Although this investigation too concluded Foster had committed suicide, the mysterious death of Vincent Foster has remained a right-wing conspiracy talking point, leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to refer in 2016 to Fosters very fishy death, asserting Foster knew everything that was going on, and then all of a sudden he committed suicide.

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Paula Jones

We first see big-haired, double-denim-clad Paula Jones (Annaleigh Ashford) trying to placate her aspiring actor husband, Steve, who has just read an Arkansas state trooper saying in a magazine that Paula went to a hotel room with then-Gov. Bill Clinton. Paula sets the record straight: She was working a registration desk for a conference when a state trooper told her the governor wanted to see her in his room. Once there, Clinton tried to kiss her, then took out his thing and tried to get her to kiss it, at which point she said no and left. All she wants is an apology. And a part on Designing Women for Steve.

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Her lawyer puts her before the media at CPAC, where the assembled reporters eat her alive because shes not willing to get into the juicy details. However, journalist and conservative activist Ann Coulter (Cobie Smulders) spots an opportunity: If Jones sues for sexual harassment, Clinton will have to testify under oath, and hell lie. Coulter fixes Jones up with some high-powered Washington lawyers, who tell her she only has three days to sue before the statute of limitations expires. When she repeats that she just wants an apology, they doubt her account. To convince them, she draws a picture of the gubernatorial Thing, noting that it takes a dramatic turn. Under pressure from Steve, she agrees to bring charges.

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A 1998 interview with Steve in the Irish Times suggests the depiction of him pushing Paula to sue is accurate. It describes Steve as a commanding personality whose verbal economy can conceal the absolute authority he has over his householda household that the modern feminist movement has never touched. Furthermore, Steve, according to co-workers, had Bush-Quayle stickers all over his gym locker back in 1992 and hated Clinton from the start. And he was indeed a struggling actor, playing, as Impeachment notes, the ghost of Elvis Presley in Jim Jarmuschs 1989 movie, Mystery Train. Its not clear that Jones actually made a part on Designing Women part of the bargain, but it wasnt that far-fetched a request: The shows creators, Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, were longtime allies of Clintons, famously creating the iconic Man From Hope ad.

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And a 1994 interview with ABCs Sam Donaldson, recounted on Slates Slow Burn podcast, suggests that Paula was indeed a guileless pawn who unwittingly stumbled into serving the interests of canny conservative operatives. I was just there. I didntI wasnt a conservative. I didnt even know what a conservative was, she tells Donaldson. Those are the only people that are coming to my defense.  I was just wanting to tell my story, and Im thankful that the conservatives let me use their podium to tell it on.

As for the question everyone really wants to know the answer towas Paulas anatomical recollection accurate?Monica Lewinsky, a person who was in a position to know, had doubts. In one of her Q&A sessions with Starrs prosecutors, Lewinsky said she didnt care to describe the presidents sex organs beyond saying she disagreed with Paula Jones description. And author Ken Gormley notes in The Death of American Virtue, a definitive history of the Clinton impeachment, that evidence from confidential sources now establishes with near certainty that the alleged distinguishing characteristic described by Paula Jones at the time of her encounter with then-Governor Clinton in 1991 did not exist, as an anatomical matter.
You dont know John Mulaneyprobably. But chances are good that you dont actually know him; not in the you guys text constantly and make plans at least one or both of you will flake on 45 minutes before the designated time and feel an immediate sense of relief despite genuinely enjoying each others company-way, at least. You know  real friend shit.

But as a stand-up, John Mulaneys job, or at least part of it, is to make you feel like you do know him. Youre supposed to feel like you could borrow a cup of sugar from him, intimately chat him up at the dog park, or plan a long weekend getaway at an Airbnb in some wooded hamlet for you and your partner and Mulaney and his (now ex-)wife, Annamarie Tendler. Think of all the chickens you could roast! The thing is, if you actually tried to do any of those things, the first words that come to my mind when thinking of the immediate result are restraining order. Because, again, you dont know John Mulaney. You know his comedy. His persona. The version of Mulaney he selectively offers you at the mic.

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This applies to the parts of Mulaney you dont like, too. In May, Mulaney and Tendler announced they were divorcing after six years of marriage. Fans were stunned, hurt that Wife-Guy-in-Chief Mulaney would do such a thing. This came just months after the news that Mulaney had checked into rehab for a 60-day program at the end of 2020 for cocaine and alcohol addiction. Tendler reportedly also spent some time in rehab dealing with emotional issues amid allegations of Mulaneys infidelity. I am heartbroken that John has decided to end our marriage, Tendler said via spokesperson in May. I wish him support and success as he continues his recovery. She then scrubbed her Instagram clean of his visage. Mulaneys fan base thought of him as the guy who told cute anecdotes about his wife not being there to see him win an Emmy, because she didnt want to travel across the country to watch him lose. He was the one who looked like he might both cry and commit a murder when Jerry Seinfeld told him his wife only thought he was funny. He was an anthropomorphized mah wiiiiiife.

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And for those Mulaney fans, the last nine months have felt like an emotional whirlwind: Mulaneys rehab stint. His divorce announcement. The recently confirmed rumors that he and Olivia Munn, who once credited getting basically a new face to eating special potatoes, are dating and expecting a baby. Mulaneys fans had, and continue to have, strong feelings about all of itlike these were actions and decisions that impacted them, as though John Mulaney was a fixture in their social lives and not just a celebrity stranger.

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Look: This is not to judge. I get it, I really do. Im an Irish, lapsed-Catholic. John Mulaney was possibly created in a lab to make me, specifically, laugh. Ive spent years joking that the Catholic Church intentionally changed up the wording of its services just to out me as a heathen, who only goes to mass for funerals and weddings and hopes the ground doesnt open up and swallow me whole while Im praying. Mulaney does a bit about this exact thing in his 2015 Netflix special, The Comeback Kid. It made me actually snort and think, Oh yeah, we get each other. But that same feeling came back to haunt many of Mulaneys biggest supporters after the divorce news. Even in the context of the typical brand of performative hyperbole that makes up the dominant language of social media, the responses to Mulaneys split and new love seemed unusually frantic, Kayleigh Donaldson wrote for Pajiba in May, following the divorce announcement. Some cried that love was dead. Others lamented how Mulaney didnt seem like that kind of guy. He just loved his wife so much. How could he do this to her? How could he do this to us?

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The us in that last sentence is doing a lot of work. Thats a parasocial relationship, a psychological term that dates back to 1956 courtesy of Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl, who coined it to describe how people feel like they are in real relationships with media figurestelevision stars, movie actors, radio hoststhey dont actually know beyond engaging with their work. Its a midcentury term that nonetheless gets tossed around on Twitter in 2021 with abandon about podcast hosts, teenage TikTok stars, and, these days, John Mulaney.

None of us are immune, to be clear. Parasocial relationships are formed often without you even realizing it. This winter, I binged all of Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirways podcast Home Cooking, and it was like putting aloe from the freezer on a sunburn for me. Hirways terribly wonderful puns and Nosrats encyclopedic kitchen knowledge were both comforting and reliable in a time that was (and remains) anything but. On Instagram months later, during that moment in the spring where we still felt like maybe vaccines could save us, Id see a picture of the two of them together and immediately feel a bizarre twinge of sadness, the kind you feel when you find out two of your mutual friends made plans and didnt invite you. Except these people literally do not know me. I invented our friendship in my head.

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The thing about parasocial relationships is calling them entirely one sided is to lightly gaslight the person on that one side. (Sorry to deploy yet another psychology term so overused by the internet it has effectively lost all its original meaning. Still works here, though.) Parasocial relationships are precisely how and why some people get famous. These people compel us. These people employ PR operations to help compel us. They want you to get to know them. Its good for their art; its even better for their business. Taylor Swift could write a book on cultivating parasocial relationships with fans, what with her secret listening parties in her home for megafans sourced from the depths of the internet, custom care packages mailed to Tumblr stans, showing up at the occasional wedding with an acoustic guitar in hand. None of this makes her fake; it makes her brilliant. (In case its not very clear: You also dont actually know Taylor Swift. Leave her alone, too.)

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Yet it doesnt make you wrong for feeling like you have a relationship with these people. You doits just transactional. They give you their music, their comedy, their writing, and the nice, fuzzy feeling like those gifts are an entree into their innermost worlds. In exchange, you give them your time and money and attention. Its OK to feel hurt by their choices, because youve invested something in them. But its not OK to feel like they owe you anything more than exactly what they choose to give. Thats all youve ever gotten before, anyway.
Jenee Desmond-Harris is online weekly to chat live with readers. Heres an edited transcript of this weeks chat.

Q. Silenced niece: Over the past year, my dad has had a very sudden decline in health due to Alzheimers and dementia. He is in his mid-70s. He has been in the hospital for more than four months waiting for a long-term care placement. He still recognizes people but has lost most of his ability to speak, etc. I am assisting my mom as much as I can with hospital visits, paperwork, and so on.

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One thing I am really struggling with is that my mom refuses to tell any of my dads siblings (who live in their home country) about his condition, and has asked me not to tell them either. She says they will just ask useless questions and give her unsolicited advice. I offered to update my aunts and uncles myself while asking them to direct all questions and comments to me, but my mom still said no. My parents have a historically rocky relationship with their siblings due to various temperaments, but I know my aunts and uncles do care about them. I have my own relationships with these relatives and I think they would want to know about their brother. My mom would be very upset if I told them without her permission, but I also feel guilty keeping my relatives in the dark; Im in touch with a few of them quite regularly. My dad could take an even worse turn anytime and Im sure my relatives would be sad not to have heard any updates earlier and possibly connected with him while they still could. They would also wonder why neither my mom nor I reached out sooner.

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I feel really torn between respecting my moms wishes and withholding significant information about their own brother. If I were in their position, I would want to know! Do I need to just accept my moms stance, or are there any other options?

A: If you do what you think is right and tell your aunts and uncles, it sounds like the consequences will be that your mom might face being annoyed by questions. If you do what your mom wants you to do and keep the secret, the consequence will be that your relatives are heartbroken to be left out of this part of your dads life. The latter sounds much worse to me, so I think you should go ahead and tell. Your idea to ask them to direct all questions to you is a great one. Hopefully they can process the news without even bothering your mother.

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Q. Childhood home: My husband died a decade ago. Our daughters are now 23, 21, and 20. My youngest just announced her engagement.

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The old house has been a burden on me for years. It is too large, too far away from my work, and held down by too many memories. My partner of the past three years wants me to move into his new town house. I helped him decorate it and it is 15 minutes from work.

The market is red-hot right now and I decided to sell. I told my girls if they wanted any furniture, they needed to tell me now so I could set it aside (though honestly most of it is old and worn). The girls took most of the sentimental items years ago, so I didnt think they would mind this much.

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My youngest was absolutely furious with me for even considering the idea. This was the family home and her father would never forgive me for selling it. I explained I needed to downsize and the hour-plus commute was very stressful for me. I want to move on to the next phase of my life as well. My daughter started making awful remarks about my partner. I told her if she cant be civil, I was ending the conversation.

Everything escalated after that. My youngest two daughters are firmly set on me keeping the house and are trying to convince me to rent it out instead. I dont want to be a landlord. They have called me pleading and crying; my middle daughter told me it was like Dad dying all over again. I sobbed after that call. My oldest told me I should do what I need to do but she always imagined bringing her children around to spend holidays in her childhood home.

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This hurts so much. We moved a lot when they were very little but settled down here when my oldest was 8. I thought about moving to be near family after my husband died but decided the girls needed the stability of the same school district.

My partner is impatient with my daughters dramatics and reminds me the town house has a guest room. His family is in the military, so moving was second nature to them. My sisters think my daughters are acting like idiots. I feel like I am failing as a mother. What should I do?

A: I understand the attachment to a childhood home but I also kind of  dont. Millions of people (myself included) grow up in a series of different apartments and, as a result, learn to see the importance of people, relationships, and traditions rather than buildings. I would think that losing a father would have put things into perspective for your daughters and reminded them that whats meaningful is the connection they have with their loved ones (including a mother who is still alive and whom theyre wasting valuable time being mad at!) rather than real estate.

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Its fine that theyre a little sad and sentimental, but their outrage over you doing what you need to for this phase of your life is honestly giving me spoiled and selfish vibes. Make the decision you need to and I assure you theyll eventually get over it, perhaps after they have more time to process their fathers death. You can acknowledge that theres some sadness accompanying this transition, but the way to handle that is to get everyone a nice framed painting of the family home from an artist on Etsy, not to derail your life.

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Q. Debilitating plan: When the pandemic started, I was very, very lonely. I was too afraid to leave my house, and to compensate, I started working a ton. Im not sure exactly what happened, but I overworked myself and physically burned out. I had to quit my job and move in with my mother. I got kicked off of my insurance. Figuring out what is wrong with me has been a nightmare. Ive struggled to even work part time. I was too exhausted to do most of the normal fun summer stuff I do. My mom thinks Im just depressed and need to do more fun things or get a more fulfilling job. She doesnt seem to get that I just cant do those things.

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In a show of tough love, my mom has told me I have to be out of her house by next year. She somehow thinks that being self-sufficient will fix me. I have a few ideas of what my condition is and at least one of those things could have me bedridden if I get worse. Im really worried about this happening while I live on my own.

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So Im thinking about doing something that seems a little bit terrible: working really hard for a while and making it seem like Ive gotten worse. I dont think my mom would kick me out then. I really cannot support myself. Am I a terrible person for trying to trick my mother? I know there are resources for people with disabilities, but you have to have documentation and as of now, I have none. I just dont know what else to do.

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A: Im so sorry youre dealing with thisbeing exhausted and having to worry about how youll keep a roof over your head is a lot to deal with. I dont think your plan to trick your mom is a great one, though. First, you arent actually able to work harder, right? So it would be tough to implement. Second, you might actually make yourself worse in a way that would be irreversible. Third, since theres no concrete evidence of your illness, even if you got worse, your mom still might not believe you!

Instead, use the period of time that you have a place to liveabout four months by my calculations, if shes serious about wanting you to leave by 2022to get a diagnosis. I dont want to suggest that this will be easy. You might have to go to multiple doctors (which could require applying for Medicaid or other assistance), really advocate for yourself, and do a lot of researchall things that could take up a lot of your limited energybut the payoff will be significant. For starters, your mother might find some sympathy for you if a doctor has put a label to the symptoms youre experiencing, even if that label does turn out to be depression. Depression is a real thing! Even more importantly, you might then actually qualify for disability benefits and resources. I wish you luck getting to the bottom of whats going on and getting better.

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Q. One-way communicator: I have two sisters with whom I am always trying to communicatethey are pretty much all who are left of my family. One lives nearby and the other about six to seven hours away. I send text messages every few days to check in and plan events so that we can get together. I also work full time and have multiple business ventures and properties on top of that, but I make an effort to contact my sisters. (One sister is always lamenting the loss of connection with the three of us and other family members, and she goes out of her way to interact with really dysfunctional, more distant relatives.)

My husband and I bought a property in New Orleans a few months ago, which fulfilled a life goal of ours. Hurricane Ida obviously just swept through. EVERYONE asked how our property fared (we dont honestly know ourselves yet and are very concerned, but appreciated the outpouring of support)everyone, that is, except for my sisters. I finally called them out several days after the storm, saying I felt unsupported by their silence. Their reasons? They were busy (I am not?) and didnt want to bother me. I finally just said I am tired of my communication efforts going one way, and that they can contact me when they are ready to plan something.

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I am the person who shops for all birthday gifts, gives discounts on my various businesses, throws surprise parties for milestones, plans trips, etc. I really dont think a text message saying Hey are you OK? is too much to ask. They didnt even know if we were at our New Orleans property or not during the storm! The sister who pursues the drama-toxic relatives threw out some guilt trip that she was distracted because we lost an aunt several years ago to alcohol-related illness in September. Uhh, the hurricane touched down in August

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I am tired of these excuses. Should I just give up on these relationships and move on?

A: This is a really tough situation because your frustration is completely justified and youd be well within your rights to give up on these relationships, but I dont actually think that would make you happy. You love your sisters and you do want them in your life, so being right wont bring you a lot of joy.

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What can sometimes happen in long friendshipsand especially sibling relationshipsis that people take on certain roles and get used to them. My guess is your sisters love you and want to be in touch with you, but they know youll do all the legwork to keep the connection going because you always have. And maybe they assume youll be OK because you always have been. It sounds like youre organized, ambitious, and really have your life together, and theyre accustomed to you being the one who reaches out and makes things happen, and the one who doesnt need anything. That pattern can be difficult to break, but I think it can be donewithout writing them out of your life.

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My suggestion is to try to think about your intentions each time you interact with your sisters, and only call (or plan a trip or event) when youre doing it because you truly want their company. That way, your reward is the connection itself, and youre not waiting to even the score by receiving a call, discount, or check-in. In other words, only do what feels good to you and makes you happy, not what you think you should do. And if possible, do it without any expectations.

Im hopeful that if you pull back and leave some room for them to fill in the gaps, they might step up and reach out to you more often, taking more responsibility for the relationship. But if they dont, I think you should use your extra time and energy (and business discounts) to connect with the family you chooseclose friends who have as much to offer as you do and who will happily pull their weight.

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Q. Re: Silenced niece: I just wanted to mention that there may be things that the niece may not know that would justify the moms decision, such as a history of abuse, financial fraud, or something similar. Disclosing could potentially cause harm to the mom or even the dad in such a case. I suggest the letter writer talk to her mother again before opening this floodgate.

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A: Wow, didnt even think of that! Yes, the letter writer should make sure there isnt a reason for keeping them out of the loop thats deeper than theyre annoying.

Q. Re: Silenced niece: Yes, relatives and close friends ask useless questions and are great at offering unsolicited advice. I had this recently when my mum had a health emergency. They still deserve to know about their siblings health.

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Things that helped me:

 Group WhatsApps or textssome people actually came to my defense and called annoying comments out.

 Consider starting a CaringBridge with someone (preferably a bit more distant from your dad than you) designated to update and field questions.

 Keep it written as much as possible, so youre not caught on the phone. Obviously you get to let it go to voicemail.

 Get a point person if someone is being too difficult/draining/out of line. I had to do this with mums cousin; I texted his daughter and said it might be selfish but I only have so much energy, so could she be a point person for her father? She knows what her father can be likeand thankfully I never heard another peep.

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A: Great advice.

Jenee Desmond-Harris: Thanks as always for asking and answering questions. Enjoy the short week and Ill see you back here on Monday.

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If you missed Part 1 of this weeks chat, click here to read it.

Discuss this column on our Facebook page!

From How to Do It

Im a 35-year-old married mother of two small children, and Ive never had good sex. I do not have orgasms from intercourse alone, which I have gathered is not unusual. None of the men I was with when I was single in my 20s were interested in learning about the clitoris. Neither is my husband. My question is whether all men are like thisbecause in my dating life, they all wereor whether its worth it to try to have an affair.
Britney Spears father, James Spears, filed a court petition Tuesday formally asking to end the 13-year conservatorship that has controlled the 39-year-old pop stars finances and many aspects of her life. The conservatorship was put in place in 2008; its a legal structure used to protect people deemed unfit to make their own decisions, typically elderly or terminally ill people. Spears father has spent years effectively controlling not just his daughters finances but much of her day-to-day life, an arrangement the pop star told the court this summer was abusive. Under the conservatorship, Britney Spears was not allowed to drive a car or choose a doctor or her own lawyer to represent her.

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As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter, James Spears petition reads. If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance. The petition to end the guardianship represents a marked shift in thinking for James Spears, whom Britney Spears petitioned the court earlier this year to remove from the conservatorship of her estate. James Spears had agreed to eventually step down from his role overseeing his daughters affairs, but resisted being replaced immediately.

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A lawyer for Britney Spears told the Associated Press in an email that Tuesdays court filing represents another legal victory for Britney Spearsa massive oneas well as vindication for Ms. Spears. The petition still must be approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny before going into effect. The court was scheduled to hear from Britney Spears counsel later this month on the pop stars effort to remove her father from her estates conservatorship. Her father has not been involved as her personal conservator since September 2019, when licensed professional conservator Jodi Montgomery took over that role.

James Spears said in the court filing that he always intended to act in the best interest of his daughter, who was struggling with substance abuse and the pressures of celebrity at the time. Britney Spears and her fans, who started the #FreeBritney movement online, contest James Spears claim that he helped her get through a major life crisis, rehabilitate and advance her career, and put her finances and her affairs in order.
On Sept. 1, the anti-abortion movement won its most substantial legal victory in nearly half a century. But most Republicans dont actually want to talk about it. Instead, the GOPs reaction to Texas six-week abortion banwhich took effect at the beginning of the month after the Supreme Court refused to block ithas been silence, punctuated by lies about the law itself. Despite the Republican Partys decadeslong crusade against Roe v. Wade, the vast majority of GOP politicians declined to celebrate, or even note, Roes functional demise. Why?

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The most obvious answer is that Republicans are now the dog that caught the car, fearful of the political ramifications of their own victory. Indeed, it seems undeniable that Republicans did not anticipate this abrupt triumph over Roe, instead assuming that the Texas law would be blocked by the courts. After all, hundreds of similar laws were blocked by the courts for years. Their decision to downplay this victory should upend the conventional wisdom about Roe not just politically, but also from a constitutional perspective.

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For years, conservative lawyers have argued that the Supreme Court should not uphold pro-choice precedent because it is unsettled, unstable, and unworkable. As evidence, they cite the fact that red states continue passing all manner of abortion restrictions to contest the legitimacy of Roe as settled precedent. But the GOPs reaction to the Texas law suggests that this analysis has it backward. What if Republicans only continued to pass abortion restrictions because they knew the laws would get struck down? What if the passage of these laws proves that Roe is such a settled, stable, and workable precedent that legislators think they can pretend to defy it without worrying about the consequences?

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When the Supreme Court handed down Roe in 1973, the decision was not nearly as controversial as it is today. It was decided by a 72 vote with four Republican-appointed justices in the majority. The public reaction was initially muted but grew more polarized in the following years as the political and religious right seized upon abortion as a cause celebre. Under Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, the Department of Justice urged the Supreme Court to overturn Roe, but it refused in 1992s Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

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Every year that passed with Roe and Casey on the books, the argument for overturning the constitutional right to abortion seemed to grow weaker. The Supreme Courts doctrine of stare decisis requires respect for precedents, especially those with deep roots upon which the nation has come to rely. As the court explained in Casey, people have organized intimate relationships and made choices that define their views of themselves and their places in society in reliance on the availability of abortion. These profound reliance interests counsel against SCOTUS pulling out the rug from underneath millions of Americans by eradicating their right to terminate a pregnancy.

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As Roe grew increasingly entrenched in American law and life, anti-abortion advocates adopted a different argument to contest its validity as precedent: The argument that it is not stable because state legislatures continue passing laws designed to undermine or flout it. Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to endorse this idea when he laid out his grand unified theory of precedent in a concurring opinion to 2010s Citizens United v. FEC. Roberts wrote that the Supreme Court should not adhere to precedent if it is so hotly contested that it cannot reliably function as a basis for decision in future cases. The simple fact that one of our decisions remains controversial does not, by itself, justify overruling it, the chief justice noted. But he added that this controversy does undermine the precedents ability to contribute to the stable and orderly development of the law. In these cases, it is entirely appropriate for the court to consider new approachesthat is, to overrule it.

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Republicans created the impression that Roe was unsettled and unstable while relying on its status as settled, stabled law.

Many conservative commentators believe Roberts wrote this opinion with Roe in his cross-hairs. Conservative litigators picked up on his hint and began filling their briefs with arguments against Roes stability. When 207 members of Congress urged the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe in 2020s June Medical v. Russo, they zeroed in on this claim, saying they could dismiss the precedent because it is unsettled and unworkable. Other anti-abortion groups echoed Roberts concurrence, as well; Americans United for Life, for instance, alleged that growing legal protection for prenatal human lifethat is, an endless stream of abortion restrictionshas kept Roe radically unsettled. And because it is so unstable, the Supreme Court should not award it any respect as precedent.

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These arguments, however, failed to mention a key fact: Legislatures passed all these restrictions knowing that the federal judiciary would safeguard the core right to abortion. They did not have to face the political backlash that might result from the closure of every abortion clinic or the prosecution of patients who terminate illegally. As the implementation date for each new law loomed, clinics would race to court to obtain an injunction. Judges would oblige, and Republicans would rail against their rulingsand fundraise off the outrage they fomented. At the next legislative session, theyd repeat the process, creating an endless cycle of anti-abortion fervor that never resulted in the prohibition of abortion.

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Now the Supreme Court has broken that cycle. By a 54 vote, it allowed Texas six-week abortion ban to take effect, allowing the state to outlaw virtually all abortions for the first time since 1973. The states clinics have stopped providing abortions to all but the rare patient at an extremely early stage of pregnancy. Yet few of its members are willing to acknowledge this new state of affairs. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the Supreme Courts effective abandonment of Roea key aim of his ruthless drive to capture the federal judiciaryas a highly technical decision. Texas Republican senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornynnormally so vocal about their hostility to abortionwere silent.

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At first, so was Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the Texas ban into law. When Abbott did finally comment on the law, he lied about it, claiming that it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. Abbotts comments can only be seen as an attempt to insist that women can still access abortion care in his state. This allegation is objectively false: A patient is six weeks pregnant just two weeks after her first missed period. Many pregnancy tests may not even turn up positive until several days after a patient first misses her period. In reality, then, Texans have two weeks, at most, to get an abortion. No wonder more than 85 percent of abortion patients have passed the six-week mark.

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Other Republicans assertions about the bill are equally laughable. GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy insisted that if it is as terrible as people say it is, itll be destroyed by the Supreme Court. (Except  it wasnt.) He even declared that the courts decision to let the law take effect was clearly not an assault  upon Roe v. Wade. (It was.) Why was Cassidywho purports to support the reversal of Roe and the prohibition of abortionso eager to convey his confidence that SCOTUS would uphold Roe and block Texas bill?

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The most likely answer is that Cassidy, like most members of his party, has long assumed that Roe would serve as a guardrail against their most extreme anti-abortion legislation. They created the impression that Roe was unsettled and unstable while relying on its status as settled, stabled law to score political points. They pretended it was an unworkable precedent then trusted courts to enforce its obvious commands at the expense of their own legislation. Put simply, Republicans could only create the impression of Roes instability because it was so stable.

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Now, thanks to their own crusade, that stability is in serious peril. The GOP has succeeded, for the first time in almost half a century, in outlawing almost all abortions in a state. And now, Republicans are running scared from the consequences of their own actions. Before the Supreme Courts conservative justices pronounce Roe fatally unsettled, unstable, and unworkable, they should look at Republicans reaction to their own ostensible triumph in Texas. At long last, GOP lawmakers have achieved an end run around the constitutional right to abortion. And now, they have never been more desperate to convince the country that Roe is settled precedent.
This story was originally published by Undark and has been republished here with permission.

When Kimberly Sheldon was 47, she made what she now calls the biggest mistake of her life. That was in 2018, when she says that a dentist explained to her that cutting the tissue under her tongue would help her jaw pain, gum recession, and occasional headaches. Her issues, he said, could be due to the fact that the back of her tongue couldnt reach the roof of her mouth. With a quick laser slice, a $600 charge, and some instruction on tongue exercises, he seemed confident that she would feel better soon after.

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But, according to her account, the dentist didnt explain the possible risks, which include nerve damage and scarring that can restrict the tongue. Sheldon only found out about the issues after she experienced them. Since then, she says, the effects have torn her life apart.

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The idea that tongue position can contribute to health problems is not well-supported by research, but its edging towards the mainstream. Millions of people are watching YouTube videos about how the tongue allegedly influences the face and jaw, and books, videos, websites, and social media posts say that improper tongue position can contribute to a host of health issues  dental problems, sleep apnea, headaches, neck and back pain, and more. These ideas are especially becoming popular in dentistry  echoed by Colgate and a dental hygienists magazine. Some even claim that changing the tongue position can make people more attractive.

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Two proposed solutions to help with an allegedly poor tongue posture are becoming more popular, which may be done together or separately (in Sheldons case, her dentist recommended both). The first is myofunctional therapy, a series of exercises to strengthen the tongue so that it can rest on the roof of the mouth. Celebrities, including Kourtney Kardashian, are promoting this therapy. The second is surgery on what some practitioners call a tongue-tie  a condition in which the tissue under the tongue, called the frenulum, is supposedly restricted.

Some tongue-ties are undisputed diagnoses  generally in very young children. In infancy, a type of tongue-tie where the frenulum attaches all the way to the front of the tongue and severely restricts its movement has been treated for hundreds of years. More controversial are hidden, or posterior, tongue-ties, which, as Undark previously reported, are increasingly diagnosed and cut in children. Adult tongue-tie diagnoses also lack rigorous evidence.

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Despite the limited evidence, myofunctional therapy and tongue-tie surgeries are increasingly promoted as a treatment for the many ailments attributed to poor tongue posture in adults. Especially concerning, some experts say, is the claim that the therapy is an alternative treatment for sleep apnea, despite a lack of evidence and with possible risks to patients.

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Many doctors, however, caution against the idea that changing tongue posture is a panacea. I think people want to believe that myofunctional therapy is helpful, Eric Kezirian, a professor and physician of otolaryngology  head and neck surgery at the University of Southern California, wrote in an email. The problem is that the history of health care is littered with thousands upon thousands of treatments that were not helpful, or were in many cases harmful, in spite of peoples best intentions. (An otolaryngologist is also called an ear, nose, and throat doctor, or ENT.)

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To be sure, some patients say that tongue surgery and therapy has been life changing. In an invite-only Facebook group for tongue-tied adults, which has more than 15,000 members, some advocates report improvements in everything from facial composition to migraines, neck tension, anxiety, and even bowel movements. But not everyone has a positive experience. After the numbing wore off from Sheldons procedure, she says the pain was horrific; her tongue was pulled backwards and pinned down, gagging her. Her dentist recommended more tongue exercises, she says. It didnt help. After months without improvement, Sheldon said a member of the Facebook group referred her to an oral surgeon four hours away, who also set her up with a myofunctional therapist.

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The new surgeon said her problems were obvious: The first dentist missed a bit of tissue or ligament, and he would fix it with a second procedure. But after that second laser cut, Sheldon had a persistent painful burning sensation at the base of her tongue, and the tip and the underside became permanently numb  some of the nerves were damaged, she recalls being told. She couldnt swallow solid foods, she says, and her weight dropped from 140 pounds to 106. Eventually, she was hospitalized due to difficulty swallowing, and got occupational therapy to help. Now, she sees a doctor every three months for related chronic pain.

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When the frenulum is cut, it could damage nerves, salivary glands, and ducts that lead to salivary glands, says Soroush Zaghi, an otolaryngologist and sleep surgeon, as well as the medical director of The Breathe Institute in California, where Kardashian is a patient. Theres also a risk of scarring, which Zaghi says is the most common adverse outcome. Scar tissue can cause the tongue to contract and reduce tongue mobility.

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Nonetheless, Zaghi advocates for a surgery that cuts through the frenulum and sometimes into the muscle. He calls the procedure a frenuloplasty, during which he cuts until the patient is able to lift their tongue so the tip is just behind the front teeth when their mouth is fully open, and the back of their tongue can reach the roof of the mouth. (Sheldons laser surgery was a different approach, and there is no consensus or evidence to indicate if one technique is better.)

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A tongue-tie, Zaghi asserts, can contribute to improper facial development in children, plus mouth breathing, sleep apnea, and more. However, Cristina Baldassari, an otolaryngologist and sleep medicine specialist at Childrens Hospital of The Kings Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia, wrote in an email that there are no high quality research studies that demonstrate that tongue-tie causes any of these issues. The few studies that do exist have include small numbers of patients, or lack a control group.

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Zaghi and others also promote myofunctional therapy, sometimes in conjunction with frenuloplasty, as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. But Baldassari says there isnt sufficient evidence to support myofunctional therapy as a sleep apnea treatment, either. The few small studies that have been done did not show that the therapy alone could decrease moderate to severe sleep apnea. Baldassari says she worries that real harm could come to sleep apnea patients with a severe disorder if they eschew conventional medical treatment for tongue therapy, because there are risks for medical complications like stroke and heart attack if the disease goes untreated.

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Cutting the frenulum could even make sleep worse, Baldassari says. Slicing through the tether could cause the tongue to fall back into the throat, obstructing the airway during sleep. This concern was echoed by Karthik Balakrishnan, a professor and physician of otolaryngology  head and neck surgery at Stanford University, though he pointed out theres no research on the subject to know for sure. And even Zaghi says some people are better off with an intact frenulum, including those who dont have enough space to accommodate their tongue high in their mouth, and those with low tongue muscle tone (though Zaghi cannot point to a method for providers to objectively assess these things, he says hes working on it).

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Baldassari points out that researchers know the tongue is involved in sleep apnea  devices that send electrical signals to the tongue, which cause it to move outward during inhalation during sleep, are effective at enlarging the airway. But, she says, if this tongue stimulation is strengthening the tongue, like myofunctional therapy proposes to do, it doesnt have a lasting effect; if doctors turn the device off after a year, patients still have sleep apnea.

Yet Baldassari doesnt mind if someone with mild sleep apnea or other conditions like neck tension, anxiety, bad posture, allergies, or teeth grinding, want to try myofunctional therapy, despite the lack of research, because she says theres little risk. Still, she added in an email, it likely will be a waste of time and money.

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In addition to the lack of strong evidence, both the tongue therapies and surgeries dont have strong professional standards. Neither has a standardized protocol, so the process varies from one practitioner to another. And while tongue-tie surgeries are performed by licensed doctors or dentists, myofunctional therapists have no system of licensure. Sarah Hornsby, a myofunctional therapist a sizable YouTube following and therapy co-director at The Breathe Institute, who offers a training program through the institute, acknowledges that this lack of standardization is one reason the medical community is skeptical of the therapy and says it is something therapists are working towards.

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Though Zaghi has published a method for assessing tongue-ties, he argues that at least some standards for myofunctional therapy are unnecessary. For instance, he says that myofunctional therapy shouldnt all be based on one persons protocols  he compared it to an exercise regimen, pointing out that there are benefits whether someone does yoga, pilates, weightlifting, or running.

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Other experts disagree. If an exercise is used as a medical treatment, it needs to be researched that shows its effective, says Kezirian. Myofunctional therapy has nothing like this, he wrote in an email. (Kezirian holds a patent for a device to correct obstructive sleep apnea, as well as for head and neck exercises done with an apparatus to improve sleep disordered breathing, though he is not currently selling either product.) Not only do variations in practices make it difficult for researchers to evaluate whether it works, Baldassari wrote that if there is a lack of standardization, there is no way to ensure that patients are getting adequate therapy.

Myofunctional therapy lacks standardized training programs, too. A myofunctional therapist is often a dental hygienist, as Hornsby was; other times, the therapist may be a dentist or speech language pathologist who has completed a short online training program. Most of these programs, which are not accredited by a professional organization, cost thousands of dollars. (Several organizations, including the International Association of Orofacial Myology, do offer certifications to those who complete their training.) Even tongue-tie revision surgery training for dentists can be done online, or through a two-day course with two hours of hands-on instruction, and Zaghi teaches his frenuloplasty method online since the pandemic began.

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Despite the lack of training and standards, myofunctional therapists stand to earn more than they did as dental hygienists, with fees ranging from $80 to $250 per session; those who are also dentists or speech therapists can charge more. And dentists who revise adult tongue-ties can charge up to about $1,500 for the procedure. I do not want to suggest ulterior motives, Kezirian wrote in an email, but of course treatment is offered to patients that pay for services, often on their own because these treatments are not covered by medical insurance.

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Sheldon has also noticed these financial incentives. She avoids the adult tongue-tie Facebook group these days because she says practitioners are also members, and stand to profit from the groups messages. And when someone has an issue after a tongue-tie surgery, members tend to doubt whether that person did enough myofunctional therapy or found the right provider, instead of questioning the procedure itself.

Sheldon says she has struggled to forgive herself for agreeing to do something that brought her chronic pain and health problems. But one thing brings her peace: Because of her experience, she sought a second opinion when an orthodontist suggested that her son needed tongue-tie surgery in order for his teeth to be straightened. What happened to her, she says, saved her son from the possibility of a similar fate. Now, she adds, I dont believe that were supposed to be cutting peoples frenulums.
Foreign tourists spent over 47 million in Slovakia in the summer

Czechs spent the most money.

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Although the number of foreign tourists coming to Slovakia in the summer were not as high as in the past due to the coronavirus pandemic, those who arrived have spent more money.

Data from the Global Payments company suggests that foreign tourists spent as much as 47 million through card payments during the summer, which is comparable to last year. The most was spent by Czech tourists, who paid 7.6 million with their payment cards, the SITA newswire reported.

Austrians came second, who paid 1.8 million, followed by the British with almost 1 million, Hungarians with 700,000 and the Dutch with 540,000. Tourists from Switzerland, Poland and Ireland paid 500,000 in Slovakia, SITA wrote.

Tourists unknowingly report their offences to park rangers Read more

Tatras top the ranking

The High Tatras received 1.2 million from tourists, up 100,000 annually. Slovensky Raj (Slovak Paradise) National Park received 4.6 million, quite an increase from last year's 2.8 million.

The town of Banska Bystrica was also popular, with revenues going up from 6.1 million last year to 7.6 million this year. Demanovska Dolina valley in the Low Tatras received 239,000, up 23,000 annually.

From grazing sheep to internationally recognised resort. Demanovska Dolina marks 100 years of tourism Read more

Terchova's revenues almost doubled, increasing from 222,000 last year to 404,000 this year.

Water reservoirs were also popular among tourists. Zemplinska Sirava received 1.6 million in revenues, while Liptovska Mara obtained 1.5 million.

The revenues of the Orava region went up as well, from last year's 944,000 to 1.2 million.

Tourists discouraged by stricter conditions

A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers the Slovakia travel guide.

Many tourists were discouraged from coming to Slovakia, citing stricter border rules as a reason, said Erik Brinkac of the Global Payments company.

The requirement of being vaccinated, testing or even self-isolation forced them to change their plans and either stay home or choose another destination, Brinkac said, as quoted by SITA.

In his opinion, this year's season would certainly have been better without the stricter rules coming into force in July.

8. Sep 2021 at 11:43 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Drop-shaped hydrogen car to represent Slovakia at the Expo in Dubai

Space rover, flight simulator and two hydrogen vehicles will be the highlights of Slovakias pavilion.

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Slovakia, the world leader in traditional car production, wants to show that it is ready to dip into new technologies.

The work of some companies on cutting-edge hydrogen technologies has led to tangible results: a functional hydrogen bus and a hydrogen concept car. The vehicles will be the highlight of Slovakias presentation at the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Expo 2020 Dubai From October 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022

More than 190 countries will participate

25 million visitors are expected

More info at www.expo2020dubai.com

The price of a ticket for adults (18-59 years) will be USD 142.86

When more than a million cars are produced every year in a small country like Slovakia, it's not possible to say that we are just a kind of assembly hall, said Economy Minister Richard Sulik as he presented Slovakias pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. We are much more than that and this is what our exhibits show.

Sulik wants to make sure Slovakia does not miss the train. His aim is for the country to be prepared for the commercial launch of hydrogen technologies.

By presenting hydrogen technologies at this international forum, we can make ourselves visible as a relevant player, said Sulik.

Expo 2020 Dubai, which will open on October 1, will present three sub-themes: opportunity, mobility and sustainability. Slovakias pavilion will be located in the centre of the Mobility zone with its leitmotif Motion of the Future: Cutting-Edge Hydrogen and Aerospace Technologies Taking Green Mobility Beyond Horizons.

8. Sep 2021 at 18:24 | Jana Liptakova
Slovakia has one of the quickest caseload increases in the world

Most districts will follow stricter pandemic measures from next Monday.

The impact of the third pandemic wave is already visible in Slovakia's Covid-19 statistics.

Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.

Slovakia belongs to the countries with the quickest growth in new Covid cases in the world; it is also witnessing quite a big increase in the number of hospitalisations.

The situation is worsening on the regional level as well, with only a few regions remaining in the best, green tier of the alert system, known as Covid automat.

Bad situation in Roznava

The 7-day incidence of cases (i.e. the number of cases during seven days per 100,000 inhabitants) rose by 113 percent compared to 49 percent last week. This means Slovakia has the second-fastest increase in daily caseload in the region, after Hungary, said Matej Misik, head of the Institute for Health Analyses, which runs under the Health Ministry.

At the same time, the number of hospitalisations rose by 80 percent compared to the previous week. The highest increase was reported by hospitals in eastern Slovakia, where the vaccination rate remains low. As much as 91 percent of hospitalised patients there have not been fully vaccinated against Covid, Misik noted.

The worsening situation prompted the crisis staff and the Regional Public Health Authority in Roznava (Kosice Region) to switch to the red tier on Thursday, September 9. Hygienists revealed two big hotspots there and many cases whose source could not be traced back. Only five cases were imported from abroad.

The map of districts from September 13, 2021. (Source: Health Ministry)

In the red tier, unvaccinated people who do not have a negative test result will not be allowed inside restaurants or on their terraces. As for mass events, organisers who have chosen to restrict entry to people with proof of vaccination, a negative test or proof they have recovered from Covid cannot have more than 25 percent of capacity or more than 150 participants. They must keep a list with attendees' names and contacts too.

As of Monday, September 13, 10 districts will be in the red tier while 47 will be in the orange tier and 22 in the green tier.

Tiers of districts starting September 13 Districts at Warning Level 1 (red) Bytca  Kosice I-IV  Krupina  Poprad  Roznava  Skalica  Trencin Districts at Alert Level (orange) Banovce nad Bebravou  Banska Bystrica  Banska Stiavnica  Bardejov  Brezno  Cadca  Detva  Dolny Kubin  Gelnica  Ilava  Kezmarok  Kosice-okolie  Kysucke Nove Mesto  Levice  Levoca  Liptovsky Mikulas  Lucenec  Martin  Michalovce  Myjava  Nitra  Nove Mesto nad Vahom  Partizanske  Piestany  Povazska Bystrica  Presov  Prievidza  Revuca  Rimavska Sobota  Sabinov  Sala  Senica  Snina  Sobrance  Spisska Nova Ves  Stara Lubovna  Svidnik  Topolcany  Trebisov  Turcianske Teplice  Tvrdosin  Velky Krtis  Vranov nad Toplou  Zarnovica  Ziar nad Hronom  Zilina  Zvolen Monitoring (green) Bratislava I-V  Dunajska Streda  Galanta  Hlohovec  Humenne  Komarno  Malacky  Medzilaborce  Namestovo  Nove Zamky  Pezinok  Poltar  Puchov  Ruzomberok  Senec  Stropkov  Trnava  Zlate Moravce

Read more about the coronavirus developments in Slovakia:

8. Sep 2021 at 17:16 | Compiled by Spectator staff
The retailer received the Via Bona award for a Responsible Large Corporation.

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Hospitals and healthcare facilities were not the only overwhelmed entities after the coronavirus pandemic broke out. People ran to the shops, buying products en masse, and shop assistants had to deal with many more customers than usual.

While other companies were closing, retailers were on the front line and recruiting new staff.

Besides securing safer shopping and protecting customers health, were helping the most vulnerable people and people in need during the pandemic, said Veronika Bush, head of communications at the Slovak branch of Tesco. The retailer is donating unsold food and organising food collections.

We also gave fresh fruits and vegetables to medical staff in 60 hospitals and provided food gifts worth more than 220,000, she added.

The retailer, active in Slovakia for 25 years already, realises it has a broader social responsibility.

We believe that even a small act can have a bigger impact. Through small steps, we can make a big difference for our colleagues, customers and planet, Bush said.

The company was awarded the Via Bona Slovakia award in the Responsible Large Corporation category by The Pontis Foundation, which recognises companies for their responsible and fair business practices.

More waste means more emissions

Tesco outlined its CSR and sustainability strategy in the Little Helps Plan document. It is based on four pillars  people, products, planet and places  and aims to contribute solutions to the most pressing social and environmental challenges.

It pledges to not throw away any food that is still edible. Instead, Tesco helps people in need by donating unsold groceries, Bush said.

If we do not change our behaviour, food will become the largest source of global emissions by 2030. Households, supermarkets and other food-selling shops dispose of up to 931 million tonnes of food every year; unused food contributes to 8 percent of global emissions.

Tesco has been fighting food waste since 2016 when it started measuring its food waste. A year later, it became the first retail store in central Europe to publish information about food waste. The retailer hopes it will serve as an inspiration to others.

Support for communities

In addition to protecting the environment and addressing climate change, the retailer wants to help its customers live healthier and sell them healthy and sustainable groceries. It has also been supporting local communities for 25 years.

One such project is titled You decide, we help. Launched in 2016, it lets customers decide which community project they want to support.

A jury composed of Tesco and Pontis Foundation representatives selects the projects, Bush said. The grant is open to non-governmental organisations, municipalities, kindergartens and primary schools, and other organisations.

The company most recently distributed nearly 170,000 in grant funds to projects.

The interest is high, and the range of participating projects broad, which is very pleasing, Bush said.

8. Sep 2021 at 22:05 | Jana Hvozdovicova
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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/australias-high-court-says-media-can-be-sued-for-comments-that-appear-on-their-social-media-posts-1088873494.html

Australia's High Court Says Media Can Be Sued For Comments That Appear on Their Social Media Posts

Australia's High Court Says Media Can Be Sued For Comments That Appear on Their Social Media Posts

The ruling is likely to set a precedent for similar court cases in other countries and will likely lead to the introduction of new legislation that will... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T08:44+0000

2021-09-08T08:44+0000

2021-09-08T08:44+0000

australia

censorship

facebook

social media

freedom of speech

donald trump

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Australia's High Court has ruled that media outlets are responsible for the content that appears in their social media posts and thus can be held liable for it. The court saga started in 2016, when local media platforms reported on the mistreatment of juvenile detainees, shocking Australian society.The articles were shared on various social media platforms, where users commented on the issue. In 2017, a former juvenile detainee, Dylan Voller, whose case and pictures were featured in the coverage, sued five media outlets for defamatory statements made in the comments section to their posts on Facebook.His legal team argued that the said media outlets allowed derogatory statements about Mr Voller to remain in the comments section, hence the outlets were responsible for the publication of those statements. The outlets, in turn, argued that they could not be blamed for the content that appears in their posts on social media. They maintained that the media could be held responsible only if they knew in advance about what comments internet users would make on their pages.At the time, Facebook did not allow the hosts of social media pages to turn off comments on their posts.In 2019, Australia's Supreme Court sided with Dylan Voller. The media then appealed to the country's High Court, which on Wednesday upheld the previous ruling. It said that by creating posts on social media the outlets "facilitated, encouraged, and thereby assisted the publication" of user comments. Australian courts previously ruled that individuals and companies can be held liable for defamatory content that appears in their social media posts if they were aware of the disparaging statements and allowed them to remain.Why Does the Ruling Matter?Wednesday's ruling stems from the debate that has been raging in various countries for several years  should content providers on the internet, in this case social media companies, be treated as publishers or not. For a long time, authorities' answer was "no". In the United States, where social media giants first appeared, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, clearly states: This means that if a media outlet publishes an article, where it provides false or defamatory information on an individual, that person can sue them, but he or she can't file a lawsuit if the information on him or her appears on the platforms of a third party (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) because social media companies are treated as providers not publishers.Politicians around the world have argued to the contrary. Former US President Donald Trump, who has had tense relations with social media platforms, has accused them of silencing conservative voices and censoring information. Facebook and Twitter have repeatedly flagged posts by Donald Trump and his entourage as containing unreliable information, deleted them, and even suspended the Republican's accounts. Such actions, Trump has argued, qualifies social media companies as publishers.Trump's battle with the social media giants intensified during the 2020 presidential campaign, when the former president accused Twitter and Facebook of limiting the spread of a New York Post expose on Hunter Biden, the second son of Joe Biden. The article alleged that the elder Biden was involved in his son's business dealings overseas during his time as vice president, which the newspaper said might be interpreted as a conflict of interest.Trump claimed the article would have had a profound impact on the presidential race had social media not "silenced" it. Earlier this year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted that the company made a "total mistake" when it prohibited its users from sharing the New York Post's expose on its platform.

NthrnNYker59 All it will mean is that Aussies won't visit Australian news sites on social media any more..... Meaning it's just going to hurt business interests in Australia. Outside media sites across the world won't be affected, as the kangaroo molesters have no jurisdiction. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/biden-reliving-carter-years-in-first-8-months-in-office-says-aide-to-former-president-1088894656.html

Biden 'Reliving Carter Years' in First 8 Months in Office, Says Aide to Former President

Biden 'Reliving Carter Years' in First 8 Months in Office, Says Aide to Former President

An aide to former US president Jimmy Carter has compared fellow-Democrat Joe Biden's eight-month-old administration to the 39th president's troubled single... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T21:41+0000

2021-09-08T21:41+0000

2021-09-08T21:41+0000

jimmy carter

joe biden

us

iran

afghanistan

ronald reagan

donald trump

1979 islamic revolution

kabul

hamid karzai international airport

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An aide to former US president Jimmy Carter has compared fellow-Democrat Joe Biden's eight-month-old administration to the 39th president's troubled single term in office.The guy cant catch a break, said Carter's former deputy White House chief of staff Les Francis of Biden, recalling how his old boss had to contend with multiple disasters including the 1979 seizure of 52 hostages at the US embassy in Iran by young radicals following the Islamic Revolution of that year."Now youve got a hurricane and a million people without power in Louisiana. Youve got wildfires in the West. Youve got the delta variant on COVID," Francis added.Francis did not mention that Democrat president Carter approved US funding to Mujahideen Islamist militant in Afghanistan  the movement from which the Taliban* grew  as early as March 1979, nine months before the Soviet military intervention in the country.The comparison to the Iran hostage crisis chimed with the widespread condemnation of Biden's rushed decision to send 6,000 troops back into Afghanistan evacuate the US embassy in Kabul, along with thousands of US citizens and tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with the 20-year US-led occupation. That was after the Taliban predictably swept across the country and into the capital with almost no resistance following the US troop withdrawal agreed by former president Donald Trump in the 2020 peace accord.Carter's handling of the 1979 incident contributed to his defeat by Republican Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. The president ordered the ill-fated Operation Eagle Claw, an overly-complex plan for a military special forces raid by the newly-formed Delta Force on the Iranian capital to free the 52 hostages and fly them out of the country.The mission ran into trouble early on after one of the eight helicopters involved turned back din a sandstorm en route to the desert refuelling rendezvous inside Iran with C-130 transport panes, another made a forced landing and a third suffered mechanical problems.After Carter approved the field commanders' request to abort the mission, one helicopter crashed into a parked C-130, causing an explosion that killed eight crew and injured four more. An Iranian civilian was also killed when an Army ranger soldier blew up a fuel tanker truck that happened along the road with an anti-tank missile, after its driver tried to get away.A suicide bombing by Daesh spin-off Islamic State Khorasan Province at Kabul airport during last month's chaotic pull-out left nearly 200 Afghans and 13 US servicemen and women dead, the single-largest wartime loss of US military lives since 2011. The White House's revenge drone strike killed at least nine members of one Afghan family, including seven children. * The Taliban and Daesh are banned as terrorist organisations in many countries, including Russia.

https://sputniknews.com/20210512/psych-trump-says-comparing-biden-to-jimmy-carter-is-an-insult--to-carter-1082872324.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/case-closed-here-is-what-happened-to-charred-tesla-on-frozen-lake-1088890330.html

Case Closed: Here is What Happened to Charred Tesla on Frozen Lake

Case Closed: Here is What Happened to Charred Tesla on Frozen Lake

The story generated massive interest from social media users when it was reported back in 2019. Netizens scratched their heads over the incident and offered... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T17:02+0000

2021-09-08T17:02+0000

2021-09-08T17:02+0000

society

insurance

fraud

tesla

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The mystery of a charred Tesla Model X on a frozen lake in Vermont has been solved, US media reported. According to the District of Vermont Attorneys Office, the owner of the vehicle, which claimed that it combusted after striking a rock, was attempting to pull off an insurance fraud scheme.Court documents posted on the Attorneys Office website reveal that Michael A. Gonzalez stole five Tesla vehicles worth $607,000 between September 2018 and this year. Here is how he managed to do it.How to Buy Tesla for Just $2,500 (Dont Try This)Unlike other car brands, Tesla doesnt use dealerships to sell their vehicles and instead promotes online sales. To purchase a Tesla, one has to put a down payment of $2,500 and then provide bank account details for a wire or Automated Clearing House transfer. The company then either delivers the car to the buyer or he or she can pick it at a store. In addition Tesla provides individuals with a Manufacturers Certificate of Origin so that they can register the vehicle with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Gonzalez noticed that one is able to pick a car before making full payment to the company. In this fashion he bought himself five vehicles, making initial payments of $2,500 and then arranging for electronic funds transfers to cover the balance of the vehicles prices from accounts with insufficient funds or from fictitious accounts.Three of five cars were sold to used car dealerships, with Gonzales getting thousands of dollars. The fourth vehicle was repossessed for failure of payment and the fifth, the charred one, was used for an insurance fraud scheme.It is unclear what the hapless criminal was hoping for when he came up with the plot, because he failed to register the car (Model X, the most expensive in the companys lineup) under his name. So when he filed a claim for his losses with GEICO, the latter denied it.According to court documents, Gonzalez has been indicted on five counts for the sale and possession of stolen motor vehicles. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

Toutankhamon Who cares abojut Tesla and who wants to see Musc's face 7

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/china-ready-to-communicate-with-new-afghan-govt-and-its-leader-foreign-ministry-says--1088872470.html

China Ready to Communicate With New Afghan Gov't and Its Leader, Foreign Ministry Says

China Ready to Communicate With New Afghan Gov't and Its Leader, Foreign Ministry Says

President Joe Biden earlier stated that China will have issues dealing with the Taliban* following the complete withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T07:30+0000

2021-09-08T07:30+0000

2021-09-08T08:05+0000

china

afghanistan

taliban

diplomacy

afghanistan war

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that Beijing sees the interim Afghan government as a necessary step to restoring order in the country. China is also ready to maintain communication with the newly created government and its leader, the ministry added.The official added that China respects the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.President Joe Biden said earlier today that China will have issues dealing with the Taliban following the complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden added that he expects Afghanistan's neighbours, like China, Pakistan, Russia, and Iran to work out arrangements with the Taliban. Earlier this week, Wang Wenbin refrained from confirming the receipt of an invitation from the Taliban to attend an announcement ceremony for the new Afghan government. His comments followed Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid's remarks that invitations were sent to a limited number of countries to attend the government unveiling ceremony, including China, Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, and Turkey.On 7 September, the Taliban unveiled their caretaker government with Hasan Akhund, who has been under UN sanctions since 2001, at the helm.*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other nations.

https://sputniknews.com/20210901/possible-axis-of-china-pakistan-and-taliban-a-cause-of-worry-warns-ex-indian-minister-1083764064.html

Preterist-ADSeventy Is China falling for the Mossad/USraels pre-planned Taliban takeover of Afghanistan? 0

1

china

afghanistan

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china, afghanistan, taliban, diplomacy, afghanistan war
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/cod-war-in-svalbard-zone-escalates-as-eu-fishermen-sue-norway-1088869481.html

'Cod War' in Svalbard Zone Escalates as EU Fishermen Sue Norway

'Cod War' in Svalbard Zone Escalates as EU Fishermen Sue Norway

While Brussels has threatened Norway with sanctions over slashed fisheries quotas, Olso has in response threatened to deploy the Coast Guard to drive away EU... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T05:25+0000

2021-09-08T05:25+0000

2021-09-08T05:25+0000

norway

svalbard

fisheries

scandinavia

the svalbard treaty

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In a new twist in the so-called Cod War, 14 fishing companies from the EU and the UK have filed a lawsuit against Norway over reduced fishing quotas in the Svalbard zone in the Arctic Sea, the trade newspaper Fiskeribladet has reported.Earlier, in the aftermath of Brexit, Norway cut the quota for EU vessels to around 19,000 tonnes, while the EU continued to operate under the previous quota of 29,000 tonnes  despite Norway being formally responsible for managing the fishing quotas in the protection zone around Svalbard.The European North Atlantic Fishery Association (ENAFA) is spearheading the lawsuit. Torben Foss of the law and consulting firm PwC Bergen, which assists ENAFA, cited the massive job losses due to slashed quotas. He cited the "calm and predictable" pattern of quota distribution in the Svalbard zone that has been in use since 1987 and which Norway effectively "ended with a single blow" in December of last year.Foss argued that it is therefore fully correct to present the case before a Norwegian court."This is a conflict with one of our closest trading partners and allies. It is very important that a court has the opportunity to look at it, and comes to a result that is perceived as fair by both the plaintiff and the defendant", he noted.Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, by contrast, underscored that it is important that the quotas Norway sets in its waters are respected when it allows other countries' vessels to fish there.When Brexit was finalised, Norway argued that the EU's fishing quota had to be reduced accordingly, to accommodate the loss of a senior member. The UK thus received a quota of 5,500 tonnes, while the EU had its original quota reduced by around 10,000 tonnes. The remainder of the original quota was divided between Norway and Russia.Since then, the conflict between the EU and Norway has flared up. While the EU has threatened Norway with sanctions, Oslo has threatened to deploy its Coast Guard in retaliation.Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, situated north of mainland Europe, about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. While part of the Kingdom of Norway, it is a special jurisdiction subject to the Svalbard Treaty that recognises the sovereignty of Norway over the archipelago, yet gives the signatories equal rights to engage in commercial activities. It has been signed by a total of 46 countries, including Russia.

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scandinavia

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/dems-reportedly-fearful-bidens-tough-summer-might-result-in-devastating-midterm-defeat-in-2022-1088883757.html

Dems Reportedly Fearful Biden's Tough Summer Might Result in Devastating Midterm Defeat in 2022

Dems Reportedly Fearful Biden's Tough Summer Might Result in Devastating Midterm Defeat in 2022

Dems Fearful Biden's Tough Summer Might Result in Devastating Midterms Defeat in 2022

2021-09-08T14:29+0000

2021-09-08T14:29+0000

2021-09-08T14:29+0000

joe biden

us

afghanistan

us midterm elections

covid-19

delta variant of covid-19

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The Democrats, as well as pollsters and party strategists interviewed by Politico, are concerned how the turbulent summer of 2021 might affect the midterm elections next year. Some are drawing parallels with the two previous Democratic administrations, who struggled with challenges in their first two years and supposedly brought their party heavy defeats in the first midterm elections.The Democrats lost 54 seats in the House and eight in the Senate, ceding the entire Congress to a GOP majority in 1994  just two years into Bill Clinton's first term. At the time, this was the first Republican-dominated Congress in 40 years. The party suffered an even more bitter defeat in the "shellacking" of 2010 after Barack Obama's 2008 victory. The Democrats lost 63 seats in the House, losing it to the GOP, and six seats in the Senate, retaining a razor-thin majority of 51.In both instances, Democratic presidents struggled in the first portion of their first terms. Now, Biden is seemingly following the same trajectory, with the chaotic evacuation and withdrawal from Afghanistan, rising COVID-19 cases, stagnating vaccination rates, raging wildfires, the destructive march of Hurricane Ida, and other problems. The president's current approval ratings only strengthen the analogies because they've fallen to around 45% - similar to Clinton and even lower than Obama ahead of the 2010 midterms.The Democrats, who recently met at a meeting of the Democratic Governors Association in Aspen, Colorado, have already started estimating potential losses in 2022, Politico reports. But it is not like the Democrats can afford any. They hold a nine-seat majority over the GOP in the House, and are only controlling the Senate thanks to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris.They reportedly ascribe potential losses in the midterms to the shortcomings of Biden and his administration, specifically the pandemic and Afghanistan pullout because US presidents and their performance has historically affected the party's results in the election. One Democratic strategist question by Politico pointed out that it is not just COVID-19 or Afghanistan that will be affecting the party, but that Democratic voters expected more of Biden:This notion is supported by the polls, which indicate that the number of people who think the country has "seriously gotten off on the wrong track", jumped to over 60%. The change happened over the past two months. Over this period, the Biden administration had to deal with: weak economic reports in August, wildfires in the Lake Tahoe region and in California, floods, destruction, and power outages caused by Hurricane Ida, and the Afghanistan withdrawal.And all this took place while the White House is struggling to stop the continuing wave of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and promote vaccinations. One Democratic strategist suggested in an interview with the media outlet that Biden's ratings are essentially suffering from bad luck rather than the administration's shortcomings.Some, however, disagree with this assessment and put the blame on POTUS. The Republicans are readily utilising the administration's fiascos against the president. Their criticism might resonate with some voters no thanks to Biden's own words and promises, Democratic pollster Maslin pointed out.Still, some of the Democrats interviewed by Politico believed in a chance for the Democratic Party to recover from the blows sustained by the administration in the summer of 2021. With the withdrawal over, the Biden administration should refocus on domestic issues, namely on passing the infrastructure bill, the Democrats suggest. Additionally, there are hopes that the Delta COVID wave may be reined in and the economy will be growing rapidly by the time of the elections, the party reportedly hopes.With one year before the election, Biden and his administration still have time to bounce back, William Owen, a Democratic National Committee member suggested. However, until it is done the GOP will be working on winning the votes of those disappointed with Biden on current and more ongoing issues, such as immigration, taxes, and government spending.

https://sputniknews.com/20210828/kabul-blasts-give-biden-administration-bloody-nose-may-affect-2022-midterms-outcome-observers-say-1083738953.html

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joe biden, us, afghanistan, us midterm elections, covid-19, delta variant of covid-19
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/doj-has-few-options-against-texas-abortion-law-mississippi-case-brings-new-risks-legal-experts-say-1088887400.html

DoJ Has Few Options Against Texas Abortion Law, Mississippi Case Brings New Risks, Legal Experts Say

DoJ Has Few Options Against Texas Abortion Law, Mississippi Case Brings New Risks, Legal Experts Say

AG Merrick Garland announced on 6 September that while the Department of Justice explores ways to challenge the new Texan abortion restrictions, the federal... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T17:00+0000

2021-09-08T17:00+0000

2021-09-08T17:09+0000

us supreme court

roe v. wade

abortions ban

us

society

texas

pro-life

pro-choice

merrick garland

opinion

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Attorney General Merrick Garland's announcement came days after the US Supreme Court refused to block Texas' Senate Bill 8, banning abortions after six weeks following complaints from US rights groups that the new legislation violates the constitutional rights of American women. In the wake of the SCOTUS ruling, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged to introduce a bill "codifying" Roe v Wade of 1973, which protects a pregnant woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion as a constitutional right.'The Texan Statute is Unique'The Texan "Heartbeat Act" was signed into law last spring and came into effect on 1 September. The legislation has one peculiarity, according to The New York Times: instead of government officials, it deputises ordinary citizens to sue clinics and others who violate it. The plaintiffs could be awarded at least $10,000 per illegal abortion if they are successful. According to the NYT, this approach made the law difficult to challenge before it took effect on 1 September, "because it [was] hard to know whom to sue to block it".There are no legal precedents for this type of law, which has private citizens who have virtually no connection to the pregnant woman, argues David S. Cohen, professor of law at Drexel University and author of "Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an Abortion in America". According to him, the law is nothing short of "a mockery of the American legal system". Furthermore, it threatens basic constitutional rights, the academic underscores.On 3 September, the District Court for Travis County granted a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life and its associates preventing them from suing abortion providers Planned Parenthood health centres in Texas under the new law."A state court hearing is scheduled for September 17", says Robert A. Sedler, a distinguished law professor at Wayne State University Law School specialising in US Constitutional law. "For now, the case is in the state courts. At some point, the law will be declared unconstitutional".The DoJ's OptionsThe US Department of Justice has limited options to challenge the law, according to the legal observers. For instance, the DoJ could file briefs in any cases which might arise regarding the Texas law as a friend of the court, according to Levine. An amicus curiae ("friend of the court") is an individual or a group which is not a party to a lawsuit, but who assists a court by offering expertise, files a brief, and participates in the argument related to the case."The briefs could explain why the Department thinks that the law is unconstitutional", the professor suggests.Levine notes that the DoJ could also work with members of Congress to seek legislation to preserve the rights women have now under Roe v Wade.For his part, Cohen suggests that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could step in and "change how it regulates abortion drugs and possibly preempt state law".The FACE Act"It's a big stretch" to try to use the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, mentioned by AG Garland, to counter the new Texas law, according to Cohen and Levine. The FACE Act is a legitimate tool to protect people seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services or to exercise religious freedom from force and physical obstruction, explains Levine. However, lawsuits under the "Heartbeat Act" don't fit the definition, the academics point out.However, Davis law Professor Lisa Ikemoto from the University of California has described a scenario under which the FACE Act could work:She notes that the FACE Act is part of a larger group of civil rights statutes "that can be enforced against non-government actors who violate the constitutional rights of others". So the DoJ may well use it against individuals acting under Senate Bill 8 or perhaps even, against the State of Texas, Ikemoto believes.SCOTUS May Get Back to the Texan Law When It's Too LateMeanwhile, it cannot be ruled out that the Texan law could eventually go to the US Supreme Court, the legal observers say.She explains that "In Roe v. Wade (1973), the US Supreme Court held that women have a fundamental right to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy prior to the third trimester". This decision was affirmed in the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey case, and subjected to some modifications: in particular, the Supreme Court held "that states could not impose an undue burden on women seeking an abortion prior to [foetal] viability".According to Buys, "if the recent Texas law is upheld, it would likely place an undue burden on a womens right to terminate a pregnancy prior to [foetal] viability because it would create significant financial risks for doctors and patients who terminate pregnancies after a fetal heartbeat is detected but prior to viability".However, there's a rub: the SCOTUS is due to consider the Mississippi case which could potentially overturn both Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, according to Cohen. "So, by the time another Senate Bill 8 case gets to the Supreme Court, there may be no right to abortion any longer", Cohen notes.In July 2021, the state of Mississippi asked the court to reconsider the landmark 1973 abortion ruling. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, a GOP, argued that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were both "egregiously wrong". "The conclusion that abortion is a constitutional right has no basis in text, structure, history or tradition", wrote Fitch in papers filed to the court.

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Ekaterina Blinova

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us supreme court, roe v. wade, abortions ban, us, society, texas, pro-life, pro-choice, merrick garland, opinion
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/gavin-newsom-looks-poised-to-survive-californias-recall-election-1088897010.html

Gavin Newsom Looks Poised to Survive Californias Recall Election

Gavin Newsom Looks Poised to Survive Californias Recall Election

The recall election has been a wild ride for the incumbent Democrat. What looked like a dead heat as early as a month ago, has quickly become a double-digit... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T22:14+0000

2021-09-08T22:14+0000

2021-09-08T22:14+0000

california

california

polls

gavin newsom

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With the recall election official, the political future for California Governor Gavin Newsom looked to be on rocky ground. The recall election in the Golden State is broken into two sections. The first is a vote to either keep or to remove Newsom, and the second is who should replace him, in the event that 50% or more of voters decide to remove Newsom, with the winning candidate assuming the governorship. While the first choice is a simple yes or no question, the second is far more difficult, with 46 challengers for voters to choose from.According to FiveThirtyEights meta-poll, early polling saw Newsom maintain a healthy double-digit lead in mid-July. However, as the month wore on Newsoms favorability began to slip with an astonishing turn of events in early August, suggesting that Newsom was in a dead heat to remain Californias governor. From August 4th to 24th, Newsom maintained a slim 0.2 to 1.2 edge in the polls in favor of keeping him in office. The narrowing of the gap was fueled by one SurveyUSA poll that gave an +11 point edge to removing Newsom from office. As more polls began to roll in the following weeks, especially around the end of the month, Newsoms lead in the polls began to grow again. He hit double-digits again on September 4th, and, as of September 8th, holds a 12.3 point edge in his favor.The SurveyUSA poll that spelled doom for Newsom ended up being a false positive. Of the 28 polls used in FiveThirtyEights meta-poll, three had Newsom being removed, one had Newsom tied, and the rest saw Newsom as safe. The two other polls that had more support for Newsoms removal were by small margins. In a subsequent SurveyUSA poll, conducted from August 26th to 28th, the results came back with a +8 point lead for Newsom to remain in office. In the official results, SurveyUSA pointed to changes in methodology, as well as changed language that they believed led to the outlier poll at the beginning of the month.Californias recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom is set for September 14th and marks a fifteen-month effort by state Republicans to oust the Democrat.Back in June of 2020, the petition to oust Newsom was approved, but still needed nearly 1.5 million signatures to trigger the recall election. The petition was given until November 17th, 2020 to collect the necessary signatures but was granted a four-month extension due to the difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic presented. The extension ended up being a significant development for their efforts.On November 6th, 2020, Gavin Newsom was photographed dining at an upscale French restaurant. The photos revealed that Newsom was inside, maskless, and in clear defiance of his own administrations covid protocols. The moment catalyzed Republicans who had grown weary of the states covid restrictions and propelled the petition to the necessary signatures over the final months of 2020.With less than a week until Californias recall election, it appears that Gavin Newsom is once again safe. In fact, its likely that he was safe the entire time. If it wasnt for one outlier poll, the idea that Newsom was fighting for his political future never would have materialized. Newsom might not have been politically vulnerable, but no one is impervious to the forces of poor polling.

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california, california, polls, gavin newsom
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/how-texas-election-integrity-law-may-tackle-potential-fraud--why-it-unnerves-democrats-1088893522.html

How Texas Election Integrity Law May Tackle Potential Fraud & Why It Unnerves Democrats

How Texas Election Integrity Law May Tackle Potential Fraud & Why It Unnerves Democrats

Democrats and others are up in arms over a new Texas voting bill signed into law just days after the state's controversial abortion ban came into effect. Texas... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T20:14+0000

2021-09-08T20:14+0000

2021-09-08T20:14+0000

opinion

us

texas

election reform

texas house

texas governor greg abbott

election fraud

voting rights

election laws

us electoral college

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Gov. Greg Abbott on 7 September signed into law Senate Bill 1, a new voting legislation aimed at boosting state election integrity, according to the Texas GOP. The law purportedly makes it easier to cast a ballot, and makes it is harder for people to cheat at the ballot box, according to what the governor told reporters on Tuesday.The state's Democratic Party points out that the law creates new limitations for voters and curbs the voting rights of people of colour. In July, at least 51 of the 67 Democratic representatives fled the state making it impossible for lower chamber members to conduct business under House rules. The Democrat walkout lasted for 38 days, prompting House Speaker Dade Phelan to sign 52 civil arrest warrants for the missing lawmakers. The historic quorum break ended on 19 August, when at least three new Democrats returned to the floor thus allowing the GOP to pass the voting bill. According to CNN, the surprising turn of events led to accusations of betrayal among Texas Dems.Seven Major Changes to Texas Election CodeThis newly-enacted bill reflects concerns by Republicans that Democrat-backed changes in election laws allowed people to unlawfully cast ballots, according to the academic.The new Texas voting law includes seven prominent changes: first, it prevents 24-hour voting and limits the window in which counties can offer voting to 6 am to 10 pm EST; second, it bans so-called "drive-thru" voting, except for those unable to physically enter a polling place; third, it prevents election authorities from sending unsolicited vote-by-mail applications to registered voters; fourth, it implements vote-by-mail ID mandates; fifth, it makes "ballot harvesting," or gathering votes cast by others, a third-degree felony; sixth, it provides poll watchers with greater freedom of movement within the polling place; seventh, it requires the Texas secretary of state's office to check voter rolls monthly.The academic stated that the GOP specifically targeted mail-in voting since they thought that "if there ever was widespread fraud in US elections, it would likely occur via mail because a mail-in ballot does not have the secrecy and privacy afforded by in person voting." For example, someone could be sent a mail-in ballot and then coerced or bribed to fill it out for a specific person or party, according to him.At the same time, the increase in the penalties for ballot harvesting and the greater security for mail ballot applications and returned ballots could also make it harder to commit fraud, according to Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy.In January 2021, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrest of Rachel Rodriguez for election fraud, illegal voting, unlawfully assisting people voting by mail, and unlawfully possessing an official ballot."On the other hand, [the law] also expands hours for early voting and allows voters who make minor errors on their mail-in ballots to correct them - so in this way it expands access to voting," Kneeland suggested. Texas provides 12 days of early voting as well as extra hours during early voting days. While announcing the measure on Tuesday, Gov. Abbott noted that US President Joe Biden's home state of Delaware "provides zero days and zero hours of early voting."Texas: Key Battleground for National PoliticsMeanwhile, the Democrats have announced plans to sue the state to block the new voting reform. According to The Hill, prominent Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, who is acting on behalf of two Hispanic advocacy groups, a retiree organisation and the states teachers union, said that the lawsuit would challenge the law under the First and Fourteenth amendments to the Constitution, and under two sections of the Voting Rights Act.A 2014 Government Accounting Office study suggested voter ID laws might reduce voting as much as 2-3 percent. Typically, turnout among minority voters is lower than that of middle-class white voters. Thus, any laws that hinder access to the ballot would potentially impinge on black and Hispanic voters more than white voters, according to the academic. Still, "since so many of the expansive voting laws were a result of the pandemic we may not have sufficient data to know if the new laws will affect turnout," Kneeland notes.Democrats are struggling to flip Texas and counting on the state's growing Hispanic community, which is traditionally leans to the left. According to Kneeland, Dems believe that the new law specifically targets their prospects of winning the state.

TruePatriot All great and well thought out changes. Every state should do something just like this. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/india-paves-way-for-women-to-take-top-jobs-in-defence-services--1088874474.html

India Paves Way for Women to Take Top Jobs in Defence Services

India Paves Way for Women to Take Top Jobs in Defence Services

At present, women are not permitted to take the entrance examination for the National Defence Academy (NDA) to gain a commission as officers in the defence... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T13:27+0000

2021-09-08T13:27+0000

2021-09-08T13:27+0000

supreme court

gender equality

defence

india

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In a huge push for gender equality in India, the federal government has allowed women to apply for a permanent commission in the defence forces. Women have also been allowed entry into the National Defence Academy and the Naval Academy, which are the prime defence training institutes in the country. "The decision has been approved by the chiefs of the country's three defence services - the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, and the Indian Navy", Aishwarya Bhati, a senior lawyer representing the government, informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday.The bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, however, urged the forces to do more on gender equality.On 18 August, the Supreme Court passed an interim order permitting women to appear at National Defence Academy (NDA) examinations on a provisional basis. The order was passed in a writ petition filed by plaintiff Kush Kalra, who argued that the "exclusion of women from [the] NDA was arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional".At present, women are recruited in the defence services as short service commission officers with a limited tenure in service. As such, they remain blocked from reaching the top decision-making posts within the services because they cannot pursue a defence services career until retirement age. On 17 March 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that women officers be given the right to apply to convert their short service commissions to permanent commissions, an option that is currently available to male officers. The decision has brought a wave of joy not just among aspirants but also ex-servicemen who are hailing it as "historic". Reacting to the decision, Rekha Sharma, chairperson of the National Commission of Women expressed her happiness on Twitter.

https://sputniknews.com/20200217/exclusion-of-women-is-unjustified-supreme-court-of-india-rules-ladies-can-command-army-units-1078332597.html

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supreme court, gender equality, defence, india
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/indian-air-force-to-receive-more-than-350-fighter-aircraft-over-next-two-decades-1088879136.html

Indian Air Force to Receive More Than 350 Fighter Aircraft Over Next Two Decades

Indian Air Force to Receive More Than 350 Fighter Aircraft Over Next Two Decades

The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently has 30 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons to counter a perceived threat from China and... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T13:28+0000

2021-09-08T13:28+0000

2021-09-08T13:28+0000

indian air force

tejas light combat aircraft (lca)

tejas mk 1

india

china

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Facing a severe shortage of fighter jets, Indian Air Force Chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria has said the force is looking to obtain 350 additional fighter jets, including 83 domestically produced Tejas over the next 20 years. The chief of the Indian Air Force stressed the need for the nation to enhance its defence technology in the wake of what he called increasing threats from the northern border.He was addressing the conference "Engineering Indian Aerospace Industry: Challenges for Atmanirbhar Bharat". The "Atmanirbhar" (self-reliant) mission, launched by the federal government, aims to reduce the country's dependence on foreign manufacturers while giving impetus to the domestic industry.Currently, the force is facing a shortage of 12 squadrons (each squadron consists of 18-20 fighters), as recommended by a parliamentary standing committee on defence, to counter purported threats emanating from China and Pakistan. India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France at a reported cost of around $8.7 billion in 2016. It was India's first major acquisition of fighter aircraft in 23 years, since Su-30 jets were imported from Russia.

https://sputniknews.com/20210728/india-deploys-rafale-jet-near-tibet-as-china-hardens-position-on-border-issues-1083479362.html

See you in the ice as China builds thousands, Pakistan builds hundreds and the Middle East buys hundreds. Indians won't even maintain their capabilities. That is good for the Muslim invaders. 5

Slave of the capitalists It does not sound like much when you average it out at about 1.5 additional aircraft per month but it is the support services and training that is the difficult part. 1

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indian air force, tejas light combat aircraft (lca), tejas mk 1, india, china
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/internal-police-emails-shed-light-on-january-6th-capitol-insurrection-1088864657.html

Internal Police Emails Shed Light on January 6th Capitol Insurrection

Internal Police Emails Shed Light on January 6th Capitol Insurrection

The emails, through the eyes of the police, document how the situation escalated from a rally into a full-fledged insurrection, sparking concerns about the... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T00:46+0000

2021-09-08T00:46+0000

2021-09-08T00:46+0000

police

national park service

fbi

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Internal emails between the US Park Police (USPP) and the National Park Service (NPS), obtained by NBC 4 Washington through the Freedom of Information Act, offer new insights into the hours before the January 6th Capitol insurrection. In anticipation of large crowds, police were dispatched to the White House Ellipse for President Donald Trumps stop the steal rally. Early on, police raised security concerns over an overwhelming amount of unsanctioned backpacks, with one email raising the alarm.According to the report, security concerns were further complicated when police noticed people in the crowd wearing ballistic helmets, body armor and carrying radio equipment and military grade backpacks. A 24-year-old with a rifle was arrested outside of the World War II Memorial, and an undercover unit monitored an individual in a tree who was suspected of having a handgun. By 9:35 a.m., approximately ten arrests had already been made. As noon approached, emails document the USPP and NPSs rising level of concern as the threat at the Capitol began to crystalize.Capitol PD working three very suspicious packages around Capitol proper. We are checking our NPS areas for suspicious packages out of an abundance of caution,  a USPP commander reportedly alerted in another email.One package turned out to be an active pipe bomb placed outside of a Republican National Committee office. The discovery of the bomb caused police resources to be diverted away from the Capitol. As the threat escalated, communications between the USPP and the FBI increased, with an email reportedly warning, US Capitol Police... heavily engaged with protestors at the west front of the Capitol. Chemical munitions and physical altercations ongoing.Police were tasked with managing a large crowd where the differences between peaceful and violent protestors were not readily apparent. This, combined with the large amount of firearms, pushed police into a difficult and increasingly dangerous situation. Attempting to break up the rally could cause violence, but not stopping a budding riot would guarantee it.

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police, national park service, fbi
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/most-difficult-decision-ghani-apologizes-to-afghan-people-over-leaving-kabul-1088883192.html

'Most Difficult Decision': Ghani Apologises to Afghan People Over Leaving Kabul

'Most Difficult Decision': Ghani Apologises to Afghan People Over Leaving Kabul

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled Kabul after the capital was taken over by the Taliban*, said in a statement that he left the... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T13:19+0000

2021-09-08T13:19+0000

2021-09-08T14:28+0000

afghanistan

afghanistan

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The ex-president said that leaving Kabul was "the most difficult decision of [his] life", but he believed it was the only way to "keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens".Ghani also stressed that after 20 years of "helping the Afghan people work toward building a democratic, prosperous, and sovereign state" it was never his intention to abandon the people or the vision of Afghanistan's future. He additionally addressed what he described as the "baseless allegations" about him taking "millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people" when he fled the country, denying the accusations as "completely and categorically false".Ghani pointed out that he and his wife have been "scrupulous" in their personal finances, noting that he publicly declared his assets.Commenting on Ghani's departure from Afghanistan in an interview with TOLOnews, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied that Washington helped the ex-president flee the country and noted that on the night before fleeing, Ghani had told him "he was prepared to fight to the death".Ghani stepped down as president of Afghanistan in August after the Taliban's swift power seizure in the country. On Tuesday, the militants announced the key members of the country's new interim government, which is headed by Hasan Akhund.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries

PaleRider Ghani has always been a coward, sorry. . .not sorry! 10

See you in the ice look at his name...G h Ani....wonder if that desert dwelling demon creature of the dead desert wastelands is trying to present itself as Ani Osiris. LOL Deceiver. It was probably hoping to steal life and goodness from another. Those who invaded the West, have come seeking to steal life. ve 9

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afghanistan
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/national-archives-harmful-language-alert-label-on-us-constitution-page-angers-republicans-1088872089.html

National Archives' 'Harmful Language Alert' Label on US Constitution Page Angers Republicans

National Archives' 'Harmful Language Alert' Label on US Constitution Page Angers Republicans

In July, the US non-profit broadcaster National Public Radio provoked public uproar over its disclaimer that the 245-year-old Declaration of Independence... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T08:01+0000

2021-09-08T08:01+0000

2021-09-08T08:01+0000

us

republicans

archives

warning

us constitution

label

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Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has reacted angrily to "Harmful Language Alert" labels on pages of the US National Archives' website displaying the scanned versions of the country's Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as the first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights."The National Archives have now put a disclaimer on their website that our historical documents may include Harmful Content. They even slapped this warning on the Constitution, Boebert tweeted on Wednesday.She was echoed by Ken Cuccinelli, a former deputy Homeland Security secretary in the Trump administration, who reacted to the news by wondering on his Twitter page: "What are we becoming?" and "Are you kidding me?"The alert links to a statement by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on "potentially harmful content", which NARA defines as reflecting "racist, sexist, ableist, misogynistic/misogynoir, and xenophobic opinions and attitudes" or being "discriminatory towards or exclude diverse views on sexuality, gender, religion, and more".It remains unclear when the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights were labelled by NARA as containing potentially harmful language, but it comes amid developments in July, when the non-profit news outlet National Public Radio (NPR) triggered a social media uproar by describing the Declaration of Independence as "a document with flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies".Every US Independence Day, NPR publishes and reads the Declaration of Independence on the air, but July 2021's edition was quite different from previous years, as the broadcaster argued that following the anti-racism mass protests and riots in the US in 2020 "the words in the document land differently".The news outlet was referring to the Black Lives Matter protests that kicked off across the nation in May 2020 after the death of African American George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minnesota.

https://sputniknews.com/20201223/how-black-lives-matter-is-gaining-influence-in-us-and-uk-politics-and-whats-behind-this-1081545872.html

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us, republicans, archives, warning, us constitution, label
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/new-afghan-govt-fbi-wanted-haqqanis-nomination-slap-in-face-to-us-and-its-allies-analyst-says-1088878236.html

New Afghan Gov't: FBI-Wanted Haqqani's Nomination 'Slap in Face to US and Its Allies', Analyst Says

New Afghan Gov't: FBI-Wanted Haqqani's Nomination 'Slap in Face to US and Its Allies', Analyst Says

On Tuesday, the Taliban* announced an all-male interim Afghan government, about three weeks after the militant group seized power in the nation amid the US and... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T10:56+0000

2021-09-08T10:56+0000

2021-09-08T11:07+0000

appointment

us

afghanistan

taliban

government

us troop withdrawal

allies

afghanistan

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https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/08/1088876037_0:367:2047:1518_1920x0_80_0_0_f4f3bca77c671f8a7cb78771d5594943.jpg

Seth G. Jones, a senior vice president of a Washington-based think tank, has slammed the Taliban nominating Sirajuddin Haqqani for the post of interior minister in the interim Afghan government, "days before the 20th anniversary of the [9/11] terror attack".Jones, who is the director of the International Security Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, recalled that the new Afghan interior minister was at the helm of the terror group known as the Haqqani Network.The group is notoriously known as the hardline arm of the Taliban and is accused of attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.The Associated Press (AP) has, meanwhile, reported that Haqqani is thought to be holding at least one American hostage now, with White House and FBI officials yet to comment on the AP report.The FBI's database, in turn, pointed out that Haqqani is wanted "for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed six people, including an American citizen".The WSJ article follows the Taliban announcing key ministerial posts in Afghanistan's all-male interim cabinet on Tuesday, amid statements by many world leaders that they are not currently planning to recognise the new Afghan government.US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), for his part, slammed the Afghan cabinet as a "lineup of thugs and butchers" in an interview with the BBC, adding that "if you're a radical Islamic sympathiser, this is an all-star lineup".*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210907/what-do-we-know-about-new-taliban-appointed-key-acting-govt-members-in-afghanistan-1088857776.html

Piet Heinz After destroying the radar at the Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul by the USA, the Taliban should change its name to the Mullah Omar airport, Hamid Karzai did not write any kind of history for Afghanistan, but Mullah Omar will never be forgatten, not by the Taliban nor by the USA. 9

Piet Heinz If I was the Taliban I would refuse to include any women in any government before the United Nations recognize the Taliban first and cleanse it from the terror designation second. The USA is not in a rush to recognize the Taliban but nor does the Taliban be in a rush to include any women in any recent or future government. So let the west do something for the Afghan women if they are for real instead of destroying raders and think themselves to be the good. The west is acting itself as if they are not statisfied with their own naked women yet and want more of it from another country. 8

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appointment, us, afghanistan, taliban, government, us troop withdrawal, allies
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/pakistan-calls-for-discarding-old-lenses-in-afghanistan-as-talibans-new-cabinet-draws-flak-1088879794.html

Pakistan Calls for Discarding Old Lenses in Afghanistan as Talibans New Cabinet Draws Flak

Pakistan Calls for Discarding Old Lenses in Afghanistan as Talibans New Cabinet Draws Flak

The US State Department has reportedly expressed concern over the make-up of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Russia has also indicated... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T13:48+0000

2021-09-08T13:48+0000

2021-09-08T13:48+0000

us

russia

afghanistan

taliban

pakistan

afghanistan

world

asia & pacific

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Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday called for discarding old lenses, developing new insights and proceeding with a pragmatic approach in dealing with the new developments in Afghanistan. He said this while participating in a virtual meeting of his counterparts from China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Calling for an early return to normalcy in Afghanistan, he said that the key priorities at the moment were to prevent a humanitarian crisis that can exacerbate the sufferings of Afghans, and preventing an economic meltdown."If a humanitarian crisis is prevented and economic stability is assured, then peace can be consolidated and a mass exodus precluded", Minister Qureshi said. Nearly $9 billion worth of Afghanistans assets, lying in US-based financial institutions including at the New York-based Federal Reserve Bank, were frozen in the wake of the fall of Kabul to Taliban militants on 15 August.The top Pakistani diplomat also urged for enhanced international engagement in Afghanistan, reasoning that a "renewed diplomatic and international presence in the country would reassure the Afghan people.He said that the security situation in Afghanistan has attracted the global spotlight and its implications could be felt across the world, not just in Afghanistan and the region.At present, Pakistan, China, and Russia are among the few nations that still maintain a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, with many other foreign diplomats leaving the country after the eruption of violence against the backdrop of the US' troop withdrawal from the Central Asian nation.The Taliban has called for a return of diplomats to Afghanistan and maintained that it desires friendly relations with other governments.The Pakistani minister also noted in his address that Islamabad had agreed to have closer communication with China to deal with the situation in Afghanistan, as he recalled his conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month.He said that a coordinated approach of neighbouring countries is needed in several areas, including [the] security situation along the borders, prevention of Afghan soil from being used by terrorist entities, possibility of fresh influx of refugees and containing drug trafficking and transnational crimes.While Qureshi stopped short of announcing direct support for the newly unveiled 33-member Taliban Cabinet, the remarks signify the support of Islamabad for the new government in Afghanistan. Otherwise, the new regime has drawn global flak for having at least six ministers sanctioned by the United Nations for their alleged terrorist ties.The newly-appointed interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani heads the US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) Haqqani Network and has a $10 million bounty on his head.Categorisation of Taliban and the Haqqanis as Terrorists is an Old StoryFormer Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told Sputnik that the categorisation of [the] Taliban and the Haqqanis as terrorists is an old story and will have to change.He argued that more than lending legitimacy to the Taliban, global powers must work towards ensuring peace and stability in the region.

https://sputniknews.com/20210824/china-iran-step-in-to-aid-afghanistan-as-us-freezes-kabuls-foreign-assets-after-taliban-takeover-1083698025.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210907/what-do-we-know-about-new-taliban-appointed-key-acting-govt-members-in-afghanistan-1088857776.html

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Dhairya Maheshwari

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Dhairya Maheshwari

us, russia, afghanistan, taliban, pakistan, world, asia & pacific
https://sputniknews.com/20210908/turkey-cares-about-afghan-refugees-but-isnt-ready-for-yet-another-influx-heres-why-1088871767.html

Turkey Cares About Afghan Refugees But Isn't Ready For Yet Another Influx, Here's Why

Turkey Cares About Afghan Refugees But Isn't Ready For Yet Another Influx, Here's Why

There are 400,000 Afghan refugees in Turkey and the state provides them with housing and medical services, putting a burden on the Turkish economy. And this is... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T07:50+0000

2021-09-08T07:50+0000

2021-09-08T07:50+0000

afghanistan

turkey

afghanistan

taliban

refugees

afghanistan war

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Thousands of people are still scrambling to flee Afghanistan, just a day after the Taliban*, an Islamic group deemed a terrorist organisation by many international players, announced the formation of their government.According to reports, more than 123,000 civilians, including thousands of Afghans, have been evacuated by the US since mid-August. Some 8,000 others were airlifted by the UK, and the United Nations has already warned that up to half a million people could flee the war-torn country by the end of this year.The UN has also urged neighbouring states to keep their borders open to give those who want to flee an opportunity to do so.Ignoring UN PleaThe problem is that not many are listening. Neighbouring Pakistan, where an already sizeable Afghan community (more than 1.4 million) resides, has refused to take in any more refugees.A similar situation is being observed in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where the authorities have said they are not willing to admit any Afghans seeking refuge on their territory.And they are not alone. Recently, it was reported that Greece is constructing a 40-kilometre fence to protect itself from potential refugees seeking a safe haven in Europe.Neighbouring Turkey is taking similar measures. At the end of August, it announced that it would strengthen its border with Iran to stop the influx of Afghans fleeing Taliban rule. The country has also constructed a 155-kilometre stretch of a planned 241-kilometre wall.Refugees Come With a High Price TagTanya Goudsouzian, a Canadian journalist who has been covering Afghanistan for nearly two decades, says she understands the actions taken by the Turkish government."There are nearly 4 million Syrian refugees, close to 400,000 Afghan refugees, and over 100,000 Iraqi refugees in Turkey. It would be hard to argue that Turkey is not doing its part to assist refugees".Security ConcernsAnkara's concerns are not limited to economic issues only. Turkish authorities are also wary of their country's security if another wave of Afghan refugees hits their borders.In the past, extremist organisations such as Daesh* have used refugee crises to infiltrate a number of European states with the aim of carrying out their terrorist activity, and Ankara is wary they might do so again, destabilising the situation in Turkey."When we look at the major ISIS attacks that were carried out in Turkey, the perpetrators were of Central Asian descent. Any destabilisation or radicalisation that can spread from Afghanistan into Central Asia has the potential to impact Turkey's national security", she added.Does Turkey have the necessary tools to deal with such organisations as Daesh? Goudsouzian is doubtful and that's why, she says, the Turkish government is exerting diplomatic efforts to make certain that terrorists don't reach their borders.At the same time, the journalist says, they are working hard to help the Afghan people to get the assistance they need."Operating the airport and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid is an important first step in this regard... international commercial flights are not likely to resume without the guarantee of Turkish security, and an international diplomatic presence may depend upon it as well".*The Taliban and Daesh (ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State) are terrorist organisations banned in Russia and many other countries.

See you in the ice time for disgusting Pohjolan Muslims to only inhabit the no city no water desert wasteland prisons where they are supposed to be as punishment for robbing and murdering the Buddhists of Central Asia. 1

Hajj Qassem Time for turkey to pull its finger out and contribute instead of pushing their problems on to the declining EU and a sanction ridden Iran. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/ukrainian-attack-on-crimean-pipeline-creeping-austerity-is-back-1088867954.html

Ukrainian Attack on Crimean Pipeline; Creeping Austerity is Back

Ukrainian Attack on Crimean Pipeline; Creeping Austerity is Back

There are reports that a gas pipeline explosion in Crimea was masterminded by the Ukrainian defense's Directorate of Intelligence. 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T10:11+0000

2021-09-08T10:11+0000

2021-09-08T11:45+0000

russia

crimea

afghanistan

economy

climate change

austerity

delta variant of covid-19

radio

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Ukrainian Attack on Crimean Pipeline; Creeping Austerity is Back There are reports that a gas pipeline explosion in Crimea was masterminded by the Ukrainian defense's Directorate of Intelligence.

Dr. Jack Rasmus, professor in economics and politics at St. Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss the economy. Today, our guest discusses an article he authored. In it, he argues that leading economic indicators are forecasting a weakening economy, and the decision-makers are re-introducing disastrous neoliberal austerity to a struggling job market.Dr. Yolandra Hancock, board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist, joins us to discuss covid. The delta variant is having a significant effect on the US fight against covid as US hospitalizations are on the rise. Also, booster shots may be limited to the Pfizer vaccine and Cuba is vaccinating children.Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. There are reports that a gas pipeline explosion in Crimea was masterminded by the Ukrainian Defense's Directorate of Intelligence. Also, does the meeting between US President Joe Biden and the empire's puppet, the President of Ukraine, indicate that the US learned nothing for Afghanistan?Miko Peled, author and activist, joins us to discuss Iran and Israel. Iran, under the leadership of their new President, says that they will continue with nuclear talks. Also, Israel's Naftali Bennet says that he will continue with the covert war on Iran even after begging the US to attack Iran over an alleged drone attack by Tehran on an Israel-connected ship.Netfa Freeman, host of Voices With Vision on WPFW 89.3 FM, pan-Africanist and internationalist organizer, joins us to discuss the military coup in Guinea. Military forces linked to the US and French imperial powers have toppled the government in Guinea. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has taken control of the country and declared himself the ruler.James Carey, editor/co-owner at GeoPoliticsAlert.com, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. Robert C. Koehler argues that we need a truth commission on Afghanistan to avoid repeating the disastrous moves that dragged the occupation on for 20 years. Also, tens of thousands of innocent people were killed in 20 years of US drone strikes.Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss US military confrontations with Russia and China. In Patrick Lawrence's recent Consortium News article "Power," he argues that US citizens need to become aware of the atrocities committed by their government around the world and act to stop the aggression before it leads to a worldwide catastrophe.K. J. Noh, peace activist, writer, and teacher, joins us to discuss China. The US aggression against China seems to be based on a principle that China must be economically and militarily inferior to the US empire. Also, weather-related disasters cry out for help, but the US empire is wasting its resources jousting at the Chinese windmill.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/war-of-trolls-chinese-state-media-chief-us-navy-poke-each-other-over-freedom-of-navigation-1088884956.html

War of Trolls: Chinese State Media Chief, US Navy Poke Each Other Over Freedom of Navigation

War of Trolls: Chinese State Media Chief, US Navy Poke Each Other Over Freedom of Navigation

Earlier today, China called the US the biggest destroyer of peace after US warship the USS Benfold sailed past the contentious Spratly Islands in the South... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T17:38+0000

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2021-09-08T17:38+0000

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Twitter on Wednesday witnessed an open squabble between the US Navy and the editor-In-chief of China's Global Times, Hu Xijin. The spat began after the US Navy's chief of information took to Twitter and shared a US Pacific Fleet post announcing that the USS Benfold had conducted a freedom of navigation operation in ear the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. However, China's military spokesperson claimed that the People's Liberation Army had expelled a US destroyer that trespassed in China's territorial waters near the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, vowing that force would resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in the region.Later in the day, the US Navy stated, without specifying, that the PLA Navy's claim about the mission was false. Later, Hu Xijin hit back at the US Navy. "Hopefully when Chinese warships pass through the Caribbean Sea or show up near Hawaii and Guam one day, the US will uphold the same standard of freedom of navigation. That day will come soon", The Global Time Editor-in-Chief tweeted. This, however, it seems, did not go well with the US Navy and they slammed Hu in a series of tweets. "The US Navy has upheld the standards of freedom of navigation longer than the PLA navy has existed", it tweeted."The history of some Chinese dynasties is longer than the USs. When Zheng He made voyages in the Ming Dynasty, Columbus who discovered the New World was not yet born. The US arrogantly regards power as rule. Chinas long civilization has recorded many such lessons", Hu replied.The South China Sea, located in the Asian-Pacific region, is a source of tension for China and its neighbours, as some East Asian countries continue to argue over the waters' maritime borders. Beijing, in particular, considers the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea as its territory, despite an international tribunal ruling that the claims have no legal basis.

TruePatriot The world needs to see some Chinese FONOPS along the West and East Coasts of the US and in and about the Gulf of Mexico. I am glad to see that China says those days will come. And, the US once again will be getting a well-deserved slap in the face. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/who-condemns-wealthier-nations-for-hoarding-vaccines-prolonging-the-pandemic-1088865262.html

WHO Condemns Wealthier Nations for Hoarding Vaccines, 'Prolonging the Pandemic'

WHO Condemns Wealthier Nations for Hoarding Vaccines, 'Prolonging the Pandemic'

Last month, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, called on wealthier member-nations to establish a two-month... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T00:16+0000

2021-09-08T00:16+0000

2021-09-08T00:16+0000

world health organization (who)

africa

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Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's COVID-19 technical lead, had a few "blunt" words on Tuesday for member-nations continuing to stockpile and "hoard" COVID-19 vaccines amid the clear inequality in global supply. Kerkhove asserted that the "hoarding" of COVID-19 vaccines is negatively contributing to the death toll, just as the hoarding of personal protective equipment did at the beginning of the pandemic. As for supply redistribution, countries that choose to issue COVID-19 vaccines to another country should not consider their act charitable because "we are completely in this together."Earlier in the discussion, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, noted that "each country is in its own set of struggles" regarding vaccine distribution and general hesitancy toward receiving it. "Some countries have lots of available [vaccines], but they're not able to get people to take the vaccine," he said. "And there are other countries - many in the south - who are desperate to get a vaccine and can't get access to it.Ryan emphasized that the world needs to "recommit" to combating COVID-19, particularly before winter for the northern hemisphere."All of the indications are that this virus still has a lot of kinetic energy - it has a lot of momentum," he said, warning that as the virus mutates, its variants will continue to "pick off" unvaccinated individuals. WHO data published earlier this month showed that 42 African nations are on track to miss the global goal of vaccinating the most vulnerable 10% of the population against COVID-19. However, a total of nine countries, including Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa have already reached the target. Moeti said that while the current inequity is "deeply disturbing," there have been upticks in COVID vaccine shipments and commitments, which "shows that a fairer, more just global distribution of vaccines looks possible." The organization's continued pleas come days after former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown chided wealthier nations for committing "moral outrage" by stockpiling COVID-19 vaccines while others struggled to receive shipments. "We are in a new arms race  to get vaccines into people as quickly as possible  but this is an arms race where the West have a stranglehold on the vaccine supplies," said Brown, who serves as a special envoy for the United Nations. He also called on the US and other G7 nations to move their stockpiled COVID-19 vaccines out of warehouses and into Africa and other areas of low availability.

https://sputniknews.com/20210816/gordon-brown-urges-wealthy-nations-to-end-their-stranglehold-on-vaccine-deliveries-to-africa-1083624088.html

TruePatriot If they are hoarding, then good for them. They are saving millions of lives by not allowing the death in a bottle jabs out in the wild. It is a proven fact that these jabs inject the spike protein into people, cause microclots in 62% of the recipients, and are the ones that are spiking the hospitalizations due to the severe adverse reactions including bad cases of covid. 3

astrodetective Hoarding experimental rNMA so called vaccines causing record deaths and injuries? How intriguing 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20210908/why-taliban-should-thank-us-not-only-for-billions-worth-of-weapons-but-also-for-nuclear-pakistan-1088885576.html

Why Taliban Should Thank US Not Only for Billions Worth of Weapons, But Also for Nuclear Pakistan

Why Taliban Should Thank US Not Only for Billions Worth of Weapons, But Also for Nuclear Pakistan

The Taliban* have managed to lay their hands on billions worth of sophisticated Western-made weapons amid the hurried retreat of the Afghan National Army... 08.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-08T15:40+0000

2021-09-08T15:40+0000

2021-09-08T16:08+0000

afghanistan

pakistan

nuclear weapons

central asia

zbigniew brzezinski

india

central intelligence agency (cia)

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Col. Richard Kemp, a former British commander, on 16 August raised the red flag over the possibility of Taliban elements one day seizing nuclear materials and technology from Pakistan. These concerns were also shared by former National Security Adviser John Bolton in his 23 August op-ed for The Washington Post. The next day, a group of American lawmakers sent a letter to Joe Biden asking the president: "Do you have a plan to ensure that Afghanistan, under Taliban occupation, will never acquire a nuclear weapon?"How US Turned Blind Eye to Pakistan's Nuclear Arms ProgrammeWhile the possibility that the Taliban could get access to Pakistani nukes has triggered serious concerns in the US and Europe, American politicians have shied away from discussing how Islamabad emerged as a nuclear power. While Bolton has specifically lambasted Pakistan for "recklessly" pursuing nuclear weapons for decades, newly released documents suggest Washington knew about Islamabad's nuclear bid, but did nothing to stop it.In mid-August 2021, Pakistani President Arif Alvi revealed that the country had developed a "nuclear deterrent" by 1981, long before its 1998 underground atomic tests. In the aftermath of Alvi's remarks, the National Security Archive, a Washington-based non-profit archival institution, released a series of documents shedding light on the US handling of the Pakistan nuclear problem.A US memo dated 28 March 1978 provides the earliest known indication of Washington's recognition of Pakistan's uranium enrichment programme. In June 1978, the CIA document suggested that Pakistan would "probably be capable of assembling a nuclear device in the early 1980s", adding that the country "will not have a credible nuclear weapons option until at least the mid-1980s".However, in January 1979, US State Department officials admitted that Islamabad was moving more rapidly toward acquisition of nuclear capability than we had earlier estimated", having learned that Pakistan had initiated a uranium enrichment programme using gas centrifuge technology.The 18 January 1979 State Department memo specifically cited the 1976 Symington Amendment which banned US economic and military assistance to countries illegally transferring or acquiring nuclear enrichment technology. While the memo highlighted that Washington must persuade Pakistan to nix its enrichment and reprocessing programme, it noted that "termination of aid [to Pakistan] would further complicate our position in the turbulent Persian Gulf region" and "would not contribute to achievement of our non-proliferation objectives". As a result, the Jimmy Carter administration turned a blind eye to Pakistan's nuclear development as well as transfer of materials and technologies to Pakistanis by other state and non-state players.The reason behind Washington's unusually soft approach to Islamabad at the time was because the Cold War-era US leadership regarded Pakistan as a bulwark against the Soviet Union and India, the USSR's regional ally, says Bharat Karnad, a national security expert and emeritus professor of National Security Studies at New Delhi's Centre for Policy Research.It is unclear when the CIA actually learned about Islamabad's nuclear programme. However, the first signs of Islamabad's bid to build atomic weapons emerged in the mid-1960s, when Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto pledged that the nation would prefer "to eat grass and leaves for a thousand years" in order to create its own nuclear bomb rather than see neighbouring India get one. India's subsequent decision to kick off a nuclear project in 1967 and Islamabad's loss of East Pakistan in 1971's Bangladesh Liberation War prompted Pakistan to accelerate its efforts.The National Security Archive notes that it was Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Belgian-educated metallurgist, who played a crucial role in building Pakistan's enrichment facilities. The engineer had stolen major elements of gas centrifuge technology when he worked in the Netherlands at the uranium firm Urenco in the 1970s. However, the CIA asked the Netherlands in 1975 not to prosecute Khan when he came under suspicion, according to ex-Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers. The intelligence agency explained that they wanted "to follow and watch Khan to get more information", according to Lubbers. Still, there are still many unknowns with regard to the CIA's efforts to trace Khan's activities, since the intelligence "has declassified next to nothing" concerning the issue, according to the National Security Archive. When the non-profit filed a FOIA for documents from 1978 concerning A. Q. Khan and Pakistani nuclear enrichment activities, the agency took "a neither confirm-nor-deny position that it had any such records".Karnad does not rule out that the CIA was aware of Islamabad's secret nuclear weapons programme. According to him, the US did not prevent the transfer of atomic technologies to Pakistan because they apparently sought to reshuffle "a military balance on the subcontinent" vis-a-vis the USSR and pro-Soviet India, which conducted its first nuclear weapons test in 1974.Could Taliban Get Access to Pakistan's Nukes?Meanwhile, the probability of the Taliban getting access to Islamabad's nuclear secrets and stockpiles has prompted a heated debate among international observers.However, one cannot be one hundred percent sure that the Taliban would never get access to Pakistani nuclear weapons technologies, believes Dr Michele Groppi, teaching fellow of Challenges to the International Order at the Defence Studies Department, King's College London."We have to keep an eye on it", he says. "But I don't think this prospect is particularly worrisome in the short run. In the longer term, however, we have to see".But if the Taliban were to gain access to nuclear arms, this could "really angered China", Groppi believes. According to him, the Afghan insurgents are not interested in upsetting Beijing, at least for now, since they expect that the People's Republic will invest in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Taliban leadership has already signalled its willingness to participate in the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."Vis-a-vis Pakistan, the issue is not about the weapons but the increasing radicalisation of the society", deems Shreyas Deshmukh, research associate with the National Security Program at the Delhi Policy Group, a think tank in New Delhi, India. "Today we can see there is major support coming from lower and middle class of the Pakistani society for the Taliban, and it was there in the late 1990s as well. Therefore the fear of not only the Taliban but any extremist elements getting their hands on nuclear material from Pakistan is real."Deshmukh notes that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)*, a terrorist group located on the Afghan-Pakistan border which helped the Taliban to fight against Afghan government forces, carried out several attacks between 2008 and 2015, targeting Pakistani security infrastructures "including a major attack on Mehran Naval Air Base which also holds nuclear assets".In addition to this, Afghanistan lies between four declared nuclear states, the Indian scholar emphasises, suggesting that "if the instability persists in [the Central Asian state] it can be a hub for the black market for nuclear materials".*The Taliban and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are terrorist organisations banned in Russia and many other states.

Zag It is just false propaganda 8

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Fehringer acknowledged that investigations take time  often weeks or even months, he said. But he emphasized the department's commitment to accusers and said UNL police would reexamine records to develop a better understanding of how, exactly, investigations are panning out.

Still, Fehringer isn't sure that the department's arrest rate in sexual assault investigations  2.3% since September 2015  is a deterrent for sexual assault survivors weighing whether to make a report.

"I hope not," Fehringer said, noting the variety of reasons an investigation might end before an arrest is made. "We, again, respect victim survivors, so we don't dictate how long or if they want to be involved in the process.

"We just do the best that we can along the way. If it's all the way to the end, and at the end of the day we can say, 'We've done every step that we can take along this,' and we make an arrest or we can't  I think we have to live with that, unfortunately."
As taxes go up, people do not want to be a part of the state ... and they are harmed by those tax policies, Smith said.

The plan would also eliminate the inheritance tax.

Erdmans plan is called the EPIC Consumption Tax, with EPIC standing for Eliminate Property, Income and Corporates taxes. The plan would do just that, along with getting rid of sales and inheritance taxes. It would replace all of these taxes with a single consumption task of 8.97%.

Taking away all those other taxes, well have an opportunity for the state to grow and its revenue to grow, Erdman said.

Erdman included various scenarios within his presentation as to how, he said, the EPIC plan would lead to Nebraskans paying less in taxes overall, including on both new and used products. He said the plan would prevent border bleed by making it cheaper to purchase things in Nebraska than in neighboring states.

The tax plan would be passed by a 2022 ballot measure, if the plan raises enough signatures for it to appear there. Erdman said the exact wording would read, No tax other than retail consumption tax and excise tax shall be imposed on the people of Nebraska. If the measure were to pass, it would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
Texas has low taxes, which is nice. Its mild winter weather appeals to many in the snowbound north. And the cost of living there is certainly lower than that of the elite coastal cities. Also nice.

On the other hand, it has a political culture that launches serial attacks on voting rights and obsesses over transgender youth in high schools. It has now deputized citizen creeps to hunt down anyone who helped a woman obtain an abortion -- her parents included -- for which they can collect a $10,000 bounty. And were only on our second cup of coffee.

In recent years, Texas has attracted companies looking for the nice things. But some big corporations worry that the young, educated workers they want to lure to their Texas operations will start saying no, thanks to a place whose government mass-produces schemes, it seems, just to get into the faces of people like them.

Texas has cool progressive cities -- Austins at the top -- that fit right into the knowledge workers list of allurements. But these diabolical state laws and restrictions apply to those places as well.
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A West Virginia man is being sought by the Iredell County Sheriffs Office after three vending machines at a Statesville car wash were broken into in August, authorities said.

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said in a news release that James Michael Ransom, 47, is being sought on three felony counts of breaking into a coin-operated machine. Campbell said the surveillance video from from RJs Car Wash on Wilkesboro Highway provided clues in the case.

Ransom is suspected in similar crimes across North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia in August, Campbell said.

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Campbell said a report was filed Aug. 22, and Detective Danny Wyatt was assigned to the case. After watching video surveillance footage, a suspect vehicle, a 2011 Dodge Dakota, was identified. Wyatt soon learned after talking to other law enforcement agencies that this case of breaking and entering wasnt limited to Statesville.

After comparing the video, Ransom was identified as a suspect. Along with the crimes in West Virginia and Virginia, Ransom is a suspect in crimes in seven counties in North Carolina.
However, Daniels still wasnt responding to the U.S. Marshals continued commands, which led to them using what was described as a chemical irritant to force him out, which then triggered the buildings fire alarm, the release indicated.

After a struggle, Daniels was removed from the attic area and arrested. He was treated on the scene by Cobb County Fire personnel for exposure to the chemical irritant and nonlife-threatening injuries. Daniels was transported to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center and is awaiting extradition back to North Carolina.

In June, the Iredell County Sheriffs Office named Daniels as a suspect in a homicide investigation and secured a warrant for his arrest. Daniels, who also goes by Lil Buckey, was considered armed and dangerous. The warrant stemmed from an investigation on June 8 after an early morning shooting that occurred on Williams Road on the west side of Statesville.

The sheriffs office arrived there, and to a secondary scene at Iredell Memorial Hospital shortly after 3 a.m., where one victim was confirmed deceased at the hospital. The man was later identified as Zion Treyshaun Gaither, 20, of Hickory.

In a news release on Tuesday, the ICSO detailed more of its work on the case.
The AU (African Union) is pressuring the UN to extend the financial support for the Somali peacekeeping operation. A month ago, the AU agreed with the UN plan to reduce the Somalia peacekeeping forces. What changed the minds of the AU was the sudden Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August. This fearful proposal may not succeed because UN peacekeeping specialists understand that the Taliban are a special case. The Taliban were created and supported by Pakistan, a more powerful neighbor since 1995. The Taliban lost the civil war in 2001 because their anti-Pakistan rivals (the Northern Alliance) got active support from the United States after September 11, 2001. Pakistan gave their surviving Taliban sanctuary and continued support, all the while getting away with denying they were doing that for over a decade. Another factor is that the Taliban also had a partnership with the Afghan drug cartels, who were earning several billion dollars a year and considered their payments to the Taliban and Pakistan as a necessary cost of doing business. What Somalia and Afghanistan do have in common is that both are failed states.

The UN and AU (African Union) had agreed to greatly reduce or eliminate the current 19,400 strong peacekeeper force. This process is supposed to start by the end of 2021. In January the United States completed moving most of its 700 troops out of Somalia to other parts of East Africa. Two months later the AU announced plans to do the same or at least greatly reduce the number of peacekeepers in Somalia. Soldiers from five AU countries (Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti) comprise the current force that costs about $200 million a year. That money is provided by the UN via contributions by the U.S. and EU (European Union). The UN approves the size and duration of the peacekeeper force annually.

The peacekeepers have been in Somalia for fifteen years at a cost of over three billion dollars. So far nearly a thousand peacekeepers have been killed and at least 4,000 wounded or injured. About a quarter of those were so badly wounded that they received disability payments while families of the dead received a lump sum in death benefits. Somalia is the most dangerous peacekeeping duty in the world.

The first AU peacekeepers arrived in March 2007 and these 8,000 troops were supposed to be gone within six months. That force did not disappear by the end of 2007 but kept growing and quickly reached 22,000, most of them soldiers plus a few thousand police, trainers and administrators. The peacekeeper force made some difference, but in the face of massive corruption in the Somali government and various Somali communities that demanded help, the operation proved far more expensive and time-consuming than expected. Peacekeepers are due to leave because the best they can do is reduce the violence and disunity, while UN donors are not willing to waste money on that when there are other disaster zones that can make better use of the limited foreign aid.

Because of the threat of peacekeeper reductions or elimination, the Somali army, which is about the same size as the peacekeeper force, has been particularly active and effective this year. If the peacekeepers go the army will have to face all the fighting alone and current assessments conclude that the army might not survive that for long, and instead fall apart because of casualties, desertions and a lack of new recruits. The Somalis have been saying this for nearly a decade but the AU and UN are fed up and the major donors needed to support the peacekeeper force have warned that they will reduce or eliminate contributions because of the continued corruption and ineffectiveness of the Somali government. The Afghan government faced the same corruption and ineffectiveness problems but always had problems with getting NATO and the UN to do anything about the Pakistani and drug cartel support for the Taliban. NATO and the UN always recognized the threat from the heroin coming out of Afghanistan but only during the last few years took the Pakistani threat seriously, but not seriously enough or quickly enough.

Meanwhile Yemen, another failed state in the region, is sending a growing number of refugees to Somalia. The two nations are separated by the Gulf of Aden, which means a 750-kilometer voyage. This is short enough for small cargo and fishing boats to easily travel back and forth. For thousands of years there has been sea traffic on this route and over the last few decades that has involved more smuggling, usually of drugs and illegal refugees from Somalia to Yemen. That changed after 2014 as Iran supported, and continues to support one of the factions in yet another Yemeni civil war. That led to another refugee situation developing in Somalia as Somalis who fled to Yemen were now fleeing Yemen because of the civil war. While most foreigners had already fled Yemen, the Somali refugees in Yemen were trying, without much success, to flee back to Somalia. In 2015 there were over 300,000 Somalis in Yemen, most of them there illegally. Foreigners, particularly illegal migrants, became a target in Yemen during the civil war because that conflict prevented Yemeni people smugglers from moving their clients north to the oil-rich Arab states and beyond. The most hospitable and accessible refuge for Somalis in Yemen was Somalia. So far most of the Somalis stuck in Yemen have returned to Somalia. Over the last few years more Yemeni refugees have been coming to Somaliland and Puntland, which is a rare occurrence that continues. The reason is simple, the Iran-sponsored civil war in Yemen has been a lot deadlier than the al Shabaab violence in Somalia, killing a lot more people and creating a lot more refugees.

September 4, 2021: Once more a new date of parliamentary elections has been agreed on. National elections for the 54 members of the senate will be held from July 10 to August 10 while the elections for the 275 members of parliament will take place between October 1 and November 20. Starting on November 25 the newly elected members of the senate and parliament will select senate and parliament leaders. Once that is done, in a process that could take months, the combined senate and parliament will elect a new president. Like previous agreements, this one might not actually work. But after a year of bickering and threats of civil war and the withdrawal of foreign aid, there has been one delay after another as election agreements fell apart after agreeing to.

These elections were supposed to be held in December 2020 but were delayed over a year because of difficulty in agreeing on how and when. The previous June 29 agreement had been completed by September 10. By September 20 the newly elected members of the senate and parliament were to begin selection of senate and parliament leaders and that would be followed by the combined senate and parliament electing a new president.

September 3, 2021: In the north (Puntland) the local government sent forces into its southern neighbor Galmudug to reinforce efforts to expel al Shabaab forces from the area. Puntland and Galmudug are two of the five federal states that were established to settle the trend towards separatism. The other three are Hirshabelle, Southwest State and Jubaland. Puntland was the only one that was autonomous. Since the 1990s the two regions that comprise northern Somalia (Puntland and Somaliland) have been better governed since breaking away from Somalia in the 1998 to form Puntland (2.5 million people) and Somaliland (3.5 million). The other two-thirds of the Somali population to the south, has been in perpetual chaos since 1990 and the establishment of a lasting central government is still a work-in-progress. Puntland agreed to rejoin Somalia as a federal state once national elections were successfully held. Puntland and Somaliland have been holding successful elections to select their leaders since the 1990s. Somaliland has not agreed to rejoin Somalia and may end up as an independent state as more nations recognize that status officially or unofficially.

September 1, 2021: The coalition of international ship owners associations has agreed to reduce the HRA (High Risk Area) off Somalia from most of the East African coast and deep into the Indian Ocean to a smaller area encompassing the EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zones) off Somalia and Yemen and the approaches to the Persian Gulf. EEZs extend 380 kilometers off the coast and the new HRA found that this is where the piracy risk remains. This was demonstrated on August 13 when a British bulk cargo carrier, 180 kilometers northeast of the Somali capital, spotted a speedboat containing armed men approaching at dawn. The pirates were coming at the cargo vessel at high speed. The ship increased speed and alerted the International Piracy Patrol. Once the pirates realized they had been spotted they turned away, aware of the fact that a piracy patrol warship might be close enough to send an armed helicopter to their location quickly. This incident occurred within the new HRA, which went into effect on September 1st.

Piracy still exists off Somalia, but it has been largely suppressed. No large ships linger off the Somali coast. The Somali pirates have not captured any large ships since 2012, when 14 were taken. That was in sharp contrast to 46 ships hijacked in 2009 and 28 in 2011. Each of these ships yielded, on average, several million dollars in ransoms. That kind of money attracted a lot more people to the business and the pirates prospered by sharing the ransoms with powerful people in Somalia and the Persian Gulf that made it possible to arrange and carry out the exchange of large amounts of cash for captives.

The piracy threat off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden still exists and shipping companies were recently warned that while no large ships have been captured since 2013, the threat, and the higher shipping costs, still exist. Some of the criminal gangs and militias in northern Somalia that carried out most of the successful hijackings between 2009 and 2012 are still operational and monitoring this situation. These groups either abandoned the piracy business or cut way back on such activities. The gangs switched to smuggling drugs, guns or people between Somalia and Yemen.

August 31, 2021: In the north (Galmudug) al Shabaab assembled a large enough force to take back control of Amara, a town sitting on a vital north-south road. Local and government forces had taken control of Amara in July and al Shabaab was reluctant to let go. Puntland said they would send forces to help Galmudug get al Shabaab out of Amara and hurt them bad enough to persuade the Islamic terrorists to move somewhere else. There are fewer places al Shabaab can go in Somalia as the government troops, peacekeepers and local militias become more effective at cooperating to push al Shabaab out of areas the Islamic terrorists long considered safe. .

August 25, 2021: In the north (Galmudug) another American UAV airstrike was carried out against al Shabaab forces near Amara. This airstrike involved hitting several different targets and the local militias reported that over twenty al Shabaab gunmen were killed. After a brief halt the U.S. resumed its airstrikes against al Shabaab targets in Somalia in July. The first one took place on July 20th, followed by others on the 23rd, 30th and at least one in August. Before July the last such attack was at the end of January. Since early 2017, when Africom (U.S. Africa Command) increased its use of armed UAVs over Somalia, there have been about 170 UAV airstrikes that have killed nearly a thousand al Shabaab and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) members. In 2020 there were fifty of these airstrikes, the most in one year in the previous decade. For 2021 there have been at least a dozen UAV airstrikes so far, with seven of them occurring in January before the pause.

August 23, 2021: In the south (Jubbland) al Shabaab was assembling forces for a major attack on two military bases but were caught by surprise when they were attacked by government and local forces who detected the al Shabaab preparations and organized a counterattack before al Shabaab could strike. Several days of fighting left over sixty al Shabaab dead, among them two known al Shabaab leaders. This has become common with al Shabaab losing over a hundred dead a month this year.

August 20, 2021: Turkey delivered eight more Turkish made Kipri MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) and sixteen five-ton trucks the Somali commando forces. In 2020 Turkey donated a dozen Kipris and a dozen pickup trucks. Since 2015 the U.S. has been providing the AU peacekeepers in Somalia with MRAPs to replace the older models they had been using while patrolling areas where mines and roadside bombs were still a problem.

August 19, 2021: The AU and Somalia agreed to work together to keep some AU peacekeepers in Somalia after the UN withdraws most financial support after 2022.
When it comes to being an artist, Rouse said shes Appalachian first and a teacher second.

She puts that native resourcefulness to full use in creating her collages. I love the idea of repurposing, she said. Thats so true that Rouse declared that a significant part of my art is the hunt for the stuff. She frequents yard and estate sales and has been known to go through trash bins in her search. With a grin, she said, Thats where some of my best stuff has come from.

Her collages are often developed around themes. Rouse loves using pieces from old drawing books and vintage advertisements, especially from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. She admires how dramatic they made everything."

A friend brought Rouse a collection of tabloids from the 1960s and 70s, and she found a treasure trove of ideas as she long has in older issues of National Geographic magazine.

She loves the ads and believes that may trace back to her childhood years as her dads helper. He was a sign painter.
FICTION: The author of "Normal People" returns with another perceptive novel about relationships.

"Beautiful World, Where Are You" by Sally Rooney; Farrar, Straus & Giroux (368 pages, $28)



Sally Rooney's "Normal People" was a masterful depiction of first love. Readers of the Irish author's second novel  and, later, viewers of the acclaimed Hulu series  followed Marianne and Connell coming together and coming undone over the course of four years. Their chemistry was so special that the book's title seemed to apply to others. "I did used to think I could read your mind at times," said Connell. "But maybe that's normal." "It's not," Marianne assured him.

In her latest novel, "Beautiful World, Where Are You," Rooney turns her attention once again to romantic entanglements. This time, instead of putting one Irish couple under the spotlight, she reprises the structure of her debut, "Conversations With Friends," and examines the dynamics of two pairings. She also extends her gaze beyond sexual relations to explore the occasionally fraught yet ultimately unbreakable friendship between her two female leads.
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State, county COVID-19 cases may be flattening, hospitalizations likely to increase After a steep increase since July, Washingtons COVID-19 cases may be starting to level off, but the state and Cowlitz County will continue to

Superior Court has held its 12-person jury trials in the Cowlitz County Event Center since August 2020 to create distance between jurors. Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor said jurors sit six feet apart, with masks on throughout the selection process, trial and deliberation. He said an average of about 50 people are pooled to possibly sit on juries.

District Court holds its six-person jury trials in the regular District Court trial rooms, and jurors sit in the audience to space them out, Wirkkala said. The public is not allowed to attend in-person trials in either court, but trials are streamed online. District court staff pool fewer people to sit on juries than before the pandemic, Wirkkala said. The district court jury pool has dropped from about 30 to less than 25, she said.

People who testify on trial in both courts are surrounded by a plastic shield so they can safely remove their masks. Wirkkala said eliminating masks during testimonies helps jurors decide verdicts.

+3 Cowlitz County health officials, organizations working to address racial gap in COVID vaccinations About a week ago, Angelina Jimenez walked a block from her house to Wallace Elementary School to receive the first dose of the Moderna COVID-1

Its easier to be heard and understood by jurors, Wirkkala said. It allows a better look at those who testify  officers, witnesses, defendants  so jurors can see their face.

State rules for jurors
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Somebody makes an allegation on Facebook and it spreads. Even if the allegation may not be true, that person doesnt go back online and say, oh that wasnt the whole story,  Greene said. It lives in that ether and we have to deal with it as it comes.

During the investigation, Greene said there were multiple different accounts of what the teacher may have said, but none matched the wording in the accusations.

We can talk to 10 kids in the same classroom and they have different versions of what happened, Greene said, but those pretty harsh criticisms on Facebook were unfounded. They were things that nobody, student or teacher, said happened.

Greene said teachers and staff have been instructed to carry out the mandate from the state about mask wearing and teacher vaccination, both to be in compliance with state law and to make sure schools stay open amid rising COIVD-19 cases in the county.

We really want to keep our schools open, he said, adding that masking is important for us to keep our schools as safe and healthy as possible. We do have to remind kids to properly wear their masks, and some of the criticism from parents is that were taking too much time talking about that.

While teacher opinion may differ on the mask mandate, Greene said fortunately or unfortunately, our job is to mandate the mask mandate.

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Her Cheyenne law firm touts its ties to Wyomings ranching industry and Hagemans involvement in lawsuits over wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, grazing on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land and water rights, among other issues.

She recently expressed support on Facebook for a new Texas law banning most abortions and has been a longtime cheerleader for the state's coal mining industry.

Possibly foreshadowing the congressional race ahead, Hageman was the first in her 2018 campaign to go negative, criticizing one opponent as anti-coal and obsessed with so-called green energy.

Now, Hageman faces having to explain why she has parted ways with Cheney despite recent close ties. Hageman was among the first and most prominent people to endorse Cheney in her brief and unsuccessful run against Enzi. And Hageman and Cheney coordinated politically as recently as 2017, emails obtained by The Associated Press show.

Undercutting a common line of attack against Cheney  that she spent most of her life outside Wyoming before moving to Jackson Hole in 2012  Hageman told The Associated Press in 2013 that Cheney's family had a long history in Wyoming and that such criticism was a distraction.
The legislation is Stalinist in nature, even if the people targeted by it are not going to be sent off to execution. It is authorizing citizens to spy on and sue their neighbors and fellow community members who want  whether you agree with it or not  to exercise a constitutionally allowed reproductive right.

So the party that defies vaccine mandates on grounds they infringe on a persons right to make medical choices now wants to infringe on a womans right to choose and exercise control of her own body. What hypocrisy  and so much for freedom.

Vigilante law enforcement is not totally new. Citizens can sue polluters if they believe the government is not enforcing air and water pollution laws. But the right is restricted. Now, however, the GOP is empowering members of the public as a new way of fighting the culture wars. In Tennessee, for example, students, teachers and employees of public schools can sue schools if they share a bathroom with a transgender person. In Florida, student athletes can sue their school if it allows a transgender athlete to play, according to The Texas Tribune. Citizen civil suits are an emerging weapon in the radical rights arsenal, and it has its dangers.
Western media news websites are being hijacked by pro-Russian trolls to spread propaganda and disinformation supporting the Kremlin, according to research published by a British university on Monday. The Crime and Research Security Institute at Cardiff University said it had unearthed evidence from 32 major news outlets in 16 countries that have been targeted via manipulation of their readers' comments sections.

They include the Daily Mail, Daily Express, and The Times in Britain; Fox News and the Washington Post in the United States; France's Le Figaro; Germany's Der Spiegel and Die Welt; and La Stampa in Italy. Researchers say they found 242 stories where "provocative pro-Russian or anti-Western statements" were posted in reaction to stories related to Russia.

Russian-language outlets then used them as the basis for stories to suggest wider support among the Western public for Russian policies and President Vladimir Putin. The research into online activity was conducted during ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine earlier this year. But the unit said the tactics have been escalating since 2018, amid heightening tensions between Moscow and the West.

Crime and Security Research Institute director Martin Innes said the trolling operation was "significant" given its sophistication, scope, and scale.

"By hijacking the comments sections of Western media brands, it has been able to present its propaganda as indicative of mainstream opinion," he added.

"The Western media outlets we investigated are especially vulnerable to this kind of manipulation, with no security measures in place to prevent, deter or detect this kind of activity.

"Trolls have been able to easily switch between personas and identities, which is something the technology actually enables."

Researchers used data science recognition and detection techniques, which indicated an orchestrated campaign, with suspicious account profiles repeatedly changing their persona and location.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, whose department helps partly fund the Open Source Communications Analytics Research programme at Cardiff headed by Innes, said Britain and its allies were working to combat "Kremlin trolls peddling lies".

"This report highlights the threat to our democracy of Russian state-backed misinformation on the internet," he added.

The report said there was evidence of co-ordination between Russian state-owned media, those with a history of spreading misinformation and outlets identified by Western intelligence as having links to Russian security services.

Innes said given the potential to influence public opinion, it was "vital that media companies running participatory websites are more transparent about how they are tackling disinformation and more proactive in preventing it".
The headphone-based system uses Doppler technology to sense tiny fluctuations, or echoes, in acoustic soundwaves that are created by the hands of someone signing. Credit: University at Buffalo

A University at Buffalo-led research team has modified noise-canceling headphones, enabling the common electronic device to "see" and translate American Sign Language (ASL) when paired with a smartphone.

Reported in the journal Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, the headphone-based system uses Doppler technology to sense tiny fluctuations, or echoes, in acoustic soundwaves that are created by the hands of someone signing.

Dubbed SonicASL, the system proved 93.8% effective in tests performed indoors and outdoors involving 42 words. Word examples include "love," "space," and "camera." Under the same conditions involving 30 simple sentencesfor example, "Nice to meet you."SonicASL was 90.6% effective.

"SonicASL is an exciting proof-of-concept that could eventually help greatly improve communication between deaf and hearing populations," says corresponding author Zhanpeng Jin, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at UB.

Before such technology is commercially available, much work must be done, he stressed. For example, SonicASL's vocabulary must be greatly expanded. Also, the system must be able to read facial expressions, a major component of ASL.

The study will be presented at the ACM Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp), taking place Sept. 2126.

For the deaf, communication barriers persist

Worldwide, according to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are about 72 million deaf people using more than 300 different sign languages.

The illustration on the left shows the mdifications made to the headphones. The right shows what a user sees on their smartphone. Credit: University at Buffalo

Although the United Nations recognizes that sign languages are equal in importance to the spoken word, that view is not yet a reality in many nations. People who are deaf or hard of hearing still experience multiple communications barriers.

Traditionally, communications between deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users and hearing people who do not know the language take place either in the presence of an ASL interpreter, or through a camera set-up.

A frequent concern over the use of cameras, according to Jin, includes whether those video recordings could be misused. And while the use of ASL interpreters is becoming more common, there is no guarantee that one will be available when needed.

SonicASL aims to address these issues, especially in casual circumstances without pre-arranged planning and setup, Jin says.

Modify headphones with speaker, add app

Most noise-canceling headphones rely on an outward-facing microphone that picks up environmental noise. The headphones then produce an anti-sounda soundwave with the same amplitude but with an inverted phase of the surrounding noiseto cancel the external noise.

"We added an additional speaker next to the outward-facing microphone. We wanted to see if the modified headphone could sense moving objects, similar to radar," says co-lead author Yincheng Jin (no relation), a Ph.D. candidate in Jin's lab.

The speaker and microphone do indeed pick up hand movements. The information is relayed through the SonicASL cellphone app, which contains an algorithm the team created to identify the words and sentences. The app then translates the signs and speaks to the hearing person via the earphones.

These are the acoustic soundwaves created by signing the phrase "I need help."

"We tested SonicASL under different environments, including office, apartment, corridor and sidewalk locations," says co-lead author Yang Gao, Ph.D., who completed the research in Jin's lab before becoming a postdoctoral scholar at Northwestern University. "Although it has seen a slight decrease in accuracy as overall environmental noises increase, the overall accuracy is still quite good, because the majority of the environmental noises do not overlap or interfere with the frequency range required by SonicASL."

The core SonicASL algorithm can be implemented and deployed on any smartphone, he says.

SonicASL can be adapted for other sign languages

Unlike systems that put the responsibility for "bridging" the communications gap on the deaf, SonicASL flips the script, encouraging the hearing population to make the effort.

An added benefit of SonicASL's flexibility is that it can be adapted for languages other than ASL, Jin says.

"Different sign languages have diverse features, with their own rules for pronunciation, word formation and word order," he says. "For example, the same gesture may represent different sign language words in different countries. However, the key functionality of SonicASL is to recognize various hand gestures representing words and sentences in sign languages, which are generic and universal. Although our current technology focuses on ASL, with proper training of the algorithmic model, it can be easily adapted to other sign languages."

The next steps, says Jin, will be expanding the sign vocabulary that can be recognized and differentiated by SonicASL as well as working to incorporate the ability to read facial expressions.

"The proposed SonicASL aims to develop a user-friendly, convenient and easy-to-use headset-style system to promote and facilitate communication between the deaf and hearing populations," says Jin.

Explore further Student researcher urges natural language processing research focus on signed languages

More information: Yincheng Jin et al, SonicASL, Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (2021). Yincheng Jin et al, SonicASL,(2021). DOI: 10.1145/3463519
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Singapore is in the midst of a three-week trial for a pair of autonomous robots that patrol the public for "undesirable social behaviors" that include smoking in prohibited areas and violating COVID-19 gathering regulations.

The pair of robots, known as Xavier, are equipped with cameras that can provide 360-degree footage and sensors that allow them to navigate in public and analyze potential public safety violations.

According to a press release from the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, if Xavier detects an undesirable behavior, it will alert a public officer control center and officers can respond in person or remotely via the robot's interactive dashboard. Five Singaporean government agencies are involved in the testing of Xavier.

"The deployment of ground robots will help to augment our surveillance and enforcement resources," said Lilly Ling, the Singapore Food Agency's East Regional Office Director, in a press release. "The adoption of robotics technology can be used to enhance such operations, and reduce the need for our officers to do physical patrols."

HTX said in its press release that the robots will be specifically looking for five behaviors during the three-week trial run in Toa Payoh Central, a high-traffic residential district. They are:

Smoking in prohibited areas

Illegal hawking

Improperly parked bicycles

Groups of more than five people in violation of COVID-19 safety regulations

Motorcycles and other motorized transportation devices on walking paths

This is Singapore's second attempt at enforcing social policies like COVID-19 restrictions using robotic monitoring. In May 2020, the government launched robot dogs, created by the Massachusetts-based company Boston Dynamics, to patrol public parks and maintain social distancing. The robo-dogs were equipped with cameras and speakers that would "bark" reminders at park goers who were closer than one meter apart.

Robotic police alternatives have also been introduced in some U.S. cities. The New York Police Department briefly had a contract with Boston Dynamics to use the robo-dogs in the Big Apple, but the program was canceled after widespread public backlash. The Honolulu Police Department recently began utilizing the dogs to patrol a tent city, and Huntington Park, California also utilizes a robot to monitor public parks.

"There's the potential for these robots to increase the militarization of police departments and use it in ways that are unacceptable," said Jongwook Kim, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii.

Tony Teo, the Group Director for Environmental Public Health Operations at the Singapore National Environmental Agency, said in the release that he views the Xavier robots as a public service tool.

"The trial of robot Xavier marks an important development in our continued journey to tap on technology to transform the way we operate and enhance service delivery," Teo said. "We look forward to exploring how the robotic platform capabilities can augment our ground operations for public health offenses."

Explore further Boston Dynamics' latest video shows its Atlas humanoid robot has moves like Simone Biles

(c)2021 U.S. Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In this June 29, 2021 file photo, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm speaks during a roundtable discussion at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ, in New York. A new federal report say solar energy has the potential to power up to 40% of the nation's electricity within 15 yearsa 10-fold increase over current solar output that would require massive changes in U.S. policy and billions of dollars in federal investment to modernize the nation's electric grid. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Solar energy has the potential to supply up to 40% of the nation's electricity within 15 yearsa 10-fold increase over current solar output, but one that would require massive changes in U.S. policy and billions of dollars in federal investment to modernize the nation's electric grid, a new federal report says.

The report by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says the United States would need to quadruple its annual solar capacityand continue to increase it year by yearas it shifts to a renewable-dominant grid in order to address the existential threat posed by climate change.

The report released Wednesday is not intended as a policy statement or administration goal, officials said. Instead, it is "designed to guide and inspire the next decade of solar innovation by helping us answer questions like: How fast does solar need to increase capacity and to what level?'' said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the Energy Department's solar energy technologies office.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement that the study "illuminates the fact that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the U.S. by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process."

The report comes after President Joe Biden declared climate change has become "everybody's crisis " during a visit to neighborhoods flooded by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Biden warned Tuesday that it's time for America to get serious about the "code red" danger posed by climate change or face increasing loss of life and property.

President Joe Biden speaks as he tours a neighborhood impacted by flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, in the Queens borough of New York. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

"We can't turn it back very much, but we can prevent it from getting worse," Biden said before touring a New Jersey neighborhood ravaged by severe flooding caused by Ida. "We don't have any more time."

The natural disaster has given Biden an opening to push Congress to approve his plan to spend $1 trillion to fortify infrastructure nationwide, including electrical grids, water and sewer systems, to better defend against extreme weather. The legislation has cleared the Senate and awaits a House vote.

The U.S. installed a record 15 gigawatts of solar generating capacity in 2020, and solar now represents just over 3% of the current electricity supply, the Energy Department said.

The "Solar Futures Study," prepared by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shows that, by 2035, the country would need to quadruple its yearly solar capacity additions and provide 1,000 gigawatts of power to a renewable-dominant grid. By 2050, solar energy could provide 1,600 gigawatts on a zero-carbon gridproducing more electricity than consumed in all residential and commercial buildings in the country today, the report said. Decarbonizing the entire energy system could result in as much as 3,000 gigawatts of solar by 2050 due to increased electrification in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors, the report said.

The report assumes that clean-energy policies currently being debated in Congress will drive a 95% reduction from 2005 levels in the grid's carbon dioxide emissions by 2035, and a 100% reduction by 2050.

This June 15, 2021 photo shows a view of the Sugar Hill Solar Site in Clifton Park, N.Y. The site is owned by Standard Solar Inc., and Developed by US Light Energy of Latham, N.Y. Solar farms, wind turbines and hydro dams are producing more renewable power for the state, but it can be difficult to deliver that power south to the massive New York City market. Credit: AP Photo/Hans Pennink

But even without aggressive action from Congressan outcome that is far from certain in an evenly divided House and Senateinstalled solar capacity could still see a seven-fold increase by 2050, relative to 2005, the report said.

"Even without a concerted policy effort, market forces and technology advances will drive significant deployment of solar and other clean energy technologies as well as substantial decarbonization,'' the report said, citing falling costs for solar panels and other factors.

To achieve 40% solar power by 2035, the U.S. must install an average of 30 gigawatts of solar capacity per year between now and 2025double its current rateand 60 gigawatts per year from 2025 to 2030, the report said.

Those goals far exceed what even the solar industry has been pushing for as the Biden administration and Congress debate climate and clean-energy legislation. The Solar Energy Industries Association has urged a framework for solar to achieve 20% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030.

Abigail Ross Hopper, the group's president and CEO, said the DOE study "makes it clear that we will not achieve the levels of decarbonization that we need without significant policy advances.''

The solar group sent a letter to Congress Wednesday from nearly 750 companies spelling out recommended policy changes. "We believe with those policies and a determined private sector, the Biden administration's goals are definitely achievable,'' Hopper said.

Explore further Record 2020 wind installations represented 42% of new power

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Glynn County held remembrance services Saturday for events that happened 20 years ago far away in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania but which drew the nation into war and cost the lives of local people.
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Veteran DC 37 Staffers Remember 9/11 Turmoil Like It Was Yesterday (free article)
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department said Monday that it will not tolerate violence against anyone who is trying to obtain an abortion in Texas as federal officials explore options to challenge a new state law that bans most abortions.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services under a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law. He said the Justice Department would enforce the federal law in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons, including access to an abortion.

The federal law, commonly known as the FACE Act, prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services. The law also prohibits damaging property at abortion clinics and other reproductive health centers.
No date has been scheduled for a hearing on Mountain Valleys request for an injunction that would keep protesters away from its blasting sites. The subpoenas to Facebook demand that the social media giant produce the requested information by Sept. 17.

When someone sets up a page on Facebook, they are given the option of whether or not they want to be publicly identified or not. Appalachians Against Pipelines chose the latter, it said.

Usually when a subpoena is issued, Facebook will inform administrators of its pages, Schwartz said. It is then up to the individuals to challenge the subpoena.

One administrator of the Facebook page had not heard anything from the company by Friday, a spokesperson for the group said. Facebook had not responded by Friday evening to two emails sent by The Roanoke Times.

Appalachians Against Pipelines has been a vocal critic of the pipeline, which has come under fierce fire for its use of eminent domain to take private property, failures to control muddy runoff from construction sites, and contribution to climate change.
It was only after the party held the Legislature and gained seats in Congress last November that it turned hard right  anticipating that its members' biggest electoral threat going forward is primary challenges rather than being unseated by Democrats.

Ive heard that all this demographic change is going to catch up to the party of the old white people, but I dont think its happened, Clardy said. The numbers may be changing, but they may not be trending the way they think that they are.

The move to the right is perhaps best illustrated by Abbott, a former state Supreme Court justice who was once considered to have a more measured and deliberative, business-friendly approach to the job but has lately gone even further right than the Legislature  particularly on immigration.

The governor recently ordered state police to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally and directed a state agency to pony up $25 million for 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of wall along Texas nearly 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico.
Whether in Field of Dreams or live on stage, if there ever was a man that can consistently bring me to tears, its Kevin Costner because of his sincerity, unprententiousness and smile.

I just want to give a huge shout out of thanks to Executive Director Bill Ogg and Gary Kubicek, director of marketing, and staff for bringing Kevin Costner and his Modern West band to the Nebraska State Fair. Clearly, when Kevin hit the stage he felt the mutual exchange of energy, excitement and appreciation for being there. His long, most cordial, warm, generous, ever-smiling champagne toast closing made it appear he didnt want to leave either. His song narratives added clarification and meaning, but hearts melted when he sang his patriotic When The Angels Came Down.

Ever since my fourth grade school trip to Lincoln and the majestic State Capitol, Morrill Hall and the Historical Society, Ive felt that should be a part of every Nebraskans right of passage, as a citizen of our great state. Many years have passed but now I am a strong advocate that a game-day experience at Memorial Stadium and the Nebraska State Fair be added.
Remote Learning

Microsoft Adds Reading Progress App to Teams

Microsoft has released a free reading fluency app for its remote remote meeting and collaboration tool, Teams.

The app, Reading Progress, is designed to enable "students to independently read aloud, record themselves, and grow their reading skills while allowing educators to better support students progression. Students share the audio or video recordings of themselves with their teachers, who can then track the progress, provide feedback, and discover trends and opportunities for student growth."

Reading Progress provides differentiated instruction capabilities, AI-assisted assignment review (with automatic detection of student errors) and dashboards with information about student progress and trends.

Reading Progress is available at no charge. Further details can be found on Microsoft's education portal.
ANNA  Employees of the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center took to the streets Tuesday to protest Gov. J.B. Pritzkers mandate that state employees be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Early in the day, about a dozen protestors stood at the intersection of Vienna and Main streets with signs protesting. Most had worked the midnight shift at the center before attending the protest. Later, leaders of the group said the crowd grew to about 30 people as those working days at the center got off work and joined the protest.

Melissa Clark, who acted as a spokesman for the protestors in the morning, said she has worked as a mental health technician at Choate for 10 years.

We are being mandated by the state and Gov. Pritzker to get vaccinated by Oct. 4 or otherwise lose our jobs, Clark said.

More than 170 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson, but the rates at which regions and local communities are getting the jab vary greatly.

Southern Illinois continues to lag behind other regions and has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state. The area's hospitals are also under intense stress as most people hospitalized with severe COVID-19 symptoms are unvaccinated.
At least 30 citations have been issued to Chicago businesses for flouting the indoor mask mandate, the city announced.

Most recently, the citys Business Affairs and Consumer Protection department issued 10 citations for failing to follow the masking requirements from last Thursday to Sunday, according to a Tuesday news release. One business was given a warning and, in total, BACP did 110 investigations during that time frame.

Chicago has been mandating that anyone age 2 or older wear masks indoors since Aug. 20, shortly after COVID-19 cases broke into the higher risk category of more than 400 per day. That surge has been driven by the more contagious delta variant.

In rolling out the indoor mask mandate, BACP had said it would at first aim to educate before punishing, but egregious violations could lead to a citation.

The first weekend of the mask mandate, eight businesses were given warnings for breaking the rules, while during the second weekend, five businesses were cited.

From Aug. 20 to 29, a total 20 citations were issued and 16 warnings were given. Among the businesses found to have ignored the mask mandate were nightclubs, grocery stores, restaurants and more.
He then successfully ran for Illinois treasurer in 1966, holding that office until November 1970 when he won a special U.S. Senate election following the death of Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen a year earlier.

Stevenson easily defeated Republican Ralph Tyler Smith, who had been appointed to the seat, taking 58% of the vote. After finishing Dirksens term, Stevenson won reelection in 1974, then decided not to run again in 1980. He stepped aside in January 1981 for fellow Democrat Alan Dixon, who won the November election.

In 1982, Stevenson ran for governor. He had initially sought the Democratic Partys backing for the office in 1968, but was brushed aside by then-Mayor Richard J. Daley. The 1982 matchup would go down as the tightest race for governor in Illinois history, with Stevenson losing by less than 1 percentage point  5,074 votes to be exact  to Republican incumbent James R. Thompson.

Perhaps the most memorable moment from that contest, aside from its close finish, was the debate over whether Thompson had implied Stevenson was a wimp.

He is saying, Me tough guy, as if to imply that Im some kind of wimp, Stevenson said during the campaign. Thompson famously replied, I have never called Adlai Stevenson a wimp, before saying he didnt know what a wimp was.
"The parish that we're going to go to, these firefighters were at the tip of the storm as it came through, complete devastation, " said O'Fallon Fire Chief Brad White. "The local area expects no power until the 20th of September. So they are in blackout conditions 24 hours a day.

"The volunteers, the career guys that are on the departments in that area and throughout the state, they're still on task to take care of the normal calls. But, their homes and their lives were disrupted through the storm as well," White said. "So this is an opportunity where firefighters from around the country are able to go down there and take over that responsibility ... so that they can focus on their families and assess their own situations and allow us to take care of their emergency responses that they would have to otherwise take care of themselves."
It all started long before we thought it started. Why did they hate us so much that they would cross many lands and oceans to attack and kill us? Hate and fear are driving the world insane.

Sept. 11, 2001, 9-11 was the culmination of years of planning and hate. After the numbing shock of that fateful morning, we glued our eyes and ears to unbelievable acts of barbarity contrasted with unrivaled acts of bravery and heroism. The differences between these two forces could not have been more stark then, and theyre still with us today.

There is a peace that surpasses all understanding, and those who have it should rest in it. This world is on its final leg, not because of climate change or any other ideological phenomena, but due to mankinds bent to do evil, to inflict hate, and to induce fear in others. Its not politics as many assume. Its human nature.

Everybody sees a lot of good and bad as well as a lot of insanity in the world, but each of us sees these things differently. Some of us are fed up with those too stupid to do the right thing. Others are fed up with those who want to force everyone to conform to one-size-fits-all. Throw in a new administration that couldnt empty sand from a boot with directions written on the heel, and we have a formula for ... what? Insanity?
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Call records from Schroeders phone indicate he had 67 calls with Marquez since the start of June. In an initial interview with investigators, Marquez said he had communicated with Schroeder while in Denver, but did not meet up with him.

The car Marquez was reportedly driving at the time was found in August at a Paradise Valley storage facility, covered by a tarp. According to the affidavit, police found a significant amount of blood in the front of the vehicle, around both seats and center console. Blood was also found on the drivers window, front windshield, and on several objects inside the car. The affidavit states the blood on the passenger seat suggests there was a very bloody object in that seat. A source told investigators Marquez had said the car was having issues, and had been driving a different vehicle.

Investigators reportedly followed Marquezs other car electronically, seeing him visit a spot on El Rio Road in Bessemer Bend for several minutes two separate times on Aug. 28.
Fire managers also routinely summon military drones to fly over fires at night, using heat imaging to map their boundaries and hot spots. They can use satellite imagery to plot the course of smoke and ash.

What is the best time of day to attack a blaze?

Generally the heat of a summer day is not the best time to fight wildfires.

We are pretty successful in the morning, late evening or overnight, Lane said.

Are wildfires harder to battle in timber or grasslands?

Dry lightning puts dozens of fires on the landscape, Lane said, and weather is a major factor in their spread.

Wildfires in grassland tend to grow more quickly, and are more susceptible to expanding when there are high winds, Lane said. Fires in timberlands dont grow as fast, but they are more difficult to extinguish.

With grass, a little rain and it goes out, Lane said.

How to save houses when fires are close?

Lane said the building material used on a house, and the nearby vegetation, are big factors in determining if a house can be saved when fire approaches.
The Natrona County GOP is in the process of drafting a resolution recognizing Wyoming county clerks, but the move is more than just a thank you for their hard work.

The resolution, which is set to be heard at the next central committee meeting, is also being drawn up because county clerks throughout Wyoming have been receiving vitriol  often from other Republican Party members. The resolution is symbolic, but would send a message amid a time of unfounded allegations regarding voter fraud and election integrity.

The overall discussion was about saying thank you to our elected officials for doing their hard work when theyre being attacked because of peoples personal agendas, said Dr. Joe McGinley, state committeeman for the Natrona County Republicans.

The county partys executive committee was also motivated to draft the resolution in an attempt to dispel myths Natrona County residents may believe about fraud in 2020 presidential election. Despite dozens of court cases, no widespread voter fraud has been found.
Former President Donald Trump is preparing to endorse Harriet Hageman in a bid against Rep. Liz Cheney in the 2022 House race, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.

Hageman, a former Cheney ally and a 2018 Republican candidate for governor in Wyoming, did not respond to numerous requests for comment, nor has she formally announced her candidacy.

But two sources told the Star-Tribune that Hageman met with the former president in mid-August and got the call that she was chosen for the endorsement early last week.

The news was first reported by Politico early Wednesday. The Associated Press also cited sources indicating Hageman was Trumps pick to run against Cheney.

The endorsement comes months after Cheney became public enemy No. 1 of Trump and his allies following her vote to impeach him for the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and her repeated rebukes of the former president for his unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Gov. Mark Gordon is using $30 million in federal funds to help alleviate staffing shortages in Wyomings hospitals and other health care facilities, his office announced Wednesday.

Wyomings healthcare system and healthcare workers, in every community are feeling the strain of this surge, Gordon said in a statement.

We need to recognize our healthcare workers commitment to caring for our neighbors during the pandemic. They are working extra-long hours and at times having to cover for sick colleagues. These are very stressful times for all of us, but particularly those in the healthcare industry. This is a means to thank them and to try to make sure we can keep them on the job, he continued.

The governor plans to pursue other options for supporting health care providers during the surge, including the use of Wyoming National Guard members as needed, the office said.

Twenty million dollars will be used on a discretionary basis by health care facilities to fill staffing shortages, provide hazard pay, and strengthen recruitment efforts for the states existing healthcare workforce, according to Gordons statement.
I ask you look at the parents and see what they want, Garza said.

Kyle Kilty also asked the board to table the discussion and send out a survey to parents in order to gauge their feelings on the matter.

This situation in particular seems to be very polarized and very heated, Kilty said.

Some parents claimed the masks were ineffective and even damaging to their children physically and psychologically.

Andrielle Walsh said masks decrease childrens oxygen levels.

It really is child abuse, Walsh said.

Lynda Jones agreed and said there is more known about the virus this year than in 2020. Jones cited an article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health about the health effects of masks.

We know more [now] than when this all started, Jones said.

Heather Arnusch said along with the ineffectiveness of masks, children also lose the ability to read facial expressions.

Masks dehumanize us and serve as a constant reminder that we should be afraid, Arnusch said.
It was a day that did not end.

It went on for days, it went on for weeks, it went on for years. But then you look up and somehow, 20 years have gone, and you realize with a start that you cant recall the last time you thought of September 11, 2001. Well go forward from this moment, I wrote. And we did. And we have. So much so that maybe the events of that day begin to feel a little distant.

So its shocking how easily it all comes back.

Indeed, to review the old footage is to return to that morning with visceral urgency, two decades stripping away like varnish, like nothing. Suddenly it is once again that fateful Tuesday morning, and there is a pit in your stomach, a tension in your jaw as two iconic New York towers are impaled by jetliners, as fire blooms like some death flower, as great mountains of smoke float over the skyline, as dust-caked people stagger about like confused ghosts, as first word comes of an explosion at the Pentagon, as a plane disappears from radar over Pennsylvania, as TV news anchors struggle for words to comprehend the incomprehensible, as your heart breaks, and breaks.

All of it comes right back. Just as if it never really left.
While conceding that political patronage is a major factor in appointments to State enterprises, retired permanent secretary Arlene McComie says it has to be considered that those people must know what it means to govern.
It is said, You can find a Trini anywhere.

And this may be true, such as on board a US military ship.

Trinidad-born logistics specialist, Officer Nadia Francis, is on board the US Navy vessel Burlington which is currently in T&T on a three-day trip to conduct joint training with the Coast Guard.
The eyes and ears of employees and employers alike are intensely focused on the industrial relations battle between Republic Bank and the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) and, by extension, the trade union movement, regarding the banks position: unvaccinated workers are required to pay for Covid-19 tests every two weeks.
Reid Park Zoo: Reid Park Zoo is the recipient of a $5,000 Bayer Fund Grant designed to offer free STEM-based educational programming for Arizonas K-12 schools this school year. Reid Park Zoo will use this funding to support its Zoo Adventure Programs  45-minute educational experiences that are available as an additional extension to a field trip to the zoo or through a virtual, interactive format if schools are not able to travel to the zoo. The program curriculum is designed to align with state and federal science standards and provides students an opportunity to meet animal ambassadors while learning about the natural world.

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona: United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona recently selected and honored its 17th Annual Circle of Excellence Awards winners. This annual event honors campaign teams, companies and individuals behind them who give of their time, talent and treasure to build a thriving community. This years Circle of Excellence Award winners included: Best of the Best Employee Campaign Leader (ECL) of the Year: Eric Bohorquez, AGM Container Controls; ECL Rookie of the Year: Savannah Elwood, Ooroo Auto; Live United Award: Pima Community College; Building a Better Community Award: Citi; Cornerstone Award: Caterpillar, Inc.; Champions of Caring Award: Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.; All American Award: Michelle Trindade, regional vice president, Geico; Best Small Company: Rick Engineering Company; Best Medium Company: Team Fishel; Best Large Company: Geico; Time, Talent and Treasure Award: Dianne Maki-Sethi of Women United. The Michael J. Harris Spirit of Tucson Award went to AGM Container Controls and is given to the company that demonstrates excellence in corporate involvement and community leadership.
Romero said the mayor and council are reviewing the findings, with one option being to take the dispute to the Arizona Supreme Court. But in the interim, City Manager Michael Ortega said he is pausing implementation of the policy.

The Tucson ordinance, believed to be the first of its kind in the state, required all city employees to get at least their first dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine by Aug. 24. There are exceptions for medical reasons, accommodations for disabilities, or a "sincerely held religious belief."

Workers who did not comply faced a five-day suspension without pay. And continued refusal could lead to other penalties like having to pay more for their health insurance.

Conner said this is not acceptable.

"Adherence to the rule of law in Arizona is not optional," she said. "It's everyone's responsibility, including the city of Tucson."

But all that presumes SB 1824 is legal  or will be after Sept. 29.

It is one of the "budget reconciliation" bills enacted by lawmakers in the waning days of the session.
In response, Supervisor Rex Scott read from a memo written by Dr. Theresa Cullen, the Health Department's public health director, that explained the program would limit COVID-19 exposure by keeping infected individuals out of settings where transmission is more likely.

Scott also reiterated that the program was not being funded by the Pima County general fund, but with federal COVID-relief dollars.

If we were not using these federal funds to house asylum seekers who may be infected with COVID-19 in these special accommodations, they would be in congregate settings where they would be more likely to spread the virus, said Scott in an interview.

Before the action was approved, Christy closed the discussion by stating that the funds are still coming from taxpayer dollars.

The $2,008,000 contract will be awarded to Jot Properties LLC., a company that owns a Red Roof Inn located near Tucson International Airport where qualifying asylum seekers will be housed.

The contract said the entire hotel, 117 rooms, will be made available to house immigrants and will not rent rooms to the general public during the period of the contract. The hotel will provide housekeeping services and deep cleaning of rooms during the contract period.
The key thing to remember with every action that Attorney General Mark Brnovich takes these days is how it affects his political future.

You and I should look at his actions that way, because that is the way he appears to look at everything  even potential issues of life and death, such as vaccines.

His office issued an opinion Tuesday saying the city of Tucson's new policy, mandating vaccines for employees, violates state law. If you look closely at it and other recent actions by the attorney general, you'll see his political ambitions consistently at play.

Brnovich is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, seeking to challenge Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, next year. To get to that point, he has to run as far to the right as he can, to win the votes of Trump-supporting Republican primary voters who might question his Trumpist credentials.

After all, Brnovich certified Arizona's 2020 general election, which was an unforgivable sin in Trump's eyes. The former president called out Brnovich in May, saying the attorney general "is nowhere to be found" in pursuing Trump's election-fraud fantasies.

Brnovich actually did the right thing in certifying the election, but now he has to make up for it, and we're all paying the price.
As a native New Yorker, I have some very vivid memories of 9/11 and the devastation we all felt. Three especially come to mind.

My friend Maureen, who now lives in Chandler, is a nurse practitioner who was working at New York Hospital in Queens that morning. All medical personnel were asked to stay on once the news had reached them of the planes hitting the Twin Towers. Some had to leave because their loved ones were first responders. Maureen stayed as she and the others braced for an influx of victims. They waited all night and nobody came  the victims were all dead. Every year she commemorates the day at the Healing Field in Tempe Town Park. It is an overwhelming display of American flags, one for each of the thousands who died, at the towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania. It is impossible not to have an emotional response to this amazing tribute to those who lost their lives on that horrific day.

My mom, Helen Hurwitt, a New Yorker from Brooklyn, was living outside of West Palm Beach at the time. She was watching the news that morning and saw the first plane hit and thought it odd that they were replaying footage of the B-25 Bomber that hit the Empire State Building in 1945. On that day, she was working across the street and saw the plane crash into the building. Fourteen people died. It wasn't until the second plane hit the other tower that she realized this was happening in real time.

Lastly, the day impacted me personally for a variety of reasons. Originally from Long Island, I was working as the director of field experiences at Geneseo State College outside of Rochester, N.Y. Many of the staff volunteered to stay through the evening to counsel students who wanted to stop in. So many were traumatized, and we all were walking around like zombies. One of the students who I knew quite well was doing her practicum in an elementary special education setting and came to see me that evening. Her mom was very ill with breast cancer. When word of what had happened in NYC got to the principal, she went to every classroom and whispered what had occurred to the classroom teachers. Concerned about their students vulnerability, the teachers were told not to tell them, but rather to allow their parents to deal with the situation at the end of the school day. Amy, however, was not told. When she saw the whispering, she immediately assumed that her mom had died and the principal was whispering so they could wait for her dad to get there to break the sad news. When she learned later that her mom had not died, she felt a sense of relief that the whispering referred to something vastly different. Yet at the same time, the grief of our collective loss was hitting her. So much emotion for a young woman to absorb!

From that day, as New Yorkers, fellow Americans, and citizens around the globe rallied together, I felt a sense of hope that we would feel a sense of renewed kinship and kindness towards our neighbors near and far. Unfortunately that feeling was short-lived as we confront the divisiveness that exists today. Perhaps the memory of 20 years ago will snap us back to realizing what really matters and we will begin anew to understand and accept our differences to forge a path of compassion and support for one another.

 Beth H Scott, EdD
The 2nd Circuit said it was successfully proven that Percoco accepted bribes and promised to perform official actions to further the interests of an energy company, Competitive Power Venture. And it said prosecutors had proven that Percoco, in a second scheme, agreed with Aiello to advance the interests of Aiello's real estate development company, COR Development Co.

The appeals court agreed with lawyers for Percoco and Aiello that a judge's bribery instructions to the jury fell short of the legal standard that was recently clarified in another New York state corruption case, but it said the error was harmless and the jury would have convicted anyway.

Prosecutors declined through a spokesperson to comment. Messages seeking comment were sent to lawyers for Percoco and Aiello, who has not yet reported to prison.

Trial evidence overwhelmingly showed that Percoco and his co-conspirators understood that payments to Percoco's wife for a low-show job as an education consultant" were in exchange for his help in getting energy company CPV a deal requiring New York state to purchase power from the company, the 2nd Circuit said.
Pan's lawyer, Norman Pattis, told justices Wednesday that the bail was unconstitutionally high and there was no evidence presented of the extent of the assets of Pan's family, only claims by a prosecutor.

What weve got now is bond set with the moral ethos of the used car lot salesman, Pattis said. Lets just get this guy out of here. Its Yale. The world is watching. Twenty million will do. You dont want a bond? OK. Bam. Sold for $20 million. But what got sold wasnt just the bond, but the presumption of innocence and my clients rights.

Pattis said prosecutors' claims about Pan's wealth are wrong. He proposed lowering the bail to $5 million and allowing Pan to post 10% of it.

Hes a Ph.D. candidate at MIT living on a $30,000-a year stipend, he said.

Pattis said Pan's bail was the second-highest in recent state memory, after the $25 million set for alleged Hartford drug dealer Donald Raynor. Raynor was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for a drive-by killing and denied involvement in several other killings alleged by police. His murder conviction was overturned in December and he remains detained awaiting a new trial.
Police commanders fired Starks, saying he violated a department policy that requires officers to move out of an oncoming vehicle's path if possible rather than fire on it.

The appeals court found that while making his decision, Fox had incorrectly broken the incident into two parts  before and after Starks left his vehicle.

This case is simply a question of whether (the department's policy) was violated, and that question must be analyzed under the voluntariness of the act, not a reasonableness standard as used by the circuit court," the appeals court said in its ruling. Therefore, there is no need to divide the situation into emergency or nonemergency situations nor to determine whether the actions were reasonable for an officer with similar training and experience."

The court ordered a new hearing before Fox on Starks' firing.

It looks like we go back to court and have another hearing on that question," said , Starks attorney, Robert Newcomb. He has argued that Starks' pay cut should be reversed and that he's also owed back pay.

A prosecutor declined to file charges against Starks over the shooting, saying the car was moving and an imminent threat that justified the use of deadly force.

Blackshires family filed a lawsuit claiming that Starks and a second officer used excessive force and failed to provide medical care.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Messages left Wednesday for Joliet police and the mayors office werent immediately returned.

The investigation will include interviews and meetings with police, government officials, residents and advocates to determine whether reforms are needed. It will also review use of force and how the department handles officer complaints. Joliet, a community of roughly 150,000, is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) outside Chicago.

The probe is the first of its kind under a new Illinois law that gives the attorney generals office more authority to investigate and take civil action when looking at patterns or practices of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.

After Lurry's death, a police sergeant was charged with misconduct for releasing video showing another officer slapping Lurry and pinching his nose. Sgt. Javier Esqueda, who was stripped of his badge and gun and transferred to desk duty, said he released the video because he believed the department was trying to cover up the arrest. Esqueda has been praised as a whistleblower by advocacy groups.

Raoul said he met with members of Lurrys family to offer condolences and discuss limitations of the investigation.
When we discovered ... that St. Nicholas was also lost, we thought that there was some kind of a message there, that the victims did not die alone, Anthoula Katsimatides said. I remember my mom saying that ... John and the other victims were being cradled by St. Nicholas.

This Sept. 10, the eve of the date 20 years after the nation's deadliest terrorist attack, she'll attend the ceremonial lighting of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, being built to replace the parish church and to honor those who were lost.

The ceremony will be a milestone in a project long beset with bureaucratic tangles and financial woes but now on track for completion next year.

St. Nicholas brings me close to my brother, Anthoula Katsimatides said. Being able to come and worship at the site of my brothers death, in a beautiful chapel that not only honors John but all the victims that died that day and is a symbol of this rebirth, is unbelievably important to me now.

The lighting of the church will come from within. Through an innovative process, interior lights are being designed to illuminate thin panels of marble, mined from the same Pentelic vein in Greece that sourced the Parthenon, the ancient temple in Athens.
Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Gov. Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship," said Janna Farley, the communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota. Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota.

Noem argues in her order that medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening and that she made the order in the interest of women's health and safety.

Physicians, under South Dakota law, are already required to meet with a pregnant woman and perform an examination before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion. Women are required to wait 72 hours before the procedure. The law also requires abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy to be performed in a hospital and outlaws abortions entirely after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless it is a medical emergency.

Noem's order blocks the drugs from being delivered through the mail or other delivery services and outlaws the drugs from being provided in schools or on state property. It also requires licenses for any clinics that only prescribe medicine for abortions and require more stringent reporting on medicine-induced abortions and any health complications related to them.
He cast Holmes in a dark light, depicting her as a conniving entrepreneur who duped investors, customers and patients for years, even though she knew her startup, Theranos, was nearly bankrupt and its much-hyped blood-testing technology was a flop.

This case is about fraud, about lying and cheating to get money, Leach said during his roughly 45-minute opening statement.

He said the evidence would show that Theranos was already in deep trouble as far back as 2009, about six years after Holmes founded the Palo Alto, California, company. At that point, Leach said, Holmes resorted to a pattern of lying and hyperbole in an effort to fool major media outlets, wealthy investors such as media mogul Rupert Murdoch, well-connected Theranos board members such as former U.S. Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, and customers such as Walgreens.

Some of the most damning evidence may be presented by a former top finance officer at Theranos who will testify that the company only had $650,000 in revenue from 2011 through 2014, according to Leach. Yet Holmes was telling investors and other people that Theranos would generate $140 million in revenue in 2014, Leach said.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  A brief Navy narrative of a fatal helicopter crash off Southern California says the aircraft experienced side-to-side vibrations that caused the main rotor to hit the deck of an aircraft carrier while landing, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The MH-60S Seahawk fell off the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 31. One crewmember was rescued and five were declared dead after a search. Five sailors on the carrier deck were injured.

The crash summary in a Naval Safety Center document, first reported by the Navy Times, did not include any information on what might have caused the vibrations.

Michael Canders, a retired military helicopter pilot who is the director of the Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College in New York, told the Navy Times that side-to-side vibrations can occur if rotor blades are out of balance.
Since 1939's "Arizona," Old Tucson Studios west of the Tucson Mountains has hosted nearly 300 productions. Nearly 40-percent of the historic wooden buildings burned to the ground in a devastating fire in 1995.

P.S.  The Star has a Tucson history email newsletter! Sign up at tucson.com/timemachine.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the premier met with the heads of Israels security services in a joint effort to be ready for any scenario.

Monday's escape was Israel's largest jailbreak in decades. The six men who escaped, between 26 and 49 years old, apparently dug a tunnel out of Gilboa prison near the occupied West Bank and escaped early Monday. Israel's security services were reportedly investigating whether they had help inside the prison, as well as outside.

The Israel Prison Service said through a spokesperson that a fire broke out in two cells in different wings of Ramon Prison and that the blaze was brought under control. The Palestinian prisoners group reported fires in Ketziot Prison, and there were media reports of more unrest.

The massive manhunt through Israels north and the occupied West Bank continued Wednesday as the new coalition government sought to maintain calm and Jews celebrated Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

Zubeidi, 46, a prominent leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed group affiliated with Fatah, during the second intifada from 2000-2005. He was later granted amnesty along with other Fatah-affiliated militants, but was arrested again in 2019 on what Israeli authorities said were new terror suspicions.
Porter is a hard place to get started, Bratt said. We appreciate our loyal customers, and our friendships mean a lot to us.

About half the business came from Wagoner County residents, the sisters said, their kind of people  the ones they grew up around and went to high school with.

Except a lot has changed in Porter since they were in high school, Bratt said. She remembers having three or four restaurants in Porter. It eventually dwindled down to two, then one. Before they could blink, it was down to zero.

Its a big reason why they opened in the first place, they said. Porter needed something.

Once they finally opened, complaints were rare. Everyone loved their food, especially the fish, chicken fried steak and hamburgers, they said.

Like many cafes across the country, the sisters added that they couldnt get enough people to come to work.

When you start having to think about taking money out of your own pocket, its time to stop, Bratt said.

The sign on the door further reads, We feel extremely bad but cant continue not making money. We love yall.
Eight hundred Afghan refugees are expected to arrive in Tulsa in the next three to four months, with more possible in the future, an official with Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma said Wednesday.

Debbie Crowley, director of marketing and public relations for CCEOK, said the organization has not been told exactly when refugees will begin arriving, but we are expecting it to start anytime.

The traditional refugee program, we have at least a week to set up an apartment for them before they get here  a week to two weeks to prepare for their arrival, Crowley said. We dont really know with this situation if we are going to get that much notice. We have no idea.

Catholic Charities is the sole refugee resettlement agency in the state. Catholic Charities of Eastern of Oklahoma is responsible for the Afghan refugees resettling in eastern Oklahoma, while Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is responsible for the 1,000 Afghan refugees resettling in western Oklahoma.

The 800 refugees coming to Tulsa make up about 200 families, all of whom have already gone through an initial vetting process, Crowley said.
Franklin said the analysts have largely driven the direction of the investigations as they uncover links among guns, shooters, accomplices and victims, but TPD leaderships first step in addressing the uptick in violence was to meet with affected community representatives and partners.

They then deployed specialized units from five divisions throughout the city and enlisted help from patrol officers in each uniform division, along with assistance from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The forensics lab was also crucial in getting the necessary data to analysts quickly, Franklin said.

He could not say how many of the guns seized were stolen, but he emphasized that nonviolent offenses, such as the theft of a gun from a car, can quickly lead to violence.

These guns are making their way into the hands of individuals that are going to create violence on our streets, Franklin said.

That is why, he urged, it is so important for residents to lock their car doors and secure their personal firearms.

If you think your car is safe in your driveway at nighttime or during the day, it is not, Franklin said. There are people that literally go around at nighttime, and all they do is check doors. Theyre not going to break the window, but they check door handles, and if your doors are unlocked  if you forgot to lock that car door and you have a firearm in that vehicle  its not going to be there in the morning.

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It makes perfect sense, McCord said. But sometimes, until you ask for an outside perspective, you dont pick up on things like that.

In another instance, board members convened to give feedback on body-worn camera footage from a citizen complaint filed against an officer. Members watched the footage cold, with no context, Franklin said, and afterward discussed what they saw and whether they felt there was concern to be raised.

Overwhelmingly, the board believed that we handled that appropriately, Franklin said of the issue.

The board will also soon review the departments updated Use of Force Policy, Wollmerhauser said, and though there is not yet a defined role for them on the departments new internal Use of Force Review Board, that is something Franklin is working toward.

It is my hope that we are able to put in some of these CAB members to see and let them have insight on how we review those uses of force, Franklin told the Editorial Board.

Bynum pointed out that these efforts are ongoing in a process of continuous improvement.
The move prompted a sharp and lengthy response from the states medical, dental and osteopathic associations.

In a joint letter addressed to Stitt but sent to all members of the Legislature, the organizations said that despite Corbetts statements to the contrary, last weeks OHCA meeting made it clear (Corbett) is moving forward with plans to implement managed care in any way possible.

Later, the letter says the dismissal of Shamblin and Hausheer denies physician input on  important decisions  and demonstrates a choice to ignore the wishes of Oklahomans and their healthcare providers.

Stitts communications director did not respond to direct questions about why Hausheer and Shamblin were replaced in the middle of their terms and whether it was related to last weeks meeting.

At that meeting, Hausheer  as chair of the Administrative Rules Committee  had recommended the tabling of the two administrative rules. The rules would have triggered the promulgation of administrative rules for privatizing the states Medicaid system as called for in Senate Bill 131, which became law in May.

The states Medicaid system is administered by the Health Care Authority.
STOCKHOLM -- Sweden will push ahead with easing COVID-19 restrictions at the end of this month, removing most curbs and limits on public venues such as restaurants, theatres and stadiums, the government said on Tuesday.

With most adults vaccinated, Sweden has gradually eased some restrictions during a summer lull in the pandemic. While it has seen infections mount in recent weeks amid the rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant, deaths from the disease have remained low.

Sweden has been an outlier in aspects of its handling of the disease, shunning hard lockdowns throughout the pandemic and relying heavily on voluntary recommendations regarding issues such as social distancing and hygiene.

However, public gatherings such as concerts, sporting events and venues such as bars and restaurants have operated under tight crowd limits, curbs that are now set to be removed on Sept. 29, along with a recommendation to work from home.

"The important message is that we now take further steps in the return to normal everyday life," Health and Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren told a news conference.

"Our view has all the time been that restrictions should be lifted as soon as possible."

Hallengren said the government was also looking into the possible use of vaccination certificates for some activities, though it hoped these would not be necessary to impose in a country with a long history of high vaccination rates.

About 70% of Swedes aged 16 and above are fully vaccinated.

Sweden has suffered many times more COVID-19 deaths per capita than its Nordic neighbours, which opted for tighter curbs during the initial waves of the pandemic, but less than many larger European countries that employed hard lockdowns.
Authorities in Da Nang have set a goal to administer at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to all residents aged 18 and older in September.

The city currently has more than 800,000 people aged 18 and older, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Le Trung Chinh said during a meeting on COVID-19 prevention and control on Tuesday.

All of the citys adult population will be vaccinated with at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine when more doses are allocated this month, Chinh continued.

When vaccination is provided to citizens, businesses and services can resume operation, the official added.

He ordered local authorities to complete a list of all residents eligible for inoculation and make necessary preparations for the upcoming immunization campaign.

Chinh stressed that receiving COVID-19 vaccine is both the right and obligation of local residents.

Da Nang has so far received more than 300,000 vaccine doses, which have been administered to local residents, with priority given to frontline workers and high-risk people.

According to secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang, the Ministry of Health is expected to distribute another 400,000 jabs to the city in the coming time.

The best vaccine is the one that is administered the soonest, Quang stated.

Vietnam had documented 550,996 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning, with 311,710 recoveries and 13,701 deaths, according to the health ministry.

The country has recorded 546,683 local infections in 62 provinces and cities, including 4,685 in Da Nang, since the fourth wave began on April 27.

More than 22.6 million vaccine doses have been administered since inoculation was rolled out on March 8, with over 3.4 million people fully vaccinated.

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Police of Dam Doi District under Ca Mau Province in southern Vietnam on Tuesday filed charges against a local doctor for failing to fulfill his duty in COVID-19 prevention.

The charging document identified the doctor as Le Huu Phuoc, 41, head of the medical center of Thanh Tung Commune in Dam Doi District.

He was accused of running an unauthorized clinic at his home, as well as neglecting his responsibility in the provinces fight against the ongoing coronavirus outbreak  an upsurge that has infected over 189 local residents since late April and put the province under strict social distancing measures since July.

Phuoc failed to perform COVID-19 screening for L.T.D., an 11-year-old patient who was sent to his clinic after showing symptoms of vomiting on August 16-17.

D. received a medical check-up, a jab, and a drug prescription for a condition diagnosed by Phuoc, but he did not get any COVID-19 testing or screening from the doctor.

The child patient subsequently tested positive for the pathogen.

According to the police of Dam Doi District, Phuoc failed to fulfill his duty as a member of the COVID-19 task force of Thanh Tung Commune, violating Vietnams regulations on medical treatment, as well as breaching the Ministry of Healths regulations on COVID-19 pre-screening for patients.

His negligence resulted in serious consequences, namely the late COVID-19 diagnosis of D. and, in turn, the threat of community spread in Ngoc Chanh and Thanh Tung Communes, the indictment concluded.

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Ho Chi Minh City is planning to introduce a vaccine green pass which allows residents who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to resume certain activities, according to chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Phan Van Mai.

A team has been established to develop a plan for COVID-19 prevention and economic recovery in the city after September 15, chairman Mai said at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and the government's special working group on Tuesday.

After September 15, offices, economic activities, services, and transportation can only resume operation if they meet certain safety conditions, the official stated.

Supermarkets and trade centers will gradually reopen depending on the level of safety in each area.

"One of the safety conditions people must meet in order to participate in the activities is vaccination," Mai said.

The city will submit a vaccine green pass scheme to the central government for approval when its experts on healthcare and economics finish designing a specific road map, the official added.

He also asked the government to distribute more vaccine doses so that the metropolis can fully vaccinate its residents against COVID-19.

The vaccine green pass plan was also mentioned by vice-chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Duong Anh Duc during a meeting on pandemic response efforts on the same day.

When the plan is implemented, more relaxed social distancing measures will be applied to residents who have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine, Duc elaborated.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Phan Van Mai. Photo: Thao Le / Tuoi Tre

He ordered the expedition of inoculation progress as the city needs to administer about two million jabs from now until September 15.

Ho Chi Minh City has been provided with enough jabs to give at least one shot to all residents aged 18 and older.

The vice-chairman added that people who have recovered from COVID-19 will have their vaccination schedule postponed by six months.

However, they will be treated similarly to vaccinated residents when the vaccine green pass scheme takes effect.

Duc requested competent authorities to redesign a certificate for recovered patients as well as update their information in the citys database.

Vietnam had documented 550,996 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon, with 311,710 recoveries and 13,701 deaths, according to the health ministry.

The country has recorded 546,683 local infections in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities since the fourth wave began on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City is the hardest-hit with over 265,800 cases.

The city has imposed social distancing measures at various levels since May 31.

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Amid surging COVID-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, some young students have decided not to return to their hometowns and stay in the southern metropolis to lend a helping hand in coronavirus control missions.

Carrying 25-liter plastic containers of disinfectant, the young women, who are members of a rapid response team, are quick to do the task at some of the highest-risk areas in the city.

At 8:00 am every day, the team will gather to conduct their assigned duties.

While a team member prepares containers of disinfectant, others arrange and carry sprayers.

After putting on personal protective equipment, they begin spraying disinfectant in different city areas free of charge.

Besides the teams male members, these young women are willing to take on the hard job.

Luu Thi My Lil sprays disinfectant beside a 25-floor building in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Staying for the city

As a final-year economic student at Hoa Sen University, Cao Thi Thanh Thao, 23, decided to stay in the city instead of returning to her hometown as many of her friends did.

Thao wished she could do something to help the city she loves very much, so the girl registered to be a member of the rapid response team in charge of spraying disinfectant in high-risk COVID-19 communities.

Another team member helps Luu Thi My Lil fasten some strings as her personal protective equipment is too large for her. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Finding there were few volunteers applying to the team at that time, Thao decided to partake without any hesitation as she thought her health was suitable for the task.

In fact, I know this task can be a little bit dangerous, but no one would do it if everyone is afraid of infection, recalled Thao.

I would like to contribute my humble part to the fight against the pandemic.

As for Thao, the decision came from her desire to do something helpful to the community and the special love she has for Ho Chi Minh City, where she paid several visits to when she was a little girl.

The more she grows up, the bigger the love becomes.

I believe that I have been taught many things by living in Ho Chi Minh City. The city has given me a lot of things and opportunities, too. I dont want to leave it behind with this crisis, explained Thao.

Its like true love. A friend in need is a friend indeed. You cant leave your friend when he or she is most vulnerable."

Although her helmet is blurred by moisture, Luu Thi My Lil tries her best to finish her task. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Like Thao, Luu Thi My Lil, 23, another senior student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), took part in the team when she found it lacking members.

Lil had volunteered to take samples for COVID-19 testing before.

I enjoy the disinfectant-spraying task as for me, it is like a form of exercise," said Lil.

"It is both good for my health and useful to the community.

I am not afraid of being exposed to the danger of the disease. Taking part in the team for a while, I feel very happy. We are welcomed by the people who live in the areas that we come. They give us water and food.

"On top of that, I have many new friends."

Another team member helps Cao Thi Thanh Thao to wear ear covers to prevent being hurt while spraying disinfectant. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Being supported by love

Many female volunteers in the team do not dare to tell their families that they are among frontline workers, who are exposed to a high risk of coronavirus infection.

Mostly, they plan to tell their parents after finishing the mission, so they could save them from worries.

The only thing that worries me is my parents, said Thao.

I joined the team without telling them, and then chose a suitable time for confession."

However, upon knowing the daughters meaningful task, Thaos parents threw their support behind her plan and advised her to protect herself.

Cao Thi Thanh Thao decided to stay because of her love for Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Le Van Cuong, head of the rapid response team, said that at first his team just recruited female volunteers for support and logistics tasks.

Seeing that the girls wanted to join the disinfection mission, Cuong gave them instructions to help them finish it well.

Young women jump onto a vehicle to start their day spraying disinfectant in high-risk COVID-19 areas in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Cao Thi Thanh Thao pours disinfectant into another team members container. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Luu Thi My Lil carries a 25-liter container of disinfectant on her back with her right hand holding its valve. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

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Can Gio has become the third district in Ho Chi Minh City to claim successful control of the coronavirus pandemic, after District 7 and Cu Chi District.

Le Minh Dung, secretary of the Can Gio Party Committee, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday afternoon that the district had met the criteria for COVID-19 control and had a plan to ease restrictions on some production activities after September 15.

The number of coronavirus infections in the district has decreased remarkably over the past 14 days, according to Dung.

The total now stands at 1,123 cases, 763 of which have recovered from the disease.

The district recorded 213 new cases from August 16 to 22.

That weekly number descended to 83 new cases from August 30 to Saturday, down 61.2 percent.

The latest infection chain detected in Can Gio was on August 24, while new transmissions after that mostly came from zoned-off areas and centralized quarantine facilities.

Functional forces had tested more than 40,000 samples from August 16 to last Friday, 158 of which returned positive for the virus.

August 18 marked the highest infection rate of 4.87 percent among tested samples, while the proportion was zero on some other days.

Nguyen Van Hong, chairman of Can Gio, assessed that the pandemic situation in the district has been basically controlled as the local people strictly follow social distancing measures.

The districts administration has ensured the peoples livelihoods, with almost all residents adversely affected by COVID-19 having received the municipal and central governments aid, Hong said.

Authorities have also administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to nearly all local citizens above 18 years old and the second shot to 30 percent of them, he added.

The district is aiming at maintaining the aforementioned results and relaxing restrictions on some production and business activities after September 15, once receiving approval from the municipal administration.

Its first target is to gradually resume aquaculture and fishing activities in order to revive its economy with seaside advantages.

However, this resumption must ensure peoples safety first, Hong said.

The production and business forces must have two doses of vaccines so that their activities can confidently resume step by step.

Last Thursday, authorities declared that the COVID-19 pandemic has been kept under control in Cu Chi District and District 7.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City remains the gravest coronavirus outbreak site in Vietnam, recording over 265,800 cases since the fourth wave emerged in the Southeast Asian country on April 27.

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The Ministry of Health announced 12,680 coronavirus infections in Vietnam on Wednesday, along with 13,937 recovered patients and 434 fatalities.

Thirty-nine provinces and cities logged 12,663 local cases whereas the nation registered another 17 imported infections, the health ministry said.

The ministry had documented 14,193 domestically-infected patients on Tuesday.

More than 7,800 of the new domestic cases were detected in the community, with the remaining found in isolated areas or centralized quarantine facilities.

Ho Chi Minh City reported 7,308 local infections, Binh Duong Province 3,172, Dong Nai Province 814, Long An Province 372, Tien Giang Province 171, Can Tho City 83, Hanoi 40, and Da Nang 30.

Vietnam has confirmed 559,346 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 hit the hardest with 273,154 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 141,765, Dong Nai Province with 31,179, Long An Province with 26,804, Tien Giang Province with 11,159, Dong Thap Province with 7,650, Khanh Hoa Province with 7,062, Da Nang with 4,715, Hanoi with 3,893, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 3,780.

By comparison, Vietnam confirmed a combined 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in the previous three waves.

The health ministry announced 13,937 recoveries on Wednesday, bringing the total to 325,647.

The toll has mounted to 14,125 fatalities after the ministry logged 434 deaths on the same day, including 268 in Ho Chi Minh City and 34 in Binh Duong Province.

Vietnam has documented 563,676 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first struck it early last year.

Health workers have administered around 23.5 million vaccine doses, including 771,937 shots on Tuesday, since inoculation was rolled out on March 8.

Over 3.7 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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This Saturday, September 11, ABC News Channel has comprehensive coverage of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

ABC will feature special memorial services both here and in the United States.

Saturday, September 11:

At 8:00pm, 9/11 Stories, a special documentary hosted by John Barron, talks to 20 Australians whose lives were forever changed on that fateful day. Hear their stories of loss, love, courage, dedication and hope. James Dorney, who was working on the 92nd floor of the World Trade Centre that day; Fmr Prime Minister John Howard and Fmr Opposition Leader Kim Beazley; Maha Abdo from the Muslim Women Assoc; fmr Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mamdouh Habib; and Prue Clarke who was the ABC correspondent at Ground Zero.

At 9:00pm, a half hour news bulletin with the latest COVID news and previewing the services in New York, Washington and here in Australia.

At 9:00pm, a half hour news bulletin with the latest COVID news and previewing the services in New York, Washington and here in Australia.

At 9:30pm, Ellen Fanning and Stan Grant host an hour special in the lead up to the US memorial service. Therell be special analysis from Planet America host John Barron and live discussion from New York and other US cities about how 9/11 changed the world.

From 10:30pm, live coverage from New York of the 20th anniversary memorial service which will include six moments of silence, to mark when each World Trade Centre tower was struck and fell, when the Pentagon was attacked, and when the hijacked Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

The first of these silences will be at 10:46pm.

iview.abc.net.au/collection/911-20-years-on
Love Island is proceeding with production at Federal, NSW after producers won favour from Byron Shire Council.

Building had halted on the LI Villa after permits had not been approved and COVID-safe protocols had not been finalised.

But mayor Michael Lyon met with representatives of ITV Studios Australia and signed off on a production that would bring 200 crew members to the region and employ about 40 locals.

All crew members will be tested for the virus before they travelled to the region, adhere to a 14-day quarantine period upon arrival, and take COVID tests twice weekly during production.

On the COVID front, certainly I was really impressed with them, Cr Lyon told ABC.

We sort of singled out the film industry as being non-essential, but wed still love to see a change from the government in terms of the way people travel here and what is deemed essential, he said.

Wed like to see all other workers being subject to the same types of measures.

We are excited to get started on what we think will be an incredible series of Love Island Australia, in a beautiful part of the world, ITV Studios Australia CEO David Mott said in a statement.

We also support the Mayor and the Byron Shire Councils strict COVID-safe protocols for all industries working in the area which, for Love Island Australia, includes a 14-day isolation period for cast and crew travelling from Greater Sydney.

ITV Studios will also pay a $6000 fine for unauthorised earthworks.
This Thursday Q+A broadcasts live from Melbourne with host Virginia Trioli in collaboration with the Melbourne Writers Festival.

Joining Virginia on the panel:

John Safran, Writer and filmmaker

Virginia Gay, Actor, writer and director

Julia Banks, Author, lawyer, and former Federal Liberal and Independent MP

Tony Armstrong, ABC News Breakfast presenter and former AFL player

Rachel Doyle, Barrister

Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek Finance Minister and author  live from Athens

Well explore the power of words in the workplace, on the sporting field and in big business.

On the agenda  vaping and the new-look tobacco, racism in sport, growing inequality, power and consent, alternative futures and challenging big corporations.

A chance to broaden the discussion and debate new ideas with storytellers and thinkers from Australia and beyond.

8:30pm Thursday on ABC.
A stage musical of Round the Twist is on the way with RGM Productions receiving $948,479 under the Federal Governments RISE Covid recovery scheme.

Time Out reports RGMs co founder Garry McQuinn (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) is producing the show written and composed by Paul Hodge with direction from Simon Phillips (Muriels Wedding, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Love Never Dies).

The adaptation is expected to take 26 Round the Twist episodes and distill them into roughly two hours of musical theatre.

The series, created by author Paul Jennings, debuted on Seven in 1989, before a further 3 seasons on ABC, and centered on the Twist family living in a lighthouse, who were prone to magical and comedic storylines.

Mark Mitchell, who played real estate agent Harold Gribble, once told TV Tonight, It was revolutionary in many respects and it was designed to appeal to different age groups.

Wed look at different themes that would appeal to the Under 7s, Under 12s, adolescents and the adults.

It had everything in it. One of the principal characters was dead. We didnt make a big deal about it, but it was implicit in everything. I dont know if anyone realised!

It had ghosts, water spirits, and it was quite animist in that respect.

The musical will premiere in Brisbane.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, has penned an essay in response to a recent survey by QUT which noted Commercial TV Drama has fallen 68% in Australia over the past 2 decades.

Writing on Mumbrella the minister claimed there is no crisis, no decline and that local content is better than ever.

The Australian Television Drama Index report found local drama on Seven, Nine and 10 has fallen from over 250 hours in 2001 to just over 50 hours in 2019.

It attributed this largely to shorter seasons being commissioned by networks in 2021.

In 1999 All Saints churned out 43 episodes across the year. Blue Heelers produced 42 and Water Rats was 32. But by 2019 My Life Is Murder ran for 13 episodes and Seachange ran for 8.

The other major drop is in Childrens TV with those sub-quotas recently removed for a more flexible system. Good one.

With so much choice on offer, perhaps it is not surprising that longer-running drama series have declined in popularity and content makers have responded with shorter series, often with big stars and extremely high production values, the minister wrote.

This is happening around the world, not just in Australia, because that is what audiences want.

But in the USA (where scripted titles eclipsed 500+ per year) broadcast television is still churning out hefty seasons: Greys Anatomy (17), This is Us (16), NCIS (16), Chicago P.D. (16), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (16), Chicago Med (16), Chicago Fire (16), 9-1-1 (14) -if anything they were down due to the pandemic. They are also the most popular on broadcast TV because drama is habitual. Audiences connect with the characters week in, week out.

Aside from Home & Away and Neighbours (on a multichannel) most of our dramas sit at around 6  10 episodes a year.

Last night viewers had two episodes of the very good new RFDS back to back which Seven insists it is not burning off. Lets hope not. On 10 there were 3 repeats of US drama Bull which is presumably where 10 would have screened the equally excellent Five Bedrooms had it not backflipped and debuted it on Paramount+.

In case the minister isnt aware, Bull has been on air since January. Why? Because its cheaper for networks to screen US dramas than it is to take a risk on Australian content. So those long broadcast seasons of procedurals NCIS, FBI, 9-1-1, The Rookie (cut me off anytime)- are pretty worthwhile after all.

Whats also becoming increasingly worthwhile are US dramas filmed here in Australia. Newsflash Reckoning produced by Playmaker Media in Sydney (but set stateside) screened on Seven and will go towards their local drama quotas. Can we say loophole?

Minister Fletcher also notes, four providersAmazon Prime, Disney, Netflix and Stanspent over $150 million on Australian programs in 2019-20. More than 80% of this went to commissioning or co-commissioning new Australian programs.

Whilst I applaud Amazon Prime announcing a slate of local titles recently, the bulk of this money is going towards a handful of productions. Clickbait cost Netflix $52m and you can guarantee the biggest cheques were heading to US executives. I can only imagine what Nine Perfect Strangers cost Hulu. Nobody is suggesting co-productions should be off the table, but both of these dramas were set in the USA. Thankfully, Stan has focussed its drama spend on Australian storytelling

But if we are really looking to high-end shorter seasons as the salvation, then ABC and SBS will probably be delighted to have drama budgets boosted. They do a pretty remarkable job with what they have.

Finally, the minister laments the exclusion of Home & Away and Neighbours from the QUT report. Fair enough. Im not sure it would make that much difference to the overall picture, given their output 20 years ago was fairly close to current.

Are the jobs for writers, actors and crew on these two shows somehow worth less than those on other shows? Minister Fletcher notes.

On that point I recall the words of producer John Edwards when delivering the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture in 2015 of the need to shepherd new writers, directors and actors on long-running dramas.

He said, Higher volume shows by necessity produce new people. A show like Big Sky, where we made forty eps in a year (its not remembered as a success, but all but four of its episodes had better shares than the network average), Tony McNamara, Steve Worland, Jaqueline Perske, John Polson, Rhett Watson, Kate Dennis all getting their first or second tv gig. Similarly on Secret Life there was a good handful, on Fireflies, with Mimi Butler on Rush, on Offspring and so on. Long series need the new people influx and I do want to say as an aside here, that in my experience almost never are we let down by them.

That was six years ago
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Gov. Greg Abbott signs voting bill into law in Tyler

Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler as the author of the bill, state Sen. Bryan Hughes (at left) looks on. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1 into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Abbott said the bill will make it difficult for fraudulent votes to be cast. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about Senate Bill 1 before signing the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Author of the bill, state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, (at left) sits beside Abbott during conference. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1 into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Abbott said the bill will make it difficult for fraudulent votes to be cast. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (right) and state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, are pictured after a news conference where Abbott signed Senate Bill 1 into law at the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before signing the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler while author of the bill, state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, (at left) sits beside Abbott. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph People listen and take photos and videos as Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before signing the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. The bill was authored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott (center) speaks about Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before signing the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler while author of the bill, state Sen. Bryan Hughes (at left) sits beside Abbott, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sits at Abbott's right. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks about Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before Gov. Greg Abbott signs the bill on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, (at left) speaks to audience members and Gov. Greg Abbott about the legislation he authored, Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before Abbott signed the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, (at left) speaks about the legislation he authored, Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, before Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott holds up Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, after he signed the legislation into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott holds up Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, after he signed the legislation into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. At his left is state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who authored SB 1, and at his right is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Zak Wellerman/ Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott takes questions from members of the media after he signed Senate Bill 1, which will add new rules for mail-in voting and increase early voting hours, into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. At his left is state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who authored SB 1, and at his right is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R- Mineola, speaks at news conference where Gov. Greg Abbott signs voting bill into law on Tuesday morning in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about Senate Bill 1 before signing the bill into law on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in downtown Tyler. Author of the bill, state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, (at left) sits beside Abbott during conference. aconejo / Ana Conejo / Tyler Morning Telegraph After signing Senate Bill 1, Gov. Gregg Abbott and St. Senate Bryan Hughes meet with press conference attendees on Tuesday in the Plaza Tower in Downtown Tyler.

Gov. Greg Abbott officially signed an elections bill into law Tuesday in Tyler that will add new rules for mail-in balloting, increase early voting hours and according to him, make it harder for people to commit fraud.

Abbott, joined by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who authored Senate Bill 1, said the law improves eligible voters access to cast a ballot in Texas.

It does make it easier than ever before for anybody to go cast a ballot, Abbott said. It also, however, makes sure that it is harder for people to cheat at the ballot box.

Also in attendance at the event in downtown Tyler were Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Rep. Andrew Murr, who authored the bills counterpart in the House.

According to the governors office, SB 1 establishes uniform statewide voting hours, continues and expands voting access for registered voters needing assistance, prohibits drive-thru voting and allows poll watchers to see more parts of the election process.

The new law also makes a window for early voting of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., which according to the Texas Tribune outlaws the 24 hours of uninterrupted voting offered by Harris County during the 2020 elections.

SB 1 also requires 12 hours of balloting for more counties each weekday of the second week of early voting in state elections.

The distribution of unsolicited applications for mail-in ballots is not allowed, and voters can correct a defect within their mail-in ballot. The law states voters must provide their drivers license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on applications and return envelopes for mail-in ballots.

One thing that all Texans can agree on is that we must have trust and confidence in our elections. The bill that Im about to sign helps to achieve that goal, Abbott said. One thing that it does is it ensures every eligible voter will have the opportunity to vote. It provides even more hours for people to go to cast their votes.

He emphasized the law makes it difficult for fraudulent votes to be cast, including concerns surrounding mail-in ballots.

This is an area where Republicans, as well as Democrats, agree has been the easiest way to cheat in the election process. The law that Im about to sign fixes that problem, Abbott said.

SB 1 also makes ballot harvesting  when political operatives collect absentee ballots from voters homes and drop them off at polling places or election offices  a third-degree felony.

Abbott called ballot harvesting a serious problem in Texas, and Hughes cited the case of Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown and three others, who are accused of organized election fraud in the March 2018 primary in Gregg County.

In Longview ... we have a county commissioner under indictment for mail ballot fraud, Hughes said. Anybody who tells you theres no voter fraud in Texas is telling you a very big lie. Its going on today. As you know, this bill deals with that.

Abbott said he was delighted to be in the Hughes Senate district in Tyler, noting that the senator represents one of his hometowns  Longview.

Its great to be back in my hometown of East Texas. Thank you for your leadership, Abbott said. Were in Tyler because the lead advocate from the very beginning has been Bryan Hughes. If you watch Sen. Bryan Hughes talk on television, talk to the media, talk to the Senate, talk to the House, talk to me about it, he carried a heavy load in getting across the finish line. In his district is the right place to sign SB 1 into law in Texas.

The Texas Tribune reported that two federal lawsuits already have been filed against SB 1, arguing that the law creates new hurdles and restrictions to suppress voters.

Abbott said during the news conference that he would be astonished if a law like SB 1 was not challenged in court, but he believes the legislation will stand up.

Weve seen it happened whenever laws like this are passed. The first thing Democrats do is run to the courthouse and try to challenge it. I feel extremely confident that when this law makes it through the litigation phase, it will be upheld in a court of law, he said. It does make it easier for people to go vote. No one who is eligible to vote will be denied the opportunity to vote.

Texas election legislation will provide a standard for other states to pass similar laws, Abbott said.

Texas is obviously a national leader as it concerns the laws that we pass, and other states follow, he said. Texas does make it so easy to vote that this does make it a good paradigm for other states to follow.

Hughes said the law he wrote is about real people who are trying to vote. He read testimony from a trial in Hidalgo County in which a first-time voter said an election worker, who she believed was giving her instructions, ultimately voted for her.

This is about people who are trying to cast their ballots, but cheaters, ballot harvesters, bad actors, paid political criminals are trying to get in between the voter and their ballot. We have a great system in Texas, he said. This bill will make it better for Texan voters to cast their vote.

Hughes said under SB 1, when a person is in line at the polls and the polls close, that person will be guaranteed the chance to vote. Employers also now will be required to let their workers off to go early vote in addition to on Election Day.

Patrick said Hughes had a great legislative session, including authoring Senate Bill 8, which bans abortion after six weeks into a pregnancy.

He called the statement from left-wing media (and) Democrats that its tough to vote in Texas a lie.

When we passed photo voter ID in the Senate in 2011, they said the same thing about that bill that its going to suppress votes. Since that bill passed, Texas has increased voter turnout more than any other state in the country, Patrick said.

He said voter turnout has risen greatly over the past elections and attributed the increase to people having trust in the election process.

Texas turns out voters because they have confidence that elections are always going to be fair, and we want to see more people vote, Patrick said. We want to see people vote fairly, and we dont want the cheaters to undermine the elections.

During the news conference, near Tylers downtown square, about 60 protesters gathered to object to the voting legislation and the states new anti-abortion measure.
The Dean Foundation has gifted East Texas Baptist University a grant of $500,000 to create the William B. Dean, M.D. Center for Language and Literacy Development. The Dean Center encompasses an expansion of ETBUs downtown campus learning center at the Marshall Grand for the new Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program and the enhancement of the Universitys student-focused Learning Support Services program.
... then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2)
By Mark Gokavi

The 2021 Women in Clean Energy conference hosted by the University of Dayton features three sessions led by accomplished professionals and a panel discussion with recent graduates beginning their careers.

The virtual conference is Sept. 21-23 and Sept. 27. Registration for each session is linked to from the conference website. The sessions include: Clean Energy Implementation & Development; Clean Energy Regulation & Policy; Energy Justice & the Social Impact of Clean Energy; and Jumpstarting a Career in Clean Energy.

Planning another all virtual platform has allowed us to expand our speaker and attendee base even more than last year, said alumna Brianna Dooley, one of the event organizers. We have worked hard to recruit female leaders in the clean energy field who will be joining us from the East and West coasts.

While my hope is that in the future we can return to an in-person conference, my vision is to allow for virtual attendees to participate because we want to continue to reach and support young women and students interested in clean energy.

Speakers for the implementation session are: Kerri Devine, director of engineering, Arcadia; and Joo Yong, director of North American wind independent engineering section, DNV.

The policy session will include: Jhay Spottswood, staff attorney at Franklin County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court; Dayna Baird Payne, principal, Government Edge; and Randi Leppla, VP of energy and lead energy counsel, Ohio Environmental Council (OEC).

Speakers in the energy justice session are: Dr. Diana Hernandez, assistant professor, Columbia University; Ruchi Soni, program manager, Sustainable Energy for All; and Anya Galli Robertson, assistant professor of sociology, University of Dayton.

Alumna Jennifer Hoody, who has helped lead the conference planning for two years, said: Seeing younger classmen step up and dedicate their time to make sure the conference continues and meeting influential women within the clean energy field has inspired me and shown me how I can use my position to advocate for change within and outside of the field of engineering beyond my time as a student.

One of those underclassmen, sophomore mechanical engineering major Lauren Bower, said the event has been valuable even before it has started.

I was hoping to begin making connections and getting involved in my fields of interest, Bower said. One way I was able to do this networking was through joining the planning team for the Women in Clean Energy Conference. Planning the conference was a great opportunity to meet members of the clean energy community as well as learn more about the organizing and networking that goes into these events.

The goal of the event is to provide students and recent graduates from all fields the resources they need to begin a meaningful career in clean energy and sustainability. Organizers want to empower women and allies to make a difference in the male-dominated energy industry and educate men on the challenges often faced by women in the industry.

Ive never helped plan a conference before and it was interesting to experience all the behind the scenes work, said senior Ava Stokes. Im excited to see our hard work pay off after months of planning.

For more sustainability news and information, visit HSIs news blog, the Hanley Sustainability Institute website and the sustainability program website. To sign up for HSIs Sustainability Spotlight newsletter, register here.
Q*mmunity Leaders are a group of student peer educators that strive to cultivate a more welcoming, safer, and accepting campus environment for LGBTQ+ individuals at UD. Through engaging our peers with intentional conversations, presentations, programs, and events, we can continue to raise awareness of, and build a community of support for, the LGBTQ+ community.

Mission Statement: We are peer educators with the goal of raising awareness of the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Dayton. We provide our peers with the opportunities to learn more about LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through presentations, programs, and events. We approach this work with a historical lens of discrimination and injustice and how that still impacts the LGBTQ+ community today. While becoming more knowledgeable of the role that intersectionality plays, we strive to make our campus more inclusive and equitable for students of all sexualities and genders.

Values: authenticity, inclusivity, respect, dialogue, and acceptance
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BRISBANE, Australia, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - OceanaGold Corporation (TSX: OGC) (ASX: OGC) (the "Company") advises that Mr. Michael Holmes has resigned as the President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company, as well as from the Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective September 8, 2021. The Board has engaged a leading executive search firm to commence a global search for the Company's next President and CEO. In recognition of leadership continuity, the Board has appointed Mr. Scott Sullivan who has recently joined the Company as Chief Operating Officer, to act as the Acting President and CEO of the Company.

OceanaGold Corporation (CNW Group/OceanaGold Corporation) (CNW Group/OceanaGold Corporation)

Mr. Ian Reid, Chairman of the Board said "On behalf of the Board, I wish to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Michael for his service to the Company. Michael has had a long and valued career with OceanaGold, having joined the Company as Chief Operating Officer in July 2012. As President and CEO, he demonstrated tremendous resilience and commitment to the Company despite the challenges of an operating environment disrupted by the onset of a global pandemic."

Mr. Reid continued to say, "Under Michael's leadership, the Company delivered on key growth milestones including mine life extensions of the Macraes operation, advancement of the Waihi District projects and the Haile Underground. Most significantly, the renewal of the Didipio FTAA wouldn't have been possible without Michael's tenacious and focused leadership. The achievement of this strategic objective is expected to generate strong free cash flows for our shareholders while continuing our legacy as a responsible, multinational gold miner."

Mr. Holmes said, "It has been a privilege to serve the Company over the past 9 years. I am proud to have led a team of passionate and dedicated mining professionals who are committed to responsible mining and best ESG practices while setting up the business to deliver long-term value for shareholders. Whilst it was a difficult decision to leave OceanaGold, I am very proud of what we have achieved and more importantly in the significant value embedded in the business. I wish everyone all the best."

Story continues

Mr. Scott Sullivan is a mining executive with over 30 years of broad-based industry experience spanning Australia, New Guinea, Africa and North America. More specifically, he has diversified experience in strategic planning of mining operations and smelters, project development and commissioning, mine optimisation, restructuring and expansion, sustainability and government relations. Prior to joining OceanaGold, Mr. Sullivan was CEO of Paladin Energy Ltd, and prior to that, General Manager of Newcrest's Telfer Gold Mine, CEO of Attila Resources (now New Century Resources) and Managing Director of Minbos Resources. Mr. Sullivan is also a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining with first class honours and a Master's in Business Administration.

Mr. Paul Benson, who will succeed Mr. Reid as Chairman of the Board of the Company on October 1, expressed his appreciation for Mr. Holmes' leadership, particularly through the challenges posed by COVID-19. He said, "I look forward to working with Scott Sullivan in the Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO roles. I have known Scott for over 30 years since we first worked together at the Renison Tin Mine in Tasmania. Scott is an exceptional mining engineer and has the skills and experience to drive OceanaGold's operating performance to the next level. Our focus will continue to be on maximising the value of our existing operations while seeking new opportunities to drive profitable growth."

The Company continues to make good progress with respect to the Didipio restart with current ramp-up schedule ahead of original estimates. The Company commenced the trucking of gold-copper concentrate as several shipments have arrived at the port and several more on the way. The Company continues the technical review and enhancements of the Haile Mine however, operational performance is tracking to achieve full year guidance. The New Zealand operations have recommenced full operations with ramp-up of the Martha Underground continuing.

Authorised for release to market by OceanaGold Corporate Company Secretary, Liang Tang.

Additional Information Pursuant to ASX Listing Rule 3.16.4

In accordance with ASX Listing Rule 3.16.4, the Company provides the following disclosure in relation to material variations to Messrs Holmes and Sullivan's employment contracts.

Arrangement for Mr Michael Holmes

Mr Holmes will be paid notice of six months in accordance with the terms and conditions of his current employment contract. In addition, Mr Holmes will be paid and issued the following:

Mr Holmes will also be deemed a 'Good Leaver' for the purposes of the Performance Rights Plan.

Arrangement for Mr Scott Sullivan

Whilst in the Acting President & Chief Executive Officer role, Mr Sullivan will be remunerated as following on a pro-rata basis:

Mr Sullivan will also be granted additional long-term incentive reward of 200,000 performance rights as part of his 2022 annual grant.

All other key terms and conditions of Mr Sullivan's employment as Acting President & Chief Executive Officer will remain the same as his employment contract as the Chief Operating Officer.

About OceanaGold

OceanaGold is a multinational gold producer committed to the highest standards of technical, environmental and social performance. For 30 years, we have been contributing to excellence in our industry by delivering sustainable environmental and social outcomes for our communities, and strong returns for our shareholders.

Our global exploration, development, and operating experience has created a significant pipeline of organic growth opportunities and a portfolio of established operating assets including Didipio Mine in the Philippines; Macraes and Waihi operations in New Zealand; and Haile Gold Mine in the United States of America.

Cautionary Statement for Public Release

Certain information contained in this public release may be deemed "forward-looking" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future performance and reflect the Company's expectations regarding the generation of free cash flow, achievement of guidance, execution of business strategy, future growth, future production, estimated costs, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of OceanaGold Corporation and its related subsidiaries. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and information. They include, among others, the outbreak of an infectious disease, the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and related assumptions, inherent operating risks and those risk factors identified in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form prepared and filed with securities regulators which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's name. There are no assurances the Company can fulfil forward-looking statements and information. Such forward-looking statements and information are only predictions based on current information available to management as of the date that such predictions are made; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Company, some of which are beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual outcomes or results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The information contained in this release is not investment or financial product advice.

SOURCE OceanaGold Corporation

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/08/c5865.html
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP)  Venezuela's socialist government and its opposition have agreed on at least one thing: Both claim that most of the neighboring nation of Guyana should be part of Venezuela.

Guyana's government on Wednesday formally denounced the accord signed this week by Venezuelan negotiators who are trying to find a way out of their nation's political impasse. It called the agreement an overt threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.

Guyana cannot be used as an altar of sacrifice for settlement of Venezuelas internal political differences, it said. While the government of Guyana welcomes domestic accord within Venezuela, an agreement defying international law and process is not a basis for mediating harmony.

The Venezuelan negotiators held the first of what are expected to be several rounds of talks in Mexico over the weekend and reached only vague agreements on finding some way to help Venezuelans meet their needs and fight the coronavirus pandemic.

But they did sign a pact reasserting Venezuela's claim to about two thirds of what is now Guyana.

Venezuelan governments have long rejected an 1899 demarcation of the border by an international tribunal that had included the US, Britain and Russia. Guyana has taken the issue to the World Court in The Netherlands, but Venezuela has said it will not recognize any ruling by that body.

The issue has become more tense since 2015, when oil companies found large deposits of oil and gas in waters claimed by both nations. In 2019, a Venezuelan military helicopter tried to land on a vessel operated by ExxonMobil that was conducting surveys off Guyana's coast.
GGPoker Ambassador Filatov Reaches Super MILLION$ Final Table

September 07 2021 Matthew Pitt

The latest GGPoker Super MILLION$ final table is set, and what a star-studded final nine it is. Any one of the nine finalists would make a worthy champion, but only one of them gets to call themselves that.

Anatoly Filatov, the GGPoker Ambassador representing Team Russia, has reached what is his fifth Super MILLION$ final table, and the second of Season 2. Filatov won the Super MILLION$ on May 30, 2021, and padded his bankroll with $325,957. A victory this time around comes with $420,536.

Super MILLION$ Season 2 Episode 11 Final Table

Place Player Country Chips Big Blinds 1 Gerard "Hightroler" Carbo Andorra 4,919,551 98.4 2 Christopher Frank Austria 3,544,661 70.9 3 Anatoly Filatov Russia 3,389,291 67.8 4 Tarun "AreYouAhead" Goyal India 1,832,922 36.7 5 Michael Addamo Canada 1,619,177 32.4 6 Joakim Andersson Malta 1,543,974 30.9 7 Biao "d7777" Ding China 1,514,133 30.3 8 Samuel Vousden Finland 1,402,493 28 9 Dmitry Yurasov Belarus 1,033,798 20.7

Watch This Star-Studded Final Table Unfold Who will win this week's Super MILLION$? Watch the final table action here! Head to GGPoker's Awesome YouTube channel

Andorras Gerard "Hightroler" Carbo is the man to ctach when play resumes at 6:00 p.m. BST on September 7. Carbo won his $10,300 seat via a $525 satellite, meaning he is guaranteed a superb ROI from this event. Should the unthinkable happen and Carbo goes from hero to zero, hed still walk away with $52,567 for his initial investment.

Christopher Frank is another finalist who won his way into online pokers biggest weekly tournament. Frank won a $1,050 satellite and will be hopeful of at least repeating the fifth-place he enjoyed in June 2021 when the Super MILLION$ was part of the popular High Rollers Week. Frank has every chance of going further thanks to returning to the fray armed with almost 71 big blinds.

U.S. Player Bags 2021 WSOP Main Event Seat Via ClubGG

Indias Tarun "AreYouAhead" Goyal almost became a World Series of Poker bracelet winner at GGPoker, but ultimately fell in fifth place in the $400 COLOSSUS. That result earned Goyal $129,337 and gave him the bankroll and confidence to enter what is his first-ever Super MILLION$. Goyal sits down with 36.7 big blinds.

The two players occupying fifth and sixth place when the first cards are pitched need no introduction at all. Michael Addamo, a four-time Super MILLION$ champion, has 1,619,177 chips (32.4 big blinds) with Joakim Andersson, a two-time champion, has 1,543,974 chips (30.9 big blinds). The ridiculously talented pair would much prefer sitting down with deeper stacks, but we would not bet against either of them emerging victoriously later this evening.

Biao "d7777" Ding will enjoy their first time at the GGPoker Super MILLION$ final table. Four GGPoker players will cheer the Chinese national on because Ding sold 2.5% of himself at cost via the in-built staking software at GGPoker. Ding has 30.3 big blinds in his stack, so has a legitimate chance of going deeper than his seventh-place starting position.

Edson Tsutsumi Leads WSOP Online Main Event Final Table; $2.5m Awaits the Winner

Eighth place with 28 big blinds is Finlands Samuel Vousden, who is still on cloud nine after winning his first WSOP bracelet. Vousden won the bracelet-awarding $1,050 GGMasters Freezeout a week or so ago, and is now in the running for a Super MILLION$ title. The Finn finished second in this event on August 29 and won $254,559.

Bringing up the real courtesy of their 20.7 big blind stack is Belarusian Dmitry Yurasov. This is the second time we have seen Yurasov at a Super MILLION$ final table. June 21, 2020, was the last time Yurasov competed at such a final table. He finished eighth that day so will not want a repeat this time around.
Recent remarks by Russian and Iranian officials suggest that Iran is on the verge of gaining full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional forum launched in 2001 by China, Russia, and the Central Asian republics (minus Turkmenistan) to combat the so-called three evils namely terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Iran has awaited this moment since becoming an observer member of the SCO in 2005, The Diplomat writes.

After signing a multidimensional 25-year strategic treaty with China and preparing to make a similar deal with Russia in the near term, Irans accession to the SCO could be seen as the third decisive move in Tehrans deep inclination toward the East.

The Raisi Government and Irans New Turn to the East

Irans new president, Ebrahim Raisi, has not been a leading figure in Irans foreign policy decision-making. Thats why, unlike his predecessor, he has not yet outlined the dimensions of his foreign policy strategy or specified what goals he wants to achieve abroad. Nevertheless, he is surrounded by individuals who were critics of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). These same voices criticized the Rouhani administration for not paying enough attention to relations with Russia and China and not using the presumably expanded ties with Moscow and Beijing as leverage in the negotiations with the United States and Europe. Though this camp has never made explicit how, exactly, the West will be impressed into lifting sanctions or accepting Irans other demands by Irans assumed close ties with Russia and China, they have gotten new credentials from the countrys top decision-maker.

In a last short meeting with Rouhani and his cabinet, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once again slammed Rouhani for trusting the West, foreshadowing a continued deadlock in the Vienna negotiations on reviving the JCPOA. Tellingly, the Supreme Leaders office then released a short video file in which Ayatollah Khamenei, during a private meeting in 2012 with the then-head of the Expediency Council, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, is seen decrying Rafsanjanis insistence on forging a relationship with the U.S.

The Supreme Leader laid out the central contour of the next phase of the Islamic Republics foreign policy, and the direction that Raisi should pursue: displacing the JCPOA as the focal point of Iranian foreign policy. The mandate for Raisi and his team is to reinforce relations with non-Western countries, including China and Russia. On the sidelines of the endorsement ceremony of Raisis presidency by Ayatollah Khamenei, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leaders consultant in international affairs, also asserted that the priority of Raisi government must be looking to the East and cooperation and strategic relations with China, India and Russia, which could help our economy to make progress.

The SCO wont give Iran what it needs

Since Pakistan and India joined the SCO in 2017, the organization now includes four nuclear powers with different security agendas and goals. Basically, Iran doesnt share the primary concerns of these four powers. Being a full member of the SCO will be different from holding observer status; Iran will have to make commitments and take an official position during decision-making processes. As a member of the SCO, Tehran may be required to express its position toward, for instance, the territorial disputes of India with China and Pakistan  an issue in which Iran is not directly concerned. The two major economic partners of Iran, Beijing and New Delhi, will have divergent expectations of Tehran.

While full membership imposes additional obligations, its debatable what the benefits will be. The SCO wont provide Iran with the capacity to pursue its Middle Eastern security agenda and concerns, nor will the body serve as an instrument for Iran to escape from regional isolation. On the contrary, gaining an SCO member tag may amplify the divisions and antagonism between Iran and the United States Arab allies in the Middle East.

Despite other soft aspects of multilateral cooperation it claims to cover, such as trade, banking, or emergency assistance, the SCOs history reveals a tendency to promote the common security agenda Overall, in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic, furthering foreign security policies already overshadows economic diplomacy or new trade opportunities. Even if Iran decides to grant precedence to security multilateralism over other issues, naturally, Tehran must prioritize the Middle East and the rehabilitation of broken relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council members through regional dialogue. The SCO will not help in that regard.

During the years of tensions with the U.S. and European powers, Iran has always tried to use its ties with China and Russia as leverage against the Western capitals, receiving diplomatic support, an economic lifeline, and defense equipment from Moscow and Beijing. Tehrans strategy worked to some extent and, for example, helped it survive crippling sanctions. Still, Iran managed to not deviate sharply from its basic slogan in the foreign policy area, neither East nor West. However, it seems that the Islamic Republic is changing course by replacing symbolic acts with concrete policies. That, in turn, will bring a variety of repercussions for the countrys economic, foreign, and security policies.

Iran pursues meaningful participation in Eurasian economic and security institutions with the hope to decrease the pressure of Western sanctions and probably to make new scenes for a diplomatic showoff against the West. Nonetheless, this mindset lacks a specific strategy and coherent policy and sometimes contradicts Irans foreign policy discourse, which prioritizes the Middle East and developing relations with neighbors.

There is a misconception in Irans foreign policy that merely being a part of the different regional bodies in neighborhood regions, including Eurasia, could spontaneously break the sanctions wall and lead to diversified fruitful foreign relations. It is hard to imagine any real, meaningful accomplishments will result from multilateral platforms such as the SCO, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), rather than Irans bilateral relations with Russia and China. In terms of trade and economics, which matter the most to Iran, Eurasian great initiatives like the Russian-led EAEU and Chinas BRI havent even brought about even significant developments in Beijing-Moscow bilateral relations. Due to Irans regional and international entanglements, Russia and China, with their global ambitions, will cultivate certain affinity with Iran, regardless of Tehrans presence in the multilateral forums.
For the first time after the Karabakh war, the aircraft Boeing-737, on a passenger domestic flight in Azerbaijan, travelled over Armenia's airspace, according to Flight Radar.

Turkish Airlines flight TK326 from Ganja to Nakhchivan was carried out on September 4, this information appeared today. The plane took off from Ganja at 9.57 (5.57 UTC) and landed in Nakhichevan at 10.32 (6.32 UTC), the flight duration was 35 minutes.



According to Flight Radar, tthe aircraft was shown flying over Goycha (Sevan) and Armenia's Gegharkunik Province.
Azerbaijani-Turkish joint tactical military exercises in Azerbaijans Lachin district serve to ensure regional stability, spokesperson the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said.

Abdullayeva made the remark commenting on the claims of the Armenian Foreign Ministry that the holding of joint Azerbaijani-Turkish exercises in the Lachin district contradicts the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, and undermines peace and security.

According to her, its the sovereign right of each state to conduct various exercises within its international borders.

She noted that to date, Azerbaijan has held numerous military exercises on its territory, including joint exercises with the participation of partner countries.

The joint tactical exercises launched in Lachin district [liberated from Armenian occupation in the 2020 second Karabakh war] are a similar step and serve to ensure stability in the region, the spokesperson further said.

"We bring to the attention of the Armenian Foreign Ministry that the threat to regional peace and security lies not in the conduct of military exercises by the state on its territory, but in putting forward territorial claims against another country, as Armenia has done for many years, pursuing a policy of military aggression, occupying the territories of another state and disregard for the principles of international law, she also noted.

If Armenia is interested in ensuring peace and security in the region, it must fulfill its obligations," Abdullayeva added.
Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died during the drills in the Arctic city of Norilsk as he was saving other persons life, the ministry reported on Wednesday.

"We regret to report that the head of the Emergencies Ministry, Yevgeny Zinichev, tragically died rescuing a human life as he was fulfilling his duty in Norilsk during the inter-agency drills on protecting the Arctic zone from emergency situations," the ministry stated.

Zinichev was born on August 18, 1966 in Leningrad (St. Petersburg). He worked in the state security agencies since 1987, including in Russian President Vladimir Putins security service. In 2014, Zinichev became deputy head of the FSBs counter-terrorism service.

In late July 2016, he was appointed acting governor of the Kaliningrad Region. In October 2016-May 2018, he was deputy head of Russias Federal Security Service. He was appointed the emergencies minister on May 18, 2018.

Zinichev received the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" of the 4th class with swords, a medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" and the medal of Suvorov in honor of the famous Russian military commander.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his deepest condolences over the tragic death of Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"President Putin has expressed his deepest condolences over the tragic death of Yevgeny Zinichev. The president and Zinichev worked together for many years. It is a great loss," the presidential spokesman said.

"The president has sent a message of condolences to Zinichevs family and friends," Peskov added.
It is unacceptable to depart from the negotiating positions that were achieved in the Vienna talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Irans nuclear program, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

"It is unacceptable to depart from these negotiating positions. Attempts to revise what was agreed in Vienna would be counterproductive and we will keep sending signals about that both to Iran and our colleagues from the Western group," TASS cited him as saying.

Ryabkov pointed out that Moscow maintained close contact with all parties to the negotiation process, holding teleconferences and consultations through embassies. "We have a deep partnership with China. Chinas position on the Iran issue is similar to ours. We are content with how our countries are pursuing a policy aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to the task of restoring the JCPOA. We will try to make every possible effort to encourage our Western colleagues to do the same. Consequently, consultations with the U.S. envoy are part of these efforts," Ryabkov concluded.
The U.S. government is not rushing to recognize the newly announced government formed by the Taliban, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday.

She also said that the decision to recognise the 'Taliban government' will be based on the actions of the groups, Sputnik reported.

"There is no rush to recognition [of the Taliban]. It is really going to be dependent on what steps the Taliban takes. The world will be watching, the United States included", Psaki said at a press briefing.

These developments came soon after the Taliban announced its new caretaker government ending days of speculation and reports of infighting within the group, which reportedly delayed the announcement of the new dispensation in Afghanistan.

"I don't have a timeline for you. It depends on what behaviour they exhibit on the ground," Psaki added.

Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, chief of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura' will head the new "caretaker" government in the country, which it had seized control of on August 15, this year.
U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will visit Moscow and Paris on September 7-10 for consultations on Washington and Tehran's return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear program, the U.S. Department of State has said in a statement.

"Special Envoy Malley and a small delegation will be travelling to Moscow and Paris from 7-10 September for consultations with our Russian and European partners on Irans nuclear program and the need to quickly reach and implement an understanding on a mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the Department of States press service said on Tuesday.

Talks between Iran and the five involved countries (Russia, the UK, China, France and Germany) have been going on in Vienna since April. Their aim is restoring the original nuclear deal, which implies the removal of US sanctions imposed on Iran, compliance with nuclear obligations by Iran, and the United States return to the accord. Representatives of the JCPOA members are also holding separate consultations with the US delegation without Irans participation. All the delegations involved initially hoped to complete the work in late May, after which they revised the date to early June.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the European Council Charles Michel have exchanged views on the Karabakh conflict, according to Michels Twitter.

"Exchanged views on prospects for the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement - confidence building and dialogue are needed," the statement reads.

Putin and Michel also discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and their impact on broader region, as well as number of other issues.
Vietnam does not have regulations about the use of ethylene oxide (EO) in agriculture production or limits on EO residue in food.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has cited RASFFs statistics as showing that European countries have issued 690 warnings related to EO. The countries with the highest numbers of warnings are the Netherlands (208), and Germany (90).

The products containing EO which have been recalled include additives, spices, nuts, herbs, ice cream, desserts, cereals, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa-made products.

After the products were recalled in Europe, Kajiwara Junich, General Director of Acecook Vietnam, the producer of Hao Hao instant noodles, affirmed that all of the companys products available in the Vietnamese market observe Vietnams laws and regulations. EO is not used in production and preservation stages.

The companys material suppliers also affirmed that they do not use EO during the production process.

However, the Science and Technology Department saud that Vietnam lacks regulations on the use of EO in agricultural production, including limits of EO residue in food.

Meanwhile, the technical standards set by different markets vary, which depend on the trade balance between countries, their import/export policies, management methods and consumption habits.

According to the department, the EO residue of the same food products can satisfy the requirements of some markets, but could be higher than the permitted levels in other markets.

Vietnam has been integrating more deeply into the world and its products are exported to markets all over the world. All exports have to satisfy the requirements set by the import countries.

As more and more FTAs have been signed, tariff barriers have been removed. However, because of multiple reasons, including the protection of consumers health, environmental issues, national security and defence and economic benefits, FTA member countries have intensified the use of TBT (Technical Barriers to Trade) and SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures).

More and more TBT and SPS disputes have been reported recently. And more decisions on recalling products and prohibiting imports have been released.

Some years ago, chili sauce products of a large Vietnamese enterprise was recalled in Japan. Several days ago, instant noodle and vermicelli of two enterprises were also recalled in some European countries because the EO content was higher than allowed.

Experts said agencies and enterprises should have provided consumers with information about EO before the recall. EO (ETO) is not accepted by the EU, including Ireland, but it is accepted in the US, Japan and South Korea.

In Vietnam, EO is not found in the list of substances that have residue limits.

Ha Duy

More dried noodles recalled in EU for containing banned substance The Food Administration of Vietnam yesterday received the warning of the European Union about the recall of dried noodles with chicken and beef spices manufactured by Thien Huong Food Joint Stock Company for containing a banned substance.
Businesses are bearing severe impacts from Covid-19 developments and social distancing campaigns.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in August 2021 fell by 4.2 percent compared with the previous month and 7.4 percent compared with the same period last year. The manufacturing and processing industry, which is the driving force of industrial production, saw a fall of 9.2 percent.

Many southern provinces saw industrial production indexes dropping sharply in August compared with the same period last year: HCM City 49.2 percent, Ben Tre 60 percent, Dong Thap 59 percent, Vinh Long 41.5 percent, Tay Ninh 36.9 percent, Soc Trang 31.4 percent, Hau Giang 29.5 percent, Tien Giang 27 percent, Can Tho 25.9 percent, Kien Giang 25.6 percent, Long An 20.9 percent, Binh Duong 12.6 percent and Dong Nai 13.3 percent.

The newly released Purchasing Manufacturers Index (PMI) report of HIS Markit showed that the decline in Vietnams production was more serious in August 2021. The PMI in the month dropped to 40.2 from 45.1 in July, representing the lowest PMI in the last 16 months.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, many enterprises have to close temporarily, while others have reported labor shortages and limited production capability. As a result, output has decreased substantially.

Supply chains in Vietnam continue to be severely disrupted. Traffic and goods transportation congestion occurs regularly in localities, which, plus the shortage of input materials, has caused delivery times to lengthen. As a result, input costs have risen sharply and price increases were among the fastest in the decade.

A report from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) showed that by the end of the first half of the year, deposits from individuals had increased by 2.94 percent, while deposits from economic institutions by 4.78 percent compared with late 2020. This is in contrast to that of previous years, when the growth rate of peoples deposits was always higher than that from economic institutions.

The increased deposits by economic institutions at commercial banks are a worrying sign to economists. This means that businesses have halted operation and they left money in banks instead of using it to maintain production and business.

Business psychology

The increased deposits by economic institutions at commercial banks are a worrying sign to economists. This means that businesses have halted operation and they left money in banks instead of using it to maintain production and business.

The French Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (CCIFV) has conducted a quick survey on French businesses in Vietnam in the fields of industry, food, fine arts and pharmacy.

Nearly 60 percent of businesses said they have faced difficulties in the last six months. About 56 percent have had scale down production by at least 80 percent in the last two months.

French businesses are worried that production costs will increase sharply if they follow the three on the site principle, while output is low. Other problems include goods circulation congestion and the unpredictability about the end of social distancing in localities.

Sixty-two percent of businesses said they would have to suspend operation if the situation does not improve in the next 3-12 months. If so, nearly 75 percent of French businesses would possibly have to leave Vietnam.

At a dialogue between foreign invested enterprises and HCM City leaders on August 20, Ho Thi Thu Uyen from Intel Vietnam said the enterprise is applying the one route, two locations mode for 1,870 workers. The enterprises cost for ensuring the fight against the pandemic was VND140 billion from July 15 to August 15. The figure is predicted to double by September 15.

Intel hopes that HCM City authorities will end the social distancing after September 15, 2021, saying that production and business performance of enterprises have been seriously hurt.

Jabil Vietnam has also applied the one route, two locations for its 2,500 workers, which costs VND120 billion a month. Meanwhile, the enterprise is operating with a capacity below 30 percent, so its monthly export revenue has fallen by $60 million.

A representative of an enterprise complained that some partners have shifted their orders to other countries. If the problem cannot be solved, it will have to shrink its operation in Vietnam.

Business psychological sentiment in August 2021 dropped to a 15-month low. The complicated developments of Covid-19 have led to predictions that Vietnam will have to extend the time of travel restrictions.

The regulation on travel permits has caused inconvenience to goods circulation, thus leading to stagnation of many enterprises. Many associations, representing enterprises in industries, have complained about this to the Prime Minister.

Ngo Tri Long, a respected economist, said that in current circumstances its necessary to find new ways to support enterprises.

As the fight against the pandemic will be long, a model of safe living and production is needed during Covid-19. Its now the time for managers to consult scientists and experts to create suitable processes and models that fit all kinds of production and business models.

Tran Thuy

45-day social distancing has hurt Hanoi's economy but public health has been protected Hanois economy has suffered heavily from social distancing and travel restrictions over the last 45 days, but in exchange the Covid-19 outbreak has been under control.
More than ever, caution is needed when helping those in need during the epidemic through social platforms as fraudulent acts have increased.

I just filled in my information without thinking of actually getting some help.

A week ago, Hoang Thi Muoi, 43, clicked on the label "Help the needy people around you while using her Zalo. That night, many people texted her. Within 1 or 2 days, Muoi and a group of 11 workers received supplies for 710 days.

A group of workers receives food support from Mrs. Muoi.

Mrs. Muoi, from Yen Bai, works as a construction assistant and a cook in Hanoi to support her children back in her hometown. Currently, Muoi and other 10 workers are stuck at a construction site in Nam Tu Liem district. They all have turned jobless and are unable to move elsewhere since the latest social distancing directive.

Everyone felt beyond grateful upon receiving the supplies. We now have enough rice to eat until September 5, enough vegetables and meat until the end of August. In addition to dry food such as rice, salt, fish sauce, eggs, peanuts, milk..., we were also given 5-6kg of meat and lent a fridge to preserve it.

Also, via Zalo, the volunteer group of Ms. Hoang Thi Nu (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) provided two groups of workers in the area where they live with necessary food, after verifying their information.

An epidemic meal with meat and fish.

Then, realizing that others are in need of support, Ms.Nu called for donations from households in the apartment complex, her friends and acquaintances. Along with funds from previous donations, her group now has nearly 30 million VND available and has begun to plan the disbursement.

These people may need repeated support as the food they receive each time can only suffice for a few days. In order to identify the right people who, need help, we contacted the ward to ask for a list of difficult situations.

According to Ms. Nu, among those desperate for help, there were many others who were not serious or not actually in need of aid.

There were cases whose houses we went to, according to our observation, that were not as desperate as they stated. Some people even responded to my question 'what support do you need?' by saying 'now I just need a love'.

One call for help was shared many times in the past few days: I am a senior student who cannot return to my hometown or work. Please help me, I need ST25 rice, salmon roe, Kobe beef, Alaska lobster so I can make it.



Ms. Nu's group arranges food to support needy people.

Other than jokes, some individuals have availed themselves of the epidemic situation to commit fraud.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy (a construction worker in Hoang Mai, Hanoi, upon posting on Facebook that she needed help, received a quick response from a man asking for her bank account number so that he could transfer 2 million to the group of 20 workers she was living with. This is an old trick that still works with the gullible.

He said money would be transferred through Western Union. A message from a personal phone number was sent to me stating that 2 million was transferred and I needed to go to the attached link to complete the procedure before receiving the money. The message was sent from a personal phone number but I didn't notice it at the time. When I got to the step of the authentication code, I didn't see him answer so I accessed his personal page and there was an accusation of him defrauding. I texted him 'Are you swindling me?' and the message was blocked. Luckily, I haven't lost any money.

A warning on the online group helping the needy during the epidemic If they truly are benefactors, philanthropists who want to help, they will just ask for your address and come in person, or for your account number and then transfer money to you without any further requirements of code and link access, which are signs of fraud that you really need to be heedful of.

Nguyen Thao
Each report will look at "Vietnam's digital transformation path" from a different perspective. But all roads lead to a common point, which is a prosperous and happy Vietnam.

According to the study on digital maturity of Small and Medium Enterprises in Asia-Pacific by IDC - Cisco in 2020, the majority of Vietnamese enterprises' readiness for digital transformation was at the lowest level among the surveyed countries.

Specifically, Vietnamese businesses were at the Digital Indifferent level (companies focusing on cost-effectiveness, not yet investing in digital transformation; most processes are performed by humans, lack of digital skills).

This study said that due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnamese businesses were more or less aware of the role of digital technology in their production and business activities. However, the level of awareness and application was very different between businesses, and between industries and regions.

The World Bank has recently published a report on Vietnam's digital transformation. To assess the current state of Vietnam's digital transformation, the World Bank used four pillars: Connect, Harness, Innovate, Protect (CHIP).

The World Bank compared Vietnam with 12 countries, divided in two groups. Group 1 includes middle-income economies that have a similar digital transformation status with Vietnam, such as South Africa, Ivory Coast, Thailand or the Philippines. The second group includes more developed countries like Singapore or South Korea.

According to Jacques Morissette, Chief Economist and Manager of the World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Program in Vietnam, in terms of Connect, Vietnam ranked relatively high because most Vietnamese people have access to digital tools and the Internet.

Jacques Morissette, Chief Economist and Manager of the World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Program in Vietnam.

For the pillar of Harness, which is what can be done with digital tools, Vietnam does not have a very good ranking and needs more digital skills and a regulatory framework to operate in the digital economy.

In terms of Innovation or adaptability to digital technologies, Vietnam has made some progress and ranks in the middle among the countries compared.

In the last pillar of Protect, Vietnam is relatively good in terms of cybersecurity, but for data access, data capabilities and interoperability of operators, Vietnam ranks relatively low compared to other countries.

Tran Huu Quyen, Chairman of Posts and Telecommunications Industry Technology Joint Stock Company (a member of VNPT Group), an expert on digital transformation of small and medium enterprises, said that digital transformation has become a trend that the whole society in recent years has expressed interest in.

This makes it easier for organizations and businesses to access reference information about digital transformation, as well as lessons learned about digital transformation at home and abroad, and on that basis, to build a roadmap and implement appropriate digital transformation plans.

Vietnam has good telecommunications and IT infrastructure. Recently, a number of domestic technology corporations and digital enterprises such as VNPT, FPT, Base.vn have been developing digital transformation platforms to help organizations and enterprises deploy digital transformation easily and quickly.

However, according to Quyen, organizations and businesses are also facing difficulties relating to digital technology capacity, governance capacity, financial capacity, and corporate culture, particularly the culture of sharing and a transparent working environment.

One of the decisive factors in the success of digital transformation in organizations and businesses is the will of leaders. Therefore, among the difficulties when implementing digital transformation in Vietnam, the human barrier is still the biggest one.

Trong Dat
HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai said there are about 2 million households with 5.3 million people in need of welfare support in HCM City.

The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has proposed changing the operating hours of stores, supermarkets and shippers to ensure the timely supply of goods and distribution of goods to the people.

On behalf of the HCM City Peoples Committee, the Chairman proposed financial support of 750,000 VND/person/month for the needy after September 15 (when the current social distancing may end), totaling nearly 8,000 billion VND (over US$347 million).

The aid will be managed by technological applications and the city will transfer the money directly to people's banking accounts, Mai said.

He asked relevant agencies to submit the list of needy families before September 15. This VND8 trillion support package will be implemented after September 15. In the short term, the aid will be provided in two months - September and October.

The HCM City Chairman noted that the longer the social distancing is, the more problems related to people's lives and psychology will arise. He asked the police to control the situation to ensure security and order.

HCM City has launched many relief packages to support locals and businesses struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, and has vowed to make future ones more easily accessible.

The most recent social relief covered about one million self-employed people and 1.3 million struggling households which received VND1.5 million (US$65.7) in cash and gifts.

HCM City is the country's Covid-19 epicentre with over 258,000 cases found. Millions have lost jobs or had their incomes greatly reduced.

The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has proposed changing the operating hours of stores, supermarkets and shippers to ensure the timely supply of goods and distribution of goods to the people.

Accordingly, supermarkets, convenience stores, and food stores as well as shippers should be allowed to open and work from 6am to 9pm instead of 6am to 6pm. At present, shippers can only deliver goods within one district.

Ho Van
More shipments of Covid-19 vaccines will arrive in Vietnam, with about 30 million more doses in September and October, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said.

Answering a question about fully vaccinated people at the government press conference on Sept. 6, Thuan said that the Ministry of Health would discuss soon with scientists and makes proposals and then consult with relevant ministries and branches before submitting it to the Government for approval.

Regarding the clinical trial of the home-grown Nanocovax vaccine, he said that there are still some shortcomings that the licensing council has recommended the developer to solve. He said the vaccine is a special product that affects the whole community and many generations, so the home-grown vaccine must be safe and effective for licensing.

The health official also said that about 30 million doses or more of Covid-19 vaccines will likely arrive in Vietnam in September and October.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu said that access to vaccines is the Government's top priority. However, in the first half of 2021, the world needed 11 billion doses of vaccine to achieve herd immunity, but only 4.5 billion doses were produced. The shortage of vaccines therefore is a global issue, including in Vietnam.

Vu emphasized that Vietnam has drastically implemented its vaccine strategy, including vaccine diplomacy in order to have the fastest, earliest access to vaccines.

Vu said that Vietnam mobilized 16.6 million doses of the vaccine early, and had 33 million doses by the end of August.

Regarding Covid-19 treatment drugs, Vietnam has been looking for different sources of medicine. The Ministry of Health and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have imported millions of doses of different drugs from developed countries such as Japan, Switzerland and others to treat Covid-19 patients in Vietnam.

Huong Quynh - Thu Hang
I feel extremely confident that when this law makes it through the litigation phase, it will be upheld," Abbott said. Because exactly what we've said, it does make it easier for people to be able to go vote. No one who is eligible to vote will be denied the opportunity to vote.

Texas is among at least 18 states that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

The laws are part of a national GOP campaign, including in Florida, Georgia and Arizona, to tighten voting laws in the name of security, partly driven by Trump's false claims that the election was stolen.

Opponents did not wait for Abbott's signature to begin filing lawsuits against the new Texas law known as Senate Bill 1. The American Civil Liberties Union, minority rights groups and disability advocates are part of a broad coalition that filed separate lawsuits last week in federal court in Texas, accusing Republican lawmakers of violating the federal Voting Rights Act and intentionally discriminating against minorities.
Even with the recipe in hand, Thulin turned to her mother for more information.

Shes given me so many tips along the way, Thulin said.

After baking just for her family, Thulin started selling her kolaches about four years ago. She doesnt have social media and she doesnt advertise her business, Connies Czech Baking. Still, she gets plenty of customers through word-of-mouth. Her most frequent orders are for weddings and funerals.

Gesch also bakes large quantities of kolaches in the three ovens she has at her Lincoln home. Her pastries are offered during fish fries at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Lincoln and she sells them at farmers markets.

The Bouc family kolache recipe has a secret ingredient or two that Gesch does not share with outsiders. However, she did share a kolache recipe in the handout she provided at her table on Sunday. She also sold wooden kolache presses. She plans to donate the proceeds to Saunders County Catholic Schools, where her niece and nephew are students.

Gesch learned to bake from her mother, Marie Bouc, who learned from her mother. In their honor, Gesch wore an embroidered apron of her grandmothers during the contest.
WAHOO  A woman found with a large amount of marijuana at a Wahoo motel last January has been sentenced.

Barbara McArthur of Jamestown, N.Y. was sentenced on Aug. 30 to one year of deferred judgement probation by Saunders County District Court Judge Christina Marroquin.

Saunders County Attorney Jennifer Joakim explained on Friday that deferred judgement probation means the defendants case can be dismissed if they comply with all conditions of the probation during the prescribed amount of time. She said it is a new statute in the state of Nebraska that began in 2020.

McArthur was arrested on Jan. 16, 2021 by Wahoo Police after law enforcement 27 pounds of marijuana and items used to heat seal baggies for transportation in her possession. Chief of Police Bruce Farrell said at the time that the value of the marijuana was about $55,000.

McArthur was traveling from California to New York when she stopped in Wahoo to spend the night at a local motel. Police received a call that there was an odor of marijuana at the motel.

Wahoo Police officers and members of the III Corps Narcotics Task Force served the search warrant after the WPD conducted a narcotics investigation at 5 p.m.
Microsoft adds to NSA cloud protest

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft continues to pursue its protest of a $10 billion National Security Agency cloud computing contract that went to rival Amazon Web Services.

Microsoft recently filed a supplemental protest with the Government Accountability Office that continues its argument that the NSA made a mistake in choosing AWS.

The original filing hit on July 21 and the supplemental filing was made on Sept. 2, which indicates Microsoft is responding to the NSAs report on its protest.

Once an agency is notified that a protest has been filed, they have about 30 days to send GAO a written report on the procurement and the process they want through. The agency also provides information they believe refutes the allegations made by the protestor.

Microsoft is required to respond to the agency report. But the company has taken an extra step in making a supplemental filing to its protest.

That means that there was something in NSA's report or in the documents the agency provided to GAO that triggered additional responses by Microsoft.

Of course, that doesnt mean that Microsoft is more likely to prevail. But all of that indicates this fight is going to go on.

One other possibility is that the new protest filing by Microsoft might raise concerns with NSA and pressure the agency to take a corrective action.

Given the NSA is the customer, it is not surprising that we're not hearing much more about this classified contract.

What we do know so far is that it is worth up to $10 billion and goes by the dramatic name of WildandStormy. Other details are scarce, but this contract fits a bigger pattern across the intelligence community of moving more data and applications to the cloud.

WildandStormy will likely replace the on-premise based GovCloud environment. Already underway and separately is a multiple-award effort known as Commercial Cloud Enterprise or C2E, of which Microsoft and AWS hold positions on alongside three other cloud hosting providers.

Although Microsoft filed a supplemental protest, the original protest filing on July 21 is the starting point for a decision. The due date of Oct. 29 remains GAOs deadline for a decision.

If GAO rules against Microsoft, Id expect Microsoft to take the next step and go the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. If GAO rules in Microsoft's favor, well have to see what the recommendation is. It isnt automatic that AWS will go to court if the decision goes in Microsofts favor.

Watch this space because this fight is far from over.
UNITED NATIONS  Former Irish president Mary Robinson, who heads the group of prominent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, called on China and Russia especially to tell the Taliban that participation of women in Afghan society and the education of girls are non-negotiable and must be respected.
This is the seductive career that Sam embraces, a road map through the hijinks and low troughs of the American Century. "Late City" moves briskly, paced by boldface headlines and tragic events, from the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 to the Sept. 11 attacks. There are cameos from figures such as crime boss Al Capone and flamboyant populist Huey Long, "dressed like a dandy, but studiously an American one: his suit is the color of the amber waves of grain; his shirt, the purple mountains majesties; and his tie, the fruited plains, if the fruits were all strawberries."

The novel may seem preoccupied with politics, but Butler would argue that canvassing the public square, antennae tuned to rumor as well as fact, is a reporter's raison d'etre.

With its robust narrative and staccato cadence, the first half of "Late City" appeals, but midway the novel stumbles into formulaic plotting and wooden dialogue. God nails his one-liners, but he's still just a device to vary the flow of episodes.

Sam, too, flattens beneath the weight of his halo: he's preternaturally down with Black sharecroppers, feminist causes and the labor movement, atoning for his own privilege. This may be Butler's bid for topicality, but too often he sermonizes rather than telling Sam's story.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest from Tuesday, Sept. 7:

SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION: The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has scheduled a State Historical Society of Iowa museum display and a bell-ringing ceremony Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Society members plan to honor first responders and commemorate victims with a bell-ringing ceremony outside the Capitol in Des Moines. Organizers say the Liberty Bell east of the Iowa Statehouse will toll first at 7:46 a.m. to mark the time of the attack on the World Trade Centers North Tower in New York City, and then later to mark the attacks on the South Tower and the Pentagon, as well the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

The tolling will follow a 5-5-5 ringing protocol used by many fire departments to honor the memory of firefighters who died in service.

After the bell ceremony, the public is invited to the State Historical Museum of Iowa from 10 to 11 a.m. to see a display that commemorates those who died during the attacks. The display also honors the service of Iowa City firefighter Glenn Pauley, who assisted in the rescue and recovery operation at the site of the Twin Towers in New York.
Klein agreed the deadline is micromanaging, and said she wanted to give the department more time because of the love and affection that the officers have for that design, a red griffin others have said resembles a KKK dragon.

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It makes us look petty, Klein said of the deadline. It makes us look mean-spirited, and it does not show leadership at all.

Todd Obadal, former co-chair of the county Republican Party, said the council steamrolled griffin resolutions through without talking to the police officers.

This isnt respect for the police. This isnt respect for the city, Obadal said.

Mayor Quentin Hart said the logo issue was originally brought to the department last year to offer police the chance to come up with an alternate design.

That wasnt met with support, Hart said.

Another resolution  that Morrissey, Juon and Amos will personally drive uniforms and clothing to and from the uniform supplier and a vendor removing the old patches  also passed on a 5-2 vote over the mayors objections.
OMAHA, Neb.  Meatpacking workers and farm workers who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible to get grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday.

Officials said the grants are meant to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work.

While the rest of America could work from home, these brave men and women continued to show up for work every single day to ensure that we all food on our tables that we could eat, said Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Meatpacking plants experienced some of the most deadly COVID-19 outbreaks when the pandemic first came around and there were workers that are deserving of our help, and our thanks and our support.

In the spring of 2020, the virus tore through meatpacking plants, where workers stand shoulder-to-shoulder on production lines. The UFCW union, which represents roughly 80% of the nations beef and pork workers and 33% of its poultry workers, estimates that at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers have been infected or exposed to the virus.
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 law partially addresses that concern. Voters who submit ballots before Election Day will 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 law, like others approved or 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.
Donald Trump, the former Republican president, plans to hold a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 9, according to reports from the Des Moines Register and Fox News.

It would be Trumps first appearance in Iowa since the 2020 election. Trump carried Iowa in both 2016, when he won the White House, and again in 2020, when he lost his re-election bid to President Joe Biden.

Trump has not yet said whether he plans to run for president again in 2024. His return to Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, will fuel that speculation.

NUNES TO IOWA: California Rep. Devin Nunes is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Iowa state legislator John Wills, speaker pro tem of the Iowa House, according to a notice from Wills campaign.

Nunes, who is billed on the notice as one of Americas leading patriots and a frequent Fox News contributor, is scheduled appear at the event Oct. 3 at Snappers Turtle Bay Cafe in Okoboji.
Ghajar said the World Bank will offer partial risk guarantees to ensure that the commercial deal goes through. He didnt say how much it will cost but said Lebanon is working with the World Bank to secure the deal.

Lebanon is witnessing an economic crisis described as one of the worlds worst since the 1850s. Shortages of medicine, fuel and basic supplies have often brought the country to standstill, while political disagreements have foiled efforts to form a government to negotiate a rescue package with international financial institutions.

The Arab cooperation to deliver gas to Lebanon through Syria represents a significant thawing of relations between the war-ravaged country and its neighbors, most of who had either cut diplomatic ties or limited relations to security collaboration during the 10-year civil war.

The Syrian government of Bashar Assad is under U.S. and western sanctions for its role in the brutal war, which has left nearly half a million killed and disappeared and nearly half of the population displaced.

Despite the sanctions, the U.S. has supported the resumption of natural gas from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria.
I emphasized the graveness of what they were seeing. This generation of adolescent millennials had been bombarded with computer-generated visuals of objects being blown up since they were born. The gravity of the situation at first seemed to evade them. I told them they were witnessing something that was going to change their lives. I said that there would be a pre-9/11 and there would be a post-9/11 for all Americans. I compared Sept. 11 to Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy when my parents heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor which started WWII for the United States. I then went on to compare our day in class to Nov. 22, 1963. I told them the exact class in seventh grade I was in when I heard President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. My seventh-grade classes found that especially relatable. I said someday when they are asked where were you on 9/11? you may likely respond, I was in Mr. Wikerts art class.
Q: Why does The Courier have a customer service call center?

A: Like many corporations, Lee Enterprises Inc., the owner of The Courier, utilizes a call center for its entire newspaper operation. This does allow for efficiencies and assists with staffing at the local level. The call center is located in the Tuscon, Arizona, area.

Q: Have any lawsuits been brought forward from MercyOne employees concerning being forced to get the vaccine?

A: No. State and federal employment laws allow employers to require vaccinations. Each individual has a choice to comply, and medical and religious exemptions are available.

Q: My daughter is 17 and employed at MercyOne, can they terminate her if she does not have parental consent to get the vaccine?

A: A MercyOne spokeswoman responded: COVID-19 vaccination is required for all MercyOne colleagues to ensure we provide a safe care environment for all  our colleagues, patients and communities. A minor, who is not able to give consent, must receive parental consent to receive any vaccine.

Q: Why did Bonanza close years ago?
Charles Slender-White is a San Franciscobased choreographer, fairly new (gay) dad, and alleged recovering fashion hound with a passion for posing intriguing questions in his work.

This time around that means, Split, his new piece that begins its run as part of the CounterPulse Festival on September 9th and continues after the festival's end, through the October 30th.

But here's the thing: Each of the 300 performances will be performed by a single dancer for an audience of one, and last for just 15 minutes. And get this, you the audience member will be behind plexiglass enjoying it (if you like) with a nice drink.

Is this contemporary dance designed for a pandemic or what?



Described perhaps cheekily as a "peep show meets escape room," the gist of Split is both simple and complicated: How do we become who we are, or perhaps more to the point, how do we come to find out who we are? Slender-White, founder of the dance company Fact/SF, has some intriguing thoughts on that matter, as well as others, which he shared with us in the below Q & A.

'Split' dancer Katherine Neumann. (Robbie Sweeny)

7x7: You are originally from San Diego but have traveled, lived, and taught extensively around the world. But San Francisco is home when did you move to SF and what drew you here?



CSW: As a Southern Californian, I always had the idea I would live here. I attended UC Berkeley from 2002 to 2006, moved to Russia in 2006, and then to SF in 2008. Arts, culture, politics, topography, it had it all. And in 2008 it was still relatively inexpensive, so a good place to begin a career. Which is exactly what I did.





Glen Park is not only a lovely part of the city to live in, but has a BART stop (hello SFO!). Any favorite haunts for food and drink you want to share?

I'm a regular at Gialina. It's a casual place with really good food. Thin crust pizza is their forte and I'm all about three of them: the Pistachio Pesto, the Yukon Gold, and the Four Cheese. The great thing about Glen Park is that it has a feel, you know? In many ways it still feels undiscovered by the rest of the city, which I love. You go to the local bar and it's folks from the neighborhood, and it's the same with the restaurants.

When I leave the neighborhood, it's often for carbonara at Nob Hill Cafe or a martini at Local Edition on Market. I am looking forward to Local Edition's reopening, which coincidentally is scheduled for the same day as Split opens. I'm taking it as a sign!





Ok, those boots are something else and definitely have a bit of a "Who's Your Daddy" vibe, while also being very rooted in the world of fashion. Word is you're a bit of a recovering fashion houndany story behind them?

Not technically in recovery, but yeah, those days are somewhat behind me. Partly because my closet is still pretty full of the gorgeous clothes I bought back then. I was a big fan of Hedi Slimane's minimalist aesthetic, so I acquired a lot of Dior.



The boots, I bought them for my 25th birthday. I was in Milan on a road trip from Warsaw. I was not all that interested in Tom Ford, but I entered his store, turned a corner, and there they were. It was like the heavens opened up, illuminating these beatific knee-high riding boots with gold zippers and bucklesthey still feel just as amazing today as they did that first day I put them on. Only 20 pairs of these boots were made, so they feel pretty special and nearly bespoke, much as I'm hoping Split will feel for audience members.





You and your husband recently became parents for the first time, and Split is about identity and how we come to find out who we are. Is there a connection between the timing here?

Definitely. All the projects I conceive of are connected to my personal life, what I'm experiencing emotionally, or what's going on in society. My husband and I started to plan a family right around the same time that the concept for Split began to emerge.



Identities shift over time. They end. They begin again. It seems to me that one's identity is not ever fixed, but that maybe it shifts less frequently or less significantly after a certain age. Our present identity is always in conversation with the experienced past and the anticipated future. Fascinating stuff. Having a child was concurrent with feeling less tumultuous in my own identity.





What is it about finding out who we are that intrigues us so?

This is the nut of the whole project. I am noticing through the creation process that yes, there is a sense of self, but also there is another layer, which is how that sense of self gets articulated through words, actions, and relationships. Who we are versus who we think we are can be elusive, and when something is elusive or missing, we want to search for it.

Who knows, maybe that was behind that moment with the Tom Ford boots in Milan.





At what point do you think we really, I mean really figure that out?

We don't. But we become more familiar with the component parts.





Crucial to Split is the notion of a single dancer performing for a single audience member, with the two separated by a pane of plexiglass, which seems designed for life during a pandemicis that how it came about?

Definitely a coincidencewe started fundraising for the project in 2019. We have since added elements into the show because of the pandemic, but the conceit was born out of a desire to offer a more individualized art experience. Split was supposed to happen last year and got cancelled because of the pandemic, but the timing is sort of perfect because folks are so hungry to see live art again.





In terms of identity and the pandemic, we understand that your favorite cocktail is the martini, true? And if so, what is it about the martini?

Yes, it is my favorite. I'm a fan of the Navy Strength Gin from Spirit Works in Sebastopol. It's all so Pavlovian in a way, beginning with the weight of the glass in the hand during prep, before the taste, before that cool rush comes over you. For me, the martini indicates on a subconscious level that the day's work is over. It is a definite demarcation and a sublime feeling. Like reclining on a chaise lounge.





And finally, speaking of identity, if you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?

A wave in the Pacific Ocean.





// Split opens Thursday, September 9th at CounterPulse and runs through the end of October; tickets ($15 and up) are available at counterpulse.org.

Images can be found here  including the one with the boots and the Who's Your Daddy vibe (all credited) https://photos.app.goo.gl/BuLrnUStb2vindbGA
Andriy Popov / Alamy Stock Photo

It was an advertisement that warmed hearts across Europe last holiday season  and, eventually, many in the United States by way of social media.

An older man who appears to struggle just to get out of bed shuffles to a shed, where he starts lifting an ancient barbell. A neighbor rolls her eyes. Even his daughter is concerned. But the man persists. The payoff comes at a Christmas party where the man lifts his young granddaughter to put a star on the tree  his goal all along. Only then are you shown the logo of the Dutch pharmacy company DocMorris.

In terms of tenderness and respect for older people, the ad rivaled an American one by Gillette in 2017 called Handle With Care. It showed a real-life adult son caring for his aging father, who needs assistance with shaving after a stroke. The ad won multiple awards at the Cannes Lions festival, the largest gathering in the creative marketing community.

If only older adults were always so respected. But the truth is, ads that show contempt for older people are still far too common.

An egregious example was 2018's Dear Young People, Don't Vote. That ad, sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Acronym, showed older people as selfish, uncaring, out-of-touch caricatures who are ruining the future through their lack of concern about the young. While the goal of the ad was noble  to get young people to vote  its approach was both divisive and derogatory.

That same year, E-Trade's ad This Is Getting Old enraged many people with its depictions of buffoonish older adults who were forced to work jobs they did not want and were not competent to do because they hadn't bothered to save for retirement. The ad campaign mocked retirees who were struggling financially and alienated those who actually control the largest share of wealth.




Exploration Target Outlines Upside at Gorno

Perth, Sep 8, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Alta Zinc Limited ( ASX:AZI ) ( FRA:8EE ) is pleased to announce an Exploration Target of between 17.4 and 22.0 million tonnes at a grade ranging between 8.5 and 10.4% zinc, 1.9 and 2.4% lead, and 19 and 23g/t silver. The Exploration Target lies wholly within the Company's granted Exploration Licence (EL) with the target area being within or adjacent to the extensive underground development that makes up the historical Gorno mine. The Exploration Target is in addition to and contiguous with the recently announced Mineral Resource estimate (MRE).The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and therefore is an approximation. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared and reported in accordance with the 2012 edition of the JORC Code.Geraint Harris, MD of Alta Zinc commented:"The development of our Exploration Target significantly leverages the knowledge synthesised during the last 18 months of exploration drilling and data analysis. The fact our significant MRE upgrade is surrounded by evidence of continuing mineralisation gives great confidence that we have an opportunity to add considerable scale to our Gorno Project without the need for any additional permitting, land acquisition or extension of our current exploration licence.Gorno has the geologic potential that is typical of world class Mississippi Valley deposits around the world. This Exploration Target is within close proximity to the existing historical underground development, offering both short-term opportunities to drill test from existing underground development, plus longer-term growth potential once our development footprint is extended during Project construction."The Exploration Target is made up of 13 separate but contiguous areas which surround the extensive production stopes and development drives of the Gorno mine. Four of the areas (1 to 4) lie to the west of the western fault in a downfaulted area, area 13 lies to the east of the Pezel Fault, whilst the remainder (5 to 12) lie between the two faults (Figure 1*). The exploration tonnage and grade ranges are listed in the link below.Basis for Exploration TargetThe Exploration Target is conceptual in nature but provides an estimate of the potential scale of extensional mineralisation within part of the surrounding EL area, and the impact this may have on the Gorno Project.It is the synthesis of our geological understanding of the Gorno mine environs, particularly the mineralisation geometry, host Metallifero Formation, and both mine and regional geology. It extrapolates potentially mineralised Metallifero Formation, a distance of approximately 250-500m along strike and dip from mineralised drill intersections, into extensional areas that have not been tested by drilling but where geological continuity is supported by geological mapping, structural interpretation or outlying drill hole intercepts of Metallifero Formation that suggest continuity. The Metallifero Formation is part of a conformable sequence of mostly limestone rocks that consistently hosts mineralisation and is present throughout the EL area, even when off-set by late-stage structural faulting.Exploration Activities CompletedThe work references an extensive geological database (Appendix A*) which in summary includes the following:- 1955 to 1978: underground development, mapping and diamond drilling by Societa Anonima Nicheli e Metalli Nobil (AMMI SpA),- 1979 to 1982: underground development and production, mapping and diamond drilling by Societa Azionaria Minerario-Metallurgica SpA (SAMIM),- 2015 to present: diamond drilling, mapping and fact checking of historical mapping, observations of exposed mineralisation within the underground development, and ground truthing surface mapping (published by both government and research/academic organisations).Proposed Exploration ActivitiesWith the aim to grow the Mineral Resource estimate and upgrade the resource category, portions of the Exploration Target areas 10 and 11 are currently being drill tested at Gorno. After this, the Company plans to drill in the areas 7, 8 and 12 within the next 12 months. The outcomes of this exploration, as well as the current MRE, will be integrated into a proposed Definitive Feasibility Study which the Company intends to commence in early 2022. Drilling of the other Exploration Target areas will continue in parallel with any prospective mine construction, development and production phases as the Company seeks to realise the full potential of the Mineral Resource estimate.Exploration Potential Outside of the Exploration Target AreaIn addition to the current Exploration Target, the ground immediately to the east termed "Pezel East", between the Pezel Fault and Grem Fault is highly prospective. There is geological reconnaissance data which indicates it hosts significant strike extents of mineralised Metallifero Formation however, there is currently insufficient drilling or definitive historical evidence for this area to be included in the Exploration Target, and it will be assessed further once more evidence is collected.Further exploration potential also exists in the down-dip extensions south and beyond Areas 6 and 9, termed "Zorzone Deeps", where there are clear observations of mineralisation in development walls on the 600 mRL level (Riso Parina) and mineralised intersections in nearby diamond drilling, but with insufficient exploration data at depth any estimate of an Exploration Target must await further exploration efforts.Continuity of mineralisation is also demonstrated east of the Grem Fault, in the stopes of the historical Fortuna workings, where high-grade mineralisation was mined, and a remnant historical reserve prepared by SAMIM remained at mine closure (early 1980s). This ground is contained within the Mining Licence application area but lies outside of the Company's granted EL. Therefore, a subsequent Exploration Target for the Fortuna extension areas will be considered once the ML is granted.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Alta Zinc Limited

Alta Zinc Limited (ASX:AZI) (FRA:8EE) is an emerging ASX-listed exploration and development company focused on unlocking dormant value at the Gorno Project. Gorno is an historic high-grade zinc mine in industrialised Northern Italy, proximal to smelters and key infrastructure and with a track record of producing high quality clean concentrates to European Smelters.

Drilling of known brownfields high-grade targets is underway and aims to strengthen the current Resource inventory. Subsequent project development will leverage off the existing underground infrastructure, simple metallurgy and advanced technical studies to de-risk a future feasibility study. The Company also has a portfolio of other mineral exploration projects in northern Italy and Australia.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A judge on Monday ordered water, gas and electrical services shut off at an Albuquerque restaurant that remained open over the weekend despite a court order last week that it cease operations.

State District Judge Nancy Franchini took the step after Backstreet Grill continued operations Saturday and Sunday in defiance of her order Friday that the restaurant stop serving food and beverages.

Backstreet Grill, 1919 Old Town Road NW, has operated for months in defiance of city- and state-ordered COVID-19 health rules. The citys Environmental Health Department revoked the restaurants health permit earlier this year.

The dispute centers on a failure by restaurant employees to wear masks or face coverings in the workplace, as required by the states Public Health Order and COVID-19 Safe Practices.

No one at the restaurant answered the phone Tuesday. Backstreets attorney, Ana Garner, also did not respond Tuesday to a voice message requesting comment.

Mark DiMenna, acting director of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department, said he learned of Franchinis order late Tuesday.

At a hearing Friday, the city asked Franchini to order the shut-off if the restaurant continued to operate.

The judge said Friday that she would give the restaurant an opportunity to cease operations before taking additional steps, DiMenna said.

We were asked by the judge to make her aware if they continued to operate, he said. The city had not notified the court that Backstreet remained open Saturday and Sunday, he said. Backstreet is ordinarily closed Monday and Tuesday.

Backstreet has operated without a city-issued food service permit since May 6.

The preliminary injunction Franchini issued Monday ordered Public Service Company of New Mexico, New Mexico Gas Co. and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority to immediately discontinue service to the restaurant.
A top education staffer to state lawmakers has stepped down over unreleased remarks about Native Americans, but Rachel Gudgel wont have to scramble for a new job, thanks to months of paid leave few nongovernment employees would have been able to accrue.

Gudgel submitted her resignation as director of the Legislative Education Study Committee Sept. 1. She was reprimanded last year and put on probation after allegations that she made disparaging comments about Native Americans.

Gudgel says she loved her job as the top adviser to lawmakers on education policy and budgeting but that the harsh criticism she faced from Native American leaders and others in recent months became too challenging. She had apologized for what she described as her isolated, insensitive comments, but legislative staff wont release findings of a personnel investigation, making it unclear exactly what she is accused of saying.

Pueblo governors have called for the investigative report to be released; a Journal request for the report under the Inspection of Public Records Act last year was denied, with the Legislature citing the exemption for matters of opinion in a personnel file.

She said whatever she said  or she didnt; theres no matter of opinion.

That decision was as ridiculous as the 5 months of paid leave Gudgel was allowed to accumulate as a legislative staffer since 2005. This is not unusual  benefits for public employees often far exceed what is available for private employees.

In the private world, paid leave is typically capped at a matter of weeks and its use it or lose it. The fact that Gudgel and many public employees are able to accumulate nearly half a year of paid leave shows its a very different world for government employees  with that additional expense paid for with tax dollars.

At maximum the state should take a close look at the benefits it makes taxpayers fund. At minimum, legislative leaders should release the investigative report so taxpayers know what Gudgel said that sparked all this in the first place.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexico State Police officers have been on the front lines when it comes to enforcing public health orders during the pandemic.

However, only about 57% of State Police officers were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of last week  a figure thats well below the statewide rate of 68.3% among residents 18 and older.

State Police Chief Tim Johnson said Tuesday only one uniformed officer and a few civilian employees have left the agencys ranks due to an executive order issued in July by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham that requires weekly virus testing and regular wearing of face masks for unvaccinated state employees.

He also said State Polices fully vaccinated rate has ticked up to about 60% since last week as some employees have gotten their second required dose  and said it could go up more in the coming weeks.

But he acknowledged some reluctance among officers to get vaccinated despite the agencys attempt to provide them with accurate information about the vaccine.

I think weve done a pretty good job of following the public health order the best we can, Johnson told the Journal. I dont think weve been perfect at it like some other agencies, but I dont think weve been bad at it either.

Johnson also said the agency has faced challenges securing access to regular testing, adding the weekly testing requirement has been particularly problematic for some officers based in rural New Mexico.

Getting a test for an officer whos on a graveyard shift is probably not as easy as (getting one) for an officer working a day shift or a swing shift, Johnson said.

As of last week, 56.9% of State Police employees were fully vaccinated  or 366 out of the 643 individuals employed by the agency, according to data provided by the Department of Public Safety in response to a public records request.

An additional 18 employees were still awaiting their second dose or for two weeks to elapse after getting their second shot, which is the time period necessary for the vaccines protection to fully kick in.

Meanwhile, other law enforcement agencies nationwide have also seen widespread reluctance to get vaccinated.

Police union leaders in Chicago and New York, among other locations, have pushed back against vaccination requirements. And only 47% of New Yorks uniformed and civilian police employees had reportedly been vaccinated as of this month.

The low vaccination rates among law enforcement employees has raised public health concerns, since their jobs typically involve a large amount of interaction with the public.

Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham, described New Mexico State Police officers as invaluable public servants and suggested the agencys vaccination rate compares favorably to that of other law enforcement bodies around the state.

Our office, along with state health experts, will continue working with state agencies and state employees to answer questions about vaccines and educate state employees on the benefits and protections of getting vaccinated, just as we continue to work to do with New Mexicans statewide, Sackett said.

In the meantime, rigorous testing and masking requirements will help minimize the risks that unvaccinated individuals in any circumstance create for the general population, she added.

In addition to state employees, the Democratic governors administration has imposed a separate vaccination mandate for hospital workers, corrections officers and people working in other group home settings.

Teachers and school workers also face a similar vaccine or regular testing requirement under that same public health order, which was issued last month by acting Health Secretary David Scrase.

Among New Mexico State Police officers and civilian employees, only a small group have balked at the state-imposed mandates, Johnson said.

But he added even a few resignations can have implications for an agency that has only been able to hire a small number of recruits during the pandemic and was recently directed by the governor to help stem violent crime in the Albuquerque area.

We cant afford to lose anyone else under these circumstances, Johnson said.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Yvette Herrell of New Mexico on Tuesday visited Holloman Air Force Base, where thousands of Afghan refugees are living until they can start new lives in America.

Herrell, the lone Republican member of Congress from New Mexico, before the tour had raised questions about the vetting of Afghan citizens who recently evacuated from their home country. Meanwhile, Stansbury, a Democrat who represents the Albuquerque area, said she wanted to find out how the federal government can best support the needs of the Afghans.

After leaving the tour, Stansbury said in a video posted on Facebook that the base has about 2,000 refugees and plans to temporarily serve 5,000.

These are our allies from Afghanistan who came from throughout the country. Many of them are Afghan military; they are folks who worked as translators   she said. They are now here in New Mexico with their families and are going through the paperwork and processing so they can ultimately go to the places where they will create their new homes here in the United States.

Officials at Holloman said the Afghans are at different points in the application process.

As such, the visa process is different for each person or family depending on where they are in the process, and that will impact how long they will be housed here, a spokeswoman for a task force assisting the Afghans said in an email.

The base near Alamogordo on Aug. 31 started receiving people who had recently fled Afghanistan, which has fallen back to Taliban control after Americas 20-year war in the country ended.

Holloman officials built Douglas Village as a temporary lodging area for the Afghans, complete with halal dining, which means the food adheres to Islamic law, and areas set up to allow for religious activities and recreation. The refugees will be able to get medical care at the base, according to a Holloman news release.

The effort is part of Operation Allies Welcome, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security mission to accommodate 50,000 Afghan evacuees.

Most of the refugees are living at military bases while waiting for visas to be processed. Similar arrangements have been made at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Lee in Virginia, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, Fort Pickett in Virginia and other military facilities, according to The Associated Press.

Holloman officials said the refugees are staying in accommodations that resemble how airmen and soldiers are living on base. They said the base is working to make the living arrangements culturally appropriate and comfortable.

Herrell, who represents most of the southern part of the state, raised concerns about how the refugees are being vetted.

The American people deserve to know who is coming to their communities, how the government is vetting them, and the conditions on bases housing Afghan nationals, she said in a news release prior to her tour. The Biden administrations track record of disastrous and deadly failure in Afghanistan should not be allowed to extend to this process. I look forward to reporting on the situation at Holloman following my visit.

Officials with Herrells office didnt respond to a request for comment about her reaction to the tour.
KINGMAN, Ariz.  A handcuffed woman who was arrested with a gun at a highway gas station near Kingman Tuesday managed to grab a revolver from a detectives holster and shoot him in the hand before another officer tased her.

The Mohave County Sheriffs Office detective was treated at a local hospital for a non-life threatening hand injury.

Bullhead City police said they are investigating the shooting after sheriffs deputies responded at 9:15 a.m. to reports of an erratic female with a gun inside the Maverick Country Store on U.S. 68 in Golden Valley 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Bullhead City.

She was combative before officers arrested her for disorderly conduct with a weapon and resisting arrest, police said in a statement.

When the detective escorted her outside in handcuffs, she somehow grabbed the detectives duty weapon out of its holster, the statement said. When the detective felt her grab his gun and tried to stop her, she discharged the weapon and shot him in his hand.

Police identified the woman as Brenda Thomas, 51, of Golden Valley. She was not injured.

Police said she faced an additional charge of attempted second-degree homicide when she was expected to be booked into the Mohave County Jail in Kingman later Tuesday.

 This story has been corrected to show that Thomas faces an attempted second-degree homicide charge, not second-degree homicide.
AUSTIN, Texas  The sweeping changes to Texas election code that GOP Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Tuesday make it harder  sometimes even legally riskier  to cast a ballot in the state, which already has some of the nations 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 states business. Enough of them returned about three weeks ago to end the impasse, and GOP leaders made quick work of pushing the bill through both chambers. Abbott immediately said he would sign it, which happened Tuesday.

Texas is among at least 18 states, including Florida, Georgia and Arizona, that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The national GOP campaign to tighten voting laws has been partly driven by former President Donald Trumps false claims that the election was stolen.

Heres a closer look at whats in the new Texas law:

EMPOWERING POLL WATCHERS

Some of the most significant changes in Texas law 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 law gives partisan poll watchers new access, protections and power. The law 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 watchers view also commits a legal offense. The law 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 law empowers poll watchers to sue and seek court orders against election officials who get in their way. The new law also requires 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 law 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 law also makes it a felony for any election official who sends out unsolicited applications or ballots to vote-by-mail.

The GOP law also bans drive-thru voting for most voters and controls the times at which county governments can keep polling places open. That will put a stop to 24-hour voting locations. Houstons Harris County  one of the nations 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 law 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 law adds more steps and paperwork for voters, including requirements to include their drivers 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 law partially address that concern. Voters who submit ballots before Election Day will 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 law, like others approved or 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 theyre necessary to prevent fraud or improper influence on voters. Democrats note, accurately, that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. The states 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 law expands an existing mandate that people who help voters with ballots provide information on the envelope attesting to their role. Under the law, 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 laws 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 law 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 of the bill 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. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin contributed to this report.

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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.
PHOENIX  Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Tuesday that Tucsons vaccine mandate for its employees is illegal, giving the city 30 days to repeal it or risk losing millions of dollars in state funding.

Democratic-led Tucson has repeatedly clashed with the states Republican leadership over the citys aggressive efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. City Manager Michael Ortega said he put the mandate on hold while Tucson develops its legal position in response to the attorney generals decision.

Brnovich, who is running for U.S. Senate in a crowded Republican primary, cited a state law approved this summer that bans local governments from mandating vaccines for employees, which doesnt take effect until later this month. He also cited an August executive order signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

Adhering to the rule of law in Arizona is not optional, Katie Conner, a spokeswoman for Brnovich, told reporters during a conference call.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero suggested Brnovichs decision was motivated by his Senate campaign.

This report reads more as a campaign speech filled with political commentary rather than a fact-based legal opinion, the Democratic mayor said in a statement.

City officials are reviewing their options, Romero said, and the next step will have to be decided by her and City Council.

Tucsons policy requires employees to get a vaccine as soon as reasonably possible or submit a religious or medical exemption. Those who failed to get a first dose by Aug. 24 faced a five-day suspension from work without pay, but it was not immediately clear if the city disciplined anyone for missing the deadline.

The policy also allows the city to charge higher health insurance premiums for unvaccinated workers and require that they wear masks and be regularly tested.

A Pima County judge last month rejected a request by the Tucson police union to stop the vaccine mandate.

In an Aug. 30 letter to the attorney generals office, City Attorney Mike Rankin wrote that Tucsons employee vaccine requirement doesnt violate state law and said Duceys executive order is meaningless.

The state law blocking cities from enacting employee vaccine mandates was tucked into the state budget in late June, a common practice that is being challenged by Phoenix in a separate case arguing that slipping unrelated policies into the budget violates the Arizona Constitution.

Brnovichs decision comes under a 2016 law that allows any lawmaker to request the attorney general investigate whether a local ordinance or policy violates state laws.

It was passed amid GOP frustration with policies enacted by Democratic-led cities. If the attorney general decides the local policy conflicts with state law, a city or county has 30 days to repeal it or lose its share of state tax revenue, which is a significant chunk of local government budgets.

Tucson collected more than $64 million from state sales taxes in the year ending June 30, making up 11% of its general fund revenue.

The complaint about Tucsons vaccine mandate was filed by Sen. Kelly Townsend, a Mesa Republican who has been one of the Legislatures most vocal critics of pandemic restrictions.

Separately, a coalition of educators, parents and advocates has sued to try to undo new Arizona laws that restrict local COVID-19 requirements. A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

At least 29 public school districts in Arizona have enacted their own mask requirements, accounting for more than 334,000 students and nearly 500 schools.

The Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported 1,982 new cases of COVID-19 and 54 deaths. About 56% of people in the state have received at least one dose of vaccine.

When Tucson officials adopted the vaccine mandate last month, they estimated about 1,000 city employees were unvaccinated. It was not immediately clear how many still havent received shots.

Brnovich last month published a legal opinion saying businesses can require their employees and customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 but must allow reasonable religious and medical exemptions. He said government agencies are different because the Legislature specifically prohibited them from adopting vaccine mandates.
BOSTON  Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.

In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: He should not be paroled.

Bobby believed we should work to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world,' Kennedy, 93, wrote.

He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband, she wrote, adding: Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.

Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Her statement came a week after former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFKs oldest son, also denounced the possible parole of Sirhan, 77.

Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.

The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society, noting that he had enrolled in more than 20 programs including anger management classes, tai chi and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Sirhan has served 53 years of a life sentence.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next four months by the boards staff. Then it will be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.

Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The New Mexico Supreme Court has rejected Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales petition to intervene in his fight with the Albuquerque city clerk over whether Gonzales should get about $600,000 in taxpayer money to run his mayoral campaign.

The high court on Wednesday formally denied a petition Gonzales filed last week asking it to order either a state judge or City Clerk Ethan Watson to certify Gonzales for the public campaign financing.

Watson initially denied Gonzales the public money on July 9, citing evidence he said showed Gonzales and his campaign violated rules during the campaign financing qualifying process.

That decision has triggered a series of appeals, hearings and court filings, including the request last week for the Supreme Court to step in.

Since Watsons initial decision, Gonzales campaign has admitted to submitting forged paperwork to the clerk, and the citys Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices fined Gonzales $500  the maximum penalty  after finding that he violated city code while attempting to qualify for the money.

Gonzales attorneys have argued that the sheriff still did enough to earn public financing and that Watson is not an impartial decision-maker because his term as clerk is tied to incumbent Mayor Tim Kellers time in office.

Keller is running for reelection against Gonzales and radio host Eddy Aragon.

Despite the Supreme Courts rejection of Gonzales petition, his fight continues in the court system.

Gonzales has asked 1st Judicial District Judge Bryan Biedscheid to rehear his appeal of Watsons decision. Biedscheid had last month ruled that Watson denied Gonzales due process before making his July decision, sending the matter back to Watson to reconsider.

In response to Biedscheids order, Watson conducted a hearing last week, allowing Gonzales to address the evidence. Watson then decided, once again, that Gonzales would not get the money.

Gonzales filed a motion last week asking Biedscheid to rehear the case. A hearing is set for Sept. 14.

We look forward to presenting our case to the district judge on Tuesday and are confident the judge will agree that voters should be able to decide this election after hearing from both candidates, rather than only one, and grant our public funding, Shannan Calland, Gonzales campaign manager.
SYDNEY  Parts of Australias New South Wales state will come out of lockdown Saturday and the government plans to ease restrictions in Sydney once 70% of its residents aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

The government on Thursday outlined plans to ease restrictions in Sydney, which has been locked down since June, but it also warned that COVID-19 hospitalizations wont plateau until next month.

Coastal areas north of Sydney, the Murrumbidgee region south of the city and the Riverina to the west will be released from the statewide lockdown Saturday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says Australias most populous state will exit lockdown in a cautious and staged way as vaccination rates rise. In New South Wales, 43% of the population aged 16 and older is fully vaccinated.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Idaho patients in hospital halls amid COVID rationed care

 Ida and COVID-19: Twin-demic slams Louisiana hospitals

 WHO chief urges halt to booster shots for rest of the year

 COVID-19 surge in the US: The summer of hope ends in gloom

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 Read AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  The state of Hawaii is launching a program that will allow people to use their smart phones to prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The move comes shortly before Honolulu and Maui begin instituting vaccine requirements for patrons of restaurants and other businesses.

State officials say people who have been vaccinated in Hawaii will be able to upload a photo of their paper vaccination card to the Safe Travels Hawaii website to create a digital vaccination record. The website will crosscheck the information with data in the states vaccination database.

Diners may show the record to restaurants in lieu of their paper vaccination card.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is buying an extra 250,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Spain as it tries to keep a surge in vaccination rates going during an outbreak of the coronavirus in Auckland.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the doses will arrive Friday and she has also got a second, larger deal in the works with another country.

New Zealand was slow to get its vaccination rollout going but has been catching up to other developed since the outbreak of the delta variant began last month. About 55% of New Zealanders have received at least one dose.

New daily community cases have been decreasing and were down to 13 Thursday. Auckland remains in a strict lockdown and health authorities try to extinguish the outbreak entirely.

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CARSON CITY, Nev.  All 17 counties in Nevada will be subject to an indoor mask mandate by the end of the week.

Rural Eureka County is the states only jurisdiction currently not subject to such a requirement, but its report of high transmission of coronavirus infections for the second week in a row have triggered the mandate to take effect Friday.

The reintroduction of masks and the debut of vaccine requirements in venues like sporting events, conventions and some schools has been met with resistance across the state. In the Las Vegas area, Clark County School District Board of Trustees President Linda Cavazos has received death threats since the district approved a requirement for employees to get vaccinations.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  California lawmakers have shelved bills aimed at requiring workers to either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or get weekly virus tests to keep their jobs.

One measure by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks would have required all workers to either get the coronavirus vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Another bill by Assemblyman Evan Low sought to make sure state law protected businesses that choose to require their workers to be vaccinated.

Neither bill will advance this year.

On Wednesday, more than a thousand people gathered at the state Capitol to protest vaccine mandates. Organizers say they wanted to let lawmakers know they oppose the bills.

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ATLANTA  Atlantas public safety net hospital is the latest to temporarily cancel elective surgeries, saying it is overrun with COVID-19 patients.

Grady Memorial Hospital CEO John Haupert said Wednesday that the hospital was inundated with patients over Labor Day.

Some other Georgia hospitals have already cancelled elective procedures due to the surge in pandemic cases. More than 5,900 people are in Georgia hospitals with COVID-19.

Gov. Brian Kemp has rejected urgings from two Georgia congressmen that he order elective surgeries be postponed in all Georgia hospitals.

Kemp says the congressmen could better help by persuading the federal government to limit how much staffing companies can charge to provide nurses and other workers to supplement hospital capacity. He also says they should demand clearer federal guidance on plans to provide COVID-19 booster shots.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  Some South Carolina cities are bringing back indoor mask requirements as the states coronavirus outbreak rivals the height of the pandemic last winter before vaccines were widely available.

The cities of Columbia, West Columbia and Cayce in central South Carolina have all adopted requirements that people wear masks in indoor public places except while eating and a few other exceptions.

South Carolina has never had a statewide mask mandate but it allowed local governments to do so in 2020. Most of the mandates faded away after Gov. Henry McMaster ended a 14-month COVID-19 state of emergency in June when the state was seeing about 150 new cases a day.

Now, South Carolina is seeing about 5,400 new coronavirus cases a day, similar to the pandemics peak in January.

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JACKSON, Miss.  Mississippi is closing its only remaining field hospital for treating COVID-19 patients during the delta variant surge, but it is still relying on out-of-state workers to help increase ICU capacity in state hospitals.

A state health officials said Wednesday that the field hospital set up by Christian relief charity Samaritans Purse is in the process of decommissioning. A field hospital on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus set up with health care workers from the federal government was decommissioned last month.

The official says Mississippi is seeing a small improvement in hospital bed availability, but ICU capacity continues to be very scarce.

The state had 1,660 people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Aug. 18, compared with 1,285 on Tuesday.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia health officials say some rural hospitals have reached their critical bed capacities as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge statewide.

They are pleading with the public to avoid unnecessary ER visits to let hospitals focus their resources on treating COVID-19 patients.

There were 813 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide Wednesday, just below the record 818 on Jan. 5 when vaccination efforts were starting. There are 252 virus patients in ICUs and 132 patients on ventilators  both all-time highs.

The states coronavirus expert says our hospitals are being stressed in ways that they havent been stressed before.

In southern West Virginia, for instance, Princeton Community Hospital has no ICU beds available due to an increase in COVID-related patients.

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BATON ROUGE, La.  Louisianas hospitals, crammed with coronavirus patients and Hurricane Ida-related emergency visits, are starting to see a bit of much-needed relief from the latest surge of COVID-19.

Hospitalizations from the coronavirus have been consistently falling over the last three weeks after breaking records and reaching 3,022 patients on Aug. 18.

The state health department reports that that number has now dropped to 1,895. Its the first time it has been below 2,000 since the end of July.

Public health officials caution that hospitals continue to struggle with medical needs tied to cleanup and recovery from Ida.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md.  Maryland is authorizing COVID-19 booster shots for all residents 65 and older who live in congregate care settings.

Gov. Larry Hogan says residents in nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, residential drug treatment centers and developmentally disabled group homes are eligible.

Hogan told a news conference Wednesday that boosters can now be immediately administered.

While the federal government has yet to say when most people should get booster shots, Hogan said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved them for people who are immunocompromised, and a Maryland study indicates many in those facilities are immunocompromised.

He said the state is following CDC guidance but broadening the definition.

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DENVER  A Colorado countys public health department director says officials took three mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics off the streets after workers were harassed while providing inoculations over Labor Day weekend.

Jefferson County Public Health executive director Dawn Comstock says staff at a mobile vaccine clinic in Gilpin County were yelled at and threatened by people passing by, The Denver Post reports.

Comstock says a driver ran over and destroyed signs put up around the vaccine clinics tent.

In a separate incident, someone also threw an unidentified liquid at a nurse working a different mobile clinic in front of a restaurant.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  A Florida judge has ruled the state cannot enforce its ban on mask mandates in public schools while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is legal.

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper lifted an automatic stay of his decision last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials exceeded their authority by imposing the blanket ban through executive order.

Cooper says the overwhelming evidence before him in a lawsuit by parents challenging the ban shows wearing masks does provide some protection for children in crowded school settings  particularly those under 12, who are not yet able to get vaccinated.

Were not in normal times. We are in a pandemic, Cooper said during a remote hearing. We have a variant that is more infectious and dangerous to children than the one we had last year.

The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.

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TUCSON, Ariz.  Arizonas second most populous county is prodding its workforce to get COVID-19 vaccinations by requiring employees who refuse the shots to pay more for their health insurance.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to make unvaccinated employees lose discounts amounting to about $1,570 annually. Supervisor Steve Christy voted in opposition, saying the move was wrong and its illegal to penalize workers who choose to not get vaccinated.

The board previously authorized a $300 bonus plus three days of paid leave for county workers who have been vaccinated.

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MADRID  Spanish health authorities have authorized the use of an additional shot of a COVID-19 vaccine only for people with suppressed immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients.

The governments board of experts deemed it was too early to recommend a booster shot for the population at large. Health Minister Carolina Darias says authorities will be studying other groups that could benefit from a third shot.

Nearly 73% of Spains 34 million people are fully vaccinated.

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WASHINGTON  The summer was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 but its ending with the U.S. firmly under the command of the coronavirus, with deaths per day back up to levels in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. is averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August. Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at 250,000 per day.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

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HONOLULU  A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting Oct. 15, Alohilani Resort will require employees, patrons and guests to show proof theyre fully vaccinated. The requirement will be in place for the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by the Highgate real estate investment and hospitality management company.

Hotel officials say its the right thing to do as Hawaii struggles with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious delta variant.

There was an average of 706 newly confirmed daily cases across Hawaii between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, according to the state Department of Health. Hawaiis vaccination rate stands at 64%.
HOUMA, La.  The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 Wednesday, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew.

While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds.

The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths  of people ages 64 to 79  came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said.

More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The states largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit.

Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley.

In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running.

Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely.

Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that.

No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday.

Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area.

Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon.

Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm.

All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell.

Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said.

The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification. Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school systems website, with no timeline for a return in sight.

Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update posted Wednesday.

Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry.

About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety.

In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program.

Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm.

In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

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Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Acting Health Secretary David Scrase bluntly warned New Mexicans on Wednesday to avoid taking ivermectin  an anti-parasite drug sold at veterinary supply stores  as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

One individual in New Mexico may have died of an ivermectin overdose, he said, and another patient is in intensive care, possibly as a result of taking the drug.

In a public briefing, Scrase said that the ivermectin reports havent been verified by his agency and that the state is waiting for a death certificate and other documents.

But he said he couldnt delay in issuing a warning about the drug, which isnt approved as a treatment for COVID-19.

I dont want more people to die of an ivermectin overdose in the next four weeks while were gathering data, Scrase said. Id like people to know, if theyre out there taking it, it can kill them.

The individual who died, he said, is believed to have obtained ivermectin from a veterinary supply store. The dose used for a large animal, he said, wouldnt be appropriate for a person.

Scrase, a physician who leads the state departments of health and human services, said the report he shared came from a health care colleague in New Mexico.

Theres a cult following for this drug, Scrase said, but New Mexico health officials dont believe its effective against COVID-19.

Ivermectin can be prescribed for humans to treat intestinal worms, river blindness and certain other conditions.

Its generally used to kill parasites in humans and animals.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has urged people not to take the drug for COVID-19. More testing is needed, the agency said, before it can be determined whether it can be used to treat the disease.

You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, yall. Stop it, the FDA said in a recent tweet.

Some Republican lawmakers have promoted ivermectin as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican who represents southern New Mexico, has accused Democrats of politicizing the drug.

Despite clear studies showing possible applications of Ivermectin in helping against COVID, Joe Bidens party would rather politicize medicine, she said in a recent tweet, linking to a study. Dont take horse dewormer. Do encourage research/tests with Ivermectin by doctors. Its that simple.

Scrase said other treatments are proving effective against COVID-19. The use of remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies, for example, are playing a role in limiting hospitalizations, he said, as New Mexico reels from a late-summer surge in coronavirus cases, fueled by the highly contagious delta variant.

Still, the states hospitals remain full, Scrase said. Hospitals are on the brink of invoking crisis standards of care, he said, but they havent had to ration care.

COVID-19 isnt the only factor contributing to New Mexicos hospital crowding. The state has faced a nursing shortage and has fewer hospital beds per capita than the national average.

Health care providers say they also are seeing more patients seeking care for conditions that worsened when they didnt seek routine care during the pandemic.

The state Department of Health said 394 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 on Wednesday, a 1.5% increase over the previous day.

Ill still be sitting on the edge of my seat until the end of September, Scrase said of the full hospitals.

New Mexico is seeing hopeful signs elsewhere, health officials said. Coronavirus isnt spreading as quickly, and the number of new cases appears to have reached a plateau.

I certainly dont want to celebrate too early, but Im happy to see this semblance of a plateau, said Dr. Christine Ross, a physician and the state epidemiologist.

New Mexico reported 543 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and 15 additional deaths. The states official coronavirus-related death toll is now 4,577.

Over the past four weeks, people who arent fully vaccinated have made up 82% of new cases, 90% of hospitalizations and 92% of deaths.

The driving force in the surge of cases were seeing in New Mexico is among, unfortunately, unvaccinated individuals, Ross said.

Deputy Health Secretary Laura Parajon, a physician, said improving vaccination rates in southeastern New Mexico have helped limit new cases.

About 68.4% of adults in New Mexico have completed their full vaccine series, although vaccine rates are up to 20 percentage points lower in southeastern counties.
An anti-hate crimes message is rolling through the citys streets  literally.

As part of a nationwide FBI-funded campaign to raise awareness about hate crimes and the importance of reporting these incidents, the Albuquerque FBI division, in conjunction with the city of Albuquerque, now has three buses with the anti-hate message painted clearly on the sides.

One of those buses was on display during a Wednesday news conference held at the citys Daytona Transit Facility. The city buses will rotate on routes for the next six months.

The FBI, which tracks hate crimes nationwide as reported by law enforcement agencies, said that there has been an uptick in hate crimes nationwide and in New Mexico.

Hate crimes are often under reported to both federal and local law enforcement partners, and the reason might include distrust of law enforcement, or perhaps the victim isnt sure what a hate crime is or how to report it, said Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division.

A federal hate crime involves physical harm, threat or intimidation based on a bias toward an individual or group because of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability, Bujanda explained. Even when a case does not result in federal charges, we will continue to support state prosecutions and were going to support them either through forensics or anything else that might be needed to investigate that crime.

Acting US Attorney Fred Federici said that hate crimes affect more than just the person who was targeted. When an individual is victimized because of their identity or association within a broader group, it robs that entire group or community of their security. Hate crimes, Federici said, impact all of us because they divide us.

Harold Bailey, president of the Albuquerque NAACP said he was pleased with the initiative generated by the FBI and we look forward to working with them and framing some legislation to combat hate crimes here in New Mexico.

The NAACP is currently working with Sen. Harold Pope Jr., D-Albuquerque, on drafting hate crimes legislation, Bailey said.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Six months after a man was killed in a fiery crash in Northeast Albuquerque, charges have been brought against the woman who authorities say was at fault.

Donna Helgesen, 56, was charged with homicide by motor vehicle in connection with the March 12 crash that killed 62-year-old Rick Rivera. Rivera was extracted from his flaming vehicle by witnesses and pronounced dead at the scene, near Paseo del Norte and Browning.

A Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office deputy said in a criminal complaint that at the scene of the crash, which happened during the graveyard shift, Helgesen appeared to be confused and couldnt understand questions. At one point she said she was driving and another time she said her son was behind the wheel. Witnesses didnt see for certain who was driving the Mazda that rear-ended Riveras vehicle, according to the complaint.

The complaint filed in Metropolitan Court says a search warrant was executed on the air bag control module of both vehicles. That determined the Mazda was driving over 100 mph at the time of the crash.

DNA taken from the Mazdas steering wheel and seat belt confirmed Helgesen was the driver, according to the complaint.

Helgesen is accused of driving recklessly.

BCSO Deputy Joseph Montiel, a spokesman for the office, told the Journal that because investigators didnt know who was driving the Mazda at the time of crash, a blood draw to test Helgesen for alcohol couldnt immediately be completed.

Helgesens Linkdin page says she is the director of nursing administration at OptumHealth. An official with Optum said the company wouldnt comment on employee matters.

Prior to that position, Helgesen had a 26-year career at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, rising to the role of director of Psychiatric Emergency/Urgent Care Services, according to the Linkdin page.

Efforts to reach her for comment on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

The 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office has filed a motion for pretrial detention against Helgesen.

The defendants criminal history is minimal but the facts of this case support detention because anyone capable of operating a vehicle with reckless disregard for the lives of others  causing the death of another, has an incentive to abscond from prosecution, Deputy District Attorney Joey Montoya wrote in the motion.

The detention hearing is Friday.
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David Simon is 'too gutted' by Michael K. Williams' sudden death to 'say all that ought to be said' as he remembers the actor as 'a fine man and a rare talent.'

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - "The Wire" creator David Simon has added his tribute to the show's star, Michael K. Williams, calling the actor "a rare talent."

Williams, who played Baltimore, Maryland gangster Omar Little on the show, was found dead in his Brooklyn, New York penthouse apartment on Monday (06Sep21), and many of his "The Wire" co-stars were quick to offer up their thoughts about their castmate, with Wendell Pierce, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Domenick Lombardozzi sharing tributes on social media.

Now the show's creator has issued a short statement via Twitter, which reads, "Too gutted right now to say all that ought to be said. Michael was a fine man and a rare talent and on our journey together he always deserved the best words. And today those words won't come."

Edward Norton, who directed Williams in the 2019 film "Motherless Brooklyn", also shared a tribute on Monday night, writing, "I feel punched in (my) gut to learn we've lost Michael K Williams. Soul anguished. Getting to work with him was one of the greatest privileges I've had in my career."

"My admiration for his talent was boundless, like so many. If he was in a scene he was the best thing about it. Period."

"He had a really rare gift for being fully present in the moment & for conveying the layers under the words. He ran so deep. He was also kind & generously enthusiastic. I'll be forever grateful that he graced 'Motherless Brooklyn' & that I got to share space & time w (with) him. RIP," he wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.

Meanwhile, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who directed 54-year-old Williams in acclaimed drama "When They See Us", added, "... dear brother. Be certain. You were a flash of love - now gone. But never forgotten."
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More Hollywood celebrities pay tribute to the late 'Boardwalk Empire' actor in the wake of his sudden death as his body was found in his New York apartment.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Michael K. Williams' "The Night Of" co-star Riz Ahmed has honoured the late actor, calling him "so generous and humble."

The "Boardwalk Empire" star was found dead in his penthouse apartment in Brooklyn, New York on Monday (06Sep21) and friends, fans and former colleagues have been paying their respects on social media.

Riz took to Twitter to pay homage to his former castmate, stating, "Rest in Peace MKW... rare talent, unique soul. So generous, humble, bad**s, and so unapologetically yourself. Thank you for the art you gave us & all you taught me."

Sharing memories of their time on set together, he added, "Tough week shooting The Night Of. He's told he has afternoon off, but not me. End I'd say in my trailer I see he's spent his time off buying me the nicest & prob still most expensive jacket I own (sic). Just to give me a boost & show love."

"Another time I go to his apartment to rehearse. I'm analysing the hell out of the scenes. He tells me 'stop thinking about it, try dreaming about it'. Took me years to even understand. He brought heart to the art."

There have also been fresh Twitter tributes from Idris Elba, Mark Wahlberg, "John Wick" star Lance Reddick, Viola Davis, Kerry Washington, filmmaker Spike Lee, and Mariah Carey, who shared a photo of herself and Williams together and added the caption, "A beautiful soul, a beautiful person, I'll miss you always. Thank you for blessing us with your talent."

Meanwhile, New York police officials have launched an investigation into Williams' death of an apparent drug overdose. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ cops are trying to track down the dealer who supplied the actor with the drugs that allegedly killed him.
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Jamie Spears has filed documents not just asking to leave his pop star daughter's conservatorship, but asking the judge to end it altogether without medical evaluation.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Britney Spears' dad has seemingly finally agreed with her that she doesn't need to be put under conservatorship anymore. After 13 years in charge of controlling his daughter's assets, Jamie Spears has filed a petition to end her conservatorship.

Jamie filed the petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, September 7. What's surprising is that he's not just asking to step down as Britney's conservator, but asking the judge to end her conservatorship altogether.

In the documents obtained by The Associated Press, Jamie's legal team cited the pop star's request to end her conservatorship. "As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter," the document says. "If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance."

The documents also state that as the judge saw fit to let his daughter hire her own lawyer, Jamie believes that there is no longer a legal basis to impose the restrictions that go along with the conservatorship.

"In so doing [allowing her to hire a lawyer], this Court has recognized that Ms. Spears has both the capacity and capability to identify, engage, and instruct counsel of her own choice, on her own, without the assistance of the Conservator or the Court," the docs read. "If Ms. Spears has the capability to engage counsel on her own, she presumably has capacity to handle other contractual and business matters."

In his petition, Jamie notes Britney wants the conservatorship terminated without medical evaluation, and there's no requirement under California law for such an evaluation. The filing goes on to say Britney's circumstances have changed "to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist."

Britney has been battling her father in court to remove him as her conservator in the last two years. In August, Jamie announced plan to step down as her conservator because he is tired of being the "unremitting target of unjustified attacks" from Britney's supporters and members of his own family. He, however, didn't mention the exact time when he will relinquish his control over his daughter's estate at the time.
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The 'Hall of Fame' rapper was taken into custody in the downtown area of Los Angeles after police officials found the firearm in his car when they pulled him over.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Polo G has added another record to his list of troubles with the law. Nearly three months after he got his freedom back, the "Hall of Fame" rapper got arrested once again for carrying a concealed weapon.

The 22-year-old, whose real name is Taurus Tremani Bartlett, was taken into police custody in the downtown area of Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, September 6. According to TMZ, the MC was sitting in a passenger seat in a car that was pulled over for an undisclosed reason.

Polo was then arrested when police officers found the firearm in the vehicle. In addition to the hip-hop star, a male juvenile was reportedly arrested and booked on the same charge of carrying a concealed weapon, which is considered a felony.

This is Polo's second arrest in the last three months. Back in June, he was busted in Miami, Florida after allegedly attacking a police officer. At that time, his Cadillac was pulled over due to its blackout-tinted windows. However, once he was ordered to get out of the car, Polo refused and shouted to the cop, "F**k you, what the f**k do I have to get out of the vehicle for?"

The "Pop Out" spitter then allegedly punched and stroke the officer with his elbow. It led the officer to suffer "multiple injuries [including] an abrasion to the right upper forehead area, an abrasion to the right chin area and a swollen and slightly bruised cheek area."

Polo was then booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges of battery on a police officer, threats to a public servant, resisting an officer with violence to his person, resisting an officer without violence to his person and criminal mischief. He, however, was released from jail on the same day of his arrest after posting a $19,500 bond.
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The 20-year-old model and the 38-year-old reality TV star are reportedly calling it quits after 11 months of dating following the latter's drama involving his ex Kourtney Kardashian.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Scott Disick and Amelia Hamlin apparently have broken up after dating for almost a year. If a new report is to be believed, the daughter of Lisa Rinna broke up with the restaurateur over the weekend.

A source revealed to E! News on Tuesday, September 7 that the former "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star "agreed that he feels he needs to be single right now." The insider also noted, "They had a lot of fun together but it was never going to be a long term relationship."

Another source, meanwhile, added that the 20-year-old model "is done with Scott for now." Amelia allegedly "wants to be strong and to move on. She had had enough and it was time. Her friends are all rallying around her and supporting her through this. Everyone knows she deserves better. She knows it too."

While neither Scott nor Amelia has publicly confirmed the reports, Amelia's famous mom has reacted to the news. Lisa appeared to express her joy over the ending of her daughter's romantic relationship with the self-proclaimed Lord, who is 18 years older than Amelia. "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star posted a single smiling emoji underneath Instagram fan account's Queens of Bravo post about the breakup.

Prior to this, Scott and Amelia were reported to be "taking time apart." A source claimed at the time, "They needed a break from one another, that was clear. They are in different places and trying to figure out if it's time to move on and if they are really done." The so-called insider said that Amelia was "very disappointed" in Scott and she wanted to "let him [to] know it."

Another source revealed, "Scott and Amelia are going through a rocky patch. It's partly because of the Kourtney drama but also just 'Scott being Scott.' They're not fully over yet, but Amelia isn't happy with him."

Scott and Amelia's split arrives following the former's drama involving his ex Kourtney Kardashian and her boyfriend Travis Barker. Scott was exposed by Younes Bendjima, who used to date Kourtney, as he shared alleged DMs from Scott in which he trash-talked Kourtney and Travis' PDA-packed picture.

In the DMs, Scott wrote to Younes of Kourtney, "Yo, is this chick OK!???? Broooo, like what is this? In the middle of Italy." Younes then replied, "Doesn't matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: i aint your bro." The former boxer also wrote in a separate Instagram Story post, "Couldn't miss this one. He [has] been playing around for too long, tried to stay quiet and be the nice guy. Back to work now."
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The former host of 'Strahan, Sara and Keke' and the 'Rough Night' actress will interview celebrities and designers as part of a vogue.com broadcast on fashion's big night.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Keke Palmer and Ilana Glazer are teaming up to host livestream red carpet coverage at the upcoming Met Gala. The actresses have been given "unprecedented access" to fashion's big night and they will interview celebrities and designers as part of a vogue.com broadcast.

This will mark new mum Glazer's hosting debut, while Keke previously fronted the virtual 2020 MTV Video Music Awards and TV magazine show "Strahan, Sara and Keke". She has also served as a guest co-host on "The View" and "The Wendy Williams Show".

The 2021 Met Gala will take place on September 13. It will help launch "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion", which will open at the museum on September 18, in celebration of The Costume Institute's 75th anniversary. It will run through September 5, 2022.

Its second part, "In America: An Anthology of Fashion", will open on May 5, 2022. It "will explore the development of American fashion by presenting narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of those spaces."

The September gala itself will enforce a strict COVID-19 safety precautions. A spokesperson for The Met told PEOPLE in August, "Currently, all attendees at The Met Gala on September 13 must provide proof of full vaccination and will also be expected to wear masks indoors except when eating or drinking. We will update these guidelines as needed."

Billie Eilish will make history at the charity fundraiser by becoming the gala's youngest ever co-chair, alongside Naomi Osaka, poet Amanda Gorman and Timothee Chalamet. Tom Ford, Adam Mosseri and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will serve as honorary chairs.
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After 'The Wire' actor was found dead with drug paraphernalia nearby, NYPD detectives are conducting an investigation into the origin of the narcotics found at the site.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Michael K. Williams' death of a suspected drug overdose has triggered a criminal investigation. Following the actor's shocking and sudden passing, police are reportedly trying to locate the drug dealer who supplied the actor with the narcotics.

As reported before, Michael was found dead at his apartment in Brooklyn, New York on Monday, September 6 by his nephew after not they had not heard from him for a few days. While an official cause of death has not been confirmed yet pending autopsy results, police believe that drugs might play a part.

He was reportedly found in the living room of his home with drug paraphernalia discovered on a table nearby, suggesting he may have died from an overdose. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ that NYPD detectives are now conducting an investigation into the origin of the drug cops found at the site.

Williams, who became a household name thanks to his role as Omar Little on the HBO drama series "The Wire", had been open about his battle with drug addiction over the years before his passing. At one point, he admitted it was "an everyday struggle."

In an interview with Inside Jersey magazine in 2012, the 54-year-old actor said he wanted to help others by opening up about his addiction. "I thought, 'Why me? Why did I get spared?' I should've been dead," he said. "I have the scars. I've stuck my head in the lion's mouth. Obviously, God saved me for a purpose. So, I decided to get clean and then come clean. I'm hoping I can reach that one person."

He added, "It was just a matter of time before I got caught and my business ended up on the cover of a tabloid or I went to jail or, worse, I ended up dead. When I look back on it now, I don't know how I didn't end up in a body bag."
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When appearing in a new episode of 'Late Night with Seth Meyers', the stand-up comedian admits to feeling 'nervous' about going public with the pregnancy news.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - John Mulaney has finally confirmed that he's dating Olivia Munn. When going public with their romance, the stand-up comedian additionally revealed that the "X-Men: Apocalypse" star is currently pregnant with their first child together.

The 39-year-old broke the news when appearing in the Tuesday, September 7 episode of "Late Night with Seth Meyers". When host Seth Meyers told him, "You've had a year," the expectant dad shared, "I packed a lot into this... Is it September now? I went to rehab in September, I got out in October, I moved out of my home from my ex-wife... Then in the spring I went to Los Angeles and met and started to date a wonderful woman named Olivia."

"I got into this relationship that's been really beautiful with someone incredible," John went on gushing, adding how grateful he is that his new girlfriend has been by his side throughout his tough year. "And we're having a baby together. I was nervous when I was about to say the news!"

John's revelation came just days after Olivia was spotted with her baby bump during an outing. When running errands in Beverly Hills on September 3, the "Love Wedding Repeat" actress could be seen hiding her growing belly in a black baggy sweatshirt and a pair of cozy sweatpants.

John sparked romance rumors with Olivia in May after calling it quits with his wife of six years, Anna Marie Tendler. Anna, however, claimed that she was "heartbroken" by John's decision to end their marriage. She said via her representative, "I am heartbroken that John has decided to end our marriage... I wish him support and success as he continues his recovery."

As for Olivia, she previously showed her support for John when he checked himself into a 60-day program at a Pennsylvania treatment facility in December 2020. "Sending SO MUCH love and support to John Mulaney. You got this," she tweeted at that time.

Before dating John, she was linked romantically to athlete Aaron Rodgers. She's also linked to several actors like Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, Matthew Morrison and Joel Kinnaman.
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When clapping back at her online critics, the 24-year-old artistic gymnast proudly shares a picture of the silver and bronze medals she won at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Simone Biles proved that she is not a "quitter." After critics gave her the unflattering label for pulling out of several events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the artistic gymnast shut them down by boasting about having "7 Olympic medals."

Making use of Instagram, the 24-year-old shared a picture of the silver and bronze medals she won at this summer's Games. "Definitely not the way I planned the olympics going but I wouldn't change anything for the world. I'm proud of myself and the career I've had thus far. this olympics doesn't erase the past accomplishments I've achieved nor does it define who I am as an athlete," she penned alongside the snap.

"I've pushed through so much the past couple years , the word quitter is not in my vocabulary," the athlete went on. "for some of you that may be how you define me but keep talking because I can't hear you over my 7 olympic medals which tied me for the most decorated gymnast EVER as well as most decorated american gymnast."

Simone's fellow artistic gymnast Jordan Chiles then praised her for her bold statement. "Preach! Say it louder for the people in the back," Jordan gushed. Actress Holly Robinson Peete then chimed in by noting, "Let. Them. Have. It."

Simone withdrew from all of the individual events at the Tokyo Olympics before making her return at the balance beam final, which earned her the bronze medal. Aside from mental health concerns, she claimed that she had "the twisties," a condition when gymnasts lose air awareness and endanger their safety. Because of it, she revealed that her "mind and body [weren't] in sync."

After the competition, the "Dancing with the Stars" alum admitted that it "sucks" knowing she couldn't compete like how she wanted. However, she's happy that she has inspired fellow athletes to prioritize their mental health. "I know that I helped a lot of people and athletes speak out about mental health and saying no. Because I knew I couldn't go out there and compete. I knew I was going to get hurt," she told AthletaWell in August.
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The former Victoria's Secret Angel tied the knot with the Snapchat exec and son of the Vice President of Ecuador in his home country last Sunday, September 5.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Jasmine Tookes is officially off the market now. The model married her fiance Juan David Borrero in a wedding that has become talk of the town in his home country of Ecuador last weekend.

As reported by Arab News, the 30-year-old beauty and the director of international markets of Snap Inc tied the knot in the Church of San Francisco in the city of Quito on Sunday, September 5. In pictures obtained by the site, the bride looked stunning in a dress by Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad.

Jasmine's custom wedding gown featured an illusion, lace-embroidered neckline, a fitted bodice and a voluminous skirt with a train. It's a mix of chic and conservative with its long sleeves and its high mandarin neck. She paired the gown with a sheer, floor-trailing veil.

The groom, meanwhile, looked suave in a classic black suit with a white T-shirt and a black bow-tie. His black hair was slicked back and a white rose was slipped into his front pocket.

In one picture, the pair were surrounded by her bridesmaids, who wore matching metallic gray dress and held a bouquet of white flowers each. The wedding was reportedly attended by family and friends, which included fellow Victoria's Secret models Shanina Shaik, Sara Sampaio and Lais Ribiero.

Jasmine Tookes married Juan David Borrero in Ecuador.

Jasmine and Juan, who is the son of doctor Alfredo Borrero Vega, the Vice President of Ecuador, got engaged in September 2020 in Utah after dating for four years. At the time, the former Victoria's Secret Angel shared the news on Instagram by posting a series of pictures showing off her custom seven-carat Ritani ring, pebbles spelling out "WYMM" (for "Will you marry me?"), and the pair toasting with champagne. "Si, mi amor!" she captioned the shots.

The 30-year-old model held her bachelorette party in Croatia in July with model pals including Rachel Scott, Romee Strijd and Taylor Hill. In the same month, she hinted at wearing a Zuhair Murad creation on her big day during the couturier's Fall 2021 couture show in Paris.

"Such a pleasure to be in Paris and watch my favorite designer @zuhairmuradofficial," she wrote in a social media post. "Ten years ago, I used to walk his couture shows and now I wear his dresses on almost every red carpet. Something even more special is coming very soon."
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When revealing that he is expecting a baby boy, the 'Coming 2 America' actor says that he faces 'a brand-new challenge' in addition to feeling 'excited' to become a first-time dad.

Sep 8, 2021

AceShowbiz - Rotimi is going to be a first-time dad. When revealing that he is currently expecting his first child with his fiancee Vanessa Mdee, the "Power" actor said that he is "excited" over his upcoming bundle of joy.

"We are super excited to welcome our son. As first-time parents, everything about this experience has been a brand-new challenge," the 32-year-old actor and his soon-to-be wife told PEOPLE on Tuesday, September 7. They added, "We love it."

Of the pregnancy journey, Vanessa added that it went "very smooth" so far. "He's been so good to us. No real pain or symptoms. Some funny cravings and food aversions here and there. It's been much harder in these final weeks because he's preparing his arrival, but all in all we've been super blessed," the 33-year-old MTV host explained.

Rotimi also turned to his Instagram page to share the happy news with his fans and followers. Along with a sweet maternity photo, the actor, whose real name is Olurotimi Akinosho, penned a loving note that read, "My greatest gift has been you. You changed my life and now we are beautifully linked forever to raise a little us."

"I pray our son has your glow Your heart, Your mind, and your spirit," Rotimi continued. The "Coming 2 America" actor then vowed to protect his fiancee and their baby as saying, "I will protect you and our son with everything I have!"

Also announcing the pregnancy news was Vanessa. Sharing the same image, the TV personality wrote, "The greatest gift of all, THANKYOU JESUS for choosing us - it is a true true honor. We are overjoyed." The soon-to-be mom then included a bible verse, "Isaiah 55:2 - All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children."

Rotimi and Vanessa first met at an Essence Festival afterparty in New Orleans. The lovebirds have been inseparable ever since, as Rotimi once said, "Vee headed back to Africa [at the time], but we quickly realized we couldn't and didn't want to live without each other." The happy couple later got engaged in December 2020 in Atlanta.
Charlotte Allerton is Head of Medicine Design at Pfizer, leading the scientific disciplines of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism (PDM), and Discovery Sciences, and enabling a deep focus on the design and delivery of small-molecule medicines across Pfizers therapeutic areas.

Charlotte joined the Medicinal Chemistry team at Pfizer, U.K. in 1993 and spent 14 years working across a range of therapeutic areas, including a secondment to Japan. In 2007, Charlotte joined PDM, progressing to lead the U.K. group, and then in 2010, she took on leadership of the Pre-Clinical Sciences team for Pain Research. In 2012, Charlotte moved to the U.S. to lead small molecule PDM and, in 2016, expanded her responsibilities to lead Medicine Design. During her tenure, Charlotte has worked with numerous teams to build a strong pipeline of small molecule therapeutics across Neuroscience, Rare Disease, Inflammation and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Oncology, and Antivirals, moving multiple new molecular entities into clinical development and to regulatory approval.

Charlotte obtained her BSc from the University of Nottingham and MPhil in organic chemistry from the University of Cambridge.
BERRY CREEK, Calif. - A year ago on Sept. 8, the Bear Fire tore through the town of Berry Creek, destroying homes and businesses and killing 16 people.

Action News Now spoke with a group of firefighters who fought to protect their community.

Like a lot of people up here, feeling a lot of sorrow at the loss we experienced, its been a struggle living up here, volunteer firefighter and Berry Creek resident William Gable said.

The community was nearly leveled when the flames of the fire tore through the town. Now it is left with empty lots and people still living in RVs.

Gable helped battle the flames when the fire broke out last year, his house survived but says the town's rebuilding process has moved slowly.

A lot of red tape with the rebuilding projects, getting the cleanup taken care of and people getting permits, Gable added.

Fire Chief, Reed Rankin, and firefighter Katherine Buchanan-Molohon were on the frontlines with Gable. Both of them lost their homes in the fire.

Its a very slow process trying to make sure we get soil samples and trees removed and trying to find a good spot to move our RVS or rebuild our homes on, Buchanan said.

Its been a struggle, but it was a major disaster, 90% of the town was wiped out," Rankin said.

Chief Rankin says theyve cleared the debris from the lot where the fire station once stood and have taken soil samples and are ready to start rebuilding soon.

A year after going through this devastation, the group is now helping out with another disaster.

Chief Rankin says they spend two days a week on the Dixie Fire, working 12-hour shifts on that fire and putting out hotspots.

Theres nothing I can do but keep fighting against these disasters. Once I got involved in doing it, now it makes me feel good I can contribute anywhere I can, Gable said.

All three return to the Dixie Fire this week to help with mop-up and hot spots.

Chief Rankin says about a dozen people in Berry Creek have rebuilt their homes.

Another handful is in the process of rebuilding.

They are hoping to have the volunteer fire station rebuilt next year.
The Federal Council

Bern, 08.09.2021 - At its meeting of 8 September 2021, the Federal Council decided to step up its humanitarian engagement in Afghanistan. It approved an additional contribution of CHF 33 million to bolster aid on the ground. Switzerland is, with this contribution, supporting the suffering population in Afghanistan with around CHF 60 million over the next 16 months.

Switzerland reacted quickly to the shifted circumstances in Afghanistan by evacuating Swiss citizens and local Afghan employees of the Swiss cooperation office in Kabul and their families. In the next phase, Switzerland will focus on assistance on the ground. The top priority is to protect and care for displaced persons in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

Precarious humanitarian situation

At today's meeting, the Federal Council decided to increase its aid in Afghanistan and in the surrounding countries. To this end, it approved an additional contribution of CHF 33 million to bolster humanitarian aid on the ground. This includes CHF 10 million that Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) will contribute from its existing credits. The remaining CHF 23 million will come in the form of a supplementary credit. Parliament will discuss this supplementary credit. Together with the regular budget for 2022, Swiss aid to Afghanistan and the surrounding countries will amount to CHF 60 million over the next 16 months.

This is Switzerland's response to the precarious circumstances in Afghanistan. An acute humanitarian emergency is hitting the country's population. The threat of economic collapse, the ongoing drought, and famine will further increase the number of people in need of humanitarian aid.





Reducing poverty and protecting the civilian population

Economically and socially, Afghanistan is one of the world's least developed countries. Switzerland has been on the ground there since 2002 and its programme helps reduce poverty. Swiss support currently amounts to CHF 27 million annually, of which CHF 18 million goes to development cooperation and CHF 9 million to humanitarian aid. Further support, totalling CHF 500,000 per year, comes from the State Secretariat for Migration. The programme focuses on the rule of law and the protection of the civilian population, agriculture and natural resource management, and basic education. Switzerland temporarily closed its office in Kabul in August 2021. Switzerland works closely with the United Nations, international non-governmental organisations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Switzerland welcomes the UN-convened conference to be held in Geneva this coming Monday, 13 September, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and increase aid to the country.

Address for enquiries

Federal Department of foreign affairs FDFA

FDFA Communication

Tel. +41 58 460 55 55

kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

www.fdfa.admin.ch

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




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So, what is going on in the Ahwatukee real estate market? Is the bubble going to burst?
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Double-digit daily admissions, critically ill concern Phoebe officials

Special Graphic: Phoebe Phoebe Health System COVID numbers File Photo: Carlton Fletcher Phoebe Putney Health System Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dianna Grant

ALBANY  Despite a significant decline in the number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in Phoebe Putney Health System facilities over the past two weeks, officials with the system warn that the decline is no sign that efforts to get as many people vaccinated as possible should let up.

We are grateful that we have had a significant decline in our COVID-19 inpatient numbers over the past two weeks, Health System President/CEO Scott Steiner said. However, we continue to have double-digit daily admissions and more than a third of our COVID patients are critically ill and requiring treatment in our intensive care units.

Looking at places where the delta variant hit before it began spreading rapidly in southwest Georgia, we have seen hospital admissions taper off in some locations, then plateau at what is still a relatively high level. Everyone wants transmission to decrease in our communities, and we all have a role to play to make that happen. We hope people will get vaccinated, wear masks in public and avoid activities where spread is likely.

COVID numbers released by Phoebe on Tuesday show:

 Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital: 133;

 Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Sumter Medical Center: 24;

 Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Worth Medical Center: 4;

 Total inpatients recovered: 2,804;

 Total COVID-related deaths at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital: 335;

 Total COVID-related deaths at Phoebe Sumter: 85;

  Total vaccines administered: 61,364.

Mako Medical, an independent testing company, has opened an additional free, drive-through COVID-19 testing site in the region. It began operating Tuesday in Americus at the Sumter County Emergency Management Agency (the former National Guard Armory) at 901 Adderton Street.

This is an important and necessary service, so people have quick and easy access to COVID-19 testing, Phoebe Health System Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dianna Grant said. Anyone who develops symptoms should be tested right away. If they are positive, they need to quarantine to help halt the spread of the virus.

Citizens can pre-register for the testing in Americus by calling (919) 351-6256 or by visiting https:/bit.ly/ga-18422. Screenings will be available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Americus location is similar to a site in Albany run for the Department of Public Health by a separate company, LTS. In its first 2 1/2 weeks in operation, that site has processed nearly 4,400 COVID tests, with results returned in 24-48 hours. Interested persons can pre-register for testing there by calling 1-844-778-2455 or by visiting honumg.info/LTSGA001.

Phoebe encourages anyone who tests positive to consider monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.

Today, we are opening a new COVID-19 advanced treatment clinic across the street from our main emergency center, Grant said. It will provide an additional location where we can administer monoclonal antibody infusions. This treatment is very successful at preventing hospitalization when patients receive it in the early days after COVID symptoms develop, and we are pleased to be able to open this temporary facility, so we can offer the therapy to even more patients.

Patients with a positive COVID test who are within 10 days of symptom onset may be referred for the treatment by a physician, or they can begin a self-referral process by calling (229) 312-MYMD.
Donnie Head, program manager of Circuit Engineering District 8, sat with the Alfalfa County commissioners Monday during their meeting. Head, along with Marvin Woodall, Jay Hague, and Mike Roach, discussed at length several state jobs. They reviewed the paperwork and commissioners approved the following:

 State of Oklahoma Board of County Commissioners Utility Relocation Agreement for Project #B-0436(04)

 Supplemental & Modification Agreement No. 1 Project Maintenance, Financing, and Right-of-Way Agreement for Bridge & Approaches Project No. CIRB-0436(004)RB State Job No. 30436(04)(05)(06)(07)

 Supplemental & Modification Agreement No. 1 Project Maintenance, Financing, and Right-of-Way Agreement for Bridge & Approaches Project No. CIRB-0467(004)RB State Job No. 30467(04)(05)(06)(07)

 Supplemental & Modification Agreement No. 1 Project Maintenance, Financing, and Right-of-Way Agreement for Bridge & Approaches Project No. STP-202D(063)CI State Job No. 31127(04)(05)(06)(07)

County Clerk Laneta Schwerdtfeger received approval to go out for a public auction bid for a Kuker Sprayer (Inv. no. 438-300, no serial no.) for District 3.

A request for appointment if ARPA reporting was approved too, along with a couple of private property access easements:

One for District 2 for the SW of 11-24-12 to clean, shape, and add rip rap for proper drainage. The was also for District 2 but for the NE  of 9-24-12 to clean channel and ditch out for drainage.

Other items that made it through for approval were the monthly officer reports, court clerk records management and preservation monthly reports and monthly highway expenditures.

The three men also approved a request for appointment of ARPA reporting, a bridge inspection, and a report of conference (for all three districts). Following was approval on two engineer selection letters  one for Project JP #35415 (project description STP/BR Low water crossing NS 252 EW 3.4), and the other for Project JP #35426 (project description ER NS 2550 at EW 0315 DDIR 0820-02- 01).

Appropriations

Assessor Revolving $190.48

Cash 911 Sales Tax $9,330.06

County Clerk Preservation $1,401.03

County Clerk $400.38

Court Clerk Rec Management $219.50

Department of Emergency Management $2,500

Election Board $161.95

Enhanced 911 $6,851.94

General Govt $17,942.45

Highway $458,266.27

Highway T-8 $26,332.61

Highway Cash District Sales Tax $20,633.79

Highway District 2 T-2A $13,885.38

Highway District 2 T-1A $646.74

Highway District 3 T-2A $9,479.50

Jet Responders $101.48

Sales Tax Fairgrounds $5,216.48

Sales Tax Health $37,877.45

Sheriff Cash $3,430.02

Sheriff Fees BR $109.54

Sheriff Forfeiture $38.46

Sheriff Courthouse Security $729.50

Sheriff Sales Tax $5,364.79

Treasurer $75

Alcoholic Beverage Tax

Aline $799.32; Amorita $142.87; Burlington $586.94; Byron $135.15; Carmen $1,370.82; Cherokee $5,784.45; Goltry $961.50; Helena $5,417.62; Jet $822.49; Lambert $23.17

Total: $16,044.33
A motorcyclist was injured in a Major County accident Sunday, Sept. 5. Jeremy Barnett, 44, of Enid, was transported by Major County EMS to Bass Integris Hospital in Enid. He was admitted in stable condition with head, trunk external, arm and leg injuries.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports the wreck occurred at 3:15 p.m. on OK-58 and County Road 45, one mile south of Ringwood.

Barnett was driving a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle southbound and came up behind some traffic turning into Jiffy Trip parking. Barnett attempted to brake, lost control and laid the motorcycle over on its side.

Trooper Ray Robinson investigated, assisted by Major County Sheriffs Office, Ringwood Fire Department and Major County EMS.
Most people in the United States have felt the pain of high medical costs, whether they were driven into debt for a broken bone or they know someone dealing with a chronic condition like diabetes.

Even if you have insurance, you could face bills totaling hundreds or even thousands of dollars for injuries like broken bones or whiplash.

Some people would suggest that the reason medical costs are so high is because of a profit-driven market where prices arent controlled by the government, or because theres a secret cabal of people conspiring to keep medical costs high for their own sake.

But the true reasons behind high medical costs are much clearer -- and much harder to deal with.

The Insurance Dilemma

First, we have to look at the problem of insurance. Most people would agree that health insurance is a good thing, or even a necessary thing, because of the high prices associated with medical care. If it costs $5,000 to fix a broken bone out of pocket, insurance is a practical necessity to mitigate that cost. However, the cost itself is due in part to the existence of insurance as it stands today.

Originally, health insurance was an optional financial tool that was accessible only to high earners. Some people took advantage of the program to cover themselves, but most people circumvented insurance altogether.

Over time, health insurance became popularly provided by employers in the United States and unions fought hard to make insurance available to all full-time workers.

While on the surface, this may seem like a good thing -- after all, why should only some people be insured? -- it led to a problematic pricing environment. Doctors and healthcare organizations would be inclined to charge more for services when they knew insurance was going to be billed; it didnt add more financial strain to patients but generated more revenue. In turn, insurance companies caught on and imposed policies that stated they wouldnt pay more than standard prices paid by uninsured patients.

In effect, this led to a constant push to move prices higher; insured patients barely noticed, since they werent the ones footing the bill, but uninsured patients began having to pay more and more for their services.

Lack of Price Transparency and Competition

The lack of price transparency and lack of competition means that organizations in the healthcare industry arent incentivized to offer lower prices to consumers. In many areas, theres only one hospital -- and they wont tell you how much it is to give you an X-ray before they recommend one to you. Because of this, the market cant do its job  and people are stuck paying higher prices.

Medical Malpractice and Secondary Costs

We also need to consider the role of medical malpractice, our litigious society, and the long-term effects of these factors. These days, its possible to sue your doctor for any number of mistakes, such as prescribing the wrong treatment, making the wrong diagnosis, or neglecting some important instructions. In some ways, this is a good thing for consumers, since it holds medical professionals accountable for their work.

However, there are two important consequences. First, doctors and hospitals have to pay for malpractice insurance, covering millions of dollars of expenses if the worst happens. These policies are expensive, and they push the cost of healthcare much higher.

Second, most medical professionals are overly cautious when it comes to treating patients; to avoid the potential of a malpractice suit, they recommend many tests, treatments, and appointments that may not be strictly necessary.

The Doctor Shortage and Costs of Professional Services

It doesnt help that were dealing with a massive doctor shortage in the United States. Because of strict government regulations and a flawed university system, it takes many years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the education necessary to become a doctor. Fewer people are entering this high-stress, difficult, expensive field as a result, and we have fewer trained professionals available to us. This drives up the salary of these professionals, understandably, and makes the cost of care higher.

Administrative Waste

On top of all that, the healthcare industry suffers from the burden of administrative waste. Onboarding patients, managing personal medical records, ensuring compliance, working with insurance companies, and billing create inordinate costs for organizations, adding tons of costs to an already costly system.

While its easy to see some of these problems from a logical perspective, its very hard to actually fix them. Our current medical system is suffering from a number of intersecting and complexly interacting factors, so theres no one easy fix. Instead, well have to make small steps to make this environment better, such as deregulating the environment, improving price transparency, and promoting more market competition.

Image: S. Graham-McWade

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Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, abandoned by Joe Biden's military leaders in the dead of night without telling the Afghanis, is now well known as a big reason why his Afghanistan pullout from crowded Kabul Airport was such a disaster.

This isn't surprising. Bagram was dismissed as a nothingburger by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley in congressional testimony:

On Bagram, Bagram is not necessary tactically operationally for what we're gonna try to do here with Afghanistan  consolidate on Kabul, in support of their government.

Biden followed Milley like a lemming:

"They concluded  the military  that Bagram was not much value added, that it was much wiser to focus on Kabul," he said. "And so, I followed that recommendation."

It's some nothingburger. One week out from the final disastrous Biden departure, the Chinese disagree:

China is considering deploying military personnel and economic development officials to Bagram airfield, perhaps the single-most prominent symbol of the 20-year U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. The Chinese military is currently conducting a feasibility study about the effect of sending workers, soldiers and other staff related to its foreign economic investment program known as the Belt and Road Initiative in the coming years to Bagram, according to a source briefed on the study by Chinese military officials, who spoke to U.S. News on the condition of anonymity.

Really? And of course, they are denying it, knowing that the Bidenites will swallow that denial hook, line, and sinker. But they always deny military ambitions, as any watcher of the Spratly spectacle in the South China Sea is well aware.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the idea is to embarrass the Americans. They'd deal a "devastating blow to the image of the United States," as one quoted expert said, if they go through with their plan to set up shop at Bagram.

This, frankly, is the least of it.

What's bad here in this cat-and-mouse set-up and denial stuff, always prefaced by experts as "not a complete" takeover, is that they do it all over the place  the U.S. News report cites several places.

Here's the elephant in the room, though: the U.S. may well find itself in the unenviable position of having to go back to Afghanistan once the Taliban set themselves up as a base for more 9/11 attacks. If they get one through (and of course deny it), it's very likely the U.S. is going to have to go back in. Not only will they have to face a U.S.-armed Taliban with $83 billion in U.S. equipment, abandoned there by the Biden administration, but they'll face the prospect of a direct conflict with China, sitting there on our old U.S. Bagram Airfield base.

The U.S. would be more helpless than ever, so to think China won't jump at this chance is pretty wishful thinking.

That's more of the Afghanistan fallout that is now plaguing America under its unfit leaders who have yet to be fired or forced to resign. This is not just a loss of face. Stand up and take a bow, Joe.

Image: U.S. Army via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

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Perhaps, at long last, the deadly reign of Anthony Fauci will come to an end. Thats because The Intercept, a hard-left publication, has revealed 900 pages of government documents definitively proving that Fauci used his position to fund gain-of-function research into bat viruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV)and then lied to Congress about it.

Since February 2020, the wizened Fauci has been the face of the governments response to the pandemic. In the ensuing 20 months, Fauci was frequently wrong, incredibly arrogant, and deeply dishonest. Because he was the anti-Trump, though, we were stuck with him. Democrats, especially, appreciated how he dismissed treating COVID with time-tested and affordable medicines such as Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin and, instead, insisted on masks, lockdowns, and mandated vaccines.

In July, during a Senate Health Committee hearing, Sen. Rand Paul (R. KY) directly accused Fauci of using his position to fund illegal gain-of-function research at the WIV. The Hill, which reported on the hearing, assured its readers that Paul was making an unsubstantiated accusation.

Fauci came out swinging in response to Sen. Pauls accusation. Senator Paul, he said, you do not know what you are talking about. He also said, If anybody is lying here, Senator, it is you.

You really need to watch this and, as you listen to Fauci, remember that money is fungible and that insights gained from one area of research can easily be applied to another. Faucis gift of American funds made the WIV richer and better able to create Frankenstein viruses:

That, of course, is how sociopaths liewith verve and assurance. Because, in their own conscienceless brains, they are always in the right, whatever they need to say to defend themselves is their truth. People with morals and a conscience cant do that.

The Intercept aggressively attacked Sen. Paul after the hearing. Glenn Greenwald, who founded The Intercept and then got the boot for being insufficiently totalitarian, posits that it was then that the outlet sought to bolster its attack on Rand Paul by filing a FOIA request against the National Institutes of Health.

What happened, instead, was that The Intercept received over 900 pages of documents showing that it was Fauci who lied. Richard E. Ebright, a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers, summarized what those documents revealed:

"The trove of documents includes two previously unpublished grant proposals that were funded by the NIAID, as well as project updates relating to the EcoHealth Alliances research, which has been scrutinized amid increased interest in the origins of the pandemic."  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021

(This had been evident previously from published research papers that credited the 2014 grant and from the publicly available summary of the 2019 grant. But this now can be stated definitively from progress reports of the 2014 grant and the full proposal of the 2017 grant.)  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021

The materials reveal that the resulting novel, laboratory-generated SARS-related coronaviruses also could infect mice engineered to display human receptors on cells ("humanized mice").  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021

...and thus not only was reasonably anticipated to exhibit enhanced pathogenicity, but, indeed, was *demonstrated* to exhibit enhanced pathogenicity.  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021

The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support gain-of-function research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement at WIV are untruthful.  Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) September 7, 2021

Sen. Rand Paul used Twitter to take a well-deserved victory lap:

Surprise surprise - Fauci lied again



And I was right about his agency funding novel Coronavirus research at Wuhan.



Read this thread and the papers released. https://t.co/zQizKXLdbd  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2021

Last year revealed to Americans that our most lauded experts are idiots and, in the case of Fauci and Collins, highly culpable, dishonest idiots. Everything they told us has been proven wrong, from COVIDs origins, to the lockdowns and masks, to the attacks on affordable early treatments, to the vaccines safety and efficacy.

Weve also learned that all Democrats and some Republicans who have political or administrative power will abuse it. Democrats also weaponized COVID to corrupt our elections and saddle us with a corrupt, senile president who has opened Americas borders, destroyed her economy, creating a glide path for Islamic extremists to come here, degraded Americas standing in the world, handed power to the Chinese, and, in all probability, will give a nuclear pass to Iran.

Assuming America survives as a democratic republic operating under our Constitution, Americans must take stock of everything theyve assumed since the Cold Wars end. Here are some of those lessons:

Cultural Marxism is the road to totalitarianism.

Democrats are fascists under Mussolinis ultimate definition of fascism: All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.

The tech tyrants must be reined in for they are the primary vehicle through which Democrats implement fascism.

The mainstream media, which collaborates with the tech outlets, is another fascism facilitator. Ditto Hollywood.

Almost all American schools, whether K-12 or colleges and universities, do not educate, they indoctrinate.

Borders matter.

Scientism, which is a form of blind worship, is entirely different from science, which is a methodology using reproducible experiments to prove theories that are never immune to challenges.

Government must be radically downsized to preserve liberty.

And one more thing: Dr. Fauci needs to go to jail for the rest of his life because, through his funding illegal gain-of-function research, followed by his non-stop stream of dangerous lies, he has the blood of hundreds of thousands of Americans on his hands. Francis Collins can be his cellmate.

Image: Fauci lying to Sen. Rand Paul. YouTube screen grab.

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The bungled evacuation of Afghanistan (surrender seems the more appropriate word, considering the massive war materiel left behind intact for the Taliban) has teed up what could be a disastrous month of September for the Democrats.

Already, spontaneous chants of F*ck Joe Biden are breaking out in public venues, as widespread discontent that the media prefer to ignore manifests itself, fueled by the very suppression of their views. And just yesterday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law the voting integrity that Democrat legislators (aka, fleebaggers) attempted to stymie by fleeing to Washington, DC on a pair of private jets, photographed not wearing face masks, only to encounter apathy from their allies at best and savage (and telling) mockery from their enemies. Call that stunt a total face plant.

The month is barely a week old, and Congress isnt even in session. The solons reconvene next week, and that is not good news for the Dems, despite (really, because of) their majorities in both houses. Jordain Carney of The Hill reports on the challenges that lie ahead for the donkeys:

Democrats are staring down a nightmare September, a month jam-packed with deadlines and bruising fights over their top priorities. The numerous legislative challenges in a condensed timeline will test Democratic unity and provide plenty of opportunities for Republicans to lay political traps just a year out from the 2022 midterm elections, where they are feeling increasingly bullish about their chances. When lawmakers return to Washington, theyll have to juggle averting a government shutdown in a matter of days with Democrats' self-imposed deadline for advancing an infrastructure and spending package that is at the center of President Bidens economic and legislative agenda and sparking high-profile divisions.

Theyve bet their future on leveraging tiny majorities in both legislative chambers into the passage of game-changing legislation, including a $3.5 trillion spending bill laughably called infrastructure or sometimes, human infrastructure  as if roads, bridges, sewers, and airports were alive and walking bipedally. Senators Manchin and Synema have indicated they dont support it, and that should finish the matter since none of the GOP senators will support it. But the masters of the dark arts of persuasion seem to think they can twist their arms. Well see, but in the meantime, there are other problems.

as part of a days-long standoff, House moderates got a commitment to bring up the other piece of Bidens package, a roughly $1 trillion Senate-passed infrastructure bill, for a vote by Sept. 27, just days after they return from a weeks-long summer break. But Democrats are still trying to lock down how to pay for the package, bridge divisions on shoring up the Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicare, draft immigration reform language and iron out sections on climate change. There are already high-profile warning signs amid simmering tensions between moderates and progressives  neither of whom Schumer or Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can afford to lose if they are going to get the two bills to Bidens desk.

Leftists like The Squad think they have Nancy by the short hairs because she cant afford to lose their support as Speaker. But the few remaining Dems from swing districts, who fear a GOP 2022 landslide, probably dont want to sign their own political death warrants by supporting a massive spending bill. Then theres the Senates version of the rads versus the mere leftists:

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called rebuilding the countrys physical infrastructure important but said making improvements to health care, education and combating climate change was more important. No infrastructure bill without the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, he said. Outside groups are also urging activists and progressive lawmakers to steel themselves for a heated fight with their own party over the $3.5 trillion package.

The Dems favorite tactic for bullying the GOP into unwanted spending is also working against them this month:

Congress has until Oct. 1 to pass government funding bills to prevent a shutdown. While the House has passed nine of the fiscal 2022 government funding bills, the Senate has passed none. Senate Republicans have warned they wont help pass the full-year bills without a deal on top-line spending numbers, an equal increase in defense and nondefense funding and an agreement to avoid politically controversial policy riders.

With their congressional majorities, the Dems can hardly blame the GOP for any government shutdown that might result from a failure to pass more spending.

Yet another crisis could bite the Dems:

The continuing resolution could also be an attempted vehicle for raising the debt ceiling, which would effectively dare Republicans to either support a debt hike or risk a government shutdown. The Treasury Department is currently using so-called extraordinary measures to keep the country solvent but is expected to hit a wall sometime this fall. Republicans have warned that they wont help raise the debt ceiling, either on its own or if it's attached to something, because Democrats are planning to sidestep them to try to pass their $3.5 trillion plan. Democrats need at least 10 GOP votes in order to increase the nations borrowing limit. But 46 GOP senators signed a letter late last month vowing to oppose it, writing that this is a problem created by Democrat spending. Democrats will have to accept sole responsibility for facilitating it.

If elections were going to be held this November instead of next year, the Dems would be in terrible shape. Will they be able to recover in the extra year? I wouldnt count on it. First of all, they are led by an incompetent who every day embarrasses the entire country before the worlds eyes. Second, they face very serious internal conflicts, with The Squad militants assuming they are the future of the party and not inclined to compromise, but supported by at most 40% of the electorate  far from a majority.

All in all, a whole lotta karma is coming calling for the donkeys.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Sorry to hear that the city of Portland, Oregon will cut off trade and travel with Texas, as we see in a New York Post story:

The city of Portland, Oregon, announced it intends to ban trade and travel to the state of Texas in response to the Lone Star State's new abortion law. Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Friday that the city council intends to vote on an emergency resolution Wednesday to stop "the City's future procurement of goods and services from, and City employee business travel to, the state of Texas." The resolution will be in effect until Texas ends the law or it is overturned. It's not exactly clear what such a ban would look like. "City legal counsel is currently evaluating the legal aspects of this proposed resolution," a release from the city council said. "The Portland City Council stands unified in its belief that all people should have the right to choose if and when they carry a pregnancy and that the decisions they make are complex, difficult, and unique to their circumstances."

Maybe Seattle and Minneapolis will follow. What do you do when crime is rampant and police officers are quitting? I guess you get mad at Texas because we here in Texas think a baby's heartbeat is worth listening to.

Honestly, I don't know what it means in dollars. At the same time, I have to believe that an embargo on trade and travel is a two-way street.

Over the last few days, we've seen so much hysteria over the Texas law. Yet the law does not stop abortion or create an undue burden to anyone looking for an abortion. The law simply states that the doctor has to check for a heartbeat before he aborts.

The Texas abortion law is the first time that I remember that we are talking about the baby forming inside a woman. For years, the debate has been about the woman's body. We are finally talking about the other person largely forgotten since Roe v. Wade became a convenient form of birth control.

We will miss the folks from Portland, but the rest of Oregon is welcome as always.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: David Berkowitz via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

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Is the Catholic Church finally showing some leadership?

Sure looks like it, with this Washington Post op-ed by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone:

Prominent politicians lost no time in reacting hyperbolically to the Supreme Courts decision refusing to enjoin Texass new law banning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. President Biden announced a whole-of-government effort to find ways to overcome the Texas measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denounced the Supreme Courts refusal as a cowardly, dark-of-night decision to uphold a flagrantly unconstitutional assault on womens rights and health, and promised new legal action: This ban necessitates codifying Roe v. Wade in federal law. As a faith leader in the Catholic community, I find it especially disturbing that so many of the politicians on the wrong side of the preeminent human rights issue of our time are self-professed Catholics. This is a perennial challenge for bishops in the United States: This summer, we provoked an uproar by discussing whether public officials who support abortion should receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. We were accused of inappropriately injecting religion into politics, of butting in where we didnt belong. I see matters differently. When considering what duties Catholic bishops have with respect to prominent laymen in public life who openly oppose church teachings on abortion, I look to this countrys last great human rights movement  still within my living memory  for inspiration on how we should respond. The example of New Orleans Archbishop Joseph Rummel, who courageously confronted the evils of racism, is one that I especially admire. Rummel did not stay in his lane. Unlike several other bishops throughout this countrys history, he did not prioritize keeping parishioners and the public happy above advancing racial justice.

He goes into how Rummel cracked the whip on racists within the Catholic Church who were all in for segregated parishes and pews, a shocking thing, really, given that it radically goes against not just Church teaching but Church history. More about that later.

Cordileone points out that ex-communication is hardly a non-factor in keeping the Catholic flock intact -- Rummel, for one, wasn't scared of it:

Many White Catholics were furious at this disruption of the long-entrenched segregationist status quo. They staged protests and boycotts. Rummel patiently sent letters urging a conversion of heart, but he was also willing to threaten opponents of desegregation with excommunication. On April 16, 1962, he followed through, excommunicating a former judge, a well-known writer and a segregationist community organizer. Two of the three later repented and died Catholics in good standing.

That ought to get wokester-focused, race-obsessed leftist politicians' attention. The bishop in New Orleans wouldn't put up with a grave evil of racism in his parishes, and Cordileone is now signaling the same intent.

I think he had to, given that creatures such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as well as Joe Biden have been so loud and extreme about their abortion advocacy. They aren't just quietly enabling abortion and saying they're "personally opposed" anymore, as Democrats have attempted to weasel out with in the past, they're now addicted to money and powerful abortion lobbies, and thus, speak the party line of groups such as Planned Parenthood now.

It's time someone put a stop to that runaway train which is only getting worse, and one archbishop has now stepped forward. Too bad it's not all of them. But this op-ed may just open the door.

What do I think will happen next?

Well, the op-ed will have some striking power when the bishops meet again in November and hash it out some more. Cordileone's chief opponent among his fellow bishops, San Diego's leftist Bishop Robert McElroy, has been pretty quiet since this op-ed came out and yes, I did a thorough search. He's been vocal in his advocacy of not "politicizing" the Eucharist, whatever that means, as if human life itself were a policy difference instead of an immutable fact.

The other thing I think will happen is that Cordileone will be attacked, not merely opposed with words. Democrats, leftists, and the vast abortion money lobby will wheel out their highly politicized slime machines and start smearing and "investigating" looking for something to pin on him. They play dirty, so get ready for something ugly from them, get ready for something untrue. The Church faithful should get even more ready to dismiss their tricks.

Why has Cordileone done this? It seems he's in tune with actual Catholic teaching as the defenders of abortion politicians are not.

Here's a curious fact about the pair and I think it's significant: McElroy is a native of San Francisco and all its leftist culture. Cordileone is a native of San Diego and all its Reagan-country culture. They seem to have been flipped into the opposite geographies. Los Angeles archbishop Jose H.Gomez hails from northern Mexico and San Antonio, Texas, and he's on the same page as Cordileone on the critical importance of life, too. I think all of this might actually mean something.

It goes back to Church history:

As most of us are shocked to learn that there were Catholics who supported racism in the pews in New Orleans, we note that it's not just so obviously contrary to Church teachings, but it's at odds with Church history.

Several centuries ago, when the New World was discovered and colonized by Europeans, the Church was adamant that Native Americans were people with souls and actually had to lay that out. A lot of Catholic colonists and soldiers didn't believe it and had to be told.

According to Wikipedia, the Church came out with this:

...and the pope in his language got real tough:

In Sublimis Deus, Paul III unequivocally declares the indigenous peoples of the Americas to be rational beings with souls, denouncing any idea to the contrary as directly inspired by the "enemy of the human race" (Satan). He goes on to condemn [the Indians'] reduction to slavery in the strongest terms, declaring it null and void for any people known as well as any that could be discovered in the future, entitles their right to liberty and property, and concludes with a call for their evangelization.

Sound like the same logic of Rummel in New Orleans? Sound like Cordileone on human life? It does. And the latter two on the matter of such miscreants are so comparatively ... gentle.

The 16th century Spaniards were terrified of ex-communication, and so, while in episodes they and the Spanish leaders ignored the bull or stopped it, the teaching ultimately prevailed. It's significant didn't oppose those teachings with brazen words actually justifying killing Indians as the claiming-to-be-Catholic abortion politicians do in the states. Eventually, for them, the word from the Church sank in, which is one reason why many Catholic countries in the New World still have large indigenous populations.

That papal bull also opened the door to 18th-century saints like Father Junipero Serra who made it his lifework to try to save the Indians from Spanish soldiers through his establishment of missions. Since Native Americans had souls, the Church teaching held that they were to be saved, and since the predatory Spaniards didn't always get that much, Serra would also teach the Indians useful skills so the Spaniards couldn't ignore theology. That was what the missions were about. What he was up against was Spanish soldiers who would have been otherwise perfectly comfortable slaughtering them and enslaving them as non-human. Serra saw a lot of that going on around Mexico and wanted it to stop.

Since Serra's flagship mission was in San Diego, it's interesting that Cordileone is a San Diego native. I think there's a connection. Cordileone cites the well-known experience of racism in the Deep South as a means of getting the Catholic pro-abortion politicians' attention, but behind that is his own city's backstory. Opposing Church teachings on life, whether of Indians, black people's right to live humanly, or now abortion, is something that opponents can't weasel out of. With Serra backing Cordileone, the law is laid down.

Image: Steubenville Conferences (cropped), via Wikipedia // CC BY-SA 3.0

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On Monday, a surprising voice emerged accusing the State Department of being the reason why six planes carrying 19 Americans and 40 Special Immigration Visa holders were unable to leave Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport. Tuesday, the State Department stands accused of falsely taking credit for four Americans having successfully escaped Afghanistan. These reports are a perfect metaphor for the entire Biden administration: incompetent, dishonest, and vainglorious.

Monica Showalter wrote that the State Department and the Biden administration are apparently working with the Taliban to block private rescue flights from leaving Afghanistan. On Monday, that story got support from an unexpected source.

David Rohde, an executive editor of newyorker.com, The New Yorker's online site, is no friend to conservatives. Nevertheless, Rohde told Fox News something he hasn't covered in his own leftist outlet:

"I want to repeat that," he said. "It is the State Department and the White House" holding up the planes. He said the civilian effort has been "far more ambitious, far more dynamic and far more successful than what the administration has been doing."

The latest report about State is that it's falsely taking credit for the efforts of other people to facilitate the escape from Taliban country. An American mom and her three children had a harrowing experience traveling overland to get to an American embassy. With the family safely within the embassy's walls, the State Department boasted:

The State Department said it "facilitated the safe departure" of four U.S. citizens from Afghanistan on Monday, noting that the Taliban "was aware" and did not interfere in the evacuation. A senior State Department official said the evacuation was done "by overland route from Afghanistan." "Embassy staff was present upon their arrival," the official said. "They were in good condition." The official said that the "Taliban was aware and did not impede their transit."

The problem is that every one of these statements is a lie. According to Fox News, a woman named Mariam was trapped in Kabul with her three children, aged two to fifteen. All four are American citizens. They had a harrowing escape, one in which the State Department played no role. Instead, with funding from private donors, Cory Mills and his team of military veterans made their escape possible.

The Mills team learned about Mariam and her children from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and immediately began the long, dangerous process of rescuing them. The first and most obvious way to get them out was on the government flights leaving the Kabul airport, when the State Department was still urging Americans to go there to be evacuated.

Mariam and the children tried to get to the airport several times, which meant passing through Taliban checkpoints, but were always turned back. They stopped trying after a Taliban man aimed a pistol at Mariam's head, saying they should leave the area and not return.

The Taliban started actively hunting for Mariam, but the Mills team was able to get her and the kids to a safehouse. When they were unable to leave via the planes at Mazar-i-Sharif, the Mills team got the four Americans into a neighboring country (name withheld to keep that door open for future rescues) and, finally, to an American embassy.

After 2 weeks & multiple life threatening attempts, I am overjoyed to share that 4 U.S. citizens from #TX13 were part of the first successful ground evacuation since the U.S. left Kabul. Thank you to Cory Mills & the other patriots on his team for saving these BRAVE Americans! pic.twitter.com/1Tv9KRUgcE  Ronny Jackson (@RepRonnyJackson) September 6, 2021

With the scary, hard, dangerous work out of the way, the State Department stepped in to get some borrowed glory:

The State Department's public posture about Mariam's rescue is "absolute nonsense," Mills told Fox News in an exclusive interview Monday. "The fact that they're spinning this, trying to take 100% credit when they didn't track this family, when they placated this family, when the mother, who was under extreme stress and extreme pressure, reached out to the State Department multiple times and got no help." [snip] "This is an attempt to save face by the administration for the Americans they left behind. This is a woman with three children from age 15 all the way down to two-years-old. And they did nothing to try to expedite this But at the very last minute you have these 'senior officials' at the State Department trying to claim credit for this like 'oh yeah look what we've done,'" Mills said. "It's like we carried the ball to the 99-and-a-half yard line and them taking it that last half yard and being like 'look what we did.'"

There's a raging debate about whether the Biden administration's performance in Afghanistan results from incompetence, stupidity, cowardice, and groupthink, on the one hand, or is a deliberate plan to degrade America's might and reputation, with all the benefits flowing to China, on the other. The one thing that's certain is that this administration is a disgrace that should see every person involved publicly humiliated and fired with pensions withheld, and with some probably deserving long prison terms.

Image: Mariam, her family, and her rescuers. Twitter screen grab.

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Under orders from the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon, the troops on the ground in Afghanistan presided over a partial, chaotic, and awful evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies in the last days before the U.S. withdrew its military and diplomatic presence entirely from Afghanistan. Since then, private organizations have been trying desperately to rescue Americans, Afghan allies, and Afghans who converted to Christianity. The last two groups face imminent death. On Tuesday afternoon, Fox News reported that the State Department is refusing to grant approval for those charter flights.

According to Fox News, the State Department is withholding the necessary approval that will allow privately chartered flights from Afghanistan to land in third countries. The administration is saying it's too dangerous to let these planes land at Defense Department airbases:

The State Department refused to grant official approval for private evacuation flights from Afghanistan to land in third countries, even though the department conceded that official authorization would likely be needed for planes to land in those nations, an email reviewed by Fox News shows. Furthermore, the State Department explicitly stated that charter flights, even those containing American citizens, would not be allowed to land at Defense Department (DOD) airbases. U.S. officials have pointed to possible security threats from landing charter planes at military bases, saying that they lack the resources on the ground to fully verify flight manifests. The Biden administration's delaying of private evacuation efforts has been a widespread source of frustration, infuriating rescue organizers and even a prominent Democratic senator.

That sounds very noble, doesn't it? The State Department is making sure that Americans, at home and abroad (except for those abroad in Afghanistan) are safe.

This newfound nobility is a stark contrast to the way in which the Biden administration, whether in the White House, the State Department, or the Pentagon, managed the evacuation before it the military took its last boots off the ground in Afghanistan. Although the administration claims that only 100 or so Americans remain in Afghanistan, Rep. Darrell Issa believes that the real number is closer to 5001,000 Americans whom the U.S. abandoned in Afghanistan.

I would posit that even more remain behind because, before the pullout, Biden himself admitted that there were 10,000 to 15,000 Americans trapped in Afghanistan. In the end, those planes leaving Afghanistan before the U.S. pulled out carried only 6,000 Americans. I'm not good at math, but that tells me that 4,000 to 9,000 were left behind.

The numbers are even worse for those Afghans who legitimately allied themselves with the Americans and are now at risk of imminent death. Of the 20,000 or so who applied for SIVs (which rounds up to about 75,000 people when one considers their families), only 8,500 hundred were evacuated. The State Department either gave to or lost to the Taliban biometric and other identifying information for those left behind, and the Taliban will hunt them down.

So that means that fewer than 15,000 people who are American citizens or Afghan allies got on those flights. Except the Biden administration has boasted that it got 116,000 people out during those last frenzied days. So where were the remaining 100,000? We have no idea. About 500 are known terrorists, but how many are "unknown" terrorists? Again, we have no idea. It didn't matter. The Biden administration willingly took in over 100,000 people from a country in which 99% of the people support sharia law.

My point in retelling this information is that this is a fine time for the U.S. suddenly to get squeamish about letting planes fly out of Afghanistan onto American soil (whether in America or at military bases abroad). This is especially true because those who are being individually rescued are vouched for by congresspeople, religious groups, or other organizations seeking specific people.

Once again, one is left wondering whether it's possible for the Biden administration to be so stupid, incompetent, and cruel by accident or if there is a method to its madness.

Image: Afghans crammed on planes. Note the number of young men. Air Mobility Command.

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We are in a serious crisis, one that the corporate media are loath to even hint at. The reason is obvious: responsibility lies in the hands of President Biden and his leadership team. Professor Glenn Reynolds, aka, the Instapundit, is unafraid to face the reality, and writes about in the New York Post:

Our militarys civilian leadership is corrupt and incompetent. The brass commands respect neither among the citizenry nor the forces it commands. Mid-level officers are in a rage  a dangerous phenomenon that in many other nations triggers insurrections and coups. (snip) Meanwhile, the officers who actually do things are furious. A series of encrypted messages leaked to the media shows officers on the ground in Kabul blasting their orders, complaining that they were being forced to leave Americans behind. We are fking abandoning American citizens, wrote a colonel with the 82d Airborne detachment there. Regular troops were reportedly apoplectic that they werent allowed to go rescue US citizens, as British and French forces did. As this debacle unfolds, the field- and company-grade officers  captains through colonels  are complaining about a double standard in military management: If they screw up even a little, their careers are over. But when the generals screw up, there are no consequences, even when lives or billions of dollars are wasted; then they retire to fat contractor paychecks. Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller resigned his commission after Kabul to demand accountability from his superiors. He couldnt stay, he said, because he had lost trust and confidence in them. His words have been echoed, publicly and in private, by many others of similar rank. (I received an e-mail from a serving general making the same points.) This is against the background of endless loose talk by our high political leaders about coups, insurrections and sedition. The laughable Capitol riot certainly didnt rise to that level, but in a show of insecurity, the Capitol was ringed by 25,000 troops, several times as many as were sent to rescue Americans from Kabul. Banana republic stuff.

Professor Reynolds points out the reasons a military coup is unlikely.

With so much of our government, and even our domestic military force, divided up among the states, a coup is much harder to pull off. And with our institutions, weakened as they are, still comparatively strong, we arent likely to see a Seven Days in May scenario in the near future.

Id add the sworn oath to the Constitution that all military members take, even if their high command is less trustworthy.

But what worries me as a crisis is the weakened military response capability when the top brass has lost the confidence of the troops. The same disarray and incompetence that alienate the ranks are highly visible to China, Iran, North Korea, and assorted bad guys around the world. What if an adept crisis response is needed and the brass are incapable of responding coherently? What if they give suicidal orders that make no sense?

Our military and diplomatic weakness only 8 months into the Biden administration is highly provocative. We can expect responses from those who see opportunity. An incapable military and political leadership not respected by the troops is a recipe for disaster.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
On the night of 18 August 1783, four gentlemen and their two lady companions were on the terrace of the Windsor Castle, enjoying the warm summer night after a fulfilling and sumptuous dinner, when their casual conversation was cut short by a descending light in the horizon. As the spectators turned their attention towards the bluish colored apparition, they saw the light streak across the north western sky, gradually increasing in brightness. And even as they watched, the light broke up into a band of smaller lights forming a fiery procession with the smaller bodies trailing a brighter leading nucleus. For some thirty seconds the flaming band silently trailed across the sky before extinguishing in the south eastern quarter of the heavens. The remarkable spectacle left our six companions enthralled and dumb-struck, for they had never witnessed such a sight before.

The Meteor of August 18, 1783, as seen from the East Angle of the North Terrace, Windsor Castle. Painting by Paul Sandby

Amongst the group of people on the terrace of Windsor Castle was Italian natural philosopher Tiberius Cavallo, who published a description of the celestial event:

Some flashes of lambent light, much like the aurora borealis, were first observed on the northern part of the heavens, which were soon perceived to proceed from a roundish luminous body, whose apparent diameter equaled half that of the moon, and almost stationary in the same point of the heavens [...] This ball at first appeared of a faint bluish light, perhaps from appearing just kindled, or from its appearing through the haziness; but it gradually increased its light, and soon began to move, at first ascending above the horizon in an oblique direction towards the east. Its course in this direction was very short, perhaps of five or six degrees; after which it directed its course towards the east [...] Its light was prodigious. Every object appeared very distinct; the whole face of the country, in that beautiful prospect before the terrace, being instantly illuminated. At this moment the body of the meteor appeared of an oblong form, but it presently acquired a tail, and soon after parted into several smaller bodies, each having a tail, and all moving in the same direction, and at a small distance from each other, and very little behind the principle body, the size of which was gradually reduced after the division. In this form the whole meteor moved as far as the S.E. by E. where the light decreasing rather abruptly, the whole disappeared.

The meteor Cavallo described is believed to have entered Earth's atmosphere over the North Sea, before passing over the east coast of Scotland and England and the English Channel. After travelling across the atmosphere over south-western France or northern Italy, for around a thousand miles, it broke up into a series of smaller bodies and each fragment traveled across the sky in the same path. This is known as a meteor procession, and while meteors are extremely common occurrence, meter processions are not, and only a handful of examples of these have been recorded in history. Of course, the rare meteoric phenomenon of 1783 ranks among the brightest and most spectacular of such objects ever recorded.

The 1783 meteor is particularly interesting to historians of science for at least two reasons. First, its appearance prompted a detailed investigation by British scientist Charles Blagden, where he attempted to estimate the meteors size, altitude, and speedone of the first such empirical investigation conducted on the phenomenon of meteorites which was not much understood at that time. The second reason why this meteor is of interest is because of the great number of etchings, engravings and water color pictures that were produced of it. These pictures are the first detailed and generally accurate representations of such a phenomenon.

The meteor of 1783 by Henry Robinson.

The spectacular event occurred at a time when many people in Scotland and England were awake and active (the bolide appeared between 9:15 PM and 9:30 PM), leading to many and varied eye-witness accounts and observations. Blagden assembled many of these detailed eye-witness accounts and attempted to unravel the mysteries of the meteoric phenomenon that baffled many scientists before him.

The first attempt to scientifically explain meteors was made by Aristotle. According to the Greek philosopher and polymath, the Sun's heat gives off two kinds of vapors or exhalations from the Earth's surface. One is hot and

dry, and the other cold and moist. The cold vapors rise upwards and form clouds, while the hot vapors rise to

the very top of the Earth's atmosphere, where, under the right conditions, ignite to give rise to the fiery meteoric phenomena. This assertion remained unchallenged for nearly two thousand years, until John Pringle, in 1759, suggested that meteors might be extraterrestrial.

Blagden rejected both the Aristotelian hypothesis (as outlined by Edmund Halley in his 1719 paper) and Pringles assertion of extraterrestrial origin. Of the former, he notes:

Dr Halley gives no just explanation of the nature of these vapours, nor of the manner in which they can be raised, ... , nor does he account for the regular arrangement in a straight and equable line of such prodigious extent, or for their continuing to bum in such rarefied air. Indeed it is very difficult to conceive, how vapours could be prevented, in those regions where there is in a manner no pressure, from spreading out on all sides in consequence of their natural elasticity., ... Besides, it is to be expected, that such trains would sometimes take fire in the middle, and so present the phenomenon of two meteors at the same time, receding from one another in a direct line

Blagden also rejects the extraterrestrial hypothesis. He writes:

Most observers describe the meteors, not as looking like solid bodies, but rather like a fine luminous matter, perpetually changing its shape and appearance ... I think whoever carefully peruses the various accounts of fireballs, ... , will perceive that these phenomena do not correspond with the idea of a solid nucleus

Blagdens rejection is based on account that meteors cannot be solid bodies, otherwise fragments of it would have fallen every now and then to the ground. Interestingly, it was only twenty years later that E. Biot, while investigating falling stones in L'Aigle, France, concluded that stones, in fact, do fall from the sky. Some forty years after the great meteor swooped over Great Britain, the general consensus among astronomers had shifted towards the extraterrestrial hypothesis of meteor origin. The conclusive proof came after the observation of the Leonid meteor storm in 1833. The vast number of witnesses across Northern America and the sheer number of meteors streaking across the sky gave astronomers plenty of opportunities to study the nature and origin of the celestial phenomenon. By 1863, astronomers knew enough about meteors and meteor showers to correctly predict the arrival of the next meteor storm.

References:

# Martin Beech, The Great Meteor of 18th August 1783, Journal of the British Astronomical Association

# Tiberius Cavallo, Description of a meteor, observed Aug. 18, 1783, Royal Society




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Kangana Ranaut's Pending Request In Tollywood:- Before she turned out a star, Kangana Ranaut romanced Prabhas in Ek Niranjan and the film was directed by Puri Jagannadh. After a disappointing result, the actress received no offers in Telugu and she shifted her focus towards Hindi films. Keeping her controversies aside, Kangana has done some of the best films in her career and she bagged four national awards which is a rare achievement. Her upcoming movie Thalaivii is hitting the screens this Friday and she reprised the role of Tamil Nadu legendary politician J Jayalalithaa.

During her recent interviews, Kangana revealed an interesting fact. She told that she has been in touch with Puri Jagannadh over these years and she expressed her wish to work with him again. "I have been in touch with Puri sir for a long time. I wanted him to give me an opportunity in his film. I also asked him to rope me beside Prabhas. If given a chance, I would love to work in a Telugu film" told Kangana. Prabhas and Puri Jagannadh working for a film is impossible for now as Prabhas has his dairy full for the next five years. For now, Kangana too has a strong lineup of Hindi projects.
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Anniston, AL (36206)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 8 - Matteo Salvini's League party was at the centre of tension within Premier Mario Draghi's government over the Green Pass on Wednesday, breaking ranks with the rest of the ruling majority in parliamentary votes on the vaccine passport for the second consecutive day Salvini, meanwhile, said that, as far as he knows, the executive is not planning to extend the scope of the Green Pass COVID-19 passport to make it obligatory for all private and public sector workers.

On Monday Health Minister Roberto Speranza said the government was considering extending the scope of the Green Pass.

"I spoke to Premier Draghi and there was nothing about extending the Green Pass to all public and private sector workers," Salvini said during a visit to the Milan Furniture Fair on Wednesday.

"This is different from what I read in some newspapers and this comforts me". Salvini also ruled out making it obligatory for people to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Draghi last week said he was in favour of making the COVID jab obligatory.

"I rule out the vaccine obligation being discussed," Salvini said.

"Making it obligatory would be counterproductive. It would scare people and increase doubts".

The green certificate, which shows that someone is vaccinated for the coronavirus, has recovered from it or has recently tested negative, is already necessary to travel abroad and for access to certain events, such as weddings, sporting events, concerts, and in order to visit care homes.

It is also needed for long distance travel on domestic flights, ferries and high-speed trains and to be able to sit at a table inside bars and restaurants.

All school and higher education staff must have it, as well as university students.

Vaccinations were already obligatory for health workers before the Green Pass was set up.

On Tuesday the League dropped its amendments in parliament to a decree regulating the Green Pass, which meant the government did not have to put the legislation to a confidence vote to make sure if progressed.

But then it voted in favour of an amendment presented by the opposition, right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party against the obligation to have the Green Pass to be able to sit inside restaurants.

Then on Wednesday it voted in favour of an FdI amendment that would have exempted minors over 12 from the obligation to have the Green Pass if it had passed. (ANSA).


80 killed in clashes in Yemen's Marib Both Houthi rebels and pro-government soldiers

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPT 8 - At least 80 rebels and pro-government soldiers were killed in an ongoing battle by Wednesday morning in the Marib region of Yemen.



The region is known for being oil-rich and is the last stronghold of the pro-Saudi government in the northern part of the country.



Reports were from loyalist soldiers.



"Sixty Houthi rebels have been killed, most of whom in airstrikes conducted over the past 24 hours, while 18 pro-government soldiers have died and dozens have been injured in the last 48 hours," a military official from the government said.



The death toll was confirmed by other military sources, while rebels rarely report the number of victims among their ranks.



The clashes between the Yemeni government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Houthi rebels allied with Iran have intensified in recent days in Marib, the military official said.



The fighting and airstrikes are concentrated in the north and northwestern parts of the governorate. (ANSAmed).






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A contestant on the latest series of Married At First Sight UK has been asked to leave the show after breaching the agreed code of conduct on behaviour.

Nikita Jasmine, 26, from Co Durham, was paired up with business development manager Ant Poole, 28, from Manchester, as part of the E4 series, which sees strangers get married having never met each other before saying I do.

A statement from the show said: The wellbeing of cast and crew is our utmost priority at all times throughout production and beyond.

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During filming, a situation escalated off camera and Nikita displayed a level of aggression that was unacceptable and breached our agreed code of conduct on behaviour. As a result, she was asked to leave the experiment.

All involved have been offered support and Nikita has since apologised and resolved the situation with those involved.

The couple enjoyed a honeymoon in Mexico before returning home, with the incident taking place during filming of an episode featuring a dinner marking the next stage of the show, the couples moving in together.

Scenes from the dinner will air on Thursday night with E4 describing the event as a dinner party theyll never forget.

Nikita Jasmine (Channel 4/PA)

The show follows the format of the successful Australian series, with couples making a lifelong commitment to each other at a ceremony that mimicks a wedding, rather than it being a legal marriage.

The ongoing UK series sees eight couples bonding across 21 episodes after tying the knot.

Once the ceremony is over, the couples go on honeymoon and then move in with each other to live as a couple and see if they are suited as a pairing or not.

Relationship expert Melanie Schilling and matchmaker Paul Carrick Brunson, also known as the love doctor on Celebs Go Dating, are responsible for matching the singletons, while sex and relationship therapist Charlene Douglas works with them as they navigate their new relationships.

Married At First Sight UK airs Monday to Thursday nights at 9pm on E4. Catch up is available on All 4.
Cop26 president Alok Sharma has demanded more details from Beijing about how it will meet climate goals following two days of talks with Chinese officials.

The United Nations Cop26 climate summit, which will be held in Glasgow in November, aims to secure global net-zero emissions by the middle of the century.

But China has so far only committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

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Mr Sharma said questions remained over how fast Beijings commitments would be put into action.

Chinas role in tackling climate change will be vital due to the size of both its population and economy.

Mr Sharma met Chinas special representative for climate change affairs, Xie Zhenhua, in Tianjin for talks described as robust but constructive by insiders.

The pair discussed President Xi Jinpings commitments to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, peak emissions before 2030 and reduce Chinas use of coal.

Mr Sharma said: I have had constructive discussions on my first visit to China in the Cop26 role, but time is running out to prevent a climate catastrophe, and so the discussions I have had here are nothing short of crucial.

The commitments President Xi has made over the last year are welcome and Chinas pledge to tackle climate change as a shared mission for humanity is encouraging.

The choices that China makes, on their energy mix, and on coal specifically, will shape our shared future.

The question that remains is how fast they put these into action, along with other major emitters. I look forward to more detailed plans being published setting out how Chinas targets will be met.

The clock is running down fast and the next decade will be decisive. All countries need to pick up the pace on driving down emissions and safeguarding people and nature from the worst effects of climate change.

During the visit Mr Sharma also discussed the detailed Covid measures that will be in place for the Glasgow summit in an effort to reassure the Chinese delegation.

It remains unclear whether President Xi will join other world leaders in Glasgow.

Officials have acknowledged that Cop26 will not be the end of the road in tackling climate change amid concerns that its goals will not all be met.

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Mr Sharma also met other senior ministers virtually including Chinese vice premier Han Zheng, as well as the governor of the Peoples Bank of China Yi Gang and business representatives.

His trip to China followed US climate envoy John Kerrys visit to Tianjin earlier in September.

Mr Kerry told Mr Han in a virtual meeting that there was no way for the world to solve the climate crisis without Chinas full engagement and commitment.
A third man has been charged with the murder of 22-year-old Kai Davis, who was stabbed to death in south-west London.

Conrad Adams, 18, of Bulow Court, Fulham, is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being arrested and charged on Tuesday.

Mr Davis was chatting outside Pryzm nightclub in Clarence Street, Kingston, when he was attacked early on Saturday August 21.

He ran off but collapsed around 200 metres away, and died in hospital hours later from a stab wound to the heart.

Joseph Barker, 22, from Uxbridge, west London, and Ben Myles, 22, from Southall, west London, were previously charged with his murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

They appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Wandsworth prison last week and were remanded in custody ahead of a plea hearing on November 23.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The former Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan has been placed into pre-trial detention, his lawyer Sasun Rafayelyan told ARMENPRESS.

The Special Investigations Service earlier said that Hovsepyan, while serving as Prosecutor General and then head of the Investigative Committee (2004-2013 and 2014-2018), accepted a 190,000,000 dram bribe and embezzled 800,000,000 drams worth of property and also laundered 1,299,404,414 drams.

We will definitely file a complaint to the appellate court, we simply havent yet received the [court] decision. Yesterday the concluding part of the court order was published. As soon as we receive the decision we will get acquainted with it and then submit a complaint, Rafayelyan said.

According to investigators Hovsepyan engaged in the management of several business companies while in office, despite the law prohibiting officials from entrepreneurship.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. On September 7, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne M. Tracy traveled to Lori to participate in a donation ceremony of a Digital Radiography and Fluoroscopy Machine to the Spitak Medical Center, the Embassy said in a statement.

The medical imaging device, worth $255,000, is one component of a medical equipment donation to the Ministry of Health valued at$770,000 to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia.

The U.S. European Commands Humanitarian Assistance Program funded the donation.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been working closely with the Government of Armenia to keep Armenians safe and healthy. The medical equipment provided by the U.S. European Commands Humanitarian Assistance Program will improve the capacity of the Armenian healthcare system to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients, Ambassador Tracy said.

In addition to the donation ceremony, the Ambassador also held a meeting with Lori province governor Aram Khachatryan.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian prisoners of war, including civilians, kept by Azerbaijan after the 2020 war were subjected to coordinated state-sanctioned physical and psychological torture, Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan said at a news conference, presenting an emergency report by lawyers and human rights advocates regarding the responsibility of the Azeri government for the gross violations of human rights, ill-treatment, torture and inhumane treatment against Armenian captives in Azeri custody.

Ombudsman Tatoyan stated that the Azeri military tortures the Armenian POWs based on ethnic discrimination, i.e. only because they are Armenian.

Certainly, the cruelest treatment happens right after being taken captive, especially committed by operatives of special forces. For example, there are cases when theyd thrown the food on the ground and forced the captives to eat it. Or there was a case when they gave only 10 seconds to finish eating, and then threw the food into the trash. Often, theyd put their finger onto the wound, so that people start asking and begging for treatment or food. They would also deliberately splash cold water on naked POWs in cold weather and keep windows open, Tatoyan said.

The soldiers whove been freed and brought back to Armenia told the Ombudsman that when representatives of the Red Cross were to come for visits, the Azeri military would change their treatment beforehand.

The Azeri servicemen would treat the Armenian POWs with special cruelty while trying to obtain information, such as personal information. The Armenian POWs were forced to make anti-Armenian and pro-Azeri statements.

Tatoyan says they have clear facts on many cases of the POWs being forced to make fake statements.

As an example, Tatoyan said: One of the soldiers was forced to say that he has killed 50 Azerbaijanis at a wedding in Zangelan.

Especially cruel treatment was displayed against veterans of the First Nagorno Karabakh War and the 2016 April War.

Cases when people were tortured in the public are especially deplorable, for example in hospitals. Passersby, for example patients, were spitting on the Armenian captives, and it happened in the presence of an Azerbaijani special services agent, Tatoyan said, adding that even Azeri doctors have committed violence against the Armenian POWs.

An Armenian POW was stripped naked and the Azeri servicemen poured boiling water or tea on his body, before severely beating him. The POW was unable to walk for 21 days after this.

In addition to all the abovementioned, Tatoyan says the Azerbaijani authorities are also guilty in violating the religious rights of the Armenian POWs, by having forcefully taken their crosses.

Human rights advocate and lawyer Siranush Sahakyan added that three state bodies of the Azeri government were primarily involved in torturing the Armenian captives  the Azerbaijani Military Police, the Investigative Detention Center and the jails under the jurisdiction of the justice ministry.

Punitive beatings took place in the Azeri national security service jails as well, she said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenias tourism sector has registered 30% growth in tourism sector compared to January-September 2020, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said today.

488,000 tourists arrived in Armenia as of late August, and 143,000 visited the country only in August. It means that we have a 30% growth compared to the last year. I suppose that we will have over one million tourists by yearend. It was planned to host 1.2 million [tourists], the minister said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. At the invitation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in Georgia on an official visit.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, David Zalkaliani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, met the Armenian PM at Shota Rustaveli International Airport of Tbilisi. Nikol Pashinyan headed to the Government of Georgia from the airport, where Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili met him.

The official welcoming ceremony of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia took place. The state anthems of Armenia and Georgia were performed in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries, performed by a military orchestra. Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili, accompanied by the Commander of the Guard of Honor, inspected the military orchestra and Guard of Honor, after which introduced each other to the members of the official delegations of Armenia and Georgia.

Afterwards, Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili held a private conversation.

In his welcoming speech, the Prime Minister of Georgia said,

'' I would like to greet the Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan. I am glad that my dear colleague visited Tbilisi today.

I would like to congratulate my colleague once again on his convincing victory in the parliamentary elections. I am confident that he will bring success and development to the Armenian people and Armenia.

Welcome!.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said,

 Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

First of all, let me thank you for the invitation and the warm reception.

It has always been a great honor and pleasure for me to visit the capital of fraternal Georgia, because this is a good opportunity to first communicate with friends and second, to discuss issues of our bilateral, regional and international relations.

I am glad that quite effective cooperation has been established between our governments. I am sure that based on the results of our meeting, the cooperation will become more effective and closer.

The private conversation between the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia was followed by an extended-format meeting of the governmental delegations of the two countries. Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili discussed a wide range of issues of the agenda of Armenian-Georgian friendly relations.

The Armenian Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Georgian side and the Georgian Prime Minister for the efforts made by Georgia for returning 15 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, emphasizing that it was a significant contribution to peace and stability in the region. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan highlighted Georgia's balanced position on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which should be based on the principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The Prime Minister referred to Azerbaijan's unconstructive policy, anti-Armenian rhetoric, which is a threat to regional stability and security.

The Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia noted with satisfaction the significant intensification of high-level bilateral official visits in the last three years, which has given a new impetus to the Armenian-Georgian cooperation.

The parties exchanged views on the domestic political situation in the two countries. Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that for the second time in the history of Armenia the elections are recognized by international observers as completely transparent, free and fair, as a result of which it was possible to overcome the domestic political crisis in Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan noted that the strengthening of the rule of law, including the fight against corruption, opening the era of peace and development for the Armenian people, as well as for the region are the priorities of the Armenian Government's Action Plan.

The interlocutors discussed the ways for further development of economic ties. The sides expressed mutual readiness to increase trade turnover. In this regard, the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Armenia and Georgia was highlighted, the next sitting of which is scheduled to be held in Georgia at the end of this year. An agreement was reached to continue the ongoing programs, as well as to develop new initiatives in the fields of transport, energy, high technologies and other spheres.

The sides highlighted the five-sided format of cooperation between Armenia-Georgia-Bulgaria-Greece-Iran and the continuous work on the draft agreement on the establishment of an international transport corridor from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. President of Russia Vladimir Putin discussed with President of the European Council Charles Michel the implementation process of the trilateral agreements over Nagorno Karabakh, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Kremlin.

The situation over Nagorno Karabakh was discussed. At the request of Charles Michel, the President of Russia informed about the steps taken for the implementation of the trilateral agreements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, reads the statement.

Charles Michel made a post on his Twitter page about the telephone conversation, who, referring to the NK issue, wrote Its necessary to build trust and start a dialogue.
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The police also used water cannons to stop the farmers from marching towards the districts mini-secretariat

New Delhi: Locked in a showdown with Haryanas BJP-led government, a large crowd of farmers squatted at the gates of the Karnal civil headquarters on Tuesday in protest over a lathicharge last month. The police also used water cannons to stop the farmers from marching towards the districts mini-secretariat after talks broke down between their leaders and the district administration on their demand for action against officials and police officers involved in the lathicharge.

As the protesters seemed to settle in for the night, the farmer unions leaders said the gherao will continue till their demands are met. The gherao of the mini-secretariat has started. We will sit here peacefully. Despite all obstacles, we have gheraoed the mini-secretariat, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Yogendra Yadav announced later.

The gherao began in the evening, hours after farmers from Haryana and the neighbouring states reached Karnals New Anaj Mandi for a maha-panchayat. Marching on foot from the mahapanchayat venue to the mini-secretariat 5 km away, the farmers faced water cannons as they neared the complex. They jumped over some barricades, but there was no other serious confrontation with the police along the way.

In New Delhi, the Congress said Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar must resign if he cannot talk with the protesting farmers. Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should shed his ego and arrogance and withdraw the three black laws over which the farmers have been protesting for several months.

The protest was organised by the SKM against the lathicharge at Bastara toll plaza on August 28. Several farmers and police personnel had been injured in the incident and protesters claimed one farmer had died due to the assault.

As farmers gathered at Anaj Mandi, an 11-member delegation was called by the local administration to discuss their demands in a bid to dissuade them from marching towards the secretariat. Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, Karnal IGP Mamta Singh and SP Ganga Ram Punia were among the officials who took part in the talks with the farm union leaders.

During the two-hour talks, the union leaders insisted that an FIR be filed against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who was the subdivisional magistrate during the police lathicharge. A video that circulated afterwards showed Mr Sinha asking the policemen to smash the heads of the protesters breaking down the barricades.

Soon after the talks failed, the union leaders decided to continue with their decision to gherao the mini-secretariat. They also appealed to the protesters not to indulge in any law and order disruption and in case the police tried to stop them, they should court arrest. On their way to the secretariat, some protesters also removed some barricades.

The Karnal administration doesnt want to listen to us farmers. Either the Khattar government must heed our demands, or they should arrest us. We are willing to court arrest, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said in a tweet after the talks broke down.

Our talks with administration failed as they did not agree to our demands, senior farm leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said before the leaders decided to go ahead with their original plan to gherao the mini-secretariat.

Mr Yadav tweeted: Like Kauravas refusal to part with just five villages, the Khattar government did not even accept the minimum demands of the farmers. The governments obstinacy has thwarted three rounds of talks.

As the farmers marched on to the secretariat, the police briefly detained some protesters and even used water cannons to push them back. Mr Yadav tweeted that the police had detained farm union leaders briefly but said later that they were all released soon.

Addressing the mahapanchayat earlier, Mr Yadav said: We have come to ask the government which Constitution, which law gives an IAS officer permission to give orders to break the farmers heads Under which law are the police allowed to carry out a brutal lathicharge, resulting in the death of one and injuries to several others.

The authorities have, however, denied that any farmer died due to the violence on August 28. The Haryana police had that day lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic on the national highway while heading to the venue of a BJP meeting. Over 10 protesters were injured.

The SKM had said a murder case should be registered against IAS officer Ayush Sinha over his alleged break heads remark. Mr Sinha, who was later transferred in a reshuffle, also involving some other IAS officers, has now been posted as the additional secretary in the Citizen Resources Information Department.

A day ahead of the mini-secretariats proposed gherao, Central forces were deployed, mobile Internet services suspended and prohibitory orders banning gatherings had been imposed in Karnal. Despite this, a sea of farmers and other protesters carrying flags and placards poured through Karnal's streets to reach the Anaj Mandi for the mahapanchayat.
There is more to winning in UP, Uttarakhand or Goa than merely putting a BJP man in the CMs chair

Theres no reason, as yet, for the somewhat battered BJP behemoth to feel under pressure from the intermittent calls for Opposition unity, even though it is displaying signs of being stressed. The Election Commissions capitulation over announcing the byelection date for West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees re-election, days after a Trinamul Congress delegation warned the EC it was moving into constitutionally dicey terrain, is one telling incident.

This doesnt mean the BJPs dreams of establishing Hindutva hegemony by winning back its reputation as an invincible force have been irreversibly shattered. All it will take is a definitive BJP victory in Uttar Pradesh and the decimation of regional party challengers, plus wins in Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, since it is unlikely to win in Punjab, after the crushing West Bengal defeat, to restore its image as an unbeatable success. Its hard to refute the argument that the BJP looks good even as the incumbent party in a state like UP, where the fractures in the Opposition, with multiple parties competing against each other, and the Samajwadi Party unwilling to accept the Congress as a partner and the BSP looking more and more like a spent force, willing to sit on the fence rather than challenge the BJP. Notwithstanding the fissures in the BJP in Uttarakhand, a Congress revival strong enough to challenge the incumbent has not emerged yet.

There is more to winning in UP, Uttarakhand or Goa than merely putting a BJP man in the CMs chair. Big wins are necessary to ensure the BJP can install its choice without a tussle at Rashtrapati Bhavan and in the vice-presidents chair as both elections are due in 2022 as well. To put the shine back on its tarnished image after the West Bengal blow, the BJP needs wins in the five states going the polls before the presidential and vice-presidential elections in July-August.

The calls for the Opposition to unite and get ready to fight the BJP by Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi are just that; an appeal with no real substance yet. There has been no successful action by the anti-BJP parties that met on three separate occasions between June and now to rattle the BJP into thinking its position as the dominant force in Indian politics is open to challenge.

Mamata Banerjees Khela Hobe call may have electrified voters across India and she may no longer be the dark horse of unpredictable prowess after her third term two-thirds majority win in West Bengal, defeating Narendra Modi as the challenger and Amit Shah as the mastermind, but she is not the challenger in any of the state elections that are crucial to the BJPs hegemonic dreams between now and 2024. The Trinamul Congress base is limited to West Bengal, and it is just starting its political fight against the BJP in Tripura, a small state with limited heft in the larger context of national politics.

And yet the anti-BJP Opposition appears upbeat, and the BJP is twitchy. The reason could be that while the maths is right, the mood is wrong. The numbers and variables in Uttar Pradesh would indicate that the BJP is unlikely to face a major challenge from the splintered Opposition. The same is possibly correct for Uttarakhand.

The mood is a different matter altogether. The Modi governments tactics over the past seven years of grabbing the glory and dumping the failures on states for policies and actions initiated by it is coming home to roost. The BJP is now in the uncomfortable position of defending in the states going to the polls the actions and policies that have fuelled discontent among voters.

The accumulation of negative political capital by the Modi government is an opportunity that the call for Opposition unity clearly perceives as a windfall. By proposing to hold an Opposition conclave that will include leaders of political parties in opposition to the BJP, even though they are not in power in any of the states, Mamata Banerjee is signalling that a coherent and cohesive attack that addresses the growing discontent and seething resentment against the Modi government can be crafted to take on the BJP in the crucial state elections in February-March 2022.

The Modi government has certainly provided enough ammunition to the Opposition to craft the attack. The shortlist of its decisions reads like a text prepared for the Opposition to convert into a political campaign of considerable impact. The plan to monetise assets, for instance, by leasing public sector properties to private enterprises for 25 years is an easy way for the Centre to make a fast Rs 6 trillion but at the cost of stripping value from assets located in the states that get nothing from the exercise. The self-evident truth is that workers and the states will bear the cost of funnelling funds to the Centre is not a politically beneficial move for the BJP, which will need to explain the decision to suspicious voters and counter the Opposition attack, if the Opposition can get its act together.

The Modi governments decision to pass the buck to the states on Other Backward Castes listing without a caste census is also readymade fodder for the Opposition if it can use it effectively in the forthcoming elections in UP. The hefty hikes in the price of gas, diesel and petrol and increases in the price of fertiliser, pesticides, insecticides, cost of power generation has angered consumers from the middle class, farmers, small industries and trade. The farm laws have sparked the worlds longest running protest, now in its ninth month, and another Bharat Bandh is in the offing to mark 10 months of protests. Labour law changes and the virtual ban on strikes has angered the working population across all states.

The list of the Modi governments policy missteps adds up to an economy that is unable to recover and the consequent distress in urban and rural areas, growing unemployment, badly targeted social benefits that enrich the private sector but deliver little value to the vulnerable. Majoritarian nationalism and the toxic politics of divisiveness over religious identities works best when the economy is not tanking. Hardships that hurt everyone has political consequences that cannot be offset by Hindutva mobilisation.

For the Opposition to work out an agenda based on the specificities of the states going to the polls ought not to be difficult. If that happens, and Mamata Banerjee is working to make it happen, the BJP and the Modi government have a challenge on their hands and no playbook to deflect the attack.
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This beloved truck has an entire museum dedicate to it, as well as clubs. Together with Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, the Unimog Museum and Unimog Club Gaggenau organized an entire anniversary weekend for the venerable truck, in honor of its 75th year of production. Of course, there could be no better place to celebrate this, other than Gaggenau, the Unimogs hometown in the Murg Valley.It was here where, back in 1951, the first Unimog was rolled out under the Mercedes-Benz brand name. But the fierce vehicles history is even longer than that. The first prototype of what was called the universally applicable motorized device had been tested years earlier, in 1946, at Schwabisch Gmund.Throughout the anniversary weekend, the Unimog museum took center stage, offering visitors the chance to take a closer look at multiple vehicles, learn more about their performance through technology presentations, and even watch them in action. We bet it was worth watching 75 (one for each year of the anniversary) of these beasts drive through Gaggenau. The convoy started its trip from Worth am Rhein, via Karlsruhe, to the final destination of the trucks hometown.The route was yet another opportunity for the Unimog trucks to demonstrate their undefeated performance on any kind of terrain. With their massive build, big tires and three locking differentials (to point out just a few of their power traits), the Unimog are true off-road beasts.Which is why its not surprising that theyve maintained their status even after all these years. Recently , the Unimog was voted Off-road vehicle of the year, by readers of the German Off-road magazine, with more than half percent of the votes. This win made 2021 the 17th year in a row where the Unimog got this title - all the more fitting, since its also the trucks 75th anniversary.
BREAKING: Alex Albon will return to F1 with Williams in 2022!



He will team up with Nicholas Latifi, who retains his seat#F1 pic.twitter.com/V3K7fA3uHO  Formula 1 (@F1) September 8, 2021

Alex Albon will be making his 2022 season entry as a full-time F1 driver, after he severed the ties with his former Red Bull team not long ago. These past few months, Albon has served as a reserve driver, and also raced in the DTM. Most recently, Red Bull has bee trying send Albon either at Alfa Romeo or Williams - on Wednesday, Williams made the official announcement that Albon will be racing alongside Nicholas Latifi starting next year.The Alglo-Thai driver has expressed his excitement over his future at Williams, and shared all that on his Facebook account, sending thanks left and right. Alex Albon also joked about how hell be replacing George Russell , now at Mercedes, but he wont be taking over the topless selfies.The 2022 season will clearly be interesting to watch, considering all the moves made recently. At Williams, itll be thrilling to see the dynamic between Nicholas Latifi and Alex Albon - the two are well familiar with each other, having previously raced alongside during the latter's 2018 Formula Two campaign.When it comes to Alex Albons background, the 25-year-old has been competitively racing since a very young age, having started racing karts in 2005 at the age of 8. He became a part of the Red Bull Junior Team in 2012, and initially had signed with Nissan e.dams as one of the drivers for the 2018-2019 season, but ended up making his Formula One debut in 2019 with Toro Rosso.
As administrator Ben Friedman from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) said it best, it takes just one storm to devastate an entire community, which is why everyone is keeping an eye on Larry, including the astronauts in space. Megan McArthur recently shared an image on social media giving us a glimpse of hurricane Larry, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS). Shes been monitoring Larry for days now, and according to her latest image caption, it looks much larger than Ida, at least from the astronauts viewpoint on the Space Station Fortunately though, they dont expect Larry to make landfall, but it will leave its mark by bringing some powerful storms to Bermudas island territory as of today.According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Larry is classified as a Category 3 hurricane , which is pretty massive. Category 3 hurricanes are considered major, with sustained winds between 111 to 129 mph (178 to 207 kph), and Larry packs in winds of up to 115 mph (185 kph).The same NHC describes category 3 hurricanes as being able to remove roofs from homes, uproot trees, and make water and electricity unavailable for days or even weeks.This classification is based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with the most catastrophic hurricanes being the Category 5 ones, with sustained winds of more than 157 mph (252 kph and higher). These can make the affected areas uninhabitable for weeks or even months.
In the decades shes been working in the industry, Cindy has produced memorable work, but none more relevant to our common passion (cars) than her 1992 Pepsi ad. Called Two Kids, it saw the model drive into a gas station in a red-over-tan Lamborghini Diablo , and head straight for a Pepsi as two kids gawked in amazement.Directed by Joe Pytka, it was pure 90s mood, set against an arid backdrop that was nonetheless packed with glamour, thanks to Cindy and her Diablo.Over the years, Cindy has revisited that ad several times, including in 2016 for a parody with James Corden, and in a 2018 Super Bowl ad, also for Pepsi. The car has changed, too. She drove a Countach for the Corden spoof and a Corvette for Pepsi, both in the same shade of red.The year is 2021 and Cindy Crawford is back at Halfway Cafe gas station, still rocking the same jeans shorts and white tank top, the same silver hoops and giant hair, red pumps and the apparent ability to not age. That last part cant be emphasized enough. But the car has changed once more, and Cindy is now going old-school in a red Cadillac Eldorado . And what do you know?, she has a pair of wolves as pets now.The new shoot is not for an ad for Pepsi, but for a good cause, the model says on her Instagram. She and esteemed wildlife photographer David Yarrow are raising funds for the American Family Childrens Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, the same facility that treated her kid brother for leukemia. She doesnt say whether the photos will be followed by a video, but heres to hoping. A lot of effort went into the shoot, down to tracking down the original glam squad that did her hair and makeup in 92.Until a video or the full photoshoot drops, heres Cindy being utterly gorgeous in equally gorgeous cars along the years.
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Back in 2015, Stefan Sielaff was appointed Director of Design for Bentley Motors, and his new job will bring him to Sweden, in Gothenburg. Stefan Sielaff previously worked for Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and the Volkswagen Group before joining Bentley.Sielaff is known for the first-generation Audi A1 and A7 models, but also several Bentley models. He replaced Luc Donckerwolke in 2015 after he moved to become Hyundai Motor Company's Chief Creative Officer. Stefan Sielaff will oversee the entire Geely Auto Group portfolio of brands. These include Lynk & Co, Geely Auto, Geometry, and Zeekr. The latter is the company's premiumbrand. While the Geely Group does own Volvo Cars , their design departments are separate.The President of Geely Holding Group, Mr. Andy An Conghui, who is also the CEO of Zeekr Technology, stated that the company is highly appreciative of Peter Horbury 's contribution and dedication to Geely during his decade with the company.As Geely 's President stated, Peter Horbury helped define Geely's brand image globally, while also leading a creative global team in the automotive industry. Horbury joined Geely back in 2011 and created the Geely 3.0 era of products, along with a new design language.Before joining Geely, Peter Horbury used to work for Volvo, but he previously worked for Ford . You might be familiar with Horbury's work if you remember the Volvo 480 ES , the Volvo C70, S70, V70, S60, the first-generation XC90, the 2004 S40, and the V50. Those were just some models penned by Horbury in less than a decade of his 40-year career.Horbury supported the development of the Lynk & Co brand, as well as the Geometry and Zeekr brands. The Chinese conglomerate also opened design studios in China, Spain, Sweden, and the USA.
Martin made his bones on the strength of his appearance in the gripping Isle of Man TT race documentary Closer To The Edge , and since then hes set records for the fastest hovercraft, fastest gravity snow sled, and even the fastest gravity-powered Soapbox racer.The team behind the 52 Express hopes to break a land speed record for streamliners - currently set at 376.363 mph (605.679 kph) by Rocky Robinson in the Ack Attack streamliner motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats - by the end of 2021 or the spring of 2022. The machine theyve built is a melding of a 30-foot-long streamliner body with a Rolls Royce Gem helicopter turbine engine.Robinsons streamliner used an amazing twin Suzuki Hayabusa engine. In 2010, Robinson broke the land speed record when he rode his Top Oil Ack Attack streamlined motorcycle at an average of 605 kph (376 mph) over a distance of one kilometer.And Martin himself once attempted to break a speed record over a mile back in 2013 atop his own Hayabusa.Martin is joined in the project by British Superbike team owner Bernie Toleman and has Martin already inked a deal for a Channel-4 documentary on the effort for British television. The documentary will follow the teams attempt at the record on the salt flats at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. THE 52 EXPRESS project is led by former GP and TT sidecar racer Alex Macfadzean. Macfadzean is no stranger to quests for pure speed as hes worked on several Land Speed Record vehicles - both of the two-and-four-wheeled variety.In case youre wondering what a run at that blistering speed looks and sounds like, you can check out Robinsons run in the video here.
Officials of the Italian government are now in talks with the European Union aimed at protecting supercar makers from the ban which is currently slated to go into effect by 2035.Roberto Cingolani, Italian Minister for Ecological Transition, says that while Rome is on board with the EU commitment to cut emissions, the supercar sector is a niche, and there are ongoing discussions with the EU Commission on ways supercar builders - who sell relatively small numbers of polluting vehicles - can make an end-run around the ban.Cingolani made his remarks to Bloomberg TV at the Ambrosetti Forum . He said supercars require special technology and that they call for "specific batteries to make the transition.He added that an important component of the plan is for Italy to gain autonomy in producing high-performance batteries and for that to happen, Italy will need a giga-factory program to allow for large-scale battery production.The phase-out plan will prove a challenge for luxury vehicle producers as their models tend to have high-powered engines which create above-average levels of pollution.As the EU is still in the early stages of planning the ban, and the discussion process is likely to take up to two years, Italy is not alone in proposing amendments that would protect their auto industry.The French have already balked at elements of the new plan and officials are calling for considerably more lenient emissions targets. Paris currently says theyd be in favor of limits that would reduce emissions from cars 55% by 2030 For very small manufacturers, who in the bigger picture of overall emissions play almost no role, there are good arguments for considering these exemptions, said Oliver Zipse, the President of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association during the IAA car show in Munich For their part, Italians argue that since Ferrari sold around 9,100 vehicles in 2020 and Lamborghini sales totaled around 7,400 units, the small numbers dont justify including them in the ban.That could be good news for the teams in Maranello and Sant'Agata Bolognese.
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This other Cat some articles presented was actually from the Lightning Cat. It was also displayed by Great Wall at the IAA simply as 03 Cat in its rear plate and as Ora Cat in its front plate. Its hard to blame anyone reading them for making quite a mess. On the other hand, the fact that Great Wall took this car to Munich tells us a lot about the companys plans.The Lightning Cat was introduced at the Auto Shanghai 2021 as a concept car, but the one presented at the IAA 2021 looks pretty much ready for production. Just like other products from the brand, such as the Punk/Ballet Cat, it was then confused for something else. While the latter looks like a Volkswagen Beetle, the former resembles a Panamera.While the Porsche is 5.05 meters long, 1.94 m wide, 1.43 m tall, and has a wheelbase of 2.95 m, the Lightning Cat is not much smaller. The Orais 4.87 meters long, 1.85 m wide, 1.50 m tall, and has a wheelbase of 2.87 m. Powered by all four wheels, the Lightning Cat has 300, 680 Nm, and an 82-battery pack.Weighing 2,183 kilograms (4,813 pounds), the EV would reach a governed top speed of 180 kph (112 mph), 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in a little more than 3 seconds, and would be able to run 450 kilometers (280 miles) under thecycle. Not much, considering how big its battery pack is.Presenting it in Germany in a production version means the Chinese carmaker has the intention to sell it in Europe as well. Whether it will do it or not is yet to be seen. Regarding the cars Great Wall already confirmed it would sell there, the Ora Cat (the Good Cat, sorry!) also has a racing version, and the GT exposed.While the racing Cat is probably just for show, the Cat GT has no reason not to be sold in Europe. The issue is that it will be disappointing for fans of actual performance: the GT is just an appearance trim with no power or mechanical changes.Regarding the Wei Coffe 01, we have already spoken a lot about it in our previous article . Make sure you read it but check the live pictures our partners at SBMedien have taken for us.
Okay, so whats new about it? In theory, nothing, but the French auto firm has officially confirmed that it will hit the assembly line in 2024. The production model will serve as the successor to the iconic Renault 5 that has sparked a lot of interest from buyers between 1972 and 1996, albeit with a modern zero-emission twist.With the upcoming 5, Renault wants to make electric cars widely accessible throughout Europe. It draws on the styling of the original car, transposed into the new era by Design Director Gilles Vidal and his team. Thus, no one can mistake it for anything else than a vehicle made by the diamond brand and, more importantly, a Renault 5.At the Munich event that has kept us busy over the last few days, Renault has displayed the 5 Prototype next to the original model that is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The exhibit, as you can see in the image gallery at the top of this article, comprises of four classic 5s. These include an orange TL, a blue electric model, a black Le Car Van, and a champagne-finished TX.Built around an electric version of the CMF-B platform, which is shared with the latest Clio, Captur, Nissan Juke, and Note, (Dacias modern range sits on a slightly different architecture), the new-gen Renault 5 will be put together at the same factory as its predecessor. The carmaker plans to assemble around 400,000 electric vehicles in its home country each year, and the new 5 will play an important role in that, together with the Megane E-Tech
The creator of the unusual project is Powerhouse Company, an architecture company based in Rotterdam , Holland. The FOR serves as the headquarters of the Global Center on Adaptation, an organization focused on climate issues. It is a 3,700 sq meters (almost 40,000 sq ft) self-sufficient, carbon-neutral building that Powerhouse describes as the worlds largest floating office.Measuring 90 x 24 meters (295 X 79 ft), the FOR started to take shape in 2018, but it had to be towed from Zaandam (a city in North Holland) all the way to Rotterdam/Rijnhaven, which is located 80 km (almost 50 miles) away. It only arrived at its destination at the end of August and has been recently inaugurated by Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands.The FOR is powered by an 800 sq m (over 8.600 sq ft) solar panel array and has a water-based heat-exchange system that uses the harbor water for cooling and heating.Powerhouse Company designed the floating office to have three floors, and there's a boardwalk that gives you access to the building. Theres a restaurant with a large outdoor terrace, a swimming pool, overhanging balconies around each floor, and a pitched roof.The timber-made FOR can be disassembled and recycled, but Powerhouse Company says the building should stay put for the next 10 years and maybe relocated after this period.While the structure is made completely of timber to minimize its carbon footprint, the underwater foundation is made of concrete pontoons that are anchored together. Powerhouse Company boasts of its off-grid building being both fun and functional, capable of carelessly floating in case water levels rise.
Webasto produces these hardtops for the Dearborn-based automaker, but you shouldnt point the finger at the supplier for the poor design and substandard quality. The second-largest automaker of the Big Three in Detroit acknowledged these problems in August, and Ford estimated the brand-new MIC hardtop would be ready for delivery sometime in October.After waiting more than a year to have their Broncos delivered, its understandable that many customers werent happy with this estimate. Happily for them, Ford has finished the redesign and testing of the improved hardtop according to marketing manager Mark Grueber. Contacted by the Detroit Free Press , he said that production is being ramped up as we speak.The cited publication has learned that the Ford Motor Company will begin shipping the new hardtops to dealers within a week, and the Blue Oval will install the redesigned tops in 2021 models that have been parked right after they rolled off the line at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan.Be that as it may, a few issues havent been sorted yet. Customers who specified the soft top have reported excessive wear and rubbing against the roll bar, and certain Broncos exhibit whistling noises from the drivers mirror and the hood area. The latter problems will be fixed in October as per Ford while the soft tops gremlins remain unsolved for the time being.Further still, Ford prepares to switch to the 2022 model year in December with a series of changes to the color palette and optional extras. Eruption Green and Hot Pepper Red are entering the scene, along with a new front bumper as well as the Mansquatch manual-equipped Sasquatch Package.
As vehicles continue to evolve in terms of technology and sustainability, so must the car manufacturing processes. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are starting to be used on a wider scale in car manufacturing. One of the latest brands to announce this type of development is Skoda, which unveiled a one-of-a-kind project in the Czech automotive industry.

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Yes, that wonderful little devil of a law designed to tax imported potato starch somehow led to a 25 percent tax on perfectly good Japanese trucks that Americans could have made great use of.Thankfully though, ham-fisted legislation can only hold a good truck down for so long, and this 1981 Datsun 720 King Cab for sale at GR Auto Gallery in Grand Rapids Michigan is the first time many Americans have even seen this plucky little truck.Unlike most famous Japanese pickup trucks like the Toyota Hilux , the 720 did see a limited release in the United States and Mexico. So few trucks from this U.S. production run survive today that this example here could still look exotic among a sea of imported Japanese Iron.This particular example comes equipped with a 2.2-liter inline-four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. With just under 66 thousand miles on the odometer, this truck designed to last for hundreds of thousands of miles is still barely broken in.Inside the truck, all the amenities that truck buyers of years gone by would have drooled over are present. AM/FM radio, air conditioning, an integrated roof rack, fog lights, and a gun rack of all things. Thats one sure-fire way to tell this was a truck intended for the U.S market.This little nugget of Japanese magnificence can be yours for $18,900 or a financed payment plan of $235 per month. Considering a base-spec Toyota Corolla or Mitsubishi Mirage costs around the same kind of money, its safe to say this eye-catching Datsun 720 truck is a far more exciting investment.
HP

Milan Nedeljkovic, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for production, made it clear that Plant Regensburg will gear up for the all-new X1 in 2022. He also confirmed an electric-only powertrain option, and naturally, the X2 should follow suit with shared underpinnings.Imagined with the split headlights and large kidney grille of the upcoming X8 M Competition or whatever the flagship utility vehicle will be named, the X2 is certain to level up in the styling department to keep the sales momentum going strong. I personally dont like the bucky beaver front grille although the vertically-stacked headlights are fitting on this application.BMW should reimagine the cabin as well, primarily the dashboards layout. Im willing to bet a tenner that the iX electric utility vehicle will serve as inspiration for the X2s interior, which is most likely getting Operating System 8 iDrive and a digital instrument cluster instead of classic gauges.Similar to the UKL-based models of today, the next-generation X1 and X2 will boast a selection of three- and four-cylinder powerplants. Under the Power of Choice motto, BMW intends to extend its hybridization efforts to meet emission regulations. As a brief refresher, Euro 7 is right around the corner, and its already referred to as a shadow ban on internal combustion.As for the all-electric powertrain of the X1 and X2 compact utility vehicles, two specifications are rumored by people in the know. The eDrive20 should develop less than 200while the eDrive30 could feature 250 ponies, output figures that are more than adequate for BMWs smallest crossovers.
Looking to make the Civic a more appealing model for the younger generation, Honda jumped into the Twitch (Amazons subsidiary focuses on live video game streaming) bandwagon without hesitation. Once it was released, the sedan got on with its traditional duties, battling all kinds of the usual suspects. And, of course, it wasnt neglected by the crop of visual artists either.Interestingly, the eleventh-generation Civic is not being sold in one very important market for its popular culture heritage: at home in Japan. Because of declining sales for the previous iteration, right now theres no Civic traveling the Land of the Rising Sun to uphold its JDM heritage. But of course, this hasnt stopped the pixel masters from giving it a cool aftermarket allure. After all, one can replicate the tuned appeal just about anywhere.So, Vishnu Suresh  the CGI expert behind the zephyr_designz account on social media  has seemingly decided to go for that immortal widebody look. That would probably make the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan look great anywhere, from the bottom of Mount Fuji to the top of a Los Angeles parking lot. Although, we are not suggesting anything nasty like a touge battle or a nocturnal street race.Better keep that for the next installment in the Need for Speed gaming series and off the public streets. After all, the widebody 2022 Civic Sedan does have the proper elements for making a name for itself there. We noticed the wide arches, the slammed appearance, the appropriately black Rotiform LAS-R wheels, as well as the upgraded braking system.All it really needs  if you ask us  are a handful of decals, a big wing slapped on the trunk, as well as a (large) can of nitrous...
About 50 Detroit health care workers have filed a lawsuit against a hospital system, claiming its upcoming COVID-19 vaccine mandate violates the Fourteenth Amendment's protection of "personal autonomy and bodily integrity."

Why it matters: This is the second major legal test concerning vaccine mandates in the health care sector, after an unsuccessful lawsuit claiming a Texas hospital's policy requiring all staff be vaccinated against the virus was unlawful.

Dismissing the lawsuit against the Houston Methodist Hospital in June, the judge noted that the federal government has said companies can require workers to get vaccines.

Driving the news: The suit filed against Henry Ford Health System cites unverified reports from the CDC's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System(VAERS)  claiming that in the U.S. over 13,000 vaccinated people have died from the virus and more than 30,000 others have been left with permanent disabilities and life-threatening events.

Of note: The suit, filed Monday, doesn't mention a July 21 CDC website update stating that reports of deaths "after COVID-19 vaccination are rare"  with only 6,207 such fatalities recorded from Dec. 14, 2020, to July 19, 2021, after 369 million doses administered.

"FDA requires healthcare providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if its unclear whether the vaccine was the cause," the CDC states.

What they're saying: A Henry Ford Health System spokesperson said in an emailed statement Tuesday: "We remain confident that vaccination is the most powerful tool we all have against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Beyond that, we cannot comment on pending litigation."

What to watch: The hospital system's vaccine requirement is due to take effect Friday.
I must note that the president of Turkey has publicly commented on relations with Armenia, he said. We see in those statements an opportunity to talk about normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations and reopening the Turkish-Armenian railway and roads, and we are prepared for such a conversation.

I am happy to point out that the Russian Federation has publicly expressed readiness to actively assist in that process. The European Union, France and the United States are also interested in that process, Pashinian added during a weekly session of his cabinet.

Pashinian already spoke on August 27 of some positive signals sent by the Turkish government of late and said Yerevan is ready to reciprocate them. Erdogan responded by saying that regional states should establish good-neighborly relations by recognizing each others territorial integrity and sovereignty.

If Yerevan is ready to move in that direction Ankara could start working on a gradual normalization of relations with Armenia, he said.

In that context, Erdogan pointed to Azerbaijans desire to negotiate a comprehensive peace treaty with Armenia after last years war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku is understood to seek Armenian recognition of Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh through such a treaty.

Armenian opposition leaders and some analysts say Ankara continues to make the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations conditional on a Karabakh settlement favorable to Baku. They say the Turks also want Yerevan to stop campaigning for a greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

Pashinian put a possible Turkish-Armenian dialogue in the broader context of ongoing Russian-mediated talks on opening transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan which he said would be very important for Armenia. He also reaffirmed Yerevans commitment to demarcating the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Hayk Mamijanian, a senior Armenian opposition parliamentarian, denounced Pashinians remarks, saying that the prime minister is intent on making far-reaching concessions to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called late last week for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. We are ready to assist in that in the most active way, he said.

Turkey provided decisive military assistance to Azerbaijan during the six-week war stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again thanked Ankara for that aid when he and Erdogan visited in June the Karabakh town of Shushi (Shusha) captured by the Azerbaijani army.
Gharibashvili praised Pashinians vision for restoring peace and strengthening stability in the South Caucasus after last years war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Karabakh war was a tough challenge for our region, he told a joint news briefing. But after familiarizing myself with Prime Minister Pashinians new vision I believe this challenge will turn into a new opportunity that will bring prosperity to Armenia and the Armenian people.

I also want to make clear that political and economic stability in Armenia is very important for us. It is directly connected with stability in our country and the region as a whole, he said.

Pashinian similarly spoke of new regional opportunities that emerged after the Karabakh war stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire last November. He reaffirmed earlier in the day support for reopening transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

An Armenian government statement on his meeting with Gharibashvili cited Pashinian as saying that Azerbaijans unconstructive policies and anti-Armenian rhetoric poses a threat to regional peace and stability. It said he also praised Georgias balanced position on the Karabakh conflict.

According to the statement, economic issues were also high on the agenda of the talks, with the two premiers pledging more efforts to expand Georgian-Armenian trade and explore joint initiatives relating to energy, transport and information technology. That includes a multilateral deal on a transport corridor that would connect Irans Persian Gulf ports to the Black Sea via Armenia and Georgia.

Gharibashvili told reporters that both sides are open to new projects. He did not go into details.

The Georgian leader visited Baku and Yerevan in May.
The violence broke out on August 25 when a senior Hayastan member, Vahe Hakobian, criticized the governments five-year policy program during a heated session of the National Assembly attended by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.

Hakobian interrupted his speech before being approached by three deputies from Pashinians Civil Contract party and kicked by one of them.

Hakobian and five other Hayastan parliamentarians, including deputy speaker Ishkhan Saghatelian, were hit by a larger number of Civil Contract lawmakers in an ensuing melee that was not swiftly stopped by scores of security personnel present in the chamber. One of the oppositionists, Gegham Nazarian, suffered an eye injury and required medical aid.

The Special Investigative Service (SIS) pledged to look into the ugly scenes filmed by various media outlets and questioned a number of deputies in the following days. It said on Tuesday that it will launch a formal criminal investigation into the beating of only one Hayastan deputy, Gegham Manukian.

One of the video clips circulated on the Internet shows that Manukian was assaulted by Hayk Sargsian, a controversial Civil Contract member. The SIS said on Wednesday nobody has been charged in connection with that that assault yet.

A senior Hayastan figure, Artsvik Minasian, condemned the SISs decision, saying that the law-enforcement agency is carrying out a political order. He said that is further proof that Armenias political leadership orchestrated the violence to bully the opposition and create an atmosphere of impunity in the country.

Daniel Ioannisian of the Yerevan-based Union of Informed Citizens also criticized the SISs stance. He said his Western-funded civic group, which has closely examined the August 25 violence, will likely complain to the Office of the Prosecutor-General.

In a detailed analysis and a video clip posted on his Facebook page last week, Ioannisian named nine pro-government lawmakers involved in the violence and even counted the number of punches thrown by each of them.

It is evident to any sensible person that a number of deputies  carried out actions banned by the Criminal Code in front of the whole country, Ioannisian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. Failure to prosecute them would send the public a message to effect that one can solve political issues by force and get away with that.

The civic activist also emphasized the fact uniformed security officers waited for about a minute before stepping in to stop the brawl. He said they acted far more quickly when a less serious scuffle broke out on the parliament floor earlier on August 25 after Hayastans parliamentary leader, Seyran Ohanian, threw a plastic bottle at Civil Contracts Sargsian.

The actions of the State Protection Service on that day  show that its officers present in the chamber at that point were carrying out a political order or satisfying the ruling teams political wishes, charged Ioannisian.

Civil Contracts Artur Hovannisian, one of the pro-government parliamentarians who punched vice-speaker Saghatelian, defended the SISs decision. Hovannisian also blamed the opposition bloc -- and Ohanian in particular -- for the violence.
CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Initial findings from Southwest Gas's ongoing investigation into the natural gas leak-caused explosion of a print shop in Chandler in August indicates "human error" caused the incident.

On Aug. 26, multiple crews responded to Ray and Rural roads around 9:30 a.m. after Platinum Printing exploded. Four men were hurt in the blast, including the two brothers, Andrew and Dillon Ryan, who own Platinum Printing. The Arizona Burn Center said all four had burns across their bodies ranging from 16% to 30%. They suffered propane flash burn injuries to their arms, hands, thighs and legs. An employee at Platinum Printing, Parker Mildebrandt, was also badly burned and was in a coma, according to a family spokesperson.

According to statements released by Southwest Gas, the cause of the leak and explosion was due to premature degradation in a certain type of natural gas pipe, the Driscopipe 8000, that was purchased by Southwest Gas between 1980 to 1999. A Southwest Gas spokesperson says the pipe at the location of the explosion was installed in 1999.

Southwest Gas says that degradation in this pipe type has a low risk of happening, but when it does, it causes the pipe to be susceptible to leaks under specific conditions. The spokesperson said one of those conditions is when certain sizes of the pipe are exposed to prolonged periods of "no-flow conditions," meaning pressurized inactive pipelines, and are exposed to prolonged elevated temperatures, like those experienced in Maricopa County.

Southwest Gas determined the Driscopipe 8000 to be at-risk after a 2014 garage explosion at a home in Gilbert. At that time, Southwest Gas began an initiative spanning several years to replace or abandon any pipe sections that were at risk. Southwest Gas states that an "error in the construction records misidentified the type of gas pipe" used near Platinum Printing, which resulted in that pipe section not being included in the replacement efforts. Southwest Gas is in the process of investigating how that error occurred. "We are confident that we are taking all appropriate measures to protect against any similar instances of human error in reporting, the company said in a statement.

"It brings me back to that, and to a certain extent, anger that this happened again to somebody else," said Jason Nelson, who was badly burned in a gas leak explosion too. Nelson's body was 80% burned in his Gilbert garage back in 2014, when this same kind of pipe caused a gas explosion. He's had 47 surgeries since, and spent a year in the hospital.

A happy Fourth: Gilbert man burned in garage blast goes home Even in the darkest of hours, Tammy Yohe always believed her husband would pull through.On July 4, Jason Nelson is home again, some five months after a natural gas explosion burned 80 percent of his body.

"It brings me back to what happened in my accident, except its four people this time instead of one. Thank God it wasnt an apartment complex or a daycare," Nelson said. "A family shouldnt have to go through this again."

Tom Ryan is the attorney representing brothers Dillon and Andrew Ryan, and he says he wants answers. "There's a lot to it, going all the way back to the manufacturer. It's something of a Russian stacking doll problem. We will be pursuing everybody up and down the line to recover from this," said Ryan.

Ryan says the damage goes much further than the loss of their family business. "That was their sole source of income. And thats before we start talking about the terror and the horror that inflicted on the children, the wives, the parents," Ryan said.

The Southwest Gas spokesperson said prompt actions are being taken to implement a new plan that includes extensive leak inspections, including mobile leak patrols and walking leak patrols of similarly sized pipe installations of all pipe types installed in 1999-2001. Southwest Gas claims this type of inspection identifies pipe leaks for repair before they become hazardous or even noticeable. The plan will also prioritize the abandonment of inactive services installed between 1999-2001, and will include a review of construction records for installations done during that timeframe.

Southwest Gas continues to investigate but encourages anyone who suspects a gas leak to leave the area immediately and call 911 and Southwest Gas at 1-877-860-6020 from a safe location.

A Valley attorney representing Milledebrandt provided the following statement regarding Southwest Gas's initial findings:

As you know there is a history of incidents involving Driscopipe 8000 and desert environments. A repair, replace, remediation process was supposed to have been completed by South West Gas. As a result of their failure to comply three young men have been horribly burned. I spoke with my client Parker Milldebrandt this morning. As expected he is in pain. However he is extremely grateful for the care he is receiving and the support from family and friends. Most of all he is happy and filed with gratitude and love for the birth of his daughter Rilee who entered the world yesterday. Baby Rilee and mother Sierra are both doing well.

Arizona's Family has followed up with the Chandler Police Department for an update regarding their investigation into the explosion. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also investigating.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 78F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Grab your stein and your best lederhosen. It's time to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest is an annual celebration in Munich, Germany running from mid-to-late September until the first weekend in October. But Texas has deep German roots, too, and there are several ways to celebrate a love for beer, sausage, pretzels and polka music without hopping on an international flight.

Here's where you can celebrate Oktoberfest in Houston and some of Texas' most Germanic towns.

Houston

Karbachtoberfest

One of Houston's biggest breweries is celebrating Oktoberfest (and the return of its Oktoberfest beer, Karbachtoberfest) with three weekends of live music, stein hoisting and wiener dog races at Karbach's Biergarten.

Sept. 24-26, Oct. 1-3, Oct. 8-10; Free

Oktoberfest Houston

Grab the lederhosen and enjoy all the polka music and beer you can handle at Buffalo Bayou Park during Oktoberfest Houston. Fest-goers can participate in the 9th Annual Oktoberfest Olympiad games, including a stein race, barrel roll, stein hoisting and a brat toss.

Oct. 22-23; $25 in advance, $35 at entry

Fredericksburg

40th Oktoberfest

If you can't go to Munich, you may as well go to the town founded by German immigrants, and as Texas Monthly notes, is home of the Texas German dialect. Fredericksburg is celebrating its 40th Oktoberfest with five stages of live music, stein hoists and more than 60 choices for food and drinks. While you're there, pop over to Fredericksburg's Altstadt Brewery, a German-style brewery that makes an exceptional Oktoberfest beer.

Oct. 1-3, $10+

New Braunfels

Wurstfest

Another town known for its German heritage, New Braunfels hosts a huge celebration of beer and sausages every year around Oktoberfest. Wurstfest is back for its 60th anniversary with food, music, dancing and carnival rides over 10 jam-packed days of fun.

Nov. 5-14, $0-$20 per day

Boerne

Boerne Bierfest

Sample beers from more than 25 Hill Country breweries, shop local artists and join in on the stein hoist and keg throwing competitions in another Texas town with German roots at the annual Boerne Bierfest. Extra sampling tickets will be available for purchase if 10 samples isn't enough to quench your thirst.

Sept. 25, $30-$35
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Andre 3000 is clarifying his contribution to unreleased Donda track Life of the Party after Drake leaked the song on SiriusXMs Sound 42 show.

The songs leak adds fuel to the ongoing tension between Drake and Kanye West, as both rappers have taken shots at each other on their new albums. On Life of the Party, West raps: I put Virgil and Drake on the same text, and it wasnt about the matching Arcteryx or Kid Cudi dress/ Just told these grown men stop it with the funny shit. He continues, hinting at a collaboration that never came to be: Thought we was the new Abu Dhabi/ Told Drake dont play with me on GD and he sent that message to everybody/ So if I hit you with a WYD, you better hit me with, Yessir, Im writing everything you need.

The rare appearance from Andre 3000 on the track, however, consists of a moving tribute to his mother, in line with the theme of Donda. In a statement obtained by Variety, Andre 3000 explained why the track didnt make it onto the final cut of Donda and said the version of the song he wrote his verse to did not contain the Drake diss.

A few weeks ago Kanye reached out about me being a part of the Donda album. I was inspired by his idea to make a musical tribute to his mom. It felt appropriate to me to support the Donda concept by referencing my own mother, who passed away in 2013. We both share that loss. I thought it was a beautiful choice to make a clean album but, unfortunately, I didnt know that was the plan before I wrote and recorded my verse. It was clear to me that an edited clean format of the verse would not work without having the raw, original also available. So, sadly, I had to be omitted from the original album release, Andre 3000 said.

The track I received and wrote to didnt have the diss verse on it and we were hoping to make a more focused offering for the Donda album but I guess things happen like they are supposed to, he continued. Its unfortunate that it was released in this way and two artists that I love are going back and forth. I wanted to be on Certified Lover Boy too. I just want to work with people that inspire me. Hopefully I can work with Kendrick on his album. Id love to work with Lil Baby, Tyler and Jay-Z. I respect them all.

West had recently teased Life of the Party at his Donda listening event in Las Vegas. It remains unknown how Drake got his hands on the song.

Representatives for Drake declined to comment on the matter, while representatives for West did not immediately respond to Varietys request for comment.

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  The sweeping changes to Texas' election code that GOP Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Tuesday 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 about three weeks ago to end the impasse, and GOP leaders made quick work of pushing the bill through both chambers. Abbott immediately said he would sign it, which happened Tuesday.

Texas is among at least 18 states, including Florida, Georgia and Arizona, that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The national GOP campaign to tighten voting laws has been partly driven by former President Donald Trumps false claims that the election was stolen.

Here's a closer look at what's in the new Texas law:

EMPOWERING POLL WATCHERS

Some of the most significant changes in Texas law 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 law gives partisan poll watchers new access, protections and power. The law 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 law 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 law empowers poll watchers to sue and seek court orders against election officials who get in their way. The new law also requires 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 law 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 law also makes it a felony for any election official who sends out unsolicited applications or ballots to vote-by-mail.

The GOP law also bans drive-thru voting for most voters and controls the times at which county governments can keep polling places open. That will 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 law 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 law 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 law partially addresses that concern. Voters who submit ballots before Election Day will 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 law, like others approved or 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 law expands an existing mandate that people who help voters with ballots provide information on the envelope attesting to their role. Under the law, 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 law'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 law 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 commonsense 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 of the bill 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. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin contributed to this report.

___

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.
courtesy of Orange County Sheriff's Office

A crew of 16 Jasper Newton Electric Cooperative (JNEC) employees left on Tuesday morning to begin the work to restore more than 40,000 powerless meters serviced by the Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative (WSTEC). The JNEC crew left with bucket trucks, other necessary equipment and supplies to make repairs and get the power back on. The JNEC crew will be working 12 to 16 hour days for weeks to accomplish their mission to restore power to members of a fellow cooperative. Many of these rural electric cooperatives have been in existence since the 1930s and 40s. They depend upon one another when it comes to natural disasters and when the call goes out from one cooperative others respond and lend a helping hand.

When you flip the switch, you want the light to come on or adjusting the thermostat you want it to get cooler, but when all the power lines are down then even the simplest of things is a problem. Living in a rural area we are familiar with our electric cooperative and how they keep the lights on for us. In Jasper and Newton Counties we depend on the JNEC and the men and women that keep the power on. But there is so much more to a cooperative like JNEC, and it is what makes them special.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  The academic press that published a Pennsylvania state senator's book about World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York has asked him to review a list of factual errors and sourcing issues in the book and the press' director said Tuesday it plans to publish a corrected version early next year.

University Press of Kentucky director Ashley Runyon outlined plans for the potential corrections and revisions to Sen. Doug Mastriano's book in emails Tuesday to The Associated Press and to another researcher looking into York's 1918 acts of heroism while fighting in France.

Runyon said the press will allow the author the opportunity to respond to the sources in question before preparing our final list of errata and corrections for a new printing. The verified sources and other corrections will also be reviewed by an outside scholar for confirmation."

She said the press does not typically ask for an outside review for reprints but was adding this external layer of review to ensure the accuracy of any corrections in the reprint.

Mastriano's opposition to pandemic mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania and support for former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his election loss last year have made him a one-man force in state politics. He has said he is considering running for Pennsylvania governor next year, when incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited.

Researchers have questioned Mastrianos claim that he located Yorks battle site with precision, identified erroneous footnotes and raised doubts about a photo that appears on the books cover. Mastriano claims the government photo shows York with prisoners from the famed battle, contradicting the military photographers caption. The AP also identified sourcing errors in the book in a story published six months ago.

York led a small group of badly outnumbered American soldiers behind German lines to disrupt machine gunfire in the woods of northern France during the waning weeks of the war. More than 20 German soldiers were killed and 132 captured, winning York widespread fame and a Medal of Honor.

Runyon said the University Press of Kentucky sent Mastriano a list of about 30 queries, some confirming typos and others seeking sources to back up information in the book. He was asked to respond by the end of October, Runyon said.

If he responds, the press and its outside peer reviewer will evaluate the material and incorporate it into a new printing, she said. If he does not, the press will suggest revisions and have the outside peer reviewer approve them.

Mastriano, a Republican who represents Franklin County in southcentral Pennsylvania, did not respond to messages left at his Capitol office and on his cellphone Tuesday and Wednesday.

It feels like the integrity is coming back, hopefully this new edition next year will finally correct these issues that have been prevalent and help get the story back on track, said James Gregory, a doctoral student in history at the University of Oklahoma who has researched the actions of other men in York's unit.

In the 2014 book Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne, Mastriano repeatedly dismissed any notion that there is a legitimate dispute about the site where he claims this battle took place. He has claimed that we know with certainty the location of the York action, that it was discovered with 100% certainty and that it has been located and verified.

Mastriano's research into York helped earn him a doctorate from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. But Gregory and others interested in York's story argue Mastrianos research is plagued with errors  small and large  and that a walking trail to the battle location that he helped build actually takes visitors to the wrong spot.

University of New Brunswick officials involved in reviewing Mastriano's work indicated they do not discuss such matters without the consent of the student involved  in this case, Mastriano.

Runyon described the new version as a new printing to correct errors and not a new edition. She said the press has also completed a review of a second Mastriano book it published, Thunder in the Argonne, and does not plan to make any changes.

After Trump lost his reelection bid, Mastriano began seeking to have the results reversed, and has recently clashed with the top-ranking state Senate Republican over Mastriano's plan to force three counties to turn over election equipment and records for review by the Senate.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Divers at the site of an ongoing oil spill that appeared in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Ida have identified the apparent source as one-foot diameter pipeline displaced from a trench on the ocean floor and broken open.

Talos Energy, the Houston-based company currently paying for the cleanup, said in a statement issued Sunday evening that the busted pipeline does not belong to them.

The company said it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and federal agencies to coordinate the response and identify the owner of the ruptured pipeline.

Two additional 4-inch pipelines were also identified in the area that are open and apparently abandoned. The companys statement did not make clear if oil was leaking from the two smaller pipelines, but satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press on Saturday appeared to show at least three different slicks in the same area, the largest drifting more than a dozen miles (more than 19 kilometers) eastward along the Gulf coast.

The AP first reported Wednesday that aerial photos showed a miles-long brown and black oil slick spreading about 2 miles (3 kilometers) south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The broken pipe is in relatively shallow water, at about 34 feet (10 meters) of depth.

Talos said the rate of oil appearing on the surface had slowed dramatically in the last 48 hours and no new heavy black crude had been seen in the last day.

So far, the spill appears to have remained out to sea and has not impacted the Louisiana shoreline. There is not yet any estimate for how much oil was in the water.

The Coast Guard said Saturday its response teams are monitoring reports and satellite imagery to determine the scope of the discharge, which is located in Bay Marchand, Block 4. Talos previously leased Bay Marchand, Block 5, but ceased production there in 2017, plugged its wells and removed all pipeline infrastructure by 2019, according to the company.

The area where the spill is located has been drilled for oil and gas for decades. Federal leasing maps show it contains a latticework of old pipelines, plugged wells and abandoned platforms, along with newer infrastructure still in use.

With the source of the oil unclear, Talos hired Clean Gulf Associates to respond to the spill. Clean Gulf, a nonprofit oil-spill response cooperative that works with the energy exploration and production industry, has had two 95-foot vessels at the scene of the spill since Wednesday attempting to contain and recover crude from the water.

The Bay Marchand spill is one of dozens of reported environmental hazards state and federal regulators are tracking in Louisiana and the Gulf following the Category 4 hurricane that made landfall at Port Fourchon a week ago. The region is a major production center of the U.S. petrochemical industry.

The AP also first reported Wednesday on images from a National Atmospheric and Oceanic Survey that showed extensive flooding and what appeared to be petroleum in the water at the sprawling Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery located along the Mississippi River south of New Orleans.

After AP published the photos, the Environmental Protection Agency tasked a specially outfitted survey aircraft to fly over that refinery on Thursday, as well as other industrial sites in the area hardest hit by the hurricanes 150-mph (240-kph) winds and storm surge.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said a state assessment team sent to the Alliance Refinery observed a spill of heavy oil being addressed with booms and absorbent pads. A levee meant to protect the plant had breached, allowing floodwaters to flow in during the storm and then back out as the surge receded.

State environmental officials said there was also no estimate yet available for how much oil might have spilled from the Phillips 66 refinery.
Jacquelyn Martin, STF / Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The City Council in Portland, Oregon will vote Wednesday on an emergency resolution that would ban the purchase of goods and services from Texas in response to a new law there prohibiting most abortions.

The resolution if passed would also bar city employee travel to the state. Mayor Ted Wheelers office said Friday in a news release that the resolution would be in effect until Texas either withdraws the abortion law or it gets overturned in court.
When an Arizona school employee called a parent on Thursday to share that his son had come in close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus, the dad was told his son must stay at home for at least a week.

Instead, later that morning, the man walked into Mesquite Elementary School with his son and two other men carrying zip ties before confronting the principal over the school's quarantine policy, Vail Unified School District Superintendent John Carruth told The Washington Post.

In a meeting with the principal, Carruth said, the men threatened to call local authorities and conduct a "citizen's arrest" if the student was not allowed to rejoin school activities immediately. That is when the principal, who explained that the school was following guidance issued by the local health department, ordered the trio to leave, Carruth said.

"Today was a tough day," he told The Washington Post. "One of the most powerful tools as adults is the behavior that we model to young people - and the behavior that was modeled today makes me really sad."

A spokesperson with the Tucson Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the incident. Police did not identify the three men and did not say whether any charges had been brought against the trio.

Diane Vargo, the principal of the elementary school, which has more than 600 students, did not immediately respond to a message from The Post late Thursday.

One of the men who accompanied the dad to the school recorded part of the incident and posted the video to Instagram. When contacted for comment early Friday, he said he was not immediately available for an interview and referred The Post to another social media video where he and the student's father discussed the incident.

The event at the southern Arizona school marks yet another incident of parents protesting covid-19 mandates as schools reopen and cases tied to the highly transmissible delta variant surge. Some have launched verbal assaults at teachers, while others have turned physical against both teachers and students.

Last month, one parent in Texas ripped a teacher's mask off her face. Other parents in that same district yelled at a teacher wearing a mask because they claimed it made it hard to understand what she was saying. That same month, a father in Florida was charged with assaulting a student who confronted him about not wearing a mask.

Earlier on Thursday in Arizona, Mesquite Elementary School had contacted the father to let him know that his son and at least six other schoolmates had been exposed to someone infected with the virus, Carruth told The Post.

The district's policy is based on guidance issued by the Pima County Health Department that says all children must stay at home for at least seven days after potential exposure at school, the superintendent said. Students are allowed to return to school grounds if a coronavirus test taken five or more days into quarantine comes back negative and they have no symptoms for seven days. According to the district's dashboard, the school has one active positive covid case.

Moments after receiving the news, the dad took to his social media to protest the school's quarantine policy, Carruth said. One of the two men who later accompanied the dad to the school posted on Instagram about the situation.

"Apparently Mesquite Elementary thinks they can break the law and act like the covid Gestapo," the man wrote, referencing Nazi Germany's secret police. "We will be headed over there shortly to disagree. Come join us because we won't have this in OUR community!"

Later that morning, the father and his son arrived at the school. The other two men met them in the school's parking lot, Carruth said.

In a live video posted to Instagram, one of the two men who joined the dad told his followers that they were about to "confront this administration" for "breaking the law."

"If necessary, we'll do a citizen's arrest," the man said before showing off the "law enforcement zip ties" they brought.

Inside the principal's office, the men confronted the administrator, arguing that quarantining "children that aren't sick" breaks state law. No one in the video was wearing masks. The school district does not require them.

"If you insist on this, I'll have you arrested," one man said. "We're ready to make a citizen's arrest if necessary."

"There will be no arrests here occurring on the Mesquite campus," the principal said, adding that the school was following covid protocols.

"We'll see about that," the man responded.

"We don't answer to you," the student's dad added. "My son will not be quarantined. My son will go back."

"He needs to be quarantined," the principal said, before asking the men to leave her office. When the men refused, the principal walked out and called the police, Carruth said.

No arrests were made on school grounds because the men left before police arrived, the superintendent said.

"Showing up to a school with zip ties is not a way to solve a problem," Carruth said. "We welcome people with varying backgrounds and opinions, but we've got to come together. This is not OK."
In Texas, there really can be too much of what some people see as a good thing.

While every state has odd laws on the books, the Lone Star State has one regulating the possession of a sex toy.

Yes. Texas bans the possession of or promoting the use of more than six dildos.

UNHAPPY CUSTOMER: Louisiana man makes phallic statement about bad bookstore experience

The law in question appears to be aimed at adult performances, as it spells out use in a "play, motion picture, dance, or other exhibition performed before an audience."

The law also labels the sex toy as an "obscene device" and declares it a crime if someone "possesses six or more obscene devices or identical or similar obscene articles is presumed to possess them with intent to promote the same." Story continues below





The law, written in 1973 at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court was dealing with obscenity laws and cases from around the country, takes a tough stance on people who have the device.

NOT SAFE FOR WORK: Wild t-shirt spotted at 'Cocks Not Glocks' rally

It does make exceptions for people who have the multiples of the device for medical and law enforcement purposes.

But, there's no exemption for the enthusiastic collector or a group like "Cocks Not Glocks," which staged an anti-campus carry law rally last year. Which means you can legally own more guns than sex toys in the Lone Star State.

No one was prosecuted after the rally for handing out the dildos, and a federal appeals court overturned the statute about a decade ago. But, thus far during the ongoing legislative session in Austin, lawmakers have paid scant attention to taking it off the books.

Which may not be a bad thing, as Texas has bigger problems than people having sex toys.

Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the under the radar issues lawmakers have dealt with during the current legislative session
Bedford, PA (15522)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Bedford, PA (15522)

Today

Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
You will meet many types of people in the church with different backgrounds, testimonies and personalities. Each of these types of people will stand out for various reasons. Its imperative that they find the right ministry fit. Identifying where each personality type belongs can really help your church thrive. It can also help you make sense of the person sitting next to you in the pew or on the computer screen. Here are seven common personality types youll meet in church.

The introverts Shutterstock.com There are many introverts in the church. Introverts can offer some great qualities to the church. They are great thinkers, can be theological as they look outward and inward and can be great small group leaders. Their quiet nature can make them easily approachable. Sometimes, introverts gravitate to larger churches where they can maintain a certain level of anonymity. While they may be attracted to obscurity, they can face challenges in those settings. Sometimes, the small groups arent small enough. They dont feel like they fit in with the outspoken, exuberant, larger church model. Some people feel like, in order to be a good Christian, you need to be outwardly expressive, loud or charismatic, but you dont have to embody these qualities to be. This is what introverts in the church reveal to us.

The extroverts Church culture almost seems to be designed for the extroverted personality type. You probably met an extrovert when you first joined your church. They may have been the person who greeted you at the church or led one of the larger ministry teams. There are some things you should know about extroverts in the church. First, just because the extroverts in your church may enjoy talking to people doesnt mean they are the most comfortable talking about Jesus. While their bubbly, outgoing personalities may make them appear to be the perfect fit for personal evangelism and engaging with others, it doesnt mean they will always be engaged. Its good to remind extroverts in the church that witnessing doesnt have to be a drawn-out, theological discussion. They can share their personal testimony and scripture, which can help them engage in spiritual conversations. Its also important to remember that extroverts need downtime. This personality type tends to struggle with saying no, until they get burnt out. They should find time to rest and reenergize.

The early comers Kamoteus/Flickr Early comers make it a point to get to church early. They find value in being at the church ahead of time, and that can be for numerous reasons. You may not realize it, but arriving before the start of the church service can have huge benefits, including being a blessing to others. They generally have the ability to meet new people because they are already in the welcome area or sanctuary. Its nice to have someone present who can greet people a few minutes before the service begins. Another great thing about early comers is they show and set priorities. They value being at church and coming in early shows that it holds an important place not only in their lives but also in the lives of others.

The latecomers Shutterstock.com On the flip side, there are also the latecomers. These are the types who are always late, and people come to expect them to walk in during the readings or prayers. When were sincere, constant lateness is a symptom of a bigger problem. They dont see being on time as that important. You may know someone who is chronically late to church. That may even be you. Ask yourself what makes you late to church. Is it because you wanted to spend a few minutes extra in the bed? Or did you stop on the way to get coffee from Starbucks? Maybe you had an assignment you wanted to finish for church. There are so many excuses that you can come up with. When you think about it, though, were simply putting those things ahead of the church.

The judgers Shutterstock.com If someone says they have a strong personality, they are likely a judger. They are unapologetic about their feelings and will express them. We see these personality types rise in ministry groups, church counsels and boards. They can also be largely misunderstood. Those with the judging personality trail are the most comfortable when they are aware of the course ahead. They like to consider all their options ahead of time before they make a decision. When you choose to talk about your faith with judgers, be sure to plan time to discuss and speak in advance. Also, stay focused and on schedule. Finally, avoid reopening subjects that were already closed. They are not too keen on surprises, which can leave them stressed and frustrated. So, if you have someone in the church with the judger personality type, be sure that the church groups they are in are structured with few switch-ups. They dont handle the unexpected too well.

The talkers Shutterstock.com Every church has talkers. Some will label them bold, and others will label them rude. These are the people that will hold entire conversations during the announcements or when the pastor is giving his sermon. They may even go as far as pulling out their phone when they are in service, which can make them a distraction to others. Then, you also have the loud whisperers who are just as bad as the talkers. They are sure to comment on everything taking place in the church like its the gossip hour. The truth is talking during church, whether its loud or a quiet whisper, isnt ok. Outside of the service, they may also be the people who make comments or outbursts during ministry team meetings. Its essential that you keep these members focused and on the task at hand.

The cheerleaders shutterstock.com Its great to have cheerleaders in church. They are always cheering members of the church on. You can also feel their presence when the pastor is giving their sermon. They may shout out preach, youre on fire, or, you tell them, pastor. They are encouraging and let the pastor know that what they are saying is reaching the people. Some people get turned off when the cheerleaders speak in church as they feel they are making unnecessary outbursts, but it can be helpful to feel their presence in the church. Others feel like they brighten up the room and get members amped up in a positive way.

Like all families and friend groups, churches are filled with various personality types. Some of these personality types can seem more appealing or attractive than others. The reality is we need different kinds of people in the church because they offer different qualities. Just because someone doesnt fit into a particular box doesnt mean they dont belong in your church. If youre challenged by any of these types, take the time to get to know that person better. It may help you see them in a whole new light.

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Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
Are churches in modern America having a hard time figuring out how to relate to their Christian single members? A majority of the demographic feels they are. The church today is typically oriented towards the Christian family: married couples, children and the youth. While this model isnt inherently bad in any way, it does leave out portions of church members that could really use the extra love and support. It can leave the single adults feeling awkward third-wheels, and no church member should feel like an afterthought.

The attitudes churches have towards their single adults may be the worst part of it all. There are a few thought patterns churches adapt that can be pretty detrimental for their single population.

Singleness needs fixing.

All Christian single adults have encountered someone that believes their singleness is a problem that needs to be solved. Even non-religious singles have to deal with this on a pretty regular basis. It is based off of some incorrect assumptions that should be checked before speaking to a single Christian.

First, many in the church assume that every Christian single is just itching to find their lifelong partner. Singleness is looked down as a bad thing where everyone is in a tormented state of loneliness and isolation. While many singles are ready to find a relationship, its not something all of them feel they need to be rescued from. Many Christian singles are happy living a single life that glorifies God! Singleness is a time where you can grow to find out who you are as a Christian.

The next assumption is that single are below or less-than those Christians that are married. While this might be done more subconsciously, its something that is prevalent in the church.

The Church cant help singles find a partner.

You might have run across a church that refuses to have a singles group because they fear that it will end up being solely on finding a partner. They dont want to start a singles ministry that essentially becomes a meat market, which is understandable. However single ministry can be so much more! Many singles groups can serve as places where that demographic and pursue Christ together through prayer, devotion and service opportunities.

One major complaint from single Christians is the struggle of finding other single Christians. The church encourages singles to marry other Christians, as the Bible instructs us to. So why not start a singles ministry? It provides a safe place where Christians can mingle and positive relationships can develop. This beats sending the singles to a bar.

Singles dont have problems like married parents do.

While the problems married parents face are certainly worth speaking about as a church, that doesnt mean that the single Christians dont have problems too. Most leaders within churches are married and see daily life through the lens of a married perspective. Therefore they look over the unique needs that the singles in their congregations have. For example, what should singles do in the face of loneliness when marriage doesnt come as quickly as desired? How can singles practice both godly contentment and romantic initiative? Churches leave their singles to fight their battles alone, which can cause them to feel unsupported.

Singles should be included in overall ministry and never separated out.

More and more churches seem to believe that its better to include the singles in overall ministry of the church, instead of separating them out. Thy say its because its the best choice for singles, but in reality its usually because they believe they dont have the resources, or dont want to deal with the mess of reaching out to single adults. Singles ministry can be difficult and time consuming due to the various needs of singles. However, churches cannot ignore that all people have specific needs that cannot be ministered too with one method.

The church today can let down their single adults in many different ways, which can push singles away from the faith. There are ways that churches can do a better job at reaching this demographic. Single Christians need the love and support of the church as they navigate the waters of the dating world in a way that glorifies God. Think about how your church can do better and ask if there are opportunities to minister to those who need it.
Police have taken 21 suspects into custody after a crowd of hardline Muslims vandalized a mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyya Islamic sect last week in Indonesias West Kalimantan province, a local police chief said.

More than 100 people claiming to represent Islamic groups vandalized the mosque in Balai Harapan village of Sintang regency on Friday, police said. A video purportedly of the attack and widely circulated online showed men armed with sticks smashing the mosques windows as police and soldiers looked on, and a nearby building in flames.

Confirming the arrests, provincial police spokesman Donny Charles Go told BenarNews that all the suspects have been detained. More arrests were expected, he added.

Donny said that three people suspected of instigating the attack were among those picked up thus far.

We will not allow anarchic actions. Police will enforce the law by arresting the perpetrators of vandalism as soon as possible in order to protect the security of all residents, he said.

Citing witness accounts, Yendra Budiana, a spokesman for the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community based in Jakarta, said security personnel did not appear to intervene when the mob started to vandalize the mosque.

After Friday prayers, more than 100 people moved toward the mosque. They were intercepted, but in the end, they were not stopped, Yendra told BenarNews.

He said some in the crowd threatened to return in 30 days if authorities failed to demolish the mosque.

Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas condemned the attack.

The action of people who take the law into their own hands by destroying a house of worship and property belonging to others cannot be justified and is a clear violation of the law, Yaqut said in a statement on Friday.

Differences in faiths should not become the reason for the majority group to persecute and to pass judgment on other groups. This is the governments first basic view that it will uphold, Yaqut told BenarNews in an interview in June.

Activists and members of the minority group say that decrees still in force branding Ahmadi beliefs as deviant and banning proselytizing have set the stage for persecution.

Hate speech and provocations

Muslims in Sintang Regency have expressed opposition to Ahmadis in the area for years, resident Slamet Bowo Santoso told BenarNews, adding that he had heard about a plan to attack the mosque.

They want the Ahmadiyya mosque to be demolished. I didnt participate because I dont agree with an anarchist method that is not likely to change their beliefs, Slamet said on Friday.

In late April, authorities in Sintang signed an agreement with local Muslim groups to ban Ahmadi activities, according to Beka Ulung Hapsara, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

After the letter was signed, there were provocations, not only on the ground, but also on social media, he told BenarNews. There was a lot of hate speech and provocations to commit violence.

On Aug. 14, authorities in Sintang sealed off the mosque following pressure from a group calling itself the Sintang Muslim Alliance, rights group Amnesty International said.

In a letter to authorities on Aug. 12, alliance members threatened to take matters into their own hands if their demand was not met, prompting the local Ahmadiyya community to ask police for protection, according to AI.

Targeted

Estimated to number around 400,000 in Indonesia, the Ahmadiyya have been targeted by hardline Islamic groups since at least 2005 when the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa declaring that anyone who follows its teachings is no longer a Muslim.

Ahmadis believe that the founder of their group, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, was the promised Messiah and a prophet. Those beliefs have been rejected by many Muslims who believe Muhammad was the last of the prophets.

In 2008, the government issued a joint decree signed by the religious affairs minister, the attorney general and the home affairs minister, ordering Ahmadiyya congregations to stop proselytizing beliefs not in accordance with the general interpretation of Islam, such as acknowledging the existence of a prophet after the Prophet Muhammad.

Choirul Anam, another Komnas HAM commissioner, called for revocation of the decree banning Ahmadis from proselytizing.

The fact is that there has been a lot of violence. There have been discriminatory actions, Choirul said.

Yendra, the Ahmadiyya spokesman, said the decree had been used as the basis for local governments to crack down on the group and had triggered a rise in intolerant acts.

He said 114 Ahmadiyya followers had been displaced from their homes on Lombok island for more than a decade after being expelled by other villagers for practicing their faith.

In June, in an interview with BenarNews, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut defended the decree, saying it was still relevant.

The main issue is actually clear, the belief in the existence of a prophet after the Prophet Muhammad, he said. However, it is necessary to hold dialogue between the parties so that issues can be resolved.
Members of the Taliban gather near a picture of Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, who is now the supreme leader of Afghanistan, in Kabul, Aug. 25, 2021.

Updated at 10:55 a.m. ET on 2021-09-09

Many Southeast Asian nations and Bangladesh are reserving judgment on the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan, saying they hope a permanent administration will be more inclusive and ensure that the country doesnt become a safe haven for terrorists.

Afghanistans caretaker government, announced Tuesday, is fully Taliban, all male, majority cleric and overwhelmingly Pashtun, analysts said. It also includes internationally wanted terrorists  with huge bounties on their heads  and two members of the ruthless Haqqani terror network, which was closely allied with al-Qaeda and Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Indonesia still hopes that the permanent government of Afghanistan will be an inclusive one, Abdul Kadir Jailani, director-general of Asia, the Pacific, and Africa at Indonesias foreign ministry, told BenarNews on Wednesday.

The spokesman for the Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan last month after 20 years, had earlier expressed the groups commitment to establishing an inclusive government, he noted.

Indonesia is closely following developments in Afghanistan, including yesterday's announcement by the caretaker government.

Indonesias Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met with representatives of the Taliban political office in Doha late last month, and conveyed the importance of forming an inclusive government, respecting womens rights and ensuring Afghanistan does not become a breeding ground for terrorist organization and activities, she said at the time.



Haibatullah Akhundzada, now the supreme leader of the newly renamed Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, was said to be a good friend of al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Al-Qaedas Southeast Asian affiliate, Jemaah Islamiyah, was behind is the 2002 Bali bombings, Indonesias deadliest terrorist attack. Members of JI included Indonesians who had trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Indonesian veterans of the war in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan.

Similarly, while Dhaka is also worried about the resurgence of the Taliban, the country is adopting a wait-and-watch attitude, said Faruk Khan, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee and a lawmaker from the ruling party.

We in Bangladesh hope that the Taliban would form a full-fledged inclusive government incorporating representatives from all races, sex and ethnicities of Afghanistan, Khan told BenarNews.

Also, Afghanistan must not be a safe haven for terrorists and militants.

As in Indonesia, militancy in Muslim-majority Bangladesh took root after the return of citizens who fought alongside the Taliban against Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s, analysts say.

Lawmaker Khan and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said Dhaka wants to see what the permanent Afghanistan government will look like.

We didn't either welcome or not welcome the interim Afghan government, Alam told reporters on Wednesday, according to state media.

We don't want to do anything hurriedly.

A poster issued by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation for Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is Afghanistan's newly appointed acting interior minister. [FBI handout via Reuters]

Undecided

Malaysia, meanwhile, will on Friday make a statement about its official stand on the new Afghan government, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Wednesday.

We want to maintain relations with all countries, but, on Afghanistan, we have not decided.  We stand with the people of Afghanistan, of course, Saifuddin told reporters.

He has spoken with Qatars foreign minister, because the country helped broker Washingtons deal with the Taliban last year, and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to seek advice and opinions on Afghanistan, Saifuddin said.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand said it was premature to state a position on an interim Afghan government.

We are closely monitoring developments in Afghanistan in order to consider our position, Tanee Sangrat, foreign ministry spokesman, told BenarNews on Wednesday.

Philippine officials did not reply to BenarNews request for comment on the new Taliban government.

Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Afghanistans new prime minister, is seen in an Aug. 25, 1999 photograph at an Air Force base in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. [AFP]

No concern from Afghanistan

Meanwhile, Taliban chief Akhundzada said the interim government wants good ties with its neighbors and other nations.

We want strong and healthy relations with our neighbors and all other countries based on mutual respect and interaction, he said Tuesday in a statement.

We are committed to all international laws and treaties, resolutions and commitments that are not in conflict with Islamic law and the countrys national values, he said, adding that other nations had nothing to fear from Afghanistan.

Our message to our neighbors, the region and the world is that Afghanistan's soil will not be used against the security of any other country. We assure all that there is no concern from Afghanistan, and we expect from them the same, he said.

Many countries may not recognize the interim government, because, despite advice from international stakeholders, the Taliban went ahead with a predominantly exclusionary caretaker government, said Omar Samad, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank.

The Taliban are more interested in regional and neighborhood recognition at this stage as they know that most Western nations are reluctant to grant quick recognition, Samad said.

They are also mindful of the U.N. delisting process as they seek to have their leaders names taken off the sanctions lists.

Afghanistans interim Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, a Taliban founder, is under United Nations sanctions.

Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, and his uncle, interim Minister for Refugees Khalil Haqqani, belong to the dreaded network that bears their name  which Washington has designated a terror organization. The U.S. is offering a $10 million reward for Sirajuddins capture, and a $5 million one for his uncle. The Haqqani network is also under U.N. sanctions.

As retired senior British diplomat Ivor Roberts told the Voice of America, assigning members of the Haqqani network to oversee the security of Kabul is akin to the fox being put in charge of a chicken coop.

Nontarat Phaicharoen in Bangkok, Kamran Reza Chowdhury in Dhaka, Tria Dianti in Jakarta, Muzliza Mustafa in Kuala Lumpur, Jason Gutierrez in Manila and Shailaja Neelakantan in Washington Jason Gutierrez in Manila contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to correct the time frame given for the Soviet war in Afghanistan.
Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army Navy patrol at Woody Island, in the Paracel Archipelago, which is known in China as the Xisha Islands, Jan. 29, 2016.

A rare find in the British National Archives may provide another piece of evidence discrediting Chinas claim of historic rights to the disputed Paracel archipelago in the South China Sea.

After months of scouring the archives, British journalist-turned-scholar Bill Hayton came across a semi-official document indicating that until the late Qing Dynasty, Chinese authorities still did not consider the Paracel Islands part of Chinas territory.

Hayton, author of The Invention of China (2020) and South China Sea (2014), discovered an 1899 translation of a letter in which the Zongli Yamen  equivalent to the foreign ministry  of the Qing Empire informed British officials that Chinese authorities could not accept liability for the looting of a ships cargo in the late 1890s in the Paracels.

The letter refers to the so-called Bellona copper case where the German ship Bellona was wrecked in the archipelago a few years earlier and the copper cargo it was transporting was stolen by Chinese fishermen.

The Chinese government refused compensation for the British-insured copper because the islands were high seas and were not Chinese territory.

The original letter in Chinese is yet to be found and theres a high possibility that it has been lost or destroyed, so the translation is the first and only contemporaneous copy of the Chinese official document found to date.

Hayton said he also found the transcription of a different letter from the viceroy of the Liangguang  which comprised the regions of Guangdong and Guangxi  to the British consul in Canton, Byron Brenan, on April 14, 1898, speaking of the same case. Viceroy Tan Zhong Lin wrote that the Chinese authorities could not possibly protect the shipwrecks as they were in the deep blue sea, hence they could not admit to the compensation claims.

Its not the smoking gun, yet, Hayton told Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews. But it could be helpful for Vietnam to make the case that China really didnt care about the [Paracel] islands until later.

The Bellona copper case was also mentioned in a 1930 letter from the French governor general of Indochina to the French minister for the colonies in which the Chinese viceroy of Canton was quoted as stating that the Paracels were abandoned islands and belonged no more to China than to Vietnam, and no special authority was responsible for policing them.

Such questions of historical record remain politically sensitive for claimant states in the South China Sea  not least because China justifies its sweeping maritime and territorial claims on the basis of historic rights  a position that was rejected by an international arbitral tribunal in 2016 in a case brought by the Philippines.

Nguyen Nha, a well-known Vietnamese historian, said the newly found letter could serve as another valuable piece of evidence that China did not hold ownership of the Paracels since ancient times as it always insists.

Vietnam, Taiwan and China all claim sovereignty over the Paracels which are now entirely under Chinas control.

In addition, Chinas expansive South China Sea claims include waters within the exclusive economic zones of ASEAN member-states Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesias EEZ as well.

Both Hanoi and Beijing have released numerous historical documents, often replicas as original versions are almost impossible to trace, to back their claims.

Haytons discovery was met with interest in the South China Sea study circles.

Norwegian historian and South China Sea researcher Stein Tonnesson said the letter may confirm other sources indicating that the Qing Empire did not at that time consider the Paracels as Chinese territory.

But in 1909 it did, and Im not sure the lack of a claim in 1899 would invalidate a claim made 10 years later, he said.

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, warned: China would obfuscate the issue by calling into question the genuineness of the letter.

Haytons post about the letter on social media has caused a stir, and some critics have raised questions about the accuracy of the English-language translation.

Hayton said he believes there'll be a transcribed version of the Chinese language letter somewhere, and hes looking for it.

But whatever the outcome, according to Storey, no one piece of evidence is ever conclusive in this long-running war of documents and maps between Vietnam and China.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
That old saw Be careful what you wish for comes home to roost, and then some, in Agatha Christies The Stranger, which is having its first Theater Barn offering in an, at best, middling production that opened over the weekend and runs through July 25.
Considered by many to be the gold standard for ghost stories, The Turn of the Screw was serialized in Colliers Weekly in 1898 and subsequently published as a novella. It tells the story of a young governess who is hired to look after two orphan siblings, Miles and Flora, who live on a remote estate outside London. It is not long before the governess comes to believe that the children are being haunted by the specters of their previous governess, Miss Jessel, who committed suicide, and the estates groundskeeper, Peter Quint, who died under mysterious circumstances.
Gov. Charlie Baker speaks in Becket in celebration of the effort to get the town wired with high-speed internet on Aug. 31. The governor said Wednesday a return to remote learning as an option for school districts is not under consideration.
Francesca Paris can be reached at fparis@berkshireeagle.com and 413-447-7311, ext. 239.

Francesca Paris can be reached at fparis@berkshireeagle.com and 413-447-7311, ext. 239.
BOSTON  The FBI is looking for help identifying a man who allegedly assaulted federal officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6 while wearing a sweatshirt bearing the logo of a Pittsfield gym and health club.

The agency's Boston division released numerous images of the man at the Capitol, many of which show him wearing a black hooded Berkshire Nautilus sweatshirt.

We are working very closely with our law enforcement and private sector partners to identify those who attempted to use violence and destruction to intimidate, coerce, or affect the conduct of our government, said special agent in charge of FBI Boston, Joseph R. Bonavolonta, in a news release.

We are asking the public to take a close look at these photos and to reach out to us if you know who this man is," he said. "We believe he was involved in a violent assault on federal officers and no amount of information is too small or irrelevant."

Authorities said the man is believed to be in his mid- to late 50s, and described him as a white male approximately 5 feet, 11 inches to 6 feet, 1 inch tall, around 225 pounds with a "stocky build," white hair and brown eyes.

NEW PHOTOS: The #FBI needs help identifying this man involved in the alleged assault of federal officers at the U.S. Capitol. If you recognize this individual in photograph #141, submit a tip to 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://t.co/48YS0b0hkh. Learn more: https://t.co/aJZDOjp63B pic.twitter.com/0Q4PK127gP  FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) September 8, 2021

The wanted man appeared to be wincing and his head bloodied in some of the newly released photos. Anyone with information about the man is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov with a reference to photo No. 141.

The owner of Berkshire Nautilus could not immediately be reached to say whether he recognized the man in the photos.

Three other Berkshire County men also have been accused of taking part in the siege: David Lester Ross, of Pittsfield, faces misdemeanor trespassing charges; while Troy E. Sargent, of Pittsfield, and Brian P. McCreary, of North Adams, face charges that they joined the violent insurrection.
The late Rev. James Paul Menge has been added to the list of priests associated with the Springfield Diocese against whom a credible accusation of sexual abuse of a minor has been made. He was added to the list Sept. 1.
UPDATE: A Zoom official has contacted the town about the threatening "Zoom bombing" incident that occurred Tuesday during a public meeting and vowed to help police catch the offenders.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE  A Select Board meeting took an ugly turn Tuesday when at least one person interrupted it with a racial slur and threats directed at the owner of a Vietnamese restaurant who last week emerged from a controversy over noise from a neighboring business.

Quote "Now we have a target on our back. People know where we live, people know where our business is and I am shook to my core." Truc Nguyen, responding to an anti-Asian slur by a Zoom bomber

The Zoom bomber directed the message to Truc Nguyen, owner of Truc Orient Express, and also threatened others. The person also hacked into the Zoom accounts of board members, other attendees and a reporter, impersonating them and typing profane and threatening messages.

You should all be [expletive] dead, the person said, at one point, directing it at Nguyen, then everyone else.

The person, or several people, continued to attempt to speak, but Town Administrator Marie Ryan muted everyone on the video call.

Now we have a target on our back, Nguyen said. People know where we live, people know where our business is and I am shook to my core.

Its shameful, said board member Kathleen Keresey, who said the board would need to take precautions against such an incident in future.

Town Police Chief Marc Portieri was on the call and witnessed the incident, which began just after board members discussed whether to mandate mask wearing at Town Hall. He said he would do extra patrols near the Orient Express, off Harris Street and Merritt Way, and Nguyen told The Eagle that police had already made a sweep near the restaurant. He said he would investigate.

Board Chairman Eric Shimelonis said there had been several other episodes of profanity on previous Zoom calls and said he was devastated that this would happen in town.

The incident came after most town business, which included a follow-up discussion about conditions set on a special permit granted Thursday to The Foundry, a performing arts venue that began holding most performances outside due to COVID-19 worries.

Board member Roger Kavanagh said there is a 20-day period in which to appeal six conditions on the permit, which include holding most events inside the 99-seat theater, keeping decibel levels from exceeding 60, and not controlling or blocking Merritt Way, which is owned by The Foundry, yet is the only public access to Orient Express.

The permit also has to be renewed every year on Oct. 31.

West Stockbridge board issues permit to The Foundry on condition most events are indoors The battle and municipal mess ended Thursday with conditions, offers of parking spaces, and an invitation to sit down to a Vietnamese meal.

A feud between The Foundry and Orient Express sparked over road access, noise from performances and other issues. It spun into a legal battle and revealed major municipal missteps that included allowing The Foundry to operate with out a permit since it opened in 2019. Both businesses are beloved and drew supporters from across the Berkshires and beyond into the fray until the matter was settled last week when attorneys for both agreed to the conditions.

Issue over access sparks struggle for restaurant in West Stockbridge WEST STOCKBRIDGE  More than two decades ago, the town barred vehicles from a bridge off Main Street that spans the Williams River, converting

The town continues to be in the early phases of fixing a street access problem that has contributed to the crisis. Highway superintendent Curt Wilton told the board that he is on the verge of finding an engineer to work on a plan to create an access points to Harris St. from Moscow Rd. The board is also going to search for a grant to explore whether the Harris St. footbridge, which connects Main St. to Harris St., can be retrofitted to carry vehicles. It was the closing of this bridge to traffic in the 1990s that hemmed in Orient Express, leaving it surrounded by private property.
Reporter

Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S.
The Zoom call meeting of the West Stockbridge Select Board, just after someone bombed the video call with a racist slur and other threatening messages.
Bill Cosby was released from prison more than two months ago, and now one of his accusers, Andrea Constand, is publicly responding to his release.

Constands testimony helped put Cosby away for sexual assault; he was found guilty in 2018 of three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and assaulting the former Temple University employee in 2004.

In an exclusive NBC News TV interview that aired on Tuesday (Sept. 7), Constand says that she was really shocked  disappointed that the former actor and comedian was freed from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction on a technicality on procedural grounds.

The 84-year-old served nearly three years of his three to 10-year sentence before his unexpected release.

RELATED: Bill Cosby Accusers Speak Out In Joint TV Interview

"Disgusting," Constand said, according to NBCs Today. "Didn't surprise me, given the level of the arrogance and having no remorse. During the time he was incarcerated, absolutely zero remorse for what he did to me.

Adding, Hes a sexually violent predator who basically was let out of jail.

At least 60 women have alleged that Cosby drugged and assaulted them spanning over several decades.

"I have come way too far to go back to that place to wonder whether it's all worth it, or to have regrets," Constand said. "It was worth it. It was worth it. All the pain, all the heartache all the reputational damage, not only for me, but my family. But it was worth it. Because I didn't feel alone. I had a whole community, a whole army of women and other survivors, strangers, family, friends, who were right there with me.
Actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on September 6. While the world is mourning his death, interviews of the actor are resurfacing. One interview from February this year revealed the 54-year-old had to go into therapy after filming HBOs Lovecraft Country.

In a Feb. 26 interview with Tamron Hall, Williams said after Lovecraft Country he took steps to understand himself more.

I just started therapy, you know, and really taking that seriously and starting to unpack, like you said, the critic in my head and what and how that has affected my  my actions, my responses to certain situations, my relationships.It was a very new process for me, Williams said.

Williams was promoting his supporting role in the film the Body Brokers, which is about a corrupt drug-treatment center in Los Angeles. He told Hall about addiction, Drugs and alcohol are not the problems, theyre merely symptoms of the problem. And once those things go away, the real work begins, you knowworking on all the character defects, the moral compass  the skewed moral compass.

RELATED: 'The Wire Cast Reunites At ABFF Honors

Williams was found dead in the living room of his Brooklyn penthouse by his nephew, New York Post reports.

The Flatbush native was most famous for his role as Omar Little in the Baltimore-based TV series The Wire and as gangster Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire.

Watch the Michael K. Williams interview with Tamon Hall below:
Acclaimed actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn penthouse on the afternoon of Sept. 6 at 54 years old. Arvance Williams, one of his nephews, spoke out outside of his uncles Brooklyn apartment building.

Arvance told the New York Post, Its heartbreaking, heartbreaking. I still cant wrap my head around it I was just with him. I just bought him some fabric so he can go to the Emmys, to put under his blazer.

He continued, He just got nominated for an Emmy, and he was going to LA, so he was real excited about that.



Williams received an Emmy nomination for his performance as Montrose Freeman in HBOs Lovecraft Country.



RELATED: 'The Wire Cast Reunites At ABFF Honors

You guys know him as the actor, we know him as Uncle Mike. We love him.



Arvance also explained how his uncle was so different from the roles he played, My uncle was such a sweet person. A lot of the characters he played as mean and gangster  it was a joke, because he was totally not that way. Im like, This guy is a really good actor. Because if you knew Mike, he was a sweetheart.  A very gentle, gentle person. And I just look at some of the stuff he doing and I would just laugh cuz thats totally not him.



Arvance revealed that another cousin named Donovan found Michael K. Williams body.

The Flatbush native was famous for his roles as Omar Little in the Baltimore-based TV series The Wire and as Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire.

See the Arvance Williams interview below:
According to Newsweek , recent polls indicate that a majority of California voters plan to keep the Democratic governor in office when they cast their ballot in the Sep. 14 special election.

If recent polls are accurate, and if they hold into next week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to survive California Republicans attempt to remove him from office.

Recent polling indicates Governor Gavin Newsom is likely to remain in office following the September 14 recall election. https://t.co/OVxTSKchbN

Late last month, a Change Research poll found that 57 percent of likely voters wanted to keep the governor in office.

Other surveys cited by Newsweek said that more than 50 percent of likely voters opposed the recall, according to data from SurveyUSA and the Trafalgar Group. In yet another indication of strong support, a Public Policy Institute of California survey said 58 percent of Californians planned to support Newsom at the polls.

California's recall ballot has two questions: whether voters want to recall Newsom and whom they want to replace the governor if a majority of voters oust him.

If Newsom survives the first question, the second question is irrelevant.

If the polls are wrong, Black conservative radio host Larry Elder--one of 46 candidates on the ballot--is expected to replace Newsom.

Newsom has warned California voters that Elder would roll back the gains made in combating the deadly COVID-19 virus in their state by reversing the maske and vaccine mandates.

The governor has raised more money than Elder, $60 million to $7 million, according to Politico.

RELATED: Larry Elder Wants To Reverse California COVID-19 Mask and Vaccine Mandates

Newsom has strong support from President Joe Biden and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.

California is no stranger to recall votes. The most recent recalled governor in California was Democrat Gray Davis, who was replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. If the election goes wrong for the Democrat, Newsome would be just the third U.S. governor removed from office through a recall election.
News

New adaptive sports program coming to WKU

Grace Ramey / Grace Ramey Bowling Green Parks & Recreation and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness are partnering to roll out the university's first sports program for students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. The new sports club currently has several wheelchairs built for basketball and tennis and other equipment for goal ball and baseball. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Madison Duncan, a senior recreation administration at WKU interning with the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Departments Adaptive Sports Program, plays tennis with the kids participating in the fall season of the Parks & Rec's inclusive Up Down tennis socials for kids with and without disabilities on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at Kereiakes Park. Duncan has served as a liaison to help create a partnership between Bowling Green Parks & Recreation and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness to roll out the university's first sports program for students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Austin Stallings, 11, plays tennis with other participants in the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Departments Adaptive Sports Program fall season of the Parks & Rec's inclusive Up Down tennis socials for kids with and without disabilities on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at Kereiakes Park. The Parks & Rec department and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness are partnering to roll out the university's first sports program for college-age students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Jack Millette, 9, left, tosses a tennis ball to Austin Stallings, 11, right, while participating in the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Departments Adaptive Sports Program fall season of the Parks & Rec's inclusive Up Down tennis socials for kids with and without disabilities on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at Kereiakes Park. The Parks & Rec department and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness are partnering to roll out the university's first sports program for college-age students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Madison Duncan, a senior recreation administration at WKU interning with the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Departments Adaptive Sports Program, plays tennis with the kids participating in the fall season of the Parks & Rec's inclusive Up Down tennis socials for kids with and without disabilities on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at Kereiakes Park. Duncan has served as a liaison to help create a partnership between Bowling Green Parks & Recreation and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness to roll out the university's first sports program for students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Austin Stallings, 11, right, and Jack Millette, 9, left, high-five with their racquets while participating in the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Departments Adaptive Sports Program fall season of the Parks & Rec's inclusive Up Down tennis socials for kids with and without disabilities on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, at Kereiakes Park. The Parks & Rec department and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness are partnering to roll out the university's first sports program for college-age students of all abilities at the Preston Center and at the WKU Intramural Complex on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, as an extension of the Parks & Rec. Departments Adaptive Sports Program for special populations in the community. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com)

There are fewer than 30 collegiate adaptive sports programs in the country, but Western Kentucky University will join that group this fall.

Thanks to a partnership between the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness, the university will roll out its first sports program for students of all abilities Oct. 24.

Events through the new sports club will take place at the Preston Center and the WKU Intramural Complex. While the number of sports being offered is still being planned, club president Maddie Duncan said basketball, baseball and tennis will be in the mix.

The program came to fruition thanks to Duncan and city parks department special populations instructor Cameron Levis.

Levis, who has helped lead the city parks departments adaptive sports program, said WKUs club will be an extension of the parks departments work with special populations in the community.

We are excited to make an announcement on something we have been working a couple of years on. With our current adaptive sports program, we serve youth and adults. So, this is that middle ground to try and serve individuals that want to participate in adaptive sports who are between high school and the end of their college careers.

Levis and Duncan worked to make the program an official sports club at WKU, kicking off this semester.

There is a lot of implications for what this means for people with disabilities in higher education, Levis said.  ... For us to start something like this is a huge opportunity. It will be the first of its kind in the state of Kentucky.

He also said the program will be an important tool for recruiting students of all abilities to WKU. Levis highlighted a study from the University of Michigan that estimates more than 62,000 individuals under age 18 in the U.S. were involved with adaptive sports.

With there being fewer than 30 collegiate adaptive sports programs in the country, Levis said this is an opportunity for WKU.

We are excited to add another program this fall, and hopefully one of those people looking for an adaptive sports will come to a great university that is WKU, he said. This will give a reason for individuals to come to this school. The impact of this program will go far beyond anything either of us can imagine for years to come.

Duncan acted as the main liaison and point person between the parks department, where she is finishing up her internship, and WKU, where she is a student.

She said the idea came out of her love for working with the community through the parks departments adaptive sports events.

I think it is a really important program because it will open up a whole new section of people who may not be able to get off campus, Duncan said. This will bridge to gap for them, and open up a whole new population we can hit. Im looking forward to introducing it to a new group of people who havent seen it.

The new sports club currently has several wheelchairs built for basketball and equipment for goal ball and baseball. She also recently wrote a grant with the U.S. Tennis Association to secure funding for additional tennis equipment.

On Oct. 24, organizers will showcase the sports being offered to students this semester. The event will be at the Preston Center.

While Duncan is set to graduate in December, its her goal to make sure the program gets off the ground and has a strong start.

I think everybody is really excited to get a program like this on campus, she said.

To start a sports club at WKU, an adviser who works full-time on campus must endorse and watch over the club. Thats where Matt Davis, assistant director of the Student Accessibility Resource Center, comes into the picture.

Davis grew up in Bowling Green with a condition called spina bifida, which causes him to regularly use a wheelchair.

He said he formerly had to go as far as Nashville to get involved with adaptive sports, but now the new sports club and parks department programs have localized accessible activities.

Its really exciting to see these programs come together, Davis said. If you are physically active, it helps you mentally as well. Thats big for those that are disabled. We just want students to get involved in these programs. You dont have to have a disability to get involved.

Davis said anyone interested in the program can contact him at matt.davis@wku.edu or Levis at 270-393-3265. Additional information can be found by contacting Campus Recreation and Wellness.

 Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.
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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The Apostle Paul was a champion of spreading the Gospel message after his radical conversion experience when he encountered Jesus. He traveled to numerous cities and countries, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul also corresponded with and supported various churches by way of letter.

But just how many books of the Bible did Paul write? Thirteen books of the New Testament are attributed to him. The books written by Paul were actually letters he wrote to congregations and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ during his ministry years. Paul began most of his letters with a similar greeting to the one found in the letter to the church of Galatia, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:3).

The thirteen books written by Paul are: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

When Did Paul Write These Books?

Paul wrote these thirteen books over the span of his ministry. He wrote to churches and individuals while he was in a variety of circumstances. For example, he wrote while he was on missionary journeys, after completing his travels, or even while he was imprisoned. While staying in Ephesus, Paul wrote to the church of Corinth.

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to youfor I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost (1 Corinthians 16:5-8).

Information like that has helped scholars piece together when and where Paul was when he wrote the books attributed to him. In his writings, readers gain a sense of Pauls deep love and care for the growing Christian church, and the ways he helped people become saved and grow in their faith. Writing letters allowed Paul to continue urging others on in their faith. From another letter, readers learn that Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy from prison.

For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! (2 Timothy 2:9).

Paul described himself as a prisoner in a letter to Timothy. This letter was written near the end of Pauls life before he was sentenced to death and executed. Paul wrote these thirteen letters, which have become part of the New Testament, as early as the year 50 AD, and up until his death when he became a martyr for Jesus. Paul is believed to have died sometime around the year 67 AD.

Did Paul Write All These Letters Himself?

From the letters themselves, we know that Paul had help from a scribe to write letters to churches or individuals. This was common practice in Pauls time. The scribe would have written as Paul spoke out loud what he wanted to include in the letter. In the letter to the Romans, the scribe identified himself.

I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord (Romans 16:22).

It is fascinating that the scribe was also a Christian who wanted to relay his greetings to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In other letters, such as the one Paul wrote to the church of Colossae, Paul indicated when it was his own hand that wrote the actual words of the letter.

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you (Colossians 4:18).

Though Paul worked with scribes to create these letters, we have assurance that regardless of how the letter came to be written down that all Scripture is God-breathed (see 2 Timothy 3:16).





Photo credit: Unsplash/Scott Graham

Why Are Paul's Personal Letters Considered Scripture?

An important part of Pauls ministry was to keep in touch with Christians and churches, to encourage them in their faith and to help them avoid heresy or get persuaded to believe anything other than the true Gospel message that was preached to them. He did this by visiting and writing letters. It remains unclear how many letters outside of the thirteen epistles in the Bible that Paul wrote. However, we do know that Paul wrote letters that did not end up in the Bible. In the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul referenced a previous letter he had written to them.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people (1 Corinthians 5:9).

Though we do not know for sure outside of this letter Paul mentioned, it is possible that Paul wrote other letters to churches and individuals that did not become part of the Bible. However, certain letters were highly circulated, transformative, and became recognized by the early church as holy Scripture. These letters are now part of the New Testament.

We know that not every letter Paul wrote became Scripture, such as the letter Paul mentioned that he had formerly written to the church in Corinth. Perhaps this other letter did not have the same level of impact and transferability to congregations beyond Corinth. Ultimately, it remains unknown why this other letter to the Corinthians was not recognized as Scripture. Peter, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, referenced Pauls writings.

Bear in mind that our Lords patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:15-16).

This is helpful to know that even as Pauls letters were circulating, it was apparent that they were God-breathed. Peter believed that Pauls letters were in fact holy Scripture and urged others to view them in the same light and with the same reverence. It is no surprise, then, that thirteen of Pauls letters became part of the Bible.

Is There a Central Theme of Paul's Letters?

Pauls letters had common elements to them, such as an introduction, the writers name and who the letter was addressed to, a greeting or thanksgiving, and the body of the letter which conveyed the reason(s) why Paul was writing and the information he wanted to relay to the readers. Paul usually ended his letters with a farewell.

In some of his letters, Paul included lists to demonstrate or expand on what he was teaching. For instance, Paul wrote lists of sinful behaviors (see Galatians 5:19-21 or Colossians 3:5-6), lists of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23 or Ephesians 4:2), lists of descriptions (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-8), or how Christians should live (see 2 Corinthians 6:4-10).

Pauls letters address many themes and topics, such as marriage, Christian living, sinfulness, righteousness, and grace. Paul wrote about suffering, joy, discipleship, forgiveness, and that Jesus was coming back. Other themes Paul addressed were unity in the body of Christ, dying to the flesh, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Central to all Pauls letters is the overarching theme that we are saved by faith in Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Paul went to great lengths to declare that Jesus is the Lord and Savior, the promised Messiah, to the Gentiles and the Jews alike. Paul originally rejected the Gospel, persecuted the church, and believed Jesus to be an imposter. When he experienced a conversion, Paul undoubtedly made it his mission to follow the call of Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations. Paul had a passion to make sure that every person knew that one cannot earn salvation, rather it is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ alone.





Photo credit: Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang

What Happened to Paul?

During his Christian life, Paul went on missionary journeys, empowered other believers to have faith, rejected heresies and preached the truth of God. Paul corresponded with churches and individuals and wrote letters that eventually were recognized as part of the Holy Bible. In his final years, he was imprisoned in Rome and was sentenced to death. He was a great supporter of many fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and believed that God was with him no matter what he faced (See Romans 8:38-39).

The time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that dayand not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Even near the end of his life as he faced death, Paul fully trusted that God was with him and that it had been an honor to serve God. Paul died a martyr for Jesus, one who helped advance the growing Christian church and ultimately, the kingdom of God.

A Life Devoted to Christ

Paul wrote numerous letters to churches and individuals during his ministry. Though some were just that  personal or communal letters  others were recognized as Scripture and became part of the Bible. Thirteen books in total are attributed to Paul in the New Testament. Paul wrote about many theological issues and did his best to encourage his audiences to persevere in faith.

Pauls passion for Jesus and his love for people is evident in both his writings and that he gave his life to advance the Gospel so that more and more would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Related articles

What Do We Know about Paul before His Conversion?

5 Valuable Lessons from Paul on the Benefits of Giving

6 Things You Didn't Know about Paul in the Bible

Photo credit: Unsplash/Clark Young

Pamela Palmer is a writer, chaplain, and the founder of upheldlife.com, the platform on which she produces weekly devotionals and faith resource articles to inspire keeping faith at the center of it all. She lives and thrives on Jesus, coffee, and music. She is in pastoral ministry and gets to share in the emotional and spiritual lives of many people, being a small piece of each journey. Pamela married the perfect man for her and they have two beautiful kiddos. She has been published on herviewfromhome.com and you can follow her at upheldlife.com, or on Facebook.com/upheldlife.
I did not grow up in church. But I grew up in a part of the Bible Belt. As such I knew from a young age that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were names of people who had written stories about Jesus. But who were these men? Today we will consider Matthew. Who was he and why did he write about Jesus?

Matthew, also known as Levi, is listed as one of the 12 disciples in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts. We know from the narratives that he was a tax collector. But is there more we can learn about Matthew? Does church history tell us anything about this disciple?

Who Was Matthew the Tax Collector?

We are first introduced to Matthew in the ninth chapter of the book bearing his name. There he is identified as sitting at the tax booth. In the other gospel accounts he is listed as Levi, the son of Alphaeus. This means that Levi is a Jew. This makes his sitting at the tax booth all the more despicable.

Nobody likes paying taxes, but it was even worse in first century Capernaum. There were two types of tax collectors. The first type was the general tax collectorsthey collected things like property tax, income tax, and poll tax. These were a fixed rate and usually collected by Romans. The second type of tax collector was the one who would tax everything. (This was somewhat similar to our sales tax today, but it wasnt a fixed rate.) The way these tax collectors made their money was in whatever they could squeeze out of the people. Theyd give what was due to Rome and then pocket the rest. The more corrupt they were, the more money they could make. Rome didnt care what kind of tax these locals charged so long as they got their cut.

Matthew was the second type of tax collector. Now some of these types of tax collectors would be a chief tax collector; theyd hire others to do their dirty biding. (If youve heard of Zacchaeus, he was one of these tax collectors. But not Matthew. Matthew was one of the little guys who did his own thingwho set up his own lemonade stand and milked his own people out of their hard-earned dollars.

Needless to say, tax collectors were hated and despised. Not only were they daily reminders of Roman domination, they were just crooked and dirty. Many Jews considered submission to Rome to be treason against God. And so to sell out like Matthew had donethis is just unthinkable. How could someone do such a thing? What kind of person is this?

The Mishnah and the Talmud (Jewish writings) had whole sections dogging on tax collectorsand lumping them in with thieves and murderers. It was actually ruled by Jewish rabbis that it was okaylawful evento lie to tax collectors.

What do the religious leaders say to someone like Levi? They tell him to repent. Change your life. Quit your job. Stop being such a lying, thieving, cheat. And then maybe God will have something to do with you. Start studying the Torah (start reading your Bible) and get your life cleaned up and then you wont be such a bum.

This was the world that Levi lived in. Even if he wanted to repentthere is no way that he could live up to those expectations. Did Matthew buy into this narrative? Did he believe that he was a traitor and would always be a traitor? Did he believe that there was no way for him to become righteous? Did he identify as a sinner? That was how the world was divided up in his day; the righteous and the sinners. The righteous were the ones who worked hard to follow God. The sinners did not. There was a word for the common folk, those who did not study Torah. They were the outcasts.

The answer for one like Matthew was simple. Do better.

The religious answer in the first century was to help people adapt to their brokenness or even to figure out how to protect society from a further contagionfurther brokenness. It was to manage brokenness. And it was to help people do better and to be better. Sin management.

But then Matthew met Jesus

How Did Jesus Call Matthew to Be a Disciple?

The calling of Matthew in all three gospel accounts is relatively simple. Matthew is a tax collector, he meets Jesus, he leaves everything and becomes a disciple of Jesus. The Bible does not give us many more details except that Matthew immediately throws a party and invites all of his friends. But the simplicity of this passage speaks volumes.

Jesus messes up the system the religious leaders had created. There are still categories of righteous and sinners, but Jesus says that only God is righteous. Jesus, who is God, is the only one in the righteous category, and everyone else is in the other category. Being righteous happens through a relationship with Jesus, not through changing your ways. You see this in Jesus call of Matthew. Its simple: Follow me. This is Jesus telling Matthew that what matters is his connection to Jesus.





Photo credit: Getty Images/Twomeows_IS

He will have to leave his tax collectors booth. (Luke makes a point of this). There is a real heart change for Matthew. But there is more than this going on. Jesus is willing to be positively identified with this tax collector. This tax collector is becoming one of his followers. Jesus isnt simply into moral reform, he is after total transformation. And this is what happens because Matthew not only leaves his tax booth but he immediately begins sharing the good news with his buddies.

Sinners and tax collectors like Matthew have no hope of ever becoming righteous. But the problem is, neither do the Pharisees and scribes. They too are sinners, but they dont have the capacity to see it. You see, legalism doesnt change the world. The story of Matthews calling reminds us that what creates change is not legalism, it is the gospel.

The gospel transformed a hated tax collector and made him into a faithful disciple of Jesus. Little else is known about Matthew. We know that he was called by Jesus and we know that he kept following Jesus. He wrote the gospel account which bears his name. Church history gives us a few other clues, but these cannot be verified.

What Happened to Matthew?

The gospels and Acts do not tell us what happened to Matthew. We can assume that he persevered to the end, otherwise his gospel account would have been suspect. But how did he die? Where did he continue to minister?

The earliest reports say that Matthew continued his ministry in Ethiopia where he eventually met his end. Michelangelos painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew, had been commissioned by Cardinal Contarelli. He was given explicit instruction as to what should be in the painting; namely, Matthew being slain by a solider who was sent by a wicked king with a crowd of onlookers. This is connected with the legend that Matthew was killed by an Ethiopian king who was not appreciative of Matthews rebuking him for lusting after his own niece (a believer).

In Foxes Book of Martyrs it states rather simply that, The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60. Early church fathers differ on his manner of death, though. Some have him burned, others stoned, some beheaded, and still others have him stabbed to death. One other early historian has Matthew dying a natural death. There is also a gnostic writing called The Acts and Maryrdom of St. Matthew but it is a fanciful work with little to no historical bearing.

Ultimately, we cannot know for certain. But we do know that Matthew was radically transformed by Jesus and spent the rest of his days telling others about the good news of Christ.

Matthew Points Us to Christ, not Himself

I wish we knew more about Matthew. Why do we have such an important work, the Gospel of Matthew, written by this man but so little historical knowledge of him? But is that not the nature of gospel work? The Gospel of Matthew is not about Matthew, its about Jesus. He is a pointer. Matthew has done his job if our attention is focused upon the one he is pointing towards, and not the finger which does the pointing. So is it a surprise that we know so little of Matthew?

In his diary, Robert Murray McCheyne once wrote these words: I need to be made willing to be forgotten. Oh! I wish that my heart were quite refined from all self-seeking. I am quite sure that our truest happiness is not to seek our ownjust to forget ourselvesand to fill up the little space that remains, seeking only, and above all, that our God may be glorified.

This is the way of discipleship. Who was Matthew? We dont know many details, but we know the important one. He was a sinner and through Jesus he became a disciple. Matthew was one who followed Jesus. Is there a better thing that can be said about someone?

Related articles

What Kind of Authority Does Jesus Show in Matthews Gospel?

Who Were the 12 Disciples and What Should We Know about Them?

How Does Matthew Prove That Jesus Is the Messiah?

Photo credit: Unsplash/Iyan Kurnia
LEWISTON - University Headquarters, an online resource to help students with higher education, has named Lewis-Clark State College as the most affordable public four-year college or university in Idaho. LCSC recently received a total of 10 'most affordable' honors by the online resource.

University Headquarters provides students who are looking at attending college a resource to find the top-rated schools by major, affordability, scholarships, and potential salaries. It helps students find major and career paths by navigating through the higher education process.

LC State was ranked the most affordable public college in Idaho and ranked second overall, behind only BYU-Idaho, a private faith-based university located in Rexburg.

LC State also ranked in the top 100 nationally in nine Most Affordable Program categories, including 10th in paralegal, 47th in early childhood education, 57th in nursing, 78th in both accounting and psychology, 80th in business management, 82nd in computer science, 85th in RN to BSN, and 93rd in business. In all of these categories, LC State ranked in the top 15 percent in the nation. In computer science, for example, LC States No. 82 ranking was among 731 colleges and universities across the United States, putting it in the top 11 percent.

Along with its affordability, LC State was commended by University Headquarters for its ability to provide individualized attention to each student thanks to a low student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1.

For more information on LC State, visit the colleges website at www.lcsc.edu.
LEWISTON - At its annual banquet held on Wednesday, September 8, the Twin County United Way celebrated the 2020 giving campaign, recognized volunteers and supporters, announced new officers, and confirmed 2021-2022 Community Fund grant recipients, along with kicking off the 2021 Campaign. The banquet was held during the Lewis-Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Clarkston Event Center in Clarkston.

The annual event, presented by P1FCU, kicked off with the announcement of the Volunteer of the Year and Spirit of Caring awards. The Volunteer of the Year was presented to Robin Clark (P1FCU). P1FCU, Inland Cellular, and Art Beat were awarded the Spirit of Caring award, recognizing the businesses outstanding support for the Twin County United Way and care for the community.

The United Way also thanked and recognized Corporate Champions; businesses who help cover the administration costs of the United Way were recognized.

More than 1,400 donors contributed to the annual giving campaign. Donors can select specific nonprofit organizations to receive their donations or select the United Way Community Fund. Donations contributed to the United Ways Community Fund support education, income, and health. 35 grants totaling more than $268,000 will be dispersed through June 30, 2022, during the one-year grant cycle. Priority was given to local nonprofit programs working to promote grade-level reading by third grade, improve the financial stability of struggling households and reduce the local death by suicide rates.

Twin County United Way board member Debra Ausman (C & L Farms) was recognized for 10 years of board service while Scott Corbitt (Valley Vision) and Heather Weeks (Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories) were recognized for five years of service. Additionally, Michael Gruben (Inland Cellular) was named Board Member of the Year and Doug LaMunyan (Clarkston High School) was named Rookie Board Member of the Year.

New officers were also announced, each will serve a two-year term that began July 1. Bert Sahlberg (Lewis-Clark State College) was elected as board president. Corbitt will now serve on the executive committee as past president while Cathy Jo Witters (Coleman Oil) will serve as Vice-President, Katie Deibel (Idaho Forest Group) as Secretary and Michelle Eberhardt (LCCU) as Treasurer.

The event wrapped up with kicking off the 2021 Campaign year.

The Twin County United Way runs on a fiscal year beginning July 1 to June 30 and released its 2020-2021 Annual Report.

2021-2022 Twin County United Way nonprofit partners receiving grants include:
The White House clarifies Joe Bidens comments on the Tree of Life Synagogue, the Presidents approval plummets, chaos sweeps Chicago over Labor Day Weekend, Californians now paying the highest gas prices on record.

Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the Biden circumstance.
With the united goal of advancing cancer diagnostics and precision medicine

Illumina and Merck have announced a partnership to develop and commercialise tests that identify genetic mutations used in the assessment of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD).

Patients whose tumours are HRD-positive may be eligible for targeted treatment by a class of precision medicines called PARP inhibitors.

The HRD tests will leverage Illumina's TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO 500) content, enabling the most comprehensive genomic profiling assays in a single workflow.

The strategic partnership builds on an initial study conducted with Merck and leverages Illumina's relationship with Myriad Genetics to expand international access to the proprietary technology in Myriad's FDA approved myChoice CDx companion diagnostic test.

Illumina will develop a new HRD CDx test for the EU and the UK to aid in the identification of ovarian cancer patients with positive HRD status who are eligible for treatment with LYNPARZA (olaparib), a first-in-class PARP inhibitor, jointly developed and commercialized by Merck and AstraZeneca.

In addition, Illumina will develop and commercialise a research use only (RUO) HRD assay that will be add-on content for the TSO 500 RUO panel. Illumina plans to launch this product globally, excluding the US and Japan.
Chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy chairs review meeting with the health department

Andhra Pradesh's has registered first dose COVID-19 vaccination for 96.86 per cent citizens aged 45 and above. 38.33 per cent of citizens aged between 18-45 have been administered with their first dose of vaccine.



Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review meeting with the health department of the state. At the meeting, officials appraised the Chief Minister on the states current statistics concerning COVID-19.



During the meeting, the CM instructed officials to take the necessary steps to incorporate PG courses in the newly constructed medical colleges, courses on public health administration are to be included as well, and ensure that training sessions should be provided and availed by Paramedics at said medical colleges. The CM instructed officials to ensure continuous monitoring and observation of public health, tests for water quality, air quality, and any other health-wise aspect should be available and take place at village clinics. The CM also directed officials to work on a strategy that can aid in boosting the infant mortality rate in the state.



Officials were instructed to strengthen the online database of citizens health records, with immediate updates on any health condition progression being documented and identification card details made available. All information on this online portal should be updated and available to doctors for a better prognosis. The CM also tasked officials with conducting detailed research on medications and new modalities to better battle COVID-19 in the next wave.



220,964 oxygen concentrators and 27,311 D-type oxygen cylinders have been made available at hospitals by the state government of Andhra Pradesh. Oxygen pipeline works have successfully been carried out in 108 hospitals. By October 6 140 hospitals (that possess more than 50 beds each) will be equipped with oxygen generation plants set up by the government of Andhra Pradesh.
GUNG-HO PHARMA R&D INVESTMENTS SURPASS $3B

While the pharmaceutical industry helped combat COVID-19, from R&D actions on potential treatment strategies to balancing the medicines supply chain in the time of crisis, it struggled to maintain the natural market flow. As a result, many pharma companies had to abort some of their ongoing R&D investment plans. However for FY20-21, the average R&D expenses constituted 7.2 per cent of the total revenues of the pharma companies, with Lupin, Alembic Pharma and Dr. Reddys spending more than others.
Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain
Hot Cares, the charity initiative aligned to Hot 102.7FM is proud to announce a partnership with the Dis-Chem Foundation. The initial one-year partnership will see the Dis-Chem Foundation and Hot Cares combine resources to assist communities and individuals in need.

We are delighted to be partnering with the Dis-Chem foundation, says Carmen Rocha, manager of Hot Cares. Our values and those of Dis-Chem are aligned in that Hot Cares seeks to make a positive and sustainable impact within the community, whilst the values of the Dis-Chem foundation are Caring for the Community. Working together we will jointly be able to do better serve our community and I am excited at the prospect of bringing our combined values to beneficiaries.The Dis-Chem Foundation, derives its funding from customers use of their Dis-Chem Benefits loyalty cards, says Sherry Saltzman of the Dis-Chem Foundation. Through the support of customers, we have been able to impact many sectors of the community including the provision of over 200,000 meals a month to children in Early Childhood Development. Weve observed the excellent work that Hot Cares has done over the past and we believe that together we will make a significant impact on people in need.
Covid-19 has led to a change in dates for the 2022 edition of Investing in African Mining Indaba. Originally scheduled for 7-10 February 2022, the Indaba will now take place 9-12 May 2022.

Other factors

This follows extensive consultation with the event partners, key stakeholders across the mining value chain and local government ministers.Collectively, due to ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we decided that a postponement was the most practical solution and provides the highest chance of holding a physical, in-person event in 2022 so the industry can reconnect once again, says Simon Ford, Portfolio Director, Hyve Group Plc, the event organisers.Roger Baxter, CEO of the Minerals Council South Africa, long-term partners of Mining Indaba, expressed the importance of running the event.Although it is disappointing that the February 2022 event had to be postponed due to the pandemic, the next gathering promises to be a pivotal event to reset the dialogue around opportunities and challenges in Africa's mining industry.He adds: Mining Indaba is an integral part of the industrys calendar.Echoing this is Nevashnee Naicker, Anglo Americans head of corporate communications.Mining Indaba has been a significant platform in Africas mining industry for over 27 years - bringing together unique voices and perspectives, he says.The fact the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), the 2022 venue, has been converted into a vaccination centre until the end of this year, with the possibility of an extension, also contributed to the decision.Organisers explained that if extended, it would impact their ability to build the event in January, in time for the large scale gathering the following month.Ongoing travel restrictions in and out of South Africa for many internationals would impact the events ability to bring foreign investment into the continent, further adding to the decision.Organisers also recognised that current government guidelines regarding event capacities are unlikely to be lifted to the level required to run a meaningful event by February.The 2022 event will run under the theme Evolution of African Mining: Investing in the Energy Transition, ESG and Economies.
Africell said on Tuesday it was ending operations in Uganda where it has faced tough competition from the local units of African telecom firms MTN and Bharti Airtel.

Logo of Africell telecoms is seen along Rawdon street in the city centre, in Freetown, Sierra Leone 19 August 2017. Reuters/Afolabi Sotunde

With operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia and Sierra Leone, Africell entered the Ugandan market in 2014 after acquiring the local operations of France's Orange.But it has struggled to expand against South Africa's MTN, which has the largest number of subscribers in the East African country at more than ten million, and India's Bharti Airtel."Africell will end operations in Uganda on 7 October 2021," the firm said in a statement, adding that its decision was "based on a careful assessment of the long-term commercial outlook for the business" and how Uganda fitted within its strategy of driving digital transformation.Africell had 2.3 million subscribers in Uganda, according to the firm's website.Continent-wide it has 12 million and is planning to launch operations in Angola by the end of this year, Sam Williams, the firm's communications director toldThe news is likely to benefit MTN which is preparing for an IPO in which it intends to sell 20% of its shares to the public.The government last year mandated all the telecom firms in the country to list at least 20% of their shares as a way to allow its citizens to share a slice of profits.Slowing growth in recent years, exacerbated by the effects of Covid-19 has trimmed the east African country's economic prospects and led to a steady exodus of foreign firms, including supermarket chains from South Africa and neighbouring Kenya.
For those impacted by rare diseases, equitable access across the continuum of care will not only extend and improve their quality of life, it will also be of economic benefit to the individual and the health system.

Call for equity

Improving access

NHI  rare diseases in context

Data collection, monitoring and evaluation

Collaborative research

Currently, regardless of the healthcare sector, the South African health system is not geared to respond to the particular challenges that are common to many different rare diseases.A rare disease is defined as a disease that affects less than one in 2,000 people. Approximately 8,000 different rare diseases have been described to date and, cumulatively, there are 3.7 million South Africans living with a rare disease.Often complex, they can affect multiple body systems, requiring expensive specialised and coordinated care.A recent webinar, coordinated by the Rare Diseases Access Initiative (RDAI), in association with Rare Diseases South Africa (RDSA) has led to a call for a coordinated approach to diagnosis and care, and for increased equity in healthcare, for people living with rare diseases.The webinar brought together an expert panel to discuss the challenges facing those affected by rare diseases in South Africa and to explore possible solutions.South Africans living with rare diseases could have extended and improved lives if they are able to freely access appropriate and affordable healthcare services without barriers, says Kelly du Plessis, on behalf of the RDAI.Our goal is to put South Africa on par with the EU, UK and BRICS, by having a National Rare Disease Policy.Without a Rare Disease framework and policy, South Africa is falling behind other countries and our chance of achieving universal healthcare is diminished, she says.Keynote speaker, Professor Shahida Moosa, specialist consultant in medical genetics at Tygerberg Hospital and associate professor of medical genetics at Stellenbosch University, explained that for families with rare diseases, the journey to a diagnosis becomes an odyssey.This journey is punctuated by multiple tests and investigations, some that are painful and invasive and many that are unnecessary, and that despite consultation with numerous specialists, many are still left without a diagnosis or find themselves on a misdiagnosis odyssey.The transition from disjointed to coordinated care for those with rare diseases can be effectively managed by the creation of centres of excellence that provide the comprehensive services of a multidisciplinary team with requisite support and collaboration between stakeholders.Dr Crisp, deputy director general National Health Insurance, National Department of Health, and keynote speaker noted that all healthcare providers, public and private, should be accessible to everybody purely based on their need for healthcare.Rare diseases are currently treated in the public sector although there are the obvious limitations of capping of care and rationing of services, which happens even in wealthy countries.The National Health Insurance (NHI) fund will enable efficiencies that can redirect more money to pay for rare disease products, although there may be a point where it is not cost-effective for the individual or the nation.Inclusion will be based on the cost-effectiveness of the health product rather than which health product is the least expensive.Dr Crisp elaborates further advantages of the NHI fund as a single purchaser: Over time, the artificial intelligence in the system makes it possible for us to understand where the products are being used, by whom, are there variations, and what is rarely used?This enables budget accommodations to be made, particularly in the case of rare diseases, so that the other people living in that area are not penalised for those few who are receiving very expensive care.The National Public Health Institute of South Africa will have the functions of conducting research to inform policy and guideline formulation; monitor and evaluate the impact of policy and system implementation; strengthen epidemiology and surveillance; and strengthen advocacy, social mobilisation and partnerships.Dr Natalie Mayet: deputy director at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, also a keynote speaker, is of the view that these functions can only be achieved through collaborative networks and partnerships with stakeholders.Specific elements of multiple existing policy and regulatory frameworks for health information systems across South Africa can be leveraged to support a proposed data framework for a rare disease surveillance plan.This data framework is underpinned by healthcare professional capacity building and a robust communication strategy, Mayet notes.Ideally, research should be embedded into clinic care and should be aimed at solving particular problems.The generation of statistically robust evidence from the trial setting is challenging in rare disease research due to low patient numbers and the ethical implications of including children in such studies, and this limits the development of treatments
Grey/WPP Liquid congratulate Sindiswa Masuta's nomination

Grey/WPP Liquid congratulate Sindiswa Masuta's nomination as a Jury member for the 2021 FM AdFocus.



Sindiswa has over 10 years experience in advertising, having worked on brands such as Skittles, South African National Blood Services, Honda, African Bank, Emirates, MTN, Telkom, Samsung and Unilever. This diversity in clients has given her an all-around expertise in strategically managing brands and client relationships. She has always been intrigued by strategy and so she studied for her honours degree in strategic brand communications and on receiving her degree made a move from account management into strategy. Advertising is an exhilarating industry to be a part of and the strategy side of the business has allowed her to make a bigger impact on how brands intrinsically form a part of consumer's lives.
Digital/ATL Art Director

Remuneration: market-related Location: Cape Town Job level: Junior/Mid Job policy: Employment Equity position Type: Permanent Reference: #DigADAckVEE Company: ninety9cents

Job description

Working in a team under the leadership of a Group Head and Creative Director to conceptualise and execute campaigns based on both client and internal briefs.

Present work imaginatively and confidently to clients and senior creatives.

Be skilled in design and conceptualisation.

Maintain exceptionally high standards for execution and attention to detail.

Collaborate and communicate well with the team and other departments.

Have an eternally positive disposition especially when the going gets rough

At least three years experience as an art director in a large/integrated Advertising Agency

At least thee years previous experience in a high-volume environment

Demonstrated experience with social media design across various social media platforms

Strong skills in design software such as InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects non-negotiable

Figma will be a bonus

Knowledge of the digital landscape, specifically social platforms and its relevant features (Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, etc) as well as e-commerce platforms

Has experience in basic animation/motion graphics & video editing

Understanding of UI/UX digital marketing best practices would be a bonus

Experience in digital and experiential advertising advantageous

Strong interpersonal skills; a team player, persuasive negotiator, positive and innovative thinker

Maintain high standards for execution and attention to detail

Highly motivated and a high level of initiative; ability to work independently, in support of the agencys creative goals and the clients business objectives

Requirements

Relevant tertiary qualification able to multi-task, work to tight deadlines, and follow agency process

Refined design aesthetic and meticulous eye for detail

Has an interest in fashion, culture & other lifestyle trends

Work ethic: Should be able to describe oneself as Committed, reliable, curious, self-motivated, flexible, adaptable, team player"

Flexible to work outside of normal working hours (overtime if and when required)

Prior experience on Workbook advantageous but not essential

Other: drivers license with own vehicle

We are looking for a passionate Digital and ATL Art Director with retail client experience, someone with the skill set to capture promotional excitement and breakthrough designs for multiple media platforms such as web banners, newsletters, social media and website elements. The successful applicant will be tasked to carry visual and conceptual skills from initial brief to final artwork.Our ideal candidate must have a keen eye for little and big details, work extremely well under pressure with quick deadlines, high work volume and demanding pitches. We want someone who is resourceful, a self-starter and a conceptual thinker. If you are all of the above and then some, have great communication skills, exceptional lay-out skills; know a thing or two about Art Direction in an Agency environment and plays well with others  we want to see your portfolio.Kindly attach your CV and portfolio - PDF/behance/web portfolio. If you have not received a response to your application within two weeks, please consider your application as unsuccessful. Applications from EE candidates will be considered with preference in compliance with the EE Act. Posted on 08 Sep 15:33
A New Jersey student has said he is barred from taking classes at Rutgers University because he has not been vaccinated  even though he is only studying virtually from home.

Logan Hollar, 22, told NJ.com that he largely ignored the schools COVID mandate because all my classes were remote from his Sandyston home, some 70 miles from Rutgers campus in New Brunswick.

But he was locked out of his Rutgers email and related accounts when he went to pay his tuition at the end of last month  and was told that he needed to be vaccinated even though he has no plans to attend in person.

Hollar has now been forced to miss classes that started Sept. 1  and has been warned it could be weeks before a decision is reached on his application for an exemption to the vaccine mandate, he said.
Americas longest war, which began shortly after 9/11 and lasted more than two decades, killed tens of thousands, dogged four presidents and was ultimately unwinnable despite the staggering cost in dollars and even greater cost in human lives.

Joe Bidens promise to withdraw all American forces from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has prompted an accounting of what has been lost and how much has been spent in the war.

We take a look at the spiraling costs of Americas campaign  the bloodshed, the wasted money.

How much money has been spent?

The American war effort in Afghanistan has cost $2 trillion over the last two decades, according to the Cost of War Project at Brown University. Thats more than $300 million per day, every single day, for more than 20 years. Nearly $1 trillion of the total budget was spent on Overseas Contingency Operations for the Department of Defense. As with other conflicts in American history, the war in Afghanistan was largely financed with borrowed money, and the country has paid an estimated $530 billion in interest to date. Moreover, it has provided medical care and other benefits to veterans worth $296 billion, and it will continue to pay both of these expenses for years to come.

What is the human cost?

An estimated 241,000 people have died as a direct result of the war since the US invaded Afghanistan to eliminate the Taliban in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. Hundreds of thousands more, have died in a host of ways caused directly & indirectly by the devastating war. Western allies have also borne high human costs.

There were an estimated 71,344 civilian deaths on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border. Additionally, 78,314 were police & members of the national armed forces.
CNN Propagates the financial institutions malcontent:

El Salvador does not have a currency of its own, instead relying on the US dollar. Adding another currency to the mix that's prone to wild changes in value will further complicate the government's budget and tax planning.

It's also a nightmare for households and businesses, who now have to devote time and resources to deciding whether to hold their funds in dollars or bitcoin. With crypto prices prone to wild swings, the stakes are high.

Another risk: Adopting bitcoin as legal tender may also encourage crime to flourish, according to the International Monetary Fund, which agreed to provide $389 million in emergency funding to El Salvador in April 2020.

"Without robust anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism measures, cryptoassets can be used to launder ill-gotten money, fund terrorism, and evade taxes. This could pose risks to a country's financial system, fiscal balance, and relationships with foreign countries and correspondent banks," the IMF said in July.

Big picture: Credit rating agencies are not impressed. In late July, Moody's Investors Service pushed El Salvador's debt deeper into junk territory, citing "a deterioration in the quality of policymaking" including the government's decision to adopt bitcoin as legal tender.

Moody's said the country remains susceptible to financing shocks that could jeopardize the government's ability to repay creditors starting in January 2023. That means El Salvador is likely to need another bailout from the IMF.
Thatchers Downing Street dossier on Aid to the Afghanistan resistance movement is being retained by Whitehalls Cabinet Office despite becoming eligible for release to the National Archives under the 30-year rule.

Thatchers team compiled the file from July 1981 to January 1990 during her time as prime minister when she oversaw a decade of covert British support to Afghans fighting against Soviet occupation.

Another six files on Afghanistan from that period are being hidden by Britains Foreign Office, which refuses to even disclose the document names, listing them on a database as Title Withheld.

The censored papers could contain embarrassing details of Thatchers support for Afghan mujahideen leaders, some of whom went on to be designated as terrorists by the US for backing al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

The cover-up comes on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 as President Joe Biden orders the FBI to release files that may detail Saudi Arabias role in the horrific terrorist attack. His move follows calls for transparency over the hijackers connections to the House of Saud.

Saudi support was key to the anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan, supplying finance and fighters like Osama bin Laden. The Arab mujahideen worked alongside Afghan rebels in the struggle against Soviet occupation, during which Bin Laden formed al-Qaeda and later turned his attention to attacking the West.

Afghan mujahideen from the Yunus Khalis faction in 1987. (Photo: Erwin Franzen / Creative Commons)

John Fullerton, a former spy who worked for MI6 in Pakistan and Afghanistan from 1981 to 1983, called for Thatchers file to be made public.

He told Declassified: I see no reason at all why this should not be released. Theres a tendency of UK governments to try to shape or rewrite history  it isnt just the Russians and the Chinese who do so, unfortunately, and its both arrogant and undemocratic.

He added that the file is historically important and would be a fascinating read. Thatchers gone, along with the Cold War, the Soviet Union, the analog era and much else besides. If there are any survivors who need protecting, their names can be redacted.

Help you in every way

Thatcher visited Pakistan in October 1981 where she told Afghan mujahideen at a refugee camp near the border: The hearts of the free world are with you.

She pledged 2-million in humanitarian aid, saying: The Afghan people will never submit to foreign tyranny. They will fight to the end until the invader is expelled from Afghanistan We in Britain will continue to help you in every way we can.

During the 1980s the UK government provided military training, equipment and propaganda support to Afghan Islamist forces, with the Foreign Office noting that military assistance for the Afghan rebels should be provided as clandestinely as possible.

London supported fundamentalist groups knowing they were unlikely to be sympathetic to the West.

Thatcher also met mujahideen leaders in Downing Street. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a brutal Islamist warlord, visited London in 1986.

His hardline group, Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin, was the largest recipient of CIA funds during the jihad in Afghanistan and operated an underground prison in Pakistan where Human Rights Watch said torture was routine.

Hekmatyar became known as the butcher of Kabul for his militias shelling of civilians and rape of women during bitter feuds between rival warlords that followed the Soviet defeat.

After 9/11 he sided with the Taliban and al-Qaeda to direct attacks on Western troops in Afghanistan. The US designated him as a terrorist and tried to assassinate him in a drone strike. Hekmatyar survived and is reportedly seeking a role in the new Taliban regime.

Mohammad Yunus Khalis, the leader of another Hezb-e-Islami faction, is believed to have visited the UK in 1987. His groups members included future Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar and terrorist mastermind Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Thatcher also met another mujahideen leader, Abdul Haq, in 1986. He was later murdered by the Taliban.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson told Declassified: Most historic files on the Afghan conflict are open at The National Archives. The Cabinet Office retains some historic records to protect national security, defence and our relations with international partners, in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958. DM

Phil Miller is chief reporter at Declassified UK, an investigative journalism organisation that covers the UKs role in the world.

Follow Declassified on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Sign up to receive Declassifieds monthly newsletter here.
Prince Andrew has reportedly avoided multiple attempts to serve him legal papers on behalf of his sex-assault accuser  and has bolted 500 miles to the safety of mom Queen Elizabeth IIs Scottish getaway, just days before the first hearing.

Lawyers for Virginia Roberts Giuffre  who is suing Andrew in New York  had already conceded that it would be difficult to serve the 61-year-old royal in person.

The scandal-scarred royal has since been a recluse at his home in the Royal Lodge in Windsor  where security guards have turned away lawyers trying to serve the US court papers, according to the Sun.

After avoiding multiple attempts in the past two weeks, Andrew on Tuesday bolted for an even safer location  his mother the monarchs Scottish estate, Balmoral, the paper noted.

He was photographed in a car with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, as the pair drove from their shared home to the Queens 50,000-acre (78-square-mile) estate, where they had been earlier in the summer, the outlet said.
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Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
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Corporate Australia has a problem. In order to occupy the high moral ground needed to strongly encourage employees to vaccinate, it cant afford to tarnish its reputational bona fides with displays of demonstrable avarice.

Enter the CashKeeper aka JobKeeper dilemma.

The notion that corporate Australia has wrongly pocketed more than $25 billion in fiscal handouts (half of which was given to companies whose revenue rose, and the other half to companies where sales didnt fall by the requisite amount) sits uncomfortably with the whole idea that businesses have earned a social licence - the sort of licence that one would expect of an institution that is now administering health and safety advice.

Companies are calling on their workers to do the right thing in the pandemic. But their moral credibility has been shredded. Credit:Joe Armao

Only a few large businesses have announced they require all or certain staff to be vaccinated to keep their jobs.
He though that was a terrific idea but would take me 40 years to complete so suggested I write on Michael Foucault instead. A generous mentor, he appointed me as his teaching assistant for the next three years. Charisma incarnate, it was no surprise that the womens toilets were covered with graffiti by legions of adoring fans.

Let me declare my interest. Having endured a few bleak years in Britain and the rigours of the famous Terry Eagleton seminar (and the remarkably intellectually intimidating students in attendance), in 1977 I made my way to Saids office in Hamilton Hall at Columbia University to ask him to supervise my thesis. We found common ground discussing the Middle East. I wanted to write about the category of reflection in Marxist aesthetics and the work of the Hungarian critic and philosopher Georg Lukacs.

Edward Said was the quintessential outsider  an American to Palestinians and an Arab to Americans. He was an academic to radicals, an activist to scholars, a Marxist to Islamists, a devoted critic of the Western canon and a passionate champion of Arab culture, a cultural elitist with a penchant for TV sitcoms, a self-indulgent amateur pianist to musicologists. He was Commentary magazines professor of terror and had his books banned in the occupied territories by Yasser Arafat.

Timothy Brennans authorised biography, Edward Said: Places of Mind, Occupied Lands is meticulously detailed, reflecting the breadth and impact of Saids prolific published work, his engagement in Middle East politics and the network of intellectual friendships he maintained in the West and the East.

Brennan is less interested in the private man, although we learn that he was such a mummys boy that his worried father sent him to finish high school in the US. There were two marriages and an extra-marital relationship, and he had a lifelong penchant for Mont Blanc pens, beautiful stationery, British tailoring, Hermes ties and a tendency to hypochondria.

Where Brennan excels is in examining Saids intellectual contribution and his enduring exhortation to listen to what is represented and what isnt represented, to attend to ... how a book is written and how it is read, rather than who wrote it.

In his landmark book Orientalism, Said took aim at the culture of imperialism and its self-interested representation of the Arab as primitive and lazy. He argued that generations of Orientalists provided the logic for colonisation. When, to his dismay, he was appointed the father of post-colonial studies, he correctly pointed out that colonialism was not yet in the past.

Having been forced to leave Jerusalem in 1947 at the age of 12 with his family for Egypt and a lifetime thereafter of deracination, his attention was forever drawn back to the Palestinian peoples struggle for self-determination. After the 1967 war, he became publicly active as a conscious act of affiliation. He co-wrote Yasser Arafats first speech to the UN in 1974 and gave him the final line dont let the olive branch fall from my hand.
It wasnt just the fact the corpse was still warm. It was that all the other key players were still around, investigations were underway or charges were pending, and legal concerns around defamation and sub judice were paramount. We left stuff out, out of fear of litigation, says Jordan. It was a fascinating process that involved a lot of discussion with lawyers. But Im happy with it. Louisa Mignone plays Barbaros wife Melinda, who insisted after his death that all the other women in his life were just skanks. Credit:Seven Jordan believes were drawn to stories about criminals because they serve as avatars for our secret desire to live a life unfettered by rules. I think theres an inherent fascination with someone who is willing to cross the line to such an extreme, because everyone thinks about what it would be like to do that, even though most of us dont do it, he says. Theres a mixture of fascination and revulsion in that. In Barbaros tale, Jordan found pure ego coupled with a dash of pathos. Born into a criminal family, Barbaro had little chance of ever forging a different path, though admittedly showed little desire to try.

Its a story about a not very nice guy, says Jordan. In many ways he was pretty horrible. He was vain, he was violent, he bashed up his wife, he organised murders, he was a snitch. Telling a story about somebody who was not very likable was quite difficult. But he was also quite compelling. He was audacious, flashy, fearless in a way. He was very compelling in the same sort of way that someone like Tony Soprano or Tony Montano is. Theyre not nice, but you cant take your eyes off them. That would be music to the ears of Pasquale, who was just 35 when he was gunned down in Sydneys inner west. Heavily tattooed, his body pumped by steroids and weights, and with a penchant for flashy Italian brand-name fashion, Barbaro was an Instagangster who loved to post images of himself and his fast cars to social media. There was nothing shadowy about this underworld figure  and for Jordan, that was part of the fascination. His 1999 feature debut Two Hands was set firmly in the world of working-class white Australian criminals; though fictional, his characters were inspired by real-like crims such as Neddy Smith and Christopher Flannery. They were millionaires, but theyd get around in shorts and thongs; theyd deliberately try to keep a low profile. There was this Aussie thing of not flaunting your wealth, he says. Low, profile: The real Barbaro racked up enemies on all sides, but basked in the limelight. Credit:Instagram Australian Gangster was interesting to me because the scene had evolved into almost the opposite, with these Instagram gangsters who were obsessed with their appearance. So it was a chance to track the way the scene had changed.

To play Barbaro, the filmmakers recruited an untried young actor called Alexander Bertrand. He hadnt done anything at the time, says Edwards. I think hed been a cop in one episode of Home & Away. In Gangster, he was in almost every scene and he blew us away. In an echo of Two Hands, Australian Gangster has moments of domestic suburban banality alongside brutal criminality. Its funny at times, repulsive at others, and much of the weight of that falls on the rather broad shoulders of Bertrand, who has since gone on to star in Les Norton and Operation Buffalo. Edwards concedes that casting a non-Italian in a role in which ethnicity is a major factor was a little risky, but it could be justified, he says, on the basis that Barbaros mother wasnt Italian, and he spent most of his early childhood living with her after she fled her husbands criminal life and relocated to Brisbane. Writer-director Gregor Jordan, right on set with leading man Alexander Bertrand in 2018. Credit:Seven He grew up in an environment that was exclusively Anglo-Celtic until he was nine. We had a few concerns, but we havent ignored his heritage, and Alex was definitely the best guy for the role.

Inevitably, comparisons will be made between Australian Gangster and Underbelly, despite Edwards claim that it couldnt be any more different. Its true that Gangster doesnt revel in the criminal high life to such an extent as Underbelly at its most indulgent  there was a strict no-nipples rule, the producer says  but in one respect at least the comparison is unavoidable: like season one of Underbelly, Gangsters arrival on our screens has been hugely delayed by legal concerns. The series was shot in mid-2018, and ready to go by the end of that year. Only now, with Barbaros killers behind bars, it is safe to put it to air. Having stumbled into this story, Edwards is hopeful therell be more to come. In another echo of Underbelly, the title is generic enough to become an umbrella for a franchise of true-crime dramas. There are definitely more stories, he says, adding that the next time it will be one thats already been through the courts. Were not doing that again.
Only Murders in the Building 

Disney+

Steve Martin and Martin Short will get the oldies in, and Selena Gomez will appeal to a younger generation as this cannily contrived and distinctly adult murder-mystery gets quickly into its stride.

The scene: An expensive Manhattan apartment building. The players: Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), a retired actor famous for playing a police detective; Oliver Putnam (Short), a washed-up Broadway director quietly raging against the dying of his career; and Mabel Mora (Gomez), a young woman who claims to be renovating an apartment for her aunt. The twist: the three of them are all fans of the same true-crime podcast, so when a neighbour turns up dead  and the police immediately rule the case a suicide  they decide to launch their own investigation and serialise it in that popular podcast format.

Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin share an obsession for crime in the comedic murder-mystery Only Murders in The Building. Credit:Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Oh, and the stiff? That would be Tim Kono (Julian Cihi), a young man who police figure shot himself, even though hed just bought what appears to be an expensive engagement ring. Its quickly clear that Gomez isnt just there to drag in a younger audience demographics  shes at least a co-equal lead, and her mysterious character is the one with the connection linking our amateur sleuths to the deceased. And with Gomez being a seasoned actor and producer on top of being an honest-to-goodness pop star, she delivers an engaging, multi-faceted performance and comfortably holds her own on screen with Martin and Short.
Until recent days, Nicole Kidman has been in Hong Kong shooting the Amazon series Expats. But unfortunately for the Australian actor and producer, the project has generated more negative attention than positive  so whats going on?

An Amazon representative denied Nicole Kidman left the shoot for Expats early. Credit:Getty

Firstly, what is Expats all about?

The series is an adaptation of Janice Y. K. Lees book The Expatriates, a social satire published in 2016 about three foreign women going through their own personal crises and daily dramas in Hong Kong.

Describing Lee as a female, funny Henry James in Asia, The New York Times has said the novel portrays an affluent community of contemporary Westerners whose lives centre on motherhood, their clubs, social causes and managing the help.

Kidman, whose Blossom Films has the rights to the book, is starring as well as executive producing the series. She recruited Chinese-American Lulu Wang, best known for the acclaimed drama The Farewell, to direct.
WA Labor continued to capitalise on the cultish popularity of Premier Mark McGowan on the weekend with a social media marketing gimmick, but dig a little deeper and youll find a clever front designed to harvest voter details.

Ahead of Fathers Day on September 5, WA Labor posted a link on Facebook to a web form for people to wish a happy Fathers Day to Mr McGowan, who is colloquially known as State Daddy to his more affectionate supporters. It followed a similar prompt in July urging supporters to send a birthday message.

The post encouraged people to send Mr McGowan a Fathers Day message. Credit:WA Labor/Facebook

Comments on the Fathers Day post described it as creepy and in bad taste amid border closures.

Beneath the cringe, however, Curtin University associate professor of internet studies Tama Leaver said the forms were a tool to collect contact details of McGowan supporters for future marketing leads, including during the upcoming federal election.
The High Court decision to hold media companies responsible for their readers comments on Facebook is a devastating defeat for the industry. On Wednesday, the court affirmed (by 5-2 majority) that media companies are the publishers of comments made by third party users on those companies Facebook pages. This means that media companies may be liable in defamation for the nasty stuff randoms write on their socials.

The decision is part of ongoing litigation between Dylan Voller and several Australian media businesses, including Nine, the publisher of this masthead, and Rupert Murdochs Nationwide News. Voller will be remembered by many as the young Aboriginal man whose poor treatment in youth detention sparked a 2016 royal commission. In the years since he has been a frequent subject of news coverage and commentary by Australian media organisations.

Dylan Voller is suing the media outlets for Facebook comments by readers. Credit:60 Minutes

Social media is integral to the business models of some of these organisations. When they produce a story, the content is shared on social media sites like Facebook. Sharing drives engagement  likes and comments  which makes content visible to more users. Visibility means clicks, which means money for the organisation from advertisers.

So when the media companies shared stories about Voller on Facebook, the broader public engaged with the content, as you would expect. Some of the comments they posted were defamatory of Voller. Rather than suing the authors of those defamatory comments, Voller sued the companies themselves, arguing that they had published the comments.
Captain Phil Paterson will never forget the looks of gratitude on their faces.

As he prepared to pilot a Qantas flight from South Africa to Australia during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Captain Paterson watched hundreds of anxious passengers file aboard.

"You could tell they were pretty pleased to be getting out because seat numbers were limited," he said. "It was good to be part of that because you knew you were helping out in a small way."

Qantas has operated 167 government-subsidised repatriation flights since March 2020. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Since that moment in April last year, Captain Paterson has flown about 15 of the 160 Qantas repatriation flights into Australia, leading to him spending four months of this year isolating in quarantine. The veteran Boeing 787 pilot has played an integral part in Qantas returning 26,000 people home on government-subsidised flights, although tens of thousands of Australians remain stranded overseas due to strict arrival caps.
The most appropriate analogy is with live television or talkback radio. Justices Gageler and Gordon said the media outlets attempt to portray themselves as passive and unwitting victims of Facebooks functionality [because they could not disable comments] has an air of unreality. Having taken action to secure the commercial benefit of the Facebook functionality, the appellants bear the legal consequences, the judges said. Whether the media outlets are publishers of the comments was a preliminary issue in the case. Now that the High Court has established that the media outlets are publishers, the case will return to the NSW Supreme Court for a trial on the remaining issues, including whether the comments in fact defamed Mr Voller and if any defences apply.

The media outlets may still be able to raise a number of defences at the eventual trial, including the defence of innocent dissemination. Professor David Rolph, a defamation law expert at the University of Sydney Law School whose work is cited in the High Court judgment, said the decision was important because it clarifies the element of publication, which is crucial to liability for defamation. It confirms that you dont have to prove fault; all you have to prove is a voluntary act of participating in the dissemination of the defamatory matter, he said. The relevant act here, found by the High Court, was subscribing to the public Facebook page and posting material on that page, encouraging third parties to engage with that material. Professor Rolph said the decision obviously has implications for ordinary users of social media platforms, because they can be held liable as publishers where they post material to their Facebook pages and encourage engagement.

But he said the media outlets may be able to establish the defence of innocent dissemination, which turns upon on the state of the publishers knowledge of a defamatory publication. Organisations and individuals had the capacity to manage their risk of defamation by turning off comments on Facebook pages and they might do that more frequently in response to this ruling, Professor Rolph said. Nationally-agreed changes to defamation laws took effect in many states including NSW and Victoria on July 1 this year and may act as a handbrake on some claims over social media comments. Under the new laws, a serious harm threshold must be met for a person to bring a defamation action, and a prospective plaintiff must send a concerns notice before launching proceedings. This gives a publisher an opportunity to make amends, potentially heading off any trial. Mr Vollers lawyers, OBrien Criminal & Civil Solicitors, said, this is a common-sense decision that accords with longstanding law on the issue of publication.

It is commonly known that media companies encourage increased engagement on their posts so that their content is seen by a larger audience. This helps in attracting advertising revenue. With this strong commercial imperative driving them there was no doubt that the media companies lent their assistance to the publication of third-party comments. Mr Vollers legal action against Nine, publisher of this masthead, News Corp Australia and the Australian News Channel relates to comments on the Facebook pages of the Herald, The Australian, the Centralian Advocate, Sky News Australia and The Bolt Report. In a statement, a Nine spokesperson said the decision makes news businesses liable for any post made by the general public on their social media pages as the publisher of those comments. We are obviously disappointed with the outcome ... as it will have ramifications for what we can post on social media in the future.
Dimity Fowler was first in line as Balmains Dawn Fraser Baths finally reopened after an extended $8 million heritage restoration.

Luke Rowntree was among the first swimmers at the reopening of Dawn Fraser Baths at Balmain. Credit: Kate Geraghty

Ive been missing the swimming pool, the Meals On Wheels volunteer from Glebe said as the front desk reopened and lane ropes were laid down. Its just a relief.

What is often called the countrys oldest public swimming pool looked sparkling in the early Wednesday morning sunshine after being closed for two years.

After repeated delays reopening, the restoration became controversial when Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne asked the NSW Auditor-General to investigate the handling of restoration work. While that request was declined, the councils acting general manager, Brian Barrett, called it an enormous betrayal when he resigned in March.
NSW has reported 1480 new local coronavirus cases and nine deaths on Wednesday, as suburbs in inner Sydney are encouraged to come forward for vaccination amid rising case numbers.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed concern about the slow vaccination uptake in some areas of Sydney, particularly in Glebe, Waterloo, Redfern and Marrickville.

Gladys Berejiklian enters the COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday. Credit:James Brickwood

Three-quarters of the state has now received a first dose of vaccine and 42 per cent are fully vaccinated. Vaccination rates in central Sydney, however, were the lowest in metropolitan Sydney.

Walk-in clinics have been established at the Peter Forsyth Auditorium at Glebe, Marrickville PCYC and Wests Ashfield.
One of Sydneys most notorious criminals, involved in armed robbery, heroin trafficking and murder, has died after more than 40 years behind bars.

Arthur Neddy Smith, 76, was serving two life sentences for the 1987 road rage murder of tow truck driver Ronnie Flavell, and the shooting murder of brothel owner Harvey Jones in 1983. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in the 1980s. He died in Long Bay Jail Hospital on Wednesday at 5.20pm after more than 40 years behind bars. The cause of his death is not yet known.

A number of books and the acclaimed television drama series Blue Murder were based on Smith and other people he associated with.

Neddy Smith was one of Sydneys most notorious criminals. Credit:Dean Sewell

In the mid-1970s, Smith, after serving time for rape and committing a number of armed robberies, worked as a standover man for Murray Riley, who represented Australia in rowing at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics. He became a distributor of heroin imported by Rileys syndicate and would later set up on his own. Smith later claimed he was turning over millions of dollars a year.
Roll out the red carpet and polish the ceremonial silverware. Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, could be headed for Sydney and regional NSW in early 2022 for an official tour if an ambitious plan under consideration by the NSW government goes ahead.

The office of Deputy Premier John Barilaro has been in discussions with the Royal Agricultural Society for some weeks regarding the potential trip, which so far is expected to take place around March and April to coincide with the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Princess Anne Credit:John Shakespeare

The annual Easter Show event is hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and brings regional communities together to showcase the best produce, livestock, crafts and skills. It was cancelled in 2020 as a result of the pandemic but went ahead this year under heavy COVID restrictions. Internationally, Princess Anne is the societys president and patron across the Commonwealth, taking the place of her late father Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh who served as the societys president for more than 50 years.

While the representatives for Barilaro - who is a proud monarchist - were tight-lipped on the plan, sources involved revealed the visit is likely to include stops in regional NSW. And it couldnt come at a better time given commodity prices are soaring and many communities are enjoying the best conditions in years and full dams after years of drought. A proper show indeed.
Queensland dam manager Seqwater has won its appeal against the 2019 decision that found it partly responsible for the 2011 Brisbane flood.

The appeal decision was handed down in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Wednesday morning.

The clean-up in Rosalie, Brisbane, after the 2011 flood. Credit:Andy Zakeli

The court found: Applying the ... standard, the four flood engineers acted by way of consensus, ultimately following the strategy determined by the Senior Flood Operations Engineer.

Failure by Seqwaters flood engineers to depart from that strategy was not proven to be in breach of the ... standard. Even if their conduct departed from the Manual, that did not of itself entail a breach of that standard.
The theft of chocolate barely worth $1, taken on a whim by a high school student, seems like a case where police could exercise their discretion and not lay a criminal charge.

This wasnt the case for one Aboriginal teenager, a straight-A student. Security caught her and called police, who charged her with theft.

A trial of a new cautioning process for children has prompted a significant change in police policy across the state. Credit:Victoria Police

She was so embarrassed about the whole thing, she didnt tell her parents, Marion Hansen, chair of the southern metropolitan regional Aboriginal justice advisory committee, said.

Ms Hansen said the overwhelmed teenager ignored her court date and a warrant was issued for her arrest. This prompted Ms Hansens involvement to resolve the matter, so the girl didnt end up with a criminal record.
We considered a number of approaches on how we would address it, but the information we got was that there was a large number of children involved, so in the end we decided the best approach was to just wait and try and contact people inside and negotiate with them to come out, he said. When police were finally able to contact those inside about 7.45pm, another group of community members came into the area and began distracting police from their role, he said, and officers moved away from the door. It was then that people who were inside the building left, some of them over neighbouring roofs to escape police attention. Police are investigating whether the group that turned up and distracted police did so deliberately. Mr Barrett described the behaviour as appalling and said police had been trying to act in good faith to peacefully negotiate with those inside. Asked whether police should have tried to enter the premises earlier in the day, Mr Barrett said he was comfortable with the tactics police had used.

Loading Six people will each receive a $5452 fine for breaching COVID-19 restrictions. Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said he was concerned about a rise in anti-Semitism following the incident. The racist blame game and finger-pointing has begun, especially on social media, and the Jewish community, which respects and obeys the law, should not be subjected to hatred, scapegoating and vilification because of the actions of a few, Dr Abramovich said. The Premier thanked faith and community leaders for standing up and calling out bad behaviour.

I dont buy this line that people are not technologically savvy [and dont know about restrictions]. This has been going for 20 months, everyone knows about this, this is not new. He said he hoped the gathering would not result in new COVID-19 cases and that people would not end up in hospital as a result of those choices that have been made. Police take details from people outside the synagogue on Tuesday night. Credit:Eddie Jim Opposition MP David Southwick, the member for Caulfield, said he believed those involved had been using mental health support as a reason to gather under COVID restrictions, and he had previously raised concerns with the government and police. Ive spoken to the Department of Health as well about this, and it was my understanding ... that they were operating under effectively an AA-type meeting, a mental health group, that allows you to have 10 people congregate at a time. So, the department did not have enforceability powers because that group were operating within a certain guise, he said.

Loading Mr Southwick said there needed to be better outreach to communicate with the ultra-Orthodox group, as he was worried a lack of information was forcing them underground. He said the majority of the Jewish community had been following the rules and the actions of a few had the potential to increase anti-Semitic sentiment. One Caulfield woman, who did not want to be named because of fears of a backlash against her, told The Age the rest of the Jewish community was disgusted and appalled by the actions of the ultra-Orthodox attendees. Its not because they are Jewish, its because they are thoughtless and entitled and think they are above the law, she said.

She said she was worried about a rise in anti-Semitism, particularly after a surge in hateful incidents following an engagement party, which some in the community held in breach of restrictions. Rosh Hashanah is part of the two-day Jewish New Year and is traditionally marked with a day of prayer and festive meals. Police take the details of people outside the synagogue on Tuesday. Credit:Darrian Traynor In recent weeks, leaders and rabbis sent messages out to the community urging them to observe their faith online and not to gather. Mr Barrett also said exemptions had been granted so those within the community were permitted to blow their shofar  an instrument made from a rams horn that is traditionally sounded in synagogues to usher in the new year  while they were out walking.

Loading Last year, some synagogues hosted live stream services instead of in-person gatherings. The Jewish Community Council of Victoria expressed strong disappointment and condemned the actions of the group. The actions of a few do not represent the vast majority of our community who have celebrated Rosh Hashanah at home only with the people with whom they live, and just like the wider community, continue to follow the rules. The spokesperson said the council and other organisations had gone to great lengths to inform the community and encourage them to follow the rules and celebrate at home.

The Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria said it disassociates itself from the synagogue and its members who have not complied with the current COVID regulations. This particular congregation reported in the media over the Jewish New Year holiday is a fringe element of Melbourne Jewry and is not a member of the Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria, the council said in a statement. The [council] member and affiliate synagogues abided by the regulations set out by the Victorian government over the festival. Mr Barrett said police were concerned about the behaviour of some in the wider community. Were seeing members of every part of our community breach the CHO directions. We saw it only this week with a highly prominent Instagram influencer. So its not just the Jewish community or a small proportion of Jewish community who are breaching; its everyone.

Police in Ripponlea outside a synagogue on Tuesday. Credit:Darrian Traynor Other high-profile breaches of COVID restrictions have included an engagement party in Caulfield North and a gathering of Melbourne social media personality Nadia Bartel and three other women at a house in Richmond. A cameraman filming the Ripponlea scene said he was assaulted by a man with a blow to the head and had been treated at The Alfred hospital for concussion. He told The Age the man was one of those standing outside the synagogue, who at times confronted police and media. With Cassandra Morgan
A former student at Rupertswood Salesian College in Sunbury has received a $1 million legal settlement more than 30 years after he was raped by Catholic priest David Rapson.

While the money will help him deal with his ailing health, Ben Monagle says nothing can compensate for the harm caused by Rapson, which triggered decades of drug abuse, mental health problems, criminal offending and estrangement from his four children.

Ben Monagle, who was raped as a teenager at a Catholic boarding college. Credit:Angela Wylie

I guess its closure in a sense and I have to shut the door as best I can. But the money wont really help with all the crap Ive been through and the stuff Ive put others through, Mr Monagle said.

Mr Monagles lawyer, Viv Waller, said he would receive $1,012,435, which would be managed by the courts to help fund stable accommodation and medical treatment.
Taking a medical test can be a frightening experience for some kids, but as we know, testing is critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19 among young Victorians, Mr Foley said. The states COVID-19 figures also come after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her state was set to move out of lockdown in October, after the state hits 70 per cent full vaccination. In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews has made clear zero cases is no longer achievable with the Delta variant of COVID-19 circulating in metropolitan Melbourne. Steps out of lockdown for the city now also depend on the state reaching vaccination targets.

Loading Mr Andrews has pledged to mildly relax some restrictions when that figure reaches 70 per cent in coming weeks. Shepparton also remains in lockdown, but Mr Andrews said he should be able to make announcements about restrictions in the regional city next week. Public housing towers among new exposure sites Two of Melbournes public housing towers have been declared COVID-19 exposure sites.

A public housing tower at 12 Holland Court is not listed as an exposure site on the Department of Healths official website, however, a Department of Families, Fairness and Housing spokesman confirmed a positive case there had been moved into alternative accommodation and deep cleaning was under way. The community response has been fantastic, with large numbers already getting tested on site, the spokesman said. The public housing tower at 12 Holland Court in Flemington. Last month, the nearby public housing towers at 126 and 130 Racecourse Road were also declared exposure sites, with families in both testing positive for COVID-19. Another public housing tower at 33 Alfred Street in North Melbourne was listed as a tier-2 site on the Health Departments website across Tuesday and Wednesday. Both that tower and the tower at 12 Holland Court were among nine in the state locked down with no warning on July 4, 2020.

The lockdown prompted an inquiry by the Victorian Ombudsman, who found the governments decision to enforce the immediate isolation of about 3000 tenants violated human rights. The Health Department listed dozens more new COVID-19 exposure sites on Thursday, including Pascoe Vale Primary School and the Ilim Colleges Glenroy campus, both of which were declared tier-1 sites. Loading Two medical practices - one in Taylors Lakes and one in Keilor East - were also among declared tier 1, as was a dental practice at Craigieburn. A cafeteria at Northern Hospital in Epping was among new tier-2 sites, as was an early learning centre at Fawkner. Apartment complexes at Southbank, Docklands, Essendon and on Collins Street in the CBD were also declared tier-2.

Authorities warned that even though Coles at Coburg was declared tier-two over three days, the Health Department would contact some tier-one contacts there. Highpoint Shopping Centre at Maribyrnong was again in the mix of tier-two sites, with EB Games there identified as at-risk. No COVID-19 patients in Victorian hospitals fully vaccinated Mr Foley said not one of the 111 COVID-19 patients in hospital in Victoria had been fully vaccinated. He said 89 per cent of people in hospital have had no vaccine, while 11 per cent had one dose.

Thirty-two people are in intensive care and 19 people need a ventilator. A vaccinated aged care worker at a facility in Gladstone Park in Melbournes northwest has also tested positive to COVID-19, Mr Foley said, although no residents or staff members have contracted the virus. A V/Line spokesman confirmed on Thursday evening that a train driver had tested positive for COVID-19. The driver worked on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the last two days with a trainee driver.

A V/Line train driver has tested positive for coronavirus. Credit:Justin McManus He spent time at one of V/Lines operation depots at Southern Cross Station and in a drivers recreation room at Traralgon Station. The depot was deep cleaned on Thursday, as was Traralgon station. Some staff were identified as contacts of the driver. At this stage, there has not been any service changes due to staff undertaking precautionary isolation and COVID-19 testing, the V/Line spokesman said. Deputy Chief Health Officer Professor Ben Cowie said 63.2 per cent of eligible Victorians had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

There were 81,000 bookings made through the state system on Wednesday, but more than 7000 appointments are available for a first dose of AstraZeneca over the next seven days. Concern over spread of the virus in citys north Professor Cowie said transmission in Melbournes northern suburbs remained a concern, with opening hours at three testing sites in the area extended. Of the new cases announced on Thursday, 195 were in the northern suburbs where more than half of all active cases live.
WAs vaccine blitz has failed to lift the state from the bottom of the nations rankings, as Premier Mark McGowan takes aim at federal government supply issues despite thousands of local appointments remaining available.

Although the three-week blitz from August 16 to September 6 surpassed expectations, WA still had the lowest percentage of people double-vaccinated in the country at just 35.4 per cent, with forward predictions suggesting it would reach the nationally agreed 80 per cent vaccination target by December 7 if its current roll-out pace was maintained.

Mr McGowan blamed WAs slow progress on an unfair distribution of Pfizer vaccines among the states, with COVID-ravaged New South Wales receiving more than its per-capita share at the expense of other states, leaving WA around 114,000 doses short.

We have supported the additional roll-out to New South Wales in their time of need, but there needs to be catch up, he said.
What is inexcusable is the gaping flaw which saw overpayment of a staggering $13 billion to entities with no mechanism to compel repayment. The government succeeded in making some very rich people even richer while still hunting down pensioners for a few lousy dollars in overpayments. Then it used Pauline Hanson to scuttle crossbench Senator Rex Patricks bill to force the disclosure of payments to all companies and entities with a turnover of more than $10 million. JobKeeper has made some very rich people richer. Credit:Dionne Gain Responses to calls for corrective action have been as mulish and as tone-deaf as passing legislation implementing only six of the recommendations of the Respect@Work report on the eve of the National Summit on Womens Safety. There are no apologies only insistence that it was worth the money and how unfair and counterproductive it would be to name those who overclaimed. Morrisons aversion to transparency remains deplorably consistent and universal. After he was caught sneaking off to Hawaii during the bushfires, he blamed staff for failing to announce his absence. The office wont do that again, he said. You learn from these things.

Apparently not. He claimed that same office only told him about the Brittany Higgins rape allegations after they were published. Then at the weekend he snuck off to Sydney, spent the Fathers Day weekend with his family then returned to Canberra. Loading It may have been within the rules for politicians, but it made a mockery of the all in it together homilies. He would have done better to be upfront about the trip rather than posting an old photo with his wife and daughters designed to leave the impression that, like a lot of dads, he had missed out on precious family time. His defence, that he lives in Sydney, like the revelation by Laura Tingle on ABCs 7.30 that his home state has received a much higher proportion of vaccines, only enhances his status as the Prime Minister for NSW. When the proverbial hit the fan over his trip, Morrison made contact with Labor leader Anthony Albanese to confirm Albanese would adhere to his long-standing practice of not getting stuck in when families were involved, then he bought himself cover by making sure a version of that undertaking was briefed to media.

One day, his lack of candour, his remorseless political calculations, will be the death of him. So could the JobKeeper scandal if its not fixed. Morrison has been extraordinarily agile in re-pivoting on every issue which has gone belly-up, and it is not for nothing that in the upper echelons of Frydenbergs Treasury department they only half-jokingly call him Just In Time Josh. He cuts it fine then somehow manages to get where he needs to be in the end. Morrison and Frydenberg should use the moral authority of their offices to insist  not ask politely  companies return the money. They could do it today, or tomorrow. Its not too late, before this scandal turns catastrophic. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Credit:Justin McManus Just for some perspective on how much is involved, it is $1300 for every Australian household, and more than double that proposed by Albanese for everyone who got vaccinated. At least they would have spent it here.

Louis Vuitton bagged almost $6 million from JobKeeper then, voila, managed to lift its dividend to its parent company in France by $6.6 million. Recouping that money would go a long way to providing shelter for vulnerable women and children, or the homeless or to ventilate schools or save struggling small businesses. There are literally thousands of ways it could be spent to improve the lives of ordinary people. Loading It doesnt take a genius to work out Labors election advertising. There will be testimonials, tears and outrage, contrasting the governments treatment of disabled pensioners with that of luxury car dealers. Strong against the weak, weak against the strong, Albanese says of the Morrison government. The shadow assistant treasurer, Andrew Leigh, instrumental in getting the issue up, gives a taste of what lies ahead.
A surge in demand for AstraZeneca vaccines pushed NSW ahead of others in delivering 4.5 million shots to GPs and primary care clinics over seven months, ensuring the state gained more doses than its share of the population.

Victoria increased its AstraZeneca shipments to primary care clinics to 2.7 million over the same period but did so from a lower base, which meant its volumes were slightly below its population share.

The demand in NSW meant AstraZeneca shipments to GPs and other primary care providers more than doubled to 1.7 million in August alone, while the shipments to the same channel in Victoria also more than doubled to 478,100 in the same month.

The figures, released by the federal governments vaccine taskforce, confirm the impact of calls from premiers Gladys Berejiklian in NSW and Daniel Andrews in Victoria for people to book AstraZeneca vaccines rather than waiting for Pfizer.
The partially redacted documents obtained by Labor include emails, a letter to the Health Minister, and a company liaison template, which shows the company reached out to the Australian government first. The number of vaccines Pfizer forecast they could manufacture in 2020 was redacted. In the letter to Mr Hunt sent via email, Pfizer suggested a comprehensive first meeting between the minister or departmental leadership and senior international representatives including the companys global head of vaccines. I would welcome an opportunity to discuss our candidate vaccine development in more detail, the letter to Mr Hunt said, from a Pfizer representative whose name was redacted. Three days later, Health Department assistant first secretary Lisa Schofield replied, saying the letter had been passed on to the Health Minister, and she would appreciate the opportunity to talk to the company about its vaccine work. The first meeting was scheduled for July 10. Ms Schofield told a Senate COVID-19 committee hearing earlier this year no offer for doses was put on the table at that meeting as it was a more general discussion.

Staff from the Health Ministers office first met Pfizer representatives on August 4. But the ministers office did not respond to questions about why Mr Hunt did not attend the initial meeting, nor when he first met Pfizer representatives himself. Mr Hunts spokesman said there had been constant informal engagements before the first meeting, as shown by the emails. Since the first formal meeting, he said there have been numerous formal meetings and phone engagements with the company to secure vaccine supply. The Health Ministers staff first met Pfizer representatives on August 4, after the US and UK had already signed deals for millions of doses. Credit:Meredith OShea But the documents reveal Pfizer was willing to provide a more detailed outline of the companys approach in that meeting, if the Commonwealth representatives signed confidential disclosure agreements (CDAs). If we can get this signed ahead of Fridays meeting then we will include several senior Global Pfizer colleagues on the call to be able to provide the detail you may be seeking on a range [of] issues, the email dated July 6 said.

A follow-up email the next day suggested a highly detailed slide deck could be included if the non-disclosure was signed, so the company could run Australia through the development and trial process. Loading In response, Ms Schofield said the government was considering the non-disclosure agreement. It is not usual practice for the Commonwealth to sign such documents as we are covered by various legislative requirements to keep information gained through our employment confidential, she wrote. I would like to propose that we keep the slot on Friday morning and have the introductory/exploratory discussion you suggest. We can always line up subsequent ones as needed.

Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said Australia has suffered because of the slow pace of the vaccine rollout. The vaccine rollout was always a race, but Australia started a lap behind because Scott Morrisons government took a deliberate wait and see approach to vaccine deals, he said. Credit:Matt Golding While other countries were signing Pfizer deals, our government couldnt even be bothered arranging a meeting. Legal representatives from Pfizer and the Commonwealth were still hashing out the non-disclosure agreement when a company representative noted in an email on July 23 that the US and UK had already signed deals for doses. The US ordered an initial 100 million doses on July 22, and the UK signed a deal for 30 million doses on July 20.

Mr Hunts spokesman said the government signed an agreement with Pfizer quickly. Loading The Australian government entered into an Advanced Purchase Agreement (APA) with Pfizer for the purchase of their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, whilst ensuring safe and effective vaccines for Australians based on the medical advice from SITAG [Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group] and the maximum doses available, he said. Further to the initial lengthy statement released by a spokesman for the Health Minister, late on Wednesday evening his office sent through further clarification saying Mr Hunt wrote to Pfizer on May 10 last year. The statement also said the Ministers office met with Pfizer on June 26, in a bid to speed up the start of formal negotiations. The statement did not say whether the minister himself attended that meeting.
The national science agency is making underground water banking for inland towns a top priority as global warming raises the risk of drought in Australia.

CSIRO launched on Thursday several new research missions to tackle rural Australias environmental challenges, targeting emerging agricultural opportunities including meat and plant protein and drought resilient grain crops.

The Murray-Darling Basin in NSW and Queensland during the drought between 2015 and 2020, the most intense on record, leaving many towns at risk of running out of drinking water. Credit:Nick Moir

Water security for regional towns is already a pressing problem. The recent drought on the eastern seaboard was the most intense on record and by 2019 the Queensland towns of Stanthorpe and Clifton were trucking in water.

Dozens of towns across NSW and Queensland were within three months of running dry, spurring a spree of drilling across western districts, searching for new groundwater locked deep in the earth that had not been pumped dry like so many of the aquifers towns rely on.
Logging of native forests in Western Australias South West will be banned from 2024 thanks to a state government decision lauded by environmentalist groups.

But the forestry industry lobby claims the sector has been blindsided by the move, which it claimed came without consultation and would impact jobs despite a proposed $50 million transition fund from the government.

Native forests in the South West will be protected from 2024 in a commitment by the McGowan government. Credit:WA Forest Alliance

Premier Mark McGowan announced on Wednesday the states next 10-year forest management plan would see the end of native forest logging in three years, with the timber industry limited to softwood plantations which would be expanded as a trade-off.

WA was the first state in Australia to stop logging in old-growth forests  relatively untouched environments where trees have aged without being cut down  in 2001, but the new plan would mean a further 400,000 hectares of karri, jarrah and wandoo would be protected.
San Salvador: Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele stepped in on Wednesday to manage the fraught roll-out of a payments app that underpins the nations adoption of bitcoin as legal tender, and called on users to report any problems on his Twitter feed.

Adopting language similar to IT departments in offices around the world, Bukele asked users to close and restart the app if a currently under maintenance error screen appeared.

IT-guy-in-chief: Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Credit:AP

The historic adoption of bitcoin as legal tender by the Central American country has been beset by teething problems that have contributed to a rout in the value of the digital currency globally

Bitcoin continued to lose ground on Wednesday, trading down by more than 1 per cent at about $46,300 at 1840 GMT.
Im confident and happy and excited and love these guys," Rodgers said. "As a competitor, Im frustrated about my performance, our performance. But this game is about how you respond to negativity usually more than how you're hailed for your successes."
: is set to commence its first ever non-stop service between Hyderabad and London, with the first flight arriving here from the UK capital on Thursday.

The same flight will depart to London on September 10 strengthening the connectivity on the India-UK sector, a press release from the carrier said.

The flight will operate twice a week with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 256 seats, including 18 in Business Class and 238 in Economy Class configuration. The flight from Hyderabad to London will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.

The total flight time on this route will be 10 hours and 30 minutes from Hyderabad to London and 9 hours 20 minutes from London to Hyderabad, depending on the wind speed and other conditions on that particular day, the release said.

At present, operates non-stop to London from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Amritsar, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Goa.

has been playing a major role in the Government's epic 'Vande Bharat Mission' and Air Transport Bubble Arrangement to fly people, left stranded due to the air route restrictions, back home. So far, Air India has flown over 40 lakh people and, the mission continues, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The battle between DTH company Dish TV and YES Bank, its largest shareholder, is likely to escalate with the firm looking at challenging the bank over a proposal to sack the board. Sources said there is no basis for sacking the existing board members as demanded by the bank.

This is because it was under the aegis of the same board that YES Bank sanctioned loans to the company, even as late as February 2020, based on performance, they added. The company, despite Covid-19, has performed well, reducing its debt from Rs 1,800 crore to Rs 600 crore now. It has paid all the loans of YES ...
Union cabinet on Wednesday did not take up the proposals for providing financial relief to India's debt-laden telecom sector, a government source said.

The cabinet was widely expected to take a decision on a so-called relief package for the telecoms industry, which would have helped all wireless carriers but especially the embattled Vodafone Idea.

Telecom stocks gave up gains after a source said the cabinet did not take up a proposal for telecom relief measures.

The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index fell as much as 0.62% to 17,254.20 and the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex was down 0.61% at 57,924.80.

Both indexes were muted for most of the session until 0720 GMT.

Earlier in the day, telecom stocks were on investors' radar, with a report claiming the telecom department is devising measures to improve health of the debt-laden sector. DoT has proposed a four-year moratorium on adjusted gross revenue and spectrum payments besides a reduction in spectrum usage charge, prospectively, according to the report

Bharti Airtel Ltd hit a record high of Rs 683.80, while peer Vodafone Idea Ltd surged as much as 7.9% to be up nearly 20% so far this week.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) plans to offload 2 per cent stake in Insurance Company on Thursday, according to terms of the deal obtained by Bloomberg. The shares will be offered in the range between Rs 1,159 and Rs 1,220 per share.

At the top end, the share sale will fetch Rs 2,440 crore.

SBI Lifes shares last closed at Rs 1,220, down 1.64 per cent over its previous days close.

In case the demand is strong, CPPIB has the option to sell its entire holding.

Currently, the Canadian investment manager holds 28.58 million, or 2.86 per cent stake in the life insurance firm.

BNP Paribas is the investment bank handling the share sale.

CPPIB had bought 2.24 million shares of during its IPO four years ago. Shares of were priced at Rs 700 in the IPO. Later in March 2019, the investment firm had acquired 20 million more shares at Rs 578 from BNP Paribas Cardif, a co-promoter in SBI Life.

At present, State Bank of India (SBI) holds 55.5 per cent stake in SBI Life, while BNP Paribas owns just 0.2 per cent.

Government of Singapore (owns 2.69 per cent stake), Carlyle (1.9 per cent) and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance (1.36 per cent) are among the major public shareholders in SBI Life.

Shares of SBI Life have outperformed the Sensex with a gain of 36 per cent on a year to date basis. Sensex is up 22 per cent this year.
India on Wednesday said it was aiming to grow at 20 per cent over the next three years, a top company official said.

The company was also expanding its capacity in MDF and other products.

"We are attractively placed to capitalise on the projected upturn in the economy and housing sector. On the back of diversified product portfolio, we expect to grow revenues at the rate of 20 per cent compounded across the next three years, around existing margins," Century Ply chairman Sajjan Bhajanka said at the 40th AGM.

The company is in brownfield and greenfield capacity expansions across its plyboards, laminates and MDF businesses.

"We intend to expand our Hoshiarpur MDF facility by adding another line with a capacity of 400 cubic meters per day involving a capex of around Rs 200 to 220 crore, which should go on stream in the first quarter of 2022-23," Bhajanka said.

With this, the company's capacity at Hoshiarpur unit would increase to 3,30,000 CBM per year.

Century is also setting up a new unit in Punjab for manufacturing of veneer and plywood with a capacity of 60,000 CBM per year at a capex of Rs 75 crore.

The company's wholly-owned subsidiary Century Gabon SUARL at Gabon in Africa has also started its commercial production in February this year with an operating capacity of peeling 200 CBM of timber per day, Bhajanka informed the shareholders.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The expansion of Indias (CGD) infrastructure could generate about 450,000 jobs, according to Sandeep Singh Rana, the chief operating officer of the Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council (HSSC).

To make natural gas available to the public, the government has put strong emphasis on expansion of the CGD network across the country. The growth of CGD coverage is estimated to generate about 450,000 employment opportunities in hydrocarbon-related jobs in the next 20-25 years, Rana told Business Standard.

After the launch of the 10th bidding round for CGD, the coverage of the gas grid network has expanded to about 70 per cent of the countrys population, spreading over 50 per cent of the countrys geographical area.

According to Rana, there will also be job growth in retail fuel pumps, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution. These will be supported by new petrol pumps being set up in tier-II and -III cities by private and public sector enterprises to cater to the ever-burgeoning demand. This is likely to fuel the retail growth in the sector, thereby, requiring more staff to man these retail petrol pumps, he said.

Another opportunity is the expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). This will require more skilled manpower at the local storage and distribution station and delivery boys. This would also lead to an increase in demand for workforce trained towards the repair and maintenance of these new gas stoves and other apparatus, Rana said.

The HSSC was set up in line with the National Skill Mission of India. Rana said, since HSSC became operational in 2018m, it has trained and certified over 142,000 personnel.

The council has developed Qualification Packs (QPs) of 23 high-priority jobs in the hydrocarbon sector. From amongst those, the most sought after skills are for retail outlet attendant (oil and gas), LPG delivery personnel, LPG mechanic, industrial welder (oil and gas), industrial electrician (oil and gas), pipe fitter  CGD, among others.

The majority of these short-term skill trainings on hydrocarbon sector job roles are being conducted at skill development institutes (SDIs), state skill missions and affiliated training partners of HSSC. These SDIs have been setup and being run at six locations in the country by oil and gas central public sector undertakings, Rana said.

Highlighting the challenges being faced in success of the skill mission, Rana said the recognition of short-term vocational/skill certifications among hydrocarbon sector players is an impediment.

Government has put great emphasis on implementation of the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). Its time to make skill certification essential in government and PSU work contracts/jobs in a phase-wise manner. That will also improve work productivity and safety in operations, he said.

The recruitment rules of the government, PSUs, and private sector shall be amended to define eligibility criteria for various positions in terms of NSQF levels, he added.
The Union power ministry has decided to give in-principle approval at the beginning of a year for the CPSUs under it to bid for pre-determined capacities based on their balance sheet strength.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Power Minister R K Singh on an action plan for enhancing the investment by Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) in projects on Tuesday.

"A meeting to discuss the action plan for enhancing the investment by CPSEs in projects, was held under the chairmanship of R K Singh, Union Minister of Power & NRE yesterday," the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Representatives of all hydro CPSUs, NTPC, MNRE (Ministry of New & Renewable Energy) and SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) were present at the meeting.

According to the statement, it was decided that in-principle approval would be accorded to CPSUs of the power ministry for bidding of renewable energy power projects at the beginning of a year for a pre-determined capacity based on the strength of their balance sheet.

The matter of enhancing the power of investment approval of the boards of mini ratna CPSUs would be taken up with the Department of Public Enterprises.

The proposal for reducing hurdle rate IRR (Internal Rate of Return) for renewable energy sector from 10 per cent to 8 per cent would be taken up with the finance ministry, as per the statement.

On policy and regulatory issues, it has been decided to allow bundling renewable energy projects with new or untied/high tariff hydro projects to bring down the tariff of hydro power for consumers.

According to the statement, it has been decided to consider the proposal for waiver of transmission charges for renewable energy capacity under flexibility scheme.

There will be no requirement for separate PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) for renewable energy power projects developed under the flexibility scheme.

Also, separate guidelines would be formulated under Section 63 of The Electricity Act, 2003, for bundling scheme, for setting up renewable energy plant on their own land or a new location.

With respect to allocation under CPSU scheme, the ministry said, "it was deliberated to allocate the offered capacity amongst CPSUs through bidding process in some form on equitable basis".

The MNRE would examine allowing solar power park developer/ individual promoters to participate in TBCB (Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding) process and a separate policy would be formulated for floating solar by the MNRE, the statement said.

Besides, the MNRE would evolve mechanisms to ensure sanctity of the bidding process and PPA by the state government and for rationalizing high Solar Park charges.

(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.)
Public sector major, Authority of India Limited (SAIL), is looking to more than double capacity to 50 million tonnes (mt) by 2030.

In a letter to shareholders, Soma Mondal, chairman, SAIL, said, In line with the National Policy 2017, your company has formulated its Vision 2030, whereby it is envisaged to enhance the crude steel capacity to 50 mt.

She also mentioned that the company has started working on the land bank study for the next phase of expansion. The message to shareholders was part of the annual report for 2020-2021.

The last phase of expansion undertaken by entailed increasing capacity from 12.8 mt to 21.4 mt. However, the expansion conceived in 2006-2007, was delayed due to the global financial crisis in 2008.

The latest annual report mentioned that the modernisation and expansion plan (MEP) at Rourkela, Burnpur, Durgapur, Bokaro and Salem Steel Plants and all major facilities under Bhilai Steel Plant have been completed.

The various facilities are under operation, stabilisation and ramp-up. The revised cost estimates (RCE) of MEP of all the plants have been approved progressively by the year 2020-21. Considering these RCEs, the indicative investment for MEP is likely to be Rs 80,170 crore (gross) (excluding the sustenance schemes). The cumulative expenditure of Rs 68,267 crore (gross) has been incurred till March, 2021 on MEP (excluding sustenance schemes), the annual report mentioned.

However, taking advantage of booming steel prices, has pared debt significantly.

Mondal told shareholders that the highlight of the financial performance without a shadow of doubt was reduction in the leverage position.

The company reduced debt from Rs 51,481 crore as on March 31, 2020, to Rs 35,350 crore as on March 31, 2021.

Consequently, the debt-equity for the company improved to 0.87 as against 1.36 as on previous year end, she said.

also recorded one of its best financial performances. The company achieved its highest ever annual sales turnover of Rs 68,452 crore during FY21, a growth of more than 12 per cent over previous year. Annual EBITDA or gross margin at Rs 13,740 crore was also the highest ever.

Most of the major steel producers posted recorded performances in FY21 on the back of rising steel prices. also used the current cycle to deleverage.

Earlier this month, ICRA in its steel sector outlook mentioned that the industrys consolidated debt levels declined to Rs 2 trillion in end-July 2021, from Rs 2.6 trillion in end-July 2020. The industrys consolidated borrowings today are at its lowest levels since March 2012, the report mentioned.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding between chartered accountants' apex body and Chamber of Auditors of the Republic of Azerbaijan (CAAR).

The signing of the MoU would help in establishing mutual cooperation in the areas of member management, professional ethics, technical research, professional accountancy training, audit quality monitoring and advancement of accounting knowledge, among other areas, an official release said.

The Institute of of India (ICAI) is a statutory body. The CAAR was set up to regulate the audit profession in Azerbaijan.

The signing of the MoU was cleared by the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Both and CAAR intend to strengthen cooperation in the areas of training of audit, finance and accounting professionals.

Further, the two entities intend to cooperate in the fight against corruption and money laundering, the release said.

" and CAAR also intend to undertake a study on application of new innovative methods in the field of audit and accounting, including application of blockchain, smart contract system, transition from traditional accounting to cloud accounting," it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Test results of 46 people who had come in close contact with the 12-year-old child who succumbed to Nipah have been negative, till now, for the virus infection, Health Minister Veena George said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the minister had told media persons here that with negative test results of 20 more people being reported in the morning, the total number of people who are in the clear was 30.

On Tuesday, 10 had tested negative.

Later on Wednesday evening, during a press meet, she said that samples of 16 more people who were in the primary contact list of the victim have tested negative for Nipah.

The minister further said that 265 people were now there in the primary contact list, out of which 62 were in isolation. Their health was stable, she said.

Of those under observation, 12 were displaying mild symptoms and 47 were from other districts of the state.

She said that while there was no need to be alarmed at present, people and the authorities need to be vigilant.

She directed that all those on the contact list abide by the quarantine criteria and even those whose test results were negative must remain in isolation in the hospital for three more days and can return home only if they have the facility to remain isolated at their residence.

She further said that trained volunteers inspected 4,995 homes in the areas under containment and 27,536 people were examined, of whom 44 were found to have mild fever-like symptoms.

Mobile labs would be set up to check those who display fever-like symptoms during the home visits, she said and added that those with fever or flu-like symptoms should not take the COVID vaccine without the advice of a health professional.

The minister directed the local authorities to ensure that those in Nipah-related isolation get the food kits and that each of the 265 people in the contact list has one volunteer each to help them.

She also advised people against eating fruits that fall from trees and said that fruits purchased from the market should be properly cleaned before use or consumption.

Besides this, she said that a team of experts from the Pune Virology Institute has reached the district and would soon start testing samples.

(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.)
"My children did not understand why we could not eat when we were hungry," said Saraswathi R., a domestic worker from Bengaluru's Shantinagar area, recalling the difficult days after a lockdown was announced in March 2020 to contain Covid-19. Saraswathi had been working in six houses before the pandemic and all her employers, except one, stopped paying her wages during the lockdown.

With her monthly earnings down from Rs 10,000 to Rs 500, Saraswathi and her three children often went to bed hungry. "How was I to feed my family with this money? It was very hard for me to bear that," she said. Saraswathi, who is in her 30s, has been working in Shantinagar for 10 years and last year, she said, was the worst she ever faced.

The 2020 lockdown and later, the partial state shutdowns, have hurt millions of informal workers in India, with female workers bearing the brunt of the crisis, say multiple studies conducted by think-tanks and workers' unions.

Nearly 60% of the 795 interviewed in December 2020-January 2021 said that their employers did not pay them during the lockdown, as per a survey conducted by Initiative for What Works to Advance and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE), a not-for-profit research centre. The survey, not yet released but reviewed by IndiaSpend, found that 16% of received partial wages and 12% were fired.

In December 2020, six months after the 2020 lockdown, 31% of had not found employment and even fewer had received support from their employers, as per a telephonic survey of 75 workers across New Delhi and Gurugram, Haryana, published in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) in May 2021. Of these workers, 29% were the sole earning members of their household, 21% cared for an elderly family member, while 20% dealt with someone who had a serious health condition. The respondents, who knew no other work, could not find alternative sources of income.

The lockdowns hit India's informal sector hard, threatening nearly 419 million informal workers who comprise 90% of all workers in India, said the 25th report of the Standing Committee on Labour presented in the Lok Sabha on August 3, 2021. Citing anecdotal evidence, it said the second wave was more severe than the first in terms of "significant income losses particularly in the informal sector, pushing the vulnerables deeper into crisis".

The community of domestic workers remained hard-hit, and registered delayed and low levels of economic recovery even in 2021. Increasing fears of transmission and lockdown rules deprived them of wages and employment, as we explain. Since few domestic workers are registered with the labour department or unions, there are hardly any laws regulating their wages, working hours or workspace. All this increased their vulnerability to indebtedness, and harassment, we found.

Loss of income, job stability

Lakshmi, 45, who opts to go by her first name, has been working as in Bengaluru's Kumaraswamy Layout area for over two decades. Before the pandemic, she worked for six households and earned a total of Rs 11,000 per month. Now, she works in just one home at Rs 1,500 a month.

Lakshmi's employers were mostly students and young professionals who lived in rented flats. But with offices and colleges shut, they moved back to their hometowns. "Most of the tenants I work for are bachelors and when they went back, they did not pay me for April-June [2020]," she said. Very few of these tenants have returned to the city, she added.

The national, and later state, lockdowns during the first and second waves of the pandemic offset decades of hard-won progress made by the domestic worker community in terms of gainful employment and steady incomes, said a June 2020 study of 2,396 workers across Bengaluru. The study was conducted jointly by four activist groups--the Domestic Workers Rights Union, Karnataka (DWRU), Bruhat Bangalore Gruhakarmikara Sangha (BBGS) and Mangelasa Kaarmikara Union.

About 87% of the 2,396 workers were told not to come to work once the lockdown was announced in March 2020. They were not sure if and when they would be called to work again. Further, 91% (2,180 workers) lost their April 2020 salaries. Of the 396 workers surveyed in the BBGS areas, 86% (341) lost their jobs. Overall, nearly 50% of domestic workers over the age of 50 were fired.

The IWWAGE survey, which interviewed members of the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), a trade union, in Lucknow, Delhi, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad, also found that their monthly earnings took a big blow after the lockdown.





Source: study on future of work for the informal workers, SEWA

As per the workers, average monthly incomes fell from Rs 5,740 before the lockdown to Rs 4,841 after it. Kerala reported the least drop in wages while Delhi registered the highest, 29%.

According to the report, wages were decided on the basis of the rate prevalent in an area and the time taken to perform various tasks. However, all workers said they felt their salaries did not match the labour involved. Over two-thirds (67%) of the respondents admitted to never having received increments, and only 25% of them said they received a yearly raise. Over half of them also received no benefits apart from their salaries.

Food intake declines, childcare burden rises

Reduced food consumption was a direct impact of the wage loss suffered during the economic crisis brought by the lockdown. "In order to meet daily necessities, they borrowed from friends and family at higher rates of interest," said Manali Shah, national secretary, SEWA. Also, not every ration cardholder had access to the ration they were entitled to during the lockdown, she added.

The average age of the survey's sample was 40 years, and 47% of 725 workers had at least one child between the ages of 0-14 years. "Childcare was also a big issue for the informal sector as most were not encouraged to take their young children to the houses where they worked," said Shah. She added that the workers and their spouses were not equipped to help their children navigate digital education.

More than 25% of the workers also reported an increase in their workload, the EPW study showed. "The employers are now misusing the desperate condition of domestic workers to extract a higher quantum of work without adequate compensation," said the study.

The report flagged that some of the workers were forced to relocate farther away from their place of work due to higher and unmet costs of living. It also found that domestic workers who normally shared transportation costs with their fellow workers now had to commute alone. This affected their earnings and some opted to walk the entire distance to their workplace.

Discrimination, apathy from employers

The SEWA study also found that on average, domestic workers worked for 27 days a month; Jharkhand reported the highest number of workdays, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh followed. India's informal labour has burgeoned since the onset of the pandemic. "In order to support their families, workers have to enter different trades for more income sources," said Shah. She said the fears of transmission or infection have compounded the discrimination faced by domestic workers.



Source: National study on future of work for the informal workers, SEWA

When asked what facilities were available for the workers, 83% of domestic workers said their employers offered them drinking water, food and snacks; 68% were allowed to use the washroom, and 35% had a designated place to rest. About 9% of workers reported not having any of these facilities. Employers almost always docked their pay for taking more off-days than the "allowed" half-days on festivals.

While 81% of the workers said they were treated with respect at work, 4% reported verbal abuse and 0.3% said they dealt with sexual abuse, the IWWAGE study found.

Domestic workers complained of other kinds of apathy from their employers. Sharda M., a member of DWRU, Karnataka, said she was asked to produce a letter containing details of her employer, the number of years working for them, and copies of her Aadhaar while applying for government relief. Her employer readily provided those details, but her peers were not so lucky. "They asked 'why should we give our details, they will call and disturb us'," she said.

There were other kinds of discrimination, said activists. "The second wave was harder on the domestic workers as they were branded as carriers of the virus," said Sonia George, the secretary of SEWA Kerala. Some workers said employers were not keen on retaining or hiring those who travelled by public transport or had not been vaccinated. George also said a few workers had contracted Covid-19 from their employers but got little assistance from them, financial or otherwise.

Legal precarity and red tape

The lack of data on domestic workers means that they often slip through the cracks when the government announces relief measures. Migrant domestic workers, Shah said, are worse off because the government does not know how to reach them even if it wished to.

An analysis of labour legislation in India shows that domestic workers are not included in the scope of several labour laws because of constraints in the definitions of the 'workman', 'employer' or 'establishment', a 2014 research by In Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising (WIEGO), a global network focused on securing livelihoods, said.

Since domestic workers are employed in homes, they are excluded from the basic laws that guarantee job safety and personal security like the Minimum Wages Act, 1948; Maternity Benefit Act, 1961; Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923; Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979 and so on.

WIEGO mentions the need for a comprehensive legislation akin to the Domestic Workers (Conditions of Employment) Bill, 1959, which still remains unlegislated. There is a need for a special sectoral law that will "regulate employment, conditions of work and provide social protection simultaneously. This includes fixation of wages and other conditions of work, resolution of disputes and protection of employment besides provision of social security, childcare facilities, housing, training and skill formation", stated the report.

Nearly 54% of the domestic workers surveyed in the SEWA report said they had no contract and 38% admitted to having only an oral agreement. More than half of them were not allowed paid leave and only a quarter got monthly leave, they said.

Relief measures from the government

Roshni Bharti, a domestic worker in Varanasi, remembered how she hadn't received wages for the whole of last April, and almost always suffered wage cuts after that. She was not an enrolled beneficiary under any government scheme such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana or the Public Distribution System.

Data from the interviews by IWWAGE found only a small percentage of the workers having ration cards and drawing benefits from the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, as a large proportion of them were not registered beneficiaries. They did not have below-poverty-line cards--needed to access subsidised food grain--or caste certificates for various benefits.

The Kerala-based domestic workers surveyed were members of the Kerala Social Security Welfare Board, and thus entitled to pension at retirement, health assistance, education assistance for children and small support during the pandemic, the report said. However, in Uttar Pradesh, the workers had no knowledge of any government schemes.

The Karnataka government, in June 2021, announced a one-time monetary relief of Rs 2,000 for 11 categories of unorganised workers, which included domestic workers. As per Sharda, one of the requirements is a ration card and not every worker has one made in Karnataka. "We have workers from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and they have state ration cards. Which is why their applications were rejected." Acknowledging this, the Centre announced the One Nation One Ration card scheme in 2020 to bridge this gap. A few were also rejected for holding faulty Aadhaar card numbers. "Only a few, especially union-card holders, have received the amount," she said. Union card holders are domestic workers registered with the DWRU.

DWRU Karnataka said accessing this monetary relief measure was riddled with complications. "They are asking them to produce proof of employment. When we challenged that, they agreed to letters and address proof attested by the employers," said Radha. K, an activist with the union. Most workers do not know these details, even if they have been working in their household for years, she said.

Municipal officers argued that they could not process relief measures without proof that the workers were registered. "Domestic workers are also being made to run from pillar to pillar even as the approval process drags on slowly," Radha added.

For Saraswati, things have improved. "Now that the lockdown has eased, they are inviting me back to work and paying me," she said of her former employers.

Note: This story includes data from the unpublished "National Study on Future of Work for the Informal Workers" study by SEWA, intended to be released soon.
With (WFH) continuing for employees in the information technology sector, is mulling to create 'nodal centres' on the lines of co-working spaces in smaller cities and towns, from where software professionals can work for their respective companies, a minister has said.

The state, which is home to the IT hub in Pune and also has a presence of enterprises in other pockets like Mumbai, Nagpur and Nashik, has invited suggestions from the industry for an 'inclusive IT policy', Minister of State for IT Satej Patil has said.

Almost the entire IT staff has been in the WFH mode since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 and companies have been saying that the future will have a 'hybrid model' where a good part of the employees continue working from offices.

A lot of the work done by IT professionals is for critical sectors like finance, where privacy concerns and data confidentiality are important which also forced a few of the professionals to continue working from offices even during the lockdowns.

"We are also planning to start government-run well-equipped nodal centres where can come and work for their respective companies. All ideas are welcome in this regard," Patil said in a tweet on Monday, responding to suggestions made by billionaire Anand Deshpande, the founder chairman of Pune's Persistent Systems.

Major cities, including those in the state, have co-working spaces like WeWork since before the pandemic as well which typically help workers from diverse companies and sectors to help from dedicated spaces.

Patil said the government is trying its best to promote IT in Tier-2 and -3 cities. He appealed to industry lobby groups Nasscom and the Software Export Association Pune (SEAP) to come forward with help on creating district-wise databases suggested by Deshpande.

"Mumbai and Pune have been leading in the IT sector and have been saturated due to migration to these cities.

"We now want to take this progress to tier 2 and 3 cities like Nagpur, Satara, Amaravati, Latur, Nanded and others by giving incentives to the industries. The industries will be incentivised with various facilities through a separate IT policy," Patil had said recently.

A statement from Patil later said SEAP and Nasscom have responded positively to the appeal with suggestions.

"With hybrid work systems becoming a reality, our focus lies on ensuring equitable collaboration and access for all, regardless of location," Nasscom said in reply to a tweet from Patil.

SEAP Vice-President Vidyadhar Purandare said the focus should be on tier-2 and -3 cities taking the growth forward.

"This has to be in addition to enhancing infrastructure at existing IT hubs, to make them more attractive destinations.

"SEAP would be happy to work closely with the state government. A nodal agency to collect and collate data points is the need of the hour," Purandare said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Another round of talks between district officials and protesting over a police lathi-charge last month failed Wednesday and the protesters said they will continue their sit-in at the gates of the district headquarters here.

The farmers' demands centre around the suspension of IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to break heads of if they cross the line during their August 28 protest.

About 10 were hurt that day when police used force to stop them from marching to the venue of a BJP event in Karnal.

The sit-in outside the Karnal mini-secretariat, following a mahapanchayat in the same city, began Tuesday evening after talks between district officials and farm leaders failed.

On Wednesday, the district administration again invited a delegation of Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders for a meeting at 2 pm in another bid to end the standoff.

The talks completely failed because the government is adopting an adamant attitude, SKM leader Yogendra Yadav told reporters after the three-hour meeting.

He said the government is not even ready to suspend the IAS officer, leave alone register a case against him.

Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said they have decided to continue with the dharna at the same site, where many spent the previous night.

The protest leaders had also claimed that a farmer died after the August 28 violence, an allegation rejected by the administration.

SDM Sinha was transferred days after the controversy over his remarks, but the move was part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle in

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre informed the on Wednesday that the armed forces have decided to induct women into the Defence Academy (NDA).

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Justice S K Kaul that a decision has been taken at the highest level of the armed forces as also the government that females will be inducted for permanent commission through the NDA.

The ASG sought apex court's permission to place the details on record through affidavit and sought status quo in this year's exams as this needs procedure and infrastructural changes.

The top court said it has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves and it believes that they are best suited to evolve the whole.

"The idea is when nothing happens, the court steps in. Let me assure you it's not a happy situation to step in and we would like the armed services to do it themselves. They are very respected forces of the country but on gender equality they have to do more and sometimes the resistance does not come out well," said the bench, also comprising Justice M M Sundresh.

"I am happy that the heads of armed forces have taken a positive decision. Put on record, we will take up the matter. We are happy with the stand. let us hear the matter next week. Reforms cannot happen in a day. We are also conscious of that," it said.

The ASG told the bench that the thought was already there in their minds but it was only in the seeding stage.

The matter is listed after two weeks.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Kush Kalra raising the issue of exclusion of eligible and willing female candidates from joining the prestigious NDA solely on the ground of sex which allegedly is a violation of fundamental right of equality.

(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.)
Several people are feared dead as a large boat sank in the Brahmaputra river after colliding with a ferry near Nimati Ghat in Jorhat district of on Wednesday, officials said.

The collision occurred when the private boat 'Ma Kamala' was headed to Majuli from Nimati Ghat and the government-owned ferry 'Tripkai' was coming from Majuli.

"The boat 'Ma Kamala' capsized and then sank. We do not have much detail at this moment," an official of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department said.

Another IWT official said more than 120 passengers were on board the boat, but many of them were rescued by 'Tripkai' which is owned by the department.

Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Ashok Barman told PTI that 41 people have been rescued so far and no body has been found yet.

"We cannot say right now how many people have died," a senior official of Jorhat district administration said.

Personnel of the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have started a search and rescue operation.

I am pained at the tragic boat accident near Nimati Ghat, Jorhat.



Directed Majuli & Jorhat admin to undertake rescue mission expeditiously with help of @NDRFHQ & SDRF. Advising Min @BimalBorahbjp to immediately rush to the accident site. I'll also visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.  Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 8, 2021

The boat was also carrying several four-wheelers and two-wheelers that went down the river.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed concern over the accident and directed the district administrations of Majuli and Jorhat to undertake the rescue mission expeditiously with the help of NDRF and SDRF.

He also asked minister Bimal Bora to rush to the site of the accident.

Sarma asked Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha to monitor the developments round-the-clock.

"The Chief Minister himself will visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow for evaluating the situation," a CMO statement said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Wednesday said it does not want freedom of press to be muzzled or stifled but it cannot create a separate avenue for to approach it directly for quashing of FIRs lodged against them.

The apex court stated this while hearing a plea filed by Foundation for Independent Journalism, which publishes digital news portal The Wire', and its three seeking quashing of three FIRs lodged against them in Uttar Pradesh.

A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao asked the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court to seek the quashing of FIRs and granted them protection for two months.

"You go to the high court and argue for quashing. We will protect you in the interim," said the bench, also comprising justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna.

"We cannot create a separate avenue for to directly come to this court under Article 32 for quashing of FIRs," the bench observed.

The top court said it understands the importance of right of free speech and "doesn't want freedom of press to be muzzled".

The apex court told the counsel appearing for the petitioners that it will grant protection and they can approach the high court on the issue.

The plea was filed by Foundation for Independent Journalism and three journalists -- Seraj Ali, Mukul Singh Chauhan and Ismat Ara -- who have sought quashing of three FIRs lodged against them at Rampur, Ghaziabad and Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh as well as the proceedings arising out of them.

The petition, filed through advocate Shadan Farasat, said these FIRs have been filed solely on account of journalistic reporting of various events and occurrences of public relevance.

It said FIR at Rampur was lodged in January this year while the other two FIRs were registered in June.

"No part of the matter published is even remotely an offence, although it may be unpalatable to the government or some people, it said, adding that FIRs have been lodged against the portal and its scribes in Uttar Pradesh.

The plea said that FIR lodged in Barabanki was in connection with a news story on the demolition of a mosque in the area in May 2021 by the police on the orders of the district administration.

"A news story is entitled to record and convey the aspirations, anguish, and perspective of the people, even if these are not in accord with the thinking of the State or its agents. This is precisely what the media in a democratic country is meant to do," it said.

Besides seeking quashing of the three FIRs, the plea had also sought a direction restraining UP Police from taking any coercive action against the petitioners in connection with these cases.

It had also urged the apex court to lay down guidelines to prevent the alleged misuse of Indian Penal Code provisions, including sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), particularly against media houses and journalists exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech and expression while reporting.

The plea said it is not for the police to "sit in judgment" over the media for its reports.

"The media is meant to ventilate the problems of ordinary people, the nature and effect of administrative policy, and differing world views," it said.

It alleged that relevant IPC provisions which deals with actual offences against communal harmony are presently being "subverted and misused" and used to "gag any media reportage" on incidents that may have a communal, religious or political angle.

It said role of media reflects the citizen's right to know and ensure accountability in governance and if this routine duty becomes easily vulnerable to criminal process, democratic institutions will suffer.

"The petitioners also pray for appropriate guidelines to prevent this manner of use of the criminal process, which has a chilling effect on media freedoms and the right of the people to be informed," it said.

The plea has also referred to the May 31 order of the apex court which had granted protection to two news channels which were booked under the sedition law.

"We are of the view that the ambit and parameters of the provisions of sections 124A (sedition), 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 would require interpretation, particularly in the context of the right of the electronic and print media to communicate news, information and the rights, even those that may be critical of the prevailing regime in any part of the nation," the apex court had said in its May 31 order.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Wednesday reported a net decrease of 1,608 in active cases to take its count to 391,256. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 2.07 per cent (one in 48). The country is seventh among the most affected countries by active cases. On Tuesday, it added 37,875 cases to take its total caseload to 33,096,718 from 33,058,843  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 369 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 441,411, or 1.33 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 7,847,625 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Tuesday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 707,543,018. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 32,264,051  or 97.48 per cent of total caseload  with 39,114 new cured cases being reported on Wednesday.

Now the seventh-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 285,873 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 2.07% of all active cases globally (one in every 48 active cases), and 9.61% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 707,543,018vaccine doses. That is 2137.8 per cent of its total caseload, and 50.71 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (87332154), Maharashtra (68773505), Gujarat (53930257), Madhya Pradesh (52207277), and Rajasthan (52119997).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (925173), Uttarakhand (855889), Gujarat (844344), Delhi (827005), and Karnataka (723855).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 27 days.

The count of active cases across India on Wednesday saw a net reduction of 1,608, compared with 12,010 on Tuesday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Mizoram (572), Maharashtra (231), Puducherry (60), Karnataka (46), and Assam (42).

With 39,114 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.48%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.33%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.74%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Maharashtra (2.12%). The rate in as many as 16 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 39,483  369 deaths and 39,114 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 0.93%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 605.4 days, and for deaths at 828.8 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (25772), Maharashtra (3898), Tamil Nadu (1544), Mizoram (1214), and Andhra Pradesh (1178).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (93.9%).

India on Tuesday conducted 1,753,745 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 534,943,093. The test positivity rate recorded was 2.2%.

Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR)  percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases  are Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.73%), Goa (14.01%), Kerala (13.05%), Sikkim (12.66%), and Maharashtra (11.77%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are Kerala (15.87%), Sikkim (11.28%), Mizoram (9.86%), Manipur (7.97%), and Meghalaya (2.9%).

Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1395764), J&K (1005640), Kerala (913238), Karnataka (659656), and Telangana (637737).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6493698), Kerala (4253298), Karnataka (2956988), Tamil Nadu (2625778), and Andhra Pradesh (2023242).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 3898 new cases to take its tally to 6493698.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 25772 cases to take its tally to 4253298.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 851 cases to take its tally to 2956988.

Tamil Nadu has added 1544 cases to take its tally to 2625778.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 1178 to 2023242.

Uttar Pradesh has added 22 cases to take its tally to 1709479.

Delhi has added 50 cases to take its tally to 1438041.
The Arvind Kejriwal government on Wednesday launched a new COVID-19 ' Helpdesk Number' which will help people in Delhi access credible information about the viral disease, locate nearest vaccination centres and book slots for receiving the jabs.

Tele-consultation and information about oxygen cylinder refilling stations will also be available through the chatbot, according to a statement.

It will be a single-window source of accurate, authentic and up-to-date information about Covid-related resources in Delhi. To avail it, all that a user has to do is send 'Hi' to +911122307145 on WhatsApp, it said.

"We have built the tech solution of a chatbot to fortify our preparedness in view of an anticipated third wave (of Covid).

"We have added some new features to this chatbot to aid citizens conveniently access credible information and resources related to COVID-19 besides helping them locate their nearest vaccine centres," Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.

The chatbot, built on an integrated solution of WhatsApp Business API, is integrated with the Cowin Portal and the Delhi government's 'COVID War Room'. People can find their nearest vaccination centre, available vaccine slots, hospital beds and oxygen refining centres through this chatbot.

"Over the last year and a half, simple and intuitive technology like WhatsApp has played a pivotal role in helping India in its strife against the pandemic.

"The Delhi government's custom tech-solution of this WhatsApp-API Helpline chatbot will now supplement and accelerate the government's pandemic relief efforts and equip the people of Delhi with credible information and resources related to COVID-19," said Shivnath Thukral, the Public Policy Director of WhatsApp.

(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.)
Amid the ongoing protests by against the Centre's farm laws, MP Virendra Singh Mast said the government will not withdraw the three legislations.

The laws were not made to be withdrawn later, the MP from Uttar Pradesh's Ballia said on Tuesday.

Thousands of from across the country, particularly Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi borders, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, since November last year to demand the repeal of the three farm laws and a new law to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

"The government will not withdraw the new farm laws. They were not made to be withdrawn later," Mast said.

"If a law passed in Parliament is withdrawn due to protests on roads, what will be its (Parliament's) standing?" he asked.

Mast, however, said he will welcome suggestions in the interest of and agriculture.

Farmers claim that the farm laws -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- will do away with the MSP, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

The government maintains that these laws are pro-farmer.

Over 10 rounds of talks between the government and farmer leaders have failed to break the deadlock between the two sides.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Wednesday granted time to the Centre to file reply to a petition challenging the appointment of Gujarat-cadre IPC officer as Delhi Police Commissioner.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh allowed the plea by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for granting some more time to file the response and listed the matter for further hearing on September 16.

The high court, which had on September 1 issued notices to the Centre and Asthana on the petition, issued a fresh notice to the IPS officer as it was not served to him due to want of payment of process fee by the petitioner.

The bench was hearing the PIL by Sadre Alam, a lawyer, against the appointment of Asthana along with an intervention application by an NGO which has challenged the appointment before the Supreme Court.

Advocate B S Bagga, representing Alam, apologised for the delay and assured the court that the process fee would be deposited during the day.

During the brief hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO - Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), reiterated that Alam's petition was mala fide and a complete copy-paste of his plea pending before the apex court.

He said the court should see whether this kind of mala fide petition should be entertained.

Mehta said he was in agreement with Bhushan and this practice of copy-paste must be deprecated.

He commented however that if Bhushan makes plea public before filing it, nobody is to be blamed.

To this, Bhushan replied that most of the information was in the public domain.

The petitioner has sought quashing of the July 27 order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs appointing Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner and also the order granting inter-cadre deputation and extension of service to him.

The plea also sought initiation of steps for appointing Delhi Police 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.

The Centre had earlier contended before the high court that intermeddlers cannot be allowed to challenge the appointment of Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner, saying This is not Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan.

Mehta had 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.

Bhushan had earlier also raised the issue that Alam's petition was copy-paste of his plea pending before the apex court.

He had clarified that he did not intend to argue before this court as the NGO's plea was pending before the Supreme Court.

The petitioner's counsel had maintained that the plea was not a product of copy-paste.

The petition 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 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.

(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.)
People would not be allowed to visit Ganesh pandals during the coming festival in view of the pandemic, the government said on Wednesday.

Only online 'darshan' or telecast from pandals would be allowed, said the state home department.

Earlier, it had said in a circular that social distancing should be followed strictly inside the pandals during the Ganesh festival. The new circular said that (people) are prohibited from visiting any Ganesh pandal."



Organizers should instead provide the facility of online 'darshan' or telecast for the benefit of devotees, it said. The decision has been taken to discourage people from venturing out and exposing themselves to the viral infection, said an official.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar's claim on arrival of a "third wave" of COVID-19 in the city found few takers with in the Shiv Sena-ruled on Wednesday taking a dig at her and questioning the basis of the assertion.

Pednekar on Tuesday said a third wave of the pandemic had already arrived, only to issue a clarification a few hours later. "Third wave is not coming, it is already here," she had told reporters at a function. Later, her office issued a press statement saying what she meant was that the third wave of COVID-19 was on the "threshold of Mumbai". A day later, Pednekar came under attack from opposition leaders in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Slamming the Mayor, BJP leader Bhalchandra Shirsat said the ruling Shiv Sena in the wants COVID-19 waves to "loot" by giving various civic contracts. "They want waves (of COVID-19) for loot," Shirsat said and added that there is no disagreement over the fact that everyone should be alert and take adequate care to curb the spread. Ravi Raja, the opposition leader in the and a Congress corporator, sought to know on what scientific basis the mayor has claimed that the third wave has arrived in Mumbai. "Don't know what scientific advice the Mayor has got to make such a statement, but as per my discussion with experts, the third wave has not yet arrived in Mumbai," Raja said. The second wave of the pandemic started in the metropolis in late March.

(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.)
Slamming Pakistan, India said the country continues to foment a "culture of violence" at home and across its borders as it hit out at Islamabad for using the platform of the for hate speech against it.

"A Culture of Peace is not just an abstract value or principle to be discussed and celebrated in conferences, but needs to be actively built into global relationships between and among member states," First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Vidisha Maitra said in the UN General Assembly Tuesday during the high-level forum on the Culture of Peace 'Transformative role of the Culture of Peace: Promoting Resilience and Inclusion in Post-COVID Recovery'.

"We have witnessed yet another attempt today by the delegation of Pakistan to exploit a UN platform for hate speech against India, even as it continues to foment a 'culture of violence' at home and across its borders. We dismiss and condemn all such efforts," she said.

India's strong response came after Islamabad's envoy to the UN Munir Akram raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and spoke about the late pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in his remarks in the General Assembly hall that focussed almost entirely on India and not on the forum's theme.

Maitra said there can be no doubt that terrorism, which is a manifestation of intolerance and violence, is the antithesis of all religions and cultures. "The world should be concerned by terrorists who use religion to justify these acts and those who support them in this quest," she said.

Underlining that India will continue to spread the message of humanity, democracy and non-violence, she said India reiterates its call for the application of the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity and impartiality to form the basis of discussions in the especially on the issue of religion.

"The including UN Alliance of Civilizations and Member States should refrain from selectivity on such issues which hinders a Culture of Peace," she said.

While noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the interconnectedness and interdependence of humankind like never before, she said even during the pandemic, "we have witnessed an upsurge in intolerance, violence, and terrorism.

"Even in the midst of the pandemic, we face the 'infodemic' challenge which has been responsible for a rise in hate speech and in seeding hatred within communities," she said.

Last year in June, India along with 12 countries had co-sponsored the Cross-Regional Statement on "Infodemic" in the Context of COVID-19 a first of its kind statement by UN Member States.

Maitra told the high-level forum that the principles of democracy, pluralism, compassion, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding form the basis of the Culture of Peace.

"India is called a country of 'unity in diversity'. Our concept of pluralism is based on our ancient ethos of 'Sarva Dharma Sambhav' which means 'equal respect for all faiths'," she said, as she referred to the 1893 speech by India's great philosopher Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago where he had impressed upon India's civilisational ethos of accepting the greatness of all religions.

"India is not just the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but is also the land where the teachings of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism have taken strong root," she said.

"Culture of Peace is the cornerstone of any global order to build inclusive and tolerant societies. Since the adoption of the UN Declaration and Programme of Action in 1999 at Bangladesh's behest, the Culture of Peace agenda has provided an effective blueprint for multilateral action to promote solidarity and understanding," she said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union ministers and will inaugurate an emergency landing strip at Gandhav Bhakasar section on Highway-925 in Barmer, Rajasthan, on Thursday for Indian Air Force (IAF) planes.

An plane, carrying the two ministers, will conduct a mock emergency landing on the highway on Thursday. NH-925 is India's first highway to be used for emergency landing of aircraft.

According to an official statement, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has developed a 3-km section of Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925A, as an emergency landing facility (ELF) for the

In October 2017, fighter jets and transport planes of the IAF had conducted mock landings on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway to show that such highways can be used by the IAF planes for landing in case of an emergency.

The Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which is not a national highway, comes under the Uttar Pradesh government.

The emergency landing strip that will be inaugurated on Thursday, is part of newly developed two-lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar and Satta-Gandhav Section having total length of 196.97 km and costing Rs 765.52 crore under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

This project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border, the official statement said, adding that the stretch being located in the western border area will facilitate the vigilance of the Indian Army as well as strengthen the basic infrastructure of the country.

The statement further said this is the first time that a national highway will be used for emergency landing by the IAF.

"Defence Minister Shri and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri will Inaugurate Emergency Landing Field (ELF) and also witness aircraft operations on ELF on NH-925 on 09/09/2021 at Gandhav Bhakasar Section (NH-925) South of Barmer (Rajasthan," it said.

Apart from the Emergency Landing Strip, 3 helipads (size 100 x 30 metres each) have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania and Bakhasar villages in this project, according to the requirements of the Air Force/Indian Army, which will be the basis for strengthening the Indian Army and security network on the western international border of the country.

According to the statement, during normal time the ELF will be used for smooth flow of road traffic and during the operations of ELF for the IAF, the service road will be used for smooth flow of road traffic.

The ELF was constructed in 19 months. The work for this ELF was commenced in July 2019 and was completed in January 2021.

The work was carried out by GHV India Pvt Ltd under the supervision of IAF and NHAI.

The statement noted that development of roadways as key infrastructure has led to construction of high quality highways and expressways that could be utilized as runways along with some modifications and construction of limited additional infrastructure for operation of various types of aircraft during emergency.

(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.)
Anil Ghanwat, a prominent member of the three-member Supreme Court-appointed panel to study the three controversial farm acts, says their recommendations made in the report might help in breaking the more than eight-month long stalemate between agitating and the government.

Ghanwat recently wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India requesting him to make the report public.

I feel if the contents of the report are made public it might stir a healthy debate and if there is no unnecessary fear mongering as has been done for the three farm acts, it could help in ending the more than eight-month long stalemate between protesting and the government, Ghanwat told Business Standard.

He said some of the recommendations made in the report are 100 per cent in favour of the

I only want the report to be in the public domain so that what we have gathered from the exercise is shared with the public and let there be debate and discussions on the same. I know some people wont agree with the contents and will burn copies of the report but that shouldnt stop us from deliberating on the recommendations, Ghanwat said.

Ghanwat in his letter said that the report has tried to address several of the apprehensions of the protesting farmers but it seems the same has not been given due attention by the SC.

Though neither Ghanwat nor the other members of the panel disclosed the contents of the report as they are bound by oath, but going by their past statements and also stand on various issues, it seems highly unlikely that the panel would have favoured scrapping the three laws as is being demanded by the protesting farmers.

As a member of the Shetkari Sangthana, we had taken a stand back in June 2020 that the farm acts are good and on the lines of the long standing demand made by our organisation, but the laws had some flaws which needed to be addressed or else they wont have any meaning, Ghanwat said.

However, the protesting farmers have long rejected the SC-appointed panel and none of them appeared before the committee in all its sittings. So far, no one from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which has been spearheading the farmers agitation has spoken out on the letter written by Ghanwat.

Ghanwat in a separate interaction with news agency PTI said that one main concern of protesting farmers is that the minimum support price (MSP) will be wiped out, but that is not true.

The new farm laws do not talk about MSP, but there was a lot of fear-mongering on this issue, he said.

Farmers have been protesting on various borders of the capital for over nine months, demanding repeal of the three laws and also a legal guarantee for MSP.

On the possibility of implementing the new laws in a phase manner, Ghanwat said, "Of course, we can," but he declined to share if this was one of the recommendations of the committee.

Timeline of Events

December 17, 2020: asks Centre whether it is possible to put on hold implementation of three farm acts following sustained agitation by farmers.

January 12, 2021: The stays implementation of the three farm Acts till further orders and constitutes a four-member committee to resolve the impasse over the laws between the Centre and protesting farmers.

The Committee comprised of Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at ICRIER Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Former director-South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Bhupinder Singh Mann, Former Rajya Sabha MP and member of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Mann) and Anil Ghanwat.

January 14, 2021: Bhupinder Singh Mann recuses himself from the Committee on the grounds that he will not compromise with the interest of farmers and Punjab.

January 20, 2021: Centre proposes to stay implementation of the farm acts for 1.5 years

March 19, 2021: The SC-appointed panel submits its report to the SC after holding meetings with more than 90 farmers groups and representatives of other stakeholders. But, protesting farmers dont come forward for the deliberations.

September 01, 2021: Anil Ghanwat, one of the panel members writes to the SC to make the report public and help in ending farmers' stalemate.

What other members of the panel had said on Farm Acts

Ashok Gulati: A 1991 moment for agriculture: Proposed reforms in agri-marketing laws address long-standing needs of farmers. They could build efficient supply chains, ensure better products for consumers. Source: The Indian Express, May 18, 2020.

Pramod Kumar Joshi: Any rollback of the farm laws will be disastrous for the farm sector and farmers. If anyone is adversely affected (by the laws), it is the traders/middlemen, especially from Punjab and Haryana. The new laws will help India emerge as a leader in agriculture and agro-processing. If farmers remain adamant on repeal, the Centre should leave it to the states for implementing the laws with contextual modifications to the current Act. Source: Financial Express, December 15, 2020.
With looking to expand its footprint in green energy, the state is likely to see a $5-10 billion renewable sector investment with Danish participation, including an energy island in the Gulf of Mannar. The island may produce 4-10 Gw.

A delegation of experts from Denmark, led by Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen, met Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday. If it materialises, the project will be the first offshore floating wind park in India. The Gulf of Mannar lies between the west coast of Sri Lanka and the south-eastern tip of India.

This comes days after the Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) announced its plans to come up with 20,000 Mw of solar power projects with adequate battery storage, 3,000 Mw of pumped storage hydroelectric projects, and 2,000 Mw of gas-based power units in the next 10 years. These projects are expected to require loans of around Rs 1.32 trillion.

The Denmark delegation included Ambassador Freddy Svane and Asser Rasmussen Berling, head of the energy department, representatives from 18 Danish companies, the ministry, and industry chambers.

In March, Svane had visited Chennai and held talks with N Muruganandam, principal secretary (industries), and other officials.

Important discussion points included creating a centre of excellence for offshore wind energy in Chennai, envisioning an energy island  an offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Mannar and an immediate action plan for climate change by the government of Tamil Nadu, said a government official.

Some important Danish companies in are Vestas, Cubic, Maersk, Grundfos, FLSmidth, and Danfoss.

The value of Danish investment in Tamil Nadu between January 2003 and January 2021 is estimated at $ 751.72 million. Companies that have marked their presence in other parts of India include Novo-Nordisk, A.P. Moller Maersk and Ramboll. In the last decade Denmark has invested over $1 billion in the country. Around 200 Danish companies are operating in India.

Indian companies that have a presence in Denmark include Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Technologies, ITC Infotech, and L&T Infotech.

In a visit by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Copenhagen, a key point of discussion was green strategic partnership and health.

This was the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Denmark in 20 years. Jaishankar had met the chief executive officers of Grundfos, Vestas, Maersk, Haldor, Topsoe, and CIP. The British government recently announced it would invest around $1.2 billion in Indias space through public and private participation.

India has lined up a plan of around 450 Gw of by 2030. Several industry majors like Reliance Industries and Adani Group have announced their roles in it.
said it will drop cases slapped against the Indian government and accept a $1-billion refund offer. The Income-Tax department is working on a new tax portal which will integrate with stock exchange and help in tracking trade transactions.



Read more on these and other top headlines for the day.



to drop cases against India, accepts $1-billion offer

Plc on Tuesday said it was ready to withdraw all cases it had slapped against the Indian government for enforcing a $1.2-billion arbitration award the company had won in December 2020. This is part of the settlement under recent legislation by Parliament. Read more

Cabinet may discuss a relief package for stressed telecom sector today

The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss a relief package for the financially stressed telecom sector on Wednesday, according to sources in the government. As part of the package, there could be some relaxation on payment of levies to the government including a one-year moratorium on spectrum installment due in April 2022. Read more





Tax portal 2.0 to integrate with bourses to track trade transactions

The income-tax (I-T) department is working on integrating the new e-filing portal with stock exchanges to help tax authorities track trade transactions, including futures and options.

The integrated system will look at discrepancies between the data disclosed by an assessee and match it with data fetched from stock exchanges, using artificial intelligence, said two officials in the know. Read more





Qualcomm's chips to power Ola's newly launched electric scooters

From powering mobile devices, US chip designer Qualcomm has tied up with Ola Electric to power its newly just launched electric scooters.

Qualcomm is providing the key 4G connected octa core android platform which provides connectivity, computing capabilities and enables rich immersive displays with power saving software. Read more





Sebi asks exchanges to move to T 1 settlement cycle on an optional basis

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has introduced an optional T+1 settlement cycle for the markets. T+1 means that settlements will have to be cleared within one day of the actual transactions taking place.



The regulator has put the onus on the stock exchanges to decide whether they want to opt for the shorter settlement cycle for any of the listed scrips. This can be done after giving a one-month prior notice to all stakeholders. Read more




If a person is unlikely to be a threat of COVID-19 infection to others, how can he be forced to undergo RT-PCR test every 72 hours for going out to work or any other activity? the Kerala High Court asked the state government on Wednesday.

The query was posed to the state government during hearing of a plea by a man who refuses to be vaccinated and has challenged the COVID guidelines which mandates having 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.

Justice P B Suresh Kumar also impleaded the central government in the matter and sought its stand on the issue.

The judge said he would be passing orders directing the state government and the Centre to file their statement or affidavit and thereafter, will hear the matter in detail. The court, however, said it was of the prima facie view that the petitioner, an employee of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), has a case that when he is not a threat to others and vaccination was optional, he cannot be forced to undergo RT-PCR test every 72 hours.

The court said that there was substantial material before it indicating that the petitioner, represented by advocate Ajit Joy, was not a threat to others in terms of transmission of infection. The state government counsel told the court that there was going to be a meeting during the day on the issue of restrictions and there could be a fresh order on it.

Joy told the court there is no scientific or empirical data which indicates that an unvaccinated person was likely to transmit the infection to others or that he or she would be a threat to others. Joy told the court that his client has, meanwhile, undergone another RT-PCR test for going to work.

To this, the court said the issue raised by the petitioner was a "delicate" one which has "pan-India implications" and therefore, "we cannot rush through it." The court had earlier observed that 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 KTDC employee, who refuses to get vaccinated, is not in favour of getting an 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 - had 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.

(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 week before the deadline given to to fix glitches on the Income portal gets over, the on Wednesday said it is continuously engaged with the company to ensure a smooth filing experience to taxpayers. It, meanwhile, rolled out statistics to prove a point that the problems on the portal are being addressed.

"The Ministry of Finance has been regularly monitoring the resolution of issues with Ltd which is the Managed Services Provider for the project," the Board said in a statement.

A number of technical issues are being progressively addressed and there has been a positive trend reflected in the statistics of the various filings on the portal, it said.

Over 88.3 million unique taxpayers have logged in till September seven, 2021 with a daily average of over 1.55 million in the month so far.

The Return (ITR) filing has increased to 320,000 daily in September and 11.9 million for AY 2021-22 have been filed. Of these, over 7.62 million taxpayers have used the online utility of the portal to file the returns.

"It is encouraging to note that over 9.49 million ITRs have also been e-verified, which is necessary for processing by the Centralised Processing Centre. Of this, 707,000 ITRs have been processed," the Board said.

Taxpayers have been able to view over 874,000 notices issued by the Department under its faceless proceedings, of which, over 261,000 responses have been filed. An average of 8,285 notices for e-proceedings are being issued and 5,889 responses are being filed in September, 2021 on a daily basis, it said.

It further said over 1.06 million statutory forms have been submitted including 786,000 TDS statements, 103,000 form 10A for registration of trusts, institutions, 87,000 form 10E for arrears of salary, 10,000 form 35 for appeal.

Aadhaar- PAN linking has been done by 6.64 million taxpayers and over 1.46 million e-PAN have been allotted. These two facilities are being availed of by over 50,000 taxpayers on a daily basis in September, 2021, it said.

The has last month summoned managing director and chief executive officer Salil Parekh over troubles with the new income (I-T) e-filing portal. The website went live earlier this year, but has been marred by glitches since its launch on June seven. Taxpayers and professionals have reported glitches and difficulties in the portal since then.

The IT major was asked to resolve problems on the portal by September 15.
Even as India is gearing up to ink trade pacts with some countries over the next few months, commerce and industry minister said that free trade agreements (FTAs) cannot be signed in haste.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi Ji, we go deep into FTAs so that they do not harm any established sector of India, India should also get benefits and there should be reciprocity. We should not reach a point where only our market is open (for other nations) and not the other way around, Goyal told reporters on Wednesday.

In the past, we have faced the consequences of signing an FTA in haste...that is the reason India opted out of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), he said.

Currently, India is in a positive momentum with respect to signing trade deals with the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Bangladesh, the European Union (EU), and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.

The minister also said that FTAs will also help the textile sector in getting a level playing field as it faces unequal duties in some of these markets.
Seldom we see government revenues running ahead of the budgeted targets in India. But this year, it seems that rarity would strike. Despite the dreadful second Covid wave crippling economic activities during April-May of the current fiscal, a remarkable jump in central government revenues this year has left everyone astounded. During the first four months of this fiscal, the central government gross tax revenues have surged to Rs 7 trillion, nearly twice the gross tax revenues garnered during the same period last year. Its plausible to argue that the sharp jump in revenues might be exaggerated due to the extremely low base of last year when Covid-19 first struck us, bringing the economy to a screeching halt. But even if we compare it with the pre-Covid period, government revenues are still up 29.1% against the first four months of 2019-20, which is no mean feat given the fact that economic activities were marred by partial lockdowns this year as well.

A further of data divulges that the sharp rise in government revenues is quite broad-based and is not led by any one-off factors. For example, the personal income tax collections rose to Rs 1.61 trillion during April-July 2021-22, the highest-ever during the first four months of any fiscal year. Similarly, the corporate tax collections surged to Rs 1.46 trillion, again the highest-ever in the first four months of any fiscal year. The indirect tax collections have also surged to Rs 3.8 trillionn during the same period, up 19.5% against the same period last year.

Five factors are driving the revenues ahead of expectations. One, companies in the tech sector (software development, artificial intelligence, robotics and data science etc.) have offered enormous salary increments in a range of 20% to 60% this year in order to keep the mounting attrition rate under check. Tech firms are vying with each other to entice IT professionals who, out of the blue, are in huge demand due to the pandemic induced digital boost. This has given a fillip to personal income tax collections. Two, surge in Security Transaction Tax (STT) collection is also aiding personal income tax collections led by surge in stock markets. Three, corporates have seen an upward revision in their earnings led by pent up demand and cost saving measures embraced during the pandemic, resulting in higher tax payment to the government. Four, the excise duty hikes implemented when crude oil prices had fallen to around $30/bbl last year are also contributing to higher excise duty collections as petroleum products consumption returns to normalcy. Five, tax authorities tightening the screws on the compliance front is also one of the reasons for buoyancy in government revenues.

In total, the central government could garner Rs 3.2 trillion surplus revenue over and above the budgeted targets for 2021-22 on account of higher than budgeted collection from excise duty collections by Rs 90,100 crore, GST by Rs 78,000 crore, dividend from RBI and PSUs by Rs 70,100 crore, direct taxes by Rs 52,200 crore and custom duty collections by Rs 25,000 crore.





What would the government do with this windfall gain in revenue? From the Rs 3.2 trillion likely surplus revenues, around Rs 79,600 crore would go to states as part of devolution, which would help mend state government finances. Then the central government would have a net Rs 2.4 trillion surplus revenue over and above the budgeted revenue target for the year. To my mind, the government would have four options to spend this money. One, it can bump up spending on public infrastructure (capex), which would create employment and recuperate economic activities leading to lingering economic revival. Two, the government can cut taxes, especially excise duties on oil or lower GST rates for some categories in order to spur consumer demand. Three, the government might choose not to spend it at all and utilize it to reduce the fiscal deficit to 6% of GDP vs. the budgeted 6.8% of GDP in 2021-22, which would reduce market borrowings and would keep the bond yields low. Also, though the government sounds confident to achieve the magnanimous Rs. 1.75-trillion disinvestment target, a part of the surplus revenues could be used as a revenue shock absorber in case the LIC or BPCL divestment does not go through.

Buoyancy in government revenues is a welcome surprise and it would provide a fillip to government confidence to decide future course of action in order to put the economy back on track. In fact, it has started bearing fruits. The central government has sped up clearing all pending devolution to states, which in turn, would improve the payment cycle in the economy. Comfort on the revenue front has also helped the government to take the decision to scrap the retrospective taxation on the sale of assets in India by foreign entities executed before May 2012, which would enhance the long-term growth perspective of the economy. Also, the government jacked up Capex, which stood at Rs. 1.1tn during the first quarter of 2021-22, a whopping 77% higher than the first quarter of 2019-20 (pre-Covid period).

To sum it up, the sun is indeed shining for the government finances. Higher than budgeted revenues are surely going to mend governments impaired finances in 2021-22. Even though the naysayers are busy nit-picking, for the government, however, its time to cash in on the surplus revenues and put it to use to expedite economic revival.



The writer is Senior Economist, Spark Capital. Views expressed are his own.
India's imports of could fall to their lowest in six years, contracting for a second straight year because of the outbreak and demand squeezed by record prices, a senior industry official said on Wednesday.

Lower purchases by the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils could weigh on benchmark Malaysian palm oil, U.S. soyoil and sunflower oil prices.

India's consumption, which had grown every year before the outbreak hit last year, fell to 21 million tonnes in the marketing year that ended last Oct 31, from 22.5 million a year ago, an official of a trade body said.

Demand is unlikely to recover in the current 2020/21 marketing year because of record high prices, said B.V. Mehta, the executive director of the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA).

India's edible in 2020/21 could fall to 13.1 million tonnes, the lowest in six years, from last year's figure of 13.2 million, Mehta added.

"India is a very price sensitive market and current high prices are likely to reduce demand further," he told an online conference.

Imports meet nearly two-thirds of India's demand, he said, with palm oil coming mainly from top producers Indonesia and Malaysia, while other oils, such as soy and sunflower, come from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.

But imports of palm this marketing year could rise 8% on the year to 7.8 million tonnes, he said, as India allowed imports of refined palm oil and cut import tax on the crude variety to lower domestic prices.

Domestic prices have nearly doubled in the past year.

India's overseas purchases of were also capped by higher domestic production, which rose 1 million tonnes to 9 million in the current marketing year, after soybean and groundnut output rose, Mehta said.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Martin Petty and Clarence Fernandez)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill that provides for 75 per cent reservation to locals in jobs with salaries up to Rs 40,000 a month in the amid uproarious scenes.

Once the State of Local Candidates in Bill, 2021, is enacted, will become the third state in the country after Andhra Pradesh and Haryana having a law providing for reservation in jobs for local residents.

The bill was earlier cleared by a select committee of the Jharkhand Assembly with some changes.

It was tabled during the budget session in March and was referred for vetting to a six-member select committee formed by Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto.

The panel, chaired by Labour Minister Satyanand Bhokta, had added the words "private sector" in the amended bill, changing its name from 'The Jharkhand State of Local Candidates Bill, 2021' to 'The Jharkhand State of Local Candidates in Private Sector Bill, 2021'.

The amended legislation increased salary limit to Rs 40,000 from the earlier Rs 30,000.

"Every employer shall register such employees receiving gross monthly salary as wages not more than Rs 40,000 as the limit notified by the government from time to time on the designated portal within three months of coming into force of this Act. Provided that once designated portal is developed and notified, no person shall be employed or engaged by any employer unless the registration process of all such employees is completed on the designated portal," says the bill.

"Every employer shall fill up seventy-five percent of the total existing vacancies on the date of notification of this Act and subsequent thereto by local candidates with respect to such posts where the gross monthly salary or wages are not more than Rs 40,000," it adds.

According to the committee report, provisions have been amended to include the service providers to the government organisations within the purview of the legislation.

"The Central Government or the State Government shall not be included but the provisions of this Act shall apply on the organizations providing services through outsourcing to the Central Government or the State Government organization/undertaking," it says.

The legislation also ensures that "during the process of employment of local candidates, attention will be given to the representation of the displaced due to the establishment of the concerned institution, local candidates of the concerned district and all classes of the society".

The bill provides for constitution of a committee headed by a designated officer that will include the local MLA, Deputy Development commissioner (DDC) and Circle Officer (CO) to supervise the employment procedure and issue directions to the employer concerned as it may deem fit.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren had been voicing the need for employment to local people of the mineral-rich state.

Amid uproar over the new employment policy by the main opposition BJP, Soren asserted his government was committed to protecting the rights of the tribal and local people.

Attacking the BJP, whose members were in the well from the start of the proceedings, he said, "Employment policy will come soon. Everything will be clear. ... You (BJP) have lost the opportunity," he said.

"I am committed to providing employment to moolvasi (original inhabitants) and tribals. The report by the select committee has been laid in the House and the government is committed to providing employment to locals," Soren said.

Vinod Singh (CPI-ML), a member of the select panel, said the legislation will go a long way in delivering justice to the local population.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Wednesday approved the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for for a budgetary outlay of Rs 10,683 crore to boost domestic manufacturing of man-made fibres (MMF), garments, and technical

Incentives worth Rs 10,683 crore will be provided over five years for manufacturing these products. The scheme is focused at expanding MMFs and technical textiles' value chain and will help India regain its dominant status in the global textile trade, at a time when India's share of global exports has gradually declined over the years.

It is estimated that the scheme will attract fresh investment of more than Rs 19,000 crore, a cumulative turnover of over Rs 3 trillion, and create additional employment opportunities of more than 750,000 jobs in this sector.

Technical textile is a new-age material that can be used for production of personal protective equipment kits, airbags, bulletproof vests, and can also be used in sectors such as aviation, defence, and infrastructure. MMFs, such as viscose, polyester, and acrylic, are made from chemicals.

According to the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), MMF apparels currently account for a fifth of Indias overall apparel exports.





ALSO READ: China Plus One sees India's textile sector stitching a revival

So far, we have primarily focused on cotton Today, two-thirds of the international trade market is of man-made and technical textiles. In such a situation, India should also contribute to the entire ecosystem. The will make domestic companies global champions, said Textile Minister Piyush Goyal at a briefing.

Companies near tier 3 or 4 cities will be prioritised, and special attention will be given to how much employment can be generated, added Goyal.

The scheme will also positively impact states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, and Odisha, among others.

Companies like Reliance, Welspun Global Brands, Arvind, Trident, Shahi Exports, Vardhman Textiles, Paramount Garments, Bombay Dyeing, among others, have evinced an interest in participating in the scheme, said people aware of the matter.

With this scheme, India will become a sourcing hub for MMFs, as it has been for cotton garments, said Vijoy Kumar Singh, additional secretary, Ministry of Textiles.

Since the textile industry predominantly employs women, the scheme will empower them and increase their participation in the formal economy.

A Sakthivel, chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council, and president of FIEO, said the global MMF market is around $200 billion. India should aim to corner 10 per cent of the market in the next five years.

The scheme will help realign our export strategy, which, so far, has been dependent upon cotton products. The scheme will attract investment, both domestic, as well as through foreign direct investment, added Sakthivel.

Adarsh Somani, partner, Economic Laws Practice, said a Cabinet nod for the for the is a timely move against the backdrop of a slowly recovering economy. However, the government should also consider and prepare its defence to ensure the scheme is not adversely called out at the World Trade Organization forum, he added.

Selection criteria

There are two types of investment possible with different sets of incentive structures. Any company willing to invest a minimum Rs 300 crore in a plant, machinery, equipment and civil works, excluding land and administrative building cost, to produce MMFs and technical textiles, will be eligible to participate in the first part of the scheme.

In the second part, any company willing to invest a minimum Rs 100 crore will be eligible to apply for participation in this part of the scheme.

Singh said there will be no permanent subsidy for the industry and that the larger idea is to support creation of a competitive industry. Only competent companies will be supported through the scheme.

In case any participant is not able to achieve the required turnover target in any of the years during the scheme's timeline, the company will not get any incentive under the scheme, he added. Only manufacturing companies registered in India will be eligible to participate in the scheme.

According to the scheme framework and implementation guidelines, the participating company will have to undertake substantial value addition at their own factory premises. Goods manufactured by other units of the same group company will not be accounted for in the calculation of turnover and only one company of a group will be allowed to be registered for PLI for textiles.

The Empowered Group of Secretaries, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, will monitor the progress of the scheme.
Board Bureau (BBB) has recommended the name of Atul Kumar Goel for the forthcoming position of managing director and chief executive at (PNB). At present, A K Goel is MD& CEO of Kolkata-based UCO Bank.

The government of India would take final call on the appointment.

In August 2021, the government had extended the term of S S Mallikarjuna Rao's, existing MD&CEO of chief, till January 31, 2022. Rao's term was to end on September 18, 2021.

BBB in a statement said it has recommended the name of Ajay Kumar Srivastsva on the reserve list for the vacancy. BBB interacted with 11 candidates for the post of MD&CEO at

The bureau had first advertised PSB chiefs post on June 15, 2021 with the last date for filing application on July 17, 2021. Later, BBB extended the last date to August 10, 2021.
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Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday has taken public sector lender out of (PCA) framework (PCA) on improvement in financial and credit profile. This decision gives the bank more freedom for lending, especially to corporations and grow the network, subject to presribed norms.

The Kolkata-based lender was placed under PCA in May 2017 on account of high Net Net-Performing Assets (NPAs) and negative Return on Assets (RoAs).

As of March 2021, its net NPAs declined to 3.94 per cent from 8.54 per cent in March 2017 (FY17). It posted a net profit of Rs 167 crore in FY21 as against net loss of Rs 1,851 crore in FY17. The ROA was 0.06 per cent for FY21 while it was negative at -0.75 per cent for FY17.

RBI, in a statement, said the performance of UCO Bank, currently under the Framework (PCAF) of RBI, was reviewed by the Board for Financial Supervision. The bank is not in breach of the PCA parameters as per its results for the year ended March 31, 2021.

The decision on taking out from PCA restrictions is subject to certain conditions and continuous monitoring, said.

The bank has provided a written commitment to comply with the norms of Minimum Regulatory Capital, Net NPA and Leverage Tatio on an ongoing basis.

Its Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) stood at 13.74 per cent and Common Equity Tier -I (CET-1) Ratio at 11.14 per cent as on March 31, 2021. Government of India infused Rs 2,600 crore towards capital on March 31, 2021. The lender has also apprised about structural and systemic improvements that it has put in place to continue to meet these commitments.
Afghanistan's Permanent Representative Ghulam Isaczai has defied the government and denounced its overthrow of the elected government and use of violence to reinstall the "so-called Islamic Emirate."

Speaking at the General Assembly on Tuesday as the Taliban-controlled government was trying to settle in, Isaczai said asked the community to reject the as the rulers of

"They continue to choose war over peace as a way of resolving their differences with those who oppose them as we are witnessing their brutal offensive against the people of Panjshir and suppression of women peacefully demonstrating across cities in Afghanistan," he said.

"The unseated the elected Government of and gained power through violence and are seeking to reinstate their so-called Islamic Emirate, in violation of the resolution passed by this Assembly less than nine months ago," he said.

Isaczai, who was appointed as the country's representative at the UN by ousted President Ashraf Ghani and presented his credentials in July, continues to represent the country under UN rules.

The Taliban, which overran and took control of Kabul on August 15, announced on Monday a hardline government with Mohammad Hassan Akhund as Prime Minister and excluding women.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's Deputy Spokesperson Farzan Haq said that member countries recognise governments and not the UN.

The General Assembly's credentials committee, which determines who represents a country, can take up Afghanistan's representations when it meets next week. Isaczai said, "We ask that you continue to reject the reinstatement of the Islamic Emirate."

Currently, there is another country, Myanmar, that is represented by the envoy appointed by an ousted government.

Even though the military government has said that U Kyaw Moe Tun has been replaced as the permanent representative by its nominee Hau Do Suan, only Kyaw who was appointed by of State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi continues to be recognised by the UN as the country's envoy.

At the General Assembly, he had denounced Tatmadaw, the military regime in Myanmar, calling on the community to act to make it "stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy."

Speaking at the General Assembly's High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace, Isaczai said, "The Afghan people, especially our youth who have only known a free and democratic Afghanistan, will not accept a governing structure that excludes women and minorities, eliminates constitutional rights for all, and does not protect the gains of the past."

Asking member nations "to help us promote a Culture of Peace in Afghanistan," he said the to "hold the Taliban to account for their violations of human rights and humanitarian law, insist on an inclusive government, and draw a fundamental red line regarding the Taliban's treatment of women and girls, and respect for their rights."

The UN and the international community face the dilemma of dealing with the Taliban because it is on the UN's list of terrorist organisations.

Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who met with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday, told reporters in a remote briefing that UN dealing with the Taliban on humanitarian issues does not amount to recognising it.

Talban's desire for recognition is the only leverage that the international community has, Guterres has said.

He will be convening a high-level ministerial humanitarian meeting on Monday in Geneva to aid Afghanistan, Haq said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is appealing for $606 million to help Afghanistan.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

--IANS

arul/rs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday hosted the first ministerial meeting of Afghanistan's neighbours since the took over in Kabul, saying that even though the situation in the war-weary country is "complex and fluid", its "new reality" required the world to discard "old lenses" and proceed with a "realistic approach".

Qureshi issued a series of tweets as he chaired the first virtual meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - the neighbours of

The situation in remains complex and fluid. We hope the political situation stabilises leading to normalcy soon. The new reality requires us to discard old lenses, develop new insights and proceed with a realistic/pragmatic approach, he said in one of his tweets.

The meeting comes a day after the unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the insurgent group, including a specially designated global terrorist of the dreaded Haqqani Network as the interior minister.

He said that at the centre of the endeavours must remain the well-being of the Afghan people, who have suffered enormously due to conflict for over 40 years.

In the wake of recent developments, the key priorities are to prevent a humanitarian crisis and to take steps to prevent economic meltdown, he said.

He said that the participants agreed that peace in will help to secure borders, end of threat of terrorism from Afghan soil, possibilities of dignified return of refugees to their land, economic stability and improvement in living standards and connectivity/greater regional eco integration.

He appreciated the positive and constructive response to Pakistan's proposal for a regional approach to respond to the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

It cannot be stressed enough that this requires enhanced engagement of the community, particularly at this pivotal juncture. Our collective voice to the int'l community will reinforce our message of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, he said.

Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the Foreign Ministers' meeting on the Afghan issue is taking place at the invitation of

The meet is expected to provide an opportunity to neighbours of Afghanistan to work together for a shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic linkages and realise connectivity agenda.

The meeting will build upon the discussions, held at the Special Representatives/Envoys level, on September 5.

China, along with Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, took part in the meeting hosted by on September 5 to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

The participants exchanged views mainly on the situation in Afghanistan, especially cooperation among Afghanistan's neighbouring countries on the Afghan-related affairs, and maintained communication with Russia, reaching much consensus," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing about the September 5 meeting.

The neighbours of Afghanistan have a vital stake in the stability of the country. A peaceful, stable, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan will contribute towards transit trade, people-to-people exchanges and security in the region.

The seized control of war-torn Afghanistan in mid-August, ousting the previous elected leadership which was backed by the West.

Pakistan has already said before the announcement of the caretaker government by the Taliban that it will not accord recognition to the new government on the basis of regional consensus.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 14 members of the Taliban's hardline interim government in Kabul are on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund and his both deputies, raising concern of the community over the composition of the new Cabinet in Specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, who carries a reward of $10-million US bounty on his head, is the acting interior minister. Acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi and his deputy Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai are all listed under the 1988 Sanctions Committee. The 33-member interim Cabinet includes four of the five leaders known as the  Five who were once held at the Guantanamo Bay prison. They include Mullah Mohammad Fazil (deputy defence minister), Khairullah Khairkhwa (information and culture minister), Mullah Noorullah Noori (Borders and Tribal Affairs minister) and Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq (Director of Intelligence). The fifth member of the group, Mohammad Nabi Omari, has been appointed as governor of eastern Khost Province recently. Acting Prime Minister Mullah Hasan has been described as a close associate of founder Mullah Omar in a UN sanctions report. Both Deputy Prime Ministers  Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi, who is involved in drug trafficking, are also on the UN blacklist. set to host meeting of neighbours will host a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbours on Wednesday to discuss the latest situation in the war-torn country. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will chair the meeting to be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, according to Foreign Office. Ghani junks corruption allegations Former Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, took to Twitter on Wednesday, refuting allegations of corruption against him. I must now address baseless allegations that as I left Kabul I took with me millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people..

These charges are completely and categorically false. Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president. I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be defeated, said in the statement.

China endorses interim govt; announces $31-mn aid China on Wednesday announced $31-million as aid to Afghanistan, its first after the seized power in Kabul, as it backed the Afghan militant group's interim government, saying it is a necessary step to restore order and end anarchy. Taking part in the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will provide with $31 million worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per its requirements. (PTI)
US Secretary will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 14 to testify country's withdrawal from

The developments came after observers accused the US of a 'messy' withdrawal from that wreaked havoc in the country resulting in the Taliban's siege.

The hearing will mark the start of what is expected to be a lengthy public grilling for administration officials by Congress. Blinken is the only witness currently listed for the hearing, The Hill informed.

Facing criticism for the hasty withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped to a new low of 43 per cent, according to a new Marist National Poll with NPR and PBS Newshour, marking the lowest rating for Biden since he took office.

According to Marist Poll, majorities of Americans disapprove of Biden handling of foreign policy and of the US withdrawal from A large majority has also labelled the US role in Afghanistan a "failure".

The situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating after the seized control of the war-ravaged country. On August 15, the Afghan government fell soon after President Ashraf Ghani left the country.

Placing Presidential responsibility for the US shortcomings in Afghanistan is largely partisan, the poll highlighted that overall, Americans rank George W. Bush (36 per cent), Joe Biden (21 per cent), Barack Obama (15 per cent), and Donald Trump (12 per cent) as being most responsible. Democrats, however, list Republicans Bush (53 per cent) and Trump (22 per cent) as their top two. Republicans list Democrats Biden (38 per cent) and Obama (34 per cent) as their top two.

(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.)
One of the main candidates to be Japan's next prime minister said Wednesday the country needs a new type of capitalism to address income and social gaps caused by the pandemic.

Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida is the only announced candidate so far in the race to lead the governing Liberal Democratic Party and succeed outgoing Prime Minister

Whoever wins the September 29 party vote is almost certain to be the next government leader.

Kishida focused on his economic policy, which he described as a shift from the neo-liberalism and deregulation started by a reformist former leader Junichiro Koizumi in the early 2000s that has since adopted.

While deregulation and structural reforms have strengthened Japan's economy and promoted growth, they also created a gap between the rich and the poor, and those who possess and who don't, Kishida said. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the disparity, he said, noting tourism industry workers, contract workers and women are among the worst-hit.

We have to turn around the economy in this situation, and if we just do the same thing, the gaps will only grow and there will be no positive cycle, he said. We will make a change."



Kishida also proposed an economic recovery package and a university package to promote vaccine development, biomedicine and other cutting-edge science. He also said he will promote clean energy technology to turn climate change measures into growth as aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Suga's decision to not run in the LDP race was important to give his party a fresh leader ahead of a general election that must be held by late November. The new party leader almost certainly will become Japan's next prime minister because of the parliamentary majority held by the the party and its coalition partner.

Other potential candidates include Taro Kono, now minister in charge of vaccinations, as well as ultra-conservative former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, an protg of former leader Shinzo Abe.

Takaichi, 60, was also to announce her candidacy later Wednesday, seeking a chance to be Japan's first female leader, though she has ranked low in media popularity surveys.

Takaichi shares Abe's revisionist views on wartime history and hawkish stance on national security. In her recent appearances on television talk shows, Takaichi said she will succeed some of Abe's unfinished work, including turning around the economy.

Takaichi is known for her support of traditional gender roles and paternalistic family values following the example of the imperial family, which only allows male-line succession. She also opposes a legal change to family registration law to allow married couples to keep separate surnames, her stance seen as reluctant to promote women's advancement.

Takaichi became the first female internal affairs minister in the second Abe administration in 2014.

A member of the party's most conservative wing, she often visits the Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japan's war dead. Such visits by Japanese leaders infuriate old wartime foes such as China and South Korea.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) said that China has a "real problem" with the so it is going to try to work out "some arrangement" with the outfit, which has recently seized the control in and announced its government.

Biden was responding to a question about the getting funding from China.

"China has a real problem with the So they're going to try to work out some arrangement with the Taliban, I'm sure. As does Pakistan, as does Russia, as does Iran. They're all trying to figure out what do they do now," he told reporters at the White House.

Just a few weeks before the fall of Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had met the Afghan Taliban Political Commission Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in a bid to develop 'friendly relations' with the group.

China, before the fall of Kabul, had already prepared to recognise the Taliban as the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan, US News has learned.

Whether it's about violation of human rights or freedom of expression, the Taliban and China stand on the same platform as the former is way radical and conservative while the latter, despite having a long history of development, the communist regime still treats its people as slave, a media report said.

The Taliban -- which claims to be a flagbearer of Islam -- sealed its mouth over Uyghur suppression in China when the outfit top leader met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as it has financial interests with Beijing.

It is believed that Beijing would take some time to invest and shall focus on the situation as it evolves, DW reported.

Chinese companies have already secured the drilling rights for oil fields. Apart from this, boasts rare mineral deposits that are essential for such things as smartphones, tablets and LED screens.

(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.)
Germany, China and Japan offered a lukewarm reception on Wednesday to the Taliban's provisional government in Afghanistan, following the Islamist militants' lightning seizure of Kabul last month.

leaders filled all the top posts in Tuesday's government list - which had no outsiders and no women - while an associate of the group's founder was named prime minister and the interior minister figured on a U.S. terrorism wanted list.

The structure of the new government runs counter to advice to the from world powers for an inclusive government, backing up its pledges of a more conciliatory approach that upholds human rights, if it sought peace and development.

Voicing concern about the government's composition, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he saw little reason for optimism about conditions in

"The announcement of a transitional government without the participation of other groups, and yesterday's violence against demonstrators and journalists in Kabul, are not signals that give cause for optimism," he said.

Afghans who enjoyed major progress in education and civil liberties over the 20 years of U.S.-backed government remain fearful of intentions and daily protests have continued since the Taliban takeover.

Maas said, however, that Germany was willing to keep talking to the Taliban in a bid to ensure more people were able to leave the country, hit by food shortages and a halt in payments.

China, which shares a border with Afghanistan, had urged the establishment of an "open and inclusive" government after the Taliban seized power, amid the chaos following the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Wednesday that China viewed the establishment of the new government as a necessary step towards reconstruction in

"We hope the new authorities will listen broadly to people of all races and factions, so as to meet the aspirations of its own peoples and the expectations of the community," Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing.

China was ready to maintain communication with the leaders of the new government, Wang added, in comments prompted by a query about whether Beijing would recognise the new government.

In Tokyo, a top official said Japan was monitoring the actions of the Taliban and would keep up co-operation with the United States and other countries, while expressing concern over the safety of citizens in Afghanistan.

"Through various efforts, including practical dialogue with the Taliban, we are doing the utmost to ensure safety of Japanese nationals and for local staff who remain," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

He also promised support for Japanese who wanted to leave the south Asian nation.

The United Nations has said basic services are unravelling in Afghanistan with food and other aid about to run out. More than half a million people have been displaced internally in Afghanistan this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Aaron Sheldrick

TOKYO(Reuters) - As the world rushes to cut carbon emissions, fuel cells may offer global telecoms an environmentally friendly solution to power energy-hungry remote networks, experts say.

Telecoms run vast arrays of relay stations, data centres and other infrastructure that need reliable, constant power. fuel cells, invented in the 1800s and used in U.S. and Russian space programmes, can replace noisy, polluting diesel generators that sometimes run 24 hours a day, their proponents say.

The cells are quiet, have few moving parts and only emit water. With the UN in August sounding "code red for humanity" over global warming, such power sources are attractive for a sector that accounts for 3% of global energy consumption.

"They are a great concept and I think that diesel generators are on their way out," said Uwe Lambrette, a partner at consultancy Oliver Wyman, who focuses on telecommunications.

from powering networks and IT make up nearly a third of the carbon footprint of telecom companies, Lambrette said, based on a survey of 19 global operators.

Telecoms need generators that can quickly power up during electricity outages, and in remote locations they are often the sole power supply. Solar and wind, which do not always provide stable power levels, are not workable, experts say.

Fuel cells strip electrons from using a catalyst, combining the resulting gas with oxygen. This produces electricity, heat and water.

But the technology still has barriers to overcome. The fuel is difficult to store and little infrastructure is in place for transporting it long distances from where it is produced. The cost of hydrogen is also high: roughly 10 times as much as diesel in some markets.

In Japan, hydrogen enjoys strong government support, including subsidies for technology and infrastructure. Hydrogen-fuelled buses and cars are increasingly common and Toyota is building a prototype city powered by the gas near Mt. Fuji. Many see an opportunity.

"In Japan, fuel cells are usually used as a combined heat and power source or for transport," said Mike Benner, a Tokyo-based consultant on electricity grids and power systems, who has also worked in Japan's mobile phone industry.

Benner said that "there are lots of reasons why hydrogen has not been a backup power application," including that the fuel is "notoriously difficult to store."

GenCell, a small Israeli company that went public last year, is working with one of Japan's major telecoms operators to test its G5 fuel cell unit, CEO Rami Reshef told Reuters. The company's shareholders include Japan's TDK Corp.

Reshef declined to identify the Japanese company. It announced in July that Germany's Deutsche Telekom is also testing its fuel cells, and the G5 is in commercial use in 14 countries, including the U.S. and Japan, Reshef said.

Panasonic said it was working on fuel-cell projects but declined to provide details.

"Our pure hydrogen fuel-cell generators are still at the testing stage, not only for the telecoms sector but also for other industries," a Panasonic spokesperson said.

Hitachi has considered hydrogen fuel cells as backup power units for data centres but is not adopting them because of "difficulty in securing and storing hydrogen fuel in a stable manner" and not being able "to sufficiently confirm (their) safety," a spokesperson said.

Other such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Toshiba either declined to comment or did not respond to multiple inquiries.

Reshef said backup power from the G5 in Japan would cost about $0.83 per kilowatt hour (kWh) compared with $1.22/kWh for diesel generators, a calculation Benner said "seems reasonable".

"There's no doubt fuel cells can work," said Tomas Kaberger, affiliate professor at Chalmers University of Technology."But where does the hydrogen come from? If transported, it would likely increase costs even compared to diesel."

In Japan, hydrogen gas is usually produced by refineries and chemical makers as a byproduct or through steam or gas reforming processes and is transported in high-pressure tanks.

Hydrogen has an energy density nearly three times that of diesel but costs about 1,100 yen ($10.00) per kilogram in Japan, while the fossil fuel costs an average of 133 yen a litre, or roughly 1 kilogram, for consumers.

To produce the same amount of energy for the same cost, the price of hydrogen would have to fall to roughly twice that of diesel, according to U.S. government data.

Graphic: Hydrogen fuel production - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/xklvyrkjwpg/Hydrogen%20coal%20gasification.png

Most hydrogen comes from fossil fuels and is called brown or blue hydrogen because it is not emissions-free. But more are investing in electrolysers powered by renewables to produce "green" hydrogen.

The United States aims to reduce the cost of green hydrogen to $1 per kilogram by 2030, while $150 billion in projects for producing the fuel were announced globally in 2020, compared with none five years earlier.

Graphic: Clean hydrogen boom - https://graphics.reuters.com/SHELL-HYDROGEN/azgvoexgbvd/chart.png

In Japan, Softbank estimates more than half of its 700,000 tonnes of carbon in the year through March 2020 came from its 230,000 base stations. Softbank has 1,000 diesel generators and is not testing or using hydrogen fuel cells.

The other two main telecoms in Japan, KDDI and NTT DoCoMo, did not respond to written requests for comment. The three operators are building nearly 70,000 new base stations to handle the ever higher loads of data on mobile networks. More than 20,000 of those need continuous, reliable backup power, according to GenCell.

($1 = 109.9900 yen)

(Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and believe that foreign militant groups operating from pose a threat to central Asia and to India and agreed to deepen anti-terrorism cooperation at a meeting of their national security chiefs on Wednesday, officials said.



The Islamist swept to victory in last month after two decades of fighting and announced a provisional government that has met with a guarded reception from the community.



India and were both deeply concerned at the developments in Afghanistan, an Indian government official said, following a meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in New Delhi.



The two sides agreed the must be held to their promises, which included respect for basic human rights, including for women, and not to allow their territory to be used by militants groups.



"There was convergence of views on the presence of terrorist groups in and threat from terrorism to Central Asia and India," the official said.



India fears that militant groups that operate from Pakistan may also use Afghan territory to orchestrate attacks and says Pakistan should be held responsible because of its close links to the



fears turmoil in Afghanistan could spill over into Central Asia, which it regards as its southern defensive flank and as a sphere of influence from which radical Islamist threats could emanate.



Patrushev and Doval discussed the deepening of bilateral security cooperation with a focus on further cooperation on anti-terrorism, combating illegal migration and drug trafficking, Russia's Security Council said in a statement.



India and Russia have long been close military partners but in recent years New Delhi has turned to the United States for weapons supplies and forged closed political ties.



But the Indian government official said the regional situation had changed dramatically following the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan and the capture of power by the Taliban.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NSA and his Russian counterpart Gen Nikolay Patrushev on Wednesday held wide-ranging talks on the possible security implications of the Taliban's capture of power in for India, and the Central Asian region, people familiar with the development said.

The meeting took place a day after Doval held extensive talks with Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns on the Afghan crisis.

It is learnt that the CIA Chief, accompanied by a few officials, paid a quiet visit to India primarily to discuss the situation in after the US pulled out its troops.

When asked about the visit, the US embassy declined to comment. There was no comment from the Indian security establishment as well.

In the Doval-Patrushev talks, both sides deliberated on a coordinated approach in dealing with any possible spilling out of terrorist activities from the Taliban-ruled into India, and the Central Asian region, the people cited above said.

They said both sides exchanged each other's assessment on possible security implications of the Taliban's capture of power in and how a coordinated approach can be followed to confront any possible challenge.

The delegation-level talks would review the activities of terrorist groups including Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba that have a strong presence in Afghanistan, said one of the people.

Both India and share similar concerns on terrorism that could flow out of

The people said the two sides also deliberated on threats from drugs networks operating from Afghan territory, the role of regional countries and details of Indo-Russia cooperation to meet the current and future challenges.

The consultations reflect the close, trusted, special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia that has significantly matured over time, they said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had on August 24 discussed the developments in Afghanistan and expressed the view that it was important for the two countries to work together.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said Patrushev is visiting India at the invitation of Doval for the high-level India-Russia inter-governmental consultations on Afghanistan.

"The consultations are a follow-up to the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on August 24," the MEA said.

After the Modi-Putin conversation, Russia said the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the dissemination of "terrorist ideology" and the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan and agreed to form a permanent bilateral channel for consultations on the issue.

On Monday, Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said that there is "ample scope" for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan and both sides have been in regular touch with each other on the latest developments in the war-torn country.

He also said that Russia is as concerned as India that the Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries and there is a "danger" of terror being spread to the Russian territory as well as Kashmir.

The Russian ambassador also said that there is not much difference in the overall position of Russia and India on Afghanistan and noted that Moscow's approach in according recognition to a Taliban regime would depend on its actions.

Russia has been a key player in pushing for the Afghan peace process before the Taliban captured power in

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan will host a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbours on Wednesday to discuss the latest situation in the war-torn country.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will chair the meeting to be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, according to Foreign Office.

The seized control of war-torn in mid-August, ousting the previous elected leadership which was backed by the West.

The Foreign Ministers' meeting on the Afghan issue is taking place at the invitation of Pakistan.

The meeting will review the evolving situation in to address common challenges and realise emerging opportunities to ensure regional stability and prosperity, the FO said.

The moot is expected to provide an opportunity to neighbours of to work together for a shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic linkages and realize connectivity agenda.

The meeting will build upon the discussions, held at the Special Representatives/Envoys level, on September 5.

The neighbours of Afghanistan have a vital stake in the stability of the country. A peaceful, stable, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan will contribute towards transit trade, people-to-people exchanges and security in the region.

The meeting is being held a day after the announced an interim government for Afghanistan. The meeting may also discuss the issue of recognising the new government.

(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 powerful struck southwestern Mexico near the beach resort of Acapulco on Tuesday night, killing at least one man who was crushed by a falling post, and causing rock falls and damaging buildings, authorities said.

The 7.0 magnitude quake, which hit 11 miles (17.7 km) northeast of Acapulco in Guerrero state, shook the hillsides around the city, downing trees and pitching large boulders onto roads.

State governor Hector Astudillo told local television that a man was killed by a falling post in Coyuca de Benitez, a small town just west of Acapulco. He and other authorities had earlier said there were no reports of major damage from the quake, which caused power outages in several states.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the temblor had not caused major damages in Guerrero, the neighboring region of Oaxaca, Mexico City and elsewhere.

Acapulco is roughly 230 miles from Mexico City.

In the central Roma Sur neighborhood of Mexico City, lights went off and scared residents rushed out, some wearing little more than pajamas, a Reuters witness said. Residents huddled together in the rain, holding young children or pets.

"It was terrible. It really reminds me of the 1985 quake every time something like this happens," said Yesmin Rizk, a 70-year-old Roma Sur resident.

A massive that struck the Mexican capital in 1985 killed thousands of people.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake, initially measured at a magnitude of 7.4 and later downgraded to 7.0, was relatively shallow, only 12 miles below the surface, which would have amplified the shaking effect.

Mexican state power utility the Comision Federal de Electricidad said in a statement 1.6 million users had been affected by the quake in Mexico City, the adjacent State of Mexico, and the states of Guerrero, Morelos and Oaxaca.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a country that regularly censors opposing viewpoints, Chinese President Xi Jinpings push for common prosperity has triggered something unusual: A spirited public policy debate.

On the one side are those sharing the views of blogger Li Guangman, whose commentary last month calling Xis regulatory crackdown a profound revolution was published widely by major state-run media outlets. It proclaimed the capital market will no longer become a paradise for capitalists to get rich overnight and all those who block this people-centered change will be discarded.

Countering that argument are those like Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the nationalistic Global Times newspaper, who rebutted Lis piece by saying the planned changes were a result of unified policies from top leaders. The goal, he said, was gradual social progress rather than a sweeping campaign that amounted to some sort of second Cultural Revolution.

The competing viewpoints in Chinas tightly controlled media space--in which journalists are regularly locked up--points to internal confusion over just how far Xi plans to go in reining in disorderly capital expansion. The result has been a series of seemingly conflicting statements that are giving investors whiplash as listed companies in China see their value collectively drop by trillions of dollars.

Any discord in Chinese officialdom raises questions about a power struggle, particularly given its all happening ahead of a twice-a-decade leadership reshuffle at which Xi is expected to be granted another five years in power. Yet more fundamentally, it represents uncertainty over how China can balance two key goals: Creating more balanced growth to bolster the partys support among the masses, and spurring the technological breakthroughs needed to outpace the U.S. as global tensions rise.





ALSO READ: Xi Jinping clears action on everything, from monopolies to pollution

Victor Gao, an interpreter for Deng Xiaoping--the former Chinese leader who ushered in market-based policies in the 1980s that unleashed the countrys economic potential--called the debate over common prosperity highly sensitive and warned that messages made from top leaders could be exaggerated as they filtered through Chinas sprawling bureaucracy.

We need to guard against the danger of overplay of this campaign of common prosperity, Gao told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday, adding that it could stifle business and hurt Chinas competitiveness. I personally do not want to see a situation where, for example, the pursuit of common prosperity will hurt innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, because that is exactly what China needs now as well as in the years to come.

Over the past few weeks, more top Chinese officials have sought to reassure businesses that they arent sweeping away the private sector. Vice Premier Liu He, Xis top economic aide who led Chinas trade talks with the U.S., on Monday said policies supporting the private economy havent changed and will not change in the future. On Wednesday, the Peoples Daily -- the mouthpiece of the Communist Party -- ran a front-page editorial with the same message.

Opening to the outside world is Chinas basic national policy, and it will not waver at any time, the editorial said, adding that there was equal emphasis on both hands in terms of regulating industries and promoting development.

But its easy to see why people are confused. What started last year as a push to rein in Big Tech monopolies has since expanded across a wave of industries, culminating in a July move to ban tutoring companies from making a profit. Following measures to tackle health-care costs, labor conditions for wage earners and tax evasion among wealthy individuals, Xi last week reviewed and approved more actions to fight monopolies, battle pollution and shore up strategic reserves.

Complicating matters is the governments push to reshape the countrys youth. China imposed limits on the number of hours kids can play video games, and Xi on Sept. 1 told young cadres in a speech that good Communists will never be spineless cowards. Two days later Chinas broadcasting regulator moved to ban film starts with incorrect politics, cap salaries and rein in fan culture -- particularly sissy and other distorted aesthetics.

Worshiping Western culture

In his profound revolution commentary, Li noted that the cultural market will no longer be a paradise for sissy stars, and news and public opinion will no longer be in a position worshiping Western culture. The language prompted some commentators to compare the piece to the first dazibao -- or big-character poster -- that sparked the Cultural Revolution under Mao Zedong, which led to mass killings and economic destruction that lasted for a decade until his death in 1976.

Lis article likely caught the attention of mid-level, left-leaning officials who ordered it to be carried by the websites of major outlets including the Peoples Daily, Xinhua News Agency and CCTV, said Feng Chucheng, a partner at research firm Plenum in Beijing. But, he added, Hu likely issued the rebuttal when leaders realized it was being misinterpreted as the return of the Cultural Revolution.

The entire bureaucracy is fragmented and most people within it dont get the full picture, Feng said. So when it comes to sudden policy announcements by the top leader such as common prosperity, there is indeed a lot of betting and guessing going around.

Lack of clarity

When Hus piece was published, a Chinese official based in Hong Kong shared the link with Bloomberg News and encouraged it to be circulated broadly, saying his interpretation of events in China was closest to the power center. 

Ambiguous messaging can also bring benefits. Chinese tech giants have been falling over themselves to donate large sums of money to assist with the campaign of common prosperity, while other companies are taking preemptive action to avoid the governments wrath.

It is this mentality of experimentalism, said Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China. More clarity will come out over time, but right now I dont think the central government wants to have a clear definition of it.



ALSO READ: Xi Jinping's political ideology to become part of curriculum in China

But a lack of clarity also entails risk. One article posted by a liberal Chinese economist, who warned excessive government intervention would lead to common poverty, is no longer available online.

The timing could be related to key Communist Party meetings -- one in November and next years party congress -- in which Xi would like an affirmation of his policies and more time in power, according to Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies.

The disagreement is among the leftists on how far and how fast the party should go in the leftist direction, and if the leftist turn is good or bad for China, he said. I see elements of resistance and discomfort but not organized opposition.

(With assistance from Kari Lindberg and David Ingles)
HONG KONG (Reuters) - The U.S. (SEC) has threatened to sue Coinbase Global Inc if the crypto exchange goes ahead with plans to launch a programme allowing users to earn interest by lending crypto assets, Coinbase said on Wednesday.

The SEC has issued Coinbase with a Wells notice, an official way it tells a company that it intends to sue the company in court, Paul Grewal, the company's chief legal officer said in a blog post. He said Coinbase would delay the launch of its 'Lend' product until at least October as a result.

Programmes that allow owners of cryptocurrencies to lend these in return for interest are becoming more common around the world, but some regulators, particularly in the United States have started to raise concerns, arguing that such products should comply with existing securities laws.

The U.S. state of New Jersey ordered the platform BlockFi Inc https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/new-jersey-orders-blockfi-cryptocurrency-firm-stop-offering-interest-bearing-2021-07-20 in July to stop offering interest-bearing accounts that have raised $14.7 billion from investors.

Grewal said in his blog that the SEC's concerns about Coinbase's 'Lend' were related to the fact that the regulator believed the product involved a security. Grewal said Coinbase felt that this was not the case.

The SEC did not respond to an emailed request for comment outside office hours.

(Reporting by Alun John in Hong Kong and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)

(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 Delaware judge ruled on Tuesday that Boeing's board of directors must face a lawsuit from shareholders over two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn ruled stockholders may pursue some claims against the board, but dismissed others.

Zurn's ruling in the Court of Chancery said the first of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes was a "red flag" about a key safety system known as MCAS "that the board should have heeded but instead ignored."

said late Tuesday it was "disappointed in the court's decision to allow the plaintiffs' case to proceed past this preliminary stage of litigation. We will review the opinion closely over the coming days as we consider next steps."

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted a flight ban https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-737max-idUSKBN27Y0FU on the 737 MAX in November after a 20-month review following the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. In January, was charged by the Justice Department https://www.reuters.com/article/boeing-737max-justice-int-idUSKBN29D07Q with 737 MAX fraud conspiracy and agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement and settlement worth more than $2.5 billion.

Zurn's ruling found some evidence submitted by Boeing supported the shareholders' allegations. "That the board knowingly fell short is also evident in the board's public crowing about taking specific actions to monitor safety that it did not actually perform," the ruling said.

In a lengthy summary of the shareholder's case, Zurn said the board "publicly lied about if and how it monitored the 737 MAX's safety."

The opinion also cited comments by Dave Calhoun, then lead Boeing director, who became Boeing chief executive in January 2020 after the board ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg.

It cited Calhoun's comments that "the board had been 'notified immediately, as a board broadly,' after the Lion Air crash and met 'very, very quickly' thereafter."

It added that after the second crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX in March 2019, Calhoun represented that the board met within 24 hours of the crash to discuss potentially grounding the 737 MAX.

"Each of Calhoun's representations was false," Zurn's ruling said.

The crashes have cost Boeing some $20 billion.

Brian Quinn, a professor at Boston College Law School, said the ruling clears the way for additional discovery and potentially a trial, although he considered that very unlikely.

"Right now everything is lining up where the board of directors are telling their attorneys I don't want to go to trial. You need to pay them whatever it costs and I cannot as a director admit liability," he said.

In that scenario, the directors' insurance would likely pay any settlement, he said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Richard Pullin)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By David Shepardson and Tom Hals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Delaware judge ruled on Tuesday that Boeing's board of directors must face a lawsuit from shareholders over two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn ruled stockholders may pursue some claims against the board, but dismissed others.

Zurn's ruling in the Court of Chancery said the first of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes was a "red flag" about a key safety system known as MCAS "that the board should have heeded but instead ignored."

did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted a flight ban https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-737max-idUSKBN27Y0FU on the 737 MAX in November after a 20-month review following the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. In January, was charged by the Justice Department https://www.reuters.com/article/boeing-737max-justice-int-idUSKBN29D07Q with 737 MAX fraud conspiracy and agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement and settlement worth more than $2.5 billion.

Zurn's ruling found some evidence submitted by Boeing supported the shareholders' allegations. "That the board knowingly fell short is also evident in the board's public crowing about taking specific actions to monitor safety that it did not actually perform," the ruling said.

In a lengthy summary of the shareholder's case, Zurn said the board "publicly lied about if and how it monitored the 737 MAX's safety."

The opinion also cited comments by Dave Calhoun, then lead Boeing director, who became Boeing chief executive in January 2020 after the board ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg.

It cited Calhoun's comments that "the board had been 'notified immediately, as a board broadly,' after the Lion Air crash and met 'very, very quickly' thereafter."

It added that after the second crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX in March 2019, Calhoun represented that the board met within 24 hours of the crash to discuss potentially grounding the 737 MAX.

"Each of Calhoun's representations was false," Zurn's ruling said.

The crashes have cost Boeing some $20 billion.

Brian Quinn, a professor at Boston College Law School, said the ruling clears the way for additional discovery and potentially a trial, although he considered that very unlikely.

"Right now everything is lining up where the board of directors are telling their attorneys I don't want to go to trial. You need to pay them whatever it costs and I cannot as a director admit liability," he said.

In that scenario, the directors' insurance would likely pay any settlement, he said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Richard Pullin)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Wednesday said the new interim administration announced by the has put an end to "anarchy" in Afghanistan, terming it as a necessary step to restore order, even as it reiterated its stand that the Afghan militant group should form a broad-based political structure and follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies.

The on Tuesday unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the insurgent group, including a specially designated global terrorist of the dreaded Haqqani Network as the interior minister.

We pay attention to the formation of the government, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here, responding to a question on the interim government announced by the in Kabul.

This has put an end to the anarchy in after over three weeks and the necessary step for to restore domestic order and pursue the post war reconstruction," he said.

We noticed that the Afghan Taliban said that the interim government has formed to restore social and economic order as soon as possible, he said.

Wang, however, reiterated China's stand that the Taliban should establish a broad based and inclusive political structure.

We hope will establish a broadly based, inclusive political structure, follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces and live in good terms with other countries, especially its neighbours, he said.

Asked whether would recognise the new administration considering that Beijing has been calling for an open and inclusive government, Wang said the Chinese embassy is still operating in Afghanistan.

We are ready to maintain communication with the new government in Afghanistan and leaders, he said.

We hope the new Afghan administration in the capacity of interim government will broadly solicit the opinions of all ethnic groups and factions and echo the expectations of Afghan people and aspiration of the community, he said, adding that has noted the Taliban's comment that all people will benefit from the new administration.

China, along with Pakistan and Russia, has kept its embassy open in Kabul and its envoy has met the top officials of Taliban after its seized power last month.

A Taliban delegation headed by its senior leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar had visited China in July this year and held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

(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.)
Toshibas board is yet to reach a decision on whether the troubled conglomerate should pursue going private, as talks with investors on the companys strategic direction continue.

The board has not yet decided on the most appropriate course of action and is continuing to explore feasible strategic alternatives, said Wednesday. Its panel exploring strategic alternatives has been engaged in active dialogue with potential investors, but there are multiple issues related to a potential privatization to be resolved, the company said.

started weighing options including privatization in May after weeks of takeover discussions sparked by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners $21 billion acquisition bid. Investors including 3D Investment Partners have pressured the Japanese energy-to-electronics conglomerate to conduct a full strategic review and explore any serious interest in the company to rebuild shareholder trust. Shares of were little changed in early afternoon trading in Tokyo. They have advanced about 5 per cent since the company kicked off the review, saying that it had appointed UBS as financial adviser and that it would consider potential offers.
UN chief on Wednesday called on the community to use all tools at its disposal to counter the global threat in and support the establishment of an inclusive government in the war-torn country, a day after the Taliban announced an interim government dominated by the top leaders of the insurgent group.

must never again be used as a platform or safe haven for organisations to threaten or attack any country. I appeal to the Security Council and the community as a whole to speak with one voice, act together and use all tools at its disposal to counter the global threat in Afghanistan, ensure that fundamental human rights are respected and support the establishment of an inclusive government, Guterres said in a report issued here on the situation in and its implications for peace and security.

He said that the world is watching the situation in Afghanistan with a very heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead.

The world is following events in Afghanistan with a heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead. Scenes of chaos, unrest, uncertainty and fear have caused alarm, as well as trepidation for what lies in the balance in terms of the hope, progress and the dreams of a generation of young Afghan women and girls, boys and men, Guterres said.

The UN chief said Afghanistan must never again be used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organisations to threaten or attack any country.

In his report, Guterres said the UN has recorded 88 attacks carried out by ISIL-K between May-August in 2021, a significant increase from the same period last year and the group has increasingly sought to challenge the Taliban.

Between May 16 and August 18, the United Nations recorded 88 attacks, compared with 15 during the same period in 2020. The movement targeted civilians in urban areas using asymmetric tactics, Guterres said.

Not all claims were verified amid controversy over the extent to which ISIL-K claimed attacks carried out by other groups or in coordination with it. The movement also issued an editorial on 17 June announcing plans to escalate attacks and in recent weeks had increasingly sought to challenge the Taliban as it asserted control across Afghanistan, Guterres added in the report.

Guterres also strongly condemned the horrific terrorist attack perpetrated on August 26 near Kabul airport, which underscored the volatility of the situation.

The Security Council is scheduled to discuss the report on September 9 and will also hear from the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons, just two days after the Taliban announced a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund.

Akhund, like some other ministers in the government, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, are listed under the UN's Taliban Sanctions Committee.

On regional cooperation, the report said the then Foreign Affairs Minister of Afghanistan Mohammad Haneef Atmar held talks with the foreign ministers of China, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to advocate for a negotiated political settlement and an end to violence.

In the report, Guterres also said that human rights defenders and media workers continued to be targeted and notes the killing of an international photojournalist in Kandahar Province, a reference to Danish Siddiqui, the Pulitzer Prize winning Indian photo-journalist who worked for Reuters news agency and was killed in Afghanistan.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Americans trying to evacuate hundreds of Afghans and American citizens - including one Afghan who worked as a US military translator and says he is anticipating his beheading by the - pleaded for action from the Biden administration to get the would-be evacuees aboard charter flights that are standing by to fly them from

Unfortunately we are left behind now," the former translator said quietly in the pre-dawn darkness Wednesday in No one heard our voice.

The man, whose identity The Associated Press withheld for his security, said he was running out of money to keep his family housed in a hotel in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, after waiting a week for permission for the chartered evacuation flights to leave the airport there.

US Army veterans working to help the man, an interpreter for US forces for 15 years, called the effort more grinding than their months of deployment in They tried and failed to get their old interpreter on the earlier airlifts that ended with the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan Aug. 30.

"I hope we can help them out, and get them out of this mess, said a retired Army colonel, Thomas McGrath, one of the veterans trying to help his former interpreter.

Hundreds of vulnerable Afghans are waiting for permission from Afghanistan's rulers to board prearranged charter flights standing by at the airport in Mazar-e-Sharif.

The group includes dozens of American citizens and green card holders and their families, the Afghans and their American advocates say.

We think we are in some kind of jail, said one Afghan woman among the would-be evacuees gathered at one large hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif.

She described the Americans and green-card holders in their group as elderly parents of Afghan-American citizens in the United States.

Taliban leaders, who named a new Cabinet Tuesday in the wake of their lightning takeover of most of the country last month, say they will allow people with proper documents to leave the country. Taliban officials insist they are currently going through the manifests, and passenger documents, for the charter flights at Mazar-e-Sharif.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday the US was working with the Taliban to resolve the standoff over the charter flights.

He rejected an assertion from a Republican lawmaker, Rep Michael McCaul of Texas, over the weekend that the standoff at Mazar-e-Sharif was turning into a hostage situation for American citizens in the group.

We've been assured all American citizens and Afghan citizens with valid travel documents will be allowed to leave, Blinken said in Doha, Qatar, a major transit point for last month's frantic U.S. military-led evacuations from Afghanistan.

Later Tuesday, 12 Democratic lawmakers added to the pressure for evacuees, in a letter urging the administration to disclose its plans for getting out all of the hundreds of at-risk people remaining in Afghanistan, and not just American citizens.

Our staff have been working around the clock responding to urgent pleas from constituents whose families and colleagues are seeking to flee Afghanistan, and they urgently require timely, post-withdrawal guidance to best assist those in need, Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Gerald Connolly and nine other lawmakers from President Joe Biden's party wrote.

Blinken, in Doha, said the Taliban had told US officials that the problem in Mazar-e-Sharif was that passengers with valid travel documents were mixed in with those without the right travel papers.

The Afghan woman contacted at the hotel - an employee of a US-based nonprofit, Ascend, that works with Afghan women and girls - also spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity for her security. She said those in her group have proper passports and visas, but the Taliban are blocking them from entering the airport.

Like the interpreter, she said she has been waiting for eight days.

At one point last week, alarm spread through the women's side of her hotel in the city when warnings came that the Taliban were searching the would-be evacuees on the men's side, and had taken some away.

I am scared if they split us and not let us leave, she said. If we can't get out of here, something wrong will happen. And I am afraid of that.

The former US military interpreter, at the hotel with his family of eight children and wife, said he would expect beheading by the Taliban given his work with the U.S. military, and based on what rights groups say are past Taliban attacks on Afghan civilians who have worked with U.S. forces.

They'll probably kill him, McGrath agreed, expressing fear for the man's children as well.

The interpreter had always told his American comrades that he believed his work with them was in service of his own country, the retired colonel said. He put a lot on the line by lining up with us, McGrath said.

An array of Americans -- many of them with some past experience in Afghanistan, or other ties -- have been working for weeks to try to help evacuate at-risk Afghans. Much of that effort is focused now on the planes in Mazar-e-Sharif.

(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.)
Ashish Kehair will replace Nitin Jain who is departing the organization after a transition period to pursue entrepreneurial interests.

In this role, Ashish will lead the strategic initiatives and business operations for Edelweiss Wealth Management (EWM), reporting to the board of directors. The appointment is subject to regulatory approvals.

Ashish Kehair has served as head of the EWM wealth management division since 2017. In that role, he has been responsible for expanding assets under advisory since joining. He has previously held executive positions with IDFC Bank and ICICI Securities.

Ashish is supported with a strong core leadership team comprising of Alok Saigal, Anshu Kapoor, Rahul Jain, Riyaz Marfatia, Shiv Sehgal and Varun Bajpai, each of whom brings rich and diverse industry experience and have been part of co-creating the EWM business.

EWM reported Revenues of Rs 1,043 crore and Profit after Tax of Rs 245 crore for FY21.

PAG, one of the world's largest Asia-focused investment groups has recently made a strategic investment in EWM, for a stake of about 61.5%. Edelweiss continues to hold approximately 38.5% stake in EWM with the option to increase it further to up to 44%.

On a consolidated basis, the company reported a net profit of Rs 18.09 crore in Q1 FY22 as compared to net loss of Rs 245.08 crore in Q1 FY21. Total income declined 13% to Rs 1,670.44 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

The Edelweiss Group is a diversified financial services companies, providing a broad range of financial products and services. Its businesses include asset management, NBFC, housing finance, asset reconstruction, wealth management, life insurance, general insurance and insurance broking.

Shares of Edelweiss Financial Services spurted 4.40% to Rs 83.10.

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Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) sold 2,07,878 equity shares, or 2.154% stake, of ICRA from 21 November 2007 to 6 September 2021.

Post transaction, LIC has reduced its stake in ICRA to 5.811% from 7.965% held earlier. The deal was executed as market sale.

ICRA's consolidated net profit surged 42.8% to Rs 24.34 crore on a 14.7% surge in net sales to Rs 79.87 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

ICRA is an independent and professional investment Information and credit rating agency. The company operates through four segments - rating, research and other services; consulting services; outsourced and information services, and professional and I.T. services.

Shares of ICRA rose 1.01% to Rs 3,586.65 on BSE.

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Ahead of the scheduled state assembly elections next year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed Union Education Minister as the election in-charge for the state.

Union Ministers Anurag Singh Thakur, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Shobha Karandlaje, and Annpurna Devi, MPs Saroj Pandey and Vivek Thakur have been appointed as the election co-in charge of the UP polls.

Further, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi has been appointed in charge of Uttarakhand for the upcoming Assembly election in 2022 and MP Locket Chatterjee has been appointed as a co-in charge for the polls.

For the assembly polls scheduled in Punjab, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been appointed as the election in-charge for the state, while Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Meenakshi Lekhi has been appointed as co-in charges.

Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav has been given charge of the upcoming assembly elections in Manipur.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik and Assam Minister Ashok Singhal have been appointed as the co-in charges for the same.

Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, and Punjab Assembly elections are scheduled to take place next year.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gearing up for the upcoming state assembly polls, the on Wednesday announced its organisational spearheads for the elections, naming Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Pralhad Joshi, and Bhupender Yadav in charge for the contest in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur respectively.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has been given the charge of the Goa polls.

The party also drafted in a number of Union ministers and other leaders to assist them in the campaign, with Anurag Singh Thakur, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Shobha Karandlaje and Annpurna Devi Yadav along with Saroj Pandey, Vivek Thakur and Captain Abhimanyu made co-incharges for the polls in Uttar Pradesh, a statement said.

The focus on the all-important Uttar Pradesh polls was apparent in the announcement made by the as it also appointed organisational in-charges for its six regions.

MP Sanjay Bhatia, Bihar MLA Sanjiv Chaurasia, secretaries Y Satya Kumar and Arvind Menon, UP leader Sunil Ojha and the party's co-treasurer Sudhir Gupta will head the western Uttar Pradesh, Braj, Awadh, Gorakhpur, Kashi and Kanpur regions respectively.

Leaders like Pradhan, an Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader from Odisha, and Yadav, also from OBC category, are veterans of many state poll campaigns and have been involved in their election strategy often. West Bengal MP Locket Chatterjee and party spokesperson R P Singh are co-incharges for the Uttarakhand polls. Fadnavis will be assisted by Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Darshana Jardosh.

Union minister Pratima Bhoumik and Assam government minister Ashok Singhal will be co-incharges for the Manipur polls, the party statement said. Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Meenakshi Lekhi have been named co-incharges for the Punjab polls along with MP Vinod Chavda.

The BJP is at the receiving end of the farmers' protests against three farm laws in Punjab, a state which is seen as the most affected by the stir.

The saffron party has been pulling out all the stops to emerge as a strong force in Punjab which is set for a multi-cornered contest among the ruling Congress, AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal-BSP alliance and the BJP.

The party is in power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur and has deployed its well-oiled election machinery to retain power there.

While its main challengers in Uttar Pradesh are Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party with the Congress trying hard to shore up its base, the BJP is in direct contest with the Congress in Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Regional parties also play an important role in Goa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister MK Stalin tabled an anti-CAA resolution in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday urging the central government to repeal the act.

Stalin said in the Assembly, "This August House considers that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in the year 2019 is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India."

"Therefore, to protect and ensure the unity and communal harmony in this country and to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, this August House resolves to urge the Union Government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019," he added.

The CAA allows persecuted minorities belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to avail of Indian citizenship.

The Opposition parties and several groups have protested against the implementation of CAA. CAA's detractors believe that the law coupled with the Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is intended to target the minorities in India.

(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.)
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 8 (ANI/NewsVoir): Bajaj Finserv, through its lending arm Bajaj Finance Limited, offers pre-approved loans to help customers access personal financing in an expedited manner. This Bajaj Finserv Personal Loan can be availed of digitally in just a few steps. With it, customers can borrow money online through a paperless process and address both planned and urgent expenses stress-free.

Thanks to advancements in finance, offerings such as pre-approved loans are easily accessible to customers. These instruments simplify access to funds as customers no longer have to engage in age-old loan processing procedures. Since the loan is pre-approved, the offer is predetermined, based on the customer's profile.

This facility also eliminates the need to fill an offline or online loan application form. Existing customers of Bajaj Finserv need only to check their (https://www.bajajfinserv.in/pre-approved-personal-loan-offer) pre-approved loan offer and authorise online disbursal. To access pre-approved funding, all customers must meet the minimum criteria, which are as follows.

* Applicants must be citizens of India and be between 20 and 60 years of age

* Applicants must have a steady income

* Applicants must meet the city-specific income requirement

* Applicants must have a CIBIL score of 750 or higher

Applicants new to Bajaj Finserv are only required to upload their basic documentation to get the funds they need.

How to avail of a pre-approved loan from Bajaj Finserv instantly

1. Visit the application form on the Bajaj Finserv website

2. Log in by entering the OTP sent to the user's phone number

3. Check the pre-approved loan offer set aside

4. Verify loan details and pick a suitable tenor

5. Check the entered details and complete the online process

On completing these quick and easy steps, customers can borrow money online with ease.

Features of the Bajaj Finserv Personal Loan

In addition to quick access to funds, customers get access to other features, including the following.

* High-value sanction

Customers can borrow funds up to Rs. 25 lakh. This amount is based on the borrower's financial and credit profile.

* Restriction-free usage

The loan amount can be used to fund any expense, be it home renovation, debt consolidation, or other big-ticket expenses. Customers can also use the funds to host a wedding, address medical emergencies, or pay for their child's education.

* Quick disbursal

Customers can have the entire pre-approved loan disbursed to their accounts in just 24 hours* of applying. This helps customers get the funds for urgent needs with ease.

* Flexible repayment options

Customers can repay their Bajaj Finserv Personal Loan over a tenor of up to 60 months. This flexibility helps ensure that EMIs are never a burden.

* Zero hidden charges

The pre-approved loan has no hidden costs. Bajaj Finserv offers complete transparency with all loan proceedings, terms, and conditions.

The pre-approved personal loan eliminates lengthy and time-consuming loan processing protocols. With this provision, customers aren't even required to fill an online loan application form to get the funds they need. In just a few clicks, the entire process can be completed digitally and in a hassle-free manner. The Bajaj Finserv Personal Loan is a feature-rich instrument, and borrowers can rely on it for quick funds, even during an emergency.

*Terms and Conditions apply.

Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending company of the Bajaj Finserv group, is one of the most diversified NBFCs in the Indian market, catering to more than 44 million customers across the country. Headquartered in Pune, the company's product offering includes Consumer Durable Loans, Lifestyle Finance, Lifecare Finance, Digital Product Finance, Personal Loans, Loan against Property, Small Business Loans, Home loans, Credit Cards, Two-wheeler and Three-wheeler Loans, Commercial lending/SME Loans, Loan against Securities and Rural Finance which includes Gold Loans and Vehicle Refinancing Loans along with Fixed Deposits.

Bajaj Finance Limited prides itself on holding the highest credit rating of FAAA/Stable for any NBFC in the country today. It is also the only NBFC in India with the international 'BBB' with a stable outlook for the long term, by S & P Global Rating.

To know more, please visit: (https://www.bajajfinserv.in)

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New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI/SRV Media): The KBJ Group, a conglomerate firm led by serial entrepreneur Mohit Bharatiya aka Mohit Kamboj is now extending a business division into farming. This move is driven by the passion Mohit Bharatiya has for his nation and the farming culture that has been the backbone of our country.

Revolutionizing and refueling farming is at the core of this movement by the (https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/kbj-group-has-come-a-long-way-founder-mohit-kamboj-on-kbjs-growth-story-from-varanasi-to-mumbai20210625174523) KBJ Group. That core is supported by three strong pillars i.e. modern technology, quality output, and scalability. Mohit Bharatiya has acquired 570 acres of land in Solapur, Maharashtra to transform KBJ Groups' vision into reality.

Initially, the plan is to grow Onion and Soyabean during phase-1. Mohit Bharatiya to acquire the resources that are necessary to reap high-quality output. The KBJ group aims to develop an end-to-end agricultural ecosystem that includes warehousing and processing units.

On the initiative, Mohit Bharatiya says, 'This initiative by the KBJ Group is not only going to facilitate farmers with advanced technology to cultivate the best quality output but also generate employment for thousands of labourers who belong to numerous villages in and around Solapur. Furthermore, not only will these labourers get employment, but they'll also be trained by the KBJ Group which will boost the efficiency of the whole process while ensuring optimum utilization of resources. The entire initiative is designed to refuel the culture of farming in India.'

Farming and agriculture is the primary source of income for more than 58% of Indians, making the agricultural sector one of the most important pillars of the Indian economy. But lately, there have been multiple situations that compel us to ask one question, are farmers reaping the benefits they sow? Some do, some don't. The KBJ group aims to change this narrative by entering the agricultural sector themselves, not just investing in it but actively taking part in agriculture.

The Indian agricultural sector is expected to grow at a steady pace thanks to initiatives like the one taken by the KBJ Group. The development of agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, warehousing, etc. is a key factor that fuels the initiative that's designed to help improve the yield for Indian farmers.

Janmashtami marks the beginning of a new era for the KBJ Group. Jitendra Kapoor, CEO,(https://www.kbjfarming.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> KBJ Farming says, ' while talking about the significance of this movement, "Today is Janmashtami and Lord Krishna has always blessed us with an abundance of resources to survive and grow. We wish to follow in those footsteps and make KBJ Farming a movement that changes the Indian Farming Culture for the better."

(https://www.livemint.com/brand-post/mohit-kamboj-to-mohit-bharatiya-a-change-of-surname-a-change-of-mindset-11630411719553.html) Mohit Bharatiya AKA Mohit Kambojs' love for his motherland reflects through initiatives like these and such movements are what make him a Bharatiya in its truest sense.

Find Us on:

Linkedin: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/kbjfarming/)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/kbj_farming)

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/kbj_farming/)

Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/KBJ-Farming-104585735247107)

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New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI/SRV Media): Super Sarvottam Rice Bran oil is the only Rice Bran oil brand from Chhattisgarh which has a pan India presence today. And is now available on the biggest retail outlets in the country, Super Sarvottam Rice Bran oil has always been regarded as a budget-friendly buy due to the nominal price it is pegged at.

It is now available in Reliance, Walmart, DMart, Metro Cash & Carry, along with the online presence on the e-commerce giants such as Jio Mart, BigBasket, or Flipkart, Super Sarvottam Rice Bran oil is stocked to capacity.

Super Sarvottam Rice Bran is an edible oil that is running under the parent company, PBS Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd. The brand has always laid its eyes on attaining robustness through the manufacturing facility that has earned the coveted feat of manufacturing 125 tons of rice bran oil every day. The seamlessness and value that the equipment and people add to the company's process are noteworthy.

Starting way back in 1987 with an outlook to build legacies, PBS Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd. has catered to the need for quality edible oil with utmost precision and high standards. Super Sarvottam, has become a household name today due to the purity, consistency, taste, and of course, customer loyalty of more than three decades. The brand claims to deliver a standout experience to people who put taste, health, and fitness on the same page.

Rice Bran Oil in today's life and lifestyle has made staggering inroads due to its nutritional benefits like high proportions of heart-healthy unsaturated fat. Not only does it promote heart health, but it also suppresses several enzymes that are the root cause of inflammation. Especially during the tough pandemic times, one must improve the body's immune response which is the first line of defense against viruses, and Rice Bran oil may act as a source that roots out the vulnerability.

Chhattisgarh has been regarded as the rice bowl of the country, and the fact that we are based out of here gives us the green channel to the most quality led rice bran that manufacturers long to have. The purity of rice bran tagged with the impeccable know-how of the technology has indeed given PBS Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd. through its brand Super Sarvottam a platform from where the only way to move is upward.

Website-(https://www.pbsoil.com) | SocialMedia (https://www.facebook.com/foractivelife)

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Whats new: UBS named Warren Wu head of technology, media and telecommunications for Southeast Asia and India effective immediately, according to an internal memo.

The appointment is part of the global banks strategy of focusing on new-economy industries. Wu will report to Nicolo Magni, head of global banking for Southeast Asia and India, according to the memo reviewed by Caixin.

Southeast Asia is a key focus of UBSs strategy in the Asia Pacific region and globally, Gaetano Bassolino, head of UBS global investment banking in Asia Pacific, said in the memo. Wus appointment is another important step in the banks expansion into Southeast Asia and will further strengthen its position in the local technology, media and telecom market, the memo said.

Before Wu joined UBS in 2018, he worked for JPMorgan and Credit Suisse, specializing in the tech sector.

The background: UBS has actively participated in investment banking in Southeast Asia. It was the global co-coordinator of Indonesias first tech unicorn initial public offering. Shares of PT Bukalapak.com, the countrys fourth-largest e-commerce company, soared 25% on their market debut Aug. 6.

The share sale also demonstrated that Southeast Asia technology companies can achieve a premium valuation for growth with significant demand, UBSs Magni said at the time.

Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)

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St. Johnsbury, VT (05819)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain this evening...then scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Mazda may have been giving its CX-5 compact SUV continuous updates every year be it in the form of new colors , more advanced features , or ...
North Carolinas two U.S. senators have urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend beyond Sept. 13 the public comment period on a proposal to designate hundreds of thousands of acres, including all of Carteret Countys ocean beaches, as "critical habitat" for the rufa red knot, seen here. (Peter Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer photo)
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Carroll, IA (51401)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 61F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Rizvi, The Nationals education reporter since 2018, previously covered health for the paper. She has also written and reported for outlets in the United Kingdom and India.

Bhangu worked for BBC TV News for a decade and has worked as a freelance journalist, presenter, and reporter during her residence in the past eight years in the UAE. During her fellowship year, Bhangu plans to focus on the role that culture plays in mental health and within diverse UAE communities.

Fellow recipients Amandeep Bhangu and Anam Rizvi will join an international cohort of journalists who have been awarded fellowships over the past 25 years. Since 1996, the Center has awarded one-year fellowships to more than 220 journalists, connecting them with resources and experts to increase the quality and accuracy of mental health reporting around the world. The program is currently in the United States, Latin America, Qatar, the UAE, and was previously in New Zealand, South Africa, and Romania.

ATLANTA (Sept. 8, 2021) As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces two new fellows for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the UAE.

Amandeep Bhangu left, and Anam Rizvi, right, are new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism.

This month, the pair will join the UAE program of the year-long, non-residential fellowship, which aims to increase and improve the quality of mental health reporting in the media.

During their time as fellows, both journalists will be assisted by a local advisory board in the UAE and receive intensive training from experts and mentors in the U.S. to help them accurately report on mental health.

These fellows reshape how media in the Middle East covers one of the most significant, misunderstood public health problems. Like the fellows before them, they will likely impact their colleagues and newsrooms, and become the point person in their field on mental health issues, said former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

The Carter Center provides training, educational materials, mentorship, evaluation tools, and technical assistance to develop a sustainable and tailored program in the UAE. The National manages the program in the UAE and is responsible for the selection of journalists and the adaptation of the program to meet the needs of the population.

Applications for the 2022-23 UAE cohort of Rosalynn Carter Fellows for Mental Health Journalism will open in February 2022. Learn more details and how to apply here: http://bit.ly/39KE9FD.

Fellows will be assisted by a local advisory board in the UAE and experts and mentors in the U.S.

Since Rosalynn Carter established the Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in 1996, fellows have produced more than 1500 stories, documentaries, books, and other works during and after their fellowship year. Their projects have garnered Emmy Awards, nominations for the Pulitzer Prize, and other awards. See mentalhealthjournalism.org and follow @CarterFellows on Twitter for more information about the fellows and tips on mental health journalism.

Contact: In Atlanta, Rennie Sloan, rennie.sloan@cartercenter.org

Contact for fellowship questions: carterfellows@cartercenter.org

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.
In early 2020, we reported that an intriguing new animation event, West Lake International Animation Festival (IAF), would soon launch in China. It was a false start: like much of the festival circuit, IAFs first edition was cancelled due to Covid. Now, a year and a half late, the festival is back on track.

The inaugural IAF is due to be held in Hangzhou in November. The structure and ethos of the festival, which is hosted by the China Academy of Art, are broadly unchanged from last year. While animation festivals in China often privilege spectacle over screenings, this one emphasizes the art of animation. It comes with an esteemed curatorial team and signs of ambitious programming.

Liu Jian, the acclaimed director of indie feature Have a Nice Day, was previously announced as the festivals artistic director, but is now described as one of its main curators. Among the experts assisting with the event is Gerben Schermer, the former director of the now-defunct Holland Animation Film Festival.
Photo: CTV News

Provincial health officials in British Columbia are sending a strong message to family physicians, specialists and surgeons in B.C.

CTV News Vancouver is reporting that a stern letter was sent urging medical profession to resume in-person appointments or the government may reassess how they compensate doctors for virtual visits.

The letter was sent Friday by Dr. Bonnie Henry, assistant deputy health minister Ted Patterson and College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C registrar and CEO Heidi Oetter.

The letter urges doctors to resume seeing patients in-person rather than virtually.

Potential drawbacks of providing only virtual care could result in unnecessary emergency room visits when patients are unable to access necessary face-to-face visits, specialist referrals that lack sufficient or pertinent clinical information for accurate triaging and care, and lack of access to important preventive and screening health services, said the letter.

With appropriate measures in place, we expect all practitioners to resume routine in-person visits based on clinical needs and patient preferences.

The letter ends with a hint the province may decide to reduce or eliminate the ability for doctors to bill the medical system for virtual appointments.

You may recall that a series of adjustments to the payment schedule were approved by the Medical Services Commission on the basis that they were temporary and could be cancelled on the advice of the provincial health officer, reads the second page of the document. The ministry is actively reviewing the current temporary fee codes and considering the appropriate path forward for virtual care compensation.

Doctors of B.C. indicate that most doctors and surgeons have resumed seeing patients in person, and believe the letter is aimed directly at specific doctors.

Weve become aware of a small number of physicians whove only been seeing people virtually and have not provided any in-person care over the course of the pandemic and this has raised concerns from patients as well as other doctors, said organization president Dr. Matthew Chow.

I want to emphasize that virtual care is here to stay, weve seen how important it is in the past 18 months and how it saved the medical system from collapse in the first wave.

-with files from CTV News Vancouver
Photo: The Canadian Press Texas Gov Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, into law with State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, front center left, Andrew Murr, R-Junction, front left, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, front right looking on with others in the back ground in Tyler, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an elections overhaul into law Tuesday that adds more voting restrictions in the booming state, after Democrats spent months protesting what they say are efforts to weaken minority turnout and preserve the GOP's eroding dominance.

Abbott signed the sweeping changes during a ceremony in the East Texas city of Tyler, where the surrounding county went for former President Donald Trump by a more than 2-to-1 margin last year. But it was far closer in Texas overall, with Trump carrying the state by 5 1/2 points, the thinnest margin of victory by a GOP presidential nominee here in decades.

The bill signing again underlined the hard right turn Texas Republicans made this year, including a new state law that took effect last week banning most abortions. Abbott said he chose Tyler because it was home to the voting bill's main author, Republican Sen. Bryan Hughes, who also authored the new abortion restrictions.

Already, the rewrite of Texas' voting laws are the target of at least three federal lawsuits  including another filed Tuesday  and all contend the changes will have a disproportionate impact on minorities. Abbott and other Republicans say it expands access by increasing the minimum number of early voting hours, but the law also puts new restrictions on late-night voting.

I feel extremely confident that when this law makes it through the litigation phase, it will be upheld," Abbott said. Because exactly what we've said, it does make it easier for people to be able to go vote. No one who is eligible to vote will be denied the opportunity to vote.

Texas is among at least 18 states that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

The laws are part of a national GOP campaign, including in Florida, Georgia and Arizona, to tighten voting laws in the name of security, partly driven by Trump's false claims that the election was stolen.

Opponents did not wait for Abbott's signature to begin filing lawsuits against the new Texas law known as Senate Bill 1. The American Civil Liberties Union, minority rights groups and disability advocates are part of a broad coalition that filed separate lawsuits last week in federal court in Texas, accusing Republican lawmakers of violating the federal Voting Rights Act and intentionally discriminating against minorities.

Some changes squarely take aim at Harris County in the Houston area, where President Joe Biden carried the county of 1.6 million voters last year by a 13-point margin. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Harris County elections officials offered 24-hour polling places and drive-thru voting, which are now outlawed under the new law. The county also tried sending mail-in ballot applications to more than 2 million registered voters, but going forward in Texas, any elections official who tries sending an application to someone who doesn't request one could face criminal charges.

Partisan poll watchers are now also entitled to more movement, and election judges who obstruct them could also face criminal penalties, which Democrats argue could lead to voter intimidation.

Black votes were suppressed today. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has intentionally signed away democracy for so many. We are disgusted," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

In response to new voting restrictions in GOP-controlled statehouses, Democrats in Congress want to pass new federal voting rights protections at the federal level but have been unable to overcome opposition from Senate Republicans.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended Bidens approach on voting rights, saying the president had used his bully pulpit and made Vice President Kamala Harris the point person on the issue. But Psaki said the administration planned to take additional but unspecified steps to address concerns from voting rights groups. We would say to these advocates: we stand with you, Psaki told reporters Tuesday aboard Air Force One. Theres more were going to keep working on together.

Abbott signed the bill 100 days after Democrats kicked off a summer of last-ditch maneuvers by walking out of the state Capitol to temporarily block the measure. That was followed by more than 50 Democrats flying to Washington, D.C., in July to thwart the bill for a second time, which led to Republicans issuing civil arrest warrants in an effort to compel Democrats to return, although no one wound up being forced to come back.

But the protests did not wind up significantly changing the bill, underscoring Republicans' determination to pass the measure and the strength of their commanding majority in the Texas Capitol.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A doctor told a Quebec coroner's inquest today that a Montreal-area long-term care home where dozens of people died during the first wave of COVID-19 was extremely understaffed in the early days of the pandemic.

Dr. Nadine Larente said there were so few employees on site when she first arrived at Residence Herron on March 29 that she called her husband and three children to come help feed and change patients.

Larente, who is a director of professional care for the local health authority, said she was told some employees had stayed home because they were afraid, but most were following advice from the government's health hotline to self-isolate for two weeks after coming into contact with a positive COVID-19 case.

Larente said her group did their best to care for residents, but they didn't have enough masks for everyone or enough personal protective equipment to change it between patients.

Coroner Gehane Kamel's mandate is to investigate 53 deaths at six long-term care homes, known as CHSLDs in the province, and one seniors residence.

The portion of the hearings involving Herron began Tuesday after being suspended while prosecutors decided whether to pursue charges against the owners of the now-closed facility. Ultimately they decided the evidence did not meet the bar for criminal charges.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A Federal Court judge ordered the Leaders' Debates Commission to permit reporters from Rebel News Network to fully cover this week's two official televised leaders' debates.

The ruling means reporters from Rebel News Network will be accredited to cover Wednesday's French-language and Thursday's English-language contest between the major party leaders.

The ruling came after Rebel News Network was granted an emergency hearing Tuesday after the commission denied 11 of its journalists the credentials needed to cover the event and ask post-debate questions of the leaders.

Justice Elizabeth Heneghan issued the written order on Wednesday after presiding over two and a half hours of oral arguments on Tuesday from lawyers representing Rebel Media and the commission and reviewing thousands of pages of court documents.

Heneghan wrote that Rebel Media "has satisfied the test for an interlocutory mandatory injunction."

In her one-page order, Heneghan wrote that the commission "is to grant Rebel News Network Ltd. the media accreditation required to permit 1 journalist to participate in person and 10 journalists to participate virtually."

The commission initially denied the Rebel News accreditation request, saying the organization violated its conflict-of-interest rules because it is actively involved in campaigns related to the stories it covers.

Rebel News said that the commission was capricious, unfair, unlawful and arbitrary in denying its journalists the right to fully cover the debate.

While the debate broadcast can be watched by anyone, journalists require accreditation so they can question the leaders afterward.

Rebel, the commission and the federal attorney general filed thousands of pages of court documents between them after the commission issued its rejection just before the start of the Labour Day long weekend.

Rebel and another organization were initially denied accreditation in the 2019 leaders' debates, but they won access after turning to the court.

The commission said in court documents that in 2019, it did not "publicly publish" the criteria for determining accreditation for media organizations.

In 2021, it updated its media accreditation criteria to explain its rationale behind what it considered "high journalistic standards," the commission said.

Ezra Levant, Rebel's founder, said in a 460-page affidavit filed with the court that the commission was unfairly targeting his organization.

He said the commission's decision to exclude Rebel Media from this week's debates was "deeply suspect  both in substance, purpose, and intent  is contradictory, capricious, and is tainted by logical contradictions, ethical irregularities, circular reasoning, and irrationality."
Photo: BCWS

Mexican firefighters were welcomed into British Columbia on July 24 to help with the hundreds of wildfires burning in the province and now as the fires wind down, the crews can head home.

BC Wildfire crews shared their gratitude for the fire crews from Mexico on their Facebook page.

They arrived July 24 and worked long days battling wildfires throughout the Okanagan. Their work this wildfire season has been invaluable to this organization and all British Columbians affected by wildfires, wrote BCWS.

There were 98 firefighters and three support personnel who deployed from Mexico to help with the wildfire situation.

The crews are expected to travel home this weekend, says BCWS.

We wish them a safe departure and a well-deserved rest upon their return."

When the fire crews first arrived in Abbotsford, they were greeted by Minister of Public Safety Mike Farmworth, who told reporters he cannot thank these men and women enough for answering our call for support.
Yanceyville, NC (27379)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
Dear High School Principals, Counselors, and Scholarship Coordinators:

2022 United States Senate Youth Program

I am pleased to announce the 2022 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the California Department of Education (CDE) coordinates this program for outstanding juniors or seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. All public and private high schools in the state are invited to nominate up to two juniors or seniors to participate.

Two students from each state will be selected to attend this unique educational experience, and each student will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. The 60th annual Washington Week will take place March 512, 2022, with current planning for a national selection process and an in-person program in Washington, D.C., pending public health and safety guidelines for travel and indoor gatherings.

Students must be nominated by their high school principal and must be currently serving in an elected or appointed leadership capacity in a student government, civic, or educational organization for the entire 202122 school year. In addition, nominated students must be United States citizens or permanent residents and currently enrolled in a California public or private secondary school. Four finalists, consisting of two delegates and a first alternate and second alternate, will be selected by the CDE to be Californias USSYP representatives.

The application and scholarship information on the 2022 USSYP may be found on the CDE USSYP web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/us/. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the USSYP, please send an email to ussyp@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Lucky Cement Co sees revenue down 12% YoY in 8M21

08 September 2021

Taiwans Lucky Cement Co has reported a 31.9 per cent YoY decline in August revenue to TWD249.98m (US$9.01m) from TWD366.85m in the year-ago period.



In the first eight months of the year, revenue has also decreased 11.5 per cent YoY to TWD2.64bn from TWD2.98bn.

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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.
Who said this?

The belief that you can inform and warn people, and get them to take appropriate actions or precautions with respect to a health threat or risk without actually making them anxious or concerned. This is not possibleThis is like breaking up with your boyfriend without hurting his feelings. It cant be done.

It was said by CDC director of media relations Glen Nowack in 2004, as he was addressing public health colleagues at the National Influenza Vaccine Summit in Atlanta, Ga. In his biographical sketch he was listed as Dr. Glen Nowack, he apparently does have a PhD but in mass communications. His presentation was titled Increasing Awareness and Uptake of Influenza Immunization. Nowak told his audience he considered it his job to promote concern, anxiety, and worry amongst the general population, especially with people who dont routinely receive an annual influenza vaccination. Want more people to get vaccinated? According to Nowack demand will come from a perception or sense of vulnerability to contracting or experiencing bad illness. Nowak made it clear without provoking anxiety you will not get the desired outcome you are looking for.

Nowaks presentation included a seven-step recipe for creating high vaccine demand. Step number three of his recipe included the importance for medical experts and public health officials to stress concern and alarm and predict dire outcomes if people do not get vaccinated. Nowak said this would result in significant media attention. He also stressed the need for spokespeople to frame the flu season in ways that motivate behavior by using words like very severe and deadly. Nowak also said terms such as pandemic influenza from the early 1900 might also scare the populace into acting.

The seven step process also included continued reports (from health officials and media) that influenza is causing severe illness. It also included providing pictures of children and families of those affected coming forward, the first to motivate and the latter to reinforce.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Does anyone think the CDC playbook has changed?

Mike Lynn

* * *

Im sorry, Mr. Lynn, but have I missed something? Whatever means the CDC needs to use to stress the importance of vaccinations and hygiene I applaud them. After all, it is a pandemic. Its killed millions around the world. Its currently crippling our hospital systems and healthcare workers (I am one) are exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally. Economies are struggling.

If you had children, didnt you at times have to hyperbolize, cajole, even bribe them to do things you deemed necessary for their good? Its amazing to me that a disease that has been so horrible has been minimized because of politicization. Science has been vilified as if its an arm of totalitarianism. Good sense has been replaced by crazy reliance on unproven and untested remedies.

The enemy is a disease; not the CDC, vaccines, or people asking you to wear a mask. Get wise.

Todd Rudolph
When Julie Bennett retired from Chattanooga State Community College in October 2020 after 36 years of service, it was without the usual fanfare. Working remotely, friends, colleagues and well-wishers attended a virtual retirement ceremony in her honor, but it was not quite the same as an in-person event. So, when a special room-naming ceremony in her honor was scheduled for Aug. 30 at the Kimball Site, those same friends and colleagues finally got the chance to wish her well on her retirement, complete with real-live hugs.

Opening the ceremony was Dr. Mosunmola George-Taylor, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, who called on speakers David Jackson, Marion County mayor; Dr. Rebecca Ashford, Chattanooga State president; Dr. Beth Norton, vice president for Academic Affairs; and Patrick OHagan, newly appointed Regional Impact director for Marion County also serving as Kimball Site director.

With the uptick in coronavirus numbers, County Mayor Jackson said he was grateful for the bright spot to make this day, as he recalled Ms. Bennett's accomplishments for the education of Marion County residents.

Julie was one of the first people I met when I came to Chattanooga State, said Dr. Ashford, Her friendliness and passion for the students and citizens of Marion County was an inspiration and a real source of joy to anyone with whom she came in contact.

My first impression of Julie was just amazing, recalled Dr. Norton, she has a big smile with contagious energy and a real love of life. Because of the way she makes people feel, Dr. Norton said it made her understand why the Chattanooga State family is so fond of her. Ms. Bennett often took personal responsibility for her students to make sure their needs were met. Even though youre not coming through that front door every day, the legacy you left here will live on forever."

Recognizing his predecessor just prior to the room-naming, Patrick OHagan thanked Ms. Bennett for everything she had done for individuals and the community, including he and his family as Marion County residents. Wrapping up the ceremony, Mr. OHagan looked directly at Ms. Bennett as he said, Youve paved the road for us here at the Kimball site for what we have today. You are the true embodiment of what it means to be a compassionate and community-focused leader, touching countless lives, continuing to be a positive influence, inspiration and cheerleader.

Calling Ms. Bennett to the front, it was now her turn to view her place in history as she unveiled the plaque adorning Classroom 105: Julie Bennett, Multi-Purpose Science Laboratory.
Jeremy Dean, First Volunteer Bank executive vice president and director of Retail Banking, and Trish Phillips, executive vice president and Process Improvement executive, have graduated from the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking and Wharton Executive Leadership Program held at the University of Pennsylvania.

Stonier Graduate School of Banking and The Wharton Executive Education and Leadership Program, are intensive three-year programs for bank executives. Students are from the United States and international banks of all sizes, as well as state and federal regulatory agencies and other financial service organizations. This was the schools 86th year with a 2021 graduating class of 540 students.

Jeremy and Trish are both key executives at First Volunteer Bank and they have already begun to apply the skills and knowledge they have gained at Stonier to guide important initiatives within our

organization, said President and CEO Patti Steele. We are excited about the growth of both Jeremy and Trish and what that means for our customers and the communities that we serve.

Mr. Dean is a member of the banks leadership and executive management team. He has been in banking for 23 years. He joined First Volunteer Bank in 2017 and was named the director of Retail Banking in 2020. He is responsible for 24 branches that serve customers in 11 counties located in Tennessee and Georgia. Mr. Dean oversees a full range of consumer financial products and services, including deposit products, digital banking services and consumer, small business and mortgage lending.

Ms. Phillips is a member of the banks leadership and executive management team. She started in banking in 1990 and has served with community banks her entire 31-year career. She joined First Volunteer Bank in 2012 and oversees and coordinates multiple processes and improvements within the company. She is responsible for ensuring a high level of company process performance, making continuous process improvements, implementing automation within the company and maintaining efficiency in all of our existing products and processes.
Three Dalton teenagers have died in a Friday night accident involving two other vehicles.

It happened around 9 p.m. on the bypass near Haig Mill Road.

Dead at the scene were passengers Bethany Pizarro, 17, and Kierra Clay, 18.

Kathryn Beasley, 19, died on Saturday after being airlifted to Erlanger Hospital.

Authorities said Ms. Beasley was the driver of a white Ford Focus that was traveling on GA-3 when it crossed into the northbound lanes. It struck a Dodge Ram driven by Dillion Allen, 26, of Dalton head-on.

The Ford Focus was spun around by the initial crash and then was struck in the rear by a Ford Taurus driven by Danielle King, 28, of Rocky Face, Ga.

Drivers of those vehicles were also injured.

The Georgia State Patrol said witnesses saw Ms. Beasley driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed just prior to the crash.

Ms. Beasley was the mother of two young children.
For the past eight years, students in Advanced Placement U.S. History classes at McCallie have interviewed hundreds of people, collecting their memories of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. To mark the 20th anniversary of that day, the past and present students will launch a website with the remembrances.

These are stories about that day, told by everyday people from across America and the world, said Dr. Duke Richey, the Sen. Howard Baker Jr. 43 Chair of American History, and teacher of AP U.S. History. The stories will bring out all of the human emotions possible. You will laugh, and you will cry. And there will be moments where you will feel absolute anger. There will be moments where you think, wow, I cant believe a student found this person to interview, what an amazing story.

The website for this special project can be found here: https://www.mccallie.org/911project

Already 20 powerful stories have been posted, and others will be posted every Tuesday morning throughout the 2021-22 academic year. The stories come from people of all ages and all locations  some who witnessed the attack first-hand, others from abroad, and many from their homes and businesses in Chattanooga and other U.S. cities.

In subtle and sometimes less subtle ways, the storytellers here talk about how 9/11 has shaped their lives and their thinking over time, said Daniel Cui 19 and Vihaal Vellanki 21, who participated in the project and helped create the website. . . . We are hopeful that the world (we) inhabit going forward will be a place without the horrors of another 9/11.

In addition to the website, a podcast featuring former and current students who participated in the project, will be released Wednesday and there will be three special Chapel presentations during the week.
The University of North Georgia handed Lee their first loss of the season in a 4-2 battle on a warm Tuesday evening at the Ray Conn Sports Complex. The Flames fall to an even 1-1 on the season while the Nighthawks improve to 2-0.The Flames controlled the early part of the match with a few near misses at net, but it was North Georgia's Donovan Odier who put the first point on the board in the 18th minute. Odier's fellow seniors Gustavo Alancar and Kevin Lopez were both credited with his assist on a beautiful cross into the box by Lopez and a quick touch from Alancar to Odier.Lee's freshmen answered back 10 minutes later.Gui Busato headed in his first collegiate goal off of a pass from Fabian Navarro. The two freshmen have made their presence known on the field, as both Navarro, this week's GSC Freshman of the Week, and Busato start their collegiate careers off strong.It was a 1-1 tie at halftime. The Flames led 6-3 in shots while the Nighthawks were whistled for nine fouls compared to three by the home team.Odier struck for the second time off another Alancar assist to give North Georgia a 2-1 advantage early into the second half in the 52nd minute. After an initial lunging save by Lee goalie Sam Keener, the Flames were unable to clear, and Odier was there with a quick shot to the back of the net, scoring his third goal of the new season.The Flames attempts to fire back were halted by North Georgia's defense, as the Nighthawks consistently swarmed on the ball in the box and found ways to jump in front of the Flames' shots to keep the score at a standstill for the next 13 minutes.After multiple close shots, Jared McWhorter finally got one in the back of the net to tie the game 2-2. A strong shot from the top of the box, McWhorter's equalizing goal in the 65th minute caused cheers to erupt from both the field and the stands."I thought we showed a lot of resiliency tonight finding two tying goals," said head coach Derek Potteiger. "We talk a lot about bouncing back and tying things when we get down, and I'm proud of the way we responded on those two occasions tonight."It was then a back-and-forth physical battle for both teams. But in the 77th minute, North Georgia's Gustavo scored off an assist from Victor Galterio, bringing the Nighthawk's a one-goal lead. Gustavo tallied two assists and a goal in tonight's match.The Flames looked to battle back from behind for the third time, but the Nighthawks sealed their victory with Victor Galterio's low right goal with just four minutes remaining. Dawid Zajac was credited with the assist."I was pleased with how we played offensively tonight, we created a number of chances, and when we score two goals, we should win most matches," noted Potteiger. "We have some work to do defensively, and unfortunately the mistakes we made tonight were costly. I give North Georgia credit for exposing some things we need to work on defensively, but these are things that are correctable, and we will go to work this week to correct those for Saturday."Lee held an 18-8 lead in shots and 8-2 advantage in corner kicks, but North Georgia held the lead on the scoreboard where it matters most. North Georgia's freshman goalkeeper Garrett Liles came away with the win tallying five saves.The Flames look to bounce back Saturday when they face off against Tusculum University at 7 p.m. at the Ray Conn Sports Complex.
Susan Susie Frances Dumsday, of Hixson, Tennessee, passed away on September 5, 2021.

Susie was born in California, Mo., on May 5, 1951, to the late Raymond and Pauline Scheidt. She was a proud homemaker, wife, and mother. Susie graduated from California High School in California, Mo., in May 1969. In 1971, she married her high school sweetheart, Carl Dumsday, Jr. They were married almost 50 years and were best friends for 56 years since their first date at age fourteen.

Susie was a devoted mother to her son Justin Dumsday of Chattanooga, and her daughter Jennifer (Jenny) Dumsday Granger of Clearwater, FL. Justin is the managing partner in his architectural firm and Jenny is an IT project manager. Susie has four wonderful granddaughters which she adored. Allison and Ashlynn are college students in Tennessee and Mallory and Kaylin are middle school students in Clearwater, FL. Her love for her grandchildren was immeasurable. Her husband Carl retired in 2019 from a career as a startup engineer and manager in nuclear plant and pharmaceutical biotech startups. Susie and Carl traveled the world due to his career and their love of travel, which took them to Asia, Africa, Europe, and most of the U.S. states.

Family, friends, and acquaintances all recognized the natural, unassuming, unconditional love that Susie had for others. She never met a stranger and had the uncanny ability to find out anybodys entire life story within minutes of meeting them. She always put the needs of others before her own. She leaves a hole that cannot be filled.

The family will receive friends at Chattanooga Funeral Home North Chapel in Hixson on Friday, Sept. 10, from 4-7 p.m. with a rosary service at 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be at St Jude Catholic Church on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 1 p.m. Susie will be interred in Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, Sept. 13, at 12:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made in Susies memory to the Matthew Allen Scheidt Memorial Scholarship Fund with the Oklahoma State University Endowment. To donate, please contact the OSU Foundation at (800)-622-4678 or (405) 385-5100 and indicate you'd like for the donation to go to the Matthew Allen Scheidt Memorial Scholarship in memory of Susan Dumsday,

Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com
Few words can be added that can explain the feeling of most Americans describing Sept. 11, 2001. This is the twentieth anniversary of that horrific event in which our nation was attacked and our world changed. Terrorists called al-Qaeda, with training camps all around the world were responsible for the death of the more than 3,000 victims. This is an enemy unlike any we have ever faced. There are multiple countries, multiple fronts, and multiple threats included with this adversary.

The enemy then, just like now is committed to the absolute destruction of the American way of life and imposing their beliefs and values upon the world. In their world, the law is determined by force; those with powerwhether military strength or political dominancemake the rules. It is our belief in freedom, human rights, idealism, personal responsibility, and economic opportunity that these extremists dislike the most. What unified us then no longer unifies us, meaning that in some measure the terrorists impacted us in ways we cannot imagine.

If you were a classroom teacher today, how would you address the events of Sept. 11, 2001, with your students? Would you blame the incident on the very people who lost their lives? Would you blame those with a misguided ideology for killing innocent people? To me, the answer is very apparent. And those who would blame victims or our nation for Sept. 11 are siding with evil-doers and encouraging violence.

Jeremiah Wright shocked our nation with his comment in 2008, parroting a Malcolm X phrase, that Americas chickens are coming home to roost, which was widely understood as meaning that America brought the Sept. 11 attacks upon itself. Every year that has passed since 2001 that sentiment has been voiced in one manner or another. Eventually, that will end up in our classrooms and textbooks. I fear that the victims will be posthumously put on trial while the terrorists are seen as genial freedom fighters. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It seems to many that we treat perpetrators of evil kinder than we treat their victims in our society. It is an obvious assault on law and order. It is the law that enables man to live together and create order out of chaos. We are first and foremost a nation of laws. Founding Father and later president John Adams called America a nation of laws, not of men. These rules should not be subject to the whims of those in power. And those who fail to understand history in the proper context will write textbooks to inform future generations. It is why curriculum has been and will continue to be, a highly debated issue.

I accept that countries lie to their citizens and that we are, regrettably, governed by men and women who are sometimes corrupt. That is undesirable, but it is a fact of life. Often choices made by the government are too often not between good and bad, but between bad and worse. We have done exactly what George Washington warned us against by embracing entangling alliances. We have largely abandoned our Judeo-Christian heritage, in fear of lawsuits and in the name of inclusion. However, we still have the rule of law, right?

I am reminded of Robert Kennedys speech in which he was discussing the law. He said about the law: The road ahead is full of difficulties and discomforts. But as for me, I welcome the challenge. I welcome the opportunity, and I pledge to you my best effort  all I have in material things and physical strength and spirit to see that freedom shall advance and that our children will grow old under the rule of law.

People of reason can disagree with issues and have civil discourse. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his facts, according to the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moynihan also reminded us that culture, not politics, determines the success of our society.

Respect for our fellow human beings is the core outgrowth of a nation committed under a rule of law. It is our shared history in America and one in which we must be personally committed to following. That is the real lesson to teach. If we fail to pass that to the next generation, freedom, the political process, civil liberties, individual rights, and media independence will be lost to the dustbin of history and no longer tolerated.

We must remember Sept. 11 in our homes and our classrooms and engage in this important dialogue. Never let it be said that the flame of freedom was extinguished on our watch. That can be summed up in two words: We Remember!

JC Bowman

Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. is announces the addition of Jared Adams, an associate attorney who will serve the firm's health care and nonprofit clients.



"With our health care and nonprofit services continuing to expand, Jared is joining us at the perfect time," said Jim Catanzaro, shareholder and health care section chair. "We quickly saw the value he brings to our team, and I look forward to watching him grow as he serves our clients in rapidly evolving industries."



Mr. Adams counsels for-profit and nonprofit entities throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic in the health care, biotech, transportation, professional services and manufacturing industries. He often works with organizations, including nonprofits, startups and established companies on a wide range of business and regulatory matters. As a member of the Chambliss Startup Group, he counsels entrepreneurs and startups from beginning to end, advising on issues like entity formation, fundraising through venture and seed financings and mergers and acquisitions.



"Through his previous experience as legislative counsel to U.S. Senator Bob Corker and working for the Tennessee General Assembly, Mr. Adams values public service and seeks to work with organizations to expand their community involvement and impact in a prudent and cost-effective manner," officials said.

Before relocating to the Chattanooga area, Mr. Adams practiced as a transactional attorney in Roanoke, Va., where he also served as an active board member for Family Promise of Greater Roanoke and Feeding Southwest Virginia.



Mr. Adams attended Wake Forest University School of Law and was managing editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy. He also graduated magna cum laude from Middle Tennessee State University.
From Left to right, Kwith Harbison, Charles Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center Director Chairman of the board. Noel Long, Admiral retired Ray Atkins, retired U.S. Army Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty and former Ambassador to Japan Hamilton County Trustee Bill Hullander. Heritage center board member Bill Raines, past center Heritage board chairman and retired Major General U.S. Army Mickey McCamish, Armed Forces Day committee, Riverbend Chairman, retired U.S. Navy Captain

Senator Hagerty listens as MG Raines talked about the center. Mr. Long and Mr. Hullander look on.

Senator Hagerty presents the Heritage Center a special war coin he got while Ambassador to Japan

Senator Bill Hagerty paid a visit to the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center while in Chattanooga on Wednesday.

He was given a tour by General Bill Raines, Keith Harbison, Bill Hullander and other center officials.

While here, he presented the center with an historic coin that he received while he was Ambassador to Japan.

He also spoke to around 75 veterans, telling them he is going to ask for answers about the situation in Afghanistan during upcoming Senate hearings.

Senator Hagerty, who is just back from a visit to NATO, said, "Members of the international media are dismayed about the way Afghanistan was handled, but you would never know that from listening to the national media."

He said he is concerned about the situation with Taiwan, saying that China has moved 19 aircraft into that vicinity recently. He said, "The only thing that China understands is strength, and we have got to be strong. If we don't use our strength, I don't know what will happen to Taiwan."

The senator said that "only 23 percent of the Infrastructure Bill funds will actually go to bridges and roads. The rest goes to the Biden 'New Green Deal.' "
This summer, Ally Schall, a senior nursing major at Lee University, served in Rio Viejo, Honduras, at the Jungle Hospital for 10 weeks as part of a medical missions internship.

While there, Ms. Schall spent time working in the hospital treating patients, setting up clinics in nearby villages, and updating charts. She also worked on the property, hosted teams, cleaned the buildings, helped with construction on a new property, and assisted with meal preparation.

I have always felt called to missions in some capacity, and I wanted to have an opportunity to experience medical missions for an extended period of time, said Ms. Schall.

At Lee, Ms. Schall is part of Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honors society, and is involved with Cru, an outreach and worship ministry on campus. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Ms. Schall now resides in Iowa during breaks. Upon graduating, she plans to continue to pursue medical missions.

One of the missionaries told us at the beginning of the internship that we would all leave changed for the better, said Ms. Schall. I knew she would be right, but I didnt realize to what extent I would be changed. My perspective has grown so much in nursing, missions, God, friendships, and leadership.

Dr. Brenda Jones, an assistant professor of nursing at Lee and the coordinator of the family nurse practitioner track, led Ms. Schall to this trip. Ally is an exceptional young lady who has a passion for God and a passion for life, said Dr. Jones. Since getting to know her, I have had the opportunity to listen to her heart and provide guidance in navigating pathways for her to reach out and serve others in an international setting. She is bold, fearless, confident, and driven, and it is a pleasure to see her grow in her academic, spiritual, and personal life while being engaged here on the Lee University campus.

For more information about the School of Nursing, visit https://www.leeuniversity.edu/academics/nursing/.
The days are growing shorter and pumpkins are popping up at supermarkets from coast to coast, precursors to a dramatic shift that is about to take place on hillsides and mountain ranges all across the continent.

One of the tell-tale signs that autumn has arrived is when forests transition to a palette of vibrant colors, a transformation so grand that it can be seen from space.

The exact timing of when the leaves change colors is related to the weather leading up to fall, and the recent weather patterns across the United States have tipped the hand of Mother Nature. AccuWeather meteorologists are ready to make their annual fall foliage forecasts all the way from New England through New Mexico.

In early August, AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok provided a sneak peek at the foliage outlook with AccuWeathers annual fall forecast, and now with meteorological autumn underway, he is providing a more detailed outlook on the foliage forecast.

Here is what leaf peepers across the contiguous United States can expect to see when heading into the great outdoors this fall.

Appalachians and Northeast

Some of the most popular places to enjoy fall foliage in the eastern U.S. are expected to feature vibrant displays this autumn. It is expected to be a much different season compared to what unfolded in 2020.

Last year, trees became stressed later in the summer in parts of the Northeast due to a couple of extended periods of dryness, Mr. Pastelok said. As a result, there were early leaf droppings, and the brightness was okay, but not great.

A much different story is expected to unfold this year across much of the Northeast with many areas seeing more impressive colors, but the changing of the leaves may not take place right on schedule. Mr. Pastelok also noted that results can be mixed in terms of bright fall colors due to differences in precipitation amounts picked up in recent months.

Mr. Pastelok added that while there will be "great colors" for parts of the region this season, they may emerge about a week or two behind the typical peak of fall foliage due to a surge of mild weather.

For places like Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York, the peak of the fall foliage typically occurs in late September and the first week of October. However, this year it could occur closer to the second week of October.

Farther south in the Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania, southern New England and northern mid-Atlantic, rainfall has averaged near to above normal this summer and colors can be vibrant, Mr. Pastelok said.

There is the chance that colors could overachieve in this area. If the rest of September is a bit drier, Mr. Pastelok said that there could be excellent conditions in these areas.

Excellent conditions, though, are a bit of a long shot this year due to precipitation amounts. Such a scenario is certainly not out of the question, but the record-setting rain that Ida unloaded over Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southern New England around the start of September after the second half of summer brought with it well above-normal rainfall, which could limit the chances that leaves will overachieve this fall.

For instance, Central Park in New York City measured more than 7 inches of rain on Sept. 1 as flash flooding from Ida wreaked havoc across the city. To put that amount of rainfall in perspective, this single day accounted for nearly twice the amount of rain that typically falls in Central Park throughout all of September.

The central and southern Appalachians have a similar forecast on tap, but the wet weather could have a bigger influence on the colors that appear on the trees.

Colors should be good for most of this region with more yellows and oranges, Mr. Pastelok said.

Wet weather influences how much red shows up in the leaves, but even without the red leaves, there should be beautiful displays in some of the more popular mountain destinations.

Taking a trip over the Blue Ridge along Skyline Drive and through Shenandoah National Park, the fall scenery should still be quite nice this fall, Mr. Pastelok said, referring to a popular spot in Virginia's Appalachians about 75 miles west of Washington, D.C.

The same goes for visitors traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and other outdoor destinations across Appalachia.

There is one potential snag that could occur and throw a wrench in the colorful displays, however: If a windy tropical system were to hit the region right around the time when the foliage is expected to reach its peak, Mr. Pastelok warned, leaves could be blown off the trees before residents and travelers have a chance to soak in the colorful scenery.

Great Lakes, Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley

Leaf peepers across the Midwest and the Mississippi Valley are likely to have a good showing this year thanks to the weather patterns that have evolved over the past few months.

Areas farther south and east across the Midwest that picked up more rainfall throughout the summer, when compared to western areas in the grips of a drought, are expected to exhibit more vibrant colors with more reds and oranges, according to Mr. Pastelok. Chicago and Detroit are among the areas that Mr. Pastelok highlighted for nice fall foliage viewing this fall.

Because of the drought farther west, Minnesota and surrounding areas may miss out on vibrant colors this autumn. Even if there are some periods of rain throughout September, it will be too late to help the foliage.

We are expecting more dull colors, more brown and perhaps early leaf dropping, especially for western and northern areas of Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas, Mr. Pastelok added.

Colors are projected to be near or slightly better than normal farther south through the Mississippi River Valley and surrounding regions. This includes areas around Little Rock, Arkansas, St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, and Lexington, Kentucky.

For the Tennessee Valley, we are holding back on brighter reds and oranges due to rainfall, and more rain is expected in this region through September, Mr. Pastelok said.

Fall foliage should be good to excellent viewing with near-normal peak times, he added.

Similar to areas farther east, if a tropical system like Ida were to make landfall along the Gulf coast and maintain gusty winds as it pushes inland, then it could blow the colorful leaves off the trees in addition to causing damage. Otherwise, AccuWeather forecasters expect vibrant colors across this area.

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains will be split in half in terms of fall foliage displays this year with one region that will sizzle and another region that will fizzle.

The active monsoon over the Four Corners this year did more than help with short-term drought concerns. The moisture set the stage for a vibrant display of fall foliage across the mountainous landscape.

As a result, the foliage in the Four Corners this year will be particularly better compared to 2020, Mr. Pastelok said, a year when the monsoon was virtually nonexistent. This includes the southern Rockies across New Mexico and into Colorado.

Aspen trees in particular will be more vibrant than last year, although this will not be the case across all of Colorado. Although not deciduous trees, Aspens are known to turn stunning golden-yellow hues in the fall due to a lack of photosynthesis.

The Aspens can brighten around the normal peak, which occurs from mid-September through mid-October, Mr. Pastelok said. Southern parts of Colorado should have the best and most vibrant color due to more monsoon rainfall.

This means that Aspens in places like Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado may not be quite as stunning as those farther south.

Foliage is not anticipated to be quite as colorful across the northern Rockies with early leaf drop likely, in part due to widespread drought conditions.

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and northern Utah all are experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

This drought increases the stress on the trees, reducing the colors visible in the leaves before they fall off the deciduous trees in the region.

West Coast

The fall foliage across the West Coast states in 2020 was below normal in terms of colors, and a repeat is likely to unfold in 2021 with duller colors predicted across most of the region.

This includes almost all of California and the eastern areas of Oregon and Washington.

Even if there are pockets of good colors in a few spots, the displays will be nothing like those along the East Coast, in part due to the active wildfire season.

Wildfires and smoky conditions will make it difficult to visit and admire the colors in some areas once again this fall season, Mr. Pastelok said.

In some cases, lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service have been shut down due to the risk of wildfires, cutting off access to some areas that people may often travel to for viewing the fall foliage.

However, the foliage will not be a bust across the entire region.

The colors across the Cascades should be good, Mr. Pastelok said, referring to the mountain range that extends from Washington through Oregon and into Northern California. But, he noted, that they may not be quite as impressive as last year.

This could mean trees in the Cascades may be the highlight of the West Coast foliage, making it a popular spot for leaf peepers that do not want to travel across the country to enjoy colorful mountainsides this autumn.



See the Full Report on AccuWeather.com


Its been a long wait for the continuation of Billions Season 5, but it finally arrived. In Showtimes take on financial bigwigs, Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) cant help himself when it comes to dirt-digging. And, unfortunately, Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) remains at the receiving end of Axes quest for revenge. Heres everything you missed from season 5, episode 8, Copenhagen.

[Spoilers below for Billions Season 5 Episode 8 Copenhagen]

Billions episode Copenhagen reveals a clean-shaven Paul Giamotti

Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades and Damian Lewis as Bobby Axe Axelrod in Billions | JoJo Whilden/SHOWTIME

Its been a minute since Billions last aired. The mid-season premiere  a year later  doesnt try too hard to lure in viewers. In fact, much of the episode Copenhagen begins almost directly after last years stopping point. There are no huge revelations or new storylines to catch up on. There is, however, a big change in star Paul Giamattis look, which is incorporated in the most Chuck Rhodes way possible.

With comments about his newly clean-shaven face, he replies, dont make a whole thing of it, which also alludes to the fact that Giamatti is debuting a noticeably different physique.

Pauls co-star David Costabile, who plays Mike Wags Wagner on the show, told Extra in July that he had no idea how Giamotti did it.

Maybe he just fasted the entire pandemic, Costabile said. I decided to keep the beard and add weight. I added all of Pauls weight. Thats a lifestyle choice.

That said, Chuck faces the usual chaos in politics while working as New Yorks Attorney General. When former student Merle Howard (Noah Robbins) blackmails Chuck, Chucks only way out is to resign or face the consequences from an old Yale vote-rigging scandal. Of course, thats Iras signal to give the old pep talk to fight. And, as Chuck typically does, he did just that and won the battle (for now).

Bobby Axelrod is up to his old games

That smile faded real fast. pic.twitter.com/98sftkEBNa  Billions on Showtime (@SHO_Billions) September 6, 2021

While Chuck fights the good fight, Bobby Axe Axelrod (Lewis) continues his takedown of another bigwig competitor, Mike Prince (Stoll). That jealousy bug bites Axe hard, and he isnt about to let up. Theyre both willing to go to war when it comes to getting an ambassadorship to Denmark, and we think this is only the beginning.

Michael Wags Wagner (Costabile) tries and fails to set up Prince on Axes behest. When it doesnt work, Axe is left to dig up another kind of scoop. According to the partners mother (Becky Ann Baker), Princes past partner was killed in a drunk driving accident, and she blames Prince for swindling said partner out of a big deal. Undoubtedly, Axe will use this to his advantage to edge out Prince once and for all.

RELATED: Why Was Billions Renewed for Season 5?

Along with all of that drama, Chuck has a big, humbling ask from jailbird Dr. Gilbert (Seth Barrish) about possible kidney donors to help his sick father (Jeffrey DeMunn). Meanwhile, artist Nico Tanner (Frank Grillo) and Wendy Rhodes (Maggie Siff) are still involved, and Nico is still painting for Axe Capital.

And finally, Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) asks Rian (Eva Victor) to quit her side job, while Axes purchase of a payday lender  the bank charter Axe had been looking for  is the very same Chucks investigating.

Its a lot to digest but a great setup for all the drama to come.

Billions airs Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. on Showtime.
Tom Hanks did not film Cast Away 600 miles south of the Cook Islands, as Helen Hunt says in the movie. The survival drama yanks viewers onto a deserted island with FedEx systems analyst Chuck Noland. After his plane crashes, the character remains on a remote island for four years.

As one of the most beloved films, fans want to know what island the crew chose for Cast Away. It couldnt have been a prime tourist spot; the cast and crew needed electricity and basic needs to shoot a movie.

Tom Hanks in Cast Away | 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images

There is Cast Away rumored alternate ending

Viewers remember what happens between Chuck and his almost-fiancee, Kelly (Helen Hunt). After Chuck finds a way to sail offshore, a ship rescues him from the water. FedEx rejoices, and Kelly faints when she finds out Chuck survived.

After she thought Chuck had died, Kelly moved on and married someone else. Viewers hearts break every time they rewatch Kelly and Chuck reunite.

But was there an alternate ending? Countless viewers claim they watched a different conclusion. Instead of Chuck looking into the distance and smiling, viewers remember him getting back in his car and driving.

Not only that, but Upbeat News indicates that Chuck opens the infamous wing-engraved FedEx package. Apparently, the alternate version had Chuck open the box on the island. In it were two salsa jars and a note, which reportedly read, You said our life was a prison. Dull. Boring. Empty. I cant begin to tell you how much that hurt. I dont want to lose you. Im enclosing some salsa, the Verde you like. Use it on your sticky rice and think of home. Then come hometo me. Well find the spice in our lives again. Together. I love you. Always. Bettina.

However, neither the studio nor Hanks has confirmed either rumor.

Where was the Cast Away island location?

Some of Cast Aways filming locations arent difficult to decipher. The movie starts and ends in the same location: a Texas crossroads. But where is Chuck and Wilsons deserted island? Heres a hint: its not the actual Castaway Island, also known as Qalito.

15 years ago today, 'Cast Away' gave us Wilson (and Tom Hanks gave one of his best performances). pic.twitter.com/8ibiPCs0C8  Collider (@Collider) December 22, 2015

The precise location was the uninhabited Monuriki island. Monuriki is one of the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, as is Castaway Island.

After audiences watched Cast Away, many visited the South Pacific hideaway. Tourists and travel agents dubbed it Cast Away Island, which enabled the confusion with Castaway Island. Monuriki is of volcanic origin and is maintained by the people of Yanuya.

Some viewers think Cast Away was based on a true story

Countless viewers thought Cast Away was directly based on a true story. A plane crash over the Pacific Ocean is not impossible. In fact, several flights have vanished or crashed in reality.

Nevertheless, Cast Away was not directly based on a real event. Hanks spoke with The Hollywood Reporter on where he came up with the storyline.

I made Cast Away because I wanted to examine the concept of four years of hopelessness, in which you have none of the requirements for livingfood, water, shelter, fire, and company, the Forrest Gump actor explained. I was reading an article about FedEx, and I realized that 747s filled with packages fly across the Pacific three times a day. And I just thought, What happens if that goes down?'

Viewers can stream Cast Away for free on Tubi.

RELATED: How Did Forrest Gump Run So Far and So Long?
Its back to school time and if youre looking for lunches to pack your kids that they will actually eat, Food Networks Giada De Laurentiis reveals her go-to lunches and ultimate tip for midday meals your little ones will enjoy.

Giada De Laurentiis with her daughter Jade | Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images for NYCWFF

De Laurentiis said food helped her gain acceptance at school

The Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef came to the United States from Italy at the age of 7. She told Redbook that starting over in California was exciting but because she spoke only Italian, she endured bullying from her classmates.

I had a very tough childhood, she said. I came here from Italy in the 70s and didnt speak a word of English, so the kids at school tormented me. Truly, it was horrifying the names they called me, and the teachers never really did a thing to stop it.

She explained that the experience gave her compassion for others starting out in similar situations.

Its one of the reasons I work as hard as I do to make my show as clear and fun and unintimidating as possible, De Laurentiis admitted. If people are made to feel uncomfortable in the kitchen, they wont go in there. Thats why I think children learning to cook can be such a wonderful thing. It can help build confidence, make them feel good about themselves. It helped me build my ego and even start to get acceptance at school. Id bring things to class that Id cooked at home, and my classmates were like, Wow. This is amazing, and that girl with the funny name cooked it!'

De Laurentiis happy school lunch tip

On her lifestyle and food blog Giadzy, the chef explained how she puts together school lunches her daughter Jade actually eats and loves. Like the lunches her own mother lovingly packed for her, De Laurentiis said, Now, I try to do the same for Jade when she heads off to school. No Lunchables here! Theres no reason to load up a lunch box with processed, packaged foods, just because they claim to be easier or faster for busy parents.

De Laurentiis advice? Commonsense: she makes sure to pack food Jade loves, sometimes a meal as simple as what was served for dinner the night before.

My typical school lunch is so quick to throw together following this basic formula  leftovers or one of my make-ahead meals, some fresh veggies, and a healthy snack or two  and its usually a lot cheaper than most kid-friendly packaged food, too, she advised. And if youre in a hurry, theres no harm in throwing in some clean snacks like Lara Bars, Graze Beef Sticks or dried fruit. Your kids get to go to school feeling special, and you feel good knowing theyre eating real, healthy food. Its a win-win!

De Laurentiis recalled her moms school lunches for her

The Everyday Italian star fondly remembered her own home-packed meals and, as a newcomer to the U.S., wondering why anyone would want to eat sandwiches on white bread.

When I was a kid, my mom packed me the best lunches, mostly made up of leftovers from dinner the night before or a quick pasta she could whip up when putting my lunch bag together, she said. I never understood why anyone would want the snack packs and soggy sandwiches I saw my classmates carry in when they could have a delicious homemade carbonara instead! It goes to show food has always been in my blood.

RELATED: Giada De Laurentiis on Why Her Fans Once Freaked out on Twitter Over Her Nails: You Cant Cook With Those!
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry officially stepped down from their royal duties in March 2020 and have been living in California with their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, ever since. However, their days as senior royals in Britains most famous family are still being discussed.

Now, a royal author has said that something Prince Charles had planned for the future did not sit well at all with the Duchess of Sussex and she was very concerned as to what it would mean for her children.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles attending the Royal Ascot Day 1 | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Prince Charles and Meghan were once very close

Its been reported that Prince Charles was once very close with his daughter-in-law.

The future king became very fond of Meghan after she began dating his son, and even agreed to step in and walk her down the aisle the day she and Harry said I do. Meghan was also believed to be the driving force behind Prince Charles and Prince Harry working on having a more solid relationship before she and Harry stepped down.

Moreover, the Prince of Wales used to call Meghan Tungsten, which is a very strong metal known for its robustness. He reportedly gave her the nickname to match the strength and determination she displayed. But according to a royal biographer, something Charles planned to do once he became king really angered the Duchess of Sussex.

Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, and Meghan Markle laughing together during Charles Birthday Patron celebration | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

RELATED: Meghan Markle Was Warned: You Dont Want to Be a Princess!

Why Charles future plans for the monarchy reportedly upset the Duchess of Sussex

Its no secret that Prince Charles plans on making a number of changes when he ascends the throne, and one of those changes includes his vision to slim down the monarchy. Prior to Megxit only Charles, his wife, his two sons, and their wives were going to be considered senior royals. Robert Lacey, who is an author and historian for Netflixs The Crown, said that Charles plans to do so were not welcomed by Meghan.

In pursuing his own cause of the slimmed-down monarchy, Prince Charles had been making noises about limiting the number of HRHs created by George Vs 1917 convention still further, thus cutting out Archie from his future prince-ship  and Meghan took that personally, Lacey wrote in his book Battle of Brothers (per Express).

Prince Harrys wife did previously voice her frustrations about her son not being given a prince during her interview with Oprah Winfrey but at that time did not mention the reason he wasnt given the title.

Queen Elizabeth already signaled who she wants to be the faces of her family when shes gone

(L to R): Prince Edward, Sophie, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Camilla, and Princess Anne standing outside Windsor Castle | Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage

After Meghan and Harry threw a wrench into Charles initial plan by leaving the Firm, many royal fans have since questioned what the new monarchy could look like now going forward.

In December 2020, Queen Elizabeth II made that Crystal Clear when she held a gathering outside Windsor Castle. She invited Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, his wife Sophie, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton. The gathering showcased each of them as the faces of the royal family once her reign is over. Whether or not Prince Charles sticks to his mothers plan remains to be seen.

RELATED: Meghan Markle Is Completely Unrecognizable From the Woman Harry Met and Fell in Love With, Royal Author Claims
Quantum computers become ever more powerful, but how can we be sure that the answers they return are accurate? A team of physicists from Vienna, Innsbruck, Oxford, and Singapore solves this problem by letting quantum computers check each other.

Quantum computers are advancing at a rapid pace and are already starting to push the limits of the world's largest supercomputers. Yet, these devices are extremely sensitive to external influences and thus prone to errors which can change the result of the computation. This is particularly challenging for quantum computations that are beyond the reach of our trusted classical computers, where we can no longer independently verify the results through simulation. "In order to take full advantage of future quantum computers for critical calculations we need a way to ensure the output is correct, even if we cannot perform the calculation in question by other means," says Chiara Greganti from the University of Vienna.

Let the quantum computers check each other

To address this challenge, the team developed and implemented a new cross-check procedure that allows the results of a calculation performed on one device to be verified through a related but fundamentally different calculation on another device. "We ask different quantum computers to perform different random-looking computations," explains Martin Ringbauer from the University of Innsbruck. "What the quantum computers don't know is that there is a hidden connection between the computations they are doing." Using an alternative model of quantum computing that is built on graph structures, the team is able to generate many different computations from a common source. "While the results may appear random and the computations are different, there are certain outputs that must agree if the devices are working correctly."

A simple and efficient technique

The team implemented their method on 5 current quantum computers using 4 distinct hardware technologies: superconducting circuits, trapped ions, photonics, and nuclear magnetic resonance. This goes to show that the method works on current hardware without any special requirements. The team also demonstrated that the technique could be used to check a single device against itself. Since the two computations are so different, the two results will only agree if they are also correct. Another key advantage of the new approach is that the researchers do not have to look at the full result of the computation, which can be very time consuming. "It is enough to check how often the different devices agree for the cases where they should, which can be done even for very large quantum computers", says Tommaso Demarie from Entropica Labs in Singapore. With more and more quantum computers becoming available, this technique may be key to making sure they are doing what is advertised

Academia and industry joining forces to make quantum computers trustworthy

The research aiming to make quantum computers trustworthy is a joint effort of university researchers and quantum computing industry experts from multiple companies. "This close collaboration of academia and industry is what makes this paper unique from a sociological perspective", shares Joe Fitzsimons from Horizon Quantum Computing in Singapore. "While theres a progressive shift with some researchers moving to companies, they keep contributing to the common effort making quantum computing reliable and useful."
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
When she was 24 years old, Heather Mercer was one of two American women in a group of eight international aid workers and 16 Afghans captured by the Taliban. One month later, a terrorist organization protected by the Taliban launched a successful attack on the United States that shifted the course of history for both nations, and Mercer became briefly famous. She was, for a moment, a kind of icon of the American plight, hostage to this unknown group with unknown aims.

She and the other aid workers were rescued two months later, in November 2001. At the time, Mercer said she hoped her life would be much more than the story of how she was captured by the Taliban. In the past 20 years, she has worked hard to make it more, following her faith in a God who invites us into the work that will change nations and make history.

Now 44, Mercer talked to CT from her office in Kurdistan.

Have you been back to Afghanistan at all since you were rescued?

I have not. I have tried three different times to go back. And one time I got really close to getting my visa, and then the doors closed. I long to go back.

Why do you want to go back? What do you want to do there?

I really want to touch Afghanistan again. I left a piece of my heart there. Afghanistan was my first love. And I want to go back and see the people that were involved, see the Afghans that I knew and loved. Theres one young woman that I was with in prisonI would love to try to find her. All of my memories of Afghanistan are filled only with fondness, gratitude that I got to experience it.

Did you feel that gratitude initially, or is this something that took 20 years of growth and healing? There must have been quite a bit of trauma as well.

I was young when I went to Afghanistan, ...

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San Antonio pastor and devotional author Max Lucado announced Monday that he has been diagnosed with a serious cardiovascular condition and asked for prayer.

The 66-year-old said his doctors found a bulge in the large blood vessel closest to his heart, called an ascending aortic aneurysm. According to the National Institutes of Health, if aortic aneurysm splits or ruptures, it can become life-threatening, but early diagnosis and treatment can prevent fatal complications.

Though his aortic aneurysm is sizable and surgery is possible, Lucado told followers he plans to continue his normal ministry routine and wait to see whether it grows before undergoing a procedure.

Back in 2007, Lucado stepped down from his position as senior minister at Oak Hills Church seven months after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. At the time he was 51 and said his health concerns were severe enough that I think a change needs to be made. He has continued to serve and preach at the church as its teaching minister.

Lucado shared a short video about his health this week and requested followers join him in asking the Lord to let his perfect, perfect will be done.

Heres the good news: I feel fine. I am under the care of an outstanding medical team, and most of all, I am in the hands of a good God, he said. For now, please know that I am fully trusting our heavenly Father. I am grateful for your prayers for me and for my family.

Lucado, nicknamed Americas pastor, is the author of more than 40 books, which have sold over 120 million copies, including Anxious for Nothing, Unshakeable Hope, and Youll Get Through This.

Over the summer, Lucado contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19, testing positive in late July. Though miserable, the misery would have been worse with no vaccination, he tweeted at the time.

He said his ascending aortic aneurysm had been diagnosed within the past few weeks. Aortic aneurysms are most often found among people over 65, and men are more likely to suffer from the condition than women. Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder died from an aortic aneurysm, and Grace Family of Churches founder Buddy Hoffman died of complications years after repairing an aortic aneurysm that had split.

Lucado said his ministry would continue to provide health updates on his condition.
Americans split on Texas heartbeat abortion law: poll

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About a week after a Texas pro-life law went into effect, a new poll reveals that Americans are split in their opinions about the measure, reflecting the partisan divides that have come to define American politics.

A poll released by Rasmussen Reports Tuesday found that a plurality of likely voters (46%) approve of the Texas Heartbeat Act, which went into effect last Wednesday. Forty-three percent of respondents disapprove of the law while 11% told the pollster they were not sure what they thought of the law.

Broken down by partisan affiliation, 70% of Republicans support the Texas law. In comparison, approval of the law was measured at just 23% among Democrats and 44% among voters not affiliated with either major political party. Demographic groups most supportive of the law included men (51%), racial minorities other than black voters (54%) and those between the ages of 40 and 64.

Meanwhile, the Texas law registered the lowest approval ratings from women (41%), black voters (36%), white voters (45%), voters with incomes above $200,000 a year and those with graduate degrees.

Signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, Senate Bill 8, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks gestation. The law also allows private citizens to sue individuals who perform abortions and those who help women obtain illegal abortions.

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law to go into effect, rejecting pleas by abortion providers to block it. Litigation against the law is expected to continue in the lower courts.

The Rasmussen poll also asked respondents if they thought that abortion laws should be determined by state governments or by the federal government. Forty-six percent of likely voters believe that state governments should determine abortion laws, 34% want abortion laws determined at the federal level and the remaining 20% are not sure.

Among Republicans, support for deciding abortion laws at the state level stands at 64%. Much lower percentages of Democrats (31%) and unaffiliated voters (44%) believe that the responsibility for determining abortion laws should lie with the states.

While a plurality of likely voters support SB 8, 46% of respondents expressed support for President Joe Bidens vow to launch a whole-of-government effort  to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions. Democrats demonstrated the highest level of support for the presidents push to combat the abortion law (74%) while 19% of Republicans and 44% of unaffiliated voters backed Bidens effort.

The Rasmussen poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters between Sept. 5-6 and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

Over time, public opinion polling has painted conflicting pictures about Americans views on abortion. According to a survey from Pew Research Center, 59% of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 39% want the killing of preborn babies to be illegal in all or most cases.

Data collected by Pew between 1995 and 2021 found that support for abortion in all or most cases reached a high of 61% in 2019, but has since dwindled back down a little bit. Support for abortion in all or most cases reached a low of 47% in 2009 as opposition to abortion in all or most cases reached a high of 44%.

Polling conducted by Gallup has indicated momentum for the pro-life movement in recent years. While most Americans (56%) identified as pro-choice in 1995, that majority was reduced to a plurality by 2017.

In 2019, for the first time since Gallup began asking voters whether they identified as pro-life or pro-choice, more Americans identified as pro-life (49%) than pro-choice (48%). By 2021, the share of Americans who identified as pro-choice had increased to 49% while 48% identified as pro-life.

Abortion has been legal in all 50 U.S. states since the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which has prevented states from restricting abortions before the point of viability. While the Supreme Court did not explicitly rule on the constitutionality of SB 8, the most restrictive abortion law allowed to take effect in the country, it has announced that it will issue a ruling on Mississippis 15-week abortion ban.

A ruling in favor of the state of Mississippi, which is asking the justices to uphold the law, would significantly weaken the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. Pro-life activists believe that such a decision would pave the way for more states to follow Mississippis lead and enable the Supreme Court to hear other cases challenging other pro-life legislation passed at the state level.
Harvard and the crisis of transcendence

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The recent appointment of an atheist as the chief chaplain at Harvard University reveals the contemporary crisis of transcendence that says there is no Transcendent Being who created us, redeemed us, and therefore to whom we and our institutions are ultimately accountable.

Everything can be worked out on the horizontal scale, according to this idea.

General Douglas MacArthur did not believe that when given the stupendous task of re-imagining Japan after the Second World War. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh, said the General.

Mitsuo Fuchida was living proof of MacArthurs belief.

I was born December 5, 1941, two days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor with Fuchida as the lead pilot. Thus, in 1967 I could hardly believe that Fuchida had brought the sermon at First Baptist Church, Mobile, Alabama, and that I was shaking his hand.

Following the war Fuchida gave his life to Christ, influenced through a tract written by Jacob DeShazer, a former American POW in Japan who had returned as a missionary.

One of the first issues MacArthur had to confront was that Japanese culture did have a transcendence that was a major part of the problem. The emperor was regarded as a god. Thus, among MacArthurs hardest tasks was that of convincing the emperor to renounce his deity, which he did.

It matters who sits on the throne of transcendence.

What Japan needed in 1945 in the aftermath of war, today all the nations need. For example, Professor Luigi Zingales, of the University of Chicago, believes that Big Tech expansion poses a threat... to the function of our democracy... they use the best minds to manipulate our decisions...[1]

Zingales immediate concern is for regulation that would prevent the incursion of AI and other technologies into our personal lives and freedoms.

That issue is much larger than the mere need for laws constraining technology. This is a spiritual concern now, as MacArthur recognized in his day regarding Japan.

It brings the broader realization that something respected as Ultimate must limit those who would grab for transcendent rule over us. It will either be True Transcendence, the recognition of Gods authority, or the imposition of human control.

A culture that does not aspire to the divine becomes obsessed with the fascination of evil, reveling in the frivolous, the depraved, and the bestial, says economist and AI expert George Gilder.[2]

What we regard as ultimate authoritytranscendenceis truly a matter of life and death. We must have True Transcendence if we are to be free and secure in our liberties.

MacArthur knew the history of the USA. Though some American founders were deists they embraced a transcendent worldview that all humans are created equal and endowed by their Creator with rights that are inalienablebeyond alteration and cancellation. Government exists to protect those transcendently given rights. Therefore, those who govern are accountable to Transcendent God above all.

It was slaveholder Thomas Jefferson who fretted at the thought of Gods transcendence and human accountability, and wrote: I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that His justice cannot sleep forever...

Sadly, in our times many have embraced the view of the ancient Greek philosopher, Protagoras: Man is the measure of all things. Catholic political scientist Daniel J. Mahoney sees this as the central heresy in our time. To deny that the human has a spiritual and political nature is an ideological lie of protean character, thinks Mahoney.

Without the moral law, human beings will invent a moral law, albeit one that is arbitrary, confused, and confusing, even to its enforcers, writes David P. Deaval.[3]

This raises ominous issues regarding, for example, artificial intelligence. In what Charles Taylor and others describe as the eclipse of transcendence, what moral constraints are being programmed into the electronic systems? True conscience is a matter of the spirit. Where, then, is the locus of conscience in the machine?

Without a centering on True Transcendence, we will only fulfill St. Pauls prophecy that in the last days people will be lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good. treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power... (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

The late Cambridge scientist Stephen Hawking believed his findings had ruled out the need for a transcendent God as Creator of the universe. On the other hand, John C. Lennox, Oxford bioethicist and Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, hopes that reading his book, God and Stephen Hawking, will lead readers to believe in the God who not only made the universe but also conferred on you the immeasurable dignity of creating you in His image. (p.100)

The undeniable fact is that Human beings made in the image of God need transcendence in spirit and soul as much as we do oxygen in our bodies. If we reject True Transcendence (that I with millions of others believe is revealed in Jesus Christ of Nazareth and through the Bible), then we will start inventing our own transcendent beings, whether in the form of all-knowing gadgets, or a combination of human and machine, or sheer imagery.

The Bible calls all that idolatry.

[1] Should We Regulate Big Tech?, by Luigi Zingales (Imprimis: A Publication of Hillsdale College, November 2018, Vol.47, No.11), 3.

[2] Glenn H. Utter, Culture Wars in America: A Documentary and Reference Guide (Greenwood, 2009), 73.

[3] Daniel J. Mahoneys book is The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity (Encounter Books, 2018).
With less economic security, more women with college degrees having babies out of wedlock: study

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Facing diminishing returns from their education and overall economic insecurity, women with college degrees are now six times more likely to give birth to their first child out of wedlock than their counterparts just 25 years ago, a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows.

Johns Hopkins University sociologist Andrew Cherlin culled his findings in his study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science from demographic data from three major surveys: the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, and the National Survey of Family Growth.

He suggests that the cultural shift among college-educated women on motherhood is also driven by other factors such as societal acceptance of single parenthood and cohabiting couples.

"I project that among college-educated women currently in their 30s who will ever have a first child, 18% to 27% will be unmarried at the time of the birth," Cherlin said in a release from Johns Hopkins. "The place of marriage in the sequence of life events for emerging adulthood may be shifting among college graduates."

The study noted that in 1996, only 4% of college-educated women in their 30s had their first child out of wedlock. Some 20 years later, however, that share jumped to 24.5%.

"For a growing number of college-educated young adults in the U.S., their family life courses will eventually result in marriage but, for increasing numbers, marriage would follow a first birth rather than precede it," Cherlin noted. "This suggests a potential change in the role of marriage among college-educated emerging adultsalthough not necessarily a decline."

He further added: "Young adults may postpone or forgo marriage until and unless they have attained certain economic markers such as home ownership or an income comparable to the married couples around them."

And as college-educated women grapple with the diminishing returns from degrees, many men, some who have cited these diminishing returns, are now completely choosing to forgo college.

If I was going to be a doctor or a lawyer, then obviously those people need a formal education. But there are definitely ways to get around it now, Daniel Briles, 18, who graduated in June from Hastings High School in Hastings, Minnesota, told The Wall Street Journal in a recent report. There are opportunities that werent taught in school that could be a lot more promising than getting a degree.

Enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit research group, showed the number of men enrolled at two and four-year colleges has fallen to record levels, according to the Journal. At the end of the 2020-'21 academic year, women made up 59.5% of college students, an all-time high, and men 40.5%.

At UCLA, the proportion of male undergraduates fell to 41% in the fall semester of 2020 from 45% in fall 2013 even though undergraduate enrollment expanded by nearly 3,000 students over the period. Some nine out of 10 spots went to women, according to the report.

Even though fewer men apply, UCLA Vice Provost Youlonda Copeland-Morgan said: We do not see male applicants being less competitive than female applicants.

Over the course of their working lives, American college graduates reportedly earn more than a million dollars beyond those with only a high-school diploma. A university diploma is required for many jobs as well as most professions, technical work and positions of influence, the WSJ reports.
Taliban blocking charter flights from leaving Afghanistan; Blinken says US limited without personnel Veteran accuses Biden admin. of thwarting evacuation efforts

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the Taliban is preventing chartered flights from leaving Afghanistan because some onboard do not have the required documentation.

As of now, the Taliban are not permitting the charter flights to depart, Blinken said at a news conference at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. They claim that some of the passengers do not have the required documentation.

While there are limits to what we can do without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security procedures in place, we are working to do everything within our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground, he added. Thats what we've done and that's what we will continue to do.

Blinken, 59, said that the U.S. is working with nongovernmental organizations, advocates and lawmakers to help coordinate their efforts and offer guidance where we can.

We have made clear to all parties, we have made clear to the Taliban that these charters need to be able to depart, he said. We continue every day, virtually every hour to work on that.

Hundreds of Americans, Special Immigrant Visa applicants and green card holders are still in Afghanistan after the pullout of U.S. troops last month. There was pressure on the Biden administration to maintain a military presence in Afghanistan until Americans who wanted to leave had been evacuated. But after the military pullout, the administration assured that there would be a diplomatic mission to ensure that additional U.S. citizens and eligible Afghans could depart from the country.

John Bass, the former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, was tasked with spearheading the State Departments effort to help American citizens, citizens of allied nations, special immigrant visa applicants and Afghans at high risk leave the country.

In an earlier press conference, Blinken shared assurance he received for a senior Taliban official who vowed that any Afghans may leave the country, including those who worked for Americans, if they want and for whatever reason there may be.

In a joint statement last month, about half of the worlds countries acknowledged they had 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.

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, the joint statement reads. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding.

Earlier this week, it was reported that over 1,000 people, including Americans, have waited for clearance for their charter flights to depart from an airport in Mazar-i-Sharif. An organizer blamed the State Department, telling Reuters that the agency had failed to inform the Taliban of the flights approval.

On Tuesday, Blinken denied reports that the Taliban was blocking Americans from leaving Afghanistan. Blinken said that the challenges around these flights were that some people lacked travel documents, which delayed departure for the whole group.

And its my understanding is that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, but they have said those without valid documents, at this point, cant leave, Blinken said.

Because all of these people are grouped together, thats meant that flights have not been allowed to go.

On Wednesday, Blinken said that many of these flights were organized by NGOs and individuals with a deeply felt desire to help people.

[W]ere grateful to be working with so many passionate advocates, but theres also a risk of people looking to extort money from desperate and vulnerable people, which of course we want to prevent, he said.

One veteran alleges that the Biden administration has thwarted his efforts to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan and is falsely taking credit for his teams successful evacuation of a family of American citizens.

Cory Mills, a Republican congressional candidate and Army combat veteran, elaborated on his collaboration with Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, and Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and others to evacuate a U.S. citizen and her three children from Afghanistan during an appearance on Fox & Friends Tuesday.

Originally, our plan was to go ahead and do an air evac. That was absolutely thwarted by the  CENTCOM Command and the State Department, Mills said.

Army Combat Veteran @CoryMillsFL just completed the first ground evacuation from Afghanistan and is pushing back after the State Department is taking credit for the rescues. pic.twitter.com/6aTYlh5DKC  Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) September 7, 2021

Appearing on CNNs Cuomo Prime Time Tuesday, Mills explained that they were manifested on another aircraft ... [that] had been approved by the Taliban, had been approved by the DOD [and] had been approved by the State Department.

And right before the [last] hour when it was ready to fly, the State Department went ahead and canceled that flight or disapproved  that flight because they wanted to vet the manifest, which I can understand and appreciate, Mills added.

The State Department is saying they helped facilitate the departure of four American citizens from Afghanistan.



Cory Mills, an Army combat veteran, says they actually thwarted efforts of veterans on the ground who were trying rescue an American woman and her kids. pic.twitter.com/GJOcGULet7  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) September 8, 2021

Due to Mills inability to fly the family out of Afghanistan, they were evacuated into a neighboring country via an overland route.

Jackson reported on Twitter Monday that After 2 weeks & multiple life threatening attempts, I am overjoyed to share that 4 U.S. citizens from #TX13 were part of the first successful ground evacuation since the U.S. left Kabul.

After 2 weeks & multiple life threatening attempts, I am overjoyed to share that 4 U.S. citizens from #TX13 were part of the first successful ground evacuation since the U.S. left Kabul. Thank you to Cory Mills & the other patriots on his team for saving these BRAVE Americans! pic.twitter.com/1Tv9KRUgcE  Ronny Jackson (@RepRonnyJackson) September 6, 2021

The family of four in question resides in Texas 13th Congressional District, which Jackson represents. Throughout the previous two weeks, Jackson detailed some of the dangers the family experienced trying to flee the country.

They have been just outside the airport numerous times, but the State Department WILL NOT help them, he lamented in an Aug. 28 tweet. They have been beaten by the Taliban at checkpoints and told to leave and come back with large sums of money.

In statements to national news outlets, the U.S. State Department has claimed that it helped secure the familys evacuation.

In an email to Fox News, a State Department spokesperson declared that The Department assisted four Americans depart Afghanistan via an overland route on Monday.

We provided guidance to them, worked to facilitate their safe passage, and Embassy officials greeted the Americans once they had crossed the border, the spokesperson stated.

Those directly involved with the familys evacuation have disputed this narrative.

Mills told Cuomo that he did not receive support from the State Department until they had already evacuated the family into the neighboring country.

Mullin described a CNN tweet asserting that the US helped facilitate the departure of four American citizens from Afghanistan via an overland route, a state official says as a flat out lie.

According to Mullin, The Biden Administration abandoned them.

Lets be clear, it was our team of patriots who worked around the clock for two weeks to get them out, despite the many roadblocks from the State Department, Mullin added.

Dissatisfied with the administrations efforts to evacuate Americans and vulnerable Afghans from the country, many private groups, including Glenn Becks Nazarene Fund, have opted to conduct evacuations themselves.

In an appearance on Fox News last month, Beck, a conservative talk radio host, alleged that The State Department has blocked us every step of the way.

The Biden administration continues to face criticism about its handling of the Afghanistan pullout more than a week after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan.

While the Biden administration estimated that between 100 and 200 Americans who would like to leave Afghanistan remain in the country, critics of the administration, including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., have placed that number much higher.

Issa told the Associated Press that he believes the actual number of U.S. citizens remaining in Afghanistan is closer to 500. He contended that when including the family members of U.S. citizens, that number rises to 1,000.

The fallout of the Afghanistan pullout, including bombings in and around the Kabul Airport that left 13 U.S. military service members dead, has taken a toll on the presidents approval ratings.

The RealClear Politics polling average, updated Wednesday, measured President Joe Bidens disapproval rating at a record high of 49.5%. A poll conducted last week by Rasmussen Reports found that 52% of Americans think the president should resign over his administration's handling of the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan remains the elephant in the room as we approach the 20th anniversary of September 11th.

America is gone, and the world has taken note of how we left and who we left behind. As Americans, we watched in horror while the government, whose only real job is to protect us, left our fellow citizens, our allies, and innocent people behind in the most brutal and traitorous way.

How do we as a nation take that righteous anger that we are feeling and do something that will make a difference?

First, by praying.

While modern culture is quick to dismiss prayer as weak and ineffective, it is a powerful tool. Prayer moves Gods hand.

It offers encouragement, changes circumstances, brings peace, delivers those in need, builds hope, cements courage, and draws us to God.

Prayer has also played a huge part in our nations history.

Prayer was the key to breaking a 5-week-long stalemate in the writing of our founding documents and the creation of our nations framework.

In response to the floundering efforts and disagreement, Benjamin Franklin challenged his fellow founders in the Continental Convention of 1787, declaring, And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truththat God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, it is probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

After the period of prayer and fasting, our Constitution was authoredan inspired document that is the longest ongoing Constitution in the history of the world.

The impact of prayer is woven into the fabric of the American people, and that continues to this day. Millions of Americans have been praying for Afghanistan as theyve watched the events spiral out-of-control, and weve seen the power of prayer at work. Stories are emerging on social media of people passing a Taliban checkpoint unchallenged or hiding unnoticed in a building crawling with Taliban. These stories are a testament to God at work.

But in addition to prayer, we need to seek ways to take direct, physical action.

The Bible gives us examples of combining prayer and direct action. A very applicable example is found in the book of Esther. When the Jews were in danger of slaughter from the evil plans and deceit of Haman, Esther employed prayer and fasting, then took action to appeal to the King, ultimately saving the Jewish people.

Prayer often tills the soil for direct action to take root. So, lets pray, but lets also take action that the world can see.

That means holding those responsible who jeopardized the safety of Americans and our allies by speaking up to our elected officials. Their response is not our responsibilityour responsibility is to speak truth to power, to be looking for ways to make a difference and speak up for what is right.

It also means directly helping those groups that are still working to rescue Americans and our allies in Afghanistan. Just because our government has acquiesced its moral authority to our fellow Americans and allies, it doesn't mean the American people need to do the same. There are opportunities to play a part in bringing people to safety and help them start their lives over.

Its also crucial that we help support our veterans. These heroes are struggling as they see the country that they fought, bled and watched friends die in, return to chaos and darkness. Now more than ever we need to be there for themcoming alongside them both spiritually and physically.

This is our time to rise and be the people of prayer and action that America needs. The darkness we see now isnt something we havent seen before, so let us meet that darkness with the same fervent prayer and the same selfless action that we have seen in defining moments of our nations history.

Prayer and action is a dangerous combination against the enemy of truth and freedom.
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The decades-long persecution of Christians in Nigeria continues unabated, and if anything, appears to be worsening and just as one-sided as ever. It has been recounted in numerous articles posted by IRD in recent years. Perhaps most disturbing, the government of Nigeria, led by President Muhammed Buhari, has centralized control of the nations police, and seems to have a policy of allowing Christians to be murdered by militants of the Muslim Fulani ethnic group with impunity.

Killings, which are ongoing, commonly occur in Nigerias Middle Belt, between the Muslim north and the Christian south of the country. Significantly, an Anglican bishop in one of the affected areas, the Rt. Rev. Jacob Kwashi of Zonkwa Diocese, remarked last month at a mass funeral that:

We have never seen an evil government in this country like the one of today  The government is fully in support of the bloodshed in Nigeria. We are being killed just because we are not Muslim."

This theme was echoed in a presentation by Robert Reilly, director of the Westminster Institute on August 28. Reilly interviewed Robert Destro, former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in the Trump Administration, and currently Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America; and Mark Jacob, a Nigerian barrister, and former Attorney General of Kaduna State in Nigeria, concerning the Nigerian governments effective support of the slaughter. Although the terrorist group Boko Haram is the best known perpetrator of violence in Nigeria, Reillys interview focused primarily on violence committed by Fulani militants.

Reilly noted that the Trump Administration declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in late 2020, which indicates that it has engaged in or tolerated ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom, and that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has warned of a potential Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Jacob provided a broad background to what is going on in Nigeria, talking about factual events that I have primary knowledge of. Im not talking from second guess or hearsay. He said that he has been part of several mass burials, and has encouraged victims.

Jacob observed that the atrocities to which he refers were selected killings of Christians, particularly in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. While it is being claimed that climate change is the ultimate cause of the conflict, in fact, the killings that have happened from 2014 on are a genocide perpetrated by a sophisticated armed militia. He said the Fulani militants are well organized, they are well trained, they are well armed. These armed groups move from village to village, from town to town, from community to community. It has also been claimed that the attacks were not religious. But Jacob said that all the attacks are religious. Attackers come into a community shouting the Islamic slogan Allahu Akbar! Churches are destroyed. Mosques are spared, indeed, left untouched. Muslim inhabitants are not attacked, only Christians. He said that since 2015, the Nigerian government has taken sides with the attackers. To claim that the attacks are not religious is simply a falsehood, he said.

Reilly asked who is arming the Fulani. Jacob said that the Nigerian government claims that the arms are coming from Libya. However, Jacob said that the Islamic world is organized on this matter. Several Islamic countries are believed to be funding and supporting these attacks because the entire program is described as a jihad. He said that it is described as an attempt to Islamize the territories. The attackers use the Islamic language and slogans.

Jacob said the current jihad began around 2010 in Plateau State, and got worse by 2015. From there, it has spread to other states in Nigeria. Attacks are on predominately Christian communities, which are attacked at night time. Villages are surrounded, people driven from their homes, and then hunted down. Houses are looted, and separate contingents of the Fulani set houses on fire. These attacks are ongoing. Thousands of internally displaced persons are in refugee camps, with the government doing little or nothing to help them. Education has been permanently disrupted.



Another abuse has been to kidnap children. In one case, about one hundred children from a Baptist childrens home were held captive. He said that commonly following a kidnapping, the parents are left alone, to negotiate with the kidnappers. At least in some cases, the locations of kidnapped children are known. Jacob said that against the Fulani, Christian Nigerians are totally helpless, you survive only by Gods will.

Jacob observed that the Nigerian armed forces are skewed to the Muslims. Since 2015, when Buhari became President, the government has ensured that the heads of all agencies are Muslims. All appeals to have a mixed military leadership have been ignored. To all appearances, the Nigerian government and armed forces are complicit in the mass murder that is happening. Even if a state government would like to attack terrorists, they would have to act through the federal government to apply coercive force, since both army and police are centralized under the federal government. Military action against terrorists is approved if Muslims are attacked, but not if Christians are attacked, he said.

Reilly asked about a situation a number of years ago when federal troops moved against the terrorist organization Boko Haram. In this situation, a number of school girls were attacked. But Jacob said that the Nigerian president at the time was Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian. However, the President of Nigeria since 2015 has been Mohammed Buhari, who himself was appointed by Boko Haram  to lead in any negotiations with the Nigerian government before 2015.

Jacob sees a real problem with known members of Boko Haram being integrated into the Nigerian army on the claim that they have repented. This, he said, is clear injustice, not to punish terrorists. He believes it accounts of the lackadaisical approach of the Nigerian military to terrorism. Jacob said that the terrorists have an ideological conviction to kill people in the name of religion. And then you are just brought back and given the uniform with the Nigerian army.

Reilly asked if the Nigerian military itself had ever been implicated in these attacks on Christians. Jacob essentially said that the militarys inaction is evidence of complicity. He cited a recent case of an attack which was just fifteen minutes from the barracks of the Nigerian army. Over 70 people were killed, and many homes destroyed, but no action from the army. Another attack on Christmas Eve 2016 continued from mid-night to dawn, and lasted until everyone was either killed or had fled, and their houses destroyed, while the army and police were only 15 kilometers away. This sort of thing has been seen over and over.

Jacob said that when an incident occurs, victims or their advocates are told that the military does not have approval to act against terrorists, and may be told that the attack is simply a mere internal strife over land or a herder/farmer crisis. This, he said, is a total falsehood. There were tribal clashes in the 1970s, but these were resolved without bloodshed. Jacob added that the Fulani attackers today will cut down crops after destroying a village. It is not a situation where a herdsman happens to stray onto a farm, but an attack by well-armed troops on farms, killing the inhabitants, and destroying the farm.

Reilly asked if these attacks have been successful in depopulating parts of Nigeria. Jacob responded absolutely. The indigenous population is gone in many areas, and the land occupied by the Fulani. Court orders to restore land cannot be enforced, because of government complicity in the attacks.

Jacob said that governors of states in southern Nigeria came together to prevent Fulani expansion into their areas. This action was condemned, both by the Fulani and the Nigerian government, clearly showing the Nigerian governments complicity in the murder of Nigerians and confiscation of land. The governments official policy is to declare privately owned land open for settlement, resulting in the current assault on Christians in Nigeria, which is ongoing. The Nigerian government has also designated thousands of kilometers of land in Nigeria for grazing (Fulani) expansion, ignoring property rights.

Jacob said that the Nigerian government was very upset and angry about the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern. But he said that no one who has entered Nigeria in the last two years will fail to see, will fail to touch the turmoil that is happening there. No single day passes without a report of twenty, to thirty, to one hundred people being killed  the government is refusing to address criminality  the people bearing arms are getting bolder every day.

Reilly remarked that one would expect widespread revulsion in Nigeria against what is happening. He asked why the Christians in the south of Nigeria cant do something to help people in north and central Nigeria. Jacob said that they can do very little. The problem is that the southern governors, who have opposed President Buharis policy of opening farmlands to Fulani grazing, are in the same political party as the president, and political correctness has prevented them from effectively opposing his policies.



The violence in Nigerias middle belt has now spread to the southeast and the southwest of Nigeria, he said. Although the southern governors have formally come together to state their opposition to his policies, which Jacob said is a bold step, nevertheless, their opposition has so far been ineffective. Security is highly centralized in Nigeria, and most politicians like to play safe, rather than opposing the President.

Reilly asked what is the potential within Nigeria for a peaceful, democratic change. Jacob said that the potential is very slim, because there is no arm of government that has not been infiltrated with, by the current political style we have, where the President and his men have their hands in everything. While there is an electoral commission, no one believes that there will be a fair election. Rigged elections have been approved in the past, and ballot boxes were  taken away by soldiers.

Reilly asked about the integrity of the court system. Jacob said that the courts are intimidated. The current government raided the homes of Supreme Court justices, on the pretense of investigating corruption. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was removed, and replaced by someone else. Reilly asked how Jacob operates as a barrister in Nigeria in view of this corruption. Jacob said that he is not a proud lawyer because of this corruption. Judges are unwilling to render true justice according to the law, because of intimidation. Thus, the Buhari government could obtain an order designating the Independent Peoples Movement of Biafra a terrorist organization, while those groups actually committing mass murders go free.

Jacob said that the rights of Christians and other religions have been trampled upon with impunity. So much so, that the lives of Christians do not matter. Any attack on Muslims, however, results in immediate government action. He said that the Nigerian government specializes in  the manipulation of information. The government even attempted a hate speech bill that would effectively prohibit criticism of the government.

Reilly asked Jacob if the interview he had given puts him personally in danger. Jacob said absolutely, but I dont care. He said that there is a common saying now in Nigeria that if you speak, you die. If you dont speak, you die.

Jacob presented a much more dire picture of Nigeria than Americans commonly hold. Comments of Robert Destro, who dealt with Nigeria as an Assistant Secretary of State, along with concluding observations, will be given in a subsequent article.

Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism.

Rick Plasterer is a staff writer for IRD concerned particularly with domestic religious liberty. He attended Eastern Mennonite College (now University) receiving a B.A. degree in history and sociology, and an M.S. in library science from Drexel University.
This week in Christian history: German missionary arrives in India, Puritans lash Baptist preacher

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Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance.

Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births, notable deaths and everything in between.

Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while other happenings might be previously unknown by most people.

The following pages highlight events that happened this week in Christian history. They include the arrival of a notable German missionary to India, American Puritans punishing an influential Baptist preacher, and the first instance of the Catholic practice of Eucharistic adoration.

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6 in 10 Americans want Roe v. Wade changed to allow abortion restrictions: poll

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More than six in 10 Americans say they want the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade to be reinterpreted to allow additional restrictions on abortion, a new survey has found.

A new survey of over 1,066 adults aged 18 and older conducted last week and released on Tuesday asked participants what they would want to happen if the Supreme Court one day reconsiders the 1973 ruling, a possibility that some abortion advocates fear with the slight conservative majority of the bench.

The question posed is one of the newest questions asked of respondents to an 11th-annual Marist Institute for Public Opinion poll conducted for the Catholic fraternal organization Knights of Columbus on abortion rights.

The survey found that 30 percent of respondents say they would like to see abortion kept legal without restriction, while 49 percent said they would like states to be allowed to make certain restrictions and 16 percent said they think abortion should be made entirely illegal.

We ended up finding that almost two-thirds, 65 percent, would like the court to reinterpret Roe, revisit that decision in a way that would functionally overturn it, Knights of Columbus Vice President Andrew Walther told reporters in a press call on Tuesday.

Walther notes the data indicates that nearly half of respondents favor a legal landscape similar to the days before the Roe v. Wade decision when states could decide abortion restrictions for themselves or favor tighter abortion restrictions.

So you have 65 percent that is looking for something very much different for Roe v. Wade, he stressed.

Walther added that most polling on Roe v. Wade only asks binary questions about whether a respondent supports the 1973 Supreme Court decision without doing much to go into detail about the individual views on how the ruling should be changed or upheld.

It is a different set of answers when you ask [just] the brand name, Walther explained. What we have found both with the [question on abortion restrictions]  and now with this question with the Supreme Court, when you ask people what they think, the answers you get taking away the labels [of pro-choice and pro-life] are really interesting in terms of policy prescriptions or desire for jurisprudence that would be very different from what a snapshot-label-type question would give you.

In previous Marist/Knights of Columbus surveys, respondents have been asked where they stand on a six-point spectrum when it comes to the issue of abortion.

Just 15 percent of adults say they believe abortion should be available to a woman at any point during the pregnancy, a position more in line with that of 2016 Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and the abortion industry. Only 9 percent of respondents said they think abortion should be legal during the first six months of pregnancy.

As the U.S. is one of seven countries in the world that allows abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, 27 percent said they think abortion should only be allowed during the first three months of pregnancy while 28 percent said that abortion should only be legal in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

Ten percent said abortion should be legal only to save the life of the mother and another 10 percent said abortion should never be permitted under any circumstance.

Knights of Columbus and Marist maintain that the data indicates that 75 percent of respondents feel that abortion should at the very least be limited to the first three months of pregnancy.

When it comes to respondents who identified as pro-choice, 25 percent said they support abortion at any point in the pregnancy and 14 percent said they support abortion during the first six months.

Forty-two percent of self-identified pro-choice respondents said they think abortion should be legal only in the first three months of pregnancy while 17 percent said they think abortion should be legal only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

What this study has shown and we have shown over the past decade, is that it would be helpful for us to step back from the campaigning in the public square and have a serious discussion about what Americans policy preferences are on the issue of abortion, Marist poll Director Barbara Carvalho told reporters. Yes, this weekend you have the March for Life and the Womens March and it is being characterized as one side versus the other side. What I am hoping we provide through this research it is not just about being on one side or the other side.

Walther and Carvalho were asked about data compiled by Gallup, which has found that about six out of 10 Americans broadly support abortion rights in the first trimester.

I think it is important to understand that the legal situation as it is now is not a strict three-month limit, Walther said. What you have is 75 percent support substantial restrictions. The Washington Post Fact Checker has confirmed that the U.S. is one of only seven countries that allows abortion after 20 weeks. We allow late-term abortions in a way that only six other countries allow it, including North Korea, Vietnam, and China.

The survey also found that 75 percent of respondents oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions in other countries, while 54 percent oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to fund a womans abortion.

Sixty-two percent of respondents oppose aborting babies diagnosed in utero as having Down syndrome.

The survey also found that 59 percent of respondents say they support banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy except to save the life of a mother, while 32 percent said they oppose such a rule.

The survey, which was conducted on Jan. 8 through Jan. 10, contained a 3.7-percentage-point margin of error.

Last year, the abortion rights group Center for Reproductive Rights argued in a report that if Roe was overturned, then 22 states would likely ban abortion in response.

But Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric J. Scheidler, told CP last July that claims like 22 states immediately banning abortion are exaggerated "fear mongering."

"At most, only a couple of states with extremely conservative legislatures might even attempt something like a total ban on abortion," Scheidler told CP.

"[It's] far more likely that states would seek to further restrict abortion, in line with the view of most Americans, with measures like banning late-term abortion and holding abortion facilities to the highest health and safety standards," he said.

He added that the Supreme Court could uphold greater restrictions on abortion than we've seen so far, such as the bans on abortion after 20 weeks that have been passed in some states.
Church in Wales to allow pastors to bless same-sex marriages, wont conduct gay weddings

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The Church in Wales, composed of six Anglican dioceses in the United Kingdom, will allow clergy to hold services designed to bless same-sex civil partnerships or marriages. However, the church will not allow clergy to conduct legally binding same-sex marriage ceremonies.

On Monday, the governing body of the Church in Wales passed a bill by more than the necessary two-thirds majority, following a debate at a three-day conference at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport.

The bishops approved the bill by a unanimous vote, while the clergy voted 28 to 12 in favor with two abstentions. The laity voted 49 to 10 with one abstention.

The bill's passage will remain in effect for five years for a trial period. However, if any church staff prefer not to participate in the blessing ceremonies for same-sex unions, they can choose not to participate.

Church in Wales Senior Bishop Andy John said he knows the decision to honor and bless LGBT couples in blessing ceremonies would receive backlash from those who disagree. However, he finds the passage of the policy to be a development of the Church.

But every development is to some degree a departure; something changes wherever there is a new expression of practice, he said to the crowd at the meeting. And even when such a change appears consonant with a stated position, it is nevertheless a change.

Bishop Gregory Cameron of St Asaph, who introduced the bill, said, the church has spoken decisively today in favour of blessings.

I come out of this debate with no sense of triumph, he said in a statement, but believing that the Church in Wales has done the right thing under God for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Multiple bishops who introduced the bill stated in an explanatory memorandum in August that they believe the legislation will reveal that loving and faithful commitment is worthy of acceptance by the Church by asking Gods blessing upon their commitment.

The memorandum also acknowledges that the decision would be controversial, but also a step on the way towards repentance of a history in the Church which has demonised and persecuted gay and lesbian people, forcing them into fear, dishonesty and sometimes even hypocrisy, preventing them from publicly living lives of committed partnership.

The Evangelical Fellowship in the Church of Wales expressed disappointment in the passing of the bill.

For many in EFCW, this decision will come with a sense of sadness that the Church in Wales has decided to depart from a traditional understanding of marriage, and with great uncertainty about how to move forward in good conscience, a statement on the EFCW Facebook page reads.

The EFCW executive welcomes any comments that the membership would like to be considered at [a Sept. 20] meeting. It will enable us to ensure that we are properly taking into account the breadth of concerns of the membership.

Before the vote, Bishop John reportedly made an announcement in which he compared the passing of the legislation to other changes in the Churchs history.

When the Church changed its position on forbidding meat with blood in it, or saw that slavery in all and any form was wicked, there was change, he said during the Monday meeting. Mission always lies at the heart of faith.  And being alive to God, to what might happen next, is part of remaining curious and open to new opportunity.

A priest in training for the Church in Wales, Ruth Eleri James, is in a same-sex relationship with her partner, Hannah, a lay member of the governing body.

She told BBC news the final vote is important to her and prays for the day when they can have the sacrament of marriage in a church.

"It will reflect the real love and welcome that we have personally experienced in our local churches, who we know long to be able to offer something to couples who are in same-sex relationships, she was quoted as saying. But it's also important because this is a message to LGBTQ folk in society at large to say their relationships are loved and blessed by God, and that's a message that hasn't been given, certainly in my lifetime, and I long to be able to share that with people.
Evangelical Christianity on Georgetowns campus

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Its 3 a.m. in my dorm. Im never awake at this time; frankly, not much good happens at this hour on a Friday night in college. But not tonight.

Friends and I were engaged in hour four of conversation about Jesus. Because of that conversation, an atheist friend later told me he is almost ready to make a decision for Christ. That night, the power of God was working. It was that power that made this the best night of my summer, that gave me renewed hope for the kingdom of God on campus, and that yes, kept me up until 3 am. Despite significant obstacles and resistance, God is visibly moving in the lives of students on my campus and campuses across the globe.

When I decided to attend Georgetown University, I knew what I was getting myself into. Mentors warned me about the pressure of being a Christian at a largely secular  though nominally Catholic  school and they havent been entirely wrong. Many students dont affiliate with Christianity; the ones who do generally employ it as a label. Even fewer are Protestant, making the experience as an evangelical on campus difficult. Most days I feel on edge, as on the surface it seems that religion is at best a social group and at worst derided.

Yet, God has let me dive beneath the surface. My single prayer leading up to school was that God would provide a ministry field at Georgetown. He has since blessed me above and beyond with opportunities to see the roots of spiritual revival here. His hand is evident and imminent.

This is not to say that there arent obstacles to evangelical Christianity at Georgetown. While many students want to explore Christianity, institutions on campus dont always aid that search. From my experience, the Protestant ministry run by the university seems most concerned with inclusiveness. This is not a bad goal. However, in trying to cater across beliefs, establishing foundational truth is difficult. Most people who I ask about their Protestant ministry experience reply it was fine. That is, well, fine. But fine doesnt provide a secure refuge from the institutional pressure many active Christians face here.

A prime example was last weekend as Georgetown held its annual club fair. The front lawn was filled with all the campus ministry groups  except one. More than 10 tables reserved for evangelical ministry groups were left vacant. They had been told not to show up by the Georgetown-run Protestant ministry for reasons that were never disclosed. Instead of warm faces and informational fliers, searching students were left with bare tables and lingering questions.

The order was a microcosm of what I would describe as a lack of urgency to push for a stronger evangelical community on campus. These smaller groups are charged enormous hourly fees to reserve space on campus for meetings, providing an additional burden. As a part of the school, the administrative Protestant ministry doesnt face these obstacles. While this is only my personal experience, there appears to be a concerning apathy regarding earnest ministry expansion.

Another difficulty with spiritual life on campus is the lack of evangelical or traditionalist Protestant churches in the immediate Georgetown area. Many students, especially if spiritual seekers or new Christians, arent keen to wake up early and pay for an Uber or bus ride. A recent trip with seven students to my local church, barely two miles away, cost us close to $60. The proximity also inhibits the ability of students to get involved in weekday church ministries like small groups. While Washington D.C. seems to abound with churches, the lack of plants in the immediate Georgetown area confines students to campus ministries which can be difficult to connect to.

It is a blessing, though, that we serve a God who isnt hampered by people. Ive been amazed at the deep spiritual yearning here at Georgetown. The one evangelical ministry table at the club fair, my Bible study group, received over 30 connection cards in just a couple of hours. This group, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, along with groups like Campus Outreach and Anchor, are enthusiastically fighting the uphill battle for evangelical students at Georgetown.



In my personal life, the conversation I mentioned in the introduction is one example among many. A few weeks ago, a coworker Id known for only a few days randomly mentioned that shes begun reading Mere Christianity. I was able to take her to church for the first time in her life the next week. Others have opened up to me about struggles with mental health and concerns over friends troubled with addiction and anxiety. Even on the night I moved in, I spent about 20 minutes talking to two drinking friends about church, Gods justice, and purity, all questions they raised (yes, while intoxicated).

Beyond nominal affiliation, Georgetown isnt a Christian campus  but I am increasingly convinced that it knows it is lost. College students are confronted with personal struggles and global difficulties daily. My generation isnt hostile to Christianity. Rather, they often arrive at school questioning their worldview.

To paraphrase James, students are tossed to and fro by the winds of this world. It is in this place that they become open to Christs beautifully loving heart, expressed in Matthew 9: he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless College students are harassed by trials, and we often feel helpless as we transition from one stage of life to the next. It is here that Christ meets us. He is moving on campuses, no matter what student administration, government, or people stand in His way.

I urge you to pray. Pray for college students you know. Pray that they will see their need for Christ. Pray that they find solid faith communities. Most of all, pray, as I did, for a fruitful ministry opportunity at campuses across the world. God is faithful. He will answer.

Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism.
Nancy Pelosi tried to sneak abortion funding into coronavirus emergency bill, Ben Sasse says

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Republican Sen. Ben Sasse blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats for seeking to include a potential way to guarantee federal funding for abortion into the coronavirus economic stimulus plan that passed the House just before 1 a.m. Saturday.

While schools are closing and hospitals are gearing up, Speaker Pelosi is waging unnecessary culture wars, Sasse told National Review in a statement. Speaker Pelosi should be fighting the coronavirus pandemic, not politicizing emergency funding by fighting against the bipartisan Hyde Amendment.

Sasse added, We need to be ramping up our diagnostic testing, not waging culture wars at the behest of Planned Parenthood. Good grief.

Sasse was referring to a report in the Daily Caller, in which White House officials anonymously said that Pelosi attempted to secure a funding stream of up to $1 billion for reimbursing laboratory claims. According to the officials, the provision would set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal tax dollars from paying for abortions.

Under the guise of protecting people, Speaker Pelosi is working to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent covering abortion  which is not only backwards, but goes against historical norms, a White House official was quoted as saying.

In an interview on Fox News Thursday, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York alluded to Pelosis attempt. Right now we are hearing that some of the fights and some of the gridlock is because people are trying to put pro-life provisions into this, she said.

Many Democrats want to eliminate the Hyde Amendment.

Last June, former Vice President Joe Biden said: Ive supported the Hyde Amendment like many, many others have because there was sufficient monies and circumstances where women were able to exercise that right. But circumstances have changed. Ive been working through the final details of my healthcare plan like others in this race and Ive been struggling with the problems that Hyde now presents. I cant justify leaving millions of women without access to care they need and the ability to constitute, exercise their constitutionally protected right.

The Hyde Amendment (named after late Congressman Henry Hyde) was passed in 1976, three years after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in Roe v. Wade. The amendment is affirmed each year by Congress as a rider to the HHS appropriations bill because it prohibits federal funding of abortions. The rider has said various things over the years but the current version includes exceptions that allow Medicaid funds to be used for abortions in cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother  but all other federal taxpayer funding of abortion is banned by Hyde.

As an op-ed by The Christian Post noted, Between 1976, when the Hyde Amendment first passed, and 1980 when it took effect (after the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional), federal tax dollars funded 25% of all abortions nationally or some 300,000 abortions annually. To be clear, before the Hyde Amendment went into effect, Americas taxpayers paid for nearly a million abortions.
The real attack against our children

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This article is not meant to attack young people struggling with deep-seated gender confusion. To the contrary, it is meant to expose the attack on these young people.

To be totally candid, its as if a spirit of madness has descended on our society targeting the youth in particular. Its as if reality has been turned upside down and truth no longer matters  or even exists. And it is downright heartbreaking to witness.

I have been warning against the trajectory of LGBTQ activism since 2004, and over these years, I have talked with countless parents and spouses and siblings, many of them weeping as they shared their stories. But recently, after speaking to several thousand Christians in Franklin, Tenn., the accumulation of stories I heard was overwhelming.

A father came to me in tears, asking what to do for his 17-year-old daughter. Just 2 years ago, she was a committed Christian, telling her pastor that she stood with him in the fight for biblical sexuality.

One year later, she was identifying as male and threatening suicide if her father refused to authorize her treatments. Not only so, but her older sister had cut off communication with him because he had not capitulated.

A grandmother asked for advice for her grandson, who lived with her and her husband. His best friend, another little boy in the same building, was now wearing a dress. Should they still play together?

A mother broke down crying as she asked how she should relate to her daughter, now in her 20s. A few years ago, she came out as lesbian, then got married to her partner, but now has announced she is male and is in the process of transitioning. The daughter also professes to be a devoted Christian who never misses a church service and who opposes LGBTQ activism.

An older man told me about one of his good friends. Recently, at the same time, the mans son and grandson came out as female, also threatening suicide unless they could have sex-change surgery. Distraught and wanting to be supportive, he paid for the surgeries.

And on and on it went, with one gut wrenching story after another.

During one of the presentations in Franklin, I shared the story of Keira Bell, a young woman in England who, after declaring herself as male to a medical clinic, was put on puberty blockers at age 16. One year later, she was receiving testosterone shots. Then, at 20 and sporting a beard, she had a double mastectomy, living her life as Quincy.

Not long after that, she realized that she was neither Quincy nor a male at all. Instead, she had other emotional and psychological issues. But in these days of transanity, she was completely misdiagnosed. And where did all this leave her?

The consequences of what happened to me, she explains, have been profound: possible infertility, loss of my breasts and inability to breastfeed, atrophied genitals, a permanently changed voice, facial hair. When I was seen at the Tavistock clinic, I had so many issues that it was comforting to think I really had only one that needed solving: I was a male in a female body. But it was the job of the professionals to consider all my co-morbidities, not just to affirm my naive hope that everything could be solved with hormones and surgery.

Yet everywhere you turn, this is the new normal, even something to be celebrated, from our childrens schools to Hollywood and from the Olympics (with biological males competing against females) to the Equality Act.

I recently spoke with a father in Canada who was imprisoned for three months, most of that time spent in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. His crime? He defied a court order forbidding him from referring to his teenage daughter as a girl or discussing the court ruling supporting her gender transition.

How on earth did this happen? How have so many people, especially young people, suddenly become so convinced that they are not what their biology and chromosomes say they are? (Again, I do not write this to criticize but to understand, not to hurt but to help.)

And how is it that, according to President Biden and others, transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time? (See here and here.)

And that important, well-researched, compassionately-written books like Ryan Andersons When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment have been banned by Amazon? And that Amazon will not allow Abigail Shriers watershed book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughers to be advertised on their site, even though it is still sold there?

And that mens bathrooms on college campuses now carry tampons, since men can menstruate too?

And that a man who identifies as a woman and is married to a woman who identifies as a man has now impregnated his husband, so that he is now carrying her baby?

And that universities across the country will begin the fall semester asking students for their preferred gender pronouns, ranging from tey/tem/ter/temself to fae/faer/faers/faerself and from zhe/zhir/zhirs/zhirself to bun/bun/buns/bunself?

Its as if a horde of demons has been unleashed and our society has fallen into deep deception and delusion. And the ultimate victims, targeted for indoctrination from their earliest years, are the children. (If you think Im exaggerating, take a minute to watch this queer, non-binary pre-school teacher celebrating her accomplishments or this toddler reading through a gay ABC book.)

Whatever the cause of this societal madness, the question that remains is simple: what are we going to do about it?
Biden, Psaki and pro-life groups react as Texas heartbeat law goes into effect

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Well-known figures on both sides of the abortion debate are reacting to Texas law banning the abortion of babies at six-week gestation, making it the first state where such a law has gone into effect without a court striking it down.

Senate Bill 8 went into effect Wednesday despite efforts by abortion providers and advocacy groups to challenge the measure in court. The legislation bans abortions in Texas after a baby's heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks gestation. The law also allows private citizens to file lawsuits against abortionists or anyone who performs an abortion after a baby's heartbeat is detected or anyone who aids in illegal abortions.

The law went into effect as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to weigh in on the constitutionality of Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. Both the six-week abortion ban and the 15-week abortion ban are designed to chip away at the precedent set by the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade that struck down state laws and made abortion legal nationwide.

While pro-life groups are celebrating the implementation of Senate Bill 8, pro-abortion politicians and advocacy groups are lamenting that the legislation has taken effect. Here are reactions to Texas six-week abortion ban becoming law.

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Former ISIS Beattle pleads guilty to kidnapping of 4 slain Americans in Syria

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A former British citizen, who was part of a group of four ISIS members that their captives referred to as the Beatles, has pleaded guilty to all U.S. criminal charges relating to hostage-taking and supporting the terrorist group, resulting in the killing of four American citizens among other Western hostages in Syria.

Alexanda Amon Kotey, 37, who served as an ISIS fighter and participated in the captivity of American and European hostages in Syria, pleaded guilty to all charges that were pending against him in the U.S., the Department of Justice said in a statement.

Court records show Kotey participated in the seizure, detention and hostage negotiations for four American citizens  journalists James Wright Foley and Steven Joel Sotloff, and aid workers Kayla Jean Mueller and Peter Edward Kassig  between 2012 and 2015.

The four died as hostages in ISIS' custody.

Kotey, who has pleaded guilty to all eight charges against him, also participated in hostage operations involving British, Italian, Danish and German nationals, among others, according to the statement.

This guilty plea ensures that Kotey will spend the rest of his life in prison for the horrific crimes he has committed, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Departments National Security Division, said.

Kotey was one of four ISIS terrorists nicknamed the Beatles by their hostages because of their British accents.

This case has always been focused on the victims and their families, Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia said.

Their resilience, courage, and perseverance have ensured that terror will never have the last word. The justice, fairness, and humanity that this defendant received in the United States stand in stark contrast to the cruelty, inhumanity, and indiscriminate violence touted by the terrorist organization he espoused. Today, through the voices and lives of the victims, Justice spoke, and it is those words that will resonate through history, Parekh added.

Kotey and two other ISIS members supervised the terror groups jails and detention facilities where the hostages were kept. They were responsible for transferring hostages between detention facilities.

They engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages that was meant as an effort to control the hostages, the Justice Department said. These actions were also intended to compel the victims family members and the U.S. government to pay large monetary ransoms for their release, in addition to compelling the U.S. government to agree to other terms and conditions for the victims return.

In a prepared summary, Kotey admitted he left the U.K. for Syria in August 2012 alongside ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, who was also known as Jihadi John before he was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2015, The Epoch Times reported.

Kotey said his job was to extract contact details for loved ones of those taken hostage. The terrorists would then demand the release of Islamist prisoners held by the West or large sums of money as ransom.

Kotey said he also worked in the ISIS recruitment division and its English media department.
Americans will die: Lawmaker who attempted Afghanistan rescue blames Biden for US citizens being left behind Evacuees forced to pay Taliban up to $4K to get past checkpoints

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Some Americans who remain trapped in Afghanistan are going to die because of the failure from President Biden, according to Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who tried to rescue U.S. citizens from that country.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News' Bret Baier on Friday, Mullin said the Taliban was charging between $500 to $4,000 as a "tax" to get past each checkpoint to reach the Kabul airport, which is one reason why the French and British special forces carried out rescue missions to extricate their citizens who were stranded or had been turned away at checkpoints.

The Biden administration told Americans a boldface lie about evacuating all Americans who wanted to flee Afghanistan, Mullin asserted in the interview, adding that he knows of roughly 50 U.S. citizens who are stranded in the South Asian country.

Other governments coordinated rescue missions to save their citizens because there were three Taliban checkpoints before you could get to [Hamid Karzai International Airport] HKIA. And all three of them would charge you a tax and the tax was anywhere between $500 to $4,000, Rep. Mullin said.

He added that he spoke with the State Department on the phone for 12 hours, trying to get someone from the State Department to come out of the airport gate to get a young lady and her four children. I have it recorded, couldnt get anybody to come out. She had come through there; it cost her $2,000," he added.

Five times she approached this guard with the Taliban. The last time they stuck a pistol to her head with her kids there, I have it recorded with her kids screaming and crying. She goes back and shes crying so hard that she begins to puke, the mother did, and the State Department sent her up there five times saying we got clearance for her.

Biden is going to go to the mic and say that every American that wanted out got out? I have a list of 50 that want out, that they havent got out. I have a list of 50 that weve ran out of Kabul and put in safe houses around Afghanistan, that I promise you, they wanted out.

Mullen said the U.S. might be able to extricate some Americans, but theres going to be some that are going to die because of the failure from President Biden.

He continued, I promise you that. At some point, theyre going to lose patience and they arent going to keep letting us drive past these checkpoints and paying them off. Sorry, taxes. Thats what they call a tax. And when I say that blood is on his hands, that means President Bidens hands. I mean that with everything in my heart, its his fault.

Mullin also shared details about his attempt to rescue Americans from Afghanistan.

We got a humanitarian flight plan from FAA. And everything was good to go.  We left the United States, we had a time of arrival at  the airport there in Kabul. And we got there and were drawing an approach and they canceled our PPR. And so we circled the airport, probably for an hour, and we had five PPRs canceled. Every time theyd cancel, the agency that was trying to get us in would give us a new one. They actually went into the tower to say let them land.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

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 last month and forcing the government to flee. In response to the unexpected speed at which the terrorist group retook the nation, tens of thousands of Americans, Afghan allies, and others desperately tried to leave the country.

While the U.S. and its allies evacuated more than 123,000 people out of Afghanistan, it's believed that the majority of Afghan interpreters who are at risk of Taliban reprisal for helping the U.S. were left behind.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that as many as 25,600 Afghans were being housed on U.S. military bases as of Friday. According to U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, about 1,000 Afghans have been resettled or relocated off military bases.

When Afghans arrive in the U.S. at Dulles International Airport in Virginia or Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania, they are transported to one of eight military bases across the country, including Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Lee in Virginia, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.

Among the thousands who've already arrived in the U.S., some 10,000 were flagged for additional security screening, and of those 100 were flagged for "possible ties to the Taliban or terror groups," sources with knowledge of the evacuation process told NBC News.

Two of those 100 were sent out of the country to Kosovo for an additional security review.

Its also been reported that the State Department has sought urgent guidance from other government agencies after intake staff at Fort McCoy reported multiple cases of Afghan men being accompanied by multiple wives, many of whom are underage child brides, which is illegal in the U.S., The Associated Press reported.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday that the U.S. expects to admit at least 50,000 Afghans, and likely thousands more.
Christians in North Korea face torture, execution by firing squad: USCIRF report

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North Koreas communist dictatorship has been deploying factions within the regime to carry out wrongful arrests, torture, executions and the denial of fundamental religious freedom rights as it seeks to exterminate all Christian adherents and institutions, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says in a report.

In its report, Organized Persecution  Documenting Religious Freedom Violations in North Korea, USCIRF says the violations it documented as occurring as recently as 2020, are seemingly designed to remove all traces of Christianity.

The campaign to exterminate all Christian adherents and institutions in North Korea has been brutally effective, and continues through the work of the Ministry of State Security, networks of informants that stretch into China, the presence of no-exit political prison camps, executions, and an educational and organizational system that deters adherence through schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods, says the report, which is based on interviews of survivors, witnesses and perpetrators of religious freedom violations in 2020 and 2021.

The freedoms in North Korea are subordinate to and overruled by a document known as the Ten Principles for Establishing a Monolithic Leadership System, which has as its purpose to bring each North Korean individuals thoughts and acts in line with the teachings of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un, it says.

USCIRF also found that the Workers Party of Korea maintains church buildings in Pyongyang, and it instructs a small group of approved specialized cadres to perform Christian ceremonies in these buildings, while at the same time forbidding North Korean citizens  including that group of specialized cadres  to live as Christians.

North Koreans experience the denial of the right to religious freedom from birth, the report reveals.

[School] lessons feature missionaries, and there are also movies about the missionaries, a North Korean citizen is quoted as saying.

There is actually a movie titled 'The Missionary.' The movie features an American missionary who came to Korea during the Japanese colonial occupation period and swindled children after pretending to care about them. After people watched the movie, they developed a negative impression of the missionaries on an intuitive level. People even use the word missionary as a curse word.

Another citizen was quoted as saying, There was a separate subject that completely demonized the missionaries. The very purpose of that subject was to stress how horrible the missionaries are and how horrible religion and the practice of superstition is.

USCIRF says it also documented credible accounts of the execution of Christian adherents.

Kwon Eun Som and her grandchild were executed in July 2011 in Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province, with only a few security and law enforcement officials present to witness the event, the report adds. The execution was by firing squad and took place outside Hajong-ri in Onsong County. It was overseen by Onsong Ministry of State Security branch personnel, acting on the authority of the North Hamgyong Ministry of State Security in Chongjin.

The report also identifies 68 cases of the state prosecuting individuals for their religion or belief or for their association with religious persons.

For years, North Korea has ranked as the worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USA's World Watch List.

Being discovered as a Christian is a death sentence in North Korea, says Open Doors USA, adding, If you arent killed instantly, you will be taken to a labor camp as a political criminal.

The ministry says that North Koreas dictator Kim Jong Un is reported to have expanded the system of prison camps, in which an estimated 50,000-70,000 Christians are imprisoned.
Eirik Solheim via Unsplash

Change your phone due to obsolescence? The German government is proposing to the European Union that developers of smartphones such as Android and iPhone provide software updates to their equipment, even for up to seven years.

According to a local media report, spare parts and security updates should be available for seven years at a reasonable price. All with the aim of advocating for environmental regulations.
Texas Governor Greg Abbotts effective ban on abortion was upheld by the Supreme Court last week, and, well, people have questions.

An extremely reasonable one is why the state is now forcing rape and incest victims to carry their pregnancies to term, which was asked of Abbott during a news conference on Tuesday. Abbott responded with a plan that, absent a mere second of serious consideration, makes perfect sense: Simply eliminate rape.

Rape is a crime, Abbott said, and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets.

Reporter: Why force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term? Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX): "It doesn't require that at all, because obviously it provides at least 6 weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion." pic.twitter.com/Mbx5JVHG1D  The Recount (@therecount) September 7, 2021

Abbott did not elaborate on how he plans to identity which Texans will commit rape in the future, and then preemptively arrest them.

If Abbott is somehow not able to eliminate rape in the state of 30 million, Abbott says its all right because the bill he signed only bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. He failed to mention, of course, that many women dont even know theyre pregnant until after six weeks. Even if a woman suspects they might be pregnant  which usually doesnt happen until after theyve missed a period, which could take weeks  theyd then need to get an appointment with an OB-GYN, and then another at an abortion clinic, all within six weeks of conception. This is damn-near impossible.

Its pretty likely the whole six-weeks thing is going to come into play here, as Texas doesnt have a great track record when it comes to cracking down on rape, despite Abbotts confidence that hes going to eliminate it entirely. The state is notorious for its backlog of untested rape kits, which hold DNA evidence that could put rapists in jail. As Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)  yes, that John Cornyn  wrote in an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News in February, every day that a kit doesnt get tested, that evidence goes nowhere, and victims go another day without justice.

When Cornyn wrote the piece in February, there were over 6,100 untested rape kits sitting on shelves in police departments across Texas, according to the Department of Public Safety. This, believe it or not, is a big improvement. The number was 20,000 as recently as 2013. Thanks in part to a slew of new legislation, the number has continued to dwindle since February. The group End the Backlog puts now puts the number of untested rape kits in Texas at just over 2,100. The progress here is encouraging, but make no mistake about it, Abbott and the states Republican-led legislature arent to be trusted when it comes to cracking down on rape, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) pointed out on Wednesday. This idea that were going to end rape when the same type of, frankly, rape culture and misogynistic culture that informed this abortion law to begin with  those beliefs are held by the governor himself and the Texas state legislature, she told CNN. Frankly, there are many people in power, as we know from the #MeToo movement, that commit sexual assault, that help their friends cover up these crimes. Some of them even serve in the same state legislatures that are voting on these anti-choice bills. Its awful. He speaks from such a place of deep ignorance. Its not just ignorance, its ignorance thats hurting people across this country.

He speaks from such a place of deep ignorance.  Rep. @AOC (D-NY) responds to Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) defending new abortion law by vowing to eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas. pic.twitter.com/uh4Po9fXXc  The Recount (@therecount) September 8, 2021

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas) said Abbotts plan is so unserious that it borders on the supernatural. I would love to see Texas address violence against women, but that is not what this bill does, she told MSNBC. Its kind of this magical thinking thats typical of his approach to governing, that hell give an answer that is really untethered to the reality of what hes doing.
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Last weeks alarming news that the Supreme Court refused to block a Texas law that bans abortions after six weeks drew outrage from the entertainment community. And for good reason  the disgraceful decision could spell the end of Roe v. Wade, which has protected the reproductive rights of women for nearly 50 years.

The Texas law also states that anyone assisting a pregnant woman seeking an abortion  be it a friend, family member or stranger  could be sued in civil court. Those who turn someone in for aiding a woman will receive a monetary reward. Beyond revolting, this is sure to have a devastating domino effect in other red states, with more antiabortion bills being introduced. The Supreme Court justices voted 5-4 not to strike down the egregious law just before midnight on Sept. 1, right after the law went into effect. It is now the most restrictive abortion measure in our country.

Over the Labor Day weekend, I reached out to Barbra Streisand, who is never one to shy away from speaking out against social injustice, to give me her thoughts. She emailed me this exclusive quote:

Thanks to Trumps picks, the Supreme Court, in the dead of night, just swept away the constitutional right of women to control their own bodies. Whats particularly chilling about the Texas law is the way it deputizes random strangers to spy on women and anyone who helps them  and rewards those spies with a $10,000 bounty! This is reminiscent of Nazi Germany, where they paid people to turn in their neighbors.

On Sept. 2, we posted a story by Matt Donnelly and Brent Lang titled Will Hollywood Boycott Texas Following Six-Week Abortion Ban? Its probably a bit too early to know the answer to that, but in the piece, the president of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGill Johnson, said she hopes that Hollywood will threaten to boycott Texas and take its business elsewhere.

The unthinkable has happened, said McGill Johnson. There is now a state in this union where abortion is virtually inaccessible. Roe has effectively been overturned in Texas and there are 26 other states that have legislatures that are hostile to abortion rights that will move quickly to enact their laws.

I was also struck by the personal note McGill Johnson relayed in our story, that she is 49  younger than Roe  and has never known a time when I wasnt free to make decisions about my own body.

And you can always count on Bette Midler to weigh in on Twitter when the conservatives make an inane decision. Proposing that women go on a sex strike to protest the Texas abortion ban, she said, I suggest all women refuse to have sex with men until they are guaranteed the right to choose by Congress.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)  Robert Durst is a champion at running from responsibility, covering his tracks with lies so numerous he couldn't keep them all straight, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments in the New York real estate heir's murder trial.

Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian told jurors in Los Angeles Superior Court that Durst had admitted lying on the witness stand during the trial, telling a fantastical tale to mislead or deflect from his guilt.

This was an Olympic year, Balian said. If there was an event for running from the truth, hed be on the top of the podium.

Durst, 78, who is ailing and seated in a wheelchair, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the point-blank shooting of his best friend, Susan Berman, at her Los Angeles home in December 2000.

Prosecutors said Durst killed her before she could speak to authorities about how she provided a phony alibi when his wife vanished in New York in 1982.

Durst's lawyers are scheduled to present their closing argument Thursday. Defense attorney Chip Lewis said they plan to poke holes in the prosecution's case and challenge what he said has played like bad film.

"They failed to deliver the required evidence to support their script/theory, Lewis said. We do not convict folks based on made-for-TV movies.

Balian told jurors  who began their service 18 months ago before the coronavirus pandemic delayed the case for more than a year  that after decades of investigations, news articles, a feature film and documentary, they had the best vantage point for determining what Durst had done.

Although it took nearly four months to present evidence of three murders to prove one, Balian said it was a simple case. It comes down to Durst, a multimillionaire son of commercial real estate kingpin, killing witnesses to cover up his wife's slaying, Balian said.

It all arose from marriage gone bad, Balian said. As Kathie Durst, nine years his junior and from a working-class family, began to blossom and pursue a career as a doctor, her husband became increasingly controlling and abusive.

She met this man she thought was her Prince Charming, Balian said. She started down this road with him. Unbeknownst to her, it turned out to be a very treacherous path.

Berman, the daughter of a Las Vegas mobster, became best friends with Durst at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1960s.

When Kathie Durst disappeared, Berman impersonated her to call in sick at the medical school she was attending, Balian said.

They embarked on a campaign to obscure the truth, to lead the investigation in a completely wrong direction, Balian said.

They would have gotten away with it, Balian said, but then authorities reopened the investigation into Kathie's disappearance and Berman told Robert Durst she planned to speak with police.

She helped him get out of that jam," Balian said. "The thing she got was ... a bullet in the back of her head. By her best friend.

After Berman was killed, Durst returned to Galveston, Texas, where he had been living under an alias while hiding out from New York authorities reinvestigating his wife's death.

He killed a neighbor, Morris Black, who discovered his true identity. Durst was acquitted of murder at trial in 2003 after testifying that Black pulled a gun on him and was killed in the struggle for the weapon. But Los Angeles prosecutors were able to present evidence that he murdered Black to support their witness-killing theory.

The defendant runs and hides and flees to Galveston, and there's only one person who can lead the police to his doorstep, who knows who he is, who knows about the reinvestigation, Balian. What does he do? Like Kathie, like Susan, he gets wiped off the face of this earth. Chopped up and thrown in Galveston Bay.

Balian said the case could be summed up in the testimony of Nick Chavin, a mutual friend of Durst and Berman. Chavin said Durst was speaking about Berman when he told him in 2014: It was her or me. I had no choice.

Either he's gonna kill her or he feared she was going to go to the authorities with what she knew, Balian said.

Balian there was direct evidence of Durst's guilt and corroborating accounts from dozens of prosecution witnesses that was overwhelming in the face of Durst's unreliable testimony.

Balian likened Durst's lies to cockroaches found in soup. He showed a photo of a roach being plucked from a soup bowl and said jurors would never keep eating the soup after the bug was removed.

Its all infected with lies," Balian said. "This is what he served you. Literally you were served a bowl of cockroaches and you were told, You pick out which ones are bad and which ones are good and toss them aside, but you can trust the rest of that soup. Go ahead and eat it up. Lap it up.
WEST CENTRAL MICHIGAN  Thousands of households and businesses were still without power Wednesday morning after severe thunderstorms rolled through the day before. According to Consumers Energy and Great Lakes Energy outage maps, 8,638 customers in Mecosta, Osceola and Lake counties still had no electricity as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Communities along U.S. 10 were hit the hardest, with 3,136 homes and businesses in Osceola County and 3,673 in Lake County without power Wednesday morning. According to Consumers Energy, areas of Hersey (ZIP Code 49639) and Sears (49679) still had 95% and 93.9% of customers without electricity, and Evart (49631) had about 75.5% without electricity. Just west of Reed City in Lake County, Chase Township (49623) had 99.1% outage.
Virginia Houk and her husband moved back to Texas intending to send their daughter to in-person school, but two weeks into the year they pulled her out of kindergarten because they didnt feel that she was safe.

Before moving back to the United States the family was living in Japan and felt very comfortable putting their two young children to daycare and school. They moved back to the Conroe area this past summer ready to put their daughter into the classroom with her peers. They wanted her to be in class where she could socialize.

We came beck expressly for the purpose of her being able to start kindergarten with everybody else, Houk said.

Houk grew up in this area and she and her husband met while teaching in CISD. They still believe the district is a strong one academically but they dont feel comfortable sending their kindergartner into the classroom as cases are spiking, masks are not being mandated, and she is too young for the vaccine.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Conroe ISD leader warns of impact as COVID cases increase

When they visited her teachers at the annual meet the teacher night they noted that her teacher was not wearing a mask, and none of the others in her grade were either. Houk expressed her concerns to her daughters teacher who recommended that they apply for the districts limited virtual program this semester based on her concerns. But Houk knows her daughter and she knows that a virtual program wouldnt work for her.

I really cant imagine my 5-year-old doing school online, Houk said.

Cases were rising and Houk kept receiving notifications of COVID cases at her daughters school, so she kept her home during the second week of school. She contacted the school and asked what they could do if they didnt feel safe sending her to school, but didnt want to apply for the virtual option. They were told to un-enroll her, but that she could be enrolled again without difficulty in the future.

That was really disappointing. Honestly, we cried about it, Houk said. It was not something that was something we ever would have imagined or wanted.

For now, her daughter will be homeschooled until she can get vaccinated or masks are mandated. Houk hopes to send her daughter back in January.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Montgomery County faces record-high number of kids with COVID-19

Cases in the county have been spiked beyond previous records. Active cases as of Sept. 8 were at 13,756, bringing the total number of cases to 78,534. Last month the county reported 2,455 COVID cases in children ages up to 11, too young to receive the vaccine. Hospitalizations in the county have now surpassed 400.

While there are some school districts in the state mandating masks, Conroe ISD is not one of them. But Superintendent Curtis Null has strongly recommended both masks and the vaccine to the CISD community on multiple occasions.

Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order GA-38 prohibits local governing bodied, like school boards, from mandating masks. The order is not being enforced currently by TEA as it is being challenged in the courts.

As requested by the Montgomery County Public Health Authority in their letter of advisement, Conroe ISD strongly recommends the wearing of masks since Executive Order GA-38 prohibits mask mandates, CISD spokesperson Sarah Blakelock said in a statement. TEA did not suspend GA-38, but advised on September 2nd that it could not be enforced as a result of ongoing litigation. Montgomery County does not have a mask order, as in other counties, which makes it clear that our guidance defaults to the Governors Executive Order. Should the courts rule otherwise, the Board of Trustees will make a decision on whether or not masks will be required.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Mom says her child wont go to school as she waits for virtual option

Last month, the Montgomery County Public Health Authority, Charles Sims, has issued two letters to local school districts. One before school started and one on Aug. 24, both recommended masks.

Texas is a large state and mask requirement may not be appropriate everywhere, but in Montgomery County, there is a public health emergency and it requires immediate action, Sims wrote in his Aug. 24 letter. I recommend that as School Superintendents and School Board Members, you require mask utilization by all students, staff, and teachers in Montgomery County schools and buses to try to prevent further spread of COVID 19 within the school system.

The district is balancing a number of effects from the pandemic along with unexpected elements like enrollment. This year enrollment surpassed what CISD was expecting. Typically the district plans for around 1,500 new students each year, but this year CISD had an increase of over 3,000. Enrollment on Sept. 8 last year was 64,268 students and the district planned for a projected enrollment of 66,298 students. As of Wednesday, CISD had 67,659 students enrolled. This means more students in classrooms and on buses than were expected.

At the same time, the district is also dealing with a shortage of necessary staff, including teachers and bus drivers. More students, not enough staff, not enough subs, and as of Tuesday afternoon the district had 126 employees isolated due to COVID or COVID symptoms. The limited virtual program the district set up for students too young to get the vaccine is facing challenges of its own, including having some classes canceled because virtual teachers have to cover other in-person classes due to staff shortages.

Even though her daughter is no longer enrolled in CISD Houk is still involved with the district. She has spoken at past board meetings in favor of a mask mandate and started an online petition to get one that has 3,700 signatures as of Wednesday. She created a Facebook page for a CISD chapter of Families United For Student Safety, a grassroots movement of parents advocating for COVID safety measures in schools. She understands that the district is in a difficult position right now.

I do fully understand how complicated and difficult this situation is and I know that everybody is handling it differently, Houk said. Im a parent in a really difficult situation just trying to do my best.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
courtesy of Google Maps

A pair of individuals impersonating police and brandishing a firearm barged into an occupied home Sunday afternoon and fled without being apprehended, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office.

Around 1:45 p.m., sheriffs officers were dispatched to a reported home invasion in progress in the 209000 block of Kransburg Ridge Drive. Investigators learned two males displaying a handgun forced their way into the home and were chased off by the homeowners dog, according to the sheriffs office.
We are living in the world pornography has made. For more than three decades, researchers have documented that it desensitizes consumers to violence and spreads rape myths and other lies about womens sexuality. In doing so, it normalizes itself, becoming ever more pervasive, intrusive and dangerous, surrounding us ever more intimately, grooming the culture so that it becomes hard even to recognize its harms.

One measure of this success is the medias increasing insistence on referring to people used in prostitution and pornography as sex workers. What is being done to them is neither sex, in the sense of intimacy and mutuality, nor work, in the sense of productivity and dignity. Survivors of prostitution consider it serial rape, so they regard the term sex work as gaslighting. When the job of prostitution is exposed, any similarity to legitimate work is shattered, write two survivors, Evelina Giobbe and Vednita Carter. Put simply, whether youre a high-class call girl or a street walkin ho, when youre on a date you gotta get on your knees or lay on your back and let that man use your body any way he wants to. Thats what he pays for. Pretending prostitution is a job like any other job would be laughable if it werent so serious.

Sex work implies that prostituted people really want to do what they have virtually no choice in doing. That their poverty, homelessness, prior sexual abuse as children, subjection to racism, exclusion from gainful occupations or unequal pay plays no role. That they are who the pornography says they are, valuable only for use in it.

Pornographys power became clear once again last month, when OnlyFans, the London-based subscription service, announced that it would ban the sexually explicit from its platform, before abruptly reversing course amid criticism. OnlyFans has been celebrated for giving adult entertainers and sex workers a safe place to do their jobs, Bloomberg News observed. According to the A.C.L.U., longtime defender of pornography, When tech platforms like OnlyFans see themselves as arbiters of acceptable cyber speech and activity, they stigmatize sex work, making workers less safe. On the contrary, it is the sex industry that makes women unsafe. Legitimizing sexual abuse as a job makes webcamming sites like OnlyFans particularly seductive to the economically strapped.

OnlyFans became a household name during the pandemic, when demand for pornography skyrocketed. People started living their lives online, domestic violence exploded, women lost their means of economic survival even more than men, and inequalities increased. OnlyFans, niche pornography as mediated soft prostitution, was positioned to take advantage of these dynamics.

OnlyFans has been to conventional pornography what stripping has been to prostitution: a gateway activity, sexual display with seeming insulation from skin-on-skin exploitation, temporary employment for those with their financial backs against the wall and few if any alternatives. It offers the illusion of safety and deniability for producer and consumer alike. But the outcry over the proposed ban made clear that only explicit sex  mostly, the sexual consumption of feminized bodies, usually female, gay or trans  sells well in pornographys world. As Dannii Harwood, the first so-called content creator on OnlyFans, told The New York Times, Once subscribers have seen everything, they move on to the next creator. Empirical research has also documented that dynamic.

Though OnlyFans said its motive for the now-retracted ban was to comply with the policies of credit card companies that process payments on the platform, there is some reason to think that the platform was trying to get ahead of its Pornhub moment. Allegations have already been made of inadequate screening for incest, bestiality and child sexual abuse. A complaint recently filed in Korea alleged that OnlyFans hosted videos of minors. (OnlyFans has said the company does not tolerate any violations of our policies and we immediately take action to uphold the safety and security of our users.) There is no way to know whether pimps and traffickers are recruiting the unwary or vulnerable or desperate, or coercing them offscreen, and confiscating or skimming the proceeds, as is typical in the sex industry. OnlyFans takes 20 percent of any pay, its pimps cut.

Silent in the discussion of OnlyFanss proposed rule is whether preventing underage youth from being used on the site has ever been possible. Prepubescent children, maybe. But almost anyone past the onset of puberty can be presented as a so-called consenting adult. Most women enter the sex industry underage, their vulnerability central to their appeal hence marketability. Children cannot be protected from sexual exploitation as long as pornography is protected and prostitution of adults is tolerated, because these are the same group of people at two points in time, sometimes no more than one day apart, sometimes at one and the same time  children presented as adults, adults presented as children.

Equally missing in the conversation is any concern for people who have been forced, pimped or deceived, or had their intimate pictures stolen. Much of the commentary on OnlyFanss once-proposed rule wails that the consumer should have the right to buy what the producer should have the right to sell. Meanwhile, the coerced, violated, exploited and surveilled have no effective rights against being bought and sold against their will. As long as the violated lack effective rights and equality based on sex, ethnicity and gender, survivors of abuse through these sites  including Pornhub and SeekingArrangement and sites adjacent  will be exposed to theft, coercion and all manner of unauthorized expropriation of their sexuality.

Some U.S. states appear to offer legal recourse for people whose sexual materials have been made or shared without their permission. But in reality few provide usable or effective ways to deal with the materials themselves. Even in California, which has some of the better protections, legal requirements fail to reflect many of the conditions under which these visuals are made and distributed.

This year, California State Senator Dave Cortese of San Jose, in Silicon Valley, introduced a workable and effective bill that adapts the best features of copyright, libel and trafficking law to solve this problem. If passed, it would create a civil legal claim for victims of online sex trafficking  naked or sexual visuals of minors or of adults who were coerced or tricked, or victims of theft. Once notice is given, the trafficker would have to take the materials down or pay $100,000 for every two hours they remained accessible.

This law could be passed anywhere. Anyone who was sex trafficked this way could sue to stop materials created or distributed without permission. Those who are supposedly acting freely in this space  as the press onslaught frantically assures us that OnlyFans sex workers all are  and those who are not would finally have some real protection, giving their vaunted freedom of action a foothold in reality, reducing pornographys power to make our world.

MacKinnon is a lawyer, scholar, writer, teacher and activist. She teaches law at the University of Michigan and Harvard Law School and works for sexually violated people around the globe. This piece was originally published by the New York Times.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  A leading Republican lawmaker unveiled a new, proposed Nebraska congressional map on Wednesday that would split Douglas County in half, likely diluting Democratic strength in the only area where Democratic congressional candidates are competitive.

The proposed map is one of several presented to the Legislature's Redistricting Committee, which will consider its options and unveil its final recommendations to the public on Friday, ahead of next week's special legislative session.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is blaming staffing shortages for a decision to shut down 11 license branches around the state for at least the next four weeks.

The closures began Tuesday and are scheduled to last through Oct. 2. The action was needed to reallocate workers to the agencys 118 other branches, BMV spokeswoman Christine Meyer said.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has agreed to pay $8.5 million to the family of an asthmatic Philadelphia man who died after pepper spray was used on him at a state prison nearly two years ago.

The agreement filed Tuesday in federal court in western Pennsylvania in the lawsuit filed by the family of 29-year-old Tyrone Briggs also includes a pledge by the department to implement new protocols on the use of pepper spray, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Briggs was doused with pepper spray at the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy in November 2019 and died after he was reportedly heard telling staff, I cant breathe. His mother, Shaleda Busbee, said she hopes the agreed-upon changes will protect others from similar life-threatening situations.

Thirteen staff members were suspended, and while details of subsequent disciplinary action by the department has not been released, press secretary Maria Bivens said involved security and medical staff members received discipline up to and including termination.

After the use of pepper spray was authorized in federal prisons in 2016, state lawmakers passed a law requiring that all state corrections officers be issued pepper spray. Purchase orders indicate the department has pepper balls, projectiles, fogging devices and crowd-control sprays, the paper said.

Bivens said pepper spray is typically less harmful than some other applications of physical force," but uses of pepper spray and other types of force are always viewed as serious matters within a correctional setting and are constantly reviewed to see if the use was appropriate or if a lesser use of force could have been applied."

Briggs was arrested at age 15 in the rape at gunpoint of a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years. The lawsuit alleged that an officer tried to break up an altercation using prolonged streams of pepper spray rather than one or two quick bursts, and one stream was aimed at Briggs' face after he was restrained and prone.

After he said he couldn't breathe, according to the complaint, he struggled on a slow walk to the infirmary and waited a half hour for treatment, but was only given an inhaler. Taken to a solitary confinement cell, he soon collapsed and died, the lawsuit said.

Abolitionist Law Center lawyer Bret Grotes said prison policy already bars pepper spray use on people with asthma during planned incidents such as cell extractions. In the future, he said, all staff will receive training on how pepper spray affects people with respiratory conditions and anyone with such a condition subjected to it must have their oxygen levels measured and be reviewed by the chief medical official on duty.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP)  The Alabama attorney general's office is trying to revive its lawsuit over the removal of a Confederate monument from outside the county courthouse in the city of Huntsville.

The state claimed in court documents that a judge shouldn't have dismissed the suit just because someone anonymously paid a $25,000 fine that was owed by Madison County for removing the statue nearly a year ago, WHNT-TV reported.

Attorney General Steve Marshall's office contends the county should be required to pay the penalty itself. A judge has scheduled a hearing for Friday afternoon on the state's bid to reinstate the lawsuit.

The state sued the county last year seeking a $25,000 penalty that's mandated under a state law that makes it illegal to remove or alter monuments. Legislators passed the law in 2017 amid a national movement to take down memorials honoring the Confederacy.

Madison County asked a judge to end the state's suit after someone deposited $25,000 into a court account to pay the fine on Aug. 27. The county says the money isn't from taxpayers or Madison County, but it hasn't said where the funding came from.

Circuit Judge Claude Hundley dismissed the suit, but the state argues it needs to know who paid the fine to end the case. It also says the judge still needs to rule on its claim that Madison County broke the law when it moved the monument.

Erected in 1905 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the monument went up outside the Madison County Courthouse at a time when Confederate descendants were trying to portray the Souths cause in the Civil War as noble rather than linked to slavery. The statue was moved to a city-owned cemetery.

Demonstrators sought the removal of the Huntsville statue and other numerous Confederate statues around the nation last year amid nationwide protests against racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Those efforts to take down statues honoring Southern figures from the Civil War continued Wednesday as work crews hoisted an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee off its giant pedestal in Virginia's capital city of Richmond, cheered on by a crowd.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP)  An independent investigator will look into allegations of racial discrimination within the Bridgeport police department including unfair discipline of Black officers and a hostile work environment, city officials said.

The probe is in response to claims against acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia made by the Bridgeport Guardians, which represents minority officers on the force, Hearst Connecticut Media reported Tuesday.

City Council President Aidee Nieves said the city will be hiring an outside attorney to review the allegations.

The Guardians, however, are continuing to insist that federal government officials investigate the department. Davon Polite, president of the Guardians, said there are concerns that city officials will hire a lawyer who will produce the results they want.

A federal investigation is the only way to get an impartial, fair investigation, Polite said.

Rowena White, a spokesperson for Mayor Joe Ganim, confirmed the outside review, but said officials cannot comment further because of the investigation.

The Guardians and the local NAACP branch recently requested federal oversight of the department and an investigation, alleging a widespread pattern of racial discrimination within the agency.

The Guardians are accusing Garcia of subjecting minority officers to disparate treatment and a hostile work environment. The group has called for Garcia's removal. The city police union voted no confidence in Garcia in March.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for Garcia.

Polite has said Garcia has unfairly targeted members of the Guardians for unfavorable assignments and harsher discipline compared with other officers.

The Bridgeport Police Departments pattern and practice of discriminatory behavior has had an adverse impact on officers morale, mental health, well-being, career development, and reputation," the Guardians said in a letter to City Council members.
NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP)  Connecticut College is switching to remote classes and suspending sports practices and indoor gatherings after more than 50 students tested positive for COVID-19.

Dean of Students Victor Arcelus said in an email to students and staff on Tuesday that quarantine rules will be in effect for up to 10 days while officials monitor test results.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday that his administration plans to close the Radgowski Correctional Center in Montville at the end of this year.

The prison, part of the two-building Corrigan-Radgowski complex, is the second of three closures that were planned as part of budget cuts for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

The move is expected to save the state $7.3 million dollars, the governor's office said.

The state shuttered the maximum-security Northern Correctional Institution in June, a move that is expected to save about $11.75 million annually. The governor's office has not announced the name of the third facility it plans to close or when that will happen.

Spending millions of dollars in annual operating costs on buildings that have historically low numbers of incarcerated individuals inside is just not a good use of resources," Lamont, a Democrat, said in a statement. "By relocating them to other facilities that have available capacity, we can deliver on our administrations goal of reducing the cost structure of state government.

The closures come during a steady decline in the inmate population, which has decreased by more than 3,200 individuals over the last 17 months. The state currently houses about 9,200 prisoners, down from the all-time high of 19,894 in February 2008.

The medium-security Radgowski prison opened in January, 1991. It was consolidated with the nearby Corrigan facility in May 2001, and the two buildings became known as the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center. The Radgowski building currently has 108 prisoners, down from the all-time high of 734 in 2014.

Correction Department spokeswoman Karen Martucci said the Corrigan building will remain operational, leaving the state with 13 prisons.

Over the coming weeks, the remaining population from Radgowski will be transferred to other facilities within the states correctional system, she said.

The governor's office said it does not plan to lay off any of the prison's 110 employees, most of whom are correction officers. The department said it is working with its employee unions to re-locate those workers to other, nearby facilities.

The move to close it drew criticism from state House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora.

Simply moving employees from one prison facility to another isnt a point to celebrate, and it should instead trigger a broader conversation about the governor negotiating with unions to more accurately reflect on-the-ground staffing needs at our facilities, he said in a statement.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  The Connecticut Supreme Court on Wednesday grappled with whether a $20 million bond set for a former researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology accused of killing a Yale graduate student is unconstitutionally high and how state judges should go about setting bail amounts.

Justices heard just under an hour of arguments by a lawyer for Qinxuan Pan and a state prosecutor. The court did not issue an immediate decision.

Pan, 30, is charged with murder in the shooting death of Kevin Jiang on a New Haven street on Feb. 6. He eluded authorities for three months before being arrested in Alabama with $19,000 in cash, his fathers passport and several cellphones, police said.

Jiang, 26, an Army veteran who grew up in Chicago, was a graduate student at Yales School of the Environment. The motive for his killing remains unclear. Pan knew Jiangs fiancee from when they both attended MIT, but she told police they were just friends, according to court documents.

Prosecutors initially asked for bail to be set at $50 million, saying Pan's family is wealthy and there was substantial risk that he would flee if released on bond. A lower court judge ruled Pan was a flight risk and a potential danger to himself and others, and set the $20 million bail  prompting Pan's appeal to the Supreme Court.

Pan's lawyer, Norman Pattis, told justices Wednesday that the bail was unconstitutionally high and there was no evidence presented of the extent of the assets of Pan's family, only claims by a prosecutor.

What weve got now is bond set with the moral ethos of the used car lot salesman, Pattis said. Lets just get this guy out of here. Its Yale. The world is watching. Twenty million will do. You dont want a bond? OK. Bam. Sold for $20 million. But what got sold wasnt just the bond, but the presumption of innocence and my clients rights.

Pattis said prosecutors' claims about Pan's wealth are wrong. He proposed lowering the bail to $5 million and allowing Pan to post 10% of it.

Hes a Ph.D. candidate at MIT living on a $30,000-a year stipend, he said.

Pattis said Pan's bail was the second-highest in recent state memory, after the $25 million set for alleged Hartford drug dealer Donald Raynor. Raynor was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for a drive-by killing and denied involvement in several other killings alleged by police. His murder conviction was overturned in December and he remains detained awaiting a new trial.

Prosecutor Timothy Sugrue told the Supreme Court that the state still believes that Pan would flee if released on bail and no bail conditions would stop him from going on the run.

Justice Steven Ecker said he was perplexed there was no evidence presented about Pan's financial resources before Judge Gerald Harmon in New Haven set the $20 million bail.

It just seems like they're sort of pulling a number out of the air, he said.

The state constitution bans excessive bail and says defendants have the right to be released on bail upon sufficient security," but those terms are open to interpretation.

Pattis said Pan's case offers the Supreme Court a chance to set clear rules for setting bail in criminal cases.

Justice Andrew McDonald said there were possible due process problems with how state judges currently set bail and they appear to be getting worse. He said a decade ago, 24% of the state's prison population comprised unsentenced defendants, compared with 42% today. He said most unsentenced prisoners who are detained cannot afford to post their bails.
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina father has drowned after trying to save his son from a tidal current, police said Wednesday.

The Wrightsville Beach Police Department said in a news release that Bhou Soutthivong and his family were visiting from Hickory and were fishing at the south end of the beach on Sept. 4. Police said Soutthivong's son went swimming and was being pulled away from the shore by the current.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Pressure built around Israel's prison system Wednesday after fires broke out at several facilities and the government searched for six Palestinian escapees who have been on the run since they tunneled out two days earlier.

Fires were reported at several prisons amid efforts to try to move inmates as a precautionary measure. An umbrella group representing prisoners from all Palestinian factions called on inmates to resist being relocated and to start fires in their cells if guards try to move them by force. The prisoners group also threatened a widespread hunger strike.

Protests flared late Wednesday evening. In east Jerusalem, Israeli troops fired stun grenades at Palestinian protesters gathered at Damascus Gate in the Old City, witnessed by a journalist from the The Associated Press. The protesters were heard chanting, Where is Zakaria, a reference to Zakaria Zubeidi, the best-known of the six Palestinian prisoners who escaped Gilboa prison on Monday.

The Palestinian Red Crescent medical services reported violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank towns of Beita and Huwara.

Meanwhile, blame for the breakout rippled through the prison system and checkpoint closures between Israel and the occupied West Bank were extended into the weekend.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the premier met with the heads of Israels security services in a joint effort to be ready for any scenario.

Monday's escape was Israel's largest jailbreak in decades. The six men who escaped, between 26 and 49 years old, apparently dug a tunnel out of Gilboa prison near the occupied West Bank and escaped early Monday. Israel's security services were reportedly investigating whether they had help inside the prison, as well as outside.

The Israel Prison Service said through a spokesperson that a fire broke out in two cells in different wings of Ramon Prison and that the blaze was brought under control. The Palestinian prisoners group reported fires in Ketziot Prison, and there were media reports of more unrest.

The massive manhunt through Israels north and the occupied West Bank continued Wednesday as the new coalition government sought to maintain calm and Jews celebrated Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

Zubeidi, 46, a prominent leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed group affiliated with Fatah, during the second intifada from 2000-2005. He was later granted amnesty along with other Fatah-affiliated militants, but was arrested again in 2019 on what Israeli authorities said were new terror suspicions.

As a child, Zubeidi had been part of a childrens theater troupe in Jenin established by Arna Mer-Khamis, an Israeli rights activist, that was the subject of a 2004 documentary.

The other five prisoners were members of the Islamic Jihad militant group, and the prisoners group said four were serving life sentences.

Inside the prisons, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other factions each have an organized presence and appear to be acting together in the wake of the escape.

The jailbreak poses a potential dilemma for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose security forces coordinate with Israel. His Fatah party has praised the prison escape, but he has not commented on it.

Palestinians view prisoners held by Israel as heroes of their national cause, and have celebrated the prison break. If the escapees are apprehended in the occupied West Bank, many Palestinians are likely to blame the Palestinian Authority, which is already facing a popular backlash after the death of an activist in PA custody in June.

___

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that any legitimacy or international support for the Taliban will have to be earned after Afghanistan's new rulers announced an interim government that drew a deeply skeptical Western response.

The secretary of state and his German counterpart met at a U.S. base in Germany that has become a key transit point for evacuees from Afghanistan. They hosted a virtual meeting of officials from 22 countries as well as NATO, the European Union and U.N. the day after the Taliban announced their all-male interim government.

Blinken said the new Afghan government certainly does not meet the test of inclusivity and it includes people who have very challenging track records.

The administration is stacked with veterans of the Taliban's hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition. Initial responses suggested that it may struggle to win the international support the new leaders desperately need to avoid an economic meltdown. It includes Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is wanted for questioning by the FBI, as interior minister.

The announcement of a new government came hours after Taliban fired their guns into the air to disperse protesters in the capital of Kabul and arrested several journalists, the second time in less than a week that heavy-handed tactics were used to break up a demonstration.

The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support, Blinken told reporters. Any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned, and we heard that across the board, from everyone participating in today's session.

U.S. engagement with the Taliban and a new government will be for purposes of advancing the national interest and those of partners, and in ways that are fully consistent with our laws, he added.

Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pressed demands for the Taliban to allow Afghans to travel freely and to respect their basic rights, including women's. They also pushed the Taliban to ensure that Afghanistan is not used to launch attacks, refrain from reprisal attacks and allow humanitarian access.

Blinken said the U.S. is still assessing the announcement and noted that the Taliban has billed it as a caretaker Cabinet. We will judge it, and them, by its actions," he said.

Maas said the make-up so far of the new government is not the signal for more international cooperation.

It must be clear to the Taliban that international isolation cannot be in their interest, Maas said. He added however that no one has an interest in turning their back on Afghanistan and the international community must use what possibilities it can to exert influence on the group.

As for formal diplomatic recognition, Maas said: I don't see it at the moment.

Frances government said the Taliban's actions do not match their words."

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told an online briefing that France and others had demanded the safe departure of Afghans who wish to leave, free access to humanitarian aid, the total severing of relations with terrorist groups and respect for human rights, especially womens rights.

We can only note that these demands have not been met, she said.

Pakistans foreign minister urged the international community to help prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Qureshi told a virtual meeting of countries neighboring Afghanistan that since Kabuls takeover by the Taliban, much dreaded bloodshed has not occurred, and the prospect of a protracted conflict and civil war seems to have been averted. He said that so far, a feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place.

The situation remains complex and fluid in Afghanistan, however, and it requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach, he said. Qureshi later spoke to the meeting hosted by Blinken and Maas.

Blinken met with Maas at the Ramstein Air Base, where he traveled after visiting Qatar, another important staging post in the evacuation effort.

So far, more than 34,000 people have been flown to Ramstein under a transit agreement with Germany, As of Wednesday, about 23,000 people had been flown from Ramstein to the U.S. or other locations. There were about 11,200 people at the base and the nearby Rhine Ordnance Barracks awaiting onward travel.

Authorities say that about 90 people have requested asylum in Germany during their layovers at Ramstein, and officials in both countries say that is in keeping with existing rules and practice. Maas stressed that that is less than 1% of those who have been brought to the base, and that the German-U.S. transit agreement is being respected fully.

Maas said there are various reasons why those people have sought asylum, for instance that they have relatives in Germany, and noted that the transit operation isn't expected to last for more than a few weeks. So he expects that this situation will remain absolutely manageable.

___

Moulson reported from Berlin. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  Salvadorans trying to pay for a cup of coffee or receive money sent from relatives in the United States using the cryptocurrency bitcoin continued struggling to perform transactions Wednesday, a day after El Salvador made it legal tender.

Problems still plagued the digital wallet Chivo.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele kept citizens apprised of advances of gradually expanding the ability to download the application throughout the day.

The idea is to go bit by bit to not saturate the servers with so many enrollments at the same time, Bukele said via Twitter. We are still fine tuning small details.

In the street, problems persisted.

Carlos Soriano, 29, visited one of the Chivo automatic tellers to receive remittance money sent by a relative in the United States. Sending that money to relatives back home allegedly without transaction fees was one of Bukeles biggest selling points for bitcoin adoption.

I receive remittances and they sent me this months, but I wasnt able to take out the money, Soriano said. They tell me it isnt working, that I should come back later or tomorrow.

At a Chivo help center, an attendant explained that the digital wallet was still experiencing problems. The servers collapsed, more than a million people were trying to download the application Chivo wallet, said the man who identified himself as Kike.

There has been skepticism about the governments enthusiastic adoption of bitcoin since Bukele announced it in a video recorded in English and played at a Bitcoin conference in Miami in June. Bitcoin is subject to wild swings in value in a matter of minutes.

An analysis by the Science, Technology and Innovation Institute at Francisco Gavidia University said that the investment the government made in buying 550 bitcoins had already lost money.

On Tuesday, bitcoin joined the U.S. dollar as legal tender in El Salvador. Any business with the technological capacity to do so is required to accept payment in bitcoin. Recent public opinion surveys in El Salvador have shown a majority of Salvadorans oppose making it an official currency.

Garth Kiser, a 43-year-old from Oregon, Illinois, visited a Chivo automatic teller Wednesday hoping to exchange dollars for bitcoin. The machine isnt working, Ill come back later, he said.

Kiser and friends came to El Salvador with the idea of helping Salvadorans use bitcoin. Ive been using it for a long time.

When an AP journalist who successfully downloaded the Chivo digital wallet tried to use the $30 bonus the government offered to incentivize adoption, he was told there were more steps.

At a Starbucks, the cashier explained that before using any of the $30 bitcoin credit he would have to transfer at least $1 to a friend or someone else and then it will be activated to buy or pay for whatever you want.

She said Starbucks accepted not only payment through Chivo, but other digital wallets as well.

Oscar Cosme, 37, also had managed to download Chivo, but went to a help center for assistance because he hadnt been able to use the $30 credit.

He said the attendant told him the digital wallet was undergoing maintenance and he would have to wait to use it.

Cosme downloaded the wallet because he was curious and for the credit. But now he was worried because they say once you download it, the government is spying on us.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Four migrant defense groups in Mexico announced Wednesday that they have sought court injunctions to block what they call massive deportations, arguing the government is violating due process and Mexican and international law governing asylum.

The groups said one legal action was filed Sept. 3 in the southeastern state of Tabasco and another in Mexico City.

The groups contend the government is acting illegally by expelling migrants before dawn and at unestablished (border) points and also by participating in chain expulsions of migrants first flown from the U.S. to southern Mexico and then carried over land by Mexican officials to the border with Guatemala. The migrants are not told of the possibility of seeking protection in Mexico, the groups said.

The migrants expelled from the United States are removed under so-called Title 42 authority, a health provision enacted during the Trump administration with the justification of the COVID-19 pandemic, but continued under the Biden administration.

Most recently, the U.S. has been flying non-Mexican migrants to airports in Mexico's southern states of Chiapas and Tabasco. Mexican immigration authorities then bus them to the Guatemala border, even though many of them are not Guatemalan. In August, there were 34 such flights. United Nations agencies have expressed concern as well.

The organizations, including Asylum Access, the Foundation for Justice, Without Borders and the Institute for Women in Migration, argue that the expulsions violate the ban on removing people with international protection needs and not taking into account the higher interest of children nor the perspective of gender.

In recent days, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has insisted Mexico respects the rights of migrants. The government has been criticized over sometimes violent clashes with migrants trying to walk north from the southern city of Tapachula.

The president has said simply containing migrants in southern Mexico is not sustainable and sent a letter this week to U.S. President Joe Biden insisting the U.S. do more to address the root causes of migration in the region.
CONAKRY, Guinea (AP)  Guinea's new military rulers have released dozens of political prisoners jailed by the previous civilian government, in a move likely to win them favor with the opposition that had protested against now-deposed President Alpha Conde.

The 79 prisoners freed late Tuesday had been held on a variety of charges, including breaching security, destroying public property and manufacturing weapons. All were invited to a political rally Saturday in the capital.

Many are activists from the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), a longtime opposition party led by Cellou Dalein Diallo, who ran and lost to Conde in the last three presidential polls.

The prisoners' release was welcomed by Guineans who had demonstrated against Conde's quest for a third term in office last year. The gesture comes as the junta faces growing international pressure to release the deposed president and restore civilian rule.

Among those freed was Keamou Bogola Haba, opposition spokesman for the coalition of political parties that fought against Conde's bid to prolong his rule.

We were imprisoned because of the third term and we leave with our heads held high because the third term has become impossible," he said. "No other Guinean will be able to do it again."

Conde, who already had served two terms, said last year that the constitutional term limits no longer applied after voters backed a referendum at his behest. The 83-year-old stood to potentially remain in power until 2030 until Sunday's military coup led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya.

The opposition has said it will work together with the junta but also urged the new military leadership to quickly restore the rule of law.

Conde remains in the custody of the junta, who have only said that he is in a secure location with access to medical care. The West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has threatened economic sanctions against Guinea if he is not released.

A little over a year ago mutinous soldiers in neighboring Mali also overthrew their democratically elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. ECOWAS eventually agreed to an 18-month transition back to civilian rule in Mali, though there are renewed concerns that the junta there will not meet the deadline for holding new elections.

On Tuesday, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan headed to Bamako as the regional body's mediator. Gen. Francis Behanzin, ECOWAS' Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, told reporters that the mission appreciated the renewed expression of the transitions authorities to respect the period of the transition, agreed before the international community.

However, the mission remains concerned about the lack of concrete actions in the effective preparation of the electoral process, he said.

The recent coups in Guinea and Mali come after a long period without military power grabs, and many had hoped it was a sign that the era of armed takeovers was waning. Until last August, Mali's military had not carried out a coup since 2012, while the last military takeover in Guinea had been in 2008.

___

Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal.
HONOLULU (AP)  Hawaii's teachers union has filed two grievances against the statewide public school system over pandemic working conditions.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association says educators are being forced to work in unsafe conditions, Hawaii News Now reported.

The union said in grievances filed last week against the state Department of Education that teachers have to work extra hours and are being forced to teach remotely while on sick leave.

The department has regular meetings with the union on pandemic-related issues and officials remain focused on providing safe in-person learning, Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi said.

Hilo High School teacher Aaron Kubo said that during the first week of classes, there were 17 students out of the classroom who either contracted COVID-19 or had close contact with someone who got sick.

Social distancing isn't realistic at his 90-year-old campus, he said.

HSTA President Osa Tui Jr. said teachers and school administrators have to do contact tracing themselves.

A lot of times the administrators are just looking at a seating chart from a teacher and making a decision based on what they see on the seating chart as to who to quarantine, Tui said.

Some students with pending COVID-19 test results and siblings of those who are sick are still going to school, he said.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Nevada health officials reported 3,193 new cases and 19 deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the statewide totals to 397,788 cases and 6,604 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The update covered the past four days  Friday through Labor Day  and marked a decline in new cases per day from last week.
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Meghan Henning, University of Dayton

(THE CONVERSATION) In the opening of Netflixs popular new show My Unorthodox Life, fashion mogul Julia Haart explains that she grew up thinking that dressing provocatively had eternal consequences:

It was your mothers responsibility to teach you modesty.  If any of your body parts were uncovered, theres a very special form of hell that is reserved for both you and your mother. In this hell, your mother would dip your clothes in acid, put them on your body, and so throughout the day your body would decompose from the acid. And then the next morning it would start all over again, for thousands of years, or however many years hell lasts. When you learn this as a child, and everyone around you believes it, you believe it.

Haart grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community she describes as fundamentalist, though critics have questioned how the show portrays it. In both Christianity and Judaism, views on the afterlife are diverse  and most Jews in the U.S. today put less emphasis on what happens after death than what happens now.

As a scholar of early Christianity whose work focuses on depictions of hell, I see this education as rooted in two millennia of ideas about gender, bodies, sin and punishment that influence our society today  particularly for women.

Some ancient Jewish and Christian depictions of the afterlife provide graphic depictions of sinners and their punishments. Many of these punishments are seen as fitting for the sin committed: They follow the ancient legal standard of measure for measure punishment, known as lex talionis.

Punishments for women, like the one that Haart describes, follow the norms of the ancient and medieval cultures that first created them, including drastically different expectations for men and women. In these texts, the immoral clothes that brought women to hell become the instruments of their own torment  threatening images used to keep them in their place.

Fitting the crime

Clothing is only the beginning. Women in hell hang by their breasts in several medieval Jewish texts known as the Isaiah fragments because they uncovered their hair, tore their veil or nursed their children in the marketplace in order to attract the gaze of men. In the Gedulat Moshe, a Jewish text written sometime around the 13th century that describes Moses visiting hell, he sees women who uncovered themselves hanged by their breasts and their hair.

These frightening visions were drawn from attitudes toward real women and were used to control them, as well. In a third-century rabbinic legal text, the Mishnah Sotah, a woman who has committed adultery is sentenced to have her breasts and hair uncovered. The public humiliation is considered fitting, because her body led to her sin.

But this idea of justice or retribution did not originate with the rabbis and is certainly not exclusive to Judaism. The punishments in these Jewish texts closely mirror the second-century Apocalypse of Peter, a Christian text that describes women hanging by their hair and neck because their intricate hairstyles seduced married men.

It is difficult to say whether it was Jews or Christians who first brought these gendered ideas about the body into their images of hell. But the earlier Christian visions of hell certainly elaborate on them more than medieval Jewish ones do. For example, only young women were punished for being unchaste in early Christian depictions of hell  even those like the Apocalypse of Paul, in which male and female sinners were punished equally for other sins.

In the earliest Christian descriptions of hell, women and men were both held accountable for parenting-related sins, such as abortion or abandoning an infant. After a few centuries, however, women alone were held responsible for having children and nurturing them. In one medieval account of hell, the Latin Vision of Ezra, women were not only responsible for parenting their own children but punished for failing to nurse orphaned infants. Their punishment? Hanging in fire while serpents suck their breasts.

These sins and punishments reflect several different but interwoven ancient ideas about the body: that womens hair was a sexual organ, that female grooming is tied to adultery, that womens main role is child rearing and that their bodies should not be seen in public.

Double standards today

Although these ideas were not included in the Jewish or Christian Bible, societies often used them to define religious crimes and control their bodies.

It is easy to look at these ancient hellscapes and dismiss them as long-ago. But ideas about womens bodies being problematic and in need of control persist, with or without religion. And in My Unorthodox Life, Haart invites the audience to look at gender double standards in the fashion world up close.

Haart, who has left her Orthodox community, calls herself very proud to be a Jew and determined to show people that there are all sorts of Jews. Now CEO of Elite World Group, the parent company of a major modeling agency, she draws viewers attention to the industrys sexual abuse, unequal standards for men and women, and its tendency to cater to male desire. She describes her mission as cleaning up modeling and rooting out its sexual abuse  a vow a former supermodel has recently called on her to uphold.

Though My Unorthodox Life has been mocked for its soap opera style, I believe it carries a serious message: Ideas about objectifying and controlling womens bodies shape our society more than wed like to admit  with or without religion.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP)  Huntsville police are asking state law officers to investigate the circumstances of a man who died while in their custody.

Huntsville officers were investigating a report of a stolen vehicle Tuesday and encountered the man, who tried to run from police but was taken into custody, police said.
HOUMA, La. (AP)  The wind ripped chunks off the hospitals roof and the entire building rumbled. One nurse said the cement pounding into the walls sounded like the loudest bowling alley she could imagine. Another felt like she was inside a meteor shower.

One of the most powerful hurricanes in the nations history was barreling into southern Louisiana. Fifty miles (80 kilometers) southwest of New Orleans, the staff at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma was already weary from a year and a half of caring for patients with COVID-19.

Now water was pouring from the ceiling tiles. A giant metal beam tore off the building and thumped into a glass door, over and over, like a battering ram.

Hurricane Ida was colliding with the country's out-of-control pandemic. Hospitals facing a Category 4 storm typically either evacuate or discharge as many patients as possible. But this time, amid the communitys fourth, brutal surge of COVID, many of Chabert Medical Centers patients were too sick to be sent home. And hospitals that lay outside the hurricanes most destructive path were too full of COVID patients to absorb any more. So here they stayed  nurses, doctors, paramedics  exhausted from battling one catastrophe, watching through the windows as a second one tore into town with 150 mph (240 kph) winds.

The mental stress on our employees is much worse now than its ever been, said Richard Zuschlag, the owner of Acadian Ambulance Service, the states largest emergency medical outfit. COVID set us up for that. And the hurricane is the icing on the cake.

By the time the sun came up, both hospitals in Houma had endured so much damage, they had to coordinate a massive evacuation.

The hospitals were stretched to their limits by COVID-19 long before Ida brought her screaming winds and pelting rain.

Intensive care units filled to capacity, with some hospitals creating overflow units to accommodate patients so sick they couldnt survive without extraordinary medical intervention. To keep up, nurses and doctors pulled extra hours, filling in for colleagues whod caught the virus or simply had enough.

You couldnt even have a patient pass away before the room needed to be used, said Phyllis Peoples, president and chief executive officer of Terrebonne General. And some of our docs in there said, Are there happy moments here at all?

Health care workers are now seeing whole families fall critically ill due to the highly communicable nature of the delta variant and the regions low vaccination rate.

Its a difficult time for the nurses, said Chaberts house supervisor, Jeanie Songe, a longtime nurse who is in charge of logistics such as shift changes and hospital transfers. Nurses are now so busy, so stressed, so emotionally drained that some feel they have little left to give, she said.

And then this freaking storm, she said. It was a nightmare here.

They had just over 40 patients, 17 with COVID and five on ventilators in the ICU. After losing power and water, Chabert decided they needed to evacuate.

I had COVID patients with no air conditioning. And its already hard for them to breathe. Imagine how that must have felt, said head nurse, Jana Semere.

Meanwhile, at Terrebonne General Health System, the countys other hospital, huge sections of the roof ripped off. Rain flooded the fifth floor. It then gushed down to the floors below.

The hospital lost water. The staff had discharged as many patients as they could before the storm but still had 120.

Peoples realized that without water, if something caught fire, they couldnt extinguish the flames. They made an excruciating decision to evacuate for the first time in the hospitals 65-year history.

Dr. Chuck Burnell, the chief medical officer of Acadian Ambulance, coordinated the evacuation from the hospitals basement. They had no radio communication and no cell reception. To tell each other anything, they had to run across floors slippery from the rain and the sweat. They worked off printed papers to choreograph who would go where and when, to make sure patients positive for COVID didnt cross with those who werent.

Ambulances darted around the regions shredded buildings and overturned utility poles to deliver patients to other hospitals that were also overwhelmed by COVID and rushing to make room.

Burnell has been an emergency physician for almost 30 years, and he said this is among the worst storms hes been through, arriving as it did just as the states COVID deaths soared.

We have the perfect twin-demic going on, Burnell said. This could not have happened at a worse time. Mother Nature was not kind to us.

Terrebonne General was so badly damaged it remains closed, save a makeshift emergency room set up in tents across the street. The ER at Chabert has reopened, but the generator still trips every so often, briefly leaving the hospital in darkness. Medical staff are trying to patch the holes, sweep up the debris, wipe down the floors and begin the process of recovery. But what awaits them on the other side is grim.

Several days after the storm, patients came in seeking help for issues unrelated to the coronavirus. Some were diabetic and hadnt been able to take insulin for days. Four tested positive for COVID.

Nurses are frustrated that people in their own community, whom theyve known for years, are refusing to get vaccinated. The states vaccination rate is only around 43%. And the relentlessness of the virus wont end when the power comes back on.

Its daunting, its very daunting, said Semere. When we get this hospital up and running again, were still going to be in a crisis.
HOUMA, La. (AP)  The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 Wednesday, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew.

While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds.

The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths  of people ages 64 to 79  came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said.

More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The state's largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit.

Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley.

In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running.

Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely.

Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that.

No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday.

Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area.

Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon.

Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm.

All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell.

Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said.

The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification." Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school system's website, with no timeline for a return in sight.

Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update posted Wednesday.

Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry.

About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety.

In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program.

Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm.

In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that the state cannot enforce a ban on public schools mandating the use of masks to guard against the coronavirus, while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal.

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper lifted an automatic stay of his decision last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials exceeded their authority by imposing the blanket ban through executive order and tagging defiant pro-mask local school boards with financial penalties.

Cooper said the overwhelming evidence before him in a lawsuit by parents challenging the DeSantis ban is that wearing masks does provide some protection for children in crowded school settings, particularly those under 12 for whom no vaccine yet exists. The issue came to a head amid a recent surge in cases caused by the more contagious and deadly delta variant of the virus, which health statistics show has begun to wane.

We're not in normal times. We are in a pandemic, Cooper said during a hearing held remotely. We have a (coronavirus) variant that is more infectious and dangerous to children than the one we had last year."

Since DeSantis signed the mandatory mask ban order on July 30, 13 school boards representing more than half of Florida's 2.8 million students have adopted mask requirements with an opt-out only for medical reasons. State education officials have begun going after rebellious school board members' salaries as a form of punishment.

Jacob Oliva, public schools chancellor at the state Department of Education, said in a notice last week to local superintendents that enforcement must cease if the stay is lifted. That includes the effort to dock salaries of school board members or impose other financial penalties.

The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. DeSantis said at an appearance Wednesday in Palm Harbor that he is confident the state will prevail. The matter could ultimately be decided by the Florida Supreme Court.

The core of the governor's argument is that the recently passed Parents Bill of Rights gives decision-making authority to parents on whether their children should wear a mask to school.

What weve found is in the trial courts in Tallahassee, state and federal, we typically lose if theres a political component to it, but then in the appeals court we almost always win," the governor said.

Cooper seemed to go out of his way to point out that he has frequently ruled in favor of Florida governors in the past, including cases involving GOP Govs. Jeb Bush and Rick Scott. Cooper has been a Leon County circuit judge since he was first elected in 2002.

If you look at my record, its not somebody who runs all over the place, ruling against the governor, Cooper said. This case has generated a lot of heat and a lot of light.

On the Parents Bill of Rights, Cooper said his previous order follows the law as passed earlier this year by the Legislature. The law, he said, reserves health and education decisions regarding children to parents unless a government entity such as a school board can show their broader action is reasonable and narrowly tailored to the issue at hand.

The DeSantis order impermissibly enforces only the first portion of that law, Cooper said.

You have to show you have authority to do what you're doing, the judge said. You cannot enforce part of that law but not all of it.

In a separate case, parents of special needs children have filed a federal lawsuit claiming the DeSantis mandatory school mask ban violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by placing their medically sensitive children in jeopardy.

A federal judge in Miami did not immediately rule after a hearing Wednesday in that case.

Additionally, school officials in Broward, Alachua and Orange counties filed a petition to schedule a hearing before an administrative law judge. According to the filing, the local school officials want the judge to invalidate a state health department emergency rule against school mask requirements based on the governors executive order.

_____

Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this story.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Authorities say a man died while he was being arrested by Sioux Falls police for allegedly breaking into a house.

Police said the incident happened Tuesday afternoon after a woman who was in the house was able to report that the man had a gun and was acting erratically. The woman told police she thought the man was hallucinating.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A man was charged Tuesday with murdering a 61-year-old Northern California woman after breaking into her home, sexually assaulting her, killing her two dogs and setting the house on fire, authorities said.

Troy Davis, 51, appeared in Sacramento County Superior Court on six felony counts following the murder of Mary Tibbitts on Friday, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Davis was arrested Saturday on a parole violation, when police identified him as a suspect in the murder of Tibbitts, who lived in Sacramento.

Authorities say Davis and Tibbitts did not know each other.

Davis has a lengthy criminal history in Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties, with cases dating back to 2013 that include charges of resisting an officer, battery on an officer, possession of methamphetamine, threatening an officer, misdemeanor sexual battery and assault and battery, the newspaper reported.

He was released from prison following felony convictions in 2017 and 2018 for assault with a deadly weapon and robbery. Following his release, authorities say he committed more crimes in June 2021 and then was released again.

In June, he was arrested on suspicion of auto theft and released on his own recognizance. He did not show up for an arraignment on June 22.

Davis was described as a transient who initially showed up in Tibbitts' neighborhood and was caught by a doorbell camera masturbating on a residents porch Friday, before returning to the area and breaking into Tibbitts home, the Bee quoted law enforcement officers as saying.

He faces one count of murder and felony counts of entering Tibbitts' home for a burglary, assault with intent to commit rape, and two counts for intentionally killing her dogs, Molly and Jenny.

Law enforcement officers were called to Tibbets' home in Sacramento on Friday where a fire was reported, and they found her dead inside.

The case has outraged prosecutors, who blame legislators for weakening prosecutors ability to keep criminals in prison once they are convicted.
BOSTON (AP)  A Boston man was arrested Wednesday in the shooting death of another man in the city's Dorchester neighborhood, authorities said.

Gregory Cooper, 40, faces a murder charge in the death of 31-year-old Shamel Winston. Cooper surrendered to police on Wednesday after detectives were granted a warrant for his arrest, according to Boston police.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  The state issued updated guidance Wednesday to help Michigan schools and local health departments navigate whether asymptomatic students who have been exposed to a coronavirus-infected student should quarantine at home or stay in school.

A change: Unvaccinated but masked students who were less than 3 feet from a COVID-positive student for at least 15 minutes can remain in school but only if they are tested daily for seven days after the exposure. Such a student previously would have been told to isolate for 10 days or seven days with a negative test.

The recommendation is among many included for the first time in a school-specific document for the general public at the start of the academic year. The state Department of Health and Human Services had previously provided county health departments with quarantine guidance for all types of settings including schools.

The state says fully vaccinated students can stay in school if they wear a mask and monitor for symptoms for 14 days, regardless of whether they were masked when they came in close contact with an infected student.

Unvaccinated students who were at least 3 to 6 feet away for 15 or more minutes can remain, too, if they and the COVID-positive student were masked. Exposed students should quarantine if they or the infected student were unmasked  seven days with a negative test or 10 days without one.

When layered prevention strategies such as masking, distancing, testing, isolation and quarantine are applied consistently, school-associated transmission of COVID-19 is significantly reduced  which keeps kids in the classroom so they can learn, MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement. However, if someone is exposed to COVID at schools, its important for them to follow quarantine guidance to prevent spread to other children.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration has declined to reinstate an indoor mask mandate for schools, instead leaving the decision to local health agencies and K-12 districts. At least 60% of students in traditional public schools are required to be masked, according to the governor's office.

Whitmer and health officials continued to urge people ages 12 and older to get vaccinated. About 59% of them are fully vaccinated in Michigan compared to 62% nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state reported more than 2,300 additional virus cases and 51 deaths, including 10 older ones from a records review. Michigan's infection and positivity rates have been rising for 2 1/2 months, but daily cases and deaths remain well below past peaks unlike in many southern states.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
Dr. Dipika Aggarwal sat in a Kansas City, Kansas, diner on a Tuesday afternoon two years ago sipping coffee and enjoying a mushroom omelet and toast.

Only a month before, the neurologist had returned to work after going through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy for stage 4 colon cancer. She chose to ease back in and started taking care of people admitted to the hospital after stroke, seizures and other neurological diseases. The new work schedule had alternate weeks off.

That day in September came during her first week off, and Dipika  who was then 38  wanted to pamper herself with a meal out.

At the table, Dipika's head started to pound. She chalked it up to a migraine, finished her meal, paid her check and made her way to the parking lot.

In her car, she texted a neurologist friend: "I'm having a terrible headache, don't think I need to go to the ER, I don't have any neurological deficits." She also shared her location. Her friend said to wait for 15 minutes to see if it got better. If not, she'd pick her up. After that, Dipika lost consciousness.

Her friend kept calling until Dipika woke up and answered the phone. Her speech was garbled. Her friend rushed to the restaurant. When she saw Dipika's drooping face, she immediately called 911.

The ambulance drove Dipika to the hospital where she worked. Colleagues found a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or bleeding in the space between her brain and surrounding membrane caused by the rupture of an aneurysm. The hospital staff then called her fiancee and brother who were listed as her emergency contacts.

First, doctors tried to secure the aneurysm and block blood from reaching the damaged area with a scope. When that didn't work, they performed an emergency craniotomy, opening her skull and inserting a clip to secure the aneurysm and stop the bleeding. During surgery, Dipika's doctor friends monitored her brain activity and nerve responses. Halfway through, Dipika had a massive stroke on the left side of her brain.

Days later, she woke up disoriented in the neuro intensive care unit where, just a week earlier, she was taking care of her own stroke patients.

"I thought, 'Why am I here? Why am I in a patients' gown?'" Dipika said. "That is when I realized I had had a stroke."

Dipika, who's right-handed, couldn't speak or move her right arm and leg. She stayed in the ICU for 15 days before transferring to an inpatient rehab facility in Omaha, Nebraska, for the next month and a half, followed by a long-term rehab facility. Physical, occupational and speech therapists helped her walk and speak again. Four months after her stroke, she advanced from a wheelchair to a cane.

She endured setbacks. She was hospitalized for a seizure and then had two abdominal surgeries related to her cancer. That, combined with COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, postponed her therapies. Around that time, her fiancee broke off their engagement.

"That came as a shock," Dipika said. "Now I was cancer survivor and a disabled person who lost her partner. I didn't know if I would ever be able to function or work again. My existence was a big question."

Trapped in a swirl of emotions  depression, denial, anger  she persevered with the support of her family.

When her older brother, Rajat Aggarwal, got the call that his sister was in the hospital after having a stroke, his wife brought clothes to his office and he immediately left work for the airport, flying from California to Kansas City.

When he walked into his sister's hospital room, he found her on life support and being fed from a tube, with an incision on her swollen head.

"I could see the pain, what was happening to her," he said. "At times I thought she would never recover from this. So many times I thought I might lose my sister. But she has shown great courage and been very brave."

Their parents, Nirmal and Bhushan Aggarwal, flew in from India. They stayed with her for nine months.

"My parents were fully involved in my care," Dipika said. "My dad would accompany me to all the therapies. He got so involved with my therapies that he started understanding all the exercises. He would help me with exercises at home every day.

"But as if all this was not enough, one day last year he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. I will always miss him. One thing I am thankful to the stroke is, I got to live so closely with my dad for a period of nine months."

Now, Dipika walks without a cane. She can even jog around the block. Her speech is back to normal, though sometimes she has trouble finding the right word.

"I've gained about 90% of my life back," Dipika said. "I'm living independently, I'm driving around."

In January, Dipika returned to work part-time, albeit remotely from home. Her duties included monitoring brain activity and nerve responses of patients during brain and spinal cord surgeries. Since July, she has been going to the clinic in person a couple of days a week.

"Wearing the white coat again after almost two years is priceless," she said.

She still does occupational and physical therapy three times a week to continue strengthening her right hand and arm and to improve her balance.

"My doctors saved my life, but the therapists gave my life back to me," she said. "That's one of the biggest things that I would like my fellow survivors to know: Don't lose hope, keep doing therapies regularly, repetition is the key."

She also advises fellow survivors to take care of their mental health. Dipika sees a therapist to help with anxiety, practices mindfulness and meditation, and joined a stroke support group.

"Recovery from stroke is a slow process which does not have an expiration date," she said. "Modern science and research have proven that stroke recovery can occur even years after the stroke as long as correct therapies are continued."

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CHESTER, N.Y. (AP)  A New York man who police said caused a fatal car crash after driving the wrong way on Interstate 87, just north of Albany, while intoxicated has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.

On Tuesday, Dennis M. Ford, 66, was also charged with a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and felony second-degree vehicular assault in connection to the deaths of Matthew G. Huff, 27, and Kerry OReilly, 31, The Post-Star reported.
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP)  An employee cost a New York county at least $6,000 in electricity bills by allegedly secretly installing dozens of machines at his workplace in a cryptocurrency scheme, authorities said Wednesday, announcing charges against him.

Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said Christopher Naples, who worked in the county clerk's office as a supervisor of information technology operations, is charged with counts including public corruption, grand larceny, and computer trespass.

An email seeking comment was sent to Naples' attorney. He appeared in court on Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance.

Sini said Naples, 42, who has worked for the county since 2000, had put 46 devices throughout the county center in Riverhead, New York, in locations like an unused electrical wall panel or underneath floorboards. At least some of the devices had been in place since February.

Naples, of Mattituck, New York, is accused of using the devices to mine Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency units are created by computers solving complex math equations, and the process can result in heavy electricity usage and high cooling costs.

Mining cryptocurrency requires an enormous amount of resources, and miners have to navigate how to cover all of those electricity and cooling costs, Sini said in a statement announcing the arrest. Naples found a way to do it; unfortunately, it was on the backs of taxpayers."

Naples faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count against him.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Law enforcement officials concerned by the prospect for violence at a rally in the nation's capital next week are planning to reinstall protective fencing that surrounded the U.S. Capitol for months after the Jan. 6 insurrection there, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Though no specific measures have been announced, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hinted during her weekly press conference Wednesday at extra safety precautions for the Sept. 18 rally by saying: We intend to have the integrity of the Capitol be intact. Briefings for lawmakers, including congressional leaders, are expected in coming days.

A security plan that is being finalized calls for a fenced perimeter on the streets immediately surrounding the Capitol building and the Supreme Court, though not around the congressional office buildings nearby, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement.

The Capitol Police formally requested the fence to the board that oversees it, and it is likely to be approved, according to a House Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about private discussions.

Police continue to track intelligence indicating far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend next week's rally, which is designed to demand justice for the hundreds of people who have been charged in connection with Januarys insurrection. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, however, has said he doesn't expect his membership to attend.

On Wednesday, meanwhile, the FBI released new information in hopes of catching the person suspected of leaving behind two pipe bombs on Capitol Hill the night before the riot, one of the enduring, unsolved mysteries of that chaotic week.

The potential presence of the extremist groups at next week's event 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.

Those charges include allegations that they conspired to block the certification of 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.

The fence had been a stark symbol of the fear many in the Capitol felt after the mob pushed its way past overwhelmed police officers, broke through windows and doors and ransacked the Capitol as Congress was voting to certify Joe Bidens electoral win.

The planned Sept. 18 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.

Perhaps the most concerning: A series of unexploded pipe bombs placed near the Capitol on Jan. 5 remain unexplained and no suspect has been charged.

The FBI released a new video of that suspect on Wednesday and a digital map showing the person circling the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees, where the bombs were placed. The FBI also said, for the first time, that agents believe the suspect is not from the Washington, D.,C. area but may have been operating out of a location near the Capitol.

Based upon the suspects route of travel to the DNC and from the DNC to the RNC, and the manner in which the suspect carries the backpack after placing the pipe bomb at the DNC, the FBI believes the suspect had a location in the vicinity of Folger Park from which the person was operating," the FBI said in a news release. Reviews of the suspects behavior in video footage and interviews with residents in the Capitol Hill neighborhood have led the FBI to believe the suspect is not from the area."

Some lawmakers and top union officials were expected to be briefed on the fence plan later this week and another more expansive briefing for the leaders of the House and Senate was planned for Monday.

On Capitol Hill, the politics around fencing in the iconic building and its grounds proved challenging for lawmakers after the January insurrection. Many said they disliked closing off access, even as they acknowledged the increased level of security it provided. The fencing finally came down with a promise to re-erect it if necessary. But the question of what deserves fencing is tricky.

In an interview Wednesday, the districts Democratic representative, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, said she had not yet been briefed on the security plans, but understood if the fence needs to be reinstalled as a precaution ahead of the upcoming rally.

I would hope that we wouldnt have to fence in the Capitol every time theres a demonstration, Norton said. But she added, If they go with the fence, Im not going to criticize them.

Norton suggested that in the aftermath of Jan. 6 there would be more robust security preparations ahead of this rally out of an abundance of caution  even though it is scheduled for a Saturday before the House returns to session, a typically sleepy summertime afternoon when few lawmakers or staff would be at work.

I wouldnt be surprised to see the fence go up, she said. The preparations are certainly going to be more than they were on Jan. 6.

___

Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Nomaan Merchant and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
ST. JOHN, Ind. (AP)  Police officers swarmed a northwestern Indiana high school Wednesday on a report of an active shooter that authorities said turned out to be a false alarm.

No shots were fired and no gun was found after a room-by-room search of Lake Central High School, which was on lockdown for most of the day, St. John Police Chief Steve Flores said during a news conference.

Flores said a male student called 911 about 10 a.m. after hearing what he described as a bullet being chambered into a gun in a restroom, prompting numerous police departments to rush toward the school in the suburban town of St. John, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of downtown Chicago.

That student and another who was in the restroom were questioned and released from custody, Flores said. Surveillance video helped identify a third student who had just left the restroom and he was shocked when questioned by investigators.

He had no clue what was going on, Flores said. When we spoke to him, hes like: No, this is what I did. Im not sure what I would have done to make that noise.

Hundreds of parents rushed to the school of about 3,200 students as word spread about the lockdown but students werent released until mid-afternoon.

Flores didnt fault the student for calling 911 although he said he would look into why emergency dispatchers broadcast to officers that it was an active shooting.

Id rather be safe than sorry, Flores said of the students call. I wish it would have been dispatched a little bit different because we were all going here thinking that people were getting shot and that wasnt the case.
HELSINKI (AP)  A privately-funded expedition, commissioned by relatives of the victims of the M/S Estonia ferry that sank into the Baltic Sea nearly 27 years ago, will dive into the vessels wreckage this month.

It's the latest attempt to gain more insight into one of Europes worst peacetime maritime disasters.

The goal of the dive, organized by a Estonia-based fund, is to find answers to questions that official joint and separate investigations by Estonia, Finland and Sweden have failed to provide on the vessels fate, the organization said Wednesday.

Although during these decades numerous different investigations have been carried out, they have not been able to give the survivors and close relatives of the deceased exhaustive answers regarding the reason why Estonia perished, the Mare Liberum fund, created in July, said in a statement.

The M/S Estonia ferry, which was traveling from the Estonian capital Tallinn to Stockholm in Sweden, sank in heavy seas on Sept. 28, 1994, killing 852 people, most of them Swedes and Estonians. Of the total 989 people on board, only 137 survived.

The Mare Liberum fund, which has backing from victims relatives groups in Estonia and Sweden, said it would organize the two-week dive expedition for late September. The project is headed by Margus Kurm, a former Estonian state investigator into the ferrys sinking, and it is estimated to cost 800,000 euros ($946,000).

Some victims relatives say all previous research into the accident, which has triggered numerous conspiracy theories over the years, had been conducted to hide the real cause of the accident.

This inquiry is very important for us to find the real reason why the M/S Estonia sank, Lennart Berglund, the head of a Swedish victims group SEA, told the Estonian newspaper Postimees.

The wreck of the M/S Estonia lies on the seabed 80 meters (264 feet) below the surface in international waters near the Finnish island of Uto. The wreck is considered a graveyard, which gives the area protection under the law.

It wasnt immediately clear what kind of stance the governments of Estonia, Finland and Sweden would take about the private expedition, which rivals an official dive by Estonian and Swedish authorities that is expected in 2022.

The 1997 official joint investigation by Estonia, Finland and Sweden concluded that the ferry sank as its bow door locks failed in a storm. That separated the bow door from the vessel, causing extensive flooding of the decks that eventually sank the vessel in just 20 minutes.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Republican lawmakers plan to unveil their version of a newly drawn map of state legislative districts on Thursday morning, with a vote planned later in the day on a final version, the Ohio Senate president said.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission, charged with drawing a map good for as long as 10 years, missed its Sept. 1 deadline, triggering an extension until the middle of the month. Senate Democrats submitted their proposed map last week.
HONOLULU (AP)  Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the worlds coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe.

The Allen Coral Atlas, named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change.

The group announced completion of the atlas Wednesday and said it is the first global, high-resolution map of its kind. It gives users the ability to see detailed information about local reefs, including different types of submarine structure like sand, rocks, seagrass and, of course, coral.

The maps, which include areas up to 50 feet (15 meters) deep, are being used to inform policy decisions about marine protected areas, spatial planning for infrastructure such as docks and seawalls and upcoming coral restoration projects.

Our biggest contribution in this achievement is that we have a uniform mapping of the entire coral reef biome, said Greg Asner, managing director of the Atlas and director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation.

Asner said they relied on a network of hundreds of field contributors who gave them local information about reefs so that they could program their satellites and software to focus on the right areas.

And that lets us bring the playing field up to a level where decisions can be made at a bigger scale because so far decisions have been super localized," Asner said. "If you dont know what youve got more uniformly, how would the U.N. ever play a real role? How would a government that has an archipelago with 500 islands make a uniform decision?

The atlas also includes a coral bleaching monitor to check for corals that are stressed due to global warming and other factors.

Asner said about three quarters of the world's reefs had not previously been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, and many not at all.

The project began in 2017 when Allen's company, Vulcan Inc., was working with Ruth Gates, a Hawaii researcher whose idea of creating  super coral  for reef restoration was funded by the philanthropic foundation.

Gates and Vulcan brought in Asner because of his work with the Global Airborne Observatory that had been mapping reefs in Hawaii at the time.

Allen, who said he wanted to help save the world's coral reefs, liked the idea of using technology to visualize data, so Gates connected the group with a satellite company called Planet, and Allen funded the project for about $9 million.

The University of Queensland in Australia used artificial intelligence technology and local reference data to generate the layers on the atlas. Anyone can view the maps for free online.

Both Allen and Gates passed away in 2018, leaving Asner and others to carry on their work.

"Ruth would be so pleased, wouldnt she?" Asner said. She would just be tickled that this is really happening.

He said about a third of the calls he is getting are from researchers who hope to use the maps to be sure that their planning and their reef restoration work is going to have its max efficacy.

When Gates found out she was sick, she selected friend and colleague Helen Fox from the National Geographic Society to help communicate with conservation groups about how to use the tool.

It really was a global effort," said Fox, who is now the conservation science director for Coral Reef Alliance. There were huge efforts in terms of outreach and helping people be aware of the tool and the potential scientific and conservation value."

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that about three quarters of the worlds reefs had not previously been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, not one third.
The domed sanctuary rising in Lower Manhattan, where workers are busy installing translucent Greek marble in time for a ceremonial lighting on Sept. 10, bears little resemblance to the modest parish church that John Katsimatides had discovered years ago.

He often visited the old St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church to say a prayer and light a candle as he went to or from work nearby on the 104th floor of the World Trade Centers north tower.

John Katsimatides was thrilled that there was a Greek church right across the street from where he worked, recalled his sister, Anthoula Katsimatides.

John, 31, a corporate bonds broker at Cantor Fitzgerald, was among the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The old St. Nicholas Church was also destroyed that day. While no one was killed in the building, it was crushed beneath the falling south tower  the only house of worship destroyed in the attacks.

When we discovered ... that St. Nicholas was also lost, we thought that there was some kind of a message there, that the victims did not die alone, Anthoula Katsimatides said. I remember my mom saying that ... John and the other victims were being cradled by St. Nicholas.

This Sept. 10, the eve of the date 20 years after the nations deadliest terrorist attack, shell attend the ceremonial lighting of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, being built to replace the parish church and to honor those who were lost.

The ceremony will be a milestone in a project long beset with bureaucratic tangles and a financial crisis but now on track for completion next year.

St. Nicholas brings me close to my brother, Anthoula Katsimatides said.

The lighting of the church will come from within. Through an innovative process, interior lights are being designed to illuminate thin panels of marble, mined from the same Pentelic vein in Greece that sourced the Parthenon, the ancient temple in Athens.

The church is being built in an small, elevated park overlooking the World Trade Center memorial plaza, close to the reflecting pools that mark where the twin towers once stood. A huge, bronze sphere that once stood between the towers now stands, dented and damaged, in the park just beyond the chapels doors. Tour and school groups often gather on a flight of steps leading to the shrine.

The shrines concrete shell, passed daily by streams of tourists, has been one of the most visible signs of the unfinished work of the ground zero rebuilding effort. Work to install its marble cladding has been proceeding at a fast pace in recent weeks in time for the ceremonial lighting, though the church isnt slated to be completed until next year.

The church is designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, with its dome, windows and iconography inspired by historic former Byzantine churches, including the world-renowned Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. A Greek iconographer is integrating traditional designs with imagery from 9/11, including tributes to slain rescue workers.

Given its prominent location near the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the shrine is destined to become a signature American expression of Eastern Orthodoxy, an ancient Christian communion that still predominates in Greece and much of Eastern Europe but has a slender share of the U.S. Christian population.

In addition to its sanctuary, the shrine will have a separate space for meditation and reflection for people of all faiths.

Its going to have a rich liturgical life as a church, said Michael Psaros, vice chairman of the Friends of St. Nicholas, the private entity overseeing the project in cooperation with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. But this beautiful shrine were building belongs to New York, it belongs to the U.S., and it belongs to the world.

Greek immigrants founded St. Nicholas on Lower Manhattans Cedar Street in 1916, converting a former tavern into a church and topping it with a small belfry and cross. According to parish lore, newly arrived Greek immigrants came there to offer thanks to St. Nicholas, patron of seafarers.

Whatever we did in St. Nicholas was all volunteer, said Olga Pavlakos, vice president of the parish. It was a poor parish.

Over the decades, even as the little church was islanded by a parking lot and dwarfed by the World Trade Center, parish leaders refused to sell to land-hungry developers.

After 9/11, the archdiocese always intended to rebuild, but its location on Liberty Street was settled only after litigation between the archdiocese and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

But costs soared beyond projections, and construction halted in late 2017 after the archdiocese fell behind on payments.

The newly created Friends of St. Nicholas, led by a core of wealthy Greek-Americans, assumed management of the project. It has completed fundraising for the church, with estimated costs of close to $85 million, and is now raising an endowment for maintenance and security.

Archbishop Elpidophoros, who began leading the nationwide archdiocese in 2019, said the symbolism of the shrine is important.

Ground zero is worldwide known as as a place of religious hatred and violence, and the results of this religious hatred and violence, he said. Part of our responsibility was to restore the reputation of religion ... as a factor of uniting people.

The project has personal significance for the Rev. Alex Karloutsos, longtime vicar-general for the archdiocese. After the 9/11 attacks, he was among clergy offering spiritual support to recovery workers.

People at that point were looking for something sacred, because they had just experienced that which is evil, he said.

Among the surviving artifacts from St. Nicholas was a paper icon of St. Dionysius of Zakynthos  the patron of forgiveness for having forgiven his brothers murderer.

That icon was very poignant, because at the end of the day, for us to go outside of our hatred, we even had to forgive those who destroyed our brothers and sisters, Karloutsos said.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP)  Slovakias government apologized on Wednesday for World War II legislation that stripped the countrys Jews of their human and civil rights.

Marking the 80th anniversary of the Jewish Code adopted on Sept 9, 1941, the government said in a statement that it feels a moral obligation today to publicly express sorrow over the crimes committed by the past regime.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting a federal officer with a hammer outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, last summer during a protest.

Jacob Michael Gaines was arrested on July 11, 2020, after he banged a hole in plywood covering an entrance to the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

When a deputy U.S. marshal went to arrest Gaines, Gaines used the hammer on the marshal, swinging and striking him with it, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cardani.

Gaines struck the marshal in the shoulder and upper back with the hammer before other members of a U.S. Marshals tactical team took Gaines to the ground and arrested him, according to court records.

Gaines pleaded guilty to one count of felony assaulting a federal officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon. He told the judge Wednesday that the account of what happened was accurate.

Under a plea deal, Cardani said he will recommend Gaines be sentenced to just over three years in prison, largely because of his acceptance of responsibility and limited criminal history.

Gaines remains in custody at the Columbia County Jail. His sentencing is set for Dec. 13.

Federal agents used freeze frames of video obtained from a Twitter account to document the allegations against Gaines, the prosecutor wrote in court records.

Cardani described Gaines as unemployed and living in a bus with his wife in North Portland and said he has moved back and forth between Texas, Portland and Bend, Oregon. He said Gaines has said he had guns in his bus and suffers from mental health issues, according to court records.

Gaines told the court Wednesday he is now taking medications for his mental health but that he understood the ramifications of his guilty plea.

Gaines is among a handful of defendants who have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from arrests related to nightly protests against police brutality in Portland last year that began after the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis.

Of a total of 96 federal protest-related prosecutions, about 62 have been dismissed. About 30 cases are pending. Four people have been sentenced, according to Kevin Sonoff, a spokesman for Oregons U.S. Attorneys office.

The pending prosecutions include defendants charged with civil disorder, destruction of government property, arson and assault on a federal officer.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Tropical Storm Olaf formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Wednesday and forecasters said the storm could bring rains to the Los Cabos resort area, though it wasn't likely to make a direct hit.

The storm was centered about 315 miles (510 kilometers) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It was moving to the northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).
LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won Parliament's support on Wednesday for a big tax hike to pay for short-term health requirements arising from the coronavirus pandemic, as well as for long-term care needed by Britains growing older population.

Lawmakers voted by 319 to 248 in favor of the 1.25 percentage point increase in national insurance payments made by working-age people.

The vote outcome points to only a modest rebellion among Johnsons Conservatives  the majority of 71 was only shy of their 80-seat majority in parliament.

Still, several Conservative lawmakers voiced concerns during Wednesday's debate that the move will dent the party's reputation for low taxes. Others said the increase would primarily benefit elderly households in the more affluent parts of southern England at the expense of working families elsewhere.

The increase in taxes, which also applies to dividend payments and breaks a key Conservative manifesto pledge, aims to raise 36 billion pounds ($50 billion) over three years for social care and the overstretched National Health Service.

It takes effect in April and will cost someone paid 21,000 pounds ($27,500) a year about 180 pounds ($248) more on their annual tax bill. Someone making 67,000 pounds a year ($92,000) will pay more than triple that.

While the strains of the pandemic have left the NHS facing a backlog of millions of delayed appointments and procedures, Britain has struggled to get to grips with soaring costs for those in need of long-term care.

That burden of funding care for older, sick and disabled adults in Britain currently falls largely on individuals, who often have to deplete their savings or sell their homes to pay for it. One in seven people ends up paying more than 100,000 pounds ($138,000), according to the government, which calls the cost of care catastrophic and often unpredictable.

Under the governments plan, the amount people have to pay in their lifetime for social care will be capped at 86,000 pounds starting in 2023, and everyone with assets of less than 100,000 pounds will get some state support.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  A brief Navy narrative of a fatal helicopter crash off Southern California says the aircraft experienced side-to-side vibrations that caused the main rotor to hit the deck of an aircraft carrier while landing, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The MH-60S Seahawk fell off the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 31. One crewmember was rescued and five were declared dead after a search. Five sailors on the carrier deck were injured.
WATERBURY, Vt. (AP)  Three Vermont state troopers who are accused of being involved in a scheme to create fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards have resigned, state police said Tuesday.

Troopers Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski resigned Aug. 10, a day after a fellow trooper told supervisors about the alleged scheme. Trooper David Pfindel resigned Sept. 3 following further investigation, according to a state police news release.

The three ex-troopers are suspected of having varying roles in the making of fraudulent vaccination cards, according to the release.

The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct  a criminal violation of the law  and I could not be more upset and disappointed, Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, said in the release. If these allegations are proved to be true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic, when being vaccinated is one of the most important steps anyone can take to keep their community safe from COVID-19.

Sommers and Witkowski both joined the Vermont State Police in July 2016. Pfindel was hired in January 2014, police said.

An email seeking comment from the Vermont Troopers Association was not immediately returned on Tuesday.

Federal authorities are investigating the allegations. Vermont State Police declined to comment further due to the FBI investigation.
Ted Cruz went full Jeffrey Lebowski on Twitter this past Labor Day.

The junior senator from Texas and avid tweeter sparked backlash after saying people who will lose unemployment benefits should simply "get a job"  as if the only reason they're unemployed was out of sheer lack of will.

See for yourself:

The article linked in the quoted tweet appears to have been deleted by ABC 33/40 News. The link was an Associated Press story about certain unemployment programs ending, including for those in an extended period without a job and unemployed gig economy workers.

"There are millions of vacancies," Cruz said, "and small businesses across the nation are desperate for workers."

He's not wrong. As of early August, there were a record 10.1 million job openings across the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But what's missing from Cruz's discussion is some important context: Many employers pay unlivable wages or offer little to no benefits, creating a situation where the bare minimum needed to survive through unemployment benefits is more attractive than toiling for pennies.

And the Twitterverse let Cruz have it:

Even anti-vaxxers railed the senator:

What are your thoughts? Let me know on Twitter: @jayrjordan
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
Florida, FL (34429)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 88F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
ANALYSIS: Recent elections in 2015 and 2019 provide us with an idea of what immigration developments we can expect over the coming months.

Canadian immigration: What can we expect after the election on September 20? ANALYSIS: Recent elections in 2015 and 2019 provide us with an idea of what immigration developments we can expect over the coming months.

Canadian immigration: What can we expect after the election on September 20? ANALYSIS: Recent elections in 2015 and 2019 provide us with an idea of what immigration developments we can expect over the coming months.

Canadian immigration: What can we expect after the election on September 20? ANALYSIS: Recent elections in 2015 and 2019 provide us with an idea of what immigration developments we can expect over the coming months. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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The federal election taking place on September 20 will shape Canadas immigration system for up to the next four years.

The election result is the most important event in Canadas immigration system since the federal government is largely responsible for the policies that impact the system. The Constitution outlines immigration as an area of shared federal-provincial jurisdiction, with the federal government having the final say. In practice, while provinces and territories across Canada are very active in recruiting and settling newcomers, it is the federal government, namely Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that has the greatest control over the nations immigration policies. For instance, IRCC determines national immigration levels as well as allocations for each province, processing times, and is the largest funder by far of the settlement and integration services offered across the country.

IRCC gets its direction from the political party that forms government after each federal election. Hence, the party that leads the country after September 20 will leave a lasting impression on the immigration system. The following is an overview of what you can expect and is based on the events that followed the 2015 and 2019 federal elections.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

Between now and when the new government takes effect, IRCC and the provinces and territories will continue to undertake their existing immigration responsibilities. This means that Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other immigration streams will continue to operate. Moreover, IRCC will continue to process applications and conduct its other areas of operations. What typically does not happen around federal election periods is the implementation of new policies and programs. Instead, IRCC waits for the new government to take power and provide it with policy guidance.

After the election, the governing party will need some time, usually 1-2 months, before they determine cabinet members and other key appointments. The transition then occurs and they begin to govern the federal government. Around this time, the Prime Minister will provide each minister with a mandate letter. The mandate letter will outline what policy priorities each minister, including the immigration minister, is being asked by the Prime Minister to carry out during the new governments time in office. The immigration ministers mandate letter will shape IRCCs priorities, and in turn, have an impact on the provinces, territories, and entire immigration system.

In 2019, the election took place in October, cabinet was announced in November, and then the mandate letters were released after the winter holidays in January 2020.

In 2015, the election took place in October, cabinet was introduced in November, and the mandate letters also became public in November.

This time around, we should have cabinet and the new government in place by November at the latest. It is likely that the new government will have time before the winter holidays in December to begin to roll out their policies and also reveal the new mandate letters. It is important to note that the Liberals are the current governing party and Marco Mendicino is the federal Immigration Minister. Should the Liberals win another election, it is entirely possible that Mendicino will remain the Immigration Minister and priorities contained in his existing mandate letters will be rolled over into the new mandate.

Following the revealing of the immigration minister and mandate letter for IRCC, the next big immigration system event will be the tabling of the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan. The levels plan outlines the number of immigrants that IRCC will seek to welcome each year, which categories it will seek to welcome newcomers under, and the allocation of newcomers it is providing to each province and territory. This announcement usually takes place by November 1st each year, but it is delayed by several months in the years that elections take place. Following the 2015 and 2019 elections, the levels plan announcement occurred in the first quarter of the New Year. Following this Septembers election, we should get the new levels plan by March 2022 at the latest, however the announcement itself should simply be a continuation of ongoing efforts to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants to Canada each year.

We can expect Budget 2022 to be released around the same time as the levels plan announcement. Among its features, the budget outlines what the federal government plans to spend its money on. It sometimes contains new policy announcements which impact the immigration system. Earlier this year, for instance, Budget 2021 noted the federal government plans to spend nearly $430 million to update its IT infrastructure to improve application processing for the immigration system.

Gradually over 2022, we should then see the new government hit its stride and introduce new immigration policies and programs. Irrespective of the outcome on September 20, we should expect IRCC and the provinces and territories to continue to invite new immigrants and process applications. What may change is the areas of the immigration system they choose to focus on, which again, will be influenced by the political orientation of the new government.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

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Together with ViciNFT, Heritage Global Partners allies NFT and DAM.

FREMONT, CA: Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (HGP), a global leader in asset advisory and auction services and a subsidiary of Heritage Global Inc., allies with ViciNFT Corporation, a leading provider of non-fungible token (NFT) creation and management, smart contracts, block chain technology development, and crypto currency-based auction management services, to co-market and manage crypto currency-based auctions.

Regarding the alliance, Ross Dove, CEO of Heritage Global Inc., says, HGP is excited to participate in cutting edge NFT auctions with a meaningful charitable component and buyers and sellers benefit from open and transparent HGP auction management. We look forward to long term collaboration with ViciNFT Corporation as the marketplace expands.

Jon Fisher, Partner in ViciNFT Corporation, says, HGP is the marquee brand for enterprise auctions. This partnership has a number of notable pathways to growth, with significant revenue potential were well positioned to capture.

Heritage Global Inc. (HGBL) is a diversified financial services firm focused on surplus and distressed asset acquisition, disposition, valuation, and financing. ViciNFT Corporation is a market leader in digital asset management, specializing in developing and managing non-fungible token (NFT) auctions.

ViciNFT will use Heritage as its primary auction venue. The firms collaborate to accelerate growth in the $2.5 billion NFT industry for digital collectibles stored on blockchain, a field in which ViciNFT is a market leader.

The first auction under this cooperation will feature the second series of Michelle Phillips Original California Girl NFTs, following a successful inaugural sale in June 2021 that generated $100,000 in revenue and received widespread media coverage.
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TOKYO (AP)  Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Japan on Tuesday for full and detailed information about a plan to release treated but still radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.

The three-member team, which is assisting Japan with the planned release, met Tuesday with government officials to discuss technical details before traveling to the Fukushima Daiichi plant for an on-site examination Wednesday. They will meet with Japanese experts through Friday.

Lydie Evrard, head of the IAEAs Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, said transparency and a full disclosure about the water and its treatment is key to ensuring safety for the project, which is expected to take decades.

The government and the plants operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, announced plans in April to start releasing the water in the spring of 2023 so hundreds of storage tanks at the plant can be removed to make room for other facilities needed for its decommissioning.

The idea has been fiercely opposed by fishermen, local residents and Japans neighbors, including China and South Korea.

TEPCO plans to send the water through an undersea tunnel and discharge it from a location about 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) away from the coastal power plant after further treating and diluting it with large amounts of seawater to bring it below releasable limits.

Evrard said her team wants to monitor the release to make sure it meets IAEA radiation and environmental safety standards, and proposed a discussion of monitoring methods and other details.

Government and TEPCO officials say tritium, which is not harmful in small amounts, cannot be removed from the water, but all other isotopes selected for treatment can be reduced to safe levels. Controlled release of tritium from normal uclear plants is a routine global practice, officials say.

osIAEA and Japanese officials on Tuesday discussed tritium monitoring methods.

Japan has requested IAEAs assistance to ensure the discharge meets safety standards and to gain the understanding of the international community.

Trade and industry minister Hiroshi Kajiyama told reporters Tuesday that IAEAs involvement will help build trust in the Japanese effort. He said Japan will fully cooperate.

A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 severely damaged three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, causing contaminated cooling water to leak. The water has been stored in about 1,000 tanks which the plants operator says will reach their capacity late next year.

Japanese officials say disposal of the water is required for the decommissioning of the plant, and that its release into the ocean is the most realistic option.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
National Trust Insurance Co. contends that a pollution exclusion in a policy it sold to an Alabama furnace-repair company excludes coverage for a wrongful death claim caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Indiana-domiciled carrier wont be able to test that argument in federal court any time soon.

A panel of the 11th Circuit of Court of Appeals affirmed a decision by the Northern Alabama U.S. District Court not to hear a lawsuit filed by National Trust that seeks a declaratory judgment that its pollution exclusion applies to carbon dioxide emissions. The court said that no Alabama state court has ruled on whether carbon monoxide is a pollutant under an insurance policy exclusion, so a ruling by a federal judge could create friction between state and federal courts.

In a concurring opinion, Circuit Judge Andrew L. Brasher said some states have ruled that carbon monoxide is a pollutant subject to a policy exclusion, but others have not.

For its part, the Supreme Court of Alabama has described this morass of conflicting caselaw as, not just a split of authority, but an absolute fragmentation of authority . . . with cases reaching the same conclusion as to a particular issue . . . on the basis of differing, and sometimes inconsistent, rationales.

Steven Hoge filed a wrongful death suit against Southern Heating and Cooling Inc. and other defendants in Dekalb County Circuit Court after his parents died from carbon monoxide poisoning in January 2018. His lawsuit alleges that a technician for the company who was called out for a service call failed to inform Billy Carl and Mary Ellen Hoge that the burner in their gas furnace was misaligned, causing fatal levels of carbon monoxide to accumulate in their home.

Southern Heating had purchased a commercial liability policy from National Trust with a $1 million limit. The insurer filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking a declaratory judgment that no coverage is owed under that policy because of the pollution exclusion.

Attorney Christopher S. Randolph Jr., with the Hare/Wynn law firm in Birmingham, represents Hoge. He said he knows of no Alabama appellate court decision that has addressed the question of whether carbon monoxide is a pollutant under an insurance policy exclusion, but he believes that state courts will find that the exclusion does not apply.

It is the province of state courts to resolve questions of state law. Randolph said any ruling by the district court about whether an pollution exclusion applies in this case would be just a guess.

Randolph said National Trust has been defending Southern Heating in the state law case under a reservation of rights.

The 11th Circuit panel said in its opinion that the district could would also have to decide whether a hostile fire exception to the pollution exclusion in the policy applies. A hostile fire is a fire set intentionally that expands outside its intended boundaries.

The district court ruled that the two lawsuits are parallel, meaning they require resolution of substantially the same facts. Attorneys for National Trust argued that in light of that finding, the district court abused its discretion by refusing to hear its case.

The 11th Circuit, however, declined to adopt a bright line rule that the existence of parallel proceedings require federal trail courts to accept a declaratory judgment case in all circumstances.

In sum, a district court may exercise its discretion and decline to adjudicate a claim under the Declaratory Judgment Act even in the absence of parallel proceedings, the opinion says.
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A $16 million project completed by Oklahoma Transportation in fall 2020 reconstructed the I-40 and SH-6 interchange in Elk City and eliminated two structurally deficient highway bridges. The new junction, which is Oklahomas first Diverging Diamond Interchange, was recently honored with an American Concrete Pavement Association award for quality construction.
Beachwood, OH (44122)

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Thunderstorms during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 71F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Marijo Krogman, 86, Clinton, died Sunday, September 12th. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Saturday, September 18th at Prince of Peace. Visitation from 9:00 AM until the time of the Mass Saturday. Pape Funeral Home is assisting.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7)  The Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) affirmed its "A-" rating for the country even while it continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

JCR made the announcement earlier this week, which also included the retention of its "stable" outlook for the Philippine economy.

A higher credit rating allows governments to secure cheaper loans abroad as it attests to their capability to settle debts, along with the country's economic stability. The state has been borrowing more from foreign and local sources alike to help fund its pandemic response.

While JCR noted economic recovery is currently delayed by the return of mobility restrictions due to the feared Delta variant, it mentioned that national authorities are "swiftly implementing adequate measures" like higher public health-related spending and faster vaccine drive "by drawing upon its relatively strong fiscal position" pre-COVID-19.

The credit rater also said the government's support package is backed by "appropriate" fiscal policies and its outstanding debt "will remain comparatively subdued."

READ: National debt soars to new high of 11.61T in July

JCR also cited the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build program, along with the steady progress in legislation proposals that include tax reforms efforts.

"Remittances from workers abroad remain solid and the Philippine economy stays highly resilient to external shocks even amid the deteriorated global economic conditions," it added.

JCR said it expects only a 4-5% economic growth this year given the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, but emphasized the Philippine economy will "return to a high growth path" once the pandemic is subdued.

This forecast range is also the economic team's target band for 2021, which it dialed down for the second time due to the return of lockdowns.

Economic officials welcomed the affirmation of the "A-" credit rating, which is the highest the Philippines has received so far.

"The Philippine government aims to achieve a strong and quick economic recovery through sustained spending on its priority programs and productive investments while maintaining deficit and debt manageability," said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, as he vowed future generations will not shoulder an unsustainable debt stock.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno recalled the central bank's efforts to shield vulnerable groups from COVID-19's impact through regulatory relief measures, along with the maintenance of sufficient liquidity in the country's financial system.

"We will continue to support the economy as needed, until we see hard evidence of full recovery," Diokno said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8) Former Senator Bongbong Marcos said a team-up with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for the top two government posts in the 2022 national elections is still possible.

Marcos is seen as one of the possible running mates of Sara Duterte in case the latter decides to file her candidacy for the presidency next month.

His sister Senator Imee Marcos even called their tandem a "marriage made in heaven" because of their supposed strongholds in the northern and southern parts of the country.

Marcos said he will definitely run for a national post, although he did not reveal whether its for president, vice president, or senator.

He explained the Marcoses are also in constant discussion with other parties on how they will position themselves in the upcoming polls.

Everything is possible. Anything can happen and yes, negotiations are ongoing with everyone," Marcos said in a forum Wednesday morning. "Ive spoken with most of the groups that are going to be active in the national elections and yeah lahat yan napu-pursue, napapag-usapan, itong combination na ganito, combination na ganyan [everything is being pursued, discussed, this and that kind of combination].

Marcos said they have already been planning at this point and are coming closer to a decision as the deadline for filing of candidacy nears.

"We cannot just...as the American saying goes, just kick the can down the road and just pretend na bahala na (come what may), we'll come to that. You have to be planning already at this point," Marcos said.

Should the son of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos decide to run, this will be his fourth time gunning for a national post.

Marcos ran for senator in the 1995 national elections but failed after placing 16th. He tried again in 2010 and succeeded, landing in 7th spot.

Six years later, he attempted to seek the vice presidency but lost by more than 200,000 votes to Vice President Leni Robredo.

'Rifts' among admin groups

Marcos said political parties remain unclear about their plans, except for the tandem of Senator Ping Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto, who announced their bid for the top two elective posts this morning.

He said he is also keeping in mind the supposed rifts among allies in the administration-aligned parties.

"The Davao group, the Dutertes, are always seen as almost this monolithic organization that move together and it turns out that there are also cracks within their group," Marcos added.

For Prof. Dennis Coronacion, president of the Philippine Political Science Association, Bongbong Marcos' so-called Solid North network remains intact despite the former senator being too silent about his plans.

Marcos swept the provinces in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and even Central Luzon and Metro Manila, except for Tarlac and Taguig City in the 2016 polls.

"So if ever itong si Bongbong Marcos intends to head for the vice president position or run for the president position, he can rely on this Solid North voting bloc. Kahit pa maging silent siya, hindi siya masyadong nag-a-appear publicly, kahit 'wag ka nang mangampanya andyan na 'yan eh. Solid North 'yung makinarya ng mga Marcos," Coronacion explained.

[Translation: So if ever Bongbong Marcos intends to head for the vice president position or run for the president position, he can rely on this Solid North voting bloc. Even if he stays silent, doesnt appear in public, doesnt campaign, the Marcoses have the Solid North machinery.]

Though mum about his plans, Marcos has been guesting in shows in different media outfits nationwide regularly. He's also actively publishing vlogs and commentaries on his social media accounts.

He also said he will focus on campaigning on social media if he decides to run, much more so now that face-to-face campaigning is discouraged due to the threat of COVID-19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The Commission on Elections is rolling out a simulation of online voting on Saturday. It is being eyed as a new platform for Filipinos abroad for the 2025 polls.

The trial would be hosted by American firm Voatz. Up to 671 volunteers are expected to try either the mobile app or web-based voting from 8 a.m. of Sept. 11 until 8 a.m. of Sept. 13.

Canvassing of votes is scheduled two hours after the closing of the voting period, according to Comelecs Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV).

Election system providers Indra Sistemas and Smartmaticwhich has provided the country an automated election system and machines since 2010will be also hosting their own online voting test runs in the next few weeks.

There are three things that are major considerations for me as a decision-maker. One is security, two is the access of voters, and three is the cost," Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said during Wednesdays kickoff event. "If we are satisfied in OFOV, we can recommend this to the commission en banc and of course, Congress."

Its impossible to use this in 2022. Thats why we're testing it now, so we have a three-year preparation time We are open to all possible methods that can widen access for our voters, she added.

A 2020 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology flagged security concerns about the proprietary app of Voatz, saying it has vulnerabilities that allow different kinds of adversaries to alter, stop, or expose a users vote.

But the private firm based in Boston said their system has been used in five states and has been tapped for absentee voting in the United States.

Voatz officials said voters may cast their online ballots either through the companys app or through a web browser using a unique link provided to them.

Voatz CEO and co-founder Nimit Sawhney said the mobile app can only be used by one voter as part of cybersecurity measures, which will be verified and linked to a mobile number.

The app would only work in smartphones running on operating systems Android 8.0 or newer, iOS 12.4 or newer, and iPad 3 or later gadget versions. The app does not work on Android tablets or in jailbroken gadgets. Those who cannot access the app may use a web browser to vote.

Volunteers will be asked to provide their full name, date of birth, sex, photo, email address, mobile number, and place of registration prior to the simulation. They will be asked to verify their identity by presenting photos of their passport and a selfie video through a live webcam before access to the electronic ballot is granted.

They will receive a participation receipt through email, which would indicate their chosen candidates in their ballot.

The result of the trial run will be the basis of recommendations to Congress if online voting should be adopted.

Guanzon said a new law is needed to include online voting as an option for Filipinos. Currently, Filipinos abroad cast their ballots by personal appearance before Philippine consulates and embassies or by mail-in voting, where they pay for the return postal fees.

The voter has to buy a stamp, so it discourages them from voting, Guanzon added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said small-scale fishermen stand to benefit from its plan to demolish "illegal" fish pens and cages in Cavite, even as a fisherfolk group warned that thousands of people will lose their livelihood.

In a briefing on Wednesday, DENR spokesperson Benny Antiporda said the unauthorized aquaculture structures only help big companies and the workers they pay, to the detriment of small fishermen.

Nung itinayo po yan, nawalan po ng espasyo para makapangisda ang ating maliliit na mangingisda, at kailangan pang bumiyahe sila ng 15 kilometers away from the shoreline, Antiporda said.

[Translation: These structures take up space that would have benefited small fishers, forcing them to travel 15 kilometers away from the shoreline.]

The bamboo poles from the pens and cages, he added, also contribute to pollution in Manila Bay, as they are washed away during storms. According to Antiporda, 370 of these structures will be destroyed: 271 in Cavite City, 97 in Kawit, and two in Noveleta.

He also said there is no truth to reports that mussel farms or tahungans will be dismantled, assuring that mussel growers with permits will be allowed to operate.

The impending demolition by the DENR has been heavily opposed by some fishermen and activists, including fisherfolk group Pamalakaya which believes it is a precursor to a massive reclamation plan in Cavite.

The group said the demolition will wipe out their livelihood and displace their communities. It also accused the DENR of using the Manila Bay rehabilitation program to justify its unjust and anti-fisherfolk plan.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte apologized for confusing the public when he briefly lifted the face shield requirement back in June, saying it was done in good faith before the detection of the feared Delta coronavirus variant in the country.

"Noon sabi ko tanggalin na ninyo ang face shields kasi binabasa ko naman ang ano sa Amerika at lahat, wala namang face shield. Sabi ko pwede na siguro tanggalin yan. Pero noong dumating itong variant na Delta natakot ako," he said during his pre-recorded address that aired on Wednesday.

"Mali ko iyon, ako ang nagsabi na huwag na. Admitahin ko iyon, walang problema, akin yun, it was my call. But I believed in good faith noon na hindi na kailangan," he added.

[Translation: I decided against the use face shields because I read it is not used in America and other countries, so I said we can do away with it. But when the Delta variant was detected, I got worried. I was wrong. I have no problem admitting that. It was my call. But it was in good faith when I believed it was unnecessary.]

Duterte only required the use of face shields in hospitals after Senate President Tito Sotto remarked that the Philippines was the only country mandating its use. However, hours later, Malacanang retracted it and once again required its use indoors and outdoors.

Amid debates on its effectiveness in preventing the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization on Tuesday said it's untimely to talk about changing the current policy on face shields. WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the government should only talk about making policy changes once the COVID-19 situation is already under control.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte accused Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman Sen. Richard Gordon of evading a state audit.

"Takot ka kasi alam mong marami kang atraso [You are afraid because you know you have many wrongdoings] all throughout the years and you cannot possibly have the time to cover up everything also," the President said in a taped address which aired Wednesday morning.

Duterte also reiterated that the humanitarian organization is subject to audit if it accepted and used money from state coffers.

"Kailangan malaman namin 'yung binigay namin sa'yo nang ilang taon na, nasaan na? Sen. Gordon, I'm demanding an answer," he said.

[Translation: We need to know, where did the funds we give you go?]

The Commission on Audit itself has said it does not have jurisdiction to scrutinize the PRC, adding that only the payments made by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to the nonprofit agency can be audited.

Gordon, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, has recently been at the receiving end of Duterte's attacks. The Senate panel is looking into the handling of the Health department's pandemic response budget, which has been hounded by controversy.

The senator has also refuted the President's accusations he's using PRC funds for his electoral campaigns.

Gordon earlier told CNN Philippines that Duterte has turned the COVID-19 mess involving his past appointees into a "personal fight," which shouldn't be the case.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte claimed no corruption was involved in the governments procurement of items used in the fight against COVID-19.

Walang nangyaring korupsyon sa mga procurement ng gobyerno," said Duterte in a taped address aired on state-run PTV on Tuesday morning.

[Translation: There was no corruption in the governments procurement.]

Allegations of corruption have hounded the executive, with lawmakers probing the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical items during the onset of the pandemic.

During the address, the President shot back at the lawmakers, asking them whether their inquiries were in aid of election or legislation.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao disagreed with Dutertes remarks, saying the fulfillment of their duties as senators is not politicking.

Ang hiling ko lang sa Pangulo hayaan kami na gampanan ang trabaho namin. At ang hiling ko lang ay huwag niyang depensahan yung mga tao niya na iniimbestigahan dahil may alleged corruption, said Pacquiao, who added that those proven to be corrupt should be jailed.

[Translation: My plea to the President is that he should let us do our job. I also wish he would stop defending people currently being investigated because there is alleged corruption.]

The Health department was flagged earlier by state auditors over deficiencies in its management of COVID-19 response funds. Duterte, however, sided with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and slammed the Commission on Audit and senators over the issue.

The chief executive likewise defended former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who headed the agencys procurement arm during the procurement, and his former economic adviser Michael Yang. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/31/Duterte-Michael-Yang-Lloyd-Christopher-Lao.html

Warrants of arrest have been served against Yang and five officials of the countrys top COVID-19 medical supplier Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. for failing to attend Senate hearings on the matter.

CNN Philippines correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  Some members of the restaurant industry and a local official decried the national government's last-minute announcement that Metro Manila will not yet ease to a more relaxed community quarantine status.

The retraction led to loss of money, effort, and time, restaurant owner Inchang Mendoza, Vikings Buffet Restaurant marketing consultant Stella Sy, and Manila City Bureau of Permits chief Levi Facundo lamented.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) announced on Sept. 4 that the National Capital Region (NCR) will shift to general community quarantine with granular lockdowns.

Three days later, the government announced it will push through but the guidelines are being finalized for the implementation on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, however, officials backtracked, saying the NCR will stay under the strict modified enhanced community quarantine until the experimental policy is finetuned.

Mendoza said her staff held several meetings and cleaned up the entire restaurant located in Manila in preparation for its much-awaited reopening.

They also bought hundreds of kilos of pork, chicken, and beef for the opening of the samgyupsal restaurant. she added.

The entreprenuer said she realized the meat and poultry products will go to waste since restaurants will remain prohibited from operating under MECQ to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

She said small businesses that are already bleeding from a year and a half of restrictions are suffering more because of the government's lack of planning.

Mendoza added she also worried about her 27 employees who are not getting paid if they do not go to work.

"Dear goverment, maawa naman kayo sa mga taong sobrang naapektuhan na nagta-trabaho ng maayos!" she said in a Facebook post. "Hindi kayang sumurvive ng small business owner sa ganyang eksena ng gobyerno!!! Bigyan niyo kami ng maayos na plano!!

[Translation: Dear government, have some heart for those wanting to work who are severely affected! Small business owners cannot survive if the government continues to perform like this! Give us concrete plans!]

Restaurant owners also criticized the government back in August when the IATF suddenly barred dine-in and al fresco dining when Metro Manila shifted to MECQ.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Final Word, Sy shared the same experience for the food chain.

"Kahapon ang saya-saya na (Yesterday we were all happy)...we were all excited kasi (because) it's been 40 days na walang pasok ang mga employees (that employees are not able to go to work). Out of 11 Vikings, we only had two stores open for the takeout pero ilan lang silang pumapasok (but only a few go to work)," Sy said.

However, the government's constant change in policy required them to always adjust marketing budget, she said. Stocks they bought for the reopening would now have to be sold as well, she added.

"Mahirap iyong ginagawa nila (What they are doing is very challenging for us) because it's been how many months na wala kaming negosyo (that we have no operations) for the buffet business," Sy said.

She also noted how this affected their employees who have to look for sideline work while their business is temporarily closed.

Sy added that the government should compensate losses of businesses due to their flip flopping.

Facundo, meanwhile, said his team dropped other important tasks just so they can accommodate the opening of essential businesses slated for Wednesday.

I just hate the fact that a lot (of) time was wasted," Facundo said in a statement posted by the Manila Public Information Office. "The most expensive investment we put in is time. We cannot bring it back anymore!

The Manila City official urged the national government to "think thrice" before making any announcements so it does not lead to confusion and wasted time and effort.

"Examine before proposing," Facundo said. "See if the plan is bullet proof. Plan ahead... Its not like all these happened only last night. Its been 16 months!
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The Insurance Commission warns the public against buying insurance from unlicensed companies, adding their marketing strategies could be similar to the ones from legitimate firms.

"We discovered recently certain Facebook pages...they are holding themselves out as an insurance company or insurance agent without possessing the necessary license," said lawyer Alwyn Franz Villaruel, media relations officer of the Insurance Commission.

He said the companies in question were offering several products, including life and non-life insurance. Upon verification, it was proven that these were unlicensed.

Villaruel advised the public to visit the companys website to check if the firm is legitimate.

He noted that it is important to verify the status of a company as unlicensed groups could use marketing strategies like the ones used by legitimate firms.

"What's important is we check...titignan natin kung yung ka-deal natin na company ay licensed," he said.

[Translation: What's important is we checklet us verify if the company we are dealing with is licensed.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  Nearly 11,000 people in Luzon and Visayas were displaced by Severe Tropical Storm Jolina, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Wednesday.

The NDRRMC reported that 8,600 people are taking shelter in evacuation centers while 2,376 are staying in other places.

Meanwhile, four fishermen were reported killed in Sto. Nino, Samar, police said on Wednesday. Sto. Nino is among the eight areas where Jolina, then categorized as a typhoon, made landfall. The NDRRMC has yet to confirm the information.

READ: Four fishermen dead, 50 others rescued in Samar town in 'Jolina' aftermath  police

Twenty-two houses were partially damaged in Bicol and Western Visayas. Two others were totally damaged, the agency said.

Floods were reported in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the NDRRMC said.

Binan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila said 10 barangays in the city experienced flash floods during the onslaught of Jolina. Four barangays near the Laguna Lake are expected to remain flooded in the next few months.

Ngayon nagsa-subside na yung flash flood, pero lumalaki naman ang Laguna Lake. So meron kaming four barangays that will be under water in the next two to three months, he told CNN Philippines News.PH.

[Translation: The flash flood has already subsided, but the Laguna Lake is swelling. So we have four barangays that will be under water in the next two to three months.]

The Philippine Coast Guard said as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 219 passengers and drivers are stranded in Southern Tagalog and Western Visayas.

The weather bureau said moderate to heavy rains are expected in a number of areas in Luzon until Thursday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8) Former Senator Bongbong Marcos said on Wednesday he will beat Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 national elections if it's a head-to-head battle between them for the presidency.

"If it's going to be a one-on-one fight, that would be good because I know I can win that," Marcos said when asked about a possible election rematch with Robredo.

The scenario, however, might not happen as Senator Ping Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto declared on the same day their intentions to run for president and vice president.

Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano stated his desire to run for the highest post to combat online casinos and cockfights. Davao Ciy Mayor Sara Duterte, another possible contender, has yet to announce her political plans, while the administration group PDP-Laban pushed for a Bong Go-Rodrigo Duterte tandem.

Robredo defeated Marcos in 2016 by more than 200,000 votes.

Marcos filed an electoral protest with the Supreme Court but it was junked early this year.

The political rivals have yet to declare if and in which elective positions they will run in the May 2022 polls.

Marcos only said he would seek a national post.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin, Jr. said the country welcomed Afghan refugees Wednesday night.

"We stay steady where others waver: tonight we welcome Afghan nationals including women & kids seeking refuge," Locsin said in a tweet. "Our doors are open to those fleeing conflict, persecution, sexual abuse and death."

However, the secretary said no information will be provided regarding this for the safety and privacy of the refugees.

"The matter is closed. We're not interested in publicity or thanks," he added.

Last month, Locsin said the Philippines will only accept refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan who are covered by negotiations between the Philippine government and its counterparts from other countries.

The Philippines will not accept any asylum request from non-governmental organizations or any other non-state parties, he added.

The Taliban regained control over Kabul almost two decades after American troops drove them from the Afghan capital.

A new Afghan government was also recently announced - with veterans of the militant group filling the top posts.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday officially announced their presidential and vice presidential bids, respectively.

Family, friends, former co-workers and supporters were present to cheer on both lawmakers. Sotto first confirmed the tandem's plans in an exclusive interview on CNN Philippines' The Source in July.

Sotto took the stage first.

"Ang inyo pong lingkod ay naririto para harapin nag hamon sa tamang panahon na maging kandidato ninyo sa pagka-pangalawang pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas," Sotto said.

[Translation: I am here to face the challenge at the right time to become your candidate for vice president of the Republic of the Philippines.]

Sotto raised national issues, including poor economy, rising COVID-19 cases, corruption and poverty, which are making Filipinos lose hope.

"Kailangan na nating tumugon. Kailangan na nating umaksyon. Kailangan na natin magsanib pwersa upang mapigilan at maitama ang mali. Ito na ang simula," he said.

[Translation: We have to step up. We have to take action. We have to join forces to stop and correct what is wrong. This is the start.]

When it was his turn to speak, Lacson recalled President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address in July.

"President Rodrigo Duterte admitted he was wrong to think that leading the country is as simple and easy as leading Davao City. Walang debate sa katotohanan. Hindi natin dapat payagan ang maling akala para sa kinabukasan ng ating bansa," he said.

[Translation: President Rodrigo Duterte admitted he was wrong to think that leading the country is as simple and easy as leading Davao City. There is no debate. We should not let a wrong belief steer the future of the country.]

Lacson added that he and Sotto have more than 80 years of "honest, dedicated, and competent public service", and this experience gave them the competence to lead the country.

Lacson said they would present their platform of government, which includes discipline in spending public funds. He also mentioned that local governments should be given "bigger roles and responsibilities and more autonomy in nation-building, but with greater accountability."

READ: No federalism for Lacson-Sotto tandem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 8)  The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Philippines urges the Duterte administration to allow limited face-to-face classes in areas identified as low risk for COVID-19.

Millions of public elementary and high school students will officially begin the school year next week through distance learning modalities.

UNICEF believes the cost of keeping schools closed may be higher than gradually letting students return to the classrooms.

"We should start thinking as majority of the countries in the world have started a gradual process of reopening schools," UNICEF Philippines education chief Isy Faingold said during an online forum organized by civil society group Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality, and Relevant (SEQuRe) Education.

Fanfold said the students' lack of social skills, child labor, and learning loss are some of the negative impacts of prolonging the distance learning.

"The learning in distance learning modalities is not the same as in-person modalities. There is a learning loss when you change the setting from the school with the teacher to distance learning modality," Faingold explained.

Miriam Villanueva also expressed concern over the difficulties that she and her children face in distance learning.

"Hindi namin matantiya kung natuto yung aming mga anak last school year, 'yan po ang pinaka-suliranin namin. Hindi naman po nakapagtapos ng elementarya eh ang tinuturuan namin mas mataas pa yung aral ng mga anak para sa amin," Villanueva said.

[Translation: We can't tell if our children learned last school year, that is our worry. Even if I didn't finish elementary, we teach our children.]

She added families also struggle with extra expenses needed for the internet.

Villanueva said parents like her would welcome the reopening of classes but hoped authorities can ensure the safety of their children.

President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly rejected the Education department's proposal to conduct a pilot test for limited physical classes in areas low risk for COVID-19.

Best practices in school reopening

While going back to the traditional setup amid a pandemic entails risks, UNICEF said many countries learned to safely reopen schools in the new normal.

UNICEF noted the gradual approach done in China, Mexico, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

In Sweden and Denmark, physical classes were only allowed for students in younger grades first as they have lower chances of getting infected with COVID-19. In Lao PDR, the government provided clean water and handwashing facilities.

UNICEF also cited the classroom bubbles in United Kingdom, Singapore, and Canada.

"Create groups of students that interact only among themselves, so this would help limit student interaction," Faingold said.

SEQuRe Education has been advocating for the gradual reopening of schools in the country, especially for those in remote areas where students have little to zero access to gadgets and internet.

"It is plain ridiculous for our schools to remain indefinitely closed when there have been plenty of studies and successful experiences from other countries that prove safe school reopening is not only possible, but necessary," said Dr. Mercedes Arzadon, convenor of SEQuRe Education Movement and professor at the College of Education of the University of the Philippines.

As of Wednesday morning, over 20 million elementary and high school students have enrolled in both public and private schools.
The leaders of the Democratic Womens Caucus of Colorado on Tuesday slammed the newly effective Texas state legislation on abortion, describing it as another way to suppress, control, and shame women over their healthcare choices.

Senate Bill 8, known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, bans abortions after doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat. That generally comes around the sixth week of pregnancy, a mark critics say is effectively an abortion ban since many women do not realize they are pregnant before that point. The bill was introduced in March, signed into law in May and went into effect on Sept. 1.

In a statement released Tuesday, Reps. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton, and Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, said they were outraged by the law.

Despite last weeks unprecedented and unconstitutional attack on abortion rights, Colorado will remain a safe place for patients to access abortion, the co-chairs of the Democratic Womens Caucus of Colorado said. Coloradans understand that the strength and independence of women promote a healthier and more economically vibrant society by every measure. We will continue to actively work to safeguard womens rights to have autonomy over their own bodies and uphold the Colorado way of life, putting the health and safety of women first.

Similar restrictions in other states have not survived court challenges. In Georgia, a federal judge last year struck down a six-week abortion ban that made exceptions for rape and incest, which the Texas law does not.
This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong!
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Smartsheet is a flexible spreadsheet-centric work management tool designed to track team projects. Launched in 2006, it has 9 million users (almost 1 million of them paid users) and is deployed by nearly 100,000 companies, ranging from Google and Netflix to the US General Services Administration.

Its success stems from its ability to appeal to a wide range of business users, specifically project managers, according to Chris Marsh, research director at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. For Bellevue, Wash.-based Smartsheet, this means combining a familiar spreadsheet format with richer work management and collaboration capabilities.

It has gained viral appeal among business leaders and their teams as a tool flexible enough to address lots of different work use casesthat didnt need involvement from project management specialists or business analysts, Marsh said in an earlier interview.

How does Smartsheet work?

Work in Smartsheet centers around sheets that contain information relating to a particular project or projects.

Within each sheet, users can include a variety of details relating to a project, such as a description, status, due dates, and which workers have been assigned to complete a task. Users can also possible to attach files, add comments, request updates, among other options.

There are several ways to view sheets, from a spreadsheet-like grid view that has long been the focus of Smartsheets product to Kanban-style cards, Gantt charts, and calendar view.

Smartsheet Smartsheet's dashboard view.

Users can generate custom reports that collate data from sources within multiple sheets, enabling an overview of sales activity across a team, for instance. And dashboards can be created to provide a high-level overview of data within sheets, combining widgets such as charts, metrics and reports.

Smartsheet offers a range of integrations with other collaboration, productivity, and business applications, including Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Atlassian Jira, ServiceNow, and Salesforce.

Workflow automations can be set up with a range of triggers and actions, such as multi-step approval processes or notifications to colleagues via Slack of an impending deadline.

Smartsheet also offers a no-code platform, WorkApps. Introduced in 2020, WorkApps lets users create simple apps by packaging information from sheets, forms, and dashboards into a simple interface.

Smartsheet pricing

Although Smartsheet offers a free 30-day trial, theres no freemium option; all of its tiers have a monthly or annual subscription cost. Individual subscribers pay $7 a month (when billed annually) for the Pro tier, offering access to all sheet views, automated workflows, WorkApps (access only), and other features, though there is a limit on the number of sheets, reports, and dashboards.

The business tier, at $25 per user per month, increases the number of accessible sheets to 100 per user, removes the limit on boards and reports, and offers additional features such as custom branding.

Enterprise users, who can negotiate a custom pricing plan depending on the number of users and specific needs, gain access to the full range of admin controls  such as single sign-on and enterprise access control  and can build custom WorkApps.

Smartsheet Smartsheet's no-code platform, WorkApps, lets users create their own simple apps.

A new premium pricing plan, Smartsheet Advance, was unveiled at the companys Engage event this summer. Available to enterprise customers, Advance includes three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum, providing access to a range of additional features. This includes granular management over information sharing; and the ability to upload data, sync and share Smartsheet data with business apps such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Whats next for Smartsheet?

Although it has similarities to more traditional project management apps, Smartsheet is part of a new generation of work management tools that includes the likes of Airtable, Asana, Monday.com, Workfront, and Wrike. It also faces competition from the big tech players, namely Microsoft and Google, which have similar products.

Smartsheet ranked high in analyst firm Forrester's recent report on collaboration tools, Forrester Wave: Collaborative Work Management Tools, Q4 2020, with strong ratings for automation capabilities. The companys product vision and roadmap were also seen as strong points.

Smartsheet, which filed for an IPO in 2018, raising $150 million, has seen strong growth in recent years, gaining traction with a range of smaller and enterprise-size organizations. Revenues reached $385.5 million in fiscal year 2021, up 42% year on year, with the largest individual customer deals worth north of $3 million. The companys most recent quarterly financial results showed a 68% increase among customers who spend $100,000 a year, an indication of wide usage within organizations.

The company has been expanding its workforce rapidly; it now has more than 2,100 staffers, up from 460 at the start of 2017.

And in another sign of maturity, Smartsheet has become increasingly acquisitive, buying four companies since its IPO, including Brandfolder, a digital asset management software vendor, for $155m last year.
Buddysmokingproducts.com scored 42 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 4 Dec 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the buddysmokingproducts homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the buddysmokingproducts homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if buddysmokingproducts has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the buddysmokingproducts homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the buddysmokingproducts homepage on Twitter + the total number of buddysmokingproducts followers (if buddysmokingproducts has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the buddysmokingproducts homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Buddy Power Hitter | Buddy Smoking Products DESCRIPTION Buddy Power Hitter -Safe smoking device to catch ash. Useful for smoking in bed, in wind, while hiking, in a vehicle, etc. Wholesale discounts for retailers. Buddy Smoking Products power hitter bottle smoking device. KEYWORDS power hitter, power hitter for sale, power hitter smoking device for sale, power hitters smoking, power hitter smoking device, power hitter bottle, buy power hitter smoking device, bedside smoker, bedside smoker power hitter, safe smoking device, safety a OTHER KEYWORDS add to, buddy, buddy power hitter, buddy power, power hitter, power, hitter



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.27 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.27 OpenSSL/1.0.1e-fips mod_bwlimited/1.4 mod_fcgid/2.3.9 (PHP/5.4.28) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of buddysmokingproducts.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for buddysmokingproducts.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

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Naomi Osaka has launched Kinlo, a skin care brand designed for melanated skin.

Previously: Golden Lavish Launching 24K Gold-infused Skin Care Line

The products, created for Black and Brown skin tones, are said to be formulated with natural ingredients such as jojoba seed oil, hemp seed and green tea.

Kinlo products are said to protect against blue light and the sun.

Products in the collection include:

Golden Rays Sunscreen

Hydrating Golden Mist

Hydrating Eye Cream

Hydrating Lip Balm

The skin care brand is:

Gluten-free

Paraben-free

Cruelty-free

Phthalate-free

Reef safe

Ingredients: (Active) 12% Zinc Oxide; (Inactive) Water (Aqua), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Isododecane, Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Iron Oxides, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Caprylyl Methicone, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Glycerin, Dimethiconol/Propylsilsesquioxane/Silicate Crosspolymer, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Camellia, Sinensis Leaf Extract, Jojoba Esters, Allantoin, Sodium Chloride, Bisabolol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4, Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)silylethyl Dimethicone, PEG-10.
So the world is slowly burning to ashes thanks to climate change, and stuff is kind of going from bad to worse to Holy cow, were all gonna die," and it seems like just about everyone and their dog has a solution for how to fix it ... or so you think. See, when it comes to becoming better green eco-warriors for Mother Nature, a lot of us have well-intentioned ideas, but a lot of them just flat out dont work at all. Some of these are really popular and common myths about environmental issues, like  Advertisement

5 "China Deserves All The Blame" Carbon emissions have been on a crazy high climb for the past few decades, thanks to the rapid explosion of mass production and global megacorporations like Amazon creating more pollution faster than you can say, Alexa, guillotine Jeff Bezos. Carbon dioxide has reached unprecedented levels and is at an all-time high. Whos to blame for this all? Well if you take statistics from popular media outlets at face value, its China, as China reportedly produces more pollution than all of the other countries. Reportedly, China emitted 27% of all greenhouse gases created in 2019. High Contrast/Wiki Commons Despite having just 19% of the world's population! (The US emits 11% of greenhouse gas and has just 5% of the world's population.) On the surface, this seems huge, but you actually have to look beneath the hood and see whats happening. Everyone is kind of blaming China for problems that other countries like America are actually responsible for. The US imports a lot of goods from China, often from US companies that are located in China that produce goods for other countries. In other words, American companies are producing goods outside of America, driving up emissions rates for China. Pretty much all of these so-called helping the environment initiatives by Western countries fall completely flat on their face when you realize that most of them are just outsourcing carbon to other countries, making their own countries look green-friendly by comparison. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Love Science? You Need One Cracked Fact One Cracked Fact is your daily dose of the best of Cracked, with deep dives into science, history, and pop culture sent to your inbox every day. No ads. No videos. Just what you love about Cracked! SIGN ME UP
Apart from South Dakota loyalists who insist that they are the only TRUE Dakota, no one is going to claim that North Dakota isnt a state. Its been a state since President Benjamin Harrison approved its admission into the Union in 1889. Up until 2012, though, there was a small technicality that could kind-of-sort-of-but-not-really be used to argue that North Dakota wasnt a state.

The technicality in question was a small omission found in the North Dakota state constitution. According to Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions have to specify that each branch of state government takes oaths of loyalty to the U.S. In 1995, though, dedicated North Dakota historian John Rolczynski found that his state failed to meet this expectation. The North Dakota constitution did not specify that the governor or other executive officers needed to take an oath. By disobeying federal law, North Dakota may not have been a valid state.

Rolczynski made it his mission to get this taken care of, and in 2011, when he was 82 years old, progress was finally made. An amendment was proposed by state senator Tim Mathern to address the concern, and it made it through the North Dakota legislature. The North Dakota public then voted on the amendment, and it won with an overwhelming 88.74% approval.

jimmywayne/flickr Meanwhile, 11.26% of North Dakota voters wanted to crush an old mans dreams.

If any of them argued that the amendment didnt need to happen for North Dakota to be a state, though, they may have been right. Constitutional law experts addressed the case of North Dakota and concluded that the legality of the lands statehood was not really in question.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

While the state constitution may have violated Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, North Dakota was still a state under Article IV. Under this section, Congress has the power to determine statehood, and Congress had already admitted North Dakota. Plus, the federal Enabling Act of 1889 also decided the statehood of North Dakota. The federal government had already made it clear that it recognized North Dakota as a state, and no small technicality detracted from that.

But hey, at least it made for a funny anecdote in the states history, and now if anyone ever wanted to, for some reason, use that loophole against North Dakota, they cant. Thank you to John Rolczynski for possibly saving North Dakota ever so slightly.

Also, let this be a lesson that if you have way too much time on your hands, you too can find tiny errors in your state constitutions!

Top Image: US Air Force
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
Jesus replied, You dont understand now what I am doing, but someday you will. John 13:7 (NLT)

Where is God and what is He doing? I know that question. Ive often asked Him in the middle of my bewilderment seasons. What I didnt realize was how God is always at work behind the scenes. Even when you cant see Him. Sense Him. Hear Him.

Are you going through a difficult season? Maybe its a hormonal teenager, or maybe youve hit a rut in your marriage. Maybe its something in your financial life? No matter what it is, you feel like your life is a frozen field on a cold winter day. You peek out the windows at first light to see that it is still dark, and a blanket of snow still covers the ground. Life looks dreary, cold, dead, and bleak.

But what we dont see is whats happening underneath, hidden in the ground. Under that blanket of snow, nutrients are being broken down into the soil. Roots are growing deeper, and seeds are germinating. When Spring arrives, we witness firsthand that there was indeed something happening in the Winter season. We witness flowers in bloom, tiny shoots of green bursting forth from the soil, caterpillars, and butterflies abound and animals come out of hibernation.

When we step into Spring, we cant help but see how God was at work. Its a reminder that God is working behind the scenes all the time on the future. These seasons remind us God is always at work no matter what I am seeing or not seeing. And certainly, God is at work no matter what I am feeling. God doesnt change with the circumstancesHe is the changer of our circumstances. Even when we cant see Godwe can remember He is faithful and true to His promises. He is always working.

God is always at work, no matter what I am seeing or not seeing, and certainly no matter what I am feeling. God doesn't change with the circumstances. Just because things around me are changing or seem uncertain, I need to remember that God is faithful and true. He is always working.

Learning to See the Unseen

Oftentimes, God is working behind the scenes to build our spiritual eyes. We tend to focus on what we can sense, touch, taste, or see. Whenever my faith begins to falter, I go back to the Bible and remember the stories where God was at work behind the scenes to be reminded of His truth.

As I have been reading and studying different Old Testament characters of late, I continue to be reminded of this exact truth. God made a covenant with Abraham saying that he would be the father of a great nation. God promised he would return these people to His great land and give it to them. Yet, Abraham and his wife were old and had no children. But God was working and provided a son.

There were several times when we wondered if this seed would be snuffed out. Jacob had to face his brother Esau from who he stole his birthright and blessing. Later on down in the lineage, Joseph was thrown into a pit only to be sold as a slave. He landed in Egypt and rose through the ranks of being a slave after being imprisoned for a crime he didnt commit. But eventually, he was appointed as second in command over all of Egypt in order to help save the entire nation and Gods people from a seven-year famine.

Later, the Israelite people grew to a size that caused the Egyptians to fear them, so they enslaved them for more than 400 years. During this time Pharoah instructed the midwives to kill all newborn baby boys. Yet, these midwives kept their faith in the Lord and disobeyed the king. Eventually, Moses led this enslaved nation out of 400 years of slavery.

So, why did we have this little history lesson? To show that God was at work behind the sceneseven in the harshest of circumstances. It took more than a generation for God to save His people from oppression. It took generations before He established Israels king. Yet, He was still at work.

Even when Abraham and Sarah couldn't get pregnant, God was at work.

Even when Jacob feared meeting his brother Esau again, God was at work.

Even when Joseph was sold by his brothers and then was falsely imprisoned, God was at work.

Even when Pharaoh ruled the Israelites and tried to weaken them by killing all the newborn boys God was still at work.

Your God is the same God of the Old Testament. He is the God of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and the Israelites.

These stories show us who God is. He is the same God of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and the Israelites as he is today. He is faithful and keeps his promises. Even when I can't see it, he is working. Even when I don't feel it, He is working.

Why Does God Work Behind the Scenes?

We went through this little history lesson to reveal God was at work throughout all those generations. His fingerprints are all over each of these stories and if you want to have a firm faith and peace which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7), then you have to learn how to believe what you cant see more than you believe what you can see.

Paul talked about seeing the unseen a lot. He knew we needed to learn to see with our spiritual eyes more than with our physical eyes. In his letter to the Church in Ephesus, he wrote, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).

Because we live here on earthour temporary home, we rely on our dim senses, especially what we can see if front of us. Sadly, if we dont see God doing something, then we assume Hes not doing anything. But this is when we need to ask God to open the eyes of our heartspiritual eyes. We need to ask God to show us how He is at work and give us the courage to stand on His promises. It helps to remind ourselves, God is working, in the midst of our circumstances.

5 Reasons God Is Working Behind the Scenes in Our Lives

1. He is revealing His will. He desires to have fellowship with us; thats why we were created. He wants us to look to Him for today and the future even if we dont understand what He is doing but He will show us the way.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8, 9

2. He is revealing His purpose. Sometimes we pray and fast, and think weve made the right decision, only to have everything fall apart around us. The job didnt pan out, the diagnosis came back worse than expected, or the answer is no. But we can trust He is working behind the scenes as He works out His purposeone day at a time.

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

3. He is teaching us how to walk in faith. Have you ever seen a mom scold her baby for falling after taking a few steps? Of course not! She kisses his boo-boos, steadies her child, and encourages him to walk again. This is how our Abba Father works on our behalf to build our faith. Especially when He leads us to unknown places. Especially when we are grappling in the dark. And especially when we grapple with how to walk in faith that he will work all things together for our good.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

4. He is building your confidence. Its hard to depend on God when we are used to relying on ourselves. But the Bible teaches how to build confidence in God, not ourselves. The Scriptures give us a picture of what it will look like when we genuinely develop confidence in God. His Word reveals that no matter what tomorrow holds, He is still holding us steady in His plans for His purpose.

"He will not let your foot sliphe who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." Psalm 121:3,4

5. He is instilling hope. Hope is the heartbeat of Gods promises. He helps us rise in the middle of our circumstances. No matter the situation, God wants you to hope anyway.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

What We Can Do While God Is Working Behind the Scenes

While Gods actions seem to be hidden from sight, we can trust He is working. We are not trapped in our circumstances or current situation. He wants us to faithfully keep our eyes on Him, our hearts in prayer, and our souls in the Word. Even David of the Bible recognized the power of hoping in God while he questioned how God was working, Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him againmy Savior and my God! (Psalm 42:5). God uses other things or people to instill hope, faith, and trust. God is using everything for your goodto strengthen your faith and character. Hes orchestrating an outcome that will bless you and He will be with you through it all. all the way. We can wait in confidence and keep moving forward, one step at a time.

Photo Credit:  Getty Images/metamorworks

Heather Riggleman is an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor for Crosswalk. She calls Nebraska home with her three kids and a husband of 22 years. She believes Jazzercise, Jesus, and tacos can fix anything and not necessarily in that order! She is author of I Call Him By Name Bible Study, the Bold Truths Prayer Journal, Mama Needs a Time Out, and a contributor to several books. You can find her at www.heatherriggleman.com or on Facebook.
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If you do business with the Department of Defense (DoD), then the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is known to you. The Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) approved the first company to become a certified assessor in May 2021. Since then, three additional companies have been approved. Thats it. Four companies have been approved to be a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) and assessed DoD contractor cybersecurity compliance with the CMMC.

Approximately 300,000 suppliers to the DoD will be impacted by the implementation of the CMMC.

Only 100 CMMC assessors available--5,000 needed

In an interview with Federal News Network, Chris Goldman, a founding member of the CMMC accreditation body and director of infosec at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey opined how CMMC had some shortcomings. He detailed how the DoD is planning to invoke the process with 500 pilot contracts requiring the assessments. This equates to five assessments per provisional assessor, given there are currently 100 provisional assessors. Goldman noted, were certainly going to need to scale to over 5,000 assessors in the ecosystem to do more than 100,000 assessments per year.

One potential downside to the DoDs CMMC effort affects the SMBs. The cost of adhering to the CMMC process may cause many entities to self-select out as, according to Goldman, Its too expensive, I cant participate in the ecosystem anymore. Thus, companies providing goods and services the DoD needs are no longer available, as these companies look for more profitable customers.

What this means, according to Don Kulp, director of business development at Saalex, is that the government is using the CMMC process to push good cyber hygiene into the ecosystems of the private sector, including educational institutions. The DoD will have the maturity level of bidders contained in the actual bid and include the entire supply chain associated with the contract. He continues how the implementation will include waivers, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the level of maturity that all bidders must be certified to as well the entire supply chain associated with those contracts. That isnt to say it will be smooth sailing, he notes that those contracting communities may make execution of contracts difficult for those doing business with the government.

Navy Submarines not audited due to lack of auditors

One needs only look to the US Navy to see the potential effect of not having timely audits of cybersecurity postures. The Navy Times obtained an internal audit of the submarines in the US Naval Submarine Force Pacific that revealed the 41 submarines and their support ships didnt have their required internal and external cybersecurity inspections conducted from 2016 to 2018.

The checks and balances built into a system to ensure known vulnerabilities are mitigated wasnt taking place. The Navy Times continued how the Navy lacked the personnel and bandwidth to conduct the inspections. The publication obtained via an FOIA request a more precise answer, Personnel informed us that they do not have enough staff to meet the triennial inspection requirement for all information systems, so they excluded Navy submarine networks.

The rational: The boats disconnect from the network while at sea, the risk to the DoDs information network? The auditors opined, Excluding submarine networks from inspection workload may expose the Department of Defense Information Network to an unacceptable level of risk.

The submarine example demonstrates what occurs when triage occurs due to lack of resources. The US Navy cyber auditors had only so many cycles in their days and thus had to choose between two bad choices, audit all entities quickly (perhaps superficially) or not inspect one entity and ensure the security of the other entities are the best they can be.

With thousands of companies needing certification and approximately 100 provisional assessors approved to conduct C3PAO, one can do the math. A shortage of auditing companies is a reality, which makes 2023 deadline look a bit like the Sword of Damocles hanging over DoD contracting processes. There is going to be constipation. The CMMC accreditation body DIBCAC will need to double-down and invest heavily in efficient training of assessors, in a world where cybersecurity savvy personnel at all levels are a much sought after commodity.
How do you explain 9/11 to a new generation?

Its yet another challenge that falls upon our teachers. As we arrive at the 20th anniversary of one of the darkest days in modern history, young students will be exposed this week to images of the collapsing towers on websites, social media, perhaps even televisions.

Educators, ever on the front lines, strive to offer context. On this solemn commemoration, witnesses to Sept. 11, 2001, who can share oral histories with a new generation should consider doing so as well.

No podcast can capture the anxiety that roiled through Americans on 9/11. That level of national disquiet had not really been felt since that date of infamy, Dec. 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked and 2,335 military personnel were killed. The feeling of anticipating the next blow. Of seeing a section of New York drained of vibrant colors as gray dust peppered death over the landscape.

After that first air strike two decades ago, Americans were drawn together to broadcasts. Just 102 minutes later, they witnessed the world change with the televised collapse of both World Trade Center towers.

Todays students are living through an equally epic time in world history. Two decades ago, we braced for more attacks. Anxiety seized everyone. COVID-19, though, strikes again and again. And no, the end is not in sight. This is a different sort of war, as we face an unseen enemy with only masks for uniforms and vaccines for weapons.

During the pandemic, personal affronts can distract from the remarkable generosity occurring every day. Such good will in the days after 9/11 linger only in memory, all the more reason to document and share them.

Any oral history would surely summon memories of paper postings of the missing, the faintest of hopes to locate the fallen. Just short of 3,000 people died in the attacks, a figure dwarfed by the 650,000 victims of COVID in the United States.

Some 161 victims of the 9/11 attacks had ties to Connecticut communities. So many more were injured, physically and emotionally, while first-responders suffered over the ensuing years from exposure to toxins released at ground zero.

Any oral history should also reflect on acts of kindness in the days following 9/11, including donations of food, clothing and blood to strangers.

For some time, colors were blurred  particularly red and blue. It would not last. As Americans, we are not where we hoped to be 20 years on. We are overdue to declare a truce, to ponder what the United States looks like from the outside.

Between these cracks of life and death is the manner of how we live. Even 20 years later, we are still healing. The legacy of 9/11 should not be of politics or our nations longest war, but of demonstrations of inclusion, tolerance and empathy. It still can be. This oral history is still being written.
GUILFORD  It will be a homecoming at the Christ Episcopal Church and all are welcome to join in the celebration.

We are back on a regular schedule, starting on Sept. 12. That will be our first day back, said Donna LaFata, communications director.

If people are looking for a new church community, have been away for a while, or just want to check us out, we want everyone to know that all are welcome here, she added.

The Welcome Back Celebration is scheduled for 10 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 12. All are invited to the church service, followed by a gathering on the church lawn that will include food, an ice cream truck, games, music for kids and adult fellowship.

Please RSVP to communications@christchurchguilford.org.

Were inviting the community in case anybody after this long year and a half is looking for something a little bit different or to come back to church or to go to church again, said LaFata.

Masks will be required inside the church building.

We know that new people have come into town and were just trying to connect with them, give them a space in our town that is safe and loving and inclusive, LaFata said.

She added that it is a very exciting time for the church.

With new programming for youth and a new high school youth leader we do a lot of outreach programs, she said.

Dorota Xeller, director of Children and Youth Ministries, who is new to the church, is looking forward to immersing herself in the parish.

With my musical background I want to bring arts and music into not only Sunday school, but programs that are creating enrichment to the whole entire community, she said.

So, bringing back music performances that are open to everybody, not only parishioners, and working together with Will Parker who will be leading high school and middle school children and really focusing on music and art around religion, she added.

LaFata is excited about welcoming everyone to the church.

It will feel fantastic to be back in person and have everyone around us and have to kids back in a normal type of situation, she said. Its exciting.

Christ Episcopal Church, 11 Park Street, Guilford, 203-453-2279; ChristChurchGuilford.org; Facebook Christ Church, Guilford, CT; communications@christchurchguilford.org
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One day not long ago, I watched my soon-to-be 3-year-old son jump up and down to the sound of ho and hey.

Its a song by the Lumineers, an American folk-rock band. The lyrics and stomp reverberate throughout the kitchen and into the house. My son jumps on each verse that ends with a shout.

So show me, family. Hey! He jumps.

All the blood that I will bleed. Ho! He jumps.

I dont know where I belong. Hey! He jumps.

I dont know where I went wrong. Ho!

He jumps. And then, so do I.

___

This is a story about a curious boy with no name  at least, no name that I ever came to know. It was 2013, more than a decade after the 9/11 attacks. I was a Marine then, back in Afghanistan for a second time.

At the time, I was working to stop a Taliban cell that specialized in making improvised explosive devices. In that effort, a video emerged. I watched it.

I remember him. I cannot forget him. I remember watching a minute-long video showing a static video camera aimed down a narrow path between two mud hut walls, common in the small hamlets often surrounded by opium-poppy fields. On the screen, not much was moving.

I remember the wind from the east kicking up the moon-like dust to the west. The tree and its shadow moved across the ground as the branches and leaves broke up the rays of sunlight to make abstract art patterns on the desert floor.

I remember the boy, full of energy and life, running into the frame and then out of it. From left to right.

With little boys like him  with little boys like mine  the curiosities of life can be palpable. And so the curious boy with no name wandered slowly back into the frame. From right to left.

He is an Afghan and, given the province were in  Helmand, to be exact  he maybe speaks Pashto. His small size places him somewhere between 3 and 5 years old. Maybe hes 6, a feat in itself; its said one in 10 children in Afghanistan die before they turn 5.

As his curiosity runs rampant, I know what he does not. When he ran into the frame and then out of it, he had stepped on a soft spot in the ground  a patch different from the rest of the hard-packed dirt. He wanted to know why. I did not.

Slowly he walks back to mid-frame, studying the ground closely. Like a newly discovered toy, he starts to stomp on the soft spot in the dirt. Over and over again, he stomps. I wait, knowing what I know.

___

Victim-operated improvised explosive devices, known as VOIEDs, have various switches known as pressure plates. The idea is that the bomb is detonated by an unsuspecting individual by completing the circuit when pressure is applied or removed to the switch.

A power source supplies electricity between the switch and the detonator and by completing the circuit, the main charge explodes. Gas heats up and expands rapidly under pressure sending shock waves and shrapnel outward.

In short: Step on the IED and, if you weigh enough, the bomb goes off.

None of this is known to the curious boy with no name who continues to stomp on the bomb that wont go off  the bomb that he does not know is a bomb.

The reason for this is perhaps even more insidious than the bomb itself: He is too malnourished and does not weigh enough to set off the bomb that will surely kill him. So he continues to stomp.

I remember all of it. I remember wanting to yell at him through the computer screen to stop being a curious 5-year-old boy, to stop, to PLEASE STOP stomping on that soft spot in the ground. I remember wanting to scream. I remember standing silent and watching the screen. I remember being powerless.

The curious boy with no name jumps one last time. He disappears into a dust cloud of fire and ripped flesh.

The video ends with a simple question: Replay?

Inside my head, I have no control over the answer.

___

My mental replays of the video continue, year after year, as if in perfect harmony with the Afghan war itself. In many ways, the war became a monster in my life. Everything was defined by who I was before it and who I was after.

The monster took my friends in gun battles  or later, via their own hands. I could blame it for my anger and depression. My sleepless nights and unhealthy eating habits and weight gain. My failed marriage. The pills from the VA. The ringing in my ear and shortness of breath in my lungs. How long until cancer develops from toxic burn pits, I wonder.

Afghanistan is my sucking chest wound, and always will be because  despite what weve seen these recent weeks  wars do not end with a withdrawal or retreat or retrograde or the signing of a peace treaty.

Instead, they ebb and flow within the memories of those who were there and the ones who received an unfortunate knock on the door one day from people in uniforms. On those battlegrounds, there is a permanent shattering. Its the real forever war.

The skepticism about Americas longest running war  and, now, its chaotic and bloody conclusion  is bolstered by recent history. It reminds us that President Trump said he would have the troops home by Christmas, and how that didnt happen. Less than a year before I would watch the curious boy live through his final moments, President Obama tweeted out then-Vice President Bidens words: We are leaving in 2014. Period. We did not.

After years of statements from Washington about turning a corner in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in December that the United States had only achieved a modicum of success after nearly two decades of war that have left both American and Afghan families permanently devastated.

I look around me. What do my people know of this war, of its blood spilled and treasure lost, of me?

In 2009, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, Whatever their fond sentiments for men and women in uniform, for most Americans the wars remain an abstraction, a distant and unpleasant series of news items that do not affect them personally.

Around me, around you, Americas newest generation of combat veterans transition to civilian life. They look for jobs, and only find them sometimes. They look for healthcare, and find they need more.

They are sometimes noticed, sometimes ignored  combatants still, this time in a deepening divide between the small slice of Americans who bore the brunt of war, and those for whom the wars are only, as Gates said, an abstraction.

___

I am in my house again, far from Helmand province, far from my jumbled days in Afghanistan, far from the anguish that is unfolding right now. It is years after the curious boy jumped on the soft patch of Afghan earth one final time. In my house, The Lumineers sing. My son dances.

All the blood that I will bleed. Ho! He jumps.

I dont know where I belong. Hey! He jumps.

I dont know where I went wrong. Ho!

He jumps once more. And keeps on dancing.

___

James LaPorta is a reporter on the APs Global Investigations Team, covering national security and military affairs. He is a former U.S. Marine infantryman and a veteran of the Afghanistan War. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Jimlaporta
ANSONIA  A rock crushing operation on Riverside Drive will go to a public hearing Sept. 20 as the city seeks to clear up questions about what is allowed at the site.

The city is considering a zoning amendment that would add additional rules and clearly define what is allowed at the facility, which is owned by Burns Construction. The company lists headquarters in Ansonia and Stratford.

The facility has long been a source of frustration to nearby residents who have complained about quality of life issues. Some opponents have said that the city, by considering an amendment, is prioritizing the interests of Burns Construction over the concerns of residents regarding a planning and zoning meeting on August 30.

But the corporate counsel, John Marini disagreed and said that the amendment is a compromise.

Without the amendment, without the regulation, there is no saying when the activity can start, when it has to stop. Theres nothing there to protect our residents. So were looking at hopefully a compromise solution, Marini said.

Yet David Rhodes, a resident and an unaffiliated candidate running for the 5th Ward alderman seat, said that this is not a compromise since other residents dont want it in operation. He said it made as much sense as the city hypothetically allowing theft to occur during set hours, while otherwise, outlawing it. Rhodes said nothing was solved during the meeting.

But he said that the impact of the rock crushing is negatively affecting Ansonia residents.

Its just not fair for citizens to have to close their windows on a beautiful day, because their house was filling up with dust. And its not just the ones right next to it, its in a large range area. People shouldnt have to worry about, oh, four oclock in the morning, theres the truck; Im now awake, Rhodes said.

A call requesting comment placed to Burns Constructions Ansonia location Tuesday was referred to the companys Stratford office and had not been returned by Wednesday afternoon.

The amendment, if passed, would give specific starting and stopping times for the rock crushing from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Rock crushing would not be allowed on holidays or weekends. The facility would also have to test equipment for noise levels and control the spread of dust from the rock crushing, Marini said.

Marini said that these regulations would be a win for residents.

But Brian Perkins, an opponent of the facility and a Democrat running for alderman in the 5th Ward, repeated his claim that the amendment is a way for the city to retroactively make it legal.

Our whole thing currently is why (does the company) need a zoning text amendment at all if you guys say you have a permit for it, Perkins said.

The facility has faced opposition before. In 2002, the previous owners, Complete Construction were ordered by the city to cease rock crushing. Because the city has previously ordered the activity to stop, Perkins said that Marinis comments that the rock crushing is legal are disingenuous, since the original cease and desist stated that the previous owners couldnt import materials to be processed at the facility.

The proposed amendment would allow for Burns Construction to transport materials on site.

The two members of the citys Board of Aldermen who currently represent the 5th Ward, Joseph Jaumann and Chicago Rivers, were not available for comment.

Chris Rogers, an Ansonia resident who lives near the facility said the city has also not reached out to residents regarding the zoning amendment.

Our input is that the city, theyre trying to backdoor this project and get it approved via this zoning text amendment, Rogers said. Theyre supposed to be working with the neighbors. But we havent had any conversations with the city. They havent reached out to us or anything.

But Marini said that the public meeting scheduled on Sept. 20 would allow residents to voice their concerns. He said the amendment could be a compromise that would benefit to residents and also the company.

I dont think anyone wants to lose a major employer, a major tax source for the town, and jobs, Marini said.
NEW HAVEN  An alleged Bridgeport gang member accused of riddling a car with bullets outside a state courthouse has until Friday to accept a plea deal in the case or prepare for a trial that could send him to prison for several decades.

Marquis Garf Isreal, 25, was one of five men charged in connection with the Jan. 27, 2020 shooting outside Bridgeports Golden Hill Street courthouse that left one man paralyzed and three others injured after nearly two dozen shots were fired at point blank range into a car in which the victims were sitting.

Isreal appeared before Senior U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in federal court Wednesday, where a federal prosecutor told Arterton that Isreal had been poised to accept a plea deal negotiated between the government and his lawyers.

However, U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis told the judge, Isreal said Wednesday morning he wasnt ready to go forward.

Kaoutzanis said the offer  the terms of which have not been made public  expires this week.

We are extending this offer to Friday and only Friday and at that point the offer will be withdrawn, Kaoutzanis said.

Arterton asked Isreal whether he understood the offer, and what he needed to decide if he would take it or not.

I want to go over it with my family and make sure Im making the right decision, make sure its OK with them, he said. I have spoken to my mom, but I didnt really get to say much. The phones on the wall, theyre all recorded.

His lawyer, Michael Sheehan, told the judge he could act as an intermediary for Isreal and his mother if they could not have direct phone contact prior to Friday, when another hearing is scheduled.

The judge asked Isreal if he needed anything else to make up his mind.

I know this is not an easy decision to make, she said.

I really just need the time to think, Isreal replied.

Then I will leave you to your thoughts, Mr. Isreal, and well see you Friday, Arterton said.

She told Isreal if he rejects the plea offer the case will move ahead for jury selection Nov. 2.

Last August a federal grand jury indicted Isreal in connection to the courthouse shooting. In February more charges were lodged against Isreal, who the feds say was a member of the Original North End gang, which allied itself with the Greene Homes Boyz in a war against the citys East End gang.

The violence between the groups culminated in the courthouse shooting, according to federal prosecutors, during which Isreal and others sprayed a Chevy Impala containing East End gang members with bullets steps from the buildings front doors.

The feds say the gang members would celebrate violent acts on social media, including Facebook and Youtube.

Charges against seven other co-defendants of Isreals in the case remain pending.
BRIDGEPORT  A former Easton firefighter is facing seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to the fatal hit-and-run of a young woman who was walking her dog in Fairfield on July 4, 2020.

Declan Kot, 23, wiped his brow with a tissue as he stood before Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton and pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility in a death and tampering with evidence.

The judge immediately raised Kots bond to $1 million and he was taken into custody by judicial marshals. He is to remain incarcerated until the sentencing hearing on Nov. 10.

At that hearing the judge said she will impose the plea bargain of 20 years, suspended after Kot serves seven years in prison and followed by five years of probation.

Marileidy Morel-Araujo, 32, of Pennsylvania, had been visiting her husbands family on Redding Road in Fairfield, when police said Morel-Araujo decided to take a walk with her dog Coal.

Police said Morel-Araujo was struck from behind as she walked with her dog along Redding Road by a white pickup truck with a large American flag waving on the back. The truck did not stop after the collision, police said.

Police said Kot later admitted he had consumed six alcoholic drinks before getting behind the wheel of his truck.

Senior Assistant States Attorney Tiffany Lockshier told the judge she has received hundreds of letters in support of the Morel-Araujo family who were seated in the back of the courtroom along with the police officers who investigated the case.

Mr. Kot made the decision to drink and drive recklessly, Lockshier said as Kot shook his head in agreement.

Kots lawyer, John R. Gulash, told the judge his client would make a statement at the sentencing hearing.

He will at the appropriate time express his own remorse, Gulash said.

Sean Connors, who represents the Morel-Araujo family, said they were declining comment until the sentencing hearing.

On July 7, 2020, Fairfield Police Officer Virgil Procaccini was on routine patrol when he spotted a pickup matching the description of the one that hit the victim and pulled it over. The driver, Kot, agreed to go to police headquarters.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Kot admitted he had been driving his pickup after consuming six alcoholic drinks.

He drove off the road near some bushes/trees and heard a loud bang on the side of his vehicle which startled him; he thought he hit a tree branch at the time, police stated in the affidavit, noting the area of the collision does not have any shrubbery or trees.

The affidavit states that Kot said when he got home, he noticed missing pieces on his passenger side mirror and replaced the mirror.

During this interview, Kot began to cry. Then, police said, Kot admitted seeing the victim on the side of the road.

Lockshier told the judge that they increased the charge to manslaughter after police discovered Kot had a dash camera on his truck that she said recorded him hitting the victim.

She said the dash cam, which had audio, recorded Kot stating he was hammered before driving his truck. Lockshier said the camera then recorded Kot nearly driving head on into another vehicle shortly before he struck Morel-Araujo.
STRATFORD  More than one in five people living in Stratford has Hispanic heritage  and on Sunday the town will celebrate that rich diversity at its eighth annual Latin Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. on Paradise Green.

This years event will include performances of Dominican folklore ballet, Mexican mariachi, Puerto Rican bomba, and salsa from Bridgeports Orquesta Afinke, in addition to food trucks, arts and crafts, a vaccination van from Griffin Hospital, and a parade of flags from more than 20 countries from which Stratford residents have come and are linked to.

Last year we did not have it but this year God willing we are, Stratford Hispanic Heritage Committee co-founder Gladys Ramos said Tuesday. Its a great celebration of Hispanic heritage. Its a way of demonstrating all the wonderful contributions that Spanish-speaking countries have made to the United States.

There have been celebrations of the communitys connections with Latin America since 2005, Ramos said, first at St. Mark and St. James school, where she taught Spanish, then at the library, Town Hall and Stratford High School as the event grew.

Eventually the committee, which Ramos co-founded with Olga Pena, joined forces with Celebrate Stratford for the first Latin Music Festival in 2013.

Its been an annual event in town for the past eight years, with the exception of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation.

In addition to the vaccines being offered, there will be extra space between vendor booths and hand sanitizer stations, and guests are encouraged to practice social distancing.

Its a nice, family event, said John Stuart, the events music director. He noted the authenticity of the musical performances planned for the festival.

These groups bend over backward to continue the traditions of their country with authentic instruments and costumes, he said.

The Hispanic Heritage Committee has also raised funds to provide scholarships to nearly 100 students from the towns high schools over the past decade, Ramos said.

In a prepared statement Mayor Laura Hoydick said Stratford is lucky to host such a unique event in town.

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15  the date of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua  and continues into October.

This years theme is Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.

The theme inspires us to celebrate our past and reflect on how great our tomorrows can be if we hold onto resiliency and hope, Ramos said. We are proud to bring this festival to Stratford, reminding our community that we are stronger together. 
CONOVER, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina woman has been charged in the shooting death of her husband, authorities said.

A news release from Conover police said they received a call just after midnight on Monday from 31-year-old Brittney Lyfae McCleave, who said she had shot her husband, news outlets reported.
Stratford Police / Contributed

STRATFORD  Police are asking the public to report any sightings of a Bridgeport man they say fired bullets at two people in town last month.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for 25-year-old Jeshawn Rogers, of Palisade Avenue. Police, who said there were several witnesses to the shooting, described Rogers as armed and dangerous.
With 58 community colleges throughout the state, North Carolina boasts one of the largest community college systems in the country. For decades, SECU Foundation has provided two-year scholarships to students enrolling in that vast network, but on the heels of the Great Recession, the organization seized on another opportunity  serving the large population of North Carolinians looking to reskill or retool to become more competitive in a challenging work environment.

In 2013, SECU Foundation  an arm of State Employees Credit Union ($49.9B, Raleigh, NC) established to address community issues that are beyond the normal scope of the credit union  launched its Continuing Education Scholarship Program.

Community colleges could access up to 10 $750 scholarships per year to help students pay the costs of class. Five years into the program, the foundation realized a growing number of its scholarships were going untapped.

We went to our friends in the community college system to understand why these werent being used as widely as they once were and what we could do to make it better, says Jama Campbell, senior vice president and executive director of SECU Foundation.
Pat Dunn, 81, of Cullman, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2021, after a three-year battle with dementia. Pat graduated from Andalusia High School in 1958 and married the same year. She moved to Cullman in 1966 and after several years of operating her own dress and wig store, Pat's Fa
Nemo Kim in Seoul



The Guardian

February 28, 2020



Had it been any other week, Ji-yeon Park, a 26-year-old nail artist, would have been at her twice-a-week bible study with her fellow Shincheonji worshippers. Instead, she says, her life has come to a halt as she worries about her church and if she, too, has been infected.



Jiyeon is one of 230,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a doomsday sect at the heart of the Covid-19 outbreak in South Korea, and she says she is scared of being found out about her faith.



Authorities believe a large number of cases are members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus or have been in contact with someone who is. With about 80% of the 1,766 cases connected to the sect, fear and hatred towards the church is on the rise.



But Ji-yeon says blaming the church is unfair. Our church didnt invent the virus. This is just an excuse to shift blame. Throughout history, minority groups have always been blamed for bad things happening in society. The same is happening to us.



Ji-yeon joined the church two years ago, when she first came to Seoul from Geochang, South Kyungsang province, an hours drive from Daegu, the epicentre of the South Korea outbreak. Feeling lost in the big city, she says, a colleagues invitation to join a free acupuncture class came as a pleasant surprise.



I didnt know they were Shincheonji at first but they were kind and always there for me. Two of them even cried with me when my boyfriend broke up with me. So it didnt matter too much when they told me the truth later. Why should it matter when other so-called honest people can be horrible and cruel for no apparent reason?



Ji-yeon says she has been contacted by her local district public health office and has been advised to be on self-confinement despite not having any symptoms. She says she did not attend the Daegu services earlier this month that authorities believe sparked the spread of the virus via an infected church member, a 61-year-old woman known as patient 31.



Were being treated like criminals. We had a bad image before and now I think Id be lynched if passers-by knew I belonged to Shincheonji.



Those who escaped the church, however, feel differently. Speaking to Korean media, Advent Kim, a former Shincheonji member who now works as a counsellor to help families affected by the sect, says the situation cannot be resolved without drastic action.



They teach members that its OK to lie about their faith just to protect the organisation. How can you call it a religion when they teach lying? Everyone is brainwashed to blindly follow orders. Authorities must somehow get the cult leaders to give the appropriate orders for all members to come out of hiding so they can all get tested before it gets even worse.



South Koreas vice-health minister, Kim Gang-lip, said on Thursday that officials had secured the list of 212,000 Shincheonji members and were expected to complete collecting biological samples from 1,300 members of the Daegu branch who were showing symptoms. He said the ministry was trying to obtain from the church a list of about 90,000 members-in-training.



Advent Kim says the churchs lack of cooperation lies at the core of its recruitment method. They dont tell newcomers they are Shincheonji at first. Only after they feel that the newcomer is ready to accept them do they come clean. By then, most choose to stay, as did I. Members-in-training most likely dont know the group they belong to is Shincheonji, thinking they are attending a career or hobby-related group for acupuncture or pet grooming.



Kim adds that more experienced members are ordered to infiltrate other churches to recruit members. Members are ordered not to tell family about their membership or to use the internet. They have recruitment competitions and there are fines for members who cannot fill their quota.







People are so unhappy and lonely
STORY LINK GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Steady as UK Markets Confidence Dips on Firebreak Lockdown Rumours

GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Rangebound as Firebreak Lockdown News Dampens UK Economic Confidence

Australian Dollar (AUD) Exchange Rate Steady, Global Risk Sentiment Sours

Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) Exchange Rate Forecast: RBA Speech in Spotlight

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The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate is rangebound today with UK markets concerned about the possibility of a firebreak October lockdown, should Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations remain high next month. The pairing is currently trading around AU$1.86.However, the UK Department for Education, claimed that it was not true that the Government was planning a lockdown or firebreak around October half term.Pound investors have remained cautious, however, with hospitalisations and infections continuing to rise across the country.Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, said:[T]he vaccines have actually allowed us to reach an equilibrium with the virus in the sense that they have prevented over 100,000 deaths, many, many millions of infections and of course hospitalisations as well.The upward pressure on infections is as, obviously, we have reopened the economy to pretty much as close to normal as you can get.In absence of UK economic data today, Sterling investors are instead monitoring Covid-19 developments.Any indications of rising daily cases or hospitalisations could further spark-off fears of a possible lockdown next month, and drag down the Pound Australian Dollar exchange rate.The Australian Dollar (AUD) had its gains softened this week as souring global risk sentiment has driven away investor demand for the risk-averse Aussie.Added to this, Western Sydney is to remain in a harsh lockdown, while the state of Victoria is to see a ring of steel, as Covid-19 cases rise throughout key parts of Australia.Prof Catherine Bennett, the chair of epidemiology at Deakin University in Victoria, said:As we move into suppression mode with higher rates of the population fully vaccinated, we will no longer need to find every case. This is among the many shifts in approach that will shape our transition by early 2022 to living with  and controlling  the disease.Uncontrolled community transmission as we enter spring was not in the plan. The Delta variant has usurped one important decision we thought was in our control  when we would let the virus in.Nevertheless, with Australia taking such a strict zero-Covid policy, Australian Dollar investors have become notably skittish when it comes to the outlook for the nations economy.As a result, the AUD/GBP exchange rate has remained steady, with high levels of uncertainty for the Australian economy limiting the appeal of the Aussie.Australian Dollar (AUD) investors will be awaiting tomorrows speech from the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) assistant governor, Guy Debelle.Any dovish comments about the state of the Australian economy would prove AUD-negative.However, risk sentiment will continue to drive the AUD/GBP exchange rate. Could rising fears over new Covid-19 variants further sour risk sentiment and drag-down the Aussie?Pound investors will continue to monitor the UKs Covid-19 situation. If hospitalisations rise, then fears of a lockdown in October could further limit the GBP/AUD exchange rate.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

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Dalton, GA (30720)

Today

Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
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
Sunbury, PA (17801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
Sunbury, PA (17801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
When my fiercely independent aunt was getting frail, I had lunch with her and nervously broached the Care Question.

Had she thought, I asked gently, what would happen if she could no longer live alone or manage her own finances, and if she needed social care?

It was not an easy conversation. But thank goodness this formidable former head teacher and magistrate, a spinster, eventually agreed to grant me power of attorney a few years ago.

Today, aged 87, she is stricken with the Alzheimer's that also crippled my grandmother. What would she have thought about the Government's bombshell announcement yesterday that national insurance is to be hiked to help pay for social care  raising the overall tax burden to the highest level seen in this country during peacetime?

What would she have thought about the Government's bombshell announcement yesterday that national insurance is to be hiked to help pay for social care  raising the overall tax burden to the highest level seen in this country during peacetime? As someone who spent her life helping others and working with children, she would have wanted everyone to enjoy the high standard of care she now does, writes Camilla Cavendish

As someone who spent her life helping others and working with children, she would have wanted everyone to enjoy the high standard of care she now does. But she would never have wanted to burden the young.

That is the first problem with yesterday's 40billion tax hike. National insurance is almost entirely a tax on workers. Yes, the Government has decided that from April 2023, 1.2million working pensioners will also be expected to pay the new levy. This is an important symbolic move. But quite simply: we should not be protecting wealthy older people at the expense of younger workers. So why did the Government resort to raising national insurance rather than taxing income or wealth?

For starters, many voters are confused about what national insurance actually is and perhaps vaguely think it is ring-fenced for pensions or the NHS.

That's wrong: the money simply pours into the Chancellor's pot along with everything else we stump up. Politically, however, raising national insurance is easier than raising income tax. This new increase, along with a tax on share dividends, feels fiddly.

Don't get me wrong: I passionately support putting more money into social care and solving a problem that has bedevilled policymakers for a generation. Twenty-three years since Tony Blair promised to address social care, and four prime ministers and ten health secretaries later, credit must go to Boris Johnson for grasping this nettle.

But not only do I worry that the new measures are deeply unfair on the young, I also fear ministers may be landing themselves with problems further down the road.

If it is to work, the Prime Minister's promise to 'fix the crisis in social care once and for all' must come with the transparency Germany and Japan have used in their world-leading insurance systems.

Under the new scheme, the NHS is to receive an additional 12billion per year for each of the next three years to tackle the waiting lists caused by the pandemic. Then the national insurance hike is set to be replaced by a dedicated 'health and social care levy', which will also be paid by working pensioners. By that time, ministers need to have had a frank conversation with the public about how social care can be reformed to provide better treatment for the elderly and disabled.

They need a clear plan on how to develop the workforce, make care seem a worthwhile career, provide better rehabilitation after hospital and keep older people healthier in the first place.

Added to which, the so-called 'cap' on care costs is far from what it seems. Many voters will hear this and tell themselves that that is all they will have to pay. But, crucially, the cap will not cover bed and board, which make up about half the costs paid by residents (these costs may have a separate cap). All this needs spelling out far more clearly or it risks creating the wrong expectations.

And in a time when workers are being asked to dig so deep, the Government's reluctance to drop the triple-lock on pensions for good is simply wrong.

This new levy risks penalising the low-paid, including those working in the sector, at the expense of wealthy care home residents. I would rather use my aunt's money to look after her than ask poorer taxpayers to preserve my inheritance. Would she  now being helped round the clock by kind and dedicated staff  approve? I'm not so sure.

Camilla Cavendish is an FT Weekend columnist and author of Extra Time: Ten Lessons For Living Longer Better

SIR ANDREW DILNOT: After hot air, cruelty and neglect... at last my social care plan is in action

More than ten years ago, the independent commission I chaired published its report into the funding of our social care system.

We concluded that the existing framework was not fit for purpose and root-and-branch reform was required to make it fair and sustainable.

While a great deal of hot air has been expended on the topic in the intervening years, my report's findings have been gathering dust ever since.

So when Boris Johnson rose to unveil his plan for the future of social care in the House of Commons yesterday I was more invested in the matter than most.

And by the time he sat down, my overwhelming feeling was not so much one of pleasure that the commission's report had been belatedly implemented, but relief that this country may finally get the care system it deserves.

My overwhelming feeling was not so much one of pleasure that the commission's report had been belatedly implemented, but relief that this country may finally get the care system it deserves, writes Sir Andrew Dilnot

And a great deal of credit for this development must go to the Mail, which has fought long and hard for a fairer system through its mould-breaking campaigning on the subject. After all, the recent history of the social care system has been one of capriciousness and neglect.

In a sector gripped by a mood of deepening crisis, inconsistent standards are fuelled by a chronic lack of resources, low rates of pay, and high staff turnover.

Furthermore, the current funding mechanism is both inadequate and unjust. While it fails to provide sufficient levels of cash to meet the needs of Britain's elderly population, it also imposes unpredictable and catastrophic bills on some families, who, through nothing more than bad luck, face having to sell all their assets to meet the costs of care.

This is not the way a civilised society should operate. No area of civic life is more ripe for reform than social care, yet for decades, politicians have ducked the challenge, indulging in empty rhetoric about the need for change but avoiding tough decisions.

This paralysis has continued despite a deluge of reports from campaigners, think-tanks, select committees and official commissions, including  of course  my own. Our recommendations, which included a cap on care bills, were even passed into law in 2013  but David Cameron's coalition government baulked at enacting them after deciding that, at a time of austerity, they were too 'expensive'.

Indeed, given the political climate of caution, I privately said at the time that my commission's proposals had only a one in three chance of being implemented.

But suddenly, the landscape has been transformed. Hesitancy has given way to action.

Striding into territory where so many of their predecessors feared to tread, the Government yesterday set out a comprehensive plan for reform. The move was the fulfilment of a pledge made in Mr Johnson's very first speech on the steps of Downing Street in July 2019, when he said that he would 'fix the social care crisis once and for all'.

He is now taking action. Under his scheme, national insurance will rise by 1.25 percentage points  for both employers and employees  ultimately providing over 12billion a year for the NHS and social care.

At the same time, the iniquity of forcing householders to sell their homes to pay for care will be ended by the introduction of an 86,000 lifetime cap on care payments.

This is not the way a civilised society should operate. No area of civic life is more ripe for reform than social care, yet for decades, politicians have ducked the challenge, indulging in empty rhetoric about the need for change but avoiding tough decisions

Meanwhile, anyone with assets worth less than 100,000 will receive help from the state with their bills down to a threshold of 20,000 in savings, below which all care will be free.

This is a sensible package that finally brings the care system into the embrace of the welfare state  where it should have always been.

The arbitrary cruelty of hammering some unfortunate households will be replaced by a new approach under which the state enables the risk of people requiring support in the twilight of their days to be pooled across the population.

Inevitably, perhaps, given the sensitivity of this issue, there have been protests. But much of this criticism is misplaced.

Some complain that through the hike in national insurance, the Government is imposing a heavy new burden on the working population in order to protect the inheritances of the wealthy.

But the reality is that everyone, including current generations of workers, will benefit from a properly funded, well-run care system, just as everyone gains from the NHS or free education.

Moreover, the new levy is broadly progressive in its application, with the wealthiest paying the most, while those on lower incomes are protected, and with the poorest paying nothing at all. That egalitarian principle comes through in the way the lifetime payments cap works with the means test. All care spending  not just by the individual but also by the state  will count towards the 86,000 limit.

In practice, therefore, a resident who has half their costs met by the local authority under the means test will reach the cap having spent just 43,000, so far less of the family's savings are lost.

There is also sense in the decision to extend the 1.25 per cent insurance levy to pensioners who are in work or who have an income from dividends, ensuring that affluent pensioners make a contribution to the tax increase. There are still concerns to be addressed. The existing means-tested system is under enormous pressure, and will need more funds in the short term to keep it afloat and maintain its ability to care for the least well-off and most vulnerable.

And the NHS has a voracious appetite for funds, so the competition between health and social care will continue  and needs to be closely monitored. This issue will need to be resolved in the spending review this autumn.

But as I said, I once gave our commission's proposals only a one in three chance of being implemented.

Today, I'm very pleased to say, I was far too pessimistic.
Two decades on from one of the darkest days in American history, an activist has shared her awe-inspiring account of the fight for students poisoned by the toxic air left in wake of the 9/11 tragedy.

Lila Nordstrom, from New York, was a student at Stuyvesant High School when the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, less than a mile away from her high school.

She was returned to class weeks later despite the air remaining thick with debris, dust and smoke.

In her remarkable memoir, Some Kids Left Behind: A Survivor's Fight for Health Care, the author shares how the illnesses and deaths of her classmates related to the effects of the 9/11 cleanup inspired her to take action.

By the time Lila attended her twentieth Stuyvesant reunion, five of her classmates had been diagnosed with lymphoma, while a pupil one year younger than her had already passed away.

A new book has detailed the fight for healthcare for students poisoned by toxic air in wake of attack on the World Trade Center. Pictured, the Twin Towers as seen from the Stuyvesant bridge on 9/11 just before Stuyvesant High School was evacuated

Parents are pictured at an air quality protest in the winter of 2002 just outside Stuyvesant amid concerns about air quality which measures inside the building showed levels of matter that exceeded EPA guidelines for children

Pictured, The mural project which was organized for Stuyvesant students by a parent during the week following 9/11. These murals were hung on the school when students returned

THE ATTACKS

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Lila was in an architecture class at Stuyvesant High School, a technical school, in Lower Manhattan on her third day of the academic year.

She was sat with her back facing the window when she heard the sound of a major explosion and felt the building violently quaking, but turned around when her 'desk mate's eyes went wide'.

Lila saw a 'huge fireball' engulf the North Tower. Her teacher, Mr. Scotti, appeared shaken but told the classroom to return to their work, adamant that after living through the 1993 World Trade Center attack there would be no need to evacuate.

Students began screaming in the hallway and a pupil from another class told their group that a plane had hit the Twin Towers.

'I watched as what looked like objects fell from the North Tower. I told myself that they were just construction materials - pieces of plaster, sheetrock, nails', she wrote.

'I didn't worry that these objects seemed to move. The smoke made everything look like it was moving. For almost 20 years I've known that those falling shapes were people.'

Lila Nordstrom is a writer, producer, activist, and the founder of advocacy group StuyHealth. In her remarkable memoir, Some Kids Left Behind: A Survivor's Fight for Health Care, the author shares how the illnesses and deaths of her classmates related to the effects of the 9/11 cleanup inspired her to take action

Stuyvesant students during a fire drill on October 11, when they learned their escape route had changed because of the barges of WTC debris nearby the school

Students are pictured entering the school with the debris barge visible behind them. The barge was found to be measuring levels of particulate matter in their air which was on occasions higher than Ground Zero

When the second tower was hit, the class continued with the lesson for nearly an hour - begging their teacher to turn on the television - but Lila, who suffers from asthma, ran to the nurse's office as the dust approached their window.

REVEALED: Nearly 10,000 people have suffered cancers linked to toxic dust from asbestos, jet fuel, cement and glass shards caused by 9/11 As many as 9,795 people were diagnosed with cancer linked to 9/11, the federal World Trade Center Health Program confirmed in 2018. The New York Post initially reported the numbers - and spoke with health officials, rescue workers and survivors who were at the scene of the dangerous toxic dust caused by jet fuel, asbestos, cement and glass shards. Medical director of the World Trade Center Health Program at Mount Sinai, Dr. Michael Crane, told the Post there has been a significant increase in the number of cancer patients since the program - which tracks 9/11 related diseases - began in 2013. The program 'provides medical monitoring and treatment for responders at the WTC and related sites in New York City, Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA, and survivors who were in the New York City disaster area,' according to its website. Crane told the Post: 'We get these referrals 15 to 20 times a week.' The health program reported 3,204 9/11-linked cancers in 2015. By the end of the next year, the figure rose to 8,188. In 2018, the number of incidents is nearing 10,000 with a figure of 9,795. More than 1,700 responders and others have died as a result, including 420 specifically from cancer, according to the Post. Epidemiology studies revealed that rescue and recovery workers have a 'significantly higher' risk of thyroid or bladder cancer and skin melanoma. Leukemia and other blood-cell disorders are also of major concern, according to the report. Non-rescue workers were reported to have 'significantly higher rates of breast cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.' Advertisement

Finally, 'incredibly vague' evacuation orders came over the intercom, with pupils instructed to walk north to escape Lower Manhattan as soon as they could.

Lila lost sight of everybody she knew in the chaos of the evacuation, eventually stumbling across her friend Laura.

In the aftermath of the event there had been rumors of an island-wide evacuation and the pair fled from Lower Manhattan on foot, eventually making it to Laura's home in Queens.

Lila's own family lived in Chelsea, around three miles from the World Trade Center site.

When Lila received a signal on her mobile phone, terrified, she told her parents that she would stay with Laura for the evening, convinced that remaining in Manhattan would be dangerous.

She stayed the night at her friend's home before Laura's older brother took the train back to Manhattan with her, where she met her parents before returning to their apartment in Chelsea.

BACK TO SCHOOL

In the aftermath of the attack, Lila and her family moved to a home they owned in upstate New York temporarily.

Lila writes that it was during this period that the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Christine Todd Whitman, 'set in motion a series of events that would later make hundreds of thousands of people sick'.

On the day Lila returned to the city on September 18, 2001, Whitman released a statement reading: 'I am glad to reassure the people of New York and Washington DC that their air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink.'

Soon after the declaration pupils at Stuyvesant were sent to their neighboring science school, Brooklyn Tech, with the school's original students attending classes in the morning and Lila and her classmates in the afternoon.

Despite a lack of sufficient evidence backing up Whitman's comments about the safety of the air in Lower Manhattan, local politicians began to echo her claims and pushed New Yorkers to get back to work and school.

With public uncertainty about the return to normal life, Lila believes that Stuyvesant students were 'brought in to put on a show'.

Within weeks of arriving at Brooklyn Tech, the Stuyvesant Parents Association was brokering a deal that would return students to their building.

Head of the Parents' Association at the time, Marilena Christodoulou, told The New York Times before the return: 'Now Stuyvesant is seen as a symbol.

'There is tremendous political pressure to get us in there, because if it's safe for us to move in, then it is safe everywhere. Yes, we want to go back, but only when it is safe.'

Pupils of Stuyvesant High School are seen looking at a mural sent by another school. Stuyvesant High School was blanketed in these

Children at Stuyvesant High School are pictured playing card games in the school hallway just weeks after the attack on the World Trade Center

Students and a teacher standing in front of the mangled form of The Sphere, the statue that stood between the Twin Towers. It was parked in front of the school one morning for reasons unknown to staff

By October 9, Stuyvesant students were sent back to their school, being forced to show identification to NYPD and National Guard checkpoints several times along the journey.

How students at Stuyvesant High School have campaigned for 9/11 survivors suffering health problems September 11, 2001 - The World Trade Center is attacked. September 18, 2001 - Head of the Environmental Protection Agency Christie Whitman declares air and water safe. October 9, 2001 - Stuyvesant return to their building in Lower Manhattan. October 16, 2001 - Parents' Association meeting shows children already reporting symptoms December 20, 2001 - The fires at Ground Zero finally burn out. Feb 4, 2002 - PA Health and Environmental Safety Committee report shows unsafe air quality August 21, 2003 - EPA release an evaluation of its post-9/11 performance in which they reveal they did not have sufficient evidence to declare air and water safe. September 2004 - Lila Nordstrom signs up to World Trade Center Health Registry. January 2006 - One of the initial first responders to pass away from a 9/11-related illness was James Zadroga, an NYPD officer who died of a respiratory disease March 31, 2006 - Lisa launches what would later be known as StuyHealth and pens open letter demanding free health care September 2007 - Representatives Maloney, Nadler, and Vito Fossella introduced the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act February 2009 - Reintroduced as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act September 2010 - Obama lent his support the Zadroga Act and the bill was passed in late December June 2019 - Lila made a powerful testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the estimated three hundred thousand NYC community members eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Advertisement

'I stood at the top of the Chambers Street subway station stairs for a long time, nervously watching other high school students pass, some in dust masks, others shielding their mouths and noses with scarves, but most just breathing in the crisp morning air as if they couldn't smell the acrid stench,' she writes.

As debris was removed from the site, open trucks full of asbestos-laden materials were parked directly below the school's open windows as students sat inside.

Lila says the smell was like a 'campfire mixed with a burning chemical plant'.

Upon their return to the school, fabric on the seats in their auditorium had not been cleaned or replaced, with the carpet later found to contain 250 times the legal limit of asbestos.

According to Lila, air ducts in the school not been examined for possible contamination, only being cleared in the summer of 2002, and there had been no certification from any public agency that the building was safe to be reoccupied.

Parents soon became concerned, but at Parents' Association meeting on October 16 the school's principle stated if any pupil left the school for any period of time due to health reasons, they would not be allowed to return.

At the same meeting, Lila claims around 20 per cent of the crowd said their children were having health issues related to the environment at the school.

Two days later, it was reported that 57 students and 31 faculty members had already visited the nurse with new symptoms.

In December, the fires at Ground Zero finally burned out.

In the early months of 2002, the Parents' Association battled the school administration about the cleanliness of the building.

On February 4th, the PA Health and Environmental Safety Committee reported that the air system had yet to be cleaned and that air quality measures inside the building showed levels of matter that exceeded EPA guidelines for children.

They also raised concerns about the debris barge adjacent to the school measuring levels of particulate matter in their air which was on occasions higher than Ground Zero.

These point were refuted until June, when the Board of Education released its own data based on samples taken in April showing elevated lead levels.

In August 2003, the EPA released an evaluation of its post-9/11 performance in which it stated there was not 'sufficient data and analyses' to make their announcement made on September 18, 2001.

HEALTH PROBLEMS

One of the initial first responders to pass away from a 9/11-related illness was James Zadroga, an NYPD officer who died of a respiratory disease in January 2006.

However the first Lila heard of health concerns among her fellow students was the September of her first year at Vassar College, when she discovered that one of her classmates had been diagnosed with cancer, believed to be related to 9/11.

'The first cancer report felt like a bomb dropping,' she said. 'There is no satisfaction in being right about young people getting cancer. No joy in the "I told you so".'

By 2007, Lila had began campaigning for students of Stuyvesant to receive healthcare for 9/11 related illnesses, and was receiving hoards of emails from classmates about health issues they had experienced.

In the following years the list included a number of reproductive health issues from uterine cysts to unexplained miscarriages as well as cancers, which at that point were primarily leukemias and lymphomas.

How Lila's battle for free healthcare began: The open letter penned in 2006 To Whom It May Concern, On February 2 a federal judge found the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency Christie Whitman culpable enough to stand trial for putting the public in danger by making misleading statements about the air quality in Lower Manhattan after the attacks of September 11, thus upholding a class action suit filed on behalf of residents and schoolchildren in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. Students at Stuyvesant High School were among the many that were directly affected by the misinformation released by the Environmental Protection Agency under her leadership. We had the additional misfortune of being the first students called back to Lower Manhattan after the attacks. At the time, fires were still burning at the World Trade Center site and debris was being taken to the landfill by way of a barge located directly outside our school building. We had several fire drills in our first days back that informed us of our new emergency route, which led us even closer to the burning debris at the site of the destruction (our old emergency route up West St. was being blocked by the barge and a large crane). Although the Board of Education continually assured us of the safety of the air at our school, the smell of smoke was strong every afternoon for months after the attacks. Parents were told at the first PTA meeting after our return, that nobody, even those of us with respiratory health concerns, would be able to leave Stuyvesant for the duration of the cleanup process; we had to stay or would forfeit our spots at the school. Given the effort most of us put into getting into Stuyvesant, leaving was not an option. Eventually, we learned that the school building had not been cleaned as thoroughly as promised. Most of the Stuyvesant students that were seniors in the year of the attacks are graduating from college this year. We are entering a world in which jobs are scarce, starting pay is low, and public benefits are dwindling. As you know, health coverage is expensive and difficult to obtain, especially on a starting salary. More Americans go bankrupt as a result of health expenses than over any other issue, and the current Administration is making very little effort to make obtaining health coverage any easier or more affordable. Additionally, as college students and soon-to-be graduates, many of us have already accrued large amounts of debt to pay for our educations. As the canaries used to promote the revitalization of downtown Manhattan after 9/11, we were given no choice but to accept the health risks that went along with attending school in Lower Manhattan in the 2001/2002 school year. Ms. Whitman's assurances were a very relevant part of why we were permitted to return to our building, which had been used as the command center for the rescue effort at Ground Zero, only a month after September 11, on October 9, 2001. Our administrators and teachers already have health coverage. As students, we don't. As victims of 9/11, and, especially, victims of Ms. Whitman's misinformation campaign, we served as 'draftees' in the media campaign to reassure the American people. At the least, in recognition of the risks we undertook simply by attending school, we should be guaranteed health insurance for the rest of our lives. It is imperative that you support us in this effort. We request your help in meeting this goal, ideally by supporting the introduction of legislation toward this end. Sincerely, Lila Nordstrom Advertisement

Students were also battling autoimmune issues such as scleroderma, chronic pain, spontaneous anaphylaxis, along with respiratory and gastrointestinal concerns.

But Lila says 'nobody' as monitoring the school pupil's health, adding: 'There is also not, nor has there ever been, a definitive list of linked conditions.'

One student, Amit Friedlander, would later join Lila's battle for free healthcare after being diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma that June and was undergoing chemotherapy.

His story would be one of the first to break about the impacts of 9/11 on the health of Stuyvesant students.

The World Trade Center Environmental Health Center was founded in 2010 to provide healthcare for those directly impacted by the attacks following the passing of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

However until 2012, those who developed cancers weren't covered by the act.

'I'd already had to tell a handful of classmates, all suffering the disruption of getting a cancer in their twenties, that their treatment wouldn't be covered, even with the Zadroga Act's passage.

'I felt a little like a tooth fairy who had a side gig as the angel of death', Lila writes.

In 2009, Lila became a patient at the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center.

She was living in Los Angeles but found that it would be cheaper to fly to New York every time she needed medication, rather than paying for it in California.

ACTIVISM WORK

Lila's activism battle began in 2004, during her first year of university, when she joined the the World Trade Center Health Registry, a survey researching the health of first responders and the local community following 9/11.

The following year Lila travelled around Greece and Vietnam, taking part in anti-war marches, and it wasn't until 2006 that she decided she was ready to take on the issue of healthcare for 9/11 survivors.

In March that year, she wrote an open letter demanding free healthcare for students of Stuyvesant High School and posted it on Blogger, urging fellow alumni to sign it. Her cause would later be titled StuyHealth.

As the petition's momentum grew, she began sending it out to local officials, eventually making contact with Ben Veniste, a Stuyvesant alumnus who put her in contact with Representative Jerrold Nadler's chief of staff, Amy Rutkin.

She as soon set up on a call with the office of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, where she learned that there were already two competing bills in motion to tackle the issue from Maloney herself and Nadler.

After graduating college, Lila spent three years working at a major talent agency in Los Angeles. While living in California, she re-connected with Amit after being put in contact through a reporter from the New York Post.

Off the back of Amit's initial interview, the pair began their media campaign with a series of TV and radio interviews and seizing momentum, organized a press conference.

Following the conference, they were plunged into a larger advocacy scene where they met several groups campaigning towards the same issue as them, with access to documentation detailing the Stuyvesant air quality battles.

By September 2007, after a lengthy political battle and with the help of written testimony from Lila, Representatives Maloney, Nadler, and Vito Fossella introduced the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

The act provided comprehensive medical care to first responders and volunteers as well as the community of office workers, residents, and students who were exposed to toxins.

This bill was reintroduced as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2009 and called for $3.5 billion for the establishment of the World Trade Center Health Program.

In September 2010, Obama lent his support the Zadroga Act and the bill was passed in late December. The act remained covered in the 2015 and 2019 reauthorizations.

In June 2019, Lila made a powerful testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the estimated three hundred thousand NYC community members eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

In December the same year she was awarded New York City's Bronze Medallion, New York City's highest civic honor, given by the mayor.

Some Kids Left Behind: A Survivor's Fight for Health Care by Lila Nordstrom from Apollo is available for 18.99
Whether you're fresh from a break-up or fed up of a pandemic-induced fallow period, getting back in the dating game can be a daunting prospect.

But while the temptation can be to throw yourself in and join every dating app going, the reality is it's unlikely you'll meet the person of your dreams if you're not in the right headspace.

Putting yourself under pressure to couple-up with someone out of fear you're 'running out of time' is a common problem which can often lead to bad decisions warns Lauren Windle, author of Notes on Love: Being Single and Dating in a Marriage Obsessed Church.

Lauren, a 33-year-old journalist and Tedx speaker, pointed out that time spent being single can be valuable to your dating life because it gives you the space to grow into a better future partner.

She even recommends taking a period of time - dubbed a 'season of singleness' - where you deliberately don't date to 'reflect on yourself'. But how do you know when you're at the point of being single and ready to mingle?

Here Lauren shares the questions she firmly believes you should ask yourself before swiping right.

Whether you're fresh from a break-up or fed up of a pandemic-induced fallow period, getting back in the dating game can be a daunting prospect (stock image)

Have you culled the ex?

I'm not saying you need to do an ex bonfire in the style of the girls from Friends, but it is important to emotionally let go of your ex and that often includes physically letting go of their stuff.

If you're still harbouring his hoody or her fancy shampoo then it's time for it to hit the bin/charity shop.

After years of walking around wearing various ex-boyfriends' tracksuit bottoms to bed and T-shirts to the gym, I decided it was time to cull all relationship remnants. I chucked them out and went straight to the shops to get myself my own oversized men's clothes; to: me; from: me. That legendary day I reclaimed my loungewear and strutted out of TK Maxx feeling like a queen.

Don't stop at clothes; a shoebox of memories, cards, presents, letters - if it's dragging you down, get rid.

Log off their Netflix and pay for your own subscription. Unfollow on social media. Delete voicemails, WhatsApp conversations, emails and texts. You can't start the next chapter in your life if you're still thumbing through the last one.

If this is filling you with dread, ask yourself why. Maybe you're not ready yet. That's fine. Take it easy and in time you'll get there. It will feel like shedding old skin.

Lauren Windle, a 33-year-old journalist, Tedx speaker and author of Notes on Love, pointed out that time spent being single can be valuable to your dating life because it gives you the space to grow into a better future partner

Are you jealous of others in relationships?

How do you feel when you see another engagement announcement online? Is your immediate reaction to feel excited for the couple, or do you take it personally that you're not there yet?

Jealousy kills joy. I'm not standing on a high and mighty pulpit with this one - it is hard. But comparing other people's journeys with yours will only serve to make you feel low, rushed and panicked.

Don't be someone who is so consumed by a craving for coupling-up that you can't attend an anniversary party or wedding. You'll miss out on so much. Things can get ugly when you allow jealousy to creep in.

In situations that provoke a knee-jerk reaction, you can't help your first thought, but you can help your second. Active response: take captive that thought, call it out and send it away. I find using tools from the Bible helps; make it obedient to Christ, then pray a prayer of gratitude over that person/those people. This is the most effective response for tackling jealousy. If you can do that every time you get a pang of envy, your mindset will change very quickly and, eventually, so will that first thought.

How to nail your first date LOGISTICS: If you suggest the date, have some idea of what you want to do. I strongly suggest not putting too much effort in. This is an opportunity for them to meet YOU, not the showcase of amazing dates you can play. Go for a low-key drink or dinner. DON'T BE TOO LATE: Five minutes is fine, but keeping someone waiting for half an hour is a poor start. Also you want to arrive carefree and relaxed, not bursting through the door sweating. STAY CALM: It's not an audition, it's just two people enjoying each other's company. DON'T HOG THE CHAT: If this was a football match, you'd want to have about 50 per cent possession. Don't hog the ball. Ask questions related to your date and what that person has just said, and then really listen to the answer. And don't tailor conversations so you can shoehorn in your own achievements. There is nothing more attractive than an attribute you discover naturally later down the line. DON'T OVERSHARE: Keep it light and fun, see if you can laugh together before you cry together. DON'T TALK IDEALS: Don't ask what the other person is looking for - you are you, and if you really like someone, you run the risk of trying to adapt to the other person's checklist. This won't create a natural dating experience and your date will catch you out and realise you're not that person later down the line anyway. PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY: Pay attention to the person in front of you, not in your pocket. A MAN DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY: If it's a pay-when-you-order thing, I suggest going in for rounds. For me, going halves is the way forward (but if a man insists on paying, let him, but suggest you pay next time, unless there won't be one. In that case I would kindly explain and offer to transfer half the cost.) KISSING: If you're both into it, there's nothing wrong with kissing on a first date. If you think you want to, go for it in the body of the actual date rather than tacking it on the end - it allows you to see if there's a physical attraction. Advertisement

Do you think you need to change your appearance?

Are you planning on putting yourself out there once you've lost those 2kg? Or bulked up to a certain weight? Do you think you need to wait until your skin clears up?

It's a balancing act because dating is based on attraction and a part of that is physical. So, it is important to be well presented, to have put thought into how you dress and to have good hygiene.

But you don't need to fundamentally change how you look. Be careful deciding to change in aid of meeting a partner.

Who you ultimately are, the person who is trying (and failing at times) to do things well, who wants to be kind, to focus on what is right, to connect with people in a range of different ways - that person is good.

You don't have to change for your future partner. You are you. Plus, when I asked a focus group what one piece of advice they would offer to people dating when researching my book, one man spoke up immediately and said: 'People worry too much about how they look... Looks are important but not that important. What I want to know is, "Do I want to speak to them at the end of a long day?"'

Have you put being in a relationship in its rightful place?

How much emphasis have you put on meeting someone? Has it become all-consuming? Do you believe that if you could just meet someone, you'd be happy, your primary problem would be solved and your life could finally really start?

If you're desperate for a relationship to sort things out for you, it may not be healthy for you to be in one right now. You could be Lenny, from Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (some of you may remember this book from GCSE days).

Lenny liked soft things, so when he found a little mouse he took it to pet, but in his enthusiasm he smothered and killed it. You don't want to smother the mouse.

Ask yourself what hole you believe a relationship will fill in your life and work out other, healthy ways to fill it. If a relationship comes after that it's a bonus.

Are you worried you have too much emotional baggage?

Emotional baggage? Oh you mean the tough circumstances and pain you had to overcome to get where you are today? The difficulties that developed your empathy so you could better connect with other people in their struggles?

Take it from a former drug addict (on April 22, 2014 I got clean and sober from a cocaine and alcohol addiction and became a Christian five days later) carry the 'baggage' with your head held high and be grateful it got you where you are today.

That's not a Primark wheelie carry-on, that's a Louis Vuitton valise set. It is beautiful.

Do you have an unhelpful pattern?

Have you got a pattern of going for someone who needs 'fixing', a saviour? Or maybe your pattern is writing things off too early?

Are you put off by superficial things? Panicking at the first signs things are getting serious? Or choosing people who are emotionally unavailable?

If so, recognising that pattern and taking some time to figure out why could be a really valuable tool.

Notes on Love: Being Single and Dating in a Marriage Obsessed Church by Lauren Windle is out now

How much do you value yourself?

Do you realise what you're worth? Do you value yourself enough to only stand for the best and most respectful treatment from your partner?

Is there a chance that low self-esteem could allow you to accept an abusive relationship? Are you ready to receive love? Are you ready to be truly known?

Do you believe that when you expose the best and worst of yourself, someone will still love you? Will you try to get people to desire you rather than know and truly love you? These questions are big.

I have a Masters in Addiction Studies and run a charity recovery course for people struggling with addiction. When I work with women as their sponsor or through a mentoring scheme, this is what it usually boils down to. The source of it all.

If you don't know your value, you can get in all kinds of trouble. The worst-case scenario, and one I frequently see on the Recovery Course, is that a lack of grounding in people's worth leads them to accept poor treatment in a relationship, or even abuse.

If this is the case, then dating isn't safe for you right now. If that rings true for you, please seek help; speak to a counsellor, therapist, GP or a church leader. Find someone you can confidentially be completely honest with.

Do you have capacity to handle a break-up?

If you don't have the emotional and spiritual capacity to cope with a break-up, disappointment or rejection in a healthy way, you have no business dating right now.

Dating can be brutal and you will never be unaffected by rejection. It's OK for it to be painful and for you to feel the pain. But if you're in a place where that pain could throw you off the rails, cause you to turn to unhealthy practices or drive you into a breakdown, then please be kind to yourself and give yourself some more time. If you're going to be fully present and vulnerable and open, there's no way of protecting yourself.

Notes on Love by Lauren Windle is available to buy now on Amazon. Follow Lauren on Instagram.
Two sisters have spoken out about childhood abuse by their school caretaker.

Rachel Todd, 47, and her 44-year-old twins sisters Sarah Ibbs and Rebecca, known as Beccy, all suffered at the hands of their primary school caretaker who left sweets and letters in their school desks in Sefton, Merseyside.

Beccy tragically took her own life aged 41 in 2019 after struggling to cope with her trauma, turning to drinking and drugs and becoming homeless.

Despite numerous reports to the police and to the school at the time of the abuse, the girls were told they had no proof, and their allegations were not fully investigated until 2015.

The CPS then ruled the case against the caretaker couldn't be taken to court because he now has Alzheimer's.

The sisters launched a civil action and secured a financial settlement from Sefton Council in Merseyside after their lawyers argued that the council was vicariously culpable for the abuse suffered.

Rachel Todd, now 47, her sister Sarah Ibbs, 44, and Sarah's twin sister Rebecca were all sexually abused by their school caretaker in Sefton, Merseyside, when they were ten and eight in the 1980s

Rebecca, right, took her own life in 2019 after the sisters were told their abuser couldn't be prosecuted for their abuse because he suffered from Alzheimer's. Pictured: the twins Sarah and Beccy in 2009

Sarah, 44, said: 'We have carried this burden our whole lives and to find out that he has escaped justice is a kick in the teeth. We are the ones with the punishment and the life sentence.

'My twin sister killed herself because she could not live with what he did to her.

'One day, I was out shopping and heard a voice asking: "Excuse me do you have a spare cigarette". I turned and it was Beccy, my own twin, begging in the street.

'In that moment, I hated the caretaker. He had destroyed my sister.

Rebecca, pictured in 2017, turned to alcohol and drugs. Sarah and Rachel said she struggled to live with the trauma of her abuse

'For many years I tortured myself, wondering if I could have saved her, by speaking out sooner. The guilt, in many ways, was worse than the abuse.'

Rachel, 47, and the eldest of the three sisters from Merseyside, was the first to be targeted by the caretaker, aged ten.

Mum of three, Rachel, said: 'Our home life was very regulated, and our dad was away a lot working. Mum was on her own with four children and though Dad did his best to provide, there was not much money.

'I used to arrive at school early because I wanted to be out of the house as much as possible.

'Looking back, I think that probably made me an easy target.

'The school caretaker was friendly and made a fuss of me. He left a three pack of Ferrero Rocher for me in my desk, and I was so thrilled because I didn't get sweets at home. The sweets were a signature trait.

Rachel, pictured in 2019, was the first of the sisters to be sexually abused by the caretaker. She told her parents, who complained to the school. but he remained caretaker

'At playtime he showed me his boiler room and sat me on his knee. And then he put his hand in my underwear. Even though I didn't know what it was, I knew it was wrong. I hated it. I ran to the door, but he'd locked it.

'I stayed away from him after that but then I started to wonder if I'd got the whole thing wrong. I was just ten-years-old and thought maybe I was mistaken.

He was so friendly to me, giving me more sweets, and when he asked me to go into the boiler room, I agreed. But it happened again, and this time, I was in no doubt.

'I stayed out of his way, but he left a note in my desk, saying: "I miss you, SWALK." I stuffed it into my school bag and tried to forget about.'

But Rachel's mother found the note, and, after discovering it was from the caretaker, she made a complaint to the school's headmaster. Rachel understands that school governors including clergy were present at the meeting.

Pictured: the twins in 1986. Sarah and Beccy were also abused by the same caretaker, but didn't open up about it to each other until they were 13

Beccy and Sarah's parents complained to the school once again after the twins said they had been abused

One year on, Sarah and twin sister, Beccy, were also abused, aged eight.

Mum-of-one Sarah, who has since emigrated to New Zealand, says: 'The caretaker was like the BFG. He had white hair and I liked the smell of his jumper.

'He left me sweets and showed me the boiler room and then he put his hand in my underwear.

'He said to me: "Don't tell anyone." And I shouted: "I will tell everyone if you do it again".

'I didn't go back to the boiler room, but I didn't tell anyone. I was too scared. Rachel didn't know I'd been abused, and I didn't know about her. We were all trapped by our silence.

The sisters were told they didn't have proof when their family flagged the abuse to the school and got the police involved in the 1980s (pictured in 1984)

Rachel with Beccy and their mother in 2016. In 2015, the caretaker was investigated, but the family were told he couldn't be prosecuted

Beccy and Sarah pictured at Christmas time in 1982. Sarah said she felt guilty that she didn't know Rebecca had also been abused by the caretaker

'I didn't know that he was abusing Becky too and I feel so guilty, even though I know it's not my fault.'

Beccy's abuse went on over period of time and she later told her sisters she had been locked in a cupboard in the boiler room by the caretaker on several occasions.

Sarah says: 'Often the caretaker would come to class looking for a child to help him with a special job; that's how it was in the 1980's. He always chose Beccy, and nobody ever questioned that.

'She was out of the classroom with him for long periods of time. The teachers also often sent children to the caretaker's office to sort out an odd job, such a leak or a spill. That was normal in those days.

'I can't begin to imagine how she suffered. It must have been horrific.'

The twins in 1992, when they were 17. Rebecca would often be sent to the caretaker's office when she was a child, where she would be abused

Sarah and Rebecca in 1983, when they were six, two years before the abuse took place. The three sisters didn't know they all had been abused until the twins were 13-years-old

It was only aged 13 that the twins confided in each other, and in their parents.

Sarah says: 'It was wicked that he had driven such a wedge between us. Beccy and I were so close, and we shared everything - but we hadn't told each other about the abuse.

'Mum went to the school and the police came but we were told that without supporting evidence outside the family they could not prosecute. The letter which Rachel had received had been given to the school and was somehow lost.

'We were basically made to feel that we were liars and that had a devastating effect on all of us.'

The girls all struggled through their teenage years and, though they made a second complaint aged 17, it was not followed through.

Rebecca, pictured in 2018, never recovered from the abuse and turned to drugs and alcohol to cope

The twins as babies. Rebecca took her own life before a settlement was reached with Sefton Council

In 2015, following the publicity surrounding Jimmy Saville, the sisters again made a complaint to the police and this time they were taken seriously. But before charges could be brought, they were told that the caretaker now had Alzheimer's and would not be fit to stand trial.

Sarah says: 'It was absolutely gut-wrenching. To come so close, after all these years, to justice, and then have it snatched away was so cruel.

'He claims he can't defend himself now with Alzheimer's. What about our right to a defense as small children, against a monster like him? It seems as though it's weighted in his favour."

They took civil action and were awarded an out of court settlement from Sefton Council after their lawyers argued that the council was vicariously culpable for the abuse suffered.

Tragically, Beccy took her own life before the settlement was reached.

Sarah says: 'Becky never got over the abuse. She turned to drink and drugs to self-medicate. We tried to help her, but she couldn't talk about the abuse. She was too traumatised.'

Pictured: the twins aged nine, after the abused had started. Sarah said it felt like the system had weighed in the caretakers favour, because he couldn't be prosecuted

Rebecca, pictured in 2001, aged 24. Sarah said her twin tried to self-medicate with drugs but never got over the abuse

Beccy died from a drugs overdose in January 2019 and a verdict of suicide was later recorded.

Rachel says: 'We don't understand how it cannot be in the public interest to prosecute a man who was, and perhaps still is, a danger to children. There may be other victims out there.

'We don't want any money. We just want our voices to be heard."

Kim Harrison, head of abuse law at Slater and Gordon, said: 'All three of these women showed immense bravery in coming forward and reporting their allegations to the police.

'They have since been determined to speak out about what happened to them in the hope that their story might resonate with others out there and help them come to terms with similar abuse.

'It's been a privilege to meet and work with them all.

'That determination is commendable, and I know that both Sarah and Rachel took this battle on in the name of their sister who they sadly lost a few years ago.'
A homeowner has sparked debate online after sharing a picture of her re-organised pantry, and it all comes down to where she stores her eggs.

Australian woman Candice posted the photo on Facebook, showing the shelves with rows of neatly-organised tins, jars and packets.

'Pantry organising day!' Candice wrote next to the photo.

A homeowner has sparked debate online after sharing a picture of her newly re-organised pantry, and it all comes down to where she stores her eggs (Candice's pantry pictured)

She added: 'It took seven years to get to this point.

'I got serious about healthy eating and slowly started learning how to make everything from scratch.

'We never eat out or buy lunches, so all of these ingredients do eventually get used.

'I would advise if you want to organise your supplies, then you need to pull everything out of your pantry, assess and re-organise.'

According to consumer organisation Choice, eggs don't need to go in the fridge, but they will last longer if they are stored there

While many were impressed with the neat and uniform stacking and 'supermarket-shelf-like' look, some could not get over where Candice stored her eggs.

'Now you just need to put the eggs in the fridge and get some Tupperware,' one woman posted.

Poll Do you store your eggs in the pantry or fridge? Fridge Pantry Do you store your eggs in the pantry or fridge? Fridge 1119 votes

Pantry 512 votes Now share your opinion





'Maybe the egg cartons are empty, but eggs go off seven times quicker at room temperature compared to a fridge,' another added.

A third wrote: 'Eggs in the pantry! This is NOT okay.'

Some defended Candice's method of storing eggs, and said they always store them at room temperature.

An egg farmer even weighed in the on the post, writing: 'I'm an egg farmer, fresh eggs store on shelf for four weeks, six weeks in the fridge. They are very stable as long as not stored in a hot place or in sunlight.'

According to consumer organisation Choice, eggs don't need to go in the fridge, but they will last longer if they are stored there.

If they've been washed or refrigerated before (for instance, at the supermarket) then they should also go in your fridge at home.

Choice recommend that you keep the eggs in their cardboard cartons (not in the egg holders in your fridge door) to stop condensation building up.

The carton also helps stop eggs absorbing odours from the rest of the fridge, and it also serves as a good reminder of the use-by date.
A Woolworths employee has offered a sneak peek at how the famous doughnuts are made behind the scenes.

Liam Kirley, from Sydney, shared a TikTok video showing an industrial machine dropping the ring-shaped dough into hot oil and fried before they are hand glazed.

'You might be familiar with our delicious strawberry iced doughnuts but have you ever wondered how they're made,' Liam said.

Scroll down for video

Liam Kirley (pictured), from Sydney, has offered a sneak peek at how the famous doughnuts are made behind the scenes of the supermarket

The footage shows the process of how the doughnuts are made from scratch.

'This is our doughnut maker that gets piped out through the machine and into the famous doughnut shape,' Liam said.

The doughnuts are fried on both sides in a bath of cooking oil before they are pushed onto a conveyor belt and transferred onto a tray to cool.

'It's super hot then it goes onto a tray,' he said.

Once the doughnuts have cooled down, the bakers individually glaze them in strawberry icing and dip them into rainbow sprinkles.

'Our bakers ice them, dip them into some pretty sprinkles, package them, put them onto the shelf and then I taste test,' he said.

The doughnuts are fried on both sides in a bath of cooking oil before they are pushed onto a conveyor belt and transferred onto a tray to cool

Once the doughnuts have cooled down, the bakers individually glaze them in strawberry icing and dip them into rainbow sprinkles

The video has since been viewed more than 230,000 times, with many saying they are amazed to see the doughnuts being made at the store.

'They are the best doughnuts ever. They are so good,' one shopper wrote, while another added: 'That pink icing is the best - hands down.'

The doughnuts come after a video emerged in September 2020 showing how robots make the supermarket's iconic $4.80 mud cakes.

A viral 20-second TikTok video exposed the industrial machinery clasping and flipping the cakes upside down before dipping the top in melted chocolate glaze.

The doughnuts come after a video emerged in 2020 showing how robots make the supermarket's iconic $4.80 mud cakes

After the glaze is added, the cakes slide onto a conveyor belt before being transferred to another section of the factory.

'We know that many of our customers really love our chocolate mud cakes which are in high demand throughout the year,' a Woolworths spokesman previously told Daily Mail Australia.

'The majority of our Woolworths chocolate mud cake bases are created off-site by a leading Australian bakery supplier and then delivered to our store for our teams to complete the final touches.'
An Aldi shopper couldn't believe her eyes after she spotted a pack of chicken thigh fillets on sale for 'half price' at a whopping $351.

The woman, from New South Wales, was doing her grocery shop when she noticed an unusual sticker on the meat.

The organic free-range chicken, which normally cost $7.27 for 458 grams, was mistakenly 'reduced' from $702 to $351 after a 50 per cent off discount.

'I found the chicken "marked down" to $351. I couldn't believe my eyes. I showed it to a staff member, and he was a bit shocked,' she wrote in a Facebook group.

'Must be a very tasty chicken.'

An Aldi shopper couldn't believe her eyes after she spotted a pack of chicken thigh fillets on sale for 'half price' at a whopping $351

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Aldi for comment.

After sharing her post on social media, many saw the funny side to the pricing error.

'Louis Vuitton chicken?' one woman joked.

Another wrote: 'For that price, I'd expect it to cook itself, clean up the kitchen, feed it to me and throw in a massage at the very least.'

While one customer added: 'This is more than organic - it's probably hand fed. It's one high maintenance chook.'

Some customers joked the $702 price tag helps deter shoppers from panic buying, while others said the employee had 'one job'.

'Wow... Now that's some quality chicken,' one wrote, while another said: 'Someone failed decimal points at school.'
A mother has hit out at a secondary school for sending her daughters home on the first day for wearing the wrong shoes.

The furious parent, who wished to remain anonymous, bought them two pairs of school shoes for the new term.

However, the Kings' Academy Prospect school in Reading said they didn't comply with the uniform policy and classified them as 'boots'.

The mother said she will only be able to afford to replace the shoes next month.

'I'm a single parent. I'm self-employed and I don't earn a lot of money. The shoes I bought my girls cost a fair bit,' she said.

A mother has hit out at a secondary school for sending her daughters home on the first day for wearing the wrong shoes (pictured)

'The school skirt alone cost 25 but if I'd gone to Tesco's I could've bought one for 10.'

The girls have since been allowed to return to the classroom, on the understanding that the shoes are replaced by October 30.

But the mother said she 'can't promise that I'll be able to pay for them', adding: 'My girls were so looking forward to going back to school as they've missed so much of it because of the pandemic.

'If my washing machine breaks down in that time I'm going to pay to fix that, not buy new shoes.

'I just don't understand the pettiness of how the schools are dealing with the fact that parents haven't got any money.

The girls have since been allowed to return to the classroom, on the understanding that the shoes are replaced by October 30

'We are doing our best to keep them looking clean, smart, and respectable yet they are punishing and penalising our kids.'

She added that she'd 'bumped into 20 students walking through Prospect Park' that she claims had also been sent home.

'Me and the school disagree on what their shoes are classed as but they were sold as a school shoe,' she said.

The school's deputy head teacher, Mary Morris, said: 'If you have a school uniform, it's reasonable to expect students to wear it.

'We did a full consultation with parents in March and every parent was invited to give their comment.

'As a result of that, we instituted blazers and we recognised the cost of that for parents so the trust funded a blazer for every single student.

The school's uniform policy states that shoes must be 'plain black, flat and logo-free', and its website features images of acceptable footwear (pictured)

'We then finalised our uniform policy and sent it out to parents in April and sent out several reminders.

'We were very clear about what the uniform requirements were. We've just got a very small number of students who for whatever reason have not followed the uniform policy.

'We wrote to all families last week to send them the uniform policy again. We really did everything we could to make it crystal clear what our expectations were.'

Ms Morris mentioned that only a small number of students were sent home because of their uniform and that the rest looked 'incredibly smart'

The school's uniform policy states that shoes must be 'plain black, flat and logo-free', and its website features images of acceptable footwear.

They must be leather or leather like, capable of being polished, and canvas shoes, trainers, boots including ankle boots, toeless or backless shoes, suede and logos are not allowed.

It adds: 'Shoes that are considered to be trainer-like in appearance (including Nike Airforce or similar) are not allowed. The headteacher will be the arbiter of what constitutes appropriate school shoes'.
A group of disabled models have taken part in the UK's first inclusive bridal shoot.

The women who posed for the stunning images said that growing up they were never able to relate to bridal models, saying the industry has never represented disabilities.

But bridal shop, The Boutique, based in Enfield, North London and charity Models of Diversity has come together to represent women who look different.

The stunning photos show a group of women showing off gorgeous gowns - including a wheelchair user and another with a bionic hand.

The photoshoot aimed to show it was possible for the wedding industry to step up and be more inclusive of not only mainstream ideals of beauty, but of all women.

The charity Models of Diversity and a North London-based bridal shop called The Boutique have put together a bridal shoot with models with disabilities to show there was not just one way to be a beautiful bride. Pictured: Ashley Young, who took part in the photoshoot, was born without the lower part of her right arm and said she never thought she would get married

Model Amanda Bates, 43, who works in health research, said: 'I was born with amniotic band syndrome which means the lining of the uterus was tangled around me when I was developing.

'As a result of this, I was born with cleft lip and palette, limited vision in one eye, clubbed feet and I have missing fingers.

'I have been a bridesmaid a few times and it always made me sad that I couldn't relate to any of the models in the magazines.

'The lack of diversity in the industry is a problem that needs addressing.

Yasmin, who has alopecia, was photographed in a beautiful gown that buttoned up at the back, and colourful flowers. She said she has never seen someone like herself represented in bridal magazines

Charley Anne, one of the models who took part in the shoot, had beautiful flowers attached to the wheel of her wheelchair

Bride model Frankie, who has Down's syndrome, poses in front of the group of brides in a sweet embellished white dress with a tulle skirt

Amniotic Band Syndrome, (ABS), the condition that affects 1,200 births worldwide Amniotic band syndrome (ABS) occurs when an unborn baby becomes entangled in fibrous string-like tissue that restricts its blood flow. It affects around one in 1,200 live births worldwide and is believed to be the cause of 178 in 10,000 miscarriages. If the bands wrap around a limb, it may become amputated in the womb. If across the face, it can cause clefts. Miscarriages can occur if the band wraps around the umbilical cord. Up to 31.5 per cent of clubfoots are associated with ABS. It can also cause webbed digits, nail deformities and stunted bone growth. ABS occurs randomly and is not genetic or a result of the mothers' actions. Surgery can free babies of such bands in the womb. Procedures can also help to rectify webbed digits, while prosthetics can aid amputations. Source: Amnioticbandsyndrome.com Advertisement

'It is disheartening as it feels like disabled people aren't worthy of marriage.

'With age, I have realised this isn't the case as beauty comes from within.

'I hope people are starting to realise beauty comes in different forms, its not about having a 'perfect' symmetrical face and looking a certain way.'

The bridal store owners Christine Michaels, 46, and sister Andrea, 41 are proud to be the first shop representing disabled women.

Christine said: 'It's such a shame that more bridal shops and designers do not use models that are a little bit different.

'Women getting married do not only look like the models in these magazines.

'We feel that these images should reflect real life and real brides.

'We have a mobility shop next door to us and have always wanted to be an inclusive bridal shop, we have wheelchair access and always cater for any bride as we believe every bride is unique and everyone should be treated special when choosing their wedding dress.'

The shoot represents wheelchair users, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) which is a lifelong invisible illness, mobility and neurological difficulties, alopecia and Down Syndrome.

Models of Diversity - a charity that promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by promoting greater diversity in the fashion, beauty and media industries - worked with the shop to make the shoot happen.

Another model named Ashley Young, 26, who lives in Stratford, East London said: 'As a teenager, I didn't think I would ever get married because I was born without the lower part of my right arm.

'I used to hide my arm as a result of bullying at school which led to low self-esteem.

'I didn't think I'd ever walk down the aisle, but fortunately I met someone who loved me for me.

'When choosing a dress, I realised the industry is lacking representation.

'People look at disabled people and think they won't have a relationship.

Model Amanda Bates, 43, who works in health research, was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, where an unborn baby becomes entangled in fibrous string-like tissue that restricts its blood flow

The shoot represents wheelchair users, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) which is a lifelong invisible illness, mobility and neurological difficulties, alopecia and Down Syndrome. Pictured: Yasmin with a headpiece made of flowers on

'The shoot is an eye-opener and an attempt to stop disabled brides looking weird or awkward.'

Charity founder, Angel Sinclair, said: 'Regardless of the positive and progressive changes the fashion industry has been making lately in terms of diversity and inclusion, we've found the wedding industry still falls short. For too long it has only shown one very mainstream image of what society deems beautiful.

'Our followers were sick of not seeing themselves represented, it damages self-esteem and creates negativity around what should be a joyous time.

'With this stunning campaign, we hope to provide a platform for people with disabilities to become more visible and redefine beauty in bridal.'
A frontline worker has become the first black woman to be crowned Miss Ireland in the competition's 74-year history.

Medical scientist and part-time model Pamela Uba, from Galway, came to Ireland as an asylum seeker from Johannesburg, in South Africa, when she was aged just seven.

The eldest of six siblings, she grew up in direct provision - a system of asylum seeker accommodation used in Ireland - and is now a 'very proud' Irish citizen.

She was crowned the winner of the beauty pageant - which has been running since 1947 - in an outdoor ceremony in Cavan on Sunday night, reported The Irish Times.

But sadly, she has already been trolled over her historic win and took to her Instagram stories yesterday to hit back at 'hurt people trying to hurt people' - after admitting: 'It's sad to say I did expect this type of behaviour'.

Medical scientist and part-time model Pamela Uba (pictured), from Galway, came to Ireland as an asylum seeker from Johannesburg, in South Africa, when she was aged just seven

The eldest of six siblings, Pamela (pictured) grew up in direct provision - a system of asylum seeker accommodation used in Ireland - and is now a 'very proud' Irish citizen

Speaking about her win, she said: 'It means so much to me. I am so grateful I can show girls that colour is not something that holds you back and it doesn't matter where you come from, the world is your oyster.'

Pamela worked on the frontline during the pandemic at Galway University Hospital, observing the inflammatory process in Covid-19 patients to determine how serious the infection was for each person.

When arriving in Ireland as a child, she spent time in centres in Dublin and Athlone, Co Westmeath, before finally settling in Ballyhaunis, in Co Mayo, for a decade with her family.

'I remember thinking it was strange that I couldn't hear gunshot when I arrived,' she admitted, adding: 'I cried when I got my Irish passport.'

The frontline worker (pictured) was crowned the winner of the beauty pageant - which has been running since 1947 - in an outdoor ceremony in Cavan on Sunday night

Pamela (pictured) worked on the frontline during the pandemic at Galway University Hospital, observing the inflammatory process in Covid-19 patients to determine how serious the infection was for each person

Pamela completed her medical-science degree in Galway and has just finished her master's in clinical chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, but is still waiting for her results.

In December, the beauty pageant winner will represent Ireland at the 70th Miss World festival in Puerto Rico.

Pamela, who was crowned Miss Galway in March 2020, aims to use her Miss Ireland title to represent a more diverse Ireland.

Sadly, she has already faced racism and trolling over her wins - but took to Instagram yesterday to hit back at the trolls.

When arriving in Ireland as a child, she spent time in centres in Dublin and Athlone, Co Westmeath, before finally settling in Ballyhaunis, in Co Mayo, for a decade with her family. Pictured, Pamela being crowned the Miss Ireland winner

Pamela (pictured centre right) completed her medical-science degree in Galway and has just finished her master's in clinical chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, but is still waiting for her results

She wrote on a story, which showed some of the negative comments: 'It's sad to say I did expect this type of behaviour. This is just a snippet of hurt people trying to hurt people.

'Well despite this minority of people, the impossible was achieved and will continue to be achieved.

'I am PROUD! I am BLACK! and I AM IRISH! I AM MISS IRELAND,' she passionately added.

The Miss Ireland winner also took to Instagram to celebrate her success, writing: 'It's like a dream come true.

In December, the beauty pageant winner (pictured) will represent Ireland at the 70th Miss World festival in Puerto Rico

Pamela (pictured), who was crowned Miss Galway in March 2020, aims to use her Miss Ireland title to represent a more diverse Ireland

'Words can't even begin to describe how I'm feeling right now, or have been feeling for the past week leading up to the final. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions!

'...It would not have been possible without the continued support from each and everyone of you!

'From my incredible family and their words of encouragement. My amazing friends that have cheered me on from the very start.

Sadly, she has already been trolled over her historic win and took to her Instagram stories yesterday (pictured) to hit back at 'hurt people trying to hurt people' - after admitting: 'It's sad to say I did expect this type of behaviour'

'The fabulous team at @missgalwayorg team, especially my Galway girls for starting this journey with me from the very beginning and teaching me so much about myself as a woman.

'The @missirelandorg team for putting on a glamorous celebration last night, and their amazing organisation and support of all of us contestants throughout the Miss Ireland journey!

'...I hope I can make you all proud as your Miss Ireland 2021 and I can't wait to represent Ireland at the 70th @missworld in Puerto Rico this December.'
A woman has shared the debilitating life she leads due to a rare condition where her body acts as though she has a brain tumour  causing her to slowly go blind and remain bed-bound most days due to exhaustion.

Kim Slater, 30, from Bristol, was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in December 2019, six months after the symptoms began.

Her GP was 'totally confused' by the 'huge list' of symptoms but a CT scan revealed the true cause. The condition occurs when high pressure around the brain causes tumour-like symptoms including vision changes and headaches.

IIH is believed to affect one in 100,000 people, has no known cause and no cure  leaving Kim feeling hopeless.

Kim Slater in April 2019 before her diagnosis. She has been left feeling hopeless after finding out there is no known cure

Kim had migraine-like headaches every day when she was diagnosed which left her dizzy, nauseous and emotionally drained. Pictured: Kim Slater resting at a friends house in November 2019

Kim Slater with her boyfriend Liam who now cares for her full time after she wasdiagnosed with condition that is causing her vision to deteriorate

'When I was diagnosed, I was at my worst  I had migraine-like headaches every day which left me dizzy, nauseous and emotionally drained,' Kim explained.

'The pain was exhausting and I often got confused, couldn't speak properly and would forget things because of brain fog.

'My boyfriend Liam moved in and did almost everything for me, from cooking to cleaning, to even helping me to the bathroom on particularly bad days.'

The rare condition means Kim's body mimics symptoms of a tumour including fluid build-up, which causes headaches, dizziness and fatigue  but no mass comes up on scans.

She initially visited her optician in November 2019 with headache concerns and changes in her vision including blackouts. Pictured: Kim Slater resting in November 2019

Before diagnosis, Kim was also panicked at the thought she may have a deadly tumour with all signs pointing towards the worst-case scenario.

She initially visited her optician in November 2019 with headache concerns and changes in her vision including blackouts.

She was referred to the eye hospital for tests and went the following day, accompanied by mum Liz, who previously worked as a nurse.

Kim said: '[The doctor] told me that he didn't want to worry me so he didn't want to share what he thought the problem was until he knew for sure, but that I would be taken for an emergency CT scan.'

Kim Slater dancing on a day out before her diagnosis. Kim was left feeling deflated after find out IIH has no cure

'My mum and I started the walk up to the hospital in silence until I broke it and said 'they're looking for a brain tumour aren't they?'.

'My mum is a straight-talking lady so answered truthfully that yes, they were but we would deal with whatever happened.'

While they waited for the results, said she and her mum used 'dark humour' to get through the terrifying ordeal  joking about the young girl's funeral.

She said: 'Not knowing what the results would be, I made an effort to think about all the people that were important to me and the things in my life that mattered as I wondered if it would all change after that day.

Kim consulted a new doctor who explained there is a link between obesity and IIH  urging her to lose weight to aid her recovery. Pictured: Kim Slater before her diagnosis in early 2019

Kim, pictured with her mother Liz, worries about her eyesight every day but feels like she's stuck choosing between that or her mental health

'Obviously I felt relieved that it wasn't a tumour, but I felt deflated too.'

'I still didn't have a real answer and in my 10 minutes of research about IIH on the drive home I realised the outcome didn't look great.'

'Academically, there were hardly any papers referencing it and all the anecdotal stories seemed to be tragedies about people losing their eyesight or living in pain forever.'

'I even had moments over the following months when I wished it was a tumour that I could cut out and throw away to get on with my life.'

Due to a long history of eating disorders, the thought of losing weight has caused further issues. Pictured: Kim Slater in 2018 before her diagnosis

'A tumour felt easy to understand, for me and everyone else around me.

'This just felt messy and I didn't know what it would mean for my future.'

Following an MRI and lumbar puncture, which measures the force of fluid coming out and helps determine pressure levels, Kim was given her official diagnosis.

Unfortunately, the condition has heavily affected her vision and since then, her eyesight has deteriorated.

Kim consulted a new doctor who explained there is a link between obesity and IIH  urging her to lose weight to aid her recovery.

Unfortunately, due to a long history of eating disorders, this caused further issues.

She said: 'I consider myself recovered but it's still in the back of my head every day, and it came back with a vengeance when I was stuck in bed and felt worthless.

'I worry about my eyesight every day but I feel like I'm stuck choosing between that or my mental health.'

Now, Kim's options are limited and she may be facing a 'worst case scenario' procedure of having a shunt drain the fluid from her brain to her stomach. Pictured: Kim Slater on the day of her MRI

Liam became her carer when she had to put her career goals on hold and take time out to focus on her health after graduating from university. Pictured: Kim Slater and her boyfriend Liam at her 30th birthday party

'I would rather end up blind than be pushed into suicide by my eating disorder.'

Since then, Kim has largely been left to fend for herself, with family members and her partner stepping in to help look after her.

Liam became her carer when she had to put her career goals on hold and take time out to focus on her health after graduating from university  with Kim even remaining bed-bound for four months.

Luckily, Kim has now found a neuro ophthalmologist and GP who are more considerate of her history, and who treat her without mentioning her weight.

Although she has been prescribed pain medication, in the last month it has stopped working. Pictured: Kim Slater's mum Liz on the day of her diagnosis

Along with the risk of blindness, Kim's chances of a stroke, brain aneurysm, or cardiac event are also increased. Kim Slater in Amsterdam in 2019, just weeks before her diagnosis

Kim is learning to live with it and get support from the IIH community online. Pictured: Kim Slater in hospital in January 2021

Kim is not confident in her doctors  and wonders if they will they refuse to give her treatment because she hasn't lost weight. Pictured: Kim Slater with her dog Poppy

Although she has been prescribed pain medication, in the last month it has stopped working.

WHAT IS IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION? Acute. Symptoms happen suddenly, often because of a head injury or stroke. Chronic. Symptoms develop over time. They may be caused by an underlying health problem. Idiopathic. The cause isnt known. What causes IIH? Birth control pills Certain antibiotics Chemotherapy drugs Steroids Some acne medicines Who is at risk for IIH? Women of childbearing age (20 to 45 years) Overweight people People who have a thyroid condition or chronic kidney failure How is idiopathic intracranial hypertension treated? Losing weight, if needed Limiting fluids or salt in the diet Surgically putting a special tube (shunt) in the brain to drain fluid and ease pressure Having a spinal tap done to remove fluid and reduce pressure Taking medicines, such as water pills (diuretics). These help the body to get rid of extra fluid. Having surgery on the optic nerve to ease pressure and save vision Advertisement

She said: 'The whole experience has left me incredibly cynical about the medical industry and the weight stigma that I've had to go through.'

'I'm scared of going blind but mostly because I don't know how I will function.'

'The actual experience of going blind doesn't scare me as much as you might think  I've always handled whatever is thrown at me.'

'Through years of therapy I have realised that, while some things you can change, you might as well get on board with the things you can't and learnt to accept things the way they are.'

'But [I wonder] how will I relate to the world if I do lose my eyesight? Will I lose my independence? Will I feel even more isolated?'

'The scariest part for me is feeling out of control.'

Now, Kim's options are limited and she may be facing a 'worst case scenario' procedure of having a shunt drain the fluid from her brain to her stomach.

She added: 'I'm not confident in my doctors  will they refuse to give me treatment because I haven't lost weight?

'Day to day I struggle and am in pain every day.

'I still have to fight that voice telling me it's my own fault and if I was skinny I'd be OK.'

Kim rarely sees her friends and spends most weekends in bed, with Liam around to support her, something she's 'eternally grateful' for.

She added: 'I have no idea what my future looks like and I'm very conscious that I may have to give my career up at any point.

'Along with the risk of blindness, my chances of a stroke, brain aneurysm, or cardiac event are also increased.'

'I'm learning to live with it and get support from the IIH community online.'

'It's not easy at all, but all I can do is make the most of today and live in the present without being too hard on myself.'
A couple have insisted that they're happily married despite the husband admitting that he's gay three weeks into dating.

Mormons Nicholas and Jordan Applegate, both 23, are devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints and the pair married in a church ceremony last November, just months after Nicholas confessed that he's attracted to men.

The couple, from Arizona, insist that they have a normal and happy marriage and are even expecting their first baby together next month.

Information systems student Nicholas has chosen to put aside his sexuality in order to stay committed to the church. The pair were school sweethearts who rekindled their romance last year and despite Nicholas confessing his feelings to Jordan, she decided to stand by him.

Nicholas made a brave declaration on Facebook about his sexuality and why he chose to marry Jordan and the post has since racked up almost 12,000 likes, shares and comments.

Nicholas and Jordan Applegate on their wedding day (in different outfits) say they have a 'normal and happy marriage'

The pair revealed they are expecting their first baby together soon, adding they are both 'really happy, with Nicholas saying he 'wouldn't change his decision'

Nicholas says the pair have a lot in common, revealing 'we both love music, we love to sing, watch TV together, go to the movies and go out to eat'

Married couple Nicholas and Jordan Applegate, both 23, are devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints - despite Nicholas being gay

The couple celebrate their wedding day last November just months after Nicholas confessed that he's attracted to men

Nicholas said: 'We're both really happy and I wouldn't change my decision. It's definitely a happy and normal marriage.

'We have a lot in common, we both love music, we love to sing, watch TV together, go to the movies and go out to eat. We communicate very well so it's a very intimate and emotional relationship.

'A lot of people at the church were quite surprised when they found out that I'm gay but they were mainly impressed at the sacrifice I'm making.'

Nicholas and Jordan are expecting their first baby in October and hope to have more children in the future.

Software company worker Jordan added: 'My life has never been better than it has been married to Nick. He is the sweetest man I have ever known, loves me unconditionally, and is the best partner I could have asked for.

'When we started talking about having children, we both got so excited to think that we would be starting our own little family.

'With our baby just two months away, we couldn't be more ecstatic. This is the life we both have prayed for, and it is the one we choose.'

Childhood sweethearts, Nicholas and Jordan, met at high school and rekindled their relationship in March 2020. By August, Nicholas had proposed and the couple were married three months later.

Nicholas says many of his fellow church-goers were 'surprised' to learn he is gay, but 'they were mainly impressed at the sacrifice I'm making'

The extremely religious couple, who are devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints, pray together

Nicholas admits that at one point he genuinely struggled with whether he would be able to remain in - and be an active part of - the church, due to his sexuality

He says he realised he was gay at the age of 12 and admits he was nervous to tell Jordan the truth.

Nicholas said: 'It wasn't a topic that we talked about. I was still really young so it wasn't really a big thing at the time. When I started growing up, I started to realise how it would impact my life but I decided to ignore it.

'In the church, we don't start dating until we're older and we believe in no sexual relations before marriage.

'I decided that before I started dating that I wanted to stay within the church and follow the principles. I was really nervous and I didn't know how Jordan was going to take it.

'She was definitely shocked and wasn't anticipating it but I wanted to make sure that Jordan knew the situation before we went further emotionally.

'After I told her, I asked her to go away and process it on her own rather than in front of me so she went and talked it over with her parents. Then she decided that she was ok with it because she just wanted someone who would commit to her.'

However, he now says that 'at the core of himself', he is not a gay man, but instead is a child of God. He says according to his church, acting on homosexual urges is a sin

Jordan admitted that neither of the couple knew exactly how things would work out - but that they are now happily married and expecting a child

Jordan says she felt lost when she leant Nicholas was gay, and tried to find any stories of others in a similar situation, but she knew it was 'right' to get married

Nicholas says his wife was 'ok' with him being gay because 'she just wanted someone who would commit to her'

The couple say that friends and family support their decision and Nicholas says he's happy to make the sacrifice if it means he can remain part of the church

Jordan added: 'Neither of us knew exactly how things would work.

'I remember feeling lost and trying to find any stories of others in our similar situation but we knew that it was right to get married, despite our opposing sexual orientations.'

The couple say that friends and family support their decision and Nicholas says he's happy to make the sacrifice if it means he can remain part of the church.

Nicolas said: 'My friends and family know that I'm gay and people are quite progressive even if they don't agree with my choice, they are still supportive. Anyone can come to church and participate but if you don't follow the principles, you can't have responsibilities or enter the sacred buildings like the temples.

'If I'd made another choice, I don't think I would have lost friendships but they would have been different and I wouldn't be able to fully participate in the church which means a lot to me.'

In his Facebook post, Nicholas said he was happy to answer any questions people may have about his choices - but asked people for respect and consideration

Nicholas's post read: 'I am a gay man married to a wonderful wife, and I openly support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its doctrines, and its leaders.

'However, at the core of myself, I am not a gay man; I am a child of God, a priesthood holder, a husband, and a father. I am not denying my true self by living the tenets of the Church. I would be denying my true self by not living the gospel and leaving the Church to live a gay lifestyle.

'I saw in my life that as difficult as it might be to be a gay man not living a gay life, it would be more difficult to live a gay life that did not include active and worthy membership in Christ's church.

'The Church has always been clear, in my lifetime anyway, that it is not attraction to men that is sinful, but acting on those desires. I always understood that if I chose to either live a celibate or a heterosexual life, my standing within the Church would never be in question.

'I decided essentially as soon as I realized I was gay that I would follow the law of chastity and not engage in a relationship with a man.'
Princess Charlene of Monaco has sadly missed out on taking her six-year-old twins back to school as she remains in South Africa.

Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella returned to Francois dAssise-Nicolas Barre (FANB), a private Catholic institution on Monday, according to the Monaco Tribune.

They were accompanied by their father Prince Albert, 63, while their mother remains in her native South Africa after being hospitalised due to complications from a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection' she contracted in May.

The former Olympic swimmer, 43, who has not been seen in Monaco since January, was reportedly discharged from hospital on Thursday and returned to the lodge where she has been staying these last several months after contracting the infection.

She is not expected to return to the principality until October after undergoing a 'four-hour operation under general anaesthesia' in August - although it was not made clear whether this was linked to the sinus infection.

Princess Charlene of Monaco has sadly missed out on taking her six-year-old twins back to school as she remains in South Africa. Pictured, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella heading to school, accompanied by their father Prince Albert

They were accompanied by their father Prince Albert, 63, while their mother (pictured together) remains in her native South Africa after being hospitalised due to complications from a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection' she contracted in May

On Monday, after a trip to Ireland with their father, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella joined the 5715 pupils starting their school year at FANB.

Sporting the school's red polo shirts, the twins wore face coverings as they entered the building ahead of their 10am start.

Princess Gabriella, who recently gave herself a haircut, also opted for a black headband for her first day.

Charlene has previously marked her childrens first day of school with photographs of their backpacks and of her twins hugging.

However, the proud mother-of-two had to miss out on the day while she stays in South Africa to recover from her procedure.

Sporting the school's red polo shirts, the twins (pictured) wore face coverings as they entered the building ahead of their 10am start

Princess Gabriella, who recently gave herself a haircut, also opted for a black headband for her first day (pictured)

Charlene was in a stable condition Friday after being admitted to a hospital in the port city of Durban in the southeastern KwaZulu-Natal province on Wednesday night under an alias, after suddenly 'collapsing'.

'Her Serene Highness (HSH) Princess Charlene of Monaco was rushed to hospital by ambulance late Wednesday night after collapsing due to complications from the severe ear, nose, and throat infection she contracted in May,' her foundation said in a statement.

'The Princess' medical team is currently evaluating her but have confirmed that the Princess is stable,' it said.

Chantell Wittstock, director of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, later said that 'she has been released. She was released this morning'. 'Doctors are still establishing exactly what happened,' she said.

Charlene, 43, who was last seen in Monaco in January, shared professional photographs of a reunion with her family on Instagram last month (pictured)

Albert's office said in a statement that the princess was 'being very closely monitored by her medical team who have affirmed that her condition is reassuring.'

The Zimbabwean-born princess underwent surgery in August, but few details have been publicly released.

How Charlene and Albert made solo outings in South Africa and Monaco during seven months apart January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May 8 - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend a Grand Prix event in Monaco without Charlene May 10 - Albert attends Monaco Gala Awards in Monaco without Charlene May 18 - Charlene shares her first picture from her conservation trip in South Africa June 1 - Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend event at Oceanic Museum in Monaco June 3 - New photos emerge of Charlene on her conservation trip June 5- Charlene puts on a united front as she shares a photo with her family to mark her niece's fifth birthday with her brother's family and Albert and the twins in South Africa June 7 - Albert and the twins attend the World Rugby Sevens without Charlene June 17 - Prince Albert attends Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo with his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover June 18 - Prince Albert appears alone Monte Carlo TV Festival June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection July 2 - Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately. 'This year will be the first time that I'm not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,' Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement. July 3 - Albert appears with glamorous niece Charlotte Casiraghi at the 15th international Monte-Carlo Jumping event, which is part of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco, July 27 - Prince Albert attends Olympics alone in Tokyo August 13 - Charlene undergoes a four-hour operation. The reason is not announced August 25 - Charlene shares photos of Prince Albert, Gabriella and Jacques visiting her in South Africa August 31 - Speculation mounts in the media about couple's relationship Advertisement

Her latest health scare was 'part of the recovery,' Wittstock said. 'She has been in a lot of pain.'

Charlene and Albert reunited last month for the first time in months after the monarch and their children flew to South Africa, but photographs of the pair embracing were branded 'awkward' by a body language expert.

In recent weeks, lifestyle magazines across Europe have speculated feverishly that the royal couple could be headed for divorce. French magazine Madame Figaro stated the images 'failed to convince the Monegasques' amid reports Charlene is looking for a house in Johannesburg.

According to The Telegraph, the magazine asked: 'How long can she remain away from her children, her duties?'

'How long will the fight against rhinoceros poaching remain the Princess of Monaco's top priority?

'How long will Albert II of Monaco go on bearing this affront, which is becoming ridiculous?'

Historian Philippe Delorme said that 'lots of people got the impression it was an arranged marriage' between Charlene and Albert, adding: 'Albert chose a wife who resembled his mother, and Charlene clearly felt very ill at ease in this Grace Kelly role they wanted her to play'

The mounting speculation about the couple's marriage comes after Charlene shared professional photographs of her reunion with Prince Albert online, saying she was 'thrilled' to have her family back.

She shared a series of photos cuddled up with her kids in South Africa with the caption: 'I am so thrilled to have my family back with me (Gabriella decided to give herself a haircut!!!) Sorry my Bella I tried my best to fix it,' referring to her daughter's choppy fringe.

However a body language expert told FEMAIL Charlene showed 'no emotional bond' towards her husband Prince Albert in the images.

Judi James said that rather than being the loved-up reunion photo one would expect of a couple surrounded by split rumours, the royals' poses suggested 'no signs of connection between awkward-looking Albert and Charlene'.

Charlene has been in South Africa since at least March, with media reports suggesting she is looking for a house there.

The prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have been in a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005.

The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met in 2000.

However, Charlene has publicly supported her husband, and the palace have reiterated she is only in South Africa because she's unable to fly.

On August 13, the Monaco palace released a statement saying Charlene was to undergo surgery.

It read: 'Princess Charlene will undergo an operation today, Friday, August 13, for four hours under general anaesthesia.'

The princess will not return to Monaco until at least the end of October.

Princess Charlene, who has been well enough to conduct interviews from South Africa and has been seen out and about, has used the time to promote her anti-poaching initiative, Chasing Zero.

Charlene's last formal engagement was on January 27 when she joined Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monte Carlo. She has not been seen at home since.

Instead she has been keeping followers updated through social media posts and media interviews, in which she has spoken candidly about missing her children and described her husband as 'her rock'.

Mummy's boy: Princess Charlene poses with her son Jacques, who is heir to the Monaco throne. She said she was delighted to be back with her family. The family were last together at the start of June, when Albert and the children flew out to South Africa to be with Charlene

Play time! Twins Jacques and Gabriella climb a tree in one of the photos shared on Instagram

Speaking to South Africa Radio 702's host Mandy Wiener, the royal said: '[It's] very frustrating, terribly frustrating. I can't wait to get back to them, I can't wait to see my children.'

Charlene revealed: 'It's the longest period I've actually been away from Europe, let alone my children, but I'm FaceTiming them most days and they've been here and will be returning to see me again after my procedure.

'It's an amazing opportunity [to be here] but I'm very sad I can't be with my children this summer in Europe.'

She added that she was initially only supposed to be in her native South Africa for ten to 12 days for a conservation trip with her Princess Charlene of Monaco foundation.

However, the royal had a problem 'equalising her ears' and was told by a doctor that she was suffering from a serious sinus infection.

'It's taken time to address the problem that I'm having,' explained Charlene. 'I cannot go into full detail, but I cannot force healing so I will be grounded in South Africa until the end of October.

Photographs of the royal couple embracing were branded 'awkward' by body language expert Judi James

Charlene's (pictured with her family) last formal engagement was on January 27 when she joined Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monte Carlo. She has not been seen at home since

'The reason being I cannot fly above 3,000 metres otherwise I'll have a problem with my ears.

'I feel well, I feel good, it's just obviously a waiting game for me, but I've had a great opportunity to understand a little bit more about South Africa, the environment, the needs and it's been wonderful to be back in South Africa, and I think at this time it's crucial that people are aware of certain things via my foundation.'

Charlene joined the video interview from bush country in the KwaZulu-Natal region.

She has also shared videos released by the Monaco royal palace to mark her and Albert's 10th wedding anniversary, which took place in July. The couple spent the milestone thousands of miles apart.

But royal sources have suggested the princess has 'no plans' to return soon.

A palace source told Paris Match: 'The Princess has, for the time being, in reality, no intention of returning.'

Last Monaco outing together: Charlene and Albert were last pictured together at an official event together in January at the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. Albert has made a few visits to South Africa since

Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding. She was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011 (pictured)

The separation is also affecting Charlene's relationship with the people of Monaco.

Stephane Bearn uses an impeccably sourced piece in the latest Paris Match to discuss the torturous separation.

He describes subjects in Monaco becoming increasingly angry about their runaway Princess, as they criticise everything from Charlene's mood swings to her appearance.

Princess Charlene's trials and tribulations in the Monaco royal family 1987 - Bea Fiedler, a German topless model, claims her son Daniel was the prince's son. 1992 - An American national files a paternity lawsuit against the Prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, Jazmin Grace. 2000 - Princess Charlene meets Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo 2005 - In May, a former flight attendant claims that her youngest son, whom she named Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, was Prince Albert's child. She states that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. On 6 July, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirms via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son. 2006 - After a DNA test confirmed the child's parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin Grace's father. 2010 - Princess Charlene and Prince Albert announce their engagement 2011 - Princess Charlene was said to have bolted two days before the royal wedding after hearing Prince Albert had a third love child during their relationship. It was alleged that Charlene tried to flee home to South Africa three times before her 'arranged marriage', at one point taking refuge inside her country's embassy in Paris. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride that she provide him with a legitimate heir. After that she would be free to leave of her own free will. During the wedding, Charlene was in floods of tears, while her husband looked on impassively. Later in the year, Princess Charlene confessed she felt 'very lonely' in Monaco 2012 - Princess Charlene was reported to be 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. 2014 - Pregnancy was announced in May. In December Charlene gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. 2017 - Princess Charlene visits Africa, tells media: 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. It's in my heart and in my veins.' 2019 - In a rare interview, Princess Charlene confessed it is 'sometimes hard to smile' and said the year had been 'very painful'In another interview, she said she found motherhood 'exhausting' 2020 - Charlene debuts a shocking half-shaved hairstyle. It is announced Prince Albert of Monaco will appear in court in the new year to fight explosive claims he fathered a third love child with a secret girlfriend before marrying his now wife Princess Charlene. 2021 - January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. It is the last time she has been seen in Monaco this year. Advertisement

'In Monaco, since the departure of Charlene, tongues have loosened,' Mr Bearn writes. 'In the whirlwind of a hard-nosed court, her fine shine is rubbing off. Her sad looks are regarded as haggard.

'Disappointed Monegasques talk about her anger, her whimsical moods, which are as changeable as her hair.'

He added: 'The Palace had to invoke a suffering Princess so often that the Monegasques today find it hard to believe. By crying wolf, the mother of Jacques and Gabriella would have discredited and isolated herself.'

During her trip, Charlene also debuted a dramatic new shaved hairstyle.

She showcased the 'French crop' hairdo - featuring a longer strip on top of the head and dramatically shaved back and sides - in snaps shared on her charity's Instagram page in late May.

The royal first stepped out with a dramatic half-shaved head in December 2020 but has since gone even shorter and bolder with the cut.

Charlene and Albert's marriage has been plagued with rumours from the start.

The couple met at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo in 2000, announced their engagement in 2010.

Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding after discovering Albert had allegedly fathered a love child - his third - while they were together.

Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride, saying she could leave once she had provided him with a legitimate heir.

One source said at the time: 'Charlene will provide an heir, then if things don't go well, she will receive a generous divorce settlement once she's served a decent amount of time.'

Charlene was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011.

Just one year after their wedding, it was reported that Charlene was 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir.

Her pregnancy was announced in May 2014, and in December that year she gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques.

In the 10 years since, Charlene has rarely spoken publicly of her experience.

In 2017, the Princess made an emotional return to Africa, where she spoke about how much the continent means to her.

'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. Its in my heart and in my veins,' she told Eyewitness News.

Last year she admitted life was 'very painful', saying: 'I have the privilege of having this life, but I miss my family and my friends in South Africa and I'm often sad because I cannot always be there for them.'

It's been a tumultuous start to the year for the royal, after news emerged that her husband is facing a paternity suit over a love child born in the early years of their relationship.

The 34-year-old claimant  who cannot be named for legal reasons  says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter  whose name is also classified  on July 4, 2005.

Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 15, in September last year reading: I don't understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don't want to see me.

Legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test  just as he did before finally being identified as the father of two illegitimate children born in the 1990s and early 2000s.

In January, Charlene spoke publicly for the first time since the allegations, telling Point de Vue: 'When my husband has problems, he tells me about it. I often tell him, "No matter what, no matter what, I'm a thousand percent behind you. I'll stand by you whatever you do, in good times or in bad."

The mother-of-two went on to say she also often tells her husband she will 'protect him' and will 'always be by his side.'

Charlene, who was raised in South Africa and represented the country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, travelled to Thanda Safari in KwaZulu-Natal in January to learn more about being done by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa to help save rhinos from poachers.

The princess took part in conservation operations including rhino monitoring and tracking, deployment with the Anti-Poaching Unit, educational wildlife photography sessions, and a White Rhino dart and dehorning exercise.
A British grandmother who married her Egyptian toyboy lover 46 years her junior has revealed the unlikely couple enjoy 'doggy-style' sex because she has 'thin skin' which easily breaks and the position stops her from ending up in A&E after love-making.

Iris Jones, who is celebrating her 82nd birthday today, appeared on ITV's This Morning to discuss how she hasn't seen her husband Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham, 36, in nine months because visa delays means he's stuck in Egypt and can't join his wife at her home in Weston-super-Mare.

The grandmother first hit the spotlight last year when she went on the programme to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life.

Iris made hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield blush after admitting that their first night of passion, which included an 'entire tube of KY jelly', left Iris 'saddle sore'.

And today, Iris was back to her usual candour as she told Holly and Phil: 'My skin is very thin. It's like tissue. Mohamed has to be careful when he gets hold on me, because he rips my skin.

A British grandmother who married her Egyptian toyboy lover 46 years her junior has revealed the unlikely couple enjoy 'doggy-style' sex because she has 'thin skin' which easily breaks and the position stops her from ending up in A&E after love-making.

Iris Jones, who is celebrating her 82nd birthday today, appeared on ITV's This Morning to discuss how she hasn't seen her husband Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham, 36, in nine months because visa delays means he's stuck in Egypt and can't join his wife at her home in Weston-super-Mare. She is pictured with Mohamed

'The skin on my legs is very very thin. When it comes to making love it can be painful. I can end up at the A&E with skin rips.

'But we've solved that problem as we do it doggy-fashion. Love hurts.'.

Giggling with Holly host Phillip added: 'Love finds a way'.

'It does,' Iris replied, before explaining: 'My boys have come to accept it but they won't call him daddy'.

Iris, a former cleaner who claims pension and disability benefits, also said that she's 'on edge' because she's 'missing her husband all the time'.

'I'm on edge, I'm missing him all the time, we're a married couple but we're not together, it's alien,' she went on.

Iris previously revealed fears she may never see the love of her life again in person because he is struggling to secure a spousal visa for the UK due to red tape.

The grandmother first hit the spotlight last year when she went on the programme to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life. And today, Iris was back to her usual candour as she told Holly and Phil: 'My skin is very thin. It's like tissue' leaving them giggling

Mohammed also video message to the show, where he said: 'Happy birthday my wife, I miss you'.

She believes she can't go back to Egypt because the environment is ill-suited to her health, adding it is 'too hot and dusty'.

'It was the most heartbreaking farewell ever, we were pulled apart. It's been nine months of waiting and waiting,' she went on.

Describing why she can't live in Egypt, Iris added: 'I've got health issues and I need the NHS - they're keeping me alive.

'Egypt has a basic health service, we've got the best in the world'.

Iris also said that she's tried to FaceTime her partner but 'ended up in tears' because seeing him was 'too upsetting'.

Mohammed also video message to the show, where he said: 'Happy birthday my wife, I miss you'.

Viewers were left giggling at Iris, saying that she was 'a legend' and they were jealous of her sex life.

Iris (pictured today) previously revealed fears she may never see the love of her life again in person because he is struggling to secure a spousal visa for the UK due to red tape

Viewers were left giggling at Iris, saying that she was 'a legend' and they were jealous of her sex life

Iris has previously confessed to spending her days 'crying all the time' because she misses her partner.

Speaking to Metro earlier this year, the distraught grandmother said she had no idea when her husband would be able to join her in Britain,

She explained: 'I'm separated from someone I love, it's so hard. I haven't got time on my side, his lawyers know that. I've had to go over there three times and come back without him.'

The Home Office told This Morning they should have a decision on Mohammed's visa by November 4th.

Meanwhile, the pensioner also revealed she was 'skint' after previous trips to the country, having spent 50 per day on accommodation.

Iris explained: 'I haven't got age on my side. I could drop dead tomorrow. Every day is precious. It's bloody awful being apart.'

It comes months after she appeared on This Morning to discuss her marriage to her Egyptian toyboy.

Holly and Phil were left giggling at Iris's candour who after she revealed she liked 'doggy-style'

Iris previously revealed fears she may never see the love of her life again in person because he is struggling to secure a spousal visa for the UK due to red tape

It comes months after she appeared on This Morning to discuss her marriage to her Egyptian toyboy

At the time, she sent a call for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to let Mohamed come to the UK, where he would be an 'asset' to the economy.

The couple recounted how they tied the knot and celebrated during their segment, with Iris saying: 'It was third time lucky for us.'

The couple did not go through a traditional wedding, but signed paper written in Arabic to make things official.

'It was an exchange of documents. We had to sign several documents for the signature,' she said. 'After that, the document was handed to us, one for Mohamed and one for me, all in Arabic, I don't know what it says at all.

'It might say that I'm completely under his thumb, but if that's the case, I'm not,' she added.

The couple then revealed they had not celebrated their union with a reception, but had instead gone to their local KFC, because they enjoyed the food and Iris had a Coca Cola.

Iris was a bit more tongue-tied about their bedroom antics after Holly asked: 'How was the wedding night, dare I ask.'

'Just the same as the first night, just it wasn't so difficult this time,' Iris said. Meanwhile, Mohamed shared how he felt about his union with Iris, saying: 'My feel is very good, we have in the past difficulties.'

Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham swept Iris from Weston-super-Mare, off her feet when they met on Facebook in 2019 and she soon flew to Egypt to be with him before marrying each other in November 2020. They are pictured in Egypt

He added he was worried for Iris due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that it did not matter to him whether the couple stayed in Egypt or went to the UK.

The couple made hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield blush earlier this year after admitting that their first night of passion, which included an 'entire tube of KY jelly', left Iris 'saddle sore'.

Iris first struck up a conversation with Cairo native Mohamed in summer 2019 on a Facebook group exploring atheism.

He initially declared love for her through social media and then said his feelings were confirmed when he saw Iris for the first time at Cairo airport that November.

Speaking to MailOnline earlier this year, he recalled: 'I was very nervous but the moment I laid eyes on her I knew that it was true love. I'm a very lucky man to have found a woman like this.'

Mohamed worked as welding inspector but gave up his job to spend time with Iris when she came to Cairo.

The couple's relationship hit the spotlight last year when Iris went on ITV's This Morning to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life. The couple are pictured

He lives in a three-room house with his parents plus two sisters and a brother who are all younger than him, but vehemently denied he was with Iris for her money or a passport to Britain.

Iris, a former cleaner, lives in a 220,000 bungalow and gets by on a 200-a-week pension and disability benefit.

Mohamed said: 'I don't care where we live or how rich or poor she is, I just want to be with Iris. At the end of the day, which country she wants to make her home is her choice; it can be either Britain or Egypt.

'People think I am with her for all the wrong reasons. I know Britain is a beautiful country and a lot of people want to go there but I'm not bothered. I'm prepared to live with her anywhere in the world.'

Mohamed revealed that during her visit to Egypt he took Iris home for dinner, where she spent time with his mother.

'My mother really liked Iris and they got on well even though there was a language problem. But my mother said to me that if I'm happy, then she's happy. That's all any mother wants; for her son to be with a woman he really loves.'
Queen Letizia of Spain put safety first with a mask as she headed to a school to mark the beginning of the new term.

The former journalist, 48, headed to the Odon de Buen in Zuera to mark the start of the Spanish academic year.

The mother-of-two looked effortlessly elegant for the visit, donning a crisp white plunge shirt by Adolfo Dominguez with buttoned navy Hugo Boss trousers as well as a medical grade face mask.

Her visit comes weeks after she said goodbye to her own eldest daughter, Princess Leonor, as she headed off for her first term at her new boarding school in Wales.

Queen Letizia of Spain, 48, put safety first with a mask as she headed to a school to mark the beginning of the new term today

The former journalist headed to the Odon de Buen in Zuera to mark the start of the Spanish academic year where she could be seen chatting to students

The mother-of-two looked effortlessly elegant for the visit, donning a crisp white plunge shirt by Adolfo Dominguez

The mother-of-two was joined on her visit by the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegria, the President of Aragon, Javier Lamban, and the mayor of the municipality, Luis Zubieta.

The monarch accessorised the outfit with matching navy espadrille wedges by brand Castaner and simple gold bamboo canes earrings to round off the stunning ensemble.

Wearing a simple white mask that didn't distract from her outfit, Queen Letizia also wore a single gold Karen Hallam ring on one hand.

During the school visit, the Spanish royal was welcomed by a cheering crowd of well-wishers who she waved and smiled to in return.

Queen Letizia could be seen waving and smiling at crowds of royal fans who were waiting outside the school to greet her

The mother-of-two paired her buttoned navy Hugo Boss trousers with matching espadrille wedge heels

Wearing a simple white mask that didn't distract from her outfit, Queen Letizia also wore a single gold Karen Hallam ring on one hand

Students clambered aboard a wooden ship in the playground in order to get closer to Queen Letizia and hear what she had to say

The Odon de Buen school is a publicly owned Early Childhood and Primary Education Center that has a focus on bilingual teaching for all students through an ERASMUS programme.





While attending Odon de Buen, Queen Letizia chatted happily with students from the school as they crowded round her and showed her their playground.

She looked relaxed and in high spirit during the event which saw her meet the school staff.

Before the monarch made her visit the town's mayor, Luis Zubieta, said, '[We all] have the responsibility to strengthen a quality education that contributes to the formation of our boys and girls as future members of a responsible, critical citizenry, democratic and free.'

The mother-of-two was joined on her visit by the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegria, the President of Aragon, Javier Lamban, and the mayor of the municipality, Luis Zubieta

The Spanish royal appeared to listen intently as young students of the Odon de Buen school spoke with her on the first day of term

'Odon de Buen [himself], a native of this town and considered the founder of Spanish oceanography will continue to inspire new generations. '

The school prides itself on that fact that immigrant students represent 25% of the total student body.

It's considered a 'national benchmark' due to its modern facilities, which the Government of Aragon and the Zuera City Council teamed together to make possible, with the help of local educators.

Queen Letizia's visit comes after her own daughter, HRH Princess Leonor of Asturias, the future Queen of Spain, made her way to Wales to attend the boarding school, UWC Atlantic College.

She later joined the group in another area of the playground, where they could be seen posing for a picture

During one stage of the visit, Queen Letizia leant down to speak directly to one young student at the school

The heir to the Spanish throne Leonor, 15, has been enrolled on a 67,000, two-year course to study for her International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College.

UWC Atlantic College has a proven track record educating royalty. King Willem-Alexander studied there in the Eighties and Belgian heir to the throne Elisabeth graduated last year.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain dropped Leonor off at Madrid's Adolfo Suarez Barajas Airport last month, hugging her before she made her way to her departure gate.

Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, 16, the second eldest child of the King and Queen of the Netherlands, is also attending the school this year.
Rail passengers who sign up to a new service to get personalised updates on their journey from National Rail via WhatsApp will be offered free drink and snacks on their trip.

Anyone using the travel provider's 'Alert Me' service between now and October can opt-in to receive rewards such as a free cup of coffee from train station retailers during their journey.

The initiative is part of a retail pilot that rewards customers for travelling by train, as well as taking an alternative service if their chosen train is predicted to be busy or if they experience a delay.

Until October, those travelling through Wigan, Preston, London, Glasgow, Swindon, Manchester, and Havant, could bag themselves a free drink or snack if they plan their journey using National Rail's Alert Me by Messenger or WhatsApp service.

Rail passengers who sign up to a new service to get personalised updates on their journey from National Rail via WhatsApp will be offered free drink and snacks on their trip. Stock image

The service, which can be accessed via National Rail Enquiries website, is free to use and updates passengers about their journeys. Including information on busy services and alternative routes.

Passengers will receive vouchers via QR code for redeemable rewards at a variety of retailers, including Whistlestop, Camden Food Co and Upper Crust, within select UK train stations nationwide.

The unique technology powering the pilot scheme has been developed by British company Zipabout and matches the reward offers to retailers at specific stations without using any location tracking or third-party data sharing.

For instance, users who choose to travel on a quieter service from Brighton to London Victoria station will be sent a 'thank you' message and could be offered a free breakfast roll at Upper Crust.

What is National Rail's 'Alert Me' service? Alert Me is a unique, personalised, disruption messaging tool brought to you via either Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. National Rail provides customers with real-time, personalised information in times of disruption or if social distancing on their chosen services is predicted to be difficult. This is part of the rail industrys commitment to put customers in control of their journeys and help provide a better experience so they can travel with confidence. Customers can sign up to Alert Me by either Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp via the Keep Me Updated buttons on the National Rail website. These buttons will appear when searching for a journey on the live departure boards or when looking in the details of a service within the journey planner. Customers who sign up will be sent tailored information about their journey including details of alternative trains should their next or planned service be cancelled or delayed, or when social distancing is predicted to be difficult. Alternative services by the same Operator will be provided (when available) and alternative journeys on other Operators may also be shown when possible. Please check that your ticket is valid before boarding alternative services. Advertisement

As they arrive at Victoria station, they will receive a unique QR code and directions to the store where they will have up to one hour to redeem it.

The pilot is running until October across 10 stations throughout the UK, including: Wigan Northwestern, Swindon, Preston, Manchester Piccadilly, Havant, Glasgow Central, London Victoria, London Waterloo, London Paddington, and London Euston. The participating retailers, all owned by SSP, include Whistlestop, Camden, Pasty Shop, Pumpkin and Upper Crust.

Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), the company that manages National Rail on behalf of the rail industry, told FEMAIL: 'We're delighted to be working with Zipabout and various retailers to identify ways to improve passenger experience when our customers travel by train.

'The National Rail Alert Me by Messenger and WhatsApp services provide customers with the latest personalised travel information including busyness alerts to help customers travel with confidence.'

Mark Smith, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at SSP, added: 'We're excited to be partnering with Zipabout and EagleEye to offer a number of promotions on a range of delicious food and drink from participating units at major rail stations across the UK.

'This innovative, digitally enabled voucher service is a great way to bring customers into our brands, and we hope it will encourage more people to get back onto the rail network.'

Alex Froom, Chief Executive of Zipabout, added: 'It's great to see Zipabout's new Loyalty and Rewards feature being used by transport operators to improve customer experience and loyalty, and drive growth.

'By connecting them with brands and retailers, we're empowering them to reward and incentivise sustainable travel and help kickstart a green-led economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.'
A new meat-free burger at McDonald's called the McPlant will be available at select stores later on this month.

McDonalds UK & Ireland has announced a trial for its first ever plant-based burger, which features a patty designed to recreate the flavour and texture of beef, will begin from September 29.

The new sandwich will be available initially in 10 restaurants in Coventry followed by a further 250 stores from October before being rolled out nationwide from January.

The new burger is being produced under a partnership with the US firm Beyond Meat, which has previously developed a plant-based patty made from yellow peas, coconut, potato and beetroot juice.

McDonalds UK & Ireland has announced a trial for its first ever plant-based burger, (pictured) which features a patty designed to recreate the flavour and texture of beef, will begin from September 29th

The McPlant is the first in a range of vegetable-based products including alternatives to the chain's chicken nuggets and breakfast sausage muffins.

Vegan products will cooked separately from meat-based items using dedicated utensils.

McDonalds UK & Ireland spent three years on research and development before unveiling their plant-based offering - which was developed with LA-based firm Beyond Meat.

Michelle Graham-Clare, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald's UK and Ireland said: 'We're so pleased to be finally launching McPlant in the UK and Ireland.

The McPlant burger includes vegan cheese made with pea protein, a vegan sesame bun, mustard, ketchup, vegan sauce, fresh onion, pickles, lettuce and tomato

'As with every McDonald's offering, we take our time to ensure it meets the highest standards and is something that all our customers will enjoy.

'We are always looking for different ways to innovate and meet our customers' needs, and with McPlant we have a delicious plant-based burger that will appeal to everyone.

'Whether you're vegan or just fancy a plant-based patty, we're confident you will enjoy the McPlant.'

The McPlant is aimed at so-called flexitarians  those who follow a semi-vegetarian lifestyle  rather than vegans.

A version that recently went on sale in Austria includes dairy cheese and egg-based mayonnaise, and is also cooked on the same grill as meat.

McDonalds UK & Ireland spent three years on research and development before unveiling their plant-based offering - which was developed with LA-based firm Beyond Meat

Francesca DeBiase, of McDonald's, said the McPlant, 'is all about giving customers more choices.

She added: 'We're excited to work with Beyond Meat to drive innovation and this is an important step on our journey to bring high-quality, plant-based menu items to our customers.'

Ethan Brown, of Beyond Meat, said the deal with McDonald's was 'an exciting milestone' for the firm.

'We will combine the power of Beyond Meat's relentless approach to innovation with the strength of McDonald's global brand to introduce new plant-based menu items,' he added.
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A master carpenter has realised his dream of building an incredible Grand Designs triangular house on a half-acre land he bought for 160,000 hemmed in by mainline railway and busy road.

Olaf and Fritha, from West Sussex, appeared on the Channel 4 programme last night as they set out to build forever three-bedroom home on the piece of scrap land.

But the couple immediately faced near catastrophic problems after buying the land when they discovered a mainland sewer was running through the centre of the space.

There had to be a three metre distance between the sewer line and any foundations, meaning the buildable area on the scrap of land was halved.

Olaf said: 'The sewer has dictated the shape of the building. Seeing as it's impossible to move, we've had to work with it. We're stuck with it. We've paid the money, so we're screwed.'

And months after they finally started the build in early 2020, the couple admitted they were struggling to stay within their 190,000 budget and had been forced to apply for a new larger mortgage to finance the project.

But viewers were totally won over by the house's final look, saying the 'stunning' home was 'divine,' and their favourite Grand Designs house ever.

Olaf and Fritha, from West Sussex, revealed their dream of building an incredible Grand Designs triangular house on a half-acre land they bought for 160,000 hemmed in by mainline railway and busy road - but struggled to control their budget

The couple dreamed of creating a unique and modern forever family home with a three bedrooms in which they hoped to raise children (pictured, their guest room)

During their appearance on the programme, the couple also underwent IVF treatment in order to have a baby (pictured, the nursery)

Olaf and Fritha, who met on Tinder, said they 'didn't want to follow the paths of others', as she revealed: 'By the third date, I was totally head over heels.'

Fritha ran an ethical business importing fabrics from India, while Olaf was a carpenter specialising in precise high end interiors.

Kevin McCloud met with master carpenter Olaf, who was facing the biggest challenge of his career - creating an oasis for himself and partner Fritha on a small slice of land in West Sussex, which happened to be surrounded by a mainline railway and a busy A-road.

Not only that, but half of the plot couldn't even be built on due an underground mains sewer. All they were left with was a very small triangle on which to build their future life together.

An aerial shot shows how close Olaf and Fritha's half-acre land they paid 160,000 for was hemmed in by a main railway line and a busy A-road

The side of the house during construction, before the windows were put in. Financing the house was a challenge for Olaf and Fritha

The triangular roof after it was covered in cladding and the solar panels that would be used to power the house. Building the house around a sewer was the biggest challenge for Olaf

The house mid-construction. The project slowed down in September 2020 due to financial woes. The bank didn't agree to a new mortgage halfway through

Olaf and Fritha were determined to create a simplistic yet stunning home, but due to the unique triangular shape of the property, were forced to create much of their furniture from scratch (pictured, Fritha's study)

Meanwhile the outside area featured a stunning sunken sofa as well as a huge decking space which the couple said they hoped to host parties on

Fritha said: 'People walk past all the time and say, "Hey you realise you've bought a plot of land you actually can't build on because there's a sewer in the middle."

In early 2020, Olaf and Fritha began clearing the site but uncovered even more underground surprises, like a defunct septic tank.

Olaf said: 'I have been thinking of building my own house for 20 plus years. The biggest challenge is the sewer. We can't build over it.'

He said he was planning to build the majority of the house himself, with Fritha adding: 'We can do whatever we want here.'

The master carpenter worked tirelessly, and almost single handedly, for 15 months in order to complete the build for his family (pictured, one of the bedrooms)

Olaf planned to build a meaty handbuild timber frame to support two upper floors with 17 triple glazed windows which would work to keep out noise as well as vibrations from the traffic.

The roof would be covered in solar panels while the building would be clad in sleek black brickwork and timber.

The ground floor would also house an open kitchen living space with a triangular snug.

Meanwhile an acutely angled first floor would squeeze in a study, a bathroom and two bedrooms. Upstairs there would be a master suite with a bathroom.

The acutely angled first floor squeezed in a study, a bathroom and two bedrooms (pictured, the colourful nursery)

And outside, the space would also work hard, with an outdoor kitchen and a huge circular firepit.

But early on they confessed they hadn't drawn up any plans for a budget, Fritha saying: 'Making this land buildable has cost us a fortune.'

The couple wanted to finish the project in 12 months and Olaf asked for the help of a close colleague to help get started on the project.

They also hoped to start a family, and had been trying for a child for over two years. During the build, they stayed with Fritha's parents in Guildford and started IVF.

Speaking about their hope to get pregnant, Olaf said: 'This is what we have been working for for years basically.'

Months after they finally started the build in early 2020, the couple admitted they were struggling to stay within their 190,000 budget and had been forced to apply for a new larger mortgage to finance the project

Meanwhile Fritha said: 'We've had one pregnancy and it ended up in miscarriage.'

Olaf added: 'Building a house, you can control it to a degree. But this is completely uncontrollable. So there is an air of uncertainty which is quite daunting.'

Early the next morning, the couple travelled into central London for some egg harvesting. But there was still a major bump in the road to their future happiness - the issue of money.

Olaf said: 'There was quite a tremendous overspend on the groundworks. It was unforeseen circumstances. It's going to go over by about 50,000.'

The couple said they hoped to spend a large amount of time outside on the site because of the small size of the building itself

Fritha said: 'We will run out of money and then we'll be in a situation where we will need to beg and borrow more.'

After taking a pregnancy test in a portaloo on site, the couple learned they were pregnant on camera.

Fritha could hardly contain her delight, admitting: 'Getting a positive pregnancy test is huge for us.'

By the following month, Kevin returned to the site and saw the spaces inside had become enclosed.

However in September 2020, Olaf's financial problems caught up with them. He was forced to return to his paid work to cover the costs of the site, and the building project slowed down.

Olaf and Fritha met on Tinder and said they 'didn't want to follow the paths of others', as she revealed: 'By the third date, I was totally head over heels'

He asked friends to work on the site instead, admitting: 'It's extremely important to have friends here that understand me and understand my needs and I get on with.'

By October, there was no news about expanding his mortgage and funds quickly began to dwindle.

When Olaf was not at work, he worked tirelessly on his house to keep it warm, but also silent.

He said: 'Because of the railway and the road, sound needs to be eradicated. The amount of material in the makeup of the wall will pretty much annihilate any sound coming through.'

The couple invested 30,000 of their budget into glass windows for the house - however there was a hiccup. A number of the window's handles had been installed on the wrong side.

When Olaf was not at work, he worked tirelessly on his house to keep it warm but also silent by soundproofing the property from the busy traffic and mainline railway

The building was small but every detail was precise, and cleverly designed. The couple even made each step of their staircase into a storage space

Olaf said: 'When I saw all the windows and the handles were on the wrong way, I lost it a bit.

'Out of the 17 windows, nine of them are on the wrong side. It's impossible to live with.'

Already on the brink financially, for Olaf the perfectionist, it could prove be an expensive issue to put right.

Olaf said: 'It does take it out of you. If we had money I'd sleep. I'm sure rich people sleep.'

And if the bank didn't agree the new mortgage of 240,000 in the next fortnight, the project would come to a grinding halt.

However, Olaf didn't give up, and when the house was revealed at the end of the show, boasting slick edges and plenty of light, viewers were sold.

Some even called them their favourite Grand Designs house ever, while others tempered they were not convinced by the outside of the house, but loved the inside.

Viewers said they loved the final look of the project and the 'workmanship, skills and vision' of Olaf, calling the house one of the best Grand Designs projects to date

'Absolutely love this build, superb design and Olaf has the skill to pull it off completely. What a lovely couple too, they deserve all the plaudits and a beautiful baby to top it off,' one said.

'Absolutely stunning. One of my favourite ones ever. Well done Olaf,' another raved.

'Incredible build, one of my favourite GDs ever, sublime vision, skill and execution. I just wish we could break the almost universal use of Kingspan insulation,' one wrote.

'The workmanship, skills and vision Olaf had for this project was just devine. No, I would personally find the shape difficult to live with, as Kevin stated, but one of the best GDs to date. The hard graft tops everything,' one said.

'Didn't really like the outside, but really liked the inside,' another said.

The new series of Grand Designs is on Channel 4 on Wednesdays at 9pm
Jennifer Aniston is forging a new career as a beauty brand founder by launching her own haircare line - 25 years after sparking a global trend with her iconic Friends haircut, The Rachel.

Although the 52-year-old has long-since moved on from the hit sitcom - and the popular choppy bob she modeled during its first few seasons - she will no doubt be hoping to replicate the success of The Rachel with her newly-launched brand, LolaVie.

Aniston, who first sparked speculation about a beauty-focused launch last week when she teased an upcoming project on Instagram, debuted her new company to the world on Wednesday, unveiling its debut product, while posing for a series of striking black-and-white campaign images.

The actress harked back to her early years in Hollywood when it came to naming the brand, taking inspiration from her own nickname, Lola, which her friends affectionately gave her when she first moved to California.

Businesswoman: Jennifer Aniston has launched her own haircare brand, called LolaVie after her own nickname, Lola, which her friends gave her when she first moved to California

Hard at work: The 52-year-old actress revealed that she has spent five years working on the line, which has launched with just one product - a multi-tasking detangler

Strike a pose: Aniston posed for a stunning series of black-and-white images in celebration of the brand's launch - having chosen black and white packaging because it is 'timelessly chic'

Speaking to People, Aniston explained that when she first arrived in the state, she bought her first car and decided to name it Lola, joking that she thinks her decision may have been prompted by her love of the Sarah Vaughan song, Whatever Lola Wants.

Throwback: LolaVie's launch comes 25 years after Aniston sparked a global trend with The Rachel, the choppy shoulder-length 'do that she modeled in the first seasons of Friends

Soon, the nickname had transferred to her, and now, decades later, she has passed it on to her burgeoning brand.

'I named my car Lola on the spot,' she explained. Maybe it's because I love that song [Whatever Lola Wants]. Then every time I'd come over, they'd be like, "Lola's here."

'So it just kind of became a name that I was called whenever I showed up.'

Years after earning herself the nickname Lola, Aniston earned global fame under her given name when she starred in the hit sitcom Friends - which turned her into an unlikely haircare icon thanks to the layered shoulder-length 'do she modeled in the first few seasons of the show.

Aniston has since admitted that she 'was not a fan' of the style, telling Allure in 2011 that she though it was the 'ugliest hair cut she had ever seen'.

Then, in 2015, she explained to Glamour that she found it 'kind of cringe-y', while also noting her dislike of the fact that it was so difficult to maintain and style at home.

Personal preference: Aniston chose to launch the brand with the $25 Glossing Detangler, partly because it is the product that works best in her own routine

Putting it through the ringer: 'I love a really good detangler because my hair has gone through so much thrashing,' she said of the product

Looking ahead: Although she has other haircare products in the works, Aniston says she is not limiting the brand to hair-focused formulas, noting that she may well expand in the future

Room to grow: 'I don't see any limits to anything,' she said when asked about a potential move into skincare

The Hollywood starlet is now applying that same philosophy to her debut haircare product - a $25 Glossing Detangler - which is 'suitable for all hair types' and is meant to offer a wealth of hair health benefits, while making your tresses easier to style.

'This 99 per cent naturally-derived detangling spray helps detangle hair, prime with vegan thermal shield, enhance shine with lemon extract, smooth with a superfruit complex and vegetable ceramides, and protect against damage by harnessing the power of chia seeds,' the brand explained in a statement.

According to Aniston, she has been working on the brand and its products for the past five years - having first sparked an interest in the haircare arena when she worked on a collaboration with another brand, Living Proof, which she co-founded in 2012, before parting ways with the label when it was sold to Unilever.

Although there are other products currently in the works, the actress wanted to release the detangling spray first because she believes it is the 'Swiss Army Knife' of formulas - and it's something that fills a gap in her own daily line-up.

'I love a really good detangler because my hair has gone through so much thrashing,' she told Allure, explaining that the LolaVie version is meant to replace multiple other steps in a routine.

Boss lady: According to a statement from the brand, Aniston 'has been heavily involved in its creation', overseeing everything from product development to marketing

Important: The detangler, like all future LolaVie products, is vegan and cruelty-free, and it is made without silicones, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten and preservatives

'I love for a product to have many jobs in one, so it has a heat protector and shine, and so it's time-efficient.'

To ensure that the detangler would live up to the expectations of all her customers however, Aniston made sure to test it out on several of her friends - both male and female - asking people with all different hair types to offer their thoughts on the formula.

'It was very helpful over the years to get the feedback, and that's been a very key part of helping define what this [product] is and what it needs,' she noted.

When it comes to the Glossing Detangler - and all of the other soon-to-be released formulas in the LolaVie collection - Aniston has vowed to uphold several standards, namely that the products will be vegan, cruelty-free, made without silicones, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten and preservatives, and be made almost entirely from natural ingredients.

Although her main focus right now is haircare products, the actress isn't ruling out a future expansion, explaining to People that there are 'all sorts of ideas cooking in her brain'.

Helping hand: Before OK'ing the detangler, Aniston asked several friends, both male and female, to put it to the test for her

Perfect fit: She noted that she's a big fan of the formula because it makes her own haircare routine so much simpler and more streamlined

Lights, camera... Aniston first teased the launch of her brand last week when she shared several behind-the-scenes images from her shoot

'I don't see any limits to anything,' she added.

According to company documents obtained by Page Six, Aniston has made sure that she has options open to her in the future, with the publication revealing that 'an application was filed to trademark the name LolaVie in the areas of face and body lotion, shower gel, candles and hair care in July 2019'.

While LolaVie marks the first time that Aniston has founded and created her own beauty brand, it is certainly not her first foray into the industry.

Over the years, the former Friends star has lent her face to several beauty campaigns, serving as a spokesmodel for haircare brand Living Proof, which she also co-founded, as well as skincare brand Aveeno.

She also currently serves as an ambassador for supplement brand Vital Proteins, having also been named as its new Chief Creative Officer at the end of 2020.
After moving into a new home in Texas, one woman was shocked  and a bit amused  to discover that her landlord had painted over a dead cockroach, leaving the now-lacquered bug stuck to the wall.

Chelsea shared a photo of the unexpected wall decor on Twitter on September 4, writing: 'My landlord painted over a f***ing roach.'

Her tweet quickly went viral, earning 358,000 likes and inspiring plenty of jokes, memes, and photoshopped images of the unlucky insect.

Surprise: After moving into a new home in Texas, one woman discovered that her landlord had painted over a dead cockroach, leaving the now-lacquered bug stuck to the wall

Viral: Chelsea shared a photo of the unexpected wall decor on Twitter on September 4, writing: 'My landlord painted over a f***ing roach'

Funny: Chelsea later wrote, 'Really glad everyone is having so much fun with my mummified roommate'

The cockroach was presumably dead when Chelsea's landlord applied a fresh coat of white paint and rolled right over it  painting it white and sticking it to the wall.

The image has been the butt of plenty of jokes from dumbfounded Twitter users.

'It will probably still be alive if you chip off the paint,' wrote one

'Okay but now what you do is buy some doll sized hats and accessories for him and each season give him a festive look. Change it from a house roach to a HOME roach,' said another.

'Its probably a load bearing roach,' quipped one more.

Hilarious: The image has been the butt of plenty of jokes from dumbfounded Twitter users

Many people were struck by the position of the cockroach, which was caught on its back with one leg down and the other pointing outward, as if it were kicking.

One photoshopped a top hat on its head and a cane in one of its legs, imagining it as The WB frog singing, 'Hello my baby, hello my darlin, hello my ragtime gal.'

Another added a line of more painted roaches doing a dance a la the Rockettes, while another dressed the roach up for musical number in Chicago.

Others compared the bug to Jackie Chan, cancan dancers, and fighters in a video game.

Dancing! Many people were struck by the position of the cockroach, which was caught on its back with one leg down and the other pointing outward, as if it were kicking

Not everyone thought it was so funny though, with some expressing that this must surely be a sign of bigger problems.

'Thats pretty gross. That means there are probably dead roaches under the carpet as well. Note to landlords, youre supposed to fumigate AND clean before you paint,' said one.

Chelsea, though, is seeing the humor, telling Twitter users: 'Really glad everyone is having so much fun with my mummified roommate.'
Every parent is familiar with that moment of panic. From the kitchen table, amid a sea of pencil cases and exercise books, a young voice pipes up: Mum, whats an ox-bow lake?

You panic. Of course you know the answer. You studied this in Geography in the distant past . . . but now its gone.

Indeed, a survey of adults general knowledge recently revealed that a fifth of us could not recite a single line of Shakespeare. One third of us cannot calculate Pi (thats 3.14159265359 . . . and on into eternity). And almost one in five of us cant explain the difference between a verb, adjective and a noun.

To address this predicament, the Mail has mustered a virtual staffroom of celebrity experts.

As the little ones head back to school, here is your guide to everything from Pythagoras to Periodic tables . . .

HISTORY

Dominic Sandbrook, historian

Dominic Sandbrook, historian

THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII

Easy: divorced, beheaded, died  divorced, beheaded, survived. Alternatively: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Catherine Parr.

THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR

Charles I wanted money, but Parliament said no. In 1642 rising tension turned into open warfare, and the Parliamentarians won the key battles of Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645). Charles was executed four years later, and the Parliamentarian general Oliver Cromwell ruled as Protector till 1658.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Kicked off when the Parisian mob, hungry and poor, stormed the Bastille prison in 1789. Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, went to the guillotine; then the revolutionaries unleashed the Reign of Terror and beheaded one another; finally, an officer called Napoleon lost patience and declared himself Emperor.

WORLD WAR I

When Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot at Sarajevo in 1914, Europes great powers piled in to one of historys bloodiest wars. Britain and France faced the Germans in the trenches of the Western Front; Churchill sent thousands to their deaths at Gallipoli; and the Russians fell apart and had a revolution. But in the autumn of 1918, the Germans ran out of steam and called it a day.

MNEMONICS AND SPELLING

Susie Dent  Countdown word-whizz

Susie Dent  Countdown word-whizz

I ate and I ate until I was sick on the floor . . . thats 8 x 8 = 64?

Or try another: Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain for Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet: the colours of the rainbow.

These are mnemonics  memory aids that can linger in the mind for life.

An excellent one for the order of the planets is: My Very Enormous Monster Just Sucked Up Neptune (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).

English spelling can also be notoriously tricky. One favourite way to help you remember how many rs are in embarrassed is to think of two red cheeks (and embarrASSment can make you look an ass).

Many of us will recall the spelling of necessary by remembering that it is necessary for a shirt to have one collar (one c) and two sleeves (two ss).

Struggle with separate? Its one of the most commonly misspelled words, but all you really need to know is that you should never sePARate a PARA from their PARAchute.

If youre struggling to spell mnemonic try to remember its relative amnesia and youre sorted.

Check out the spelling app Sir Linkalot for many more useful and fun mnemonics and spelling aids.

GEOGRAPHY

Horatio Clare  travel writer

Horatio Clare  travel writer

THE WATER CYCLE

It begins with evaporation, as the sun heats the sea. Condensation is the formation of clouds. Precipitation is rainfall. Percolation is rain running down into and through the ground, fattening the streams and rivers and flowing back to the sea, and so on and on.

OX-BOW LAKES

The stretch of water left when a river has cut through itself at a bend.

CLOUD TYPES

Stratus are low, flat, often grey forms below 6,000ft. Cirrus or mares tails are fabulous long wisps found above 18,000ft. Cumulus are the puffy white stuff that toddlers paint. The great towering mega-clouds are cumulonimbus.

ROCK TYPES

Igneous rock is cooled magma from Earths molten heart. Sedimentary rocks are compressed sediments from an ancient sea or lake beds formed over aeons. Subject either sedimentary or igneous rocks to ferocious pressure and they change, becoming the third type: metamorphic rock.

MATHS

Tim Harford, economist and Financial Times columnist

Tim Harford, economist and Financial Times columnist

ALGEBRA

A clever way of solving a problem in a general way. Its maths with lots of letters instead of numbers  x, y and z  but those letters are like a joker in a card game or a blank in Scrabble. They can stand in for any value.

PYTHAGORASS THEOREM

In a right-angled triangle  the kind thats handy for making sure that your bookshelves go up with nice square corners  the square of the longest side is the same as the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

WHATS Pi?

If you multiply the distance across the centre of the circle by Pi, you get the distance around the circle. Simple! Except that Pi  which is slightly more than three  is a number that goes on for ever (and ever) and you cant write it out in full (3.14159 . . .). As you do more mathematics, you find Pi popping up everywhere.

TIMES TABLES

The 9 times table is probably the hardest. But it turns out to be packed full of numbers that add up to nine. It goes: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90, (lets forget 99), and 108  in each case if you add the digits together you get nine!

Its neat, isnt it?

SCIENCE

Dr Hilary Jones, TV doctor

Dr Hilary Jones, TV doctor

THE PERIODIC TABLE

A tabular display of all the chemical elements. It goes in ascending order of atomic numbers (the number of protons in an atoms nucleus  centre): Hydrogen (H), Helium (He), Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be), Boron (B), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Fluorine (F), Neon (N)  and on and on.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The process whereby plants manufacture carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using the energy from sunlight. Oxygen is released as a by-product of photosynthesis, keeping us all breathing.

OSMOSIS

The spontaneous movement of a solvent, such as water, across a semi permanent membrane from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated one. The process continues until the concentrations on each side are equal. Its how water molecules make their way in and out of living organisms.

PHYSICS BASICS

With electricity, be careful not to trip up over the three basic units in voltage, current, and resistance. Voltage is measured in volts, current is measured in amps and resistance is measured in ohms.

ENGLISH

Griff Rhys-Jones, author and comedian

Griff Rhys-Jones, author and comedian

Spud Baron was my absurdly dedicated English teacher. His tendency to squeeze out a tear while reciting Shakespeare got a titter from the unwashed Upper Five. But my goodness, he loved poetry  and wanted us to love it, too. These have stayed with me throughout my life.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, William Wordsworth

I cant cross the Thames without recalling this sonnet from 1802, as the poet conjures a majestic vision of London bright and glittering the smokeless air: so vivid you can imagine being there, too, gazing at the ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples. And that ending: And all that mighty heart is lying still! Yes, its far from Wordsworths usual lakes, trees and daffodils, but somehow its still nature.

The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats

A strange and haunting work, written in the aftermath of World War I and describing Christs return to Earth out of a period of chaos and turmoil: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. Once read, the Irishmans poems seem to stick.

Ode to a Nightingale, John Keats

Along with his odes to Autumn and a Grecian Urn, this shows why Keatss smooth, superpowered verse is the double cream of poetry.

In 1819, a nightingale had built a nest near the poets house in Hampstead, now part of London but then semi-rural, and Keats (who died from TB aged just 25) listened to the birds song and composed this eternal lyric under a plum tree.

Eventually, the nightingale flies away, and the young man asks himself: Was it a vision, or a waking dream? / Fled is that music:  Do I wake or sleep?

Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Shakespeare asks his young male friend. No, the poet goes on: Thou art more lovely. And, anyway, sometimes a summers day is too hot, or too windy, or the sun is hidden by cloud. But, says Shakespeare: Thy eternal summer shall not fade. Why? Because this poem has immortalised the young mans beauty: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Shakespeare manages to be argumentative, chatty and moving at the same time: an incredible achievement.

GRAMMAR

Gyles Brandreth, broadcaster and author

Gyles Brandreth, broadcaster and author

Grammar adapts to the changes in our language, so I prefer to talk of the language of grammar rather than of its rules. Here are some basic principles.

A sentence usually features a verb. The verb is the action or doing word. The person or thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence.

The subject is either a noun or a pronoun. If the action is being done to someone or something, that is the object of the sentence and is also a noun or a pronoun.

So, as an old-fashioned teacher might say: The boy kicks the ball. Boy: subject; kicks: verb; ball: object.
COVID-19 cases among America's children and teenagers have risen to record-high levels.

More than 250,000 under-18s tested positive for the virus during the week ending September 2, according to new data published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

It is the highest total since the AAP began reporting weekly figures for kids in late April 2020.

Minors also accounted for 26.8 percent of all U.S. cases that week.

However, most pediatric cases are not severe and virus-related fatalities among children are rare with pediatric deaths making up just 0.1 percent of all COVID-19 deaths.

Because of kids' low risk of severe disease and death, parents and doctors are split 50/50 on whether or not to vaccinate kids.

More than 250,000 children and teens tested positive for COVID-19 during the week ending September 2, the most of any week since the pandemic began

Children account for 26% of all U.S. cases, according to AAP data, also the highest point during the pandemic

According to the AAP report, Covid cases among children grew by 25 percent from the week ending August 26 to the week ending September 2.

More than half of the cases occurred in the South, with 135,000 children and teens testing positive during that period.

Some governors in this region have set restrictions against certain pandemic-related mandates in schools, saying they want to leave it up to parents to make these decisions for the children.

Florida and Texas, for example, both have governors that banned mask mandates in schools.

Both were defied by local school districts, though, and the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the mask mandate in the state could not be enforced.

Arkansas and Arizona have also taken measures to prevent school districts from forcing children to wear masks.

Schools have become hotspots for COVID-19 spread only weeks into the new school year.

More than half of cases recorded among children, 135,000, are in the U.S. south

Schools in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona are not allowed to implement mask mandates according to statewide orders. Schools have become hotspots for the virus only weeks into the new school year. Pictured: Two Miami high school students wear masks on the first day of school

More than 1,000 schools in 35 states have already had to close to deal with a surge in cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged these outbreaks, and Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the agency, told schools they would need to follow federal guidelines in order to avoid these situations.

'I want to strongly appeal to those districts who have not implemented prevention strategies and encourage them to do the right thing to protect the children under their care,' Walensky said during a briefing last month.

'In our outbreak investigations, large-scale quarantines or large number of cases are generally occurring in schools because schools are not following our guidance.'

CDC data show 39% of those aged 12 to 15 (dashed golden line) are fully vaccinated and 48% of those aged 16 and 17 (sold golden line) are fully vaccinated

The prevention measures laid out by the CDC include vaccination for all eligible students and staff, masking, increased ventilation, physical distancing and regular testing.

According to data from the CDC, 39 percent of those aged 12 to 15 are fully vaccinated and 48 percent of those aged 16 and 17 are fully vaccinated.

Children account for 15% of all COVID-19 cases recorded in the US, and more than 20% of cases in four states

American parents are split 50/50 on whether or not they will immunize their children.

Some doctors have also suggested that kids do not needed to get vaccinated due to their low risk of severe disease and death.

Meanwhile, the AAP has pushed for more children to get jabbed, with president Lee Savio Beers writing an open letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking to expand authorization for children under the age of 12.

In Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Vermont, minors make up more than 20 percent of all time cases.

Many of these cases are relatively minor, though, as a majority of children who contract the virus recover with little severe complications.

The report finds that 444 children have died from Covid since March 2020, with 110 occurring after the Indian 'Delta' variant became dominant in the U.S.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to refrain from offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots through the end of the year.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said rich nations such as the U.S., France and Germany - that have large supplies of vaccines - should make the doses available for poorer countries.

Tedros also said he was 'appalled' after hearing comments from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots for people in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer countries that face shortages.

'I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world's poor should be satisfied with leftovers,' he told a news conference.

'Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfill bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.'

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to not offer Covid vaccine booster shots for the rest of the year and said rich countries should make doses available to poorer countries. Pictured: Tedros attends a news conference in Geneva, July 2020

Tedros had previously called for a moratorium on boosters through the end of September.

But wealthy countries - including Denmark, France, Greece, Germany, Spain and the UK - have begun or are considering plans to offer third shots of two-dose vaccines to vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Israel has been providing third doses to a wide swath of people who already received a full two-dose regimen months earlier.

And last month, U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get boosters to shore up their protection amid evidence that the vaccines' effectiveness is falling.

Tedros acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but insisted the scientific justification for boosters remains unclear.

'We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated,' he said.

U.S. health officials are continuing to assess the science and utility of boosters, and there are growing indications that the country may miss the Biden administration's September 20 target date for a wide rollout of extra shots for vaccinated people.

The WHO chief said he received a message of 'clear support' from health ministers at a meeting of the influential Group of 20 - comprising 19 countries and the European Union - this week for a commitment to help hit a WHO target that all countries vaccinate at least 40 percent of their people by year's end.

'A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose,' Tedros said.

'There has been little change in the global situation since then.

'So today, I'm calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population.'

The WHO says 5.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far, but 80 percent of those have been to upper- and middle-income countries.

Rich countries have also offered to donate one billion doses to other countries, but fewer than 15 percent of those doses have 'materialized,' Tedros said.

He noted that manufacturers have pledged to prioritize the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to get vaccines to the neediest people in the world - no matter how wealthy the country.

'We don't want any more promises. We just want the vaccines,' Tedros said.

Earlier Wednesday, COVAX managers again scaled back their target to ship doses this year, projecting about 1.4 billion doses will be available through the program by year-end down from about 1.8 billion previously.

They had originally hoped to ship two billion doses this year.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which co-runs the program, said COVAX has faced setbacks including export restrictions from hard-hit India - a key producer of vaccines - as well as regulatory hurdles for some vaccine candidates and manufacturing troubles elsewhere.

But it also said deliveries are ramping up strongly, and another 1.1 billion doses are expected to be available by year-end through the program, up from 330 million so far. Most of those doses have gone to or are destined for poorer countries.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said Tuesday that about 1.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses are now being produced every month, and cited projections that a total of 12 billion will have been produced by year-end.

Dr.Bruce Aylward, a top adviser to Tedros, acknowledged that 'some countries may be going ahead with decisions' to widely administer boosters, but that the WHO call for a moratorium 'makes a real difference.'

He said some countries - which he did not identify - have approached the WHO about whether booster policies could be delayed.

But admittedly, the WHO's first call for a moratorium through September has not fixed the gaping imbalance in access to vaccines.

'(O)ur role is to make sure that we put forward the strongest possible arguments and way out of this pandemic - and the way out of that is a moratorium and to extend it,' Aylward said.

'Because since the last time we called for it, the equity gap has gotten greater, the amount of vaccine available to low-income countries has gone down
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded grants to five universities to study whether or not there is a link between having abnormal periods and the COVID-19 vaccine.

In the U.S., there have been thousands of accounts of women who have gotten vaccinated against the virus and later had periods that came earlier usual, felt heavier or just appeared irregular.

And a report from The Sunday Times in June found that 4,000 women in the UK had temporary changes in their menstrual cycles after getting vaccinated.

Now, the federal health agency has distributed one-year supplemental grants totaling $1.67 million to Boston University, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University and Oregon Health and Science University.

The five studies will likely recruit between 400,000 and 500,000 participants, including adolescents, transgender women and nonbinary people, Dr Diana Bianchi, director of the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, told The Washington Post.

The NIH has awarded five universities one-year supplemental grants totaling $1.67 million to study links between irregular periods and COVID-19 vaccines. Pictured:

'These rigorous scientific studies will improve our understanding of the potential effects of COVID-19 vaccines on menstruation, giving people who menstruate more information about what to expect after vaccination and potentially reducing vaccine hesitancy,' Bianchi said in a statement.

According to a DailyMail.com analysis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, there have been 2,939 reports of women reporting irregular bleeding following the vaccine.

'I was due for my menstruation cycle but when it came, I began to bleed heavily,' one person reported to the CDC, according to the Chicago Tribune.

'This is not a norm for me - my periods are usually light with spotting at the beginning of my cycle. It was so heavy when it began on Friday that I bled through my pants.'

But CDC officials say none of the reports warrant concern.

'At this time, CDC is not seeing any safety concerns that warrant additional surveillance of irregular menstrual symptoms reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System,' Martha Sharan, a public affairs officer for the CDC's Vaccine Task Force said in an email to the Tribune.

She added that the the reports make up 'a very small number' of the more than 300 doses administered in the U.S.

According to the NIH, there are several factors that can use the Covid immunization to cause temporary menstrual cycle changes.

This includes stress related to the pandemic, lifestyle changes and even prior COVID-19 infection.

The NIH also suggests that the immune system's response to the COVID-19 may briefly affect communication between immune cells and the uterus.

Gynecologists have previously told DailyMail.com that cycle changes post-vaccination can occur - but that they are rare, typically resolve on their own without medication and do not affect fertility.

Dr Khady Diouf, director of Ambulatory Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Massachusetts, said in an interview in June that she believes the rare side effect is likely caused by stress.

'Periods can be irregular die to stress or hormonal fluctuations that have something to do with stress,' she said.

Nearly 3,000 women have reported heavier than normal or abnormal menstrual cycles to the CDC's vaccine reporting system out of more than 300 million shots administered (above)

'I consider the COVID-19 vaccine somewhat of a physiologic stress. It's trying to tell your body to do something it hasn't done in a while, to mount an immune response.

In turn, this places stress on the body, which can cause irregular periods, Diouf explained.

Dr Mark Werner, an OBGYN at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, said the stress can also be caused by worry about the vaccine.

'You might walk in there, you might be nervous and get the second [shot]' which causes a person to release stress hormones, he told DailyMail.com in June.

'It sounds like it could be from the vaccine or it could be from the stress that [women] experience.'

Both doctors said they want to emphasize the changes to the menstrual cycle after getting a COVID-19 vaccine should not be conflated with an impact on fertility.
A pill that could treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has shown promise in animal trials.

Current treatments for the condition, which affects one in 11 Americans, include electronic brain stimulation and potentially even using hallucinogens.

But biotechnology company Neurovation Labs is hoping to develop the first drug for the condition.

The pill will be less invasive than these types of treatments and may be easier to access for many.

The New York City-based firm has received funding from the U.S. Army and Air Force, and the military branches hope to develop stronger treatments for the condition that affects more than one out of every ten service members.

Neurovation Labs are developing a potential PTSD treatment that works in pill form that showed promise in mice in clinical trials and have received funding from the U.S. Army and Air Force

Dr Jennifer Perusini, founder of the biotechnology company, told Defense One that PTSD has a biomarker called GluA1 that can be created by the brain when it goes through trauma.

Perusini trialed an experimental drug on mice as part of her doctoral thesis at the University of California, Los Angeles, and found that it had promising results.

She found her medicine could block out GluA1 in mice when they experienced frightening stimuli.

The mice would still feel some anxiety and react properly to situations where they were actually threatened, though, meaning they still had a proper level of fear.

Her drug's promise earned her attention from the U.S. military, and both the Air Force and the Army funded further research - the latter of which gave her $145,000 through its xTech program.

The military's investment spawns from the amount of service members who end up suffering from the condition.

The condition will affect one in 11 Americans at some point in there lives and more than 10% of military veterans (file image)

According to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), between 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in the Iraq War have PTSD.

Around 12 percent of veterans of the Gulf War were found to have the condition as well as 15 percent of Vietnam War veterans, according to the VA.

The condition often occurs after a person undergoes an extremely traumatic experience.

While PTSD is most well known for appearing in military members, anyone can develop the condition after suffering a traumatic event.

Other common causes are experiencing a sexual assault, witnessing a serious crime, car accidents or suffering through a disaster event.

Those who have PTSD will often have anxiety, social withdrawal, have trouble sleeping and even potentially have lasting guilt from the event.

Certain triggers can even force a person into mentally reliving the traumatic experience.

There is also a known link between suffering from PTSD and dying by suicide, though there is no concrete data on how many deaths the condition causes every year.
The U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout is beginning to slow down once again, especially in the deep South.

Just over 800,000 Americans are getting shots every day, a ten percent decrease from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The drop may partly be due to Labor Day weekend, during which many traveled or participated in other activities rather than getting jabbed.

A similar drop also happened after July 4, though it took a while for daily vaccines to reach previous levels.

In the South, where Covid vaccination rates are the lowest and more shots are needed the most, the amount of people receiving the shots every day has declined the most.

Louisiana has had the most significant drop, with daily vaccines dropping 50 percent with the past three weeks after Hurricane Ida rampaged through the state at the end of August.

One week ago, on September 1, more than 900,000 Americans were receiving a COVID-19 shot every day.

That figure was reached after climbing from mid-July to early September - with many possibly being driven to get the shots due to a surge in cases fueled by the Delta variant.

Jabs distributed every day have begun to decline over the past week, falling to an 810,000 seven day average over the past seven days.

The South, in particular, has seen a far fall in daily vaccines distributed over the past few weeks.

In Louisiana, the far drop in daily jabs used can partially be attributed to Hurricane Ida, which smashed the state's south coast at the end of last month.

On August 21, before the storm arrived, the state was distributing 23,000 shots per day, according to the CDC.

That figure has fallen all the way to 11,000 as of Wednesday.

The hurricane left much of New Orleans - the largest city in the state - without power for an extended period of time.

Many also left the state entirely, evacuating in the lead up to the hurricane, and due to the destruction the hurricane left in its path, some haven't yet returned.

The storm disrupting the state's vaccination effort is especially worrying, as Louisiana has only fully vaccinated 42 percent of its residents.

Alabama has also suffered a significant drop in residents getting vaccinated in recent weeks.

The state was averaging 24,000 jabs distributed every day on September 1, according to CDC data.

Seven days later, on September 8, the figure dropped by 33 percent to 16,000 a day.

The decline in Alabama also began before the Labor Day weekend, as it seems an effort to get more residents vaccinated reached it's peak and ran out of steam at the end of August.

Alabama has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, with just under 40 percent of residents inoculated.

Arkansas, which also has a low rate at 42 percent of its population fully vaccinated, also witnessed a drop off in vaccine demand.

The amount of people getting the shots every day dropped from a 12,400 average on August 28 to 8,100 on September 8, a 30 percent decrease over ten days.

A recent downtick in vaccine demand is worrying for the United States.

The vaccine rollout in the nation reached its peak in early April, when around 3.5 million Americans were getting the shots every day.

In the time since, vaccine demand has fallen, dropping to under 500,000 shots distributed per day at the lowest point in mid-July.

The drop in vaccine demand went alongside a drop in cases, but so many Americans remaining unvaccinated opened the door for another wave of the virus.

The Delta variant first began its takeover of the U.S. in late June, and cases had increased eight-fold by the end of July.

Many Americans finally went to get their shots towards the end of July and early August, as the rise in cases made them fear the virus once again.

The recent drop in vaccine demand, though, could leave America vulnerable to yet another surge in the future.

Currently in the U.S., 62.7 percent of Americans have received at least one shot of the Covid vaccine and 53.3 percent are fully vaccinated.
Scientists are developing an app that may diagnose what disease or condition a person has by listening to their cough.

Researchers are recording millions of coughs using several apps including a free developed by Hyfe Inc, a Delaware-based company.

Then, they are training artificial intelligence (AI) to identify what is causing the person to have the symptom, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In the future, they hope the app can determine if a person has asthma, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or even COVID-19 - and how severely ill the patient is.

Researchers have been recording millions of coughs on smartphone apps and training AI to identify what disease or condition someone one (file image)

A cough occurs when something that irritates the airways stimulates the body's nerves, which send a message to the brain.

In response, the brain sends a signal to muscles in the chest and abdomen to expel the irritant using air from the lungs.

Dr Peter Small, a tuberculosis expert and chief medical officer of Hyfe, told The Journal that different diseases have coughs that sound different.

For example, he said that someone who has asthma will wheeze while a patient with pneumonia will have a crackling sound in their lungs.

Small explained that AI may be able to pick up patterns in the cough that humans are unable to detect by simply listening.

What's more, he told The Journal that when a patient goes to the doctor, they can't learn everything about the cough in one visit.

They say the AI may be able to pick up patterns in the cough that humans are unable to detect by simply listening. Pictured: The AI tracking the cough of a three-year-old with pneumonia

'Patients will come in and say: "I've got a bad cough," but are they coughing 10 times a day or 400 times a day?' Small said.

'Pulmonologists will tell you they're like cardiologists without a blood pressure cuff.'

Researchers say an app would be faster than a doctor's visit because it could screen hundreds of patients in one day and cheaper because people wouldn't have to pay to see a healthcare professional.

According to The Journal, Hyfe is conducting a study in Spain in which the apps run all day on a phone and record when there is an explosive sound.

The team found that sometimes a person can start having a coughing fit without realizing that he or she is seriously ill.

One woman's number of hourly coughs increased three-fold during the night before she was diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the Journal.

However, it was only two days after this occurred that she realized she had a cough.

The Journal notes that cough test apps will not be available to the general public soon because the AI is still being trained and because companies will have to address privacy and data sharing concerns.
Nearly two-thirds of millennials and Generation Z who have owned cryptocurrencies like bitcoin or so-called meme stocks have now sold some or all of them, new research suggests.

A survey by the Royal Mint shows that younger investors may have begun shifting their attention to more traditional assets such as gold, with a growing preference for portfolio stability rather than the wild volatility seen in some newer asset classes.

Millennials and Generation Z are those born between 1980 and 1995, and after 1996, respectively.

The report comes as bitcoin and other digital currencies suffered a severe sell-off. Bitcoin has plunged by nearly 15 per cent from its four-month high as its adoption as legal tender by El Salvador appeared to sow panic on the crypto markets.

Ethereum was also down by 15 per cent, while some of the other crypto-currencies suffered losses of more than 20 per cent.

Over half of those surveyed by the Royal Mint said their cryptocurrency investment was unsuccessful, did not gain as much as they had hoped or had lost money.

Demonstrators take part in a protest against the Bitcoin Law on 7 September in San Salvador, El Salvador

Analysts have attributed bitcoins heaviest day of losses in nearly three months, which saw it fall from $52,956 to as low as $46,560, to investors who had bought the cryptocurrency in response to rumours of El Salvadors adoption now cashing in.

The popularity of cryptoassets has boomed in recent years, encouraged by their adoption by businesses like Tesla and PayPal, and mainstream financial services companies getting involved.

This has led to red flags raised by regulators such as the UKs Financial Conduct Authority, which earlier this week warned that cryptoassets are largely unregulated and if people invest in these types of products, they should be prepared to lose all their money.

Meme stocks include US-based consumer electronics retailer GME, which captured headlines globally earlier this year as an army of retail investors rushed to buy its shares.

The Royal Mints survey found that 32 per cent of more than 1,100 young investors said they were drawn to the high-risk, high-reward nature of cryptocurrencies and meme stocks.

But more than half (53 per cent) of younger investors surveyed felt their investment was unsuccessful, did not gain as much as they had hoped or had lost money.

In response, 68 per cent of young investors are considering investing in precious metals following their experience with cryptocurrencies and meme stocks.

Figures from the Royal Mint show 21 per cent of new gold-buying customers over the past 12 months were aged under 35.

Top motivations to back precious metals included their history of consistent growth (24 per cent) and reputation for holding their value over time (37 per cent).

Iona Bain, founder of the Young Money blog said: This research from the Royal Mint suggests that young investors are falling out of love with new and volatile assets, instead turning to more tried-and-tested investments to bring some equilibrium and stability to their portfolios.

Andrew Dickey, director of precious metals at the Royal Mint, added: The rise of meme stocks in the late half of 2020 and early 2021 has really opened up the idea of investing to a new, younger group of people.

It's great to see a new financially savvy generation is emerging, realising the benefit of a diverse portfolio.
Businesses have borne the brunt of the 37billion tax raid launched by Boris Johnson's government so far this year.

The Prime Minister and his chancellor Rishi Sunak have announced three major tax rises in 2021 - two in the Budget in March and another this week to tackle the NHS backlog and fix social care.

The hikes in corporation tax, income tax and national insurance will raise 37.4billion a year - leaving Britain with the highest tax burden in history.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak have announced three major tax rises already in 2021 to tackle the NHS backlog and fix social care

And it is feared more will follow as soon as the Budget next month, as ministers battle to shore up the nation's finances in the wake of the pandemic.

Analysis by the Mail shows that businesses have been hit hardest by the raids so far, footing 21.8billion of the bill.

The remaining 15.6billion, including a 600million hike in dividend tax announced this week, will fall on individuals.

The Prime Minister has insisted that Covid and social care crisis left the Government with no choice but to raise taxes  breaking his election promises in the process.

But there has been a furious backlash from business leaders who argue their rising contribution to the Exchequer will hit entrepreneurship, job creation and economic growth just as Britain emerges from the pandemic.

Tim Martin, chief executive at Wetherspoon, warned companies cannot afford tax rises. 'Boris is a big spender,' he said. 'He's always looking for big ideas to excite the public. What it means for this country is debt and taxes. We can't afford his expensive tastes.'

And experts said that although business appears to have been asked to foot most of the bill, the higher taxes will in fact be paid for by the public in the form of fewer jobs, lower wages and higher prices.

Annabel Denham, director of communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'Businesses have proven themselves remarkably resilient during this pandemic.

But their reward for enduring months of uncertainty, shutdown, social distancing and curfews is a Tory tax grab that will dampen confidence and stunt growth.

'Higher taxes will reduce demand, discouraging investment and hiring. They will deter entrepreneurship and innovation by reducing the potential gains for risk takers.

'But, in the end, companies don't pay taxes: people do. Employers' national insurance is a crude payroll tax that will lead to fewer job opportunities and lower wages.

An increase in corporation tax will be passed on to employees in the same way, though the burden will also be borne by consumers, in the form of higher prices, and shareholders, in the form of lower returns.

'Everyone, especially after 18 months of hardship, will suffer.'

In the Budget in March, Sunak increased the main rate of corporation tax from 19 per cent to 25 per cent, raising 17.2billion by 2025-26.

At the same time, the Chancellor froze income tax thresholds, meaning the points at which people start paying the 20p rate and 40p rate do not rise, even as wages do.

With more people caught in higher rates of tax  in a process known as 'fiscal drag'  the Treasury expects to raise 8.2billion in 2025-26.

The 25.4billion twin raid was a major contributing factor to what turned out to be the biggest tax-raising Budget since 1993.

Six months on, Johnson this week unveiled plans to raise another 12billion a year through an extra 1.25 per cent levy on national insurance and dividends.

The national insurance hike, on employer contributions and those made by individuals, will raise the lion's share, or 11.4billion. The dividend tax will raise another 600million.

Employers have typically paid around 40 per cent of national insurance while employees and the self-employed pay the rest. If that pattern is followed in future, the increase will cost businesses 4.6billion and workers 6.8billion.

Britain now faces the highest sustained tax burden in history.

According to the Taxpayers' Alliance, it will reach 35.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said it has never been sustained above this level before, though it was higher briefly in 1969 and the 1940s before retreating.

Suren Thiru, head of economics at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the higher business taxes will 'dampen the entrepreneurial spirit needed to drive the recovery'.

He said: 'Businesses generate prosperity, create jobs and support communities. The focus should be creating the best possible environment for them to grow and thrive so they can sustainably deliver the tax revenue needed to support public services and the wider economy.'
Afghanistan's only female tour guide has told of the terrifying ordeal she faced trying to escape the war-torn country, with people killed and beaten inside the airport during the stampede to leave.

Fatima, who is concealing her surname, was told to leave the city of Herat where she was living by the UN security council in early August as the Taliban moved in.

It was feared that she could be a target for the Taliban as the story of her success in the country's tourist industry was published around the world.

The 23-year-old, who started guiding professionally in 2020 after studying journalism at the Herat University, travelled to Kabul in a bid to catch a flight to safety.

But speaking to MailOnline, Fatima said there she witnessed things that will scar her forever.

Fatima, 23, started working as a tour guide last year for a UK-based company

Stopping now and then to recompose herself, she recalled some of the atrocities she saw.

'When we first attempted to get into the airport it was so crowded,' she said.

'I saw people who had been shot and there was lots of violence. There were people covered in blood. I saw people who had been injured and others who had been killed.

'Two times one of the Taliban members held the gun straight to me and told me 'go away otherwise I will kill you'.

'There was nowhere to go. I felt then Afghanistan was not a place for me to live anymore. I felt we had been sold to terrible people where their joy and happiness is in killing and fear. That was a very shocking and scary moment for me to see this and realise everything we had worked for many years was gone.'

Fatima attempted to get into the airport twice with a group of around 20 other people, who included fellow tour guides, but they found the situation was too dangerous and they decided to leave 'rather than die trying'.

Fatima attempted to get into the airport twice with a group of around 20 other people. Pictured, the group waiting outside the airport

Feeling downhearted, Fatima's group went to seek shelter from the heat and found themselves in front of a garage.

While sitting there, a man introduced himself and said he knew the Taliban and he could get them into the airport if they paid him $300.

The group decided to pay half the money upfront and the other half on completion of the deal.

The group were led by the stranger to some gates where there were many foreign soldiers and after two hours or so, they made contact with an Italian solder who asked for their passports as their name had been put on the Italian flight list.

I felt then Afghanistan was not a place for me to live anymore. I felt we had been sold to terrible people where their joy and happiness is in killing and fear

Fatima found out to her surprise and relief that she was actually on five flight lists as the UK-based adventure travel company she works for, Untamed Borders, had been working to get people out, and she also had other supporters routing for her.

Finally, the group got into the airport where they waited for their flight to be called. They were forced to huddle together as a group on the airport floor, while chaos continued to roll around them.

One of the most harrowing things Fatima saw was a man who was a journalist being grilled by the Taliban. She explains: 'The Taliban took all of his documents and were hitting him and I am sure they went on to kill him.

'I also saw a woman who had lost two of her children and the gunshots were so loud.'

After two days of sleeping in the airport, Fatima and her group were finally called forward to board the Italian flight, which went via Kuwait.

It was Fatima's first time out of Afghanistan but she said the kindness from the Italians helped to put her at ease.

On landing at a location close to Milan, Fatima and her group were provided with shelter, medical assistance and 'such a warm welcome that made me really happy'.

A photo taken by Fatima and her group as they tried to get into Kabul airport with crowds gathered around

The group had to sleep on the airport floor for several nights before catching their flight to Italy

Adhering to Covid-19 rules, the Afghan refugees arriving into Italy had to quarantine for 10 days before being released on proof of a negative test.

While she is sad to have left many of her loved ones behind, Fatima says she still has hopes and dreams and she wants to get her career back on track.

Her introduction to guiding, she explains, came as an eight-year-old when she was forced to work as a shepherd to help support her family. She found herding the livestock was something she enjoyed, a little like herding humans around cities and sites.

Reflecting on her winding career path, she says: 'I was born in one of the most deprived and outlying areas of Afghanistan called Lal Sar Jan-gal, which is a district in the Ghor province.

'Although it was a tough experience; I realised guiding sheep and cows to find their food and to help them enjoy life, gave me great pleasure.

'It might sound strange but running on those high hills after animals was where I was first introduced to guiding and leading a group.'

After 'much fighting', Fatima managed to persuade her family to let her go to school. She is one of seven children and her sisters were married at age thirteen, but she refused to conform and went about pursuing education instead.

The first school she attended was a tough place to be as the building 'had no walls and the scorching sun meant it was extremely hot inside and the seats felt like they were burning you'.

Despite these conditions, Fatima learned basic reading and writing alongside shepherding. After her family moved to Herat, Fatima couldn't afford to go to school so she taught herself at home.

She also started learning English thanks to an organisation that offered free EFL classes for refugees in the area. After 'three years of hard work and perseverance' she was selected as a teaching assistant to help others, earning $50 per month.

It was Fatima's first time out of Afghanistan but she said the kindness from the Italians helped to put her at ease

Eventually, she was able to pass an entrance exam to attend Herat University to study journalism. While she was researching historical places around Afghanistan as part of her studies, she started recording her findings and launched a successful travel blog.

Her insightful posts were picked up by Untamed Borders, which runs trips to off-the-beaten-track destinations, and she started working with the company last year.

One of her favourite places to take visitors was the mountainous area of Bamyan  which she describes as 'truly breathtaking'.

Looking ahead, Fatima does not see Afghanistan as somewhere she could ever return to while the Taliban are in power.

She muses: 'Now I see Afghanistan as a prison to the women and they have lost all of the achievements they fought for.

'Women are now like corpses and dead bodies there. All of the education places and hospitality businesses belong to men and all of the women, they are just housewives for their husbands and not allowed out without the permission of men.

'They have to just sit at home and even how they dress is decided by the men.'

Now thousands of miles away from home, Fatima aims to learn Italian and teach the Afghan refugee children English.

She concludes: 'I love tourism and now I hope to lead tours here, I will keep my hopes and dreams alive.

'I will try my best to get a job here and empower myself. But my biggest message to the world is not to give up on Afghanistan, I want to show my country to the world.

'Behind the bloodshed there is so much beauty there, with lots of historical places, delicious food and amazing nature. Let's hope this doesn't die.'

To help support Fatima and other Afghans in the tourism industry, please donate via fundly.com/support-afghan-guides-and-fixers
The best friend of Ben Roberts-Smith's ex-wife logged into the war hero's private email account more than 100 times, the Federal Court has heard.

Mr Roberts-Smith has been trying to show his former wife Emma Roberts hacked into his emails herself or provided access to her lifelong friend Danielle Scott.

He took legal action against Ms Roberts on the eve of his defamation trial against Nine newspapers in June and the case was briefly back before court on Wednesday.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine for accusing him of complicity in six murders while serving with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan.

His lawyers allege Ms Roberts accessed an email account he used for confidential correspondence about his defamation case and a war crimes inquiry by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force.

Ben Roberts-Smith is suing ex-wife Emma Roberts over claims she illegally accessed his emails. She has denied hacking into his account or giving a password to her best friend. The former couple is pictured together at Buckingham Palace in 2011

Danielle Scott (pictured) is Emma Roberts's best friend and is set to give evidence against Ben Roberts-Smith. The Federal Court heard on Wednesday she had accessed Mr Roberts-Smith's email account 101 times

The emails contained potentially privileged material, and Mr Roberts-Smith's lawyers claim Ms Roberts might have shared some of that information with Nine.

Arthur Moses SC, for Mr Roberts-Smith, has told the Federal Court such action could 'contaminate' the defamation hearing.

He has further alleged Ms Roberts lied in affidavits sworn in response to evidence she hacked into her ex-husband's private RS Group email account.

Ms Roberts was ordered to tell the court how she had allegedly obtained information from Mr Roberts-Smith's emails and whether it was by herself or 'agents' including Ms Scott.

She initially claimed she had never accessed Mr Roberts-Smith's emails but changed her evidence in a third affidavit and still denies she provided a password to Ms Scott.

'[Ms Roberts] has been caught out lying on the objective evidence,' Mr Moses told the court on Wednesday.

The barrister said Telstra records showed Ms Scott had logged on and accessed the email account at least 101 times.

Mr Roberts-Smith took legal action against his ex-wife on the eve of his defamation 'trial of the century' against Nine newspapers in June. The former couple is pictured with their twin daughters

Mr Roberts-Smith is pictured being greeted by the Queen during an audience at Buckingham Palace in 2011. The soldier was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions in Afghanistan in 2006

Ms Roberts swore in a third affidavit she accessed her ex-husband's RS Group email on April 5 last year but Mr Moses said Telstra records showed she had not.

'The only person who had access to the RS Group email account on the fifth of April was an email address which is associated with Ms Danielle Scott or her husband,' Mr Moses said.

Ms Roberts did not provide any affidavit from herself or Ms Scott to explain how or why the email account had been accessed more than 100 times since last year.

Mr Moses had said in August there was 'clear, albeit circumstantial evidence' Ms Roberts had not been 'full and frank in her disclosure'.

He outlined a WhatsApp exchange in June last year in which Ms Scott sent Ms Roberts the name and address of a female solicitor representing Mr Roberts-Smith.

'Boom, there it is,' Ms Scott wrote.

Ms Roberts replied: 'Holy f***... God I love you'.

Ms Scott then made a reference to March 30.

Mr Roberts-Smith has given evidence he separated from his wife in September 2017 and began a six-month affair in April. Ms Roberts is expected to deny there was a separation or having knowledge of the affair until it was over. She is pictured near her Brisbane home

Mr Roberts-Smith has sworn an affidavit stating that on March 30 last year he received an email from the Virgin Velocity rewards store.

The email confirmed delivery of a pair of AirPods he bought as a small gift he bought for the solicitor to recognise her assistance in legal matters and included the solicitor's address.

Mr Moses said it was open to infer Ms Scott had access to the email from Virgin Velocity.

He has previously revealed emails were allegedly deleted from Mr Roberts-Smith's inbox and outbox without his consent.

Mr Moses told the court in June a concern arose in April after Nine's lawyers served Mr Roberts-Smith a notice to produce emails or attachments which were only stored on the email account.

Ms Roberts and Ms Scott are both set to testify for Nine at the defamation trial.

Mr Moses has referred to WhatsApp messages in which Ms Roberts and Ms Scott talked about a book Mr Roberts-Smith had been writing which was stored on the RS Group email account.

Ben Roberts-Smith has taken leave from his job as general manager of Network Seven in Queensland. He is pictured with girlfriend Sarah Matulin on the Gold Coast in January

'I have the first four chapters of the book, the one that doesn't exist,' Ms Roberts texted Ms Scott. 'He's a dumb lying c*** and when Jason tables this he's going to look like a dumb c***.'

Lawyer Jason Murakami, for Ms Roberts, has insisted his client had 'completely complied' with all questions about the email account and 'appropriately and truthfully answered all allegations to the court'.

On Wednesday he said it was 'pure speculation' that Ms Roberts had given Ms Scott a password to access the email account.

Mr Roberts-Smith's application to join Ms Scott and her husband to the proceedings has been listed for hearing on September 17.

Mr Roberts-Smith left Ms Roberts in January 2020 and the former couple sold their home on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for more than $2million in December that year.

Arthur Moses SC, for Mr Roberts-Smith, has said there was 'clear, albeit circumstantial evidence' Ms Roberts had not been 'full and frank in her disclosure' to the Federal Court

They settled their divorce in February this year and she gave a statement to Nine a month later outlining the evidence she would give against him.

The couple had rocky periods before they parted, with Mr Roberts-Smith admitting having an affair with a woman known in the defamation trial as Person 17 from October 2017 until April the following year.

Mr Roberts-Smith has given evidence he separated from his wife in September 2017 but they eventually reconciled. Ms Roberts is expected to deny there was a separation or having knowledge of the affair until it was over.

The defamation trial has been adjourned until November 1 due to Covid-19.
A London headteacher who was forced out by pupils who demanded the Union flag be torn down in a race row revolt is still employed by the academy chain that runs the secondary school and now oversees Ofsted inspections, MailOnline can reveal.

High-flying Daniel Smith was hailed as a talented leader with 15 years' experience of senior positions in teaching when he arrived at Pimlico Academy, before being driven out by a wave of opposition whipped up by social media agitators.

He sparked fury for his 'back to basics' policies, which included introducing a traditional chronological history curriculum and banning hairstyles that 'block people's view', in addition to hijabs that are 'too colourful'.

Critics claimed this was discriminatory against Muslims and people with Afro hairstyles, and a major backlash saw pupils and staff protesting outside the school gates and daubing hateful graffiti demanding 'out with the racist headmaster'.

There was even anger at the presence of the Union Flag outside the entrance, with activists chanting 'Ain't no black in the Union Jack' in a bizarre echo of a racist National Front slogan suggesting non-whites cannot be truly British.

After failing to appease protesters by removing the flag from outside the school's entrance in April, Mr Smith decided his position was untenable and stepped down before the end of the May half term. He had started as head in September 2020.

But in a blow to his critics, it has now emerged that he remained employed at academy chain Future as its 'Head of Standards and Effectiveness'. The chain is run by Tory peer Lord Nash and his former stockbroker wife.

Daniel Smith (pictured) will 'step down' as headmaster of Pimlico Academy before the end of half term

Hateful messages reading 'expel the racist headmaster' appeared outside Pimlico Academy as part of the backlash against Mr Smith

Daniel Smith: 'Super-strict' disciplinarian who loves Margaret Thatches and the Queen Daniel Smith immediately made an impression when he took over at Pimlico Academy in September last year, with colleagues describing how he had portraits of the Queen and Margaret Thatcher in his office. The Oxford graduate has held senior positions at schools for nearly 15 years, starting off as assistant principal at Westminster Academy in September 2007. Mr Smith then took on the same role at The Quest Academy in Croydon in 2010 before moving to The Ebbsfleet Academy in Kent in 2013. His first headteacher position was at Harris Garrard Academy in Thamesmead which he held from 2017 until 2020, when he moved to Pimlico Academy. Introducing himself to parents in a letter in July 2020, Mr Smith said the academy would be 'characterised by the highest expectations of conduct and achievement for all'. He urged parents, teachers and children to all 'row together', and quoted the academy's motto of 'Libertas per cultum', which means 'Freedom through education'. He took a degree in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University in 2007, before taking a master's in political theory at the London School of Economics. Mr Smith also took a graduate diploma in law at the BPP Law School, then did an MA in education management at King's College London. The school is run by Future Academies, a multi-academy trust which was set up by Conservative peer Lord Nash, who is on the board with his stockbroker wife Caroline. They are both on the local governing body for Pimlico Academy along with Paul Smith, Sarah Richardson and Daniel Woodruffe. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in December 2010 when it received an 'outstanding' grading. This report also revealed that the majority of pupils live in areas that are amongst the most socially deprived in Britain, and the proportion of those who are known to be eligible for free school meals is twice the national average. Nearly one quarter of all students are of white British heritage and the number of students who are advanced bilingual learners, or at early stages of acquiring English as an additional language, was said to be 'high'. The largest minority ethnic groups were Black Caribbean and Black African, while one third of students have moderate learning difficulties, dyslexia, behavioural, emotional and social needs and/or disabilities, which is above the national average. Among the former pupils are Chelsea footballer Tammy Abraham, PR executive Matthew Freud and comedian Mo Gilligan. Advertisement

A spokesman for Pimlico School in Westminster told MailOnline: 'In May this year Daniel Smith stepped away from the role of Principal at Pimlico Academy, part of Future Academies Trust.

'Since then he has worked as part of the school improvement team for the Trust as acting Head of Standards and Effectiveness.

'Daniel brings extensive expertise and insight to provide monitoring and support to schools throughout the Trust, in both secondary and primary settings.'

The move will infuriate rebel parents, teachers and pupils who sought to paint Mr Smith as a racist.

His new role includes responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection, according to a document seen by MailOnline.

He is also believed to be responsible for overseeing Ofsted inspections, a parent said.

The parent- who asked to remain anonymous - said: 'This feels like a huge slap in the face to all of us after we called off the strike because we trusted the word of Paul Smith [Future Academies CEO] who assured us that Daniel was gone and he wanted to build bridges.

'It shows how little regard Lord and Lady Nash hold for the pupils and parents of Pimlico.'

The outcry at 'disciplinarian' Mr Smith's policies extended to include a range of policies claimed to be 'discriminatory', including changes to the history curriculum to make it more chronological, which protesters said emphasised white kings and queens over BAME figures.

In April, the school was vandalised with hateful graffiti reading 'expel the racist headmaster' as pupils returned to class after the Easter holidays.

In May, Mr Smith sent an email to staff at the school informing them that he was quitting his post.

The message, seen by MailOnline, read: 'I informed the trust earlier this term of my intention to step down from my position as Principal of Pimlico Academy.

'The Trust have agreed to this and I will leave the Academy at the end of this half term.

'I am pleased to announce that Mr Tony Oulton will take up the post of Acting Principal from the start of next term.

'I will be working with Tony to ensure a smooth transition in the coming weeks.

'I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing commitment to our students in what has been the most challenging of times.'

The National Education Union - which supported the March 31 demonstration shortly before the Easter holidays - said 32 members of staff have handed in their notices since September.

Changes brought in by Mr Smith were overseen by the school's parent academy chain Future Academies, which is chaired by Conservative peer Lord Nash, 72.

On April 13, Lord Nash told parents: 'Any repeat of the actions on the final day of term would jeopardise students' education.

'We all need to work together to ensure that this does not happen again and learn the lessons from it.

'We must particularly ensure that our students, your children, understand the consequences of any future disobedience, which will undoubtedly result in disciplinary action.'

'Disciplinarian' Mr Smith (pictured in April) introduced a 'back to basics' uniform policy after starting at the school in September 2020

The Union Flag that usually flies outside the school all year round was still up before the protests

But the Union Flag was no longer flying at Pimlico Academy in London on April 1, the day after a revolt by pupils

On the last day of term in April, hundreds of pupils staged a mass walk-out in protest at Mr Smith's policies.

This prompted him to send a letter to parents in which he thundered: 'Any repeat of the actions on the final day of term would jeopardise students' education.

'I need to be very clear that if any students take part in a repeat of such actions, they will undoubtedly face disciplinary consequences.'

He also wrote to some parents saying they would need to attend a disciplinary meeting with their child on April 19 - ahead of students' return to school after the Easter holidays.

According to the Guardian, it said: 'Following [child's name] disruptive behaviour on the last day of term, she is required to attend a disciplinary meeting  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the nature of [child's name] disruptive behaviour on the last day of term and to give [child's name] the opportunity to reflect on their actions.

'You should be aware that if [child's name] is found to have committed a serious breach of the academy's behaviour policy and if it is deemed that [child's name] remaining in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of others, consideration will be given to permanently excluding [child's name] from the academy.'

MailOnline previously revealed that headmaster Mr Smith is a 'disciplinarian' who once had portraits of the Queen and Margaret Thatcher as well as a Union Flag above his desk, according to a former colleague.

Mr Smith was vice head of Ebbsfleet Academy in Swanscombe, Kent, from 2013 to 2017.

One ex-colleague, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline: 'He is very strict, a head who stands for no-nonsense, but he gets very good results. He had a little man syndrome in his approach.'

During his time at Ebbsfleet, Mr Smith insisted that all shoes should be black, and no labels, coloured stitching or laces would be allowed. 'Anyone who'd inadvertently bought shoes such as Kickers before the new term had to cut off the labels and colour in the stitching with a felt-tip pen,' said the source.

'There was absolutely no leeway and anyone who transgressed was internally excluded and sent home for the day.'

The former colleague said Mr Smith ordered that lines of adhesive tape be stuck along the centre of the school corridors to make them 'one-way' and pupils were banned from speaking to one another during class changes.

Students packed out the school playground for the protest on March 31. Many filmed it on their phones

A sign outside the school, which was defaced with stickers during the protest, was cleaned up the next day

Parents and police waited outside the gates of Pimlico Academy on March 31 as school children demonstrated in the playground

'It was very militant, but didn't really take into account the kind of children who were at the school,' said the colleague.

'There weren't really issues around race at Ebbsfleet, as it's a predominately white working class area, but Mr Smith didn't show much interest in the family backgrounds of his pupils, he was only interested in discipline and exam results.'

The source did acknowledge that results improved 'markedly' during Mr Smith's tenure, and the same uniform rules are in force there today, according to Ebbsfleet's website.

Tory peer Lord Nash angrily hit back at claims the school is racist. He told MailOnline: 'You cannot accuse Pimlico of being racist. It is the most non-racist school. It is so lovely there when you see mixed friendships groups.'

Asked about changes to the uniform policy that some pupils had claimed was racist, he said: 'I don't want to comment on these types of details. A lot of this has been blown up out of proportion.'

During his time at Ebbsfleet, Mr Smith (left) insisted that all shoes should be black, and no labels, coloured stitching or laces would be allowed. Pictured right: A poster for the March 31 protest

A sit-down protest was held at the school against changes introduced by Mr Smith since he arrived in September

Officers stood outside the gates of the school on the morning of March 31 during the demonstration

He said he had worked to support people from ethnic minorities including the setting up of a school in the inner London area of Brixton.

'It has taken ten years, but we are very pleased to have opened a school in Brixton.'

Another slogan used by the protesters in March was: 'Ain't no black in the Union Jack'.

This has historically been used by National Front racists to suggest that people from ethnic minorities are not truly British.

The rebellion was a significant challenge to traditional Conservative education reforms emphasising discipline and academic rigour similar to those promoted by Michael Gove when he was Education Secretary.

Students chanted 'we want change' as they protested against their headteacher's policy banning Afro hair and 'colourful' hijabs
Former President Trump has chosen his fighter against Wyoming foe Rep. Liz Cheney, and is set to endorse attorney Harriet Hageman.

Trump has for months promised revenge for Cheney's vote to impeach him in February, and has met with a handful of GOP candidates who are looking to oust the Wyoming Republican.

The president will throw his weight behind Hageman, a former gubernatorial candidate, as she preps to enter the race, three sources familiar told Politico.

Trump's team not only encouraged Hageman to run but also is now working to clear the field of other candidates ahead of the August 2022 primary so as not to split the anti-Cheney vote.

The former president has already told Hageman he will endorse her, a source said, and the endorsement is expected to drop any day.

Cheney has become a no. 1 priority target for Trump-aligned conservatives after she repeatedly spoke out against his claims of election fraud, outcries which led to her ouster from House Republican leadership in May.

Former President Trump has promised revenge against Rep. Liz Cheney after her vote to impeach the president for inciting a riot on Jan. 6

Hageman, a Wyoming attorney and conservative activist, finished third in the GOP gubernatorial primary of 2018

On Tuesday, Hageman stepped down from her position as national GOP committeewoman at the Republican National Convention.

'By censuring Rep. Liz Cheney we sent the strong message that we expect our elected officials to respect the views and values of the people who elected them. Accountability is key and I am proud of our party for demanding it,' she wrote in her resignation letter according to Politico.

Hageman is a fourth-generation Wyomingite who grew up on a ranch and has been a conservative activist and land-use attorney for decades. Her law expertise focuses on federal overreach and regulations.

DailyMail.com has reached out to both Hageman and the Trump team.

In Cheney's unsuccessful 2014 bid for a Wyoming Senate seat, Hageman was listed as a member of the Cheney campaign's leadership team. Hageman and her family were considered longtime allies of the Cheney family at the time, according to the Caspar Star-Tribune.

In the Republican gubernatorial primary of 2018, Hageman came in third with 20.5% of the vote, behind Trump-backed billionaire Foster Friess who came in second.

Trump's support of Friess was far more limited than his support of a Cheney challenger is expected to be, limited mostly to an election day tweet.

Republican politics reign supreme in Wyoming ,where Trump won by more than 43 percentage points in 2020, a larger margin than any other state he won.

But Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, won her primary in 2016 by nearly 18 points, and won the general election by 32.

Trump in recent days has doled out support for a slew of primary challengers to the 10 Republicans who voted in favor of impeachment in the House for inciting a riot on Jan. 6.

On Tuesday the president backed Steve Carra, a one-term member of the Michigan House, to take on Fred Upton, a Michigan representative who's served in the House for more than three decades.

The ex-president restarted his campaign rallies by traveling to the Ohio district of impeachment backing GOP Rep. Anthony Gonzalez in June, so he could stump for former aide Max Miller.

Trump also endorsed Kelly Tshibaka, who's running to take GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's job.

Later on Tuesday, Trump put out a statement admonishing Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who announced nearly a year ago that he wouldn't be running for a third term.

'The only reason Senator "Gloomy" Pat Toomey is not running for the Senate in Pennsylvania is that I would not give him an endorsement - I feel he has been a terrible representative for both Pennsylvania and the United States, as a whole,' the former president claimed.

Trump also credited himself for winning Toomey a second term.
A House Democratic committee unveiled its take on President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion economic plan that the White House says make transformative changes to the economy  if it can clear the House and Senate following a vow by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to slash the costs.

Democrats in the House and Senate will have to find a way to get on the same page if they are able to move a package Democrats are calling a 'giant step toward restoring the middle class'.

'There are some disagreements, as always comes about,' said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. He said Democrats were negotiating on a 'tripartite proposal ... that we all agree on' among the White House, the House, and the Senate.

'Without unity, we're not going to get anything,' he said.

Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) will oversee a committee markup of a bill providing shape to Biden's $3.5 trillion economic plan

According to Ways and Means Committee's draft, the new Medicare vision benefits would come online next year. Hearing benefits would begin in 2023, but dental wouldn't come until 2028  a delay that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says is too long.

'I dont see it drawn out to as far out as the House has proposed,' said Sanders, asked Wednesday about that timeframe.

Vision benefits would start in 2022, with hearing benefits beginning in 2023 and dental coverage in 2028.

The House panel this week unveiled its draft for the major package, which will move through Congress under the protection of budget 'reconciliation' instructions that shield it from a Senate GOP filibuster.

But it will require the support of every Senate Democrat  and House progressives are vowing to resist efforts to pare it back.

'Without unity, we're not going to get anything,' said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, who toured Queens hurricane damage with President Biden Tuesday

THIS MIGHT HURT A BIT: Democrat must negotiate a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package amid inter-party splits over costs. The House package would add dental, vision, and hearing benefits to Medicare

Ways and Means Committee plans to debate its wide-ranging measure that would expand Medicare health coverage for the elderly to include dental, vision and hearing benefits in work sessions on Thursday and Friday  and would constitute some of the most significant changes to coverage in decades.

The measure, which is expected to draw lock-step opposition from Republicans, also would provide up to 12 weeks of universal paid family and medical leave for all U.S. workers.

'Later this week, the Ways and Means Committee will put an end to the idea that only some workers are worthy of `perks like paid leave, child care, and assistance in saving for retirement, and finally commit to investments that make these supports fixtures of the American workplace,' committee Chairman Richard Neal said in a statement.

But already there was talk of reducing the $3.5 trillion price of the legislation, and powerhouse Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has said he will accept no more than $1 trillion.

Manchin wrote in an op-ed he won't support 'anywhere near' $3.5 trillion. Axios on Tuesday cited sources as saying that Manchin would support just $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion in spending.

Amid a looming fight for passage, Democrats are trying to focus attention on the substance of what is in the plan.

'Most dont know of its strength and its breadth,' Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said on a press call Wednesday. He said it will be 'the largest tax cut for the middle class in a generation,' while forcing corporations and the wealthy to pay more.

'Elections have consequences,' said Schumer, pointing to Democratic victories in 2018 and 2020.

'This budget reconciliation package will include a robust and historic expansion of Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing,' he said, touting proposals that Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pushed to include.

'When you need to hear something, when you need to see clearly, when you need to be able to eat your food without pain, these are not frills,' said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

'All of the proposals that we are talking about are immensely popular, especially for working class people,' said Sanders, who helped shepherd the budget outline through the Senate.

Ways and Means won't be the final word in the House.

A series of other House panels in coming days will be working on their respective portions of a package that Democrats hope will win House approval late this month.

It then would move to the Senate, where Democrats plan to use a special procedure known as 'reconciliation https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-reconciliation-explainer-idCAKBN2FB1Q7, ' allowing them to pass the legislation by a simple majority vote instead of the 60 votes needed to advance most bills in the 100-member chamber.

Democrats hold a slim majority in the House and the Senate is split 50-50, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will have to work hard to get Democratic moderates on board, possibly by reducing the overall $3.5 trillion in spending https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-poised-pass-1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-debate-35-trillion-budget-2021-08-10 that would be offset by tax increases for corporations and the wealthy.

Democratic leaders also will have to be careful not to lose the support of the more ambitious progressive wing of the party.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking to reporters in Kentucky, blasted the Democrats' initiative, which aims to use federal dollars to improve childcare facilities and nursing home care, as a '$3.5 trillion to $5 trillion tax increase on the American people.'

A lobbyist familiar with internal deliberations on Capitol Hill said in a telephone interview that there was optimism among congressional Democrats that a bill would get passed and sent to President Joe Biden for signing into law.

But such a bill is more likely to be in the range of around $2 trillion, said the lobbyist, who asked not to be identified.

While the various House committees are likely to approve bills that would total $3.5 trillion, that number would get whittled down before the legislation is sent to the full House for debate and passage, the source said.

That could mean that any proposed tax increases on the wealthy and corporations would not have to be as steep as initially envisioned.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asked by a CNN reporter about Democratic Senator Joe Manchin last week urging a 'pause' in consideration of the massive investment bill, said, 'We're on a good timetable,' referring to fast committee work. She did not reject the possibility of the bill ending up costing less than $3.5 trillion, however. (Reporting by Richard Cowan in Washington Editing by Matthew Lewis)
A retired US prisons officer is under a federal investigation for allegedly leaking a treasure trove of illegally-accessed information about disgraced musician R. Kelly to a popular YouTube gossip vlogger.

The online personality, known as Tasha K, posted a number of videos in which she sips wine and shares salacious information to her thousands of followers, quoting verbatim from Kelly's recorded phone calls, emails and visitor logs, according to a federal search warrant obtained by the Chicago Tribune.

The officer, named in the warrant as Officer A, is accused of illegally accessing Kellys private information while he was an inmate at Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center and leaking it to 39 year-old Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe. She has not yet been charged with any crime.

Before diving into juicy details about Kelly's life in one of her videos, Kebe says 'Now, I told you I got the m***********g plug. This is all facts, no allegedly, all facts.'

A retired US prisons officer allegedly shared information from R. Kelly's recorded phone calls, emails and visitor logs to YouTuber Tasha K (pictured above)

Tasha also shared further details of what she said was Kelly's inability to read and write

The officer, who retired in December 2019, allegedly accessed R. Kellys records more than 150 times in a six-month period

In a series of widely-shared videos, Tasha K sips wine and reads private exchanges Kelly had while an inmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center

The female officer, who retired in December 2019, allegedly accessed Kellys records more than 150 times in a six-month period before her departure and emailed herself a 12-page scan of his jail records.

The officer worked as a disciplinary hearing officer at a federal prison in Wisconsin, was not even assigned to the MCC and 'had no official reason' to be searching for Kelly's information, as stated in the 24-page warrant obtained by the Tribune.

Some of the private information involves Kellys contentious relationships with two girlfriends  Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary  who were living in his high-rise apartment at a Trump Tower residence in Chicago at the time. Tasha K reveals in one video that Kelly allegedly had a friend bring $1,500 in cash to the apartment to help pay for his girlfriends bills.

The vlogger, who is known for sipping from a giant glass of wine while sharing her gossip, says, Yeah theres a phone tap somewhere and Im not gonna tell you where its at. I have the plug. Im not gonna tell you where I got the information from, but just listen to the damn information, OK?

Some of the private information involves Kellys contentious relationships with two girlfriends  Joycelyn Savage (pictured left) and Azriel Clary

Tasha K reveals in one video that Kelly allegedly had a friend bring $1,500 in cash to the apartment to help pay for his girlfriends bills

In another video, posted on Dec. 22, 2019 and titled R. Kelly RELEASED Emails PROVES he cant read or write, she scrolls through her phone and reads email exchanges Kelly had with his girlfriends from prison before saying,  . . . these are actual conversations between them I'm not gonna put it up here because this is considered like somebody's private information or whatever but you know my word trust me.

Tasha said she was sharing the emails to highlight Kelly's alleged illiteracy.

The warden of Chicagos MCC first reported to BOP internal affairs in November 2019 that Tasha K. had revealed sensitive law enforcement information that would only be known to employees from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons who were responsible for regularly monitoring his behavior at the correctional facility, according to the warrant.

According to the Chicago Tribune, a review of Officer As logins to the Bureau of Prisons internal information system revealed that she illegally accessed Kellys records 153 times between the time Kelly first arrived at MCC in July 2019 and before her retirement in December 2019.

The officer also allegedly accessed and printed out Kellys visitor logs and payments made into and out of his commissary account, which showed who was sending Kelly money while he was in jail.

The 39-year-old Atlanta-based blogger, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, shares her videos as exclusive peaks into the entanglements of R. Kelly. Some of her videos include interviews with key players, but others offer information not even shared in court.

Tasha K now has 966K subscribers on YouTube, where she posts on the account Unwinewithtashak.

In 2019, she became embroiled in a legal battle with Cardi B, who she sued for more than $3 million after the popstar allegedly responded to one of the bloggers videos by telling gang members to 'handle' her, according to reporting from TMZ at the time.

Cardi B came out successful in their legal battle in July 2021 after a judge couldnt find any evidence that Cardi B made actual threats.

R. Kelly, 54, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been on trial since Aug. 18 for running an alleged decade-long racketeering scheme targeting women and girls for sex, with help from employees and assistants. Many of the sex-related misconduct allegations were discussed in the 2019 Lifetime documentary 'Surviving R. Kelly.'

The trial has so far featured a steady stream of accusers claiming Kelly began sexually degrading them when they were still in their teens. They said he used his stardom to lure them into an insular world where he watched their every move and doled out perverse punishments, spanking them and isolating them in hotel rooms if they broke a vow to never speak about him to anyone else.

Last Monday, Kelly's first male accuser testified that he offered him help with his music career in exchange for sexual favors. The man, testifying under the pseudonym Louis, said he was 17 when Kelly first started making sexual advances at him.

Kelly, has pleaded not guilty, faces between 10 years and life in prison if convicted on all counts.
A hardworking Australian man has been rejected from over a hundred job applications despite having a university degree because he is legally blind.

Conor Smith, 31, from Sydney, has spent nearly five years relentlessly job hunting, submitting his resume to around 60 to 100 businesses.

'They know full well they can't say we can't hire you because you're blind, so you usually just get a 'You've been unsuccessful',' Mr Smith told News.com.au.

Mr Smith, who is now a project officer with Blind Citizens Australia, revealed his countless job rejections made applying for a position feel 'pointless'.

Conor Smith, 31, (pictured) claims he applied for up to a hundred jobs but was rejected because he is legally blind

A frustrated Mr Smith decided at one job interview he wouldn't disclose his blindness until the end, to ensure the employer would evaluate him on merit.

'At the end after it all went well, I said: 'By the way, I just wanted to let you I am actually blind,'' he said.

'It turned from a very chipper interview to 'Oh well, if we had have known that'. That was at least the tone.'

Despite feeling as though he'd been thrown into the 'too hard basket', he eventually secured a role with Blind Citizens Australia, but his job hunting experience is not uncommon.

A survey commissioned by Vision Australia, which is available to view on its website, revealed half of all employers have never considered hiring a blind or vision impaired person.

The survey interviewed 1,003 employers in April and found many believed the cost of hiring a vision impaired person would be too high or would affect their productivity.

A survey found over half of Australian employers have not considered hiring a blind or vision impaired candidate (pictured, stock image)

Employers cited concerns over productivity, health and safety risks, financial costs and doubts of staff members ability to effectively work with or manage them.

A mere 30 per cent were willing to adapt the job requirements for a vision impaired candidate with the right qualifications, while 83 per cent of employers didn't feel confident hiring them at all.

Encouragingly 79 per cent of businesses agreed they would be more willing to hire a person with vision impairment if they knew of the correct technology required.

Businesses that were willing to make adjustments for vision impaired employees were more likely aware of support available such as the job access program and assistive technology.

Overall the survey found the barriers employees faced was due to a business' lack of consideration and understanding, rather than rejection.

Vision Australia CEO, Ron Hooton, said the survey findings highlighted the discrimination and outdated perceptions vision impaired job seekers face.

'People who are blind or have low vision are no different to anyone else in that they want to work and make capable and committed employees,' he said.

'It's extremely disappointing they're being denied that opportunity out of hand.'
Bungling council staff have accidentally approved or rejected five planning applications, adding bizarre sarcastic comments at the end of each one.

One applicant, a charity boss was told their scheme was turned down because 'your proposal is whack'.

But even though they were mistakes, lawyers have told bosses at Swale Council in Kent the decisions are legally binding and they will have to spend thousands obtaining a judicial review to have each decision reversed in court.

The astonishing blunder by the Mid Kent Planning Support team, which handles online planning matters for Swale council, happened when a 'junior' member of staff was trying to resolve software issues.

In doing so, five 'dummy' decisions, used to test the website was working, were accidentally published.

Among them was the sarcastic refusal to a desperate bid by Happy Pants animal sanctuary to stay on its site near Sittingbourne.

Pictured: Amey James, founder of The Happy Pants Ranch, was given a sarcastic refusal to its request to stay on its site near Sittingbourne in Kent - one of five planning applications accidentally rejected or approved by bungling council staff

Pictured: A satellite image showing the plot of land in Kent where the Happy Pants Ranch is, which the animal sanctuary applied to remain on but was refused

Pictured: The planning decision notice given to the Happy Pants Ranch, with reasons given listed as: 'Your proposal is whack' and 'no mate, proper whack'

The charity was told 'your proposal is whack' and 'no mate, proper whack'. Making good the mistaken planning decisions is now set to cost at least 8,000.

A butcher's change-of-use applicaton in Sittingbourne was also turned down, along with the official response: 'No, just don't', while the partial demolition of The Wheatsheaf pub in Sittingbourne, was granted, with the comment 'incy, wincy, spider'.

Another application, for the demolition of a pub in Sheerness, to make way for flats, was granted, with the bizarre comment was 'why am I doing this, am I the chosen one?'

Meanwhile, an application for the change of use for a barn to provide storage for seeds and crop protection products, precision farm services and office space in Bredgar Road, Tunstall, was granted, apparently with 20 conditions, which were just the numbers 1-20.

Swale council is now seeking to quash the planning decisions issued in error.

It said that, on August 19, officers for the Mid Kent Planning Support team were trying to find a solution for issues with the software behind the public access site but, during the exercise, 'dummy' decision notices on five randomly selected Swale applications were published on the live system.

The partial demolition of The Wheatsheaf pub in Sittingbourne was granted, with the comment under the reasons given saying 'incy, wincy, spider'

Pictured: The planning decision notice given to the Wheatsheaf pub by Swale Council

After being alerted to the mistake, the decision notices were swiftly removed from the site, but legal advice has subsequently confirmed they are legally binding and must be overturned before the correct decisions are made.

Amey James, founder of The Happy Pants Ranch, told KentOnline: 'Obviously the comments are quite laughable, but if I had gone on there this morning before I saw the email from Swale council about the error I think I would have had a heart attack  I would have been properly panicking; the future of the ranch depends on this decision.'

She added: 'I kept thinking this was going to go to the planning committee in September, but now because of this, it's probably going to be delayed even further.

'At this rate, we are probably not going to know by Christmas. It's just awful not knowing.'

Swale council's leader, Cllr Roger Truelove, and deputy leader, Cllr Mike Baldock, said they were angered and frustrated that an administrative error by staff working in the Mid Kent shared planning service had led to the issuing of false planning decision notices.

They said: 'These errors will have to be rectified but this will cause totally unnecessary concern to applicants.

A butcher's change-of-use applicaton in Sittingbourne was also turned down

Under reasons given for the refusal, the butcher was told 'Just don't. No' in the comments

Another application, for the demolition of a pub in Sheerness, to make way for flats, was granted, with the bizarre comment was 'why am I doing this, am I the chosen one?

Pictured: The planning decision notice granting permission for the demolition of the Old House At Home in Sheerness

'This is not the first serious problem following the transfer of our planning administration to Mid Kent shared services.

'We will wait for the outcome of a roper investigation and then consider our appropriate response as a council.'

Swale council said the language was used by junior officer with no knowledge of the applications, who believed they were working solely in a test environment with the comments never being published.

It added that an investigation was underway to understand exactly what happened 'to ensure that lessons are learned and any necessary action in relation to the conduct of officers involved is taken'.

The authority said the quickest legal way to deal with the issue was to use the judicial review process to have the decisions quashed

It added: 'This is not uncommon and, if uncontested, could be complete in two to three months. We have notified each of the applicants of the error and will continue to liaise with them as the matter progresses.'

An application for the change of use for a barn to provide storage for seeds and crop protection products, precision farm services and office space in Tunstall, was granted

Permission was granted, apparently with 20 conditions, which were just the numbers 1-20

The review is expected to cost about 8,000, if unchallenged, and Swale council expects Mid Kent to pay for it.

Julien Speed, chairman of Lynsted with Kingsdown Parish Council, told KentOnline: 'This is quite an extraordinary error. Yes the public access site for planning needs much improvement, but where is the quality control when testing software?

'Swale council is now saying they will seek a judicial review through the courts to overturn these five rogue decisions. What a massive waste of ratepayers' money.'

Cllr Cameron Beart, who represents Queenborough and Halfway on Swale council, added: 'I am absolutely horrified that one of them is the demolition of the Old House at Home in Sheerness High Street.

'I make no comment about the application in general, but if it has been approved without any consideration and without any conditions attached, it is a serious issue.'
A week after the signing of Texas' 'heartbeat' law, South Dakota gave its own blows to abortion rights in the state.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem issued an executive order Tuesday to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician.

Noem is directing her state's department of health to create rules that make it impossible to get abortion-inducing drugs without the prescription of a state-licensed doctor after an in-person consultation.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem issued an executive order Tuesday to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician

The law is being done in anticipation of the Food and Drug Administration's likely move to allow such medications to be dispensed via mail or virtual pharmacies beginning later this year.

State law in South Dakota already puts that requirement on doctors.

Noem charged that the Biden administration was moving to leverage telemedicine abortions to undermine state laws and make it easier to have an abortion.

'They are working right now to make it easier to end the life of an unborn child via telemedicine abortion,' Noem said in a statement. 'That is not going to happen in South Dakota.'

Access to abortion medication has become a pressing issue after last week the Texas law took effect, as it banned abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before many women know theyre pregnant.

About 39% of abortions in South Dakota last year were done through medication, according to the state health department.

The law is being done in anticipation of the Food and Drug Administration's likely move to allow such medications to be dispensed via mail or virtual pharmacies

There is only one abortion clinic in South Dakota the regularly performs the procedure.

Janna Farley, communications director for the South Dakota chapter of the ACLU, called Noem's executive order unconstitutional.

'Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Gov. Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship,' said Farley. 'Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota.'

Noem charged that the Biden administration was moving to leverage telemedicine abortions to undermine state laws and make it easier to have an abortion

Opponents of bans on telemedicine abortions say the method is safe, and outlawing them would have a disproportionate effect on rural residents who face long drives to the nearest abortion clinic.

Noem argues in her order that medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening and that she made the order in the interest of women's health and safety.

Doctors are already mandated by law to meet with a pregnant woman and perform an examination before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion.

Women are required to wait 72 hours before the procedure.

There is only one abortion clinic in South Dakota the regularly performs the procedure

The law also requires abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy to be performed in a hospital and outlaws abortions entirely after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless it is a medical emergency.

Noem's order blocks the drugs from being delivered through the mail or other delivery services and outlaws the drugs from being provided in schools or on state property.

It also requires licenses for any clinics that only prescribe medicine for abortions and require more stringent reporting on medicine-induced abortions and any health complications related to them.

Similar restrictions, such as an Ohio law that was passed this year, have been blocked by courts from taking effect.

Abbott signed the new law which exposes abortion providers to financial penalties if they perform abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy.

In response to the Texas law taking effect last week, President Joe Biden has vowed to look at 'what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.'

The new law provides medical exemptions to save the life of the mother, but does not provide exemptions for rape or incest, a stance Abbott defended when a reporter asked why the state would 'force' victims of heinous sex crimes like rape and incest to give birth.

'It doesn't require that at all, because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion, so for one it doesn't provide that,' Abbott replied.
The mother of one of the Marines killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan has invited Donald Trump to attend the funeral, snubbing President Joe Biden after slamming him as responsible for the deaths of US troops.

Shana Chappell, the mother of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, invited Trump to attend his funeral in a Facebook post, writing: 'It would be such an honor to meet the real President of the United States of America, President Trump. I love you and America loves you.'

It was not immediately clear whether Trump planned to attend the September 18 funeral in Riverside, California, but he acknowledged Chappell's invitation in a statement, saying, 'Thank you Shanaour Country loves you and especially loves your beautiful boy, Kareem.'

Chappell has been vocal in blaming Biden for the 13 troops killed during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, writing in another Facebook post: 'THE BLOOD OF ALL 13 OF THESE HEROES IS ON YOUR HANDS!!!'

Shana Chappell, the mother of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, invited Trump to attend his funeral in a Facebook post

Chappell wrote: 'It would be such an honor to meet the real President of the United States of America, President Trump. I love you and America loves you.'

'THE BLOOD OF ALL 13 OF THESE HEROES IS ON YOUR HANDS!!!' Chappell wrote in another post directed at Biden

Trump responded to Chappell's invitation with a message of gratitude in a statement

'This is not something B!d3n [sic] and the rest of his corrupt administration can talk their way out of and make disappear!!' she wrote. 'This will not be forgotten!!!!!'

Nikoui's funeral service, which will be open to the public, is scheduled for September 18 at the Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California.

Trump previously responded to Chappell's remarks in a statement on his website, after she had posted on Facebook accusing Biden of rolling his eyes at her when she confronted him during the dignified transfer at Dover Air Base.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, was one of 13 US troops killed in the attack

'Shana, you are 100% correct. If I were President, your wonderful and beautiful son Kareem would be with you now, and so would the sons and daughters of others, including all of those who died in the vicious Kabul airport attack,' Trump wrote.

'Civilians should have been brought out first, along with our $85 billion of equipment, with the Military coming out very safely after all was clear. I love you, and I love Kareem,' he added.

Chappell, a Trump voter, posted frequently about her disdain for Biden, even before her son's death.

Last week her Instagram account was temporarily disabled after she publicly blamed Biden for her son's death. A Facebook spokesperson has since told DailyMail.com that it was deleted 'incorrectly' but it won't say how the 'mistake' came about.

Trump he acknowledged Chappell's invitation in a statement, saying, 'Thank you Shanaour Country loves you and especially loves your beautiful boy, Kareem'

Chappell as well as Nikoui's father Steve Nikoui are not the only Gold Star families to speak out with harsh words for Biden.

In addition to Nikoui, also killed in the August 26 attack were Navy corpsman Max Soviak, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, and Marines Hunter Lopez, Rylee McCollum, David Lee Espinoza, Jared Schmitz, Daegan Page, Taylor Hoover, Humberto Sanchez, Johanny Rosario, Dylan Merola and Nicole Gee.

It saw a suicide bomber blow himself up close to Hamid Karzai International Airport's Abbey Gate, with ISIS-K gunmen subsequently opening fire on panicked survivors as they tried to flee.

The US service personnel and 159 civilians were killed, with more than 150 others injured by the blast.

In a Tuesday interview on Fox News's 'The Ingraham Angle,' Paula Knauss, mother of the late Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, demanded that someone 'stand up and say they will be accountable' for the botched withdrawal that led to death of her son.

Addressing Biden on the show, she said, 'Please give me a call and let me know how I could sleep tonight  a full night  because my son . . . didn't make it home and it is on your watch because he was doing his job well and he counted on you to tell the troops what your desire was and he followed through with your desires. So it is on you to tell me.'

Knauss, 23, of Tennessee, told his mother that he volunteered to join the evacuation mission in Afghanistan and that it was bound to be chaotic, but he would be home in 'no time.' Instead, however, Paula got a dreaded call letting her know her son died in the ISIS-K attack.

Paula Knauss is demanding someone take accountability for the 13 deaths in the Kabul suicide bombing and said Biden 'trusted the enemy.' She was above in a Tuesday interview on Fox News's 'The Ingraham Angle'

President Joe looked at his watch as the coffins of 13 US servicemembers killed in an ISIS bomb attack in Kabul were transferred at Dover Air Base on Sunday. Some of the troops' fathers called it the most disrespectful thing they had ever seen

'The president of the United States has the ability to help our troops, have enough men and women to stay safe,' she said. 'In all of our history, in all of the time that we have been fighting, where did you leave these men and women but at one airport, one location, one gate to funnel thousands through? And who did you trust? You trusted our enemy to allow who would come through. What is anyone in this great nation think when they think what would happen? No one has to have a military background to know that that was not gonna go down well.'

She added, 'There should have been a better way of helping our armed branches get those people who are American out safely, and still lose no man or woman in uniform or in Afghanistan. It should never have happened the way it did. Who is accountable for this? Who will stand up and say that they will be accountable for the death of 13 young men and women?'

The president made his trip to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last weekend as the caskets of the 13 service members killed in the attack were brought back to the United States.

He stood in silence, his right hand to his chest, as a succession of flag draped transfer coffins were carried past him from a C-17 Globemaster plane.

But during the ceremony, Biden appeared to jerk his left arm up and look down at his watch, drawing criticism.
Former Senator Adlai Stevenson, 90, suffered from dementia and died Monday in Chicago

Former U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III, an Illinois Democrat who served under former president Richard Nixon, has died at his home on Chicago's North Side. He was 90.

His son Adlai Stevenson IV, who confirmed the Illinois Democrat died on Monday, said his father had dementia.

Stevenson III lived, studied and worked for more than 70 years in more than 80 countries, according to his personal webpage.

The former senator was part of a political dynasty that included his great-grandfather Aldai Stevenson, who was vice president of the U.S. from 1893 to 1897.

His father, Adlai Stevenson II, was a former Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate.

Before his health declined, Stevenson III kept active organizing presentations and speakers for the Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy in Libertyville, Illinois.

He also worked on the family farm in Hanover, Illinois, raising cattle, growing corn and hay for their feed, and chopping wood.

'He just faded away,' his son said.

Former senator Adlai Stevenson III (at left in this file photo) belonged to a political dynasty

Stevenson ran for governor of Illinois twice, losing his 1982 run by just 5,074 votes to Republican Gov. Jim Thompson. It is the closest Illinois election for governor in modern state history.

When running for the senate, where he was first elected in 1970 to serve out the remainder of the late Senator Everett Dirksens term, Stevenson asked then-Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley for advice.

"My advice to you is dont change your name," Daley told him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Stevenson was reelected in 1974, but decided not to run again in 1980. He stepped aside in January 1981 for fellow Democrat Alan Dixon, who won the November election.

Stevenson III was initially elected in 1970 to complete the late Senator Everett Dirksens term

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who interned for the Stevenson in Washington, paid tribute to his former colleague on Twitter.

'Warmest thoughts and prayers for the family and thanks for the many accomplishments of former Senator Adlai Stevenson III of Illinois,' he said.

'I had the honor of delivering Senator Stevenson's mail and operating his Xerox machine as a 16-year-old intern in his DC office.'

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who interned for Stevenson III in Washington, shared fond memories on Twitter of working with the former senator, whose mail he delivered

While a senator, Stevenson served on the commerce, banking, and intelligence committee.

He as the first chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and led a special committee that initiated first major reorganization of the Senate since its committee system was formed in the 1800s.

Stevenson III graduated from Milton Academy, Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He served with the Marine Corps in Korea and was discharged as a captain from the Marine Reserves in 1961.

Stevenson is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons, Adlai IV and Warwick; two brothers, John and Borden; and nine grandchildren.

Information on services was not immediately available.
Jill Biden wrapped up her first day back in the classroom on Tuesday by watching from the Truman balcony as President Joe Biden returned to the White House from his trip visiting flood damage in New York and New Jersey.

President Biden waved to his wife as he disembarked from Marine One, wrapping up a long day seeing the damage from Hurricane Ida, which killed 52 people in the North East.

The first lady, in a blue suit jacket, looked pensive as she stood, partially behind one of the pillars of the second-story balcony, which is connected to the White House residence.

Jill Biden, 70, followed the lead of many other students and teachers on Tuesday when she returned to the classroom at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has worked since 2009, teaching English and writing.

She is the first first lady in modern history to have a paying job outside of her White House duties. The role of first lady is largely ceremonial and, while it includes a staff, it is an unpaid position.

Jill Biden watches from the Truman Balcony as President Biden returns to the White House

President Joe Biden waves to his wife Jill as he exits Marine One on the South Lawn

Biden defines herself by her teaching job, which she talks about frequently in public appearances and in interviews.

'Teaching isn't just what I do. It's who I am,' she says. She has two masters and a doctorate in education.

She had taught through the COVID pandemic by zoom - even when traveling she would delay official events until the afternoon so she could teach in the mornings. She often grades papers on flights.

But she spoke of her longing to be back in the same room with her students.

'I can't wait to get back in the classroom,' she recently told Good Housekeeping magazine.

During the pandemic, she flew around the country to schools and COVID clinics, urging people to get vaccinated to help lives return to their normal routines. She was advocate - along with her husband - to reopen schools.

In March, she and Miguel Cardona, the secretary of education, visited classrooms in Connecticut and Pennsylvania where students were wearing masks and sitting behind plastic dividers. In May, she and the president visited a class of fifth-grade students at an elementary school in Yorktown to see how they were learning during the pandemic.

Going back to class is old hat for the first lady. She taught at the Northern Virginia school while her husband was vice president.

Jill Biden returned to in-person teaching on Tuesday at her job at Northern Virginia Community College

She watched from the second-story Truman Balcony, which is connected to the residential part of the White House

She arrived for her first day back in class via a presidential motorcade. She has Secret Service agents with her - as she did when she was second lady - but, back then, the agents, at her request, dressed in jeans and toted back packs to mix in with her students.

She will teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with travel on days when she is not in the classroom.

And she'll be wearing a face mask. The state of Virginia requires everyone to wear face coverings indoors on Northern Virginia Community College campuses, regardless of vaccination status. Biden is fully vaccinated.

President Biden, meanwhile, expressed confidence his administration can help out New York and New Jersey along with other areas affected by Hurricane Ida.

'A great trip to New Jersey and New York. People need help. I'm confident we can give it to them. I'm confident we can help change their circumstances,' he told reporters on the South Lawn.

He paused to talk to the press for a few minutes before going into the White House, where the first lady was waiting.
The creator of the Muppets has been honoured with a blue plaque at his former London home.

Jim Henson, the American puppeteer who also worked on Sesame Street, moved into 50 Downshire Hill in Hampstead in 1979.

He bought the house after The Muppet Show was overlooked by US broadcasters and picked up by British TV. It would go on to run for a remarkable 120 episodes.

The creator of the Muppets has been honoured with a blue plaque at his former London home

Jim Henson, pictured with Kermit the frog, the American puppeteer who also worked on Sesame Street, moved into 50 Downshire Hill in Hampstead in 1979. He bought the house after The Muppet Show was overlooked by US broadcasters and picked up by British TV

Hensons son Brian said: My father moved to London to make The Muppet Show and then chose to stay because he was so impressed by the UKs many gifted artists and performers.

Dr Rebecca Preston at English Heritage said of Henson: His creations continue to influence popular culture globally.

Henson died from septic shock in New York in May 1990 at the age of 53.

He had made the UK a creative home for many of his subsequent projects, setting up a workshop and office space on the same street as his home.

He bought the house after The Muppet Show was overlooked by US broadcasters and picked up by British TV. It would go on to run for a remarkable 120 episodes

Jim Hensons Creature Shop is where the creatures from Hensons many fantasy classics - including The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller and Labyrinth - were created.

Brian Henson added: It was with this amazing creative community that he produced ambitious projects including The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and so many more.

Its an honour to have Jim Hensons British home recognised with a blue plaque, knowing that he so admired and respected the talent in London, and that this is the place he called home when creating some of his most memorable productions.
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Prince Andrew has returned to the Queen's Balmoral estate with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to allegedly avoid further attempts to serve sexual assault papers at his mansion 500 miles away in Windsor, it was claimed today.

The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York travelled up to the safety of his mother's 50,000-acre Scottish estate where she is staying while on holiday, after they were seen leaving Royal Lodge in the Berkshire town yesterday.

It comes a month after Andrew visited Balmoral with Sarah on a previous visit which began on August 10, with their daughter Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank. It is not clear when they left on that occasion.

Andrew and Sarah divorced in 1996 but they have remained close since - and her recent multiple visits to Balmoral come five months after the death of Prince Philip, who was said to have regarded her as 'simply beyond the pale'.

Andrew has not yet responded to the bombshell lawsuit filed in a US court by Jeffrey Epstein's former sex slave Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, who claims the Duke sexually abused her when she was 17.

Papers have not yet been served on Andrew or his lawyers despite 'multiple attempts' at Royal Lodge in the last fortnight, according to The Sun - and the Duke is now set to stay at the Queen's estate while the case is heard.

Andrew, 61, will have to be served in person with court papers including a copy of Ms Guiffre's complaint - which was filed on August 10 - under the Hague Convention international law treaty because he is a foreign citizen.

When the lawsuit was filed, her legal team were given 120 days to get Andrews the papers or his lawyers could try to get the case dismissed. Andrew would have 21 days to respond once the papers are officially served.

Under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR), papers must be served on all defendants within 120 days after a civil complaint is filed at court - and the action can then be dismissed unless the plaintiff can 'show good cause for the delay'. This means Ms Guiffre's lawyers will have until December 8 to serve the papers on Andrew.

The civil suit is due to be heard via a telephone conference next Monday in Manhattan, New York. Ms Giuffre, now 38, claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times on the orders of paedophile financier Epstein.

She claims that the first time she was forced to have sex with Andrew was at the London townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's alleged madam. The second is claimed to have been at Epstein's mansion in New York.

The third incident was on Epstein's private island in the Caribbean, according to Ms Giuffre. Andrew has always vehemently denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but has not yet publicly responded to the civil case.

Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral this morning with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover

Prince Andrew is pictured with Sarah Ferguson in the back seat of the Range Rover as they left Windsor yesterday

Sarah Ferguson is seen in the back of a Range Rover leaving Windsor yesterday en route to see the Queen in Balmoral

Previously: Andrew is seen arriving at Balmoral on August 10 with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of the Range Rover

The Queen during an inspection at the gates at Balmoral as she takes up summer residence at the Scottish castle on August 9

A source told the Sun: 'Andrew was going stir-crazy inside Royal Lodge for the past few weeks.

'He wasn't going horse riding and couldn't step outside because of attempts to serve him with the legal papers.

Timeline of another dramatic month in the Prince Andrew case August 9 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17

: Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 August 10 : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day

: Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day August 10 : US lawyers were allegedly trying to hold him up on his horse to serve him papers before he left.

August 12: Dame Cressida Dick says she has told Met Police detectives to review the claims against Andrew

August 13: Ms Giuffre's lawyer says Andrew will be served papers in person under the Hague Convention

August 14: Epstein's telecoms specialist says he will swear on oath that he saw Andrew groping Ms Giuffre

August 15: Andrew's friends say he is 'cheerful and relaxed' over the case in and will remain silent

August 16: A source close to the US probe into Jeffrey Epstein says they view Andrew as a 'person of interest'

September 7 : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland

: Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland September 13 : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York

: First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York December 8 : Deadline for Andrew to be served with court papers in person under the Hague Convention Advertisement

'He knows he is far safer up at Balmoral on the Queen's estate. Andrew is always described as the Queen's favourite son but she is meant to be on holiday at Balmoral.

'With Andrew and everything that is happening with Charles and the investigation into cash for honours she must be wondering when she will get any peace and quiet.'

The duke has stepped back from public duties 'for the foreseeable future' after his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in 2019.

Ms Guiffre, 38, alleges that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was aged 17.

Andrew has strenuously denied her claims that she was forced to have sex with him on Epstein's orders. He said he categorically did not have any sexual contact with her and does not even recall meeting her.

Last month it was claimed Andrew is considered a 'person of interest' in the US investigation into Epstein.

Prosecutors had wanted to interview the Queen's son about his friendship with Epstein as part of their inquiry into the sex offender and Ghislaine Maxwell.

It was always said investigators wished to speak to him only as a 'witness' in case he can throw any light on the crimes of Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019.

But last month a source told Reuters that he is being seen as a 'person of interest'.

One leading criminal defence attorney said that while the term does not have any formal meaning in the US, the fact the FBI were apparently using it about Andrew was 'not good'.

Mark Bederow, a New York criminal defence attorney, said: 'It means they are interested in knowing about his conduct and whether he knew that a potential crime has occurred.'

He added it does not mean that he would ever be charged, however.

Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, was photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

Prince Charles and Camilla at Ballater Community and Heritage Hub in Aberdeenshire on August 31, near the Balmoral estate

By revealing their thinking at this stage, a week after Mrs Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against him, it seems like 'publicity pressure mechanism', Mr Bederow said.

Virginia Roberts alleges that Jeffrey Epstein (above) forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17

MailOnline contacted Andrew's press representative for a comment about the Sun's story today, but they replied: 'No comment.'

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently on remand in at Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, which she denies. She is due to go on trial in November.

Last month, prosecutors claimed she tried to barricade herself in a prison room, saying she created a security threat by using a cart of legal documents to block the door.

Her actions were said to have prevented guards from entering the video conference room. As a result, Maxwell was banned from bringing the cart in and was forced to carry materials from her cell to the conference room.

The British socialite has been at the prison since last July, when she was arrested for allegedly recruiting children for Epstein to abuse.

Virginia Giuffre (centre, in blue) in New York in 2019 with her lawyer David Boies for a hearing

Andrew has travelled with Sarah Ferguson to Balmoral Castle (file picture), with is the Queen's Scottish retreat

The Queen with her son Prince Andrew on the Buckingham Palace balcony in June 2019

Prince Charles awards a CBE to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz at Buckingham Palace in November 2016

There have been disputes about her cell not being clean and allegations that she does not flush her toilet.

What is the latest on Ghislane Maxwell's case? Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged madam of Jeffrey Epstein, is currently on remand in at Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York. She is awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, which she denies. Maxwell is due to go on trial in November. Last month, prosecutors claimed she tried to barricade herself in a prison room and created a security threat by using a cart of legal documents to block the door. Her actions were said to have prevented guards from entering the video conference room. Maxwell was then banned from bringing the cart in and was forced to carry materials from her cell to the conference room. The British socialite has been at the prison since last July, when she was arrested for allegedly recruiting children for Epstein to abuse. There have been disputes about her cell not being clean and allegations that she does not flush her toilet. Maxwell's lawyer said her client never tried to block her door with the cart and stop the guards getting in. Advertisement

Maxwell's lawyer Bobbi Sternheim said her client never tried to block her door with the cart and stop the guards getting in.

The allegations against Andrew are not the only crisis unfolding for the Royal Family, as it has recently been claimed that the Prince of Wales was '100 per cent' behind an offer to help Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz secure UK citizenship.

Clarence House said Charles has 'no knowledge' of the cash for honours allegations on the basis of donation to his charities, denying allegations by a former fixer.

The claims by William Bortrick - a paid advisor to Dr bin Mahfouz, who is a major donor to Charles's charities - came as the Prince's former valet Michael Fawcett stepped down on a temporary basis as chief of the Prince's Foundation while investigations into the allegations take place.

A string of claims about 58-year-old Mr Fawcett's conduct while running the charity included the allegation that he had offered to 'support' Dr bin Mahfouz in his efforts to secure both a knighthood and British citizenship.

And new allegations about Charles's apparent involvement have emerged in a draft letter from Mr Bortrick to Dr bin Mahfouz, who donated more than 1.5million to Charles's charities.

A letter by Burke's Peerage publisher Mr Bortrick, which was drafted in May 2014 and revealed by The Times, said that Dr bin Mahfouz's application for citizenship would 'now take the highest priority'.

It added: 'His Royal Highness supports these applications 100 per cent, as there is no greater example of contribution [than] yours, therefore this should be rewarded and recognised accordingly.'

A spokesman for the prince said: 'The Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities and fully supports the investigation now under way by The Prince's Foundation.'
A 'fun and caring' fitness model and veterinarian who once auditioned for Bondi Vet tragically has taken her own life after she was relentlessly abused by a client during Melbourne's sixth lockdown.

Sophie Putland battled with depression and, according to a friend, was in a state of despair when a furious client filed a series of complaints about her work at Swan Street Vet in the inner eastern suburb of Richmond.

The 33-year-old struggled with her mental health during Covid lockdowns - at one point she wrote on Instagram that her sanity was 'hanging by a thread' - but a friend confirmed on Tuesday that a campaign of abuse pushed her over the edge.

Last week, she ended her life.

In a heartbreaking Facebook post, the friend described the horrific abuse vets receive from disgruntled clients on a daily basis.

Sophie Putland (pictured) took her own life last week after endless complaints by a furious client

Sophie Putland (pictured) was also a fitness model who entered bodybuilding competitions

'When we are fighting to save your pet's life... dont abuse us. Dont make comments like we are in this for the money. Dont say that we could have done better. Dont yell at us. Dont take your frustrations out on us. Dont be a horrible person,' she wrote.

'You could push someone over the edge. You do not know what it is like to lose a patient you tried to save, or to save a patient then get abused about how much it will cost the owner.

'Sophie ended her life because of this. Because someone chose to abuse her.'

According to the Australian Veterinary Association, vets have one of the highest rates of suicide at about four-times the national average - or around one suicide every 12 weeks in Australia.

The alarming statistic is twice as high as their counterparts in human medicine.

In an Instagram post in 2020, Sophie Putland (pictured) said she was struggling during Covid lockdowns

Sophie used exercise to try and stay on top of her mental health and placed in fitness competitions

Claire MacRae, who is also a vet and was friends with Sophie, told Daily Mail Australia that clients often complain to the Veterinary Surgeons Board when they are unhappy with the service provided.

The majority of complaints lodged are baseless and thrown out, but the board is required to investigate each case - even if it was put forward by an irrational and angry client looking for someone to blame over the death of their pet.

'Having a board complaint is incredibly stressful, and so easy for a disgruntled client to lodge,' Dr MacRae said.

'It can take years for the vet to receive the decision on their case, and in the meantime they have this threat to their livelihood hanging over their head - boards have the power to deregister vets temporarily or permanently, or to apply other sanctions.

'Sophie had been dealing with a particularly vindictive complainant, and this certainly would have taken a toll on her mental health.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Vetboard Victoria for comment.

Family and friends flocked to social media to pay tribute to Sophie Putland, who died last week

Sophie worked as a vet in South Australia, before she moved to Melbourne two years ago

Sophie was open about her mental health struggles during Covid lockdowns in 2020

Sophie was open about her mental health struggles during the state's second wave of Covid in August last year - when citizens were banned from leaving their homes for 111 days.

She wrote on Instagram that she was 'holding on to sanity by a thread' and thanked her local gym for providing fitness equipment to use during restrictions - without which 'I would certainly be at the very bottom of a pit of depression'.

'2020 you are a big pile of dog turds,' she added.

Melburnians have now endured more than 200 days of lockdown since the start of the pandemic, with 221 new Covid cases recorded on Wednesday.

The vet, who was originally from South Australia, used exercise to help fight her depression and competed in a range of bodybuilding and fitness competitions.

In 2017, she auditioned for a spot starring alongside celebrity doctor Chris Brown in Bondi Vet.

'Fitness is a big passion of mine,' she said in her audition video.

'I believe physical and mental health are interrelated and it is so, so important to make these a priority in your life, especially as a vet as it can be quite a stressful job.'

Sophie auditioned to star alongside celebrity doctor Chris Brown on Bondi Vet. Pictured: Sophie in her audition video

In the days after her death, friends and family flocked to social media to pay tribute

Swan Street Vet in Richmond, in Melbourne's south-east, said in a statement (pictured) that Sophie's passing was sudden and unexpected

In the days after her death, friends and family flocked to social media to pay tribute.

Her cousin, Hugh Atkinson, said he was particularly proud of Sophie's accomplishments as a vet, and for being so open about her mental health struggles.

'We didnt know the magnitude of your despair,' he wrote.

'In the end, you just wanted the pain to be over and I understand that.'

Her younger brother, Olly Putland, uploaded a photo on Facebook of the two of them together and wrote, 'my dear sister. I miss you so much! RIP.'

A friend commented: 'Our hearts are shattered on the loss of Sophie. Sending you lots of love and hugs to share with you at this sad time.

'Sleeping peacefully forever. RIP beautiful Sophie.'

A colleague also said Sophie was a 'fun, caring, genuine, a great vet but more importantly, a great human'.

For 24/7 confidential support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14
France has been forced to ban the sale of inflatable dinghies from Channel towns in a bid to try to end a surge in migrant crossings.

Sports shops dotted around the French coast near the Channel have been told to stop selling the boats and kayaks amid a steady flow of migrants sailing across the waters to the UK.

But despite the ban, people smugglers are able to get around the restrictions by ordering the inflatable vessels online and getting them delivered to their safe houses, reports The Sun.

The boats and kayaks are then transported by the traffickers to points along the coast where migrants hoping to cross the Channel can pick them up.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought ashore from the local lifeboat at Dungeness in Kent this afternoon

Sports retailer Decathlon's store in Calais showed on their website that boats were not for sale - but the newspaper was able to order a vessel online for 600 and get it home delivered to an address in the coastal city.

Meanwhile, it is also possible to order an inflatable boat on Amazon to be delivered to addresses in Calais.

It comes as the flow of migrants to Britain across the Channel slowed markedly on Tuesday after Priti Patel threatened to cancel the 54million promised to France to help their authorities tackle the crisis.

On Monday, the number of migrants crossing to the Kent coast in dinghy after dinghy is believed to have surpassed 1,000 in a single day for the first time.

Dozens of migrants began arriving in Kent from dawn again today after crossing the Channel unhindered as people traffickers used Britain's Indian summer and calm waters to send record numbers.

But by 5pm today, the figure for today was only around 200 migrants. MailOnline has asked the Home Office to comment on why the numbers appear down.

A border force worker carries a child among a group of migrants brought into Dover this morning after crossing from France

It came as Priti Patel said she was ready to withhold the 54million promised to France to block migrant crossings because boat-after-boat continues to land in Kent every day.

The Home Secretary met Conservative MPs last night and blamed the French for the significant numbers of people coming across the Channel, claiming she was prepared to pull the funding that was pledged less than two months ago if they do not stop three in four crossings by the end of the month, The Times reports.

But France has hit back at the Home Secretary over her threat to withhold the 54million she pledged.

The Ministry of the Interior told Patel that going back on the pledge would seriously damage efforts to limit the illegal trips.

And it warned that attempting to send would-be refugees straight back to France would be dangerous and break international law, after Tory MPs urged her to take the dramatic step to discourage others from taking the same route.

Meanwhile, Calais MP Pierre-Henri Dumont said: 'We will not be answering to blackmail. Quite simply if the money is pulled then the resources will drop and the migrants will increase.'

A group of people thought to be migrants are escorted to shore in Kingsdown, Kent, after being intercepted by an RNLI crew following a small boat incident in the Channel

Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin is travelling to London today and is set to have a showdown with Miss Patel about how best to tackle the record number of illegal crossings. More than 13,000 have arrived in the UK by boat this year.

Crossings began at dawn on Tuesday, with boats arriving in Dover while the RNLI was seen towing another ashore further east in Kingsdown and at Dungeness.

On Tuesday morning a dinghy carrying around 30 migrants was reportedly been intercepted by Border Force officials, according to observers. The vessel with dozens of people including children on board was escorted to Dover Marina in Kent today.

And around an hour later 31 migrants landed in Kingsdown, between Dover and Deal. Another 30 migrants also arrived in Dungeness this afternoon.

Then just under 60 people arrived at Dover Port after being intercepted by Border Force vessels this afternoon. Around 50 of them were brought into the port on patrol boat Hunter at just before 3pm.

Then a Border Force small boat carrying a group of seven migrants pulled into the port shortly after, escorted by two jet skis. Meanwhile observers reported 15 migrants landing on a beach in Dungeness this afternoon.

People traffickers are thought to be taking advantage of the good weather to embark on crossings with flat calm seas. But conditions are expected to change later in the week making crossings more treacherous.

The Home Office has still yet to confirm how many people arrived from France on Monday. It said it would release the official figures after all the migrants had been processed.

MPs have already questioned why the UK has given yet more money to Paris when so many people are still making the dangerous journey.

Mondays estimated total could smash the record of 828 crossings in a single day, set on August 21  the last time migrants successfully crossed to Britain.

A spell of poor weather halted attempts, before 158 asylum seekers, including children, reached the UK across the worlds busiest shipping lane on Sunday.

However on Monday, with calm seas and temperatures around Dover reaching 24C, the smugglers are thought to have tried to overwhelm Channel defences by launching as many boats as possible.

Witnesses described seeing a number of large dinghies land across the south coast throughout the day, with other groups intercepted by lifeboats and brought ashore. The crossings  and the money given to the French  will heap further embarrassment on Patel, who has repeatedly vowed to close the deadly smuggling route.

Around 13,000 have already crossed the Channel to reach Britain this year  eclipsing the 8,417 who made the journey in the whole of 2020. The Home Office has previously pledged to make the journey unviable.

On Monday it said it could not confirm nor deny, the reported record number of crossings. Two dinghies were seen landing at Dungeness, Kent, containing around 60 people.

The Dungeness RNLI lifeboat also brought in more than 30 to the beach, including at least one toddler and a number of children. Some migrants, who travelled in families with children, gave thumbs-up signs to photographers as they were escorted by Border Force officials to be processed.

One boat was found abandoned near Dungeness Power Station surrounded by lifejackets, indicating there are more who will not be officially counted among the total.

A lifeboat in Hastings, East Sussex, helped a group of more than 30 ashore. Witnesses also reported that at least 50 asylum seekers had been brought into Dover marina by a Border Force cutter after being intercepted.

There were even reports of four men canoeing in a dinghy that was so overloaded that it was partly submerged.

Traffickers in France are likely to be making a final push before the unpredictable weather of autumn.

As many as 300 more migrants were seen in the dunes near Dunkirk, waiting for boats bound for the UK on Monday.

Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migrationwatch, said: For as long as the route is successful, the numbers are simply going to go up. If people can come to the UK on a dinghy and stay here there is too much money to be made by traffickers for them to stop. Currently, there is nothing to discourage them. We have got to show coming across illegally in a dinghy wont work. At the moment, it is working.
Three Vermont state troopers who are accused of being involved in a scheme to create fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards have resigned, state police said.

Troopers Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski resigned August 10, a day after a fellow trooper told supervisors about the alleged scheme.

Trooper David Pfindel resigned September 3 following further investigation, according to a state police news release.

The three ex-troopers are suspected of having varying roles in the making of fraudulent vaccination cards, according to the release.

'The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct - a criminal violation of the law - and I could not be more upset and disappointed,' Colonel Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, said in the release.

Vermont troopers Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski and David Pfindel have resigned in connection with a fake COVID vaccination card scheme

Birmingham added: 'If these allegations are proved to be true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic, when being vaccinated is one of the most important steps anyone can take to keep their community safe from COVID-19.'

Sommers and Witkowski both joined the Vermont State Police in July 2016. Pfindel was hired in January 2014, police said.

The FBI is investigating the claims, which prompted the resignation of three Vermont troops

An email seeking comment from the Vermont Troopers Association was not immediately returned on Tuesday.

Federal authorities are investigating the allegations. Vermont State Police declined to comment further due to the FBI investigation.
Afghan soldiers who were trained by British and American forces have reportedly defected and are now fighting for the Taliban, UK army sources revealed.

British army officers have analysed recent images of the Taliban using their weapons and they believe some of the fighters are using techniques they learned from the UK and US as well as NATO countries.

A UK military source told The Times that they identified one Taliban fighter using a 'straight finger' over a gun's trigger guard. The source said this indicates they were trained by western forces as veteran members of Taliban hold their AK47s 'randomly'.

The source said: 'This is the safety training we have,' adding that if they displayed these techniques then we 'know it's our guys'.

While there is no official confirmation that Afghan soldiers who were trained by the UK and US have switched sides, the military source said it is likely they defected to save themselves after western countries withdrew from Afghanistan last month.

The source said: 'Everyone just flips sides. You flip sides so you know you won't get done in.'

It comes after the Taliban on Monday claimed victory in the Panjshir valley, the last province holding out against it.

Taliban fighters celebrate victory in the Panjshir Valley on Monday. The jihadists claim to have wrestled control of the province and completed a total victory over Afghanistan

Although it is possible that the Taliban has seized control of the major arteries and villages of the Panjshir, it is equally possible that the resistance has retreated only as far as the steep sides of the mountains from which it will wage a guerilla war

Pictures on social media showed Taliban members standing in front of the Panjshir governor's compound after days of fighting with the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA), commanded by Panjshiri leader Ahmad Massoud.

Massoud denied that his force, consisting of remnants of the Afghan army as well as local militia fighters, was beaten, and tweeted that 'our resistance will continue'.

Meanwhile the Taliban's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has previously said that 'former forces that were trained and are professionals should be recruited' to the Taliban.

Another former military source who analysed recent images told the newspaper: 'The new Taliban 2.0, as they are being called, is using the finger discipline.

'An untrained force would normally hold the weapon randomly, but if your hand is behind the pistol grip and your finger is over the trigger guard, then you're not going to have a negligent discharge and no one else is going to fire it either.'

But a defence source disagreed with the claim and said they believed any 'competent' force would teach their soldiers how to handle their weapons in such a way.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We have no evidence to support reports that western-trained former Afghan Security Forces have joined the Taliban.'

Barbara Kelemen, an intelligence analyst at security intelligence firm Dragonfly, said they had assessed 'reasonable probability' some Afghan soldiers had defected and switched to the Taliban.

She said: 'Among reasons that would prompt some soldiers to join the Taliban are their previous ties to the group, economic incentives and even personal or familial safety if they perceived defeat for government forces was likely.'

Afghanistan is on the precipice of a humanitarian disaster three weeks after the fall of Kabul with furious protesters taking to the streets of the capital and locals unable to withdraw money from banks.

A Taliban fighter points an assault rifle at protesters on the streets of Kabul on Tuesday

Afghan demonstrators shout slogans during an anti-Pakistan protest, near the Pakistan embassy in Kabul, on Tuesday

The chaos comes as the Taliban announced a caretaker government, awarding top posts to veteran jihadists as it seeks to bring stability to Afghanistan.

The announcement came amid another day of angry protests on the streets of Kabul, with Taliban fighters firing into the air to disperse crowds demanding rights for women, work and freedom and movement.

Basic services have collapsed since the Taliban took power, people cannot withdraw money from banks and Western aid has been cut off.

The Taliban's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid held a press conference on Tuesday evening to announce UN-sanctioned Mohammad Hassan Akhund as their new leader.

Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will serve as his deputy; Mullah Yaqub, son of the one-eyed late supreme leader Mullah Omar, was named defence minister; and Sirajuddin Haqqani, wanted by the FBI and the leader of the feared Haqqani network, was named interior minister.
All three men who barged into an Arizona elementary school principal's office and threatened to arrest her with zip ties after she followed county-set COVID-19 protocols have been arrested and charged with trespassing.

Rishi Rambaran, 40, confronted Diane Vargo, principal of Mesquite Elementary School, after she told his son to quarantine following a COVID-19 exposure in the school. Kelly Walker, 51, filmed the scene and shared it in a since-deleted Instagram post and Frank Tainatongo, 58, followed behind with military-grade black zip ties.

Rambaran was cited and released on a third-degree charge of criminal trespassing a few hours after the event. Meanwhile, Tainatongo and Walker were arrested with the same charge on Monday. If convicted, all three face up to 30 days in jail.

While Rambaran has a child in the school, Walker has no distinct connections to the district and reportedly homeschools his own five children, according to the Daily Beast. It is not clear if Tainatongo has any connection to the school or what his relationship is with the two other men.

The three men who threatened an Arizona principal with zip ties for telling a student to quarantine have been arrested on trespassing charges. Rishi Rambaran, 40, has a child in the school who was told to quarantine after a potential COVID-19 exposure

Kelly Walker, 51, owner of Viva Coffee in Tucson, filmed the scene and shared it in a since-deleted Instagram post

Frank Tainatongo, 58, also joined in the confrontation - while holding military-grade zip ties

Walker defended he and his friends actions in a Facebook post last Thursday, which reads, When this kind of coercion and bullying is perpetrated by school administrators, breaking the law, a citizens arrest is an option worth looking into.'

The post adds, 'If its legal, then parents have the right to consider it. No one threatened to arrest these admins, but the father asked the police to. The truth will come out, but dont expect anything but spin from the media. 

According to Tucson Police Spokesman Richard Gradillas, citizens arrests are extremely rare and he has never seen one carried out in his 14 years on the job.

Vargo told a NBC News that she and her assistant were both planning to press charges against the men, in addition to seeking restraining orders.

In an interview with KOLD.com, she said she received a death threat immediately after the encounter. She read the disturbing email on camera, which reads, 'The next time it will be a barrel pointed at your Nazi face.'

It continues, 'Following the guidance you say? The Nazis were just following orders too. Guess we will have to see what side you choose. The Americans or the Nazis. Remember, Tucson is a small community and you have a target on your back for enforcing unlawful orders.'

It's unclear who sent the email.

Mesquite Elementary School Principal Diane Vargo read an email after Thursday's incident that started with 'The next time it will be a barrel pointed at your Nazi face'

Vargo teared up during the interview when she discussed the 'overwhelming' support from community

The incident unfolded after Rambaran grew angry that his son was going to miss a field trip because he had to be quarantined after a potential COVID-19 exposure.

Varga said that he confronted her even though the rule had been laid out by the Prima County Health Department.

'They just walked right in and one of them had a phone out and was recording everything again and then the other man was standing in my doorway with military-grade back zip ties in his hands,' Vargo told KOLD.

In an interview with KGUN9, Vargo said she felt 'scared' and 'violated.'

'I asked them to leave and they would not,' she said.

'In order for our school to remain open, we have to follow Pima County Health Department. I tried to explain that. He didnt want to hear it.'

After the incident made national headlines, Vargo said during a tearful interview that there was 'overwhelming support' from the community and the nation, with many people sending her flowers and well wishes.

The men left the school grounds before Tucson Police Department officers arrived. No one was hurt in the incident.

Walker and Rambaran are due in court on Sept. 15. Tainatongos next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 20.

Superintendent Carruth says he knows tensions are high but that the parents took things too far.

'We work really hard to try to resolve concerns that parents have and this has absolutely been a difficult and challenging 18 months and I understand when people become frustrated and understand when sometimes we can't come to a solution that's agreeable with everybody. But there is ways to resolve this that don't involve this and that just has no place on a school campus at all,' Carruth told KOLD.com.

A group of fathers recorded themselves 'confronting' principal Diane Vargo after one of their sons was ordered to quarantine

According to the Daily Beast, Kelly Walker's business, Viva Coffee, describes itself as Tucsons hub of Freedom and delicious coffee and recently hosted a meet-and-greet with far-right author and convicted felon Dinesh DSouza. Next month it will host Matthew Lohmeier, a former Space Force lieutenant colonel who was fired from his post in May after claiming that there was a neo-Marxist agenda in the military designed to patiently and methodically overthrow the US government and replace it with a communist dictatorship.

Last fall, Walkers coffee shop fell in hot water after a series of infractions violating Covid-19 guidelines, such as employees not wearing masks while serving customers and lack of social distancing.

After three failed inspections between Sept. 9 and Oct. 5, the county suspended Viva's food service permit. The county lifted suspension on Oct. 9, after the business showed proof of compliance, and sent a final warning that its permit will be permanently revoked if it breaks the rules again.

Tainatongos LinkedIn profile lists him as a production manager for the Rincon Research Corporation, a government contractor that develops software for the U.S. military, NASA, and the intelligence community, according to the Daily Beast.

The bio reads, 'I am a confident decision maker and effective problem solver.'

Meanwhile, the men's zip tie crusade comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations among children are continuing to rise as the early stages of the new school year are struck by the Delta variant.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that 200,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in the week of August 26, the second highest weekly total recorded during the pandemic.

Children also accounted for over 19,000 of the 812,000 hospitalizations recorded that week. While week-over-week totals did increase, it was at a much lower rate than the 50 percent increase from the previous week.
A duck named Ripper has been recorded speaking just like a human - using an iconic Australian phrase while mimicking his human caretaker.

Ripper uses 'fowl' language as he says 'you bloody fool' on a recording made in 1987 by now-retired Australian ornithologist Peter J. Fullager when the talking bird was four years old.

The recording has been unearthed decades later by Carel ten Cate, a professor of animal behaviour at Leiden University in the Netherlands, who is investigating the evolution of how birds learn their vocal calls.

While researching the topic, Prof. ten Cate came across the Australian recording of Ripper mimicking the sound of a door closing and then saying 'you bloody fool' repeatedly.

Professor Carel ten Cate (pictures) uncovered the recording from 1987 when he was researching the vocal evolution of birds

'Vocal learning is a rare and special trait, so that makes this duck particularly special,' Prof. ten Cate said.

The Australian waterbirds, when raised in the wild, learn high-pitched whistles from their own species while growing up, but when raised in captivity they can learn to mimic the sounds around them.

After contacting Mr Fullager for more information, Prof. ten Cate was told that Ripper was hand-raised on Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve without any other musk ducks around him, resulting in him imitating the sound of his owner when trying to attract females.

Fullager also shared recordings from 2000 of another male musk duck who was raised alongside Pacific black ducks and learnt to imitate the quacks of that species.

Female musk ducks do not perform vocal displays, with only the males found to imitate noises.

A musk duck named Ripper has been recorded swearing at his caretaker saying 'you bloody fool'

'When I first heard these stories I thought, "Oh this must be a really good joke'",' Prof. ten Cate said.

'But actually they come from respected scientists and birdkeepers, and the reports are very reliable. Apparently, these ducks are learning something about vocalisations starting at a very young age.'

Throughout his research, Prof. ten Cate has come across musk ducks who imitated the sounds of a snorting pony, a coughing caretaker and squeaking doors.

Musk ducks usually make a high-pitched whistle learnt from their species. When raised in captivity, they learn to mimic the sounds around them

However such recordings are rare as male musk ducks are often too aggressive to be kept in captivity, he said.

Musk ducks are native to Australia and get their name from the odour they emit when attracting the opposite sex.

They are known for their large, stiff black and brown feathers. Males have what is described as a 'large bulbous lobe of skin' that dangles under their bill, inflating when they seek out a mate.

Female musk ducks are smaller in size and have a smaller lobe under their bills.
Josh Duggar was placed on the Arkansas sex offender registry for molesting his sisters years before his arrest on child pornography charges this April, according to new court documents.

The papers, filed August 30, claim 'Joshua Duggar was placed on the sex offender registry and a legal proceeding was undertaken to remove Joshua Duggar from the sex offender registry.'

The claims were made by the city of Springdale and other defendants - referred to as the Springdale Defendants - in response to a lawsuit filed against them in 2017 by Duggar's four sisters.

Duggar, 33, of the hit reality TV show 19 Kids And Counting, was accused of sexually assaulting five young girls as a teen back in 2015.

The allegations were first reported by In Touch magazine which, through a Freedom of Information request, unearthed a 2006 police report detailing Duggar's alleged sexual abuse of the underage girls.

Four of the five girls were Duggar's sisters, according to the police report.

Two of Duggar's sisters - Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald - later spoke out to reveal they were victims but that they had forgiven their brother.

Jill, Jessa, and their two sisters Jinger Vuolo and Joy Duggar filed a lawsuit in an Arkansas federal court in 2017 against the City of Springdale, claiming the release of the information to In Touch breached their privacy and caused 'extreme mental anguish and emotional distress.'

In the new filings, the defendants argue the allegations that Duggar molested his sisters was already within public knowledge because he had already been placed on the sex offender registry over the alleged abuse before the police report came to light.

Duggar, is not currently listed on the sex offender registry for the state of Arkansas. He has never been charged over allegations that he sexually assaulted his sisters.

He was arrested in April and charged with two counts of receiving and possessing child pornography.

Josh Duggar was on the Arkansas Sex Offenders' registry years before he was accused of possessing child pornography, a new lawsuit claims

The latest allegations against Duggar, pictured with wife Anna in 2015, emerged in court papers as part of a legal battle between his sisters and a local authority

It remains unclear if Duggar was ever placed on the sex offender registry in relation to allegations that he sexually assaulted his sisters, with Arkansas and other states only listing defendants convicted of sex crimes.

The sisters' lawsuit claims police interviewed them about sexual assault allegations in December 2006 when they were still minors.

The sisters claim they were 'assured' that the results of the interviews - including 'where and how on their bodies' they were allegedly touched by their brother - would remain confidential.

However, In Touch Weekly submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in 2015 seeking all files naming members of the Duggar family and were allegedly given an un-redacted version of police reports.

In Touch Weekly then reported that Duggar had molested four of his five sisters, leading them to suffer 'extreme mental anguish.'

The trial for the lawsuit was recently pushed back from September to December 2021.

The new court documents filed by the Springdale Defendants seek to compel the Arkansas Department of Human Services to produce documents for a subpoena they had served the agency with on August 2.

The Springdale Defendants had subpoenaed the DHS to produce documentation they believe could help their argument that the allegations of sexual assault were already public knowledge before the police report was released to In Touch Weekly, documents obtained by DailyMail.com show.

The claim was made in response to a lawsuit filed by Duggar's sisters (l-r) Joy, Jinger, Jessa, Jill and Jana. Jill and Jessa have both spoken out about their brother's alleged abuse

Jessa Duggar, Jinger Duggar, Jill Duggar, and Jana Duggar visit "Extra" at their New York studios at H&M in Times Square in 2014 in New York City

Duggar previously apologized for a pornography addiction and cheating on his wife, Anna, who is pregnant with their seventh child

The DHS filed a Motion to Quash the subpoena and not provide the documents, arguing that the records requested by the Springdale Defendants are subject to confidentiality laws because they involve reports on the 'maltreatment' of children.

'The Defendant does not fall under any of the exceptions to the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Act's confidentiality requirements, and Defendant has not asserted that it falls under any of the exceptions,' the DHS argued.

But the Springdale Defendants shot back that they have a 'substantial and compelling need for the documentation in the possession of DHS.'

They noted that a protective order in place would prevent the public release of personal information.

'Upon information and belief, Joshua Duggar was placed on the sex offender registry and a legal proceeding was undertaken to remove Joshua Duggar from the sex offender registry,' the Springdale Defendants argued.

'The Defendants are entitled to this information and documentation due to one of the central elements of Plaintiffs' claims being public disclosure of private information.'

Duggar is pictured outside an Arkansas court earlier this year after his child pornography arrest

Josh Duggar is pictured as he is released from jail

The document continued: 'If Joshua Duggar was placed on the sex offender registry other information such as incest, molestation of family members, or other identifying information could have led to the disclosure of the information Plaintiffs' claim was private and not known to the public.'

'Additionally, correspondence between Joshua Duggar and/or his agents in the possession of DHS regarding his removal from the sex offender registry could provide information as to the public knowledge of Joshua Duggar's acts of molestation and his victims.'

The DHS has requested that if it is compelled to comply with the subpoena, that all named in any child maltreatment report be redacted to protect their privacy as mandated by state law.

The Duggar sisters have said they 'continue to be emotionally upset and humiliated by the disclosure of their identities as underage molestation victims and the intimate details of those assaults, including the fact that their brother was their assailant.'

Duggar was indicted in April on two counts of downloading and possessing child pornography, some of which prosecutors said depicted the sexual abuse of toddlers.

He has pleaded not guilty and has been confined to the home of family friends who agreed to be his custodian during his release. He is prohibited from using any Internet-accessible devices as he awaits trial.

The reality show was canceled in 2015 following the allegations that Duggar had molested his sisters and a babysitter. Duggar's parents said he confessed to the fondling and apologized.

Duggar previously apologized for a pornography addiction and cheating on his wife, Anna, who is pregnant with their seventh child.

Anna Duggar has supported her husband through his legal battle - and Josh is allowed to see their children when she is present while he awaits trial.

His trial has been set for November 30, with a pretrial conference on November 18. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 on each count.
Chris Whitty and Boris Johnson today criticised Nicki Minaj for spreading an 'untrue' and 'ridiculous' myth that coronavirus vaccines can cause impotence - before she hit back on social media just minutes later. The Prime Minister said he would rather listen to NHS England's top GP Nikki Kanani about the jab as he and the Chief Medical Officer both condemned the remarks by the star, who has not yet been vaccinated. Minaj had been mocked after telling her 22million Twitter followers last night that her cousin will not get the vaccine because his friend allegedly became impotent after being jabbed and his fiance cancelled their wedding. The 38-year-old tweeted yesterday: 'My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied.' Mr Whitty and Mr Johnson both criticised Minaj after being asked about what she said by a reporter during their press conference from Downing Street this afternoon. Minaj then took to Twitter again after watching a video of the two men speaking, saying: 'I love him even tho I guess this was a diss? The accent ugh! Yassss boo!!!' Moment later she recorded an audio message for Mr Johnson in a comedic British accent, tweeting: 'Send this to the Prime Minister and let him know they lied on me. I forgive him. No one else. Only him.' She said: 'Yes, hello Prime Minister, Boris, it's Nicki Minaj - I was just calling to tell you that you were so amazing on the news this morning. And I'm actually British. I was born there. I went to university there. I went to Oxford. I went to school with Margaret Thatcher. And she told me so many nice things about you. I'd love to send you my portfolio of my work, since you don't know much about me, I'm a big, big star in the United States.'
Infectious diseases expert Catherine Bennett (pictured) predicted on Wednesday masks will be the last restrictions to go along with the ban on large gatherings

A leading epidemiologist has predicted the last Covid-19 restrictions to go as Australia continues to plot its roadmap to reopening - with patchy vaccine uptake meaning health restrictions could be in place well into 2022.

Chair of Epidemiology at Deakin University, Professor Catherine Bennett, warned against any expectations of an immediate return to 'normal life' once vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent are met.

'Masks indoors will be the last precaution to go, and large gatherings the last to return,' Professor Bennett wrote in Public Health Research & Practice, a peer-reviewed journal published on Wednesday.

'Although large events could happen sooner if we go the way of other countries and implement vaccine passports.'

Workplaces will be the first to reopen as states are eased out of current lockdowns, with Covid testing or safety measures in place for higher risk work settings.

The easing of restrictions will likely be gradual and attuned to wherever community transmission occurs - now that the country has abandoned plans of reaching Covid-zero.

Professor Bennett believes reaching a Covid-zero is now impossible with the introduction of the Delta Variant (pictured, Sydneysiders gathering during lockdown)

'If we can keep hospitalisations in check, we can look forward to a measured, staged opening that allows for multiple disease control mechanisms to be adjusted as required,' Professor Bennett said.

Professor Bennett also said as the nation transitions into 'suppression mode' with increasing vaccination rates, there will no longer be a need for Covid contact tracers to identify every infection.

'The virus is in the community, the Covid-19 transition has begun, and we are on track to live with the virus, but control the disease, from the first quarter of 2022,' she said.

But Prof Bennett cautions that inconsistent vaccination rates across states and communities will need to be considered when evaluating public health responses.

The Australian Government's national plan to reopen is set to transition from its current Phase A (vaccinate, prepare and pilot), to B (70% adult population vaccinated) and C (80% vaccination).

Over 21,244,935 Australians across the country have been fully vaccinated (pictured, a resident exercises amid Sydney's lockdown)

Professor Bennett said this is the first joint commitment from National Cabinet that shifts the focus from elimination of the virus to containment after the introduction of the Delta Variant made Covid-zero impossible.

It is expected the transition plan will ultimately lead to Phase D, a post vaccination stage that will see the reopening of international borders with hotel quarantine programs for 'high-risk' inbound travellers only.

If vaccination continues as is 70 per cent of the population is set to be jabbed by early November and an 80 per cent target is expected to be reached by December.

Vaccination rates across the country with a state by state rundown (pictured)

Over 21,244,935 doses of the vaccine have been administered to Australians across the country.

Of those vaccinated, 39 per cent are aged 16 years and over with 63.8 per cent receiving at least one dose.

Locked-down residents in NSW have reached 7,614,612 jabs while Victoria follows closely behind with 5,440,138.

States out of lockdown but with the lowest vaccination rates include QLD with 3,724,991, WA with 1,907,622 and SA with 1,351,041.
Queensland's health minister has accused Scott Morrison's government of seizing on any excuse to attack her state to distract from federal failings.

The state was sharply criticised for reportedly preferencing footy WAGs over Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan for hotel quarantine.

But Yvette D'Ath hit back at the federal government at a press conference and Wednesday, accusing it of 'picking fights' with Queensland.

'It is their modus operandi right now, it is all they do, go out and attack the Queensland Government it's a great deflection on anything else happening in the country,' she said.

Ms D'Ath said she had texted Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton to discuss the ADF issue but had yet to receive a response

'We are a little bit sick of the Morrison Government coming out and attacking us on vaccines, attacking us on this ADF personnel issue, I think it is actually reflecting on their own failings.'

Ms D'Ath was responding to a Courier-Mail report that Defence Force personnel returning from Afghanistan were delayed in Dubai because Queensland Health had not provided a hotel quarantine exemption for them.

The report included quotes from an unnamed senior government source that the ADF had not heard back from Queensland about the application for exemptions.

'It's pretty ordinary,' the government source said.

But Ms D'Ath denied the claim, calling the report 'inaccurate'.

'There has been no delay, they aren't being kept overseas while we work through this.

'We're happy to do this and to play our part but someone is being mischievous in claiming that.'

Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan had applied to go into hotel quarantine in Queensland, with the state government saying they would arrive on Friday and Saturday

She claimed details were being finalised for the return of the soldiers and the timeframe always had them arriving in Queensland this coming Friday and Saturday.

Ms D'Ath said she thought the federal government was the likely source of the reports.

'This is appalling, it's making families of ADF personnel anxious when they don't need to be and I am just disgusted that anyone is playing politics with this issue,' she said.

Ms D'Ath said she texted Defence Minister Peter Dutton to discuss the ADF issue but was yet to receive a response.

Mr Dutton subsequently responded on Twitter, saying that Ms D'Ath's claim she had texted him was untrue.

'I have not had any contact from her,' he said.

It's believed Ms D'Ath had tried to text the wrong number.

'Yvette made a mistake this morning - who cares - she apologised and we moved on. The real priority is to get home not just our troops but other Queenslanders who have been separated from their families for way too long,' Mr Dutton followed up.

Ms D'Ath also hit back at a claim by federal Health Minister Greg Hunt that Queensland's complaints it was not receiving enough vaccine supply was because it had not ordered 60,000 doses of Pfizer.

'We weren't told there were 60,000 available to us to order,' Ms D'Ath claimed.

'I'm hoping that they'll arrive tomorrow, and we'll make sure that they get into arms as quickly as possible.

NRL star Benji Marshall arriving in Queensland with his family in July. The Queensland government had been under fire for giving preferential treatment to the code

'I'm a bit tired of the rhetoric and the stunts. If there's vaccine there, give it to the states.'

Queensland's vaccination rate is the worst in Australia but the state government blames a lack of consistent supply from the Commonwealth.

Just over 35 percent of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated.

'The Commonwealth needs to stop playing each state off against each other, accusing us of lagging behind,' Ms D'Ath said.

'Scott Morrison's got to stop saying we're in this together, and then doing the complete opposite and popping up his ministers every day to attack us.

'Are we in this together or not? Queenslanders want us to be in this together. Stop picking fights and just get on with giving us the vaccine.'
A 21-year-old immigrant Uber driver died in the hospital on Tuesday after being shot by a stray bullet in Harlem by gunman who is said to have been just 15.

Kuldip Singh, 21, died three days after he was caught in the crossfire incident of a shootout that happened on Saturday night on W. 131st St and Frederick Douglass Blvd.

He was struck as he drove his black Toyota Camry past a nearby silver sedan as a gun battle erupted between that car's occupants and people on the street.

A 15-year-old male suspect is believed to have accidentally fired at Singh, who was struck in the head and suffered horrific brain damage as a result.

The passengers in Singh's vehicle - a mother and 12-year-old son- were not harmed during the incident.

A stray bullet from a Harlem shootout killed Uber driver Kuldip Singh, 21, who was driving down the street with a mother and her 12-year-old son in the backseat

Singh was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside after he was shot in the back of the head and plowed into a double parked car down the street

Singh, who came to the U.S. in 2018, had worked for Uber for two months before he was shot in the back of the head.

His Toyota continued moving down the street as he lay mortally wounded inside, and only came to a stop after it smashed into another vehicle that was double-parked nearby.

The young Uber driver was taken to Mount Sinai Morningside where he remained in critical condition.

Singh was taken into surgery on Tuesday but the bullet could not be removed. He later died having lost most of his brain functions.

'Kuldip growing up was a great kid,' his father Prittal Singh told The Daily News. 'I never had any problems with him.'

Uber spokeswoman Carly DeBeikes said: 'Our hearts are with the driver, his passengers and their loved ones after this horrific and senseless act of violence.'

Singh died on Tuesday in the hospital after surgeons could not remove the bullet from the back of his head

The 15-year-old suspect was also taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia but was found to be in stable condition.

No charges, however, were filed against the suspect.

Video footage captured the Harlem shootout on Saturday which occurred around 9.45pm.

The footage begins with two figures approaching the silver car, that was parked in the middle of the street, with the right rear door left open.

A woman is seen smoking a cigarette near the trunk of the car with a man standing in front of the passenger door.

One of the figures, the 15-year-old suspect in the white hoodie, falls to the ground after shots are fired from the driver seat of the silver vehicle.

Video footage captured the shootout that left Singh in the crossfire

A 15-year-old suspect in a white hoodie was shot in the torso by a driver in a silver car on Saturday night

The suspect then opened fire as the stray bullet struck Singh, who was driving by, as onlookers scattered from the scene

Police are seeking this man in connection with Singh's fatal shooting. The 15 year-old boy who is believed to have fired the fatal shot was apprehended, and is being treated in hospital

The other people are then captured scattering from the scene as they run in different directions with the white-hooded suspect opening fire into the silver car.

The driver is seen briefly getting out of the car with gun visible in hand as a man in a black t-shirt climbs into the back seat.

The car then drives down the road leaving the white-hooded figure wounded on the ground, sustaining injuries to the torso.

No arrests have been currently made as a result of the shooting but cops are looking into the incident to identify the five people who were at the scene.

Police are also searching for the gun used during the shootout after the young suspect fled the scene without it.

The weapon was reportedly found and taken by two random onlookers, according to police sources.

NYPD crime statistics through August 31, showing a very slight decrease in overall crimes

NYPD's CompStat records show that there has actually been a 38.3 percent drop in shooting victims from Aug. 23 through Aug. 29, when compared to the same time period last year, and nearly a 35 percent drop in shooting incidents citywide.

According to the NYPD, there has been a 3.8% increase in shooting incidents with 1,086 in this year as compared to 1,046 in 2020.

The number of shooting victims has also increased by 1.7% with 1,305 this year and 1,283 in 2020.
Alexander George O'Sachy, 43, is facing one count of murder as a domestic violence offence after Angela Godwin, 45, (pictured) was allegedly stabbed at his home

A man whose two former partners died of suicide and a drug overdose in his house has been charged with murdering his 'on again, off again' girlfriend.

Alexander George O'Sachy, 43, is facing one count of murder as a domestic violence crime after Angela Godwin, 45, was allegedly stabbed at his home on Wishart Road, Upper Mount Gravatt, in Brisbane just before 8pm on Monday.

He faced Brisbane Magistrate Court via video link on Wednesday and was unable to apply for bail due to the seriousness of his charge.

Police will allege there were inconsistencies in O'Sachy's version of what occurred and that a blood-soaked doona was found in the washing machine at the house.

Police also alleged Ms Godwin had wounds to the back of her thighs which did not suggest self harm, the Courier Mail reported.

Ms Godwin, a mother and grandmother, died soon after emergency services arrived despite the 'best efforts' of paramedics, police said.

Her death was 15 years after O'Sachy's 15-year-old girlfriend took her own life.

Leanne Thompson, the daughter of a police officer, was found hanged in September 2006, in the same home in which Ms Godwin was discovered.

A coroner found it was likely Ms Thompson took her own life.

In 2011 another girlfriend of O'Sachy's, Lauren Howarth, was found dead which was ruled to be from a drug overdose.

The coroner at the time said Ms Howarth's mother 'raised concerns' about the circumstances of her daughter's death.

A 14-year-old boy Andrew Scott Anderson died in 2005 after he shot himself in the head with an inquest finding he was drinking and taking drugs at O'Sachy's house just one day before.

His death was also ruled a suicide.

O'Sachy (pictured) faced court on Wednesday and was unable to apply for bail. He will appear again on October 18

Police are seen cordoning off the house on Wishart Road in Upper Mount Gravatt

Coronial investigations cleared O'Sachy of having any responsibility for the three deaths.

Queensland Police Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said a post-mortem would help detectives determine how Ms Godwin died.

He said he was aware of the history of the house but the incidents were not linked to Ms Godwin's death.

'There is some history at that address over the years,' Superintendent Fleming said.

'There are things in years past that don't appear to be relevant to this investigation at this time, but we're looking at those.'

O'Sachy was remanded in custody to appear in the same court on October 18.
A spike in drowning deaths has been blamed on COVID-related factors as Australians holiday at home and more swim in remote, unpatrolled areas.

There were 294 drowning deaths across the nation's coastline, inland waterways and pools in 2020/21, according to annual reports from Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia.

That is up 20 per cent from 245 over the previous 12-month period, while there was also a further 674 non-fatal drowning incidents.

Covid-19 lockdowns are being blamed for an increase in drowning deaths, according to reports from Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia (stock)

The reports, released on Wednesday, identified spikes in drowning deaths immediately after large-scale lockdowns, as Australians increasingly holidayed domestically and swam in unfamiliar locations.

More people were travelling to remote areas to escape crowds, it said, swimming outside of patrolled hours and taking more day trips to isolated beaches, rivers or lakes.

The risks of drownings at home were also higher, with adults prone to becoming complacent when exhausted from working from home and homeschooling.

In addition, the coronavirus has interrupted swimming lessons for children and reduced pool access for adults and teenagers who are no longer fit to swim or lack confidence.

There were 294 drowning deaths across the nation in the 2020/21, showing a 20 per cent increase from last years figures (pictured, Cable Beach in Albany, WA)

25 of the deaths involved children aged four and under, an increase of 108 per cent from the previous 12-month period (pictured, Darling River near Bourke, NSW)

Twenty-five of the drowning deaths in 2020/21 involved children four or under, up 108 per cent from the previous 12-month span.

'Royal Life Saving fears that many children will never return to lessons, so won't meet the fundamental water safety benchmarks,' chief executive Justin Scarr said.

In another familiar trend, men accounted for 80 per cent of drowning deaths. Alcohol and drugs, risk-taking behaviour and overestimating their ability were common factors.

With deaths in coastal waters rising to 136, Surf Life Saving Australia chief executive Adam Weir said people should be aware of their limits.

The report outlines the fears that children may never return to swimming lessons, and never meet water safety benchmarks (pictured, the Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road)

'Visiting and exploring new places we know is going to be high on people's list when coming out of lockdown. But be sure to seek out patrolled beaches,' he said.

Both authorities are considering a number of drowning prevention strategies ahead of the warmer months, including bringing forward water safety campaigns to coincide with forecast easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Federal Sport Minister Richard Colbeck said the ultimate responsibility to prevent drownings rests with everybody.

'Drowning deaths are more than just numbers on a page. Every death is a tragedy that impacts families for years to come,' he said.
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An illegal gathering to celebrate Jewish New Year has been branded 'appalling' by police chiefs after a news crew was attacked and lockdown laws ignored.

Up to 30 people are now believed to have attended the Rosh Hashanah celebration at a Ripponlea synagogue in Melbourne's south-east.

Police and media were involved in a stand-off with celebrants and supporters on Tuesday night as they gathered for the first night of the two day religious event.

Wild scenes outside the orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea saw some confront police and climb onto the roof of a nearby building to escape.

One news cameraman was allegedly assaulted and taken to hospital with concussion and six people have been been fined $5,452 for breaching public health orders.

Police speak to worshippers (pictured) at a Jewish New Year's celebration at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Melbourne, on Tuesday

A gathering celebrating Jewish New Year in Melbourne ended with fiery scenes and police moving in to shut down the event and issuing $5,452 fines to 'all adults' who attended (men near the synagogue in Ripponlea, pictured)

But Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett has told other worshippers to come forward and turn themselves in.

He's vowed to hunt down every adult inside the synagogue and fine them.

'I'm appalled,' he said on Wednesday morning. 'Come forward, identify yourself.

'My instruction to my investigators today is every person at the gathering will receive a penalty notice.'

Supporters stood outside the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne on Tuesday night as the Rosh Hashanah celebrations continued inside.

There was initially believed to be 100 people inside, but police downscaled the estimated number to around 30 on Wednesday.

Police guarded every exit from the synagogue to swoop on worshippers as they left, but many instead took to the roofs of nearby buildings to escape.

Up to 30 people are now believed to have attended the Rosh Hashanah celebration at a Ripponlea synagogue in Melbourne 's south-east, pictured

The condemnation of the gathering by Jewish community leaders was welcomed by Victoria premier Dan Andrews (pictured)

The tense standoff between Victorian police and worshippers (pictured) spilled into abuse and claims of anti-Semitism as police moved in to disperse the gathering. Police later issued a statement saying 'all adults' in attendance would receive a $5,452 fine

Assistant Commissioner Barrett added: 'The best approach was to wait and try and contact the people inside and negotiate with them to come out.

'If you were there yesterday and have not spoken to police, you should come forward.'

Police also confirmed they were investigating the assault of a 45 year old TV news cameraman on Glen Eira Road around 7pm.

'All the media there were calm and listening to police direction. There was a crowd in the laneway that were making much more of a fuss,' he told the Herald Sun.

'But the crowd kept antagonising us. They were saying "stop filming us". I was then attacked, struck to the top of my head.'

The gathering was condemned by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria on Wednesday.

'The actions of a few do not represent the vast majority of our community who have celebrated Rosh Hashanah at home only with the people with whom they live, and just like the wider community, continue to follow the rules,' they said in a statement.

The condemnation was welcomed by Premier Dan Andrews.

'I understand this has been a difficult year for lots of people  if you break the rules we will be in lockdown longer,' he said.

'I have not seen the footage and I do not want to cast aspersions on any groups or any section of our community.

'The Jewish community called out that behaviour and were very quick to do it and I am very grateful to Jewish leaders for doing that.'

A group of mask-wearing men pass police near one of the gatherings on Tuesday night (pictured)

The main illegal gathering occurred at Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea in inner Melbourne during a Jewish New Year celebration

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she was astounded at the event.

'I don't know what planet these people live on,' she said.

'We are a city that has been in lockdown for more days than any other city around the world.

'It seems that there are some people that are determined to be selfish and to flout the restrictions.

'It is just not fair that some members of the community feel that they can flout the rules and get away with it.

'We are grateful to the police and the community for raising these issues so that we can get on top of them and we can really help people remain unified around our ultimate quest to open and to stay open.'

A second, smaller illegal prayer group assembled for Jewish New Year was also dispersed by police from an apartment above the Ripponlea IGA supermarket, also on Glen Eira Avenue.

Police were understood to have been made aware of the illegal gatherings on Tuesday morning and reports indicated they waited for people to exit the celebrations during the day.

But tensions grew as worshippers and their supporters confronted police in the early evening.

Two worshippers climbed onto a nearby roof around 6pm as the confrontations ignited with some supporters heard abusing police and accusing media and health authorities of anti-Semitism.

Police moved in to end the standoff after 8pm on Tuesday.

Police come face to face with worshippers from Jewish New Year celebrations at the orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea on Tuesday night

Police shut down the illegal gathering on Tuesday night after waiting for the attendees to disperse during the day

Victorian police speak with worshippers outside an illegal gathering to celebrate Jewish New Year at Ripponlea on Tuesday night

Eyewitnesses said supporters chanted, pushed cameras and yelled insults at media who assembled as news of the standoff spread on Tuesday afternoon.

Jewish New Year celebrations, known as Rosh Hashanah, commenced on Monday, September 6 and last until the evening of Wednesday, September 8.

At present they are mostly observed privately.

It is understood people began gathering the Adass synagogue on Monday evening, setting up for a major event.

A witness claimed to have seen two groups of '20-30' people without masks entering the synagogue.

'I just think this behaviour from anyone in society at this time is just appalling, it's disgusting really because small businesses are already hurting, and this is just extending what's already happening,' passer-by Steve Davis told 9News.

Victoria Police broke up two Jewish New Year celebrations that took place on Tuesday in breach of Covid restrictions

A family is pictured near the synagogue in Ripponlea, which was the site of a standoff between worshippers and police

'Victoria Police has spoken to a number of people who attended an address on Glen Eira Road, Elsternwick on Tuesday 7 September,' a Victorian Police statement said.

'All adults who attended will be issued with a $5452 fine. A number of children who were present will not be fined. Investigators believe a number of other people were present and are yet to be spoken to by police. Investigators are working to identify them.'

Earlier, police blocked roads around the synagogue where an estimated 100 worshippers celebrated Jewish New Year.

It is understood the worshippers refused to leave the two buildings on Tuesday despite Police attempts to make them get out.

Around 100 Jewish New Year worshippers held illegal gatherings (pictured) and refused to comply with police directions

Victoria's Delta Covid outbreak worsened on Tuesday with 246 cases announced.

Under Melbourne's latest lockdown, which began on August 5 and is still in place, no private or public gatherings are allowed.

Victorian Police confirmed in a statement to Daily Mail Australia that they were 'currently in the Elsternwick and surrounding areas responding to reports of potential CHO breaches'.

'As this is ongoing we don't have any further information at this stage.'

Police are understood to have attended both buildings on Tuesday morning but it is believed they did not remove or arrest worshippers, who are believed to have refused to leave until Tuesday evening.

Journalists on the scene were told nobody was inside the synagogue, but they were contradicted by 'multiple witnesses who live nearby who say there have been people in one building since 8pm [on Monday] night and a second building since 4.30am [on Tuesday].'

Officers blocked roads and laneways surrounding the two buildings and were believed to be preparing to issue fines for Covid breaches when the worshippers exit.

It was understood Victorian Health officials are with Victorian Police.

Daily Mail Australia left messages for Adass Israel Synagogue but it is understood worshippers do not use their phones during Rosh Hashanah.

Reports on social media also said police responded to reports of worshippers gathering in large numbers and when they knocked at the synagogue those inside refused to allow them in.

Social media users expressed frustration and anger at the worshippers for failing to follow directions that most of the state's residents are complying with.
James-Robert Davis has been hit with fresh charges while othrs were dropped

A 'kinky sex overlord' who was accused of keeping a slave has been hit with 23 fresh charges, including child porn and rape.

Detectives withdrew three initial charges of slavery against James Robert Davis in Central Local Court on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old maintained his innocence behind bars and denied any of his sexual partners had ever truly believed they were a 'slave'.

His lawyer argued certain 'kinky' dynamics of a BDSM relationship, including 'play contracts' had been utilised in some of his relationships.

But police have now hit Davis with a host of new charges, some of which date back to 2004.

The fresh charges relate to allegations of possessing, soliciting and distributing child pornography, sexual intercourse without consent and assault.

Davis is also facing one charge of torturing an animal resulting in death, along with firearm charges.

Police also allege Davis 'possessed or made explosives for unlawful purposes'.

In light of the recent development, Daily Mail Australia understands Davis will make a new application for bail in the coming months.

Davis missed the birth of his daughter this week after spending six months behind bars.

He had hoped a magistrate would grant him bail back in June to witness the birth, but it was determined that he posed too great a risk to the community.

His baby with 'main' girlfriend Charlotte Davis arrived this week, a little girl understood to be named Grace.

Charlotte's father Rod arrived at the farmstead she shares with Davis' four other girlfriends in Armidale in the New South Wales Northern Tablelands from Laos a fortnight ago to help as the women settle into parenthood.

'I've finally jumped through all the obstacles and am staying with my daughter and her friends on their farm,' he said.

Davis (pictured with two of his current girlfriends, Charlotte and Hunter) remains behind bars accused of reducing a woman to servitude

When announcing the pregnancy online, Charlotte shared a photo of a custom made onesie which read: 'Six mums are better than one'

Baby Davis appeared 'all good and healthy' at the latest check ups and Charlotte suffered her first 'trial labour' on the night Rod arrived.

The new grandfather lamented the fact that his daughter would be forced to endure the birth without her partner, who remains in jail.

'The hospital is in a red [Covid] zone so she can only have one person with her... Dad's not even allowed to visit the baby,' he said.

Charlotte previously begged New South Wales Supreme Court to release Davis in an affidavit signed by the other women in the polyamorous BDSM relationship.

She swore to report Davis if he were to breach any of the proposed bail conditions, and said each of his girlfriends wanted him to come home.

When discussing the birth of his grandchild, Rod referred to the other women in the coupling as 'Charlotte's friends' rather than her romantic partners.

Back in April, Charlotte told the court she and Davis had been dating for six years and were in a relationship with four other women; Sophie, Hanne, Hunter and Finlay.

Charlotte's father uploaded this photo of a baby holding one of his fingers this week before it was swiftly deleted

Davis' baby with 'main' girlfriend Charlotte (pictured together) is due on September 6th

Charlotte's father Rod arrived at the farmstead she shares with Davis' four other girlfriends in Armidale in the New South Wales Northern Tablelands from Laos a fortnight ago to help as the women settle into parenthood

She revealed they'd been trying to fall pregnant for three years before resorting to in vitro fertilisation treatments.

Charlotte and her medical team were concerned the stress of Davis' imprisonment could be damaging to her pregnancy, which was already considered 'high risk'.

The women all contribute to household bills and expenses equally, and it is understood they will raise the child together, as a family.

When announcing the pregnancy online, she shared a photo of a custom made onesie which read: 'Six mums are better than one'.

'After three years, three surgeries, two types of hormone therapy and one round of IVF, baby Davis is due early September,' Charlotte said.

'I am so over-the-moon happy, as are we all, and I'm so grateful for the love, patience and care all my partners have shown me throughout this process.'

Since that post, one of the girlfriends has left the relationship.

Each of the five women who remain in a relationship with him told the court they're in a consensual polyamorous BDSM relationship with each other.

Charlotte's father shared a photo of her baby bump (pictured) three months ago before arriving on the farm

Davis (centre) had allegedly been living with as many as six women he allegedly called 'slaves' at his home near Armidale in northern New South Wales

They all signed some form of slavery and servitude contract in which the 'submissive' agrees to 'forfeit elements of [their] body, mind and will'.

In the contract, the 'submissive' agrees to display affection whenever required and engage in 'predetermined kink events, kink related domestic and social activities, play parties and special days'.

The woman signs over her sexuality and right to sexual gratification in the contract, which states that 'all sexual gratification whether by myself or others is a privilege granted at the grace and pleasure of my Owner'.

In total there are 20 clauses that a prospective 'submissive' must sign in the contract, which is reviewed first after three months and then renewed every six months.

Davis maintains each of the women know the contracts are in no way legally binding, and merely form part of a 'play acting' dynamic in which they mimic slavery as part of their BDSM kinks.

He has maintained his innocence throughout all of the court proceedings.

Pictured is a supplied Australian Federal Police photo of the sprawling rural estate Davis and his girlfriends live on

'At no stage did my client exercise any real powers of ownership... There are aspects of play acting, affectations of slavery which do not amount to real slavery,' defence barrister Ian Lloyd SC said.

The women are all free to move as they please, and all five attend the University of New England, completing degrees ranging from law to nursing and mathematics.

Davis was arrested in March and charged with possessing a slave, reducing a person to slavery and causing a person to remain in servitude after an AFP investigation and a 15-hour raid on his property near Armidale in the New South Wales Northern Tablelands.

Davis had been accused of making a woman sign a contract to enter into slavery, forcing her to wear a steel collar and locking her in a cage for up to three days over a period of two years between 2013 and 2015.

Each of the now-dropped charges carried a potential 25 year jail sentence.

Mr Lloyd argued that each of the women were given collars upon signing their 'play' contract, and that they had access to Allen keys to unlock the collars whenever they needed.
Specialist bush survival experts are convinced 'miracle boy' AJ Elfalak coped so well while lost in bushland for three cold nights because his autism kept him calm.

As family and friends celebrated the three-year-old boy's incredible rescue in the NSW Hunter Valley, police have come to understand how AJ, three, really survived in rugged bushland.

Wild conspiracy theories continue to circulate on social media that AJ's disappearance was staged, and that a child could not survive alone with food or water in such rugged terrain - where overnight temperatures were as low as two degrees.

But detectives on Strike Force Jaylang - which was set up to investigate the circumstances of the toddler's disappearance - said AJ's injuries and condition when he was found were all consistent with him being in the bush the entire time.

Police have worked with bush survival experts to develop a full picture of AJ's time away from home - and they suggest his autism actually largely helped him maintain a calm state of mind.

'The reality is he didn't know he was lost so he wasn't scared, he didn't panic,' an investigator said.

Celebrations were underway from about 1pm on Monday - an hour after word spread that AJ had been found alive

A freshly slaughtered cow was put in a freezer until it was ready to be cooked for the party on Tuesday

This aerial image shows the distance between AJ's home and the area where he was found - complete with the dense bushland and dangerously steep terrain in between

'If he was tired, he slept... he had access to water, which is a big thing for survival in the bush.'

When AJ was rescued and loaded into a waiting ambulance, paramedics said he ravenously ate an entire pizza and 'guzzled' water - typical traits of someone who hadn't eaten for days.

'He was starving... it's all consistent with him being in the bush the entire time,' a paramedic said.

The Child Mind Institute says children with autism often have 'a weaker sense of danger' than others and enjoy exploration.

They're also more likely to 'wander off' or look to remove themselves from overwhelming sensory experiences.

Children played on the property after AJ was found as their parents celebrated

Mr Cassar queried whether AJ had in fact travelled further from this family home and somehow looped back to the dam where he was found, which is just 500m from his family home and was explored extensively in the days he was missing

And with AJ back home and safely in the arms of his mother, his family hosted an epic party to celebrate.

The local store was cleared out of all booze in stock, a cow was freshly slaughtered and carved up for a BBQ and the music blared.

Grey Gums Cafe owner Kim Grace watched on as all the alcohol she had left in stock - about $700 worth - was packed into a ute and taken back to the Elfalek's place.

In the back seat was a freshly slaughtered sheep, which was being taken back to AJ's godfather Alan Hashem, who is renowned for his 'famous' lamb.

Meanwhile back at the farm, two freshly-killed cows were already on the barbecue and AJ's elated dad had extended an invitation to the party to anybody back in locked-down Sydney who was prepared to make the journey.

AJ's siblings were gushing over their 'brave baby brother' when he was found alive, and played happily on Tuesday as their parents celebrated with loved ones

At one stage, a bunch of children and their relatives crossed the road into an open paddock, where they played for hours

'See that hill back there,' he told media at his home. 'There's going to be a big party on that hill. Anybody who wants to come on down from Sydney is welcome.'

Celebrations were well underway on Tuesday afternoon at the Yengo Drive property in Putty - and the party lasted into the night.

A handful of guests returned to the corner store about 9.30pm that night, hoping to replenish their booze and food supply.

AJ and his mother returned home from Maitland Hospital later that night - telling the guests party time was over because the toddler needed to sleep.

Detectives confirmed an investigation was ongoing into the 72 hours AJ was missing

AJ had two 'natural survival advantages' Little AJ's autism may have helped him to remain calm while lost in the bush, but survival expert Bob Cooper, who works with the SAS on living in tough environments, told Daily Mail Australia AJ had a second natural advantage. 'Children are better than adults at surviving sometimes because they haven't got the preconceived idea of what the bush is like,' Mr Cooper said. 'When they feel tired they sleep, when they're cold they seek shelter, when they're thirsty they drink.' A human can survive for three weeks without food provided they can keep warm, drink water and stay safe from the elements, he noted. Advertisement

Little AJ was found with minor scratches and bruising to his body. He'd been bitten by ants and had a case of nappy rash, but was otherwise in high spirits.

His overjoyed family said it was a miracle that he'd survived such harsh conditions, including wet weather, 5C temperatures and unforgiving terrain.

As Tuesday afternoon wore on, more and more guests packed their cars, said their goodbyes to little AJ and were on their way.

Locals say members of the search party, which included dozens of the Elfalak's loved ones, had travelled from Sydney in a desperate attempt to help find the little boy.

AJ's siblings played amongst themselves on Tuesday afternoon as their little brother rested inside

Some relatives rushed to the local store where they bought $700 worth of booze, while others prepared the meat and the house for a party

All guests have since been urged to get tested for Covid after a local volunteer from a nearby monastery who helped to search for the little boy returned a positive result on Tuesday.

'We could all have it,' a concerned local said.

But Covid was the furthest thing from the minds of AJ's loved ones, who were simply relieved to have him back at home.

Later on Tuesday afternoon, those who remained at the family home settled back into reality.

Children were overjoyed after AJ was found, playing amongst each other and thanking the volunteers

The older children got back on their buggies and crossed the street to play in the expansive fields with the ponies and alpacas.

They did laps of the huge property, reveling in the open space again after so many days of crowds and emergency crews parked where they would normally play.

Smaller kids stayed closer to home, climbing on the rock formations and playing tag games with each other through the hedges.

AJ, meanwhile, watched on from the safety of his home, clinging to his mother.

Relatives say he is yet to leave her side.

The adults spent the afternoon relaxing after Monday night's festivities, laughing as the kids ran around and cooking up more meat on the outdoor fire pit.

It appears they're all ready to move past the horrors of the past 96 hours and get back to enjoying their 'oasis' in the Outback.

AJ's father fronted the media to reveal the toddler was safe and well with his mum after the rescue - and invite guests from Sydney to their celebratory party

Volunteers worked around-the-clock for four days to locate the little boy
Regional Victoria will be lifted from lockdown, despite the state recording 221 new cases of coronavirus.

Daniel Andrews has announced lockdown in regional areas, except Shepparton will end at 11.59pm Thursday.

Businesses, offices and venues can reopen and operate at restricted capacity while students in kindergarten, years one, two, 11 and 12 will return to the classroom.

Funerals will be permitted for up to 20 people while weddings can have up to 10.

The only minor change for Melburnians in their sixth lockdown is that single parents can now access childcare, regardless of whether they're authorised workers.

Mr Andrews warned there would be a massive police presence around the metropolitan borders, and compulsory ID checks in venues outside the city.

'Regional Victorians have done an amazing job, that is why these steps are possible,' he said.

Daniel Andrews (pictured) will ease restrictions of most of regional Victoria

The regional town of Shepparton (pictured) will remain in lockdown for now

'But it's not Freedom Day, it's not 100 per cent capacity down at the pub. It can't be. If it is then we will simply see numbers spread.

'Then we will have to close large parts of regional Victoria down again and perhaps even all of regional Victoria. We don't want that.'

All but seven of the 221 cases were in metropolitan Melbourne.

Regional residents will no longer need a reason to leave home with no limits on the distance they can travel, unless they're travelling to Melbourne.

Some restrictions will remain in place, including a ban on a home visitors while outdoor gatherings are limited to ten.

Wearing of masks remains outdoors and in indoor public settings.

Police will conduct spot checks to ensure Melburnians aren't travelling into regional areas unless for authorised reasons.

Anyone caught fleeing Melbourne without a valid reason will be fined $5,452.

'If you don't have good lawful reason to go to regional Victoria, then please don't go,' Mr Andrews said.

'If you are travelling into regional Victoria, you can expect to be pulled over. It won't necessary be every single car, but there will be number plate recognition technology used.'

When asked whether the dreaded ring of steel will return, Mr Andrews said Victoria Police will address checkpoint activity issues later on Wednesday.

Some students in regional Victoria will soon return to the classroom (pictured Melbourne students returning to school in July after the fifth lockdown

Some restrictions in regional Victoria (pictured) will remain when lockdown is lifted

The Premier hopes Shepparton will come out of lockdown in the coming weeks as the town recorded no new cases overnight.

'We hope to have them catch up to the rest of regional Victoria sometime next week and we will make those announcements as soon as we have tidied up the last bits of the outbreak there,' he said.

Victorians residing in a NSW Local Government Border Area for the last fortnight or more will be able to apply for a new permit exemption category called 'Victorians in the cross-border community to come home.

Applications for exemptions will be open for seven days from midday Friday.

Applicants will need to provide proof of their primary residence in Victoria, return a negative Covid test 48 hours prior to their arrival in Victoria and had had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Applicants will be also asked to receipts and QR check in records to prove they've stayed within the border region and maintained minimal social contact while in NSW.

Victorians currently in NSW or the ACT outside the border area remain banned from returning home.

Residents in Shepparton (pictured) could be lifted from lockdown as early as next week

Just 98 of the 221 new cases announced on Wednesday are so far linked to the rest of the outbreak, with the source of the remaining 123 infections under investigation.

Of the 120 cases in hospital, 33 are in intensive care, including 15 on a ventilator.

None of the hospitalised cases were fully vaccinated.

Of the 1,920 active cases across Victoria, 86 per cent are under the age of 50.

Almost 42,429 Victorians came forward for testing on Tuesday with another 36,716 rolled up their sleeves on the state's biggest day for vaccinations.

Almost two thirds of Victorians have now had their first dose while 38.6 per cent fully vaccinated.

The Premier has promised to ease further restrictions and increase daily exercise to up to three hours once the state reaches 70 per cent of the state has received their first dose.

Victoria recorded 221 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as a fight between Daniel Andrews and Scott Morrisons over vaccine allocation heats up

Melburnians (pictured) will remain in their sixth lockdown after 221 new cases were recorded

The new cases come as police are expected to fine up to 100 people who gathered to mark the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, in breach of lockdown restrictions

Everything you need to know about new regional Victoria restrictions Regional Victoria will be lifted from lockdown from 11.59pm Thursday. The following rules apply except those in Shepparton and metropolitan Melbourne: - Residents can leave their home for any reason with no distance limits except for rules around entering Melbourne - Businesses and venues including hospitality, retail, hairdressers and entertainment facilities will all be able to welcome back customers with patron and density caps - Ten patrons can dine inside restaurants and cafes and 20 outside - Students in Kindergarten to Year 2 and Years 11 and 12 can return to school for face-to-face learning. Other grades will continue online leaning - Weddings will be back on for 10 people while funerals will be permitted to have 20 guests, excluding those who are needed for the services - Regional Victorians are still encouraged to work from home but offices can return to 25 per cent of staff or up to 10 people, whichever is greater - Masks will however still be required for all Victorians both indoors and outdoors and those in regional areas of the state must carry their ID with them at all times - Those living in NSW border areas can apply for an exemption to return home - Private gatherings in homes are still not permitted except for intimate partners or those in singles bubbles - Community sport will also go ahead with limited players while outdoor activity is limited to 20 people per facility - Outdoor playgrounds and gyms will reopen with personal trainers able to train 10 people at a time - Indoor seated entertainment venues can open for 20 people and outdoor seated venues can host 25 per cent capacity or 300 patrons, whichever is fewer - Theme parks can reopen for 25 per cent capacity - For real estate, ten people can gather for private inspections while auctions will run with a maximum of 10 guests Advertisement

Mr Andrews weighed in on the Newport family of five infected with Covid allegedly caught breaching home quarantine orders as he issued.

'We do literally thousands of checks every day,' he said.

'If you're a positive case and you're in quarantine for 14 days, you have to stay away from others.'

'There are some substantial fines if you're not complying with that.

'On average, we do between 1,500 checks a day and a very high percentage, well into the 90s of those people are where they're supposed to be.

'There will always be some who choose to do the wrong thing. I just appeal to people, if you're asked to isolate, please do that. If you have been asked to isolate, there is every chance you have got it.'

Forcing the family into hotel quarantine hasn't been ruled out.

'We have done that in the past, we have moved people to hotel quarantine, many of whom wanted to go, some who perhaps didn't want to go, but wound up in hotel quarantine because they were a risk to others,' Mr Andrews said.

'I'd certainly hope that it didn't come to that, I'd hope they'd see common sense.

'(COVID-19 is) not a good thing to get and it's not a good thing to be spreading through not following the rules.

'You would always hope it would never come to that, you'd hope that people would see reason.'

Police are expected to fine up to 100 people who gathered to mark the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, in breach of lockdown restrictions.

Members of the Orthodox Jewish congregation entered a building, believed to be a prayer room, near a Ripponlea synagogue early on Tuesday morning and told police they wouldn't leave until nightfall.

Police surrounded the front and back entrances of the building and took details of those who began to file out of the building just after 8pm.

Several worshippers became aggressive. A Nine cameraman was pushed and the group briefly chanted and clapped in the alleyway.

'All adults who attended will be issued with a $5452 fine. A number of children who were present will not be fined,' a Victoria Police spokesman said in a statement.

'Investigators believe a number of other people were present and are yet to be spoken to by police. Investigators are working to identify them.'

About 38 per cent of Victoria is fully vaccinated with about 5.3 million doses administered, but the premier claims his state could be doing even better if NSW wasn't allocated so many extra doses.

Mr Andrews acknowledged the NSW outbreak is worse, but accused the federal government of giving NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian preferential treatment.

He claims Victoria has missed out around 340,000 doses as a result as he called for a policy overhaul from the federal government.

'I signed up to a national plan to vaccinate our nation, not a national plan to vaccinate Sydney,' Mr Andrews said.

The Victorian Premier claims Victoria has missed out around 340,000 doses which were given to NSW instead (pictured a Melbourne student being vaccinated)

'We have seen hundreds of thousands of vaccines that should have come and now should be in the arms of Victorians going into Sydney, into GP practices and into NSW.'

Mr Andrews pleaded for additional vaccines to be fast-tracked to make up for the extra doses distributed to NSW.

'Some don't like to see this as a race. But a race, it surely is,' Mr Andrews continued.

'What I didn't know was that Premier Berejiklian is in a sprint, while the rest of us are supposed to do some sort of egg and spoon thing. No, we want our fair share!'

'These allocations which are totally unfair and were under the table, need to stop.'

Victoria is still days away from 70 per cent of eligible residents having received their first dose, a target achieved by NSW a week ago.

The race is on to get all all students in their final year of high school injected with at least one vaccination dose before their final exams, as part of a 10-day priority access scheme beginning on Tuesday.

Pfizer bookings opened for year 12 students, teachers, exam supervisors and assessors on Monday, with a dedicated hotline fielding 30,000 calls before lunch.

VICTORIAN KIDS NEED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Newly reappointed Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has pledged to employ a dedicated mental health specialist at every Victorian school if elected in 2022. Mr Guy returned to the Liberal leadership on Tuesday, replacing Michael O'Brien. He said he would unveil his 'positive agenda' in the coming weeks, but flagged mental health as one of his key concerns as the state emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, Mr Guy called on the government to employ a mental health specialist at every Victorian school, given students have lost up to 151 days of class and have suffered six interrupted terms. 'The shattered mental health of young Victorians is the biggest threat facing our state today,' he said in a statement. 'The consequences of lockdowns and social isolation on our students will last a lifetime if we don't act now.' Mr Guy said the state government's current commitment to have a mental health practitioner, which could be a nurse or a social worker, at all secondary schools, doesn't go far enough. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Advertisement

By Monday afternoon, the health department said more than 7,000 priority bookings had been made.

A 17-year-old on a ventilator is among the more than 110 Victorians in hospital with Covid.

To help get more shots in more arms, the state will increase capacity, adding 40,000 vaccination appointments each week to state-run hubs.

More cubicles will be added to Melbourne Town Hall and Port Melbourne Town Hall.

Vaccination centres will be created at Latrobe University and more cubicles also added to the Melton drive-through hub.

Mr Andrews hasn't ruled out Melbourne students returning to classrooms in term four but says it's too early to make a decision at this stage.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been slammed for planning to allow wealthy people to visit a bar again as 2.5million in the western suburbs live under a curfew.

Her government will conduct a trial in early October allowing fully vaccinated people to check-in to pubs and bars using the ServiceNSW app.

This is tipped to occur in parts of Sydney's North Shore with low case numbers, such as Mosman and Turramurra - but the government has refused to officially announce the locations yet.

The move has raised fears of a class divide between wealthy postcodes and Sydney's west and south-west - where 80 per cent of Covid cases are being recorded.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been slammed for planning to allow wealthy people visit a bar again as 2.5million people in the western suburbs live under a curfew

Residents there face being locked down with harsher restrictions, including a 9pm to 5am curfew, until at least mid-October, as fully-vaccinated residents north and east of the Harbour Bridge are allowed to enjoy life again.

The proposal comes as some of the most cosmopolitan postcodes near the city, from Darlinghurst to Bondi, lag behind in the vaccination stakes compared with those in hotspot local government areas with Sydney's lockdown approaching the eleventh week.

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Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns said a two-tiered unwinding of the lockdown would be unacceptable and called for an equal re-opening of all suburbs at the same time.

'We can't have a situation where people in Mosman can go and have a rose but you can't have a beer in Blacktown,' he said.

'It's time for the government to put the phrase ''we're all in this together'' into action and that means there has to be an equal opening.'

In the Blacktown council area, 85.7 per cent of those aged 16 and over have had a first dose of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer, putting it ahead of Mosman's 81.2 per cent and well above the state average of 75 per cent - itself the highest in Australia.

Mr Minns, a father-of-three, represents the seat of Kogarah, which falls within the Bayside council, one of 12 local government areas where residents live under a curfew and a 5km limit on leaving home for exercise.

His Liberal Party opponent Ms Berejiklian hails from Willoughby on Sydney's lower north shore.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, NSW Labor leader Chris Minns said this would be unacceptable and called for an equal re-opening of all suburbs at the same time

Trendy and cosmopolitan suburbs near the city are lagging behind the rest of Sydney in the vaccination rollout as the lockdown approaches the eleventh week

Nearby Bondi, in the neighbouring Waverley council, has first dose rate of just 49 per cent, even though the Delta outbreak started in this part of the eastern suburbs in June

Residents in 12 areas are subject to a curfew even though there is no evidence to say it helps keep cases low. Pictured: Residents in Bankstown

SYDNEY'S TRENDY POSTCODES LAGGING BEHIND THE REST City of Sydney: 60.8 per cent first dose Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Redfern: 49 per cent first dose Zetland and Waterloo: 39 per cent first dose Randwick council: 67.4 per cent first dose Coogee: 59 per cent first dose Bondi in Waverley council: 49 per cent first dose Advertisement

A pub trial will go ahead at the start of October, expected in suburbs with low cases. Pictured: Manly Beach

Residents wear face masks as they do essential food shopping in Bankstown on Wednesday

Sydney councils with highest first dose rates Hills Shire, north-west: 88.6 per cent Ku-ring-gai, Upper North Shore: 86.9 per cent Camden, outer south-west: 86.2 per cent Blacktown, west: 85.7 per cent Campbelltown, outer south-west: 82.5 per cent Parramatta, west: 81.7 per cent Sutherland, south: 81.5 per cent Mosman, Lower North Shore: 81.2 per cent Northern Beaches: 80.3 per cent Lane Cove, Lower North Shore: 79.5 per cent Penrith, outer west: 79.2 per cent Woollahra, east: 79 per cent Cumberland, west: 77.4 per cent Canterbury-Bankstown: 76.7 per cent Willoughby, Lower North Shore: 76.4 per cent Liverpool, south-west: 75.8 per cent Advertisement

Deputy Labor leader Prue Car, who has a western Sydney electorate, also demanded equal treatment for city's west, saying 'western Sydney will have something to say about this' if a pub trial goes ahead on the North Shore.

Mr Minns praised Treasurer Dominic Perrottet - who on Wednesday said the whole of Sydney should open at the same time - but he wants more clarity from Ms Berejiklian.

'In reality we need to find out what the plan is from the NSW government because millions of people are relying on their direction,' he said.

The Labor leader also urged the government to release its roadmap out of lockdown now, even if it needs changing in the future.

'This is something I've been saying for a long time, that we need to know the plan,' he said.

'The drip feed of restrictions being eased almost on a weekly basis is very difficult to follow and impossible to plan for.

'If the government is forced because of changes to vaccination rates to shift or alter that plan then I think the people of Sydney would understand,' he added.

On Wednesday Ms Berejiklian said the roadmap - which will allow fully vaccinated people to go to bars and restaurants when 70 per cent of the state is jabbed - was almost finished but she still refused to release it.

'To be honest, it's the final touches. The road map is essentially in good shape. We've made great progress,' she said.

Mr Minns also called on the premier to immediately remove the curfew imposed on 2.5million people - after Deputy Premier John Barilaro admitted it was only imposed due to media pressure and did not help reduce cases.

Deputy Labor leader Prue Car, who has a western Sydney electorate, also demanded equal treatment for city's west, saying 'western Sydney will have something to say about this' if a pub trial goes ahead on the north shore.

North Shore postcodes first in line for drinks Mosman (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) Hunters Hill (79 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) Gordon (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Roseville (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) St Ives (89 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Wahroonga (89 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Pymble (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) Lindfield (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Turramurra (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Source: NSW Health data by postcode for September 5 Advertisement

'I'm really hoping the premier listens to common sense,' the Labor leader said.

'I can understand that in a pandemic a government makes quick decisions and judgement calls but the curfew only increases stigma against people in those communities.

'It's hurting the ability of people to do exercise, particularly shift workers if they want to go for a run or exercise outside home.

'Often times once the kids are in bed, after dark is the only time you can do it.'

Mr Minns also said the boundary of where the curfew applies is at odds with the case data.

'It's a real concern the arbitrary nature of the boundaries. There are some local government areas of concern that have lower case numbers than other parts of Sydney without a curfew,' he said.

The Premier said the areas were designated in accordance with health advice.

'It's important to note that to any area of concern, it's based on head of population.

'So some councils have smaller populations than others. You can't do it on a case-by-case comparison. Have you to do it per 100,000 population, which is what the health experts do,' she said.

Ms Berejiklian also insisted that when the 70 per cent jab rate is reached, freedoms will be available to all vaccinated people regardless of location.

'I'm extremely optimistic that at 70 per cent double dose shall everybody who is vaccinated will enjoy life much more freely than what we do today,' she said.

'Once we know it's safe enough, it doesn't matter where you live in the state, whether it's Sydney or the regions, if there's anything we can do to ease the burden of what everybody has been through, we will do that.

NEW FREEDOMS ANNOUNCED FOR DOUBLE-JABBED SYDNEYSIDERS By mid-October fully-vaccinated Sydneysiders can expect to enjoy the following freedoms: *Pubs and restaurants will reopen for the fully-vaccinated in mid-October with a four square metre rule in place. *Hairdressers and barbers will reopen and vaccinated services in places of worship can be held with a four square metre rule. *Sporting crowds will be allowed to return to stadiums as long as they are fully-jabbed with limits on capacity. *Gatherings in households will also be permitted, as long as visitors have had two doses of a Covid vaccine with a cap on the number of guests. Advertisement

'It's never been our intention to put more pressure on people than we need to and that's been our position since the beginning of the pandemic.

'Our intention from day one has been to prevent death and hospitalisation and support communities in as safe a way as possible.

'I'd rather have this conversation than a conversation as to why we allowed thousands to die and why thousands suffered.'

A spokesman for NSW Services Minister Victor Dominello, who is overseeing the pub trial, said: 'Service NSW is working closely with the Federal Government on the ability to display a COVID vaccination certificate within the Service NSW app and link vaccination status with the COVID-Safe Check-In.

'Service NSW is exploring options to conduct a closed pilot within government. Once released, the vaccination certificate and vaccination status within the COVID-Safe check-in will be available everywhere in NSW.

'Customers can also access their vaccination certificate through the Express Plus Medicare app or by logging on to their online Medicare account via MyGov.'

How inner-city suburbs are lagging behind the rest of Sydney in the vaccine rollout as the lockdown approaches week 11

By Stephen Johnson, Economics Reporter for Daily Mail Australia

Trendy and cosmopolitan suburbs near the city are lagging behind the rest of Sydney in the vaccination rollout as the lockdown approaches the eleventh week.

Immunisation rates have surged in western and south-west Sydney where individual suburb case numbers are in the hundreds.

Across New South Wales, 75 per cent of people aged 16 and over have had at least one dose of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer, the highest in Australia.

Scroll down for video

But inner-city postcodes remain well below the average with just 60.8 per cent of residents in the City of Sydney council area having had any dose. At Surry Hills, Darlinghurst (pictured) and Redfern, just 49 per cent have had a first dose

The hotspot Blacktown council area in the city's west has seen first dose rates surge to 85.7 per cent as vaccination levels in the Parramatta local government area climbed to 81.7 per cent.

Average-above immunisation rates are also evident in other LGA hotspots including Campbelltown (82.5 per cent) and Canterbury-Bankstown (76.7 per cent).

But inner-city postcodes remain well below the average with just 60.8 per cent of residents in the City of Sydney council area having had any dose.

At Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Redfern, just 49 per cent have had a first dose.

Zetland and Waterloo had a single-jab rate of just 39 per cent.

In the nearby Randwick council area, just 67.4 per cent of people had received a dose, but within this boundary less than 59 per cent have had a jab at Coogee.

Nearby Bondi, in the neighbouring Waverley council, has first dose rate of just 49 per cent, even though the Delta outbreak started in this part of the eastern suburbs in June.

These beachside postcodes also have a younger population than the national average with many renters in this area.

Professor Sarah Gilbert, a University of Oxford vaccinologist who co-designed the AstraZeneca vaccine, suggested younger people may not have to get an annual Covid booster shot longer term.

'The oldest members of society, those who're immunocompromised, are going to need regular boosters, but for younger people, we normally see good maintenance of immune responses,' she told the ABC's 7.30 program.

'So there may be a first booster program but I wouldn't expect it to happen every single year.

'We are going to of develop long-term immunity to this virus, as we have to other coronaviruses that circulate every year and, in fact, just give us a cold because we get exposed in childhood, we develop our immunity to it and then it's not really a threat to us anymore.'

In the nearby Randwick council area, just 67.4 per cent of people had received a dose, but within this boundary less than 59 per cent have had a jab at Coogee (pictured)

Burnet Institute modelling has suggested tighter restrictions and 530,000 more Pfizer doses in 12 local government area hotspots in Sydney would have saved 5,808 lives between June and December 2021.

Since the Delta outbreak in June, 153 have died with Covid in NSW, with these deaths making up three-quarters of the 199 fatalities that had occurred since the pandemic began in early 2020.

This toll included the nine deaths announced in Wednesday, including an unvaccinated man in his 20s from western Sydney who had serious underlying health issues.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is promising to unwind most lockdown restrictions but keep face mask rules in place from mid-October when 70 per cent of the working age and adult population was fully vaccinated.

As of September 6, 41.8 per cent have had a second dose.

Sydney's Upper North Shore has the highest double-vaccination rate of 59.6 per cent in the Ku-ring-gai council area, compared with 41.6 per cent in Blacktown council.

But in the City of Sydney council area, just 36.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Within that boundary, just 19 per cent are double vaccinated at Waterloo and Zetland, with Darlinghurst and Surry Hills having an equivalent rate of just 29 per cent.
ABC TV breakfast presenter Lisa Millar has pulled the plug on her Twitter account after being targeted by online trolls.

Co-host Michael Rowlands confirmed Millar was going underground after users spotted she had deactivated her social media account with almost 55,000 followers.

'She was on the receiving end of some truly vile and distressing personal attacks,' Mr Rowlands said.

'We all cop criticism here. No one is perfect.

'But the stuff Lisa was subjected to was next level. Those responsible should be ashamed.'

ABC TV breakfast presenter Lisa Millar (pictured here with New Breakfast co-host Michael Rowlands) has gone into internet hiding and pulled the plug on her Twitter account after being targeted for 'vile' abuse by online trolls

Millar joined the ABC in the 1990s and had worked as a USA and Washington correspondent before replacing News Breakfast host Virginia Trioli full-time in August 2019.

The Walkley Award-winning Queenslander is the daughter of former National Party MP Clarrie Millar, sparking accusations of a Coalition-bias by social media critics.

Left-wing trolls have piled on the abuse at every opportunity, claiming Millar gives an easy ride to Liberal premiers and MPs at the expense of Labor politicians.

But others have also savagely attacked her personal appearance.

Lisa Millar (pictured left) joined the ABC in the 90s and had spells as USA correspondent before replacing News Breakfast host Virginia Trioli (right) full-time in August 2019

One Twitter account, @lefty_human, posted a pic of Hollywood actor Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker, with the caption: 'Lisa Miller's make-up.'

'Have been watching the ABC for a few years, Lisa Millar is the most biased and unintelligent announcer they have had,' tweeted Michael Todd.

'The way she has behaved in the past 3 months is atrocious. Literally nobody can stand her sorry. She is the female Barnaby Joyce.'

Left-wing trolls piled on abuse at every opportunity, claiming Lisa Millar (pictured here with co-host Michael Rowlands) gives an easy ride to Liberal MPs at the expense of Labor politicians

'We say it yet again. Please @breakfastnews find Lisa Millar another job,' tweeted Lee Stonehouse 'We just can't watch it anymore.

'We need some kind of balance when she's interviewing Labor politicians.'

However many leapt to Millar's defence after discovering she had switched off her account.

Veteran left-wing firebrand journalist Mike Carlton heaped praise on Millar.

'Extraordinary. I have known Lisa Millar since the 90s, when I last worked at ABC radio,' he tweeted on Wednesday.

'She is a thoroughly professional journalist and a thoroughly nice person.'

Former Labour Party candidate turned ex-NSW Liberal Party state director Remo Nogarotto also paid tribute to Millar's talent.

'I had occasion to interact professionally with Lisa during her time in London,' he said on Wednesday.

'Well researched, hard without being dogmatic and respectful of the right to an alternative view.

'The gutless and bilious attacks on her are emblematic of the lack of civility in public discourse today.'

Twitter fan 'Daniel' added: 'Maybe our Twitter uses should be more pragmatic rather than allowing their political allegiances to drive them to personal attacks and abuse.

'Honestly, making excuses for this vitriol because you dont like her reporting. Its ridiculous.'

Veteran left-wing firebrand journalist Mike Carlton was one of many to heap praise on Ms Millar (pictured)

An ABC spokesman confirmed Ms Millar had turned off Twitter and said it was a symptom of unwarranted attacks on women presenters.

'Lisa has decided to deactivate her Twitter account for the time being after several months of sustained, personal attack,' a spokesman said.

'Using social media platforms to abuse and bully people is repugnant and unacceptable.

'Women often seem to be particularly targeted by this sort of behaviour. It should not be tolerated on any level.'
Henry Ramirez, 37, is set to be executed Wednesday for killing a convenience store in in a robbery that garnered $1.25 in 2004

A Texas inmate set to be executed Wednesday for killing a convenience store worker by stabbing him 29 times over $1.25 is asking that his pastor be allowed to lay hands on him as he dies by lethal injection.

John Henry Ramirez, 37, has been on death row since 2009 over the 2004 robbery and killing of 46 year-old Pablo Castro.

The former Marine and devout Protestant sued prison officials last month, asking them to let his spiritual advisor lay hands on him and say a prayer while he's executed, but prison officials say that would pose a security risk and the vocal prayer could be disruptive.

Ramirezs request was turned down by Texas prison officials, and a federal judge in Houston and the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals have denied Ramirez's request to stay his execution over the issue.

An appeal is pending before the US Supreme Court.

For Protestants, the laying of hands is a symbolic act in which a religious leader places their hands on a person to confer a spiritual blessing.

Denying this symbolic religious gesture is a violation of Ramirez's first amendment right, according to the lawsuit.

Ramirez has already had two stays of execution - once in 2017 so he could get a new attorney and again last September because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ramirez's is the latest clash between death row inmates and prison officials in Texas and other states over the presence of spiritual advisers in the death chamber.

He was condemned for the 2004 killing of 46-year-old Pablo Castro as he took out the trash from a Corpus Christi convenience store.

Prosecutors say Ramirez stabbed Castro 29 times during a series of robberies in which the inmate and two women sought money following a three-day drug binge.

In a 2018 BBC interview from prison, Ramirez said he, Angela Rodriguez and Christina Chavez were smoking weed, taking cocaine, prescription pills and drinking vodka that night.

He told BBC that Rodriguez was fighting with a man, and he got involved in the altercation to try to separate them.

'He is paying for his crime,' said pastor and Ramirez's spiritual advisor Dana Moore. 'I guess the question that would come up, is that not enough?'

Store clerk Pablo Castro (pictured) was 45 when he was murdered by Ramirez in 2004

Crime scene photo of Pablo Castro's brutal murder in 2004

'I had stabbed him in the neck,' Ramirez said. 'There was like real aggressive gurgling sound. That's what kind of snapped me out of it, and I saw how hurt he was and he was bleeding everywhere. I was just like, "Oh man. I went too far."'

Growing up, Ramirez said he had an abusive father who stabbed his mother multiple times when he was younger. He said in the BBC interview that he was surrounded by gang activity, so he joined the Marines.

Ramirez claimed that during his drug-fueled blackout, the military training took over.

'They teach you to kill a person in the fastest way possible. They teach you kill shot. That's what we call it, which is a lot of places I ended up hitting Pablo,' Ramirez said.

'I hit him in the heart. I hit him in the neck. I hit him in the groin. I hit him in the lung.'

Ramirez fled to Mexico but was arrested three-and-a-half years later. He is set to be executed Wednesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.

In April, the Texas prison system reversed a two-year ban on allowing spiritual advisors in the death chamber.

The ban came after the US Supreme Court in 2019 halted the execution of another Texas inmate who had argued his religious freedom was being violated because his Buddhist spiritual advisor wasn't allowed to accompany him.

Texas previously allowed state-employed clergy to accompany inmates into the chamber, but its prison staff included only Christian and Muslim clerics. The new policy allows an inmates approved spiritual advisor to be in the chamber but the two cannot have any contact and vocal prayers during the execution are not allowed.

Seth Kretzer, Ramirez's lawyer, has argued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is violating the death row inmate's First Amendment rights to practice his religion. He called the ban on vocal prayer a spiritual 'gag order.'

'It is hostile toward religion, denying religious exercise at the precise moment it is most needed: when someone is transitioning from this life to the next,' Kretzer said in court documents.

Ramirez joined the Marines (left) to escape an abusive father and the gang activity in his Texas neighborhood. During his 2009 trial (right) he was convicted by a jury after less than an hour of deliberations

In a 2018 interview with the BBC, Ramirez credited his military training for the killing: 'They teach you to kill a person in the fastest way possible. They teach you kill shot.'

Dana Moore, Ramirez's spiritual advisor since 2016, said the request is about letting the inmate practice his Christian faith and treating him 'with a certain amount of dignity.'

'John's sentence wasn't death and you can't have any meaningful contact,' said Moore, a pastor at Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. 'He is paying for his crime. I guess the question that would come up, is that not enough?'

But Mark Skurka, the lead prosecutor at Ramirez's 2008 trial, said while he believes a death row inmate should have a spiritual advisor at the time of execution, there have to be limitations based on security concerns.

'Pablo Castro didn't get to have somebody praying over him as this guy stabbed him 29 times. Pablo Castro didnt get afforded such niceties and things like to have a clergyman present,' said Skurka, now retired after later serving as Nueces County district attorney.

Castro, who had nine children, had worked at the convenience store for more than a decade when he was killed.

'He was a good guy. He would help people out in the neighborhood. Everybody liked him,' Skurka said.

Rodriguez and Chavez, the two women who took part in the robberies, were convicted on lesser charges remain in prison.

If Ramirez is executed, he would be the third inmate put to death this year in Texas and the sixth in the US.
Media outlets are 'publishers' of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages, Australia's highest court has ruled in a landmark decision.

The High Court on Wednesday dismissed an argument by some of Australia's largest media organisations - Fairfax Media Publications, Nationwide News and Australian News Channel - that for people to be publishers, they must be aware of the defamatory content and intend to convey it.

The court found in a 5-2 majority decision that by facilitating and encouraging Facebook users to comment, the companies had participated in their communication.

News Corp Australia, which owns the two broadcast programmes and two of the three newspapers targeted in the defamation case, called for the law to be changed.

The ruling was 'significant for anyone who maintains a public social media page by finding they can be liable for comments posted by others on that page even when they are unaware of those comments,' News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller said in a statement.

'This highlights the need for urgent legislative reform and I call on Australia's attorneys general to address this anomaly and bring Australian law into line with comparable western democracies,' Miller added.

Media outlets are 'publishers' of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages, Australia's highest court has ruled in a landmark decision [Stock image]

Nine, the new owner of The Sydney Morning Herald, said it hoped a current review of defamation laws by Australian state and territory governments would take into account the ruling and its consequences for publishers.

'We are obviously disappointed with the outcome of that decision, as it will have ramifications for what we can post on social media in the future,' a Nine statement said.

'We also note the positive steps which the likes of Facebook have taken since the Voller case first started which now allow publishers to switch off comments on stories,' Nine added.

Facebook did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.

The decision opens the media organisations to be sued for defamation by former juvenile detainee Dylan Voller.

Voller wants to sue the television broadcaster and newspaper publishers over comments on the Facebook pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Centralian Advocate, Sky News Australia and The Bolt Report.

His defamation case launched in the New South Wales state Supreme Court in 2017 was put on hold while the separate question of whether the media companies were liable for Facebook users' comments was decided.

The companies posted content on their pages about news stories that referred to Voller's time in a Northern Territory juvenile detention centre.

Facebook users responded by posting comments that Voller alleges were defamatory.

The decision opens the media organisations to be sued for defamation by former juvenile detainee Dylan Voller (pictured) who wants to sue the television broadcasters and newspaper publishers over 'defamatory' Facebook comments under news stories about him

Voller's lawyers welcomed the ruling for its wider implications for publishers.

'This is a historic step forward in achieving justice for Dylan and also in protecting individuals, especially those who are in a vulnerable position, from being the subject of unmitigated social media mob attacks,' a lawyers' statement said.

'This decision put responsibility where it should be; on media companies with huge resources, to monitor public comments in circumstances where they know there is a strong likelihood of an individual being defamed,' the statement added.

The High Court decision upholds the rulings of two lower courts on the question of liability.

Courts have previously ruled that people can be held liable for the continued publication of defamatory statements on platforms they control, such as notice boards, only after they became aware of the comments.
The risk of dying from Covid-19 is 22,000 times higher than suffering fatal side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine, a renowned Australian scientist has warned.

Beloved science boffin Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, 73, said all Australians need to know the numbers one, 40 and 22,000 when weighing up whether or not they should get vaccinated against the virus.

'One in a million is the odds of dying from the AstraZeneca vaccine,' the expert dubbed 'the people's scientist' said in an video shared on TikTok on Tuesday.

Pictured: A nurse administer a Covid-19 vaccine at Qudos Bank Arena on September 5. Renowned Australian scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, 73, has told how the risk of dying from Covid-19 is 22,000 times higher than suffering fatal side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine

The figure is taken from Therapeutic Goods Administration data, which shows there have only been nine deaths linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine from more than 9.6 million doses administered across Australia as of August 29.

The vaccine has been linked to extremely rare blood clotting incidents but Dr Karl said the risk of dying in a road accident is still much higher at 40 deaths in a million.

He said the chance of dying from Covid-19 once infected is 22,000 in a million, 550 times higher than the risk of being killed on Australia's roads.

'22,000 to one. Those are really good odds,' Dr Karl said. 'That's why I got vaccinated as soon as possible - and so should you.'

During Melbourne's Covid-19 second wave there were 18,628 cases and 800 deaths as the virus ripped through Victoria's unvaccinated population in late 2020, according to the state's Department of Health.

Those figures equal a death rate of 42,000 in a million.

There have only been nine deaths linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine from more than 9.6 million doses administered across Australia as of August 29

During Melbourne's Covid-19 second wave there were 18,628 cases and 800 deaths as the virus ripped through Victoria's unvaccinated population in late 2020. Those figures equal a death rate of 42,000 in a million

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, 73, is a beloved Australian scientist. He said the odds of dying from the AstraZeneca vaccine are extremely small

Dr Karl's words of warning comes just days after CSIRO'S health director urged Australians to strongly consider getting the AstraZeneca vaccine after a new study showed it was more effective than Pfizer.

'The UK has been the test bed for the vaccine schedule we've got here in Australia, so they've both used Pfizer and AstraZeneca,' Dr Rob Grenfell said on Channel Nine's Today Show on Friday.

'Remarkably, AstraZeneca was better. It actually performed better in reducing hospitalisations and deaths. And more importantly the immunity developed from the AstraZeneca appears to be longer than the Pfizer.'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called rumors that he would run for president in the 2024 election 'nonsense' amid claims Donald Trump has stepped up plans to win back the White House.

'All the speculation about me is purely manufactured,' DeSantis said during a press conference on Tuesday to discuss a new COVID-19 treatment unit in St. Cloud, Florida.

'I just do my job. You know, we work hard. Obviously, our state has led on a lot of things including this and now other states are copying us. But that's what it's really all about, just helping folks here.'

He added: 'I hear all this stuff and honestly it's nonsense. So, you know, I really don't know what to say to those rumors.'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called rumors that he would run for president in the 2024 election 'nonsense' amid claims Donald Trump has stepped up plans to win back the White House

Trump advisors are talking up his growing interest in a bid to recapture the White House  now that Biden's approval ratings are experiencing a drop

DeSantis, who has not yet filed his application to run for re-election as governor with the Florida Division of Elections, has often been speculated as a Republican contender for the 2024 presidential election.

The governor is scheduled to attend the fifth annual Nebraska Steak Fry, an event to 'celebrate' agriculture held by Gov. Pete Ricketts, on Sunday at Arbor Lodge Historical Park in Nebraska City.

News outlets have described the event as being headlined by 'other potential 2024 candidates,' noting that former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Ted Cruz - who previously unsuccessfully ran for president - will also speak at the steak fry.

Meanwhile, DeSantis has appeared to fuel such speculation by traveling to states around the country to fundraise for his political committee - while avoiding early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire that could hinder election plans.

He has often tied himself to Trump, attending events and fundraisers at his Mar-a-Lago club, since the former president endorsed his 2018 campaign for governor ahead of the Republican primary.

Trump even appeared to suggest in April that he would consider DeSantis as his vice president if he were to run again for a second term, Politico reported. He has not yet said if he will once again run after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden.

However, his advisors are talking up his growing interest in a bid to recapture the White House  now that Biden's approval ratings are experiencing a drop after the controversial pullout from Afghanistan and spiking coronavirus cases.

Former campaign spokesman Jason Miller called a Trump re-run a near certainty in comments last week to Cheddar.

'I would say somewhere between 99 and 100 percent. I think he is definitely running in 2024,' Miller said.

'I had a good conversation with him last night. I'm going to go see him in another couple days here.'

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a firm Trump ally, has said that Trump was not in a hurry to announce because 'the base is rightly loyal to him. And a good rule in politics is to be a candidate for as short a time as necessary.'

Another Trump loyalist, Rep. Jim Jordan - who spoke to Trump the day of the deadly Capitol riot on January 6 - was captured on video last week saying 'I know so' when asked if Trump would run again.

'I talked to him yesterday. He's about ready to announce after all of this craziness in Afghanistan,' Jordan said.

Meanwhile, Politico reported that DeSantis plans to make more appearances in his own state this fall after a recent poll showed his approval ratings tank.

The Morning Consult Political Intelligence poll published last week showed that DeSantis' approval rating had dropped 14 percentage points since early July.

DeSantis had simultaneously encouraged people to get vaccinated angering many conservatives while opposing mask mandates, angering many liberals.
An alleged Minneapolis domestic abuser has been arrested and charged with murder he is said to have carried out weeks after being released thanks to a bail fund backed by Vice President Kamala Harris.

George Howard, 48, was bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF) on August 6 after being held on a $11,500 on charges of domestic abuse.

Weeks later, Howard was charged with murder when he shot another driver on I-94 during a road rage incident on August 29.

The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Luis Damian Martinez Ortiz who was pronounced dead after he was shot in the chest by Howard.

MFF's work- which helped free Howard to allegedly kill - was promoted by Vice President Kamala Harris during her campaign last year.

'If youre able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,' Harris tweeted.

Minnesota man George Howard, 48, has been charged with murder weeks after he was released on domestic abuse charges by the Minnesota Freedom Fund

The fund was backed by Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2020 campaign

Surveillance footage obtained by the Minneapolis Police Department captured the road rage incident that occurred near the entrance ramp of the interstate.

Howard was reportedly driving a white Volvo with Ortiz in a blue BMW, according to KSTP-TV.

The footage revealed the moment Ortiz was shot after he approached Howard's vehicle only to collapse shortly after.

Ortiz later crashed into the center median after getting back into his car and was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

After Howard fled the scene, footage revealed him driving to a nearby gas station where he then switched with another passenger in the vehicle.

The passenger, who allegedly was in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, claimed that Ortiz had punched Howard before the shooting happened.

Howard, however, claims he did not shoot Ortiz and another passenger in his vehicle did.

The incident still remains under investigation and the identity of the other passenger is currently unclear.

Howard allegedly shot and killed 38-year-old Luis Damian Martinez Ortiz during an altercation on 1-94

Howard was charged with one felony count of second-degree murder with intent and one felony count of second-degree murder without intent.

He could face up to 80 years in prison if he is found guilty of the charges. Details of the initial domestic abuse allegation against him have not been shared.

In response to the event, the MFF tweeted on Friday: 'We are aware of reports of the tragic and fatal shooting in Minneapolis earlier this week allegedly involving George Howard, an individual the Minnesota Freedom Fund had previously provided with bail support.'

'MFF believes that every individual who has been arrested by the law enforcement is innocent until proven guilty, and if a judge deems them eligible for bail, they should not have to wait in jail simply because they dont have the same income or access to resources as others.'

Despite removing the tweet, the group added a follow up message on the network to promote an update on its policies.

'Under new leadership, MFF has implemented changes to its policies and procedures, and we will continue to assess them to ensure that we are being responsive to the safety and needs of our community.'

The Minnesota-based organization pays for criminal and immigration bonds for minority communities that have been affected by the state's justice system

The MFF strives to support communities of different races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds.

The Minnesota-based organization pays for criminal and immigration bonds for minority communities that have been affected by the state's justice system.

In 2020, MFF received $35 million in donations to release activists that were jailed during the George Floyd protests.

The fund has received criticism however as they have spent thousands of dollars freeing people who have been accused of committing serious crimes, such as Howard, according to Fox 9.
The NSW deputy premier has issued a heartwarming message to international students stranded in Australia for 18 months - while urging them to get vaccinated.

The Minister for Regional NSW, Industry and Trade John Barilaro announced two new measures on Wednesday to ensure international students get access to the right support during the pandemic.

'There is no denying that this pandemic has been incredibly tough on our international students, who have been cut off from their loved ones and many have lost their jobs, but I want to assure each and every one of you that there is support available,' said Mr Barilaro.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured) has announced additional support for international students left stranded in Australia

A new purpose built website has been launched to help provide access to information and support required to get vaccinated - in an effort to get students inoculated before international borders reopen.

'Vaccination will be key to getting back to life as normal. NSW is proudly home to 110,000 international students and our message to them is clear, the NSW Government is here to support you,' he said.

Alongside the website the state government has introduced an industry toolkit to assist education providers, agents and community organisations to help communicate information on the Covid vaccine.

The NSW government will also be continuing its partnership with Foodbank (pictured) to provide support to international students

In partnership with Foodbank, the NSW government will provide thousands of emergency food hampers to struggling international students across the state.

The initiative began in August last year and has continued amid the delta variant outbreak.

Foodbank NSW & ACT Chief Executive Officer John Robertson said the initiative has received overwhelming support during the pandemic.

'To date we've distributed 48,443 hampers to vulnerable students, starting the initiative as a pick-up model (across Universities, TAFE Colleges and other academic institutions) but pivoting to a home-delivery model in the lockdown,' he said.

Since August last year Foodbank (pictured) has delivered over 48,443 hampers to students in need

In August last year, research conducted by the University of Technology Sydney revealed one in five international students were concerned they would face homelessness, while one in three had insufficient income to buy food.

Stress over housing, financial circumstances and feelings of loneliness had also risen significantly since the March 2020 lockdowns.

A combination of the private rental market and the pandemic significantly worsened the situation, with six in ten students losing their employment at the beginning of lockdown.

The findings also revealed 32 per cent of students said they went without food and basic necessities so they could pay for accommodation while government support was viewed as 'disappointing.'
A record number of Australians are working multiple jobs as lockdowns push more young people into gig economy jobs.

Even before both Sydney and Melbourne residents were told to stay home, 867,900 people had at least two jobs, but not more hours.

But as the lockdowns drag on in Australia's biggest cities, the number of available jobs has plunged, marking the biggest downturn since the start of the pandemic in early 2020.

During the June quarter of 2021, those working two or more jobs made up a record 6.5 per cent of the labour force, the highest since the Australian Bureau of Statistics began compiling this data in 1994.

A record number of Australians are working multiple jobs as lockdowns push more young people into gig economy jobs. Even before both Sydney and Melbourne residents were told to stay home, 867,900 people had at least two jobs, but not more hours (pictured is a woman working in Fairfield in Sydney's south-west)

At the end of 2019, before the first case of Covid came to Australia, 6 per cent of workers had multiple jobs.

This dropped to 4.9 per cent by the June quarter of 2020 following the national Covid shutdowns.

But the numbers surged again as the economy recovered at the end of 2020 and job vacancies reached levels unseen in 12 years.

CommSec senior economist Ryan Felsman said the supply chain uncertainty caused by lockdowns had seen more people to work second jobs, often in the gig economy.

'It has become more difficult for some Aussies to get more hours of work in certain occupations and regions due to government restrictions,' he said.

'Of course, the rise of the gig economy and a preference for younger and even older Australians to work more flexibly may mean they work multiple jobs at once.'

Australians working multiple jobs are more likely to work in education, arts and recreation or administrative services.

Lockdown rules and Covid restrictions on indoor gatherings have reduced demand for work.

CommSec senior economist Ryan Felsman said the supply chain uncertainty caused by lockdowns had caused more people to work second jobs, often in the gig economy (pictured is an UberEats delivery rider at Bondi in Sydney's east)

During the June quarter of 2021, Australians working multiple jobs worked an average of 9.1 hours a week in their second jobs, down from 9.5 hours a week in the June quarter of 2019 before the pandemic.

They are working even fewer hours than the June quarter of 2020, when all of Australia was in lockdown, last year working an average of 9.3 hours a week in their second job.

In August, job vacancies across Australia fell by 5.6 per cent marking the biggest monthly drop in 16 months since the pandemic began in early 2020, separate data from the federal government's National Skills Commission showed.

The number of jobs advertised mainly online fell by 12,828 to 216,031.

But in New South Wales, where Sydney has been in lockdown since June 26, job vacancies dived by 9.2 per cent.

Victoria, where Melbourne went into lockdown on August 5, had a 5.9 per cent drop, the same as Queensland where there was no continuing hard lockdown.
Queensland flood victims could miss out on $440 million in compensation after a massive court win for government-owned dam operator Seqwater.

Victims say a NSW Court of Appeal decision has let the prime offender responsible for exacerbating the 2011 floods off the hook.

They've already foreshadowed a High Court challenge, saying they've waited a decade for compensation so what's a few more years.

Victims of the 2011 Queensland floods said a NSW Court of Appeal decision has let the prime offender responsible for exacerbating the floods off the hook

The court has ruled in favour of Seqwater, which appealed a 2019 NSW Supreme Court decision that it failed almost 7,000 Brisbane and Ipswich residents during the floods.

The 2019 decision found Seqwater, the Queensland government and another state-owned dam operator SunWater exacerbated flooding by failing to properly operate Wivenhoe and Somerset dams.

In all, about 23,000 homes and businesses went under after huge water releases to make sure the dams did not fail.

The court ruled in favour of Seqwater, which appealed a 2019 court decision that it failed almost 7000 Brisbane and Ipswich residents during the floods

The 2019 decision found Seqwater, the Queensland government and another state-owned dam operator SunWater had failed to properly operate Wivenhoe and Somerset dams

The Queensland Government and SunWater accepted the 2019 ruling, and have agreed to pay $440 million to compensate victims.

But Seqwater vowed to appeal and won that battle on Wednesday.

If victims cannot overturn Wednesday's ruling in the High Court, they will miss out on a further $440 million, Ipswich flood victim Paul Tully says.

'This decision defies common sense and logic given that SunWater and the state government have already accepted they were jointly liable for the flood,' he's told reporters.

'We now have the bizarre situation where the state government and SunWater have agreed to pay $440 million as their assessed 50 per cent liability while Seqwater has squirmed out of its responsibility.'

The Queensland Government and SunWater accepted the 2019 ruling and have agreed to pay $440million to compensate flood victims

Ipswich flood victim Paul Tully said if victims cannot overturn Wednesday's ruling in the High Court, they will miss out on a further $440 million

He later told AAP the only course of action was to go to the High Court.

'Who bloody cares now, it's already been 10 years. Another couple of years won't make a difference.'

Law firm Maurice Blackburn led the case, which was heard in NSW because at the time it began class actions weren't allowed in Queensland.

The firm said it would carefully review Wednesday's decision before deciding whether to launch a High Court appeal.

Mr Tully said he and other victims could take some comfort from a deal that guarantees them a share of $440 million from SunWater and the Queensland government.

'That's unaffected. That money will flow next year, they can't review that, and that can't be appealed,' he said.
Bombshell emails have revealed that Pfizer asked to meet Health Minister Greg Hunt to offer Australia doses of its Covid-19 vaccine but he instead sent a public servant in his place.

On June 30 last year a Pfizer representative contacted the Health Department to request the meeting, saying the American company had 'the potential to supply millions of vaccine doses [around the world] by the end of 2020'.

Mr Hunt left it to First Assistant Secretary in the Health Department Lisa Schofield to respond and three days later she said that she - not the minister - would attend a virtual meeting on July 10.

In the email (pictured) on June 30, a Pfizer rep wrote: 'I am able to make senior members of Pfizer's global leadership team available for this discussion, particularly if the Minister and/or Departmental leadership can be involved'

Airport workers offloading pallets of UK Pfizer vaccination doses from a flight that arrived in Sydney on Sunday

The US and the UK signed deals to buy millions of doses from Pfizer in July but no-one from Mr Hunt's office met the company until August 4.

Australia finally signed a deal for a measly 10million doses in November. The first doses arrived in February, two months after the US and UK had already rolled them out.

Labor health spokesman Mark Butler claimed the emails, which were released on the Health Department website last month, showed Mr Hunt 'couldn't be bothered' to sign vaccine deals.

'While other countries were signing Pfizer deals, our government couldn't even be bothered arranging a meeting,' he said.

'Australians are paying the price of Scott Morrison's incompetence; we have more people in lockdown and fewer people fully vaccinated than any other developed country.'

Mr Hunt refuted the allegation, saying: 'The Department began working with Pfizer shortly after the pandemic began.

'The Department's first formal meeting with Pfizer was on 10 July after Pfizer wrote to the Government advising they were now in a position to engage formally, while the COVID-19 vaccine candidate was in Phase 1 clinical trials,' he added.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has denied that he 'couldn't be bothered' to meet with Pfizer

In the email on June 30, a Pfizer rep wrote: 'I am able to make senior members of Pfizer's global leadership team available for this discussion, particularly if the Minister and/or Departmental leadership can be involved.

'As the vaccine development landscape is moving swiftly, including through engagements with other nations, I am requesting this meeting occur at the earliest opportunity.'

Despite the urgency, the government did not reply for three days and then Ms Schofield only gave a short response saying she would ask her assistant to set up a meeting for her.

On July 6, Pfizer replied saying that a 90-minute meeting with the company's global leaders in Europe could be arranged if the government was willing to sign a Confidential Disclosure agreement, which would keep Pfizer's vaccine plans secret.

Ms Schofield said it was 'not usual practice' for the government to sign such an agreement and so instead an 'introductory' meeting was arranged with Pfizer Australia representatives.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla (pictured) spoke to Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the phone in July 2021

On July 23, the Pfizer representative emailed Ms Schofield to say the UK and US had signed deals and that the company was 'looking forward to scheduling another meeting with you' once the Confidential Disclosure Agreement was signed.

Finally, someone from Mr Hunt's office met with Pfizer on August 4, almost five weeks after the initial email.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been slammed for failing to order enough Pfizer doses fast enough last year and has admitted 'no government gets everything right'.

Labor say 14million Australians would not be in lockdown right now if more vaccines were ordered.
A GOP congressional hopeful and Afghanistan was found dead in an upstate New York cemetery after a suspected suicide, two weeks after withdrawing his candidacy to represent New Yorks 19th congressional district.

On Monday night, local police responded to a report of a man down at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery before identifying the body as belonging to Kyle Van De Water, 41.

While there have been no official statements about the cause of his death, police sources told local outlet MidHudsonNews.com that its being investigated as a likely suicide.

Van De Water, 41, an attorney and father of four, served in the U.S. Army for eight years and ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Antonio Delgado for Congress in 2020, losing that race by 11 per cent.

He was set to run again in 2022 but announced the end of his campaign in an August 27 Facebook post, in which he wrote, circumstances in my life have changed and I am no longer able to give 110% towards this endeavor.

Kyle Van De Water, 41, a GOP congressional hopeful and Afghanistan veteran, was found dead at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery on Monday night

Van De Water, 41, an attorney and father of four, served in the U.S. Army for eight years

Van De Water grew up in Poughkeepsie and graduated from Spackenkill High School in 1998 before going to Albany Law School, from which he graduated in 2005.

He joined the U.S. Army in 2006 and, five years later, he earned the Bronze Star during his service in Afghanistan followed by earning the Meritorious Service Medal and an honorable discharge in 2014, according to his website. He held the rank of Major and continued to serve in the Army Reserves JAG Corps.

Van De Water was an attorney at Corbally, Gartland and Rappleyea in Poughkeepsie, and settled in Millbrook and served as a village trustee, according to his Linkedin Page.

He was defeated by Delgado in the 2020 general election, where he took in about 44per cent of the vote. He announced that he would be running again in July and campaigned for about a month before withdrawing on August 27.

In his Facebook post on the matter, he wrote, I have been truly humbled by and will be forever grateful for all of the support I have received these past few years. It has been an honor getting to meet so many of you as I traveled across the district.'

He added, 'Unfortunately, circumstances in my life have changed and I am no longer able to give 110% towards this endeavor. For the good of the party, and the district, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy. I look forward to vigorously and enthusiastically supporting the GOP candidate in 2022.'

His body was found at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. While there has been no confirmed cause of death, police sources said it's being investigated as a possible suicide

Van De Water ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Antonio Delgado for Congress in 2020

Van De Waters death was confirmed on social media by Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and Representative Antonio Delgado.

Molinaro said he got to know more about Van De Water during his run against Delgado last year. In a statement, he said, My heart is broken for Kyles children and family. My prayers are with them as they attempt to come to grips with this absolute tragedy.

He continued, Kyle was a war hero who put his life and well-being on the line for his country. We owe him, his family, and all of our brave service men and women everything for the sacrifices they have made.

Despite the cause of Van De Waters death still being under investigation, Molinaro offered resources for veterans and their loved ones who may be in crisis and said, to all our service men and women who struggle upon returning home, and anyone who may be struggling with this news, please now that help is always available to you.

Delgado shared a similar sentiment and said, My heart breaks for Kyle, and his beautiful family. We shared a number of conversations about family and country, and I walked away from each one knowing that he had a profound love for both. I know he will be immensely missed, and Im praying for all who loved him  his friends, fellow soldiers, and family.

He added, Kyles death is tragically felt not only on an individual level, but also nationally, as far too many veterans across our country are going without the support and care that their service to our great land undoubtedly necessitates. We can and must do better. May God rest Kyles soul. And may God bless his family, Delgado said, including the number for a veterans crisis line: 1-800-273-8255.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report shows that 17.6 veterans died by suicide each day in 2018. In 2018, 326 active-duty troops died by suicide, 350 died by suicide in 2019 and 385 in 2020, according to statistics published by the U.S. Pentagon.

For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255
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America's largest Confederate statue - the 12-ton bronze statue of Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia - was removed from its pedestal to the sound of 'Black Lives Matter' chants and crowds singing 'Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye' in the latest victory for BLM.

The 21ft bronze statute of Lee atop a horse will now be sent to the Goochland Women's Correctional Center in Virginia until officials know what to do with it permanently. It is the latest Confederate statue to have been toppled by the BLM movement amid protest from white residents who thought it should be preserved in history.

Crews began hoisting the 21-foot-tall bronze likeliness of Lee on horseback about 8 a.m. EST and an hour later, it was on the ground, protected by a fence which kept crowds of spectators back.

After being brought to the ground, workers began severing the top of the statue from the bottom using electric saws.

Workers who were removing the statue gave the crowd a three-second countdown before they lifted the statue from its pedestal.

The crowds of spectators cheered, whooped then broke into song, chanting 'Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye' as it was lowered to the ground. They also chanted 'Black Lives Matter'.

The 40ft concrete pedestal that it sat atop will remain in place for now, until officials decide what to do with it.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam made the decision to remove the statue last year ten days after George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

The statue was erected in 1890, 25 years after the end of the Civil War, and 20 years after Lee's death. It was funded by the Lee Monument Commission, founded in 1886, which was led by Lee's nephew, former Virginia Governor Fitzhugh Lee.

Along with the statue, a time capsule that was buried at the site is also expected to be removed on Thursday and replaced with a 2021 capsule, filled with 39 'artifacts' that include an expired vial of a COVID vaccine, a Black Lives Matter sticker, a 'New Virginians booklet with portraits of 24 migrants and a 'Virginia is for Lovers' pride pin and sticker.

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The huge statue of General Robert E. Lee is removed from the pedestal where it has been for 131 years in a huge BLM victory on Wednesday morning

The 12-ton statue was removed from its pedestal shortly before 9am. People gathered to watch it chanted 'Black Lives Matter' and sang 'Na Na Na Na, hey hey hey, goodbye'

The statue of former Confederate General Robert E. Lee is removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia on September 8, 2021

The statue on the ground next to the 40ft concrete pedestal where it has been for 131 years. The pedestal will remain in its place for now

Crews are now severing the statue of Lee at its waist. The top part will be removed and then the horse and his legs will be cut from the plinth

Crews use a saw to cut the statue as they remove one of the country's largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy, a towering statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021

The statue is being taken apart, into two pieces, that will then be sent to a women's prison before officials know what to do with it permanently

After removing the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from its pedestal, workers saw off the torso in Richmond, Virginia, USA, 08 September 2021

The horse is removed from Monument Avenue on Wednesday afternoon after the top half was removed

The bronze horse and plinth is removed from the site on Wednesday to be taken to Goochland Women's Correctional Center until officials know what to do with it

The public watch crews work to remove one of the country's largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy, a towering statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Richmond

In a statement after it was removed, Gov. Ralph Northam said: 'This was a long time coming, part of the healing process so Virginia can move forward and be a welcoming state with inclusiveness and diversity'.

He added that it represented '400 years of history that we should not be proud of'.

The statue had been fenced off and the roads surrounding it were closed at the start of the week in an effort to thwart crowds of protesters on both sides of the debate over removing it.

Pedestrians watched the removal in a designated area on Monument Avenue.

Northam announced plans to remove statue in June 2020, 10 days after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, sparking nationwide protests against police brutality and racism.

In anticipation of the statue coming down, the roads around it in Richmond were closed on Wednesday.

The plans were stalled for more than a year by two lawsuits filed by residents opposed to its removal, but rulings last week by the Supreme Court of Virginia cleared the way for the statue to be taken down.

These items were placed inside a time capsule during a ceremony to mark the removal of the statue

Devon Henry, owner of the construction company that removed the statue, hugs his mom, Freda Thorton, after he removed one of the country's largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy

Onlookers watch workers as they remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, after the Virginia Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state can take it down, in Richmond, Virginia, U.S., September 8, 2021

People celebrate as the statue of Robert E. Lee is lowered from its pedestal at Robert E. Lee Memorial during a removal September 8, 2021 in Richmond, Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia is removing the largest Confederate statue remaining in the U.S. following authorization by all three branches of state government, including a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of Virginia

People watch from behind the fenced off circle as statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee is removed in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021

After the monument was taken down, a BLM protester with a BLM flag hopped the fence and ran inside the enclosure

Workers prepare to hoist the 12-ton General Robert E. Lee statue from its pedestal in Richmond, Virginia, on Wednesday morning. The 131-year-old Confederate statute is the largest in the South. It is being torn down on Wednesday then split in half and sent to a women's prison for temporary storage until officials know which organization to give it to permanently. Private citizens and museums have expressed interest in the statue

The statue was lifted off its column on Wednesday morning but the enormous 40ft concrete pedestal will remain in place

Crew prepares to remove one of the country's largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy, a towering statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue, in Richmond, U.S., September 8, 20

Hundreds gathered to watch the statue going up in 1890. The Civil War ended 25 years earlier and Lee died in 1870. It was erected in 1890 at the commission of his nephew, the former Governor of Virginia, Fitzhugh Lee, and was paid for by the Lee Monument Association

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam watches the Robert E. Lee statue being removed on Wednesday morning. He ordered the statue's removal last summer after George Floyd's death

2021 TIME CAPSULE TO GO IN BASE OF ROBERT E. LEE STATUE WITH BLM & PRIDE STICKERS On Thursday, an 1890 time capsule from the base of the statue will be removed and replaced instead with one from 2021 that includes 39 artifacts including BLM stickers and Pride badges. The box was filled by Virginia First Lady Pam Northam on Tuesday. 1. 'Ballerina at the Lee Statue' photo taken on June 5th, 2020 2. Expired Vial of COVID-19 Pfizer Vaccine and CDC Vaccination Record Card 3. National Geographic Special Issue '2020 in Pictures' with cover image of Lee Monument in Richmond 4. Black Lives Matter sticker 5. Collection of Michael Paul Williams Pulitzer prize-winning columns on Monument Avenue 6. 'Writing a new history' Kente cloth worn by the Commissioners of the Congressionally chartered 400 Years of African-American History Commission and Ghanian emissaries that participated in the 400th commemoration of 1619 at Point Comfort in Hampton On Thursday, an 1890 time capsule from the base of the statue will be removed and replaced instead with one from 2021 that includes 39 artifacts including BLM stickers and Pride badges. The box was filled by Virginia First Lady Pam Northam last week 7. New Virginians" booklet with portraits of 24 immigrants 8. General Assembly Acts of Assembly from the 2020 Special Session 9. 'Virginia is for Lovers' pride pin and stickers 10. The Protagonist poem in uncontracted Unified English Braille 11. Better Together LED Board coded by local schoolgirls 12. VA Ratify ERA sash and ERA 2020 pins 13. YOU ARE NOT ALONE pink heart print found on Richmond street after George Floyd protests in May 2020 14. Election Officer Badge for 2020 General Election 15. Monument Avenue Hip Hop Album by Noah-O and Taylor Whitelow 16. Prayer beads left by a family member who passed away from COVID-19 A photograph by Marcus Ingram, left, is among the items being placed in a time capsule during a ceremony in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021 17. Danville Public Schools First Lady face mask, donated by Pam Northam 18. Photos of the June 4, 2020 press conference announcing the removal of the Lee Statue 19. Steel railroad spike talking piece found near African Ancestral Burial Ground 20. Photos and fliers from Stop Asian Hate protests in May 2021 21. Program and video from the dedication of Arthur Ashe Boulevard featuring a keynote from former Congressman John Lewis 22. Letter describing Virginia University Union's history and commitment to the Richmond community 23. Photo of the Virginia State Police at 14th and F Street NW in Washington helping DC Metro Police Department patrol the city for unrest after the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 24. Essays and poems from Arcadia Middle School students reflecting on the experience of being a student during a pandemic The time capsule will be placed at the site on Thursday 25. Senate Resolution Commending the League of Women's Voters 26. 'Charlottesvilles Robert E. Lee Monument is Coming Down, Thanks to Me and Black Women Like Me' July 10, 2021 Teen Vogue article written and submitted by Zyahna Bryant 27. Hard copy of the Virginia Poet Laureate Luisa Igloria's work Dear America 28. Gifts from the dedication ceremony from the Mattiponi and Pamunkey nations, hand painted gourd rattle and hand crafted earrings with sturgeon scale and beading 29. Booklet which outlines Virginias first One Virginia Plan for Inclusive Excellence 30. Rumors of War Wasn't a Rumor photo lithographic plate with oil-based ink & sealant 31. Copy of the LGBTQ Richmond Walking Tour created by Blake McDonald 32. First Presbyterian Church Session 2020 minutes approving the formation of a Dismantling Racism 33. Video of the One Commonwealth Many Virginians: Uniting in Interfaith Prayer for Healing and Unity event 34. Piece of tarp from the unveiling of Kehinde Wileys Rumors of War Statue and photos from the unveiling event 35. Document describing selected student submissions from the Governor's Inaugural Black History Month Historical Marker Contest 36. Post-Colonial Love Poem by 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Winner Natalie Diaz 37. New Legacy Postcard 38. List of artifacts in the previous capsule as described in a Richmond Dispatch article 39. Photo collage of individuals who contributed artifacts to the new time capsule and thank you note Advertisement

A construction team member removes the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the largest Confederate statue remaining in the United States, in Richmond

A construction team member removes the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the largest Confederate statue remaining in the United States, in Richmond, Virginia, U.S. September 8, 2021

Crews are set to remove one of the country's largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy, a towering statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue, in Richmond, Virginia, USA, 08 September 2021

Workers assemble barricades to form a perimeter prior to the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue at Robert E. Lee Memorial on Monument Avenue September 7, 2021 in Richmond, Virginia

Black Lives Matter activists gather around the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee the night before it was removed

Anje Nzassi holds his two-month-old daughter Tressa-Grace, while he looks at the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the largest Confederate statue remaining in the United States, the day before the monument was removed

It wasn't immediately clear what would become of the sculpture, though some media reports indicated it would be stored until government officials determined how to dispose of it.

General and slave owner Robert E. Lee - hero of the Confederate Army who became an icon for alt-right Robert E. Lee was a decorated general and slave-owner who led the Confederate Army in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. He joined the army in 1825, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1829 and was the son of a Revolutionary War hero. Lee first saw action with the American military in Mexico in 1846. He later served as major general of Virginias state forces. During the Civil War, he led the Confederate side in the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam before surrendering to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865. He was a decorated war hero but a prolific slave owner, who punished the slaves he'd inherited by lashing them. In 1859, Lee severely punished three slaves - Wesley Norris, his sister Mary, and a cousin of theirs - after they tried to escape the plantation. A newspaper at the time claimed Lee had them whipped once they were captured and returned to Virginia. Mary received 20 lashes while the two men received 50 before the pair were sent to work on railroads in Virginia and Alabama. Many of the 200 slaves he had inherited were either sold to traders or jailed by Lee and by 1860, only one family remained intact. He is believed to have told his son in 1868: 'You will never prosper with the blacks, and it is abhorrent to a reflecting mind to be supporting and cherishing those who are plotting and working for your injury, and all of whose sympathies and associations are antagonistic to yours.' After the Civil War, Lee resisted efforts to build Confederate monuments in his honor and instead wanted the nation to move on from the Civil War. After his death, Southerners adopted 'The Lost Cause' revisionist narrative about the Civil War and placed Lee as its central figure. The Last Cause argued the South knew it was fighting a losing war and decided to fight it anyway on principle. It also tried to argue that the war was not about slavery but high constitutional ideals. In this June 30, 2015, photo, activists gather around the Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee statute at Lee Park chanting the names of Civil War era activists in Dallas As The Lost Cause narrative grew in popularity, proponents pushed to memorialize Lee, ignoring his deficiencies as a general and his role as a slave owner. Lee monuments went up in the 1920s just as the Ku Klux Klan was experiencing a resurgence and new Jim Crow segregation laws were adopted. The Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, went up in 1924. A year later, the U.S. Congress voted to use federal funds to restore the Lee mansion in the Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. Mint issued a coin in his honor, and Lee has been on five postage stamps. No other Union figure besides President Abraham Lincoln has similar honors. A generation after the civil rights movement, black and Latino residents began pressuring elected officials to dismantle Lee and other Confederate memorials in places like New Orleans, Houston and South Carolina. The removals partly were based on violent acts committed white supremacists using Confederate imagery and historians questioning the legitimacy of The Lost Cause. A Gen. Robert E. Lee statue was removed from Lee Circle in New Orleans as the last of four monuments to Confederate-era figures to be removed under a 2015 City Council vote. The Houston Independent School District also voted in 2016 to rename Robert E. Lee High School, a school with a large Latino population, as Margaret Long Wisdom High School. The Charlottesville, Virginia, City Council voted to remove its Lee statue from a city park, sparking a lawsuit from opponents of the move. The debate also drew opposition from white supremacists and neo-Nazis who revered Lee and the Confederacy. The statue in Charlottesville came down in July. Some of Lee's descendants supported the removal of the statue. Last summer, his great-great-great nephew told ABC News: 'This is a no brainer. 'This is an issue of justice and of peace. [If] we want peace in our time and the ability to [have] equality  we must do that by addressing the monuments not only in stone and in bronze, but elsewhere as well.' Reverend Robert Lee IV, the fourth great nephew of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, said the removal of confederate symbols was 'a no brainer' amid demands for statues of pro-slavery figures to be taken down Advertisement

A copper time capsule that was placed at the cornerstone of the pedestal October 27, 1887, will be removed Thursday.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam called the removals a sign of the time but some residents opposed it, claiming it went against 1890 deeds which protected the statue.

'This monument and its time capsule reflected Virginia in 1890and its time to remove both, so that our public spaces better reflect who we are as a people in 2021,' he said in a news release.

'The past 18 months have seen historic change, from the pandemic to protests for racial justice that led to the removal of these monuments to a lost cause. It is fitting that we replace the old time capsule with a new one that tells that story.'

Library records indicated 37 local residents and businesses contributed about 60 objected related to the Confederacy to the historic cache.

Governor Ralph Northam today announced the artifacts for the new time capsule, crafted by Richmond sculptor Paul DiPasquale.

'The 1887 capsule we will remove this week offers us an incisive bite of time when the Lee Monument was erected,' DiPasquale said in a press release. 'Now in 2021, this capsule gives future Virginians artifacts of the tectonic transition that has happened to us.

He added: 'The pedestal marks the past and has a new message for the future: we, all of us, are the New Virginia.'

While many saw the statue as an offensive glorification of the Souths slave-holding past, public officials had long resisted its removal, along with residents of Virginia who argued moving the monument would be akin to erasing history.

After the statue is taken down, crews on Thursday will remove plaques from the base of the monument and will replace a time capsule that is believed to be inside.

In Richmond, a city that was the capital of the Confederacy for most of the Civil War, the Lee statue became the epicenter of last summers protest movement. The city has removed more than a dozen other pieces of Confederate statuary on city land since Floyds death.

The base of the statue was covered with vandalized after Floyd's death. It was covered with graffiti, art work, and comments calling for racial equity and social justice.

Given that the statue is one of the largest and most recognizable Confederate monuments in the country, its removal is expected to draw a crowd and a heavy law enforcement presence.

The Lee statue was created by the internationally renowned French sculptor Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercie and is considered a masterpiece, according to its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, where it has been listed since 2007.

When the monument arrived in 1890 from France, an estimated 10,000 Virginians used wagons and rope to haul its pieces more than a mile to where it now stands. The statue was the first of five Confederate monuments to be erected on Richmonds Monument Avenue, at a time when the Civil War and Reconstruction were over, but Jim Crow racial segregation laws were on the rise.

The Northam administration has said it would seek public input on the statues future.

The pedestal will be left behind for now amid efforts to rethink the design of Monument Avenue.

Some racial justice advocates dont want it removed, seeing the graffiti-covered pedestal as a symbol of the protest movement that erupted after Floyds killing.

After Floyds death, the area around the statute became a hub for weeks of protests and occasional clashes between police and demonstrators. The pedestal has been covered by constantly evolving, colorful graffiti, with many of the hand-painted messages denouncing police and demanding an end to systemic racism and inequality.

The decisions by the governor and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to remove the Confederate tributes marked a major victory for civil rights activists, whose previous calls over the decades to remove the statues had been steadfastly rebuked by city and state officials alike.

A previous wave of resistance to the statues came in 2017 when a rally of white supremacists in the city of Charlottesville erupted into violence. Other Confederate monuments started falling around the country.

But in Virginia, local governments were hamstrung by a state law that protected memorials to war veterans. That law was amended in 2020 by the new Democratic majority at the statehouse and signed by Northam.

With the changes that took effect on July 1, 2020, localities could decide the monuments fate.

The process was supposed to take weeks, but Stoney decided to move faster, citing the continuing demonstrations and concerns that protesters could get hurt if they tried to bring down the enormous statues themselves.

Work crews removed statues of Gen. Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, Confederate naval officer Matthew Maury and Gen. J.E.B. Stuart from the thoroughfare.

Before Stoneys decree, protesters toppled a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Although the figures themselves are gone, their pedestals remain.

The changes have remade Monument Avenue, a prestigious residential street lined with mansions and tony apartments, part of which has been designated a National Historic Landmark district.

Richmond officials are advancing plans to remove the pedestals and other remnants of the statuary and at least temporarily pave over or re-landscape the sites. Northam has tapped the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to lead a community-driven redesign process for the whole of Monument Avenue, but that process is expected to be a long one and has not made substantial progress.

A statue of Black tennis hero and Richmond native Arthur Ashe that was erected on the avenue in 1996 is expected to remain.

As for the Lee statue, Northam has said his administration will seek public input on what should happen to it next.

Several lawsuits were filed challenging the removal of the Lee statue and injunctions prevented its removal while the cases were pending.

The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled unanimously last week against the plaintiffs.

The largest remaining Confederate monument in America is a carving on Stone Mountain in Georgia, shown above on Monday May 24, 2021. To remove it, experts say they would have to blow up the mountain
Donald Trump has again slammed President Joe Biden over the withdrawal from Afghanistan, denouncing him for pulling troops out before US citizens and military hardware were safely removed.

'I don't think our country has ever seen a period like this, how badly were doing, and then you take a look at the border. And worst of all is what took place in Afghanistan,' Trump said in a phone interview with cable channel Newsmax on Tuesday.

'That withdrawal, was the most incompetently handled withdrawal or anything else in the history of our country,' he continued. 'We're embarrassed in front of the world.'

It comes as Trump increasingly appears to be laying the groundwork for a campaign in 2024, blasting out statements to reporters on Tuesday announcing a rally at the politically important Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines and falsely claiming 15 million mail-in ballots went missing in the last election.

Donald Trump has again slammed President Joe Biden over the withdrawal from Afghanistan, denouncing him for pulling troops out before US citizens and hardware were safe

'That withdrawal, was the most incompetently handled withdrawal or anything else in the history of our country,' said Trump. 'We're embarrassed in front of the world.'

In the Newsmax interview, Trump also pointed to an Emerson College poll showing that he leads Biden 47 percent to 46 percent in a hypothetical matchup of 2024 presidential nominees.

He again repeated his unproven claims that he beat Biden in the 2020 election.

'Well I beat him in 2020. I mean, I think we won the election by a lot. I dont even think. You look at the numbers and you look at what happened on that incredible, fateful period of time because its unfortunately not a one-day vote,' said Trump.

Perhaps sensing a political opening in the massive public dismay over the situation in Afghanistan, Trump hammered on the subject throughout the interview.

'Look at what happened in Afghanistan,' he said. 'And now it was just revealed today that they didn't vet the people. They didn't vet any of these people coming out. They're vetting them now they're already out.'

'There's never been anything like this between the the killing of our young people, our young great people and by the way other people,' he said in an apparent reference to the August 26 Kabul airport suicide bomb that killed 13 US service personnel. 'There's never been a greater embarrassment than we've suffered this last week.'

'Can you imagine getting the military out, before you get your citizens, American people out?' Trump continued. 'They took the military out first. We would have taken it out last.'

Taliban fighters are seen with US equipment after taking over Hamid Karzai International Airport. Trump appears to feel that fury over the withdrawal could fuel his political fortunes

Trump also slammed the loss of US military equipment to the Taliban, inflating his already overstated claim of $85 billion worth of equipment to $850 billion.

'Brand new Apache, the most incredible weapon you've ever seen, the Apache helicopters, brand new  brand new out of the box, as they say  and they got 'em,' said Trump.

'Now they have one of the best-equipped armies in the world, can you believe it?' Trump said. 'From having knives to having the best planes and tanks and trucks.

'Why didn't we take it out? It's not even conceivable we didn't take this stuff out.

'We left them airplanes, helicopters, why didn't we fly that stuff out? Billions of dollars.'

Meanwhile Trump advisors are talking up his growing interest in a bid to recapture the White House  now that Biden's approval ratings are experiencing a drop after the controversial pullout from Afghanistan and spiking coronavirus cases.

Former campaign spokesman Jason Miller called a Trump re-run a near certainty in comments last week to Cheddar.

Trump advisors are talking up his growing interest in a bid to recapture the White House  now that Biden's approval ratings are experiencing a drop

'I would say somewhere between 99 and 100 percent. I think he is definitely running in 2024,' Miller said.

'I had a good conversation with him last night. I'm going to go see him in another couple days here.'

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a firm Trump ally, has said that Trump was not in a hurry to announce because 'the base is rightly loyal to him. And a good rule in politics is to be a candidate for as short a time as necessary.'

Another Trump loyalist, Rep. Jim Jordan - who spoke to Trump the day of the deadly Capitol riot on January 6 - was captured on video last week saying 'I know so' when asked if Trump would run again.

'I talked to him yesterday. He's about ready to announce after all of this craziness in Afghanistan,' Jordan said.
Robert Durst is a champion at running from responsibility, covering his tracks with lies so numerous he couldn't keep them all straight, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments in the New York real estate heir's murder trial.

Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian told jurors in Los Angeles Superior Court that Durst had admitted lying on the witness stand during the trial, telling a 'fantastical tale' to mislead or deflect from his guilt.

'This was an Olympic year,' Balian said. 'If there was an event for running from the truth, hed be on the top of the podium.'

Durst, 78, who appeared in court in a wheelchair and is now gaunt and ailing, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the point-blank shooting of his best friend, Susan Berman, at her Los Angeles home in December 2000.

Prosecutors in Robert Durst's murder trial made their case to jurors Wednesday. Durst, 78, (pictured above) appeared in court in a wheelchair and is now gaunt and ailing

Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said Durst has covered his tracks with numerous lies, including on the stand. During the trial, he showed jurors a latex mask that Durst was found with when he was arrested at a New Orleans hotel in March 2015

Prosecutors said Durst silenced her before she could speak to authorities about how she provided a phony alibi when his wife vanished in New York in 1982.

Durst's lawyers are scheduled to present their closing argument Thursday. Defense attorney Chip Lewis said they plan to poke holes in the prosecution's case and challenge what he said has played like bad film.

'They failed to deliver the required evidence to support their script/theory,' Lewis said. 'We do not convict folks based on made-for-TV movies.'

Balian told jurors - who began their service 18 months ago before the coronavirus pandemic delayed the case for more than a year - that after decades of investigations, news articles, a feature film and documentary, they had the best vantage point for determining what Durst had done.

Durst was portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the 2010 feature film 'All Good Things,' which led Durst to accept an interview in the Andrew Jarecki's 2015 documentary 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.'

Durst's lawyers argued that the prosecution is being swayed by Durst's portrayal in film and television. His co-defense attorney David Chesnoff (above left) spoke before prosecutors made closing arguments on Wednesday

He was arrested in a New Orleans in March 2015, the day before the final episode aired and revealed more evidence against him, including what appeared like a murmured confession in which he whispered on screen, 'killed them all, of course.' The episode also revealed that he lied about writing a note directing police to Berman's body.

When FBI arrested Durst in a New Orleans hotel, he was found with a latex mask slightly resembling his own face, a fake ID and $42,000 in mostly $100 bills shoved in small envelopes. He was taken into custody before he could watch the final episode of 'The Jinx' and either flee or kill himself, as he later testified he had planned on doing.

Although it took nearly four months since the trial resumed to present evidence of three murders to prove one, Balian said it was a simple case. It comes down to Durst, a multimillionaire son of commercial real estate kingpin, killing witnesses to cover up his wife's slaying, Balian said.

It all arose from marriage gone bad, Balian said. As Kathie Durst, nine years his junior and from a working-class family, began to blossom and pursue a career as a doctor, her husband became increasingly controlling and abusive.

'She met this man she thought was her prince charming,' Balian said. 'She started down this road with him. Unbeknownst to her, it turned out to be a very treacherous path.'

Berman, the daughter of a Las Vegas mobster, became best friends with Durst at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1960s.

When Kathie Durst disappeared, Berman impersonated her to call in sick at the medical school she was attending, Balian said.

'They embarked on a campaign to obscure the truth, to lead the investigation in a completely wrong direction,' Balian said.

They would have gotten away with it, Balian said, but then authorities reopened the investigation into Kathie's disappearance and Berman told Durst she planned to speak with police.

'She helped him get out of that jam,' Balian said. 'The thing she got was ... a bullet in the back of her head. By her best friend.'

After Berman was killed, Durst returned to Galveston, Texas, where he had been living under an alias while hiding out from New York authorities reinvestigating his wife's death.

He killed a neighbor, Morris Black, who discovered his true identity. Durst was acquitted of murder at trial in 2003 after testifying that Black pulled a gun on him and was killed in the struggle for the weapon. But Los Angeles prosecutors were able to present evidence that he murdered Black to support their witness-killing theory.

Durst's murder trial was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic and resumed in May. His lawyers are scheduled to present their closing arguments tomorrow

'The defendant runs and hides and flees to Galveston, and there's only one person who can lead the police to his doorstep, who knows who he is, who knows about the reinvestigation,' Balian. 'What does he do? Like Kathie, like Susan, he gets wiped off the face of this earth. Chopped up and thrown in Galveston Bay.'

Balian said the case could be summed up in the testimony of Nick Chavin, a mutual friend of Durst and Berman. Chavin said Durst was speaking about Berman when he told him in 2014: 'It was her or me. I had no choice.'

'Either he's gonna kill her or he feared she was going to go to the authorities with what she knew,' Balian said.

Balian said there was direct evidence of Durst's guilt and corroborating accounts from dozens of prosecution witnesses that was overwhelming in the face of Durst's unreliable testimony.

Balian likened Durst's lies to cockroaches found in soup. He showed a photo of a roach being plucked from a soup bowl and said jurors would never keep eating the soup after the bug was removed.

'It's all infected with lies,' Balian said. 'This is what he served you. Literally you were served a bowl of cockroaches and you were told, `You pick out which ones are bad and which ones are good and toss them aside, but you can trust the rest of that soup. Go ahead and eat it up. Lap it up.

Closing arguments and the judge's summing up are set to continue on Thursday.
Paris is today gearing up for a mammoth nine-month trial of the ISIS terrorists who masterminded the 2015 attacks on the Bataclan and Stade de France which killed 130 people.

A historic 13th-century courthouse will play host to the country's largest ever criminal trial.

Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national radicalised by the Islamic State (IS), is the main defendant in a case in which 20 men are charged with co-ordinating the attacks, 14 of whom will be tried.

France suffered its most ruthless terror attack in 2015 when three groups of jihadists carried out co-ordinated attacks on the Stade de France national stadium, the Bataclan music hall, and numerous restaurants and bars which left 130 dead and over 350 injured.

Abdeslam is the only terrorist who took part in the attacks still alive, after he aborted his suicide mission and fled to his hometown of Brussels.

Most of the defendants face the maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of complicity in the attacks.

The trial is expected to unfold over nine months and will take place in a secure modern complex embedded within the historic courthouse designed to hold 1,800 victims, 330 lawyers and 141 accredited journalists.

Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national radicalised by the Islamic State, is the main defendant in a case in which 20 men are charged with co-ordinating the attacks, 14 of whom will be tried

France suffered its most ruthless terror attack in 2015 when three groups of jihadists carried out co-ordinated attacks on the Stade de France national stadium, the Bataclan music hall, and numerous restaurants and bars which left 130 dead and over 350 injured

The trial is expected to unfold over nine months and will take place in a secure modern complex embedded within a historic 13th century Parisian courthouse

The specially designed courtroom and associated holding rooms are designed to hold 1,800 victims, 330 lawyers and 141 accredited journalists

The 13th-century Palais de Justice, where Marie Antoinette and Emile Zola faced trial, has been transformed to accommodate hundreds of people for the trial

Among the plantiffs are nearly 1,800 victims, including survivors who suffered physical or psychological harm and families whose loved ones died that night, with a total of 330 lawyers involved in the case.

The 13th-century Palais de Justice, where Marie Antoinette and Emile Zola faced trial, has been transformed to accommodate hundreds of people, while recording equipment has been installed to provide live broadcasts of the proceedings throughout the court, including an audio link that can be accessed live from home by victims' families, albeit with a 30 minute delay.

None of the proceedings will be televised or rebroadcast for the public, but it will be recorded for archival purposes.

Cameras are restricted to filming outside the trial room, as video recording is illegal in French courts.

Court recordings have only been allowed for a handful of extremely high-profile cases considered to be of historical value, such as the trials of Nazi officials and collaborators including Klaus Barbie, Rwandan officials involved in the Tutsi genocide and figures linked to Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

The most recent recorded court proceedings were last year, for the January 2015 attacks against the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris and a kosher supermarket.

Security at the courthouse is expected to be significant. The courthouse is on the island at the centre of Paris, around which all driving, parking and even pedestrian traffic will be blocked from most of the surrounding streets and along the banks of the River Seine

Brahim Abdeslam, the brother of defendant Salah Abdeslam, holds a rifle in front of La Belle Equipe restaurant in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015. Brahim detonanted his suicide vest after gunning down dozens of French civilians

The attacks in 2015 are the biggest in French history outside of the attacks that took place during WWII

How will the nine-month terror trial unfold? The trial, which is the biggest in French history, is expected to last until May 2022 and has been broken down into several stages. September 2021: Police and forensic evidence will be given

October 2021: Victims of the terror attacks will give their testimonies

November - December 2021: Officials including former French President Francois Hollande will testify, as will relatives of the attackers

January - March 2022: Each of the defendants will be questioned following the chronology of the events, from the preparations to the attacks and their aftermath. Main defendant Salah Abdeslam will be questioned multiple times

April 2022: Experts will give psychological assessments

May 2022: Closing arguments will be given by both sides before a final verdict is delivered at the end of the month Advertisement

Twenty men are going on trial from Wednesday, six of them in absentia.

Most of the men who face trial are accused of helping create false identities, transporting the attackers back to Europe from Syria, providing them with money and phones, and supplying explosives and weapons, while five of the six absent defendants are presumed dead.

Salah Abdeslam meanwhile is the main defendant and will face rigorous questioning over a period of three months.

Abdeslam is charged with murder, and is the only terrorist who carried out the attacks firsthand thought to be alive. His brother, Brahim Abdeslam, detonated his suicide vest after gunning down dozens of French civilians with automatic weapons.

It is unclear whether Salah Abdeslam did not detonate his suicide vest due to a malfunction or a last-minute change of mind, but he is still thought to have shot dead several people before he managed to slip through three police checkpoints and back to Brussels.

Abdeslam was finally arrested in his Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek in March 2016 after four months on the run, days before the IS network of which he was a part attacked the Brussels airport and metro, killing another 32 people.

The terrorist has thus far refused to speak to investigators or his lawyers in Belgium, but has requested that a young French lawyer, Olivia Ronen, would be his primary representative.

Security at the courthouse is expected to be significant.

The courthouse is on the island at the centre of Paris, around which all driving, parking and even pedestrian traffic will be blocked from most of the surrounding streets and along the banks of the River Seine.

There will be different entries for different parties to the case, who will undergo searches each time they enter the building, with multiple checkpoints being set up to ensure the maximum level of security.
Tony Abbott has hit back at a snitch who photographed him standing at a Sydney beach after a surf, then dobbed him in to police.

The former Australian prime minister was spotted at Manly's Fairy Bower Beach in the northern beaches on Wednesday morning.

He was snapped chatting to a friend along the promenade without a mask on - which is mandatory in most circumstances during the city's Covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Abbott said he had been exercising at the time and drinking a coffee, and therefore wasn't required to wear a face covering.

Tony Abbott has insisted he was 'within the rules' after being spotted without a mask down at a beach in Manly on Wednesday morning

'Look, I regard myself as having been at all times within the rules. I was surfing. That's exercise. I was with one other person. That's permitted. I then walked briskly to the coffee shop, that's permitted,' he said.

'I didn't have a mask on while I was drinking coffee. That's permitted. So, all ridgy didgy even under the current rather oppressive regime.'

The photo appears to show Mr Abbott in jeans and a jumper talking to a friend along the Manly promenade.

Mr Abbott being dobbed in by an overzealous local makes concerns he aired just a week ago about the behaviour of Australians in lockdown eerily prescient.

'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.'

Mr Abbott likened those who called the cops 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.

Mr Abbott said he had been exercising at the time and drinking a coffee and therefore wasn't required to wear a face covering

But he clarified: '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 witness who dobbed the former Australian leader in claimed they heard Mr Abbott tell his friend 's**t I don't have my mask'.

'When the premier says 'people should use their judgement', this shows that even a former leader of this country can't even be trusted to use his judgement,' the witness told news.com.au.

NSW Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they are making inquiries. The fine for not wearing a mask during Sydney's lockdown is $500.

Mr Abbott isn't the only Australian politician to be dobbed in for not complying with the health orders.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce had to fork out $200 after he was caught not wearing a mask while stopping at a petrol station in Armidale in June.

A local saw Mr Joyce maskless and phoned authorities who then fined him.
Two examples of how new system works - and the real families affected

Widower who'd save 123,000

The Government yesterday gave two fictional examples to demonstrate how the social care plan will benefit pensioners:

Yusuf is in his late 70s and has lived alone since his wife died from cancer ten years ago.

He moved out of their family home in Hastings after her death, and downsized to a smaller home worth 180,000  leaving him with 70,000 in savings.

Yusuf moves into a residential care home after developing dementia. Although he can no longer cope at home alone, his underlying health is good and he spends eight years at the home. His care home costs 700-a-week.

Under the existing system, Yusuf would spend around 293,000 on his care from his assets and income  leaving him with 72,000 in assets.

But under the new system, he hits the 86,000 cap after two years and four months.

This means he no longer needs to pay for his care from either his assets or income. He only needs to contribute to daily living costs. This leaves him with 173,000  70 per cent of his original assets.

Over his entire time in care, Yusuf spends 123,000 less than under the current system.

48k boost for retired couple

Mary and Bob are pensioners living in a 90,000 home in Cheshire with joint savings of 10,000.

They planned carefully for their retirement and have a joint weekly pension income of 762.

Mary has dementia and Bob is her main carer at home. But Bob then suffers a stroke and the couple need to move to residential care.

Under the current system, Mary and Bob would have spent around 114,000 towards their care over the course of two years. They would only have qualified for state support at the end, when each reached the upper capital limit of 23,250, which would be based on half of their shared assets. This would have left them with around 44,000 in assets.

But under the new plan, the couple immediately become eligible for state support due to the wealth of each of them being below the new 100,000 upper capital limit.

Compared to the old system, the couple would save 48,000 from their income and assets over the course of their care.

Cost cap would've comforted us all

Jimmy Quinn's family was forced to sell his home and cash in his life savings to fund his care after he developed Alzheimer's disease.

The Falklands veteran needed specialist dementia care after his condition deteriorated during lockdown, leaving his family facing a 1,400-a-week care bill.

Jimmy Quinn's family was forced to sell his home and cash in his life savings to fund his care after he developed Alzheimer's disease

His daughter Natalie said they had to sell his home in Yeovil and his ISA savings to fund the costs, and said the Government's reform would have been a comfort to her family.

She said: 'My parents worked so hard for everything and had been careful with their money all their lives, so it was really sad to have to sell dad's ISAs and the house they loved, but it was the only way to pay the care home bill.'

Mr Quinn served in the Navy as an aircraft mechanic and was stationed on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible during the Falklands Conflict in 1982.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year and died in February, aged 75.

His daughter said: 'He had been living at home with mild dementia but then all of a sudden he became very confused and would go out walking the streets. He almost got run over, and then he left the gas on, so we just couldn't cope.

His daughter Natalie said they had to sell his home in Yeovil and his ISA savings to fund cafre costs

'Sadly he died eight weeks after we sold the house, but we were expecting that he would need care for months and months, maybe even for years.

'These changes have come too late for me and my family, but it is a step in the right direction, and it would have helped us to know that there was a cap on how much money we would have had to find.'

We had to sell family home our mum had lived in for 60 years

Sharon Clay was forced to sell her parents' 350,000 home of 60 years to pay for her widowed mother's nursing care.

Four years on, the money has run out, and now she faces mortgaging her own property to finance 92-year-old June's final years.

Support: June Clay and daughter Sharon on a day out. Miss Clay was forced to sell her parents' 350,000 home of 60 years to pay for her widowed mother's nursing care

Yesterday Miss Clay, 65, a retired personal assistant, said the social care reforms were 'too little too late'. 'If this cap had been brought in sooner mum would probably have 150,000 left in the bank, which could potentially have bridged the gap for the rest of her days,' she said.

Mrs Clay, a retired factory worker, and her carpenter husband, Jim, lived in a former council-owned end-terraced house, in Barking, east London, for 60 years. They eventually bought the property, where they raised two children, Sharon and older brother Stephen, now 69.

Mr Clay died in 2014. Then in January 2017, Mrs Clay fell and suffered a serious bleed on the brain, meaning she needed round-the-clock nursing care.

Mrs Clay, a retired factory worker, and her carpenter husband, Jim, lived in a former council-owned end-terraced house, in Barking, east London, for 60 years

With little left in savings, the siblings had no choice but to sell up to pay for their mother's care home fees. 'The fees are around 6,000-a-month, we've been paying that for four and a half years. It has cost the best part of 300,000,' said Miss Clay, of Hornchurch, east London.

She visits her every day and has been working with campaign group Rights for Residents for better access to care homes during the pandemic.

It's too late to keep the house dad loved

As the Luftwaffe carried out raids over London, schoolboy Harry Garrod sheltered in his family's home.

Years later, the Post Office worker raised his own family in the same house with wife Doris, and the couple dreamed of passing it on to future generations.

Harry Garrod raised his own family with wife Doris, and the couple dreamed of passing their house on to future generations (pictured together)

But after Mr Garrod's death, his family was forced to sell the three-bedroom house to pay the 1,100-per-week care home costs for his widow, who suffered from dementia.

Their daughter Lynne Holmes said: 'Before he died, dad said, 'Please don't sell the house, keep it in the family'. We wanted to honour that wish... We had five generations enjoy family gatherings there.

'But we couldn't afford to keep it, we had to sell it to try to fund mum's care.' The family had owned the house in Beckenham, south-east London, since it was built in 1935 and Mr Garrod had often talked about his wartime experiences there.

He died in 2019, aged 91. The house was sold in April this year to pay for Mrs Garrod's care.

Tragically, she died just three months later. Mrs Holmes said: 'This has all come too late for us, but it would have been a comfort if this new law would have let us keep the house.'
Sydneysiders could be forced to wait even longer for a haircut after a sobering new report revealed one in five hairdressers refuse to get vaccinated.

A survey completed by the Australian Hairdressers Council found 22 per cent of respondents refuse to get jabbed, while another 16 per cent felt 'unsure'.

It comes after the NSW Premier has made repeated promises to relax restrictions after the state hits 70 per cent double-dose vaccinations in mid-October.

Residents will enjoy restored freedoms like visits to pubs, cafes, restaurants and hair salons while the premier warns the unvaccinated will be 'left behind'.

Sydneysiders could be forced to wait even longer for a haircut after a sobering new report revealed one in five hairdressers refuse to get vaccinated (pictured, a resident in Burwood)

The report surveyed hairdressers, salon operators and industry employers from across the country, the majority of whom worked in NSW.

Optimistically, almost three-quarters of respondents said they were fully-vaccinated, with 23 per cent having received one dose of a Covid vaccine.

However almost the same figure - 22 per cent - flatly refuse to get vaccinated amid skyrocketing hospitalisation rates and reports case numbers will go beyond 2000.

Pictured: Sandy Chong the chief executive of the Australian Hairdressers Council

Sandy Chong, the chief executive of AHC said they were 'quite shocked' by the number of hairdressers who revealed they wouldn't be opting for the jab.

Ms Chong put the shocking statistic down to hesitancy around the AstraZeneca vaccine and said many were still waiting for Pfizer.

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,' it says.

'The majority of the industry are not vaccinated and won't be by mid-October because of the access to the vaccine,' Ms Chong told NCANewswire.

'If we were to open mid-October, all of my apprentices will not be vaccinated. They can't get appointments until November and December.'

Survey respondents were divided over whether they would prefer if their staff were vaccinated, with 49 per cent voting 'no' and 51 per cent voting 'yes'.

A survey completed by the Australian Hairdressers Council (ACH) reported 22 per cent of respondents refuse to get jabbed, while another 16 per cent felt 'unsure' (pictured, a hairdresser works on a client in Melbourne in October 2020)

Earlier this month the beauty industry was put on high alert after Gladys Berejiklian suggested hairdressers would be among the services that could potentially re-open in Greater Sydney, as long as both stylist and client were vaccinated.

'Potentially, if someone that's providing a service is vaccinated and their client is vaccinated, we feel much more comfortable in relaxing that restriction on August 29,' the premier said.

However during her daily Covid update on August 26 Ms Berejiklian announced residents could gather in groups outside since dubbed the 'vax picnic rule'.

She said from Monday September 13, anyone who is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and lives outside of an area of concern can gather in groups of up to five in their own LGA or within 5km of their home.

The reopening of 'personal care services' got no mention during the conference leaving shaggy-haired Sydneysiders in the dark.

Survey respondents were divided over whether they would prefer if their staff were vaccinated, with 49 per cent voting 'no' and 51 per cent voting 'yes' (pictured, a hairdresser colours a woman's hair in Brisbane in March 2020)

Ms Chong said last month's swirling rumours that salons could reopen with a vaccine mandate had created a 'lot of angst and even some resignations'.

She said the floated requirement for both staff and their clientele to get vaccinated had caused a lot of divide among industry professionals.

The chief executive said she would continue to push for priority vaccinations for hairdressers as they are unable to socially distance at work.

It's believed a government crisis cabinet meeting rejected the idea to reopen salons as it would be seen to be 'picking favourites' - with NSW residents would be able to get haircuts, but not receive breast cancer screening or have elective surgery.

Ms Berejiklian said the new rules were the best compromise between meeting the state's mental health needs and preventing transmission of the virus.

The NSW Premier has confirmed that October will see the return of pubs, cafes, hair salons and retail stores but refused to commit to allowing all areas enjoy relaxed restrictions at the same time (pictured, residents exercise near Manly wharf in Sydney's northern beaches in August)

On Wednesday, the premier confirmed next month will see the return of pubs, cafes, hair salons and retail stores but refused to commit to letting all areas enjoy eased restrictions at the same time amid continuing high Covid numbers.

While case numbers remain high in the west and southwest, those areas are now leading the charge on vaccinations and are now above the national average jab rate.

When vaccination rates reach the national cabinet target of 70 and 80 per cent as set out by Doherty Institute modelling, the path out of lockdown recommends freedoms for the fully-vaccinated should be applied 'equally'.

As of Tuesday, NSW vaccination rates are higher than anticipated with 74 per cent of the state's over-16 population having received their first Covid jab.

About 41 per cent have received their second shot, with the state on track to meet the 70 percent target by mid-October if current trends continue.
A gay man who claimed homophobic thugs carved a slur into his buttocks with a knife has admitted he lied and two sadistic lovers did it with his consent while he cheated on his boyfriend.

The 20-year-old had told detectives he was assaulted at the entrance to his apartment block in the Madrid neighbourhood of Malasana.

The 'eight assailants' blamed for the attack were said to have cut his lower lip with a knife and then scored the word 'maricon' into his buttocks - the Spanish equivalent of 'fa###t'.

People march through Madrid with rainbow flags to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride in July 2016

The incident shocked Spain with regional and national politicians being holding debate about the apparent homophobic attack.

Government spokesman Isabel Rodriguez voiced her 'utter condemnation' of the violence after a weekly cabinet meeting.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez also called for an urgent meeting of the hate crimes committee for the end of the week.

But doubts arose after police said they had found had no evidence to back up his story on CCTV cameras in the area.

Officers said they were probing whether the incident had been a 'revenge attack'.

But later on Wednesday, the young man at the centre of the shocking incident changed his version of events.

He is said to have ended up in hospital and made up the gang attack in an interview with officers after a nurse urged him to report the 'wrongdoing'.

He admitted he had made up the gang assault, and confessed to consenting to being scarred with a knife during a sado-masochistic sex session behind his boyfriend's back.

Local reports said he had invented the gang attack to stop his partner finding out he had cheated on him with two other men.

Sources close to the case said his admission would not stop the criminal inquiry from continuing to see if anyone should face charges.

One said: 'This new information will not affect the development of the investigation and the judicial proceedings.'

In March police in Majorca arrested seven people accused of torturing a man said to have offered strangers cash online to give him an extreme makeover.

Activists say attacks on LGBTQ people are increasing in Spain. They claim that official statistics capture only a fraction of the problem because many incidents are not reported (file photo)

Reports at the time said they made him walk round a supermarket dressed like a woman, tattooed penises on his face, superglued his lips together, sewed his toes together and shaved his eyebrows off.

Detectives said the 34-year-old, who has learning difficulties and mobility problems, was humiliated during a three-day ordeal which began with him being doused in cold water and made to stand naked on a rooftop terrace until he became hypothermic.

The horrific treatment officers said he was subsequently subjected to occurred at a flat in the Majorcan city of Manacor.

There has been no official comment so far from police in the Spanish capital to the latest reports about the gang knife attack being a figment of the so-called 'victim's' imagination.

It was not immediately clear if he would face charges for wasting police time. The Madrid incident came two months after Samuel Luiz, 24, was beaten to death near a nightclub in the northern city of La Coruna in an attack friends of the victim claimed was motivated by homophobia.

The attack was denounced by Mr Sanchez as 'savage and merciless' and brought huge crowds onto the streets in protest. Several people have been arrested in connection with the sickening crime.
A business whiz who 'wanted to be her own boss' and built a digital currency empire from her bedroom claims 91 banks stopped dealing with her, she was put on a terrorism watchlist, and was 'bullied' by Australia's financial watchdog.

Michaela Juric from Western Sydney launched her 'Bitcoin Babe' peer to peer trading platform in 2014 and quickly became the number one local bitcoin broker in Australia and New Zealand.

However, the 28-year-old said the massive backlash from the financial industry has significantly impacted her and put her business under threat.

Michaela Juric (pictured) runs Bitcoin Babe and said she has been blacklisted from more than 90 banks because she makes money from digital currency

'I've been very grateful for my seven years in the crypto community and all that I've learned, and the people that I've met,' Ms Juric told the Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre Senate inquiry on Wednesday.

'But at the end of the day, the irreversible damage to my livelihood has been done,' Ms Juric said.

The inquiry lead by Senator Andrew Bragg is looking at the practice of 'de-banking' in which financial institutions allegedly ban a digital currency business.

Ms Juric received bank ban number 91 a day before she was due to speak at the inquiry - leaving her with few options to deal with traditional banks still essential to run her business.

'There's been instances where de-banking has caused me to be denied from being able to get utilities or phone and internet services, which I think is very concerning.' Ms Juric said.

She claimed some of her customers were also de-banked, or told by their banks her Bitcoin Babe business was a scam.

'I've had family members who have been debanked as well, and that's not because they've had anything to do with bitcoin, it's just a matter of guilt by association, whether it be the same last name or same address,' Ms Juric said.

The banks claim they do this because there is no regulatory framework safeguarding cryptocurrency transactions - which the inquiry hopes to address.

The transactions of digital currencies, they claim, could be used for money laundering or terrorist financing.

'I've had banks go as far as report me as being like a terrorist on some databases, and that's what stopped me from being able to get some of these services.'

Ms Juric (pictured) said she had suffered depression in her early 20s and building her company had given her direction and helped her recover

Ms Juric previously told bitcoin.com.au she became interested in digital currencies because she liked the idea of being her own boss and was suffering depression and a lack of direction in her early 20s.

'When I found this way to work for myself and not have to answer to anyone, I was really attracted me to it.'

'With bitcoin and crypto, it's always changing  whether it be the price or the rules or the regulations or the people. It's evolving. It's never a dull moment. I think that's why I love it so much.'

She said building her business had literally 'saved her life'.

Aus Merchant - another cryptocurrency trading platform - was also represented at the inquiry on Wednesday and said they had been de-banked by four institutions in the last year.

Managing Director Mitchell Travers claimed banks use the policy to shut down competitive businesses.

Senator Andrew Bragg (pictured) is heading up the Senate inquiry into cryptocurrency

Ms Juric agreed and said she registered her business with AUSTRAC, the country's financial intelligence and anti-money laundering watchdog, but this made no difference to her getting shunned by the banks.

She added even AUSTRAC had threatened her.

'The way that I was approached was quite aggressive. It originally came about as 'we want to review your compliance manual, and if we find things wrong with it will shut down your business', and there were all sorts of threats of legal action,' she said.

'I think there's definitely some bullying tactics going on, at least from the small business perspective as opposed to the large ones, I believe.'

The 28-year-old said Australia's financial intelligence watchdog AUSTRAC had threatened her despite her company being legitimate

Commonwealth Bank gave a submission to the inquiry in which they said de-banking was part of due diligence.

'In circumstances where a customer's source of funds and source of wealth is unable to be determined, or their account activity is not in accordance with known business activities, the group takes appropriate steps to mitigate and manage its ML/TF risk,' CBA said.

Senator Bragg will deliver the inquiry's report on October 31.

He said on Wednesday 'innovation' from young entrepreneurs shouldn't be shut down and wants to see more regulation around cryptocurrency to legitimise the industry.
A mother-of-six who was placed in an induced coma after catching Covid-19 has said listening to anti-vaxxers on social media and refusing to be vaccinated was her 'biggest regret'.

Emily Burrows, 47, from the Forest of Dean, was admitted to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after she tested positive for the virus on July 23 and became critically ill.

Ms Burrows, who has multiple sclerosis, was soon placed on a ventilator after doctors discovered she had extremely low oxygen levels.

She then spent two weeks in an induced coma and is now recovering in hospital.

Ms Burrows admitted she was initially 'in complete denial' when she began to notice her symptoms at home but her experience has now changed her outlook on the virus.

Ms Burrows was admitted to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with extremely low levels of oxygen

She had now urged others to get vaccinated in an effort to avoid a similar ordeal to her own, which she described as 'heartbreaking.'

Ms Burrows, whose husband and eldest son have both received their vaccinations, explained she had not initially objected to the jab but after reading messages on social media from anti-vaxxers she decided against the vaccine.

She told BBC News: 'They just go to your head and they play games with you.

'You don't know who these people are but because it's so widespread on there, you end up listening to them.'

Ms Burrows said she began to experience Covid symptoms at home but the illness soon progressed and her son eventually called the ambulance.

While in hospital, Ms Burrows, who at one point became so weak she could not lift her hands, asked staff to give her the vaccine but was told it was too late and she needed to be put on a ventilator immediately.

Now recovering in hospital Ms Burrows said she is encouraging others to take up the jab when given the opportunity.

Ms Burrows added: 'I'm not bothered about the anti-vaxxers now. They can say what they like but Covid is real and what I've been through is real.'

Yesterday, Britain's daily Covid deaths more than quadrupled in a week, official figures showed.

Health chiefs registered another 209 Covid fatalities on Tuesday, compared to just 50 recorded last Tuesday.

Last week's number was unusually low and came a day after bank holiday Monday, with death figures typically lower on and around public holidays. For comparison, on the previous two Tuesdays there were 174 and 170 deaths.

Another 37,489 people tested positive for Covid, up 16 per cent in a week. The Department of Health also revealed that 1,000 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on September 1.

It marked the second time in a week there were four-figure admissions in a single 24-hour period, after 1,019 people were also hospitalised with the virus on August 25.

The DOH update  which often includes backlogged hospital data due to the way it's recorded  showed there were a further 988 admissions on September 2 and 905 on September 3, which were both week-on-week rises.

It comes as Downing Street yesterday admitted an October 'firebreak' lockdown would only be used as a last resort if the NHS is pushed to the brink in the coming weeks.

Boris Johnson was heavily criticised last autumn for not imposing a firebreaker in October when cases were on the rise.

But his spokesman said that the vaccines had given the UK 'significant defences' which the country did not have this time last year.

The PM's spokesman said: 'It is not true that the Government is planning a lockdown or firebreak around the October half-term.

'We have retained contingency plans as part of responsible planning for a range of scenarios, but these kind of measures would only be reintroduced as a last resort to prevent unsustainable pressure on our NHS.'

He added: 'I think weve been clear throughout that we will take action, and indeed we have done when necessary to protect our NHS.

'But under the previous occasions when that action has been required, we have been without the significant defences that our vaccination programme provides us  were now in a much different phase.'
A club director is set to sue a luxury relaxation and spa resort in St Lucia for negligence after claiming she was left with a broken jaw and scarring following a treatment.

Kim O'Brien, 38, had jetted to the BodyHoliday hotel to rest and recuperate but was allegedly left with devastating facial injuries.

The Operations Director for Manchester's Warehouse Project arrived for her 6,734 eight-night stay on January 9 last year.

She had been suffering a cold so staff recommended the Prana breathe treatment but said things almost immediately went wrong.

Ms O'Brien said: 'The therapist seated me on a low stool in front of a solid block bed and prepared a bowl of boiling water.

'After pouring what I believed to be eucalyptus oil into the bowl from a white industrial-looking bottle, I was told to put my head over the bowl and a towel was placed over my head.

'After just one breath I had to come back up for air; it was so strong.

'I remember taking two or three more breaths and then coming around in the waiting room confused and in a lot of pain.'

Kim O'Brien, 38, says she fainted and smashed her face into a stool as she collapsed

It caused serious facial injuries and she has had to endure many surgeries to repair the damage

Ms O'Brien's stay at BodyHoliday St Lucia cost her 6,734 for eight nights in January last year

Ms O'Brien claims she had passed out during the treatment and fell from the stool. The impact had caused serious facial injuries and she was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment and placed on a morphine drip.

Although staff claimed she had suffered a seizure, bloodwork and a CT scan suggested otherwise.

She explained, 'The hotel stuck to their story that I suffered a seizure, but it just didn't ring true - it's something I've never suffered with before and the hospital found no signs of a neurological issue.

'I have since found out that the treatment carries a high risk of fainting, yet no safety measures were put in place in case that happened.

'I went into that room expecting to be looked after, but I came out with injuries that have changed my life.'

She was referred to a maxillofacial specialist in St Lucia, who advised that her jaw had been dislocated - she endured three excruciating attempts at manually manipulating it back into place, before her jaw was wired closed and she was discharged with painkilling injections.

Now she is preparing to sue the resort for negligence through her lawyers JMW Solicitors

Her lawyers say that BodyHoliday failed to put measures in place to protect Ms O'Brien

What is a Prana Breathe treatment? BodyHoliday's website describes the treatment as a combination therapy. It starts with with a massage on key body pressure points, with the aim to drain mucus from the body. It is then followed by steam inhalation using herbs and oils. Advertisement

Ms O'Brien spent the remainder of the week alone before an agonising flight back home to Manchester, where doctors at Wythenshawe Hospital A&E told Kim that she had sustained what is known as a 'Guardsman' fracture with the severity of that seen in a car accident.

A five-hour surgery followed to repair the right side of her face, with Kim discharged with two bolts to her top jaw and two bolts to her second, holding the repair work in position.

Then a second surgery of five hours the following week attempted to repair the left side of her face and realigned her teeth and metalwork was inserted into her mouth to hold the jaw in place.

She then required a procedure to replace the bolts with braces to keep her jaw in position.

Ms O'Brien has been told to expect further surgery in the future to replace her joints with prosthetics.

She added: 'I was absolutely devastated and in a massive amount of pain.

'Initially I had less movement on the left side of my face which was frightening and I also became very anxious. I found it difficult to function and I struggled remembering things. Eventually my job was also affected, which was devastating. By Autumn 2020 I still couldn't close my teeth, spoke with a lisp and didn't have proper movement of my mouth, which made me feel self-conscious.

'I never imagined that something like this could happen - there was no consultation at all before the treatment was carried out, and clearly no awareness of the risk it carries. It's a devastating injury and it makes me angry and upset that it was completely preventable.

'Almost two years and 2 surgeries later, I haven't even had an apology - no acknowledgement, nothing. Fainting is common with this treatment, so what's to say it won't happen to someone else?'

Joanne Brine, Partner at JMW Solicitors, is representing Ms O'Brien. She said: 'Despite fainting being a known side effect of this treatment, BodyHoliday failed to put measures in place to protect Kim or safeguard against her falling.

'She sustained life-changing injuries that impacted her mentally, physically and financially - yet she has not received so much as an apology. The assertions that Kim suffered a seizure, despite medical evidence and expertise to the contrary, is also very worrying, particularly given the resort's standing.'

Andrew Barnard, Executive Director, BodyHoliday, Saint Lucia, said: 'Whilst we are unable to provide comment on this particular circumstance for legal reasons, we would like to offer our heartfelt assurance that the wellbeing and safety of our guests is of the utmost importance at all times at BodyHoliday. All of our highly trained team members follow uncompromised standards and guidelines when performing our world class treatments.'
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Britain's short-lived 86F September heatwave came to a crashing end overnight as searing sunshine gave way to spectacular lightning, flash floods and power cuts as a severe weather warning was put in place across most of the country.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain lashed parts of the south-west of England tonight as low pressure heading north from the Atlantic sweeps away the last of the September sun.

In south Devon, a crafty kayaker has been pictured paddling down a flooded street in Salcombe after the coastal town was battered by flash floods and power cuts - with eyewitnesses reporting the town was 'under several feet of water'.

Yesterday morning a Plymouth primary school was evacuated when staff told of a burning smell after the side of the school building was apparently struck by lightning.

However, thousands of Britons flocked to parks and beaches to lap up the final rays of summer sun as temperatures hit 87.2F in Gogerddan - just the seventh time the mercury has exceeded 86F in September in the last 50 years.

Lightning swept through Plymouth in Devon on Wednesday as the scorching start to September came to an abrupt end

Thunderstorms and heavy rain lashed parts of the south-west of England overnight

A severe weather warning was put in place across most of the country tonight (illustrated left) while the Environment Agency put out flood warnings (illustrated right)

In south Devon, a crafty kayaker has been pictured paddling down a flooded street in Salcombe after the coastal town was battered by flash floods and power cuts

Britain's 86F heatwave has given way to thunderstorms, heavy downpours and even hail in some parts of the nation as a severe weather warning was issued by The Met Office. Pictured: Cars navigate flooded roads in Plymouth on Wednesday

The high temperatures came as the UK was braced for storms, with heavy showers expected on Wednesday afternoon and a yellow weather warning issued in most areas on Thursday.

Central, eastern and northern parts of England are expected to remain dry throughout Wednesday, with central England in particular expected to bake in near record-breaking September sun.

The western and southern regions can expect a cloudier day, with showers - some heavy and thunderstorm - predicted throughout the late morning and early afternoon.

Heavy rain arrived in the Plymouth and South West Devon area including Newton Ferrers shortly after 9am on Wednesday, after the Met Office issued an amber weather warning for the region.

PC Emma Buley said: 'Flash floods in Salcombe this morning has affected dozens of businesses. Please be careful driving if you get caught in the rain today.'

Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesman, said: 'It's looking like a mixed picture for much of the country this week. We're seeing high pressure bringing with it high temperatures before eventually breaking down, bringing with it intense lightning activity and downpours across the south west region.

'By Thursday, conditions will see temperatures drop further, to around the mid-20s, with potential showers, clear breaks and being brighter in areas.'

Central, eastern and northern parts of England are expected to remain dry throughout Wednesday, with central England in particular expected to bake in near record-breaking September sun. Above: Beachgoers in Dorset

People enjoy the sunshine and high temperatures on Whitby beach in Yorkshire on Wednesday, September 8

People flocked to their favourite British beaches to lap up the final rays of 86F September sun. Above: Beachgoers at Cullercoats Bay, north Tyneside

The late blast of warm weather will see temperatures reach 86F according to the Met Office , but comes too late for many children to fully enjoy with millions returning to classrooms this week after a damp and dreary staycation summer

Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall have already lashed parts of the south-west of England on Wednesday morning, with Mount Street Primary School, Plymouth having to be evacuated after reports of lightning hitting the building

Two fire appliances responded to the incident at around 10am on Wednesday, with pupils being sent home after staff reported a 'burning smell' in the building

People head out to enjoy the warm sunny weather near Tower Bridge in London on Wednesday morning as temperatures are expected to hit 86F in some parts of the country

Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall have already lashed parts of the south-west of England on Wednesday morning. Above: Flash flooding devastates a high street in south Devon

Sunseekers at Bournemouth Beach, Dorset set up to enjoy the last blast of September sun before thunderstorms and heavy downpours look set to ravage large parts of Britain later this week

Thousands are set to head to parks and beaches to lap up the final 86F rays of summer. Pictured: Crowds start to gather at Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

Punters were pictured enjoying a break in the September sun on the River Cam, Cambridge on Wednesday

Hundreds of people were pictured soaking up the last of the summer rays in Dorset on Wednesday morning

Videos filmed in Salcombe showed the main shopping street swamped with water, while a kayaker was also pictured paddling past the shops.

Another video, also filmed in the town, showed people wading through the floodwater next to stationary vehicles. It is understood the rain fell for just five minutes before flooding was reported.

Forecasters are predicting a risk of properties flooding across Northern Ireland and the South West, Midlands and North of England, as well as potential hail and thunderstorms battering much of the nation later this week.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in the area on Wednesday, warning that homes and businesses could be flooded.

It added: 'Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures. Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services.

'There is a small chance that some communities become cut off by flooded roads. There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost.'

It is understood the fallout from Hurricane Ida - which has torn across southern states in the US - has forced a change in the UK after weeks of dull grey skies and rain caused by high pressure.

Ida sent warm, humid air into the North Atlantic, which meteorologists said can have the effect of pepping up weather systems already in place.

On Monday, temperatures hit 84F in Larkhill, Wiltshire, closely followed by the 83.8F recorded at Santon Downham, Suffolk, and 83.6F at Middle Wallop in Hampshire.

Low pressure heading north-bound from the Atlantic is expected to sweep away any remaining sunshine and bring with it heavy rainfall, before the prolonged period of heat can be officially declared a heatwave. Above: A woman sits atop a paddleboard in Cullercoats Bay, north Tyneside

A pair of women enjoy a chat in the sun and the view in Greenwich Park, London as parts of the UK are set for near record-breaking September temperatures again

The sizzling start to September continued on Wednesday as people lounged on deckchairs in Whitby Beach, Yorkshire

Temperatures are understood to be cooling by the end of the week, with Edinburgh, Belfast and London all in the mid-20s

Experts have placed a weather warning for heavy rain and lightning across Devon, Cornwall and parts of South Wales from 11am on Wednesday.

That alert is then extended across much of the UK, encompassing Wales, West Midlands and the entire North of England from Thursday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: 'The hot and clear weather currently being experienced across large parts of the UK is forecast to break down through the middle of the week as showers and thunderstorms arrive.

'These will initially affect the southwest of the UK on Wednesday, before moving steadily north and developing across most areas through Thursday and Friday.

'Thunderstorm warnings have been issued across a number of areas to highlight the potential for isolated impacts, including surface water flooding of homes and businesses, disruption to transport, and very isolated damage to infrastructure from lightning or hail.

'The semi-random nature of showers and thunderstorms means that many places will not see any thunderstorms at all, so it's not possible at this range to be more precise about the locations at risk, or indeed be more confident about the potential for impacts.'

But, the Met Office's longer range weather forecast shows that a tropical storm due to cross the Atlantic later this month could affect UK-wide temperatures.
This is the touching moment two young boys who were passing by an army veteran's funeral stopped their bikes and stood to attention to pay their respects.

Charles Everett Yorn, 89, of Batesville, Indiana, passed away on August 29, 2021 in Greensburg and served in the US Army before going onto work for American medical technology company Hill-Rom for 32 years.

Two boys were racing down the street in Indiana when they noticed his funeral procession taking place on the green nearby on Thursday.

According to Jacqui Hornbach who captured the moment on camera, the boys jumped off their bikes and stood to attention in silence, arms folded behind their backs, as they paid respect to the departed vet.

'To see these two young boys immediately stop and pay their respects to a passed serviceman, without any prompting or knowledge of anyone watching, was just so touching to see,' Hornbach said.

Two boys were racing down the street in Indiana when they noticed his funeral procession taking place on the green nearby. According to Jacqui Hornbach who captured the moment on camera, the boys jumped off their bikes and stood to attention in silence, arms folded behind their backs, as they paid respect to the departed vet

Charles Everett Yorn, 89, of Batesville, Indiana, passed away on August 29, 2021 in Greensburg and served in the US Army before going onto work for American medical technology company Hill-Rom

Hornbach, who posted the snap of the boys standing to attention on Facebook, said they 'immediately jumped off' their bikes and 'waited patiently for a few minutes.'

As the bugle sounded and taps began to play, signifying a moment of remembrance, Hornbach said that both boys 'stood with arms behind their backs, silently, the entire time'.

'It was as if they didn't even have to discuss it before doing it.

'They knew that's just what you do when you come across this. It was so natural for them,' Hornbach told Fox News.

An outpouring of praise for the young boys quickly flooded Jacqui's page on Facebook after she posted the photo.

'These boys were raised right! Thanks to their parents and community,' said Dorothea Martin, while Mike Podner commented: 'It is a honor to see young children act with respect. The results of good parenthood.'

Other Facebook users said the image had made them feel more optimistic about the future, while one commented: 'Wouldn't see kids in California doing this.'

The mother of one of the boys, Cade Mary Elizbeth Lehman, was overwhelmed with the praise for her son and his friend, and thanked members of the community for their kind words.

'Thank you for all the good words about those two boys.

'I'm proud of them that they did that. I'm so glad that he did this and I'm sorry for the family's loss.'

Hornbach said she too felt inclined to stand up after seeing the boys stop and look on.

'They did the gun salute and the boys jumped back in their bikes and went on their way,' she said.

She had initially debated on whether to post about the moment online, but eventually decided that with 'all the negative things going on' it was needed.

According to Hornbach, the Batesville community is 'very patriotic' to begin with, and moments like this made her realize that 'there is so much good left in this world.'

Yorn's funeral took place on Thursday, September 2, 2021 and was officiated by Pastor Steve Hasselbusch.

He was buried at the Batesville Methodist Cemetery, and his graveside military honors were performed by the Batesville VFW Post #3183 and Prell-Bland American Legion Post #271.
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Covid infections in Israel are falling sharply after the rollout of its mass booster rollout, with hospital admissions and deaths also beginning to trend downwards, according to data.

Figures compiled by the Oxford University-backed research team Our World in Data show Israel's average daily cases have been falling for the last four days, after peaking at just over 10,000 on September 3, despite children returning to schools.

A total of 4,632 people tested positive on Sunday  the most recent day data is available for  down 20 per cent on the week before (5,809). The country's seven day average is now around 7,300, down from nearly 8,000 the week before.

Weekly hospitalisations also fell 17 per cent in the seven days ending September 5, while average deaths remained at similar levels week-on-week.

Israel was deemed the Covid capital of the world  with the highest infections rate of any country  just six days ago.

It began dishing out third doses to everyone above the age of 60 in July and expanded the drive to everyone over 12 at the end of August, which Israeli scientist say has prompted the recent downturn. More than 2.6million in the country have had a booster.

Israeli Government adviser and data scientist Professor Eran Segal said the 'increase in the rate of infections... has diminished'.

He said: 'This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptick in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week who now have natural immunity.'

It comes amid growing pressure on the UK to follow suit in offering third doses to a wide audience with its own booster programme. It is expected to only rollout extra jabs to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Israel's cases per million (833) are still higher than Britain's (561) but have begun falling off since September 2, where they peaked at 1115, whereas the UK's are continuing to climb.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said this morning he was 'very confident' there will be a booster programme and that he was just waiting on advice on 'who actually gets it and when', which will come in the coming days.

Currently, there are only around 500,000 immunosuppressed people eligible for a third dose. Boosters were approved for the group who did not respond as strongly to the first and second doses as the rest of the population.

But the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)  an independent body that advises the Government on vaccine policy  is confident Britain will not need a mass booster campaign for all over-50s because of the 12-week interval between first and second doses used in the UK at the start of the rollout.

Israel followed the advice of vaccine manufacturers in ensuring a maximum of three weeks between doses, which has since been shown in multiple studies to be less effective at boosting and maintaining immunity to the virus than a longer interval between jabs.

Vaccine producer AstraZeneca's bosses today warned that moving 'too quickly' to boost the whole adult population in Britain would deprive scientists of insights into the effectiveness of two vaccine doses.

Most of the jabs rolled out at the start of Israel's rollout were made by Pfizer, whereas in Britain they were AstraZeneca.

Figures compiled by the Oxford University-backed research team Our World in Data show Israel's average daily cases have been falling for the last four days, after peaking at just over 10,000 on September 3

Weekly hospital admissions for patients infected with the virus fell to 1,198 in the seven days ending September 5. This was down 17 per cent on the week ending July 29 (1,438) which was the peak of the country's summer wave

The number of people dying with the virus has dropped off after peaking on September 5, when there were an average of 31 fatalities per day. This dropped to 23 yesterday, the same average as the week before on August 31

The figures from Our World in Data show Covid hospitalisations have followed a similar trend to infections since Israel extended its booster programme to over-12s.

AstraZeneca bosses warn ministers NOT to rush booster jab plans because we might not all need it The heads of AstraZeneca have warned not to rush too quickly into rolling out a vaccine boosters - as the vaccines minister said around 35million Britons are set to get third doses in a rapid programme beginning later this month. Nadhim Zahawi said the top-up doses would be crucial in allowing the UK to learn to live with Covid and preventing future lockdowns, and the NHS was aiming to deliver third doses even more rapidly than during the initial rollout this spring  when around 400,000 people were jabbed each day. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said this morning he was 'very confident' there will be a booster programme and that he was just waiting on advice on 'who actually gets it and when'. That advice will come from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent body which advises the Government on vaccines, which has previously hinted that it will not be recommending a mass booster rollout. The heads of the AstraZeneca jab warned that booster jabs may not be needed for everyone in Britain, and a rush to roll it out nationwide risks putting additional strain on the NHS. Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the company, said the UK remains 'a few weeks away' from being able to make a decision on pushing a vaccine booster programme across the country. Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Soriot, along with Executive Vice President of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, Sir Mene Pangalos, warned that moving 'too quickly' to boost the whole adult population would deprive scientists of insights into the effectiveness of two vaccine doses. Advertisement

Weekly hospital admissions for patients infected with the virus fell to 1,198 in the seven days ending September 5. This was down 17 per cent on the week ending July 29 (1,438) which was the peak of the country's summer wave.

Likewise, the number of people dying with the virus has dropped off after peaking on September 5, when there were an average of 31 fatalities per day.

This dropped to 23 yesterday, the same average as the week before on August 31.

The most recent seven-day averages reported for deaths and cases yesterday may be slightly lower than they should be in reality because of delays in data collection.

But both show a recent downturn since the start of September, suggesting the country's mass booster rollout is having a positive effect.

It comes as Britain prepares to start its own booster programme 'this month' amid climbing cases after all remaining children returned to schools this week.

Experts fear immunity from jabs given earlier this year could be on the wane.

Mr Javid told Sky News: 'We've received interim advice on boosters and that was as a few weeks ago and I've published it.

'That was clear that there should be some kind of a booster programme. So I'm very confident there will be a booster programme.

'In terms of who actually gets it and when, we're waiting for final advice that could come across certainly in the next few days from the JCVI.

He continued: 'And I need to see that advice because they rightly are looking at studies that they have done to look at [whether] we should be mixing vaccines, for example. Should people be getting the same vaccine?

'They're also looking at whether it makes sense to co-administrate for everyone, with a flu jab as well.

'So that work is almost done and based on the timeline that they've given us, I'm confident that we can start the booster programme this month.'

But AstraZeneca bosses today warned that booster jabs may not be needed for everyone in Britain, and a rush to roll it out nationwide risks putting additional strain on the NHS.

Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the company, said the UK remains 'a few weeks away' from being able to make a decision on pushing a vaccine booster programme across the country.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Soriot, along with Executive Vice President of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, Sir Mene Pangalos, warned that moving 'too quickly' to boost the whole adult population would deprive scientists of insights into the effectiveness of two vaccine doses.

Israel began its comprehensive vaccine booster programme for all over-60s at the start of August of Israel and extended the rollout to over-12 at the end of the month. The number of vaccine doses being administered per day jumped to 1.08 per 100,000 people per day on September 5, compared to just 0.2 in Britain, which has not started its booster programme yet

Israel's cases per million (833) are still higher than Britain's (561) but have begun falling off since September 2, where they peaked at 1115

Likewise, hospital admission per million in Israel (136) are higher than in Britain (96) but they are continuing to grow in the UK

The difference between seven-day average for confirmed deaths per million people in Israel (2.63) and the UK (1.66) on September 7 follows the same trend

The number of Covid patients admitted to intensive care units at hospitals in Israel each day has fallen to 625 in the week ending September 5, down from 727 in the week ending August 29

Bank holiday reporting lag sees Britain's daily Covid deaths quadruple in a week to 209 Britain's daily Covid deaths more than quadrupled in a week today, official figures show  but the rise is likely due to a recording lag from the bank holiday last week. Health chiefs have registered another 209 Covid fatalities in the past 24 hours, compared to just 50 recorded last Tuesday. Last week's number was unusually low and came a day after bank holiday Monday, with death figures typically lower on and around public holidays. For comparison, on the previous two Tuesdays there were 174 and 170 deaths. Another 37,489 people tested positive for Covid in the past 24 hours, up 16 per cent in a week. The Department of Health also revealed that 1,000 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on September 1. It marked the second time in a week there were four-figure admissions in a single 24-hour period, after 1,019 people were also hospitalised with the virus on August 25. The DOH update  which often includes backlogged hospital data due to the way it's recorded  showed there were a further 988 admissions on September 2 and 905 on September 3, which were both week-on-week rises. Advertisement

They said: 'A third dose for all may be needed, but it may not. Mobilising the NHS for a boosting program that is not needed would potentially add unnecessary burden on the NHS over the long winter months.

'Because NHS staff and resources are scarce, another national mobilisation would potentially leave us with fewer resources for cancer screenings and the other care provided by doctors and nurses each day.'

Their comments come after vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs a vaccine booster programme is 'ready to go' as soon as the scientific advice for the scheme is signed off.

More than half a million people with severely weakened immune systems and who are most at risk from Covid-19 will be offered another vaccine dose beginning this month, following a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

But that announcement is separate from any decision on a booster programme, with news on this expected soon.

The NHS had been primed to offer third doses to over-50s at the start of this week but it was pushed back because the JCVI was waiting for trial data  due in the next few days  before it gives the programme the green light.

The programme would prioritise over-70s, health and social care workers and those with underlying health conditions. All over-50s would also get the third jab.

Mr Zahawi added that he hopes the virus can be dealt with 'year in, year out' without having to take the 'severe measures' seen last December, telling BBC Breakfast: 'Vaccines have given us the ability to reduce infections, to save 100,000 lives.

'It is through the booster programme that I hope we can transition the virus from pandemic to endemic status and deal with it year in, year out.

'It is going to be with us for many years  but not have to close down our economy or take the severe measures we had to sadly take in December of last year.'

The UK's chief medical officers are currently reviewing the wider benefits of vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds, such as minimising school absences, after the JCVI declined to recommend a widespread rollout to the age group on health grounds alone.

A total of 668 deaths registered in the week ending August 27 mentioned Covid on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)  the highest number since 719 deaths were registered in the week to March 26.

The latest figures show the impact of the third wave of Covid, which began in the UK in May, but the number of deaths is still well below the level seen at the peak of the second wave.
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The home where legendary novelist John Steinback wrote Of Mice and Men is going on sale for the first time in 60 years with a hefty price tag for those interested.

The property, located in the upscale Hamptons village of Sag Harbor, is on sale for $16.75million but retains a lot of features showing off its unique history, according to Top Ten Real Estate Deals.

The house comes with the 'writing hut' that Steinbeck used to write his 1937 classic tale of two displaced ranch workers moving from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression.

The home where legendary novelist John Steinback wrote Of Mice and Men is going on sale for the first time

The Long Island home, which hasn't been on the market in 60 years, also features a private 60ft pier and a pool.

The property, described as humble but historic, sits just 580 ft from the waterfront of Morris Cove and Upper Sag Harbor Cove, a highly sought-after patch of New York state real estate.

Steinbeck crafted his classic novels while enjoying the breathtaking views over the cove.

The property, located in the upscale Long Island village of Sag Harbor, is on sale for $16.75million but retains features showing off its history, including Steinbeck's 'writing hut', pictured above

Steinbeck crafted his classic novels while enjoying the breathtaking views over the Upper Sag Harbor Cove on this 60ft pier

In addition to the pier and writing hut, the property also features an in ground pool

The cosy cottage has just two bedrooms and two bathrooms, despite its hefty price tag, but also includes a guest house in addition to the pool and private pier where the author used to fish.

Regarded as one of Americas most distinguished writers, Steinbeck resided in the house  which he described as his personal 'Eden' and often referred to as my little fishing place.

Steinbeck grew up in California but moved to New York in 1941.

The cosy cottage has just two bedrooms and two bathrooms, despite its hefty price tag, but comes with plenty of amenities

Both the inside and outside of the house feature views of the Upper Sag Harbor Cove, which led Steinbeck to call the place his 'personal Eden'

Steinbeck drew inspiration from Sag Harbor, writing a book called Travels with Charley, where he embarked on an 11-week trek from the house across America with his dog

After a weekend trip to Sag Harbor in 1955, the then 53-year-old bought the property while married to his first wife Elaine Anderson Steinbeck.

He also wrote Travels With Charley and The Winter Of Our Discontent while living there.

Travels with Charley famously recalls Steinbeck's 11-week long trip from Sag Harbor across the country with his dog Charley.

One of the two bedrooms in the house where Steinbeck and his then wife Elaine Anderson Steinbeck and his two children lived

The in ground pool offers it's own view of the home and the Upper Sag Harbor Cove

Steinbeck used to refer to the 60ft pier on the property as 'my little fishing place'

After a weekend trip to Sag Harbor in 1955, the then 53-year-old bought the property while married to his first wife Elaine Anderson Steinbeck.

Steinbeck, who won both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize, lived in Sag Harbor from 1955 until his death in 1968

The Hamptons village is known as a haven for the rich and famous, including CNN anchors Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon, as well as supermodel Christie Brinkley and her ex-husband, perhaps Long Island's most famous export, Billy Joel.

In Steinbeck's former neighborhood alone, a buyer could end up rubbing shoulders with the likes of Richard Gere, Jimmy Buffett, Howard Stern and Paul Simon.

Legendary Long Island piano man Billy Joel will be neighbors with whomever buys the Sag Harbor property

In winter, the new owner can cosy up in front of the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and marvel at their cathedral-like beamed ceiling.

The home is being marketed by Sothebys International Realty, Bridgehampton Brokerage.
An ultraconservative Spanish bishop and exorcist has quit to start a new life with his partner - a divorced author of erotic satanic novels.

Xavier Novell, 52, announced last month that he was resigning from his post as Bishop of Solsona in Catalonia for 'strictly personal reasons'.

On Monday, it was revealed by Religion Digital, a news site, that Novell had fallen for Silvia Caballol, a divorced mother-of-two.

Novell reportedly said he had 'fallen in love' and 'wanted to do the right thing.'

Caballol, 38, is a writer of erotic novels featuring characters 'possessed by the demon of lust', a fact which has raised eyebrows among Novell's former colleagues.

However, Novell is likely no stranger to the demonic, having been among the handful of Spanish bishops to decline having an exorcist appointed in 2015, opting instead to perform the role himself.

He reportedly met Caballol, a psychologist who has studied sexology, yoga, Catholicism and Islam, after he was began studying demonology.

Xavier Novell, 52, announced last month that he was resigning from his post as Bishop of Solsona in Catalonia for 'strictly personal reasons'

On Monday, it was revealed that Novell had fallen for Silvia Caballol (pictured), a divorced mother-of-two, who writes erotic fiction

Her books are described by her publisher as turning 'all our moral and ethical considerations upside down.'

The Hell in Gabriel's Lust, Caballol's most recent book, promises 'prisons, psychopathy, sects, sadism, madness, lust and, little by little, as the story progresses... the unreality of immortality and the crude struggle between good and evil, between God and Satan, and between angels and demons.'

Caballol's latest book The Hell in Gabriel's Lust

Novell had been seen as a star on the rise within Spain's Catholic church after being appointed as the country's youngest bishop in 2010 when he was just 41.

However his ascent stalled, The Times reported, with the election of Pope Francis in 2013.

Francis has edged the Vatican towards more liberal stances than those espoused by his traditionalist predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.

Novell, who has defended gay conversion therapy and described abortion and euthanasia as 'genocide', is out of step with the mood of the church under Francis.

His resignation was accepted by the Pope and the church has not commented.

Novell also set himself apart as the only bishop to openly vote in the 2017 controversial Catalan independence referendum illegal under Spanish law.
Scotland's first female bishop who was accused of bullying by a string of clergy and church workers is now facing legal action after a cathedral organist said she had invented claims that he threatened to attack her.

The Right Rev Anne Dyer, 64, who became bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney in 2018, faced growing calls to resign earlier this year after a number of church employees claimed she had made life at work 'intolerable'.

The allegations prompted the Scottish Episcopal Church to commission an independent review overseen by the former Church of Scotland moderator, Professor Iain Torrance, and a separate HR investigation.

But it has now emerged the bishop could face legal action after an investigation found no evidence to support her allegations that Christopher Cromar, director of music at St.Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Aberdeen, threatened to attack her.

Scotland's first female bishop the Right Rev Anne Dyer, 64, faced growing calls to resign earlier this year amid bullying allegations

Ms Dyer, who will retire next year, claimed that she had to lock herself in the vestry after the cathedral organist became 'agitated and angry' during a service.

She claimed the incident, which took place after Mr Cromar was told his services were no longer required, left her convinced she would be attacked.

In her evidence, seen by The Times, she said: 'Cromar's intimidating and threatening manner to me at communion was unforgivable. He has made written threats to me.'

However Mr Cromar denied the claims and insisted the bishop withdraw the defamatory remark as a matter of urgency.

He told the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Mark Strange, that he would consider legal action due to the damage done to his career and reputation.

Mr Cromar said: 'On the advice of counsel I am writing to request, respectfully, that you instruct Anne Dyer to substantiate her claim that I threatened her physically.'

He added: 'I am looking forward to the [church] making the ''just resolution'' with me that the Torrance report recommends so I can start rebuilding my life after a year of immense trauma.'

Both the independent review by Mr Torrance and a separate HR investigation by Sarah Grey, an independent human resources specialist, concluded there was no evidence of Mr Cromar threatening to attack Ms Dyer.

In a statement to MailOnline Bishop Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said: 'If Mr Cromar feels the needs to take legal advice over comments he alleges have been made, then that is a matter for him to explore with his lawyer.'

Last month it was revealed that more than 100 church employees came forward to give evidence against Ms Dyer and Prof Torrance wrote almost all of them were 'afraid of retaliation in some form or another'.

Christopher Cromar refuted the claims made against him and insisted the bishop withdraw the defamatory remark

Mr Cromar, director of music at St.Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Aberdeen (pictured), told the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Mark Strange, that he would consider legal action

In the report, one church member said that they were 'stunned by the lack of care and protection offered within the SEC'.

It came as the Scottish Episcopal Church, which has about 30,000 members, said it was considering the report into allegations of bullying.

The church said it would not publish the findings of the report but the document written by Professor Iain Torrance was seen by The Times.

The Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, told The Press and Journal: 'This report was commissioned at the request of and under the authority of Bishop Anne Dyer, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney. I deeply regret that such a confidential report has now been leaked to the media.

'The report raises serious issues and concerns and the context of the matters reported on is complex.'

He added: 'However, the bishops are determined that the Scottish Episcopal Church should be a church where all are valued and can safely minister, work and worship, and wishes to support a process towards healing and reconciliation within the diocese.'
He remains in Westchester County Jail without bail while awaiting arraignment

Police say he was on parole for a robbery charge at the time of the attack

Police say he was on parole for a robbery charge at the time of the attack

It came as rapes in the city are up 4.5 percent and other sex crimes up 26.2 percent over the same period last year

It came as rapes in the city are up 4.5 percent and other sex crimes up 26.2 percent over the same period last year

Bellot is accused of cornering the victim, forcing her into the stairwell and raping her at gunpoint

Bellot is accused of cornering the victim, forcing her into the stairwell and raping her at gunpoint

Reginald Bellot, 28, was arrested for the rape and assault of a 70-year-old woman who was attacked in her Bronx apartment building in July

Reginald Bellot, 28, was arrested for the rape and assault of a 70-year-old woman who was attacked in her Bronx apartment building in July

New York City police have arrested a Crips gang member and parolee for allegedly raping a 70-year-old woman in the stairwell of her Bronx apartment earlier this summer.

Reginald Bellot, 28, had been out on parole for five months when he allegedly cornered the victim, forcing her into the stairwell, and raped her at gunpoint on July 27.

Police used surveillance camera footage to track and identify the suspect.

Bellot, a known Crips gang member, was on parole for a robbery charge at the time of the attack.

It was not immediately known why Bellot was granted parole, but he had been released on February 25 this year after becoming eligible earlier that month.

He had been serving time for a 2018 conviction on attempted robbery and prison contraband charges, and was initially due for release in February 2023, according to Department of Corrections and Community Supervision records.

He was previously sentenced to two years in prison for attempted burglary in 2015.

Bellot was arrested Tuesday and charged with rape, strangulation, predatory sexual assault, criminal sex act, menacing and unlawful imprisonment, the Daily News reported. He remains held without bail in Westchester County Jail.

Reginald Bellot, 28, (pictured) was arrested and charged Tuesday after he allegedly raped and assaulted a 70-year-old woman in the stairwell of her Bronx apartment earlier this summer

Bellot was charged with rape, strangulation, predatory sexual assault, criminal sex act, menacing and unlawful imprisonment. He was on parole at the time of the attack

According to the NYPD, the sexual assault took place at around 2am on July 27 in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx.

The elderly victim was entering her apartment building when she was approached from behind by Bellot, who was wearing two plastic masks - a red one and a black one - on his face.

Bellot then allegedly pulled out a silver handgun, forced the woman into a stairwell and raped her.

The 70-year-old victim suffered injuries throughout her body but did not immediately report the attack to the police.

The rape came to light six days later when the woman went to an area hospital for a check-up.

Police used surveillance camera footage released publicly on August 3 to track and identify the suspect as Bellot

NYPD released surveillance footage of the attack on August 3, which was the same day that Bellot was jailed on burglary and weapon possession charges, according to the Daily News.

Detectives used the footage to track his movements and identify him as the rape suspect.

The attack comes as New York City continues to see a crime surge.

Rapes are up 4.5 percent as of September 5 over the same period last year, and other sex crimes are up 26.2 percent

Murders and robberies are down 2.2 and 1.9 percent respectively since last year. Shootings are up 3.8 percent and felony assault is up 5.5 per cent.

Bellot remains in jail while he awaits arraignment in Bronx criminal court

He was reportedly released on parole in February after a 2018 sentencing of one-and-a-half to six years for attempted robbery and a prison contraband charge. He was also sentenced to two years in prison for attempted burglary in 2015

Overall crime in the city is down nearly one percent since 2020.

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has lashed out at the state's criminal justice system, blaming the crime rates in the Big Apple on a dramatically reduced number of trial verdicts, which he slammed as 'unacceptable.'

A spokesperson for the court system responded by accusing the mayor of 'gaslighting' the public in an attempt to shift the blame for the crime epidemic.

Speaking during his daily remote press conference on Monday, de Blasio revealed that in the first half of 2021, there were only 18 trial verdicts across the five boroughs, compared to 405 during the same time in 2019.

Meanwhile New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has blasted the courts for crime in the city, revealing Monday that there were only 18 trial verdicts during the first half of 2021, compared to 405 in 2019

'That isn't good enough,' the mayor said, after heaping praise on the New York City Police Department for making a record number of gun-related arrests, and highlighting the work of community activists.

Lucian Chaifen, Director of Communications with the Office of Court Administration, responded to de Blasio's harsh criticism by accusing the mayor of engaging in finger-pointing.

'Yet again, the mayor demonstrates his glaring lack of understanding of the criminal justice process in this state,' Chaifen said in a statement. 'His gaslighting rhetoric regarding court operations is an attempt to shift the public safety discussion continues.'

Chaifen, nevertheless, acknowledged that because of social distancing requirements, only three trials can now be held simultaneously in each county, compared to up to a dozen before the pandemic, as New York Post reported.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea says recent criminal reforms have been 'a disaster'

Meanwhile NYC Police Commissioner Dermot Shea has called on officials to make major criminal justice reforms, saying the city's 'soft-on-crime experiment' has failed

Two weeks ago, Shea called on new Governor Kathy Hochul to make necessary changes to increase safety across the city.

'Common sense is what we need. Reforms are good, but let's do reforms that are calibrated in such a way with the input of law enforcement,' he argued during an interview with Spectrum News.

'It's time to fix these laws and get back to where we all need to be,' he said.

'This city is built on public safety. We're probably about two years into this soft-on-criminals "experiment" if you will, let's empty out the jails, and show me a New Yorker that at this point and time thinks this experiment has worked. It's been a disaster.'
Double-jabbed Sydneysiders will be able to pack their bags for a long-awaited domestic holiday as early as the end of October.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has announced holiday-hungry residents will be permitted to travel within their own state, as long as vaccination rates remain high.

The earmarked date for when 80 per cent of the NSW population is fully-vaccinated is set for the end of October or the first part of November.

When this benchmark is achieved, fully-vaccinated Sydneysiders will be allowed to travel freely through the state with a special travel permit.

Double-jabbed residents will be able to access a special travel permit to enter the state's regional and rural areas, which can be accessed on the Service NSW app (a woman in Yamba in the NSW North Coast)

Double-jabbed Sydneysiders will be able to pack their bags for a long-awaited domestic holiday as early as the end of October (pictured, a passenger at Brisbane Airport)

'The vaccination rates in regional and rural NSW have to continue to rise on par with what's happening with metropolitan Sydney,' Mr Barilaro said on Wednesday.

The travel permit will be accessed on the Service NSW app, with the deputy premier warning the document will be essential for movement throughout the state.

'Police have the ability to make sure anyone that is entering regional or rural NSW has done so is authorised,' Mr Barilaro said.

However, as the NSW Premier has repeatedly warned, unvaccinated residents will miss out on a long-awaited holiday as well as entry to venues in their own suburb.

The long-awaited plan for domestic travel is yet to be signed off by national cabinet as outbreaks in the state's regions continue to concern health authorities.

Mr Barilaro warned that while visitors to the state's regions would bring a much needed boost to tourism, locals were wary of a potential outbreak.

'Regional and rural NSW do have a level of anxiety about people leaving Sydney,' the deputy premier said.

The plan to allow tourists back into the state's regional and rural areas is expected to give long-suffering business owners a much-needed cash injection.

Unvaccinated residents will miss out on domestic holidays within NSW with the special travel permit only extended to the vaccinated (a woman in Nowra on the NSW South Coast)

The plan to allow tourists back into the state's regional and rural areas is expected to give long-suffering business owners a much-needed cash injection (pictured, a woman in Nowra on the NSW South Coast)

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australians are just weeks away from getting vaccine passports that proves they have received two jabs (pictured, a woman in Nowra on the NSW South Coast)

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australians are just weeks away from getting vaccine passports that proves they have received two jabs.

Mr Morrison said the passports were key to the next stage of the national plan when Australia's lockdown borders - both internal and external - will finally be re-opened.

The document will be accepted internationally so when Australians are finally allowed to go overseas again, they can travel freely.

Australians returning from overseas, with more than 30,000 still stranded by flight caps, can also use the vaccine passport to enter home isolation upon return instead of hotel quarantine.

Digital vaccine certificates confirming double-dose Covid jabs already exist, but the data, including the brand of vaccine, could also be added to the built-in chips in existing biometric passports.

The earmarked date for when 80 per cent of the NSW population is fully-vaccinated is set for the end of October or the first part of November (a nurse administers a Pfizer dose in Sydney)

Digital vaccine certificates confirming double-dose Covid jabs already exist, but the data, including the brand of vaccine, could also be added to the built-in chips in existing biometric passports, pictured.

Gladys Berejiklian and John Barilaro are set to announce when Greater Sydney's eleven-week lockdown is ending during the Covid press conference on Thursday - which is now expected to be October 18.

The roadmap out of lockdown is also due to be announced after a crisis cabinet meeting was held on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting of state leaders discussed the reopening of pubs, restaurants and other retail settings for vaccinated customers with capacity limits in place.

The relaxing of restrictions to allow hairdressers and barbers to reopen was also considered as well as renewed rules around churches and places of worship.

Weddings and funerals will also be permitted to resume with limits of the number of vaccinated guests.

New freedoms Sydneysiders can expect on October 18 The state-wide lockdown is set to end when NSW hits 70 per cent double-dosed vaccinations with a target of October 18. *Pubs, restaurants and other retail settings will open for vaccinated customers with limits on venue capacity *Hairdressers and barbers will be allowed to resume work with vaccinated customers *Churches and places of worship will be permitted to run in-person services for vaccinated attendees only *Weddings and funerals will be allowed to resume for vaccinated guests with limits on capacity Advertisement

Meanwhile, Gladys Berejiklian said she would decide by the end of the week whether regional NSW would come out of lockdown on time on Friday at 11.59pm.

Several regions will be lifted from the restrictions, it was reported on Wednesday night, but others will be forced to stay in lockdown as cases swell in areas including Dubbo and the Central Coast.

Mr Barilaro said areas of the state with no Covid-19 cases would likely be released from lockdown rules first, while more virus-hit regions would stay under stay-at-home orders.

'The most likely areas, if you're going to consider it, is areas with no cases, it's as simple as that,' he said.

'We'll make those decisions and let the community know shortly there is an opportunity to open but I would argue it would be in a restricted environment, not like the environment pre-lockdown.'

Health authorities meanwhile have detected the virus at a sewage treatment plant in Bonny Hills, 23km south of Port Macquarie, despite the area having no known cases.

A total of 34 new cases were reported in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra regions on Wednesday, with a series of new exposure sites in Bateman's Bay and Cooma.

As of Tuesday, NSW vaccination rates are higher than anticipated with 74 per cent of the state's over-16 population having received their first Covid jab (pictured, Qantas flight crew at Brisbane airport)

The premier also took the opportunity on Wednesday to issue a stern warning to those who are yet to get the jab, telling them they will be 'left behind'.

'I don't want to put a date on it at the moment, we're still working on the details,' she admitted.

'There's time now to get your first dose and fit in your second dose before NSW starts opening up. I want to make that message as strong as possible.

As of Tuesday, NSW vaccination rates are higher than anticipated with 74 per cent of the state's over-16 population having received their first Covid jab.

About 41 per cent have received their second shot, with the state on track to meet the 70 percent target by mid-October if current trends continue.
The Taliban have started painting over artist's murals of western symbols and values that adorn the walls of the Afghan capital - including one of George Floyd - and are replacing them with 'victory slogans'.

Afghan activist Omaid Sharifi's art collective, Artlords, have spent eight years transforming stretches of Kabul's labyrinthine concrete blast walls with colourful murals.

They created more than 2,200 murals across the country addressing everything from the killing of George Floyd in the US and the drowning of Afghan refugees in Iran, to gender equality and the signing of the US-Taliban agreement towards peace.

However, within weeks of the Islamists taking the capital, many of the street art pieces have been painted over, replaced by drab propaganda slogans as the Taliban reimpose their austere vision on Afghanistan.

Within weeks of the Islamists taking the capital, the Taliban have started painting over artist's murals on the city's concrete blast walls and replacing them with 'victory slogans'. Pictured: A worker paints over murals along a street in Kabul on September 4

One mural in central Kabul which was dedicated to Japanese doctor and aid worker, Tetsu Nakamura, who was killed in 2019, has been replaced by a slogan congratulating the nation for their 'victory', referring to the Taliban takeover of the country.

The mural dedicated to George Floyd, which has the words 'I cant breathe' written in English and who's death sparked Black Lives Matter protests in the US, has not been covered up yet, though it is perhaps only a matter of time.

The images of workers rolling white paint over the art - who are reportedly paid less than $7 a day - were deeply foreboding for Omaid Sharifi, 34, Artlord's co-founder, who has been forced to flee to the UAE for his safety.

He said that the murals were the 'soul of Kabul' and represented the voice of the Afghan people and painting over them is like putting a shroud over the city.

Speaking to the Guardian, Sharifi said: 'Some of these murals were the soul of Kabul. They gave beauty to the city and kindness to the people of Kabul who were suffering.

'These are about the wishes, demands and the asks of Afghan people. It was their voice on these walls. These murals were against corruption and were pushing for transparency.'

Afghan art collective, Artlords, spent eight years painting colourful and progressive murals on the city's concrete walls, with one (pictured) addressing the killing of George Floyd in the US which has not been covered up yet

 Slide me  BEFORE & AFTER: Street art in Kabul depicting the signing of the US-Taliban agreement towards peace (left), has been painted over and replaced with black-and-white text (right)

Pictured: Murals seen along the walls at the US embassy in Kabul on July 30 show the Zohra orchestra, Afghanistan's first all-female orchestra, as well as the Afghan girls robotics team

He said that the murals belong to the people of Afghanistan as when each piece is being painted, Artlords invite up to 200 people to paint them.

During the Taliban's first stint in power, from 1996 to 2001, there was no local media and images of humans and animals were banned.

Now, the city's bright, colourful street art has been replaced with black-and-white Arabic text, saying the Taliban 'are your brothers and sons, they are the protectors of this land and people'.

Among the erased murals was one showing US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar shaking hands after signing the 2020 Doha deal to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.

It has been replaced by a quote saying the Taliban are the 'true defenders' of the country.

The entrance of the former US embassy in Kabul has been covered with a huge painting of the Taliban flag after it was abandoned by US diplomats on August 15 as the city fell to the militant group amid America's chaotic withdrawal from the country.

Pictured before: The entrance to the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, as it appeared on August 26, in the leadup to the full US withdrawal from the country on August 30

Pictured after: Now, the entrance of the former US embassy in Kabul has been covered with a huge painting of the Taliban flag with the group's version of the Shahada Statement (left), with the Emblem of Afghanistan (right)

The Taliban flag painted on the left wall in black and white is the group's version of the Shahada Statement, which is a statement of belief core to Islamic tradition, reading: 'There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.'

On the right wall, is their Emblem of Afghanistan featuring a Quran.

Sharifi co-founded ArtLords in 2014, using art to campaign for peace, social justice and accountability.

The prolific group often shamed the powerful in Afghanistan with street art, including warlords and allegedly corrupt government officials as well as honouring Afghan heroes, calling for dialogue instead of violence, and demanding rights for women.

Omaid Sharifi, 34, Artlord's co-founder, said that the murals were the 'soul of Kabul' and painting over them is like putting a shroud over the city

ArtLords members braved death threats and were branded infidels by Islamist extremists.

Tens of thousands of Afghans rushed to Kabul airport as the capital fell, fearful of life under the Taliban, among them scores of artists and activists such as Sharifi.

'It's a very difficult choice (to leave), and I just hope nobody ever experiences what we went through,' he said.

'Afghanistan is my home, it's my identity... I cannot take out all my roots and plant myself in another part of the world.'
This is the nerve-racking moment a curious cheetah climbed on top of a safari car and stood inches away from a guide's head - giving her a spectacular selfie.

Serena Van Staden was filming in the Serengeti in Tanzania when the mother cat came over to the vehicle to explore.

Within minutes it had climbed onto the open-top car and was seen surveying the surrounding area from its new viewpoint.

Serena Van Staden was able to get an incredible selfie with a mother cheetah which was standing only inches above her head in the Serengeti, Tanzania

The cheetah had climbed onto an open-top safari vehicle to get a better view of the surrounding area

To begin with the wild cat searches around the back of the vehicle, much to Mrs Van Staden's excitement, before it comes within inches of her.

Mrs Van Staden, of specialist safari company EverseenSA, covers her mouth in shock, surprised to be in such close proximity to the cheetah.

A man inside the vehicle can heard telling her to 'sit down, slowly' and she begins to duck away from the open roof to get a clear shot of the animal.

At one point the fearless cheetah even appears to look directly into the camera and the Mrs Van Staden remarks: 'Oh my world, hello my baby.'

Mrs Van Staden begins to slowly duck down from the open roof, just inches away from the animal

Footage from the surrounding vehicles showed just how close the tourists were to the cheetah who seemed unfazed by their presence

Mrs Van Staden said: 'During our safari in the Serengeti, a cheetah mom jumped on our safari vehicle and was standing less than 30 centimetres from me.

'Cheetahs are actually often seen to jump on cars in the plains to get a higher viewpoint.

'She called her four cubs to join her, but they came and laid under the car so we waited patiently for her to get off and move with her cubs.'

As the cheetah leaves Mrs Van Staden can be heard in the video exclaiming: 'Holy s***'.

Cheetahs are renowned for their keen eyesight and dazzling speed, and are the world's fastest land mammal, reaching speeds of up to 70mph - more than 30mph faster than a giraffe.
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More than one in ten Britons say their employer has already threatened pay cuts if they continue to work from home, a survey found today as London's morning rush hour became busier for the third day in a row.

Some 11 per cent of people said discussions had taken place within their business about the possibility of pay cuts - while two-thirds claimed they would consider leaving their job if their employer suggested this to them.

The study by CV-Library came as data from location technology firm TomTom showed morning rush hour congestion on London's roads rose again today to become significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Congestion hit 79 per cent at 8am - well above the 67 per cent on the same day and time in 2019, and 51 per cent in 2020. The figure was also up on yesterday's 8am level of 76 per cent and Monday's 8am figure of 61 per cent.

Meanwhile photographs showed hordes of commuters walking through Clapham Junction on their way to work this morning, with Britain's busiest interchange station looking back to normal in passenger number levels.

But Underground usage is still at only half pre-pandemic levels this week as people continue to work from home - despite commuters returning to the network which is now at its busiest in 18 months. Separately, the Department for Transport said demand for buses outside London has reached its highest weekday level since March 2020.

The number of journeys made on buses in Britain excluding London was at 69 per cent of pre-pandemic levels on Monday, the DfT said. Road traffic was at 100 per cent of pre-crisis levels while demand for rail was at 60 per cent.

Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction train station in South West London during the morning rush hour today

Commuters wait for a train on a platform at Clapham Junction train station this morning as they make their way into the office

Data showed morning rush hour congestion in London rose again today to become much higher than pre-pandemic levels

Transport for London data shows bus and Tube usage has been rising but is still well below pre-pandemic levels in early 2020

The Tube had its busiest morning rush hour since March 2020 for the third day in a row today, with 1.1million Oyster and contactless 'taps' up to 10am this morning, which was up 18 per cent on last week.

Split by time period this morning, taps on the Underground were up 20 per cent on last week for the 7am to 8am slot, up 25 per cent for the 8am to 9am period, and up 16 per cent for the 9am to 10am slot.

End of the line for 'mind the gap'? Tube looks to use platform fillers It has long been a familiar message to commuters and tourists visiting London. But the Tube's famous 'mind the gap' warning may become unnecessary  as bosses look to install 'gap fillers' at stations across the capital. The plan, which emerged in a report published yesterday, comes more than a year after a man was crushed to death when he fell between the train and the platform at Waterloo. The report revealed that Tube bosses believe gap fillers could be 'worthwhile' and options for installing them were being explored. The 'moveable' fillers would extend out from the platform once trains have arrived to cover the gap. They would then retract again before trains leave. No existing gap fillers were 'considered appropriate', the paper added, but 'alternative' solutions were being looked into. In 2015, another person was killed after falling into a Tube gap at Waterloo. Advertisement

But overall Tube usage this morning was still only at 48 per cent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Transport for London told MailOnline that figures for Tube and bus usage have increased every day so far this week.

Bus usage has recovered much better than Tube, and is now at 69 per cent of the pre-pandemic level. There were 1.2million taps this morning up to 10am which is up 42 per cent on last week - much of which is due to the return of schools after the summer holidays.

Bus taps were up 65 per cent on last week for the 7am to 8am period, up 75 per cent for the 8am to 9am slot and up 21 per cent for the 9am to 10am period.

The survey from CV-Library revealed three-quarters (74 per cent) of professionals think it is unfair for an employer to suggest a pay cut if a member of staff spends time working remotely or from home.

And 69 per cent reported that they would consider leaving their job if their boss made the suggestion to them.

However, 19 per cent agreed that it was a fair suggestion, but only if an employee now worked on a remote basis, or from home, full time. Some 7 per cent agreed, regardless of the remote split.

Of those prepared to stay in their roles, 43 per cent said they would accept a 5 per cent pay cut, 21 per cent said they would take a 10 per cent pay drop and 6 per cent would even agree to a 20 per cent reduction.

Some 27 per cent reported that they would stay but would not agree to any pay cut. Of the almost 1,500 respondents, some 11 per cent said the topic of a pay cut had already been mentioned.

The study also found 82.2 per cent said that had worked remotely at some point since the pandemic began.

Lee Biggins, founder of CV-Library, said: 'Contractual obligations, weighting allowances and individual circumstances will be unique to each business. What is apparent is that flexible working is here to stay and we're in a candidate led market with job postings at a record high.'

Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station during the morning rush hour in South West London today

Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today as people make their way to work in the capital

Rail passengers wait for a train today on a platform at Clapham Junction, which is Britain's busiest interchange station

Commuters wait for a train at Clapham Junction train station this morning as they make their way to work

Commuters walk along the bridge linking platforms at Clapham Junction station on their way to work in London this morning

Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today during the morning rush hour in the capital

Commuters walk along the bridge above the platforms at Clapham Junction train station in South West London today

Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today as people continue to head back into the office

Commuters walk through Clapham Junction train station during the morning rush hour today in South West London

Meanwhile, data from Zoopla has suggested the fall in London's residential rent market appears to have bottomed out  with the figures suggesting rental growth will return to positive territory by early 2022.

Nadhim Zahawi reveals only a quarter of his team work in office at any time A minister has said he wants to 'lead by example' in encouraging civil servants back to the workplace after he revealed that only a quarter of his team work in the office at any one time. Nadhim Zahawi said that, while all of his staff were back to working in Whitehall, they operate on a rota system so that just one in four are at their desks each day, with the rest carrying out their jobs from home. It comes after a spokesman for Boris Johnson said the Prime Minister wanted to see a 'gradual return of people to the workplaces' in the Civil Service, outlining the 'significant benefits' of office-based working. Asked about how many of his own team had returned to office working, vaccines minister Mr Zahawi told LBC radio: 'People are coming back and my staff now, as of this month for example, have got something like 25 per cent permanently back in the office on a rota system - so all of them are back effectively.' But he conceded that his Department of Health and Social Care office space could 'certainly' accommodate more in-person working. Advertisement

The average London rent was down to -9.4 per cent year-on-year in January, but this is now at -3.8 per cent.

Kate Eales, from estate agents Strutt and Parker, told City AM: 'Now that restrictions on travel are easing, short term stock will come out of the rental market and students will likely return, which in turn could see an increase in growth.'

Zoopla added that rents outside London are increasing at their fastest pace in more than a decade as tenants swing back into city life.

The increase means renters face paying nearly 500 more per year than they did a year ago.

Rental prices across the UK, excluding London, are up by 5 per cent year on year, driven by soaring demand in major cities amid limited supply, the report said.

The 5 per cent increase is the biggest since Zoopla's index started in 2008.

Average rents for the UK, excluding London, were put at 790 per month, up from 752 a year ago. This adds up to renters paying an average of 456 more per year.

Grainne Gilmore , head of research at Zoopla, said: 'The strong levels of rental demand seen across the UK during August will moderate in line with seasonal trends, but overall demand for rental property is likely to remain higher than usual in the coming months, amid this swing back to city life.

'As ever, much will be dependent on the extent to which the current rules around Covid continue as they are.

'But given no deviation from the current landscape, the demand for rental property, coupled with lower levels of supply, will continue to put upward pressure on rents. In London, this will translate into rental growth returning to positive territory late 2021 or early 2022.'

Meanwhile Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi revealed yesterday that only a quarter of his team work in the office at any one time and said he wanted to 'lead by example' in encouraging civil servants back to the workplace.

Apple mobility data - which monitors directions requested on its Maps app - showed that over the past month, people have been using public transport, driving or walking more than before the pandemic began in early 2020.

Passengers on board a Jubilee line Underground train at London Bridge station during the morning rush hour today

Passengers on board the 8.30am train service from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington this morning

Commuters at Birmingham New Street station this morning as people head back into the office after the summer holidays

Passengers board the 8.30am Great Western Railway train from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington this morning

Rail passengers wait for a train on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads train station during the morning rush hour today

The platform at Bath Spa train station this morning during rush hour as people board a Great Western Railway service

Commuters walk through the Deansgate area of Manchester this morning during the rush hour period today

Requests for walking directions in London are now up by as much as 70 per cent compared to January 2020, while public transport usage has risen by as much as 60 per cent compared to then - and driving is up by 40 per cent.

The Apple data is more likely to show figures for leisure trips, given that people will generally not request directions to and from the office given that this is a journey they regularly carry out.

It comes as one government source told MailOnline they had been shocked to find civil servants reinstating social distancing measures in their department.

The source said: 'There were officials putting social distancing restrictions back in place. We said, ''what are you doing? We are trying to get more people in, not close off desks.'. We can't get them to do one day a week, let alone three.'

Earlier this week a spokesman for Boris Johnson said the Prime Minister wanted to see a 'gradual return of people to the workplaces' in the Civil Service, outlining the 'significant benefits' of office-based working.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's interim interior minister, is the the Afghan equivalent of the director of the FBI,' an expert says

The Talibans newly-appointed interim interior minister leads a terrorist group and is wanted by the FBI in connection with an Afghanistan bombing that killed six people.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, named to the Talbans recently-formed cabinet Tuesday, is a specially designated global terrorist suspected of involvement in a 2008 Kabul hotel bombing, the FBI said.

He's also believed to be holding at least one American hostage, the Associated Press reported.

The Taliban, which took hold of Afghanistan following the U.S.s withdrawal from the country in late August, named Haqqani to its newly-formed cabinet Monday.

Haqqani will be tasked with overseeing law enforcement in Kabul after the Taliban promised a peaceful transition of power in the war-torn nation.

He is reportedly a senior leader of the Haqqani Network, and maintains close ties with the Taliban and al Qaeda, the FBI said.

The U.S. Department of State is offering a $10 million reward for his capture.

The FBI believe Haqqani was involved in a fatal Kabul, Afghanistan, hotel bombing in 2008

Sirajuddin Haqqani is wanted for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed six people, including an American citizen, the FBI said in a wanted poster.

He is believed to have coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

'Haqqani also allegedly was involved in the planning of the assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008.

The Haqqani Network is a Sunni Islamist militant organization founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani, the office of the Director of National Intelligence said in its counter-terrorism guide.

Jalaluddin Haqqani- the father of the Talibans new interior ministry - became a top Afghan warlord during the anti-Soviet war, and later allied with the Taliban when the terrorist group controlled Afghanistan during the mid-to-late 1990s.

The elder Haqqani was a known associate of Osama Bin Laden, and was among his closest mentors during the al-Qaeda founders formative years in the 1980s Afghan wars.

The bombing of the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel killed six people, including an American

The Haqqani Network is responsible for some of the highest-profile attacks of the Afghan war, including the June 2011 assault on the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, conducted jointly with the Afghan Taliban, and two major suicide bombings - in 2008 and 2009 - against the Indian Embassy in Kabul, the U.S. government said.

In September 2011, the Haqqanis participated in a day-long assault against major targets in Kabul, including the US Embassy, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters, the Afghan Presidential Palace, and the Afghan National Directorate of Security headquarters.

U.S. intelligence officials said the group is also involved in a number of criminal activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and smuggling.

The Haqqani Network was founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani, a close mentor of Osama Bin Laden

The U.S. government designed the Haqqani Network as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012.

Hibatullah Akhundzada became Afghanistans leader last month following the chaotic and deadly withdrawal of the U.S. army.

The Taliban swiftly seized control of the nation and although it promised a peaceful transition of power, reports have indicated otherwise.

The FBI believes Sirajuddin Haqqani orchestrated cross-border attacks against Americans and Afghans

Talbina militants shot and killed a pregnant policewoman September 4 in front of her husband and children in a door-to-door execution, witnesses have said.

Earlier this week, a top Afghan female cop went on the run after suffering a 'brutal beating' from the Taliban.

In announcing its new, all-male cabinet Tuesday, the Taliban declared Afghanistan an Islamic Emirate.

Seth Jones, director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Haqqanis appointment is the Afghan equivalent of the director of the FBI.

The Talibans appointmentdays before the 20th anniversary of the terror attack  is nothing less than a slap in the face of the U.S. and its Western allies, he said in a commentary piece published in The Wall Street Journal.

Senator Lindsey Graham called Talibans government a line up of thugs and butchers.

What could possibly go wrong with this cast of characters? he told the BBC. If youre a radical Islamic sympathizer, this is an all-star line up.
Do you know or are you Steven Smith? E-mail: dan.sales@mailonline.co.uk

Now he has been awarded over 5,000 for chicken dinner-sparked dismissal

He challenged the company dinner lady and he was sacked after she complained

Steven Smith, 30, had been left bereft by the paltry poultry offered for lunch

An HR advisor who said he had been left 'shocked and disillusioned' after getting just three chicken nuggets for lunch has been awarded over 5,000 after he was sacked for complaining.

Dissatisfied Steven Smith, 30, had been upset at the size of the 1.99 portion he was handed in the office canteen of the company support firm where he worked.

An employment tribunal heard when he queried why others were getting four or five nuggets, he said he felt antagonised when he was told he could get three more for an extra 99p.

Mr Smith advised the dinner lady he was not a kid and if I wanted a happy meal I would go to McDonalds before pushing the meal back towards her and leaving the canteen.

The woman said the incident left her stomach churning and almost afraid to come into work.

She complained about his behaviour and Mr Smith was later sacked for gross misconduct after the company found he acted violently.

But the tribunal has concluded he was unfairly dismissed as the matter was not investigated properly by bosses and will now be awarded 5,181.60.

Mr Smith was furious after being given three chicken nuggets for his lunch (file pic)

The Glasgow hearing was told Mr Smith began working for Teleperformance Limited, a company which offers support to clients such as energy companies, in the human resources department based in Airdrie, Scotland in November 2016.

In September 2019, during a 12 hour shift Mr Smith had headed to the canteen and had asked for chicken nuggets, chips, beans and cheese.

As he saw only three pieces of meat put in a box for him, Mr Smith said is that it? and asked why his colleagues were given four or five, the canteen worker told the panel.

The worker said Mr Smith said Im not a kid. You can keep it and forcefully pushed the box back before storming off, the tribunal heard.

The canteen worker said: I knew he was angry by his attitude and by his tone and language changed. He was not shouting but he was louder than he had previously been.

I could tell by his face also. My stomach was churning at this.

She then reported the incident as the kitchen staff found his behaviour unreasonable.

Mr Smith was then brought in for a disciplinary meeting to discuss the allegation that he had assaulted a canteen assistant.

In the meeting, Mr Smith said: I just wanted to get food and get out to go back to my job.

The Glasgow hearing was told Mr Smith began working for Teleperformance Limited

Due to the disillusion of what was presented before me in the white box at which the food was presented in and the sheer shock of what I was presented, I showed nothing more than dissatisfaction at which said canteen lady should have offered to raise a complaint.

However, she did not do this and instead antagonised me by stating if I wanted more I would be charged an extra 1 for 3 chicken nuggets. Due to further shock and dissatisfaction I advised if I wanted a happy meal I would go to McDonalds.

I said the meal was supposed to be subsidised - not the portion size.

It is not my fault that this canteen lady did [not] see or understand my dissatisfaction. She should have acknowledged my dissatisfaction and raised a complaint.

However instead we are in this situation where I am being falsely accused, all because I have somehow offended this woman of which was not the intent as I showed dissatisfaction at which was present to me not by whom it was presented.

Mr Smith also explained he was on medication and had been working overtime for almost 12 hours.

A second disciplinary hearing was held in October 2019 to discuss the allegation of gross misconduct in accordance with the companys policy of acting violently

Mr Smith was then sacked because of his conduct later that month.

He later appealed this decision as he felt the canteen worker had a vendetta against him and did not attend the appeal meeting as he did not feel well and was worried he would be accused of doing something he had not if he came into the office.

The appeal hearing concluded that a full and thorough investigation had taken place and Mr Smith brought a claim for unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal/notice pay to an employment tribunal.

But the tribunal - held remotely - concluded the companys investigation fell out with the range of responses open to a reasonable employer.

It noted he had a medical condition which causes his face to go red.

The panel, headed by employment judge David Hoey, concluded: The company placed significant weight on the evidence given of Mr Smiths demeanour and how they believed he had been angry, such as red faced, creating anxiety.

Mr Smith had advised the investigator he had health issues and it was possible his complexion (and demeanour) could in some

way have been connected to his health (or indeed hunger or exasperation) rather than in a way that was adverse as was being suggested.

The information as to Mr Smiths demeanour was relatively brief and lacking in detail. Despite that, considerable weight was placed upon it in concluding that the claimant was guilty of the allegation.

The sarcastic remark about a happy meal is not by itself abusive nor rude. For some the comment may have been positive depending upon their food preferences. For others it may have been negative.

The investigation that was carried out was one that no employer acting fairly and reasonably on the facts of this case would have carried out.

Mr Smith will be awarded 840 for unfair dismissal, 3,333.60 as compensation and 1,008 for notice pay/wrongful dismissal.
And others warn the funding is not enough to cut the backlog, so No10 should 'manage public expectations'

A 1.5 per cent pay increase would cost about 1 billion and unions are calling for a 15 per cent salary hike

But experts told MailOnline pay increases to healthcare staff would 'eat into the new funds'

The NHS will receive an extra 10billion to tackle the 5.5million patient backlog, No10 announced yesterday

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British taxpayers were warned today that Boris Johnson's manifesto-busting 30billion NHS handout will be 'gobbled up' permanently by the health service, with waiting lists and delays here to stay.

The Prime Minister promised the extra 10billion a year to clear the mammoth backlog that has amassed during the pandemic, on top of 5.4billion cash boost announced for the NHS only a couple of days ago.

But the handout has been given to the NHS without any firm targets to meet, which has raised fears the money will simply be swallowed. NHS bosses have already complained the sum isn't enough to clear the backlog.

Under proposals, half of the 10bn a year will be spent on social care in 2023 before the full amount is devoted to the care sector in 2025 and, in theory, the NHS reverts to its normal budget.

Critics have raised doubts about the plan, claiming that if the NHS goes on a recruitment spree to plug staffing gaps then a higher budget will become 'baked into the system'.

Announcing the tax hike yesterday, Mr Johnson said the cash would go towards nine million more checks, scans and procedures by the end of 2025, as part of the 'biggest catch-up programme in the NHS's history'.

He promised to boost NHS capacity for routine operations by 30 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, hire 50,000 more nurses and open new surgical hubs to deliver extra operations and other procedures.

By 2025, around 40 per cent of all of day-to-day Government spending will go to the the Department of Health and Social Care, which funds the health service, according to the Resolution Foundation.

The conservative think-tank, the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), warned the cash boost will almost entirely be spent on hiring new staff and increasing wages, which will be hard to recoup after 2025.

Julian Jessop, an economics fellow at the IEA, said: 'There is a risk that a temporary increase in spending on the NHS, to fix a temporary problem, becomes baked into the system, particularly via higher pay.

'Without fundamental reform, the NHS is black hole which will swallow any money spent on it, leaving nothing extra for social care.'

The left-wing Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said the funding is 'nothing like enough to get through the backlog', with the NHS alone needing 15billion per year to address the waiting list.

NHS England was already 38,952 nurses short at the end of June and it is not clear how quickly surgical hubs could take to set up or how they will be staffed.

A record 5.5million people were on the waiting list for routine operations and treatments  such as hip and knee replacements  at the end of June and with data for July due out tomorrow, that figure is expected to further soar.

Some 5.5million patients in England were waiting for routine hospital treatment - such as joint replacement and cataract surgery - by the end of June, the highest figure recorded since records began in 2007. And 304,803 of those patients (5.6 per cent) had been waiting for more than one year. In August 2007, 578,682 people of the 4.2million-strong waiting list (13.8 per cent) had been waiting for more than 52 weeks, but this dropped drastically and remained relatively flat for nearly a decade. Some 1,613 patients had been waiting for more than a year when the Covid pandemic hit, which caused the figure to soar to a high of 436,127 in March. But those waiting 12 months or more began to drop in April as the country recovered from the second wave and the health service was able to begin working on the backlog

Patients forced to wait more than 18 weeks for routine surgery - the maximum time someone should wait under the NHS's own rules - reached a record high of 2.1million last July. The figure then fell in 2020, but began to increase in March as health chiefs urged those who avoided seeking treatment during the pandemic to come forward. Before the Covid crisis, the largest number of patients forced to wait longer than 18 weeks was 1.7million in August 2007

The health and social care budget reached 212.1million in 2020, according to the King's Fund. Some 148.7million of the sum was planned funding, while the remaining 63.4million was dished out to cope with the Covid crisis. For the second half of 2021 and first half of 2022, minister plan to spend a total of 181.4million on the health service, 22.4million of which will be linked to Covid recovery

The number of patients waiting for routine hospital treatment hit 5.5million in June, the highest figure since records began in 2007. And health chiefs have warned the backlog is going to get much worse before it gets better, with projections that it could soar up to 13million by the end of the year if no action is taken

The backlog was forecast to hit 13million by December without any action, with 7million patients expected to come forward who put off seeking treatment during the pandemic.

The health service also faces challenges from a surge of Covid and flu cases expected this winter and social distancing still being enforced in hospitals. Hospitals are aiming to keep two metres between patient beds and staff, which requires more space and can reduce capacity.

It has also been told to prepare for mammoth vaccination programmes for Covid booster jabs and for all over-12s, as well as the country's biggest-ever flu jab rollout, which is expected to reach 35million people.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the the Government has historically topped up NHS spending, so the 'temporary' increase in NHS funding 'could end up permanently swallowing up the money raised by the tax increase'.

From 1982 to the start of the pandemic, proposed NHS spending plans involved increasing its annual budget by an average of 2.7 per cent, according to the IFS. But annual spending actually grew by 4.1 per cent on average, as minister topped up the amount.

If 'history repeats itself', top-ups to the funding announced this week for the NHS could 'easily eat into the amount available for social care', the IFS said.

Professor Len Shackleton, editorial and research fellow at the IEA, said that lots of the extra funding would inevitably be gobbled up by wage increases.

He told MailOnline: 'The NHS is a huge employer, and any move to increase pay above the level already budgeted for will eat into the new funds made available.

'And, given that the plan to clear the backlog involves recruiting substantial numbers of extra staff while having many existing staff work longer hours, it is almost inevitable that pay will be increased.

NHS England waiting list could soar to FOURTEEN MILLION by autumn 2022 and keep growing, says think tank The NHS waiting list in England could soar to 14 million by the autumn of next year and keep growing, an influential think tank has warned. If millions of patients who missed out on care during the pandemic seek medical attention, then the number joining the waiting list could outstrip the number being treated, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said in a report last month. Last month, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that NHS waiting lists in England could rocket to 13 million. The IFS warned the number could top this figure if most of the near seven million so-called 'missing' patients return to the health service in the next year. It said: 'Under this scenario, waiting lists would soar to 14 million by the autumn of 2022 and then continue to climb, as the number joining the waiting list exceeds the number being treated.' The IFS said it was unlikely all patients will return as some will have died and others might have had private treatment or chosen to live with their illnesses. Advertisement

'A 1.5 per cent pay increase would cost about 1 billion. If NHS costs do escalate, improvements to social care provision will be slow and underfunded.

'We should not assume that this clever political fix has solved the longer-term problems of health and social care provision.'

And job adverts online reveal that the NHS is hiring 42 new chief executives across the country, who will receive an average salary of 223,261. One in six of the new hires will be paid 270,000 - more than the Prime Minister.

Rachel Harrison, national officer at the trade union GMB, said the funding should be used to give NHS staff a retrospective 15 per cent pay rise, which would use up all of 10billion funding, according to Professor Shackleton's estimates.

She said: 'Morale among NHS staff is at a low ebb. They've faced ten years of real terms pay cuts and underfunding - leaving the health service with a massive 75,000 staffing black hole.

'After their efforts during the pandemic, to be offered another real terms pay cut just isn't good enough.

'Any new NHS funding that doesn't go towards giving staff a proper pay rise spectacularly misses the point.

'GMB is calling for a restorative 15 per cent increase to make up for a decade of slashed pay under the Conservatives.'

And Richard Murray, chief executive of the King's Fund think-tank, said wages are likely to go up, as medics have to work longer due to staff shortages.

He told MailOnline: 'If you put a lot of money into the NHS very quickly that they weren't ready for - which is true in this case - they have to find staff.

'You can't invent extra doctors and nurses, the workforce is what it is.

'This means you risk two routes - one is paying more people for overtime and bringing in expensive agency workers. So paying higher rates for longer hours.

'You can also try to persuade existing staff not to drop out early or retire. Some of that can show up in pay, but it can also be in areas like training and career development to try and keep people longer than they would otherwise plan to stay.'

Mr Murray predicted some of the money could go on diagnostic equipment and extending opening hours at operating theatres, or perhaps even on new hospital buildings.

'Britain has very few MRI and CT scanners. The Government has also promised a large hospital building programme too.

'One thing to note is that the money that has been announced by the government is revenue spending and things like large scanners are taken from capital spending.

'So either in the spending review we'll see another slug of money appearing for capital spending or some of the money will be moved across from revenue into capital.

'They said by the end of the period they want a 30 per cent increase in elective activity.

'It's hard to build completely new things so I think you'll see them trying to draw on independent sector capacity.

The health service's budget in 2024/25 will be nearly four per cent higher than it was in 2018/19, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. It is projected to reach 160billion, according to the funding that was announced yesterday

'And an attempt to make sure they're using operating theatre and scanners to their full capacity and ensuring appointments aren't being cancelled and these areas are being left empty.

'Hips and knee replacements are huge areas in the waiting lists, so they'll be an emphasis on giving more support afterwards.'

Mr Murray said hospital opening hours could be extended in order to reach the government's target of boosting the number of elective procedures by 30 per cent, but it would be a 'balancing act' not to alienate staff with longer hours.

'Hospitals could be run for longer hours, but you need the staff to do it,' he said. 'The risk is that if staffing hours aren't going up then you'll see them working longer hours.

'It's a fine path to tread not to get people to work so hard that they want to leave.

'The government will be looking at what can be done with general practice, because quite a few patients are stressed about this and some dislike the digital route.

'I'd expect to ministers see how they can use other staff like community pharmacists to try to ease the pressure on general practice.

'Lengthening surgery opening hours produces the same risk of alienating an already frustrated workforce by making them work for longer.'

And adding to the concerns that extra cash will not be enough to cut the waiting list, NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, which represent hospitals and health service organisations, said the funding falls 3.5billion short of what is needed due to the 'seismic impact' of Covid and rising demand on the NHS.

Ministers should 'manage public expectations about how long it will take to deal with the care backlog', because the funding limits NHS ability to tackle the shortfalls in treatment and care, they said.

The funding does not go 'nearly far enough', which leaves health and care leads with an 'impossible set of choices about where and how to prioritise care for patients', they added.

Chris Thomas, IPPR senior research fellow, said the NHS will be 'deeply worried' about its long-term financial position.

He said: 'The funding announced is nothing like enough to get through the backlog and deliver the transformation needed to build back better.

'This will have severe health and economic consequences for years to come, while also leaving the country fundamentally unprepared for future health shocks.'

Estimates have put the cost of the Covid backlog at 10billion per year, but IPPR said the NHS would need an annual funding boost of 15billion to treat those on the list, because its 'performance and resilience were at record lows' before the pandemic, the IPPR said.

Dr Susan Crossland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the additional funds for the NHS along 'will barely scratch the surface after years of neglect'.

She said: 'Patients, staff and the wider public will not be convinced by figures or that this Government has a real understanding of how to resolve the NHS and social care crises given it has failed to get the basics right - and no injection of money will help our current exhausted workforce.'

The 'basics' include renovating ageing hospitals, retaining and recruiting staff, increasing bed capacity and sorting out social care, Dr Crossland added.
Long-suffering Sydneysiders will finally be able to enjoy a cold beer in the pub on October 18, after NSW's crisis cabinet decided on the reopening date during a late night meeting.

The date will coincide with the state reaching its 70 per cent Covid vaccination target, allowing double-dosed residents to attend venues including pubs, cafes, restaurants, retail shops and hair salons.

It comes as parts of regional NSW are set to be released from lockdown on Friday with an announcement from Gladys Berejiklian expected at 11am tomorrow.

Those who are double-jabbed will be able to prove their vaccination status at venues automatically when then scan in via QR Code using the Service NSW app.

But the long-awaited reopening dubbed 'Freedom Day' will still include capacity restrictions on all dining, retail venues and events.

Those who have not received the jab will not be offered the same freedoms.

Weddings and funerals will also be permitted to resume with limits of the number of vaccinated guests.

Long-suffering Sydneysiders will finally be able to enjoy a cold beer in the pub on October 18, after NSW's crisis cabinet decided on the reopening date during a late night meeting

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced holiday-hungry residents will be permitted to travel within their own state, as early as October

Those who have not received the jab, will not be offered the same freedoms. Pictured: A Sydney nightclub before the Covid crisis hit

New freedoms Sydneysiders can expect on October 18 The state-wide lockdown is set to end when NSW hits 70 per cent double-dosed vaccinations with a target of October 18. *Pubs, restaurants and other retail settings will open for vaccinated customers with limits on venue capacity *Hairdressers and barbers will be allowed to resume work with vaccinated customers *Churches and places of worship will be permitted to run in-person services for vaccinated attendees only *Weddings and funerals will be allowed to resume for vaccinated guests with limits on capacity Advertisement

The flurry of news comes as cooped-up double-dosed Sydneysiders were told they will be able to pack their bags for a domestic holiday as early as the end of October when vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced holiday-hungry residents will be permitted to travel within their own state, as long as vaccination rates remain high.

'The vaccination rates in regional and rural NSW have to continue to rise on par with what's happening with metropolitan Sydney,' Mr Barilaro said on Wednesday.

The plan to allow tourists back into the state's regional and rural areas is expected to give long-suffering business owners a much-needed cash injection.

The earmarked date for when 80 per cent of the NSW population is fully-vaccinated is set for the end of October or the first part of November.

When this benchmark is achieved fully-vaccinated Sydneysiders will be allowed to travel freely through the state with a special travel permit.

The travel permit will be accessed on the Service NSW app, with the deputy premier warning the document will be essential for movement throughout the state.

However, as the NSW Premier has repeatedly warned, unvaccinated residents will miss out on a travel.

Those who are double-dosed will be able to prove their vaccination status automatically when then scan in via QR Code using the Service NSW app. Pictured: Drinkers at the Royal Hotel in Sydney

The long awaited reopening dubbed 'Freedom Day' will still include capacity restrictions on all dining, retail venues and events. Pictured: A large crowd on Sydney's Pitt Street prior to the Covid pandemic

Shoppers are seen at Pitt Street Mall in Sydney on December 26, 2018 prior to the debilitating pandemic

The ABC reported that on Thursday, several regional areas including the Riverina, Murrumbidgee, Mid and North Coast, regions, will emerge from lockdown after almost a month of living under stay-at-home orders.

'The most likely areas, if you're going to consider it, is areas with no cases, it's as simple as that,' Mr Barilaro said.

'We'll make those decisions and let the community know shortly there is an opportunity to open but I would argue it would be in a restricted environment, not like the environment pre-lockdown.'

Health authorities meanwhile have detected the virus at a sewage treatment plant in Bonny Hills, 23km south of Port Macquarie, despite the area having no known cases.

'Regional and rural NSW do have a level of anxiety about people leaving Sydney," Mr Barilaro acknowledged.

But under the permit system he said police have the ability to stop anyone entering regional areas who is not authorised.

Cooped-up Sydney will be able to travel to regional NSW as early as October when vaccination targets hit 80 per cent

Sydneysiders have been living under stay-at-home orders for almost 12 weeks. Pictured: Sydney's Coogee Bay Hotel

Premier Berejiklian on Tuesday the exact details of the reopening plan are still being ironed out but told pubs and restaurants to 'dust off your Covid-safety plans' in preparation for a return to normality.

'Things will be reopening in October, and we thank everyone for their patience in what a frustrating time it's been,' she said.

But she refused to confirm if all of the state would enjoy eased restrictions at the same time.

WHICH SUBURBS COULD SOON ENJOY A POST-LOCKDOWN DRINK? *Mosman (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) *Hunters Hill (79 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) *Gordon (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) *Roseville (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) *St Ives (89 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) *Wahroonga (89 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) *Pymble (89 per cent first dose, 59 per cent second dose) *Lindfield (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) * Turramurra (90 per cent first dose, 69 per cent second dose) Source: NSW Health data by postcode for September 5 Advertisement

'Where we decide to have any pilots will be up to the health advice,' she said.

'Our Service NSW app, which allows people to check in and also indicate that they're fully-vaccinated, has to be trialled.

'We'll get advice from health as to where the best locations are for that, and I envisage it'll be a variety of locations to make sure that we get it right by the time we open up.'

One of the places that could be selected for the reopening trial is Sydney's affluent harbourside hamlet Mosman, with the suburb reporting only six active cases of the virus and more than 75 per cent of its residents single-dosed.

The Ku-ring-gai LGA on Sydney's Upper North Shore is also looking to be first in the door, reporting 24 active cases and 86.9 per cent of residents with one jab.

Residents who live in suburbs such as Roseville, St Ives, Wahroonga, Pymble, Lindfield and Turramurra could look forward to a night out in just a few weeks time.

So too could fully vaccinated residents in postcodes like North Sydney, Hunters Hill and Gordon, where active cases of the virus remain low.

John Green, the director of the Australian Hotels Association, said the trial will give the city's pubs a good opportunity for testing the new vaccination technology and overcoming any teething problems with operating such a passport system.

'It just makes sense to put it into play, see how it works and then everyone benefits,' Mr Green said.

However, Opposition Leader Chris Minns has slammed the selective nature of the trial and argued it wasn't fair that some residents got to enjoy the freedoms earlier than others.

'You can't have a plan where one third of Sydney is under curfew but you can go out and get a rose in the Northern Beaches and the North Shore, it's just not fair,' he said.

NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet also said it would be a mistake to open some suburbs before others because it would sow further division and spark a 'tale of two cities' recovery from the crisis.

Premier Berejiklian said the Service NSW app, which allows people to check in and also indicate that they're fully-vaccinated, has to be trialled. Pictured: People dine at Golden Age Cinema and Bar in Surry Hills on May 16, 2020

Despite the welcome news, NSW recorded one of the deadliest days of the pandemic with nine fatalities and a further 1,480 new cases.

The spate of deaths included a man in his 20s, a man in his 40s, two people in their 60s, two men in their 70s, two men in their 80s and a man in his 90s - all of whom had serious underlying health issues.

It takes the toll for the current Delta outbreak to 148.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said 75 per cent of the state's residents had now received at least one vaccine dose, but on Wednesday singled out suburbs in the city where the virus was still spreading and inoculation rates were alarmingly low.

'While parts of western Sydney and south-western Sydney are demonstrating outstanding results, there are other parts of Greater Sydney where wed like vaccination rates to go up,' she said.

NSW Health's Dr Marianne Gale named Glebe, Waterloo, Redfern, Marrickville as suburbs with high case numbers where officials want higher levels of vaccination.

Covid immunisation rates in central Sydney are the lowest in the city, the federal government reported on Monday.

Sydney has been living under lockdown for almost 12 weeks.

Despite the welcome news, NSW recorded one of the deadliest days of the pandemic with nine fatalities and a further 1,480 new cases. Pictured: A Sydney worker is seen wearing a protective face shield
The Victorian government should immediately establish a redress scheme for mothers whose babies were forcibly removed under historical adoption policies, a landmark parliamentary inquiry says.

The Legislative Assembly legal and social issues committee has tabled a 245-page report in state parliament into responses to historical forced adoption, making 56 recommendations.

A redress scheme and the removal of the statute of limitations for historical forced adoption were chief among its suggestions and should be introduced 'without delay'.

The committee says the scheme should include monetary payments, counselling and psychological support, and a personal response from institutions and groups involved in the applicant's forced adoption.

The Victorian government has been urged to compensate mothers whose babies were forcibly removed under historical adoption policies (stock)

The government has been encouraged to work with responsible bodies to get them to sign up to the redress scheme, and consider punishing those that fail to adhere to a set time frame.

Free and independent guidance should be provided to those seeking redress or civil litigation through a fully-funded legal advice and referral service.

'All organisations need to take responsibility for their policies and practices of the past,' committee chair Natalie Suleyman wrote in her foreword to the report tabled on Wednesday.

Launched in November 2019, the inquiry received 114 submissions and heard from many mothers and adoptees across 11 days of public hearings in Melbourne and regional areas.

A law firm representing several women whose newborns were taken by the state between the 1950s and 1970s said the committee had listened to mothers' calls.

'We are relieved defendants will no longer be able to deny justice to victims by hiding behind the statute of limitations,' Shine Lawyers' Cameron Tout said.

Ms Suleyman also said almost all the adopted people they heard from had negative experiences to share.

'Tragically, babies were taken from their mothers who were unfairly judged as unfit to raise them, yet many babies were placed with unsuitable and sometimes unsafe adoptive families,' the Labor MP wrote.

'Understandably, this has adversely affected people's health and wellbeing.'

Shine Lawyers are representing several women whose newborns were taken by the state between the 1950s and 1970s

A stand-alone inquiry has been proposed to explore the impacts of adoption on adopted people, along with the implementation of integrated birth certificates for those who request them.

Other recommended measures would help improve the operation and transparency of current adoption laws to 'ensure the mistakes of the past are not repeated', Ms Suleyman wrote.

To recognise the suffering of thousands stemming from being forcibly adopted in the state, the eight-member committee of Labor, Liberal and Nationals MPs also called for the Victorian government to designate an annual day.

October 25, the anniversary of former Victorian Liberal premier Ted Ballieu's 2012 apology in state parliament for past adoption practices, was put forward as an option.

The state government said it acknowledged the 'immense grief and trauma' caused by historical forced adoption practices.

'We recognise the significant amount of work and public consultation that has gone into the preparation of the report and look forward to delivering a response,' a government spokeswoman told AAP.

It has until early 2022 to formally respond.
Priti Patel will hold showdown talks with her French counterpart over migrant crossings today as the MP for Calais dismissed threats to withhold 54million of funding.

The Home Secretary will meet Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin in London amid growing alarm at the record numbers trying to get across the Channel.

There have been complaints that Paris is not doing enough to block journeys, despite the pledge of cash from the UK to help the efforts.

Demands to send would-be refugees straight back to France have also been decried as dangerous and a breach of international law.

Some 14,000 migrants are now thought to have arrived in the UK via the route this year, after around another 160 were brought into the marina at the Port of Dover today. The Home Office has yet to update the official figures.

Grilled on the situation at PMQs this afternoon Boris Johnson admitted that the government is reliant on the French, but insisted ministers will use 'every possible tactic' to ease the problems.

Government sources told MailOnline the discussions today will focus on 'working together and outcomes'.

Pierre-Henri Dumont, who represents Calais in the French National Assembly, warned that 'nothing can stop' migrants coming.

'The fact is, we've got 300 to 400 kilometres of shore to monitor every day and every night and it's quite impossible to have police officers every 100 metres because of the length of the shore,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Dumont added that while the main reason for the current increase in Channel crossings is the warmer weather, there are 'numerous causes' to address about why they are made in the first place.

'That's the key point  the causes we need to address are numerous,' he added.

Mr Dumont cited migrants being more likely to speak English as one of the reasons, and said it is easier for them to find work in the UK despite their illegal status.

He added: 'We have more and more patrols. The money that was promised to be given by the UK Government to France is set to maintain this number of patrols that we already doubled a few weeks ago.'

Priti Patel (left) will meet Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin (right) in London amid growing alarm at the record numbers trying to get across the Channel

A group of migrants are brought ashore by the Border Force in Dover today

Migrants are escorted to shore by Border Force staff in Dover this morning

A group of migrants come ashore in Kent yesterday. There have been complaints that Paris is not doing enough to block journeys, despite the pledge of cash from the UK to help the efforts

Migrants in Kent after making the journey yesterday amid a growing row between Priti Patel and France over the crossings

France bans sale of inflatable dinghies from Channel towns in bid to stop migrant crossings - but doesn't stop them being ordered online and delivered France has been forced to ban the sale of inflatable dinghies from Channel towns in a bid to try to end a surge in migrant crossings. Sports shops dotted around the French coast near the Channel have been told to stop selling the boats and kayaks amid a steady flow of migrants sailing across the waters to the UK. But despite the ban, people smugglers are able to get around the restrictions by ordering the inflatable vessels online and getting them delivered to their safe houses, reports The Sun. The boats and kayaks are then transported by the traffickers to points along the coast where migrants hoping to cross the Channel can pick them up. Sports retailer Decathlon's store in Calais showed on their website that boats were not for sale - but the newspaper was able to order a vessel online for 600 and get it home delivered to an address in the coastal city. Meanwhile, it is also possible to order an inflatable boat on Amazon to be delivered to addresses in Calais. Advertisement

As smuggling gangs took advantage of fair weather at sea, an estimated 785 people made it to English beaches on Monday, close to the daily high of 828 set last month.

Ms Patel has been telling Conservative backbenchers that unless France starts intercepting three in four attempted crossings she will go back on an agreement signed in July to hand the country another 54million to double coastal police patrols and improve aerial surveillance.

'We've not given them a penny of the money so far and France is going to have to get its act together if it wants to see the cash. It's payment by results and we've not yet seen those results,' she told the MPs.

However, yesterday the Ministry of the Interior insisted there had been no conditions attached to the deal.

'The terms of this funding were negotiated in detail with the British side and there was never any question of making payment conditional on quantified targets. Such an approach would reflect a serious loss of confidence in our co-operation,' the department said.

France insisted it was 'deploying considerable and constantly increasing resources to prevent crossings' and had prevented half of those attempted this year, stopping more than 10,000 migrants getting across.

Ms Patel was also urged to resist calls by her backbenchers to start sending boats full of migrants including children back to France before they can claim asylum in the UK.

'We also call on the British government to be cautious about the announced use of procedures to fight against attempted sea crossings which would not only be dangerous for men, women and children on board these boats, but contrary to international law,' the Ministry of the Interior said.

Mr Darmanin will meet Ms Patel this week on the sidelines of a G7 gathering of home ministers, to 'clarify the terms of our co-operation'.

Another 500 migrants are thought to have reached the UK yesterday after another bout of good weather led to a wave of departures from France.

MPs have already questioned why the UK has given yet more money to Paris when so many people are still making the dangerous journey.

Monday's estimated total could smash the record of 828 crossings in a single day, set on August 21  the last time migrants successfully crossed to Britain.

A spell of poor weather halted attempts, before 158 asylum seekers, including children, reached the UK across the world's busiest shipping lane on Sunday.

Around 13,000 have already crossed the Channel to reach Britain this year  eclipsing the 8,417 who made the journey in the whole of 2020. The Home Office has previously pledged to make the journey 'unviable'.
The vaccines minister admitted today that only one in four of his civil servants are back in work at the office - as he said he wanted to 'lead by example' in encouraging them to return.

Nadhim Zahawi said that, while all of his staff were back to working in Whitehall, they operate on a rota system so that just a quarter are at their desks each day, with the rest carrying out their jobs from home.

It comes after a spokesman for Boris Johnson said the Prime Minister wanted to see a 'gradual return of people to the workplaces' in the Civil Service, outlining the 'significant benefits' of office-based working.

Nadhim Zahawi said that, while all of his staff were back to working in Whitehall, they operate on a rota system so that just a quarter are at their desks each day

The call to return appeared to be heeded by thousands more London commuters, with the capital's Tube network on Monday recording its busiest rush hour morning since March 2020, according to Transport for London data.

Between 7am and 8am on Monday, there were some 277,000 'taps' in on the Tube, an increase of 24% on last Tuesday, with a further 332,000 entries between 8am and 9am - up 22% on last week.

Tube usage had been expected to reach 50% of the pre-pandemic level by the end of Monday, while on buses it could be more than two-thirds.

But pictures of Whitehall taken on the same day showed it remained deserted.

Asked about how many of his own team had returned to office working, vaccines minister Mr Zahawi told LBC radio: 'People are coming back and my staff now, as of this month for example, have got something like 25% permanently back in the office on a rota system - so all of them are back effectively.'

The roads around Whitehall were largely deserted on Monday morning as many civil servants continued to work from home

But he conceded that his Department of Health and Social Care office space could 'certainly' accommodate more in-person working.

Put to him that workers were being encouraged to return to offices while at the same time the majority of his office was empty, the minister said: 'We continue to make sure we get people back as quickly as possible, as safely as possible, it is the right thing to do.

'Look, we have to lead by example and I will take your message and personally make sure that we continue on with the staff, because it is important that people come back, and come back safely.'

The call to return appeared to be heeded by thousands more London commuters. Pictured: A graph showing the increase in the number bus and Tube journeys in London as the capital continues to open up

This graph shows the average congestion for days in 2021. It does not go up to the first day of this week

The difference between the amount of traffic on days this year compared to the same days in 2019, pre-pandemic

Speaking on Monday, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said it was up to individual employers how staff returned, but emphasised that there were benefits to workers being based in the same location.

'We've set out before there are significant benefits to people being able to work in the office,' he told reporters.

'That's why it is our approach that there is a gradual return to the workplace.

'Obviously, it's down to individual employers working with their employees on what is the right balance for them.'

He added: 'What we have seen within the Civil Service is people adhering to that guidance, which is a gradual return of people to the workplaces.

'And it's worth reiterating that a significant proportion of civil servants were working throughout the pandemic.'
At least 41 people have been killed in a fire at an overcrowded Indonesia prison blamed on an electrical fault.

The blaze tore through the overcrowded cells early today while most inmates were asleep, injuring dozens and burning many of the dead so badly they could not be identified.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze - which was mostly contained within one block that housed prisoners jailed on drug charges - at around 3am (8pm GMT Tuesday) and evacuated the victims.

Television footage showed a massive fire raging through the prison block with thick smoke billowing from the building. At least two of the victims were foreign nationals, one each from South Africa and Portugal.

'Forty died on the scene and one died on his way to the hospital,' said Yasonna Laoly, Indonesia's justice minister, adding that eight were seriously injured and 31 sustained minor injuries.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the incident at Tangerang Penitentiary, just outside the capital Jakarta, but suspected an electrical fault may have been to blame.

At least 41 people have been killed in a fire at an overcrowded Indonesia prison blamed on an electrical fault (pictured, health care workers carry a body bag for identification)

Indonesia's justice minister Yasonna Laoly said 31 inmates had minor injuries, eight had serious injuries, and at least 41 died

Firefighters have extinguished the blaze which broke out in a block (pictured) that housed prisoners jailed on drug charges

Jakarta police chief Fadil Imran said: 'Based on early observation, it is suspected (the fire) happened because of a short circuit'.

Laoly said the prison's electrical system had not been upgraded since it was built over 40 years ago, in 1972.

'The fire spread quickly and there was no time to open some cells... When the guards found out, the fire had already spread, and that's where we found the victims,' Laoly added.

He said police had started identifying victims but that DNA testing would probably be needed for some of the bodies that were hard to recognise.

Marlinah, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, raced to the local hospital after officials called her home to say her younger brother Muhammad Yusuf had died.

'I just hope the procedure is not complicated so I can bring my brother's body home for burial,' she said, tearing up.

Police have started identifying victims but that DNA testing will probably be needed for some of the bodies that were hard to recognise, Jakarta's police chief said

At least two foreign nationals - from South Africa and Portugal - have been confirmed as among the dead

Ambulances arrived in front of Tangerang correctional facility in Indonesia after a fire broke out and killed more than 40 inmates

Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly (pictured) confirmed 40 people died in the fire with one more fatality on route to the hospital

Laoly confirmed that there were two foreign nationals, a South African and a Portuguese, among the dead, but did not elaborate on their convictions.

He said he was coordinating with Indonesia's foreign ministry as well as relevant embassies and consulates to organise repatriation or burial.

Among the dead, one was convicted on a terrorism charge, one for murder and multiple others on drug charges.

'I would like to convey deepest condolences to the victims' families, I don't want this to happen again,' Laoly said.

In addition to those who died in the Tangerang fire, eight inmates were hospitalized with severe burns and nine with light injuries were treated at a prison clinic, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said.

Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound for observation.

The 15 corrections officers guarding the cell block were unhurt, said Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department.

Agus Toyib, who heads the Banten provincial law and human rights office, which oversees Tangerang, said understaffing at the prison led to delays in rescuing inmates from their locked cells.

'Most victims caught fire as they didn't have enough time to get out of their cells and the fire was growing rapidly,' he said.

The penitentiary department's website showed the jail had just over 2,000 inmates, more than three times as many prisoners than it was designed to hold.

The block where the fire broke out had a maximum capacity of 40 prisoners but housed 120, penitentiary directorate general spokesperson Rika Aprianti told Metro TV.

Reynhard Silitonga, the head of corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, told AP in an e-mail that if there isn't a change in policy, the number of inmates could continue to rise.

With a planned new approach, 'the spirit of handling drug offenders, especially users, is directed at the health aspect, no longer imprisonment,' he said.

He did not say how long it would take to implement the changes.

The block where the fire broke out (pictured) had a maximum capacity of 40 prisoners but housed 120

A relative of a victim of the Indonesian prison fire sits on the bus taking her to a police hospital to help identify the dead

Police and relatives have been sent to hospital to identify victims after many were so badly burnt they could not be easily recognised

Overcrowded, unsanitary conditions are common in Indonesian jails, which contain about 270,000 inmates, but are built to hold only 132,107 prisoners.

Jailbreaks are frequent and in 2019 at least 100 prisoners escaped from a jail in Riau province, Sumatra after a riot and fire broke out.

In April last year, Indonesia released about 29,000 inmates in a bid to stop Covid-19 from rampaging through a prison system known for its unsanitary conditions.

Safety measures are often lacking in the Southeast Asian country of nearly 270 million.

In 2019, 30 people - including several children - were killed when a matchstick factory exploded in North Sumatra after a worker accidentally dropped a lighter on some flammable materials.

This morning's fire is the country's most deadly since 47 people perished in a firework factory disaster in 2017.
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Covid cases among children in Scotland may already be falling just weeks after schools went back and sparked a fresh wave of infections, in an encouraging sign for the rest of the UK.

Public Health Scotland data suggest Covid cases among under-14s peaked at 1,943 on September 1 after rising consistently for three weeks when classes resumed north of the border.

Infections in the age group fell in the following three days and have hovered at almost 1,500 since.

There was huge concern across the UK when Scotland's cases rocketed almost three-fold after schools went back in mid-August.

It reignited the debate about whether children aged 12 to 15 should be routinely vaccinated against Covid to keep transmission low and avoid a delayed winter peak.

Professor Chris Whitty and the other chief medical officers are currently weighing up whether to offer jabs to 12 to 15-year-olds, after the Government's vaccine advisers said the shots only offered a marginal benefit to their health.

Professor Whitty  who said over summer he would be in favour of jabbing kids to prevent more school closures  is expected to OK the move on Friday.

But some SAGE advisers have already said it is too late to vaccinate the age group, saying youngsters should have been jabbed before they returned to the classroom.

They pointed to the eight week gap required after the first dose and the up to three week gap after the second dose before the jabs spark immunity to suggest it is too late to vaccinate the age group.

CHILDREN AGED 0 TO 14 IN SCOTLAND: This graph shows the number of Covid cases detected each day among boys aged 0 to 14 (blue line) and girls in the same age group (pink line) by specimen date, which is the date the test was carried out. The data showed Covid cases in the age group may have peaked on September 1. The line falls to near the bottom of the graph at the end because Public Health Scotland has published incomplete data between September 3 and 6. It is incomplete because it takes about a week for all tests done on a particular day to be checked for the virus. This line is expected to rise over the next few days, although it is not expected to climb steeply

TEENAGERS AGED 15 TO 19 IN SCOTLAND: The above graph shows the number of Covid infections detected per day in boys aged 15 to 19 (blue line) and girls in the same age group (pink line). It shows that cases in both age groups are now falling sharply. The line falls to near the bottom of the graph at the end because Public Health Scotland has published incomplete data between September 3 and 6. It is incomplete because it takes about a week for all tests done on a particular day to be checked for the virus

COVID CASES IN THE WEEK BEGINNING AUGUST 30 (left) AND SEPTEMBER 6 (right) BY AGE GROUP: The above graphs show the total number of Covid cases detected by age groups in Scotland for the latest two weeks that data is available. They show that cases tend to be highest among 0 to 14 year olds over the latest weeks

PHS publishes Covid cases detected in each age group by specimen date, which is when the test was carried out.

It can take up to a week for a swab to be checked for the virus and for a result to be reported, which leads to a lag in the figures published to the official dashboard.

SAGE adviser says children should have been jabbed over the summer holidays A SAGE adviser today suggested that teenagers should have been vaccinated over the summer holidays. Professor John Edmunds, who is also an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, warned that jabbing teenagers now would not have 'much effect' on suppressing a winter wave. He told The Times: 'Even if we started [vaccinating all teenagers] immediately it's not going to have much of an impact on the epidemiology in the next couple of months. '[This is] because they will only get a single dose and one dose is not terribly effective at preventing infection with the Delta variant. 'The biggest lever we could have pressed was to have vaccinated schoolchildren but we should have done it before they went back to school. 'In the last six weeks, we haven't really taken any action to prevent things taking off in the autumn, and that's a shame.' Experts fear England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be hit by surging cases in the coming days after schools returned from the summer holidays. In Scotland  where children went back in mid-August  infections have already spiked to their highest levels since the pandemic began. Advertisement

PHS Scotland data showed that among under-14s infections peaked on September 1, when 1,943 tested positive for the virus.

Cases fell six per cent the next day, the latest available, after 1,819 tested positive.

Data up to September 6 shows that infections have continued to fall in the age group, with 1,612, 1,288 and 1,335 recorded so far on the next three days.

But the delay in reporting suggests that these numbers will rise when the next updates are published, although the change is likely to only be small.

Among teenage boys aged 15 to 19 years old Covid cases peaked on August 31 when there were 532 new infections recorded.

They have since fallen by 17 per cent, after 438 infections were recorded on September 2.

This was also down a tenth on the same time last week, when 489 infections were recorded.

And among teenage girls in the age group Covid data suggests infections peaked on August 25 when 529 cases were recorded.

Since then they have dropped by almost 20 per cent after 424 cases were recorded on the latest date available.

This was a drop of 15 per cent on the same time last week when 501 cases were recorded.

The seven-day average suggests among boys in this age group there wre 314.6 cases reported every day by September 2, the lowest level since August 23 (295.3) around the time schools returned from the holidays.

Among girls in the age group the seven day average has dropped to 294.4, at its lowest level since August 21 (279.4).

The majority of Scottish schools began the autumn term between August 18 and August 19.

But PHS data suggests Covid cases in these age groups started to surge shortly before schools went back, with cases first beginning to rise around August 15. It takes several days for someone who has caught Covid to suffer symptoms and get a positive test for the virus.

The majority of schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland began their autumn term at the start of September.

England has shelved all Covid measures except requiring pupils to swab themselves for the virus twice a week. It will also now only require children that test positive to quarantine at home for ten days, while their peers will be able to keep coming to school providing they test negative for the virus.

In Scotland testing, mask wearing and social distancing was all in place for schools when children first returned to the classroom.

It comes as top experts continue to debate whether children aged 12 to 15 should be vaccinated against the virus, but a SAGE member has already warned it may be too late to inoculate the age group.

Professor John Edmunds, who is also an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told The Times: 'Even if we started (vaccinating all teenagers) immediately its not going to have much of an impact on the epidemiology in the next couple of months because they will only get a single dose and one dose isnt terribly effective at preventing infection with the Delta variant.

'The biggest lever we could have pressed was to have vaccinated schoolchildren but we should have done it before they went back to school.

'In the last six weeks we havent really taken any action to prevent things taking off in the autumn, and thats a shame.'

Covid vaccines reduce the risk of becoming infected with the virus, but drastically cut the chance of being hospitalised and dying from the disease.

Dr David Strain, a chief at the British Medical Journal, predicted on Monday that the vaccines would only cut the risk of getting infected with the virus by 20 per cent amid the spread of the more infectious Delta variant.

Ministers have made no secret of the fact they want to inoculate the age group, with the NHS ordered to have plans ready to roll out the doses from last week.

If approved, children are expected to be offered either the Pfizer or Moderena jabs in schools.

Scientists are divided over whether 12 to 15-year-olds should get the Covid vaccine, with some SAGE members backing the move yesterday arguing it would help to head off a surge in infections later this winter.

But others have argued it would be ethically dubious to inoculate the age group when millions of people in poorer countries are still waiting to be vaccinated.
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A collection of rare Victorian photos used by police to identify London gangs has emerged for sale more than 120 years later.

The photo album, compiled by police in the late 19th century, has portraits of hundreds of men known to police in south and east London.

Dressed in sharp suits and caps reminiscent of the criminals in BBC hit drama the Peaky Blinders, it is thought many of them were involved in organised crime and racketeering.

Whilst many of the criminals look decidedly smart, most were simply wearing what was common for men at the time.

Expert Austin Faraher, from Chiswick Auctions in West London, described the album as one of the earliest known examples of police reconnaissance work, designed to keep an alphabetic record of suspected criminals.

A collection of rare Victorian mugshots used by police to identify London gangs has emerged for sale more than 120 years later. The photo album, compiled by police in the late 19th century, has portraits of hundreds of men known to police in south and east London. Above: Suspected criminals G.W. Skeen and N.J. Dowe. Above: Suspected wrong-doers C.W. Mepham, G.H.Williams and A.H. Ward

The silver gelatin prints were collated across two decades and are accompanied by the names of the undesirables.

They show a remarkable array of characters from debonair, moustachioed gentleman to rough-and-tumble thugs.

Police acquired the pictures by approaching family members of the criminals and working with professional portrait photographers Charles Fredrick Treble's in south London.

Some of the photos were taken by Treble's after possibly inviting the men for a 'free picture', the auctioneers said. Doing so would have given the police photographic evidence of wanted men.

The archive has been made available by a private collector and is tipped to sell for between 2,000 and 3,000.

Mr Faraher said: 'Whoever collated it remains a mystery but we know the album was a very early intelligence database for police.

'The photos were intended as a reference if that person was later connected with a crime or brought in for questioning.

Expert Austin Faraher, from Chiswick Auctions in West London, described the album as one of the earliest known examples of police reconnaissance work, designed to keep an alphabetic record of suspected criminals. Above: N. J. Dowe, G.Dowling and W.F. Dowling

The silver gelatin prints were collated across two decades and are accompanied by the names of the undesirables. They show a remarkable array of characters from debonair, moustachioed gentleman to rough-and-tumble thugs. Above: Criminals T. Mahoney, J. Manley and W. Mitchell

Dressed in sharp suits and caps reminiscent of the criminals in BBC hit drama the Peaky Blinders (above), it is thought many of them were involved in organised crime and racketeering

Police acquired the pictures by approaching family members of the criminals and working with professional studios such as Charles Fredrick Treble's in south London. Above: G.W. Skeen and A. H. Ward. Both are dressed in suits and caps

Some of the photos were taken by Treble's after possibly inviting the men for a 'free picture', the auctioneers said. Doing so would have given the police photographic evidence of wanted men. Above: J. McDonald, J GL Meaper and A. Mitchell

Mr Faraher said: 'Whoever collated it remains a mystery but we know the album was a very early intelligence database for police. Above: Wanted suspects J. T. Staff, W.A. Smith and R. E. Stiles

Looking smug: Suspect H. Saunders is seen in a smart suit and hat, whilst F. Slater looks a little more scruffy. The photos were intended as a reference for if the individual in question was later connected with a crime or brought in for questioning

Mr Faraher said that the fact the police spent so much time and resources on the photo archive suggests that the men in question were 'not wanted for stealing a few apples. Instead, they were likely serious criminals involved in gangs and racketeering. Above: Six wanted criminals, including a J.T. Spooner and G.T. Spencer

In some of the cases, police would have interviewed family members and asked for private pictures, in others, they collaborated with photographic studies to picture suspects for free

'For them to spend so much time and resources on this tells us these men were not wanted for stealing a few apples - they would have been serious criminals involved in gangs and racketeering.

'It is one of the most unique consignments I have ever sold, showing such a variety of people in a raw and authentic style unlike other Victorian photos which are often very glamorous.

'There are several Celtic immigrants from Scotland and Ireland, with some guys looking rather thuggish and others who are very well-dressed and proper - not what you would expect a criminal to look like at all.

'Police mugshots have been dated as early as the 1870s, but it is remarkable to see such an early attempt at intelligence gathering.

'In some cases, an officer would have interviewed family members and asked for private pictures.

'On other occasions, they collaborated with studios who offered to picture suspects for free and supplied the shots to the police.'
Law firm Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED) has reported Alex Murdaugh to the police for his alleged misappropriation of more than $1million in company money.

It is the latest in a string of puzzling events involving the family dynasty after the South Carolina legal heir, whose wife and son were shot dead in June, checked himself into rehab on Monday for what is believed to be an opioid addiction after claiming he had been 'shot in the head' on Saturday.

Murdaugh stepped down from PMPED in Hampton, South Carolina, on Friday after being urged to do so by the firm's bosses.

Details of the alleged fraud have not yet been made public, but the findings of a forensic accounting team hired by the law firm reportedly discovered the misuse of funds amounts to millions of dollars being squandered.

The findings led the law firm, which was founded by Murdaugh's family, to file an official police report.

'It is a ton of money. It is over $1 million,' a legal source told The Raleigh Observer.

Meanwhile, Murdaugh's attorney Jim Griffin confirmed Monday his client was seeking treatment for substance abuse, while law enforcement sources claimed that the disgraced legal heir is addicted to oxycodone.

Alex Murdaugh, 53 (top and bottom right), is in rehab after resigning from his law firm on Friday amid claims he misappropriated millions of dollars

A statement released by the law firm on Monday night said the matter of the 'misappropriated' funds had been referred to law enforcement and the South Carolina Bar.

'A forensic accounting firm will be retained to conduct a thorough investigation,' said the statement, which invited clients with questions to contact the law firm.

In response to further questions, PMPED attorney Danny Henderson said the firm would not be releasing any further statements, choosing instead to keep the details of the forensic accounting firm's findings under wraps.

The day after resigning, Murdaugh, 53, called 911 claiming he had been shot in the head while changing a tire outside his home.

He said it was a drive-by shooting and that he didn't get a glimpse of the assailant, but that it was likely to do with the murders of his wife and son which occurred three months ago and remain unsolved.

Murdaugh was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a 'superficial' wound to the head.

He was released on Monday, spoke to police again about what he claims happened to him and what the murders of his wife and son, and then checked himself into rehab.

It's unclear what he is seeking treatment for or what kind of facility he is in, though law enforcement believe Murdaugh is battling an oxycodone addiction.

Murdaugh released a statement through his attorney Rick Harpootlian, who is also a State Senator, saying he was fighting 'a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.'

He did not deny the accusations, saying: 'I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret.'

The law firm issued a statement on Monday night stating: '[Murdaugh] is no longer associated with PMPED in any manner.

'His resignation came after the discovery by PMPED that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies.

'A forensic accounting firm will be retained to conduct a thorough investigation. This is disappointing news for all of us. Rest assured that our firm will deal with this in a straightforward manner.'

It adds to the mystery that has encircled the family since June, when he called 911 claiming he'd returned home to find his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, shot dead, their bodies dumped by the dog kennels on their sprawling South Carolina estate.

No one has been arrested for those deaths and police have never named any suspects.

Alex Murdagh is pictured, main, with his wife Maggie and son Paul (far left) who were shot dead in an unsolved double murder in June. Murdaugh claims he was shot in the head on Saturday night but survived. It's unclear where his other son, Buster (right) is

The law firm that Murdaugh's family founded has disabled its website on Tuesday after his resignation

They are also yet to establish a motive, but Paul was awaiting trial for the 2019 boating death of Mallory Beach, who died after being thrown from the boat he was drunk driving.

He had also been tied to the death of his housekeeper (who fell down the stairs in 2018) and the unsolved 2015 death of Stephen Smith, whose mother believes was beaten to death in a hate crime because he was gay.

The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.' Alex Murdaugh on Monday night

Three days after their deaths, Murdaugh's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at his home.

Murdaugh released a statement through his attorney, Dick Harpootlian, on Monday morning saying that he was leaving his law firm and entering rehab.

'The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life,' the statement read.

'I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret.

'I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.

'I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues.

'I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.'

In a statement to The New York Times, the firm said that it had hired a forensic accounting firm to investigate.

The company also said it had informed the police and the South Carolina Bar, although no arrests have been made.

A source told the paper that the missing cash was in the millions. Further details on an exact amount, how it had gone missing and how its disappearance was uncovered have yet to be shared.

The resignation and allegations that millions were misappropriated provides yet another astonishing twist in a story that has baffled South Carolina, and drawn national attention.

Murdaugh, 53, told police on Saturday that was shot by a gunman in a truck that drove past him as he changed a tire - and then made a U-turn.

TIMELINE OF MURDAUGH FAMILY MURDERS, DEATHS, LAWSUITS AND ARRESTS Cops investigating the double murder have also reopened the case into a 2015 hit-and-run of teen Stephen Smith 2015: Teenager Stephen Smith dies Smith was found on the side of the road. Police officially rule his death a hit-and-run but he had suffered blunt force trauma to the head His mother has since shared her belief that she thinks he was killed in a hate-crime because he was gay Case notes obtained by DailyMail.com revealed Paul's older brother Buster was named multiple times in the investigation. Police wanted to know more about his relationship with Stephen Stephen's mother said he had been having a 'fling' 2018: Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield dies Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Sattlerfield dies Gloria died after 'falling' down the stairs in the family house The family gave her family $500.000 in a wrongful death settlement but it's unclear why her death was ruled to be their fault. Alex Murdaugh was listed as the defendant in the lawsuit. Satterfield was only 57 when she died. She left behind a husband and children. 2019: Mallory Beach dies being thrown from boat driven by Paul Murdaugh Mallory Beach, 19, died in February 2019 Paul was charged afterwards because he'd been drinking and was behaving 'belligerently' that night. He had been released on bond. Other kids were on the boat but were unharmed. One testified that they were scared to speak about the Murdaugh family because they knew how to 'cover things up'. That boy named Stephen Smith and the housekeeper, and claimed Paul pushed her June 7 2021: Paul and Maggie are murdered The mom and son were found shot dead at the family home in Hampton, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh is pictured with his son Paul and wife Maggie. Paul and Maggie were shot dead on June 7 on the family estate. No arrests have been made so far in their killings Alex called 911 shortly after 10pm claiming he'd found them. They had only been dead for an hour at most Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home three days after Maggie and Paul were found shot dead June 10 2021: Alex's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III dies 'naturally' and 'peacefully' at home September 3: Alex resigns from his lawfirm amid claims he misused funds The firm has hired a forensic investigator to go through the accounts September 4: Alex calls 911 claiming he's been shot in the head in a drive-by. He only had 'surface' wounds and was also able to call his brother September 6: Alex releases a statement confirming his resignation from the firm and announcing he has entered rehab Says 'I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.' Advertisement

Authorities have released few details about the incident which comes three months after the still-unsolved double murder of Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son Paul.

He called 911 at around 1:30pm EST Saturday, Griffin said on Sunday, after Murdaugh was shot by a passing truck in Hampton County, South Carolina.

Around 45 minutes after making that call, Murdaugh then phoned his brother Randy.

Randy is said to have told Griffin that the truck initially passed by Alex Murdaugh without incident, as he changed the tire of his black Mercedes-Benz SUV on Salkehatchie Road.

Murdaugh's attorney is Dick Harpootlian, who is a State Senator in South Carolina

But the driver of the truck then turned around and drove toward Murdaugh.

Moments later, the gunman inside the truck opened fire.

But no arrests have been made for either the alleged shooting against him or the murders of Maggie and Paul.

Paul himself had been facing trial for the boating death of a teenage girl who drowned after being thrown from the boat he was driving in February 2019.

The girl's family issued a statement not long after Paul's murder to insist they had nothing to do with it.

The statement added: 'We expect Alex to recover and ask for your privacy while he recovers.'

Griffin told the Island Packet the widower had been on his way to Charleston hours before the shooting, but had 'car trouble', and stopped.

Griffin said Murdaugh's brother, Randy, told him what had happened.

Three days after Paul and Maggie were found dead, Alex's father, Randolph Murdaugh III, died.

He was the third generation to serve as 14th Circuit Solicitor, having held the position from 1985 to 2005.

Paul, 22, and Maggie, 52, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds just after 10pm on June 7. Two different guns were used in the shootings.

The murders remain a mystery with no arrests, suspects or persons of interest named by authorities - and no one also formally ruled out of the investigation.

The case has fueled speculation nationwide as Paul, a student at the University of South Carolina, has been linked to at least two other mysterious deaths in the area.

Alex Murdaugh's Mercedes-Benz SUV, which the 53-year-old was changing a tire on when a passenger in a passing truck shot him in the head, causing 'superficial head wounds'

Alex's son Paul, 22, (left) and wife Maggie, 52, (right) were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on June 7 at the family hunting lodge

The bodies were said to be found near a dog kennel on the family's property on June 7

Paul was awaiting trial on charges relating to the 2019 boat crash death 19-year-old woman Mallory Beach, who was thrown from the boat when Paul was drunkenly behind the controls.

He was also vaguely linked to the 2015 death of a teenager Stephen Smith whose body was found by the side of the road with severe wounds to the head. His mother has long-believed her son was murdered in a hate crime because he was gay, and that he'd been having a 'fling' with another teen that may have had something to do with it.

After Mallory's death in 2019, some claimed that Paul may have had something to do with Smith's death, though the claims never proved to be more than local rumors.

The Murdaughs' housekeeper, Gloria Sattlefield, also died in a 'trip and fall' accident in 2018 which resulted in the family settling a wrongful death lawsuit.

The time of death was between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Murdaugh was interviewed by officers investigating his wife and son's death on June 10, three days after the murders, and volunteered a sample of DNA to investigators.

Sources close to him have said he has a 'cast iron alibi' for the night of the killings.

A recording of the call he placed to 911 revealed how he sobbed to operators, pleading 'my wife and child have been shot badly'.

He said neither Paul nor wife Maggie were breathing when he found them by the dog kennels of their estate, and that he had not seen anyone else in the area or noticed anything out of place.

On the night of the killings, police impounded a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban owned by Murdaugh's law firm.

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in July 2015 in the middle of Sandy Run Road around 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's hunting lodge.

DailyMail.com revealed that - despite investigators on the scene being convinced of foul play and finding no evidence of any vehicle involvement - the death was written off as a hit-and-run.

Police said he was struck by a vehicle while walking on a two-lane road after his car ran out of gas.

Stephen's mother has always believed it was a hate crime, and that her son was beaten to death, rather than being struck by a vehicle, and his murder covered up.

DailyMail.com also revealed that investigators aggressively pursued tips questioning the dead boy's 'relationship' with Paul's older brother Richard 'Buster' Murdaugh, whose name came up numerous times in case-notes we obtained.

A survivor of the 2019 boat crash suggested in a deposition, unveiled in court last month, that Paul may have been involved in Smith's death.

Connor Cook said in January 2020 he had lied about the night of the boat accident out of fear of what the Murdaughs would do, claiming they had gotten away with crimes in the past.

'Anything they get in, they get out of. I've always been told that,' Cook said in the deposition.

'One was said that Paul [Murdaugh] had pushed his housemaid down the stairs, and she died, and nothing ever happened.

'And another one, there was something that Paul was supposedly involved with a guy, got found beat up in the middle of the road, that they got out of.'

In 2018, Alex Murdaugh settled a wrongful death claim in the 'trip and fall' death of their 57-year-old housekeeper Gloria Satterfield.

Her family won $500,000.
Thousands of NSW residents in regional areas with little to no Covid outbreaks are set to be released from the state-wide lockdown at midnight on Friday.

Mid and North Coast towns and areas across the Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions, in the state's south west, which all have no Covid cases, will be excused from stay at home orders within days.

The lockdown in regional NSW, which is scheduled to end at 11.59pm Friday, began on August 13 as the state's Delta outbreak started to seep out of Greater Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce the roadmap out of Covid lockdown for the rest of the state on Thursday - with October 18 set to be long-awaited 'Freedom Day'.

Area suffering outbreaks, including Dubbo and Wilcannia, will likely be stuck in lockdown longer until case numbers are brought under control.

Thousands of NSW residents will be released from lockdown from midnight Friday. Pictured: A woman wearing a facemask ventures out for supplies in Sydney

Ms Berejiklian is expected to announce NSW's roadmap out of Covid lockdown on Thursday. Pictured: Members of the SES and NSW Health walk through Wilcannia, which is currently battling a growing Covid outbreak

BREAKDOWN OF NSW'S LATEST COVID CASES There were 1480 locally-acquired Covid cases reported on Wednesday: South Western Sydney LHD - 467 cases Western Sydney LHD - 424 cases Sydney LHD - 233 cases South Eastern Sydney LHD- 119 cases Nepean Blue Mountains LHD- 60 cases Northern Sydney LHD - 38 cases Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD- 34 cases Western NSW LHD - 27 cases Central Coast LHD - 15 cases Hunter New England LHD - 11 cases Far West LHD - 7 cases Correctional settings - 20 cases Yet to be assigned to a LHD - 25 cases Advertisement

NSW reported 1480 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, including a western Sydney man in his 20s.

Of the new cases, 27 were from Dubbo, 15 from the Central Coast and 11 from Hunter New England.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said restrictions should be lifted in areas free of transmission, like the Mid-North Coast, Tamworth, and Riverina.

'You can't suppress what doesn't exist,' he said.

'You can actually broaden it out to 30-plus LGAs that pick up that region where there have been no cases.'

Ms Berejiklian said the 'final touches' of NSW's roadmap out of Covid lockdown are being assembled as the state nears its vaccination targets.

The government has promised greater freedoms for the fully vaccinated at 70 per cent double-dose coverage and further restored freedoms - including international travel and the relaxation of hotel quarantine - at 80 per cent coverage.

The state has now surpassed 75 per cent first-dose vaccination coverage for eligible residents, while nearly 43 per cent are fully jabbed.

The 70 per cent double-dose milestone is expected in mid-October.

However, Ms Berejiklian on Wednesday declined to say if the freedoms restored to vaccinated people will be the same regardless of where they live.

Regions set to be excused from lock down include the Mid and North Coast and areas across the Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions, NSW's south west. Pictured: Wagga Wagga

Areas suffering outbreaks are anticipated to remain in lockdown until the state hits vaccination targets. Pictured: People wait in line to get a Covid vaccine in Dubbo

Community member Sarah Donnelley talks to locals in Wilcannia, Australia on Monday after hearing people in isolation were struggling without supplies during the stay-at-home order

REGIONS SET TO BE RELEASED FROM LOCKDOWN MIDNIGHT FRIDAY Areas likely to be freed include the following postcodes, which have consistently seen low or non-existent case numbers since the outbreak began on June 16 : Mid Coast 2324- 11 cases 2337 - 3 cases 2415- 0 cases

2422 - 0 cases 2423 -0 cases 2424- 0 cases 2425- 1 case 2427 - 0 cases 2428 - 4 cases 2429 - 0 cases 2430 - 0 cases Mid-North Coast 2431 - 0 cases 2440 - 2 cases 2443 - 0 cases 2444 - 1 case 2445 - 0 cases 2446 - 0 cases 2447 - 0 cases 2448 - 0 cases 2450 - 1 case 2452 - 0 cases 2454 - 0 cases 2456 - 0 cases 2462 - 0 cases North Coast 2460 - 0 cases 2463- 0 cases 2464 - 0 cases 2469 - 0 cases 2470 - 0 cases 2472- 0 cases 2473 - 0 cases 2478 - 1 cases 2480 - 0 cases 2481 - 0 cases Riverina and Murrumbidgee region 2640 - 0 cases 2650 - 0 cases 2653 - 1 case 2656 - 0 cases 2663 - 0 cases 2665 - 0 cases 2666 - 0 cases 2671 - 0 cases 2675 - 0 cases 2680 - 0 cases 2700 - 0 cases 2701 - 0 cases 2705 - 0 cases 2706 - 0 cases 2707 - 0 cases 2710- 0 cases 2711 - 0 cases 2712 - 0 cases 2714 - 0 cases 2715 - 1 case 2716 - 0 cases 2722 - 0 cases 2733 - 0 cases Advertisement

There are 12 local government areas deemed COVID hotspots, where lockdown conditions are the toughest and residents have an overnight curfew.

While vaccination rates in those areas are outstripping the rest of the Greater Sydney, the premier says she's worried 80 per cent of cases are still in those areas of concern.

'We know from the modelling the worst weeks in terms of case numbers are likely to be in the next week or so ... we need to make sure we don't cause any major adjustment which will see a skyrocketing of cases,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'The roadmap is essentially in good shape. We've made great progress.

NSW reported 1480 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday. Pictured: A woman walks her dog in Sydney on Wednesday

New freedoms Sydneysiders can expect on October 18 The state-wide lockdown is set to end when NSW hits 70 per cent double-dosed vaccinations with a target of October 18. *Pubs, restaurants and other retail settings will open for vaccinated customers with limits on venue capacity *Hairdressers and barbers will be allowed to resume work with vaccinated customers *Churches and places of worship will be permitted to run in-person services for vaccinated attendees only *Weddings and funerals will be allowed to resume for vaccinated guests with limits on capacity Advertisement

'I'd rather this conversation than the alternative, which would be ''why did we allow thousands of people to die''... My job is to protect the community.'

The nine new deaths include a man in his 20s, a man in his 40s, two people in their 60s, two men in their 70s, two men in their 80s and a man in his 90s.

One of the men in their 60s was an Aboriginal man from Dubbo, who became the third Indigenous person in western NSW to die from the virus during the outbreak.

The toll for the current outbreak is now 148.

There are 1136 COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals with 194 of them in intensive care beds and 78 on ventilators.

Despite Ms Berejiklian's remarks, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said all of Greater Sydney should emerge from lockdown at the same time - including the 12 local government hotspots.

He told 2GB radio that Sydney must avoid a 'tale of two cities' post-lockdown.

Burnet Institute modelling shows Greater Sydney's prolonged lockdown has potentially saved more than 5800 lives and prevented 580,000 infections.

From Monday, fully vaccinated NSW residents outside the 12 council areas of concern can meet in groups of up to five people for outdoor picnics.
One of America's first abortion rights activists has died, just days before Texas enacted its new 'heartbeat' law that bans the procedure after six weeks.

Patricia Maginnis died at the age of 93 on August 30 in Oakland, California of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure, according to the Washington Post.

Born in 1928 and raised in a strict Catholic family in Oklahoma, her activism dates back to working in the Women's Army Corps after graduating from high school, where she was training as a surgical technician.

Patricia Maginnis, one of America's first abortion advocates, died at the age of 93 on August 30 in Oakland, California

She was assigned to a pediatrics and obstetrics ward after having been caught walking with a black soldier at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and told she was 'setting a bad example for young white women who might join the military.'

Maginnis was horrified when, upon being reassigned to Panama, she saw women who were treated for botched abortions, forced births or gave birth to children with defects.

While studying at San Jose State College in California, Maginnis became pregnant and got an abortion in Mexico.

Raised in a strict Catholic family in Oklahoma, Maginnis began organizations to educate women about abortion and even helped women seek them out before they were legal in America

She vowed never to leave America for medical care again and began looking to both assist other women who sought the same and change America's laws against the practice.

Maginnis got pregnant two more times and performed two self-induced abortions. Police questioned her about whether or not she had given herself an abortion.

'Sure I did,' she said. 'Want me to demonstrate how in court?'

Maginnis died just days before Texas enacted its new 'heartbeat' law that bans the practice after six weeks

She later said that she became an activist after spending years 'in a constant rage' over the lack of control women and girls had in terms of their reproductive lives.

Her work went as far as presenting women with lists of reputable providers of abortions in other countries and even teaching women how to self-induce abortions.

She would even invite police to her classes, hoping to be arrested in an attempt to show the folly of laws that banned even distributing information about abortion.

Several Republican-controlled states have dealt hard blows to abortion rights even before the Texas law

Maginnis told reporters in San Francisco that she was 'attempting to show women an alternative to knitting needles, coat hangers and household cleaning agents.'

By the end of the 1960s, Maginnis and her allies claimed that they helped at least 12,000 women flee the country in order to obtain abortions.

She was arrested several times, including after distributing her DIY-abortion leaflets in 1966.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said previously the DOJ would 'protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services'

The case against her was thrown out after a San Francisco law was declared unconstitutional.

She also had a conviction overturned for attempting to teach a class after a state appeals court declared the law she had broken unconstitutional in 1973, a year after the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade.

Maginnis celebrated that decision, but even 50 years ago she was worried that it wasn't codified into law, something which never happened in the decades since.

The law, known as the 'Texas Heartbeat Act', bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is normally after six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant

Several Republican-controlled states have dealt hard blows to abortion rights even before the Texas law.

The law, known as the 'Texas Heartbeat Act', bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is normally after six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said previously the DOJ would 'protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services' under a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

Garland said in a statement that federal prosecutors are still urgently exploring options to challenge the Texas law.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott shows off Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, after he signed it into law in Tyler, Texas on Tuesday

'The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,' the attorney general pledged. 'We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services.'

Maginnis, in addition to working as a model and a medical technician, remained an activist well into her later life, assisting with Occupy Oakland and volunteer for Senator Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Survivors include two sisters and two brothers.
A dancer killed in what police believe to be murder-suicide by her boyfriend died of stab wounds to the chest, an inquest has heard.

Maddie Durdant-Hollamby was found by police at a property in Kettering, Northamptonshire, at 1pm on August 27 after a report of concern for her welfare.

The 22-year-old was at the same house as Benjamin Green, 41, who died from self-inflicted stab wounds, Northamptonshire Police said.

On Wednesday, senior coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember told a brief inquest Ms Durdant-Hollamby's body was identified by her father.

A cause of death was also read to the court as stab wounds to the chest. The coroner adjourned the inquest until January 13 next year.

Maddie Durdant-Hollamby (pictured) was found by police at a property in Kettering, Northamptonshire, at 1pm on August 27 after a report of concern for her welfare

The 22-year-old was at the same house as Benjamin Green (pictured), 41, who died from self-inflicted stab wounds, Northamptonshire Police said

Police said Ms Durdant-Hollamby's death was being treated as murder and no-one else was being sought in connection with the incident.

Ms Durdant-Hollamby's family said: 'We are absolutely devastated at the loss of Maddie, our beautiful daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece.

'Our hearts are broken and we cannot begin to imagine life without her. The shock and pain we are feeling is indescribable.'

It emerged last week marketing director Green, 41, was a misogynistic 'woman-hating sex addict', his former friends said.

He was understood to have met Ms Durdant-Hollamby while the pair worked together and they dated for approximately a year.

But friends revealed he was a misogynistic 'sex-crazed monster' who slept with up to eight women at the same time while he was married with children.

On Wednesday, senior coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember told a brief inquest Ms Durdant-Hollamby's (pictured) body was identified by her father

A cause of death was also read to the court as stab wounds to the chest. The coroner adjourned the inquest until January 13 next year. Pictured: Green

A former friend told the Sun 'chilling and calculated' Green would treat women as his 'property' and showed them no respect.

Police believe Green stabbed the young woman to death before turning the blade on himself in a horrifying incident.

Friends said he had a penchant for women who were 'much younger than him' and would travel across the country to pursue them.

One said: 'He treated women as his property. I knew him for a year and there would be hundreds of women in that time.

'He had zero respect for his conquests and would be so rude to them. It was chilling the way he always said he would get what he wanted.'

Northamptonshire Police said preliminary post-mortem reports showed Ms Durdant-Hollamby died of stab wounds, and Green of self-inflicted knife wounds.

The force said Ms Durdant-Hollamby's death was being treated as murder and no-one else was being sought in connection with the incident.

It added both families have been informed of the findings and continue to be supported by specialist officers.

Ms Durdant-Hollamby was from the wealthy village of Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, where her parents, Steve, 48 and Rachel, 47 are well known.

Police said Ms Durdant-Hollamby's death was being treated as murder and no-one else was being sought in connection with the incident

Her body was found at this house in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on August 27 after reports of concern for her welfare

Tributes are pictured left at the scene following the suspected murder suicide last month

A friend of Mr Durdant-Hollamby told MailOnline: 'Steve told us that Maddie wasn't that happy with Ben and had spoken about ending the relationship.

'He was almost as old as Steve and Rachel and had three kids from a previous marriage and this concerned them.

'Any parent would be worried if their 22-year-old daughter came home with a man like this.'

He added: 'Steve and Rachel are only in their 40s and so was Ben so I can understand their concerns.'

Rachel also posted a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook saying: 'These are the hardest words we have ever had to write.

'Our beautiful beautiful Maddie is gone. She has grown her own set of wings and gone to fly with the angels.

'22 years of loving this amazing girl will never be enough, we thought we had a lifetime ahead of us.

'Please hold your loved ones a little tighter and kiss them a little longer*.. you never know when it may be your last opportunity.

'Baby girl. You were our world and our lives are not complete without you in it. Heaven is so lucky to have you.'

Detective Chief Inspector Joe Banfield, said: 'Our investigation into the deaths of Maddie and Ben continues, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.

'We continue to ask that the media leave the families and friends of Maddie and Ben to grieve in peace, and cease any efforts to contact them at this desperately sad time.'
Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev has died while attempting to save a person's life during training exercises in the Arctic city of Norilsk, the ministry said on Wednesday.

Zinichev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was taking part in military drills and exercises by law enforcement agencies in the city of Norilsk at the time.

Reports said the army general, 55, who had been tipped as a possible successor to Putin, had fallen from a rock while trying to save a cameraman who had plunged into the icy water.

Documentary filmmaker Alexander Melnik, 63, who Zinichev had been trying to save, also died.

The Ministry of Emergencies said: 'We are sorry to inform you that while on duty saving a person's life in Norilsk during interagency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergenciesYevgeny Zinichev was tragically killed.'

'He and the cameraman stood at the edge of a ledge,' RT boss Margarita Simonyan said, adding: 'The cameraman slipped and fell into the water.

'There were many eyewitnesses - no-one even had time to figure out what had happened, as Zinichev rushed into the water after a man who had fallen off and crashed against a protruding rock.'

Some reports say Zinichev died in a helicopter as he was airlifted to hospital from the scene of the accident.

Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev (pictured on Tuesday) has died while attempting to save a person's life during training exercises in the Arctic city of Norilsk, the ministry said on Wednesday

Zinichev (pictured centre on Tuesday), a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was taking part in military drills and exercises by law enforcement agencies in the city of Norilsk at the time

Putin - also on a trip to Siberia - was informed of Kinichev's death and paid tribute to his colleague in a condolence message to his wife Natalya and son Denis.

'I am stunned by the tragic news about the death of Yevgeny Nicholayevich Zinichev,' Putin wrote

'I ask you to accept my sincere condolences and words of support at this sorrowful hour.

'We have lost a true combat officer, a comrade, a man of incredible inner strength, courage and bravery.

'For me this is an irreplaceable personal loss.'

Describing the 'long years of work' he shared with Kinichev, Putin wrote that: 'I always knew that I could rely on Yevgeny in any, even the most complicated, situation as a reliable, loyal friend, and a professional of the highest rank.

'He dedicated himself to service to the Motherland, to the people.

'And while rescuing a life, he took risk without a second of doubt, and died while fulfilling his duty.

'We will keep a bright memory of Yevgeny Nikolayevich Zinichev in our hearts.'

Zinichev had been tipped as a possible successor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pictured: Zinichev (left) and Putin during an April 2020 meeting

Zinichev was a former KGB and FSB officer, and had been deputy director of the Federal Security Service counterintelligence agency.

He previously served as governor of Kaliningrad region, and like Putin, was born in Leningrad, now St Petersburg.

From 2006 to 2015, Zinichev served as Putin's personal adjutant and is thought to have once been part of his security detail. Sources said that Putin had 'total trust' in Zinichev.

Zinichev's rapid rise to prominence following the end of his time in that role led some to believe the Kremlin leader was grooming him as a possible presidential successor.

He had held his position as emergencies minister for three years and also sat on Russia's powerful security council.

In Russia, the emergencies minister is seen as an action man role with a high profile.

Former president Dmitry Medvedev described Zinichev's death as an 'irreplaceable loss'.

Reports said he was involved in an emergencies training video when he died.

Alexander Kots, of pro-state tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, said the minister had died a hero.

Documentary filmmaker Alexander Melnik (pictured), 63, who Zinichev had been trying to save, also died on Wednesday

'He died as a professional who, even on a subconscious level, had no other reflex than to rush to the rescue, without thinking about himself.'

'He came to the Emergencies Ministry from the Lubyanka [FSB headquarters],' he said. 'But it doesn't matter what came before or who he was before. I

'It is important how he died.'

Zinichev was in the Arctic to oversee large-scale drills and visited the construction site of a new fire station in Norilsk, as well as a search and rescue team in the area, the ministry had said in a statement earlier on Wednesday.

The the drills involved Dudinka Arctic Search and Rescue team.

Melnik, the documentary filmmaker, was famed for his work in Russia's polar regions.

He was married with three children and six grandchildren.
Reshuffle fever is gathering pace in Westminster with Gavin Williamson and Dominic Raab among those tipped to lose out.

Rumours have been swirling for weeks that Boris Johnson will shake up his top team this autumn.

They were fuelled by the PM repeatedly dodging questions about his intentions at a press conference last night.

Tory sources have been playing down the prospect of an overhaul taking place as early as tomorrow. Widespread fear of a reshuffle has been helpful to quell a nascent revolt against the brutal tax rises for the NHS and social care package.

The premier has been telling some MPs recently that he is unlikely to make any changes until next year.

Reshuffle fever is gathering pace in Westminster with Gavin Williamson and Dominic Raab among those tipped to lose out

Rumours have been swirling for weeks that Boris Johnson (pictured last night) will shake up his top team this autumn

One ally of Mr Johnson said he had assured them a reshuffle would not happen 'on any scale' in the coming weeks. 'But with the PM you can never be completely certain,' they told MailOnline.

The Foreign Secretary came under heavy fire over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis - when he initially tried to manage the response from a luxury holiday in Crete.

As well as briefing that Mr Raab might be demoted, there has been long-standing sniping at Mr Williamson, regarded by many as having bungled schools and exams during the pandemic.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has also been touted as a possible loser if Mr Johnson does decide to act.

According to the Times, eyebrows have been raised by Michael Gove, who lost much of his role on Brexit to Lord Frost in March, taking on a new role relating to Afghan resettlement.

However, a supporter of Ms Patel said that the Home Office was still driving the policy and Gove was 'just looking for things to do'.

One frustrated Cabinet source told MailOnline of the rumours: 'We're at wild speculation point now.'

Some reworking of the ministerial team is required soon, as Attorney General Suella Braverman is due to return from maternity leave.

Michael Ellis has been covering for her, while Lucy Frazer has temporarily taken on his duties as solicitor general.
No change for jabbed, tougher rules for non-vaccinated: How the new rules could work Red list - Stays the same with 11 days hotel quarantine required for high-risk destinations. Green and amber lists - Abolished and effectively merged into one. New rules - Nothing would change for double-jabbed travellers, who already do not have to quarantine for green or amber list countries. However, they do need a negative test. The rules may change for non-vaccinated travellers. However, it's unclear if they would be required to continue to quarantine or face a more intensive testing regime on returning to the UK. Advertisement

The government could scrap the traffic light system and replace it with a simplified approach that focuses on whether travellers are double jabbed in a bid to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Ranking countries green or amber could end, although the red category is expected to stay for high-risk destinations for which 11 days of hotel quarantine is required.

Rules for fully vaccinated holidaymakers, who do not have to self-isolate after returning from green or amber countries, would likely remain the same.

Currently, they have to take two tests - one within 72 hours of travelling back to the UK and a second within two days of arriving home. The latter must be a PCR.

Non-vaccinated people currently enjoy the same rules as the double-jabbed when returning from green countries, but have to self-isolate at home for up to 10 days after coming back from amber destinations.

The quarantine or testing requirements non-vaccinated people will have to undergo under the new system are still unclear, but they are likely to be stricter than what they currently faced.

It is understood the proposals are still at the planning stage and no decision has yet been made.

However, ministers have come under increasing pressure to simplify the system from travel industry figures including British airways CEO Sean Doyle.

Meanwhile, Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate wants testing requirements to be scrapped altogether for double-jabbed travellers to boost the beleaguered sector.

People enjoy themselves at Magaluf beach in Mallorca - a popular destination for UK holidaymakers - earlier this summer

Paul Charles, head of the PC Agency, a consultancy, said plans to create a simpler system had been shared with travel industry bosses and airlines

In other Covid updates today -

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi squirmed as he was hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports at nightclubs;

Covid cases fell sharply in Israel and hospital admissions kept going down as scientists said mass booster vaccine scheme had blunted country's fourth wave;

AstraZeneca bosses warned ministers not to rush booster jab plans because we might not need all of it - ahead of third dose roll-out to 35million Britons this month;

Plans to pay an extra 10billion into the NHS with a National Insurance hike sparked warnings cash would be 'gobbled up' and fail to slash waiting times;

Data suggested Scotland's school outbreak 'has already peaked' and SAGE said it is too late to vaccinate youngsters in time for winter anyway.

BA chief says UK travel rules are 'not fit for purpose' and calls for testing and quarantine to be 'simplified' The UK's travel rules are 'not fit for purpose', the boss of British Airways said yesterday, as he called for testing and quarantine requirements to be 'simplified'. Chief executive Sean Doyle said Government policy is 'the biggest single enabler' of airlines recovering from the virus crisis. He went on: 'We had the traffic light system over the summer. There was some progress made. But I think it's not fit for purpose. 'It needs to be simplified. It needs to be adapted in the same way that we see in Europe and in the US.' Yesterday, Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate called for testing to be removed altogether for travellers who have been double jabbed. 'Other countries have done this and their aviation sectors are recovering much faster with bookings in Europe recovering twice as fast as in the UK,' he said. Advertisement

Paul Charles, head of the PC Agency, a consultancy, said plans to create a simpler system had been shared with travel industry bosses and airlines.

'The traffic light system is expected to be scrapped by 1st Oct - at last,' he tweeted.

'Airlines and some of us in the sector are aware of plans to create a simpler system, where countries are either red or not.'

A source briefed on the proposal told the Telegraph: 'It's about whether you are vaccinated or not, rather than the country you are travelling to.

'What it means is that green and amber disappear and only vaccination status will count for where you travel.

'For a vaccinated person, just as now all countries apart from red are ''green''.'

A Government spokesman said: 'Our international travel policy is guided by one overwhelming priority  protecting 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.

'The next formal checkpoint review will take place by 1 October 2021.'

The UK's travel rules have been coming under increasing criticism, with the boss of British Airways declaring them 'not fit for purpose' yesterday.

Pictured: A graph showing the progress of Britain's Covid vaccine rollout

Chief executive Sean Doyle said Government policy is 'the biggest single enabler' of airlines recovering from the virus crisis.

He went on: 'We had the traffic light system over the summer. There was some progress made.

But I think it's not fit for purpose. It needs to be simplified. It needs to be adapted in the same way that we see in Europe and in the US.'

On Monday, Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate called for testing to be removed altogether for travellers who have been double jabbed.

'Other countries have done this and their aviation sectors are recovering much faster with bookings in Europe recovering twice as fast as in the UK,' he said.

The requirements vary depending on whether someone is arriving from a green, amber or red location, and whether or not they are fully vaccinated.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps arriving in Downing Street yesterday

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi squirms as he is hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports at nightclubs

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor for MailOnline

Nadhim Zahawi squirmed in the Commons today as he was hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports.

The vaccines minister was assailed by a host of his own side as he answered an urgent question on the proposals for using certification in nightclubs and other venues.

Faced with barbs that he was talking 'rubbish' and did not really back the policy, Mr Zahawi admitted that it caused him 'pain' to 'curtail people's freedoms'.

But he insisted it was not 'normal times' and the measure would be dropped as soon as possible.

Nadhim Zahawi squirmed in the Commons today as he was hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports

Israeli scientists say mass booster vaccine scheme has blunted country's fourth wave By Joe Davies for MailOnline Covid infections in Israel are falling sharply after the rollout of its mass booster rollout, with hospital admissions and deaths also beginning to trend downwards, according to data. Figures compiled by the Oxford University-backed research team Our World in Data show Israel's average daily cases have been falling for the last four days, after peaking at just over 10,000 on September 3, despite children returning to schools. A total of 4,632 people tested positive on Sunday  the most recent day data is available for  down 20 per cent on the week before (5,809). The country's seven day average is now around 7,300, down from nearly 8,000 the week before. Weekly hospitalisations also fell 17 per cent in the seven days ending September 5, while average deaths remained at similar levels week-on-week. Israel was deemed the Covid capital of the world  with the highest infections rate of any country  just six days ago. It began dishing out third doses to everyone above the age of 60 in July and expanded the drive to everyone over 12 at the end of August, which Israeli scientist say has prompted the recent downturn. More than 2.6million in the country have had a booster. Israeli Government adviser and data scientist Professor Eran Segal said the 'increase in the rate of infections... has diminished'. He said: 'This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptick in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week who now have natural immunity.' Advertisement

The Government has confirmed it wants to introduce vaccine passports for nightclubs by the end of September.

The scheme would see members of the public required to show proof they have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to gain entry to clubs and other large-scale events.

Mr Zahawi said the policy is 'designed to reduce transmission and serious illness'.

He added: 'No-one in this Government, certainly not this Prime Minister  it is not in his DNA to curtail people's freedoms or require people to show a piece of paper before they enter a nightclub.'

Mr Zahawi tried to lighten the mood of the chamber by referring to Michael Gove's recent antics in a Scottish nightclub.

'The reason that we are moving forward on this is because, if you look at what has happened in other countries where nightclubs were opening and then shutting again, opening and shutting again, we want to avoid that disruption and maintain sectors that can add to people's enjoyment of life and dance, as it did for the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Michael Gove).

'That they can do so sustainably, the reason for the end of September is because by the end of September all 18-year-olds and above would have had the chance to have two doses.'

He added: 'It is not something we do lightly, it is something to allow us to transition this virus from pandemic to endemic status.'

But Conservative MP William Wragg said: 'What a load of rubbish.

'I don't believe (Mr Zahawi) believes a word of what he's just uttered because I remember him very persuasively stating my position  which we shared at the time  that this measure would be discriminatory and yet he's sent to the despatch box to defend the indefensible.

'This is a needless fight that we seem prepared to have in this House over the issue, it's completely unnecessary.'

Mr Wragg encouraged people to have the jab, adding: 'But to go down this route, which is overtly discriminatory, would be utterly damaging to the fabric of society.'

Senior Tories Mark Harper (left) and William Wragg (right) were among those rebuking Mr Zahawi over the Covid passports policy today

Sir Desmond Swayne, another ex-minister, swiped: 'Isn't the super-spreader event the spread of a liberal discriminatory and coercive policy from this despatch box?'

AstraZeneca bosses warn ministers NOT to rush booster jab plans because we might not need all of it The heads of AstraZeneca have warned not to rush too quickly into rolling out a vaccine boosters - as the vaccines minister said around 35million Britons are set to get third doses in a rapid programme beginning later this month. Nadhim Zahawi said the top-up doses would be crucial in allowing the UK to learn to live with Covid and preventing future lockdowns, and the NHS was aiming to deliver third doses even more rapidly than during the initial rollout this spring  when around 400,000 people were jabbed each day. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said this morning he was 'very confident' there will be a booster programme and that he was just waiting on advice on 'who actually gets it and when'. That advice will come from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent body which advises the Government on vaccines, which has previously hinted that it will not be recommending a mass booster rollout. The heads of the AstraZeneca jab have warned that booster jabs may not be needed for everyone in Britain, and a rush to roll it out nationwide risks putting additional strain on the NHS. Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the company, said the UK remains 'a few weeks away' from being able to make a decision on pushing a vaccine booster programme across the country. Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Soriot, along with Executive Vice President of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, Sir Mene Pangalos, warned that moving 'too quickly' to boost the whole adult population would deprive scientists of insights into the effectiveness of two vaccine doses. Advertisement

Tory former chief whip Mark Harper, who chairs the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, branded vaccine passports 'discriminatory' before adding: 'This is a pointless policy with damaging effects.

'I'm afraid the minister is picking an unnecessary fight with his own colleagues. I say to him, the Government should think again.'

Mr Harper highlighted how Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has stated there is no need for vaccine passports for MPs to attend the chamber.

He added: 'Let's not have one rule for Members of Parliament and another rule for everybody else. Drop this policy.'

Former Cabinet minister Karen Bradley said Mr Zahawi was 'defending a policy that I don't think his heart is truly in'.

Sir Desmond Swayne, another ex-minister, swiped: 'Isn't the super-spreader event the spread of a liberal discriminatory and coercive policy from this despatch box?'

Conservative backbencher Joy Morrissey said: 'May I, on bended knee, implore (Mr Zahawi) to summon all his courage and say 'no' to vaccine passports and protect our civil liberties.'

Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland), who secured the urgent question, called on the Government to hold a vote on Covid vaccine passports.

He warned: 'Never before in peacetime has the government of this country controlled in this way where we can go, with whom and what to do.'

Nadhim Zahawi said: 'These are not normal times that we are enduring. This is a measure that we are having to take, and if he hears from our chief medical officers in England, Scotland, now and of course Wales and Northern Ireland, this is a mitigation to allow us to continue to transition this pandemic over the winter months and not have to reverse that policy.

'And I say to him with a heavy heart, I would much rather stand here and take the arrows from colleagues in the back, or the front, rather than come back here to this House and have to close down nightclubs because the virus has caused a superspreader event and have to explain that to the whole industry.'

Dominic Cummings blasts Boris's 12bn tax raid to fund NHS rescue and social care - saying 'all No 10 can do is spend' taxpayers' money and his plan WON'T fix waiting lists ahead of vote tonight

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor, and Jack Maidment, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline

Dominic Cummings today reignited his war with Boris Johnson as he blasted the Prime Minister's 12billion tax raid and claimed the extra cash will not solve the NHS treatment backlog.

The PM's former top adviser said 'No10 can't do anything but spend' taxpayers' money as he said the National Insurance hike was a 'good day' for Labour and Tory MPs should 'put all those 'party of low tax' speeches away'.

He said the PM's plans 'won't solve waiting lists' or problems in the social care system as he argued the Tories are making young people 'work harder to subsidise older richer people'.

Mr Cummings said the tax hike comes after younger generations had already been 'screwed by a decade of hapless Tory government' which had left many people unable to buy a house and with lower wages.

The intervention by Mr Cummings, who has been a vocal critic of the Government since his exit from Downing Street in November 2020, came after Mr Johnson clashed brutally with Sir Keir Starmer over the tax rises to bail out the NHS and social care.

In bad-tempered exchanges at the first PMQs since the summer break, Mr Johnson denied that the eye-watering National Insurance rise was 'unfair'.

He also dodged as the Labour leader goaded him that despite the massive costs elderly people still face having to sell their homes to fund care.

Mr Johnson swiped that 'at least we have a plan' as he tried to turn the tables on Sir Keir for failing to come up with an alternative. The clashes came ahead of a crucial vote on the policy this evening.

There appears to be no risk of a significant Tory revolt despite widespread anxiety on the party's benches over the decision to break their 2019 manifesto pledge not to raise taxes.

Earlier, Sajid Javid was forced to insist the Conservatives are still a low-tax party - even though the tax burden is due to reach the highest level in peacetime.

The Health Secretary was bullish about the move in interviews this morning, arguing that smashing the Conservative manifesto promise was the 'responsible' thing to do in the wake of the pandemic.

Dominic Cummings today reignited his war with Boris Johnson as he blasted the Prime Minister's 12billion health and social care tax raid

Pressed on what Margaret Thatcher would have thought of the policy, he said he still has a portrait of the former PM on the wall of his office. He insisted the Tories remain the 'party of low taxation'.

But he also admitted that the huge sums - including 30billion going into the NHS over the next three years - might not be enough to clear waiting lists. Health service bosses have already signalled they want more money, with calls for pay rises for staff.

There are claims that three Cabinet ministers challenged Mr Johnson privately over the tax rises yesterday, but there appears to be no appetite for an open rebellion - in part because the PM has been threatening a reshuffle.

In return for the big tax rise - more than 1,000 a year for some higher earners - Mr Johnson has pledged that no individual will have to pay more than 86,000 for social care after October 2023.

But there are major doubts about whether the reforms of the system will achieve, as well as fears that the NHS will simple swallow up all the funding and then demand more.

The health service will receive the vast majority of the 36billion raised by yesterday's National Insurance hike over the next three years, with social care receiving a 5.3billion slice.

But health bosses said the settlement leaves a 'significant shortfall' and warned millions of patients will still face long delays.
Alok Sharma has risked accusations of pandering to Beijing after Chinese state media claimed he 'hailed' the country's efforts to tackle climate change during an official trip.

Mr Sharma visited the country this month in his role as President of the Cop26 climate change summit which is due to take place in Glasgow in November.

China is the world's biggest emitter of climate-warming greenhouse gases and is under pressure to announce more ambitious measures to crackdown on coal production and consumption.

Chinese state media characterised Mr Sharma's comments during the visit as 'hailing China's efforts in tackling climate change'.

The UK Government said Mr Sharma had held 'constructive talks' and insisted he had 'stressed the need for China and all countries to take urgent action over the next decade'.

Mr Sharma has also been accused of dodging an interview with the BBC while he was in the country.

Alok Sharma has risked accusations of pandering to Beijing after Chinese state media claimed he 'hailed' the country's efforts to tackle climate change during an official trip

A report published in May this year found China released a greater volume of greenhouse gases in 2019 than all of the world's developed nations combined.

Experts from research firm Rhodium Group in tandem with Breakthrough Energy said global emissions had risen 11.4 per cent over the last decade, reaching 52 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2019, with China responsible for 27 per cent of this.

The second-worst emitter was the US  accounting for 11 per cent of the total  with India edging out the EU for the first time to come in third at 6.6 per cent.

Mr Sharma tweeted yesterday that he had held a 'constructive discussion' with Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng.

He said: 'We spoke about the importance of climate action, our goals for #COP26 and #COP15, and opportunities for enhanced cooperation on clean energy, low carbon trade and investment and green finance.'

Mr Sharma's visit to China has not received the same level of fanfare as some of his other trips as the UK tries not to alienate the country's leadership as it seeks to persuade Beijing to do more to tackle climate change.

Critics want ministers to take a much tougher approach and to demand Beijing take greater action to reduce emissions.

Mr Sharma held a series of meetings with Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of China, during his two day visit to Tianjin.

Mr Sharma said in a statement issued by the Cabinet Office at the end of his visit: 'I have had constructive discussions on my first visit to China in the COP26 role, but time is running out to prevent a climate catastrophe, and so the discussions I have had here are nothing short of crucial.

'The commitments President Xi has made over the last year are welcome and China's pledge to tackle climate change as a shared mission for humanity is encouraging. The choices that China makes, on their energy mix, and on coal specifically, will shape our shared future.

'The question that remains is how fast they put these into action, along with other major emitters. I look forward to more detailed plans being published setting out how China's targets will be met.

'The clock is running down fast and the next decade will be decisive. All countries need to pick up the pace on driving down emissions and safeguarding people and nature from the worst effects of climate change.'

Mr Sharma has faced accusations of dodging an interview with the BBC during his trip.

The broadcaster's China Correspondent, Robin Brant, said he had been 'left with nothing' despite attempts to secure an interview.

Mr Brant said the failure to secure an interview had been blamed on 'last minute diary constraints' as he pointed out 'the only reporting' on the visit had come from Chinese state media.
A two-year-old girl who plummeted 40 feet from a four-storey block of flats is fighting for her life in hospital.

The toddler fell from the top floor window of the block of flats in Barrhead, near Glasgow, at around 8.25pm on September 2.

Emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene within a few minutes and the unconscious child, who has not been named, was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Today, Police Scotland's Public Protection Unit confirmed an investigation into the incident had been launched by detectives.

The two-year-old girl plummeted 40ft from the top floor window of a four-storey block of flats in Craighead Way, Barrhead, near Glasgow, at around 8.25pm on September 2. Pictured: GV of the flats in Craighead Way

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Police received report of a two-year-old girl who was injured after falling from the window of a flat on Craighead Way in Barrhead around 8.25pm on Thursday, 3 September.

'Emergency services attended and she was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, where her condition is described as stable.

'Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident.'

Following the incident, one neighbour said locals had been told the young girl fell out of a top floor window but little else.

One local told the Barrhead News: 'We have been told that a young girl fell out of a top-floor window but little else.

The unconscious child was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow (pictured)

'The emergency services were on the scene quickly and the police have been back a few times since.

'I don't think many people realised what was going on at the time.'

The child's parents, who reportedly moved into the flats last November, are thought to be keeping a bedside vigil at the hospital, the Barrhead News reports.

The infant's injuries have not yet been disclosed by the police.
South Carolina legal heir Alex Murdaugh has been banned from volunteering at the prosecutor's office his family has run for decades after being accused of misappropriating over $1million from his private law firm and checking himself into rehab for oxycodone addiction.

Murdaugh, 53, will no longer be allowed to prosecute cases for the 14th Circuit Solicitors Office in South Carolina, which his father worked for 20 years before his death earlier this year, and where he too has also tried cases.

The office said on Tuesday that Alex has not worked on any cases since 2019 but that they wanted to now formalize the end of his tenure there.

The South Carolina bar has also indefinitely suspended his attorney's license.

Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III was the third generation to serve as 14th Circuit Solicitor, having held the position from 1985 to 2005.

It is in response to his resignation from his private law firm - PMPED in Hampton - amid allegations he misappropriated over $1million in company money.

Alex has not denied the claims. In a statement on Monday that was issued through his attorney, State Senator Dick Harpootlian, he said he had made decisions he regrets and was now seeking treatment in rehab after a 'long battle' with addiction that was exasperated by the murders of his wife and son in June.

Alex Murdaugh, center, will no longer be allowed to volunteer at the the 14th Circuit Solicitors Office in South Carolina. Last week, he was pushed out of his private law firm after being accused of misappropriating over $1million in company funds. He said in a statement afterwards he'd made 'a lot of decisions' he regrets since the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul in June

Maggie Murdaugh and the couple's son Paul were found dead at their home on June 7. They'd been shot and left by the family dog's kennels.

Alex found them and called 911, sobbing down the phone.

Three months on, no one has been arrested for their killings and police are yet to name any suspects or persons of interest.

Three days after they were found shot dead, Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home at the age of 81.

For three months, the case went quiet while police worked on leads then on Saturday September 4, Alex called police claiming he'd been shot in the head while trying to change a tire on his car while driving to Charleston.

Murdaugh's father Randolph Murdaugh III died in June. The family said he died 'peacefully' at home. He was the 14th Circuit Solicitor for 20 years between 1985 and 2005

He survived with a 'surface' wound, went to the hospital then was interviewed by police about the shooting and the deaths of his wife and son again.

Hours later, he checked himself into rehab. He has not been heard from since.

SLED - the authority investigating Maggie and Paul's deaths - has not issued any kind of update on the case.

Details of the alleged fraud have not become public but the firm has hired a forensic accounting firm, and that the misuse of funds amounts to millions of dollars being squandered.

'It is a ton of money. It is over $1 million,' a legal source told The Raleigh Observer.

His attorney Jim Griffin said he was seeking treatment for substance abuse on Monday. Law enforcement sources said he is addicted to oxycodone.

In his statement on Monday, Alex said: 'The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.

'I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues.

'I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.'

The law firm issued a statement on Monday night stating: '[Murdaugh] is no longer associated with PMPED in any manner.

'His resignation came after the discovery by PMPED that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies.

'A forensic accounting firm will be retained to conduct a thorough investigation. This is disappointing news for all of us. Rest assured that our firm will deal with this in a straightforward manner.'

Alex Murdagh is pictured, main, with his wife Maggie and son Paul (far left) who were shot dead in an unsolved double murder in June. Murdaugh claims he was shot in the head on Saturday night but survived. It's unclear where his other son, Buster (right) is

The law firm that Murdaugh's family founded has disabled its website on Tuesday after his resignation

TIMELINE OF MURDAUGH FAMILY MURDERS, DEATHS, LAWSUITS AND ARRESTS Cops investigating the double murder have also reopened the case into a 2015 hit-and-run of teen Stephen Smith 2015: Teenager Stephen Smith dies Smith was found on the side of the road. Police officially rule his death a hit-and-run but he had suffered blunt force trauma to the head His mother has since shared her belief that she thinks he was killed in a hate-crime because he was gay Case notes obtained by DailyMail.com revealed Paul's older brother Buster was named multiple times in the investigation. Police wanted to know more about his relationship with Stephen Stephen's mother said he had been having a 'fling' 2018: Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield dies Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Sattlerfield dies Gloria died after 'falling' down the stairs in the family house The family gave her family $500.000 in a wrongful death settlement but it's unclear why her death was ruled to be their fault. Alex Murdaugh was listed as the defendant in the lawsuit. Satterfield was only 57 when she died. She left behind a husband and children. 2019: Mallory Beach dies being thrown from boat driven by Paul Murdaugh Mallory Beach, 19, died in February 2019 Paul was charged afterwards because he'd been drinking and was behaving 'belligerently' that night. He had been released on bond. Other kids were on the boat but were unharmed. One testified that they were scared to speak about the Murdaugh family because they knew how to 'cover things up'. That boy named Stephen Smith and the housekeeper, and claimed Paul pushed her June 7 2021: Paul and Maggie are murdered The mom and son were found shot dead at the family home in Hampton, South Carolina. Alex's son Paul, 22, (left) and wife Maggie, 52, (right) were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on June 7 at the family hunting lodge Alex called 911 shortly after 10pm claiming he'd found them. They had only been dead for an hour at most Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home three days after Maggie and Paul were found shot dead June 10 2021: Alex's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III dies 'naturally' and 'peacefully' at home September 3: Alex resigns from his lawfirm amid claims he misused funds The firm has hired a forensic investigator to go through the accounts September 4: Alex calls 911 claiming he's been shot in the head in a drive-by. He only had 'surface' wounds and was also able to call his brother September 6: Alex releases a statement confirming his resignation from the firm and announcing he has entered rehab Says 'I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.' Advertisement

Murdaugh's attorney is Dick Harpootlian, who is a State Senator in South Carolina

Paul was awaiting trial for the 2019 boating death of Mallory Beach, who died after being thrown from the boat he was drunk driving.

He had also been tied to the death of his housekeeper (who fell down the stairs in 2018) and the unsolved 2015 death of Stephen Smith, whose mother believes was beaten to death in a hate crime because he was gay.

Paul, 22, and Maggie, 52, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds just after 10pm on June 7.

Two different guns were used in the shootings.

The Murdaughs' housekeeper, Gloria Sattlefield, also died in a 'trip and fall' accident in 2018 which resulted in the family settling a wrongful death lawsuit.

The time of death was between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Murdaugh was interviewed by officers investigating his wife and son's death on June 10, three days after the murders, and volunteered a sample of DNA to investigators.

Sources close to him have said he has a 'cast iron alibi' for the night of the killings but police are yet to confirm that publicly.

A recording of the call he placed to 911 revealed how he sobbed to operators, pleading 'my wife and child have been shot badly'.

He said neither Paul nor wife Maggie were breathing when he found them by the dog kennels of their estate, and that he had not seen anyone else in the area or noticed anything out of place.

Alex Murdaugh's Mercedes-Benz SUV, which the 53-year-old was changing a tire on when a passenger in a passing truck shot him in the head, causing 'superficial head wounds'

The bodies were said to be found near a dog kennel on the family's property on June 7

On the night of the killings, police impounded a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban owned by Murdaugh's law firm but it's unclear whether that has any bearing on the case.

The family has been accused of 'cover ups' before.

One of the kids who survived the boat crash that killed Mallory Beach said in a deposition that the Murdaugh's may have been involved in Stephen Smith's death. He also claimed that Paul pushed Gloria the housekeeper down the stairs.

Connor Cook said in January 2020 he had lied about the night of the boat accident out of fear of what the Murdaughs would do, claiming they had gotten away with crimes in the past.

'Anything they get in, they get out of. I've always been told that,' Cook said in the deposition.

'One was said that Paul [Murdaugh] had pushed his housemaid down the stairs, and she died, and nothing ever happened.

'And another one, there was something that Paul was supposedly involved with a guy, got found beat up in the middle of the road, that they got out of.'

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in July 2015 in the middle of Sandy Run Road around 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's hunting lodge.

DailyMail.com revealed that - despite investigators on the scene being convinced of foul play and finding no evidence of any vehicle involvement - the death was written off as a hit-and-run.

Police said he was struck by a vehicle while walking on a two-lane road after his car ran out of gas.

Stephen's mother has always believed it was a hate crime, and that her son was beaten to death, rather than being struck by a vehicle, and his murder covered up.

DailyMail.com also revealed that investigators aggressively pursued tips questioning the dead boy's 'relationship' with Paul's older brother Richard 'Buster' Murdaugh, whose name came up numerous times in case-notes we obtained.
Fists flew after a Missouri school board voted to reinstate mask mandates because 180 staff and students were potentially exposed to COVID.

The Pleasant Hill school district had 21 confirmed cases of students testing positive for COVID in the first nine days of the new school year, KMBC reported.

It's part of a nationwide spike in COVID cases among children, which now accounts for 26.8 percent of all cases in the country.

Over the last week, there were about 252,000 child cases of COVID, the largest number since the pandemic began, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

To curtail the spread in the Pleasant Hill school district, the school board unanimously voted to reinstate its mask mandate, sparking shouting matches and tense verbal exchanges during the meeting.

Tempers boiled over after the meeting wrapped up, and the parking lot turned into fight night when arguments escalated into physical confrontations.

A parent is seen being led away in handcuffs after fighting in the parking lot outside of a Missouri school board

Parents listened to the Pleasant Hill school board vote to reinstate the mask mandate

Parents spoke passionately on both sides of the debate during the school board meeting

There are 21 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Pleasant Hill school district and 180 quarantine cases

Police were called to break up the brawl and at least one parent was taken away in handcuffs.

Pleasant Hill is a small city of less than 10,000 people that sits about 35 miles Southeast of Kansas City in Cass and Jackson counties.

According to Missouri's Health Department, there were about 3,640 new cases on a seven-day rolling average and 37 reported deaths across the state in the last seven days.

Childhood cases around the country declined over the summer but have increased by 750,000 cases between August 5 and September 2, which coincides with kids returning to school.

That doesn't include New York City schools, which is the largest school system in the country and doesn't open until next week.

The severity of the symptoms hasn't been as harsh compared with symptoms in adult COVID cases, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

But 'there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects,' officials said.

Over the last week, there were about 252,000 child cases of COVID-19, the largest number since the pandemic began, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics

This is the latest example of parental rage resulting from a school instituting or enforcing a mask or vaccine mandate, or quarantining a child who was exposed to COVID.

In Arizona, an elementary school principal was threatened by three men who confronted her with zip ties after she quarantined one of the men's son.

The three were arrested and charged with trespassing.
Police raided their home on traveller site suspecting animals had all been stolen

A man has been jailed and banned for life from keeping pets after he was found living with more than 67 dogs in 'unacceptable' conditions.

Stacy Humphrys, 34, and ex partner Maria Lee, 47, failed to provide adequate food and water for the dozens of pets at their home.

The estranged couple, who were in a relationship for 13 years, also had some of the dogs - including Spaniels and French Bulldogs - living in cramped pens in groups of up to five.

One of their pets - a German Shepherd - was found almost entirely shaven and restricted by an eight-foot tether in a 'swimming pool of dog faeces', Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday.

The dogs were first discovered after police raided the couple's home at a travellers' site suspecting that the animals had all been stolen possibly to be sold as lockdown pets.

However it was established all the dogs actually belonged to the couple.

Stacy Humphrys, 34, has been jailed and banned for life from keeping pets after he was found living with more than 67 dogs in 'unacceptable' conditions

Humphrys was already subject to a five-year banning order on having dogs after he was sentenced in 2019 for failing to properly care for the animals, prosecutor Ashley Petchley told magistrates.

He was also jailed for 28 months in 2014 after he allowed his horses to stray onto a dual carriageway in Suffolk, causing the death of a 23-year-old man driving home on Christmas Eve.

Humphrys and Lee, who lived together despite breaking up in late 2019, were subject to a police raid on March 20 amid suspicions that their dogs were stolen, which was later found to be untrue.

But cops raised concerns over the 67 dogs' living conditions at Lee and Humphry's home near Ipswich, Suffolk, prompting an inspection by the RSPCA.

An animal welfare officer reported seeing dogs - including puppies - crammed inside pens in groups of up to five, some with urine and faeces in their living areas.

Humphrys and ex partner Maria Lee, 47, had some of the dogs - including Spaniels and French Bulldogs - living in cramped pens in groups of up to five

Humphrys was already subject to a five-year banning order on having dogs after he was sentenced in 2019 for failing to properly care for the animals, prosecutor Ashley Petchley told magistrates

The inspector also found a visibly distressed German Shepherd standing on rotten hay and surrounded by dog faeces.

A vet found that five of the dogs required treatment for conditions including a large bladder tumour and an ear infection.

On August 7, Lee signed a disclaimer passing all the dogs into the care of Suffolk Police.

Magistrates were told how Lee, who lives off benefits, owned the 67 dogs because she liked helping friends out and 'found it hard to say no'.

Mitigating, Frank O'Toole said: 'She truly loved all the dogs she had and is an animal lover.

'She's known among friends for looking after dogs and has previously taken dogs from people who couldn't look after them.

'It's clear that Ms Lee took on far too many dogs and found it hard to say no.

'She didn't set out to deliberately harm the animals. There was no gratuitous treatment.'

The dogs were first discovered after police raided the couple's home at a travellers' site suspecting that the animals had all been stolen possibly to be sold as lockdown pets

Mitigating for Humphrys, Steven Dyble said: 'The majority [of the dogs] appeared to be in pretty good condition.

'Clearly there's been a falling below standards of the five dogs [who required further treatment].'

Humphrys and Lee previously pleaded guilty to one count of failure to be responsible for animals to ensure their welfare under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Humphrys separately admitted two counts of breaching a five-year disqualification on caring for dogs and was handed a 14-week prison sentence and banned from owning or caring for dogs for life.

Lee separately pleaded guilty to five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and banned from owning or caring for dogs for five years.

Magistrate chair Sally Donaghey excused the pair, of West Meadows traveller site, Ipswich, from contributing to the 41,716 cost incurred in housing the seized dogs.

Police and the RSPCA have since managed to find homes for all of the dogs seized in the operation.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Nicky Wallace, who led the investigation, said: 'This was an extremely challenging investigation, given the number of dogs involved and the difficulties we faced in establishing ownership.

'I would like to thank our partners, especially the RSPCA for their cooperation and for the support from the public. The dogs which have been rehomed will now go on to have the chance of happier, healthier lives, where they will loved and cared for.

'We did everything we possibly could to establish the ownership of each of these dogs but in some cases, it was not possible. Where ownership was established and, there were no concerns highlighted, the dogs were returned to their owners.

'The conditions that some of these dogs were found in were clearly unacceptable, and the sentence handed to Humphrys and Lee today reflects this. Thankfully, these conditions are unique and rarely seen in Suffolk. I am grateful in conjunction with the RSPCA that many of the dogs now look forward to a new life in their forever homes.'
A country pub has refused to back Victoria's pro-vaccination public health stance, saying it plans to welcome customers back regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not when restrictions ease.

Grand Hotel Healesville, 50km east of Melbourne in the Yarra Valley, issued a social media statement saying 'Jab or no jab everyone is welcome', which went viral.

The post was accompanied by several hashtags indicating that the pub's management see vaccination as a personal choice.

Grand Hotel Healesville, 50km east of Melbourne in the Yarra Valley, issued a social media statement saying 'Jab or no jab everyone is welcome', which went viral

The Grand Hotel's Facebook post attracted around 18,000 comments and likes, more or less equally for and against the hotel's stance

Grant Hotel publican Lisa McKay claimed her doctor told her to not to get vaccinated because of a medical condition, but she claimed she was 'not an anti-vaxxer', the ABC reported.

Poll Should unvaccinated people be allowed in pubs? Yes No Should unvaccinated people be allowed in pubs? Yes 237 votes

No 66 votes Now share your opinion





'I don't see why we should be separated and not be able to have a beer together,' Ms McKay said.

Full vaccination of 70-80 per cent of Australia's population is the backbone of the nation's strategy to exit the continual lockdowns that have frustrated the entire nation, but especially Victorians.

Victoria endured four lockdowns in 2020 and two in 2021, the latest of which began five weeks ago.

At 70 per cent fully vaccinated some restrictions are expected to ease in Victoria but it is not clear whether that would include hotels being opened.

When restrictions ease in neighbouring New South Wales, likely on October 18, only fully-vaccinated customers will be allowed to go to pubs and restaurants.

Melbourne is expected to remain in lockdown until October when fully-vaccinated citizens will likely be allowed back into hospitality venues, but regional Victoria could exit lockdown sooner.

The post attracted around 18,000 comments and likes, more or less equally for and against the hotel's stance.

Debate accompanying the post was fiery, with many commenters saying people should be allowed freedom to decide whether they get vaccinated or not.

The Grand Hotel's publican Lisa McKay, who is unvaccinated but claimed she is 'not an anti-vaxxer', said 'I don't see why we should be separated and not be able to have a beer together'

Premier Daniel Andrews promised he would begin to roll back minor restrictions when the state was expected to hit the vaccination milestone on September 23 (pictured, exercise time limit will be increased from two to three hours)

What are the four phases of opening up? A. Vaccinate, prepare and pilot (from July 14) Arrival caps cut in half to 3,035 a week; early, stringent and short lockdowns if outbreaks occur; trials of seven-day home quarantine for vaccinated arrivals in South Australia; medicare vaccination certificates available on apps like apple wallet B. Post vaccination phase (when 70 per cent are jabbed, expected late this year) Lockdowns 'less likely but possible'; vaccinated people face reduced restrictions; caps for unvaccinated arrivals increased; a larger cap for vaccinated arrivals with 'reduced quarantine requirements'; capped entry for students and economic visa holders C. Consolidation phase (when 80 per cent are jabbed, time not announced) Lifting all restrictions for outbound travel for vaccinated travellers; no caps for vaccinated arrivals; increased caps for students and visa holders; more travel bubbles being set up with countries such as Singapore; booster shots rolled out D. Final phase (percentage or time not announced) Uncapped arrivals for vaccinated people without any quarantine and uncapped arrivals for unvaccinated people with testing before departure and on arrival Advertisement

An even pro- vs anti-vax split is not representative of the national picture, according to a Newspoll released last month.

In that poll only 11 per cent of Australians said they would not be getting vaccinated.

This reflects the science of how vaccines work: in order to reduce the impact of a dangerous virus on the health system the vast majority of a population needs to be fully vaccinated.

A subsequent post by the pub twice explained the pub didn't want to 'discriminate' against the unvaccinated - but that if the law mandated two jabs for patrons then it would comply.

'We just want to let you all know that we are not anti-vaxxers or non-Covid believers,' the second post read.

The Grand Hotel posted this photo with a subsequent post explaining it did not want to 'discriminate' against people who decided not to get vaccinated. Many defend their decision to not get a jab as personal choice - despite the fact vaccines need the vast majority of people to be effective (pictured, friends at a protest in the US)

'We believe in people making the right choice for them and we will not discriminate those, for whatever reason, who choose not to get the jab.'

'The post was simply to say that when we finally are able to open up, we won't discriminate against anyone.

'If, however, the law changes and it becomes mandatory to enter a business with a passport!, then we will have no choice and will abide by the law.'

Some Facebook followers compared government policy for people to get vaccinated with 'apartheid' - a position mocked by many.

'So, basically, we'll take everyone's money while we can, and then we'll look out for ourselves? Good people break bad laws. It's how bad laws change!' one woman wrote, urging 'civil disobedience'.

Another man reponded: 'Without people getting vaccinated you don't get to open. You owe the vaccinated people a thank you when that day comes.'

'As far as the unvaccinated go, they would keep us in lockdown forever if we relied on them rolling up their sleeves.'
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Antony Blinken met with Afghan refugees at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday as the administration continues to deal with the bungled troop withdrawal that is now leading to the displacement of thousands of Afghans.

It now appears the administration is looking to take the human approach as an image emerged Wednesday of the secretary of State showing a picture of his children to a young Afghan refugee outside Hangar 5 for evacuation operations at Ramstein Air Base.

The State Department is facing criticism after it was revealed in an email link that the agency prevented several private flights from leaving Afghanistan with U.S. citizens and Afghan allies on board.

The trip to Germany came after Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with leaders in Doha, Qatar, which is acting as another third-party country for Afghan refugee processing before they are resettled in the U.S.

Blinken was also pictured there touring a base in Doha being used as a processing center with hundreds of cots lining the floor of a building.

Also on Wednesday, Blinken met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as the two counterparts discussed cooperation in efforts to process and resettle Afghan refugees. The two will hold a virtual 20-nation meeting on the crisis from the southwestern German U.S. Air Base.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken showed a young Afghan refugee at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday an image of his kids on his iPhone

Blinken met with refugees at the U.S. Air Base in Ramstein, Germany on Wednesday as the State Department faces criticism after leaked emails show it refused to let privately chartered planes land at the Doha, Qatar U.S. military base, even if they have Americans on board

Afghan refugees sit on the floor and stand around as they wait for processing inside Hangar 5 at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday

Blinken went to Ramstein (pictured) after visiting the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar earlier this week

The images out of Ramstein on Wednesday show a number of refugees sitting on the floor as they wait to be processed. Many are unaware of their final resettlement destinations, but are expected to come through the Philadelphia and Washington Dulles airports.

Blinken said on Tuesday that Afghan refugees will be vetted on the 'back end,' as he claims the withdrawal was too swift and chaotic to vet all Afghan refugees before they were airlifted out.

The administration still insists there are around 100 Americans left to be evacuated, while volunteer groups leading private evacuation efforts and Republicans claim there are more like 500 U.S. citizens still trying to get out.

Six planes chartered to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan were blocked from leaving by the Taliban, it emerged over the weekend.

The State Department also refused to green light privately chartered flights out of Afghanistan that could have evacuated US citizens and Afghan special immigrant visa applicants, leaked emails reportedly show.

Military lawyer and retired Marine Eric Montalvo shared the communications with Fox after he organized some of the flights and now claims the federal government thwarted his rescue effort.

The leaked emails show State officials refusing to allow Montalvo's privately paid for flights to use US property either inside the country or at one of its many overseas bases, after the Biden administration pledged to do whatever it can to rescue all Americans and as many Afghan allies as possible.

'No independent charters are allowed' at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar,' an email from September 1 says.

'In fact, no charters are allowed to land at an [sic] DoD base and most if not all countries in the Middle Eastern region, with the exception of perhaps Saudi Arabia will allow charters to land.'

Blinken speaks with refugees who fled Afghanistan and are now waiting processing at the Ramstein Air Base on Wednesday before being transported to a final resettlement destination in the U.S.

Afghan refugees are taken to third-party countries to U.S. air bases for processing before they are transported to final resettlement destinations in the U.S. where Blinken said they will be vetted on the 'back end'

Blinken met with his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (right), on Wednesday as they host a virtual 20-nation meeting on the crisis

The New York Times reported that a total of 1,000 people - including dozens of American citizens - had been held at the Mazar-i-Sharif airport for nearly a week.

Other passengers hoping to fly include Afghans who hold visas to move to other countries, including the United States.

The official suggested Montalvo look to a different destination country for help.

'And it can't be the U.S. either,' they added.

'Once you have had discussions with the host/destination country and reached an agreement, they may require some indication from the [US government] that we 'approve' of this charter flight.'

The State Department pre-emptively refused to provide that approval but conceded to tell that third country it had 'no objection' via the US embassy in that state.

On Sunday, Reuters reported that the delay had been caused by Biden administration officials not telling Taliban leaders it had approved the departures of the chartered flights.

Blinken tours the refugee processing center at Al Udeid Air Base on Tuesday

Blinken meets with Afghan all-female robotics team members at Qatar's Education City Club House

This handout satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows satellite imagery of the Mazar-i-Sharif and grounded planes at the airport in northern Afghanistan on September 3

Tuesday's revelation comes in stark contrast to Biden administration officials' denials from around the same time.

State Department spokesman Ned Price dismissed the notion that the US government is preventing charter flights from leaving Afghanistan in a September 2 briefing.

That day Price told reporters the US doesn't control Afghan airspace and so couldn't possibly be in a position to grant or deny clearance.

'The misimpression that is out there that we are preventing or even the idea that we could prevent a charter flight from taking off - that is simply untrue. We could not and we are not,' Price said.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said on September 2, 'Anyone who's suggesting we are preventing these flights, that's not accurate. We couldn't prevent a charter flight from taking off.'

But she went on to say the federal government doesn't have 'reliable means' to confirm who is organizing the flights or the status of anyone on board.

The day after the bombshell leaked emails were reportedly sent, top Biden officials said the State Department would not and could not block chartered evacuation flights

The Pentagon said it couldn't comment on the leaked emails when asked by DailyMail.com.

When asked by DailyMail.com for comment, the State Department referred to comments Secretary of State Blinken made in Qatar on Tuesday.

Blinken addressed the matter of charter flights in a speech with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and top Qatari officials.

'Many thousands of US citizens, permanent residents, at-risk Afghans who we successfully evacuated and relocated from Kabul have left aboard charter flights,' Blinken said. 'Now others are working to arrange more such flights.'

The Biden official said his department is 'working around the clock with NGOs, with members of Congress and advocacy groups' to 'clear any roadblocks that they've identified to make sure that charter flights carrying Americans or others to whom we have a special responsibility can depart Afghanistan safely.'

'Without personnel on the ground, we can't verify the accuracy of manifests, the identities of passengers, flight plans, or aviation security protocols. So this is a challenge, but one we are determined to work through.'

He also said the Taliban agreed to let people with travel documents go freely.

When asked by DailyMail.com for comment, the State Department only referred to comments Blinken made at a joint press conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Qatari officials on Tuesday

Blinken went to Qatar to thank Afghan translators for their dedication to helping US efforts and Qatari officials for their willingness to help with the evacuation

But the State Department's reported efforts to thwart privately paid for evacuation flights from the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, 260 miles north of Kabul, has stirred bipartisan outrage.

Rep. Mike Waltz sent the department a letter Saturday urging them to help non-governmental organizations clear the flights for takeoff.

He said the non-governmental organizations were willing to share their passenger manifests to allow the U.S. government to conduct 'appropriate vetting and prioritization.'

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said he was 'frustrated, even furious' at the government's delay in pulling them out.

'There will be plenty of time to seek accountability for the inexcusable bureaucratic red tape that stranded so many of our Afghan allies,' Blumenthal told The Hill. 'For now, my singular focus remains getting these planes in the air and safely to our airbase in Doha, where they have already been cleared to land.'

Flights chartered by Mercury One, a charity founded by right-wing commentator Glenn Beck, are among those stalled at Mazar-i-Sharif, Newsweek reports.

The six flights chartered by right-wing commentator Glenn Beck's charity reportedly cost $750,000 each

Beck's fleet of two Airbus 340s and four Boeing 737s from Kam Air are sitting empty in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif as their passengers - including at least 142 Americans - are forced to hide as the bureaucratic red tape is hashed out.

An exasperated flight organizer hit out at the State Department over the fiasco, saying: 'They need to be held accountable for putting these people's lives in danger.'

Other groups trying to organize their own chartered flights have also hit out at the State Department, with Rick Clay from private rescue firm PlanB claiming the organization is the only thing stopping him fulfilling his brief.

Two other organizers have also torn into the Anthony Blinken-headed department, with one - who didn't give their name - telling Fox: 'This is zero place to be negotiating with American lives. Those are our people standing on the tarmac and all it takes is a f****ing phone call.

'If one life is lost as a result of this, the blood is on the White House's hands. The blood is on their hands. It is not the Taliban that is holding this up  as much as it sickens me to say that  it is the United States government.'

One of those organizers also claimed that any rescue charter flights wishing to land at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, must first seek State Department approval, leaving them with a further bureaucratic delay.
Millions look set to finally be released from lockdown in New South Wales in 39 days after Gladys Berejiklian overruled health officials during an explosive crisis meeting.

State ministers voted unanimously to free NSW from its gruelling Covid lockdown on October 18, despite health chiefs arguing waiting a few more weeks for an 85 per cent double-jab rate would help prevent future shutdowns.

Health officials including Dr Kerry Chant pleaded with Ms Berejiklian and her Liberal Party ministers to wait until vaccination coverage hits 80 to 85 per cent before throwing open the doors of the state's pubs, cafes, restaurants, retails stores, gyms and hair salons.

Under plans agreed to during a crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday, millions in NSW will finally lose the shackles of lockdown on October 18 - providing the 70 per cent fully-vaccinated target is met (pictured, pub-goers in Sydney's The Rocks on Anzac Day 2021)

Health officials including Kerry Chant (pictured) pleaded with Gladys Berejiklian and her Liberal Party ministers to wait until vaccination coverage hits 80-85 per cent before throwing open the doors of the state's pubs, cafes, restaurants, retails stores, gyms and hair salons

But the premier and her ministers overruled the health chiefs, giving the green light for next month's 'tentative' date when vaccination targets are due to reach 70 per cent, The Australian reported.

Under a 'vaccine passport' plan to be formally announced on Thursday at 11am, double-dosed residents - including those in the 12 LGAs areas of concern - will be given a wide range of new freedoms, including going to pubs, restaurants and shops.

But those who refuse to get the jab will be 'left behind' and remain locked out from reopened venues.

The premier is also set to declare that parts of regional NSW with low Covid case numbers will be freed from lockdown on Friday at 11:59pm.

The welcome news comes as Sydneysiders were told that regional holidays will also be permitted for the fully-vaccinated once jab coverage eclipses 80 per cent - a marker which could be met as early as late October.

Dr Chant at Wednesday night's meeting warned state leaders that if the reopening goes ahead at just 70 per cent coverage, it could lead to a spike in cases and see the state quickly put back into lockdown.

COUNTDOWN TO FREEDOM: THE DATES YOU NEED TO KNOW September 11: Some regional areas set free Several regional areas including the Mid and North Coast, New England, Riverina and Murrumbidgee, will emerge from lockdown at 11.59pm on Friday after almost a month of living under stay-at-home orders. September 13: Vax picnics Fully-vaccinated Sydneysiders will soon be able to enjoy picnics in the sun. The 'vax picnic' rule means anyone living outside the 12 LGAs of concern can meet in a group of five for a picnic, but all must be double-jabbed. October 4: Pubs and restaurants in regional areas of NSW are set to trial the state government's vaccine passport technology that will allow double-dossed residents to prove their vaccination status when scanning into a venue using QR Code. October 18: 'Freedom Day' The date is likely to coincide with NSW reaching a 70 per cent vaccination rate which means pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and hair salons could reopen under the one person per 4sq/m rule to the fully-vaccinated only. Non-essential shops would also be allowed to reopen. Wedding and funerals would also go ahead but there will be limits on guests. Venues such as night clubs however will not be included until higher vaccination rates are achieved. Late October/Early November: Regional holidays begin Once vaccination target reach 80 per cent, which could come as soon as late October, cooped-up Sydneysiders, including those in the city's 12 LGAs of concern, will soon be able to pack their bags for a domestic holiday. But travellers will need to be double-dosed and apply for a special travel permit under the Service NSW app. Advertisement

NSW recorded one of the deadliest days of the pandemic on Wednesday with nine fatalities - including a man in his 20s - and a further 1,480 new cases.

The chief health officer argued that reopening with such high case numbers could have a significant impact on the state's healthcare system and result in increased hospitalisations if vaccination rates aren't higher.

She pointed to recent examples where highly-vaccinated nations such as Israel and the United Kingdom suffered a surge in new infections immediately after reopening.

But towards the end of the fiery meeting, Dr Chant eventually lent her conditional support to the 70 per cent reopening target, as long as the reproductive rate of the virus drops below one by the time the lockdown is lifted.

An R-rate above one means exponential growth of infection.

The only way the Delta variant outbreak can begin to decline is if the R-rate drops below one, which it has not done since June.

NSW Ministers voted unanimously to release the state from its gruelling Covid lockdown on October 18, in an explosive late-night crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday (pictured, Frankies nightclub in Sydney on June 1 2020 when the first lockdown ended)

Under the 'vaccine passport' plan set to be formally announced on Thursday at 11am, double-dosed residents - including those in the 12 LGAs areas of concern - will be given a wide range of new freedoms (pictured, diners at a Bondi eatery when restrictions eased in June last year)

WHAT CAN I DO AFTER FREEDOM DAY? YES *as long as you're fully-vaccinated Go to pubs and restaurants Head back to the gym Shop in non-essential stores NO Travel regionally Go to nightclubs Host a house party Travel abroad Advertisement

While the long-awaited date is being dubbed 'Freedom Day', there will still be a number of restrictions in place and venues such as nightclubs will not be included in the initial reopening.

Bars, restaurants and shops are set to reopen to double-jabbed customers, with capacity limits such as those seen after the first lockdown eased in June 2020 also likely to apply.

Anyone working in newly-opened industries will have to be fully-vaccinated and the one person per four sq/m rule will likely be in place.

Guests at weddings and funerals will also be capped although the exact details are yet to be revealed.

Those entering a venue must prove their vaccination status by scanning in via QR code using the Service NSW app.

Anyone who has not received the jab will not receive the same freedoms and be refused entry.

Premier Berejiklian on Tuesday hinted that some highly vaccinated suburbs may be released from lockdown earlier than others as part of a trial, sparking debate that wealthy suburbs of Sydney were be favoured over neighbourhoods in the west.

She said the vaccine passport technology currently being developed would need to be tested before being put into use statewide.

'Where we decide to have any pilots will be up to the health advice,' she said.

'Our Service NSW app, which allows people to check in and also indicate that they're fully-vaccinated, has to be trialled.

Those living in Sydney's 12 LGAs of concern will also be released from lockdown on October 18 as long as they have been fully-vaccinated (pictured, Bankstown shoppers on Wednesday)

'We'll get advice from health as to where the best locations are for that, and I envisage it'll be a variety of locations to make sure that we get it right by the time we open up.'

Critics have said opening up some areas before others in a trial would sow further division in the already divided city.

The cabinet decided on Wednesday that when a full-reopening happens, not a trial, it will be to all of NSW - regardless of 'hotspots'.

Fully vaccinated Sydneysiders will finally be able to get a haircut after almost 12 weeks in lockdown on October 18

Anyone working in newly opened industries will have to be fully-vaccinated and the one person per four sq/m rule will likely apply. Proof of vaccination will be available on the Service NSW app (pictured, a mocked-up image of a vaccine passport)

The plan to allow tourists back into the state's regional and rural areas is expected to give long-suffering business owners a much-needed cash injection.

The earmarked date for when 80 per cent of the NSW population is fully-vaccinated is set for the end of October or the first part of November.

When this benchmark is achieved fully-vaccinated Sydneysiders will be allowed to travel freely through the state with a special travel permit.

The travel permit will be accessed on the Service NSW app, with the deputy premier warning the document will be essential for movement throughout the state.

However, as the NSW Premier has repeatedly warned, unvaccinated residents will miss out on a travel.

Cooped-up double dosed Sydneysiders - including those in the city's 12 LGAs of concern, will soon be able to pack their bags for a domestic holiday as early as the end of October when vaccination rates hit 80 per cent (pictured, thermal pools in the Snowy Mountains)

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured) said holiday-hungry residents and those hoping to visit family, will be permitted to travel within their own state as long as vaccination target stay on track

'Don't be left behind when we start opening up,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'When we open up at 70 per cent double dose, it will be only for those who are vaccinated.

'There's time now to get your first dose and fit in your second dose before New South Wales starts opening up. I want to make that message as strong as possible.'

The ABC reported that several regional areas with low Covid cases including the Mid and North Coast, New England, Riverina and Murrumbidgee, will emerge from lockdown at 11:59 on Friday after almost a month of living under stay-at-home orders.

'The most likely areas, if you're going to consider it, is areas with no cases, it's as simple as that,' Deputy Premier John Barilaro said.

'We'll make those decisions and let the community know shortly there is an opportunity to open but I would argue it would be in a restricted environment, not like the environment pre-lockdown.'

The plan to allow tourists back into the state's regional and rural areas is expected to give long-suffering business owners a much-needed cash injection (pictured, Sydney Domestic Airport before the recent lockdown)

Several regional areas with low Covid cases including the Mid and North Coast, New England, Riverina and Murrumbidgee (pictured), are on track to emerge from lockdown at 11:59 on Friday after almost a month of living under stay-at-home orders.

Health authorities meanwhile have detected the virus at a sewage treatment plant in Bonny Hills, 23km south of Port Macquarie, despite the area having no known cases.

'Regional and rural NSW do have a level of anxiety about people leaving Sydney,' Mr Barilaro acknowledged.

But under the permit system he said police have the ability to stop anyone entering regional areas who is not authorised.

As of Tuesday, NSW vaccination rates are higher than anticipated with more than 75 per cent of the state's over-16 population having received their first Covid jab.

About 42 per cent have received their second shot, with the state on track to meet the 70 percent target by mid-October if the current trend continues.

On the October 18 date, gym junkies will once again be able to get their fix if they are fully vaccinated (pictured, City Gym in Darlinghurst after the 2020 lockdown ended in Sydney)
Dame Cressida Dick is expected to be offered another two years as chief of the Metropolitan Police despite being blamed for a series of blunders, reports say.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is said to be arranging the extension while London Mayor Sadiq Khan is reportedly supportive of the move.

But it has not been finalised and there are fears Dame Cressida could turn down the 230,000-a-year role.

A source told MailOnline there was 'no alternative' to her and senior figures want to 'use the time to make sure other candidates are ready'.

Any move to keep her at the helm is likely to prove controversial following a series of blunders recently.

She was panned for her officers' heavy handling of the Sarah Everard vigil following the death of the 33-year-old at the hands of former Met policeman Wayne Couzens.

Scotland Yard was also slammed for its actions over the murder of Daniel Morgan in 1987, which has remained unsolved despite at least four police investigations.

Meanwhile the murder rate among teenagers has also soared, hitting 23 already this year and on course for a record annual death toll.

Dame Cressida Dick is expected to be offered another two years as chief of the Metropolitan Police despite being blamed for a series of blunders, reports say

Home Secretary Priti Patel (left) is said to be arranging the extension while London Mayor Sadiq Khan (right) is reportedly supportive of the move

Reacting to today's news, a spokesman for pressure group Reclaim These Streets told MailOnline: 'We are disappointed that there seems to not be any accountability for her failing the women of London.

'However we arent surprised... Until there are real consequences for ineptitude, we stay in the same patterns that are rife with racism and misogyny.'

Despite Dame Cressida's various controversies, Ms Patel and Mr Khan have have decided she should stay in the role, the Evening Standard reports.

It is believed there will be a formal announcement this month if Dame Cressida accepts the offer.

Another two years would mean she will have served as commissioner for twice as long as predecessor Lord Hogan-Howe.

The controversial police chief's five-year contract ends in April but she is understood to want an extension in the top police job.

But there have been demands for her to step down and not be given any further time in the job. The Guardian reported last month a decision was 'imminent'.

The Met chief has been caught up in a string of controversies including her handling of the Operation Midland scandal, her force's woeful security operation at the Euro 2020 final and allegations of a 'cover up' culture at Scotland Yard.

In June, an official report branded the Met 'institutionally corrupt' and accused Dame Cressida of trying to thwart an inquiry into the unsolved murder of private eye Daniel Morgan. She has rejected the key findings.

Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, who lost his home and job over the Met's disastrous Operation Midland probe into spurious child sex abuse allegations, said last month: 'She is a disgrace and should have resigned long ago.

'It is time for her to go because of Operation Midland, not to be seeking any extension to her employment at the Met.'

Mr Proctor, who received 900,000 from the Met in compensation and legal costs over the fiasco, added: 'I hold her culpable for her role in a severe waste of public funds which severely impacted a number of lives, including mine.'

Dame Cressida also faced criticism over whether the Met acted in a 'heavy-handed' manner arresting women at a vigil, pictured, for Miss Everard on Clapham Common

Met assistant commissioner Neil Basu (pictured) is tipped to replace Dame Cressida when she stands down

Dame Cressida, 60, who was formally made a dame commander by Prince Charles this year, has indicated she was 'happy' to remain in the top job.

Speaking after the ceremony at St James's Palace, she said: 'I'm very focused on my job, I love my job, it's a huge honour.'

The Mail has learned that a significant number of serving senior officers are deeply unhappy with Dame Cressidas hands off leadership style and her head in the sand response to criticism of her and her inner circle.

Dame Cressidas apparent determination to secure a contract extension poses a potentially tricky political problem for Mr Johnson, who may not want to be seen to be ousting Scotland Yards first female chief.

He was criticised in October 2008 when, in one of his first acts as London mayor, he fired gaffe-prone Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair  one of Dame Cressidas remaining cheerleaders.

The PM dodged questions about her future in a radio interview last month.

Met assistant commissioner Neil Basu is tipped to replace Dame Cressida when she stands down.
Many White House staffers will mute their television or turn it off completely when President Joe Biden is speaking, administration officials said according to a Tuesday evening report.

The staffers say they are anxiety-filled when their boss makes public remarks, Politico reported, because they are worried he will take questions from the press or veer off message.

'I know people who habitually don't watch it live for that reason,' a current official said.

Biden has become known for being prone to gaffes  especially when he was on the campaign trail. During his Senate tenure, Biden also was long-winded with reporters because he wanted them to understand his perspective.

Now that he's in the White House, Biden still feels he's the best messenger while those within his own staff disagree, at times.

One of the biggest faux-pas since becoming president was when Biden told reporters on July 8 that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was 'highly unlikely' after the U.S. troop withdrawal. Just a month later, the Islamic militant group overtook the entire country in less than two weeks.

A new report reveals White House staffers will either mute or turn off their TVs during President Joe Biden's live remarks over 'anxiety' he'll take questions or veer off message

Biden's advisers, according to the Politico report, have pleaded with him to answer fewer reporters' questions at his events.

The president has complied on some occasions, immediately leaving the podium after remarks. However, he was slammed by media and Republicans for taking no questions after his first remarks on the Afghanistan withdrawal after the Taliban took over Kabul last month.

Other times, Biden will reveal his aides are trying to rein him in but still give into it, like after his FEMA remarks the other week saying: 'I'm not supposed to take questions, but go ahead.'

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a podcast interview in spring: 'A lot of times, we say, 'Don't take questions.' But he's going to do what he wants to do because he's the president of the United States.'

Biden, to the dismay of his staffers who carefully construct the White House messaging, is succeeding a president who would take almost any and every opportunity to speak with the press.

Press and the public soon became used to a very vocal presence from the White House in Former President Donald Trump.

Biden thinks he's his best messenger and will even reveal that his communications team doesn't want him talking to the press, saying things like: 'I'm not supposed to take questions, but go ahead'

It appears Biden wants to interact with media more, but is being pulled in by his communications team as he even struggles to avoid gaffes in his scripted remarks.

For example, he said the administration evacuated 90 per cent of Americans from Afghanistan when he was supposed to say 98 per cent.

The teleprompter also includes emphasis on certain words and only a few words at a time, potentially forcing him to slow down and really read what's on the screen.

Biden once enjoyed a steady and relatively high approval rating above the 50 per cent mark, but in the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which led to the death of 13 U.S. service members and thousands of displaced Afghans, caused him to dip in favorability.

One poll showed only 3 in 10 Americans approved of the president's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Louisiana health officials said they are revoking the licenses of private nursing homes that were evacuated to a warehouse where seven residents died amid deteriorating conditions deemed too unsafe after Hurricane Ida in New Orleans on Tuesday.

The seven care facilities - all owned by Bob Dean - 'clearly failed to execute their emergency preparedness plans to provide essential care and services to their residents,' Department of Health Secretary Courtney Phillips said in a statement.

Authorities found some nursing home residents lying on mattresses on the floor, without food or clean clothes, and detected strong odors of urine and feces throughout the warehouse, located in the town of Independence.

Piles of trash were on the floor, water was in the building, and generators at least temporarily failed, according to officials. And the power went out several times, leaving those hooked up to breathing apparatuses with malfunctioning machines.

Health department lawyer Stephen Russo called the conditions 'inhumane.'

Seven residents died after being housed in a warehouse in Independence, Louisiana after Hurricane Ida ripped through the state. Residents were left in cramped, unsanitary conditions and 12 had to be transported to a hospital

The warehouse (pictured), located in Independence, was claimed to be unsafe and unsanitary by authorities. Residents were found lying on mattresses on the floors with urine and feces odors throughout the building. More than 60 calls were made to 911 where residents reported deaths, medical emergencies, and lack of food

State health officials and Attorney General Jeff Landry have launched investigations into the deaths.

At least 60 calls were made to 911 reporting the conditions at the warehouse, including people suffering from heart attacks and seizures, as well as lack of food and resources, according to CNN.

Debbie Strickland, 66, told the 911 operator that she thought she had been kidnapped.

'It was horrible. [They] wouldn't help me get out of the bed or nothing,' she told the cable network.

Call logs obtained by 911 reported that several calls were made about possible deaths within the warehouse from several residents, as well as others reporting fellow residents having trouble breathing or suffering from seizures.

A police official said the Tangipahoa Parish warehouse was equipped to handle 300 to 500 people but ultimately took in more than 800, all of whom were evacuated from the seven nursing homes before Ida roared ashore in southeast Louisiana on August 29.

'When issues arose post-storm, we now know the level of care for these residents plummeted,' Phillips said. She added, 'Ultimately, lives were lost. These were grandparents, neighbors and friends, and we know families are hurting.'

State health officials said the Dean-run facilities failed to contact them for help and threw inspectors from the agency off the property when they arrived to review the conditions after receiving reports of problems.

Owner Bob Dean had his nursing home licenses stripped from seven of his facilities for have effectively taking care of resident

Dean claimed he asked the state for help, but no requests can be found

The warehouse was only supposed to hold 300 to 500 people, but 800 from the seven homes (one pictured here) were evacuated there

The Health Department has ordered that Dean's seven facilities (one pictured here) be shut down and residents are not allowed to return

Authorities said they saw enough two days after the storm to warrant removal of the hundreds of people at the warehouse, and the evacuees were moved over two days to special needs shelters across the state and other locations.

Twelve of the residents required hospitalization.

Five of the seven deaths were ruled as storm-related.

Dean has not responded to messages left by The Associated Press at multiple phone numbers listed for him and his businesses, but he defended the Ida evacuation in a phone interview with WAFB-TV last week.

'We only had five deaths within the six days, and normally with 850 people youll have a couple a day, so we did really good with taking care of people,' he told the station.

Asked about Dean's comments, Russo replied: 'I don't think anyone could reasonably reach that conclusion.'

Even before the evacuation, Dean's nursing facilities and their quality of care received poor federal ratings based on inspections. Medicare.gov gave six of the seven nursing homes the lowest possible rating, and five of the sites were specifically criticized for poor 'quality of resident care.'

Dean, a commercial developer, came under scrutiny in 1998 after an 86-year-old woman bused from one of his New Orleans-area nursing homes prior to a hurricane died waiting with hundreds of other elderly residents to be unloaded at a Baton Rouge shelter.

News outlets at the time said the nursing home residents sat in a bus without air conditioning for hours, and then were placed in a building that fire officials said wasnt suitable for a hurricane evacuation shelter.

Three days before revoking the nursing homes' licenses Tuesday, the Health Department ordered the facilities closed so residents couldn't be sent back.

The Health Department said it has provided information about the nursing home evacuation and conditions at the warehouse to Landry's office and local and federal law enforcement agencies.

In addition, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said 10 apartment buildings were searched over the weekend, and five bodies were found in separate locations.

The buildings where the bodies were found were left without working generators, leaving residents trapped in wheelchairs on dark, sweltering upper floors after hundreds were evacuated to shelters before the storm on August 29.

One of the victims was identified as Reginald Logan, 74, whose body was found at the Flint-Goodridge Apartments for seniors, which is owned by HRI Properties and the Archdiocese of New Orleans, The New Orleans Advocate reported.

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, pictured speaking with a resident on September 7, vowed to investigate the deaths of five new residents who were found dead after the storm passed

The Flint-Goodridge Apartments, pictured, had not evacuated every resident during the storm

His sister, Brenda Briggs, said she wanted her brother to evacuate with her, but Logan assured her that he would be fine since the building had a generator that could accommodate him and his breathing apparatus.

'He was satisfied with being there, because we understood they had a generator. I would have never left him behind,' Briggs said. 'He died alone in the dark.'

The coroner's office is investigating whether the deaths will be attributed to the hurricane.

At a Monday news conference, Cantrell slammed the privately run companies.

'We are going to call it what it is. It was negligence, and it was not on the backs of the city of New Orleans,' Cantrell said Monday during a news conference. 'What we found was unacceptable and accountability will be across the board.'

The managers of some of the homes for seniors evacuated out of state without making sure the residents would be safe after the storm, New Orleans City Council member Kristin Palmer added.

'They're hiding under the loophole of 'independent living,' Palmer said. 'It's not independent living if there's no power and you're in a wheelchair on the fourth floor. There's the violation of human rights.'

Philip Adams walks through what remains of his living room and kitchen in Lockport, Louisiana

Guthrie Matherne, left, and Blakland Matherne, right, looks at what remains of their hurricane destroyed business in the wake of Hurricane Ida on Monday

The Archdiocese of New Orleans and HRI said in a statement that they could not force resident to leave before the storm because there was not a mandatory evacuation in place at the time and said they had repeatedly requested assistance and resources from the city government.

The city's communication office said there were no requests reported from the apartment building.

HRI has also claimed that the Flint-Goodridge complex is not a care facility, so residents are responsible for their own decisions to evacuate.

The city is creating teams of workers from the health, safety and permits, code enforcement and other departments. Their first focus is to make sure the senior homes are safe and evacuate people if necessary, Cantrell said.

But after that, management will be held accountable, and the city will likely add requirements that include facilities having emergency agreements in place with contractors who will make sure generator power is available at the sites, the mayor said.

In this aerial photo, the remains of damaged homes are seen in the aftermath of the storm

Crews begin work on downed power lines leading to a fire station, last Tuesday in Waggaman, as residents try to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida. Power out, high voltage lines on the ground, maybe weeks until electricity is restored in some places _ it's a distressingly familiar situation for Entergy Corp., Louisiana's largest electrical utility

Crews in Louisiana have restored power to nearly 70 percent of greater New Orleans and nearly all of Baton Rouge after Hurricane Ida, but outside those large cities, getting lights back on is a complex challenge that will last almost all of September, utility executives said Monday.

It's going to involve air boats to get into the swamps and marshes to string lines and repair the most remote of about 22,000 power poles that Ida blew down when it came ashore on August 29 as one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the U.S. mainland, Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said.

More than 300,000 customers still don't have power in Louisiana. In five parishes west and south of New Orleans, at least 98 percent of homes and businesses don't have power, according to the state Public Service Commission.

'It's going to be a rebuild, not a repair,' May said.

The struggles in rural Louisiana shouldn't keep people from forgetting the 'near miraculous' speed of the repairs in New Orleans, Entergy New Orleans President and CEO Deanna Rodriguez said.

'I am so proud of the team and I think its a fabulous good news story,' she said.

Downed power lines slump over a road on Friday in Reserve, Louisiana

In this aerial photo, the remains of destroyed homes are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida

But things aren't normal in New Orleans. An 8pm curfew remains in effect and numerous roads are impassable. Pickup of large piles of debris residents and businesses have been leaving on curbs will begin Tuesday, officials said.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said Monday that he's taken steps to help make the people doing the hard work of recovery have places to stay. He signed a proclamation ordering hotels and other places of lodging to give priority to first responders, health care workers and those working on disaster-related infrastructure repairs. The proclamation also suspended various state court legal deadlines until September 24.

'People all over the state of Louisiana are spending this week assessing the damages done to their homes and communities and are putting their lives back together after the ravages of Hurricane Ida. We need for them to be focused on recovery and not whether they will be held to a court deadline,' Edwards said in a news release.

Ida killed at least 13 people in Louisiana, many of them in the storm's aftermath. Its remnants also brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

FEMA has provided more than $135million in grants to Louisiana residents and have received almost 9,000 flood insurance requests as of September 4.

The Northeast part of the country is still recovering from the damages of Ida, as well.

New Jersey is still under a state of emergency after severe flooding in the wake of Ida.

New York's new Governor Kathy Hochul approved federal funding to help those who have been affected by flooding after the Biden Administration approved Major Disaster Declaration.

'I saw the devastation of New Yorkers who lost so much from this storm, and I pledged that we would do everything in our power to help them rebuild,' Hochul said.

In the Gulf of Mexico, divers have located the apparent source of a continuing oil spill that appeared after Ida moved through the area about two miles (three kilometers) south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Lationa Kemp, 57, pauses while talking with Andreanecia Morris, a housing advocate, Saturday, September 4 in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans

In this aerial photo, the remains of damaged homes are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, on September 6, in Golden Meadow, Louisiana

The hurricane destroyed home of Philip Adams is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida

Blakland Matherne opens a door to what would have lead to an indoor shop, but is now outside after the roof was blown off, at his hurricane destroyed business

The owner of the pipeline hasn't been discovered. Talos Energy, the Houston-based company currently paying for the cleanup, said it does not belong to them. The company said it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and federal agencies to find the owner.

It remains the peak of hurricane season and forecasters are watching a cluster of storms near the Yucatan Peninsula.

It's not an organized tropical storm at the moment and is expected to move slowly to the north or northeast over the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said in a Monday update.

Forecasts don't show any significant strengthening over the next several days, but even heavy rain could cause more pain in Louisiana.

'Unfortunately, it could bring a lot of rain to our already saturated region. If we are impacted, this could challenge our restoration.' said John Hawkins, vice president of distribution operations for Entergy Louisiana.
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A fresh row broke out today over whether Geronimo had bovine tuberculosis after the alpaca's owner claimed the initial findings of the post-mortem showed no signs of the disease - but the Government insisted this was wrong.

Eight days after the animal was removed from veterinary nurse Helen Macdonald's farm near Wickwar in South Gloucestershire on August 31, conflicting conclusions from the examination have been presented by each side.

Miss Macdonald said the preliminary post-mortem findings were 'negative for visible lesions typical of bovine tuberculosis', but in stark contrast the Chief Veterinary Officer said that 'a number of TB-like lesions were found'.

Today, Miss MacDonald called on Environment Secretary George Eustice to resign as she gathered with supporters outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs building in London, chanting: 'Shame on Defra'.

Miss Macdonald received a copy of the preliminary findings of the examination from the Government's Legal Department after requesting the paperwork, and it was then reviewed by veterinary surgeons supporting her.

Helen Macdonald becomes emotional today while attending a protest at the Defra headquarters in London this afternoon

Helen Macdonald and Geronimo the alpaca at her farm near Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, before he was euthanised

Helen Macdonald (centre) with protesters at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs offices in London today

A team surround Geronimo at Shepherds Close Farm in Gloucestershire before he was taken away on a trailer on August 31

Miss Macdonald is joined by members of the Justice for Geronimo and Stop Badger Cull campaigns in London this afternoon

Members of the Justice for Geronimo and Stop Badger Cull campaigns hold a protest outside Defra HQ in London today

An animal rights supporter listens to speeches as a demonstration takes place outside the Defra building this afternoon

Surrounded by her supporters in Westminster this afternoon amid a vocal demonstration, Miss Macdonald called on Environment Secretary George Eustice to resign.

In a statement, her lawyers said: 'As reviewed by Dr Iain McGill and Dr Bob Broadbent, the preliminary gross post-mortem findings are negative for visible lesions typical of Bovine Tuberculosis.

Did Geronimo have TB or not? Experts won't know until the end of this year Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said today that the initial post-mortem examination of Geronimo found a 'number of TB-like lesions'. These are now undergoing further investigation, with tests including the developing of bacteriological cultures (growths) from tissue samples. This normally takes several months, and experts expect to complete the full process by the end of this year. A lesion is an area of tissue that has been damaged through disease - and in some cases, the microscopic lesions of TB in the affected organs can take a very long time to progress to larger, visible lesions, if at all. Mycobacterium bovis can be grown in the laboratory from clinical samples, usually from tissue samples collected post-mortem. The culture process takes a long time because the bacterium grows slowly. This process can only be carried out in specialist laboratories, and it is not always successful even in lab conditions. It is only after growth in the laboratory that the species of Mycobacterium can be identified. Advertisement

'For clarity there are no white or cream caseous, enlarged abscesses typical for bTB in alpacas whether in the lungs, bronchial, mediastinal or retropharyngeal lymph nodes.

'Miss Macdonald has formally requested the full findings of the post-mortem report 'Form TB50', together with all relevant documents and the results of further tests on tissue samples, blood, serum or plasma taken or obtained from Geronimo, along with any further test results including Enferplex, Idexx, Actiphage and any other PCR or interferon gamma tests performed by Defra, along with the results of histopathogical examination.

'She has further requested that both fresh, frozen and formalin fixed tissue and fluid samples be preserved and provided to an independent expert to carry out further tests.'

The post-mortem examination was undertaken by veterinary pathologists from the Governments Animal and Plant Health Agency.

And Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said today: 'We have completed the initial post-mortem examination of Geronimo. A number of TB-like lesions were found and in line with standard practice these are now undergoing further investigation.

'These tests include the developing of bacteriological cultures from tissue samples which usually takes several months - we would expect to complete the full post-mortem and culture process by the end of the year.'

Speaking at the protest today, Miss Macdonald said: 'We urge the Government to act with compassion and cooperation, which to date has been severely lacking, creating deep and unnecessary distress to Geronimo. We call on the secretary of state to tender his resignation immediately.'

Miss Macdonald also vowed to fight for animal rights in 'honour' of Geronimo. She said: 'Geronimo was a blessing in my life. He touched the world. He was loved and precious to very many people and he lives on.

'I miss him. But I will do him the honour of fighting for him and making sure his legacy lives on for all animals.'

Yesterday, Miss Macdonald accused the Government of 'hiding the truth' over the killing of the animal just over a week ago.

Geronimo is taken away from Miss Macdonald's farm in Gloucestershire on August 31 before being put down

Geronimo's owner Helen Macdonald speaks on her phone after her beloved alpaca was removed on August 31

She said she had been denied knowledge of when, where and how Geronimo died - and had been refused an independent post-mortem examination.

Timeline: Geronimo's long struggle for survival 2017 Geronimo is brought to England from New Zealand in August 2017 by his owner, veterinary nurse Helen Macdonald.

He tests positive for bovine tuberculosis twice in August and November, and is put into isolation away from the rest of the herd at the farm in Wickwar. 2018 The Government applies for a court order in July to have Geronimo destroyed. The alpaca is given a stay of execution, with a deadline of the end of August for his slaughter.

Miss Macdonald seeks a judicial review claiming new evidence shows the animal is healthy - marking the start of a series of lengthy legal battles.

In November, Miss Macdonald wins the right to a review at the High Court. 2019 In March, a hearing gets underway and Miss Macdonald claims Government experts relied on 'flawed science'. The case dismissed in July. 2021 In May, a district court judge orders an execution warrant.

Miss Macdonald starts an appeal and an order is made preventing Geronimo's destruction pending the application.

She takes out an emergency injunction to delay a warrant to cull the animal before an an appeal hearing on July 29.

The case is again dismissed. A judge agrees to delay the start of a second execution warrant until August 5

Geronimo is taken away on August 31 and executed Advertisement

The alpaca was euthanised after police officers and staff from Defra arrived at Miss Macdonald's farm last month.

Less than 90 minutes after leaving the property, Defra confirmed the animal - who had twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis - had been euthanised by staff from the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Miss Macdonald was campaigning for the destruction to be halted after insisting the bovine tuberculosis tests previously carried out returned false positives. She had wanted him to be tested for a third time or allowed to live to aid research into the disease.

The veterinary nurse argued the Enferplex test was fundamentally flawed and said Geronimo tested positive because he had repeatedly been primed with tuberculin - a purified protein derivative of bovine TB bacteria.

Speakers at the protest at Defra's headquarters today will also include vet Dr Iain McGill, animal welfare campaigner and writer Dominic Dyer and broadcaster and journalist Kevin O'Sullivan.

More than 27,000 cattle were slaughtered last year to curb the spread of the infectious disease, Defra said.

Meanwhile, experts are vowing to take further action over the way Geronimo the alpaca was dragged from his pen and bundled into the back of a horse box to be driven away and killed by Government vets.

The British Alpaca Society wrote a letter of complaint to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Eustice and various Government officials over the way the animal was removed from his owner's farm.

Sue Loach, chairwoman of the British Alpaca Society, condemned the way Geronimo was removed from his pen, 'dragging him kicking and screaming', and then left tethered, standing up in the back of a trailer.

She said she has now received an unsigned reply from Apha, which stated: 'Removal operations were carefully planned, conducted and included consideration of Geronimo's welfare.

'Geronimo was transported under veterinary supervision. Veterinary surgeons were present at the loading and the unloading as well as travelling behind the trailer during its journey.

'We can assure you that Geronimo arrived at the destination in the same condition as when he left the farm, was unloaded and then euthanised in accordance with our welfare procedures.

'This was a difficult and high-pressure situation for all involved. We can assure you that our staff did all in their power to protect Geronimo's welfare and treat him with dignity.'
New court sketches have emerged showing the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed sporting a henna-dyed beard and excitedly chatting with his four co-defendants during their first pre-trial hearing at Guantanamo Bay in 18 months.

Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Bin al-Shibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi smiled during what has been described as a 'reunion' of sorts for the terror suspects as they appeared in court Tuesday on charges of plotting and executing the September 11, 2001, attacks that killed 2,977 people.

The trial for the quintet of suspects has resumed just days before the 20th anniversary of 9/11, as two more victims of the attacks in New York City have been identified through DNA analysis of remains.

All five suspects face the death penalty if convicted of capital charges which include: terrorism; hijacking aircraft; conspiracy; murder in violation of the law of war; attacking civilians; attacking civilian objects; intentionally causing serious bodily injury; and destruction of property in violation of the law of war.

CBS reporter Catherine Herridge, who observed the proceedings along with other journalists from behind reinforced glass, described Mohammed as looking older and thinner, with a long gray beard tinted orange.

As the lead defendant, Mohammed sat closest to the military judge, with his co-defendants sitting behind him.

Mohammed wore a Pashtun-style hat and a navy-blue scarf draped over his head and shoulders.

'As they got settled, it had the atmosphere of a long-awaited reunion, with some smiling, talking and gesturing to each other,' the reporter observed.

The detainees engaged in animated conversation with one another throughout the two-and-a-half-hour hearing and during two courtroom recesses. Mohammed was seen chatting with Bin Attash, who sat behind him.

Mohammed waved at two reporters sitting in the gallery on his way out of the courtroom during the first recess.

Attorney James Connell, who represents Ali, told CNN his client, who is Mohammed's nephew, was happy to be out of lockdown and see familiar faces for the first time in months.

'The man has been in lockdown for as long as everyone else has been in lockdown, and to see people that he hasn't, his legal team that he hasn't seen in a long time is a cause for pleasure,' Connell said. 'He's pleased to be back in court, he's pleased to see the case move forward, and he's pleased to see his legal team after a long isolation related to COVID.'

It marks the first time the five suspects have appeared for the military tribunal since early 2019 following numerous delays in the pursuit of justice - most recently caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The timing is especially poignant with Saturday marking 20 years to the day that al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes and carried out coordinated attacks across the US.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is pictured during a court sketch taken at a pre-trial hearing in Guantanamo Bay Wednesday over claims he masterminded the 9/11 attacks

Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Bin al-Shibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi smiled during proceedings

Their case has been delayed by a year because of COVID, amid claims torture used to extract information by the defendants could undermine prosecutors' case against them

The trial for the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (pictured) and four other alleged co-conspirators resumed today at Guantanamo Bay

Two of the planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon and a fourth crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The anniversary comes just weeks on from the US's chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan last month which saw the Taliban regain control of the country and 13 American troops killed in a suicide attack in Kabul.

President Joe Biden also signed an executive order Friday ordering a review of the classified documents related to the 9/11 terror attacks after victims' family members and survivors told him to stay away from the anniversary events unless he declassified documents potentially showing Saudi government ties to the hijackers.

Ramzi Bin al-Shibh (left) and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali (right) are both accused of involvement in the 9/11 attacks

Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash (left) is accused of training the hijackers to fight, while Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, now 53, from Saudi Arabia, is accused of giving financial backing to the group

The pre-trial hearings are taking place at the Expeditionary Legal Complex (ELC) at Camp Justice, an ultra-secure military commissions courtroom surrounded by fences of razor wire which was specifically built for the trial of 9/11 suspects.

They will run from Tuesday through Friday, before resuming Monday through September 17.

The first week of hearings is expected to focus on whether the prosecution or defense have any objection to Judge Col. Matthew McCall presiding over the trial.

Additional pretrial hearings are then expected to be held in November, followed by jury selection of 12 military officers in 2022 at the soonest.

Tuesday's proceedings were attended by a group of reporters, victims' family members and survivors.

The five suspects each entered the courtroom one by one, accompanied by military escorts, and sat at separate tables with their defense teams.

Mohammed, who allegedly came up with the idea for the attacks and took it al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, strode easily into the courtroom at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Tuesday morning sporting a dense, graying red beard, blue turban and matching face mask.

He chatted animatedly with bin Attash while leafing through a pile of documents.

Bin Attash, who allegedly helped plan the 9/11 attacks, wore a pink keffiyeh headdress and a military desert camouflage jacket, walking slowly with a prosthetic on one leg he lost in a firefight in Afghanistan in 1996.

Al-Shibh, a member of the 'Hamburg Cell' of hijackers, also wore desert camouflage over his white cotton pants, seemingly to reflect his days as an al-Qaeda jihadist.

Ali, the nephew of Mohammed also known as Ammar al-Baluchi, revealed a short, black beard under his mask and wore a Sindhi cap of his native Balochistan, along with a traditional vest over his white robe.

Hawsawi entered in a Saudi thobe-style white robe and carrying a pillow which he placed on the hospital chair reserved for him, due to rectal damage his lawyers say was incurred in the abusive interrogations by the CIA.

Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall is presiding over the five suspects' pre-trial hearings.

He is the eighth military judge to sit on the case and the fourth during the pretrial proceedings.

The hearing opened with the judge asking each of the defendants if they understood the guidelines for the hearing.

Each answered yes, some in English and some in their own languages.

McCall then spoke about COVID-19 protocols for the hearing, saying everyone should wear a mask unless addressing the court.

Defense attorneys said they were eager to continue where they stopped in February 2019, building a case to discredit the bulk of the prosecution's evidence due to the torture they endured by the CIA.

The September 11 2001 terrorist attacks killed 2,977 people including 2,753 people in New York

Proceedings then began with an initial hearing focused on the judge's own qualifications to hear the case.

Lawyers for both sides are allowed in a war crimes tribunal to question a new judge for possible bias.

McCall said he had worked with others on both sides of the court in this case, but had no deep links or commitments to any.

'I shut down all my social media,' he said, to avoid potential 'friends' from contacting him about the case.

McCall adjourned the session after just two and a half hours over procedural issues related to his appointment.

It is expected to resume Wednesday, though arguments over substantive evidence issues might not resume until next week.

Much of the rest of the week will involve closed, classified meetings attended only by the judge, defense and prosecution - and not the defendants.

It is unclear how much of the hearings the public will learn due to concerns around classified information and national security.

No recordings are permitted and no video or audio will be released to the public.

However an unofficial courtroom transcript will be released around one day later and a sketch artist will be present.

The trial is also being streamed to the public at Fort Meade, Maryland.

The 9/11 attacks, carried out almost 20 years ago, killed almost 3,000 people

Much of the pre-trial hearings will focus around what evidence will be admissible at trial, as the defense has argued information was gathered under torture.

The five suspects will each have their own defense team of attorneys assigned by the military, as well as pro-bono lawyers from the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

They will sit separately at five tables with their legal teams and interpreters and may be restrained with their ankles shackled to the floor, if the judge deems necessary, reported ABC News which toured the facility Sunday.

The alleged main plotter Mohammed will sit at the front table, with the other four sat in order of the indictment.

Four of the five accepted an offer to get the COVID-19 vaccine, reported ABC.

During recesses in the pre-trial proceedings, the five suspects will be held in five separate holding cells by the courtroom.

The cells are numbered ELC14 through ELC18.

Each cell has a toilet, a Qibla pointer pointing to Islam's holiest site, and a mounted bed with a foam cushion on a mattress - but no sheets due to suicide risks.

The hearings will take place at the Expeditionary Legal Complex (ELC) at Camp Justice in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The base pictured above

The suspects will be woken from their cells at the Joint Task Force where they are being held around 5am each day to be taken to the holding cells for around 6.30am.

There is also a larger holding cell for the defendants to have meetings with their legal teams and a building with a shower.

Family members of some of the 2,977 people the five are accused of murdering and survivors of the terrorist attacks will watch the hearings from a sound-proof gallery, with a curtain separating them from the press.

The five suspects have been locked up at the 'War on Terror' prison at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for nearly 15 years.

They were first indicted in 2012.

Since the case started, prosecutors have regarded it as open-and-shut, even without the tainted information reaped from the brutal CIA interrogations.

Instead, prosecutors maintain that the defendants all provided solid evidence of conspiring in the 9/11 attacks during so-called 'clean-team' interrogations conducted by the FBI in 2007, after the five arrived at Guantanamo.

But the defense has sought to disqualify most of the government's evidence saying it is tainted by the alleged torture the defendants underwent in CIA custody.

The defense and human rights organizations argue that the defendants were interrogated under torture while they were held at the CIA's secret 'black sites' between 2002 and 2006.

The attorneys also argue that the 2007 interrogations were hardly 'clean' because the FBI also took part in the CIA's torture program, and their interrogations carried a similar menace.

The defendants, still feeling the impact of torture at that time, spoke to the FBI under the real fear that it would start again, the defense contends.

'Make no mistake, covering up torture is the reason that these men were brought to Guantanamo' instead of the US federal justice system, said Connell, who represents Baluchi.

Court sketch of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (right) and co-defendant Walid bin Attash at a military hearing at Guantanamo Bay in 2012

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, known as KSM, is one of five Guantanamo Bay detainees whose pre-trial hearings will resume on Tuesday

'The cover-up of torture is also the reason that we are all gathered at Guantanamo for the 42nd hearing in the 9/11 military commission,' he said.

Attorneys say the five defendants now suffer the lasting effects of this severe torture.

Added to that, the attorneys say, is the cumulative impact of 15 years in harsh, isolated conditions since arriving at Guantanamo Bay.

To prove their case, the defense is demanding huge amounts of classified materials that the government is resisting turning over, on everything from the original torture program to conditions at Guantanamo to health assessments.

Defense lawyers also want to interview dozens more witnesses, after 12 already appeared before the court, including two men who oversaw the CIA program.

The demands have delayed the trial, but the defense blames the government for actively hiding materials relevant to the case.

Alka Pradhan, another defense attorney, noted that it took the government six years to admit that the FBI took part in the CIA's torture program.

'This case wears you down,' she said.

'They are withholding things that are normal procedure in court.'

With scores of motions lined up to demand evidence that military prosecutors refuse to hand over, defense attorneys said the pretrial phase could easily last another year, placing far over the horizon any hope for a jury trial and verdict.

Asked if the case could ever reach that point, one defense attorney, James Connell, replied 'I don't know.'

Smoke billows out of the Twin Towers after terrorists flew two airplanes into the buildings on September 11 2001

Mohammed, now 57 and known as KSM, was described in the 9/11 Commission report as the 'principal architect' of the terrorist attacks.

Born in Kuwait, of Pakistani origin, KSM studied in the US before fighting in Afghanistan. He is believed to be the one who took the idea for the September 11 attacks to Osama Bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader.

He was arrested in 2003 and taken to a secret CIA 'black ops' site, where he was waterboarded at least 183 times. He was forced to remove all his clothes for lengthy periods of time, subjected to rectal rehydration and put in stress positions, plus forced to endure sleep deprivation. Much of what he 'confessed' was later found to be made up.

In 2006 he arrived at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Attash, from Yemen, is now 43.

He is accused of training two of the hijackers in fighting techniques.

Al-Shibh, another Yemeni, now 49, is accused of supporting the so-called Hamburg cell, relaying money and messages to the 9/11 hijackers.

He shared an apartment in Hamburg, Germany, with hijacker Mohammad Atta and applied to receive flight training in the United States. After repeatedly being denied a US visa, al-Shibh allegedly wired funds to plotters already inside the US.

After he was captured in Pakistan in 2002, Bin al Shibh was held for four years at a CIA 'black site,' before being moved to Guantanamo Bay.

Biden has vowed to close Guantanamo Bay by the end of his first term as president.
Amanda Walder, 31, is being held at Codington County Detention Center after she was charged for the murder of 17-month-old Liam Koistinen , who suffered brain injuries under her care at an unlicensed daycare in her home

A South Dakota woman has been charged with murder after a 17-month-old boy died of a brain injury under her care at an unlicensed daycare in her home.

Mother-of-two Amanda Walder, 31, was initially charged with abuse or cruelty of a minor, but the charges were upgraded to second degree murder, two counts of first degree manslaughter, and aggravated battery of an infant after Liam Koistinen died at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

On July 13, Walder, a mother-of-two, called police from the daycare in the 200 block of 15th Street in Watertown, saying she couldn't wake Liam up from his nap.

When police arrived, the child was unconscious and was taken to Watertown Hospital, where doctors found swelling and bleeding caused by trauma in Liam's brain.

He died the next day.

His parents Jeff and Genevie Koistinen were heartbroken by their son's loss.

'We hurt so much at to loss of Liam,' Jeff wrote in a Facebook post.

Yet, incredibly, the couple say they have forgiven Walder for the murder of their son.

'Amanda, we pray for you and we forgive you. We really mean that,' Jeff added.

Walder was taken into custody after Liam was found unconscious, and admitted that she may have unintentionally hurt Liam when he wouldn't take a nap.

She is now being held at Codington County Detention Center under a $100,000 bail.

Walder appeared on court on Friday, September 3, but did not enter any pleas.

Her lawyer, Jennifer Goldammer, tried to reduce the bond, citing that Walder had two children in pre-school and the second grade, no previous criminal record, and had no risk of flying.

The judge declined the request, saying the bond was accordingly with murder charges.

Liam was visiting Watertown with his parents Jeff and Genevie Koistinen, from Warana, Arizona. They were traveling for the summer to spend time with Liam's grandparents.

Liam was visiting Watertown, South Dakota with his parents and a family friend had recommended Walder to them

Walder ran the unlicensed daycare where Liam suffered brain injuries at her home in the 200 block of 15th Street in Watertown

'Went to visit our little Liams grave today. Its very hard and lots of emotions, we just miss him so much. We love you so much Liam!!' Liam's mom, Genevie Koistinen posted on Facebook

'My parents are older. We wanted to spend time with the family. To have Liam be with them and get to know them,' Jeff told the Watertown Public Opinion.

Walder was recommended by a family friend to the Koistinens, and although Liam would get worried every time his parents dropped him off at Walder's, he seemed to be adjusting well.

He had started to play with toys and other kids.

Liam was born in February 2020, in the height of the pandemic, and had spent nearly all his life distanced from kids, as Arizona was under strict lockdown rules.

On a Facebook post, Jeff said he had forgiven Walder and pleaded with parents and caretakers to walk away when they are frustrated with children.

'We truly don't think Amanda is a bad person.

'Mistakes were made on July 14th that ended in the senseless loss of our son Liam,' he said.

'When times get tough with your baby or someone else baby, put the baby in a safe place and walk away. Call the parents.

'Don't let yourself break. We hurt so much at to loss of Liam.

'We miss him and want to make sure this does not happen to someone else.

Liam's father, Jeff Koistinen, (pictured with his son) said in a Facebook post that he had forgiven Walder. 'Amanda, we pray for you and We forgive you. We really mean that,' he wrote

Liam was described by his parents as their miracle baby. He spent the two first weeks of his life in the intensive care unit

'Liam, We miss you and love you. It's so hard being here without you. As the days pass, the reality of you not coming back makes it harder every day. Please guide us Liam,' Liam's dad wrote in a Facebook post

'Liam was a very curious boy. He was observant and liked to inspect everything around him. He quickly learned how things worked by pressing buttons,' Liam's obituary read

Liam was his parents' 'miracle baby'.

They told the Watertown Public Opinion that he hadn't breathed for the first nine minutes after he was born and spent the first two weeks of his life in the intensive care unit.

On July 13th, the Kostinens received a call from Walder, who told them that Liam was unconscious.

It had been five hours since they had dropped their son at the daycare at 10.30am that day.

When they arrived, they found police cars outside.

Walder, who was sitting in the couch allegedly said 'I'm sorry, I didn't do anything,' immediately after they arrived.

The ambulance arrived shortly after and took Liam to Watertown Hospital.

He was then airlifted to Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, where he died.

'Liam was a very curious boy. He was observant and liked to inspect everything around him. He quickly learned how things worked by pressing buttons.

Liam would love to take Dad's remote control and subscribe to Apple Music.

Liam was his mom and dad's world,' his obituary read.
A Qantas flight attendant breaking out in a happy dance after putting on her uniform for the since the Covid pandemic hit has gone viral online.

Erin Camilleri lost her role working for the Australian airline in March 2020 as border closures and lockdowns crippled the tourism and aviation industries.

Thousands of workers across the globe were furloughed after flights were slashed as international and domestic travel were brought to a halt.

But after a tough 18 months, Ms Camilleri was this week able to finally slip back into her red, black, and pink, ensemble - and she could not wipe the smile off her face.

The airhostess posted a video of her doing a 'happy dance' on TikTok and Instagram to share her delight at being called back into action.

@erinlouisecamilleri I got to put my uniform on today and go to work for the first time since March 2020  CALLS FOR A HAPPY DANCE YAY  original sound - Yo

Erin Camilleri was one of the thousands of Qantas workers stood down when Covid hit Australia in March 2020. This week, she donned her beloved uniform for the first time in 18 months (pictured)

'In March 2020, I was stood down with no idea what I wanted to do with my life,' she wrote.

'I lived for my job (still do) and had no choice but to take a break from it.

'Fast forward 18 months and Im so proud of everything Ive accomplished and am even more excited for what life has in store.'

She said her return to work was 'so close I can feel it!'.

The heartwarming video has racked up more than 17,000 likes, leaving many excited to return to the air when borders open - which is currently billed to be around December when vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

'This is so good. Makes me so happy and gives everyone hope we can travel again soon,' one person wrote.

'This is so special  love seeing positive tourism stories,' another added.

'Can't wait to fly Qantas again once borders open,' a third said.

Last month, Qantas stood down around 2,500 workers for a minimum of two months after Sydney's Covid lockdown was extended to the end of September.

Ms Camilleri (pictured) said the resumption of travel is 'so close I can feel it!' as Australia finally prepares to open up to the world

The video has gone viral, racking up more than 17,000 likes and almost 200 comments

However, staff will be back in the air by December as Qantas restarts international travel just in time for the Christmas rush.

The flying kangaroo airline announced last week its plans to gradually bring back overseas flights once 80 per cent of the Australian population was fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Qantas said it expected the country to reach that target in December - triggering the re-opening of international borders as part of 'Phase C' of the federal government's path to pandemic normality.

The first available travel routes will be to first-world destinations with high vaccination rates including the United States, Canada, the UK, Singapore, Japan and New Zealand, Qantas told the Australian Securities Exchange.

Those routes will be serviced by Boeing 787s, Airbus A330s, 737s and A320s for flights to Fiji.

The resumption of international flights is also based on National Cabinet scrapping caps on returning Australian travellers who are fully vaccinated.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said Australia's rapid vaccination rollout would make international holiday travel possible again for the first time in almost two years, despite lockdowns in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Qantas said it expected the country to reach that target in December - triggering the re-opening of international borders as part of 'Phase C' of the federal government's path to pandemic normality

'The prospect of flying overseas might feel a long way off, especially with New South Wales and Victoria in lockdown, but the current pace of the vaccine rollout means we should have a lot more freedom in a few months' time,' he said.

'It's obviously up to government exactly how and when our international borders re-open, but with Australia on track to meet the 80 per cent trigger agreed by National Cabinet by the end of the year, we need to plan ahead for what is a complex restart process.'

The airline said flights to cities in Asia and South Africa with low vaccination rates and high Covid-19 case numbers would not restart until at least April 2022.

Those developing world destinations include Bali, Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Johannesburg.

Qantas said it also plans to restart flights between Australia and New Zealand from mid-December 2021 as long as the trans-Tasman bubble had re-opened by that date.

Meanwhile, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has announced intrastate travel will resume once 80 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.

The earmarked date to reach the target is the end of October or early November, at which point Sydneysiders who have received both doses of a Covid jab will be allowed to travel freely through the state with a special travel permit.
A Republican deputy mayor of a town just outside New York City has been arrested after authorities searched his home and found a cache of unregistered assault weapons and firearms as well as fake badges that said he was in the FBI and DEA.



Brian Downey, 47, deputy mayor of Airmont, New York, was charged by federal and state prosecutors after the Ramapo Police Department searched his home last Thursday.

Police were issued a search warrant after being tipped off by the Department of Homeland Security that the 47-year-old had purchased an illegal rifle suppression device over the internet, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said.

When authorities entered Downey's basement they discovered a black wall with over a dozen firearms displayed and more on a rack located against another wall in what court documents referred to as his 'gun room.'

Brian Downey, 47, (pictured) deputy mayor of Airmont, New York, was charged by federal and state prosecutors after cops searched his home last Thursday. The deputy mayor is also is employed as a Ramapo deputy building inspector and a part-time court officer

When authorities entered Downey's basement they discovered a black wall with over a dozen firearms displayed (pictured)

Authorities found more weapons on a rack located against another wall in what court documents referred to as his 'gun room'

When authorities opened a lockbox they found several fake federal badges and credentials, including multiple FBI badges with his name and signature

Deputy mayor's charges after cops found haul of unregistered guns at his house Federal charges filed in the Southern District of New York: Possession of Unregistered Firearms

Possession of Federal Badges, ID Cards, and other Insignia State charges filed by Rockland County District Attorneys office: One count of criminal possession of a weapon in the 1st degree - related to the possession of ten or more unregistered firearms

16 counts criminal possession of an weapon in the 3rd degree - related to possession of 16 assault weapons

13 counts criminal possession of a weapon in 3rd degree  related to the possession of thirteen firearm silencers

3 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the 2nd degree  related to the possession of a fraudulent New York Court Officer ID Card and two fraudulent New York Court Officer badges Advertisement

Authorities also found more weapons in a closet adjacent to his gun room, including a sawn off shotgun which he was not authorized to own.

According to court records, Downey told law enforcement agents he believed he was allowed to shorten the barrel on the weapon because he was a 'peace officer'.

But he added that he understood he could not legally possess one without authorization.

The deputy mayor has been employed as a part-time court officer, according to the Journal News. He is also is employed as a Ramapo deputy building inspector.

He was elected second-in-command to Airmont Mayor Nathan Bubel in 2019, who has yet to issue a public statement about his deputy's arrest.

Downey would be forced to step down as deputy mayor if convicted of a felony.

DailyMail.com reached out to Bubel and Downey for comment.

As law enforcement agents continued to search Downey's home an agent found a small square lock box and when asked for the combination, Downey told law enforcement he did not have the combination.

When authorities opened the lockbox they found several fake federal badges and credentials, including a DEA badge, a U.S. Marshals badge, and multiple FBI badges with his name and signatures on them.

The lockbox also included his passport and New York State commercial drivers license.

Downey faces multiple federal and state charges and if convicted of a felony charge he would be forced to leave office, the Journal News reported.

Brian Downey, 47, (pictured) deputy mayor of Airmont, New York would be forced to leave office if convicted of a felony

Downey told law enforcement agents he believed he was allowed to own a sawed off shotgun because he was a 'peace officer'

Downey was arrested after authorities searched his home and found a cache of 16 unregistered assault weapons

Authorities also found more weapons in a closet adjacent to his gun room, including a sawed off shotgun (pictured) which he was not authorized to own

Among the federal charges are multiple counts of criminal possession of unregistered firearms and fraudulent badges, identification cards and other insignia and state charges include illegal possession of a fraudulent New York court officer identification card and badges.

DA Walsh expressed disappointment in Downey's arrest.

He said: 'Today's arrest of an individual who was entrusted by the public to serve his community is a sad day for our County. Our community is without a doubt safer today than it was yesterday.'

He added later: 'Anyone who takes an oath of office to serve the public and is entrusted to by their community to serve its constituents should have integrity beyond reproach.

This fluid investigation involving the Rockland County District Attorneys office and our Federal partners (HSI, ATF, US Postal Inspector) has resulted in the arrest of a public official who violated that oath of office and betrayed the trust of the public whom he swore to serve.

'I pledged during my campaign that I would be a District Attorney who would act without fear of favor.

'This investigation is a primary example of my promise to root out public corruption and those officials who use their right hand to take their oath and utilize their position of power to violate the sacred trust of those they swore to serve.'
He said: 'I sincerely beg you to join me in taking action and shining a light on Julius' story...together we might be able to spare the life of an innocent man'

Corden, who spoke about the case on his show Tuesday night, says there is 'overwhelming evidence of his innocence' and wants people to take action

He and his family have maintained his innocence over the last 20, arguing he was framed in a racially-charged case

Jones was convicted of murder at 19 and scheduled for execution in the coming months, even though another man has confessed to the crime

James Corden is asking people to petition the Oklahoma governor and parole board on behalf of death row inmate Julius Jones

Death row inmate Julius Jones (pictured in the late '90s) was convicted of murder in the 1999 and is scheduled for execution in the coming months, even though another man has confessed to the crime

James Corden, host of The Late Late Show, has asked his viewers to petition the Oklahoma governor and parole board on behalf of death row inmate Julius Jones.

Jones, 40, was convicted of murder in the 1999 shooting of 45-year-old Paul Howell in Oklahoma City. He is scheduled for execution in the coming months, even though another man has confessed to the crime.

Although he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, Jones and his family maintain his innocence, arguing he was framed in a racially-charged case.

Now, as his execution date nears, Corden - among others - are begging citizens to call upon Oklahoma lawmakers, asking them to revisit Jones' case and allow him to plead his case.

'I sincerely beg you to join me in taking action and shining a light on Julius' story because together we might be able to spare the life of an innocent man,' Corden said.

'The only way we can find out if justice has been served is if Julius is given the chance to present the case for his innocence.'

Speaking about the case on his show Tuesday night, Corden outlined some of the alleged injustices that occurred during Jones' trial, arguing that there is 'overwhelming evidence of his innocence'.

According to Corden, Jones had an alibi the night of Howell's murder, however it was never presented to the jury because of an inexperienced public defender 'who later admitted under oath to making key mistakes in this case including not showing crucial photo evidence and not cross examining witnesses'.

'When it was time to present their case, Julius' lawyer stood up and said "the defense rests,"' Corden said.

He added: 'There are so many other ways this case was stacked against Julius from the start.'

The television host claims there was evidence of racial bias in the case and that the prosecutor had a known reputation for misconduct, arguing that a third of his death penalty convictions have been overturned.

Now, James Corden, host of The Late Late Show, is asking his viewers to petition the Oklahoma governor and parole board on behalf of Jones

Corden said Tuesday night: 'I sincerely beg you to join me in taking action and shining a light on Julius' story because together we might be able to spare the life of an innocent man. 'The only way we can find out if justice has been served is if Julius (pictured as a teen) is given the chance to present the case for his innocence'

'And if that wasn't enough to call Julius' death sentence into question, which it is - but if it isn't, somebody else has confessed to the murder. Multiple people have signed sworn affidavits testifying that another man said he committed the murder and framed Julius for it,' Corden continued.

'I am not a legal scholar but even if you don't accept that Julius Jones is an innocent man, it seems pretty clear that he did not have a fair trial.'

Corden has asked his followers to visit the Justice For Julius website and to sign a petition to the Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and the state Pardon and Parole Board to stop Jones' execution.

'Before he's sent to be executed let's - at the very least - give the man a chance to state his case. That's all this is about,' said Corden.

Jones, who was arrested on murder charges at age 19, is tentatively scheduled to have a first-of-its-kind combined clemency and commutation hearing on Oct. 5, according to the Oklahoman.

Jones is tentatively scheduled to have a first-of-its-kind combined clemency and commutation hearing on Oct. 5. During this hearing, He will be given the opportunity to take the stand himself after his attorneys plead his case

During this hearing, Jones will be given the opportunity to take the stand himself after his attorneys plead his case.

He is currently scheduled to be executed on Oct. 28.

Corden is one of several celebrities advocating on behalf of Jones.

Kim Kardashian paid a visit to Jones last year, as well as his family, and pledged to do what she could to help his legal team after having followed his case for quite some time.

In a tweet in October 2019, Kim penned: 'I have been following the case of Julius Jones for little while now.

'Julius Jones is on death row in Oklahoma, despite maintaining his innocence and compelling evidence that he was wrongfully convicted. His case has also been strained with so much racial discrimination.'

In October 2019, Kim Kardashian publicly said there is 'compelling evidence that he was wrongfully convicted' and went on to share a link to his clemency petition. She tweeted urging Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and the state Pardon and Parole Board to consider Jones' clemency petition

Kim Kardashian is pictured meeting with Julius Jones' family in 2019

Julius Jones was convicted of murder in the 1999 shooting of 45-year-old Paul Howell, pictured

Jones was a 19-year-old honor student on a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma at the time of the murder of Paul Howell in July 1999.

Howell was shot and killed in the driveway of his parents' Edmond home and investigators say the suspect then fled in his Suburban.

Jones was arrested along with a co-defendant who fits an eyewitness's description of the shooter, while Jones did not.

He claims his friends conspired to frame him after a robbery gone wrong which ended in the murder.

According to Justice for Julius: 'In a case riddled with odious racial discrimination  including a police officer's use of a racial slur during Mr Jones' arrest and the State's removal of all prospective black jurors except one evidence shows that a juror used the n-word before jury deliberations at the sentencing phase.

'The US Supreme Court has made unequivocally clear that our criminal justice system cannot tolerate such blatant examples of racial prejudice on the part of even a single juror.'

Jones also claims his defense attorneys did not even bring up his alibi at trial and did not call any witnesses to the stand who could have attested for Jones's location on the night of the killing.

He said: 'I have spent the past twenty years on death row for a crime I did not commit, did not witness, and was not at. I feel terrible for Mr Howell and his family, but I was not responsible.
Andee Wright, 30, was arraigned on Tuesday for murdering her unnamed newborn baby boy and stashing his body in a basement trash can before claiming she had miscarried.

A woman has been accused of murdering her newborn baby right after giving birth, then stashing his body in a trash can in the basement of her home last year.

Andee Wright, 30, of Tonawanda, New York, was arraigned on Tuesday for an indictment on two counts of murder, the Erie County District Attorney's office said.

Wright had originally told authorities she'd suffered a miscarriage at 38-weeks on October 25, 2020. The infant was never named.

But prosecutors questioned her story and opened an investigation.

'It raised my eyebrows, and it was a situation where I wanted a full blow investigation on the matter,' District Attorney John Flynn said.

They Wright was at home, and her boyfriend and his friend were out, when she gave birth between 2.30am and 3.15am, Law & Crime reported.

She allegedly murdered the newborn immediately, hitting it at least twice and fracturing its skull.

The Erie County Medical Examiners Office did not specify Wright's method of killing, except to say it was through blunt force trauma and focally penetrating trauma.

Flynn added that a 'precise, edge like instrument or object' was involved to inflect such trauma on the infant's skull.

Andee Wright (right) was arraigned on Tuesday on two counts of second-degree murder after she allegedly killed her newborn in October 2020. Bail has been set for her at $75,000

Wright's boyfriend and his friend then arrived home, initially not knowing about Wright's giving birth, according to Flynn.

However, they called 911 upon seeing she was in distress.

First responders soon arrived to the couple's home on Eggert Road before taking Wright to the hospital.

Just a short time after, the infant was found deceased in a garbage can in the basement of the house.

Investigators are still unsure whether the child was born dead, as a result of an at-home abortion attempt, or whether he was born then killed.

Flynn said he didn't the report he received that claimed Wright suffered a miscarriage at 38-weeks, prompting him to open an investigation.

But Flynn insists the baby was born alive.

'I had to make sure that the baby was born,' he said. 'I had to make sure that my i's were dotted and my t's were crossed and I was 100 percent sure beyond a reasonable doubt of going to a court of law that it was not a miscarriage.'

He added that the time between birth and the alleged murder was 'quick'.

'When I say quick, it was quick,' he said.

Flynn declined to dive into the specifics of the details involved to prove the unborn child's birth.

Wright faces two counts of second-degree murder. One count was for intentional murder and the other was for depraved indifference to human life.

Her attorney, Paul Dell, called the incident a 'tragedy' and that 'they're taking this one step at a time.'

The Erie County District Attorneys Office requested that Wright be held without bail, but the judge set bail at $75,000.

A return court date has not been scheduled at this time.

If convicted of all charges, Wright faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.
A British man infected with coronavirus is facing eight years behind bars after trying to leave Poland with a faked test certificate.

The 39-year-old was detained by border guards at Lodz airport while trying to board a flight to Nottingham with a doctored certificate on which he had changed his positive status to negative.

The man who has not been named for legal reasons has been accused of creating an epidemiological threat, spreading a contagious disease and forging a document.

A British man (pictured at Lodz Airport) infected with coronavirus is facing eight years in jail after he was caught with a doctored certificate on which he had changed his Covid test result from positive to negative

A border guard spokesman said: The 39-year-old British man flew to Poland three days earlier, showing certificates of vaccination against COVID-19.

According to the sanitary procedure, such a document exempts the traveller from compulsory quarantine in our country, but when returning to the UK, the traveler is required to have a current COVID-19 test performed 72 hours before arrival.

The result of the test was positive.'

The 39-year-old man was detained while trying to board a flight from Lodz Airport to Nottingham with the faked Covid-19 test certificate. He now faces between six months and eight years in prison in Poland

The spokesman added: 'As he said, driven by the will to return home quickly, he decided to change the test printout, changing the positive result to negative, thus enabling himself to board the plane to the East Midlands.

During the passport control, it turned out that the man was listed in the system as a person subject to domestic isolation until the end of the week.

They added that by trying to board the airplane, the man posed a threat to the health of over 200 people, including passengers and airport staff.

He was also fined 100.

If found guilty he faces a jail sentence of between six months and eight years.
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Millions of elderly people will still have to fork out tens of thousands for care under the Government's new plans and it will be years before they're introduced, meaning people in care now might miss out.

Boris Johnson has claimed that nobody in England will have to pay more than 86,000 in their lifetime to fund their care in later life as part of his controversial 12billion-a-year reforms.

But only those who have been deemed most frail and in need by their local council will be eligible for the subsidies.

Even those who are accepted will have to wait until 2023, when the cap on care payments is introduced, meaning those dependent on care now will not recoup any of the costs they rack up over the next two years.

And the subsisidies will not include 'living costs' in care homes, such as food, energy bills and the accommodation.

The average care home in England costs in total about 36,000 a year for each resident, with 12,000 of this going towards daily living costs.

That means it would take the average care home resident more than three and a half years to hit the cap. For those in care now, that would mean waiting another nearly six years.

Yet official figures show half of care home residents die within a year of entering the facility, with three-quarters passing away within three years.

When the flaws in the plan were put to Mr Johnson today, he refused to deny that some people might still have to sell their homes to afford care, breaking yet another manifesto promise.

When pressed by Labour leader Keir Starmer on the issue, Mr Johnson said: 'This is the first time that the state has actually come in to deal with the threat of these catastrophic costs, thereby enabling the private sector, the financial services industry, to supply the insurance products that people need to guarantee themselves against the costs of care.'

The above graph shows that half of people who go into care homes die within a year, and three quarters die within three years. Less than 10 per cent of residents currently in homes will live for six years, long enough to take advantage of the cap, which comes into force in October 2023

The above graph shows life expectancy for people in a care home by whether they fund the care themselves (red line) or receive support (green line). It suggests that self-funders live slightly longer on average, compared to the other group. After 12 months in a home, around 30 per cent of people who are paying for their care home will have died, while 35 per cent of those supported by authorities will have passed away

Spending on care will count towards Boris Johnson's cap only if they are judged to need the support by the council. The above graph shows local authority spending on social care per adult in England from 2005 to 2019. Councils stuck to a strict budget, with spending varying between 400 and 500 per year over the 14-year period

The Prime Minister was pressed by the Labour leader over how his plan could meet the Conservative's election pledge that nobody should be forced to sell their house to pay for care.

Sir Keir said during Prime Minister's Questions: 'Someonewith 186,000, if you include the value of their home  that is not untypicalacross the country in all of your constituencies  facing large costs becausethey have to go into care, will have to pay 86,000 under his plan. 'That is before living costs. 'Where does the Prime Minister think that they are going toget that 86,000 without selling their home?' Mr Johnson responded: 'This is the first time that the statehas actually come in to deal with the threat of these catastrophic costs,thereby enabling the private sector, the financial services industry, to supplythe insurance products that people need to guarantee themselves against thecosts of care.' Asked whether his policy meant the Government wasencouraging people to take out insurance to avoid selling their home, MrJohnson's official spokesman said: ' The private insurance market will now havethe ability, because of the certainty provided, to come forward.

Who qualifies for the new social care cap? When does it kick in? What does it cover? Britons face higher national insurance tax from 2023 to cover health and social care costs. One part of the plans involve no one in England having to pay more than 86,000 in their lifetime for social care. The 'cap on care' covers help people need for certain activities, such as washing, dressing and eating. Once someone has paid more than 86,000 for these services, the Government will take over paying their costs. Ministers said the scheme means people will no longer face unpredictable or unlimited care costs and it tackles 'persistent unfairness in the social care system'. Once someone has reached the cap, local authorities will cover all of their eligible personal care costs. However, the change does not kick in until October 2023, so any spending before this date does not count towards the cap. Three in four current care home residents will not live that long and it would take them three years on average to hit the cap after it becomes active. And once the new system comes into effect, anyone with more than 100,000 in assets - including property - will be responsible for paying all care costs until they have spent 86,000. There is also a 'floor' for anyone with less than 20,000 in assets not required to contribute to costs. Those with assets between 20,000 and 100,000 will have their care partly subsidised. Not all payments a person makes related to their social care count towards this cap. Any charges for 'daily living costs' in a care home - such accommodation, cleaning, food and bills - are not included. So even after millions of Britons have spent 86,000 on their social care, they face paying monthly bills over 1,000 if they stay in a care home. Authorities will partially fund the care of those who have between 20,000 and 100,000 in assets, while those with less than 20,000 will have all of their costs covered. Local councils have the final say on what costs they are willing to pay. For example, it might choose not to fully cover the costs of a more expensive care home. If someone is receiving social care home visits, councils would pay for the hours they think someone needs at a set price, rather than the hours they used at the price they were charged. People with over 100,000 in assets would pay for their care in full until they become eligible for free care through the cap, or their assets drop below 100,000. Advertisement

'It's not for me to say what actions they will take.' Mr Johnson is set to meet backbenchers tonight in a bid towin over potential rebels opposed to his manifesto-busting pledges ahead of acommons vote on Wednesday. Half of people already in care homes do not live a year,while three quarters do not make it past three. The Government already steps in to cover the cost of care ifsomeone's assets fall below 23,250, including their savings and any propertythey own. But it will not count someone's property in their assesstsif a family member is still living in it. The Government has insisted their cap on care means peoplewill no longer face unpredictable or unlimited care costs and tackles'persistent unfairness in the social care system'. Once someone has reached the cap or had their assets fallbelow 23,250, local authorities will then step in to cover the costs of theircare. But because the cap does not include daily 'living costs'frail elderly people who reach it could still be left paying 1,000 a month forfood and accommodation. On average, Britain's have pension pots amount to 61,000. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the decision to abandonthe election pledge in order to provide 12 billion extra a year for the NHSand adult social care was the sign of a 'responsible and serious government'. But he acknowledged the extra money may not be enough toclear NHS waiting lists. The Commons clashes came as experts continued to pore overthe details of Tuesday's tax hike, based on a 1.25 percentage point increase inNational Insurance from April 2022. The Resolution Foundation said the new system wasgenerationally unfair because the bulk of the money comes from working agepeople. Although the levy will hit the earnings of working peopleabove retirement age from April 2023, the think tank said only one in sixpensioner households have earnings while two-thirds have private pension incomethat is not covered by the new tax. The levy also excludes other sources of income such asrental income from buy-to-let homes. The think tank said the 86,000 cap on care costs will be ofmost benefit to those in the more affluent south of England, as they see agreater share of their total assets protected by the cap and higher care costsmean they are also more likely to reach the limit and benefit from statesupport. But poorer parts of England could benefit from the new meanstest, which sees care costs covered for those with assets under 20,000, andhelp available to those with up to 100,000. The think tank said in the North East only 29 per cent ofindividuals aged over-70 have sufficient assets that they might receive nostate support, compared with almost half in the South West. But the foundation warned that many people might still needto sell their home to pay for care if they do not have significant otherassets. Resolution Foundation chief executive Torsten Bell said MrJohnson 'has turned his back on low taxes in favour of an NHS-dominated state'. He added: 'The tax rises that will pay for a bigger NHS aregenerationally unfair, excluding rich retirees while prioritising wealthylandlords over their tenants. 'And while the social care cap will prevent people being hitwith catastrophic costs, it will benefit southern households far more thanthose living in Red Wall seats.' However, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said:'Diseases like dementia affect families up and down the country. 'This is an approach that provides certainty for people upand down the country, it is an approach which is progressive, which sees thosewho have more pay more.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid earlier defended the package,telling the BBC: 'These are the acts of a responsible and serious government.' He said that 'doggedly' sticking to the manifesto commitmentcould have led to 13 million people being on NHS waiting lists in three years'time as a result of the backlog built up during the pandemic. Asked if the money would clear the backlog, Mr Javid toldSky News: 'No responsible health secretary can make that kind of guarantee.' He added: 'What I can be absolutely certain of is that thiswill massively reduce the waiting list from where it would otherwise havebeen.' The measures announced on Tuesday will see taxes at theirhighest-ever sustained share of the economy, the Institute for Fiscal Studiessaid.

Will taxpayers get ANYTHING back for the NHS's extra 10bn? Cash injection will be 'gobbled up' and there is NO chance of clearing waiting lists - which will get WORSE because of social distancing and pandemic (while unions are already demanding pay rises)

British taxpayers were warned today that Boris Johnson's manifesto-busting 30billion NHS handout will be 'gobbled up' permanently by the health service, with waiting lists and delays here to stay.

The Prime Minister promised the extra 10billion a year to clear the mammoth backlog that has amassed during the pandemic, on top of 5.4billion cash boost announced for the NHS only a couple of days ago.

But the handout has been given to the NHS without any firm targets to meet, which has raised fears the money will simply be swallowed. NHS bosses have already complained the sum isn't enough to clear the backlog.

Under proposals, half of the 10bn a year will be spent on social care in 2023 before the full amount is devoted to the care sector in 2025 and, in theory, the NHS reverts to its normal budget.

Critics have raised doubts about the plan, claiming that if the NHS goes on a recruitment spree to plug staffing gaps then a higher budget will become 'baked into the system'.

Announcing the tax hike yesterday, Mr Johnson said the cash would go towards nine million more checks, scans and procedures by the end of 2025, as part of the 'biggest catch-up programme in the NHS's history'.

He promised to boost NHS capacity for routine operations by 30 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, hire 50,000 more nurses and open new surgical hubs to deliver extra operations and other procedures.

By 2025, around 40 per cent of all of day-to-day Government spending will go to the the Department of Health and Social Care, which funds the health service, according to the Resolution Foundation.

The conservative think-tank, the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), warned the cash boost will almost entirely be spent on hiring new staff and increasing wages, which will be hard to recoup after 2025.

Julian Jessop, an economics fellow at the IEA, said: 'There is a risk that a temporary increase in spending on the NHS, to fix a temporary problem, becomes baked into the system, particularly via higher pay.

'Without fundamental reform, the NHS is black hole which will swallow any money spent on it, leaving nothing extra for social care.'

The left-wing Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said the funding is 'nothing like enough to get through the backlog', with the NHS alone needing 15billion per year to address the waiting list.

NHS England was already 38,952 nurses short at the end of June and it is not clear how quickly surgical hubs could take to set up or how they will be staffed.

A record 5.5million people were on the waiting list for routine operations and treatments  such as hip and knee replacements  at the end of June and with data for July due out tomorrow, that figure is expected to further soar.

Some 5.5million patients in England were waiting for routine hospital treatment - such as joint replacement and cataract surgery - by the end of June, the highest figure recorded since records began in 2007. And 304,803 of those patients (5.6 per cent) had been waiting for more than one year. In August 2007, 578,682 people of the 4.2million-strong waiting list (13.8 per cent) had been waiting for more than 52 weeks, but this dropped drastically and remained relatively flat for nearly a decade. Some 1,613 patients had been waiting for more than a year when the Covid pandemic hit, which caused the figure to soar to a high of 436,127 in March. But those waiting 12 months or more began to drop in April as the country recovered from the second wave and the health service was able to begin working on the backlog

Patients forced to wait more than 18 weeks for routine surgery - the maximum time someone should wait under the NHS's own rules - reached a record high of 2.1million last July. The figure then fell in 2020, but began to increase in March as health chiefs urged those who avoided seeking treatment during the pandemic to come forward. Before the Covid crisis, the largest number of patients forced to wait longer than 18 weeks was 1.7million in August 2007

The health and social care budget reached 212.1million in 2020, according to the King's Fund. Some 148.7million of the sum was planned funding, while the remaining 63.4million was dished out to cope with the Covid crisis. For the second half of 2021 and first half of 2022, minister plan to spend a total of 181.4million on the health service, 22.4million of which will be linked to Covid recovery

The number of patients waiting for routine hospital treatment hit 5.5million in June, the highest figure since records began in 2007. And health chiefs have warned the backlog is going to get much worse before it gets better, with projections that it could soar up to 13million by the end of the year if no action is taken

NHS England waiting list could soar to FOURTEEN MILLION by autumn 2022 and keep growing, says think tank The NHS waiting list in England could soar to 14 million by the autumn of next year and keep growing, an influential think tank has warned. If millions of patients who missed out on care during the pandemic seek medical attention, then the number joining the waiting list could outstrip the number being treated, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said in a report last month. Last month, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that NHS waiting lists in England could rocket to 13 million. The IFS warned the number could top this figure if most of the near seven million so-called 'missing' patients return to the health service in the next year. It said: 'Under this scenario, waiting lists would soar to 14 million by the autumn of 2022 and then continue to climb, as the number joining the waiting list exceeds the number being treated.' The IFS said it was unlikely all patients will return as some will have died and others might have had private treatment or chosen to live with their illnesses. Advertisement

The backlog was forecast to hit 13million by December without any action, with 7million patients expected to come forward who put off seeking treatment during the pandemic.

The health service also faces challenges from a surge of Covid and flu cases expected this winter and social distancing still being enforced in hospitals. Hospitals are aiming to keep two metres between patient beds and staff, which requires more space and can reduce capacity.

It has also been told to prepare for mammoth vaccination programmes for Covid booster jabs and for all over-12s, as well as the country's biggest-ever flu jab rollout, which is expected to reach 35million people.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the the Government has historically topped up NHS spending, so the 'temporary' increase in NHS funding 'could end up permanently swallowing up the money raised by the tax increase'.

From 1982 to the start of the pandemic, proposed NHS spending plans involved increasing its annual budget by an average of 2.7 per cent, according to the IFS. But annual spending actually grew by 4.1 per cent on average, as minister topped up the amount.

If 'history repeats itself', top-ups to the funding announced this week for the NHS could 'easily eat into the amount available for social care', the IFS said.

Professor Len Shackleton, editorial and research fellow at the IEA, said that lots of the extra funding would inevitably be gobbled up by wage increases.

He told MailOnline: 'The NHS is a huge employer, and any move to increase pay above the level already budgeted for will eat into the new funds made available.

'And, given that the plan to clear the backlog involves recruiting substantial numbers of extra staff while having many existing staff work longer hours, it is almost inevitable that pay will be increased.

'A 1.5 per cent pay increase would cost about 1 billion. If NHS costs do escalate, improvements to social care provision will be slow and underfunded.

'We should not assume that this clever political fix has solved the longer-term problems of health and social care provision.'

And job adverts online reveal that the NHS is hiring 42 new chief executives across the country, who will receive an average salary of 223,261. One in six of the new hires will be paid 270,000 - more than the Prime Minister.

Rachel Harrison, national officer at the trade union GMB, said the funding should be used to give NHS staff a retrospective 15 per cent pay rise, which would use up all of 10billion funding, according to Professor Shackleton's estimates.

She said: 'Morale among NHS staff is at a low ebb. They've faced ten years of real terms pay cuts and underfunding - leaving the health service with a massive 75,000 staffing black hole.

'After their efforts during the pandemic, to be offered another real terms pay cut just isn't good enough.

'Any new NHS funding that doesn't go towards giving staff a proper pay rise spectacularly misses the point.

'GMB is calling for a restorative 15 per cent increase to make up for a decade of slashed pay under the Conservatives.'

And Richard Murray, chief executive of the King's Fund think-tank, said wages are likely to go up, as medics have to work longer due to staff shortages.

He told MailOnline: 'If you put a lot of money into the NHS very quickly that they weren't ready for - which is true in this case - they have to find staff.

'You can't invent extra doctors and nurses, the workforce is what it is.

'This means you risk two routes - one is paying more people for overtime and bringing in expensive agency workers. So paying higher rates for longer hours.

'You can also try to persuade existing staff not to drop out early or retire. Some of that can show up in pay, but it can also be in areas like training and career development to try and keep people longer than they would otherwise plan to stay.'

Mr Murray predicted some of the money could go on diagnostic equipment and extending opening hours at operating theatres, or perhaps even on new hospital buildings.

'Britain has very few MRI and CT scanners. The Government has also promised a large hospital building programme too.

'One thing to note is that the money that has been announced by the government is revenue spending and things like large scanners are taken from capital spending.

'So either in the spending review we'll see another slug of money appearing for capital spending or some of the money will be moved across from revenue into capital.

'They said by the end of the period they want a 30 per cent increase in elective activity.

'It's hard to build completely new things so I think you'll see them trying to draw on independent sector capacity.

The health service's budget in 2024/25 will be nearly four per cent higher than it was in 2018/19, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. It is projected to reach 160billion, according to the funding that was announced yesterday
In the wake of the United States' pullout from Afghanistan, China is looking to fill some of the real estate left behind in an attempt to strengthen ties with the Taliban and embarrass America.

China is considering sending military personnel and economic development officials to Bagram Airfield, one of the most prominent American military bases during the 20-year war, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The Communist country is reportedly conducting a feasibility study on the effect of such a plan as part of its 'Belt and Road Initiative.'

China is considering sending military personnel and economic development officials to Bagram Airfield, one of the most prominent American military bases during the 20-year war

China, through a foreign ministry spokesperson, issued a denial.

'What I can tell everyone is that that is a piece of purely false information,' Wang Wenbin told reporters Tuesday morning.

However, Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center think tank, believes China may not be sincere in its denial and is very interested in that land.

The Communist country, led by President Xi Jinping, is reportedly conducting a feasibility study on the effect of such a plan as part of its 'Belt and Road Initiative'

'Given their past experience, the Chinese must be eager to get their hands on whatever the U.S. has left at the base,' says

The military airfield, located roughly an hour from Kabul, was first established by the Soviets during their own occupation in Afghanistan and which at the height of the U.S. military presence there was its busiest in the world.

US forces in Afghanistan abandoned their main base at Bagram airport overnight in July - shutting off the lights and slipping away into the night without telling government forces who were supposed to take it over.

Taliban leaders are looking to strengthen ties with China in the wake of the US' departure

General Mir Asadullah Kohistani, who is now in charge of the base which for 20 years served as the headquarters for America's war on the Taliban, said he only discovered the Americans had left two hours after they were gone when they called from Kabul airport.

By the time he arrived with troops to secure the site, looters had broken in and carried away many items that the soldiers had left behind - including laptops, stereo speakers, bicycles and guitars which were being hawked from second-hand shops by Sunday morning.

General Kohistani said troops also left behind small arms and ammunition along with hundreds of military vehicles and thousands of civilian cars and trucks, though many do not have the keys needed to start them. He has also inherited Bagram prison and its roughly 5,000 inmates - mostly believed to be Taliban.

It came as Joe Biden put an end to America's 'forever war' with all US troops due to be out of the country by the symbolic date of September 11 - though commanders were on course to withdraw by the end of August.

Former American Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley seemed to predict something like this in the wake of the United States' departure.

'We need to watch China, because I think you are going to see China make a move for Bagram Air Force Base,' said Haley in an interview with Fox News as she made the case for reconnecting with allies who felt let down by a precipitous withdrawal.

While Western nations were evacuating their embassies, the Chinese mission kept operating

'I think they are also making a move in Afghanistan and trying to use Pakistan to get stronger to go against India.

'So, we have got a lot of issues. The biggest thing he should do is strengthen our allies, strengthen those relationships, modernise our military, and make sure we are prepared for the cyber-crimes and the terrorist crimes that are headed our way.'

While Western nations were evacuating their embassies, the Chinese mission kept operating. Their security guards simply change from Afghan government security forces to Taliban gunmen.

What is China's Belt and Road Initiative? China's Belt and Road Initiative is a worldwide strategy to engage in infrastructure of nearly 70 countries and international organizations. The program began in 2013 as a key factor in Xi Jinping's foreign policy, and includes investment in ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, airports, dams, and railroad tunnels. One of the major aspects of the initiative is the 'Silk Road Economic Belt,' a proposed road and rail transportation route through landlocked Central Asia along the famed historical trade routes of the Western Regions. The United States formed, alongside Australia and Japan, The Blue Dot Initiative in an attempt to counter China's plans in 2019. Advertisement

The Taliban has already begun talking up plans for cooperation with Beijing.

A Taliban spokesman told an Italian newspaper that Afghanistan's new rulers will rely primarily on financing from China as it seeks to head off a looming humanitarian crisis and begin reconstruction.

'China is our most important partner and represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us, because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country,' Zabihullah Mujahid told La Repubblica in an interview.

Since 2002, the base has been one of the major symbols of America's War in Afghanistan

He also praised the New Silk Road  part of the Belt and Road Initiative that China is using to open up trade routes  and said Beijing investment could help reopen copper mines.

A report suggests China's deployment might not be coming for another two years and it would not involve them taking over the base, merely sending personnel at the Taliban's invite.

China likely achieve its latest ambitions for Bagram through help from Pakistan, Sun says, adding, 'I am sure they would like to cut out the middleman,' she added. 'If the Taliban requests Chinese assistance, I think China will be inclined to send human support. Most likely, they will frame it as technical support or logistic support.'
Boeing shareholders can sue the company's board of directors over fatal crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months, a Delaware judge has ruled.

The two crashes involving its 737 MAX plane, one in Indonesia in 2018 and the other in Ethiopia in 2019, killed a combined total of 346 people due to a safety issue with a flight stabilizing program.

Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn ruled Boeing stockholders may pursue some claims against the board, but dismissed others.

Zurn's ruling in the Court of Chancery said the first of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes was a 'red flag' about a key safety system known as MCAS 'that the board should have heeded but instead ignored.'

Boeing's board of directors face a lawsuit from shareholders over two fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX plane in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people (file image)

Boeing said late on Tuesday that it was 'disappointed in the court's decision to allow the plaintiffs' case to proceed past this preliminary stage of litigation. We will review the opinion closely over the coming days as we consider next steps.'

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted a flight ban on the 737 MAX in November after a 20-month review following the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

In January, Boeing was charged by the Justice Department with 737 MAX fraud conspiracy and agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement and settlement worth more than $2.5 billion.

Zurn's ruling found some evidence submitted by Boeing supported the shareholders' allegations.

Delaware judge, Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn, said first of the two fatal crashes was a 'red flag' about a key safety issue with a flight stabilizing program 'that the board should have heeded but instead ignored'. Pictured: Dozens of grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

'That the board knowingly fell short is also evident in the board's public crowing about taking specific actions to monitor safety that it did not actually perform,' the ruling said.

In a lengthy summary of the shareholder's case, Zurn said the board 'publicly lied about if and how it monitored the 737 MAX's safety.'

The opinion also cited comments by Dave Calhoun, then lead Boeing director, who became Boeing chief executive in January 2020 after the board ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg.

It cited Calhoun's comments that 'the board had been 'notified immediately, as a board broadly,' after the Lion Air crash and met 'very, very quickly' thereafter.'

It added that after the second crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX in March 2019, Calhoun represented that the board met within 24 hours of the crash to discuss potentially grounding the 737 MAX.

The two 737 MAX crashes happened in less than six months of each other with the first plane diving into the sea 13 minutes after takeoff in Jakarta, Indonesia on 29 October 2018 - killing 189 people. Pictured: Shoes found during the search for victims in Indonesia

Another 737 MAX plane crash in Ethiopia on March 10, 2019, took place six minutes after it left the runway, killing all 157 peole on board people. Pictured: Pescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash

'Each of Calhoun's representations was false,' Zurn's ruling said.

The crashes have cost Boeing some $20 billion.

Brian Quinn, a professor at Boston College Law School, said the ruling clears the way for additional discovery and potentially a trial, although he considered that very unlikely.

'Right now everything is lining up where the board of directors are telling their attorneys I don't want to go to trial. You need to pay them whatever it costs and I cannot as a director admit liability,' he said.

In that scenario, the directors' insurance would likely pay any settlement, he said.
Villagers in Russia have raised money to pay for a lawyer to defend a local man who killed his best friend after allegedly finding footage of him raping his eight-year-old daughter.

Factory worker Vyacheslav M, 34, has been released from custody amid calls from locals and television personalities not to charge him with murdering the man, who is believed to have abused several children.

'We have collected the money, thank you all,' said Vyachelsav's father, after a fund-raiser to pay for a top lawyer.

'It was not friends or relatives who helped, but strangers from the village.'

Vyacheslav said he had been drinking with his friend Oleg Sviridov, 32, when he allegedly saw video of his daughter being abused on Sviridov's phone.

Vyacheslav immediately confronted Sviridov who fled. He was eventually tracked down by the distraught father who stabbed him to death.

The killer has now been freed from jail and put under house arrest for two months pending an investigation.

Oleg Sviridov (left) and Vyacheslav (right) were friends and Vyacheslav said he discovered evidence of his friend's alleged crimes while they were drinking together

Locals from Vintai village in Russia 's southwestern Samara region have started a petition to demand that Vyacheslav (pictured with his family) should be acquitted and spared jail after admitting to the killing

Normally, suspected killers would not be freed, but there has been an outpouring of public support for the father, including from prominent journalists on Russia's tightly-controlled broadcast news.

Locals from Vintai village in Russia's southwestern Samara region have started a petition to demand the rocket engine factory worker should be acquitted and spared jail after admitting to the killing.

'Sviridov fell asleep, and Vyacheslav took his mobile phone and decided to see what his friend was looking at,' the petition for Vyacheslav read, alleging that he found a video of his nine-year-old daughter being sexually abused by Sviridov.

'Every father would have done this [killed someone they saw abusing their child]. This will be an example to everyone.

'Therefore, we demand understanding from the executive branch, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee.'

The petition, which has been signed by more than 1,000 people from the Samara region, demands that Vyacheslav be fully acquitted.

However, legal expert Dmitry Palatov said a term of imprisonment was likely despite demands from locals, reported Izvestia.

Sviridov's body was discovered by police on Thursday, more than a week after Vyacheslav had seen the abusive video.

Vyacheslav had reported the rapes to local police who then launched a manhunt for Sviridov, but the father claimed he managed to track down the alleged child abuser before the cops.

Vyacheslav later told police that Sviridov had 'stumbled on the knife during a quarrel' in a forest near the village, purporting that he had not intentionally murdered him with the blade.

However, police now believe that Vyacheslav more likely stabbed his friend to death moments after discovering the video the hid Sviridov's body in the forest, reportedly because Sviridov's time of death does not match with Vyacheslav's original story.

Rocket engine factory worker Vyacheslav (pictured) reported the rapes to the police but claimed to have tracked down his former friend before the police could find him

Vyacheslav (pictured) is thought to have murdered Sviridov with a knife, but told police that it was accidental and Sviridov had 'stumbled on the knife during a quarrel'

Police sources said that the deceased man's phone contained sickening videos which showed violent rapes of other village girls, aged six and 11.

The videos indicated that the suspect had been abusing children for five years before Vyacheslav discovered the footage on his phone.

It has also been reported that one of his alleged victims was the daughter of his former partner.

'The woman had a daughter from her first marriage,' a friend told Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

'Now it has turned out he was abusing the child.'

Sviridov's ex did not know anything about the alleged abuse, said the woman friend who had known Sviridov for more than 15 years.

'She is a very good caring mother,' she said. 'I can imagine what she feels like now the truth has come out...

'He was constantly seen with the girls, the daughter of his partner and Vyacheslav's older daughter, in the village. It never crossed anyone's mind what he was doing with children.'

Prominent TV journalist and former Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak told her followers: 'All parents are standing up for the paedophile's killer.'

Another commenter, Anna Plekhanova, said: 'If the crime is proven by video facts, then is the girl's father wrong?

'Any normal parent, mother or father, would have torn apart such a paedophile right on the spot.

'Protecting children is the direct responsibility of parents.'

Yulia Salinder added: 'It's good that he killed the b*****d because our law would have put him in jail for only eight years - or even less - and he would be out again.'

Vladimir Novikov said: 'It is necessary to introduce the death penalty for paedophiles or we will see the lynching of non-humans.'

Sviridov's body was discovered in a forest close to Vintai village (pictured)

The videos show evidence that Sviridov had been abusing kids in the village for up to five years. Pictured: Vyacheslav and his family

Svetlana Katargina commented: 'The father can be understood.

'Such wild creatures have no place in this world and paedophilia cannot be cured.

'Perpetrators get out of jail and start to rape children again.'

Sviridov's mother said that her son had often been a babysitter for Vyacheslav's children and the two men had been long-time friends.

'I don't know how it got to this,' she said, referring to the rape of Vyacheslav's daughter.

'He must have been drunk. Most likely he was drunk. They left their children with him all the time.

'When he baby-sat these girls he came back home as normal, in a good mood.'

Villagers are reported to be 'united' in wanting Vyacheslav acquitted.

'He saved our kids from potential paedophile abuse,' said one.

Villager in Pribrezhnoye, where Vyachelsav lives, Tatiana Zubova, said: 'I know him personally, he is a good father and husband.'

Lawyer Vera Podkolzina said proving Sviridov's guilt from video evidence was critical to a lenient sentence for Vyacheslav.

'It is difficult to say what punishment the father of the girl may face, but he has very powerful mitigating circumstances,' she said.

MP Oksana Pushkina called for harsher legal sanctions to deter child sex abuse.

'We need tough legislative measures against paedophiles,' she said
A spate of drive-by shootings throughout North Carolina, which left a three-year-old dead Tuesday, is believed to be a part of bitter rivalry between high school students in the area.

Asiah Fiquero, 3, was shot in the head around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday night, along Richard Rozzelle Drive near Mountain Island Lake, after individuals in several cars fired 150 rounds of bullets into his home in Charlotte.

Capt. Joel McNelly told a press conference on Wednesday, that the shooting is connected to another shooting, on Sunday, that left a 16-year-old dead and two other teens injured, as well as several other violent crimes & shootings into homes.

McNelly said the shootings are all believed to be related to disputes among students at Hopewell, North Mecklenburg and Chambers high schools.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police pleaded with parents and students at all three schools, to help in finding Asiah's killers.

'Parents of kids at these high schools, what we need from you is we need you to be as outraged as we are about this,' McNelly said. 'This is where your kids go to school, these are the people that your kids are around and we need your help.

'You should know whether or not your children were at home the last few nights,' McNelly added. 'If your children were not at home the last few nights, overnight, we need to know that.'

In addition, McNelly urged parents to comb through their children's rooms, their phones and their social media pages to help detectives 'solve the murder of three-year-old Asiah.'

Asiah Fiquero, 3, (right) with his older sister (left). Asiah was shot around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday night, along Richard Rozzelle Drive near Mountain Island Lake, in what police believe to be a targeted shooting

According to home security video from a house across the street, two vehicles appeared to pulled up in front of the house seconds before several suspects exited and opened fire

On Tuesday, little Fiquero was immediately rushed to Atrium Health hospital after the shooting but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD) said the toddler was asleep when he was fatally shot.

CMPD mentioned Fiquero's four-year-old sister, with whom he was close to, was also injured in the shooting and will survive.

The toddler's great-grandmother, Susie Whitley, 67, is heartbroken over the news and cannot fathom why something like this happened.

'I don't know why this happened, I don't know what's going on,' Whitley said. 'I'm gonna miss my grandson, my great grandson, so much. He was only three. He was just taken away.'

According to police, eleven individuals were home during the time of the shooting.

The toddler's great-grandmother, Susie Whitley, 67, is heartbroken over the news and cannot fathom why something like this happened

During a press conference Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles commented that Asiah lost his life 'because we can't figure out how to live together.'

During a press conference on Wednesday, Capt. Joel McNelly told reporters the shooting is connected to another shooting that left a 16-year-old dead as well as several other violent crimes & shootings into homes

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles commented that Asiah lost his life 'because we can't figure out how to live together.'

'If we can't figure this out for a three-year-old, for whom will we do this for?' she asked.

Police are still investigating the incident, and no suspect or vehicle descriptions have been released at this time.

Earlier on Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Major Major Ryan Butler called the ordeal an 'extremely challenging time' for the department in addition to Fiquero's relatives.

'As you can imagine, this is an extremely challenging time, not only for the friends and family involved, but for the neighbors and the officers who are currently working this case,' Butler told Channel 9 at the scene. 'I can't emphasize enough the gravity of this situation and I know that we have, unfortunately, spoken several times over the last week.'

CMPD block off Richard Rozzelle Drive where three-year-old Asiah Fiquero was shot dead around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday night

While canvassing the neighborhood, CMPD told Channel 9 that additional houses as well as vehicles were hit by gunfire.

While canvassing the neighborhood, police told Channel 9 that additional houses as well as vehicles were hit by gunfire. They also mentioned a bullet grazed another family member inside the home, but that they will recover.

According to home security video from a house across the street, two vehicles appeared to pulled up in front of the house seconds before several suspects exited and opened fire.

'This is a situation where we have a very young, innocent child who has been taken from the community due to the actions of some individuals who clearly have demonstrated complete disregard for the welfare of their fellow human being,' Butler added. 'This is so far short of what we as a community here in Charlotte are capable of.'
Californians may soon be able to sue sexual partners who remove a condom during sex without their verbal consent - an act known as 'stealthing'.

The state's Assembly voted without opposition on Tuesday to amend California's civil definition of sexual battery to include 'caus[ing] contact between an intimate part of the person and a sexual organ of another from which the person removed a condom without verbal consent.'

But it doesn't change the criminal code. Instead, it would amend the civil code so that a victim could sue the perpetrator for damages, including punitive damages.

The amended bill has since been sent to Governor Gavin Newsom to be vetoed or signed into law.

Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, who authored Tuesday's amendment, has been pushing for the legislation since 2017. Her original bill attempted to make stealthing a crime, punishable by up to 4 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

'Its disgusting that there are online communities that defend and encourage stealthing and give advice on how to get away with removing the condom without the consent of their partner,' Garcia said in a statement.

'There is nothing in law that makes it clear that this is a crime,' Garcia said in a statement.

The state's Assembly voted without opposition on Tuesday to amend California's civil definition of sexual battery to include removing a condom without verbal consent

Legislative analysts have said that stealthing could already be considered misdemeanor sexual battery, even if it isn't specifically referenced in the criminal code. But the analysts said it is rarely prosecuted, if only because of the difficulty in proving that a perpetrator acted intentionally instead of accidently.

Garcia said the act puts victims at risk for unwanted pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections, and can cause long-term physical and emotional harm to its victims.

Analysts this year said Garcia's bill would remove any ambiguity in civil law.

New York and Wisconsin lawmakers have proposed related legislation, but California would be the first to make the practice illegal.

In a 2018 Australian study, one in five respondents at a Melbourne health clinic said they had been a victim of the practice - 32 percent of 2883 women and 19 percent of 3439 men. The country moved to criminalize the practice in April of this year.

Also in April, a New Zealand court convicted a Wellington man of rape for removing a condom without a sex worker's consent, sentencing him to over three years in jail, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Removing a condom non-consensually could already be considered sexual battery based off the unamended wording of section 1708.5 of California's civil code, which prohibits acts 'with the intent to cause a harmful or offensive contact with an intimate part of another.'

However, the new amendment would slash any ambiguity surrounding the practice, and bring its existence to light for the unaware.

Garcia's bill has support from the Erotic Service Providers Legal Educational Research Project, which said it could allow sex workers to sue clients who remove condoms during otherwise consensual sex.

New York and Wisconsin lawmakers have proposed related legislation, but California would be the first to make the practice illegal

In 2017, a Yale University study said acts of stealthing against both women and gay men were on the rise. Data and accounts were primarily sourced using online message boards.

'Victims... say they do not know what to call the harm and United States court have not had occasion to address and name the practice,' reads the study, authored by Alexandra Brodsky for the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law.

'Their stories often start the same way: "I'm not sure this is rape, but..."'

The study found that 'stealthing' is a 'common practice among young, sexually active people.'

'I have never felt so disrespected in my entire life,' said one respondent, who said she was possibly exposed to HIV three weeks prior by a man she once trusted that removed a condom without her knowledge.

'I believe that he removed it deliberately. Only after prodding him for a week did he admit that he "might've known it had broken."'

'I agreed to f*** him with a condom, not without it,' said an study interviewee bluntly.

Brodsky's research reveals that because of the 'gray areas' involved in stealthing, many victims are hesitant to confront the issue, let alone take legal action.

Despite the overt and highly disturbing nature of these scenarios, Brodsky notes that criminal cases involving stealthing can be extremely difficult to prosecute.

'Many of the [...] forms of skepticism that we see from judges approaching rape victims and [...] sexual assault victims are likely to be present in stealthing cases,' she writes.

In her abstract, Brodsky proposed legislation to criminalize the practice.

The amended bill was sent to Governor Gavin Newsom to be vetoed or signed into law

Also Tuesday, the state Senate moved to treat the rape of a spouse the same as the rape of a non-spouse. The bill removes an exemption to the rape law if the victim is married to the perpetrator.

California is one of 11 states that distinguish between spousal rape and other forms of sexual assault. The bills supporters said the distinction lingers from a time when women were expected to obey their husbands.

Those convicted of spousal rape currently can be eligible for probation instead of prison or jail, although there is no difference in the maximum penalties.

Those convicted of spousal rape also must register as sex offenders only if the act involved the use of force or violence and the spouse was sentenced to state prison.

The bill passed, 36-0, and will return to the Assembly for a final vote before lawmakers adjourn for the year on Friday.
A Portland State University professor has resigned in a scathing public letter in which he slammed the university for not allowing any type of thought that doesn't suit its liberal agenda, calling it a 'social justice factory' that drives 'intolerance of divergent beliefs'.

Peter Boghossian was a full-time assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University for ten years until his resignation letter was published on Wednesday.

He shared the letter with Bari Weiss, a former New York Times columnist who quit her role at the paper after claiming to encounter the same refusal to consider non-liberal ideas that Boghossian describes at PSU.

Boghossian said college staff were abdicating their 'truth seeking mission' and instead driving intolerance of 'divergent reliefs' by squashing any view that was not liberal.

'Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues,' he wrote.

Boghossian previously penned a collection of hoax papers and submitted them to academic journals to prove that they would print anything that went along with their ideals, even if the theories in them were fake.

They included papers on dog rape and an adaptation to Hitler's Mein Kampf. The left reacted badly to it, saying he'd wasted editors' time.

Boghossian says he was harassed on campus with swastikas written on bathroom walls with his name next to them, purely because he had challenged the university's ideas.

He claims that at one time flyers went around campus depicting him with a Pinocchio nose, that he was spit on and that colleagues told students not to take his class.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesman for the university said: 'Portland State has always been and will continue to be a welcoming home for free speech and academic freedom.

'We believe that those practices are not in conflict with our core institutional values of student success; racial justice and equity; and proactive engagement with our community.

'As with all personnel matters, we have no comment on Dr. Boghossian's statement of resignation.'

Peter Boghossian was a full-time professor of philosophy at Portland State University until his resignation letter was published on Wednesday

Boghossian worked at Portland State University as an assistant professor in the philosophy department. The university has not commented on his claims

. He shared the letter with Bari Weiss, a former New York Times columnist who quit her role at the paper after claiming to encounter the same refusal to consider non-liberal ideas that Boghossian describes at PSU

'Those who asked for evidence to justify new institutional policies were accused of microaggressions.

'And professors were accused of bigotry for assigning canonical texts written by philosophers who happened to have been European and male,' he wrote.

Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues. Faculty and administrators have abdicated the universitys truth-seeking mission and instead drive intolerance of divergent beliefs and opinions. This has created a culture of offense where students are now afraid to speak openly and honestly.

Boghossian says the university failed to take action after a tenured professor interrupted his discussion with author Christina Hoff Sommers and evolutionary biologists Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying in March 2018.

He also said activists pulled speaker wires from one of his panels and that someone triggered a fire alarm at another.

Boghossian, in his resignation letter, also describes how university administrators investigated him in 2017 after receiving a complaint under Title XI - which protects against gender or sex based discrimination - from a man.

He said he was informed by students who were interviewed for the investigation that they were asked if he'd ever beat his wife or kids.

In the end, the investigation found that his accuser's claims were unsubstantiated.

Boghossian says the harassment became worse when he produced a series of hoax papers in an effort to prove that academic journals would print them without checking, so long as they seemed to align with left-wing views.

Boghossian's letter was addressed to Portland State's Provost Susan Jeffords. The school has not yet responded to his claims

From 2017 to 2018, the trio wrote 20 papers with absurd premises related to social justice. Four of them were eventually published in reputable journals.

The' study was meant to 'reboot' conversations around topics like gender, race and sexuality, the authors wrote in Aero Magazine.

'We undertook this project to study, understand, and expose the reality of grievance studies, which is corrupting academic research,' they said.

Among their works was an article in Cogent Social Sciences that alleged penises were the product of the human mind and responsible for climate change.

Their papers included the phrases 'gender-performative, high fluid social construct', 'exclusionary to disenfranchised communities', and 'isomorphic to performative toxic masculinity'.

HOAX PAPERS SUBMITTED TO ACADEMIC JOURNALS TO PROVE THEY'LL ACCEPT ANYTHING THEY AGREE WITH Peter Boghossian, along with James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose, wrote 20 papers based on fake theories like dog rape in an effort to prove how academic journals would publish anything they agreed with. They used buzz words to get them over-the-line. One paper, published in Gender, Place & Culture, claimed to be based on a year observing sexual misconduct among dogs in a US park. The paper said that parks were 'petri dishes for canine 'rape culture'' and said people needed to be aware of the way dogs were treated depending on their gender. The year before they had published a paper called 'The Conceptual Penis as a Social Construct,' in the journal Cogent Social Sciences. Another paper published in the journal Fat Studies claimed that body building is 'fat-exclusionary'. They published a paper in the Journal of Poetry Therapy was about feminist spirituality meetings. It was written by an algorithm. Another paper published in peer-reviewed journal 'Affilia' was a rewrite of a chapter from Mein Kampf which was accepted despite going through a double peer review. The authors claim their prank shows that higher education's fixation with identity politics has created 'absurd and horrific' scholarship. But critics said he operated in bad faith and wasted academics' time. Advertisement

Boghossian says the university accused him of 'not receiving approval to experiment on human subjects' after the trio was found out by reporters at the Wall Street Journal, cutting their hoax short.

'Shortly thereafter, swastikas in the bathroom with my name under them began appearing in two bathrooms near the philosophy department.

'They also occasionally showed up on my office door, in one instance accompanied by bags of feces.

'Our university remained silent.

'When it acted, it was against me, not the perpetrators.'

He also described a Title IX investigation against him in the 2016-2017 school year, when a student seemed to have accused Boghossian of beating his wife.

'My accuser, a white male, made a slew of baseless accusations against me, which university confidentiality rules unfortunately prohibit me from discussing further. What I can share is that students of mine who were interviewed during the process told me the Title IX investigator asked them if they knew anything about me beating my wife and children.

'This horrifying accusation soon became a widespread rumor,' he wrote.

'Universities can enforce ideological conformity just through the threat of these investigations.'

Title IX is a 1972 civil rights law that prevents discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Boghossian's resignation comes as a slew of school teachers and college professors leave the classroom over similar complaints of a monolithic culture that leaves no room for debate.

Last month, Laura Morris quit in an emotional address at the Loudoun County School Board, where she explained why the 'equity trainings' and political dogma forced her to resign.

She said she could no longer be part of an organization that told her 'white, Christian, able-bodied females' needed to be reined in.

'This summer I have struggled with the idea of returning to school, knowing that I'll be working yet again with a school division that, despite its shiny tech and flashy salary, promotes political ideologies that do not square with who I am as a believer in Christ,' she said.

At $50,000-a-year Dalton in New York City, it was parents who made the first move.

'Portland State has always been and will continue to be a welcoming home for free speech and academic freedom. We believe that those practices are not in conflict with our core institutional values of student success; racial justice and equity; and proactive engagement with our community. As with all personnel matters, we have no comment on Dr. Boghossian's statement of resignation.' Portland State University spokesperson

'Every class this year has had an obsessive focus on race and identity, "racist cop" reenactments in science, "de-centering whiteness" in art class, learning about white supremacy and sexuality in health class,' parents of students at the private school wrote in a letter in April.

The head of the school, Jim Best, later resigned.

Some professors have complained that their school are not progressive enough, like when star professor Cornell West resigned from Harvard Divinity School in a letter in July.

West accused the university of denying him a tenured position because of 'the Harvard administration's hostility to the Palestinian cause,' which he supports.

'We all know the mendacious reasons given had nothing to do with academic standards,' he wrote.

'My university sacrificed ideas for ideology': Read the terrifying testimony of how Portland State Universitys cancel culture - obsessed with race and gender - drove a philosophy professor out because he would not conform

by Peter Boghossian

This letter first ran on Bari Weiss's Common Sense newsletter on Substack. To subscribe, click here

Dear Provost Susan Jeffords,

Im writing to you today to resign as assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University.

Over the last decade, it has been my privilege to teach at the university. My specialties are critical thinking, ethics and the Socratic method, and I teach classes like Science and Pseudoscience and The Philosophy of Education. But in addition to exploring classic philosophers and traditional texts, Ive invited a wide range of guest lecturers to address my classes, from Flat-Earthers to Christian apologists to global climate skeptics to Occupy Wall Street advocates. Im proud of my work.

I invited those speakers not because I agreed with their worldviews, but primarily because I didnt. From those messy and difficult conversations, Ive seen the best of what our students can achieve: questioning beliefs while respecting believers; staying even-tempered in challenging circumstances; and even changing their minds.

I never once believed  nor do I now  that the purpose of instruction was to lead my students to a particular conclusion. Rather, I sought to create the conditions for rigorous thought; to help them gain the tools to hunt and furrow for their own conclusions. This is why I became a teacher and why I love teaching.

But brick by brick, the university has made this kind of intellectual exploration impossible. It has transformed a bastion of free inquiry into a Social Justice factory whose only inputs were race, gender, and victimhood and whose only outputs were grievance and division.

Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues. Faculty and administrators have abdicated the universitys truth-seeking mission and instead drive intolerance of divergent beliefs and opinions. This has created a culture of offense where students are now afraid to speak openly and honestly.

I noticed signs of the illiberalism that has now fully swallowed the academy quite early during my time at Portland State. I witnessed students refusing to engage with different points of view. Questions from faculty at diversity trainings that challenged approved narratives were instantly dismissed. Those who asked for evidence to justify new institutional policies were accused of microaggressions. And professors were accused of bigotry for assigning canonical texts written by philosophers who happened to have been European and male.

At first, I didnt realize how systemic this was and I believed I could question this new culture. So I began asking questions. What is the evidence that trigger warnings and safe spaces contribute to student learning? Why should racial consciousness be the lens through which we view our role as educators? How did we decide that cultural appropriation is immoral?

Unlike my colleagues, I asked these questions out loud and in public.

I decided to study the new values that were engulfing Portland State and so many other educational institutions  values that sound wonderful, like diversity, equity, and inclusion, but might actually be just the opposite. The more I read the primary source material produced by critical theorists, the more I suspected that their conclusions reflected the postulates of an ideology, not insights based on evidence.

I began networking with student groups who had similar concerns and brought in speakers to explore these subjects from a critical perspective. And it became increasingly clear to me that the incidents of illiberalism I had witnessed over the years were not just isolated events, but part of an institution-wide problem.

The more I spoke out about these issues, the more retaliation I faced.

Early in the 2016-17 academic year, a former student complained about me and the university initiated a Title IX investigation. (Title IX investigations are a part of federal law designed to protect people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.) My accuser, a white male, made a slew of baseless accusations against me, which university confidentiality rules unfortunately prohibit me from discussing further. What I can share is that students of mine who were interviewed during the process told me the Title IX investigator asked them if they knew anything about me beating my wife and children. This horrifying accusation soon became a widespread rumor.

With Title IX investigations there is no due process, so I didnt have access to the particular accusations, the ability to confront my accuser, and I had no opportunity to defend myself. Finally, the results of the investigation were revealed in December 2017. Here are the last two sentences of the report: Global Diversity & Inclusion finds there is insufficient evidence that Boghossian violated PSUs Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment policy. GDI recommends Boghossian receive coaching.

Not only was there no apology for the false accusations, but the investigator also told me that in the future I was not allowed to render my opinion about protected classes or teach in such a way that my opinion about protected classes could be known  a bizarre conclusion to absurd charges. Universities can enforce ideological conformity just through the threat of these investigations.

I eventually became convinced that corrupted bodies of scholarship were responsible for justifying radical departures from the traditional role of liberal arts schools and basic civility on campus. There was an urgent need to demonstrate that morally fashionable papers  no matter how absurd  could be published. I believed then that if I exposed the theoretical flaws of this body of literature, I could help the university community avoid building edifices on such shaky ground.

So, in 2017, I co-published an intentionally garbled peer-reviewed paper that took aim at the new orthodoxy. Its title: The Conceptual Penis as a Social Construct. This example of pseudo-scholarship, which was published in Cogent Social Sciences, argued that penises were products of the human mind and responsible for climate change. Immediately thereafter, I revealed the article as a hoax designed to shed light on the flaws of the peer-review and academic publishing systems.

Shortly thereafter, swastikas in the bathroom with my name under them began appearing in two bathrooms near the philosophy department. They also occasionally showed up on my office door, in one instance accompanied by bags of feces. Our university remained silent. When it acted, it was against me, not the perpetrators.

I continued to believe, perhaps naively, that if I exposed the flawed thinking on which Portland States new values were based, I could shake the university from its madness. In 2018 I co-published a series of absurd or morally repugnant peer-reviewed articles in journals that focused on issues of race and gender. In one of them we argued that there was an epidemic of dog rape at dog parks and proposed that we leash men the way we leash dogs. Our purpose was to show that certain kinds of scholarship are based not on finding truth but on advancing social grievances. This worldview is not scientific, and it is not rigorous.

Administrators and faculty were so angered by the papers that they published an anonymous piece in the student paper and Portland State filed formal charges against me. Their accusation? Research misconduct based on the absurd premise that the journal editors who accepted our intentionally deranged articles were human subjects. I was found guilty of not receiving approval to experiment on human subjects.

Meanwhile, ideological intolerance continued to grow at Portland State. In March 2018, a tenured professor disrupted a public discussion I was holding with author Christina Hoff Sommers and evolutionary biologists Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying. In June 2018, someone triggered the fire alarm during my conversation with popular cultural critic Carl Benjamin. In October 2018, an activist pulled out the speaker wires to interrupt a panel with former Google engineer James Damore. The university did nothing to stop or address this behavior. No one was punished or disciplined.

For me, the years that followed were marked by continued harassment. Id find flyers around campus of me with a Pinocchio nose. I was spit on and threatened by passersby while walking to class. I was informed by students that my colleagues were telling them to avoid my classes. And, of course, I was subjected to more investigation.

I wish I could say that what I am describing hasnt taken a personal toll. But it has taken exactly the toll it was intended to: an increasingly intolerable working life and without the protection of tenure.

This isnt about me. This is about the kind of institutions we want and the values we choose. Every idea that has advanced human freedom has always, and without fail, been initially condemned. As individuals, we often seem incapable of remembering this lesson, but that is exactly what our institutions are for: to remind us that the freedom to question is our fundamental right. Educational institutions should remind us that that right is also our duty.

Portland State University has failed in fulfilling this duty. In doing so it has failed not only its students but the public that supports it. While I am grateful for the opportunity to have taught at Portland State for over a decade, it has become clear to me that this institution is no place for people who intend to think freely and explore ideas.

This is not the outcome I wanted. But I feel morally obligated to make this choice. For ten years, I have taught my students the importance of living by your principles. One of mine is to defend our system of liberal education from those who seek to destroy it. Who would I be if I didnt?
The number of migrants reaching the UK have hit around 1,600 in the past four days after another 150 on small boats were picked up in the Channel today.

Among those to arrive today, a woman carrying a baby wrapped in a blanket was helped ashore by a Border Force officer, while other children old enough to walk were led up to the Kent quayside.

On a hot and sunny Wednesday, dozens of people were seen arriving in Dover aboard Border Force vessels, while many more were seen arriving in an RNLI lifeboat in Eastbourne.

The number of migrants arriving today have not yet been officially released, though they are thought to be around 150 so far.

Another 158 migrants arrived on Sunday in the first landings in two weeks. On Monday, 785 migrants in 27 incidents were intercepted according to official Home Office figures, taking the number this year so far to 13,370.

On Tuesday another large number were detained. Although official numbers have not been released, the Home Office said it was 'under 500'.

This, along with today's total, would take the 2021 total close to the 14,00 mark.

A young migrant boy is carried by a Border Force official after arriving into Dover docks today

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, aboard a Border Force vessel

On a hot and sunny Wednesday, dozens of people were seen arriving in Dover aboard Border Force vessels

Dozens of migrants are brought ashore on an RNLI lifeboat in Eastbourne this afternoon

A migrant, rescued from the English Channel, walks holding a child in Dover today

Wrapped in blankets and wearing face masks, many of those arriving today had to wait patiently on board before they were finally able to disembark.

The first group were rescued around 1.30am after being spotted by helicopter. Then, around 40 were brought in on the patrol vessel Hunter just after 9am. At noon, 70 migrants were brought in on the force's large catamaran Hurricane.

A young family were among the first to be escorted up the gangway to be met by immigration officials.

The mother held her young daughter in her arms. Another small boy was carried by a Border Force officer as his father walked closely alongside.

Sussex Police said: 'A group of people on board a boat crossing the English Channel were towed into Eastbourne Harbour by RNLI lifeboat volunteers.

'Sussex Police were called to Sovereign Harbour at 1pm on Wednesday, September 8.'

After a two week lull in crossings due to high winds in the English Channel, people traffickers took advantage of a break in the weather to resume crossings.

It comes as Priti Patel holds showdown talks with her French counterpart over migrant crossings today after the MP for Calais dismissed threats to withhold 54million of funding.

The Home Secretary will meet Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin in London amid growing alarm at the record numbers trying to get across the Channel.

There have been complaints that Paris is not doing enough to block journeys, despite the pledge of cash from the UK to help the efforts.

Demands to send would-be refugees straight back to France have also been decried as dangerous and a breach of international law.

A group of migrants are brought into Dover docks by Border Force this afternoon

It comes as Priti Patel holds showdown talks with her French counterpart over migrant crossings today

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, aboard a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel

Wrapped in blankets and wearing face masks, many of those arriving today had to wait patiently on board before they were finally able to disembark

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent this afternoon

Grilled on the situation at PMQs this afternoon Boris Johnson admitted that the government is reliant on the French, but insisted ministers will use 'every possible tactic' to ease the problems.

Government sources told MailOnline the discussions today will focus on 'working together and outcomes'.

Pierre-Henri Dumont, who represents Calais in the French National Assembly, warned that 'nothing can stop' migrants coming.

'The fact is, we've got 300 to 400 kilometres of shore to monitor every day and every night and it's quite impossible to have police officers every 100 metres because of the length of the shore,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Dumont added that while the main reason for the current increase in Channel crossings is the warmer weather, there are 'numerous causes' to address about why they are made in the first place.

'That's the key point  the causes we need to address are numerous,' he added.

Mr Dumont cited migrants being more likely to speak English as one of the reasons, and said it is easier for them to find work in the UK despite their illegal status.

He added: 'We have more and more patrols. The money that was promised to be given by the UK Government to France is set to maintain this number of patrols that we already doubled a few weeks ago.'
Kamala Harris departed Washington, D.C. for California on Wednesday morning to campaign for Governor Gavin Newsom as he faces a recall election next Tuesday.

The vice president will take a day trip to her native Bay Area to headline a rally for Newsom  rescheduling a trip she was supposed to take last month that was delayed after 13 American troops were killed in a terror attack by ISIS-K outside the Kabul airport in Afghanistan .

Harris and Newsom, before either held elected office, had overlapping roles in San Francisco and Sacramento. They have also both been supportive of each others' campaigns.

The two were sworn in on the same day in January 2004 when Newsom became San Francisco's youngest mayor in more than a century and Harris made history as California's first Black district attorney.

Now, as Harris rose to the vice presidency, her ally is facing a recall election in the state where she got her start in politics.

Vice President Kamala Harris departs Washington, D.C. for California on Wednesday as she backs Governor Gavin Newsom in his recall election

Harris will only be in her native Bay Area for the day as she urges Californians not to boot Newsom from office in the recall election

Newsom is facing a recall after a petition garnered enough signatures for a special election to potentially get him out of the State House before the end of his term. There are several dozen candidates vying to replace him

On the special election ballot is a question asking if California voters want to recall Newsom  meaning remove him from his governorship. The second question asked if he were removed, who Californians would want him replaced with.

Minnesotan George Howard, 48, has been charged with murder weeks after he was released on domestic abuse charges by Harris-backed Minnesota Freedom Fund

Harris, however, is facing her own criticism after she back a bail fund for an alleged domestic abuser in Minneapolis who has now been charged with murder.

George Howard, 48, was bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF) on August 6 after being held on a $11,500 bail on charges of domestic abuse.

Weeks later, Howard was charged with murder when he shot another driver on I-94 during a road rage incident on August 29. The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Luis Damian Martinez Ortiz who was pronounced dead after he was shot in the chest by Howard.

MFF's work, which helped free Howard, was promoted by Harris during her campaign last year.

'If you're able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,' Harris tweeted.

There are a whopping 46 candidates vying to take Newsom's spot as governor of the most populous U.S. state, including nine Democrats, 24 Republicans and several third party or 'no party preference' candidates.

Biden will travel to California early next week before the special election poll close Tuesday

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (right) hugs Newsom at an event in Culver City on Saturday

Some of those with the most media attention and polling stats so far are Democrat YouTuber Kevin Paffrath and Republicans John Cox, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate; radio host Larry Elder; former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer; California State Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines; former Olympian and television personality Caitlyn Jenner; and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley.

But surveys also show that Newsom will likely survive the recall, even if by a small margin.

Harris will campaign for Newsom as President Joe Biden prepares to head to California early next week to also urge voters to keep him in the State House.

Other lawmakers have also helped nationalize the race with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, both 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, rallied for the governor.

Senator Bernie Sanders also was featured prominently in pro-Newsom ad.

After serving as California's attorney general from 2011-2017, Harris served as a U.S. senator for the state for one term before she was selected as Biden's vice presidential candidate following her unsuccessful bid to become the Democratic nominee to take on Donald Trump.
Children's TV executive Edward Barnes who helped found the iconic children's show Blue Peter before going on to create Newsround has died at the age of 92.

Mr Barnes' passing was confirmed by the former editor-in-chief of Blue Peter, Richard Marson, who said he had taken a call from the show's former editor Joan Maureen 'Biddy' Baxter.

In a message on Twitter he wrote: 'I've just taken a call from Biddy Baxter to say that Edward Barnes has died at the age of 92.

'One of the true greats of children's TV, founding father of Blue Peter, creator of Newsround, Swap Shop and much more but also a dear and loyal friend.'

During his career, Mr Barnes co-founded Blue Peter alongside John Hunter Blair in 1958 and worked on the show both as an assistant director and a producer.

Edward Barnes (pictured with the former editor of Blue Peter Joan Maureen 'Biddy' Baxter in 2018) has died at the age of 92

During his career the TV executive co-founded Blue Peter alongside John Hunter Blair and went on to create the children's news show Newsround

Mr Barnes' passing was confirmed by the former editor-in-chief of Blue Peter, Richard Marson, who said he had taken a call from the show's former editor

The programme was broadcast primarily from the BBC Television Centre in London until September 2011 and featured viewer and presenter challenges, competitions, celebrity interviews and popular culture segments.

The children's show, which was known for its signature nautical theme tune and title, also featured a number of pets that became household names including Petra the dog who appeared on the show between 1962 and 1977.

It became a staple of British TV and also saw children who appeared on the show receive the coveted Blue Peter badge.

Mr Barnes then went on to become the deputy head of children's television at the BBC in the 1970s.

It was during this time that Mr Barnes became the visionary behind the children's news programme Newsround - which aired across CBBC, BBC One and BBC Two.

The show, which became one of the world's first television news programme's aimed specifically at children, aired in 1972 and was initially presented by journalist John Craven.

Over the years, the programme gradually grew in its reporting team and saw BBC correspondents such as John Humphrys, Michael Buerk and Martin Bell also appear on screen.

The show became the first British television programme to break the news of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986, which saw the American space shuttle explode and kill all seven astronauts on board.

It went on to receive a BAFTA for the Best Childrens Factual Programme for its 2010 special Living with Alcohol.

Despite its success, the show had precarious origins and was initially met with resistance from staff within the TV executive's department.

Mr Barnes went on to become the deputy head of children's television at the BBC in the 1970s

After receiving a Children's Bafta award for Newsround Mr Barnes said he was initially met with resistance about the show. Pictured: Mr Barnes at the Broadcasting Press Guild Award in London in 2018

In 2011, after receiving a Children's Bafta award for the show, Mr Barnes said: 'Even within my own department there were people who said we shouldn't be doing this.

'Why should we tell children about disasters and massacres and murders?'

He added: 'They thought it was violating children's innocence.

'There was a Victorian idea of childhood, that it is something to be protected and guarded  there was still a lot of that around at the time.'

Ahead of his award he said: 'I am deeply honoured and profoundly grateful to BAFTA for this recognition of Newsround - the world's first regular news bulletin for children.

'I hope that the importance of a news bulletin which reports the children's world and also provides children with an insight and understanding of world events, will always be recognised and given a prominent place in children's television'.

Mr Marsden said the TV executive was also a 'staunch champion of Grange Hill' and used to say it was 'one of the few shows which should in theory run forever'.

Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves, who appeared on the programme from 1967 to 1978, lead tributes to TV executive today

He added: 'He was a staunch champion of Grange Hill and used to say it was one of the few shows which should in theory run forever as almost all kids go to school and so are naturally invested.'

Today, former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves, who appeared on the children's programme from 1967 to 1978, lead tributes to the TV executive.

He wrote: 'What sad news. Edward made sure that, after I left Blue Peter, I had plenty of work from the BBC Children's department.

'I remember him best when we filmed in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1989, and we worked well together. RIP Ted.'

Meanwhile another social media user wrote: 'His influence and the legacy he left children's TV was quite extraordinary. What a life.'
Sydney's most iconic Chinese restaurant, known as a favourite haunt of the city's colourful characters, may have found an 11th hour reprieve.

Golden Century on Sussex Street in Chinatown, famed for its live lobster tanks and late-night banquets, looked doomed when it went into administration on August 19 after 31 years in business.

But a rescue plan now hinges partly on the liquidation of Golden Century's stunning wine collection, valued at $1.2million, and on legal action taken by a customer for food poisoning not proceeding.

Golden Century on Sussex St in Sydney's Chinatown went into administration much to the horror of its host of regular customers - but it could still be saved

Restaurant Supervisor May Su (pictured) stands in the usually crowded award winning Golden Century Seafood Restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown when the pandemic began

The wine collection has been placed on auction site Grays Online by the administrators Chifley Advisory.

Its holding company, Keenward would also be expected to contribute $750,000 to the rescue plan.

Eric and Linda Wong opened the restaurant in 1989 at 405 Sussex Street in Sydney's Chinatown.

Over the years it grew into a Sydney icon, being frequented by politicians, business leaders and an array of colourful identities.

But after struggling with poor trade and loan repayments during the pandemic, Golden Century finally buckled due to the city's brutal Covid lockdown in mid August.

If Golden Century's legendary wine collection (pictured) can fetch the $1.2million administrators Chifley Advisory are seeking, the iconic Golden Century could be saved

Golden Century Seafood, famous for its live lobster tanks (pictured), is considered one of Sydney's most iconic restaurants, frequented by politicians, business leaders and an array of colourful characters

Golden Century lost $1.1million in the 2019 financial year and $590,000 the following year, but recovered to make $787,905 in the 12 months to June 31 2021 according to administrator's report, which was filed to ASIC.

Between July 1 and August 16 the restaurant made just $10,776 from orders.

Restaurant managers at Chinatown precincts across the country said revenue plummeted by up to 90 per cent and some businesses collapsed almost overnight when the pandemic began.

Coronavirus panic, coupled with travel bans preventing of hundreds of thousands of Chinese-Australians returning home, has left surviving businesses struggling to stay afloat.

The creditor's report noted the end of the business came after a dispute with the restaurant's landlord over the renewal lease for its three-floor Sussex Street premises.

The notice of appointment of an administrator was posted to ASICs published notices, with the restaurant manager blaming their lease agreement for the closure, saying they were unprepared to sign of for a long contract in 'uncertain times'.

Chef Jacky An (pictured) prepares a dish for customers at the award winning Golden Century Seafood Restaurant now struggling to keep the trade flowing

While Golden Century Seafood (pictured) was considered the place-to-be for Sydney's elite, hosting lavish banquets for birthdays and work parties, it was also a haunt of politicians

The Wongs now also run XOPP restaurant at Haymarket and The Century at Star Casino.

The family is in dispute with the restaurant's landlord and over the size of a loan payable between its holding company and the Golden Century business.

Landlord Faithful Investment has made a claim of $1.7million against Golden Century.

Golden Century reported a debt claim of $2.28million for an outstanding loan, plus rental arrears.

The Labor Party's headquarters is just down the street and for three decades some of the nation's biggest political plays have been orchestrated with over endless plates of dumplings in front of live lobster tanks (pictured) and free-flowing booze

The administrator calculated Golden Century's rental arrears at $1,549,951.72 for April to December 2020.

While the iconic Sussex Street restaurant has been closed since June 26, the company's new restaurant in Darling Square, XOPP, still remains open for deliveries along with their other premises at Star City casino.

While Golden Century was considered the place-to-be for Sydney's elite, hosting lavish banquets for birthday's and work parties, it was also a haunt of some of country's most powerful statesman - as well as their wheeling-dealing underlings.

Over the years, the restaurant has also hosted some of the world's most famous chefs, including Heston Blumenthal, Alain Ducasse, Anthony Bourdain, Ferran Adria and Jamie Oliver.
Police are hunting a man who has dressed as a woman and committed a series of indecent exposures and unwanted approaches against women.

The culprit has struck 12 women in Camden and Kentish Town in north London and has been described as speaking in a 'European' style accent.

His first known flashing happened in March 2019 in the well-heeled area of Kelly Street in Camden, where houses cost at least 1million.

The most recent was just two days ago in Leighton Road in Kentish Town, near the railway station.

These nine areas were the locations for where the suspect targeted 12 women over nine dates

The victims were all young women, with the youngest just 18-year-old and the eldest 33.

Some of the offences happened on the same day and in exactly the same place, but he has been able to evade justice so far.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said detectives had now linked all the crimes.

The flasher has targeted a number of areas including near to Kentish Town stations

Where the serial flasher has targeted so far 2.4.19 Kelly Street, NW1 20.4.19 Raveley Street, NW5 26.4.19 Holmes Road, NW5 1.3.20 Pancras Square, N1C 8.3.20 Castle Road, NW1 16.9.20 Tufnell Park Road, N7 10.6.21 Tufnell Park Road, N7 27.7.21 Gatcombe Road, N19 6.9.21 Leighton Road, NW5 Advertisement

They believe the list of women targeted could be even longer, as some may not yet have reported him.

Camden Police is leading the investigation and urged anyone with information to come forward.

The spokesperson said: 'Police in Camden are appealing for information relating to a series of indecent exposures and unwanted approaches toward women.

'The 12 incidents reported to police took place at a number of locations in Camden, but were mainly in the Kentish Town area between 2019 and August 2021.

'None of the victims were injured. The suspect is described as a white male with olive skin, 5ft 6-8ins tall of large build.

'He has dark receding hair and facial stubble. On a number of occasions he has worn a hat and/or womens clothing. He speaks with a European accent.

'Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who has information concerning the identity of this male or from any women who believe they have been approached by him but have not yet spoken with police.'

Anyone who can assist the investigation should contact police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 3773/7SEP21.

Victims are asked to contact police by calling 101 or make an online report at met.police.uk.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy drew blowback from a Capitol cop attorney for sending Capitol Police lunch on Tuesday as a token of appreciation after opposing the House committee to investigate Jan. 6.

'Thank you for all you do!' the California Republican wrote in a note along with bags of Chik-fil-A he sent to police. 

'@GOPleader has sent bags of fried chicken to @CapitolPolice  am sure its delicious, but would prefer support for democracy and the rule of law if youre not tapped out #rememberJanuary6 #protectdemocracy,' attorney David Laufman, who represents twoCapitol Police officers before the committee investigating the Capitol riot, wrote on Twitter.

'Tons of USCP officers texting me this in disbelief. @GOPLeader McCarthy dishonors the police but sends themchicken. Fitting,' Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., added.

Politico reported that most officers ate the chicken, but some chose not to and expressed disappointment that the majority leader would support them privately with free lunch but not publicly with legislation.

'Thank you for all you do!' California Republican REp. Kevin McCarthy wrote along with bags of Chik-fil-A he sent to police.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has opposed a commission investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, where one police officer died in the chaos and four died by suicide in the months following the attack, because it would not investigate political violence on the left.

He has remained supportive of President Trump, ousting Rep. Liz Cheney from leadership after she spoke out repeatedly against the former president's election fraud claims and their role in the Jan. 6 riot.

He also threatened telecoms companies not to comply with requests from the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 for phone records of Trump allies.

House Republicans led by McCarthy also voted against a $1.9 billion spending bill that included funding for the Capitol Police force.

But two months later they voted in favor of a $2.1 billion package designed by the Senate, that provided $100 million for Capitol Police equipment and resources, $300 million to improve Capitol security and $520 million to reimburse the National Guard. The Senate's version did not include nearly $40 million included in the original bill to prosecute Capitol rioters.

The House in late July separately passed an appropriations bill that would provide $603.4 million to boost Capitol police officer pay. That bill passed 215-207 with only one Republican vote.
Denmark has proposed making migrants work 37 hours a week to earn welfare benefits because 'there are too many, especially with non-Western backgrounds, who do not have a job'.

The proposal by the minority Social Democratic government, a traditionally left wing administration that has adopted right wing anti-immigration policies, would require migrants who have been on benefits for at least three years to find work.

It said the programme was necessary because many women of foreign descent do not work, especially those with roots in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey.

'If you come to Denmark, you have to work and support yourself and your family,' the proposal stated.

'If one cannot support oneself, one must have a duty to participate and contribute what is equivalent to a regular working week to receive the full welfare benefit.'

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has claimed the policy is intended to help migrants integrate into Danish society, with plans to encourage them to learn the language, but the proposal has been widely criticised as unfair.

The proposal by the minority Social Democratic government supported the proposal with the claim many women of foreign descent remain outside the labour market, especially those with roots in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey (file photo)

The programme would start with those who are able to speak some Danish and they would be given skills training by the local government.

No date has yet been set for the 179-seat parliament to vote on the proposal.

Although the Social Democrats do not have a majority, they would be likely to get support from centre-right politicians to pass it.

Though traditionally left wing, Frederiksen's party adopted right wing anti-immigration policies when she took power in 2019 and is now targeting zero asylum claims.

Frederiksen has blamed the crackdown on immigration on the need to protect Denmark's welfare system so it can continue to accommodate migrants already in the country.

But the proposal has been widely criticsed as unfair, with Mai Villadsen, a member of the opposition Red-Green Alliance, branding the idea 'foolish'.

She argued that it could lead to a downward pressure on the wages of other workers.

'The foundation of our welfare society is a strong safety net,' Ms Villadsen wrote on Twitter.

The proposal was tabled by the Social Democratic government (pictured, party leader and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen) who claim women of foreign descent remain outside the labour market

The Social Democratic government stated in the proposal, 'if you come to Denmark, you have to work and support yourself and your family' (pictured, refugee activists protest against deportations at Copenhagen Airport in 2016)

Mirka Mozer, head of a Copenhagen-based organisation that helps immigrant women get jobs, said the plan did not sound ambitious enough.

'We have lots of women who are willing to take jobs, including jobs that are 37 hours (per week), but there needs to be more 37-hour jobs,' Ms Mozar said.

In 2018, her group, the Immigrant Women's Centre had registered almost 13,000 people from 57 different nations.

Ms Mozer said it had contacts with dozens of companies that offered jobs to immigrant women, but that most were only four-to-10 hours per week.

'Some certainly fear that their (welfare) benefits will be reduced because they can't get a 37-hour job,' she said.

Immigrants and their descendants represent 14.1 per cent of Denmark's nearly six million people. The largest groups are from Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
While more and more U.S. workers return to the office after last year's COVID shutdowns, New York City and San Francisco have fallen behind other populous metro areas, a new report found.

On average, office buildings in 10 of the most populous cities in the U.S. were about 33.1% occupied by the end of August, according to Kastle Systems, an access-control company that tracks how many people swipe into buildings.

Yet New York and San Francisco are keeping the average down as they reported only 22.3% and 19.7%, respectively.

New York and San Francisco are trailing behind the national average of the 10 most populous metro areas in the country for office occupancy rates

The One Vanderbilt office tower in Manhattan stood mostly empty last year. New York City employees hope to see about 41% of workers return to the office by 2022

Some workers returned to New York's financial district on June 22, 2020, as reopening began

'We're obviously disappointed,' Douglas Durst, chairman of the New York real estate developer the Durst Organization, told the Wall Street Journal.

An end of August survey by the Partnership for New York City found that employers wanted 41% of employees to return by the end of September, Business Insider reported, but the goal seems unlikely given Kastle Systems findings.

'I've spoken to a number of other companies - BlackRock, a major asset management firm; Accenture, a huge global consulting firm - all of their plans are being deferred,' Kathyrn Wylde, president and CEO of Partnership for NYC, told NPR. 'And they're going back to masking policies for vaccinated people, which is, again, a real downer in terms of getting people back to the office. '

The stall in occupancy rates come as the Delta variant continues to plague the country.

The streets in front of the New York Stock Exchange, one the world's most populated business hubs, was practically empty on May 19, 2020

The MetLife Tower was also void of most of its employees last fall

New cases had reached a seasonal peak on September 1, with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 182,425 new cases that day. While daily cases are still higher than they were at the start of the summer. They dropped to 47,728 on September 6.

The CDC also reported 242 new deaths on September 6.

New York City reported no new cases on September 6 and San Francisco reported less than 50 in the previous week.

Houston, Dallas, and Austin sport the highest percentage of office building occupancy, all at around 40% while Texas grapples with a nearly all-time high number of new cases at the end of August at 28,245, with a recent respite of about 3,828 reported on September 6.

While more than 40 major companies that operate in the U.S. have imposed vaccine mandates for their workers with deadlines set for this month and October, other major employers have said they will keep waiting before calling employees back to the office.

Apple employees were set to return in early September, but CEO Tim Cook pushed the date back to January 2022, a move Amazon mimicked, Forbes reported.

The move comes out of step with other tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, who have also pushed for all U.S. employees return to their offices.

Many healthcare companies and other employers - like Hawaiian Airlines, Hess, TJX, Chevron and Tyson Foods - have set deadlines for November.

About 75 percent of eligible adults have at least taken one jab of the vaccine, according to the CDC.
A group of Republican House lawmakers led by Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs are calling on fourteen major communications companies including Facebook and Twitter to preserve records of 16 top Democrats in a letter written Tuesday.

It's in response to the Democrat-led January 6 committee requesting the records of certain GOP members of Congress in its investigation into the Capital riot.

The Democrats include progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez and Pelosi's offices for comment.

Joining them on the list are Reps. Eric Swalwell of California and Jerry Nadler of New York, who chairs the House Judiciary.

They're also requesting the phone records of Ocasio-Cortez's fellow Squad members Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.

A copy of the letter was obtained by DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are among the 16 Democrats whose records Republicans are looking to preserve

Rep. Andy Biggs, chair of the House Freedom Caucus, is calling on the telecom companies to preserve the records in a direct response to the bipartisan Democrat-led January 6 committee asking companies to preserve Republican lawmakers' records from the Capitol riot

'Recent news reports indicate Speaker Pelosi's Select Committee to investigate January 6th events at the US Capitol has issued requests for you to release your client's private and confidential data,' the letter addressed to Jack Dorsey opens.

It goes on to say the release of those communications is prohibited by the Supreme Court and US Constitution.

'Simply put, neither the Committee nor you have the legal authority to provide those records,' lawmakers write.

They warn that adhering to Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson's 'misguided legal theory' and handing over the communications would 'undoubtedly end with Congress rifling through the private records of any American.'

'Having said that, if you proceed to turn over the requested records, we request the records of the following sixteen (16) individuals also be preserved so future Congresses can investigate alleged infractions.'

The letter is signed by Biggs, along with Representatives Jody Hice of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina.
Hardline premier Mark McGowan has confirmed Western Australia will likely remain closed off from the rest of the country for up to another seven months.

Mr McGowan previously said he wouldn't allow interstate travel to or from WA until more than 80 per cent of locals are fully vaccinated - but was yet to confirm when he expects that target to be reached.

He has since declared the domestic border may remain shut until April 2022, while boasting the international travel ban - which has seen thousands of Australians stranded abroad and even more locked in their own country - has been good for his economy.

The Covid-zero premier said he will wait until his state reaches between 80 and 90 per cent vaccination rates to open up.

WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) said his state won't open the border until likely April next year - and only if 80-90 per cent of the state are fully-vaccinated

Western Australia faces being cut off from the rest of the country long after international travel returns to other states

'Somewhere above 80 per cent we'll try and set the date. I don't know whether it'll be February, March or April, I suspect it will be one of those months,' he told The West Australian on Wednesday.

His government won't commit to pinning down the date to open the border because they're unsure how quickly the majority of WA's famously parochial residents will roll up their sleeves for the jab.

Western Australia - along with Queensland - is currently lagging behind the rest of the country in the vaccine rollout with about 36 per cent of residents fully-jabbed.

Even once the 80 per cent milestone is reached Mr McGowan confirmed he will still keep families apart for another month-and-half to two months before he removes the border restrictions.

Mr McGowan also ridiculed comments by federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who said his hardline stance on border closures would mean Australians would be able to travel to Canada before they could get to Perth.

Perth has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country at about 36 per cent of people fully jabbed (pictured, residents in the city's CBD in June during a previous snap lockdown)

The WA border has remained shut for much of 2020 and 2021 to the rest of Australia (pictured, an empty Perth airport in January)

Poll SHOULD WA OPEN ITS BORDERS THIS YEAR? Yes - it's been too long No - they want to stay Covid-free SHOULD WA OPEN ITS BORDERS THIS YEAR? Yes - it's been too long 322 votes

No - they want to stay Covid-free 123 votes Now share your opinion





'I am not that worried about it. I don't understand why people are worried about that,' he said.

'I am more worried about getting the virus under control in NSW, Victoria and the ACT and also keeping our people safe, as to when I can fly to British Columbia.

'That seems to me to be a secondary consideration.'

For WA residents that do want to go overseas, Budget papers released this week reveal they will have to wait 12 months with a September 2022 estimated date to reopen international travel.

Mr McGowan is in no rush, claiming in the Budget the international travel ban has been a positive for WA's economy.

'There's an assumption of a big economic downside impact when international borders open because we lose a lot of spending power in retail, hospitality, housing  everything  to international travel,' he said.

Perth was recently given the AFL Grand Final after the event couldn't be played in locked down Melbourne (pictured, Perth AFL fans)

Mr McGowan (pictured) is in no rush for a return to overseas travel, claiming in the Budget the international travel ban has been a positive for WA's economy

'We've got to, obviously, open eventually but it's been a remarkable economic boom for Australia not having international borders open because for every international tourist that arrives, there's way more than one Australian that goes overseas and we spend more.'

While other states have been struggling in lockdown, WA has been thriving courtesy of the state's mining industry.

Although he does appear to have abandoned his complete Covid-zero strategy he had steadfastly held onto until recent weeks.

He said that when high levels of vaccination are reached across Australia, National Cabinet have been told by experts that the virus will become 'manageable like the flu'.

Perth will host this year's AFL Grand Final due to its Covid-free status and Victoria's ongoing battle to get community transmission under control.

The city hosted the third Bledisloe Cup match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks on Sunday, with 55,000 fans in attendance.
Nadhim Zahawi squirmed in the Commons today as he was hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports.

The vaccines minister was assailed by a host of his own side as he answered an urgent question on the proposals for using certification in nightclubs and other venues.

Faced with barbs that he was talking 'rubbish' and did not really back the policy, Mr Zahawi admitted that it caused him 'pain' to 'curtail people's freedoms'.

But he insisted it was not 'normal times' and the measure would be dropped as soon as possible.

'It goes against everything I believe in, but nevertheless is the right thing to do,' he said.

The Government has confirmed it wants to introduce vaccine passports for nightclubs by the end of September.

The scheme would see members of the public required to show proof they have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to gain entry to clubs and other large-scale events.

Nadhim Zahawi squirmed in the Commons today as he was hammered by Tory MPs over 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' plans for Covid passports

Senior Tories Mark Harper (left) and William Wragg (right) were among those rebuking Mr Zahawi over the Covid passports policy today

Mr Zahawi said the policy is 'designed to reduce transmission and serious illness'.

He added: 'No-one in this Government, certainly not this Prime Minister  it is not in his DNA to curtail people's freedoms or require people to show a piece of paper before they enter a nightclub.'

Mr Zahawi tried to lighten the mood of the chamber by referring to Michael Gove's recent antics in a Scottish nightclub.

'The reason that we are moving forward on this is because, if you look at what has happened in other countries where nightclubs were opening and then shutting again, opening and shutting again, we want to avoid that disruption and maintain sectors that can add to people's enjoyment of life and dance, as it did for the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Michael Gove).

'That they can do so sustainably, the reason for the end of September is because by the end of September all 18-year-olds and above would have had the chance to have two doses.'

He added: 'It is not something we do lightly, it is something to allow us to transition this virus from pandemic to endemic status.'

But Conservative MP William Wragg said: 'What a load of rubbish.

'I don't believe (Mr Zahawi) believes a word of what he's just uttered because I remember him very persuasively stating my position  which we shared at the time  that this measure would be discriminatory and yet he's sent to the despatch box to defend the indefensible.

'This is a needless fight that we seem prepared to have in this House over the issue, it's completely unnecessary.'

Mr Wragg encouraged people to have the jab, adding: 'But to go down this route, which is overtly discriminatory, would be utterly damaging to the fabric of society.'

Tory former chief whip Mark Harper, who chairs the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, branded vaccine passports 'discriminatory' before adding: 'This is a pointless policy with damaging effects.

'I'm afraid the minister is picking an unnecessary fight with his own colleagues. I say to him, the Government should think again.'

Mr Harper highlighted how Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has stated there is no need for vaccine passports for MPs to attend the chamber.

He added: 'Let's not have one rule for Members of Parliament and another rule for everybody else. Drop this policy.'

Former Cabinet minister Karen Bradley said Mr Zahawi was 'defending a policy that I don't think his heart is truly in'.

Sir Desmond Swayne, another ex-minister, swiped: 'Isn't the super-spreader event the spread of a liberal discriminatory and coercive policy from this despatch box?'

Conservative backbencher Joy Morrissey said: 'May I, on bended knee, implore (Mr Zahawi) to summon all his courage and say 'no' to vaccine passports and protect our civil liberties.'

Sir Desmond Swayne, another ex-minister, swiped: 'Isn't the super-spreader event the spread of a liberal discriminatory and coercive policy from this despatch box?'

Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland), who secured the urgent question, called on the Government to hold a vote on Covid vaccine passports.

He warned: 'Never before in peacetime has the government of this country controlled in this way where we can go, with whom and what to do.'

Nadhim Zahawi said: 'These are not normal times that we are enduring. This is a measure that we are having to take, and if he hears from our chief medical officers in England, Scotland, now and of course Wales and Northern Ireland, this is a mitigation to allow us to continue to transition this pandemic over the winter months and not have to reverse that policy.

'And I say to him with a heavy heart, I would much rather stand here and take the arrows from colleagues in the back, or the front, rather than come back here to this House and have to close down nightclubs because the virus has caused a superspreader event and have to explain that to the whole industry.'
President Joe Biden's administration will allow Afghan children to stay with the adult they arrived with in the United States - to avoid unaccompanied minors going into custody.

CNN reported Wednesday that the Department of Health and Human Services put out guidance over the weekend that laid out ways to avoid Afghan childen being separated from caregivers.

The report comes after the Associated Press reported last week that a number of Afghan men entered the U.S. with child 'brides,' with officials seeking guidance on how to handle this dynamic.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with an Afghan refugee family at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday. The Biden administration will let evacuated children stay with the adults they arrived in the US with

'Intake staff at Fort McCoy reported multiple cases of minor females who presented as "married" to adult Afghan men, as well as polygamous families,' a document obtained by the AP warned. 'Department of State has requested urgent guidance.'

The AP reported that there was no immediate indication from the military, the Department of Homeland Security or HHS that such guidance was received.

Typically, minors who don't arrive with their parents - even if they come to the U.S. with an aunt, uncle or sibling - are put into HHS custody until a 'sponsor' is deemed worthy.

In the case of Afghan refugees, the Office of Refugee Resettlement - which is part of HHS - is allowing the children to stay with the adults they arrived with, even if they're not the kids' parents, CNN said.

Afghan refugees sit on the floor and stand around as they wait for processing inside Hangar 5 at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday

HHS did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiry on how they're handling the issue of the child 'brides.'

Last week, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said 'very few Afghan children' are arriving with adults who they don't know.

More than 100 have arrived in the U.S. unaccompanied, an administration official told CNN, though a majority have been quickly reunited with family members.

'Unaccompanied minors represent only one quarter of one per cent of the share of Afghan arrivals,' an HHS spokesperson told CNN. 'We will continue to work with our government partners to provide care for all the children referred to us.'

Antony Blinken met with Afghan refugees at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Wednesday as the administration continues to deal with the bungled troop withdrawal that is now leading to the displacement of thousands of Afghans.

The Secretary of State showed a picture of his children to a young Afghan refugee outside Hangar 5 for evacuation operations at Ramstein Air Base.

The State Department is facing criticism after it was revealed in an email link that the agency prevented several private flights from leaving Afghanistan with U.S. citizens and Afghan allies on board.

The trip to Germany came after Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with leaders in Doha, Qatar, which is acting as another third-party country for Afghan refugee processing before they are resettled in the U.S.

Blinken was also pictured there touring a base in Doha being used as a processing center with hundreds of cots lining the floor of a building.

Also on Wednesday, Blinken met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as the two counterparts discussed cooperation in efforts to process and resettle Afghan refugees. The two will hold a virtual 20-nation meeting on the crisis from the southwestern German U.S. Air Base.

The images out of Ramstein on Wednesday show a number of refugees sitting on the floor as they wait to be processed. Many are unaware of their final resettlement destinations, but are expected to come through the Philadelphia and Washington Dulles airports.

Blinken said on Tuesday that Afghan refugees will be vetted on the 'back end,' as he claims the withdrawal was too swift and chaotic to vet all Afghan refugees before they were airlifted out.

The administration still insists there are around 100 Americans left to be evacuated, while volunteer groups leading private evacuation efforts and Republicans claim there are more like 500 U.S. citizens still trying to get out.

Six planes chartered to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan were blocked from leaving by the Taliban, it emerged over the weekend.

Afghan refugees are captured arriving at Washington Dulls International Airport last week. New Health and Human Services guidance is instructing officials to keep Afghan children with the adults they entered the U.S. with

The State Department also refused to green light privately chartered flights out of Afghanistan that could have evacuated US citizens and Afghan special immigrant visa applicants, leaked emails reportedly show.

Military lawyer and retired Marine Eric Montalvo shared the communications with Fox after he organized some of the flights and now claims the federal government thwarted his rescue effort.

The leaked emails show State officials refusing to allow Montalvo's privately paid for flights to use US property either inside the country or at one of its many overseas bases, after the Biden administration pledged to do whatever it can to rescue all Americans and as many Afghan allies as possible.

'No independent charters are allowed' at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar,' an email from September 1 says.

'In fact, no charters are allowed to land at an [sic] DoD base and most if not all countries in the Middle Eastern region, with the exception of perhaps Saudi Arabia will allow charters to land.'
A bride and groom celebrated their marriage by jumping into the Irish Sea wearing their wedding outfits.

Anita McCarthy and her new husband Dom jumped off the rocky edge at the Forty Foot swimming spot in Sandycove, Dublin, on September 5, the day after their wedding.

Locals watched on in amazement as the newlyweds made their way up the rocky water's edge to take the plunge.

Bride and groom Anita and Dom McCarthy celebrated their marriage by jumping into the Irish Sea on September 5 at Forty Foot in Sandycove, Dublin

The newlyweds wore their wedding outfits for the plunge at the popular swimming area

Anita, an artist from Dublin, shared a clip of the couple's jump into the water on social media, much to the delight of her followers.

She said: 'This was the day after our wedding, we took the plunge to celebrate.'

The clip shows the couple making their way along the water's edge - Anita wearing a traditional white wedding dress and Dom in a dark suit - and being stopped for a quick chat by two smiling women.

Onlookers can be heard cheering as the pair walk up the rocky path.

Onlookers watched on and cheered as Anita and Dom McCarthy made their way up the rocks

Anita posted the heartwarming clip on social media, much to the delight of her followers

Several youngsters get out of the water to make space for the loved-up couple who look at each other before they jump off in unison.

The swimming spot featured in a news package for RTE News last May, when people in Ireland were allowed to return to outdoor swimming areas.

Reporter Paul O'Flynn, who won the city's Liffey Swim river race in 2018, made a dramatic sign-off from the report by diving off the rocks into the sea.

RTE presenter and reporter Paul O'Flynn dived off the rocks at the Forty Foot in Dublin

He took the local authority's 'Swim and go' policy literally last May as he dived off the rocks, signing off his report with 'Paul O'Flynn, RTE News, glad to be out of my sitting room'

After interviewing swimmers in the sweltering heat and hearing from a council official about its 'swim and go' policy at the bathing spot, Mr O'Flynn appeared on the rocks in his swimming trunks.

Speaking to camera, he said: 'With the weather like this and the lockdown lifted, there's really only one thing for it. The message "Swim and go".'

He then dived into the water before signing off with 'Paul O'Flynn, RTE News, glad to be out of my sitting room'.
A Colorado city paid $3million to settle a federal police brutality lawsuit involving a 73-year-old woman with dementia, who was beaten during an arrest and left in lockup for six hours without medical care.

The elderly woman, Karen Garner, was arrested by now-former Loveland Police Officers Austin Hopp, 26, and Daria Jalali, 27, on June 26, 2020 after she inadvertently left Walmart without paying for $13 worth of items.

They were seen in bodycam footage slamming Garner to the ground and twisting her arm, which resulted in a fractured elbow and dislocated arm, according to a federal lawsuit filed in April.

Garner was left in a jail cell for more than six hours and is seen in security footage from the cell crying out for help 51 times in the first hour alone.

The settlement was announced Wednesday morning and is nearly finalized.

'This is justice for mom,' Allisa Swartz said while fighting back tears during a Wednesday press conference.

Shannon Steward, Garner's daughter-in-law, said this incident was 'the lowest form of human behavior and indecency, particularly by people who should be respected and know how to show respect.'

Bodycam footage showed Hopp throwing Karen Garner to the ground on June 26, 2020

Garner's daughter Allisa Swartz fights back tears during Wednesday's press conference announcing the settlement. 'This is justice for mom,' she said

Garner's daughter-in-law Shannon Steward said this incident was 'the lowest form of human behavior and indecency'

Swartz, Steward and their family lawyer Sarah Schielke sent direct shots at the Loveland Police Department, including a renewed call for Police Chief Bob Ticer to step down.

'I'm hoping this dollar amount makes them realize that they need to make changes in that department, and we're not playing around,' Swartz said. 'It needs to stop.'

Garner's family and Schielke called on the city to change the leadership of the police department and break up 'the good 'ol boys club' on the City Council.

Schielke took it a step further and said if Chief Ticer is fired or resigns within 30 days, she will donate $50,000 of her own money to an Alzheimer's or dementia charity of his choice.

Scroll down for press conference video.

Garner's family said she was a happy grandmother (right) before the traumatizing arrest in June 2020 where she was left in a jail cell in pain with her broken arm still cuffed behind her (left)

Photos taken in the aftermath of the arrest show Garner with a bruised and swollen arm

Attorney Sarah Schlieke said called on Loveland Police Chief Ticer to step down. She said if he is fired or resigns within 30 days, she will donate $50,000 to an Alzheimer's or dementia charity of his choice

Loveland city representatives and the Loveland Police Department didn't respond to DailyMail.com's requests but comment, but city officials released statements Wednesday morning.

Loveland City Manager Stephen Adams said the settlement is 'in the best interest of all involved.'

'The settlement with Karen Garner will help bring some closure to an unfortunate event in our community but does not upend the work we have left to do,' Adams said.

'We extend a deep and heartfelt apology to Karen Garner and her family for what they have endured as a result of this arrest.

'We know we did not act in a manner that upholds the values, integrity, and policies of the City and police department, and we are taking the necessary steps to make sure these actions are never repeated.'

Chief Ticer said in a statement that 'there is no excuse, under any circumstances, for what happened to Ms. Garner.'

'We have agreed on steps we need to take to begin building back trust. While these actions wont change what Ms. Garner experienced, they will serve to improve this police department and hopefully restore faith that the LPD exists to serve those who live in and visit Loveland.'

While Garner pleaded from her jail cell for help, the arresting officers - who were just 10 feet away from the her jail cell - ignored her cries and instead laughed at the bodycam footage of the arrest.

Hopp and Jalali were heard on the department's security camera admiring the 'pop' when Garner's shoulder dislocated and seen fist bumping each other while Garner was locked up in a jail cell in pain just a few feet away.

Garner was ultimately diagnosed with a fractured arm, dislocated shoulder as well as a sprained wrist and was covered in scrapes and bruises, according the lawsuit.

She has never regained full mobility in her arm, her lawyer Schielke told DailyMail.com. She still needs help with everyday tasks like getting dressed or showering, Schielke said, because of her injuries.

Garner's family said the Loveland police treated their mother and grandmother like 'an animal' and it took several months, media scrutiny and public outrage to get an apology.

Surveillance footage showed Hopp and Jalali fist bumping and laughing while watching the footage as Garner was locked up in a jail cell in pain just feet away

Garner (pictured) was transported to a local police station where she sat in a jail holding cell awaiting booking for six hours crying in pain over her arm injuries

Events of Garner's forcible arrest on June 26, 2020

The family wanted everyone to know that the first eight seconds of the bodycam footage before Hopp tackled her was who Karen was, Shielke told DailyMail.com in April.

'Happy, carefree, enjoying the outdoors, picking flowers,' Shielke said. 'After this event, all that is gone. She is fearful, distrustful of everyone, reclusive. She is sad. The few things about life she was still able to enjoy as an elderly woman with declining cognitive health prior to this event, were obliterated by the Loveland Police Department.'

After the videos made national headlines and were widely shared on social media, Loveland Police Chief Bob Ticer announced that Hopp, Jalali and community service officer Tyler Blackett were let go by the department.

He didn't say if they resigned or were fired.

Sgt. Phil Metzler, who was present during Garner's arrest, was placed on leave but is still on the force, which Schielke took exception to and said he should be fired.

Hopp and Jalali have since been criminally charged.

After a warrant was issued for their arrest, Hopp and Jalali surrendered themselves to the Larimer County Jail on May 20.

Hopp was charged with second-degree assault and attempt to influence a public servant, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct.

Jalali's charge - all misdemeanors - are for failing to report a use of force, failing to intervene and official misconduct.

Austin Hopp, 26, briefly appeared in court to hear his charges on Thursday

Hopp's body camera footage shows him catching up to her as she walked through a field

During the June 2020 incident, Garner walked out of the Walmart with a candy bar, a can of Pepsi, a T-shirt and wipe refills.

Garner was stopped by staff and asked to return to the store, where they recovered the unpaid merchandise, but employees still contacted law enforcement.

Hopp's body camera footage showed him catching up to Garner as she walked through a field.

In the footage, Garner appeared visibly confused and repeatedly told the officers that she was on her way home.

'Ma'am I don't think you want to play it this way,' Hopp said. 'You just left Walmart. Do you need to be arrested right now?'

After she turned away from him, he quickly grabbed her arm and pushed the elderly woman to the ground, the footage showed.

After the lawsuit was filed, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed Hopp and Jalali's romantic relationship at the end of April.

Around the time of Garner's arrest, then-married Hopp moved into Jalali's new home in Windsor, Colorado, where they lived together until mid-February when Hopp suddenly moved out.

Exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com taken on June 14, 2020, just days after they moved in together, showed Hopp and Jalali sitting on the front porch and holding hands.

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed Hopp and Jalali's relationship in April

Austin Hopp, left, and Daria Jalali, right, turned themselves in on Thursday morning after warrants were issued for their arrest

According to divorce documents, Hopp's separated from his wife of six years on June 7. She filed for divorce on July 8.

Several neighbors of Jalali's confirmed to DailyMail.com that Hopp and Jalali had been living together but kept to themselves and weren't very friendly.

One neighbor said they have been living together at the house since the day they moved in last June.

But another neighbor said their romance was short-lived with Hopp moving out in February.
Thirteen unvaccinated school workers in one Florida district, including teachers, have died of COVID since the school year started on August 23.

According to the Miami-Dade school district's teachers union, the employees who recently died from virus complications include teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and security monitors.

One veteran Florida teacher and her school cafeteria manager daughter both succumbed to COVID-19 at the same hospital just days apart.

Thirteen employees of Miami-Dade school district have died of COVID-19 since the school year began, including one teacher, Lillian Smith, 67, (left) and her school cafeteria manager daughter, Lakisha Williams 43, (right) who died at the same hospital in August

Teacher Lillian Smith, 67, had taught first grade at Dr. William A. Chapman Elementary School in Naranja, for 30 years.

Her daughter Lakisha Williams, 43, a school cafeteria manager, had worked for 17 years at Miami-Dade Public School and had just revently been promoted to a school cafeteria manager.

The tragic pair, who were not vaccinated against the virus, were admitted to at Jackson South Medical Center in early August.

However, they sadly never got to see their students again on the first day of school as they both died just days apart from complications with COVID-19.

The tragic pair, who were not vaccinated against the virus, were admitted to at Jackson South Medical Center in early August and died just days apart from complications with COVID-19. Pictured: Lillian Smith had taught first grade for 30 years

A family friend said Smith, who had multiple grandchildren of her own, called all her students 'her babies', while Williams leaves behind a husband and two children, reported Local 10.

Another Miami-Dade teacher, Abe Coleman, who worked at Holmes Elementary School in Miamis Liberty City neighborhood died on September 1.

The math teacher and youth worker had mentored thousands of young men through the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project.

Another Miami-Dade employee, Abe Coleman, (pictured) a math teacher and youth worker who worked at Holmes Elementary School in Miamis Liberty City neighborhood died on Sep 1

Michael Thomas, a technology teacher at William H. Turner Technical Arts High School in Miamis West Little River neighborhood, died on August 30, a local Florida Television station reported.

Teacher's union, United Teachers of Dade (UTD), is hosting a pop-up vaccintaion centre at Lillie C Evans K-8 school in Miami on Tuesday, as they hope to encourage school district employees to avail of the vaccine.

In a statement, UTD President Karla Hernandez-Mats, said: 'As we continue to mourn the tragic loss of our union brothers and sisters to COVID last week, we believe it is now our duty to honor Mr. Coleman, Mrs. Smith, and Mr. Thomas, three incredible laborers who served our community.

'As educators, we want to ensure that people have access to the information and the resources they need to get vaccinated and hopefully, spare other families from the terrible effects of this virus.'
A man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend in 2017 had the verdict overturned after an appeals court ruled that the prosecution's reference to the O.J. Simpson case deprived him of a fair trial by suggesting racial stereotypes to the jury.

Joshua Kioni Ellis was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to over 23 years in prison for the gunning down 25-year-old Wendi Traynor.

On appeal, Ellis argued that deputy prosecutor John Neeb's reference to The People v. O.J. Simpson and an implicit bias exercise during jury selection barred him from his right to a fair trial.

The three-judge panel of Division II of the Washington State Court of Appeals agreed with Ellis.

Joshua Kioni Ellis had his second-degree murder conviction overturned on August 31 after he successfully argued that prosecutorial misconduct deprived him of a fair trial

'Ellis argues that the prosecutor committed misconduct during voir dire because he invoked racial stereotypes and appealed to the prejudice of the jury,' Judge Bernard Veljacic wrote for the panel on August 31.

'Because the prosecutor committed misconduct that deprived Ellis of a fair trial, we reverse his convictions.'

A spokesperson for the Pierce County Prosecutors Office said that the office is deciding whether to ask the state Supreme Court to review the decision to overturn the murder conviction.

Ellis was arrested in September 2017 after his ex-girlfriend was found dead in her new apartment in Milton, Washington.

The couple had been together for two years and moved to Louisville, Kentucky, in June 2017. Traynor had reportedly tried to break up with Ellis twice after their move before making it official in October when she returned to Washington, according to investigators.

Ellis (left) was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to over 23 years in prison for the 2017 fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend Wendi Traynor (right) in Milton, Washington

Ellis (left) argued that the acted in lawful self-defense when Traynor (right) pulled out a gun when he was leaving her new apartment which she had moved into after leaving him

Traynor was killed with a shot to the head and left dead in her apartment until her family discovered her body about a week later after being concerned that they hadn't heard from her

The domestic dispute turned deadly about a month after Traynor's move when Ellis tracked his ex-girlfriend down. The last time anyone heard from Traynor was when she texted her friends that she was going to meet up with her ex in person to discuss their relationship on November 3, according to investigators.

Ellis argued that he shot Traynor in lawful self-defense after she pulled out a gun as he was trying to leave her apartment.

She was killed with a gunshot to the head.

Her body was found by her aunt and uncle a week later when the family grew concerned that they hadn't heard from her in several days. Ellis eventually turned himself in to Milton police.

One of Traynor's friends told detectives that Ellis had been physically violent with Traynor in the past and had threatened to harm her family if she left him, according to court records.

The jury convicted Ellis of second-degree murder on May 23, 2019, after about a day and a half of deliberations.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has issued a subpoena to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics in its investigation into disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $5.1million book deal.

The probe centers on whether Cuomo improperly used state resources when he recruited his staff to work on the book, and whether he misled the JCOPE - the state's ethics watchdog - when he explicitly promised the commission he would not do so.

The issuance of the subpoena does not necessarily mean a grand jury has been looking over evidence in the probe, but may indicate that it has moved beyond interviews and into the gathering of public records, according to the Albany Times-Union, which first reported on the subpoena.

What records were being sought from the commission was also not clear as of Wednesday, the outlet reported.

A spokesperson for James' office declined to comment on the subpoena.

The office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James (picture) has issued a subpoena to the state's ethic's watchdog over whether disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo violated state law when he recruited staff to work on this book

The investigation follows a referral in April by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who asked James to investigate the 'alleged commission of any indictable offense or offenses in violation of' laws barring public officials from using state resources for private purposes.

DiNapoli authorized the attorney general to convene a grand jury, if she chose to do so, and prosecute anyone believed to have violated those laws.

Cuomo received permission from state ethics commissioners last year to write his book  with conditions.

He had to write the book on 'his own time and not on state time,' according to state ethics rules. And, 'no state property, personnel or other resources' could be used.

Yet, several people who work for the state did work on the book, including Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa and the Director of Governors Offices Stephanie Benton, according to reports in The New York Times, The Times-Union, of Albany, and the USA TODAY State News Network.

Cuomo claims his aides offered their time voluntarily and denies the allegations.

Cuomo, who stepped down on August 24 amid sexual harassment allegations, could potentially lose the royalties from his $5.1million book deal after it was revealed that several of his staffers worked on it

The book, released in October, 2020, centered on Cuomo's early handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state

If it is found he violated state law, Cuomo could be forced to return royalties he earned from the deal.

New York's public officer's law requires vetting and approval from the ethics agency on matters relating to outside income and prohibits elected officials from engaging in situations benefiting themselves.

In JCOPE's hearing on August 26, it was revealed that commission staffers silently approved Cuomo's request to write the book without a full panel vote, resulting in tension among JCOPE commissioners.

'We promulgated a rule having to do with applications for outside activity  meaning outside income. The rule requires a vote of the commission. But there was no vote on the book deal, in fact it was never presented to us. The staff took the position that no vote of the commission was necessary. I will move tomorrow to rescind the informal opinion,' said Commissioner Gary Lavine.

James' investigation into potential ethics violations came after a request by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (pictured) in April. He is pictured on August 2 at a kick-off event for New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams

The commission's next meeting is scheduled for September 14, when the commission could rescind its staff approval for the book deal, and potentially open an avenue for the state to attempt to claw back proceeds Cuomo earned from it.

At a Senate Ethics Committee meeting on August 25, State Sen. Dan Stec (R-Queensbury) questioned JCOPE's executive director Judge Sanford Berland on whether the panel was confident in retrieving profits gained from Cuomo's memoir, 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons and the COVID-19 Pandemic.'

'If the financial gain is significantly more than any fines or penalties [that] can be invoked, there's an obvious encouragement for the behavior if I get a $5,000 fine for a $5 million book deal  that's not much of a deterrent,' Stec said.

At the August 25 state Senate Ethics Committee, State Sen. Dan Stec (right) asked Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) executive director Judge Sanford Berland (left) on whether the panel could retrieve profits gained from Cuomo's memoir, 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons and the COVID-19 Pandemic'

'So I guess my question is, again, hypothetically, if financial gain is significant, is there a mechanism for JCOPE to claw back beyond just a standard fine or penalty, but the actual gain itself?'

Berland responded that the statute provides 'for a penalty that includes recoupment of the compensation or benefits received by the individual.'

But he argued the move to take back the royalties as a penalty would need to be voted on by a full panel of JCOPE commissioners, and could face legal challenges.

Following its October 2020 release, the book immediately became a New York Times bestseller, during a time when Cuomo was still favorable among his constituents for guiding New York through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The book was tied to the governor's daily COVID-19 briefings in 2020 during the height of the pandemic in New York.

Cuomo is also under investigation by law enforcement officials in Albany looking into a criminal complaint filed by former aide Brittany Commisso, (pictured) who alleges he groped her in the governor's mansion in November

Crown Publishing offered the former governor more than $5 million for the manuscript - a risk considering Cuomo's previous memoir sold fewer than 4,000 hardcover copies.

Tax records show Cuomo received the bulk of his advance, $3.12 million in 2020 and is expected to receive an additional $2 million in installments over the next two years.

After sexual assault allegations against Cuomo surfaced in late February, Crown tried to distance itself from Cuomo, canceling plans for a paperback version in addition to halting promotion.

Cuomo is also under criminal investigation related to an allegation that he groped a former staffer at the governor's mansion in November.

It was the most serious among the sexual harassment claims made by 11 women outlined in a report released by James' earlier last month.

On August 31 is was revealed that the Albany County Sheriff's office had issued subpoenas in the investigation into a criminal complaint filed by the alleged victim, Brittany Commisso, the Times Union reported.

Additionally Cuomo faces criminal probes by the FBI and the Brooklyn US Attorney's office over Covid-19 nursing homes deaths.
The highly anticipated fraud trial against Elizabeth Holmes began Wednesday, as prosecutors and defense attorneys alternately portrayed the ex-Theranos CEO as a greedy villain who faked her way to the top, and a passionate underdog who spent years trying to shake up the health care industry.

The two sides are now expected to spend the next three months trying to sway a 12-person jury, who will be presented with competing views of Holmes inside the Federal Court in San Jose, California.

Prosecutors allege Holmes used her blood-testing startup, Theranos, as a scheme to realize her dreams of becoming rich and as famous like her role model Steve Jobs.

'This case is about fraud, about lying and cheating to get money,' Prosecutor Robert Leach said during his opening statement.

Conversely, Lance Wade, a lawyer for Holmes, painted his client as a hard worker whose technology endeavor failed.

'Elizabeth Holmes did not go to work every day intending to lie, cheat and steal. The government would have you believe her company, her entire life, is a fraud. That is wrong. That is not true,' Wade told jurors in the San Jose, California courtroom.

The highly anticipated fraud trial against Elizabeth Holmes began Wednesday. The ex-Theranos CEO could face up to 20 years behind bars. She is pictured arriving in court

Holmes is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, and if convicted could face up to 20 years in prison

Holmes - who gave birth to her fist child less than two months ago - held hands with partner Billy Evans as she left court after the first day of proceedings wrapped up

Holmes was a Stanford University dropout who started Theranos in 2003 at age 19. She grabbed headlines with her vision of a small machine that could draw a drop of blood from a finger prick could run a range of tests more quickly and accurately than those in conventional laboratories.

But the government now believes Holmes knowingly made false claims about her company and its technology.

Prosecutors allege Holmes knew that the tests were limited and unreliable, harming patients who used them, and claim that she overstated Theranos's business deals and performance.

She is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and could face up to 20 years in jail if convicted. She may testify during the trial.

Holmes - who gave birth to her fist child less than two months ago - arrived in court wearing a white blouse and grayish-blue skirt suit, with a facemask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her partner, Billy Evans, held her hand as they exited the courtroom several hours later.

Meanwhile, three lookalike blondes, who refused to disclose their identities to awaiting media, also appeared to be in Holmes' camp.

KRON4 reporter Amy Larson shared video of the trio strutting out of the courtroom before Holmes did.

Three lookalike blondes, who refused to disclose their identities to awaiting media, also appeared to be in Holmes' camp.

Two of the blondes walked ahead, while a third trailed behind. They did not talk to the media

Theranos, a start-up which promised to revolutionize the healthcare industry by offering automated rapid-speed blood testing, was shut down in 2018 after the failures of the company's technology were exposed. Holmes is pictured in a company advert before the collapse

During opening proceedings, the prosecution posited Holmes' alleged scheme gave her the power and access that she craved.

'The scheme brought her fame, it brought her honor and it brought her adoration,' Leach said.

'She had become, as she sought, one of the most celebrated CEOs in Silicon Valley and the world. But under the facade of Theranos' success there were significant problems brewing,' he continued.

Leach stated that the scheme also made Holmes a billionaire. At one point she had a net worth estimated at $3.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

Holmes founded Theranos back in the mid-2000s after dropping out of Stanford University. She was billed as a wunderkind after she claimed her company could revolutionize modern medicine by performing rapid blood tests with a portable automated device

However, Wade (her lawyer) countered that Theranos was only worth billions of dollars, on paper, and when she left the company in 2018, her savings, her stock and the company were 'all gone.'

'She worked herself to the bone for 15 years trying to make lab testing cheaper and more accessible,' he stated.

'In the end, Theranos failed and Ms. Holmes walked away with nothing. But failure is not a crime. Trying your hardest and coming up short is not a crime. And by the time this trial is over, you will see that the villain the government just presented is actually a living, breathing human being who did her very best each and every day. And she is innocent.'

Meanwhile, former Theranos executive Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani, is scheduled to be tried separately on the same fraud and conspiracy charges in January.

Leach told jurors the evidence will show that Holmes agreed with Balwani to carry out a scheme to defraud Theranos investors and patients, executed through a number of false and misleading claims.

Sunny Balwani, (pictured) Holmes' co-founder and ex-boyfriend, is also on trial for fraud. He was charged separately, and Holmes' defense has hinted that she plans to allege he emotionally abused and manipulated her

In court documents unsealed before the trial, Holmes' lawyers disclosed that she may take the witness stand to assert some of her statements and actions while running Theranos were the result of 'intimate partner abuse' inflicted by Balwani.

Holmes and Balwani met in 2002 when she was 18 and he was 37, Wade noted to jurors.

The pair enjoyed a romantic relationship for a period of time.

Holmes allegedly told her lawyers that she believed she was bringing in 'the best businessman she knew' when she hired Balwani but now realizes it was one of her biggest mistakes.

'You will learn that Mr. Balwani did not take well to people who disagreed with him,' Wade said while asserting his tempestuous behavior caused many Theranos employees to leave the company.

Balwani also was responsible for overseeing the Theranos lab that the government alleges provided misleading results of blood tests that endangered some people's lives, Wade noted.

'If what government is trying to show is that Theranos' clinical lab was well run from 2013 to 2016, we will likely agree with what they have to say,' Wade said. 'Poor operations in the lab was one of Theranos' biggest failures, but it wasn't fraud.'

Balwani's attorneys have denied Holmes' allegations.

Holmes sat at a table flanked by her attorneys, Wade and Kevin Downey.

The trial is being presided over by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, with a 12-member jury along with five alternate jurors.

Leach alleged that trouble started for Theranos as far back as 2009, after losing interest from Pfizer Inc and other pharmaceutical companies.

Holmes, Leach said, subsequently turned to fraud, resorting to a pattern of lying and hyperbole in an effort to fool major media outlets, wealthy investors such as media mogul Rupert Murdoch, well-connected Theranos board members such as former U.S. Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, and customers such as Walgreens.

'Out of time and out of money, Elizabeth Holmes decided to lie,' Leach said.

Prosecutors cast Holmes as a liar, who resorted to making misleading claims about Theranos' technology after companies like Pfizer lost interest

Attorneys for Holmes portrayed her as a hardworking businesswoman who made mistakes, but was not a criminal

Prosecutors have said Holmes and Balwani defrauded investors between 2010 and 2015 and deceived patients when the company began making its tests commercially available, including via a partnership with Walgreens and Safeway.

'It was not doing anything that could not be done in an ordinary central blood testing laboratory,' Leach said of Theranos.

On screens mounted in front of their seats, Leach showed jurors excerpts of a Theranos presentation to investors claiming its process provided the 'highest levels of accuracy and precision.'

In truth, Leach said, insiders knew the technology was 'plagued by issues and repeatedly failing quality control.'

Wade argued that Theranos always had a two-phase plan for bringing its product to retail, but became mired in the first phase, which involved it running tests at its own lab using outside technology.

Wade asked jurors to ponder whether Theranos failed because its technology was a fraud or 'because a young CEO and her company confronted and could not overcome business obstacles that others saw but she naively underestimated.'

Leach laid out several ways in which Holmes allegedly defrauded investors, including by suggesting that the company's miniature lab had been vetted by Pfizer, that its technology was being used by the U.S. military in the field, and that it would achieve more than $140 million in revenue by the end of 2014, which he called 'nowhere near achieving.'
A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting October 15, Alohilani Resort will require its employees, patrons and guests to show proof they're fully vaccinated.

The requirement will also apply to the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company.

Hawaii has a vaccination rate of 55.84percent, with more than 700,000 people being fully vaccinated, but just two weeks ago Gov. David Ige asked tourists to postpone travel plans to the Island until November, after the state reached record CoVID-19 infections this summer.

'Now is not the time to visit the islands. It's a risky time to be traveling right now,' Ige said at a press conference on August 24.

Waikiki Beach and Highgate Hawaii's collection of seven hotels are announcing today that they will begin requiring proof of full vaccination for all employees, guests and patrons

Hawaii became the third state to have hotels mandating vaccination, as the state tourism-dependent economy is trying to rebound from earlier in the pandemic when the state imposed a mandatory quarantine on all incoming travelers.

The PUBLIC Hotel, Equinox Hotel and Wythe Hotel in New York and Pilgrim House in Massachusetts have also announced they will require guests be vaccinated.

Kelly Sanders, senior vice president of operations at Highgate Hawaii said that the measure was the right thing to do, as Hawaii grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious Delta variant.

'So I think we will be the safest hotel in Hawaii, at least for now,' Sanders said ahead of a news conference Wednesday to announce the mandate. 'And hopefully that helps our business and doesnt hurt our business.'

John De Fries, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, called the move a step in a the right direction and said he hopes other hotels follow suit.

'What I appreciate about it is that our community, our workforce and the guests are all mutual beneficiaries of this decision by Highgate,' he said. 'And I anticipate that it will receive much attention from others in the industry.'

The announcement came two weeks after Hawaii Gov. David Ige asked tourists to postpone travel plans to the island until November

The seven resorts are the first in Hawaii to ask for proof of vaccination from guests

Hawaii has a vaccination rate of 55.84percent, with more than 700,000 people being fully vaccinated

Hawaii has had a total of 66,554 COVID-19 infections and 623 deaths since the pandemic started

Hawaii state workers and Honolulu city employees must show proof of vaccination or get weekly COVID-19 testing.

Honolulu is requiring clients of restaurants, gyms, bars, movie theaters, museums and other businesses to show vaccination proof or recent negative tests starting September 13.

Sanders said the Waikiki hotels won't allow testing alternatives, but will allow for medical or religious exemptions and will exempt children younger than 12 who cannot get vaccinated.

'We want to create an environment where everybody feels comfortable coming to work,' Sanders said. 'And I dont think you can do that from an employee standpoint unless youre requiring all your patrons and your guests to do the same, to be honest.'

There are about 1,000 employees among the seven properties and an estimated 70% are already vaccinated, Sanders said.

Starting October 15, 'Alohilani Resort will require its employees, patrons and guests to show proof they're fully vaccinated

'What I appreciate about it is that our community, our workforce and the guests are all mutual beneficiaries of this decision by Highgate,' said John De Fries, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority

Travelers can now bypass quarantine by showing proof of vaccination.

Others must have negative test results before their departures to Hawaii to avoid the 10-day quarantine.

The move sets 'a high standard as to what is expected of you when you get here, for your own wellbeing as a traveler and out of respect for the community that youre visiting and the work environment you will be residing in,' De Fries said.

There were an average of 706 newly confirmed infection cases per day across Hawaii between August 30 and September 5 across Hawaii, according to the state Department of Health.

Officials in the state have considered a new lockdown, after a surge in cases of the Delta variant during the summer.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi echoed Ige's weariness of welcoming tourists, but said tourists were not entirely at fault for the rise in infections.

'The tourists have not been responsible,'

'This has been a locally driven situation. We need to start owning that. There's a reality on who's getting sick here, and it's our local people.'

'They've been traveling to the mainland, getting sick, coming back, not quarantining, going out into the community and aiding in communal spread,'

'So let's say it for what it is. We need to own this challenge. This is our thing to deal with, and those are the facts.'
Anti-mask activist parents were caught laughing at a high school student as he told a Tennessee school board that his grandmother had died from Covid because people refused to wear masks.

Grady Knox gave a heartfelt speech to the Rutherford County school board during a meeting on imposing a mask mandate.

Knox is a junior at Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, a suburb of Nashville.

But when he mentioned that his grandmother - a former teacher in the district - had died, two women behind him carrying 'Let our kids smile' signs were seen laughing, as others in the audience began to shout over him.

Grady Knox, a junior at the Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, explained to the Rutherford County school committee and assembly why he believes masks should be worn on school premises

The video shows the two women - clutching placards that read 'let our kids smile,' one casually chewing gum - smirking, sighing, and shaking their heads in disapproval as the student tried to continue with his side of the debate

Grady said: 'If I get COVID, I'm going to bring it to my family, and I talk to my grandparents a lot,' he says in the clip. 'They're higher risk than me, so I don't want to give them COVID.

'Im worried about my family. This time last year, my grandmother, who was a former teacher at the Rutherford County school system, died of COVID because someone wasn't wearing a mask.'

The comment resulted in a number of parents laughing and expressing their disagreement at the student's remark.

The clip shows the two women smirking, sighing, and shaking their heads in dismissive disapproval as the student tried desperately to continue with his side of the debate.

Others in the audience can be heard shouting at him.

'This is a very- this is a very-' Grady stutters, trying to ignore the outburst.

The boy is then forced to pause briefly, and even looks back at the audience, waiting to continue.

One attendee eventually shouts 'shut up!' at the protesters, in an effort to get the assembly back on track.

The boy is then forced to pause briefly and even looks back at the two disruptors

Finally, a member of the committee was forced to intervene.

'Hey guys - we're here to act professional,' he says sternly.

'Go ahead,' he adds to Grady, who then goes on with his statement.

'This is an avoidable issue and by not wearing masks in schools, it's irresponsible,' he says to the room, before adding, 'We're killing people.'

This garnered another sigh from one of the women behind him.

'This is not something that we should be doing for the education of our students,' Grady continued.

The meeting, which took place on Tuesday night, was aiming to determine if students in Rutherford County should be made to wear masks while in school, or if it should be the parents' choice.

Grady attends Central Magnet High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent months, like a multitude of other schools in the state

After more than three hours of debate, the board ruled that more research is needed before they vote on the issue, WZTV reported.

The debate came after a number of schools in Tennessee announced they would be closing in order to deal with sharp uptick of COVID-19 cases - with some being closed for the remainder of the week.

According to the Rutherford County School district, around 10,000 students had to be quarantined for at least one day last week.

Rutherford County currently has 1266 active cases of Covid, and a 17.54 percent positivity rate, the CDC reports.

As of Wednesday, Tennessee has recorded 1,109,923 Covid cases, and 13,714 deaths since the pandemic began.

Last week it was reported that Tennessee had hit record high cases in the state, surpassing its previous high during winter 2020.

Tennessee is averaging a record 9,912 new cases per day. The Volunteer state's Department of Health was recently exposed for undercounting total hospitalizations by over 5,000

Tennessee was averaging 9,912 new cases per day, eclipsing a previous record set in December.

Cases grew by nearly 80 percent over the previous two weeks, though Tennessee also does not report cases daily.

The state has also been embroiled in controversy after recent reports the state's Department of Health underreported COVID-19 hospitalizations by over 5,000 over the last 14 months.

According to a report by The Tennessean, many of the unreported hospitalizations were from over the record winter surge where dozens of ICU patients went unrecorded every day.

Corrected figures show that the Volunteer State has recorded 29,694 hospitalizations from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Half of Tennessee residents have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine so far, which is also well below the national average.

In July, the state's top vaccine official, Dr Michelle Fiscus, stepped down under pressure from state leadership after accusations the Department of Health was attempting to undermine parents by offering the vaccine to minors.

State Republicans also attempted to abolish the Department of Health itself due to the accusations.

Tennessee suspended all vaccine outreach for minors in mid-July, a move Democrats say may hinder efforts to reach herd immunity against COVID-19.
Police in Ohio are investigating an apparent triple murder-suicide, in which they suspect a man shot and killed his wife, their two young sons and the family dog, before turning the gun on himself.

The bodies were found at around 1.15pm on Tuesday when officers arrived at an address in the 32000 block of English Turn in Avon Lake to conduct a welfare check.

On Wednesday, police identified the deceased as Jeffrey Hull, 50; Heidi Hull, 46; Garrett Hull, nine, and Grant Hull, six. The family dog was also killed.

According to a press release from the Avon Lake Police Department, the responding officers 'observed a suspicious condition inside the residence and requested that detectives respond.'

Scroll down for video

Police performing a welfare check discovered the bodies of two adults and two children inside this home in Avon Lake, Ohio, on Tuesday

All four victims have been found shot to death inside the residence on English Turn

A crime scene unit vehicle is pictured outside the home where the bodies of the four victims were found on Tuesday afternoon

Officers and detectives entered the five-bedroom, five-bath home, where they found four members of the Hull family and their pet dead from gunshot wounds.

It is not clear when the shootings occurred or what prompted the violence, but authorities believe Jeffrey Hull shot and killed his family before turning the gun on himself.

Authorities have disclosed that Heidi Hull's colleague sought the welfare check after she missed a conference call on Tuesday, reported Fox 8.

Officers found the front door of the residence locked and observed the lifeless bodies of the family though a rear window.

DailyMail.com can now reveal that Heidi Hull worked as operations senior vice president at FM Global, a commercial property insurer. She was recognized by Business Insurance magazine as a '2020 Woman to Watch.'

A native of Maine, Hull graduated from Purchase College SUNY in 1999 and had worked for FM Global for more than 20 years.

Heidi moved her family to Avon Lake in 2017 when she was promoted to Cleveland operations manager.

Avon Lake police are investigating the deaths along with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Speaking to News 5 Cleveland, neighbor Gina Dayton called the deadly incident 'shocking.'

Police believe the adults and children died as a result of a murder-suicide, but it is unknown who pulled the trigger

Avon Lake police are investigating the deaths along with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation

'It's a great neighborhood, all families, a ton of kids, always kids out here playing every night I walk through here,' she told the station. 'Im in disbelief, I cant imagine what the family was going through, what could have happened or what the family was dealing with.'

Avon Lake City Schools Superintendent Robert Scott on Tuesday released a statement to parents, revealing that the two deceased children, named by the police as brothers Garrett and Grant Hull, were students at Erieview Elementary School, reported Fox 8.

'It is important that we recognize this loss and offer help,' Scott wrote. 'This is a sensitive issue for children, and we suggest that you talk with your children about their feelings.'
A hotel has cancelled all of its guests' bookings, weddings and events in order to home almost 100 new Afghan refugees.

The Urban Hotel, a four star hotel fit with spa, sauna and gym facilities, has repurposed all 90 of its rooms to house refugees fleeing Taliban-controlled Kabul after the British government agreed to rehome 20,000 displaced Afghans.

The new arrivals are expected to stay in the luxury hotel accommodation for at least six months, as the Home Office, local authority and services process hundreds of refugees.

Only 100 councils in the UK have so far come forward to offer assistance to help home the approximate 20,000 refugees who will arrive in the country under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Local authorities say they have so far found accommodation for more than 2,000 people.

A spokesperson for The Urban apologised to guests who had already booked in for weddings, hotel stays and other events as their reservations were cancelled.

Previous reports indicated 14 Afghan families would be rehomed in Lincolnshire - amid nationwide numbers that say more than 8,500 Afghan refugees have already arrived in the UK.

A family, believed to be Afghan refugees, arrive at The Urban Hotel in Grantham ahead of a six-month stay

The Urban Hotel in Grantham has cancelled all its bookings and events after the Government intervened and contracted it to home almost 100 new Afghan refugees

All rooms at The Urban Hotel appear to be fully booked until at least March 2022, according to its online booking function, and several people have reported that upcoming weddings have been cancelled.

The 90 rooms, which range from a double, twin double and superior king size, were all filled by the end of Tuesday.

A hotel spokesperson told The Lincolnite: 'All 90 bedrooms have been taken by the Home Office and they started arriving yesterday (September 6).

'Around 50 rooms have already been taken and we are expecting all of them to be full by the end of today (Tuesday, September 7).

'Conference rooms have also been taken for local councils to provide assistance.

'We have started contacting wedding bookings and offered alternative options. We are still in the process of contacting them.

'We just want to apologise to people. A lot have been accepting, but some have been happy. We are here to help people.'

The four star hotel fit with spa, sauna and gym facilities has repurposed all 90 of its rooms to house refugees fleeing Taliban-controlled Kabul

The new arrivals are expected to stay in the luxury hotel accommodation for at least six months

Thousands of displaced Afghans are going to be resettled in Britain after the Taliban swept back into power after the withdrawal of western troops. Above: Refugees at Heathrow Airport

Events that had been planned for the coming weeks have also been shelved, including a Take That tribute act who took to social media to discuss his cancellation.

Dan Hadfield admitted it was 'odd' and told fans he 'didn't really know what to say.'

He said: 'With the limited information they have given me, they have stated that HMP having (sic) taken over the hotel and have shut it from this coming Monday for six months in order to accommodate Afghan refugees.

'I don't really know what to say. If you have bought a ticket, you will need to try to contact the hotel itself for refunds. I'm really not sure though if any of us will see anything in that respect, but I will update you when I know more.

'On a personal note, I hope that any refugees coming from Afghanistan or any place of unrest are welcomed by us as a country.'

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.

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.

The 90 rooms, which range from a double, twin double and superior king size, were all filled by the end of Tuesday. Pictured: The luxury dining at The Urban Hotel

Also included in the four star hotel's amenities are a spa, gym and 'free welcome drink' for guests

By numbers: How much resettling the Afghan refugees will cost UK 2.5billion : Total cost of resettling Afghan refugees in Britain over the next ten years

: Total cost of resettling Afghan refugees in Britain over the next ten years 715million : Cost of 5,000 Afghans arriving under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) annually, capped at 20,000 people

: Cost of 5,000 Afghans arriving under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) annually, capped at 20,000 people 1.65billion : Cost of 5,000 arriving under the UK Resettlement Scheme each year

: Cost of 5,000 arriving under the UK Resettlement Scheme each year 190million : Cost of 7,000 arriving under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme in the current 2021/2022 year

: Cost of 7,000 arriving under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme in the current 2021/2022 year 400million : Funding already put forward to resettle Afghans

: Funding already put forward to resettle Afghans 557million : How much could be needed to resettle Afghans over the next three years

: How much could be needed to resettle Afghans over the next three years 15million : Funding per year to 'international partners' to help with resettlement

: Funding per year to 'international partners' to help with resettlement 20,520 : How much councils should receive per person over three years Advertisement

The UK has already evacuated more than 15,000 people from since August 13, including 8,000 Afghans who had worked with UK armed forces.

Resettling Afghan refugees in Britain will cost UK taxpayers more than 2.5billion over the next ten years under 'Operation Warm Welcome', a leaked Treasury report claims.

As many as 5,000 could arrive in the UK within the first year and will also be offered permanent residency. Some 200million has been committed to the scheme so far.

So far 400million has been put forward to resettle Afghans, but another 557million could be needed over the next three years, according to the report.

A Ministry for Housing, Community and Local Government spokesman told MailOnline: 'Thanks to the efforts of nearly a third of Britain's councils and vital delivery partners, hundreds of Afghan nationals who have worked alongside our Armed Forces and diplomats in Afghanistan, risking their lives supporting us, have already been warmly welcomed to the country.

'We are calling on all councils who have not yet come forward with a firm offer of support to help our Afghan friends and their families as they build a new life here in safety.

'Councils in England, Scotland and Wales will have access to a share of an additional 5million to help them provide the necessary housing and support to Afghans who have worked for this country in Afghanistan, but who now face threats of persecution or worse.'

All rooms appear to be fully booked until at least March 2022, according to The Urban Hotel's online booking function

It comes as thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces will be allowed to ive and work indefinitely in the UK.

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.

The Home Office has 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.

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.

Refugees will also be given a crash-course in British history, values and civic duties to help them integrate into society.

Ministers are said to want to emulate schemes in countries such as France and Germany where up to 400 hours of free language classes are given to newcomers.
President Joe Biden marked a belated labor day at the White House Wednesday by speaking about how intimately he knew unions.

'By the way, of course, I sleep with a NEA member every night,' Biden told a crowd gathered in the East Room. 'Same one. same one,' he added as attendees applauded.

As a teacher, first lady Jill Biden belongs to the National Education Association labor union. 'Jill had her first day of full time teaching yesterday - this year, back to school,' Biden also added.

President Joe Biden made an off-color joke at a belated labor day event Wednesday remarking, 'By the way, of course, I sleep with a NEA member every night'

First lady Jill Biden watches President Joe Biden land in Marine One Tuesday, after her first day of school

Two days after the country marked labor day, Biden hosted labor leaders and members at the White House to double down on his commitment to unions, detailing some of the union-friendly components of the legislation he wants passed.

The president couldn't resist a knock at his predecessor, former President Donald Trump - repeating a dig he made about the ex-leader last week.

Biden talked about how the American bargain had always been if people work hard they can carve out a piece of the middle class.

'Instead some people started seeing the stock market and corporate profits and executive pay as the only measure of economic growth,' he said.

'By the way the stock market has gone up exponentially since I've been president,' he added. 'You haven't heard me say a word about it.'

Trump constantly boasted about a roaring stock market - while wage growth didn't keep up.

President Joe Biden has several times knocked former President Donald Trump's tendency to boast about stock market gains

'I'm so tired of trickle-down,' Biden also complained. 'I ask, when has the middle class done better when the wealthy haven't done incredibly well? I can't think of a time. When the middle class is booming and moving, everybody does well.'

Biden argued the good thing to come out of this 'God-awful crisis regarding COVID' is that 'ordinary people' began thinking about essential workers - drug store clerks, grocery store workers, firefighters, the president used as examples.

'And I think people went "whoa, whoa,"' Biden continued. 'And instead of, which is a good thing - banging pots and pans when people came back from rescuing other folks - I think they began to realize, this is part of the deal.'

Quoting his late father the president said, 'everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity.'

'And that is what the labor union is all about,' he said.

He argued that 'government should never be a barrier to workers organizing.'

'It's government's job to remove those barriers,' he said. 'But it's up to workers to make the choice to organize or not, whether to former a union or not. And we need to help them understand why that can be the right choice for them.'

'Workers who join unions gain power,' Biden added. 'In a simple word, a union means there is a democracy, democracy.'

Besides his cringe-worthy comment about Dr. Biden, the president leaned into the microphone at one point and, again, spoke in a whisper briefly during the speech.

'Now, Im supposed to stop and walk out of the room here,' he said at the end.

Instead of abiding by that instruction, Biden walked into the crowd, greeting his guests at the White House as reporters were pulled out.
A brief Navy narrative of a fatal helicopter crash off Southern California said the aircraft experienced 'side-to-side' vibrations that caused the main rotor to hit the deck of an aircraft carrier while landing, according to a Department of Defense report.

The MH-60S Seahawk fell off the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on August 31. One crewmember was rescued and five were declared dead after a search.

Another five sailors on the carrier deck were injured.

The crash summary in a Naval Safety Center document, first reported by the Navy Times, did not include any information on what might have caused the vibrations.

The sailors were aboard an MH-60S helicopter when they crashed into the Pacific Ocean on August 31 (file photo)

Michael Canders, a retired military helicopter pilot who is the director of the Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College in New York, told the Navy Times that side-to-side vibrations can occur if rotor blades are out of balance.

'All of that has to be carefully balanced to make sure you don't have these sorts of excessive vibrations,' he said.

The Navy announced on September 4 that the missing crewmembers had been declared dead and that the search efforts were shifting to recovery operations.

The helicopter sank about 70 miles (112 kilometers) off San Diego. The bodies of the five sailors remain missing.

The crash on the afternoon of August 31 took place some 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego, California

The five sailors who died were identified as Lt. Bradley A. Foster, 29, a pilot from Oakhurst, California; Lt. Paul R. Fridley, 28, a pilot from Annandale, Virginia; Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class James P. Buriak, 31, from Salem, Virginia; Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns, 31, from Severna Park, Maryland, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker, 21, from St. Louis, Missouri.

The helicopter belonged to the Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday that the squadron's spouses club has raised almost $180,000 for the families of those who died.

Meanwhile, only one crew member who was aboard the downed MH-60S helicopter has been rescued as he is now in stable condition.

Five other crew members had been injured in the crash, the Navy reports, and were saved.

Two were taken back to California for hospital treatment, with the other three treated on the USS Lincoln.

The US 3rd fleet confirmed the news in a press release on Saturday.

Lt. Paul R. Fridley, 28, was among the five sailors killed in a Navy helicopter crash off the coast of San Diego on August 31

Lt. Bradley A. Foster, 29, was among the five sailors killed in a Navy helicopter crash off the coast of San Diego on August 31

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns, 31 (left), and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker, 21 (right), were also among the sailors killed in the crash on August 31

Crewman 2nd Class James P. Buriak, 31, with his wife Megan and son Caulder

'We are deeply saddened by the loss of five Sailors and those injured following the MH-60S helicopter tragedy off the coast of Southern California,' Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said.

'We stand alongside their families, loved ones, and shipmates who grieve.'

The helicopter crashed into the Pacific at around 4:30 pm local time.

As per policy, the Navy waited 24 hours after declaring the sailors dead before releasing their identity.

'As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Navy policy, the identities of the Sailors will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified,' Gilday said.

Earlier Saturday morning, the Navy officially pivoted from search-and-rescue attempts into a full-on recovery mission after a 72-hour period of rescue efforts, which involved five helicopters, 34 search and rescue flights with more than 170 combined flight hours.

The rescue, and later, recovery, attempts were a coordinated effort between the Coast Guard and Navy, according to the Navy.

The helicopter had been based out of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, and belongs to the Navys Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8.

It was operating on the deck of the carrier before it crashed into the sea, the Navy said, but did not release further details regarding the incident.

The Nimitz class USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is seen above in San Diego in this file photo

The Abraham Lincoln had been underway in recent days conducting carrier qualifications for new F/A-18 Super Hornet and E/A A-18 pilots, according to the Navy Times.

The MH-60S, which is used for anti-surface warfare, combat support, and humanitarian efforts, was first deployed in 2002.

It has a length of nearly 65 feet with a height of 17 feet, and a weight of 14,430 pounds while empty, and 23,500 pounds max gross.

The USS Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, is among the largest warships in the world.

The Navy said the incident is under investigation, and a cause for the crash remains unclear.
A little-known Hollywood actor who scammed at least $650million from private investors through a phony film distribution rights scam has pleaded guilty to securities fraud.

Zachery Horwitz, 34, funded his lavish lifestyle by tricking investors into believing his bogus company, 1inMM Capital, purchased distribution rights to certain films that were later licensed to streaming platforms such as HBO and Netflix outside the U.S.

The actor - whose stage name is Zach Avery - admitted to the scheme in a September 1 plea agreement, and faces up to 20 years in prison during sentencing.

He promised investors returns of up to 45 percent through promissory notes that guaranteed a specific amount on particular days, according to court documents obtained by Mailonline.com

Horwitz told his financial backers that he would use their money to acquire and license film distribution rights, and provided them with fraudulent copies of license agreements.

Actor Zach Avery, whose real name is Zachary J. Horwitz, was arrested and charged over a $650million Ponzi scheme related to his phony company 1inMM Capital LLC

The 34-year-old actor admitted to securities fraud in a September 1 court filing

Each promissory note contained an assignment of rights provision that named the specific film, serving as collateral for the note.

However, as defendant then knew, his representations concerning 1inMM Capitals business activities and the promissory notes themselves were false and deceptive because 1inMM Capital generally did not and would not acquire or possess the film distribution rights for the films specified as collateral in the promissory notes, the court document said.

Among the films that Horwitz lied about owning the rights to include the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme action film Kickboxer, as well as The Lords of Salem, a 2012 horror movie.

The actor has been featured in movies such as The Devil Below, You're Not Alone and Last Moment of Clarity

The SEC previously said Horwitz used the investments to fund his own lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of his $5.7 million home, $100,000 spent on trips to Las Vegas and the payment of a $1.8 million American Express bill.

Horwitz, who has starred in The Devil Below, You're Not Alone and Last Moment of Clarity, founded 1inMM Capital LLC in 2013, and promoted it as a Los Angeles-based film distribution company.

By March 2014  and continuing until at least last April  he used and employed manipulative and deceptive devices and contrivances employing a scheme to defraud, the plea agreement said.

The SEC previously said Horwitz used the investments to fund his own lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of his $5.7 million home, vacations, and a $1.8million credit card bill

When he missed payments on promissory notes, Horwitz lulled investors into believing their funds were safely invested by blaming the delay on the streaming platforms.

He admitted to obtaining at least $650million from at least five major groups of private investors through the scheme.

He used the money to pay previous investors, maintain his companys facade of legitimacy, and otherwise finance his own lavish lifestyle.

Horwitz told the investors that he had successful track record of selling film rights and that they were supplying funds to acquire the rights to specific films. Pictured above is an example of the promissory note Horwitz allegedly gave to investors to secure funding

By 2019, his company began defaulting on each of its outstanding promissory notes, the court documents said.

Horwitz still owes investors more than $230 million.

By pleading guilty, he faces up to 20 years in jail and a fine of $5 million or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the crimes.

In exchange for the plea agreement, prosecutors will move to dismiss the remaining counts of indictment against Horwitz.
A Suffolk County District Attorney is pleading with a judge to overturn a 1974 rape conviction of a black man who has spent decades in prison, after his victim previously admitted she may have mistakenly identified him.

Tyrone Clark, now 66, spent 47 years in prison after he was convicted of raping and kidnapping Anne Kane, 23, in June 1973, after he broke into her Back Bay apartment and raped her at knifepoint.

Clark, who was 18 at the time, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

On Friday, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins filed a motion supporting Clark's petition for a new trial, citing a 2019 letter Kane, now 71, sent to the Parole Board about Clark's innocence.

According to the letter, Kane stated: 'I am no longer absolutely sure that my identification was correct.'

Kane, who is a white woman, said she trusted the courts to provide a fair trial at the time, but now sees the overwhelming flaws within the criminal justice system.

She argues that because she didn't know any black people at the time, her ability to properly identify her assailant was affected.

Tyrone Clark, now 66, spent 47 years in prison after he was convicted of raping and kidnapping Anne Kane, 23, in June 1973, after he broke into her Back Bay apartment and raped her at knifepoint

'It is a well proven fact at this point that eyewitness identification is incredibly unreliable, and I had no experience in differentiating black faces,' Kane said. 'I can see how I might have been wrong.'

During his interview with GBH, Clark said he's appreciative of Kane for speaking out and feels only empathy for her situation.

'I feel sad concerning what happened to her back then,' he said. 'But I feel good that she came forward. It took a lot of years to come forward.'

In an interview with GBH Monday, Rollins said she doesn't 'believe justice was done with respect to the rape charge,' as the case awaits a new hearing in Suffolk County Superior Court.

Rollins said her office's Integrity Review Bureau reviewed Kane's letter and additional details of the case and discovered the state inadvertently destroyed key evidence that could have aided Clark's cause.

She added that Clark's sentence was 'significant' especially for a crime where the victim managed to survive.

'Life with the possibility of parole for a crime where the person lived is a very significant sentence,' Rollins said. 'Hopefully he'll be able to be released.'

Clark's attorney, Jeffrey Harris has been fighting to prove his client's innocence since 2017 and believes Clark's sentence was motivated by race.

'He was convicted by an all-white jury based on cross-racial identifications,' Harris told GBH. 'It was 1973, the height of racism in Boston.'

During trial, Kane recalled the evening of her rape as a 'nightmare,' explaining how her assailant forced his way into her apartment, raped her, beat her and took her through the city on a 6 1/2-hour saga.

On Friday, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins (pictured) filed a motion supporting Clark's petition for a new trial, citing a 2019 letter Kane, now 71, sent to the Parole Board about Clark's innocence.

Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins filed a motion supporting Clark's petition for a new trial. If a judge grants a motion to vacate Clark's rape conviction, the rape charges will be dropped and Clark will be set free

Kane said her assailant took her to a restaurant, where they ate a meal and spoke to some of his friends. She managed to escape after running into a Roxbury firehouse and begging a fireman for help.

Court records indicate that Kane's assailant followed her into the firehouse, but fled after a fireman said he would call in a police officer in the building.

Four fireman and a server at the restaurant all identified Clark during the trial.

According to Sam Gross, founder and senior editor of the National Registry of Exonerations, it's not uncommon for multiple witnesses to identify the wrong person.

Gross said in two thirds of rape cases, exonerees were falsely convicted primarily because of mistaken eyewitness identifications - half of which were black men who were convicted of assaulting white women.

If a judge grants a motion to vacate Clark's rape conviction, the rape charges will be dropped and Clark will be set free.

Initiated in 2019, the Integrity Review Bureau was tasked with reviewing more than 100 cases and took action in 10 cases in addition to Clark's, Rollins said.

'We are not afraid in this administration to look back and see if we got it right or wrong,' she said.

According to the registry, more than 2,851 people across the United States have been exonerated of their crimes since 1989.
A group of zebras have been running wild in Maryland after they escaped from a private farm.

The exotic animals were spotted by the Curling family as they passed along their backyard in the tiny town of Upper Marlboro.

The family's young daughter Layla, was the first to notice them.

'I thought it was a deer for a second and then I saw it was a zebra, a whole zebra right next to our playground, right next to the fence.

'So I ran upstairs to get a better look up there and then I said, 'Mom, there's like a Zebra outside our playground' and she didn't believe me and said I was crazy,' Layla told NBC4.

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The exotic animals were spotted by a family as they passed along their backyard in the tiny town of Upper Marlboro

Six zebras escaped from a farm in Prince George's County, Maryland. They were spotted near Croom Road and Duley Station Road in Upper Marlboro

Layla Curling, who lives with her parents in upper Marlboro, saw the zebras just outside her backyard and alerted her mom, who called 311

Mom Alexis Reed Curling finally confirmed the zebras were real but when she called 311 to report them, the operator initially didn't believe her.

'She thought I was crazy, she told NBC4. 'She paused for a long minute.

'I said, 'Ma'am, I am not drinking. I have not had any drugs. I have zebras in my backyard walking on the train tracks.'

'I just wanted to know what service could come out because I didn't want them to get hit,' she said.

Animal Control has set up a feeding station to attract the zebras so they can be confined and relocated.

The dazzle of six zebras has been on the loose for days. On August 31, police received a call after a zebra ran in front of a car in Croom Road.

Chief Rodney Taylor, with Prince George's County, asked residents of the area to call the animal service division if they saw zebras, and to stay away from them.

'The zebras are not in danger and they are not a danger to people, but we advise people not to approach them or feed them,' Chief Taylor said.

Although zebras are not a threat to humans, he said they might kick the way horses do if they sense danger.

Zebras can owned legally in Maryland.

Animal Service is actively trying to return the zebras to the private farm they escaped from.

Chief Rodney said residents of the area who spot the zebras can call the Animal Service Division of Prince George's County at 301-780-7242.
NXIVM cofounder and Keith Raniere's alleged 'second-in-command' Nancy Salzman has been sentenced to just three and a half years in prison for her role in the sex cult.

Salzman, 66, was sentenced to 42 months, a $150,000 fine and three years of supervised probation in Brooklyn federal court, New York, Wednesday morning - more than two years after she pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge.

She will not go to prison until January 19 2022 because she is recovering from unidentified medical procedures.

Her daughter Lauren Salzman, who was also a NXIVM cult member and was spared prison at her own sentencing in July, hung her head as the judge announced her mother's prison term.

NXIVM was founded by Raniere and Salzman as a purported self-help group and multi-level marketing company in Albany, New York, in the 1990s, offering personal improvement and professional development training programs.

In 2015, a number of NXIVM employees entered into a secret society known as Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS) - a sex cult controlled by Raniere.

As part of the secret master/slave club, women were branded, turned into his sex slaves, made to live off just 500 calories a day and forced to make a lifetime vow to obey their 'masters'.

Salzman has always denied all knowledge of the existence of DOS until it was publicly exposed.

Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison in October 2020 for charges including sex trafficking after being found guilty of turning cult followers into sex slaves and sexually abusing a 15-year-old.

Four other members of the sex cult have also been charged.

NXIVM cofounder and Keith Raniere's alleged 'second-in-command' Nancy Salzman has been sentenced to just three and a half years in prison for her role in the sex cult. Salzman (center is seen leaving court after the sentencing)

Salzman, 66, (leaving court) was sentenced to 42 months, a $150,000 fine and three years of supervised probation in Brooklyn federal court, New York, Wednesday morning

US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis handed down Salzman's sentencing Wednesday, after several victims delivered their victim impact statements and Salzman gave a tearful apology to the court.

Salzman said she was 'horrified and ashamed' of what she had done and claimed she was duped by Raniere into believing he was an 'oddly quirky, socially awkward, gifted genius' when in fact he was a 'narcissistic sociopath'.

'I am horrified and ashamed that I promoted... him,' she said, according to NY Daily News.

But several former members of the sex cult painted a picture of Salzman as a master manipulator who helped Raniere control his victims.

Ivy Nevares, a former NXIVM member who testified against Raniere at his trial, urged Garaufis to 'not let her win' in an impact statement, which she shared online.

Nevares described herself as 'a prisoner of Keith Raniere, with Salzman as her prison warden' as she told how Salzman 'nearly destroyed me.'

'Your Honor, please see NXIVM's second in command through the voice of her victims, not the person she is pretending to be,' she said.

'Salzman has the capacity for empathy. However, she uses it to wield her victim's own empathy against them, playing them to her self-serving interests.

'She will undoubtedly attempt to do so with the Court today. Please: do not let her win.'

Nancy Salzman in court sketch listening as a former NXIVM member reads out her victim impact statement

Salzman said she was 'horrified and ashamed' of what she had done and claimed she was duped by Keith Raniere into believing he was an 'oddly quirky, socially awkward, gifted genius' when in fact he was a 'narcissistic sociopath'

Nevares told the judge this week that she had received a phone call warning her to keep quiet about Salzman.

Judge Garaufis, who spared daughter Lauren from jail time in July, sided with the cult victims, telling Salzman she 'left trauma and destruction in your wake' and 'never rejected' Raniere.

The 42-month sentence was at the top end of what had been expected for the cofounder and former president of NXIVM. She was expected to get between 33 and 41 months in prison.

Her attorneys had asked the judge that she be spared from any jail time and - at most - be sentenced to two years home confinement.

In a last-ditch attempt for leniency, they wrote in a court filing that she too was a victim of the sex cult leader Raniere who 'fooled, controlled, humiliated' her for 'most of the past 20 years'.

NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere (pictured) was jailed for 120 years last year

Raniere's initials K.A.R. were tattooed above the bikini lines of the members of the secret master-slave group DOS. Pictured a brand received by a female member

Salzman has shown 'genuine remorse' for her part in the cult, was the first member to plead guilty and turn her back on Raniere - helping encourage others to also plead guilty, her attorneys wrote in a court filing.

However, prosecutors said Salzman, who was known as 'Prefect' to the cult members, was an enabler for Raniere's criminal enterprise and helped him gain access to the female victims he controlled.

They said she tried to intimidate Raniere's critics and should be handed a 'substantial' sentence.

'For years, Nancy Salzman attempted to investigate and intimidate perceived critics and enemies of Raniere,' they wrote in an earlier filing.

Salzman was the first of five co-defendants of Raniere to enter a guilty plea.

Under the plea, she admitted to conspiring to commit identity theft of NXIVM 'enemies' by trying to obtain email addresses and passwords.

She also admitted to editing video footage in order to protect Raniere.

Salzman was once Raniere's lover and launched NXIVM with him in the 1990s.

She introduced her daughter Lauren, now 45, to Raniere, who then embarked on a long-term relationship with the cult leader.

Lauren was facing nine years behind bars after pleading guilty to charges of racketeering and conspiracy, but was instead sentenced to five years' probation after her testimony helped put away her ex.

She became a 'first line' master in DOS and recruited numerous other women into the secret society.

Following her 2019 arrest, Lauren admitted to locking a young woman in a room and threatening to deport her to Mexico if she did not fulfill her duties to DOS.

Salzman (center) was seen arriving at court Wednesday morning where she gave a tearful apology for her involvement in the sex cult

Nancy salzman watches victim impact statements on a video monitor before the judge handed her a 42 month prison sentence

She also admitted to extorting the recruits by demanding 'collateral' in the form of nude photos that could be used as blackmail if they refused orders.

Nancy had written a letter to Judge Garaufis pleading for him to be lenient with her daughter and taking responsibility for her daughter's part in the cult.

'I am responsible for Lauren being before you, having endured arrest, prosecution and successful cooperation, and now facing her own judgment,' she wrote.

Raniere, 60, was found guilty in Brooklyn federal court in June 2019 on charges that included sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, human trafficking and multiple counts of racketeering - including sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child pornography, extortion and identity theft.

The sexual exploitation count relates to a girl who was just 15 when a 45-year-old Raniere had sex with her and took nude photos of her.

The girl, who is now an adult, and her two sisters also fell pregnant by him and say he forced them to have abortions.

He also punished young women including a teenager who he held in a bedroom for two years as punishment because she had gained weight and shown a romantic interest in another man.

More than a dozen former DOS members testified at his trial that they were branded with Raniere's initials K.A.R. above their bikini lines in their pubic region with an insignia during a nude ceremony.

The symbol was carved using a cauterizing pen - a medical device used for surgeries to cut through flesh - while the women were held down naked on a table and were given no anaesthetic for the procedure.

Salzman's daughter Lauren Salzman, 45, was also part of the cult and was spared jail time in July. Lauren is seen leaving court flanked by her lawyer

Smallville actress Alison Mack (pictured at her sentencing in June) was jailed for three years

Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman (left), another prominent cult member, was sentenced to six years in prison in September 2020. Dr Danielle Roberts (right), who branded the women, has never faced any charges

A federal judge sentenced him in October 2020 to spend the rest of his life in prison after 15 of his victims spoke or had victim impact statements read out in court.

Many of the cult members also turned on their leader during their own cases.

Smallville actress Alison Mack, who was a senior member of DOS, was sentenced to three years in prison in June after pleading guilty to sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy in April 2018.

Mack admitted that at Raniere's direction, she obtained compromising information and images of two unidentified women - called 'collateral' within the group - that she threatened to make public if they didn't perform 'so-called acts of love.'

Prosecutors also said Mack ordered victims 'to perform labor, take nude photographs, and in some cases, to engage in sex acts with Raniere.'

Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman, another prominent cult member, was sentenced to six years in prison in September 2020 for conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain, and to fraudulent use of identification.

NXIVM's longtime accountant Kathy Russell has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and will be sentenced later this year.

Dr Danielle Roberts, who branded the women, has never faced any charges.

A sign outside the now-defunct NXIVM headquarters is seen in Albany, New York
The former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has denied fleeing the country with suitcases stuffed with millions of dollars as the Taliban swept to power last month.

From the safety of his Dubai asylum, the 72-year-old said he 'owed the Afghan people an explanation' and apologised that it did not 'end differently.'

The defeated leader fled in a cash-stuffed helicopter on August 15 as the Taliban stormed into Kabul, claiming he did so to avoid bloodshed on the streets.

But bloodshed swiftly followed, with the Taliban going door-to-door to hunt down and kill former government employees, while at the airport there was daily chaos, culminating in an Islamic State suicide bombing that left some 180 people dead.

Ghani has been heavily criticised for the carnage which followed his hasty retreat, including by Joe Biden who said the Afghan government had chosen not to 'fight for their country.'

Answering his critics today, Ghani wrote in a statement: 'I owe the Afghan people an explanation for leaving Kabul abruptly on August 15th after Taliban unexpectedly entered the city.

Ashraf Ghani said he 'owed the Afghan people an explanation' and apologised that it did not 'end differently' (pictured in an earlier address to the Afghan people on August 18 after he left)

A Taliban fighter looks down into a blood-soaked canal around the airport perimeter where an ISIS bomber blew himself up and killed more than 180 people amid chaos after the fall of Kabul

A member of the Taliban Fateh fighter, a 'special forces' unit, patrol on a vehicle around Massoud square in Kabul on Wednesday

'I left at the urging of the palace security who advised me that to remain risked setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s.

'Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believe it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens.'

He also refuted the 'baseless allegations' that he had fled with millions in cash.

'These charges are completely and categorically false,' Ghani said. 'Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president ...

'My wife and I have been scrupulous in our personal finances. I have publicly declared all of my assets. My wife's family inheritance has also been disclosed and remains listed in her home country of Lebanon.

'I welcome an official audit or financial investigation under UN auspices or any other appropriate independent body to prove the veracity of my statements here.'

At the time Ghani fled, the Afghan ambassador to Tajikistan, Mohammad Zahir Agbar, claimed that the president had made off with $169 million.

This was corroborated by the Russian embassy in Kabul, whose spokesman said: 'Four cars were full of money, they tried to stuff another part of the money into a helicopter, but not all of it fit. And some of the money was left lying on the tarmac.'

After Ghani left the country, the security situation rapidly deteriorated with Kabul airport becoming the scene of utter desperation as men clung onto the fuselages of USAF jets as they took off from the runway.

Taliban fighters controlled checkpoints to the airport and carried out beatings on those trying to leave, adding to the pandemonium for the US and British troops at the perimeter trying to keep order.

Their reasons for wishing to flee are only too plain to see today as the Taliban has ordered all women to remain indoors and has only just managed to cobble together a caretaker government as the country stands on the precipice of a humanitarian disaster.

The UN has warned that basic services have stopped functioning and of dire food shortages.

Ghani apologised to the Afghan people for leaving the country, although this was qualified by his referring to the challenges he faced in a country rife with corruption.

'I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be defeated,' he said.

'I offer my profound appreciation and respect for the sacrifice of all Afghans, especially our Afghan soldiers and their families, through the last forty years.

'It is with deep and profound regret that my own chapter ended in similar tragedy to my predecessors  without ensuring stability and prosperity.

'I apologize to the Afghan people that I could not make it end differently. My commitment to the Afghan people has never wavered and will guide me for the rest of my life.'

Members of the Taliban Fateh fighter, a 'special forces' unit, stand guard outside the former US embassy in Afghanistan displaying a Taliban flag on Wednesday
PC Ian Smellie arrives at City of London Magistrates Court

A Metropolitan Police officer accused of turning off his bodycam to attack a suspect is cleared of assault after claiming the man threatened to rape his girlfriend and made a reference to a colleague who was killed in a police station six weeks earlier.

PC Ian Smellie, 64, told colleagues 'cameras off' as he removed his police vest and ushered Rafik Miah around the corner at the end of a car stop in Stoke Newington, north London on November 10 last year.

The officer was accused of telling Mr Miah, 34, 'you think you are a big man' before allegedly raising his arm to give him a 'clip round the ear' as six officers searched the suspect for drugs.

PC Smellie, who has since retired from the force, denied common assault and insisted that he acted in self-defence during the incident, City of London Magistrates Court heard.

Today he told the court that Mr Miah had threatened to rape his partner and made a comment about having a weapon six weeks after police officer Matt Ratana was shot dead at a Croydon police station last year.

PC Smellie was later cleared of assault as Judge Sam Goozee said: 'Mr Miah was handcuffed during the process; he was abusive and rude.

'The search was negative but even after Mr Miah continued to be abusive and resentful. You and your officers remained calm throughout the process.'

Mr Miah had continued to make comments, calling the officer an 'ugly piece of s**t' whilst he constantly referred to PC Kirsty Thatcher as a 'b***h'.

Judge Goozee added: 'His comments were resentful, childish and unnecessary. There was no evidence that Mr Smellie was in any way angry, the body worn footage shows him calm throughout.

'There is simply no clear picture about what happened between Mr Smellie and Mr Miah on Kyverdale road.'

Mr Miah claimed the officer punched him in the face causing him to have a 'sore red ear' on the left hand side. Judge Goozee added: 'Mr Miah's account seemed exaggerated.

Mr Miah was arrested in Kyverdale Road, Stoke Newington, north London, on November 10 last year, under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He was subsequently released without charge

'Mr Miah while he gave evidence was clear that he had been punched on the left-hand side of his head and on two occasions when showing this he showed his right-hand side.

'When asked why he didn't report this to the other officers he said they had all gone, but then he said that they were there and laughing. This concerns me.

'The whole incident and exchange appears odd, unusual, bizarre, strange, to quote officers from their evidence. But none of them observed anything that caused them to intervene.

'It may well have been a very unwise decision from Mr Smellie to take off his vest and camera and walk Mr Miah to Kyverdale Road.

'These actions by themselves may appear suspicious but this is not one of those cases where piecing together all the evidence may lead me to the inevitable conclusion that Mr Miah was deliberately punched by Mr Smellie.

'The prosecution has not proven their case that Mr Smellie deliberately punched Mr Miah and I therefore find him not guilty.'

PC Smellie told the court: 'It started off quite mundane, he seemed to escalate and get worse and worse, he addressed PC Thatcher as a b***h before he threatened to rape my partner.'

He added: 'He made one remark along the lines of 'if you take me to the police station you will find a big weapon'. That struck a chord because of what happened with Mr Ratana, I thought he was referencing that incident.'

'We're similar, we're both big chaps, like our rugby and are retiring soon.'

Police Sergeant Ratana, 54, had been shot dead by a suspect who smuggled a gun inside Croydon Custody Centre some six weeks earlier.

PC Smellie described himself as a friend of PS Ratana and said: 'The death of any colleague is traumatic, a colleague that you know is even more so.

'I think I did a fairly good job of masking it, but I was taking aback by the remark, I was affected by it more than I thought I would be.

PC Ian Smellie, 64, told colleagues 'cameras off' as he removed his police vest and ushered Rafik Miah around the corner at the end of a car stop in Stoke Newington, north London on November 10 last year

'I turned to where Mr Miah was standing, I don't recall him saying anything to me, but he gestured to me.

'I walked over to him, I thought I'd take the advantage of trying to ask him why he thought that behaviour was acceptable.

'I thought I'll take the time to speak to him and perhaps that will stop him behaving like that in the future.

'As we got to the corner, he took a swing at me. My movement was an instinctive reaction with my right arm, like a hand off in rugby.

'Mr Miah attempted to strike me, I stopped him using the minimum amount of force needed.'

Mr Miah admitted he was abusive and swore at PC Smellie as he was searched. He claimed after he was released from his handcuffs the police officer took up a 'fighting position' and hit him in the face.

'I felt a bit annoyed because they kept doing it (pulling him over) constantly. It was a bit rude of me, a bit out of order because I kept getting pulled over,' Mr Miah said.

'I was using swear words, I was being a bit abusive.'

His handcuffs were removed and PC Smellie allegedly told colleagues to turn their 'cameras off', the court heard.

Mr Miah said the officer then took him around the corner onto Kyverdale Road and attacked him.

'I was just a bit shocked when he took me by the wrist,' he said. 'I knew something was going to happen because he took off his vest as well.

'I didn't want to go with him. 'He went for a punch, I managed to block it, I took some photos. He got into the fighting position and then swung for me.'

He claimed the punch to the left side of his face left him with a red mark and a sore ear. Mr Miah added: 'I thought the other officers might get involved. I was scared for my life. I tried to block it, that was my only reaction.'

Mr Miah admitted telling police: 'Strip search me, you might find something'. He said: 'I wanted to get them annoyed and waste their time because they wasted my time.'

PC Smellie thanked the judge as he walked from the dock.
A man and two women have been charged with stealing the identities of seven victims of the Surfside condo collapse and attempting to obtain credit cards in their names.

Betsy Alejandra Cacho Medina, 30; her boyfriend Rodney Choute, 38; and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, face charges of conspiracy to defraud, identity theft and using false documents, among other offenses.

The suspects are alleged to have assumed the identities of five people who died in the collapse, plus two survivors, in order to open new credit cards, Miami-Dade prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle said during a press conference.

The alleged scheme involved the use of vacant residences as drop-off boxes for the delivery of the victims' credit cards.

The suspects used the cards to buy items such as shoes and luxury handbags and to make bank transfers, prosecutors claim.

They purchased at least $45,000 worth of goods in total, according to court documents.

'Cyber grave robbers did move very quickly after the collapse to grab what they could while family and friends were in absolute emotional turmoil,' Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at a news conference.

The suspects could spend 15 to 30 years behind bars, Fernandez Rundle said.

Bond has been set at $1 million for Cacho-Medina. Johnson is being held on $500,000 bond and a $430,000 bond has been placed on Choute.

Nearly 100 people were killed when the 12-story residential building came down early in the morning of June 24. It took more than a month for search crews to recover and identify the remains of all individuals who were trapped in the rubble.

Of the 98 people killed in the collapse, all but one of them died at the scene.

The cause of its collapse remains undetermined. A 2018 engineering report found the edifice had deficiencies that are now at the focus of multiple inquiries, including a grand jury probe.

'For most of us and most of America, this unbelievable tragedy tore at our very hearts - but, for a group of alleged identity thieves, it was a time to make some money,' Fernandez Rundle said.

Rodney Choute (left), Kimberly Johnson (center) and Bettsy Cacho-Medina, right, have all been charged over the grave-robbing

A woman, alleged to be Medina, was seen on a store's security cameras using Ortiz's card to buy a black Versace purse for $1,658.50. The next day, police said, Medina was seen toting the same Versace purse she had purchased the day before

Betsy Alejandra Cacho Medina, 30, her boyfriend Rodney Choute, 38, and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34 could each spend 15 to 30 years behind bars, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle (pictured center) said at a Wednesday press conference.

BEFORE: Rescue and recovery workers had spent nearly four weeks combing through and removing the rubble of the building. It is pictured on June 24 the day of its collapse

In total, the group of 'professional' identity thieves allegedly stole $45,000, and were prevented from stealing $67,000 more by loss prevention departments.

The scammers were allegedly able to get the names and dates of birth of victims from news reports.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who spent weeks working at the site, giving updates on rescue efforts, also commented on the arrests Wednesday.

'We've worked so hard to do everything we can to restore the lives of those families who lost their loved ones and the survivors of the building collapse,' she said.

'What a tragedy that anyone would seek to exploit this situation.'

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he was confident that the suspects would eventually be arrested.

'Today they got what they deserved and we're all much happier for it,' he said.

Police said they were tipped off to the identity fraud on July 9 when Nicole Ortiz - the sister of Ana Ortiz, one of the victims in the Champlain Towers South collapse - reported suspicious activity on her late relative's financial accounts.

She told police that multiple unauthorized wire transfers were made in her sister's name that she had been notified of several requests for replacement credit cards and that the mailing addresses for many of her sister's financial institutions had been changed by phone, per an affidavit released Wednesday.

At that point, Detective Andres Mendoza of the Surfside Police Department was assigned to investigate, the affidavit said.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he was confident that the suspects would eventually be arrested: 'Today they got what they deserved and we're all much happier for it,' he said.

He quickly discovered that a Nordstrom VISA credit card was issued in the dead woman's name on July 8 to place an order for Medusa sandals worth $374.50 from a Nordstrom store in Aventura Mall.

A black woman wearing a hat and protective mask showed up to pick up the order, per obtained CCTV footage - then, video from the store's parking lot showed her getting into a black 2019 Mercedes-Benz with a Florida license plate.

Mendoza tracked the license plate back to Medina, who police said had registered the car using the address 300 NE 1st Court in Hallandale, Florida. Police learned later that the apartment at that address was vacant, and none of the alleged scammers lived there.

Police determined that a replacement Barclays View Mastercard was sent to the same address after a woman claiming to be Ana Ortiz called the bank July 6.

'I want to get my card shipped to me at an alternative address... because I was a victim of the towers that just collapsed [in] Surfside,' a woman who police said was Medina told a representative in a recording played during the press conference.

Police determined that a replacement Barclays View Mastercard for Ortiz's deceased sister's bank account was sent to the same address after a woman claiming to be the account's owner called the bank July 6

'I want to get my card shipped to me at an alternative address... because I was a victim of the towers that just collapsed [in] Surfside,' Medina told a bank representative in a recording played during the press conference

The card was delivered the next day, and over the next two days, 28 attempted transactions totaling $13,389.80 were recorded - ten of those transactions, totaling $5,892.93, were approved according to the affidavit.

Again, a woman alleged to be Medina was caught on CCTV footage, this time using the a walk-up ATM machine at Aventura Mall's Bank of America location on July 7. She tried withdrawing money three times unsuccessfully.

The same day, the woman purchased a $957.65 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes at a store in Miami's design district using the card, per the store's CCTV footage.

About 20 minutes later she was seen on another store's security cameras using Ortiz's card to buy a black Versace purse for $1,658.50.

Medina allegedly purchased a $957.65 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes at a store in Miami's design district on July 7 using the card, per the store's CCTV footage

The next day, police said, Medina bought $220.57 in Target merchandise - she was seen toting the same Versace purse she had purchased the day before. Before leaving the store, police said, she made another unsuccessful attempt at withdrawing money from an ATM.

Later that day around 4:30 pm, a black man who would later be identified by police as Choute is seen on security footage using Ortiz's credit card to attempt a purchase of $500 in Walgreens gift cards in Broward County.

The next day police say Choute successfully bought $539.18 in Visa gift cards and merchandise from another Target in Pembroke Pines.

Police paid a visit to the address given for the two cards, said the affidavit, and found that the mailboxes for the apartment building there was broken - anyone could access the mailbox for apartment 101.

Then, Mendoza and Detective Kenneth Sealy of the Aventura Police Department used Medina's vehicle registration to get a copy of her California driver's license, which they said bore resemblance to the woman they had seen on CCTV footage.

Ana Ortiz's husband, who also died in the collapse and was identified as 'F.K.' in the affadavit, was also victimized. Choute allegedly called Wells Fargo pretending to be the man, changing the address on the deceased man's account to the Hallandale drop box location.

Another victim of the scam, whose initials are M.C., was out of town when the condominium collapsed and survived the disaster.

However, her personal information was compromised in the chaos, police said, and she allegedly told police that another person had accessed her Bank of America account, withdrawing approximately $3,500.

Medina and Choute's names, as well as the name of the third suspect, Kimberly Johnson, had allegedly been registered on several victims' accounts.

Then, on July 26, police said U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a Discover credit card statement addressed to another deceased victim of the disaster that was en route to the Hallandale address.

This victim, whose initials are A.M., had 50 transactions attempted on her Discover card between July 7 and 24th.

Over $30,000 was squeezed from the account, police said, by the scammers.

Two black women, later identified by police as Medina and Johnson, were allegedly caught on CCTV footage using the card to buy $1,786.90 of Burberry merchandise from the Aventura Mall on July 21.

Police said Johnson had the Hallandale address listed on her driver's license since March of 2020.

The pair left in a 2015 white BMW that is allegedly co-registered to both Medina and Johnson, which is how police said they ascertained the second woman's identity.

Three letters from FEMA, addressed to a fourth victim who had survived the collapse, were allegedly sent to the address as well - Medina also called the organization attempting to embezzle disaster relief funds.

Much of the fraudulent calls, police said, were facilitated with a practice called 'porting' - the scammers called the victim's phone companies and tricking them into switching their phone information and data to a new number.

Then, that number can be used to receive verification text messages sent by banks to account holder's phones.

Detectives sifted through multiple fake IDs and registrations and found that Johnson rented an apartment at 831 NE 207th Lane #2-202, where Medina lived previously, police said - Medina gave a referral for Johnson to the building's management, claiming to be her sister.

Medina, police learned, had moved into another apartment at 20905 NE 8th Court in Miami, allegedly using a fake social security card to secure her lease - Choute's name was also listed on that lease, and used a fake New Jersey driver's license.

The license plate on another vehicle driven by Medina even bore a fake Florida license plate, police said.

Johnson was arrested today at the 207th Lane apartment, according to her arrest warrant, while Medina and Choute were taken into custody at at 415 NE 142nd Street in North Miami, which police said is owned by one of Choute's relatives - the connection to the family member helped police verify his identity.

Tracking technology from the FBI and Secret Service, attached clandestinely to the black BMW, was used to tie the couple to the North Miami address, police said.

A fifth victim with the initials K.T. does not have a connection to the condo's collapse, police said. Another victim unrelated to the tragedy is 71 years old, police said, and had $10,000 stolen in total.

Miami-Dade's Office of the State Attorney reported the arrests on Wednesday.

The development comes more than two months after the Champlain Towers South collapsed suddenly on the night of June 24, leaving firefighters to comb the rubble for victims until mid-July.

About a month after the tragedy relatives of those killed began reporting that credit cards were being taken out in their loved ones' names, according to the Miami Herald.

One woman told the Miami Herald that she saw strange emails on her deceased sister's iPad the night before her funeral - they were automated notifications for password and information changes to the dead woman's bank accounts and detailed expensive purchases and withdrawals.

'I was home writing the eulogy. I don't know why, but I looked down. I saw notifications from Wells Fargo. I saw emails with money transfers. I didn't even know she had a Wells Fargo account,' she told the outlet.

'It was crazy. These people are professional. Who would do something like this?'

'I can't wait to put a face to these deeds right now, and I think all of South Florida is eager to see who would do something like this,' Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said to Local 10 before the identities of the perpetrators were announced

'What kind of person would do something like this? ... I wouldn't want to be that person right now.'

When Champlain Towers South was completed in 1981, it was described as being one of the largest condo projects in Surfside's history.

Shortly after June's disaster, it became clear that warnings about Champlain Towers South, had gone unheeded.

A 2018 engineering report detailed cracked and degraded concrete support beams in the underground parking garage and other problems that would cost nearly $10 million to fix.

The repairs did not happen, and the estimate grew to $15 million this year as the owners of the building's 136 units and its governing condo board squabbled over the cost, especially after a Surfside town inspector told them the building was safe.

Investigators have yet to determine what caused about half of the 136-unit highrise to cave in on itself in one of the deadliest building collapses in U.S. history. The portion of the structure that was left standing, but unstable, was deliberately demolished about 10 days later.
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has hit out at his successor Gavin Newsom amid the recall effort against him, saying 'millions' are dissatisfied with his handling of the coronavirus and the wildfires gripping the state.

Schwarzenegger, who is so far the only person in the state's history to take the governor's seat in a recall election, called Newsom a 'friend' but noted the anger that sparked the recall vote.

'There's millions of people out there that are dissatisfied, dissatisfied with the way the corona was handled, dissatisfied with the fires,' he told CNN's Dana Bash on Wednesday.

'It's very dangerous for him because you got to take this stuff seriously. For too long, they didn't take it seriously. But now I think they do take it seriously,' he said of Newsom.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke of high dissatisfaction in California against his successor Gavin Newsom amid the recall effort against him

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tells @DanaBashCNN that the atmosphere of this year's California recall looks exactly the same as when he won in 2003. https://t.co/CCNASNf3r7 pic.twitter.com/CR2uzHwZ6p  New Day (@NewDay) September 8, 2021

He noted that similar to when the movie star and former body builder ran in 2003, anger and dissatisfaction is high among residents in the Golden State.

'It is exactly the same, the atmosphere is exactly the same when I ran,' he said.

'It's the same kind of things that people talk about: blackouts, people unhappy with education, people are not happy with what's going on with the inequality in the state ... It's out of control the situation, and this why there's anger.'

And without the star power Schwarzenegger brought to the table, he anticipates Newsom might struggle in his fight to hold onto his seat.

Schwarzenegger with Newsom (center) in 2006 when he was mayor of San Francisco. Despite the criticism, he called Newsom a 'friend'

'There's no Arnold Schwarzenegger, so Newsom can hope and figure out how to be Arnold Schwarzenegger for a second, even as a Democrat,' he joked.

Schwarzenegger won in an upset victory against incumbent Gray Davis to become the state's 38th governor, and would handily defeated Democratic opponent Phil Angelides for reelection to his second term in 2006.

He was directly succeeded by Edmund Brown, a Democrat, who also served two terms from 2011 to 2019.

In the final days leading up to the recall vote on September 14, it would appear that touting his record on battling the coronavirus has been a priority for Newsom, a Democrat, and he has warned that if a Republican took the seat it could spell disaster for state efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Newsom (left) with Schwarzenegger in 2005. The former governor drew many similarities between the recall election he won for governor in 2003 and the current one against Newsom

By doing so, he is emphasizing the very same issues that first inspired the recall effort against him more than a year ago, amid widespread anger over the shutdowns and restrictions that shuttered businesses, and potentially jeopardized livelihoods.

Last Tuesday his office touted the state's high vaccination rate, noting on the governor's official Twitter account that more than 80 percent of Californians had received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose.

Later that same day at a news conference at an Oakland health clinic, he cast himself in opposition to Republican governors in other large states currently seeing surging coronavirus infection rates such as Florida and Texas.

He said California could turn out the same if his chief opponent Larry Elder, a talk radio host, who has been a polling and fundraising above the 45 other replacements candidates on the ballot, Fox News reported.

On the campaign trail, Newsom has touted his efforts against the coronavirus, drawing comparison between his and other large Republican-led states. He is pictured on Tuesday

'His model is Texas and Florida, and Mississippi. We have among the lowest positivity rates in America. They have the highest positivity rates in America. We have one of the lowest case rates in America. Theyre among the highest,' he told reporters.

The state appears to have made progress against the latest surge in infections driven by the Indian delta variant, with a seven day moving average of 10,962 new infections recorded as of August 30, compared to the latest peak of 16,030 on August 9, according to state figures.

In the past several weeks Newsom has issued a number of statewide vaccine mandates for teachers, healthcare and state workers, which Elder has come out against.

'I know that Gavin Newsom has mandated that every state worker who has not been vaccinated be tested once a week and wear a face mask at work. Im going to repeal that before I have my first cup of coffee,' he said this week, according to Fox.

Conservative radio show host Larry Elder (pictured at a news conference on Tuesday) is seen as the chief contender among Newsom's opponents on the ballot

Other top Republican candidates, such as John Cox, the party's 2018 nominee for the governor's seat, has pointed to Florida as a model for coronavirus restrictions.

Florida currently accounts for around 13 percent of the country's new cases, with a seven-day moving average of 16,362 new cases reported this week according to the CDC.

The Sunshine State too, however, appears to be turning another corner on the delta variant, posting the smallest daily increase in cases since July 19, at the outset of the surge, Local 10 reported.

For California's recall, voters will be asked two question on the ballot: whether they support the recall of Newsom, and if he is recalled, who voters would like to see replace him.

The if a majority of voters support the recall, then the candidate that garners the most votes for the second question will be Newsom's successor.

A number of Democratic surrogates are travelling to California to support Newsom, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Vice President Kamala Harris.

President Joe Biden also still plans to head to California to support the effort to keep Newsom in office, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed Tuesday.
A care home boss was forced to bring in Covid-positive staff to care for dementia-hit patients suffering from the virus because the home was short-staffed.

Ann Bedford was left with nobody to care for those living at the Caledonia home in Holyhead, Anglesey, where 11 out of 12 of the residents were suffering from Covid-19.

Owner Ms Bedford said the 15-bed home, which specialises in dementia care, only made it through the weekend because two Covid-positive members of staff agreed to work.

The two staff members manned the night shift and cared for the residents who had also tested positive for the virus.

Ms Bedford was forced to take the desperate step after being told by Isle of Anglesey Council they didn't have anybody available that they could send to help.

According to Ms Bedford, there was already a recruitment crisis in social care before the pandemic began, and now the problem has become even worse.

She said: 'Even before Covid impacted on us, residential homes were struggling to recruit and now there is absolutely no spare capacity in the system, nowhere to turn.

Ann Bedford (pictured) was left with nobody to care for those living at the Caledonia home in Holyhead, Anglesey, where 11 out of 12 of the residents were suffering from Covid-19

'I have never known a situation as bad as we faced over the last weekend. As a matter of course we have contingency plans in place to cope in emergencies but even these buckled under the strain. My heart sinks when I think about for the weeks and months ahead.

Ms Bedford has run the Caledonia since 1987, but she said it has been increasingly difficult to recruit staff over the last decade.

The home normally has a core of between 13 and 15 staff, including a manager, two full-time senior carers, a rota of approximately 11 part-time care staff, two cooks and two cleaners.

But over the weekend, with so many of the team off sick or self-isolating, they were left with no night staff, only three daytime staff, no cleaners, and only one cook.

Ms Bedford explained: 'We felt abandoned and alone. I called on social services for help but they were facing their own emergencies.

'The shortage of carers on Anglesey is at dangerous levels and is being intensified by the pandemic.

'I contacted one reputable care sector recruitment agency and their reaction when I asked for temporary staff was "You must be joking". They were overwhelmed by pleas from desperate care home owners.'

The owner said she could not give enough praise to the two dedicated members of staff who volunteered to come in, despite having Covid themselves.

Ms Bedford said she felt 'desperately sorry' that they were in a position where the two members of staff had to come in, saying that the night shift is tough and tiring work.

She continued: 'It really knocked them for six and both these staff are now suffering much more from the symptomatic effects of Covid.

'I am so grateful to them but this is a situation which should not have been allowed to happen.'

All of the Caledonia care home residents have been double vaccinated, including the 11 residents who have contracted coronavirus.

Ms Bedford, who has tragically lost four close friends to Covid, said although the residents have symptoms and some are 'very unwell', they could have been a lot worse if they hadn't been vaccinated.

She urged those in authority not to 'forget' that social care is a 'vital support' to the NHS and said these provisions will be needed 'more than ever' this winter.

The owner continued: 'The pandemic has not gone away and we should not be deceiving ourselves that it has.

'I know of several other care homes in Anglesey where residents are also positive. We have taken every precaution there is, but it has still managed to get in.

Owner Ms Bedford (pictured) said the 15-bed home, which specialises in dementia care, only made it through the weekend because two Covid-positive members of staff agreed to work

'We have been through so much already I really don't know how much more we can take.

'I urge those in authority not to forget that if social care provision crumbles then so does the NHS.'

Caledonia home is currently under lockdown, meaning it is unable to accept any more residents and is closed to visitors until September 29.

Ms Bedford also runs another small-scale facility four miles away, the 15-bed Plas Dyffryn care home.

She claimed authorities advised her to transfer staff from Plas Dyffryn care home to Caledonia, but she did not want to put any more staff at risk of contracting Covid.

She said: 'It is also not feasible because we simply do not have enough care staff on our books to stretch that thinly, and the Caledonia is specialised for dementia care so staff here need to be trained in those highly-specific skills.

'The sad truth is that we should not be in a position where such desperate measures are even on the table. We are in a more precarious state than ever before.'

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said the care home was placed in an 'impossible' situation and described Ms Bedford and her team as 'heroic'.

Mr Kreft said: 'My heart goes out to Ann, the staff, the residents and their families for this terrible predicament which is not of their making.

'Quite simply, the Caledonia was placed in a totally impossible position, and it really should not have come to this.

'Ann and her team have been nothing short of heroic over these past 18 months and the Isle of Anglesey Council were not able to provide the support they required in their hour of need.

'There has been a deepening recruitment crisis is social care for many years and the situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

'The situation in which the Caledonia finds itself is sadly far from unique. Care homes and domiciliary care companies are having an absolute nightmare in terms of staffing and it is only a matter of time before one or more of them has to close.

'The Welsh Government will be receiving hundreds of millions of pounds from the UK Government as a result of the increase in National Insurance and it is imperative that money is used wisely to address the chronic underfunding that is the root cause of low pay in the sector.

'Social care is now at a crossroads and it is vitally important that the Welsh Government plot the correct path to ensure these major issues are addressed as a matter of urgency.'

MailOnline has contacted Isle of Anglesey Council for comment.
Nancy Pelosi lauded on Wednesday the Biden administration's handling of the bungled Afghanistan withdrawal by claiming it was 'remarkable' despite a 'hazy start.'

'The historic evacuation of 120,000 people was remarkable and I commend the administration for that. This is never easy  that's not always complete from the start,' the House Speaker said during a press conference on Wednesday.

'But it was remarkable even though it got off to a hazy start,' Pelosi added. 'And now we go forward.'

The House leader's comments are particularly noteworthy as President Joe Biden's handling of the total troop withdrawal from Afghanistan has been widely criticized by Democrat and Republican lawmakers and politicians, as well as the general American public.

In particular, the near non-response to the death of 13 U.S. service members in an ISIS-K suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport and the fact Americans were left behind after the August 31 deadline have come under attack.

Throughout August, Biden insisted that he would stick to the timeline to have all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the month  appearing to give into pressure from Taliban leaders who threatened 'consequences' if the 'red line' deadline was not met.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised President Joe Biden's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal despite a general consensus that it was a disaster

'The historic evacuation of 120,000 people was remarkable and I commend the administration for that. This is never easy,' she aid. 'But it was remarkable even though it got off to a hazy start'

The president also insisted the 'buck stops with me', claiming he would take accountability for everything that happened in the withdrawal.

Even those progressive Democrats who praised the end of the two-decade-long war in Afghanistan were dismayed by the handling.

Biden and his team insist there are less than 100 Americans left needing evacuation from Afghanistan, which swiftly fell under Taliban rule in the midst of the withdrawal. Republicans and volunteer groups working to get U.S. citizens out of the country claim the figure is closer to 500  1,000 if their families are counted.

Still, the administration's talking points tout the fact that more than 120,000 people were evacuated in the matter of a few weeks.

Several polls of U.S. voters show that somewhere between 30-40 per cent approve of Biden's handling of the withdrawal and chaotic scenes in Afghanistan once the Taliban starting seizing the country in August.

The president's approval rating has also suffered, dropping nearly 10 points in several key swing states and dropping below the 50 per cent mark for the first time in his presidency last month.

Pelosi's messaging Wednesday praising the administration in such an obvious botched withdrawal could be a response to reports that the Afghanistan mishandling has just further emboldened former President Donald Trump to want to run against in 2024.

The majority of the 120,000 people evacuated were Afghan allies and those fleeing Taliban rule.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany Wednesday where he met with Afghan refugees being processed and awaiting resettlement in the U.S.

Now thousands of Afghan refugees are at processing centers in third-party countries  including U.S. bases in Ramstein, Germany and Doha, Qatar.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to both bases this week where he met with refugees and toured facilities while also holding talks with leaders cooperating with the resettlement efforts.

He said Tuesday that the Afghan evacuees will be vetted 'on the back end', claiming there was no time to properly vet the refugees as they fled Afghanistan in the rushed evacuation efforts.

Thousands of Afghans have already arrived in the U.S. through Philadelphia or Washington Dulles airport, and eight military bases are preparing to house at least 50,000 of these refugees.
The Pennsylvania state senator and retired Army colonel who wrote a book about WWI hero Alvin York was told to go back to the drawing board after a slew of mistakes were cited by the book's publisher.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano wrote about York's famous battle in France, where the sergeant led a small, outnumbered group of U.S. soldiers behind German lines, wiped out a machine-gun nest, killed 20 German soldiers and captured 132.

York was awarded the Medal of Honor for the unlikely victory.

Mastriano - a Desert Storm veteran - researched the battle and wrote a book about it titled 'Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne,' which was published by the University Press of Kentucky in 2014.

Since its publication, facts and sources have been scrutinized by researchers and historians who questioned Mastriano's claim that he located York's battle site with precision in the vast Argonne Forest near the Meuse River in France.

In the book, Mastriano repeatedly dismissed any notion that there is a legitimate dispute about the site where he claims this battle took place.

He has claimed that 'we know with certainty the location of the York action,' that it was 'discovered with 100 percent certainty' and that it 'has been located and verified.'

Researchers also identified erroneous footnotes and raised doubts about a photo that appears on the book's cover.

He claimed the government photo shows York with prisoners from the famed battle, which contradicted the military photographer's caption.

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano's book about WWI hero Alvin York has been questioned by researchers

Sen. Doug Mastriano - a Desert Storm Army veteran - researched York's famous battle that earned and wrote a book about it, which was published in 2014. The book has since been scrutinized by historians and researchers

The Associated Press also identified sourcing errors in the book in a story published in March.

Ashley Runyon, the publisher's director, told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Mastriano was sent a list of about 30 'queries' about his book.

'Some of these queries include simple confirmation of typos while others require the author to provide additional sources to confirm specific information in the book,' Runyon said.

She said Mastriano has until October to respond. To date, he hasn't, Runyon said.

DailyMail.com called Mastriano's offices in Chambersburg, Gettysburg and Harrisburg, but he couldn't be reached. His spokesperson has an email that comes back as 'undeliverable.'

In this March 16, 2021 file photo, the statue of World War I hero Sgt. Alvin C. York - a Tennessee native - stands on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville

Runyon laid out their plans if he responds and if he doesn't.

If Mastriano responds, the academic press and an outside peer reviewer 'will evaluate the new source material and incorporate in the new printing of the book,' Runyon said in her email to DailyMail.com.

'The material would be incorporated into the body of the work where possible,' she said.

If he doesn't respond by the end of October, the publisher 'will suggest potential revisions and have those suggestions approved by an outside peer reviewer.'

Runyon told the Associate Press that they don't typically ask for an outside review for reprints but was 'adding this external layer of review to ensure the accuracy of any corrections in the reprint.'

Their tentative timeline for incorporating revisions into the book is for Spring 2022, she said.

James Gregory, a doctoral student in history at the University of Oklahoma who has researched the actions of other men in York's unit, told the Associated Press, 'It feels like the integrity is coming back.'

He and others interested in York's story have argued Mastriano's research is plagued with errors - small and large - and that a walking trail to the battle location that he helped build actually takes visitors to the wrong spot.

'Hopefully, this new edition next year will finally correct these issues that have been prevalent and help get the story back on track,' Gregory told AP.

University of New Brunswick officials involved in reviewing Mastriano's work indicated they do not discuss such matters without the consent of the student involved - in this case, Mastriano.

York - immortalized in this Tennessee statue - led a small group of badly outnumbered American soldiers behind German lines to disrupt machine gunfire in the woods of northern France during the waning weeks of the war.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Doug Mastriano speaks at an April 2020 protest against the state's extended stay-at-home order to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Runyon said the University Press of Kentucky has also completed a review of Mastriano's second book - 'Thunder in the Argonne' - and does not plan to make any changes.

Mastriano emerged last year as a leader of protests against coronavirus mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania and then became a prominent champion of former President Donald Trump's reelection bid.

After Trump lost, Mastriano began seeking to have the results reversed, and has recently clashed with the top-ranking state Senate Republican over Mastriano's plan to force three counties to turn over election equipment and records for review by the Senate.

The Republican senator who represents Franklin County in south-central Pennsylvania is a potential gubernatorial candidate when incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited.
Ten passengers were trapped in a wildly swinging cable car for almost an hour after Mexico City was hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

The earthquake knocked out the power to the cable car leaving terrified passengers dangling above the borough of Iztapalapa on Tuesday night.

Footage taken from the ground shows the cars swinging from side to side, while footage from inside captured the panicked passengers inside.

A woman in the second clip is heard telling the other passengers, 'it is moving a lot' before a male passenger tried to calm everyone down, telling the car; 'relax, relax, nothing is happening, nothing is happening.'

Asi se vivio el #sismo de 7.1 en el Cablebus en Iztapalapa; se activo protocolo de seguridad en ambas lineas.



Video: Especial pic.twitter.com/n6gJXcs0zC  El Universal (@El_Universal_Mx) September 8, 2021

A cable car with 10 passengers was stuck for an hour after power to the ropeway system in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa was lost as a result of a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the resort town of Acapulco on Tuesday night

Still image of two of the 10 passengers who spent an hour stuck inside a cable car in Mexico City on Tuesday following a power outage to the ropeway

A paramedic in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa tends to one of the 10 passengers who spent an hour stuck inside a cable car that was dangling from the ropeway

The cable car line service was disrupted for 73 minutes and was reestablished by 11pm local time, Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said.

Paramedics provided on-site treatment to passengers, including some who complained of dizziness or panic.

The tremor struck before 9pm and sent panicked residents into the streets in Acapulco as well as in Mexico City, where it swayed buildings nearly 200 miles from the epicenter.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered 10 miles northeast of Acapulco.

'Fortunately, there was not greater damage,' President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday. 'So far one victim, a young man who was driving a motorcycle and lost his life' in nearby Coyuca de Benitez.

The quake's epicenter was the resort 11 miles northeast of the resort city of Acapulco, Guerrero, according to the U.S. Geological Survey

Passengers are escorted from cable cars at a station in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa

According to Guerrero governor Hector Astudillo, the victim, whose name has not been released, was killed after he was struck by a collapsing pole.

The earthquake took place four years to the date of the 8.2 tremor that struck in the Gulf of Tehuantepc. The September 7, 2017 tremor killed 98 people and injured more than 300.

That earthquake was the second most powerful ever recorded in the country's history - an 8.6 quake was registered on March 28, 1787.

Rumors of a possible tsunami caused fear in some low-lying neighborhoods immediately after the earthquake, driving some to higher ground, but an alert was never issued and no change in the sea level recorded.

In the tourist zone, fallen posts crushed cars in front of hotels. Guests milled about outside, jittery and waiting for the all clear. Some stood in the median of the beachside boulevard with their roller suitcases.

Other towns along the coast reported structural damage to buildings, but no loss of life.

No mames el sismo dentro del Cablebus pic.twitter.com/f9XLHipydA  Leo Arriaga (@Radiohen) September 8, 2021

In the Roma Sur neighborhood of Mexico City, lights went off and scared residents rushed out

A building was damaged by the force of the disaster of Tuesday night's 7.1 tremor in Acapulco
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Border chaos at Heathrow airport has run into its tenth day, with passengers complaining of queueing for more than five hours, social distancing apparently impossible at Terminal 3 and just six out of 40 passport booths allegedly unmanned.

Images shared on Twitter show frustrated travellers sitting on the floor all bunched together and risking further spreading Covid as they apparently queue to pass immigration on yet another day of huge waits at Britain's busiest airport.

'It took over FIVE HOURS to get through border control today,' one person tweeted. 'Absolutely ridiculous to have only ~6 out of 40 booths manned by immigration officers, and keep people standing in a queue for this long. Especially when social distancing is impossible.'

The scenes are likely to pile further pressure on Home Secretary Priti Patel, whose management of the 'carnage' at immigration has come under scrutiny among furious Conservatives including ex-Tory Party leader Sir Iain Duncan-Smith.

Travel industry figures have warned the scenes are blighting the UK's global reputation while running the risk of a spike in Covid cases - further jeopardising the already crisis-hit tourism sector and stifling business with post-Brexit Britain.

It comes as MPs demanded answers from the head of Border Force over the Heathrow debacle, as the boss of British Airways called for Covid testing and quarantine requirements to be 'simplified' amid calls for an overhaul of UK travel rules.

Border chaos at Heathrow airport has run into its tenth day, with passengers complaining of queueing for more than five hours, social distancing apparently impossible at Terminal 3 and just six out of 40 passport booths allegedly unmanned

Pictures shared with MailOnline showed long snaking lines of hundreds of people packed together tightly waiting at border control, as elderly and more vulnerable passengers wilted

MPs demanded answers from Border Force chief as long queues were seen again at Heathrow (pictured)

The scenes are likely to pile further pressure on Home Secretary Priti Patel, whose management of the 'carnage' at immigration has come under scrutiny among furious Conservatives including ex-Tory Party leader Sir Iain Duncan-Smith

'They need to explain what's going on': Border Force chief on 140,000-a-year was made an OBE amid Heathrow chaos Paul Lincoln: Director General, Border Force Paul Lincoln Mr Lincoln has had a long career in the civil service, which included serving in the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office. Immediately prior to this appointment, he was Director General of the Crime, Policing and Fire Group (CPFG), which included overseeing reforms to the police and fire services, according to his official biography. Before that, he was Acting Director General of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) in the Home Office, covering terrorism and organised crime. Mr Lincoln has been the Home Office's Gender Equality Champion, and in 2020 spoke about how the civil service could use data to ensure diversity targets were being met. Home Office accounts for the financial year 2020-21 reveal he had his salary bumped up from 130,000-135,000 to between 135,000 and 140,000. In May, quizzed about long queues at Heathrow, he said new Covid health checks at the border meant it took five to ten minutes to process every passenger. In June, he was made an OBE for services to border security in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. In July, it was announced he will leave his role as director general and be replaced by Tony Eastaugh, a former national counter-terror gold commander. Advertisement

Chief executive Sean Doyle said Government policy is 'the biggest single enabler' of airlines recovering from the virus crisis.

He went on: 'We had the traffic light system over the summer. There was some progress made. But I think it's not fit for purpose. It needs to be simplified. It needs to be adapted in the same way that we see in Europe and in the US.'

Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate called for testing to be removed altogether for travellers who have been double jabbed. 'Other countries have done this and their aviation sectors are recovering much faster with bookings in Europe recovering twice as fast as in the UK,' he said.

The requirements vary depending on whether someone is arriving from a green, amber or red location, and whether or not they are fully vaccinated.

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 lists are updated every three weeks, with the next changes due next week. A wider overhaul of the rules is scheduled to take place by October 1.

Paul Lincoln, the agency's director general, has not commented publicly on the issue in recent weeks, while there are increasing calls for his boss, the Home Secretary, to take meaningful action.

Mr Lincoln, a career civil servant who has also served in the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office, had his salary bumped up from 130,000-135,000 to between 135,000 and 140,000 in the last financial year, accounts show.

He has overseen a summer of Heathrow border chaos dating back to at least May, when some passengers reported three-hour waits at passport gates.

In July, it was announced he will soon leave his current role, a month after being made an OBE for services to border security.

Sir Iain and James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, called on senior officials including Mr Lincoln to explain what is causing the 'unacceptable' queues.

'They should explain what's happening and why there are delays,' Mr Duncan-Smith told MailOnline. 'They are running a public service and they should be open to the public.

'Number one they've got to explain what the problem is and why they weren't able to cope. Then we can work out what to do about it.'

Mr Gray said: 'The Home Affairs Select Committee needs to get these people in front of them so we can find out exactly what's going on. It's their responsibility.

'The current situation is complete carnage - there's no bit of it that's acceptable.

'I cannot believe that all these people are self-isolating, I cannot believe there are not enough staff, and I cannot believe Heathrow isn't kicking and screaming about this.'

The Home Office was yesterday asked to provide a comment from Mr Lincoln.

It came as fresh pictures emerged of brutal queues at Heathrow arrivals, which officials have previously blamed on a lack of Border Force staff and the number of them having to self-isolate.

Oxford University academic Ayushi Aruna Agarwal tweeted: 'Hello from the immigration line at London Heathrow. They plan to make us spend 5 hours in close proximity with people from all over the globe here and then self-isolate for 10 days. Great plan.'

A second passenger, Eshita Sharma, posted: 'Welcome to UK with a veeeeeeery [sic] long queue and no water (or tea). My immigration bubble at Heathrow terminal 2. Should have brought a tent, a sleeping bag, and a mirror to see myself age in real time.'

Oxford University academic Ayushi Aruna Agarwal and Eshita Sharma, a Twitter user, both complained of long queues

British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle said Government policy is 'the biggest single enabler' of airlines recovering from the virus crisis

One woman described rows in arrivals at Heathrow - and to add insult to injury, a wait of 30 minutes just to get into a lift to access their parked cars (pictured)

Passengers, including pregnant women, pensioners and young children, were made to stand in long queues of 'three to five hours' into the early hours of the morning amid further disarray at border control at Europe's busiest airport

Gatwick calls for double jabbed travellers to be SPARED tests Airport bosses have called for the testing of returning double-jabbed travellers to be scrapped, as Covid test entry requirements wreaked havoc on arrival lounges across the country. In a sign that the country is fed up of stringent travel protocols, a quarter of arrivals from amber list countries are now breaking quarantine rules and one in 10 are not taking PCR tests when they're back in Britain, official data shows. The current rules mean even those who have been double jabbed and are flying in from a green-list country must provide proof of a negative Covid test within two days of landing in the UK. Those arriving from amber countries who have not been double-jabbed must pay for tests on days two and eight, as well as self-isolating for 10 days upon entry to the UK. Bosses at Gatwick said the rules mean that the UK's aviation sector is bouncing back much slower than the rest of Europe, and says that comparable data shows the UK is suffering as a result of the requirement. A major survey by the Office for National Statistics suggests that 23 per cent of amber arrivals in England in July avoided staying at home when they were supposed to. And nine per cent did not take the PCR tests required in the days after they landed. Advertisement

The Home Office again blamed the queues on the need to check Covid documents - in addition to families with young children not being able to use e-gates because the facial recognition technology does not work with under-12s.

But travellers have insisted their Covid-related paperwork has barely been checked by Border Force guards because most of the work is done by airlines.

Travel journalist Simon Calder told MailOnline: 'All the evidence I am seeing is that the outsourcing of paperwork checks to airlines, ferry firms and train operators means minimal checks coming into the UK.

'Because the airline has to check the UK-bound 'fit to fly' and passenger locator form  which can't be completed until a post-arrival test is booked  the Border Force, in my experience, is simply wanting to verify identity.

'Personally I don't have a problem with this  last week in Berlin I was checked and re-checked by Ryanair staff before my flight to Stansted, and on arrival I was through in one minute flat.

'But as a result it's a stretch claiming that the long queues at Heathrow are down to extra checks.'

A Home Office source told MailOnline that while carriers did carry out checks Border Force guards 'also had a role' in scrutinising documents', including passenger locator forms.

On Monday, passengers described 'total chaos' at Heathrow's 4.2billion Terminal 5 as rows broke out in passport control and exasperated people who had already spent hours waiting to enter Britain then had to wait in long lines for the car park.

Witnesses said they had 'never seen anything like it' as 'massive queues' also appeared at Luton and Manchester airports and travellers raged that the country is fast becoming an international 'laughing stock'.

One woman caught up in the chaos described rows in arrivals at Heathrow - and to add insult to injury, a wait of 30 minutes just to get to their parked cars.

She told MailOnline: 'I've never seen anything like it. There were massive queues', adding there were 'arguments breaking out with staff about the number of broken e-gates'. 'It seems like the whole terminal is in total chaos', she said, adding she had to queue for half an hour just to get in the lift that goes to the car park.

Catriona MacLeod, an academic from the University of Chicago, tweeted that after an hour at the UK border she had 'not advanced more than 6 inches'. Another woman caught in the chaos wrote: '@HeathrowAirport is like Dante's purgatory'.

The delays have got worse as families returned from their summer holidays for the start of the school term.

One traveller collapsed after landing in London and luggage was seen tumbling from conveyor belts because queues at 'poorly managed' arrivals halls were up to five hours with Heathrow bosses blaming the 'unacceptable' waiting times this weekend on Border Force staff shortages.

Commenting on the car park queue, a Heathrow source suggested the issue was caused by a large group of people turning up outside the lifts at once, adding that the lines 'cleared within minutes'.

The Home Office maintained its stance that passengers should be prepared to wait.

'Throughout the pandemic we have been clear that queue times may be longer as we ensure all passengers are compliant with the health measures put in place to keep the UK public safe,' a spokesman said.

'This weekend was the busiest of the year for returning passengers, with particularly high numbers of families with children under the age of 12 who cannot use e-gates.

'We have endeavoured to improve waiting times this week, for example by flexibly deploying staff across Heathrow Airport and continue to work closely with all airports and airlines to make sure all passengers can have a safe and hassle-free journey.'
The labor union representing American Airlines pilots plans to stage protests at the carrier's major hubs over their work schedules and fatigue.

The Allied Pilots Association will picket at Miami International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and other locations, with the first protest set to take place on October 19, it said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

'As pilots, our job is to transport our passengers as safely and reliably as possible, while American Airlines managements job is to support those efforts,' the union stated. 'Unfortunately, management has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to run a reliable airline, and has failed to give us the tools we need to do our jobs.'

The picketing is not expected to disrupt air travel because federal law prohibits pilots from walking off the job.

American Airlines pilots are planning to stage protests over fatigue and work schedules (pilots are pictured during a rally for a new contract in January 2020)

The pilots' labor union has accused American Airlines of forcing pilots to work on their scheduled days off and denying them sufficient time to eat

The APA, which represents all 13,400 American Airlines pilots, accused the carrier of forcing pilots to work on their scheduled days off, not providing them with adequate accommodations, and denying them sufficient time to eat during their shifts, reported The Hill.

'Our airline needs scheduling practices that support the safety margin, respect pilots' and passengers' needs, and de-risk American Airlines to protect and improve revenue,' the union said.

APA spokesman Dennis Tajer has said to Dallas Morning News that the airline does not have enough pilots to operate all the scheduled flights after letting nearly 1,000 of them resign at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has crippled the travel industry.

American Airlines did not address the union's specific claims, but instead referred DailyMail.com to a memo that was sent to the pilots by American Airlines Vice President of Flight Operations Chip Long on Friday.

In his letter, Long partially blamed scheduling problems on bad weather during the month of June, but argued that progress was being made.

One of the planned protests will take place at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

'We had a challenging stretch in June due to weather, vendor staffing and temporary pilot training challenges that may have touched you or your schedule,' Long wrote in the memo. 'Weve taken steps to ensure we can support the operation and get our customers where they want to go, when they want to go.

'At the same time, we continue to make important progress internally, managing and adapting in a way that provides tangible improvements for each of you.'

In August, a union representing Southwest Airlines pilots filed a lawsuit challenging forced time off and other changes to working conditions imposed by the airline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First Casualty tells the story of the first CIA mission in Afghanistan after 9/11 and reveals how Mike Spann, America's first casualty of the war, was killed in a prisoner revolt. It was published by Little Brown this week

Four special forces operators crowd around their prize for a team photograph.

John Walker Lindh, already known as the 'American Taliban' in headlines, is bound and blindfolded. A soldier has offered a different nickname written in marker on duct tape across his eyes: 'Sh** head.'

The photograph set off a scandal amid allegations of prisoner abuse when its existence was revealed in 2002. But it can now be seen for the first time almost 20 years later with publication of a new book about the early weeks of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

In First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, author Toby Harnden reveals how Lindh was captured after hundreds of Taliban and Al Qaeda prisoners launched a prison revolt.

Lindh was eventually brought to trial in U.S. federal court and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

He was released in May 2019 and is believed to be living in Virginia. It was revealed that in 2015 he had become a supporter of the Islamic State and praised them for beheading Americans, saying the terrorists had done 'a spectacular job.'

But it was the images of him after his capture - when his dishevelled, bearded figure was caught on video - that triggered a sensation around the world, and anger in America at how a 20-year-old from Northern California could have ended up among the ranks of extremists in Afghanistan.

He was the first American to face charges in the war on terror. And his treatment foreshadowed allegations of prisoner abuse and ritual humiliation that dogged American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Special forces pose with the 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh shortly after his capture in November 2001. They had written 'S*** head' on duct tape stuck to his blindfold, triggering an investigation when details emerged. The image has never been seen in public until now

Lindh converted to Islam as a teenager after seeing the film Malcolm X and went overseas to study Arabic and the Quran. He eventually traveled to Pakistan before crossing the border into Afghanistan. He was among about 400 Taliban and Al Qaeda forces who surrendered to the U.S.-allied Northern Alliance in November 2001

Pictures of the high-value prisoner were taken by members of the 5th Special Forces Group as they prepared him to be transported from Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan to Camp Rhino, near Kandahar in the south. He was the first American prisoner in the war on terror

Harnden describes how his return to the U.S. began in November 2001.

Small teams of CIA agents and Green berets were working with anti-Taliban forces of the Northern Alliance to oust an extremist government that harbored Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda during the run-up to the 9/11 attacks.

Lindh was among hundreds of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters who surrendered to the Northern Alliance.

But the surrender was a ruse and they launched an uprising, killing CIA paramilitary officer Mike Spann - the first American casualty of what would become a 20-year war.

Lindh, then 20, was among 86 Al Qaeda prisoners who survived what became known as the Battle of Qala-i Jangi.

Spann had questioned Lindh before the revolt. American officers nicknamed him 'the Irishman' after another prisoner had told them he had claimed to be from Ireland.

Lindh remained silent throughout.

It was only after the uprising was put down and Spann was dead that Lindh told a doctor he was American, apparently in an effort to be treated more humanely.

He was held at a Turkish-built school that was used by a small detachment of American special forces and CIA officers.

Pictures of him were taken just before being taken to a C-130 cargo plane bound for Camp Rhino, near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

In another previously unseen photograph, Lindh is seen wearing scrubs during his transfer to Camp Rhino. He said nothing when initially interrogated at Qala-i Jangi fort with other prisoners, and CIA officers nicknamed him 'the Irishman' as he had told other Al Qaeda fighters he was from Ireland in order to hide his true identity

Other photographs triggered allegations of abuse and Lindh's lawyers later argued that his interrogation statements - during which he said he had been aware of the 9/11 plans before they happened - should not be allowed in court

John Walker Lindh is strapped into a C-130 transport plane to be taken to Camp Rhino

'He had been carried in on a stretcher; now, he was able to walk on his own,' writes Harnden.

'Green Berets from [Operational Detachment Alpha] 592 bound his wrists and blindfolded him as a C-130 cargo plane waited at the Mazar-i Sharif airfield.

'A soldier wrote "sh** head" on a piece of duct tape and stuck it on Lindhs blindfold. Five members of the ODA then posed with him for a team photo.

'Almost immediately the Green Berets realized the photo was a mistake and tried to delete it. But the incriminating image had already been loaded onto a hard drive and was to be discovered during Lindhs legal case the following year.'

It was not the only indignity he faced in captivity.

One Green Beret allegedly told Lindh he was 'going to hang' and that the team photo would be sold to raise money for Christian charities.

Earlier, Lindh had been given a 'boneless pork chop' military ration which, as a Muslim, he refused to eat.

Other photographs taken at Camp Rhino by Marines showed him naked on a stretcher, blindfolded and handcuffed.

The images were obtained by his defense team during the discovery phase of the case, and his lawyers argued that it showed he was the victim of abuse.

They said his interrogation statements had been obtained by torture and should not be used in court.

An investigation into the photographs was launched but the soldiers were cleared of all charges by military investigators on the grounds that their behavior amounted to little more than 'barracks humor.'

A video grab shows 'the Irishman' being brought for his first round of questioning at Qala-i Jangi fort. Minutes later, a prison uprising ignited that claimed the life of the first American killed in what would become an almost 20-year war

CIA officer Mike Spann is seen trying to persuade 'the Irishman' to open up during questioning. Spann was killed shortly after he was seen talking to Lindh

A major commanding the soldiers said in a statement at the time: 'No harm, physical or psychological, was done to the detainee and I believe that the sentiment conveyed by the inscription is certainly shared by the vast majority of Americans.

'In light of the fact that this man was an American citizen who was fighting for an organization that killed nearly 3,000 innocent American citizens and was attempting to kill more, I think it is a testament to the discipline and training of these American Special Forces soldiers that this inscription, written on a piece of tape, is the worst thing that happened to the detainee while in their custody.'

Lindh had faced a life sentence but most charges were dropped. He eventually pleaded guilty to two charges - supplying services to the Taliban and carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony.

At his sentencing in 2002, Lindh claimed he joined the Taliban because he supported its version of Islam wanted to fight its enemies in Afghanistan. He had no intention of waging war against Americans, he said.

'I have never understood jihad to mean anti-Americanism or terrorism. I condemn terrorism on every level, unequivocally,' he told the court.

But Harnden's book details how at Camp Rhino, he confessed to the FBI that he had learned at an Al Qaeda base, during the summer of 2001, that suicide attackers had been sent to the United States.

That had turned out to be 9/11, which Lindh claimed was the first in three phases of Al-Qaeda attacks against America.

Phase two would be a biological weapons strike at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in mid-December.

Phase three, Lindh said, would 'finish the United States.'

Lindh is also the subject of a new documentary, Detainee 001, which will be premiered on Showtime on Friday.
Jimmy Kimmel wasted no time sparking controversy in his return to television Tuesday as the late-night host said unvaccinated patients should be deprived of getting ICU beds.

'Dr. Fauci said that if hospitals get any more overcrowded they're going to have to make some very tough choices about who gets an ICU bed,' Kimmel began, noting that the number of new COVID cases is up more than 300 percent from last year.

'That choice doesn't seem so tough to me.'

'Vaccinated person having a heart attack? Yes, come right on in, we'll take care of you. Unvaccinated guy who gobbled horse goo? Rest in peace, wheezy!'

Kimmel made his stance clear during his first episode back from a two-month long summer vacation.

The comments were met with applause and cheers from the fully-vaccinated Jimmy Kimmel Live! audience.

Jimmy Kimmel returned to hosting his late night television show on Tuesday boldly saying he does not think unvaccinated people should get ICU beds as hospitals are beginning to run out

There were 1.146 million weekly COVID cases this past weekend compared to 287,235 last year, according to data from John Hopkins University.

While the number of cases has risen drastically, so have the average number of daily deaths, which jumped more than 131 percent, according to data from The New York Times.

The number of hospitalizations and patients in ICU beds has been rising along with everything else. Hospitals in Georgia, Kentucky, and Hawaii have reported that they are running out of beds in their ICU units.

Only 64 percent of adults are currently fully-vaccinated, which is lower than the 70 percent the country needs in its bid for herd immunity.

The funnyman also voiced dismay at people using untested remedies to treat COVID.

'We still have a lot of 'pandimwits' out there,' he said, pointing to the recent spike of calls to poison control centers from people taking Ivermectin

The medication most commonly administered to barn animals with parasitic diseases like worms.

Kimmel compared people who are taking Ivermectin but refuse the vaccine to vegans who won't eat a hamburger but eat dog food.

He also noted that some people claim to be opting for Ivermectin over the vaccine because they don't trust big pharma. Kimmel noted that Ivermectin is made by Merck - the fourth largest pharmaceutical company in the world.

Merck has attempted to stop people from taking the medication to prevent or treat COVID.

'If a pharmaceutical company says, "Please don't take the drug we're selling." You should probably listen to them,' Kimmel said, 'or you can just go with a TikTok posted by a disgraced veterinarian.'

The number of new COVID cases has risen more than 300 per cent from this time last year

There were 1.146 million weekly cases this past weekend compared to 287,235 last year

The number of daily deaths due to complications from COVID have increased 131 per cent

About 64 per cent of adults in the United States are fully vaccinated. The country needs to reach 70 per cent to achieve herd immunity

The FDA warned that the use of the drug to prevent or treat COVID 'is dangerous.'

Last month, the FDA tweeted 'You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it.'

The CDC also issued a health advisory warning against the use of the medication. They stated that the treatment 'is not authorized or approved' and that adverse effects caused by 'misuse and overdose' have increased.

Kimmel then mocked radio host and conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones, who endorsed the 'dangerous' treatment over the weekend when he took Ivermectin while recording 'Info Wars.'

He washed it down on the air with a Tropi-Choco beer, which of course Kimmel teased him about.

Joe Rogan returned to this popular podcast on Tuesday, where he slammed criticism of his use of Ivermectin to combat his COVID-19 infection last week

Merck, the maker of Ivermectin, released a statement in February warning that it is an unproven treatment for the COVID virus

Podcast host Joe Rogan recently fought back against those who criticized his use of the anti-parasite drug to treat his COVID infection when he returned to the air on Tuesday.

Rogan claimed that multiple doctors told him to take Ivermectin, among several other medications, to combat the virus, despite the FDA's insistence the drug is only meant to treat parasitic infections and not COVID.

He claims the medical cocktail helped him recover and joked that he might 'sue CNN' for slamming his use and promotion of Ivermectin.

'They're making s*** up. They keep saying I'm taking horse dewormer. I literally got it from a doctor. It's an American company. They must know that's a lie.'

Rogan, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, also said he was upset that some of the news agencies that covered the story did not highlight his recovery.

Last week, CNN's medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner warned that what Rogan had done was dangerous.

'He's promoting, kind of a crazy jumble of, you know, sort of folk remedies and internet-prescribed drugs,' Reiner said . 'He should have more sense.'
Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress have sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the vetting process for Afghan refugees, questioning its effectiveness given the data available and the rapid pace of the evacuation.

The letter is spearheaded by Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base. Other signers include Reps. Jim Banks and Tom Tiffany, both of whom have military bases in their districts containing refugees.

'We write to express our grave concern about the rushed and incomplete vetting of Afghan evacuees being brought to the United States,' an early draft of the letter, obtained by DailyMail.com, reads.

'Specifically, we are concerned that inadequate criminal and security background checks are being performed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State on evacuees in their country of origin, and in other countries in which they have resided or to which they traveled before being brought to the United States,' the lawmakers write.

The letter will go to Biden either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning as more Republicans may sign on. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed concerns about the evacuation from Afghanistan.

Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress have sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining their concerns with the vetting process for Afghan refugees - above refugees arrive at Dulles International Airport

Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base, spear headed the letter

Herrell said the rapid pace of the vetting process raised concerns that some could slip through the cracks.

'They're able to do it in a matter of a few short weeks. It just rings, you know, an alarm bell because we understand that there's not that much data available so how are they actually able to ensure the criminal backgrounds,' she told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

She said Afghan allies should be allowed into the U.S. but questioned whether the vetting process was thorough enough.

'There's some incredible people there but, you know, it only takes one, and that's what the greatest concern,' she added.

The letter cites briefings the lawmakers had with Department of Homeland Security officials, nothing the officials said they didn't have access to many nations' criminal background check systems.

'Foreign nations records are often not digitized, which is likely the case in the vast majority of records in Afghanistan. In addition, widespread corruption and failed governments make these databases unreliable, if not useless. This is certainly the case in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and likely true of the previous Afghan government,' they write.

'While we do not dispute that some level of screening is occurring, screening is only as good and comprehensive as the information within the databases that are checked,' they note.

Herrell, who toured Holloman Air Force Base on Wednesday to see the refugee camps and meet with officials, said there were still questions remaining on how detailed the vetting process was and if it could be done thoroughly given the time constraints in getting Afghans out of the country.

'Of course we're seeing the stories where people are getting in it, finding out, they have a criminal background. So, you know, we just, we have to be I think extra careful and Americans deserve tender to know they're protected, even through a humanitarian effort,' she said.

Families evacuated from Kabul walk through Dulles International Airport

An Afghan boy boards a bus taking refugees to a processing center upon their arrival at Dulles International Airport

The Biden administration has defended the vetting process, saying both biographic and biometric data are used. Officials point out that Afghan refugees are first taken to another location - such as Germany or Qatar - where the background checks can be completed before they arrive in the U.S.

'We're not going to allow flights that have hundreds of people who don't know who they are, who haven't been security protocol through security protocols where we haven't seen the manifest to land on US military basis,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing on Wednesday.

And the White House on Tuesday asked Congress for $6.4 billion to pay for relocation of tens of thousands of Afghan refugees.

The White House estimates that 65,000 Afghans will arrive in the U.S. this month and another 30,000 in months ahead. Funding would go to the Defense, State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services departments.

The money for the refugees would pay for transportation, government processing and public health screenings.

But the lawmakers, in the letter, point to the case of a recent Afghan male convicted of rape in the United States and deported by DHS to Afghanistan, who made it back in the U.S. during the evacuation.

Ghader Heydari was caught by officials upon his arrival at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, which is serving as a landing point for many of the refugees, when his entry was flagged. It's unclear how he made it onto a refugee flight.

The lawmakers requested information - by September 15 - that detailed the vetting process, including the databases used and what follow-ups are in place for 'indeterminate cases' in addition to more information about the number of refugees coming into the United States and what happens to them after they arrive.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged her colleagues in Congress to act on raising the debt ceiling on Wednesday, disputing the criticism that Democrats want to spend more money and instead blaming former President Trump for the debt the US government accrued over his four years in office.

During her weekly news conference Pelosi was asked about a letter sent to Congressional leaders from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this morning.

Yellen warned the US government will run out of money at some point in October unless Congress acts to increase the federal borrowing limit.

'People say, 'oh you just want to spend money',' Pelosi said in a dig at Republicans opposed to raising the debt ceiling.

'No, this is - we're paying the credit card, the Trump credit card, with what we would do to lift the debt ceiling.'

She pointed out that the Trump administration amassed $7 trillion in debt over four years.

Speaker Pelosi said the debt ceiling needs to be raised in order to pay off $7 trillion the Trump administration spent during his time in office

She accused Trump of using the federal government as his own 'credit card'

'When President Trump was president, we Democrats supported lifting the debt ceiling because it's the responsible thing to do. I would hope that the Republicans would act in a similarly responsible way,' Pelosi said.

Senior Congressional Republicans have vowed not to vote for an increase of the current $28.5 trillion debt limit, instead urging Democrats to pass it without their votes through the reconciliation maneuver.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell argued that Republicans should not shoulder the burden of raising the debt limit to finance Democrats' investment initiatives.

Mitch McConnell argued that Democrats want to raise the spending limit to cover progressive initiatives

But Pelosi told reporters at the briefing that raising the debt ceiling through reconciliation is off the table.

Congress is currently considering a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan as well as a massive social spending plan costing $3.5 trillion, both of which would push spending even higher.

The latter plan has no Republican support and will likely be past through reconciliation

Failure to increase the limit could lead to a shutdown of some federal government operations, something that has happened three times in the past decade, and likely would plunge financial markets into chaos.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday again urged Congress to tackle the debt ceiling, saying it was unclear how long Treasury's 'extraordinary measures' to finance the government would last.

Yellen said uncertainty brought on by the COVID pandemic and normal uncertainties in the level of corporate and personal taxes due September 15 also made forecasting difficult.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Pelosi, McConnell and other Congressional leaders that 'extraordinary measures' currently being used to keep the government funded will likely run out some time in October

The 'most likely outcome is that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted during the month of October,' Yellen wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

She warned that waiting until the last minute to act on the debt ceiling could cause 'irreparable damage' to US and global economies as well as raising borrowing costs for Americans and aversely impacting the US credit rating.

'At a time when American families, communities, and businesses are still suffering from the effects of the ongoing global pandemic, it would be particularly irresponsible to put the full faith and credit of the United States at risk,' the Biden official said.

The last time the US came close to missing its deadline on the debt ceiling, the US saw its AAA credit rating downgraded for the first time in history and sent American markets into chaos not seen since the 2008 financial crisis.

Leaders of the Democratic-led Senate and House of Representatives are expected to force votes to lift the debt limit in late September.
The Energy Department released a lofty goal Wednesday calling for solar power to make up 45% of US energy by 2050.

Solar power accounted for around 3% of the energy grid last year, and such an ambitious leap to nearly 50% falls in line with the Biden administration's plan to fundamentally reshape the energy industry away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy by 2035.

According to the new Energy Department report, the US would have to double the amount of solar panels installed every year for the next four years and then double it again by 2030.

The report found that with 'rapid cost reductions,' it is now possible for solar to provide 40% of the nation's electricity by 2035. Tax incentives have boosted solar's growth over the past decade.

The report argues that solar power could provide 1,600 gigawatts of power - more than is consumed by all residential and commercial buildings in the US.

'The study illuminates the fact that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the U.S. by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process,' said Energy Sec. Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

In addition to increasing solar power production every year, the report calls for expanding storage, transmission, forecasting and microgrid capabilities.

Solar power accounted for around 3% of the energy grid last year, but a new Energy Department report said that number could increase to 45% by 2050

Energy Sec. Granholm pushed for Biden's costly Build Back Better Agenda to implement the 45% solar power by 2050 goal

Implementation of the goal relies on Congress' passing of some of President Biden's ambitious proposals, such as those laid out in not only the bipartisan infrastructure bill but also the $3.5 trillion budget blueprint, part of Biden's build Back Better agenda.

The bipartisan $1 trillion bill included billions of dollars for clean energy projects.

'Achieving this bright future requires a massive and equitable deployment of renewable energy and strong decarbonization polices  exactly what is laid out in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and President Biden's Build Back Better agenda,' Granholm said in a statement.

In March, the Biden administration announced another plan to build enough offshore wind turbines for 30 gigawatts of wind power by 2030, adding up to 2,000 turbines in the water.

The president announced last month that he wanted half of all new cars to be electric by 2030.

Biden has used recent natural disasters to underscore the need for clean energy investment.

'Climate change poses an existential threat to our lives, to our economy. And the threat is here; it's not going to get any better,' he said. 'The nation and the world are in peril.'

Conservatives are likely to say the Energy Department's goal is unfeasible and unreliable.

Myron Ebell, energy expert for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told DailyMail.com: 'The grids that have a much lower penetration of wind and solar are already having problems keeping the lights on.'

'The sun doesn't shine on full blast most of the time,' Ebell said. 'Then of course [panels] don't produce when the sun goes down.'

Ebell claimed that investing in the kind of batteries needed to store solar energy would take hundreds of billions of dollars, and even so they could only store power for a few hours.

'Every country or state has gone down this path, at least up till now has been faced with skyrocketing energy costs,' Ebell said, pointing to California, Ontario, Canada, Australia and Germany. 'Everywhere it's been tried it's been extremely costly to consumers.'

The Energy Department said that costs will be offset by savings from technological improvements, and that any additional costs to switching to a solar grid would be negated by savings in healthcare.

'Reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality result in savings of $1.1 trillion to $1.7 trillion, far outweighing the additional costs incurred from transitioning to clean energy. The projected price of electricity for consumers does not rise by 2035, because the costs are fully offset by savings from technological improvements.'
The Los Angeles Police Department has been collecting the social media profiles of anyone they talk to - whether they committed a crime or not - for years, a practice that activists compare to 'stop and frisk' as it puts them in danger of being targeted.

The department also tracked social media posts with 'keywords' that were entirely related to left-wing movements, such as the hashtags #BLMLA, #sayhername and #f***donaldtrump.

The revelations were detailed in documents released Wednesday by the Brennan Center for Justice, a liberal nonprofit at New York University's School of Law.

They center got a deluge of 6,000 records after suing the LAPD in November 2020, alleging that the department didn't hand over everything it asked for in a records request in January of that year.

Beck's 2015 memo was part of a cache of 6,000 pages given to the Brennan Center for Justice by the LAPD after the center sued the department for information last year

An LAPD field interview card, used for interviewing suspects but also innocent witnesses and citizens. On the back, it has a space for the interviewee's social media accounts

Activists were surprised by the surveillance revealed in Los Angeles Police Department records. Above, officers watch over Black Lives Matter protesters in Los Angeles in June 2020

In a memo dated May 27, 2015, then-Police Chief Charlie Beck instructed officers to ask for a person's 'social media and e-mail account information' when completing a field interview report, which is done when interviewing witnesses or others at a scene.

'Similar to a nickname or an alias, a person's online persona or identity used for social media and communication can be highly beneficial to investigators and possibly even future outreach programs,' Beck said.

In an undated document, the LAPD revealed that it used Geofeedia to track various 'keywords'

'There are real dangers about police having all of this social media identifying information at their fingertips,' Brennan Center deputy director Rachel Levinson-Waldman told the Guardian.

'It allows for a huge expansion of network surveillance.'

LAPD field interview cards have their own section for social media accounts - even though the cards can be used with innocents citizens or witnesses.

At least six officers were charged last year after they allegedly misidentified people they had stopped as gang members in interview cards.

Rene Braga, Raul Uribe and Julio Garcia were charged with preparing false documentary evidence by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office last year. Braga was also hit with a count of filing a false police report.

'In all three cases, the defendants are accused of writing on the card that a person admitted to being a gang member even though body-worn camera video showed the defendants either never asked the individuals about their gang membership or the individuals denied gang membership if they were asked,' the a news release by the DA's office said.

Three other officers - Braxton Shaw, Michael Coblentz and Nicolas Martinez - were hit with similar counts, according to the New York Daily News.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, the LAPD says it still uses the cards, which have been updated but still contain a space for social media information.

'The information on these cards is used to help our officers memorialize what was said in field interviews and stay in contact with people who can help us solve crimes,' the department said.

'Social media handles can be critical pieces of contact information, along with phone numbers and email addresses, because people communicate through social media now just as frequently as they do through calls, texts or emails.'

Records also show that LAPD officers were instructed to tell civilians they 'must' hand over their social security numbers if asked to do so by police.

Kathleen Kim, a Loyola law professor and immigrants' rights expert who previously served on the LA police commission, told the Guardian that she was not aware of any law requiring people to disclose social security numbers to local police.

The revelations come as ethicists, companies and activists debate the scope of surveillance that police departments have thanks to social media and technology.

Hamid Khan of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition compared the collection of social media information to 'stop and frisk,' a policy commonly used in New York City where police can detain and search people based on suspicion alone.

'And this is happening with the clear goal of surveillance,' Khan said.

Another internal document, which is undated, listed 'keywords' that the LAPD appeared to be monitoring using Geofeedia, a private social media monitoring firm that promotes itself to police departments by highlighting its collection of posts from protests in Ferguson, Missouri after the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014, according to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Among the keywords were the hashtags #BLMLA, #f***donaldtrump, #BlackLivesMatter, #BLMLA, #EricGarcetti, and the words Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland and Loretta Lynch.

The LAPD mostly monitored left-wing hashtags. It's unclear if it still is, though one website says it used another company to monitor last year's George Floyd protests, above

The website L.A. Taco reported that the LAPD used Dataminr, a similar software, to track last year's protests after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Melina Abdullah, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter LA, said she had long suspected the LAPD was conducting 'targeted tracking.'

'They're following black protesters who are organizing to stop violence and saying, 'Stop killing us'  And are they turning a blind eye to those who are actually violent: the white supremacist organizations that are growing in number?'

Lauren Bridges, a PhD candidate at University of Pennsylvania, previously told the Guardian that one in ten police departments in the US have access to footage from Amazon's Ring doorbell cameras.

She said the tech giant 'is effectively building the largest corporate-owned, civilian-installed surveillance network that the US has ever seen.'

Ring camera owners have to consent to give the footage to police departments to use the footage, once a crime has been committed in the area, but the cameras can capture neighbors at home without their consent.

Last year, the CEO of IBM wrote a letter to Congress saying it was shutting down its facial recognition offerings after the death of George Floyd.

'IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and principles of trust and transparency,' CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to Congress.
A Florida judge has once again overruled Gov. Ron DeSantis's executive order banning school mask mandates, in the last chapter of the war over mask mandates between DeSantis and school districts in the state.

Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled in favor of school districts who defied DeSantis's order and kept enforcing the use of masks in the classrooms, despite DeSantis's threats to withhold funding.

Cooper had previously ruled against DeSantis's order on August 27, but the governor appealed the decision, which allowed the ban to remain enforceable until today.

The latest ruling, which lifts the ban immediately, allows school to enforce masks following CDC guidelines.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured today) overstepped his authority by banning mask mandates in schools, a judge has ruled

Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper ruling lifts the ban on school mask mandates

DeSantis's legal battle with the state's school districts has triggered confrontations between pro-mask school workers and parents as well as students who are opposed to masks.

On July 30, DeSantis issued an executive order forcing the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Health to allow parents to opt out their children from wearing masks at school, even as COVID-19 infections in the state jumped 50% in that week.

Thirteen Florida school districts, representing more than half of the state's 2.8 million public school students, kept their mask mandate.

In retaliation, DeSantis stripped funds equal to monthly school board members' salaries in Alachua and Broward counties.

Three teachers from Broward County School District died from COVID-19, just as Broward County's School Board voted to defy Gov Ron DeSantis' order to drop the mask mandate.

Cooper's ruling will return the funds to those school districts.

Masked children this month at Baldwin Park Elementary School in Orlando

School children wearing face masks arrive on the first day of classes at Baldwin Park Elementary School in Orlando

Cooper said that face mask mandates that follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are 'reasonable and consistent with the best scientific and medical opinion in this country' and that DeSantis violated the law when it banned school districts from requiring masks.

The Judge said DeSantis didn't have the legal authority to ban mask mandates and his order was unconstitutional and could not be enforced.

'It's undisputed that in Florida we are in the midst of a COVID pandemic.

'Based on the evidence I've heard, there's no harm to the state if the stay is set aside,' Cooper said.

DeSantis said that the state had to protect 'parents freedom to choose.'

The order noted that 'children are at 'low risk of contracting a serious illness due to COVID-19' and said that 'forcing' children to wear masks could 'inhibit breathing, and adversely affect communications in the classroom and student performance,' among other things.

DeSantis has described CDC recommendations to wear face masks as 'the most significant threat to freedom in my lifetime,' and even accused the health agencies of 'medical authoritarianism.'

He argued that all 'all parents have the right to make healthcare decisions for their minor children,' - such as whether to mask them up.

'I have (three) young kids. My wife and I are not going to do the masks with the kids; we never have,' DeSantis shared. 'I want to see my kids smiling. I want them having fun.'

The governor's executive order also said that 'there is no statistically significant evidence to suggest that counties with mask requirements have feared any better than those without.'

DeSantis was cheered by supporters as he made the pronouncement, and also welcomed parents who are against masks to address the crowd.

'I think that this decision about whether parents want their kids to have to wear masks all day at school, I think that's a decision that falls squarely within the concord of this Parents' Bill of Rights that I signed,' the governor said.

In Sarasota County, another district that refused to follow DeSantis' order, hundreds of parents were seen lining up at a chiropractor to collect medical exemption forms for their children.

'We were in and out, came in, signed a clipboard and handed a sheet,' parent Paulina Testerman told WJBF-TV of the scene at Twin Palms Chiropractic.

'Nobody asked to see our children. The forms were pre-signed, there was a stack behind the counter and they were just passed out.'

Chiropractor Dan Busch spoke with the ABC affiliate outside his attorney's office, saying that he had only provided exemptions to students and parents he met with personally.

'This is not a political thing. I am not an anti-mask person or an anti-vax person, but I am a pro-freedom, pro-choice person,' said Busch.

Busch said that any 'licensed health care physician' is qualified to provide medical exemptions, including chiropractors.

'Your dentist could do this, your psychiatrist could do this, your psychologist can do this,' he said. 'You were looking at things like respiratory distress, hypoxia, asthma, anxiety, depression  there are a lot of qualifying conditions.'

A protester holds a placard outside an emergency mask mandate meeting of the Brevard County, Florida School Board in Viera on Monday

A masked student raises his hand in class at iPrep Academy on the first day of school in Miami last week. A judge has ruled that Florida school districts may impose mask mandates

Meanwhile, in Sarasota County, where another school mask mandate went into effect on Monday, hundreds of parents were seen lining up at a chiropractor to collect medical exemption forms for their children.

'We were in and out, came in

Cooper said that while the governor and others have argued that a new Florida law gives parents the ultimate authority to oversee health issues for their children, it also exempts government actions that are needed to protect public health and are reasonable and limited in scope.

He said a school district's decision to require student masking to prevent the spread of the virus falls within that exemption.

Florida is one of several states where Republican governors have sought to prevent local governments and school districts from mandating masks

DeSantis' order sparked heated debate and a rebellion from some school districts that argued the rules are necessary to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic

Florida has had a total to 3.36 million cases COVID-19 and 46,973 deaths since the pandemic started

In Florida, 11,546,840 people or 53% of Florida's population has been fully vaccinated

The judge also noted that two Florida Supreme Court decisions from 1914 and 1939 found that individual rights are limited by their impact on the rights of others.

For example, he said, adults have the right to drink alcohol but not to drive drunk. There is a right to free speech, but not to harass or threaten others or yell 'fire' in a crowded theater, he said.

'We don't have that right because exercising the right in that way is harmful or potentially harmful to other people,' Cooper said. He added that the law 'is full of examples of rights that are limited (when) the good of others ... would be adversely affected by those rights.'

Dr Rosalind Osgood, who heads the Broward County School Board, said she supported Cooper's first ruling as the area was 'living out the nightmare of the COVID pandemic, where so many people in our county, including members of our staff and others, are being impacted.'

The three teachers who died in Broward County were identified as Pinewood Elementary teacher and union steward Janice Wright, 48, Dillard Elementary teacher Katina Jones and teaching assistant Yolonda Hudson-Williams, both 49 also of Dillard Elementary.

As Florida's cases continue to soar, the state reported a seven-day rolling average of 10,162 new cases daily on Tuesday.

This brings the statewide total to 3.36 million cases and 46,973 deaths.

There is now a total of 40,282,910 COVID-19 infections in the country
The six-year-old girl from Colorado Springs who fell 110 feet to her death while riding a Haunted Mine Drop ride at a Colorado theme park has been named publicly by her family.

Wongel Estifanos was with her extended family at Glenwood Caverns amusement park in Glenwood Springs when she slipped out of the ride and fell down the shaft of the free-fall attraction.

She was pictured by organizers of a GoFundMe page, who are aiming to raise $50,000 to cover 'the funeral cost and other expenses of the family at this difficult time.'

'Wongel was a beautiful, caring, and cheerful girl who loves Jesus so much for a six-year-old,' organizers divulged in the fundraiser. 'Her life was cut short in this tragic accident.'

'We want all the community to stand with the family during unthinkable loss,' the post went on to say. 'We understand nothing will bring her back, but we do not want this to be an additional burden to the parents.'

Wongel was a student at Stetson Elementary School in Colorado Springs, reported KRDO.

Wongel Estifanos was with her extended family at Glenwood Caverns Amusement Park, when she slipped out of the ride and fell down the shaft of the free-fall attraction

The Haunted Mine Drop that Wongel somehow fell out of first opened in 2017, and was specifically designed without shoulder restraints to make the dramatic drop 'a little bit more scary,' its designer, Stan Checketts, declared to KDVR when the attraction first opened.

However, days after the Sunday incident, details surrounding the specifics of the accident are still sparse.

Questions were being asked as to how a young child was allowed to board the ride, which was created to provide a wild experience. The investigation, conducted by the Glenwood County Sheriff's Office, will take weeks, with a report not be ready for months, officials told CBS.

The park was closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday - and will not reopen until Saturday.

Previous visitors to the attraction claimed that safety belts on the ride were not attached tight enough, leaving them fearful for their safety.

'I rode that ride in June and the young girl running the ride didn't seem to know what she was doing,' rider Sarah Akard wrote on Facebook.

'My safety belt wasn't tight and I felt like I was coming out of the ride.

'I tried to tell her but they started the ride. I'm thankful I was able to hold myself in. Prayers to the family and those on the ride.'

Checketts, the ride's designer, initially told KDVR that they made the decision to omit shoulder restraints in its design to make it 'a little bit more exciting'.

A post about the Haunted Mine Drop ride on the park's website, as well as a promotional video, were deleted on Monday morning

The vertigo-inducing ride was specifically designed to not include shoulder restraints

Stan Checketts, who designed the ride in 2017, said they deliberately did not include shoulder restraints to make the Haunted Mine Drop 'more scary'

He added, 'Usually as a rule, every ride that I've ever designed with my team and built with my team, I'm the first one to ride it.'

'In this particular case, that's not true. It's very unusual for me to be here and not even [have] ridden it yet and everybody's getting to ride it ahead of me.'

Checketts created and later sold S&S Sansei, one of the biggest amusement ride design manufacturers in the world.

The company has about 150 tower drop rides internationally, most recently in China.

Josh Hays, the company's director of sales and marketing, said they all have shoulder restraints.

He told The Denver Post that the Haunted Mine Drop, which Checketts designed after he'd sold and left S&S and had built by his company, Soaring Eagle Zipline in Utah, uses a different design.

He explained that the Haunted Mine Drop is a free-fall ride, while his company's tower drops are all propelled by pneumatics.

'All of our towers have shoulder restraints,' Hays said.

'When it comes to safety we don't want to reinvent the wheel when we have a design that works really well.'

Hays said modern rides cannot operate if any of their safety features are not properly affixed.

'All our rides are electronically monitored to know if a restraint is improperly fastened,' he said.

'There are redundancies. A ride cannot be dispatched without all the restraints checked and verified, manually and electronically.'

A guest of the park who rode the Haunted Mine Drop just hours before the incident occurred told CBS her seatbelt was thoroughly checked.

'There are two seatbelts per person, and I thought I had buckled both of mine in,' said Marybeth Riegel Urrutia.

'The operator of the ride went around the corner to start the ride, but quickly reappeared because my second buckle was not secured all the way.

'I joked 'hey that's important, thank you for double checking.'

'So if it helps Glenwood at all, they do double check the seatbelts. My understanding is the ride won't start until everyone is secured properly.'

The ride takes about 2.5 seconds and drops 110 feet.

Guests were also required to sign a liability waiver before getting on the Mine Drop - and riders younger than 18 are supposed to have their parent or guardian sign the waiver on their behalf.

The waiver, posted on the park's website, states that participants understand rides can pose the risk of injury or death.

The document states in part, 'INJURIES/AND OR DEATH may result' and 'THE UNDERSIGNED hereby ASSUME ALL RISKS.'

Another sentence reads, 'THE UNDERSIGNED understand and agree that a seat belt IS IN NO WAY A GUARANTEE OF SAFETY.'

A waiver posted on the park's website states that participants understand rides can pose the risk of injury or death, explicitly saying 'INJURIES/AND OR DEATH may result' and that 'THE UNDERSIGNED understand and agree that a seat belt IS IN NO WAY A GUARANTEE OF SAFETY.'

Parkgoers are required to sign this liability waiver before getting on the Mine Drop - whereas riders younger than 18 are supposed to have their parent or guardian sign the waiver on their behalf

Such a document won't protect the park from potential criminal charges, depending on the details of the situation, said a lawyer who spoke with KDVR, but it can protect them against civil liability in certain circumstances.

Checketts has designed a host of similar rides over the course of his career as a designer, including the similar Stratosphere Big Shot ride in Las Vegas, Nevada.

That ride shoots riders upward at a rapid speed before lowering them back down. That ride has shoulder restraints, and there is no suggestion that it is unsafe.

Police scanner traffic captured on the day of the incident reveals a dispatcher frantically requested assistance at the park 'for a party that fell out of the shaft ride. The party is at the bottom of the shaft.'

She adds: 'Patient will be a 6-year-old female and she fell approximately 110 feet.

'Unknown which part of the ride the patient fell from, believe the ride was in operation when the child fell from it.'

A first responder later says: 'They are doing CPR down there right now.'

He later adds: 'Request coroner response', indicating that the girl had died



The audio also reveals that the girl's extended family were at the scene.

The first responder says: 'I need another sheriff's deputy to the scene to help us out with parents, and can I request a victims' advocate if one is available.'

He adds: 'There's an extended family of about 20 people up here, a lot of very distraught people.'

The Garfield County Coroner's Office confirmed the girl was from from Colorado Springs.

Her cause of death has not yet been confirmed, and officials have not released her identity.

The young girl was fatally injured on the Haunted Mine Drop ride - a Tower of Terror-style attraction that plunges riders 110 feet in a simulated freefall into an underground cavern in three seconds or less

Police scanner traffic captured on the day of the incident reveals a dispatcher frantically requested assistance at the park 'for a party that fell out of the shaft ride,' adding, 'The party is at the bottom of the shaft'

Specifics of the young girl's injuries were not provided, but the coroner's office has scheduled an autopsy for this week.

Walt Stowe, a spokesman for the Garfield County Sheriff's Office, said Monday morning his agency is investigating the accident. He would not elaborate on other details.

Inspection records released on Tuesday show all the park's rides, including the Haunted Mine Drop, passed inspection by Worldwide Safety Group in Plant City, Florida, each year since 2019.

The most recent was in June 2021.

According to the state website, all Colorado amusement parks are required to undergo 'annual third-party inspections and obtained adequate insurance coverage in the event that an accident occurs.'

The tragic incident that occurred at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Sunday is currently being investigated by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office

The park's general manager, Nancy Heard, told CBS Denver on Monday: 'On the evening of September 5th a fatality occurred at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. An investigation is ongoing.

'We are deeply saddened and ask that you please keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers.

'Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park will be closed Monday, September 6 and Tuesday, September 7.'

The park will reopen on Saturday, but the ride will remain closed pending an investigation.
New York mayor Bill de Blasio has crowed that the city has experienced one of its safest Augusts on record - and he's not wrong, despite a bloody Labor Day weekend where one person was shot dead and eight others were injured.

De Blasio released last month's citywide crime statistics at a press conference on Tuesday, where he said crime in August 2021 dropped 5.4 per cent compared to the same time last year.

Crime in the city is also at one of its lowest levels since 1995, according to CompStat with 6,141 violent incidents compared to 1,979 in the year to date. Those incidents include, murder, rape, assault, burglary, larceny and grand theft auto.

But despite overall crime rates being down, New York City continues to see a surge in violent crimes in some areas, with murders up a whopping 60 per cent in the Bronx alone this year, compared to 2020. Hate crimes citywide have also soared a shocking 97.8 per cent compared to last year.

De Blasio's announcement came after a violent Labor Day Weekend where nine people were shot. They included a 21-year-old immigrant cab driver who was caught in the crossfire of a shootout in Harlem in the early hours of Sunday morning and died three days later.

Kudlup Singh was struck by a 15-year-old male suspect as he drove his black Toyota Camry past a nearby silver sedan when a gun battle erupted between the car's occupants and the people on the street.

Singh suffered horrific brain damage as a result and the other passengers in Singh's vehicle - a mother and 12-year-old son - were not harmed during the incident.

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press conference Tuesday that the city is 'turning the corner when it comes to public safety,' citing dipping crime rates and one of the safest Augusts in nearly 30 years

De Blasio called the drop 'striking progress and progress that gives us a lot of hope for the future'

NYPD data shows the change in crime rates from a 28-day period in August 2021 ending on Sunday, September 5, compared to the same time last year

The Uber driver is one of the 1,305 shooting victims so far this year - a 1.7 per cent increase from the 1,283 victims in 2020 - even though the overall number of shootings dropped 6.6 per cent to 57.

However, according to NYPD records shooting incidents have decreased by 30.7 per cent overall. The department made 343 gun arrests this past August - 6.3 per cent less arrests compared to August of last year.

De Blasio called the drop 'striking progress and progress that gives us a lot of hope for the future'.

The NYPD released a statement Tuesday regarding citywide crime statistics, which echoed De Blasio: 'The number of overall index crimes reported in the city through the end of August is the lowest tally for the first eight months of any calendar year since the start of the modern CompStat era nearly three decades ago.'

It added: 'The crime reductions... reflect the NYPD's relentless focus on precision policing to reduce violence across New York City.'

The department also highlighted the progress made in August alone, 'crediting it to more gun arrests, courts reopening, grand juries hearing more cases and a strategy called precision policing that targets suspected gang members'.

A spike in crime rates in the 1990s was attributed to the crack-cocaine epidemic of the mid-80s, according to The Atlantic. The late 90s saw crime rates plummet because of economic growth and more opportunities for higher employment.

About 7.5 per cent of the drop can be attributed to a decrease in alcohol consumption during that time, as reported by The Atlantic. 'There's also early research that suggests more abstract economic factors like inflation and consumer confidence (that) may have played a role.'

NYPD CompStat data reported some of the lowest crime rates in the city since 1995, when 6,141 crimes occurred. In 2021, a total of 1,979 crimes were reported throughout the city

NYPD crime statistics through September 5, showing a slight decrease in overall crimes. Year to date murders are down 2.2 per cent despite string of shootings over Labor Day weekend in the Bronx

In 2021, De Blasio noted: 'We got a lot more to go, let me be clear... One crime is one crime too many for all of us and we have big challenges ahead, particularly in the Bronx.'

He also said that citywide, 'murder is down nearly nine per cent'.

But in the Bronx, in the 28-day period that ended after the bloody weekend on Sunday, September 5, there were a total of 24 murders - compared to 21 over the same period in 2020 - a 60 per cent increase.

Police said a 30-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were shot in the buttocks and lower back respectively, at 1877 Bathgate Avenue in the Crotona neighborhood at 2.48am Sunday.

EMS transported the teen to St Barnabas Hospital while the other man managed to take himself to Lincoln Hospital.

Then at around 3.30am, police responded to a shooting opposite a gas station located at 2280 Tillotson Avenue in the Eastchester neighborhood of the Bronx.

A stray bullet from a Harlem shootout killed Uber driver Kuldip Singh, 21, who was driving down the street with a mother and her 12-year-old son in the backseat

Police are seeking this man in connection with Singh's fatal shooting. The 15 year-old boy who is believed to have fired the deadly shot was apprehended, and is being treated in hospital

Seven people in the Bronx in New York City, sustained gunshot wounds in separate shootings in the space of a few hours. It is unclear if these shootings were related. Four of those injured were shot outside of a catering hall at 3.35am on Sunday

Cops discovered a 28-year-old man 'unconscious and unresponsive' with a gunshot wound while a second man, 35, also sustained a gunshot wound but was conscious and alert.

Both men were rushed to Jacobi Hospital where the 28-year-old was pronounced dead. The 35-year-old was listed in stable condition.

Elsewhere in the Bronx police said four people were shot and wounded as a group of people left La Roose Catering Hall on White Plains Road around 3.35am.

The group got into an argument with an unknown person, who opened fire on them, shooting a 24-year-old man, a 27-year-old woman, a 36-year-old man and a 47-year-old man all in their legs.

The last shooting was reported around 4.15am Sunday in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood where police say a 22-year-old woman was shot by a driver she mistook for her taxi.

The man in the black car attempted to grab the woman's bag and when she resisted, the driver drew a gun and opened fire, hitting her in her left shoulder in front of 197th Street and Reservoir Avenue.

The suspects above allegedly attacked two men with a screwdriver and a glass bottle, hurled a homophobic slur at one of them, and stole cash and an iPhone before fleeing the scene at a store at 1559 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn at 2.10am Saturday

The men attacked the victims with a glass bottle and a screwdriver before stealing an iPhone and cash and running away on foot

The NYPD maintains that 'officers have made consistent progress in curtailing gun violence, anchored by the departments continuing to build strong long-term cases against those who carry out violence using firearms'.

Overall, crime may be down but felony assaults saw a 5.5 per cent increase and rape spiked by 4.5 per cent. The number of robberies decreased by 1.9 per cent.

The FBI recorded a soaring number of hate crimes across the United States, including in the Big Apple, which they attributed to an increased amount of assaults targeting Asian and Black victims.

Since the beginning of 2021, the NYPD reported 376 hate crimes, compared to 189 last year - a shocking 97.8 per cent increase.

Most recently two men were brutally attacked with a glass bottle and a screwdriver while being called homophobic slurs at a Brooklyn bodega early Saturday morning.

The two male victims, aged 36 and 28, were trying to buy food at a store at 1559 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn at 2.10am, according to the NYPD.

They were approached by two unknown men who engaged them in a verbal dispute and made 'anti-gay statements,' according to police.

The men attacked the victims with a glass bottle and a screwdriver before stealing an iPhone and cash and running away on foot.
Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell described the tent city housing Afghan refugees she saw during her tour of Holloman Air Force Base, where 14 refugees have tested positive for COVID, people can leave freely at any time and concerns remain about the vetting process.

Herrell, whose New Mexico congressional district houses Holloman and part of Fort Bliss, finally was able to tour the base on Tuesday after her request was delayed.

She said 2,000 refugees were at Holloman but officials there were expecting up to 5,000 in the next few weeks. And with around 14,000 refugees at Fort Bliss, her district will house around 20,000 refugees, the most in the nation.

Herrell wasn't allowed to take photos of the tour but U.S. Northern Command posted some of their social media accounts.

The freshman member of Congress described seeing enormous tents, 'several thousand square feet.'

Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell of New Mexico, far left, on a tour of Holloman Air Force Base on Tuesday

A soldier at Holloman hands out drinks to Afghan refugees

Rep. Herrell described the tents and living situation for the refugees, above service members at Holloman lay out rows of cots

She said the tents were sectioned off with heavy black plastic to make separate sleeping quarters for the refugees. There was a separate multi-purpose room, a cafeteria and a shower there. And she praised the efforts of the military to build the new facilities so quickly as refugees were brought in.

During her tour she witnessed 150 refugees arriving on a Southwest Airlines Flight. The White House estimates that 65,000 Afghans will arrive in the U.S. this month and another 30,000 in months ahead.

'They get them off the plane, they showed us the process. They're fatigued, they're tired, they're hungry. They right away give them a refreshment, you know, water some food, then they go through a very quick screening health screening.'

She said COVID tests are being done.

'Of the 2,000 people there, they had 14 positive COVID tests, and so those 14 people were quarantine,' she noted.

The refugees are given food, housing and medical checks but are also free to leave. Although many of them don't as they are not allowed back inside and, while they are on the base, officials are fast tracking their paperwork for permanent residence status.

'They are unable to hold them there against their will, with the Afghan refugee wants to leave the base, they absolutely can,' Herrell told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. 'But how the caveat is that they leave, they can't come back.'

She added that officials 'don't expect very many of them to leave, because at the base, they're going to have the access to the paperwork that fast track getting their status, and President Biden, as I understand that wants to give these, these Afghans actual status you know citizenship status so that they can vote.'

Refugees with the special SIV visas - designated for Afghanis who helped the United States during its time in Afghanistan - are able to procure permanent residency. After five years as a permanent resident, a person can apply for full American citizenship.

Herrell said the fast-tracking, the rapid evacuation, and the fast movement of refugees to the U.S. had her concerned that some could slip through the cracks.

'Oh they're 100% fast tracking it. And that's why we have the concerns,' she said.

She said that the U.S. should help Afghanis who were allies but there was also an obligation to protect the country.

'We absolutely have a responsibility to honor our promise to help the Afghan nationals and their families,' she said. 'That's absolutely priority, but we also have a priority to ensure the system is going to work, and that we're not going to find ourselves setting America up for another attack.'

Herrell has repeatedly raised questions about the vetting process. She is working with other Republican lawmakers on a letter to President Biden flagging their concerns.

'We write to express our grave concern about the rushed and incomplete vetting of Afghan evacuees being brought to the United States,' an early draft of the letter, obtained by DailyMail.com, reads.

'Specifically, we are concerned that inadequate criminal and security background checks are being performed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State on evacuees in their country of origin, and in other countries in which they have resided or to which they traveled before being brought to the United States,' the lawmakers write.

The letter will go to Biden either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning as more Republicans may sign on. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed concerns about the evacuation from Afghanistan.

Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base, spear headed a letter to President Biden on the issue

Tents being built at Fort Bliss to house refugees - similar tents are being built at Holloman

Herrell said the rapid pace of the vetting process raised concerns that some could slip through the cracks.

'They're able to do it in a matter of a few short weeks. It just rings, you know, an alarm bell because we understand that there's not that much data available so how are they actually able to ensure the criminal backgrounds,' she told DailyMail.com.

She said Afghan allies should be allowed into the U.S. but questioned whether the vetting process was thorough enough.

'There's some incredible people there but, you know, it only takes one, and that's what the greatest concern,' she added.

The letter cites briefings the lawmakers had with Department of Homeland Security officials, nothing the officials said they didn't have access to many nations' criminal background check systems.

'Foreign nations records are often not digitized, which is likely the case in the vast majority of records in Afghanistan. In addition, widespread corruption and failed governments make these databases unreliable, if not useless. This is certainly the case in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and likely true of the previous Afghan government,' they write.

'While we do not dispute that some level of screening is occurring, screening is only as good and comprehensive as the information within the databases that are checked,' they note.

Herrell said there were still questions remaining on how detailed the vetting process was and if it could be done thoroughly given the time constraints in getting Afghans out of the country.

'Of course we're seeing the stories where people are getting in it, finding out, they have a criminal background. So, you know, we just, we have to be I think extra careful and Americans deserve tender to know they're protected, even through a humanitarian effort,' she said.

The Dona Ana Range Complex on Fort Bliss, which houses refugees recently evacuated from Afghanistan, is pictured near Chaparral, New Mexico

An Afghan boy boards a bus taking refugees to a processing center upon their arrival at Dulles International Airport

The Biden administration has defended the vetting process, saying both biographic and biometric data are used. Officials point out that Afghan refugees are first taken to another location - such as Germany or Qatar - where the background checks can be completed before they arrive in the U.S.

'We're not going to allow flights that have hundreds of people who don't know who they are, who haven't been security protocol through security protocols where we haven't seen the manifest to land on US military basis,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing on Wednesday.

And the White House on Tuesday asked Congress for $6.4 billion to pay for relocation of tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. Funding would go to the Defense, State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services departments.

The money for the refugees would pay for transportation, government processing and public health screenings.

But the lawmakers, in the letter, point to the case of a recent Afghan male convicted of rape in the United States and deported by DHS to Afghanistan, who made it back in the U.S. during the evacuation.

Ghader Heydari was caught by officials upon his arrival at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, which is serving as a landing point for many of the refugees, when his entry was flagged. It's unclear how he made it onto a refugee flight.

The lawmakers requested information - by September 15 - that detailed the vetting process, including the databases used and what follow-ups are in place for 'indeterminate cases' in addition to more information about the number of refugees coming into the United States and what happens to them after they arrive.
A woman suing Leon Black for sexual abuse and defamation made up 'demonstrably false' new accusations linking him to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Black's lawyers said on Wednesday.

Black's claim in a New York state court filing was in response to Guzel Ganieva's amended civil lawsuit, where she said the private equity billionaire flew her to Florida in 2008 for a possible sexual encounter with Epstein, his 'best friend'.

The former Russian model, now in her late 30s, is seeking unspecified damages from Black, accusing the 70-year-old of rape and other sexual abuse, as well as defaming her by claiming she tried to extort him.

Wall Street billionaire Black is adamant that the new accusations against him by Ganieva linking him to Jeffrey Epstein are 'demonstrably false'

Former Russian model Guzel Ganieva claims Black flew her to Florida with the intention of having sex with him and Jeffrey Epstein in 2008

She also called Black a 'violent, sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her before coercing her into signing a non-disclosure agreement in a defamation lawsuit exposed exclusively by DailyMail.com in June.

Genieva alleges that upon her arrival at to Epstein's mansion, she was summoned into a room to find both Black and Epstein sitting in an office together.

'Black and Epstein were situated close to one another, each facing Ms. Ganieva while in almost supine positions, as if they were waiting for her to get on top of them. Indeed, Black indicated with his eyes that he wanted Ms. Ganieva to come and lay in between him and Epstein,' part of the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court reads.

Despite the come-ons, Ganieva did not sleep with the men, at which point Black told her to leave the room. The visit only lasted a total of two hours.

Former Apollo Global Management Chief Executive Black, who is married, adamantly denies the abuse claims.

He also says he paid Ganieva $100,000 a month for 15 years not to discuss their consensual six-and-a-half-year relationship, after she allegedly demanded $100 million.

The payments eventually added up to $18 million total and stopped after Ganieva tweeted about Black in March.

Ganieva says she was brought to Epstein's Palm Beach mansion by Black, where she says she was sexually propositioned by the pair

In Wednesday's filing, Black's lawyers challenged Ganieva's 'miraculous sudden recall' for her August 9 amended complaint of 'shocking acts of sexual torture and threats to traffic her' that were omitted from her original June 1 complaint.

The lawyers said these included 'gratuitous' claims involving Epstein that flight records and other evidence would show were untrue.

'Ganieva has a history of inventing tales of bullying, harassment, disrespect -and worse - in the hopes of winning a payday for herself,' the filing says.

A lawyer for Ganieva said: 'Tellingly absent from Blacks answer is the fact that just two weeks ago, he tried to improperly withdraw his own legal claims against Ms. Ganieva  which he purposely alleged with the intention of concocting a false narrative in the media that he did not abuse her. Blacks billions and his powerful connections will not prevent the truth from coming out. We are confident that a jury of Ms. Ganievas peers will hold Black accountable for Blacks horrific conduct as alleged in our complaint by Ms. Ganieva.'

Wednesday's filing made no mention of Black's earlier defamation counterclaims against Ganieva.

His lawyers have said Black would no longer pursue the counterclaims, so that he could focus on defending himself.

Ganieva's lawyers have said court rules forbid the withdrawal because their client had responded to them, and that Black countersued to win positive media attention.

Black stepped down from Apollo this year after an outside independent review found he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning.

The review also said Black was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities.

Black has publicly said he regretted his involvement with Epstein, who killed himself in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Dylann Roof, 27, (pictured in 2015) has filed an appeal in the 4th Circuit to challenge the court's confirmation of his 2015 conviction, where he received nine life sentences for shooting nine people in a South Carolina church

Convicted killer Dylann Roof's lawyers made another attempt to spare him the death penalty on Wednesday, appealing a federal court's confirmation that he was mentally competent to stand trial after he fatally shot nine people in a South Carolina church in 2015.

In a petition filed Wednesday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, attorneys for Roof argued that the court's decision last month to uphold his federal conviction and sentence interpreted too broadly the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which authorizes Congress to regulate commerce among the states.

Last month, a three-judge panel of the court unanimously upheld Roof's conviction and sentence, saying the legal record cannot even capture the 'full horror' of what he did.

The judges rejected arguments that the young white man should have been ruled incompetent to stand trial in the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Now, Roof wants the full court to consider his appeal.

The judges wrote: 'Dylann Roof murdered African Americans at their church, during their Bible-study and worship. They had welcomed him. He slaughtered them.

'He did so with the express intent of terrorizing not just his immediate victims at the historically important Mother Emanuel Church, but as many similar people as would hear of the mass murder,' the panel wrote in its ruling.

Roof's lawyers allegedly argue that it was wrong that the government's argued a combination of factors - including Roof's use of the internet to post his views and research the church - constituted 'interstate commerce.'

The panel's decision amounted to 'an amorphous, unprecedented, and all-encompassing standard for federal Commerce Clause jurisdiction over local crime, effectively nullifying states' traditional police power in that arena.'

In 2017, Roof became the first person in the U.S. sentenced to death for a federal hate crime.

Roof (pictured in his prison uniform in 2017) pleaded guilty to state murder charges and awaits the death penalty. He is the first person in the US to be sentenced to death for a hate crime

His appeal comes after a three-judge panel rejected that he should be ruled as incompetent and his attorneys are requesting he receive a 'proper competency evaluation' and a rehearing

Authorities said Roof opened fire during the closing prayer of a Bible study at Mother Emanuel, raining down dozens of bullets on those assembled.

He was 21 at the time.

In his appeal, Roof's attorneys had argued that he was wrongly allowed to represent himself during sentencing, a critical phase of his trial.

Roof successfully prevented jurors from hearing evidence about his mental health, 'under the delusion,' his attorneys argued, that 'he would be rescued from prison by white-nationalists - but only, bizarrely, if he kept his mental-impairments out of the public record.'

Roof's lawyers said his convictions and death sentence should be vacated, or his case should be sent back to court for a 'proper competency evaluation.'

This request comes after Roof told the court there was nothing wrong with him at a hearing in 2017.

'The point is I'm not going to lie to you," he said in 2017. "There's nothing wrong with me psychologically."

The 4th Circuit initially found that the trial judge did not commit an error when he found Roof was competent to stand trial and issued a scathing rebuke of Roof's crimes.

'No cold record or careful parsing of statutes and precedents can capture the full horror of what Roof did,' the judges wrote. 'His crimes qualify him for the harshest penalty that a just society can impose.'

It remains to be seen who exactly would hear the case, should the court grant Roof a full hearing. All of the judges in the 4th Circuit, which covers South Carolina, have recused themselves; one of their own, Judge Jay Richardson, prosecuted Roof's case as an assistant U.S. attorney. The panel that heard arguments in May and issued August's ruling was composed of judges from several other appellate circuits.

Along with his request for a full-court hearing, Roof also asked that either U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts designate a panel to consider the rehearing petition or the 4th Circuit's chief judge designate other judges from within that district to make up such a panel.

After his federal trial, Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty in 2017 to state murder charges, leaving him to await execution in a federal prison and sparing his victims and their families the burden of a second trial.

Earlier this summer, however, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a moratorium and halted all federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its execution policies and procedures.

DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Myrah Thompson, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Daniel Simmons, Clementa Pinckney and Cynthia Hurd were all killed by Roof on June 17, 2015

Roof shot and killed nine churchgoers during prayer at Mother Emanuel Church (pictured) in 2015 when he was 21

The review comes after a historic run of capital punishment at the end of the Trump administration, which carried out 13 executions in six months.

A federal lawsuit also has been filed over the execution protocols - including the risk of pain and suffering associated with the use of pentobarbital, the drug used for lethal injection.

As a candidate, President Joe Biden said he'd work to end federal executions. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in March that he continues to have 'grave concerns' about it.

If unsuccessful in his direct appeal, Roof could file what's known as a 2255 appeal, or a request that the trial court review the constitutionality of his conviction and sentence. He could also petition the U.S. Supreme Court or seek a presidential pardon.
Security forces and immigration agents rescued 286 migrants - among them 46 unaccompanied minors - who were being held at a stash house by a smuggling organization in central Mexico.

The arrest came just two days after 162 migrants were found in a completely separate stash house near the border.

In the most recent incident, authorities raided the property in Aguascalientes on Tuesday and during the operation arrested three alleged members of the smuggling network, the National Institute of Migration said in a statement.

All three were expected to be charged with human trafficking, the agency said.

The suspects watching over the migrants who were being housed at the site ahead of their departure for the United States border.

Most of the individuals were natives of Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.

Pictured are some of the 286 migrants , including 46 unaccompanied minors, who were found at a stash house in Aguascalientes, Mexico, on Tuesday by security forces and immigration agents. The National Institute of Migration said three members of a smuggling network were also arrested.

The migrants were kept at a stash house in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as part of a smuggling network's plan to transport the individuals to the border with the United States

Migrants rest in one of the multiple bedrooms at a stash house in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where they were removed from Tuesday by Mexican security forces and immigration agents

A member of Mexico's National Institute of Migration watches over a group of migrants who were among the 286 rescued from a stash house Tuesday

The massive discovery comes only two days after security forces discovered 162 migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador abandoned a stash house in Camargo, Tamaulipas, approximately 250 miles south of the United States-Mexico border.

The National Institute of Migration said there were at least 23 children in the group who were without their parents or family members.

A male migrant told an agent at that they had gone five days without food or water.

A desperate woman can be heard telling the agent, 'I already want to turn myself in, I can bear this anymore.'

Another woman holding on to a child told the same agent, 'Please, take us.'

He replied, 'Don't worry. We are going to help you now. There's help on the way for you.'

Some of the migrants were diagnosed with malnutrition and dehydration. The individuals were given IV therapy, food and water, the National Institute of Migration.

Mexico's National Institute of Migration released the above image of some of the 162 migrants who were rescued from a stash house in Camargo, Tamaulipas, five days after they had been abandoned by smugglers who had promised to cross them over the U.S.-Mexico border

One of the 162 migrants who were abandoned at a stash house in Camargo - approximately 250 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border - is treated by paramedics Sunday

Mexico's National Institute of Migration said many of the 162 migrants went five days without food or water after they were abandoned by their smugglers in Camargo, Tamaulipas

With talks between Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and United States President Joe Biden scheduled Thursday, the Mexican government stressed that Washington needs to commit funds to develop southern Mexico and Central America and hopefully control the migration crisis at the United States-Mexico border.

Part of Lopez Obrador's ambitious plan calls for U.S. President Joe Biden to back a tree-growing plan that will generate over 300,000 jobs in Central America and cut the flow of migrants to the border.

'We hope to get a positive response to begin these investments soon,' Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said.

At least four migrant caravans - made up mostly Central Americans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Cubans, have been broken up by National Guardsmen in riot. gear and immigration agents in the southern state of Chiapas since August 28.

Close to 800 migrants were stopped near Huixtla on Sunday. Several hundred migrants from Haiti gathered Monday in Tapachula to ask the Mexican government to provide them with documents to be able to move legally to the north of the country.

National Migration Institute agents and National Guardsmen detain a group of migrants traveling in a caravan Sunday in the southern Mexican town of Huixtla

Haitian migrants protested Monday in Tapachula, Chiapas, to ask the Mexican government to provide them with documents to be able to move legally to the north of the country

President Lopez Obrador said last Thursday the strategy of containing migrants in the south was untenable on its own and more investment is needed in the region to keep Central Americans from leaving their homes.

Thousands of mostly Haitian migrants stuck in Tapachula have increasingly protested in recent weeks. Many have been waiting there for months, some up to a year, for asylum requests to be processed.

Mexico's refugee agency has been overwhelmed. So far this year, more than 77,000 people have applied for protected status in Mexico, 55,000 of those in Tapachula, where shelters are full.

Unable to work legally and frustrated by the delay and poor conditions, hundreds have set out north.
The 11-year-old sole survivor of a family massacre described how she survived the horrific event allegedly carried out by a Marine sharp-shooter turned 'survivalist' on meth.

Bryan Riley, 33, allegedly killed a family of four, including a three-month old baby in his mothers arms, and injured the 11-year-old girl during a brutal rampage Sunday morning in Lakeland, Florida.

The 11-year-old girl, whose name has not been released, was shot several times in the legs. She remains hospitalized at Tampa General Hospital where she is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

'She told our detectives that, "I believe the reason that I'm alive is because I played dead and I prayed,''' Judd said.

Marine sharp-shooter Bryan Riley, 33, allegedly opened fire on a family of four at 4:30am on Sunday killing 40-year-old Justice Gleason, his 33-year-old girlfriend Theresa Lanham, their three-month-old son Jody, Lanham's 62-year-old mother Catherine Delgado and the family dog

Gleason (left) and Lanham (right) were shot dead on Sunday morning in their Lakeland home

The couple (pictured) lived with Lanham's mother Catherine Delgado who owned the Florida property. Delgado was also killed in the massacre

The couple's baby son Jody was clutched in the arms of his mother as they were shot

When asked why he shot the baby, Riley responded, 'Because I'm a sick guy. I want to confess to all of it and be sent to jail.'

Riley is being held at Polk County Jail on four counts of first-degree murder with no current motive for the shooting identified. He was escorted from the Sheriff's Operation Center in Winter Haven to Polk County Jail on Sunday afternoon as he kept his eyes shut

The young girl was rescued by deputies before they raided the house.

'Despite us fearing there were booby traps, our Sgt. Graham rushed into the house when he heard there was someone in there, scooped her up and ran out with her, and she said, 'the other three are dead,'' Sherriff Judd told reporters.

Riley is being held without bond at Polk County Jail on four counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of Justice Gleason, 40, his 33-year-old girlfriend, Theresa Lanham, their three-month old son, Jody, and Lanham's 62-year-old mother, Catherine Delgado, who owned the property. The the family dog Diogi was also shot dead.

The 11-year-old is Gleason's daughter from a previous relationship.

A family statement said she has already undergone four surgeries to repair 10 wounds but is alert, reading, writing and generally in good spirits.

'She was very scared when this happened, but she just prayed during the event and knew it would be OK,' their statement to WTVT-TV said. 'We appreciate all the well wishes, kind words and prayers.'

Another 10-year-old girl related to family was found safe at a relatives home, according to Judd. The sheriff did not give any further details.

Riley, a United States Marine who served as a sharp-shooter for four years in active service in Afghanistan and Iraq before being honorably discharged, reportedly suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and worked as a security guard.

He described himself as a 'survivalist' and told police that he was high on methamphetamines at the time of the shooting. Police have not confirmed a toxicology report.

Detectives don't believe Riley knew the family or others in the neighborhood.

'The big question that all of us has is, 'Why?'' local prosecutor Brian Haas said after Sunday's slayings. 'We will not know today or maybe ever.'

The detectives still did not identify the motive behind the shooting even after Riley claimed he knew they did.

As he was arrested on Sunday he told officers, 'You know why I did this.'

When asked why he shot the baby, Riley responded, 'Because I'm a sick guy. I want to confess to all of it and be sent to jail.'

He told police the family begged for their lives, but he shot them anyway, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

The massacre came about nine hours after investigators say Gleason had a bizarre confrontation with Riley.

Riley's long-time girlfriend reportedly told authorities that he came home and told her he saw a man on a lawnmower, and that God gave him a vision that his daughter was going to commit suicide.

That man appeared to be Gleason, police said. Riley drove to Gleason's house and told him that God had sent him to prevent Amber's suicide but Gleason and one of the other victims explained that no one by that name lived there and asked him to leave.

When officers arrived on the scene, Judd said, they saw a truck on fire

Video footage from a neighbor recorded four short volleys of about six to ten shots

Riley and the officers exchanged gunfire after they arrived at the scene in the early morning

Riley eventually stepped outside and surrendered after he had been shot

They called 911, but when authorities arrived, Riley was gone. A deputy searched the area but didnt find him.

Riley returned at about 4:30am and arranged glowsticks to create a path leading to the victims house in what Judd said may have been an attempt to draw officers 'into an ambush.'

Shots soon rang out as neighbor Liberty Ulrichs security camera recorded at least four short volleys of about six to 10 shots each.

A deputy in the area heard the gunfire and sounded the alarm, bringing state and local law enforcement officers to the scene.

When they arrived, they found an apparently unarmed Riley outside, dressed in camouflage, and his truck ablaze. Riley ran back into the house, where authorities heard more gunfire, 'a woman scream and a baby whimper,' Judd said.

Officers tried to enter, but the front door was barricaded. Judd said that when they went to the back, they saw Riley, who appeared to have donned full body armor.

Riley and the officers exchanged heavy gunfire, with dozens 'if not hundreds of rounds' fired before Riley retreated back into the home, according to Judd.

Everything fell silent until a helicopter unit noticed that Riley was coming out, the sheriff said. He had been shot once and surrendered.

Officers heard cries for help inside but were unsure whether there were additional shooters. One officer rushed in and grabbed the wounded 11-year-old girl.

'I will never be able to unsee that mother with that deceased infant in her arms,' Judd said. 'It is a horror of the utmost magnitude.'

Rileys girlfriend told investigators he was never violent but had become increasingly erratic. She said he claimed to be on mission from God, stockpiling supplies for Hurricane Ida victims including $1,000 worth of cigars.

He worked as a private security guard and had no criminal history, the sheriff said.

'This guy was a war hero. He fought for his country,' Judd said. 'Hes a coldblooded killer.'

Miguel Rivera, a resident of Lakeland, Florida, claimed Riley pounded on his sliding-glass door almost an hour before his neighbors were shot on Sunday morning

The 11-year-old daughter of Gleason, from a previous relationship, is in stable condition while being treated a Tampa hospital after being shot by Riley

Officers from the Polk County Sheriff Department work outside the family's Lakeland home on Tuesday outside of the home where the family was shot

Before heading to his deadly destination, Riley pounded on his victims' neighbors door before gunshots were heard moments later.

Miguel Rivera, of Lakeland, Florida, heard the pounding on his sliding door early on Sunday before the mass shooting occurred.

Even though no was there by the time Rivera responded to the knock, he believes that he might have been another one of the alleged shooter's victims if he had gotten there sooner.

'I pray to God every day I am alive still,' Rivera told the Associated Press on Tuesday, 'I feel sad for those people. God rest their soul.' Rivera added 'They were nice people. It doesnt make sense. I cant get it through my head.'

At the crime scene Tuesday, sheriffs deputies carted out bags of items. The single-story, concrete block home has a smaller home in the back near a childs inflatable pool. A sign on a fence labels the property 'The Compound,' while another sign warns about a dog on the premises.

Thirty miles (48 kilometers) from the shooting, no one answered the door Tuesday at Rileys home in the Tampa suburb of Brandon.

The house was already decorated for Halloween, with a scarecrow and jack-o-lanterns. Neighbors said Riley was quiet and didnt socialize, but last week he stopped John Morris wife, who has cancer, and said, 'I want to pray for you.'

'It was odd. He didnt make it loud or anything. He didnt talk to us much and then all of a sudden he comes up with this,' Morris said.
The Guatemalan woman credited with inventing McDonald's iconic children's Happy Meal has died at the age of 87.

Yolanda Fernandez de Cofino, known for her kid friendly contributions to McDonalds that are now considered essential part of the restaurant's brand, died on September 6 at the age of 87.

Affectionally known as Dona Yoly, Cofino was originally born in Chile in 1934 before she moved to Guatemala as a teenager when her father was appointed as an ambassador, Newsweek.com reported.

Cofino and her husband Jose Maria Cofino purchased the first McDonald's in Guatemala in 1974 and ran it for four decades until passing the business on to their children in 2018.

Shortly after purchasing the McDonald's she observed that menu item portions were too big for young children and came up with the concept for a kids meals, which she dubbed the 'Ronald Menu' after the restaurant's mascot Ronald McDonald.

Yolanda Fernandez de Cofino, (pictured left) known for her kid-friendly contributions to McDonalds, including the 'Happy Meal' died on September 6 at the age of 87

Yolanda Fernandez de Cofino, known for her kid friendly contributions to McDonalds that are now considered essential part of the restaurant's brand, died on September 6 at the age of 87

For her contributions Cofino (pictured left) was presented the 'Ronald Award' by the company in 1982

The 'Ronald Menu' included a hamburger, small fries and a sundae to feed kids with more appropriate portions.

McDonald executives in Chicago loved the idea so much they reached out to marketer Bob Bernstein to develop the concept to be adapted in the United States.

It lead to the birth of 'The Happy Meal' in 1979.

The kids meal expanded on Cofino's invention and contained more food options, came in a colorful box and most importantly for kids, contained a toy.

For her contributions she was presented the 'Ronald Award' by the company in 1982.

But her ideas did not end there.

Cofino also won a 'Ronald Award' years earlier for coming up with the concept of holding children's parties at the restaurant, which has since become a go-to spot to celebrate for families.

Cofino came up with the concept for a kids meals dubbed 'Ronald Menu' that contained smaller portions for children

Cofino and her husband Jose Maria Cofino purchased the first McDonald's in Guatemala in 1974 until they passed the business on to their children in 2018 (pictured with her daughter Monica Cofino)

McDonald's Guatemala honored Cofino with a post on Tuesday expressing their condolences for their matriarchs passing

Cofino would go on to earn the restaurant's highest honor when she received the 'Golden Arches' award, along with other national and international awards throughout her decades with the restaurant.

McDonald's Guatemala honored Cofino with a post on Tuesday expressing their condolences for their matriarchs passing.

'McDonald's Guatemala profoundly mourns the passing of our founder and president Yolanda Fernandez de Cofino,' they posted in Spanish.

'Our sincerest condolences to her children, grandchildren, great-grand children and other family members.

'This is without a doubt one of the saddest moments for her family, the business and her thousands of collaborators.'

'Thanks to a great woman, because her light will live forever in our hearts.'
A hero scoutleader rushed to rescue his neighbour's children from their bedrooms after their house was rammed by an HGV in the middle of the night.

A Stobart lorry driver ploughed into the house in East Kilbridge, Lanarkshire, shortly before midnight on Monday.

After hearing the crash, Allan Reddick, 37, rushed outside his house to help his neighbours.

Hero scoutleader Allan Reddick (pictured) rushed to rescue his neighbour's children from their bedrooms after their house was rammed by an HGV in the middle of the night

A Stobart lorry driver ploughed into the house in East Kilbridge, Lanarkshire, shortly before midnight on Monday

It was demolished on Tuesday and a second home next door is also set to be demolished

The schoolteacher grabbed a ladder to help the two children escape from the damaged house through an upstairs bedroom window.

He said: 'As soon as I heard the crash I ran out of the house and went into help mode, thinking let's get the kids out.

'My wife and I were up and out within a minute. She was straight on the phone to the police and I went straight out to save the kids.

'Anybody would have done it in my opinion. It was shocking what happened.'

Mr Reddick said he and another neighbour immediately feared the house would collapse and tried to save the children.

The front of the house was badly damaged with walls knocked out and windows smashed

He said: 'I went into autopilot mode and helped. I didn't go into the house because I didn't think it was safe.

'One of the other neighbours got a ladder and we helped the kids out of the back window. It was at an angle that way we didn't know how long the house was going to stay standing.

'The kids were on the second floor in the bedroom. I think one of the kids was on the Playstation, the other I think had been asleep.

'It was two young kids of 11 and 14. They were really shaken up and their mum was at home.

'After I got the kids out, I saw the police arrive and it was no longer up to me. I left and went back to my bed.'

An Eddie Stobart lorry was later found abandoned in a nearby supermarket car park and cordoned off by police

The front of the house was badly damaged with walls knocked out and windows smashed.

It was demolished on Tuesday and a second home next door is also set to be demolished.

Mr Reddick has yet to hear from the family of the children.

He said: 'I don't know the family very well at all. I haven't been able to speak to the family because as soon as the police arrived I came away from the scene and let them deal with it.

'I'm not looking for thanks. I'm going to be really honest. That's not why you do things.'

Another local, who preferred not to give his name, said: 'The houses on the street had to be evacuated. The building was hanging by a thread when Allan ran to save those kids. He's done his good deed for the year let alone the day.

The schoolteacher grabbed a ladder to help the two children escape from the damaged house through an upstairs bedroom window

'Everybody is decamped off somewhere. I didn't see it happen but I heard it. I thought a bomb had dropped. This is a quiet street.

'This is a real shock. There were kids in the house.

'Mr Reddick was heroic to do that because we all feared for the building, which was leaning at 45 degrees with the windows and doors caved in and the whole thing was about to come down on us.'

The front of the house was badly damaged, with walls knocked out and windows smashed.

The rear of the vehicle suffered extensive damage and bricks could be seen still lying on the roof of the truck's trailer

The HGV vehicle was later found abandoned and damaged at a nearby Lidl supermarket car park. Police forensics and fire crew attended both scenes.

Belongings including mattresses and children's toys lay scattered in a pile on what was once a front lawn.

A 33-year old man has been arrested and charged and will appear in court on Thursday.

Mr Reddick said': We heard the lorry first and we thought that was strange. When we heard the crash we thought that's not right. Then we went straight out. It's a cul de sac so you don't get lorries in here. It reversed and from our bedroom window we could see it.'

Police Scotland confirmed a man had been arrested and charged in connection with an incident.

A spokesperson said: 'Nobody was injured and local residents were evacuated as a precaution due to damage caused to the building.

'The man is expected to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Thursday, 9 September.'
A man has been arrested over the death of Australian teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards, a month after her body was found in Georgia.

The 31-year-old Melbourne 'free spirit' was found with stab wounds near a narrow pedestrian trail in Mtatsminda Park in the eastern European country's capital of Tbilisi on July 31, a day after she went for a hike and never returned.

Detectives from Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested Georgian citizen Rafael Mursakulov on Wednesday after an extensive investigation.

Georgian police arrested Rafael Mursakulov after an investigation that went for near on 40 days

Tributes for the kind and adventurous Shanae Brooke Edwards have flooded social media since her alleged murder on July 30

A young Shanae Brooke Edwards (right) with her family

Ms Brooke Edwards had been on the phone to a friend in the United States and was heard shouting when she was attacked.

Until now, police in the former USSR state had shared little to no information to the public about how its investigation was progressing.

On Thursday, police revealed they had linked the alleged killer to the murder via his DNA, which was allegedly found on a 'damaged' knife found at the crime scene.

'After inspecting the crime scene, the body was transferred to Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau where relevant body examination was conducted,' Georgian police stated.

'Items and genetic traces extracted from the scene underwent a number of examination procedures, including biological, traceological, genetic and fingerprint examinations.'

The 33-year old was identified after his alleged DNA was sent to 194 member states of Interpol to compare within their own DNA databases.

It can be revealed now that detectives had worked tirelessly to identify Ms Brooke Edwards' killer, taking DNA samples from 'several dozen' people allegedly involved in the crime.

'All of them underwent a detailed interrogation,' police stated.

Rafael Mursakulov was arrested amid allegations his DNA was found on a weapon believed to have been used to murder Shanae Brooke Edwards

Rafael Mursakulov faces up to 15 years in jail over allegations he murdered Shanae Brooke Edwards

The ferris wheel attraction in Mtatsminda Park would have been in view of Shanae Brooke Edwards when she was allegedly murdered

LAST MOMENTS CAPTURED ON CCTV CCTV footage of Ms Brooke Edwards captured her final moments alive as she took off on her fateful hiking trip on July 30. Dressed in tight black yoga pants and a dark top, she was last seen leaving the Church of Mikhail of Tver for a hike up along Mtatsminda. Images clearly captured her carrying a green bag, which reportedly remains missing. It is understood Ms Brooke Edwards' mobile phone was found dumped in nearby bushland close to where her body had been found a day after she went missing. Police sources have told local media that contrary to earlier reports, no signs of sexual assault were found on her body. Advertisement

Police created a composite sketch of the offender after interviewing 200 people, including friends, co-workers, neighbours and fellow hikers who were at Mtatsminda Park the day she was allegedly murdered.

After checking their alibies and whereabouts at the time of murder, police closed in on the alleged killer.

'As a result of complex and multifaceted investigative activities, the circle of the supposed offenders was reduced to a minimum, whereas, as a result of genetic examination report the identity of the offender was unequivocally confirmed,' detectives claimed.

It is understood CCTV video further helped to identify the alleged killer.

The accused man faces up to 15 years behind bars in the country.

Word of Mursakulov's arrest over the killing has been welcomed by terrified locals, who had set up a social media page to help protect women following Ms Brook Edwards' murder.

Shocked citizens had already set up a memorial to the murdered school teacher, with locals laying flowers at the site.

A vigil commemorating 40 days since her tragic murder had already been planned for Thursday.

The memorial was called off last night amid news of her alleged killer's arrest.

Instead, hundreds are expected to attend the memorial and pay their respects to the beloved Australian.

Police in Georgia have arrested a local man, 33, in relation to the alleged murder of the much loved Melbourne teacher

Shanae Brooke Edwards and her brother Tyson in happier times

Just days ago a group of women congregated on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda - the last place Ms Shanae Brooke Edwards was seen alive - to lay flowers and sing a haunting rendition of 'The Pines' - which was famously covered by Grunge band Nirvana.

The body of Ms Brooke Edwards was found discarded under bushes in the shadow of a popular amusement park in what is now believed to be a robbery-gone-wrong.

In the month since the horrific alleged murder, reports Ms Brooke Edwards had been raped have been revealed to be unfounded.

As have reports of a supposed photofit of a young blonde male being passed around by detectives in the days following the crime.

A GoFundMe page created to help the family of Ms Brooke Edwards return her body back to Australia had raised more than $20,000 and continues to accept donations.

It remains unclear if her body has been returned to Australia in the weeks since her alleged murder.

Police in Georgia search for Shanae Brooke Edwards in Mtatsminda Park. Her body was found a day after she went missing

The much-loved 'free spirit' was on a call to a friend in the US while trekking when she was heard shouting 'take your hands off me' - before the call cut out

Searchers found this old and rusty shovel in the bushes in the area where Ms Brooke Edwards went missing. A man was also seen having 'aggressive' sex with a woman about 50m away - the day before her disappearance

Ms Brooke Edwards' final Instagram post, of her on a motorbike on July 29, was captioned 'Joy'




Leaving behind an Afghan translator who was promised safety 11 months ago was last night described as the 'greatest betrayal' yet of the brave interpreters who worked with the British Army.

Father-of-two Sayed was terrified and hiding with his family in Kabul yesterday, despite being told last year that he qualified for relocation to the UK.

Though told by telephone he had been approved in October 2020 and though he received written confirmation the following month, he was not called forward for evacuation before the pull-out of Western forces.

He believes a sudden late demand to prove the paternity of his two-year-old son may have delayed his case as the the Taliban rolled through Afghanistan.

Sayed is bitter that thousands who were granted relocation after him, and many more without permission to come to the UK, were flown to safety.

'I am devastated and frightened, we are surrounded by the Taliban,' the 31 year-old said yesterday. 'We are lost and don't know why we have been left behind. I have a family, what will happen to them if I am punished and my life is taken.'

Afghan translator and father-of-two Sayed (pictured) was terrified and hiding with his family in Kabul yesterday, despite being told last year that he qualified for relocation to the UK

Two days ago, Sayed said, Taliban gunmen went to his family home asking for him by name. He was not there because he has been regularly moving from one safe house to another.

Rafi Hottak, a former translator blown up on the front line in Helmand who has campaigned for fellow interpreters after claiming asylum in the UK, said: 'This seems the greatest betrayal of all those who have been left behind.

'Sayed was given false hope by being approved last year and been made to watch and wait while others approved after him  or not approved at all  were rescued at his expense.'

Retired Major General Charlie Herbert, a former commander of British forces in Helmand, said: 'That Sayed was not evacuated last month is quite simply disgraceful.

'At best this is incompetence, at worst, a level of callousness and indifference that reflects dreadfully on the Ministry of Defence.

'The public are owed an explanation why hundreds of interpreters were not evacuated, and the MoD must be more transparent about who it prioritised above them for evacuation.

'We are owed this clarity. The number of Afghan security forces evacuated ahead of the interpreters, for example, is rightly raising some questions.'

He added: 'Sayed provided outstanding support to the armed forces in Afghanistan.

'The MoD's failure to even call him forward for evacuation speaks volumes for a relocation system that is broken and defunct. Heads should now roll.'

Sayed worked for UK forces between 2010-2012 and says he was told in October he was eligible for an ex-gratia scheme introduced by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Sayed is bitter that thousands who were granted relocation after him, and many more without permission to come to the UK, were flown to safety. Pictured: Scenes outside Kabul airport

He said he was 'relieved and delighted to at last have a chance to escape'.

In January he completed his biometric testing, proving who he was, and was placed on two weeks 'notice to move' in May. But he was then told his son, Mohammad, needed a biometric test.

This was carried out twice over a period of three months and then again a month ago. Sayed said no explanation was given for the delays.

'I have waited all year for the call but just told not to worry that my turn would come,' he said yesterday.

'When the Taliban came to Kabul I was certain we would be called but nothing...we just watched the planes leave without us. I wasn't even called forward.

'I went to the airport and the British hotel but was told I had to have an email with permission to fly, I emailed many times those I had been dealing with but no one replied. We were abandoned.

'Many people who did not risk their lives for Britain like I did were put on the planes without biometrics, without being directly threatened by the Taliban like I have been.

'They are safe in England and we are just waiting, waiting...hiding, hiding. We were the first who were eligible but they chose not to rescue us.'

On Monday, Sayed said he received his first communication from any British official in nearly three weeks when a woman called from a 'blocked' number saying she was from the Home Office asking if his phone and email address still worked.

He said that it did and was told to 'stay safe'.

No further instructions, information or a point of contact were given, Sayed claimed.

An MoD spokesman said: 'We worked tirelessly to safely evacuate as many people out of Afghanistan as possible.

'We will continue to do all we can to support those who have supported us, and our commitment to those who are eligible for relocation is not time-limited and will endure.'
Kamala Harris tied the California recall to threats from GOP legislation across the country as she campaigned for Gov. Gavin Newsom in her home state of California on Wednesday.

'You have to understand that this recall campaign is about California, and it's about a whole lot more,' the vice president told a crowd in her native Bay Area, pointing to a recent Texas abortion law and recent voting restrictions in Georgia.

'They're thinking that if they can get this done in California  they got to understand what's happening right now,' she said.

'What's happening in Texas, what's happening in Georgia, what's happening around our country with these policies that are attacking women's rights, reproductive rights and voting rights, workers' rights -- they think if they can win in California, they can do this anywhere.'

The vice president said she'd seen clips of Abbott talking about the new Texas abortion bill that bans the procedure after 6 weeks of pregnancy.

Abbott said Tuesday that he would 'work tirelessly to eliminate all rape from the streets of Texas' after the bill did not make abortion exceptions for rape or incest.

'To speak those wordsthat were empty wordsthat were false words that were fueled with not only arrogance but bravado  That is not who we want in our leaders. We want in our leaders someone like Gavin Newsom, who always speaks the truth,' Harris said.

'We are here today to say we fight for Gavin Newsom. We fight for our country. We fight for the values we hold dear. We fight for working people. We fight for organized labor. We fight for Dreamers. We fight for women. We fight for voting rights,' she said.

Newsom, too, sought to capitalize off the Texas law, decrying in his own address 'what's happening to those women in Texas.'

'Larry Elders running away with it guys,' Newsom said, arguing that his most formidable opponent was celebrating the abortion restriction.

'We are here today to say we fight for Gavin Newsom. We fight for our country. We fight for the values we hold dear. We fight for working people. We fight for organized labor. We fight for Dreamers. We fight for women. We fight for voting rights,' Harris concluded in her support for the California governor.

Harris and Newsom, before either held elected office, had overlapping roles in San Francisco and Sacramento. They have also both been supportive of each others' campaigns.

The two were sworn in on the same day in January 2004 when Newsom became San Francisco's youngest mayor in more than a century and Harris made history as California's first Black district attorney.

Now, as Harris rose to the vice presidency, her ally is facing a recall election in the state where she got her start in politics.

Vice President Kamala Harris departs Washington, D.C. for California on Wednesday as she backs Governor Gavin Newsom in his recall election

Harris will only be in her native Bay Area for the day as she urges Californians not to boot Newsom from office in the recall election

Newsom is facing a recall after a petition garnered enough signatures for a special election to potentially get him out of the State House before the end of his term. There are several dozen candidates vying to replace him

On the special election ballot is a question asking if California voters want to recall Newsom  meaning remove him from his governorship. The second question asked if he were removed, who Californians would want him replaced with.

Minnesotan George Howard, 48, has been charged with murder weeks after he was released on domestic abuse charges by Harris-backed Minnesota Freedom Fund

Harris, however, is facing her own criticism after she back a bail fund for an alleged domestic abuser in Minneapolis who has now been charged with murder.

George Howard, 48, was bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF) on August 6 after being held on a $11,500 bail on charges of domestic abuse.

Weeks later, Howard was charged with murder when he shot another driver on I-94 during a road rage incident on August 29. The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Luis Damian Martinez Ortiz who was pronounced dead after he was shot in the chest by Howard.

MFF's work, which helped free Howard, was promoted by Harris during her campaign last year.

'If you're able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,' Harris tweeted.

There are a whopping 46 candidates vying to take Newsom's spot as governor of the most populous U.S. state, including nine Democrats, 24 Republicans and several third party or 'no party preference' candidates.

Biden will travel to California early next week before the special election poll close Tuesday

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (right) hugs Newsom at an event in Culver City on Saturday

Some of those with the most media attention and polling stats so far are Democrat YouTuber Kevin Paffrath and Republicans John Cox, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate; radio host Larry Elder; former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer; California State Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines; former Olympian and television personality Caitlyn Jenner; and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley.

But surveys also show that Newsom will likely survive the recall, even if by a small margin.

Harris will campaign for Newsom as President Joe Biden prepares to head to California early next week to also urge voters to keep him in the State House.

Other lawmakers have also helped nationalize the race with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, both 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, rallied for the governor.

Senator Bernie Sanders also was featured prominently in pro-Newsom ad.

After serving as California's attorney general from 2011-2017, Harris served as a U.S. senator for the state for one term before she was selected as Biden's vice presidential candidate following her unsuccessful bid to become the Democratic nominee to take on Donald Trump.
Vermont governor Phil Scott blasted three state troopers forced to resign over claims they created fake COVID vaccination cards.

On Wednesday, Scott said he was 'incredibly disappointed' over the allegations of the vaccination card scheme - but did not think the resigned state troopers accurately represented the Vermont State Police.

Scott's first question regarding the scandal was simply 'why?'

He said: 'Its just a dumb thing to do, to be perfectly frank.

'It just makes no sense to me whatsoever.

'It's just such a simple thing to do, you get vaccinated, you get your card,' he said. 'You don't need to fabricate something.'

Vermont governor Phil Scott slammed three state troopers who were involved in a fake COVID vaccination card scheme

Former troopers Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski and David Pfindel resigned after being caught in the scheme

Former troopers Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski resigned Aug. 10, a day after a fellow trooper told supervisors about the alleged scheme.

Former trooper David Pfindel resigned Sept. 3 following further investigation, according to a state police news release.

'The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct - a criminal violation of the law - and I could not be more upset and disappointed,' Colonel Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, said in a release.

Sommers and Witkowski both joined the Vermont State Police in July 2016. Pfindel was hired in January 2014, police said.

All three troopers had connections to the Shaftsbury barracks in southwestern Vermont.

Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said Wednesday there was no indication any other troopers or state employees were involved in the scheme, but the FBI is leading the investigation.

The FBI and Vermon Public Safety officials are investigating the allegations

Schirling said the decision to release the details of the case came earlier than officials would have liked because they received a question from the media about the case.

'Otherwise we would not release the information, even at this stage, because, as is typical in any federal investigation, the government has an interest in preserving the continuity of the investigation by not having it be public until it is concluded,' he said.

Officials have not publicly described the details of the alleged scheme, or how it was busted. It is also currently unclear if the three state troopers have lawyers.

The FBI is investigating the allegations and Vermont Public Safety officials are conducting a separate investigation.

The state of Vermont still holds one of the highest vaccination rates in the country with 77 percent of the population being fully vaccinated, according to Vermont Department of Health.

According to 24/7 Wall St, a total of 26,664 cases are in Vermont as of Wednesday with a 4.8% increase since August 31.

The site also revealed a total of 269 deaths with a 0.7% increase since August 31 as well.
An immaculately dressed, petite 44-year-old woman approaches what looks like an ice cream van and whispers a personal code number through a hatch.

Inside, a server prepares her daily heroin substitute, ensuring it is the correct strength, before passing it out in a small paper cup. She knocks it back in one and says: 'Obrigada', or thank you  and well she might. 'This is what saved my life,' she says. 'Without this van, these kind people, I'd be dead.'

Behind Dulcineia Mendes Correia, other addicts turn up for their dose of the synthetic drug methadone. They come from all walks of life. One is a smart businessman. Another, who appears a little bedraggled, requests a clean needle kit to inject heroin. A third politely asks for free tin foil on which to burn the drug, a method known as 'chasing the dragon'.

Anything, the experts will tell you, is better than injecting with dirty needles.

This is the sharp end of what Portugal calls its integrated drug strategy, a programme launched 20 years ago with decriminalisation of narcotics at its heart, but with important add-ons, such as harm-reduction, treatment, education and re-integration.

Dulcineia Mendes Correia approaches what looks like an ice cream van and whispers a personal code number through a hatch. Inside, a server prepares her daily heroin substitute, ensuring it is the correct strength, before passing it out in a small paper cup

And last month, in the wake of an Office For National Statistics report that revealed there were 4,561 drug fatalities in the UK last year  the highest total since records began in 1993  an unlikely advocate of the Portuguese approach called for it to be adopted by the UK. Former leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague, wrote an article in The Times headlined 'Decriminalising drugs is the only way forward'.

'Many Tories are reluctant, as I was two decades ago, to abandon a 'tough' law-and-order approach,' said Mr Hague, pointing out that politicians are fearful of even raising the issue because it is such a political hot potato. 'Yet two truths about this issue seem clear. The first is that it has become a massive social problem. The annual deaths represent tens of thousands more people trapped in addiction and heading for the same fate. The victims match closely with child poverty and areas of deprivation.

'The second truth, awkward though it may be for those of us who always wanted to get tougher, is we will never suppress the supply of drugs while the demand goes on.'

A parliamentary report by Dame Carol Black last year found that the cost to society of illegal drugs was about 20billion a year in England and Wales but that we were spending only 600million on treatment and prevention.

An unlikely advocate of the Portuguese approach called for it to be adopted by the UK. Former leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague, wrote an article in The Times headlined 'Decriminalising drugs is the only way forward'

Since 2012, deaths from heroin had doubled and those from cocaine increased five-fold  while 27,000 young people now identified as being gang members, many drawn into drug dealing and violence.

This was enough to persuade the Commons Health and Social Care Committee to recommend in 2019 'that the Government should consult on the decriminalisation of drug possession for personal use from a criminal offence to a civil matter'.

'After decriminalisation [in Portugal], all major indicators in a variety of studies improved,' Mr Hague said. 'Including an 18 per cent fall in the total costs to society. Might this not be worth a try?'

In a bid to establish exactly how successful Portugal's bold move has been, the Mail travelled to Lisbon. What I discovered will shock some readers and surprise others who  quite understandably  have an instinctive aversion to any weakening of laws banning the possession of the sort of drugs that wreck so many young lives.

First, though, it is important to explain what Portugal's approach is, how it came about  and to understand that decriminalisation is not the same as legalisation.

In the 1990s, the country found itself in the grip of a heroin epidemic. The roots of the problem lay in Portugal's opening up to the outside world after the Carnation Revolution of 1974 ended the longest dictatorship in Europe.

Portugal was suddenly exposed to new markets and influences and when, first marijuana then heroin, began flooding in, a country which the Swinging Sixties had passed by was utterly unprepared.

By the late 90s, one per cent of the population was hooked on heroin. Almost half were injecting and, with few opportunities for acquiring new needles on a regular basis, addicts shared them, resulting in an incredible 56 per cent becoming HIV-positive. By 2001, Portugal accounted for 50 per cent of new needle-related HIV cases in the EU, despite having just 2 per cent of its population.

'It was desperate,' says Hugo Faria from Ares do Pinhal, the organisation that runs the van from which Dulcineia has just received her methadone. We are in Casal Ventoso, a once rundown and dangerous gathering place for addicts. 'There were incredibly high levels of criminality, with addicts using heroin everywhere. People were dying in the streets,' recalls Hugo.

Since 2012, deaths from heroin had doubled and those from cocaine increased five-fold  while 27,000 young people now identified as being gang members, many drawn into drug dealing and violence

In the late 1990s, 70 per cent of all Portuguese crime was drug-related, with more than 40 per cent of the prison population in for offences related to drugs. 'Everyone, be it a family from a poorer district, or from the wealthiest areas  or even elected politicians  knew someone who had died from drug abuse or HIV,' says Dr Manuel Cardoso, Deputy General-Director of SICAD, Portugal's drug dependency agency. 'It was the number one concern at the time and we all knew something different had to be done.'

The then prime minster, Antonio Guterres  now Secretary-General of the United Nations  put together a panel of experts who, in 1999, reported back with 'The National Strategy for the Fight Against Drugs'.

Introduced in 2001, it involved a combination of better treatment facilities, reducing harm (by, for example, providing clean needles), better education for the public and offering free and safer drug substitutes, such as methadone. The biggest change involved the decriminalisation of personal possession of small amounts of drugs, focusing instead on support to manage or get clear of drug use.

Possession was no longer a criminal offence but regarded as an administrative one  no more serious than a speeding fine. However, trafficking, dealing and possessing more than enough for one's own personal consumption for 10 days remain illegal and are punished firmly by the courts.

When a person is caught in possession of a small amount of a drug, their supply is confiscated and they are ordered to appear before district panels called Commissions for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction, comprising health, legal and social work professionals.

I went to see one in action near Praca de Espanha on the edge of central Lisbon. A nervous-looking 20-year-old man had been caught with 3.08 grams of hashish.

He was being interviewed by a social worker for an initial assessment. 'We are never judgmental and the atmosphere is relaxed,' says Nuno Capaz, vice-president of the Commission for Dissuasion of Drug Addiction, which administers the panels. 'We will usually explore why the person is using drugs, ask them whether they could use less, maybe try with none at all for a while, but we never tell them what to do. That would be counter-productive.

I went to see one in action near Praca de Espanha on the edge of central Lisbon. A nervous-looking 20-year-old man had been caught with 3.08 grams of hashish (file image)

'If it's their first offence the case will be suspended and no more action taken  as it has been with this young man. However, for second and subsequent offences, they will be fined or asked to perform community service.'

Fines are usually in the region of 35 to 40 euros, but in very rare cases, can be as much as 665 euros. 'Where there are signs of addiction, we can offer people treatment, counselling and harm-reduction medicine such as methadone,' continues Capaz. 'But they are not forced to do this. That won't work. They have to want treatment for it to be effective.' When chef Tiago Filipe, 32, was caught with 7.45 grams of cannabis at the age of 19, he was told he faced jail  five grams is usually the limit allowed as 'personal'  but his case was suspended on condition he agreed to receive help from one of the commission's counsellors. Tiago is now head chef at Lisbon's Lince Brewery Kitchen and he credits the more relaxed approach to possession with saving his career.

It left him without a criminal record and enabled him to move on to senior positions in the UK  at The Savoy, Annabel's members' club and Hawksmoor steak restaurant.

'God knows what would have happened to me if I'd simply been thrown into prison,' he tells me. 'I didn't have a drug problem  I just smoked a bit of weed recreationally  but the counsellor made me ask myself why. It changed my behaviour and probably saved my career. It's a more humane system that tries to support people and help them change rather than simply punish them.'

But doesn't this mean that more people will take drugs? Surely if there's nothing to fear, then there's nothing to deter? 'That's what we were worried about at the beginning  it was seen as a gamble that could backfire,' says SICAD's Dr Cardoso. 'We had to be brave, and it paid off.' New cases of HIV  the problem that prompted reform  fell from 1,287 in 2001 to just 16 by 2019. In the same year, the number of drug deaths fell to just six per million  about 50 times lower than the current rate in Scotland, which is still rising. Levels of drug use fell, too. According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Portugal now has some of the lowest rates of drug use among 15 to 34-year-olds in the EU.

And, as a consequence of decriminalising small consumers of drugs, the profile of the prison population has changed dramatically. In 2001, more than 40 per cent of inmates were there for drug offences. That is now around 15 per cent.

Yet spending per head of population on prevention and treatment is less than in England and Wales  65million euros (55million) in Portugal for a population of 10 million, compared with 600million in England and Wales for a population pushing 60million.

The police, who were resistant to change at first, also came round when they began to see results.

Commissioner Rui Cruz of Lisbon's Criminal Investigation Department, says: 'Drug users were seen as criminals before the law changed. There were many impoverished neighbourhoods where lots of people consumed on the streets. We dealt with consuming as a crime  and that criminalised whole neighbourhoods.

'When the law changed, we were able to apply more resources to trafficking. When we reduce the supply, we reduce the demand.'

Some critics believe admissions to hospital for cannabis-related psychological problems in Portugal  a 29-fold increase from 20 to 588 between 2000 and 2015, according a group of Portuguese psychologists  could be related to relaxing attitudes to possession.

But this might well have been caused by its once-high numbers of heroin users moving to cannabis. And the strength of cannabis has increased considerably over the past 20 years. In England, numbers of cannabis-related hospitalisations have risen by 50 per cent to 31,130 since 2013.

Not everyone believes that a relaxation of drug laws is the answer. In a 2018 report on the legalisation of cannabis, the centre-right think tank, The Centre for Social Justice, predicted that removing legal constraints in the UK would result in a million more users and 100,000 new addicts. Andy Cook, its chief executive, said it would 'open the floodgates to hundreds of thousands of new users, many of whom will be young and vulnerable.'

In America, sales have boomed as laws have been relaxed. There, 48 of the 50 states allow the sale of medical marijuana and 16 states have legalised it recreationally, including New York and the entire West Coast. In December last year, the cannabis-focused Leafly reported that Americans had purchased $18.3billion in cannabis products, up 71 per cent on the previous year, based on marijuana state tax and revenue records.

It is figures such as these that give many British politicians pause. The last time Boris Johnson was asked about relaxing laws on drug use  when London Mayor Sadiq Khan suggested reviewing the legality of cannabis  his then spokesperson Allegra Stratton, said: 'The Prime Minister has spoken about this on many occasions  illicit drugs destroy lives and he has absolutely no intention of legalising cannabis, which is a harmful substance.'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also expressed opposition to decriminalisation. In an interview this year, he said: 'When I was Director of Public Prosecutions, I prosecuted many cases involving drugs and drug gangs and the criminality that sits behind, and it causes huge issues to vulnerable people across the country.'

Advocates of the Portuguese system say they are not arguing that simply decriminalising personal possession works  treatment, harm-reduction and re-integration policies must be in place, too. These have all been made possible in Portugal because of SICAD, which oversees dozens of charities, NGOs and associations that work on the ground to help addicts. Each is funded in full or part by the government.

At one such association, IN-Mouraria, run by the Group of Activists on HIV Treatments (GAT), I meet Patricia Pestana, 49, and Pedro Carvalho, 46. They share similar stories of having tried heroin with their friends when they were teenagers. 'We smoked it,' says Patricia. 'There was no information about the drug back then. We had no idea how bad it could get. We heard of people having problems from injecting but thought that wouldn't be us.'

Each, in their own way, found IN-Mouraria, where they were given health checks, counselling and clinically administered methadone in order to wean them off heroin. The organisation also helps to treat Hepatitis C  a big problem for drug addicts.

Patricia is now clean of heroin and works for GAT as a peer counsellor advising other drug users. Pedro, who has been living in a subterranean dwelling he dug in a forest on the outskirts of town for the past two years, has just been told he is to be given a rental home of his own. 'After that, I'm going to study to become an archaeologist,' he tells me. 'I have an ambition to find Atlantis.'

Across town, I visit CRESCER, a program that provides help, advice and harm-reduction for homeless addicts. Its director, Andreia Alves, tells me proudly that they also provide homes for more than 100 addicts  every one of whom has gone on to either reduce their drug consumption or get clean.

Out on the street, CRESCER psychologist Ary Teixeira and social worker Mariana Gomes find Carlos Figueiredo, 49, chasing the dragon. They give him some clean tin foil and ask how they can help. Before saying goodbye, they have arranged a meeting with a homeless charity to try to get him off the street.

Around the corner, Dulcineia is just receiving her 'ice cream van' delivery of methadone, a substance that does not get her 'high' but simply stabilises her and removes cravings for heroin. 'My mother died of a heroin overdose by injection,' she tells me. 'So, I never injected, but I should never have started at all. I was 19 and thought smoking it wouldn't get me addicted, but it did.

'At the worst of my addiction, I was stealing things from shops and supermarkets to pay for my habit. You get desperate. I was so desperate that I would agree to have sex with men and ask for the money first  then run away with it. One night, a man locked me in a house and I had to escape through the bathroom window.

'Then I heard about this van and walked up one day and said, 'Please help me'. And they did blood tests, finding out I was HIV positive, and I was given help and treatment and methadone to get me away from heroin. That was seven years ago.'

Dulcineia, who  unlike some addicts  does not wear the ravages of heroin use on her face, adds: 'Now I live a normal life and I have a job cleaning for two nice old ladies, who each have given me a key to their homes knowing I would never take anything from them.

'But most important of all, I have two children of my own, a boy and a girl, and they will never have to experience their mother dying from a heroin overdose.'
'Cult mom' Lori Vallow, is still unfit to stand trial for the murder of her two children and has been ordered to remain at a psychiatric facility for at least another 180 days.

During a virtual conference call on Wednesday, District Judge Steven Boyce could be heard addressing Vallow's husband and co-defendant Chad, who was on the call with his lawyer.

Meanwhile, Lori, 48, was conspicuously absent from the Zoom call, as the judge addressed her competency.

Daybell has been confined to a state hospital in the care of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare since June 8 after the judge found her incompetent to stand trial following a psychological assessment performed by a clinical psychologist, according to Fox 13.

'The completed assessment determined that at this time the Defendant is not competent to proceed, and recommends restorative treatment,' the District Court of the Seventh Judicial District of Idaho wrote of the assessment, which had been ordered March 8.

Further details of Vallow's alleged mental illness have not been shared.

Lori Daybell, 48 (pictured), is still not fit to stand trial, an Idaho judge ruled Wednesday

The judge vacated a scheduled Nov. 8 start date for Chad Daybell's (pictured) trial while ordering a new trial date following a change of venue hearing set to take place on Oct. 5 and 6

Pictured: a screenshot of Wednesday's virtual status hearing, with Chad Daybell and his lawyer in the upper left hand corner. Lori Daybell was absent due to being unfit to stand trial

The alleged murderer, accused of killing her two kids JJ, 7, and Tylee, 17, has not made any progress since then, with the judge extending her stay at the state hospital for another 180 days on Wednesday, the outlet reports.

A status conference will only be scheduled if and once medical professionals find Lori to be competent before those 180 days are up.

Under Idaho law, the court receives updates on her competency every 90 days.

Her trial cannot begin until the court deems her mentally fit to face a jury.

Pictured: Lori Daybell's dead relatives, which include two ex-husbands and her two children, of which she is facing first-degree murder charges

'Right now what the allegation is, is that she doesnt understand whats happening to her, what the process is. She cannot adequately mount a defense. She cannot adequately assist her defense counsel in mounting a defense,' said attorney Nathan Evershed in May, just prior to her first psychological assessment.

'And so because of that, and if that's true, then a judge will determine that. Then she'll have to be restored in order for her to mount a defense.'

During Wednesday's 10-minute conference call, the judge vacated a scheduled November 8 start date for Chad's trial while ordering a new trial date following a change of venue hearing set to take place on October 5 and 6, according to Fox 13.

A grand jury had indicted both Chad and Lori in May, charging the two with first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of two of her children, who were Chad's step-children.

Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, left, and Tylee Ryan, right, were last seen in September 2019. Their bodies were eventually discovered buried on the Daybell's property after a nine month search

Lori Daybell pictured in court. Daybell and her husband Chad were members of a doomsday cult and adhered to extreme religious beliefs, according to the court

Tylee and JJ were last seen in September 2019. Their bodies were eventually discovered buried on the Daybell's property after a nine month search, KUTV reports.

Chad Daybell was also charged with first-degree murder of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, who was married to Chad when she mysteriously died in Oct. 2019.

Meanwhile, authorities investigating the deaths of Lori's two ex-husbands found that one, Joseph Ryan, had died of natural causes while the other, Charles Vallow, is being investigated by police in Arizona.

Chad and Lori Daybell adhered to extreme religious beliefs and were members of a doomsday cult prior to their incarceration.
Residents in locked down buildings across NSW are being restricted to six drinks per day and claim their deliveries are being opened and searched by authorities.

The state's health department have introduced the drink limit in 'controlled buildings' and claim the measure will 'ensure the safety of health staff and residents'.

Common Ground in Camperdown, a housing commission building in Sydney's inner-west, is the latest building to fall under a full lockdown after several cases were reported in the complex - with locals complaining about the extraordinary denial of freedoms.

'Hey NSW Police, Common Ground residents are wondering what happened to the alcohol and tobacco items dropped of to them last night?' resident and artist Ms Saffaa posted to Twitter.

'And under which powers are you allowed to confiscate them? Last time I checked these are legal to consume in this country.'

Residents of Common Ground in Camperdown say officials have been confiscating booze and opening their packages as the building sits under a government-controlled lockdown

People living inside the complex have received packages opened by NSW Police to check the contents inside before handing to recipients

People say despite paying for alchol, they are only being rationed six beers or pre-mixed drinks, a bottle of wine or 375ml bottle of spirits per day

One Nation MP Mark Latham was outraged by the booze limit and the intrusion of 'health' measures into people's legal rights.

'Is there any limit to the fascist tendencies of this NSW Liberal Government? Is this really what Menzies intended?' Mr Latham tweeted.

The Common Ground building, sponsored by Mission Australia, includes 104 units, many of which providing homes for homeless people throughout the area.

The building was cast into an extreme lockdown nearly two weeks ago after four cases were confirmed on the site.

Residents have received food from charities, but have only received a box of canned food lacking nutritional value.

People identified the booze rations as a particular point of contention, with residents only allowed to have either six beers or pre-mixed drinks, one bottle of wine or one 375ml bottle of spirits.

These restrictions are the same as those locked in hotel quarantine after arriving from overseas.

'A member of our community has delivered multiple hampers of fresh food, alcohol, and cigarettes, however the alcohol and some cigarette packs have been removed,' Ms Saffaa said.

'NSW police are systematically searching our package, mail, and our belongings and now we have items missing.'

Health officials say the measures are for the residents' own good and that of their neighbours.

'In all residential lockdown locations, NSW Police are there to ensure compliance with the Public Health Orders and assist NSW Health if required,' a police spokesperson said.

Ms Saffaa said neighbours have complained that their packages are all arriving clearly previously opened, claiming officials have crudely stuck the parcels back together

Residents have had food provided from charities, but they've only received a box of canned food lacking nutritional value

Ms Saffaa said neighbours have complained that their packages are all arriving clearly opened, claiming officials have crudely stuck the parcels back together.

'My packages have been arriving sealed. However, my neighbour received a package from a department store. The seal was broken then re taped with clear tape,' she posted to Twitter.

'My neighbour contacted the store and they reassured him that the package was sealed when it left their premises.'

Returning Australians from overseas have experienced similar controls in hotel quarantine, with people having items such as toasters confiscated by staff.

Ms Saffaa also complained of being interrupted at all times of the day and night by workers including nurses, asking questions and repeatedly performing tests.

NSW recorded one of the deadliest days of the pandemic on Wednesday with nine people recorded as dying with Covid including a man in his 20s - all of whom had significant underlying health problems - and a further 1,480 positive tests.

The NSW government has earmarked Oct. 18 as 'Freedom Day' when many hospitality venues and retail stores will be allowed to reopen in a limited form, but will deny service to the unvaccinated in order to coerce them into getting the jab.

The chief health officer argued that reopening with such high case numbers and the double-jab rate at 70 per cent risked overwhelming the state's health system.

She pointed to recent examples in which highly-vaccinated nations such as Israel and the United Kingdom suffered a surge in new infections immediately after reopening.

There will still be limits on the number of people able to enter bars, restaurants and shops, and indoor venues such as nightclubs will not be included in the initial reopening.

Under plans agreed to during a crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday, millions in NSW will finally lose the shackles of lockdown on October 18 - providing the 70 per cent fully-vaccinated target is met (pictured, pub-goers in Sydney's The Rocks on Anzac Day 2021)

Under the 'vaccine passport' plan set to be formally announced on Thursday at 11am, double-dosed residents - including those in the 12 LGAs areas of concern - will be given a wide range of new freedoms (pictured, diners at a Bondi eatery when restrictions eased in June last year)

Not only customers but also staff will have to be vaccinated, forcing small business managers to be vaccinated or stay shut.

Guests at weddings and funerals will also be capped although the exact details are yet to be revealed.

Those entering a venue must prove their vaccination status by scanning in via QR code using the Service NSW app.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki admitted Wednesday that the Biden administration has blocked evacuation flights out of Afghanistan because they don't know the identities of all the people on board.

Psaki got in a back-and-forth during the press briefing with Fox News' Peter Doocy who had asked a series of questions about the U.S.'s relationship with the Taliban and about the charter flights carrying Americans trying to leave Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan.

'We're not going to allow flights that have hundreds of people who we dont know who they are, who havent been through security protocols, where we havent seen the manifests, to land on U.S. military bases,' Psaki said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted Wednesday that 'on one' believes the Taliban are a 'respected members of the global community' in a back-and-forth with Fox News' Peter Doocy

She confirmed reporting from Politico that said the Taliban had stopped flights from taking off to see paperwork from passengers and flight manifests because the State Department had indicated they wanted that vetting done.

'So a number of these planes, they may have a handful of American citizens, but they may have several hundred individuals where we don't have manifests for them, we don't know what the security protocols are for them, we don't know what their documentation is,' Psaki said.

'And there is a fundamental question - and this is one of the hard choices you face in government - are we going to allow a plane with hundreds of people, we don't know who they are, we don't know what security protocols have put in place, to land on a U.S. military base?' she asked.

During the briefing, Doocy also pointed out, 'There are now more terrorists wanted by the FBI in the new Afghan government than there are women.' 'Does the president think that is a foreign policy success?' he asked.

'Well first of all, no one in this administration - not the president, nor anyone on the national security team - would suggest that the Taliban are respected and valued members of the global community,' Psaki answered. 'They have not earned that in any way.'

Taliban fighters gather along a street during a rally in Kabul last month. Psaki called the Taliban's newly formed government a 'caretaker cabinet that does include four former imprisoned Taliban fighters'

She called the Taliban's newly formed government a 'caretaker cabinet that does include four former imprisoned Taliban fighters.'

'We have not validated that, we have not conveyed we are going to recognize that,' she continued. 'What we are working to do - and nor are we rushing to recognition, there is a lot they have to do before that. What we are working to do is to engage with them - because they oversee and control Afghanistan right now - to get American citizens, legal permanent residents and SIV applicants out of Afghanistan.'

Doocy pointed out that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the new acting interior minister, is wanted for questioning by the FBI for a 2008 hotel attack in Kabul, which killed six people, including an American citizen.

He asked why the U.S. was engaging with them.

'Should we not talk to the people who are overseeing Afghanistan and just leave and not get the rest of the American citizens out?' Psaki asked back.

Psaki added that the world was watching how the Taliban behaved - including if they allowed people depart the country who want to leave and how they treat women.

The press secretary noted how, so far, the Taliban has fallen short.

'And therefore we are not moving toward recognition,' she said.

'At the same time, we're dealing with a reality-world here. We have to engage to get American citizens and others out of the country,' Psaki added.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has been grilled by a fired-up Karl Stefanovic over his dealings with Pfizer for the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

The Today show host accused Mr Hunt of 'dragging his feet' in a heated exchange on Thursday over the Pfizer fiasco which saw Australia sign its deal long after the US and UK.

Bombshell leaked emails revealed Pfizer asked to meet Mr Hunt early last year to offer Australia doses of its vaccine, but he instead sent a public servant in his place.

On June 30 last year a Pfizer representative contacted the Health Department to request the meeting, saying the American company had 'the potential to supply millions of vaccine doses [around the world] by the end of 2020'.

Mr Hunt left it to First Assistant Secretary in the Health Department Lisa Schofield to respond and three days later she said that she - not the minister - would attend a virtual meeting on July 10.

The minister copped an intense grilling on Thursday as Stefanovic repeatedly quizzed him on why he didn't accept the pharmaceutical giant's request to meet them.

He also demanded a 'blow by blow' account of what happened.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic accused the federal health minister of 'dragging his feet' in a fiery interview on Thursday over the Pfizer fiasco

'Why didn't you meet with Pfizer?' Stefanovic demanded to know.

'I'd already engaged with Pfizer, well before they commenced negotiations,' Mr Hunt replied.

'But not met with them,' Stefanovic interrupted.

Mr Hunt argued: 'No country in the world at this time had an agreement at this point.'

An increasingly frustrated Stefanovic asked the minister again why he didn't meet with Pfizer.

'I mean, this is very important stuff. This is securing Australia's Pfizer supply. Why couldn't you meet?' Stefanovic responded.

'What we created, to look across the world with over 100 different vaccine candidates, was a vaccine taskforce and scientific and technical advisory group led by Brendan Murphy and one of the most senior people in the department,' Mr Hunt replied.

'They worked right across all of these agreements. We were deeply engaged.'

'We were able to secure all of these agreements. Our first doses arrived at exactly the same shipment as New Zealand.

'As Pfizer said, we received our doses at the maximum quantity and at the earliest possible time that was available.'

Greg Hunt has come under more fire over his dealings with Pfizer for the Covid-19 vaccine rollout (pictured Pfizer doses being delivered to Australia from the UK on Thursday

The Today host accused the minister of dragging his feet.

'You were asked to supply a confidential agreement at the time. Pretty standard,' Stefanovic's rant continued.

'On July 6 the bureaucrat responds there is no need to meet with the global heads of Pfizer.

'They say there is no need. Signing a CDA isn't usual practice. We have a senior bureaucrat saying, "It's alright. We don't need to meet the bosses or sign an agreement.'

Mr Hunt interjected: 'Except we did.'

The minister confirmed he didn't meet with Pfizer executives but his office 'engaged' with the pharmaceutical giant.

'This was done by the head of the vaccine taskforce who was leading those negotiations for the whole of the government,' Mr Hunt said.

Australia finally signed a deal with Pfizer last November, four months after the UK and US.

In the email (pictured) on June 30, a Pfizer rep wrote: 'I am able to make senior members of Pfizer's global leadership team available for this discussion, particularly if the Minister and/or Departmental leadership can be involved'

Mr Hunt insisted Australia did not miss out.

'Pfizer yesterday, as they said before the Senate, made it clear there were no earlier doses available,' he said.

'What we received was the earliest possible available and we received it in the quantities that they made available. That's because, understandably, they were focusing on mass death in the countries where they were producing.'

Airport workers offloading pallets of UK Pfizer vaccination doses from a flight that arrived in Sydney on Sunday

The US and the UK signed deals to buy millions of doses from Pfizer in July but no-one from Mr Hunt's office met the company until August 4.

Australia finally signed a deal for a measly 10million doses in November. The first doses arrived in February, two months after the US and UK had already rolled them out.

Labor health spokesman Mark Butler claimed the emails, which were released on the Health Department website last month, showed Mr Hunt 'couldn't be bothered' to sign vaccine deals.

'While other countries were signing Pfizer deals, our government couldn't even be bothered arranging a meeting,' he said.

'Australians are paying the price of Scott Morrison's incompetence; we have more people in lockdown and fewer people fully vaccinated than any other developed country.'

Mr Hunt refuted the allegation, saying: 'The Department began working with Pfizer shortly after the pandemic began.

'The Department's first formal meeting with Pfizer was on 10 July after Pfizer wrote to the Government advising they were now in a position to engage formally, while the COVID-19 vaccine candidate was in Phase 1 clinical trials,' he added.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has denied that he 'couldn't be bothered' to meet with Pfizer

In the email on June 30, a Pfizer rep wrote: 'I am able to make senior members of Pfizer's global leadership team available for this discussion, particularly if the Minister and/or Departmental leadership can be involved.

'As the vaccine development landscape is moving swiftly, including through engagements with other nations, I am requesting this meeting occur at the earliest opportunity.'

Despite the urgency, the government did not reply for three days and then Ms Schofield only gave a short response saying she would ask her assistant to set up a meeting for her.

On July 6, Pfizer replied saying that a 90-minute meeting with the company's global leaders in Europe could be arranged if the government was willing to sign a Confidential Disclosure agreement, which would keep Pfizer's vaccine plans secret.

Ms Schofield said it was 'not usual practice' for the government to sign such an agreement and so instead an 'introductory' meeting was arranged with Pfizer Australia representatives.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla (pictured) spoke to Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the phone in July 2021

On July 23, the Pfizer representative emailed Ms Schofield to say the UK and US had signed deals and that the company was 'looking forward to scheduling another meeting with you' once the Confidential Disclosure Agreement was signed.

Finally, someone from Mr Hunt's office met with Pfizer on August 4, almost five weeks after the initial email.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been slammed for failing to order enough Pfizer doses fast enough last year and has admitted 'no government gets everything right'.

Labor say 14million Australians would not be in lockdown right now if more vaccines were ordered.
Australian detectives are convinced a three-year-old boy who 'miraculously' survived in rugged bushland all alone for three days coped so well because his autism 'stopped him from panicking'.

Little Anthony 'AJ' Elfalak was found wearing a sweatshirt and diaper, sitting in a creek and cupping water in his hands less than 500m from his home north of Sydney on Monday.

As family and friends celebrated his incredible rescue in the New South Wales Hunter Valley this week, conspiracy theories circulated that the disappearance was staged.

Social media users wildly speculated that a child could not survive alone with food or water in the rugged Australian terrain, where overnight temperatures were as low as two degrees.

But police investigating the circumstances of the toddler's disappearance said AJ's injuries and condition when he was found were all consistent with him being in the bush the whole time.

Detectives working with bush survival experts to develop a full picture of AJ's disappearance have suggested his autism may have actually helped him maintain a calm state of mind.

'The reality is he didn't know he was lost so he wasn't scared, he didn't panic,' an investigator said.

Anthony 'AJ' Elfalak was found wearing a sweatshirt and diaper, sitting in a creek and cupping water in his hands less than 500m from his home north of Sydney on Monday

Celebrations were underway from about 1pm on Monday - an hour after word spread that AJ had been found alive

A freshly slaughtered cow was put in a freezer until it was ready to be cooked for the party on Tuesday

This aerial image shows the distance between AJ's home and the area where he was found - complete with the dense bushland and dangerously steep terrain in between

'If he was tired, he slept... he had access to water, which is a big thing for survival in the bush.'

When AJ was rescued and loaded into a waiting ambulance, paramedics said he ravenously ate an entire pizza and 'guzzled' water - typical traits of someone who hadn't eaten for days.

'He was starving... it's all consistent with him being in the bush the entire time,' a paramedic said.

The Child Mind Institute says children with autism often have 'a weaker sense of danger' than others and enjoy exploration.

They're also more likely to 'wander off' or look to remove themselves from overwhelming sensory experiences.

Detectives confirmed an investigation was ongoing into the 72 hours AJ was missing

Children played on the property after AJ was found as their parents celebrated

AJ's siblings were gushing over their 'brave baby brother' when he was found alive, and played happily on Tuesday as their parents celebrated with loved ones

And with AJ back home and safely in the arms of his mother, his family hosted an epic party to celebrate.

The local store was cleared out of all booze in stock, a cow was freshly slaughtered and carved up for a BBQ and the music blared.

Grey Gums Cafe owner Kim Grace watched on as all the alcohol she had left in stock - about 375 worth - was packed into a vehicle and taken back to the Elfaleks' place.

In the back seat was a freshly slaughtered sheep, which was being taken back to AJ's godfather Alan Hashem, who is renowned for his 'famous' lamb.

Meanwhile back at the farm, two freshly-killed cows were already on the barbecue and AJ's elated dad had extended an invitation to the party to anybody back in locked-down Sydney who was prepared to make the journey.

At one stage, a bunch of children and their relatives crossed the road into an open paddock, where they played for hours

'See that hill back there,' he told media at his home. 'There's going to be a big party on that hill. Anybody who wants to come on down from Sydney is welcome.'

Celebrations were well underway on Tuesday afternoon at the Yengo Drive property in Putty - and the party lasted into the night.

A handful of guests returned to the corner store about 9.30pm that night, hoping to replenish their booze and food supply.

AJ and his mother returned home from Maitland Hospital later that night - telling the guests party time was over because the toddler needed to sleep.

AJ had two 'natural survival advantages' Little AJ's autism may have helped him to remain calm while lost in the bush, but survival expert Bob Cooper, who works with the SAS on living in tough environments, told Daily Mail Australia AJ had a second natural advantage. 'Children are better than adults at surviving sometimes because they haven't got the preconceived idea of what the bush is like,' Mr Cooper said. 'When they feel tired they sleep, when they're cold they seek shelter, when they're thirsty they drink.' A human can survive for three weeks without food provided they can keep warm, drink water and stay safe from the elements, he noted. Advertisement

Little AJ was found with minor scratches and bruising to his body. He'd been bitten by ants and had a case of nappy rash, but was otherwise in high spirits.

His overjoyed family said it was a miracle that he'd survived such harsh conditions, including wet weather, 5C temperatures and unforgiving terrain.

As Tuesday afternoon wore on, more and more guests packed their cars, said their goodbyes to little AJ and were on their way.

Locals say members of the search party, which included dozens of the Elfalaks' loved ones, had travelled from Sydney in a desperate attempt to help find the little boy.

AJ's siblings played amongst themselves on Tuesday afternoon as their little brother rested inside

Some relatives rushed to the local store where they bought $700 worth of booze, while others prepared the meat and the house for a party

All guests have since been urged to get tested for Covid after a local volunteer from a nearby monastery who helped to search for the little boy returned a positive result on Tuesday.

'We could all have it,' a concerned local said.

But Covid was the furthest thing from the minds of AJ's loved ones, who were simply relieved to have him back at home.

Later on Tuesday afternoon, those who remained at the family home settled back into reality.

Children were overjoyed after AJ was found, playing amongst each other and thanking the volunteers

The older children got back on their buggies and crossed the street to play in the expansive fields with the ponies and alpacas.

They did laps of the huge property, reveling in the open space again after so many days of crowds and emergency crews parked where they would normally play.

Smaller kids stayed closer to home, climbing on the rock formations and playing tag games with each other through the hedges.

AJ, meanwhile, watched on from the safety of his home, clinging to his mother.

Relatives say he is yet to leave her side.

The adults spent the afternoon relaxing after Monday night's festivities, laughing as the kids ran around and cooking up more meat on the outdoor fire pit.

It appears they're all ready to move past the horrors of the past 96 hours and get back to enjoying their 'oasis' in the Outback.

AJ's father fronted the media to reveal the toddler was safe and well with his mum after the rescue - and invite guests from Sydney to their celebratory party

Volunteers worked around-the-clock for four days to locate the little boy
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick

A landmark panel of victims of police corruption, incompetence and malpractice today call for the head of Cressida Dick.

In a bombshell open letter to Boris Johnson, they said the disaster-prone Met commissioner should not be handed a two-year contract extension as expected.

Led by Stephen Lawrences trailblazing mother, Baroness Lawrence, and Lady Brittan, widow of Tory home secretary Leon Brittan, the signatories all give Dame Cressida a resounding vote of no confidence.

They also demand an overhaul of the Mets senior team, urgent and long overdue reform of the police complaints system and a shake-up of the unfit for purpose Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Here, we reveal their letter to the Prime Minister...

We write to you as a group of concerned individuals seeking urgent and long overdue reform of policing, the police complaints system and, in particular, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Our stories and individual experiences are very different but we have all been victims of the incompetence and malpractice which pervades the leadership of the MPS.

This includes racial discrimination, systemic corruption and the reckless and unjustified harassment of innocent people.

After decades of equivocation and inertia, we are calling for immediate and decisive action from your administration.

We have  reluctantly  become public figures as a result of our experiences but we are determined to use our voice to push for reform.

This is the only way to restore confidence in our capital's police service, and to ensure that these injustices cannot be repeated.

First, there must be accountability.

After decades of investigation and numerous independent, judge-led inquiries, the scale and exact nature of the failures within the Metropolitan Police Service have become a matter of public record.

Yet not a single individual has been held accountable for this catalogue of errors.

Baroness Lawrence, Nick Bramall, Alastair Morgan, Harvey Proctor, Michael McManus, Paul Gambaccini and Lady Brittan

Dame Cressida Dick, who has presided over a culture of incompetence and cover-up, must not have her contract extended and must be properly investigated for her conduct, along with her predecessors and those in her inner circle, who she appointed and who have questions to answer.

She should be replaced by an appointee from outside London, via a truly independent and transparent process.

Second, there must be oversight.

A system which allows the police to set the parameters of the inquiries into their own misconduct, as was and is the case after Operation Midland, is self-evidently broken.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is supposed to oversee complaints against the police, is demonstrably unfit for purpose as it is currently structured.

A functional governance system must be established, led by a credible and legally-trained individual, and they must be given the powers to investigate and hold the police services to account.

The IOPC must themselves be properly accountable to the Home Secretary with an independent oversight mechanism.

Lastly, we would like to request an urgent meeting with yourself and the Home Secretary to discuss these matters and ensure that meaningful reform is delivered within a reasonable timeframe.

We share a collective concern that the leadership of the Metropolitan Police Service will continue to act as though they are above the law and that the general public do not have a viable means of recourse.

We are confident that these issues can be addressed through a constructive dialogue.

As Prime Minister, you have the opportunity to begin the process of change and improvement which will restore trust in our police services.

Signed,

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon

Lady Brittan of Spennithorne

Alastair Morgan

Paul Gambaccini

Nicolas Bramall

Michael McManus

Harvey Proctor
Rishi Sunak has ruled out fresh tax rises in next months Budget  as Boris Johnson insisted the Tories are still the party of low taxation.

Ministers acknowledged that this weeks plan for a 12billion-a-year health and social care levy was effectively a mini-Budget.

At the Budget in March this year, the Chancellor set out 30billion-a-year in extra taxes as he set about rebuilding the battered public finances in the wake of the pandemic.

Mr Sunak this week announced plans for the Autumn Budget to take place on October 27, raising fears that taxes could rise again.

But a Treasury insider said there would be no significant tax rises in that Budget. The source said the Chancellor felt he had done enough on the tax side this year.

Rishi Sunak has ruled out fresh tax rises in next months Budget  as Boris Johnson insisted the Tories are still the party of low taxation

Instead he will present a technical Budget which is likely to be overshadowed by a three-year spending review unveiled the same day. The decision came as the debate over the latest tax increase intensified.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that the 1.25 percentage point rise in national insurance which will fund the new care levy breaks his manifesto pledge not to raise the main tax rates. He said it was not something I do lightly but said it was necessary to clear the NHS waiting list backlog caused by the pandemic, and tackle the social care crisis.

Last night, the Prime Minister told Tory MPs: We must never forget after all that weve been through... we are the party of free enterprise, the private sector, low taxation.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned the new levy would leave Britain with the highest sustained tax burden in history.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday insisted the Conservatives are still the party of low tax.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that the 1.25 percentage point rise in national insurance which will fund the new care levy breaks his manifesto pledge not to raise the main tax rates

Mr Javid, who has a portrait of Margaret Thatcher in his office, said: If we believe in an NHS thats paid out of general taxation, this is a very Conservative move.

He said that even with the latest increase, Britains tax burden was still lower than Germany, its lower than Italy, its lower than France, so we remain a low tax country.

But some Tory MPs warned that raising taxes would damage the partys reputation.

Former minister Steve Baker described the tax plan as socialist. He said that at some stage in our lifetimes the Conservative Party is going to have to rediscover what it stands for. Referring to the decision to raise taxes specifically for the NHS, he said: Down that road, lies ruin. Fellow Tory Marcus Fysh said Britain was in danger of becoming a health service with a country attached.

The Federation of Small Businesses last night warned that the regressive rise in national insurance could push up unemployment by 50,000.

Small businesses will pay 5.7billion more per year in employer NI contributions a result of the tax rise, the FSB said.

Chairman Mike Cherry said: It could mean 50,000 more people out of work after it takes effect in April. That means 50,000 livelihoods harmed  50,000 people who would otherwise be at work in our economy.

Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said that low tax conservatism was in retreat in the Conservative Party. In a report yesterday, the think-tank said the Chancellor had announced bigger tax rises over the past six months than seen in any Budget since at least the mid-1970s.

These total over 1.6 per cent of national income, with the Government showing itself to be more than prepared to face up to the tax consequences of announcing big permanent increases in the size of the state.

Entrepreneur Luke Johnson warned the tax rises would damage Britains reputation with investors. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: This isnt a very Conservative government by many measures.

Last night the Treasury said it did not recognise the Federation of Small Businesses jobs figures.
A former Archbishop of Canterbury has argued that assisted dying should be legalised and says there is 'nothing holy about agony'.

Lord Carey said letting terminally ill patients die 'as well as possible' is a 'compassionate and religious' approach and better than making them suffer.

There is nothing in the scripture that directly prohibits assisted dying and it is a myth that all religious people are opposed to it, he added.

Lord Carey (pictured in March 2017) said letting terminally ill patients die 'as well as possible' is a 'compassionate and religious' approach and better than making them suffer

The senior cleric, who held the top job in the Anglican church from 1991 to 2002, has outlined his position in an essay for the British Medical Journal.

The essay is jointly written by Rabbi Jonathan Romain, who leads a new religious alliance in support of doctor assisted dying alongside Lord Carey, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Reverend Canon Rosie Harper.

The authors also highlight a 2019 poll that found 84 per cent of the British public, 82 per cent of Christians and 80 per cent of religious people overall supported assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. Currently all forms of assisted dying are illegal in the UK.

The essay comes as Parliament considers a bill that would permit doctors to prescribe lethal doses of drugs for dying and mentally sound patients to take themselves.

The senior cleric (pictured in January 2004), who held the top job in the Anglican church from 1991 to 2002, has outlined his position in an essay for the British Medical Journal

The British Medical Association, which represents doctors and opposes legalisation, will also debate the issue at its annual conference later this month.

A recent BMA survey showed that more doctors support a law change (50 per cent) than oppose it (39 per cent).

Around 14 per cent of suicides in the UK are among those with terminal or chronic illness and almost 50 British citizens a year seek help to die in Switzerland where assisted dying is legal as long as it is not for 'selfish motives'.

A Church of England spokesman said its position remains to 'affirm the intrinsic value of every human life' and supports the current law on assisted dying.
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Prince Andrew is 'utterly convinced' that he will brush off allegations of rape and sexual assault from Jeffrey Epstein's former sex slave and believes he could return to public life as soon as the Queen's Platinum Jubilee next year, insiders have claimed.

The Duke of York has apparently told aides that the scandal surrounding the bombshell lawsuit filed in a US court by Virginia Giuffre will 'blow over' and has earmarked a return to the royal front line in time for Her Majesty's historic anniversary next year.

Sources described Andrew's 'incredibly bullish' attitude and said he believes there is time to salvage his reputation. Palace sources have insisted the duke will 'not take part' in any of the official celebrations marking the Queen's seven decades on the throne.

One insider close to the royal told The Daily Mirror: 'It is clear he (Andrew) has a clear and burning desire to return to work as soon as possible.

'That may look entirely impossible but if anything he's become emboldened in recent weeks and remains utterly convinced he will not only be exonerated but will certainly forge a way back to public life.

'Certainly he has given the incredibly bullish impression that this will all blow over within a short while, rather than become a protracted issue.'

Andrew was seen leaving the Royal Lodge in Berkshire with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson on Tuesday for Balmoral, where the Queen is currently on holiday, as attempts to serve legal papers on him over sex allegations at Windsor continue.

On Wednesday the duke was seen at a a fishing lodge in a secluded forest six miles from Balmoral and was said to have had a personal lunch with the Queen.

Another source revealed the Duke had been in a 'buoyant' mood, adding: 'Andrew claims he hasn't read the news and hasn't kept up with what is happening around him, which anyone can see is not only catastrophic for his reputation but very damaging for the wider royal family.'

Andrew has not yet publicly responded to the bombshell lawsuit filed in a US court by paedophile financier Epstein's ex-sex slave Ms Giuffre, who claims he sexually abused her when she was 17. The duke has always denied her allegations.

Ms Giuffre has accused Andrew of abusing her at Epstein's Manhattan mansion as well as his private Caribbean island, and at the London home of his madam Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently in a New York jail awaiting sex abuse and grooming charges.

Prince Andrew is pictured with Sarah Ferguson in the back seat of the Range Rover as they left Windsor

Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, was photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover

The Queen during an inspection at the gates at Balmoral as she takes up summer residence at the Scottish castle on August 9

Timeline of another dramatic month in the Prince Andrew case August 9 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17

: Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 August 10 : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day

: Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day August 10 : US lawyers were allegedly trying to hold him up on his horse to serve him papers before he left.

August 12: Dame Cressida Dick says she has told Met Police detectives to review the claims against Andrew

August 13: Ms Giuffre's lawyer says Andrew will be served papers in person under the Hague Convention

August 14: Epstein's telecoms specialist says he will swear on oath that he saw Andrew groping Ms Giuffre

August 15: Andrew's friends say he is 'cheerful and relaxed' over the case in and will remain silent

August 16: A source close to the US probe into Jeffrey Epstein says they view Andrew as a 'person of interest'

September 7 : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland

: Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland September 13 : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York

: First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York December 8 : Deadline for Andrew to be served with court papers in person under the Hague Convention Advertisement

Papers have not yet been served on the Duke of York or his lawyers despite 'multiple attempts' at Royal Lodge in the last fortnight, according to The Sun - and Andrew is now set to stay at the Queen's 50,000 acre estate while the case is heard.

Andrew will have to be served in person with court papers including a copy of Ms Guiffre's complaint under the Hague Convention international law treaty because he is a foreign citizen.

When the lawsuit was filed, her legal team were given 120 days to get Andrews the papers or his lawyers could try to get the case dismissed.

Andrew would have 21 days to respond once the papers are officially served.

Under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, papers must be served on all defendants within 120 days after a civil complaint is filed at court - and the action can then be dismissed unless the plaintiff can 'show good cause for the delay'.

This means Ms Guiffre's lawyers will have until December 8 to serve the papers on Andrew.

The civil suit is due to be heard via a telephone conference next Monday in Manhattan.

A source told the Sun: 'Andrew was going stir-crazy inside Royal Lodge for the past few weeks.

'He wasn't going horse riding and couldn't step outside because of attempts to serve him with the legal papers.

'He knows he is far safer up at Balmoral on the Queen's estate. Andrew is always described as the Queen's favourite son but she is meant to be on holiday at Balmoral.

'With Andrew and everything that is happening with Charles and the investigation into cash for honours she must be wondering when she will get any peace and quiet.'

The duke has stepped back from public duties 'for the foreseeable future' after his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in 2019.

Ms Guiffre, 38, alleges that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was aged 17.

Andrew has strenuously denied her claims that she was forced to have sex with him on Epstein's orders. He said he categorically did not have any sexual contact with her and does not even recall meeting her.

Last month it was claimed Andrew is considered a 'person of interest' in the US investigation into Epstein.

Prosecutors had wanted to interview the Queen's son about his friendship with Epstein as part of their inquiry into the sex offender and Ghislaine Maxwell.

It was always said investigators wished to speak to him only as a 'witness' in case he can throw any light on the crimes of Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019.

But last month a source told Reuters that he is being seen as a 'person of interest'. One leading criminal defence attorney said that while the term does not have any formal meaning in the US, the fact the FBI were apparently using it about Andrew was 'not good'.

Mark Bederow, a New York criminal defence attorney, said: 'It means they are interested in knowing about his conduct and whether he knew that a potential crime has occurred.'

He added it does not mean that he would ever be charged, however.

Prince Charles and Camilla at Ballater Community and Heritage Hub in Aberdeenshire on August 31, near the Balmoral estate

By revealing their thinking at this stage, a week after Mrs Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against him, it seems like 'publicity pressure mechanism', Mr Bederow said.

Virginia Roberts alleges that Jeffrey Epstein (above) forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17

MailOnline contacted Andrew's press representative for a comment about the Sun's story, but they replied: 'No comment.'

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently on remand in at Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, which she denies. She is due to go on trial in November.

Last month, prosecutors claimed she tried to barricade herself in a prison room, saying she created a security threat by using a cart of legal documents to block the door.

Her actions were said to have prevented guards from entering the video conference room. As a result, Maxwell was banned from bringing the cart in and was forced to carry materials from her cell to the conference room.

The British socialite has been at the prison since last July, when she was arrested for allegedly recruiting children for Epstein to abuse.

Virginia Giuffre (centre, in blue) in New York in 2019 with her lawyer David Boies for a hearing

Andrew has travelled with Sarah Ferguson to Balmoral Castle (file picture), with is the Queen's Scottish retreat

The Queen with her son Prince Andrew on the Buckingham Palace balcony in June 2019

Prince Charles awards a CBE to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz at Buckingham Palace in November 2016

What is the latest on Ghislane Maxwell's case? Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged madam of Jeffrey Epstein, is currently on remand in at Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York. She is awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, which she denies. Maxwell is due to go on trial in November. Last month, prosecutors claimed she tried to barricade herself in a prison room and created a security threat by using a cart of legal documents to block the door. Her actions were said to have prevented guards from entering the video conference room. Maxwell was then banned from bringing the cart in and was forced to carry materials from her cell to the conference room. The British socialite has been at the prison since last July, when she was arrested for allegedly recruiting children for Epstein to abuse. There have been disputes about her cell not being clean and allegations that she does not flush her toilet. Maxwell's lawyer said her client never tried to block her door with the cart and stop the guards getting in. Advertisement

There have been disputes about her cell not being clean and allegations that she does not flush her toilet.

Maxwell's lawyer Bobbi Sternheim said her client never tried to block her door with the cart and stop the guards getting in.

The allegations against Andrew are not the only crisis unfolding for the Royal Family, as it has recently been claimed that the Prince of Wales was '100 per cent' behind an offer to help Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz secure UK citizenship.

Clarence House said Charles has 'no knowledge' of the cash for honours allegations on the basis of donation to his charities, denying allegations by a former fixer.

The claims by William Bortrick - a paid advisor to Dr bin Mahfouz, who is a major donor to Charles's charities - came as the Prince's former valet Michael Fawcett stepped down on a temporary basis as chief of the Prince's Foundation while investigations into the allegations take place.

A string of claims about 58-year-old Mr Fawcett's conduct while running the charity included the allegation that he had offered to 'support' Dr bin Mahfouz in his efforts to secure both a knighthood and British citizenship.

And new allegations about Charles's apparent involvement have emerged in a draft letter from Mr Bortrick to Dr bin Mahfouz, who donated more than 1.5million to Charles's charities.

A letter by Burke's Peerage publisher Mr Bortrick, which was drafted in May 2014 and revealed by The Times, said that Dr bin Mahfouz's application for citizenship would 'now take the highest priority'.

It added: 'His Royal Highness supports these applications 100 per cent, as there is no greater example of contribution [than] yours, therefore this should be rewarded and recognised accordingly.'

A spokesman for the prince said: 'The Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities and fully supports the investigation now under way by The Prince's Foundation.'
The remarkable remains of what could be an Anglo-Saxon church have been uncovered beneath the foundations of a long demolished Norman church.

Archeologists working for the controversial new high-speed railway network, HS2, uncovered the ruins during excavation work on the remains of the St Mary's Old Church in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire.

Under the foundation layer of the Norman church, built in 1080 shortly after the Norman conquest, the archeologists discovered evidence of another building.

The experts suspect this is the remains of a much older, and previously unknown, Anglo-Saxon church that would have been similar to the still-standing Saxon-era St Peter's Church in Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire.

They also found evidence the foundations of the newly discovered Saxon church in Stoke Mandeville was built using Roman-era roof tiles.

Archeologists working for the controversial new high-speed railway network, HS2, uncovered the medieval ruins during excavation work on the remains of the St Mary's Old Church in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire. Pictured is CGI reconstruction of the Norman church

The HS2 team are making the findings from the site, including evidence of the earlier church, available to the public to view as part of a 'field museum'

WHO WERE THE ANGLO SAXONS? Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group that inhabited England from the 5th Century, dominating society through the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to migrants from the North Sea coastlands of mainland Europe. However, the identity of Anglo-Saxon evolved in England, through different groups interacting - including a number of Germanic tribes. They developed the concept of England itself, and while only 26% of the modern English language uses words from this group, they are the words we use most often. Their period dates from 450 AD to 1066, with the Norman conquest. Regional government, shires and other aspects of 'England' as we know it today, date from this period. Advertisement

The Norman church was demolished in the 1960s by Royal Engineers, after being largely unused since the 1880s, and the ruins are in the path of HS2.

Before any work can be done on the train line, over 40 archeologists have been digging up the grounds, including relocating over 3,000 bodies to a new graveyard.

Following the Norman conquest in 1066, there was a huge church building programme across England from parish churches to larger city cathedrals.

It wasn't uncommon for some of these to be built on top of conquered Saxon ruins - but it is rare to have the opportunity to excavate and examine them in this way as many did not survive the vast Norman architecture, the archaeologists said.

The church originally being excavated had been renovated in the 13th, 14th and 17th centuries, and played a central role in the community.

It had been furnished with a variety of extensions and the construction of a brick bell tower over its long history.

A new church closer to the centre of the nearby village was built in the 1880s, and at that point the Norman church fell into disrepair, according to local historians.

The Normans weren't the first to build on what came before though, as the foundations of the Anglo-Saxon building reused Roman roof tiles, the team found.

There is evidence of a nearby Roman settlement so it is possible that the materials were reused from a previous structure away from this location, although archaeologists are hoping that evidence of an even earlier structure could be found.

Before any work can be done on the train line, over 40 archeologists have been digging up the grounds, including relocating over 3,000 bodies to a new graveyard

A field museum will be opened on the site of the old churches to allow the public to view the finds, before work begins on the new train line

The church originally being excavated had been renovated in the 13th, 14th and 17th centuries, and played a central role in the community

They also found evidence the foundations of the newly discovered Saxon church in Stoke Mandeville was built using Roman-era roof tiles

The experts suspect this is the remains of a much older, and previously unknown, Anglo-Saxon church that would have been similar to the still-standing Saxon-era St Peter's Church in Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire

They were able to determine the existence of the Anglo-Saxon church based on the fact the Norman church structure was built on a light grey compacted foundation band.

Based on other sites previously excavated, they knew this band had been laid by the Normans themselves.

This means that any archaeological deposits found below that band would be pre-Norman, and so it was most likely Anglo Saxon era.

Archaeologists also discovered flint walls forming a square structure underneath the Norman levels.

These were enclosed by a circular boundary ditch, and a small number of associated burials. Archaeologists believe it is a Saxon church.

The flint foundations are more than a yard wide, which indicates it would have been a tall structure, although its footprint would have been small.

The footprint is similar to a standing Saxon Church in Barton-upon-Humber, St Peter's, the archaeologists said.

They were able to determine the existence of the Anglo-Saxon church based on the fact the Norman church structure was built on a light grey compacted foundation band

The Normans weren't the first to build on what came before though, as the foundations of the Anglo-Saxon building reused Roman roof tiles, the team found

WHO WERE THE NORMANS? The Normans were the inhabitants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy. Descendents of Norse Viking settlers, they conquered a range of territories including England and Sicily. Their dynasty had a major political, cultural and military impact on Europe, particularly noted for culture and Romanesque architecture. England fell to Normand hands after an expedition on behalf of the duke, William the Conqueror, led to the Norman conquest of England at the historic Battle of Hastings in 1066. Norman language, culture, judicial and political arrangements remain in England, France, Spain and Sicily. Advertisement

Dr Rachel Wood, lead archaeologist for Fusion JV, leading the work in Stoke Mandeville said: 'This is a fantastic discovery that we are all very excited to excavate.

'The work undertaken at Old St Mary's is a unique archaeological opportunity to excavate a medieval parish church with over 900 years of meaning to the local community.

'It also gives us the opportunity to learn more about the community that used the church and to understand the lives they lived.

'To then find an earlier structure beneath the Norman church is outstanding.

'To have so much of it remaining, including the walls and even some flooring, will provide a great deal of information about the site prior to the construction of the Norman church in 1080AD.

'The discovery of this pre-Norman, possible Saxon Church is a once in a career opportunity for archaeologists and will provide a much greater understanding of the history of Stoke Mandeville.'

Helen Wass, HS2's head of heritage, said all artefacts and human remains uncovered will be treated with dignity, care and respect and 'our discoveries will be shared with the community through open days and expert lectures.'

'HS2's archaeology programme seeks to engage with all communities both local and nationally to share the information and knowledge gained as well as leaving a lasting archival and skills legacy,' she added.
The remains of a new species of primitive arthropod that lived 500 million years ago have been discovered in the Canadian Rockies  and it dwarfed its peers.

Swimming the seas of the Earth's Cambrian period, Titanokorys gainesi reached 1.6 feet in length at a time when most species were only the size of a pinky finger.

Fossils of Titanokorys were found in the 'Burgess Shale' of Kootenay National Park's Marble Canyon by palaeontologists from the Royal Ontario Museum.

The creature had multifaceted eyes, a tooth-lined mouth resembling a slice of pineapple, a pair of spiny claws and a body featuring a series of flaps for swimming.

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The remains of a new species of primitive arthropod that lived 500 million years ago has been discovered in the Canadian Rockies  and it dwarfed its peers. Pictured: an artist's impression of Titanokorys gainesi as it would have appeared in life. It reached some 1.6 feet in length

Swimming the seas of the Earth's Cambrian period, Titanokorys gainesi reached 1.6 feet in length at a time when most species were only the size of a pinky finger. Pictured: a close-up photograph of a fossilised head carapace from Titanokorys

TITANOKORYS STATS Species name: Titanokorys gainesi Order: Radiodonts Lived: 500 million years ago Environment: Bottom of the sea floor Max Length: 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) Advertisement

'The sheer size of this animal is absolutely mind-boggling,' said paper author and invertebrate palaeontologist Jean-Bernard Caron of the Royal Ontario Museum.

'This is one of the biggest animals from the Cambrian period ever found.

'Their limbs at the front looked like multiple stacked rakes and would have been very efficient at bringing anything they captured in their tiny spines towards the mouth.

'The huge dorsal carapace might have functioned like a plough.

'These enigmatic animals certainly had a big impact on Cambrian seafloor ecosystems.'

Titanokorys belongs to a group of primitive arthropods called the radiodonts  the most iconic member of which is Anomalocaris, a streamlined predator that could grow up to 3.3 feet (1 metre) in length.

'Titanokorys is part of a subgroup of radiodonts, called hurdiids, characterised by an incredibly long head covered by a three-part carapace that took on myriad shapes,' said paper author and palaeobiologist Joe Moysiuk of the Royal Ontario Museum.

'The head is so long relative to the body that these animals are really little more than swimming heads.'

Exactly why the hurdiids evolved such a diverse array of head shapes and sizes is still unclear, and it is likely that there were several influencing factors at play.

According to the researchers, the broad, flattened shape of Titanokorys was likely an adaptation for living close to the sea floor.

'Titanokorys is part of a subgroup of radiodonts, called hurdiids, characterised by an incredibly long head covered by a three-part carapace that took on myriad shapes,' said paper author and palaeobiologist Joe Moysiuk of the Royal Ontario Museum. Pictured: the type specimen of Titanokorys, showing the head carapace (bottom) and the two symmetrical rigid plates that would have covered the underside of the creatures head, either side of its claws

Titanokorys had multifaceted eyes, a tooth-lined mouth resembling a slice of pineapple, a pair of spiny claws and a body featuring a series of flaps for swimming

'The sheer size of this animal is absolutely mind-boggling. This is one of the biggest animals from the Cambrian period ever found,' said paper author and invertebrate palaeontologist Jean-Bernard Caron of the Royal Ontario Museum, pictured here in the field

First studied less than a decade ago, the fossil-rich Burgess Shale deposits of Marble Canyon have yielded a variety of animals dating back to the Cambrian Period.

Among their number is a smaller but more abundant relative of Titanokorys which researchers named Cambroraster falcatus  a nod to how its head carapace resembles the Millennium Falcon spacecraft from the Star Wars franchise.

Professor Caron and his team believe that Cambroraster and Titanokorys likely competed for similar prey at the bottom of the seafloor.

Fossils of Titanokorys and other specimens recovered from the Burgess Shale will be showcased in a new gallery that will open at the Royal Ontario Museum in December.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

Fossils of Titanokorys were found in the ' Burgess Shale' of Kootenay National Park's Marble Canyon by palaeontologists from the Royal Ontario Museum

First studied less than a decade ago, the fossil-rich Burgess Shale deposits of Marble Canyon have yielded a variety of animals dating back to the Cambrian Period
They've earned a reputation as 'man's best friend', and now a new study has confirmed that dogs really do have a special connection with their owner.

Researchers in Hungary found that dogs have an attachment to their owner's voice, which generates reward-related brain responses in the pup.

Amazingly, this brain activity is similar to that of a newborn baby listening to their mother, indicating dog-owner and infant-mother relationships are more similar than previously thought.

Marta Gacsi, an author of the study, said: 'In dogs, just like in infants, not only positive interactions with the caregiver, but even listening to their neutral voice is rewarding.'

Researchers found that dogs have an attachment to their owner's voice, which generates reward-related brain responses in the pup. Amazingly, this brain activity is similar to that of a newborn baby listening to their mother, indicating dog-owner and infant-mother relationships are more similar than previously thought

In the study, the research team from Eotvos Lorand University combined behavioural and brain data of 16 family dogs from seven breeds - six golden retrievers, five border collies, one Chinese crested, one labradoodle, one Cairn terrier, one Hungarian vizsla, and one German shepherd.

The dogs' attachment behaviour towards their owner was assessed with the Strange Situation Test (SST), in which the dog was placed in a room with either a stranger or their owner, before their behaviours were assessed.

In their study, published in NeuroImage, the researchers explained: 'The dogs' relevant behaviours (i.e. exploration, play, greeting the entering person, vocalization, physical contact, standing by at the door, following the leaving person, etc.) were coded both in the presence of the human partners and in separation.

The dogs' brain activity was measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while the dogs listened to praising and neutral speech spoken by their owner and a familiar person

The results of the brain scans showed that the reward centre in the dogs' brains was more sensitive to their owner's voice than to a familiar person's voice

'The analysis resulted in three scores based on the subjects' behaviors during the test: Attachment (towards the owner), Anxiety (related to the unfamiliar place), and Acceptance (of interaction with a stranger).'

Meanwhile, the dogs' brain activity was measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while the dogs listened to praising and neutral speech spoken by their owner and a familiar person.

Ms Gabor explained: 'To study the brain mechanisms behind dog-owner attachment is particularly exciting, because it can help to understand how similar this unique bond between individuals of different species can be to other well-known relationships between conspecifics (e.g. infant-mother attachment).

Dogs who were more attached to their owners in the Strange Situation Test showed even greater response to their owner's voice in the brain scans

'Some years ago we discovered that dog brains are sensitive to verbal praises, but it remained unexplored how the relationship with the speaker affects this sensitivity.'

The results of the brain scans showed that the reward centre in the dogs' brains was more sensitive to their owner's voice than to a familiar person's voice.

What's more, dogs who were more attached to their owners in the Strange Situation Test showed even greater response to their owner's voice in the brain scans.

Overall, this suggests that dogs can recognise their owner's voice, and that the owner's voice is more rewarding for more attached dogs.

'The basic function of attachment is to keep the dependent individual (infant, dog) in the proximity of the caregiver,' Ms Gabor added.

'Our results point out that in dogs, just like in infants, not only positive interactions with the caregiver, but even listening to their neutral voice is rewarding.'
A breathtaking photo of the edge of the Earth, showing city lights 'battling it out' with lights from distant stars has been captured by an astronaut on the space station.

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured the image from the cupola of the ISS showing a delicate orange and green band around the world.

He posted the image on Twitter, writing: 'A night picture from the Cupola: sometimes star lights battle it out with city lights for who's the brightest and more beautiful.'

The orange band is Earth's 'sodium layer' made up of neutral atoms of sodium within the upper layers of the atmosphere, that originate from the burning up of meteors.

The sodium atoms are excited in the atmosphere, creating the glow visible from space - with a faint green glow above it from excited oxygen atoms.

A breathtaking photo of the edge of the Earth, showing city lights 'battling it out' with lights from distant stars was captured by an astronaut on the space station

EARTH'S SODIUM LAYER: EVIDENCE OF DESTROYED METEORS The sodium layer sits 50-65 miles above sea level in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. It is made up of neutral atoms of sodium and goes down 3 miles from the upper point of the mesosphere. The sodium comes from the ablation - or destruction - of meteors over Earth. They can become excited due to sunlight, solar wind and other causes - radiating a yellow or orange glow. They radiate in bands known as the sodium D lines. The resulting radiation is one of the sources of air glow. It has proved useful for astronomers, who can create an artificial laser guide star in the upper atmosphere. This can be used by adaptive optics to compensate for movements in the atmosphere. This can improve the performance of optical telescopes, performing closer to their resolution limit. The layer was discovered in 1929 by American astronomer Vesto Slipher. Advertisement

Pesquet, a French astronaut, is on his second mission to the space station as part of the European Space Agency, and arrived as part of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission in April.

During his time on the station he has become famed for his exceptional and breathtaking photography of the Earth below the space station.

The new picture was taken from the cupola of the ISS, with city lights and light from distant stars equally visible.

The most prominent feature of the image is the orange band stretching around the planet, made up of excited sodium atoms 55 miles above the planet.

Astronomer Juan Carlos Munoz retweeted the picture shared by Pesquet, saying the orange band was a natural emission from sodium atoms.

Astronomers can use this sodium layer to create an 'artificial star' that acts as a laser guide for observing space - compensating for movements in the atmosphere.

'By firing lasers with that exact same colour we can create artificial 'stars' which can be used to measure and correct atmospheric turbulence, yielding sharp images,' Mr Munoz tweeted.

He added: 'A bit above the sodium layer you can see green light from oxygen atoms. Airglow  this natural emission from different atoms  is completely invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen in long exposure shots.

'Fun fact about the sodium layer: those sodium atoms come from meteors.

'So when we excite them with lasers to correct the blur in astronomical we're using space stuff to observe space.'

The International Space Station is travelling at 17,000 miles per hour as it orbits the Earth every 90 minutes - which can make a good photograph difficult.

Pesquet, a French astronaut, is on his second mission to the space station as part of the European Space Agency, and arrived as part of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission in April

'These pictures are difficult to take and I've missed more than my share,' said Mr Pesquet, adding 'you need a long shutter time.'

'So not only do you as a photographer have to stay extremely still holding the camera, but also the Space Station moves so fast that there will be some motion anyway the intricacies of space photography,' the astronaut explained.

Capturing a side view of the Earth was possible in part due to a change in the orientation of the space station.

Usually the Space Station flies with its belly to the Earth and Cupola points downward, according to Pesquet.

'But when spacecraft dock with it, we change our way of controlling the Station's orientation, so the arriving spacecraft don't have to accommodate a constantly revolving target,' he said.

'These pictures are difficult to take and I've missed more than my share,' said Pesquet, adding 'you need a long shutter time'

He has shared a wide range of photos and timelapse videos from the cupola, which is a large window looking out to the Earth below.

One recent video showed a timelapse over Europe with a lightning strike flashing in the distance.

Pesquet is scheduled to become the commander of the ISS when the SpaceX Crew-3 mission launches for the station on Halloween.

This marks the start of Expedition 66, which will also include two Russian civilians - film director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild, who are making a movie called The Challenge on the station.

The orange band is Earth's 'sodium layer' made up of neutral atoms of sodium within the upper layers of the atmosphere, that originate from the burning up of meteors
Key personality differences between cat breeds have been identified by scientists  with Russian Blues the most fearful and Turkish Vans the most aggressive.

Researchers from the University of Helsinki created a new and more comprehensive questionnaire for surveying the personalities and behaviours of our feline friends.

After studying data on more than 4,300 cats from 26 different breeds, the team identified seven key traits, including playfulness, fearfulness and grooming levels.

According to the team, studying behaviour and personality traits in cats may help us to address behavioural problems like aggression and inappropriate elimination.

Key personality differences between cat breeds have been identified by scientists  with Russian Blues (top right) the most fearful and Turkish Vans (top left) the most aggressive

THE SEVEN KEY FELINE PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS Playfulness / Activity Fearfulness Aggression towards humans Sociability towards humans Sociability towards cats Litter box issues Excessive grooming 'Litter box issues and excessive grooming are not personality traits as such,' noted Ms Mikkola. 'But they can indicate something about the cats sensitivity to stress. Advertisement

'Compared to dogs, less is known about the behaviour and personality of cats, and there is demand for identifying related problems and risk factors,' said paper author and feline behaviour expert Salla Mikkola of the University of Helsinki.

'We need more understanding and tools to weed out problematic behaviour and improve cat welfare.

'The most common behavioural challenges associated with cats relate to aggression and inappropriate elimination.'

In their study, Ms Mikkola and colleagues developed a questionnaire that asked owners the extent to which they agreed with 138 statements about their feline's personality and behaviour.

These included prompts like whether the cat 'gets along well with other cats in the household', 'always greets unfamiliar adults visiting your home in a friendly manner' or 'often exhibits sudden bursts of running (zoomies")'.

The advantage of surveying cat owners rather than undertaking behavioural tests is that they give a sense of a feline's long-term behaviour in their everyday setting, rather than in a lab where the cat may react unusually to its new surroundings.

Analysis revealed seven key personality and behavioural traits that not only varied among individual felines, but also manifested as clear personality differences between different breeds.

'The most fearful breed was the Russian Blue, while the Abyssinian was the least fearful. The Bengal was the most active breed, while the Persian and Exotic were the most passive,' noted paper author Hannes Lohi, also of the University of Helsinki.

'The breeds exhibiting the most excessive grooming were the Siamese and Balinese, while the Turkish Van breed scored considerably higher in aggression towards humans and lower in sociability towards cats.'

'The most fearful breed was the Russian Blue, while the Abyssinian was the least fearful. The Bengal was the most active breed, while the Persian and Exotic were the most passive,' noted paper author Hannes Lohi, also of the University of Helsinki. Pictured: a Persian cat

The researchers cautioned that, at this stage, they have not carried out any pairwise comparisons between different cat breeds.

'We wanted to obtain a rough idea of whether there are differences in personality traits between breeds,' Ms Mikkola explained.

'In further studies, we will utilise more complex models to examine factors that affect traits and problematic behaviour.

'In these models, we will take into consideration, in addition to its breed, the cats age, gender, health and a wide range of environmental factors.'

Analysis revealed seven key personality and behavioural traits that not only varied among individual felines, but also manifested as clear personality differences between different breeds. Pictured: a Russian Blue cat, which the team report is the most fearful breed

One concern with using questionnaires to look at cat personalities is that they are inherently subjective in nature, meaning that their reliability must also be assessed.

To do this, the researchers reached out to respondents between one and three months after they completed the survey and asked them to either complete the questionnaire again, or to have another adult in the household respond.

Based on the results, the team were able to see how consistent the answers to the questionnaire were, both temporally but also between different respondents.

'By comparing the responses, we noted that the responses provided for the same cat were very similar, while the personality and behaviour traits were found to be reproducible and reliable,' explained Ms Mikkola.

'We also examined the validity of the questionnaire  whether it measures what it intended to measure. In these terms, too, the questionnaire functioned well.'

After studying more than 4,300 cats  from 26 different breed groups  the team identified seven key traits, including playfulness (pictured), fearfulness and grooming levels

'Internationally speaking, our study is the most extensive and significant survey so far and it provides excellent opportunities for further research,' said Professor Lohi.

'The reliability of prior feline behavioural questionnaires has not been measured in such a versatile manner, nor are they as comprehensive as this one.'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Animals.
As humanity continues its search for life in the universe, a renowned astrobiologist says we should expect to find viruses if extraterrestrials exist.

Theoretical physicist and astrobiologist Paul Davies said it's likely that viruses exist if complex life also exists, noting they would all be part of a broader spectrum.

'Viruses actually form part of the web of life,' Davies, the director of The Beyond Center at Arizona State University said in an interview with The Guardian.

'I would expect that if you've got microbial life on another planet, you're bound to have  if it's going to be sustainable and sustained  the full complexity and robustness that will go with being able to exchange genetic information.'

Astrobiologist Paul Davies says humanity should expect to find viruses if extraterrestrials exist

They're all part of a broader spectrum, as 'viruses ... form part of the web of life,' Davies (pictured) said

In June, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said humanity is 'not alone' in the universe after reviewing the Pentagon's declassified report about unexplained aerial phenomena.

Davies, whose new book, What's Eating the Universe?, recently came out, believes that viruses on other planets would be numerous and not likely just a handful.

'I don't think it's a matter that you go to some other planet, and there will just be you one type of microbe and it's perfectly happy. I think it's got to be a whole ecosystem,' he added.

Davies, whose new book, What's Eating the Universe?, recently came out, believes that viruses on other planets would be numerous and not likely just a handful

In April, the United Nations said there are as many as 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in nature, half of which could infect humans trigger a new pandemic.

There are believed to be more than 10 nonillion viruses on Earth, or more stars in the universe, according to a 2011 study.

Though others have warned about the possibility of extraterrestrial viruses, including comments made by former NASA Ames director Scott Hubbard last year, Davies said there's nothing to worry about.

'The dangerous viruses are those that are very closely adapted to their hosts,' Davies explained.

'If there is a truly alien virus, then chances are it wouldn't be remotely dangerous.'

In 2016, NASA studied the herpes virus to find out why it is more aggressive in space.

Davies said that most viruses are 'good,' save for ones such as COVID-19 notwithstanding.

They can keep a reign on infectious bacteria, help plants survive extreme climates and it's possible that the human genome may stem from an ancient virus.

'I think without viruses, there may be no sustained life on planet Earth,' he said.

The comments made by Davies echo what others have said in the past.

In 2018, a study published by researchers at Portland State University suggested that viruses could be on any number of celestial bodies other than Earth, including in the hidden oceans of ice moons Europa and Enceladus.

In addition, Davies said that humanity should attempt to colonize another planet, just as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has discussed trying to do with Mars.

'Most people think about, well, we would need to have very large spacecraft, and then sort of recycle things for the very long journey, and then all the technology you'd need to take,' he said.

'Actually, the toughest part of this problem is what would be the microbiology that you'd have to take  it's no good just taking a few pigs and potatoes and things like that and hoping when you get to the other end it'll all be wonderful and self sustainable.'

Musk, who has spoken openly about colonizing the Red Planet in the past, said in October 2020 that a Mars colony would not recognize Earth laws and would have 'self-governing principles.'
Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng is targeting a younger demographic with its latest invention: a robot unicorn children can actually ride.

The 'Little White Dragon' will be equipped with an artificial intelligence that allows it to maneuver autonomously, navigate various terrains and recognize people and objects, and provide 'intelligent emotional interaction,' according to The South China Morning Post.

Like a real unicorn, this four-legged wonder doesn't seem to existnot yet, anyway.

Xpeng released a computer-animated video on Tuesday showing the Little White Dragon playing with a young boy.

The company's robotics division hopes the creature will become the first smart vehicle for children and launch 'a robotic ecosystem' based on the company's smart-car business, according to SCMP.

Future products could take over household chores and interact with human users 'at an emotional level,' the paper reported.

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'Little White Dragon' will be equipped with an AI that allows it to maneuver autonomously, navigate various terrains, recognize people and objects, and provide 'intelligent emotional interaction.'

'Banking on our capabilities in autonomous driving, voice recognition, and smart manufacturing, Xpeng will move into the robotics field by making the most of the technologies we grasp,' Xpeng chair He Xiaopeng, a former Alibaba executive, wrote on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo.

'Our first goal is to churn out a low-speed rideable robotic pony for transport purpose.'

The Guangzhou-based firm didn't release any information about cost of the Little White Dragon or when the robot pony would be manufactured or mass-produced.

Xpeng did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com

Xpeng is marketing the robot unicorn as the first smart vehicle for children, and hopes it will launch 'a robotic ecosystem' based on the company's smart-car business

Xpeng released a video Tuesday showing the Little White Dragon playing with a young boy

He previously told the Post he grew up watching Transformers cartoons and was inspired by the idea of 'melding technology with mobility.'

Xpeng's robotics division launched in late 2020 with registered capital estimated at $1.55 million, according to the paper.

While He is determined to break into the household robotics market, electric cars are still Xpeng's bread and butter.

Xpeng Motors has raised a total of $4.6 billion in funding, according to Crunchbase, and this year, began exporting its flagship P7 sedan internationally.

Xpeng's main business is cars: It began exporting its flagship P7 sedan (pictured) this year. As of January, the company had raised a total of $4.6 billion in funding

Boston Dynamics' Spot has become the standard-bearer for AI animals, but with a $74,500 price tag, it's more aimed at militaries, police, and search-and-rescue teams than toddlers.

Little White Dragon does have some competition in the robotic pet department, though.

In August, another Chinese tech firm, Xiaomi, debuted CyberDog, a robotic pooch that retails for just $1,540.

With both remote and voice control, CyberDog can follow its owner, navigate around obstacles and perform other tricks including begging and shaking a paw

CyberDog can beg, shake a paw, and perform backflips, as well as hit a top speed of over 7 mph.

In addition, it's based on open-source code that allows developers to create their own upgrades.
Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe.

Named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, The Allen Coral Atlas will act as a reference for reef conservation as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems being lost to climate change.

The group announced completion of the atlas on Wednesday, calling it the first global, high-resolution map of its kind.

It gives users the ability to see detailed information about local reefs, including different types of submarine structure like sand, rocks, seagrass and, of course, coral.

The maps, which include areas up to 50 feet deep, are being used to inform policy decisions about marine protected areas, spatial planning for infrastructure such as docks and seawalls, and upcoming coral restoration projects.

'Our biggest contribution in this achievement is that we have a uniform mapping of the entire coral reef biome,' Atlas managing director Greg Asner told the Associated Press.

Asner, director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation, said the group relied on hundreds of field contributors for local information about reefs to program their satellites and software to focus on the right areas.

'That lets us bring the playing field up to a level where decisions can be made at a bigger scale because so far decisions have been super localized,' Asner added.

'If you don't know what you've got more uniformly, how would the U.N. ever play a real role? How would a government that has an archipelago with 500 islands make a uniform decision?'

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Researchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the world's coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe. The Allen Coral Atlas will act as a reference for reef conservation as these fragile ecosystems are devastated by climate change

The atlas also includes a coral bleaching monitor to check for corals that are stressed due to global warming and other factors.

Asner said about three-quarters of the world's reefs have not been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, and many not charted at all.

The project began in 2017 when Allen's company, Vulcan, was working with Ruth Gates, a Hawaii researcher with the idea of creating 'super coral' for reef restoration.

Gates and Vulcan brought in Asner because of his work with the Global Airborne Observatory, which had been mapping reefs in Hawaii at the time.

A screen grab from the Allen Coral Atlas shows a map of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

A researcher collects georeferenced data on the Great Barrier Reef's Ashmore Bank or the Allen Coral Atlas

Allen, who said he wanted to help save the world's coral reefs, liked the idea of using technology to visualize data.

Gates connected the group with a satellite company called Planet and Allen funded the project for about $9 million.

The University of Queensland in Australia used artificial intelligence and local reference data to generate the layers on the atlas. Anyone can view the maps for free online.

After the deaths of both Paul Allen and marine researcher Ruth Gates, it was up to Greg Asner (pictured), director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, to carry on the work of completing the Allen Coral Atlas

Both Allen and Gates passed away in 2018, leaving Asner and others to carry on their work.

'Ruth would be so pleased, wouldn't she?' Asner said. 'She would just be tickled that this is really happening.'

He said about a third of the calls he is getting are from researchers who hope to use the maps to 'be sure that their planning and their reef restoration work is going to have its max efficacy.'

The atlas also includes a coral bleaching monitor to check for corals that are stressed due to global warming and other factors. Pictured: Areef at Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands

When Gates found out she was sick, she selected friend and colleague Helen Fox, conservation science director for the Coral Reef Alliance, to help communicate with researchers and conservation groups about how to use the tool.

'It really was a global effort,' said Fox. 'There were huge efforts in terms of outreach and helping people be aware of the tool and the potential scientific and conservation value.'

HOW CORAL BLEACHING IS DEVASTATING FRAGILE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS Corals have a symbiotic relationship with a tiny marine algae called 'zooxanthellae' that live inside and nourish them. When sea surface temperatures rise, corals expel the colorful algae. The loss of the algae causes them to turn white. This bleached states can last for up to six weeks and, while corals can recover, if the temperature drops and the algae return, severely bleached corals die, and become covered by algae. Advertisement

In either case, this makes it hard to distinguish between healthy corals and dead corals from satellite images.

This bleaching recently killed up to 80 percent of coral in some areas of the Great Barrier Reef.

Bleaching events of this nature are happening worldwide four times more frequently than they used to.
The algorithm TikTok uses to decide what videos users will see is promoting sexual content, drugs and alcohol to children as young as 13, an investigation revealed.

As part of the Wall Street Journal investigation, a '13-year-old user' searched for 'onlyfans' and watched a handful of videos including two selling pornography on the China-based social media app.

When viewing the for you page, the TikTok version of the Twitter feed, the same teenage user was shown a series of sexually oriented videos.

The content shown on the for you page is set based on previous searches, as well as the content types most often viewed or that a user spends most time watching.

The more the user lingered on sexual content, the more sexual content was shown in the for you page - despite the users age being set in their profile.

TikTok said they don't currently differentiate between videos served to adult and children accounts, but were working on a new filter tool for younger accounts.

The algorithm TikTok uses to decide what videos users will see is promoting sexual content (left), drugs (right) and alcohol to children as young as 13, an investigation revealed

TIKTOK: A CHINESE-OWNED SOCIAL MEDIA APP SPECIALISING IN SHORT VIDEO CLIPS TikTok is a Chinese social media app where users can live stream, create short videos and music videos and Gifs with a host of functions. TikTok's tagline is 'Make every second count'. It was the most downloaded app in the US in 2018 and the world's fourth most downloaded app in 2018, ahead of Instagram and Snapchat. TikTok is known in China as Douyin where it was launched in 2016 and then made more widely available around the world in 2017. Douyin is still the version of the app used in China, available to download separately to TikTok. It offers users a raft of colourful modification and editing tools including overlaying music, sound, animated stickers, filters and augmented reality (AR) for creating short videos. The Beijing based social network has more than 500 million active users and the company is now worth more than $75 billion (58 billion). In 2020 Donald Trump called for the US arm of TikTok to be sold to an American company over fears the China-owned app posed a national security risk. Talks are under way between ByteDance, Oracle and Walmart over US operations after Trump threatened a download ban in the US. Advertisement

It wasn't a real 13-year-old involved in the investigation, rather a series of bots were created to better understand what TikTok shows its younger viewers.

All of the automated accounts were set to be between the ages of 13 and 15 to determine whether younger viewers get a different feed to older TikTok users.

Through the constant curation by the AI-powered algorithm, they found the feeds would become more focused, delving into increasingly inappropriate content.

One of the accounts, claiming to belong to a 13-year-old, was shown 569 videos about drug use including references to cocaine and meth addiction, as well as promotional videos for the online sales of drug products.

The WSJ accounts were also shown over 100 videos promoting pornography sites and sex shops from accounts labelled as adults only.

There were even videos encouraging eating disorders, promoting alcohol consumption and other adult orientated content.

The WSJ reporters sent TikTok almost 1,000 videos showing drugs, porn and other adult-related content that had been shown to their 13 to 15 year old bot accounts.

Of those videos, 255 were removed soon after they were sent to the Chinese-owned platform, including a dozen showing adults entering relationships with people calling themselves 'littles' - legal age adults pretending to be children.

One of the people shown in a 'role-playing' video aimed at adults, but shown to the teenage 'bot' accounts said she clearly says her content is 18 and above in her bio.

'I do have in my bio that is 18+ but I have no real way to police this,' she told the Wall Street Journal in a message, adding that she doesn't agree with her content being shown to someone so young.

A TikTok spokesperson told the Journal that the firm removed some of the reported videos, and restricted distribution of others to stop them being recommended to other young users in the future - but it isn't clear how many.

Pictured: a screenshot of drug-themed content show to the bot on TikTok

Under TikTok terms of service, users have to be at least 13, and if they are under 18 they need parental permission - with parents able to manage screen time and privacy settings for their children within the app.

'Protecting minors is vitally important, and TikTok has taken industry-first steps to promote a safe and age-appropriate experience for teens, TikTok said.

There were a total of 31 'bot' accounts used in the investigation, each given a date of birth and IP address, with no other information revealed to TikTok apart from what as shared by viewing various videos for different amounts of time.

A dozen of the 31 accounts quickly became dominated by a particular theme, as the selective algorithm tailored the for you page to previously expressed interests.

In one example, one account given a series of interests such as Japanese film and television cartoons, one streak of 150 videos delivered 146 Japanese animations including many with a sexual theme.

TikTok told the Journal that the behaviour of the bots 'in no way represents the behaviour and viewing experience of a real person.

That doesn't change the adult-themed videos being shown to children, with 40 per cent of one stretch of 200 videos coming from accounts labelled as adults only.

TikTok has to rely on algorithms and an army of 10,000 people to police the millions of videos shared to the service, including tens of thousands every minute.

As part of the Wall Street Journal investigation, a '13-year-old user' searched for 'onlyfans' and watched a handful of videos including two selling pornography

A dozen of the 31 accounts quickly became dominated by a particular theme, as the selective algorithm tailored the for you page to previously expressed interests

With about 100 million users in the US alone, moderators are struggling to keep pace, so have to focus on the most popular content, leaving lower view count videos unchecked.

The firm is slowly rolling out a range of security features, including giving 16 and 17 year olds the ability to determine who can see their posts.

TikTok said the policies over content evolves in response to industry standards, as well as changing user behaviour.

It said that as the users on the platform get older and more diverse, the content shown, as well as policies over acceptable use will change and adapt.

'While the activity and resulting experience of these bots in no way represents the behaviour and viewing experience of a real person, we continually work to improve our systems and we're reviewing how to help prevent even highly unusual viewing habits from creating negative cycles, particularly for our younger users,' a TikTok spokesperson told MailOnline.

'We care deeply about the safety of minors, which is why we build youth well-being into our policies, limit features by age, empower parents with tools and resources, and continue to invest in new ways to enjoy content based on age-appropriateness or family comfort.'
Black vulture attacks on livestock are on the rise in the Midwest, prompting state agricultural councils to allow farmers to cut through the red tape and kill the federally protected bird.

For reasons that aren't quite clear the birds, normally scavengers, have increasingly been turning to live animals, ripping into lambs and calves with their razor-sharp beaks, sometimes even as the animals are being born.

The vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, but the threat is so severe that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is allowing state farmers bureaus to buy in bulk the special permits required to kill the creatures and then quickly give them to members.

Previously, obtaining a $100 depredation permit took monthsand left cattle victim to the birds while the paperwork was cleared.

Now ranchers with confirmed black vulture infestations can get a permit in just days, according to Outdoor Life.

Last month, Indiana became the latest state to institute the sub-permitting program: The Indiana Farmers Bureau is authorized to issue up to 100 sub-permits per year, with each holder allowed to 'take,' or kill, five birds.

'This program is critical to controlling the black vulture conflict, which causes significant damage and devastation to Indiana cattle ranchers,' Joe Moore, executive vice-president, Indiana Beef Cattle Association, said in a statement.

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Normally scavengers, black vultures have reportedly been turning to live animals for their mealspreying on lambs and calves, sometimes as they're being born

Farmers across the region say the birds have gotten increasingly aggressive in recent years.

John Hardin, a livestock producer in southern Indiana, told The New York Times, that he sees eight to ten birds at a time at his farm, about 20 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky.

At least two of his calves have been slaughtered by the birds.

'They like the navel area and they will take it all the way down to the bone and hide,' he told the Times.

Black vultures historically lived in the Southern US and Central and South America but in recent decades have stretched farther north into the Midwest. There have been reports of the birds wintering as far north as Massachusetts

Historically, black vultures were found in the southern U.S. and Central and South America. Over the last 35 years, though, they've moved further north and east.

Large numbers have been reported in the Midwest and some even winter as far north as Massachusetts, according to the Cornell Chronicle.

Marian Wahl, a doctoral student in forestry and natural resources at Purdue, told the Times that the vulture numbers in Indiana alone have increased from just a few several decades ago to about 17,000 now.

It's not certain why the ominous birds have altered their migratory patterns, but some experts say climate change leading to milder winters has created more inviting environments.

Scientists say climate change leading to milder winters may be creating more welcoming environments for the vultures beyond their usual territory

The Kentucky Farm Bureau was the first to use the sub-permitting system, starting in 2015.

Kentucky farmers lose between $300,000 to $500,000 in livestock a year to the vultures, the Louisville Courier Journal reported, as hundreds of cows, lambs, goats, chickens, and turkeys are killed.

'The birds zero in during birth  essentially at the most vulnerable moment,' Greg Slipher, a livestock specialist with the Indiana Farm Bureau, told the TImes.

'Literally as the calf is on the way out of its mother we're getting black vultures attacking the calf and attacking the mother.'

A pilot program allows state farm bureaus to buy permits to kill the birds and give them out to members, speeding up the process from a matter of months to days. The program started in Kentucky in 2015 and has expanded to Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and, as of August, Indiana

The pilot program has expanded to Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and, as of July, Arkansas.

'I've lost calves every spring and fallfor the last five years,' Batesville, Arkansas, farmer Matt Carter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

'They aren't afraid of you. I've ridden into flocks of them on a four-wheeler to scare them off, and they didn't scatter until I got there.'

Carter said he's seen a black vulture perch on a cow's backside and attack a calf as it was born.

Vulture attacks are not only deadly but gruesome: often the birds use their sharp beaks to peck out the eyes of their prey before consuming animals alive, leaving behind only a skeleton and hide.

The ebony scavengers are also attacking human settlements. In December 2020, residents of Marietta, Pennsylvania, faced a massive infestation of black vultures, which can have wingspans of up to five feet.

In December 2020, Marietta, Pennsylvania was infested with black vultures, with hundreds taking up residence in a single block

The scary scavengers tore up rooftops and garbage cans, and blanketed trees with their droppings.

Residents resorted to banging on pots and pans and shouting at the birds to shoo them awaysome even lit fireworks.

Others hang taxidermized vultures on their property because the birds appear to be scared of their own dead.

More permanent solutions are in short supply, as the black vulture is federally protected and can't be exterminated without permission.

It's illegal in the U.S. to trap, kill or own black vultures without a permit and violators can face a fine of up to $15,000 and up to six months in prison.

The vulture effigies are effective but expensive and require permission from authorities.

In the fall and winter, the vultures prefer to roost in groups and are attracted to the heat given off by homeowners' black roofs.

A pair of black vultures warm themselves by a chimney. The birds are known to tear up shingles and rubber roofing materials, causing thousands in property damage

Hundreds could be seen on a single block, sunning themselves on trees or pecking at shingles and tearing up rubber roofing materials.

Homeowners' insurance typically doesn't damage caused by wildlife, and residents can spend several thousand dollars out of pocket on repairs.

Black vultures are far more aggressive and destructive than turkey vultures, which are also common in the area.

Their droppings can kill trees and plants, and carry diseases like salmonella and encephalitis.

The vultures also regurgitate a noxious corrosive vomit as a defense mechanism: A couple whose Florida summer house was overrun by black vultures in 2019 told The Palm Beach Post the stench was 'like a thousand rotting corpses.'

The birds have also been known to accidentally drop prey from as high as 300 feet, damaging radio towers and other property and terrifying passersby.
Liverpool are plotting a move for Borussia Dortmund and England sensation Jude Bellingham in a club record 80million deal, according to reports.

Bellingham, aged just 18, has dazzled in the Bundesliga with Dortmund after leaving Birmingham, but may be set for a move back to England next summer.

The Daily Star claim that Jurgen Klopp is keen to bring in a statement signing, and that teenager Bellingham has been identified as the player who fits the bill.

Liverpool are plotting a move for Jude Bellingham in what would be a club record fee of 80m

It is also believed that Liverpool are ahead of other top-flight clubs, including Manchester United, in the race to snap up Bellingham.

The starlet is seen by boss Klopp as the perfect fit for his team, but his price tag is set to prove a major stumbling block.

Bellingham initially joined Dortmund for 25m, but his value has significantly increased since as a result of his superb performances for club and country.

Bellingham has dazzled with Borussia Dortmund and attracted interest from several top clubs

This may force Liverpool to part ways with more than the 75m figure they splashed out to sign Virgil van Dijk.

An added obstacle is the fact that Bellingham is clearly settled at Dortmund, and he is unlikely to push to return to England.

Liverpool are in need of another midfielder, however, after Georginio Wijnaldum left the club on a free transfer before joining Paris Saint-Germain.

Bellingham would be a stunning piece of business for them, although he has not been afraid to rebuff approaches from the biggest clubs in England in the past.

Jurgen Klopp has reportedly identified Bellingham as one of his primary targets next summer

His decision to move to Dortmund led to him turning down United in the process, despite the club bringing in the services of Sir Alex Ferguson to sway him.

Now on international duty with England, Bellingham has been able to continue his meteoric rise to the top of the sport despite his tender age.

Gareth Southgate has lavished praise on the wonderkid this summer, and labelled him as being 'hugely exciting'.

'Jude is phenomenal,' Southgate said. 'Just in training in the last couple of days, to have a 17-year-old, who wants to compete with senior players, not only has the technique, but the competitiveness and maturity he's a hugely exciting player.

Bellingham had joined Dortmund for 25m but his form has since seen his price tag skyrocket

'He's going to be an important player for England.

He then added: 'The experience is going to be enormous for him and for future England managers because I don't see anything in his character that means he won't succeed.

'But his performance levels with Dortmund in the big Champions League games were the things that really struck us.

'He stood up in those big moments. They are the moments we're really assessing the players on.'

Jordan Henderson has urged Bellingham to keep learning to become a key player for England

Jordan Henderson, meanwhile, has told Bellingham to keep on listening and learning in order to become an integral performer for the Three Lions.

'Jude is a fantastic player,' said Henderson. 'Even at such a young age, he shows fantastic maturity on and off the field. You can see how hungry he is to be a top player and has all the attributes to do that.

'I tried to help as much as I could but, to be honest, he is a top player who has shown that in the big games for Dortmund.

'I see him going from strength to strength all the time. I don't want to praise him too much and put too much pressure on him but he's got a very good head on his shoulders.'
Dr. Zoe Williams has opened up in a new interview with MailOnline about how she's felt mum-shamed on social media since welcoming her first child in June.

The This Morning star, 41, who recently gave birth to her first child Lisbon with boyfriend Stuart McKay, revealed she was subjected to online trolling after giving birth.

In an exclusive chat, the new mother said she also feels there is pressure for her as a doctor in the public eye to be a 'role model' for her fans.

Candid: Dr. Zoe Williams has opened up in a new interview with MailOnline about how she's felt mum-shamed on social media since welcoming her first child in June. Pictured in August

Talking about her experience with trolling, Zoe told MailOnline: 'I think we live in a society where as soon as there's a baby involved people feel that they have a right [to get involved].'

'Mostly it comes from a good place where they're worried about the health of the baby, but I've had people comment on a number of things whether the way my baby sleeps, whether I have my baby swaddled or not swaddled, whether my baby has a dummy or doesn't have a dummy - people will comment on every little thing.'

'I'm very careful that, for example, I did a post with WaterWipes and had the baby on the changing table, I made sure my hand was in the picture. One because otherwise people would criticise me, but also two I feel I am role modelling as well.'

'For example, if I am using a baby carrier and not using it correctly, people might look to me and assume I know what I'm doing and getting it right and might copy the way I do things, so there is some responsibility on social media whilst being honest, also try and demonstrate best practice.'

Trolling: The This Morning star, 41, who gave birth to her first child Lisbon with boyfriend Stuart McKay, revealed she was subjected to online trolling after giving birth

Zoe, who had a water birth at home without the need for medical intervention, said despite her ordeal, she doesn't let trolls on her platform bring her down.

'I ignore them. It depends  sometimes I comment, mostly I would say I ignore them. Sometimes I will reply if there's a reason to, it's quite rare but occasionally I will respond, but if someone's being abusive then I will delete them  life's too short.'

Nonetheless, the medical professional feels that now more than ever, it's important to be honest about what's it's like to welcome a new baby - especially in the age of social media.

New addition: Zoe told MailOnline: 'I think we live in a society where as soon as there's a baby involved people feel that they have a right [to get involved].' Pictured on ITV's This Morning in July

Home birth: Zoe, who had a water birth at home without the need for medical intervention, said she doesn't let trolls on her platform bring her down

'I think it is, because never have I realised more how much we don't talk about the realities of being a parent and I think compared to many I would say I haven't had a tough time - I didn't have a difficult birth, my baby sleeps reasonably well but I think that post-partum period for most women, it will be the most difficult time of their life so far.'

'I think we see a lot of the time on social media, we do just see the highlights of people's lives and obviously the cute baby pictures and we'll see those days where they have managed to put a full face of makeup on and wash their hair whereas the reality is the majority of their days don't look like that.'

'My baby vomits quite a lot so I post some Instagram vs. reality pictures in his cute, nice little outfit and then five seconds later he's vomited all over it. I think being real and being honest on Instagram it just helps other people out there see the other side of the story.

'I think it's important to see people like myself as a mother, because people think I'm a doctor, I'll have it all sorted, I'll have it altogether whereas actually as a doctor I'm still a first-time mum and I think it's important just to be honest and share that.'

Insta vs. reality! The medical professional feels it's important to be honest about what's it's like to welcome a new baby - especially in the age of social media

However, despite celebrities often sugar-coating their experience as a parent, it was Zoe's role as a practitioner which ultimately helped her to feel prepared for motherhood.

'I'm a GP, I've seen what the real mum looks like when she's had a baby that's been up all night with a temperature and she's worried about the baby and she's been crying so I've probably been exposed to the realities of parenthood through my work, and therefore my expectations have all been quite accurate or in some ways accurate but it's almost prepared me for the worst.'

'The same with being pregnant  I see women who were having an extreme experience of symptoms so hyperemesis gravidarum (severe nausea and vomiting) and severe back pain so I went into pregnancy knowing what the worst case scenario would look like so therefore when I had quite a positive view about my pregnancy, even though I did experience a lot of those symptoms: the tiredness, the back pain, I know there are people that had it much worse than I did and not everybody gets that experience.'

'I know most people out there only see what's in the media but also in TV and movies or what we see from our own family and friends who tend to put a brave face on and show us just the highlights reel.'

Motherhood: However, despite celebrities often sugar-coating their experience as a parent, it was Zoe's role as a practitioner which ultimately helped her to feel prepared for motherhood

Zoe, who is taking a year off from her work as an NHS GP to spend time with her new arrival, is now using her medical knowledge to partner with WaterWipes to support their launch of ABC Of Baby Skin - a resource to help parents access trusted information about common baby skin concerns.

Zoe has seen many patients come in and out of her clinic with questions about baby's skin conditions, as well as having dealt with her own, and the odd 'nappy disaster' or two.

'Many nappy disasters! We've had nappy explosions for sure. From a skin point of view his skin has been really good. Very, very early on he did have a slight bit of sensitivity in the nappy area but it's been really good since then.'

'Also he did have baby acne which is something that not many people know about but it's very common and he had it quite, well bad is the wrong word because it's not harmful, it doesn't scar it doesn't cause any lasting problems, but when you look at your newborn baby with what looks like teenage acne it's... bless them, there were a few days where we didn't take too many pictures, let's just say that. '

The WaterWipes ABC Of Baby Skin has launched today - visit their website for more information.
Jodhi Meares celebrated her 50th birthday just a few months ago.

But the ex-wife of billionaire James Packer looked like a woman half her age as she showcased her youthful complexion in Sydney on Tuesday.

The activewear mogul appeared slightly windswept as she strolled through a park in Watsons Bay with her svelte pins on display in a pair of black leggings.

What's her secret? Windswept Jodhi Meares, 50, showed off her slender legs and age-defying complexion as she strolled through a park in Sydney's Watsons Bay on Tuesday

She completed her look with a bikini top layered beneath a white singlet, white sneakers, and a yellow checkered jacket worn open.

The former glamour model carried her belongings in a yellow and orange fabric tote, and accessorised with aviator sunglasses and her favourite crucifix necklace.

At times, Jodhi lifted up her sunglasses, giving onlookers a clear glimpse at her line-free visage and perfectly pouty lips.

Eclectic: The activewear mogul showcased her svelte pins in black leggings, and completed her look with a bikini top layered beneath a white singlet, and a yellow checkered jacket

Forever young! Jodhi gave onlookers a glimpse at her line-free visage and perfectly pouty lips

Jodhi is the founder of activewear and swimwear brand The Upside.

The sportswear designer is believed to be single following her split from Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell, 51, early last year.

The pair are believed to have ended their romance in January 2020.

Split: Jodhi hit the headlines last year following her split from Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell (left). The pair are believed to have ended their romance in January 2020

The couple are rumoured to have initially called it quits in September 2019, less than three months after debuting their relationship.

But they appeared to rekindle their romance in December that year, only to break up again the following month.

She was married to James Packer from 1999 to 2002, but they remain good friends.
Hilary Duff enjoyed an 'action packed weekend' with her family after recovering from COVID-19.

The 33-year-old actress shared snaps from a beach trip and a zoo outing with husband Matthew Koma and kids Luca, nine, Banks, two, and five-month old daughter Mae.

The Younger star revealed she had tested positive for a breakthrough case of Coronavirus on August 20 despite being vaccinated, but looked to be feeling much better after quarantining.

Beach day! Hilary Duff shared snaps from a family beach day to her Instagram stories before they headed to the zoo during a busy Labor Day weekend

Hilary shared a slew of snaps to her Instagram story which included her digging in the sand with son Luca and dipping in the ocean with daughter Banks.

She modeled a pink bikini as the family soaked up the sun on the beach in Santa Monica, California in a series and wore her blonde hair tied back in a bun.

Husband of two years Koma, 34, shared in the parental duties as he cradled their newborn Mae on his lap in one snap, and in another he was seen dragging her stroller across the beach.

Quick dip: The mother of three was seen kneeling in the ocean while holding daughter Banks, two

Family fun: 'A real action packed weekend' she teased ahead of her photo series

The girls: In one snap the Younger star cradled five-month-old Mae while she tugged at her hair

Daddy duties: Koma was seen dragging the stroller across the large stretch of beach before they headed home

'A real action packed weekend,' she wrote before she shared more images from a trip to the zoo and another of dinner out with girlfriends.

Others in her set included close up shots of Mae in her stroller, Banks swimming in the family pool and Koma greeting their newborn in her crib as seen through a baby monitor.

And after recovering from COVID-19, Hilary made sure to fill her holiday weekend with as many family outings as possible.

Zoo time: In a snap from the LA Zoo she fed baby Mae while Koma pushed Banks around in a stroller

Moms night out! One image with girlfriends showed Hilary enjoying a cocktail in a silk skirt and heels

Just days after she had begun production on the spinoff of CBS' How I Met Your Mother she revealed she had caught the delta strain of the Coronavirus.

Posting a snap from bed she wrote: 'That delta she's a little b***h. Symptoms: bad headache. No taste or smell. Sinus pressure. Brain fog,' adding: 'Happy to be vaxxed.'

Duff had been vaccinated with the Pfizer shot in April  just one month after giving birth to Mae.

COVID-19: On August 20 she shared a snap from bed and wrote 'That delta she's a little b***h' as she revealed she had tested positive

Back to work! By September 1 all was well as she returned to set of How I Met Your Father

And unfortunately, she had previously been exposed to COVID-19 in November while filming the hit show Younger in New York City.

By September 1 however, Duff appeared to have recovered as she returned to the set of How I Met Your Father and introduced her character Sophie.

Though she only welcomed her last child in March, she jokingly revealed by way of Instagram that she was thinking about a fourth child already.

After Koma  with whom she shares daughters Banks and Mae  posted a tribute to Duff for being able to juggle it all as a 'mama bear, wife, family psychologist and chicken lady,' she responded: 'Oh you're gunna get it. This is bound to get him baby number 4.'
Carrie Bickmore still remembers sitting in front of her television watching the planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

The 40-year-old Project co-host admits it was the first major news story she had to cover on radio, after landing a job in Perth fresh out of university.

The images and stories from 9/11 never left Carrie's mind, which is why she decided on the 10th anniversary to go to New York City and meet five families who were affected by the tragedy.

Emotional: Carrie Bickmore has revealed she still keeps in touch with the families of 9/11 victims 20 years after the devastating terror attacks

'It was wall-to-wall with graphic images and deciphering the politics of it all, but it was the stories I kept hearing of families who had lost loved ones and from the survivors that stayed with me,' she told News Corp Australia.

Then, just before the 20th anniversary, Carrie chatted with those same families, including a firefighter who survived after switching his shifts, a mother whose son was falsely accused of being one of the terrorists, and a son who lost his mother.

'I did genuinely connect with them all 10 years ago so it became more than a news story to me.' Carrie added. 'I was genuinely interested in their lives and their grief and their healing.'

The attacks that shocked the world: The Project host still remembers sitting in front of her television watching the planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001

Connecting with the affected: The images and stories from 9/11 never left Carrie's mind, which is why she decided on the 10th anniversary to go to New York and meet five families who were affected by the tragedy. Pictured: Carrie in NYC on the 10th anniversary of the attacks

The TV host wanted to know the five families were 'okay more than anything else' and said their stores were 'heartbreaking' but also 'inspiring'.

While she was nervous to see them all again, she was particularly anxious about seeing the firefighter, Roger, who survived after he swapped shifts with a colleague because his wife was pregnant.

Roger had to spend nine months at Ground Zero searching through the ruins to find the bodies of his fellow first responders.

He retired five years later with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease caused by toxic dust from the rubble, which was prevalent among firefighters who worked on 9/11.

'I was genuinely interested in their lives and their healing': The TV host wanted to know the five families were 'okay more than anything else' and said their stores were 'heartbreaking' but also 'inspiring'. Pictured: Carrie in New York during the 10th anniversary of the attacks

Tragic: Firefighter Roger spent nine months at Ground Zero searching through the rubble to find the bodies of his fellow first responders. He retired five years later with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease caused by toxic dust from the rubble, which was prevalent among firefighters who worked on 9/11. Pictured: Firefighter Gerard McGibbon on 9/11

'He was struggling a decade ago and I was anxious to reconnect to see if he was okay with the emotional journey he has been on,' Carrie recalled. 'Hes in a different place but he still struggles with the same images and flashbacks.'

Carrie has been working on her second 9/11 special, The Project Presents 9/11: 20 Years On.

Her interviews with the families were conducted via Zoom this year due to border restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

She admits the discussions were raw, emotional, and plenty of tears were shed.

The Project Presents 9/11: 20 Years On premieres Tuesday, 7.30pm on Channel 10
The Bachelorette could be set for another major diverse shake-up.

Following the overwhelming interest of having Brooke Blurton as the first LGBTQ lead in the franchise history, Channel 10 is rumoured to be in talks at casting its first transgender bachelorette.

Warner Bros. casting agents have reportedly reached out to Mitch Greer, and are in talks with the Sydney socialite to front the 2022 series.

Coming soon? The Bachelorette could be set for a MAJOR shake-up as wild rumours surface that transgender socialite Mitch Greer (pictured) 'is being considered' for next year's season

According to an industry insider, 'producers have reached out to Mitch earlier this week and were talking about wanting a transgender for the next Bachelorette'.

Producers are said to be trying to 'change things up and go for a youthful show', following the overwhelming international attention after recruiting Brooke, the show's first bisexual lead.

The source claimed that the transgender lead series 'will be the only one of the franchise on the air next year'.

Rumours: Warner Bros. casting agents have reached out to Mitch and in talks with the Sydney socialite to front next year's series

Mitch is a regular fixture at Australian Fashion Week and repped by Sydney PR guru Roxy Jacenko.

Back in 2018, Wentworth star Danielle Alexis expressed her interest to become the first ever transgender bachelorette, but her suggestions were ignored.

'It would be incredible because I feel like trans people are so misunderstood because people just don't have the education,' she told Yahoo7 Be at the time.

Change: Warner Bros. are said to be trying to 'change things up and go for a youthful show', following the overwhelming attention after recruiting Brooke, the show's first bisexual lead

Popular: Mitch is a regular fixture at Australian Fashion Week and repped by Sydney PR guru Roxy Jacenko

In response to common misconceptions about transgender people in relationships, Danii said the aspiration was rooted in a hope to educate the show's audience.

'If someone like me was put in someone's face they have no choice but to learn,' she said.

'I watch these shows like Married At First Sight and The Bachelorette and I just think, it's just so important that someone like me would be on a show like that as well.'

Channel 10 have been approached for comment in relation to this article

Unheard: Back in 2018, Wentworth star Danielle Alexis, 34, (pictured) expressed her interest to become the first ever transgender bachelorette, but her suggestions were ignored
IMG Model Ashley Graham gave her fans an update on the regrowth of her postpartum hair loss on Tuesday.

'[When my hair] started growing back, it became grey. WTF?! This is not okay,' the expecting 33-year-old - who boasts 20.5M social media followers - said via Instastory.

'What's going to happen after this baby comes out? Like, is more hair going to fall out? The same amount of hair? And it's grey.'

Stressed out: IMG Model Ashley Graham gave her fans an update on the regrowth of her postpartum hair loss on Tuesday

Ashley flipped her brunette mane around and continued: 'And yes, these are natural gorgeous highlights I have in the front. Natural. But this grey stuff is not natural. Or I guess it is natural. [whimpers]'

In a follow-up post, Graham - who's been suffering heartburn - tried to be more positive: 'Also, hi new hair growth. You are really cute. Keep on going strong!'

The Revlon brand ambassador then pampered her baby bump with a $12 Hatch belly mask, which 'helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks and scars during pregnancy and postpartum.'

Ashley - who announced her second pregnancy on July 13 - also Instastoried a glimpse of her 19-month-old son Isaac Menelik Giovanni snacking on strawberries.

The expecting 33-year-old said via Instastory: '[When my hair] started growing back, it became grey. WTF?! This is not okay'

Ashley worried: 'What's going to happen after this baby comes out? Like, is more hair going to fall out? The same amount of hair? And it's grey'

Flipping her brunette mane around, Graham continued: 'And yes, these are natural gorgeous highlights I have in the front. Natural. But this grey stuff is not natural. Or I guess it is natural. [whimpers]'

In a follow-up post, the Revlon brand ambassador - who's been suffering heartburn - tried to be more positive: 'Also, hi new hair growth. You are really cute. Keep on going strong!'

Graham and her husband Justin Ervin celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary on August 14.

'I have loved you immensely for 11 years,' the Nebraska-born, Brooklyn-based beauty gushed. 'And I'll love you for 100 more. You are my forever. Happy anniversary, my Justin.'

Ashley originally met the 32-year-old cinematographer - whose last gig was shooting PBS documentary Down a Dark Stairwell - at church back in 2009.

Graham's career as a plus-size model first skyrocketed in 2010 after appearing in a controversial Lane Bryant TV commercial.

'ILY!' Ashley then pampered her baby bump with a $12 Hatch belly mask, which 'helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks and scars during pregnancy and postpartum'

Tiny hand! Graham - who announced her second pregnancy on July 13 - also Instastoried a glimpse of her 19-month-old son Isaac Menelik Giovanni snacking on strawberries
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The Crown producers have finally found the child stars who will portray Prince William and Prince Harry in the fifth series, with Timothee Sambor and Teddy Hawley unveiled as the actors set to play the roles.

According to The Sun, Timothee, 11, will portray future King William while Teddy, seven, has been cast as his younger brother Harry following reports show bosses were struggling to find red-haired actors.

The actors could recently be seen filming alongside actress Elizabeth Debicki, who is taking over the role of Princess Diana from Emma Corrin and Dominic West, who takes the role of Prince Charles from Josh O'Connor.

The actors were seen filming at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey earlier this month, recreating a scene thought to be the family arriving for a royal flight to Italy, with the duo dressed in matching outfits for the scenes.

Stars: The Crown producers can rest easy as they have finally found the child stars who will portray Prince William and Prince Harry in the fifth series

A source said: 'Netflix bosses wanted to make sure they had the right actors for the role given the young royals are so well known and were in the public eye so much at that age.

'They didn't rush it and found Teddy and Timothee who they hope will be warmly received. They're about to become household names in their own right.'

Harry was previously played by Arran Tinker in the fourth series but only briefly while William was portrayed by Lucas Barber Grant. MailOnline has contacted a Netflix spokesperson for comment.

Like the prince he's playing, it's believed Timothee is a keen footballer, playing for Rockslane Chiswick U11s. He's also a talented writer, receiving a commendation in the Year 5 category for a poem he penned during lockdown in the Chiswick Book Festival's 10th Young Peoples Poetry Competition last year.

Cast: Timothee Sambor, 11, will portray future King William while Teddy Hawley, seven, has been cast as his younger brother Harry (pictured with Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana)

Left, Prince William is pictured in 1992 - Right, Timothee Sambor, 11, is pictured playing the Royal last week

It was previously said there was a dearth of ginger-haired actors who could play Prince Harry when casting agents went on the hunt earlier this year.

According to The Sun, bosses were considering dyeing a child actor's hair red so he bears an adequate resemblance to the Duke of Sussex.

The new series - which will air in 2022, will see a new guard of actors, with Imelda Staunton, 65, replacing Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II.

Left, Prince Harry is pictured in 1992 - Right, Teddy Hawley, seven, is pictured portraying the Royal last week

Biopic: The actors could recently be seen filming alongside actress Elizabeth Debicki, who is taking over the role of Princess Diana from Emma Corrin (Prince William, left, and Prince Harry, right, with Princess Diana, centre, in 1994)

Meanwhile, Lesley Manville, 64, is set to star as Princess Margaret, who was played by Helena Bonham Carter previously. Jonathan Pryce, 73, will take over the role of Prince Philip.

Prince Andrew will be played by Cutting It star James Murray, 46.

Filming on series five will reportedly involve following strict Covid rules.

A source said: 'Netflix bosses wanted to make sure they had the right actors for the role given the young royals are so well known and were in the public eye so much at that age' (Prince William and Prince Harry pictured with Princess Diana in 1992)

Cameo: Harry was previously played by Arran Tinker in the fourth series but only briefly while William was portrayed by Lucas Barber Grant

The final two series of The Crown will cover the Royal Family's history throughout the 1990s and into 2003, however it is not yet know which moments will be seen.

There are several poignant moments which could be used, including the Queen making a speech on her 40th anniversary of her accession in 1992, in which she called the year an 'annus horriblis'.

She was referring to the breakdown of three of her children's marriages; Prince Andrew, Princess Anne's and Prince Charles' divorce from Princess Diana.

Other notable events during the time period included a fire at Windsor Castle, her golden wedding anniversary in 1997, and the deaths of Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother and the Princess of Wales.

FIRST LOOK: Earlier this month, bosses released first look images of Dominic and Elizabeth as Prince Charles and Princess Diana

Leading man: It was first reported in October that the actor would play the heir to the throne, yet Netflix 's announcement is the first confirmation of the news

FIRST LOOK: Elizabeth bore a striking resemblance to Diana in the stunning new shot, in which she lay with letters while gazing in a pensive fashion

As casting is announced in dribs and drabs, we take a look at who has been unveiled thus far...

PRINCESS DIANA - PLAYED BY ELIZABETH DEBICKI (REPLACING EMMA CORRIN)

Out with the old... As casting is announced in dribs and drabs, we take a look at who has been unveiled thus far

It was announced that Elizabeth, 30, had been cast as Princess Diana last August, and fans of the Netflix show were delighted to hear that the Australian actress would be taking on the role - replacing Emma Corrin.

Past: Emma Corrin played the People's Princess in the show's fourth series

From her big break in 2013's The Great Gatsby to becoming a household name thanks to 2016 TV series The Night Manager, the star steadily climbed up the ranks of showbusiness to secure the career-making role.

A former ballerina in training, Elizabeth switched to theatre during high school. She studied at University of Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts, where she was also awarded the Richard Pratt Bursary for outstanding acting students.

She shot to stardom after making her debut in The Great Gatsby in 2013, after impressing the film's director, Baz Luhrmann, with her brief appearance in the 2011 Australian movie A Few Best Men.

Since then, she has appeared in several movies including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Tenet and The Cloverfield Paradox.

Elizabeth has also done voiceovers for Peter Rabbit and appeared in television series The Kettering Incident and The Night Manager alongside Tom Hiddleston.

The actress said of her casting last year: 'Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many. It is my privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one.'

Screen star: From her big break in 2013's The Great Gatsby to becoming a household name thanks to 2016 TV series The Night Manager, Elizabeth steadily climbed up the ranks of showbusiness to secure the career-making role

PRINCESS ANNE - PLAYED BY CLAUDIA HARRISON (REPLACING ERIN DOHERTY)

Who's who? The actress playing Princess Anne in The Crown's fifth season has been revealed as The IT Crowd and Humans star Claudia

RADA-trained performer Claudia was spotted in character on-set at Scotland's Covesea Lighthouse on Tuesday, where she was shooting opposite Imelda Staunton, who is taking on the role of Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix show.

Claudia, 45, boasts a number of TV gigs on her CV as well as a high-profile co-star following her turn in 2005 thriller Archangel, where she starred opposite Daniel Craig in the show about a mystery concerning dictator Josef Stalin.

Throwback: The role of Princess Anne was previously played by Erin Doherty in The Crown's third and fouth series

She is a farmers wife and a mother-of-three and is said to have been shocked and delighted when she was chosen to play Anne when the Royal was aged in her 40s.

As well as Imelda, Claudia was also shooting alongside Theo Fraser Steele, who is thought to be playing Anne's second husband Timothy Laurence.

After she was seen on set of Tuesday, tongues began wagging over the identity of who was playing the royal and also over her remarkable likeness to Princess Anne.

One Twitter account entitled Royal Watcher, shared a message reading: 'Ok I think the actress playing Princess Anne is called Claudia Harrison? #TheCrown', alongside a trio of images of Claudia in different roles as well as an image from on-set.

The role of Princess Anne was previously played by Erin Doherty in 2019's third and last year's fourth series of The Crown.

TIMOTHY LAURENCE - PLAYED BY THEO FRASER STEELE

Royal role: The Crown's fifth season will feature The Thick Of It star and London deli owner Theo Fraser Steele playing Princess Anne's husband Timothy Laurence (pictured on-set on Tuesday)

Busy: Theo's acting career spans back to 1996, when he starred in Casualty while he also played Christian Holhurst in political satire The Thick Of It in 2005. As well as acting, he is a successful deli owner and runs a shop with his wife in Hackney

The Thick Of It star and London deli owner Theo Fraser Steele plays Princess Anne's husband Timothy Laurence.

He cut a dapper figure during filming to play the role of Anne's spouse, who she married in 1992 after splitting from Mark Phillips.

Theo's acting career spans back to 1996, when he starred in Casualty while he also played Christian Holhurst in political satire The Thick Of It in 2005. As well as acting, he is a successful deli owner and runs a shop with his wife in Hackney.

Theo comes from Essex and trained to be an actor in London before working with Bill Nighy and Stella Gonet in Richard Eyres production of David Hares Skylight at the National Theatre aged just 23.

He went on to have many stage roles both in the capital and across the country. In The Thick Of It he played an MPs son who was shoved up against a wall and subjected to a torrent of abuse by the foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker.

Speaking in 2018 about moving from acting to food, when he told The West Morland Gazette: 'We didnt choose to do it - we sort of fell into it. It started with just me. We now own the business and have a staff of 12'.

PRINCE ANDREW - PLAYED BY JAMES MURRAY (REPLACING TOM BYRNE)

The Crown series 5: James Murray is set to take on the role of Prince Andrew following his TV appearances in Cutting It and Primeval (James pictured in 2018)

Working hard: The Mancunian actor (pictured with his wife Sarah Parish and their daughter Nell in 2019) is also currently filming Masters of Air - the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced Apple TV series

New guard: Tom Byrne played the Queen's second son in series four

James Murray, 46, will take on the role of Prince Andrew, replacing Tom Byrne, who played the Queen's second son in series four.

James' previous endeavours include his portrayal of Stephen Hart in ITV's Primeval and playing Liam Carney in BBC One's season four of Cutting It.

He acted as the lead DCI in completely improvised show Suspects.

The Mancunian actor, who is married to actress Sarah Parish, is also currently filming Masters of Air - the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced Apple TV series.

PRINCE CHARLES - PLAYED BY DOMINIC WEST (REPLACING JOSH O'CONNOR)

New role: Dominic West is set to play Prince Charles in the final two series of The Crown

New role: A TV insider said: 'Show bosses looked at several stars for the sought-after role, but he was by far their preferred actor. Now both parties are hammering out a deal' (Dominic is pictured in July 2021)

Dominic West is set to play Prince Charles in the final two series of The Crown.

Critically acclaimed: Dominic will replace Josh O'Connor who has played the role for two series

The actor, 51, is understood to be taking on the role of Prince Charles at the time of his affair from Diana, Princess of Wales, with his second wife Camilla Parker Bowles.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'Show bosses looked at several stars for the sought-after role, but he was by far their preferred actor. Now both parties are hammering out a deal.'

They revealed how the 'irony' of the casting will 'not be lost on anyone' following his recent scandal where he was pictured embracing actress co-star Lily James last year.

Dominic will replace Josh O'Connor who has played the role for two series.

PRINCE PHILIP - PLAYED BY JONATHAN PRYCE (REPLACING TOBIAS MENZIES)

New role: The Two Popes actor Jonathan Pryce, 73, has said he is 'confident' to take on the 'daunting' role of Prince Philip in The Crown's final two seasons

Out and about: The actor's role in The Crown comes after he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Netflix's The Two Popes. However he lost out on the gong to Joaquin Phoenix (Jonathan is pictured with his wife Kate in 2011)

Jonathan Pryce has said he is 'confident' about 'tackling the daunting prospect of portraying Prince Philip' in seasons five and six of The Crown.

It was revealed in August that the actor, 74, will join the star-studded cast of the hit Netflix show and portray the royal through the 1990s and 2000s.

Past: Tobias Menzies played the late Royal in series three and four

Speaking after the announcement, Jonathan added that it will be 'a joy' to act alongside Imelda Staunton as the Queen and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.

In a statement shared on social media by Netflix, Jonathan said: 'I am delighted to be working with Netflix again.

'The positive experience I had making The Two Popes has given me the confidence to tackle the daunting prospect of portraying Prince Philip.

'To be doing so with Peter Morgan in the company of Imelda [Staunton] and Lesley [Manville] will be a joy.'

As well as praising the other on-screen talent lined up for the show, Jonathan added that he was excited to be working with screenwriter Peter Morgan.

The actor's role in The Crown comes after he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Netflix's The Two Popes. However he lost out on the gong to Joaquin Phoenix.

In previous instalments of The Crown Prince Philip has been played by actors Matt Smith, in the first two seasons, and Tobias Menzies, in series three and four.

PRINCESS MARGARET - PLAYED BY LESLEY MANVILLE (REPLACING HELENA BONHAM CARTER)

Congrats! Lesley Manville has been cast as Princess Margaret (right in 1966) for the fifth and sixth seasons of The Crown

Exciting: Lesley is believed to have been producers first choice for the role, is set to play the Queen's younger sister during one of the 'darkest periods of her life' (pictured in February 2020)

Lesley Manville has been cast as Princess Margaret.

The actress, 64, will be taking the reins from current star Helena Bonham Carter for the fifth and final series of the Netflix hit.

Goodbye: The actress, 64, will be taking the reins from current star Helena Bonham Carter for the fifth and final series of the Netflix hit

Lesley is believed to have been producers first choice for the role, is set to play the Queen's younger sister during one of the 'darkest periods of her life'.

Confirming the news in a statement, she said: 'I could not be happier to be playing Princess Margaret. The baton is being passed on from two formidable actresses and I really don't want to let the side down.

'Furthermore, to play siblings with my dear friend Imelda Staunton will be nothing short of a complete joy.'

The role has been played by Helena for season three and upcoming season four, and was taken on by Vanessa Kirby in season one and two.

A source told The Sun: 'Lesley is hugely respected by the creators of The Crown and was their first choice to play Princess Margaret this time.

'They wanted a star who could tackle the difficult role of a royal entering one of the darkest periods of her life, when the Windsors faced endless scandals and she was dogged by ill health.

'That's why Lesley was one of the first actors they approached to join the new cast, and remains one of the few who has fully committed to The Crown.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II - PLAYED BY IMELDA STAUNTON (REPLACING OLIVIA COLMAN)

Her Royal Highness: The very first image of Imelda Staunton in character as Queen Elizabeth II was revealed last week

Casual: Speaking about joining the hit show, Imelda, 65, admitted she is 'frightened' to take on the Queen Elizabeth role in The Crown

Speaking about joining the hit show, Imelda, 65, admitted she is 'frightened' to take on the Queen Elizabeth role in The Crown.

The actress is following on from Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, but says she has an 'extra challenge' playing a recent version as it will be fresh in the audiences mind.

Before: Oscar-winner Olivia Colman has played the monarch for two series

Speaking to The Sun, Imelda said: 'When Claire was in the first series, to all of us that felt like history. Then following on from that with Olivia, again it seems like history.

'Now we start in 1991 playing someone much more recent. That's the extra challenge I have, people saying, "Oh, I don't think she's like that at all"'.

Many members of the series four cast have also joked that they won't be giving any advice to their successors. Oscar-winning actress Olivia said recently: 'I haven't spoken to Imelda and I wouldn't dare offer any advice about playing the Queen.

'Imelda is extraordinary and she's going to do it all much better than me. I can't wait to watch what she does.'

The Crown lovers took to Twitter to react to the news.

One wrote: 'Gonna miss this Queen [Olivia Colman] but I'm sure Imelda will do a brilliant job. My time with the crown is done, some of last seasons cast and this seasons were just not it for me. Good luck to everyone involved tho.'

One fan simply penned: 'perfection' with another calling the new line-up 'very strong'.
AFL WAG Tayla Damir has been announced as Myer's new Fashions on your Front Lawn Ambassador at the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The former Love Island Australia star, who is engaged to Richmond Tigers star Nathan Broad, excitedly confirmed the news on Wednesday - one year after embattled ex-WAG Nadia Bartel celebrated landing a similar high-profile role at the event.

'I am so excited to finally announce to you all that Ill be working with @flemingtonvrc and @myer as their Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn Ambassador for this years Melbourne Cup Carnival,' the 24-year-old wrote.

Queen bee WAG in waiting: Tayla Damir has been announced as Myer's new On Your Front Lawn ambassador at the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival. Pictured at the carnival in 2019

'The Melbourne Cup Carnival brings joy to the entire nation and Im so excited for you all the be involved as the digital competition is back again in 2021.'

She then gave further details about the contest, which asks revellers to send in their best Flemington-esque backyard looks amid the pandemic.

The announcement of Tayla taking centre stage at the event comes days after ex-WAG and long-time Melbourne Cup Carnival attendee Nadia Bartel was embroiled in a 'cocaine snorting' scandal last Thursday.

Joy: 'The Melbourne cup carnival brings joy to the entire nation and Im so excited for you all the be involved as the digital competition is back again in 2021,' Tayla said

Scandal: The announcement of Tayla taking centre stage at the event comes days after ex-WAG long-time Melbourne Cup Carnival attendee Nadia Bartel was embroiled in a 'cocaine snorting' scandal last Thursday. Pictured: Nadia stepping out for the first time since the news broke on Tuesday, as she collected her two sons from ex-partner Jimmy Bartel's home

The 36-year-old and three other women were issued with Penalty Infringement Notices after Nadia was recorded snorting white powder from a $1.50 Kmart plate at an illegal gathering in Melbourne.

Since the scandal came to light, the fashion and beauty influencer has been dropped by some of her sponsors including Hairhouse and JSHealth Vitamins.

While Daily Mail Understands that Nadia has never been a Myer ambassador or paid talent like Tayla, she did enjoy another high-profile title at the carnival last year.

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC), who work in partnership with the fashion brand, announced her as the Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador in 2020.

Nadia was also on the judging panel for Myer's On Your Front Lawn competition last year, which was organised through the VRC.

'Racing is all about dressing up and feeling good, so Im looking forward to seeing the unique style and elegance that Aussies are renowned for.' Nadia said in a press release at the time.

High-profile role: The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) announced Nadia as the Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador in 2020

'The Melbourne Cup Carnival is always the highlight of my year, and although it may look a little different this year, I have no doubt the excitement levels will be as high as ever.'

Nadia has been pictured multiple times at the races over the years, yet amid the scandal it's unknown if she will attend again in 2021 - or in future.

Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Victoria Racing Club for further comment.

Last year, Nadia had explained her 'humble beginnings' at the Melbourne Cup Carnival in an interview with the Herald Sun.

'When I first started coming I was more a nursery, carpark girl and I used to go in general a fair bit,' she said.

Long-time attendee: Nadia has been pictured multiple times attending the races over the years, yet amid the scandal it's unknown if she will attend again this year - or in future

While she chose to spend alot of her time in the exclusive Birdcage, she said she liked the rowdy side of the famous horse-racing carnival.

'You get amongst it and it's fun and it's rowdy. In recent years I've spent more time in the birdcage but I like them all for different reasons,' she said.

On Monday, Nadia and three other women were issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following an illegal gathering in Melbourne last Thursday evening.

Each woman was fined $5,452, but a fifth woman was not charged because she was 'complying with employment restrictions', Victoria Police said on Monday.

Police are also investigating possible drug offences after Nadia was recorded at the party snorting white powder, believed to be cocaine.

'Four women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following a gathering at a Richmond address in contravention of the Chief Health Officers restrictions,' a Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The incident occurred at a private address on Thursday, September 2, at 4pm.

Role: 'The Melbourne Cup Carnival is always the highlight of my year, and although it may look a little different this year, I have no doubt the excitement levels will be as high as ever,' Nadia previously said of her role

'A 36-year-old Windsor woman, a 32-year-old Richmond woman, a 33-year-old Pascoe Vale woman and a 35-year-old Strathmore woman have all been issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for failing to comply with requirements in relation to a private or public gathering.

'A fifth woman at the address was not charged as she was complying with CHO employment restrictions.

'Enquiries into possible drug offences are ongoing.'

Nadia has apologised for flouting Melbourne's lockdown by hosting the illegal gathering at which she snorted a line of white powder.

She wrote on Instagram on Friday evening: 'Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future.

'To my family and friends, my business partners and the public health workers trying to keep us all safe, I am embarrassed and remorseful.

'I am truly and deeply sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness and, in time, your trust.'

She was recorded snorting the powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate in a video mistakenly shared to Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie Pearson.

Pearson had meant to send the video to her sister, but due to a cracked phone screen posted it on social media by accident and didn't delete it until 10 minutes later.
Jedidiah 'Jed' Duggar and his wife Katey were slammed by fans over the weekend as they made a joke about 'testing positive' for their pregnancy announcement.

To reveal the news, the young couple, who tied the knot just four months ago, shared photos of themselves kissing as they held up a sign that read: 'And then there were 3. Baby Duggar. Spring '22.'

22-year-old Duggar's caption raised eyebrows, however. It read: 'Tested positive, but not for Covid.'

Not funny: Jedidiah 'Jed' Duggar and his wife Katey were slammed by fans over the weekend for using an insensitive joke in their pregnancy announcement

Following the criticism that consequently littered the comments section, the tenth child of 17 Kids and Counting stars Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar limited comments on his post.

Additionally, he deleted and weeded out negative responses to his 'tone-deaf' joke, which comes as COVID-19 patients on ventilators in his home state of Arkansas climbed last week, according to AP.

Without A Crystal Ball host Katie Joy, who has more than 48,000 Instagram followers, aired her thoughts on the matter.

Insensitive: The pair's tone-deaf joke comes as COVID-19 patients on ventilators in his home state of Arkansas climbed last week, according to AP

Tone-deaf: Duggar ended up limiting comments on his post after getting messages, like this one, which slammed him for mocking 'millions of dead people to make an announcement'

'Arkansas is facing some of the worst with Covid right now due to low vaccination rates,' Joy pointed out on social media. '656,000 Americans have died from Covid since the virus hit 18 months ago.'

She also pointed out that their sign on Instagram was different than the one in their YouTube video, which had 'she tested positive, but not for Covid' on it.

'Katey & Jed shared this photo in their YouTube video but not on Instagram. Which I'm confident was intentional,' Joy pointed out.

What's the hurry? TLC's Counting On star Jedidiah Duggar, 22, tied the knot with Katey Nakatsu, also 22, in Arkansas this weekend  just a month and a half after the pair got engaged

Joy's comment section was full of people agreeing with her points and sharing why the Duggar's joke is so 'tacky and distasteful.'

'Having 2 family members pass from COVID, I find this very tasteless and insensitive,' one Instagram user fired. 'People are dying.'

Another wrote: 'Definitely not funny or cute, but they probably don't believe it's an issue and probably aren't vaccinated.'

A nurse, who said she is working 'on the front lines', also chimed in to say the parents-to-be's announcement is 'not funny.'

'We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing!' Jed wrote. 'Im so grateful God brought Katey into my life'

What pandemic? Though the ceremony took place outside, friends and family celebrated with a large indoor mask-free gathering

In April, Jed, who ran a failed campaign for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives last year, told fans on Instagram that he and Katey had been dating for a year before their nuptials this year.

The Duggars typically make much fanfare about announcing that they are 'courting' and engaged, publicizing their announcements on TLC  even if they wait several months to do so.

But Jed took a more private route, keeping mum about his relationship on his wedding day.

Hush hush! Jed popped the question on Valentine's Day, though the Duggar family has kept the news a secret

On April 3, he took to share a photo of himself in a blue suit, posing nose-to-nose with his new bride.

'For a long time I have prayed for my future spouse, not knowing who that person would be. God answered my prayers far beyond what I could have ever imagined in Katey!' he wrote.

'We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing!

'Im so grateful God brought Katey into my life and excited to share with you all that today she became my wife! Katey, the thought of sharing the rest of my life with you makes me the happiest man in the world! I love you so much!!' he concluded.

Though the ceremony took place outside, friends and family celebrated with a large indoor mask-free gathering.

Biblical: A video of the engagement (pictured: a post-engagement side hug) includes betrothal vows that the pair made to one another
Tracey Jewel and her husband Nathan Constable rushed their five-month-old son Frankie to hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The Married At First Sight star, 38, shared a photo to Instagram of her baby boy wrapped in a blanket as he was being fed and cradled in his father's arms.

She wrote: 'Well that was a scary trip to hospital! Frankie's fine thank goodness.'

Health fears: Tracey Jewel and her husband Nathan Constable rushed their five-month-old son Frankie to hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning

She followed this with another photo of her son asleep and secured in his car seat, along with the caption: 'Discharged and home time.'

Tracey told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday: 'He hasn't been drinking his milk much and then he started going blue around the lips and started to choke. It was so scary!

'I called Triple Zero and they told me what to do - lay him on his side - and he started projectile vomiting it all, so we took him to hospital and he continued vomiting so they wanted to monitor him.'

She said Frankie was treated with anti-nausea medication and Panadol, which helped him feel better

Tracey added: 'It was a long, scary day! The first thing I'm doing this weekend is a baby first-aid course!'

'Frankie's fine thank goodness': The Married At First Sight star shared this photo on Instagram of her baby boy wrapped in a blanket as he was being fed and cradled in his father's arms

Relief: She followed this with another photo of her son asleep and secured in his car seat, along with the caption: 'Discharged and home time'

Tracey became a mother for the second time after giving birth to Frankie in March, with her husband Nathan by her side.

Frankie was taken to ICU shortly after his birth due to breathing difficulties.

In an Instagram post at the time, the marketing professional wrote: 'He's a strong feisty little man (no wonder with his hard kicks).'

In the months since, she has documented her motherhood journey on Instagram.

Baby joy: Tracey welcomed her first child with Nathan on March 23. She is also mother to 10-year-old daughter Grace from a previous marriage

Update: In June, Tracey spoke about her son's struggles with eczema, an itchy inflammation of the skin, and revealed she was able to set up an appointment with a sought-after specialist

In June, Tracey spoke about her son's struggles with eczema, an itchy inflammation of the skin, and revealed she was able to set up an appointment with a highly sought-after eczema specialist.

She is also mother to 10-year-old daughter Grace from a previous marriage.

Tracey appeared on season five of Married At First Sight. She was paired with Dean Wells, who infamously cheated on her with Davina Rankin.
Australian lingerie brand Fine Lines appear to have distanced itself from their ambassador Nadia Bartel in the wake of her 'cocaine' snorting scandal.

The former WAG, 36, has been caught in a media firestorm since Friday after she was filmed snorting white powder, believed to be cocaine, and breaking Melbourne's strict lockdown at an illegal gathering last week.

As of Tuesday, the 'Loved By Nadia' campaign appeared on the Fine Lines website's homepage.

No more Fine Lines for Nadia: Australian lingerie brand Fine Lines appear to have distanced itself from Nadia Bartel, 36, (pictured) in the wake of her 'cocaine' snorting scandal

By Wednesday, however, the entire campaign had been wiped from the homepage and can no longer be found on the website without searching for it specifically in Google.

Following the viral video leak, Nadia was haunted by the campaign with the lingerie brand.

Fans couldn't help but notice the unfortunate coincidence, comparing the name 'Fine Lines' to the lines of white powder disappearing up Nadia's nose in last week's video.

'Loved by Nadia': Following the viral video leak, Nadia has been haunted by a recent campaign with Australian lingerie brand Fine Lines, for whom she served as an ambassador

Vanishing act: Nadia's campaign has been wiped from the Fine Lines website's homepage, and can no longer be found on the website without searching for it specifically in Google

The brand was trolled online by users poking fun at the unfortunate branding, with one writing on Fine Lines' Facebook page: 'Make sure to add the plate of 'fine lines' at the next photo shoot, the possibilities and angles are endless...'

Meanwhile, on Twitter users revelled in the unfortunate coincidence, with one writing, 'The fact that Nadia Bartel is an ambassador for fine lines lingerie is just so fitting and lovely.'

Another expressed disbelief, Tweeting 'Nadia Bartel modelling a lingerie brand called Fine Lines?? You really couldnt make this s**t up'.

Coincidence: It came after the brand was trolled online by users poking fun at the unfortunate branding, with one writing on Fine Lines' Facebook page: 'Make sure to add the plate of 'fine lines' at the next photo shoot, the possibilities and angles are endless...

Reaction: Meanwhile, on Twitter users revelled in the unfortunate coincidence, with one writing, 'The fact that Nadia Bartel is an ambassador for fine lines lingerie is just so fitting and lovely'

It is not suggested that Fine Lines condones the snorting of cocaine or breaching of lockdown, nor did it have any knowledge of Nadia's shameful activities before it became public knowledge.

Nadia has been dropped by two brands in the wake of her viral video scandal.

On Monday, Hairhouse Australia, a haircare and beauty company, confirmed that they are no longer working with Nadia.

Bye: On Monday, Hairhouse Australia, a haircare and beauty company, confirmed that they are no longer working with Nadia

In a statement shared to Daily Mail Australia, a spokesperson for Hairhouse Australia said: 'We can confirm that our contract with Nadia Bartel was a one-off campaign and has expired.'

Earlier on Monday, the So Dramatic Instagram account shared a statement from Hairhouse Australia that said their 'partnership with Nadia has come to an end'.

The statement went on: 'As a result of Nadia's actions, we have removed all affiliation with Nadia as an ambassador for Hairhouse'.

'We have removed all affiliation with Nadia as an ambassador for Hairhouse': Earlier on Monday, the So Dramatic Instagram account shared a statement from Hairhouse Australia that said their 'partnership with Nadia has come to an end'

Nadia had last promoted the company on her Instagram on July 18, filming a hair tutorial video in a paid partnership.

On Sunday, JSHealth, a company who sell vitamins and supplements and are popular in Instagram circles, also dumped Nadia as an ambassador after she had previously endorsed the brand on her social media.

However, in a post shared to JSHealth founder Jessica Sepel's Instagram page on Sunday, the vitamin merchant went out of her way not to call Nadia by name - instead bizarrely referring to her as 'this individual'.

Another sponsor: On Sunday, JSHealth, a company who sell vitamins and supplements and are popular in Instagram circles, also dumped Nadia as an ambassador after she had previously endorsed the brand on her social media

Sepel wrote: 'Today I've had to make a hard decision as the founder and face of my brand, and let go of a brand endorser. I have to stand for what's right.

'We are a health brand who is very serious about aligning with individuals who share the same values.'

Nadia had previously promoted the trendy vitamin and wellness company, having spruiked the brand as recently as on August 4.

It comes after the unfortunate release of a video showing Nadia snorting lines of white powder off a $1.50 Kmart dinner plate at a gathering last week.

Nadia and three other women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following the illegal gathering in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

Each woman has been fined $5,452, but a fifth woman was not charged because she was 'complying with employment restrictions', Victoria Police said on Monday.

Video: It comes the unfortunate release of a video showing Nadia snorting lines of white powder off a $1.50 Kmart dinner plate at a gathering last week. Bec did not attend the party, and there is no suggestion she was involved in the incident in any way, or that she is in any way involved with illegal drugs

Police are also investigating possible drug offences after Nadia was recorded at the party snorting white powder believed to be cocaine.

'Four women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following a gathering at a Richmond address in contravention of the Chief Health Officers restrictions,' a Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The incident occurred at a private address on Thursday, September 2, at 4pm.

Fines: Bartel and three other women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following the illegal gathering in Melbourne on Thursday evening. Police are also investigating possible drug offences after Bartel was recorded at the party snorting white powder believed to be cocaine

'A 36-year-old Windsor woman, a 32-year-old Richmond woman, a 33-year-old Pascoe Vale woman and a 35-year-old Strathmore woman have all been issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for failing to comply with requirements in relation to a private or public gathering.

'The monetary penalty for each Penalty Infringement Notice is $5,452. A fifth woman at the address was not charged as she was complying with CHO employment restrictions. Enquiries into possible drug offences are ongoing.'

Nadia issued an apology over the incident on Friday evening.

Apology: Breaking her silence in a post shared to Instagram on Friday afternoon, Nadia wrote: 'Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future'

'Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future,' she wrote in an Instagram post on Friday evening.

'To my family and friends, my business partners and the public health workers trying to keep us all safe, I am embarrassed and remorseful.

'I am truly and deeply sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness and, in time, your trust.'

Shattered: A sombre Nadia was spotted for the first time since her snorting scandal on Tuesday as she arrived at ex-husband Jimmy Bartel's home in Melbourne to pick up their children

Exchange: Nadia exchanged pleasantries with her former spouse during the outdoor custody swap

Brand owner and promoter: Bartel is a mother-of-two and entrepreneur who runs the fake-tan company Spray Aus and clothing label Henne

Nadia is a mother-of-two and entrepreneur who runs the fake-tan company Spray Aus and clothing label Henne.

She is the ex-wife of retired AFL star Jimmy Bartel, a Brownlow Medallist who spent his career with the Geelong Cats.

The couple split in 2019 after five years of marriage.
A House Through Time

Rating:

Wonders Of Scotland

Rating:

Two elegant and demure young ladies in a cartoon from the satirical magazine Punch in 1864 are breathlessly discussing the latest sensation novel.

'A man marries his grandmother,' gasps one. 'Fourteen persons are poisoned by a young and beautiful girl! Forgeries by the dozen  perfectly delicious!'

The Victorians loved a good sensation, rushing to buy rollercoaster thrillers by writers such as Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

Historian Professor David Olusoga captured that trend precisely, as he returned with A House Through Time (BBC2).

The Victorians loved a good sensation, rushing to buy rollercoaster thrillers by writers such as Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Historian Professor David Olusoga captured that trend precisely, as he returned with A House Through Time (BBC2)

Tracing the successive tenants and owners of an end-of-terrace, three-bedroomed villa in Headingley, Leeds, he spun stories of murder, cholera, child labour, bankruptcy and strychnine poisoning.

And he relished it. He has a sonorous style of storytelling: 'Deep in the subterranean heart of Leeds,' he intoned, 'is a vast web of tunnels. They are called the Dark Arches.'

Among the horrors connected to Prof David's house, No 5 Grosvenor Mount, was the death of a five-year-old boy, the son of a builder who lived at the address in the 1860s. The child, John, was playing in his father's workshop yard beside a heap of burning sawdust when another boy pushed him into the fire. He suffered fatal burns and died that night.

If that sounds gruesome, it is overshadowed by the case of William Dove, a deranged killer who murdered his wife with rat poison.

A solicitor who lived at Grosvenor Mount when it was first built petitioned Queen Victoria to save the man from the death penalty. But William Dove didn't help himself when he launched an appeal of his own . . . writing a letter in blood to Satan, promising his soul if the Devil would only rescue him from the gallows and keep him in beer and tobacco until he was 60.

When that letter was published in the newspapers, there really was a sensation. Dove was duly hanged.

For all the melodrama, the most touching story Prof David uncovered was hidden in a sale notice, for the auction of furniture at No 5. Everything was sold: the redwood piano, the dresser, the oil paintings  all the luxuries of middle-class Victorian family life.

They belonged to Rhodes Dawson, a spendthrift who squandered the fortune he made in the cloth trade. His wife Ann did all she could to set something aside for her two daughters  but when she died, she had barely 50 to her name.

Actor David Hayman rather wasted all his possible stories, travelling through the Highlands in Wonders Of Scotland (ITV)

Ann grew up with a single mother and, as a child, worked in a cotton mill as a 'reeler', crawling under the machines to clean them. She married a wealthy merchant at 22 but he caught cholera and died within hours.

Widowed and well-off, this factory girl caught the eye of the wastrel Rhodes Dawson. He married her and, it seems, set about spending her money.

Now there's a plot worthy of Mrs Braddon.

Actor David Hayman rather wasted all his possible stories, travelling through the Highlands in Wonders Of Scotland (ITV).

He never stopped in one place long enough to dig below the surface. We glimpsed stunning vistas, flew past fascinating places and sped on to the next.

On Easdale in the Inner Hebrides, an island with no roads, cars or streetlamps and just 60 inhabitants, he met a champion stone-skimmer who demonstrated how to make a flat pebble bounce across the water of a flooded quarry.

David watched but didn't hang around to have a go. He met a prawn fisherman, too, at Loch Leven and simply helped carry a couple of boxes of shellfish off his boat.

For goodness' sake, David, slow down! No need to be constantly chasing the next sensation.
Lord Alan Sugar has come under fire after jetting from the UK to Australia during the pandemic to film the sixth series of Celebrity Apprentice.

The 74-year-old business mogul revealed he was quarantining on the 21st floor of The Sheraton in Sydney for two weeks after arriving Down Under on Sunday.

'Nice view from the 21st floor,' he wrote in a now-deleted Tweet, alongside an accompanying video of his view.

Backlash: Lord Alan Sugar has come under fire from fans after jetting from the UK to Australia amid the pandemic

While Channel Nine confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that Lord Sugar's travel and accommodation is all within the guidelines for exemptions which are outside the current international arrival caps, it didn't stop some critics from sharing their opinion on social media.

'How are you allowed in when 10s of thousands of Aussies are still waiting to be allowed home?' one wrote.

'Lucky you - been separated from my daughter and grandsons for almost 2 years and yet here you are bragging that you are there. Its amazing what having money can get you!' a second added.

'Nice view from the 21st floor,' Lord Sugar wrote in a now-deleted Tweet, alongside an accompanying video of his view

Under fire: While many were supportive of his travel, others were left less than impressed that he was able to travel to locked-down Sydney while so many are unable to do so themselves

'Really!? Nice view hey? Do you know how many Australian citizens cant see their family because of flight caps and restrictions and youre up there rubbing it in our faces!' a third chimed in.

However, others were quick to defend the media mogul, praising him for coming over and boosting the Australian economy by working on the popular series.

'When youre bringing money and possibly jobs to a country, they open doors to you, Lord Sugar is there on business I would expect and not a holiday,' one fan wrote.

'Its called business, when youre helping the economy of a country, they welcome you,' a second chimed in.

'Why do others hate it when others are successful and doing well,' another chimed in.

Defence: Others were quick to defend the media mogul, praising him for coming over and boosting the Australian economy by working on the popular series

'Lord made his wealth through hard work stop comparing and judging what a horrible society we are surrounded by, Haters and jealousy. Good luck!'

Australian borders are currently closed to those who are not Australian citizens, permanent residents or immediately family members.

However, there are caps on the number of passengers coming into Australia from overseas to ease pressure on quarantine facilities, which has meant some citizens have been stranded overseas.

Like with other reality shows filmed Down Under, Lord Alan Sugar is on a special visa - meaning he isn't taking a hotel quarantine spot from an Australian.

Response: 'The exemptions and quarantine are in accordance with all government protocols and requirements including any payments that are associated with this,' Channel Nine said in a statement

A spokesperson for Nine told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday: 'Lord Sugar is back in Australia to film Celebrity Apprentice.

'His travel and accommodation is all within the guidelines for exemptions which are outside the caps.

'The exemptions and quarantine are in accordance with all government protocols and requirements including any payments that are associated with this.'

No line-up rumours have been rumoured for the new season, which last year saw The Block star Shaynna Blaze crowned as the winner.
She recently dazzled on the red carpet at the premiere of The Card Counter which was held at the Venice Film Festival last week.

And Tiffany Haddish continued to turn heads as she arrived to the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood ahead of her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The 41-year-old comedian slipped her refined curves into a sexy orange wiggle dress.

Wow! Tiffany Haddish turned heads as she arrived to the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood ahead of her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday

Tiffany's figure-hugging dress highlighted her ample assets due to its cat ear bustier.

She strolled to the stage door in a pair of bright orange strappy heels that exposed her pale pink pedicure.

The Night School actress accessorized her ensemble with a dainty necklace and hoop earrings.

Her newly minted bleach blonde pixie cut was neatly parted to one side and styled to frame her face.

Stunning: The 41-year-old comedian slipped her refined curves into a sexy orange wiggle dress

Color-coordinated: She strolled to the stage door in a pair of bright orange strappy heels that exposed her pale pink pedicure

Haddish sported a noticeably glowy complexion while drawing attention to her eyes with a swipe of liner and a dusting of dark brown shadow.

Tiffany, who was escorted by a security guard, carried her essentials in a large Louis Vuitton bag.

She eagerly waved at fans, who were eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of the star upon her arrival.

Fan service: TIffany eagerly waved at fans, who were eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of the star upon her arrival

Essentials: Tiffany, who was escorted by a security guard, carried her essentials in a large Louis Vuitton bag

The Girls Trip star was paying a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote her soon-to-be released film The Card Counter.

The crime drama, which hits theaters on September 10, held its star-studded premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy on September 2.

The film centers around a former military interrogator turned gambler who plays high-stakes card games while also haunted by his past.

Big premiere: The Card Counter held its star-studded premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy on September 2; Tiffany pictured

Coming soon: The crime drama hits theaters on September 10; (L-R) Oscar Isaac, director Paul Schrader, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Alberto Barbera pictured on September 2

Haddish plays La Linda, an agent for Oscar Isaac's professional gambler. In an interview with ABC News, she revealed that she didn't like what she heard about gambling agents from some professional gamblers she knows.

She also recently divulged to Extra that she has a keen eye for catching someone - in real life - who can count cards.

'Well, you know, I have been in these streets for a while, I can tell when somebody's counting cards 'Cause they get very quiet, their eyes get super focused If their eyes always looking, searching, something is going on,' she told the outlet on Tuesday.

The Card Counter: The film centers around a former military interrogator turned gambler who plays high-stakes card games while also haunted by his past

While the Los Angeles native hasn't had much experience with dramatic acting, her comedic background seems to have played in her favor.

Director Paul Schrader explained that he likes to cast comedic actors because, 'You cast a comic, they will break something in a role, even if it isn't laughs. They will make themselves interesting. It's in their DNA.'

As for her personal life, Tiffany has been in a serious relationship with rapper Common, 49, since last year.
Drew Barrymore's ex husband Will Kopelman posted loved up snaps from his Italian honeymoon with newly-minted wife Alexandra Micheler.

The art consultant, 42, wed the 33-year-old Vogue director in a Nantucket ceremony on August 28, with he and Drew's daughters Olive, eight, and Frankie, six, acting as flower girls.

Barrymore, 46, was married to Will from 2012 to 2016, and though she had spoken about taking the divorce 'really hard,' after the pair's engagement she gushed that she was 'happy' for them and called Alexandra 'wonderful.'

Newlyweds! Will Kopelman, 42, shared loved up snaps with new wife Alexandra Michler from their Italian honeymoon

In a carousel of images the two looked the picture of wedded bliss as they enjoyed a luxury vacation on the Amalfi Coast filled with scenic boat rides and seaside meals.

In one snap the pair threw their arms around each other while overlooking the water, and in a second Alexandra flashed her new wedding band while they kissed.

'Luna Di Miele,' Kopelman captioned the series (which means honeymoon in Italian) and his post garnered comments from those including Olivia Munn.

The couple were first confirmed to be dating in December 2020 and got engaged in January, with Will sharing a snap that read: 'Love you love you love you love 1/30/2021.'

'Lunda Di Miele': Kopelman shared a series of images of the pair enjoying Italy and in one Alexandra flashed her new wedding band while they kissed

Bottoms up: In another photo Will sipped an aperol spritz

Seal of approval: Barrymore had gushed that the Vogue director was 'wonderful' after the pair got engaged

Shortly after the news broke, Barrymore threw her support behind the father of her children and his soon-to-be bride at the time.

'I'm happy to say he just got engaged to this wonderful woman named Allie who I am probably president of her fan club,' she told Howard Stern. 'The #NoEvilStepmother is the greatest blessing I could have hoped for. She is just so wonderful. I want him to be happy.'

Will and Alexandra exchanged vows at Sankaty Head Beach Club in Nantucket and were joined by a large group of friends and family.

And Kopelman's sister Jill  who works with Drew on The Drew Barrymore Show  sweetly wrote: 'As soon as I met @alliemichler I knew I'd like her. What I didn't know was that I would love her.'

Wedding bells: The pair wed on August 28 in a beautiful Massachusetts ceremony

Flower girls: Will and Drew's two daughters, Olive, 8, and Frankie, 6 (pictured) were flower girls

Beautiful: Will and Alexandra exchanged vows at Sankaty Head Beach Club and were joined by a large group of friends and family

Photos: Will's sister Jill shared a series of photos of the special day on Instagram on Monday, including two of Olive and Frankie wearing sweet white dresses

Dapper: Will looked dapper in a navy suit while bride Alexandra wowed in a beautiful silk gown

Will and Drew wed in Montecito in 2012 and amicably ended their four-year marriage in 2016, announcing the news with a joint statement.

'Sadly our family is separating legally, although we do not feel this takes away from us being a family,' the couple said.

They continued, 'Divorce might make one feel like a failure, but eventually you start to find grace in the idea that life goes on. Our children are our universe, and we look forward to living the rest of our lives with them as the first priority.'

And years later Drew confessed that divorce was the 'last thing' she wanted for their kids because she did 'not grow up with any family whatsoever.'

Five years ago: They amicably ended their four-year marriage in 2016 and announced the news in a joint statement; pictured 2015

'I really did not take divorce well': Divorce was the 'last thing' Drew wanted for their six-year-old daughter Frankie (L) and eight-year-old daughter Olive (R) because she did 'not grow up with any family whatsoever' (pictured in 2018)

'I really did not take divorce well. I took it really hard,' she admitted in October on Sunday Today with Willie Geist.

'I was, like, ''Oh, the ultimate promise I wanted to make with you and for you was to have this amazing family. And I found them. And there's something not working that isn't livable. How tragic is that?"'

The Never Been Kissed star also dished that she was initially attracted to Will because he was solid in more ways than one.

'Will struck a lot of my pragmatic sides...He was someone who was always reachable on the phone, someone who was a classy human being, someone who has this incredible blueprint of a family that I don't have,' she continued.

Getting back out there: Though she had confessed to Sunday Today that she was 'scared to find love again' she has since joined a dating app; pictured September 2020

And while the former child star said she was 'scared to find love again,' she has since joined a dating app - most likely the exclusive celebrity favourite, Raya.

'It's true. I got back on a dating app [while binge-watching Netflix's] Bridgerton,' Drew confessed on the January 15th episode of her syndicated daytime talk show.

'I was like, ''I'm not dead, I'm not dead!'' For me, that was a big step.'

Barrymore previously divorced Canadian comedian Tom Green in 2002 after 15 months of marriage, and British bar owner Jeremy Thomas in 1995 after less than two months of marriage.
Nadia Bartel and three other women were fined $5,452 for attending an illegal gathering in Melbourne during the Covid lockdown on Thursday evening.

And now a video of the former AFL WAG, 36, speaking out about the city's lockdown has resurfaced.

In the clip, which was posted to Instagram in May, Nadia shared her thoughts on Victoria entering its fourth lockdown after recording 26 coronavirus cases.

Resurfaced: Nadia Bartel's comments on Melbourne's Covid lockdown have resurfaced after she was fined $5,452 for breaking restrictions by attending a 'cocaine'-fuelled illegal gathering

'So here we go again, guys. Another lockdown for Melbourne. I know we've got to do it, but how are we all feeling?' she asked her followers.

It comes after Nadia was seen for the first time since a video of her snorting 'cocaine' at a party during lockdown last week was sensationally leaked online.

Nadia was spotted on Tuesday as she visited ex-husband Jimmy Bartel's home to pick up their sons, Aston, five, and Henley, two.

'Here we go again, guys': In the clip, which was posted to Instagram in May, Nadia shared her thoughts on Victoria entering its fourth lockdown after recording 26 coronavirus cases

It was the first time the former WAG had been seen setting foot outside her home since the socialite was fined for breaking Melbourne's strict lockdown.

On Monday, Nadia and three other women were issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following their illegal gathering in Melbourne last Thursday evening.

Each woman was fined $5,452, but a fifth woman was not charged because she was 'complying with employment restrictions', Victoria Police said on Monday.

Police are also investigating possible drug offences after Nadia was recorded at the party snorting white powder, believed to be cocaine.

Having her say: 'Another lockdown for Melbourne. I know we've got to do it, but how are we all feeling?' she asked her followers

'Four women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following a gathering at a Richmond address in contravention of the Chief Health Officers restrictions,' a Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The incident occurred at a private address on Thursday, September 2, at 4pm.

'A 36-year-old Windsor woman, a 32-year-old Richmond woman, a 33-year-old Pascoe Vale woman and a 35-year-old Strathmore woman have all been issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for failing to comply with requirements in relation to a private or public gathering.

'The monetary penalty for each Penalty Infringement Notice is $5,452.

Stepping out: It comes after Nadia was seen for the first time since a video of her snorting 'cocaine' at a party during lockdown last week was sensationally leaked online

'A fifth woman at the address was not charged as she was complying with CHO employment restrictions.

'Enquiries into possible drug offences are ongoing.'

Nadia has apologised for flouting Melbourne's lockdown by hosting the illegal gathering at which she snorted a line of white powder.

She was recorded snorting the powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate in a video mistakenly shared to Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie Pearson.
Pia Whitesell is enjoying her new life in Los Angeles after moving to the US to be with her multimillionaire Hollywood agent husband Patrick.

But the former Home and Away star is clearly missing her family back home in Australia.

The brunette beauty posted a picture of her posing with her equally stunning lookalike sister Paz Loyola Blanco on Wednesday.

Genetically blessed! Pia Whitesell shared a picture of her stunning lookalike sister Paz Blanca on her Instagram page on Wednesday

The 37-year-old shared the photo on Instagram and wrote 'Sis' along with the red heart emoji.

She also added: 'Missing you P.'

While Paz occasionally features in Pia's Instagram, she prefers to lead a quieter life outside of the public eye.

Paz is a holistic psychotherapist who currently works as a trauma counsellor, based in Melbourne.

Fun times: While Paz occasionally features in Pia's Instagram, she prefers to lead a quieter life outside of the public eye. Paz is a holistic psychotherapist who currently works as a trauma counsellor, based in Melbourne

Meet the Loyolas: The siblings also share an older brother, Jesus Loyola, who is a DJ

The siblings also share an older brother, Jesus Loyola, who is a DJ.

Pia made the move to the US last month and confirmed that her sons Isaiah, 18, and Lennox, 14, had also made the move to LA with her.

She shared a picture while completing the school run with her face blanked out with a sad emoji and wrote: 'School bus drop off.'

They're here! Pia made the move to the US last month and confirmed that her sons Isaiah, 18, and Lennox, 14, had also made the move to LA with her

She added the hashtag 'freshman', meaning it was her 14-year-old son Lennox who had been dropped off for his first day of school.

The Australian equivalent of a US freshman would be year 10, for 14-15 year olds.

Last month Pia officially confirmed she'd landed in the USA by sharing a photo of herself driving along Hollywood Boulevard.

Pia's sparkler was on display in the picture, as she held onto the steering wheel of her car.

She's a California girl now! Pia officially confirmed she'd landed in the USA by sharing a photo of herself driving along Hollywood Boulevard

In July, Pia officially changed her name on Instagram to Pia Whitesell.

She announced her engagement to multimillionaire Patrick, 56, who is the executive chairman of the Endeavor Talent Agency, on November 28.

They tied the knot earlier this year.

The actress became a household name when she debuted on screen as cop Katarina Chapman on soap Home and Away in February 2015, later quitting in 2017.
Joel Smith's well-timed AFL return could come to a shuddering halt after the Melbourne defender suffered a hamstring injury at training.

He was set to undergo scans on Wednesday and is in doubt for Friday night's preliminary final against Geelong at Optus Stadium.

The 25-year-old backman was a late inclusion for the round 22 win over Adelaide and had held his spot the following week against Geelong and then the qualifying final win over Brisbane.

But Demons chief executive Gary Pert confirmed that Smith was injured during Tuesday's training session in Perth.

"We had a pretty big session yesterday, but I do know they'll be looking at Smithy's leg," Pert told SEN.

"The one thing we can do is we can be pretty conservative.

"We don't have a view either way (on Smith's availability)."

Fellow defender Michael Hibberd and Jayden Hunt could take Smith's place, while former captain Nathan Jones is also trying to force his way back into the senior lineup.
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Christian Siriano proudly showcased his Spring Summer 2022 ready-to-wear collection during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday night.

And stars, including Katie Holmes and Alicia Silverstone, turned out in droves to snag a front row seat at the 35-year-old designer's runway show at Gotham Hall.

Holmes, 42, took the plunge in a fitted suit jacket and a pair of flared trousers, each boasting a silver asymmetrical grid pattern.

In attendance: Katie Holmes was one of many stars to attend designer Christian Siriano's (right) runway show at New York Fashion Week on Tuesday evening at Gotham Hall

Edgy: Holmes, 42, took the plunge in a fitted suit jacket and a pair of flared trousers, each boasting a silver asymmetrical grid pattern

The Dawson's Creek alum went sans top beneath her jacket and rocked a head of wavy brunette hair.

As for makeup, Katie amplified her natural beauty with a soft metallic shadow on the eyelids and a swipe of nude lip gloss on her enviable pout.

Poking out from under her flared pants were a pair of black patent leather stiletto heels.

After striking several poses with Siriano backstage, Holmes eventually made her way out onto the main floor and took her seat next to Silverstone and Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth.

Soft glam: As for makeup, Katie amplified her natural beauty with a soft metallic shadow on the eyelids and a swipe of nude lip gloss on her enviable pout

Backstage antics: Katie posed for snaps backstage with Christian ahead of the show

Take a seat: After striking several poses with Siriano backstage, Holmes eventually made her way out onto the main floor and took her seat next to Silverstone and Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth; (L-R) Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Katie Holmes, Kristin Chenoweth and Busy Philipps pictured

The Clueless actress, 44, oozed glamour in a shiny black one shoulder gown with ruching down one side.

Alicia's blonde hair was parted to one side and styled in loose waves that flowed down her back and chest.

She accessorized with a silver link choker, a wrist cuff, and some pear cluster stud earrings.

Glamour: The Clueless actress, 44, oozed glamour in a shiny black one shoulder gown with ruching down one side

Back in black: Kristin Chenoweth and Alicia Silverstone stunned in rivaling black ensembles

Date night? Kristin was joined by her boyfriend Josh Bryant at the star-studded affair

Chenoweth put on a leggy display in a chic black romper featuring a sparkly circle chain belt and matching detailing on the neckline and straps.

The Wicked star, 53, added another level of fun to her look with a rainbow confetti jacket. Kristin was joined by her boyfriend Josh Bryant at the star-studded affair.

Busy Philipps walked on the wild side in a snakeskin turtleneck top and a pair of skintight flared pants.

Blonde club: Busy Philipps, Kristin Chenoweth and Alicia Silverstone cozy up for a snap

Big debut: Christian debuted his Spring Summer 2022 ready-to-wear collection at Tuesday night's show; (L-R) Aquaria, Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Katie Holmes, Kristin Chenoweth and Busy Philipps pictured front row

Wild side: Busy Philipps (left) walked on the wild side in a snakeskin turtleneck top and a pair of skintight flared pants

Iconic: The runway show was held at the iconic Gotham Hall in New York City; (L-R) Aquaria, Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Katie Holmes, Kristin Chenoweth and Busy Philipps pictured front row

The 42-year-old actress added some 70s flair by rocking feathered tresses and a glistening gold blazer.

No stranger to the runway, Coco Rocha struck a pose before the show in an eye-catching teal two-piece consisting of a puff sleeved top and pair of shorts with a lengthy train.

RHONY star Leah McSweeney gave passersby a peek at her slim physique in a pair of see-through fringe pants and matching cardigan.

Runway veteran: No stranger to the runway, Coco Rocha struck a pose before the show in an eye-catching teal two-piece set consisting of a puff sleeved top and pair of shorts with a lengthy train

Cool factor: Leigh Lezark and RHONY star Leah McSweeney brought the cool factor in dueling textured ensembles

Siriano Mob: The Married to the Mob designer, 39, completed the look with a black graphic tee that read: 'Siriano Mob'

Fashionistas: Lil' Kim and Kristin Chenoweth posed with one another before the show

The Married to the Mob designer, 39, completed the look with a black graphic tee that read: 'Siriano Mob'

Leigh Lezark brought the cool factor in a patterned long sleeve midi dress and pair of the Matrix-worthy shades.

Lil' Kim slipped her petite 4foot11inch frame into a bulky floral-covered mini dress and a pair of sky-high stiletto heels.

Daring: Lil' Kim and Christine Quinn put on daring displays at the fashion show

Accessorize: The 31-year-old Selling Sunset star let her blonde hair flow out from under a wide-brimmed hat featuring the same eye-catching comic pattern

Chatty: Slayyyter and Christine Quinn pose runway-side as they caught up before the show

The 47-year-old rap icon had her hair styled in a lengthy braid featuring a red streak to match her couture.

Christine Quinn put her ample chest on display in a plunging fitted blazer and a pair of matching flared trousers boasting a comic pattern.

The 31-year-old Selling Sunset star let her blonde hair flow out from under a wide-brimmed hat featuring the same eye-catching comic pattern.

Aquaria continued the fashion risks in a black mesh bodysuit and a dramatic black hat that contrasted against her neon yellow tresses.

Show-stopping: Aquaria continued the fashion risks in a black mesh bodysuit and a dramatic black hat that contrasted against her neon yellow tresses; Aquaria pictured with Leah McSweeney

Shining: Bethany C. Meyers and Nico Tortorella dazzled in sequin-covered outfits, while Steven Kolb and Fern Mallis kept more casual for the highly-anticipated NYFW event

Ready for it! Aquaria, Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Katie Holmes, Kristin Chenoweth, Busy Philipps, Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Christine Quinn and Kyle Smith pictured front row

Minutes before the fashion show's start, Christian was spotted taking a celebratory snapshot with models backstage.

Along with all the highly-sought after designs, Siriano's collection unveiling featured a performance from pop artist Marina, formerly Marina and the Diamonds.

The 35-year-old Welsh-born songstress showcased her toned legs in a retro fringe mini dress layered beneath a matching blazer with fringe on the sleeves.

Marina's outfit was completed with a pair of yellow tie-wrap heels.

Proud: Christian Siriano (center) posed with models backstage at the Christian Siriano SS2022 Fashion Show

Pop star: Along with all the highly-sought after designs, Siriano's collection unveiling also featured a performance from pop artist Marina, formerly Marina and the Diamonds

Eye-catching: The 35-year-old Welsh-born songstress showcased her toned legs in a retro fringe mini dress; Marina pictured with Christian (left)

Layered look: Marina's dress was layered beneath a matching blazer with fringe on the sleeves

All smiles: Christian and Marina could hardly contain their joy as they united on the runway

Soundtrack: Marina provided the soundtrack to the show

She performed as countless models stormed down the runway in Siriano's out-of-this-world pieces, ranging from Cinderella-approved ballgowns to chic sets worthy of a Tim Burton film.

Once the final look made its way down the runway, Siriano emerged to face the roaring crowd of onlookers.

The Project Runway alum looked overjoyed as he bowed and spoke to his A-list fashion show attendees.

Siriano revealed to Vogue that his Spring Summer 2022 collection was inspired by the 'insane requests' he receives from his celebrity clientele.

Flow of traffic: Countless models stormed down the runway in Siriano's out-of-this-world pieces

Range: Siriano's designs ranged from Cinderella-approved ballgowns to chic sets worthy of a Tim Burton film

Facing the music: Once the final look made its way down the runway, Siriano emerged to face the roaring crowd of onlookers

Overjoyed: The Project Runway alum looked overjoyed as he bowed and spoke to his fashion show attendees

'I guess that's what maybe inspired this collection to be a bit more than I would've done normally,' he explained.

After the show, all of the celebrity attendees were spotted exiting Gotham Hall, where fans were waiting patiently to catch a glimpse of them.

Although Katie Holmes did not switch outfits for her exit, Coco Rocha reemerged in a 1920's inspired gown with fringe detailing from bottom to top.

Marina sweetly signed autographs for her adoring fans, while rocking a black hooded mini dress adorned with stars.

Exits: After the show, all of the celebrity attendees were spotted exiting Gotham Hall, where fans were waiting patiently to catch a glimpse of them; Katie Holmes pictured

Second coming: Although Katie Holmes did not switch outfits for her exit, Coco Rocha reemerged in a 1920's inspired gown with fringe detailing from bottom to top; Coco pictured with Alicia Silverstone

Last looks: Marina stunned in a black hooded mini dress adorned with stars, while Lil' Kim enjoyed her last moments in her exaggerated floral getup
The new boyfriend was nowhere in sight on Tuesday as Alessandra Ambrosio emerged following a romantic trip to coastal Malibu.

The Brazilian model had good company in the form of young son Noah, nine, as he returned to their Los Angeles home following a Labor Day weekend stay with friends.

Greeting her only child on the sidewalk, Alessandra, 40, helped carry his bags into the house as they reunited after his short time away.

Here they come: Alessandra Ambrosio was joined by young son Noah as he returned to their Los Angeles home on Tuesday following a Labor Day weekend stay with friends

Alessandra was back in LA after spending the holiday weekend in Malibu with boyfriend Richard Lee and an extended group of pals.

On another warm day in southern California, Alessandra ensured she stood out in a white vest and thigh-skimming red patterned skirt as she handled her son's luggage.

She completed her relaxed look with a pair of seasonal flip-flops, while her hair was casually styled in a high, messy ponytail.

Heavy work: Greeting her only child on the sidewalk, Alessandra, 40, helped carry his bags into the house as they reunited after his short time away

The model shares son Noah, and daughter Anja, 13, with ex-fiance Jamie Mazur. The former couple were together from 2005 until their split in 2018.

She subsequently dated Italian businessman Nicolo Oddi, before developing a relationship with current boyfriend Richard Lee.

The couple, who have been dating for several months, shared numerous social media updates from their time in Malibu over the weekend.

Stuck like glue: Alessandra and her boyfriend Richard Lee shared numerous photos from their stay in Malibu with friends over the Labor Day weekend

In one Instagram shot posted by Alessandra they posed outdoors, lovingly holding onto each other, with the accompanying caption: 'I love you.'

Richard, who's also a model, shared his own post with his modest 5.2k social media following.

He took a humorous approach with a 10-seconds-long video clip featuring a picture of Alessandra playfully kneeing her beau in the crotch. It then jumped to a photo of a breakfast taco.

The caption on the visual read: 'When she knees you in the [peanuts emoji] then makes you brekky.'
Her social media page is filled with sultry selfies and lingerie-clad snaps.

And Demi Rose turned up the heat once more on Tuesday as she showcased her eye-popping curves in a fuchsia cut-out dress during her getaway in Capri, Italy.

The model, 26, looked sublime in the revealing outfit as she worked her best angles in a coastal village for a series of stunning Instagram snaps.

Wow! Demi Rose turned up the heat in a series of Instagram snaps on Tuesday as she showcased her eye-popping curves in a fuchsia cut-out dress during her break in Capri, Italy

Her gown boasted a halterneck finish, shell embellishment and semi-sheer fabric which skimmed over her incredible curves.

Demi boosted her petite frame with pink heels and let her outfit do all the talking as she accessorised with simple yet chic gold hoop earrings.

She tucked her chocolate locks back in a low ponytail and enhanced her flawless complexion with a light dusting of make-up.

Demi sported black cat-eye shades to complete the look as she basked in the glorious Italian sunshine.

Pretty in pink: The model, 26, looked sublime in the revealing outfit as she worked her best angles in a coastal village

Cheeky: Demi boosted her petite frame with pink heels as she leant over the side of a wall, teasing a glimpse at her high-waist briefs and pert posterior

Demi looked incredible once more on Monday in a tiny string bikini for another round of sizzling Instagram snaps.

The model barely contained her assets in a gold, pink and green string bikini which displayed her cleavage and taut midriff.

The beauty paired this with a floral sarong as she posed in the sun.

Her caramel flecked brunette tresses were styled in soft waves and she sported a radiant palette of make-up.

Glowing: She tucked her chocolate locks back in a low ponytail and enhanced her flawless complexion with a light dusting of make-up

Busty: Demi was back on Instagram in a lacy white dress strapless corset

Fun: The star looked in great spirits as she larked around over cocktails

Wow: Demi looked incredible in her typically revealing ensemble

Wow: Demi looked incredible once more on Monday in a tiny string bikini for her latest round of sizzling Instagram snaps

On Sunday, Demi shared a topless snap while pulling a seductive pose.

The model looked sensational in the sizzling selfie as she posed with rollers in her hair and decorative glasses before indulging in a boozy treat.

Demi looked incredible in the sexy snap, and posed on a bed with her cleavage on full display while biting her thumb in a sexy manner.

She wore her hair in rollers and donned a pair of wire framed, clear lens glasses, with her make-up perfectly applied for the sexy look.

Wow: The model barely contained her assets in a gold, pink and green string bikini which displayed her cleavage and taut midriff

Sizzling: On Sunday Demi shared a topless snap showing her pulling a seductive pose

The stunner then teased a look at her cleavage, with a racy shot of her cocktail which also showed her assets and her blinging gold jewellery.

The Birmingham-born beauty has been modelling for 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.'

Bottoms up! The model shared a shot showing her indulging in a boozy treat, as she shared an image of her tasty looking cocktail with her 17.5million followers

Behind-the-scenes: The brunette beauty has been modelling for eight years and credits her career for being a 'blessing' after being subjected to bullying when she was younger

'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.

Soft glam: 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

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.
A small Spanish township provided the picturesque backdrop on Tuesday as work began on Wes Anderson's currently untitled new film.

The Hollywood visionary has selected Chinchon, a heritage site some 50km south-east of capital city Madrid, as the home of his latest project, which is understood to have a 'romantic' theme.

With work expected to continue for several months in the historic municipality, stars including Liev Schreiber, Tom Hanks, Rupert Friend and Anderson himself were seen familiarising themselves with its steep, winding streets.

Here we go: A small Spanish township provided the picturesque backdrop on Tuesday as Liev Schrieber prepared to start work on Wes Anderson's currently untitled new film

Sporting a white tee-shirt and matching shorts, Schreiber did not appear to be in character as he navigated the town's famously narrow roads on a grey mountain bike.

The 53-year old, a keen cyclist in his native New York, revealed strapping on his left knee as he made the most of his free time, hinting at an earlier accident.

Elsewhere Oscar-winner Tom Hanks was also seen arriving in Chinchon after signing up for an expected lead role in Anderson's new film.

Don't mind me: Sporting a white tee-shirt and matching shorts, Schreiber did not appear to be in character as he navigated the town's famously narrow roads on a grey mountain bike

Main man: Hollywood legend Tom Hanks was also seen arriving in the Spanish township on Tuesday

Adhering to current health and safety guidelines, Hanks, 65, wore a protective face covering as he prepared to climb into a waiting chauffeur driven car.

The actor's precautionary measure was a necessary one, with both Hanks and his wife Rita Simons having both recovered from COVID-19 after contracting the potentially deadly virus during a trip to Australia in 2020.

Anderson himself was later seen cradling young daughter Freya, five, his only child with partner Juman Malouf, as he made his way into a local hotel.

Make way: Anderson himself was later seen cradling young daughter Freya, his only child with partner Juman Malouf, as he made his way into a local hotel

In good company: The director was also joined by his long-term partner, Juman Malouf (centre)

He's got baggage: Matt Dillon carried a luggage bag as he arrived in the Spanish township ahead of work on the new film

Looking the part: British actor Rupert Friend stepped out in a tee-shirt and shorts as temperatures soared across southeastern Spain

The 52-year old made his way to Spain after promoting his newly released The French Dispatch to critical acclaim at the 47th Venice International Film Festival.

Other famous faces spotted on Tuesday included Matt Dillon, 57, with the celebrated actor carrying a luggage bag as he arrived in the modest town following his own appearance in Venice.

With temperatures soaring across the region, British star Rupert Friend, 39, sported a tee-shirt and shorts as he ventured out onto the street carrying a bottle of water.

Latest role: Liev joins a host of stars on the untitled new project, which is expected to be released in 2022

Fancy meeting you here! cast-members greeted each other with an embrace as they prepared for work on Tuesday

He's got baggage: Anderson carried bags from his coach after arriving in Chinchon

All change: Liev was later seen apparently dressed in character as he filmed his first scenes

Plenty to talk about: Dillon was dressed in oily mechanic's overalls as he chatted on the phone between takes

Curious: Liev's light linen suit, raffish Panama hat and pencil thin mustache suggested the new film will have a period setting

Many of Anderson's regular collaborators are reuniting with him for his new project, including Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody.

According to THR.com, principal photography is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

Meanwhile, Anderson's pandemic-delayed The French Dispatch will be hitting screens in October after getting its debut in Venice.
Married at First Sight UK star Nikita Jasmine was kicked off the show following a foulmouthed outburst at her fellow cast members, accusing them of only signing up for fame.

The Geordie, 26, had to be dragged away from the show's first dinner party by security in the midst of her expletive ridden rant.

Bosses later told the newlywed she would have to leave the series for breaking E4's code of conduct, abruptly ending husband Ant Poole's stint on the dating programme.

'She just lost it': Married at First Sight UK star Nikita Jasmine was kicked off the show following a foulmouthed outburst at her fellow cast members, accusing them of only signing up for fame

A TV source told MailOnline: 'Nikita just lost it and screamed at everyone around the table.

'It was over an argument she started, ranting her co-stars were only doing the show for fame  when most of them felt that's exactly why she had signed up. The situation turned really ugly, which was why security had to get involved.

'Bosses were left with no choice but to remove her from the show.'

A spokesperson for E4 told MailOnline: 'The wellbeing of cast and crew is our utmost priority at all times throughout production and beyond.

'During filming, a situation escalated off camera and Nikita displayed a level of aggression that was unacceptable and breached our agreed code of conduct on behaviour.

'As a result, she was asked to leave the experiment. All involved have been offered support and Nikita has since apologised and resolved the situation with those involved.'

Nikita is told of her departure on Thursday's episode during the first commitment ceremony where she says goodbye to her co-stars, and husband, Ant, 28.

'The situation turned ugly': The Geordie had to be dragged away from the show's first dinner party by security in the midst of her expletive ridden rant

'No choice': Bosses later told the newlywed she would have to leave the series for breaking E4's code of conduct, abruptly ending husband Ant Poole's stint on the dating programme

Eight couples are being wed at first sight on the E4 series, including Nikita and husband Ant, who honeymooned in Mexico.

Nikita told the show's relationship experts her partner needed to have 'big shoulders, big arms, green eyes, and veneers,' and she wasn't happy after being matched with Ant, who she didn't consider her 'type.'

She said: 'If the sparks not there, then I'm not really going to play ball so, he has to be very good looking. At the end of the day, I'm not shallow, but you don't shag a personality.'

The reality star first displayed worrying behaviour while on her idyllic honeymoon when she tossed a cup at Ant during a heated disagreement.

Nikita was left frustrated after Ant refused to believe her constant need for flattery was 'banter', after she repeatedly asked him to compliment her breasts, bum and figure.

'Shut the f*** up': The reality star first displayed worrying behaviour while on her idyllic honeymoon when she tossed a cup at husband Ant (pictured) during a heated disagreement

'Maybe I am a bit insecure': Nikita was left frustrated after Ant refused to believe her constant need for flattery was 'banter', after she repeatedly asked him to compliment her figure

She raged: 'Shut the f*** up you f***ing b***end; put me in a different room to him, I am not sitting with that knacker on holiday. Go and get your f***ing brows waxed and a sun bed you f**ing little divvy. F***ing shut up, you f***ing freak.'

Nikita admitted her need for validation stems from previously being in a toxic relationship.

She told husband Ant: 'Maybe I am a bit insecure because I was treated so badly in the past by previous partners. I went through a bad time. My ex-partner left me for no reason so, when someone does leave you, you do doubt yourself and you think am I ugly? Am I fat?'

On the show, Nikita, who works in sales, detailed the list of cosmetic procedures she's had done, including breast enlargement, and Brazilian bum lift.

'Image is important to me, I've had quite a bit of cosmetic surgery, a few years back I did get my first boob job, and I got my first BBL, which is basically Brazilian bum lift, after that I got a nose job and full body Liposuction.

'I got my teeth done as well. I'm not like a plastic Barbie doll; I have just tweaked a few things,' she explained.
Suki Waterhouse stripped off for a sizzling new Instagram shoot on Wednesday.

The model, 29, flaunted her toned figure in a blue patterned crop top and turquoise bikini bottoms as she posed lying on a sandy beach while shielding her eyes from the sun in stylish sunglasses.

Her sexy image - alongside a slew of chic shots - came as she blasted the eagerly-anticipated Gossip Girl reboot for branding her 'a nobody'.

Sexy: Suki Waterhouse stripped off for a sizzling new Instagram shoot on Wednesday

Elsewhere, she offered a glimpse of her futuristic fashion sense in a fun silver blazer with a quirky white studded belt.

Under the jacket, Suki wore a white polo neck jumper and added a bright pink lip for a pop of colour.

In another snap Suki made a bold statement in a black feathered jumpsuit which drooped off her shoulder, perching herself on a speaker for the smouldering image.

She also appeared in a laid-back image that showcased her flawless makeup-free complexion, opting for a white T-shirt under a navy hoodie.

Stunning: Elsewhere, she offered a glimpse of her futuristic fashion sense in a fun silver blazer with a quirky white studded belt

She captioned the post: 'This outfit is everything !!!'

The stunning snaps come after she slammed the Gossip Girl revival for making a joke about her and actor boyfriend Robert Pattinson.

The model and actress was offended after one of the show's characters dismissively referred to her as a 'nobody' in an off-hand joke.

In the fourth episode of the new show's first season, Luna (played by Zion Moreno) mentions Waterhouse while giving her friend Zoya (Whitney Peak) tips on how to increase her social media presence to help her get closer to Obie (Eli Brown).

'When are you going to get it? As far as the press is concerned, hes R-Patz and youre Suki Nobody,' she says.

Wow! The model also wowed in a black feathered jumpsuit which drooped off her shoulder, perching herself on a speaker for the smouldering image

In since-deleted tweets, Suki made it clear that she didn't appreciate being the overlooked half of a celebrity couple.

'Another day to be reminded that women can also be the patriarchy,' she wrote, according to Glamour.

She included a screenshot of Luna and Monet (Savannah Lee Smith) saying 'F*** the patriarchy' from the series.

The catwalk star also tagged Lila Feinberg, who wrote the episode, though that doesn't mean she necessarily wrote the line in question, as other writers likely contribute to the scripts.

Comfort: The wind swept star cut a casual figure in a white T-shirt under a navy hoodie for one laid-back image

Later, she suggested the joke was also an example of 'sexism' while reinforcing the patriarchy.

'Seeing critiques of patriarchy and sexism, then I get name checked as somebodys "nobody" girlfriend. Make it make sense!' she wrote.

The new Gossip Girl premiered earlier in July and features an all-new cast of characters, though Kristen Bell returns as the voice of Gossip Girl, even though new characters are writing words for her.

Having a laugh: The appearance comes after she slammed the Gossip Girl revival for making a joke about her and actor boyfriend Robert Pattinson

Although it has been referred to as a reboot, the series references characters from the original series, who may appear at a later date.

So far, the show has mostly received negative reviews and currently boasts a 38 percent rotten rating from critics surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes.

Although Suki was willing to reference their relationship to strike back at what she thought was an offensive joke, she and Robert normally keep their relationship out of the spotlight.

They were first linked in July 2018 when they were spotted kissing in London, and a source told Us Weekly in August of that year that they had been dating for months.
Dame Helen Mirren will lead the likes of Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino, and Danny DeVito in Sniff - which has been described as a reinvention of the film noir.

Helmed by Ray director Taylor Hackford, based on a script by Tom Grey, the movie will follow detective Joe Mulwray (Freeman) and his partner William Keys (DeVito) as they investigate a luxury retirement community following the mysterious deaths of two residents.

Although the case seems ordinary at first, it quickly takes a turn with the pair uncovering a secret underworld of drugs, sex and murder.

Leading the charge: Dame Helen Mirren will lead some of Hollywood's biggest male stars in Sniff - which has been described as a reinvention of the film noir

This is all controlled by senior living community 'kingpin' Harvey Stride (Pacino) alongside his enforcer The Spider (Mirren).

As reported by Deadline, Hackford said: 'I have always been a big fan of film noir but haven't really made one.

'The whole concept of setting a film noir in an upscale retirement community these are proliferating all over the United States as the baby boomer generation gets to retirement.

'There's a lot of money, and people want to live in a beautiful setting.

Hollywood legend: Al Pacino will star alongside the British actress in the film [pictured filming Stand Up Guys in 2012]

'Those are on the brochures, but what Tom Grey did was show what was lurking below the surface.'

He added that the writer has managed to hone in on 'the nature of good noir', and explained how his co-producers Adam Goodman and Matt Skiena - who serve through their Dichotomy Creative Group - got him on board.

He said: 'I thought it was a brilliant idea and he understood the nature of good noir  the dark story, the incredibly twisted characters  and I thought he had a great handle.

'Adam and Matt said, 'It's yours if you want to run with it.' I met the writer, Tom Grey, we clicked and worked on it together, him writing and me putting ideas in.'
Stepbrothers star Mary Steenburgen delightedly described her son Charlie McDowell's wedding to Lily Collins' as a 'dream'.

The actress, 68, penned a heartwarming message to her son and new daughter-in-law after they got married over the weekend in Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado, where her famous father Phil Collins was also in attendance.

Alongside a photo of the newlyweds, Mary, who shares Charlie with ex actor Malcolm McDowell, wrote on Instagram: 'Charlie, my son, and Lily, my daughter-in-law!!! Thank you for letting us all bask in the sheer beauty of your love for each other.

Lily and Charlie have famous parents in common; Lily is the daughter of British star Phil and his ex-wife Jill Tavelman while Charlie is the son of Mary and Macolm.

Stunning: Stepbrothers star Mary Steenburgen delightedly described her son Charlie McDowell's wedding to Lily Collins' as a 'dream'

'My heart is overflowing and it almost feels like the last few days were some sort of beautiful dream. But it is all real, and I feel like the luckiest mother in the world.'

The star - who has also appeared in the likes of Elf and Back To The Future Part III - got teased by her son after posting screenshots of the wedding photos.

He joked: 'Mom, next time I get married just ask for the photo instead of posting a screenshot with the tags showing. Also I love you.'

Lily, 32, revealed on Tuesday that she and Charlie, 38, had tied the knot in a romantic ceremony.

Newlyweds: The actress, 68, penned a heartwarming message to her son and new daughter-in-law after they got married over the weekend in Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado, where her famous father Phil Collins was also in attendance

Daddy dearest: Charlie's famous mum Mary Steenburgen (left, Mary with Charlie in June) shared insights into the day, Lily's famous father Phil attended the nuptials (right, Phil with Lily in 2012)

She wrote alongside a snap of them sharing a kiss on their wedding day, Lily wrote: 'I've never wanted to be someone's someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife...

'On September 4th, 2021 we officially became each other's forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell (sic)'

In another behind-the-scenes snap from their wedding, Charlie is seen lovingly embracing the 'Emily in Paris' star.

Lily - who is wearing a white wedding dress and smiling broadly in the photo - captioned the sweet image: 'Never been happier (sic)'

Congrats! The Emily In Paris star, and daughter of rocker Phil Collins, shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday with a stunning snap from the big day

In a separate photo, Lily described their romance as a fairytale that's been turned into her 'forever reality'.

The actress wrote on the photo-sharing platform: 'What started as a fairytale, is now my forever reality...

'I'll never be able to properly describe how otherworldly this past weekend was, but magical is a pretty good place to start (sic)'

Charlie - who got engaged to the actress in September last year - has also posted the same images on his own Instagram account.

The director wrote: 'I married the most generous, thoughtful, and beautiful person I've ever known. I love you @lilyjcollins (sic)'

Stunning: The dress featured a high neck and long sleeves, and she was seen standing with her tuxedo-clad husband under a magical-looking waterfall
He regularly packs on the PDA with his bride-to-be.

But Brooklyn Beckham took to Instagram to share another sweet snap with his fiance Nicola Peltz on Wednesday as they held hands in the back of a car.

The 22-year-old added a 'love you forever' emoji over the snap to show his affection for the actress, 26, who looked effortlessly cool in a pair of square shades.

'Love you forever': Brooklyn Beckham took to Instagram to share another sweet snap with his fiance Nicola Peltz on Wednesday as they held hands in the back of a car

The snap comes after Brooklyn went to check out a new futuristic BMW with DJ Steve Aoki and skateboarder Nyjah Huston at an exhibition on Tuesday night.

The trio gazed up at the car's glass roof before posing for a group snap in their seats.

Brooklyn cut a casual figure in a black T-shirt with a silver chain necklace while Steve sported a white hoodie and Nyjah opted for a speckled black top.

Keeping his beau in mind, Brooklyn accessorised with a black Lola James cap to show his support for Nicola's directorial debut film project.

Boys night: The snuggly snap comes after Brooklyn went to check out a new futuristic BMW with DJ Steve Aoki and skateboarder Nyjah Huston on Tuesday night

Brooklyn, Nyjah and Steve were checking out the new BMW i Vision Circular car, which was revealed earlier this week.

The modern all electric car was designed with the year 2040 in mind, has an unusual lilac interior and is made of entirely recycled materials.

The three stars posed together at the event with Brooklyn and Nyjah opting for laidback black sweat pants and Steve sporting bright tie-dye loungewear.

Brooklyn and Steve appear to have been spending a lot of time together recently as they were also seen hanging out at a photoshoot location.

Chilling: The three stars posed together at the event with Brooklyn and Nyjah opting for laidback black sweat pants and Steve sporting bright tie-dye loungewear

Pals: Brooklyn and Steve appear to have been spending a lot of time together recently as they were also seen hanging out at a photoshoot location

The friendship comes after Brooklyn was in Napa, California, packing on the PDA with Nicola last week as they celebrated the success of his culinary show at Bottlerock Music Festival.

The budding chef took to Instagram where he gushed of his fiances support during the presentation: 'Had so much fun yesterday xx thank you baby for always being by my side'.

Meanwhile, the actress took to her own Instagram page to let her beau know: 'Im so proud of you brooklyn.'

Brooklyn is reportedly keen to pursue his interest in cooking further, after sharing a series of tutorials on social media- and there are reports he is in talks to host an online cookery series.

Brooklyn has delighted fans recently after shooting a slew of videos whipping up some tasty treats in his kitchen.

Hugs: The friendship comes after Brooklyn was packing on the PDA with Nicola last week as they celebrated the success of his culinary show at Bottlerock Music Festival

Now it seems his hobby could turn into a business venture, with Brooklyn being snapped up by digital talent expert Kai Gayoso.

A source told The Sun: 'Brooklyn's got a real flair in the kitchen and the tutorials he has posted on Instagram have received great feedback.

'Brooklyn takes real pride in his cooking and has been given some handy hints and tips by Gordon Ramsay, who is a close friend of the family.

'It's all incredibly exciting and Victoria and David are thrilled.'
Katie Price's children Junior and Princess Andre have unfollowed her fiance Carl Woods shortly after he denied hitting the star.

While the teens, aged 16 and 14 respectively, have previously featured heavily on Carl's Instagram, it seems the duo have now unfollowed the Love Island star. MailOnline has contacted Katie's representatives for comment.

Carl cannot be seen among the 843 accounts followed by Princess, nor the 391 pages Junior follows on his own Instagram page.

Katie shares Junior and Princess with Peter Andre, her eldest son Harvey, 19, with ex Dwight Yorke, and Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven with Kieran Hayler.

On Monday, Carl shared an Instagram post, in which he denied hitting Katie - two weeks after she was allegedly assaulted by a man at a house in Essex.

Unfollowed: Katie Price 's children Junior and Princess Andre have unfollowed her fiance Carl Woods shortly after he denied hitting the star (Princess and Carl pictured in June)

Police were called to the Essex property at around 1.30am on August 23, and a man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault, theft and coercive and controlling behaviour. He has since been released on bail.

Following the attack, photos showed Katie with a bruise on her cheek and an injured lip. The mother-of-five, 43, said that she was attacked as she watched TV.

The former glamour model and her fiance were pictured together for the first time since the alleged assault last week, when they arrived in a grey Bentley at Katie's 2million home, nicknamed 'Mucky Mansion', in Surrey.

During the outing, a solemn-faced Katie sat in the passenger seat and stared out the window, while Carl appeared to be talking to her. Katie, who has beefed up security following the alleged attack, was accompanied by a police car.

Unfollow: While the teens, aged 16 and 14 respectively, have previously featured heavily on Carl's Instagram, it seems the duo have now unfollowed the Love Island star

The television personality is mum to Harvey, 19, Junior, Princess, Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven, from three previous relationships (pictured together with Carl last Christmas)

Breaking his silence since the alleged assault, Woods took to Instagram to say: 'I have remained quiet until now due to the investigation being carried out by the police however I have found it so difficult to keep quiet on social media due to speculation and shocking abuse that I have received.

'Anybody who thinks I hit Katie you're completely delusional and have no idea of the reality of the situation.

'I have never and never would do anything to hurt Katie. The truth will be told.'

Hurt: On Monday, Carl shared an Instagram post, in which he denied hitting Katie - two weeks after she was allegedly assaulted by a man at a house in Essex

Police were called to the house Katie (pictured with a bruise after the assault) was staying at in Essex at around 1.30am on August 23, where a man was arrested on suspicion of assault, theft and coercive and controlling behaviour

Katie began dating former Love Island star Carl Woods in June 2020 and announced their engagement in April, just six weeks after her divorce from her third husband Kieran Hayler, 34, was finalised.

Despite the support of her loved ones, the glamour model still 'doesn't feel safe', and has been beefing up the security in the wake of her attack.

Last Tuesday, the day after the assault, Katie was pictured with bruises to her face and told The Sun: 'I'm still all dazed. I'm devastated. I ran away after being punched  I ran to Harvey's house nearby and have now done damage to my feet, which I previously injured.'

Katie said she was attacked as she watched TV - forcing her to flee in terror to her eldest son's nearby home.

Price (pictured with partner Carl Woods) said the alleged assault was 'unprovoked', adding: 'I was just sitting there watching telly when the assault happened'

She said the alleged assault was 'unprovoked', adding: 'I was just sitting there watching telly when the assault happened.'

Neighbours said they heard 'loads of shouting and screaming' on the night the model was rushed to hospital.

One neighbour told MailOnline: 'There was something kicking off because I heard loads of shouting and screaming. It was definitely going off.

'It was anti social and sounded like a load of p***heads coming back from the pub. There was a real kerfuffle.

Katie and her fiance were pictured for the first time since the alleged assault last week, when they arrived in a grey Bentley at Katie's 2million home, nicknamed 'Mucky Mansion', in Surrey

'Then I saw a car parked across the road for ages. Around half an hour after that I heard loads of talking.

'I came downstairs to see what was going, but I don't know what time it was because I didn't have my phone with me. I didn't see or hear any cops. I didn't see any blue lights.'

Another said: 'We heard an argument at about 11pm. I didn't hear anything at 1.30am when the police were supposed to have been called because I was asleep.

'I know that Katie Price had been living next door. I don't think I had heard any big arguments before last night.'

Price was 'attacked' and rushed to hospital with a eye injury with a man arrested

Woods' post comes after it was revealed that BBC One have commissioned a follow-up documentary to the film Katie Price: Harvey and Me which will be called Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next.

In January, Katie Price: Harvey and Me followed the former glamour model, 43, and her son Harvey, 19, - who is on the autism spectrum and was born with disabilities including partial blindness, ADHD and Prader-Willi syndrome - as they navigated daily life.

It was released to huge critical and audience acclaim, gathering over five million viewers in 30 days on iPlayer, and becoming the biggest BBC documentary of the period for 16-34 year olds.

Katie, who has beefed up security following the alleged attack, was accompanied by a police car while arriving at her mansion with her fiance last week

Critics also praised the documentary for opening up the conversation about raising disabled children.

Harvey and Me followed the pair as they navigated Harvey's transition into adulthood and further away from home.

Katie met other parents of disabled children and the film shone a light on the little known issues around care provision and education for those with complex needs.
Helena Bonham Carter had good company on Wednesday as she took advantage of England's Indian summer during an appearance in London.

With temperatures continuing to soar across the country, the celebrated actress was accompanied by a friend while out close to her family home.

As always Helena, 55, opted for a typically eccentric ensemble, with two pairs of glasses perched atop her head a she ventured out in a breezy floral blouse and plunging black summer dress.

In good company: Helena Bonham Carter was joined by a friend on Wednesday as she took advantage of England's Indian summer during an appearance in London

Rounding off her look, the actress wore a pair of garishly buckled sandals, while a tote bag was casually slung across one shoulder.

The outing came after Helena gave a rare insight into her split from ex Tim Burton, 62, six years after they announced they went their separate ways. The former couple share daughter Nell, 13 and Billy, 17.

The Crown actress hinted that while she was 'reluctant' to end their relationship, she added: 'Some parts of divorce are recommended.'

Bold look: As always Helena, 55, opted for a typically eccentric ensemble, with two pairs of glasses perched atop her head a she ventured out in a breezy floral blouse and plunging black summer dress

During the interview with The Guardian in November, Helena also opened up about how she met her current partner Rye Holmboe at a wedding two years ago.

The film star admitted it has taken a while for her family to 'adjust' and said that things were 'really very good now', after initially struggling with not having her two children, Billy and Nell, around all of the time.

Detailing her experience, Helena revealed: 'The cruelty of divorce is extraordinary. But then you get to a point where you're like, "Oh, I get this week off!" Some parts are very much to be recommended.'

Over: The outing comes after Helena revealed she was 'reluctant' to split from ex Tim Burton, 62, six years after they announced they went their separate ways (pictured in 2013)

Helena also revealed that she believes The Crown's creator, Peter Morgan, asked her to play Princess Margaret because she was able to relate to her very public break-up.

While Helena insisted she wasn't able to reveal why she and Tim went their separate ways, she did say: 'I didn't leave, put it that way'.

Since the split she has been dating 'magic' boyfriend Rye.

Explaining how they met, she said: 'A totally random thing, which both of us nearly didn't go to, so it was one of those moments that was so chance and ended up determining so much.

'A really happy accident, and it's an amazing thing.'
Bob Odenkirk let his social media followers know he is back to work on Better Call Saul.

The actor, 58, shared an image from the makeup room as he prepared to shoot a scene for his hit TV series on Wednesday.

'Back to work on Better Call Saul!' his note began. 'So happy to be here and living this specific life surrounded by such good people. BTW this is makeup pro Cheri Montesanto making me not ugly for shooting!'

It has been over a month since the actor suffered a 'small heart attack' on the New Mexico set that caused him to collapse.

The Emmy-winning actor is currently filming the sixth and final season of his Breaking Bad spin-off, which began production on March 10 this year.

Back and happy: Bob Odenkirk let his social media followers know he is back to work on Better Call Saul. The actor, 58, shared an image from the makeup room as he prepared to shoot a scene for his hit TV series on Wednesday

Slippin' Jimmy: The final season of Better Call Saul is scheduled to air in early 2022

The series centers around lawyer Jimmy McGill [Odenkirk] who, over the course of several years, mishaps and questionable ethical choices rebrands himself as smarmy criminal attorney Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad.

A prequel spin-off of the Bryan Cranston series, Better Call Saul managed to carve out a home for itself among televisions great dramas.

Executive producer of Better Call Saul, Peter Gould, previously confirmed the show's final season will consist of 13 episodes rather than the usual 10.

'From the beginning when we started this, I think all our hopes and dreams were to be able to tell the whole story,' Gould said in a statement.

He added: 'And make it to be a complete story from beginning to end. We're going to try like hell to stick the landing of these 63 episodes.'

Before the heart attack: Odenkirk at the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2020

The final season is scheduled to air in early 2022.

In August Bob gave fans an update on his health after his late July heart attack on set in New Mexico.

'I am doing great. I've had my very own "It's a wonderful life" week of people insisting I make the world slightly better, began the actor in a tweet.

Odenkirk ended his brief update by sending fans his 'love' and thanking them for their well wishes.

Update: Odenkirk gave fans an update on his health in August with this note

'Wow! Thank you, I love everyone right now but let's keep expectations reasonable!' he concluded.

Odenkirk last updated his audience on July 30, when he revealed the details of his on set health scare, adding that he was 'going to be okay' and would be 'back soon.'

The Better Call Saul star also thanked the doctors who were able to 'fix the blockage' without having to perform surgery.

On the mend after a heart attack: 'I had a small heart attack,' stated the Hollywood veteran. 'But I'm going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery'

His note began, 'Hi. It's Bob. Thank you.'

The actor then shared: 'To my family and friends who have surrounded me this week. And for the outpouring of love from everyone who expressed concern and care for me. It's overwhelming. But I feel the love and it means so much.'

The star then shared the details of his traumatic experience.

'I had a small heart attack,' confirmed the Hollywood veteran after there was much speculation about his incident.

'But I'm going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery. Also, AMC and SONYs support and help throughout this has been next-level. I'm going to take a beat to recover but I'll be back soon.'

His show: The series centers around lawyer Jimmy McGill [Odenkirk] who, over the course of several years, mishaps and questionable ethical choices rebrands himself as smarmy criminal attorney Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad

DailyMail.com confirmed that the AMC star was rushed to hospital after an incident on the New Mexico set of his hit series.

Odenkirk was shooting a scene on location in Albuquerque when the incident took place.

Sources told TMZ that the actor went down mid-scene and crew members immediately called for an ambulance.

Cranston, 65, took to Instagram to express his concern for his former colleague in July.

'Today I woke up to news that has made me anxious all morning. My friend, Bob Odenkirk collapsed last night on the set of Better Call Saul,' he wrote in the caption of a photo of the two.

'He is in the hospital in Albuquerque and receiving the medical attention he needs but his condition is not known to the public as yet. Please take a moment in your day today to think about him and send positive thoughts and prayers his way, thank you.'

Aaron Paul, who costarred on Breaking Bad as Jesse Pinkman, sounded relieved in his Instagram Stories post, which he shared after Odenkirk confirmed he was recovering.

'Love you my friend! You are a treasure,' he wrote, along with a photo of Bob and screenshots of his reassuring tweets.

Watch Better Call Saul exclusively on Stan in Australia.
They both failed to find lasting love in the Villa.

Yet Love Island fans seem to have high hopes for Liberty Poole and Brad McClelland as they took to Instagram on Tuesday to plot a union between the pair.

The Nando's waitress, who split from Jake Cornish shortly before last month's finale, was celebrating her 22nd birthday at London's Jib Bo Law rooftop bar when she posed with the hunky Northerner - leading to speculation from fans.

Sweet: Love Island fans seem to have high hopes for Liberty Poole and Brad McClelland as they took to Instagram on Tuesday to plot a union between the pair

Liberty appeared to have had a fabulous night as she documented the evening with a carousel of images, including one showing her hugging Brad.

She added a caption reading: 'Thanks to everyone for making my 22nd the best birthday ever! all love always', while Brad penned in the comment section: 'What a night, from the views to the company everything was [100 emoji].'

Despite Brad's former flame Lucinda Strafford being in attendance, fans were convinced love could be on the cards for the happy duo.

A portion on Liberty's 1.5million fans penned: 'You two should of been a couple... somethings going on here SEEEEERIOUSLY needs to happen!... you two should absolutely couple up... You two make complete sense...

Heartbreak: They both failed to find lasting love in the Villa

Oh my! She added a caption reading: 'Thanks to everyone for making my 22nd the best birthday ever! all love always', while Brad penned in the comment section: 'What a night, from the views to the company everything was [100 emoji]'

'I thought exactly the same... You and lib look so good together... go get her shes a jem... yepppp 100% agree... you would make the perfect couple... perfect couple in every way make it happen Brad... do it for your country fire couple...

'Don't think your talking about the city views. Get @libertypoolex on a date... how cute would you both look together @libertypoolex ?? just sayin !!...

'Wow now that a couple how did we not see this !!!... It didnt even cross my mind but after reading the other comments, theyre so right, you shouuuuld couple up!...

Cheeky! The Nando's waitress, who split from Jake Cornish shortly before last month's finale, was celebrating her 22nd birthday at London's Jib Bo Law rooftop bar when she posed with the hunky Northerner - leading to speculation from fans

'I thought that. Hand on her posterior but, she has to be careful as Lib is very popular and I wouldn't want any of them to go for her to be relevant and milk it. Brad lovely but stay well clear Lib.... Lib and Brad look good together js.'

Liberty became the first Islander in history to quit the villa alongside her ex Jake just days before the finale and has since remained single on the outside world.

Brad meanwhile sacrificed his own place on the show for Lucinda, however she soon moved on with Aaron Francis

Ouch: Liberty became the first Islander in history to quit the villa alongside her ex Jake just days before the finale and has since remained single on the outside world
The 24th series of Silent Witness began airing this week.

And Emilia Fox slipped into a spotless white coverall on Wednesday as she arrived by helicopter to film new scenes for the popular BBC crime drama in Liverpool.

The actress, 47, embraced her character Dr. Nikki Alexander as she clutched a silver briefcase after exiting the chopper alongside aircraft staff and her colleagues.

Arrive in style! Emilia Fox slipped into a spotless white coverall on Wednesday as she arrived by helicopter to film new scenes for the popular BBC crime drama, Silent Witness, in Liverpool

She rocked a white forensic one-piece which she teamed with comfortable black shoes.

Emilia swept her blonde locks back in a neat updo and wore a light palette of make-up for her day on set.

She was escorted through an open space by staff before beginning her acting duties.

Photos taken at the filming location the day before saw Emelia investigating a crime scene with her onscreen forensic team. A police car was also parked on set.

Role: The actress, 47, embraced her character Dr. Nikki Alexander as she clutched a silver briefcase after exiting the chopper alongside aircraft staff and her colleagues

Riding high! Pictured the impressive helicopter

Crime scene ready: She rocked a white forensic one-piece which she teamed with comfortable black shoes

Emelia was seen chatting to actor and director Ian Poulton Davis, who portrays a forensic officer. He sported a shirt and tie with a blue overall.

Some of the filming crew were wearing white masks to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus.

Later in the day, Emilia shrugged on a black longline coat to brave the chilly weather.

The new Silent Witness story revolves around a high-profile individual who is fatally shot, as the crime unit are called to investigate.

Practical style: Emilia swept her blonde locks back in a neat updo and wore a light palette of make-up for her day on set

Make an entrance: She was escorted through an open space by staff before beginning her acting duties

Team effort: Emelia looked back as she waited for her colleague upon her arrival

The filming snaps comes after Emilia looked to have found love again, 16 months after her split from fiance Luc Chaudhary.

The Mail on Sunday revealed this weekend that Emilia was dating handsome television producer Jonathan Stadlen, 43, and has been telling friends that she thinks he is 'The One'.

Emilia recently broke her silence on her new romance, telling The Times recently: 'I am with someone and I am very happy and that's a really lovely thing to be able to say.'

'Smile for the camera!': The actress appeared to be posing for a photo with fellow workers

Work attire: Her co-star was also seen sporting a white boiler suit which rested around her waist, revealing her navy top

Prepared: She sported a bleached blonde buzz cut as she also carried a chunky black briefcase

Referencing her break-up with Luc, she continued: 'We ended on very good terms, but that was quite a long time ago. Then I had more time alone and I met someone new quite recently. Hopefully, I'm now able to share life with someone with a better sense of self.'

She added: 'All I can say is he is someone with understanding, kindness, thoughtfulness and a good moral compass.'

Friends say they got together in June after meeting through mutual pals. They are understood to have met members of each other's families and are said to be 'besotted'.

Hard at work: The duo were greeted by crew members in high visibility jackets who were seen moving items on set including lighting equipment

Checks: The staff members patted Emilia down and they sported black face masks to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus

Jonathan is a divorce who lives three miles away from Emilia  a member of the famous Fox acting dynasty. He was the man behind the recent hit Netflix series An American Murder: The Family Next Door.

In July, he joined Emilia on a podcast about crime in lockdown. One friend told The Mail on Sunday: 'Both Jonathan and Emilia are totally besotted, they might have only been together for a few months but they are very happy.

'Jonathan has been excitedly telling his friends about his new girlfriend. It is all very sweet.'

Emilia, who has a ten-year-old daughter named Rose from her relationship with actor and activist Jeremy Gilley, split from her talent agent fiance Luc in October last year, 18 months after they met on the exclusive celebrity dating app Raya.

Before that she dated controversial TV chef Marco Pierre White from 2012 to 2016 after she and Mr Gilley went their separate ways.

At the time, he was still married to his wife, Mati Conejero, with whom he has three children, and their relationship was said to have been a tortuous, on-off one.
Ashley Benson was by herself for a quick trip to Starbucks on Tuesday afternoon.

The 31-year-old Pretty Little Liars alum wore a red floral print slip dress with black lace trimming as she picked up a three drink order. The look was finished with black cowboy boots with a heel.

This comes after the beauty had lunch with ex-boyfriend Justin Thorne.

Solo outing: Ashley Benson was by herself for a quick trip to Starbucks in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon

The Spring Breakers actress accessorized with black Prive Revaux cat eye sunglasses, small gold hoops, and a brown Fendi crossbody bucket purse.

She wore a couple necklaces, a bracelet, and rings on both hands as she carried her beverage order in black matte manicured hands.

A disposable mask could be seen hanging below her chin and her hair was pulled into a ponytail.

Fueling up: The 31-year-old Pretty Little Liars alum wore a red floral print slip dress with black lace trimming as she picked up a three drink order

The coffee run comes after the Anaheim, California native was spotted earlier in the day having lunch with her ex-boyfriend Thorne, 32.

The pair enjoyed lunch in Studio City, smiling at each other over an al fresco meal.

They were later seen driving off in her car together.

Add-ons: The Spring Breakers actress accessorized with black cat eye sunglasses, small gold hoops, and a brown Fendi crossbody bucket purse

Her brown locks were tied back in a half bun and she wore glasses on her face while bringing along a pair of sunglasses.

She had a smile plastered on her face as she chatted to Thorne who wore fitted blue jeans and a white button down with Nike sneakers.

The pair snagged a table outside where he was seen gazing at her as she puffed on a cigarette while they enjoyed wine, and later headed out in her car.

Circling back: The Anaheim, California native was spotted earlier in the day having lunch with her ex-boyfriend Justin Thorne

Following her rumored 2010 relationship with Justin, who's a musician, she dated Justin Bieber's Drew House partner Ryan Good, 37, in 2011.

Benson confirmed their breakup in 2013 but they were reported to be on and off from 2014 to 2017, with their last sighting being at a New York Rangers Game per DailyMail.com photos.

The star's next serious relationship was with model Cara Delevingne who she dated from June 2018 before they ended things in April 2020.

The socialite began dating rapper G-Eazy, 32, about a month after she and Cara split.

By June he had attended her sister's wedding as her plus one, and by October they had gone Instagram official, though it was reported by E! News that friends thought it was just a 'fling.'

The predictions proved to be correct and the two split in February 2021.

This summer she was also seen packing on the PDA with reported new beau Colby Ammerman  a Paramount Pictures manufacturing assistant  in images obtained by DailyMail.com.

Former flame: The star was with model Cara Delevingne from June 2018 before they ended things in April 2020
Khloe Kardashian looked like she was ready for war in full camo outfit in photos shared on Wednesday morning.

The 37-year-old Revenge Body host had on a camo jacket, slacks and boots with her hair pulled back and ending in a long braid at party thrown at Kylie Jenner's Holmby Hills, California mansion.

The images seem to be flashbacks from Kylie's 24th birthday party that took place in late August.

Koko's war zone: Khloe Kardashian looked like she is ready for war in full camo outfit in flashback photos shared on Wednesday morning

To soften the look, the mother to True Thompson added $1million worth of diamonds.

There was a huge diamond chain link necklace around her neck that looked to cost at least $400K and matching diamond earrings that were in the $300K neighborhood as she flashed a diamond eternity band on one finger that looked as if cost $300K.

She was posing Vogue style with one leg out as she looked into the camera with dead seriousness.

In her last image, the Good American designer was seen striking a chic pose as her mom Kris was spying behind her, which made a perfect photo bomb. In her caption Koko said, 'I spy my mommy.'

Camo queen: The 37-year-old Revenge Body host had on a camo jacket and slacks with her hair pulled back and ending in a long braid at party throw at Kylie Jenner's Holmby Hills mansion

Funny: She was posing Vogue style with one leg out as she looked into the camera with dead seriousness. In her last image, the Good American designer was seen striking a chic pose as her mom Kris was spying behind her, which made a perfect photo bomb. In her caption Koko said, 'I spy my mommy'

When Kylie confirmed on Tuesday that she was pregnant with her second child with rapper Travis Scott, she shared some images from her birthday party.

The star was seen in the same area Khloe was posing in with tea lights in the background.

And she glowed as she was presented with a birthday cake.

It has been a tough year for Khloe as trolls have branded her weak for standing behind on again and off again beau Tristan Thompson after he has been busted cheating so many times.

The diamond life: To soften the look, the mother to True Thompson added $1million worth of diamonds. There was a huge diamond chain link necklace around her neck that looked to cost at least $400K and matching diamond earrings that were in the $300K neighborhood as she flashed a diamond eternity band on one finger that looked as if cost $300K

In late August Kardashian went on a Twitter rant, slamming those making up 'fake news' about her personal life.

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star fumed that she feels 'terrorized' by false rumours spreading online about her, though she did not pinpoint what exactly.

She began: 'HA! some of y'all really just make up anything and swear it's the truth as if you know what's going on.

'The truth is never good enough or juicy enough. So you create a narrative that fits what you choose to believe.

The party: The images seem to be flashbacks from Kylie's 24th birthday party in late August

In another tweet, she said: 'It is so old at this point. It's always something about people creating fake s*** about me and actually terrorizing me about something THEY ARE CREATING. Without anyone knowing any facts. It's some weirdo s***.'

She went on: 'It's pathetic but also infuriating all at the same time. People coming at me as if they know anything.

She added: 'It's outrageous how people feel they have the right to spread such trash and lies about other people. They do it so many people and it's terrible.'

The setting: There were tea lights all around the structure for the outdoor dinner

Seemingly referring to being accused of photoshopping her thighs and waist in a recent Instagram snap, the Good American co-founder - who has three-year-old daughter, True, with Tristan Thompson - hit back:

'Facts!!!! Because they give so many other people a different type of grace and understanding.

'I get critiqued and judged for any f******* thing. I guess I got to start snapping a little more.'

Meanwhile...: Also on Tuesday Kim Kardashian was seen at a party at Nobu Malibu for Kardashian/Jenner florist Jeff Letham

Nice job: The florist turned 50 on Tuesday. The floral expert - born Jeffrey Brett Leatham - is the man who makes those massive arrangements for the family mostly using roses. He also builds their floral 'walls' like the one Kim used when she went Kanye West

Also on Tuesday Kim Kardashian was seen at a party at Nobu Malibu for Kardashian/Jenner florist Jeff Letham.

The florist turned 50 on Tuesday. The floral expert - born Jeffrey Brett Leatham - is the man who makes those massive arrangements for the family mostly using roses. He also builds their floral 'walls' like the one Kim used when she went Kanye West.

He was awarded the Chevalier Legion of Honour from the nation of France in 2014. Jeff is the creative director of George V Hotel and the Four Seasons Hotels in Beverly Hills and Philadelphia.

Also at the birthday bash was mom Kris Jenner, her beau Corey Gamble, and pal Vanessa Bryant.
Viscountess Emma Weymouth made a serious statement when she attended the Tusk Lion Trail event wearing a show-stopping jungle-themed gown on Wednesday.

Stepping out in London to mark the fundraising art trail, which has brought 47 life-sized lion sculptures to cities around the world to raise money for Africa's lion population, Emma, 35, opted for an off-the-shoulder gown stamped with tropical fauna alongside a tiger, zebra, and other animals.

Highlighting her trim waistline, the socialite, who is married to Ceawlin, Viscount Weymouth, son of Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, nipped in her dress with a chunky black belt.

Wow: Viscountess Emma Weymouth, 35, made a serious statement when she attended the Tusk Lion Trail event wearing a show-stopping jungle-themed gown on Wednesday

Fundraiser: Stepping out in London to mark the fundraising art trail, Emma opted for an off-the-shoulder gown stamped with tropical fauna alongside a tiger, zebra, and other animals

Emma wore her glossy brunette hair loose and accessorised with stunning drop earrings and a necklace bearing the first letter of her name.

Also in attendance was actor John Cleese, who cut a dapper figure in a navy suit, and was joined by his wife, actress Jennifer Wade.

Artists Adam Dant and David Mach also made appearances, with Adam teaming jeans with a crisp shirt, blazer and tie and David donning shorts.

Syrian artist Sarah Shamma wowed in a teal blouse and beamed from ear to ear while posing for photographs while painter Hannah Shergold opted for a chic white dress.

Hair down: Emma wore her glossy brunette hair loose and accessorised with stunning drop earrings and a necklace bearing the first letter of her name

Peeking through: Peeking from beneath Emma's dress were her stylish, open-toe white heels

Event: The Tusk Lion Trail has brought 47 life-sized lion sculptures to cities around the world to raise money for Africa's lion population (pictured L-R Ian Davenport, Nicky Carter, Adam Dant, Chris Westbrooke, David Mach, Sarah Shamma, Hannah Shergold and Michael Foreman)

Also in attendance: Also in attendance was actor John Cleese, who cut a dapper figure in a navy suit, and was joined by his wife Jennifer Wade (far right)

Tusk Lion Trail founder Charlie Mayhew cut a stylish figure in navy trousers and a salmon-hued shirt.

Emma's appearance comes shortly after she was spotted exploring Venice with her hunky Serbian model pal Alessandro Egger this month.

She jetted to Italy to attend a slew of events hosted by Dolce & Gabbana over the bank holiday period and appeared to be making the most of the idyllic city as she went exploring with her good friend Alessandro.

High spirits: John appeared in high spirits while enjoying a drink with Tusk Lion Trail founder Charlie Mayhew (right)

Group photo: Tusk Lion Trail guests posed for a photo (L-R Chris Westbrook, Adam Dant, David Mach, Hannah Shergold and Alex Rhodes)

Chic: John's wife Jennifer cut a chic figure in a floral print top layered beneath a tailored blazer

Impressive: John and Jennifer posed with artist Hannah who designed one of the beautiful lions on display in London

Standing tall: Actress Jennifer added height to her frame in a pair of strap heels

Proud: Hannah beamed while standing next to her striking sculpture

Bow: The talented artist adorned her white dress with a statement black bow

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.

Of their time together, 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 she's 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 contacted Emma and Alessandro's representatives for comment at the time.

Venice: Emma's appearance comes shortly after she was spotted exploring Venice with her hunky Serbian model pal Alessandro Egger this month
The star-studded cast is bringing the action.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence portray two astronomers racing against time to warn the world about an impending asteroid set to destroy the planet in the first trailer for Don't Look Up.

Director Adam McKay scrolled through his rolodex of A-listers with a cast including Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande and Cate Blanchett, to name just a few.

Dynamic duo: Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence portray two astronomers racing against time to warn the world about an impending asteroid set to destroy the planet in the first trailer for Don't Look Up

Scary situation: Lawrence portrays an astronomy grad student, Kate Dibiasky

The opening scene showed Leo, who plays a professor named Dr. Randall Mindy, dry heaving in the bathroom while repeating words of affirmation.

'You're here now,' he tried to convince himself before splashing water on his face and returning to a meeting.

Jonah Hill's character, political advisor Jason Orlean tells DiCaprio at a sit-down meeting with the president: 'Your breathing is stressing me out.

Trouble in paradise: The opening scene showed Leo, who plays a professor named Dr. Randall Mindy, dry heaving in the bathroom while repeating words of affirmation

'You're here now,' he tried to convince himself before splashing water on his face and returning to a meeting

Jonah Hill's character, political advisor Jason Orlean tells DiCaprio at a sit-down meeting with the president: 'Your breathing is stressing me out

'This will affect the entire planet,' Leonardo urges before Hill reiterates: 'I know, but it's like, so stressful'

Travel time: Their characters tour the country attempting to explain the massive event that's about to crash into the planet

'This will affect the entire planet,' Leonardo urges before Hill reiterates: 'I know, but it's like, so stressful.'

After finding out the extent of devastation on its way, DiCaprio and Lawrence grab a table for a quick bite to eat at a local restaurant.

'Can I get one more ice water,' he asks a waitress at a diner.

'I'll get two more glasses of white wine,' Lawrence said. 'And I don't need the judgey face.'

After finding out the extent of devastation on its way, DiCaprio and Lawrence grab a table for a quick bite to eat at a local restaurant

'I'll get two more glasses of white wine,' Lawrence said. 'And I don't need the judgey face'

Don't you understand: Back in the oval office, Lawrence encourages the room to reconsider the lackluster interest in total devastation

'There's a comet headed directly towards Earth,' she said.

'You know how many "the world is ending" meetings we've had over the last two years?' Meryl asked

'Drought, famine, hole in the ozone ... it's so boring,' Hill's character lamented before throwing his head back on the couch

Back in the oval office, Lawrence encourages the room to reconsider the lackluster interest in total devastation.

'There's a comet headed directly towards Earth,' she said.

'You know how many "the world is ending" meetings we've had over the last two years?' Meryl asked.

Director Adam McKay scrolled through his rolodex of A-listers with a cast including Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothee Chalamet (pictured) and Cate Blanchett, to name just a few

All-stars: Written and directed by McKay, the Netflix film also stars Ron Perlman, Kid Cudi, Gina Gershon and Tyler Perry, and is set for a Dec. 10 theatrical release before heading to the streaming service on Dec. 24

God is a Woman: Ariana plays Riley Bina in the new movie

'Drought, famine, hole in the ozone ... it's so boring,' Hill's character lamented before throwing his head back on the couch.

Written and directed by McKay, the Netflix film also stars Ron Perlman, Kid Cudi, Gina Gershon and Tyler Perry, and is set for a Dec. 10 theatrical release before heading to the streaming service on Dec. 24.

'Adam has an unparalleled ability to spark conversation with humor and timely stories,' DiCaprio recently told PEOPLE.

'I knew when I read his script that it was incredibly unique, as it struck an important chord concerning the modern world we live in. Adam has woven an incredibly timely message about society, how we communicate, our current priorities, and the climate crisis into an absurdly funny yet important movie.'
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Sean 'Diddy' Combs looked on cloud nine as he packed on the PDA with Joie Chavis during a romantic yacht trip in Capri, Italy.

The rapper, 51, went public with his new romance as he was seen wrapping his arms around the model, 33, as they shared a kiss on their sun-soaked holiday.

The pair relaxed on a sun lounger together with Diddy beaming at the social media star, who shares daughter Shai, 10, with Bow Wow and a son named Hendrix, two, with Future.

Smooch: Sean 'Diddy' Combs looked on cloud nine as he packed on the PDA with Joie Chavis during a romantic yacht trip in Capri, Italy

Joie looked sensational on the trip as she displayed her incredible figure in a yellow and black patterned bikini.

The model let her locks fall loose down her shoulders and also sported a black visor while she worked on her tan.

Diddy donned a dark green shirt which he paired with a patterned pair of shorts as he spent some quality time with Joie.

The media mogul and father-of-six was seen deep in conversation with Joie before they locked lips.

Cosy: The rapper, 51, went public with his new romance as he was seen wrapping his arms around the model as they shared a kiss on their sun-soaked holiday

Sizzling: Joie looked sensational on the trip as she displayed her incredible figure in a yellow and black patterned bikini.

Romance: Diddy donned a dark green shirt which he paired with a patterned pair of shorts as he spent some quality time with Joie

At one point, Diddy was seen wresting his head on Joie's chest as they snuggled up on a sun lounger.

The pair also appeared to be joined by a female friend on the trip.

Joie boasts over 2million followers on Instagram where she states she owns a shopping and retail business.

The model has a link to her business which sells workout clothing, swimwear and other merchandise.

Intimate: The media mogul and father-of-six was seen deep in conversation with Joie before they locked lips

Loved-up: Diddy could be seen beaming at Joie as he held her face in his hands

Fun in the sun: At one point, Diddy was seen wresting his head on Joie's chest as they snuggled up on a sun lounger

Past: Joie was previously in a relationship with Bow Wow who she shares daughter Shai with

Holiday: The pair also appeared to be joined by a female friend on the trip

Joie and Bow Wow welcomed their daughter Shai together back in 2011 while he announced in September 2020 he had become a father for a second time.

Speaking previously to The Shade Room, Bow Wow admitted that he learned how to be a family man from Diddy.

He said: 'My children's moms  they can call me for anything and I'ma get it done. If they out of town, if they in Miami, they need something, they want to go to No matter what it is.

'If it's a function going on and they need to get in with they girls, I'ma set it up. Sections, done  bam, there it is. And we family. And I think that's important. And I got that from Puff. He taught me a lot being around him, watching how he moves.

'I'm always asking him questions like, "How do you do it? How? How?" It's a blessing. And it works well when it's like that. It's a family thing. I love them both and I'm just happy that I got two good ones on my side. I'm done after this. No more for Bow.'

Motherhood: Joie and Bow Wow welcomed their daughter Shai together back in 2011

Vacation: Diddy has also spent time with his daughters during his Italian trip

Fun: Diddy and Joie were seen sharing a flirty joke during their trip

Business: The model has a link to her business which sells workout clothing, swimwear and other merchandise

Romantic: Diddy wrapped his arms around Joie as he leaned in for a kiss

Relaxed: Joie added to her look for the day with a gold necklace

Candid: Speaking previously to The Shade Room, Joie's ex Bow Wow admitted that he learned how to be a family man from Diddy

Bow Wow said: 'My children's moms  they can call me for anything and I'ma get it done'

He said: 'If it's a function going on and they need to get in with they girls, I'ma set it up. Sections, done  bam, there it is. And we family. And I think that's important'

Diddy was recently seen enjoying a gondola ride in Venice alongside his daughters earlier this month after they walked in the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show.

The businessman shares twins D'Lila and Jessie, 14, with the late Kim Porter, and Chance, 15, with ex-girlfriend Sarah Chapman.

Diddy is a father to six children, and he welcomed his oldest son, Justin, in 1993 with his former partner, Misa Hylton.

He later began an on-again-off-again relationship with Kim Porter, which came to an end in 2007.

Bow Wow added: 'And I got that from Puff. He taught me a lot beingaround him, watching how he moves'

He said: 'I'm always asking him questions like, "How do you do it? How? How?" It's a blessing. And it works well when it's like that. It's a family thing'

He added: 'I love them both and I'm just happy that I got two good ones on my side. I'm done after this. No more for Bow'

Abroad: Diddy was recently seen enjoying a gondola ride in Venice alongside his daughters earlier this month after they walked in the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show

Kids: Diddy is a father to six children, and he welcomed his oldest son, Justin, in 1993 with his former partner, Misa Hylton

Relationship: He later began an on-again-off-again relationship with Kim Porter, which came to an end in 2007

The former couple welcomed a son named Christian, 23, as well as Jessie and D'Lila during their time together.

Diddy also became a stepfather to Quincy Brown, 30, Kim's son with producer Al B. Sure!

Kim passed away in 2018 following a battle with pneumonia, and Diddy publicly mourned the loss of his former partner during an interview with Essence, where he also spoke about spending more time with his children.

History: The former couple welcomed a son named Christian, 23, as well as Jessie and D'Lila during their time together

Stepdad: Diddy also became a stepfather to Quincy Brown, 30, Kim's son with producer Al B. Sure!

Beginnings: Diddy started off working as a talent director at Uptown Records

Talent: He previously cultivated artists including The Notorious B.I.G and Mary J Blige

Artist: Diddy released his debut album No Way Out in 1997 which has been certified seven times platinum

Business: Diddy is the head of Combs Enterprises, an umbrella company of his business ventures

During the sit-down, Diddy expressed that, although he had previously placed much of his time and energy into his career, he has found himself to be much more satisfied with being a father.

'I'm just a lot more present, and, most important, now my kids come before anything else in my life,' he noted.

Diddy will reportedly release his fifth studio album Off the Grid Vol. 1 on September 24, and he just announced he's forming an 'all R&B label.'

Portfolio: Diddy owns a clothing line called Sean John and two restaurants called Justin's, after his son
She parted ways with her husband Flavio Briatore in 2018 following nine years of marriage.

And Elisabetta Gregoraci continued to show the 71-year-old businessman what he was missing as she put on a very leggy display while arriving for day eight of the 78th Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.

The Italian model, 41, wowed in a plunging white mini dress adorned with musical notes as she stepped off a boat and blew kisses to onlookers in the floating city.

Kiss kiss: Flavio Briatore's ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci put on a very leggy display while arriving for day eight of the 78th Venice Film Festival on Wednesday

Elisabetta's dress featured black piping, a split at the front and a tie-waist detail that perfectly cinched her in at her narrow waist.

The beauty put her toned pins on display in the frock, which she accessorised with a black quilted handbag, pearl earrings and rounded sunglasses.

Rounding off her glam, the TV personality styled her brunette locks in loose waves, while she enhanced her featured with a sleek make-up palette, including a smokey eye.

Looking good: The Italian model, 41, wowed in a plunging white mini dress adorned with musical notes as she stepped off a boat and blew kisses to onlookers in the floating city

Elisabetta appeared in great spirits as she smiled and waved after arriving on dry land amid the star-studded festival.

Elisabetta and Flavio married in star-studded ceremony in Rome in 2008, before welcoming their son Falco two years later.

In 2018, reports began to emerge that the couple were in the process of getting divorced after they were photographed at a law firm in Milan just before Christmas in 2017.

Stunning: Elisabetta's dress featured black piping, a split at the front and a tie-waist detail that perfectly cinched her in at her narrow waist

Details: The beauty put her toned pins on display in the frock, which she accessorised with a black quilted handbag, pearl earrings and rounded sunglasses

According to the divorce papers seen by Italian weekly magazine Oggi, Elisabetta would remain in the couple's Monaco home and also be paid 'abundant' maintenance.

Neither party has commented on the divorce.

Flavio, who was born in Verzuolo near Cuneo, Italy, rose to fame as the managing director and principal of Renault's Formula One team.

Hey there! Elisabetta appeared in great spirits as she smiled and waved after arriving on dry land amid the star-studded festival

However in 2008 he was sacked from his F1 position and given a lifetime ban from events with FIA following his involvement in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix 'crashgate' saga.

However in 2013, the FIA decided to lift Flavio's liftetime ban.

The businessman was previously in a relationship with model Heidi Klum however the pair split when Flavio was seen kissing another woman.

He and Heidi share 17-year-old daughter Helene 'Leni' Samuel.
She's been his fashion muse for years.

And Katie Holmes put her best foot forward while out to lunch at Sant Ambroeus with designer Zac Posen in New York's SoHo neighborhood on Wednesday.

The Secret starlet, 42, was a beacon of autumnal attitude wearing a cozy orange sweater slung off one shoulder effortlessly.

Fashionable friends: Katie Holmes did lunch with fashion designer Zac Posen on Wednesday

Continuing the laid back ensemble, she donned light denim in a straight legged cut.

Katie was equally as minimal with her makeup, opting for a bare face and her shoulder-length brunette locks down in textured waves.

Flat leather sandals completed the look along with a slouchy bag.

Besides her fashionisto Posen went with a tight black tee shirt tucked into matching jeans.

Orange you glad! The Secret starlet, 42, was a beacon of autumnal attitude wearing a cozy orange slung off one shoulder effortlessly

She's a natural! Katie went with minimal makeup, opting for a bare face and her shoulder-length brunette locks down in textured waves

Strategically accessorizing, he added a fisherman's cap, a leather belt, and chunky work boots on foot.

It appeared to be the start of a busy day for the duo, who were in the thick of New York Fashion Week.

Yesterday Holmes graced Christian Siriano's show, along with VIPs like Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Kristin Chenoweth, Busy Philipps, Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Christine Quinn and Kyle Smith.

There, she took the plunge in a fitted suit jacket and a pair of flared trousers, each boasting a silver asymmetrical grid pattern.

Front row: Yesterday Holmes graced Christian Siriano's show, along with VIPs like Leah McSweeney, Lil' Kim, Alicia Silverstone, Kristin Chenoweth, Busy Philipps, Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Christine Quinn and Kyle Smith

It seemed like the star was more than enjoying the single life since splitting with chef boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr. in May.

A spokesperson for Katie told Us Weekly that the two had parted 'amicably' and were 'still friends.'

Another insider who spoke to the publication added that their 'relationship fizzled.' 'They figured out theyre better off as friends. Theres no drama that went down with the breakup,' the source said.

The romance reportedly faded after she left for Connecticut to film her second feature as a director, The Watergate Girl.

According to the publication, Katie is now focused on prioritising her private and professional life at the moment.
Jason Kennedy and wife Lauren Scruggs revealed on Wednesday they are expecting their first child.

The former E! on-air star, 38, and the fashion model, 32, shared a video on Instagram where they were looking in disbelief at her positive pregnancy test.

'PREGNANT! Its happening and this is how I found out,' wrote Kennedy. 'So many of you have prayed for us and wished us well on this 4 1/2 year journey. Our hope is that this news encourages anyone going thru IVF or any fertility struggle.'

Good news: Jason Kennedy and wife Lauren Scruggs revealed on Wednesday they are expecting their first child. The former E! on-air star, 38, and the fashion model, 32, shared a video on Instagram where they were looking in disbelief at her positive pregnancy test

Thanks to the fans: 'PREGNANT! Its happening and this is how I found out,' wrote Kennedy. 'So many of you have prayed for us and wished us well on this 4 1/2 year journey. Our hope is that this news encourages anyone going thru IVF or any fertility struggle. Thanks for caring and always asking for updates, it feels nice to be loved and we love you back. Jase & Lo'

Jason then added: 'Thanks for caring and always asking for updates, it feels nice to be loved and we love you back. Jase & Lo.'

The two are in a bedroom as they look at the positive pregnancy test and hug each other.

They also revealed to People that the baby is due in the spring of 2022.

This comes after they struggled with fertility struggles and she had IVF. There was also a scary incident in March where she was was admitted to the emergency room after complaining of pain post egg retrieval procedure.

Jason told the site on Wednesday they are truly blessed and feel lucky that they are expecting.

'It's always tough when a doctor tells you you can't have kids naturally and you keep running into complications, but we didn't sit and wallow in that. We were really blessed to meet with some amazing doctors and specialists,' Kennedy shared.

It has been a bumpy road: This comes after they struggled with fertility struggles and she had IVF. There was also a scary incident in March where she was was admitted to the emergency room after complaining of pain post egg retrieval procedure; seen in 2015

'The hardest part probably was having four alarms set every day for months taking medicine,' added his wife.

'And one time Lauren had to be rushed to the ER because of unbearable pain a few days after the egg retrieval. Not to sound cliche, but it really has brought us even closer together because we have never been through this before, and it's been really special supporting each other.'

Kennedy then said their faith helped: 'There is an overall sense of peace because of our faith in God, and then it just comes down to our incredible friends and family who walked closely with us through it all.'

Good pair: The couple attend the Box of Butterflies Book Party in Beverly Hills in 2018

They also shared that Lauren's twin sister - they were both welcomed by IVF - was the first person they told they were expecting then they called their parents.

In July Lauren told People it was a 'blessing' to have IVF: 'I'm committed to this journey, and it's a blessing, no matter what, because this could result in something so incredible.

'It's such an amazing method of enhancing your fertility and having a sweet baby come into the world ... [I'm] really just trying to make the best of it by being grateful and flipping the script and just embracing it fully.'

And she said it was 'cool' that she and her twin sister were conceived with the help of IVF: 'My parents did it years ago. [They've] always been super open about it, so I feel like they've taught me with that as well,' said Scruggs.

Scary: Kennedy had a small scare when wife Scruggs was admitted to the emergency room after complaining of pain post egg retrieval procedure in March

In March Lauren shared her egg complications on social media.

'Well this one right here gave me a scare last night,' he posted on Instagram. 'A trip to the ER for severe pain post egg retrieval but our doctor assured us this morning that everything will be ok.

'Shes STRONG and will be back on her feet in no time. This is where nurse Jason steps in with that 24/7 love and care. Oh and slide 2 is bunny, she requested he stay close at all times.'

Staying strong: Just days before, Kennedy posted a photo of his wife after the retrieval process and noted that the procedure 'went really well'

Just days before, Kennedy posted a photo of his wife after the retrieval process and noted that the procedure 'went really well.'

Lauren and Jason have publicly shared the very difficult process in medically conceiving a child with their millions of followers.

'I have truly been feeling so grateful for every part of this process,' she recently wrote online. 'It was an internal struggle initially to make the decision to start ivf because holistic routes are always my go-to, but after so much prayer, this path was the clear next step and so much peace is behind it.'

The pair wed in Texas in 2015 and started trying for a family four years later.

'Whenever i get a shot or take medicine, instead of subconsciously feeling guilty, i thank God for how it is helping my body during this time + am so grateful for this opportunity, the amazing doctors, and the community of friends doing ivf at the same time as me,' she wrote online. This mentality has shifted everything for me.

'Every time a shot hurts or if i am tired, i am so reminded of the most beautiful attribute behind having kiddos that i have learned from the sweet parents around me - there is nothing better to sacrifice for and this minimal discomfort is so temporary.'
Jonathan Rhys Meyers made a rare public appearance on Wednesday night as he returned to the red carpet at Venice Film Festival 2021 after his DUI arrest last year.

The Irish actor, 44, looked smart in a black suit and T-shirt as he posed for the cameras alongside his glamorous wife of five years Mara Lane.

It comes after in November of last year, Meyers was arrested after he was involved in a single-car crash in Malibu and failed a sobriety test after officers arrived at the scene, although he was later released shortly after being booked.

Star: Jonathan Rhys Meyers made a rare public appearance on Wednesday night as he returned to the red carpet at Venice Film Festival 2021 after his DUI arrest last year (pictured with wife Mara Lane)

Jonathan looked happy and relaxed at the premiere for the upcoming movie Freaks Out, teaming his black suit with dark red shoes and a string pendant necklace.

Meanwhile Mara wowed in a leggy cream gown that featured a sparkly belt and dramatic slit sleeves.

The producer and actress finished off her look with nude heels and wore her dark tresses in a pretty plait while opting for a dewy makeup look.

All smiles: The Irish actor, 44, looked smart in a black suit and T-shirt as he posed for the cameras

Pose: Jonathan looked happy and relaxed at the premiere for the upcoming movie Freaks Out, teaming his black suit with dark red shoes and a string pendant necklace

MailOnline has contacted Jonathan Rhys Meyers' representatives for comment.

Although Meyers appears to be keeping himself busy with work this year, the troubled actor has been dealing with the fallout from his November DUI arrest and previous stints in rehab for alcoholism.

The performer has been in and out of recovery programs ever since 2005, when he originally entered a treatment center for his struggles with substance abuse.

Stunning: Meanwhile Mara wowed in a leggy cream gown that featured a sparkly belt and dramatic slit sleeves

Glowing: The producer and actress finished off her look with nude heels and wore her dark tresses in a pretty plait while opting for a dewy makeup look

Trouble: It comes after in November of last year, Meyers was arrested after he was involved in a single-car crash in Malibu and failed a sobriety test after officers arrived at the scene, although he was later released shortly after being booked

His subsequent stints in rehab over the years, with the most recent occurring in 2017, were intermingled with public incidents, including an instance where he was arrested after assaulting an airport lounge employee in Paris.

In November of last year, Meyers was arrested after he was involved in a single-car crash in Malibu and failed a sobriety test after officers arrived at the scene, although he was later released shortly after being booked.

The following January, Us Weekly reported that he had been formally charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and another count of driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more.

Incident: The following January, Us Weekly reported that he had been formally charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and another count of driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more

Oh dear: The star has had a troubled history and in November 2011 was ordered by a French court to pay a restitution of 1,000 and was given a judgment of a suspended sentence for public intoxication 24 months earlier

The star has had a troubled history and in November 2011 was ordered by a French court to pay a restitution of 1,000 and was given a judgment of a suspended sentence for public intoxication 24 months earlier.

Meyers also publicly apologised to his fans in 2015 for a 'minor relapse' after pictures surfaced of him on a street drinking straight from a bottle of vodka.

In July 2018 the star vowed to stay sober after being detained following a drunken row with his wife Mara onboard a plane.

Trouble: Meyers also publicly apologised to his fans in 2015 for a 'minor relapse' after pictures surfaced of him on a street drinking straight from a bottle of vodka

Drama: In July 2018 the star vowed to stay sober after being detained following a drunken row with his wife Mara onboard a plane

Honest: In an interview on Larry King Now, the actor vowed to stay sober and admitted drinking doesn't 'suit' him as he spoke about the incident

DailyMail.com exclusively reported the Bend It Like Beckham star screamed 'f*** you, I'm going to divorce you' at his wife when she asked him to stop smoking his e-cigarette on a plane, a passenger revealed, before the actor was detained by police at LAX.

The Irish actor was on an American Airlines flight from Miami to Los Angeles with his wife Mara and their then one-year-old son Wolf when he allegedly got into a drunken fight with her.

A fellow passenger, who was sitting in first class behind the actor, told the Sun Online that Meyers was behaving 'erratically' and had been intimidating other passengers throughout the flight.

Row: The Irish actor was on an American Airlines flight from Miami to Los Angeles with his wife Mara and their then one-year-old son Wolf when he allegedly got into a drunken fight with her

He had been ordering 'drink after drink' and went to the toilet more than a dozen times - and refused to stop smoking his e-cigarette.

He was so inebriated, the passenger added, that he didn't notice his jeans had fallen down to his knees at one point.

Eventually, flight attendants asked if his wife, who had separated herself from her husband by putting a privacy screen up, to see if she could intervene.

'They told her that if he didn't stop using the e-cigarette we'd have to land the plane early and get him off so she tried to tell him that,' the passenger said.

Happy: The pair looked great together as they posed for the cameras at the film premiere

'That's when he really lost it, he was yelling at her 'f*** you, shut the f*** up, I'm divorcing you when I get back, you're annoying leave me the f*** alone.'

'Then he was ranting and screaming: 'Who says I'm using e-cigarettes? Who? Who? Show me who said it.'

Police said he was 'admonished' for his behavior and then released without charge.

In an interview on Larry King Now, the actor vowed to stay sober and admitted drinking doesn't 'suit' him as he spoke about the incident.

The Dracula star recalled: 'My wife and I had been travelling since 3 o'clock in the morning from Peru back to Los Angeles.

Rules: Police said he was 'admonished' for his behavior and then released without charge after the DUI last year

'And they gave away our tickets  it was just a problem with the airline. We had our baby, who was teething at the time, and it was all kind of frustrating.

Adding: 'So we eventually got on the flight and my wife went to sleep and I very stupidly decided to order a drink. When my wife found that I'd ordered a drink, she got very, very angry with me because I shouldn't drink.

'It doesn't suit me and I had been sober for a long time.'

Jonathan admitted he was 'upset' by his actions but had apologised to all involved in the incident and thanked police for being 'incredibly kind and understanding'.

Making an appearance: The movie star hasn't been seen on the red carpet in well over a year

Stylish: He put on a confident display as he roamed along the red carpet

He continued: 'And so I felt that mistake and I got upset and I took out an e-cigarette. And the airline staff told me that I wasn't allowed to smoke an e-cigarette so I put it away.

'Then I spoke to the Los Angeles police once we got there, who were incredibly kind. Incredibly understanding. I apologised for my behaviour, and that's the entire story.'

In a brutally frank interview with Event Magazine in July 2018, Jonathan said: Ive let myself down by relapsing, and its my responsibility. Nobody else is to blame.

As well as the incident in LA, he was arrested for drunkenness at terminals in Dublin in 2007 and Paris in 2011.
Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender have welcomed their first child together.

The Tomb Raider actress, 32, confirmed the happy news in an interview with People, in which she said of motherhood: 'I now have a whole new understanding of life in general.'

The news comes as Alicia and film star husband Michael, 44, were spotted out and about with a baby during a recent trip to Ibiza - with Alicia revealing she welcomed her first child earlier in 2021.

Parents: Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender have welcomed their first child together. (pictured in 2016)

The couple, who married in October 2017, have not previously revealed a pregnancy or confirmed they had become parents.

During a chat with the publication about her role in latest film Blue Bayou, Alicia touched on becoming a mother as she explained: 'I now have a whole new understanding of life in general

'That's pretty beautiful and obviously will give a lot to any of my work in the future.'

The star added she feels 'more content and happy than I've ever been.'

When asked how life had changed since having a baby, she said: 'No, I think I'll wait with that one," she says. "I'm enjoying finding it out in the moment right now, more than anything.'

Congratulations: The news comes as Alicia and film star husband Michael, 44, were spotted out and about with a baby during a recent trip to Ibiza (pictured last week)

The couple were also seen pushing a baby in a stroller during a day out in Paris in late August.

While speculation was previously fuelled earlier that month when they were seen holding a baby while in Ibiza, Spain.

The couple, who currently live together in Lisbon, Portugal, are known for being notoriously private and haven't previously spoken about whether they would have children together.

Michael and Alicia tied the knot in October 2017 - three years after they began dating, following meeting on set of The Light Between Oceans.

Family: The Tomb Raider actress, 32, confirmed the happy news in an interview with People, in which she said of motherhood: 'I now have a whole new understanding of life in general (pictured in Paris in August)

The Danish Girl star previously spoke about potentially seeing children in her future during an interview with Elle.

She told the publication in 2017: 'I don't even have children, and it's the wonder of my world.

'I've always wanted kids. I've never been pregnant, but I hope to have a family one day.

;And it's both the expectation and knowing that it should be the greatest experience of my lifeand suddenly from one day to another, it's a reality; it's a new chapter of your life.'

Alicia previously starred alongside husband Michael on the big screen, with the couple appearing in 2016 romantic drama The Light Between Oceans - the movie set where they first met.

In an interview for the October edition of Elle Magazine, Alicia recently revealed that she would love to work with her husband in a film again.

She said: 'I would love to work with him one day, but we're very much individuals, which I love and I think is good in any relationship.

Romance: Michael and Alicia tied the knot in October 2017 - three years after they began dating, following meeting on set of The Light Between Oceans (pictured in 2015)

'We both take on parts because it's a film that is right for us, so it would have to be the same if we were ever to work together again.'

She and Michael rarely speak about each other in public, with Michael previously touching on his decision not to discuss his wife.

He told Entertainment Tonight in 2016: 'Im not going to talk about my private life with a total stranger, unless I feel like I need to. Why would I?

'I might have been curious about actors lives when I was growing up. Thats human nature. Were all curious about a lot of things. But my curiosity didnt obligate them to tell me.'
They have been going strong as a couple for just over a year.

And Daisy Lowe cosied up to her boyfriend Jordan Saul as she attended the Bird in Hand Wine's Sparkling 2021 dinner at Fortnum & Mason on Wednesday night in London.

The model, 32, put on a glamorous display in a busty black dress as she beamed for the cameras at the swanky event.

Cute: Daisy Lowe cosied up to her boyfriend Jordan Saul as she attended the Bird in Hand Wine's Sparkling 2021 dinner at Fortnum & Mason on Wednesday night in London

Daisy looked great in the stylish number which featured silver tassel detailing around her cleavage and cinched her in at the waist to show off her figure.

She completed the outfit with silver and black shoes and wore her dark tresses up while opting for a natural makeup look complete with a slick of light pink lip.

Meanwhile her beau looked dapper in a black suit and tie and crisp white shirt as he put his arm around his stunning girlfriend.

Wow! The model, 32, put on a glamorous display in a busty black dress as she beamed for the cameras at the swanky event

Stunning: Daisy looked great in the stylish number which featured silver tassel detailing around her cleavage and cinched her in at the waist to show off her figure

Daisy was spotted for the first time with her estate agent man in June 2020 - despite being under a government-ordered lockdown for 10 weeks.

It's been a busy summer for the couple as they made an appearance at Bvlgari's summer party in London as well as the Dazn x Matchroom VIP launch recently.

Daisy took to Instagram in June to mark their first anniversary and reveal to her followers how she met her beau with a sweet post where she called Jordan her 'hero'.

Glowing: She completed the look with silver and black shoes and wore her dark tresses up while opting for a natural makeup look complete with a slick of light pink lip

Close: Meanwhile her beau looked dapper in a black suit and tie and crisp white shirt as he put his arm around his stunning girlfriend

Busy lady: Daisy later attended the launch event for the Aubin Arms - a 2 week pub takeover by British Menswear brand, Aubin

She captioned the upload: 'A year ago today I went to meet @misstilda for a walk on the Heath. But I was running a little late- Mercury was in retrograde [crying laughing emoji].

'When I arrived, Monty ran straight towards a very handsome Belgium shepherd, attached to this handsome dog was a rather handsome man.

'I dawdled around having some dog chat we ended up walking together for a couple of hours, what a dog walk!'

Group: Daisy and Jordan posed for a snap with acting husband and wife Liza Marshall and Mark Strong

Glam: Daisy stood with model Charli Howard who showed off her figure in a tight red dress for the event

Happy: The brunette beauty posed with Jack Guinness at the event on Wednesday night

Flashing a smile: Daisy beamed as she left the venue in her glamorous dress

Smitten: The couple put on a loved-up display as they left the Aubin Arms hand-in-hand

Date night: Daisy and Jordan looked like they had thoroughly enjoyed the evening in central London

She continued: 'Here we are a year later, through countless lockdowns, adventures, disasters and triumphs. You @jordanjaysaul have been my hero.

'Through and through. Thanks for feeling like home & always making me giggle even when I really dont want to! Its my absolute favourite making you laugh so much your legs give way.

'I am very happy I was 5 mins late to meet Tilds that day & I am so very grateful you are mine. Happy anniversary my pain in the ass. I love you .' [sic]

All smiles: The group looked in great spirits as they posed for photos together at the swanky event

Style: She later added a red jacket to her look as she headed to the pub launch party

Pose: She pouted for the camera and showed off her naturally glowing complexion

Incredible: Daisy turned heads in the black dress which she teamed with a red jacket later in the night

Beautiful: Daisy and Charli both looked incredible in their glamorous dresses as they posed for snaps
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Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Jonathan 'Foodgod' Cheban has sold his New York City apartment.

On Wednesday it was revealed the splashy two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath apartment that is on the 11th floor of the 55-floor Sky House high rise building in lower Manhattan had sold for $2.5M after listing it for $2.6M in April.

The Spin Crowd veteran purchased the property for $1.56million in 2009 meaning he made almost $1M off the home, according to PageSix.

The New Jersey born star now splits his time between Miami and Los Angeles.

It's gone: Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Jonathan 'Foodgod' Cheban has sold his New York City apartment

Bye NYC! On Wednesday it was revealed the splashy two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath apartment that is on the 11th floor of the 55 floor Sky House high rise building in lower Manhattan had sold for $2.5M after listing it for $2.6M in April. Seen in late August in Beverly Hills

The condo has a total of 1,612 square feet.

It has been nicely updated with wood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and recessed lighting. The kitchen is small but open air.

There is also smart home technology linking all electronic systems like the lighting that includes a Schonbek chandelier, and black-out shades.

The new owner will certainly need shade considering the apartment boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the Big Apple skyline.

Fit for a foodie! Unsurprisingly, the MTV Cribs guest star decked out his open chef's kitchen with custom Italian cabinetry and high-end Italian stainless steel appliances

Push of a button: Jonathan's unit features smart home technology linking all electronic systems including the 'mood lighting,' Schonbek chandelier, and black-out shades

Cheban remodeled the condo with Venetian plaster and high-gloss-painted walls, and the 2.5 bathrooms feature Cavalli tiling and Toto toilets.

Unsurprisingly, the MTV Cribs guest star decked out his open chef's kitchen with custom Italian cabinetry and high-end Italian stainless steel appliances.

The Sky House condo comes fully furnished with a suede down sofa, a Keller Harris extendable table, and 65in Sony TV.

The building also has a gym and concierge area.

Lots of light: The new owner will certainly need shade considering the apartment boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the Big Apple skyline

Porcelain throne: Cheban remodeled the condo with Venetian plaster and high-gloss-painted walls, and the 2.5 bathrooms feature Cavalli tiling and Toto toilets. The Spin Crowd veteran purchased the property for $1.56million in 2009, according to PageSix

Jonathan's decision to move to Florida might have had something to do with him and his mother Galina being allegedly robbed at gunpoint in New Jersey on August 1.

Cheban described how his $250K Richard Mille watch was forcibly removed off his wrist during the April 8th episode of the E! reality show, now in its 20th and final season.

The Hofstra University grad has appeared on KUWTK as far back as 2009 when he met Kim Kardashian 'by chance' at a birthday party.

New life: Cheban is not in New York City often, rather he splits his time between Miami and Los Angeles; seen here in mid August in LA

With his longtime bestie: Cheban and Kim Kardashian have known each other for over a decade; when they first met the former publicist gave the reality TV star press advice

Cheban also told Page Six at the time over the alleged robbery: 'I can't be there. It's very traumatic to be there. I want to sell my apartment in New York for sure because I can't imagine living there again.'

During the incident, Cheban slammed Mayor Bill de Blasio for his lack of action over a recent spike in armed robberies, among Manhattan's Upper East Side.

'Daytime, nighttime, afternoon, Midtown, Uptown, Downtown, the mayor has destroyed the city,' he told the outlet. 'It's depressing. It's scary. I was on edge before, but now I'm even more on edge, obviously.

Victim of crime: Jonathan's decision to move to Florida might have had something to do with him and his mother Galina being allegedly robbed at gunpoint in New Jersey on August 1

Scary: Cheban described how his $250K Richard Mille watch was forcibly removed off his wrist during the April 8 episode of the E! reality show, now in its 20th and final season

He added: 'I'm just confused as to how they're allowing this to happen,' he said. 'I just cannot believe [New Yorkers] would vote for this idiot two times.'

Additionally, the star is grappling on how to cope after the 'horrifying' and 'definitely a life-changing experience.'

Jonathan legally changed his name to Foodgod in 2019 after being bestowed with the nickname by Kim's estranged third husband, 22-time Grammy winner Kanye West.

In August Cheban party-hopped from Jake Paul's bash at LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau to Victoria Beckham's 47th birthday bash at a David Grutman-owned restaurant.

The reality TV star showcases foodie porn to his captive combined 10.3M social media following and he sells Foodgod Truffle Ketchup off his website.
They portray two entrepreneurs with big ideas and bad plans.

And Anne Hathaway rushed around New York City with Jared Leto pushing a giant white board while filming WeCrashed on Wednesday morning.

The 38-year-old actress looked sharp wearing a black ensemble while Leto followed closely behind in business attire as they portrayed Rebekah and Adam Neumann, the founders of billion dollar flop co-working space, WeWork.

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Whatever it takes: Anne Hathaway rushed around New York City with Jared Leto pushing a giant white board while filming WeCrashed on Wednesday morning

Anne's monochrome outfit included black slacks, a silk blouse and black leather shoes to match her Yves Saint Laurent bag.

She shielded her eyes from the bright summer sun with a pair of oversized frames while wheeling the board around.

Leto followed closely behind wearing blue trousers and a white shirt while carrying a matching navy blazer to film the AppleTV+ limited series.

Action! The 38-year-old actress looked sharp wearing a black ensemble while Leto followed closely behind in business attire as they portrayed Rebekah and Adam Neumann, the founders of billion dollar flop co-working space, WeWork

Back in black: Anne's monochrome outfit included black slacks, a silk blouse and black leather shoes to match her Yves Saint Laurent bag

Causing a commotion: She was seen very enthusiastically crossing the street

WeCrashed, based on the podcast of the same name, will document the 'greed-filled rise and inevitable fall of WeWork and the narcissists whose chaotic love made it all possible,' according to Variety.

Along with playing the lead roles, Anne and Jared will also act as executive producers with Lee Eisenberg, who will also take on both showrunner and co-writer titles.

WeWork at its peak had coworking spaces in more than 110 cities in 29 countries with a valuation of $47billion and Rebekah was named the company's chief brand and impact officer, while also overseeing WeWork's education program WeGrow.

Animated: Leto was seen looking very animated during one moment

Hard at work: She shielded her eyes from the bright summer sun with a pair of oversized frames while wheeling the board around

Hold up: During the seemingly tense interaction Anne earnestly gestured to Jared

Dapper day: Leto followed closely behind wearing blue trousers and a white shirt while carrying a matching navy blazer to film the AppleTV+ limited series

Many hats: Along with playing the lead roles, Anne and Jared will also act as executive producers with Lee Eisenberg, who will also take on both showrunner and co-writer titles

Stopping traffic: While making their way across the street with young actors holding boxes they held up bustling traffic

At the time, Adam Neumann was put on a par with the likes of Steve Jobs as a Silicon Valley innovator who would change the world, but WeWork's planned flotation on the stock market stalled and investors soured on the company, causing its value to plummet to just $10billion.

Neumann, who served as chief executive, essentially drove the briefly thriving company straight into the ground with his hard partying ways.

In his book, Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Fall of WeWork, Reeves Wiedeman described how ex-employees claimed that Neumann would blast music at party volumes and scream at anyone who asked for it to be turned down.

He also reportedly demanded that cases of Don Julio 1942 tequila were at every office and would 'lose his s***' if they were not there and staffer said that he would schedule meetings for 2am and then be 45 minutes late.

Last October Neumann, 41, agreed to leave the company after its Japanese investors SoftBank bought $1billion of stock from him to get him out.
She loves making a fashion statement.

And Eiza Gonzalez was happy to show off her sexy style and incredible figure as she strolled around SoHo with her hunky lacrosse boyfriend Paul Rabil on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old actress was seen wearing a drapey white halter top which exposed her midriff as the pair grabbed coffee and engaged in some light PDA.

The very busy starlet had been in Venice, Italy days prior as she attended the 78th International Film Festival.

SoHo stroll: Eiza Gonzalez, 31, stepped out with her professional Lacrosse boyfriend Paul Rabil, 35, in NYC on Wednesday

The I Care A Lot star was seen wearing ripped boyfriend jeans with a pair of black loafers and a flowing halter top.

She shielded her eyes behind a pair of large black sunglasses and carried a structured white bag with gold hardware.

Eiza was glued to her phone as she and Rabil, 35, enjoyed the bustling city in each other's company.

The professional lacrosse player looked put together in a pair of gray slacks with a simple white T-shirt that showed off his muscles, and crisp looking sneakers.

City chic: The I Care A Lot star was seen wearing ripped boyfriend jeans with a pair of black loafers and a flowing halter top

Tuned in: The duo were seen looking at their phones as they strolled around the city

PDA: At one point Eiza was seen wrapping her arms around Paul's upper body

And making her affection for her boyfriend known she was seen tenderly wrapping her arms around him at one point.

The duo first stepped out together publicly in May as they attended British billionaire Jamie Reuben's 34th birthday, alongside the likes of Kim Kardashian and Drake.

A source told Page Six at the time: 'It was clear they are a couple and have been dating for a little while.'

In June the Godzilla Vs. Kong actress was seen in Massachusetts with Rabil as he headed to lacrosse training camp.

Loved up: The pair first stepped out publicly together in May at an LA birthday party with a source telling Page Six 'It was clear they are a couple and have been dating for a little while'

Fit of laughter? At one point she slipped her sunglasses on top of her head and appeared to laugh

And by July they went Instagram official after it was announced that he had become the lacrosse player with the most points/goals in history.

'I love you @paulrabil. No one works harder than you,' her post read in excerpt.

Before stepping out with Rabil, Eiza was romantically linked to model Dusty Lachowicz but things seemed to fizzle out in early 2021.

Rabil  who plays for the Cannons Lacrosse Club  had been married to fellow lacrosse player Kelly Berger from 2014 to 2017.

Venice: Eiza had spent a few days in Venice as she attended the Film Festival and various events; pictured September 2

Setting sail: After landing at Marco Polo Airport she was seen taking a boat to her hotel in a white dress

Gonzalez was announced as the first Latin-American ambassador for Bvlgari and naturally was decked out in their jewels as she attended the Women In Cinema Gala in Venice over the weekend.

She was in good company as she joined the likes of Kate Hudson and Demi Moore at the event which was hosted by The Red Sea Film Festival.

Upcoming projects for the Mexico City born beauty include, a new thriller called Wolf Country which was crafted around her and a biopic about iconic Mexican film star Maria Felix, which she is set to star in and produce.

It was also reported that she is in negotiations to star in Three-Body Problem, a new sci-fi series for Netflix from the creators of Game Of Thrones.

Bvlgari face: As the first Latin-American ambassador for Bvlgari she was decked out in their jewels as she attended the Women In Cinema Gala; pictured September 4
Emilia Fox beamed as she strolled through Liverpool with her new man - TV producer Jonathan Stadlen - during a break from filming Silent Witness on Wednesday.

Still in her character Dr. Nikki Alexander's white forensic suit, the actress, 47, could barely stop smiling while taking in the sights with 43-year-old Jonathan.

Emilia wore her blonde hair swept up into a bun and opted for comfort in a pair of black trainers.

Romance: Emilia Fox, 47, beamed as she strolled through Liverpool with her new man - 43-year-old producer Jonathan Stadlen - during a break from filming on Wednesday

In her left hand she carried her belongings in a stylish tote bag.

Jonathan donned navy trousers and a crisp, light blue shirt.

The happy couple appeared at ease among the crowds.

Earlier in the day Emilia arrived by helicopter to film new scenes for the popular BBC crime drama.

Suited up: Still in her character Dr. Nikki Alexander's white forensic suit, the actress could barely stop smiling while taking in the sights with Jonathan

Arrive in style! Earlier in the day Emilia slipped into her spotless white coverall as she arrived by helicopter to film new scenes for the popular BBC crime drama

The actress embraced her character Dr. Nikki Alexander as she clutched a silver briefcase after exiting the chopper alongside aircraft staff and her colleagues.

Photos taken at the filming location the day before saw Emelia investigating a crime scene with her onscreen forensic team. A police car was also parked on set.

Emelia was seen chatting to actor and director Ian Poulton Davis, who portrays a forensic officer. He sported a shirt and tie with a blue overall.

Some of the filming crew were wearing white masks to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus.

Hair up: Emilia wore her blonde hair swept up into a bun and opted for comfort in a pair of black trainers

Dapper: Jonathan donned navy trousers and a crisp, light blue shirt as they strolled in the sunshine

Later in the day, Emilia shrugged on a black longline coat to brave the chilly weather.

The new Silent Witness story revolves around a high-profile individual who is fatally shot, as the crime unit are called to investigate.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Emilia and the well-heeled producer were an item, with Emilia telling friends that she thinks he is 'the one'.

The new romance comes 16 months after her split from fiance Luc Chaudhary.

Big reveal: The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Emilia and the well-heeled producer were an item, with Emilia telling friends that she thinks he is 'the one'

Friends say they got together in June after meeting through mutual pals.

Jonathan is a divorce who lives three miles away from Emilia  a member of the famous Fox acting dynasty. He was the man behind the recent hit Netflix series An American Murder: The Family Next Door.

Emilia, who has a daughter from her relationship with actor and activist Jeremy Gilley, split from her talent agent fiance Luc in October last year, 18 months after they met on the exclusive celebrity dating app Raya.

Inseparable: Emilia and Jonathan were last spotted together on Sunday, when they enjoyed a romantic dog walk in London

Besotted: They are understood to have met members of each other's families and are said to be 'besotted'

Before that she dated controversial TV chef Marco Pierre White from 2012 to 2016 after she and Mr Gilley went their separate ways. At the time, he was still married to his wife, Mati Conejero, with whom he has three children, and their relationship was said to have been a tortuous, on-off one.

In 2000, Emilia was engaged to the comedian Vic Reeves but after they ended their relationship she dated British artist and designer Toby Mott. In July 2005, she married the British actor Jared Harris, the son of Irish film star Richard Harris.

They announced their separation in 2008 following the breakdown of their long-distance relationship, and were divorced in 2010.

She is the daughter of actress Joanna David and her father is the actor Edward Fox. Her uncle is James Fox, father of the actor and activist Laurence Fox. Her younger brother is rising star Freddie Fox, who played Jeremy Bamber in the 2019 ITV drama White House Farm.
She is one of the fashion industry's most famous supermodels.

And Kate Moss cut a stylish figure as she attended the Imitate Modern David Bailey exhibition at Somerset House in London on Wednesday.

The model, 47, looked in good spirits as she posed for snaps alongside the celebrated fashion and portrait photographer.

Looking good: Kate Moss cut a stylish figure as she attended the Imitate Modern David Bailey exhibition in London on Wednesday

Kate donned a black mini dress which she paired with matching flats and a cream blazer.

The garment also featured a sequinned detail while Kate let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders.

The fashion icon added to her outfit with a pair of gold earrings and completed her look with a light pallet of makeup.

It comes after Kate's ex Jefferson Hack recently celebrated his 50th birthday with his and Kate's daughter Lila in attendance at the party.

Event: The model, 47, looked in good spirits as she posed for snaps alongside the celebrated fashion and portrait photographer

Outfit: Kate donned a black mini dress which she paired with matching flats and a cream blazer (pictured with Catherine Bailey, left)

Style: The garment also featured a sequinned detail while Kate let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders

Also among the attendees was Lady Mary Charteris, who was sure to document the occasion on Instagram.

Alongside a slew of snaps, she penned: 'Beautiful speeches . Heavenly people . It was so fun celebrating you last night @jeffersonhack . Happy Birthday xxxxx'.

Jefferson and Kate - who dated from 2001-2004 with Lila being born in 2002 - have an amicable relationship and would ensure their daughter spent a regular amount of time with each of them in her childhood.

Back in 2016, Jefferson admitted that despite Lila having two famous parents, she found them both to be 'deeply uncool'.

Radiant: The fashion icon added to her outfit with a pair of gold earrings and completed her look with a light pallet of makeup

Colleagues: Kate and David have worked together in the past, with the model posing for stunning black and white shots for the photographer

Make a move: Kate was seen stylishly departing the venue in her chic outfit

Accessory: She clutched a leather-look handbag in a cream tone

Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, he explained his daughter keeps himself and her model mother rooted in the 'real' world.

Despite her mother's status as a bonafide British icon, thanks to her status in the fashion industry, and Jefferson's own achingly cool CV, Lila - wouldn't label her parents as cool.

'She thinks me and her mum are deeply uncool,' he explained. 'I dont think her music tastes are cool  Capital radio and Justin Bieber. She keeps me real.'

While Lila still has a good relationship with both parents, she is often seen out with mum Kate as she is signed to her modelling agency.

Proud daughter: Last week Kate's daughter Lila paid tribute to her father Jefferson Hack as she attended his 50th birthday party
Bear Grylls is used to fighting off poisonous snakes and wrestling alligators, but the television adventurer is now facing a very modern predator  computer hackers.

I can reveal the Chief Scout, who counts the Duchess of Cambridge among his friends, has been targeted by sophisticated cyber attackers trying to steal from him and damage his reputation and business.

The former Tory MP's son, who has attracted big names including former U.S. President Barack Obama and Hollywood stars Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller to appear on his show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, has been forced to bring in new security specialists to protect his television company, Natural Studios Productions.

Bear Grylls (pictured with Kate Winslet) is used to fighting off poisonous snakes and wrestling alligators, but the TV adventurer is now facing a very modern predator  computer hackers

The Chief Scout, who counts the Duchess of Cambridge among his friends, has been targeted by cyber attackers trying to steal from him and damage his reputation (stock image)

Details of the attacks are confirmed in a newly published report, which lists the risks and uncertainties facing his business.

'The group is subject to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks aimed at causing business disruption, capturing data for financial gain and reputational damage,' it says.

'The group has strengthened controls and defences around this area of risk including additional security levels applied to IT systems, and remains vigilant to the increasing threat.'

Grylls, who has attracted former U.S. President Barack Obama (pictured) to appear on his show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, has been forced to bring in new security specialists

Details were confirmed as the Eton-educated star, who once circumnavigated Britain on jet skis and crossed the Atlantic on a rigid inflatable dinghy, said the pandemic wiped 5.1 million from the value of his company.

It saw earnings tumble from 8.3 million to 3.2 million and profits shrink 7.5 million to 1.8 million over the course of last year.

The previous year it had paid out dividends of more than 5 million, but there was no such windfall this year.

However, Grylls, 47, did receive payment of 405,000 in his role as a director.

SPICER GETS CHURCHILL'S LOOK OF APPROVAL

Here's a painting that's definitely not fake, and must be worth a fortune.

Philip Mould unveiled a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill by Frank O. Salisbury that's never been seen in public before.

It was hung at the Fake Or Fortune host's gallery in London's Pall Mall to celebrate the launch of a history book by Tim Spicer, A Dangerous Enterprise: Secret War At Sea.

Philip Mould unveiled a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill by Frank O. Salisbury that's never been seen in public before. It was hung to celebrate the launch of a history book by Tim Spicer

Speaking at the party, Mould says: 'Because we have an educated upmarket and military orientated crowd, we thought Churchill could have a good look at Tim.'

Former Falklands veteran Spicer has written a gripping tale about a secret naval unit which was the most highly decorated of World War II.

One Tory MP seems to be auditioning for a Whitehall farce.

I hear that Brendan Clarke-Smith, who won the 'Red Wall' seat of Bassetlaw, got trapped in a lift in Parliament this week.

He was eventually freed by an engineer, almost an hour later, and admits: 'A lot of my colleagues were laughing and taking selfies. I used the word 'lift' in a debate today and we all had a bit of a giggle.'

STONE'S GIRL AND ROYAL: LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER

Prince Charles's goddaughter, Princess Olympia of Greece and Denmark, and her friend and fellow model Ella Richards know how to party.

But they also know how to look stylish the next morning.

Ella Richards, 25, cosied up to Princess Marie-Olympia of Greece and Denmark at the Mayfair launch party for Olympia's Glow skincare range

And the next day they shared this photograph of them in bed together in a hotel wearing matching 130 pyjamas

Ella, 25, the granddaughter of hard-living Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, cosied up to the Princess at the Mayfair launch party for Olympia's Glow skincare range.

And the next day they shared this photograph of them in bed together in a hotel wearing matching 130 pyjamas.

The only hint of the previous night's excesses were the dark glasses.

GOLDSMITH 'KNOCKED OUT' BY CORONAVIRUS

Despite jumping the queue for jabs here by getting vaccinated in the United Arab Emirates, financier Ben Goldsmith has still failed to avoid Covid.

The son of late billionaire Sir James Goldsmith reveals his whole family fell ill while on holiday in Sicily  after his teenage son apparently brought the virus back from a party.

'It knocked me out,' he tells me at an event for the Conservative Environment Network in Westminster.

'Thank goodness I'm double jabbed. It knocked us all out.'

The brother of Environment Minister Zac avoided having to quarantine in a London hotel on return from the then red-listed Gulf State by flying home via Kenya with his family.

PIPPA LONGS TO GET BACK ON TRACK

Pippa Middleton loves being a mother but admits that having two young children spelt doom for her intensive fitness regime.

The Duchess of Cambridge's sister, 38, who once raced 3,000 miles across America on a bicycle, says: 'Over the past two years, family life and motherhood has consumed my spare time and, unsurprisingly, the challenges I thrived on have taken a back seat.'

Pippa Middleton (pictured in June 2011) loves being a mother but admits that having two young children spelt doom for her intensive fitness regime

Pippa  who has a five-month-old daughter, Grace, and a son, Arthur, two  adds: 'My running has been more after babies and toddlers than crossing finish lines, which I'm fine with . . . for now.'

Theresa May's walking holidays seem to have dramatic consequences.

The former Prime Minister  who hatched the idea of holding what turned out to be a disastrous General Election in 2017 after a hiking expedition with her husband, Philip  says their trips to the Swiss Alps have vividly brought home to her the effects of global warming.

'We have walked around Rotenboden near the Gorner Glacier and over the years we have seen the glacier retreat at a remarkable rate,' she tells me at a Westminster event.

'It's these personal experiences that bring home the reality of climate change.'
She has been relishing in motherhood since welcoming her first child, daughter Grace Warrior, five months ago.

And Bindi Irwin melted hearts on Thursday when she shared an adorable new picture of the bub.

Little Grace was sitting up on her change table, dressed in a sweet colourful outfit, including striped leggings, a rainbow T-shirt, knitted cardigan and giraffe bib.

What a cutie! Bindi Irwin melted hearts on Thursday when she as she shares a gorgeous new picture of her baby Grace Warrior, five months, and unveils her stunning bunny themed nursery

'My little ray of sunshine,' Bindi, 23, captioned the picture.

The photo also gave fans a peek at Grace's stunning bunny-themed nursery, which features rabbit wallpaper and a floral change table.

Meanwhile, Bindi's husband Chandler Powell celebrated his first Father's Day over the weekend.

And to mark the occasion, the former wakeboarder, 24, shared some gorgeous new photos of their baby girl from the family album.

Chandler posted a sweet snap of him holding little Grace high up in the air as he stared lovingly into her eyes.

Baby girl: Bindi and her husband Chandler Powell welcomed Grace in March 2021

'Being her dad is the greatest gift of all': Bindi's husband Chandler Powell celebrated his first Father's Day over the weekend, and to mark the occasion, the former wakeboarder, 24, shared some gorgeous new photos of his baby girl from the family album

The tiny tot was dressed in a cute animal printed onesie and a matching turban on her head.

'Being Graces dad is the greatest gift of all Love my girl!' Chandler wrote in the caption.

Meanwhile, Bindi also shared a sweet tribute to her husband on his first-ever Father's Day.

The conservationist posted a photo to Instagram showing Chandler cuddling Grace.

She wrote at length in the caption: 'Watching my husband become a Dad has been extraordinary.'

Baby love: Meanwhile, Bindi also shared a sweet tribute to her husband on his first-ever Father's Day. The conservationist, 23, posts a photo to Instagram showing Chandler cuddling Grace

'Grace adores her Dadda, and I treasure every moment watching them laugh and play together. Chandler does a million things for us every day,' she added.

'I love that he takes Grace on daily dad-ventures and watches the sunrise with her almost every morning. Your girls love you so much, sweetheart.'

On Saturday, Bindi shared another emotional tribute - to her late father Steve, on the 15th anniversary of his death.

She wrote in the caption: 'Watching my husband become a Dad has been extraordinary'

The Crocodile Hunter died on September 4, 2006 at the age of 44, after he was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a documentary in Queensland.

A day before Father's Day - Bindi posted a photo of baby Grace alongside a poignant caption celebrating the life of her dad.

'This sweetheart has been watching her 'Grandpa Crocodile' on the projector at our camp here on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve,' Bindi began.

Love: Chandler also shared a picture with little Grace to celebrate his first Father's Day, writing: 'Being Grace's dad is the greatest gift of all. Love my girl!'

'She lights up when she sees him on screen. I wish with all my heart that Dad could hug my beautiful girl.

'It's been 15 years since he passed away. I hold on to the thought that he's her guardian angel now, watching over the most special part of my life, Grace Warrior.'

Alongside a cute picture of little Grace, Bindi also shared a photograph of her with her dad when she was just a toddler.

Memories: On Saturday, Bindi shared another emotional tribute - to her late father Steve, on the 15th anniversary of his death. The Crocodile Hunter died on September 4 2006 at the age of 44. Pictured with her father as a child

Bindi's husband Chandler Powell also shared a picture with little Grace to celebrate his first Father's Day, writing: 'Being Grace's dad is the greatest gift of all. Love my girl!'

She first met Chandler in 2013, when the American ex-wakeboarder went on a guided tour of Australia Zoo in Queensland.

The pair married in a makeshift ceremony at Australia Zoo in March last year.

They welcomed daughter Grace Warrior in March 2021.
Treading lightly on Tanna We go on a new ecotourism adventure tour in North Tanna
An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is editor-in-chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek
Music tycoon DJ Khaled, who has always been very outspoken about his love for Jamaica and Dancehall music, recently discussed the significant impact the culture has had on his career.

In the latest episode of Up Close & Personal for Grammy.com, Khaled explained that in the early years of his career, he would travel between Miami and Kingston to observe soundclash culture. Eventually, his determination and vigor pushed him to evolve from a teenage bedroom-turntablist to a popular Miami radio DJ, who would dabble in Rap and Dancehall mixes.

I grew up listening to Dancehall, playing Dancehall music with Hip Hop. As a young kid, I used to be in Jamaica, I use to basically live in Miami and Jamaica. I sound clashed, Ive deejayed in Kingston throughout the whole beginning of my career, Khaled said.

According to Khaled, his popularity quickly grew thanks to a few exclusive dubplates from his Jamaican deejay friends.

I blew up, my name got big in Miami and the Caribbean because Khaled was known for playing Hip Hop and Reggae but also known for his special dub plates he said.

The New Orleans natives said he would never forget the support he received, so much so, he closed out his chart-topping 12th studio album Khaled Khaled with the Reggae banger Where You Come From, featuring Buju Banton, Capleton, and Bounty Killer.

All those artistes you saw on my album on that song, my friends that cosigned me in the beginning of my career. They use to give me dubplates and they put their hands around my shoulder saying we love this kid and I never forget where I come from, he said. Dancehall is a part of my story, you know what Im saying, Jamaica is a part of Khaleds story and its such a blessing I love Reggae music and I love Dancehall.

Khaled added that he was proud to have aligned some of the biggest names in Dancehall on Where You Come From.

That record, Buju, Capleton, and Bounty have never been on a record together and those are all big huge Reggae Jamaican worldwide icons and that record is one of my favorite records, he said.

They shot the visuals for the track at one of Khaleds favorite places on the island Holy Mountain in St Ann, without a video treatment. It was just old friends coming together to do what they do best, while the camera rolled on. The song has since racked up over 13 million views on YouTube.

Khaled also confirmed that hes working on a track on Bounty Killers upcoming album King Of Kingston and that he was excited about the record. Bountys album will reportedly feature over 30+ artists.
Paul Veneto is no stranger to pushing an airline beverage cart en route from Logan Airport.

But for the past few weeks, the retired United Airlines flight attendant has pushed a beverage cart on the ground, not thousands of feet in the air, as he travels on foot from Boston to ground zero to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and those killed in the terrorist attacks.

This past holiday weekend, he and his cart traveled through southwestern Connecticut where he was greeted by numerous supporters.

It reminded me how important it was to keep that memory alive of what happened on 9/11 and all of the heroes who did their part to keep people alive and bring people to safety that day, said Darien First Selectwoman Jayme Stevenson, one of the many gathered when he passed through town.

Veneto started his journey on Aug. 21. The journey, known as Paulies Push, is 220 miles long and is scheduled to end when he arrives at the former site of the twin towers on Saturday. The entire trip has been documented online where Veneto also shares the meaning behind the trek.

I am doing this because I want these crew members families to know how courageous they were that day, he wrote. I want the public to understand that under those conditions that morning, what those crew members did, nobody could have trained for. They really need to be recognized as heroes. They were the very first first responders.

He told Hearst Connecticut Media when he passed through West Haven last week that he feels like hes already accomplished what he set out to do by bringing attention to the memories of his former colleagues.

Hes continued to draw crowds at each stop.

Stevenson said its hard to say how many people came out in Darien because Veneto traveled the entire Post Road, stopping to speak with the pockets of supporters gathered along the way.

She said she decided to come out because 9/11 is a date burned in her memory. She still recalls where she was when she found out that airplanes had hit the twin towers and crashed into the Pentagon and the aftermath. Her husband works in the financial industry and he lost more friends than I can count that day, she said.

Its a really poignant moment in my and my familys life, she said.

Stevenson also remembers those who stepped up to help others, including the first responders and those who became first responders in the moment, like taxi drivers and the flight attendants Veneto is walking for.

First responders were on hand to support Veneto too.

A firetruck and police car accompanied him on this walk through Westport on Sept. 4. The Westport Fire Department encouraged people to join themselves, Westport EMS and Westport Police in supporting Veneto as he traveled through town.

Norwalk Police, Fire and EMS picked up the escort at the town line and accompanied him to Veterans park.

Stevenson said whats happening in Afghanistan now brings back memories full force for those impacted on 9/11.

Its why the 20th anniversary is so important, she said. It reminds us why were there in the first place.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The interior ministry of the new Taliban government is seeking to end protests in Afghanistan after days of demonstrations that have brought heavy-handed assaults on protesters.

The minister has issued an order to end all protests in the country  unless demonstrators get prior permission, including approval of slogans and banners.

Its unlikely the women who have been leading near daily protest demanding their rights from the countrys hardline Islamic rulers will be allowed to protest under the new rules. In the words of the ministry's statement: It is announced to all citizens not to attempt at the present time to hold any demonstrations under any name whatsoever.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban name caretaker Cabinet that pays homage to old guard

 US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression

 Blinken and Austin to visit Gulf to address postwar stresses

 Taliban say they took Panjshir, last holdout Afghan province

 Over 24 hours in Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has taken to Twitter to say his flight from Kabul on Aug. 15 was done to save Afghanistans capital from bloodshed. He says his security personnel advised the secret departure, which opened the gates of the city to a Taliban takeover.

Ghani also denies widespread allegations of corruption as well as charges that he left the country with millions of dollars. He says there should be an independent investigation.

Ghanis sudden departure has been widely criticized both in Afghanistan and abroad. Washington blamed Ghanis flight and the governments collapse for a Taliban takeover ahead of a negotiated deal.

Prominent Afghan political figures who stayed behind say they had expected to meet with Taliban political leaders the following day to continue negotiations.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the country since Aug. 17 from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation formally known as Operation Allies Welcome.

DHS said in the latest updated released Wednesday that 17% of those arrivals are U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were in Afghanistan when the government there fell to the Taliban.

The remaining 83% are a mix of people. They include those with Special Immigrant Visas, for people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. or NATO. There are also other visa holders as well as applicants for visas who have not yet completed their processing. The remainder are various types of vulnerable Afghans who would be threatened under the Taliban, such as women and human rights advocates.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says a small number of evacuees have been prevented from entering the U.S. through multi-layered security vetting but he declines to provide specific numbers of provide details about the cases.

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UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations womens agency in Afghanistan says every day it is receiving reports of rollbacks on womens rights. The complaints range from women barred from going to work without a male guardian or even leaving their homes to attacks on centers helping women who flee violence and on girls and coeducational schools.

Alison Davidian is the deputy Afghan representative for UN Women and she said in a video briefing from Kabul that the lack of clarity of the Talibans position on womens rights has generated incredible fear -- and this fear is palpable across the country.

She says UN Women is receiving reports of violations through its extensive network of women, civil society organizations, women leaders and human rights defenders. She the agencys Afghan operation hopes to reopen its offices in five provinces once the security situation improves because Afghan women have never needed us more."

Davidian says the situation for women differs from province to province and she urges the Taliban to show that it governs for all Afghans and that it has changed and will protect and promote the full spectrum of womens rights.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing the Taliban to allow charter flights carrying would-be evacuees to leave Mazar-e-Sharif.

Blinken said Wednesday that the Taliban arent permitting the flights departure because they claim that some of the passengers dont have the required documentation.

He added: While there are limits to what we can do without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security and procedures in place, we are working to do everything in our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground.

He said those efforts include working with advocates and lawmakers to help coordinate their efforts and offer guidance, and helping to arrange landing rights and liaise with other countries in the region on overflights.

Blinken said: Weve made clear to all parties, weve made clear to the Taliban, that these charters need to be able to depart. He said the U.S. will continue to press the Taliban.

He said some groups claiming to have all documentation and arrangements locked down unfortunately dont -- often for good reason, but this creates further complications.

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WASHINGTON  White House press secretary Jen Psaki is defending the White Houses continued engagement with a Taliban government that includes an FBI most wanted terrorist and no women named to top positions.

Psaki says: Should we not talk to the people who are overseeing Afghanistan and just leave it and not get the rest of the American citizens out?

She added that the U.S. and international community are watching as it decides whether it will formally recognize the Taliban government.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is telling the Taliban that any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned after the group named an interim government.

Blinken spoke after he and his German counterpart on Wednesday hosted a virtual meeting of ministers from 22 countries as well as NATO and the European Union.

Blinken reiterated the cautious initial U.S. response to the Talibans naming Tuesday of an interim government line-up.

The new government stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

Blinken said that the government and the Taliban will be judged by their actions.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan says it will send food and medicine to the people of neighboring Afghanistan.

In a statement Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the first shipment of humanitarian aid will be dispatched to Afghanistan by three C-130 planes.

The announcement comes a day after the Taliban announced an interim government for Afghanistan.

The ministry said additional supplies of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan would continue through the countrys land routes.

Afghanistan is suffering under a long-running economic crisis that has worsened in recent months. Near daily flights from Qatar bring in humanitarian aid, but the needs are massive.

Pakistan also urged the international community to help the people of Afghanistan to avert a possible humanitarian crisis there.

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PARIS  France says the Talibans new government does not meet the demands of the international community.

Their actions do not match their words, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told an online briefing Wednesday.

She said France and other countries had demanded the safe departure of Afghans who wish to leave, free access to humanitarian aid, the total severing of relations with terrorist groups and respect for human rights, especially womens rights.

We can only note that these demands have not been met, she said

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BERLIN  Germanys foreign minister has responded skeptically to the Talibans announcement of an interim government line-up for Afghanistan.

Heiko Maas released a statement Wednesday, a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government. The Cabinet is stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition. Germany was a major troop provider for that alliance.

Maas said his country is ready to provide humanitarian aid via the United Nations and will continue to speak to the Taliban to secure the departure from Afghanistan of former employees and others.

He added that any commitment beyond that will depend on the Talibans behavior.

Maas said: The announcement of an interim government without the participation of other groups and yesterdays violence against female demonstrators and journalists in Kabul are not signals that make us optimistic about that.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The Norwegian ambassador to Iran says the Taliban have taken over the Norwegian Embassy in Kabul.

Ambassador Sigvald Hauge wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the Taliban say they will return it to us later and added but first wine bottles are to be smashed and childrens books destroyed.

Norway vacated its diplomatic post in the Afghan capital with the help of fellow Scandinavian neighbor Denmark before the Taliban took over the city

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistans foreign minister has urged the international community to help prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi was addressing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan. It was attended by his counterparts from China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting took place a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan. In his televised remarks, Qureshi said that Pakistan had noted the development.

He added that since Kabuls takeover by the Taliban, much dreaded bloodshed has not occurred, and the prospect of a protracted conflict and civil war seems to have been averted. Qureshi said that so far, a much-feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place.

The situation remains complex and fluid in Afghanistan however and it requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach.

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BERLIN  Germanys Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are set to meet at Ramstein U.S. Air Base for talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The two foreign ministers are first set to talk bilaterally and later hold a virtual meeting with other foreign ministers, the German foreign ministry said in a statement.

Maas praised the close cooperation with the U.S. during the evacuation efforts of international and local Afghans from the country in recent weeks, and said that in the next phase we want to continue to cooperate and coordinate, especially in regard of the new rulers in Kabul.

Maas warned that a threefold humanities crisis was looming in Afghanistan due to hunger, the stop of aid from international relief groups, and the volatile political situation with the new Taliban regime in Kabul.

Ramstein has become a turnstile for the evacuation for people from Afghanistan with around 34,000 flown for layovers to the U.S. base. Some 22,000 evacuees have already left the base for the United States or other locations.

Germany has relocated more than 4,000 people from Afghanistan so far.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan is hosting a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan to discuss the situation there.

A foreign ministry statement said Wednesdays meeting will be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will preside over the meeting, which aims to work together for the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic links.

The development comes a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan, stacked with veterans from their hard-line rule in the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

So far Pakistan has not commented on the formation of the interim government.

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SYDNEY  Parts of Australias New South Wales state will come out of lockdown Saturday and the government plans to ease restrictions in Sydney once 70% of its residents aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

The government on Thursday outlined plans to ease restrictions in Sydney, which has been locked down since June, but it also warned that COVID-19 hospitalizations wont plateau until next month.

Coastal areas north of Sydney, the Murrumbidgee region south of the city and the Riverina to the west will be released from the statewide lockdown Saturday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says Australias most populous state will exit lockdown in a cautious and staged way as vaccination rates rise. In New South Wales, 43% of the population aged 16 and older is fully vaccinated.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Idaho patients in hospital halls amid COVID rationed care

 Ida and COVID-19: Twin-demic slams Louisiana hospitals

 WHO chief urges halt to booster shots for rest of the year

 COVID-19 surge in the US: The summer of hope ends in gloom

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 Read AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  The state of Hawaii is launching a program that will allow people to use their smart phones to prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The move comes shortly before Honolulu and Maui begin instituting vaccine requirements for patrons of restaurants and other businesses.

State officials say people who have been vaccinated in Hawaii will be able to upload a photo of their paper vaccination card to the Safe Travels Hawaii website to create a digital vaccination record. The website will crosscheck the information with data in the states vaccination database.

Diners may show the record to restaurants in lieu of their paper vaccination card.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is buying an extra 250,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Spain as it tries to keep a surge in vaccination rates going during an outbreak of the coronavirus in Auckland.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the doses will arrive Friday and she has also got a second, larger deal in the works with another country.

New Zealand was slow to get its vaccination rollout going but has been catching up to other developed since the outbreak of the delta variant began last month. About 55% of New Zealanders have received at least one dose.

New daily community cases have been decreasing and were down to 13 Thursday. Auckland remains in a strict lockdown and health authorities try to extinguish the outbreak entirely.

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CARSON CITY, Nev.  All 17 counties in Nevada will be subject to an indoor mask mandate by the end of the week.

Rural Eureka County is the states only jurisdiction currently not subject to such a requirement, but its report of high transmission of coronavirus infections for the second week in a row have triggered the mandate to take effect Friday.

The reintroduction of masks and the debut of vaccine requirements in venues like sporting events, conventions and some schools has been met with resistance across the state. In the Las Vegas area, Clark County School District Board of Trustees President Linda Cavazos has received death threats since the district approved a requirement for employees to get vaccinations.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  California lawmakers have shelved bills aimed at requiring workers to either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or get weekly virus tests to keep their jobs.

One measure by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks would have required all workers to either get the coronavirus vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Another bill by Assemblyman Evan Low sought to make sure state law protected businesses that choose to require their workers to be vaccinated.

Neither bill will advance this year.

On Wednesday, more than a thousand people gathered at the state Capitol to protest vaccine mandates. Organizers say they wanted to let lawmakers know they oppose the bills.

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ATLANTA  Atlantas public safety net hospital is the latest to temporarily cancel elective surgeries, saying it is overrun with COVID-19 patients.

Grady Memorial Hospital CEO John Haupert said Wednesday that the hospital was inundated with patients over Labor Day.

Some other Georgia hospitals have already cancelled elective procedures due to the surge in pandemic cases. More than 5,900 people are in Georgia hospitals with COVID-19.

Gov. Brian Kemp has rejected urgings from two Georgia congressmen that he order elective surgeries be postponed in all Georgia hospitals.

Kemp says the congressmen could better help by persuading the federal government to limit how much staffing companies can charge to provide nurses and other workers to supplement hospital capacity. He also says they should demand clearer federal guidance on plans to provide COVID-19 booster shots.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  Some South Carolina cities are bringing back indoor mask requirements as the states coronavirus outbreak rivals the height of the pandemic last winter before vaccines were widely available.

The cities of Columbia, West Columbia and Cayce in central South Carolina have all adopted requirements that people wear masks in indoor public places except while eating and a few other exceptions.

South Carolina has never had a statewide mask mandate but it allowed local governments to do so in 2020. Most of the mandates faded away after Gov. Henry McMaster ended a 14-month COVID-19 state of emergency in June when the state was seeing about 150 new cases a day.

Now, South Carolina is seeing about 5,400 new coronavirus cases a day, similar to the pandemics peak in January.

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JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi is closing its only remaining field hospital for treating COVID-19 patients during the delta variant surge, but it is still relying on out-of-state workers to help increase ICU capacity in state hospitals.

A state health officials said Wednesday that the field hospital set up by Christian relief charity Samaritans Purse is in the process of decommissioning. A field hospital on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus set up with health care workers from the federal government was decommissioned last month.

The official says Mississippi is seeing a small improvement in hospital bed availability, but ICU capacity continues to be very scarce.

The state had 1,660 people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Aug. 18, compared with 1,285 on Tuesday.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia health officials say some rural hospitals have reached their critical bed capacities as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge statewide.

They are pleading with the public to avoid unnecessary ER visits to let hospitals focus their resources on treating COVID-19 patients.

There were 813 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide Wednesday, just below the record 818 on Jan. 5 when vaccination efforts were starting. There are 252 virus patients in ICUs and 132 patients on ventilators  both all-time highs.

The states coronavirus expert says our hospitals are being stressed in ways that they havent been stressed before.

In southern West Virginia, for instance, Princeton Community Hospital has no ICU beds available due to an increase in COVID-related patients.

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BATON ROUGE, La.  Louisianas hospitals, crammed with coronavirus patients and Hurricane Ida-related emergency visits, are starting to see a bit of much-needed relief from the latest surge of COVID-19.

Hospitalizations from the coronavirus have been consistently falling over the last three weeks after breaking records and reaching 3,022 patients on Aug. 18.

The state health department reports that that number has now dropped to 1,895. It's the first time it has been below 2,000 since the end of July.

Public health officials caution that hospitals continue to struggle with medical needs tied to cleanup and recovery from Ida.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md.  Maryland is authorizing COVID-19 booster shots for all residents 65 and older who live in congregate care settings.

Gov. Larry Hogan says residents in nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, residential drug treatment centers and developmentally disabled group homes are eligible.

Hogan told a news conference Wednesday that boosters can now be immediately administered.

While the federal government has yet to say when most people should get booster shots, Hogan said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved them for people who are immunocompromised, and a Maryland study indicates many in those facilities are immunocompromised.

He said the state is following CDC guidance but broadening the definition.

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DENVER  A Colorado countys public health department director says officials took three mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics off the streets after workers were harassed while providing inoculations over Labor Day weekend.

Jefferson County Public Health executive director Dawn Comstock says staff at a mobile vaccine clinic in Gilpin County were yelled at and threatened by people passing by, The Denver Post reports.

Comstock says a driver ran over and destroyed signs put up around the vaccine clinics tent.

In a separate incident, someone also threw an unidentified liquid at a nurse working a different mobile clinic in front of a restaurant.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  A Florida judge has ruled the state cannot enforce its ban on mask mandates in public schools while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is legal.

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper lifted an automatic stay of his decision last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials exceeded their authority by imposing the blanket ban through executive order.

Cooper says the overwhelming evidence before him in a lawsuit by parents challenging the ban shows wearing masks does provide some protection for children in crowded school settings  particularly those under 12, who are not yet able to get vaccinated.

Were not in normal times. We are in a pandemic, Cooper said during a remote hearing. We have a variant that is more infectious and dangerous to children than the one we had last year.

The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.

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TUCSON, Ariz.  Arizonas second most populous county is prodding its workforce to get COVID-19 vaccinations by requiring employees who refuse the shots to pay more for their health insurance.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to make unvaccinated employees lose discounts amounting to about $1,570 annually. Supervisor Steve Christy voted in opposition, saying the move was wrong and its illegal to penalize workers who choose to not get vaccinated.

The board previously authorized a $300 bonus plus three days of paid leave for county workers who have been vaccinated.

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MADRID  Spanish health authorities have authorized the use of an additional shot of a COVID-19 vaccine only for people with suppressed immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients.

The governments board of experts deemed it was too early to recommend a booster shot for the population at large. Health Minister Carolina Darias says authorities will be studying other groups that could benefit from a third shot.

Nearly 73% of Spain's 34 million people are fully vaccinated.

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WASHINGTON  The summer was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 but it's ending with the U.S. firmly under the command of the coronavirus, with deaths per day back up to levels in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. is averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August. Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at 250,000 per day.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

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HONOLULU  A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting Oct. 15, Alohilani Resort will require employees, patrons and guests to show proof theyre fully vaccinated. The requirement will be in place for the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by the Highgate real estate investment and hospitality management company.

Hotel officials say its the right thing to do as Hawaii struggles with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious delta variant.

There was an average of 706 newly confirmed daily cases across Hawaii between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, according to the state Department of Health. Hawaiis vaccination rate stands at 64%.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is warning Congress that she will run out of maneuvering room to prevent the U.S. from broaching the government's borrowing limit in October.

In a letter to congressional leaders Wednesday, Yellen said that she still could not provide a specific date for when she will be unable to keep the government funded, absent action by Congress to raise the debt limit.

Based on our best and most recent information, the most likely outcome is that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted during the month of October, Yellen wrote.

Yellen said recent measures to address the debt limit had enjoyed broad bipartisan support, But Republicans have said they will oppose an effort by Democrats to deal with the debt limit by attaching a provision to an emergency budget bill that Congress will need to pass before the start of the budget year on Oct. 1. That legislation is needed to avoid a government shutdown.

Instead, some Republicans have said Democrats should attach a debt limit increase to the $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan that Democrats are hoping to pass without Republican votes, using a process known as budget reconciliation.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Democrats will not be putting the debt limit increase in the reconciliation measure. She said Democrats have several "options for raising the debt ceiling but she did not specify for that they were.

She said Democrats supported lifting the borrowing limit under Trump because its the responsible thing to do. I would hope that the Republicans would act in a similarly responsible way.

The debt limit is the amount of money Congress allows Treasury to borrow to keep the government running. When the debt limit was suspended for two years in July 2019, the public debt subject to the limit stood at $22 trillion.

When the debt limit was re-instated, the limit reset to $28.4 trillion, the existing level of debt. The big jump in the past two years reflected the massive amounts of support Congress voted to approved to help individuals and businesses get through a global pandemic.

Yellen has been using what is termed in law extraordinary measures which cover a variety of bookkeeping maneuvers Yellen can take to remove debt from various government trust funds including federal workers' pensions. Once the debt limit impasse is resolved, the funds removed from the trust funds is restored with interest.

Yellen urged Congress to act without delay.

Once all available measures and cash on hand are fully exhausted, the United States of America would be unable to meet its obligations for the first time in our history, Yellen said.

While Republicans in Congress have often used the debt limit debate to extract budget concessions from Democratic presidents, lawmakers have never failed to raise the debt limit or suspend it to allow the government to keep borrowing.

However, in 2011, a budget battle between the Obama administration and Republicans dragged on for so long that the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded a portion of Treasury debt from its AAA rating for the first time in history.

We have learned from past debt limit impasses that waiting until the last minute to suspend or increase the debt limit can cause serious harm to business and and consumer confidence, raise short-term borrowing costs for taxpayers and negatively impact the credit rating of the United States, Yellen said.

A delay that calls into question the federal government's ability to meet all of its obligations would likely cause irreparable damage to the U.S. economy and global financial markets, she said. I respectfully urge Congress to protect the full faith and credit of the United States by acting as soon as possible.


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The guidelines extend the tokenisation guidelines to every device that connects with the internet. (Photo: DC Image/File)

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday in a circular refused to extend its deadline for card tokenisation beyond the agreed January 1, 2022 and said that any card data stored previously should be purged.

The central bank said that With effect from January 1, 2022, no entity in the card transaction / payment chain, other than the card issuers and / or card networks, shall store the actual card data. Any such data stored previously shall be purged, said that the RBI.

For transaction tracking and / or reconciliation purposes, entities can store limited datalast four digits of actual card number and card issuers name, in compliance with the applicable standards.

Tokenization is nothing but an alias for an anonymised set of characters against the original payment credential, like a credit card where a token reference is used instead of actual card number with matching expiry date. This token number is irreversible, created using an advanced algorithm that has the intelligence to map the actual card value corresponding to the token number which is impossible to crack since the original number mapped to the pseudo number exists only with the tokenisation provider.

The guidelines extend the tokenisation guidelines to every device that connects with the internet, including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, wrist watches, bands, Internet of Things devices as well as payment aggregators.
The SOP also called on school managements to train students as Covid safety ambassadors to spread awareness among their parents and families about Covid appropriate behaviour. Representational Image. (AFP)

Hyderabad: A standard operation procedure (SOP) for operating schools was finally released by the school education department on Tuesday, a week after the Telangana High Court questioned the government on how it decided to go ahead with reopening of schools without having an SOP in place.

The SOP will be applicable to all public and private schools, the director of school educations office said. It once again made it clear that no child can be forced to attend physical classes by any school, and those willing to study from home should be allowed to do so. It also made it clear that school managements cannot impose any penalties on such students or parents of such students.

It said it would be the responsibility of school academic heads to focus on preparing students for classroom interaction, especially slow learners, by designing bridge courses for them. Teachers, it said, shall be prepared for teaching in classrooms as well as following up with students studying from home through online mode.

The SOP also called on school managements to train students as Covid safety ambassadors to spread awareness among their parents and families about Covid appropriate behaviour. One period in the day could be devoted to this sensitisation exercise, it said.

Among the general measures to prevent spread of Covid-19 in schools, the SOP says physical distancing shall be followed at all times, use of face covers or masks along with frequent handwashing with soap should be made mandatory and should keep hand sanitisers wherever feasible. It also calls for monitoring the health of everyone in a school and reporting any illness to the nearest health facility promptly.

Infograph/Insets

In case of students/staff are affected with Covid

 School head to keep handy phone numbers of nearest PHC or any other reliable medical facility, for contacting for medical aid

 Headmaster to ensure the child is taken to the nearest healthcare facility for Covid test, if symptoms are found

 In case, any child or member of staff is found to be Covid positive, his/her immediate contacts of students and staff in the school shall be tested by both Rt-PCR & RAT tests

 Disinfection of premises if anyone in the school is found to be Covid positive

 No child, affected by losing either one of the parents or both the parents due to Covid, shall be discharged from the school on account of non-payment of tuition fees or on account of lack of uniform and learning material

 All managements of private aided and unaided schools must adhere to these instructions without fail

Teaching/classroom safety

 Create a learner-friendly school and classroom environment

 Address concerns of children with special needs along with others

 Project-work, assignments to be done at home under the guidance of teachers and parents

 Assembly, group work, games shall not be permitted until further orders

 All classrooms to be thoroughly disinfected every day and all frequently touched objects sanitised properly

 Text books to be distributed to each student without fail

 Physical distancing at drinking water taps, entry/exit points to be ensured

 Staggered entry and exit for students of different classes

 Sharing of items like pens, pencils, erasers, books, food, water bottle, glasses, plates is prohibited

Mid-day Meal

 Kitchen, and the place of serving mid-day meals, and utensils should be cleaned and maintained in hygienic condition

 Rice, provisions etc. must be of good quality and be available in required quantities so that mid-day meal can be provided

 Physical distancing norms shall be observed in the kitchen as well. Only very essential staff to be allowed into kitchens

 Staggered timings may be put in place for mid-day meals, to avoid crowding

Ensuring safe transport:

Headmasters to sensitise drivers - whether working in public or private transport bringing children to school - on hygiene, physical distancing during transport, wearing face masks by them and students.
The candidates who appeared for the exam numbered 1,66,460 while 1,34,205 students qualified in the examination, with 80.62 per cent pass. (Representational Image/DC)

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday released the EAPCET-2021 (EAMCET) results in which 80.62 per cent have qualified the entrance test. The results can be downloaded along with their rank cards from Thursday.

Education minister Audimulapu Suresh announced the results for the Engineering stream at the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada. He announced the top ten ranks. Boys secured all these ranks.

Koyi Sree Nikhil from Anantapur district secured first rank, Varada Mahanth Naidu from Srikakulam the second rank, Duggineni Venkata Paneesh from YSR Kadapa and Savaram Divakar Sai from Vizianagaram jointly won the fourth rank.

Telangana state EAMCET 2021 topper Satti Karthikeya from West Godavari district secured the ninth rank.

The other rank-holders were Nelluru Mourya Reddy from Nellore at the fifth, Kakunuri Shashank Reddy from Prakasam the sixth, Midathana Pranay from Vizianagaram the seventh, Suravarapu Harshavarma from Krishna the eighth, Satti Karthikeya from West Godavari the ninth and Orugani Tejo Bivas from Chittoor the tenth rank.

The engineering stream examination was held from August 19 to 25. A total of 1,76,586 candidates had registered for the exam. The candidates who appeared for the exam numbered 1,66,460 while 1,34,205 students qualified in the examination, with 80.62 per cent pass.

Of the qualified 1,34,205 candidates 79,221 were male and 54,984 female.

The qualifying percentage of candidates was less compared to the previous year. During the 2020-21 EAMCET, 1,33,066 candidates qualified with 84.78 per cent.

The minister said the results of AP EAPCET were declared in 14 days, which was a new record. The government would implement the Rule of Reservation in filling EAPCET admissions. In the past, the management quota and NRI quota seats in private universities gave an impression that seats can be purchased as commodities in the market without taking merit into consideration and without transparency.

From the current year, 70 per cent seats will be filled through AP EAPCET. Out of the remaining 30 per cent seats, 15 per cent will be filled by following the Rule of Reservation and the remaining 15 per cent under the NRI quota.

The minister said 89 per cent of the parents have reimbursed the fee amounts to the colleges till date. This would be informed to the court and a review petition will be filed in the high court in this regard.

AP higher education regulatory and conitoring commission headed by Justice V Eswaraiah, higher education department principal secretary Satishchandra, AP state council for higher education chairman Prof Hemachandra and other officials were present.

RESPONSE:

Eighth ranker in EAPCET 2021 Suravarapu Harsha Varma from Vijayawada expressed delight at securing eighth rank. He pursued intermediate education at Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions. He said good planning and hard work paid off in securing the top rank. He is preparing for JEE Mains and would pursue further education in Computer Science at IIT Mumbai.
The Chief Minister instructed that since projects, lakes and tanks were overflowing due to heavy rains, steps must be taken to ensure that people living in low-lying areas did not suffer. (DC Image)

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, who is on a visit to Delhi, reviewed the situation in Telangana on Tuesday in view of heavy rains and floods that continue to batter the state for the past few days.

A release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated that Chandrashekar Rao spoke to Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar over phone to review the situation and issued directions.

The Chief Minister wanted district collectors and the state administration to remain alert and take appropriate measures. With rivulets and lakes overflowing due to incessant rains, Rao directed that departments be alerted to minimise the inconvenience to people in flood-affected villages and mandals.

Since continuous rains are likely to affect electricity supply, roads, storm water drains, Chandrashekar Rao directed the officials of departments concerned put on alert. Municipal administration, panchayat raj, roads and buildings, and electricity departments were directed to alert the entire staff, from the officials to employees working at the lowest level.

The Chief Minister instructed that since projects, lakes and tanks were overflowing due to heavy rains, steps must be taken to ensure that people living in low-lying areas did not suffer. He directed the officials of the water resources department to remain alert.

He also wanted the NDRF and disaster management teams to be put on standby against the backdrop of the meteorological department issuing warnings.

Rao directed the Chief Secretary to undertake rescue and relief measures in affected areas by making alternate arrangements. He said in view of the alert by the meteorological department, disaster management teams must be kept ready to rescue those stranded in affected areas.

The Chief Minister urged the public representatives to help the affected people in coordination with the state administration. He appealed to the people in rain-affected areas not to come out of their houses in view of incessant rains.
Hyderabad: In a relief to Nimmagadda Prasad, Industrialist, the CBI court at Hyderabad on Tuesday allowed him to move freely within the country for next six months, on the business tours.

Earlier, while granting Bail in the Vanpic projects Chargesheet filed by CBI, in related to quid pro quo cases, the Court had directed him not to leave the Hyderabad city, without approval from the court.

Seeking modifications, Prasad filed an application before the CBIcourt. Judge BR Madhusudhan Rao, while allowing the application, imposed the conditions as to furnish his contact number, two sureties and a personal bond of Rs 5 Lakhs.

Note:- In the correction to the report published on 08 September, 'Nimmagadda can go abroad for 6 months', please read it as allowed to move within India, not to go abroad.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's visit to Delhi has completed one week on Tuesday, his longest-ever stay in the Capital since he became Chief Minister in June 2014. Rao left for Delhi on September 1.

There were no official engagements in Delhi for the Chief Minister on Tuesday. Party sources said Rao underwent medical check-ups on Tuesday at a private hospital. They said he underwent routine eye and dental check-ups and was likely to return to Hyderabad on Wednesday. However, there is no official confirmation from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in this regard.

Rao's week-long stay in Delhi has created a buzz in political circles as it is for the first time that he stays put in Delhi for such a long duration after becoming the Chief Minister in June 2014. He stayed in Delhi for two or three days during his earlier trips as the Chief Minister.

He went to Delhi for the prime purpose of laying foundation for construction of the TRS office on September 2. He did not seek the appointment of either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or home minister Amit Shah to meet them when he left Hyderabad.

However, the Chief Minister sought Modi's and Shah's appointments on September 3. The Prime Minister giving his appointment in a jiffy on September 3 evening and Amit Shah on September 4 raised political heat in Telangana with the Opposition Congress accusing the TRS and the BJP of fighting in gully and maintaining secret ties in Delhi. The Telangana BJP leaders termed Raos meeting with Modi and Shah as an attempt to divert people's attention from the successful ongoing padayatra of BJP state president Bandi Sanjay and to create confusion among voters against the backdrop of the Huzurabad bypoll where the TRS and the BJP are pitted against each other.
Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday condemned the bomb explosion incident which took place outside MP Arjun Singh's residence in the wee hours of Wednesday.

He also said that the 'wanton violence' in West Bengal shows no sign of abating.

Taking to Twitter, he said, "Wanton violence in WB shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions as this morning outside residence of Member Parliament @ArjunsinghWB is worrisome on law and order."

Dhankhar demanded prompt action from the West Bengal police over the bomb explosion incident.

"Expect prompt action @WBPolice. As regards his security the issue has been earlier been flagged @MamataOfficial," his tweet read further.

Crude bombs were hurled outside the house of BJP MP Arjun Singh in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, despite security presence.

While speaking to ANI, a local resident said, "Three bombs were hurled outside Arjun Singh's residence around 6.30 am on Wednesday. I don't know who has done this. This has never happened earlier."

MP Arjun Singh had earlier also alleged that he was attacked by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers after the West Bengal polls which were conducted earlier this year.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Wednesday urged the State government to withdraw restrictions on the height of Ganesha idols.

The Ganesha festival is just two days away and the State government's new decision imposing a meaningless restriction on Ganesha idols placed in houses to 2 feet and 4 feet in public places, is troubling the life of the idol makers," Shivakumar said.

This order should be withdrawn immediately or the idol-makers should be compensated, he said.

The government in its guidelines for the celebration of the festival issued recently had restricted the height of the idols to four feet at public places and two feet at residences.

Noting that millions of Ganesha idols have been made over the last 2 months, and the government's decision to impose such a restriction at the last moment would put idol-makers into trouble, Shivakumar said, "If the government had said this two or three months ago, the idol-makers would not have made smaller idols."

Ganesha idol-makers, who had no income at the time of Covid, have made a small amount of money. If this restriction is imposed at the last minute, where should they go? The government has so far not paid a single rupee to Covid-affected people," he was quoted as saying by his office in a press release.

Terming the decision as a "sheer apathy" on part of the government, as it makes the life of people who make the idols of God miserable, the KPCC chief said, "It is unfortunate that the state government has created a huge gap between the devotee and the Lord in the process of restricting Ganesha festival celebrations."

"If the government makes such a decision at the last minute, should the idols (that are tall) be placed in front of the house of the decision-makers?" he said, as he demanded the decision makers to purchase the idols.

Shivakumar further said he was not questioning the COVID rules, but was questioning the government's unscientific decision.

"The lives of those who are dependent on this profession (of idol-making) should not come to the streets. Ganesha festival is just two more days away, the government should either withdraw this nonsense restriction or give relief to the idol makers," he demanded.
The IAF chief said the Tejas light combat aircraft project has instilled confidence in the aerospace industry in India and that it has huge potential to grow further. (Twitter)

New Delhi: With continued stand-off with China, Indian Air Force Chief R.K.S. Bhadauria on Wednesday urged India Inc to develop niche technologies as whatever "new surprises we can spring on adversary will be critical in a conflict." He said that IAF intends to procure 350 aircrafts over the next two decades including the current order of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (the Tejas) to energize the aerospace sector and that all efforts will be to procure from indigenous sources.

Looking at the northern neighbour, we have to have niche technologies, niche capabilities which must be built in-house by our own industry for reasons of security, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria while addressing a conference on 'Energising Indian Aerospace Industry'. He said that it is a challenge we need to look at. "The industry side to rise to the challenge because this is what will give us maximum result," said the Air Force Chief. Whatever new surprises we can spring on the adversary in the next conflict that is what will be critical, he said.

He stressed on the need to make self-reliance as the most important pillar of national security.

The IAF chief said the Tejas light combat aircraft project has instilled confidence in the aerospace industry in India and that it has huge potential to grow further.
The Governor said she was moved by the enthusiasm of poor students who wanted to explore the world of knowledge, during her visits to tribal villages in the state. (DC Image)

Hyderabad: Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan appealed to IT companies and professionals to donate used laptops to needy students who could not afford to buy them and help them achieve academic excellence. The Governor said she was moved by the enthusiasm of poor students who wanted to explore the world of knowledge, during her visits to tribal villages in the state.

Soundararajan shared with media persons her experiences of a two-year stay at Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday. Clad in traditional attire and sporting her disarming smile, the Governor announced that she would be working with NGOs to collect used laptops and distribute them to the poor. She said she was keen to resume visits to tribal villages and hold Praja Darbar, once the pandemic receded.

She said she preferred to remain a commoner rather than the Constitutional head of the state, while releasing a coffee table book titled One Among and Amongst People to mark the completion of her two-year tenure in office. She said she would rather call it the beginning of the third year in office rather than looking at it as completing two years.

Soundararajan, who is also in-charge Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, said though it was difficult to shuttle between two states every week, she, however, enjoyed her stint in Puducherry.

The Governor said she was happy over some of her initiatives yielding results and getting recognition. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji appreciated my initiative of alumni portal of all the universities which I feel will help networking and guidance to the subsequent batches," she said adding that convincing residents of tribal tandas on the need to get vaccinated was another achievement. To instil confidence among the habitants, she got her second dose of vaccine in KC Tanda in Ranga Reddy district.

Soundararajan also appreciated Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, with whom she claimed to have enjoyed a very cordial relation, for his commendable initiatives. She said it was natural for the media to speculate tension between the Governor and the Chief Minister as they hailed from different political backgrounds, but being adherents to the Constitution, she said, she clearly demarcated between politics and governance. There is no conflict between us and hence no controversies, she pointed out.

Soundararajan, though inadvertently, revealed the secret behind the Chief Minister agreeing to join the Ayushman Bharat after stiff resistance to the Central health insurance scheme, explained how she could convince the Chief Minister on the need to join the scheme. People from other states could not avail the best medical facilities in the city and in some cases, patients from the state were joining in hospitals elsewhere, due to non-implementation of Ayushman Bharat, she said, adding, The Chief Minister accepted my suggestion and I am happy that I am able to convince him.

The Governor said the Telangana government did a commendable job in Covid containment operations and the vaccination drive. While appreciating the governments efforts, she said, referring to her visits to hospitals in the early days of the pandemic, that there was a need to improve infrastructure. The government agreed to expand treatment facilities on my suggestion, she added.

The Governor also referred to her constant effort to improve higher education and said she was happy about all universities getting Vice Chancellors. The KCR government neglected appointing VCs for a long time till she took up the issue with the government, she said. On the delay in clearing the Cabinets recommendation appointing Kaushik Reddy as MLC, the Governor said she was carefully examining the social service rendered by Reddy since the appointment would be under the social service category in Governors quota. She said she had a right as Governor to take some more time to decide on Reddys appointment.
Authorities also found the presence of culex and anopheles mosquitoes in water bodies. (Photo: Representational)

Hyderabad: An estimated 14 houses out every 50 in the GHMC area harbour the female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which carry the dengue virus, a survey by the corporation's entomology wing has revealed.

The city has reported 164 dengue cases already this season, a senior GHMC official said. Officials also cautioned that the numbers could rise rapidly if steps were not taken to curb the spread of dengue.

The senior GHMC official said that several patients mistook the fever symptoms for Covid-19 and did not approach hospitals in time. They went only when their platelet count started plunging.

Authorities also found the presence of culex and anopheles mosquitoes in water bodies, though the corporation has said that it has carrried out anti-larval operations.

The Aedes aegypti which carries the dengue virus can travel up to a kilometre, and can infect residents in several houses. The mosquito breeds in standing water in garbage dumped in vacant plots. GHMC officials held citizens responsible for allowing stagnated water in their premises.

Stating that the widespread presence of the dengue-carrying mosquito was beyond the corporation's estimates, an official said: Because of the continuous rainfall, citizens have ignored water stagnation points including spaces like discarded cups, coconut shells, unused tyres and unused air coolers. These are places where the Aedes mosquito breeds.

Locked houses are another menace. Despite the locked premises, water supply is not cut. The water remains in sumps and tanks which serve as good spots for mosquito breeding, the official stated.

In many cases, the locked houses and offices are a direct fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Despite the GHMC's efforts, seasonal diseases could not be eradicated with public support. Colony welfare associations and local youth are being apprised of the harm that locked houses could cause, and they are being urged to take the initiative to empty water storage points, the officials said.
The Modi government had sanctioned 2.73 lakh houses for the homeless poor in the state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana but the Chandrashekar Rao had not failed to provide them to the poor after showing them the dream of double bedroom houses.  Twitter

HYDERABAD: State BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday said the party would bring a legislation to control the population in the state after coming to power in 2023.

Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Sangareddy on the 11th day of his Praja Sangram Yatra, Sanjay said the BJP government would bring in a law similar to the one enacted in Uttar Pradesh.

Denying charges that he was spreading hatred and provoking people during his yatra, Sanjay said, If explaining the facts is provoking people, the party would definitely keep doing it. We have started on the padayatra to learn the problems of the people including students, farmers and the unemployed under the TRS regime.

Sanjay demanded that the TRS government celebrate September 17 officially as Liberation Day, as promised by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao before coming to power. KCR has forgotten his promise under the pressure of the MIM, he alleged.

He said home minister Amit Shah would attend a public meeting on September 17 at Nirmal on Hyderabad Liberation Day.

The Modi government had sanctioned 2.73 lakh houses for the homeless poor in the state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana but the Chandrashekar Rao had not failed to provide them to the poor after showing them the dream of double bedroom houses.

We have asked the TRS government to submit a list of beneficiaries of double bedroom houses but it was never submitted, Sanjay said and assured that the party government on coming to power would provide houses to all poor people in the state.
The Vision AVTR, a reference to the movie Avatar, in which the protagonists could establish a neural connection with the natural world on the moon of Pandora is Mercedes-Benz's most futuristic concept. (AFP Photo)

Washington: Automobile giant Mercedes-Benz, recently at the IAA Mobility 2021 show in Munich, Germany, displayed the next iteration of its Vision AVTR concept car, first shown at CES 2020.

According to Mashable, Mercedes-Benz has stated that the car now has tech that lets you perform certain tasks just by thinking about them.

It's based on visual perception. The car has light dots projected on the car's digital dashboard, and a BCI (brain-computer interface) device with wearable electrodes will be attached to the back of the user's head.

After a short calibration period, the device can record and measure brain activity, so when the user focuses on a specific light on a dashboard, the device can detect that and perform a certain task.

This is not something which is just theoretical as visitors of the IAA Mobility 2021 show could try the technology out for themselves by visiting the company's booth.

The Vision AVTR, a reference to the movie Avatar, in which the protagonists could establish a neural connection with the natural world on the moon of Pandora is Mercedes-Benz's most futuristic concept.

As per Mashable, the car has no steering wheel, has its back covered in scaly-looking "bionic flaps," and has wheels that can rotate far enough to allow the car to move sideways, among other futuristic technologies.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
A member of the Taliban forces points his gun at protesters, as Afghan demonstrators shout slogans during an anti-Pakistan protest, near the Pakistan embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo: Reuters)

Amid the ongoing protest by citizens in Afghanistan, an 'iconic' photograph has emerged and people around the world are in awe of it. The Taliban took over Afghanistan at a lightning-fast speed last month and the situation in the country has worsened ever since. While the Taliban fired multiple shots on Tuesday to disperse hundreds of people who were gathered to take part in the protest in Kabul, a compelling photo of a woman standing tall in front of an armed Taliban gunman has emerged. The image portrays the candid spirit of defiance of the Afghan citizens against the Taliban and it will surely be remembered in the days to come.

The photograph was shared by news agency Reuters and was circulated on Twitter by Afghan journalist Zahra Rahimi. She posted the photo on the social networking site with her post saying, "An Afghan woman fearlessly stands face to face with a Taliban armed man who pointed his gun to her chest."

An Afghan woman fearlessly stands face to face with a Taliban armed man who pointed his gun to her chest.

Photo: @Reuters pic.twitter.com/8VGTnMKsih  Zahra Rahimi (@ZahraSRahimi) September 7, 2021

Once the picture went viral, netizens started commenting on it and many saluted the unidentified woman in the photo for her 'bravery'. The woman in the photo was a part of a group of woman who took to the streets as the new government was being announced.

According to reports by Reuters, Mullah Hasan Akhund has been named as prime minister. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the new interior minister, is the son of the founder of the Haqqani network, classified as a terrorist group by Washington.
India's antitrust watchdog on Wednesday raided local offices of several vegetable seed companies including a unit of Germany's BASF in a case related to alleged price collusion, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) officials were raiding offices of BASF India and at least three other vegetable seed companies in an operation across the country that included the satellite city of Gurugram near New Delhi, IT hub Bengaluru and the southern city of Hyderabad, the sources said.

A spokesperson for BASF India confirmed the raids at Nunhems office, based in Gurugram. "We are yet to confirm the exact reason of the raid. We are strictly committed to high standards of legal compliance and business ethics. We will support the officials in every way possible," she said.

The CCI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The names of the other companies being raided were not immediately clear.

Further details of the case and the raids were also not available, as the CCI does not make anything related to its investigations of alleged price cartels public.

In recent years, the antitrust watchdog has raided several companies in case of alleged price fixing, including the likes of beer giant Carlsberg and commodities trader Glencore.

Typically during such surprise raids, company officials are questioned and documents, as well as computer hard disks, are seized, which are analysed by the watchdog later as its investigation progresses.


The government has appointed 10 merchant bankers including Goldman Sachs (India) Securities, Citigroup Global Markets India, and Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities India to manage the mega initial public offering of country's largest insurer LIC.

Other selected bankers include SBI Capital Market, JM Financial, Axis Capital, BofA Securities, JP Morgan India, ICICI Securities, and Kotak Mahindra Capital Co Ltd, a circular on the divestment department website said.

"Government has finalised the book running lead managers and some other advisors for the IPO of LIC," DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey tweeted.

The disinvestment department had invited applications for the appointment of merchant bankers on July 15. Following this, 16 merchant bankers made presentations for managing listing and partial disinvestment of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

Read | LIC IPO may impact jobs, social spending, Union warns

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is also in the process of appointing a legal adviser for the stake sale and the last date for putting bids is September 16.

Actuarial firm Milliman Advisors LLP India has already been appointed to assess the embedded value of LIC ahead of the IPO, which is likely in the January-March quarter of 2022.

The government is also mulling allowing foreign investors to pick up stakes in the country's largest insurer LIC. As per Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) rules, foreign portfolio investors (FPI) are permitted to buy shares in a public offer.

However, since the LIC Act has no provision for foreign investments, there is a need to align the proposed LIC IPO with Sebi norms regarding foreign investor participation.

Also Read | India to list LIC by current fiscal year end, says govt official

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had last month cleared the initial public offering proposal of Life Insurance Corp of India.

The ministerial panel known as the Alternative Mechanism on strategic disinvestment will now decide on the quantum of stake to be divested by the government.

"The potential size of the IPO is expected to be far larger than any precedent in Indian markets," the department had said.

The listing of LIC will be crucial for the government in meeting its disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for 2021-22 (April-March).

So far this financial year, Rs 8,368 crore has been mopped up through minority stake sales in PSU and the sale of SUUTI (Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India) stake in Axis Bank.
Former RBI deputy governor R Gandhi on Tuesday made a case for treating and regulating crypto as a separate asset class with a view to enabling governments around the world to effectively deal with illegal activities associated with virtual currencies.

After quite a lot of debate over the years, he said, people have fully understood that crypto cannot be a currency because the fundamental element of a currency- that it should be a legal tender- is missing in this case.

He said that in this case, one cannot compel a cryptocurrency to be accepted by another person as it is not a legal tender.

The general consensus among many policymakers is that it should be deemed as an asset, not as a currency, not as a payment instrument and not as a financial instrument as there is no clear identified issuer, he said.

"So once we have an understanding and acceptance, that it is an asset (not a currency), then it becomes relatively little easier to have regulation around it," he said at a virtual event organised by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Blockchain & Crypto Assets Council (BACC).

He expressed apprehension that there is a possibility of using this virtual asset for criminal activity in absence of regulation and there are numerous instances indicating that.

So, he said, any jurisdiction should have a clear framework by which any part of the economic activity should not be seen as supportive of any criminal activity.

Also read: El Salvadors adoption of Bitcoin is off to a rocky start

"So that is where the real difficulty comes in vis-a-vis a crypto assets as there is a possibility, and not really a possibility, there has been quite a bit of an anecdotal evidence that crypto assets have been utilised for increasingly, or in large scale, for illegal activities like ransom attacks etc," he said.

He said that the basis of origination of crypto some 12 years back as an asset was that it cannot be traced and taxed.

"So the very idea of crypto was that it should be anonymous, independent, and it cannot be taxed or tracked, so as I said every society will have its own rules, which expects compliance by all its members and it penalises non-compliance," he said.

Last month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said proposed legislation regarding cryptocurrency is pending before the Union Cabinet.

The inter-ministerial panel on cryptocurrency, under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Economic Affairs) to study the issues related to virtual currencies and proposed specific actions, has already submitted its report.

It has recommended that all private cryptocurrencies, except any virtual currencies issued by state, should be prohibited in India.

Meanwhile, the RBI has concerns on the cryptocurrencies traded in the market and has conveyed the same to the government.

Underlining that both the government and the RBI are "committed to financial stability", RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das had said there are no differences between the central bank and the Finance Ministry on the matter, and "we should now await the final decision on the matter" from the Centre.

Das had said he has "reasons to believe" that the government is in agreement with the "major concerns" flagged by the RBI about the cryptocurrencies.
El Salvador faced a rocky transition in its adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender on Tuesday. The governments app for facilitating transactions  its digital wallet  went offline temporarily, protesters took to the streets of the capital to denounce the move, and the price of Bitcoin dropped sharply, demonstrating the volatility of the cryptocurrency market.

The country is the first to use Bitcoin as an official currency, encouraging businesses and citizens to use it in everyday transactions, and authorities struggled to smooth out glitches in the new system.

Read | CAIT criticizes Gujarat for signing MoU with Amazon

President Nayib Bukele wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning that the digital wallet, which is called Chivo after a slang word for cool, would be available to Salvadorans in the United States and almost anywhere in the world. But even as large companies such as McDonalds began accepting Bitcoin payments in El Salvador, for a time the wallet was not available to anyone, and the country slowed its rollout.

Bukele also announced on Twitter that servers were temporarily being taken offline as Chivo added capacity, and he acknowledged issues with downloads. We prefer to correct it before reconnecting it, he said.

When the law to adopt Bitcoin was passed in June, experts warned of potential instability and unnecessary risk to El Salvadors fragile economy.

Read | Oil climbs amid slow supply return after Hurricane Ida

International financial regulators have also voiced legal concerns. Apart from the economic risks of Bitcoins volatility, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which is considering a financing deal with El Salvador, have said making Bitcoin an official currency could leave a country open to money laundering and other illicit financial activity.

On Tuesday, around 1,200 people protested in San Salvador, the capital, to oppose the adoption of cryptocurrency as well as judicial changes pushed through by Bukeles party.

A majority of Salvadorans polled last month by La Prensa Grafica, a newspaper, said they were against El Salvadors adoption of Bitcoin, and nearly three-quarters said they would not accept the digital currency as payment. Only about a third of Salvadorans use the internet, and almost a quarter live below the poverty line.

The price of Bitcoin broke $52,000 on Monday before falling to around $45,000 on Tuesday.

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A public diatribe against two Indian business giants by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's officials and his ideological allies has unnerved the business community, several industry executives told Reuters.

Over the weekend, a magazine run by members of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) launched an attack on Indian tech giant Infosys for failing to resolve glitches in the income tax website it manages.

The group, which is the ideological parent of Modi's ruling party, called Infosys "anti-national" for letting down the tax system, sending a chill through Indian industry wary of falling on the wrong side of the Modi government.

Just last month, the finance ministry "summoned" Infosys' CEO over the tech issues and in an unusual step took to Twitter to announce the summoning, heightening a media frenzy around a company that has been the face of India's IT's prowess.

And in August, the commerce minister publicly lashed out at the $106 billion Tata Group for criticising proposed stringent rules for e-commerce and said local companies should not only think about profits.

In India, safeguarding domestic businesses has been Modi's priority. While government or RSS criticism of foreign businesses like Amazon and Monsanto is common, local businesses are rarely caught in the crossfire.

But the latest events have raised concerns among business leaders about whether Modi is now taking a hardline approach towards domestic giants as well, five industry sources said.

One venture-capital executive said the criticism was akin to "harassment" of businesses and risks souring investor sentiment. Another executive working at a global consultancy said "everyone is scared" as businesses don't want to run foul of the government.

"The frontal attack on iconic elements of Indian businesses have only buttressed the need for companies to ensure they are conforming, not just with tax issues, but with other government initiatives," said Dilip Cherian, an image guru and co-founder of leading Indian PR firm Perfect Relations.

R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki, defended Infosys, saying it had played a key role in building India's software reputation globally.

"It needs to explain the glitches, but it doesn't mean there is a conspiracy to damage the country," he told Reuters.

A senior member of RSS, however, said there's nothing wrong in the way the companies have been criticised, saying they must be thick skinned and held accountable.

"Why should questions not be raised, have corporates become a holy cow?" said the RSS official who declined to be identified.

Infosys and Tata didn't respond to a request for comment.

India Inc largely silent

So far, Modi's government has not commented on the backlash on social media and from politicians. None of the sources who spoke to Reuters wanted to be identified as they fear a reprisal from the government and no Indian industry lobby groups has come out and spoken against government or RSS.

The Indian Express said in an editorial it was "time for India Inc to stand up", saying business leaders had maintained "a studied - and perhaps strategic - silence about the vitriol that has been seeping into the public discourse."

The Infosys controversy is related to the government's new income tax filing website launched on June 7. But there were many glitches which Infosys could not fix, despite assurances.

When the Infosys CEO was summoned in August, the finance minister conveyed "deep disappointment and concerns," giving the company until Sept. 15 to fix things.

The magazine Panchjanya said the company was making the same mistakes over and over again, creating doubts about its motives. "There are allegations that the management of Infosys is deliberately trying to destabilise the Indian economy," it said.

After the furore over the article, Sunil Ambekar, the joint head of the RSS publicity wing, sought to distance the organisation from the contents and said Infosys had made a seminal contribution to the country.

But concerns remain others may be targeted, too.

A mutual fund manager with Infosys and Tata investments said he was worried as it indicated "the government was not pro-business", and there were fears other companies can face such backlash for lapses.

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Superstar Akshay Kumar's mother Aruna Bhatia, who was admitted to a hospital here, died on Wednesday morning.

Kumar, 53, shared a statement on Twitter and paid tributes to his mother, who was in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Hiranandani Hospital. The cause of her death is not yet known.

"She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world," the BellBottom actor tweeted.

"I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti," he added.

She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti   Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 8, 2021

Last evening, Kumar took to the microblogging site to thank well wishers for praying for his mother's good health.

On Monday, the actor flew back to the country after his mother was admitted to the hospital. He was shooting for his upcoming movie Cinderella in the UK.
By Michael Picard for The Conversation

In the months after the 9/11 attack, which killed thousands of people and cost $ 40 billion in damages, the shock at the tower collapse gave way to the monstrous scale of the rescue and clean-up operation in New York.

Amid the destruction, an improvised team of volunteers, firefighters, police and detection dogs found 21 people alive on the first day, but none thereafter. The remaining body parts would be painstakingly collected in 21,900 pieces scattered throughout the skyscrapers debris.

This uneasy piece of forensic work would haunt the American psyche, with intriguing side-effects and aftershocks.

Read | Trial of accused 9/11 mastermind resumes, days before 20th anniversary

The authorities designated a Staten Island landfill as a site where the tower debris was transported to be sorted and inspected for human residues. Evocatively called Fresh Kills (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning stream), the suburban landfill had served since 1948 as the primary disposal facility for New York Citys solid waste. Over time, according to NYC mayor, Rudy Giuliani, it became the worlds largest landfill.

The landfill would soon become a site for the most costly forensic investigation in US history, involving DNA identification of damaged bone and statistical analysis of partial profiles. But, sifting through the melted computers, corroded steel, broken glass, ash and dust, analysts could not systematically identify and separate the human remains from architectural debris.

Fresh Kills became a graveyard for unidentifiable bodies. The monstrous ruins further escaped the attempt to control them, their toxic vapours proving harmful to the workers on site.

In Manhattan, the death toll escalated, reaching the lives of construction workers, medics and others exposed to contaminants and likely to contract deadly illnesses after the attack.

Thousands of tonnes of pulverised concrete, construction debris, cellulose, asbestos, lead and mercury, and fire dioxins increased the risk of kidney, heart, liver and breast cancer among first respondents.

Over the next decade, surviving first responders filed workers compensation claims and sued NYC for failing to provide proper protective equipment at Ground Zero, until the passing of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, a law created to provide them with medical care.

Read | Two decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans still fighting bias

Pain and profit

Though the site was considered a health hazard, the towers structural steel was not. The scrap metal industry bought the buildings remains and sold them for profit to Chinese and Indian second-hand metal markets.

One scrap processor under contract with the New York City Department of Sanitation had purchased and cut down the metal at Fresh Kills with torching equipment. Another company, Shanghai Baosteel Group, bought an additional 50,000 tonnes of large structural beams auctioned by NYC at $ 120 a tonne.

Despite an early and unsuccessful attempt by Greenpeace to qualify the scrap exports as hazardous and ban their repurposing in the global south, the steel reached India within six months of the tragedy. Several buildings were built with Twin Tower steel across Indian cities, including a college, a car maintenance yard, arcades and a trade centre.

In order to reopen the NY Stock Exchange as quickly as possible, the Department of Design and Construction had expediently contracted five construction companies to clear the rubble of the WTC.

Families of victims objected that the authorities improperly handled body remains. Piles of organic and non-organic waste from the rubble of the Twin Towers had, they argued, been hastily displaced and indistinctly buried along with conventional sources of municipal waste.

An affidavit filed in 2007 before a Manhattan Federal Court reveals that the remains, mixed with debris powders known as fines, had been allegedly carried away by city employees to fill ruts and potholes in NYC. The remains of a privately owned vertical tower had been used to patch a broken horizontal public road network.

Read | Surviving 9/11 was 'just the first piece of the journey'

As the families of victims filed a lawsuit for mismanagement of human remains against the municipality, the authorities objected that the debris had been inspected following a meticulous process of classification. In the end, the judge sided with NYC. He said: The victims perished without leaving a trace, utterly consumed into incorporeality by the intense, raging fires, or pulverised into dust by the massive tons of collapsing concrete and steel.

Rising from the ashes

With time, however, a regime of land reclamation covered up the presence of the dead. Since 2008, the Fresh Kills dumping ground has gradually morphed into a municipal recreational park, accessible by bike, canoe and horseback. Once completed, the expansive area will be almost three times the size of Central Park and covered in vegetation and synthetic playgrounds.

A marshland in the 19th century, Fresh Kills is now an eco park, including a human-made wetland, secured by a system for the capture and treatment of underground toxic gases that heats 20,000 local homes.

The story of 9/11 provides a stark example of the political economy of waste management, which profoundly shapes the culture of the modern metropolis. Waste is not an undesired byproduct of human society but contributes to the cycles of boom and bust.

As Wall Street reopened, Silverstein Properties and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation oversaw the reconstruction of the site, including the erection of six new office towers, the highest one being One World Trade Centre. Totemic symbols of wealth stand erect to ensure the institutional continuity of the financial corporation.

But waste is impossible to ignore, much less eliminate, control or even predict. Starting in 2006, explosives detonated to clear bedrock for building foundations.

In July 2010, construction of the Ground Zero memorial ground to a halt when remains of an 18th-century ship were found in the mud. It was speculated that the hull of this wooden ship was used as part of the debris in a landfill to extend the island of Manhattan into the Hudson River.

Historically, New York used the rubble of its construction operations and wreckage of its seaport to create artificial land and expand its waterfront. Much as other prized real estate still standing today, the Twin Towers were originally built on the site of a former landfill in Lower Manhattan, following a law of ruins according to which capital is built upon the foundations of its own refuse.

(The author is a Lecturer in International Environmental Law, University of Edinburgh.)
Four people, including two children, were rescued and sent to a hospital after a gas explosion in a nine-storey residential building in the city of Noginsk, around 50 km (31 miles) east of Moscow, TASS reported on Wednesday, citing the emergency services.

There may be two more people under the rubble, the agency said.
In one of the only known photographs of Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, he stares directly at the camera - an expressionless face between a white turban and a long, grey beard.

As the Islamist movement unveiled its new government on Tuesday after it swept to power as US-led forces withdrew last month, the mysterious Akhundzada retained the role of supreme leader, the ultimate authority over the group's political, religious, and military affairs he has held since 2016.

"We will rebuild our war-torn country," Akhundzada said in a written statement released by the Taliban after Tuesday's appointments, his first comments since the group retook Afghanistan.

Akhundzada said the Taliban were committed to all international laws, treaties and commitments not in conflict with Islamic law, which would henceforth regulate all governance in Afghanistan.

A hardline cleric whose son was a suicide bomber, Akhundzada has spent most of his leadership in the shadows, letting others take the lead in negotiations that ultimately saw the United States and their allies leave Afghanistan after 20 years of grinding counter-insurgency war.

Even basic details such as his age are hard to verify. He is thought to be around 60.

Read | Taliban supreme leader tells new govt to uphold sharia law

Yet some analysts who have studied the Taliban say he was a guiding hand, healing divisions within the movement and managing the handling over international allies and foes ahead of military victory.

"Through guile, through deception, through manipulation and through patience, he was able to bring the Taliban back to power," said Rohan Gunaratna, professor of security studies at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

Others, however, say he is more of a figurehead, picked as a compromise candidate during a time of flux in the movement, while the real power is held by the Taliban's military factions.

"There is very little information available about him. You don't see him saying anything in person in public. And combined with the circumstances of his appointment, that feeds into the placeholder argument," said Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy, a South Asia security expert at the Institute Of Peace & Conflict Studies, a think tank in New Delhi.

A lot of force

Born into a strict religious family in Afghanistan's second largest city Kandahar, Akhundzada was an early member of the Taliban - a movement that emerged in the surrounding southern province of Helmand from the ashes of the Afghan civil war.

When the Taliban ruled between 1996-2001 with a strict interpretation of sharia law that banned women from working and imposed punishments such as stonings, Akhundzada served as the chief of its justice system, according to the United Nations.

In the wake of the US invasion of Afghanistan and ouster of the Taliban after the Sept. 11 attacks, Reuters exclusively reported that Akhundzada fled to Pakistan where he taught and preached at a mosque for 15 years.

Colleagues and students at that mosque described Akhundzada as a studious disciplinarian and a fierce orator.

"He spoke with a lot of force about the US and the war and that we would not give up our jihad," one former pupil said, recalling a speech he gave at a public rally in Quetta in 2014.

Akhundzada was not the obvious selection when senior members of the Taliban met in 2016 to appoint a new head after the death of leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in a US drone strike.

Read | Protesting airstrikes in Panjshir, people throng Kabul streets chanting 'death to Pakistan'

While Akhundzada hailed from the large and powerful Noorzai tribe, his stock within the regime was seen as more scholarly than soldierly, unlike previous leaders.

But he was a compromise between the young and inexperienced son of late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was wanted by the US in connection with a deadly 2008 attack on a Kabul hotel, sources told Reuters at the time.

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri pledged allegiance to Akhundzada in an online audio message soon after the Taliban leader took over, Reuters has reported.

Unlike other Taliban leaders, Akhundzada is not on the UN sanctions list. However, his son Abdur Rahman died in carrying out a suicide bombing at an Afghan military base in Helmand in July 2017, according to a spokesman for the Taliban.

Early in his leadership, Akhundzada instituted reforms that consolidated his influence over an insurgency weakened by division and defection.

But he kept a low public profile. The only photo Reuters has been able to verify of him was an undated image posted on a Taliban Twitter feed in May 2016. It was identified separately by several Taliban officials, who declined be named.

This shadowy existence has led to constant speculation about his whereabouts and health. So secretive are the Taliban about their leaders that the death of the movement's founder Mullah Omar in 2013 was only confirmed two years later by his son.
He co-founded the Taliban, helped it rebuild during two decades of war with the US and then brokered a deal to get American troops out. Now, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradars job is about to get even harder.

Baradar, named as deputy prime minister in a Taliban government unveiled on Tuesday, is still the most well-known figure to the outside world in the new administration. Taliban supreme commander Haibatullah Akhundzada hasnt been seen in public since becoming the groups leader in 2016, and little is known about new Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan.

To get access to international aid and billions in central bank assets, Baradar will have to convince world leaders that this is a different Taliban, a more moderate version of a group infamous for banning girls from school and stoning women to death during its rule in the 1990s. US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said major countries around the world were all trying to figure out what do they do now.

All the while, Baradar will be in the crosshairs of Taliban hard-liners who do not see any reason to change their movements core beliefs to please the unbelievers, said Husain Haqqani, Pakistans former ambassador in Washington.

Also read: US 'concerned' by Taliban govt makeup but will look at 'actions'

A soft-spoken figure in his 50s with a gray beard, Baradar has proven to be an adept diplomat, helping lead negotiations with the US during the Trump administration that culminated in him meeting Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to formalize the American withdrawal.

In fact, his role as a potential mediator was seen as so crucial that the Trump administration pressed Pakistan to free him in 2018 after almost a decade in jail.

As an interlocutor, I think he remains respected, said Carter Malkasian, who sat in on several rounds of talks with Baradar while serving as a special assistant for strategy to then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. He has the ability to evoke trust.

Details of Baradars early life are obscure. According to Interpol, he was born into an influential Pashtun tribe in a village in southern Afghanistans Uruzgan province in 1968.

He comes across very much as an Afghan leader from the villages, he has the same kind of gestures and behavior, said Malkasian, author of The American War in Afghanistan: A History. He listens to you when you talk, hes welcoming and willing to shake hands. Hes not standoffish, but hes also quiet and not boisterous. Its a quiet kind of charisma.

Also read: Haibatullah Akhundzada: Shadowy Taliban supreme leader whose son was suicide bomber

By the time Baradar was five, Afghanistans brief golden age had given way to a period of coups, assassinations and purges that culminated in the Soviet invasion of the country in 1979. As a teenager, he was drawn to the US-backed Mujahideen guerrilla movement, which aimed to rid the country of Soviet influence.

During these years Baradar met the one-eyed cleric, Mullah Mohammed Omar, with whom he would later found the Taliban. The Soviet withdrawal in 1989 opened the door for the Taliban to seize power in 1996, but the groups harshness toward women, girls and Afghan minorities left it shunned diplomatically by all but three governments: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Baradar served in roles including deputy defense minister, even as Afghanistan became a refuge for international terrorists -- most prominently Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

When US-backed forces advanced rapidly across the country in late 2001, Baradar and the rest of the Taliban leadership fled to Pakistan, where they became -- once again -- insurgents against an occupying power. Slowly but methodically, Baradar took the lead rebuilding the organization.

Baradar was essentially the re-founder of the Taliban from 2002-3, said Antonio Giustozzi, author of The Taliban at War: 2001-2018, and a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. It was Baradar who changed the Taliban from a charismatic-led movement, under an autocratic leader such as Omar to a collegial movement in which Bardar was always first among equals, he said.

Under pressure as the Obama administration began its surge of US troops, Baradar attempted to negotiate with Afghanistans President Hamid Karzai -- an effort that irked Pakistans powerful intelligence agencies, which didnt see a negotiated settlement as in their interest. He was arrested in 2010.

Amar Sinha, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, said Baradars history of seeking to broker peace deals and reconciliation suggests he has nationalist feelings that might make the Talibans boosters in Pakistan nervous. Such tendencies suggest Baradar is most interested in an Afghanistan first view of the world, which wont always coincide with what other nations want, he said.

Out of Prison

Baradar didnt re-emerge onto the Afghan political scene until 2018, this time with the help of America. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US negotiator charged with fulfilling President Donald Trumps promise to get American troops out of the country, felt that negotiations in Doha had reached a stalemate.

At Americas urging, Baradar was released from prison in October 2018 and named head of the Talibans political office in Qatar the following January. His first meeting with the US brought a marked change in tone.

While maintaining the Talibans negotiating stance, Baradar quickly established the respect of the US team, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person, who described the closed-door talks on condition of anonymity, said Baradar recognized that he wouldnt have been sitting at the table without US efforts to secure his release. For their part, the Americans felt they had a mediator who seemed more straightforward than other Taliban leaders.

Also read: Taliban announce hardline govt as protests grow

Now back in political power, Baradar will need to balance the varied interests of Afghanistans powerful neighbors and regional players, including Iran, India, China and Pakistan, the country that played both patron and captor to the exiled insurgent.

Baradar has shown himself capable of navigating complex politics, in war and peace, but the challenges this time are different, and hell be short of time to prevent Afghanistan from falling into a deeper vortex of conflict and crisis.

People are losing access to basic goods and services every day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned as American troops completed their withdrawal. A humanitarian catastrophe looms.

For their part, the US and most other countries say the Taliban-led government will be judged on its actions, not only toward women and girls, but to the tens of thousands of Afghans left behind in the rushed withdrawal last month.

Ultimately the expectation is to see a government that makes good on the commitments that the Taliban has made, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday.
Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev has died after he jumped off a cliff trying to save a cameraman who fell during training exercises in the Arctic city of Norilsk, officials and reports said Wednesday.

"The head of the emergencies ministry, Yevgeny Zinichev, tragically died saving a person's life" at inter-agency drills in the Arctic, the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state-funded news outlet RT, said the 55-year-old minister had died as he tried to save a cameraman who fell off a cliff.

"About Zinichev," she wrote on Twitter. "He and the cameraman were standing at the edge of a cliff. The cameraman slipped and fell... Before anyone even figured out what happened Zinichev jumped into the water after the fallen person and crashed against a protruding rock."

It was not immediately clear when the death took place.

President Vladimir Putin was notified of the minister's death, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Zinichev was a member of the KGB security service in the last years of the USSR and his career took off after he served in Putin's security detail between 2006 and 2015.

He held a number of high-profile jobs, briefly serving as acting governor of Russia's exclave region of Kaliningrad and then as deputy head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

He was appointed head of the emergencies ministry in May, 2018. He was also a member of Russia's Security Council.

As head of the emergencies ministry, he held one of the highest-profile cabinet jobs, dealing with natural and man-made disasters and other rapid-response situations across the vast country.

The two-day drills he was participating in across several Arctic cities including Norilsk, kicked off on Tuesday and involved over 6,000 people.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman has dismissed the director of public security, Khalid bin Qarar al-Harbi, ordering his investigation on corruption charges, state media reported Wednesday.

"Khaled al-Harbi's service has been terminated by referring him to retirement and to an investigation," said the official Saudi Press Agency, citing a royal decree.

Harbi -- along with 18 others in both the private and public sectors -- has been accused of embezzling public money, forgery, bribery and abuse of influence, it added.

Harbi has been the kingdom's director of public security since December 2018, and he had previously been the commander of special emergency forces, according to local media.

The kingdom announced Tuesday night that it has uncovered more than dozen cases of corruption -- one of which involved a national security official -- in recent months, for sums worth 290 million riyals ($77.3 million).

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, the king's son, launched in 2017 a vast anti-corruption campaign shortly after his appointment as crown prince.

The campaign saw Riyadh's luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel serve for three months as a makeshift detention centre for dozens of princes and senior officials suspected of graft or disloyalty.

Already viewed as the de facto ruler controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy, Prince Mohammed is widely seen to be stamping out traces of internal dissent.

Saudi authorities have allocated a toll-free hotline for residents to report any suspicious corruption activity, with banners across the kingdom urging people to cooperate with the anti-corruption campaign.

Saudi Arabia, which ranks 51 out of 180 countries on Transparency International's corruption index, has for decades faced endemic graft and the deeply ingrained social practice of "wasta", or using influence and personal connections to get ahead.

Prince Mohammed told the advisory Shura Council in 2019 that the anti-corruption campaign had yielded 247 billion riyals ($66 billion) over the past three years in addition to assets, real estate and stocks worth billions more.

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The Taliban announced their new government on Tuesday, with a UN-blacklisted veteran of the hardline movement in the top role, after the hardliners swept to power in a lightning offensive which toppled the US-backed president.

The announcement came as protests were growing against Taliban rule, with two people shot dead in the western city of Herat on Tuesday, a doctor told AFP.

The Islamist hardliners, notorious for their brutal and oppressive rule during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, had pledged a more "inclusive" brand of rule as US troops completed their chaotic pullout.

But all the key positions appointed Tuesday are core, veteran players in the movement.

Chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference that the new government would be an interim one, and that veteran official Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund would serve as its new acting prime minister.

Read | Taliban appoint UN-sanctioned Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund leader of new govt

He had served as deputy foreign minister under the Taliban's old regime, and is on a UN blacklist.

Mujahid also said that Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will be the deputy leader. Previously he served as the head of his movement's political office, overseeing the signing of the US withdrawal agreement in 2020.

Mullah Yaqoob, the son of the Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar, was named defence minister, while the position of interior minister was given to Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the feared Haqqani network who also doubled up as a Taliban deputy leader.

Shortly after the announcement of the new lineup, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the secretive supreme leader of the Taliban made his first statement since his movement's stunning takeover of Afghanistan, saying that the new government would "work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and sharia law".

Following their 20-year insurgency, the Taliban now face the colossal task of ruling Afghanistan, which is wracked with economic woes and security challenges -- including from the Islamic State group's local chapter.

In what appeared to be a fresh sign that the Taliban are seeking to appease sceptics, Mujahid said the government -- as yet incomplete -- would only have an interim role.

"We will try to take people from other parts of the country," he said.

One analyst told AFP, however, that the new lineup was far removed from the softer brand of rule the movement had pledged.

"It's not at all inclusive, and that's no surprise whatsoever," said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"The Taliban had never indicated that any of its cabinet ministers would include anyone other than themselves."

Read | Protesting airstrikes in Panjshir, people throng Kabul streets chanting 'death to Pakistan'

Scattered protests in recent days have indicated that some Afghans do not believe in the Taliban's capacity to translate their promise of a more moderate rule into reality.

In Herat, scores of demonstrators marched, unfurling banners and waving the old Afghan flag -- a black, red and green vertical tricolour with the national emblem overlaid in white.

Taliban militants opened fire to disperse the crowds who had gathered to protest against Pakistan -- seen widely as a backer of Afghanistan's new rulers.

Two bodies were brought to the city's central hospital from the site of the protest, a doctor in Herat told AFP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

"They all have bullet wounds," he said.

Videos posted on social media of a separate rally showed more than a hundred people marching through the streets of Kabul under the watchful eye of armed Taliban members.

Demonstrations have also been held in smaller cities in recent days, where women have demanded to be part of a new government.

General Mobin, a Taliban official in charge of security in the capital, told AFP he had been called to the scene by guards who said that "women were creating a disruption".

"These protesters are gathered based only on the conspiracy of foreign intelligence," he claimed.

Read | Pakistani Taliban warns journalists against calling them 'terrorists and extremists'

An Afghan journalist covering the demonstration told AFP his press ID and camera were confiscated by the Taliban.

"I was kicked and told to go away," he said.

Later, the Kabul-based Afghan Independent Journalists Association said 14 journalists -- Afghan and foreign -- were detained briefly during the protests before being released.

Images shared online showed reporters with cuts and bruises to their hands and knees.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban had reiterated a pledge to allow Afghans to freely depart Afghanistan.

US President Joe Biden has faced mounting pressure amid reports that several hundred people, including Americans, have been prevented for a week from flying out of an airport in northern Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks in Germany on Wednesday with nations shaken by the Afghanistan withdrawal as the Taliban announced a hardline new government.

The top US diplomat flew out of Qatar, the largest transit hub in a massive airlift from Afghanistan, to tour another processing hub for thousands of evacuees at the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany.

Blinken will meet in Ramstein with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas before they lead a 20-nation virtual meeting of ministers on the way forward in Afghanistan.

Also Read | Taliban govt is anything but inclusive: Afghan envoy to UN

The United States will likely seek to shore up international pressure on the Taliban to make good on their commitments to let Afghans leave freely if they choose.

The talks could also bring coordination on how to deal with the caretaker government announced Tuesday, which has no women or non-Taliban members and includes an interior minister who the United States is seeking to arrest on terrorism accusations.

The United States said it was "concerned" by the makeup of the government, but would judge it by its actions. US officials have stressed that any official recognition of a Taliban government is far off.

Germany, like many US allies, had celebrated President Joe Biden's victory over the abrasive Donald Trump and the new administration's stated emphasis on working with the rest of the world.

But even some close allies have been critical over how Biden ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan, which led to the Western-backed government crumbling within days.

Also Read | The Taliban cant print cash and other Afghan business challenges

Armin Laschet, the leader of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling party and candidate to succeed her, described the Afghanistan mission as "the biggest debacle" in NATO's history.

Biden has long favored pulling out of Afghanistan, arguing that the US-led NATO mission had achieved its core goal of accountability for the September 11 attacks 20 years ago this week and that the United States should not invest further blood or treasure in propping up a weak government.

Blinken has said that Washington will work with allies to exert diplomatic and economic leverage in Afghanistan even after the end of America's longest war.

"I think one mistake that is often made is to somehow equate our engagement in anything we're working on with the number of American boots we have on the ground in uniform," Blinken told reporters in Qatar.

"We have a much broader definition of what engagement means."

In 2019, foreign donors led by the United States provided 75 percent of public expenditure in Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest nations. The country's economy has further deteriorated since the Western-backed government's collapse.

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At least 14 members of the Taliban's hardline interim government in Kabul are on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund and both his deputies, raising concern of the international community over the composition of the new Cabinet in Afghanistan.

Specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, who carries a reward of $10 million US bounty on his head, is the acting interior minister while his uncle - Khalil Haqqani  has been named as acting minister for refugees.

Acting defence minister Mullah Yaqoob, acting foreign minister Mullah Ameer Khan Muttaqi and his deputy Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai are all listed under the UNSC 1988 Sanctions Committee, also known as the Taliban Sanctions Committee.

"At least 14 members of the Taliban's interim government are on the UN Security Council blacklist, BBC Urdu reported.

Read | Pakistan set to host meeting of Afghanistan neighbours

The 33-member interim Cabinet includes four of the five leaders known as the "Taliban Five" who were once held at the Guantanamo Bay prison. They include Mullah Mohammad Fazil (deputy defence minister), Khairullah Khairkhwa (information and culture minister), Mullah Noorullah Noori (Borders and Tribal Affairs minister) and Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq (Director of Intelligence). The fifth member of the group, Mohammad Nabi Omari, has been appointed as governor of eastern Khost Province recently.

The "Taliban Five" leaders were released from Guantanamo Bay prison by the Obama administration in 2014 in exchange for US Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl. Fazil and Noori are accused of ordering the massacres of ethnic Shia Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek communities in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998.

The Taliban had promised an "inclusive" government that represents Afghanistan's complex ethnic makeup, but there is no Hazara member in the Cabinet. All of the Cabinet ministers announced on Tuesday are already established Taliban leaders who fought against the US-led coalition forces since 2001. No woman has been named in the interim Cabinet.

Acting Prime Minister Mullah Hasan has been described as "a close associate" of Taliban founder Mullah Omar in a UN sanctions report. He is presently head of the Talibans powerful decision-making body - Rehbari Shura or leadership council.

Also Read | Who is Mullah Hasan Akhund? What does the Talibans choice of interim prime minister mean for Afghanistan?

Both Deputy Prime Ministers - Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi, who is involved in drug trafficking, are also on the UN blacklist.

Acting interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of the famous anti-Soviet warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani and chief of the notorious Haqqani Network, is wanted by the FBI for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul that killed six people, including an American citizen. He is believed to have coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against the US and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Two other members of the Haqqani clan were also named to positions in the interim government, indicating the hand of Pakistan in the Taliban-run government.

The announcement of the interim government came three days after Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Hameed dashed to Kabul on an unannounced visit last week. The inclusion of top leaders of the Haqqani Network, which is believed to have close links with the ISI, in the Taliban government is an indication of the influence Islamabad, especially its intelligence agencies, have over the Taliban.

Follow live Afghanistan news updates here

Sirajuddin Haqqani and some other members of the new Cabinet studied at the Darul Uloom Haqqania - a madrassa in Akora Khattak in Nowshera in northwest Pakistan, which has also been dubbed the Taliban University or the 'University of Jihad' internationally.

Water and Energy Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor and Telecommunication minister Najibullah Haqqani  both on the UN blacklist - and Education Minister Maulana Abdul Baqi Haqqani also studied at the Darul Uloom Haqqania.

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had allocated Rs 300 million to the Darul Uloom Haqqani in its annual budget in 2016.

Qari Din Hanif, acting Minister of Economy, and Maulvi Noor Jalal, deputy interior minister, are other members of the Cabinet who are on the UN blacklist.

Commenting on the Talibans Cabinet, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN does not engage in recognition of governments and reiterated that only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will bring sustainable peace to the conflict-torn country.

In response to a question that those named to the government by the Taliban include individuals designated under the UN sanctions regime and whether the UN will recognise the Taliban government, Haq reiterated that the UN doesn't engage in recognition of governments. That's an issue for member governments to do."

Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani in a tweet on Wednesday expressed concerns over the Talibans move to ignore an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan's first priority is stability & peace. Ignoring the need for inclusive government, foreign intervention and the use of military means instead of dialogue to meet the demands of ethnic groups and social groups are the main concerns of the friends of the Afghan people," he tweeted.

The US has said that it is assessing the new Afghan government announced by the Taliban.

"We note the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates and no women. We also are concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of the individuals," a State Department statement said.

Top American lawmakers from the opposition Republican Party have hit out at the Taliban over their interim government, describing it as "a government of terrorists, by the terrorists, and for the terrorists."

"This is a government of terrorists, by the terrorists, and for the terrorists," said the Republican Study Committee, which is the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives and chaired by Congressman Jim Banks.

"The Taliban's new cabinet comprises former Guantanamo Bay detainees, designated terrorists, and other individuals closely tied to foreign terror groups like Al-Qaeda and the Haqqani Network," Congressman Tim Burchett said.

Noting that four of the five prisoners that Obama traded for Bowe Bergdahl are now senior Taliban government officials, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney said, "The Obama-Biden policy of weakness and appeasement always backfires on Americans sooner or later."
China on Wednesday banned private tutors from giving classes online or in unregistered venues such as residential buildings, hotels and coffee shops, ramping up its effort to stamp out all for-profit tutoring.

Authorities this year banned for-profit tutoring in subjects on the school curriculum in an effort to ease pressure on children and parents.

A competitive higher education system has made tutoring services popular with parents but the government has sought to reduce the cost of child-rearing in an effort to nudge up a lagging birthrate.

Media has reported this week on various ways parents and tutors have been trying to circumvent the rules, including how some agencies were advertising live-in tutors who could command salaries of up to 30,000 yuan ($4,650) a month.

"In some places, subject tutoring has moved 'underground' or put on a different 'vest' to evade the regulations," the Ministry of Education said in a statement announcing the new ban.

"This has impacted the policy's implementation."

The crackdown on tutoring has roiled the shares of tutoring companies traded in Hong Kong and New York, including New Oriental Education & Technology Group and Gaotu Techedu Inc.

The ministry said off-campus centres that offer tutoring in subjects on the school curriculum need to be licensed, operate out of registered venues and hire qualified teachers.

The ministry said attempts to evade the regulations include hiring private tutors in the guise of "housekeeping services", "cultural communication" or "live-in tutors" as well as conducting classes in the name of summer camps or study tours.

Offline institutions will also not be allowed to conduct online after-school tutoring via instant messaging, video conference or live streaming platforms, the ministry said.

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The European Union on Wednesday said the "caretaker" government unveiled by the Taliban in Afghanistan failed to honour vows from the new rulers to include different groups.

"Upon initial analysis of the names announced, it does not look like the inclusive and representative formation in terms of the rich ethnic and religious diversity of Afghanistan we hoped to see and that the Taliban were promising over the past weeks," an EU spokesperson said.

The EU's 27 nations have set out five conditions for increasing their engagement with the Taliban  including the formation of an "inclusive and representative" transitional government.

The spokesperson for the bloc said that "such inclusivity and representation is expected in the composition of a future transitional government, and as result of negotiations".

Also Read | Taliban's interim govt has put an end to 'anarchy', a 'necessary step' to restore order in Afghanistan: China

The Taliban on Tuesday announced a hardline caretaker government which has no women or non-Taliban members and includes key figures who are under United Nations sanctions or wanted by the United States on terrorism accusations.

Foreign ministers from 20 nations are to hold talks on Wednesday led by the top diplomats from the US and Germany that could deal with how to approach the new administration.

The West has been scrambling to work out a way forward on Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in the wake of the US-led withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.
Former president Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country last month as the Taliban entered Kabul, apologised Wednesday to the Afghan people, because "I could not make it end differently".

In a statement on Twitter, Ghani said he left at the urging of the palace security in order to avoid the risk of bloody street fighting, and again denied stealing millions from the treasury.
Guinea's new military rulers have released dozens of political prisoners jailed by the previous civilian government, in a move likely to win them favour with the opposition that had protested against now-deposed President Alpha Conde.

The 79 prisoners freed late Tuesday had been held on a variety of charges, including breaching security, destroying public property and manufacturing weapons. All were invited to a political rally Saturday in the capital.

Many are activists from the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), a longtime opposition party led by Cellou Dalein Diallo, who ran and lost to Conde in the last three presidential polls.

Read more: Guinea junta says President Conde unharmed, his wellbeing guaranteed

The prisoners' release was welcomed by Guineans who had demonstrated against Conde's quest for a third term in office last year.

The gesture comes as the junta faces growing international pressure to release the deposed president and restore civilian rule.

Among those freed was Keamou Bogola Haba, opposition spokesman for the coalition of political parties that fought against Conde's bid to prolong his rule.

We were imprisoned because of the third term and we leave with our heads held high because the third term has become impossible," he said.

"No other Guinean will be able to do it again."

Conde, who already had served two terms, said last year that the constitutional term limits no longer applied after voters backed a referendum at his behest.

The 83-year-old stood to potentially remain in power until 2030 until Sunday's military coup led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya.

The opposition has said it will work together with the junta but also urged the new military leadership to quickly restore the rule of law.

Conde remains in the custody of the junta, who have only said that he is in a secure location with access to medical care.

The West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has threatened economic sanctions against Guinea if he is not released.

A little over a year ago mutinous soldiers in neighbouring Mali also overthrew their democratically elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. ECOWAS eventually agreed to an 18-month transition back to civilian rule in Mali, though there are renewed concerns that the junta there will not meet the deadline for holding new elections.

On Tuesday, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan headed to Bamako as the regional body's mediator. General Francis Behanzin, ECOWAS' Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, told reporters that the mission appreciated the renewed expression of the transition's authorities to respect the period of the transition, agreed before the international community.

However, the mission remains concerned about the lack of concrete actions in the effective preparation of the electoral process, he said.

The recent coups in Guinea and Mali come after a long period without military power grabs, and many had hoped it was a sign that the era of armed takeovers was waning.

Until last August, Mali's military had not carried out a coup since 2012, while the last military takeover in Guinea had been in 2008.

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A 23-year-old Indian was found murdered at an apartment in Truro town of Canadas Nova Scotia province, with community members suspecting it a racially- motivated hate crime, according to media reports.

David MacNeil of the Truro Police Service said a 911 call from 494 Robie St at 2 am on Sunday brought officers to the apartment building, where they found a man with life-threatening injuries, CBC Canada reported.

MacNeil confirmed the victim was Prabhjot Singh Katri who later died of his injuries.

Singh worked for Layton's taxi as well as one or two restaurants in Truro.

Police are treating the death as a homicide, the report said.

A man was arrested in connection with the murder but was later released.

"We executed several search warrants on the weekend and we did have a person of interest that was arrested shortly after. However, they have since been released from our custody without charges related to this homicide at this time," MacNeil said.

"That man remains a person of interest," he said.

MacNeil said he met with the victim's family, friends, and members of the local Indian-Canadian community Sunday night to express his condolences.

Singh came to Canada from India in 2017 to study.

"Singh was a hard-working young man with a bright future and this is an absolutely senseless loss of life," MacNeil said. "The community is outraged by this."

A GoFundMe has been set up in an effort to send Singh's body to India, CTV News reported.

Singh's friends are worried that the attack was a racially motivated hate crime, the report said.

Jatinder Kumardeep said Singh was "an innocent guy coming back from his job. He drives a taxi."

Kumardeep said he has not slept since his friend died. Kumardeep said there are few international students in Truro, so most get to know each other. They both come from Punjab, India, and so bonded in Nova Scotia.

"We feel very unsafe," he said.

"We are also people. Brown people also matter. We are giving our everything to this country," he said. "Why is this happening to us?" Agampal Singh said his friend was a good person.

"Nothing was robbed. Even his phone was in his pocket," Singh said. "We don't have any idea why this happened."

His friend had no enemies, he said.

"He was a very innocent guy. Never had bad company, never smoked, never drank, he didn't touch drugs. He had only a few friends here," Agampal said.

"He didn't talk with people he didn't know. I think it might be a hate crime."

"We are coming to this country for a good future," he said. "We are not safe. I can't even sleep."

MacNeil, however, said, "Contrary to social media, we have no information on the motive that we're releasing at this point in time,"

"We don't believe there is any ongoing threat to the public," he added, without offering the reasons behind that assessment.

He did not say if the police think the attack was random, or that the attacker targeted Singh. MacNeil said the investigation was ongoing. The crime scene at the apartment building has been released.

Police did not release the victim's name, nor provide information on any suspects.

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Protesters have destroyed around a dozen military-owned communications towers in Myanmar, witnesses and reports said Wednesday, after the country's self-proclaimed shadow government issued a call for a "defensive war" against the junta.

The country has been in chaos since the military seized power in February, sparking mass pro-democracy rallies followed by a deadly crackdown and renewed fighting with ethnic rebel militias in border areas.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed and nearly 8,000 arrested, according to local observers.

Protesters said they targeted 11 mobile phone masts belonging to the military-owned Mytel, one of the country's four main cell networks, in the town of Budalin in the central Sagaing region.

"Our intention is to destroy the military business. Their businesses support (them) to maintain their power. Therefore, we have to destroy it," a resident involved in the operation told AFP.

Video footage from local media shows an explosion at the base of one tower followed by the structure falling down, to applause from onlookers.

Two more masts were destroyed elsewhere in the Sagaing region, local sources told AFP.

Also read: Myanmar shadow government unveils new strategy to oppose military rule

While attacks on military-owned infrastructure and businesses have been seen before, Tuesday's spate of blasts comes after a call to arms from the so-called National Unity Government (NUG).

The NUG, which claims to be the country's legitimate government, is made up of dissident lawmakers in hiding or exile, many of them from ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party.

NUG acting president Duwa Lashi La on Tuesday urged citizens to target military assets in their areas.

"We launch a people's defensive war against the junta," he said in a recorded video.

"All citizens within... Myanmar revolt against the military terrorists led by Min Aung Hlaing."

As early as May the NUG announced the formation of "people's defence forces" to take on the junta's heavily-armed, battle-hardened troops, but they have yet to have a major impact.

The military authorities -- officially known as the State Administration Council (SAC) -- dismiss the NUG and its affiliates as "terrorists" seeking to bring the country to ruin.

Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun accused the NUG of attention-seeking ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week which will consider whether the junta or shadow government should represent Myanmar.

"The terrorist groups realise that they are nearly failing. That's why the attempt to keep up their efforts in order to grab international attention," Zaw Min Tun said in a statement.

The junta has defended its power grab by alleging massive fraud during elections in late 2020 which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide.

Military chief Min Aung Hlaing -- named by the SAC as prime minister of a "caretaker government" -- last month pledged to hold fresh elections by August 2023.
By Eltaf Najafizada,

The Taliban included the leader of a US-designated terrorist organisation in a new government to formally mark the groups return to power after 20 years of war with America, as the West grapples with whether to recognise the new administration.

Mullah Mohammad Hassan, the little-known head of the Talibans leadership council, was named as acting prime minister, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said at a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday. Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the main public face of the group who signed a peace deal with the Trump administration last year, will serve as his deputy.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the Haqqani Network who is on the FBIs most wanted list for terrorism, will serve as acting interior minister. That may complicate any moves by the US to cooperate with the Taliban, particularly as President Joe Biden urges the Taliban to cut all ties with terrorist groups.

Also read: Afghanistans embassy in India refuses to pledge allegiance to Talibans government in Kabul

The Taliban want good relations with all countries in the world, including the US, Mujahed told reporters. He called the cabinet a diverse group that included a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds, although no women were chosen.

Were not a tribal force, Mujahed said. We hope all countries in the world will recognise the legitimacy of our government and our Islamic regime.

The US and its allies have been watching to see whether the Taliban would form an inclusive government that can stabilise the country and prevent a return to civil war. Other demands include freedom of travel for those who want to leave Afghanistan and rights for women, who faced extreme repression when the Taliban last held power at the turn of the century.

At a briefing on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she didnt have a timeline for when the US would recognise the new Taliban government and was still working to evacuate remaining Americans.

Also read: Taliban supreme leader tells new govt to uphold sharia law in first message since takeover

Theres no rush to recognition, she said. It is really going to be dependent on what steps the Taliban takes. The world will be watching, the United States included.

For the new Taliban government, lots is at stake. Signs of an economic crisis are brewing, with prices of essential goods rising in Kabul while banks run short on cash. The US has frozen roughly $9 billion in assets belonging to Da Afghanistan Bank, or DAB, the nations central bank, and the International Monetary Fund cut off the group from using fund reserve assets.

Mujahed made no mention of Taliban Supreme Commander Haibatullah Akhundzada, who hasnt been seen in public since becoming the groups leader in 2016. Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of former supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar -- who refused to give up Osama bin Laden to the US before the 2001 invasion -- became acting defense minister.

Other key appointments included:

- Abdul Salam Hanafi, second deputy prime minister. Hes an ethnic Uzbek and a member of Talibans political office in Doha, Qatar. He was deputy minister of education when the Taliban last ruled between 1996-2001.

- Amir Khan Muttaqi as acting foreign minister. Hes an ethnic Pasthun from Helmand province and was a senior member of Talibans political office and negotiation team in Doha.

Hedayatullah Badri as acting finance minister. Little is known about Badri.

- Din Mohammad as acting economy minister. An ethnic Tajik, he was also a member of Talibans negotiation team in Doha. He was the minister for planning and higher education during the Talibans previous rule.

Also read: Taliban appoint UN-sanctioned Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund leader of new govt

- Mohammad Idris as acting governor of the central bank. Idris headed the Talibans economic commission. Little else is known about him, including his education background and professional qualifications in dealing with monetary, currency and banking policy.

- The regional and wider security threats have already played out at the Kabul airport, where a suicide bombing blamed on a local off-shoot of the Islamic State terror group killed nearly 170 Afghans and 13 US service personnel in the last days of the chaotic American evacuation from the country.

The Taliban has sought to recast themselves in a more moderate mold: promising amnesty for their enemies, vowing to build an inclusive government with various ethnic groups, keep terrorist groups off Afghan soil and allowing women to work within the bounds of Shariah law.

But many Afghans are cautious about the promised shifts in the Talibans stance, highlighted by two weeks of desperate scenes at Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport. Several people died as massive crowds rushed to the tarmac soon after the militant takeover, and even the suicide bombing failed to deter crowds.

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North Korea appears to have staged a large night-time military parade of a type it has used in the past to unveil new military hardware, including large ballistic missiles, South Korean and other media focused on the country reported on Thursday.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the parade appeared to have taken place in Pyongyang on September 9 local time, while the specialist NK News online publication quoted multiple informed sources as saying a parade had been due to start at midnight local time. September 9 is North Korea's national day.

In a tweet, NK News said citizens were seen late in the evening preparing for the parade near Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square. It said roads were closed and no regular vehicles seen.
By Ali A Olomi for The Conversation,

The Taliban announced on September 7, 2021, that Mullah Hasan Akhund has been appointed interim prime minister of Afghanistan.

The decision comes more than two weeks after the militant Islamist group seized control of much of the country, including the capital, Kabul. The Conversation asked Ali A Olomi, a historian of the Middle East and Islam at Penn State University, to explain who Mullah Akhund is, and what his appointment may portend for Afghanistan amid concern over human rights in the war-ravaged nation.

Who is Mullah Hasan Akhund?

Mullah Akhund is a fascinating but relatively enigmatic figure in the Taliban. He has been an influential figure in Afghanistan since the inception of the militant group in the 1990s.

Also Read | Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar: The quiet Taliban deal maker holds key role for Afghan future

But unlike other Taliban leaders from that period, he was not involved in the Soviet-Afghan war of the 1980s. While Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar and his deputies fought with the mujahedeen  a loose network of anti-Soviet Afghan fighters  Akhund did not.

Instead, he is seen much more as a religious influence in the Taliban. He served on the Talibans shura councils, the traditional decision-making body made up of religious scholars and mullahs  an honorific given to those trained in Islamic theology.

Akhund is probably best known as one of the architects of the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the giant cliff statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Initially, Omar had no intention of destroying the statues. But the Taliban founder was angered at seeing conservation money being made available for the UNESCO world heritage site while failing to secure humanitarian aid from the United Nations for Afghanistan. As such, Omar sought out the advice of his shura, and Akhund was part of the council that ordered the destruction of the sixth-century statues.

Akhund held a political role in the Taliban government of the 1990s, serving as foreign minister; however, his importance lies more in the development of the groups religious identity. He, like Mullah Omar, was schooled in a brand of strict Islamist ideology, known as Deobandism.

After the Taliban was ousted from Afghanistan in 2001, Akhund remained an influential presence, operating mostly from exile in Pakistan. From there he would give spiritual and religious guidance to the Taliban throughout the 2000s and 2010s. In this role, he provided the ideological justification for the ongoing insurgency against the United States and the US-backed Afghan government.

Today, there are broadly two factions in the Taliban  a military wing that carries out the day-to-day campaigns, and a conservative religious elite grounded in Deobandism that acts as its political wing. Mullah Akhund aligns very much with the religious faction of the Taliban.

What does his appointment tell us about the Taliban?

There appears to be a power struggle behind Akhunds appointment. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who served as deputy to Omar during the early years of the Taliban before assuming the position of de facto leader after Omars death, had been seen by many experts on Afghanistan as a potential head of state.

But there is political tension between Baradar and the powerful Haqqani network  a family-based Islamist group that has become the Talibans de facto diplomatic arm in recent years and has been successful in gaining support for the group among other local groups.

Also Read | New Taliban cabinet includes a US-designated terrorist

The Haqqanis are among the most militant factions of the Taliban. And recent conciliatory language from Baradar on issues such as womens rights, working with the international community and amnesty for members of the former government runs counter to the ideology of the Haqqani network.

Akhund seems to be a compromise candidate between supporters of Baradar and the Haqqani network. The delay in his appointment  the Taliban repeatedly put off making an announcement  could be an indicator of internal divisions in the Taliban.

When the announcement came, it was accompanied by news that Baradar would be his deputy, while two members of the Haqqani network would also serve in the Afghan government.

Whether this arrangement is permanent or temporary remains to be seen, but the compromise could be a testing of the waters of the Taliban  to see how effective Akhund is as a unifying figure for the group.

What does Akhunds appointment mean for Afghanistan?

Akhund is a conservative, religious scholar whose beliefs include restrictions on women and the denial of civil rights for ethic and religious minorities.

His edicts in the 1990s, adopted by the Taliban, included the banning of womens education, enforcing gender segregation and the adoption of strict religious garb. This could all be an indicator of what is to come. Despite the conciliatory language of the Taliban of late, I believe it is likely that we might see a return to some of the rules in place when the Taliban previously held power, including a ban on womens education.

We have already seen on September 5 the Taliban order female university students to wear the abaya. The abaya is similar to a burka, but it differs in that the coverings are nearly always black. The abaya is not Afghan, but a style of dress more common in the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

With this order, I see the Taliban signalling its intention to place Afghanistan within a wider Islamist movement. In the 1990s, the Taliban were very much an insular, nationalist group with the aim of bringing its brand of Islamist rule to Afghanistan. Now, Akhund seems to be looking to position the Taliban alongside international partners  an ambition that can also be seen in the Talibans recent diplomatic outreach with the governments of Qatar, the UAE and Pakistan.

(The author is an Assistant Professor of History at Penn State)
The Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi has refused to pledge its allegiance to the government the Taliban announced in Kabul on Tuesday.

Hours after the Taliban announced its government in Kabul, the Embassy of Afghanistan in the capital of India stated that it did not represent the new regime. The embassy will continue to represent the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in India and not the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan established by the Taliban, said Abdulhaq Azad, a spokesperson of the war-torn countrys diplomatic mission of New Delhi.

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi will continue to provide services to the citizens of Afghanistan in India, Azad told the DH in New Delhi.

Not just India, diplomats posted in the embassies of Afghanistan in many capitals around the world appear to be reluctant to pledge allegiance to the Taliban regime in Kabul.

The acting Prime Minister of the Talibans government in Afghanistan, Mullah Hasan Akhund, and the acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani are among the ones who are under UN sanctions.

Read | Taliban supreme leader tells new govt to uphold sharia law in first message since takeover

Ashraf Haidari, Afghanistans ambassador to Sri Lanka, slammed the new government announced by the Taliban in Kabul on Tuesday. He pointed out in a tweet from Colombo that the new government was led by people under the United Nations sanctions, driven by the clerics, included no women and represented only one ethnic community out of 55 in Afghanistan.

He also underlined that the new government announced by the Taliban had no religious and sectarian diversity and was hand-picked by a foreign power. He, however, did not directly refer to Pakistan, which had allegedly created the Taliban in 1990s, helped it survive the US military offensive over the past 20 years and facilitated its resurgence over the past few years  in order to gain a strategic depth in Afghanistan and edge against India.

Said T Jawad, Kabuls envoy to Moscow, retweeted a video of protests by Afghans in front of the Embassy of Pakistan in the capital of his country. Tahir Qadiry, Afghanistans ambassador to Poland, posted on Twitter a picture of a militant brandishing his gun to stop men and women protesting against the Taliban in Kabul.

Shukria Barakzai, Kabuls envoy to Oslo, also retweeted pictures and videos of protests against the Taliban.

The Taliban took over Kabul on August 15 after occupying most of the provincial capitals across Afghanistan in a swift military blitz, taking advantage of the withdrawal of troops by the United States and its NATO allies. Soon after the Islamist militants marched into Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani fled the capital city, marking the collapse of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Read | Haibatullah Akhundzada: Shadowy Taliban supreme leader whose son was suicide bomber

Ghanis Vice President Amrullah Saleh, however, on August 18 declared himself from Panjshir Province as the caretaker President, claiming continuation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which had come into existence with the adoption of the new Constitution in 2004.

The Taliban on August 19 last declared the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which had ceased to exist after the US military offensive in the wake of the 9/11 attacks had overthrown Mullah Omars Government in Kabul in 2001. The militants also raised from the presidential palace in Kabul the Emirates white flag with Islamic oath Shahada written on it in black.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it is not feasible to allow a plea for door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination and the court cannot pass a general direction to scrap the existing vaccination policy.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli asked the petitioner Youth Bar Association, to present its suggestions before a competent authority.

The plea asked the court to pass a direction allowing door-to-door Covid-19 jab for the disabled and people belonging to weaker sections of society.

Also read: Courts cant presume that all Covid deaths during second wave were due to negligence: SC

The bench, however, said the vaccination drive was already in progress and over 60% of the population has been administered the first dose.

"With one brush you want an order for the entire country, the bench asked the petitioner, adding that it is matter of governance and it cannot scrap the existing policy.

It said in Ladakh the situation is different from Kerala and in Uttar Pradesh the situation is different from any other state. In urban areas, situation is different from rural areas. There are different kinds of problems in every state in this vast country," the bench added

The petitioners counsel submitted that health ministry should be asked to consider a representation in a time bound manner in this regard.

The bench said it understood that the ministry officials are under pressure during these testing times.

They have to look for oxygen supplies across the country, besides looking into other aspects, the court added.

The bench also said the court was already monitoring the situation under suo motu proceedings.

The bench further emphasised that in the backdrop of the diversity in the country, it is not feasible to pass general directions. Any directions passed should not impinge upon the existing vaccination policy of the government," it said.

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Economic lockdowns hurt output, but once theyre lifted, activity usually bounces back, and jobs return. School lockouts, by comparison, may have a longer and more pernicious effect.

The Supreme Court said that courts could not presume that all Covid-19 deaths in the second wave were due to negligence as it refused to entertain a plea seeking compensation for the kin of the victims by treating it as medical negligence. The top court also said that door-to-door Covid-19 vaccinations were not feasible due to the diverse conditions of the country and it could not pass a general direction to scrap the existing policy.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that a third pandemic wave had arrived, only to issue a clarification hours later that it had not arrived but was on the threshold of the city.

India logged 37,875 fresh Covid-19 infection cases in 24 hours taking the total case tally over 3.3 crore, according to Union Health Ministry data updated this morning. The active cases fell to 3.91 lakh and comprise 1.18 per cent of the total infections. The national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.48 per cent, the ministry said.

Many states are grappling with whether they should allow Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations amid the threat of the third wave. The Andhra Pradesh BJP sought the intervention of Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan to lift the Andhra Pradesh government-imposed curbs on celebrations. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority said that celebrations in public places would not be allowed in the national capital. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said the state government had imposed a ban on the installation of idols in public places. The Bengaluru civic agency, meanwhile, permitted three days of celebrations in public spaces as against the Karnataka government's order allowing five days of festivities.

The moment the first case of Nipah was identified in Kerala, amidst the battle against Covid-19, the government swung into action and took all necessary steps, including forming committees, setting up a testing lab at Kozhikode Medical College and carrying out intensive tracing of contacts, to fight against the virus, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Out of the 248 oxygen generation plants allotted to Karnataka through various sources, around 120 Pressure Swing Adsorption plants have been installed as of date but only 95 have been commissioned so far.

As India crossed the milestone of administering 70 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses, the shortage of Covaxin eight months into the campaign emerged as a source of concern and raised questions about the ramped-up production claims from the manufacturer and the Centre.

The Kerala High Court directed the Centre to allow scheduling of the second Covishield dose after four weeks from the first for those who want to take it earlier than the present suggested gap of 84 days.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories said it had initiated supply of the first dose component of the Sputnik V Russian Covid-19 vaccine to partner hospitals all over the country.

A common reason to remain unvaccinated is the misconception that waiting for natural immunity by choosing infection over vaccination is an option. But infection-acquired immunity may come at a heavy cost.

The Covid-19 infection does not appear to impair the lung function of children and adolescents, according to a study presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress.

The pandemic had a "devastating" impact on the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in 2020, according to a report released by the Global Fund.

Cuba this week became the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against Covid-19, using home-grown jabs not recognised by the World Health Organization.

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Miscreants hurled crude bombs at BJP MP Arjun Singhs residence on Wednesday morning in the North 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal. According to police sources, two or three persons sustained minor injuries during the incident but there were no deaths.

The incident took place around 3 am. The gates of the building were damaged. We have started the investigation and are checking CCTV footage and speaking to locals to identify the miscreants, a senior district police official said.

Singh, who was in Delhi when the incident occurred, alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was behind in the incident.

WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also raised questions regarding the states law and order situation following the incident.

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Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has constituted three regional committees, each headed by a cabinet minister, to examine the status of six disputed areas along the state's border with Assam, an official said on Wednesday.

Members of the committees have been asked to hold discussions with their counterparts in the neighbouring state, where similar panels have been set up, and verify the claims and counter claims made by the two sides, besides resolving differences, especially in matters pertaining to the villages that fall in the disputed areas, the official said.

The six areas in question are Tarabari, Gizang and Hahim in West Khasi Hills district, Ratacherra in East Jaintia Hills and Boklapara and Khanapara-Pilangata in Ri-Bhoi district.

According to a notification issued by Chief Secretary MS Rao, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong will head the committee that will coordinate for Ri-Bhoi district, along with three local MLAs, while PHE minister R Tongkhar will chair the panel for West Khasi Hills district and state transport minister Sniawbhalang Dhar for East Jaintia Hills.

Deputy commissioners in the districts have been asked to provide secretarial and logistic support to the committees, the order stated.

The regional committees will talk to local people, elected members of Autonomous District Council, learn about their perceptions and "establish the geographical location of the villages".

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The banned ULFA (Independent) has said the outfit has "no objection" if Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma is appointed the mediator by the Centre for talks with the outfit, saying he is a "capable person" who knows the historical perspective of the problem.

The chief minister has been repeatedly saying since assuming office that he will try his best to solve the problem of insurgency and his initiative appears to be "genuine and a bold step towards resolving the long-standing problems of the state", ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah told a local television channel.

"If the government of India appoints him as the mediator, then we have no objection to it. He is a capable person who knows the historical perspective of the problem. We are hopeful that he will find a remedy to the 42-year-old issue," Baruah said.

Read more: Sarma government to form new panel to implement Assam Accord

It is ULFA's firm belief that as the chief minister is "fully aware of our struggle, he will be able to present the problem and its historical background before the powers in Delhi in a much better manner than any other mediator appointed by the Government of India," he said.

Baruah said his underground organisation is hopeful that Sarma will be able to convince the Centre about the complexity of the problem which needs to be resolved.

Sarma knows that this is a "political issue created by political leaders" and it is they who must take the process forward to resolve it, Barua added.

Sarma, after taking oath on May 10, had appealed to the ULFA(I) to come forward for peace talks and resolve the issue.

He had recently claimed before reporters that an informal channel of communication has been opened with the ULFA (I) and said he was hopeful that the "matter will be resolved in the next two to three years".

The ULFA(I) chief claimed no other chief minister has shown "this kind of genuine interest" to resolve the issue.

"He has been able to assure the people of Assam that a solution may be possible and so we are also hopeful. In an armed struggle, operations and negotiations continue simultaneously. We are not opposed to dialogue and our doors for talks are always open," he said.

Barua said informal talks have taken place at different times during the tenure of previous chief ministers, including Hiteswar Saikia of the Congress but negotiations did not move in the right direction.

Two-time Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta as also Congress' Tarun Gogoi did take some steps to resolve the problem but a resolution proved elusive. "The policy adopted by Gogoi's government did not lead to a positive result as he later adopted the divide and rule policy which led to the split in the organisation with a section going ahead with negotiations in which we did not participate, and formed the ULFA (Independent)," he said.

The chief minister, in an interview to PTI after assuming office, had mentioned that peace talks with the banned ULFA(I) can progress if the outfit is prepared to discuss its grievances without insisting on sovereignty.

"Barua insists that he will not discuss anything beyond sovereignty but I have taken an oath to protect it. These two are irreconcilable matters but if we can coin another term to discuss their various issues, then we can make some progress," Sarma had said.

The ULFA(I) chief said, in the last 40 years, several accords have been signed -Shillong Accord, Mizo Accord and many more- but there was nothing new in those peace agreements.

The central government should move away from these accords and, if they want a permanent remedy, must find a new way by "understanding the whole issue in the right perspective or else many other organisations will raise their head", he said.

The government should not adopt an attitude that they are the "victors and we are the vanquished and neither do we claim to be so", he said.

The ULFA(I) chief said his outfit appreciates the efforts made by the present state government to tackle the covid pandemic and its drive against drugs, which has created a menace in the lives of the youth, and has responded by declaring a unilateral ceasefire in May this year.

"We are fully aware of our responsibilities and we are supporting these initiatives taken by the chief minister. Therefore, we decided to declare the unilateral ceasefire so that the law-enforcement agencies do not have to deal with any kind of operations against us," Barua added.

The ULFA(I) had declared a unilateral ceasefire on May 15 for three months and extended it on August 14 for another three months.

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A government ferry carrying over 100 passengers from Majuli island drowned in the Brahmaputra river after being hit by a private boat in eastern Assam's Jorhat district on Wednesday afternoon.

Three persons who were fished out of the river till 8 pm died in hospitals, while efforts were under way to rescue other passengers. Visuals shared on social media showed many, including women and children, jumping into the water as the boat capsized.

Officials said the boat that capsized started its journey from Kamalabari ghat in Majuli at around 1.30 pm for Neemati ghat in Jorhat town situated on the opposite bank of the Brahmaputra. This was one of the ferries run by the inland water transport department of Assam between Majuli and Jorhat.

At around 4 pm, it was hit by a private ferry, which just started its journey from Neematighat for Majuli. The mishap took place when the government ferry was about 50 metres away from the Neematighat river bank, an official said.

Some of the passengers swam to the river bank while many others were reportedly missing.

Residents of Majuli, the 500-odd square kilometre island district, depend on the ferries for transportation as there is no bridge connecting Jorhat. The BJP-led government has laid the foundation stone for a bridge but its construction is yet to begin.

The Brahmaputra is about 15 km wide at Neematighat, officials said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa directed the district administration of both Jorhat and Majuli to undertake rescue operations expeditiously with the help of NDRF and SDRF. Sarma will visit Neematighat on Thursday to take stock of the situation, an official statement said.

Sarbanada Sonowal, the union minister of shipping, ports and waterways spoke to CM Sarma over phone and took stock of the rescue and relief operations. Officials of the ministry have been directed to provide all necessary support to help the victims, said a statement.

Sonowal had represented Majuli in Assam Assembly from 2016 till he was made a union minister in July.

Opposition parties blamed the BJP-led government for the mishap, alleging that no safety measures are being followed by the ferries plying between Jorhat and Majuli. "The administration has remained a mute spectator," said Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti, a students' body.

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Violent clashes erupted between activists of the ruling BJP and the principal opposition, CPI(M), in different parts of Tripura on Wednesday.

Trouble started at Udaipur town in Gomati district of Tripura after CPI(M)s youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India took out a procession and a few activists from the rally allegedly attacked a ruling BJP activist who was passing by, injuring him seriously.

Police said a group of BJP activists, who were camping nearby, retaliated by attacking the DYFI procession.

Police said two to three persons were injured but their political affiliation was not known.

According to sources, CPI(M) party offices in Agartala, Bishalgarh and Kathalia, were also vandalised and set on fire, after the Udaipur clash. The clashes follow an earlier round of violence on Monday between workers of the two parties, when former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was allegedly prevented from proceeding to Dhanpur.

Police said the injured BJP activist from Udaipur, who was in a critical condition, was shifted to G B Pant hospital in Agartala.

A large contingent of police had to be deployed to disperse the mob and avoid further rioting. Officers also said a group of unidentified miscreants also vandalised CPI(M)s Udaipur party office, while a vehicle belonging to the former Left Front Minister Ratan Bhowmick was set ablaze.

Agriculture minister Pranajit Singha Roy rushed to the spot soon after the clash and took stock of the situation. Later speaking to the media, the minister said that the youth wing of the CPI(M) had brought out a rally without seeking prior permission from police. When police tried to stop the CPI(M) rally, they indulged in violence, injuring several people. A BJP activist- Mofiz Miah, who was passing by, was attacked and critically injured. Besides, a hotel was vandalised and some houses were ransacked, Singha Roy told the media.

He said the government would take legal action against those involved in the violence.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State Pratima Bhowmik led a protest march at Dhanpur in Sonamura sub-division protesting the Mondays violence.

Later in the evening, BJP Sadar district unit also held a protest rally in the capital city- Agartala. The CPI(M) state party office at Melarmath was set on fire and a newspaper office near the main road was also vandalised.

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As India touched the milestone of administering 70 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday, the shortage of Covaxin eight months into the campaign has emerged as a source of concern raising questions on the manufacturers and the Centres claim of ramped up production of the homegrown shot.

As on Tuesday 8 pm, the country's Covid-19 vaccination campaign had administered around 61.7 crore doses of Covishield made by the Serum Institute of India using the Oxford University-AstraZeneca technology, as against 8.36 crore doses of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology, Pune  a constituent laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer initially produced 90 lakh doses every month, which was augmented to 2 crore doses by May, the Union Health Ministry had informed the Supreme Court.

Read | India continues to 'lag way behind' in Covid vaccination: Fitch Ratings

While the ministry had expected a further increase in production (5.5 crore doses by July) and informed the top court accordingly, there are now questions on whether such expectations were realistic.

Assuming a production volume of 90 lakh doses for four months (January to April) and two crore doses since May, Bharat Biotech should have produced more than 11 crore doses by now.

But usage of 8.36 crore and the pipeline of possibly another 1-1.5 crore doses would mean a shortage of nearly two crore doses of Covaxin as of now.

The shortage becomes more pronounced if one takes into account the companys claim of having a stockpile of 2 crore doses in January days after it received the regulatory approval for emergency use authorisation.

"There were glitches in the scale-up process and the company was over-confident with their claims, a top government official told DH on the condition of anonymity. Despite repeated requests, Bharat Biotech did not respond to DH queries on the production shortage issues.

Inadequate supply of Covaxin limits the Centres ability to inoculate 94.47 crore target population with two doses of the Covid vaccines by December 2021 with more evidence emerging on the efficacy of the double dose against the highly contagious Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.

Read | Karnataka reports 851 Covid-19 cases, 15 deaths

"Suppose you are used to cooking for 10 people and then one day you have to cook for 100 people. Only increasing the ingredients by 10 times will not help. The entire process has to be recalibrated, the government official explained without divulging the specifics of the glitches.

Bharat Biotech has five production units at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Malur and Ankelshwar. The last one, which produced the first batch in August is expected to start commercial supply Covaxin from September.

In July, NITI Ayog member Vinod Paul had stated that production (of Covaxin) was a little behind expectations, but issues have been addressed", adding that the production it had planned will be achieved. There was a lag time in Covaxin production. I hope it picks up now, added the government official.

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The Centre on Wednesday signed a ceasefire agreement with a faction of the Naga insurgent group NSCN led by Niki Sumi against whom the NIA had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for allegedly killing 18 Indian Army soldiers in Manipur in 2015.

According to the Home Ministry, the peace pact will come into effect from September 8 for one year and more than 200 cadres of this group have surrendered with 83 weapons

Sumi was the prime accused in the killing of 18 Indian Army soldiers in Manipur in 2015 and the National Investigation Agency had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for his arrest.

A Home Ministry statement said that the ceasefire agreement is a significant step in Naga peace process and making the Northeast insurgency-free.

"In fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'Insurgency free and prosperous North East' and in a significant boost to Naga peace process, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the government of India enters into a ceasefire agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki Group," it said.

The ceasefire agreement and agreed ceasefire ground rules were signed on Wednesday.

In December last year, the NSCN-K, led by dreaded militant Niki Sumi, had announced a ceasefire and said that the outfit has contacted the central government for initiating peace dialogue.

The home ministry statement said the government of India has already signed a framework agreement with NSCN-IM and ceasefire agreements with other Naga groups namely, NSCN-NK, NSCN-R and NSCN-K-Khango.

The three outfits are breakaway factions of dominant groups NSCN-IM and NSCN-K

Earlier, the central government had signed an agreement with NLFT(SD) in August 2019 by which 88 cadres along with 44 weapons surrendered in Tripura.

In January 2020, with the signing of the Bodo agreement, more than 2,250 cadres of insurgent groups, including all factions of NDFB, along with 423 weapons and a huge quantity of ammunition surrendered in Assam and joined the mainstream.

On February 23, 2021, 1,040 leaders and cadres of various underground Karbi groups of Assam surrendered along with 338 weapons and it was followed by the signing of the Karbi Anglong agreement on September 4, 2021.

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India and Russia are set to discuss the Afghan crisis following the takeover of the war-torn nation by Taliban forces.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev, has arrived on Tuesday on a two-day visit for a high-level India-Russia inter-governmental consultation on the invitation of India's National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.

The two top security officials are likely to discuss the Afghan situation.

Also Read | India, Russia to have permanent channel to exchange views on Afghanistan

This consultation is a follow-up to the telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 24, when the two leaders said the two strategic partners will work together and directed the senior officials of their respective countries to remain in touch on the developments in Afghanistan.

Patrushev is also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the MEA further said.

After the Modi-Putin conversation, Russia had said that the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the spread of terrorist ideology and drug threat emerging from Afghanistan.

Both leaders also agreed to set up a permanent bilateral channel for consultations on the issue.

On Monday, Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev also reiterated that there is ample scope for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan and both sides have been in regular touch with each other on the latest developments in the war-torn country.

He also said that Russia is equally concerned like India that the Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries and there is an apprehension that the terror threat may reach the Russian territory as well as Kashmir.

Earlier on August 26, the Afghan situation was discussed in detail when Deputy NSA Pankaj Saran visited Moscow to meet Russian NSA Nikolay Patrushev and Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.

Following this, the two countries had agreed to step up coordination amid the unfolding situation in Afghanistan following troops pullout by the US and NATO.

Russia was a key player in pushing for the Afghan peace process before the Taliban captured power in Kabul on Augusta 15 this year.
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The Indian Air Force is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft from the domestic aerospace industry in the next two decades that include the 83 Light Combat aircraft Tejas, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Wednesday.

In an address at a conference on the Indian aerospace sector, the Chief of Air Staff also talked about the need for developing asymmetric capabilities to bolster the IAF's overall strength in view of challenges from China. "Looking at the northern neighbour, we have to have niche technologies which must be built in-house by our own industry for reasons of security," he said, stressing on the need to make 'Aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) the most important and strongest pillar of national security.

Emphasising that India becoming self-reliant in the defence sector is crucial for dealing with various challenges, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the IAF is committed to supporting the domestic industry. "From my perspective, we are at least looking at 350 odd aircraft over the next two decades and it includes the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)," he said at the seminar organised by the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS). Later, he said clarified the number of aircraft he referred to will include those being made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Read | 'Pak maintaining terror group supply line using drones'

The Chief of Air Staff said the LCA programme has redefined military aviation and it will make the core of the aerospace industry in terms of budget and ecosystem. "The level of automation achieved by the support of the industry has given the strength to act fast, decide fast and react fast," he said.

In February, the government sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal to procure 83 Tejas light combat aircraft from state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, in the biggest ever indigenous defence procurement programme. The aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles. "The Tejas has generated a kind of confidence required to get on any project," the IAF chief said.

Referring to the AMCA (advanced multi-role combat aircraft) project, he said it is in the advanced stages of preparations. The AMCA will be a fifth-generation medium weight deep penetration fighter jet and it is expected to significantly bolster the IAF's air power capability.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also said that the IAF is taking a series of initiatives including procuring next-generation jammers, anti-drones systems to deal with challenges from rogue UAVs. He said a number of orders have been placed with the domestic industry for procuring drones, counter-drone systems, radars and jammers. Serious concerns over threats from enemy drones first emerged in June when two drones were used by suspected Pakistan-based terrorists to attack the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Jammu.

In his address, Jayant D Patil, President of SIDM, spoke about the potential in the manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles and highlighted that development in this sector would bring in a revolution in the aerospace industry.

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Narendra Modi became the prime minister of the country twice because of the foolishness of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party chiefs, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi asserted on Wednesday.

He made the assertion in response to the two parties presidents, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, earlier dubbing him as the vote spoiler for their parties. Owaisi made the claim while addressing a public rally during his ongoing tour of Uttar Pradesh, aimed at consolidating his electoral position months ahead of the assembly poll in the politically crucial state.

"Narendra Modi became the prime minister of the country twice because of the 'nasamjhi' (foolishness) of Akhilesh (Yadav) and Mayawati," Owaisi said, addressing a public meeting in Odara village of the Sultanpur district.

A day earlier, he had launched his party's campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections in Ayodhya. Sultanpur, situated about 140 km from the capital Lucknow, is believed to be built by Lord Rama's son Kush.

Contesting the allegations that by fighting polls in UP, Owaisi would spoil votes of the BJP's rivals, the Hyderabad MP asked "when you all (Muslims) voted for Akhilesh Yadav's party, how come a BJP candidate won from here in the last assembly polls?

Similarly, how did the BJP won the Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 when no AIMIM candidate had contested from here? he asked.

Making a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party president, Owaisi asked, "Are Muslims your slaves?

"The BJP did not win the two consecutive general elections in 2014 and 2019 with the Muslims votes as they got only six per cent of their votes in the two polls," the AIMIM chief said, seeking to junk SP's claim that Owaisi was jumping into the UP poll fray to eat into their votes and to help the saffron party.

The Hyderabad MP said his party has been contesting elections across the country to safeguard Muslims interest and pointed to their victory at three Lok Sabha seats of Hyderabad, Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Kishanganj in Bihar in the 2019 election.

"We defeated BJP in Hyderabad, despite Modi and Amit Shah making several trips to drum up support for the saffron party," the four-time MP said. Seeking to establish rapport with Muslim voters, the AIMIM leader said he wants the minority community to have a strong voice in the state assemblies and Parliament to champion their cause.

"SP and BSP have only sucked your blood," he alleged. Taking a dig at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, The Centre had provided Rs 116 crore for the welfare of minorities in UP but he has spent only Rs 10 crore out of it.

"I had raised the issue in Parliament while Akhilesh maintained silence over the issue," he quipped.

Owaisi, who has announced that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen would contest 100 seats in the 2022 assembly elections, launched his poll campaign from Ayodhya on Tuesday.

Attacking the Samajwadi Party, Owaisi alleged that Muslims have been "cheated" in the name of secularism and declared that he has come to Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP.

"Our first effort is that the Muslim leadership should be developed in the countrys biggest state Uttar Pradesh," he said, starting his political campaign in the poll-bound state from Ayodhya on Tuesday.

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With the Uttar Pradesh government going all out to complete the ongoing projects for the development and renovation of Ayodhya and the likelihood of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the proposed mega 'deepotsav' (lighting of earthen lamps) before the Diwali festival, the religious town is once again in the limelight ahead of the next assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, which are due in March 2022.

According to the reports, the district administration is planning to light 7.50 lakh earthen lamps on the occasion of 'deepotsav', a record of sorts, which will begin two days before Diwali. A prominent Bollywood art director has been contacted to make the set for the 'deepotsav' functions.

Although the district officials said that they had no knowledge about the visit of the prime minister, sources in the state BJP here said that PM Modi might visit the town to take part in the program. ''We plan to invite the Union ministers, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath besides the prime minister for the program,'' said a senior party leader.

Read more: BJP sounds poll bugle, appoints election in-charges in 5 states

The state government has directed the district administration to work on the war footing to complete the projects aimed at renovating several religious spots in the town as well as the Ayodhya railway station. The work on the proposed Shree Ram Airport in Ayodhya is also likely to begin next month, sources added.

The district administration has also planned to organise a mega 'Ramleela' (dramatic presentation of Lord Rama's deeds) in which BJP MP and Bhojpuri film actor Ravi Kishan will play the role of Parashurama. ''Ayodhya is the home of Lord Rama....the town is visited by millions of Hindu pilgrims....we want to change the face of Ayodhya, which was neglected by the previous governments,'' said BJP MP from Ayodhya Lallu Singh.

Incidentally, the BSP had also launched its 'Prabuddh Sammelan' (Brahmin meets) from Ayodhya last month.

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday transferred to the CBI the investigation into the alleged murder of Tihar inmate Ankit Gujjar

Justice Mukta Gupta directed that the case file be sent from the Delhi Police to the CBI and sought a status report from the central agency before the next date of hearing on October 28.

The judge stated that she has passed directions to the Director-General of Prisons with respect to the laxity in providing proper treatment and facilitating police probe.

A detailed copy of the order is awaited.

Gujjar, 29, was found dead inside his cell in Tihar jail on August 4.

In the petition seeking transfer of investigation from the Delhi police, the family of the deceased inmate alleged that Gujjar was being harassed by jail officials as he was unable to meet their regularly increasing demands for money and was murdered as a part of pre-planned conspiracy.

Filed through lawyers Mehmood Pracha and Shariq Nisar, the petition alleged that the jail authorities in Tihar were operating an organised extortion syndicate and the police was trying to manipulate the investigation in order to save and shield the culprits.

It claimed culpability of the entire administration on the grounds that the CCTV were allegedly ordered to be shut down by an official at the time of when the deceased was beaten.

On August 18, the court had sought status reports from the Delhi Police and jail authorities on the plea.

The Delhi Police claimed that the investigation by local police was ongoing in a fair manner.
A large number of farmers stayed put outside the gates of the district headquarters on Wednesday as they remained firm on their demand for action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of peasants last month.

Locked in a showdown with the Haryana government over the lathi-charge, the farmers squatted at the gates of the mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening after talks with the local administration failed. Many spent the night outside the mini-secretariat.

The protesters are demanding action over the police lathi-charge on August 28. Their main demand centres around Sinha, former Karnal SDM. He was later transferred out as part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle.

Also Read | Centre should work towards ending farmers' protests: BKS

The officer, whose suspension farmers' union leaders are demanding, was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to "break heads" if the protesters crossed the line.

About 10 protesters were hurt in the clash with police as they tried to march towards the venue of a BJP meeting. Their leaders also claimed that a farmer died later, an allegation rejected by the administration.

A number of farmers along with many leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) spent the night outside the main entry of the mini-secretariat.

In the morning, volunteers at the protest site were seen preparing tea and serving breakfast.

"We are not going anywhere from here until our demands are met," Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni told reporters on Wednesday.

On the demand for Sinha's suspension, he said, "First, we are saying transferring him is not a punishment. We are also saying when farmers are booked for even road blockade, why not take action against the officer who ordered (police) to break heads. Is there any law under which such an order can be given?"

Also Read | Farmers gather in Karnal for mahapanchayat; officials hold talks with their leaders

The movement of traffic on the Delhi-Karnal-Ambala NH-44 remained normal.

Security had been beefed up here on Monday, a day before farmers' mahapanchayat, and central forces deployed.

The gherao began on Tuesday evening, several hours after farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states reached Karnal's New Anaj Mandi for the mahapanchayat, riding tractors and motorcycles.

They marched on foot from the mahapanchayat venue to the mini-secretariat about five km away.

Protest leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav are also at the gherao site.

Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav had on Tuesday said that the administration had invited the farm leaders for another round of talks and that it was hopeful of resolving the issue.

The Home Department has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in Karnal until Wednesday midnight as the situation is "still volatile".

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) banning gathering of people have been imposed in the district.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday seized laptops and mobile phones of four journalists, following raids at their respective houses here, officials said.

Raids were conducted at the residences of Showkat Motta, former editor-in-chief of a weekly magazine, Hilal Mir who is working for a Turkish media outlet, freelance reporter Azhar Qadri Shah Abbas and a reporter who has been associated with several local publications, they said.

The journalists were later taken to Kothibagh police station where their laptops and mobile phones were seized for technical evaluation before being released, the officials said.

Soon after their release, the journalists told their colleagues that they have been asked to report at the police station on Thursday again.

While police is tight-lipped about the searches, it is believed that the raids were part of investigation into a blog post that instigates people against the country and also seeks to malign the image of nationalists in Kashmir, official sources said.

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The Mahapanchayat called by the protesting farmers started early on Tuesday morning ended in front of the Karnal Deputy Commissioner's office with union leaders holding a meeting in front of the mini-secretariat to decide their future course of action.

The Kisan Mahapanchayat was organised to demand an FIR and strict action against SDM Ayush Sinha, who on August 28 had instructed the police to beat the protesting farmers.

A video-clip of Sinha ordering the force to hit the farmers had stirred a row after it went viral on social media.

Read | Kisan Mahapanchayat in Karnal: Security tightened as farmers plan to gherao mini-secretariat

As hundreds of protesters gathered in Karnal to support the farmers' demand, an 11-member farmers' delegation met the Karnal Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police at the mini-secretariat to submit a memorandum of their demands, which also included a compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge and died later due to a heart attack, along with a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the wounded persons.

The delegation was led by farmer union leader Rakesh Tikait, political activist Yogendra Yadav, Karnal-based Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Gurnaam Singh Chaduni, BKU president Balbir Singh Rajewal, BKU (Sidhupur) member Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Ajay Rana and Darshan Pal, among others.

However, the meeting with the district officials ended inconclusively as they turned down all of the farmers' demands.

Post the meeting, Yogendra Yadav told the media, "Our talks with the DC and the SP were held in three rounds. It was attended by 15 representatives. All we demanded was strict action against the IAS officer who ordered lathicharge on August 28. We didn't seek any compensation. However, the authorities didn't agree to even that."

Quoting Mahabharata, Yadav said, "Just like the Pandavas in Mahabharata, who asked for five villages, we asked the authorities to at least suspend the SDM for his August order.

"However, the authorities are supporting the IAS officers' move. They said 'theek hi kiya unhone ne' (he did the right thing). In the end, we asked them to at least suspend the officer before an enquiry is completed, but they didn't even agree to this demand of ours."

Read | Centre should work towards ending farmers' protests: BKS

It was after the farmer union leaders reached the Mahapanchayat site that they unanimously decided to march towards the mini-secretariat to gherao the area, which was followed by hundreds and thousands of protesters beginning the 7 km journey from the Anaj Mandi to the district administration building.

A heavy traffic jam was witnessed in Karnal due to the march, as farmers flooded the NH44.

The protesters were first stopped by the police at Namaste Chowk. However, they were allowed to move ahead following a short discussion with the police.

Riding on tractors, the farmers were seen carrying 'lathis' (sticks) to the gherao area.

On their way to the secretariat, some protesters also removed a barricade obstructing their path. However, after reaching the mini-secretariat in Karnal, the farmers staged a 'dharna' (sit-in) in front of the district administration office.

Despite the news of arrests and detention of farmer union leaders at Namaste Chowk, they maintained that no one was arrested or detained by the police on their way to the secretariat.

Meanwhile, in what could only be referred to as an act of kindness, local residents living nearby Karnal's mini-secretariat area distributed water bottles and food to the protesting farmers.

The farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws passed by the Centre in the Parliament last year for over nine months now.

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The Union government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a "historic" decision has been taken to allow the induction of women into the armed forces through the National Defence Academy (NDA) for permanent commission.

A bench presided over by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that it was extremely glad to know that armed forces themselves took the decision to induct female cadets in NDA and Indian Naval Academy (INA), though the court has been periodically nudging the authorities to do so as they were the best suited for it.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, submitted before the bench that the Centre took the decision on Tuesday after consultation with three service chiefs that the women would be granted permanent commission through the NDA and INA.

"There's a good news. The decision has been taken at the highest level of forces," she said, adding it would be pathbreaking and generational reform.

Read | BJP sounds poll bugle, appoints election in-charges in 5 states

The bench said the court would like the defence forces to take a "more pro-active approach towards gender equality" instead of the court directing them to do so.

"It is not a happy situation for us. Armed forces are respected forces of this country but on gender equality, they have to do more," the bench said.

The officer sought two weeks to put on record an affidavit. She also sought status quo on this year's examinations conducted by the UPSC as it would require procedural and infrastructural changes. The exam, scheduled to be held on September 5 has been postponed to November 14.

The court asked Bhati to put the statement on record as to what the government is doing now and what it is planning to do in future and posted the matter for consideration on September 22.

"Reforms cannot happen in one day, we are conscious of that. We want progress to be made. We must have some timelines. You may go at a comfortable pace but redressal must take place. We do hope armed forces value the important role women are performing," the bench said.

The court was hearing a plea by advocate Kush Kalra to allow women to take part in the NDA exams for permanent commission.

Earlier, in an interim order on August 18, the top court allowed women to take the NDA exam while slamming the Indian Army for the decisions that are based on "gender discrimination".

The petitioner claimed denial of opportunity to women candidates to enrol at the NDA was violative of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 19 of the Constitution.

He has relied upon the apex court's judgement directing extension of permanent commission to women officers inducted through the Short Service Commission.

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Nearly one-third students in poor households in urban and rural India were not attending online classes regularly because they did not have their own smartphone, a new survey has found.

The survey found that only 8 per cent students from underprivileged households in urban parts of the country watched educational broadcasts on television channels, while the proportion was just 1 per cent in rural hamlets.

The School Childrens Online and Offline Learning (SCHOOL) survey, conducted in August this year, covered 1,362 poor households in 15 states. The findings are presented in a report Locked Out: Emergency report on School Education.

The survey found that in rural areas, only 8 per cent were studying online regularly, 37 per cent were not studying at all, and about half were unable to read more than a few words.

The reasons were that many students did not own a smartphone, mobile connectivity was poor, they did not have the money to pay data packages, schools were not sending study material or online education was too hard to grasp for some.

An overwhelming majority of parents -- 98 per cent in rural hamlets and 90 per cent in urban slums -- wanted the schools to reopen as soon as possible, the survey found.

Even among the underprivileged households, the figures were much worse for Dalit and Adivasi families than for others, be it for online education, regular study, or reading abilities, claimed the survey.

For instance, only 4 per cent of rural SC/ST children were studying online regularly, in comparison to 15 per cent among other rural children.

In urban areas, about half of the children currently enrolled in Grades 3-5 were unable to read more than a few words, while in rural areas, 42 per cent were unable to read a single word.

Schools and other educational institutions across the country have been closed for over a year and a half since the onset of the pandemic.

As the pandemic ebbed in parts of the country, several states have started reopening schools in a phased manner from September.

A majority of children  51 per cent in urban areas and 58 per cent in rural areas  had not met their teacher at all during the 30 days preceding the survey.

However, the survey also found initiatives by some teachers of convening small group classes in the open, recharging phones of students who were short on cash, or even lent their phones for online study.

The survey conducted in 15 states and union territories  including Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal  was a joint effort of nearly 100 volunteers across the country.

The report was prepared by a coordination team of economists that include Jean Dreze and Nirali Bakhla.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed anguish over the boat tragedy in Assam and said that all possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers.

A boat with over 120 people on board sank in the Brahmaputra river after colliding with a ferry steamer near Nimati Ghat in Jorhat district of Assam on Wednesday and there could be many casualties, officials said.

Modi tweeted, "Saddened by the boat accident in Assam. All possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers. I pray for everyone's safety and well-being."

Saddened by the boat accident in Assam. All possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers. I pray for everyones safety and well-being.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2021

President Ram Nath Kovind also said on Wednesday he was deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in a boat accident in Assams Jorhat district.

My thoughts go out to the victims, survivors and their families. Rescue and relief efforts are on to save as many lives as possible, he said.

Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in a boat accident in Jorhat, Assam. My thoughts go out to the victims, survivors and their families. Rescue and relief efforts are on to save as many lives as possible.  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 8, 2021

Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in a boat accident in Jorhat, Assam. My thoughts go out to the victims, survivors and their families. Rescue and relief efforts are on to save as many lives as possible, Kovind tweeted.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 by nudging the Union Government to repeal the law which is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in the Constitution.

Chief Minister M K Stalin moved the resolution in the House asking the Union Government to protect and ensure that unity and communal harmony in the country by repealing the law.

While the BJP opposed the resolution and staged a walkout, AIADMK members were not present in the House when the business was taken up as they too staged a walkout alleging that they were not given the opportunity to raise peoples issues. PMK, an ally of AIADMK and BJP, supported the resolution.

AIADMK, which voted in favour of the Bill in both houses of Parliament, made a volte-face by opposing the CAA weeks before Tamil Nadu went to assembly polls in April 2021. Tamil Nadu has joined states like Kerala and West Bengal in passing resolutions against CAA.

Also read: DSGMC chief urges Amit Shah to grant citizenship to Afghan Sikh, Hindu refugees

This August House considers that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in the year 2019 is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India, the resolution read.

Stalin said the CAA prevents Muslims in neighbouring countries from getting the citizenship of India stressing that refugees should not be viewed from the prism of religion or race or country. Showing partiality will not do any good to the refugees who leave their countries due to various reasons. This would only add to their sorrows, he said.

Passing a resolution against the CAA was one of the poll promises of the DMK. The move comes days after the Assembly passed a resolution against three farm laws.

The resolution contended that a country should be governed taking into consideration the aspirations and concerns of the people belonging to all sections of the society.

But, it is clearly seen that the Citizenship Act was passed in such a way that it does not accord warm support to the refugees considering their plight, but instead discriminate them according to their religion and their country of origin.

Therefore, to protect and ensure the unity and communal harmony in this country and to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, this August House resolves to urge the Union Government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019," the resolution said.

Representatives of DMKs allies supported the resolution after which Speaker M Appavu declared that the resolution was passed unanimously on the floor of the House.

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Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said the Tamil Nadu government will establish a commission for SC/ST on the lines of the National Commission for SC/ST. In a separate development, the Chief Minister also said that the DMK supports caste-based census and that he would soon write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

Making a slew of announcement with regard to SC/ST communities, the CM Stalin said that Rs 10 lakh will be awarded as an incentive to panchayats that follows the practice of common crematoriums or graveyards. He also said that Adi Dravidar Welfare Schools in the state would henceforth function under the Adi Dravidar Department instead of the School Education Department.

VCK, a prominent Dalit party welcomed the announcements by Stalin.

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The Taliban, which has taken over the reins of Afghanistan, must follow true Sharia, which guarantees rights of all, including women, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan last month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities in the backdrop of withdrawal of the US forces that began on May 1. It took over Kabul on August 15 and on Tuesday, unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund.

"Taliban has come to the fore as a reality. Its image in the first time in power was that of anti-human rights. If it wants to govern Afghanistan, it will have to follow the true Sharia law as laid down in the Quran which guarantees rights of women, children and elderly," she told reporters after a function here.

Read | Farooq Abdullah hopes Taliban run 'good govt' in Afghanistan

If the Taliban follows the example of governance set by Prophet Muhammad in Madina, it will set an example for the world, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

She said that the Taliban should shun the hardline interpretation of Islam and Sharia if it wants to do business with the international community.

"If it does not, it will make matters difficult for the people of Afghanistan," Mehbooba added.

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The UK and India are in a "sweet spot" of global trade dynamics as negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) begin in the coming weeks, according to Britains trade minister in charge of the bilateral talks.

Liz Truss, UK Secretary of State for International Trade, revealed that the public consultation process ahead of the trade negotiations attracted "huge interest from businesses across the UK and its completion last month means that FTA negotiations can now begin.

Addressing a special reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of London to celebrate the UK-India Economic Partnership on Tuesday evening, the minister confirmed that both sides will hammer out the details during the upcoming visit of Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal to the UK and Europe next week.

Read more: UK PM Boris Johnson invites MPs for drinks at Downing Street with Covid pass

"We just completed our consultation on an Indian trade deal, which saw huge interest from businesses across the country. We are now going to begin negotiating a free trade agreement, said Truss.

I see the UK and India in a sweet spot of the trade dynamics that are building up We are looking at a comprehensive trade agreement that covers everything, from financial services to legal services to digital and data, as well as goods and agriculture. We think there is strong possibility for us to get an early agreement, where we lower tariffs on both sides and start to see more goods flowing between our two countries, she said.

Pointing to the post-Brexit scenario as the UKs chance to set out an independent trade policy outside the European Union (EU), the senior Cabinet minister flagged India as the big, major opportunity ahead following 68 trade deals clinched by Britain since leaving the economic bloc.

She also referenced her visit to India earlier in the year, including a tour of the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune which is in a UK tie-up to produce the Oxford University and AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines, as she highlighted collaboration in the field of science and tech as a sign of things to come as that trade route between the UK and India is deepened.

"Like the UK, India is a science and tech superpower the Serum Institute of India provides two-thirds of the vaccines that inoculate children around the world. That is truly a tremendous achievement, said Truss.

Working with India will help enhance the UKs position as a global hub for digital and services. But for me its about more than that: its about two democracies who share values, share an approach to working together to the benefit of both of our populations, she said.

Read more: Mandaviya meets health ministers of UK, Brazil, Italy

"In every possible way, we have a hugely strong relationship between our two nations and all I can see is things moving in the right direction. Its vitally important that as we want to recover from the Covid crisis across the world, we see more free enterprise and free trade, she noted.

The trade minister also laid out some developing trends that hold out great promise for the India-UK relationship, including the growing digitisation of global trade.

"The other big trend we are seeing is the growth in the Indo-Pacific region, where a lot of our trade negotiations are oriented towards. India is expected to have more middle-class consumers than the US by 2030, and they would want to buy the finer things that Britain supplies  whether thats financial services, insurance, computer technology, high-value food and drink or indeed our advanced manufacturing products, she pointed out.

Both the minister and the Lord Mayor, William Russell, underlined the Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) agreed between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson at their virtual summit in May as setting out an ambitious roadmap to at least double bilateral trade by 2030.

"The most innovative and dynamic part of our relationship is in the financial professional services and we at the City of London have done a lot to support that part of the relationship, said the Lord Mayor  the leader of the financial hub of the UK capital.

"This relationship is only getting stronger, whether thats through the India-UK 2030 Roadmap announced earlier this year by our Prime Ministers or the work of individual businesses like Barclays Bank, who have invested nearly GBP 300 million to expand their operations in India, he said.

Describing the bilateral ties as the investment opportunity of a generation, the Lord Mayor highlighted the key priorities for the UK-India relationship as enhanced mobility and resumption of business travel between both countries, doubling of financial professional services trade in the next decade and increased green investments to support Indias sustainability and decarbonisation agenda.

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Controversial and dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze had pressurised Mansukh Hiren to own up to the crime involving the planting of explosives-laden Mahindra Scorpio, however, on refusal, the Thane-based businessman was eliminated.

Vaze conspired with his mentor, retired Senior Inspector of Police Pradeep Sharma, an encounter specialist-turned-politician, who played a key role in the murder of Hiren.

Vaze, an assistant police inspector and Hiren, who owned the Classic Car Decor, a car accessories business near Vandana Talkies in Thane, were known to each other and the cop was using the Scorpio that was retained from Dr Sam Newton by the victim.

Hiren went missing on March 4 and his body was found on March 5 at the Reti-bunder in Mumbra-Kalwa area of Thane.

Also Read  NIA files charge sheet against Sachin Vaze, others in Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiren murder case

As the February 24-25 conspiracy of planting of 20-odd gelatine sticks in the Scorpio, which was parked outside Shikhar Kunj building on the Carmichael Road, near Antilia, the residence of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, came to the light, Vaze started pressuring Hiren to own up to the crime. As part of the conspiracy, Vaze also forced Hiren to lodge a false FIR on the theft of the SUV at the Vikhroli police station.

The NIA charge sheet against Vaze, elaborates the crime in detail. Investigation has further revealed that Mansukh Hiren turned down the proposal of Sachin Vaze to own up the responsibility of the crime. Since Mansukh Hiren was the only person who was fully aware of the vehicle being parked at the Eastern Express Highway on the directions of accused Sachin Vaze and knowing well that the keys were handed over to Sachin Vaze near the General Post Office off the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, it would have been dangerous for him as Mansukh Hiren could have revealed about his involvement in the crime, the charge sheet states.

It further states that Vaze was aware that Hiren was a weak link in the conspiracy and could spill the beans if easily examined by another investigating officer. Hence Mansukh Hiren was a potential threat to Vaze and other conspirators. It is established during the investigations that Vaze and accused Pradeep Sharma conspired with others to eliminate Hiren and the task was given to Sharma, it said.

Also Read  Don't want to be 'another Stan Swamy', says Sachin Vaze

Investigations also established that Vaze met Sharma on March 3 at the PS Foundation office at Andheri in Mumbai and money was given for the job. Pursuant to the conspiracy, accused Pradeep Sharma contacted, accused Santosh Shelar and enquired if he could carry out the murder in lieu of monetary consideration..accused Santosh Shelar (A-6) accepted the task, it points out.

Going into the details, it said: Vaze lured Hiren on the pretext of helping him for safe transportation to avoid him getting arrested and interrogated by law-enforcement agencies. He also told him that police inspector Tawde from Kandivli (actually police inspector Sachin Mane) will call him and make arrangements.

Hiren fell into the trap and was eliminated by the group engaged by Vaze and Sharma.

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It was a "secret operation", former police officer Sachin Vaze told his official driver, who was with him on the day when an explosives-laden SUV was placed near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' here in February this year, the NIA has said in its charge sheet.

The driver's statement is part of the charge sheet filed by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) last week before a special court here against Vaze and nine others in connection with the recovery of the vehicle with gelatin sticks near Ambani's south Mumbai residence on February 25 and the subsequent murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren.

The driver narrated the entire sequence of events leading to the planting of the vehicle near Ambani's house on the intervening night of February 24 and 25. He told the probe agency that at around 05.30 pm on February 24, he had driven Vaze to 'Dnyaneshwari' bungalow, the official residence of the then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. Vaze went inside the residence alone and returned in about an hour, the driver said.

The driver further stated that Vaze asked him to change the number plates of Mahindra Scorpio, the explosives-laden vehicle which was placed outside Ambani's residence, and an Innova car, multiple times. He also told the NIA that Vaze had asked him to take specific routes and pay toll plazas.

Read | Manuskh Hiren murder case: Accused went to Nepal, Dubai

"At about 2.10 am I was following the Scorpio car driven by Vaze at a very slow speed on Carmichael Road. At a particular point, he stopped the Scorpio and parked it on the left side of the road," the driver stated. "Accordingly, I also stopped my Innova car at a distance of about 40 to 50 meters behind the Scorpio," he added.

The driver further stated that he returned to the Innova car after about five minutes and removed his face mask and shield. Vaze then asked him to drive ahead, and after a while, the former API (assistant police inspector) realised that his identity card was missing and asked the driver to check in the car (Innova), but it wasn't found.

As per his statement, they then came to Vaze's residence in neighbouring Thane district, where Vaze went inside to search for his identity card. However, he returned after about 20 minutes, and told the driver that he had probably forgotten the card in the Scorpio.

At around 4.30 am they returned to Carmichael Road, where Vaze went inside the Scorpio and returned after a while. Vaze then directed the driver to take him to Thane. The driver also stated that Vaze had taken his phone and switched it off when he reported to duty (on February 24). It was returned only after he drove Vaze home, the driver told the NIA.

Also Read | Antilia bomb scare case: Motive was to extort money from Ambanis, says NIA in charge sheet

In his statement, the driver further said when he enquired about the entire episode, Vaze told him it was a "secret operation", and asked him not to reveal it to anyone. "On February 26, I was attending the marriage ceremony of a colleague when I came to know about the incident from TV news channels. I was very scared on seeing the said news, but I did not tell this story to anyone," he added.

The NIA in its charge sheet also said Vaze placed the SUV near Ambani's house here to regain his reputation as a "super cop".

Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren was subsequently killed as Vaze thought him to be the "weak link" in the conspiracy, the NIA said, alleging that Pradeep Sharma, a former police officer, was roped in to execute the murder. Hiren, who had claimed that the SUV had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

Besides Vaze and Pradeep Sharma, the others accused in the case are Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni and Santosh Shelar. Shinde, Kazi and Mane are former police officers.

The accused have been charged under various Indian Penal Code sections, including for murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance, as well as relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said supply of regular drinking water was a fundamental right and it was unfortunate that people have to knock on the court's doors to get water even after 75 years of independence.

The strong remarks were made by a division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and Milind Jadhav while hearing a petition filed by residents of Kambe village in Bhiwandi town of neighbouring Thane district.

They were seeking a direction to STEM Water Distribution and Infra company, a joint venture of the Thane Zilla Parishad and the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation, to supply drinking water on a daily basis.

Also Read | BWSSB survey detects nearly 4,000 illegal water connections

The petitioners contended that they are currently getting water supply only twice a month and that too for approximately two hours.

On Wednesday, STEM's Managing Director Bhausaheb Dangde informed the court that water was being supplied daily, but only to one particular point, and claimed the distribution of water from that point to the petitioners' homes was the responsibility of the village's gram panchayat.

Dangde further said the demand for water in the village has increased over the last few years because of a rise in population there. We need to upgrade the system, he said.

To this, the court asked what should the petitioners do till the system is upgraded. Water has to be supplied daily for at least a few hours. This is their fundamental right. People cannot suffer like this. It is really unfortunate that they (petitioners) have to knock on the court's doors even after 75 years of independence to get water supply, the HC said.

Don't force us to say that the Maharashtra government has failed to provide water to its citizens. We refuse to accept that the state government is so helpless. We will not shy away from calling the highest functionary of the state government, the bench said.

The petitioners had also alleged that the STEM company was supplying water illegally to local politicians and tanker lobbies, and claimed there were over 300 illegal water connections and valves fixed on the main pipeline. The court sought to know from Dangde what steps the company has taken to address these issues.

First remove these illegal connections. You (STEM) have not even bothered to file any police complaints. Because of your inaction, the petitioners, who have to receive water as a right, are not getting any water, Justice Kathawalla said, adding that Dangde does not seem to be interested in solving the problem.

However, Dangde said when they go to remove the illegal connections, a crowd of over 150 people gathers and protests against their action. The HC posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday, and directed Dangde to appear before the court physically and file an affidavit.
On September 9, as the Chair of BRICS, India will host the 13th summit meet of leaders virtually, a new norm during the global health pandemic.

A decade and a half back, when BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) was envisaged, it caught the world's attention. Five years later, when a fifth letter, an "S", was added to represent South Africa, it completed a card of five nations whose economies were on the path of emerging as engines for global growth.

As it stands today, BRICS comprises these five countries whose leadership meets to take stock of progress on three pillars of peace and security, economics and finance, cultural and people-to-people exchange.

On the theme of "BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus", India delineated four priority areas for its chairship - reform of the multilateral system, counter-terrorism, using digital and technological tools for achieving SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and enhancing people to people exchanges.

Also Read | Narendra Modi to host 13th BRICS summit, India says stand-off altered direction of its relations with China

While each of the priority areas was put through its paces, the global scenario today is different. Countries now remain uncertain how the future unfolds, from dealing with the pandemic ravaged economies to the arrival of vaccines and graded push to open up restarted global engines. Needless to underscore, the leaders will exchange views on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and other current global scenarios.

BRICS was a creation of member countries on the high path of growth. But over the years, they have taken different routes. China emerged as one of the strongest economies in the world. India remained on a steady course of progress with periodic drawdowns, with Russia following. The growth trajectory of the other two is nowhere near the projections of a decade ago. Can BRICS continue to readjust to emerging challenges, addressing individually and collectively?

Afghanistan

The Thursday Summit comes in the backdrop of a significant change in the political landscape in Afghanistan in which three of the BRICS member countries, China, India, and Russia, have a direct bearing.

With the Taliban now announcing a new government, the world is working out ways to come to terms with the new reality.

As the situation changed on August 15, when the Abdul Ghani government melted away, among the early movers were China and Russia, whose imprint in the strife-torn country is deep.

The Summit's view on the BRICS counter-terrorism action plan will be of interest to the four priority areas. Its been firmed up by the representatives responsible for national security in each country.

Their meeting in late August finalised the roadmap to take forward the strategy adopted by the 12th Summit in Russia in 2020. Last month, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval played host to his counterparts from the other four countries. The meeting focused on the emerging scenarios in Afghanistan, Iran, West Asia and the Gulf and threats from cybersecurity.

The action plan, a key deliverable when India is in the Chair, aims to strengthen cooperation in combatting terrorism and its financing, internet misuse by terrorists, border controls, among others. Special emphasis is on the risk of illegal drug production and trafficking in the region.

It will be interesting to watch how the action plan, when adopted, would translate, especially in the region. Afghanistan is a poppy cultivation centre and is considered one of the most significant illegal drug supply and trade sources.

On its part, India flagged cross-border terrorism and activities of groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which enjoy State support and threaten peace and security. These groups have launched attacks against India using the soil of a country in the neighbourhood, and New Delhi's concerns remain paramount.

Health

During a meeting of its finance ministers in June, there was a call to establish and operationalise BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre. The idea is interesting as three members  India, China and Russia  have developed indigenous vaccines to combat the virus.

While efforts are on to combat the immediate challenge from Covid-19, a comprehensive healthcare system remains on the top of the agenda. Challenges in each of the BRICS countries are unique, and each can pool expertise to assist one another to collectively deal with 41 per cent share of the global population.

Cyber security

With the increasing footprint of a digital world in daily life, cyber security is an area that every country is working on and the BRICS as a group cannot be oblivious to these threats.

The number of instances of attacks and crimes committed using cyberspace is real. In August, India also hosted a workshop on digital forensics, which should allow the group to build up the existing capacity as BRICS agrees to fortify joint efforts by sharing information and exchanging best practices. As a leader in countries developing software, India enjoys a leadership role in this sphere.
By Ajmal Ahmady

There are optimistic suggestions that the hard-won integration of Afghanistan into the global economy will remain despite the ascendancy of the Taliban and the withdrawal of the US. A number of commentators have suggested that China  which the Taliban have declared their strongest ally  could become Afghanistans primary economic supporter and help the country stay part of the global system. That analysis is unrealistic.

For one, it ignores the sanctions regime imposed by the international community on the Taliban. Those restrictions apply not only to financial transactions, but to business ones as well. All companies  not only banks  must comply with the framework against financing terrorism and money laundering. The central bank of Afghanistan (DAB)  which I presided over until the fall of Kabul in August  worked with its international partners to prohibit such transactions. Now, Afghanistan and DAB under the Taliban are likely to be treated as sanctioned entities by the rest of the world.

Read | Haibatullah Akhundzada: Shadowy Taliban supreme leader whose son was suicide bomber

In addition to the financial implications, there will be three additional consequences to this situation.

First, Afghanistans physical money supply will be impaired. This is because the central bank does not print its own currency: DAB typically receives afghanis produced by specialist firms overseas. The bank expected 2 billion afghanis in small-denominated notes from a Polish currency company in August. It had also signed a contract with a French firm for the supply of another 100 billion afghanis for the following year. I am relatively certain that these deliveries cannot be made.

Second, the $7 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline project (TAPI) will likely not proceed. This pipeline would have brought 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from the Turkmen Galkynysh field  the worlds second largest  to Pakistan and India. It would have generated a few hundred million dollars in transit revenues for the Government of Afghanistan.

I know this issue well because for five years I was Afghanistans representative on the projects board. I helped move the pipeline from just a vague goal conceived during the previous Taliban regime to a realistic project. Engineering work had been completed, bilateral agreements signed and the land acquisition process begun. The project company had short-listed a number of European firms to supply the steel piping, valves and construction work. We had even identified financing from various export credit agencies and insurance companies.

A Taliban delegation visited Turkmenistan earlier this year to assure the government there that a Taliban regime would provide security for the pipeline. I remember the visit because a car bomb exploded under the TAPI project manager in Kabul that same day. (Fortunately, he survived.) In any case, whatever assurances the delegation provided to Turkmenistan, the Taliban do not fully understand the complexities of the project. As a result of the sanctions regime and security concerns, European companies will not be able to provide equipment or the financing. They will certainly not be able to obtain insurance for the project. For now, the project has to be assumed to be dead.

Read | Taliban supreme leader tells new govt to uphold sharia law in first message since takeover

Third, hopes to profit from the countrys mineral resources have to be scaled back  or abandoned. This includes the Aynak copper mine, one of the largest untapped sources in the world, which the Metallurgical Corporation of China acquired rights to in 2008. Or the Hajigak iron ore mine, a mine with world-class iron ore content, for which an Indian firm signed a contract. Theres also the Amu-Darya oil basin, where the China National Petroleum Corporation has the rights to drill. Each of these projects requires international financing and more. It is unlikely that any reputable company would involve itself in such projects now. The risks are simply too high.

In addition, economic programs to support trade are likely to be curtailed. As economic adviser to the president of Afghanistan, I developed an air cargo support program that helped increase exports by more than $100 million per year. We exported pine nuts to China, fresh fruit to India, rugs to Turkey and handicrafts to Europe. However, with reduced fiscal space, it is likely that government support for these air corridors will become unsustainable.

There are analysts who suggest that the Taliban may turn to Islamabad for help. But Pakistans economy is hardly up to the challenge. Pakistan has only $20 billion in international reserves. Though this is double what Afghanistan has, Pakistan has to deal with a gross domestic product 14 times as large. Whats more, the country has a 90% debt-to-GDP ratio, high for a developing market. China has recently stepped back from investments in Pakistan due to security concerns.

The Taliban will face the same economic challenges as the previous regime  but under sanctions and with much less international financial support. Afghanistans new rulers must face this reality, form an inclusive government and adhere to international standards. Otherwise, they will further impoverish themselves and the Afghan people.
Motorola, earlier this year, showcased a prototype that could charge a phone wirelessly. But, it had just a 100 cm range. Now, the Lenovo-owned company has come up with a new generation model aptly called 'Space Charging' dock with better capabilities.

Motorola has shared the demo video on Weibo, but unfortunately, the platform's website is blocked and cannot be viewed in India.

However, the good folks at XDA Developers Forum have released the same video on YouTube giving us a sneak peek at Motorola's advanced mobile charging technology.

In the video, we get to see new upgrades to Motorola's second-generation wireless charger. The charger is much bigger than the predecessor and also, capable of powering up the phone even if there is an object in between them.

Another big improvement is the range; it is now capable of charging a phone up to three metres.

Furthermore, it can simultaneously charge four phones; this is a big step up considering the fact that Oppo, Xiaomi and other brands, who have demoed similar wireless charging tech but can only connect with just one phone.

There is no word on when Motorola plans to release the commercial variant of Space Charging dock, but it will be great if the company looks into concerns about whether this technology has any side effects on the consumer's body.

Must read | Oppo teases true wireless charging tech for mobile

Watch Motorola's new over-the-air wireless charger demo video:

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Ahead of Ganesha Chaturthi, travel demand between Bengaluru and Hyderabad has spiked, making the buses on the route the most sought after in the entire country, private bus aggregator redBus said on Wednesday.

The company said on Wednesday that it expects more than 7 lakh seats to be booked during the festival season. Unlike last year, when bookings peaked five days ahead of the festival, the demand increased 10 days before Ganesha Chaturthi "indicating greater intent and certainty of travel", redBus said in a release.

Within Karnataka, bus services from Bengaluru to Vijayapura and Belagavi are in high demand. "About 63% of the overall bookings are projected to come from tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns, signifying increased penetration and digitisation across India," the company said.

Bengaluru-Hyderabad has emerged top route among the interstate services, thanks to the relaxation of the rules for interstate travel. Opening up of the borders between states that witness high bus travel -- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana -- has come as a major booster. "The passage between Kerala and Karnataka is still awaited," it added.

Based on its booking data, the company said the top 5 states where it was witnessing high demand for travel during Ganesh Chaturthi were, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka.

More than 2500 private bus operators and 21 State Regional Transport Corporations were gearing up to cater to the demand by running around 42,000 services on 53,600 routes.

The company estimates that 54% of the current bookings are for travel within states and the remaining 46% for interstate travel. 73% of the current bookings have been made on Air-Conditioned buses.

Prakash Sangam, chief executive officer of redBus, stated, If we dont witness a significant third wave, we expect to reach pre-Covid levels of activity on our platform by early next year. At the moment, Ganesh Chaturthi is helping revive demand for intercity travel which is welcome news for our industry 

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Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday met BJP national president J P Nadda in Delhi and discussed the state's political development.

CM Bommai, closeted with Nadda for about 20 minutes and briefed him about the Karnataka BJP's developments and also the outcome of the recently held city corporations' elections.

However, Bommai did not discuss the expansion of his Cabinet to fill four vacant berths. Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol was also with the CM during the meeting.

Bommai, who was in Delhi on a two-day tour, said that his meeting with Nadda was a courtesy call and discussed only strengthening the party in the state.

When Bommai went to Delhi last month, he could not meet Nadda as the latter was not present in the national capital. On Tuesday, he also met BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.

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Political activities to form Kalaburagi City Corporation body have shifted to Bengaluru as four newly-elected JD(S) corporators met former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and JD(S) supremo H D Devegowda in the city to discuss the alliance in the 55-member Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike (KMP).

The election held to KMP has thrown up a hung house.

While Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 27 seats, the BJP came second with 23 seats. JD(S) won four and one seat was grabbed by an Independent.

The magic number to take control of KMP is 28. As no party failed to get a clear majority, the JD(S) emerged as the kingmaker.

Including a Congress MLA, an MLC and an RS member, the total count of the grand old party will be 30 (27 corporators).

Also read: Karnataka CM hints at BJP-JD(S) joining hands to gain power in Kalaburagi corporation

BJP's total count, including two local MLAs, three MLCs and an MP, will be 29. One Independent corporator is learnt to have extended his support to the BJP.

Total seats from both Congress and BJP are 30 each. Hence, JD(S), which won four seats, has emerged as the kingmaker.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has spoken to the JD(S) supremo seeking the latter's support for KMP.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is learnt to have spoken to Kumaraswamy over going together in Kalaburagi.

A clear picture of with whom the JD(S) will have a truck to form the body in Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palike is expected today (Wednesday).

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Four JD(S) councillors of the Kalaburagi City Corporation, who are being chased by the Congress and BJP for an alliance, are said to have decided that they will join hands with the party that offers them the Mayors post.

The recent election to the 55-member Kalaburagi civic body threw up a fractured mandate. The Congress won 27, the BJP 23, JD(S) 4 and one Independent. The halfway mark is 28, elevating the JD(S) councillors to the status of kingmakers.

The four councillors arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday and met JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

The decision has to be made now by the Congress and the BJP on who will give us the Mayors chair, Nasir Hussain Ustad, the JD(S) minority wing president from Kalaburagi told reporters. Ustad said this was not unprecedented. Earlier, the Congress and JD(S) came together and gave the Mayors chair to the KCP, which had just one councillor, he said.

According to Ustad, the situation remains fluid. For any alliance to happen, it should be for the full 5-year term and the JD(S) should play an active role in development, he said. It has to be a JD(S) mayor in the first term at least. Should it be a JD(S) mayor for three terms or not is still undecided, he added.

Ustad also took a dig at the Congress. The Congress had the opportunity for many years, but development did not take place. Our aim is that the JD(S) should be a part of the development agenda in Kalaburagi, he said.

After the poll results came out earlier this week, both Congress and BJP have been trying to stick a pact with the JD(S) to wrest control of the Kalaburagi City Corporation. Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge reached out to Gowda, whereas Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held talks with Kumaraswamy.

It is also reported that Gowda and Kumaraswamy may not be on the same page. While Gowda is inclined towards allying with the Congress, Kumaraswamy seems to be swaying towards the BJP.

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Devotees across the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada observed the feast of Our Lady of Nativity, or commonly known as Monthi Fest, with devotion on Wednesday. For the second consecutive year, the celebrations at churches were limited due to the restrictions following Covid-19 pandemic.

Safety measures were followed in churches according to government's guidelines. All the faithfuls who attended the mass were wearing masks mandatorily in churches in Mangaluru.

Rituals such as procession and offering of flowers by children were also restricted due to the pandemic.

The Konkani-speaking Catholic community members observe September as Thene Habba or harvest festival every year. It is also an occasion marked by a thanksgiving mass for blessing a good harvest.

Nine days before the main feast, people attend the nine days novena. Traditionally, during this period people have only vegetarian food.

Prior to the commencement of mass, the first corn from the field is brought to the Altar in a procession, which is blessed by the priest. Bunches of newly-harvested paddy stalks are blessed in the church and a sheaf is carried home by every Catholic.

The feast is celebrated by serving vegetarian food comprising variety of items for meals.



In his message, Mangalore Diocese Bishop Rev Peter Paul Saldanha said The month of September makes us bubble with joy as we celebrate the birth of our Blessed Mother. The whole nature sparkles with greenery and is resplendent with colourful flowers. The children are in the limelight, and they teach us how to love Mother Mary. With Mary, everything is new. The family bond gets renewed, the blessed new corn comes into our homes, and all blessings of prosperity come along with it.

Further, he said, A girl child who is the hope of the future of our families is honoured and protected. On this occasion, we must firmly resolve to pay attention to the wholesome health of our families. As we are living through the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family, we have a wonderful opportunity to attend to the needs of the family in the various vicissitudes of life.

The Bishop has appealed to the Parish Priests and the Commission for the Family to make extra efforts to visit the families in the Parish to support and empower them wherever needed.
A first-of-its-kind ethics committee of the legislature is likely to be formed during the upcoming Monsoon Session, Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said Wednesday.

The 10-day Monsoon Session is scheduled to start on September 13.

Briefing reporters, Kageri said that the Rules Committee had held discussions for the formation of the ethics committee. "The ethics committee will be formed after relevant sections are added to the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Legislative Assembly," he said.

According to officials, a report containing details such as the mandate of the ethics committee will be tabled in the Assembly by the Speaker. Authorities were expecting the report to be tabled in the next session, provided the proposal is cleared by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC).

The 'Best Legislator' award will be handed over at the end of the session. "We have formed a committee to pick a legislator for the award. The committee will consist of Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition and others," he said.

Also, the prohibition on the general public to attend the session will be lifted. The Speaker had barred the public from the visitors' gallery of the Assembly since the pandemic in 2020.

To a question on designated quarters for the Assembly Speaker, Legislative Council chairman and ministers, Kageri said that he was confident that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai would address the long-pending issue.

On complaints by Public Accounts Committee that officials from Health & Family Welfare Department furnished wrong information during hearings, Kageri said that he would check provisions and initiate action.

18 Bills

A total of 18 Bills are lined up to be tabled in the upcoming session. Of them, 10 are new, four are to replace ordinances and four are pending in the Assembly.

Prominent Bills include the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Slum-Grabbers and Video or Audio Pirates (Amendment) Bill 2021, to bring more offences including land-grabbing, under its ambit. Also, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will amend Section 276 CrPC 276 to introduce video conferencing as a mode to present witnesses. Other Bills deal with BWSSB, stamps and so on.

Om Birla's address

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla will address both houses of the state legislature during the upcoming Monsoon Session on September 24. Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said that the address will be on the second half of the last day of the session.

Check out the latest DH videos here:
The Supreme Court Collegium has approved the proposal for appointment of 10 additional judges of the Karnataka High Court and two of the Kerala High Court as permanent judges.

A statement published on the top court's website said the Collegium on September 7, approved the proposal for appointment of Justices Shivashankar Amarannavar, M Ganeshaiah Uma, Vedavyasachar Srishananda, Hanchate Sanjeevkumar, Padmaraj Nemachandra Desai, and P Krishna Bhat as permanent judges.

In a separate statement, the top court collegium also approved the proposal for appointment of following additional judges of the Karnataka High Court as permanent judges: Justice Maralur Indrakumar Arun, Justice Engalaguppe Seetharamaiah Indiresh, Justice Ravi Venkappa Hosmani, and Justice Savanur Vishwajith Shetty.

Two additional judges of the Kerala High Court Justices M R Anitha and Justice K Nair Haripal were also recommended to be made permanent judges.

Check out the latest DH videos here:
A Principal of a Derry school has expressed fears that relationships between schools and parents could break down thanks to the chaos caused by Covid testing.

Michael Allen, who is Principal of Lisneal College, said the testing of pupils as well as pupils having to self-isolate has led to a disruption both for his school and the children's parents.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing has long been in place to test people to see if they have contracted Covid-19.

This has applied to school pupils as well with children having to be taken out of school if they show symptoms of the virus, have been in close-contact with someone else who has or themselves been unfortunate enough to catch Covid.

Lisneal College has been no exception with a number of pupils having to return home to self-isolate and wait on PCR test results or sit out the mandatory 10 days in isolation should they test positive.

However, the revolving door of pupils coming into school only to then come back out has placed a strain both on the school and on the parents who themselves have to reorganise their working lives so that they can care for their child at home.

This has been mirrored across the north of Ireland with the Assembly at Stormont being recalled on Thursday to debate the issue.

Principal Allen said: Prior to coming back ahead of the new school term we had roughly over 20 children having to isolate with a mixture of close-contact, positive cases and kids waiting on tests.

Since we have returned, we kind of got through the first few days OK and then last Friday it (children having to self-isolate) started to really grow.

We had cases reported on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Were probably upwards now with 80 or 90 kids having been out, returned home, still out of school or are still awaiting (Covid) test results.

The whole thing is much more complicated than the last time. This makes the school very disorganised because you have kids in one day and not in the next.

What you can also have is a kid who goes for a PCR test on the Monday, tests negative but then is in close-contact with a kid on a Tuesday and then has to book another PCR test. You could have young people having to get tested three or four times in a very short space of time.

One thing were noticing is because of the way this is working this time (as opposed to last year) is that I think a lot of the goodwill that parents had in regard to the (Covid) protocols  not just with how schools work  I think that goodwill has gone now because parents are having to come in like yo-yos having to pick up kids.

Even the online learning is very difficult because youll be having to deal with different kids at different stages (of their learning) on a daily basis and all your teachers are in school. So we cant deliver online learning with those children and deliver in-school learning at the same time.

In the main, parents are coming in and they thank you and go and do the test. But there are a growing number of parents  who maybe themselves are coming under pressure from their work because so much time has been missed  are now potentially having to come out of work to sit with a child for two days waiting on the results of a PCR test.

There is certainly a level of frustration that were seeing that perhaps we didnt see before. There is a risk that if this isnt dealt with quickly and the message communicated more clearly, you could see school and parent relationships breaking down because were trying to uphold guidance out of our control or of our making and it is having a pretty detrimental impact amongst a number of parents.

Were the only people who the parents can vent their frustration to and it is disappointing that parents and schools have been placed in that position.

Brian Guthrie, the Principal of Ebrington Primary School, said the added administration work required to alert both parents and the Public Health Agency of pupils having to self-isolate was taking up a lot of time for school principals.

He said: If a child tests positive here at Ebrington, having reported cases before I am feeling confident enough myself to get information out to parents. We have our letter ready to go, we adjust the date appropriately.

I then make the phone call through to the Public Health Agency and make them aware of that. The only thing is, is the pressure of time, the amount of added administration that is putting on principals.

Derry mum of four, Lori Campbell who works as a childminder, told BBC Radio Foyle that when she turned up to drop her children off at school last Monday, she was instructed to take one of them back home.

She said: Her class was involved in a close-contact situation and they needed us to return home and organise a PCR test.

It left me in a situation where I was meant to be working, I had another child on board who was then at risk and my husband was at work.

Her daughter's PCR test came back negative but had it been positive, there would have been an immediate hit on her income.

She added: If her test had came up positive, I would have to close my business and that would be me closed until her PCR test came back clear.

That's not a great position to be in and not a great position to then land other parents in who have to come and pick up their child.

In a statement commenting on the impact of Covid-19 on schools, Education Minister, Michelle McIlveen, said: Detailed discussions are ongoing between my department and the Department of Health on measures to alleviate current pressures facing our schools as a result of Covid-19.

I recognise that the start of the new school year has been stressful for parents, children and school staff.

The public health grounds for keeping and supporting children at school are very strong in terms of supporting their education and their emotional well-being.

The risk of Covid-19 infection in any setting cannot be entirely eradicated but it can be reduced. Schools have a range of mitigations in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission in school.

These include additional cleaning and hand hygiene, ventilation, the use of face-coverings and regular asymptomatic testing.
Gothenburg, Sweden  8 September, 2021  ZeroPoint Technologies AB today closed a EUR 2.5 million seed round, from Nordic VC Industrifonden and present shareholders, to finance the company into 2021 and beyond. ZeroPoint Technologies provides the worlds only available real-time Memory Compression IP block for System on Chips (SoCs), effectively doubling a computers main memory capacity and memory bandwidth; providing significantly more performance per watt. The new capital will be used to grow and expand the companys international presence and take several products to market.

The most challenging bottlenecks in computing typically stem from memory capacity and bandwidth. ZeroPoint Technologies Ziptilion overcomes these bottlenecks: it is the worlds first general-purpose memory compression technology for high performance SoC processor subsystems, such as servers, smart mobiles, and embedded systems. Ziptilions hardware IP block compresses main memory in real-time by a factor of two to four. The solution doubles memory capacity and memory bandwidth, resulting in significantly faster systems, more performance per watt, and lower energy use.

The Deep Tech landscape of today offers a lot of investment opportunities and Industrifondens strength is to spot and research the best innovations. The impact of ZeroPoint Technologies product is extremely interesting as it deals with critical bottlenecks in memory capacity and bandwidth. The research that the company builds on comes from Chalmers University. This research, together with the existing owners, Chalmers Ventures and prominent investors, signals the promise of this investment opportunity, says Anna Ljungdahl, Investment Director and Head of Sustainability at Industrifonden.

This investment will support ZeroPoint as they grow their customer base in North America and Asia Pacific, and their development of new innovative products. The company is also set to expand its engineering team in Sweden.

ZeroPoint Technologies ambition is to become the de facto standard for main memory compression in high performance SoC processor subsystems, and this funding gives us muscles to make it happen. Memory bottlenecks are a tremendous challenge for SoC developers, and we mitigate this challenge by doubling main memory capacity and memory bandwidth. Systems with memory compression are environmentally friendly and financially effective. We reduce hardware waste, reduce power consumption, and reduce operating expenses. In short: We deliver more performance per watt, says ZeroPoint Technologies CEO Klas Moreau.

ZeroPoint Technologies IP block is easy to integrate with existing industry standard on-chip-bus-protocols. The IP-block is placed on the memory access path and is invisible to the operating system and applications. Thanks to the ultra-tuned compression/decompression accelerators and that data is compressed when fetched from memory, the memory access latency is often shorter with Ziptilion than without.

ZeroPoint Technologies is a spinout from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has over the years developed an impressive IP Portfolio in the memory compression domain. Their patented compression technology is based on 15 years of research. Today the company works with industry leaders on product implementation projects and technical evaluations.

About ZeroPoint Technologies AB

The company was founded by Professor Per Stenstrom and Angelos Arelakis PhD, with the vision to deliver the most efficient memory compression available, in real-time, based on state-of-the-art research. ZeroPoint Technologies AB is a privately held Limited Company, based in Gothenburg. ZeroPoint Technologies provide Ziptilion, the worlds only available real time memory compression IP for SoCs.

https://www.zptcorp.com






Akshay Kumar's mother Aruna Bhatia passes away, actor writes she 'peacefully left this world and got reunited with my dad'

Akshay Kumar's mother, Aruna Bhatia had not been keeping well since the last few days. The actor had rushed to India from the UK, leaving a shoot midday when he learnt that his mother had to be hospitalised and was in the ICU. Now, the actor's mother is no more. She left for her heavenly abode today morning.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)

Akshay took to his social media to share this heartbreaking news with everyone. He wrote, "She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti." See the post here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)

Akshay had earlier thanked everyone for their prayers for his mother. He had written, "Touched beyond words at your concern for my mom's health. This is a very tough hour for me and my family. Every single prayer of yours would greatly help." On mother's day this year, he had also posted a priceless picture with his mother. May the departed soul rest in peace and may god him him and his family the strength to deal with this loss.
Vidyut reveals how Sidharth Shukla watched his film on the first day, recalls how the late actor's mother always cooked for him

Bollywood actor Vidyut Jamwal shared an emotional tribute for his late friend Sidharth Shukla as he went live on social media shared some cherished memories of his dear old friend with his fans. The actor recalled how he had known Sidharth since their modeling days and how they trained together in the gym and had a common motto, To be the man, beat the man.

Sidharth died suddenly on the morning of September 2 after suffering a cardiac arrest. The late actor left behind millions of shocked fans and mourning friends and family. Vidyut who was evidently emotional after suffering this loss spoke of Sidharths kindness and revealed how he was the real mard as he was brought up by three strong women in his life.

Vidyut revealed Sidharth was his constant cheerleader and one of the very few friends to who he showed his Filmfare trophy back in 2012. He recalled how when his first film as a solo lead, Commando released Sidharth went to watch it on the very first day with his mother instead of seeking an invite to the premiere.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vidyut Jammwal (@mevidyutjammwal)

I remember Commandos first day show, it was my first film as a hero and I saw Shukla in the theatre that day. He didnt call me to say hes going to watch the film and he was with his mom. I remember walking into the theatre and I was very impressed to see his mom there. I touched her feet and she told me that Vidyut, Sidharth insisted that he wanted to watch this film on the first day. I had no clue if hell be watching the film or not, I was busy jumping from one theatre to another.

He added, Shukla would do things like this. He would never say, call me to the premiere, or invite me there was no such scene with him.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vidyut Jammwal (@mevidyutjammwal)

Talking about Sidharths mother, Vidyut recalled how she would always cook for him when he would visit Sidharth at home since the Force actor has been living away from home in Mumbai. Aunty used to cook every time I went. Because I am from Jammu shed make Rajma Chawal for me.

Vidyut further told that he had last met Sidharth on July 15 when the Bigg Boss 13 winner came to his house and they spent house talking. Talking about attending Sidharths funeral Vidyut at the end of his tribute said that he felt as if God was being cremated.
Thalaivii Movie Review: Kangana as Jayalalithaa will leave you with goose bumps; Arvind Swami is fabulous as MGR

Movie: Thalaivi Rated: 3.5/5.0 Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Arvind Swami Director: A. L. Vijay

In her 15 year long career, Kangana Ranaut has given us many terrific performances to remember-- may it be Shonali from Fashion, Rani from Queen or Tanu of Tanu Weds Manu. Recently, the actress revealed that in her opinion, the best film of her career is her upcoming project Thalaivii. Well, after watching the film on silver screen today, we understand what Kangana meant and somewhat agree. Biopic of late actress and celebrated politician J. Jayalalithaa, Thalaivii features Kangana in the lead, breathing life into the character.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Thalaivii (@kanganaranaut)

Directed by A. L. Vijay, the film begins in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly where Jayalalithaa was violently assaulted by a DMK minister. Before leaving the premises in a torn saree, she vowed to return only when she becomes the chief minister. Kangana will leave you with goose bumps right in the beginning. The film then takes us back to when the actress was just a teenager, who got a chance to share the screen with South superstar MGR. While initially Jaya did not care about who he was, she slowly understood what made him one of the most adored superstars of his time. As you see the story unfold, you will realize that the two shared a beautiful, pure bond.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Thalaivii (@kanganaranaut)

The film is based on Jayalalithaas life, but it is also a tribute to the love and devotion shared by her and her mentor MGR. Actor Arvind Swami has done a wonderful job and his chemistry with Kangana will truly remind the audience of the magic created by Jaya and MGR in their super hit films. Sadly, as we all know, with time and politics came a rift between the two superstars. But as they say, love prevails all. Years later, MGR and Jaya joined forces as politicians. While MGR was the first actor to become a chief minister in India, Jayalalithaa joined his party AIADMK and in a few years was made the Propaganda Secretary.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Thalaivii (@kanganaranaut)

Kangana and Arvind have outdone themselves, whereas Bhagyashree fits the role of a doting mother perfectly! Even in the two sequences where Jayalalithaa faced ridicule from the party members, Kanganas expressions are on-point. Her acting chops hit you hard! We can confidently assure movie-lovers that they will not be disappointed with the spectacular performances. However, there are a few scenes and dialogues which seem like they have been overdramatized for the silver screen. Some sequences are also a little confusing and will leave fans scratching their heads-- the assassination attempt on MGR, for example. The scene could have been shot in a better way. Coming to the story! Jayalalithaas life as an actress and a politician was quite eventful and there was a lot to see. But the film turned out to be much longer than we expected. No, it was not a drag! In fact, its quite a delight to watch. Just really long.

Final thoughts: Thalaivii is a well made film which definitely deserves to be watched in theatres. So, go for it!
Minister for Foreign Affairs to chair UN Security Council Meeting on Afghanistan

Press release

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, T.D., will travel to New York today, 8 September, for a series of engagements related to Irelands Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.

On 9 September, Minister Coveney will chair the Quarterly Debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). This meeting will focus on recent developments in Afghanistan and the renewal of the UNAMA mandate, which expires on 17 September.

While in New York, the Minister will meet with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. He will also meet with a number of high-level UN officials including Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons. The Minister is also expected to preside over the adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution spearheaded by Ireland on peacekeeping. The resolution, if adopted, will focus on the transition from UN peace missions to a UN civilian presence that supports peacebuilding in post conflict environments, and ensuing that civilians are protected throughout this process.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Coveney said:

As President of the Security Council for the month of September, Ireland has a significant responsibility to steward the Councils vital work. The Council will address a number of critical situations this month, including the situation in Afghanistan.

We continue to call for an inclusive, negotiated, political settlement in Afghanistan, and for the protection of the rights of women and girls. The meeting on 9 September will be an important opportunity to chart a course for the UN mission in Afghanistan over the coming months. It is more crucial than ever that the UN is able to continue its political and humanitarian work on the ground.

The Minister said:

Ireland has worked for months to secure agreement on this Resolution on peacekeeping. A well-planned, managed and phased reconfiguration of the UNs presence in post-conflict areas can ensure that peaceful conditions are sustainable and civilians are protected after peacekeepers leave. I very much hope that agreement can be reached as it is no exaggeration to say that this resolution, if adopted, would save lives, now and into the future.

Building on this theme, the Minister will deliver a lecture at the International Peace Institute, titled Making the Link: Building the Bridge between Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, on 9 September.

While in New York, the Minister will meet with a number of Irish-American leaders in the economic, political, media and cultural spheres to discuss the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York and the opportunities and challenges faced as the economy reopens.

He will also visit the 9/11 memorial to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, including the Irish American lives lost.

ENDS

Press Office

8 September 2021

Notes to editors Ireland is an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a two year term which began on 1 January 2021. Ireland holds the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of September 2021.

The role rotates each month in English alphabetical order, and this is the only time we will hold the presidency during our two-year term. This is the fifth time Ireland has held the Presidency of the Security Council since we joined the UN in 1955.

Ireland chaired an open debate on peacekeeping reform on 8 September. Ireland will also hold high-level meetings on Climate and Security on 23 September, and on the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on 27 September.

The Ministers event at the International Peace Institute will begin at 08.30 EDT/13.30 IST on 9 September. The event can be followed at: A Conversation with Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence of Ireland | International Peace Institute (ipinst.org)

Further information about Irelands Security Council term can be found on https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/international-priorities/our-international-partners/united-nations/ and https://www.dfa.ie/pmun/newyork/

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In the general backdrop of widespread digitisation and increase in volume of digital transactions triggered by the outbreak, crypto Industries in India have innovated rapidly in terms of rolling out features according to the demands of the market. For a detailed look at the regulatory journey so far, read Legal Tangle in the March 2021 issue of Digit. A bill was listed in January this year, but the text of the bill is not yet public, leading to some initial nervousness in the industry (or at least the press). However, a series of statements from the leaders, as well as a lack of clampdowns where they could have been implemented (for example BHIM and UPI could ban crypto related transactions) have sent signals to the industry that India is going ahead with a positive approach to cryptocurrency regulations, with a focus on growing the decentralised finance (DeFi) ecosystem in the country.

How the government is regulating crypto in India

Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX says, In terms of regulation, if you look at the Indian crypto situation, it is getting better, because until a few months ago we did not even have clarity on whether the government is involved in this or not, whether they are thinking about it or not. And now we heard of a bill, and more importantly the bill did not come into the parliament. Even more importantly, our finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Mr Anurag Thakur, both of them have given multiple statements in parliament as well as on public forums, about how India wants to be involved in this (the DeFi Industry). Our FM has said India will take a calibrated approach towards regulations here, and Mr Anurag Thakur recently again spoke about how we want to come about with innovation in the tech here. All of that is showing that India is going in a similar direction as the United Sates, UK or Singapore, all of these progressive nations that are moving towards positive regulations. So there is a lot of positivity amongst everyone, because of these moves that the government has made.

Shetty believes that in the future, the government would seek inputs from industry stakeholders to leverage practical knowledge of the domain. People did get nervous because there was no clarity. The bill is still not in the public domain. But the good thing is that we have now heard our leaders say that they want to take a calibrated stand on regulations, and decide in the right way. It also means that there will be industry participation in the future, because that has not happened yet. I believe that the industry will also be called for their inputs on the right way to figure out the regulations. It will be a longer process, but I think it will happen. Such an implementation could be along the similar lines of TRAI regulations, where the industry inputs are sought before regulations are drafted, often in multiple rounds. Shetty explains, as no one from the industry has been involved, the current bill has to be based purely on theoretical knowledge. The practical knowledge exists only in the industry, and theoretical knowledge alone is not enough, it has to be a combination of both. So the practical understanding comes from the crypto industry. I believe that we will be involved, but it will take time. The due process has to be followed. It is a slow process, but the execution can be more streamlined and less sluggish than it has been in the telecom sector as any regulations would have to react quickly to a rapidly evolving ecosystem.

How do we define exactly what crypto currency is?

At present the industry is primarily self regulated. To get new customers, it is essential for the players in the industry to be transparent, proactive in gaining users trust, and agile enough to anticipate any regulations and react in time. Since the development of new applications and services are exploding, the regulations have to react to catch up, so all the major exchanges are implementing features and checks in anticipation of regulations that may be implemented in the future in India, along the lines of international regulations, or the recommendations of industry associations. IndiaTech.Org, an industry body made up of startups and unicorns have released a policy whitepaper, with suggestions on how cryptocurrencies can be regulated in India. The recommendations are simple and easy to understand. The first is to define cryptocurrencies as digital assets, and to register local crypto exchanges in India. What cryptos are, are themselves evolving, and the new definition is in line with an incipient asset class. What we are attempting to regulate now is an egg that could one day grow into a Godzilla or a Mothra or something else. This means that crypto tokens should not be considered currencies similar to other assets such as gold, stocks and securities. Sumit Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO of CoinDCX says, As crypto is making waves across the world, the time has come to define the true nature of crypto in India. More than being a replacement to fiat currencies, crypto by nature is a strong digital asset, a store of value. This will bring immense clarity on its investment potential. This effort by the IndiaTech team is truly commendable. It helps bring a fresh perspective to the regulatory discussions that are going on today. The recommendations if accepted will open immense potential for Indians to participate in this new global asset class.

How to prevent suspicious activity when dealing with crypto

The second recommendation is to implement mechanisms to prevent suspicious activities (such as cybercrime or money laundering). The third is to enable taxes, fourth to introduce checks to prevent retailer fraud, as well as encouraging innovative applications. The fifth, is to include a code of conduct in the regulatory framework, that informs the industry of the intent, or objectives of the regulations by the government, and then encourage self regulation from the industry. The policy is designed to provide regulatory clarity to the Industry, and at the same time presents the solutions for the perceived risks and concerns of working with cryptocurrencies. Rameesh Kailasam, CEO, IndiaTech.org said, Crypto has emerged as an exciting area of interest amongst investors, entrepreneurs and consumers. This sector holds huge potential for Indian start-ups in the crypto space to grow from India. The foremost need today is for this sector to be granted the much-needed regulatory clarity that it has been seeking. We are hopeful that the Government will work with the industry to regulate the sector and that a progressive approach is adopted while doing so. Introducing reasonable checks and balances will ensure that India is able to embrace and adopt new-age technologies by adequately leveraging their potential.

One of the biggest concerns about cryptos is their association with the shady transactions on the dark net, use for money laundering, and financing terrorism. These are activities that the crypto industries have to plan for combating on their own initiative. CoinDCX has recently announced that it has deployed CoinFirms anti money laundering platform to strengthen the security of the crypto economy. This makes CoinDCX compliant with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental organisation. Neeraj Khandelwal, Co-Founder of CoinDCX says Being the largest cryptocurrency exchange in India, ensuring safety, security for our partners and being compliant are imperative to us. Our association with Coinfirm has been an important step towards enhancing CoinDCXs security infrastructure. This will also help us in eliminating the security concerns among the investor community. The aim is to create and nurture a safe crypto economy in India while mitigating the risks associated with investments in cryptocurrencies. Pawel Kuskowski, CEO and co-founder of Confirm says, We view Indias acceptance of blockchain as a major step in the global adoption of the technology and CoinDCX has been empowering this journey since its inception. With Coinfirms RegTech that effort will retain the highest security against the counterparty risks of money laundering, fraud and terrorism financing.
WazirX is an incredibly easy to use cryptocurrency trading platform, with a rapid onboarding process with integrated AI. Since its launch in 2018, WazirX has grown quickly to become Indias largest trading platform. When it comes to distributed ledger technologies, NFTs are all the rage right now, as regular readers of our magazine will know. The exchange has now announced a platform for NFT artists, where local creators will be able to sell their art in the digital marketplace. We spoke to Nischal Shetty, Founder, WazirX to understand more about the platform and the launch.

We are a crypto exchange, where we provide the technology platform for anyone to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. In 2017, the Bitcoin prices were going up and I tried to use some of the existing exchanges back then in India. It took me about three or five days to buy my first Bitcoin, by which time the prices had shot up. Then I realised that the products are also not up to the mark in comparison to global products, in terms of ease of use, user experience, the liquidity was less in the Indian market and people were also paying more than the international prices. All of this led to me deciding that a crypto exchange that will be idea for India because there are a lot of gaps in the market. The biggest I saw was that, back then, I could just google and go for whatever exchange came up, I wouldnt know the background of the founders, or who it was, so it was very difficult to trust what exchange to go for. In an unregulated market, trust is very important because there are no licenses in an unregulated market. That is one of the reasons I took charge of the whole trust building in the market, and as a founder I am very and involved with the community. We announced that we were launching in 2018, and we saw forty thousand people signing up even before we launched. The market showed that there is a demand for an exchange that is simple to use, and where the founders are publicly communicating with the users.

How WazirX plans on being transparent

Transparency is built into the product as a feature. WazirX publishes regular blogs on the crypto industry, has a newsletter for updates, and all the details about how the platform works is available easily to the users in a format that is easy to understand. Since launch, the platform has been evolving rapidly, rolling out features as quickly as there is a demand for it. Since NFTs are a hot thing now, WazirX rolled out an NFT marketplace for local artists. We have been growing really fast and today we are the largest (exchange) in the Industry. We have been listening to what the users want since the early days. Based on the number of people who are interested we take decisions on what to build for, we go about it that way. NFT is yet another example of that where we saw a lot of our users asking for a way to buy NFTs through an Indian platform. If you see globally, the NFT sector is heating up, where a lot of large artists are launching their own tokens. Now the New York Stock Exchange is launching its token of listed companies. So there is a lot of demand which is what led us to announce the launch (of the NFT marketplace).

NFT tokens are minted as a transaction on the underlying blockchain, where a permanent record of it is saved. The unique token on the blockchain is mapped to a file, which subsequently cannot be altered or tampered. The artist has to pay a price for interacting with the blockchain, for example, there is a gas cost for minting an NFT on the ethereum blockchain. WazirX has indicated that it plans to reduce the cost associated with minting an NFT for the artist, and if possible get rid of it altogether.

How do NFTs work?

Shetty tells us, the thing with NFT is that you could attach any media to it, which could be an image file, can be an audio file, or a video file. The way artists can really get involved is by minting originals of their work, as an NFT token. Lets say you are a musician, you could then sell an original rendition of your music to anyone who wants to buy it. This is just an example the fan bases of influencers, youtubers, instagrammers and creators can get involved by buying the NFTs. This is a great way for fans to support the work of these artists, and at the same time if the artists grow bigger in the future then the prices of these NFTs will appreciate, thus helping these early backers benefit from the growth of the artist. So it is a sort of a win win for both the artists and the buyers of the NFT tokens. The good thing about this is that you can prove originality.

The ingenuity of WazirX lies in the flexible P2P model, that allows users to trade cryptocurrencies between themselves. Throughout the stringent regulation regime on cryptocurrency, WazirX provided buyers in India an easy way to invest in cryptocurrencies. As a P2P mediator, WazirX managed to provide one of the easiest options for Indians to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, even though the restrictive regulations were in place. Still, WazirX is one of the companies leading the charge when it comes to asking for the government to implement regulations.

We are building up the community also, pushing for positive crypto regulations so that it is easier for the users and customers to choose the right platform, and also making sure that the Indian crypto ecosystem does not have bad actors. We have been doing a lot of work around educating everyone in pushing for positive regulations, says Shetty.

Marketplaces for NFTs

The launch of local marketplaces is great news for local NFT artists, who use international platforms such as SuperRare or OpenSea. Harshit Agrawal, who sells AI artwork as NFTs, tells us how NFTs benefits the artist, NFTs have been great for digital artists- it's offered a ready marketplace for digital art- something that didn't exist before NFTs, because everyone was worried about duplication and authenticity of digital art. Now with storing tokens on the tamper proof, transparent, blockchains, its made digital art associated with the NFT a collectible, and the art market is responding to this. As India's first AI artist, i'm excited by this new space and have been actively involved with making and selling NFTs, primarily through the premium, one of the only curation only NFT platforms- Superrare. Being the first and only Indian artist on Superrare, i'm excited to bring my unique art- AI art inspired by traditional Indian art like mask cultures and rituals of India, bright Thangka (Buddhist) paintings. These have been much appreciated by collectors at Superrare where i've sold all my works of this style on the platform.

Siraj, who makes illustrated NFT art, tells us NFTs opens up a new platform for digital artists to show their work to the global audience. When a user buys NFTs, the users can make sure that they are buying the artwork from the original artists with a seal of authenticity. Also the artists gets royalty for the artworks when they get sold in the secondary market.

Commenting on the launch of the NFT marketplace by WazirX, Agrawal tells us that he is very excited to see an Indian NFT platform! I'd love WazirX to get actively involved with the Indian art community that is already active in the NFT space. It's a small bunch of artists currently, but we're constantly looking to expand and bring more artists in. I'd love to see WazirX truly bring in more Indian art to the NFT scene, and encourage Indian collectors to get involved too. Siraj tells us, I am eager to see the response of WazirXs NFT platform from the Indian audience. I also hope this new platform brings out many other local physical artists to the digital medium.

Zebpay, another leading crypto exchange in India had launched its own NFTs, the Zebra token back in December 2020. The company is now planning to launch an NFT marketplace, which is not just meant for artwork, but digital collectibles of many varieties. The soon to be launched marketplace is called Dazzle. Vikram Rangala, COO of ZebPay told us, ZebPay will soon launch Dazzle, Indias first full-service NFT marketplace. Anyone can use this platform to create, buy, and sell NFTs. It is not limited to artists. Digital collectables and intellectual property of all sorts can be turned into an NFT on Dazzle. We announced Indias first NFT, the ZEBRA token, back in December 2020, with a limited release unfolding in 2021. At first, ZEBRA tokens will give owners rewards on ZebPay, then later unlock other special features, just like players unlock powers in video games. Committing on the launch of the NFT marketplace by WazirX, Rangala said, we are happy to see WazirX joining the NFT party. As we have said before, we see other exchanges and marketplaces as collaborators. The Dazzle marketplace, which we announced in December 2020 and which has been in development for some time, will be a larger NFT marketplace with more than just digital art.
Samsung will reportedly launch a 600MP sensor slated for a 2025 release. Senior VP Automotive Sensor at Samsung Electronics, Heachang Lee, revealed a 576MP camera sensor set to release in the coming years. To be precise.

The South Korean tech giant showcased its engineering prowess recently by unveiling a 200MP smartphone camera sensor last week called Samsung ISOCELL HP1. Earlier, Samsung also unveiled the worlds first 108MP camera sensor, which was the world's first at the time.

Samsung 576MP Camera Sensor To Debut For Automobiles

The upcoming Samsung 576MP camera sensor is not meant for smartphones. According to a report, the Samsung 576MP camera sensor will most likely debut in automobiles. Samsung made clear its ambition to develop a camera sensor greater than 500MP which goes beyond the capabilities of the human eye.

With the capabilities of autonomous cars increasing every day, the hardware powering them is also likely to take a huge leap in the coming years. Tesla already uses a combination of RADAR and high-speed sensors to install functional capabilities in its cars. Furthermore, autonomous cars from Google and Apple will also make use of super high definition cameras capable of capturing subjects at speed. The forthcoming camera sensor can also find its use in high-speed drones, both commercial and personal ones.

The 600MP camera sensor features 0.8m pixels, is 1/.0.57 big and results in a 22mm bulge. Samsung looks keen on advancing its capabilities in the autonomous vehicles segment, IoT devices and drones in the near future.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G with Snapdragon 778 launched in India to take on Realme GT Master Edition
the second quarter of this year Xiaomi tops Apple on worldwide smartwatch shipments with 19.6% of total market share. Xioami's sales have significantly boosted by the launch of Mi Band 6. Though India, their biggest market, was not in the initial global launch list. Apple closes the gap and secures the second place with a small margin difference of 0.3% On the other hand Huawei faces a horrendous 53.9% loss in annual growth falling from first position into the third, mainly hanging on the Chinese market.

Worldwide wearable band shipments and growth Q2 2021:

: #Xiaomi overtook #Apple to become the top-shipping wearable band vendor in Q2 2021, driven by the release of the Mi Band 6 which is hailed as "a more compelling device than its predecessor" @Canalys Research Analyst Cynthia Chen.https://t.co/XsneanAi6T pic.twitter.com/38iG6Del4a  Canalys (@Canalys) September 4, 2021

Recently Samsung joined forces with Google to develop Wear OS 3, the launch of Samsungs Galaxy Watch 4 series with new biosensors and a 5nm chipset. Resulting in a 3.1% increase in market share from last year.

The global wearable market has increased by 5.6% in the second quarter of 2021. The trend of smartwatches and basic watches topping the sales of basic bands from Q4 of 2020 still continues. Global shipments of basic bands went down 23.8% reaching 15.5 million units.

However Apple continues to lead the global wristwatch market with a respectable lead of 31.1% market share in the second quarter of 2021. Followed by Huawei with 9% and Garmin with a market share of 7.6%

"Vendors are trying to make a big generational leap in smartwatch technologies. To stand out, they improve the basics, such as user experience and battery life, create their own distinct user interfaces and leverage their respective ecosystems to extract new and unique use cases added Jason Low, head of research at Canalys.

Worldwide wristband shipments and growth in Q2 2021:
We recently reviewed the Sony X80J (review) which brought with it good panel performance. The X80J however, does not run on Sonys 2021 XR processor powering the likes of the X90J (review). The X80J also has HDMI 2.0 ports bringing with it YUV 422 HDR instead of RGB HDR found on the X90J which has HDMI 2.1. The Sony X85J does not have dimming zones like the X90J but has two HDMI 2.1. Confused? Well, don't be as we will not only review the Sony X85J here but also help you understand how it stacks up against Sony's X80J and X90J TVs. We will also try and answer questions like, does the X85J bridge the features gap between the X80J and X90J? Who is this TV right for? Read on and find out!

Sony X85J Specs at a glance

Panel Size: 85-inch (also available in 55, and 65-inch as well)

Panel Type: VA LED

Panel Resolution: 3840 x 2160 - 4K

Panel Refresh Rate: 120Hz

HDR 10 support: Yes

Dolby Vision Support: Yes

Weight (with stand): Approx. 44.5kgs

HDMI Ports: 4

USB Ports: 2

Bluetooth: Yes

Wi-Fi: Yes

Ethernet: Yes

Speakers: 20W (Bass Reflex Speaker, X-Balanced Speaker)

Built-in storage: 16GB

Price: MRP: 6,99,900. Best Price: Rs 4,99,990

Sony X85J: Display and picture quality

Let's kick things off with the most important thing about the TV, the black mirror. The 85-inch variant we have with us here has a VA panel and does not come with any dimming zones. The peak brightness of the TV is above 500 nits (close to 550 nits), and we found the TV to have a sustained brightness of about 400 nits. This makes the TV a lot brighter than the X80J but not as bright as the X90J.

The TV has a 4K resolution with support for popular HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG. Under the hood, the TV has Sonys 4K HDR X1 Processor, the same found on the X80J.

Sony X85J: 4K and HDR performance

Lets kick things off with our Calman data and we found that without calibration, the TV has a delta error of about 10. The 2-point grayscale error was relatively low out of the box.

For real-world testing, we played our standard slew of content on this TV and realized that the panel is actually quite bright for content consumption. Even without local dimming, the contrast on the TV was good to ensure minimal blooming when consuming content in a pitch-dark room. Put simply, the content consumption experience of this TV was better than the X80J in a dark room but fell a tad short when compared to the X90J, putting the performance of this TV smack bang in the middle of the other two Sony TVs.

In a show like Our Planet which plays in Dolby Vision, we got some great colours and bright highlights when consuming content. Even dark sequence details in a show like Altered Carbon, another one in Dolby Vision, we got very good dark scene performance without loss in details. For both these shows, despite the lighting in the room, we left it on the Dolby Vision Bright preset for the best experience.

The interesting observation comes in shows like Jack Ryan and The Grand Tour which are in HDR 10. The Standard preset when watching these 2 shows, reproduces very good colours and brightness, albeit, with a slightly cool colour temperature. Switching to the Cinema preset made the content look slightly better with a warm tone, but reduced the brightness. When I switched the auto-brightness of the TV off, the brightness was as good as the Standard preset with good colour reproduction and a slightly warm colour temperature which is more accurate.

With some biased lighting in the room, content consumption was good with almost no blooming in dark sequences. While there was some slight blooming in dark sequences in a pitch-dark room, it was immediately eliminated with some bias lighting.

Sony X85J: FHD performance

Once again, just like the X80J, the Standard preset of the TV got the job done very well for SDR content consumption. It makes the content look rich, skin tones naturals and colours pop. In a movie like Spider-Man Homecoming, the reds and blues of Spider-Mans suit look crisp and the web design in it looks well defined. The same for Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation where we have a desert bike chase sequence, the skin tones look natural and while the Cinema preset makes things slightly warner and pleasing to the enthusiast, the mastering of the standard preset works so well, that you would be ok leaving it on the standard for almost all forms of content.

When we put out a poll asking you what TV preset you use to consume content, most of you said, you leave it on Standard. It looks like Sony is aware of this as their Standard preset looks very good for everyday SDR content consumption.

Sony X85J: Gaming performance

Thanks to the two HDMI 2.1 ports on the X85J, we get access to 4K at 120Hz. Sadly, like the X90J, we will get VRR as an update on the TV towards the end of 2021. Nonetheless, the fact that we get full RGB HDR on the PS5 is a treat on this TV. Just so you know, because of HDMI 2.0 on the X80J, you get YUV 422 HDR on the PS5 connected to the X80J.

We played our standard slew of games on this TV including Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut, Spider-Man: Miles Morales (review), Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (review) and Dirt 5 (review). Needless to say, the experience of playing these games on the TV was sublime. From the soft yet punchy HDR of swinging towards the sun in Spider-Man to the bright desert race in Dirt 5 and even all the bright particle effects in Ratchet and Clank, this TV is a treat for gamers.

While your choice between the X85J and X90J depends on your budget and requirement, the X85J is one of the TVs you can consider if the X90J is out of reach for you, especially if gaming features are important.

To put things into perspective, as of writing this review the 55-inch Sony X80J is priced at Rs 94,990 while the 55-inch X85J is priced at Rs 1,19,990 and the 55-inch X90J is priced at Rs 1,49,990. These are all MOPs.

The 65-inch X80J is priced at Rs 1,34,990 and the 65-inch X85J is priced at Rs 1,69,990 while the 65-inch X90J is priced at 1,99,990. Once again these are MOPs. Hopefully, this will help you make a more informed decision of the price to performance.

Sony X85J: Audio performance

The X85J can produce a nice room-filling sound with good channel separation and clarity at moderate to loud volumes. The TV lacks a little bit of bass but the overall sound output is very good for everyday content consumption and also watching movies and playing games. The vocals are clear and I recommend going into the settings and switching on surround sound to get better channels expiration. The race at the 12-minute mark in Rady Player One is a great example of good channel separation and dynamic range.

At about 40-50 per cent, the speakers on this TV produce room-filling sound and unless you are looking for an immersive cinematic surround sound experience, can get the job done quite comfortably with the speakers on this TV.

Sony X85J: UI

The UI here is identical to what we saw on the X80J. You have the all-new Google TV UI with the same fluidity and the same convenience we saw on the X80J. To access the Google Play store, you still need to use Google Assistant. The For You tab is still missing from the Google TV UI, but thats more of a Google TV thing than a Sony thing.

One thing to remember is that you should go into the settings and select the enhanced format for HDMI 3 and 4 to ensure you get 4K at 120Hz from the two HDMI 2.1 enabled ports. You can do this by going to Settings - Channel & Inputs - External Inputs - HDMI Signal Format. Here, select the enhanced format for the HDMI input.

Sony X85J: Remote control

The remote control is once again identical to what we got on the X90J and X80J. It has a slim candy bar form factor and textured back. You have OTT hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube along with playback controls. You also get the number pad and a dedicated button to bring up the Google Assistant. Overall, the remote is well built, functional and works well.

Sony X85J: Build and design

The X85J has a lot in common with the design of the X80J. It has the same two slim feet holding it in place and you get two clips that hook onto the feet for cable management. The back has a slightly textured finish and the TV has slim bezels all around the display. It is quite a well-built TV with the only downside being the slight wobble you get when you place this TV on a table.

The placement of the ports is pretty standard. They are all on the left side of the TV facing outwards. We have two USB ports, optical audio out, headphones port, AV port, four HDMI ports, ethernet port and a good old antenna.

Sony X85J: Bottom Line

Heres answering the all-important question, should you buy the X85J? While we have reviewed the 85-inch variant of the TV, it is also available in 55 and 65-inch screen sizes. Your decision should be based on the features you are looking for and whether they are available in your budget. The X85J has a good bright panel for content consumption and even though it does not have local dimming, the darkroom performance of this TV is good with minimal blooming. A little bias light can help eliminate this as well. The viewing angles are good, but the colours start to shift at extreme angles. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports and supports 4K at 120Hz along with RGB HDR for gaming. Sadly, there are only two HDMI 2.1 ports of the four and VRR support will come via an update at the end of the year. If you are in the market for an HDMI 2.1 enabled LED TV that isnt as expensive as the X90J, then the X85J can definitely be one to consider.
EPA

Dunn

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan has appointed 34 new members to EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee. Among those asked to serve in this important advisory role for the federal agency is Snohomish County Councilmember, Megan Dunn. Councilmember Dunn is now one of the 39-members of EPA's LGAC. EPA's LGAC includes representatives from 30 different states, Tribal nations, and U.S. territories, representing a diverse cross-section of cities, counties, towns, and communities across the United States. Chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Local Government Advisory Committee provides independent policy advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of issues affecting local governments. The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee was established by EPA in 1996 to advise the Administrator on environmental issues of concern to the residents of smaller communities.




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SEATTLE (AP)  Fans attending most pro sporting events in Seattle will soon be required to show proof they've been vaccinated against COVID-19 or that they've tested negative for the virus.

The NFL's Seahawks, MLS's Sounders, NHL's Kraken and MLB's Mariners, along with the University of Washington and Washington State University, all announced updated policies Tuesday for fans attending games this season.





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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  The huge California wildfire near the Lake Tahoe resort region was 49% contained Tuesday and leaders of the firefighting army that has battled the flames for more than three weeks were increasingly positive in their outlook.

The Caldor Fire grew by just a few hundred acres over 24 hours to just over 338 square miles and containment lines were holding well, officials told a morning briefing of firefighters.





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Washington Patriot Construction

Shaw

Florance

Tishchenko

Balasyuk

Gig Harbor-based Washington Patriot Construction promoted Mikhail Balasyuk to project manager, Bogdan Tishchenko to assistant project manager, and Zerah Florance and Neil Shaw to senior project managers. Balasyuk interned with Washington Patriot in the summer of 2015 and became a permanent employee in 2016. He started as a project engineer and now primarily leads design-build projects for private clients. He holds bachelor's degrees in architecture and construction management from the University of Washington. Tishchenko was hired in 2017 as a project engineer. He graduated from the UW with a degree in urban planning and design, with a minor in architecture. He provides planning and estimating, and helps develop collaboration tools that provide visual representations of the company's projects. Florance joined the company in 2009 as a project manager and has led some of its most diverse design-build projects. She holds bachelor's degrees in construction management from the UW and architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Shaw joined the company in 2013, and primarily leads its projects with state and federal agencies. He holds a construction management degree from the UW and serves as a mentor on the company's Project Engineer/Quality Control team.




Let's talk about the first section of the exhibition: The Glossary Room.

Here you can find a personal collection of stones that I started when I was a child. They are things I found in all parts of the world  mainly in Greece and Cyprus, where I grew up. Most are simple stones, some are gifts. I have always been interested in the idea of nature as designer: it is capable of creating perfect shapes, or decorations that look man-made. One, for example, seems to be wearing a mask. Others are sculpted by micro-organisms.

Do you remember which stone you started the collection with (and the moment you picked it up)?

Of course I do. It was a round stone I found during an excursion. I was travelling with an architect, a friend of my father's. This turned out to be a failure: we were looking for fossils but we didn't find any, so I was very disappointed. But on the way back I found the stone and it was a very rewarding moment for me. This collection explains very well the way I see things, my point of view on the world.
There have been calls for Louth County Council to carry out a safety assessment on Blackrock beach, due to it being 20 years since one was previously done.

Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District, Fine Gael Cllr Maria Doyle called on the council to carry out a safety assessment on the beach to better highlight the dangers of being stranded when the tide comes in.

Cllr Doyle submitted the notice of motion to the Dundalk Municipal District meeting last night, saying that more signage might not be the solution to highlight dangers.

Cllr Doyle queried whether or not a beach warden could be put in place - similar to a traffic warden for schools - during specific times during the year.

In particular, Cllr Doyle said that this issue is particularly for people who are not familiar with Blackrock beach and the possibility of being stranded.

Independent Cllr Maeve Yore told the meeting that she had spoken with Water Safety Irish about the beach, and that the last safety assessment for Blackrock beach was carried out in 2001.

Cllr Yore called on Director of Services of Louth County Council, Joe McGuinness to secure a risk assessment of Blackrock beach.
A new award to help women restart their education has been launched in memory of the late broadcaster, Marian Finucane.

The fund, which is worth 20,000, will allow women with financial and/or social barriers to access higher education.

The late Mrs Finucane, who was passionate about education, presented her weekend radio programme 'The Marian Finucane Show' for two decades before her death in January 2020.

Her husband, John Clarke, spoke at the launch of the bursary fund and said, There is a simple basic truth  if you educate a woman, you educate a family. If you educate a man, he gets a job. This has been proven time and time again.

The Community Foundation for Ireland has donated 10,000 to the fund, which was then matched with a further donation from a private donor. It's hoped the fund will grow over time.

Donations to the fund can be made here.
Professor Brian MacCraith, the Louth man leading the Irish Covid-19 vaccine rollout, has said that the Irish people have shown incredible resilience throughout the pandemic and that it can be seen in the massive vaccine uptake across the country.

Professor MacCraith, who is originally from old Muirheavena in Dundalk and now lives in Termonfeckin, is the chairperson of the high-level task force on Covid-19 vaccination and he spoke with the Democrat about his work with the group.

Professor MacCraith said that he was originally offered the job in November 2020 and he quickly accepted despite not knowing entirely what it would entail.

It was a privilege and an honour to be asked to take on something so significant as this, said Professor MacCraith.

The complexity of it wouldnt have been clear from the outset but I knew it was a very big task and I knew it was by far the biggest such programme ever undertaken by the State.

Professor MacCraith worked in Dundalk IT before moving to Dublin City University as a physics lecturer. He later went on to become President of the university, with a 10-year term running from 2010 to 2020.

The former President of DCU said that the work on the task force began immediately and they began preparations for the vaccination programme.

Professor MacCraith told the Democrat that the vaccination programme was always planned to be driven by the supply of vaccines into Ireland and infrastructure was scaled up to reflect that.

We made the commitment right across the programme that the only thing that would limit our ability to administer vaccines would be the supply itself, everything else we would optimise because it was the only thing we didnt have absolute control over.

Professor Brian MacCraith greeting Martina Ralph at Fairways vaccination centre

While the task force knew that they would be receiving small amounts of vaccine in the early days, from February they began to plan for the larger shipments of vaccine that would arrive in the second and third quarter of the year.

We knew from the contracts with the vaccine companies that that would rise up to hundreds of thousands a week during quarter two and quarter three and thats what happened.

We were planning from, certainly February onwards for that scale up.

A significant marker in Irelands vaccine programme has been the extremely high takeup across the country, with 86.5% of over 16s fully vaccinated.

The total number of people fully vaccinated in the country now stands at 3,380,284 as of September 1st.

As to why the uptake has been so high, Professor MacCraith says that it is due to the trust Irish people have placed in science and state institutions like the HSE.

They trusted the science, they listened to the best public health advice, they were an educated population and they made rational decisions based on evidence.

The numbers achieved can speak for themselves.

When you combine that with the response, that scale of coming forward with the great resilience shown by Irish people throughout the whole pandemic, it would make you extremely proud to be an Irish person.

The professor, who received his vaccinations in the Fairways vaccination centre earlier this year, told the Democrat that uptake of the vaccine remains high even moving into younger people, with 90.4% of people over the age of 12 either having registered or already received a vaccination.

Its incredible figures, these numbers is [sic] not being achieved in many parts of the world where people have access to vaccines.

He heaped praise on all those involved in the vaccine programme and the thousands of volunteers who gave up time to work on the programme.

Really its been an extraordinary example of human endeavour and commitment to public service.

The success of this programme is down to the collective coming together to make this happen.

The next priority for Professor MacCraith and the task force is to get more people who havent registered for a Covid-19 vaccine vaccinated.

While Professor MacCraith understands that the programme will never reach 100% uptake, due to those who choose not to take a vaccine, he believes it is still possible to reach other groups of people.

We know you can never get to 100%, theres nowhere in the world where you get 100% vaccination. You have to accept and respect peoples views.

While there are people who will choose not to get the vaccine regardless, Professor MacCraith is focused on those who are likely to get the jab, but due to circumstances like work commitments, travel or being busy stop them from registering.

To combat this, he says that the walk-in vaccine centres have been successful and that the task force was taken aback by their popularity.

Feedback Professor MacCraith has received shows that the flexibility of the centres appeals to people.

We have parents, both parents working and working long hours that just the normal appointments may not have suited them. This walk-in option has really opened up possibilities, said Professor MacCraith.

He also says that there may be up to 10,000 people who received an AstraZeneca dose one, but never returned for their second jab due to concerns.

Professor MacCraith believes that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) allowing for vaccine mixing in limited circumstances may get those 10,000 back in for their second dose.

For Professor MacCraith, Louth is still his home and he still retains his connections to Dundalk.

Its great to live in such a nice area beside the sea with such great views and scenery around that, said Professor MacCraith about Termonfeckin.

Wed go in and out to Dundalk on a regular basis and Id still have some very good friends that were in contact with.
People who were vaccinated in Northern Ireland will soon be able to receive an EU Digital Covid Certificate, according to a local Dundalk TD.

Sinn Feins Ruairi O Murchu said that he had received an update from the Government on the issues with EU digital certs for those who had been vaccinated in Northern Ireland.

Deputy O Murchu said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform would have the first phase of the process in place on September 20th.

The provisional estimated date of launch of Phase 1 is 20th September, said a statement from the Department.

It has been agreed with authorities in Northern Ireland that residents in Ireland that were vaccinated in the north will now be able to obtain certification of vaccination from Northern Ireland.

Deputy O Murchu welcomed the development, saying it is good for people north and south of the border.

This is good news for those who are living in the North and who need the EU digital certificate, as well as for those who live in the South but received their vaccines in the North, said Deputy O Murchu.

Many of the people in the second cohort are those who work on a cross border basis and they have been left in limbo as regards EU certification of their vaccine.

The mechanisms should have been put in place earlier for all this to happen, but at least we now have a date.

Deputy O Murchu said that he would be working with people in the North to get more information on how they can receive their certification to receive a Digital Covid Certificate.

Everyone has to work to ensure these processes are seamless and happen as quickly as possible
Claremont, NH (03743)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High near 80F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight with light rain possible. Low around 65F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. Low near 65F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Clovis saw a slight population increase over the last 10 years, but for the most part eastern New Mexico saw population declines over the last 10 years, according to U.S. Census data from the 2020 surveys.

The data, available at census.gov, shows Clovis population went from 37,775 on April 1, 2010 to 38,567 on April 1, 2020. The Clovis growth offset population declines throughout the rest of Curry Countys. The county went from 48,376 residents in 2010 to 48,430 in 2020.

Portales and Roosevelt County saw population decreases, with Portales going from 12,280 to 12,137 and the county going from 19,846 to 19,191.

New Mexico made slight gains, going from 2,059,179 to 2,117,522. Meanwhile, the U.S. population grew from 308,745,538 to 331,449,281.

According to the Census QuickFacts, about a quarter of the population in Curry and Roosevelt is under 18, compared to 22.7% statewide. Roosevelt County is at 24.4%, with Portales at 24.8%. Curry County is at 26.2%, with Clovis trending slightly higher at 27.1%. Roosevelt County, at 50.3% female population, is about on track with statewide numbers of 50.5%. Portales (48.7%), Clovis (48.1%) and Curry County (48.2%) are slightly below half.

The Census does not provide its QuickFacts for cities and towns with less than 5,000 population. It will release data for smaller towns and villages later.

Other findings from the Census data:

 In the race and origin category, those who identify as white in the counties far outpace those in the county seats. The Portales percentage in that metric is 72.9%, compared to 90.8% for the entire county. Clovis is 63.4% white only, compared to 85.6% for the county. The numbers drop significantly for people who identify as white with no Hispanic or Latino origin  between 43% (Clovis) and 50.5% (Roosevelt County).

 Just under 30% of families speak a language other than English at home  29.3% in Roosevelt County and 29% in Curry County. Those percentages are ahead of the nation as a whole (21.6%), but well behind New Mexico as a whole (34%).

 A total of 5,425 veterans live in the two counties  3,407 in Curry and 1,022 in Roosevelt.

 Computer ownership in Curry (88.1%) and Roosevelt (87.3%) is just ahead of the state (85.9%) and just behind the nation (90.3%). The trend is similar for households with broadband Internet subscriptions  80.9% in Curry, 78.4% in Roosevelt, 74.6% statewide and 82.7% nationally.

 Among people 25 and older, state and national trends are higher for high school graduates and bachelors degree holders. Nationally, 88% of Americans 25 and older have graduated high school, compare to 85.6% of New Mexicans, 81.9% of Curry County residents and 80% of Roosevelt County residents. Those with at least a bachelors degree make up 32.1% of Americans 25 and older, compared to 27.3% statewide, 23.9% in Roosevelt County and 19.2% in Curry County.

 Trips to work are much shorter locally  an average of 15.6 minutes in Curry County and 16.8 minutes in Roosevelt County. The state average is 22.3 minutes, and the national average is higher at 26.9 minutes.

 Median household income is higher in Curry County at $45,092 than Roosevelt Countys $42,702. But both lag behind state ($49,754) and national ($62,843) amounts. Both counties are right around the state poverty average of 18.2%  18.6% in Roosevelt and 18.7% in Curry. The national average is 10.5%.
A couple of centuries ago, a smart fellow known as Voltaire pointed out, Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

This is a timeless truth.

It explains why a disturbing number of people in the year 2021 are calling for segregation, imposed poverty, or even concentration camps  they prefer to use euphemisms  for their neighbors who are, for whatever reason, unvaccinated against COVID-19. If this isnt a willingness to commit an atrocity, what is?

Theyve been fooled into believing absurdities concerning the virus, now they are publicly calling for atrocities.

Society is ripe for some political functionary to start committing atrocities, using the excuse of public safety, and these people would cheer and start lighting up the tip lines. Or dragging their neighbors to the authorities themselves.

There is a big overlap between those who want officials to punish their unvaccinated neighbors and those who want government to ban gun ownership. Maybe this doesnt mean anything, but it is worth noticing.

Many of these same people want to convince you that Ivermectin is only a horse de-wormer. Would they also characterize penicillin as only a horse antibiotic? Both are partly true, but incomplete.

Any medication can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Trying to shut down discussion concerning a medicine  whether Ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, or Cannabis  is neither rational nor ethical. Its not science, but superstition.

If you feel the need to shut down debate youve admitted your position is weak.

This doesnt mean I believe you should use any particular medication. Your medical decisions are between you and your doctor, with your informed consent being the deciding factor in every case. Government, social media corporations, and I shouldnt have any say in the matter.

You might as well listen to your dogs medical advice  the credibility is about the same.

I have no idea whether Ivermectin or anything else is effective against any specific virus, but I know when people are lying. You are being lied to.

Its not completely their fault. Theyve been lied to by politicized experts and they bought it hook, line, and sinker. Now, based on the absurd lies they believed, they have come up with what must seem to them to be a reasonable reaction.

Its not ethnic cleansing, but ideological cleansing. Does this make it better in their minds? America may be only one panic away from disaster because so many have believed absurdities.

Farwells Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

[email protected]
Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded sever
EBRD providing 70 million loan to Albanian public energy company OSHEE

Covid-19 impact caused liquidity gap in the power sector

Loan to be complemented by technical assistance

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 70 million loan to Albanian energy company Operatori I Shperndarjes se Energjise Elektrike (OSHEE) to address liquidity gaps caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The financing may also fund the construction of a modern, underground substation in central Tirana.

OSHEE is the largest state-owned enterprise in the sector in Albania, with more than 6,000 employees. Its distribution company manages and operates the countrys power distribution network and related infrastructure, while its retail supplier is responsible for electricity supply to regulated customers.

The EBRD loan is complemented by a significant technical assistance package to help OSHEE improve its health and safety protocols, strengthen its anti-corruption governance and develop an inclusive training programme for young professionals. The package will also include a smart grid development roadmap study to explore the digitalisation of the distribution network.

The signing in Tirana today was attended by delegations led by Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, Minister of Finance and Economy Anila Denaj and EBRD First Vice President Jurgen Rigterink.

Minister Denaj said: This is an important project for OSHEE and for the Albanian power sector. The EBRD loan will support OSHEEs efforts to mitigate the consequences of Covid-19 and to modernise and commercialise its business operations. This project aligns with our significant achievements on reforming and improving the Albanian power sector.

EBRD First Vice President Rigterink added: We are delighted to support this project, which will provide liquidity relief to OSHEE following the Covid-19 crisis. We are combining liquidity support with the funding of innovative infrastructure in the Albanian distribution system. This is our first opportunity to support OSHEE and we are confident that we are today laying the foundations of a long-term partnership.

Adrian Cela, CEO of OSHEE, said: I am pleased to sign this project today to support OSHEEs business following the consequences of Covid-19 and the potential construction of a modern underground substation, the first of its kind in Albania. OSHEE will also benefit from a technical assistance package that supports OSHEEs modernisation ambitions and the implementation of best standards in its operations.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Albania. To date, the Bank has invested 1.69 billion in 115 projects in the country.
EBRD lends KZT 4.9 billion to MREK power utility in western Kazakhstan

Loan to restructure MREKs balance sheet, boost exchange-rate resilience

Funds will also go to develop inclusive training programmes for youth and women

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is pledging new funds to improve the financial sustainability of Mangistau Regional Distribution Company (MREK), a major electricity distributor in western Kazakhstan.

A senior loan of up to KZT 4.9 billion (equivalent to 9.5 million) will help MREK, which operates 500 supply transformer substations and a network of more than 5,000 km of electricity lines, to restructure its balance sheet and increase its resilience to future foreign-exchange risks, as well as to the macroeconomic uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As part of the project and in close collaboration with the government of Kazakhstan, MREK has committed to implementing inclusive educational programmes for youth and women in the Mangistau region. Professional training programmes will be developed together with a local university to equip young men and women with the skills they need to succeed in the energy sector, enhancing the role of women in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

The financing will ensure that MREK can continue to implement its strategic development objectives, including the integration of renewables into Kazakhstans grid  a goal set in 2018 in the context of the utilitys first project with the EBRD. The loan will also support the utilitys current investment programme to 2025.

To date, the EBRD has invested more than US$ 8.4 billion in Kazakhstans economy through 288 projects.
FOOD Works, the collaborative tri-agency initiative run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, and Teagasc, is looking for high potential, innovative, and export-driven food and drink start-ups from Cork to join their next accelerator programme.

Cork company, Rebel City Distillery together with Fiid, The Lismore Food Company, and Nobo are among more than 100 companies that have already completed the programme since it began in 2012. Participating start-ups will be supported to get investor ready with a comprehensive business plan focussed on them scaling internationally.

Participants will also be eligible to apply for feasibility grant funding of up to 35,000 through Enterprise Ireland.

The unique food and drink entrepreneurship programme runs annually over 10 months from March to December.

It includes workshops with national and international industry experts across various disciplines such as strategy, finance, product development, marketing and other areas. Start-ups also receive customised support from business advisors, facilitated peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities across the industry - at home and abroad.

Tara McCarthy, CEO Bord Bia describes the ideal candidates for the next programme as being ambitious and innovative, with the ability to scale and the potential to export.

Food Works has been feeding ambition and innovation among Irelands food and drink entrepreneurs for almost 10 years, with proven success in supporting Irish start-ups to succeed.

The programme aims to support and assist rising stars to achieve their ambitions in domestic and international markets, all the time working toward enhancing the global positioning of Irelands food and drink sector.

Irish food products are enjoying a growing reputation internationally coupled with strong demand. Last year, despite significant disruption to normal market operation, Irish food, drink, and horticulture exports were valued at over 13bn, she added.

Brian and Rachel Nolan, founders of Nobo, the popular dairy-free ice-cream and chocolate brand, credit the programme with their early acceleration and direction.

Food Works has been a vital part of our success, helping to set us up for growth.

Our unique dairy-free ice cream was a new concept, and the support and expertise we received from Food Works was a key factor in helping us take it from local farmers markets to supermarket shelves at home and abroad.

Our ice cream and chocolate are now available in over 750 stores, across Ireland, Netherlands, and Canada, where we will also launch into Wholefoods this September, says co-founder Brian Nolan.

The three state agencies, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc, work jointly to deliver the Food Works programme.

Bord Bia provides strategic insight and support, assisting participating companies in their understanding of consumers, competitors, trends, opportunities and both domestic and international markets.

Enterprise Ireland is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in global markets.

Its Food Division focuses on supporting high potential food and drink companies in developing their export sales.

Meanwhile, Teagasc provides integrated research, technical advice, and training services. Its state-of-the-art food centres in Dublin and Cork provide participants with access to facilities, equipment, and specialist expertise.

The closing date for applications for the 2022 programme is December 3. Full details and an application form are available at FoodWorksIreland.ie
AFGHAN asylum-seeker Waheed Talwar had to leave his family behind to start a new life in Ireland in January, 2020, but he has found a whole new family in his neighbours and friends in Millstreet.

Waheed has set up a successful food business in the town and says: The people here in Millstreet are very nice and they have supported me since I opened the business.

My landlord, Humphrey, who is a publican, is very understanding. He invited me to his daughters birthday, adds Waheed, who has a 13-year-old daughter.

And my good neighbour, Marie, offered to put me up in her house and she painted the back door of the shop for me!

These people are like a new family to him.

Waheed Talwar at his food business, Castle Pizza in Millstreet.

Everyone has helped me out, even my young friends who go to SuperValu for me if I run out of things for the shop when I am busy serving customers.

It was difficult when I first started, but Humphrey, the gas engineer and the electrician have all helped me out and allowed me to pay them when I got going.

Waheed certainly got a welcoming dose of good old fashioned Irish hospitality in Millstreet.

Even though they didnt know me, they still helped me, he says.

My solicitor was helpful too.

Waheed runs Castle Pizza on Main Street, Drominahilla, Millstreet.

When I meet him, he is getting lunch ready, and he is obviously a good cook!

Once he was granted permission to work, he started his own pizza and takeaway restaurant close to Drishane Castle Direct Provision centre, where he lives and which houses 300 people.

Waheed misses his family and he fears for their safety, especially in the recent weeks of fighting, when the U.S announced it was pulling out of the country affer 20 years.

The Taliban have now seized control of the capital, Kabul, and their takeover of Afghanistan has undoubtedly put lives in danger and threatened human rights in new ways.

We didnt believe that the Taliban were going to take over the country, says Waheed, 29, who studied and worked as a medicine dispenser.

Even my family fled to Jalalabad ( a city in the east of Afghanistan) and then to Kabul as we believed it wasnt possible for the Taliban to take over the capital. Now they have taken over every part of the country, says Waheed who studied worked as a medicine dispenser.

When the Taliban took over, Waheeds wife couldnt work.

My wife is a radio presenter. Her life was in danger. Females are not allowed in the workplace, only in hospitals as nurses or doctors.

The situation is grave in Afghanistan.

I am worried about my wife and daughter and my family, that something could happen to them, says Waheed.

The Taliban are in control. My family are still struggling and they are still unsafe.

I am awaiting my interview with the International Protection Office (IPO), to explain the urgency of the situation and get my interview.

I am told there is a delay because of Covid restrictions. I hope my application for residency here is speeded up and accepted so I can get residency status and reunification with my family.

My goal is to bring them to safety. The logical choice is Ireland. We do talk on the phone, but that could change given the unpredictable situation in Afghanistan.

Waheed can do other things too, once he has residency.

I can drive a car, which is necessary for my business, he says.

I am presently depending on lifts.

Waheed felt he had to leave his country, despite the wrench of leaving his wife and child behind, as the situation there was becoming more volatile at the end of 2019..

Militants and people who work for the Government came to my place of work for treatment and wed have to report them or we would be in trouble, says Waheed.

Warlords in the Taliban would send letters asking for financial contributions. It was scary. It got to a point where I could lose my life. There was widespread fear.

But he adds of the re-taking of the county by the Taliban: We could never see it coming; we were so shocked. 

The elders advised Waheed to leave his country.

Things were never rosy there, he admits. It was all about survival and keeping rules.

I had no choice but to leave for my own safety. The advice from the elders and from family members was to get out.

Waheed survived the arduous journey to freedom, from Jalalabad to Ireland.

We travelled to Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, to Ireland, says Waheed, who prays five times a day and who attends the Mosque in Killarney.

Waheed and his daughter Manija, who he wants to bring over to Millstreet from Afghanistan.

We walked miles and miles and then travelled by boat.

Tragically, some travellers didnt survive the journey.

We passed dead bodies on the ground, says Waheed.

It was so disturbing.

There were up to 12 or 13 people who walked for up to 12 hours and who didnt survive. They got left behind. It was unimaginable.

People had to make the journey. They were desperate. The mountains we went through are covered with snow all year round.

Waheed eventually made it to the ferry from France travelling to Ireland.

People were traumatised and suffering from anxiety after the journey, he recalls.

Some got left behind.

There were four people to a boat. If they were too heavy, they werent allowed in the boat. Sometimes 10 people got into the boat.

Waheed is still amazed that he made it to safety.

Looking back, I dont know how I survived. My fingers turned black and blue, it was so cold in the snow. The group of 100 people huddled together for heat.

Waheed is lucky that he survived and that he has good people around him. But he is missing his loved ones.

Im lonely, says Waheed. My heart is heavy. I fear what might happen. There could be suicide attacks. My family could be targeted with threatening letters for money.

It is still so dangerous in Afghanistan. There is general danger for everyones life there. There is no regard or respect for life. It is sad.

Waheed gets busy serving up a tasty lunch while I am there. I want to know where he learned to cook?

I worked in a hospital kitchen as well in Afghanistan, and I cooked for myself at work.

What is his best seller?

Fish and chips! he says smiling.

And the cheesy bites pizza and the kebab special are very popular. It is a speciality.

What is the kebab special?

It is like a pizza cake, explains Waheed. You use a pizza base and layer it with loads of kebab filling. It is delicious.

Waheed is a good cook and he is a handy man.

I did the flooring myself with cut outs, he says. I filled in the plaster board myself.

He is kind too.

I let my young friends make their own pizza and I offer them a soft drink. They like coming in here.

When did he open for business?

I opened in June last year, says Waheed. I walk for half an hour to work every day.

He has no luxuries.

I dont need them, says Waheed.

I pay the people I owe money to.

I make the dough for the pizza and I peel my own potatoes all by hand.

Waheed has made a good fist of his business in Millstreet.

But he will only be fully happy when his application for residency is decided and he is reunited with his beloved family.

I want that more than anything, says Waheed.
A SPOKESPERSON for the Taoiseach this evening said that Micheal Martin has confidence in Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.

The comments came just hours after the leader of Sinn Fein said Mr Martin must sack Mr Coveney, or the minister could face a no-confidence motion.

Speaking to reporters, the spokesperson said: I dont think anyone doubts the qualities of the minister and the energy he has brought to issues like Brexit, working with parties like Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland, EU Affairs, Afghanistan, and the UN Security Council.

Earlier today, Mary Lou McDonald said that Mr Coveneys handling of the Katherine Zappone crisis is not the standard expected of a Government minister.

On Tuesday, Mr Coveney apologised to an Oireachtas committee for his sloppiness in addressing answers about the appointment of Ms Zappone to a UN role, admitting that it has caused a political embarrassment for the Government.

Ms McDonald said: Eight weeks into this crisis, Mr Coveney sticks to a version of events that is wholly incredible. He continues to deny that there was any job offer made on March 4.

This behaviour is not of the standing of what we expect of any minister in Government.

She added: There needs to be accountability and appropriate sanction for Simon Coveney. The Taoiseach needs to act today and set out very clearly what sanction he proposes to take.

Its hard to see how Minister Coveney can stay on, given all that has transpired in the last eight weeks.

If the Taoiseach fails to act or creates some kind of alibi that he is the Taoiseach, but only for Fianna Fail ministers, which is wholly ludicrous, then of course we will take action, and the possibility of a no-confidence sanction is on the table.

However, Fine Gael minister Simon Harris defended his Cabinet colleague, describing him as honest and hard-working.

Am I in any way surprised that Sinn Fein may consider continuing to politicise this issue? No, Im not, said the higher education minister.

Ive known Simon Coveney an awful long time, Ive worked with Simon Coveney.

I think people of Ireland know Simon Coveney. And I think they know him to be honest, hard-working, and a person of integrity.
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A technician inspects filled vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the companys facility in Puurs, Belgium. Pfizer and Moderna have filed FDA applications for booster doses but the government will decide on extra Johnson & Johnson doses later, once that company shares its booster data with the agency.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
ELKHART  For two years now, there have been adults who were born after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and many who were children then cant remember how they experienced that day.
Washington, MO (63090)

Today

Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Louthene Chambers Elmore, 80, of Athens, died Sunday, September 12, 2021, in Athens-Limestone Hospital. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Spry Funeral Home Chapel in Athens with burial in Myers Cemetery. Alan Gandy is officiating, visitation is from noon until service time Saturday at Spry
The moon illuminates the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue Friday June. 5, 2020, in Richmond, Va. The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled Thursday, Sept 2, 2021 that the state can take down an enormous statue that has towered over Monument Avenue in the states capital for more than a century and has become a symbol of racial injustice.
A month before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the West in March 2020, Amazon pledged to remove products that claimed to cure the coronavirus. However, items that promote misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines are still appearing in search results on the Amazon storefront, according to Senator Elizabeth Warren.

The senator's staff found that searches for terms including COVID-19, COVID, vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine and pandemic led to results such as books peddling "falsehoods about COVID-19 vaccines and cures," including at least one that Amazon tagged as a best seller. Engadget was able to replicate some of the search results Warren flagged.

In a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, which was spotted by CNBC, Warren urged the company to review Amazon's algorithms. She called on Jassy to, within 14 days, detail a plan to modify the algorithms so they no longer turn up products that include COVID-19 misinformation, and to release a public report on "the extent to which Amazons algorithms are directing consumers" to such items at the moment.

In addition, Warren sought clarification on Amazon's current policies about those products and what the company has done to tackle the spread of false information. She also wants to know more details about the best-seller tag, and why books containing COVID-19 misinformation are being awarded the label.

Warren acknowledged that Amazon has provided its users with resources for accurate information about COVID-19, including prominent links to the Food and Drug Administration website. Her staff see any instances of Amazon displaying sponsored search results for pandemic-related terms either. However, she said her team's findings were otherwise "deeply troubling."

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, Amazon is feeding misinformation loops through its search and Best Seller algorithms, potentially leading countless Americans to risk their health and the health of their neighbors based on misleading and inaccurate information that they discover on Amazons website," Warren wrote.

We are constantly evaluating the books we list to ensure they comply with our content guidelines, and as an additional service to customers, at the top of relevant search results pages we link to the CDC advice on COVID and protection measures," an Amazon spokesperson told Engadget.

Every major online platform has struggled to keep a lid on COVID-19 misinformation. Most have prohibited users from peddling mistruths and suspended or banned many accounts that broke the rules.

Update 9/9 10AM ET: Added a statement from Amazon.
After making its debut in Japan last year, the Pokemon franchises 23rd animated movie is making its way to Netflix . Outside of Japan, China and Korea, Pokemon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle will debut globally on the streaming platform on October 8th. The premiere will mark the films international debut.

The film is essentially Pokemons take on the tale of Tarzan. When Ash and Pikachu go to explore the forest of Okoya, they discover a boy named Koko. Thanks to an upbringing at the hands of a Pokemon named Dada Zarude, Koko believes he too is a Pokemon. Ash and Pikachus arrival in his forest home leads him to question everything he thought was true about his existence.
On Wednesday, security researchers from Google and cybersecurity firm Mandiant disclosed that a network of fake pro-China social media accounts tried to mobilize Americans to attend anti-racism protests in response to the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report the two organizations published , the network did not appear to achieve any success, but in one instance it tried to push Asian-Americans to attend an April 24th protest that sought to fight back against claims the virus was engineered in a Chinese lab.

They did not directly attribute the campaign to the Chinese government. However, John Hultquist, vice president of analysis at Mandiant, told The Wall Street Journal the operation was almost certainly supported by a government sponsor, either directly through a government agency or a third-party contractor. Additionally, the scale of the campaign suggests the network had significant resources at its disposal.

Researchers say the campaign may suggest an intention to motivate real-world action outside of the borders of China. At the very least, the scope of the activity is far broader than previous efforts this network has conducted. In 2019, it was linked to efforts to discredit the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

This time around, they did not limit their efforts merely to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Instead, they cast a wide net, creating accounts across more than 30 social media platforms and 40 additional websites and niche forums, including places like LiveJournal and Vimeo. They also tried to reach a global audience by posting in Russian, German, Spanish, Korean and Japanese, in addition to Chinese and English.

"Over the past two years, we have seen this threat actor evolve, from the types of content they publish to the tactics they use to amplify it. However, the most significant features of this network remain its scale and persistence, in spite of low engagement levels, Shane Huntley, the director of Googles Threat Analysis Group, told Engadget. ... We anticipate they will continue to experiment to drive higher engagement and encourage others in the community to continue tracking this actor, shedding light on their operations and taking action against them."
Sony has added another developer to its growing stable at PlayStation Studios . Firesprite, which is behind The Playroom and The Playroom VR, has become the company's 14th studio.

"Firesprite is a creative and ambitious studio that is exceptional at building incredible experiences that truly showcase the potential of our hardware," PlayStation Studios chief Hermen Hulst wrote in a blog post . "The teams technical and creative capabilities will be paramount to growing our stellar catalogue of exclusive games, and I think youll be excited for whats to come."

Several developers will be returning to Sony as part of the deal. Hulst noted that "quite a few members of Firesprite," including all of the founding team, came from Wipeout developer Studio Liverpool. Sony bought that studio in 1993, when it was known as Psygnosis, but shut it down in 2012 .

Sony and Firesprite have been working together more or less since the latter was formed that same year. Firssprite teamed up with Team Asobi on The Playroom, a 2013 collection of augmented reality minigames designed to show off the PlayStation Camera's capabilities. Its most recent game is The Persistence , a survival horror title that hit consoles and PC last year after debuting on PlayStation VR.
The National Association of Music Merchants has delayed the 2022 Winter NAMM Show. The annual event, which didnt go forward as an in-person gathering in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will now take place between June 3rd and 5th, instead of January 20th and 23rd as previously announced. The trade show will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

The change in date means there wont be separate NAMM Summer and Winter events. Instead, theyll be the one event, known as The NAMM Show, that will combine the best of both conferences. NAMM says its postponing Winter NAMM due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as to account for new product developments and launches.

As the health and safety of our members remains top of mind, and after carefully listening to companies here in the US and around the world, the new dates will help members maximize their opportunity and accelerate what has arguably been a transformative time both in new products and in how they come to market, Joe Lamond, the CEO and president of NAMM, said.
The services celebrating and honoring the life of Phyllis Caywood, of Enid, are pending under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home. Condolences and special memories may be shared with the family online at www.Brown-Cummings.com.
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Ever if their main reason behind 'Megxit' was to gain privacy and financial independence, people think Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are actually milking their very royal links for over a year now - not really doing anything to stay private or gaining true financial independence without using their identities as "former senior royals." Some fans are said to be now very put off by the whole thing, but some believe that Prince Harry is more disgusting than Markle - even though it is the latter who is getting the most flak.

One of these fans is Jeremy Vine. He said he used to love Markle but not anymore.

He explained that the Duchess' recent behaviour is quite "trying" for her fans, which makes them confused whether to still continue supporting her or not.

In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, he said that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new Californian lives are drawing mixed reactions from supporters. Just mention the two and the room can already be split into two - those who can still understand what they are doing and can defend their actions and those who no longer understand what they are always being involved in and think they are making a lousy jobs at staying off the radar. Naturally, some think they are calling attention to themselves and milking their royal ties.





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Channel 5 presenter Jeremy Vine said, the couple are a particularly "divisive subject" between panellists and viewers, whenever "The Jeremy Vine Show" tries to analyze a recent behavior exhibited by the ex-royals. Some of the moves they have had analyzed were the securing of deal with Netflix, launching of podcast and Meghan had writing a children's book. The most recent one would be Meghan and Harry's decision to make a tell-all with none other than Oprah Winfrey herself. Vine said the popularity of the two nosedivced and many were left with a bad taste in their mouth. Sussexes' response to the Afghanistan crisis further aggravated their ill reputation.

"[Harry and Meghan are a] very divisive subject," Jeremy explained. "I was always a massive fan of Meghan but some of the stuff recently has been trying for even her most ardent supporters," he added.

He continued, "What I noticed is that if you mention Meghan and Harry the room just splits straightaway. It really does."

However, Vine said that Markle is being criticized harsher than Prince Harry and this should not be the case. If anything, it should be the other way around.

"I don't like some of the commentary on Meghan," he said. "I think it's just too harsh on her," he added. What he said however is that Harry actually deserves the hate more. "I think Harry brings it on himself sometimes," he said.

Despite seeing the mistakes of the two in the US, the presenter said he wishes the two well and hopes they can truly find their way.

ALSO READ: 'RHOBH' Star Erika Jayne Blasted for Cringey and Insulting Post Amid Legal Embezzlement Woes
Lily Collins officially tied the knot and gave out one of the most romantic messages about getting married, ever. The statement is actually very apt for how dreamy her wedding is.

Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell are married, after getting engaged back on September 2020, as reported by People magazine.

The "Emily in Paris" star, 32, wed her fiance, 38, over the weekend in Dunton, Colorado. The obviously happy actress herself made the announcement on Instagram Tuesday. What she said can certainly melt anyone's heart.

"I've never wanted to be someone's someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife," she captioned a photo of her and Charlie kissing at the altar. "On September 4th, 2021 we officially became each other's forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell...," she added.

ALSO READ: Prince Harry Deserves All The Hate More Compared to Meghan Markle, Ex-Fan Implies

Naturally, the man of the hour also did not disappoint with his caption-writing skills. He followed suit with an equally-romantic statement. He took to Instagram and announced, "I married the most generous, thoughtful, and beautiful person I've ever known. I love you @lilyjcollins."

"I'm so excited to be your WIFEY," Collins commented on his post.

Collins and McDowell, who is known as the son of actress Mary Steenburgen and actor Malcolm McDowell, started dating, or reported to be dating, back in 2019. This was during the pre-pandemic days.

They confirmed the rumors and went Instagram official in August of that year as well. The actress herself shared a few photos of them having fun in France, where she was also filming for her popular Netflix series, "Emily in Paris."

She then shocked her fans when she announced their engagement last September on Instagram. Fans were happy, seeing how overjoyed she seemed on her caption.

"I've been waiting my lifetime for you and I can't wait to spend our lifetime together..." she captioned two photos from the proposal. The photos showcased the unique ring that Charlie gave Lily.

The engagement ring, a rose-cut diamond with a bezel setting and thin gold band is highly covetable. It is said to be one-of-a-kind by representative for Irene Neuwirth, who created the piece.

Two months after their engagement, Collins revealed in an Extra interview that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her fiance are celebrating their prospects of being together forever almost everyday. In her words, she said they are "totally soaking [it] in" and "celebrating with people that we can, in a way that is safe."

The quarantine even did wonders to their relationship.

"Eight months of being together in quarantine has definitely felt like the most incredible way of getting to know someone," she added.

ALSO READ: OG NBA Star Cedric Ceballos Seeks Prayers While in ICU, Paul George Asks Him to 'Keep Fighting'
Monica Lewinsky produced the upcoming series "Impeachment: American Crime Story" and she's ready to reveal her side of the story to the public. However, she mentioned that she's having a hard time watching Beanie Feldstein, the actress playing the younger version of herself, in the show.

The former White House intern recently spoke to TODAY to discuss more details about the series and to give an in-depth perspective on her experience with former President Bill Clinton.

Lewinsky told the show that she don't recommend people to watch their early life being dramatized on television, especially where "the truth was really stranger than fiction."

The activist went on to discuss specific regrets that she wants to change while watching the show, she mentioned that there are moments she thought of not smiling back, not confessing, and not making "bad decisions."

"It was really hard to see," Lewinsky said in the interview. (via Fox Business)

In addition, Savannah Guthrie asked Lewinsky if she wishes Clinton to give her an apology after the scandal. She mentioned that she felt a lot of terms over the past years but "not being this resolution."

"I'm very grateful that I don't have that feeling anymore. I don't need it." She said. (via E! News)

READ NOW: Lily Collins Married: 'Emily in Paris' Star Delivers The Most Romantic Message to Husband Charlie McDowell

But, Lewinsky is open for any apologies if Clinton wishes to, saying the former president should "want to apologize" in the same way she wants to say sorry to the people involved in the situation and actions that she deeply regret.

In early reports, Lewinsky was 21 years old when she worked at the White House as an intern. It was reported that Clinton and the activist had "flirtatious encounters" during her stay before the scandal broke out.

Her affair with the former President is one of the basis why Clinton got impeached at the time and was later acquitted in the senate.

Despite the impeachment and the series of scandals he faced in the past, his wife Hillary Clinton stood by him.

Monica Lewinsky is ready to tell her story by producing the third season of "American Crime Story" titled "Impeachment" which dramatizes and tackles her affair with the former president.

The show stars Sarah Paulson, Billy Eichner, Edie Falco, Cobie Smulders, Taran Killam, and Clive Owen. It will air on September 7 on FX.

READ ALSO: OG NBA Star Cedric Ceballos Seeks Prayers While in ICU, Paul George Asks Him to 'Keep Fighting'
A report regarding "Ad Astra" actor Brad Pitt has again sparked dating rumors as he gets cozy with his "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" co-star, Margot Robbie.

Brad Pitt is one of many Hollywood superstars that have gone through numerous dashing celebrity relationships ranging from Jeniffer Aniston to Angelina Jolie. However, this new report from Woman's Day via Suggest may have Pitt adding another one on the list.

The outlet claimed that the two actors couldn't stay away from each other. Pitt and Robbie are set to collaborate once again for "Babylon," which has begun filming in Los Angeles. The two were recently spotted coming to a set, along with their co-star Tobey Maguire.

Tobey Maguire joins Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in 'Babylon'



Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, and Phoebe Tonkin are also set to star in the film about Hollywood's golden age 



(via @THR | https://t.co/0k2tn2FPz0) pic.twitter.com/ueHx8kGSXV  Fandom (@getFANDOM) June 24, 2021

'Flirty' Pitt And Robbie?

And as the source protested, "There's an obvious connection between them." The actors "were always flirting with each other," they added, amid sparked rumors between them from 2019.

Although, one that comes to mind is the not-so-excited husband for the reunion, Tom Ackerley. The outlet stated that he never had time to spend with his wife while he was away due to the pandemic, which may be the reason it affected their relationship.

"Margot denied anything happened with Brad before... but the whispers did spark a rough patch in the marriage," an insider claimed from the report. Ackerley is convinced that Robbie has a crush on the "Interview with the Vampire" star, which was "driving her crazy."

READ ALSO: Brad Pitt Admits Getting' Cranky,' Changing Fashion Style For Only One Reason

It's A Nope For Pitt And Robbie

And to shut the rumors down regarding this report, a representative of Brad Pitt has already claimed that "nothing happened" between the two actors. Even though a lot have noticed their undeniable chemistry, they are highly opposite to each other.

Not just that, but they share a little screentime for "The Big Short," plus they never interact much while they were working for "Once Upon A Time... in Hollywood" either.

Tom Ackerley may be unknown to many, but he is a successful producer for "I, Tonya" and "Promising Young Woman." Articles have been treating him like "a jealous punching bag" who is, of course, aware of his wife's business and career.

For one thing, debunking the idea of Ackerley and Robbie not spending their time together in the middle of the pandemic, but they were always seen going out. The two are still seemingly in love with each other despite the allegations.

READ MORE: Brad Pitt Infuriates Angelina Jolie with 'Disastrous' Parenting Style That Got All Nannies Fired? [Report]
8 September 2021

In an online ceremony on 8 September, EPO President Antonio Campinos together with the heads of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the national patent offices of Angola and Ethiopia launched the virtual Regional ARIPO Patent Examination Training programme (ARPET programme). This is the largest ever training programme undertaken by the EPO with offices outside Europe.

More than 100 participants from ARIPO and the national offices of its 20 member states, as well as of Angola and Ethiopia, will participate in the 18-month ARPET programme, which provides a modular, competency-based training framework and curriculum. The participants will receive training from EPO and ARIPO experts on how to conduct high-quality and timely searches and examine local patent applications, incorporating the EPO's best practices in respect of second filings.

ARPET also includes a tailormade module about training people to make the best use of the patent system and related tools and services. This will help ensure that participating offices can support local innovators in protecting and commercialising their inventions. The aim is to grow capacity and competencies in these national offices and to help implement international best practices in search and examination. A further feature of ARPET is a dedicated train-the-trainer component, which will ensure that participating offices develop the capacity to independently organise subsequent ARPET programmes in the future.

The President thanked the Director-Generals - Mr Bemanya Twebaze of ARIPO, Ms Ana Paula Miguel of the Angolan Institute of Industrial Property (IAPA) and Mr Ermias Hailemariam of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) - for their commitment to co-operation that delivers tangible results. "Promoting patent knowledge and the use of the patent system fosters the creation of domestic patent rights, leading to the protection and commercialisation of local innovation that stimulates economic growth throughout the region", said Mr Campinos.

The joint training programme, implemented within the framework of the Reinforced Partnership agreement that the EPO launched with ARIPO in 2019, has multiple benefits. It maximises outreach and impact at the same time as helping to make optimal use of available resources and avoid duplication of efforts. The President concluded by thanking the participants: "Not only are you pioneers but you're very much part of a forward-looking effort to ensure the long-term sustainability and benefits of the training programme."

Further information
2021-09-08

Maeci

The Italian Embassy in Baghdad, on the occasion of the 47th edition of the Cernobbio Forum, established a link for the representatives of the Presidency of the Republic of Iraq and the Council of Ministers, the National Investment Commission (NIC), the Industrial Zones Commission (IZC), the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce (IFCC) and the Iraqi Federation of Industries (IFI) with the Cernobbio Forum.

The meeting was also an opportunity for an exchange of views between the Italian Ambassador, Bruno Pasquino, and senior Iraqi representatives on the prospects for cooperation with Iraq, which is seen by Italy as a strategic partner in the MENA area.
Tyroo, announced the appointment of Geetu Ahuja Sharma as the Head of the Global Business Operations Team. Tyroo recently announced its plans to grow operations across APAC and add new partnerships. In her role at Tyroo, Geetu will be responsible for bolstering the partner business by focusing on advertiser growth and scaling GTM Platforms.





Geetu is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over 17 years of experience across prominent digital brands and advertising agencies. From pioneering Google search at Naukri to leading the marketing function at Fashion & You, and then heading Performance marketing at SVG Media (Dentsu International), Geetus body of work has seen depth and is spread across the domain. She also dabbled in entrepreneurship and has kept her startup spirit alive through all these years.

Welcoming her to the team Akshay Mathur, Chief Revenue Officer said, "Geetu is coming back to Tyroo after having worked as a mentor for several prominent brands in the last few years. We see her addition to the team as a crucial step, keeping in mind the scale of our partnerships and revenue operations across 10+ Markets. At Tyroo, we have always believed in helping brands build a digital strategy for success at scale, to impact businesses in the long run."





Geetu Ahuja, said for her new role said, Lot of interesting things are happening within the Digital Marketing realm and Tyroo is at the forefront of this action. I am excited to be part of this action and looking forward to co-create some exciting stories with the help of Tyroos leadership. I have always enjoyed performance-based marketing and business ops and at this juncture, I feel there is tremendous potential to grow exponentially.





Tyroo, a well-known MarTech organization, has opened 3 new offices in the APAC region in the last six months. Tyroo has quickly grown to become the largest Ad monetization partner across the APAC region. It currently services large Adtech partners for India and Southeast Asia with a client reach of over 10000+ prominent advertisers across the region.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
The US Dollar (USD) has rocketed up against the Pound (GBP) today as a lack of significant data exposed Sterling to headwinds. Movement in the Pound was largely driven by domestic concerns over tax contributions, in addition to ongoing Brexit woes.

At the time of writing, GBP/USD is trading at $1.3785, up 0.37% from todays opening levels.

Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Fall as UK Tax Hike Inspires Criticism

The Pound has fallen against the majority of its peers today as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he will be breaking the Conservatives manifesto promise, in order to fund health and social care developments.

Proceeds from a 1.25% rise in National Insurance tax will go towards the NHS, as well as care provision for elderly and disabled people.

While Boris Johnson argues that the measures are justified as no one foresaw a global pandemic, the announcement has provoked criticism across the board, most notably from opposition leaders Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey.

Starmer acknowledged the 12bn-a-year tax rise with accusations that the PM has no plans to help the low paid in social care, no plan for adults with disabilities, and no plan to improve pay and conditions.

Sterling headwinds are exacerbated by Brexit concerns, as staff and supply chain issues persist across the UK: the United Kingdom has extended the post-Brexit grace period over Northern Ireland, as a result of a stalemate in talks with the EU.

Lead negotiator David Frost explained that the extension will provide space for potential further discussions, and give certainty and stability to businesses while any such discussions proceed.

In the meantime, Brussels continues to withhold its formal agreement on the protocol.

US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Rise, Supported by Treasury Yields

Trading optimism supports the US Dollar (USD) today against the majority of its peers, despite a risk-on mood and lack of significant data.

Treasury yields ticked up and futures tied to US stocks edged higher: the yield on the benchmark 10-year US government bond surged past 1.36%, amid expectations that the Fed could begin rolling back stimulus in November.

Also bolstering Greenback are positive Covid developments. Americans over 12 years old can now receive vaccines, which experts say is the best defence against the virus, and vaccination rates are trending upwards as summer comes to an end.

US officials have also expressed optimism over the delivery of Covid booster shots. President Joe Biden set a goal of rolling out booster shots from 20 September  a target that appears reachable, although health agencies still need to authorise the programme.

Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, comments:
GBP/USD Exchange Rate Rangebound as UK Market Mood Sours

The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate held steady this morning following Downing Streets comments of a possible firebreak lockdown in October, should hospitalisations from Covid-19 remain high throughout the UK. The pairing is currently trading around $1.37.

Borris Johnsons official spokesperson said that it was not true that the government is planning a lockdown but, he added:

We have retained contingency plans as part of responsible planning for a range of scenarios, but these kind of measures would only be reintroduced as a last resort to prevent unsustainable pressure on our NHS.

I think weve been clear throughout that we will take action, and indeed we have done when necessary to protect our NHS. But under the previous occasions when that action has been required, we have been without the significant defences that our vaccination programme provides us  were now in a much different phase.

As a result, UK markets have become increasingly cautious about the outlook for the economy, with fears that a firebreak lockdown could further impeded the nations recovery in key sectors, such as manufacturing and services.

Reports about the UKs worker shortage has also dampened demand for Sterling. But could rising Covid-19 infections further weaken the GPB/USD exchange rate later on today?

US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Steady as US Treasury Yields Rise

The US Dollar (USD) failed to rise against the Pound today despite a comeback for the US ten-year Treasury Yields, which rose to 1.375%.

Maggie Fitzgeerald and Vicky McKeever, writing for CNBC, commented on the data:

Treasury yields continued to climb on Tuesday, despite Fridays nonfarm payrolls report coming in short of expectations. The jobs report showed 235,000 payrolls were created in August, well below the 720,000 jobs forecast by economists.

The weaker data tempered expectations that the Federal Reserve would soon start tapering its bond buying program, given that the central bank is monitoring the recovery in the labor market to gauge when it should tighten monetary policy.

US Dollar traders will be looking ahead to todays speech from John C Williams, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Could upbeat commentary about the state and future of the US economy drive-up the USD/GBP exchange rate this evening?

Today will also see the release of the latest JOLTs job openings figure for July. If this shows any signs of easing, then we could see the USD/GBP exchange rate begin to edge higher.

GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: US Jobless Claims in Focus

US Dollar (USD) investors will be looking ahead to tomorrows release of the latest US initial jobless claims for the week ending September 3. Could falling levels of unemployment drive-up demand for the Greenback?

Pound (GBP) traders will continue to monitor the UKs Covid-19 developments this week. Any indications of rising hospitalisations would exacerbate fears of a possible lockdown in October and limit the appeal of Sterling.
If you or a family member is disabled and in need of government assistance, that help comes with handcuffs.

Like a lot of means-tested safety-net programs, Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, for disabilities include barriers. Having just $2,000 to your name, for example, can render you ineligible for Medicaid health care assistance or SSI.

Given that extraordinary restriction, how does any disabled person accumulate sufficient assets or income to supplement their government support?

Congress created the 529A ABLE account in 2014 to try to build some flexibility into this rigid means testing. The idea was to allow disabled folks to have some income and some assets in their own name without getting cut off from their biggest source of financial and health care support  Medicaid and SSI.

In this state, the Texas ABLE account was rolled out in 2018, allowing residents with disabilities to shield up to $100,000 in assets without being disqualified for Medicaid or SSI.

The $2,000 asset limit is a crazy low number, incompatible with normal living. It makes intuitive sense that this would force families to supplement living expenses with off-the-books employment and that highly functional but partially disabled adults would either receive income under the table or not work at all.

The problem the Texas ABLE account is meant to solve is something the nondisabled among us hardly consider as problems. Lets say you are partially disabled, with physical or mental limitations, and you receive SSI because your income is low. You cant have $2,000 in your own name in any form. Even small income supplements, such as the recent CARE Act stimulus checks, put folks at risk.

A Texas ABLE account, however, allows you to save and invest some money, normally up to $15,000 per year.

The best way to understand the main features of these accounts would be by comparing them to their closely related tax-code cousin, the 529 education savings account. (The federal law that created the ABLE accounts is known as 529A, so, in fact, shares some legislative DNA with education savings accounts.)

Like the education accounts, ABLE accounts can be a good vehicle for aggregating funds from family members without reducing other benefits.

In the case of education, the savings and investment accounts of a students parents will reduce financial aid. If you or your family have the funds, according to financial aid formulas at higher education institutions, you are expected to use those funds. Using the 529 as a shield to not disqualify a student from financial aid is analogous to the way in which ABLE accounts are a shield against Medicaid and SSI disqualification.

Another way in which 529 education accounts and ABLE accounts interact is that families who have 529 education savings can roll them over into a Texas ABLE account. For a child who becomes disabled and therefore unable to attend school, for example, it would make sense for parents to roll over funds into an ABLE account.

Under normal circumstances, the account owner, family members or friends may contribute up to a total of $15,000 annually to an ABLE account. Disabled adults with income can contribute up to $12,760 per year to their ABLE accounts, provided they do not also contribute to a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

In Texas, funds can be invested according to a menu of options, ranging from pure savings to moderately conservative investment funds to aggressive funds. The investment management fees for funds in a Texas ABLE account are medium to moderate, ranging from 0.25 percent to 0.65 percent.

In my opinion, the correct answer to how to invest these funds is: It depends when you need to withdraw the money. Less than a year? Pure savings. Between one and five years? Moderate risk. More than five years? Be aggressive.

(As you read this, I hope you are spelling out the words and clapping your hands to the beat, cheerleader style. A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E. Be! Be! Aggressive! This is generic advice about time horizons that applies to all investment accounts, not just ABLE accounts. But also, remember to never take advice from a newspaper columnist who does not know your particular life circumstances.)

The other reason to stash savings and investments inside these accounts  in addition to avoiding Medicaid restrictions on assets  is tax savings. Unlike a traditional IRA or retirement plan, you do not get a tax break for contributions to these accounts. However, similar to 529 education accounts, withdrawals from the ABLE accounts are federal income-tax free as long as they are used for eligible expenses. These include housing, transportation, personal support, education and basic living expenses. So taxes on capital gains, dividends and interest earned on money inside the account never has to get paid.

Approximately 1,300 Texans with disabilities have ABLE accounts, with an accumulated value of approximately $10 million, according to the state comptrollers office.

Its a start.

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
Hey Elon, did you really tell Gov. Greg Abbott you like his social policies?

Do you support a practical ban on abortions, significant barriers to voting, propagandistic education and keeping people in jail because they are poor? Because Abbott said you and other CEOs do.

They are leaving the very liberal state of California, whether it be Elon Musk, who I speak to frequently, Abbott said in a word-salad live interview that defies transcription. Elon had to get out of California because in part of the social policies in California, and Elon consistently tells me that he likes the social policies in the state of Texas.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texas GOP's policies on COVID, guns, abortion and education are bad for business

Musks tweet saying hed rather stay out of politics, by the way, was some weak sauce from someone who routinely berates government officials and once got stoned on camera. (You do know Elon, smoking dope is still illegal in Texas, right?)

In general, I believe government should rarely impose its will upon the people, and, when doing so, should aspire to maximize their cumulative happiness, Musk wrote. That said, I would prefer to stay out of politics.

Guess what, Elon? Your buddy Greg has dragged you into the fight over whether the state can authorize vigilantes to hunt down and privately prosecute people who help women make their own choice about whether to continue their pregnancies. Every woman who works for Tesla, or is thinking about buying a Tesla, is waiting for you to choose a side.

Bienvenido a Texas, Elon!

Heres the other big question: Texas politicians are fundraising like mad before the next special session, are you going to write a fat check to Abbott for Governor? I feel confident his people have spoken to your people.

Business and political journalists will be watching campaign donations closely as the 2022 campaign begins. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a third of the Texas Senate and all of the state House are up for re-election.

Musk, who recently relocated to Texas and is building a Space City outside Brownsville, is in a particularly tough spot. Hes invested billions in South Texas and Austin, where Teslas CyberTruck factory is about to begin production. These real assets are not exactly mobile.

Tesla also wants Abbott and the Legislature to allow automakers to sell directly to consumers. Under the current dealership law, any vehicle made in Texas must be shipped out of state, where the sales transaction occurs. Only then can Tesla ship it back to Texas for delivery.

Musk desperately wants the law changed, but auto dealers are among Texass biggest campaign donors. A bill that would have carved out an exception for Tesla failed in the Legislature this year, and Musk knows he must make nice with GOP leaders to succeed in the future.

Once upon a time, business leaders held huge influence over Texas politicians. If executives did not like what they heard at a chamber of commerce luncheon, or a Lions Club meeting, the candidate didnt stand a chance of raising money or getting elected.

Today, politicians and political parties use email lists, social media channels and direct mail to micro-target voters who reliably vote in primary elections. Since these are the most active and determined party members, candidates compete to reflect these voters desires and collect their donations by pretending to be holier-than-thou.

Business leaders, who primarily focus on pragmatic issues related to commerce, matter less because their dollars are no longer as important as votes. Business lobbyists tell me Abbott refuses to meet them, and Patrick warns them to keep their mouths shut, or the bills they need passed will die.

In the CNBC interview, though, Abbott is whistling past the graveyard when he says more businesses are relocating to Texas because they like untrained civilians openly carrying handguns, bans on abortions and restrictions on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Hes betting low taxes, and an implied threat of retaliation will silence business leaders and keep them from financing the opposition.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texas is a world leader in clean energy, and Gov. Greg Abbott wants to ruin that

Businesses spend years deciding where to build a new facility or whether to relocate a headquarters. Companies arriving now made their decision years ago, most likely based on cost-of-living and tax policies. Abbotts claim is bogus.

Most important to chief executives, though, are employee retention and brand reputation. CEOs considering a move will ask, do my employees want to live under the Texas Taliban? Will the governor hurt my companys brand by claiming I support his crazy policies on national television?

Musk probably spewed obscenities when he saw Abbotts clip. But he knows a non-statement is the best course of action, which is why he will never answer my question.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Labor Day has passed, the kids are back in school and, at long last, theirs a hint of crispness in the morning air.

Its the most anticipatory time of the year in San Antonio, when we start to envision fall leaves and crackling fires, chunky sweaters and pumpkin patches. And on the Taste Team, we start dreaming of cocoa and cider and other fall treats  and we know were not alone.

For a lot of folks, its just not fall without a pumpkin spice latte or fireside smores. We asked many of the citys food and beverage professionals what foods scream fall for them. Here are the San Antonio treats they crave when the temperature drops.

Bedoys Bakery

Bedoys Bakery sweet potato empanadas

Michael Grimes, The Beignet Stand chef and owner

Grimes has a big appetite for the foods of fall, but his favorite are the pastries at Bedoys Bakery  especially the sweet potato empanadas.

This San Antonio institution has been serving all forms of Mexican pastries for 60 years. Its selection of empanadas and other baked goods is huge and widely varied, but its the earthy heartiness of sweet potato that Grimes reaches for first this time of year.

Bedoys Bakery, t wo locations: 803 W. Hildebrand Ave., 210-736-2253; 2714 Hillcrest Drive, 210-455-0454, bedoysbakery.com, Facebook: @BedoysBakery

On ExpressNews.com: Cold-weather Mexican soups and stews with a modern twist - 5 recipes

Larry Crowe /AP

Eggnog

Joel Rivas, Saint City Culinary Foundation founder

The second it becomes available, Rivas can be found stocking up on eggnog. I will buy it until they take it off the shelves, he said. Hes particularly fond of H-E-Bs house brand of eggnog, which he said has the perfect flavor and texture.

But he wont stop at a simple glass of eggnog. If he sees eggnog ice cream, creme brulee or any other variation on a menu, you can bet hell be ordering that as well.

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer file photo

JDs Chili Parlor chili

Mitch Hagney, Local Sprout Food Hub founder

For Hagney, theres nothing more fall-like than making a big pot of iconic Texas red chili, and his favorite method is start with JDs Chili Parlors Chili Fixins sauce bases. The bases allow you to make a pot of chili with whatever other ingredients youd like to add.

Theyre available in H-E-B stores across the city, or online at jdschiliparlor.com

Mike Sutter /Staff file photo

Lucky Noodle House hot pot

Sean Wen, Pinch Boil House owner

Cold weather gives Wen a craving for hand-pulled noodles, and Chinese restaurant Lucky Noodle House is his top spot for those in San Antonio. Hes particularly fond of Lucky Noodles hot pot, which rolls out seasonally when the mercury (finally) begins to dip.

If the hot pot isnt available, give any of the restaurants other brothy bowls of noodle soup a try for a proper belly warming.

Lucky Noodle House, 8525 Blanco Road, 210-267-9717, no web presence

On ExpressNews.com: 6 recipes for homemade hot chocolate this cocoa season

Mike Sutter /Staff file photo

Petes Tako House menudo

Valerie Patterson, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts bartender

When the temperature drops, Patterson bellies up to a bowl of tripe-rich menudo from this Tex-Mex staple thats been serving bowl after bowl of the bright red stuff for more than 40 years. Petes version is full of hominy and balances the earthy, hayfield funk of the tripe with plenty of pungent raw onion, serrano chiles and tart lemon served with fresh flour tortillas for a rib-sticking delight.

Petes Tako House, 502 Brooklyn Ave., 210-224-2911, petestakohouse.com Facebook: @Petes.Tako.House

Starbucks

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Cesar Zepeda, Sangria on the Burg chef and owner

Zepeda isnt ashamed of his love for pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, even if his colleagues relentlessly mock him for his addiction. I get made fun of a lot at work that Im a California girl with Uggs on, he said.

The annual release of the iconic fall beverage that gave way to the pumpkin-spice-everything craze was on Aug. 24 this year, and Zepeda said hes already downed two of the drinks despite not being a big fan of pumpkin pie.

Find the nearest location at starbucks.com

Paul Stephen / Staff

Thai Dees Red Curry Pumpkin

Diana Barrios Trevino, Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant chef and owner

Barrios Trevino believes in supporting her neighbors, and when fall rolls around, that means ordering as much of the Red Curry Pumpkin as she can get away with from Thai Dee, which is located a few blocks from the Los Barrios restaurant on Blanco Road. She usually adds shrimp to her order, and she slowly savors every morsel of that steaming pot of pumpkin, coconut milk, Thai basil and hot chiles.

I like to just to sit there and linger over it, she said. It clears your sinuses. It opens you up.

Thai Dee, 5307 Blanco Road, 210-342-3622, thaideesa.com, Facebook: @ThaiDeeRestaurant

pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
The Texas Department of Public safety has increased the reward amount for information leading to the arrest of a woman it has been searching for in connection with her husband's death.

In a news release Tuesday, DPS said the reward money is now $8,500 for Margaret Lorrain Smith, 62, who was last seen on video footage 12 years ago entering a car in the parking lot of a San Antonio Walmart in 2009.

OPINION: Fresh takes on timely topics, delivered to your inbox

The fugitive is accused of hiring a man to kill her estranged husband, 53-year-old George Edman Smith Jr. in August 2007. According to authorities, she lured her husband to a remote area in Surfside Beach, a small city in Brazoria County, where he was ambushed and killed while sitting on the beach.

On ExpressNews.com: Fugitive last seen in San Antonio makes Texas' 10 most wanted list

Two vacationers found the man dead in the sand. A pathologist said that the husband had been struck in the head and face at least 10 times with a metal bar. The blows shattered his facial bones into more than 100 pieces, authorities said.

Smith's alleged accomplice, now 38-year-old Dylan James Laughrey, was convicted of capital murder and is now serving a life sentence. Smith was set to stand trial for the same charge when she fled before the court proceedings started in August 2009. She was free on bond at the time on a $125,000 bail.

Authorities have not seen Smith since the Walmart video footage shows her getting into a maroon four-door Sedan, possibly a Lincoln Continental.

On ExpressNews.com: Wife charged in Surfside beating death is missing

Smith was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted List in May. At that time, DPS was offering a $7,500 reward. The Brazoria County Sheriff's Office is also offering $5,000 for information leading it to Smith.

Smith is described as being 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing about 185 pounds. She has a mole on the bottom of her right eyelid and goes by either Margaret or Lorrain. She has curly hair, but often dyes it or wears wigs, DPS officials said.

The increased reward amount is only good for the month of September.

Tipsters can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-252-8477 or submit a tip by clicking here. All tips are anonymous.

Smith is considered armed and dangerous, DPS officials said.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Police have arrested a suspect in a burglary at houses in northwest Albuquerque who has been arrested more than two dozen times on a variety of sex, fraud and burglary charges in New Mexico, Nevada and Washington state.

Police said Tuesday 30-year-old Morgan Fuller has been arrested in New Mexico six times since June 11. The the most recent was on Saturday on two counts each of burglary and larceny in connection with the theft of two electrical breakers removed from the two houses in Albuquerque.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet said Wednesday it will launch a new task force that incorporates airborne, sailing and underwater drones after years of maritime attacks linked to ongoing tensions with Iran.

Navy officials declined to identify which systems they would introduce from their headquarters on the island nation of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. However, they promised the coming months would see the drones stretch their capabilities across a region of chokepoints crucial to both global energy supplies and worldwide shipping.

We want to put more systems out in the maritime domain above, on and below the sea, said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads the 5th Fleet. We want more eyes on whats happening out there.

The 5th Fleet includes the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil passes. It also stretches as far as the Red Sea reaches near the Suez Canal, the waterway in Egypt linking the Mideast to the Mediterranean, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen.

The systems being used by the 5th Fleet's new Task Force 59 will include some of those involved in an April test led by the Navy's Pacific Fleet. Drones used in that exercise included ultra-endurance aerial surveillance drones, surface ships the Sea Hawk and the Sea Hunter and smaller underwater drones that resemble torpedoes.

The 5th Fleet includes shallow water areas, salty waters and temperatures in the summertime that can go above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) with high humidity. That can prove rough for crewed vessels, let alone those running remotely.

I think that environment really suits us well to experiment and move faster," Cooper said. "And our belief is if the new systems can work here, they can probably work anywhere else and can scale them across other fleets.

It also represents a region that has seen a series of at-sea attacks in recent years. Off Yemen, bomb-laden drone boats and mines set adrift by Yemen's Houthi rebels have damaged vessels amid that country's yearslong war. Near the United Arab Emirates and the Strait of Hormuz, oil tankers have been seized by Iranian forces.

Suspicious explosions also have struck vessels in the region, ranging from tankers owned by Western firms, ships tied to Israel and Iranian vessels. Those attacks have become part of a wider shadow war playing out across the region in the wake of then-President Donald Trump's 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers. Iran even shot down an American drone amid the tensions.

While President Joe Biden has said he's willing to re-enter the deal, negotiations in Vienna have stalled as Iran now has a new hard-line president. That leaves open the possibility of further attacks by Iran  as well as by Israel, which has been suspected in incidents targeting Iranian shipping and its nuclear program.

Cooper acknowledged the tensions in his remarks to journalists Wednesday, but declined to go into specifics.

Were very aware of Irans posture and well be prepared to deal with that appropriately, the vice admiral said. "Im going to leave it at that.

Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new Navy task force. However, it operates its own drone fleet and has published video in the past of flyovers of American aircraft carriers in the region. The U.S. military also has said fragments left by an attack in July off Oman that killed two people on an Israeli-linked ship corresponded to Iranian military drones.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
Asked on Tuesday why Texas abortion ban would force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term, Gov. Greg Abbott immediately replied that the legislation would not have that effect.

It doesnt require that at all, because, obviously, it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion, he said.

But Abbott was misstating key facts both about the law and pregnancy. Senate Bill 8 does not provide six weeks to obtain an abortion  rather, it cuts off abortions at roughly six weeks of pregnancy, or as soon as fetal cardiac activity can be detected.

That age is measured from the end of the persons last menstrual period. Most people find out they are pregnant after missing a period, which already places gestational age at about four weeks, at the earliest.

After that, Texas law places additional barriers that can delay an abortion. With about two weeks remaining before the legal cutoff, patients must have at least two separate doctors appointments, occurring at least 24 hours apart, before the procedure.

THE LATEST: Democrats push Justice Department to punish would-be enforcers of Texas abortion ban

That is an incredibly disingenuous statement by the governor, said Mara Posada, the director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood South Texas. For most people with a regular menstrual cycle  they do not find out they are pregnant until usually around six weeks, but lets say the earliest would be approximately four weeks. This law bans abortion when there is cardiac activity. That can happen as early as five to six weeks.

So, essentially, youre talking about a week, a week and a half, maybe. ... For many folks, it can be a complicated decision to make, but they have about 10 days or so, and that is, I think, being optimistic.

Abbotts answer also glossed over the potential impact of a key provision of the new law  there is no exception for cases of rape or incest, something that, until recently, was a common feature of anti-abortion legislation. The laws supporters say the new Texas policy is solely concerned with the health of the fetus, and that does not change based on how it was conceived.

Its an unimaginable situation, said state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican who authored the abortion legislation. We wouldnt want to make the situation worse by taking an innocent life. We want to punish the rapist. We dont want to punish the little unborn baby.

A spokeswoman for Abbott did not respond to a request for comment.

At the Tuesday press conference, Abbott also said Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets  an assertion that the governors opponents called laughable. For survivors, the process of obtaining an abortion is made all the more difficult by trauma and other external factors, including potentially dangerous living environments.

I think that many women will face barriers, including those that have increased challenges and are dealing with, potentially, a police investigation, etc., said Dr. John Thoppil, the president of the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. There are other things that may complicate the situation.

NO EXCEPTIONS: Anti-abortion laws used to exempt cases of rape and incest. Not anymore in Texas.

Two weeks is the best-case scenario for someone with a perfectly regular menstrual cycle to obtain an abortion, Thoppil added. Many people do not have regular periods, but even a longer cycle  say, 35 days instead of 28  takes a week away from that window.

Plus, anyone whose birth control fails may not even suspect they are pregnant until much later in the process.

Up to 90% of Texas abortions occur after Week 6

By any measure, the timeline the new law sets out is incredibly short. The first step is deciding to get an abortion, and then immediately scheduling an initial appointment.

After a 2013 law temporarily required that doctors providing abortions must have admitting privileges at a hospital near them, many clinics in Texas closed permanently. With fewer clinics to go to, pregnant individuals seeking an abortion can only hope that one of the centers will have availability.

Some of the remaining Texas abortion centers have already significantly limited or temporarily stopped their services for now, fearing legal retribution under the new law. It allows nearly any person to sue someone who has helped a person obtain an abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

During the first appointment, the patient must undergo a state-mandated sonogram. Then, they have to wait at least 24 hours before a second appointment, when they would actually get the abortion. In some cases, this extra day can make the difference between the appearance of a fetal heartbeat.

All these other things before you can even get the abortion  they drag out the time, drag out the expense, drag out the needs for transportation, for childcare, for getting off of work, for all the things that you have to do to make this happen in a state that is huge, said state Rep. Donna Howard, an Austin Democrat and former critical care nurse who advocated against Senate Bill 8.

Lawyers for several clinics estimate that roughly 85 to 90 percent of abortions in Texas have occurred after six weeks of pregnancy.

You are talking about excluding 80-plus percent of people from being able to get an abortion, said Kari White, the principal investigator of the Texas Policy Evaluation Project, a research group that studies reproductive health policies in Texas.

There are some people who are just not going to recognize that theyre pregnant until after six weeks for a whole host of reasons  or, even if they do realize theyre pregnant early, may find it difficult to come up with the money for the procedure and jump through all the logistical hoops that they need to in order to be able to get care.

Some Texans already know personally how this law would affect them. In 2016, Paige Alexandria  now a Texas-based storyteller with We Testify, an organization that shares stories of people who have gotten an abortion  found out she was pregnant and sought the procedure.

At her state-mandated ultrasound, she found out she was seven weeks pregnant  most likely beyond the limits of the new law. Even then, she had to wait more than two weeks between her first and second appointments to actually receive the abortion, given a lack of availability at local clinics, she said on a press call earlier this month.

Had SB 8 been in effect back then, I wouldnt have been able to have an abortion at all, Alexandria said.

Jeremy Blackman contributed reporting.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
After losing their husband and father Joshua Ibarra, Vanessa Ibarra and her three children began the healing process at the Childrens Bereavement Center of South Texas.

Because of COVID-19, counselors offered calm via video chat. Ibarras children  16-year-old Mia, 12-year-old Joshua and 8-year-old Urijah  joined other grieving children on Zoom.

Recently, Ibarra and her children walked through a new, expansive space that will allow the facility to offer more services to children and families coping with grief.

It was powerful, said Ibarra, 33.

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The Peaceful Pathway that joins the new building to the old one moved her and her children, she said. Multicolored tiles with fish and a dragon fly line the floor below a mural depicting San Pedro Creek, which has the power to heal, according to lore.

The 6,000-square-foot expansion includes eight counseling suites and a cafe for staff. Staffers said the suites would increase annual counseling from 6,000 hours to 16,000 hours.

The centers mission is to heal grieving loved ones, including those aged 2 to 23, through counseling, group support and youth camps. The nonprofit formed in May 1997 as a free peer support group that served 19 families.

Executive Director Marian Sokol said the expansion addresses the need for a welcoming space for teens and young adults. The centers staffers had heard teens found the area too childlike  not relevant to their age.

Jessica Phelps / San Antonio Express-News

Sokol said this is the first time in five years that all the staff members were under one roof. Before the expansion, they had to use staff offices to offer more counseling to teens.

The executive director said the expansion comes during a time of dire need.

Those rooms are being used by families affected by COVID and families who need us more than ever before, Sokol said.

The center has inspired Ibarra, who teaches in the San Antonio Independent School District. She said she always seeks to help a student who loses a parent or suffers another trauma. But after watching her own children lose their father, she said she needed to do something different this year.

So she set up a healing space in her classroom, which children can visit after a bad night or a rough morning. They can collect their thoughts and feelings and then join my lesson as soon as theyre able to, she said.

I cant teach a child who is not emotionally there, she said. I learned that through the center.

vtdavis@express-news.net
State District Judge Peter Sakai, who helped create and guide Bexar County Childrens Court to national renown, said Wednesday he plans to resign, effective Oct. 31.

He took no questions at an announcement in his courtroom and would not divulge his next steps. With his wife Rachel and his staff at his side, Sakai stated his intentions by reading from a copy of a letter he had sent to Gov. Greg Abbott.

The governor will choose Sakais successor to finish the judges current term, which runs through next year.

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Acknowledging that his last day would be on Halloween, Sakai smiled and told the gathering, No trick, all treat.

Involved in juvenile justice and the childrens courts in Bexar County for decades, Sakai, 66, has been on his current bench, the 225th Civil District Court, for nearly 15 years. He was elected four times, and was unopposed for the past three contests.

He ran on the promise that he would protect children, empower families and improve the system, and since I have fulfilled my promises, I am ready to embark on a new path of my life, he said in a prepared statement.

Sakais sudden resignation surprised many at Bexar Countys justice center, where his cases included difficult decisions over when and whether the state can remove children from the custody of their parents.

They said he brought a collaborative approach to Childrens Court in which the judge, court staff, Texas Child Protective Services caseworkers, attorneys and community supporters acted as a team for each child.

Its extraordinary what he has done, said Family Court Administrator Barbara Schafer, who has worked with Sakai for 20 years. It is going to be a huge loss. But I dont think we have heard the last of him. I think theres going to be bigger things on the horizon.

Schafer and Rebecca Snodgrass, the courts program manager, said Sakai and others spent lots of time figuring out how to get away from handling childrens cases like a civil docket so that they could provide more focus on the childs welfare.

You cant put a number of years to his vast institutional knowledge, Snodgrass said.

Originally from the Rio Grande Valley, Sakai obtained a bachelors degree in 1976 and a law degree in 1979 from the University of Texas at Austin.

He worked for the Bexar County District Attorneys Office and at 27 was tapped to be chief of its juvenile section. He left to open a private practice, according to a biography on his courts page.

In 1989, he served as juvenile master/referee of the 289th Juvenile District Court, a position he held until 1995, when he was appointed to the Childrens Court bench by a unanimous vote of Bexar Countys civil district judges.

As a judge, Sakai has presided over cases that involve child abuse and neglect, and adoption cases for foster children.

Adoptions of foster children in Bexar County increased nearly 1,000 percent under his leadership, garnering the county the distinction of leading the state in the number of foster children in consummated adoptions and permanent homes.

For those efforts, Sakai and his model court were recognized by then-Gov. George W. Bush on the Governors Committee to Promote Adoption.

His biggest and proudest accomplishment has been as administrative judge over Bexar County Childrens Court.

He cited the support of County Judge Nelson Wolff and Tracy Wolff, who chairs the Hidalgo Foundation, which raised millions of dollars to help expand the courts programs and services. Those partnerships brought to fruition the Family Drug Court and Early Childhood Court, also known as Baby Court, where Sakai presided over many CPS cases.

We have successfully reunified over a thousand children with their parents in highly successful and accountable reunification programs, he said.

The Childrens Court was declared a model for the nation by the William & Mary Law Schools Courtroom 21 Project.

Peter has always been terrific, Tracy Wolff said of the jurist she calls her friend. He is sweet, and tough, even though he shows that sweet demeanor. He always goes the extra step, the extra mile.

Sakais dedication and passion to keep families and children together, while setting the highest standard, sets him apart, said Associate Judge Charles Montemayor.

He pushes us to give the best to these families, Montemayor said. I would compare him to an athletic coach  he is always pushing us to be better and give your best.

Amanda Aranda, 38, remembers Sakai as the judge who she met while her four nieces were in the CPS system and he gave forever homes to them, she said.

But after losing her sister, Aranda lost herself in alcohol, and eventually lost custody of her 10-year-old son. Today she is sober and her son is back with her. Aranda credits Sakai and his team for that.

They really pushed for my child to come home and provided me with the tools I needed, she said. I have come a long way, and my sobriety means more to me, and it is because of him and the team.

Aranda graduated in 2019 from St. Philips College with a degree in sociology. She wants to be part of a team that helped her be a better parent, just like Sakais team.

He has a heart of gold. I will always respect that man, and I want to be on a team like that to pay it forward, she said.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
A man who was killed by police after he shot an officer during an East Side chase had ditched his gun before another officer mistook his cast for a weapon, a report details.

The final moments of the lengthy encounter were described in a custodial death report filed last week with the Texas Attorney Generals Office.

At about 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, San Antonio police were told that four people were arguing and that one man threatened another with a gun in the 4500 block of Lakewood Drive.

The first officer to arrive saw the suspect, Steven Primm, riding a bicycle but did not immediately stop him because he was armed and near an elementary school, the report states.

On ExpressNews.com: Suspect and SAPD officers named in fatal officer-involved shooting on East Side

The officer, identified as Jesus Hernandez, followed Primm but lost sight of him twice.

The second officer to arrive, previously identified by police as Darious Wilson-Wayne, saw Primm running and followed him.

Wilson-Wayne jumped over four fences to keep up, according to the report. As Wilson-Wayne closed the gap near the intersection of Wycliff Drive and Willenbrock Avenue, Primm shot at him with a handgun.

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Wilson-Wayne was hit twice in his right leg and fell at a lawn on the southwest corner of the intersection, investigators said.

The injured officer fired back, striking Primm, who kept running, according to the report.

Primm then threw his handgun onto a residential roof as he ran, the report states.

On ExpressNews.com: Man dies after jumping off I-35 into oncoming traffic in downtown

Eventually, Primm came upon a field south of the neighborhood, where Hernandez  the officer who initially encountered Primm while he was riding a bicycle  spotted him.

Hernandez did not know that Primm had tossed his gun, the report states. And as the officer saw Primm running through the field, he warned others via radio that Primm was armed.

Hernandez then positioned himself at a business on the north side of Rigsby Avenue to cut off Primms escape.

When Primm appeared from behind the business, he looked directly at Hernandez and made an unintelligible sound, the report states.

Primm raised both arms. Hernandez believed he saw a gun in Primms hand and fired once, according to police.

On ExpressNews.com: Woman who hit two teenage girls walking to school was intoxicated, police say

Primm dropped to the ground and was arrested by another officer, investigators said.

Thats when police saw that Primm had a small black cast on his left wrist and hand, which appeared to be a gun to both a witness and the police, the report states.

Emergency medical personnel arrived and provided first aid until Primm died at the scene.

Primm has a lengthy criminal history dating to 2007, including evading arrest, robbery, assault causing bodily injury and criminal trespassing with a weapon.

Police said that had Primm survived, he would have been charged with attempted capital murder and aggravated assault.

jbeltran@express-news.net
U.S. Army North has dispatched more military medical teams to Idaho, Arkansas and Alabama to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients in local hospitals.

The San Antonio-based command said it sent about 60 military medical personnel to those states. Six of its 20-member teams already were working in three hospitals in Louisiana, two in Mississippi and another in Alabama.

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This is the first time Department of Defense medical assets have deployed to support both Idaho and Arkansas during the pandemic, said Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, commander of Army North. We are proud to be called upon to support our local, state, and federal partners there, and in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, in this whole-of-government response.

It deployed 20 Air Force personnel to Dothan, Ala., and another 20 to Alexandria, La., to support civilian health care workers. Teams from the Army are supporting Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark.

A Navy team will support Dale Medical Center in Ozark, Alabama.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio-based Army North sends medical teams to Alabama, Louisiana

The Federal Emergency Management Agency requested the support from Army North, which is a joint force under U.S. Northern Command consisting of units from across the armed services and providing operational command of the nations active-duty military COVID response.

The military medical personnel include nurses, respiratory therapists and medical doctors.

The positive test rate in Alabama had leveled off to 20.41 percent as of Sunday after spiking in late August, according to an online chart kept by the Mayo Clinic. In Louisiana, the positive test rate was 11.75 percent as the week began, down from 12.54 percent on Aug. 29.

The Mayo Clinic chart shows that the positivity test rate for Mississippi stood at 18.77 as of Monday, down slightly from 19.68 on Aug. 29. In Arkansas, the positivity rate was 10.50 percent as the week began, down slightly from the previous weekend.

Idahos positivity rate stood at 18.87 percent Sunday, down from 21 percent on Aug. 29.

sigc@express-news.net
A new phone service aims to connect older adults in Bexar County seeking someone to talk to when they feel lonely.

The service, called Silver Connect, is provided by San Antonio Oasis and is open to adults ages 50 years and above. The program began at the end of July, but the big kickoff was this week. The Silver Connect phone number is 210-756-5551.

Its person to person, said Brenda Schmachtenberger, Oasis executive director. We needed to investigate if there was anything out there for them to call when lonely. We dont try to solve problems. Mainly its a chat line, but we can offer resources if they need food or to have a caregiver.

Schmachtenberger said plans for the program began with Successfully Aging and Living in San Antonio out of the San Antonio Area Foundation. The foundation has offered several programs to older adults, including the Caregiver Toolkit and pre-pandemic initiatives that help older adults cope with social isolation.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Area Foundation distributes $13.4 million in coronavirus aid to local nonprofits

Angel Zuniga Martinez, vice president of communications and public affairs at the foundation, said it has served as the citys community-giving headquarters for nearly 60 years, bringing together philanthropy with some of our communitys greatest needs.

As one of our key impact areas, our support of successful aging and this collaborative Silver Connect program aims to help San Antonios older adult population who have disproportionately faced social isolation and loneliness due to COVID, Martinez said.

In addition to offering emotional support, the Silver Connect line also helps with grief support through assistance, reassurance, information and referrals.

Organizers said the need for the program has taken on a larger role during the coronavirus. According to Successfully Aging and Living in San Antonio, older residents with increased health risks have faced the most isolation during the pandemic.

Schmachtenberger said there isnt a limit to the service, and participants can call as many times as they want. She said isolation is as bad for a persons health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. According to AARP, loneliness affects 25 to 60 percent of older Americans. Social isolation also has been linked to heart disease and higher blood pressure.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Oasis opens new, larger center promoting better lifestyles for 50-plus

Fourteen Oasis volunteers take the phone calls. The volunteers underwent nine hours of training with representatives from Adult Protective Services and Our Lady of the Lake University.

The program is sponsored by the city of San Antonio, WellMed Charitable Foundation and the San Antonio Area Foundation. The city of San Antonio is the primary funder of the $90,000 pilot program, underwritten for two years.

Hours for the program are 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

San Antonio Oasis promotes healthy aging through active lifestyles, lifelong learning and volunteer engagement. For more information about the nonprofit and classes, visit https://san-antonio.oasisnet.org/ or call 210-236-5954.

vtdavis@express-news.net
San Antonio police officers, regardless of gender, could soon be entitled to four weeks of paid leave to bond with a new child as part of a proposal being hashed out by city and police union officials.

The family leave proposal  discussed Wednesday during ongoing talks to craft a new contract  would also apply to officers who adopt a child. It marks a considerable shift in how the department handles time off for new parents. Currently, police officers must use sick or personal leave or take unpaid time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Under the proposed plan, which both parties tentatively agreed to, officers will have up to four weeks of paid leave at 100 percent of their salary  in addition to personal leave, if they so choose. Its similar to a policy the city began offering civilian employees in 2016.

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Sgt. Christopher Lutton, who chairs the unions contract negotiation committee, said the proposal will promote a better work-life balance among police officers and boost recruitment.

You have to look at policing through a different lens, Lutton said. What are those innovative moves that keep us competitive? How do you keep a workforce motivated in light of everything that has gone on over the last year? You really have to take into consideration that mental wellness, that physical wellness, that job satisfaction.

City and union officials have met more than 15 times since mid-February, when negotiations began. Their current agreement expires at the end of this month, though an evergreen clause keeps most terms of the contract in place for eight years.

At last count, the city and the San Antonio Police Officer Association remain deadlocked on about a dozen items in their 140-page contract, mainly related to wages, leave, health care beneifts and the disciplinary process for officers accused of misconduct.

On ExpressNews.com: City contract proposal could prevent good San Antonio officers from being promoted, police union says

The negotiations have garnered a renewed interest following the murder last year of George Floyd in Minneapolis. His death and the subsequent conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin cast an intense spotlight on police misconduct.

After Floyds death, some community activists  locally and nationally  turned their attention to what they described as the overwhelming influence of police unions and how to rein that in.

In San Antonio, they introduced a measure that would have stripped the union of its right to collectively bargain with the city on wages and other benefits. It failed by a razor-thin margin.

Local activists have also taken aim at the citys budget, which the City Council will vote on next week. The proposed fiscal 2022 budget for the police and fire departments, at roughly $860 million, accounts for about two-thirds of the citys general fund.

Lutton said the family leave proposal, which the union introduced earlier this year, will be attractive to younger police officers who value work-life balance. He said many older police officers are used to working long days  often missing time at home with family.

But now there are younger officers who say, Im not working 10 hours. I dont want to work overtime, Lutton said. Thats an issue the department will have to face.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio, police union make little progress in contract negotiations. But that could change.

Maria Villagomez, deputy city manager and head of the citys negotiating team, said the proposal might also help the department recruit more women. Only 12 percent of the police departments sworn police officers is female, department data shows. Nationally, that number stands at 13 percent.

During Wednesdays meeting, the two sides also discussed the process for promoting police officers  addressing an issue the two sides clashed on last month.

In late August, the city suggested a clause that would bar officers who have been formally disciplined in the last two years from being promoted.

Liz Provencio, first assistant city attorney, said that while the police chief has the discretion to deny promotions, such language would make the process more straightforward.

We want to have it reflected in the contract to make it abundantly clear, Provencio said at the time. Everyone has a very clear understanding what is expected to be considered for a promotion.

But Ron DeLord, the police unions chief negotiator, said the citys proposal creates an arbitrary and unnecessary rule. He said the clause, if adopted, would automatically prevent officers from applying for promotions  even in cases where misconduct is minor or the police chief believes an officer is a good candidate.

Neither side budged when the proposal was brought up again Wednesday. Provencio said the city will develop a framework for what kind of misconduct would disqualify an officer from being promoted.

City and and police union officials also vowed to discuss discipline during an upcoming session this month.

I think we have made a lot of progress on many of the issues, Villagomez said. Health care, wages and discipline are the main issues that remain.

eeaton@express-news.net
JOHANNES EISELE, Contributor / AFP via Getty Images

San Antonio police are searching for an man in connection with a shooting Wednesday in the area of The Shops at La Cantera that left one person injured.

Police responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon around 12:40 p.m. in the 16500 block of La Cantera Parkway.
Tired of the heat and humidity? Hang tight  a pleasant surprise is in store for San Antonio and the Hill Country.

As high pressure builds and a front sweeps across Texas, temps will feel much cooler within 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service. Here's what to expect.

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Wednesday (High 97 and Low 74): Any isolated storms possible for the Hill Country would be complete by 9 p.m. Most activity should stay north of San Antonio.

Thursday (High 98 and Low 73): San Antonio can expect a light northerly wind, low humidity and sunny skies. Temps remain higher than average, in high-90s by afternoon.

Friday (High 95 and Low 70): A dry cold front will push through San Antonio in the early morning when temps could dip as low as 70 degrees. For early risers in Hill Country, a brief taste of Fall is in store, with mid-60s. Expect 90s by the afternoon for both San Antonio and Hill Country.

Saturday (High 94 and Low 70): Another cool morning leads to afternoon temps in the mid-90s. Luckily, the air will be dry and not humid. A 15-mph breeze will arrive in the afternoon.

Sunday (High 93 and Low 70): Humidity returns as a tropical wave moves into the western portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Clouds and a 20 percent chance of rain are expected in the evening.

Next week: Monday and Tuesday bring with them another chance for rain and thunderstorms.
As the newly appointed chair of the citys Planning and Community Development Committee, my role is to ensure our work will help preserve and protect the integrity of our neighborhoods.

Part of our charge is to oversee the implementation of SA Tomorrow, as well as a citywide response to homelessness; amendments to the Unified Development Code, or UDC; the Strategic Housing Implementation Plan, or SHIP; and other long-term housing policies.

Looking through each of these sets of plans, I realized that the implementation timelCommentary: Understand, don't forget, the Alamoines of three align: SHIP, UDC and the 2022 bond.

As we prepare for 2022, we have the rare opportunity to align our priorities by developing a comprehensive approach and bringing it to implementation. By ensuring our proposed policies meet the needs voiced by our residents, we have a chance to be bold in this Decade of Neighborhoods.

SHIP is an effort to translate the 2018 Mayors Housing Policy Framework into specific goals and strategies, update data and create action plans with our housing partners. As a 10-year policy plan proposed to meet housing needs over the next decade, SHIP will kick off in 2022.

On ExpressNews.com: Commentary: Understand, don't forget, the Alamo

While the upcoming 2022 bond program takes shape, we can consider this Phase I of a decade of neighborhood improvements that can continue with a Phase II in the 2027 bond.

Yes, Im thinking of a long-term vision, and we all should. Considering these upcoming bonds in phases, we could align our community-driven plans to reap the most benefits and ensure we meet the needs of our residents through robust community engagement. By being strategic in our efforts, we can generate excitement in a resident-centric vision for our neighborhoods.

Proposing changes to the UDC, which outlines requirements from zoning to code compliance to development standards and neighborhood priorities, is another opportunity for 2022. Being deliberate about proposed amendments is vital as this only happens every five years.

Although we have initiated some level of community engagement to discuss these efforts, we are only four months away from 2022. We need to incorporate a long-term vision by planning for the next decade.

Having focused on reinvigorating our downtown core, there is no better time to redirect our efforts to the Decade of Neighborhoods.

My council colleagues, neighbors and community stakeholders from all parts of San Antonio have expressed excitement about a long-term vision of investments in our neighborhoods. A Decade of Neighborhoods can serve as the theme to our policy work over the next few months.

On ExpressNews.com: Commentary: From north to south, VIA keeps San Antonio moving

Other council committees can also incorporate neighborhood priorities into their strategic vision. These can include technological infrastructure that addresses the digital divide, multimodal transportation, sustainable developments centered on environmental impact, and enhancing public infrastructure to create safer and resilient communities. We should all think about neighborhoods as the heart of our work.

There is vast disparity and need, not just in the citys southwestern sector that I represent but throughout San Antonio. We must plan for the whole city and address long-standing needs by building a road map for a multiphased approach. I hope we can all share our area of expertise and form part of this vision for the future, even if it starts one decade at a time.

City Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia represents District 4.
Throughout this pandemic  and long before, frankly  Texas has been Exhibit A in failed leadership at the state level.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton busy themselves fighting mask mandates in schools that would help protect unvaccinated children. They preach personal responsibility as hospitals overflow with COVID patients, most of whom are unvaccinated.

In sharp contrast to Abbott and Co., San Antonio is fortunate to have had exemplary leadership throughout the pandemic. Time and again, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff have given voice to public health and medical experts, advocated for and mandated masks, championed vaccines and proved to be a steady, calming influence during this challenging and stressful time.

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They have saved many lives, especially Wolff, who in June 2020, as COVID was surging across the state, found a workaround to Abbotts refusal to mandate masks. Instead of mandating people to wear masks, Wolff required businesses to mandate them. It was a political maneuver that slowed the spread of COVID and certainly saved lives. Thats leadership.

In a different era, Wolffs leadership would be universally celebrated. But this is a moment of misinformation, conspiracy theorists, social media exhibitionists and partisan division. And so it was sad, but not surprising, that a woman would harass Wolff on Sunday as he was grocery shopping.

Theres no need to get into details about her rant. She is not worth the attention she craves. But lets be clear, there is a never a good reason to harass and threaten elected officials. This is the second time it has happened to Wolff in the span of about a year. Seriously, what is wrong with people?

The resistance to masks and vaccines is confusing. A vaccinated person is far less likely to end up in the hospital for COVID. And the mask helps limit the spread of COVID. If everyone got vaccinated, then we wouldnt need to wear masks. Thats what Wolff wants. If you see him at the grocery store, give him an elbow bump and a thanks.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz told more than 8.9 million Americans whose federal pandemic unemployment benefits expired on Monday to get a job, sparking intense backlash online.



The Republican lawmaker shared an Associated Press article about the unemployment benefits ending. The move left only a few programs for those still struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.



Um, get a job? Cruz tweeted on Monday. There are millions of vacancies, and small businesses across the Nation are desperate for workers.

Cruz received backlash within minutes.

Sylvan Lane, who covers finance and the economy for The Hill, tweeted context from the August jobs report.

"1.5 million people said they weren't able to take a job because of a pandemic-related obstacle," Lane wrote. "The number of people who lost work last month because of COVID-19 increased by 400,000. We're not talking about millions of freeloaders here."

Others took the opportunity to blast Cruz personally.

Daily Beast editor-at-large Molly Jong-Fast wrote: I wish someone would take yours.

Hundreds of others referenced Cruz fleeing with his family to Cancun, Mexico, amid the deadly winter storm in February that left millions without power or running water in Texas.

Among them was YouTube music critic Anthony Fantano, who replied to Cruz: Do you know any jobs where you can take your family on vacation while the people youre supposed to be serving are in the middle of a crisis?

On ExpressNews.com: Sen. Ted Cruz's office 'wouldn't help' Texans stranded in Afghanistan, says Rep. Joaquin Castro

Turn Texas Blue, a group attempting to flip Texas from Republican dominance, tweeted: We all have a job, Ted Cruz, and that job is to remove you from the Senate in 2024.

Cruz responded to the criticism by blaming Democrats.

Todays Dems go nuts when you suggest that people should actually get a job, Cruz said. Work is good, but Dems want to keep people dependent on government in perpetuity. There are MILLIONS of job openings; small business cannot hire workers because DEMS keep paying people NOT to work.

The Associated Press story shared by Cruz quoted economists Peter McCrory and Daniel Silver of JPMorgan. Both found zero correlation between job growth and state decisions to drop the federal unemployment aid.

The story also said that roughly $650 billion had been injected into jobless benefits by the federal government since the pandemic began. The infusion has kept millions of Americans in their apartments and has paid for groceries and helped them keep up with bills, according to a report by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The banking industry has largely attributed the few defaults on loans this past 18 months to the government relief efforts.

The end of the pandemic unemployment benefits will be an abrupt jolt to millions of Americans who wont find a job in time for this arbitrary end to assistance, Andrew Stettner with the Century Foundation said in the report.

Additionally, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that employers, who are increasingly becoming more reliant on automation software, have thrown out millions of resumes. Among some of the major findings by the newspaper, hospitals passed on nurses who lacked computer programming skills and retailers demanded floor-buffering experience.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net
WASHINGTON  Democrats in Congress are urging the Justice Department to go after Texans who sue to enforce the states new abortion ban  saying the federal government should go as far as bringing criminal charges against would-be vigilantes  as the party continues searching for ways to respond to what Republicans are now deeming a national model for stopping abortions.

Members of the House Judiciary Committee  including Texas Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston and Veronica Escobar of El Paso  wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland that the department cannot permit the second largest state in the nation to deprive women of their constitutional rights by outsourcing the enforcement of SB 8 to private individuals.

The states new abortion ban, the strictest in the nation, empowers private individuals to bring civil lawsuits against those who assist women in obtaining abortions outside the laws tight time limits. Under the law, these civilian enforcers can win at least $10,000 in damages from the targets of their lawsuits.

We urge you to take legal action up to and including the criminal prosecution of would-be vigilantes attempting to use the private right of action established by that blatantly unconstitutional law, the Democrats wrote. Two generations of women have come to rely on the right to choose an abortion. That choice is deeply private and should not in any way be intruded upon by any third party, let alone a vigilante seeking a payday from the state.

IN-DEPTH: Meet the Texas teen who helped sabotage an anti-abortion tip line

Its the latest example of Democrats in Washington searching for ways to fight the ban, which went into effect last week after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal from abortion providers and others.

So far they have come up with few answers as Texas Republicans tout the ban as a model for other states.

This law will save the lives of thousands of unborn babies in Texas and become a national model, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said last week. I pray that every other state will follow our lead in defense of life.

The high court did not rule on the constitutionality of the law, leaving the door open to future challenges. But the ruling nonetheless renewed calls from the left to scrap the filibuster in the Senate, push new protections for women through Congress and add justices to the court.

The Democrats on the Judiciary Committee pointed to a federal statute established after the Civil War that says U.S. citizens cannot be deprived of constitutional rights under color of any law.

The Department of Justice cannot permit private individuals seeking to deprive women of the constitutional right to choose an abortion to escape scrutiny under existing federal law simply because they attempt to do so under the color of state law, they wrote.

Jackson Lee, meanwhile, would take it a step further. The Houston Democrat has said she plans to file federal legislation to criminalize such an act as a form of stalking.

Jackson Lee said in an interview on the Mehdi Hasan Show that the bill will penalize those who will even look in the direction of a woman who might possibly be thinking of an abortion  even look. It will be defined as stalking, it will be defined as being a vigilante and you will have criminal charges.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

For now, legal experts doubt the federal government could prosecute individuals.

Susan Klein, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, called it a political stunt and said she couldnt imagine any prosecutor bringing such a case.

The statute the Democrats cited, she said, is meant to protect against abuses by state actors, such as police. The government would have to argue that because the Texas law gives citizens the power to enforce its provisions, they become state actors.

Seth Chandler, a law professor at the University of Houston said the statute Democrats pointed to was established after the Civil War, aimed at preventing abuse of the constitutional liberties of recently freed slaves.

I dont think anyone can point to a clear precedent saying yes the government clearly can prosecute in this setting or no it clearly cannot prosecute in this setting, Chandler said. Whats going on here  filing a lawsuit in a recognized court  doesnt fit that tradition of what these federal statutes are about.

Garland issued a statement earlier this week saying the Justice Department is urgently exploring all options to challenge Texas SB8 in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons, including access to an abortion.

That came after President Joe Biden said he was launching a whole-of-government effort, calling on the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to see what steps they can take insulate women and providers from the impact of Texas bizarre scheme of outsourced enforcement to private parties.

In the meantime, Garland said, the department would continue to protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services under a federal law that prohibits the use or threat of force to stop someone from seeking such services.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the House will take a vote on a bill to enshrine into law reproductive health care for all women when it returns to D.C. later this month.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Texas Republicans enacted a massive election restrictions law on Tuesday that has echoes of the former president Donald Trumps false claims that widespread voter fraud kept him from a second term in the White House.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said new restrictions dealing with absentee voting, poll watcher access, and early voting hours will give voters in the Lone Star State even more confidence that elections here are fair, even though his own Secretary of State had already declared the 2020 elections were smooth and secure.

Election integrity is now law in the state of Texas, Abbott said after signing Senate Bill 1 at a ceremony in Tyler alongside Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, and Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, the lead authors of the bill.

More specifically, the bill bars any voting after 10 p.m., blocks drive-thru voting options and makes it a felony for election officials to mail out an absentee ballot without a voter requesting it.

Democrats and civil rights groups immediately blasted the signing on Tuesday, saying the 76-page law is little more than a tribute to Trump and what they call his Big Lie  that Joe Biden somehow won the election because of massive, unproven election fraud. They say restrictions in the bill will make it harder for people to vote by taking away voting options.

Republicans, shielded behind Trumps Big Lie, are claiming this bill will strengthen elections in Texas, but it clearly attacks large counties, whose people overwhelmingly have pushed back against decades-long Republican control, State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston said about the law.

IN-DEPTH: Texas Republicans pass priority voting bill after six-month siege

While they object to the bill becoming law, Democrats nevertheless won some key concessions during months of walkouts, boycotts and hardball negotiations prompted by the bill. Specifically, Republicans since May have removed language that would have trimmed Sunday morning early voting hours, a provision that would have made it easier to overturn election results, and another measure that could have reduced early voting locations in some minority communities.

Late in negotiations, Republicans also changed their prohibition on late-night voting. Instead of blocking voting after 9 p.m., the law allows counties to go as late as 10 p.m.

Still, civil rights activists denounced the legislation. Abbott had just signed it when Voto Latino, LULAC Texas, the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, and the Texas American Federation of Teachers announced they had filed a lawsuit to block the draconian law. A handful of similar cases are pending.

This law is a barefaced attack on Texas voters  one that should never have seen the light of day, said Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa.

Republicans say Democrats are going too far with their rhetoric about the laws impact.

Thats just a lie, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, said. We want to see more people vote. We want to see them vote fairly and we dont want the cheaters to undermine our elections.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Patrick and Abbott say Democrats havent acknowledged how the legislation expands voting options. For instance, all counties in Texas will have to have the first of two weeks of early voting last 9 hours a day  an increase of one hour. During the second week, counties with more than 55,000 will have to have 12 hours of early voting a day.

Another provision requires that voters in line during early voting be allowed to vote even after closing time at the polls. Previously, voters could be turned away and told to return on another day or Election Day to vote.

The Texas law, it does make it easier than ever before for anybody to go cast a ballot, Abbott said Tuesday. It does also, however, make sure it is harder for people to cheat at the ballot box in Texas.

Trumps influence, tweet by tweet

But while Trump wasnt mentioned once in Abbotts celebration on Tuesday, his imprint is all over the legislation. Numerous provisions in the bill addresses Trumps complaints about unproven discrepancies in other states, though Trump never alleged fraud in Texas, where he beat Biden by over 5 percentage points.

Even before the November election, Trump repeatedly warned about what he called ballot harvesting  when third parties collect completed absentee ballots from voters and deliver them to elections offices. Trump and other Republicans, however, have said the practice is open to fraud. They point to a congressional contest in North Carolina in 2018, when ballot harvesters were alleged to have filled out ballots and signed them on the behalf of voters.

Get rid of ballot harvesting, it is rampant with fraud, Trump tweeted.

The bill Abbott signed on Tuesday makes ballot harvesting a felony in Texas.

Trump also repeatedly alleged, before and after the election, that mail-in voting was ripe for fraud and accused election officials in Pennsylvania of sending ballots to people who had died.

It will be the scandal of our times!, Trump tweeted in June 2020.

The new Texas law follows up by forbidding election officials from mailing out absentee ballots without voters requesting them. And another provision requires a person to submit a voter ID in order to get an absentee ballot  another frequent refrain in Trumps tweets.

In another Tweet on Nov. 4, Trump said partisan poll watchers for his campaign were being blocked from seeing election activities in Detroit.

Our lawyers have asked for meaningful access, but what good does that do? The damage has already been done to the integrity of our system, and to the presidential election itself, Trump tweeted.

The new Texas law includes provisions assuring partisan poll watchers, like those for Trumps campaign, will have guaranteed access to all election activities to provide oversight.

Hughes on Tuesday didnt mention Trump in his celebration of the bill, instead insisting it is meant to address problems that have been documented in Texas.

Were here because were responding to some real problems that weve had in Texas, Hughes said, citing a vote harvesting case in Longview.

In September an East Texas county commissioner and three other people were indicted on charges that they fraudulently solicited mail-in votes from able-bodied voters by claiming they were disabled, often without the voters knowledge or consent.

Anybody who tells you theres no voter fraud in Texas is telling you a very big lie, Hughes said. Its going on today. This bill deals with that.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing for legislation allowing for audits of the 2020 election to be added to the agenda when the Legislature reconvenes for its third special session later this month.

Patricks comments came during a telephone town hall with supporters Monday evening, when he listed an election audit bill as one of his priorities next session. Patrick, who presides over the Senate, helped fast-track a bill through the chamber last session that would have allowed for audits of the 2020 election and future contests.

Gov. Greg Abbott, however, has so far declined to include the topic on his agenda for the third session, which he revealed Tuesday afternoon. The governor controls which issues lawmakers can consider during the session, which will start on Sept. 20.

The governors snub of the election audit proposal came hours after he signed a sweeping GOP elections bill into law while flanked by Patrick and other Republicans at a ceremony in East Texas. Abbott and Patrick did not respond to requests for comment about the elections audit bill.

The legislation, filed by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, candidates, local party chairs and election judges would have been able to request an explanation and supporting documentation when they suspected a local election official had violated the law, or when they wanted more information about alleged irregularities in precinct-level election results. If the complainant was not satisfied with the explanation and supporting documentation, he or she could have asked the Texas secretary of state to conduct an audit.

BILL SIGNING: Gov. Abbott signs hard-fought Texas elections bill

Some Democrats have framed the bill as an effort to recreate the ham-handed attempt by supporters of former president Donald Trump to review the results of the 2020 election in Arizonas largest county, which President Joe Biden narrowly carried on his way to flipping the state. The audit has received criticism from local Republican officials and has been plagued by delays and infighting among the Arizona GOP.

Other critics of the bill also called for stronger protections against frivolous requests for election audits.

Your bill raises some concerns that we might have people who have not the greatest of motivationsjust create harassing requests for audits, state Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, said last week.

Bettencourt has said his bill aims to create a civil remedy for alleged irregularities, citing apparent discrepancies at four Harris County early voting sites in 2020 that state officials can only review if they are pursuing criminal charges. He told skeptical Democratic senators last week that the legislation did not intend to allow for an Arizona-style audit.

While Arizona officials enlisted a private firm for their election review, Bettencourts bill would require county clerks, upon request from state and county party chairs, to appoint an election review advisory committee with equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats to review the results of the 2020 general election. The county clerk would appoint committee members from a field of nominees submitted by the county political parties.

Under the elections bill Abbott signed into law Tuesday, the Texas secretary of state will already be charged with auditing the elections held in four randomly selected counties after November elections in even-numbered years. Two of the counties must have a population of at least 300,000.

The audit provision was added in an amendment from state Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, which passed despite opposition from about a dozen House Republicans.

IN-DEPTH: Did a smooth and secure 2020 election cost the Texas secretary of state her job?

Republicans have touted the sweeping voting legislation and the elections audit bill as ways to clamp down on voter fraud and ensure public confidence in Texas elections. The new elections law will ban drive-thru and 24-hour voting and outlaw prevent election officials from sending out unsolicited mail ballot applications to voters  all initiatives pioneered by Harris County in 2020. It will also expand the powers of partisan poll watchers, one of the areas most bitterly opposed by Democrats and civil rights activists.

While some minor cases of voter fraud have been identified in Texas, multiple academic studies, a nationwide investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and Attorney General Ken Paxtons Election Fraud Unit have yet to discover widespread fraud on the scale alleged by Trump and other Republicans.

Some Texas Republican lawmakers have cited the roughly 400 voter fraud charges Paxtons office was investigating earlier this year, though the charges stemmed from cases against just 43 defendants, many of whom were charged with multiple counts.

Still, Trump carried Texas in 2020 by about 5.6 percentage points, and staffers for former secretary of state Ruth Hughs, an appointee of Abbott, reported to the Legislature last spring that the states 2020 election was smooth and secure  a determination that some Democrats say led to her ouster.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
TOKYO (AP)  One of the main candidates to be Japan's next prime minister said Wednesday the country needs a new type of capitalism to address income and social gaps caused by the pandemic. Another, a protege of former leader Shinzo Abe, promised a stronger Japan that can cope with enemy attacks, natural disasters and pandemics.

Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was the first to announce his candidacy to lead the governing Liberal Democratic Party and succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Whoever wins the Sept. 29 party vote is almost certain to be the next government leader.

Kishida, who announced his candidacy last week, focused Wednesday on his economic policy, which he described as a shift from the neo-liberalism and deregulation begun by reformist former leader Junichiro Koizumi in the early 2000s that Japan has since adopted.

While deregulation and structural reforms have strengthened Japans economy and promoted growth, they also created a gap between the rich and the poor, and those who possess and others who dont, Kishida said. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the disparity, with tourism industry workers, contract workers and women among the worst hit, he said.

We have to turn around the economy in this situation. If we just do the same thing, the gaps will only grow, he said.

Kishida also proposed an economic recovery package and a university fund to promote vaccine development, biomedicine and other cutting-edge science. He said he will promote clean energy technology to turn climate change measures into growth as Japan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Current Prime Minister Suga, whose popularity plummeted over his government's handling of the pandemic, has announced he will not run in the LDP race, giving the party a fresh leader ahead of a general election that must be held by late November.

The new party leader is virtually guaranteed to become prime minister because of the parliamentary majority held by the party and its coalition partner.

Conservative former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi also announced her entry into the race on Wednesday. She is seeking to become Japan's first female leader, though she has ranked low in media popularity surveys.

A third possible candidate, Taro Kono, the Cabinet minister in charge of vaccinations and a favorite in media surveys, is still preparing a formal announcement.

Takaichi shares former Prime Minister Abe's revisionist views on wartime history and hawkish stance on national security.

I'm determined to protect Japan and open the future, Takaichi said. She pledged to protect the lives and property of the people and the sovereignty and the honor of our nation.

That includes working to strengthen Japan's response to cyberattacks, pandemics and security threats, she said.

Takaichi supports traditional gender roles and paternalistic family values, following the example of the imperial family, which only allows male-line succession. She pledged to continue that policy as the foundation of imperial authority and legitimacy.

She also opposes changes to the family registration law that would allow married couples to keep separate surnames.

A member of the partys most conservative wing, she often visits Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japans war dead. Such visits by Japanese leaders infuriate former wartime foes such as China and South Korea.

As a Japanese citizen I regularly pay respect to the people who sacrificed their lives for the country and that is based only on my freedom of religion, Takaichi said. I find it unfortunate to be criticized for it."

___

Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Overcrowding, mass escapes, protest riots, extremism and corruption: Indonesias prisons have long been a hotbed of problems. On Wednesday it was tragedy, as a fire ripped through a block of the Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta, killing 41 and injuring 80. Authorities say their initial investigation is pointing to an electrical short circuit as the cause of the blaze. Here is a look at some of the issues the prison system has faced in recent years:

OVERCROWDING, UNDERFUNDING AND UNDERSTAFFING

Tangerang prison was built to hold 900 prisoners but currently has more than 2,000. Block C, where the fire broke out early Wednesday, houses primarily drug offenders. Its 19 cells, meant to hold 40 inmates, had more than triple that.

More than half of the inmates in Indonesias prison system have been convicted for drug crimes. In an amnesty last year meant to reduce numbers as COVID-19 rampaged through the prisons early in the pandemic, the government released tens of thousands of people who had served at least two-thirds of their sentences.

According to the department of corrections, as of July there were 268,610 inmates in Indonesia's prisons, which were built to hold 132,107 people.

An independent study in 2018 by University of Indonesia researchers found there was only one officer for every 55 inmates.

EXTREMISM

Following an Islamic extremist attack in 2002 on the tourist island of Bali when Jemaah Islamiyah militants bombed nightclubs, killing 202 people, mostly foreigners, Indonesian security forces embarked on a wide crackdown, crushing the network and arresting hundreds.

But once in prison, the lack of close supervision meant that they and other extremists were able to recruit more followers and direct supporters outside the walls.

Experts have noted that at least 18 former prisoners have been involved in extremist cases in the past decade, and most were radicalized in prison.

In the trial of Aman Abdurrahman, who was sentenced to death in 2018, the radical cleric was found to have incited and directed several attacks by his followers, including a 2016 suicide bombing at a Starbucks in Jakarta, while he was in prison. Abdurrahman, who was serving a terrorism-related sentence, was able to communicate with his supporters on the outside through visitors and video calls.

PRISON BREAKS

Jailbreaks have been common in recent years in Indonesia, where the lack of supervision and sometimes crumbling structures combine to make escape an attractive option to inmates, sometimes en masse.

A year ago, a Chinese inmate who was on death row for drug smuggling tunneled his way out of Tangerang prison using stolen tools over six months. His body was found in a town a month later in what police called a suicide.

In 2017, at a prison in western Indonesia where there was frequent unrest due to overcrowding, dozens of inmates were able to escape one night after floods caused a wall to collapse. A few months earlier, dozens of others escaped during a riot in which a prison block was set on fire. Most were recaptured in both cases.

At the time, the prison, built for 350 inmates, held 1,238.

Indonesia is the worlds most populous Muslim nation, and several notable escapes have taken advantage of daily prayer time.

In 2018, more than 100 inmates overpowered a guard after being let out of their cells for evening prayers at the Lambaro penitentiary in Aceh province, then dashed out through gaps in the wire and iron bars they had cut in advance.

The year before, more than 440 prisoners escaped from a penitentiary in neighboring Riau province when they also took advantage of Friday Muslim prayers.

IS ANYTHING BEING DONE?

The government recognizes there is a problem and plans to refocus its approach toward drug offenders as part of the solution, said Reynhard Silitonga, the head of corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. It intends to start looking at drug offenders as addicts who need treatment rather than criminals, and focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration, he told The Associated Press.

Currently, of 139,088 convicts in drug cases, 101,032 are serving terms of less than 10 years for offenses involving only small quantities of narcotics.

He said redirecting drug users into rehabilitation programs will vastly reduce the number of people in prisons and alleviate most of the problems. If a solution is not found, he predicted that over the next five years the prison population could top 400,000.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok.

___

The version has corrected the spelling of the corrections official's name to Reynhard instead of Reyhard.
The question about the direction of the pandemic in Connecticut in the next few weeks appears to have taken two tracks: Gov. Ned Lamont has voiced optimism that the curve has flattened, while a top health expert, Scott Gottlieb, said the worst of the delta variants effect is yet to come.

New COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations have stalled in recent weeks after a sizable jump from pandemic lows seen in June. Driving that surge was the increased prevalence of the delta variant, a highly contagious strain of the virus now seen in nearly all cases.

After Connecticut reached its lowest COVID positivity rate in a month over the Labor Day weekend, the rate bounced back up again on Wednesday. The state reported a daily positivity rate of 3.51 percent on Wednesday as hospitalizations increased by one patient for a total of 363 statewide  74 percent were not vaccinated, the governors office said.

Lamont has expressed optimism about the trajectory of the pandemic in recent weeks  the positivity rate had stopped increasing and hospitalizations were within a similar range.

I see the incredibly high infections and hospitalizations in those southern states and Im pleased that Connecticut, because were 84 percent vaccinated, is relatively flat, Lamont said in late August. Doesnt mean were out of the woods, but we are what they used to say  remember in the early days of COVID  flattening the curve.

But Gottlieb, who appeared a number of times alongside Lamont when twice-weekly press conferences were held about the pandemic, told CNBC this weekend that he thought the initial spike was more a warning than an actual wave in the Northeast, and the situation was going to get worse.

I think our true delta wave is going to build after Labor Day in the Northeast. .... This is going to be a highly regionalized pandemic, Gottlieb, the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said in the interview.

For health experts, the next few weeks remain an uncertainty as students return to local classrooms and college campuses against a backdrop of one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, but a persistent threat from the delta variant.

Dr. Ulysses Wu, Hartford HealthCares top epidemiologist, said Wednesday he does not expect a spike in cases until October, but said the numbers could oscillate up and down the next few weeks.

Similarly, Dr. Asah Shah, head of infectious disease for Stamford Health, said some projections show a bit of a plateau with the number of cases going up and down slightly in the coming weeks, and thats the hope.

Wu said there are conflicting factors with the pandemic, some that work for and against an uptick in cases.

It really all depends. There are the factors that are going to drive the numbers up, kids being back in school, their masking compliance, the prevalence of delta and waning immunity from vaccines, Wu said.

However, he said more people seem to be wearing masks and theres been an uptake in vaccinations since the recent spike in cases.

Recent state figures show the number of vaccines administered per week has gone up through August from around 42,000 to just over 50,000 doses.

I do think that the vaccine uptake is a good thing. And we know that the vaccines are effective for severe disease from delta, Shah said.

But respiratory diseases have some seasonality.

The wild card, there are a few, No. 1, we are heading into our standard flu and respiratory disease season, Shah said.

What may be alleviating the problem now is temperatures are mild and people have their windows open, Wu said. But temperatures will drop in the coming weeks, forcing people indoors with their windows shut.

I do agree that Gottlieb, I think that numbers are going to go up, but I dont think they are going to go up now, Wu said.

The start of the school year has also been cause for concern. While many students are vaccinated, those under 12 years old are still not eligible.

As students have returned to the classrooms, the state has resumed its weekly school report. According to the latest data released last Thursday, 247 students and 58 school staff had tested positive statewide. According to the report, dozens of schools had reported fewer than six cases.

Pedro Mendes, of UConn's Center for Quantitative Medicine, said his latest model shows cases slowing down, but the projections do not factor the impact of students returning to school.

It was easier last year when we still had a lot of restrictions; this year there are no travel restrictions and masking is patchy. As a consequence, it has been hard to calibrate the model for the level of person-person contact we have now, versus what we had in July/August, Mendes said.

He went on to say: So, while I may believe that there may be coming another wave, my model can't really predict it at this point yet.

But health officials say state and local leaders now have nearly 18 months of experience.

The one thing that makes me feel comfortable, weve done this before. If we see a surge in cases, we know what to do, Shah said.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday proposed spending $200 million in federal pandemic relief funding to replace lead water pipes across Michigan, where aging underground infrastructure was exposed by Flint's disaster.

The plan, if approved by the Legislature, would set aside $20 million to replace all of the lines in Benton Harbor in five years. The majority Black city in the state's southwestern corner has been exceeding the federal lead limit since 2018.

That year, Michigan began enforcing the nations strictest rules for lead in drinking water in the wake of the crisis in Flint, another impoverished city with a majority Black population. The regulations will result in replacing every lead service pipe statewide by 2041 unless a utility can show regulators it will take longer.

Every Michigander deserves access to safe drinking water and every community deserves lead-free pipes, the Democratic governor said in a statement.

The proposal would expand upon a water plan that Whitmer announced nearly a year ago, including $102 million to replace lead service lines in disadvantaged communities. In June, Republicans who control the Senate unveiled a $2.5 billion water infrastructure proposal that would be funded primarily with federal COVID-19 relief aid. Their plan includes $600 million for pipe replacements, triple what the governor is seeking.

Whitmer said more money is needed to replace all pipes but noted Michigan would get additional funds under President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure agenda, which is pending in Congress.

Michigan has an estimated 460,000 lead service lines, third-most in the U.S., according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Municipalities and water utilities have estimated the replacement cost could total $2.5 billion.

Flint became a national symbol of the longstanding threat from lead, which can disrupt childrens brain development, causing learning and behavior problems. Adults also can suffer nervous system and kidney damage.

The city switched its drinking water source from Detroit to the Flint River in 2014 as a temporary cost-saving move while being run by an emergency financial manager appointed by then-Gov. Rick Snyder. State environmental regulators advised local officials not to treat the river water with anti-corrosion additives. The river water scraped lead off aging pipes and plumbing fixtures, contaminating the supply.

Flint is in the final stages of replacing roughly 10,000 service lines under a 2017 settlement of a lawsuit filed by residents and nonprofit groups. The search-and-replace operation has involved more than 27,000 digs.

In Benton Harbor, a city of 9,700 residents, much of the water distribution system is around 100 years old. State and other government officials have taken steps such as making free filters available and securing additional funding for upgrades.

Mayor Marcus Muhammad said he was grateful for the proposed $20 million. But others in the community, while appreciative, said it is not enough.

The Rev. Edward Pickney, president of the Benton Harbor Community Water Council, said he and environmental groups on Thursday will ask the Environmental Protection Agency to provide bottled water or another source of safe drinking water  such as water trucks  until lead pipes are gone.

We cannot wait one more day to seek help for our elders and our kids, who are our future, he said.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00

___

This story has been corrected to state that pipes must be replaced by 2041, not 2038, based on new information provided by the governors office.
Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo has instituted another mask mandate, but just for us civilians.

A picture is worth a thousand words, as you can see from an image I posted on Twitter, where Fred is unmasked and huddled cheek to cheek with six other people just over a week ago.

The rules apparently dont apply to him.

He was in a tent. This is why these regulations are stupid. An enclosed tent is OK, but a barbershop or gym is not?

Nationwide there are a ton of Freds. Gavin Newsom at the French laundry, Gretchen Whitmers trip to Florida when her state was locked down. They dont practice what they preach. Its theater. Republican Town Committee Vice Chair Jackie Budkins and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin have almost unilaterally supported Freds policies, and look  they are in the picture without masks.

You believe in this stuff and practice it, or you dont and youre a hypocrite. You can see from that photo that they dont believe in it. No social distancing, no masks. But per Freds policy, a waiter in the background wears a mask. They tell me I must wear one in the gym. Ironically, thats where the highest concentration of healthy people, the people who probably do not get COVID as badly, hang out.

As a Republican, (which Fred claims to be), I will stand up against anyones attempt to mask me or my kids. I will not comply! And dont give me that crap about it being for other people. Thats a strawman.

Fred doesnt follow his own rules. If you practice hocus-pocus COVID theater, thats your choice. But management at the expense of our liberty, with do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do mandates, is no management at all. Its just a mess of petty tyranny, ego and incompetence. Thats not what I voted for.

Greenwich Representative Town Meeting member Carl Higbie is a former Navy SEAL who was chief of external affairs for the Corporation for National and Community Service under President Donald Trump.
Forty-seven years ago today, President Gerald R. Ford shocked the country, while simultaneously compromising his own 1976 election chances, by pardoning Richard Nixon.

In hindsight, it was an act of moral courage. Ford, who had been president for only a month, put the country's welfare ahead of his own political fortunes, as his critics later acknowledged. But in the raw summer of 1974, Americans weren't necessarily in a trusting mood. Certainly, prominent Democrats weren't. Neither was the media.

The question in the air was this: Had Ford made a deal with Nixon prior to being chosen as vice president? Those who knew the man personally found the idea absurd. But Ford wasn't widely known outside the Michigan congressional district he had represented on Capitol Hill for 25 years. And coming on the heels of the Vietnam War, Watergate had ravaged Nixon's presidency and further eroded Americans' basic confidence in their institutions.

Nonetheless, Ford did what he thought was right, explained the decision to the American people and then, the following month, made an accounting of himself before a congressional subcommittee.

Every U.S. president since Harry Truman has claimed that the "buck stops here," but with Jerry Ford these weren't just words.

In explaining his reasoning for pardoning Richard Nixon, President Ford noted that although he believed in equal justice for all Americas, "whatever their station or former station," there were no historic or legal precedents to guide him, "none that precisely fit the circumstances of a private citizen who has resigned the presidency of the United States."

So Ford was on his own. And here's what he decided:

"The facts, as I see them, are that a former president of the United States, instead of enjoying equal treatment with any other citizen accused of violating the law, would be cruelly and excessively penalized either in preserving the presumption of his innocence or in obtaining a speedy determination of his guilt in order to repay a legal debt to society. During this long period of delay and potential litigation, ugly passions would again be aroused. And our people would again be polarized in their opinions. And the credibility of our free institutions of government would again be challenged at home and abroad. 

"But it is not the ultimate fate of Richard Nixon that most concerns me, though surely it deeply troubles every decent and every compassionate person. My concern is the immediate future of this great country. In this, I dare not depend upon my personal sympathy as a longtime friend of the former president, nor my professional judgment as a lawyer, and I do not.

"As president, my primary concern must always be the greatest good of all the people of the United States whose servant I am. As a man, my first consideration is to be true to my own convictions and my own conscience. My conscience tells me clearly and certainly that I cannot prolong the bad dreams that continue to reopen a chapter that is closed. My conscience tells me that only I, as president, have the constitutional power to firmly shut and seal this book. My conscience tells me it is my duty, not merely to proclaim domestic tranquility but to use every means that I have to ensure it.

"I do believe that the buck stops here, that I cannot rely upon public opinion polls to tell me what is right. I do believe that right makes might and that if I am wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference. I do believe, with all my heart and mind and spirit, that I, not as president but as a humble servant of God, will receive justice without mercy if I fail to show mercy.

"Finally, I feel that Richard Nixon and his loved ones have suffered enough and will continue to suffer, no matter what I do, no matter what we, as a great and good nation, can do together to make his goal of peace come true."

Carl M. Cannon is the Washington bureau chief for RealClearPolitics. Reach him on Twitter @CarlCannon.
Farming charity RABI has set an ambitious new goal to quadruple its support by 2024 to people who work in the agricultural industry.

RABI's council of trustees say they want to reach even more farming people over the next three years, which will be reached by increasing support fourfold.

The agricultural charity provides services and support to the farming community across England and Wales.

It comes as pressures on farmers continue to grow namely due to the impacts of the pandemic and Brexit uncertainty.

RABI's chief executive, Alicia Chivers said: Delivering positive outcomes to four times as many farming people and families across England and Wales by the end of 2024 is an aspirational goal.

"We believe this is achievable through the expansion of RABIs existing partnership programmes, forging a more holistic approach that will benefit our farming communities.

Looking ahead, the charity says it will continue to provide support to those who are no longer farming due to ill health or age.

Supplementing these existing programmes, RABI will additionally be increasing its focus on pre-emptive and proactive support services to farming people working in the sector.

This is, in part, a response to the growing levels of farming families living on a relative low income, the charity explains.

Mrs Chivers said RABIs long-term intent is to work in partnerships to provide support for up to 25,000 farming people annually, as a more collaborative approach with partner organisations is developed."

It comes after RABI launched a new wellbeing initiative for the industry, including an online counselling service for farmers in England and Wales.

The confidential online platforms feature two distinct sites  one for adults and another for those aged 11 to 17.

The websites include dedicated content that addresses specific challenges facing farmers such as loneliness, Brexit anxiety, animal health and crop disease and farm debt.
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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.
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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2021) - WMC Equities Inc. ("WMC") announced today that it acquired (the "Acquisition") 300,000 common shares (the "Purchased Shares") of Keon Capital Inc. ("Keon") from Fortune Silver Mines Inc. ("Fortuna") at a price of $0.10 per Purchased Share for an aggregate purchase price of $30,000.00 pursuant to a share purchase agreement entered into between WMC and Fortuna on September 7, 2021.

Prior to the Acquisition, WMC did not hold, directly or indirectly, any securities in the capital of Keon. As a result of the Acquisition, WMC now holds, directly, a total of 300,000 common shares, representing approximately 15.660% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Keon. WMC acquired the Purchased Shares for private investment purposes and may increase or decrease its beneficial ownership or control in Keon as circumstances or market conditions warrant.

The Acquisition was conducted in reliance on the "private agreement exemption" in section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104") and as a result was exempt from the take-over bid requirements in Part 2 of NI 62-104. The Purchased Shares were purchased from fewer than five (5) sellers and at a price less than 115% of the market price of the Purchased Shares, in each case as calculated in accordance with NI 62-104.

This news release is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. A copy of the related early warning report is being filed with the applicable securities commissions and can be found at www.sedar.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

WMC Equities Inc.

Contact: William McCartney

604 307 8103

780 Riverside Drive

North Vancouver, BC Y7H 1V5

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95828
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 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, August 30, 2021, and August 31, 2021, the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") has published its Final Exchange Bulletin in connection with the Company's proposed "Change of Business" transaction (within the meaning of Exchange Policy 5.2).

Trading in the common shares of the Company is expected to commence at market open on September 9, 2021. 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/95825
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2021) - William Murray ("Murray"), a director of Keon Capital Inc. ("Keon") (TSXV: KEON.H) announced today that he acquired (the "Acquisition") 215,365 common shares (the "Purchased Shares") of Keon from Fortune Silver Mines Inc. ("Fortuna") at a price of $0.10 per Purchased Share for an aggregate purchase price of $21,536.50 pursuant to a share purchase agreement entered into between Murray and Fortuna on September 7, 2021.

Prior to the Acquisition, Murray held 70,733 common shares directly and 23,033 common shares indirectly through his wholly-owned private company, Group 4 Ventures Ltd. ("Group 4"), for a combined holdings of 93,766 common shares of Keon, representing approximately 4.895% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Keon. As a result of the Acquisition, Murray now holds, directly and indirectly through Group 4, a total of 309,131 common shares, representing approximately 16.136% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Keon. Murray acquired the Purchased Shares for private investment purposes and may increase or decrease its beneficial ownership or control in Keon as circumstances or market conditions warrant.

The Acquisition was conducted in reliance on the "private agreement exemption" in section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104") and as a result was exempt from the take-over bid requirements in Part 2 of NI 62-104. The Purchased Shares were purchased from fewer than five (5) sellers and at a price less than 115% of the market price of the Purchased Shares, in each case as calculated in accordance with NI 62-104.

This news release is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. A copy of the related early warning report is being filed with the applicable securities commissions and can be found at www.sedar.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

William Murray

604 288-7813

4360 Candlewood Place

Richmond, BC V7C 4E1

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95824
SINGAPORE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanne, the award-winning and leading global provider of alternative asset and corporate services has appointed Tervinder Chal as their new Head of Singapore.

Based in Singapore, Tervinder joins with more than 22 years' of experience in the financial services industry, and in his new role will continue to develop and drive Sanne's alternative and corporate offering across the region.

Previously, Tervinder spent approximately nine years with Vastardis Capital Services and Alter Domus in Singapore where he worked to build the two firms from scratch. His role as country lead included heading operations, business development and strategic management. More recently, his role as Head of APAC Fund Operations and Finance for AEW entailed overseeing and managing operations for four APAC based real estate funds and ultimately delivering all financial and compliance related deliverables.

Jing Jing Qian, Managing Director, Regional Head of APAC commented: "We are delighted to be welcoming Tervinder to our senior leadership team. He has a proven track record of leading firms to success, and as we continue to further expand he will play an instrumental role in growing our Singapore business."

On joining Sanne, Tervinder said: "I look forward to starting with such a talented team and working with the wider APAC business leaders to continue the excellent standard of client service delivery that Sanne is renowned for."

Tervinder takes over from David Fowler, who recently relocated to Sanne's London office where he started his new position as Global Head of Private Equity.

Notes to editors:

Sanne is an award-winning global provider of alternative asset and corporate services.

Established since 1988 and listed as a FTSE 250 company on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, Sanne employs c2,000 professionals worldwide and administers structures and funds that have in excess of 465 billion assets. We deliver tailored fiduciary services to a highly valued international client base through a global network of 23 locations spread across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

Clients are serviced through regional businesses which are led by global leaders with deep experience in alternative asset and corporate services. Each business contains multifunctional and skilled teams of professionally qualified people who are aligned to the specific requirements of each client, across one accredited platform.

Sanne leads in the provision of fund and corporate administration services. Specialist expertise is delivered across private debt, capital markets, real assets, private equity, hedge and corporate services. Key clients include leading fund managers, financial institutions and global corporates.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1609640/SANNE_Tervinder_Chal.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1475992/Sanne_Logo.jpg

Enquiries:

Matthew Morel

Director, Marketing & Corporate Communications

Sanne Group plc

+44 (0)1534 722787
BEIJING, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is growing a batch of night economy clustering areas featuring diversified scenarios for night-time consumption to light up local economy.

The city, characterized by scorching days in summer and hot autumn, is famous for its folk habits of going out and shopping at night, with banks of Yongjiang River, the city's mother river, being the most favorable destination for local residents and travelers.

After renovation, the banks of Yongjiang River, a section of a tributary of the mainstream of Pearl River, become a popular place to enjoy night views, including the brilliantly lit cross-river bridge, 3D light show on high-rise buildings alongside the river, and dazzling sight-seeing boats.

During the summer vacation, parents and students from near and far usually rush to Nanning to see the old folk houses, arcades, city god temple, hollowed windows, and memorial archways, all of which can be spotted at the three streets and two alleys historical conservation block in Nanning.

The block, a miniature of the over 1,000 years long history of Nanning, has been a new and unique landmark of the city and seven scenic spots within the block such as the China theater and Deng Yingchao memorial hall are open to the public currently.

Not far from the block lies Zhongshan Road food street, a landmark for Nanning's traditional food where booths and shops for escargot, roasted fish, and local rice noodles are often crowded with tourists.

Elsewhere at the Uptown block, another night economy demonstration block of Nanning, workshops of the past silk mills are renovated and partially reserved to give birth to a touring block composed of creative parks, exhibitions for performing arts, thematic cinemas, art hotels, music bars, creative groceries, and characteristic catering.

Beside the Yongjiang River, the city's "green lung" - Qingxiu Mountain is also lit up by its burgeoning night economy. Travelers can also experience cultures of ASEAN countries in Fantawild Asian Legend, a high-tech theme park in Nanning.

All of these are part of the city's planned night economy demonstration programs and by 2022, Nanning vows to complete building 10 of such programs to further propel its night economy.

https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/323657.html

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1610431/1.jpg
TOKYO, Sept 8, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is pleased to report that it has signed a long-term Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (Corporate PPA), through which it will supply electricity to data centers owned and operated by the Amazon subsidiary Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS). Facilitated by MC Retail Energy Co., Ltd., this Corporate PPA represents Amazon's first use of renewable energy in Japan.Under the agreement's terms, West Holdings Corporation will build and maintain roughly 450 solar power stations (with a total installed capacity of approximately 22 megawatts) for Amazon and supply the online retailer with wholesale electricity. MC subsidiaries Mitsubishi Corporation Energy Solutions Ltd. and ElectroRoute will also be involved. The former will manage construction of the solar power facilities and provide tech support, while the latter will forecast the facilities' outputs and hedge power generation imbalances*. The term of this Corporate PPA is approximately ten years, with commercial operations slated to commence in April 2023.MC is aiming to double its 2019 renewable energy output by 2030 and completely eliminate fossil fuels and CO2 emissions from its power-generation portfolio by 2050. Amazon is demonstrating a similar commitment to decarbonize. The company has set a target to use only renewable energies by 2025 and is now making global moves to both develop them and source more green electricity.The first such agreement with Amazon originating in Japan, this Corporate PPA was made possible thanks to MC's international work in renewable power generation matching the online retail giant's needs. It will be MC's second renewable-energy agreement with Amazon, following one signed earlier this year through which MC subsidiary Eneco will provide the retailer with power generated by the offshore wind farm, Hollande Kust Noord.With increasing global pressure on both governments and businesses to address climate change, many companies are urgently looking for ways to shift to renewables and cut the greenhouse emissions generated by their operations. As it works to decarbonize, MC remains committed to decreasing its CO2 emissions through independent initiatives. We will work proactively to reduce greenhouse gasses through the development and supply of renewables.*Investments to hedge costs incurred through supply-demand imbalances that occur when solar power outputs fail to match their original forecasts.Source: Mitsubishi CorporationCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.

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.
EQS Group-News: RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holdings AG / Key word(s): Conference

Relief Therapeutics to Participate in the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference



08.09.2021 / 07:00





Relief Therapeutics to Participate in the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference

Geneva, Switzerland, September 8, 2021 - RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG (SIX: RLF, OTCQB: RLFTF) ("Relief"), a biopharmaceutical company seeking to provide patients therapeutic relief from serious diseases with high unmet need, today announced that Jack Weinstein, Relief's Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, will present a company overview at the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference, being held virtually September 13-15, 2021.

The on-demand presentation will be available beginning September 13, at 7:00am ET on the Relief website at: https://www.relieftherapeutics.com/news-and-events and will be archived for a period of 90 days after the conference.

Management will also host one-on-one meetings during the event. Institutional investors who are registered for the conference can log into www.hcwevents.com to request a meeting with the company.

ABOUT RELIEF

Relief focuses primarily on clinical-stage programs based on molecules with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rationale. Relief's lead drug candidate, RLF-100TM (aviptadil), a synthetic form of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), is in late-stage clinical testing in the U.S. for the treatment of respiratory deficiency due to COVID-19. As part of its pipeline diversification strategy,

in March 2021, Relief entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Acer Therapeutics for the worldwide development and commercialization of ACER-001. ACER-001 is a taste-masked and immediate release proprietary powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) for the treatment of Urea Cycle Disorders and Maple Syrup Urine Disease. In addition, Relief's recently completed acquisitions of APR Applied Pharma Research SA and AdVita Lifescience GmbH bring a diverse pipeline of marketed and development-stage programs.

RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol RLF and quoted in the U.S. on OTCQB under the symbol RLFTF. For more information, visit www.relieftherapeutics.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
CHESEREX (dpa-AFX) - Adecco Group AG (AHEXY.PK, ADO.L) said its capital increase generated gross proceeds of approximately 232.29 million euros. It was raised through the placement of 5.1 million new shares at a price of 49.60 Swiss francs per new share. The new shares are anticipated to be admitted to trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange on 9 September 2021. The new shares carry full dividend rights for the fiscal year 2021. The Group plans to use the net proceeds from the capital increase to fund, in part, the acquisition of AKKA Technologies. Coram Williams, CFO of Adecco Group, said: 'We are already planning the integration of AKKA and Modis, and we look forward to updating investors regularly on progress and demonstrating the value created.' 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Noram Lithium Corp. ("Noram" or the "Company") (TSXV:NRM)(FSE:N7R)(OTCQB:NRVTF) announced today the appointment of public policy and mining industry veteran Adam Falkoff to its Board of Directors.

"We are privileged to add a highly respected, purpose-driven leader with a proven, long-term track record of success in public policy and consulting to Noram's Board," stated Sandy McDougall, President and CEO of Noram. "His significant experience in the fields of mining, public office and business strategy will benefit the Company as we advance our resource towards production. We welcome Adam to the Board and look forward to his insight and contributions as we build a multi-national lithium minerals company."

"I am enthusiastic about joining the Board of Directors at an inflection point for Noram," stated Adam Falkoff. "Lithium plays an essential role in powering the modern world and the global demand for lithium or "white gold", is continuing to grow exponentially. The Biden administration's recent call for boosting domestic production of lithium to meet the demand for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles perfectly displays why Noram is in the right place at the right time. I am eager to advise the company as it becomes a major player in the ongoing high demand for sources of renewable energy.", said Adam Falkoff.

Mr. Falkoff has over 20 years of experience in public policy, international relations, and business development. He has advised CEOs of the Fortune 100, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and Ambassadors. As President of CapitalKeys, a bipartisan global public policy and strategic consulting firm based in Washington D.C., with offices in London and Singapore, he has successfully helped clientele understand, anticipate, and navigate the complex public policy environment as well as develop strategies for business development driving client revenues. He is also the interim president of RARE, The Association for Rare Earth. Mr. Falkoff is a 2018 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for service to the United States of America and was named to the Washington, D.C. Power 100, a list of the 100 most influential non-elected people by Washington Life Magazine.

Mr. Falkoff received a B.A. from Duke University and both an M.B.A. and M.I.M. (Master of International Management) from the Thunderbird School of Global Management on an academic scholarship. Mr. Falkoff also holds a Certificate in International Law from the University of Salzburg, Institute on International Legal Studies. The coursework was instructed by Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and John Paul Stevens. He also participated in the Postgraduate Programme of the School of Mining Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa known as the world's preeminent institution in the field of international mining and mining studies.

About Noram Lithium Corp.

Noram Lithium Corp (TSXV:NRM )(FSE:N7R)(OTCQB:NRVTF) is a Canadian based junior exploration company, with a goal of developing lithium deposits and becoming a low - cost supplier. The Company's primary business is the Zeus Lithium Project ("Zeus") in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Zeus Project has a current resource estimate of 124 million tonnes at 1136 ppm lithium as Indicated Resources, and 77 million tonnes lithium at 1045 ppm lithium as Inferred Resources (900 ppm Li cut-off: 1.18 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent - "LCE".

Noram's long term strategy is to build a multi-national lithium minerals company to produce and sell lithium into the markets of Europe, North America and Asia.

Please visit our web site for further information: www.noramlithiumcorp.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sandy McDougall

President, CEO and Director

Investor Relations Contact:

Rich Matthews

Managing Partner

Integrous Communications

rmatthews@integcom.us

+1 604 757 7179

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion transactions completed in the Agreement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Noram believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Noram disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Noram Lithium Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662869/Noram-Appoints-Adam-Falkoff-President-of-The-Association-for-Rare-Earth-to-its-Board-of-Directors


ROME (dpa-AFX) - Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli (PPAMY.PK, PPAMF.PK) announced Wednesday that Chief Financial Officer Francesco Tanzi tendered his resignation from the company, effective December 31, 2021, to pursue a new professional experience.



Tanzi is also the manager responsible for the preparation of the company's financial documents.



Marco Tronchetti Provera, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will propose to the board meeting scheduled for November 11 the nomination of the new manager responsible for the preparation of the company's financial documents, in accordance with current legislation.



Tanzi does not own ordinary shares in the company.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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- Claire's Rewards, Claire's brand new loyalty program, launches nationwide today, 8th September 2021.

- Members earn 1 point for every 1 pound/euro spent, plus points for engaging with Claire's, and unlock a 5 pound/euro reward after every 100 points earned.

- Free to join, with 20% off your purchase when you complete your online account.

- Many ways to earn, including points for every purchase, linking your online account, completing your profile, following Claire's on Instagram, or liking us on Facebook.

- Members also benefit from free shipping twice per year, a special birthday surprise, personalised deals and perks, and special member events.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Claire's Stores Inc., the global ear piercing specialist and leading retailer of fun, unique, fashionable jewellery and accessories, today announced the UK and ROI launch of its first loyalty program, Claire's Rewards . Customers can benefit from the brand new, free to join program, offering rewards for shopping and engaging with the brand. The program's benefits include:

Earning 1 point for every 1 pound/euro spent and points for engaging with Claire's

Unlocking a 5 pound/euro spent reward with every 100 points earned

Receiving free shipping twice per year

Receiving special personalised deals and perks, including a birthday surprise

Qualifying for exclusive member events and exclusive discounts

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8853551-claires-uk-roi-loyalty-programme/

"We are excited to begin the rollout of our Claire's rewards loyalty program in Europe with our initial launch this week in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland!" said Kristin Patrick, executive vice president, chief marketing officer (CMO). "We are always finding ways in which we can gratify our customers, and with the launch of the loyalty programme we can offer many great benefits, giving them more engaging touch-points with the Claire's brand that generations of trend-conscious girls and women have grown to love!"

The new Claire's Rewards program embodies all that customers love about their favourite loyalty programs - cash rewards, discounts and special offers, many ways to earn and exclusive member privileges, such as free shipping and birthday surprises - all for free! In addition to the rich value offering, Claire's will leverage personalisation capabilities to create unique customer deals and perks, driving deeper engagement and creating a more rewarding shopping experience. Customers can sign up for Claire's Rewards in-store and online.

To learn more about Claire's Rewards or to enroll today, visit https://www.claires.com/myrewards.html

About Claire's Stores Inc

Claire's Stores, Inc. is one of the world's leading omni-channel retailers of fun, fashionable jewelry and accessories, and is the world's ear piercing specialist, having pierced over 110 million ears in its 40+ year history. The Company operates under two brand names: Claire's and Icing. Claire's Stores, Inc. operates fully owned and concession stores in 17 countries throughout North America and Europe, and franchises stores in 28 countries primarily located in the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and Central and South America, South Africa, and Russia. For more information visit www.claires.com or www.clairestores.com

Contact:

Katie Settle - Brand Communications Coordinator

Katie.Settle@claires.com

Tel: +44 (0) 1212 507 922
Cigniti Technologies, world's leading Independent Quality Engineering Software Testing Services company, announced the opening of their office in Prague, Czech Republic. With this new expansion, Cigniti further extends its global footprint in the European region to meet the growing digital transformation needs of leading enterprises based in the region. Cigniti is currently serving enterprises from eight countries in the Europe and the U.K.

"Being the best country for business in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with rich scientific tradition, incredible talent pool, and well developed R&D infrastructure that supports business's ecosystem, Czech Republic was a natural choice for us as we looked at expanding our presence in the Europe region," said Srikanth Chakkilam, CEO, Cigniti.

"This new office will enable us to be more agile and responsive towards the needs of our existing clients in the region and serve them from close proximity. This will also be the nearshore delivery centre for our clients in the UK and EU, and tap into the rich talent pool available locally" said Nanda Padmaraju, Cigniti's head of RoW business.

Cigniti has helped accelerate the digital transformation journey of several global automobile enterprises by providing highly innovative strategic quality engineering solutions. Our presence in Czech Republic would further boost our efforts to partner with the leading automobile enterprises in the central Europe. Enterprises in the European region today are looking towards aligning their transformation roadmaps to leverage the benefits of next-generation technologies such as Hyperautomation (RPA, IoT, AI/ML) for connected cars and digital retail frameworks to kick-start a new "post-COVID" era. Cigniti is committed to providing its clients the required insights, advisory, and digital assurance services to accelerate their business transformation, and help them drive higher ROI from their QA initiatives.

About Cigniti: Cigniti Technologies is a Global Leader in Independent Quality Engineering Software Testing services. Cigniti's 3,100+ experienced professionals are spread across US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, UAE, and South Africa. We are a strategic quality engineering partner for leading global organisations and assist them in accelerating time-to-market by predicting and preventing unanticipated failures, leveraging AI-driven, proprietary Continuous Testing Test Automation solutions, with customer-centricity at the core of the transformation. Our test offerings are Quality Engineering, Advisory Transformation, Digital Assurance, and Quality Assurance solutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005452/en/

Contacts:

Midhun Pingili I Midhun.pingili@cigniti.com
BEIJING, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The State Council Information Office (SCIO) held a press conference in Beijing on the morning of September 7, announcing that the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission, National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, and Shandong Provincial People's Government, and themed "Reducing Food Loss and Waste for Global Food Security", will be held from September 9 to 11 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province.

Food loss and waste has been identified as a shared challenge of the international community. While seeking solutions to this issue, the world continues to suffer from the impact of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and faces frequent extreme natural disasters caused by climate change. In this context, the holding of an international conference on food loss and waste was proposed.

According to Li Meng, vice governor of Shandong province, the conference will be held both online and on site, with an on-site visit activity held in the morning of September 10 and the opening ceremony of the conference held in the afternoon, inviting relevant leaders and representatives of countries and international organizations to give a speech. Three thematic forums are scheduled to be held on September 11 focusing respectively on reducing food loss in production, reducing post-harvest food loss, and reducing food waste in consumption. It is expected that "Jinan Initiative on International Food Loss and Waste" will be released during the conference, and Shandong Provincial Action on Food Loss and Waste will be launched.

The conference will be addressed online by the agricultural ministers of Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Indonesia, and other G20 member states, the special envoy of the United Nations Food Systems Summit, the director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

The conference will be attended by ambassadors to China from 15 countries.

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UCL research on the environmental impact of DLT examined six Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanisms and found that Hedera Hashgraph has the lowest energy output

University College London (UCL), a top-10 globally ranked university, has published a significant new research paper on the varying environmental impacts of different distributed ledger technologies (DLT). The paper examined the energy consumption of second-generation consensus models such as Proof-of-Stake, which promise to provide more favourable energy consumption characteristics than their Proof-of-Work predecessors. Researcher's at UCL's Centre for Blockchain Technologies (UCL CBT) quantified and compared the energy demands of six second-generation systems: Algorand, Cardano, Ethereum 2.0, Hedera Hashgraph, Polkadot, and Tezos. The full paper can be found here.

The research paper found that Hedera Hashgraph had the lowest overall energy consumption of the systems studied. Dr. Paolo Tasca, Executive Director at UCL CBT, said: "At this point, the benefits of Proof-of-Stake are well-recognised and understood in the blockchain space. However, through this research we have found that not all Proof-of-Stake networks are created equally. This is something that both investors and adopters need to be wary of when selecting their network of choice. While it's fantastic to see that Ethereum 2.0 will be Proof-of-Stake, looking at these results it's clear that we need to remain vigilant of its potential environmental impact."

The research was conducted by UCL CBT by formalizing a basic mathematical consumption model for validator-based Sybil attack resistance schemes. This model allows quantifying the energy consumption per transaction based on common input variables, such as the number of validators and the throughput characteristics of the system analysed.

Ultimately, the study found that the energy needs of the varying consensus protocols was dependent on the number of active validators. The UCL researchers warned that distributed ledger technology (DLT) networks need to be wary of the effect of different design choices in their architecture over energy consumption, as well as of the quality of the hardware used by the node operators. The research concluded that DLT networks must remain focused on environmental friendliness as scale increases.

Dr. Tasca concluded: "The findings of this study are a fantastic starting point for improving existing DLT design options, as well as developing new consensus protocols while keeping sustainability front of mind. We found that, through applying contemporary throughput and validator counts, Hedera Hashgraph has the most favourable energy consumption characteristics."

For more information, download the full report at: http://blockchain.cs.ucl.ac.uk/blockchain-energy-consumption/

About University College London

Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries. Ranked 8th in the world by QS World University Rankings in 2022, University College London is amongst the best universities in the world. It was the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men. UCL's founding principles of academic excellence and research aimed at addressing real-world problems continue to inform its ethos to this day through focusing its research endeavours on the Grand Challenges of Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Cultural Understanding, Human Wellbeing, Transformative Technology, and Justice Equality. UCL's dedication to world-class research, education and innovation is recognised through its globally recognised ranking. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, UCL was the top-rated university in the UK for research strength.

About the UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies (UCL CBT)

UCL CBT is the world's largest research centre on blockchain technologies by number of associates. Founded in 2015 by Prof. Paolo Tasca and Prof. Tomaso Aste, its mission is to research the effects of Distributed Ledger Technologies and Blockchain into our socio-economic systems and to promote the safe and organic development and adoption of Blockchain-based platforms.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005169/en/

Contacts:

For Media Enquiries

Zenobia Godschalk

zenobia@zagcommunication.com
Partnership launched following successful three-country pilot, with full CRM integration

SightCall, the world's leading augmented reality (AR)-powered visual assistance platform, today announced its partnership with Italy's Lavazza Group to offer AR-powered remote visual assistance for customer care and maintenance of its coffee machines. One of the world's most important coffee roasters and a global enterprise with products and distributors in more than 140 countries, Lavazza Group is accelerating its use of virtual assistance technologies to support the ongoing expansion of its product portfolio and continued efforts to become more responsive to fast-changing consumer needs.

"We are proud to partner with Lavazza Group to provide global service solutions for easier and faster product maintenance and repair," said Thomas Cottereau, founder and CEO of SightCall. "Now more than ever, the world's top brands are turning to digital support that allows them to provide issue resolution with minimal service disruption. SightCall will enable Lavazza to work through customer care issues immediately, maintaining their hard-earned reputation for high-quality coffee products."

SightCall provides the company with a comprehensive visual support tool for customer service agents to guide customers to troubleshoot issues, such as descaling coffee machines or basic accessory maintenance remotely. The AR interface lets remote agents draw, point and highlight onto the customer's smartphone, and high-definition picture assures the highest call qualities even in low-bandwidth environments. Device-agnostic, SightCall performs on a range of user products from smartphones and tables to specialist equipment such as smart glasses.

Lavazza Group, with more than 4,000 employees and revenues of more than EUR 2 billion (2020 Financial Statement), switched to SightCall from a previous visual assistance provider. This decision stemmed from its desire to move from a local approach to a global template offering maximum portability and seamless CRM integration, reinforced by strong GDPR compliance.

Lavazza first piloted SightCall with its customer service teams in France and Germany in the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown in April. Customer support teams were impressed by the ease of use and the level of confidence quickly developed with the tool, providing them with good insight into how a long-term partnership would work.

The company has plans to scale up usage to 130+ customer support agents in seven countries over the next three years. The company plans to cover multiple regions of the world where it provides products, bolstered by the SightCall app's ability to operate in 13 different languages. Lavazza will also increase the number of codes and use cases it applies SightCall to, with more readily available data from its CRM and responses to SightCall customer surveys telling it where visual assistance can best be deployed to resolve maintenance issues.

"Everywhere our coffee is consumed, Lavazza innovates to enhance the experiences of our customers and consumers, providing fast and accessible service when and where they need it," said Maria Cristina Aspesi, Lavazza Group Customer Care Director. "With SightCall, we have chosen a solution that gives both central and local customer care teams a single, cutting-edge tool to help customers and consumers, increasing the number of support and interaction cases that can be solved instantaneously."

About SightCall

SightCall is the world's leading augmented-reality powered video cloud platform, delivering live, remote interactions between business and customers on every continent around the globe. In a connected, mobile-first world, businesses leveraging SightCall have the ability to see what their customers see and guide them remotely. With nearly 15 years of experience in remote video assistance, SightCall helps businesses transform their customer service and field service with the power of augmented reality and live video. The company has offices in San Francisco (HQ), Austin, Boston, Frankfurt, London, Melbourne, Paris and Singapore. Visit sightcall.com to learn more.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005412/en/

Contacts:

Katie Smart

katie.smart@sightcall.com
Octarine Bio, the synthetic biology drug development company that produces psilocybin from sugar using fermentation, partners with clinical research organisation Clerkenwell Health to deliver clinical trials.

-Europe's commercial psychedelic healthcare ecosystem is growing, building on a strong heritage of academic and civil society support

- A partnership between these two innovative startups leads the way for advancing patient access to psychedelic medicines in Europe

- Octarine Bio uses yeast fermentation to produce psilocybin from sugar which comes with many benefits such as low cost, sustainability, and supply chain stability

- Clerkenwell Health is well positioned to accelerate the psychedelic sector by offering specialist clinical research support services backed by world-leading clinical researchers in the psychedelic field and with its soon-to-launch research Centre of Excellence

LONDON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With innovative companies flourishing across the continent, Europe is becoming a psychedelic hub, attracting ideas, capital and mainstream support. Collaborations are beginning to strengthen the commercial ecosystem for psychedelic drug development.

Copenhagen-based synthetic biology company, Octarine Bio, backed by institutional investors such as Oskare Capital,The Danish State Growth Fund and prominent angel investors including Bruce Linton, announces partnership with Clerkenwell Health, a UK-based psychedelic-specialist contract research organisation (CRO) backed by VC fund Vine Ventures and leading UK angel investors, to advance patient access and quality of psychedelic medicine.

Patients in clinical trials will soon be able to receive psilocybin that has been produced in European labs for various mental health conditions. The psychedelic ecosystem is growing in Europe and commercial companies are accelerating this growth by increasing efficiencies in different parts of this ecosystem from research infrastructure to supply chains.

Clerkenwell Health supports the ecosystem not only in the UK but more widely in Europe by providing clinical research support to drug developers, while Octarine offers innovative methods for producing natural and novel psychedelic compounds that have been successfully demonstrated at lab scale.

Currently, many trials are run in partnership with universities and hospitals that can struggle with their commercial partners' need for speed and scale. Additionally, they lack the pleasing 'setting' commonly ascribed to a positive psychedelic experience. Meanwhile, traditional clinical research organisations are struggling to get to grips with the nuances of psychedelic-assisted therapies in terms of the clinical settings and psychotherapies that will drive optimal patient outcomes.

Tom McDonald the CEO of Clerkenwell Health celebrated the partnership saying "It's a real pleasure to be working with Octarine who are at the forefront of biosynthesis of a range of compounds which should enable reduced costs for patients. They have a strong pedigree in drug development which fits perfectly with the commercial and clinical expertise we have built within the Clerkenwell Health team".

Through the partnership, Octarine now has access to services from Clerkenwell Health to expedite its clinical development with biosynthetic psilocybin and expects to be able to fast-track steps leading to human clinical trials.

A key barrier to increasing the accessibility of psychedelic treatments is related to limitations associated with the production of psychedelic compounds in the high quality required for clinical development.

Octarine solves this problem by turning to yeast, a microorganism widely known for its use in producing beer by turning sugar into ethanol. Octarine hijacks this fermentation machinery to turn sugar into psilocybin. This innovative IP protected production process is easily scalable and highly modular, enabling the production of a range of natural and novel tryptamine psychedelics just by swapping a few genes.

"Our core ambition at Octarine is to advance psychedelic therapy across Europe and the world in a way that is consistent with sustainability principles while ensuring patient accessibility. We're thrilled to be working with Clerkenwell Health who share our vision and are committed to making Europe a leader in the field by providing world-class clinical expertise tailored to the nuances of psychedelic therapy." said Nick Milne PhD, Co-founder and CSO of Octarine.

For more information or interview requests, please contact:

press@clerkenwellhealth.com

About Clerkenwell Health

Clerkenwell Health is an innovative, UK-based mental health start-up building a platform to accelerate patients' access to a range of psychedelic-assisted therapies over the coming years. Clerkenwell Health is focused on helping its clients generate the clinical data required to mainstream these exciting treatment methodologies with doctors and regulators alike.

The team is led by CEO Tom McDonald, a former Accenture pharmaceutical specialist with a focus on patient-centric care and CSO Dr Henry Fisher, a chemist and drug policy expert. Patient therapy is led by Dr Sara Tai, a clinical psychologist, a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester and an expert in psychotherapy in clinical trials of psychedelic medicine. www.clerkenwellhealth.com

About Octarine Bio

Octarine Bio's mission is to solve the greatest health challenges by enabling innovative cannabinoid and psychedelic therapeutics. Many neurological and psychological conditions are poorly served by current drugs, leaving physicians, patients, and their families desperately seeking alternative therapies. Cannabinoids and psychedelics are poised to offer breakthrough therapies for these debilitating conditions, but to realize the full potential of these molecules, issues with their production and undesirable properties must first be solved.

Octarine Bio is perfecting a biological approach to producing improved & novel cannabinoid and psychedelic molecules with tailored modes-of-action. Their proprietary technology combines synthetic biology, yeast fermentation and enzymatic derivatization to develop IP protected drug candidates that are validated in pre-clinical models. www.octarinebio.com
Globally Premiering during the 78thVenice International Film Festival - La Biennale di Venezia and soon available in selected countries on Amazon Prime Video, the iconic Italian brand releases a documentary exploring the future of cinema

VENICE, Italy, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Campari, the iconic Italian aperitif, launches Campari Red Diaries 2021: Fellini Forward at the Campari Boat - In Cinema during the 78th Venice International Film Festival - La Biennale di Venezia, a pioneering project inspired by the late Federico Fellini that uses Artificial Intelligence techniques including machine learning to explore the creative genius of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time to create a one-of-a-kind short film. Showcasing the full project is a unique documentary covering the process from start to finish, exploring the future of cinema and human vs. machine creative collaboration based on evidence found in the short movie set in Rome and expert commentary. The documentary, featuring the short film, will have its North American premiere as a Partner Presentation at New York Film Festival on the 29th September, 2021 and will be available for consumers to view in select markets on Amazon Prime Video in the coming month.

Since its creation in 1860, Campari has pushed the boundaries of creativity to go beyond the norm, unlocking passions and talents of artists across different fields in the path to creation. From world famous names, to young and emerging talents, the relationship between Campari and the arts, especially cinema, has made its mark over the years, evidently still true to this day.

CAMPARI AND FEDERICO FELLINI

A notable partnership was found when Campari collaborated with Federico Fellini on a unique advertisement in 1984. This year, in an ode to this creative genius, Campari endeavours to continue the brand's legacy, marrying creativity and innovation within the cinema industry with the most forward-looking technology calling upon Artificial Intelligence specialists, creativity fellows, Fellini experts, future generations and Fellini's crew and family themselves to contribute and comment on this unique art experiment.

CAMPARI FELLINI FORWARD: THE DOCUMENTARY

As champion of the artistic world, Campari has embarked on its most ambitious project yet, exploring new territories and fields in both the world of cinema and technology. The Campari Red Diaries 2021 Fellini Forward documentary, directed by award-winning duo ZCDC, Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper, explores the topic of creativity, art and technology in an all-encompassing and bold study, capturing the project at every stage, from research and development to the final short movie output. With observations from short film director Maximilian Niemannand innovation expert Marc D'Souza, from production and innovation studio UNIT9, the documentary covers the full creative process, including the set up and inner workings of the Artificial Intelligence and an overview of the tools used throughout the production.

The definition of 'Felliniesque' is established thanks to Francesca Fabbri Fellini and Federico Fellini's old crew members including his camera operator Blasco Giurato ,his three-time Oscar winning set designer Dante Ferretti and Luigi Piccolo , Director of Sartoria Farani.

and Federico Fellini's old crew members including his camera operator ,his three-time Oscar winning set designer and , Director of Sartoria Farani. Featured throughout the documentary are key insights and commentary from significant experts of Artificial Intelligence and creativity including;

Symonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, Oxford University Marcus du Sautoy



Art Historian, Data Scientist and Consultant, Dr. Emily L. Spratt



Art Historian and Fellini expert Hava Aldouby



Galleria Campari curator Anita Todesco

CAMPARI FELLINI FORWARD: THE SHORT MOVIE

Generated thanks to the collaboration of human input and Artificial Intelligence tools, the short movie is inspired by Federico Fellini's life, offering a metaphorical story of the debut and evolution of the Maestro in the cinema world, where the audience follows him on a journey from the very first spark of his passion as a young man up to his outstanding creations. The result was achieved thanks to the exploration of Artificial Intelligence tools, led by UNIT9, analysing past Fellini transcripts to understand patterns in language and descriptive detail and also carried out visual analysis of the director's signature shots including camera movement and facial emotion. From this, bespoke scriptwriting and pre-visualisation tools were developed that combined learnings from the Artificial Intelligence to leverage Fellini's creative DNA. These Artificial Intelligence tools then made suggestions to the script and visualisation of the new short film in order to create a piece of cinema that felt Felliniesque. Building this pre-visualisation tool on top of Unreal Engine, a real-time 3D creation platform, also enabled director Maximilian Niemann to picture and alter scenes before they were shot. With Maximilian's and his crew's input, as well as those who knew Fellini well, the result translates into an innovative and original approach to filmmaking and a passionate ode to Federico Fellini's creative genius and dreamlike world.

Jean Jacques Dubau, Head of Marketing, Campari Group speaks of the project: "Through the Campari Red Diaries 2021 Fellini Forward project, Campari aims to continue the legacy of innovation and creativity set out by its founders, inspiring future generations and creatives across the globe to unlock their own passions."

Campari has also created a distinct apprentice programme with students involved in the Fellini Forward futuristic projects from all over the world including Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (CSC) in Italy, The American Film Institute in Los Angeles and The International Academy of Audio-visual Sciences (CSIA) in Switzerlandto explore the creative genius of Fellini, using the Artificial Intelligence technology and speaking to key members of the film crew at each stage of production to see first-hand how human minds collaborated with Artificial Intelligence to create the short film. The Italian apprentices from CSC also featured in the documentary, providing insight from future professionals on the project.

Fellini Forward premiered at the Campari Boat - In Cinema during the78th Venice International Film Festival - La Biennale di Venezia -The recap of the premiere can be seen here: https://bit.ly/Campari-Red-Diaries-Fellini-Forward-Launch

Please follow Campari's social media channels for further information @campariofficial

Campari RedPassion RedDiaries FelliniForward # Venezia78 drinkresponsibly

www.campari.com

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NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global embolotherapy market value, which was $3,082.9 million in 2020, will likely reach $6,447.1 million in 2030, at a 7.7% CAGR between 2020 and 2030, according to the market research report published by P&S Intelligence.

The key factors driving the demand for embolotherapy procedures are:

Growing Patient Pool: The number of patients suffering from hepatic cell carcinoma (HCC), varicose veins, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and aneurysms is rising, thereby leading to an increasing mortality rate. For instance, the American Cancer Society has put the expected number of liver cancer cases to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2021 at 42,230.

Rising Prevalence of Chronic Diseases: Another key driving factor for the embolotherapy market is the increasing prevalence of cancers and other chronic and lifestyle-associated diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer leads to 9.6 million deaths each year. Embolotherapy is rapidly becoming a preferred treatment for cancer as it cuts the tumor from the blood supply, essentially starving it of nutrients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the embolotherapy market by reducing both the supply and demand for the associated products. During the lockdowns, factories producing non-essential commodities were shut down and the supply chains were also disrupted. On the demand side, most surgery departments were closed as the focus shifted entirely to COVID care. This led to a drastic decrease in the number of embolotherapy procedures, which resulted in an extremely low demand for the associated products.

Get the Sample Copy of this Report at @ https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/embolotherapy-market/report-sample

The embolic agents bifurcation will witness the faster growth within the product segment of the embolotherapy market in the years to come. The rising volume of interventional radiology procedures is driving the demand for a variety of embolic agents. Moreover, numerous technological advancements have been brought about in these products, such as radioactive yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres, drug-eluting microspheres, and calibrated microspheres for bland embolization.

In the coming years, the transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) category will hold the largest share in the embolotherapy market, based on procedure. The rising demand for minimally invasive surgeries by the elderly and the fact that TAE is better tolerated by and effective in patients with a ruptured HCC are propelling the preference for TAE.

Browse detailed report on Global Embolotherapy Market Analysis and Demand Forecast to 2030

In the near future, the highest embolotherapy market CAGR, of 8.0%, under segmentation by end user, is projected to be witnessed by the hospitals & clinics category. Compared to ambulatory surgery centers and other facilities, hospitals and clinics witness a higher patient footfall as they boast cutting-edge equipment and experienced professionals.

North America is the largest embolotherapy market on account of the rising incidence of diseases that require such procedures. Moreover, the advanced healthcare sector of the region is complemented by the development of improved embolotherapy products by medical device and pharma companies.

Key players in the global embolotherapy market are Stryker Corporation, Sirtex Medical Limited, Terumo Corporation, Merit Medical Systems Inc., Medtronic Plc, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Kaneka Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, BALT EXTRUSION SAS, Abbott Laboratories, and Guerbet.

Browse Other Related Reports

Radiotherapy Market Report - The Asia-Pacific radiotherapy market will demonstrate the fastest growth during the forecast period, driven by the improving healthcare infrastructure, widespread burden of cancer, and rising investments by private and public organizations.

Guidewires Market Report - North America contributed the highest revenue to the guidewires market in 2017, and it will continue to do so throughout the forecast period. This would be a result of the introduction of advanced guidewires, rising healthcare spending, and high volume of medical procedures.

Catheter Market Report - The North American catheter market generated the highest revenue in 2019, because of the presence of leading market players, growing prevalence of chronic disease, increasing number of government and private initiatives to create awareness about the application of catheters, increasing healthcare expenditure, and growing number of aging people.

About P&S Intelligence

P&S Intelligence is a provider of market research and consulting services catering to the market information needs of burgeoning industries across the world. Providing the plinth of market intelligence, P&S as an enterprising research and consulting company, believes in providing thorough landscape analyses on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness.

Contact:

Prajneesh Kumar

P&S Intelligence

Phone: +1-347-960-6455

Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.com

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Regulatory News:

As part of the deployment of TotalEnergies' (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) new organization, effective September 1, 2021:

Nicolas Terraz is appointed President, Exploration Production, member of the Executive Committee, replacing Arnaud Breuillac, who becomes Senior Advisor to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Henri-Max Ndong-Nzue replaces Nicolas Terraz as Senior Vice President Africa for Exploration Production.

Namita Shah,member of the Executive Committee, is appointed President, OneTech. In addition, she will supervise the work of People Social Engagement, headed by Agnieszka Kmieciak.

Helle Kristoffersen, member of the Executive Committeeis appointed President, Strategy Sustainability. She will supervise the work of TotalEnergies Global Services.

"We are delighted to welcome Nicolas Terraz, the new President of Exploration Production, to the Executive Committee. I want to thank very warmly Arnaud Breuillac for E&P's performance and resilience since 2014 under his leadership," said Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies. "In addition, the Executive Committee has decided to bring together all of our technical teams in charge of operations and projects and our R&D teams within a single cross-Company unit called OneTech. Namita Shah, who has shown her effective management skills as President of People Social Responsibility, will lead this reorganization. With OneTech, we are resolutely gearing up to accelerate our transformation into a broad energy company."

TotalEnergies' Executive Committee now consists of:

Patrick Pouyanne , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Helle Kristoffersen, President, Strategy Sustainability

President, Strategy Sustainability Stephane Michel, President, Gas, Renewables Power

President, Gas, Renewables Power Bernard Pinatel , President, Refining Chemicals

, President, Refining Chemicals Jean-Pierre Sbraire , Chief Financial Officer

, Chief Financial Officer Namita Shah , President, OneTech

, President, OneTech Nicolas Terraz, President, Exploration Production

President, Exploration Production Alexis Vovk, President, Marketing Services

Nicolas Terraz

Nicolas Terraz started his career in the French Ministries of Industry (1994-1997) and Public Works and Transportation (1997-2001) and joined TotalEnergies in 2001.

After holding positions in France and in Qatar, Nicolas Terraz served as Managing Director of Total E&P Myanmar (2008-2011), Managing Director of Total E&P France (2011-2014), Vice President New Ventures for Exploration and Production (2014-2015) and Managing Director of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria (2015-2019).

In 2019, Nicolas Terraz was appointed Senior Vice President Africa and a member of the management committee of the Exploration Production segment of TotalEnergies.

Born in 1969, Nicolas Terraz is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees and earned a Master of Science in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Namita Shah:

Namita Shah began her career as an Associate Attorney at Shearman Sterling, a New York law firm, where she spent eight years providing advice and supervising transactions including those involving financing of pipeline and power plant companies.

She joined TotalEnergies in 2002 as a Legal Counsel in the E&P mergers and acquisitions team. In 2008 she joined the New Business team, where she was responsible for business development in Australia and Malaysia. She held this position until 2011, when she moved to Yangon as General Manager, TotalEnergies E&P Myanmar. On July 1, 2014, she was appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Exploration Production.

On July 1, 2016, Namita Shah was appointed President, People Social Responsibility and member of the Executive Committee.

Indian and French, Namita Shah is a graduate of Delhi University and the New York University of Law.

Helle Kristoffersen:

Helle Kristoffersen began her career in 1989 at the investment bank Lazard Freres. In 1991, she moved to the transportation and logistics company Bollore. In 1994, she joined Alcatel, where she continued her career until 2010. She served as Alcatel's and then Alcatel-Lucent's Senior Vice President, Strategy.

Helle Kristoffersen joined TotalEnergies in January 2011 as Deputy Senior Vice President and then Senior Vice President, Strategy Business Intelligence. On September 1, 2016, she became Senior Vice President, Strategy Corporate Affairs, in Gas, Renewables Power.

In 2019, she was appointed President, Strategy Innovation and a TotalEnergies Executive Committee member.

A dual Danish and French national, Helle Kristoffersen is a graduate of the Ecole Normale Superieure and the Paris Graduate School of Economics, Statistics and Finance (ENSAE) and holds a master's degree in econometrics from Universite Paris 1. She is an alumna of the Institute for Higher National Defense Studies (IHEDN) and a Knight of the Legion of Honor.

Agnieszka Kmieciak

Agnieszka Kmieciak began her career at PSA Peugeot Citroen in Warsaw, Poland. She joined Schlumberger in 2000 where she held a succession of senior leadership positions in HR including HR Director Production Group, Global Talent Management and Workforce Planning and North America Shared Services. Earlier in her career at Schlumberger she held various management positions in HR, Operations and Business Consulting in North America, Europe and North Africa.

In 2018 she joined TechnipFMC as Executive Vice President People Culture where she led the HR function as well as Global Business Services.

Polish national, Agnieszka Kmieciak is graduated from CELSA Paris-Sorbonne.

____

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

Cautionary Note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for their acts or omissions. The terms "Company" or "TotalEnergies company" refer collectively to the company TotalEnergies SE and the companies it controls directly or indirectly. Such terms are used solely for the sake of convenience for purposes of the present communication. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005497/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies

Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 l ir@totalenergies.com
During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month the National Comprehensive Cancer Network is announcing up-to-date, translated guidelines featuring recent advances in care for one of the most-common types of cancer, available at NCCN.org/global

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-a nonprofit alliance of leading cancer centers in the United States-announces recently-updated versions of evidence- and expert consensus-based guidelines for treating prostate cancer, translated into Spanish and Portuguese. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) feature frequently updated cancer treatment recommendations from multidisciplinary panels of experts across NCCN Member Institutions. Independent studies have repeatedly found that following these recommendations correlates with better outcomes and longer survival.

"Everyone with prostate cancer should have access to care that is based on current and reliable evidence," said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "These updated translations-along with all of our other translated and adapted resources-help us to define and advance high-quality, high-value, patient-centered cancer care globally, so patients everywhere can live better lives."

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly occurring cancer in men, impacting more than a million people worldwide every year.1 In 2020, the NCCN Guidelines for Prostate Cancer were downloaded more than 200,000 times by people outside of the United States. Approximately 47 percent of registered users for NCCN.org are located outside the U.S., with Brazil, Spain, and Mexico among the top ten countries represented.

"NCCN Guidelines are incredibly helpful resources in the work we do to ensure cancer care across Latin America meets the highest standards," said Diogo Bastos, MD, and Andrey Soares, MD, Chair and Scientific Director of the Genitourinary Group of The Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG). The organization has worked with NCCN in the past to develop Latin American editions of the NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Multiple Myeloma, and Rectal Cancer, and co-hosted a webinar on "Management of Prostate Cancer for Latin America" earlier this year. "We appreciate all of NCCN's efforts to make sure these gold-standard recommendations are accessible to non-English speakers and applicable for varying circumstances."

NCCN also publishes NCCN Guidelines for Patients, containing the same treatment information in non-medical terms, intended for patients and caregivers. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Prostate Cancer were found to be among the most trustworthy sources of information online according to a recent international study. These patient guidelines have been divided into two books, covering early and advanced prostate cancer; both have been translated into Spanish and Portuguese as well.

NCCN collaborates with organizations across the globe on resources based on the NCCN Guidelines that account for local accessibility, consideration of metabolic differences in populations, and regional regulatory variation. They can be downloaded free-of-charge for non-commercial use at NCCN.org/global or via the Virtual Library of NCCN Guidelines App. Learn more and join the conversation with the hashtag NCCNGlobal.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is dedicated to improving and facilitating quality, effective, efficient, and accessible cancer care so patients can live better lives. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) provide transparent, evidence-based, expert consensus recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services; they are the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management and the most thorough and frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients provide expert cancer treatment information to inform and empower patients and caregivers, through support from the NCCN Foundation. NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and researchcollaboration and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information and follow NCCN on Facebook @NCCNorg, Instagram @NCCNorg, and Twitter @NCCN.

1 Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global Cancer Statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin, in press. The online GLOBOCAN 2018 database is accessible at http://gco.iarc.fr/, as part of IARC's Global Cancer Observatory.

Media Contact:

Rachel Darwin

267-622-6624

darwin@nccn.org

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/441768/NCCN_Logo.jpg
The "European Self-storage Market: Size Trends with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021 Edition)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report presents an in depth analysis of the European self-storage market by number of facilities, by floor space, by number of facilities per million population, by floor space per capita, by region.

Types of self-storage include military storage, 24-hour storage, vehicle storage, drive-up storage, climate control storage, business storage, student storage and so on.

Features of self-storage: simplified building structures, month-to-month leases, highly responsive, adjustable unit mix due to movable partitions, not labor or maintenance intensive, high building rentability, many tenancies, spreading vacancy risk factor, basic function resistant to economic shifts, cash-flow oriented real estate investment, short construction period enabling rapid initial rentals and low operating expenses and non-energy intensive.

Self-storage advantages comprise of unlimited amount of time, short-term storage for moving or renovation purposes, accessibility and safety. The European self-storage market can be segmented based on occupancy: Domestic and Business.

The European self-storage market by number of facilities and by floor space has increased during the years 2016-2020. The European self-storage market increased, due to rising urban population, a surge in housing construction, aging population, growth in online retailing, declining average household size, changing demographics, etc., yet the market faces some challenges such as lack of assistance from society, high development costs, etc.

The report provides a regional analysis of the European self-storage market, including the following regions: UK, France, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Rest of Europe. The report also provides a detailed analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the European self-storage market.

The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and would be driving the growth of the industry.

The European self-storage market is fragmented with many major market players operating in Europe. The key players of the European self-storage market Big Yellow Group PLC, Shurgard Self Storage SA, Safestore Holdings plc, Self Storage Group ASA are also profiled with their respective business strategies.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Self-storage: An Overview

2.1.1 Benefits of Self-storage

2.1.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-storage

2.1.3 Types of Self-storage

2.1.4 Features of Self-storage

2.2 Self-storage Segmentation: An Overview

2.2.1 Self-storage segmentation by Occupancy

3. European Market Analysis

3.1 European Self-storage Market: An Analysis

3.1.1 European Self-storage Market by Floor Space

3.1.2 European Self-storage Market by Floor Space Per Capita

3.1.3 European Self-storage Market by Number of Facilities

3.1.4 European Self-storage Market by Number of Facilities per Million Population

3.1.5 European Self-storage Market Floor Space by Region

3.1.6 European Self-storage Market Number of Facilities by Region

3.2 European Self-storage Market: Number of Facilities Analysis

3.2.1 European Self-storage Market Regions by Number of Facilities Per Million Population

3.3 European Self-storage Market: Floor Space Analysis

3.3.1 European Self-storage Market Regions by Floor Space Per Capita

4. European Regional Market Analysis

4.1 UK Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.1.1 UK Self-storage Market by Floor Space

4.1.2 UK Self-storage Market by Number of Facilities

4.2 France Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.3 Spain Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.4 Netherlands Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.5 Germany Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.6 Sweden Self-storage Market: An Analysis

4.7 Rest of Europe Self-storage Market: An Analysis

5. Impact of COVID-19

5.1 Impact of COVID-19

5.1.1 Impact of COVID-19 on European Self-storage Market

5.1.2 Impact of COVID-19 on UK Self-storage Market

6. Market Dynamics

6.1 Growth Drivers

6.1.1 Rising Urban Population

6.1.2 Surge in Housing Construction

6.1.3 Aging Population

6.1.4 Growth in Online Retailing

6.1.5 Declining Average Household Size

6.1.6 Changing Demographics

6.2 Challenges

6.2.1 Lack of Assistance from the Society

6.2.2 High Development Cost

6.3 Market Trends

6.3.1 Increasing Use of Mobile Apps

6.3.2 Developments Through Kiosks

6.3.3 Popularity of Biometrics

6.3.4 Preference of Remote Monitoring

6.3.5 Introduction of Robotics and Self-Storage Management Software

7. Competitive Landscape

7.1 European Self-Storage Market Players: A Financial Comparison

7.2 European Self-Storage Market Players: Carbon Emission Comparison

7.3 European Self-Storage Market Players: Rentable Area, Occupancy Levels and Average Store Size Comparison

7.4 Europe Self-Storage Market Players: Store and Size Comparison

7.5 UK Self-Storage Market Players: Store and Size Comparison

8. Company Profiles

8.1 Business Overview

8.2 Financial Overview

8.3 Business Strategy

Big Yellow Group PLC

Shurgard Self Storage SA

Safestore Holdings plc

Self Storage Group ASA

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yogqj8

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005522/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

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Naresh Sethi will be partnering with Infilect to help expand their business globally and bring Visual intelligence SaaS platform to global Consumer Goods brands

BANGALORE, India, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Infilect Technologies, a leading Visual intelligence company based out of Bangalore, India has named Naresh Sethi as their Chief Growth Evangelist to take the helm of their global growth expansion plans.

Naresh Sethi is a distinguished global strategic leader and champion in driving digital & business transformations for leading Consumer Goods Brands. He is currently the chairman at VST industries, an Indian public conglomerate associated with British American Tobacco (BAT). He has had a rich association with BAT throughout his career for more than two decades. He spent 8 years on the Executive Management Board of BAT in various roles including Director of Global Strategy, M&A, Global IT, Global Business Services, Digital Transformation and Regional Director West Europe. A marketeer at heart, he has championed key efforts in driving strategy & planning for digital expansion across 70+ countries (India, Australasia, Indonesia, West Africa, Japan & West Europe) and drives business growth for innovative tech platforms for retail industry. He currently resides in London and has been a Senior Advisor to Deloitte and Salesforce.

Infilect Technologies is a leading Indian Deep Tech company that aims to digitally transform worldwide retail through cutting-edge Image Recognition (IR) and AI technology. For the last 4 years, Infilect has worked with top global FMCG, Consumer-Goods, and Packaged food brands in India, APAC, MEA, and LATAM markets to bring forth transformation in retail sales. In 2020, Infilect bagged $1.5 Million in a Pre-series A funding led by Mela Ventures, 1Crowd, and Angel Investors at The Chennai Angels.

"The Global Consumer Goods industry has been confronted with dramatic exponential change and challenges in the last decade. COVID-19 has only accelerated this trend as the industry experienced a tumultuous period battling unforeseen impact on its manufacturing and supply chain and go-to-consumer capabilities. Early adopters of omnichannel AI technology rose above the adversities and the non-adopters suffered a significant push back in terms of market share and revenues," adds Naresh. Being a digital strategist, he also added, "I am excited about what Infilect has to offer to the Global Consumer Goods industry. The time is ripe and most opportune as business leaders are now turning to Digital and AI Technology to gain competitive advantage as they reinvent their future supply and sales strategies."

"Every sector has few turnpikes they need to heed on their journey. Computer Vision and AI technology inside retail stores are one such pivot that retail industry needs to take. Our partnership with Naresh will be an exciting turning point and we eagerly look forward to a fruitful journey with him in the coming years," said Anand Prabhu Subramanian, Co-founder and CEO at Infilect.

"We are extremely thrilled to have Naresh onboard. He is a very capable and astute leader who will help drive product innovation to build a holistic integrated platform that enhances the ability of retail decision-makers to optimize their in-store sales execution and store operations, at scale. Using our Image Recognition & AI products, retail leaders can quickly respond to changing consumer demands, improve in-store sales & marketing ROI, and easily pinpoint new revenue growth opportunities," added Vijay Gabale, Co-founder and CTO at Infilect.

About Infilect

Infilect is an Enterprise SaaS provider for retail manufacturers and retailers. With innovations in Image Recognition and AI, Infilect's products empower the retail industry with unprecedented visibility into omnichannel sales, in-store merchandising, and store operations. Infilect is trusted by global customers & partners and is part of Intel India's Maker Lab Program, NVIDIA's Inception program, Nasscom Deep Tech Club and IITB-SINE's Plugin Accelerator.

For more information, visit https://www.infilect.com

Media contact

Anand prabhu Subramanian

anand@infilect.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1610749/Naresh_Sethi.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1610715/Infilect_Founders.jpg
EP Global Opportunities Trust plc (the "Company")

The Company announces that on 7 September 2021 it purchased 50,000 of its own Ordinary 1p shares at a price of 2.835 per share. The shares have been placed into Treasury.

Following this transaction, the Company has 27,981,917 Ordinary shares held in Treasury and 36,527,725 Ordinary shares in circulation. Accordingly, the total voting rights in the Company are 36,527,725. The total number of shares in issue remains as 64,509,642.

The above total voting rights figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine whether they are required to notify their interest in EP Global Opportunities Trust plc under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

8 September 2021

LEI: 2138005T5CT5ITZ7ZX58

Enquiries:

Kenneth J Greig

Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Limited

Tel: 0131 270 3800

The Company's registered office address is:

27-31 Melville Street

Edinburgh

EH3 7JF
The scope of the contract is the development and in-orbit demonstration of a "Deorbit Kit," a self-contained suite of equipment that enables space vehicles of any size to perform propulsive decommissioning maneuvers

HARWELL, United Kingdom, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The UK branch of D-Orbit signed a 2,197M contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for phase 1 of the development and in-orbit demonstration of a "Deorbit Kit" as part of ESA's Space Safety Programme (S2P).



The decommissioning kit proposed by D-Orbit is a self-contained suite of equipment that can be tailored to space vehicles of any size to enable them to perform a propulsive decommissioning maneuver at the end of their mission or after a failure, even if the spacecraft has become unresponsive. The kit and the know-how developed are also foundational capabilities that can be used in the future as part of active debris removal mission concepts.

"We believe that the development and in-orbit demonstration of this system will pave the way for the development of several other applications of autonomous deorbiting systems for future LEO missions," said Simon Reid, COO of the UK branch of D-Orbit. "In addition, the work performed in this activity will define a foundational capability that can be adapted in the future for active debris removal mission concepts, such as on-orbit installation of de-orbit kits on satellites already in space."

D-Orbit will lead a consortium to develop the multi-purpose kit, which will be installed initially on a Vega Rocket payload adapter called Vespa (Vega Secondary Payload Adapter). This type of equipment is traditionally left in a 'gradual disposal' orbit, which although compliant with current international guidelines, represents a contribution to the growing debris problem. The kit will be installed before the launch to perform a propulsive direct re-entry maneuver over a designated uninhabited area shortly after the rocket has deployed its payload.

The design reference mission for the first phase of development for this new device is the VESPA Upper part, which is currently foreseen as the launch adaptor for the ESA ClearSpace-1 mission, scheduled for 2025. The final target application for the device will be confirmed at the start of phase 2 of the program.

"This contract is an important milestone for D-Orbit group and for the entire space sector," said Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit. "We, space pioneers in the space industrial ecosystem, shall stand up and act to preserve the future of our business and the entire humankind. The first product we launched on the market long time ago was a decommissioning device. Today, we are working to make sure the space debris problem turns into a commercial opportunity and a resource for the future development of space."

Besides D-Orbit, the consortium includes Airbus Defence and Space, ArianeGroup, GMV Innovating Solutions, and Optimal Structural Solutions. The kickstart meeting is scheduled for today, Sept. 8.

About D-Orbit

D-Orbit is a market leader in the space logistics and transportation services industry with a track record of space-proven technologies and successful missions.

Founded in 2011, before the dawn of the New Space market, D-Orbit is the first company addressing the logistics needs of the space market. ION Satellite Carrier, for example, is a space vehicle that can transport satellites in orbit and release them individually into distinct orbital slots, reducing the time from launch to operations by up to 85% and the launch costs of an entire satellite constellation by up to 40%. ION can also accommodate multiple third-party payloads like innovative technologies developed by startups, experiments from research entities, and instruments from traditional space companies requiring a test in orbit.

D-Orbit is a space infrastructure pioneer with offices in Italy, Portugal, UK, and the US; its commitment to pursuing business models that are profitable, friendly for the environment, and socially beneficial, led to D-Orbit becoming the first certified B-Corp space company in the world.

For more information, do not hesitate to get in touch with:

Corbin Mihelic - CSG for D-Orbit

cmihelic@wearecsg.com

+1 316 209 9794

Elena Sanfilippo Ceraso - Media Manager

elena.sanfilippo@dorbit.space

Caterina Cazzola - Head of Communications

caterina.cazzola@dorbit.space

+39 340 2840 792

Follow us on:
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks fell sharply on Wednesday amid worries about the slowing pace of a global economic recovery due to the rapid spread of the more infectious Delta variant everywhere. Investors also looked ahead to Thursday's European Central Bank meeting that will see policymakers debate a cut in its stimulus. Governing Council member and Austria's central bank chief Robert Holzmann told Eurofi Magazine that the ECB may normalize policy 'sooner than most financial market experts expect.' The benchmark DAX fell 216 points, or 1.4 percent, to 15,627 after losing 0.6 percent the previous day. Banks Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank lost 2-3 percent while automakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen were down around 2 percent. Travel stocks were moving higher, with airline Lufthansa climbing more than 1 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
H.I.G. Capital ("H.I.G."), a leading global alternative asset management firm with $45 billion of equity capital under management, is pleased to announce the closing of its inaugural European Middle Market Fund, H.I.G. Europe Middle Market LBO Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund closed with aggregate capital commitments of 2 billion. The Fund will leverage H.I.G.'s existing European infrastructure to target middle market companies with values up to 1 billion, primarily in Western Europe.

Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer, H.I.G. Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, commented: "We are delighted with the continued support from our limited partner base, which reflects their confidence in the capability of our European team and our differentiated value-added investment approach."

Markus Noe-Nordberg, Head of H.I.G. Europe Middle Market, added: "The current economic environment in Europe leaves us well-positioned to execute our value-creation strategy. We are confident that our experienced team, and our established local presence, will allow us to successfully navigate this period of uncertainty and deliver value for our investors. The Fund is already more than 25% committed across six investments."

Jordan Peer, Managing Director and Global Head of H.I.G. Capital Formation, added: "The Fund received tremendous support from our global investor base, allowing us to complete an entirely virtual fundraising process. The Fund is comprised of a diverse group of leading investors including foundations, endowments, public and corporate pensions, consultants, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East."

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with $45 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:

H.I.G.'s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses. H.I.G.'s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance. H.I.G.'s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 300 companies worldwide. The firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.

* Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005124/en/

Contacts:

Markus Noe-Nordberg

Head of Europe Middle Market

mnordberg@higcapital.com

Jordan Peer Griffin

Global Head of Capital Formation

jpeer@higcapital.com
Repsol has selected Univation Technologies' UNIPOL PE Process for its 300,000 TPY polyethylene (PE) plant. This new PE plant will be constructed along with another polymer production unit with both plants located at Repsol's Industrial Complex in Sines, Portugal. The combined project represents the largest industrial investment in Portugal in the last ten years with a total value at 657 million (ca. $775 million).

Repsol selected a full-density plant design with production capabilities for a broad range of HDPE and LLDPE products specifically targeting highly specialized PE applications serving the pharmaceutical, automotive and food industries. The UNIPOL PE Process' flexible manufacturing platform further supports Repsol's continued growth targeting key markets and capturing new opportunities within the greater European market. In addition to Univation's HDPE and LLDPE capabilities, Repsol has also selected to access Univation's XCAT Metallocene Technology to produce specialty metallocene PE grades aimed at the sophisticated European polyethylene film market.

Additionally, Repsol will utilize Univation's advanced software platforms for process control capability ("PREMIER APC+") and also virtual process training ("UNIPOL PE Virtual Plant Simulator UVPS"). PREMIER APC+ is an advanced process control platform designed specifically for the UNIPOL PE Process. Its state-of-the-art process control capability is designed to maximize production rates, ensure efficient product grade transitions and enhance overall operational reliability of the UNIPOL PE Process. The UVPS software provides Repsol with the latest generation process simulator training tool that delivers a realistic training environment for a full range of unit operations for the UNIPOL PE Process.

"The UNIPOL PE Technology platform provides Repsol with multiple sustainable operational benefits including low carbon footprint, minimized emissions, reduced energy consumption, and maximized raw material utilization to enable Repsol to achieve its objective of sustainable development while delivering positive economic activity within the regions that it operates," commented Dr. Steven Stanley, President of Univation Technologies. Dr. Stanley continued his comments, "Additionally we look forward to supporting Repsol's vision of producing value-added, recyclable materials for the European market with this new UNIPOL PE Plant. Univation is pleased to have already formed strong, collaborative relationships with the Repsol team and we look forward to a safe start-up of this new, flexible and sustainable manufacturing platform."

Jose Luis Bernal, Repsol Quimica Executive Director, commented, "This project demonstrates Repsol's commitment to a more integrated and sustainable petrochemical industry and also shows our support for the strategically important Sines Industrial Complex. Partnering with a proven, experienced leader in the field of polyethylene was of utmost importance, and we are pleased to collaborate with Univation Technologies on this landmark project."

About Univation Technologies, LLC

Univation Technologies is the global leader in licensed polyethylene technology. Univation has a proven track record of delivering process, product and catalyst technologies as well as related technical services to the global polyethylene industry for more than 50 years. More than one-third of all HDPE and LLDPE resins produced globally is supplied by the industry-leading UNIPOL PE Process. Univation is also the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of conventional and advanced polyethylene polymerization catalysts designed specifically for the UNIPOL PE Process. For more information, visit www.univation.com.

UNIVATION, XCAT, PREMIER, stylized "Univation Technologies," and the stylized "U" are registered trademarks (Reg. U.S. Pat. and Tm. Off. and other countries) of Univation Technologies. UNIPOL is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow, licensed for use to Univation Technologies.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005236/en/

Contacts:

Univation Technologies, LLC

Duane Thompson

+1-713-892-3668

Email: dthompson@univation.com
Leading British beauty brand Barry M offers UK customers an enhanced and personalised online beauty experience powered by cutting-edge AI and AR technology.

Perfect Corp., the leading artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) beauty tech solutions provider, has partnered with the UK's leading colour cosmetics brand, Barry M, for the launch of the brand's first-ever virtual try-on (VTO) online shopping experience, powered by Perfect Corp.'s YouCam for Web technology.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005466/en/

Perfect Corp. partners with Barry M to provide personalised product recommendations to all customers with AI AR virtual makeup try-on experience (Photo: Business Wire)

YouCam for Web is a pioneering digital beauty tech solution created by Perfect Corp. that gives beauty brands a chance to reimagine their ecommerce shopping experience through an interactive and personalised virtual try-on tool. The solution incorporates Perfect Corp.'s AI and AR virtual try-on technology, allowing customers to instantly try on products via their mobile camera or webcam on desktop, with true-to-life results.

The VTO experience is available now for UK customers exclusively at BarryM.com. Customers can easily and safely try on 180 SKUs across Barry M's renowned collection of shades and categories, including eyeshadow, eyeliner, Lip Paint, bronzer and contour. The experience also enables consumers to discover their perfect Barry M Fresh Face foundation shade match, allowing for a hyper-personalised makeup shopping experience.

Virtual Try-On Provides a Personalised Shopping Experience for Consumers

By introducing Perfect Corp.'s one-of-a-kind VTO solution, Barry M is able to offer its customers a hyper-realistic virtual beauty experience in the comfort of their own homes, or while browsing shades in store, with the use of QR codes. Virtual try-on is proven to drive digital engagement and increase consumer purchasing confidence by enabling brands to provide personalised product recommendations tailored to individual looks, skin types, and consumer needs. As no physical product is needed to test a specific shade, virtual try-on also provides a sustainable and hygienic beauty testing experience, which is top of mind for many consumers following the pandemic and removal of product testers in store.

AI and AR Solutions for a Digital-First, Sustainable Future in Beauty

"Advanced technology is fast becoming a crucial element of any beauty brand's digital transformation strategy. Our AI and AR solutions are a key differentiator that sets brands apart by enhancing the customer experience through our sophisticated and personalised Virtual Try-On solution," said Perfect Corp. founder and CEO, Alice Chang. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Barry M, and to help it serve its customers in a brand new and immersive way. We are looking forward to seeing the results and to being a part of the business' overall growth and expansion."

"At Barry M, we are constantly looking for new ways to connect and engage with our customers," shared Barry M CEO, Dean Mero. "As we mark our 40th anniversary in 2022, it's important to us to ensure our business continues to evolve and is fit for the rapid changes and consumer expectations in the beauty industry. We are proud to be a 100% vegan and cruelty-free brand and, by introducing Perfect Corp.'s virtual try-on technology, we'll not only be at the cutting edge of technology, but our customers will be able to experiment with our products in a brand-new immersive way, which is realistic, safe and environmentally friendly too."

Try the virtual makeup experience here.

About Perfect Corp

With over 900 Million downloads globally, Perfect Corporation is dedicated to transforming how consumers, content creators and beauty brands interact together through AI and AR technologies. Our experienced team of engineers and beauty aficionados are pushing the frontiers of technology to create the beauty platform of the future a fluid environment where individuals express themselves, learn the latest about fashion and beauty, and enjoy instant access to the products from their favorite brands. To discover expert beauty tech insights and unlock powerful ROI secrets, read our Complete Guide to Beauty Tech

About Barry M Cosmetics

Founded in 1982 by Barry Mero, Barry M is the UK's leading colour cosmetics company. The Company is an independent family-run business based in North London, where 70% of Barry M products are formulated and manufactured. Barry M is renowned for bold and fearless makeup and Nail Paints which have always been Cruelty Free, and now 100% Vegan. A much-loved high street brand in the UK, Barry M has a growing global presence in Europe, Australia, Indonesia, the USA and in many more developing markets.

For more information visit: www.Barrym.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005466/en/

Contacts:

Press

Perfect Corp. official website: https://www.perfectcorp.com

Perfect Corp. on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/perfect-corp/

Perfect Corp. official Blog: https://www.perfectcorp.com/consumer/blog

Corporate: Tony Tsai at press@perfectcorp.com or by phone: +886-2-8667-1265, ext. 2167

USA: Ali Shapiro at contact_pr@perfectcorp.com or by phone +1 (212) 334-9753 ext. 147

Japan: Ryusho Hosaka at contact_pr_jpn@perfectcorp.com or by phone: +81-3-5875-6651

China: Winter Zhang at Winter_zhang@perfectcorp.com or by phone: +86-21-2231-0542

Europe Jessica Thiant at contact_pr_fr@perfectcorp.com

Mexico: Ingrid Motta at contact_pr_latam@perfectcorp.com

United Kingdom: Will Parrott at contact_pr_uk@perfectcorp.com


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks succumbed to selling pressure on Wednesday amid worries about the slowing pace of a global economic recovery due to the rapid spread of the more infectious Delta variant everywhere.



Investors also looked ahead to Thursday's European Central Bank meeting that will see policymakers debate a cut in its stimulus.



Governing Council member and Austria's central bank chief Robert Holzmann told Eurofi Magazine that the ECB may normalize policy 'sooner than most financial market experts expect.'



The pan European Stoxx 600 was down nearly 1 percent at 468.34 after declining half a percent on Tuesday. The German DAX dropped 1.1 percent, while France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were down around 0.9 percent each.



Recruitment company Adecco Group AG declined 1.3 percent, a day after it announced the acquisition of QAPA.



B&M European Value Retail S.A. soared almost 6 percent. The variety store company said that group revenue to date has been broadly in line with market expectations.



Spanish turbine maker Siemens Gamesa slumped 6.6 percent after JPMorgan downgraded the stock's rating to 'neutral'. Danish peer Vestas tumbled 3.6 percent.



Swedish investment firm EQT lost 2.9 percent after a share placing deal.



French drug major Sanofi declined 1.8 percent. The company said it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to buy Kadmon Holdings, Inc. (KDMN), the developer of Rezurock, a recently FDA-approved treatment for chronic graft-versus-host disease.



Biffa lost almost 3 percent. The British waste management firm reported that its trading in the first half of the year has continued in line with the Board's revised expectations.



Avon Protection, a maker of life-critical respiratory and ballistic personal protection systems, climbed 2 percent on bagging a contract worth up to $87.6 million from the U.S. Army.



Airlines including EasyJet Plc and Ryanair Holdings jumped around 3 percent each after reports that the U.K.'s 'traffic light' travel system could be scrapped from next month.



Smiths Group rallied 2 percent. The industrial technology company announced that it has agreed the sale of medical devices supplier Smiths Medical to ICU Medical, Inc. (ICUI) on terms that are superior to the previously announced transaction entered into with TA Associates.



In economic releases, France's trade deficit increased to EUR 6.96 billion from EUR 6.05 billion in June on falling exports, data published by customs office revealed. In the same period last year, the shortfall totaled EUR 6.79 billion.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

EZB-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) (OTCQB: PUCCF) ("Pancon" or the "Company") reports partial gold assay and multielement geochemistry results for diamond drill Hole 15 in Phase 2 of the Company's fully funded 10,000-meter (m) maiden drill program at its flagship Brewer Gold & Copper Project (see Table 1). Hole 15 is a vertical hole located approximately 150 m south of the former Brewer Gold Mine (see Figure 1). Pancon requested rush gold and geochemistry analysis of 20.2 m of the total 218.8 m of core drilled in Hole 15; results are pending for the remaining 198.6 m of core.

Highlights:

Hole 15 intersected 20.2 m of 2.25 g/t Au, 0.35% Cu and 2.82 g/t AuEq; including: 8.5 m of 3.32 g/t Au, 0.65% Cu and 4.38 g/t AuEq

Hole 15 contains the first significant gold-copper mineralization at Brewer outside of the historic mine

Pancon President and CEO, Layton Croft, stated: "Hole 15 mineralization was encountered beneath the former mine's waste dump, located south of the former mine and sited based on historic condemnation drilling to 35 m vertical depths. Hole 15 was targeted based on anomalous gold from that historic drilling. The samples of mineralized breccia we submitted for rush analysis are from between 77 m and 97 m vertical depths, more than two times deeper than historic condemnation drilling. This is exciting as it means our newly intersected mineralization south of the former mine is open in all directions. The Hole 15 intercept highlights the value of leveraging historic data to find new mineralization (see Figure 2), underscoring the fact that the average vertical depth of all 1,020 historic Brewer drill holes is only 37 m."

This new Hole 15 mineralization is hosted within a strongly silicified polylithic breccia unit. The breccia may be displaced from the mineralization in and below the former mined pit by post-mineralization faulting and folding. Gold is strongly correlated with copper and telluride minerals, similar to mineralization encountered below the former main Brewer pit and the ancillary B6 pit. Whether this new breccia mineralization connects with the former Brewer mine, or represents an additional breccia body, is as yet unknown and will be targeted during Phase 3 drilling.

Table 1: Gold Assays and Multielement Geochemistry Results for Diamond Holes 11 and 12

(see here for Certificates of Analysis and complete results)

Hole ID Hole Size From (m) To (m) Interval Au (g/t) Cu (%) AuEq* (g/t) B21C-015 HQ 0.00 77.50 55.50 pending 77.50 97.50 20.20 2.25 0.35 2.82 Incl. 81.50 90.00 8.50 3.32 0.65 4.38 97.70 218.80 121.10 pending

*AuEq calculated using a spot price of U$1,790.50/oz Au and US$4.25/lb Cu

See Quality Assurance and Quality Control Statement below regarding assaying techniques. Intervals are core lengths and are not presumed to be true thicknesses.

Figure 1: Select Phase 1 Hole Locations and Results, All Phase 2 Hole Locations and Select Gold-Copper Results for Holes 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 15



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5156/95760_980119f2d4ba1be2_003full.jpg

Figure 2 is a north-south cross section, looking west, with a clipping thickness of 200 m, that shows historic drill holes at Brewer and Pancon's Holes 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and Hole 15, which is located 150 m to the south of the former mine. The average vertical depth of all 1,020 historic Brewer drill holes is only 37 m.

Figure 2: North-South Cross Section with Historic Brewer Drill Holes and Select Pancon Holes



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5156/95760_980119f2d4ba1be2_004full.jpg

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Statement, Notes and Assumptions

Phase 2 exploration diamond core drilling was HQ and NQ size. The core was logged and marked for sampling and assaying by geologists contracted by Pancon. Samples, typically 1.5 meters in length, were sawn in half using a diamond core saw and one-half of the core was placed in sample bags and tagged with unique sample numbers, while the remaining half was kept in the core box for storage. Each bagged core sample was shipped to SGS Labs in Ontario, Canada, where it was dried, crushed and pulverized to >80% passing -200 mesh.

Gold was analyzed by fire assay (30 g) with an AAS (atomic absorption) finish, with a lower detection limit of 0.005 g/t gold. Samples containing greater than 10.0 g/t gold were analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Multielement analyses, including base metals and rare earth elements, were analyzed with ICP-MS/ICP-AES (inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectroscopy). Strict sampling and QA/QC protocols are followed, and assay integrity is monitored internally with a quality control program including the insertion of standards, blanks and duplicates in the sample stream on a regular basis.

Gold equivalent (AuEq) values reported in this release were calculated using the following prices: a gold spot price of US$1,790.50/oz and a copper spot price of US$4.25/lb. Gold equivalent values can be calculated using the following formula: AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + k*Cu (g/t); where k = price_Cu(US$/kg)/price_Au(US$/kg). Recoveries of individual elements can not generally be determined based on equivalent values and fluctuating metal prices will change the value of 'k' and therefore the gold equivalent values.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Richard "Criss" Capps, PhD, RPG, SME REG GEO, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Pancon

Pancon is a Canadian junior mining company focused on exploring the prolific and underexplored Carolina Slate Belt in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA. In January 2020, Pancon won the exclusive right to explore the former Brewer Gold Mine property. The Brewer Gold & Copper Project, on the gold-rich Carolina Slate Belt in South Carolina, is where the former shallow Brewer Gold Mine produced 178,000 ounces of oxide gold between 1987-1995 from open pits that extended to 65-meter depths, where copper and gold-rich sulphides were exposed but could not be processed by the oxide heap leach processing facility (Zwaschka, M. and Scheetz J.W., 1995, Detailed Mine Geology of the Brewer Gold Mine, Jefferson, South Carolina, Society of Economic Geologists). Until Pancon, Brewer hadn't been explored since 1997, and most of the tools used previously to explore the property have since been updated with more advanced technologies. Brewer is a high sulphidation system driven by a sub-volcanic intrusive and possibly connected to a large copper-gold porphyry system at depth, as indicated by: widely known prospective geology, including diatreme breccias; associated high sulphidation alteration; gold and copper mineralization; and geophysics (Schmidt, R.G., 1978, The Potential for Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Deposits in the Eastern United States, U.S. Geological Survey). Pancon's 100%-owned, 1,960-acre Jefferson Gold Project nearly completely surrounds the 1,000-acre former Brewer Gold Mine property, and both Jefferson and Brewer are located 12 kilometers northeast along trend from the producing Haile Gold Mine, which produced 137,413 ounces of gold in 2020 (https://oceanagold.com/operation/haile/).

For further information, please contact:

Layton Croft, President & CEO or Jeanny So, Manager, External Relations

E: info@panconresources.com

T: +1.647.202.0994

For additional information please visit our new website at http://www.panconresources.com/ and our Twitter feed: @PanconResources.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95760
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices were flat to slightly higher on Wednesday as a broad index of emerging market shares and currencies fell on worries about slowing global growth. Spot gold edged up 0.2 percent to $1,797.43 in European trade, after having fallen to an over one-week low of $1,791.90 on Tuesday. U.S. gold futures were little changed at $1,799.45. European stocks succumbed to selling pressure as rising cases of Delta variant of COVID-19 clouded the global economic outlook. The likelihood of a slowing reopening of the economy along with reduced policy support from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank added to worries. In an interview with the Financial Times, St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said that the central bank should proceed with a plan to wind down stimulus measures this year and end by the first half of next year. Bullard said that there is enough demand for workers and more job openings, which could pave the way for a strong labor market next year. Investors now look ahead to Thursday's European Central Bank meeting that will see policymakers debate a cut in its stimulus. Governing Council member and Austria's central bank chief Robert Holzmann told Eurofi Magazine that the ECB may normalize policy 'sooner than most financial market experts expect.' 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.
NIJMEGEN, the Netherlands, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xenikos B.V., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company currently developing a novel therapy for treating immune related disorders, announced today the closing of 40 million in convertible debt consisting of two equal tranches of 20 million. The financing was led by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, with participation from existing investors, Medicxi, RA Capital Management, Oost NL and Sanquinnovate. In connection with the financing, Veloxis will obtain two sequential call options to acquire the company and a Board seat.



Xenikos will use the proceeds of the financing to initiate a registrational Phase 3 clinical trial in the US and EU, which is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of their flagship product T-Guard for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) in patients following allogeneic stem cell transplantation versus ruxolitinib. T-Guard is designed to reset the body's immune system safely and swiftly in life-threatening T cell-mediated conditions, including transplant-related rejection, acute solid-organ rejection and severe autoimmune disease.

Under the terms of this agreement, Xenikos will receive the first tranche at signing and will retain the right to draw down the second tranche upon meeting certain criteria. Concurrent with the issue of each tranche of convertible debt, Veloxis will receive a call option, each becoming active upon the release of its associated tranche, which provides Veloxis the exclusive option to exercise its right to acquire all of Xenikos' outstanding shares. The options will be exercisable for a limited period of time following either i) the successful completion of the safety run-in portion of the Phase 3 study, which is anticipated to be met in 2022, or ii) successful completion of the futility analysis of the Phase 3 study, which is anticipated to be met in 2023.

"Today's announcement highlights Veloxis' confidence in T-Guard's potential in acute graft-versus-host disease," said Dr. Ypke van Oosterhout, Xenikos' CEO. "Effective new treatments for this severe and often-fatal condition are urgently needed, and we believe that T-Guard can fill this void. With their expertise and experience developing and commercializing innovative therapies for transplant patients, Veloxis is an ideal partner to help bring T-Guard to the market following completion of our Phase 3 clinical trial, which we plan to resume during the second half of 2021."

"Veloxis is committed to addressing unmet needs in transplantation and improving outcomes in transplant patients," said Craig A. Collard, CEO of Veloxis. "Finding ways to combat acute GVHD, and SR-aGVHD in particular, is critical to this mission. We are excited to make this strategic investment in Xenikos in hopes of bringing T-Guard through the final phase of development and explore other life cycle opportunities in transplantation such as acute rejection treatment or prevention for solid organ transplant patients."

Xenikos successfully completed a Phase 1/2 study for the second-line treatment of SR-aGVHD in patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, showing that just one week of T-Guard treatment induced a remarkably high complete response rate and a doubling of the six-month overall survival rate, as compared to institutional historical controls. These results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. T-Guard has been granted Orphan Drug Designation status in both the EU and the US.

T-Guard: Helping Reset the Body's Immune System

T-Guard is designed to safely and swiftly reset the body's immune system in life-threatening T cell?mediated conditions, including transplant-related rejection, acute solid-organ rejection, and severe autoimmune disease. T Guard consists of a unique combination of toxin-conjugated monoclonal antibodies that target CD3 and CD7 molecules on immune cells. Preclinical and early clinical testing have shown that T-Guard can specifically identify and eliminate mature T cells and NK cells with tolerable treatment-related side effects. Importantly, T-Guard's action is short-lived, thereby significantly reducing the patient's vulnerability to opportunistic infections compared to currently available therapies. In a Phase 1/2 study, just one week of T-Guard treatment induced a remarkably high complete response rate and a doubling of the 6-month overall survival rate as compared to institutional historical controls in patients being treated second-line for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). These results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (Groth, et al. Nov 2018). T-Guard has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in both the EU and the US, and a randomized Phase 3 registration trial evaluating T-Guard for the treatment of SR-aGVHD is expected to commence in the second half of 2021.

About Xenikos

Xenikos develops innovative immunotherapies based on conjugated antibodies. This novel therapeutic approach helps reset the immune system in patients who have a severe immune disease or have developed post-transplantation rejection. A randomized Phase 3 registration trial evaluating the Company's flagship product, T-Guard for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) is expected to begin in the US and Europe in the second half of 2021.

About Veloxis Pharmaceuticals

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc, an Asahi Kasei company, is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of transplant patients. Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, USA, Veloxis is focused on the direct commercialization of immunosuppression medications in the US, expansion of partnerships for markets around the world, and acquisition of assets utilized in transplant patients and by adjacent medical specialties. For further information, please visit www.veloxis.com.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 40,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its health care operations include devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic apheresis, transfusion, and manufacture of biotherapeutics, as well as pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents. For further information, please visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Contacts

Xenikos Investors & Media:

Argot Partners

Sam Martin/Carrie McKim

+1 212.600.1902 | xenikos@argotpartners.com

Veloxis Media:

Oak & State Communications

Caroline Barnhill

+1 919.244.1130 | caroline@oak-state.com

Veloxis Business Development:

Matthew Dumont

+1 617.803.4697 | mdu@veloxis.com
Firms are embracing hybrid working, but they must ensure teams have the modern skills to stay productive

Employers must act now to ensure staff have the modern skills to stay productive during hybrid working, says Questionmark, the online assessment provider. While firms are continuing to let staff work remotely for at least some of the week, most employees have noticed dips in their productivity.1

Hybrid working, with staff splitting their week between home and the office, looks set to form the future of work. Almost 40% of workers would consider quitting if their employer won't allow some level of working from home, according to surveys.2

But new working arrangements are not without their challenges. Over half (54%) of employees report up to six instances of lost productivity due to network access issues according to research by security company, Entrust. Leaders cite home internet security and the leakage of sensitive company data as among their top challenges.3

As employers move toward hybrid working arrangements, Questionmark is encouraging leaders to ask five crucial questions.

Do teams know how to stay safe? Human error contributes to 95% of cyber breaches.4 Can teams collaborate digitally? Workers report that they spend, on average, 45 minutes a day searching for information between different systems.5 Are workers communicating effectively? With some in offices and others at home, hybrid working creates new challenges. Are staff making the best use of new data? As we work more digitally, we generate more data. But this data can only be used to drive efficiency if workers know how to use and understand it properly. Can workers think critically? New ways of working create new challenges. Employers need teams who can get out of their silos, break down a problem into its component parts and come up with a workable solution.

John Kleeman, Founder of Questionmark, said: "Regular online assessments give employers real and reliable information on the strength of modern skills across the workforce. This will enable them to answer these five questions. With reliable data on staff skills they can anticipate problems, strengthen training and better support staff as they transition."

www.questionmark.com

Ends

Notes to editors

About Questionmark

Questionmark unlocks performance through reliable and secure online assessments.

Questionmark provides a secure enterprise-grade assessment platform and professional services to leading organizations around the world, delivered with care and unequalled expertise. Its full-service online assessment tool and professional services help customers to improve their performance and meet their compliance requirements. Questionmark enables organizations to unlock their potential by delivering assessments which are valid, reliable, fair and defensible.

Questionmark offers secure powerful integration with other LMS, LRS and proctoring services making it easy to bring everything together in one place. Questionmark's cloud-based assessment management platform offers rapid deployment, scalability for high-volume test delivery, 24/7 support, and the peace-of-mind of secure, audited U.S., Australian and European-based data centers.

1 https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/09/01/hybrid-work-security-concerns/

2 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-01/return-to-office-employees-are-quitting-instead-of-giving-up-work-from-home

3 https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/09/01/hybrid-work-security-concerns/

4 https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/why-human-error-is-1-cyber-security.html#:~:text='Human%20error%20was%20a%20major,in%2095%25%20of%20all%20breaches.&text=Mitigation%20of%20human%20error%20must,cyber%20business%20security%20in%202021

5 https://apnews.com/press-release/business-wire/6b48dea3e4c7411fb5eedb1a0ebcd0ab

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005388/en/

Contacts:

US: Kristin Bernor, external relations: Kristin.bernor@questionmark.com +1 203.349.6438

UK: Peter Sigrist: peter.sigrist@fourteenforty.uk +44 7720 056 981

Australia and New Zealand: Chelsea Dowd: chelsea.dowd@questionmark.com +61 2 8073 0527
LONDON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pan Finance awards programme was established to be a true measure of excellence, shining a spotlight on leading examples of best practices across the world of finance. Beyond the realm of the balance sheet alone, the awards programme also measures success through innovation, stewardship of the environment and positive contribution to society.

At a time when the world's economies have faced unprecedented levels of uncertainty, each award recognises an outstanding individual or organisation that has excelled over the last 12 months.



Commenting on her award, Mareme Mbaye Ndiaye, Societe Generale's Regional Director for Central and East Africa, said, "For about 3 years, I was Managing Director of Societe Generale Cameroun, this flagship bank that has been operating in Cameroon since 1963. During this period, I was positively impressed by the work of my teams, thanks to which I am honoured today. Work, abnegation, team spirit, commitment, are some of the words that sum up my career in this great institution that substantially supports the economy of Cameroon and the Central African sub-region. I am particularly delighted to be leaving this position on a high note, knowing that the adventure has only just begun for me as Societe Generale's Regional Director for Central and East Africa".



Pan Finance magazine is delighted to announce the following award winners in the Q3 2021 edition



Access Bank Plc - Sustainable Bank of the Year - Africa -

Access Bank Plc - Excellence in Financial Inclusion - Africa -

Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank - Most Innovative Banking App (ABA) - Vietnam -

AsiaPay - Most Innovative Payment Solutions Provider - Southeast Asia -

Bahrain Bourse - ESG Initiative of the Year - Bahrain -

Banco Falabella - Best Mobile Banking App - Colombia -

Banque Syz - Most Innovative Private Bank - Switzerland -

ByBit - Most Innovative Crypto Exchange -

Dr Sowemimo Abiodun - Tech CEO of the Year - West Africa -

Equiti Group - Most Innovative Brokerage Company -

Forus - Most Innovative SME Financing Solutions - Saudi Arabia -

GCC Exchange - Most Trusted Exchange House - UAE -

ICU - Best Securities Brokerage - CEE -

ICU - Excellence in Corporate Governance - CEE -

Incrementum - Asset Manager of the Year - Liechtenstein -

Itau Unibanco - Sustainable Bank of the Year - LatAm -

Krungthai Bank - Most Innovative Banking App (Krungthai Next) - Thailand -

LexisNexis Risk Solutions - Best Financial Services Cybersecurity Solutions -

Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutierrez (Grupo Aval) - Banking CEO of the Year - Colombia -

Mareme Mbaye Ndiaye - Banking CEO of the Year - Africa -

MKB - Sustainable Bank of the Year - Russia -

M-KOPA - Most Innovative Asset Financing Platform - Africa -

NBK Capital - Investment Management Firm of the Year - Kuwait -

Oman Insurance - Insurance Solutions Provider of the Year - Middle East -

Quanto - Best Open Banking Fintech - Brazil -

Roam Capital - Best Fund Placement Agent - LatAm -

Sarwa - Best Retail Investment Platform - UAE -

Societe Generale Cameroun - Best Banking Wallet (YUP) - Cameroon -

SulAmerica - Most Innovative Insurance Company - Brazil -

SulAmerica - Excellence in Customer Service - Brazil -

Tam Europe Asset Management - Sustainable Wealth Manager of the Year - Europe -

TradeFada - Most Innovative Trading App - Nigeria -



To learn more about our winners, pick up the latest issue of Pan Finance magazine, available now:



www.panfinance.net/pan-finance-magazine/



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NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Perrigo Company plc (PRGO) has signed a binding offer to acquire Hera SAS or HRA Pharma, a consumer self-care company, from funds affiliated with Astorg and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The deal is valued at approximately $2.1 billion in cash. Perrigo said HRA would strengthen the company's OTC self-care offerings. 'With the addition of HRA and its talented leadership team, Perrigo would be a consumer self-care global leader that is poised to deliver top tier net sales growth and double-digit EPS growth in the near-term while concurrently expanding margins,' said Murray Kessler, CEO, Perrigo. Perrigo plan to save more than 30 million euros annually by 2023 from unlocking meaningful operational synergies from the acquisition. These synergies, along with HRA's financial profile, are anticipated to add approximately 400 million euros in net sales and $1.00 in adjusted earnings per share in fiscal 2023. 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.
Unibloc Pump, a 37-year leader in the manufacture of positive displacement pumps, strainers, valves, bubble traps, and other solutions for sanitary flow control applications, today announced the acquisition of Flotronic Pumps, a UK-based manufacturer of specialized, air operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps, and associated accessories. Founded in 1990, Flotronic Pumps has a global reputation as the inventor of the 'One Nut'AODD pump. Flotronic Pumps' pioneering single bolt design significantly reduces process downtime by simplifying pump assembly disassembly, providing savings in maintenance costs along with best-in-class air pump performance. Flotronic Pumps serves more than 1,000 global companies operating manufacturing facilities of iconic brands in food and beverage, consumer product goods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other critical process manufacturing applications.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005041/en/

Flotronic Pumps' pioneering single bolt design significantly reduces process downtime by simplifying pump assembly disassembly, providing savings in maintenance costs along with best-in-class air pump performance. (Photo: Business Wire)

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Flotronic Pumps will be solely owned by US-based Unibloc Pump while retaining its name, Flotronic Pumps Ltd. Joining the leadership team at Flotronic Pumps as chief executive officer will be Chris Stevens, the CEO of Unibloc Pump. Stevens will provide commercial leadership with strengths in business-to-business marketing, channel management, sales, and overall business management.

"This acquisition is a perfect hand-in-glove fit for Unibloc Pump." Stevens said. "Unibloc Pump and Flotronic Pumps are ready to drive accelerated growth by offering customers products and solutions fueled by our passions for innovation, safety, and simplicity in maintenance to avoid downtime and increase efficiencies," Stevens added.

Through the leadership of owner Stuart Whitehouse and the deep expertise of Director of Sales Leighton Jones, Flotronic Pumps has witnessed significant growth in Europe, as well as North America. "What we really like most of all about joining the Unibloc Pump family is that we share many of the same cultural values of simplicity in product design, quality in products, unabashed customer-focus, deep industry expertise, and a penchant for strong innovation," said Jones. "These qualities will ensure that Unibloc Pump and Flotronic Pumps will be successful moving forward by flourishing through common bonds," added Jones.

"Important to this acquisition is that both companies share complementary market footprints," commented Whitehouse. "The combination will enable Unibloc Pump to grow its UK and European business, while also giving Flotronic Pumps an unmatched North American foothold. That should pay off in greater market coverage and increased overall value delivered to the customer," Whitehouse added.

Unibloc Pump seeks to expand its vision to build a global sanitary flow control platform that delivers operational excellence, while targeting highly regulated hygienic end market applications, such as food and beverage, meat and poultry, and pharmaceutical processing. Unibloc Pump's investment in Flotronic Pumps will provide resources to allow both companies to continue to grow and strengthen their global businesses.

The acquisition will allow Flotronic Pumps to leverage Unibloc Pump's operational, manufacturing, sales, and distribution capabilities in North America out of its Kennesaw, GA facility. Likewise, Unibloc Pump will utilize Flotronic Pumps' operations, manufacturing, sales, and distribution footprint in the United Kingdom and other European markets to further complement Unibloc's existing European operation, Unibloc-R&H GmbH, based in Beckum, Germany.

Unibloc Pump is a portfolio company of May River Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm devoted to helping high-caliber, lower middle-market industrial businesses grow and thrive. May River Capital takes pride in its unique approach and track record of building businesses through long-term partnership and collaboration. Its leadership team has broad experience helping promising companies become successful mid-size industrial businesses.

ABOUT UNIBLOC PUMP

Since 1984, Unibloc Pump has provided manufacturers in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, bakery and confection, meat and poultry, brewery, and transportation industries with precision-engineered sanitary pumps, strainers, valves, bubble traps, and other accessory products to tackle the toughest sanitary jobs. Unibloc Pump is the premier designer of efficient, easy-to-clean pumps that help customers fight downtime, achieve a lower cost of operation, and meet deadlines with confidence. For more information, please visit www.uniblocpump.com

ABOUT FLOTRONIC PUMPS

Based in West Sussex, United Kingdom and founded in 1990, Flotronic Pumps is a manufacturer of specialized AODD pumps and associated accessories. Flotronic's products take performance far beyond traditional style AODD pump technology with a distinctive single bolt design that allows for in-line assembly disassembly to be accomplished quickly and efficiently, significantly reducing process downtime, while providing best-in-class performance. For more information, please visit www.flotronicpumps.com.

ABOUT MAY RIVER CAPITAL

May River Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on investing in lower middle-market, industrial growth companies. May River Capital invests in high-quality industrial growth businesses, including precision manufacturing, engineered products and instrumentation, specialized industrial services, and value-added industrial distribution services. For more information, please visit www.mayrivercapital.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005041/en/

Contacts:

Michelle Damico, Michelle Damico Communications, michelle@MichelleDamico.com, +1.312.423.6627


Officiating at today's opening of the 40th HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and ninth Salon de TE



Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch for the 11th consecutive year, World Brand Piazza presents 12 renowned international brands including spectacular pieces from Piaget and Jacob & Co.



A series of public activities including watch parades, "Watch X Fashion" parades and product launches are being held throughout the fair period with models showcasing the latest designs.

HONG KONG, Sept 8, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - The special edition of the 40th HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and ninth Salon de TE, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd, officially open today, bringing together more than 160 exhibitors. The physical fairs run from 8 to 12 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), while the online version runs until 19 September, providing continued sourcing opportunities through both physical and online formats.The five-day fairs are open to the general public for the first time, offering visitors the opportunity to appreciate precious timepieces and shop for watches at discounted prices. Organised by the HKTDC, Asia's premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE runs from 10 to 12 September at the HKCEC, presenting designer brands from around the world. The concurrent fairs create synergies and new business opportunities for participants from both the watch and fashion industries.World Brand Piazza features exquisite international brandsShowcasing quality watches of different designs, Salon de TE comprises various thematic zones including World Brand Piazza, Craft Treasure, Chic & Trendy and Renaissance Moment. Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch for the 11th consecutive year, World Brand Piazza presents 12 renowned international brands, including Blancpain, Breguet, Chopard, CORUM, FRANCK MULLER, Glashutte Original, Jacob & Co, Jaquet Droz, Juvenia, PARMIGIANI FLEURIER, Piaget and SARCAR Geneve.A broad range of timepieces are under the spotlight, including the following:Masterpieces showcase exquisite micro-engraving skills- Memorigin highlights the Six Steeds in the Tang Dynasty tourbillon watch, its first manual-winding watch that possesses a central tourbillon with free sprung balances. Each piece involves 260 hours of craftsmanship to showcase the Yangtze River, Yellow River, mountains and 18k galloping gold horses on the 42mm-diameter watch. (Booth: 1D-A20)- ANPASSA presents its Racing Tourbillon RXD31MCS with an 18k gold micro-engraved golden dragon featured on the tourbillon movement. The titanium case is set with rainbow-coloured gemstones, showcasing the talent of the watchmaker in creating three-dimensional visual art. (Booth: 1D-A17)Sparkling designs grab attention- Fouette presents the Le Petit Prince L'Etoile, which is produced in a limited quantity of just 100 pieces. The watch features 76 pieces of cubic zirconia on the bezel and eight pieces on the L'Etoile dial. It also includes a Le Petit Prince figurine in 925 sterling silver with luminous stars and hands - features that are all highly attractive to fans of the Little Prince. (Booth: 1D-B05)- The Temporis "My" collection, inspired by the 12 zodiac constellations, has the watch case, bezel and crown set with 350 sparkling stones. The highlight of the piece is the constellation symbol rendered in black sparkling stones that provide a strong contrast to the silvery white background. (Booth: 1D-B07)Artistic designs on trend- The MONA LISA, Da Vinci @ Traveling Muzeum Collection Watch was designed by renowned fashion designer Vivienne Tam, and engineered by eminent scientist James Wong. The dial is decorated with 29 pieces of genuine topaz and features a crown set with valuable alexandrite. The watch, which also features a high-quality, shock-tolerant 316 S/S Swiss movement, is available for sale in a limited edition of 1,680 pieces. (Booth: 1D-B01)- The Roulette Master Skeleton automatic model by Romago has a transparent case back showcasing an open-worked rotor. The watch is water resistant up to 50m. (Booth: 1D-B09)Classic and trendy must-haves- The Iza Collection C174RRD from Swiss brand COINWATCH showcases a stainless-steel case with 16 diamonds and a rose gold PVD bezel. The piece also features an interchangeable double-wrap leather strap. (Booth: 1D-A09)- Empire Watch brings back a classic with a modern twist, featuring a metallic blue colour and a minimalist dial design. This quartz analogue watch is made from stainless steel with a mesh band safety lock, sapphire glass and a Japanese movement. (Booth: 1E-C35)The Watch & Clock Fair also showcases parts and components. For example, the Japanese watch movement MIYOTA is introducing the Caliber 9029 at the fair, a new calibre that meets the latest trend for slimmer watch designs using its two-hand Premium Automatic movement. Other zones showcase complete watches, clocks, packaging and trade services.Events, lucky draws and attractive shopping offers for public visitorsVarious public activities are being held during the fairs including watch parades, "Watch X Fashion" parades and product launches, with the participation of local celebrities such as Cheung Tat-ming, Nelson Cheung, Derek Wong, Lilian Kan and Chan Wing-luk. Lucky draws will be organised during the fairs with prizes such as a tourbillon watch valued at HK$28,000, a one-carat moissanite diamond ring, jewellery pieces, fashion items and more. Visitors can also participate in Smart Bidding to bid for watches starting at 10% of the original price, including a tourbillon watch valued at HK$47,000. Visitors can download electronic coupons (https://bit.ly/2W7eWU7) to enjoy discounts of up to 40% when buying watches at the fairs. In addition, key opinion leaders are conducting livestreaming shows during the fairs to introduce selected watches at the onsite studio.A watch craftsmanship workshop with the theme "Reminisce and Inherit: Locally-Made Tourbillion Demonstration" (12 September) will feature local watchmakers introducing Hong Kong-made tourbillons and demonstrating aspects of the manufacturing process. Visitors can take this chance to get a deeper understanding of the art of watchmaking.Industry experts offer valuable insights on market prospects and trendsIndustry participants should not miss a series of forums and seminars that provide first-hand market information and insights into the latest business trends. A seminar titled "Global Luxury Watch Investment and Market Outlook in Mainland China" (10 September) will invite John Ng, Horologer of Montres S.A. and known as the only Asian disciple of master horologer Philippe Dufour, Ho Sai-chu, Chairman of Chih Lo Lou Art Promotion (Non-Profit Making) Ltd, and watch experts and consultants from renowned auction houses such as Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips to share insights into global and Mainland Chinese luxury watch investment, the role of the younger generation in the watch industry and the watch industry outlook in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.Meanwhile, the Hong Kong International Watch Forum, broadcast online on 6 September, featured sharings by representatives of watch associations from Mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and Switzerland. In addition to the latest market insights, participants discussed the future direction for development in the global watch manufacturing sector. Video playback is available for viewing on the fair website. Under the theme "Redesigning the Future of Luxury Watches", the Asian Watch Conference (9 September) will invite a representative from iClick Interactive to share her views on online and offline marketing strategies for luxury watch brands in the mainland, while Dayton Industrial's representative will offer insights into the latest developments of the watch industry. Louis Chan, Principal Economist (Global Research) from HKTDC Research, will share future markets insights for the watch industry.Click2Match enables business matchingThe HKTDC has mobilised its network of 50 offices worldwide to invite overseas buyers to connect and maintain contact with exhibitors through video conferencing. The AI-powered online business matching platform Click2Match helps to bring exhibitors together with the most suitable buyers. Participants can also take advantage of functions such as a meeting planner, live chat and e-business card exchange, helping them to overcome barriers and build business connections around the world.Design competition to promote local creativityTo nurture budding local designers, the HKTDC joined together with the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd to organise the 38th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Competition. The theme of the Open Group was "Minimalism" and the winning design, "SPACE BAR" by Tam Kwok-tung, presents an empty transparent container in which the hands are hidden under the wheels. The student group's theme was "Live Fully" and the first prize went to Yip Tsz-yan from the Hong Kong Design Institute for her "Insight" design, which took inspiration from the optical arts. The winning and finalist entries from the competition are on display at Hall 1D Concourse during the fair, showcasing the best of Hong Kong's creativity to buyers and the public.Websites:- Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair: https://hkwatchfair.hktdc.com- Salon de TE: https://hkwatchfair.hktdc.com/te- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3l3krM0About HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInMedia enquiries:HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentJanet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.orgAngel Tang, Tel: +852 2584 4544, Email: angel.hc.tang@hktdc.orgSource: HKTDCCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
PowerBand Solutions' DRIVRZ products delivered 56% month-over-month revenue growth in August 2021

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV:PBX)(OTCQB:PWWBF)(FSE:1ZVA) ("PowerBand," "PBX" or the "Company"), a comprehensive e-commerce solution transforming the online experience to sell, trade, lease, and finance vehicles, is pleased to announce that the Company's August 2021 financial results demonstrate strong momentum of month-over-month revenue growth, positioning the Company for another record quarter.

Gross revenue increased to CDN $3.7 million in August 2021, representing 56% growth month-over-month. August was the third consecutive month of 30% or higher sequential growth. Cumulative year-to-date gross revenue has now exceeded CDN $13 million with a gross margin of 50%. Lease originations count increased to 313 in August 2021, up 20% from July 2021.

There were several highlights in August 2021 including: 1) 26 dealers that originated four or more deals; 2) 60% of dealers that booked a deal booked more than one deal; and 3) 79 unique dealers booked a deal, up 30% sequentially. This substantiates engagement as dealers are entrenching in the DRIVRZ Financial used car leasing program and see the value proposition for both the dealer and its consumers. The Company will continue to work with its over 650 onboarded dealers to improve origination count per dealer.

Jon Lamb, CEO of DRIVRZ Financial commented. "I am so proud of our team for once again delivering strong revenue growth in a historically low inventory environment. Our monthly origination count and revenue base has grown appreciably in 2021. We have achieved consistent double digit sequential growth which underscores the significant demand and virality of our product offering. While OEM's are pushing out timelines for replenishing inventory levels, we will continue to educate our dealer network and add new dealer groups, positioning the Company to demonstrate the real scaling potential of the business heading into 2022. Our longer-term objective is to onboard 2,000 dealers at 3-4 originations per dealer".

Kelly Jennings, founder and CEO commented. "Our overarching strategy from the beginning is to enable dealers with innovative products and digital solutions by developing the industry's first multi-sided marketplace. The competitive moat of the DRIVRZ Financial business is becoming apparent to industry constituents and the financial community. We will leverage existing dealer relationships and build new partnerships to fortify our strategy to develop a true marketplace in the automotive industry. We see significant synergies across our business segments as DrivrzXchange and DrivrzLane are rolled out and start contributing to revenues in 2022".

About PowerBand Solutions Inc.

PowerBand Solutions Inc., listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the OTCQB markets, is a fintech provider disrupting the automotive industry. PowerBand's integrated, cloud-based transaction platform facilitates transactions amongst consumers, dealers, funders, and manufacturers (OEMs). It enables them to buy, sell, trade, finance, and lease new and used, electric and non-electric vehicles, on any phone, tablet or PC connected to the internet. PowerBand's transaction platform - being trademarked under DRIVRZ - is being made available across North American and global markets.

For further information, please contact:

Kelly Jennings

Chief Executive Officer

E: info@powerbandsolutions.com

P: 1-866-768-7653

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Non-IFRS Measures:

This news release contains non-IFRS financial measures; the Company believes that these measures provide investors with useful supplemental information about the financial performance of its business, enable comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in operating its business. Although management believes these financial measures are important in evaluating the Company's performance, they are not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and may not be comparable with similar measures used by other companies. For certain non-IFRS financial measures, there are no directly comparable amounts under IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should not be viewed as alternatives to measures of financial performance determined in accordance with IFRS. Moreover, presentation of certain of these measures is provided for year-over-year comparison purposes, and investors should be cautioned that the effect of the adjustments thereto provided herein have an actual effect on the Company's operating results.

SOURCE: PowerBand Solutions Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663060/PowerBand-Reports-Strong-Growth-in-August-2021
1.8 km Step-Out Hole Hits Mineralized Skarn

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce assays from a further five holes from its ongoing drilling program of the Jasperoide Copper-Gold Project, Southern Peru. All five holes were drilled on Line JAS2700 at the Montana de Cobre prospect, located 50 metres north of high-grade copper-gold mineralization reported on Line JAS2650 (Press release dated May 25, 2021).

Drilling on Line JAS2700 successfully confirmed that high-grade copper-gold mineralization is laterally extensive over 500m and is 100m to 125m in true thickness. Interpreted feeder structures and breccia zones identified in hole JAS2700-04 returned high gold and silver values, typical of high-sulphidation style mineralization.

Separately, drilling is progressing on a high priority coincident magnetic and IP anomaly at Cresta Verde, 1.8km north-northwest of Line JAS2600 (Figure 1). The current hole (JAS4350-02) has intersected significant intervals of pervasive skarn alteration with semi-massive to massive sulphides and visible copper sulphide mineralization. This hole is collared approximately 700 metres northwest of historic drill hole JADD11-20 that clipped the southeastern edge of the same coincident geophysical anomaly and intersected 23.5m at 1.86% Cu1 from 19m.

Drilling Highlights:

Strong copper-gold mineralization intersected over broad intervals on section JAS2700 includes: JAS2700-06 235.18m @ 0.67% Cu and 0.34 g/t Au from 21.5m including 100.4m @ 0.84% Cu and 0.32 g/t Au from 64.4m JAS2700-07 43.45m @ 2.21% Cu and 0.49 g/t Au from 85.85m including 15.00m @ 5.44% Cu and 0.39 g/t Au from 113.5m JAS2700-08 87.30m @ 0.97% Cu and 0.35 g/t Au from 21.30m including 24.8m @ 2.00% Cu and 0.61 g/t Au from 83.8m

High grade gold in JAS2700-06 assayed 1.2m @ 47.7g/t Au, 12.7g/t Ag, 0.58% Cu from 232.4m

from 232.4m High sulphidation style feeder structures confirmed in JAS2700-04 and 05. Better assays included: JAS2700-05 26.5m @ 0.41g/t Au and 30g/t Ag from 89.1m

Assay results are pending for a further 15 drill holes

Drilling is ongoing at Cresta Verde Zone on section line JAS4350

Kevin Tomlinson, President & CEO of C3 Metals, commented,

"We are very encouraged by the broad extent and continuity of the shallow high-grade copper and gold mineralization being intersected at Jasperoide. Significantly, primary copper sulphides have been intersected below the oxide zone in drill hole JAS2700-05 and high-sulphidation feeder structures hosting gold and silver mineralization are confirmed. These important observations combined with other geological vectors strongly suggest a well-developed concealed copper-gold porphyry system is driving the extensive mineralized skarn development we are currently drilling.

"Given the coincidence of high-grade copper-gold mineralization with strong magnetite alteration, the Company recently flew airborne magnetics over its entire tenement holdings. This was followed by ground IP surveys on key target areas. Multiple large discrete magnetic anomalies with coincident chargeability anomalies are evident in the recently processed data. The drill rig was mobilized to a high priority geophysical target at the Cresta Verde prospect, 1.8km to the north of where three holes were recently completed at Montana de Cobre. C3 Metals' geologists in Peru are excited by initial drill observations, reporting significant intervals of pervasive skarn alteration with visible copper sulphide mineralization. This drill hole proves the Company's exploration strategy is working and we look forward to drill testing multiple other high priority coincident geophysical anomalies and geochemical targets."

A total of 32 drill holes have been completed to date with drilling now progressing on Line JAS4350 (Figure 1). Copper mineralization has been intersected in all holes drilled to date.

Montana de Cobre Drill Results

Two drill fans in eight holes were completed on Line JAS2700 for 1,552.9m, defining a strongly mineralized skarn body with a shallow westerly dip that is contiguous for over +500m laterally (Figure 2). Results from the first three holes on this section were reported on July 27, 2021 and include 118.71m @ 1.15% Cu and 0.37 g/t Au from 87.3m with an internal high-grade section of 29.95m @ 2.57% Cu and 0.50 g/t Au in drill hole JAS2700-03.

Drill holes JAS2700-06, 07 and 08 covered in this release intersected oxidized garnet diopside and magnetite skarn consistent with geological observations in drill holes JAS2700-01, 02 and 03. Secondary copper species comprise malachite, chrysocolla and azurite filling open spaces, as disseminated grains and in veins. A total of 57 core samples have been sent for petrographic analysis to confirm skarn alteration mineralogy and copper speciation. Similar to Line JAS2650, high-grade gold mineralization is locally associated with metre-scale breccia zones, particularly in drill hole JAS2700-06, which intersected 1.2m @ 47.7g/t Au, 12.7g/t Ag and 0.58% Cu (Figure 3).

Drill holes JAS2700-04 and 05 intersected intensely silicified, brecciated and locally strongly sheared zones interpreted as "feeder structures" to high-sulphidation style epithermal mineralization, which bisects the skarn. Assays from this zone confirm strong gold and silver geochemistry, which is typical of high-sulphidation epithermal style feeder structures. As previously reported, primary copper sulphide and pyrite mineralization was intersected below the extensive copper oxide zone in drill hole JAS2700-05 and this sulphide zone assayed 41.5m @ 0.31% Cu and 0.11g/t Au. The pyrite to chalcopyrite ratio in the sulphide zone is approximately 3:1, suggesting this zone is distal to the central skarn where significant bornite and chalcopyrite and lesser pyrite are expected.

Summary

Drilling on section line JAS2700 at Montana de Cobre demonstrates that skarn hosted copper-gold mineralization is pervasive and laterally extensive for over 500 metres and remains open in multiple directions and to depth.

An 1,800 line km helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey and a 43 line km ground Induced Polarisation (IP) survey were recently completed, identifying several strongly coincident magnetic and IP chargeability anomalies. Consequently, the drill rig was recently moved to Cresta Verde Zone to test one of the high priority coincident geophysical targets generated. Drilling on Line JAS4350 intersected significant skarn alteration with sections of visible copper mineralization (Figure 4).

Surface mapping and grid soil sampling programs have also recently been completed. Geological, geochemical and geophysical data will be reviewed and employed to design deeper drill holes to test for additional mineralized skarn horizons and a concealed porphyry system interpreted at depth.

As the drill program progresses, additional results will be released as they become available. Significant assays from drill holes JAS2700-04 to 08 are included in the table below.

Hole From To Length Cu

(%) Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Mineralization

Style JAS2700-04 52.80 65.85 13.05 0.50 NSA 1.20 Skarn JAS2700-04 70.31 99.98 29.67 0.13 0.17 2.44 Epithermal JAS2700-04 109.85 165.00 55.15 NSA 0.27 2.96 Epithermal JAS2700-04 165.00 205.20 40.20 0.73 0.23 1.35 Skarn JAS2700-05 56.50 64.70 8.20 0.25 NSA 0.89 Skarn JAS2700-05 70.60 88.00 17.40 0.32 0.15 1.79 Skarn JAS2700-05 89.10 115.60 26.50 NSA 0.41 30.10 Epithermal JAS2700-05 119.80 206.60 86.80 0.42 0.32 1.18 Skarn JAS2700-05 226.00 267.50 41.50 0.31 0.12 4.82 Skarn JAS2700-06 21.52 256.70 235.18 0.67 0.34 2.19 Skarn Includes 64.40 164.80 100.40 0.84 0.32 2.72 Skarn JAS2700-07 0.45 21.40 20.95 0.28 0.13 1.69 Skarn JAS2700-07 28.45 79.40 50.95 0.48 0.17 1.54 Skarn JAS2700-07 85.85 129.30 43.45 2.21 0.49 3.27 Skarn Includes 113.50 128.50 15.00 5.44 0.39 6.65 Skarn JAS2700-08 4.10 15.30 11.20 0.25 0.12 2.83 Skarn JAS2700-08 21.30 108.60 87.30 0.97 0.35 1.90 Skarn Includes 62.10 68.35 6.25 1.44 0.56 1.84 Skarn Includes 83.79 108.60 24.81 2.00 0.61 2.10 Skarn

Notes:

Significant intercepts are reported as length-weighted averages exceeding 0.20% Cu, with less than 5m of consecutive internal dilution. Arbitrary top cut of 5g/t on gold assays has been used, copper is uncut. True width of down-hole intersections reported are estimated to be approximately 60-90% of the down-hole lengths.





Figure 1: Ground magnetic analytical signal image and current drill hole locations.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/95833_eaa76f91c4e7c9b2_001full.jpg





Figure 2: Jasperoide Cross Section JAS2700 (50m window).

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/95833_eaa76f91c4e7c9b2_002full.jpg





Figure 3: JAS2700-06 (231.8 - 235.2m) showing an oxidized breccia cut by quartz-magnetite vein, interval 232.4 - 233.6m assayed 1.2m @ 47.7g/t Au, 12.7g/t Ag and 0.58% Cu.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/95833_eaa76f91c4e7c9b2_003full.jpg





Figure 4: (Top Left) JAS4350-02 (223.6m) Garnet-Diopside Skarn cut by epithermal quartz-carbonate-pyrite vein (Top Right) JAS4350-02 (284.3m) Garnet-Magnetite Skarn with chalcopyrite mineralization. (Bottom Left) JAS4350-02 (315.0m) Endoskarn altered diorite with chalcopyrite disseminations. (Bottom Right) JAS4350-02 (359.0m) showing pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins cutting hornblende diorite.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/95833_c3figure4.jpg

References for Historic Data

1 Data retrieved from Hochschild Mining's database and internal reports. Hochschild was operator of the Jasperoide Project from 2011 to 2012 and completed two drill programs. C3 Metals has access to the entire drill database and believes that reporting of the information was to industry standard practice.

For additional information, contact:

Kevin Tomlinson

President & CEO

ktomlinson@c3metals.com

Alec Rowlands

Vice President, Investor Relations

+1 416 572 2512

arowlands@c3metals.com

ABOUT C3 METALS INC.

C3 Metals Inc. is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company's flagship project is the 57km2 Jasperoide high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system located in the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). C3 Metals also holds a 100% interest in five licenses covering 207 km2 of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica, and a 100% interest in two porphyry copper-gold properties, with one under option to Tocvan Ventures, covering 304 km2 within the Cascade Magmatic Arc in southwestern British Columbia.

Related Link: www.c3metals.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.

QP Statement

Stephen Hughes, P.Geo. is Vice President Exploration and a Director for C3 Metals and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Hughes has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the written disclosure contained herein.

Technical Program

Half core samples are analysed by 4-Acid digest ICP-MS finish for 60 elements, including pathfinder REE elements with pulps from samples reporting greater than 1.0% copper being re-assayed by the ore grade method. Gold is analysed by 30g Fire Assay AAS finish, with pulps from samples reporting greater than 5ppm re-assayed by 1kg Screen Fire Assay.

COVID-19 Protocols

The Company continues to implement its COVID-19 safety protocols at site to ensure the safety of employees and the communities surrounding the Jasperoide project area.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the exploration operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate.

While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95833
15 countries surveyed across Europe, North/South America and Asia

UK ranks best for brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, 47%, followed by the US, 40%

Tooth sensitivity is the top oral health problem worldwide with Thai suffering the most, 37%

Worst sweet habit China ranks highest for this bad habit, 31%

People in the Netherlands are happiest with their teeth 18% do not want any cosmetic treatment to improve their smile, compared to just 5% in Thailand, Spain, Italy and Brazil who have the least smile satisfaction

A new worldwide consumer oral health awareness survey across 15 countries has revealed an amazing snapshot of oral health, habits, concerns and desires across the globe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005121/en/

Largest Worldwide Consumer Oral Health Awareness Survey Reveals the Best Toothbrushers, Worst Habits and Most Smile Satisfaction (Graphic: Business Wire)

In the largest survey of its kind totalling 15,000 respondents, findings range from the countries best at brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, to the top worst dental habits and most common dental issues.

The inaugural 2021 Global Healthy Thinking Report by international oral healthcare company, Sunstar, with brands including GUM, Butler and Ora2, also provides insight into which countries have seen the worst oral health impact during the pandemic, which countries are looking after their teeth best, and those who have the best smile satisfaction.

Worldwide findings include:

Most and least oral health issues Thailand has the most and worst problems with oral health, just 1 in ten have no problems and just 5% are happy with their teeth. The UK ranked the highest, 40%, for not having any problems with their teeth.

Worst habits you would like to give up Germany and Spain ranked equally the highest at 27% for smoking as the worst habit harmful to their dental health. 22% of Italians, Indonesians and Brazilians said drinking coffee, tea and staining drinks was their worst habit, while China ranks highest for sweets as their worst habit, 31%.

Most forgetful toothbrushers Indonesians were the most forgetful at brushing their teeth, 45%, while Brazil ranked next highest at 40%. 33% of Italians, Argentinians and Britons said they never forget to brush their teeth. Germans forget the least, 20%.

Best for cleaning between teeth - China leads the way on cleaning between teeth at 21%, followed by Italy, 20% and Spain 18%. Indonesia ranked the lowest at just 7% for those who use an interdental cleaner, electric airflosser or floss.

Smile satisfaction People in the Netherlands are the happiest with their teeth, and 18% would not want any cosmetic treatment to improve their smile. While just 5% of Thai, Spanish, Italians and Brazilians said they would not choose one cosmetic smile treatment. The US was one of the lowest, only 7% said they would not want any cosmetic treatment and are happy with their teeth.

Understanding of the mouth/body link - 76% of Argentinians understood smoking affected dental health, while just 39% of Singaporeans understood the mouth/body link. While the Japanese have the best understanding that dental health can also affect life expectancy, 38%, just 12% of British do.

Which countries reported most bad breath? Asian countries reported bad breath when describing their oral health more commonly than elsewhere in the world, with the worst in Japan, 34%. Brazil reported the least, just 8%. In Europe, bad breath is most common in Italy, 15% and least in the UK, 10%.

Which countries have seen the worst oral health impact during the pandemic? Argentinians have missed the most dental appointments during the pandemic, 44%. Just 12% of Japan have missed dental appointments, the lowest worldwide. Americans said they have experienced more tooth sensitivity during the pandemic, 25%. Indonesians ranked highest, 45%, for choosing to now clean their teeth more regularly as a result, followed by China at 38%.

Comments Martijn Verhulst, Medical Liaison Manager, Sunstar Scientific Affairs, on the survey findings: "We are proud to have conducted this largest survey of its kind to further our knowledge into consumer oral health.

"Positive findings included the numbers of people worldwide who are keeping their mouth healthy and fresh by brushing their teeth twice a day, using fluoride toothpaste and tongue brushing.

"But there did seem to be less understanding globally of the overall mouth/health link and the impact oral health has on your overall well-being, or how habits like smoking can impact your oral health. While this link is better known in Japan, for example at Sunstar we say "100 years mouth, 100 years health", there does seem to be a need for greater understanding of this connection.

"We strongly advise that consumers get their teeth checked twice a year by a qualified professional to assess their oral health and any dental decay or gum disease. Regular dental checks are also important for identifying any issues early and before they can cause wider harm. A reputable dentist is also likely to spot signs of other medical conditions such as oral cancer or even diabetes if they can monitor your oral health frequently."

A copy of the 2021 Sunstar Global Healthy Thinking report containing all the survey findings and analysis can be downloaded here https://www.sunstar.com/healthy-thinking-report/oral-survey-2021/.

ENDS

About the research:

15 countries surveyed across Europe, North/South America and Asia comprising;

UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Netherlands

US, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil

Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia

(Nationally representative sample, 1,000 minimum per country, 18-65 age group, equal gender split).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005121/en/

Contacts:

Media contact:

Becky Charman, Tala

E: becky.charman@teamtala.com

Elena Alcalde

PR and Corporate Communications Specialist

E: elena.alcalde@ch.sunstar.com

+34 669 589 266
Sandoz enters into commercialization agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab with Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd., for treatment of multiple types of cancers 1 , 2

Sandoz is committed to building on its leading generic and biosimilar oncology portfolio to further expand patient access, while contributing to sustainability of healthcare systems

Basel, September 8, 2021 - Sandoz, a Novartis division, today announced that it has entered into a commercialization agreement with Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. for biosimilar bevacizumab (BAT1706). Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key mediator of angiogenesis in cancer, and is used in combination with other treatments1,2.

Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. will maintain responsibility for development and manufacturing, Sandoz will have the right to commercialize the medicine upon approval in the US, Europe**, Canada and selected other countries. According to the terms of the agreement, Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. will receive an upfront and milestone payments and is entitled to receive profit share payments in the partnered territory.

This agreement builds on Sandoz's leading off-patent oncology portfolio, which comprises four marketed oncology biosimilars and over 50 generic medicines worldwide3,4. We see external collaborations as complementary to our internal programs, with an appropriate strategic balance enabling us to drive patient access by delivering portfolio breadth, balancing risks and costs and positioning us to play a leading role in the future biosimilar market.

Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company located in Guangzhou, China, and dedicated to research and development into novel therapeutics, as well as biosimilars to treat a range of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for biosimilar bevacizumab, or regarding the commercialiation agreement described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from biosimilar bevacizumab. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that biosimilar bevacizumab will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, biosimilar bevacizumab will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that biosimilar bevacizumab will be commercially successful in the future. Neither can there be any guarantee that the commercialization agreement will achieve any or all of the anticipated outcomes for Novartis, or in any particular time frame. In particular, our expectations regarding biosimilar bevacizumab and the commercialization agreement could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional biosimilar versions of bevacizumab; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Sandoz

Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical needs. Our ambition is to be the world's leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2020 sales of USD 9.6 billion.

Sandoz on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz/)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandoz_global (https://twitter.com/sandoz_global)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/ (https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal (https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal)



CEO Richard Saynor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/)

References

Avastin, INN-bevacizumab - European Medicines Agency. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/avastin-epar-product-information_en.pdf (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/avastin-epar-product-information_en.pdf). [Last accessed: August 2021]. European Medicines Agency. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available from https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/overview/equidacent-epar-medicine-overview_en.pdf (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/overview/equidacent-epar-medicine-overview_en.pdf). [Last accessed: August 2021]. Sandoz data on file. IQVIA through 2020, definition excludes biosimilars

*Avastin is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc.

** countries geographically in Europe excluding Russia

# # #

Sandoz Global Communications

Chris Lewis

Sandoz Global Communications

+49 174 244 9501 (mobile)

chris.lewis@sandoz.com (mailto:chris.lewis@sandoz.com)



(mailto:chris.lewis@sandoz.com) Michelle Bauman

Sandoz Global Communications

+1 973 714 8043 (mobile)

michelle.bauman@sandoz.com (mailto:michelle.bauman@sandoz.com)

Novartis Media Relations

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com)





Richard Jarvis

Novartis Strategy & Financial Communications

+41 79 584 23 26

richard.jarvis@novartis.com (mailto:richard.jarvis@novartis.com)



Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com)
Representing Adjusted Diluted EPS of $5.97 to $6.07 and Organic Growth of Around 12% to 14%;

Now Expects to Be Toward Upper End of Forecast Range

Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc.'s (NYSE: PM) Chief Financial Officer, Emmanuel Babeau, addresses investors today at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference.

The presentation and Q&A session will be conducted in a virtual format, beginning at approximately 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A live video webcast of the entire PMI session will be available, in a listen-only mode, at www.pmi.com/2021barclays. 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. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 7, 2021. The archived webcast can also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp.

"We remain on-track for an excellent performance in 2021, underpinned by better combustible volumes and continued strong demand for IQOS," said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. "We are today reaffirming our full-year EPS forecast and now expect to be toward the upper end of our 12% to 14% organic growth range."

"While the increased impact of the global semiconductor shortage is currently limiting our ability to realize the full potential of IQOS, the underlying momentum of the brand is clear as evidenced by the positive early results for IQOS ILUMA in Japan following the launch last month."

2021 Full-Year Forecast

PMI reaffirms its full-year reported diluted EPS forecast range of $5.76 to $5.86, reflecting a favorable currency impact, at prevailing exchange rates, of $0.18. On an organic basis, this forecast represents a projected increase of around 12% to 14% versus adjusted diluted EPS of $5.17 in 2020, as outlined in the table below.

The company now expects to be toward the upper end of the forecast range.

Full-Year 2021 Forecast 2020 Organic Growth Reported Diluted EPS 5.76 5.86 5.16 Saudi Arabia customs assessments 0.14 Asset impairment and exit costs 0.07 0.08 Fair value adjustment for equity security investments 0.04 Tax items (0.06 Brazil indirect tax credit (0.05 Adjusted Diluted EPS 5.97 6.07 5.17 Currency (0.18) Adjusted Diluted EPS, excluding currency 5.79 5.89 5.17 12 14

2021 Full-Year Forecast Assumptions

The assumptions underlying this forecast remain unchanged versus those communicated by PMI in its earnings release of July 20, 2021, with the following exceptions:

Tighter IQOS device supply due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, with reduced device assortment and availability impacting IQOS user acquisition and the timing of second-half 2021 ILUMA launches in certain markets; and, consequently

device supply due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, with reduced device assortment and availability impacting user acquisition and the timing of second-half 2021 launches in certain markets; and, consequently Full-year 2021 heated tobacco unit shipment volume that could be toward the lower end of the 95-to-100-billion-unit range, if shortages persist, with third-quarter heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 23 to 24 billion units.

The full-year forecast continues to assume third-quarter reported diluted EPS in a range of $1.50 to $1.55, now with a favorable currency impact, at prevailing exchange rates, of around $0.03 per share (versus $0.04 previously).

This forecast excludes the impact of any future acquisitions, unanticipated or unquantifiable asset impairment and exit cost charges, future changes in currency exchange rates, further developments pertaining to the judgment in the two Quebec Class Action lawsuits and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) protection granted to PMI's Canadian subsidiary, Rothmans, Benson Hedges, Inc. (RBH), any unusual events, any further intensification of the global shortage of semiconductors and the related impact on the supply of our electronic devices, and any COVID-19-related developments different from the assumptions set forth in the company's forecast.

Factors described in the Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements section of this release represent continuing risks to these projections.

Forward-Looking Cautionary Statements

This press release, the presentation and related discussion contain projections of future results and other forward-looking statements. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions. In the event that risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. Pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, PMI is identifying important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements made by PMI.

PMI's business risks include: excise tax increases and discriminatory tax structures; increasing marketing and regulatory restrictions that could reduce our competitiveness, eliminate our ability to communicate with adult consumers, or ban certain of our products in certain markets or countries; health concerns relating to the use of tobacco and other nicotine-containing products and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; litigation related to tobacco use and intellectual property; intense competition; the effects of global and individual country economic, regulatory and political developments, natural disasters and conflicts; changes in adult smoker behavior; lost revenues as a result of counterfeiting, contraband and cross-border purchases; governmental investigations; unfavorable currency exchange rates and currency devaluations, and limitations on the ability to repatriate funds; adverse changes in applicable corporate tax laws; adverse changes in the cost, availability, and quality of tobacco and other agricultural products and raw materials, as well as components and materials for our electronic devices; and the integrity of its information systems and effectiveness of its data privacy policies. PMI's future profitability may also be adversely affected should it be unsuccessful in its attempts to produce and commercialize reduced-risk products or if regulation or taxation do not differentiate between such products and cigarettes; if it is unable to successfully introduce new products, promote brand equity, enter new markets or improve its margins through increased prices and productivity gains; if it is unable to expand its brand portfolio internally or through acquisitions and the development of strategic business relationships; or if it is unable to attract and retain the best global talent. Future results are also subject to the lower predictability of our reduced-risk product category's performance.

In addition, PMI's business risks also include risks and uncertainties related to PMI's potential acquisitions of Fertin Pharma A/S ("Fertin") and Vectura Group plc ("Vectura"), including, amongst other things: (1) the inability to consummate these acquisitions in a timely manner; (2) the inability to complete these acquisitions due to the failure to satisfy certain conditions to complete the acquisitions, including any required regulatory approvals, as applicable; (3) the failure of these acquisitions to close for any other reason; (4) the possibility that the integration of the operations of Fertin and Vectura with those of PMI may be more difficult and/or take longer than anticipated, and may not accelerate PMI's desired entry into additional smoke-free and beyond nicotine platforms as quickly as anticipated; (5) the possibility that the respective integrations of Fertin and Vectura into PMI may be more costly than anticipated and may have unanticipated adverse results relating to Fertin, Vectura or PMI's existing businesses; (6) the inability to gain access to differentiated proprietary technology and pharmaceutical development expertise as anticipated by these acquisitions; (7) risks associated with third-party contracts containing consent and/or other provisions that may be triggered by the proposed acquisitions; (8) negative effects of the announcement or the consummation of the acquisitions on the market price of PMI's common stock; and (9) the ability of PMI to retain and hire key personnel of Fertin and Vectura.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant societal and economic disruption, and resulted in closures of stores, factories and offices, and restrictions on manufacturing, distribution and travel, all of which will adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial position during the continuation of the pandemic. Our business continuity plans and other safeguards may not be effective to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. Currently, significant risks include our diminished ability to convert adult smokers to our RRPs, significant volume declines in our duty-free business and certain other key markets, disruptions or delays in our manufacturing and supply chain, increased currency volatility, and delays in certain cost saving, transformation and restructuring initiatives. Our business could also be adversely impacted if key personnel or a significant number of employees or business partners become unavailable due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The significant adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economic or political conditions in markets in which we operate could result in changes to the preferences of our adult consumers and lower demand for our products, particularly for our mid-price or premium-price brands. Continuation of the pandemic could disrupt our access to the credit markets or increase our borrowing costs. Governments may temporarily be unable to focus on the development of science-based regulatory frameworks for the development and commercialization of RRPs or on the enforcement or implementation of regulations that are significant to our business. In addition, messaging about the potential negative impacts of the use of our products on COVID-19 risks may lead to increasingly restrictive regulatory measures on the sale and use of our products, negatively impact demand for our products, the willingness of adult consumers to switch to our RRPs and our efforts to advocate for the development of science-based regulatory frameworks for the development and commercialization of RRPs.

The impact of these risks also depends on factors beyond our knowledge or control, including the duration and severity of the pandemic, its recurrence in our key markets, actions taken to contain its spread and to mitigate its public health effects, and the ultimate economic consequences thereof.

PMI is further subject to other risks detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. PMI cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not a complete discussion of all potential risks and uncertainties. PMI does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that it may make from time to time, except in the normal course of its public disclosure obligations.

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/20210908005636/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
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Viscount Mining Corp. (TSXV: VML) (OTCQX: VLMGF) ("Viscount" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the 2021 work program on the 100% controlled Cherry Creek Project in eastern White Pine County, Nevada is continuing to meet its planned milestones.

Viscount's partner Centerra Gold Inc. (Centerra) has deployed a team of geologists on the project since late January to conduct field work that includes geological mapping, collection geochemical samples and claim staking. Centerra's team is also responsible for the oversight of the geophysical contractor crews who are completing IP, aeromagnetic surveys, and ground magnetic surveys on target areas developed by Centerra.

Both the new and historical geochemical sampling results indicate the potential for multiple target types including sediment hosted, disseminated gold deposits; manto or replacement silver deposits; high-grade gold and silver vein deposits; and finally intrusive related base metal deposits. The geophysical surveys also lend support to the existence of these styles of targets being present on the project and greatly assist in the targeting.

The program was expanded based on results over time to include the following activities:

Rock geochemical sampling (425 samples to date). Soil geochemical sampling (625 samples to date). Geological mapping, initially focused on the Star and Exchequer areas; moved onto the Doctor's Cut and TiCup mine areas; and now has expanded property wide. This work is still very much in progress and will be discussed in more detail at a later date. IP survey (46.3-line km). Ground magnetic survey (8 sq. km). Aeromagnetic survey (850-line km).

Centerra undertook the staking of 262 new lode claims, bringing the number of unpatented lode claims to 562. The property also includes 17 patented lode claims. The new claims were necessary in order to control and test the newly developing exploration targets; as well as some the company had been working up previously. The claims were primarily added to the west, north and east sides of the project and include mineralized projections of the Black Metal and Exchequer Faults.

Viscount CEO, Jim MacKenzie, stated: "The significance of the additional claims has increased the size of Cherry Creek by more than 7,011 hectares and has extended the opportunity to focus on multiple gold, silver and base metal targets. Our partner Centerra has diligently and methodically worked on the property this year to significantly expand the potential of Cherry Creek. With many probable target areas to work with, Cherry Creek is a district play, rather than an individual target. We are looking forward to the upcoming drill program."

In order to better understand the prospective of the district, Centerra has utilized geochemical sampling and geophysics to map the large Eocene intrusive rock body that floors the district. Eocene intrusive rocks in Nevada are closely associated with many of the Carlin type gold deposits in the region. Knowing the footprint of this permissive rock unit can help direct where budget resources are being spent to develop the gold-silver and other related target environments on the property. This information along with stratigraphic and structural data the geology team is currently gathering allows the prioritization of the targets as we move forward. Centerra and Viscount geologists are reviewing the data as it is received and are continually updating our understanding of the property.

The company has been working with EM Strategies to permit an initial Phase 1 core drilling program under a Notice of Intent (NOI). The NOI has been approved by the BLM.

The permitting work on Cherry Creek was done with a forward-looking view to allow the program and permit to be expanded if needed without undue delays.

QC and Analytical Procedures

Results for this ongoing work are being received and will be reported once this phase of work is complete.

Qualified Persons

This News Release was prepared by M.J. Abrams; BS and MS Geology, CPG #11451; Idaho PG #570; California PG#4138; Oregon RG#938. M.J. Abrams is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The scientific and technical disclosure included in this news release was reviewed and approved by Harald Hoegberg PG, an independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" (QP) as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

About Viscount Mining (TSXV: VML) (OTCQX: VLMGF)

Viscount Mining is a project generator and an exploration company with a portfolio of silver and gold properties in the Western United States, including Silver Cliff in Colorado and Cherry Creek in Nevada.

The Cherry Creek exploration property is in an area commonly known as the Cherry Creek Mining District, located approximately 50 miles north of the town of Ely, White Pine County, Nevada. Cherry Creek consists of 562 unpatented and 17 patented claims as well as mill rights and is comprised of more than 7,011 hectares. Cherry Creek includes more than 20 past producing mines.

The Silver Cliff property in Colorado lies within the historic Hardscrabble Silver District in the Wet Mountain Valley, Custer County, south-central Colorado. It is located 44 miles WSW of Pueblo, Colorado, and has year-around access by paved road. The property consists of 96 claims on 944 hectares where high grade silver, gold and base metal production came from numerous mines during the period 1878 to the early 1900's. The property underwent substantial exploration between 1967 and 1984.

The property is interpreted to encompass a portion of a large caldera and highly altered sequence of tertiary rhyolitic flows and fragmental units which offers potential to host deposits with both precious and base metals. This has been demonstrated in the mineralization historically extracted from the numerous underground and surface mining operations. Drilling in the 1980s by Tenneco resulted in a historical pre-feasibility study on which basis it was planned to bring the property to production. The plan was abandoned following takeover by another company.

For additional information regarding the above noted property and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.viscountmining.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jim MacKenzie"

President, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Viscount Investor Relations

Phone: 1 844 863 3622

Email: info@viscountmining.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to Viscount Mining's operations, exploration and development plans, expansion plans, estimates, expectations, forecasts, objectives, predictions and projections of the future. Specifically, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the Offering, the receipt of required approvals, the timing of thereof and the amount and use of proceeds therefrom. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or "variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Viscount Mining to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to the exploration and development and operation of Viscount Mining's projects, the actual results of current exploration, development activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future precious metals prices, as well as those factors discussed in the sections relating to risk factors of our business filed in Viscount Mining's required securities filings on SEDAR. Although Viscount Mining has attempted to identify important factors that could cause results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended.

There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Viscount Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE INC. HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95771
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Blue Thunder Mining Inc. (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) ("Blue Thunder" or "the Company") is pleased to confirm that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC") in the United States. The company's common shares trade on the OTCQB under the ticker symbol BLTMF.

DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered to be "DTC eligible". DTC eligibility is expected to simplify the process of trading and enhance liquidity of the Company's common shares in the United States.

Jean Francois Metail, President of Blue Thunder commented, "We are very pleased to have obtained DTC eligibility. With our shares traded electronically, investors will benefit from the accelerated settlement process and trading over a wider selection of brokerage firms in the U.S., a critical step in broadening our investor base throughout North America."

About Blue Thunder

Blue Thunder (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) is a gold exploration company that controls 100% of one of the largest land positions near the Chapais-Chibougamau gold district of Quebec with significant historical production and major recent discoveries. The project is situated on the two major regional trends hosting IamGold's Nelligan and Northern Superior Resources Lac Surprise to the south and IamGold's Monster Lake to the north with excellent highway and road access. The Muus Project covers approximately 51,000 hectares in five separate blocks of prospective ground in the eastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The Project is considered particularly prospective for gold mineralization, as a series of prominent ductile and brittle fault-sets transect the Property, including the Guercheville and Fancamp deformation zones, both of which are associated with numerous past and currently producing precious- and base-metal mines in the District.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Chad Williams, Executive Chairman and Director

Blue Thunder Mining Inc.

401 Bay Street, Suite 2100, P.O. Box 55, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4

(647) 848-1009

"Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in the Chibougamau District in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties, are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95840
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW) said raw material availability, including the unfavorable impact of Hurricane Ida, will negatively impact the company's third quarter consolidated sales by a high-single digit percentage. The company previously communicated that it anticipated less of an impact of raw material availability in the third quarter. Sherwin-Williams Company lowered third quarter consolidated net sales guidance to be up or down by a low-single digit percentage over prior year. 'We continue to see strong demand across the pro architectural and industrial end markets we serve. However, persistent and industry-wide raw material availability issues have not improved as anticipated, impacting our ability to fully meet the strong demand,' said CEO, John Morikis. The company's full year sales and net income per share guidance remains unchanged, with full year 2021 adjusted net income per share anticipated to increase 13.6% at the midpoint of the range compared to the prior year. Sherwin-Williams Company will provide an update on full year outlook with its third quarter results. Shares of Sherwin-Williams were down 2% in pre-market trade on Wednesday. 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.
SmartStream Technologies, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) solutions provider, today announced its partnership with BRITech S.A, a provider of end-to-end solutions for buy-side firms in Latin America. As partners, both firms will deploy digital solutions for back-office operations in the investment management ecosystem.

BRITech offers a series of technology solutions for front-, middle- and back-office operations and SmartStream will fill the gaps in the areas of data reconciliations, reference data and collateral management. Initially starting the partnership to service financial institutions in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, there will be further expansion plans and global initiatives.

BRITech will provide the solution to existing and new customers in the region as a packaged offering. Guenther Ruf, Director of Alliances, SmartStream, states: "This partnership is a great combination of local knowledge, together with providing advanced technologies for investment firms in the region. We are looking forward to working with buy-side firms and enabling them to have a trusted provider with industry proven technologies, and an intelligent team of people who have extensive experience and capabilities to meet the necessary requirements".

Marcos Puccini, Global Chief Growth Officer, BRITech, states "We are delighted to be partnering with SmartStream whose technologies complement the breadth of solutions we provide to our clients in the region with hands-on support, advanced and configurable technologies and flexible deployment models. Our goal is always to provide our clients with increased efficiencies, reduced risk and integrated solutions that work within their specific environments".

Ends

About SmartStream Technologies

For more information, visit: www.smartstream-stp.com

About BRITech

For more information, visit: https://britech.global/en/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005081/en/

Contacts:

New York

Mark Roth, CMO, SmartStream

Tel: +646.244.5097

Email: mark.roth@smartstream-stp.com

London

Shamira Alidina, Media Relations Director, Dina Communications

Tel: +44 (0) 7801 590718

Email: shamira@dinacomms.com

Nathan Gee, Marketing Director, SmartStream Technologies

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 0630

Email: nathan.gee@smartstream-stp.com
FAIRFIELD, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Bergio International Inc. (OTC PINK:BRGO), an American holding corporation and world leader in high-quality jewelry, has announced today that their Crown Luxe Division has surpassed last year's sales revenue with a healthier bottom line, based on internal figures through the end of August 2021.

The Crown Luxe Division is part of the Bergio portfolio and was the first time the company applied a direct-to-consumer model. They have been selling their trendsetting jewelry and popular accessories through two brick-and-mortar locations located in Closter, NJ and Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ.

Berge Abajian, Chief Executive Officer of Bergio International, shared, "The success we have seen from our Crown Luxe Division gives us confidence that expanding our footprint into the direct-to-consumer market through our brick-and-mortar locations was the right move. We are blown away by the success we have achieved in just five short years and look forward to seeing the continued growth of this segment of our expanding portfolio."

Berge Abajian added, "Surpassing last year's revenue is just the start. As we move into the future, the direct-to-consumer foundation has been set, allowing for scalable e-commerce growth which will continue to produce increased revenues profits for our all our portfolio assets. We are grateful for our skilled and passionate team that has brought us to this achievement and know their support will help us reach even greater heights."

CEO Berge Abajian will be presenting at the Emerging Growth Conference on October 13, 2021, to discuss growth, acquisitions, and vision. All investors are encouraged to attend and ask questions directly to the CEO. For more information, visit https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1487781&tp_key=e2bca7d62c&sti=brgo .

The Bergio portfolio also includes Aphrodite's, a growing fashion jewelry label, and GearBubble, a B2B e-commerce fulfillment platform. This past year, Bergio acquired Aphrodite's for $5 million and GearBubble for $3.2 million, which has already begun to positively impact the company's revenues and profits.

All sales figures and data are preliminary, unaudited, and are based on the information currently available to the Company through its internal daily sales reporting system. Detailed information will be available on the third quarter revenue report.

About Bergio International, Inc.

The Bergio brand, the primary portfolio asset, is associated with high-quality, handcrafted, and individually designed pieces with a European sensibility, Italian craftsmanship, and a bold flair for the unexpected. Established in 1995, Bergio's signature innovative design, coupled with extraordinary diamonds and precious stones, earned the company recognition as a highly sought-after purveyor of rare and exquisite treasures from around the globe. With family jewelry roots reaching back to the 1930s, founder, CEO, and designer Berge Abajian is a third-generation jeweler, blending superior knowledge in design and manufacturing to create unparalleled collections in craftsmanship and style. The Bergio brand features fine jewelry, silver fashion jewelry, bridal, couture, and leather accessories, ranging in price from $50 to $250,000. For further information, please visit www.bergio.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding our business strategy and plans as well as expectations of future growth, all of which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not historical in nature and include those related to future financial and operating results, benefits, and synergies of the combined companies, statements concerning the Company's outlook, pricing trends, and forces within the industry, the completion dates of capital projects, expected sales growth, cost reduction strategies, and their results, long-term goals of the Company and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors, including changes in the general economy; changes in demand for the Company's products or in the cost and availability of its raw materials; the actions of its competitors; the success of our customers; technological changes; changes in employee relations; government regulations; litigation, including its inherent uncertainty; difficulties in plant operations and materials; transportation, environmental matters; and other unforeseen circumstances. A number of these factors are discussed in the Company's previous filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

Media Contact

Lais Pontes Greene

(954) 960-6083

Investor Relations

John Guercio

(845) 216-310

SOURCE: Bergio International, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662641/Bergio-International-Inc-Announces-That-Crown-Luxe-Their-Brick-And-Mortar-Division-Has-Surpassed-Last-Years-Sales-Revenue-as-of-End-of-August
The Medi-Collective Clinic is Now Accepting New Patients & Walk-Ins in Hamilton, Ontario

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CBDT:CSE) (8EC:Frankfurt) (EPWCF:OTCQB) ("Empower" or the "Company") an integrated healthcare company - serving patients through medical centers, telemedicine platforms, a medical device company, and a high complexity medical diagnostics laboratory processing thousands of COVID-19 specimens - is pleased to announce the official opening of The Medi-Collective ("TMC") inaugural medical clinic in Hamilton, Ontario.

"This is getting exciting, we are onto something special, The Medi-Collective, it's a launch!" said Steven McAuley, Chairman and CEO of Empower Clinics. "This is important, it opens more access for patients, it launches catalysts that we have talked about, allows us to kickstart the growth potential of TMC and Empower, just like I said we would do."

Dr. Jordan Rabinowitz, and Dr. Aviv Tsimerman added, "This location is a step in our strategic expansion of truly integrative care, based on patient-centric services. We are thrilled to be able to provide such comprehensive care to the Hamilton community. We are modernizing healthcare by having a team of professionals working together under one roof for the benefit of the patient."

As of today, the Hamilton, ON clinic is accepting new patients and walk-in appointments.

The Medi-Collective Hamilton Clinic

Address: 675 Rymal Rd E., Hamilton, ON L8W 1B5

Phone: 905-848-2441

Email: 675Rymal@themedicollective.com

This press release is available on the Empower Clinics Verified Forum on AGORACOM for shareholder discussion, questions and engagement with management https://agoracom.com/ir/EmpowerClinics

ABOUT EMPOWER:

Empower is an integrated healthcare company that provides body and mind wellness for patients through its clinics, with digital and telemedicine care, and world-class medical diagnostics laboratories. Supported by an experienced leadership team, Empower is aggressively growing its clinical and digital presence across North America. Our Health & Wellness and Diagnostics & Technology business units are positioned to positively impact the integrated health of our patients, while simultaneously providing long term value for our shareholders.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley

Chief Executive Officer

CONTACTS:

Investors:

Steven McAuley CEO

s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com

604-789-2146

Investors:

Tamara Mason

Business Development & Communications

t.mason@empowerclinics.com

416-671-5617

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. 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. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the acquisition of Kai Medical Laboratory; the transaction terms; the expected number of clinics and patients following the closing; the future potential success of Kai Medical Laboratory, Sun Valley's franchise model; launch of new healthcare centers and the occurrence thereof; that the Company can bring healthcare to millions of Canadians; that new healthcare services can be added and that the Company will be positioned to be a market- leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2020 and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including: that Kai Medical Laboratory will successfully win any US Government RFP; that the MedX Health pilot program will be successful; that Empower will place the MedX Health teledermatology product in health centers in North America; that the Company's products may not work as expected; that the Company may not be able to expand COVID-19 testing; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; that the Company will be able to commence and/or complete build-outs and tenants improvements for Canadian clinics or Kai Medical Laboratory expansion inn 2Q 2021; that general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed transaction; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.

SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663144/Empower-Clinics-Opens-First-of-Many-TMC-Clinics-in-Canada
Loop Energy (TSX: LPEN), a developer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell-based solutions, announces their partnership with METTEM-M Ltd., a developer of vehicle control systems and systems integrator, to provide hydrogen electric powertrain solutions to commercial vehicle OEMs across Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and greater Europe. The companies' first joint project a hydrogen electric transit bus for GAZ Group, a leading global commercial vehicle OEM provider is presently on display at the International Commercial Vehicle Show 2021 (COMTRANS) in Moscow, Russia. The 12-meter passenger bus vehicle is expected to enter regular city transport service in Moscow, in early 2022, after completing customary road testing and vehicle level certification requirements.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005445/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

Under this agreement, METTEM will use Loop's eFlow powered fuel cell modules to develop and supply hydrogen electric subsystems, powertrains, and complete vehicle solutions for a variety of applications including transit buses, logistics vehicles, and rail transport.

The hydrogen electric transit bus, currently showcased by its OEM at COMTRANS 2021, marks the first commercial achievement between Loop Energy and METTEM. The vehicle's hydrogen electric control system was developed by METTEM under the contract with GAZ Group a leading manufacturer of light commercial and medium-duty vehicles, buses, powertrain and automotive components, and special-use vehicles headquartered in Russia. The solution is using GAZ Group's existing battery electric passenger bus platform, Loop Energy's high efficiency fuel cell modules, and METTEM's fully integrated hydrogen electric fuel cell system.

"Partnering with Loop was a natural next step for METTEM as we look to supply our OEM customers with mobility solutions that meet the growing demand in Russia and beyond for electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles over the next decade," said Jan Drewitz, CEO of METTEM. "With Loop's innovative fuel cell modules and our extensive powertrain and vehicle integration expertise, we foresee hydrogen electric solutions, and the benefits of extended range, peak power performance, and fuel efficiency, becoming the gold standard in the commercial vehicle market."

"Collaborating with METTEM is a key milestone for both the adoption of hydrogen electric solutions for commercial vehicles, as well as expanding Loop's footprint in both Russian and greater European markets," said George Rubin, Chief Commercial Officer of Loop Energy. "METTEM's market knowledge and technical expertise bring an invaluable contribution to this partnership. We are seeing a steady demand for clean energy alternatives across the globe and are eager to work with a leading player in the commercial vehicle industry to provide sustainable solutions."

About METTEM

METTEM-M, Ltd. is a company of the METTEM TRANSPORT Group. It is also a Russian enterprise that develops, integrates, and produces in series digital E/E control systems, onboard equipment for navigation and other purposes, as well as solutions for both vehicle manufacturers (buses, trucks, special vehicles, passenger cars) and transport operators. METTEM TRANSPORT Group is focused extremely on innovations to improve its products continuously and release new items. Cooperation with Loop Energy will make it possible to implement projects in a trendy area of hydrogen transportation. Applying its experience and competences, METTEM-M is designing hydrogen vehicles as effective and safe for use as possible. https://mettem-m.ru/

About Loop Energy Inc.

Loop Energy is a leading designer and manufacturer of fuel cell systems targeted for the electrification of commercial vehicles, including, light commercial vehicles, transit buses and medium and heavy-duty trucks. Loop's products feature the Company's proprietary eFlow technology in the fuel cell stack's bipolar plates. eFlow was designed to enable commercial customers to achieve performance maximization and cost minimization. Loop works with OEMs and major vehicle sub-system suppliers to enable the production of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. For more information about how Loop is driving towards a zero-emissions future, visit www.loopenergy.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and could cause actual results and events to vary materially from those that are disclosed, or implied, by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy and the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2021. Loop disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005445/en/

Contacts:

Loop Energy Media Contact: Ashley Eisner Tel: +1.212.697.2600 aeisner@gscommunications.com

Loop Energy Business Contact: George Rubin Tel: +1.604.828.8185 grubin@loopenergy.com

METTEM Business Contact: Yuri Yanovich Tel: +7.916.412.18.33 yv.yanovich@mettem-m.ru
Leading Breast Pump Brand Hosts Virtual Event to Advance Breastfeeding Research & Improve Health Outcomes

Baar, Switzerland, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medela, a leading breast pump brand and medical device manufacturer, today announced its 15th Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium focusing on advancing lactation science to improve care will take place on Tuesday, September 21 and Wednesday, September 22, 2021. For the first time, this event will be virtual, taking place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. CET / 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET each day.

In its 15th year, the Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium hosted by Medela will feature globally renowned experts in human milk and lactation to share their latest research findings and insights. This year, healthcare professionals in maternity and infant care around the world are encouraged to attend

to advance lactation science and understanding around protecting human milk and breastfeeding in a COVID-19 world,

progressing clinical standards of care for lactation, and

translating evidence to practice to improve outcomes.

"The criticality of breastfeeding became increasingly evident through the pandemic, making the research shared at this Symposium even more important," said Annette Bruls, CEO of Medela worldwide. "This unique event reflects our commitment to turning science into care and nurturing health for generations. We believe it's essential to unite today's leading experts with the passionate professionals in maternal and infant health to advance breastfeeding research and improve lactation care around the world."

Breastfeeding is essential for infant short- and long-term health, preventing acute infections and programming lower risk for chronic disease. Despite the wealth of information on the benefits for mother and infant, breastfeeding rates remain low worldwide, at just 41%.1

"Translational research is essential in the field of human lactation if we are to engage science to solve the issues that breastfeeding women and their babies face," explained Prof. Donna Geddes of The University of Western Australia. Amongst others, Professor Geddes will present her latest research review discussing using a biological systems approach to provide a holistic knowledge platform to achieve better health outcomes for the next generation at the Symposium.

The two-day virtual event includes talks and discussions from experts around the world presenting their latest research findings, including:

DR. ROSALINA BARROSO (PRT) | Increasing the dose of own mother's milk in the NICU: A quality improvement approach (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/dr-rosalina-barroso)

PROF. LARS BODE (USA) | Safety evaluation of human milk at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-lars-bode)

DR. DANI DUMITRIU (USA) | The impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/dr-dani-dumitriu)

PROF. CHRISTOPH FUSCH (DEU) | Optimization of nutrient intake in the NICU (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-christoph-fusch)

PROF. DONNA GEDDES (AUS) | A 25-year journey in human lactation from discovery to translation (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/donna-geddes)

HER EXCELLENCY TOYIN SARAKI (NGA) | The Sub-Saharan effect: COVID-19, maternal and neonatal health and the community-centered approaches to building back better (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/he-toyin-saraki)

PROF. PAULA MEIER (USA) | Initiation breast pump technology: Integrating clinical scholarship and basic science research; best practices for initiating lactation in the NICU (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-paula-meier)

DR. REBECCA POWELL (USA) | The protective effect of human milk against COVID-19 (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/dr-rebecca-powell)

KIMBERLY SEALS ALLERS (USA) | Understanding experiences of bias in hospital lactation support from African American and BIPOC women: Data from an 18-month study of the IRTH project (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/kimberly-seals)

PROF. DIANE SPATZ (USA) | A call to action: Ensuring coming to volume for all lactating parents (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-diane-spatz)

PROF. SHUPING HAN (CHN) | Continuous quality improvement practices on human milk feeding of very low birth weight (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-shuping-han)

PROF. HANS VAN GOUDOEVER (NLD) | Recommendations for clinical practices to preserve and promote breastfeeding, now and in the future (https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding-professionals/news-events/congress-2021/prof-hans-van-goudoever)

Registration2 for the two-day event costs 60 EURfunding, Medela has committed to supporting 60 Ronald McDonald House locations around the world with breastfeeding supplies by the end of 2022, in honor of the company's 60th anniversary. This donation will include a hospital-grade (multi-user) Symphony breast pump, kits, and breastfeeding accessories for use by families with breastfeeding needs to ensure parents staying at a Ronald McDonald House have one less thing to worry about.

Attendees will have access to live events and poster session on both days and direct interaction with industry experts and peers. All presentations will be available on demand through June 2022 and offered in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. For attendees in the USA and Canada, CE credits are available.

Learn more about the Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium at medela.com/symposium. Follow the conversation on social media using AdvancingBreastfeedingResearch.

About Medela

Through advancing research, observing natural behavior, and listening to our customers, Medela turns science into care while nurturing health for generations. Medela supports millions of moms, babies, patients, and healthcare professionals in more than 100 countries all over the world. As the healthcare choice for more than 6 million hospitals and homes across the globe, Medela provides leading research-based breast milk feeding and baby products, healthcare solutions for hospitals, and clinical education. Medela is dedicated to building better health outcomes, simplifying and improving life, and developing breakthroughs that help moms, babies and patients live their life to the fullest. For more information, visit www.medela.com.

1 La Leche League International: 2021 World Health Day: Improve global breastfeeding practices. 2021 World Health Day: Improve global breastfeeding practices | La Leche League International

2 The registration fee is not a donation and is not tax deductible

Attachments
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - BELGRAVIA HARTFORD CAPITAL INC. (CSE: BLGV) ("Belgravia Hartford", "Belgravia" or the "Company") announces the current unaudited Net Asset Value (NAV) of the Company is $0.30 per share.

The NAV includes $432,250, the amount of the promissory note which Zonetail failed to pay when it became due and is currently in default and owed by Zonetail to Belgravia (the "Zonetail Defaulted Loan"). The Zonetail Defaulted Loan continues to accrue interest payable to Belgravia at a rate of 18%.

The NAV excludes the $12.2 million USD owed to Belgravia under its water royalty in New Mexico by PolyNatura, a company owned by Cartesian Capital Group LLC, a private equity firm in New York City.

Going forward, NAV updates are to be announced on a quarterly basis.

About Belgravia Hartford

Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc. ("Belgravia" or the "Company") is a publicly traded investment holding company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Belgravia is focused on growing its assets and holdings and increasing its net asset value (NAV). Belgravia invests in a portfolio of private and public companies located in jurisdictions governed by the rule of law. It takes a multi-sector investment approach with emphasis in the resources and commodities sector. Belgravia and its investments are considered high risk holdings and it may expose shareholders to significant volatility and losses.

Belgravia owns a USD$12.2 million royalty interest from its formerly owned Ochoa asset in the state of New Mexico which the Company sold in 2017. The royalty includes the initial 75% of potential water revenue sales and a mining royalty whereby the Company is entitled to receive 1% of polyhalite production sales for any shortfall in payment of the total USD$12.2 million. Belgravia owns 100% of Belgravia Hartford Gold Assets Corp. (formerly Intercontinental Potash Corp.), a Canadian company involved in mining and metals resource exploration and development. Belgravia owns 100% of Belgravia Hartford Estates Corp. (formerly, Trigon Exploration Utah Inc.), a US-based company registered to do business in the States of Utah and Florida involved in real estate acquisitions and development.

For more information, please visit www.belgraviahartford.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 and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements that use forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding planned investment activities & related returns, the timing for completion of research and development activities, the potential value of royalties, and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, changes in market trends, the completion, results and timing of research undertaken by the Company, risks associated with resource assets, the impact of general economic conditions, commodity prices, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory, environmental, and governmental approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

For More Information, Please Contact:

Mehdi Azodi, President & CEO

Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc.

(250) 763-5533

mazodi@blgv.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95813
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Raindrop Ventures Inc. (CSE: RAYN) (FSE: RV0) ("Raindrop" or the "Company") announces the extension of the due diligence period under the July 12, 2021 letter of intent ("LOI") to acquire 100% interest of the Jessup gold-silver exploration project ("Jessup") in Churchill County, Nevada. The extension grants sixty (60) more days to complete due diligence. The Project has a historic measured and indicated resource containing 331,800 ounces gold equivalent at 0.606 grams per tonne ("gpt") at a 69:1 silver-gold ratio. The Company has paid US$50,000 to the Owner for the additional, exclusive due diligence period.

The Company also announces resumption of exploration at its 100% owned Clover Mountain project in southeastern Idaho.

Chief Executive Officer Alexander Kunz stated, "Raindrop is evaluating technical, legal, and strategic aspects of Jessup. This extension provides additional time to consider land acquisitions, continue technical evaluation, and complete development of an executable exploration strategy." Mr. Kunz also added, "The new trenching and rock chip sampling underway at our 100% owned Clover Mountain is follow-up work from our 2020 program to expand understanding of the extent of mineralization."

At Clover Mountain the Company is excavating up to 1175 metres ("m") of additional trenches to bedrock in areas where it is covered by relatively shallow overburden. Sampling consists of crews collecting continuous 1.5 m rock chip and channel samples targeting quartz bearing alteration zones in the trenches from exposed bedrock in outcrops and road cuts across mapped and unmapped structures.

About Jessup Gold-Silver Project

Jessup is located on BLM land approximately 63 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada and consists of 163 claims. The Jessup area hosts a volcanic caldera complex with low sulfidation, epithermal gold-silver deposits within widespread silicification controlled by faulting along the caldera margins. A blanket of pervasive oxidation exists throughout the project area. Zones of deep structural oxidation have been interpreted throughout the area as well. An updated oxide model has increased the confidence in the 2018 resource estimate as compared to previous historic mineral estimates for Jessup. Previous highlights include a 2018 Resource Development Associates pit-constrained, heap leach model measured and indicated resource of 17,041,500 tonnes containing 275,000 ounces ("oz") gold ("Au") at 0.501 gpt and 3,934,000 oz silver ("Ag") at 7.2 gpt. The inferred resource is 1,709,100 tonnes with 25,000 oz Au at 0.455 gpt and 195,000 oz Ag at 3.5 gpt. Drilling by previous operators include 349 drill holes with numerous high-grade intercepts exceeding 5 gpt Au. In addition, as determined from test work conducted by a previous operator, 91% of the resource is oxide with heap leach recoveries for gold between 75% to 89% and for silver between 14% to 40%.

As noted previously, the Company is not treating the Jessup resource estimates as current and has not completed sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources. While the Company is not treating these historical estimates as current, it does believe them to be indicative and the information may be of assistance to readers.

About Clover Mountain

Clover Mountain is located on BLM land 60 miles southeast of Boise, Idaho and consists of 43 unpatented claims totaling 350 hectares. The Company believes Clover Mtn lies within the "Jarbidge Trend" which includes projects such as Integra Resources' Delamar, Florida Mountain and War Eagle gold-silver properties in Idaho and the Jerritt Canyon Gold, LLC's gold mine in Nevada, where over 8 million ounces of gold were produced since 1981. Clover Mtn has previously returned highlight rock chip samples of 1.99 g/t gold, 19.95 g/t silver, 1.25% copper and 1.54% zinc and soils gold values ranging from 0.02 g/t to 0.78 g/t and silver values ranging from 0.02 g/t to 1.19 g/t.

QA/QC Protocols and Sampling Procedures

Quality control of the sampling program will include the insertion of reference standards and blanks as well as reject duplicate analysis to monitor the integrity of all assay results. All samples will be transported to its laboratory in Elko, Nevada. Samples will then be dried, crushed, split and pulp samples then prepared for analysis. Gold is determined by fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish, and silver plus 34 other elements by multi-acid digestion and ICP finish, over-limits by fire assay and gravimetric finish

Glen Peter Parsley, P. Geo. is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release.

About Raindrop Ventures Inc.

Raindrop is led by a noted leader in mining and mineral exploration and was founded to acquire and explore mineral properties during the current resource commodity cycle. Raindrop has an option to acquire 100% of the Jessup gold-silver project in Nevada and is exploring its grassroots Clover Mountain gold property in Idaho and recently acquired six early-stage gold exploration projects in Nevada from Liberty Gold. The Company has a Boise, Idaho-based technical team that is well positioned to conduct exploration in Idaho and Nevada.

Raindrop has a well-planned capital structure with 40,542,938 shares issued and outstanding and a significant team and insider ownership. For more information, please visit www.raindropventures.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Alexander Kunz

President and Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alexander Kunz

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Raindrop Ventures Inc.

1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, BC, V6E 2Y3

Telephone: (604) 428-6128

Facsimile: (604) 428-6430

email: alex@dkunzassoc.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 release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on the assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. 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. Raindrop disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95817
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - The Mint Corporation (TSXV: MIT) ("Mint" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated May 6, 2021, it has entered into a debt settlement agreement with Mobile Telecommunications Group LLC ("MTG"), Global Business Services for Multimedia ("GBS" and together with MTG, the "Creditors"), Mint Middle East LLC ("MME"), and Mint Gateway for Electronic Payment Services ("MGEPS"), dated August 31, 2021 (the "Debt Settlement Agreement").

Terms of Debt Settlement

Pursuant to the Debt Settlement Agreement, the Company will settle the following debts which are currently outstanding (the "Debt Settlement"):

Approximately C$20,000,000 in aggregate principal of outstanding series A debentures (plus all accrued and unpaid interest) held by the Creditors;

Aggregate debt of approximately C$7,000,000 in principal (plus all accrued and unpaid interest) comprised of:

Convertible subordinate secured debentures and an unsecured promissory note; and Certain loans payable to the Creditors.

In total, the Company anticipates that it will settle an aggregate of approximately C$30,000,000 of debt burden upon closing of the Debt Settlement through a one-time cash payment or through a payment in kind of certain assets received from MME or MGEPS, or a combination of the foregoing, in the amount of US$10,000,000 to the Creditors pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Debt Settlement Agreement.

In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Debt Settlement Agreement, and in consideration for the Debt Settlement, MME and MGEPS will settle the following debts owing to the Company and Creditors:

Approximately C$42,000,000 owing to the Company (such amount has been written-off in the financial statements of the Company) that was previously provided to MME and MGEPS in the form of non-interest bearing inter-company transfers since its initial acquisition by the Company to be settled by a payment of US$11,000,000 to the Company and

Approximately C$6,500,000 of principal and any accrued interest therein owing to MTG by MGEPS will be cancelled.

As a result, MME and MGEPS will make a one-time cash payment of US$11,000,000 to the Company, and the balance of these funds that are not used in connection with the Debt Settlement, will be used for working capital purposes of the Company.

The completion of the Debt settlement is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions of the Debt Settlement Agreement, including but not limited to, approval of the Debt Settlement by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), the Debt Settlement receiving Minority Shareholder Approval (as defined below), and any other regulatory and third party approvals as may be required in the United Arab Emirates. The anticipated closing date of the Debt Settlement on or before December 31, 2021, or such other date as agreed to by the parties. There is no assurance that the Debt Settlement will be completed.

Vishy Karamadam, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented on the Debt Settlement Agreement: "Executing the Debt Settlement Agreement on attractive terms for the Company's minority shareholders is a win and significant milestone for the Company. I urge the shareholders to approve the Debt Settlement in the upcoming shareholders meeting. Fintech companies are well received in the public markets, and an equity funded balance sheet significantly helps such companies achieve its goals. Unfortunately, the Company has historically been funded with debt that held the Company back from realizing its full potential, and this is an opportunity to clean up the balance sheet and position the Company to execute on its business plan."

MI 61-101 Special Transaction

MTG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GBS, which is a "control person" of the Company. Accordingly the Debt Settlement is a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company will rely on the exemption from the valuation requirement pursuant to subsection 5.5(g) of MI 61-101 (financial hardship). The Company's decision to rely on the financial hardship exemption was made upon the recommendation of the independent directors of the Company, all of who are unrelated to the parties involved in the Debt Settlement, with respect to the merits of the Debt Settlement and the resulting approval of the entering into of the Debt Settlement Agreement by the board of directors of the Company. Pursuant to MI 61-101, the Company will seek approval of the majority of minority shareholders ("Minority Shareholder Approval") of the Company with respect to the Debt Settlement at its upcoming annual general and special meeting of shareholders to be held on September 30, 2021 (the "Meeting").

A copy of the form of Debt Settlement Agreement was attached to the management information circular of the Company dated August 31, 2021 with respect to the Meeting, and will be available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

ABOUT MINT

The Mint Corporation through its majority-owned subsidiaries (the "Mint Group"), is a globally certified payments company headquartered in Toronto, Canada with its primary business in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Mint Group provides employers, employees and merchants with best-in-class financial services supported via payroll cards and the feature rich and linked Mint mobile application. Through its mobile enabled payments platform certified globally by MasterCard and UnionPay, Mint brings modern financial conveniences, at reasonable cost, to employers, merchants and consumers.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events or future performance and, in certain cases, can be identified by the use of words such as "estimated" "intends", "plans", "expects", "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases as statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", will", "might", "shall", "would" occur, or the negative forms of any of these words and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include the completion of the Debt Settlement pursuant to the terms of the Debt Settlement Agreement, the receipt of a cash payment in the amount of US$11,000,000, the approval of the TSXV, receipt of Minority Shareholder Approval, the fulfillment of the conditions of the Debt Settlement Agreement, the use of the remaining funds for working capital purposes, the reception of financial technology companies by the market, the anticipated execution of the Company's business plan once the Debt Settlement is completed, and the anticipated closing date of the Debt Settlement.

All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this news release. 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. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: failure of the parties to fulfill the conditions of the Debt Settlement Agreement, business or economic risks which may cause additional financial difficulties for the parties of the Debt Settlement Agreement, the inability for the Company to receive the necessary shareholder, regulatory, or third-party approvals, and general market risks and fluctuations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Mint believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, Mint cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in Mint's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Mint disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

The Mint Corporation

Vishy Karamadam, Chief Executive Officer

647-352-0666

www.themintcorp.com

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95829
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Pasofino Gold Limited (TSXV: VEIN) (OTCQB: EFRGF) (FSE: N07A) ("Pasofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received results from a further 12 holes drilled at the Tuzon deposit on the Dugbe Gold Project, in which the Company has an option to earn a 49% economic interest (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest).

Highlights

11 of the 12 holes contain gold mineralised intervals. Results for all 12 holes are provided in table 1.

10 intersections at +2 g/t gold, which is encouraging for the update to the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) that is expected in early October, 2021.

Three holes have 100 to 200 gram-metres of gold within multiple stacked intervals, starting at or near surface.

Based on the new results, opportunities for further expansion are apparent.

Intersections include the below:

TDC176_GT has 3 mineralised intervals including:

30.1m @ 1.94 g/t from 53.4 m downhole, within which is 4.5 m grading 3.56g/t Au.

TDC177 has 3 intervals:

32.0m @ 0.58 g/t from surface.

77.0m @ 0.95 g/t from 174m downhole, within which is 27.8 m @ 2.33 g/t.

71.0m @ 1.50 g/t from 318 m downhole, within which is 18.1 m @ 2.31 g/t.

TDC190 has 5 mineralised intervals including:

12.5m @ 1.19 g/t from 99.0m downhole.

15.5m @ 0.70 g/t from 149.5 m downhole.

54.5m @ 1.38 g/t from 194.5m downhole.

TDC182 at the northern limit of the deposit intersected very shallow mineralisation:

41.9m @ 1.08 g/t from 4.0m downhole, within which is 7.0 m @ 2.42 g/t Au.

Trenching on the 6 km gold-in-soil trend extending southwest on strike from Tuzon is nearing completion. The first batch of 350 samples is at the lab. The trenches are adding to the initial 3 on this trend reported in May[1] which included 36 m @ 0.6 g/t.

Ian Stalker, CEO, commented;

"These intersections continue to demonstrate the scale of the Tuzon deposit and the common occurrence of 100 to 200 gram-metre holes, and that it remains open for further expansion. We look forward to completing the updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Tuzon and the nearby Dugbe F deposit within the coming weeks."

Table 1. All intersections (not highlights) in numerical order, for the latest 12 drillholes at Tuzon. Those shown in grey-italic font for TDC031, TDC081 and TDC086 are for the upper part of the hole drilled between 2011 and 2014, recently extended by up to 250 m. Those ending _GT are holes that were drilled partially for geotechnical purposes.

Note: Some intersections may not reflect the true thickness of the mineralized layer.

BHID From (m) To (m) Intersection g/t Au TDC031 125.0 139.0 14.0m @ 1.30 g/t 179.0 213.0 34.0 @ 1.22 g/t 416.0 425.0 9.0m @1.23 g/t TDC081 0.0 18.8 18.8m @ 1.78 g/t 358.5 363.0 4.5m @ 0.58 g/t TDC086 52 56 4.0m @ 2.18 g/t 72 141.6 69.6m @ 1.30 g/t including 9.0 m grading 3.6 g/t Au from 128.0 m downhole 196.9 206.2 9.3m @ 1.42 g/t 368.30 419.50 51.2m @ 1.08 g/t including 3.0 m grading 3.00 g/t Au from 388.5 m downhole TDC176_GT 53.4 83.5 30.1m @ 1.94 g/t including 4.5 m grading 3.56g/t Au from 61.0 m downhole 133.0 156.6 23.6m @ 1.01 g/t 256.0 260.0 4.0m @ 1.67 g/t TDC177 0.0 32.0 32.0m @ 0.58 g/t 174.0 251.0 77.0m @ 0.95 g/t including 27.8 m grading 2.33 g/t Au from 206.7 m downhole 318.0 389.0 71.0m @ 1.50 g/t including 18.1 m grading 2.31 g/t Au from 322.5 m downhole TDC178_GT 21.1 24.0 2.9m @ 1.32 g/t 33.1 36.8 3.7m @ 1.02 g/t 106.6 121.5 14.9m @ 1.53 g/t 197.2 204.3 7.1m @ 2.20 g/t TDC182 4.0 45.9 41.9m @ 1.08 g/t including 7.0 m grading 2.42 g/t Au from 5.0 m downhole TDC183_GT 15.5 34.6 19.1m @ 1.64 g/t including 6.1 m grading 4.88 g/t Au from 21.0 m downhole 63.7 86.7 23.0m @ 1.49 g/t including 2.5 m grading 4.76 g/t Au from 65.2 m downhole 97.1 116.6 19.5m @ 0.97 g/t 259.6 294.2 34.6m @ 1.12 g/t TDC185 3.4 21.5 18.2m @ 1.0 g/t TDC188_GT No significant intersection TDC189 272.5 280.0 7.5m @ 1.93 g/t 2.4 15.0 12.6m @ 1.10 g/t including 1.5 m grading 5.68 g/t Au from 3.5 m downhole TDC190 99.0 111.5 12.5m @ 1.19 g/t 149.5 165.0 15.5m @ 0.70 g/t 179.7 182.5 2.8m @ 1.92 g/t 194.5 249.0 54.5m @ 1.38 g/t 258.0 275.1 17.1m @ 0.75 g/t

Results may support gains to the current 2 Moz (Indicated) MRE at Tuzon.

TDC177 is close to the southwest extent of the thick lower limb of mineralisation, also referred to as 'zone B' and so the intersection in this hole for this zone (71.0m @ 1.50 g/t Au) confirms the extension of this quality zone. TDC086 is a further 80 m south of TDC177 and was a 2013 hole deepened by 177 m. The new part of the hole intersected 51.2m @ 1.08 g/t from 368.3m downhole confirming the extension of the thick hinge of zone B mineralisation southwards, leaving it open for further expansion. TDC190 is an 'infill hole' but with intersections that are better than the thickness and grades of the previous block model at this position.

The results from these 12 holes, and the other recently reported infill and step-out holes may support gains to the Tuzon MRE based on the 'stacked' and thick intersections including broad zones of >2 g/t Au. Work on the updated MRE for Tuzon by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited commenced and is expected to be reported early October, along with the updated MRE for the nearby Dugbe F deposit.

Opportunities for further expansion of the deposit are apparent: an obvious drill target evident on the southeast 'limb' of the fold south of line 1120N is a continuation of the zone intersected in recently reported[2] TDC186 (17.3 m @ 2.70 g/t), as labelled in figure 1. And the thick hinge zone as intersected by TDC177 (71.0m @ 1.50 g/t from 318m downhole) and TDC086 needs further drilling to follow it southward along strike (figure 2).

Trenching program to test gold in soil trend on strike of Tuzon

The trenching program is nearing completion, 5 of 7 trenches are complete and the first batch of samples is at the laboratory. Trenches are on the 'Tuzon South' and 'Dugbe Shear Zone' targets to follow-up on encouraging 'first-pass' trench results reported in May 2021. These targets are on a 6 km long trend defined by soil anomalism extending southwest on strike from Tuzon. Drilling is planned for Q3/Q4 to test the best trench results.

Figure 1. Cross-section on line 1120 N at Tuzon, showing the TDC177 intersection and further opportunities

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Figure 2. Long section through the Tuzon deposit showing intersections with >20 gram-metres gold.

*announcement dated 18 May 2021

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The Tuzon Deposit and Recent Drilling

The deposit footprint is 1.7 km long with an average width of 250 to 300 m, in plan view. Parts of the mineralised layer outcrop for the full length of the deposit. The depth to the base of the mineralised zone ranges from just below surface to over 400 m in the south reflecting the steady plunge of the controlling fold structure. As at the nearby Dugbe F deposit, the host-rock is orthopyroxene gneiss with increased sulphide content (visible pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and pyrite). At Tuzon the layer has been repeatedly folded and is interpreted to be a large synform which plunges to the southwest at approximately 20 degrees. The mineralised layer is thickened on certain parts of the fold limbs and around the recumbent lower-most fold hinge. The northern limb is referred to as 'zone A' and the southern limb of the fold and the hinge of the synform are referred to as 'zone B'. Zone B is higher grade than zone A with an average of 1.7 g/t gold.

A total of approximately 35,500 m of core drilling was completed by Hummingbird Resources between 2011 and 2014 in support of the current MRE which has an Indicated MRE of 41.9 Mt with an average grade of 1.51 g/t Au and contained gold of 2.03 M ounces. The current Inferred MRE is 10.4 Mt with an average grade of 1.31 g/t Au and contained gold of 0.44 M ounces.

Pasofino added 23 drill-holes at Tuzon between April and July 2021, totaling 6,675 metres of drilling. Of these, six holes were partially for geotechnical purposes and 17 were pure resource drill-holes. Five of the exploration holes involved the deepening of previous (2014 and earlier) drillholes (TDC031, TDC040, TDC078, TDC081, TDC086). The holes were drilled to:

Expand the proximal lateral and strike extent of the mineralisation which they have achieved.

Provide 'infill' intersections to support the mineralisation model.

Identify further upside, which they have.

Provide data and samples for geotechnical inputs into the DFS pit-design.

Drilling procedure and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC)

The new holes were positioned using a professional surveying instrument, the Trimble R12i Rover unit. Downhole orientation surveys were completed for all holes and core was oriented to assist with interpretation. All drilling and logging was completed in adherence to industry standard operating procedures. Core recovery is over 95% for all mineralized intersections. Core was drilled HQ (65 mm diameter) through the overburden typically 2-10 m depth, then NQ (47 mm diameter) size. Samples were all half core, analyzed by ALS Kumasi in Ghana, a facility compliant to ISO 17025:2005 for the analytical methods used for the samples. Samples range from 1 kg to over 5 kg depending on the length of each sample. Within every 20 core samples submitted a certified standard and blank was inserted. The results of these samples show acceptable levels of variance. Duplicate (other half of the core) samples were inserted 1 in every 20 core samples to check on precision. Sample weights on dispatch and received sample weights were examined to monitor for sample swaps. All samples were stored and transported to the laboratory securely and accompanied by a company representative until arrival at the laboratory. Similar QAQC measures were undertaken for the previous drillholes reported herein; those samples were analyzed by ALS in Loughrea, Ireland which is an ISO 17025:2005 compliant facility for the analytical methods used for the samples. All samples were analyzed by fire assay with atomic absorption finish on a sample with 50g nominal weight.

Figure 3. Map locating the cross-section in figure 1 and drill-holes.



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Table 2. Collar positions of the new drillholes reported herein. Coordinates are in UTM zone 29N, WGS84 datum.

Hole_ID East North Elevation Azimuth Inclination TDC031 555228.9 562665.3 117.7 295 -60 TDC081 555171.0 562944.0 118.1 295 -60 TDC176_GT 555171.9 562943.9 118.1 115 -70 TDC177 555134.3 562862.7 108.0 295 -70 TDC178_GT 555247.1 563063.0 108.9 70 -70 TDC182 555412.7 563584.8 105.8 115 -60 TDC183_GT 554864.7 562508.7 117.2 310 -85 TDC185 555425.2 563614.5 96.0 115 60 TDC188_GT 555026.0 562494.7 110.1 140 -80 TDC189 555105.9 562430.7 105.3 295 -60 TDC190 555327.4 563139.3 108.3 295 -60

Qualified Persons Statement

Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to exploration results was prepared and approved by Mr. Andrew Pedley. Mr. Pedley is a full-time consultant of Pasofino Gold Ltd.'s wholly-owned subsidiary ARX Resources Limited. He is a member in good standing with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) and is as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

About the Dugbe Gold Project

The 2,559 km2 Dugbe Project is located in southern Liberia and situated within the south westmost part of the Birimian Supergroup, which is host to the majority of West African gold deposits. To date, two gold deposits have been identified on the Project; Dugbe F and Tuzon. The deposits are located within 4 km of the Dugbe Shear Zone which is thought to have played a role in large scale gold mineralization in the area. A large amount of exploration in the area was conducted by Hummingbird, including 74,497 m of diamond coring. 70,700 m of this was at the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits, discovered by Hummingbird in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Both deposits outcrop at surface and may be amenable to open-cut mining. In addition, there are a number of prospects within the Project, including 'Sackor' where gold mineralization has been intersected in drill-holes and where additional drilling is planned. No other prospects have been drill-tested to date. At some prospects extensive trenching identified anomalous levels of gold that require drill-testing. An aggressive exploration program to test the prospects is planned by the Company. In 2019, Hummingbird signed a 25-year Mineral Development Agreement ("MDA") with the Government of Liberia providing the necessary long-term framework and stabilization of taxes and duties. Under the terms of the MDA, the royalty rate on gold production is 3%, the income tax rate payable is 25% (with credit given for historic exploration expenditures), the fuel duty is reduced by 50%, and the Government of Liberia is granted a free carried interest of 10% in the Project. Over $70 million has been spent by Hummingbird on the Project.

Table 3. Mineral Resource Estimate for the Dugbe Gold Project using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade

Category Tonnes (million) Au Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (000 ounces) Tuzon Deposit Indicated 41.9 1.51 2,032 Inferred 10.4 1.31 439 Dugbe F Deposit Indicated 5.8 1.46 273 Inferred 16.3 1.57 823 Totals TOTAL INDICATED 47.7 1.51 2,304 TOTAL INFERRED 26.7 1.47 1,262

Rounding errors may be evident when combining totals in the table but are immaterial. The effective date of the Mineral Resource Estimate is August 19, 2020 as reported in "Dugbe Gold Project, Liberia NI 43-101 Technical Report, Effective Date 19 August 2020," a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited. The Qualified Person is Mr. Martin Pittuck (CEng, MIMMM). The Mineral Resource has been classified under the guidelines of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council (2014), and procedures for classifying the reported Mineral Resources were undertaken within the context of the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). The estimates are stated using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have no demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. Mineral Resource estimates are stated within conceptual pit shells that have been used to define Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE). The pit shells used the following main parameters: (i) Au price of US$1700/ounce; (ii) plant recovery of 90%; and (iii) mean specific gravity of 2.78 t/m3for fresh rock and 1.56 t/m3for oxide material for Tuzon, and for Dugbe F a mean specific gravity of 2.73t/m3.

Figure 4. Dugbe Gold Project Mineral Development Area.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About Pasofino Gold Ltd.

Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (VEIN). Pasofino, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, has an option to earn a 49% economic interest (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest) in the Dugbe Gold Project.

For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact:

Ian Stalker, President & CEO

T: 604 367 8110

E: istalker@pasofinogold.com

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "aim", "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully file and obtain approval for the Qualifying Prospectus, the ability to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals in respect of the Qualifying Prospectus, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

[1] Announcement dated 18 May 2021

[2] Announcement dated 18 August 2021

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95847
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Blue Moon Metals Inc.(TSXV:MOON; OTCQB:BMOOF) (the " Company ") is pleased to announce the commencement of its drilling program to explore and expand the Blue Moon polymetallic volcanic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit. The initial program consists of 3-4 step-out holes totalling up to 2,400 metres. The holes will test a number of high-impact targets shown on the below long section.

Patrick McGrath, Chief Executive officer, stated, "We are excited to announce the resumption of drilling for resource expansion as well as high impact exploration targets in search of new VMS lenses. Since the successful program in early 2020, we have spent considerable resources reviewing the historical data and identified multiple exploration and development drilling opportunities as outlined below, all of which could dramatically change the upside potential size of the Blue Moon deposit. This is an exploration program our Company has been anxiously awaiting. It is well known that VMS deposits are found in clusters or pods and the potential to find additional massive sulphide lenses is very promising. Blue Moon has a 43-101 Inferred Mineral Resource dated November 14, 2018 consisting of 10 million ounces silver, 771 million pounds of zinc, 71 million pounds of copper, and 300,000 ounces of gold."

A comprehensive review of the historical and recent drill data identified several priority drill targets with potential for both new lenses and/or expansion of current lenses, including:

The West and Main zones remain open down plunge;

An off hole electromagnetic (EM) conductor to the south of the deposit lies above a long interval of stringer mineralization cut in hole B70 that is interpreted to be a feeder zone to a nearby massive sulphide lens. The EM target remains untested and may be caused by the massive sulphide lens suggested by the stringer mineralization in hole B70;

The area between the American Eagle workings and hole AE1 remains untested with potential to add near surface mineralization; and

The down plunge extension of the American Eagle mineralization also remains largely untested.

Blue Moon Long Section

About Blue Moon Metals

Blue Moon Metals (TSX.V: MOON; OTCQB: BMOOF) is currently advancing its Blue Moon polymetallic deposit which contains zinc, gold, silver and copper. The property is well located with existing local infrastructures including paved highways three miles from site; a hydroelectric power generation facility a few miles from site, three-hour drive to the Oakland port and a four-hour drive to service centre of Reno. The deposit is open at depth and along strike. The Blue Moon 43-101 Mineral Resource includes 7.8 million inferred tons at 8.07% zinc equivalent (4.95% zinc, 0.04 oz/t gold, 0.46% copper, 1.33 oz/t silver), containing 771 million pounds of zinc, 300,000 ounces of gold, 71 million pounds of copper, and 10 million ounces of silver. The 43-101 Mineral Resource report dated November 14, 2018 was authored by Gary Giroux, P. Eng., and Lawrence O'Connor, a QP, and entitled "Resource Estimate for the Blue Moon Massive Sulphide Occurrence". The 43-101 and related press release with details on the resource are available on the company's website and were filed on www.sedar.com on November 20, 2018. The Company also holds 100% of the Yava polymetallic project in Nunavut that is in the same volcanic lithologies and south of Glencore's Hackett River deposit. More information is available on the company's website ( www.bluemoonmetals.com ).

Qualified Persons

John McClintock, P. Eng, a Director of the Company, is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this press release.

For more information please contact:

Patrick McGrath, CEO

+1-832-499-6009

pmcgrath@bluemoonmining.com

Investor Contact:

Kevin Shum

Investor Relations

+1-647-725-3888 ext702

kevin@jeminicapital.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.

Resource estimates included in this news release are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions set forth in the relevant technical report and otherwise, 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 for commodities, the results of future exploration, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and titles, changes in government policies regarding mining, continued availability of capital and financing, drilling results 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. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Blue Moon Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663152/Blue-Moon-Metals-Announces-Commencement-of-Drilling-and-Exploration-Targets
Supply and Licensing Agreement with Livalta Valued at over $5 Million

MARKHAM, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Pond Technologies Holdings Inc. ("Pond") (TSX.V:POND); (OTCQB:PNDHF); (FSE:4O0), an ESG company addressing global sustainability challenges of protein shortages and climate change, announces it has been engaged by Livalta, an AB Agri company, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods (LSE:ABF) for the joint commercialization of algae-based animal feed ingredients.

In an agreement dated September 7, 2021, Livalta and Pond have agreed to an exclusive global partnership to grow algae-based animal feed from CO2 emissions

The engagement consists of two parts: a supply agreement, where AB Agri will purchase an algae demonstration system from Pond to be installed in the UK for the sum of approximately CAD$2.9 million and a license agreement, where Pond will receive up to CAD$2.6 million in technology access fees and an ongoing royalty based on the production from commercial algae plants deployed in the future

The demonstration system will be used to grow algae strains for animal feed trials and the development of commercial animal feeds which will be sold by AB Agri.

Livalta's pilot plant currently anticipated to open at British Sugar's Wissington site in Norfolk in 2022

A pioneering global partnership between responsible protein specialists Livalta and Pond will produce commercial algae-based animal feed ingredients from CO2 emissions. Effectively, the technology is designed to take CO2 emissions out of the air to produce high value protein.

The first product will be spirulina, combining 60% protein with essential vitamins and minerals. Spirulina is known for its nutritional and functional value both in food and animal feed.

Spirulina (and other algae) are gaining increasing attention as a potentially game-changing animal feed ingredient. Until now, the technology to produce algae, at the scale, quality and cost required to be an affordable ingredient for animal feed, has remained elusive. This exclusive partnership, which brings together Pond's ground-breaking technology with Livalta's expertise in new proteins for animal feeds, is set to change that.

Plans are now in place to open Livalta's first pilot plant to be followed by a commercial size plant producing spirulina from CO2 emissions at British Sugar's Wissington site in Norfolk in 2022.

AB Agri Chief Executive Jose Nobre, said: "As AB Agri we are committed to pioneering new and bold technologies to provide safe, high-quality nutrition, whilst minimising our environmental footprint. That is why we created Livalta as a specialist division to address the global protein challenge."

Managing Director of Livalta, Valerie Schuster, said: "We believe that science and technology are key to turning the protein challenge into an opportunity. We are very excited about this partnership with Pond and the potential that lies in their technology to produce algae using CO2 emissions. We look forward to working together to make positive change happen."

President & CEO at Pond, Grant Smith, said: "This landmark commercial partnership with AB Agri gives Pond global access to the animal feed market which Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence estimated was US $345 Billion in 2020 growing to US $460 Billion by 2026. The further validation of our model provides us with significant momentum in expanding our sales funnel. We will be working with our regional development partner, Remedi!ate UK, to build the commercial pilot in the new year. Together with AB Agri and their new responsible proteins division, Livalta, we are working to develop algae as a cost-effective responsible feed ingredient, transforming climate change emissions into commercial animal feed ingredients. AB Agri and Pond joining forces to tackle producing affordable, high quality and responsible food is a major step forward and this commercialization project will foster excellence in the way our industry produces food for people and animals. AB Agri is a perfect partner, having a strong history of bringing new animal feed ingredients to market and the vision to see responsible proteins as a key growth driver in the years to come."

About Livalta

Livalta, an AB Agri company, develops new, responsible proteins for feed and food using the latest science and technology. It seeks to contribute to making food systems more responsible, meeting the needs of people and the planet. It produces local, traceable proteins from e.g. co-products, algae or single cells and transforms them into high value feed and food ingredients.

About AB Agri

AB Agri is the agricultural division of Associated British Foods and manufactures animal feed, nutrition, and technology-based products and offers data services for the agri-food industry. It operates all along the food industry supply chain. It produces and supplies compound animal feed, feed enzymes, specialised feed ingredients and a range of value-added services to farmers, feed and food manufacturers, processors and retailers.

Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with sales of 13.9bn and 133,000 employees in 53 countries. It has significant businesses in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia. Its aim is to achieve strong, sustainable leadership positions in markets that offer potential for long-term profitable growth. It looks to achieve this through a combination of growth of existing businesses, acquisition of complementary new businesses and achievement of high levels of operating efficiency.

About Pond Technology

Located in Markham, Ontario, Pond Technology is a technology leader in controlled environment cultivation of micro-algae. In over ten years of R&D, Pond has developed a robust disruptive technology platform based on artificial intelligence, proprietary LED-lights and patented CO2-Management. The use of concentrated CO2 from industrial waste streams enables Pond to boost productivity of micro-algae well beyond the capacity of outdoor algae growers and allows industrial emitters to abate and ultimately recycle CO2.

Pond is currently selling micro-algae derived antioxidant astaxanthin under its Regenurex brand. As micro-algae are becoming increasingly important in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, nutraceuticals, human nutrition, aqua farming, bioplastics and biofuels, Pond has begun to license its technology to third parties for ongoing license fees and royalties. Pond recently added a Biotech division focused on the growth of unique strains of micro-algae to be used as a reproductive medium for the expression of human anti-bodies and proteins.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding Pond's relationship with Livalta, installation of the algae demonstration system and construction and timing of the pilot plant in Norfolk, Pond's anticipated receipt of the purchase price, technology access fees and royalty, and anticipated strains of algae produced. Such forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Pond, including, among others, assumptions regarding successful operation of the algae demonstration system, sale of algae produced on favourable terms, construction of the pilot plant on time and within budget, compliance by Livalta of its contractual obligations with Pond, the continued legislative (including tax) regime in which Pond operates, availability of cost-effective labour and supplies, the proper functioning of Pond's technology, the quality of the algae produced, the demand for Pond's technology, the ability of Pond to successfully compete, cash flow and expenses, and obtaining and maintaining intellectual property protection. Although Pond believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed thereon and Pond can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. By its nature, such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause the actual results and expectations to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed, including the risks set forth in Pond's management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for its year ended December 30, 2020 and for the period ended June 30, 2021, available on Pond's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date hereof, and to not use such forward-looking information for anything other than its intended purpose. Pond does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Grant Smith, Chief Executive Officer, at g.smith@pondtech.com, 416-287-3835 ext. 201; or Cole Stevens at c.stevens@pondtech.com.

SOURCE: Pond Technologies Holdings Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663161/Pond-Technologies-and-Livalta-an-AB-Agri-Company-Agree-to-Create-Worlds-First-Scalable-Algae-Plant-utilizing-Carbon-Emissions-for-the-Production-of-Protein-used-in-Animal-Feed
Blue Earth Diagnostics, a Bracco company and recognized leader in the development and commercialization of innovative PET radiopharmaceuticals, today announced presentations on Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) at the upcoming 2021 AUA Annual Meeting (AUA2021), to be held in a virtual format from September 10 to 13, 2021. Details of selected moderated poster presentations are listed below.

NOTE: Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection is FDA-approved for PET imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment.

Highlighted Axumin (Fluciclovine F 18) Scientific Presentations

Friday, September 10, 2021 Presentation: Real-World Evidence of 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Utilization for Recurrent Prostate Cancer in the Veteran Affairs Health System Abstract Number: MP11-15 Presenter: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc, Medical College of Georgia Augusta University, Augusta, Ga. Session Title Times: MP11: Prostate Cancer: Staging 1:00 2:15 PM PT Location: Bellini 2004 Sunday, September 12, 2021 Presentation: High-Resolution, 18F-Fluciclovine PET-MRI for Mapping Prostate Cancer Prior to Focal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Abstract Number: MP46-20 Presenter: Timothy J. Daskivich, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, New York, N.Y. Session Title Times: MP46: Prostate Cancer: Localized Ablative Therapy 1:00 2:15 PM PT Location: Bellini 2004

Blue Earth Diagnostics invites participants at AUA2021 to attend the presentations above and to learn more about the Company in the AUA2021 Virtual Science Technology Hall. For full session details and scientific presentation listings, please see the AUA online program here.

Indication and Important Safety Information About Axumin

INDICATION

Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection is indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Image interpretation errors can occur with Axumin PET imaging. A negative image does not rule out recurrent prostate cancer and a positive image does not confirm its presence. The performance of Axumin seems to be affected by PSA levels. Axumin uptake may occur with other cancers and benign prostatic hypertrophy in primary prostate cancer. Clinical correlation, which may include histopathological evaluation, is recommended.

Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur in patients who receive Axumin. Emergency resuscitation equipment and personnel should be immediately available.

Axumin use contributes to a patient's overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure, which is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Safe handling practices should be used to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and health care providers.

Adverse reactions were reported in 1% of subjects during clinical studies with Axumin. The most common adverse reactions were injection site pain, injection site erythema and dysgeusia.

To report suspected adverse reactions to Axumin, call 1-855-AXUMIN1 (1-855-298-6461) or contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Full Axumin prescribing information is available at https://www.axumin.com/prescribing-information.pdf

About Blue Earth Diagnostics

Blue Earth Diagnostics, an indirect subsidiary of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., is a growing international molecular imaging company focused on delivering innovative, well-differentiated diagnostic solutions that inform patient care. Formed in 2014, the Company's success is driven by its management expertise and supported by a demonstrated track record of rapid development and commercialization of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals. Blue Earth Diagnostics' expanding oncology portfolio encompasses a variety of disease states, including prostate cancer and neuro-oncology. Blue Earth Diagnostics is committed to the timely development and commercialization of precision radiopharmaceuticals for potential use in imaging and therapy. For more information, please visit: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com.

About Bracco Imaging

Bracco Imaging S.p.A., part of the Bracco Group, is a world-leading diagnostic imaging provider. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Bracco Imaging develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic imaging agents and solutions. It offers a product and solution portfolio for all key diagnostic imaging modalities: X-ray imaging (including Computed Tomography-CT, Interventional Radiology, and Cardiac Catheterization), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), and Nuclear Medicine through radioactive tracers and novel PET imaging agents to inform clinical management and guide care for cancer patients in areas of unmet medical need. Our continually evolving portfolio is completed by a range of medical devices, advanced administration systems and dose-management software. In 2019 Bracco Imaging also enriched its product portfolio by expanding the range of oncology nuclear imaging solutions in the urology segment and other specialties with the acquisition of Blue Earth Diagnostics. Visit: www.braccoimaging.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005160/en/

Contacts:

For Blue Earth Diagnostics (U.S.)

Priscilla Harlan

Vice President, Corporate Communications

(M) (781) 799-7917

priscilla.harlan@blueearthdx.com

For Blue Earth Diagnostics (UK)

Georgina Mowatt

Communications Manager

Tel: +44 (0) 7810 355 912

georgina.mowatt@blueearthdx.com

Media

Sam Brown Inc.

Mike Beyer

(M) (312) 961-2502

mikebeyer@sambrown.com
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Sixth Wave Innovations Inc. (CSE: SIXW) (OTCQB: SIXWF) (FSE: AHUH) (the "Company" or "Sixth Wave") is pleased to report results that demonstrate the extraction of gold at high capacity with lower reagent costs. These results were achieved during the successful completion of Phase 1 of the "Green Alternatives for Gold Leaching and Recovery" initiative (the "Green Initative") undertaken with the Centre Technologique des Residus Industriels ("CTRI") and Australian company Mining and Process Solutions ("MPS"). The Company has worked closely with MPS and CTRI for the past 7 months to test the efficacy of Sixth Wave's IXOS molecularly imprinted polymer for gold extraction in conjunction with the MPS GlyCat process.

IXOS has previously been proven effective in the extraction of gold from cyanide leach solutions and the completion of Phase 1 of the Green Initiative has demonstrated the ability of IXOS to extract gold from the pregnant leach solution generated by MPS' GlyCat technology. IXOS has proven superior to traditional activated carbon technology by demonstrating a higher selectivity for gold relative to other gangue materials, resulting in a higher gold capture than activated carbon.

A major Canadian mining company participating in the research project provided the requisite ore samples. Phase 1 tests used IXOS with the GlyCat technology to determine Glycat's characteristics and capabilities while confirming IXOS can adsorb gold from solution with typically an order of magnitude lower cyanide usage.

IXOS used in combination with the GlyCat process achieved outstanding gold recovery and the test results demonstrated a much lower reagent cost. Additionally, the use of IXOS beads for adsorption during the stirred-batch-reactor testing showed excellent adsorption performance in combination with the glycine catalysed leaching process; achieving recoveries that were on par or slightly higher than recoveries using a more traditional cyanide-leach process.

With the successful completion of Phase 1, Phase 2 testing will focus on meeting Canadian ecotoxicity guidelines. Upon successful completion of Phase 2, Phase 3 testing will involve the design of a process circuit that validates the performance of IXOS and GlyCat in a full-scale pilot plant at an operating gold mine in Canada. MPS has conducted environmental impact studies for the deployment of the GlyCat Process in Australia. The overall project goal is to develop an environmentally friendly flow sheet for the gold mining industry.

"Our collaboration with MPS and CTRI is a major focal point of our mining division activities," said Sherman McGill, Executive Vice President for Sixth Wave. "We are keenly aware of the need for environmental innovation and safeguards. Phase 1 test results indicate that we can successfully leverage our technology with the benefits of MPS' GlyCat Process. The CTRI project is an important initiative for Sixth Wave and our IXOS high performance gold extraction products. It is clear that the mining industry is aggressively seeking new and innovative approaches to leach and recover gold as a replacement, in whole or in part, for conventional processes. We believe gold mining companies will have significant interest in learning more about our results and how the technology may benefit their operations."

"We are very pleased to be in collaboration with Sixth Wave", states Mr. Ivor Bryan, Managing Director of MPS. "Our respective technological approaches can bring tremendous value to prospective customers by significantly cutting cyanide usage along with the associated costs and environmental impact."

About IXOS Technology

The foundation of Sixth Wave's products for the resource sector is its IXOS advanced extraction media developed using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers ("MIPs"). MIPs contain specifically engineered cavities designed to target and capture molecules of interest, based on molecular geometry and ionic charge. IXOS media have the ability to attract target molecules to the exclusion of other undesirable elements.

For gold applications, the IXOS platform is capable of selectively targeting gold while rejecting contaminants such copper, mercury, and other non-target elements potentially contained in a gold-bearing cyanide leach solution. Non-selectivity is a comparative disadvantage of activated carbon, which tends to recover a variety of undesirable ancillary metals that affect gold process economics and purity.

Test results for extraction of gold from cyanide leach solutions have demonstrated the ability to capture elevated quantities of gold as compared to traditional activated carbon. MIPs nanotechnology can be applied to other target elements in addition to gold, including both inorganic and organic elements that require removal from solution.

About Sixth Wave

Sixth Wave is a nanotechnology company focused on extraction and detection of target substances at the molecular level using its patented technologies in the highly specialized field of molecularly imprinted polymers. Sixth Wave has commercialized IXOS, a line of extraction polymers for the gold mining industry.

For more information about Sixth Wave, please visit www.sixthwave.com

About Mining and Process Solutions (MPS)

MPS holds exclusive global rights to the Glycine Leaching process developed by Curtin University. The company was formed in 2014 as a privately owned and funded company headquartered in Perth, Australia. MPS has 5 international patents granted and pending for Glycine leaching. MPS is developing a number of leaching processes with its GlyCat process currently available to the market. Two commercial operations in Africa are using the technology to retreat copper/gold tailings that would otherwise be an environmental waste liability. MPS was selected as the 2021 winner of the cleantech category in the global Extreme Technology Challenge - the competition consisted of 3700 startups and is the world's largest startup competition. MPS was also the overall winner of the 2019 Western Australia Innovator of the Year Award and winner of the 2017 Australian Technologies Competition - Mining Sector.

For more information about MPS, please visit www.mpsinnovation.com.au

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jon Gluckman"

Jonathan Gluckman, Ph.D., President & CEO

For information, please contact the Company:

Phone: (801) 582-0559

E-mail: info@sixthwave.com

Cautionary Notes

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding IXOS system scale-up, performance and commencement of full-scale production. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risks that IXOS system performance may not be maintained at production level, that anticipated cost savings and performance levels relative to competing technologies may not be realized, that other technologies with better performance or costs may be developed by competitors, and other risks detailed in the Company's filing statement available at www.sedar.com, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95851
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Lucky Minerals Inc. (TSXV:LKY)(OTC PINK:LKMNF)(FRA:LKY) Lucky" or the "Company"). Further to a news release dated August 26, 2021, Lucky is pleased to announce that it has closed the first tranche of the non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") consisting of 34,098,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of CDN$0.08 per Unit for gross proceeds of CDN$2,727,840. Each Unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") of the Company and one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Common Share of the Company ("Share") at a price of CDN $0.15 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance of the Warrant. All of the Common Shares and Warrants issued in connection to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance.

This Offering has received TSXV conditional approval and remains subject to final TSXV approval.

In connection to the Tranche 1 part of the Offering, the Company paid finder's fees in cash of CDN$105,412.80 and issued 1,317,660 compensation warrants (the "Compensation Warrants"). Each Compensation Warrant is exercisable into one Share at $0.15 per share until September 7, 2022.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to complete a 3,000 metre drill program on the Company's Fortuna Project in Ecuador and for general working capital purposes.

The Company expects to finalize the balance of private placement over the next 10 days.

About Lucky

Lucky is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world class deposits. Lucky owns a 100% interest in the Fortuna Property.

The Company's Fortuna Project is comprised of twelve contiguous, 550 km2 (55,000 Hectares, or 136,000 Acres) exploration concessions. Fortuna is located in a highly prospective, yet underexplored, gold belt in southern Ecuador.

Covid-19 Safety Protocols

Lucky Minerals has strict rules in place for all workers arriving to and from field sites. All personnel are tested upon arriving and leaving and are tested every two weeks. All personnel are housed in separate and private accommodations and are isolated from the community.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Francois Perron"

Chief Executive Officer

Further information on Lucky can be found on the Company's website at www.luckyminerals.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting Francois Perron, President and CEO, by email at investors@luckyminerals.com or by telephone at (866) 924 6484.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Adjacent Properties and Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labor relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations also include risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will not update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements unless required by Canadian securities law.

SOURCE: Lucky Minerals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663134/Lucky-Announces-Closing-of-the-First-Tranche-of-a-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement-for-CDN-2727840
Company Is Seeking To Install A New Ground-Mount Solar Farm In Greece, NY.

KMB Design Group Is A Full Service Engineering Solutions Provider That Has Provided Designs And Engineering Services For Over 1,000 Projects Nationwide With Over 1,500 MW Of Solar Designed.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Green Stream Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK:GSFI) ("the Company") (https://greensolarutility.com), an emerging leader in the solar utility and finance space, today announced that it has re-engaged a nationally known a full service engineering solutions provider with extensive international expertise in the solar renewable energy field providing photovoltaic design and engineering services, to assist the Company in installing additional ground-mount solar farms.

The Company previously contracted with KMB in order to have them conduct solar feasibility studies for three separate locations in the State of New York. Each site is 37 acres. Two of the studies have been completed. The first of the three locations was recently completed for 312 Cornish Hill Road, Cooperstown, N.Y., and the second 37-acre site was at Hadley, N.Y.

Their study will determine the most efficient configuration for the arrays, estimated production matters, Utility interconnect feasibility & process, as well as to identify any potential incentive programs.

KMB is a full service engineering solutions provider that has provided designs and engineering services for over 1,000 projects and 1,500 MW for a wide range of solar installations from small scale to large scale. KMB Design Group is at the forefront of the escalating solar industry and is considered a leading consulting firm in the renewable energy field providing photovoltaic design and engineering services. Licensed in 50 states. They have the ability to work nationally without limitations.

About KMB Design Group

KMB Design Group, LLC was founded by a team of seasoned professionals who have been working together for over 15 years. We are a service engineering solutions provider licensed in all 50 states of the United States and in Europe. We take a systematic approach to developing comprehensive solutions for our clients; guiding projects from conception through site acquisition, engineering and construction. Our extensive experience in the engineering and telecommunications industries provide a great foundation for a successful design firm. KMB's focus on technology and continuous improvement enables the firm to keep up with the latest innovations and provide state-of-the-art design solutions for our clients. KMB currently provides designs and engineering services for over 1,000 projects and 1,500 MW nationwide for a wide ranging size of solar installations. For more information, please visit: https://www.kmbdg.com or https://www.kmbdg.com/services/solar-engineering/

?About Green Stream Finance, Inc.

Green Stream Finance, Inc., a solar utility and finance company with satellite offices in Malibu, CA and New York, NY, is focused on exploiting currently unmet markets in the solar energy space, and is currently licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, and Canada. The Company's next-generation solar greenhouses constructed and managed by Green Rain Solar, LLC, a Nevada-based division, utilize proprietary greenhouse technology and trademarked design developed by world-renowned architect Mr. Antony Morali. The Company is currently targeting high-growth solar market segments for its advanced solar greenhouse and advanced solar battery products. The Company has a growing footprint in the significantly underserved solar market in New York City where it is targeting 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of rooftop space for the installation of its solar panels. Green Stream is looking to forge key partnership with major investment groups, brokers, and private investors in order to capitalize on a variety of unique investment opportunities in the commercial solar energy markets. The Company is dedicated to becoming a major player in this critical space. Through its innovative solar product offerings and industry partnerships, the Company is well-positioned to become a significant player in the solar space.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information 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. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Green Stream Finance, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Green Stream Finance, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For All Inquiries Contact:

+1 (424) 280-4096

president@greenstreamfinance.com

Website: greensolarutility.com

Instagram: @chucksvintageoriginal

Phone number: (646) 669-7007

SOURCE: Green Stream Holdings Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663062/Green-Stream-Holdings-Inc-Again-Contracts-Nationally-Recognized-Solar-Engineer-KMB-Design-Group-To-Provide-A-Solar-Feasibility-Study-For-Five-Multi-Mega-Solar-Farms
CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Eagle Plains Resources (TSXV:EPL) is pleased to announce that option partner Rockridge Resources Ltd. (ROCK) (RRRLF) (RR0) ("Rockridge") has commenced its field program at the Knife Lake Copper Project located in Saskatchewan, Canada (the "Knife Lake Project" or "Property"). The Knife Lake Project, consisting of 81 claims totaling 55,471 hectares (137,069 acres), is an advanced-stage copper, silver, zinc and cobalt exploration property in Saskatchewan host to the Knife Lake Deposit.

Rockridge holds the exclusive option from Eagle Plains to acquire a 100% interest in the Property that covers the Knife Lake Cu-Zn-Ag-Co VMS deposit (details following). The contiguous claims are located approximately 50 km northwest of Sandy Bay, Saskatchewan. A 357kV powerline runs within 16 km of the Knife Lake Deposit area.

See Knife Lake VMS Project Location Map here

Crews have commenced a helicopter-borne electromagnetic (EM) and horizontal magnetic gradiometer geophysical survey utilizing Geotech Ltd.'s VTEM Plus System. The 610 line kilometer survey has been designed to investigate over 30 kilometers of highly prospective VMS stratigraphy, never before surveyed using modern time-domain geophysics. Mineralized drill intersections at the Gilbert Lake target area have proven that VTEM plus is a valuable exploration tool for identifying VMS-style mineralization within prospective stratigraphy on the Property, increasing discovery potential in regional target areas. Combined with surficial geochemical data and geological mapping, results from the current program will help identify and prioritize additional drill targets.

See Knife Lake Project VTEM Coverage Map here

Knife Lake Geology and History

The Knife Lake Deposit is interpreted to be a remobilized VMS deposit. The stratabound mineralized zone is approximately 15m thick and contains copper, silver, zinc, gold and cobalt mineralization which dips 30 to 50 eastward over a known strike-length within Rockridge's claim area of 3,700 metres, and a known average down-dip extension of approximately 300 metres.

See Knife Lake Deposit Map here

The deposit is hosted by felsic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks which have been metamorphosed to upper amphibolite facies. The deposit contains VMS mineralogy which has been significantly modified and partially remobilized during the emplacement of granitic rocks. The mineralization straddles the boundary between two rock units and occurs on both limbs of an interpreted overturned fold.

Rockridge has completed twenty-four holes consisting of 3096 metres of diamond drilling in the 2019 and 2021 winter drilling programs. This represented the first drilling on the property since 2001. Both programs have given Rockridge's technical team valuable insights into the property geology, alteration, and mineralization that will be applied to future regional exploration on the highly prospective and underexplored land package.

Highlights from the drill programs include previously reported hole KF19003 which intersected net-textured to semi-massive sulphide mineralization from 11.2m to 48.8m downhole. This 37.6 metre interval returned 2.03% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au, 9.88 g/t Ag, 0.36% Zn, and 0.01% Co for an estimated 2.42% CuEq. Additionally, previously reported drill hole KF19001 intersected net-textured to fracture-controlled sulphide mineralization from 7.5 metres to 40.6 metres downhole. This 33.1 metre interval returned 1.28% Cu, 0.12 g/t Au, 4.80 g/t Ag, 0.13% Zn, and 0.01% Co for an estimated 1.49% CuEq.

In August 2019, Rockridge announced a maiden NI 43-101 resource estimate for the Knife Lake deposit which consisted of a pit-constrained indicated resource of 3.8 million tonnes at 1.02% CuEq and an inferred resource of 7.9 million tonnes at 0.67% CuEq using a 0.4% CuEq cut-off. For more information please refer to the News Release dated August 14th, 2019 or the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Knife Lake Property, Saskatchewan dated September 27, 2019, filed on Sedar.

Knife Lake Option Agreement Details

To earn a 100% interest in the Knife Lake Project, Rockridge has agreed to make a cash payment to Eagle Plains of $150,000 (complete), issue up to 5,550,000 common shares of Rockridge (2,750,000 shares issued to date) and complete $3,250,000 in exploration expenditures ($1,195,000 to date) over four years. Eagle Plains will retain a 2% net smelter royalty ("NSR") on certain claims which comprise the project area. Under the terms of the agreement Rockridge is designated as the Operator of the project.

Qualified Person

Kerry Bates, P. Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and a Geologist employed by TerraLogic Exploration Inc., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release relating to the Knife Lake Project.

About Eagle Plains Resources

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Eagle Plains also holds significant royalty interests in western Canadian projects covering a broad spectrum of commodities. Management's focus is to advance its most promising exploration projects. In addition, Eagle Plains continues to seek out and secure high-quality, unencumbered projects through research, staking and strategic acquisitions. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.

Expenditures from 2011-2020 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $22M, most of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 37,000 m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim J. Termuende"

President and CEO

For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at 1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673)

Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at http://www.eagleplains.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663045/Eagle-Plains-Partner-Rockridge-Resources-Commences-Exploration-Program-at-the-Knife-Lake-Copper-Project-Saskatchewan
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / New America Energy Corp. (OTC PINK CURRENT:NECA) through its recent acquisition of Third Bench Holdings, is pleased to announce that the Company has engaged REDW to streamline accounting practices and help prepare for PCAOB audit.

Third Bench is pleased to announce its engagement with the accounting and business consulting firm REDW, a regional leader in the Southwestern United States. Mr. Fair stated "We are excited to hire a great group like REDW! They certainly know our industry and have the experience necessary to put the systems in place at Third Bench that will allow us to provide our shareholders with the most accurate information possible and get us ready for an audit."

REDW will provide general accounting and consulting services to Third Bench, assisting with the implementation of top-quality accounting practices, financial reporting, centralizing accounting functions, and prepare Third Bench for a PCAOB audit. REDW went on to say "We are looking forward to working with such a successful and growing company, and look forward to helping Third Bench achieve their goal of becoming fully audited."

REDW is one of the Southwest's top 10 largest accounting and business consulting firms. REDW has served clients throughout the country for more than six decades. REDW is considered a Top 200 public accounting firm as of 2020 according to "Inside Public Accounting" and regional leader as of 2021 according to "Accounting Today".

https://www.redw.com/

About Third Bench Holdings, LLC

THIRD BENCH Holdings is a holding company for three subsidiary companies operating as an architectural millwork and dealers in the cabinetry, kitchen and bath areas. THIRD BENCH, through its subsidiary companies offer products in categories: Residential Cabinets and countertops and commercial millwork throughout the Western U.S. for customers from California to Texas. THIRD BENCH also provides installation services as a part of its vertical offering. The company provides its products and services through its architectural millwork and retail facilities, currently located in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, New Mexico and Tucson, Arizona. Third Bench employs over 140 people and had revenue in excess of $18.8 million in 2020. Third Bench is on a run rate of over $24.0 million for 2021 and is cash flow positive. These projections have been provided by management and do not include the additional acquisitions that are currently under review.

Third Bench Holdings

175 S. Main Street #1410

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

https://thirdbench.com/

About New America Energy Corp.

New America Energy Corp. (NECA) is a holding company focused on strategic acquisitions that are opportunistic, cash-flow positive with hard assets.

NECA Contact:

Jeffrey M. Canouse

770-235-6053

jeff@necaholdings.com

jeffcanouse@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/necaholdings

NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information 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, including statements that include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipate" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: New America Energy Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662993/Third-Bench-Engages-Top-Accounting-and-Business-Consulting-Firms-in-the-Southwest
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - LyondellBasell (LYB) said the company is weighing strategic options for its Refining Segment, including a potential sale. The company is actively gauging market interest in this business with the goal of delivering the greatest value to stakeholders. 'While the Houston Refinery is a valuable, well-performing asset, we have long held the belief that it may be even more valuable as part of a larger refining system,' said Bob Patel, CEO of LyondellBasell. LyondellBasell's Houston Refinery is one of the largest refineries in the U.S., with a rated capacity to transform 268,000 barrels per day of crude oil. It is strategically located on the Houston Ship Channel and covers approximately 700 acres. 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.
BASEL (dpa-AFX) - Sandoz, a Novartis division (NVS), said that it has reached a commercialization agreement for biosimilar bevacizumab with Bio-Thera Solutions Ltd., for treatment of multiple types of cancers. Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key mediator of angiogenesis in cancer, and is used in combination with other treatments. Bio-Thera will maintain responsibility for development and manufacturing, Sandoz will have the right to commercialize the medicine upon approval in the US, Europe, Canada and selected other countries. As per the terms of the deal, Bio-Thera will receive an upfront and milestone payments and is entitled to receive profit share payments in the partnered territory. 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.
Company Hits Several Key Milestones as Demand for Multi-channel, Visual-First Experiences Intensifies

Cloudinary, the media experience platform for many of the world's top brands, today announced three new executive appointments to support its continued growth, rapid customer adoption and product line expansion. These strategic hires include Saranya Babu as chief marketing officer, Mike Carlson as senior vice president, global customer success, and Jason Johns as vice president of sales for EMEA APAC. All three bring extensive SaaS and cloud market experience to help usher Cloudinary into its next phase of growth.

The three industry veterans join Cloudinary at a pivotal moment for the company and the industry with the pandemic-driven market shift towards digital, online engagements driving unprecedented demand for creating rich visual experiences. Named to the Forbes Cloud 100 for the fourth consecutive year-the publication's ranking of the best, most valuable private cloud companies in the world-Cloudinary has reached several key growth milestones in 2021, including reaching the one million user mark. The company also successfully launched the first in a series of new products, Media Optimizer -- a low-code solution to help brands more easily deliver the best, fastest visual content every time. Just six months since launch, Media Optimizer has been adopted by dozens of customers, including Active Sports, Hunter Fan, and Out&Out, and was recognized with a 2021 MarTech Breakthrough Award.

"At the heart of Cloudinary is a company fueled by innovation and a passion for delivering fast and engaging visual experiences all over the world," said Cloudinary Co-founder and CEO, Itai Lahan. "The past year has seen a number of milestone moments for Cloudinary and as we plan for the future, we'll remain focused on helping our customers unleash the full potential of their visual media. It's an honor to announce our expanded team with these three new appointments, each bringing a wealth of experience that will be critical to our success during this next phase of growth. I'm excited for the months ahead."

About the executives

New CMO Saranya Babu previously led the marketing team at Wrike, acquired by Citrix earlier this year, where she implemented, built and scaled sophisticated cross-functional marketing strategies. As a recipient of the 2021 Silicon Valley Women of Influence award and shortlisted in the 2020 B&T Women in Media award her experience working for both bootstrapped companies and VC-backed hyper growth companies will complement Cloudinary's expected growth trajectory for the next year and beyond. As CMO, Babu will oversee Cloudinary's marketing, communication and brand operations.

Mike Carlson joins Cloudinary in the new role of Senior Vice President for Global Customer Success. Prior to Cloudinary he was President of the US and Global Chief Customer at Siteimprove. While there, he helped the website optimization company grow 5x in annual recurring revenue. Cloudinary's customers are its most valuable asset and Carlson will be responsible for delivering delightful experiences for its fast-growing customer base. Carlson will report into the company's newly established Operations Office, headed up by COO Amit Sharon.

As Cloudinary continues its expansion globally, seasoned sales executive Jason Johns will take the reins as Vice President of Sales for EMEA APAC. Based out of Cloudinary's London office, Johns will lead Cloudinary's Enterprise and Mid Market New Business Sales Team as it scales its business in these regions. Johns has worked in enterprise sales for more than 20 years, building and developing high-growth SaaS based businesses most recently in the media and broadcast space at companies like Comcast, Ooyala, and Applicaster.

Doubling down on innovation

In addition to reaching more than a million developers and being named a Best Place to Work in the Bay Area, Cloudinary achieved several key milestones this year. These include:

Launching Cloudinary Labs, a space for developers working with visual content to explore and experiment with innovative concepts, from new image formats and AI-centric video technologies to new approaches to coding

Partnering with Visionular to collectively push for AV1 and its associated image format, AVIF, to become the next video and image standard for the Internet

Implementing support for the next-generation JPEG XL image format into Cloudinary in parallel with its early support by both Chrome and Firefox

Joining the MACH Alliance and launching its SAP Commerce Cloud Integration

Receiving key awards and accolades across its product suite, including several wins for its Digital Assessment Management (DAM) solution, such as two Constellation ShortLists, DAM for Digital Experiences and DAM for High Volume Commerce, as well as a 2021 SaaS Award for Best SaaS Product for e-Commerce

To learn more, visit cloudinary.com and join us at ImageCon, our annual user conference to be held virtually October 19 and 20. The thought-provoking event will discuss what's next in the world of visual media and host a variety of industry thought leaders, partners and customers, including speakers from Apartment Therapy Media, Bombas, lastminute.com, Mediavine, Minted, National Geographic and more.

About Cloudinary

Cloudinary's mission is to empower companies to deliver visual experiences that inspire and connect by unleashing the full potential of their media. With more than 50 billion assets under management and 8,000 customers worldwide, Cloudinary is the industry standard for developers, creators and marketers looking to upload, store, transform, manage, and deliver images and videos online. As a result, leading brands like Atlassian, Bleacher Report, Bombas, Grubhub, Hinge, NBC, Mediavine, Peloton, Petco and Under Armour are seeing significant business value in using Cloudinary, including faster time to market, higher user satisfaction and increased engagement and conversions. For more information, visit www.cloudinary.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005709/en/

Contacts:

Juli Greenwood

Sr. Director, Corporate Communications

Cloudinary

juli@cloudinary.com
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - During a ceremony on August 18, Lao PDR received a shipment of 1,592,500 ASTM Level 3 surgical masks donated by PRIMED Medical Products, in partnership with the Government of Canada in Laos. This shipment of masks was handed over to the Government of Lao PDR in a ceremony attended by Minister of Health, Dr. Bounphaeng Phoummalaisit, Mr. Bob Paquin, Charge d'affaires and Head of Office, Office of the Embassy of Canada in Laos, Mr. Leo Xie, PRIMED's Vice-General Manager of Asia Manufacturing as well as Ms. Peng Jin and Ms. Yu Hsuan Pi from VITA Park at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Vientiane.

The masks donated are the same highly protective face masks relied upon by many of those working on the frontlines against COVID-19 in Canada and around the world. The masks will be utilized by care providers as Laos confronts its second wave of the pandemic. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, PRIMED has been focused and successful in ensuring a consistent and secure supply of PPE to all of its global partners.

"Canada is a nation that gives back when the world is in need," said David Welsh, President & CEO of PRIMED Medical Products. "We felt it to be imperative to do our part to help protect those in the local community that have welcomed us with open arms as we develop our manufacturing facility in Laos."

"PRIMED is a Canadian company with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, and they are keen to support the Lao government's campaign to promote quality investment," said Bob Paquin, Charge d'affaires, Office of the Embassy of Canada in Laos.

PRIMED recently completed construction on the first phase of their Laos factory. The wholly-owned facility is 95,000 square feet and at full capacity will employ more than 300 people. This donation brings PRIMED's total donations of surgical masks during the pandemic to nearly 40 million masks.

About PRIMED Medical Products

Founded in 1995, PRIMED Medical Products is a Canadian manufacturer of medical personal protective equipment. PRIMED manufacturing facilities are ISO certified and undergo regular audits by international regulatory and certification organizations. PRIMED's high-quality, medical products are used in virtually every hospital across Canada and in healthcare facilities throughout the United States, South America, Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Their product offering spans medical, surgical and infection control products including, protective apparel and wound care.

Media Contact:

Lindsey Taylor, Marketing Specialist

Email: lindsey.taylor@primed.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95539
Tulsa, Oklahoma--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Monarch Medicinals, a premiere cannabis extraction and cannabis infused products company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, launches in mid-September of 2021.

Monarch Medicinals is the next premiere, full spectrum, CO2 extracted cannabis infused products company brought to you by the nationally acclaimed, Oklahoma trusted brand, Bison Extracts.

Bison Extracts is a veteran, female, and Oklahoman owned company founded on the belief that the patient should always be the number one priority. As a result of this belief, Monarch Medicinals was born to deliver top quality medicine as seen by boutique-brand Bison Extracts, but at an alternative price point from the use of blended raw material inputs.

Handcrafted in-house, Monarch Medicinals cannabis infused products are carefully curated with the patient in mind. All Monarch products are manufactured using a Supercritical CO2 extraction method that is non-toxic and less harmful than many other extraction methods. Each gummy is made with clean and safe plant-based medicine, dosed at 25mg per piece, 10pc per bag. Monarch gummies are currently available in Blue Raspberry Cotton Candy, Strawberries and Cream, and Sour Apple flavors.

The Monarch butterfly is a symbol of personal transformation and rebirth. Its iconic metamorphosis perfectly reflects the renewed hope for overall health in Oklahoma plant-based medicine patients. With the help of Monarch Medicinals, patients can truly begin to transform their health with a bigger bang for their buck, and spread their wings into a more vibrant future less focused on their everyday ailments and wellness restraints.

JOIN THE HERD: Follow us on socials @monarchmedicinals to keep up with all things Monarch, including behind the scenes and new product releases.

You can also find us at www.bisonextracts.com/monarchmedicinals.

Contact:

Necole Cantu (co-owner)

necolecantu@bisonextracts.com

918-830-4392

Brandee Spillman (co-owner)

bspillman@cox.net

918-346-1900

Bison Extracts

5805 E 15th ST

Tulsa, OK 74112

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95809
Cloudways went through the painstaking task of reviewing and testing the top WordPress page builders, and has now released the results based on performance

Cloudways (www.cloudways.com) has released a series of reviews with thorough testing of the best WordPress page builders for building truly stunning websites without using code.

WordPress page builders allow users without technical skills to create websites and helps agencies improve their workflows and increase revenue. The Cloudways team came together to launch top page builders on Cloudways servers, rigorously testing each plugin to help users make an informed decision.

"There are plenty of choices when it comes to page builders, so we decided to put the top ones through meticulous scrutiny. Now we've released the results to help users take advantage of our methodical testing," says Saad Khan, Associate Vice President of Marketing at Cloudways. "You get a complete overview of the page builders, how they perform on top of a world-class hosting environment, and which suits your business needs the most.

Cloudways users and readers, in general, can take advantage of this high-level effort to decide which page builder is best for their needs. Individuals without coding skills can deploy personal websites quickly, but it's the agencies and SMBs that will truly benefit from the ease-of-use and enhanced workflows of page builders hosted on top of high-performance cloud hosting.

While page builders let users design websites easily, Cloudways provides a powerful cloud hosting environment that enhance the page builders further. With Cloudways managed WordPress hosting, users never have to worry about hosting hassles like speed or security issues and instead get to focus entirely on their business.

With Cloudways and the right choice of page builder, users can completely overhaul their business processes and go live with their WordPress websites in a matter of hours.

About Cloudways

Founded in 2012, Cloudways is an intuitive, one-click managed cloud hosting platform that hosts over 50,000 servers globally. E-commerce stores, design agencies, developers, and bloggers use Cloudways to host their websites on top of the world's most reliable cloud infrastructure providers, including DigitalOcean, Vultr, Amazon, Google, and Linode. The bootstrap-funded platform features a web app management function that easily launches cloud servers for the deployment of WordPress, Magento, and PHP.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005761/en/

Contacts:

Company Media Contact:

Sunyyan Junaid

Cloudways

Sunyyan.junaid@cloudways.com
MOSCOW, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 1, 2021, UnionPay International (UPI) launched Discover Autumn Gold with UnionPay, one of several new promotions to celebrate the new season. Participants can upload receipts to UnionPay's promo website, and for every receipt worth 1000 rubles, one bonus point is awarded. Points can be redeemed for guaranteed gifts or participation in the Grand Prize Auction.

"We are pleased to continue offering our cardholders a new range of exciting promotions, making their use of UnionPay cards not only convenient and secure but also offering even more opportunities for discounts and cashback bonuses," Xia Yu, Head of UnionPay International Russia Branch commented.

Promotion of Discover Autumn Gold with UnionPay does not come along, another joint promotion with Post Bank kicked off on August 26 offering participants 5% cashback on transactions exceeding 5000 rubles per month on all transactions, with an upper limit of 5000 bonuses allowed per month. The offer is valid until March 31, 2022.

Additionally, the ongoing promotion with Magnit, one of Russia's largest food retailers, has been extended. Until the end of October, purchases of over 4000 rubles using the Magnit bonus card and paying with a UnionPay card made during the month can receive an additional 1000 rubles cash back onto the Magnit bonus card.

Meanwhile, UPI has included new Russian partners in the privilege program, including the Grand Maket Rossiya Museum in St. Petersburg, JNBY chain of clothing stores, as well as Mumiy Troll Music Bar. The UPI privilege program in Russia includes not only trade and service enterprises in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also other Russian cities including Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk.

Bunch of Autumn promotion following 'New Season of Gifts from UnionPay' summer promotion, which has come to a successful end with the number of participants jumping in comparison with our New Year campaign. UnionPay cardholders broke another record for the volume of transactions as part of the promotion.

About UnionPay International

UnionPay is an international payment system founded in 2002. UnionPay International is focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. Now UnionPay's payment acceptance network has expanded to 180 countries and regions, and 70 countries and regions have issued UnionPay cards.

For more information, please visit UnionPay International Russia.
Increases Company's Proprietary Network System Reach

VANCOUVER, WA / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc. (OTC PINK: AATV), a company that provides Dynamic Digital Ad Insertion (DDAI) via its streaming media hardware and proprietary processing software for the U.S. cable T.V. and Satellite markets, today reports on its latest R&D breakthrough.

For many years, Adaptive has been recognized by industry insiders as a leader in creating cutting-edge technology for the television ad insertion industry. The Company is actively and continuously engaged in new R&D initiatives to solidify and manifest that position. The latest breakthrough development allows the Company to integrate its DDAI technology in cable systems utilizing Linux computer systems. Linux is an open-source operating system launched in 1991 and is recognized as "tried and true" and the "mainstay" of enterprise infrastructure. Accordingly, the Company felt it prudent to integrate its proprietary system in this widespread operating system used by major companies in the cable tv industry.

J. Michael Heil, the Company's CEO, stated: "Since many cable tv companies utilize Linux in their cable tv systems, we chose to study those systems and provide synchronization points for these companies with our proprietary network systems. We found this to be especially beneficial since many of our competitors ignore utilizing those Linux systems, leaving this large industry sector open for the taking. We are very pleased to report that our recent developmental breakthroughs will allow us to integrate our television ad-insertion technology with cable systems that rely on Linux. This development should result in a substantial increase in the number of 'systems added' and "subscribers served."

Mr. Heil adds, "I recently stated that we remain bullish on the television ad business. To put it bluntly, 'We have put our money where our mouth is by making substantial investments in R&D. Now, the recent breakthroughs in our R&D developments only make our outlook more optimistic."

THE ADAPTIVE SYSTEM

Adaptive allows advertisers across the U.S. to purchase ads that are inserted into a linked group of the Adaptive digital T.V. advertising system. Adaptive Ad Systems manages all ad-related activities, provides all technical support, ad-sales, traffic, and billing. Adaptive has established an innovative revenue share agreement with each cable television system.

ABOUT ADAPTIVE

Adaptive Ad Systems Inc. is a digital media and video communications company that together with its subsidiary manufactures, develops and deploys dynamic digital ad insertion (DDAI) and video streaming media hardware and proprietary processing software for the Cable T.V., Satellite T.V., and IPTV markets, and High Speed Fixed Wireless Internet Service (WISP) via a network of Hybrid Access Points and Micro POPs. Adaptive's primary focus is the 2nd and 3rd tier U.S. markets. Adaptive exclusively sells all available advertising space in each market across multiple national cable television networks while maintaining complete technology ownership. Adaptive has implemented a compelling profit-sharing model with its cable T.V. partners. The Company serves over 200 designated marketing areas in approximately 39 states. Adaptive also provides broadband and cable T.V. services in some niche markets. For additional information, please visit www.adaptiveadsystems.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, financial projections, information regarding the plans and objectives of management for current and future operations, the development, regulatory approvals, and commercialization of the Company's products, or any of the Company's proposed services, systems, partnerships, or acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results and performance, and actual events or results may differ considerably. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any projections may include, without limitation, the Company's delays in the development of its products, the inability to obtain additional financing, the impact of significant new or changing government regulation on the industry, existing or increased competition, results of arbitration and litigation, stock volatility and illiquidity, and the Company's general failure to implement the Company's business plans or strategies. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

DOWNLOAD SWI RESEARCH REPORT HERE.

CONTACT:

Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc.

4400 NE 77th Avenue, Suite 275

Vancouver, Washington 98662

310-321-4958

info@aatv.co

www.aatv.co

StockWatchIndex

San Diego, California

442-287-8059

info@stockwatchindex.com

www.stockwatchindex.com

www.swiresearch.com

SOURCE: Adaptive Ad Systems, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663066/Adaptive-Ad-Systems-Reports-RD-Breakthrough
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / UMAX Group Corp. (OTC PINK:UMAX), a Nevada corporation, launched its first five comedy specials on its YouTube channel, produced by Funny Media Group.

After the acquisition of Funny Media Group in May 2021, UMAX has now fully transitioned into comedy development as the vehicle to achieve a cash-flow positive operation and to provide the best return on shareholder's investment.

Rondell Fletcher (UMAX President and CEO) says that the specials give up-and-coming comedians a chance to showcase their talent and walk away with a high-quality comedy special, without out-of-pocket costs.

"We've reached out to the comedy community, listened to their needs, and we are building something unprecedented," Mr. Fletcher says.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity," says Jessica Lee, one of the comedians whose special launched in August. "Nobody is doing anything like this."

Funny Media Group will continue to release specials each week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

From its 6,000-sq.ft. location in Downtown Los Angeles, Funny Media Group has now taped more than 110 specials since May 2021. The shows feature an MC and a Live DJ, all in front of a live audience. After shooting, Funny Media Group adds a graphics package and locks in the color and audio.

Mr. Fletcher has an extensive background in production and media. He has owned his own production studio in Los Angeles for the past 18 years and has produced national shows for CNN, FOX, Food Network and Comedy Central, among others.

The short-term goal for Funny Media Group is to produce content for streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon with the long-term goal of building a large media catalog for acquisition. Funny Media's social media sites are as follows:

Website: https://www.FunnyMediaGroup.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnymediagroupofficial/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_eA_1B5YoDi6knehipa_hQ

About Us

UMAX Group Corp. is a Nevada corporation, is a public-quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "UMAX". UMAX reports as an alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets Group, Inc. and is current in its mandatory required filings (E.g., "Pink Sheet Current").

Disclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements that we make may constitute "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include information concerning future?strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated savings, financial results (including expenses, earnings, liquidity, cash flow and capital expenditures), industry or market conditions, demand for and pricing of our products, acquisitions and divestitures, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory developments or general economic conditions.? In addition, words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and future or conditional verbs such as "will," "may," "could," "should," and "would," as well as any other statement that necessarily depends on future events, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, and they involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. ?Although we make such statements based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.? We caution investors not to rely unduly on any forward-looking?statements.

Company Information:

UMAX Group Corp.

2020 Bay Street

Los Angeles, California 90021

Web: New website under construction

Investor Relations

Jack Zietz

Email: investor@umaxgrpcorp.com

SOURCE: UMAX Group Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663050/UMAX-GROUP-CORP--Funny-Media-Group-Launches-Comedy-Specials-Online
Gold Recovery Underway / Mining Operations Accelerating

Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV: MAI) (the "Company" or "Minera Alamos") is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing ramp-up of mining operations at the Santana gold mine, Sonora, Mexico.

During the month of August, the Company continued to expand blasting and mining activities aimed at removing the upper portion of the Nicho Norte mineralized "pipe" which outcrops as a modest topographic high at surface. Following the recent extraction of bench 895, the available working area has increased significantly to allow higher daily mining rates at the starter pit.





Photo 1 - Nicho Norte open pit bench 895 (late August)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4183/95868_3601594ac48be8d5_002full.jpg

"We are pleased that the mine ramp-up has continued along a reasonable path despite the continuing impact of unusually heavy rainfall throughout the period, which we hope is finally coming to an end. Gold extraction is underway and metal concentrations are accumulating in our solution storage ponds as we commence recovery onto carbon for first gold production and sales," stated Darren Koningen, CEO. "The focus during the initial phases of mining at the Nicho Norte pit was to gain valuable operations data (mining and processing) from the limited early material that was available while mining operations were allowed to expand. The results obtained to date have already facilitated a number of project optimization activities including a review of options to accelerate development of the main Nicho deposit located near our current starter pit. Of course, we are also very encouraged by the gold grades and distributions in the material mined to date which have exceeded our expectations."

Santana Project Operations Update (end August 2021)

Mining activities commenced in June 2021 but were constrained initially due to access limitations based on the topography of the Nicho Norte starter pit location. These limitations continue to decrease as additional benches are extracted and mining production levels expand accordingly. Mineralized material from the early phases (June/July) was placed on the leach pad and utilized as test material for the final commissioning/optimization of the project processing equipment. Subsequently, the quantities of mineral stacked on the leach pad and available for gold extraction have grown in parallel with expanding mining operations.

Month Approx. Mined Material

(total tonnes) June 12,000 July 35,000 August 100,000

Additional highlights include:

 Crushing operations are currently active with the crushing equipment relocated to adjacent to the leach pad for efficient transfer of crushed material for stacking. Mineralized material containing in excess of 0.5 g/t Au is currently being crushed to <3/4" in size while lower grade material is being stacked on the leach pad as run-of-mine ("ROM") following significant fragmentation from blasting.

 All three sets of gold recovery ("carbon") columns at the Santana process plant have been thoroughly tested and are functional at design capacity. Reagent mixing systems have been successfully commissioned and are currently in use.

 Gold extraction continues from initial mineralized material stacked on the leach pad. Following a period to allow gold concentrations to increase in the pregnant solution pond, gold recovery to carbon is underway.

 Leach solution application rates have been set temporarily at levels significantly in excess (2-3 times) of expected long term flow rates and percolation has been excellent with no surface liquid accumulation.

 The average gold content of material mined to date in the upper levels of the Nicho Norte deposit has been in excess of those achieved during the previous project test mining operations (2018/19) (see section below for further details)

Plans for the current ramp-up of mining operations underway at Nicho Norte were prepared with the goal of minimizing additional capital requirements conventionally utilized to remove significant amounts of "pre-stripping" material prior to the initiation of subsequent mining operations. Starter pit areas were instead selected which contained readily accessible quantities of mineralized material. Waste mined during this period (costs already accounted for in open pit mine plans) is being subjected to crushing (as required) and screening to extract overliner material to be placed on the leach pad (as a drainage layer) in advance of stacking of mineral for gold extraction. Overliner and mineral placement will continue in parallel until such time as additional overliner is no longer required.

The primary focus of the early ramp-up operations at Nicho Norte is to move the mine into commercial production while efficiently minimizing the upfront capital requirements. The scale of mining operations will continue to increase as the available working area for equipment in the starter pit expands with depth. In addition, the amount of mineralized material available for gold extraction (as a % of the total material stacked on the leach pad) will also continue to increase. Currently a significant portion of this material (and the contained gold) is unavailable for recovery as it is located in areas being utilized as working surfaces for equipment to stack new material on the leach pad. This situation will continue to improve as the ramp-up continues.





Photo 2 - Drip lines placed on heap leach pad with gold leaching having commenced

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4183/95868_3601594ac48be8d5_003full.jpg





Nicho Norte Gold Distribution Summary (895m Bench)

As the largest full bench extracted to date from the Nicho Norte starter pit, a basic review was performed for the 895m bench to understand gold distributions (location and concentration) contained in material mined. The Company's practice is to take samples from every blasthole drilled in the pit which are then sent for gold analysis by an independent third-party laboratory. A summary of these results is included in the figure below.





Figure 1 - Distribution of mined mineralized material (>0.15 g/t Au cut-off)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4183/95868_3601594ac48be8d5_004full.jpg





In total, the 895m bench contained 98,200 tonnes of material which included 62,800 tonnes of mineralized material with gold contents in excess of the 0.15 g/t Au cut-off currently being used for mining operations. The average grade of the blasthole assays in the mineralized zone was 0.86 g/t Au. This is above the average for the bulk test material processed for the deposit (0.75 - 0.80 g/t Au) - see News Release dated February 19th, 2019.

Sample Preparation and QAQC

All open pit blasthole samples were collected by Minera Alamos personnel including the Company's exploration geologists. Cuttings recovered via the air track drill dust recovery system were split at the drill hole using a riffle type splitter until a final representative sample of approximately 2-3 kg of material is bagged and labelled for analysis.

All samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using fire assaying with AA finish for gold. Sample preparation and analysis were completed at the Bureau Veritas facilities in Hermosillo, Mexico.

All solution samples taken from the Santana processing plant facilities are collected by Minera Alamos personnel as grab samples. As required for monitoring purposes the samples are labelled at site and sent for AA analysis for gold at the Bureau Veritas facilities in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Cautionary Statement

The Company made its production decision and has started the development and production of the Santana gold mine without having completed a feasibility study demonstrating economic and technical viability. As such, there may be increased uncertainty of achieving planned production levels, estimated recovery of gold, the costs associated with such recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a commercially mineable deposit. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. Failure to commence production would have a material adverse impact on the Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund operations.

Mr. Darren Koningen, P. Eng., Minera Alamos' CEO, is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical content of this press release under National Instrument 43-101.

For Further Information Please Contact:

Minera Alamos Inc.

Doug Ramshaw, President

Tel: 604-600-4423

Email: dramshaw@mineraalamos.com

Website: www.mineraalamos.com

Victoria Vargas de Szarzynski, VP Investor Relations

Tel: 289-242-3599

Email: vvargas@mineraalamos.com

About Minera Alamos Inc.

Minera Alamos is a gold development company poised to join the ranks of gold producers in 2021. The Company has a portfolio of high-quality Mexican assets, including the 100%-owned Santana open-pit, heap-leach mine in Sonora that is currently going through its operational ramp up. The newly acquired 100%-owned Cerro de Oro oxide gold project in northern Zacatecas that has considerable past drilling and metallurgical work completed and could enter the permitting process rapidly. The La Fortuna open pit gold project in Durango (100%-owned) has an extremely robust and positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) completed and the main Federal permits in hand. Minera Alamos is built around its operating team that together brought 4 mines into production in Mexico over the last 13 years.

The Company's strategy is to develop very low capex assets while expanding the projects' resources and continuing to pursue complementary strategic acquisitions.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking information and Minera Alamos cautions readers that forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Minera Alamos included in this news release. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on information currently available to Minera Alamos and Minera Alamos provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Minera Alamos' future plans with respect to the Projects, objectives or goals, to the effect that Minera Alamos or management expects a stated condition or result to occur and the expected timing for release of a resource and reserve estimate on the projects. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, the economics of processing methods, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Minera Alamos' mineral properties, the ability to complete a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons. Minera Alamos' financial condition and prospects could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to finance and/or complete an updated resource and reserve estimate and a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Minera Alamos' activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. Minera Alamos does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by Minera Alamos or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The Company does not have a feasibility study of mineral reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability for the Santana project, and, as a result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a commercially mineable deposit. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. Failure to commence production would have a material adverse impact on the Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund operations.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95868
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In accordance with a resolution taken at the Annual General Meeting of AB SKF, this is to announce the representatives of the four largest shareholders by number of votes, who, together with the Chairman of the Board, constitute the Nomination Committee in preparation of the Annual General Meeting 2022.

Representatives:

Marcus Wallenberg, FAM

Anders Algotsson, AFA Forsakring

Anders Jonsson, Skandia

Joachim Spetz, Swedbank Robur Fonder

The Annual General Meeting of AB SKF will be held in Gothenburg on Thursday, 24 March 2022.

Shareholders who wish to submit proposals on members of the AB SKF Board, Board Chairman, Board fees, Chairman of the Annual General Meeting 2022 or amendments to the instruction for the Nomination Committee, may, at the latest two months before the Annual General Meeting 2022, contact the Chairman of the Board of AB SKF on e-mail: chairman@skf.com.

For further information, please contact:



PRESS: Carl Bjernstam, Corporate Communication

Tel: 46 31-337 2517; Mobile: 46 722-201 893; e-mail: carl.bjernstam@skf.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg, Head of Investor Relations

Tel: 46 31-337 2104; Mobile: 46 705-472 104; patrik.stenberg@skf.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/skf/r/nomination-committee-of-ab-skf-for-the-annual-general-meeting-2022,c3411971

The following files are available for download:


CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - A US judge has ruled that Boeing's shareholders may pursue some claims against its board of directors over two fatal 737 MAX crashes, mainly on safety issues.



As per Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn, Boeing's board must face a lawsuit from shareholders related to the crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.



The Boeing 737 MAX, which was the world's biggest-selling aircraft, was grounded worldwide for 20 months in March 2019 following the two accidents, which together claimed 346 lives. The root cause of the accidents was then traced to software known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), intended to make the plane easier to handle.



Zurn's latest ruling in the Court of Chancery stated that the first 737 MAX crash was a red flag about the key safety system MCAS that the board should have heeded but instead ignored.



Zurn said, 'The stockholders may pursue the Company's oversight claim against the board.' Meanwhile, the Delaware judge dismissed two other claims.



Boeing is reportedly planning to review the opinion closely over the coming days as it considers next steps.



Following the 20-month safety ban, the Federal Aviation Administration in November last year allowed 737 Max aircraft to return to service, and also issued first airworthiness certificate for one of the new Boeing 737 Max jets. In January this year, the European Union and Britain cleared Boeing's 737 Max for return to service in their respective regions.



The crashes reportedly have cost Boeing around $20 billion.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

BOEING-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
SINGAPORE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bingbon, which prides itself as a world class Crypto Social Trading platform, is pleased to announce that it has provided broker access to TradingView, a globally renowned market analysis community platform.

Founded in 2011, TradingView provides over 30 million monthly daily active users with advanced financial visualization tools and comprehensive market data.

How this works is that Bingbon integrates its brokerage into the TradingView Web Platform through a powerful API, which can help Bingbon find new users in a large, targeted audience.

Trading View's users can then log into their brokerage accounts (or open a new one if needed), receive broker's streaming data and send orders directly to the broker. Becoming a supported brokerage shortens the path the user to open an account and place trades. This strategic approach attracts investors while building a stronger crypto community for both parties.

As a rapidly emerging cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform, Bingbon is enriching its crypto social trading platform ecology by working with more powerful global companies and communities.

Partnering with TradingView carries several promising benefits for Bingbon users and will further simplify the trading and strategy-refining process for traders, with greater access to powerful technology and active trading communities. Moreover, the integration enables Bingbon users to manage their trades directly through TradingView, making it easier for them to research, develop investment strategies, share, and view trading ideas.

Previously, Bingbon completed chart data docking with TradingView which includes various charting tools, indicators, and overlays. Bingbon's user are permitted check the trading charts of all Bingbon contract trading pairs via TradingView. Bingbon provides an efficient, well laid out and simple user interface on desktop and mobile devices for trading the crypto markets.

Deeper collaboration with TradingView, means that Bingbon can enhance user experience like never. Users will have the necessary resources to make smarter and better-informed financial decisions.

"Bingbon's market data has been online on TradingView for a year now. This year, Bingbon has successively obtained regulatory licenses such as AUSTRAC, which gives us more confidence in the launch of trading integration to provide users with a better trading environment and experience. We look forward to more cooperation projects between Bingbon and TradingView in the future." - Growth Director of Greater China at TradingView, Mark Ting.

Bingbon's exploration into TradingView's brokers services will help them build an open, transparent, and trusted trading community to attract more brokers and traders as part of its ecosystem. Top brokers on TradingView will bring greater transparency and trading experience to Bingbon. Brokers with access to TradingView include AMP, Gemini, Alpaca and FXCM, among others.

"Working with TradingView is a distinct pleasure of ours. They will help us transform our social trading exchange into a world class playground for traders. Further collaboration with TradingView will help Bingbon grow its network of investors and traders on the platform." - Communications and Partnership Manager at Bingbon, Elvisco Carrington

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1593397/Lark.jpg


MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Energy company Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Delta Air Lines and Google have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to track sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) test batch emissions data using cloud-based technology.



The companies hope to create a common, more transparent model for analyzing potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions that could then be adopted by organizations considering SAF programs.



SAF is produced from biofeedstocks that can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent when compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF is a critically important lever in Delta's Flight to Net Zero, as it reduces the life cycle carbon emissions from aviation fuel.



Under a pilot, Chevron will produce a test batch of SAF at its El Segundo Refinery and will sell it to Delta at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a major global hub for Delta's fleet. Chevron and Delta will then share results from the SAF pilot with Google Cloud to better understand emissions reporting.



Google Cloud plans to build a data and analytics framework to securely ingest and analyze emissions data from Delta and Chevron related to the SAF test batch.



The goal of the pilot will be to provide better visibility into data from their project, allowing for greater transparency and improved reporting of SAF emissions. This will help the companies to understand the environmental impacts of their operations that will be paramount as they look to mitigate climate change.



Delta already has the distinction of being the first carbon neutral airline globally and has pledged to replace 10 percent of its jet fuel with SAF by 2030. Delta Air Lines had earlier committed $1 billion over the next 10 years on its journey to mitigate all emissions from its global business from March 2020.



The airline signed a three-year SAF agreement in July to reduce lifecycle emissions by 209 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 256 acres of U.S. forests.



This MOU also builds on Chevron's previously announced effort to be the first refiner in the U.S. to co-process biofeedstocks in a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process through a capital-efficient investment program.



Chevron said the data sharing and transparency component of this partnership will help it better understand the emissions from sustainable aviation fuel production and delivery, supporting its goal to advance lower carbon fuels.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

ALPHABET-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
DGAP-Ad-hoc: Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.: RESULTS OF DUTCH SoP COMMITTEE MEETING



08-Sep-2021 / 16:40 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





DISCLOSURE OF INSIDE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO ART. 17 OF THE EU MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU 596/2014, MAR)

RESULTS OF DUTCH SoP COMMITTEE MEETING

Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. ("SIHNV" or the "Company" and together with its other subsidiaries, "Steinhoff" or the "Steinhoff Group") announces that today, the supervisory judges (rechters-commissarissen) in the Dutch suspension of payments (the "Dutch SoP") proceedings opened the creditors' meeting to discuss the claims as submitted in the procedure and to consider the Composition Plan. Following these discussions, the members of the Committee of Representation were asked to cast their votes on the Composition Plan. The supervisory judges confirmed that there was a positive decision supporting the Composition Plan with all fifteen members voting in favour. The outcome will now need to be considered by the District Court of Amsterdam in a subsequent confirmation hearing, which has been scheduled at 10.00 am (CET) on 16 September 2021 at the District Court of Amsterdam.

The Company has a primary listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited.

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Contact:

Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.

Investor Relations

Phone: +27 21 808 0700

E-mail: investors@steinhoffinternational.com

8 September 2021
DGAP-News: Comcast Colorado

Comcast Business Supports CORE Electric Cooperative's Goal of Delivering Low-Cost, Reliable Electricity



08.09.2021 / 17:00

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Comcast Business today announced that CORE Electric Cooperative - a nonprofit electric distribution cooperative that serves more than 170,000 customers along Colorado's Front Range region - has selected Comcast Business to provide two 1 Gig Ethernet Dedicated Internet (EDI) connections for its offices, as well as a 1 Gig Ethernet Private Line (EPL) for its main data center. The solutions will provide CORE employees with reliable connectivity to its sites, thus furthering its goal of providing reliable, cost-friendly electricity services to the communities it serves.

CORE is the largest electric distribution cooperative in Colorado and one of the largest in the U.S. Its 5,000-square-mile service territory includes portions of 10 counties to the east, west and south of Denver. As a customer-owned cooperative, CORE operates on a nonprofit basis. Any earnings exceeding its expenses are invested back into the facilities used to provide electric service and are booked as member equity. Some of this equity is returned to members each year.

'Our mandate is to provide reliable electricity at the lowest cost, and network uptime and reliability are key to ensuring the success of our operations,' said Josh Liss, public affairs director for CORE. 'We can count on Comcast Business to provide reliable connectivity. As a result, we are truly set up for success now and in the future, even as we continue to grow and add customers to our network.'

CORE's EDI connections from Comcast Business are a cost-effective solution for the cooperative to power its networks, helping its employees stay connected and able to quickly respond to customer needs. Meanwhile, CORE's EPL ensures redundancy at its data center site in Bennett, as well as 24/7 priority network support and monitoring from the Comcast Business team. In the future, these solutions will help CORE provide quality service to customers as it expands its focus into renewable energy.

'Electricity services are an essential for all households, regardless of income, but they are not always turnkey to deliver to customers,' said Robert Thompson, vice president of Comcast Business for the company's Mountain West Region. 'We are proud to partner with CORE and help support their mission to bring affordable utilities to residents of the Front Range region.'

For more information, please visit https://business.comcast.com/.

About Comcast Business

Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what's next. Powered by the nation's largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services.

For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

About CORE Electric Cooperative

CORE Electric Cooperative is a nonprofit electric distribution cooperative that serves more than 170,000 customers inside a 5,000-square-mile service territory along Colorado's Front Range. Its headquarters is in Sedalia, and district offices are in Bennett, Conifer and Woodland Park.

# # #

Media Contacts: Chloe Huard

Finn Partners

chloe.huard@finnpartners.com

About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what's next. Powered by the nation's largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

Comcast Business

Chloe Huard

chloe.huard@finnpartners.com

https://business.comcast.com/

News Source: News Direct
Company offers natural science formulation alternative to common synthetically-based gym supplements

SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / TRUWILD, a health and wellness company that uses natural science to formulate the most effective nutritional products for outdoor enthusiasts, today announced its launch of a new TRUWILD brand video and website, as well as the introduction of the company's new FlowerZZZ natural sleep-aid to its product collection.

TRUWILD Co-Founders Zac Curhan and Nate Cox have traveled to more than 40 countries combined, for a variety of outdoor adventures. During these trips, they immersed themselves in the culture and educated themselves on the native foods and ingredients, and realized that the strong, energetic locals they met turn to nature for ingredients that supported their performance. Curhan and Cox also quickly realized that most supplements on the market lacked the quality and functionality required for rigorous outdoor adventures and activities. These first-hand experiences ultimately inspired them to create TRUWILD and its "From the Wild, For the Wild" approach, with the belief that supplements should encompass whole-food ingredients from around the globe.

"Our initiative is to educate and provide the outdoor community with all-natural products to empower them to live a clean and healthy lifestyle while performing at their best," said, Curhan. "Using nature to our advantage, all of TRUWILD's ingredients are derived from a whole-food source, and we approach our product development like we approach every outdoor adventure; with the purest intention. Our supplements are tailored for the outdoor athlete but beneficial for everyone, with the quality and clean ingredients the body requires and deserves."

TRUWILD wanted to relay these core values with the company's new website, which features a seamless consumer experience that showcases the brand lifestyle across the entire site, enabling consumers to more easily order their favorite products, learn more about the company and sign-up for a monthly subscription. Continuing the brand recharge, the company also successfully launched a new TRUWILD brand video.

TRUWILD product collection

"Our goal for the brand video was to explain the "why" behind our brand and products. Our product line specifically targets the common health needs of outdoor athletes and provides a wide range of solutions to better improve their performance and nutrition. Our idea was to show not only how nutritional supplements make you feel, but what's actually happening when you take them," said Curhan. "The video's theme is 'where science meets adventure,' and the whole vision came to life with the help of our Creative Director, TJ Kolesnik, and Tru-Athletes and friends living out their adventures."

TRUWILD has also expanded its product line with the launch of its new FlowerZZZ natural sleep aid. TRUWILD created FlowerZZZ with a natural floral twist, infused with a unique blend of calming and relaxing flowers from chamomile, lavender, and saffron, to help improve the body's sleep cycle and support a relaxing night's rest. FlowerZZZ also includes a perfect combination of magnesium, Zinc, L-theanine and a small dose of melatonin to help the body relax and reduce anxiety before bedtime*.

To learn more about TRUWILD and its products, visit: https://www.truwild.com.

About TRUWILD

Founded in 2017 in Newport Beach, Calif., TRUWILD is a health and wellness company that uses natural science to formulate the most effective nutritional products for outdoor enthusiasts. Designed for athletes, but made for everyone, From the Wild, For the Wild! All TRUWILD products are vegan, gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, and made from naturally sourced ingredients from high-quality suppliers across the globe. TRUWILD is headquartered in Tempe, Ariz. with offices in San Diego. To learn more about TRUWILD, please visit https://www.truwild.com.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

For Media Inquiries, please contact:

Cathy Loos

Loos & Co. Communications

+1-347-334-4135

cloos@looscomm.com

SOURCE: TRUWILD

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663159/TRUWILD-Amps-Up-its-Mission-to-Fuel-the-Outdoor-Enthusiast-Community-with-Whole-Food-Natural-Supplements
Press Release issued on September 7th by the entrenched board and management is purposely deceitful as it portrays an incomplete picture of the decision rendered by the Supreme Court of British Columbia

Court reinforces voting record date must remain the same and notes the TSX Venture Exchange has required that Fancamp hold its AGM at least two clear business days before closing the ScoZinc Arrangement

Reminds Shareholders that the Entrenched Board and Management have consistently refused to hold the AGM in efforts to thwart shareholder democracy and continue to not announce a meeting date

Shareholders are urged to stop Management from further entrenchment and destruction of shareholder value by continuing to vote the GREEN form of proxy and to resist desperate inducements to change their votes

The Concerned Shareholders would like to thank the true owners of Fancamp for their tremendous support and patience to date and are confident enough votes have already been cast on GREEN to win the vote

Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Incumbent director of Fancamp Exploration Ltd. ("Fancamp" or the "Company"), Dr. Peter H. Smith, who, together with joint actors, James Hunter and his affiliates, Mark Fekete and Heather Hannan, (the "Concerned Shareholders") hold in aggregate, directly and indirectly an aggregate of 22,285,597 shares, representing approximately 12.63% of Fancamp's issued and outstanding common shares, want to update shareholders on recent events impacting the long overdue 2020 annual general meeting of shareholders (the "AGM") originally scheduled for June 29, 2021, but delayed indefinitely by the incumbent directors and officers excluding Dr. Smith (the "Entrenched Board and Management").

As noted previously, despite numerous requests made by Dr. Smith which were denied, Dr. Smith was compelled to file a petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the "Court") seeking 11 different orders. The Company ultimately consented to five orders, including an order that the record date for the AGM has been frozen at May 28, 2021. Hence, the shareholders, and shareholdings, authorized to vote at the meeting will not change. On September 3, 2021, the Court refused to grant an order for an independent chair at the AGM or to order that the AGM occur earlier than November 12, 2021 which was the date the Company submitted to the Court that it intended to hold the AGM. The court also refused to require that votes cast with QuickVote (which was used despite it being considered under general industry practice to be inappropriate for use in a disputed election) be recast noting that they comprise less than 1% of eligible votes. Additionally, the Court noted that the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") has required that Fancamp hold its AGM at least two clear business days before closing the transaction with ScoZinc Mining Ltd. ("ScoZinc", the "ScoZinc Arrangement") and Dr. Smith can re-apply for further orders after the AGM if necessary. In effect the Court has maintained the status quo with respect to the AGM.

Shareholders are reminded that the Entrenched Board and Management have consistently refused to hold the AGM in a timely manner. A full 22 months has passed since the last annual general meeting and Fancamp stubbornly remains not in compliance with section 4 of Exchange Policy 3.2. with respect to the timing of annual general meetings. The AGM, as scheduled on June 29, 2021, was postponed indefinitely under an extension granted on May 27, 2021 by the BC Registrar of Companies under the pretext of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to the filing of Dr. Smith's petition to the court . In Fancamp's September 7, 2021 press release it falsely states that the postponement was made necessary by Dr. Smith's petition. In any event, the Court has settled this petition, so it is no longer an excuse to delay the AGM.

Aside from the issue of the long overdue AGM, shareholders are encouraged to review the annual Audited Annual Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (the "Annual Financial Statements") filed August 30, 2021 on SEDAR for the fiscal year 2021. It has been a full year since Dr. Smith was forced to resign his position as CEO in favour of Rajesh Sharma in that role. The Annual Financial Statements provide information for the 12-month period ending April 30, 2021 and so it does not cover the full period of Mr. Sharma's tenure as CEO. However, it does show that Mr. Sharma has failed to build any new value for shareholders. The share price has remained stagnant even though Fancamp recorded net income of $0.11 per share basic for the period. This extraordinary increase in net income is related mainly to unrealized gains on marketable securities ($15,007,544) and realized gains on the disposal of marketable securities ($6,833,369). These gains are almost entirely attributable to securities of Champion Iron Mines Ltd. ("Champion") that were acquired directly due to actions undertaken by Dr. Smith on Fancamp's behalf years before Mr. Sharma became involved with the Company.

Management and consulting fees have exploded to $564,084 for 2021 from $93,375 in the same period for 2020. For his part, the Annual Financial Statements show that Mr. Sharma has collected fees of $139,000 over a seven and half month period for approximately $18,500 per month. No details of his management contract are revealed in the Annual Financial Statements. Legal Fees are $739,836 for 2021 compared to $249,525 for 2020 due mainly to multiple frivolous civil suits launched by Fancamp against Dr. Smith. On the exploration side, no meaningful drilling, survey or assay results have been reported during Mr. Sharma's tenure as CEO. Total exploration costs for fiscal 2021 amounted to only $430,492 with $193,470 (45%) of that described vaguely as "Engineering, Consulting and Sundry". It is shocking that exploration costs for the 12-month period amounted to a mere 17% of total expenditures compared to 83% ($2,138,260) spent on general and administrative expenses.

The subsequent notes also cast doubt on the ability of the Entrenched Board and Management to fulfill their fiduciary duty to do what is best for the Company. The ScoZinc Arrangement continues to drain Fancamp with a secured loan agreement of $250,000 to ScoZinc executed on May 19, 2021, and outright cash payments to ScoZinc of $125,000 per month subsequently to obtain one month extensions for July and August. This is excessive considering that there is no guarantee that the ScoZinc Arrangement will close.

On May 12, 2021, KPMG International Ltd. was retained to launch a formal forensic investigation into the alleged misconduct of Dr. Smith and on May 14, 2021 Fancamp filed a civil claim in the British Columbia Supreme Court against Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith has produced documentation in accordance with the rules of court. Despite demand and in breach of the rules, the Company has yet to produce any documents to Dr. Smith in the BC action. Notably, it has also refused, despite requests, to provide particulars of the alleged self-dealing allegations made in the BC action. In the BC petition proceedings, KPMG advised that they had received over 100,000 documents and the only opinions they have been able to provide are that the Magpie transaction which is a basis for action occurred in 2007, has been disclosed since the 2008 audited financial statements and there is a discrepancy in the records as to whether shares were issued to Dr. Smith in consideration for past services or for agreeing to be a director. Moreover, despite that over 100,000 documents have been provided to KPMG, the Company proceeded with a duplicative proceeding the Quebec Superior Court to obtain technical and financial information belonging to the Company allegedly withheld by Dr. Smith. On August 6, 2021, the safeguard order was dismissed on the basis that there was no urgent need for any documents. Notably, the Company and its auditors were able to sign the audited financial statements without qualification based on the documents in their possession. Further, the Company completed its technical review with the documents in its possession. The only basis to continue to pursue Dr. Smith at the expense of the Company's shareholders in these circumstances is to attempt to discredit him and bankrupt him in an effort to win the proxy fight.

On May 27, 2021, the day prior to the record date, the Entrenched Board and Management exercised recently issued incentive stock options for the purchase of a total of 10,200,000 common shares. Prior to this exercise they collectively held only 1.9% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company.

On July 13, 2021, the Company announced that it had received a paltry $1.3 million in exchange for its 1.5% royalty interests in the O'Keefe-Purdy, Harvey-Tuttle, Bellechasse, Oil Can, Fire Lake North Consolidated, Peppler Lake and Moire Lake iron-ore properties in the Fermont area of Quebec, and for its 100%-owned Lac Lamelee iron-ore property in the same area under an agreement executed with Champion (the "Agreement"). The Annual Financial Statements state that under the Agreement " certain future finite production payments [will be] payable once certain iron ore production thresholds have been reached" Since royalty payments are by definition based on production, it appears Fancamp gave away rights to production payments that it already owned.

The Annual Financial Statements do not reflect disclosure contained in SEDI filings, that Ashwath Mehra a director of Fancamp and of Scozinc, purchased 22,000,000 shares of Fancamp from Champion on July 15, 2021 through ASTOR Management AG, a company that he controls. This transaction was done only two days after the Royalty Agreement between Fancamp and Champion closed. On July 19, 2021 Mehra, again through ASTOR Management AG, acquired an additional 6,668,000 to bring his beneficial ownership and control to 31,418,000 shares, representing 17.8% of the outstanding issued and outstanding share capital.

The interim first quarter financial statements for the three months ending July 31 are due to be filed by Fancamp by the end of September. These statements will likely reveal more misguided spending on administrative, directors fees and legal fees, no efforts to build value for shareholders and continued unwillingness to apply fiduciary duties to the Company above the self-interests of the Entrenched Board and Management. The easiest, quickest, most ethical and legal way to prevent this continued, massive hemorrhage of Company funds is to hold the long-overdue AGM. Fancamp cannot move forward until the festering issue of accountability of the board to shareholders is settled.

Shareholders are urged to stop the Entrenched Board and Management from further entrenchment and destruction of shareholder value by continuing to vote the GREEN form of proxy and to resist inducements to change their votes. The Concerned Shareholders would like to thank the true owners of Fancamp for their tremendous support and patience to date. This support comes from independent shareholders that are completely frustrated and totally disgusted by the unethical, corrupt and frantic entrenchment tactics employed for personal benefit over the interests of the Company.

Advisors

Farris LLP are acting as legal advisors to Dr. Peter Smith and Gryphon Advisors Inc., are acting as their strategic shareholder communications and proxy advisor. Gryphon's responsibility will include providing strategic advice and advising the Concerned Shareholders with respect to the annual general meeting and proxy protocol.

The registered address of Fancamp is located at 3200 - 650 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4P7. The mailing and head office address of Fancamp is 7290 Gray Avenue, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 3Z2. A copy of this press release may be obtained on Fancamp's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

For more information regarding the Concerned Shareholders' position please contact:

Gryphon Advisors Inc.

Tel: 1-833-461-3651

Email: inquiries@gryphonadvisors.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95881
Regulatory News:

Pherecydes Pharma (FR0011651694 ALPHE), a biotechnology company specializing in precision phage therapy to treat resistant and/or complicated bacterial infections, today announces that its management team will participate in the following events over the coming months:

Adebiotech

September 16, 2021 (face-to-face or remote symposium)

Pherecydes Pharma will participate in this symposium dedicated to "Innovative approaches in human, animal and environmental health in the fight against antibiotic resistance" to present the advantages of precision phage therapy.

For more information, click here

Boston Biotechnology Summit

September 30, 2021 (virtual summit)

This summit was created in 2016 with the aim of supporting international cooperation between health players in order to solve unmet medical needs.

For more information, click here

Portzamparc Biotech Healthcare Conference

October 6, 2021 (face-to-face, Paris)

This event, organized by Portzamparc, a subsidiary of the BNP Paribas Group, gives French and international investors an opportunity to interact with the heads of listed healthcare sector companies.

"A day Bioaster" presentation

October 7, 2021 (face-to-face, Lyon)

This event, organized by Bioaster, a non-profit technology research institute in the field of microbiology, will have as its central theme "The hope and promise of precision medicine in infectious diseases

European Midcap Event Paris

October 21-22, 2021 (face-to-face, Paris)

One of the leading investor forums, this event provides some 400 international institutional investors with an opportunity to talk with the heads of more than 150 listed companies.

For more information, click here

Investir Day

November 23, 2021 (Palais Brongniart, Paris)

Over the last three years, Investir Day has become a key event for shareholders, investors and savers where they can spend an entire day accessing numerous meetings, speeches and presentations and can meet with heads of listed companies.

Phage Future Europe

November 23-24, 2021 (congress in person, Brussels, Belgium)

On November 23, Dr. Cindy Fevre, Director of R&D at Pherecydes Pharma, will speak on the topic "Clinical application of natural phages in precision phage therapy: a concept applied to French patients within the framework of a compassionate care program

About Pherecydes Pharma

Founded in 2006, Pherecydes Pharma is a biotechnology company that develops treatments against resistant bacterial infections, responsible for many serious infections. The Company has developed an innovative approach, precision phage therapy, based on the use of phages, natural bacteria-killing viruses. Pherecydes Pharma is developing a portfolio of phages targeting 3 of the most resistant and dangerous bacteria, which alone account for more than two thirds of hospital-acquired resistant infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The concept of precision phage therapy has been successfully applied in more than 26 patients in the context of compassionate use, under the supervision of the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). Headquartered in Nantes, Pherecydes Pharma has a team of around twenty experts from the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology sector and academic research.

For more information, www.pherecydes-pharma.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains non-factual elements, including, but not limited to, certain statements regarding future results and other future events. These statements are based on the current vision and assumptions of the management of the Company. They incorporate known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could result in significant differences in results, profitability and expected events. In addition, Pherecydes Pharma, its shareholders and its affiliates, directors, officers, counsels and employees have not verified the accuracy of, and make no representations or warranties about, statistical information or forecast information contained within this news release and that originates or is derived from third party sources or industry publications; these statistical data and forecast information are only used in this press release for information purposes. Finally, this press release may be drafted in French and in English. In the event of differences between the two texts, the French version will prevail.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005840/en/

Contacts:

Pherecydes Pharma

Philippe Rousseau

CFO

investors@pherecydes-pharma.com

NewCap

Dusan Oresansky

Investor Relations

pherecydes@newcap.eu

T.: +33 1 44 71 94 92

NewCap

Nicolas Merigeau

Media Relations

pherecydes@newcap.eu

T.: +331 44 71 94 98
Paris, September 8th 2021, 5:45 pm

PRESS RELEASE

Eramet: Signature of an agreement with Meridiam and the Gabonese State regarding their acquisition of an equity interest inSetrag, operator of the Transgabonese railway

Opening of 40% of the capital of Setrag, Comilog's subsidiary, to Meridiam, a private investor, specialising in long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure

Disposal of 9% of the capital held by Comilog to the Gabonese State

Strengthening of Setrag's balance sheet to support the ongoing railway renovation programme and future developments within the company

Signature of an amendment to the concession contract, which extends its duration and confirms the new share capital structure of the subsidiary

Eramet announces that Meridiam has acquired an equity interest in Setrag through a capital increase of c.30m, enabling the investment fund to become a shareholder with a 40% stake in the Gabonese subsidiary. In addition to its capital contribution, Meridiam also commits to contributing c.40m to the financing of Setrag and to bringing its rail expertise in order to ensure the future development of the Transgabonese railway.

In addition, the Gabonese State acquires 9% of Setrag's capital from Comilog, an Eramet group subsidiary, which remains the company's majority shareholder with a 51% stake in the capital.

Setrag, which operates the railway line linking Libreville to Franceville in Gabon over a distance of approximately 650 km, is a vital player in the country's economy. The company ensures the transport of freight and passengers with an average of 330,000 annual passengers and nearly 9 million tons of goods transported in 2020, of which approximately 90% was mining freight.

A new dynamic is currently being deployed. It aims to strengthen the upgrading plan (Plan de Remise a Niveau, "PRN") in order to improve the railway's performance through modernisation and security actions. It also aims to develop the transport capacity of travellers and goods from 12 million tons to 19 million tons, in order to support the growth of the Gabonese economy.

Meridiam, having extensive experience in infrastructure investment management, particularly in Africa and especially in Gabon, will contribute to the success of this transformation, which should enable Setrag to position itself as a reference in rail transport, particularly in terms of safety and quality of service.

Kleber Silva, Eramet Deputy CEO in charge of the Mining and Metals Division, commented:

"Meridiam's acquisition of an equity interest in Setrag's capital represents an important milestone in the path of progress that we have been following for three years. Its infrastructure management experience in Africa and its rail expertise around the globe will further strengthen our railway operations. By acquiring a stake in the subsidiary's capital, the Gabonese State, Eramet's long-standing partner, confirms its commitment to growing the Gabonese transport business to support the country's growth. In financial terms, this transaction significantly strengthens Setrag's balance sheet, which will allow it to support its future development projects and thus rise to the highest standards in rail transport."

Calendar

25/10/2021: Publication of 2021 third-quarter turnover

ABOUT ERAMET

Eramet transforms the Earth's mineral resources to provide sustainable and responsible solutions to the growth of the industry and to the challenges of the energy transition.

Its 13,000 employees are committed to this through their civic and contributory approach in all the countries where the mining and metallurgical group is present.

Manganese, nickel, mineral sands, lithium and cobalt: Eramet recovers and develops metals that are essential to the building of a more sustainable world.

As a privileged partner of its industrial clients, the Group contributes to making robust and resistant infrastructures and constructions, more efficient means of mobility, safer health tools and more efficient telecommunications devices.

Fully committed to the era of metals, Eramet's ambition is to become a reference for the responsible transformation of the Earth's mineral resources for living well together.

www. eramet .com

ABOUT SETRAG

Setrag (Societe d'Exploitation du Transgabonais) is the concession holder of the railway line linking Owendo to Franceville in Gabon. A real catalyser for the country's economic development, the Transgabonais is the subject of an ambitious upgrade programme by the State and Setrag. The company's ambition is to become an international reference in the railway sector by relying on a high-performance model that contributes to the population.

Setrag is a subsidiary of the Compagnie Miniere de l'Ogooue (Comilog), itself a subsidiary of the French mining and metallurgical group, Eramet. It employs 1,550 people, half of whom are spread out along the 24 stations of the 648 km Transgabonais line.

ABOUT MERIDIAM

Meridiam was founded in 2005 by Thierry Deau, with the belief that the alignment of interests between the public and private sector can provide critical solutions to the collective needs of communities.

Meridiam is an independent investment Benefit Corporation under French law and an asset manager. The firm specializes in the development, financing, and long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure in three core sectors: mobility, energy transition and environment, and social infrastructure. With offices in, Addis Ababa, Amman, Dakar, Istanbul, New York, Luxembourg, Paris, Toronto and Vienna, Meridiam currently manages US$10 billion and more than 90 projects and assets to date. Meridiam is certified ISO 9001: 2015, Advanced Sustainability Rating by VigeoEiris (Moody's) and applies a proprietary methodology in relation to ESG and impact based on United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

INVESTOR CONTACT



Director of Investor Relations



Sandrine Nourry-Dabi

T. +33 1 45 38 37 02

sandrine.nourrydabi@eramet.com (mailto:sandrine.nourrydabi@eramet.com)













PRESS CONTACT







Communications Director



Pauline Briand



pauline.briand@eramet.com (mailto:pauline.briand@eramet.com)









Image 7



Marie Artzner

T. +33 1 53 70 74 31 | M. +33 6 75 74 31 73

martzner@image7.fr (mailto:martzner@image7.fr)



Attachment
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Eyam Vaccine and Immunotherapeutics (EYAM), a next-generation vaccine biotechnology company, announced today an agreement with Veristat, a scientific-minded, global clinical research organization (CRO), to plan and coordinate clinical trials of their vaccine program against SARS-CoV-2.

"This agreement builds a partnership with a global clinical research organization that has conducted COVID-19 trials around the world. Working with Veristat to plan and implement our clinical trials is an important step in bringing our next-generation mRNA platform to market and advancing the many novel vaccine technologies that we expect will contribute to the end of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Ryan M. Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of EYAM.

"This is another significant step forward in EYAM's mission to bring safe, highly effective next-generation vaccine technologies forward," Thomas said.

Lead Investigator and Chief Scientific Officer of EYAM, Professor Wilf Jefferies said, "EYAM's goal is to end the global COVID-19 pandemic by creating unique sterilizing vaccines that halt infection and transmission of the virus and are protective against new variants. EYAM's unique next-generation vaccines also address several current obstacles in COVID-19 vaccine development including reducing the time to design new vaccines, improving manufacturing speed, and creating vaccines with longer shelf-life."

EYAM's research and development is receiving financial support from the Canadian Federal Government through grants from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), and Canada Summer Jobs. Professor Jefferies' COVID-19 program at the Michael Smith Laboratories (MSL) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) at the Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) is receiving financial support from the Government of British Columbia, Microsoft Corp. in conjunction with Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (Federally funded MITACS program) and by donations to the Sullivan Urology Foundation.

About Eyam:

Eyam Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics is a private Canadian company focused on the research and development of next-generation vaccines that are safe and efficacious at low doses. Eyam (pronounced 'eem') was named to honour of the village in Derbyshire where in 1665 and 1666 the residents chose to stay and brave near certain death rather than travelling and risk transmitting the plague to their neighbouring towns. In the end, 75% of Eyam's residents did indeed die, but their surrounding neighbours were saved due to Eyam's selfless quarantine.

Eyam Contact:

Ryan M. Thomas, Chief Executive Officer

Contact@eyamhealth.com

www.EyamHealth.com

About Veristat:

Veristat, a global clinical research organization (CRO), enables sponsors to solve the unique and complex challenges associated with accelerating therapies through clinical development to regulatory approval. With more than 26 years of experience in clinical trial planning and execution, Veristat is equipped to support any development program. Veristat has supported over 150 vaccine projects to date and prepared over 100 marketing applications for approval with global regulatory authorities in the last ten years. Recently Veristat was enlisted by sponsor around the globe to support over 40 COVID-19 specific projects.

Veristat's focus on novel drug development has led to success when handling the unknowns that arise across complicated therapeutic areas, such as rare/ultra-rare disease, advanced therapies, oncology, and infectious disease trials. Veristat applies this knowledge base every day to solve any clinical program's challenges, from the simplest to the most complex. Veristat has assembled an extraordinary team of experts worldwide who have mastered therapeutic development intricacies, enabling sponsors to succeed in extending and saving lives.

Veristat Contact:

Lauren Brennan, Director of Marketing

Media@veristat.com or +1 508-306-6281

www.veristat.com

SOURCE: Eyam Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663114/Eyam-Vaccines-and-Immunotherapeutics-Announces-Clinical-Trials-Agreement-for-Next-Generation-COVID-19-Vaccine
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.
Advanced Clinical, a global clinical research services organization, is pleased to announce that the company's global expansion into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region continues with the opening of a new office in Tokyo, Japan.

Located in the heart of Tokyo, the new office will place Advanced Clinical in a better position to reach and respond swiftly to the ever-growing needs of their regional clientele as well as other international clients planning projects in Japan.

To lead clinical research efforts, Makoto Nishida has been appointed as the General Manager for Japan. Nishida brings 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He has previously worked as a Country Manager, focusing on regional project management, APAC clinical and regulatory strategy, and clinical development. He holds a master's degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry and a Japan Pharmacist license.

"I am very proud to join Advanced Clinical as we continue to expand our resources and global programs to more effectively serve our established clients and growing amount of prospects in Japan," said Nishida. "I plan to contribute my knowledge of the Japanese pharmaceutical environment that I've acquired from past work experiences to create additional success throughout Japan."

"In the last several years, Japan has experienced rapid expansion in their pharmaceutical and clinical trial markets," said Ivana Waller, Managing Director Europe/APAC and Senior Vice President, Global Development and Expansion. "With deregulation, more flexible conditions, and stronger investigator and patient commitment to clinical trials, we see this expansion as an excellent opportunity to become a strong player in Japan's dynamic market and enhance our differentiated and mid-market service offerings."

Advanced Clinical will continue its APAC expansion efforts in subsequent months with plans to add additional locations in Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan.

In addition to Japan, Advanced Clinical has a Singapore hub for the APAC region. Advanced Clinical has established European operations in Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Poland, and Ukraine. Advanced Clinical's United States offices are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations also in Orlando, Florida and San Francisco, California.

About Advanced Clinical

Advanced Clinical is a privately held, single owner, global clinical research services organization, providing full-service CRO, FSP and Strategic Resourcing solutions for biopharmaceutical and medical device organizations. Our company is committed to improving all lives touched by clinical research and we address the hopes of patients and healthcare professionals with industry-leading services and technology in life sciences. Visit our website to learn more about how we deliver a Better Clinical Experience: www.advancedclinical.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005915/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

Stephanie Swanson

Senior Director of Marketing

P: (312) 572-6000

sswanson@advancedclinical.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - County Capital 2 Ltd. (TSXV: CTWO.P) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding engagement agreement dated September 7, 2021 with Givex Corporation, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas ("Givex"), pursuant to which the Corporation will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of Givex (the "Proposed Transaction").

Givex is a fintech company with a 20-year track record of sustainable, profitable growth that has developed and commercialized a cloud-based, omnichannel technology platform, seamlessly integrating gift and loyalty programs, point of sale systems and flexible payment services to enterprise level retail and hospitality merchants across the globe. With clients including some of the world's largest brands, Givex's platform is currently deployed in over 100,000 client locations across 70 countries.

Between 2018 and 2019, Givex grew 18% and despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, audited revenues in 2020 further increased. Selected financial information of the Company for the past three audited fiscal years are presented below:(1)

In millions of Canadian dollars December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Total assets $39.6 $34.6 $29 Total liabilities $15.1 $12.6 $5.8 Total gross revenue $51.5 $49.3 $41.4 Total net income (loss) $2.4 ($0.72)

$4.1



Note:

(1) Based on financial statements using the accounting standards for private enterprises.

"Givex has established itself as a reputable, reliable and fast-growing player in the Fintech sector," commented Don Gray, Founder and CEO of Givex. "As the world returns to pre-pandemic levels and Givex accelerates its existing accretive M&A strategy via a public listing, we expect a substantial increase in year over year growth."

"We are excited to bring another a high-quality transaction to our loyal shareholders," stated Robert Munro, CEO of the Corporation. "We will continue to work diligently with Givex to help them maximize their value as a public company."

For further information about Givex, please visit their website at www.givex.com

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Givex intends to complete one or more brokered private placements of securities, which may include convertible debentures, subscription receipts or other convertible securities (the "Concurrent Financings") for gross proceeds of not less than $10 million. It is intended that the Concurrent Financings would close prior to the closing of the Transaction. The net proceeds of the Concurrent Financings will be held in escrow and released only upon the closing of the Proposed Transaction.

The Proposed Transaction will be an arm's length transaction, and when completed, will constitute the Corporation's qualifying transaction pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and is subject to compliance with all necessary regulatory and other approvals and certain other terms and conditions.

A comprehensive news release with further particulars relating to the Proposed Transaction, financials, transaction structure, descriptions of the proposed management and directors of the resulting issuer, final terms of any Concurrent Financings and sponsorship, if applicable, will follow in accordance with the policies of the Exchange.

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to several conditions including, but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and, if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular, filing statement or prospectus in lieu thereof to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

ABOUT COUNTY CAPITAL

County Capital brings together an elite group of industry leaders with a mandate to create and complete a series of professionally managed Capital Pool Companies. For more information about County Capital and the CPC Program, please visit www.countycapital.ca

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Corporation's future plans and intentions and completion of the Proposed Transaction. 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 Corporation 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 Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

For further information please contact:

County Capital 2 Ltd.

Tyler Lang, President

Telephone: 416.727.5862

Email: rob@countycapital.ca

Website: www.countycapital.ca

Robert Munro, CEO & CFO

Telephone: 416.272.1140

Email: tyler@countycapital.ca

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95891
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - ReGen III Corp. (TSXV: GIII) (OTCQB: ISRJF) (FSE: PN4) ("ReGen III" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its partnership announcement with Koch Project Solutions, LLC ("KPS") on March 29, 2021 and the use of proceeds outlined in the Company's June 17 2021, short form prospectus, the Company has moved into the second phase of the KPS three-phase project execution plan with the signing of a Master Services Agreement ("MSA").

During the first phase of the partnership, KPS completed numerous meetings with the ReGen III project team members (PCL Industrial Construction Ltd., Koch Modular Process Systems, LLC and Process Dynamics Inc.) to assess the Company's project design and technology status. In addition to this work, KPS was actively supporting ReGen III with its site search, selection and development activities that led up to the Company's signing of the letter of intent with Oiltanking North America, LLC ("Oiltanking") for their terminal and tank farm site in Texas City, TX. Various Koch Industry resources were engaged to support these efforts and their involvement continues with the Oiltanking site.

Under the MSA, KPS continues to build on previous scope and process documents, taking advantage of the Company's detailed work completed for the Company's Alberta project. KPS is now moving through the full Front-End Engineering and Design ("FEED") phase of the project on an expedited basis. The FEED will include the FEL2 and FEL3 scope of work that will result in a Class 2 (+/- 10%) project cost estimate and an Engineering, procurement, and construction lump sum turnkey ("EPC LSTK") wrap. Fully wrapped EPC LSTK contracts include cost, schedule, performance and technology guarantees and this will provide ReGen III with a single point of responsibility namely, KPS, for engineering, construction, commissioning and start-up.

During the third phase KPS will continue to lead ReGen III's world class engineering, construction and licensed vendor teams through the completion of detailed design, construction, commissioning, and start-up of the Company's new 5,600 bpd re-refining facility in Texas. In support of the Texas re-refining facility, ReGen III signed a definitive, multi-year offtake agreement with bp for the purchase of all ReGen III's base oil production. This facility will serve as the foundation for ReGen III's future growth.

Gord Driedger, President of ReGen III stated, "We have been working closely and constructively with Koch Project Solutions and our project partners for the past seven months to develop the critical front-end engineering and estimating plan. During this second phase we look forward to executing the plan and drawing on KPS's extensive resources and experience to expedite the program. When completed, KPS will provide ReGen III with a proposal that will include price, schedule and technology certainty for the USGC Facility."

"We are honored to be part of this innovative re-refinery project with ReGen III that will be a game changer for the way future used motor oils are cleaned and re-processed," says George Schlowsky, president of Koch Modular. "Not only are we excited to bring our knowledge and expertise to the table, but we believe that together we are making more efficient use of resources to create additional value in society."

Says Paul Switzer, president of Koch Project Solutions, "Koch Project Solutions continues to help innovative companies bring superior technologies to market. Innovations like ReGen III mine value from waste products and returns them to beneficial use."

About Koch Project Solutions

Koch Project Solutions strives to be the preferred partner for capital project execution. Built on a foundation of safety, Koch Project Solutions partners with project owners to develop customized execution and contracting strategies designed to maximize the return on investment. Koch Project Solutions is a part of Koch Engineered Solutions providing world-class services and technologies broadly across industrial sectors. Superior Outcomes. Consistently Delivered. Learn more at: www.kochprojectsolutions.com.

About Koch Modular

Koch Modular has successfully designed and constructed modular systems for the global Chemical Processing Industry for over 30 years. Specializing in mass transfer, Koch Modular supports innovative technology companies on their pathway from concept to commercialization, providing pilot testing and process conceptualization services, process design package development, detailed engineering, and modular constructed systems. To learn more, visit kochmodular.com.

About ReGen III

ReGen III is a cleantech company creating more sustainable solutions that include better environmental outcomes and compelling economics. ReGen III owns a portfolio of patented technologies that enable used motor oil ("UMO") re-refineries to produce a higher value product mix of base oils than traditional methods, including 55% Group III. For more information about the Company, please visit www.ReGenIII.com.

On Behalf of the Board of ReGen III Corp.

"Greg Clarkes"

Greg Clarkes

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, contact Mark Redcliffe at (778) 668-5988

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.

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Without limiting the foregoing, such forward-looking information includes statements regarding the Company's business plans, expectations and objectives. In this news release, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, such future performance will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or the Company management's good faith belief with respect to future events and is subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking information made in this news release, see the Company's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis and financial statements and other documents filed by the Company with the Canadian securities commissions and the discussion of risk factors set out therein. Such documents are available at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on the Company's website, https://www.ReGen III.com/. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's expectations as at the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95894
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Leveljump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) ("Leveljump" or the "Company"), a Canadian leader in B2B telehealth solutions, is pleased to announce that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. ("DTCC") that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies in the United States.

JUMP common shares are now fully DTC eligible and will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "JMPHF" on the OTCQB. Through an electronic method of clearing securities, DTC eligibility simplifies the process of trading and transferring the Company's common shares between brokerages in the United States.

"With DTC eligibility, our shares will be more accessible to a broader range of investors in the U.S. This should allow JUMP to increase its global shareholder base and increase the liquidity of our common shares to the benefit of all investors." Mitch Geisler, CEO.

About Leveljump Healthcare

Leveljump Healthcare Corp., (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) is building a national medical diagnostic imaging company and brand, primarily by providing teleradiology (remote radiology) services to its client hospitals and imaging centers. Additionally, JUMP plans to expand through the acquisition of independent healthcare facilities focused on diagnostic imaging as well as acquiring new disruptive imaging technologies.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

LEVELJUMP HEALTHCARE CORP.

Mitchell Geisler, Chief Executive Officer

info@leveljumphealthcare.com

(833) 840-2020

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable).

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95892
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland stock market ended on a weak note on Wednesday, extending recent losses, amid worries about a likely slowdown in global economic recovery due to the spread of the Delta variant of coronvirus. The benchmark SMI, which stayed in negative territory right through the session, ended with a loss of 129.24 points or 1.05% at 12,215.14, nearly 60 points off the day's low of 12,155.63. Partners Group shares shed about 2.8%. Holcim ended lower by 2.3%, while Novartis and Sika lost 1.76% and 1.55%, respectively. ABB, Credit Suisse, Roche Holding, Geberit, Swiss Life Holding, Alcon, Swatch Group, UBS Group, SGS and Nestle lost 0.7 to 1.2%. Among the stocks in the Mid Price Index, AMS declined 4.7%, Swiss Prime Site shed 3.7%, VAT Group ended 3.3% down and Logitech lost about 3.1%. SIG Combibloc, Temenos Group, Schindler Ps, Cembra Money Bank, Schindler Holding and Georg Fischer also declined sharply, while Recruitment company Adecco Group AG declined 0.7%, a day after it announced the acquisition of QAPA. Flughafen Zurich moved up by about 2%. In coronavirus news, Switzerland is being hit by a fourth wave of the infection, according to reports. Virginie Masserey, a top official at the Federal Office of Public Health, said on Tuesday that the virus situation in Switzerland remains tense. The number of new cases has stagnated at a high level, and Switzerland now has the highest incidence rate in Europe, after Britain, with 402 new infections per 100,000 residents over the past 14 days. 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.
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Vtail is a new NFT directory that promises a much-needed level of curation and the artistic touch sorely missing from the current NFT market.

"There are multiple sites offering NFTs, but what they lack is the level of care in creating and displaying genuine high-quality art pieces," said Jacob Elmon, the COO of the Vtail project. "Vtail is all about authentication and showcasing exclusive and vetted collections." The NFT platform is a brainchild of Brandon and Jacob Elmon, father and son serial entrepreneurs, with strong backgrounds in VR and fashion. In 2007, Brandon Elmon funded and developed a Vtail genesis project: a functional virtual-world and shopping experience - one of the first attempts at metaverse. Now the duo turned to NFT technology that could enable many aspects of the initial idea that wouldn't have been possible 14 years ago.

Digital collectibles and art pieces turned NFTs gained massive momentum since 2020, reaching exorbitant prices and attracting popular artists, musicians, athletes, and fashion houses. The most expensive piece to date, 'Everydays' by Beeple, sold this year for over $69million.

Once minted, the NFT technology allows for the authentication of digital art and music. It enables creators to retain copyrights. They can also gain revenues through 'rolling royalties' triggered automatically via smart contracts when collectors buy or trade digitized pieces. However, the budding industry is riddled with security issues and technology limitations. Digitizing stolen art is quickly becoming the number one problem in the NFT world. In a most recent high-profile case, hackers took over Banksy's official website and sold a fake Banksy NFT for circa $300,000.

Vtail aims to simultaneously deal with security threats while focusing on the quality of artwork and the artists. The ultimate goal, to attract big names and create a safe space for genuine artists, fashion creators, and musicians on the platform.

Among famous artists already connected to Vtail is Diablo, a 25 yo DJ, songwriter, and music producer who will be releasing 9999 NFT artworks exclusively through the platform. He is best known for his collaborations with Lil Pump, Kodak Black, Denzel Curry, and David Guetta.

Vtail v1 web3 application is already active and showcasing vetted NFTs from other directories. Version 1 of the site allows users to discover and explore the latest NFT collections, trade digital assets through Metamask, and even offset the NFT's carbon footprint thanks to Vtail's collaboration with Ecologi and the Eden Reforestation project.

The upcoming Version 2 of the applications aims to solve pressing industry issues through innovative patent-pending technology.

A common NFT problem is that minted artwork becomes publicly accessible. NFTs provide a certificate or so called 'bragging rights.' Owners also gain the ability to speculate, sell, and trade their NFTs. However, the underlying artwork usually becomes public. It is especially difficult for the music, video, and gaming industries where the release of NFTs instantly disseminates the media to everyone, regardless of the registered owners.

Vtail developers created a new way of embedding audio-video files into NFT smart contracts. The solution will also offer a layer of encryption to make NFT files accessible solely to buyers and not the public.

When successful, the technology is likely to revolutionize the NFT market and offer more opportunities and control to the creators.

Vtail v2 is also to open the market to large audiences by offering NFTs in exchange for Fiat, without users needing to obtain cryptocurrencies or operate the high-entry barrier wallets. By utilizing the 'meta transactions,' Vtail is able to effectively hide the cryptocurrency and blockchain-based backend and imitate traditional payment gateways.

The platform already secured a pre-seed investment from a family office. The Startup is also planning to launch an ICO (Initial Coin Offering) to be revealed soon. The public round of funding will be announced through Vtail social media.

Follow Vtail on social media for updates on the upcoming ICO.

Media Contact:

Company Name: Vtail LTD.

Email: support@vtail.com

Phone: - +44 20 3589 7028

Website: https://www.vtail.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95897
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - Governance Professionals of Canada (GPC) is pleased to announce the shortlisted companies for the 2021 Excellence in Governance Awards (EGAs).





EGA Logo

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8226/95887_bd0b15e1b4eef825_001full.jpg.

The Excellence in Governance Awards is a tribute to the dedication and contribution that governance professionals, their boards, and their organizations make toward raising the bar on good governance practices in Canada.

The EGA Judges have elected to shortlist the following organizations in the following categories:

Board or Director Effectiveness

Canada Revenue Agency

Meridian Credit Union

Royal Bank of Canada

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

FinDev Canada

HSBC Bank Canada

WealthSimple

Executive Compensation

BMO Financial Group

Element Fleet Management

Hudbay Minerals Inc.

Governance Office Matters

ATB Financial

Calgary West Central Primary Care Network

Hydro One

Risk Management

Arthritis Society

HSBC Bank Canada

Ontario Power Generation

PSP Investments

Strategy

Arthritis Society

Ontario Power Generation

Royal Bank of Canada

Sustainability

BMO Financial Group

Emera Inc.

Enbridge Inc.

Manulife Financial Corporation

TELUS Corporation

GPC would like to thank the many organizations that submitted nominations to the 2021 Excellence in Governance Awards. GPC recognizes the hard work that goes into the EGA nomination process, and we commend those putting their organizations forward to be acknowledged for their dedication to good governance.

GPC would also like to thank the following shortlisted judges, who volunteered their time and effort to review all of the submissions:

Leanne Hull, Associate General Counsel and Director of Employment, Pension and Compensation Law, Legal & Regulatory Compliance, BMO Financial Group Wendy King, Senior Vice President, Risk, ESG, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Capstone Mining Corp. Denis Lavoie, Senior Director, Commercial and Legal Affairs, High Frequency Train, VIA Rail Canada Inc. Jamie Patterson, Associate Corporate Counsel, SaskTel Stephen Rotstein, Director, Ontario Securities Commission, Global and Domestic Affairs Branch Coro Strandberg, President, Strandberg Consulting Inc. Alena Thouin, Director, CU/Prudential, Financial Regulatory Authority of Ontario Terri Uhrich, Senior Counsel, Affinity Credit Union

Our highly respected panel of final judges is composed of seasoned governance experts across Canada, all of whom include:

Geoffrey D. Creighton, Chief Executive Officer, In-House Counsel Worldwide Gigi Dawe, Director, Corporate Oversight & Governance, Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada Matt Fullbrook, Governance Advisor, Fullbrook Board Effectiveness Inc. Sylvia Groves, President, Governance Studio Neil Puddicombe, Associate General Counsel, Bank Board Governance & Assistant Corporate Secretary, BMO Financial Group Paul Schneider, Head of Corporate Governance, Total Fund Management, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Elizabeth Watson, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Watson Inc.

They will select the award winners who will be announced and celebrated on November 4th, 2021 at the eighth annual GPC Excellence in Governance Awards. Sign up to GPC's official mailing list to receive the latest updates and details on the awards ceremony: www.gpcanada.org/ContactUs.

About GPC

As the principal advocate for those who work in corporate governance, GPC aspires to:

Influence and promote leading governance practices

Be a catalyst for establishing the highest standards in corporate governance in Canada

Promote the recognition and success of Canadian governance professionals

For further information:

Lynn Beauregard, President

802-21 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto

Phone: 416-921-5449, Ext 306

Email: awards@gpcanada.org

Website: http://www.gpcanada.org/EGA

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95887.
ANGUILLA, B.W.I. / ACCESSWIRE / September 8, 2021 / Kidoz Inc. (TSXV:KIDZ) (the "Company"), mobile AdTech developer and owner of the market leading Kidoz Contextual Ad Network (www.kidoz.net) and the Kidoz Publisher SDK, announced today its strategy extension to work with brands to reach the important family segments of teens and parents on their mobile devices.

Kidoz is recognized globally for safely reaching children under the age of 13 on their mobile devices via the Kidoz Contextual Ad Network. After years of development and growth of the Kidoz mobile platform, the Company has now expanded its offering to include both the teens (13-19) and parents' markets. Using the enormous reach of the Kidoz SDK, the Kidoz media team can contextually target the children, teen and parent segments in their favourite gaming and app environments.

The mobile advertising market is forecast to exceed $400 billion in 2026, exhibiting a growth rate of 32.5% according to Fortune Business Insights. Mobile devices are the primary tool used for all digital activities in everyday life across the entire world. The predominance of mobile is well established and Kidoz is well positioned to benefit from the wide adoption of its technology across thousands of popular apps. As the number of active campaigns live on Kidoz has increased substantially over the past 18 months, Kidoz has recruited hundreds of new apps and developers that focus on a wide range of audience segments. As a result of Kidoz's rapid growth, the Company is now able to expand beyond its core advertising audience of children, and begin to contextually target teens and parents for its brand partners.

"Mobile AdTech systems are some of the most integrated and most valuable systems in the world," stated Jason Williams, Kidoz Co-CEO. "The scale of users we can reach with the Kidoz network is powerful and it opens many new opportunities for the Company. Extending our media offering beyond children is the first step we are taking as our sales and agency partners are interested in accessing these related segments of our traffic. Kidoz is experiencing a period of rapid growth and we are extending our business model in ways that will fill our huge available inventory with safe and high performing media."

About KIDOZ INC.

Kidoz Inc. (TSXV:KIDZ) (www.kidoz.net) owns the leading COPPA & GDPR compliant contextual mobile advertising network that safely reaches hundreds of million kids, teens, and families every month. Google certified and Apple approved, Kidoz provides an essential suite of advertising technology that unites brands, content publishers and families. Trusted by Disney, Hasbro, Lego and more, the Kidoz Contextual Ad Network helps the world's largest brands to safely reach and engage kids across thousands of mobile apps, websites and video channels. The Kidoz network does not use location or PII data tracking commonly used in digital advertising. Instead, Kidoz has developed advanced contextual targeting tools to enable brands to reach their ideal customers with complete brand safety. A focused AdTech solution provider, the Kidoz SDK and Kidoz Programmatic network have become essential products in the digital advertising ecosystem.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by the company) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to anticipated future success of the company. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the company. For a description of additional risks and uncertainties, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Specifically, readers should read the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, and the prospectus filed under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on March 9, 2005 and the SB2 filed July 17, 2007, and the TSX Venture Exchange Listing Application for Common Shares filed on June 29, 2015 on SEDAR, for a more thorough discussion of the Company's financial position and results of operations, together with a detailed discussion of the risk factors involved in an investment in Kidoz Inc.

For more information contact:

Henry Bromley

CFO

ir@kidoz.net

(888) 374-2163

SOURCE: Kidoz Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663233/Kidoz-Extends-Media-Offering-to-Teens-and-Parents-Markets
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - WHAT: The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) President and CEO, Beth Potter, will provide new key Industry updates and comment on Party Tourism Commitments in advance of the Federal Leaders Debate in English. Potter will provide key statistics on the need for ongoing financial support from the next government to support the hardest hit businesses.

WHO: Beth Potter, President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, September 9th, 2021 at 8:30am EDT

LOCATION: Zoom. Media to pre register here:



https://tiac-aitc-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PDK2BJW_SGKiVOfMP9kBhA

WHY: TIAC is calling on all parties to commit to a targeted bridge program to support the hardest hit businesses in the tourism and travel industry. After 18 months of the pandemic, these businesses have been devastated by revenue loss, drastic declines in travelers, and uncertainty. Without ongoing financial support, these businesses will not be able to recover.

- 30 -









To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8121/95903_8c07069d848f0aeb_001full.jpg

About the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

Founded in 1930 to encourage the development of tourism in Canada, TIAC serves today as the national private-sector advocate for this $105 billion sector. Based in Ottawa, TIAC takes action on behalf of Canadian tourism businesses and promotes positive measures that help the industry grow and prosper.

Media Inquiries:

Madison Simmons

Director of Government Affairs, TIAC

msimmons@tiac-aitc.ca /613-864-3079

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95903
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2021) - WHAT: The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples holding a Virtual Zoom Press Event to announce new international legal action against the current Canadian federal government.

WHY: CAP is announcing a formal legal complaint against the current Canadian government's discrimination against Canada's off-reserve, Status and Non-Status Indigenous peoples based on their indigeneity. Details of the legal filing will be released and make the case that the current Canadian government is practicing discrimination.

WHO: Leadership of the Congress Of Aboriginal Peoples

National Chief, Elmer St. Pierre

National Vice-Chief, Kim Beaudin

CAP Director Chief Lorraine Augustine

WHEN & WHERE: Virtual ZOOM Press Event

Virtual Press Conference via Zoom Thursday, September 9, 2021 2 pm EDT

Media are required to pre-register for the event

Register for the virtual press conference here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F6BZdNXtQFuvz5heVZgDLg

- 30 -

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the national voice representing the interests of Metis, status and non-status Indians, and Southern Inuit Indigenous People living off-reserve. Today, over 70% of Indigenous people live off-reserve.

For media interviews please contact:

Jessica Dawson, CAP Executive Manager and Communications

Mobile Phone 613-806-8669 email: J.Dawson@abo-peoples.org

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95934
PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the appointment of Meri Vainikka as vice president, architectural coatings (AC), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), north and east, effective immediately. She will report to Tim Knavish, PPG executive vice president.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006096/en/

PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the appointment of Meri Vainikka as vice president, architectural coatings (AC), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), north and east, effective immediately. (Photo: Business Wire)

In this key leadership role, Vainikka will have full accountability for the AC EMEA north and east region, which includes the Tikkurila legacy business. She will work closely with the Tikkurila integration team to ensure an ongoing, effective transition over the coming months.

Vainikka joined Tikkurila in January 2017 as director, marketing communications. She was appointed senior vice president, offering in May 2017. In this role, she led strategic marketing, product management, and research and development (R&D) for the business.

Prior to joining Tikkurila, Vainikka had more than 15 years of increasing strategic and operational responsibility, leading business development, marketing, R&D and product portfolios in both B2C and B2B business environments, with strong global and domestic brands, including Hartwall, L'Oreal, Mars and MasterFoods.

Vainikka earned a Master of Science degree in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. In addition, Vainikka had MBA (Masters of Business Administration) studies at the University of South Carolina.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $13.8 billion in 2020. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

CATEGORY Corporate

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006096/en/

Contacts:

PPG Media Contact:

Mark Silvey

Corporate Communications

+1-412-434-3046

silvey@ppg.com

PPG Investor Contact:

John Bruno

Investor Relations

+1-412-434-3466

jbruno@ppg.com

investor.ppg.com
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is to acquire King James Group, a South African creative agency with deep expertise in brand strategy, creativity and digital marketing services.

The amount of the deal  whose completion is subject to customary closing conditions  was not disclosed.

The acquisition will strengthen Accenture Interactives focus on putting creativity at the center of experience-led transformation to drive relevance and growth for its clients.

Founded in 1998 with locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg, King James Group offers integrated communications solutions across several industries, including financial services, consumer goods, technology and media.

Its specialist teams deliver integrated communications solutions which includes PR, above-the-line advertising, below-the-line design and promotional campaigns, digital communications, corporate reputation, content marketing and social media. It also offers retail expertise in the communications mix through its in-house retail studio as well as shopper marketing.

The team of 300 creative and brand experts  led by James Barty, founding partner and chief executive officer and Alistair King, founder and chief creative officer  will join Accenture Interactive in South Africa.

FinSMEs

08/09/2021
DataChat, Inc., a Madison, Wis.-based data analytics software company, closed a $25m Series A funding.

The round was led by Redline Capital and Anthos Capital with participation from Celesta Capital (formerly WRVI Capital) and Nepenthe Capital.

Led by CEO and co-founder Jignesh Patel, DataChat allows businesses to collect data and make data-driven decisions, by simply chatting with their all-in-one platform using controlled natural language.

Started as a spin-out from the University of Wisconsin, the company continues to maintain its headquarters in Madison and to receive funding from Americas Seed Fund and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), UW-Madisons nonprofit patent and licensing organization.

FinSMEs

07/09/2021
Kalepa, a NYC-based commercial insurance platform provider, raised $14M in Series A funding.

The round was led by Inspired Capital, with participation from previous investor IA Ventures, as well as Gokul Rajaram of Doordash, Coinbase, and formerly of Google, Jackie Reses, formerly of Square, and Henry Ward of Carta.

The company intends to use the funds to grow the team four-fold over the next year, with an emphasis on engineering, data science, and insurance talent.

Founded by Paul Monasterio, an MIT-trained PhD in Computational Physics and Nuclear Science, and Daniel Hillman, a UPenn-educated Systems Science Engineer and former intelligence lead in the Israel Defense Forces, Kalepa is a software company delivering Efficient Frontier commercial insurance. By analyzing billions of points of structured and unstructured data, its Copilot platform enables commercial insurers to understand the exposures and controls in small and medium businesses, leading to more accurate coverage and pricing and, consequently, large improvements to profitability and growth. The company also offers a Copilot-powered MGA, further enabling insurance carriers, brokers, and businesses to access Efficient Frontier commercial insurance at scale.

Kalepa has also appointed veteran insurance leader Mario Vitale, who formerly held CEO positions at Aspen Insurance, Zurich Insurance Global Corporate, and Willis North America to its Board of Directors

FinSMEs

08/09/2021
Revaia, formerly known as Gaia Capital Partners, a Paris, France- and Berlin, Germany-based venture capital equity firm, closed its first growth fund, at 250m.

LPs include Tier 1 insurance companies such as Generali, Allianz, and Maif, pension funds, other institutional investors such as Bpifrance  and over 50 renowned family offices and high-profile individuals.

Revaia invests in European growth-stage companies with global ambitions and sustainable leadership navigating the entire life cycle from the growth stage to IPO and beyond. The firm partners with Sycomore Asset Management, a pioneer in responsible investment in public markets, to bridge the activities across venture, private and public markets

Since the launch of its fund in late 2019, which is now closing, the investment firm has been building its portfolio, which currently consists of ten investments in European scaleups in the software, consumer, and fintech sectors. The portfolio includes Aircall, which recently achieved a unicorn valuation at its most recent fundraising round, Epsor, GetAccept, gohenry, Planity, Welcome to the Jungle, and Yubo.

Revaia targets investments in around fifteen companies for its first fund.

Led by Elina Berrebi, and Alice Albizzati, co-founder, Revaia has grown its team to 15 people in Paris, Berlin (office opened in early 2021), New York and Toronto.

The fund is Europes largest female-founded VC fund and one of the largest globally.

FinSMEs

08/09/2021
Tiled, a San Diego, CA-based interactive content platform to create engaging experiences, closed a $13.7m Series A funding.

The round was led by Signal Peak Ventures, with participation from Seismic, Adobe, and University Growth Fund, alongside existing investors.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and to ramp up hiring across all areas, and invest in sales and marketing, channel partnerships, and product improvements. Platform updates will be focused on new functionality and integrations to enhance how Tiled meets innovative storytellers  of any business function  wherever they are.

Led by founder and CEO Darrell Swain, Tiled provides a platform that enables enterprise teams to assemble content into interactive experiences, called microapps, by fully integrating with the existing creative programs and work technologies that companies already use. With Tiled, users can assemble microapps using Adobe XD, InDesign, Photoshop, Sketch, Figma, PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other design tools, then distribute microapps with activation tools like Seismic, marketing automation platforms, and more. The companys microapps make it easy for teams in sales and marketing, employee communications, and creative development to optimize and personalize the content experience for their audiences.

FinSMEs

08/09/2021
Zeotap, a Berlin, Germany-based customer data platform provider, raised $11M in extension to its Series C funding.

The latest round was led by Liberty Global Ventures with participation from Richard Pennycook CBE (former CEO of the Co-operative Group).

The company intends to use this funds to continue to expand its business reach.

Led by Daniel Heer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zeotap provides a Customer Data Platform which empowers brands to unify, enhance and activate customer data cookieless, while putting consumer privacy and compliance to the center. The company recently announced the launch of Predictive Audiences, which enables users of Zeotaps Customer Intelligence Platform to create and activate machine-learned segments without needing data science expertise.

Zeotap, which is also the founding member of ID+, a universal marketing ID initiative, currently works with over 80 of the worlds top 100 brands, including DER Touristik, P&G, Nestle and Virgin Media.

FinSMEs

08/09/2021
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To comment on this podcast episode or to suggest an idea for another episode, contact Oliver Rowe, an FM magazine senior editor, at Oliver.Rowe@aicpa-cima.com.

Transcript:

Oliver Rowe: Welcome, Paul. Perhaps we could start off with the question of how did you get into clean energy and why a passion for the pursuit of carbon net zero?

Paul Ash: Well, Oliver, from an early age, being born and bred in inner city Birmingham, then a heavily industrialised city in the mid-1950s, a world where we produced our gas from coal, walking to school in the winter in a thick, yellow smog, suffering from asthma. It was very easy for me to see that the way we were treating our planet, and indeed ourselves, was unsustainable. I was lucky to be born into a relatively well-off middle-class family and we had summer holidays at the seaside, and later every year, on a farm in Pembrokeshire. So from an early age, probably from about ten or 11, I had developed to love the countryside, fresh air, and my first love, farming.

Despite this, I spent much of my career in industries that were anything but. However, without treading those paths so I would not have been able or fortunate enough to be able to know how to build a business that produces clean, on-site energy for the farming and growing sector in the UK, which is my principal business today. And nor would I have known just how poor our collection of data and reporting on carbon emissions is, which, in turn, has led to my new venture, Emerge Earth.

Rowe: And how has your professional career and the lessons you've learned from it influenced your thinking about finance in relation to sustainability and ESG issues?

Ash: Well, my early career as a management accountant took me in many different directions. I trained and qualified in the glass manufacturing industry with United Glass  UG  an extremely high energy user. That was in the late-'70s. So, again, I saw first-hand the damage we were doing to our environment and how difficult it would be to change consumer behaviour to demand more environmentally friendly products, and as a consequence, manufacturing processes.

Even now, I wonder how many of us consider the damage we are doing to our environment by buying our alcohol in glass containers and drinking it from a glass. At UG, we were the first to introduce recycled glass, but the process of removing the impurities from recycled glass involves heating it even more than you need to heat the base raw materials. So while we're saving on raw materials, such as sand and soda ash, we were punching a much bigger hole in the ozone layer as a result.

In the '90s, I worked with British Gas and with Greenergy, in its early days. We were the first producer of biodiesel, which while being clean at nose level, again involved more refining than standard diesel. Most buses in the UK now use biodiesel, but the trade-off to cleaner air in our cities is, again, the bigger hole in the ozone layer.

Rowe: Thank you, Paul. You mentioned Emerge Earth. What are the goals you're hoping to accomplish as CEO of that company?

Ash: Well, Emerge, to give it its full title  Emerge stands for Emissions Monitoring for Environmental Regulation of Generators of Electricity. We intend to transform the current global environment agencies' regulatory procedures and processes for on-site greenhouse gas emissions testing, which at the moment, involves taking on-site physical tests on the day once every three years. That means all of the data you see today on carbon emissions is based largely on historical data and estimated.

Given this, being in the thick of it in my business, it is hard how we will hold producers of harmful emissions to account when we do not have the means to produce reliable data. This, of course, is a huge problem for our profession, both as management accountants and auditors, as we all begin to learn and understand that we are all dealing with what are largely estimates based on historical data. Emerge has been founded to provide the solution to this.

By collaborating with developers, we will automate the capture of greenhouse gas emissions data through the development of bespoke technological testing equipment and software. We will automate the testing, reporting, and regulatory processes relating to greenhouse emissions data through the development of bespoke software and we will develop real-time reporting and analysis of carbon emissions data through artificial intelligence and robotics. We're still at the very early stages of this process and it will take time to achieve, but I believe it is essential that if we're serious about reducing our carbon footprint, then we should invest in delivering real, verifiable data.

Rowe: Thank you. And as the new chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the new CIMA president, how do you plan to drive sustainability accounting and ESG reporting in the profession?

Ash: Well, first of all, we need to understand that ESG reporting was not of our making. We don't own it, and we don't have exclusivity to it. We do, however, have an extraordinary opportunity to take the lead on it. We must first learn to collaborate with others on the collection of reliable data, as I have just discussed on environmental data. But we also need robust data on the societal and governance aspects also, both of which are also unfamiliar territory to us as management accountants. We are, however, best placed to deliver the reporting on ESG, but it is not our role as a profession just to report on the historical data.

Our role as management accountants has always been about what is occurring in our businesses today, to ask questions of our management, and to help deliver right solutions in the thick of the problem. There is also a major role for us to play on compliance. Investors are no longer interested in how much profits you make, but whether those profits have been made in a way that meet their values, ethics, and vision for the future of our planet. So for public companies and private businesses that raise funds in the capital markets, they will no longer be able to simply say that we are ESG-compliant. They will have to prove it.

Rowe: Thank you. And how are you drawing on your career experiences? You've talked about those already, but how are you drawing on those experiences in what you're hoping to accomplish at CIMA and the Association?

Ash: I've always found that my qualification, it has always enabled me to work in multiple sectors and in many different countries. I promoted it before I qualified and had recruited and mentored many students and members. My roles as chair of the Association and president of CIMA are both a natural consequence of what I've always done and an opportunity for me to help improve our profession and maintain it as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. And I'm not just talking about management accounting, but public accounting, also, which my role as Association chair embraces.

Both sides of our profession need to be on the same page on compliance and how we achieve that compliance. Both of us lose if our stakeholders, the businesses we serve are judged to be noncompliant on ESG, and we will quite rightly be held to account both as management accountants and public accountants if businesses fail to comply with their ESG goals on our watch.

Rowe: Thank you. And looking into a crystal ball for a moment, where do you see sustainability accounting and ESG reporting going say in the next five years?

Ash: Well, things are going to move very quickly. Much of what we're currently discussing is low-hanging fruit in the markets we operate in. But we all need to enter markets that are unfamiliar to us. Global warming is not confined to the territories we currently operate in. We must follow up and secure our presence and influence in China and be prepared to enter Russia and South America also. With regard to the production of energy, we also need to have an open mind. We lose more than 40% of the electricity we generate by producing it centrally and distributing on a wide basis, compared to producing it where it is needed, which is what my business does.

We need to embrace clean coal technology. We still have a lot of coal on the planet, and it remains the most efficient, high-impact source of producing electricity. Just hold your hand over a lighted gas flame or oil flame. Then put it over a piece of burning coal and you'll see why. We have the means to burn it safely and cleanly.

Nuclear energy is another source where we can do more to improve its use and dispose of the waste materials cleanly. We can also use nuclear safely for on-site production of electricity by installing micro nuclear plants to produce the energy where it is required rather than several hundred miles away. These are just a few things that I think that we need to embrace as a profession and promote.

Rowe: And within that development, what do you see as the role for management accountants, and finance leaders, and finance teams?

Ash: Well, management accountants have always been at the centre of the action on any business, and I'm highly confident that will continue to be the case. But as I said earlier, we need to learn to collaborate more, for example, with engineers and architects, to ensure that our built environment is wholly compliant with the business's ESG goals. The pandemic has also taught us much about how well we treat our workforce. We now question whether asking most of our employees to commute every day and work all day in an office is right.

But we must also question whether it is most efficient and even sustainable for our workforce to work from in what are by and large far from ideal environments, whether it's the chair, desk, table you sit at, the natural light you work in, and so on. And the impacts on the mental health of the workforce by asking them to work in isolation, even if in front of a Zoom screen, on an everyday basis. And that is as much our responsibility as reporting on the financial results.

Again, external stakeholders, customers, suppliers, and investors will all be concerned more about how you make your profits in future, not just how much.

Rowe: Thank you. And finally, Paul, why should management accountants be interested in ESG and sustainability?



Ash: Well, Oliver, I don't think that they have an option, really, because there isn't an opt-out clause on ESG. Whether we like it or not, ESG already defines us and our profession in so many ways, and we need to ensure that our learning provider partners also understand how important ESG is and how important it is to be entirely integral for students' learning and understanding of what their future role will be as a management accountant.

Rowe: Thank you. Thank you, Paul. Thank you for sharing your experience, your plans, and your insights.

Ash: My pleasure.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department issued a warning after a Rancho Cucamonga man was scammed out of $10,000.
The San Bernardino Police Department said that two women have been arrested in connection with a home invasion robbery which occurred last year.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall today warned Alabamas healthcare providers to cease any unlawful use of the state immunization registry, known as ImmPRINT.

The state maintains the an immunization registry so that healthcare providers can avoid unnecessary vaccinations for patients and to provide the state with patient demographic data. The terms of use of this registry are governed by state law, via rules adopted by the Alabama State Board of Health, according to Marshall's office. The data contained in this registry is confidential with few permitted uses.

The Attorney Generals Office has received complaints from healthcare employees who believe their COVID-19 immunization status was obtained by their employers through the ImmPRINT registry for the purpose of verifying compliance with the employers immunization requirement, said Attorney General Marshall for a news release. In several of those cases, a shared employer specifically acknowledged accessing the state immunization database for this purpose. This privacy violation is unlawful.

Marshall's office sent a formal demand to that employer, calling on the responsible parties to cease and desist this unlawful activity, the news release states. The Alabama Department of Public Health has also warned that it is inappropriate for any employer to use the ImmPRINT system to verify the COVID-19 vaccination status of an employee and that using the immunization registry in this manner will result in immediate termination of database access.

From the AG's office:
Birmingham, Ala. (WALA)-- Some healthcare workers in Birmingham are at a breaking point. The University of Alabama at Birmingham had dozens of nurses protesting last night, saying working in this pandemic has been stressful and they deserve more pay.

Nurses said working in the midst of COVID-19 for about 18 months has taken a toll on them, physically and mentally. Nightshift emergency department nurses at UAB delayed clocking in, and it sent a loud message to the hospital and community.

"Honestly, I can't say that it surprised me," said Lindsey Harris, president of the Alabama State Nurses Association.

She said change needs to happen.

"Healthcare in general is strained," she said. "Our nurses are stressed. Nurses are doing things they have not done before."

Harris said nurses in Alabama make on average 8 percent less than surrounding states.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Alabama is ranked 49th nationwide for average RN pay, which is roughly $60,000.

Other states nearby, like Georgia, is close to $70,000.

At UAB, the nurses' biggest concerns are low pay, being overworked, and understaffed.

"Hospitals need help,' said Harris. "Hospitals need more nurses. The governor is giving us the $12.3 million for the hospitals to help with the contracted staff, but at some point we have to think about our staff that are here permanently."

UAB Chief Nursing Officer Terri Poe sent this abbreviated statement: "The COVID pandemic and recent Delta variant surge have stressed the healthcare system and put tremendous pressure on our staff  including nurses on the front lines. We are aware of our nurses concerns and are working to address them while adjusting operations to provide the highest quality care to our patients who need us. We encourage a dialogue with our employees."

Harris hopes in the future Alabama nurses will get higher pay statewide.

Nurses did eventually return to work. One nurse said no patients were left unattended, and there were still others on the job.

Another statement from UAB said the hospital will continue talking with nurses about potential improvements.
MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -- USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park today is playing host to a Veterans Job Fair, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion.

The Alabama Department of Labor, working in conjunction with the Mobile Career Center and the Mobile and Baldwin County veterans employment team, are sponsoring the event.

The Veterans Job Fair is open to all area veterans and is free to attend. Employers will be available to share employment opportunities and interview job candidates on site. Veterans are encouraged to bring resumes, dress appropriately, and be prepared to interview. Masks are required.

For more information on the Veterans Job Fair, contact the Mobile and Baldwin veterans employment team: Christian Casallo - 251-461-4496, Shane Bright - 251-461-4455, or Hank Lahti - 251-937-4161 x85128.

Battleship Memorial Park is at 2703 Battleship Parkway.
Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below.
There were 5,821 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon since Friday, according to the latest release from the Oregon Health Authority. There were 54 new deaths recorded over the Labor Day weekend. The new caseload brings Oregons total cases to 289,649.

There were 56 cases linked to Benton County and 302 linked to Linn County, per OHA data. Benton County has now had 4,264 cumulative cases since the start of the pandemic, while Linn has recorded 9,155. The number of deaths attributed to Benton County is 23, while Linns is 83.

There were 1,140 patients hospitalized with COVID symptoms across Oregon, with 300 patients occupying ICU beds. Both are decreases from the previous OHA report.

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There were no specifics about the latest deaths related to COVID in Tuesday press release. Information about where each casualty lived will be included in a future press release. Oregons death toll from the virus now sits at 3,302.

Vaccination efforts

There were 3,329 new doses of COVID-19 vaccine added to the state immunization registry on Sept. 6. That figure encompasses vaccines issued on prior days as well. The seven-day running average of new vaccinations is now 8,705 per day.
Gettysburg, PA (17325)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Gettysburg, PA (17325)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

A good deal of sunshine. High near 85F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low around 50F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
KIELCE, Poland, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation, is excited to grow its partnership with PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, which manufactures the S-70 Black Hawk helicopter. When equipped by United Rotorcraft with a water tank system, custom cabin interior, and cockpit controls, the resulting FIREHAWK aircraft has become a symbol of aerial firefighting excellence in the United States.

United Rotorcraft has the highest confidence in the workforce at PZL Mielec to produce and deliver the high-performance S-70 helicopter, said United Rotorcraft President Larry Alexandre. As the only FIREHAWK completion center approved by Sikorsky, United Rotorcraft can confirm that fire fighters in California are delighted with the craftsmanship of their S-70 aircraft and the ability to safely and efficiently attack wildfires.

On 26 August, United Rotorcraft announced a contract award to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, for five S-70 Black Hawk aircraft. PZL Mielec will deliver all five aircraft to United Rotorcraft from early 2022 to mid-2023. United Rotorcraft anticipates all five will become FIREHAWK aircraft. To date, the company has a confirmed order to modify one of the five aircraft for aerial firefighting  to the State of Colorado.

Alexandre said there is significant interest by government agencies in the Western United States and internationally for the FIREHAWK capability. In anticipation of future orders and knowing there is an urgent need to deliver this capability quickly, United Rotorcraft is taking the unusual step of contracting with Sikorsky for five S-70 aircraft when only one aircraft has been ordered, he said.

Since 2019, United Rotorcraft has modified and delivered 10 Polish-built S-70 aircraft to California firefighters. Two of these FIREHAWK aircraft are serving with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, seven with the State of California (CAL FIRE), and one with the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue department. Four more S-70 aircraft from Poland are in various stages of FIREHAWK modification at the United Rotorcraft facility near Denver, Colorado. The twelfth and final aircraft ordered by CAL FIRE is on the PZL Mielec Black Hawk production line.

The employees at PZL Mielec take great satisfaction in knowing that their efforts to build S-70 aircraft for wildland firefighting are saving lives, and protecting property and forestry, said Janusz Zakrecki, PZL Mielec president and general director. The military pedigree of the Black Hawk platform is ideal for the task of aggressively attacking wildfires. We thank United Rotorcraft and Sikorsky for their collaborative work with California fire departments to produce yet another outstanding mission capability for the multi-role Black Hawk helicopter.

United Rotorcraft adds a 3,785-liter (1,000-gallon) external water tank to the belly of the S-70 aircraft, an extended landing gear to accommodate the tank, and a retractable snorkel than can refill the tank in less than one minute. Other modifications can include a rescue hoist, seating to transport up to 12 fully equipped ground firefighters, and medical equipment.

United Rotorcraft EMEA Sales Manager Alexandra Slabutu will attend MSPO 2021. She can be contacted at alexandra.slabutu@airmethods.com.

About United Rotorcraft

United Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation, (www.unitedrotorcraft.com) specializes in the design, manufacture and installation of ground and aerial mission critical equipment for front line workers, from firefighting and law enforcement to HEMS and Medevac.

MEDIA CONTACT: For more information about the FIREHAWK aircraft and/or United Rotorcraft, please contact UnitedRotorcraft@airmethods.com, or Ramy Nasralla at Ramy.Nasralla@airmethods.com.

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English Danish

Today, Coloplast opens its first factory in Central America to support the global growth of the company, which produces medical devices, including ostomy pouches and catheters, for people with intimate healthcare needs.

The site is located in Cartago, Costa Rica, and will initially manufacture the companys ostomy products. The new site supports Coloplasts ambition of achieving an annual organic growth rate of 7-9% towards 2025.

Our new factory in Costa Rica is another great milestone in the companys mission to help those with intimate healthcare needs. The purpose of the factory is to meet the increasing demand by producing and supplying products that will improve the quality of life for many people worldwide, says Kristian Villumsen, President and CEO of Coloplast.

The factory is situated near one of Coloplasts key markets, the US, and it is the companys first site in Central America. It is the first of two planned factories in Costa Rica. The next factory is expected to be operational in the second half of 2022. Both factories will be connected to Costa Ricas electrical grid, which is supplied by almost 100% renewable sources. This supports the companys sustainability ambition of using 100% renewable energy in its own production by 2025.

We have chosen to establish our next factories in Costa Rica for several reasons. Firstly, the country has qualified and highly trained labour that we can now attract. In addition, the Costa Rican authorities are very cooperative and supportive. The country also has a green electricity supply, thereby supporting our sustainability ambition. Finally, Costa Rica is close to the US, which is one of our largest growth markets, says Allan Rasmussen, Executive Vice President, Global Operations.

In addition to members of Coloplasts senior management, the Costa Rican President Carlos Andres Alvarado Quesada will also be present at the inauguration of the factory. Coloplast has created more than 200 jobs in Costa Rica so far, and the company expects this number to be close to 700 by 2025. The overall investment in the two factory buildings amounts to more than half a billion Danish kroner.

Coloplast also has production facilities in Denmark, Hungary, China, France, and the US. Today, Hungary accounts for approx. 80% of the global volume production.

CONTACT

Peter Mnster

Senior Media Relations Manager, Corporate Communications

+45 49 11 26 23

dkpete@coloplast.com

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Dublin, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Internet Advertising Market Report 2021-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global internet advertising market held a market size of USD 345.33 Million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 1,503.20 Million by 2027. The global internet advertising market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 24.7% over the forecast period.



Internet advertising uses internet as a platform to send promotional & marketing messages to the customers. Continuous growth of internet users globally is one of the most important factors fueling the growth of online internet advertising market.

Businesses use internet advertising such as banners, pay-per-call ads, pay-per-click ads, and pop-ups through e-newsletters, search engines, suitable websites, and online magazines and newspapers to reach the right customer, at the right time.



Continuous increase in penetration of internet across the globe has presented a great opportunity for internet advertising. Growing trend of social media bloggers have also attracted huge attention of young population in the recent years, resulting in growing effectiveness of internet advertising.



Whereas, lack of technological awareness regarding internet usage in developing countries and underdeveloped countries are restraining the market growth.



Significant number of investments are being made by the market players to provide additional features to the internet advertising platforms in order to serve their client's requirements in a better way.



Growth Influencers

Continuous growth in the number of internet users across the globe is driving the demand for internet advertising



One of the most important factors fuelling the growth of internet advertising market, is development in the number of internet users, coupled with the increased adoption of smartphones. Introduction of 5G technology is expected to promote further growth in the number of internet users in the forthcoming years.



Covid-19 pandemic to transform the advertising platforms in the forthcoming years



Growing number of coronavirus cases across the globe has resulted in complete lockdown in various countries across the globe. This has resulted transforming the physical market into digital space. The consumer focus has shifted towards online shopping. This has resulted in the tremendous increase in the usage of internet advertising by the businesses.



Lack of awareness regarding online shopping among older generation is expected to restrain the market growth



Lack of awareness about online shopping, and usage of smartphones & laptops among old aged population, is one the most important factors retraining the market growth. The older generation's shopping behaviour is more inclined towards traditional media of advertisements, resulting in creating a hindrance in the market growth.

Competitive Landscape

The top 5 market players captured a cumulative share of nearly 71% in the year 2020.

Prominent players functioning in the market include: Adobe Systems Inc., Alibaba Group Holdings Limited, Amazon Web Services, Inc., Baidu, Inc., Facebook, Inc., Google LLC, Hulu LLC, International Business Machines Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Twitter Inc., Verizon Communication Inc.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Framework

1.1. Research Objective

1.2. Product Overview

1.3. Market Segmentation



Chapter 2. Research Methodology

2.1. Qualitative Research

2.2. Quantitative Research

2.3. Breakdown of Primary Research Respondents, By Region

2.4. Assumption for the Study

2.5. Market Size Estimation

2.6. Data Triangulation



Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Internet Advertising Market



Chapter 4. Global Internet Advertising Market Overview

4.1. Industry Value Chain Analysis

4.2. Advertising Industry Outlook (US$ Bn), 2017-2027

4.3. PESTLE Analysis

4.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.5. Market Dynamics and Trends

4.6. Covid-19 Impact Assessment on Market Growth Trend

4.7. Market Growth and Outlook

4.8. Competition Dashboard



Chapter 5. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Platform

5.1. Key Insights

5.2. Market Size and Forecast, 2017 - 2027 (US$ Mn)



Chapter 6. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Advertising Model



Chapter 7. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Ad Format



Chapter 8. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Ad Type



Chapter 9. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Enterprise Size



Chapter 10. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Industry Vertical



Chapter 11. Global Internet Advertising Market Analysis, By Region



Companies Mentioned

Adobe Systems Inc.

Alibaba Group Holdings Limited

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Baidu, Inc.

Facebook, Inc.

Google LLC

Hulu LLC

International Business Machines Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

Twitter Inc.

Verizon Communication Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/asay4b
Portland, OR, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the Asia big data analytics in education market was estimated at $2.89 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $16.51 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 19.3% from 2021 to 2030. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive scenario, and wavering market trends.

Download Sample Report- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13461

Increase in need for data-driven decisions to improve education quality, rise in awareness about the changing learning system, and surge in investment among education institutions drive the growth of the Asia big data analytics in education market. On the other hand, lack of awareness and skilled resources to manage education analytics solution restrain the growth to some extent. However, advent of machine learning and artificial intelligence and rise in adoption of cloud-based learning analytics solution are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry.

Impact of COVID-19 on Asia Big Data Analytics in Education Market-

Rise in adoption of online classes in the region and increase in incorporation of analytics solutions among the educational institutions have boosted the Asia big data analytics in education market positively.

This trend is most likely to continue post pandemic as well.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Asia Big Data Analytics in Education Market- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/13461?reqfor=covid

The Asia big data analytics in education market is analyzed across component, deployment mode, application, and country. Based on component, the solution segment accounted for more than two-thirds of the total market share in 2020, and is expected to lead the trail by the end of 2030. The services segment, on the other hand, would grow at the fastest CAGR of 23.0% during the forecast period.

Based on deployment mode, the on premise segment contributed to more than three-fifths of the total market revenue in 2020, and is anticipated to rule the roost by 2030. The cloud segment, on the other hand, would also cite the fastest CAGR of 21.1% during the forecast period.

For Purchase Inquiry- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/13461

Based on country, the market across China held the major share in 2020, garnering more than one-third of the total. Simultaneously, the market across India would showcase the fastest CAGR of 27.4% from 2021 to 2030.

The leading market players analyzed in the Asia big data analytics in education market report include Blackboard, Inc., D2L Corporation, TIBCO Software, IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, SAP SE, SAS Institute, Alteryx, Inc., and Tableau Software. These market players have incorporated different strategies including partnership, expansion, collaboration, joint ventures, and others to brace their stand in the industry.

Official Press Release- h https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/amp/asia-big-data-analytics-in-education-market.html

AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) Offered by Allied Market Research:

AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer a cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports.

Get access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access

About Allied Market Research:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media , Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.
Baar, Switzerland, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medela, a leading breast pump brand and medical device manufacturer, today announced its 15th Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium focusing on advancing lactation science to improve care will take place on Tuesday, September 21 and Wednesday, September 22, 2021. For the first time, this event will be virtual, taking place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. CET / 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET each day.

In its 15th year, the Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium hosted by Medela will feature globally renowned experts in human milk and lactation to share their latest research findings and insights. This year, healthcare professionals in maternity and infant care around the world are encouraged to attend

to advance lactation science and understanding around protecting human milk and breastfeeding in a COVID-19 world,

progressing clinical standards of care for lactation, and

translating evidence to practice to improve outcomes.

The criticality of breastfeeding became increasingly evident through the pandemic, making the research shared at this Symposium even more important, said Annette Bruls, CEO of Medela worldwide. This unique event reflects our commitment to turning science into care and nurturing health for generations. We believe its essential to unite todays leading experts with the passionate professionals in maternal and infant health to advance breastfeeding research and improve lactation care around the world.

Breastfeeding is essential for infant short- and long-term health, preventing acute infections and programming lower risk for chronic disease. Despite the wealth of information on the benefits for mother and infant, breastfeeding rates remain low worldwide, at just 41%.1

Translational research is essential in the field of human lactation if we are to engage science to solve the issues that breastfeeding women and their babies face, explained Prof. Donna Geddes of The University of Western Australia. Amongst others, Professor Geddes will present her latest research review discussing using a biological systems approach to provide a holistic knowledge platform to achieve better health outcomes for the next generation at the Symposium.

The two-day virtual event includes talks and discussions from experts around the world presenting their latest research findings, including:

Registration2 for the two-day event costs 60 EUR ($70 USD) . To ensure participation and strengthen accessibility, professionals from low-income countries and members of Non-Governmental Organisations that work for non-profit are invited to attend for no-cost access by following the instructions on the event website. Allocating all event fees and reinforced by Medela Cares funding, Medela has committed to supporting 60 Ronald McDonald House locations around the world with breastfeeding supplies by the end of 2022, in honor of the companys 60th anniversary. This donation will include a hospital-grade (multi-user) Symphony breast pump, kits, and breastfeeding accessories for use by families with breastfeeding needs to ensure parents staying at a Ronald McDonald House have one less thing to worry about.

Attendees will have access to live events and poster session on both days and direct interaction with industry experts and peers. All presentations will be available on demand through June 2022 and offered in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. For attendees in the USA and Canada, CE credits are available.

Learn more about the Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium at www.medela.com/symposium. Follow the conversation on social media using #AdvancingBreastfeedingResearch.

About Medela

Through advancing research, observing natural behavior, and listening to our customers, Medela turns science into care while nurturing health for generations. Medela supports millions of moms, babies, patients, and healthcare professionals in more than 100 countries all over the world. As the healthcare choice for more than 6 million hospitals and homes across the globe, Medela provides leading research-based breast milk feeding and baby products, healthcare solutions for hospitals, and clinical education. Medela is dedicated to building better health outcomes, simplifying and improving life, and developing breakthroughs that help moms, babies and patients live their life to the fullest. For more information, visit www.medela.com.

1 La Leche League International: 2021 World Health Day: Improve global breastfeeding practices. 2021 World Health Day: Improve global breastfeeding practices | La Leche League International (llli.org)

2 The registration fee is not a donation and is not tax deductible

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MONTERREY, Mexico, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA or the Company) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSAUBD, FEMSAUB) announced today that Envoy Solutions, FEMSAs specialized distribution subsidiary in the United States, reached an agreement to acquire Penn Jersey Paper Co. (PJP), an independent specialized distribution company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PJP fits well with FEMSAs distribution footprint along the East Coast, expanding its coverage to include the Philadelphia metro area and New York City. This transaction represents another important step in FEMSAs strategic path to build a leading national distribution platform in the United States. Revenues of the acquired business for the last twelve months as of June 2021, were over US$ 200 million.



The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2021.

BDO USA LLP acted as financial and tax advisor, and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP acted as external legal counsel for FEMSA in connection with this transaction. Stifel Financial Corp. acted as exclusive financial advisor to Penn Jersey Paper Co.

About FEMSA

FEMSA is a company that creates economic and social value through companies and institutions and strives to be the best employer and neighbor to the communities in which it operates. It participates in the retail industry through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Proximity Division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, a Health Division, which includes drugstores and related activities, and a Fuel Division, which operates the OXXO Gas chain of retail service stations. In the beverage industry, it participates through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume; and in the beer industry, as the second largest shareholder of Heineken, one of the worlds leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. FEMSA also participates in the logistics and distribution industry through its Strategic Business Unit, which additionally provides point-of-sale refrigeration and plastic solutions to its business units and third-party clients. Across its business units, FEMSA has more than 320,000 employees in 13 countries. FEMSA is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance, the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and the Mexican Stock Exchange Sustainability Index, among other indexes that evaluate its sustainability performance.
IRVINE, Calif. and RESTON, Va., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community Preservation Partners (CPP Housing), one of the nations most active preservation developers, today announced its brand relaunch, including a new logo, messaging platform, visual identity and revamped website. Positioned with the new tagline, Creativity. Performance. Purpose. A Different Way to Home., the new branding underscores CPPs mission of revitalizing, rehabilitating and preserving affordable housing communities across the U.S. through big, bold and better solutions that build community and serve the greater good, so residents have a place to call home. The refreshed CPP brand is expressed in a new anthem video and is reflected across all internal and external properties, including the newly designed cpp-housing.com website, which features CPPs revamped visual identity and delivers a more intuitive, simplified navigation experience for visitors.



From the beginning, CPP has employed a distinct approach to housing preservation, serving as a true partner in every sense and joining with leading nonprofits and strategic partners to provide essential social services to residents, support neighborhood initiatives and transform multifamily affordable housing communities, said Anand Kannan, president, CPP. The new brand positioning of Creativity, Performance, and Purpose reflects CPPs core values and embodies everything the company does; together these values define A Different Way To Home for employees, partners and communities.

CPPs refreshed brand coincides with the firms significant growth over the last 17 years. In 2004, CPP was formed by WNC & Associates as its development arm to promote the preservation of low-income housing and to assist existing owners and general partners with recapitalizing and revitalizing their affordable housing portfolios. In under 10 years, the firm has experienced 450% growth in its overall total portfolio, which includes more than 11,000 low-income housing units across the United States to-date. In 2018, the firm launched a new business division - CPP East - and expanded its footprint nationwide to deepen affordability for communities in Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Connecticut and Virginia. As a result, more than 6,000 individuals across the East Coast have received brand-new upgraded apartments, exterior renovations, community amenities, linkage to vital programs and resources and more.

To learn more about CPP and view the firms revamped website, visit www.cpp-housing.com .

About Community Preservation Partners

Since its founding in 2004, Community Preservation Partners (CPP Housing), an affordable housing rehabilitation company, has invested more than $2.6 billion into neighborhoods across the United States, keeping housing costs affordable for thousands of seniors, families and individuals. Holding more than 11,000 low-income housing units in its asset portfolio, the award-winning firm continues to expand nationally with headquarters in Irvine, California and Reston, Virginia. With its creative mindset and unwavering vision, CPP proposes big, bold and better solutions that build community and serve the greater good. Creativity. Performance. Purpose. A different way to home. For more information, visit cpp-housing.com and follow us on LinkedIn .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Janelle Kruly

IDEA HALL

janelle@ideahall.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74c3c831-96a6-40f7-9ecf-b8f5f6d3d07c




MOORESTOWN-LENOLA, N.J., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Joe Italiano's Maplewood, located in the Moorestown Mall, participated in the Mall's 2021 Back-to-School Backpack Drive, benefiting active families of the Center for Family Services, Camden, NJ. The start of this school year being particularly rewarding, Moorestown Mall hosted an event that had what students need to feel good and be prepared for a fun and successful school year. The backpack drive was designed to make the return to the classroom as fun as possible  which starts with a great back-to-school shopping experience.

Chris Curry, General Manager of Joe Italiano's Maplewood stated: "Many individuals most affected by the pandemic were just getting by before COVID-19 and are facing greater hardship since. The elementary-age children of the Camden School District and surrounding areas in need of free backpacks were assisted through this wonderful event organized by the management of the Moorestown Mall, and we are honored to be a part of the cause."

The backpack drive took place during the month of August and Joe Italiano's served many local families by providing free backpacks to help ease the financial burden of people who, during the pandemic, have seen the supply chain of basic items skyrocket; items that typically cost $25 are now going for triple or more.

"Families that have budgetary limitations are now experiencing hardship due to post-pandemic price increases. Our goal is always to help families, not only by providing a fun dining experience where one can enjoy a quality meal but to give back when we learn of opportunities that really help enrich the local communities we serve," said Justin Italiano, General Manager of Joe Italiano's Maplewood.

Center for Family Services, Camden is happy to partner with businesses that are promoting and sponsoring this event like the Moorestown Mall's 2021 Back-to-School Backpack Drive and are grateful for all the valuable sponsors, volunteers, and service contributions.

The pandemic has taken a toll on many of the underserved local communities and help is needed to aid with many children. According to Maria Butkovic, General Manager Moorestown Mall, "Our team is committed to giving back to the community our Mall businesses serve. We are especially proud to help children in our area in need with a good beginning to their school year. We feel Backpacks will provide a foundation for children to begin the school year with pride and self-confidence. We were honored to work with the Center for Family Services to ensure students in our community have the supplies they need for the academic year. Providing the proper resources will allow students to start off the school year on the right foot."

The Moorestown Mall and participating retailers partnered with the Center for Family Services to collect and distribute backpacks and school supplies for students in need. Donation bins were in the mall management office for shoppers to place donated items. Suggested supplies for the drive included:

 Backpacks

 Lunchboxes

 Pens and pencils

 Highlighters

 Colored pencils, crayons, and markers

 Glue sticks

 Folders

 Notebooks

 Loose-leaf paper

"As an organization, we are committed to improving lives and making an impact in the communities we serve beyond what we do for them on a regular basis," said Marissa Cantu, Director of Community Relations Development & Public Relations, Center for Family Services. "We've identified an issue that we want to play a role in finding a solution for, and we are extremely proud of our team, the volunteers and community partners as the group at the Moorestown Mall for working together to donate new backpacks for school to those who are in need."

"Providing backpacks, especially during a time when so many are in distress, aligns with our belief that we can improve the lives of customers and the well-being of our communities," said Natalia Castelan, Community Engagement Coordinator, Center for Family Services.

"The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened things for families in our community. Supporting our community never felt better! The backing of caring businesses like Joe Italiano's Maplewood here in our mall during a crisis that has affected many children and families so deeply is truly a lifeline," said Lisa Wolstromer CMD, Senior Marketing Manager, Cherry Hill Mall. "As life begins to return to some semblance of normal, families are counting on us and our mall partners to provide support through events like this now more than ever."

About Joe Italiano's Maplewood: The Legendary Maplewood was founded in 1945 by Joe Italiano Sr. father of the legendary Joe Italiano Jr., a U.S. Navy Veteran who brought the art of Italian home cooking to the Maplewood. He endeared himself to the community and established a legacy offering authentic Italian cuisine, freshly made pasta, and signature seafood creations. Joe Italiano's Maplewood is an award-winning restaurant located in the Moorestown Mall, 400 NJ-38, Moorestown, NJ 08057. https://joesmaplewood.com/joe-italiano-maplewood-moorestown/ - email: hello@joesmaplewood.com - Tel: 856.242.2851

Monday Closed

Tuesday-Thursday 11-9 p.m.

Friday 11-10 p.m.

Saturday 12-10 p.m.

Sunday 12-8 p.m.

*Business hours may vary due to the circumstances of the pandemic * Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday 4-7 p.m.

Moorestown Mall is a destination retail hub located in South Jersey with national retailers, as well as unique local retailers, and some first-to-market restaurants and eateries. Moorestown Mall also hosts many free events and programs for the community and families to enjoy year-round.

Center For Family Services is a cornerstone of your community and a beacon of hope for children and families across New Jersey. With a history dating back to 1920, Center for Family Services continues to expand our presence across New Jersey and has an in-depth understanding of community needs, a breadth of organizational knowledge, extensive partnerships, and strong relationships throughout the community and state. Most importantly, Center for Family Services remains responsive to the ongoing and changing needs that exist within our community.

Press Contact: www.tpdmarketing.com - info@tpdmarketing.com

Related Images











Image 1: Joe Italiano's Maplewood





Backpack for kids

















Image 2









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Belleville, Illinois, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) representation and veterans disability appeal services, announced today that Anna Klucker has been named a Veterans Affairs (VA) Accredited Claims Agent. She joins the ranks of accredited claims agents with the Allsup Veterans Disability Appeal Services.

Brett Buchanan, Allsup VA-accredited claims agent, said, Not only are we proud of Anna for successfully meeting the requirements and passing the rigorous VA examination process, but we are eager for her to contribute even more to Allsups work in assisting veterans with their disability benefit appeals.

Klucker will be responsible for the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She will review service and medical records, as well as VA laws and regulations to advise veterans and claimants on their best appeal options after they have been denied. When needed, she also will represent veterans at hearings before the Board of Veterans Appeal.

Klucker joined Allsup in 2005 and has served in several roles throughout her career, including disability claims representative, appeals analyst and claims consultant for Allsup in the area of SSDI. She transitioned to Allsup Veterans Disability Appeal Services about three years ago to support veterans through that Allsup service.

Anna has become an exceptional asset to our team and now, as a VA-accredited claims agent, will help Allsup provide even more expert advice and support to those veterans who have been denied VA benefits for any number of reasons, Buchanan explained. She will communicate directly with veterans regarding their military and medical history, helping them to secure the necessary evidence to support their appeal.

While appeals are frequently denied by the VA, veterans who used a VA-accredited claims agent had a greater chance of being approved on appeal with a 32.2% approval rate compared to 26.2% approval rate without an agent in FY 2020, according to the Annual Report for the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The percentage of denials was 29.2% without representation compared to only 21.5% with an agent, Buchanan said.

Recently, the VA announced the addition of three presumptive conditions  asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis  for veterans seeking benefits. This announcement conveys that the VA recognizes exposure to airborne hazards like burn pits, air pollution and other particulates is a serious concern for many veterans, Buchanan added.

For more information, visit Veterans.Allsup.com.

ABOUT ALLSUP

Allsup and its subsidiaries provide nationwide Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, return to work, and healthcare benefits services for individuals, their employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. Learn more at Allsup.com and @Allsup or download a free PDF of Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance: Getting It Right The First Time.

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TORONTO, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) (Wesdome or the Company) today announces results from the initial sill development on the Falcon 7 Zone at the Companys wholly-owned Eagle River Mine near Wawa, Ontario.

Falcon 7 Zone

The Falcon 7 Zone was discovered in 2019 and now initial sill development has been completed on the 622 and 635 levels in preparation for mining in Q4. Chip sampling and test holes during the initial development confirms earlier exploration drill results by returning high gold grades over continuous strike length (Figures 1 - 5). The 2020 mineral reserves for the Falcon 7 were 136,344 tonnes grading 19.7 g/t Au totalling 86,177 ounces. Expansion and definition drilling are ongoing.

Historically, mineralization of the Eagle River Mine has been hosted in the mine diorite; however, the Falcon 7 Zone is hosted in volcanic rocks west of the intrusion. Hence, the discovery and subsequent development of the Falcon 7 Zone is important to the Company as it highlights the prospectivity of the volcanic rocks both to the east and west to host additional gold mineralization beyond the currently existing footprint of the Eagle River Mine. Consequently, near-mine exploration is continuing and is focusing on the adjacent Falcon 300 Zone; further exploration work targets the westerly along strike extension of the Falcon structure where limited drilling has returned several encouraging results in volcanic rocks.

Highlights of the recent development are found below, detailed assay results are listed in Tables 1 and 2.

622 Level  Chip sampling yielded 54.3 grams of gold per tonne (g/t Au) (uncapped) and 37.9 g/t Au (capped at 125 g/t Au) over an average thickness of 2.1 metres (m) over a continuous strike length of 75.6 m.

Sill 622-720-311 Line#L31: 178.5 g/t Au (99.6 g/t Au capped) over 2.0 m.

Sill 622-720-311 Line #L03: 92.8 g/t Au (62.4 g/t Au capped) over 6.2 m.

635 Level  Chip sampling yielded 67.3 g/t Au (uncapped) and 34.3 g/t Au (capped) over an average thickness of 1.9 m over 61.0 m.

Sill 635-720-L04W: 168.8 g/t Au (88.2 g/t Au capped) over 2.0 m.

Sill 635-720-L03W: 265.6 g/t Au (71.2 g/t Au capped) over 1.5 m.

Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO commented," We are pleased with the development of the Falcon 7 Zone that will bring to Eagle another high-grade mining front at a reserve grade of almost 20 g/t. We expect to start production activities in the 4th quarter and going forward, Falcon will comprise a significant portion of the mill feed at Eagle River. Further, the discovery and imminent production from the Falcon 7 Zone reaffirms the potential of the surrounding volcanic rocks to host sizeable deposits of gold mineralization and I remain encouraged with our ongoing surface exploration outside of the mine diorite.

The stated goal of the Company is to increase production of the Eagle River Mine to approximately 100,000 oz per year. To achieve this goal consistently over the next years, operations within the mine need to be spread out so bottle necks can be avoided. The Falcon 7 Zone development is an important aspect of this operational planning as it is situated away from the main mining area at depth thereby providing a separate work area away from heavier mine traffic.

The underground development at Falcon on the western extent of the mine also provides an opportunity to target by drilling the structures west of the mine diorite in a region of the mine that has historically had very little attention. In the event of a successful exploration campaign the development in this area would provide easy access.

TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE

Samples are transported in sealed bags to the Eagle River Mine assay office in Wawa, Ontario. Samples are analyzed for gold using standard fire assay technique with gravimetric finish. The performance of the Wesdome Laboratory is monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program designed to follow industry best practices. Wesdome inserts blanks and certified reference standards into the sample sequence for quality control at the laboratory. The QA/QC procedure is described in more detail in the 2016 Technical Report filed on SEDAR on March 17, 2016

The technical content of this release has been compiled, reviewed, and approved by Michael Michaud, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

COVID-19

The health and safety of our employees, contractors, vendors, and consultants is the Companys top priority. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wesdome has adopted all public health guidelines at its mine operations and corporate offices. In addition, our internal COVID-19 Taskforce continues to monitor developments and implement policies and programs intended to protect those who are engaged in business with the Company.

Through care and planning, to date the Company has successfully maintained operations; however, there can be no assurance that this success will continue despite our best efforts. Future conditions may warrant reduced or suspended production activities which could negatively impact our ability to maintain projected timelines and objectives. Consequently, the Companys actual future production and production guidance is subject to higher levels of risk than usual. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available.

ABOUT WESDOME



Wesdome is Canadian focused with two producing underground gold mines. The Companys strategy is to build Canadas next intermediate gold producer, producing 200,000+ ounces from two mines in Ontario and Quebec. The Eagle River Underground Mine in Wawa, Ontario is currently producing gold at a rate of 92,000  105,000 ounces per year. The Kiena Complex is a fully permitted mine with a 930-metre shaft and 2,000 tonne-per-day mill, and a restart of operations was announced on May 26, 2021. The Company has completed a PFS in support of the production restart decision. Wesdome is actively exploring both underground and on surface within the mine area and more regionally at both the Eagle River and Kiena Complex. The Company also retains meaningful exposure to the Moss Lake gold deposit, located 100 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario through its equity position in Goldshore Resources Inc. The Company has approximately 140.0 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WDO.

For further information, please contact:

Duncan Middlemiss or Lindsay Carpenter Dunlop President and CEO VP Investor Relations 416-360-3743 ext. 2029 416-360-3743 ext. 2025 duncan.middlemiss@wesdome.com lindsay.dunlop@wesdome.com

220 Bay Street, Suite 1200

Toronto, ON, M5J 2W4

Toll Free: 1-866-4-WDO-TSX

Phone: 416-360-3743, Fax: 416-360-7620

Website: www.wesdome.com

This news release contains forward-looking information, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, managements estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company has included in this news release certain non-IFRS performance measures, including, but not limited to, mine operating profit, mining and processing costs and cash costs. Cash costs per ounce reflect actual mine operating costs incurred during the fiscal period divided by the number of ounces produced. These measures are not defined under IFRS and therefore should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to or more meaningful than, net income (loss) or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Companys financial performance or liquidity. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate cash flow

Table 1 - Sill Development Chip Sample Results  Falcon 7 Zone  622 Level

622-720 Sill (Falcon) Insitu Thickness and Grades (cut 125g/t) Line Thickness Uncut Cut 125 622-720-L03 6.20 92.79 62.38 622-720-L04 4.50 68.96 60.68 622-720-L05 3.40 27.68 14.46 622-720-L06 1.50 1.67 1.67 622-720-L07 1.50 23.14 23.14 622-720-L08 1.50 38.54 38.54 622-720-L09 1.50 97.55 52.87 622-720-L10 1.50 23.87 23.87 622-720-L11 1.50 35.69 35.69 622-720-L13 1.50 14.79 14.79 622-720-L14 1.50 32.60 27.89 622-720-L15 1.50 146.77 29.20 622-720-L16 1.50 4.00 4.00 622-720-L17 1.50 5.55 5.55 622-720-L18 1.80 65.72 54.40 622-720-L19 1.80 56.69 54.91 622-720-L20 1.60 0.84 0.84 622-720-L21 1.50 6.10 6.10 622-720-L24 2.20 106.87 60.23 622-720-L25 2.60 73.47 68.41 622-720-L26 1.80 13.52 13.52 622-720-L29 2.30 7.85 7.85 622-720-L30 1.50 17.99 17.99 622-720-L31 2.00 178.46 99.62 Average 2.07 54.31 37.85

* The quoted average width is based on vein material and gold mineralization in the adjacent host rock over a 1.5m minimum thickness.





Table 2 - Sill Development Chip Sample Results  Falcon 7 Zone  635 Level

635-720 Sill (Falcon) Insitu Thickness and Grades (cut 125g/t) Line Thickness Uncut Cut 125 635-720-L01E 1.50 9.12 9.12 635-720-L02E 1.50 96.06 51.57 635-720-L03E 1.50 11.57 11.57 635-720-L01W 1.50 18.27 18.27 635-720-L02W 1.50 176.17 66.97 635-720-L03W 1.50 265.58 71.26 635-720-L04W 2.00 168.81 88.24 635-720-L05W 1.80 9.72 9.72 635-720-L06W 1.50 154.26 50.26 635-720-L07W 2.90 46.24 28.05 635-720-L08W 1.60 17.16 17.16 635-720-L10W 3.50 40.50 40.50 635-720-L13W 2.60 10.00 10.00 635-720-L14W 2.10 17.14 17.14 Average 1.93 67.29 34.26

* The quoted average width is based on vein material and gold mineralization in the adjacent host rock over a 1.5m minimum thickness.





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PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating whether certain officers and/or directors of Legacy Acquisition Corp (Legacy Acquisition or the Company) (NYSE: LGC) received greater benefits than Legacy Acquisition investors as a result of the Companys merger with Parts iD, Inc. (Parts iD) (NYSE: ID).



The investigation concerns whether Legacy Acquisitions board of directors or senior management failed to manage Legacy Acquisition in an acceptable manner, in breach of their fiduciary duties to the Companys shareholders, and whether Legacy Acquisitions shareholders suffered damages as a result.

On September 18, 2020, Legacy Acquisition executed a merger agreement with the predecessor to Parts iD, with an October 19, 2020 record date for the shareholder vote. On November 20, 2020, the merger transaction closed, with Parts iD continuing as the successor entity.

In its final days of trading pre-merger, Legacy Acquisitions stock price dropped significantly, thereby injuring investors.

IF YOU WERE A LEGACY ACQUISITION SHAREHOLDER AND WISH TO DISCUSS KEHOE LAW FIRMS INVESTIGATION OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR POTENTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS, PLEASE CONTACT MICHAEL YARNOFF, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 804, MYARNOFF@KEHOELAWFIRM.COM, INFO@KEHOELAWFIRM.COM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION OR POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS.

Kehoe Law Firm, P.C., with offices in New York and Philadelphia, is a multidisciplinary, plaintiffside law firm dedicated to protecting investors from securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, and corporate misconduct. Combined, the partners at Kehoe Law Firm have served as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in cases that have recovered more than $10 billion on behalf of institutional and individual investors.

This notice may constitute attorney advertising.
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The south tower collapses as smoke billows from both towers of the World Trade Center, in New York, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. In one of the most horrifying attacks ever against the United States, terrorists crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center in a deadly series of blows that brought down the twin 110-story towers.
On the first day of the international summit, experts deliberated on innovation and digital advancements in banking sector, along with resilient and agile transformation strategies.

Dubai  Sep 08, 2021: Subsidiarity of banking system and digitalization boost of banking sector is the need of the hour, say experts assembled at Finnovex Middle East 2021 in Dubai. Reach and relevance are the golden word that the industry must include in its constitution and follow for transformation of banking sector in the Middle East, one of the world's fastest growing regions in the banking and capital markets sector.

Digitalization is about leveraging technology and innovative tool to improve the efficiency and efficacy of a given process. Because of the multidimensional benefits this brings, digitalization and by association, digital transformation are top of mind in banking industry boardrooms.

The Finnovex Middle East 2021 is organized by Exibex, the organisers of Finnovex Global Series, the leading summit on financial services innovation and excellence. The two-day International Summit themed Digging Deeper into Resilient and Agile Transformation Strategies, examine how technology is reimagining banking innovation for 2021 and beyond.

The Finnovex Middle East 2021 is taking place in a hybrid format having in-person sessions at Conrad Dubai being with a simultaneous virtual streaming online on September 7 and 8, 2021. The summit hosting thought leaders from top banks and financial institutions from the region and beyond addressing over 400 delegates attending in-person and online.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Pritesh B. Kotecha, Senior Vice President (Europe, Middle East & Africa), SmartStream Technologies said, In many cases, the way we look at the problem, is the problem. The Digital Economy, accelerated by Covid, demands Banks & Fintechs approach challenges and opportunities together, in partnership. This is more than selling a product or granting a license. Banks hold the ultimate data, Fintechs are built to innovate. The combination of these is the secret sauce that allows true customer centricity. Today's event aims to forge such partnerships.

Mr. Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI, said: In line with His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision, the UAE Federal export credit company, Etihad Credit Insurance always adopts innovation and digital transformation; in order to provide utmost support to UAE exporters and re-exporters, we continuously forge strategic partnerships with leading players in this field to provide seamless trade credit insurance procedures. Moreover, we aim to support the UAE's non-oil diversification goals through our innovative digital products that will boost the competitiveness of UAE businesses and exports.

Mr. Frederic de Melker, Managing Director of Personal Banking at RAKBANK, said, We are delighted to be associated with Finnovex ME. Banks and Fintechs will have to co-exist to build a customer-centric financial ecosystem. At RAKBANK, we believe the backbone of this ecosystem will be effective & accelerated digital transformation not only in systems and processes but also in the organizational culture to enhance and provide a seamless customer experience at every touchpoint in the journey.

The COVID-19 pandemic is essentially altering the digital usage behavior of bank clients. The IT ecosystems of many conventional organizations are approaching the end of their lifecycle and will have to be replaced in the foreseeable future. There is a growing need to develop digital skills across the sector, Mr. Ahmed further said.

Ms Banali Malhotra, Director - Marketing, RAKBANK said, Digital adoption has exponentially grown during the pandemic. We at RAKBANK marketing not only think digital-first but also ensure that we support strategic partnerships to help build a customer-centric ecosystem that facilitates seamless journeys.

Commenting on the summit, Mr. Shabaz Ahmed, Executive Director at Exibex, said, We are happy to bring the third edition of the Finnovex Middle East Hybrid Summit to the people of Middle East region. We are grateful to the UAE government, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the rulers of the country to conduct a highly efficient vaccination drive and making it possible for the UAE to get back normalcy. Dubai is well known as the MICE capital of the region for a reason. Dubai is one of the world's top-20 business destinations. It has a beneficial location within close flying distance of some of the world's most dynamic business tourism source markets, and the emirate also remains a popular destination for its neighbors in the gulf and wider region even during the pandemic.

He added This year's summit is focusing on how technology is reimagining banking innovation for 2021 and beyond. We are extremely happy that the numbers of speakers and the audience for our summit has more than doubled this year, making the summit even more exciting.

The two-day summit will bring together over 400 plus delegates from top banks and financial institutions like RAKBANK; Zand; Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI); Al Rajhi Bank; Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank; Dubai Islamic Bank; Saudi British Bank (SABB); AXA Gulf; Tasheel Finance; BLOM Bank; Banque Saudi Fransi; Social Development Bank (SDB); National Bank of Oman; Dubai International Financial Center; National Bank of Bahrain; Emirates NBD; National Bank of Fujairah who will discuss how technology is reimagining banking innovation for 2021 and beyond through focused panel discussions and keynote presentations.

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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'
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Chevron USA, through its Chevron Products Company division, Delta Air Lines, and Google announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to track sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) test batch emissions data using cloud-based technology.

Sustainable aviation fuel is produced from biofeedstocks that can reduce lifecycle carbon intensity significantly when compared to conventional jet fuel. The companies hope to create a common, more transparent model for analyzing potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions that could then be adopted by organizations considering SAF programs.

Through this project, Chevron plans to produce a test batch of SAF at its El Segundo Refinery and to sell SAF to Delta at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a major global hub for Deltas fleet.

This MOU builds on our previously announced effort to be the first refiner in the US to ratably co-process biofeedstocks in an FCC through a capital-efficient investment program. The data sharing and transparency component of this partnership will help us better understand the emissions from sustainable aviation fuel production and delivery, supporting our goal to advance lower carbon fuels. Andy Walz, president of Americas Fuels & Lubricants for Chevron



In parallel, Google Cloud plans to build a data and analytics framework to ingest securely and to analyze emissions data from Delta and Chevron related to the SAF test batch. The goal of the pilot will be to provide better visibility into data from their project, allowing for greater transparency and improved reporting of SAF emissions.
LOWRY: No, Afghanistan Is Not The End Of American Power
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STAMFORD  For the better part of the last two years, Maureen Blum has lived with the mess.

When Aquarion Water Company started replacing the pipeline on her street in Stamford in May 2020, she said trucks started driving up and down her road most days. She claims that construction-related garbage started popping up on the side of the road, and that roadside signs started looking weathered.

"Our beautiful Farms Road area has become a disaster area," she said.

That project  dedicated to replacing an existing 20-inch raw water pipeline between part of Stamford and Greenwich  was slated to wrap up after six months of construction and engineering efforts on the border between the two towns. Instead, the initiative has dragged on until now, and during the final stretch of construction, Tropical Storm Ida added an additional wrinkle to the renovation.

Floodwater from a stream running near Farms Road spilled over the culvert that funnels water under the street during Idas descent onto lower Fairfield County, washing out dirt and pavement from the road and causing temporary closures nearby.

In Blums eyes, a situation that had already grated on her nerves for almost the entire pandemic became even more aggravating.

If all of this was done in proper time, she said, And the sub-road surface was properly put back, and the road was milled and (asphalted) properly, we wouldn't have a road that was washed out.

Aquarion spokesman Peter Fazekas claims that the end is near.

Even though the tempest further damaged the pavement and caused extensive flooding, the utility company only lost a few days (of work) because of the storm.

Aquarion still expects to complete the pipeline project in Stamford by the end of the month, he said.

While Fazekas maintained that little work remained on the pipeline on Aquarions end, he acknowledges that further delays could stem from road maintenance work necessary after the storm. The city has barricaded off a portion of Farms Road because of the damage from Ida.

To fix the road, city engineer Lou Casolo told The Stamford Advocate that Stamford must retain an engineering company to spearhead reconstruction efforts.

Once design documents and permitting has been completed and approved and project funding has been obtained, contractors will be retained, Casolo said.

Once finished, the pipeline will span approximately 7,800 feet in length between Bargh Reservoir Dam in Stamford and the Rockwood Lake watershed in Greenwich. The utility company has installed just under 7,000 feet of pipe so far, though significant parts of the project in both towns must still undergo water pressure tests, he said.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Americans trying to evacuate hundreds of Afghans and American citizens  including one Afghan who worked as a U.S. military translator and says he is anticipating his beheading by the Taliban  pleaded for action from the Biden administration to get the would-be evacuees aboard charter flights that are standing by to fly them from Afghanistan.

Unfortunately we are left behind now," the former translator said quietly in the pre-dawn darkness Wednesday in Afghanistan. No one heard our voice.

The man, whose identity The Associated Press withheld for his security, said he was running out of money to keep his family housed in a hotel in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, after waiting a week for Taliban permission for the chartered evacuation flights to leave the airport there.

U.S. Army veterans working to help the man, an interpreter for U.S. forces for 15 years, called the effort more grinding than their months of deployment in Afghanistan. They tried and failed to get their old interpreter on the earlier airlifts that ended with the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan Aug. 30.

"I hope we can help them out, and get them out of this mess, said a retired Army colonel, Thomas McGrath, one of the veterans trying to help his former interpreter.

Hundreds of vulnerable Afghans are waiting for permission from Afghanistans Taliban rulers to board prearranged charter flights standing by at the airport in Mazar-e-Sharif.

The group includes dozens of American citizens and green card holders and their families, the Afghans and their American advocates say.

We think we are in some kind of jail, said one Afghan woman among the would-be evacuees gathered at one large hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif.

She described the Americans and green-card holders in their group as elderly parents of Afghan-American citizens in the United States.

Taliban leaders, who named a new Cabinet Tuesday in the wake of their lightning takeover of most of the country last month, say they will allow people with proper documents to leave the country. Taliban officials insist they are currently going through the manifests, and passenger documents, for the charter flights at Mazar-e-Sharif.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday the U.S. was working with the Taliban to resolve the standoff over the charter flights.

He rejected an assertion from a Republican lawmaker, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, over the weekend that the standoff at Mazar-e-Sharif was turning into a hostage situation for American citizens in the group.

Weve been assured all American citizens and Afghan citizens with valid travel documents will be allowed to leave, Blinken said in Doha, Qatar, a major transit point for last months frantic U.S. military-led evacuations from Afghanistan.

Later Tuesday, 12 Democratic lawmakers added to the pressure for evacuees, in a letter urging the administration to disclose its plans for getting out all of the hundreds of at-risk people remaining in Afghanistan, and not just American citizens.

Our staff have been working around the clock responding to urgent pleas from constituents whose families and colleagues are seeking to flee Afghanistan, and they urgently require timely, post-withdrawal guidance to best assist those in need, Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Gerald Connolly and nine other lawmakers from President Joe Bidens party wrote.

Blinken, in Doha, said the Taliban had told U.S. officials that the problem in Mazar-e-Sharif was that passengers with valid travel documents were mixed in with those without the right travel papers.

The Afghan woman contacted at the hotel  an employee of a U.S.-based nonprofit, Ascend, that works with Afghan women and girls  also spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity for her security. She said those in her group have proper passports and visas, but the Taliban are blocking them from entering the airport.

Like the interpreter, she said she has been waiting for eight days.

At one point last week, alarm spread through the womens side of her hotel in the city when warnings came that the Taliban were searching the would-be evacuees on the men's side, and had taken some away.

I am scared if they split us and not let us leave, she said. If we cant get out of here, something wrong will happen. And I am afraid of that.

The former U.S. military interpreter, at the hotel with his family of eight children and wife, said he would expect beheading by the Taliban given his work with the U.S. military, and based on what rights groups say are past Taliban attacks on Afghan civilians who have worked with U.S. forces.

They'll probably kill him, McGrath agreed, expressing fear for the man's children as well.

The interpreter had always told his American comrades that he believed his work with them was in service of his own country, the retired colonel said. He put a lot on the line by lining up with us, McGrath said.

An array of Americans -- many of them with some past experience in Afghanistan, or other ties -- have been working for weeks to try to help evacuate at-risk Afghans. Much of that effort is focused now on the planes in Mazar-e-Sharif.

Some of those Americans pushing for U.S. action said Tuesday they fear the Biden administration will help out American citizens and leave behind green card holders, Afghans who used to work with Americans, and others whose work has left them vulnerable, including journalists, womens advocates and rights workers.

The game changed partway through, said Marina LeGree, the American head of Ascend.

Private organizers of the flights complain the State Department and other U.S. agencies have been slow or outright unresponsive to pleas for help despite assurances that Washington would work with the Taliban and others to get people out.

On Monday, the State Department said it had helped a family of four U.S. citizens escape Afghanistan via a land route.

Alex Plitsas, a representative of a group called Digital Dunkirk, which is serving as an umbrella group for several organizations arranging the private evacuation efforts since the completion of the U.S. military withdrawal, welcomed Blinken's words.

Our men and women in uniform and diplomats on the ground in Kabul did a fantastic job with the military-run evacuation last month, Plitsas said. "Now its time to bring the last remaining folks home.



Knickmeyer contributed from Oklahoma City and Burns from Doha.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee's Republican supermajority Legislature began work Wednesday on the once-a-decade task of carving up new legislative and congressional districts based on population shifts, a task that a Democratic congressman testified should not divide fast-growing Nashville into different U.S. House seats.

Lawmakers kicked off the monthslong undertaking with a hearing in the House, where the 16-member redistricting committee includes four Democrats. Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally plans to announce the Senate redistricting panel and the public input guidelines later this month, spokesperson Adam Kleinheider said.

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper testified that the redistricting process, at least at the congressional level, in the past has been remarkably bipartisan. He urged state lawmakers not to split up Nashville-Davidson County, as did other speakers.

Nashville is perhaps the hottest destination in America," Cooper said. "Its a unique formula. Dont ruin the recipe.

Lawmakers will use newly released U.S. Census Bureau data to redraw state and congressional districts currently dominated by Republicans. The map proposals, shaped around state and federal requirements, will be taken up in the 2022 legislative session that begins in January. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has veto power over the finalized plan, but hes not expected to put up many objections.

Republicans hold a 73-26 state House edge over Democrats and a 27-6 margin in the Senate. The state grew by 8.9%  exceeding the 7.4% national rate  and increased to 6.9 million residents in 2020 from 6.3 million reported in 2010.

Tennessee wont gain or lose any congressional districts. The House delegation currently includes seven Republicans and two Democrats, whose districts center on Nashville and Memphis.

Committee attorney Doug Himes said 30 counties lost population in the 2020 census, versus 17 counties growing above 10%, most in Middle Tennessee. He noted that Tennessee has a growing Hispanic population, as well.

Shelby County, which includes the majority-Black city of Memphis and remains the most populous county, saw a small population increase of 0.2%, or 2,100 people, while multiple counties in West Tennessee saw population drops.

Nashville-Davidson County itself saw a 14.2% population boost, adding about 89,200 people through the decade and checking in at second-most populous in the state, the numbers show. Its suburbs saw a bigger percentage boost, with Williamson County increasing by 35.2%, or 64,500 people, and Rutherford County jumping up 30%, or about 78,900 people. Several other Middle Tennessee counties saw population increases that exceeded 20%.

Himes said people can submit their own redistricting proposals through Nov. 12, though they have to include an entire state map of the state House, Senate or U.S. House. Leaders of several groups, including the League of Women Voters of Tennessee and The Equity Alliance, urged lawmakers to accept maps of individual districts as well, since people who know their communities may not know as much about the state at large.

Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth said people should not be intimidated by having to submit statewide plans, saying they can note that there's a specific area they are focused on.

Tennessee has grown, Lamberth said. Our numbers have changed. We want to hear from you.
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It would cost the federal government only 3% more each year to include residents of the U.S. territories in the Supplemental Security Income program, according to a brief filed this week with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The brief, in support of a Puerto Rico resident who lost his SSI payments when he relocated to Puerto Rico, states there is little pattern or sense for how Congress decides which federal programs apply in which territories.

Justices in March granted a petition for writ of certiorari in United States v. Vaello-Madero, which involves Jose Luis Vaello-Madero, a person with a disability, who lost his SSI payments when he relocated from New York to Puerto Rico. Eligible citizens with disabilities can receive $800 per month under the program.

Congress excluded residents of Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands from the SSI program. Residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible for SSI payments, because the benefit is included in the CNMI covenant with the U.S. A similar federal case, filed by Guam resident Katrina Schaller, currently is on hold, pending the Supreme Courts decision.

The Supreme Court case could result in thousands of Guam residents with disabilities becoming eligible for monthly SSI payments.

Brief filed

The attorneys general of several states and territories, including Guam Attorney General Leevin Camacho, this week filed a brief with the Supreme Court, supporting Vaello-Madero, and arguing his victory in a federal appeals court should be upheld.

It was filed on behalf of Camacho and the attorneys general for Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

This court should treat Congresss discrimination against any state or territory in the context of nationwide aid programs with suspicion, the brief states. Were Congress to exclude Nevada or Virginia from SSI for the reasons the United States gives here, this court would no doubt treat that discrimination with great suspicion.

The brief states Puerto Ricos unique tax status isnt a valid reason to deny SSI eligibility because its status is entirely the product of Congresss prior discrimination against the territory.

Treatment

The brief provides several examples of how different U.S. territories are treated differently with respect to federal programs mandated by Congress.

It notes the CNMI is eligible for SSI, but not Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for food stamps, but residents of Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the CNMI arent. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are the only territories eligible for the regular federal unemployment.

Residents of the territories are eligible for Medicare, but they are ineligible for a Medicare program that subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for low-income residents. The territories are eligible for Medicaid, but are subject to an annual funding cap.

There is little pattern or sense to how Congress decides which federal programs will apply in which territories, the brief states, noting residents of the territories are disproportionately impoverished, even when compared to the poorest states. And the haphazardness has consequences: it burdens states as well as the territories. In the meantime, it withholds effective solutions from where they are, arguably, needed most.
On Wednesday night, the governors office confirmed the 154th COVID death on Guam and her intent to allow schools that are ready to open for face to face learning on Monday.

The patient was a John Doe who died on arrival Tuesday at Guam Memorial Hospital. The man tested positive for COVID-19 and was without a verifiable record for COVID-19 vaccination.

These reports are never easy to come up against. Each loss is felt so deeply by this community, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said.

The governor is expected to sign an executive order Thursday to reauthorize in-person learning as long as the school is ready to do so, according to Krystal Paco-San Augustin, the governors director of communications.

Paco-San Agustin said the target is to allow for in-person classes to resume as early as Sept. 13 as long as schools are prepared. St. Johns School in Upper Tumon notified its parents that live classes will resume on Sept. 13. No other schools have confirmed.

Cases

There were 325 new cases of COVID-19 out of 1,647 tests performed Sept. 7 by the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

Of those cases, 149 were identified through contact tracing with one reported recent travel history, according to the Joint Information Center.

Guam has had 11,819 officially reported cases of COVID-19. There have been 154 deaths. There are 2,375 cases in active isolation.

The CAR Score is 41.4.

Guam DOE cases

The Guam Department of Education reported four positive cases of COVID-19 involving employees. The student cases identified were from Machananao Elementary, George Washington High School, Okkodo High School and Tiyan High School.

Teachers and parents of students who may have been in contact with the index case were contacted to schedule testing. Tested individuals will remain in quarantine until they are cleared by Public Health.

Testing

Free community testing will resume at the old carnival grounds in Tiyan from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday through Saturday.

Rapid antigen testing will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Molecular tests will be offered to those who are close contacts to a known COVID-19 positive case or those who have symptoms.

No symptoms are required for testing. There is a four-person per vehicle limit. Bring a valid photo ID, and note that no testing for travel will be conducted.

Before coming for testing, fill out an assessment available for download at dphss.guam.gov/covid-19-testing.

People waiting for test results must quarantine at home until cleared by Public Health.

Individuals whose test results are positive and who are at high risk for serious illness will be given information on outpatient monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19.
Guam Department of Education students returned to 100% online instruction this week, but island

wide internet connectivity problems, caused some of the teachers to have to work from home, according to Deputy Superintendent Joe Sanchez, who said the school systems IT department is working on the problem.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, in response to rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, signed an executive order Aug. 27, indefinitely suspending face-to-face instruction for students grades K-12 in public and private schools. There are about 28,000 students enrolled in Guam DOE schools.

Although Guam DOE has as many as 30,000 laptops available for students who need them, it so far has distributed only about 10,000, according to Sanchez.

Based on the pace of distribution, it looks like were going to plateau at some point, he said.

Deputy Superintendent Erika Cruz said most of the laptop distribution has been at Guam DOEs elementary schools.

Im assuming that our middle schoolers and our high schoolers currently have their own laptop or they use their smartphones as far as participating in school, she said.

Sanchez said few students have been using the community learning centers set up at dozens of schools, probably because parents might not realize their children can visit the learning center closest to their home, even if their child does not attend school there.

The learning centers, paid for using federal pandemic funds, provide access to computers and internet service for students who need it. Guam DOE currently does not have any more portable mi-fi devices to provide home internet service for students.

Cruz said she has been attending online classroom sessions at several schools and was pleased at the large number of students attending those classes.

Im going to try to hit a majority of the schools as much as possible within the next two weeks, just to get a general idea of what students are thinking and what parents are thinking as far as the remote model of learning, she said. Its also nice to see that the teachers really are prepared for online instruction.
The Department of Public Health and Social Services is waiting on federal approval of an additional booster shot for the COVID-19 vaccines bef
The Guam Board of Medical Examiners is still seeking to hire an investigator to resolve the complaints against Dr. Abner Pasatiempo.

The former GovGuam psychiatrist had six complaints alleging inappropriate sexual conduct filed against him in 2019.

Pasatiempos medical license was suspended following the complaints in December of 2019. He later allowed the license to expire, but reapplied for it last year as he was unable to work in the state of Alaska without first having his case on Guam resolved.

The Government Service Agency, which is handling the hiring of an investigator, had awarded the bid to a local psychologist previously, Assistant Attorney General Robert Weinberg reported during a Wednesday board meeting. But the awardee retracted the bid after reading the fine print of the contract and learning it was for a psychiatrist.

Pasatiempos attorney, Curtis Van de veld, has asked the board to have a psychiatrist with a specialty in drug and alcohol treatment to review his clients case because it involves patients in drug treatment. On Wednesday, Van de veld objected that his client had been unable to work for two years because of the drawn out investigation.

Board members agreed to review any documents Van de veld could provide in support of Pasatiempos case.

Pasatiempo was recently arrested in Alaska in relation to a criminal complaint filed against him by the Office of the Attorney General of Guam.
Enforcement of a local law that has prevented women from getting medication abortions via telemedicine has been suspended, following a prelimi




Haiti - Earthquake : USAID aid to Haitians in figures





The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is continuing to get critical aid to Haitians impacted by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti on August 14 by transporting additional relief items and medical supplies to Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34681-haiti-earthquake-latest-assessment-of-civil-protection.html



On August 30, USAID delivered emergency medical kits to Port-au-Prince that will support healthcare facilities in the affected region to meet urgent medical needs of approximately 20,000 people for three months. These kits contain medicines and medical supplies, including malaria medicine, bandages, gauze, examination gloves, thermometers, stethoscopes, and syringes. USAID also is delivering supplies, including wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, splints, and more, from the USAID warehouse in Miami, Florida. The medical kits and supplies will be delivered to health facilities in hard-hit areas by USAID partner the Pan American Health Organization.



Beginning on September 1, USAID began dispatching more than 400 additional metric tons of relief items, including plastic sheets, shelter repair kits, blankets, buckets, water containers, hygiene kits, and kitchen sets from USAIDs Miami warehouse to Port-au-Prince. The supplies will be delivered over seven flights and two ocean transports, and transferred to USAID partner the International Organization for Migration to distribute in areas affected by the earthquake. These supplies will help approximately 50,000 people, in addition to the tens of thousands of relief supplies that have already been distributed from pre-positioned USAID stocks in Haiti.



USAID has also released additional food from its pre-positioned stocks in Haiti to partner the UN World Food Program (WFP) to distribute in affected areas. In total, WFP is transporting more than 1,700 metric tons of USAID food suppliesenough to provide food assistance to 65,000 people for two monthsfrom Port-au-Prince and distributing it in affected areas. USAID supports WFP year-round to maintain stocks of pre-positioned food in Haiti to be ready to support people during emergencies.



USAID continues to support partners to deliver aid from Port-au-Prince to affected areas as road access improves. Since August 18, WFP-led convoys have delivered 160 truckloads of medical supplies, more than 41,000 relief itemssuch as hygiene kits, plastic sheeting, and shelter fixing kitsand more than 490 metric tons of food to affected areas with USAID and other donor support.

These efforts are part of the robust USAID-led U.S. government response to this disaster. USAIDs Disaster Assistance Response Team continues to coordinate response efforts on the ground, and through USAID, the United States is providing $32 million in humanitarian assistance https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34593-haiti-earthquake-$32m-additional-from-the-usa-to-support-the-victims-of-the-earthquake-and-reconstruction.html to support partners delivering food, water, shelter, heath assistance, protection services, and more to meet urgent needs in hard-hit areas.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34681-haiti-earthquake-latest-assessment-of-civil-protection.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34604-haiti-usaid-samantha-power-on-tour-in-the-south-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34593-haiti-earthquake-$32m-additional-from-the-usa-to-support-the-victims-of-the-earthquake-and-reconstruction.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34527-haiti-usa-the-warship-uss-arlington-on-its-way-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34522-haiti-humanitarian-update-on-international-aid.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34500-haiti-usa-american-aid-arrives-in-haiti.html



HL/ HaitiLibre
























Haiti - DR : 1,055 Haitians arrested in 3 days





Members of the Dominican army, accompanied by immigration inspectors, arrested 560 Haitians who entered the Dominican Republic illegally over the past weekend. A number that adds to the 495 other Haitians arrested previously in 24 hours for a total of 1,055 Haitians in 3 days.



Terror fueled by gangs in Haiti, socio-political instability, economic crisis and food insecurity are driving many Haitians to enter Dominican territory illegally in search of a better life.



Haitians in an irregular situation have been arrested during migration control operations, among others in Dajabon, Montecristi, Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez, San Pedro and La Romana, as well as in border municipalities such as Restauracion and Loma de Cabrera...



All Haitians were taken by bus and in army vehicles to the headquarters of the Benito Moncion fortresses of Mao, Beller and Dajabon where, after being verified by the migration services, they were repatriated to Haiti.



On the instruction of the Commander of the Dominican Army, Major General Julio Ernesto Florian Perez, following the orders of the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant-General Carlos Luciano Diaz Morfa, surveillance operations and migration controls of foreigners have intensified in the Dominican Republic.



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Assassination of Moise : 1st hearing, 2nd postponement

Tuesday, September 7, 2021, the hearing of Jean Laguel Civil by the examining magistrate Me Garry Orelien https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34567-haiti-flash-new-investigating-judge-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html in the context of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, hearing which had continued for this day https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34663-haiti-news-zapping.html could not take place, for lack of electricity at the courthouse in Port-au-Prince for about two weeks. Read also on the assassination of President Moise : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34567-haiti-flash-new-investigating-judge-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html



Kidnapping of DDO's wife from health

Tuesday, September 7, 2021, Rocheline Louis Beneche, wife of the Departmental Director of the West (DDO) of the Ministry of Public Health was kidnapped by unidentified armed individuals not far from the Hospital of the State University of Haiti.



Submission of the new Constitution for review

This Wednesday, September 8, at 11:00 a.m., at the official Residence of Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry, the Independent Advisory Committee will submit for proofreading the text of the new Constitution.



Words of Joseph Lambert

"On Monday September 6, 2021, Me Annibal Coffy represented me at a meeting held in the official residence of the PM. Different political families have started the discussion for a real agreement which carries the need for a two-headed executive power to which I remain attached" Senator Joseph Lambert



"Nos Petits Freres et Surs" closes its doors

The organization "Nos Petits Freres et Surs" is closing the doors of all its institutions across the country in protest against the kidnapping on Monday of its employee Marie Ange Beril. She is the second employee of the health institution kidnapped in the space of two weeks.



Fuel in quantity

Fils Aime Ignace Saint Fleur, the Director General of the Office for Monetization of Development Assistance Programs (BMPAD) informs that 250,000 barrels of gasoline arrived in Port-au-Prince on Monday, September 6, 2021 and that 250,000 barrels of diesel should arrive at Port-au-Prince between the 11th and 13th of the current month. The only problem is that it is very difficult to supply gas stations due to the insecurity for tank trucks...



Earthquake : UN Inter-Agency Mission

A UN mission, headed by Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lemarquis, is underway in the far south of the country. Several agencies including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) are participating in this visit to the southern peninsula of Haiti. This UN inter-agency mission, which began on September 4, ends on Wednesday 8, began in Grand'Anse, will pass through the South and will end in Nippes. The delegation will visit, among others, Jeremie, Corail, Chantal, Miragoane, Anse-a-Veau.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Winnsboro, LA (71295)

Today

A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 77F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy this evening with showers developing after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Written By

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Sophia Voight is a reporter for the Hastings Star Gazette. She is from Oshkosh, WI and graduated from the UW Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Multimedia Journalism in 2021. She can be reached with any news tips at svoight@orourkemediagroup.com

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Its one thing to remove the drugs. Its another to kick the habit.
Two HPD officers up for national RISE Award

Sgt. Alan Bonanno and Officer Joreeca Dinnall are nominated for the RISE Award.

Risking his own life, Sgt. Alan Bonanno struggled to subdue a mentally ill man who had broken into an elderly man's apartment, eventually taking him into custody.

A situation that deteriorated into a violent scuffle could have resulted in lethal use of force by the officer; instead, Bonanno fought off the violent attacker until a backup officer who arrived at the dwelling was able to use his Taser to subdue him.

A School Resource Officer at Hendersonville High School, Joreeca Dinnall went far and above what is expected of an officer when she stepped in on her day off to help a student she knew who was having a mental health issue and destroying property. Driving her own car from her home in South Carolina, she drove the student to a facility where he could get help, staying with him and updating the family throughout the crisis.

For their extraordinary actions, Bonanno and Dinnall have each been nominated for a national award that will honor three officers from across the country who have saved a life or shown exemplary performance in the field. It is sponsored by Axon, an Arizona technology that developed the Taser.

We have an amazing team at the Hendersonville Police Department, said Police Chief Blair Myhand. Sgt. Bonanno was nominated for his heroism and for de-escalating a situation that could have resulted in the use of deadly force. Officer Dinnall was nominated for assisting a juvenile experiencing a mental health crisis. Both of these law enforcement officers went above and beyond, and we want to shine a light on the positive difference they make in our city each and every shift.

"Sgt. Bonanno deserves this recognition for his heroism and life-saving efforts," the RISE nomination said. "He worked to de-escalate a situation because he suspected it might result in force because of his experience with the suspect previously."

"Officer Dinnall comes from a broken home," her nominator said. "She spent much of her childhood at the Hendersonville Boys and Girls Club, where she volunteers much of her time today. She is new to law enforcement having spent several years working in the fast-food industry. She is compassionate and empathetic to people struggling with the complications of life. She is easy going and mild mannered."

Community members, friends and family may each vote once per day until Sept. 17 by clicking on one of the links below.

Click here to read the nomination and vote for Sgt. Bonanno.

Click here to read the nomination and vote for Officer Dinnall.

The top 10 finalists with the most votes in each category will then be reviewed by a panel of judges. Winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to the Axon Accelerate Law Enforcement Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Nov. 1-3.
TWO women collecting donations for refugees from Afghanistan are in desperate need of more storage space.

Emma Clark Lam and Sam Jonkers have been appealing for support since the crisis in the country caused by American and Britain forces leaving and the Taliban taking control.

The Government has promised to accept 20,000 people fleeing from Afghanistan.

The women have received hundreds of donations, including clothes, shoes, sanitary wear and mobile phones.

But they would like a business to offer them unused storage space to allow more donations to be received and sorted.

Mrs Clark Lam, a freelance writer who lives in Paradise Road, Henley, said: It has been absolutely brilliant. Lots of people have been very generous and found wonderful items for the refugees.

Im not surprised. When people really engage with whats going on in these countries and understand how hard it is for them, they tend to be empathetic.

We are getting to the point where we have to say to people we cant take anymore, which is awful.

Weve not hit pause because there are certain items that we still really need but there are others where we have asked people to delay giving them to us. We would much rather have a big storage space and be able to take things as they are offered to us. We are having to be cautious and it is all because the response has been almost overwhelming.

Mrs Clark Lam is to hold a coffee morning at her house today (Friday) from 10am to 1pm. There will be about 20 people attending to sort through as many donations as possible.

She said: I have lots of donations sitting in random places in my house and it would take me hours to sort through it all by myself, so I had the idea of dragging all my friends here. Everyone is so enthusiastic about it. As well as sorting all the items, we have to make sure they are appropriate for Muslim women.

It is just an example of how the ladies of Henley have come together to help. We would welcome anyone who wants to sign up as a volunteer to support refugees in Reading.

Mrs Jonkers, from Lower Assendon, is the regional lead for the Care4Calais refugee crisis charity for the Thames Valley and also owns Jonkers Rare Books in Hart Street with her husband Christiaan.

She said: We have had a really good reaction. Henley is a great community and a lot of people have asked how they can help and get involved. We are sorting through everything we got in the first batch so we can see where the greatest need is. Ive been able to set up a sorting group with various people from the town and surrounding villages.

The things that we desperately need that we didnt get many of are jogging bottoms  nwe really need lots of those. We also need ladies leggings and a lot more mobile phones. An easy way to support us is to donate 25, which buys two or three pairs of leggings, but people dont feel as involved if they do it like that.

For an up-to-date list of required donations or to offer storage space, email Reading@Care4Calais.org

Oxfordshire County Council has said it is unable to accept any more donations due to the volume of items already received.

Council leader Liz Leffman said: The response has been tremendous and heartwarming. I really cant thank enough those who have donated. Their generosity has made a big difference to our guests.

Should we at any stage require further donations we will let the public know.

The council has pledged to offer support to refugees when they are resettled. Although homes will be provided by South Oxfordshire District Council, the county council will be helping with social care and education.

Cllr Leffman said: At the moment, refugees are quarantining. As is the case throughout the country, they will then have temporary accommodation before moving into permanent new homes with the assistance of our district councils.

We dont want to reveal the locations at which refugees are being homed. They have been through a traumatic experience and they are now in an entirely new country.

That will take a long time to sink in and they need to adjust and we need to give them the time, space and peace to do so.

Reading Borough Council has pledged to provide homes and support for 10 refugee families.

Council leader Jason Brock said: This is the right thing to do due to the scale of the humanitarian crisis and we must do everything we can to help.

We are immensely proud of our City of Sanctuary status and have experience of welcoming those seeking asylum to our town.

We want those fleeing violence and persecution to feel safe and secure in our town and are committed to welcoming and integrating refugees into our communities and our culture.

The Reading Refugee Support Group is also no longer accepting donations of clothes after being inundated and due to a lack of storage.

Donations of money, laptops and phones are being accepted along with offers of volunteers to help with translation and accommodation. If you can help, email volunteer@rrsg.org.uk
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While the number of COVID-19 cases is still filling the ER at the Hunt Regional Healthcare Center in Greenville, local hospital officials are hopeful the worst of the most recent surge may be coming to an end.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
From the editor's desk: I am going full TOW to the max, and I hope you do, too
Special online discussions on Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference  a false propaganda

Anti-Hindus have been calling Hindu Dharma inferior and defaming Hindus by making a mockery of the Hindu community for many years. Even now, a conspiracy is hatched with the help of mass media and few people from the education field; but Hindus seem to be indifferent towards the same. It should be noted that Hindu culture and traditions are the most ancient and have survived the test of time. Hindus should now take a clear stand at thought level and be firm about their Dharma, stated Maria Wirth, a famous writer and a blogger from Germany while participating in the special discussions program held by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on the topic of Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference- a false propaganda.

Mr. M Satchithanandan, the founder of Shiva Senai, Sri Lanka said that Hindu Dharma has given many things to the world for the benefit of all beings. Eradicating Hindutva means destroying moral, cultural, family, political, historical, and geographical values. It is like the destruction of holy scriptures like Geeta and Chanakya-neeti. True Hindus will never accept whatever the organisers of such anti-Hindu conferences would say. Moreover, the organisers will not accomplish their goal and fail like Duryodhan and Ravana and Hindutva will go smoothly on its path, is our firm belief.

Mrs Meenakshi Sharan, a historian, said that the British attacked the Sanskrit language and Sanskrit universities. They interfered with Indias history and caused a major loss for India. Dismantling Global Hindutva conference is not the first conference of its kind for defaming Hindu Dharma; even earlier, conferences were held in different countries for a similar purpose. The persons might have changed as per the times but the agenda of false propaganda against Hindu Dharma is carried on even now. Hindus must strongly oppose it.
Peter Cameron is managing editor of The Badger Project, a nonpartisan journalism nonprofit based in Madison. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
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The Cavaliers have signed free agent forward Tre Scott to a non-guaranteed training camp contract, according to RealGMs transactions log.

Scott, 24, went undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020 and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Utah. He was only under contract with the Jazz for three days, but that deal put him on track to join the teams G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, for the abridged 2021 NBAGL season.

In 15 games for the Stars, the 68 forward averaged 10.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.1 APG on .443/.296/.714 shooting in 29.3 minutes per contest. Scott also played for Cleveland in the Las Vegas Summer League last month, averaging 5.6 PPG and 3.0 RPG in five games (14.6 MPG).

While the Cavaliers are only carrying 10 players on fully guaranteed contracts, Scott will be their sixth player on a non-guaranteed deal, so it will be an uphill battle to earn a spot on the 15-man regular season roster. However, Cleveland still has both of its two-way slots open, so Scott could be in the mix to fill one of those.
After playing for the Pelicans team at the Las Vegas Summer League last month, small forward Malcolm Hill will attend training camp with New Orleans, reports ESPNs Andrew Lopez (Twitter link).

Hill has spent the last several years playing in international leagues after going undrafted out of Illinois in 2017. The 25-year-old was a member of teams in the Philippines, Germany, Kazakhstan, and Israel before returning stateside this year. He averaged 17.2 PPG and 5.1 RPG on .434/.355/.784 shooting in 35 games (33.3 MPG) in his last college season, back in 2016/17.

The Pelicans are currently carrying 15 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Wenyen Gabriel on a non-guaranteed deal and Jose Alvarado and Daulton Hommes on two-way deals. Barring additional moves, it doesnt look like the team will have any open roster spots for the regular season, so Hill could be on track to eventually join the Birmingham Squad, New Orleans new G League affiliate.
Appointment

8 September 2021

Hotel Cerro, San Luis Obispo's premier luxury hotel, is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Derek Brooks as its new executive chef. Bringing nearly two decades of upscale restaurant and luxury hotel experience to Hotel Cerro's signature restaurant, Brasserie SLO, Chef Brooks looks forward to blending California Coastal Cuisine with French Brasserie influences.

Born in Chicago and a graduate of the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Chef Brooks has traveled the country and Europe to expand his culinary knowledge and experience.

Beginning his professional career at the Chicago Ritz Carlton working under James Beard Award-winning Chef Sarah Stegner, Chef Brooks followed Stegner to her acclaimed Prairie Grass Cafe, which he helped open. He then traveled to the Washington D.C. area where he learned about high concept international fusion cuisine at the award-winning Farrah Oliva restaurant. Heading west, Chef Brooks gained valuable luxury hotel experience as the Chef de Cuisine at the bespoke Arrabelle resort in Vail, Colorado, with a focus on traditional French Brasserie fare.

At the celebrated Resort at Pelican Hill, located in Newport Beach, California, Chef Brooks took on the position of sous chef at the resort's fine dining room Andrea. It was there that he expanded his knowledge of traditional Italian cuisine under the guidance of renowned three-star Michelin Chef Gianluca Re Fraschini. He managed multiple culinary aspects at the luxury resort and was named Executive Chef of the Pelican Grill where he was able to take full advantage of locally grown seasonal produce from Irvine Ranch.

Equipped with broad experience in fine dining, hospitality, and kitchen management, Chef Brooks traveled to Florida to open the world-famous, Baz Luhrmann- designed Faena Hotel in Miami, known for its "theatrical dining" concept.

Most recently, Chef Brooks was the Executive Chef and Director of Food & Wine for the iconic, historical Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. It was here, at Tennessee's only Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Hotel, that Chef Brooks' deep appreciation for farm to table cuisine was fully developed, while working with the hotel's private farm and cattle ranch.
Appointment

8 September 2021

Christiane Jane Soergel's knowledge of Samui and the Bangrak beach area make her a perfect fit for the General Manager position at U Samui, Thailand. Jane has more than 10 years of experience in the Koh Samui hospitality industry, beginning her career in 2008 as a Hotel Operations Manager at Samui Paradise Chaweng Beach Resort and Spa. In 2011, she started her role as a Sales and Marketing Manager for Villa Nalinnadda Boutique Hotel, Koh Samui, before becoming the General Manager of the Royal Beach Boutique Resort & Spa, Koh Samui in 2014.

Jane continued to grow her leadership experience by becoming the General Manager of Cape Fahn Hotel, located on a private island of Koh Samui, where she focused on delivering high standards and a personalised customer experience. Her latest position before joining the U Samui team was as the Executive Director of Kaizen Hospitality Management, which she began working for in August 2019.
Appointment

8 September 2021

Commonwealth Hotels announced today that Kimberly Lenburg has been appointed the sales manager of the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Chicago Southeast Hammond. Ms. Lenburg brings over 15 years of hospitality experience to her new role as sales manager having previously served as the sales manager for the Best Western Plus Portage Hotel and Suites.

Prior to joining the Fairfield Inn and Suites Chicago Southeast Hammond, Ms. Lenburg served as a buyer for GW Berkheimer Co, as well as event manager and catering sales manager for the Radisson Star Plaza, and the sales and marketing coordinator for the Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ms. Lenburg serves as a board member for the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce and received her degree certificate from the Sawyer College of Business in Merrillville, Indiana.
Appointment

8 September 2021

Adding a new star to its culinary team, Seasons Restaurant at Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara is singing the arrival of Chef Tom Prescott to lead the kitchen. With a background as an actor, director and a classically trained musician, this multi-talented chef brings a musical influence to all his culinary creations.

A native of Chesapeake, Virginia - where the beach was a major part of his childhood - Chef Tom is thrilled to be living by the ocean in North San Diego. Cooking since the age of 10, he went to school on both an academic and music performance scholarship, pursuing theatre and music, and developing his skills in piano, flute, clarinet and trumpet. He then turned his focus to gastronomy. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he worked at numerous notable restaurants across the country, including BOURBON STEAK at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, and EDGE Restaurant and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Denver. Most recently, Chef Tom was an educator at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado - one of the top culinary schools in the United States.

Chef Tom is excited that his introductory menu for Seasons Restaurant will be ushered in for autumn.
Industry Update

Appointment

8 September 2021

Max Wastler

Joined Aparium Hotel Group as Vice President of Brand

Max Wastler joins Aparium as Vice President of Brand overseeing the image and experience of the Aparium brand as a whole and each individual brand within the portfolio of hotels and restaurants. Wastler brings nearly two decades of branding and marketing experience to Aparium having previously consulted on strategy and storytelling for companies such as J. Crew, Madewell, Patagonia, Lands End, and Airstream.

Aparium Hotel Group Aparium Hotel Group is a company founded and controlled by experienced professionals in hotel development, management, and marketing who hold the belief that great hotels are a destination sought out by travelers and a favorite place for locals - a philosophy Aparium calls Translocal Hospitality. more information

Recent Appointments at Aparium Hotel Group Harper Counts - Corporate Director of Sales 10 September 2021  Harper Counts joins the team as Corporate Director of Sales overseeing the sales teams both within the organization and across Aparium's portfolio of properties. Prior to joining Aparium, Counts was the Director of Sales and Marketing for The Gwen, A Luxury Collection Hotel, and will lend her expertise in the luxury market to boost growth at Aparium's award-winning luxury properties. read more

Shel Buhler - Director of Bars & Beverage Programming 8 September 2021  Shel Buhler joins the team as their new Director of Bars & Beverage Programming. Buhler will be responsible for bar programming and concepts and work closely with the restaurant and bar teams to further elevate service. read more
Press Release

8 September 2021

One year ago today, Scandic launched the largest network of coworking spaces in the Nordic countries. Driven by the growing trend in flexible working, the concept has opened up hotel spaces to both budding entrepreneurs and established businesses as well as students. Since the start, Scandic has sold more than 102,000 coworking hours at close to 270 hotels the Nordic countries, Germany and Poland. Now the company is taking the next step by welcoming coworkers at all hotels to start their day with a hotel breakfast included in the price.

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With increasing vaccination rates, easing of restrictions and the transformation of office spaces, more people are able to choose where they want to work from. And for many, the five-day week working in a traditional office is a thing of the past. This is why during the spring, Scandics Swedish hotels ran a pilot project to explore how to further develop its coworking concept. A hotel breakfast was included in the price of coworking at all Swedish hotels, which proved to be popular among people looking for flexible spaces to meet and work remotely in peace. This is why from September, Scandic will begin including breakfast in its coworking concept at all hotels.

The past year has taught us that our working day doesnt necessarily have to start with stress and rush hour traffic, but also that we need more dynamic environments than our home offices to get inspired. Starting your day with a relaxing, luxurious hotel breakfast is quite possibly the best way to begin your workday. And a breakfast meeting is the perfect way to rebuild your network after more than a year and a half of pandemic living, says Anna Spjuth, Chief Commercial Officer at Scandic Hotels Group.

In addition to breakfast, Scandics coworking concept offers a comfortable place to work outside of the company or home office as well as wifi, coffee and tea and access to a quiet space to work efficiently. There has been great interest in coworking at Scandic as the coworking trend has grown stronger in the Nordic region and the need for permanent offices is decreasing.

Both small and large companies are looking for increased flexibility for their employees, regardless of whether its at the office or at a distance.At our hotels, we can offer dynamic, flexible and cost-efficient workspaces and environments close to home or on the go, something that has proven to be very popular, says Anna Spjuth.

Scandics coworking concept offers simplicity and accessibility for people who want to work from anywhere at any of Scandics close to 270 destinations. The hotels offer a variety of solutions based on user needs, from lounge seating to more quiet areas. Private workspaces are also available on request. The offer is available for drop-in guests as well as small to large companies seeking alternative spaces for working, collaborating and networking effectively. Scandic coworking is built on simplicity and there is no binding period. The price is SEK 199 per day including breakfast. For guests who only want to work, it is possible to opt out of breakfast for half the price.

To ensure safe hotel experiences, all Scandic hotels are part of the Stay Safe at Scandic program. This includes helping guests keep social distance through clear markings in the hotels shared spaces, providing hand disinfectant, promoting good hand hygiene, increasing cleaning procedures, regularly disinfecting public surfaces and reducing seating in lobbies and restaurants.

Scandics coworking concept includes:
Press Release

8 September 2021

UNWTO has celebrated the second edition of the Global Tourism Investment Forum. Joining Ministers of Tourism for the event in Cabo Verde were business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors, with a special focus on innovation and sustainable recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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With the crisis causing levels of Foreign Direct Investment in tourism to plummet 73%, the Forum provided a platform for diverse stakeholders to support and promote investments in the sector. Panel discussions, led by leading experts from across the tourism and finance sectors, focused on innovation and investment. Alongside providing an analysis of the investment climate in African tourism, including in the case of Cabo Verde, the discussions also addressed potential measures for promoting sustainable investments, digitalization and innovations, the future of mobility and sustainable transport, as well as using targeted investments to drive economic recovery, job creation and resilience post COVID-19.

Unlocking tourisms potential

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: Well targeted investments can stimulate entrepreneurship, create jobs and drive the green transformation of our tourism, in Africa and worldwide. UNWTO is committed to promoting and building investments in tourism to unlock the sectors potential to drive recovery and provide opportunity for all.

The event was opened by Jose Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva, Primer Minister Cabo Verde, and featured the participation of Tourism Ministers from across Africa as well as from Spain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as of investment bodies, multilateral funds, African regional economic communities, and from the private sector, including travel tech startups. Highlighting the international nature of the Forum, more than ten investors came from Europe to Cabo Verde to explore investment opportunities focused on innovation and infrastructure. They were joined by investors from South Africa, and the USA, with all participants benefitting from unique networking opportunities on the tourism island of Sal. Investors included RIU Group, Plug & Play, Aguaduna, CMC XXI, QEV Tech Electromobility Holdings, TUI Care Foundation, ALESA Group, Grupo Pinero and Fundacion Metropoli.

Capacity building and branding

Alongside the presentations and panel discussions, the Forum also featured capacity building workshops focused on investments and innovation, alongside an overview of UNWTOs Brand Africa initiative aimed at helping destinations across the continent harness the power of digital marketing to reach new audiences and attract visitors.

The Little Africa Maio Project was also presented as an effective example of directed foreign investment in tourism with the potential to deliver a wide range of economic, social and ecological benefits.
Press Release

8 September 2021

RIU is reopening its luxury 5-star Riu Palace Boavista hotel today after a closure that lasted more than one year. This is good news for the chain, its employees and the guests, as this means resuming its activity on this paradise destination. On Friday, it will be joined by the Riu Funana hotel, the second establishment to open on Sal Island, together with the Riu Palace Santa Maria, which opened in March of this year.

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With these openings, RIU now has three hotels open in Cape Verde, a destination that is coming back to life little by little. All of them are operating with complete normality and applying the strict anti-COVID-19 protocols that have proved successful in all RIU hotels during these months. It should be noted that the employees of the three establishments have started the vaccination process, which is expected to be completed in the upcoming weeks. This will provide employees and guests an additional peace of mind and safety. In addition, before the reopening, all the hotels departments have undergone training in coordination with the PREVERISK consultancy firm. Thanks to this course, all staff members in Cape Verde have been thoroughly instructed on how to protect themselves and our guests.

The Riu Palace Boavista hotel has 505 rooms and is located in front of the marvellous Praia Das Dunas beach. The hotel offers RIUS renowned 24-hour All-Inclusive service and a wide variety of activities so that children and adults can enjoy their stay. In addition, the hotel has an extensive gastronomic offer that includes the main and several theme restaurants. It also features bars like Capuchino, Bar Salon and the pool bar with its floating bar.

The Riu Funana, a 5-star hotel on Sal Island, is located right in front of an incredible beach, next to the Riu Palace Santa Maria, and boasts 24-hour All-Inclusive service as well as the Fun4all emblem that ensures fun for the entire family.

With the reopening of these two hotels, the RIU chain is taking a big step towards the complete recovery of its activity. It now has three of its six hotels open, two on Sal Island and one in Boavista. Internationally, of its 100 hotels around the world, the chain has gradually reopened 91 establishments.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina health officials on Tuesday released a report showing 170 ongoing COVID-19 clusters in K-12 schools or child care settings.

While the state Department of Health and Human Services said it does not have data on the number of pupils quarantined statewide or the share of those forced to miss school without a remote learning option, districts without mask-wearing requirements are seeing substantially more spread of the virus and hours of lost learning among students.

Union County Public Schools, which voted down a proposal last month to require mask wearing in the states sixth-largest public school district, reported about one in 8 of the more than 41,000 students in the district were under quarantine, as of Friday. The more than 5,200 students were placed under quarantine after 337 pupils tested positive for the virus last week.

Meanwhile, the Wake County Public School System, where masks are mandatory and which is four times larger than Union County Public Schools, has less than a fourth the number of students quarantined. Data from the Wake County district shows less than 1,300 of its more than 161,000 pupils were quarantined last week.

In Durham County, where face coverings are also mandatory, the public school district with nearly 31,000 pupils learning in person reported 97 new cases among students last week.

The weekly report state health officials updated on Tuesday shows the Union Academy Charter School in Monroe has the worst cluster in North Carolina, with 111 positive cases, including 98 among children. This amounts to about one in 20 of the charter schools students being infected. Charter Day School in Brunswick County has the next highest cluster of 81 infected children, followed distantly by Emereau Charter School in Bladen County with 31 infections among students.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 COVID-19 boosters are coming but who will get them and when?

 Idaho hospitals begin rationing health care amid COVID surge

 Indian state battered by COVID now on alert for Nipah virus

 First responders nationwide resist COVID vaccine mandate

 Read AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

ATLANTA  Another Georgia school district is switching to virtual learning, after three school bus employees have died from COVID-19 in recent weeks.

The 9,700-student Griffin-Spalding County school system made the announcement late Monday, citing a disruption in student transportation.

Districts across Georgia are struggling to line up enough drivers and monitors to keep buses running. In Savannah, some bus drivers staged a sickout for the second day on Tuesday after a similar protest Friday.

At least 210,000 Georgia students in 54 districts and charter networks have had their school schedules disrupted because of COVID-19. Some districts have taken days off, some shifted to every-other-day schedules and some sent home individual schools or grades. Thats more than 12% of Georgias 1.7 million public school students.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Georgia hospitals remains above 6,000, the highest level since the start of the pandemic. The number of newly reported cases has decreased in recent days, although cases remain near all-time high levels.

More than 34,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported among Georgia children aged 5-17 in the two weeks ended Sept. 2, according to state data, with more than 125 infection clusters reported in K-12 schools during that period.

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SEATTLE  Fans attending most pro sporting events in Seattle will soon be required to show proof theyve been vaccinated against COVID-19 or that theyve tested negative for the virus.

The NFLs Seahawks, MLSs Sounders, NHLs Kraken and MLBs Mariners, along with the University of Washington and Washington State University, all announced updated policies Tuesday for fans attending games this season.

The Seahawks will be the first to implement the requirements, starting with their Sept. 19 home opener against Tennessee. Fans will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test taken within 72 hours of the event to be granted entry.

Team president Chuck Arnold said in a statement that the measures will allow for a full stadium while keeping the experience safe.

Washington will begin an identical verification process for fans with its Sept. 25 home game against California. The Sounders will begin with their Oct. 3 match against Colorado. Washington State said its verification process will begin in October.

The Mariners said fans should plan to provide proof of vaccination for any potential postseason games the team hosts. The team also said all front office, event staff and Mariners employees at team operated facilities in the U.S. were told in late August they must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 4 as a condition of employment.

While the other Seattle teams are permitting a negative test to gain entry, the Kraken will only allow vaccinated fans at games.

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FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va.  West Virginias largest annual festival will require most people in attendance to wear masks when Bridge Day is held next month.

The Bridge Day Commission says masks will be required at the festival regardless of vaccination status, and social distancing must be observed whenever possible.

Tens of thousands of people typically show up on the third Saturday of October to watch parachutists, zip liners and rappellers on the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. Exceptions to the mask mandate include those thrillseekers at the time of their participation.

The announcement comes as officials in nearby Oak Hill are telling anyone who attended the Oak Leaf Festival to get tested for the virus after some workers and volunteers tested positive for COVID-19.

Last years Bridge Day event was canceled due to the pandemic.

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PARIS  French doctors and scientists are calling on authorities to take action against the insults and threats  including death threats  that they have frequently received during the pandemic.

The doctors say they fear someone from the world of conspiracy theories will act not just against them but against other medical professionals. They condemn what they call silence by authorities.

Physician Jerome Marty, who heads a union for doctors in private practice, says some have been receiving regular death threats for months via social media, email, telephone or the postal service.

Some have engaged bodyguards, Marty says: We are targets.

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BROOKFIELD, Ill.  Animals at Brookfield Zoo in suburban Chicago are getting their own COVID-19 vaccinations.

Primates, small carnivores, big cats and bears will be among the first to get shots.

Dr. Mike Adkesson, vice president of clinical medicine at the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo, says it is known that a variety of species can transmit and be sickened by coronaviruses.

Adkesson says vaccinating animals is not only important for their own health, but healthy animals help keep humans healthy, too.

Similar vaccination programs have started at zoos in Detroit and elsewhere. Like humans, the animals get two doses about three weeks apart.

The Zoetis-made vaccine has been authorized by the federal government and Illinois officials.

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OMAHA, Neb.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing that meatpacking workers and farm workers who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible for grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program.

Officials say the grants are meant to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work.

Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, says meatpacking plants saw some of the deadliest outbreaks and their workers deserve support.

While the rest of America could work from home," Perrone said, "these brave men and women continued to show up for work every single day to ensure that we all food on our tables that we could eat.

The UFCW union, which represents roughly 80% of the nations beef and pork workers and 33% of its poultry workers, estimates that at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers were infected with or exposed to the virus.

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PHOENIX  Arizona's attorney general says Tucsons vaccine mandate for city employees is illegal.

Mark Brnovich's decision gives the city 30 days to repeal the mandate or lose millions of dollars in state funding.

Brnovich cites a state law approved this summer banning local governments from mandating vaccines for their employees. It takes effect later this month. Brnovich also cites an August executive order signed by Gov. Doug Ducey.

Last month a Pima County judge rejected a Tucson police unions challenge of the mandate.

A spokesman for Tucson Mayor Regina Romero did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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BOISE, Idaho  Idaho public health leaders have activated crisis standards of care for the states northern hospitals because there are more coronavirus patients than the institutions can handle.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is warning residents they may not be able to get the care they expect because of a severe shortage of staffing and available beds caused by a massive increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The measure includes 10 hospitals and health care systems in north-central Idaho and the panhandle. It lets hospitals allot scarce resources like intensive care unit rooms to those most likely to survive.

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GENEVA  The head of a top association of pharmaceutical makers says they are now churning out coronavirus vaccine doses at a rate of about 1.5 billion per month, so wealthy governments that have been sitting on stockpiles no longer need to do so.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations says rising production can help offset gaping inequalities in vaccine access that have left developing countries far behind.

IFPMA director-general Thomas Cueni says 7.5 billion doses have been produced so far. He adds that an independent adviser projects that 12 billion would be available worldwide by year-end and nearly twice that by next June.

At those rates wealthy G7 nations could vaccinate their populations sufficiently  including booster shots  and still have enough to donate 1.2 billion doses to other countries.

Critics have accused the industry of putting profits over people. Key manufacturers like Pfizer and Moderna have reported huge surges in revenues and earnings behind sales of their mRNA vaccines.

The World Health Organization has repeatedly called on governments and manufacturers to do more to ensure that vaccines are distributed more equally. It says the pandemic can fester and worsen, such as with the emergence of new variants, if large parts of the world remain unvaccinated. The WHO has also praised the industrys rapid development and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

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LONDON  The U.K. has reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus deaths in six months, at a time when new infections are expected to rise further with children returning to school.

Government figures on Tuesday show 209 new coronavirus-related deaths, taking the country's overall total to 133,483. It's the largest daily increase since March 9, when the country was in a strict lockdown.

Figures reported on Tuesdays throughout the pandemic have tended to be higher because of weekend reporting lag effects. Over the past week, deaths are up 39% on the preceding week to 948.

Deaths are still lower than in previous waves of the pandemic, with nearly two-thirds of the U.K. population fully vaccinated.

Health officials are expected to decide soon whether children aged 12-15 will be able to get vaccinated.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanian health authorities say the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus now has sustained community transmission in the country, where new infections are surging.

The National Institute of Public Health says in a Tuesday report that of 2,563 variants of concern reported by seven laboratories, 807 were determined to be the delta strain. Of those delta cases, 184, or 22.8%, involved fully vaccinated people.

Where just a few dozen infections were being reported daily in mid-July in Romania, home to about 19 million people, on Tuesday more than 2,000 new cases were reported.

Overall, Romania has recorded more than 1.1 million COVID-19 infections and 34,762 deaths.

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MADRID  Over 8 million schoolchildren in Spain are returning to classes this week with masks social distancing as authorities try to boost vaccination rates among students.

The staggered return to schools varies by region and age group. It has been a cause of concern because vaccinations among the youngest started only in the past few weeks.

About 40% of students over 12 have received the two vaccine doses required to build the optimum level of immunization. Although Spain has little vaccine hesitancy, the government has launched campaigns on social media to motivate teenagers to get inoculated.

Officials are betting on in-class education for this year with no remote classes. Pupils will need to wear masks in classrooms and during recess time.

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HELSINKI  Finland will lift all remaining coronavirus restrictions after at least 80% of people over age 12 are fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin says that goal will likely be reached in October, at which time we will open the (Finnish) society and keep it open.

Marin says her governments updated COVID-19 strategy is more oriented toward reopening than its previous strategy of testing, tracking and quarantining, and the key to achieving it is more vaccinations.

Some 53% of Finlands over-12 population have received both vaccine doses and over 72% have had one jab.

Some coronavirus restrictions will begin phasing out gradually.

Restrictions on restaurants and pubs remain in effect in many parts of Finland. In the capital, Helsinki, they must shut down at 11 p.m.

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STOCKHOLM  Swedish officials say most coronavirus restrictions, including limits on gatherings and a work-from-home advisory, will be lifted Sept. 29.

Citing high vaccination rates, Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren says that we are heading a toward a normal everyday life, toward a society free of restrictions.

Officials say 70% of people over age 15 have gotten both vaccine shots and nearly 82% have received at least one dose.

Sweden, which had opted to keep large sections of society open during the pandemic, has seen more than 1.1 million COVID-19 cases and nearly 14,700 deaths. It has stood out among European nations for its comparatively hands-off response to the pandemic.

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SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bosnian authorities say only about 12% of the country's people have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, among the lowest rates in Europe.

The Civil Affairs Ministry reports that as of Sept. 3 some 600,000 people, about 18% of the population, have also received their first dose.

Vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Sinovac are available in the Balkan nation, whose health system is still recovering from the civil war in the 1990s.

Bosnia has recorded about 218,000 coronavirus cases overall and nearly 10,000 deaths.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lankan health authorities say 62% of people above age 20 have been fully vaccinated as the country grapples with amid an unprecedented surge of coronavirus cases and deaths due to the delta variant.

The government hopes that everyone over 20 will be fully vaccinated before the end of October. Sri Lanka has been using the Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines.

Aiming to hinder the spread of the virus, the country has imposed a pandemic lockdown from Aug. 20 through Sept. 13.

Doctors have warned that hospitals and morgues are reaching capacity.

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NOUMEA, New Caledonia  The French overseas territory of New Caledonia has reported its first three confirmed COVID-19 infections.

The remote Pacific Ocean archipelago had been coronavirus-free until now. Dr. Sebastien Mabon of the Department of Health and Social Affairs says the first cases were confirmed Monday and the virus has been circulating for a few days.

Authorities have responded by enacting a strict confinement measure for an initial period of 15 days. It is the third confinement in 18 months, following two that were implemented even before there were any confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Over 30% of the territory's population of some 270,000 have been vaccinated.
Cheniere Energy on Tuesday announced the first stock dividend in the Houston liquefied natural gas companys 25-year history.

Cheniere said its board of directors has approved a comprehensive, long-term capital allocation plan that includes a quarterly dividend of 33 cents per share. The dividend is payable Nov. 17 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 3, the company said.

EARNINGS: Cheniere Energy reports first quarter 2021 profit of $393 million

Also Tuesday, Cheniere said its sixth natural gas liquefaction unit at Sabine Pass in Louisiana will be completed earlier than expected, in the first quarter of next year instead of the first half. The facility will have a production capacity of about 30 million metric tons per year of LNG.

Cheniere reported a $329 million loss in the second three months of the year, compared to a $197 million profit during the same period in 2020. Revenues rose 25 percent to $3 billion in the period from $2.4 billion in the second quarter of 2020.
Chevron intends to produce aviation biofuel, sell it to Delta Air Lines and track the emissions via Google Cloud, the companies said Tuesday.

Chevron will create a test batch of the fuel at its El Segundo Refinery and Delta will use it at Los Angeles International Airport, a global hub for Deltas fleet.

The renewable aviation fuel, while costlier than traditional jet fuel, produces fewer carbon emissions because it's produced from biofuels such as cooking oil and animal fat.

LNG: Cheniere to pay first stock dividend in company history

Google will build a data framework and use cloud-based technology to track the test batch of the fuel for Chevron and Delta for potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Chevron says data from the partnership will help it better understand the emissions from renewable aviation fuel production and delivery, supporting its goal to advance lower carbon fuels, Andy Walz, president of Americas Fuels & Lubricants for Chevron, said in the release.

The carrier has pledged to replace 10 percent of its jet fuel with biofuel by 2030.

As aviation continues to define a more sustainable future, understanding the environmental impacts of our operations will be paramount as we look to mitigate climate change, Amelia DeLuca, Deltas managing director of Sustainability said in the release. This partnership has the potential to help us achieve that goal while providing important data and analytics that demonstrate the environmental integrity of our commitment.

The companies said they hope to create a common, transparent model for analyzing potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The push for biofuels comes as President Joe Biden pledges to cut U.S. greenhouse gas pollution in half by 2030. Aviation is considered one of the hardest industries in which to lower carbon dioxide emissions, but oil companies and commercial airlines are working on alternatives to petroleum fuels, including biofuels and hydrogen.

The advent of biofuel-powered airplanes and electric vehicles has broad implications for Houstons oil and gas industry. Analysts predict biofuels production will nearly double to 5 billion gallons a year by 2025, about 8 percent of current diesel production.

Refiners converting plants to produce biofuels include Phillips 66 of Houston, which in November said it will convert its refinery outside San Francisco to produce biofuels from used cooking oil and animal fats. San Antonio refiner Valero Energy, which operates the largest renewable diesel plant in North America, is planning to more than double the capacity of the Louisiana facility while developing another in Port Arthur.

Royal Dutch Shell and BP are investing in biofuels and Total began producing aviation biofuels last March.
Assemble your Gucci gang.

The Italian heritage house is launching a collection of lifestyle goods on Sept. 10. The substantial selection -- more than 100 pieces -- includes notebooks, playing cards, a dice set, backgammon, pens, sleeping masks, pillows and satin-silk pajamas with matching house slippers, among other products.

Select Gucci boutiques will carry the luxury-level housewares and accessories; most items will be available online at Gucci.com.

BEHIND THE SEAMS: Fall fashion checks into the La Colombe d'Or Hotel in Houston

Creative director Alessandro Michele designed Gucci's lifestyle collection to celebrate the "magic of everyday life."

"When I was a child, going to the stationery store and finding pencils, pens, notebooks, games, meant bringing a dream into my daily routine. They were fine, well-made objects that spoke of craftsmanship and that, though part of my everyday life, were able to give off a magical, mysterious and wonderful aura," he said via statement. "For this reason, presenting the Gucci Lifestyle collection in Milan

through the Gucci Cartoleria is a sort of consecration, a tribute that was right for me to pay. So, I imagined a small cabinet of curiosities, a Wunderkammer, like the cave of Ali Baba, that could accommodate these everyday objects and return them to a fairy-tale dimension. I could have included them in the collections long ago, but they were not strictly related to clothing and accessories. That's why I wanted to build a whimsical space where they could be laid out, to restore to everyday life that sense of wonder that makes them so dear to me."

In conjunction with Milano Design Week, Gucci has opened an enchanted pop-up shop in Milan from Sept. 5-17 filled with flying notebooks, chess sets that play themselves, haunted items, endless bookcases, micro-apartments for mice with Gucci furnishings.

Fortunately, come Sept. 10, owning a piece of the fantasy will be just one click away.

amber.elliott@chron.com
Montgomery County hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have passed 400 patients as active cases continue to soar.

Of the 404 patients hospitalized, 97 are in critical care beds.

The Montgomery County Public Health District confirmed 1,382 new active cases bringing the total to an all-time high of 13,756. The countys total COVID-19 cases is now 78,534, a total increase of 2,903. To date 32,079 people have recovered.

Additionally, the number of deaths increased by one to 377 with the death of a Montgomery man in his 70s who had other health conditions when he died in the hospital. He was not vaccinated.

Health officials did confirm the countys testing positive rate has dropped to 20 percent.

In Montgomery County and across the country the delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. Some school systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic. The U.S. is averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August. Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at 250,000 per day.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

Anyone with questions about the state funded infusion center in The Woodlands or other COVID-19 related questions can call the countys COVID-19 call center at 936-523-3916.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
WOODVILLE, Miss. (AP)  An autopsy will be done on an inmate who died at a privately run prison in Mississippi, and and the Mississippi Department of Corrections is investigating the death.

Charles Spencer, 25, died Sunday at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, according to a news release Tuesday by Management & Training Corporation, the company that runs the prison.
LOGANSPORT, Ind. (AP)  A public funeral will be held Sept. 14 for the 22-year-old Marine from Logansport who was killed in Afghanistan.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez was one of 13 military service members killed inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, by a suicide bomber on Aug. 26. At least 170 Afghans also were killed.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Republican state Sen. Paul Gazelka joined the Minnesota governor's race Wednesday, accusing Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of failed leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd last summer.

Tim Walz's irresponsible shutdown, based on his lack of understanding of the scientific data, closed hundreds of restaurants and small businesses across the state, bankrupting many of them, Gazelka said at a news conference in the state Capitol rotunda. His inexcusable absence of leadership during the riots endangered countless families, businesses and communities.

Gazelka also faulted the governor for closing public schools early last year as the pandemic reached Minnesota and then keeping them closed for most of the school year in the switch to distance learning.

He failed an entire generation of children by closing schools ... putting many of them so far behind that it would be difficult for them to catch up. But I'm saying we're going to help them catch up, he said.

Gazelka, an insurance salesman from East Gull Lake, was the state's top elected GOP official until he quit as Senate majority leader last week in preparation for his campaign. He joined a growing field of Republicans seeking to unseat Walz if the governor seeks a second term, as expected. Gazelka said he wont run in the primary without the partys endorsement.

Sen. Michelle Benson, of Ham Lake, who leads her chambers health and human services committee, entered last week. Former Sen. Scott Jensen, a family physician from Chaksa, has been running hard since March. Others seeking the GOP nod include North Oaks dermatologist Neil Shah, Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy and Kasson businessman Mike Marti.

Theyre all hoping to become the first Republican to win statewide office in Minnesota since Gov. Tim Pawlenty was reelected in 2006. Gazelka said he plans to do that by appealing to disaffected Democrats on the Iron Range by supporting mining, blue collar union workers who support the Line 3 oil pipeline, and suburban and urban voters who want safe streets amid calls to defund the police and more school choices for their children.

Among the supporters joining Gazelka was Sherral Schmidt, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, and other members of the union.

While Gazelka attacked Walz's record on the pandemic, he has his own vulnerabilities there. Gazelka hosted a victory party after the November election at which Sen. Jerry Relph, of St. Cloud, according to his daughter, likely caught his fatal case of COVID-19. Gazelka later caught it, too. But Gazelka said he has always maintained that the coronavirus is serious. He said he's been vaccinated, and believes other people should get vaccinated, too, but shots should not be mandated.

Gazelka noted his record of working across party lines as majority leader, with two Democratic governors, to deliver three balanced budgets without raising taxes. He had a good working relationship with Walz during the governors first year, in 2019, but it frayed over the pandemic as Walz increasingly relied on emergency powers to impose restrictions on businesses and schools rather than seeking legislative approval for major decisions.

Tim Walz says he wants One Minnesota, Gazelka said, referring to the governors 2018 campaign theme. But Ive never seen Minnesotans more divided, angry and afraid than they are today."

Walz told reporters in Rochester that he's quite comfortable" with defending his record on the pandemic against attacks from Gazelka and other Republicans. The governor said the numbers show that Minnesota has some of the country's best records on preventing COVID-19 deaths and infections, reviving the economy, and ramping up testing and vaccinations. He said the debate will be about who Minnesotans think is better prepared and wiling to make hard decisions.

The first thing Id say is, why dont you help me a little bit instead of just criticizing?" Walz said with a laugh.
Kirk Sides

Clear Creek ISD put four schools under a shelter in place Wednesday afternoon due to a gas leak in southeast Houston, city officials said.

The leak  which was reported to be in the area by Ramada Drive and Diana Lane  prompted shelter in place orders at Clear Lake City Elementary, Clear Lake Intermediate, Space Center Intermediate and Whitcomb Elementary, according to a release from Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martins office.
OnScene TV

A man died in southeast Houston early Wednesday following a reported physical altercation at a Red Roof Inn, according to OnScene TV.

The incident happened around 4:15 a.m. in the 9900 block of Gulf Freeway. He died of injuries he sustained at the property, OnScene reported.
Texas Department of Public Safety

A 62-year-old woman charged with capital murder in her estranged husbands slaying has been on the lam for over a decade  but officials are upping the reward this week in hopes of locking down an arrest.



Tips leading to the arrest of Margaret Lorrain Smith -- who is among the state's 10 most wanted fugitives -- can now earn tipsters up to $8,500 from Texas Crime Stoppers, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety release. Theres also a $5,000 reward available from Brazoria County Crime Stoppers.



Smith is accused of luring George Smith to the sands of Surfside Beach in August 2007, and leaving him there to be killed by a hit man shed hired, according to the release.

Investigators believe the fugitive's 53-year-old husband was brutally beaten with a metal bar  which wasnt found  shattering bones in his face.



Smith didnt show up for her 2009 trial and was reported missing. One year earlier, Dylan James Laughrey was convicted at his capital murder trial and sentenced to life in the slaying.



The 5-foot-6 woman is described as weighing around 185 pounds, with a mole on the bottom of her right eyelid, according to the release. The release noted that Smith often dyes her naturally dark, curly hair or wears a wig.



Tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-TIPS or through departments website or at the Texas 10 Most Wanted Facebook pages about section.
Community spread of coronavirus is on the decline from its recent summertime high, but experts warn that Labor Day gatherings and kids return to classrooms could bring a rash of new infections in the coming weeks.

The latest samples of Houstons wastewater  a highly sensitive method for tracking coronavirus  show diminishing traces of the virus across the region, said Loren Hopkins, the Houston Health Departments chief environmental science officer. The results indicate a slight drop in person-to-person spread.

The positivity rates are still alarmingly high, the wastewater rates are still alarmingly high, but it may be trending down, Hopkins said Wednesday.

On HoustonChronicle.com: What you need to know about the COVID mu variant, WHO's latest 'variant of interest'

The decline could be short-lived.

The holiday weekend and the start of school, which spurred record infections among children, will likely keep the Houston area in plateau mode for the foreseeable future, said Bill McKeon, CEO of the Texas Medical Center.

On Tuesday, the Texas Medical Center reported that the rate of transmission across the Houston area was 0.87; the average for the previous week was 0.99. Both figures landing below 1.0 is a good sign; any number above 1.0 means the virus is spreading through the community.

Still, McKeon urged caution. Tuesdays low daily transmission rate of 0.87 could be artificially deflated due to low testing rates, he said, which commonly occur over holiday weekends.

We are just coming out of the Labor Day weekend and we typically do not see the impact of holidays for one to two weeks, McKeon said.

By that timeline, the region could see another coronavirus spike by the end of September, a troubling possibility that would further overwhelm hospitals struggling with full ICUs.

Houstons coronavirus hospitalizations slowed by 2.3 percent in the past week, but remained only slightly lower than Augusts record peak. As of Tuesday, 3,370 people were in area hospitals for COVID-19, down from the record high of 3,500 on Aug. 24, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Ballooning school transmissions are another concern, experts said, especially in districts that do not have mask mandates. Student infections are rapidly rising across the state, with the total number of positive cases among public school students surging by 90 percent just a few weeks into the new school year.

On HoustonChronicle.com: They survived COVID, but unseen brain damage is leaving them foggy and forgetful

We need mask mandates to protect our school children from getting infected and bringing it home to Mom and Dad, said Catherine Troisi, an epidemiologist at Texas Medical Centers School of Public Health.

Viral spread among students, parents and teachers is a particularly worrying source of community spread, Troisi said, because children younger than 12 do not yet have access to the vaccine.

The bottom line, experts said, is that Houston is likely to remain in deltas grip for the coming weeks and months.

Cases may have plateaued in the Houston area, Troisi said, but they are plateauing at a very high level.

nora.mishanec@chron.com
Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

About one in four Houston-area employers plan to require their workers to get vaccinated for COVID-19, according to a survey released by the Greater Houston Partnership.

That figure marks a notable increase from June, when only 8 percent of employers surveyed by the Greater Houston Partnership said they planned to adopt a vaccine mandate. At the time, only a handful of companies had rules on vaccinations, including at Houston Methodist Hospital, which later faced a lawsuit and protests for requiring workers be inoculated.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Wednesday said she would cancel a controversial vaccine outreach contract after Republican commissioners had accused her of steering the work toward a Democratic firm with no public health expertise.

The way its being politicized is getting in the way of getting people vaccinated, Hidalgo said. Its really sad, but its the truth of the matter. We need to focus on so many other efforts.

Commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey on Tuesday said they failed to understand how Elevate Strategies had won the contract, despite submitting a more expensive bid and scoring lower than the University of Texas Health Science Center, which received the most points in a county scoring competition.

Instead of hiring a more qualified medical institution for the work, Cagle said the county used a flawed process to choose a partisan communications firm to build relationships with precisely the voters Democrats hope to turn out come election time.

Elevate Strategies is run by Felicity Pereyra, who also assisted the 2015 Houston mayoral campaign of Democrat Adrian Garcia, the current Precinct 2 commissioner, and worked on Democrat Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign.

Youre going to go knocking on doors, asking people for information, only in some communities and not others, Cagle said. It just has a smell to it.

Hidalgo said her office had done nothing improper and that the county selected the vendor best-equipped to persuade hesitant residents to get inoculated. She accused Cagle of mischaracterizing Elevate Strategies at the last court meeting, which devolved into a shouting match, and suggested her colleagues were acting in service of a Republican smear campaign.

If were asking is this data going to be funneled to a shadow Democratic group  gosh, if theyre going to that level of allegation, seriously, at some point its a conspiracy theory, Hidalgo said Wednesday.

She said privacy rules in the contract would ensure data is not misused. Nonetheless, the county judge said the contract had become so politicized that it risked undermining residents trust in Harris County efforts to get them vaccinated.

Commissioners Court approved the contract in June by a 4-1 vote, with Cagle the lone dissenter.

Cagle said Wednesday evening he was pleased to hear Hidalgo wanted to terminate the contract, but he questioned her authority to do so unilaterally.

A spokesman for Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee did not respond to a request for comment.

Ramsey said Wednesday evening that it appeared Hidalgo would rather cancel the contract than answer questions he planned to ask at the next court meeting.

Pereyra, whose Elevate Strategies website is advertising temporary canvasser jobs to fulfill the contract, declined to comment, citing a provision in the contract barring her from doing so without the countys permission. To date, Harris County has paid the firm $539,000, according to its vendor payment database.

Through last week, 50 percent of county residents were fully vaccinated, though that figure varies widely by zip code. The vaccination rate per 100,000 residents in 77013, Northshore, is less than half that in 77024, which includes the Memorial Villages in West Houston.

Hidalgo in March proposed hiring an outside firm to plan an outreach campaign targeting areas with low vaccination rates. The county purchasing office published a request for proposals and received four from vendors.

Hidalgo created a five-member committee consisting of two members of the county health department and three from her office, including her chief of staff, Alex Triantaphyllis, to review and score the proposals

County Purchaser DeWight Dopslauf told the Chronicle including staff from political offices is uncommon; Hidalgo spokesman Rafael Lemaitre countered that the arrangement was proper, given how involved Hidalgos team has been in directing the county response to the pandemic.

The committee scored each proposal using a rubric that evaluated factors such as a firms experience, management capacity and plans to canvas neighborhoods. UT Health Science Center at Houston bid of $7.5 million placed first, with an average score of 48; Elevate Strategies came in second at 40.8 with a bid of $19.3 million. The two other vendors trailed far behind.

The two health department members on the review committee, Community Health Project Manager Dixie Sasu and Senior Policy Planner Staci Lofton, gave UT Health an average score of 58 and just 26 to Elevate.

Dopslauf said the competition was a preliminary evaluation, followed by presentations by the vendors to the committee. After this stage, he said, the committee selected Elevate as the winner. The county began negotiations with the firm, and settled on a lower fee for services at $11 million.

The contract required Elevate to hire more than 50 canvassers and staff to conduct a door-to-door campaign, as well as launch a digital advertising effort on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. It also included direct mail and text messaging outreach efforts.

Dopslauf said in most cases, the winner of RFP scoring competitions is awarded the contract, but sometimes presentations reveal deficiencies in a bidders proposal.

Lemaitre, Hidalgos spokesman, said the committee was concerned the UT Health proposal was not ambitious enough and relied in part on using medical students for canvassing. He said Elevate, in contrast, had a robust plan to go door-to-door visiting with residents.

The intent was to use the innovation of campaign-style persuasion, Lemaitre said. It didnt have to be Democrat or Republican, or partisan. Whoever had that expertise is what we were looking for.

He added that a factor the committee weighed was UT Healths poor performance on a previous county contract related to COVID-19 research. The county in March decided to cancel a virus testing initiative it hired UT Health to conduct after it failed to attract enough participants.

UT Health said in a statement it was proud of its work and our collaborations with Harris County, but would need more information about the contract in question before commenting on it.

Ramsey on Tuesday said he was dubious of the committees explanation for passing over the medical institution.

Why would you even accept a proposal from UT Health if, in your mind, youve already decided to disqualify them? Ramsey said.

Republicans have seized on the episode, which they say is evidence of unethical behavior by Hidalgo. Conservative commentator Bill King, who twice ran for mayor of Houston, over the weekend accused Hidalgo of misusing money for political purposes and said she should resign.

Ramsey declined to go that far Tuesday, saying he wants to remain focused on the vaccine outreach contract.

Cagle said the question of Hidalgos fate is best left to voters; she is up for re-election next year.

zach.despart@chron.com
Houstonians who survived Hurricane Harveys devastation in 2017 will recognize the familiar list of supplies urgently needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in New Orleans: nonperishable food, diapers, hygiene kits, baby food, roofing supplies, cleaning supplies, water and pet food.

The City of Houstons supply drive for Louisiana is collecting donations this week with Paying it Forward With Love from Houston. Donations can be dropped off via drive-by at City Hall Thursday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
When it came time for the Torah reading that would wrap up Tuesday mornings Rosh Hashana service, Rabbi Robert Loewy opted for an alternative selection  one that he felt would resonate with members of his congregation who had fled Louisiana in the face of Hurricane Ida and resettled for now in Houston.

When God began to create the heaven and the earth  the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water  God said, Let there be light; and there was light, Loewy said, reading from the Book of Genesis.

Some of us have been without light lately, Loewy added. Some of us were sitting in our homes experiencing darkness last week. I think weve all experienced light and darkness at some point in our lives.

On Tuesday, though, what was important to the 20 or so people with Congregation Gates of Prayer is that they had a place where they could gather to observe Rosh Hashana, a celebration of the Jewish New Year and the first of its High Holy Days.

Though their congregation, based in Metairie, La., remains spread throughout the Southeast after Idas devastation, enough landed in Houston that Loewy, the rabbi emeritus at Gates of Prayer, felt they should gather in-person for a service.

Congregation Emanu El in University Place was happy to extend an invitation to host Gates of Prayer, along with two other New Orleans-area synagogues in the Union for Reform Judaism. They hosted Gates of Prayer in 2005 as well, following Hurricane Katrina.

The High Holy Days are truly the pinnacle of the Jewish calendar, and being together with your community is one of the highlights, said Jason Plotkin, program director at Emanu El.

Weve been there here in Houston with (Hurricane) Harvey, I personally have been through Katrina as a former New Orleans resident, so to be able to provide them a space to gather as a community and usher in the holidays, thats what the holidays and the spirit of our faith is about, Plotkin said.

For Loewy, Tuesdays service was something of a homecoming. He was married at Emanu El, and served as associate rabbi there from 1977 to 1984 before taking on the lead role at Gates of Prayer.

Even if were not dealing with the same challenges weve once dealt with, theres a level of stress that is relieved by being able to pray, to feel a sense of community, to appreciate that which is familiar. Words and tradition are familiar, they give us spiritual strength, and they give us comfort, Loewy told the Houston Chronicle.

Most of Tuesdays service was spent in prayer and song, with Loewy reciting verses and cantorial soloist Jordan Lawrence leading the congregation in a crystalline alto that resonated through the hall.

Though Loewy said he had no plans to include a sermon in his service, he was moved by a poem he received from Rabbi Paul Kipnes in Calabasas, Calif., with whom he had been talking about the forest fires and hurricanes troubling both states.

You take the floods, Ill take the fires. We can yell at God, Or humanity, Or both, Together, Kipnes wrote.

Disasters have always been a part of nature, but now its like nature on steroids, Loewy told the congregation. Climate change is not a political issue, its a human issue and a Jewish issue.

We can yell at God, we can yell at humanity, either or both, but we do it together, Loewy said. Together we are provided with comfort and strength. Together our prayers are amplified and our voices magnified.

Plotkin said Louisiana evacuees will be welcomed to any and all services at Emanu El as the High Holy Days continue. Some Gates of Prayer congregants like Nancy Pesses, who remembers the synagogue from the days of Hurricane Katrina, now regard Emanu El as a comforting place.

Its very nice, and theres some irony that after Hurricane Katrina, Rabbi Loewy and a cantorial soloist led a service here at Emanu El, too, Pesses said. The familiarity is nice, both in that respect and having people here who are from home.

sam.kelly@chron.com
More than 100 members of Houstons Tigray community gathered outside the Turkish consulate Wednesday to protest the alleged sales of drones to the Ethiopian government for use in their war with Tigray.

Calling the crisis an example of ethnic cleansing, activists draped themselves in red-and-yellow Tigrayan flags and held signs bearing slogans such as Turkey, stop sponsoring genocide in Tigray and Stand up for rape victims in Tigray. Vehicles beeped in support as they drove by the protest on Post Oak Drive near the Galleria.

The women and girls being raped are our mothers and sisters. The priests in the churches and the sheikhs in the mosques being killed and slaughtered are our brothers and fathers. These are very real people, said Yosef Kidane, board member of Tigray Community Houston, to the crowd.

Turkey, you dont want Tigrayan blood on your hands! the crowd chanted, referring to a military agreement between Turkey and Ethiopia signed in August, which has been rumored to include the sale of drones to the African country.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Details of the deal have not been made public, and the Turkish consulate in Houston did not respond to a request for comment.

The protest comes nearly a year into President Abiy Ahmeds war on Tigray, the northern region of Ethiopia, which has caused thousands of deaths and displaced over a million people more.

After ending a long-standing feud with neighboring Eritrea and partnering with President Isaias Afwerki, troops from both nations entered Tigray in November and have since been accused of brutal war crimes, including mass civilian murders, gang-rapes and famine-inducing blockades.

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Since retaking much of the region in June, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, which ran Ethiopia for decades before Ahmeds tenure, has been accused of retaliating in similar fashion as the war spills into other parts of the country.

A communications blackout in Tigray not only makes it difficult to calculate the entire impact of the war, but impossible for members of the diaspora  including an estimated 400 Tigrayans in Houston  to communicate with loved ones back home.

Ive got my dad there, my brothers, we dont know if theyre alive or dead or what, said Genet Howard, a Tigrayan protester.

Tigrayan Community Houston held a similar protest last year outside the United Arab Emirates consulate over allegations that the UAE was supplying drones to Ethiopia, which has not been confirmed. Since then, the U.S. government has been vocal in denouncing Ethiopian and Eritrean abuses against Tigrayans.

Weve been pleading with the international community to use their power and influence to end the misery of the people in Tigray, Kidane said.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

After leaving the Turkish consulate, the protesters caravaned downtown to hold a similar demonstration downtown at the Mickey Leland Federal Building. From there, they planned on going to the headquarters of Shell, which recently signed an oil and gas contract with Turkey, before ending the day at Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge in Sharpstown.

sam.kelly@chron.com
Michael McSpadden, an outspoken, hard-nosed and often-controversial former judge who served for more than three decades on the Harris County bench, died Tuesday at his home in Houston. He was 77, according to public records.

Longtime friends said he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

A Republican and former prosecutor, McSpadden presided in the 209th Criminal Court for 36 years, from the Reagan era through the early Trump years. He was the longest-serving criminal judge in Harris Countys criminal division, according to the district court administrator. And in his final years on the bench, he garnered attention for speaking his mind  some say to the detriment of his own judicial legacy.

Among the judges many moves that drew public notice, McSpadden was known to require defendants who could afford to post cash bail hire lawyers, rather than request appointed counsel. If they did not, he ordered them to show up in court every day until they hired someone. He felt if they could make bail, they could find a job and pay for an attorney, rather than burden taxpayers.

Lawyers who appeared before him, including Dick Deguerin, appreciated that he knew them by name and greeted them at docket call. Deguerin said the judge was respectful, welcoming and played it just straight down the middle. He recalled McSpadden as a gentleman and a fine judge. He felt the jurists image was unjustly sullied in his last few years, based on remarks he made.

Thats not who he was, Deguerin said. He was neither a racist nor a misogynist.

Friend and defense attorney Dan Cogdell said while McSpadden was a lovely man off the bench, he did not suffer a fool while ushering cases through the system. He wouldnt hesitate to criticize attorneys when they were ill-prepared.

Mike spoke his mind, Cogdell said. His lack of being politically correct hurt him, among the people who didnt know him. I never saw him treat anyone unfairly because of race or bias of any sort.

His cases included the sexual abuse trial of former Houston Rockets star Calvin Murphy, whom a jury found not guilty in 2004 on charges of sexually assaulting five of his daughters. McSpadden presided over the 2011 trial of Houston Police Officers Union treasurer Matthew Calley, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for stealing more than $656,000 from the organization over seven years.

And in the 1990s, McSpadden approved 10 years probation for a repeat sex offender who volunteered to undergo castration. The procedure never occurred because a doctor could not be found to perform the operation. However, McSpadden drew public ire as a proponent of statewide efforts at the time to legalize the voluntary surgical castration of repeat perpetrators of child sexual assault.

The former judge was not easy to categorize. He advocated for years to decriminalize cases against low-level drug users. He urged state legislators to reduce low-level drug possession felonies to misdemeanors, saying drug addicts needed treatment, not rap sheets.

Shortly before the 2018 election, he openly discussed his disdain for the Black Lives Matter movement. The context was his policy of prohibiting magistrates  who handle probable-cause cases on nights and weekends  from offering personal bonds. McSpadden said he didnt trust the lower-level jurists to avoid errors.

Speaking of the defendants in his court, he told a Houston Chronicle reporter during a conversation in chambers, Almost everybody we see here has been tainted in some way before we see them.  Theyre not good risks.

He said suspects released on bond were often re-arrested on additional offenses. He particularly disliked what he viewed as the casual attitude of some defendants about showing up for court, he said.

The young Black men  and its primarily young Black men rather than young Black women  charged with felony offenses, theyre not getting good advice from their parents, he said. Who do they get advice from? Rag-tag organizations like Black Lives Matter, which tell you, Resist police, which is the worst thing in the world you could tell a young Black man.  They teach contempt for the police, for the whole justice system.

Civil rights groups, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the ACLU of Texas, called for his immediate ouster due to what it called his outrageous statements to the Chronicle.

Shortly after the comments were reported, defense lawyers asked McSpadden to recuse himself from the case of a Black death row inmate convicted of killing a teen during a restaurant robbery. The judge refused. Prosecutors did not oppose the request to take the judge off the case. A spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office said at the time, Race has no place in the courtroom.

The judge was ultimately removed from the case by a colleague.

McSpadden later received a formal reprimand from a state watchdog commission over those comments. The judge was also disciplined over questionable bail policies by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which found in August 2019 that McSpadden was among 11 longtime Harris County judges who had issued blanket instructions to deny all requests for personal recognizance bonds between Nov. 20, 2009, and Feb. 1, 2017.

Democrat Brian Warren defeated McSpadden in the midterm elections of 2018, the year of a blue wave that also swept out his Republican colleagues in Harris County.

McSpadden was a fine judge back in the day, with a reputation for fairness, integrity and an even-keeled judicial temperament, the Houston Chronicle editorial board wrote in 2018. He has a history of working with lawmakers to reduce the sentences for defendants arrested with trace amounts of illegal drugs. Its a shame that the countys longest serving felony court district judge didnt retire before now, leaving his legacy intact.

McSpadden was born in Bartlesville, Okla., said Janet Durham, his former court reporter, who became a close friend.

He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at the height of the Vietnam War and was recruited to play for the Corps tennis team. He attended the University of Oklahoma for undergraduate and law school and became a licensed attorney in 1977, according to the State Bar of Texas.

Through his fathers lineage, he became a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation, Durham said.

He was very proud of that, Durham said.

Former District Attorney Carol Vance is said to have recruited him to his office because he was an avid tennis player and McSpadden had played at OU, Cogdell said.

McSpadden worked as a prosecutor in the countys felony division for a few years. He was appointed by Gov. Bill Clements in 1982. At first, he was pro-prosecution, Cogdell said, but the longer he sat on the bench, those life experiences led him to think differently.

The jurist was one of the first in a wave of new Republican judges across the state, defense attorney Rusty Hardin recalled.

The 80s, in the state and nationally, is when law-enforcement-, law-and-order-type issues were back in swing, Hardin said. But as time went on, he was also able to recognize excesses. He was one of the earliest, most sensitive people to the rights of victims in the criminal justice victims.

The judges marriage ended in divorce, Durham said. He is survived by a sister Judith Houston, in Oklahoma, and a niece. He will be buried in Oklahoma, near his parents, she said.

Several people who knew the judge said they received a message following his death that, in keeping with his life, indicated he was bucking against the norm.

He did not want a memorial and he did not want an obituary.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Al Green held their third press conference Tuesday on a noisy strip of roadway across from the largest mail distribution center in the country, decrying ongoing concerns about delays in delivery.

The Houston Democrats said they continued to be disappointed with the lack of transparency from postal leadership and auditors from the inspector generals office during a tour of the North Houston Processing and Distribution Center. They said the officials rebuffed or declined to address their concerns about the facility that handles more U.S. mail than any other.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service in Houston said she was preparing a statement on the matter.

More from Gabrielle Banks: Michael McSpadden, a controversial, outspoken Republican Harris County judge, dies at 77

Many of the lawmakers initial complaints related to vote by mail ballots amid the pandemic and unfounded rumors about election fraud. But they said they were also worried about slowdowns in delivery of medication and benefits sent by mail.

An April audit by the postal services inspector general found that in 2020 more than 3.6 billion pieces of mail that came through the massive Houston facility were delayed beyond their posted delivery date. Thats 1.1 billion more than the next most delayed facility in Phoenix, even though Houstons total output only surpassed Phoenixs by just 20,000 more letters.

The report found the plant management was not processing mail according to its sort plan. The upshot was that about 85 percent of mail the plant sent to three Houston facilities needed to be hand sorted on arrival, the audit said. The inspectors called for better coordination, and management agreed in writing to implement the changes back in April.

It also reported that as elsewhere in the country, COVID-19 had taken its toll on the workforce.

The Postal Service faced unforeseen and uncontrollable challenges, including higher employee absenteeism, the audit said.

But Garcia had more nuts-and-bolts concerns with what had caused the slowdown she called unacceptable. She wanted to know the implementation deadline details of the auditors plan  whether it called for additional staffing or equipment, the deadline for delays to be corrected. She also asked in a May letter whether the auditor would be following up.

Garcia and Green reiterated these concerns in person this week. Officials told them the people with the answers were not on site for their visit.

Green called it a disappointing day, noting that mail had been bypassed and delayed and officials could not explain what they were doing to prevent it. He wanted to ensure there were enough workers to staff the plant so that the mail wont fail amid the pandemic.

Were going to continue to come until all our questions are answered, Garcia said over the whoosh of coursing street traffic. We take this very seriously because we know it impacts everything inside this distribution and this facility handles mail from all over the country.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
2 1 of 2 Matthew Busch, Contributor / For The San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Matthew Busch, Contributor / For The San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less



A week has passed since Texas' abortion ban went into effect prohibiting all abortions after roughly six weeks, and so far, few large-scale corporations have spoken out about it directly.

A recent report from Popular Information identified some of the nation's most prominent corporations that were top donors to legislators who sponsored the bill.
Unvaccinated city workers must get tested for COVID-19 twice a month and report their results to the human resources department, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Wednesday.

Turner signed an executive order implementing the policy,which takes effect Oct 8. It will allow some exemptions for religious and medical reasons.

The plans come as the city regularly has had more than 300 active cases of the virus among its workforce, Turner said. The latest numbers showed 342 workers with the virus, including 129 police, 161 municipal and 52 fire department employees.

Those cases hamper city operations, the mayor said.

When you have 129 police officers with COVID, theyre not able to perform their jobs. Same thing with municipal workers, and, for example, permitting, that slows things down, Turner said. Simply dont want them to get sick and dont want anybody, anybody to die.

Tanner J. Reed, a 39-year-old fire department engineer, died Friday of COVID-19, the mayor said Wednesday, the fourth coronavirus-related death for the fire department. Another worker in the permitting center died in recent days, as well.

The policy will apply to all police, fire and municipal staff who have not been fully vaccinated. It will not apply to elected officials or appointed members to the city's boards and commissions.

The fire, police and municipal workers unions did not respond to requests for comment on Turners plan.

Turner said staff will face disciplinary action if they do not comply.

It could even cost you your job, the mayor said.

The mayor in recent weeks had teased a policy to encourage vaccinations, saying many city workers have not gotten their shots.

The city is not tracking the number of workers who have received their vaccinations. It has asked, but not required, staff members to report that they are vaccinated, and offered a $25 gift card to the 4,599 workers who did. The city has more than 20,000 workers.

Employees now will have to submit proof of their vaccination to skirt the testing requirement. Otherwise, workers will have to get tested before the 1st and 15th of every month and report their results to human resources.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
When an anti-abortion group last week created a pro-life whistleblower website encouraging people to anonymously report violations of Texas new six-week abortion ban, a group of politically active Texans noticed one potentially fatal flaw.

Theyre trying to use the internet to retaliate against people who were raised on the internet, said Olivia Julianna, an 18-year-old student and activist from Sugar Land who is among the leadership of a group called Gen-Z For Change. The group was formerly known as TikTok for Biden.

Olivia, who goes by only her first and middle names on social media due to safety concerns, said the goal was clear: This website, if we can mess with them in any way, if we can stop even one woman from having a lawsuit filed against her or waste even a second of their time, we need to do it.

The tip site was meant to help enforce Senate Bill 8, the Texas law that went into effect at the start of this month that prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most women know theyre pregnant.

The law has so far avoided being blocked by the courts because the government does not enforce it. Instead, it puts enforcement in the hands of any private citizen who wishes to sue an abortion provider or others who aid or abet someone getting an illegal abortion, with a possible reward of at least $10,000 per successful suit.

IN-DEPTH: Texas enacts nations strictest anti-abortion law since Roe v. Wade

Olivia was one of several young left-leaning activists who immediately took to social media to sabotage the site by flooding it with false reports and other information  some suggested anti-Gov. Greg Abbott sayings. Others recommended off-the-wall responses or nonsense.

She and other members of Gen-Z For Change  Generation Z is typically defined as those who are now 18 to 24  quickly got to work.

It would be really, really bad and morally wrong of all of you to go to ProLifeWhistleblower.com and send in an anonymous tip that is fake, Olivia sarcastically told her more than 137,000 followers in an Aug. 23 video she posted on TikTok. It would be even worse if your anonymous tip was about Greg Abbott.

Another popular content creator and Deputy Executive Director of Gen-Z For Change, Victoria Hammett, 22, saw her video and found it absolutely brilliant and encouraged her followers to do the same.

Wouldn't it be so awful if we send in a bunch of fake tips and crashed the site? she said in a TikTok thats been liked over 240,000 times.

Olivia said she was inspired by a similar campaign launched by TikTokers in June 2020 when users, many of them teenagers, pranked a rally for former President Donald Trump by falsely RSVPing for thousands of tickets. Despite more than a million registrations, turnout was about 6,200, considerably lower than expected, which the activists chalked up as a success.

NO EXCEPTIONS: Anti-abortion laws used to exempt cases of rape and incest. Not anymore in Texas.

Ive seen more organization and passion from young people in the last two years than I have from adults in my entire life, said Olivia, whose social media content centers on Texas and national politics. Im 18 years old, and I have 120,000 followers on TikTok, and Ive had millions upon millions of views. I have actual politicians follow me on social media platforms. Theyre utilizing us in their campaigns; theyre using us to market to young people and get them engaged in voting.

Other heavy users of social media had virtually the same idea simultaneously, and fake tips were soon flooding the tip site launched by Texas Right to Life.

Some saboteurs used coding skills to propel the fake complaint idea even further by creating scripts that would repeatedly file reports with random information.

Olivia said she originally heard about the fake complaint idea from her friend Kolleen Whitford, a 32-year-old music sponsorships account director who tweets about Texas politics.

The speed of the movement goes to show the power that Generation Z can have in shifting larger political conversations, Whitford said. Gen Z really helped light fire into this and it wasnt just Gen Z that agreed with them.

Immediate results

TikTok For Biden, which launched in October 2020 and later formally partnered with the Biden Campaign, consisted of more than 300 creators with a combined following of over 150 million people, said executive director Aidan Kohn-Murphy, 17, who helped found the group.

Our work during the election was just the beginning because our goal wasnt electing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The goal was using our platform to create some sort of social change, Kohn-Murphy said.

The group has now expanded to about 500 creators with a combined following of over 400 million people.

We knew that TikTok was the most effective way to reach young people quickly, Kohn-Murphy said. The TikTok algorithm works in a way no other apps do because you can post something and you can have your followers post something, go to bed and wake up in the morning and it has 10 million views. That is something that can happen on TikTok that really cant happen on Instagram or Twitter.

Even though about a third of the groups members are under 18 and cant vote, that doesnt stop them from wanting to take action in any way possible to advance progressive causes, he said.

Gen-Z For Change caught the attention of former state Senator Wendy Davis, who is known for her 13-hour filibuster of an anti-abortion bill in 2013. Davis now runs a nonprofit, Deeds Not Words, that seeks to help cultivate the next generation of young leaders.

I just think its such a smart and wonderfully appropriate way for young people to exercise their power, Davis said in an interview Tuesday.

A 2021 Pew Research survey found that 67 percent of adults under 30 years old believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Given how theyve grown up with the internet and social media, its no wonder their activism is taking place online, said Amanda E. Scott, a senior lecturer in English at Texas State University who has studied generational differences in methods of engagement.

Young people have a more sophisticated relationship to communication literacy in general, Scott said. They have a handle of it in surprising and nuanced ways. In the last three years especially, they seem to be able to cut through  or in some cases more radically disrupt  the artificiality of political pandering.

GoDaddy steps out

The Texas Right to Lifes whistleblower website is not currently operating. Instead, it redirects to the organizations main website while the group searches for a new hosting and domain service, said spokewoman Kimberlyn Schwartz. The eventual new website will contain new security protocols to protect our users, she said.

On Friday, GoDaddy, the sites former internet hosting service, terminated its relationship with Texas Right to Life, bending to pressure and abuse reports from activists. The company said it did so because the group violated its terms of service, which prohibit the collection of personal data without someones written consent.

I think that the pro-abortion crowd sees the website as a symbol of the law, and theyre trying to take down the website because they cannot take down the law, Schwartz said. They cannot stop the fact that were saving about 100 pre-born babies a day. Thats why theyre trying to cancel us, but its not working.

Schwartz added that the scripts that send multiple false reports to the website could be prosecuted as felonies.

Younger generations might overall skew left, but Schwartz said on the issue of abortion, she believes theyre moving right.

We have a vibrant movement of young people on the pro-life side, she said. Weve grown up with sonograms and hearing the heartbeat and being able to see that life in very real time and know about it  Thats the reason younger people are becoming more pro-life.

For Olivia, though, it doesnt matter that the false reports cant actually change policy. Instead, its about the larger message, she said.

Im a fourth-generation Texan. Ive lived here my whole life. Im also a Mexican-American, she said. Me and all other women and immigrants and Mexican Americans and people of color and Gen Z in Texas are not going to stop until these people who keep trying to take away our autonomy and our rights are out of office.

We grew up on Divergent and Hunger Games and all these things, Olivia said, referring to the dystopian books and movies. They taught us to fight for what we believe in. To stand up for what we think is right. So now we're doing that.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
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The School Committee reviews COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday.

North Adams Schools Set Protocols for COVID-19 Cases

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The School Department will be following the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education when it comes to managing COVID-19 outbreaks.

Students in grades kindergarten through 8 returned to classrooms Tuesday and Drury High School opens Wednesday; prekindergarten will resume next Tuesday.

The School Committee approved new handbooks for the schools, which include the mask mandate put in place by the Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley last month and in effect at least through Oct. 1. The committee also reviewed the protocols from DESE that will determine when students and staff will have to quarantine.

Superintendent Barbara Malkas said the school district will continue the COVID-19 surveillance testing program that was implemented in the last school year. Families who signed up last year will have to provide and updated consent form and all students are being encouraged to participate in the once a week testing.

Children not signed up will not be able to participate in the "test and stay" protocol that will allow those who were in close contact with someone infected to stay in school as long as they are asymptomatic and take a rapid result test every day for seven days. Close contact is anyone who was not wearing a mask and was less than 3 feet from an infected individual.

"If someone tests positive for COVID  whether they're in school or out of school  they have been identified as positive for COVID, then they need to go home," Malkas said. "They need to return to school on day 11. So that's 10 days at home."

Those who are not vaccinated and not participating in any testing can return to school on day 11 as along as they are not showing symptoms and do not a have a fever after 24 hours without any fever-reducing medicine.

Students not signed up in the surveillance testing will have to quarantine at home following a close contact and monitor symptoms through 14 days but can return after seven days if they get a negative PCR test.

Some individuals are exempt from quarantine and testing: those who are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, those who had COVID-19 within the prior 90 days, and those in close contact (less than 3 feet) on a bus as long as they were wearing a mask and the windows were open.

Anyone showing symptoms including fever of 100 degrees or higher, chills, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, and body aches and pains but testing negative will confer with the school nurse and maybe treated for quarantine even if testing negative.

"They can return to school once their symptoms improve, with a negative PCR test," said Malkas. "If the parents elect not to test, then they need to return to school on day 11 after symptoms improve. ...

"The protocols now are really predicated on the idea that it's beneficial to be vaccinated because if you're vaccinated, you don't have to quarantine as long as you're asymptomatic, and even if you are symptomatic, it affords you a lower number of days out of school to recover."

The superintendent pointed out that children under age 12 cannot yet be vaccinated. The county currently has about a 70 percent rate of vaccination for eligible individuals  anyone age 12 and older.

The committee is also considering how it can meet in person but still allow people to attend by remote.

"I heard very strongly from many members of the committee that there's a desire to be back in person and certainly because we know that our educators and our students are back in person and want to model that as best we can," said Mayor Thomas Bernard, chairman of the committee.

Malkas said she and her team had visited several locations with "a very critical eye at the different potential venues" that would allow in person meetings and "also allow for still the opportunity for remote participation by anybody who is wanting to come because we've had an increase in participation."

Prime spots were the gymnasium at Colegrove Park Elementary, but it has some echo issues; the library at Drury High School, but that may require limiting the capacity; and the second-floor conference room at City Hall, which would allow for remote participation if the attendees were limited to the committee.

"The library at Drury High School to me feels like the best option," said Malkas. "Because as I said, with our younger students not being eligible for vaccine, I'm really trying to keep those spaces limited to the school populations that they serve, at least at the high school. ...

"I think that what the School Committee needs to really discuss and decide upon is, what is a comfortable physical distance for in-person meetings."

Member Emily Daunis asked if it was necessary to make a decision now, especially with colder weather ahead and unknowns with novel coronavirus. She also noted that it would require setting up communications and cords in other settings.

"I mean it's been OK with Zoom. We're seeing great participation," she said. "We could just do it a little bit longer."

Member Tara Jacobs liked the hybrid approach and asked if the meeting room could be expanded (it has a sliding partition) to provide more room and have only presenters attend meetings.

"We've always had our in person attendees who are clearly are the loyal attendees who attend regardless of the format but there's been an increase because of the remote that I think probably needs that easy access," she asked. "I fully co-sign the concerns of Delta variant safety issues and I am not excited about in-person meeting, but we're having our staff and our students show up in person so I still, I feel ...how do we do this safely?"

Vice Chairwoman Heather Boulger thought the committee should reassess at the October meeting, which the others members endorsed.
FBI Investigating Allegations Vt. State Troopers Create Fake Vaccination Cards

Former Troopers David Pfindel, left, Raymond Witkowski and Shawn Sommers resigned with the last month.

SHAFTSBURY, Vt.  Three state troopers connected to the Shaftsbury barracks have resigned following allegations related to fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.

Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski submitted their resignations on Aug. 10, one day after another Vermont State Police trooper raised concerns with supervisors about their conduct. David Pfindel resigned effective Sept. 3 following additional investigation by the Department of Public Safety.

The three former troopers are suspected of having varying roles in the creation of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards, which may be a violation of federal law. The details surrounding this incident, reported to supervisors by other troopers, were immediately reported to federal law enforcement authorities.

"The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct  a criminal violation of the law  and I could not be more upset and disappointed," said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. "If these allegations are proved to be true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic, when being vaccinated is one of the most important steps anyone can take to keep their community safe from COVID-19."

"I'm embarrassed that this situation has occurred and know that it has tarnished the reputation of the Vermont State Police," Birmingham continued. "That said, the alleged criminal conduct from these troopers does not represent the values and actions of the dedicated men and women of the Vermont State Police."

Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling added that "based on an initial internal review, we do not believe there is anything more the state police could have done to prevent this from occurring. As soon as other troopers became aware of this situation, they raised the allegations internally, and commanders took swift and decisive action to hold these individuals accountable and report this matter to federal authorities."

The state police referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Burlington. An investigation by the FBI is under way, and as a result the state police was unable to release information about the incident prior to Tuesday's statement.

Sommers and Witkowski both joined the Vermont State Police in July 2016 and were assigned to field stations following their graduation from the Vermont Police Academy in January 2017. Sommers worked at the Rutland Barracks until October 2017, when he transferred to Shaftsbury; he transferred back to Rutland in December 2020. Witkowski spent his state police career at the Shaftsbury Barracks. Pfindel was hired in January 2014 and assigned to the St. Albans Barracks. He transferred to Shaftsbury in February 2016, became a detective trooper with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations in July 2016, and returned to work as a road trooper in April 2020.

Due to the ongoing FBI investigation, the Vermont State Police said it was unable to comment further at this time.
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President Joe Biden answers a question from a reporter following a virtual meeting from the South Court Auditorium at the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, to discuss the importance of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Hong Kong media group, Next Digital, known for its popular pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and owned by jailed media magnate Jimmy Lai, filed for liquidation on September 5. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the use of Hong Kongs national security law to silence press freedom and urges liquidators to distribute finances to the journalists and media staff left unemployed by Next Digitals closure.

Signage for Next Digital and Apple Daily are seen displayed outside the offices of the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong on June 17, 2021. Credit: Anthony WALLACE / AFP

On September 5, Next Digital announced its liquidation, with its board of directors resigning to expedite the process. The media group stated they hoped the resignations would result in the Hong Kong government allowing liquidators to authorise payments directly to creditors and former staff that the directors were banned from approving under national security law restrictions.

Before the closure, Next Digital had reported funds of more than HK $330 million (approx $42.5 million US), which were frozen as part of the national security investigation by Hong Kong police. As a result, banks were unable to process disbursements of staff salaries and mandated severance payments.

We have concluded that the best interest of shareholders, creditors, employees and other stakeholders will be served by an orderly liquidation, said a statement issued by Next Digital.

Over a thousand media workers were left jobless on June 23, following the closure of Apple Daily Newspaper and Next Magazine, subsidiaries of Next Digital. Many issues remain unresolved despite the Hong Kong governments Labour Department establishing a dedicated unit to deal with inquiries from former Next Digital staff. A former Apple Daily reporter said, since the company ceased operations, there has been no point of contact for staff in many departments. Everything is word of mouth, and there are no formal channels of communication.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) has taken action to help former Next Digital employees, distributing cash vouchers valued at more than HK$100,000 (approx $13,000 US). The HKJA aims to acquire sufficient funds in the near future to provide for the needs of unemployed workers and their families. After the dissolution of the Next Digital staff trade union, all remaining funds were donated to the HKJA to assist in their aid of journalists and media workers.

Next Digital owner Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison on April 16 for unauthorised assemblies during the pro-democracy protest movement in 2019. On May 14 this year, Hong Kongs security bureau sad it had frozen all Next Digital shares held by Lai and all assets in the local bank accounts of his three companies.

The IFJ said: The liquation of Next Digital is another blow against democratic institutions and freedom of the press in Hong Kong, with journalists and media workers left stranded. The IFJ calls on the Hong Kong government to ensure all former Next Digital employees receive fair severance packages and payment of all outstanding salaries.


Malaysia: CSOs call for repeal of Sedition Act and stop the persecution of activists

The Malaysian Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Platform for Reform are demanding the reinstatement of the moratorium on the Sedition Act 1948 and for the Acts repeal after police used the law to detain and question seven activists. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Malaysian government to drop the activists investigations.

On September 4, seven activists from Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat (SSR), a youth coalition, were hauled to district police headquarters in Dang Wang, Kuala Lumpuri. They are being investigated for sedition over the cancelled second #Lawan protest on August 21. The investigation follows Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassins resignation, as the #Lawan movement has mounted broadly supported criticism of the Malaysian governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CSO Platform for Reform, a coalition concerned with institutional reform in Malaysia, issued a statement condemning the sedition investigation. The group urged the newly appointed National Alliance Cabinet to immediately return the suspension of the Sedition Act and to stop the abuse of the legal system to silence those exercising their right to expression.

Since the National Alliance Government (PN) came to power in March 2020, the Sedition Act has been used continuously as a weapon to suppress critical differences of opinion and debate in Malaysia, said the groups statement.

The IFJ and the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) noted more than three times the number of sedition investigations in 2020 as compared to 2019 in the Locked Down: Screws tighten on press freedom in Malaysia report.

Repeated pledges to repeal the Act at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in 2013 and the UN General Assembly in 2018 have not been acted upon.

In October 2018, the Malaysian government under Pakatan Harapan introduced a moratorium, assuring that the Act would be repealed at the following Parliament session. However, a month later, the moratorium was lifted.

The IFJ said: The International Federation of Journalists urge the Malaysian government to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 to protect the freedom of expression, speech and association of citizens and media workers.
Kingston Technology today announced the launch of XS2000, a pocket-sized portable SSD utilizing USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 speeds to deliver next-gen performance in a compact, external on-the-go drive, and DataTraveler Max, a high performance Type-C USB leveraging the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard, to keep up with users storage demands. Both products connect with USB Type-C and can be easily used with mainstream devices on the market. On top of content creation and business usages, XS2000 and DataTraveler Max can also be used as extended storage for PS5.

XS2000 Portable SSD

XS2000 delivers lightning-fast transfer speeds up to 2,000MB/s giving users enhanced productivity with little interruption. XS2000 offers remarkable performance and capacities up to 2TB to offload and edit high-res images, 8K videos and large documents in a flash, transferring up to 400 HD photos per second, or taking less than 30 seconds to transfer a 1-hour 4K video, making any location an instant studio workspace. The drive connects with USB Type-C allowing content creators to easily store and access their files anywhere on a PC or mobile device. At nearly half the size of a typical portable SSD, XS2000 includes a removable ruggedized sleeve and IP55-rating to withstand water and dust, making it the perfect companion for on-location adventures whether you go from work to play to passion projects.

XS2000 is purpose-built with the ultimate combination of high performance and high capacity to keep up with the content demands of consumers around the world, said Kingston. Plus the compact size, similar to a key fob, and added durability make this the ideal drive to keep productivity flowing for the everyday content creator to prosumer and corporate professional.

DataTraveler Max USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive

DataTraveler Max (DT Max) delivers record-breaking speeds up to 1,000MB/s read and 900MB/s write to make it one of the fastest USB drives on the market and the first of its kind. DT Max is designed with portability and convenience in mind. The unique ridged casing protects the connector when it is not in use and is easily moved in a single motion. Seamlessly transfer and store large digital files such as HD photos (up to 200 HD photos per second), 4K/8K videos, music and more with top speeds and high capacities up to 1TB. The addition of a keyring loop and LED status indicator makes the drive ideal for users who need storage on-the-go.

DT Max offers industry-leading speeds and uncompromised storage space to enable consumers to create and keep up with todays content demands, said Kingston. We deliver unparalleled performance that our customers have come to know and expect, and with this launch we are proud to set a new bar for USB-C flash drives.

XS2000 is available in capacities 500GB to 2TB and is backed by a limited five-year warranty with free technical support, while DataTraveler Max is available in capacities 256GB to 1TB and is also backed by a five-year warranty with free technical support. Both products will soon be available on Lazada and Shopee Kingston official stores, for more information visit kingston.com.

XS2000 Portable SSD Features and Specifications:

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Performance: Industry-leading read/write speeds up to 2,000MB/s.

Industry-leading read/write speeds up to 2,000MB/s. High-speed Capacities: Up to 2TB2 to support high resolution images, 8K videos, and large documents.

Up to 2TB2 to support high resolution images, 8K videos, and large documents. Built for Durability: Tested to be water resistant, dust resistant4 and shockproof with an included rubber sleeve.

Tested to be water resistant, dust resistant4 and shockproof with an included rubber sleeve. Pocket-sized Portability: Small, lightweight form factor for easy, on-the-go storage.

Small, lightweight form factor for easy, on-the-go storage. Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2x2

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Speed: Up to 2,000MB/s read, 2,000MB/s write

Up to 2,000MB/s read, 2,000MB/s write Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB

500GB, 1TB, 2TB Dimensions: 69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5mm

69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5mm Weight: 28.9g

28.9g Casing Material: Metal + Plastic

Metal + Plastic Operating temperature: 0C~40C

0C~40C Storage temperature: -20C~85C

-20C~85C Warranty/Support: Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support

Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support Compatible with: Windows 10, 8.1, Mac OS (v.10.14.x +), Linux (v. 2.6.x +), Chrome OS

DataTraveler Max USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive Features and Specifications:
With just a few clicks and taps, Filipinos can now conveniently and safely shop using their phones. Every month brings excitement and surprises as #ShoppingDays such as 7.7, 8.8, and the upcoming 9.9 sale give the best deals and offers.

The hype on these shopping days rings true on Twitter, the hotspot where people actively express and share #WhatsHappening around them. In fact, people are talking more about shopping in Southeast Asia, garnering over 53 million conversation volume from January 1, 2020 to June 20, 2020.

These conversations matter as they are the very testimonies of Filipinos about their online purchases and trends. Just by being on Twitter, brands get a chance to see and join these conversations that can help drive and amplify their campaigns, especially during #ShoppingDays.

As 9.9 sale is just around the corner, here are key three trends to help brands win on Shopping Days in the final months of the year.

1. Good conversations are good news

When someone Tweets a positive review or experience, its somehow a recommendation about the brand. Good conversations spark activity to consumers, compelling them to search for more information about products, promotions, and even a brands advocacy.

In the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia, having reviews (51.3%) and lots of "Likes" or good comments on social media (37.4%) are just some of the key features people are looking into that would increase the likelihood of purchase. Shoppers on Twitter don't just want free deliveries or coupons, they want an idea, a relevance, and a good conversation about the brand or its offers.

2. Online shopping is life

The pandemic entrenched has shifted and accelerated the shift to an online-focused lifestyle. As a result, online shopping is not just a chore or activity, but has now developed into a habit among consumers.

84% of Filipino on Twitter revealed that the pandemic brought about their online shopping habit, purchasing online with the past 6 months. Moreover, 31% of them shared that they have bought online for more than 10 times already, and it seems that the hype will not waver as avid shoppers prefer online stores, Hence, brands may consider staying logged in and connected where their audiences are.

One example is from UNIQLO Philippines. They stay true to their cause in providing high quality and everyday clothing that suits everyone's daily needs. With the help of social media, like Twitter for example, they are able to reach a bigger and wider audience who are looking for essential clothing that fit their lifestyle demands.

3. Becoming smarter shoppers

Filipino online shoppers on Twitter are unique for their receptiveness. Before buying anything, they take the first step in discovering more about the product and they value the sentiments of their fellow buyers. In fact, 22% attested that consumer reviews on Twitter helped them decide what to buy.

Benefits, price, or function are not the only factors that these smart shoppers consider. 76.7% of shoppers who search for more information about a product are exposed to advocacy. A brand who is vocal and true to the advocacies they champion has great leverage among Filipino shoppers on Twitter.

Connect with #WhatsHappening

The community of Filipino online shoppers is vibrant and bustling. People Tweet to ask for recommendations, share their tips, and other topics that make shopping days more exciting. It's not enough to just look at what they do or what they talk about.

To deliver success around #ShoppingDays, brands can leverage Twitters Launch Formula:

Listen: To be effective, campaigns must be relevant and to be relevant, brands should first listen. Listen on Twitter and find out what their target audience is thinking, interested in, or talking about. Tease: Brands can proactively start a conversation with their audience. Use this as a way to establish and tighten the relationship and generate interest before introducing a new product/service. Reveal: This is the time for a brand to release their product or service to the market, and to build brand awareness. Reinforce: Often the most overlooked step is to nurture conversation with consumers. This helps to keep the brand top of mind, generate purchase intent, and encourage word-of-mouth recommendations.

Despite the impact of Wave 3 of the pandemic, our research found an increase in optimism amongst Filipinos towards global economic recovery and personal financial situation. This is leading to more frequent online shopping with 31% of Filipinos on Twitter shopping online more than 10 times in the past 6 months. And of these avid buyers, over one-fourth are now spending more online than they do in-store," said Martyn Uren, Head of Research APAC & Global Export at Twitter. Moreover, these conversations on Twitter in the Philippines play a key role in sparking consumer action. Tweets with good reviews, plenty of Likes and good engagements are powerful in driving awareness and growth.

With a number of key #ShoppingDays upcoming in the calendar, visit business.twitter.com/en/advertising.html to find out how to leverage Twitter to join in the conversation today.
Not all CEOs are inherently great leaders.

Simply put, people with enormous technical talent do not always excel at attracting and motivating others. That is why so many startups replace their founders with more experienced CEOs if the founder can't keep the company growing.

But replacing the founder can cost the company tremendous talent. Not only might the founder's departure eliminate a source of technical genius and vision, but also the team that the founder recruited might follow the founder to their next destination.

In many cases, I see two possible solutions to this dilemma, neither of which are easy to accomplish.

The first is to hire a chief operating officer (COO) with the people skills to hire and motivate a leadership team that performs activities well where the CEO is weak. This is a great solution only if the COO and the CEO get along well.

The second solution is to teach the founder how to be a great leader. This may not be as far-fetched as it seems. Often people with great technical skills are great at attracting and motivating the best engineers and scientists, who are inspired by the opportunity to learn from such a leader.

Building off such strengths, an effective founder-CEO must know four things about people.

1. People strive to be recognized.

People are motivated by the pursuit of recognition from others whom they respect. At the moment when people feel recognized, my guess is that they receive a powerful dose of the brain chemical dopamine--the chemical of reward.

Leaders ought to harness this power to the benefit of their employees and the company. You can hold annual company meetings that bestow rewards on people who best exemplify a value, such as customer-focused innovation. You can also hold monthly all-hands meetings where you discuss the company's values, and tell stories about employees who acted in ways that brought those values to life.

If your company has limited capital, it is particularly important for leaders to know that recognizing peoples' accomplishments costs very little and is powerfully motivating.

2. People want to learn and achieve their goals.

A leader must recognize that workers want to rise in their careers and have a meaningful life outside of work. The companies that attract and motivate the best talent, particularly in the midst of a pandemic where demand for talent exceeds supply, offer the most compelling blend of learning and scheduling flexibility.

The CEO can make a big difference in achieving this balance. As I wrote in Goliath Strikes Back, Hubert Joly--the CEO who turned around Best Buy--saw his purpose as helping the company's employees to realize their purpose.

He asked his store managers to listen to employees and find ways to connect their goals to the company's purpose. One employee in a Massachusetts Best Buy aspired to purchase a house. The store manager mapped out a training and skill development path aimed at enabling that worker to get promoted high enough to make that goal a reality.

3. People thrive in collaboration with others who share their values.

Peter Drucker famously said that culture eats strategy for lunch. By that, he meant that if you try to execute a strategy that is at odds with your culture, you will fail.

Leaders must create a culture based on values that drive the company's growth. Use these values for recruiting and as the basis for how people collaborate. Since people thrive when they work with others who share their values, your ability to create such a culture can be a powerful contributor to your company's success.

4. Leaders must create and keep their peoples' trust.

Perhaps most importantly, leaders must create and keep trust. As I wrote in August, the key to doing this well is to tell people what you will do--including articulating your company's values--and consistently do what you promised.

Every time you fulfill your commitment, you add to the well of trust. And every time you break a promise, you must apologize and fulfill a new commitment. Otherwise, people will stop trusting you and head for the exits.
The U.S. Black Chambers and American Express today announced that they are expanding a program intended to help Black-owned businesses increase their visibility and drive sales.

The program, ByBlack, was created in 2020 as a directory where consumers could browse Black-owned businesses. It will now also offer a no-cost certification aimed at helping Black business owners reach more customers--including other businesses--and access contracts, according to a press release.

After the George Floyd killing, corporations pledged to devote billions of dollars to advance racial justice, including buying from Black-owned suppliers and funding Black founders through their investment arms. And social media posts encouraged consumers to "buy Black," causing some small businesses to experience overwhelming demand. ByBlack aims to make it easier for both consumers and organizations to search for certified Black-owned businesses.

There are already a host of government certifications designed to help business owners from marginalized communities obtain government contracts. At the federal level, a company can register with the Small Business Administration as a small disadvantaged business, a service-disabled veteran-owned business, and/or a women-owned small business, among other categories. Most states also offer "minority/women-owned business enterprise" (MWBE) certifications. The ByBlack program bills itself as the first national certification exclusively for Black-owned businesses.
Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for their star-studded asteroid comedy Dont Look Up.

Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio headline the Adam McKay-directed movie, playing two scientists who struggle to convince the planet that an incoming asteroid poses any kind of danger.

Joining the pair is one of the most unconventional casts in recent memory, including Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi and Tyler Perry. Meryl Streep also looks set to steal scenes as the US president.

McKay has described Dont Look Up as a dark comedy, telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast in April that it is a disaster movie in which people dont necessarily believe that the disaster is coming.

He added: Its two mid-level, very sincere astronomers who make the discovery of a lifetime, which is a killer asteroid headed toward Earth. They have to warn everyone and have to go on a media tour.

Its them navigating our world. Its them navigating their equivalent of Twitter. Its them navigating the political landscape. Its them navigating talk shows and how theyre perceived. Its DiCaprio and Lawrence and Rob Morgan trying to warn the world. I call it a dark comedy.

The film drew headlines earlier this year when Lawrence was taken to hospital after a controlled glass explosion went awry during filming.

Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio in Dont Look Up' (Netflix)

Lawrence had been shooting a scene with Chalamet when the explosion sent shards of glass flying, causing minor injuries to the actors eyes. Production on the film was subsequently paused for a day, with Lawrence returning to set shortly after.

Dont Look Up is released in UK cinemas on 10 December, before arriving on Netflix on 24 December.
Dancing with the Stars has come under some criticism after casting Olivia Jade Giannulli in its new season.

Giannulli is the daughter of Lori Loughlin, a former actor on Full House, and Mossimo Giannulli, a fashion designer. Both parents served time in prison after taking pleas in the college admissions scandal.

Olivia Jade Giannulli, a YouTuber and influencer, is among the 15 contestants who will face off when the competition seriess 30th season starts airing later this month.

Some on social media expressed their dismay after the news of her casting on Dancing with the Stars broke on Wednesday.

Can we please stop giving Olivia jade a platform like did we learn NOTHING, one person wrote.

They did not put Olivia Jade on Dancing with the Stars, someone else tweeted.

WHY IS OLIVIA JADE GOING TO BE ON DWTS, another person shared.

Loughlin was sentenced in August 2020 to two months in prison, while her husband received a five-month sentence.

They had pleaded guilty to charges related to their participation in a scheme to to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as rowing recruits.

Loughlin had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. She was released in December 2020. Mossimo Giannulli had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud. He was released in April this year.

The Independent has contacted Olivia Jade Giannullis representatives for comment.

In December 2020, the influencer said in an interview on Red Table Talk: I feel like I deserve a second chance to redeem myself, to show Ive grown.
The Great British Bake Off will be returning to TV screens later this month.

Channel 4 have confirmed the launch date as 21 September with the show airing at 8pm.

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will continue to judge the contestants whilst Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas will return to host the series.

The news comes a few days after a teaser trailer was released to get fans hyped for the much-loved shows return to screens.

The brief trailer depicted the shows famous tent from an aerial view with dramatic orchestral music playing over the clip.

The 2021 version of the show has once again been filmed at Down Hall Hotel and Spa just outside London. As with last year, Covid safety measures are still in place to protect the cast and crew.

The cast and crew will self-isolate before entering into a bubble at the hotel, so they dont have to social distance from one another.

Last years winner was Peter Hawkins, who at 20 years old, was the youngest winner yet.

The new series will be Leith and Fieldings fifth since joining the show after it moved to Channel 4 from the BBC in 2017.

Hollywood has appeared on every series of the show and the upcoming run will be Lucas second after joining the team last year, replacing Sandi Toksvig.
Michael K Williams is best known for playing the gay, shotgun-toting stick-up man Omar Little inThe Wire  but his preparation for the role was quite unusual.

The late actor, who was found dead at his New York apartment on Monday (6 September) aged 54, was cast in the Baltimore-set crime drama 20 years ago.

On the shows first day of filming, when a prop person gave Williams his characters signature shotgun, the star is said to have stared at it with utter bewilderment.

He didnt know which end was which, David Simon, the creator and showrunner of The Wire, told The New York Times in 2017. Mike is a beautiful man, but a gangster he is not.

According to the publication, later that week, Williams left the set and returned home to East Flatbush, Brooklyn, and enlisted a local drug dealer to show him the ropes. Standing on the roof of the Vanderveer Estates, the man demonstrated how firearms work by spraying a hail of pellets into a steel door.

Best acting lesson I ever had, Williams said.

Michael K Willians as Omar Little in The Wire (Paul Schiraldi Photography)

Barack Obama once named Omar Little as his favourite character in The Wire, his favourite show. Thats not an endorsement, the then-presidential candidate added. Hes not my favourite person but hes a fascinating character.

Williams was twice nominated for the NAACPs Image awards for his role, which he played from 2002 to 2008.

Celebrities, the actors co-stars in The Wire and his fans have flooded social media with memories of and tributes to Williams. Find out how the beloved performer got his distinctive facial scar here.
A religious leader was stopped at the Ahilyabai Holkar airport in India's Madhya Pradesh state for carrying a human skull and bones in her luggage, authorities said.

Sadhvi Yogmata Sachdeva, a resident of neighbouring Ujjain, was booked to board a Vistara Airlines flight to Delhi when she was found with the human remains. During luggage scanning, security personnel asked her to open her bag and, to their shock, the skull was discovered inside.

When interrogated by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Aerodrome police stations officer, the woman said she was taking the ashes of a fellow monk for immersion in Haridwar, a city by the Ganges famous among Hindu pilgrims.

According to the authorities, individuals are required to inform airport management and seek permission when carrying ashes. The remains are then only allowed to be carried in hand luggage. However, the sadhvi (priestess) was travelling with the remains in her main check-in luggage bag.

"She had not asked for special permission to carry the skull or other remains. The sadhvi was allowed to board the flight once the police recorded her statement," an airport source told The Independent.

The woman was directed to leave the remains with an acquaintance in Indore before boarding. Amid the confusion and police questioning, the woman missed her evening flight, but the airline allowed her to board the next scheduled flight at night.
A dramatic photo showing a Taliban fighter pointing his gun at a woman at a female-led protest in Afghanistan has gone viral on social media.

The woman, who is seen carrying just a bottle of water, stands her ground, unfazed, in front of the Taliban fighter. Many other protestors can be seen holding placards behind her.

Several social media users praised the courage shown by the woman in the face of a direct, physical threat.

Many said the photo encapsulates the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, where women and other gender minorities stand to fare the worst under a regime that has a poor track record of enforcing basic freedoms for them.

Building a wall of resistance within weeks of the Taliban wresting control of the country, Afghan women have launched powerful protests in national capital Kabul, even as militant fighters stood guard every few kilometres and attempted to control the demonstrations.

Visuals from the conflict-torn country showed hundreds of women on Tuesday hitting the streets, protesting neighbouring country Pakistans alleged involvement in Afghanistans internal administrative affairs.

In some pockets of the city, Taliban fighters fired multiple rounds in the air to break up the protests and scare citizens from participating.

More power to Afghan women. They rejuvenated peaceful activism and demanded their rights despite guns pointed at them, said one user on Twitter.

Another user dubbed the Taliban fighter pointing the gun at the woman a coward and lauded how the force from the militant group has not stopped the public movement.

Photos from the protest showed the progress Afghanistan has made in the last 20 years, said journalist Malali Bashir.

Amid arrests and the Taliban firing warning shots, Afghan women and men kept asking for rights and independence. We wont back off, they said, she said on Twitter.

Several women took to the streets knowing the possible risk of physical harm from the Taliban, a group that had not allowed women in public spaces during its last reign.

BBC anchor and correspondent Yalda Hakim, in a tweet, quoted a young woman who told her why she was protesting against the Taliban.

The protests are being viewed as the first instance of staunch opposition to the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, which announced the formation of its all-male cabinet on Tuesday, nearly a month after the US left Afghan soil, ending its 20 year war in the region. So far, no one was reported injured in the protests.

The all-male cabinet of militant fighters sparked further protests in the country on Wednesday.

In its previous rule, the ultra-religious Taliban barred girls and women from attending school and working. Taliban members would flog those breaking the rules, with many public executions taking place as well.

Shortly after capturing Kabul by force, a Taliban spokesperson said women should stay indoors as many Taliban fighters were not yet trained not to harm them.
More than 200 women judges are trapped in hiding in Afghanistan and are at risk of being killed by the Taliban, campaigners have warned.

It comes after the Taliban freed thousands of prisoners, including terrorists and senior al Qaeda operatives.

Campaigners told The Independent that the judges responsible for sending many of the newly released criminals to jail are terrified for their safety now the inmates are free.

One judge, currently in hiding in Afghanistan, said she is petrified the Taliban or the recently freed prisoners will kill her if they find her.

The 38-year-old, who previously lived in Nangarhar province in the east of the country has had to flee. She said the Taliban came to her road a few days ago to ask the people she is staying with if any female judges were hiding there.

I dont know how they heard about me, she told The Independent. If the Taliban find me, they may kill me. I am feeling very scared. The Taliban are everywhere. Sometimes they come to the neighbours and ask about judges or other women government officials such as members of the army or women journalists.

She said for the last week she has been harassed by a young member of the Taliban whom she prosecuted around eight months ago. She claimed he killed his young wife.

The judge added: He had tortured her in a very bad way. Her face was black. She was dead. I was so afraid. When I saw the picture, I talked to the criminal and said: Why did you do this to your own wife?

At the end of the trial, he said, what I did to my wife, I can do to you, when I get out of prison. I didnt take it seriously but now the Taliban has come to power and released the prisoners, this man has called me via the phone. He has been calling me for one week and has called me many times.

She said he told her he has tracked down her personal details through the court she used to work in. She left behind private documents when recently forced to flee from her local province in the middle of the night which she fears he may have found.

We were living in the court compound, she added. I think he found my documents. He says: I am very powerful now. I can find you easily anywhere you are.

She said she spends the majority of her time inside the house, but when she does occasionally venture out, Taliban members point their guns at her on the street and tell her to go home.

The woman worked as a judge to eliminate violence against women and is well-known in her province due to being the only female judge there.

She said: I try to sleep but most of the time I cant sleep because I think about the situation with the judges. My children are crying. They are terrified.

There are more than 200 female judges. We have one WhatsApp group - all of the female judges are a member of that group. They are in the same situation as me. They have no money because the banks are closed.

She has urged the international community to help female Afghan judges as she warned they are in grave danger. If you want to help us, please help us now. Tomorrow it might be too late. When the Taliban arrest us and kill us, it is too late.

We dont care about our jobs we have lost. We dont care about our homes we have lost. We just care about our lives and our childrens lives. Now, anything is possible. The Taliban can come to the door and do anything to me. They can torture me to get information. They can torture my children. There is no one to stop them, she said.

Recommended Afghan women vow to keep on demonstrating against Taliban

The Taliban swept to power last month as US and other Western troops withdrew. The last time the hardline Islamist group ruled the country women were barred from working, girls were blocked from going to school, and women had to be chaperoned by a male relative if they wanted to leave the house.

Afghanistan has roughly 250 female judges in total but a small number managed to escape in recent weeks.

Marzia Babakarkhail, who previously worked as a family court judge in Afghanistan but now lives in London, said there are currently 220 female judges trapped in Afghanistan after UK judges and lawyers helped some to flee.

The 55-year-old, who is campaigning for the female judges to be rescued from Afghanistan, told The Independent the children of the female judges are not going to school due to being scared for their safety.

The female judges have received death threats from the Taliban, she said. The Taliban are searching for female judges. All the judges are scared. One of them told me this week they came to her house and beat her brother badly because of her work.

Recommended Photo of Afghan woman standing in front of Taliban gun goes viral

The Taliban is very cruel to all female activists but especially female judges. The Taliban does not accept women as human beings. The Taliban has a wrong interpretation of Islam.

The information I have from the judges, is now they have two enemies: the Taliban and criminals. Some of them are terrorists and are also involved in cocaine trafficking, they have also released Taliban warlords.

Ms Babakarkhail, who moved to the UK in 2008, accused the Taliban of trying to kill her in Afghanistan in 1997 and again in Pakistan in 2007.

In the first instance, she said she was forced to hide in an alleyway for five hours after nine Taliban members came to her house.

They broke the door without permission, she said. They wanted to shoot me. They were searching the house and asked my mother and two sisters a lot of questions about me.

The campaigner, who also set up a foundation to educate girls in Pakistan, accused the Taliban of running her over with a car in the second incident in Pakistan - adding that she was left with back and leg injuries.

Robert Buckland, the UKs Justice Minister, recently said the government had managed to evacuate nine female judges.

A lot of these judges were responsible for administering the rule of law and quite rightly they are fearful about the consequences that could now face them with the rise of the Taliban, said Mr Buckland.

Heather Barr, associate director of the womens rights division at Human Rights Watch, told The Independent: This is a nightmare come true for these women due to the fact they opened up the prisons indiscriminately. In terms of protection, the only place they have to look is to the Taliban themselves.

I dont think they have any reason or confidence that the Taliban will do anything to protect them given that the Taliban dont think the female judges should have ever been allowed in that position.

Two female Supreme Court justices were shot dead by unidentified gunmen back in January, but at the time a Taliban spokesman said they were not linked to the attack.

Female Afghan journalists and healthcare workers were killed in attacks after peace talks started between the Taliban and the American-backed Afghan government last year. While the Taliban denied perpetrating these attacks, former government ministers held them responsible.
Women protesters took to the streets of Kabul for the second day in a row after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government of veteran hardliners, despite promising to be inclusive.

The US State Department and the European Union have expressed concern that the much-awaited cabinet had no women and only included Taliban members, but said the new administration would be judged by its actions and that the world is watching closely.

One demonstrator told The Independent that women were bitterly disappointed by the make-up of the cabinet.

It is a government with no signs at all of learning  they have just selected all Pashtun people and no other tribes, said one female protester who claims she saw Taliban members hit women protesters with the butts of their guns on Tuesday.

There is not even a single woman in this government. Since they have entered Afghanistan, no women go to school  and if one day schools do start, the girls will have to be in full-body coverings.

I see the future of my nieces and nephews are lost and unclear.

On Tuesday witnesses told The Independent that Taliban security forces violently dispersed the rallies and arrested several journalists and women by firing guns into the air.

Separately, Pakistan announced on Wednesday it would be hosting a high-level meeting of foreign ministers from key countries surrounding Afghanistan including China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to discuss the situation in the country and economic ties.

But Pakistan has yet to publicly comment on the formation of the cabinet.

The new cabinet, which is drawn from Afghanistans dominant Pashtun ethnic group, included figures like Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was appointed as interim interior minister and who is on the FBIs most-wanted list with a $5m (3.6m) bounty on his head.

Some protesters in Kabul also marched to the Pakistan embassy accusing the country of intervening on behalf of the Taliban, an allegation the country has vehemently denied.

A senior Pakistani official with knowledge of the security situation called the accusations propaganda and said the reports the countrys military was involved in a recent assault on Panjshir stemmed from Indian media which he said had used fake footage as proof.

This is propaganda polluting the minds of Afghans against us, said the Pakistani official. Not a single soldier has participated in any of the operations.

The Pakistani official also told The Independent that the Taliban had promised to address Pakistan security concerns, particularly after a suicide bombing on Sunday in the southwest of the country in which three Pakistan soldiers were killed and 20 were wounded.

The attack was claimed by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the diplomatic meeting with key countries surrounding Afghanistan aims "to work together for the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic links.

As much as 80 per cent of Afghanistans budget comes from the international community, and a long-running economic crisis has worsened in recent months.

There are regular flights from Qatar that bring in humanitarian aid, but it is not enough.

The United Nations has made an emergency appeal for $606m (441m) to help nearly 11 million people in the war-ravaged country facing a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by drought, displacement, chronic poverty and the sharp increase in hostilities as the Taliban swept to power.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs already has a $1.3bn (944m) appeal for Afghanistan but said it is only 39 per cent funded  leaving a deficit of $786m (571m) still to be found by the end of the year.

The agency says even prior to the Taliban takeover, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was one of the worst in the world.

The Independent has launched a petition urging the UK government to be more ambitious in its plans to take in Afghan refugees following the Taliban seizing power and withdrawal of western troops. Afghans are now facing a similar plight. You, our readers, have already shown your strength of feeling in letters and on social media. Heres a chance to have your voice heard by adding your signature. We thank you for your support.To sign the petition click here
The all-male interim Afghan government named by the Taliban on Tuesday includes several individuals targeted for UN sanctions and a militant leader with a $5m FBI bounty on his head.

When it took over the country by force last month, the group said it would form an inclusive administration and protect womens rights to work.

Yet the UN has slammed the newly-announced government for being dominated by its overwhelmingly ethnic Pashtun leaders, and the UN Women has called the 33-member cabinet with not a single woman a further step backwards.

Heres what we know about the key members of the Afghanistan government formed by the Taliban.

Mullah Hassan Akhund - Acting prime minister

Mullah Hassan Akhund (left) meeting Pakistans foreign minister Sartaj Aziz in 1999 (AFP via Getty Images)

Akhund, who is one of the founders of the Taliban, has been named the acting prime minister of Afghanistan and heads the powerful decision-making body Rehbari Shura, or leadership council.

He has been on the UN sanctions list and has generally maintained a lower profile than other senior leaders of the Islamist group. He was previously the foreign minister and then deputy prime minister during the Taliban government in 1996-2001. Despite having less international exposure than some others, he remains one of the groups most influential members.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is also on the UN sanctions list, was named Akhunds first deputy. He is another co-founder of the militant movement, and oversaw the signing of the US withdrawal agreement last year.

Molavi Hannafi has been appointed his second deputy.

Mullah Yaqoob - Acting minister of defence

Yakoob is the son of late Taliban founder Mullah Omar, the groups one-eyed supreme leader. He gained prominence in 2015 when he called for unity within the group in an audio message after the death of his father.

Mullah Omar is shown in this undated US National Counterterrorism Center image. His son, Yakoob, will now head defence ministry (REUTERS)

He was appointed to lead the groups military commission in 14 provinces of Afghanistan and then became military chief of the Taliban in May 2020.

Serajuddin Haqqani - Acting minister of interior

The appointment of Haqqani, who is on the FBI wanted list with a bounty of $5m (3.6m) on his head, has caused the most immediate alarm among observers.

He is head of the Haqqani Network militant group, which is affiliated with the Taliban and named in some of the deadliest attacks in the country during the war with US-led international forces. He reportedly oversaw a suicide bomb attack using an explosive-filled ambulance in Kabul in 2017 that killed 103 people.

According to the FBI, Haqqani is wanted for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul... that killed six people, including an American citizen.

Amir Khan Muttaqi - Acting foreign minister

Muttaqi, who is a senior Taliban leader, took part in the Doha peace talks last year with then-US president Donald Trump. He served as a minister of culture and information as well as education minister during the previous Taliban government.

Qari Din Hanif - Acting minister of economy

Din Hanif, who is of Tajik descent, is one of the few non-Pashtun leaders appointed in the new cabinet.

He was minister of planning and of higher education during the 1996-2001 Taliban government and will be tasked with recovering an Afghan economy that has been drained by decades of war and hammered during the last two months amid the US troop withdrawal.

Abdul Haq Wasiq - Acting director of intelligence

Haq Wasiq was held in extrajudicial detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and released in 2014. His release came after mediation and in exchange for the release of captured American soldier Bowe Bergdahl.

He served as the Talibans deputy minister of intelligence in the previous government.

2016 picture of Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada (AP)

Also on Tuesday, chief Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced that Afghanistan will again be referred to as an Islamic Emirate and its supreme leader would be Hibatullah Akhundzada.

In his first statement after seizing power from the Afghan government, Akhundzada said: In the future, all matters of governance and life in Afghanistan will be regulated by the laws of the holy sharia.

When asked about the lack of inclusivity in the new government, Mujahid said: Some ministries and deputies and many top positions are remaining. We will try to include people from across the country into it. Its not a permanent cabinet and we will try to make it more inclusive.

The US State Departments spokesperson said they are concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of the individuals in the new cabinet. It added that there is still in no rush to recognise the Taliban-appointed government.

The new cabinet was announced on the same day as at least two people were shot dead and eight wounded in a protest in Herat city, in western Afghanistan, according to a doctor there.
The UK and Australia have announced the broad outlines of a free trade deal which would eliminate tariffs on a wide range of goods.

British-made cars, Scotch whisky, biscuits and ceramics will be cheaper to sell under the pact, while Australian producers are set to benefit from boosted exports of lamb and wine, the government said.

The agreement is the first negotiated from scratch since Brexit, as earlier deals with countries including Japan and Canada were built on existing agreements struck by the EU.

However the deal has sparked controversy, both among British farmers who fear they could be undercut by cheap imports, and by environmental campaigners who warn that it opens the door to destructive mega farms and biodiversity chaos.

This week it also emerged that the British government dropped key environment protections to get the deal over the line.

A binding section that referenced the Paris Agreement temperature goals was scrubbed from the accord after pressure from theAustralian government  which has a notoriously weak record on climate action.

Why are activists so concerned?

Climate campaigners have warned that the deal would not only give tacit approval to controversial farming practices in Australia, but would also lower the bar for future trade deals the UK is seeking to strike.

Among their list of concerns is that Australian farmers are permitted to use pesticides, which are banned in the UK, including neonicotinoids, which harm pollinators including bees.

They also point to the use of antibiotics to treat infections, particularly for animals which are intensively farmed, and the approved practice of mulesing  a painful procedure that involves cutting flaps of skin from around a lambs tail to produce stretched scar tissue which holds less moisture and faeces and attracts fewer flies. Australian farmers may also use growth hormones in cattle.

In addition, activists are worried about the impact on deforestation and animal loss in Australia. A report from the Wilderness Society  a US-based conservation group  warned in 2019 that beef production was the leading cause of deforestation and land clearing in Australia, with analysis suggesting that 73 per cent of all deforestation and land clearing in the state Queensland was linked to the practice.

Due to high land clearing rates in the state of Queensland, Australia is now a designated global deforestation hotspot. This is driving significant biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to poor water quality running into the Great Barrier Reef, the research said.

The Wilderness Society also stated that in the last five years more than 1 million hectares of forest clearance has been attributed to cattle farming, and Australia now has the unenviable title as world leader for mammal extinctions.

Greenpeace said most of the deforestation was due to weak legislation and rollback of protection in Australia making the practice technically legal. The organisation claimed this also meant the UKs current proposed new due diligence law that only tackles illegal deforestation would not stop beef from these farms entering the UK.

Commenting on the announcement, Doug Parr, Greenpeace UKs chief scientist, said: Despite green rhetoric at the G7 Boris Johnson has just given a massive vote of confidence to exactly the kind of intensive, destructive mega farms that the UK should be trying to move away from.

He is aligning Britain with a country thats way behind on climate action, and one that completely ignores its beef industry driving further climate and biodiversity chaos through the mass clearance of forests ,and its routine use of hormones and pesticides.

It has lowered the bar significantly for other countries looking for trade deals  Brazil being of most concern with its similarly destructive farming methods driving mass deforestation at the expense of people, wildlife and the climate. Britain will be expected to accept the same laissez-faire approach to food and environment standards that this deal allows.

Greenpeace also warned that the loss of key environmental protections would start a race to the bottom.

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: The UK government pledged to embed the environment at the very heart of trade, including supporting the Paris Agreement on climate and zero deforestation in supply chains.

Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF UK, said the agreement would drive a coach and horses through efforts to put UK farming on a sustainable footing.

If the UK government is serious about global environmental leadership, then it must get serious about sustainable farming  not just here in the UK, but across every country we import food from, she wrote in a comment piece for The Independent.

Unfettered access to UK markets should reward those who meet our standards on climate, nature and animal welfare  and should not prioritise outdated farming systems, like Australias, which are fuelling the climate and nature crisis.

She said the trade deal with Australia sets a dangerous precedent which could mean opening the UK market to agricultural imports that have contributed to widespread deforestation in the Amazon, adding: There is no economic benefit to be gained from trading our planet away.

What has the UK government said?

Boris Johnson has called the proposed trade deal an example of global Britain at its best and said the agreement opens fantastic opportunities for British businesses and consumers.

The details are yet to be unveiled however there was no mention of environmental or animal rights safeguards and only a single reference to climate change in the government announcement.

The leaders reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the UK and Australia during their discussion and agreed to work closely together on defence, technology collaboration and tackling climate change  including through a future Clean Tech Partnership, the statement said.

Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, claimed that how Australian farmers operated had been mischaracterised during the discussion around the trade deal.

Australia is a friend and ally, he told Sky News on Tuesday. I think that there have been one or two points that have been made about Australia during the course of this debate that mischaracterise how Australian farmers operate and the opportunities also for UK farmers.

Trade secretary Liz Truss said previously that no new trade deal would permit the import of hormone-treated beef.

A spokesperson at the Department for International Trade told The Independent the government was not compromising our high animal welfare and food safety standards.

The spokesperson added: It is a fundamentally liberalising agreement that removes tariffs on all British goods, opens new opportunities for our services providers and tech firms, and makes it easier for our people to travel and work together.

A final agreement in principle will be published in the coming days with the full detail.
The Biden administration has issued a plan to increase the countrys reliance on solar power from 3 per cent to more than 10 times that amount in under 30 years.

The Department of Energy published a blueprint on Wednesday on how to provide 45 per cent of US electricity from solar by 2050, which would involve ramping up production of solar panels and modernising energy infrastructure across the country.

President Joe Biden has touted clean energy as the way for America, the worlds second largest polluter, to reduce emissions and help in tackling the global climate crisis but also provide thousands of jobs.

The Solar Futures study found that to achieve 40 per cent solar in the next 15 years, the US must double capacity per year between now and 2025, and then double it again from 2025 to 2030.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm noted that solar is the countrys cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, producing enough power to run all American homes by 2035 while employing 1.5 million people.

In 2020, the US installed a record amount of solar  15 gigawatts  to total 76 GW, the government report stated, making up 3 per cent of the current electricity supply.

As he toured neighbourhoods in New York and New Jersey ravaged by Storm Ida on Tuesday, President Biden underlined the role that the climate crisis played in the disaster.

Were all in this, Mr Biden noted while on a walkabout in Queens with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

I think what people are seeing across this country, from the wildfires in California and the west ... all the way down to Louisiana ... people are beginning to realise, this is much, much bigger than anyone was willing to believe, he added.

Environmental activists cautiously welcomed the announcement. Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversitys energy justice program director, said: An ambitious solar target shows real promise in addressing the climate emergency, but it has to include careful considerations of scale and design.

By prioritising rooftop and community solar and storage, Bidens team could boost energy affordability and resilience in extreme weather events like Hurricane Ida. Because private utilities are fighting distributed energy, the Biden administration should make utility reform a key part of this important climate and justice transformation.
The British government secretly dropped a series of climate pledges in order to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with Australia, leaked emails appear to show.

Liz Truss, the trade secretary, and Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, decided to "drop both of the climate asks" from the text of the UK-Australia agreement in order to get it "over the line", according to the email from a senior official.

A binding section that referenced the Paris Agreement temperature goals was scrubbed from the accord after pressure from the southern Hemipshere countrys government  which has a notoriously weak record on climate action.

The embarrassing revelation comes just weeks before the government is due to host a landmark UN climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow  where it is supposed to ask countries to make stronger commitments to cutting emissions.

Just last month Boris Johnson claimed any trade deal with Australia would, include a chapter on trade and environment which not only reaffirms commitments to multilateral environmental agreements, including the Paris Agreement but also commits both parties to collaborate on climate and environmental issues.

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The prime minister claimed that more trade will not come at the expense of the environment. In June the two countries reached an agreement in principle to cut tariffs and quotas.

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said the governments actions would signal the start of a race to the bottom and accused Boris Johnson of having lied about the issue.

The UK government pledged to embed the environment at the very heart of trade, including supporting the Paris Agreement on climate and zero deforestation in supply chains, Mr Sauven said.

Signing an Australian trade deal with action on climate temperature commitments secretly removed is the polar opposite of everything Boris Johnson publicly pledged and rips the heart out of what the agreement stands for.

The Greenpeace chief added: It will be a race to the bottom, impacting on clean tech sectors and farmers livelihoods. There should be a moratorium on trade deals with countries like Australia until they improve on their weak climate targets and end deforestation. At the moment the public and parliament are being duped by the Prime Minister into thinking this deal is great for Britain when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.

Whats also clear is that the governments promise of public consultation and updates on the progress of the negotiations are completely inadequate. Its time parliament demanded proper scrutiny for trade deals.

Brexiteers in the government like trade secretary Ms Truss have been desparate to secure trade deals with other countries to try and prove that leaving the EU has benefits. But experts say the drive for agreements at any cost has put the UK in a weak negotiating position.

The email was sent last month and details internal discussions between Ms Truss, Mr Kwarteng and Brexit minister Lord Frost It originates from a deputy director in the government's the trade secretariat, which is part of the Cabinet Office.

The email says: "As flagged in my note to Lord Frost, the Business and Trade Secretaries were due to speak yesterday.

"We haven't yet seen the formal read out, but we understand the conversation took place and the Business Secretary has agreed that, in order to get the Australia FTA over the line, DIT can drop both of the climate asks (ie on precedence of Multilateral Environmental Agreements over FTA provisions and a reference to Paris Agreement temperature goals.)"

The change makes the deal weaker than the Brexit agreement with the EU and other FTAs negotiated by the UK. The Paris deal requires countries to set goals in order to limit global warming to well below 2C, preferably to 1.5C.

Australias prime minister Scott Morrison has refused to commit to taking his country to net zero by 2050, even after the UNs most recent code red warning. Instead, Australias government is holding to an existing pledge of cutting carbon emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. Australia is the second-largest exporter of coal in the world and has a high per capita carbon footprint, according to European Commission data. Of 176 new coal projects across the world, 79 of them are in Australia, according to Fitch.

Caroline Lucas, member of the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission and a Green Party MP said: "Weeks before the UK is due to host an international summit to secure climate action, this revelation paints a bleak picture of both the government's priorities and their abysmal negotiating power post-Brexit.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA 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. 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"Only yesterday, the government showed they are willing to break any promise they make to the public and their readiness to compromise on the existential challenge of our time raises serious concerns on what else might be on the table in ongoing trade negotiations."

Jean Blaylock, a trade campaigner at the group Global Justice Now, said the episode was "typical of the governments approach to trade deals".

"Climate commitments will always come second to a free trade arrangement, regardless of the consequences for the planet," she said.

Even deals that contain specific climate commitments often sign us up to secretive corporate courts that allow big polluters to sue governments for taking climate action.

The kinds of trade deals that we are pursuing are completely incompatible with decarbonisation. Tweaking the text of trade deals is not enough. We need to fundamentally reshape our system of global trade to save us from climate catastrophe.

Ed Miliband, Labours shadow business secretary, said: the revelation underscores yet again that this greenwashing government cannot be trusted on climate.

With COP26 round the corner, the Government should be flexing every political muscle to ensure the summit is a success, he said.

Australia is one of the worlds biggest polluters and key to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. But rather than piling pressure on them, the Government has simply rolled over.

This government is pursuing trade deals at the expense of our farmers and now our climate targets. This is simply a massive betrayal of our country and our planet.

A Government spokesperson said: Our ambitious trade deal with Australia will include a substantive article on climate change which reaffirms both parties commitments to The Paris Agreement and achieving its goals, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Any suggestion the deal wont sign up to these vital commitments is completely untrue."

"The UKs climate change and environment policies are some of the most ambitious in the world, reflecting our commitment as the first major economy to pass new laws for net zero emissions by 2050."
There is usually a certain amount of speculation about a cabinet reshuffle at this time of year. With parliament about to return from recess there is often talk of the prime minister freshening up the top team for the new political season. But such gossip was promoted to front-page news by a half-sentence in an article by Tim Shipman, The Sunday Timess political editor: Two Downing Street sources have claimed that the prime ministers diary is then set to be cleared on Thursday for a possible reshuffle.

Two other things have added to the ferment. One was the publication of its monthly survey of Conservative Party members by the website Conservative Home. Its league table of net satisfaction ratings for cabinet ministers is keenly watched, not least by cabinet ministers and their staff. The surveys have proved to be quite accurate in predicting how party members will vote in leadership elections, and the findings are so volatile they are almost guaranteed to attract attention.

In the previous months poll, the shock was the collapse in the prime ministers rating; in the latest one, it is Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, who is in the stocks. His rating has gone from plus 73 to plus 6, only just in positive territory, after the embarrassment of being on holiday as Kabul fell. He is now ahead of only Robert Jenrick (housing secretary), Amanda Milling (party chair) and Gavin Williamson (education secretary).
The Met Gala is the fashion industrys Super Bowl, with everyone who is anyone donning their finest attire on that iconic red carpet.

The annual celebration marks the opening of New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Arts annual fashion exhibition, which in the past has celebrated everything from the impact of Chinese culture on Western style to the inimitable aesthetic of Comme des Garcons Rei Kawakubo.

This year's event was supposed to take place on Monday 4 May, as it is traditionally held every year on the first Monday of May.

However, it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, while last years event was cancelled altogether. Now the Met Gala will be taking place on Monday 13 September.

The Met Gala is a sartorial showdown like no other, with the likes of Kate Moss, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Sarah Jessica Parker and Sienna Miller donning some of their most famous  and infamous  looks to mark the momentous occasion.

The celebrations began in 1948, when it was then called the Costume Institute Gala.

Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Show all 26 1 /26 Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Diana Vreeland, 1981 The legendary former Vogue editor attends the Met Gala in a black polka dot gown. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Bianca Jagger, 1993 Celebrating the 'Diana Vreeland: Immoderate Style' exhibition. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Naomi Campbell, 1995 The model attended with Francesco Scavullo to celebrate the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's 'Teatre de la Mode' exhibition. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Iman, 2003 The Somali-American model attended with husband David Bowie. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Nicole Kidman, 2003 The Australian actress wore Gucci to the Gala, which she attended with actor Adrien Brody. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Anna Wintour, 2003 The American Vogue editor arrived for the celebrations with Tom Ford. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Scarlett Johansson, 2004 The actress wore Calvin Klein. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Sarah Jessica Parker, 2006 The Sex and the City star attended with Alexander McQueen, wearing one of his iconic heritage check designs. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Elizabeth Hurley, 2006 The British actress wore Elie Saab couture. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Kate Bosworth, 2007 The actress wore Prada. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Cameron Diaz, 2007 The actress wore Dior by John Galliano. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Victoria Beckham, 2008 The fashion designer opted for a vintage Giorgio Armani gown while David Beckham wore an Armani tuxedo. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Kate Hudson, 2009 The Hollywood actress wore Stella McCartney. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Kate Moss, 2009 The British icon attended with Marc Jacobs, donning one of his metallic designs. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Alexa Chung, 2010 The TV presenter and model wore an androgynous suit by Philip Lim. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Taylor Swift, 2010 The singer donned a sequinned white gown by Badgley Mischka. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Sienna Miller, 2010 The British actress attended with boyfriend at the time, Jude Law, wearing a navy Pucci gown. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Diane Kruger, 2010 The actress wore Calvin Klein. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Kendall Jenner, 2014 The reality TV star made her Met Gala debut in a bespoke Topshop gown. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Cara Delevingne, Rihanna, Stella McCartney, Kate Bosworth and Reese Witherspoon, 2014 The five beauties all wore gowns by Stella McCartney. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Miley Cyrus and Zoe Kravitz, 2015 For the opening of the China: Through the Looking Glass exhibition, which was the subject of the documentary The First Monday in May, the two US starlets both donned gowns by Alexander Wang. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Beyonce, 2015 The singer sparkled in a sheer Givenchy gown. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Kim Kardashian West, 2015 Arriving with husband Kanye, the reality TV star wore a gown by Roberto Cavalli. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Lady Gaga, 2015 The 'Joanne' singer wore Balenciaga. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Gigi Hadid The model wore a gown designed by Tommy Hilfiger. Rex Features Best Met Gala Dresses Of All Time Rihanna, 2017 The singer wore Comme des Garcons. Rex Features

Weve rounded up some of the best Met Gala dresses of all time, which could arguably be an exhibition in and of itself.
If youre feeling a bit miserable at the end of summer, dont fret too much because September is full of fashion flair.

Fashion month kicks off in New York (NYFW) on 8 September, with sartorial extravaganzas following in London (LFW), Milan (MFW) and Paris (PFW).

As the world tentatively opens up and the industry gets its groove back, these events are looking increasingly like they did pre-pandemic.

Dont want to miss a fashionable moment as designers show their spring/summer collections? Here are some highlights to watch out for in the month ahead

New York

Whens it happening? 8-12 September.

What can we expect? The schedule certainly feels a lot more robust than the last two fashion weeks in New York  big names such as Michael Kors, Tom Ford, Brandon Maxwell, Oscar de la Renta and Jason Wu will return to put on a show.

It should be an exciting season  Thom Browne will be returning to New York after settling in Paris for a few seasons, and his shows are known for being theatrical and buzzworthy. However, the 91 designer-strong schedule still has a few glaring omissions: namely Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs  three names who epitomise the NYC fashion scene.

NYFW will serve as a build-up to this years rescheduled Met Gala, set to be held on 13 September. The theme is In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion, so all eyes will be on the homegrown fashion talent in the days preceding it.

London

Whens it happening? 17-21 September.

What can we expect? This season, LFW is continuing with a hybrid schedule of physical and digital shows with over 100 designers participating. Highlights to look out for include Halpern, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Molly Goddard, Emilia Wickstead and Simone Rocha.

No sign of Burberry on the schedule, as the heritage brand is increasingly holding its shows outside of the parameters of LFW.

Milan

Whens it happening? 21-27 September.

What can we expect? The Milan schedule looks as robust as ever, with most of the big names present  including Fendi, Armani, Prada and Versace. Dolce & Gabbana just put on a lavish show in Venice during the last weekend of August, and yet the design-duo will be back for more, showing their SS22 collection in Milan later this month.

Proving just how keen MFW is to get back to business as usual, the majority of the presentations will be in person. Our top tip for the week? Watch out for Roberto Cavalli  the sexy Italian brand will be making its Milan comeback.

The schedule isnt entirely intact. Gucci is missing  much like Burberry, its increasingly showing outside of the constraints of fashion week.

Paris

Whens it happening? 27 September to 5 October.

What can we expect? Paris Fashion Week tends to round off the month with a bang, and this season will be no different. The schedule is made up of 92 brands  including heavy hitters such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy.

After a few seasons away, Balenciaga, Valentino and Rick Owens will be returning to Paris, and the fashion label AZ Factory will put on a tribute show for legendary Israeli designer (and creative director of Lanvin) Alber Elbaz, who passed away earlier this year. The biggest miss from the schedule is Celine  but luckily there are plenty of other blockbuster shows to make up for it.

Rita Ora is set to bring the party to Paris: shell be performing at the Eiffel Tower on 30 September to celebrate PFW, wearing custom looks from big name brands such as Miu Miu and Lanvin.
Bitcoins dramatic price crash this week came at a bad time for people in El Salvador, where each citizen was newly minted with $30 worth of the cryptocurrency as part of its roll out as legal tender in the country.

The severity of the price swing on 7 September  named Bitcoin Day by crypto fans  meant the government-issued funds were only worth $25 by the end of the day.

But for seasoned cryptocurrency investors and analysts, the latest dip is relatively minor by bitcoins notoriously volatile standards  and could even serve as a buying opportunity for those who have felt priced out of the market during the recent bull run.

Volatility is just part and parcel of investing in crypto, a 10 per cent movement over the course of an hour isnt too out of the ordinary, Antony Portno, founder of Traders of Crypto, told The Independent. This isnt a time to get bogged down with the negativity, we have just seen an incredible moment of history with the adoption of bitcoin in El Salvador.

Follow all the latest crypto market updates with The Independents live blog

Nick Spanos, an early adopter and well-known figure within the cryptocurrency space, who is currently in the country, described the crash as a false dip that has been overhyped.

Big finance and the media say its because there was a bumpy rollout in El Salvador, he said. Im in El Salvador right now and things are looking spectacular. Even Steve Jobs had hiccups in releasing brave new products. So here we have a president who is breaking new ground, like a top CEO, rolling out innovation. He believes in it: he bought the dip, as everyone should be.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele brushed off protests amid Tuesdays crash by referring to it as a discount that allowed the country to buy 150 more bitcoins, taking its total stockpile now to 550. We saved a million in printed paper, he claimed.

After briefly falling below $44,000, the price of bitcoin stabilised on Wednesday above $46,000  still up by more than 4-times from this time last year.

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A massive increase in institutional investment into the cryptocurrency, together with a growing movement in parts of the world to make it a mainstream form of payment, has helped bolster its market cap and fuelled further interest into bitcoin.

Beyond the headlines, there is now pressure on competing nations to acquire bitcoin  even if only as a reserve asset  as its design massively incentivizes early adoption, former NSA analyst and whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted following the crash. Latecomers may regret hesitating.

Market analysts remain divided over whether bitcoin is currently in a bear market heading towards $10,000, or on the second leg of a bull run towards new all-time highs in 2021. Mr Spanos remains hopeful it will rebound quickly after the market settles following El Salvadors adoption.

Bitcoins price could even be back by next week, he said. I still expect bitcoin to breach $100,000 by the end of the year, while Ethereum (ether) is on course to hit $10,000 by then. Buying more altcoins and bitcoin right now, now that theres essentially a fire sale as a result of the dip, will almost certainly prove to be a great move.

One of the most positive projections for bitcoins future comes from Michael Saylor, whose software company MicroStrategy owns more than 100,000 bitcoins. Mr Saylor has previously predicted that bitcoin will continue to rise in price over the long term and has the potential to rise in value by more than 100-times from its current $46,000 valuation.

This week he revealed he personally bought $30 worth of the cryptocurrency in support of El Savadors Bitcoin Law coming into effect.

If you arent willing to own bitcoin for 10 years, dont even think about owning it for 10 minutes, he tweeted.
Prince Harry is the most unpopular member of the royal family after Prince Andrew, a new poll has shown.

A new YouGov survey found that positive opinions of Prince Harry have fallen by nine per cent in a few months, going from 43 per cent in April to 34 per cent in August.

The publics opinion of Meghan Markle has also declined, from 31 per cent of people saying they think positively of the duchess in March, to 29 per cent in April and 26 per cent now.

The poll, which was conducted between 27 and 29 August, surveyed 1,667 adults from a range of political backgrounds and age groups.

Prince Andrew remains the least popular, with only six per cent of the public stating that they have a positive opinion of the royal.

YouGov said Harry and Meghans ratings have continued to slip since their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March this year, as well as poor responses to their statements surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic and the [US] withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On 17 August Harry and Meghan released a statement on their Archwell Foundation website telling fans they were left speechless by the situation in Afghanistan, the Haiti earthquake that took place on 14 August and the pandemic.

The world is exceptionally fragile right now, their statement began.

When any person or community suffers, a piece of each of us does so with them, whether we realize it or not, the couple said, urging the public to support humanitarian organisations.

As an international community, it is the decisions we make now  to alleviate suffering among those we know and those we may never meet  that will prove our humanity.

The couple faced backlash from critics shortly after releasing the statement.

Radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer wrote in a tweet: Thank god speechless Harry and Meghan have spoken on the terrible state of the world, so now we all know what we are supposed to feel, say and do.

Meanwhile, royal biographer Angela Levin accused the couple of trying to set up some sort of alternate woke royal family.

Like most of their compassionate gestures there is no indication about what they themselves will do and whether any donations will be going through Archwell Foundation, she told Daily Mail.

Despite their overall drop in popularity, Harry and Meghan remain the most popular royals among young people.

Among those aged between 18 and 24, 47 per cent have a positive view of Harry, whilst 50 per cent think positively of Meghan.

In contrast, only 13-18 per cent of people over the age of 65 hold the couple in a positive light.

The Independent has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
On Tuesday, ex-model Carre Sutton, 52, testified against former Elite Model Management boss Gerald Marie, alleging that the 71-year-old sexually assaulted her when she was 17 years old.

Sutton is just one of the women who has accused Marie of sexual misconduct, with six women flying to Paris earlier this week to testify against him as the police investigate a series of allegations dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.

All of the public allegations thus far have exceeded the statute of limitations, and therefore the testimonies are being conducted primarily in a bid to raise awareness.

Marie, who was once the most powerful man in the fashion industry and was previously married to Linda Evangelista, has always denied the allegations against him.

Sutton, who filed a lawsuit against Marie in New York City last month, has accused Marie of having repeatedly raped her when she was a teenager and giving her access to illegal drugs on the premise that it would allow her to lose weight to become a more successful model.

I knew I had to endure the abuse in order to continue working, Marie told a press conference in Paris on Tuesday, WWD reports. That was made very clear to me.

Sutton, who was one of the faces of Calvin Klein in the 1990s, also accused Marie of having trafficked her to other wealthy men around Europe.

As a child, its really what you do to survive and try to normalize or compartmentalize is classic trauma response, she said.

I move throughout my career really trying to put something to the side that was horrific and traumatic to me.

Sutton went on to say that abuse is normalised in the fashion industry because of the perceived privilege of being paid for winning a genetic lottery.

She continued: Many see that as the price of fame and even as fair trade.

The industry that enabled my abuse and let men pay for access to women is still the same industry today.

Since Tuesday, several other high-profile models have spoken out in support of Sutton.

Enough is enough  I stand with Carre, said Carla Bruni.

No industry is immune from sexual abuse. There is so much work to do in France and around the world to ensure that women are protected from sexual violence on the job.

Helena Christensen added that she stood with these brave women all the way, reports The New York Times.

Sara Ziff, the Model Alliance founder and executive director, told the publication that claims such as Suttons are far from isolated.

I know similar abuse still takes place in the sector today because we hear from current models via our help line, she said.

This is about the fashion industry, but it could also have wider implications for how we think about womens work. If we cant win protections against child sex trafficking for some of the most privileged and visible women in the world, then more broadly where does that leave us?

Celine Bekerman, Maries lawyer, told The Daily Mail that he refutes with dismay these false and defamatory allegations but would be withholding his eventual statements until speaking to the competent authorities.
Afghan families who have arrived in the UK in recent weeks are being left without access to essentials such as toothpaste, sanitary towels. nappies and medicines while in temporary hotels, a major refugee charity has warned.

The governments claim that Afghan refugees are receiving a warm welcome in Britain has been put into question following warnings from the Refugee Council that many have not had their basic needs met or been given information about their future in the UK.

Local councillors and MPs have criticised a lack of coordination and information from central government, which they said had left them struggling to support the thousands of newly arrived Afghans currently being held in hotels.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said it was staggering that Afghans who served with the British military were being left without access to basic necessities after arriving in the UK.

The governments operation warm welcome is not being very welcoming. Yet again, there is a failure of government planning. Ministers must urgently work with local authorities to ensure there is suitable accommodation and access to essentials, he said.

Around 8,000 Afghans, more than half of them children, have been relocated to the UK in recent weeks as part of the evacuation programme for those who worked with the British military and government.

All arrivals have been required to complete a 10-day quarantine in hotels before they are moved into longer-term housing.

But the Home Office said last week that it had so far secured permanent housing for only 2,000 of these people.

The remaining 6,000 are instead being housed in temporary accommodation, known as holding hotels, for an indefinite period.

The Refugee Council, which is working with newly arrived Afghans in Yorkshire and the Humber, said that along with not having access to essentials, many of those in hotels have no access to cash, with some families being without it for up to two weeks and having to try to take essential items from shops without having money to pay for them.

The governments Operation warm welcome is not being very welcoming, said the shadow home secretary (Getty)

New arrivals also have no support to maintain contact with family members, including children, in Afghanistan, and little or no resources for children such as toys, and limited access to outside play space, according to the charity.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the charity, said it was alarming that traumatised families and children had been left without basics and with little information about what is happening to them.

It is vital that interim accommodation is safe and appropriate, to help them recover and rebuild their lives. The best place for these families is in family homes, embedded in communities, and this outcome must be achieved as soon as possible, he added.

Some councils and public health agencies were not informed by the government that Afghan families had been placed in their area and have not put support in place for them, the Refugee Council said.

Peter Barnett, lead officer of refugee resettlement at Coventry Council, told The Independent the council had had properties ready for around 30 Afghan refugees for the last two weeks, but that no families had been moved in yet - which he described as crass.

Meanwhile, the Home Office has moved 66 Afghans into a hotel in Coventry to quarantine  but failed to inform the local council, he said.

Its absolutely ridiculous. I only found out about it when I heard they didnt have essential items. The hotel staff are calling on local charities to donate stuff  nappies, formula, toothpaste, personal items like that. This is all supposed to be covered, he added.

Labours John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, said a number of hotels in his constituency, near Heathrow, were being used to temporarily house Afghan refugees  but that he and the local authorities were receiving a lack of information.

We want to support them all we can, but were getting no information from central government about what support the families have got, and there are concerns being expressed about certain basics, he told The Independent.

Im deeply worried. These people have gone through enough. They need a bit of security about what their futures are. We want to make sure theyre not trapped within these hotels month after month.

Cllr Nick Forbes, chair of the Local Government Associations asylum, refugee and migration task force, said councils had raised concerns about the use of hotels and stressed the need for better coordination if they have to be used.

He also said councils urgently need key details of the new Afghan resettlement scheme, which has pledged to resettle 5,000 in its first year but has not yet started.

A Home Office spokesperson said it was working urgently to ensure that Afghans evacuated to the UK received the support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education, and integrate into their local communities.

They added: Due to the unprecedented demand, we have had to use temporary accommodation such as hotels. While in hotels all families are given full board meals and any essential basic items they need. We will be issuing cash cards to all those staying in temporary hotel accommodation and are ensuring emergency cash is available to those who need it in the interim.

So far over 100 councils have agreed to house Afghans and we are working with them to provide long term housing and support. We have already committed 200m to meet the cost of the first year of the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

The Independent has launched a petition urging the UK government to be more ambitious in its plans to take in Afghan refugees following the Taliban seizing power and withdrawal of western troops. Afghans are now facing a similar plight. You, our readers, have already shown your strength of feeling in letters and on social media. Heres a chance to have your voice heard by adding your signature. We thank you for your support. To sign the petition click here
The owner of Geronimo has accused the government of hiding the truth over the killing of the animal and said no compassion was shown to her pet.

The alpaca - who twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis - was euthanised on 31 August after police officers and Defra officials attended Helen Macdonalds farm near Wickwar, South Gloucestershire.

The animal was killed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha), Defra confirmed, but Ms Macdonald claims she has received scant information about where and how Geronimo died.

She also claims that she has been denied an independent post-mortem examination.

I am still in shock at the needless and horrific torture of Geronimo by Apha officials, Ms Macdonald said.

Their vets chose to treat him in an unnecessarily brutal way by not using an alpaca head collar, as the world saw.

They dragged and suffocated him before tying him up using a short rope in the horse box, leaving him alone and terrified.

There was absolutely no compassion or duty of care shown. This has been my experience for four years.

The bullying and heavy handed tactics of Defra has astounded me.

Ms Macdonald was campaigning for the destruction to be halted after insisting the bovine tuberculosis tests previously carried out returned false positives.

She had wanted him to be tested for a third time or allowed to live to aid research into the disease.

Instead, they chose to threaten and abuse me for asking a fair question. When they could not enforce their will on me, they turned it on Geronimo in the cruellest way possible, she said.

They absolutely refused to consider positive solutions that were consistently presented to them. Is this what our government stands for?

The government are still refusing to be honest and transparent, denying me the right to know when, where and how Geronimo died and refusing to allow an independent post-mortem examination.

We live in a democracy where information should be freely available, and the government should be willing to listen to other points of view and recommendations.

They are using their considerable powers to hide the truth.

A protest outside Defra HQ in central London is planned for Wednesday.

Defras 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 country.

Not only is this essential to protect the livelihoods of our farming industry and rural communities, but it is also necessary to avoid more TB cases in humans.

Additional reporting by PA
Geronimo the alpaca did not have bovine tuberculosis, the preliminary findings of the post-mortem examination on him show, according to his owner.

Helen Macdonald repeated her calls for environment secretary George Eustice to quit, to chants from supporters of murderer at a demonstration outside his offices.

She has accused government officials of hiding from her how the animal was killed and how they tortured him on his final journey.

But the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) disputes Ms Macdonalds reading of the results, insisting the post-mortem examination showed lesions, which will be tested in the coming months.

The alpaca tested negative for bovine TB before being imported in 2017 from New Zealand. He showed no symptoms since then, but Defra insisted subsequent tests on him had proved positive so he should be culled.

Officials, supported by police, finally led him to his death from his Gloucestershire farm last week, after a prolonged battle by Ms Macdonald and her veterinary adviser to prove the tests were flawed.

At the protest, campaigner Dominic Dyer branded Geronimos capture as one of the most brutal incidents of animal crime in this country I have ever seen, to cheers from supporters and chants of shame on Defra.

Ms Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, has requested the full post-mortem results, after her own expert was refused permission to attend.

She accused officials of threatening and intimidating her, and wheeling out experts who knew nothing about camelids.

There is a long list of people who contributed to the barbaric treatment of Geronimo, Ms Macdonald told the crowd. She claimed they were punishing her for daring to stand up to their dogma, refusing to tell her how her alpaca died.

Geronimo was the innocent victim of arrogance, ignorance and greed, she said.

At least nine camelids had died through multiple priming of an unvalidated test, she claimed.

Vet Iain McGill outlined how officials had stressed Geronimo in order to capture him, and had failed to take a proper head harness or to dart him.

The government says it would not have been safe to use a dart given numbers of protesters at the farm.

The animal was primed with tuberculin, which had boosted antibodies, which in turn had caused a false positive with the Enferplex blood test, Dr McGill said, insisting they had asked to talk to officials but had been rejected.

Geronimo showed no signs of disease, Ms Macdonald said (Getty Images)

Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: A number of TB-like lesions were found, and in line with standard practice, these are now undergoing further investigation.

These tests include the developing of bacteriological cultures from tissue samples, which usually takes several months. We would expect to complete the full post-mortem and culture process by the end of the year.

Defra, which denied Ms Macdonald a third test while Geronimo was alive, said she was welcome to get a second opinion on the post-mortem report and government scientists were willing to any answer questions. Ms Middlemiss had made attempts to contact the owner, the department added.

Defra says microscopic lesions of TB can take a very long time to progress to larger, visible lesions, if at all.

Dr McGill, who used to work for Defras predecessor, the Ministry of Agriculture, said the preliminary post-mortem results showed no visible lesions, and no white or cream enlarged abscesses of the sort seen in TB in alpacas.

Government scientists could do a Ziehl-Neelsen stain test under a microscope, which would show any TB bacteria as large pink rods, he told The Independent, and they could also amplify the DNA to carry out a PCR test.

He issued a challenge to Defra chiefs to debate the science with him on live television.
The Mayor of London has launched a new fund to support the resettlement of Afghan refugees in London, following a flood of donations from people across the city.

Sadiq Khan announced the London Refugee Response  which will enable more people and organisations to donate funds in a cohesive manner to help refugees build a new life in the capital  at the Lewisham Donation Hub on Tuesday morning.

Mr Khan said: Im immensely proud that our city has once again demonstrated that we are welcoming and open to all. The response from Londoners has been incredible and Id like to thank everyone who has offered donations to help Afghan refugees and all the volunteers who are giving their time to help.

Im also deeply humbled by the courage and resilience of all those who have arrived in our city in the most difficult of circumstances.

Our charities, voluntary organisations and councils are doing all they can to help them settle into our city and showing that we will always provide refuge to those seeking sanctuary, and Im delighted to today launch the new London Refugee Response to help even more Londoners donate.

Laurence Smith, of the Lewisham Donation Hub, said that his organisation had already received extraordinary support from the community, and spoke of the members of the volunteer team that were Afghan refugees themselves.

Seeing this crisis enveloping their country gave us a fierce determination to do whatever we could to welcome their compatriots to ours, he said.

Thanks to the community donations, the hub has been able to support more than 14 quarantine hotels and around 6,000 Afghan refugees in London with immediate and often very specific aid, including clothing, electronics and medical supplies.

But Mr Smith added that financial support was always needed. Our immediate needs are ever changing  but one absolute constant is a need for financial donations.

The organisation was established in 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the aim of providing those facing hardship in the community with clothing, food, and medicine. In addition to continuing this work, it has also a champion for supporting Afghan refugees in London.

The Lewisham Donation Hub is among several charities and voluntary organisations that will benefit from the new fund, which will be managed by the London Community Foundation in collaboration with City Hall.

Money distributed from the fund will help provide mental health support, language support, advice around employment and legal advice as refugees settle into London.

In a further show of solidarity, a messaging campaign has been launched by the Mayor of London and Transport For London, to welcome refugees to the city. Screens across Piccadilly Circus and the Tube network will feature the message London welcomes refugees  it will also be featured in Pashto and Dari, Afghanistans official languages.
A primary school in Devon was evacuated following a lightning strike on Wednesday morning.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service was called to Mount Street Primary School in Plymouth at 9.57am to conduct a safety inspection.

The fire service confirmed that lightning did hit the side of the building, tripping the alarm, but added that no fire resulted from the strike, and there were no injuries.

An eyewitness told PlymouthLive that pupils and teachers were evacuated from the school and took cover in the greenhouse, before re-entering the school when the fire service had deemed that it was safe to do so.

The school informed all parents that their children were safe, but requested them to be collected as their clothing had become very wet from the heavy rain.

The Mount Street Primary School and Nursery posted a message on Facebook, informing parents of the evacuation, and of a disruption to phone and internet services, also caused by the storm.

The school said: The fire brigade attended the site and all safety checks are clear.

All children are safe, however they are wet, the school said. Please can you arrange collection from the school as soon as possible.

It added that children could return to school at 1.30pm on Wednesday, or alternatively, on Thursday morning.

A spokeswoman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue service said that crews had been sent to the scene where lightning had hit the building of the school and tripped the alarm.

There was no fire at the scene, she added.

Much of southwestern England and southern Wales remain under a Met Office yellow thunderstorm warning, cautioning that homes and businesses could experience flooding or disruption due to lightning strikes.

The warning said that some areas could see up to 50mm of rain fall within three hours on Wednesday afternoon, with risks of lighting throughout the day.

Thunderstorm warnings are also in place across the same region, as well as Northern Ireland, Scotland, and much of northern England for Thursday.

The seaside town of Salcombe was also particularly hard hit in the storm, experiencing flash flooding along the main shopping street.

Pc Emma Buley, of Devon and Cornwall Police shared a video of the flooding in Salcombe on Twitter.

Flash floods in Salcombe this morning has affected dozens of businesses. Please be careful driving if you get caught in the rain today, she said.
An estate agent has won a payout of more than 180,000 after her boss refused to let her leave early to pick her daughter up from nursery.

Alice Thompson wanted to work four days a week and finish at 5pm rather than six oclock when her childcare finished.

However, company director Paul Sellar rejected her request claiming the business couldnt afford for her to go part time and she resigned.

Mrs Thompson took London-based agency Manors to an employment tribunal claiming sex discrimination in a bid to ensure her daughter does not have the same experience when she is older.

Now she has been awarded 184,961.32 as compensation after a panel found that making her work until 6pm, when nurseries ordinarily close, placed her at a disadvantage.

The hearing was told Mrs Thompson began working for Manors, a small firm based in Marylebone, which mainly sold to customers overseas, in October 2016 initially earning 120,000 a year.

The sales manager, of Weybridge, Surrey, was successful in building sales income and was well thought-of, the hearing was told.

But her relationship with Mr Sellar began to deteriorate when she told him she was pregnant in spring 2018.

The panel heard the firm celebrated the news in June that year with Mr Sellar taking the team to a private members club.

But at this party, Mrs Thompson accused Mr Sellar of saying to a colleague: I thought, for fucks sake, why is she pregnant when we are doing so well? I was warned about employing a married woman of her age.

But he denied this as well as a later conversation where Mrs Thompson confronted him.

She also claimed that in August, when the staff were taken on a trip to New York she felt excluded as the others had gone drinking on a boat trip whereas she went shopping and back to hotel instead.

The tribunal heard relations between Mrs Thompson and Mr Sellar had been fine until the trip with the director feeling as though her reaction was ungrateful when she complained of feeling isolated as the trip had cost him 25,000.

In October, Mrs Thompson confirmed the details of her maternity pay and attached an Excel sheet with 11 deals she expected commission on.

But Mr Sellar decided she would only receive commission on deals registered in the sales spreadsheet up to her last day and those completed after she returned to work.

When she went on maternity leave, Mrs Thompson was made to feel like a leaver, the panel heard, as she was told to return her mobile phone and office keys by Mr Sellar.

Later that month, Mrs Thompson came into the office to clear the air with Mr Sellar but he told her she was emotional because she was pregnant, the panel heard.

The tribunal was told her contract meant she had to work from 9am until 6pm. It also provided for statutory sick pay but had no details on maternity leave.

In the past, two female administrative staff members had gone on maternity leave and had returned to part-time hours, the panel was told.

While on maternity after giving birth in November 2018, Mrs Thompson explored a flexible working arrangement of a four day week and shorter hours so she could collect her daughter from nursery as it closed at 6pm.

But Mr Sellar denied this for multiple reasons including additional costs, the detrimental effect on the ability to meet customer demand and the inability to reorganise work among existing staff.

She later launched a grievance that included the denial of her request to work flexibly and finally quit in December 2019. The tribunal heard she has struggled to find another job since.

The panel heard Mrs Thompson was devastated at losing the relations she had formed with clients and also her building up of the team.

Mrs Thompson then sued the firm for pregnancy and maternity discrimination, harassment, unfair dismissal and indirect sex discrimination.

The panel, headed by Employment Judge Sarah Jane Goodman, agreed that she had been discriminated against by Mr Sellars denying her flexible working request.

Mrs Thompsons turmoil will have been worse because she had to start from scratch finding a job at all.

Her lack of success will have led a to a sense of failure. She said... that she was bringing the claim so that her daughter did not have the same experience.

The nursery closing at 6pm aligns with standard office hours, and a requirement to work until 6pm each day did place her at a disadvantage, as she would not be able to get there in time.

As for four day working, we do not know if that was wanted because of the long commute (up to 2 hours per day) or the cost of nursery care, but all told we accept that the requirement did put her at a disadvantage.

However, the tribunal rejected her other claims. Of Mr Sellars alleged remark, the panel said: It is plausible that this was said as an unguarded remark after an evening of eating and drinking.

It was not said to (her) face and possibly not in her hearing. In our finding, it was not harassment. If not said to her face, that was not its purpose; as an isolated remark, it lacked the strength to be intimidating or hostile.

Mrs Thompson will be awarded 184,961.32 for a loss of earnings, pension contributions, injury to feelings and interest.
The UK secretly dropped pledges to bind Australia to climate targets in its efforts to strike a trade deal, according to a leaked email obtained by Greenpeace. The revelation has engulfed Boris Johnson in a major row ahead of the Cop26 summit.

Campaigners and politicians reacted with fury to the move  which included removing a reference to Paris Agreement temperature goals  arguing it made a mockery of the governments claims to be fighting the climate emergency.

Greenpeace said the concession rips the heart out of the landmark Paris aims, while Labour called it a massive betrayal of our country and our planet.

The revelation is a major embarrassment, coming just seven weeks before the crucial Glasgow summit and coinciding with cabinet minister Alok Sharma visiting countries around the world in an effort to persuade their leaders to agree to tougher carbon-cutting targets.

It also raises questions about Mr Johnsons claim to have agreed the trade deal in principle five months ago, showing that the two countries are still haggling over the terms.

The leaked email, sent by a senior official, suggested that three cabinet ministers had agreed to drop both of the climate asks to get the trade deal over the line.

One of the asks related to the Paris temperature goals  to limit global heating to well below 2C, and preferably to 1.5C  while the second would have prioritised environmental agreements over trade rules.

Yet, at the start of August, Mr Johnson wrote that the Australia trade deal would reaffirm commitments to multilateral environmental agreements, including the Paris Agreement.

In a letter that was sent to environmental groups last month, the prime minister said: We are clear more trade will not come at the expense of the environment.

It is believed that the Australia deal will still contain a reference to the Paris Agreement, but  unlike the Brexit trade deal with the EU  it will include no explicit commitment to limiting temperature levels.

The three ministers involved in the internal government discussions were Liz Truss, the trade secretary, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, and David Frost, the Brexit minister.

The Independent understands that Mr Sharma, the Cop26 president, has argued for specific climate goals to be included in any post-Brexit trade deals the UK strikes.

John Sauven, Greenpeaces executive director, accused the government of being absolutely duplicitous in the light of Mr Johnsons letter.

The UK government pledged to embed the environment at the very heart of trade, including supporting the Paris Agreement on climate and zero deforestation in supply chains, Mr Sauven said.

Signing an Australian trade deal with action on climate temperature commitments secretly removed is the polar opposite of everything Boris Johnson publicly pledged, and rips the heart out of what the agreement stands for.

Ed Miliband, Labours shadow business secretary, said: With Cop26 round the corner, the government should be flexing every political muscle to ensure the summit is a success.

Australia is one of the worlds biggest polluters, and key to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. But rather than piling pressure on them, the government has simply rolled over.

Jean Blaylock, of Global Justice Now, said: This is typical of the governments approach to trade deals. Climate commitments will always come second to a free trade arrangement, regardless of the consequences for the planet.

One trade expert, Sam Lowe, of the Centre for European Reform, said the UK could still insist on the climate goals, but added: However, this means negotiations would take longer and the UK might need to give up more in return.

In fact, the government  which is desperate to sign the trade deals it promised as a Brexit dividend  has already been accused of giving away too much to Canberra.

Tariffs will be scrapped immediately on imported beef and lamb from Australia, triggering accusations that UK farmers will be sent to the wall.

Experts have warned the overall economic boost from the deal will be close to zero  and the government admitted the average household would be just 1.20 a year better off.

A government spokesperson has denied that climate concessions were made in the trade deal, calling the claims completely untrue.

They said the deal would include a substantive article on climate change, which reaffirms both parties commitments to the Paris Agreement and achieving its goals, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

However, the leaked email, sent by a deputy director in the trade secretariat of the Cabinet Office, reads: As flagged in my note to Lord Frost, the business and trade secretaries were due to speak yesterday.

We havent yet seen the formal read-out, but we understand the conversation took place and the business secretary has agreed that, in order to get the Australia FTA over the line, DIT can drop both of the climate asks (ie on precedence of multilateral environmental agreements over FTA provisions and a reference to Paris Agreement temperature goals).
 Close Related video: Shamima Begum says Boris Johnson clearly doesnt know what hes doing

Speculation about a Cabinet reshuffle is mounting, with reports that the first firings will begin after PMQs on Wednesday and the full changes announced over the next two days.

Westminster has been anticipating that the prime minister will attempt a reshuffle for several weeks.

It comes as Labour will today challenge Conservative MPs to do the right thing and back a vote calling for the government to scrap its plans to cut universal credit.

Ministers have come under sustained pressure to reverse its decision to end the 20 uplift introduced to support families during the coronavirus pandemic.

During an opposition day debate on Wednesday, Labour will call on Tory MPs who oppose the welfare cut to vote with them in a non-binding motion.
Boris Johnsons manifesto-busting plans to hike national insurance to tackle the NHS backlog and social care reform have passed a crucial Commons vote.

After a potential rebellion from Tory backbenchers fizzled out, the prime ministers plans revealed just 24 hours ago, comfortably passed by 319 to 248 votes - a majority of 71.

A handful of Conservatives raised concerns over the tax hike during the debate  some even labelling the plans un-Conservative  but rather than voting against the government, abstained on the motion.

Unveiling the proposals on Tuesday, Mr Johnson told MPs a new health and social care levy would be created from April 2022  effectively a national insurance (NI) hike of 1.25 percentage points.

Attempting to shore up support for the proposals at the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs on Wednesday evening, Mr Johnson insisted the party remained one of low taxation, despite the huge tax increase.

Speaking at prime ministers questions earlier, Sir Keir Starmer made clear Labour MPs would be ordered to vote against the motion, as he described the measure as imposing unfair taxes on working people.

This is a government that underfunded the NHS for a decade, before the pandemic, then wasted billions of pounds of taxpayers money on dodgy contracts, vanity projects and giveaways to mates, he blasted.

Dominic Cummings, the prime ministers former chief aide at No 10, also posted on social media that young people already screwed over by a decade of hapless Tory government would now have to work harder to subside older, richer people.

In a separate vote, Labours amendment calling for chancellor Rishi Sunak to publish an impact assessment of the national insurance increase was rejected by 335 votes to 243  a majority of 92.

Labour had asked for Mr Sunak to detail before April 2022 how the tax hike would affect jobs and businesses, and also the distributional impact of the measures on different income groups and regions.
The French government has accused Priti Patel of breaching its trust over a promise to reimburse it for border policing operations in the English Channel.

In a strongly-worded statement the country's interior ministry hit out at the UK Home Secretary's threat to pull funding for channel patrols, describing the move as illegal and "dangerous".

The Home Secretary had previously promised France 54 million in July to patrol the Channel on behalf of the UK border force  but she has threatened to pull the funding if targets to turn more people back are not met.

Ms Patel is due to meet with her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin at a meeting of G7 ministers in London on Wednesday where the issue is likely to come to a head. France says her policy would be a break in the spirit of mutual trust while French MPs say they are doing all they can.

Around 13,500 people have crossed the Channel in small boats this year, including 1,000 in the past two days.

Though people are entitled to claim asylum on arriving the UK under international law, the British government has moved to criminalise people arriving by small boats in a bid to deter them from making the crossing.

But the UK's border force has struggled to stop people making the journey and has been leaning on French authorities to turn back boats before they enter UK territorial waters.

France claims it is stopping more than half of crossing but Ms Patel says the figure should be closer to three quarters  effectively putting France under pressure to take harsher action.

But now Ms Patel's threat to withdraw the funding has caused a new rift between the countries on the issue.

Pierre-Henri Dumont, a French parliamentarian who represents Calais in the National Assembly, warned that "nothing can stop" migrants coming.

"The fact is, we've got 300 to 400 kilometres of shore to monitor every day and every night and it's quite impossible to have police officers every 100 metres because of the length of the shore," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Dumont said there were "numerous causes" driving people to cross to the UK, including warmer weather making crossings earlier and the likelihood they would speak English.

"We have more and more patrols. The money that was promised to be given by the UK Government to France is set to maintain this number of patrols that we already doubled a few weeks ago," he said.

Responding to Ms Patels threat, the French interior ministry said in a statement: The funding granted by the British government within the framework of this co-operation (54 million) is a fair contribution to this effort, which relies mainly on French forces.

The terms of this funding were negotiated in detail with the British side and there was never any question of making payment conditional on quantified targets. Such an approach would reflect a serious loss of confidence in our co-operation.

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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. 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We also call on the British Government to be cautious about the announced use of procedures to fight against attempted sea crossings which would not only be dangerous for men, women and children on board these boats, but contrary to international law.

It would also introduce a break in the spirit of mutual trust that has so far underpinned our common action.

The row over the cash comes amid a backdrop of declining trust in the UK government on the continent.

A series of threats to breach international agreements on Brexit by Boris Johnson's administration have damaged the UK's reputation for fair dealing in Paris, Brussels, and other European capitals.
Boris Johnson has said Priti Patel is dealing with migrant crossings in the English Channel in the best possible way by making sure that they dont leave French shores.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the prime minister hinted he would use tough measures to address the issue, saying: As times goes on and this problem continues, we are going to have to make sure that we use every possible tactic at our disposal.

In what he described to MPs as a perennial problem, Mr Johnson said Ms Patel was dealing migrant crossings in the best possible way.

The home secretary is holding talks with her French counterpart on Wednesday afternoon about the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.

Ms Patel and the French interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, are both attending the meeting of G7 ministers in London.

Charities and campaigners have told The Independent that there needs to be an 180 degree turn in the governments approach to the migrant crossings. They called for officials to commit to safer routes to the UK for people who have family in Britain.

The appeal comes after 785 migrants crossed the Channel to seek refuge in the UK on Monday, and under 500 made the crossing on Tuesday.

Bridge Chapman, from Kent Refugee Action, said: Up until now [politicians] seem to have entrenched themselves into a position where they try to look as tough as possible.

What we hope would come out of the talks is a way of offering people that want to come to the UK better options. Boriss rhetoric is going in totally the wrong track.

Steve Valdez-Symonds, refugee and migrant rights director at Amnesty UK, was not hopeful that the home secretarys talks would bring the change they wanted. He said: I expect the home secretary will concentrate her energy on trying to persuade the French, possible with more money, to build ever greater fences and have even more patrols.

This will be of no use and will leave people in the same sorry situation that they are already in.

Unless the UK is prepared to take some responsibility and accept in those with family connections, and take in a good proportion of people in a safe way, the smugglers will carry on thriving and the human misery will continue.

Pierre-Henri Dumont, who represents Calais in the French National Assembly, warned on Wednesday morning that nothing can stop migrants coming.

He said: The fact is, weve got 300 to 400 kilometres of short to monitor every day and every night and its quite impossible to have police officers every 100 metres because of the length of the shore.

Speaking on Radio 4s Today programme, he added: The causes we need to address are numerous.

Mr Dumont said migrants were more likely to speak English and so were hoping to reach the UK where they could more easily find work.

He added: We have more and more patrols. They money that was promised to be given by the UK government to France is set to maintain this number of patrols that we already doubled a few weeks ago.

Bella Sankey, director of charity Detention Action, said: If Priti Patel wants to deal effectively with channel crossings and salvage her reputation, she would do well to discuss the creation of a humanitarian visa with her counterpart Gerald Darmanin.

This could stop dangerous boat crossings overnight and truly smash the business model of people smuggling gangs.

More than 12,600 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year.

The home secretarys priority must be to keep people safe, not keep people out, added Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action.

She needs to stop this never-ending roundabout of ludicrous get-tough-quick schemes that push refugees into making longer and riskier journeys.

Dan OMahoney, clandestine channel threat commander, said: This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe.

Were determined to target the criminals at every level, so far, we have secured nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 10,000 migrant attempts.
Labour is open to the idea of taxing wealth to help pay for social care, shadow cabinet minister Lisa Nandy has said.

Her comments came as the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called for an increase in capital gains tax to raise 17bn a year to fill the gap in funding for elderly care and introduce a 10 per hour minimum wage for care staff.

Boris Johnson is facing a revolt from his own MPs over his plan, expected to be unveiled in the coming week, to raise 10bn for the care system by putting an extra 1 per cent on National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid by workers earning as little as 9,500.

Ms Nandy told Sky Newss Trevor Phillips on Sunday that a NIC hike which would breach a Tory manifesto promise was a really difficult ask for low-paid workers like supermarket staff and delivery drivers, saying: We need to think much more creatively about this and make sure that we dont load an unsustainable burden onto people who cant bear it.

The shadow foreign secretary said the broad principle (that) those with the broader shoulders should take some of the burden espoused by the TUC was absolutely right.

And she made clear that this could involve a tax on assets, such as property, shares or savings.

Most people in this country  every family, including my own  is touched by the social care crisis. It is breaking families up and down this country, said Ms Nandy. And collectively, weve got to find a way to deal with it.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA 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

If that means that those who make their money out of something other than income  out of assets  pay a bit more, if it means that people pay a bit more on their income, if it means that we find some kind of compromise that is sustainable so that people who can pay a bit more do in various different ways, I think thats the right approach to take.

Meanwhile, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi did not deny that ministers were considering raising taxes in order to fund social care.

Asked if people should be paying more tax to get better social care, Mr Zahawi told BBC1s Andrew Marr Show only the government is committed to reforming the adult social care system.

He declined to confirm expectations that the proposals will be unveiled this week, saying only that they will come by the end of the year.

A report published by the TUC today argues that raising capital gains tax  charged at the rate of 20-28 per cent on profits from shares, business assets and second homes  is a fairer way to fund social care than hiking workers and businesses NICs.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said it was plain wrong that under current tax arrangements a low-paid social care worker can pay a larger share of their income to fund the social care system than a private equity magnate who profits from asset-stripping care homes to sell on.

Ms OGrady said: Our dedicated care workers have risked their lives to care for our loved ones during the pandemic. Now it is time we cared for them.

Every care worker in Britain should be paid a wage they can live on. And that means at least 10 per hour.

Any plan to fix social care funding must also fix pay for workers in the sector.

And working people shouldnt bear the burden of funding social care alone. The prime minister should be asking those who make a fortune from their property and assets to pay a fairer share of tax.
Lawyers for white supremacist mass murderer Dylann Roof have launched a fresh challenge against his death sentence on the grounds that his victims goodness and worth were unfairly portrayed at trial.

Roof was sentenced to death in 2017 for the murder of nine Black worshippers at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

The 27-year-old stated he hoped his murderous rampage would spark a race war, and is the first person ever sentenced to death for a federal hate crime.

Last month, a three-judge panel of the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld Roofs conviction and sentence, saying the legal record cannot even capture the full horror of what he did.

Now, Roof is trying to convince the full court to consider his appeal.

In filings on Wednesday, his legal team claimed that prosecutors focus on the victims good character meant the death sentence was improperly imposed.

The Panels decision conflicts with this precedent, opening the door to death sentences based on victims goodness and worth, the lawyers wrote.

Especially troubling, it sanctions reliance on victims religiosity as evidence of that heightened worth.

Roofs legal team is relying on a Supreme Court ruling that sympathy for victims can only be admitted in limited instances in capital cases.

In its ruling last month, the 4th Circuit panel rejected every one of his arguments.

His crimes qualify him for the harshest penalty that a just society can impose, the panel wrote.

It also affirmed a district judges finding that Roof was mentally fit to stand trial.

If the petition is not granted, his only remaining option would be to appeal before the US Supreme Court.

Roof was charged with 33 counts of hate crimes and nine counts of murder for the attack he perpetrated on 17 June 2015, when he walked into church and opened fire on the small gathering of 12  including a child, a preacher, a minister, eight women and one young man.

He killed nine of them as they prayed after the group had welcomed him to join them in the church basement  opening fire with a gun he purchased after lying about previous drug convictions.

The victims names were Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Sharonda Singleton; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; the Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr.; DePayne Doctor and State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, the church pastor.

Roof then fled the church and sparked an interstate manhunt before being apprehended the next day in North Carolina during a traffic stop.

Two of the survivors testified at his trial, with one calling him pure evil. Another member of the church called him a subhuman miscreant.
During the opening statement for the US government in the trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, a federal prosecutor said that she decided to lie because she was out of time and out of money.

Following last weeks jury selection, the trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes began on Wednesday with opening statements.

The government will attempt to prove to the jury that it was the intent of Ms Holmes to mislead investors, patients and doctors about what her supposedly ground-breaking blood-testing technology was capable of in order to get hold of their money.

Ms Holmes, 37, who has pleaded not guilty, founded her company in 2003 at the age of 19 after dropping out of Stanford. The goal of Theranos was to radically change how blood testing is done. She now faces up to 20 years in prison if she is found guilty of the charges  10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Federal prosecutor Robert Leach began his opening statement by saying that the evidence they plan to bring will show that Ms Holmes and her former business partner and ex-boyfriend Sunny Balwani, 56, performed a scheme to defraud investors and patients. Mr Balwani has also pleaded not guilty and has denied allegations of abuse from Ms Holmes. He is due to go on trial in January on charges related to Theranos.

This is a case about fraud, about lying and cheating to get money, Mr Leach said. He added that in 2009, Theranos was short on cash as it got less and less work, and the company could barely pay its employees.

Large pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, chose not to work with Theranos. Mr Leach said that as she was out of time and out of money, Elizabeth Holmes decided to lie.

The federal prosecutor said that Ms Holmes gave a false report to Safeway and Walgreens that made it appear as if Pfizer had endorsed Theranos blood analysers.

Holmes dazzled Walgreens and Safeway with these and other false claims, Mr Leach said.

Theranos was using blood testing machines made by other companies, the prosecutor said. They were machines that could be found in any other lab, he added.

Mr Leach said that in the summer of 2013, Ms Holmes told her staff to modify third-party machines so that her company could perform tests on small amounts of blood.

This was not the mini-lab she had promised, Mr Leach said, according to NPR. This was a way to deceive Walgreens and Safeway.

The Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of California also said that Ms Holmes gave investors a fake Pfizer report, appearing to use the companys letterhead.

As you will hear, Pfizer did not write this. Pfizer did not put its logo on this  It did not put its conclusions in this report. In fact, it gave the opposite conclusions, Mr Leach said.

As he finished up the governments opening statement, Mr Leach said: This is a case about fraud, about lying and cheating to get money.

Its a crime on main street, and its a crime in Silicon Valley, he added.

Lance Wade, a defence lawyer for Ms Holmes, told the court: Elizabeth Holmes did not go to work every day to lie, cheat and steal. The government would have you believe that her company, that her entire life, is a fraud. That is wrong. That is not true.

He added that she worked herself to the bone for 15 years trying to make lab testing cheaper and more accessible. She poured her heart and soul into that effort. In the end, Theranos failed and Ms Holmes walked away with nothing, but failure is not a crime.
 Close Related video: The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley - trailer

The trial of Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes continues on Tuesday as prosecutors representing the US government will attempt to prove to the jury that it was the intent of Ms Holmes to mislead investors, patients, and doctors about what her blood-testing technology was capable of in order to get ahold of their money.

During the opening statement for the US government, a federal prosecutor said that Ms Holmes decided to lie because she was out of time and out of money.

This is a case about fraud, about lying and cheating to get money, Prosecutor Robert Leach said. He added that in 2009, Theranos was short on cash as it got less and less work, and the company could barely pay its employees.

Lance Wade, a defence lawyer for Ms Holmes, told the court: Elizabeth Holmes did not go to work every day to lie, cheat and steal. The government would have you believe that her company, that her entire life, is a fraud. That is wrong. That is not true.

Ms Holmes, 37, who has pleaded not guilty, founded her company in 2003 at the age of 19 after dropping out of Stanford. The goal of Theranos was to radically change how blood testing is done. She now faces up to 20 years in prison if she is found guilty of the charges.

Court documents have revealed that the defence team may argue that another Theranos executive, Ramesh Sunny Balwani, 56, who is also Ms Holmes ex-boyfriend, emotionally, sexually, and physically abused Ms Holmes. That meant that he was in control, not her, the defence may argue. Mr Balwani, who served as the president and chief operating officer after joining Theranos in 2009, is facing his own trial early next year and has forcefully rejected the claims of abuse. He has also pleaded not guilty.

Theranos was at one point valued at $9bn as the company promised that their technology could test for diseases like cancer and diabetes by just taking a few drops of blood with a finger stick. Ms Holmes partnered up with retail giants such as Walgreens and Safeway and could be seen on the covers of magazines where she was described as the richest self-made woman.

But a 2015 Wall Street Journal investigation into the company was the beginning of the end for Theranos, which was dissolved in 2018. The trial of Ms Holmes, which has been delayed several times by the pandemic and her pregnancy, is expected to take around 13 weeks.
A 67-year-old man from Idaho who was accused of attacking police officers guarding the US Capitol Building during the 6 January riots has pleaded guilty on two charges.

Duke Wilson entered the guilty pleas in a federal court in Washington to criminal charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding police and to obstructing an official proceeding. Wilson was arrested on 15 April and later released on bail.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) affidavit for Wilson's arrest said he was caught on camera entering a Capitol tunnel as rioters pushed against "law enforcement officers in an attempt to gain entry into the building". The rioters allegedly sprayed irritating liquids at police officers while pushing on their shields, the affidavit stated.

The FBI added that when officers tried to close a set of double doors, Wilson stopped them and tried to pull the door open. The accused then "picked up a several foot long white cylindrical object, believed to be a thin polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe" which he lifted above his head and tossed at police. He is also accused of helping other rioters pull a shield away from the officers and pushing the police to the ground.

He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for obstruction of an official proceeding, and 8 years and a $250,000 fine for assaulting police officers. However, Wilson's attorney Charles Peterson said the accused could face a term of between 41 and 51 months in prison. District Judge Royce Lamberth has scheduled the sentencing hearing for 22 November.

Nearly 600 people have been arrested for participating in the riot, where supporters of former president Donald Trump stormed up Capitol Hill and clashed with police, as Congress convened a session to validate Joe Biden's presidential election victory. At least 5 people died and 100 police officers sustained injuries during or after the attack.

Last week, Jacob Chansley the so-called QAnon shaman who became the face of the riots with his horns and bearskin outfit, pleaded guilty to a felony for obstructing the official proceedings.

Additional reporting by agencies
A fistfight that broke out at a school board meeting in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, saw one man arrested in the aftermath of a vote to require masks in local schools.

Members of the Pleasant Hill Board of Education voted on Tuesday to mandate masks in schools, causing members of the audience to throw fists and hit one another following the vote, according to KMBC News.

The fighting apparently broke out in the parking lot, where an unidentified individual was handcuffed by a sheriffs deputy at the meeting. He could be seen in footage being escorted away.

Sheriffs deputies arrived to break up the fighting. It was not clear if the individuals involved were parents of local schoolchildren, who are experiencing rising infections from Covid.

KMBC News reported shouting and a tense debate during the meeting, where members of the public had been invited to speak both in favour and in opposition to introducing mask wearing into classrooms.

We need to go back to a mask mandate with the way that the virus is spreading and how its infecting and effecting children now, a Pleasant Hill parent, Christy Snow, told the network.

If a healthy child is healthy, they should be in school, another parent, Tiffany Dimas, added. They should be allowed the same education as anybody else.

According to KMBC News, there were more Covid cases among school children in Pleasant Hill in the first nine days of the school year, than for the first half of 2021. In addition, about 180 school staff and students are in isolation because of possible exposure to Covid.

It follows rising infection rates among school-age children in the US, amid the introduction of the infectious Delta variant. Many students are currently ineligible for a vaccine due to their age.

The issue of mask mandates, meanwhile, has caused fierce debates at school board meetings throughout the country, with one parent telling a school board in Florida that vaccines were a deep state conspiracy to depopulate the world.

In reality, masks reduce the spread of Covid, which is a respiratory virus.
A Pennsylvania Trump supporter who chartered buses to ferry 200 residents from his hometown to the January 6 US Capitol riots has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge.

Frank Scavo organised a convoy to travel from Old Forge to Washington DC for the riots, and was photographed inside the Capitol building, but later lied about unlawfully entering the building.

Frank Scavo organised four buses to travel from Pennsylvania to the US Capitol riots (Department of Justice)

We didnt see what was going on inside the Capitol, Scavo said in an interview with the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader , claiming his group had taken photos and left.

In fact, Scavo recorded himself on his cellphone saying here we go as he entered the Capitol with the mob.

After he had breached the east side of the building, he posed for a photo in front of a painting with a distinctive face mask on and recorded himself chanting, "God bless America!" and "Treason!", according to the Department of Justice .

During the eight minutes he was inside the building, he turned the camera on himself and said: This is top-secret s***.

Were in the Capitol. Stormed the f****** Capitol of the f****** United States at 58 years old. What the f*** is wrong with America?

On Wednesday, Scavo pleaded guilty to illegally demonstrating in the Capitol, expressing his regret to the judge.

He will be sentenced on November 22. As part of the plea deal, he will have to cooperate with law enforcements ongoing investigation into the riots.

According to an FBI statement in March, Scavo said he organised the rental of four buses to travel to Washington DC.

According to Scavo, as word got around, a large group of people in the Old Forge area also expressed interest in traveling to Washington. Scavo decided to charter buses due to the amount of people interested.

More than 600 people have been arrested for their part in the January 6 riots.
Online and hybrid classes at Howard University have been suspended until a suspected ransomware attack against the 154-year-old institution in Washington DC is investigated.

University officials became aware of an attack on Friday, when its IT team detected unusual activity, and switched off several online systems, as well as campus WiFi, for the Labor Day weekend.

It confirmed in an announcement that it had been the target of a ransomware cyberattack, and told students that classes at the university were cancelled on Tuesday. WiFi continued to be non-operational.

Online classes were also cancelled on Wednesday, the university said in a following update, and confirmed that it was investigating the cyber attack with the FBI. An alternative WiFi system was being set-up, it added.

Based on the investigation to date, we know that the service disruption was caused by a ransomware cyberattack against the university, the statement on Monday told students. We are currently working with leading external forensic experts and law enforcement to fully investigate the cause and impact.

The university said on Tuesday that there had been no evidence of personal information being accessed, and that our investigation remains ongoing.

Another update is expected on Wednesday afternoon, considering classes for Thursday. In an earlier announcement, officials told students that restoring WiFi and online classes was a long haul  not an overnight solution.

The Howard University campus remains closed to non-essential employees, and in-person classes were are able to resume on Wednesday, although some online learning material was inaccessible.

It follows warnings from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security of ransomware cyberattacks against educational institutions in July, as CNN reported.

Ransomware attacks against schools in July were averaging 853 a week, according to private researchers at Check Point Research, who reported a 29 per cent increase in attacks compared to the first half of 2021.

Similar incidents have seen institutions forced to pay a ransom fee, or see information stolen from systems leaked. It has become more common as schools and universities turn to remote online learning because of Covid.
A Chicago hospital has been targeted by QAnon conspiracy theorists insisting that a woman who is hospitalised with COVID-19 be treated with ivermectin, a medication primarily used to deworm horses.

Amita Resurrection Medical Center has faced a barrage of phone calls from supporters who have organised on the app Telegram, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Amita has also dealt with a small in-person protest by QAnon supporters, who continue to demand that the patient, Veronica Wolski, be treated for her COVID-19 infection with the unapproved medication, according to VICE .

Ivermectin has been lauded by vaccine-skeptics as a successful treatment for COVID-19. However, the FDA and CDC have both pleaded with the public not to take ivermectin for any coronavirus-related concerns. But some QAnon adherents believe that public health officials in the US are intentionally shielding valuable information about the success of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 from the American people.

This theory was only further fuelled on Tuesday when a claim that an Amita Medical Center doctor originally agreed to treat a patient with ivermectin, only to retract his agreement when the hospital disagreed, circulated on QAnon spaces on Telegram, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The hospital refuses to administer ivermectin due to public health experts who do not advise use in COVID-19 cases. This stance by the hospital was confirmed Tuesday by a spokeswoman.

These statements generated outrage among QAnon supporters, some of whom suggested smuggling in ivermectin to Ms Wolski, as reported by Block Club Chicago . QAnon supporters in favour of treating Ms Wolski with ivermectin include high-profile proponents like L Lin Wood, a former lawyer for Donald Trump who sought to advance the former presidents baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Mr Wood has claimed that he contacted the hospital by phone to implore them to treat Ms Wolski with ivermectin. He further stated that Amita had told him that ivermectin was not a part of the hospitals protocol and that they would not administer it.

Additionally, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that former US national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was pardoned by President Trump following his guilty plea for lying to the FBI, made a statement on Telegram that called for prayers for the Ms Wolski. He called the woman a friend and a patriot when posting to his 285,000 followers.

Mr Flynn and Mr Wood have both been banned from Twitter after the platform began cracking down on Trump allies following the 6 January Capitol riots. In response, they are now active on Telegram.

Their involvement in the protest against the Chicago-based hospital has amplified attention on the situation, increasing phone calls and in-person protests via Telegram, such as one that was carried out Monday.

Olga Solares, a spokesperson for Amita Resurrection Medical Center, told the Sun-Times that she is aware of the ongoing efforts to encourage ivermectin, but that the hospital stands by its decision to follow public health experts and to not use the drug.

In a brief statement that indirectly addressed the situation, Ms Solares said, At Amita Health, our first priority is the health and safety of our patients. Our physicians and clinicians follow the full guidance of the FDA and the CDC in the treatment of COVID-19.
Roughly one hour after workers tied straps around a 12-ton statue of Robert E Lee, a crowd gathered around the pedestal in Richmond, Virginia and cheered and sang as the 131-year-old monument to the Confederate general  central to Civil War mythology and Lost Cause iconography  was brought to the ground.

The scene in Virginia  once the capital of the Confederacy that fought to preserve slavery  marks a watershed moment in the latest push to remove statues of slaveholders and Confederate figures from public view, following a summer of racial justice protests in 2020 and a wave of statue removals across the US.

The capital citys street best known for its icons of white power no longer features any.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced plans to remove the Lee statue  the largest, still-standing Confederate statue in the country  on 4 June, 2020, and the states Supreme Court sided with the decision after it was challenged in court, paving the way for construction crews in cherry-pickers to lift the statue from its pedestal.

A crowd chanted Black lives matter and sang hey hey hey, goodbye as a crane lifted the statue on 8 September. Crews then began sawing the statue into pieces to transport it into storage.

Governor Northam said removing the towering statue  a six-story bronze figure first erected in 1890  is an important step in showing who we are and what we value as a commonwealth.

The public monuments reflect the story we choose to tell about who we are as a people, he said in a statement on Wednesday. It is time to display history as history, and use the public memorials to honor the full and inclusive truth of who we are today and in the future.

Richmond is no longer the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said in a statement, We are diverse, open and welcoming city, and our symbols need to reflect this reality.

The giant stone base on which it sat will remain in place, though the plaques around it commemorating General Lee will also be removed.

State lawmakers also are commissioning the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to survey experts and members of the public to draw up a new vision for Monuments Avenue.

Following decades of attempts to remove statues of Confederate figures from public space after their construction in the years after the Civil War during Jim Crow, demonstrators and state and local officials across the US revived their push in 2020.

In 2017, New Orleans officials removed four Jim Crow-era statues to Confederate leaders and white supremacists erected in the aftermath of Reconstruction and violent segregation. That year, a deadly white supremacist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia, sought to block the removal of General Lees statue.

That year, at least 36 monuments to Confederate figures were removed across the US.

Last year, that figure was nearly 100.

On 29 June, the US House of Representatives voted to move statues of Confederate figures from the US Capitol, reviving an attempt to remove racist symbols from places of prominence that stalled in Congress last year.

But more Republicans voted against the measure in 2021 than they did last year under a similar proposal.

Only 67 Republicans joined Democrats to pass the bill, which would direct the Capitol architect to remove a dozen statues from public view. The measure passed by a vote of 285 to 120.
The last member of Afghanistan's Jewish community has left the country.

Zebulon Simentov, who lived in a dilapidated synagogue in Kabul kept kosher and prayed in Hebrew endured decades of war as the country's centuries-old Jewish community rapidly dwindled. But the Taliban takeover last month seems to have been the last straw.

Moti Kahana, an Israeli-American businessman who runs a private security group that organized the evacuation, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the 62-year-old Simentov and 29 of his neighbors, nearly all of them women and children, have been taken to a neighboring country.

Kahana said Simentov, who had lived under Taliban rule before, was not worried about them. But Kahana warned him that he was at risk of being kidnapped or killed by the far more radical Islamic State group. He said Simentov's neighbors also pressed him to leave, so that their children could join him on the bus out.

Israel's Kan public broadcaster aired footage of the evacuation, showing a bus full of people traveling across what appeared to be Afghanistan, with all the faces blurred except for Simentov's.

They joined an exodus of tens of thousands of Afghans who have fled since the Taliban swept across the country last month. The U.S. and its allies organized a massive airlift in the closing days of the 20-year-war, but officials acknowledged that up to 200 American citizens, as well as thousands of Afghans who had aided the war effort, were left behind.

Kahana said his group is reaching out to U.S. and Israeli authorities to find a permanent home for Simentov, whose estranged wife and children live in Israel. For years, Simentov refused to grant his wife a divorce under Jewish law, which could open him up to legal repercussions in Israel. Kahana said he persuaded him to grant the divorce and has drawn up the paperwork.

That was two weeks of being a shrink, a psychiatrist, talking to him like 10 times a day, and his neighbor at the same time to translate," Kahana said.

Hebrew manuscripts found in caves in northern Afghanistan indicate a thriving Jewish community existed there at least 1,000 years ago. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan was home to some 40,000 Jews, many of them Persian Jews who had fled forced conversion in neighboring Iran. The community's decline began with an exodus to Israel after its creation in 1948.

In an interview with The Associated Press in 2009, Simentov said the last Jewish families left after the 1979 Soviet invasion.

For several years he shared the synagogue building with the country's only other Jew, Isaak Levi, but they despised each other and feuded during the Taliban's previous rule from 1996 to 2001.

At one point, Levi accused Simentov of theft and spying. and Simentov countered by accusing Levi of renting rooms to prostitutes, an allegation he denied, The New York Times reported in 2002. The Taliban arrested both men and beat them, and they confiscated the synagogue's ancient Torah scroll, which went missing after the Taliban were driven from power in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

When his 80-year-old housemate died in 2005, Simentov said he was happy to be rid of him.

Reporters who visited Simentov over the years  and paid the exorbitant fees he charged for interviews  found a portly man fond of whiskey, who kept a pet partridge and watched Afghan TV. He observed Jewish dietary restrictions and ran a kebab shop.

Born in the western city of Herat in 1959, he always insisted Afghanistan was home.

Samir Khan, a neighbor who runs a small grocery store and had known Simentov for the last 10 years, said he disappeared about a week and a half ago. Khan said he only learned of Simentov's departure when he saw it on social media.

The Taliban, like other Islamic militant groups, are hostile to Israel but tolerated the country's miniscule Jewish community during their previous reign. Aside from the feud, the only other time they came knocking was when they noticed that Muslim women in all-encompassing burqas could often be seen visiting Levi.

When they briefly arrested Levi, he explained that he had a business selling amulets to women who wanted to become pregnant with sons or who were opposed to their husbands taking other wives, as allowed under Islamic law.

The Taliban released him.

___

Krauss reported from Jerusalem.
Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has struck back after critics mocked her for using the phrase menstruating person.

In a CNN interview regarding Texas new anti-abortion law , Ms Ocasio-Cortez had carefully used the phrase to include trans men, non-binary Americans, and others who menstruate in addition to women. Some conservatives ridiculed her choice of words, but AOC fiercely defended it.

Trans, two-spirit, and non-binary people have always existed and will always exist, the congresswoman tweeted . People can stay mad about that if they want, or they can grow up.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez had used the phrase on Tuesday during an interview with Anderson Cooper , who asked her about some recent comments by Texas governor Greg Abbott . When a reporter accused the states new abortion restrictions of forcing rape victims to bear their rapists children, Mr Abbott said the law doesnt do that.

It doesnt require that at all, because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion, the governor said .

AOC called that defence absurd, noting that at six weeks into a pregnancy, a woman may only be two weeks late for her period, and therefore not know she is pregnant.

I dont know if he is familiar with a menstruating persons body, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said, referring to Mr Abbott. In fact, I do know that hes not familiar with a woman  with a female or menstruating persons body, because if he did, he would know that you dont have six weeks.

The congresswomans critics quickly jumped on the phrase.

HAHAHAHA, tweeted conservative radio host Erick Erickson. AOC just tripped over the lingo for a menstruating woman with on CNN [sic].

AOC calls women menstruating people while explaining the female body, the Daily Mail wrote.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez responded to that headline directly in a tweet .

Not just women! Trans men & non-binary people can also menstruate, she wrote. Some women also *dont* menstruate for many reasons, including surviving cancer that required a hysterectomy. GOP mad at this are protecting the patriarchal idea that women are most valuable as uterus holders.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has downplayed a 2024 presidential run as nonsense amid a falling approval rating and a Covid surge in his state, which has seen infections rise from around 2,000 to 20,000 a day in two months.

On Tuesday, the Republican governor of Florida was again asked about his potential plans of running for president in 2024, as Floridas Department of Health announced an astonishing 56,082 cases from the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to The New York Times analysis.

Mr DeSantis told reporters at a healthcare facility in St Cloud, in central Florida, that All the speculation about me is purely manufactured, reported Politico. I just do my job and we work hard. I hear all this stuff and honestly its nonsense.

The remarks follow an apparent collapse in Mr DeSantis approval rating, which has fallen by 14 percentage points since the start of July  and before the Delta variant of Covid surged in the southern US state.

Morning Consult, who carried out the poll among 4,174 respondents between 21 -30 August, reported a 48 per cent approval rating for Mr DeSantis, who two months ago enjoyed a 63 per cent approval rating among all Florida voters.

The collapse  which was more than double the fall in support for Texass Republican governor, Gregg Abbott  was seen among Democrats and Independents, while Mr DeSantis approval with Republicans remained relatively stable.

In fact, as many as 83 per cent of Republicans approved of Floridas governor, who has recently fought with schools on the issue of mask mandates, and has faced criticism for his rhetoric on public health measures to fight Covid.

Florida experienced a rapid surge in Covid infections in August, and is averaging about 17,000 a day. Deaths have also risen to 46,973 since the start of the Covid outbreak, and are currently 52 per cent higher than the number of fatalities seen a fortnight ago, according to analysis from The Times.

There has been intense speculation about who will run in 2024 among Republicans, with former President Donald Trump not ruling out another run for office, and Mr DeSantis being touted as a so-called successor to Mr Trump  despite his state suffering from Covid.

Floridas governor, as Politico reported, has visited a number of states in 2021 but has avoided appearing in New Hampshire or Iowa  the two early primary states  where the former president is set to appear for a rally on 9 October, an aide confirmed on Tuesday.

The rally, which will be staged in Iowa, will fuel further speculation about Mr Trump announcing a 2024 bid.

Mr Trump himself suggested in April that Floridas governor would be considered as a vice presidential candidate for 2024, if he was to announce a run for the presidency. Both the former president and Mr DeSantis are running nationwide funding campaigns.
Former President Donald Trump has chosen a favored candidate in his bid to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney one of his most vocal Republican critics.

Trump is planning to endorse Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman, who is preparing to launch a primary campaign against Cheney, the most prominent member of Congress to vote for Trump's second impeachment, according to a person familiar with his decision. The person spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement.

The move marks Trump's most significant endorsement to date as he works to maintain his status as GOP kingmaker and make good on his threat to exact revenge on those who voted to impeach him or blocked his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump has already endorsed a number of Republicans challenging GOP incumbents including Kelly Tshibaka, who is running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska; Michigan State Rep. Steve Carra, who is trying to unseat longtime Rep. Fred Upton; former White House aide Max Miller, who is running against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez in Ohio; and Joe Kent, who is challenging Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in Washington.

All voted in favor of impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol building.

Trump met with Hageman last month as he assessed the potential candidate pool, hoping an early endorsement would help clear the field and prevent a crowded primary that might be advantageous to Cheney's chances.

At least half a dozen other Republicans have already announced their intentions to run and it wasnt immediately clear whether the news of Trump's decision  which was first reported by Politico  would succeed in pushing them out.

They include state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, whose campaign was disrupted in May by the revelation that he impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18; state Rep. Chuck Gray, a political radio commentator; and Darin Smith, an attorney with ties to the Christian Broadcasting Network and the conservative Family Research Council.

Hageman was an early supporter of Cheneys unsuccessful attempt in 2013 and 2014 to oust popular U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, and the two have remained in touch, though it is unclear how close they are personally.

She finished third in a six-way Republican gubernatorial primary in 2018, getting 21% of the vote. Former State Treasurer Mark Gordon won, followed by investor and Republican megadonor Foster Friess, whom had Trump endorsed.

Hageman grew up on a ranch near Fort Laramie in southeastern Wyoming. She holds undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

Shes listed as a senior attorney with the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm that aims to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the administrative state," according to its mission statement.

Her Cheyenne law firm touts its ties to Wyomings ranching industry and Hagemans involvement in lawsuits over wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, grazing on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land and water rights, among other issues.

She recently expressed support on Facebook for a new Texas law banning most abortions and has been a longtime cheerleader for the state's coal mining industry.

Possibly foreshadowing the congressional race ahead, Hageman was the first in her 2018 campaign to go negative, criticizing one opponent as anti-coal and obsessed with so-called green energy.

Now, Hageman faces having to explain why she has parted ways with Cheney despite recent close ties. Hageman was among the first and most prominent people to endorse Cheney in her brief and unsuccessful run against Enzi. And Hageman and Cheney coordinated politically as recently as 2017, emails obtained by The Associated Press show.

Undercutting a common line of attack against Cheney  that she spent most of her life outside Wyoming before moving to Jackson Hole in 2012  Hageman told The Associated Press in 2013 that Cheney's family had a long history in Wyoming and that such criticism was a distraction.

Hageman also donated $1,500 to Cheney for her successful first run for the U.S. House in 2016, and photographs of the pair together were already being used as campaign fodder.

Trumps allies in Wyoming have been trying  unsuccessfully so far  to change state election law to allow for a runoff or ranked-choice voting system starting with next years primary. Such a big change would be costly and difficult to pull off by then, opponents of the changes say.

Hageman didnt return phone and social media messages seeking comment.

___

Gruver reported from Fort Collins, Colorado.
Florida governor Ron DeSantiss claim that getting a Covid vaccine doesnt impact me or anyone else was completely incorrect, Anthony Fauci said on Tuesday, highlighting the critical role vaccines play against disease outbreaks.

If he feels that vaccines are not important for people, that they are just important for some people, thats completely incorrect, Dr Fauci, the director of the USs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview to CNN.

Vaccinations have been the solution to every major public health issue, including smallpox, polio, measles, the countrys top infectious diseases expert said.

Im not sure what people are talking about when they push back on vaccinations. It [vaccines] is historically, over decades and decades and decades, shown to be the way you control an infectious disease.

During a news conference earlier on Friday, the Republican governor said, while vaccines have helped people avoid severe illness, they were about your health and whether you want that protection or not. It really doesnt impact me or anyone else.

Dr Fauci, responding to Mr DeSantiss remarks, said they were not true at all, pointing out that those who remain unvaccinated were part of the problem.

I mean, obviously its important for you as an individual for your own personal protection, safety and health, he said.

But when you have a virus thats circulating in the community and you are not vaccinated, you are part of the problem because you are allowing yourself to be a vehicle for the virus to be spreading to someone else.

Dr Fauci then pointed out that those who were unvaccinated could be asymptomatic and could pass on the coronavirus infection to others who were much more vulnerable healthwise, compared to them. He also said getting vaccinated was not just a responsibility towards individual health, but a collective responsibility.

It isnt as if it stops with you. If that were the case, then it would be only about you. But it doesnt, he said.

You can get infected even if you get no symptoms or minimally symptomatic and then pass it on to someone who in fact might be very vulnerable  an elderly person, a person with an underlying disease. So when youre dealing with an outbreak of an infectious disease, it isnt only about you. There is a societal responsibility that we all have.

Earlier, an editorial published by The Miami Herald offered a stinging rebuke of the governors remarks.

The piece, titled Your personal choice not to get COVID vaccine is putting our healthcare heroes at risk, by the papers editorial board slammed the governors statement, calling it a profile in selfishness for ignoring the role the vaccine plays in reducing the community spread of the virus.
School districts across Florida which defied their governor by imposing a coronavirus mask mandate can carry on with their policies, a Florida judge has ruled.

The decision ends a legal pause, or stay, to the public health measures that was automatically triggered when the state government appealed their earlier loss in a lawsuit from pro-mask parents.

The ruling, from Florida Second Circuit Judge John Cooper, found that the state government wouldnt be harmed if the mask mandates resumed while its appeal goes forward  while children could suffer if the policies werent put back in place in the interim.

"Its undisputed that in Florida we are in the midst of a Covid pandemic. Based on the evidence Ive heard, theres no harm to the state if the stay is set aside," the judge said during a hearing on Wednesday. "Its undisputed that the Delta variant is far more infectious than the prior version of the virus, and that children are more susceptible to the Delta variant than to the form from a year ago.

"In particular for children under 12, they cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, theres really only one or two means to protect them against the virus ... either stay at home, or mask, he added.

The Florida government, led by Republican Ron DeSantis, is avowedly against mask mandates, and has already taken the case to higher court, after the same judge ruled two weeks ago that the mask ban itself overstepped legal bounds.

Why dont we just empower parents, Mr DeSantis said last week . Let them make the best decision for their kids and I think itll end up working out.

In July, the DeSantis administration issued an executive order requiring the Florida departments of education and health to issue emergency rules that parents ultimately make the choice over whether children wear masks, and that the state would financially punish districts that put forth mask mandates. Thirteen districts went forward with mask mandates anyway, in defiance of the edict.

States in the US South like South Carolina and Florida have been particularly hard hit by the resurgent coronavirus, as have rural areas throughout the country. Some medical commentators have noted that if Florida was another country, given its high Covid rates, the US would likely ban travellers from it .
In light of the growing trend of federal and state vaccine mandates to combat surging levels of Covid-19, US Republican Representative Jim Jordan tweeted: Vaccine mandates are un-American.

Mr Jordan and other conservatives, both pundits and politicians, have expressed this sentiment, such as Mike DeWine, the governor of Mr Jordans home state Ohio, which is experiencing below national targets levels of vaccination.

However, as historical records show, vaccine mandates can be dated back to the days of the Founding Fathers, according to historians.

Congressman Jordan is just wrong. Theres more than enough history to show we have a precedent for requiring vaccines that goes all the way to George Washington, political historian Julian E Zelizer told The Washington Post. This claim that its somehow un-American doesnt match with the actual historical record. I dont think theres much of an argument here.

Vaccine mandates have long been part of the United States approach to fighting disease. In January 1777, Washington, who at the time was the general of the Continental forces, pushed for troops to be inoculated against Variola, commonly known as smallpox. During the American Revolution, one of the biggest causes of casualties was disease, with 90 per cent of soldiers dying from it  the most prevalent being smallpox.

According to historical records, the situation was dire. Camps were being transformed into sickbays and it was driving down enlistments. In contrast, in Europe, the early origins of modern day vaccinations were already sweeping across society. This is believed to have given the British army a slight advantage.

Just like today, the move was largely unpopular with Congress when Washington wrote to propose it. In retrospect, the policy was largely deemed a success. Breakthrough cases appeared, but they did not impede whole regiments like before.

A few decades later, in 1802, Massachusetts became the first state to push for vaccine uptake. In 1809, the state passed the the first vaccine mandate law. By 1900, almost half of the 45 existing states had mandated smallpox vaccines for children going to school.

In 1905, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that people did not have the right to infect other people with smallpox in Jacobson v Massachusetts, which upheld the law after a challenge to the $5 fine imposed on those not compliant.

The case of Zucht v King led the Texas Supreme Court to rule in 1922 that it was not unconstitutional to ban unvaccinated children from educational establishments

In 1963, 20 states, along with Washington DC and Puerto Rico, had added more vaccines to the mandate list. Other diseases, such as measles, promoted more government intervention in the 1960s, leading to areas in the 1970s seeing much lower death rates from the disease than those who had not mandated vaccines. For example, in Los Angeles and Alaska, mandates drastically increased attendance in classrooms, and in response, scientists called vaccine mandates a successful public health policy, according to Fox 10.

Polio and DTP vaccines also become available to schools after federal funding from the Kennedy administration, according to the Immunization Action Coalition. They stated in 1971 that the CDC took the smallpox vaccination out use due to the disease being declared eradicated. The development in vaccines and present illnesses has led to changes in what vaccines are needed to mandated, however vaccine mandates have stayed in place.

Exemptions to the vaccine mandates apply, such as to people with allergies or immune systems deemed unable to handle it. In 48 states, varying degrees of religious exemptions also apply.

Currently, the biggest virus threat to society is Covid-19, which has three vaccines approved for use in the US. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have emergency authorisation, while the Pfizer has been given full authorisation by the Food and Drug Administration.

President Joe Biden has tried to implement vaccine mandates across society via requiring all federal workers to be vaccinated and calling on private businesses to do the same.

Im calling on more companies in the private sector to step up with vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people, he said in address last month.

Experts have pointed out that there is not much that can be done at a federal level, due to it being an issue for each individual state.

I should say that its a misconception that President Biden has the power to have a nationwide vaccine mandate. Traditionally, vaccine mandates have been imposed by cities and states, Lawrence Gostin, a professor in global health, told NPR.

According to a poll by the Associated Press published last month, half of US workers are in favour of vaccine mandates at their jobs.
Larry Elder, the leading Republican candidate in the race to recall Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom, told a crowd on Tuesday that systemic racist is a lie. His own success as a Black man, he argued in remarks in Clovis, California, was proof of it.

Say hello to the Black face of white supremacy, Mr Elder, a syndicated host of conservative radio programmes for decades, said. Systemic racism, its a lie. The police are not engaging in systemic racism against Black people. If anything, the studies show the police are more hesitant, more reluctant, to pull the trigger on a Black suspect than a white suspect.

These claims are factually incorrect. Studies consistently find that police kill Black people at disproportionate rates compared other groups, and that years of intentional systemic discrimination have produced unequal outcomes for minority groups in nearly every aspect of life, including wealth and healthcare access .

These disparities have been especially pointed during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, Black Americans were more than twice as likely to die of Covid as white ones

The Independent has reached out to Mr Elders campaign for comment.

Larry Elder, who sometimes calls himself the  sage of South Central,  grew up in Los Angeles, and has been a fixture on conservative radio programmes for years, as well as more recent turns on Fox News. Despite entering the recall race after some of his numerous GOP competitors, the small government libertarian is the clear front runner, polling with roughly 24.2 per cent of the vote, 12 per cent higher than his nearest rival, according to FiveThirtyEight .

Though he himself attended the Ivy League Brown University on affirmative action , he has criticised such programmes, as well as numerous other liberal priorities , including gender parity, environmental protection, social services for undocumented migrants , and government welfare. Governor Newsom has called Mr Elder  more extreme than Trump .

His views on these matters date back decades. A CNN investigation found that in a 1996 ad for his radio show, he doubted the existence of the glass ceiling and said women exaggerate the problem of sexism, while also claiming that Blacks exaggerate the significance of racism.

He has also criticised the 1994 Violence Against Women Act as a way to redistribute power from the ruling class (men) to the oppressed class (women), and more recently mocked those who attended the massive 2017 Womens March in Washington DC as obese.

"When you look at all these women that have marched  something like 2 million women  Donald Trump has probably gotten more obese women off the couch and in the streets, working out, than Michelle Obama did in eight years," he said on an episode of his show.

His candidacy has proved controversial in other ways as well. He has told listeners that Joe Biden didnt win the 2020 election , and conflict of interest disclosure paperwork revealed he was paid in part by the Epoch Times, a media company accused of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories.

A former girlfriend has also accused Mr Elder of pointing a gun at her while high on marijuana during a 2015 breakup, which he denies.

We were having a conversation and he walked to the drawer and took out a .45 and checked to see that it was loaded, Alexandra Datig has said . He wanted me to know he was ready to be very threatening to me. Hes a talented entertainer, but he shouldnt be governor.
Police in Moscow on Wednesday detained three journalists who picketed Russia s Justice Ministry, protesting the authorities recent crackdown on independent media, Russia's top independent Dozhd TV channel reported.

Irina Dolinina, Alesya Marokhovskaya and Polina Uzhvak of the Vazhniye Istorii news outlet came to the ministry to protest against the recent designation of several independent media outlets, including Dozhd and Vazhniye Istorii, as foreign agents." The label carries strong pejorative connotations that can discredit the recipient, and implies additional government scrutiny.

The three journalists demanded that authorities abolish the law allowing media and journalists to be labelled foreign agents." They displayed small banners reading There are no foreign agents, there are journalists, along with an elaborate disclaimer those designated as foreign agents are obliged to add to any content they produce, disclosing their status.

The fact that we're being labeled foreign agents is merely a ban on honest journalist work, nothing else, Dozhd quoted Dolinina as saying. She and Marokhovskaya have been designated as foreign agents," as well.

Independent media, journalists, opposition supporters and human rights activists in Russia have faced increased pressure ahead of a Sept. 19 parliamentary election, which is widely seen as an important part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to cement his rule before the next presidential election in 2024.

The 68-year-old Russian leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, pushed through constitutional changes last year that would potentially allow him to hold on to power until 2036.

In recent months, the government has designated a number of independent media outlets and journalists as foreign agents and raided the homes of several prominent reporters. The publisher of one outlet that released investigative reports on alleged corruption and abuses by top Russian officials and tycoons close to Putin was outlawed as an undesirable organization.

Two other news outlets shut down after authorities accused them of links to undesirable organizations.

The Kremlin denies that it is stifling press freedoms and insists that the foreign agent designation doesnt bar outlets from operating.

The wave of repression has prompted past protests in Moscow. About two weeks ago, 12 journalists were briefly detained after picketing Russias Federal Security Service in protest of the foreign agents law. Another small rally took place in the Russian capital on Saturday.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has urged Congress to raise the debt limit, noting that the Treasury Department will run out of money, and measures it can take will be exhausted by October.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Ms Yellen said once the debt limit was instated on 1 August, the department took extraordinary measures to finance the government temporarily, such as suspending investments in retirement funds for federal employees.

Once all available measures and cash on hand are fully exhausted, the United States of America would be unable to meet its obligations for the first time in our history, the letter read.

Ms Yellen said the department is uncertain how long these measures can last given the lack of corporate and individual taxes due on 15 September, and the pandemic.

However, based on our best and most recent information, the most likely outcome is that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted during the month of October, she said.

The Treasury Secretary, who is also the former chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, said waiting until the last minute to raise the debt limit can hurt consumer and business confidence, raise the short-term borrowing costs for taxpayers and affect the credit rating of the US government.

I again note that Congress has addressed the debt limit in recent years through regular order, with broad bipartisan support, she said.

Ms Yellens warning also comes as Congress has to pass legislation to fund the government, as the US fiscal year ends on the first day of October. Similarly, Congress is looking to pass both the bipartisan infrastructure bill the Senate passed this summer and a broad social welfare package known as the budget reconciliation package.
The French capital is on high alert as the trial of 20 men accused of perpetrating a string of deadly terror attacks in Paris on the night of 13 November 2015 finally gets underway.

The atrocities carried out by Islamist militants on the Stade de France, at six restaurants and cafes along the 10th and 11th arrondissement and at the Bataclan concert hall led to the deaths of 130 people and left another 500 injured and the nation in a state of shock.

The attacks were subsequently claimed by Isis as a retaliation against France for insulting the Prophet Muhammad by carrying out airstrikes against its militia in Syria and Iraq, before the same network struck again in Brussels, Belgium, four months later, killing another 32 people.

The trial beginning on Wednesday in the enormous 13th century Palais de Justice on the Ile de la Cite on the Seine is expected to take nine months to resolve, with 1,800 plaintiffs and 330 lawyers involved and a case file stretching to one million pages across 542 volumes.

Salah Abdeslam, 31 - the sole survivor of the biggest attack on French soil since the Second World War, as a result of his suicide vest failing to explode - will be the key defendant and faces life imprisonment but is not expected to cooperate with prosecutors.

Appearing on Wednesday amid heavy security, he said only that There is no god except for Allah and declared that his ambition is to become a fighter for Islamic State.

At the Bataclan on the night in question, the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal were on stage, an hour into their set and performing their song Kiss the Devil when three armed jihadists - Foued Mohamed-Aggad, Ismael Omar Mostefai and Samy Amimouburst - burst into the venue filled with 1,500 fans at around 9.47pm.

The attackers cried Allahu Akbar and started firing randomly into the crowd with automatic rifles, the ensuing massacre playing out over 145 minutes with the light from the killers guns as they fired the only disruption to the darkness.

Ninety people lost their lives amid the melee as spectators scrambled for the exits during intervals in the shooting when the killers reloaded their weapons from cartridges carried in rucksacks. Others died refusing to leave the side of wounded friends.

French special forces stormed the theatre at 12.12am and the killers abandoned their plan to take hostages, instead detonating their suicide vests and dying in the blast.

Traumatised members of the band later told Vice that they initially assumed the loud banging and screams they had heard from the arena was the result of fans letting off firecrackers or a piece of their own equipment backfiring before realising something was gravely wrong and crawling from the stage in terror.

A woman is evacuated from the Bataclan by paramedics on 13 November 2015 (AP)

Frontman Jesse Hughes, guitarist Eden Galindo and drummer Julian Doria managed to escape into a sidestreet via a backstage door, eventually finding sanctuary inside a local police station with the help of bystanders.

As he fled, Hughes frantically called out for his girlfriend, Tuesday Cross, at which point he encountered one of the gunmen. I saw the shooter. He turned and brought the gun down on me but the barrel hit the doorframe, Hughes told Vice in an interview recorded some 12 days after the event in which he was still visibly shaken by the horror he had witnessed.

Bassist Matt McJunkins meanwhile hid with fans inside a dressing room, the group armed only with a champagne bottle intended for the after-party to defend itself, while another guitarist, Dave Catching, took cover in a bathroom before he was eventually rescued by police.

Like Hughes, Eagles of Death Metal sound engineer Shawn London also remembered locking eyes with one of the terrorists as he fled the auditorium via its smashed glass front doors: He looked right at me. He shot at me and missed. It hit my console and buttons went flying everywhere.

The groups merchandise vendor, Nick Alexander, 36, from Colchester, was among the dead.

 Bataclan survivors remember their ordeal

Speaking ahead of Frances trial of the century this week, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins, who led the inquiry into the attack and was at the scene at the Bataclan, said that he - like Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes - still suffers regular nightmares as a result of the jihadists actions.

The vision of the crime scenes will never leave my head, he said. After that, I take measure of the comfort zone in which I find myself. I did not suffer in my flesh. I did not lose people close to me.

Arthur Denouveaux, a Bataclan survivor and president of the Life for Paris victims association, told The Times: Everyone has their own expectations but we know that this is an important milestone for our future lives.

Cristina Garrido, 60, a mother who lost her son Juan Alberto, 29, at the gig, explained her compulsion to be in attendance: I have to attend. I will surely suffer but it is a step forward. What I want is for [the accused] to hear the pain they left us with.

That sentiment was shared by another survivor, Jerome Barthelemy, 48, who told Al Jazeera: What I care about in the trial is the testimony of other survivors  [to] hear how they have been coping over the past six years. As for the accused, I dont even expect them to speak.
Three members of the same family died from gunshot wounds at a property in Co Kerry in a suspected murder-suicide, Irish authorities have confirmed.

After being called to a home in Listowel on Tuesday evening, Gardai discovered the deceased as well as a firearm at the scene.

They found the bodies of a woman in her 60s and her son, who was in his 20s, inside the property, and the body of a man in his 60s outside the back of the building.

A Gardai spokesperson said they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.

The area has been cordoned off and investigations continue, they added.

Justice minister Heather Humphreys paid her condolences to those affected by the tragedy. The shock and devastation being felt by the family and the community is unimaginable, she said.

An Garda Siochana is engaging with the local community and will carry out a full investigation.

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae also expressed his shock at the incident. He told the Irish Mirror: This is an awful thing to happen and hard to comprehend.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved and their extended families, he added.

Additional reporting by PA
Three jewellery thieves almost pulled off a multi-million euro heist by robbing a luxury boutique in Paris before being chased down by police.

The thieves stole 10m (8.6m) worth of jewellery from a Bulgari shop on the Place Vendome near the Ritz hotel in broad daylight, but were arrested after officers opened fire on their getaway car.

The individuals were dressed in sharp suits and armed with guns when they carried out the robbery shortly before midday on Tuesday, the Reuters news agency reported.

They then attempted to flee the scene in a BMW but were shot at by police less than two miles away near the Les Halles shopping centre.

The three then tried to ditch some of the stolen items and flee on foot but were captured by police. A manhunt is underway for four accomplices who sped off from the heist on scooters.

A spokesperson for Bulgari said that nobody was hurt during the robbery.

The Italian jewellery brand had recently carried out extensive renovations at its Place Vendome store, including erecting marble columns to evoke its origins in Rome.

Place Vendome, an ornate square built on the orders of Louis XIV, is home to some of Europes most high-end jewellers including Cartier and Chaumet as well as the fashion houses Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Paris has been struck by numerous high-stakes robberies in recent months.

In July, 2m worth of jewellery stolen from a Chaumet shop near the Champs-Elysees was recovered by police and in the same month thieves struck a Dinh Van jewellery store in central Paris.

Place Vendome has also been the target of previous robberies, according to police.
Spains government has warned about a rise in hate crimes by radical groups after a brutal assault on a gay man by hooded men who carved the word f****t on one of his buttocks.

Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the Spanish interior minister, said the groups were targeting anyone who was different.

Within these groups, the objective is being different due to a personal or social condition, such as race, ethnicity, ideology, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity. Yes it is taking place, yes it is being taken into account, he told Cadena Ser radio station on Wednesday.

Police in Madrid are investigating the attack on a 20-year-old man in central Madrid on Sunday in which eight men forced their way into the victims home, held him down at knifepoint and cut his lip and carved out the homophobic slur on one of his buttocks.

The assault comes two months after the murder of Samuel Luiz, 24-year-old gay man, in the city of A Coruna in northwestern Spain.

The killing prompted a wave of protests across the country and calls for action to tackle hate speech and give better protection to LGBT+ people.

Spain has seen a more than nine per cent increase in hate crimes, including those related to sexual orientation, in the first six months of 2021, according to government figures, compared with the same period in 2019.

This year there were 748 reports of hate crimes up to July 31, compared with 610 in 2019 but research has shown in 89 per cent of cases, victims do not report attacks. Data was not available for 2020 because of the pandemic.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez will chair an anti-hate crimes commission on Friday to analyse the recent spate of homophobic attacks.

LGBTI groups have organised demonstrations in Madrid on Saturday to protest the recent assaults and call for more protection for gay and trans people.

Laia Serra, a human rights lawyer, said she believed the combination of LGBTI groups gaining a higher public profile and the recent rise of far-right organisations were responsible for a backlash against homosexuals.

All political parties condemned the latest attack in Madrid.

However, the far-right Vox party, which has 52 MPs and is the third largest force in parliament, has in the past opposed institutional declarations of support for the LGBTI community by regional authorities.

A YouGov survey published last month found that Spain showed one of the most liberal attitudes towards homosexuality people among eight developed countries.

Some 91 per cent of Spaniards said they would support a member of their family if they came out, compared with 85 per cent in the UK.

Boti Garcia Rodrigo, the Spanish governments director of sexual diversity and LGBTI rights, said despite a general attitude of respect towards gay and trans people there was a minority which were radically opposed to this community.

Many studies show us that there remains a minority in society, which is young men, who do not only not accept or respect sexual diversity but are very much against this and respond with aggressiveness, she said.
Tensions escalated in the South China Sea after China called the presence of a US guided-missile destroyer in the contested Spratly Islands a violation of its national sovereignty.

The US navys 7th Fleet said in a statement that the Chinese governments accusation they trespassed without seeking permission was false and part of the countrys campaign to misrepresent lawful maritime navigation.

The USS Benfold took part in a 7th Fleet Freedom of Navigation Operation about 12 nautical miles off Mischief Reef on Wednesday, according to the navy.

The PRCs statement about this mission is false. USS Benfold conducted this [operation] in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in international waters, the statement said.

The operation came just days after China passed a law demanding foreign vessels submit notice before entering waters it claimed in the disputed island chain. The navy says it did not provide any such notice.

A spokesman for Chinas People Liberation Army (PLA), senior colonel Tian Junli, said in the state-run newspaper Global Times that it warned off the USS Benfold after it trespassed into areas adjacent to the reef.

He said the PLA Southern Theater Command would stay on high alert to assert its sovereignty over the islands and surrounding waters, parts of which which are also claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Vice president Kamala Harris travelled to Vietnam in August to rally their support in combating Chinas bullying in the South China Sea and pressure the country into following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As part of the navy operation, neither the USS Benfold nor the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group training elsewhere gave notice to any country claiming ownership to parts of the sea, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt Mark Langford told Stars and Stripes.

He told the outlet it was the navys seventh operation of its kind so far in 2021, with the previous action in the Spratly Islands in February.

China has turned reefs into islands by reclaiming land and building milady infrastructure throughout the Spratly Island chain, including on Mischief Reef.

The 7th Fleet said in its statement that the reef is not entitled to a territorial sea under international law as it has a low-tide elevation in its natural state and is submerged at high tide.

The land reclamation efforts, installations, and structures built on Mischief Reef do not change this characterization under international law, the statement said.
The UKs traffic light travel system could be scrapped from next month, according to industry sources.

The BBC has been briefed that the new system would allow vaccinated travellers to go to countries with similarly high levels of vaccination as the UK without the need for quarantine.

The government has reportedly asked senior travel industry leaders to make proposals for a new system around international travel, which will replace the current traffic light lists.

Follow travel news live: Latest traffic light system updates

The source also said that the red list of countries that are unsafe to visit will remain.

The PC Agencys CEO, Paul Charles, who has been sharing industry updates throughout the pandemic, also tweeted: The traffic light system is expected to be scrapped by 1st Oct  at last. Airlines and some of us in the sector are aware of plans to create a simpler system, where countries are either red or not. This would be the US model in effect, which Ive been calling for.

Scrapping of traffic light system would be a relief to pretty well everyone and herald a living with an endemic approach rather than blanket country measures. Would be a relief to countries in Africa, South America, Asia which dont deserve to be red-listed, continued Charles.

An anonymous source who has been briefed on the proposal also told The Telegraph: What it means is that green and amber disappear and only vaccination status will count for where you travel. For a vaccinated person, just as now all countries apart from red are green.

For an unvaccinated person, it means that your travel to a green country might be slightly more difficult. Theres a potential psychological boost in that a lot of people think travel to amber is risky whereas if it disappeared, people may be more willing to travel to X, Y or Z.

Critics of the UKs system have pointed out that the countrys travel sector is opening up far more slowly than the rest of the world.

At present, there are three lists  green, amber and red  with the majority of countries and territories still on the red list. The lists are updated every three weeks, with detractors pointing out that very little has moved in recent weeks.

The government has not indicated any plans to end the traffic light system, but Charles has pre-empted official announcements in the past, including tweeting the countries moving to the green list before they were published on 26 August.

The Independents travel correspondent Simon Calder says: To avoid further destruction of the UKs previously world-leading travel industry  and to revive the near-moribund inbound tourism sector  fundamental changes are needed to end the complex, expensive, incoherent and constantly changing rules.

Testing needs to be eased  ideally with most European countries moved to super green, alongside Ireland.

At the very least, for vaccinated travellers from lower-risk countries (which includes almost all our holiday favourites), the day two PCR test  which must be taken on the day of arrival or one of the two following days  should be scrapped.

The 60-plus countries on the red list, requiring mandatory hotel quarantine, should shrink to a relatively small number of nations with very high infection rates, unreliable data and/or fears about variants.

Many figures in the travel sector have called for a simpler system as the summer holiday season wanes and travel companies are hit hard by the restrictions.

Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary has said: Traffic to and from the UK is still being hampered by this traffic light system that doesnt work because they keep changing it and it undermines passenger confidence.

Clive Dix, a former head of the UKs vaccine taskforce denounced the system at the beginning of August, saying: The current system probably means people who are slightly poorer in society struggle to be able to do any travel abroad and I think thats unfair.

Dix is championing a single list of countries of concern requiring quarantine for returning travellers, which he described as simple and its not too onerous.

It allows for people to have more freedom, basically.

Dix also advocated a single Covid test upon return for arrivals from all other countries.

The Department for Transport declined to comment on the plans but said: Our international travel policy is guided by one overwhelming priority - protecting public health.

The next formal checkpoint review will take place by 1 October 2021.
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www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
MAM | Marketing Nearly 40 % readers discontinued newspapers during pandemic, shows Havas Media report Covid-19 proved to be a game-changer for Print as a medium in India. The multiple waves of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns disrupted the production and distribution of newspapers and magazines across the country. Read More...

MAM | Marketing Online is second most consumed media after TV in rural India: Report There has been an internet revolution in rural India, with online being the most consumed media after television, according to a joint report released by media agency GroupM and insights and consulting firm Kantar on Wednesday. With respect to online content consumption, music/audio leads the pack at 69 per cent followed by news at 49 per cent and gaming at 33 per cent. Read More...

MAM | Marketing Haresh Nayak moves on from dentsu International Posterscope India MD and Posterscope president APAC Haresh Nayak has quit dentsu International. Along with Nayak, dentsu India SVP & Indeed CSR head Sahil Arora has also announced his departure from the agency. The news of the latest exits from dentsu was confirmed by the network. Read More...

MAM | Marketing Deepika Padukone to launch global lifestyle brand rooted in India Actor Deepika Padukone has announced to launch her lifestyle brand rooted in India. It is expected to roll out in 2022 and the first category of launch will focus on beauty and skincare, according to a statement. The brand will have its roots in India but will have a global reach and appeal. Read More...

MAM | Marketing Neeraj Chopra signs first brand endorsement with Tata AIA post Tokyo win Tata AIA Life Insurance has announced the signing of a multi-year brand partnership with Indian athlete and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador on Wednesday. This association marks the very first brand partnership to be signed with the champion javelin thrower post his historic Olympic win. Read More...
Baghdasarian joins StarNews Mobile to build a strong foundation for global distribution and monetization of African content

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StarNews Mobile , a Santa Monica based mobile video platform allowing celebrities and brands to monetize their fan bases in Africa, welcomes Zare Baghdasarian to lead in its mission to be a leading digital media platform for mobile-only markets and to revolutionize digital content distribution and monetization worldwide.



Baghdasarian, an award-winning global technology leader and serial entrepreneur, says he believes the sky is the limit for StarNews as it is quickly growing to reach a global audience. With more than 10 million subscribers, StarNews is bringing amazing content from African creators to the world stage while opening up opportunities for global content producers to monetize their content in Africa.

Baghdasarian was first drawn to StarNews by the unique challenge of building the technical and operational foundation of a highly disruptive media platform. But after a few months, he quickly grew to become a fan of the team, as well. He says there are not many tech startups like StarNews with a team that is both culturally and professionally diverse yet working so well together.



As an entrepreneur, youre always looking for the next frontier. Where is the next growth coming? Where are the challenges? Africa presents very unique opportunities from many angles, said Baghdasarian, in his usual inquisitive fashion.

An avid traveler who has been around the world, he likens Africa to the explosive growth India and Chinas media tech industries experienced ten years ago, and he sees StarNews at the forefront. The media company has been able to create and commercialize a truly innovative model in subscription-based content consumption that Baghdasarian believes other countries and emerging markets will adopt worldwide.

In a start-up life, truly defining moments are rare, and having Zare on board is definitely one of them, said Guy Kamgaing , StarNews CEO. In just a few months, his presence has had a tremendous impact on the business which is now getting ready for massive growth. Zare not only brings the experience in tech and operations that we desperately needed to scale the company, he is a true visionary with amazing leadership qualities and incredible people skills.

We are lucky to have him, added Kamgaing. He is one of very few successful founders who have actually been there, done that when it comes to building massive technology. His decision to join us on this journey is a testament to his entrepreneurial flair but also a huge validation to the unique potential of this venture.

Baghdasarian has built several technology startups from scratch, has enjoyed many exits in the process (notably an acquisition by Cisco for $550M), and has worked with private equity and venture capital firms as well as universities. But his passion lies in building tech companies. While developing products and solutions for medium and large enterprises, he has acquired a deep knowledge of all areas of tech, including AI technology and data science. He plans to add these technologies to the StarNews platform to help it scale faster and more effectively.

In addition, Baghdasarian holds the TRIUM Global EMBA from the LSE, London, HEC Paris, and NYU and an MS in Engineering Management from Santa Clara University, a BS in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University, and Executive Management training from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Read StarNews Mobiles in-depth profile on Zare Baghdasarian here: https://www.starnewsmobile .com/meet-the-team/

About StarNews Mobile

Launched in 2017, StarNews Mobile gives opportunities for all content creators in Africa and elsewhere to reach large local audiences and create a sustainable new income source from their work and talent. The company is already a leader in Africas mobile video market which holds massive potential to reach its 600M and growing user base of underserved fans and undiscovered talent. The StarNews Mobile network provides a springboard and a spotlight for new and emerging content creators from Africa and around the world.

StarNews Mobile is currently available in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Congo and South Africa, Nigeria, and will be soon launching in Ghana, Benin, Senegal and Mali, mainly thanks to partnerships with large pan-African mobile operators MTN, Orange, and Moov.

To learn more about StarNews Mobile, please visit https://www.starnewsmobile.com/ . Check out our recent announcements: SoCal Alliance , Gaming Channel Launch , Partnership with Culture Genesis .

CONTACT: Media Contact: Lauren Schneider Red Rooster PR lauren@redroosterpr.com

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Kangana Ranaut's much-awaited film Thalaivii, a biopic on politician and actress J. Jayalalithaa who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for more than 14 years, is all set to be released on September 10.

The film has already garnered positive responses from several critics who called it the best performance of her career.

#Thalaivii is one of the finest biopics made in India with a lot of sincerity by Dir.#Vijay. Very well presented the life of #Jaya engagingly.



While #KanganaRanaut is brilliant in her acting, all of us are going to love #NJR @thearvindswami sir. He is outstanding. Do watch pic.twitter.com/CK11FJlUt5  Dr. Dhananjayan BOFTA (@Dhananjayang) September 4, 2021

Wanted to clap on each & every scene of hers. #ArvindSwami is phenomenal #RajArjun is one of the main pillars of #Thalaivii. Every actor is top notch. Producers @ShaaileshRSingh and @vishinduri take a bow. Making such a large scale amidst the pandemic is not a simple task. 2/2  Raghuvendra Singh (@raghuvendras) September 7, 2021

#OneWordReview...#THALAIVII: POWERFUL.

Rating: 

One of the most powerful biopics to release on the #Hindi screen Loads of drama + strong emotions + bravura performances [#KanganaRanaut and #ArvindSwami pitch in award-worthy acts] are major aces. #ThalaiviiReview pic.twitter.com/9RQKOT8hXt  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) September 7, 2021

While talking about the film, Kangana Ranaut in an interview with journalist Sreedhar Pillai said that she wants to believe that Jaya Amma chose her for this film. "I do want to believe that Jaya amma has chosen me to play her role because somewhere she sees me as a strong woman".

Twitter

She said that after revealing that she when was shooting for an assault scene in the movie, her Mumbai home was being demolished by Shiv Sena. She calls this uncanny resemblance to real-life as "real and reel life are clashing into each other".

Twitter

"It is actually uncanny that when we were shooting these scenes when Jaya amma was assaulted in the assembly, Shiv Sena was breaking my house. It was happening exactly around the same time. I was on the set and shooting these scenes (assembly assault), this drama was going on in Mumbai," she said.

Twitter

For the unversed, Jayalalithaa who was the first woman to become the leader of the opposition was assaulted on March 25, 1989, in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. Her saree was torn during the incident.


Northwestern, central and south-central India have emerged to be new hotspots of intense heatwave over the past 50 years, a study has said.

The study said climate change and consequent increase in heatwave trends would put a larger population at risk. The study also highlights the need for developing effective heat action plans in the three heatwave hotspot regions with a focus on different vulnerabilities among the inhabitants.

Researchers analysed monthly, seasonal and decadal variations along with long-term trends of heatwaves and severe heatwave events for pre-monsoon (March May) and early summer monsoon (June July) season between 1951 and 2016.

AFP

What is a heatwave?

For the plains, a "heatwave" is declared when the maximum temperature is more than 40 degrees Celsius, and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A "severe" heatwave is declared if departure from normal temperature is more than 6.5 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD.

Published in the journal International Journal of Climatology, the study links heatwaves with greater concerns for human health, agriculture and the natural ecosystem.



BCCL

How will it affect humans?

Heatwaves have emerged as a deadly health hazard, claiming thousands of lives across the globe in recent decades, with episodes strengthening in frequency, intensity and duration in the past half-century in India as well. This has caused severe impact on health, agriculture, economy and infrastructure. In such a scenario, it is extremely important to identify the most heatwave vulnerable regions of the country to prioritise immediate policy intervention and stringent mitigation and adaptation strategies, the Department of Science and Technology said.

The study suggests a way forward to assess climate performance and uncertainty in extreme weather analysis in future projections.

BCCL

Led by Professor RK Mall of Mahamana Centre of Excellence in Climate Change Research (MCECCR) at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the researchers studied the changes in spatial and temporal trends in heatwaves and severe heatwaves over the past seven decades.



What did the study find?

They found a shift in the pattern of heatwave events with an increasing trend in three prominent heatwave prone regions in northwestern, central, and south-central India, the highest being in West Madhya Pradesh.

A significantly decreasing trend was observed over the eastern region in the Gangetic plains of West Bengal. The trends are continuously changing in the eastern region of Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar to north-western, central and south-central regions of India.

The research also observed an alarming southward expansion and a spatial surge in severe heatwave events in the last few decades that may put a greater population at additional risk of heat stress in a region already characterised by low Diurnal temperature range (DTR), or the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures within one day, and high humidity, the Ministry of Science and Technology said in a release.

Reuters

Importantly, the heatwave and severe heatwave events were found to be positively correlated with mortality in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, highlighting that human health is highly susceptible to severe heatwave disasters.

With an ever-increasing extreme-temperature threshold, a heat resilient future is the need of the hour. Dense population with an intensive outdoor work culture calls for equitable heat resilient mitigation and adaptation strategies covering each section of the society depending on their vulnerability, it said.
1. In A Historic Move, Women To Be Admitted In NDA For Permanent Commission In Armed Forces

PTI

The government told the SC that the three services chiefs have agreed to give Permanent Commission to women and their entry into NDA. Read more

2. How Afghan Women Are Standing Up For Their Rights, Even If That Means Facing The Taliban Guns

AFP

To the disappointment of many, especially the Afghan women, the Taliban has announced an all-male interim government to rule the country. Read more

3. India Allows Afghan Army Soldiers To Continue Their Training At Its Military Academies

AFP

Amid rising Taliban control over Afghanistan, India has decided to allow 130 Afghan cadets to complete their respective courses in Indias military academies. The Indian defence forces have been training Afghan soldiers as part of a capacity-building programme. Read more

4. Live Farmers' Protest: Ban On Mobile Internet Extended; Farmers Sleep Outside Karnal Mini Secretariat

PTI

Locked in a showdown with the Haryana Government over a police lathicharge end of August, thousands of farmers on Tuesday laid siege to the district headquarters after talks with the administration remained inconclusive. Scores of farmers along with Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders spent the night at the main entrance of the Karnal mini secretariat in Haryana. Read more

5. 7-year-old Russian Boy Assaulted Multiple Times In A Mathura Apartment: What We Know

PTI

In a shocking incident, a seven-year-old boy of Russian origin, who lived with his father in an apartment in Mathura district, has been allegedly sexually assaulted by another minor. Read more
To the disappointment of many, especially the Afghan women, the Taliban has announced an all-male interim government to rule the country.

This is despite the Taliban's promise to have an inclusive government and having women in administrative roles.

Over the past few days, Afghan women had been taking to the streets, demanding their rights and freedom, which they fear, will become a thing of the past under the rule of the militia.

AFP

On Tuesday, Hundreds of Afghan protesters, including women took to the streets of Kabul chanting "death to Pakistan" and denouncing Islamabad's interference as well as airstrikes by its jets in Panjshir province in support of the Taliban.

A Reuters photo from the march showed an Afghan woman standing up to a Taliban gunman during the protest in the capital.

An Afghan woman fearlessly stands face to face with a Taliban armed man who pointed his gun to her chest.

Photo: @Reuters pic.twitter.com/8VGTnMKsih  Zahra Rahimi (@ZahraSRahimi) September 7, 2021

Chanting "death to Pakistan", "Freedom" and "we do not want captivity" among many other slogans, the protesters gathered at the gate of the Pakistani embassy in Kabul and asked its staff to leave Afghanistan.

AFP

"Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,"a slogan on a huge banner read.

The agitators said they do not want a puppet government in Afghanistan and asked for an inclusive government.

AFP

Amid chaotic scenes on the streets, Taliban fighters intervened and shot into the air to disperse the protesters. The videos showed people scattering or crouching down amid sustained bursts of gunfire. There were no initial reports of casualties.

Witnesses estimated the crowd at between 300 and 500 people -- many of whom were women wearing the hijab.

AFP

Tuesday's demonstration was the largest of its kind resistance the Afghan capital has seen since the Taliban seized power last month.
Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla's Elon Musk have had a stressful relationship. The billionaires do not get along well, as we've all come to realise over the last 10 days. Even then, their interests seem to be aligned.

With Bezos' Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX, both have been locked into a tussle over innovation and a NASA-backed contract. While things went extremely sour recently due to a series of reasons which we'll explain later, Musk just threw immense shade at Bezos in response to a Tweet about Amazon's former CEO.

Reuters

So, here's what went down on Twitter - An account shared an update on Jeff Bezos' latest exploits in the world of science. The billionaire space race contender has reportedly invested hefty amounts into Altos Lab, a project to study aging and ways to reverse it.

Also read: Jeff Bezos' 'Actual' Full-Time Job Is Filing Legal Actions Against SpaceX: Elon Musk

The account also mentioned that each scientist would have a $1 million salary and will study how cells age and ways to reverse the process. Great news for all of us, right? Sure, if it ever works out.

Reuters

But what got more attention than the original Tweet was Elon Musk's response, where he asserted the following - "If it doesn't work, he's gonna sue death!".

And if it doesnt work, hes gonna sue death!  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2021

Hilarious! But you all need some context. So, NASA awarded a future moon lander contract to Musk's SpaceX over Bezos' Blue Origin. Since then, Blue Origin has done some PR blunders in the form of satirical takes at SpaceX's heavy launchers and designs.

In addition, Blue Origin initiated a lawsuit against SpaceX... and that's when Elon Musk decided that he had withstood enough. In response to a Tweet, Musk suggested that Bezos' only job was to file lawsuits against SpaceX.

Filing legal actions against SpaceX is *actually* his full-time job pic.twitter.com/XifRICQ62k  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2021

Owing to Bezos' lawsuit against SpaceX, NASA's moon lander project has been delayed until an amicable legal solution is found.

Reuters

Also read: Elon Musk Says Starlink Internet Coming To India Soon, After Getting Regulatory Nod



Besides this, both Bezos and Musk are attempting to launch a series of low-orbit satellites to enable high-speed internet connectivity all over Earth. All was going well for Musk until Bezos urged Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to dismiss SpaceX's latest changes to the Starlink network.

It does not serve the public to hamstring Starlink today for an Amazon satellite system that is at best several years away from operation  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 26, 2021

Now, the approval has been delayed due to Bezos' intervention.

Not satisfied? Read Elon Musk's ten most outrageous comments. And for all things science and tech, don't forget to keep checking Indiatimes.com.
Single-use products are considered the sworn enemies of environmental consciousness, especially when oceans are reporting garbage patches and landfills are running out of space.

One of the biggest pollutants in the world is single-use plastic which is used in many personal hygiene products like disposable pads and tampons for menstruating women.

LastObject/FastCompany

A start-up called LastObject from Denmark wants to end the single-use industry by providing reusable alternatives to products like sanitary pads and tampons. For its next innovation, the start-up is focusing on the menstrual pad.

The LastPad

LastObject launched its first reusable product in 2019 in the form of a cotton swab. Recently, the market for reusable menstrual products has boomed in the form of menstrual cups which may be washed and reused for years.

Period underwear is also gaining mainstream attention as pro-environment groups urge companies to find long-term solution to single-use plastics. Such underwear is designed to absorb blood and can then be reused. The start-up's fresh design is called LastPad and comes with antibacterial properties with a breathable design made from polyester.

LastObject/FastCompany

Also read: Israeli Start-Up Creates Robotic Beehives To Support Dwindling Bee Colonies

In addition, its middle layer is derived from bamboo fabric, while the bottom layer keeps leaks at bay. According to FastCompany, the pad took two years to design. And the number of similar innovations in the health and hygiene industry are expected to pop up with support from governments that are pushing for alternatives to plastics, especially in Europe.

The dangers of single-use plastics

Apparently LastPad received funding on Kickstarter within hours after the listing was posted. Single-use plastics cause a lot of pollution around the world. In the US, about 50 billion single-use tampons and pads end up in landfills.

LastObject/FastCompany

Also read: This Eco-Friendly Water Box Developed By A Hyderabad Start-Up Can Replace Plastic Bottles



The situation is much worse in China, where 140 billion-plus pads go into landfills each year. These reusable methods also help extend healthcare and hygiene to women in India, where only 20 per cent women use sanitary pads.

In urban areas, the number stands at 52 per cent. Unhygienic methods of care during periods can cause health issues. Such reusable methods are the future. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments and keep reading Indiatimes.com.
What do you think it would be like to keep a hippopotamus at home? Here is the family that does this. Tonie and Shirley Joubert met Jessica, a baby hippo on the river in front of their South African home on March 11, 2000. When they first met, they saw that the hippo, which was only a few hours old, could not even move, and they helped. The couple knew that they could not give normal milk to baby hippo so they came up with a new formula and prepared a mixture with egg yolk, cream and full-fat cow's milk. Now Jessica has broken dozens of beds so far and joined her family in the kitchen for dinner.
Forney, TX (75126)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High around 90F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below.
Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham is defending his decision to investigate a critical email sent to the Board of County Supervisors.

Meanwhile, Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey said she was astounded by attacks on her role in the situation. Her comments came during the boards meeting Tuesday as several residents blasted the board and Newsham was grilled by Republican supervisors about the situation.

Last month, county resident Bob Hand sent an email to the board with the subject line Government Target. The email was sent to all eight supervisors.

The email is critical of Bailey and Democratic Chair Ann Wheeler and references claims by local resident and frequent board critic Alan Gloss, who says he has been targeted by the two for his critiques of Democrats, who hold a 5-3 majority on the board.

Bailey forwarded the email to her husband, the Rev. Cozy Bailey, who then sent it to Newsham for the chiefs situational awareness.

During the meeting, Cozy Bailey defended his decision to send the email to Newsham.

I made a complaint to our great and wonderful police department when I felt an implied threat had been transmitted to my spouse, he said. Im not going to take what I consider a threat; Im not going to ignore that and cower away from that. I will not tolerate even the impression of a physical threat on me and my family.

A police sergeant visited Hand, saying that Hand did nothing wrong but that he wanted to speak with him. A follow-up email from the officer to Hand included links to sections of Virginia code regarding computer harassment and threats.

Republicans and critics said they were concerned the police were being politicized to suppress speech and that Newsham either abused his power or was pressured by the Baileys into sending an officer to Hands house.

Theres been a lot of communication over this issue. Theres been allegations that this has been done by the police department for political purposes, Newsham said. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The longest exchange Tuesday came between Newsham and Gainesville District Supervisor Pete Candland, who reviewed the sequence of events in detail to determine why an officer was sent to Hands house.

Im here to make sure youre not abusing your power as chief of police, Candland said.

Candland asked Newsham several times what in the email was threatening. Newsham said the subject line falls into a gray area where it could be interpreted as threatening.

Are you saying if stuff falls in the gray area you dont want us to follow up? Newsham said. I believed there was concerning language in the email that required followup.

Newsham and Candland became testy with each other before Wheeler intervened and urged decorum.

I am disappointed in the confrontational nature youve shown here today, Candland said. It definitely seems like youre trying to double down on this. I appreciate that. You feel like you were in the right and I appreciate your comments.

Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson said she has received a death threat, and it would be clearly distinguishable from a routinely critical email. She implied that the Baileys pushed Newsham to take action.

Its important that everybody knows that Supervisor Bailey has a pattern in doing this, she said. Does Mr. Hand sometimes use rhetoric that is bothersome to me? Yeah, I think so. But thats his First Amendment right.

Newsham said he was not influenced by anyone and did not abuse his authority.

Certainly we didnt think it would be this much of a stir about this particular incident, he said. Its hard to pressure me into doing something like that. I felt it was the right thing to do.

During public comment, Hand referred to Andrea Bailey as Supervisor Baloney.

Youre wrong, youre caught and youre pretending to be stupid, Hand said. You want decorum? Show us that youre worth it.  You were never under threat.

Andrea Bailey thanked Hand for speaking at meetings and for routinely reaching out to her but said she was astounded that her colleagues attacked her for the situation.

I offer you the opportunity to talk, not attack, because I think when you do that you break down the fiber of what makes Prince William County great, she said, then referring to Lawson. Women in this country have a hard time leading so we dont need to take the opportunity to tear each other down as we are leading.

The board did not take any formal action on the situation.
If you think Sonoran Restaurant Week is only about Mexican food, you may do a double take when you see dishes inspired by Moroccan, Jamaican, French, and Indonesian traditions on display during the annual event.
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.
Michael K Williams received three Primetime Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his work in Bessie (2015), The Night Of (2016) and When They See Us (2019).
Following her visits to communities impacted by flooding from Hurricane Ida, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a request to President Biden for an expedited major disaster declaration.

With presidential approval, the declaration would deliver individual and public assistance for eligible New Yorkers recovering from the storms damage. Through the declaration request, the governor is requesting that New Yorkers who have been displaced or suffered damage as a result of the storm, including those who did not have flood insurance, can receive the assistance they need.

The governor also announced the launch of the new online resource hub for impacted New Yorkers. The hub provides information on available assistance programs and where to find services such as shelter and access to food. The information on the site will be updated as more resources for New Yorkers become available.

Additionally, the state is partnering with New York City to support the Ida Recovery Service Centers. These centers enlisted the support of elected officials who represent impacted communities and will offer information on all available resources and assistance.

Governor Hochul also directed that $378 million in previously-awarded hazard mitigation funding from FEMA be devoted to bolstering New York states infrastructure against extreme weather.

New Yorkers are still recovering from the damage across our downstate communities, and this request I signed and submitted to President Biden can secure the financial resources that are due to New Yorkers who suffered unimaginable devastation as a result of the storm, Hochul said in a New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) press release. I have seen the heartbreak and pain of these families firsthand, and I pledge not to forget them and to ensure they get the resources they need to recover. Our recovery and support services teams remain on the ground, doubling down on our restoration efforts until New Yorkers are able to stand on their feet again.

A major disaster declaration would result in financial assistance from the federal government allowing local communities and individual New Yorkers to continue their recovery. Assistance includes funding for emergency protective measures, debris removal and repairs to public buildings and infrastructure, as well as direct support for individuals and homeowners.

New Yorkers may also be able to receive funds for other uninsured or under-insured disaster-caused expenses and serious needs, such as repair or replacement of personal property or funds for moving and storage, or medical, dental and child care. Homeowners and renters should make every effort to document their losses.

If approved, eligible homeowners will work directly with FEMA to obtain funding. Assistance can include funds for temporary housing units, housing and driveway repairs, crisis counseling, unemployment assistance and legal services.

Even as New Yorks first responders and emergency management teams remained on the ground assisting local partners with storm response operations, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services deployed specialists to assess damage in order to apply for federal disaster aid. The state remained in constant contact with FEMA and local partners throughout this process to push for an expedited review on the federal side once the preliminary damage assessments were finalized, the release stated.

As a result of these efforts, in the first days of assessments, state and federal experts have estimated that this storm caused more than $50 million in damage to public infrastructure and property. Funding to support the restoration of public infrastructure is being sought through FEMAs Public Assistance Program which provides reimbursement for local governments after a disaster has been declared by the president for activities such as debris removal, emergency protective measures, repair and rebuilding of publicly-owned infrastructure that was damaged including roads, schools, bridges, parks, hospitals, police stations, fire houses, water and waste water treatment facilities and other public facilities.

Additionally, the governor is requesting federal funding through FEMAs Individual Assistance Program for 14 Counties. This program provides direct support to individuals and households. Throughout the initial damage assessment process, state, local and federal specialists determined in excess of 1,200 residences suffered damage.

The governor is encouraging local officials in the impacted counties to continue working with their county emergency managers to submit any resource needs directly into NY Responds, the states web-based system that enables both local governments and state agencies to submit and share vital emergency-related information and resource requests.

At Hochuls direction, state agencies emergency response assets are still on the ground as necessary helping local partners with cleanup and restoration efforts. State and local first responders continue to be fully engaged in supporting local governments in storm response and cleanup operations.

Source: New York Department of Financial Services

Topics New York
FM Global Names New Chief Officers of Underwriting and Client Experience

FM Global, the Johnston, R.I.-based commercial property insurer, has promoted two of its senior leaders into new roles.

Lyndon D. Broad has been appointed senior vice president, chief underwriting officer and will manage the companys underwriting and reinsurance functions. He previously was operations senior vice president of FM Globals Boston operations. He succeeds Randall E. Hodge who was recently promoted to executive vice president, staff insurance operations.

Broad joined the mutual insurance company in 1995 as a loss prevention consultant in Brisbane, Australia. He then undertook various roles in Seattle, Melbourne, Singapore and the United Kingdom before returning to Melbourne, Australia as claims manager. Broad went on to head FM Globals middle market unit, AFM, in Sydney before being appointed vice president and manager of FM Globals Australian operations.

David M. Johnson has been named senior vice president, chief client experience officer and will oversee client experience, market relations, marketing and the companys business risk consulting group. Most recently, he was operations senior vice president of FM Globals Atlanta operations.

Since joining the company in 1990, Johnson has held various positions in FM Globals Seattle branch office, Dallas operations, Stockholm branch and Singapore. A specialist in forest products risk management, he started his career as a loss prevention consultant and moved on to assume numerous engineering, client service, operations and management roles of increasing responsibility including regional senior vice president and manager of FM Globals Asia operations.

MS Amlin AG appoints Michael Koller as Chief Risk Officer

Global reinsurer MS Amlin AG has appointed Michael Koller as chief risk officer. Koller will be based in Zurich.

With almost 30 years of industry experience, Koller joins MS AAG from Prudential where he held the position of group risk director for nine years. Prior to this, Koller was the CRO at Aviva, in addition to being a member of the European executive board. A trained actuary, he has held other senior risk and actuarial roles at Partner Re, Swiss Re and Swiss Life over the course of his career, and has actively engaged with regulatory authorities, such as Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority.

Upon his appointment, Koller will be taking over the CRO role from Catherine Farnworth, who is leaving the business after more than eight years.
Greeces center-right government has created a new ministry to address the impact of climate change and named former European Union commissioner Christos Stylianides as minister.

Stylianides, 63, who served as commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management between 2014 and 2019, was appointed in the wake of wildfires that burned more than 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles) of forest on the island of Evia and in southern Greece.

Intense heat waves in southern Europe in July and August  described in Greece at the worst in decades  fueled deadly wildfires in Turkey as well and blazes in Italy, France, and Balkan countries.

The appointment was announced Monday after a previous candidate, former armed forces chief and defense minister Evangelos Apostolakis, withdrew, citing the lack of promised cross-party consensus for the new post.

As minister of climate crisis and civil protection, Stylianides will head firefighting, disaster relief and policies to adapt to rising temperatures resulting from climate change.

I have accepted (the position) with the full awareness of the challenges and expectations that come with it. The consequences of climate change have overtaken us, and we must accelerate major change without delay, Stylianides said. Disaster prevention and preparedness is the most effective weapon we have.

A former Greek Air Force chief, Gen. Evangelos Tournas, was named as deputy minister.

In July, the City of Athens appointed a chief heat officer, senior climate scientist Eleni Myrivili to help protect residents from increasing temperatures.

Government officials acknowledged mistakes in handling resources while battling the fire in Evia, where the most widespread damage was caused, but also blamed climate change for the steadily worsening weather conditions.

Before serving as commissioner, Stylianides was the European Unions head coordinator for the blocs response to the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa.

Stylianides, who is a Cypriot national, will be awarded Greek citizenship before being sworn in Friday, government spokesman Yiannis Economou said.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire
A legal battle is brewing over remote work between administrators at U.S. colleges committed to in-person classes and some faculty with disabilities. Experts warn it is a precursor of what awaits employers that order staff back to the office amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employment lawyers said higher education provides a key test of who can work remotely because it is a profession traditionally associated with in-person work. But COVID-19 lockdowns proved what disabled teachers have argued for years  that online teaching can be a successful way to accommodate them.

Working from home during the pandemic allowed teachers with conditions ranging from epilepsy to genetic diseases to eliminate the need for specialized transport, add periods of rest to their day and ensure easy access to medicines. As the new academic year begins, many are finding themselves fighting with administrators and having remote work requests denied, an early indication of tension awaiting big companies including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co. that have said they want workers to return to offices.

Under the law, employers have to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prevents discrimination against anyone with a disability, defined as an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. Employees with a disability can request an accommodation, but the employee must still perform what the business decides are the essential job functions, which can change from lockdown to reopening.

The key question: Is presence in the workplace an essential function? said Jeffrey Nolan, an employment lawyer Holland & Knight, which represents businesses.

Alice Freifeld, a history professor, asked the University of Florida if she could teach remotely last year and was denied because the school said her chronic cough and allergies did not qualify as a disability. She planned to take advantage of the schools proposal for the academic year that just started to allow classes to be taught remotely for the first three weeks before going in person. But just as the school year was about to start, the online proposal was withdrawn and she was told she would have to come into school to teach.

I felt powerless. I felt the only answer was to quit, she said. She retired after 27 years at the university.

The university said in an email that it does not comment on individual accommodation matters and that it reviews each request on a case-by-case basis.

Employment law specialists said fear of contracting COVID-19 is not likely to be considered a disability, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has encouraged remote work for those over 65.

I have heard from dozens and dozens and dozens of disabled faculty members, said Lydia Brown, who advocates for disability rights nationally. And every person, who requested remote work accommodations because of a very real and legitimate fear of an increased risk of transmission and severe illness of COVID, have been denied.

Brown and others said they hope the disputes in academia over remote work find their way to the courts and begin to reshape the law. Legal experts said it will take many months before courts hear the current remote work disputes.

Court rulings over the past 15 years on remote work often sided with employers without requiring much evidence that telecommuting was unreasonable, said Arlene Kanter, a professor at Syracuse University College of Law. She expects that to change, thanks to the pandemic.

What I think well see now is courts will not just defer to the employers judgment, she said. Employees should have the right to explain how they can perform their job remotely, and how they just did it if they were working remotely during COVID. Thats why I think were at a turning point.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 4% of the workforce is disabled while advocates said the actual number might be many times higher as people often do not disclose an impairment. There is limited data on accommodation requests, but Ohio State University told Reuters that requests for disability-related remote work jumped 2.5 times to 510 in the year to June 30 from the prior fiscal year.

Cornell University said on Aug. 11 that in-person instruction was essential for faculty and said it would not approve disability-related requests for remote work, touching off a wave of criticism. The university clarified its policy days later to say it would allow some remote work where it best served faculty and students.

Many schools such as Widener University require vaccines for employees and students as the school returns to in-person teaching. The president said they have used flexible schedule arrangements to attract and retain staff. Weve done everything we can to make this work for people, said Wideners President Julie Wollman. But at some point you have to say thats not a legitimate reason.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware Editing by Alistair Bell)

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Education Universities
AIG Zaffino Named Chairman as Duperreault to Retire

American International Group announced that Peter Zaffino, president and chief executive officer, will assume the additional role of chairman of the board of directors, effective January 1, 2022.

As previously announced, Brian Duperreault, currently executive chairman, will retire from the board at year end 2021.

Doug Steenland, lead independent director, said Zaffinos transition into the CEO role in March 2021 was seamless and the company is performing exceptionally well. He said Zaffijos leadership is highly respected by the Board, the insurance industry and across the companys many stakeholders.

The plan to have Zaffino succeed Duperreault as CEO was announced last October, after Zaffino had taken on the role as president and also become a director. In January 2020, Zaffino took on the title of president from Duperreault.

On February 11, 2021, AIG entered into letter agreements with Zaffino and Duperreault laying out the leadership transition. That agreement with Zaffino provided that he will serve as president and CEO for an initial annual target direct compensation of $17 million.

Zaffino joined AIG as executive vice president and global chief operating officer in July 2017. He assumed the additional role of chief executive officer of AIGs General Insurance business in November 2017. He joined AIG from Marsh & McLennan Companies, where he was CEO of insurance broker Marsh from 2011 to 2017 and chairman of the Risk and Insurance Services segment of MMC from 2015 to 2017. He was also a member of MMCs Executive Committee.

Zaffino and Brian Duperreault worked together at Marsh when Duperreault took over the brokerage firm in 2008.

Crum & Forster Appoints Sussman, President of Credit Division

Crum & Forster has named Daniel L. Sussman as president of its Credit division.

In his role, Sussman is responsible for leading C&Fs expanding admitted and surplus lines credit insurance platforms, covering credit risks for North American customers and other select jurisdictions. He also will oversee the strategic partnership with Nexus Underwriting, Ltd. in London  Nexus C&F  which offers an established presence for serving U.K. and Continental European clients.

Sussman joined C&F in 2019 as senior vice president to launch C&Fs Credit group. Under his stewardship, the division focuses on four specialty areas to address financial, operational and strategic corporate risks, including trade credit, multibuyer credit, mortgage risks and alternative risk solutions.

Prior to joining C&F, Sussman was at Ironshore Inc. for nine years, where he founded and served as president of Trade Credit, Political Risk and Special Risk, overseeing underwriting teams in the U.S., London, Dubai, Singapore and Sydney.

He will report to Marc Adee, chief executive officer of Crum & Forster.

AXIS Insurance Appoints CRCs Dadi to U.S. Excess Casualty Team

AXIS Insurance, the specialty insurance business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, has appointed Abiy Dadi as vice president of the U.S. Excess Casualty team. Dadi will be responsible for relationships with wholesale distribution partners, new and existing business opportunities, and executing underwriting strategy. He will be based in Alpharetta, Georgia, and will report to Britt Smith, senior vice president, U.S. Excess Casualty.

Dadi joins AXIS from CRC Group where he was most recently an associate broker/assistant vice president. He was responsible for primary casualty and excess liability production and risk placement, overseeing team operations, and training new team members. He began his insurance career at CRC Group in 2012 as an assistant broker.

Topics AIG
Officials are investigating a release of toxic ammonia gas at a Middle Tennessee chicken processing plant that led to the evacuation of more than 200 residents.

Fire officials said the gas leak at a Tyson Foods facility in Goodlettsville early Sunday was found by an overnight worker who alerted others at the industrial complex near the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and Interstate 65, The Tennessean reported.

The leak was stopped by firefighters and plant officials by 8:15 a.m., officials said. Ammonia is used in the plants refrigeration system.

About 240 residents and 20 workers were temporarily evacuated from the area while hazardous materials officials and plant managers investigated, Goodlettsville Fire Chief Kenneth Reeves said. One worker was assessed for injuries but no one was hospitalized, Reeves said.

Fire and police departments from Nashville and Goodlettsville responded to the incident. An investigation was ongoing.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Tennessee
Meatpacking giant JBS USA has been issued five citations and fines totaling nearly $175,000 after a workers arm was amputated when it got stuck in a conveyer belt at the companys beef plant in northern Colorado.

The 37-year-old worker was cleaning a conveyor belt at the Greeley plant Feb. 17 and reached for something that fell off the end of the machinery, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. His smock sleeve then became tangled in the conveyor belts sprockets.

OSHA determined that JBS hadnt properly guarded the conveyor belt, and employees didnt know to wear a plastic device that ensures smock sleeves dont dangle, The Greeley Tribune reported.

JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said the company conducted a full-plant safety audit and enlisted a third-party expert to review health and safety training and protocols. OSHA didnt respond to questions about whether JBS is contesting the citations or has paid the fines.

JBS also was fined twice Aug. 2, according to OSHA records.

The company was told to pay $27,306 after an employee was lacerated by a kicking cow and $25,746 because employees were spraying 180-degree water without proper protection.

OSHA fined JBS $15,615 in September 2020 for failing to protect employees at the Greeley plant from COVID-19. Six workers there died and nearly 300 were infected.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Colorado
The California Legislature voted to guarantee people can call out their bosses publicly in most harassment and discrimination cases.

When companies settle complaints filed by their employees, the agreements often include a provision barring the employee from disparaging the company or talking publicly about what happened.

These agreements came under fire during the (hash)MeToo movement, criticized as shielding public figures and companies from responsibility in sexual harassment cases. California passed a law in 2018 that bans these nondisclosure agreements in cases involving sexual harassment, discrimination or assault.

Californias Democratic-dominated Legislature this week voted to expand that law to include other types of harassment and discrimination, including claims based on race, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation. Senate Bill 331 now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must decide whether to sign it into law.

No worker should ever be silenced from speaking out about their own experience of harassment or discrimination in the workplace, said Sen. Connie Leyva, a Democrat from Chino and author of the bill. For far too long, these secret settlements and agreements have reinforced a culture of secrecy that prevents accountability, respect and justice.

A handful of other states have laws banning nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment cases, including Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico and Tennessee.

But Leyvas office said this bill, if it is signed into law, would make California the first state to ban businesses from including nondisclosure agreements about unlawful practices as part of severance packages when a worker leaves the company.

Californias bill would not ban nondisclosure agreements in all cases. They would still be allowed to keep employees names secret and prevent the release of any details that could identify them  but only if the employee requests them. Companies could not require employees to stay quiet.

The bill was partly in response to a case involving two Black former employees of Pinterest, the California-based social media company. The women, Ifeoma Ozoma and Aerica Shimizu Banks, filed complaints over wage discrimination and retaliation.

After settling complaints with the company, they decided to speak publicly about their experience. But Ozomas lawyer told her she could only talk about the gender discrimination portion of her complaint because thats all that was protected under California law. Because she signed a nondisclosure agreement, she could not discuss her racial discrimination claims.

That will change if Leyvas bill becomes law.

Im really, really excited about it, Ozoma said. This kind of progress for workers is something that happens rarely, so Im really proud of the role I played in it.

Ben Silbermann, Pinterests co-founder and CEO, said the company supports the bill, known as the Silenced No More Act.

We want every employee to feel safe, championed and empowered to raise any concerns about their work experience, he said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Legislation
More than 5 million renters say they have lost employment income and expect to be evicted soon, the CBPP reported. Struggling renters are disproportionately households with children and people of color, particularly people who are Black or Latino.
There is a jigsaw puzzle of technologies out there that can be hosted and deployed on farms for individual energy consumption needs, says Barry Caslin, Energy and Rural Development Specialist, Teagasc.

There are opportunities for agricultural supply chains, for farmers to sell renewable heat and for biomass trade centres that will create a relationship between the grower and the consumer.

Agriculture feedstocks could be used  whether its pulpwood from forestry, straw, purpose-grown energy crops, or grass silage which is one of Irelands biggest resources and can be utilised for bio grass and anaerobic digestion.

And with over 80,000 beef farmers in Ireland now most of whom are not making money in the sector at the moment  renewable energy technologies are paving the way for new income stream opportunities and land use alternatives that could become an attractive measure for them.

But as Mr Caslin adds, there is no silver bullet to solve decarbonisation, however the range of technologies available means that through integration in an efficient way, Irish farmers can become leaders in the provision of suitable technologies that will help Ireland to reach its 2030 targets.

Energy efficiency must be deployed on all farms and this means using more energy-efficient technologies, said Mr Caslin.

If you take a dairy farm you are looking at energy monitoring and its an area that we need to start taking more seriously because energy prices are going to increase due to carbon taxes and benchmarking energy monitoring in the future will be important as well.

'Irish farmers can become leaders in the provision of suitable technologies that will help Ireland to reach its 2030 targets.'

Farmers could start comparing - through discussion groups  what their energy use is for various things like milk cooling or water heating on dairy farms or poultry units.

Other energy-intensive areas include the pig sector and really what this is all about is getting the right energy system for the farm.

Meanwhile, over 30% of energy costs on a dairy farm are from the milk cooling process.

Basic improvements in water heating systems can help with this; renewable technologies like solar PV for heating water and lighting system improvements  LED lights and high-efficiency motors  could be relevant.

These changes, says Mr Caslin, can reduce energy consumption in the milking process by as much as 50%.

Its the same for pig farms; the variants on those farms are anything between 36kWh per pig produced to the more efficient farms 16kWh per pig produced.

Moving onto poultry farms, building energy management systems could be deployed leading to more technically efficient and monitoring equipment.

Its important too, to regularly service boilers; many farmers use gas boilers while others use kerosene boilers and these boilers can become very inefficient if they are not serviced regularly.

Renewable energy

Over the next few years the demand for electricity will increase and agriculture is going to play a key role in the transition.

There will also be external opportunities for farmers in that they can deploy large-scale renewable electricity through wind farms and solar PV farms.

From a heating perspective biomass boilers can be installed - these are most relevant to the pig, poultry and horticulture sectors.

And, there are supports available to farmers that deploy this technology on their farms. In fact, there is a demand for biomass boilers in hospitals and hotels as well.

Biomass is cheaper than oil - oil and gas prices are going to increase as we go forward, added Mr Caslin.

So now is the time for farmers to look at where they are at and where they see energy prices for their business in the future.

Its about reducing energy costs and reducing the carbon footprint as well.

I believe there are going to be carbon challenges within agriculture but if there are mechanisms in place to allow for the trading of carbon at farm level, that will help farmers with the process of reducing the carbon footprint on their individual farms.

Now is a good time to reflect on energy usage on farmers and explore the options that are there to make savings where possible.

It will also allow farmers to offset current fossil fuels technologies with renewable technologies.

Meanwhile, the electricity Ireland consumes is produced by peat, coal, oil and gas; there is a certain amount from wind and that will increase which is positive but there is going to be a massive demand for renewable electricity in the future.

There is an expectation that by 2030 there will be close to one million electric vehicles operating in Ireland  that is going to lead to an increase in energy consumption across the country, said Mr Caslin.

There will also be a greater emphasis on heating homes with renewable technologies.

There is a focus at the moment on heat pumps which require a lot of electricity to run the compressors.

There is a support scheme for renewable heat which the Government introduced in 2019 the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH).

We have missed our targets on renewable heat for 2020 and so we now have to focus on the 2030 targets.

So how are we going to ramp up on the energy transition that is going to be required by Ireland to meet its decarbonisation targets?

This scheme is part of that transition and encourages the deployment of biomass boilers for non-domestic installations.

And farmers could not only be hosting these technologies on their farms, but they could also supply the fuel.

Forestry farmers, for example, could potentially supply pulpwood into these boilers.

Straw can also be supplied and we could also look at purpose-grown energy crops like willow or short rotation forestry which will afford farmers the opportunity to supply heat for biomass boilers.

There is a lack of clarity at the moment in relation to the types of technologies that are suited to individual farms, Mr Caslin added.

There are options out there and it can be confusing.

We run the Energy in Agriculture event at Gurteen College every year and that is a collaborative event between Teagasc, Tipperary County Council, Tipperary Energy Agency, Gurteen College, and IFA that aims to showcase the technologies that are available to farmers and help them to make the best decisions for their farm.

There are also farmers there who have deployed various technologies on their own farms and that helps to inspire and instill confidence in farmers who attend the event.
A primary school principal who had to contact families directly to alert them about a Covid-19 case has urged the HSE to move faster to help schools with outbreaks.

And the World Health Organisations Dr Mike Ryan has called on governments to invest in schools so they can stay open this winter.

Last week the HSE worked with 1,200 schools including 700 primary schools where over 10,000 close contacts were identified, meaning those unvaccinated children must miss school for at least 10 days until they get a negative test.

But as numbers rise, principals say they are making calls to families ahead of the HSE's contact tracing teams.

The Irish Primary Principals Network former president Damien White said he spent about three hours on Monday evening contacting parents after a case was identified in his school.

Mr White, principal at Scoil Shinchill in Tullamore, Co Offaly, said: It was reasonably predictable that figures would go up as soon as schools reopened. I think that a bit more readiness might have been expected in terms of dealing with the numbers.

In his experience, parents had learnt of the case via word of mouth and organised walk-in tests before being contacted by HSE doctors.

It really needs sharper attention from the HSE, to make contact with the parents and the staff more quickly, he said. Parents and staff have been very proactive.

He said the "massive" number of close contacts is disruptive for children.

It is bound to have an effect on children, he said. For children at this stage of the year to miss out on 10 days of schoolwork, we acknowledge the difficulty this causes. He also noted the challenges for parents who cannot ask a childminder to care for a pupil who may have Covid-19.

Mr White said access to walk-in testing locally is a positive change from last term. His school now also has three carbon dioxide monitors for 11 classes; to his knowledge the department of education sent three to every school, regardless of size.

I hope it is the first three and that there is another package on the way, he said.

Sinn Fein spokesman on education Donnchadh O Laoghaire criticised the lack of support for principals and said Mr White's experience appears to be a common one.

I have spoken to many principals and school staff, who are extremely frustrated with delays to get through on the HSE principals helpline, leaving them having to do their own contact tracing and assessment. The current situation is not good enough, he said.

Clearly, the HSE teams working with schools are not being adequately resourced if its being left to principals to make these very difficult decisions on contact tracing, he said.

Mr O Laoghaire called for better guidance around carbon dioxide monitors, saying the supply is inadequate.

According to Dr Ryan these concerns are echoed around the world. He called on governments to avoid closing schools

Speaking at a public briefing, he said: Governments need to support schools in making those extra investments, creating the extra space. Ive seen some school principals do the most remarkable work, but teachers and school boards need to be supported in doing that.

The HSE said there are 150 Department of Education staff supporting public health teams to assess close contacts. The numbers on data processing and administration teams were increased before term started to collect contacts from principals and enter them into the system through an enhanced testing pathway.

A family should expect testing details from the HSE on the same day or day after their child is identified as a close contact. They should only call their GP if the child has symptoms.

A GP 'buddy survey' found a sore throat, cough and nasal congestion are now the most common symptoms in this wave of infections.

The Department of Health yesterday confirmed 1,470 more cases of Covid-19. There were 367 Covid patients in hospitals including 59 in ICU.

Read More Cianan Brennan: Parents are entitled to worry about Covid impact on kids as schools return
Burma China Invites National League for Democracy to Summit for Asian Political Parties

NLD supporters celebrate the partys victory in Mandalay in Nov 2020. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmars National League for Democracy will attend a summit for Asian political parties hosted by the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday.

The CPC is planning to hold a virtual meeting with political parties from Southeast and South Asia on Thursday. The party has invited four out of Myanmars 93 political parties, including the NLD.

The invitation can be seen as Beijings official recognition of the NLD despite attempts by Myanmars regime to dissolve it. The NLD won the 2020 general election by a landslide but the regime accused it of vote-rigging and nullified the results. The party leadership, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, have either been arrested or went into hiding.

U Bo Bo Oo, a Yangon regional NLD lawmaker and a member of the Committee Representing Yangon Region Hluttaw (CRYH), told The Irrawaddy that he will represent the party.

Military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Partys spokesman Dr. Nandar Hla Myint wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that central youth affairs committee member Dr. Thant Zin Lwin will attend the Strengthening political parties cooperation in joint pursuit of economic development meeting.

In last years general election, the NLD won over 80 percent of all elected constituencies. The junta says it will hold a new election and has since taken steps to disband the NLD.

In early August, in an online meeting between the junta-appointed foreign minister U Wunna Maung Lwin and Chinas ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, the envoy referred to the State Administration Council (SAC), the governing body of the regime, as the Myanmar government but also voiced concerns over plan to dissolve the NLD.

Sun Guoxiang, a Chinese special envoy for Asian affairs who was in Myanmar from Aug. 21 to 28 at the invitation of the regime, reportedly asked to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. His request was denied and the regime was tightlipped about the visit.

According to sources, Chinese officials have told the regime that Beijing wants the NLD to continue as a political party.

In late July, the CPC also sent a letter of thanks to the NLDs central executive committee in response to its congratulations on the centenary of the Communist Partys founding.



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Burma Myanmar Junta Reports Increasing Attacks by Resistance

Myanmars regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun.

Attacks on junta personnel have increased in Yangon and Mandalay after the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) declared war against the military regime, said the militarys spokesman.

Before the NUG declared war on Tuesday, there were only around three attacks per day in each city, but on Tuesday Yangon and Mandalay reported at least five, said regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun.

In Yangon, there was not a single incident the whole day sometimes. But yesterday, there were five incidents. There were more than five incidents in Mandalay. Attacks have increased, he said.

At least 15 attacks targeting junta soldiers and police were recorded per day nationwide in March and April following the militarys February coup. And attacks started to decline in August, he said.

Attacks were reported in Dala, Mayangone, Thingangyun and North Okkalapa townships in Yangon on Tuesday and explosives were used in most attacks.

In Thingangyun, [attackers] threw a bomb at the township electricity office, injuring a member of staff. [Attackers] threw a bomb on Garuna Street in North Okkalapa and attempted to run away. [Soldiers] chased them and two suspects were detained, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun.

Two motorcycle riders threw a bomb at the administration office in Shwe Kyar Pin ward, Zabuthiri Township in Naypyitaw on Tuesday evening. The bomb did not explode and was deactivated. The attack was the first after the NUG declared war on the junta. The capital, the militarys main stronghold, has seen almost no attacks since the coup.

Seven clashes took place on Tuesday in Tanintharyi, Sagaing and Magwe regions and Shan, Kayah and Chin states, according to the NUGs defense ministry. Nine explosions were reported in Yangon, Bago, Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing regions, it said.



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Burma Myanmar Military Telecom Towers Attacked by Resistance Fighters

Anti-coup protesters in Yangon hold a placard reading Dont buy goods produced by the military to show their stand against military rule. / Dont Buy it / Facebook

Telecom towers owned by the Myanmar military are being targeted by resistance fighters following the shadow National Unity Governments (NUG) declaration on Tuesday of a nationwide peoples defensive war against the military regime.

At least 14 telecom masts belonging to the military-owned Mytel, one of four telecom operators in Myanmar, have been destroyed since the NUGs announcement.

On Tuesday, the NUGs acting president Duwa Lashila called on citizens in every corner of the country to rebel against the rule of the military terrorists led by coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

He also called on them to target the military junta and its assets in their respective areas.

11 Mytel masts were simultaneously destroyed by mines on Tuesday afternoon by unidentified attackers in Budalin Township, Monywa, Sagaing Region.

Two more Mytel masts were destroyed in Tantse and Pale townships, Sagaing Region on Tuesday night.

Another Mytel telecom tower in Pauk Township, Magwe Region was destroyed and set on fire on Tuesday night by civilian resistance fighters.

Multiple other regime targets were also attacked on Tuesday by local peoples defense forces (PDFs) in Magwe and Sagaing regions, including the base of Light Infantry Battalion 103 in Taungdwingyi Township, Magwe Region and two transmission towers connected to a military equipment factory in Myothit Township, Magwe Region. In Sagaing Region, the central police station in Kale Township was attacked with grenades.

Much of Myanmar has already been in revolt since the juntas February 1 coup. The regimes deadly crackdowns on anti-coup protesters have forced many young people to take up arms. The NUGs declaration of war on Tuesday could accelerate the ongoing armed struggle against the junta, with fighting expected to intensify across the country.

Since the NUGs declaration of war, at least 10 bomb blasts have occurred in Yangon Region, 11 in Mandalay Region, six in Sagaing Region, five in Magwe Region and two in Bago Region, according to the NUGs Ministry of Defense.

Clashes also broke out between junta forces and resistance groups in Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions, northern Shan State, Chin State and Kayah State.

Regime troops also attacked a PDF base in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region with artillery and torched the camp. PDF members managed to escape with their weapons. Locals from at least seven villages have fled their homes following the attack.



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Burma Myanmar Resistance Responds to NUGs Declaration of War on Junta

Civilian resistance fighters from the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force in Kayah State. / KNDF

Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) across Myanmar have announced an escalation in attacks on junta forces in response to the declaration of war by the shadow, civilian National Unity Government (NUG),

Several PDFs have urged residents to be alert and help resistance fighters as more fighting is expected.

In a speech on Tuesday, the NUGs acting president Duwa Lashi La called on all citizens to revolt against the rule of military terrorists led by coup leader Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country by declaring all of Myanmar to be under a state of emergency.

A leader of the Chinland Defense Force in Mindat, which has been fighting the junta in Chin State since late April, said: We are pleased about the NUGs announcement about preparations for the whole country to resist the junta. We can make a move if we push together. We already have plans to force the military dictatorship out of the country.

The Mindat resistance has inflicted heavy casualties on the military regime in the township.

On Tuesday, the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) in Kayah State said there have already been more operations against the regime since the declaration of a peoples war against the junta.

The KNDF has urged people not to be afraid of clashes and to cooperate with the PDF.

The armed group attacked junta troops deploying near Daw Poese village in Demoso Township on Tuesday.

The KNDF and Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni Progressive Party, also attacked a police station in Demoso Township on Tuesday.

Armed resistance to military rule in Kayah State began in late May, following the regimes brutal crackdowns on peaceful pro-democracy protesters across the country.

The Union Defense and Liberation Alliance, which includes several civilian resistance forces across Myanmar, announced on Tuesday that it will resist the junta.

The Area 21 Revolution Network, which includes civilian resistance forces in Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions and Mon and Karen states, said it will cooperate in the peoples war against the military dictatorship and follow NUG guidelines.

On Tuesday, around nine firefights occurred between junta forces and PDFs and ethnic armed groups across the country and nine explosions targeting junta forces occurred, according to the NUGs defense ministry and the media. An estimated 22 junta troops were reportedly killed.

Armed resistance started in late March after junta forces began killing peaceful protesters.

The regime is facing fierce attacks from ethnic armed forces and growing PDF resistance across the country, except in Rakhine State.

In August and July, more than 1,320 junta troops were killed and 560 wounded during 798 shootouts and assassinations by ethnic armed forces and PDFs, according to the NUG.

By Tuesday, over 1,050 civilians have been killed by the junta during their crackdowns, arrests, raids, interrogations and random shootings, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

More than 7,960 people, including the elected government leaders, have been detained by the junta or face arrest warrants.



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Burma Pakistan Defense Delegation Made Unannounced Visit to Myanmar Capital

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain at his office in Islamabad in 2015. / GNLM

A high-level delegation from the Pakistani Defense Ministry visited Myanmar in the first week of this month. The visit was not announced by either side.

According to well-informed sources in Naypyitaw, the delegation arrived there on Sept. 1 and left on Sept. 5. It is believed that during their stay, the Pakistani delegation and Myanmar military leaders held talks on advanced ordnance technology, aircraft repair and maintenance, and naval munitions.

Separately, a group of about eight officers from the Myanmar Police Force is scheduled to visit Karachi on Sept. 10-30 for training in explosives and mine-disposal techniques, the sources said.

Myanmar has in the past purchased JF-17 multi-role combat aircraft from Pakistan, and is currently in advanced negotiations to build third-generation models under license.

The JF-17 is co-developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chinas Chengdu Aerospace Corporation. The jet fighters can engage in air-to-air battles but also have ground-attack capabilities allowing them to deliver both dumb bombs and precision-guided munitions. They are suitable for Myanmar, where armed conflict with ethnic rebels is frequent.

Relations between Islamabad and Naypyitaw have been strained since the Rohingya crisis of 2017, which saw more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flee Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh after security forces launched clearance operations in northern Rakhine State in response to a series of attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police outposts.

In March, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry expressed grief over the deaths of more than a dozen Rohingya refugees after a massive fire swept through a camp in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar, saying the incident was a sad reminder of continued sufferings of Rohingya Muslims.

In 2018, The Irrawaddy reported that the Myanmar Embassy in Pakistan had spent hundreds of millions of kyats on tightened security measures amid reports that the site had been targeted by terrorists due to the Rakhine issue.

At the time, rallies protesting against the Myanmar governments treatment of Rohingya Muslims were held in several places in Pakistan after the Pakistani Foreign Ministry summoned the Myanmar ambassador to protest alleged human rights abuses against the group.

The National Counter Terrorism Authority of Pakistan told us that there could be terror attacks on our embassy, a Myanmar official said at the time.

However, reports have also emerged that Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency allegedly arranged arms training for 40 Rohingya people in Coxs Bazar.

ARSA, a terrorist group based along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, allegedly has links with Bangladesh-based terror groups, criminal gangs and militant outfits.

Analysts believe that in light of the changing political landscape in Myanmar, Islamabad officials have decided to reach out to military leaders in Myanmar to revive relations.

China sent its Special Envoy Sun Guoxiang to Myanmar recently. He held talks with top-ranking military junta officials including regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Like China, Pakistan is making assessments of developments in Myanmar and anticipates that the Myanmar military will continue to hold on to power indefinitely. Analysts said it is likely that Myanmar and Pakistan will increase defense cooperation.

As Pakistan has a long and strong relationship with China it is likely that Islamabad plans to propose sub-conventional warfare training and equipment; maintenance and overhaul of Chinese-origin equipment; and defense sales through Pakistan Defense Industries, as potential areas of bilateral engagement.

Faced with strong anti-China sentiment in Myanmar, China can use Pakistan as a proxy to continue its assistance to the Myanmar military, Yangon-based analysts concluded.

After Suns visit to Myanmar, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said, 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.

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Were working to cover how COVID-19 is affecting our region. Tell us your story.

Have you or someone close to you been monitored, quarantined or tested  and can you share about the process? Are you a medical professional dealing with this who wants to share your experience and needs at this time? Are you a student or worker affected by closures? Are there questions you have about the coronavirus and COVID-19 response that havent been answered? We want to hear about your experience.

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Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Intelligent workforce management Humanforce launches a software solution to assist businesses in managing complex workplace vaccination issues and help organisations communicate effectively their policies.

As businesses have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and have needed to ensure the safety of employees and customers, encouraging and in some cases mandating vaccines in the workplace is being increasingly discussed, Humanforce CEO Clayton Pyne explains.

Were already seeing vaccination mandates being enacted in high-risk settings like residential aged care and even private enterprises, like Qantas, Virgin, and food producer SPC, he adds.

Pyne elaborates the challenge for workplaces introducing vaccine policies is how they can effectively communicate, enforce, and track these with their employees.

Pyne says an automated workforce management solution can streamline the process and ensure compliance, which affects the safety of the entire workplace and wider community.

According to Humanforce's research, 67% of casual workers said they had been concerned about their health in the workplace during the pandemic and 79% said they would prefer if their colleagues were vaccinated.

Given there is a strong desire amongst casual workers to complete their shifts in safe environments where those who they work with are vaccinated, the onus is on employers to formulate and communicate clear vaccination policies for the future, says Clayton.

Humanforces solution will allow organisations to manage the vaccination policies that may apply to their workforce in the future, and to effectively communicate and track this. This will help managers to have one single source, and help them identify who needs to be vaccinated within their workforce.

Humanforce can support employers and employees with a solution featuring the following tools:

 Create custom vaccination requirements, including expiration rules and allow upload of vaccination proof.

 Automated communication of vaccination requirements to relevant employees.

 Prevents people from being rostered on if they dont meet vaccination requirements, ensuring compliance.

 Single view of all employee vaccination status and any upcoming expirations.

 Can collect vaccine status and proof from new employees during onboarding.

The Humanforce solution also supports contact tracing reporting among employees, should someone report positive within the workplace. This helps employers to rapidly and accurately identify and report any workers who are contacts of a positive case

The solution also helps to navigate and manage a number of new and complex leave types, including pandemic leave, that have been introduced in response to COVID-19.
Accounting software provider MYOB and technology consultancy Thoughtworks are working together to foster the talent needed to design and deliver software.

The companies cite the 2021 ACS Digital Pulse Report which estimated that an additional 60,000 IT workers will be needed each year for the next five years. Yet only 7,000 students graduated with an IT degree in 2019.

Looking ahead, Australian employers will demand over 520,000 more qualified ICT staff in 2026 than they did in 2019.

So MYOB and Thoughtworks aim to provide emerging talent with mentoring and real-world, operational experiences early in their tech careers. This, they hope, will narrow the gap between what graduates have learned and the practical skills companies are looking for.

The first round of the program will bring together 12 MYOB graduates and/or career switchers  known as MYOB proteges  and 12 junior Thoughtworks consultants.

They will be led by a team of senior consultants from both organisations as they take on product delivery work. Alongside this practical activity they will receive ongoing training that draws on Thoughtworks' deep expertise and experience in modern software development and related fields.

Thoughtworks Australia and New Zealand managing director Kristan Vingrys said "This initiative demonstrates how we actively collaborate with customers to deliver outcomes that make a difference to the world.

"We are so excited to work with MYOB to bring our shared expertise to this program and help the next generation of tech talent accelerate their learning  and deliver great results for customers in the process."

He added "The severity of the shortage will impact every corner of Australian business so it's every organisation's responsibility to contribute towards a solution. It's clear we need to think differently about how we recruit and invest in people  it's about building energy and passion as much as we need to build capabilities and that demands a new approach to how we engage people."

MYOB chief product and technology officer Darren Smith sees the initiative as a way for the local technology community to contribute solutions to the talent shortage.

"Australia is competing with talent on a global scale and it's critical that all organisations consider the role they can play in helping grow our talent pool," he said.

"This program is one of several ways we're seeking to nurture a new generation of talent. It's rewarding to see our more experienced team members impart years of wisdom and insights to help build an exciting new community of future technologists who will be a critical part in taking businesses like ours into the future."

MYOB protege developer Tiffany Hoang will be one of the first cohort.

"MYOB's Future Makers Academy has allowed me to accelerate my experience beyond what I could have imagined at this stage of my career," she said.

"The ability to combine best practices in the way we deliver software, while being conscious of areas for growth, has been so far a wonderful experience. This new opportunity to collaborate with Thoughtworks graduates, along with my fellow MYOB protege developers, adds even more to the value of the program."
Microsoft has revealed details of another zero-day attack on its Office software, releasing an advisory prior to issuing a patch for the flaw.

"Microsoft is investigating reports of a remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML that affects Microsoft Windows," the company said in the advisory issued on Tuesday US time.

"Microsoft is aware of targeted attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially-crafted Microsoft Office documents."

Veteran security reporter Ryan Naraine said of 62 zero-days this year, 20 had targeted Microsoft's products. "This is the 62nd confirmed zero-day attack documented so far in 2021," he wrote. "According to data tracked by SecurityWeek, 20 of the 62 zero-days targeted code from Microsoft."

The advisory said: "An attacker could craft a malicious ActiveX control to be used by a Microsoft Office document that hosts the browser rendering engine. The attacker would then have to convince the user to open the malicious document.

"Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights."

"Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights."



That's a really gentle and non-alarming way of saying, "Users with admin rights are heavily impacted."  Paul Masek (@paul_masek) September 7, 2021

The default account on any Windows installation always has full admin rights as this is the way the system is set up.

The advisory continued: "Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint both provide detection and protections for the known vulnerability. Customers should keep anti=malware products up to date.

"Customers who utilise automatic updates do not need to take additional action. Enterprise customers who manage updates should select the detection build 1.349.22.0 or newer and deploy it across their environments. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint alerts will be displayed as: 'Suspicious Cpl File Execution'."

Microsoft said that there was no patch available at the moment to fix the issue, adding "Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers. This may include providing a security update through our monthly release process or providing an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs."

To contextualise this, Protected View also protects against macros.. which are the single biggest source of malware in the security industry, as Enable Content in the UI disables it.



Application Guard for Office is an E5 only feature and isnt used to open docs by default. pic.twitter.com/IiaCic9EWJ  Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) September 7, 2021

As mitigation, the company said: "Disabling the installation of all ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer mitigates this attack. This can be accomplished for all sites by updating the registry. Previously-installed ActiveX controls will continue to run, but do not expose this vulnerability."

An additional mitigation, it said, was that, "by default, Microsoft Office opens documents from the Internet in Protected View or Application Guard for Office both of which prevent the current attack."

But as British infosec expert Kevin Beaumont pointed out in a tweet: "To contextualise this, Protected View also protects against macros.. which are the single biggest source of malware in the security industry, as 'Enable Content' in the UI disables it.

"Application Guard for Office is an E5 only feature and isnt used to open docs by default."
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I've updated my resume in the last week.

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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 
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Brad Boner has worked as a photojournalist for 25 years and has directed the News&Guides visuals since 2004. He lives on the west side of the Tetons with his wife, two kids, two grumpy cats and Rosie the red heeler.
Teton County Reporter

Billy Arnold has covered government and policy since January 2020, sitting through hours of Teton County meetings so readers don't have to. He moonlights as a ski reporter, helps with pandemic coverage and sneaks away to climb when he can.
Evan Robinson-Johnson covers issues residents face on a daily basis, from smoky skies to housing insecurity. Originally from New England, he has settled in east Jackson and avoids crowds by rollerblading through the alleyways.
Since moving to Jackson Hole in 1992, Richard has covered everything from local government and criminal justice to sports and features. He currently concentrates on arts and entertainment, heading up the Scene section.
Joplin, MO (64801)

Today

Thunderstorms during the morning will give way to partly cloudy skies this afternoon. High 87F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
FILE - In this May 17, 2021, file photo, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks during a news conference in Oklahoma City. Stitt has removed the only two physicians from the board that oversees the state's Medicaid agency. Dr. Jean Hausheer says she and Dr. Laura Shamblin were both informed on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, that they were being removed from the governing board of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
Shirley Kay Hemby, of Pittsburg, KS, passed on September 13, 2021 at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, KS. She was born on May 8, 1948, in Pittsburg, KS, the daughter of Henry F. Nannie (Brown) Johns. Shirley was a graduate from Pittsburg High. On April 7, 1968, Shirley married Robert Walla
Opinion Columnist

Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018.
Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.

Tomorrow

Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High around 80F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
UN experts on Wednesday condemned impunity in war-ravaged Yemen, where they say human rights violators are getting away with bombing populated areas, obstructing humanitarian aid, torture and arbitrary detention.

The Arabian Peninsulas poorest country has been devastated by a seven-year conflict pitting Iran-backed Huthi rebels against the government supported by a Saudi-led military coalition.

All parties to the conflict have committed serious violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, some of which may amount to war crimes, said Ardi Imseis, a member of the UN panel.

The range of violations that we continue to see occurring in Yemen is macabre, made worse by the near blanket impunity of those responsible, he said in Geneva.

Among the many human rights abuses cited by the experts were indiscriminate bombing and air raids by the Saudi-led military coalition, including in heavily populated areas.

The attacks as well as restrictions imposed by the warring factions impede humanitarian operations and the populations access to food, necessary supplies and health care, the experts said.

Other violations included arbitrary detention, forced disappearance, torture, sexual violence and the recruitment of children by armed groups.

The UN experts deplored the lack of encouraging signs in the fight against impunity.

Last year, UN war crimes investigators had also condemned what they called a pandemic of impunity in war-ravaged Yemen.

Saudi Arabia had promised to take action against those who caused civilian casualties.

But Wednesdays report said the relatively minor developments seen this year have by no means been adequate or sufficient to quell the prevailing pandemic of impunity in Yemen.

The conflict in Yemen has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions. Despite the efforts of the United Nations and United States, talks for a ceasefire remain at an impasse.
Capital case

go through Amy How





10:39 p.m.

The Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, where the states execution chamber is located. (Nick DiFonzo from Flickr)

A Texas prisoner asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to block his execution, arguing that the states refusal to let his spiritual adviser lay his hands on him and pray loudly in the execution room violated the Constitution and the federal protection of religious freedom. law. People in prison.this Require John Ramirez, who is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, once again brought back the issue of religious rights during the execution of the death sentence to the judges. In the past two years, the judges have faced a series of urgent requests for spiritual counselors. Execution.

Earlier cases focused on whether prisoners can have a spiritual counselor to accompany them in their last moments. In February 2019, the court Alabama allowed The country refused to allow Ray to execute the Muslim man Dominic Ray after having an imam by his side in the execution room, even though the country at the time allowed a Christian priest in the room.

One month later, the court Ban Texas The execution of a Buddhist prisoner Patrick Murphy is prohibited unless he is allowed to have a Buddhist priest by his side. In agreeing to block Murphys execution decision, Judge Brett Kavanaugh emphasized that under Texas policy at the time, Muslim and Christian prisoners were allowed to have spiritual counselors with them in the execution room, but prisoners of other faiths -Like MurphyNo. Kavanaugh acknowledged that although Texas may have good reasons to restrict access to the execution room, the solution is to exclude all spiritual advisors from the execution room, rather than selecting based on religion.

After the court issued an order in Murphys case, Texas adopted a new policy to close the execution chamber doors to all spiritual advisors. This prompted Ruben Gutierrez, a Catholic prisoner, to go to the Federal Court, arguing that the new policy violated his religious rights. In June 2020, the Supreme Court Postpone the execution of Gutierrez And instruct the district court to determine whether allowing the prisoner to choose his spiritual counselor would endanger the safety of the execution.Seven months later, the District Court concluded that no, the Supreme Court Send Gutierrezs case back to the lower court Let them re-examine the case based on the findings of the district court.

Finally, in February 2021, the court ruled that Alabama Unable to execute Willie Smith III, unless it allows him to have his pastor by his side in the execution chamber.

The request submitted to the judge on Tuesday is different from the previous case because it not only involves the presence of the consultant in the execution room, but also the behavior of the consultant during the death penalty injection. Ramirez asked his Baptist priest Dana Moore to put his hand on Ramirez and pray loudly when Ramirez was executed. He went to federal court in August because the state of Texas-which revised its policy in April to allow mental counselors in the execution room-would not approve the request.The District Court rejected Ramirezs September 2nd request to postpone the execution of the death penalty, and on Monday rejected the request of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Refuse to interfere.

Ramirez was sentenced to death for the murder of a convenience store clerk Pablo Castro in 2004. He asked the judge to suspend the execution and review his Facts of the caseHe argued that his challenge was not a procrastination strategy, and pointed out that he first raised the question of mental counseling a year ago. Ramirez emphasized that under the Texas policy, his pastor can only stand in a small corner of the room like a potted plant, although Ramirez believes that the laying on of hands will help him from birth to Die and lead him to the path of death. Afterlife. 

Ramirezs request for a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty was passed to Judge Samuel Alito, who was responsible for handling the urgent request of the Fifth Circuit. Alito can decide on the request on its own, or, more often on important substantive issues, submit the case to a collegiate panel for trial. As Ramirezs death sentence is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, the case may move forward quickly.

This article is Originally published in Howe on the Court.
Since 2015, we have been writing articles about Racketeer Influences and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) litigation and cannabis companies. See:

RICO has A thorn In the cannabis industry, but not necessarily for actual criminal reasons related to federal illegality.Instead, it is mainly used Neighboring Opposing cannabis companies in a civil capacity and trying to squeeze them out, based on the theory that trafficking in illegally controlled substances (and other required RICO elements) is an extortion activity. NIMBYs do not necessarily seek to gain the upper hand on merit; their goal is simply to make cannabis companies spend expensive money to protect them.

In an interesting turn of events, it was reported that MJ Business DailyIt seems that some marijuana companies may now be trying to use RICO to hunt down illegal marijuana clothing in the country. These companies are also chasing third parties who support or support or help and abet the countrys illegal market cannabis operators (if you ask me, thats smart).

As a reminder, RICO is a federal law in 1970 that was originally designed to combat organized crime (that is, thugs).Among other functions, it allows ordinary citizens to claim loss of property value Civil Initiate a lawsuit of triple damages plus attorneys fee against any individual or enterprise involved in any extortion activity model. In order to establish a federal civil RICO violation, seven elements must be met:

Only persons can sue or be sued; The plaintiff must prove that the defendant participated in extortion activities; The mode must include at least two extortion acts within 10 years of each other, and at least one act occurred after the effective date of the regulation; There needs to be an enterprise as a tool or target of extortion activities; The business must engage in or influence interstate commerce; The plaintiff must claim and prove the damage to its business or property; and The plaintiff must prove that their injury was caused by extortion.

Note that extremely It is difficult to win a civil RICO case because the threshold for the plaintiff to meet all the above elements is very high.

Nonetheless, two state-licensed cannabis companies are operating in San Diego (owned by marijuana retailer Valley Greens Retail Outlet, Inc. d/b/a March and Ash) and Mendocino County (owned by four marijuana growers). These leaps in civil RICO lawsuits initiated by individuals constitute the business of Goose Head Valley Farms).A copy of the complaint can be found here with here.

Both of these lawsuits are fascinating because even if state law allows and permits them, all cannabis businesses are illegal within the federal sphere.In fact, a court in California Be fired In the RICO lawsuit filed by a cannabis company, the court found that the plaintiff was not eligible to file a lawsuit under federal law because marijuana is illegal in the federal state. Nevertheless, regardless of federal illegality, because these newer cases are brought under Californias RICO regulations (similar to federal law), status may not be an issueof course, unless the defendant attempts to file a federal court File a lawsuit. After all, the plaintiff is a cannabis company licensed by the state.

In the March and Ash lawsuits, the plaintiff claimed that some of the defendants who constituted unlicensed (and without local approval) retail establishments received illegal help and support from the following organizations:

The defendant landlord who leased space to them; The defendant advertisers allowed illegal operators to publish illegal sales advertisements (including San Diego Reader); The owners and operators of ATM machines in illegal pharmacies claim to be legal on paper and assist in money laundering; Manufacturers of cannabis products that sell these products to illegal operators; and Allegedly, law enforcement agencies provided these illegal operators with information such as raids to avoid criminal penalties and be completely shut down.

On the last note, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District apparently has evidence that at least one former San Diego County Sheriff notified an impending raid on an illegal pharmacy, and that the sheriff also pressured another illegal pharmacy. It hires a family member. Receive the same rebate. The Mendocino lawsuit mainly accuses state and local law enforcement officials of organized corruption and crimes against cannabis growers in order to establish a model of extortion.

I am more concerned about the March and Ash lawsuit, because it brings up one of the main problems of California cannabisthe illegal, unlicensed market is raging, and licensees have difficulty complying with excessive state and local barriers and incredible High taxes.

In fact, in order to better survive in the market, cannabis companies should not bear the brunt of these difficult-to-win lawsuits. Instead, the Department of Marijuana Control and local and state law enforcement should better and more consistently shut down these rampant illegal operators. Destroy the entire democratic experiment legalization. This will include hunting down third-party advertisers and online platforms that continue to use these unlicensed criminals to promote and promote cannabis sales. However, before that, I was not shocked that the industry started to self-regulate and deal with the problems by submitting these issues to public courts. Good luck to them.
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.
"Midnight Runners" actress Park Ha Sun showed off her intense transformation as National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent prior to the big premiere of her new spy action drama "The Veil" with actors Namgoong Min and Kim Ji Eun.

The 35-year-old actress also shared her thoughts on her character in the new drama series.

Park Ha Sun Shows Off Transformation as an Antiheroine in 'The Veil'

"Midnight Runners" actress Park Ha Sun showed off her intense acting transformation as a NIS agent in the newest spy action drama "The Veil" with Namgoong Min and Kim Ji Eun.

The actress will take on the role of Seo Su Yeon, NIS' Crime Information Integration Center head and Han Ji Hyuk's (Namgoong Min) colleague. In the drama, the two will confront each other in a heated confrontation.

When asked about her thoughts on her character, she shared, "Seo Su Yeon is a mysterious person, and her existence is a mere mystery to everyone around her. Because of her charms and chic personality, nobody can tell whether she is a good person or the other in the drama."

The actress shared that she personally chose the short bob cut hairstyle and how she delivers her lines as Seo Su Yeon. She said, "I will show Seo Su Yeon's hot-and-cold character and intense personality through my acting abilities. For me, she is the most well-written character among the rest, so please show Seo Su Yeon a lot of support."

In addition to that, she raised anticipation by saying, "I will show a variety of new sides that I have never shown before."

The actress is expected to exceed prospective viewers' expectations with her accumulated acting experiences through the years.

'The Veil' Pre-Production and Release

The spy drama masterpiece is helmed by writer Park Seok Ho, who is the winner of the 2018 MBC Drama Screenwriting Competition, and filmmaker Kim Seong Yong.

"The Veil" is scheduled to premiere on September 17 at 10:00 p.m. KST on MBC.

Apart from the trio, actress Jang Young Nam, Kwon So Hyun, Kim Byung Ki, and "Dal Li and Gamjatang" actor Hwang Hee are also part of the cast ensemble.

"The Veil" will also be available for international streaming on Viu and KOCOWA TV.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: Namgoong Min Net Worth 2021: This is How Much 'The Veil' Actor Earns Through His Drama

Check out the spine-chilling "The Veil" teaser here:

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
For two weeks since its debut, "Lovers of the Red Sky" continues with soaring ratings as the historical fantasy drama uncovers Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Yoo Jung's love story journey.

With this, the SBS series remains the leading drama among all channels during its time slot.

Lovers of the Red Sky Episode 4 Viewership Rating

Episode 4 proves its reign as the frontrunner in the Monday and Tuesday series after Lovers of the Red Sky viewership rating remains unbeatable with its increasing figures.

According to Nielsen Korea, the latest episode garnered an average nationwide rating of 9.6 percent, achieving its new personal best.

Lovers of the Red Sky Episode 4 also scored the highest ratings among all Tuesday series.

Lovers of the Red Sky Episode 4 Highlights: Hong Cheon Gi Meets Grand Prince Yang Myung

The latest episode began with Hong Cheon Gi's (Kim Yoo Jung) surprise encounter with Grand Prince Yang Myung (Gong Myung).

As the royal prince investigates the disappearance of supervisor Ha, he decides to inspect the paint house, which served as Ha Ram's (Ahn Hyo Seop) temporary shelter.

Here, he meets Cheon Gi, who was overprotective towards her newfound friend, ensuring that no one will find him.

As soon as the Grand Prince steps his foot at the paint house, he introduces himself and states his reason for inspecting the area.

Unfortunately, Cheon Gi did not believe the royal and even mocked him for pretending to be the grand prince; however, she was embarrassed after Ha Ram came out and confirmed that he was indeed the royal.

Feeling completely ashamed of herself, the female painter hid and watched as the prince's men and Ha Ram left the area.

Grand Prince Joo Hyang Doubtful Over Ha Ram's Identity

As strange as it was, the whole scenario was witnessed by Grand Prince Joo Hyang (Kwak Shi Yang) and royal Shaman Mi Soo (Chae Gook Hee), who suspects that Ha Ram was the gifted child at the rain ritual.

In addition, Mi Soo believes that the water demon, MaWang, was inside Ha Ram's body.

With this, the Grand Prince ordered his men to investigate Ha Ram's identity.

Hong Cheon Gi Joins the Highly Coveted Contest

Upon hearing the Palace's announcement regarding the competition, which involved a hefty amount of money, Cheon Gi wanted to sign up in order to provide his father's medicines.

Unfortunately, Baekgyu Institute headmaster Choi Won Ho (Kim Kwang Gyu) won't allow her to join, but Cheon Gi made her move and added her name to the list.

The Baekgyu Institute steward does not want his name to be dragged into the scene, so he told her to deliver the list to the Palace by herself.

Fortunately, he saw Ha Ram standing alone at the pagoda. The duo once again had their fateful reunion, hinting that Cheon Gi might be falling in love with Ha Ram and vice versa.

Lovers of the Red Sky Episode 4 displayed how Hong Cheon Gi and Ha Ram were captivated by each other's presence.

Was Ha Ram Jealous of Prince Yang Myung?

During their conversation, the Grand Prince surprisingly appears and recognizes the girl from the paint house.

Although she wanted to escape Prince Yang Myung, he managed to get hold of her and asked her purpose for dropping by at the Palace.

The latest episode suggests a possible love triangle between the trio, as Ha Ram displays jealousy over Prince Yang Myung and Hong Cheon Gi.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Kim Go Eun's new drama "Yumi's Cells" is going worldwide as TVING announces an update regarding the release of the much-awaited series.

In a report cited by NEWSIS, the OTT officials announced that the webtoon-based program would be shown in 160 countries through Viki.

Interestingly, the upcoming series is set to reach a broader scope of audience since "Yumi's Cells" will be broadcasted in Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and more.

Meanwhile, Studio Dragon, who is responsible for producing the forthcoming series, points out that the webtoon adaptation will surely entertain both local and international viewers.

"The real world in which Yumi lives and the world of cells in her head drawn through animation will unfold at the same time, providing empathy and fresh fun to domestic and foreign viewers," CP Jo Moon Joo explained.

Yumi's Cells Release Date

The upcoming K-drama Yumi's cells release date is slated on September 17, airing every Friday and Saturday with a total of 14 episodes.

Directed by Lee Sang Yeob, who is the genius behind the popular series "Shopping King Louie," he worked alongside screenwriters Song Jae Jung, Kim Yoon Joo, and Kim Kyung Ran to give the audience a visual representation of the beloved webtoon.

In the forthcoming rom-com series, Kim Go Eun took on the titular role of Kim Yumi, an ordinary office girl with extraordinary life together with her special friends, her cells.

Despite this, people around her did not know her past. Yumi fell into a coma after suffering a traumatic breakup. Fortunately, she managed to recover but had a hard time processing her thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Luckily her love cells are set to be awakened with the help of game developer Goo Woong, played by Ahn Bo Hyun.

This raises the curiosity regarding the duo's on-screen chemistry as they portray two different persons.

Yumi's Cells Cast

Apart from the duo, TVING recently introduced the characters of Lee Yoo Bi as Ruby and Park Ji Hyun as Seo Sae Yi.

The broadcast network hints at the duo's role, suggesting that they will wake up Yumi's anxiety and hysteria cells.

Aside from them, Yumi's Cells cast also includes GOT7's Jinyoung and Jung Soon Won as Chief Nam.

Interestingly, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha actor Lee Sang Yi and SHINee's Minho will appear as guests in the drama.

Kim Go Eun Instagram Update: Actress Receives Food Trucks on the Set of 'Yumi's Cells'

As the tvN drama gears up for the highly anticipated premiere, the "Goblin" star shared a glimpse of her life on the set of "Yumi's Cells."

Kim Go Eun's Instagram featured two food trucks sent to the actress alongside a message thanking them for their support.

The soon-to-be-released series is her return to the small screen after starring in the sci-fi romance K-drama "The King: Eternal Monarch" with yellow Hallyu star Lee Min Ho.

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Geca Wills
Broadcast company KBS released the first stills of its newest Monday and Tuesday drama "The King's Affection" (also known as "Affection" or "Yeonmo") featuring "Hot Stove League" actress Park Eun Bin on the late afternoon of September 8.

"The King's Affection" marks the return of KBS2's historical drama to the small screen after seven years.

The King's Affection Stills: Park Eun Bin to Portray a Crown Prince Who Hides Dark Secrets

Actress Park Eun Bin, who graced South Korean television with her amazing acting abilities in "Hot Stove League" and "Hello, My Twenties!", is set to return to the small screen with the historical drama "The King's Affection" with SF9's Rowoon.

In the new drama, she will take on the role of Lee Hwi, a prince who was born as a twin and now hides her feminine identity because of a tragic past.

Crown Prince Lee Hwi carries a secret that no one is ready for. She appears cold but she is brown with a fiery passion to achieve her goals no matter what happens.

In the newly published stills, Lee Hwi exudes a charismatic aura as she is clad with her princely garments and clothes.

Burden, fear, loneliness, and pain are written all over her face, which she became accustomed with due to her secret and heart-wrenching past.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: SF9's Rowoon Talks About His Upcoming Historical Drama 'Yeonmo' + Reveals Truth About His Height

But Lee Hwi's cover is about to be blown up after she meets Jeong Ji Woon, played by SF9's Rowoon, the prince's teacher. The man would constantly hang around and disarm the crown prince Lee Hwi, and naturally thaw her frozen heart eventually.

The "Hot Stove League" actress will challenge herself with her first cross-dressing role, raising expectations and anticipation towards her performance and detailed transformation as a prince.

"The King's Affection" production staff member amplified the excitement by saying, "The actress completes the aura of an absolute prince. We ask for your interest and support for Park Eun Bin who will perfectly embody Lee Hwi's story in the drama."

The King's Affection Release Date and Where to Watch

The upcoming historical romance drama "The King's Affection" starring Park Eun Bin and SF9 Rowoon is helmed by filmmaker Song Hyeon Wook, the brilliant mind behind the masterpieces "Beauty Inside" and "Oh Ha Young Again", together with "Clean with Passion For Now" screenwriter Han Hee Jung.

Nam Yoon Su, Choi Byung Chan, Bae Yoon Kyung will join the duo in leading the new historical drama.

Park Eun Hye, Bae Soo Bin, Jung Chae Yeon, and Lee Pil Mo will also decorate the show with their abilities.

"The King's Affection" is scheduled to air on October 11 every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. KST on KBS2.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: After School Kaeun Successfully Debuts as an Actress in tvN's Mystery Drama 'High Class' with Cho Yeo Jeong and Kim Ji Soo

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!





KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
PHOENIX, Ore.  As the fight against the Almeda Fire continued into the evening hours on September 8, 2020, firefighters ran into a worst-case scenario: no water was coming out of the fire hydrants. Fire crews had to adapt and fast, as the blaze continued to consume homes in Ashland, Talent and Phoenix.

"In the beginning, I don't think anyone thought water supply would be an issue," Jimmy Johnson, an engineer with Jackson County Fire District 5 told NewsWatch 12. Quickly, a nightmare scenario was unfolding for first responders.

Things went from bad to worse around 8 p.m. that evening.

"You take the hose off the hydrant, and you open the hydrant, and nothing comes out, Johnson said So at that point you realize, okay, this whole system is shut down."

They eventually had water tankers drive in water from Ashland to the firefighters. It took precious resources off the wire  and each passing minute the Almeda Fire grew larger.

But why did water stop flowing from fire hydrants in Talent and Phoenix that evening?

Virtually all of the water for the areas effected by the Almeda Fire comes from the TAP Line. The TAP Line (which stands for Talent, Ashland, Phoenix) is a part of the Medford Water Commission and is a 24-inch diameter pipe providing water to all of Phoenix and Talent and can be used by Ashland to meet additional water needs.

At max output, the TAP Line moves about 4,000 gallons per minute (peak times can see flow rates up to 4,400 gpm). Most fire hydrants use anywhere between 500 and 800 gallons per minute, with some larger ones able to move 1,000 gpm.

Five 800-gpm fire hydrants would meet that 4,000-gpm threshold. A sixth would surpass it. But too many fire hydrants being used wasnt the main issue.

"The biggest challenge for us was the service lines in the house that were burned down, the City of Phoenixs superintendent Matias Mendez told NewsWatch 12. That was the biggest loss of water for us."

As each home was destroyed, a water line went with it. Mendez says the average house water line when uninhibited can pull about 5 gallons per minute. When over 2,500 buildings were destroyed, the numbers add up quickly.

On the day of the fire, Mendez, a 20-year veteran of the Phoenix Public Works Department, was monitoring the reservoir levels for the Phoenix system. In the evening hours on September 8th, he watched water levels plummet.

"We had to do something and otherwise we're going to lose our water really quick, Mendez said.

The only way to stop the free-flow of water from these residential pipes without effecting the flow to hydrants was to manually shut off the meters.

So back into the fire Mendez and some of his crew members went to try and do what they could to help fire fighters trying to slow the fires spread.

We're trying to approach water meters and shut it off, Mendez said. "But that was, you know, almost impossible because that was too dangerous and that was not safe for us to do that."

Mendez did not sleep that night and was out in Phoenix the very next day, manually shutting off service lines to restore water levels in the reservoir. While he was doing that, he found his home of 20 years had also burned down in the Almeda Fire.

The TAP Line was never built to handle an event like the Almeda Fire and its not something that can easily be changed. Factoring in wind and how dry surrounding vegetation was, its hard to envision a different outcome for the Almeda Fire.

But Mendez, whos lived in Phoenix for 30 years, is staying right here in Southern Oregon. He and his son are building their new home in Phoenix and hope that this December his familys new home will be ready to welcome them.

We're rebuilding our home and we are about 70% completed and it's a bigger home, Mendez said, the smile on his face evident through his voice while he wore a mask. I hope we can be home for Christmas. That's our goal. Be back in home on Christmas.

Just another example of how strong the Southern Oregon community is, and how determined they are to rebuild after the Almeda Fires devastation.
SALEM, Ore.  Flags at Oregon state institutions will fly at half-staff on Thursday in honor of Frumencio Ruiz Carapia, a Medford man who died while working as a contracted wildland firefighter in Lane County last month.

The 56-year-old Carapia was working along the eastern edge of the Gales Fire in August when he was struck by a falling tree. Though crews immediately tried to help him, Ruiz Carapia succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Friends and family remembered Carapia as a caring, honest, and humble man. On August 26, a procession of firefighters and law enforcement officers from multiple agencies escorted Carapia's body as it was returned to Medford.

On Wednesday, Governor Kate Brown issued an order that all flags at Oregon public institutions be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, September 9, in Carapia's honor. This coincides with Carapia's memorial service in Medford.

"On behalf of the State of Oregon and a grateful community, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Frumencio Ruiz Carapia," said Governor Brown. "Wildland firefighting is often difficult and dangerous work that requires those who do it to leave those they love and cherish to protect people they may never meet. We honor the memory of Mr. Ruiz Carapia and will remember his sacrifice."

The National Wildfire Suppression Association will hold a ceremony in Ruiz Carapia's honor at noon on Thursday at the Jackson County Expo. His body then will be sent to Queretaro, Mexico, where his mother and brothers live.

There are two GoFundMe pages set up to support Carapia's family and help with funeral expenses: one from a friend and neighbor and another set up by family members. Both have exceeded their initial $10,000 goal.
MEDFORD, Ore.  As prefaced by state officials on Tuesday, coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Oregon may have finally reached their peak, with numbers showing the initial signs of decline. However, the latest reports from Jackson and Josephine counties indicate that the peak for COVID-19 deaths may take somewhat longer to overtake.

Jackson County Public Health reported 201 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Hospitalizations in Oregon's Region 5, which includes both Jackson and Josephine counties, slumped somewhat. Public health officials reported 186 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 59 patients in an intensive care unit.



Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center

In Jackson County there were eight newly-reported deaths attributed to COVID-19. The youngest was a 66-year-old woman who died at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, where the majority of the deaths occurred. All but one of the fatalities had verified underlying health conditions.

The latest deaths bring Jackson County's total since the beginning of the pandemic to 228.

Josephine County Public Health reported seven new COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday. The youngest was a 42-year-old unvaccinated man who died at his home and posthumously tested positive for COVID-19. All of the deaths had underlying health conditions.

Unlike Jackson County, Josephine County has also been reporting the vaccination status of recent deaths. Of the latest seven deaths, public health officials said that three were vaccinated against the virus, all of them between the ages of 70 and 90.

Josephine County's latest deaths bring their total since the beginning of the pandemic to 161. Of the 161 deaths, 141 were unvaccinated.

Between August 31 and September 6, Josephine County saw just over 30 deaths from COVID-19  the highest that Josephine County Public Health has seen in a 7-day period since the pandemic began.

With hospitals still well over capacity, public health officials continue to urge the public to take precautions by getting vaccinated against COVID-19, masking up, and avoiding crowded gatherings. Jackson County Public Health recommended this week that people take a "layered" approach, wearing masks that are multi-layered in addition to the aforementioned countermeasures.

"Studies have continued to show that wearing a multi-layered mask block exhalation of respiratory droplets and particles. According to the CDC, multi-layer cloth masks can block up to 50-70% of respiratory droplets and particles and limit the forward spread of those that are not captured by the masks," JCPH said. "Studies also demonstrate that cloth mask materials can reduce wearers exposure to infectious droplets by filtering out droplets and particles. In addition to the number of layers and choice of materials, other techniques can improve wearer protection by improving fit and thereby filtration capacity.

"Studies continue to show that the COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing hospitalization, severe illness, and death. A recent study by the New York State Department of Health looking at vaccination status among new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations found that during May 3 July 25, 2021, vaccine effectiveness for preventing hospitalization ranged from 91.9% to 95.3%, remaining relatively stable."

Officials at Asante have noted that 90 percent or more of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 have been unvaccinated.
TALENT, Ore. -- On September 8, 2020, the Almeda Fire swept through residential communities burning down homes and businesses that had stood there for many years.

Among the homes that burned down was that of Ruby Reid and her fiance, Chris. Ruby and Chris moved to Talent in 2015 after meeting while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

Reid tells Newswatch 12 she remembers multiple fires from 2015 alone. The fire at Warm Springs Reservation in central Oregon burned more than 1,000 homes, and this one was prominent in her memory as she remembered skipping over burned areas while on the hiking trail.

Reid says fires that year caused issues on the trail from southern California to the Washington/Canada border. She recalls checking for fire information and avoiding burned areas constantly throughout that hiking trip. Much of the smoke in the air during her time spent on the trail brought on breathing problems for Reid.

Although Reid was aware of fire dangers between northern California and southern Oregon, she did not expect to experience another major fire after Almeda.

"We lost our home and our little car and all of our products and inventory for our business, and all of the tools from the business. I was lucky enough to get out with my three cats and my life," Reid said.

Months later, in June 2021, Reid lost the beekeeping portion of her business, Valhalla Organics, to the Cutoff Fire in Klamath County.

Though she's been able to keep her head up and spirits high, she worries about the possibility of another devastating fire in southern Oregon.

"There's not a day that goes by that we don't rehearse scenarios of what we would do if, God forbid, it were to come to our new place in Klamath," Reid said.

She and her husband are now considering moving to Virginia, since it rains there in the summer.

Many people across the Rogue Valley have lived through close calls from wildfires. Josephine County's District Chief for Rural Metro Fire, Austin Prince, has worked 33 years putting out fires and protecting communities. He says at this point in his career and serving the community for this many years, he has never considered moving.

Prince tells Newswatch 12 by the end of his career, he wants to look back on those years knowing he served his community in the best way he knew how.

Experiencing multiple fires could take a toll on anyone, but both Prince and Reid walk away with major lessons from their experiences.

Prince said the Almeda Fire was a reminder to southern Oregonians that they aren't immune to devastating wildfire damage.

"Our anniversary of this particular event [the Almeda Fire] reminds us once again, that we could have it happen again."

Reid enters the anniversary of the Almeda Fire saying, "We've just learned that difficult things happen in life where we just kind of have to roll with the punches and move on as best we can."
KINGSLEY Field, Ore.  More than one hundred additional airmen from the 173rd Fighter Wing based out of Kingsley Field will be deployed to support overwhelmed Oregon hospitals, following a smaller deployment that began last week.

The first group of 50 airmen were sent to hospitals in the Springfield-Eugene area, the 173rd announced last week. Now 105 more airmen will head out to hospitals in the Salem area.

Oregon hospitals are at maximum capacity and our communities have asked for help from the National Guard, said Col. Micah Lambert, 173rd FW vice commander. Our activation can provide assistance that increases capacity and patient care. While the tasks we are being asked to perform are not direct patient care, this support will free up medical professionals and provide additional beds; that could be lifesaving.

Governor Kate Brown announced on August 13 that she would activate up to 1,500 members of the Oregon National Guard to help hospitals with logistical support due to the surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, combined with ongoing staffing shortages.

Like the first group, the newly activated airmen will be put to work in non-clinical roles; material handling, equipment support, COVID testing support, laundry and custodial services, and other tasks as needed.

Our Airmen are highly capable, skilled, educated, and multifaceted individuals, said Lambert. We are teachers, private business owners, mechanics, students, commercial pilots, executives; we are in the community and we are your neighbors. We are citizen Airmen and ready to serve when called.

Guardsmen who work in the medical field or as first responders are not part of the activation, as most are sorely needed in their civilian capacities.
PORTLAND, Ore.  Officials from the Oregon Health Authority noted on Tuesday in a press conference with Governor Kate Brown that coronavirus infections and hospitalizations may have finally reached their peak, though the surge is far from over.

"Because Oregonians are masking up and continuing to get vaccinated, we have been able to cut the projected length of this surge," said Governor Brown. "However, there are still challenging times ahead. And we must remain vigilant. Every action you take impacts how this plays out. Every time you mask up youre helping our doctors and nurses do their jobs. Every time you mask up, youre helping our kids return to school more safely. And every time you mask up youre helping keep our businesses and communities open."

The Oregon Health Authority reported 5,821 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, which reflects positive tests logged from Friday through Monday. The state also reported 54 more deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the death toll since the beginning of the pandemic to 3,326.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 around the state declined slightly between Monday and Tuesday. There were 1,140 total patients, 12 fewer than on Monday. There were 300 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 10 fewer than on Monday.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 57 available adult ICU beds out of 641 in the state, or an availability of 9 percent. There were 409 available non-ICU beds out of 4,317 total, or 9 percent.

The apparent decline in infections tracks with OHSU's modeling data, which predicted the peak to occur early this week. However, as an Asante surgeon noted in a September 1 press conference, hospitals may continue to be at crisis capacity into mid-October even as hospitalizations gradually fall.

Full OHA data has yet to be released for last week, but Oregon saw eight consecutive weeks of increasing cases in the weeks prior. The last weekly total was 16,252, which state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger noted was 13 times higher than cases during the week that ended on July 4.

Hospitalizations and ICU admissions hit record highs last week, then receded slightly.

"Our newest modeling offers some encouragement  a slowing of the growth of cases and hospitalizations in the coming weeks," said Dr. Sidelinger. "But that is conditioned upon more adult Oregonians getting vaccinated and taking other protective steps such as wearing masks when in indoor public spaces, when were outdoors among crowds, and reconsidering plans that put us or others at higher risk from getting COVID-19.

"The decisions we make over the next few weeks will determine whether we plunge deeper into this crisis of care or we reverse this rising tsunami."

Dr. Sidelinger encouraged all eligible Oregonians who have not been vaccinated to schedule their appointments as soon as they can to protect themselves and others with the vaccine.

Oregon case data

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (33), Benton (56), Clackamas (453), Clatsop (27), Columbia (98), Coos (38), Crook (15), Curry (19), Deschutes (404), Douglas (421), Harney (12), Hood River (25), Jackson (439), Jefferson (28), Josephine (262), Klamath (65), Lake (2), Lane (647), Lincoln (77), Linn (302), Malheur (21), Marion (602), Morrow (24), Multnomah (772), Polk (71), Sherman (5), Tillamook (69), Umatilla (91), Union (57), Wallowa (19), Wasco (26), Washington (550), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (90).

Oregon reports 2,149 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Sept. 3, 466 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Sept. 4, 2,064 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Sept. 5 and 1,142 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases on Sept. 6.

Reported case counts and electronic laboratory report (ELR) totals are lower than expected on Sept. 4 due to a technical issue that delayed ELR processing. Processing of ELRs received on Sept. 4 was completed on Sept. 5, and ELR totals are higher than expected for Sept. 5.
British Columbia Education Minister Mike Bernier arrives for a news conference in Vancouver on January 14, 2016. A federal election all-candidates debate in British Columbia's northeast was cancelled due to concerns about the safety of candidates and the public in a community where tensions over COVID-19 rules, regulations and vaccines are high. The debate hosted by the Dawson Creek and District chamber of commerce was scheduled for Tuesday night, but officials decided being able to host a safe and orderly meeting was too risky. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Wallach said his company is ready to proceed with the project.

We remain ready to start construction as quickly as we can get through the remaining part of the (process), he said. Our goal would be to be in the ground still yet late fall.

Revised plans

According to the revised plans, the development, known as Diamond Estates of Somers, will consist of 52 two-bedroom apartments, 12 one-bedroom apartments and four studio apartments across three floors.

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The proposed apartment sizes are 967 square feet for the two-bedroom units, 629 for the one-bedroom units and 405 and 485, respectively, for the ground floor and second- and third-floor studio units.

Wallach said the project, which is under the direction of general contractor WM. A. Randolph Inc., of Gurnee, Ill., will include a number of energy-efficient features that will not only keep the cost down to the tenants, but will also have an environmentally friendly focus.

The exterior wall system will have a higher-than-usual insulation rating. Wallach also runs Wally Walls, a construction material manufacturing, engineering and design company also based in Kenosha.
Kenosha Police say they are now seeking a "person of interest" in a death investigation on the city's south side on Tuesday.

Police called to do a welfare check found a person dead inside a home in the 7500 block of 29th Avenue. Lt. Joseph Nosalik said police were called to the home at 10:20 a.m. and began an investigation after finding the person dead. The death is considered suspicious and the dead individual's firearm and vehicle are missing, according to a police press release.

The person of interest, Roberto Andino, is also wanted on an unrelated warrant. Police described him as Black man of Hispanic ethnicity, who stands 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 240 pounds. Police said the vehicle associated with the death investigation is described as a 2021 black Kia Sportage bearing a Wisconsin registration of 753-YZC.

"If you know the whereabouts of Roberto Andino or if you see him please call 911 to report it. Do not approach Roberto Andino or try to apprehend him yourself," police said.

Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333.
Kenosha Police identified a man killed Monday in a shooting on 24th Avenue as 23-year-old Chrishon D Wright.

Wright was shot just before 7 p.m. on Labor Day outside a home on the 6300 block of 24th Avenue. According to witnesses, Wright was shot in the chest at close range in what appeared to be a targeted attack.

He collapsed on the front porch of the four-unit building, where people, including young children, had been gathered on the front lawn. Although police who arrived at the scene attempted to save Wright, he was pronounced dead after being taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The morning after the shooting, a small memorial of flowers and candles was on the porch where he had fallen and a grill tipped over in the chaos after the shooting was still on the lawn.

After the shooting, according to witnesses, the person who shot Wright got into a waiting car and drove away onto Roosevelt Road.

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Kenosha Police Lt. Joseph Nosalik said Wright lived in Kenosha but had ties to several communities in northern Illinois. It is not clear if he lived at the home where he was shot or if he had been visiting there.

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators.
PLEASANT PRAIRIE  A 49-year-old Kenosha woman was killed when she apparently lost control of the vehicle she was driving and struck construction equipment in the 8500 block of Highway 50 on Tuesday night.

The woman was traveling westbound in a black 2009 Toyota Yaris in the 8200 block of Highway 50 (75th Street) when the single-vehicle crash occurred at 6 p.m., according to Sgt. Zach Quever of the Pleasant Prairie Police Department.

She lost control of her vehicle and collided with parked construction equipment and subsequently rolled down the hill, he said. Its unknown if speed or alcohol is a factor. Its still under investigation.

Pleasant Prairie Police Chief David Smetana said Wednesday that after losing control of her car, the woman drove through construction barrels and struck a road construction compaction roller, then rolled down a steep embankment before coming to rest near a frontage road.

Smetana said investigators continue to try to determine the cause of the crash.

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Investigators were still at the home gathering evidence on Wednesday.

A friend of the woman who lives in the neighborhood, who did not want to be identified by name, said the woman had been talking to him regarding her concerns about Andino, who he described as the womans former boyfriend.

The friend shared a text the woman sent him two months ago.

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Sorry, Ive been dealing with some major personal issues. If anything happens to me please tell the cops to look into Roberto Andino, the woman wrote in the text, giving Andinos birthdate and describing him. Ive made a report on him already but the cops said they cant do anything until there is a trail of evidence.

The friend urged her to come to his house if she felt unsafe.

Okay cool, thank you, she answered. I have my gun but really dont want to use it other than at a gun range.

Last seen Saturday

Neighbors said they typically saw the woman out walking her dog several times a day, but they had last seen her Saturday. They said on Sunday they heard loud music coming from her home, describing that as unusual, and said all the blinds at her home had been closed.
Hopkinsville, KY (42240)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

A shower or two around the area in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 57F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

A shower or two possible early with partly cloudy skies in the afternoon. High 57F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers later at night. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
EUGENE, Ore. -- For a lot of young people, it can be difficult to get the period products they need, and that's why House Bill 3294 was passed.

It's called the "Menstrual Dignity Act." Gov. Kate Brown signed it into law earlier this year. It calls for free pads and tampons to be available in all public school restrooms in Oregon.

Madison Schroder, a graduate student at the University of Oregon, said she wishes she had easier access to products when she was in high school.

"If I was a student in a secondary education program, today, I would have benefited from a program like this, and I think it would be beneficial across the board," said Schroder.

Getting your period and not having tampons or pads can be frustrating. Plus, Schroder said it can make an awkward situation even worse when you don't have what you need.

"I think at a younger age, it's kind of embarrassing and awkward to ask that first time, or just ask in general for that product. If it's already available, there's more access and more ability to access those products and not being awkward and being like, 'Who do I ask? Who can I go to?'" said Schroder.

The Oregon Menstrual Equity Initiative group, or OMEI, was founded by two Sheldon High School seniors. Violet Neal and Posey Chiddix were just freshman when they started the fight for free period products in Eugene School District 4J schools. Chiddix said this was no easy feat.

RELATED: 4J votes to make feminine hygiene products free in bathrooms

"We had really strong support from two school board members, but to get the rest of them on board, we just did not stop showing up. And then by November we got that policy passed and that was real exciting for all of those students involved," said Chiddix.

Neal said she was surprised when the Menstrual Dignity Act was passed.

"We have dealt with a lot of opposition in all of this, so it felt sort of like big milestone in the moment because a lot of other things we have done, it hasn't passed," said Neal.

Even with this new law going into effect in July, Chiddix and Neal are still fighting to make period products available for everyone, everywhere. They're moving up to the city level, to provide free period products in public restrooms across Eugene.

"We're hoping to with our capabilities now to get back into that, continue talking to city council members and actually seeing that come to some sort of progress and end because we would really like to see that implemented this year in our city," said Neal.
SALEM, Ore.  Joining Governor Kate Brown in a press briefing on Tuesday, Oregon Department of Education director Colt Gill outlined the agency's latest efforts in response to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state.

Rather than bringing any new mandates or restrictions, the new ODE strategy will include the issuing of periodic school health advisories "to maintain the continuity of instruction" and ensure that in-person learning can continue. Educators are covered under Governor Brown's vaccine mandate, and will be required to be fully vaccinated by October 18, and masks are required in Oregon schools for both students and staff.

"From time to time, OHA and ODE will issue School Health Advisories to identify additional steps families, schools, and communities can take to help keep our children safely learning in our schools," ODE said in a statement. "These advisories may be regional or statewide. The School Health Advisories may name actions that individuals, families and communities can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and help schools stay open. They may be issued in response to either an increased risk by adding mitigation efforts or a reduced risk by rescinding previous School Health Advisories"

The introduction of these advisories came with a raft of initial advisories, set to remain in effect from September 7 through October 1, unless otherwise updated:
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Market Yard in Kilkenny is one of thirty-eight locations across the country set to be developed into a permanent outdoor dining space thanks to a huge funding windfall announced today by Failte Ireland.

A sum of 649,000 (third largest individual sum in the country after locations in Dublin and Limerick) has been allocated by Failte Ireland, in partnership with local authorities, to develop the Kilkenny city hot spot - from an overall pot of 9 million.

Minister for State for Heritage and Electoral Reform local Deputy Malcolm Noonan hailed the announcement as fantastic news for Kilkenny city.

"This funding promises to ensure that Kilkenny's Market Yard will remain an important and valuable feature of Kilkenny's outdoor dining landscape as we look to the future. On top of that, it will be a fantastic addition to the public realm," he said.

Deputy John Paul Phelan TD said the aim of the scheme was to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors.

"Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond. This scheme further strengthens the Governments deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide," he said.

Green Party councillor for Kilkenny city councillor Maria Dollard also welcomed the funding.

"The grant awarded to Kilkenny County Council was one of the highest in the country and is a great bite of confidence in Kilkenny as a year round tourist destination and a really fantastic city to call home," she said.

"Our publicans and restauranteurs have done amazing work with the 4,000 grant from round 1 of this funding stream and this second stream of 649,009 will provide us with a wonderful facility to meet safely in all weathers, coupled with our new Riverside Park and the proposed outdoor event facility beside the Watergate Theatre."

Permanent weather resistant structures are to be developed at the announced locations in a bid to facilitate year-round access.

All proposed works at chosen locations will remain subject to local authority planning approvals and public consultation.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - As we reflect this week on the 20th anniversary of September 11th, we remember the many service members who selflessly signed up to protect the nation in the days, months, and years following the terror attacks.

"I want to keep his memory alive. We have pictures of him in our house to talk to our kids about him. They know who he was and what happened and we do talk about it because it's definitely something we don't want to not be remembered," explained Danielle Larson, a cousin of the late Army Sgt. Brent Koch.

Gone much too soon, Koch was just 22-years-old and three months into his tour in Iraq when he was killed in a roadside bombing.

"Anytime you lose somebody in life it's always very emotional, very hard whether it's tragically or life prepares you for it, it's always hard," explained Larson.

Time continues to march on but Larson says it doesn't necessarily get easier. She said there are reminders of that fateful day and it was a wound reopened in August as another 13 U.S. families would lay their loved service member to rest following an attack at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.

"Just seeing the pictures of the families you remember when Brent came home. You remember seeing him come off the tarmac and driving home and people lining the streets. It touches people's lives in ways you can't even imagine. All those feelings always come back when you see those kinds of stuff - it is real, it doesn't go away, just reignites for sure," said Larson.

Koch's memory will always live on thanks to friends and family.

"What people do in our military world is completely unexplainable. The sacrifices that they make are ones that I don't know a lot of us - would be hard to say a lot of us could go into those situations confidentially. We have a lot of friends and family that are military and have been through a lot just having that respect for them and being so grateful that people are willing to stand up for our country and defend us for our freedoms," said Larson.

Since 2008, a motorcycle memorial ride has honored late Army Sgt. Brent Koch, among other servicemen and women.

May their service and sacrifice never be forgotten.
OSAGE, Iowa  A southern Minnesota man is pleading not guilty to drug charges in Mitchell County.

Logan Carlyle Cox, 25 of Austin, was arrested on March 24 after a traffic stop a little before 1 am near the intersection of Chase Street and N 7th Street in Osage. Law enforcement says the vehicle Cox was driving had been reported stolen.

Court documents state an orange juice container in the vehicle was tested and held 288.96 grams of liquid methamphetamine.

Cox pleaded not guilty Monday to possession with intent to deliver meth and failure to use a drug tax stamp. No trial date has been set.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Driving a vehicle burns fossil fuels, like gas or diesel, releasing carbon dioxide - or greenhouse gas - into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases cause the Earth's atmosphere to warm up, resulting in all of the changes to the climate we see today. That's why several environmental groups are calling on lawmakers to set aside up to $746 billion for climate provisions to the infrastructure bill.

Rick morris with the Rochester Sierra Club said there are three main things that need to change: electricity generation, the way we operate transportation and how we heat and cool buildings.

More than 200 medical journals are calling for action after learning climate change is the number one public health crisis facing us. A new report from the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute finds air pollution is cutting down the life expectancy of billions of people around the world by more than two years on average. According to researchers, air pollution is a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, war or diseases like HIV and Aids.

Morris said hurricanes, the bad air quality days in Rochester because of forest fires up north and the area seeing storms more often are all direct results of climate change. "We've had a taste - a taste - of what it could be like," he explained. "If we don't take steps right now to limit the greenhouse gases that are going into the atmosphere, those sorts of things that were a once in a generation disaster are going to become more and more normal."

Morris explained that this shouldn't be a controversial topic. If we know there are emissions going out and we know there are solutions that are zero emissions, we have to move as quickly as possible to zero emissions. "What you and I do, they are important for us to feel like we have a piece of the solution to find our motivation to do our part," he said. "But the biggest thing we can do is come together and say, 'as neighborhoods, as cities, as states and as a country, we can do bigger things.'"

The Rochester Sierra Club created a petition to have the Med City 100% fossil-free by the year 2045.

The provisions laid out for lawmakers are already included in the budget reconciliation framework Congress approved last month. But it hasn't been determined how much funding each will get.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.  A Rochester man is pleading guilty in Minnesota federal court to producing child porn.

Arkady Pavlovich Pichurin, 27, entered a guilty plea Tuesday to producing sexually explicit images and videos of a minor. Federal prosecutors say Pichurin contacted a minor through social media and sexually exploited the victim for child pornography between November 8, 2020, and January 8, 2021. Authorities say Pichurin admitted using similar tactics to produce child porn involving more than 20 minors.

This is a particularly egregious case involving an adult using popular social media apps to prey on and exploit dozens of children, says Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk. I commend the Olmsted County Attorneys Office and the investigators with the Rochester Police Department and the FBI for aggressively pursuing this sexual predator and holding him accountable for the harm he caused. We continue to urge parents, teachers, caregivers, and young people alike to be vigilant in reporting these types of crimes to law enforcement.

Pichurin is facing federal sentencing on January 4, 2022. Court documents state he is still pleading not guilty to 60 child porn crimes in Olmsted County. No trial date has been set in those cases.
KIMT News 3 - Federal health officials are closely monitoring a new COVID-19 variant that the World Health Organization has named, "Mu."

The biggest thing we know right now is medical experts are saying they don't want to downplay the risk of the new mu variant, but there isn't an immediate threat just yet. That's the latest from Dr. Anthony Fauci.

As of Friday, the mu variant accounts for nearly 2,000 coronavirus cases in the U.S. That's according to the Global Initiative on Sharing all Influenza Data. Dr. Fauci said the new variant has mutations that could evade certain antibodies, including those from the current COVID-19 vaccines. "There isn't a lot of clinical data to suggest that. It is mostly laboratory, in vitro data," explained Dr. Fauci. "Not to downplay it, we take it very seriously. But remember, even when you have variants that do diminish somewhat the efficacy of a vaccine, the vaccines are still quite effective against variants of that type."

Dr. Fauci said the bottom line is they're paying close attention to the mu variant, but the delta variant remains their top concern as it accounts for more than 99% of coronavirus cases in the U.S.

As of right now, the states with the highest number of mu variant cases are California, Florida, Texas and New York.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Gov. Tim Walz responded to Sen. Paul Gazelkas announcement on Wednesday that hes making a bid for the top spot.

Gazelka was the majority leader of the State Senate until he stepped down last week.

During his announcement in St. Paul he attacked Walz for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said, Tim Walz's irresponsible shutdown based on his lack of understanding of the scientific data closed hundreds of restaurants and small businesses across the state, bankrupting many of them.

During a stop in Rochester, Walz first responded by saying he wished Republicans would stop the spread of COVID-19 instead of criticizing his efforts.

He said, The first thing Ill say is why dont you help me a little bit instead of just criticizing?

The governor then went on to say, Secondly, we know what the numbers show. Minnesota has fared better than almost any other state on deaths, on infections, our economy has rebounded more. I think there's at least an honesty about that. This is a group of folks who didn't believe COVID was real, simply flaunted that, and spread it amongst their own members.

Gazelka also attacked Walz over his handling of last summers protests against police brutality.

Gazelka said, His inexcusable absence of leadership during the riots endangered countless families, businesses and communities, and his careless statements of our National Guard, police and peace officers created unfair mistrust in them and put their lives at risk."

Walz did say our system is dependent on 'people putting themselves out to run.'

He added, We will debate the issues to determine who Minnesotans think are better prepared and is willing to make hard decisions to protect them. So, I wish him all the best.

The governor says hes currently more concerned about getting kids back in school and getting COVID under control then moving on from there.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Gov. Tim Walz is encouraging Minnesotans 12 and older to get vaccinated as he made a visit to a Rochester elementary school.

The governor is highlighting the importance of in-person learning and socialization for children as the 2021-2022 school year gets underway.

Walz spent time at Jefferson Elementary where he saw how kids enjoy playing safely on the playground with COVID precautions including taking turns on equipment.

He even joined in by swinging with students while emphasizing the need for schools to stay open so kids can get the education and socialization they need.

Walz said, You see what happens when we do this right, this school is going to stay open. This school is going to keep kids in the classroom. This school knows that if we do have a case we have the tools of testing and contract tracing and isolation. This is just smart.

In order for all schools to stay open Walz is pushing Minnesotans ages 12 and up to get a COVID-19 vaccine to protect younger, more vulnerable students who cannot.

He added, We're incredibly hopeful here, especially in Rochester. This community has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country; because of that you can expect to see, and again I want to thank the school board for making a hard choice, putting the mitigations in place for folks who can't get vaccinated and that is all these little ones.

Minnesotas Education Commissioner Dr. Heather Mueller also showed her support in favor of vaccinations and making sure to put safety measures in place to protect the most vulnerable.

Dr. Mueller said, We know that our school staff are doing all those same things, not only for their own safety but for the safety of the students that are in their care, and then what our families can do? If your student is sick go ahead and keep them home. There are a number of ways that your student is going to be able to catch up.

Walz was also joined by RPS interim superintendent Kent Pekel who says as the new school year begins the focus needs to remain on keeping kids safe while making sure they stay in school.

He explained the districts strategy for student growth saying, First we're going to express care, we're going to show them they matter. Second, we're going to challenge growth. We're going to say it's time to get back to learning. We need to push kids to reengage. But then third, were going to provide support. We're going to help kids complete tasks and goals with the assistance they need.

DFL Rep. Tina Liebling was also among the attendees. She spoke out saying shes proud of the Rochester School Board for mandating masks at the district despite some pressure from the community against that decision.

The governor did say its highly unlikely there will be another mask mandate on the state level.

Walz ended by encouraging Minnesotans to stop the spread of false information adding that vaccines are safe and masking works.
MASON CITY, Iowa - When someone asks you where you were and what you were doing on September 11, 2001, you'll likely have an answer.

Mason City Airport manager David Sims was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech, studying to be a pilot. He remembers watching footage of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center with classmates vividly.

"Being aviation minded, we were trying to make sense a modern airliner can crash into a building on a clear day. We were analyzing that situation through the eyes of future pilots."

The events of 2001 would not only change Sims' career plans, but also how we travel through the skies, including the creation of the Transportation Safety Administration. One thing that sticks out in his mind was the grounding of all aircraft in the U.S. and closing off airspace nationwide.

"As an aviation student, we couldn't imagine something like that even being feasible, but it happened."

Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management coordinator Steve O'Neil was planning a routine training exercise at the airport on September 11. O'Neil was alerted by then Police Captain Dennis Bengtson, watching the coverage unfold on TV, including the moment the second plane hit the South Tower.



"Neither one of us could speak. It was silence, and I think we both realized our world has just changed. This is not an accident, this is bad."

He immediately headed to the airport, coordinating with authorities and state Homeland Security. Even though he was only on the job for about 8 months at this point, O'Neil immediately knew what to do, with all of his attention focused on what's next.

"We're catching it live on the news, scrambling to what should be our posture, what should we be doing, talking to other local officials, what do you think the impacts will be."

In the years since, the Department has grown, in part thanks to federal funding in the aftermath of the attacks to bolster local emergency management operations, including Fire and Police Departments.

"While people were enthused, while people were thinking about it, get them to prepare, get them to do things."

As we come up on the 20th anniversary of that tragic day, O'Neil feels it's important to not forget what happened.

"It's good to remember, and keep it fresh that it hasn't gone away. It's still there, and we need to be diligent."
MASON CITY, Iowa - A Mason City woman is facing her second felony theft charge in a couple of months after authorities said she stole a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Katie Lewis, 33, is facing a charge of first-degree theft after she was witnessed driving the motorcycle by law enforcement.

The motorcycle was reported stolen on Sept. 5, and the value of the bike is estimated at $12,000.

Lewis was arrested in June for allegedly stealing a vehicle from Walmart.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  Olmsted County commissioners are highly recommending masks be worn in schools where children under age 12 are present.

They approved a resolution stating that Tuesday and say they are following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

Children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

CDC is recommending universal indoor masking by all students over age two, staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC and MDH further recommend those in areas with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission rates wear a mask in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.

The CDC says that as of Tuesday, Olmsted County has had 380 COVID-19 cases in the last seven days.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  The public can now vote on the name of Rochesters newest middle school.

A school board subcommittee has narrowed hundreds of ideas for the new school, which is currently under construction, down to five finalists. Rochester residents can vote on the new name until September 16 by clicking here.

The school district says the finalists for new middle school name are:

Susan B. Anthony - A social rights activist of the 19th century, known especially for her leadership as an abolitionist and womens suffrage champion. A student nominator said, "I see a lot of schools named after men in our area so I think a woman's name would be good."

Dakota - A word meaning friend or ally that comes from the native people who lived in this area since at least the 1600s. A student nominator said, "I believe our new middle school should be named this to represent the first settlers of our area."

Martin Luther King, Jr. - A Nobel Peace Prize winner who was a tireless leader in the Civil Rights movement. A student nominator said, "Martin Luther King was a strong advocate for equality with nonviolence."

Unity - A term used to describe coming together in harmony to form a complete whole. A student nominator said, "It inspires those attending the school as well as members of the community to create and maintain unity."

Woksape - A word from our indigenous peoples meaning wisdom. A student nominator said, "It is a tribute to an amazing people that make Minnesota great."
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says he will no longer prosecute felony charges arising from most low-level traffic stops.

He said Wednesday that its time to change a practice that has disproportionately impacted generations of minority communities. He says the new policy does not apply to situations that create a public safety hazard or when a vehicle is stopped because of a dangerous condition. Stops for issues such as a broken tail light or expired license tabs can sometimes have fatal consequences.

In 2016, Philando Castile was pulled over for a broken tail light. He was fatally shot after he told an officer he had a gun.

Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Executive Director Brian Peters released the following statement on Chois plans:

Basically, the county attorney just announced his office wont uphold the law and wont prosecute those break it. Thats absurd, and is a slap in the face to victims of crime. Ramsey County residents be warned: those that break the law wont even get a slap on the wrist --- theyll get a high-five from the county attorney and be left to commit more, and more serious offenses. Reduction of crime and public safety for all should be our focus as the crime rate escalates  and this isnt it.

Candidate for Governor and State Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) also issued a statement:

Todays announcement will make Ramsey County and our state less safe. Those who break the law should have consequences, regardless of when and where in the state the crime is committed. This disregard for public safety follows the Governor Walz playbook of not prioritizing safer communities and the work of law enforcement.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP)  Several miles of westbound traffic on Interstate 70 in suburban St. Louis were closed Wednesday as the remains of a Marine killed in Afghanistan are escorted from Lambert Airport to a funeral home.

Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz was among 13 U.S. service members killed last month in a suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul. Schmitz, 20, was from Wentzville, Missouri, in St. Charles County. He was a 2019 graduate of Fort Zumwalt South High School.

The westbound lanes of Interstate 70 were closed as a procession moved from the airport to Baue Funeral Home in St. Charles.

Private vehicles as well as military vehicles were involved in the procession.

Eleven Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier were among those killed in the explosion on Aug. 26, which was blamed on Afghanistans offshoot of the Islamic State group. The U.S. said it was the most lethal day for American forces in Afghanistan since 2011.
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A car occupied by six children crashed into the tree in the foreground of this yard at C.R. 650 W. and Ind. 32 last Friday.
President Joe Biden will visit New York and New Jersey on Tuesday to survey the damage brought by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, Biden is seen here in LaPlace, Louisiana, on September 3.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.




North Korea on Wednesday ramped up the celebratory mood ahead of its founding anniversary this week amid speculation that Pyongyang is preparing a military parade.







Earlier, the official Rodong Sinmun reported on greetings delivered to leader Kim Jong-un from heads of foreign states on its front page, along with articles on flowers sent from foreign embassies stationed in Pyongyang to celebrate the state founding anniversary that falls on Thursday.







The paper also reported on concerts, forums, photo exhibitions and other events organized in Pyongyang and overseas to mark the upcoming anniversary.







North Korea appears to be bolstering the celebratory mood and national solidarity ahead of Thursday's anniversary at a time when it is struggling with the fallout from the protracted fight against the coronavirus pandemic and border controls taking a toll on its already anemic economy.







Speculation is also mounting North Korea could hold a military parade on the occasion of the anniversary. Earlier, a large number of troops were reportedly observed in Pyongyang, raising the possibility a military parade could be held in the days to come.







The possibility of a military parade in North Korea draws attention as North Korea recently warned of a "serious security crisis" in protest over the combined military exercise staged last month by South Korea and the United States.







North Korea usually uses such national anniversaries to hold military parades and showcase its state-of-the-art weaponry.







Last October, North held a massive military parade to mark the 75th party founding anniversary and unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and several other advanced military assets.







The North's latest military parade was held in January right after its rare party congress. Leader Kim attended the event and pledged to bolster the country's nuclear arsenal. (Yonhap)


The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, right, poses with Zokir Saidov, deputy head of mission at the Uzbekistan Embassy in Seoul, after receiving a commemorative medal from the Uzbekistan government for his contribution to friendship between the two countries, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the nation's independence, Tuesday. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea



By Kwon Mee-yoo



The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin received a commemorative medal from the Uzbekistan government, Tuesday, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the country's independence.



The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Korea hosted a ceremony awarding the medal to overseas partners who have made a significant contribution to the comprehensive development of the nation.



"It should be noted that this award is the result of Oh Young-jin's active contribution to raising awareness of the South Korean public about the essence of the reforms being carried out in our country. After becoming the head of The Korea Times, he actively collaborated with the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Republic of Korea," the embassy said in a statement.



"He regularly provides practical assistance in the publication of dozens of articles and analytical materials on the ongoing reforms in all areas of our country. In addition, Oh Young-jin pays serious attention to the issue of cooperation with the media of Uzbekistan."



The Korea Times signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the International Press Club in Uzbekistan in June to boost further cooperation with the Central Asian country. According to the MOU, the two parties plan to exchange information and experience as well as offer internships to outstanding Uzbek students at the office of The Korea Times.



Oh was one of 27 foreign partners who received the medal for their contribution to promoting Uzbekistan in international society along with 45 Uzbeks living abroad and 180 employees of the country's foreign affairs ministry and diplomatic missions.


This image made from video by National Unity Government (NUG) via Facebook, shows Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG), posted Sept. 7. AP-Yonhap



The main underground group coordinating resistance to Myanmar's military government issued a sweeping call for a nationwide uprising on Tuesday, raising the prospect of spiraling unrest.



The National Unity Government, which views itself as a shadow government, was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power in February.



The group's acting president Duwa Lashi La declared what he called a ''state of emergency'' and called for revolt ''in every village, town and city in the entire country at the same time.'' A video of his speech was posted on Facebook.



Some 1,000 civilians have been killed in the seven months of clashes that followed the army takeover.



A spokesman for the ruling military downplayed the call for renewed protests.



Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun blamed exile media for exaggerating the opposition's strength, in a statement posted on the Telegram app by state television MRTV.





A military vehicle patrols the street in Yangon, Sept. 7. EPA-Yonhap



Myanmar has been wracked by unrest since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, with initially peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing into a low-level insurrection in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force.



There has been more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with the government troops.



The shadow government's prime minister, Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, said in a separate statement posted online that the new move was taken due to ''changing circumstances'' that required the complete abolition of the ruling military government. He did not elaborate.



The call for an uprising came a week ahead of the convening of the U.N. General Assembly. The National Unity Government is hoping to have the assembly formally recognize Kyaw Moe Tun, who supports the opposition group, as Myanmar's legitimate envoy to the world body. He had been the official representative of the government previously, but switched his loyalty to the resistance in late February.



''It's not uncommon for armed resistance forces to seek media attention ahead of a major event,'' noted David Mathieson, an independent analyst of Myanmar politics.



''Calls for an armed insurrection, beyond what is already unfolding, will likely evince concern from many U.N. members states'', Mathieson said.



Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun also suggested the call for an uprising was timed to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly's opening.



Mathieson said the call to arms was unlikely to be welcomed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has been seeking to broker an end to Myanmar's crisis. The organization's special envoy for Myanmar recently proposed a four-month ceasefire to carry out humanitarian activities.



Duwa Lashi La called on the ethnic militias, some of whom have declared themselves in alliance with the resistance, to ''immediately attack'' government forces.



There were no immediate signs of heightened resistance activity, though solidarity was expressed online by some student groups and two of the most powerful ethnic armed groups, from the Kokang and Kachin minorities. Fighting was reported in the eastern area controlled by the Karen, the ethnic group perhaps most sympathetic to the resistance.



The National Unity Government is popular inside Myanmar, but its previous statements declaring the military government and its actions invalid and illegal have had little measurable political impact. The group controls no territory or state armed forces, nor has it won any diplomatic recognition from the international community. Members of its shadow cabinet are in hiding inside Myanmar and in exile.



Fighting in the ethnic areas generally predates February's military takeover, often by many decades.



The ethnic armed groups have an ambivalent relationship with the shadow government, which is closely identified with the former civilian government of Suu Kyi. Her ousted administration failed to offer regional minorities the local autonomy they have sought.





Armed soldiers and police guard behind a sandbags barricade in Yangon, Sept. 7. EPA-Yonhap
People celebrate in the streets with members of Guinea's armed forces after the arrest of Guinea's president, Alpha Conde, in a coup d'etat in Conakry, Sept. 5. AFP-Yonhap








Ahead of a conference on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) made an urgent appeal for more than 600 million dollars in emergency aid for the country.







"Basic services in Afghanistan are collapsing and food and other life-saving aid is about to run out," OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said in Geneva on Tuesday.







The High-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, which will be chaired by U.N.?Secretary General Antonio Guterres, is scheduled to take place in Geneva on Monday.







The U.N. is not only hoping for support from donor countries, but hopes also to gain free access for aid workers to get to?Afghanistan, which has been controlled by the militant Islamist Taliban since late August.







Aid organizations hope that the money raised will prevent almost 11 million people from going hungry this winter. According to Laerke, more than 1 million women and children in?Afghanistan are already suffering from acute malnutrition.







The money will also be used to maintain medical services, water supplies and sanitation facilities. Protection measures for children and women, emergency shelters and educational projects for children will also be funded. (dpa)






Four nursing home residents died in Tangipahoa Parish at a mass shelter where about 800 residents were reportedly packed into a warehouse for Hurricane Ida. Efforts to evacuate them by ambulance and other vehicles are underway in Independence, Louisiana on Thursday, September 2, 2021. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
New Orleans Saints running back Latavius Murray (28) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward (35) during the second half of an NFL game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020.
BILLINGS - Billings TrailNet has been putting a charge in the community for 20 years by raising money at Ales for Trails and giving the proceeds to the City of Billings to develop multiuse trails.

To celebrate this milestone, this year's Ales for Trails event will be held this Friday, Sept. 10, at ZooMontana.

The event will feature live music by Counting Coup, the Brian Zoller/Jodie Johnston duo and Lindsey Jacobsen; along with a selection of more than 50 local and regional microbrews, a variety of wines and nonalcoholic drinks, Giant Beer Pong and a Silent Disco provided by Sean ODaniels State Farm insurance and run by DJ Eros and DJ Elovate.

You will also have the opportunity to win a New Belgium Fat Tire Bike donated by Briggs Distributing, plus a Traeger Grill from Ace Hardware, a Yeti cooler from Shipton's Big R, or a backpacking bundle from REI, which includes a tent, sleeping bag and mattress.

To add a competitive edge, breweries at Ales for Trails are awarded trophies for the three most popular beers.

This year, Jodie Stovall, the executive director of Billings Environmentally Sustainable Transportation RePEDAL, is creating the awards with bike parts in the shape of antler mounts.

The event has helped to raise more than $1 million for the trail system, and Billings TrailNet has donated more than $600,000 to 18 different trails in Billings.

It is encouraged that guests be vaccinated and follow COVID-safe guidelines such as wearing masks and social distancing from other groups at the event.

As an added incentive, if you receive a COVID-19 vaccine between now and Friday at PHARM406 you will get a free ticket to the event.

Otherwise, tickets are on sale online at alesfortrails.com, or at sponsor locations, including Yellowstone Fitness, The Base Camp, The Spoke Shop and The Bike Shop.

No one under the age of 21 will be allowed through the gate, and Billings TrailNet urges its guests to drink responsibly at the event.

You can learn more about Billings TrailNet at www.billingstrailnet.org or by calling 406-281-1244.
Tropical Weather-Pacific for Wednesday, September 8, 2021



Eastern Pacific:

Tropical Storm Olaf off the southwestern coast of Mexico

Tropical Storm Olaf is expected to gradually strengthen as it moves north-northwest toward Baja California Sur.

The storm will likely stay off the coast of mainland Mexico but then pass close to the southwestern coast of Baja California Sur later Thursday into Friday. There remains the chance that this

storm could become a Category 1 hurricane (maximum sustained winds of 74-95 mph) later Thursday night or Friday.

Rainfall of 1-2 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 4 inches is expected over southwest Mexico through tonight. Parts of southern Baja California Sur will also have 1-2 inches of

rain Thursday afternoon into Friday. Near the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are possible with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches. If Olaf tracks

farther to the east, this could cause higher rainfall totals across the southern Baja Peninsula and an increase in flooding risks

Areas along the far southern and western coast of Baja California Sur are expected to see wind gusts of 40-60 mph Thursday afternoon into Friday. Near the southwestern tip of the peninsula wind

gusts of 60-70 mph are possible with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 80 mph. This can produce some wind damage and power outages near where the storm tracks. If the center of Olaf tracks

farther east, closer to the Baja Peninsula, strong wind gusts could become more widespread across the region.

This weekend into early next week another disturbance will move off the coast of Central America into the East Pacific and could develop into another tropical system along the southwestern coast

of Mexico. This disturbance could track close enough to the coast to bring some impacts to the area.

Western Pacific:

Conson and Chanthu in the West Pacific

As of Wednesday evening, EDT, Tropical Storm Conson, known as Jolina in the Philippines, is located in the South China Sea off the west shore of Luzon, Philippines. Conson is tracking toward the

west, and will continue to do so for a few days. Some strengthening is expected as Conson tracks toward Vietnam or southern Hainan Island, China by later this weekend or early next week, local time.

Farther east, Typhoon Chanthu, known as Kiko in the Philippines, is a Category 4 hurricane equivalent on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and has been designated a super typhoon by the Joint

Typhoon Warning Center. The storm is moving west but is forecast to turn toward the west-northwest and northwest over the next few days with some additional strengthening expected. Chanthu will pass

near northeastern Luzon on Friday, local time, before possibly impacting Taiwan, eastern China or the southern Ryukyu Islands this weekend, local time.

Southern Pacific:

No new information for this time period.



Copyright 2021 AccuWeather
BILLINGS, Mont. - A pedestrian was hit by a car on the 2600 block of King Avenue West Wednesday morning around 5:45 a.m.

Sgt. Tina Hoeger with Billings Police Department tells Montana Right Now when she arrived she saw a woman who was maybe in her 60s lying on the ground.

Hoeger says the woman and her husband were going for a walk westbound on King Avenue Wednesday morning when a vehicle turned into the Walmart parking lot and hit the woman.

The woman was conscious and breathing, according to Hoeger, and has been transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.

The crash is still under investigation.
With Laconia becoming a performing arts city, what supporting businesses do you think we need?
ROME, SEP 8 - Italian medicines agency AIFA is set to approve giving immunosuppressed people a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines as its technical-scientific committee has come out in favour, sources said on Wednesday. Health Minister Roberto Speranza said Monday that Italy will start giving a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines to groups of people considered especially fragile this month. "We'll have the third dose in Italy," Speranza said on Monday. "We'll start in September with fragile patients like oncology and transplant patients. "The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have already expressed opinions (in favour) on this. "So we'll start with the first third doses in Italy in September and then we'll analyse things to continue with the over-80s, care-home residents and health personnel, who were the first groups to get the vaccine". (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 8 - Milan judges on Wednesday ruled that a team of independent doctors must evaluate the condition of Silvio Berlusconi after the lawyers of the ex-premier and Forza Italia (FI) leader again requested that the so-called Ruby ter be delayed for health reasons. The 84-year-old media billionaire has been in and out of hospital in recent months after suffering a bad case of COVID-19 last year. Berlusconi is accused of bribing witnesses to lie about his alleged "bunga bunga" sex parties at his home. He is among the 29 defendants, including several young women he allegedly bribed to say the parties were innocent affairs. His lawyers said Wednesday that his doctors were worried about his state of health. But Prosecutor Tiziana Siciliano said Berlusconi was simply suffering "illness of old age". "If he wasn't supported by an infinite series of doctors and lawyers, he would be here standing trial," added Siciliano. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 8 - A Naples tobacconist who is in prison after allegedly stealing a 500,000-euro-winning scratch card that he sold to a 69-year-old female pensioner has repented, his lawyer said on Wednesday. Gaetano Scutellaro, aged 57, was stopped by border police as he tried to embark on a flight to the Canary Islands at Rome's Fiumicino airport at the weekend. He was subsequently detained by Carabinieri police as he drove back to Naples. Police tracked down the winning card in a bank in Latina, a city between Naples and Rome. Scutellaro is accused of aggravated theft and attempted extortion as it is suspected that he may have tried to get money from the card's authentic owner to return it. "He realised that what he did was wrong," said Scutellaro's lawyer, Vincenzo Strazzullo. "He has repented and apologised to everyone for what he did. "In tears, he asked the elderly lady to forgive him". The tobacconist had initially said that the card was his and the woman was lying. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 8 - Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio admitted on Wednesday that he is worried about how the new Afghan government is shaping up after the Taliban seized back power, sources said. "We must be solid as a rock when it comes to principles," Di Maio told an online meeting co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, according to the sources. "We cannot give in on the respect of the rights acquired by Afghan civilians in the last 20 years. "The nomination of the first Afghan ministers yesterday causes many concerns. "We must remain firm on the key conditions, as agreed last week at the EU level - free circulation of Afghans, respect for human rights, especially for women, full humanitarian access, an inclusive government and a real contribution to the fight against terrorism". Di Maio said it is unlikely to be possible to run humanitarian corridors directly from Afghanistan as this would entail giving lists of names to the Taliban and thus putting those people's lives at risk, the sources said. He also addressed the risk that Afghanistan could once again become a breeding ground for terrorists under the Taliban. "Afghanistan cannot become fertile terrain for terrorism and a threat to international security again," Di Maio said according to the sources. "We must make sure the Taliban respect the commitment to prevent terrorist groups from operating in the country". (ANSA).
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo.  Covid-19 cases appear to be in decline across the Lake area and statewide.

Lake Regional Health System, the largest healthcare provider in the Lake of the Ozarks area and operator of the only hospital at the Lake, says their Covid-19 hospitalizations are trending downward after a spike over the summer.

In mid-June, Lake Regional says their Covid-19 hospitalizations began climbing, generally hovering between 15 and 25 inpatients. That number started to trend downward in mid-August, and as of Aug. 31, the hospital reported 12 Covid-positive inpatients. A graph provided by Lake Regional is below:

Improving In Missouri

Those numbers mirror what appears to be happening statewide, as Missouris Department of Health and Senior Services says cases and hospitalizations are trending in the right direction.

At the height of Missouris summer case surge, in early August, Missouris 7-day average for cases was above 2,100 reported cases daily. On Sept. 3, the most recent available date for data, the state reported 1,096 new cases, with a 7-day average of 1,491.

Even in the past week, cases have seen a sharp dropoff: statewide, DHSS is reporting a 12% decline in cases from the past week, compared with the week before, and a 52% decrease in the number of deaths compared with the prior week.

The number of daily deaths in Missouri peaked in November and December of 2020, when the state experienced its largest spike in reported cases.

Statewide, Missouri is seeing Covid-19 hospitalizations decline, too, down from their peak in mid-August.

Vaccination Rates Statewide

The DHSS says 5.8 million vaccine doses have been administered in Missouri. The department says 52.2% of Missourians have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 45.7% have completed their vaccination. The states highest number of vaccinations occurred between March and early April. Over the past month, an average of 12,00019,000 vaccines have been administered daily in Missouri.

By county, 26 of Missouris 114 counties have a vaccination rate lower than 30% (no county has a rate lower than 20%, per DHSS)  this indicates individuals who have received at least one dose. The highest vaccination rates are in the St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Joplin areas. Boone County is Missouris most-vaccinated, reporting 56.4% have received at least one dose. The city of Joplin reports 60% of their population has received at least one dose.
Representatives from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty could file another lawsuit against the city depending on the tax appeal commissions ruling regarding the petition.

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Draper said a representative from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities is set to represent the City of Lake Geneva in the current challenge.

Hes handling it, and Ive given him all the information of the previous lawsuit, Draper said. We had a previous short-term rental lawsuit, so I provided him with all the information and what we base our fee on currently.

Draper indicated that part of the reason the law firm has filed the challenge is because they feel the number of short-term rental properties in Lake Geneva has increased, so the city should decrease the license fee.

Even though the other lawsuit was dismissed, this one is really a new action saying, Well, you got a lot more short-term rentals now, so the diminishing returns is you should be charging less, Draper said.

Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier said the city could work with a technology company that would help keep track of the short-term rental properties in the community. She said the villages of Williams Bay and Village of Fontana currently work with such a company.
The discovery of a gene that regulates the angle of root growth in corn is a new tool to enable the breeding of deeper-rooting crops with enhanced ability to take up nitrogen.
Homestead Nutrition leadership stand in the company's new warehouse in New Holland, Pa. From left, Ken Becker, sales manager; Don Weaver, founder and president; Jeff Swartz, director of nutrition; and Gina Lusk, manager of finance and marketing.
United States will join the high-level dialogue on Climate Action in the Americas, hosted by Govt of Argentina, on September 8. The one-day virtual event will bring together nations in the Americas to discuss our shared commitment to enhancing climate ambition: US Dept of State pic.twitter.com/nwsmX40VDl ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Mexico's Supreme Court voted on Tuesday the decriminalization of abortion in the country, which could lead to the legalization of the health procedure in the Catholic country.

Eight of the 11 justices ruled to revoke a law in the state of Coahuila that punished women with up to three years in prison for having an abortion, without an exemption for cases of rape, according to an NPR report. The remaining judges had joined the vote on Tuesday, saying that such laws are unconstitutional.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Arturo Zaldivar said that it was a historic day for the rights of all Mexican women.

The new ruling sets a precedent that would prompt judges across Mexico to vote over similar rulings and expand early abortions for millions of women in the country's 32 states.

Meanwhile, the recent decision of the top court was seen to make an impact on the entire Latin American region.

READ NEXT: Argentina Legalizes Abortion, Marking a Historic Move in the Country

Abortion In Latin America

Melissa Ayala, coordinator of litigation for the Mexican feminist organization GIRE, noted that Mexico will not be the only one to be affected by the decision, according to The Washington Post report.

In Latin America, only four countries had allowed abortion under all circumstances in the early stages of pregnancy. The countries were Argentina, Cuba, Guyana, and Uruguay.

However, the Catholic Church had expressed its concern in an editorial in its magazine Desde la Fe. It addressed the judges' ruling and said not to create a huge setback just to please an ideology in vogue or due to peer pressure.

The church was not the only one to oppose the ruling. The conservative National Action Party had also rejected the court's decision. The party released a statement regarding the matter and said that they are in favor of defending life from the moment of conception until natural death.

However, politicians do not have a say when it comes to the abortion decision as Mexican law states that supreme court ruling supported by at least eight justices surpasses state laws.

Activists are now planning to push state authorities to free women from serving prison time for having had an abortion.

Advocates also cited the recent Texas abortion law, saying that they hoped their victory would signal American women to challenge the ruling regarding the health procedure, according to the New York Times report.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had yet to comment on the matter. He was known to have faced criticisms for his response to the women's movement. Lopez Obrador has remained noncommittal on abortion, being a devout Christian.

Paulina Creuheras Gonzalez, head of analysis and political risk at Integralia, said that the Supreme Court justice was setting the tone for all local criminal codes to be amended.

Other countries in Latin America, such as El Salvador, still prohibits abortion completely, without any exception for cases of rape or incest.

The penalties for those caught breaking the law range from two to 50 years, according to The Conversation report.

In addition, women who had suffered miscarriages and stillbirths can be prosecuted for murder.

READ MORE: Chile's Government Gave Out Flawed Birth Control Pills Which Caused Dozens of Unplanned Pregnancies

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Mexico Supreme Court rules abortion criminalization unconstitutional - from FOX 7 Austin






An independent auditor's report publicized by the Mexico City government on Tuesday revealed that missing bolts, beam flaws, and poor welds were the contributors to the metro crash that happened in the city in May.

The said analysis with 180 pages was done by Norwegian company DNV, making it the latest installment of their technical opinion on the metro tragedy that killed more than two dozens of individuals.

READ NEXT: Mexico City Will Pay the Families of the Train Overpass Collapse Victims

Report Reveals Contributors on Mexico Metro Crash

It can be recalled that Mexico City hired DNV to determine the causes of the fatal accident in May. The latest report by the Norwegian company had the same conclusions as to their preliminary report in June, ABC News reported.

The latest report, which was also DNV's final technical report on the metro, revealed that the collapse happened due to the lack of functional bolts on a "significant stretch of the line" which is led to the north and south beams. Furthermore, the inadequate bolts "caused a part of the elevated section to lose its composite structure," France 24 reported.

The said elevated structure also served as "two independent parallel beams, concrete beam and steel beam, experienced loading conditions for which they were not designed."

As a result, the deficiencies created conditions that "distorted the central transverse frame," promoting fatigue cracks that reduced the capability of the structure to support the load.

Other possible reasons for the collapse also mentioned in the report included mechanical and design deficiencies in the metro's framework. Poor welding practices were also observed by the auditor.

Sections of Mexico's Metro Already Compromised Before Earthquake

Apart from revealing the cause of the metro crash in Mexico City, the report also revealed that the sections of the metro were already in "compromised condition" even before the 2017 earthquake that destroyed some parts of the line.

Jesus Estava, head of Mexico City's Public Works Department, said that the city government started working on the rehabilitation of the line. Estava noted that they will sign agreements with the companies that will be doing the work. Estava also highlighted that DNV's findings will be shared with a technical advisory committee.

The collapse also affected Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, as one of his companies was involved in the construction of the section in the metro that collapsed. Slim was reported to agree to the reconstruction. However, the billionaire rejected the claims that the line had flaws in its original construction.

In June, Mexico President Lopez Obrador said that Grupo Carso, a company controlled by Slim's family and French train maker Alstom SA, would repair the line with no cost to the government so that it can reopen in a year.

It can be recalled that the Line 12 of Mexico City's metro system was built between 2010 and 2012 when Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard was still the city's mayor. The city was forced to close the transit in 2014, to repair or replace the tracks, 17 months after it was opened.

READ NEXT: Mexico President Promises Thorough Investigation Following the Train Overpass that Collapsed

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: What Happened at the Mexico City Metro Train Accident? - From DW News
Chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden's administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is currently facing calls to resign over a report claiming that the National Institute of Health had funded Wuhan research.

Fauci in May said in his testimony to a Senate committee probing whether the U.S. funded "gain-of-function" research at the WIV that the NIH has not ever and "does not now fund gain of function research" in the Wuhan study.

However, reports found that the NIH issued a "bat coronavirus grant" to a group called the EcoHealth Alliance for $3.1 million, according to The Daily Wire report.

The grant also includes $599,000 that the WIV used in part to identify and alter bat coronaviruses likely to infect humans.

Dr. Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University, suggested that Fauci is being "untruthful" in his statement to the Senate.

Many Republicans are already suggesting that the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases should face a full investigation and be totally forthcoming about the NIH and its involvement in funding research at the WIH.

Rep. Jim Jordan suggested that the top infectious disease expert is hiding something, which should be a prompt for an investigation.

Rep. Ronny Jackson said the same sentiments, adding that Fauci should be terminated from his role as a top health advisor to Biden.

READ NEXT: Growing Evidence Shows COVID-19 Leaked From Wuhan Lab, Contrary to China's Claims

U.S. Funded Wuhan Research?

Ebright said that the documents laid forth made it clear that NIH director Francis Collins and Fauci were untruthful, according to an ANI News report.

EcoHealth's project was renewed for another five years in 2019. However, it was pulled by the Trump administration in April 2020 after the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.

Sen. Rand Paul then asked Fauci if he wanted to retract his May statement as it is a "crime to lie to Congress," according to a BBC News report.

Paul believed that the research qualified as "gain-of-function" research and referred to two academic papers by the Chinese institute.

The said papers were from 2015, which was written with the University of North Carolina, and one from 2017.

Gain-of-function research pertains to when an organism develops new abilities or functions, where it can happen in nature or be achieved in the lab. Scientists can modify the genetic code or place organisms in different environments to alter them in some way.

EcoHealth Alliance and Peter Daszak have been working with Shi Zengli for more than 15 years. Daszak is the head of EcoHealth Alliance in New York City, while Zhengli is a virologist at the WIV, according to a Nature report in August 2020.

The NIH was reported to have asked EcoHealth to obtain a vial of the SARS-CoV-2 sample that was used by the WIV to determine the virus' genetic sequence.

In addition, the agency had also requested that EcoHealth arranges an inspection of the WIV by U.S. federal officials.

Daszak had dubbed the demands from NIH "heinous" and expressed worries that the funding freeze is delaying vital work to identify and prevent the next pandemic.

Meanwhile, the NIH has yet to comment.

READ MORE: Experts Suggest Novel Coronavirus Originated From Lab in Wuhan

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Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Dr. Fauci Under Fire After Release Of Thousands Of His Work Emails - from TODAY






Biden administration asked the U.S. Congress on Tuesday for more than $30 billion funding that will be used as emergency funds to help resettle refugees from Afghanistan and recovery efforts in the recent natural disasters that occurred across the United States.

The budget request from the Biden administration intended for the Afghanistan refugees was made by the Office of Management and Budget acting director, Shalanda Young. The said request was made less than four weeks before the 2021 fiscal year ends by September 30.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Chuck Schumer called for disaster relief to Congress, contending that the money would help communities to recover quickly from the destructions caused by hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding, NPR reported.

The total of $30.4 billion funding the administration requested to the Congress will be allocated to different issues the United States is facing.

READ NEXT: Rescue Operation Organizer Says U.S. State Department 'Exaggerating' Role in Rescuing 4 Americans From Afghanistan

Biden Administration: $6.4 Billion for Afghanistan Refugees

Meanwhile, the remaining $6.4 billion in budget requested by the administration to Congress will be used to resettle refugees from Afghanistan into the United States.

In a blog post, acting director Shalanda Young emphasized that the money will be used for security screenings and humanitarian assistance to the Afghans through the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Forbes reported that an administration official revealed that $2.4 billion will be used to fund the bases where Afghans will be screened; $1.3 billion will be allocated for resettlement operations; $1.7 billion will be intended for refugee benefits and services; $193 million will be sued to accelerate the process for permanent residency. Details on the remaining amount of the $6.4 billion were not furthered by the official.

"This money is certainly critical... to make sure that we are fulfilling this bipartisan commitment to our Afghan allies and partners," an administration official said.

At least 65,000 vulnerable refugees from Afghanistan were expected to arrive in the U.S. by the end of the month. Meanwhile, up to 30,000 Afghans are expected to arrive in the country over the next year.

The said budget proposal of the Biden administration to Congress was the latest relief intended for the Afghanistan refugees.

It can be recalled that on August 31, lawmakers from the House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan bill that would increase the visa capo for Afghan partners by 10,000.

Biden Administration: $24 Billion From Congress for Natural Disasters

$24 billion will be allocated to natural disasters, but the amount will still be designated as a response to specific natural phenomena in the country.

White House officials noted that at least $10 billion will be used for the recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida. Meanwhile, $14 billion will be used as relief for other recent natural disasters such as Hurricanes Laura and Delta from the previous year. NPR also reported that California wildfires will be included in the $24 billion, but it was unclear how much will be allocated for the said disaster.

"Climate Change is producing more severe natural disasters like storms and wildfires," a senior Biden administration official said.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Flip-Flops on When Life Begins in Abortion, Says Life Does Not Begin at Conception Contradicting Past Claims

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Thousands of Afghan Refugees Arrive for Resettlement in the United States - From CBS News
Afghan soldiers trained by U.S. and British forces are now reportedly fighting for the Taliban, according to U.K. army sources.

U.K. army officers recently analyzed images of the Taliban using their weapons. They believed that some of the fighters are using techniques they learned from the U.K. and U.S., including some NATO countries, Daily Mail reported.

A British army source told The Times they identified one Taliban fighter using a "straight finger" over a gun's trigger guard, which means western forces trained them because members of the Taliban hold their weapons "randomly."

The source noted that it was included in the safety training they have, adding that if those guys displayed these techniques, they know it was one of the people they had trained.

There's still no official confirmation that Afghan soldiers trained by the U.S. and U.K. forces have already switched sides. But the source noted it is likely that these Afghan soldiers have sided with the militant group to save themselves.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Admits Donald Trump's Deal With Taliban Resulted in a Year Without Combat Death in Afghanistan

Quick Collapse of Afghan National Army

Many were surprised when the Afghan army folded against the Taliban forces, including Pentagon's top military officer Gen. Mark Milley.

Milley told reporters earlier that the U.S. intelligence community estimated that if the U.S. troops withdrew, it would be weeks, even months before the Afghan military fell to the Taliban. However, it happened for only 11 days, according to NPR.

A longtime Afghanistan observer and an author, Carter Malkasian, said the Taliban had fought with ideological fervor and getting rid of the country of the foreign invaders enshrined in Afghan identity.

Malkasian noted that the Taliban were more willing to kill and be killed than many Afghan soldiers and police. Lack of leadership was also included in the factors why the Afghan army have collapsed quickly.

First Lt. Hayatullah Frotan earlier told NPR that the government would not help the family of slain soldiers. Frotan noted that the Afghan government does not have any policy nor any good plan.

Mohammad Shafiq Hamdam, a security expert based in Kabul, also said that Afghanistan was dependent financially on the U.S., DW reported. Another security expert, Attiqullah Amarkhail, noted that the unconditional withdrawal of NATO troops had boosted the Taliban's morale.

The U.S.-Taliban deal in Doha had also reportedly demoralized Afghan forces. The deal was put together by the administration of former President Donald Trump.

Some experts also claimed that there were persistent and troubling allegations of corruption and abuse around Afghan leaders that the U.S. and its NATO allies largely ignored, Business Insider reported.

The alleged corruption has weakened efforts to build a government and military that could stand against the Taliban and meet the country's needs.

Gen. Sami Sadat, a three-star Afghan army general, had also pinned the blame on U.S. politics. Senior Human Rights Watch researcher Patricia Gossman further noted that human rights abuses and corruption were a huge factor in the country's fall.

READ MORE: Taliban Got Hold of a U.S.-Made Super-Surveillance System

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Afghan Soldiers in Kunduz Surrender As Taliban Seizes More Cities - From NBC News






Robert F. Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, expressed Tuesday her opposition to the possible parole of her husband's shooter, Sirhan Sirhan.

Kennedy's widow made her opposition through a statement, as Mrs. Kennedy handwrote that "He [Sirhan Sirhan] should not be paroled."

READ NEXT: Robert F. Kennedy's Assassin Recommended for Parole: Could He Soon Be a Free Man?

Kennedy's Widow Voiced Out Opposition on the Possible Parole of Husband's Shooter

In the statement, Kennedy's widow argued that the shooter "should not have the opportunity to terrorize again," despite believing in the "gentleness" that spared the life of Sirhan. Mrs. Kennedy also argued that their family and the United States suffered "unspeakable loss" due to the death of Robert F. Kennedy, adding that it stemmed out from an "inhumanity of one man."

Apart from opposing the possible parole of Kennedy's alleged shooter, the widow of the late senator also recalled her husband's belief that "we should work to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world."

Ethel Kennedy also noted that her late husband also dreamed to bring the people together to "build a better, stronger country," NBC News reported.

"More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband," Kennedy's widow said in the statement.

Ethel Kennedy was not the only family member who opposed the possible parole that can be granted to Sirhan.

In a statement, Kennedy's 11 children, including Joseph Kennedy II, Courtney Kennedy, Cristopher Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Maxwell Kennedy, and Rory Kennedy, expressed their opposition in the possible release of Sirhan Sirhan.

"As children of Robert F. Kennedy, we are devastated that the man who murdered our father has been recommended for parole," the children of the late senator said, adding that the death of their father was a "very difficult matter" for them to discuss publicly.

Kennedy's children also emphasized that they declined to engage directly in the parole process for many decades. In the statement, the children of the late senator also urged the parole board staff, the full board, and Governor Gavin Newsom to reverse the initial recommendation of parole.

Apart from Robert F. Kennedy's family, some liberals also expressed their opposition to the recommendation of parole for Sirhan.

Professor Emeritus Lawrence Tribe, a longtime prominent liberal voice took to Twitter to express his opposition on the parole.

"I fail to see why Bobby Kennedy's assassin should ever be released from prison," Tribe said contending that Sirhan could still be a threat even at age 77.

I fail to see why Bobby Kennedys assassin should ever be released from prison. Even at 77, he could be a threat. And the enduring harm he inflicted was incalculable. But for his vicious act, the rest of U.S. history wouldve been different. https://t.co/QevhN39Bsq  Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) August 26, 2021

Sirhan Sirhan's Lawyer Claps Back on Parole's Opposition

On Monday, Angela Berry, the lawyer of Robert F. Kennedy's shooter, said that the impact of the killing was strong for people. However, the lawyer argued that the opposition "can't see that the board followed the law."

The oppositions stemmed out when two commissioners from the California Board of Parole recommended Sirhan's parole after two sons of the late senator favored the shooter's release.

"There wasn't one iota of evidence to suggest this man [Sirhan] is still dangerous," Berry noted.

Furthermore, the documents submitted by Sirhan included the state's experts that Robert F. Kennedy's alleged shooter "represents low risk for violence," and his age qualifies him for elderly prisoner consideration.

READ NEXT: Dr. Anthony Fauci Being Called to Resign After Report Claims U.S. Funneled Funds to Wuhan Research Through National Institute of Health

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Robert F. Kennedy's Assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, Recommended For Parole - From TODAY
A leaked email shows that the U.S. State Department has refused to greenlight some privately chartered planes out of Afghanistan, which could have evacuated U.S. citizens and Afghans wanting out of the country.

Military lawyer and retired Marine Eric Montalvo opened up about the details of the email to Fox News after he organized some of the flights, claiming that the federal government had thwarted his rescue effort, Daily Mail reported.

The leaked email shows that State Department officials refused to allow Montalvo's privately paid flights to use U.S. property either inside the country or in any of its overseas bases.

The officials cited possible security threats from landing charter planes at military bases, saying they lack the resources on the ground to thoroughly verify flight manifests.

An email from September 1 read that no independent charters are allowed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Defense Department base, and "most if not all countries in the Middle Eastern region," except for "perhaps Saudi Arabia."

An official suggested Montalvo look to a different destination country for help. The official added that it "can't be the U.S. either."

Though some third countries "may require" official approval from the State Department before accepting the private charter flights, the official noted that the agency "will not provide" that approval.

"DOS (Department of State) will not provide an approval, but we will provide a 'no objection' to the destination country government via the U.S. Embassy in that country," the official said.

It was also reported that the delay was caused by the administration officials of President Joe Biden not informing Taliban leaders that it had approved the departures of chartered flights.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki argued that reports claiming that the Biden administration was stopping efforts to evacuate remaining people in Afghanistan was incorrect.

Psaki earlier said that anyone suggesting that the administration was preventing the flight was not accurate, New York Post reported.

Rep. Markwayne Mullin also blamed the State Department for blocking a rescue mission he had sponsored from landing at the Kabul airport.

READ NEXT: Afghan Soldiers Who Received Training From U.S. And British Forces Now Fighting for the Taliban, U.K. Army Sources Say

U.S. Forces to Return to Afghanistan

The Washington Post reported that Sen. Lindsey Graham believes that the U.S. forces would be going back to Afghanistan despite ending the nearly two decades of U.S. military presence in the war-torn country.

Graham told his predictions to BBC, saying that the U.S. will have to go back to Afghanistan "because the [terror] threat will be so large."

He also predicted a looming clash between the Taliban and extremist groups such as the Islamic State. The Republican senator claimed that Afghanistan would be a "cauldron for radical Islamic behavior."

He further noted that the Taliban is not reformed and that they will be giving a safe haven to Al Qaeda, who have ambitions to drive the U.S. out of the mid-east.

Graham said that Biden's choice would be either to let the threat fester or "hit them before they hit you," The Hill reported. Graham was among the Republicans who criticized Biden for failing to correctly forecast the fall of the Afghan government and Army, with the Taliban earning the territory.

The Taliban earlier called on the U.S. to adhere to the August 31 deadline to withdraw the troops. The withdrawal was three months later than what former President Donald Trump had agreed on with the Taliban during the U.S.-Taliban deal in Doha, Independent reported.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden had promised that the U.S. forces would be able to keep terrorists in check without deploying military forces in Afghanistan.

The president said they conduct effective counterterrorism missions in multiple countries without having to commit a military presence permanently. Biden noted that they would do the same in Afghanistan if needed.

READ MORE: Taliban Got Hold of a U.S.-Made Super-Surveillance System

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WATCH: Taliban Blocks Plane From Leaving Afghanistan - From GMA






"The Wire" actor Michael K. Williams shared a cryptic Instagram post days before he was discovered dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday.

The Instagram post by the actor was published on Wednesday last week, featuring a TikTok video of his comedian pal Tracy Morgan preaching about what happiness is.

READ NEXT: Comedian Fuquan Johnson, 2 Others Die in Alleged Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine Overdoses; Model Kate Quigley in Critical Condition

Michael K. Williams Posts Cryptic Message on Instagram Days Before His Death

Michael K. Williams captioned the video "I love you brother" as he tagged the comedian on his Instagram post. The TikTok video featured Tracy Morgan asking the people not to cry for him as he discussed his near-fatal 2014 car accident.

The comedian was critically injured in the accident and was in a coma for about two weeks. Tracy Morgan was also reported to contemplate suicide while he was recovering.

"Don't cry for me! Okay, I had a misfortune accident. Don't cry for me," said Tracy Morgan on the video. The comedian then asked the public to cry for other people, sharing that his grandmother used to tell him that there are "people out there in the world with nobody to love and nobody loves them."

The video, which Michael K. Williams' last Instagram post, ended with Tracy claiming that true happiness is "having something to look forward to."

The said Instagram post received different reactions from the netizens, with some people expressing their thoughts on the sudden death of the actor.

Actress Nicole Ari Parker said her heart was broken upon Williams' passing, wishing the actor to "rest in power." Actor and author Hill Harper also commented on Williams' last Instagram post, also wishing the actor to rest in power.

Michael K. Williams Death

On September 6, Michael K. Williams was confirmed dead by his longtime representative, Mariana Shafran of Shafran PR. The actor was 54 years old.

"It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams," Shafran told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that the actor's family requested privacy as they grieve from the sudden loss.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said the actor was discovered dead by a relative at around 2 p.m. Monday at his Kent Avenue apartment in Brooklyn. Authorities confirmed that Michael K. Williams was alone when found, and illegal drug paraphernalia was discovered in his residence. Some reports said he died from an apparent heroin overdose.

"It's heartbreaking, heartbreaking," the actor's nephew Arvance Williams said, adding that they were supposed to go to Pennsylvania and see his uncle this past weekend.

Another nephew of the star, Booker Williams, said that his uncle loved their community and Williams did "everything in his power" to show love.

HBO also expressed their thoughts on the actor's sudden passing, stating that Williams was loved by all who had the privilege to work with him. The network said that Williams was part of their family for more than 20 years.

In the wake of Michael K. Williams' sudden death, officials from the NYPD said the medical examiner is still investigating the cause of the actor's death.

READ MORE: Joe Rogan Says He Has COVID and Took Controversial Anti-Parasite Drug Ivermectin for Treatment

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Michael K. Williams, The Wire Star, Dead at 54 - From Entertainment Tonight
A new poll in the closing days of the recall election in California showed that a big majority of Latino voters are in opposition to removing Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

A Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll released last week revealed that 66 percent of likely Latino voters believed that the outcome of the recall election is very important.

The survey found that only 39 percent of likely voters surveyed supported removing Newsom from office if the recall election, scheduled for September 14, were held today, while 58 percent would vote "no" in removing the present governor.

Recall Election: Latinos Oppose Removing California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Hispanics are the largest ethnic group in California, comprising 39 percent of the state's population and about 28 percent of registered voters, Axios reported. Based on a New York Times report, Latinos have pushed Democratic victories in the state of California for decades.

The Latino voters also helped the party win supermajorities in both State Legislature houses. Even Latino senators and Assembly members were already holding powerful positions and had passed some of the most immigrant-friendly legislation in the U.S.

The Latino voters' support for Gavin Newsom would be critical because it would serve as a major warning for Democrats trying to flip Texas. Axios reported that if Latino voters help save Newsom, it may empower Latino-focused advocacy groups who can vote to make more demands.

Based on the PPIC poll, 53 percent of Californians approve of how Newsom is handling his job overall. The poll asked 1,706 California adult residents between August 20 and August 29 and had a sampling error of 3.4 percent.

READ NEXT: Gov. Gavin Newsom Tours Around Southern California Ahead of Recall Elections, Some Democrats Show Support

Latinos Shape California for Decades

The strong support from Latino respondents to Gavin Newsom in the PPIC poll is noteworthy. Last month, an Emerson College/Nexstar poll found that 54 percent of Latinos actually favored the recall of the California governor. Mexican American political activists believe the latest numbers could be a result of Newsom failing to sufficiently engage with Latino voters.

Three years ago, around 66 percent or roughly two-thirds of all Latinos voted for Gavin Newsom as governor. But now, New York Times reported that polling suggests Latino voters are almost evenly split on the recall.

The report noted that many Latino voters still had mixed feelings about the prospect of Newsom being ousted from office. So far, Sacramento-based research group Political Data Inc. reported that only 18 percent of all registered Latino voters have already mailed in their ballots, in contrast to 32 percent of white voters.

All California voters receive ballots by mail. The voters have the option of either dropping them off at ballot boxes, mailing them, or voting in person until September 14.

The president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Thomas A. Saenz, noted that the real issue was that the California governor had not engendered enthusiasm among Latino voters.

Saenz, who has been involved in California politics for decades, noted that it was the reason why Newsom was threatened. He said Latinos were not motivated by Newsom's policies and practices. He added that Newsom failed to acknowledge the importance of Latino community in the state.

Gavin Newsom has appointed Alex Padilla to replace outgoing Sen. Kamala Harris for the remainder of her term. The appointment placed Padilla as the first Mexican American U.S. senator in California history.

The recall election is coming as many Latinos are still reeling from the impact of the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately hit Latinos in California since many of them work in essential service jobs. Because of this, many Latinos contract and die from COVID-19 than white residents.

READ MORE: California Kid Came up With Brilliant Idea to Save Family From Shooter Who Carjacked Them

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WATCH: California Recall: Newsom Seeks To Bolster Support Among Latino Voters With 1 Week To Go - From KPIX CBS SF Bay Area
In time for the hearings by federal agencies this week necessary to begin the Biden administration's amendments to the 2020 Navigable Water Protection Rule or the Dirty Water Rule, a new study highlights how critical non-perennial streams are important to ecosystems and society and how these streams are threatened by climate change.

These non-perennial streams or waterways that don't flow all year round have been examined in a new study published in Environmental Research Letters. Researchers found a widespread decrease in the flows of the streams.

READ NEXT: Interior Department Breathes New Life Into Climate Accountability, Social Justice

Scientists behind the study have warned that "stream intermittency is changing" across the U.S. and that those binary classifications used for the streams - "perennial," "intermittent," and "ephemeral" - as used in policymaking might not be valid since flow dynamics could also change over time.

In 2020, the Trump administration implemented the Navigable Water Protection Rule, informally known as the "Dirty Water Rule," and used these classifications to effectively eliminate clean water protections for more than 60 percent of the bodies of water in the U.S., including streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

This covers about 90 percent of rivers and streams in the Southwest, a mostly desert region. With the 2020 rule, most of the nation's waterways are left unprotected from pollution and development, especially those that do not flow year-round and those whose flows are declining due to climate change.

"Here in New Mexico 93 percent of the state's streams and rivers are intermittent or ephemeral," explains WildEarth Guardians Rio Grande Campaigner Tricia Snyder. She adds that these temporary waterways are important in arid environments, support plants and wildlife, affects water quality, and charging groundwater supplies.

With the introduction of the 2020 Dirty Water Rule, these waterways lost federal protection, a condition she calls unacceptable. The new study comes at a critical time as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers are starting to revise the regulatory definition of "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act.

Also, the most recent version of the rule, the 2020 "Navigable Waters Protection Rule," was vacated in a hallmark decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

The litigation was brought forth by environmental nonprofit Earthjustice on behalf of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Tohono O'Odham Nation, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

"The Dirty Water Rule was the biggest step backwards in the protection of our nation's waters since the Clean Water Act was made into law in 1972," the WildEarth Guardians campaigner added.

She noted that while they are happy that the Biden administration is working to undo what the Trump administration did, they were disappointed that it still had to go to the courts to put a stop to the misguided ruling that could've harmed communities, cultures, and the environment.

Over the past two weeks, listening sessions were held - involving various nonprofits like WildEarth Guardians, Rio Grande Waterkeeper, and Waterkeeper Alliance, together with other public health and environmental groups and concerned citizens.

Both the EPA and the Army Corps accepted written comments. Interested parties were encouraged to submit their comments at the U.S. Regulations Website.

READ MORE: Texas Officials Prepare Lawsuits Against Joe Biden's Proposals on Immigration, Environment
Two Laois locations have been earmarked for the development of permanent outdoor dining facilities in a tranche of funding announced today by Failte Ireland.

The Dublin Road in Durrow has received 32,348, while Hynd's Square, Portlaoise has got 129,446.

The funding comes with the proviso that all locations are subject to Local Authority planning approvals and public consultation

The two Laois locations are part of a scheme of 38 permanent Outdoor Dining facilities to be developed in 19 counties nationwide.

The funding was welcomed by Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Sean Fleming.

"Laois County Council applied for and was granted funding for two locations to develop streets and public spaces to facilitate year-round weather-proofed outdoor dining with the objective that these works will increase the outdoor dining capacity. Roof structures and awnings are key elements while also ensuring the safety for all.

"I would like to acknowledge the good work by Laois County Council in securing the funding through their applications and I look forward to work commencing in these two areas in the near future," he said.

Laois Offaly Minister Pippa Hackett also welcomed the money.

Laois deserves to have its towns enhanced for visitors and residents alike so Im delighted to see Portlaoise receiving 129,446 and Durrow receiving 32,348 to create permanent outdoor dining structures. My colleague Catherine Martin is ensuring that all parts of the country get to showcase their tourism offering. Well done to all at Laois County Council who were involved in applying for this funding, she said.

Failte Irelands Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme opened for applications in March 2021 and comprises two parts. This Wednesday's announcement relates to Part Two of the Scheme.

All Local Authorities were invited to apply to Failte Ireland for funding under Part Two - Local Authority Weatherproofing & Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme - to develop streets and public spaces to facilitate outdoor dining in urban tourism centres, enabling access to outdoor seating for extended periods throughout the year. 38 locations are set to benefit under the Scheme with almost 9million allocated.

Part One of the Scheme - Outdoor Seating and Accessories - supports individual hospitality businesses with grants of up to 4,000 for seating, tables and outdoor accessories. Closing date for receipt of applications is September 30th 2021.

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin T.D and Paul Kelly CEO Failte Ireland were in Howth, Co Dublin to make the official announcement.

Minister Catherine Martin said: "The aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors. Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond. This scheme further strengthens the Governments deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide.

Paul Kelly CEO of Failte Ireland added: This Scheme supports resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term. Outdoor dining and hospitality will now be a permanent feature of our hospitality offering and businesses need to be supported to facilitate this for longer periods throughout the year.

''We have already seen the success of the first part of this Scheme, which provides individual businesses up to 4,000 towards the cost of outdoor seating. This second part of the Scheme being announced today is implemented in partnership with Local Authorities and will build on strengthening the outdoor dining offering around Ireland.

''We have learned during COVID-19 that people want the option of dining outdoors; this scheme will make dining areas suitable in a wider range of weather conditions so that they can be used for longer periods of the year, helping businesses towards sustainable recovery.

Moira Murrell, Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage (RCTCH) Committee stated: The implementation of the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Enhancement scheme will be hugely beneficial for towns and cities around Ireland, enhancing infrastructure and allowing local hospitality businesses to adapt and develop their offering. We look forward to working with Failte Ireland on the completion of this scheme.
Portlaoise will be filled with rainbows of pride and family fun this weekend when Midlands LGBT+ Project finally get to hold their official launch.

The service set up last February to reduce isolation and help LGBT+ people in Laois, Offaly and Kildare. They run support groups, social groups and provide training to businesses/ schools and organisations along with LGBT+ events.

Due to Covid restrictions they are only now able to officially launch and it promises be a day of fun, based at Laois School of Music in Portlaoise on Saturday, September 11.

The event is tied into the The Old Fort Quarter live gigs event in Portlaoise which has run through early September hosted outdoors by Kavangh's Pub at the former Scoil Mhuire school.

Christina Fitzharris is the Midlands LGBT+ Project Community Development Worker.

"Our groups and services have take off more than we ever expected. While this is wonderful to see, it also shows us the need for our project and the long way we have to go for LGBT+ visibility in rural Ireland.

"We wanted to hold the launch in person to show the community what a fantastic service we are running.

"We will host a community fun day for everyone in the area. We will have live music, activities for children, trading stalls, socially distanced picnic tables, drag queens and more.

"In the evening in the same location we will be holding a 18+ LGBT+ night in partnership with Kavanaghs Bar," Christina said.

In the fortnight before the event Portlaoise has been turned into a rainbow town. Following an appeal and help from the new services, businesses decorated their store front/ window in Pride and rainbow themed decor.

"This event will be a great boost to the town and we really would love to see all of our local businesses getting involved and coming together to turn our wonderful town into a rainbow!"

Email help@midlandslgbtproject.com or call or text to 086 0757985.
Brave teenager Alanna Lenehan has died after a battle with cancer, her family have said.

Rhode teen Alanna and her family documented her battle on the 'Alanna's Journey To Recovery' Facebook page. She passed away on Tuesday morning, September 7.

A post on the Facebook page read: "Alanna lost her battle to cancer this morning at 7:45am in her mothers arms surrounded by family."

The 16-year-old student was much loved and described as a 'firecracker' by her dad.

Hundreds of tributes have been paid to Alanna today after her untimely passing:

Lainee Hanrahan said: "My deepest condolences to you Lael, Keith, Santiago, Helen, Andy and family. I can only imagine the pain you are experiencing. I cared for Alanna in Temple Street in July and she is exactly as her dad described, a firecracker. Sending you love, light and strength, may her beautiful soul rest in peace."

Shonagh Byrne added: "So sorry to hear this heartbreaking news, thinking of Alanna's family and friends at this very sad time. May Alanna's gentle soul rest in eternal peace."

Nicole Garry said: "Fly High beautiful girl. Thank you for being the most supportive and loving best friend my little sister could ask for. You have touched so many hearts, youll always be in our thoughts."

Siobhan Brennan said: "Devastating news, my deepest condolences to the family. A beautiful, brave young lady, rest in peace Alanna."
The death has occurred of Christopher (Chris) Maguire

Rheban Ave., Athy, Kildare / Kinsealy, Dublin



Christopher (Chris) Maguire, Rheban Ave, Athy, passed away, peacefully, at Naas Hospital, on 6th September 2021. Predeceased by his dad Chris Snr. He will be sadly missed by his beloved wife and best friend Elaine, his mother Carmel, brothers Robert, John and Michael and their partners, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends and his beloved dog Murf.

In line with Government and H.S.E advice regarding public gatherings, a Funeral Mass, with 50% capacity, will be held in Sacred Heart Church, Stradbally, at 2pm Thursday, 9th September, followed by burial in Oakvale Cemetery, Stradbally.

Those who cannot attend the Funeral Mass due to the current restrictions, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence book at the bottom of the page.

The death has occurred of Sandra O'Hara

late of Oakfield Park, Naas, Kildare



OHara (Kildare) September 2nd, 2021 suddenly, at home, Sandra, late of Oakfield Park, Naas. Beloved mother of Aimee and loving daughter of Mary and the late Peter, much loved sister to Katie, Ruth and Simon. Sandra will be sadly missed and never forgotten by her loving family, relatives, her dog TJ and a wide circle of friends.

Funeral service on Friday (September 10th) at 4 oclock in The Victorian Chapel, Mount Jerome Crematorium, followed by cremation. Numbers are limited at the crematorium to family and very close friends. So that everyone can join them, the service can be viewed by clicking on the following link https://www.mountjerome.ie/victorian-chapel-service/.

If you would like to leave a message of sympathy on our condolence section please visit https://www.masseybrosfuneralhomes.com/funeral-notices/ or alternatively you can leave a message on the condolence section below.

Family flowers only, please. It was Sandras wish that donations, if desired, go to Dunshane Camphill Community in Co Kildare which can be done via this link https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=QFFVU6QKTRGF2.

All enquiries to Massey Bros, The Coombe, 01 4533333

The death has occurred of Brendan Graham

Ashtown, Dublin / Drumcondra, Dublin / Ballymore Eustace, Kildare



Graham, Brendan (late of Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, and Drumcondra and Ashtown, Dublin) 5th September 2021 (peacefully, after a short illness) in the loving care of the staff at St. Francis Hospice, surrounded by his loving family. Formerly of Arthur Guinness & Son; Predeceased by his wife Mary and son Eoin, Brendan will be very sadly missed by his daughter Maria, son Sean, daughter in law Karen, his adored grandchildren Alison and Cillian and many special friends.

R.I.P.

Reposing on Tuesday the 7th of September 2021, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Jennings Funeral Home, Amiens Street (with adherence to social distancing guidelines) with removal to St. Saviours Church, Dominick Street, arriving for 5pm (note: capacity of attendees at Church is limited to 140 people). Funeral Mass on Wednesday the 8th of September 2021 at 10am followed by burial at St Fintans Cemetery, Sutton.

Donations if desired to St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown.

The death has occurred of James (Jimmy) Harrington

Clane, Kildare



Harrington, James (Jimmy), Clane, Co. Kildare, September 6th 2021, peacefully at Naas General Hospital. Deeply regretted by his loving brothers George, Paddy and Johnny, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives and friends.

Rest In Peace

Jimmy will be reposing at Oliver Reilly's Funeral Home, Woods House, Clane on Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm. Please respect HSE and Government guidelines at all times whilst in the Funeral Home.

Due to current government guidelines regarding religious ceremonies, Jimmy's Funeral Mass will take place in the Church of St. Patrick and St. Brigid, Clane on Wednesday at 11am. Family and friends are welcome to attend the funeral, but are reminded to be mindful of hand and cough etiquette and social distancing. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section below.

The church will be limited in capacity to 50%, but people are welcome to view Jimmy's Funeral Mass on Wednesday at 11am by clicking on the following link : https://www.claneparish.com/webcam/.

Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues.

Jimmy's Funeral Cortege will be leaving Oliver Reilly's Funeral Home, Woods House, Clane on Wednesday at approx. 10:30am to arrive at the Church of St. Patrick and St. Brigid, Clane for 11am Funeral Mass followed by burial in The Abbey Cemetery, Clane. Those who would like to line the route, may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner.

For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Ltd. Funeral Directors on (045) 868230
Senator Fiona O' Loughlin has praised the latest announcement from the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

TAMS recently revealed that approval has commenced for all qualified applications received under Tranche 22 of the scheme.

It was recently confirmed by the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue TD, that average weekly payments of 1.2 million have issued this year under TAMS, with 2.6 million being issued this week alone.

The Fianna Fail Senator, who represents Kildare South, said about the news: "TAMS has been a hugely successful and beneficial scheme and I am delighted that approvals will issue in respect of all eligible applications submitted under Tranche 22."

"Any farmers in Kildare who have completed approved works and have payment claims outstanding in relation to TAMS II should submit them to the Departments online system as soon as the works have been completed."

The Newbridge native added: "This is the most efficient way to receive payment."

Senator O' Loughlin also commended her colleague, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD for what she referred to as "his tireless work since he assumed office and for his dedication to TAMS II."

Fiona O' Loughlin recently made the news when she had an op-ed featured in The Irish Sun calling on the Irish health service to remove sexual orientation as a deciding factor for blood donors in Ireland.
In every corner of Ireland, whilst the Covid-19 pandemic closed GP surgeries and hospital capacity overflowed, pharmacists stepped up.

Pharmacy doors remained firmly open during an unprecedented challenging time. Indeed, many patients turned to their community pharmacist for consultations for more serious conditions which are usually dealt with by GPs.

Irish Pharmacy News is delighted to announce that the search is on to find The Peoples Pharmacist for 2021, in association with Panadol; giving the Irish public the opportunity to nominate and vote for, their local pharmacist who has gone above and beyond.

The Peoples Pharmacist Award seeks nominations from across the country, giving patients the opportunity to recognise and salute their local pharmacist.

It was, with unparalleled gratitude to Irish pharmacists, that members of the public received vital medicines, health and wellbeing advice and that the vulnerable and those in need were protected and kept safe.

Now more than ever before, it has become clear to everyone that pharmacists are one of the most critical members of Irelands health service family, embedded in the heart of every community.

Through this Award, we are enabling the public to have a voice in recognising the unwavering support and spirit that makes pharmacists the backbone of our health service in every community across Ireland.

Six finalists will be shortlisted from all nominations received, showcasing the leading stories of compassion and dedication which go above and beyond.

A nation-wide voting process takes place to find The Peoples Pharmacist 2021 recognising the bravery, hard work and sacrifice pharmacists have made since during the Covid pandemic since March 2020.

Closing Date for Nominations: Friday September 24, 2021

To nominate your local pharmacist visit: www.irishpharmacyawards.ie/panadol/
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin TD, in association with Failte Ireland, have today announced the locations of 38 permanent Outdoor Dining facilities to be developed across 19 counties.

Failte Irelands Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme (ODES) opened for applications back in March and comprises two parts, with the most recent announcement relating to Part II of the Scheme.

Kildare County Council have received 187,275 as part of the ODES.

The funds will be allocated to outdoor dining facilities on the Main Street of Naas.

In total, almost 9 million has been allocated to a plethora of county councils, including those in Dublin, Cork, Clare, Wexford and Waterford.

Dublin City Council received the highest amount of funds, with a total of 1,349,193 being allocated to outside dining facilities in the capital, although Cork City and County Councils received the most when combined together, with 1,746,415 in funds.

Speaking on the news, Minister Martin said: "I am pleased to announce the locations of 38 new outdoor dining facilities to be developed around Ireland."

"The aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors. Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond."

She added: "This scheme further strengthens the Governments deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide."

The CEO of Failte Ireland, Paul Kelly, also commented on the news by saying: "This Scheme supports resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term."

He added that outdoor dining and hospitality will now be a permanent feature of Failte Ireland's hospitality offering, and that businesses need to be supported in order to facilitate this for longer periods throughout the year.

"We have already seen the success of the first part of this Scheme, which provides individual businesses up to 4,000 towards the cost of outdoor seating," he explained.

Moira Murrell, Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage (RCTCH) Committee, also chimed in on the recent announcement: "The implementation of the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Enhancement scheme will be hugely beneficial for towns and cities around Ireland, enhancing infrastructure and allowing local hospitality businesses to adapt and develop their offering."

"We look forward to working with Failte Ireland on the completion of this scheme."

Failte Ireland acts as the National Tourism Development Authority for the country.

Its mission is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland.

According to the group, pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of 7.5billion annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing a total of 1.7 billion to the Exchequer.
Sister Elizabeth Hartigan from Lisdrumfarna, Kilnagross Co Leitrim, affectionately known as Pansy, celebrates her Diamond Jubilee today, September 8.

Elizabeth made her profession as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM) in 1961.

Responding to a call to join an International Religious Missionary Congregation of Sisters was not an accident of destiny but a vocation given by God, and she says it is an honour to be alive to tell the story and to celebrate sixty years of a life well lived with a wide global experience, in a world that has changed profoundly over the years.



Elizabeth spent almost all her 60 years outside her native country, as a missionary, and it is only in very recent years she returned to Ireland to live.

Throughout the years Pansy visited her late parents and family for holidays and other family celebrations and was known for her bubbly personality and positive attitude to life.

Like a tree planted near running water, putting down deep roots, spreading out wide branches and witnessing a quiet story of strong faith, throughout her life journey she gladly accepted the responsibilities of her religious consecration and shared in its missionary life as gift in freedom and love as she perceived Gods concern for the earth and all its people.

Elizabeth spent many years in the UK in education both teaching and as principal.



She says she treasures and is grateful for the enriching and valuable experience of many years working with physically and mentally challenged adults and in leadership roles in team ministry.



She was privileged to be part of the RNDM General Leadership Team of the Congregation in Rome for twelve years and to have an opportunity to visit the twenty-three countries where the Sisters live and work. (Website: www.rndm.org)

Because of the Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings Sr Elizabeth will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee privately with her community Sisters in The Notre Dame, Our Lady of The Missions Convent, Churchtown, Dublin.

Elizabeth expresses appreciation and gratitude to family, congregation, friends and all who touched her life over the years.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris T.D., has announced an additional 38 million for higher education institutions for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Local TD and Minister of State, Frank Feighan has welcomed the allocation of 1.505,780 for IT Sligo and a further 209,690 for St Angelas College.



The devolved capital grant allocation will facilitate higher institutions to address a number of key capital investment priorities including:

Minor works and equipment need to support safe campus reopening;

Procurement of additional ICT devices  including laptops- to support disadvantaged students who have difficulty in accessing a suitable device for their studies;

Investments in equipment and infrastructure that are required to support the creation of additional student places, given the exceptional circumstances facing the Leaving Cert class of 2021;

General ICT and equipment-related upgrades;

Health and safety works, and other building upgrades;

Investments to support universal access;

Energy efficiency and decarbonisation-related upgrades;

The funding forms part of ongoing investment in the higher education sector under Project Ireland 2040.

Funding will be provided through the Higher Education Authority (HEA).



Minister Harris said:  Today, students across the country will begin to return to colleges for the first time in 19 months. It is an incredibly exciting but I am sure nervous time for many.

I am very pleased to announce a significant devolved capital grant for the higher education sector to support a range of capital priorities.

The grant funding will also help facilitate the safe and very welcome return of students to campusbased learning, and will allow higher education institutions to carry out necessary minor works and equipment upgrades across their estates over the coming year.

In conclusion, Sligo Leitrim TD and Minister of State Feighan commended Minister Harriss department for the strong support showed so far for both Sligo Colleges during the pandemic.

I wish to highlight the support for students under the provision of laptops scheme.

The scheme will be primarily aimed at first year students, but it is open to anyone to seek support. Last year, over 8,000 laptops were distributed to higher education students.

Previous allocations under the Devolved Capital Grant have had a significant positive impact on campus development, facilitating initiatives such as upgrading of laboratories, replacement of obsolete ICT equipment, installation of energy efficient lighting, and repurposing of existing spaces in line with the needs of students and staff, concluded Minister Feighan.
MORE than 3million in government funding has been allocated for capital works and new equipment at Limerick's three third-level institutions.

Limerick Institute of Technology is set to receive 1,771,913, University of Limerick has been allocated 757,809 and Mary Immaculate College is to receive 696,902.

The devolved capital grant allocation will facilitate higher institutions to address a number of key capital investment priorities including minor works and equipment needs to support safe campus reopening, the procurement of additional ICT devices  including laptops- to support disadvantaged students, health and safety works, energy efficiency and decarbonisation-related upgrades.

Deputy Niall Collins, Minister of State at The Department of Further and Higher Education, has welcomed the funding announcement.

This week, students across the country will begin to return to colleges for the first time in 19 months, a hugely exciting time for students and staff alike. I delighted to see my Department announce a significant devolved capital grant for the higher education sector to support a range of capital priorities," he said.

The grant funding will also help facilitate the safe and very welcome return of students to campusbased learning, and will allow higher education institutions to carry out necessary minor works and equipment upgrades across their estates over the coming year, he added.

The funding. which will be provided through the Higher Education Authority, forms part of ongoing investment in the higher education sector under Project Ireland 2040.
Dolans Presents and the Limerick Council, have this week announced Jean McGlynn, Aoife Doyle and Liam O'Brien as featured performers alongside the Limerick City Big Band at Limerick's Milk Market on September 19.

Performing hit tunes from the great American songbook these three popular performers will each showcase their unique song interpretation styles supported by one of Limerick's most popular band line-ups.

A dynamic and versatile performer, Jean McGlynn has worked with the likes of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Ben Elton, Ian McShane, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Sir Trevor Nunn and Dame Judi Dench.

She has developed her performance career alongside her work as a well-known teacher of the arts both with Frontline Stage School as well as teaching at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and Contemporary and Applied Theatre Studies programme at MIC.

Aoife Doyle's unique, expressive voice is equally at home with jazz, folk, country, bluegrass or blues, and her singing can evoke memories of the sophisticated, velvet tones of Ella Fitzgerald, the earthy, sweet lyricism of Patsy Cline or the straight-up country clarity of Alison Krauss.

Liam O'Brien is a recognised interpreter of swing and lounge music. Having played Dean Martin for two years in the West End production of The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas, he has defined his own crooning sound through multiple sold out appearances in Ireland, the UK, Europe and across the USA.

The Limerick City Big Band was formed in 2014 by local musicians Andrew Jordan and Michael Dooley. The band started from a desire to perform classic big band numbers with a fully live band.

The band comprises many of Limerick's finest musicians performing on trumpets, trombones, saxophones, piano, bass, drums and guitar. Names such as Andrew Jordan, John Daly, Shannon Burns, Matt O'Gara, Brian Meehan, Joe O'Callaghan and Peter Hanagan will bring their combined talents to create a unique musical sound in the magical surrounds of Limerick's Milk Market.

Audiences will be treated to the full power and energy that comes with such a large group of musicians performing live with the Milk Market venue providing the perfect backdrop for an evening of live big band music.

Speaking at the launch of the gig, John Daly says that the support of Limerick City and County Council must be acknowledged. Many of these musicians have not had the opportunity to perform in public for over 18 months. This gig will be a celebration of the talent our city boasts and a big musical welcome back to Limerick audiences.

The local authority are supporting the development of this concert and we look forward to celebrating in style at the Milk Market on September 15th, he added.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased as 2 per pod or 4 per pod from www.dolans.ie

Show subject to public health Guidelines and all Pods must arrive together 15 Minutes Before showtime.
The 5.9m in Transformation Funding for new LIT/Technological University of the Shannon has been welcomed by Limerick TD Kieran O'Donnell.

I very much welcome the direct confirmation I have received from Minister for Further & Higher Education, Simon Harris TD of 5.9m in Technological University Transformation Funding (TUTF) for Limericks new Technological University for the Shannon (TUS) that links Limerick Institute of Technology and Athlone Institute of Technology due to be established on October 1"

The Higher Education Authority has announced total funding of 25.67m to higher education institutions to support them in their progression towards Technological University status and in post-establishment development.

This funding builds on the 34.33m awarded in 2020 and represents the second tranche from the Technological University Transformation Fund (TUTF). A total of 90m will be awarded in total over a 3-year period to assist the development and progression of technological universities.

This transformation funding will significantly progress the new Technological University and is great news for Limerick and the entire region of students, where we will now have another University based in Mid-West region, with 5 Campuses - Limerick City (with Moylish and Clare Street Campuses), Tipperary (with Thurles and Clonmel Campuses) and Clare (with Ennis Campus).

Having previously lectured in LIT and as a proud Limerick person, I am pleased to see this transformation funding being announced, marking another important milestone in the development of our new Technological University in Limerick.

I wish to commend and congratulate LIT President, Professor Vincent Cunnane who was recently appointed as the first President of new the Technological University, the board of LIT and all the staff for their ongoing hard work here.

LIT has been highly successful in linking with business and industry locally and nationally to provide highly educated graduates, from apprenticeships to doctorates, with the necessary cutting edge skills to meet the demands of a constantly changing world.

This new Technological University will further enhance this significant contribution LIT is already making to third level education for students and indeed will be of enormous benefit to Limerick, Tipperary, Clare and the region overall.

In total today, the Higher Education Authority announced funding of 25.67m to higher education institutions to support them in their progression towards Technological University status and in post-establishment development. This funding builds on the 34.33m awarded in 2020 and represents the second tranche from the Technological University Transformation Fund (TUTF). A total of 90m will be awarded in total over a 3-year period to assist the development and progression of technological universities.

I look forward to continuing to work with all at LIT/ TUS as we move toward its Technological University establishment on October 1st.
THE winner of this years Michael Hartnett Poetry Award has been announced.

The award this year goes to Kerry-based poet, Ceaiti Ni Bheildiuin, for her collection in Irish, Agallamh Sa Cheo, Cnoc Bhreanainn (Coisceim, 2019).

She will travel to Newcastle West to accept the award on Thursday, September 30 2021 which is the opening night of the annual Eigse Michael Hartnett Literary and Arts Festival.

I am nothing less than stunned, Ms Ni Bheildiuin said in response to her success in winning this years award which was for a second or later collection of poems in Irish.

A long-time admirer of Michael Hartnetts own poetry she continued: I always get a great hit out of reading Michael Hartnetts poetry. I became aware of him, his poems and his life story shortly after I started to compose pieces of Irish language verse. I felt an immediate affinity to him that he had toiled in the same mistiness of Gaeilge as a second language as I was doing. I find his poetry in both Irish and English powerful.

It is staggering to have a book of my own awarded the Michael Hartnett Prize. It is an honour beyond belief.

The Michael Hartnett Poetry Award was established in 1999 following the death of Newcastle West-born poet, Michael Hartnett.

It is jointly funded by Limerick City and County Council Arts Office and the Arts Council and is awarded, on alternate years, for collections in Irish and English. It carries a prize of 4,000.

In their citation, the judges Ailbhe Ni Ghearbhaigh and Seosamh O Murchu described Agallamh Sa Cheo, Cnoc Bhreanainn as a collection which is striking in its ambition and craft and reveals the poets aesthetic gifts.

In this homage to the mountain, Ni Bheildiuin demonstrates her own deep appreciation of Mount Brandon. Nature poetry and a sense of place are central to the Gaelic tradition and Agallamh sa Cheo should be considered among the most significant works of this era that contemplates our relationship with the natural world.

Contemporary poetry in Irish is in rude health, based on the 23 entries for this years Michael Hartnett Award. Agallamh sa Cheo stood out due to its ambition and breadth as well as the artistry of the work, the judges concluded.

John Cussen, of the Eigse Michael Hartnett Committee said, Michael Hartnett would be delighted that Irish poetry is, in the words of the judges, in such rude health. We are truly delighted with the response to this year's Poetry Award and are looking forward to welcoming Ceaiti to Newcastle West.

Dr Pippa Little, Arts Officer with Limerick City and County Council said: Limerick Arts Office are very pleased to work in partnership with the Eigse Michael Hartnett Committee and the Arts Council, to award this prize, which honours and supports the work of Irish poets. It is one of the most long-standing poetry prizes in Ireland.

The award will be presented at the opening night of this years Eigse Michael Hartnett taking place from 30 Sept to 02 Oct in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.

With a blended format this year, live events will be intermingled with online events with all relevant Covid regulations in effect at that time followed.

This years programme includes Patricia Scanlan, Kathleen MacMahon and Louise Nealon along with John Creedon and Irish Ambassador to Washington, Dan Mulhall.

There will also be a strong line-up of poets including Moya Cannon, Sean Lysaght, Colm Keegan, Rafael Mendes and Natasha Remoundou.
A STELLAR line up of events will take place across Limerick on Culture Night which takes place next week.

Limerick City and County Council Arts Office has revealed details of the programme of events which will take place on Friday, September 17.

While some events will take place online and virtually, a number of live and in-person events are also planned unlike last year.

As we emerge from Covid-19, Culture Night is a night to celebrate the cultural, artistic and creative communities of the city and county by inviting existing and new audiences into galleries, museums, workshops and studios.

The organisers say this years event will be smaller in scale then pre-pandemic with focused outdoor live and digital events in Limerick city and county towns.

Limerick City and County Council's @LimerickArts is delighted to present a programme of events, taking place both live and digitally to showcase the wealth of culture that Limerick has to offer for @CultureNight 2021 on Friday 17th September #CultureNight | #OicheChultuir September 8, 2021

At the centre of the programme are two live outdoor hubs of activity, the Hunt Museum and Milk Market, which will host an evening of live events.

The Milk Market will host the Limerick Food Group who will launch their Pigtown Culture & Food Series with a display of their Giant Pig and recently commissioned family pig floats. They will also host a Mask Making Demonstration for kids and families.

There will be live music from the Downtown Dixieland Band, a display and talk by the Limerick Beekeepers Association and close up magic by Illusionist Steve Spade.

Elsewhere, at King Johns Castle there will be a live music event featuring the best of Limericks Hip Hop Scene. Enda Gallery is headlining and will be joined by Citrus Fresh, 40 Hurtz and Post Punk Podge. This event is being produced in association with King Johns Castle, the SIONNA Festival and Give Us The Night for Culture Night.

The University Concert Hall will also host a live event, in celebration of the recent renovation of their Compton Organ. Renowned organist Richard Hill will accompany a screening of Charlie Chaplins silent movie The Pawnshop with concerts at 1pm and 7.30pm on the day.

Other events planned for the night include a series of guided and self-guided walking tours taking in the ecological and historical landscape of the city.

OpenHouse Limerick will host a guided walking tour of the citys medieval quarter and there will also be a walking tour in association with Clean Coasts and the Think Before You Flush campaign titled Sanitation in the City which will discuss the history of Sanitation and raise awareness of the impact of what we flush on our inland and coastal waters.

Across the city and county will be a number of Self-Guided Tours which are available for the public to engage with in the run up to, and the days after, Culture Night.

These include two very special interactions with youth groups in Newcastle West, Kilmallock and Kilfinane, supported by the JP McManus Benevolent Fund.

They include the recently installed Street Art Tour in Newcastle West, installed by the local Foroige Group celebrating the history of the town and its people and installed on sites provided by the ESB, including a gate mural celebrating the live of Limericks Leading aviatrix Sophie Pierce, also known as Lady Mary Heath.

In Kilmallock and Kilfinane, local young people will work with Street Art Company LUMEN Street Theatre, designing and installing drain art across the two towns. Keep a look out for these colourful drain monsters while out and about!

Speaking at the launch of the Culture Night programme for Limerick, Mayor of Limerick city and county, Cllr Daniel Butler said. "We welcome Culture Night, especially this year as we reconnect and come together again, in person, at venues around the city and county, to celebrate creativity and culture. This is an opportunity to support our creative communities and artists by participating in and enjoying the programme. This years programme includes history, heritage, screenings, live music, fashion and art and its a super evening with so much for all the family to enjoy.

Dr Pippa Little, Arts Officer, Limerick City and County Council said Limerick Arts Office welcomes the opportunity to work with many partners, including venues, community groups and artists, to highlight the work of creatives.

Never has it been more important for an event like Culture Night to take place as it presents the opportunity for our creative community to work in partnership to nurture the cultural life of our region and support our audiences as they adjust to a new social and cultural environment within their communities she said.

For more see culturenight.ie or limerick.ie/culturenight.
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's wife Nita Ambani had to cancel her trip to Gujarat in February after an explosives-laden SUV was found outside her house 'Antilia' in Mumbai this year, a security head of the residence told NIA.

The statement made by the security head is part of the NIA's charge sheet which was filed last week before a special court.

The NIA had filed the charge sheet against suspended police officer Sachin Waza and nine others in connection with the recovery of the vehicle with gelatin sticks near Ambani's residence on February 25 and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The security head told the National Investigative Agency (NIA) that a scheduled visit of Nita Ambani to Jamnagar was rescheduled and then cancelled on his and the zonal DCP's advice on February 25.

He further said that the Ambani family had been receiving threats from various quarters, but all were related to farmers' protests that began in October 2020. The Ambani family does not suspect any particular person for the threat letter and gelatin sticks found in the abandoned Scorpio

Former police officer Waze is the prime accused in the case. As per the probe agency, he also played a "pivotal role" in the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

Hiran, who had claimed that the SUV had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane district on March 5. Besides Waze, the others accused in the case are former police officers Pradeep Sharma, Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni, and Santosh Shelar.

The NIA in its charge sheet said Waze placed the SUV with explosives near Ambani's house here to regain his reputation as a "super cop". Businessman Mansukh Hiran was subsequently killed as Waze thought him to be the "weak link" in the conspiracy, the NIA said.

(With PTI inputs)

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Saudi Arabia will allow citizens to travel to the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. It has also lifted travel restrictions on South Africa and Argentina. Citizens will be able to travel to the three countries starting today, state-run Saudi Press Agency reported.

Citizens will be allowed to travel to the three referred countries, stressing the importance of adhering to all the precautionary and preventive measures adopted," SPA said.

The move will come as a boost for the delayed Expo 2020 event, which Dubai has been preparing for a decade. Saudi Arabia was the second-biggest source of tourists to Dubai in 2020 after India, according to Dubai Tourism.

The Saudi travel ban has been in place since July. It is worth mentioning that the Kingdom had suspended travelling to and from a number of countries in the world, based on continuous monitoring of the epidemiological situation locally and globally, and any epidemic threats in any of the countries," SPA said.

The daily coronavirus cases in the UAE have been dropping steadily over the past month, falling below 1,000 toward the end of August.

Meanwhile, Air India has resumed bookings on international flights from India to Saudi Arabia. Passengers planning to travel to Saudi Arabia can book tickets through the Air India website.

Air India opens bookings from India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Before booking tickets kindly read the travel guidelines carefully. Bookings opened through Air India Website, Booking Offices, Call Centre & Authorised Travel Agents," Air India tweeted.

The resumption of the international flights to Saudi Arabia comes after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month relaxed travel restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers from India.

-With agency inputs

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A creature with a massive head shield, sand-raking claws and a circular tooth-filled mouth swept across the ocean bottom half-a-billion years ago, hoovering up prey like a living Roomba.

Measuring nearly 2 feet (50 centimeters) long, Titanokorys gainesi  a newfound genus and species  had a flattened body and a broad head that made up approximately two-thirds of its total length, researchers reported in a new study.

Titanokorys was one of the biggest ocean predators of the Cambrian period (543 million to 490 million years ago) and is the largest-known Cambrian seafloor predator, according to a new study. Compared with most other sea life at the time, its size was "absolutely mind-boggling," lead study author Jean-Bernard Caron, a curator of invertebrate palaeontology at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, said in a statement.

Related: Gallery of fantastic fossils

"It's like a swimming head in a big helmet," Caron told Live Science. "It's a very unusual shape."

Caron and study co-author Joe Moysiuk, a doctoral candidate in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto, pieced together the long-extinct creature's anatomy from 12 fossil fragments collected at the Burgess Shale, a fossil deposit in British Columbia, Canada, dating to about 508 million years ago.

Titanokorys' large head and protective carapace indicate that it was a hurdiid, a helmeted family in a group of extinct animals known as radiodonts, which had prominent eyes, clawlike appendages and circular, tooth-lined mouths. Radiodonts are early arthropods  invertebrates with exoskeletons, jointed limbs and segmented bodies. (Modern-day examples include insects and crustaceans.)

Titanokorys viewed from underneath. (Image credit: Illustration by Lars Fields, copyright Royal Ontario Museum)

The scientists gleaned further anatomical details for Titanokorys by examining fossils of related Cambrian animals, such as Cambroraster falcatus, also from the Burgess Shale. This rake-clawed, helmet-headed creature's name references its resemblance to the Millennium Falcon from "Star Wars," and Moysiuk and Caron described it in 2019.

"It's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle story here, like many of its predecessors and many other radiodonts we've found in the past based on fragmentary evidence," Caron said. "It's very rare to find a complete specimen at Burgess Shale, especially large ones. Many of these animals lived along the seafloor and they were buried very quickly in mud. If you're small, you tend to be covered more easily than if you're large. If you're not covered, you're exposed to scavengers or decay, so that's why we don't find large, complete specimens  just bits and pieces."

Life existed on Earth long before the Cambrian, but during the early part of that period  about 541 million to 530 million years ago  animal bodies got weird. During this boom time for evolution, known as the Cambrian explosion, species evolved and diversified at an unparalleled pace, producing creatures with daggerlike tails ; spiny arms ; Swiss-army-knife heads ; mouths full of needles ; and bodies that were so densely covered with bristles they resembled kitchen brushes .

The carapace of Titanokorys gainesi (lower) along with two symmetrical rigid plates (upper) that covered the head from the underside. Together, they form a three-part set of armor that protected the head from all sides. (Image credit: Photo by Jean-Bernard Caron, copyright Royal Ontario Museum)

Most of the animals known from this period were small, about the length of a human finger. One notable exception, a gigantic, carnivorous shrimplike creature named Anomalocaris canadensis , measured up to 3 feet (1 m) long and was the Cambrian's biggest predator. But Anomalocaris lived and hunted in the ocean's water column, whereas Titanokorys offers the first evidence that big radiodont predators also evolved during the Cambrian to hunt on the sea bottom, Caron said.

"Anomalocaris was a knife-toothed predator, with claws that were adapted for grasping with specialized spines," he said. By comparison, broad and flat Titanokorys was built for bottom-feeding. The sturdy, spine-tipped carapace on its head would have plowed through marine sediments, while comblike structures on its claws would have swept prey toward its circular mouth, Caron explained. Identifying this large seafloor predator hints that big ocean predators may also have evolved to hunt in other niche environments during the Cambrian, he added.

The findings were published Sept. 8 in the journal Royal Society Open Science .

Originally published on Live Science.
An illustration of the "shark-toothed" dinosaur Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, who lived in what is now Uzbekistan about 90 million years ago. (Image credit: Julius Csotonyi)

About 90 million years ago, a gigantic apex predator  a meat-eating dinosaur with serrated shark-like teeth  prowled what is now Uzbekistan, according to a new study of the behemoth's jawbone.

The 26-foot-long (8 meters) beast weighed 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms), making it longer than an African elephant and heavier than a bison . Researchers named it Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, after Ulugh Beg, a 15th-century astronomer, mathematician and sultan from what is now Uzbekistan.

What caught scientists by surprise was that the dinosaur was much larger  twice the length and more than five times heavier  than its ecosystem's previously known apex predator: a tyrannosaur, the researchers found.

Related: The 10 coolest dinosaur findings of 2020

The chunk of jawbone was found in Uzbekistan's Kyzylkum Desert in the 1980s, and researchers rediscovered it in 2019 in an Uzbekistan museum collection.

The partial jawbone of U. uzbekistanensis is enough to suggest that the animal was a carcharodontosaur, or a "shark-toothed" dinosaur. These carnivores were cousins and competitors of tyrannosaurs, whose most famous species is Tyrannosaurus rex .

The two dinosaur groups were fairly similar, but carcharodontosaurs were generally more slender and lightly-built than the heavyset tyrannosaurs, said study co-researcher Darla Zelenitsky, an associate professor of paleobiology at the University of Calgary. Even so, carcharodontosaurs were usually larger than tyrannosaur dinosaurs, reaching weights greater than 13,200 pounds (6,000 kg). Then, around 90 million to 80 million years ago, the carcharodontosaurs disappeared and the tyrannosaurs grew in size, taking over as apex predators in Asia and North America.

Two late Cretaceous dinosaur apex predators: a carcharodontosaur (left) and a tyrannosaur (right). (Image credit: Darla Zelenitsky)

The new finding is the first carcharodontosaur dinosaur discovered in Central Asia, the researchers noted. Paleontologists already knew that the tyrannosaur Timurlengia lived at the same time and place, but at 13 feet (4 m) in length and about 375 pounds (170 kg) in weight, Timurlengia was several times smaller than U. uzbekistanensis, suggesting that U. uzbekistanensis was the apex predator in that ecosystem, gobbling up horned dinosaurs, long-necked sauropods and ostrich-like dinosaurs in the neighborhood, the team said.

"Our discovery indicates carcharodontosaurs were still dominant predators in Asia 90 million years ago," study lead researcher Kohei Tanaka, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, told Live Science in an email.

An illustration of the enormous carcharodontosaur Ulughbegsaurus with the smaller tyrannosaur Timurlengia. (Image credit: Julius Csotonyi)

Peter Makovicky, a professor of paleontology at the University of Minnesota who was not involved in the study, agreed that U. uzbekistanensis was likely at the top of the local food chain. "I think this bone is so big that this would have been a very large predatory dinosaur and very likely the apex predator in its ecosystem," Makovicky told Live Science.

Image 1 of 4 This chunk of jawbone is all that paleontologists have of the ancient dinosaur Ulughbegsaurus. (Image credit: Tanaka et al 2021) Image 2 of 4 This map shows where the Ulughbegsaurus fossil was found in Uzbekistan. (Image credit: Tanaka et al. 2021) Image 3 of 4 A reconstruction of Ulughbegsaurus's upper jaw and teeth. (Image credit: Dinosaur Valley Studios) Image 4 of 4 Study researchers Kohei Tanaka (left) and Darla Zelenitsky (right). (Image credit: University of Calgary)

The U. uzbekistanensis finding is the last known occurrence of a carcharodontosaur and a tyrannosaur living together before the carcharodontosaurs went extinct, the team said. The team found that U. uzbekistanensis has unique bony bumps above its teeth. However, it also has bony ridges on the sides of its jaw that were similar to the 79.5 million-year-old tyrannosaur Thanatotheristes degrootorum (whose name means " reaper of death ") from what is now Canada. It's unclear why both species have these ridges, but perhaps it's a case of convergent evolution , when species that aren't closely related evolve to have similar characteristics, Zelenitsky said.

The study was published online Wednesday (Sept. 8) in the journal Royal Society Open Science .

Originally published on Live Science.
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Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has unveiled a new song Long Way, the first single from his forthcoming solo album, Earthling. No release date has been announced for the album, which will come out on Vedders own Seattle Surf imprint through Republic.

A lyric video is now online for the track, which sees Vedder collaborating for the first time with reigning Grammy producer of the year and Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone). Long Way is also available to pre-order through Pearl Jams Ten Club fan organization as a 7-inch vinyl single backed by another new song, The Haves.

With musical shades of Wildflowers-era Tom Petty, the strident, guitar-driven Long Way finds Vedder narrating a tale of a man haunted by a lost love who left but never went away, as he attempts not to awaken the voice of regret in his ear. Accentuating the Petty vibes, former Heartbreakers member Benmont Tench contributes Hammond B3 organ. The track is rounded out by accompaniment from Watt on guitar and bass, former Red Hot Chili Peppers member Josh Klinghoffer on guitar and piano and the Red Hot Chili Peppers Chad Smith on drums.

Vedder and Watt have built a friendship over the past decade, and when Vedder was in Los Angeles for a benefit concert this spring, he stopped by Watts home studio to catch up. At one point, Vedder began strumming some chords on guitar, and before anyone knew it, we just started messing around, Watt tells Variety. There was something there right away that I wanted to chase and finish. It was just the right place and the right time and it all happened very organically. It sounds like people playing together in a room, which is what a good rock song should be.

Earthling comes quickly on the heels of Vedders eight-song contribution to the soundtrack for Sean Penns new film Flag Day, released Aug. 20 via Seattle Surf and Republic. Its his first solo album since 2011s Ukulele Songs, which debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200. He is also featured on Elton Johns upcoming album Lockdown Sessions, due Oct. 22.

As previously reported, Vedder and Pearl Jam will return to the stage for the first time in three years on Sept. 18 at the Sea.Hear.Now festival in Asbury Park, N.J. The following weekend, Vedder will perform solo and with Pearl Jam at his annual Ohana festival in Dana Point, Calif.

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Even though she is on the cusp of turning 80, Lesley Stahl is still climbing mountains.

Thirty years ago, the 60 Minutes correspondent huffed and puffed for two months to get myself in training for what she has said was one of the best days of my life, a visit with the famous Rwanda mountain primates that were the basis of the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist. Her stamina work at that time didnt do much for her, she recalls in an interview. I almost died climbing to find them. Despite her work, what I failed to take into account was the altitude. It just did me in. Luckily, there was a porter or a guide who held my hand and basically made sure I didnt quit or die.

Stahl recently attempted the feat again for the CBS newsmagazine and managed to find the gorillas and get down the slopes. (Down is easy, by the way, she quips). Shari Finkelstein, her producer, awarded her with a new title: Grandma Badass.

Stahl is proving her mettle in new ways as she reaches an age that most people see as a time to break away from any kind of career. She tangled with Pres. Donald Trump on four different occasions in recent years, and managed to walk away from a coronavirus infection. Lesley does not stay still, says Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes.

Anyone who might conjecture that Stahl is getting ready to step away from the program would be mistaken. Because 60 Minutes correspondents get to choose the bulk of the stories they cover, they are all involved and interested, says Stahl. That hasnt waned. I guess when it does or if it does, or if I start to lose it, if I cant climb a mountain, I get that thats the time to hang up the spurs. Right now, Im feeling great, and no one has come to me to say, Time to slow down. So I dont want to yet.

She is among a small handful of TV personalities and executives who continue to do their job with as much gusto as they did when they were younger. Andrea Mitchell, who is nearing 74, not only contributes to a variety of NBC News reports as its chief foreign affairs and Washington correspondent but holds down a weekday hour on MSNBC. Judy Woodruff, also nearing 74, helps lead PBS venerable NewsHour. And Lorne Michaels, who is expected to turn 76, is getting ready to launch yet another season of NBCs Saturday Night Live.

When I grow up, says Scott Pelley, one of Stahls colleagues, I want to be Lesley Stahl.

Viewers were surprised in May of 2020 when Stahl disclosed at the end of a 60 Minutes broadcast that she had been infected with coronavirus. But she says now she recovered very quickly and Im definitely not a long-hauler. Her diagnosis came before the release of vaccines, so she depended upon her own inner fortitude to get through the experience. I instantly had this sense of protection, this magical cloak on me, she says. I l felt a kind of freedom.

Nor has she been daunted by her encounters with the former Commander-in-Chief. Her last interview with Trump, which he broke away from before it was over, was released by the White House in advance of the actual 60 Minutes broadcast, and brought a swirl of media scrutiny that might surprise even a correspondent at the show. I dont know even why he walked out, to be honest with you. I really dont, says Stahl. He really said, Well, we are finished here, and I said, Well, Ill see you, and be careful around the wires, and then, afterwards, he seemed to be upset. I never had a chance to a say to him, What was that all about? She still hasnt.

While 60 Minutes correspondents usually get to pick the stories they tell on the show, coverage of Trump had been assigned to Stahl before the 2016 election. Stahl has been a CBS News White House correspondent and moderated Face the Nation for nearly eight years, but she had never covered a president for the newsmagazine. She started off with an interview of him and many members of his family before Trumps term started and ended with the exchange Trump tried to turn into a controversy. Everybody who conducted the Trump interviews worked very hard. They were all done on deadline, I dont know how late in the week each time, and we were literally working night and day to get them on the air, Stahl says. The last one was a real high-wire act.

The correspondent has maintained her balance and is ready to keep going. This is the truth: Im not bored, says Stahl. My producer is going to come to me tomorrow with a story idea, and Ill be all excited about it.

Clearly, she has tales left to tell.

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Welcome to this weeks Just for Variety.

Michael K. Williams is another life lost too soon. While we wait for the official cause of death, its been reported that drug paraphernalia was found near the 54-year-old Williams body and authorities are investigating his demise as an overdose. The history of Hollywood is marked by so many similar endings. While no two deaths from addiction are alike, one thing that most in our industry have in common is the struggle of artistic souls falling deep into substance abuse before trying to reclaim their lives with recovery. Williams was open and honest about his demons. A lot of people often think that when a person puts down the drug or the alcohol that all the problems go away. That couldnt be further from the truth, the actor said this year during an appearance on Tamron Halls talk show. Drugs and alcohol are not the problem. Theyre merely symptoms of the problem. But once those things go away, the real work begins.

I did not know Williams, but I know addiction. Ive been sober for eight years, having started my recovery 17 years ago. Why Williams may have picked up again, we may never know. But I do know that I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of having my Twitter feed flooded with remembrances and memorials for those who should still be here. If you are struggling, dont be afraid to reach out. I promise you that there is a sober community available to you and free of judgment. If you know someone who is struggling, say something. The truth is they may not be ready to accept your offer to help, but you may be the person who plants a seed of hope. Sometimes its that hope that inspires someone to take their first step toward a life free from the bondage of drugs and alcohol.



Nicholas Galitzine tells me that he had no musical experience before being cast as Prince Charming opposite Camila Cabello in Amazons Cinderella. In fact, he was sure he didnt get the part when he auditioned for writer-director Kay Cannon. She had me singing an a cappella cover of Somebody to Love, the Brit actor recalls. Im a huge Queen fan. Freddie Mercury is one of my musical idols, but I dont think a cappella should generally be sung for more than 30 seconds. Doing a two-minute a cappella version of one of these epic choral songs, it was not going my way. I kept apologizing to Kay.  The imposter syndrome crept in, and I thought I was surely done for.

Galitzine also teased a scene that was cut but hopefully well see some day. It involves me and my merry men and Wilbur, who is my confidante, trashing this amazing palace room, he says. It was very much my Rolling Stones-Mick Jagger moment.

The 26-year-old actor admits he initially worried about working with Cabello. She wont get offended by this because weve become very close, but there was the notion of how down to earth [is she] because I think we have this idea of pop stars, Galitzine says. I think in the media we tend to deify people in these public spaces. I was expecting some kind of difficulty to connect but Camila is so down to earth and so funny and ready to have a good time that we kind of clicked immediately.



SIGHTINGS: Bella Thorne at The Tower Bar in Los Angeles  Variety Power of Pride 2021 honoree and Danger Force star Michael D. Cohen having dinner at Doomies Home Cookin in Hollywood.



Maddie Ziegler plays Velma in Steven Spielbergs upcoming remake of West Side Story. How far does the new version stray from the original? We kept it extremely close to the original one, because why would you touch something so perfect? Ziegler tells me. But were still bringing new faces, new energies. The legendary director was at Zieglers New York City audition. He actually was like, I watched your movie [Music]. Youre incredible. I want to do a screening for everyone, she recalls. I was just like, I cant breathe. Im so excited.

Have some news to share? Reach out to me at mmalkin@variety.com.

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Supporters of the insurrectionists charged following the riot at the Capitol will converge on Washington, D.C., on September 18th for a new rally, this one dubbed Justice for J6. The upcoming event is starting to take on the tenor of the Save America rally that preceded the January 6th insurrection, both in the fervor of the Trump supporters expected to attend, and, according to a Capitol Police intelligence memo obtained Wednesday by CNN, in the violent rhetoric circulating online as the rally draws near.

Fear has been mounting for weeks that the Justice for J6 rally could result in violence. According to the memo, violent online rhetoric surrounding the event has ramped up since Lt. Michael Byrd, the officer who shot and killed insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt when she forced her way toward the House floor, sat down for an interview with NBCs Lester Holt late last month. The Department of Justice announced in April that it would not pursue charges against Byrd, and the Capitol Police cleared him of any wrongdoing days before he revealed his identity by speaking to Holt. But Trump and his acolytes in Congress and across right-wing media have praised Babbitt while stirring up outrage over her death. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) called it an execution. Trump called Byrd a murderer, describing Babbitt as someone who truly loved America. The former presidents supporters planning on making their way to Washington next week have responded in kind. According to the new memo, some have taken to calling it the Justice for Ashli Babbitt rally, raising concerns of the potential for violent retribution.

The memo also notes that online activity indicates the possibility of, as CNN puts it, violence against Jewish centers and liberal churches while law enforcement is distracted that day.

Theres a best-case scenario in all this, in which the rally falls flat, drawing only a handful of fringe protesters. Thats always a possibility in a movement whose leaders are long on bluster but short on integrity, but January 6th was a lesson in the consequences of under-preparation.

The Capitol Police will reportedly submit their board with plans for security for the event this week, and one can only hope that they will take the discussion happening online more seriously than they did prior to the January insurrection. A report published by a pair of Senate committees in June detailed how the Capitol Polices in-house intelligence unit received information from a variety of sources about threats of violence focused on January 6th, that the intelligence unit didnt act on this intel, and that, as a result, critical information regarding threats of violence was not shared with USCPs own officers and other law enforcement partners.

Five people died during the insurrection and in its immediate aftermath, including one Capitol Police officer. The Capitol Police officers union said that over 140 officers were injured.

Congress is making sure its apprised how the Capitol Police plan to handle the horde of Trump supporters expected to swarm Washington for the rally. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) addressed the event for the first time Wednesday morning, claiming those attending are coming back to praise the people who were out to kill. Politico reported on Wednesday that Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger will brief Pelosi about security preparations next Monday, and that Pelosi has invited Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to sit in on the briefing.

The nature of these precautions is unclear, although CNN reported last month that discussions were taking place as to whether to reinstall the protective fencing set up around the Capitol following the insurrection. That report came days after Capitol Police arrested a man who claimed to have a bomb near the Library of Congress, a scare that only heightened then tension in Washington that had been building ahead of the Justice for J6 rally, which is being organized by nonprofit called Look Ahead America. Matt Braynard, the former Trump campaign operative who founded the group, issued a foreboding message in announcing the rally on Steve Bannons podcast in July.

Were going back to the Capitol, right where it started, Braynard said. And its going to be huge.
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Netflix thinks Addison Rae is all that.

So much so that the streamer has signed the TikTok star to a multi-picture deal.

Rae recently made her acting debut with a starring role in Netflixs Hes All That, a gender-swapped remake of the 1999 high school rom-com Shes All That.

Getting the opportunity to work with Netflix was such a pinch me moment and now to be able to continue the relationship is beyond my wildest dreams, Rae said. Im thrilled to be able to collaborate with this incredible team and am excited to develop projects while continuing to strengthen my skills as an actress.

The streamers director of family film Naketha Mattocks said, Addisons Raes charm and promise is undeniable as evidenced by Hes All That and her already passionate fan base. Were thrilled to be part of this next phase of her burgeoning career as an actress.

Netflix estimates that more than 55 million households will watch Hes All That within its first month of release. The film has reached #1 on the streamer in 78 countries, including Brazil, France and Saudi Arabia, according to Netflix.

Rae has more than 83.3 million TikTok followers, making her the third most popular person on the platform. She has 39.2 million followers on Instagram and close to 5 million on Twitter. The 20-year-old Louisiana native also released her first single, Obsessed, in March. She was nominated for the breakthrough social star at the 2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards.

In Hes All That, Rae plays a social-media influencer who tries to transform one of the schools outcasts (Cobra Kais Tanner Buchanan) into the prom king.

Rae told me at the films premiere last month that shes always dreamed of being an actor, even before she became a TikTok sensation. Producers Jennifer Gibgot and Andrew Panay praised her talent and work ethic. She actually auditioned twice for us, Gibgot say She did it over Zoom, but we were like, You know what, this is going to be seen by the higher-ups so we have to do it person. She got tested for COVID and came to my living room and we put her on tape.

Panay added, She did the work.

Rae is repped by WME, One of One Management, the Lede Co. and Nixon Peabody.

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Erik Matti is one of the Philippines most celebrated filmmakers, working across genres. On The Job bowed at Cannes Directors Fortnight in 2013, where it was nominated for the SACD Prize, and went on to global and domestic acclaim.

The film was inspired by a real-life scandal in which prison inmates were temporarily released from prison to work as contract killers on behalf of politicians and high ranking military officials.

Matti returns to the subject, which he has expanded as a franchise, in On The Job: The Missing 8, which is playing in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Again inspired by true events, the film follows a corrupt journalist seeking justice for his colleagues, and a convict who is frequently brought out of prison to perform assassinations.

The difference this time is that the franchise expansion is as a series for HBO, with the events of the 2013 film treated as the first two episodes. Mattis BuyBust (2018), where an anti-drug enforcement agency stages a drug bust in the slums of Manila, was a favorite both at home and internationally.

What made you choose corruption/censorship in local media as the focus for the continuation of the On The Job story?

Writer Michiko Yamamoto and I started talking about the next instalment of OTJ with three topics that we would highlight for the particular job the film would talk about, corruption in gambling, pharmaceuticals and journalism. I was particularly leaning towards pharmaceuticals. Exploring the black market of medicine coming from China and how government officials through their private companies distribute using government funds, and earn from it. But then while we were doing the research for that, the Cambridge Analytica scandal came out. There was a line there in a news article that caught our attention, that before it was used to help Trump win the 2016 elections, their whole strategy of using social media to manufacture lies being passed on as truth was first tested in the Philippines. So we decided to focus on media corruption since at that time, the national election in our country had just concluded and we had a lot of stories to mine about journalism, especially the Maguindanao Massacre which happened in 2009 where 58 people including 32 journalists were killed.

On The Job was a feature film, while On the Job: The Missing 8 plays as a film in Venice and will show as a series on HBO. Have the lines between film, television and streaming blurred over the years since you made On The Job?

Because of the disappearance of mid-budgeted films that can tackle more serious topics and more character-driven stories that can be shown in our cinemas, the series on streaming platforms have become a substitute for those films. Right now, the Marvels and the DCs of the world have become the only types of movies that the cinemas would welcome easily. Working on a series allows filmmakers to expand their stories and explore characters and plot lines in more detail without the need to service the fanboy culture of superheroes.

In the case of On The Job: The Missing 8, it was actually written to be shown on the big screen. But by some luck, when the pandemic happened in 2020 and cinemas closed, we started entertaining the idea of finding a home in the streamers for the movie. With the 3-hour 28-minute running time, it would really be hard to find a decent distribution for a film of that length even if the cinemas were open. The difficulties that the pandemic brought made us look for a new distribution route. And with that, we created the series out of it. Together with the first instalment where we brought back deleted scenes, we were able to make a six-part series out of it.

In the end, the pandemic became a blessing in disguise for us. I remember having to cut the first On The Job to accommodate a more straightforward storytelling that is best for something you would show in a cinema. But now that its a series, that threads both 2013 and 2021 films together, I was able to look into the film again and recreate a new viewing experience that only a series can provide.

Yes, I miss the cinema experience. But the series is a welcome new format to explore and a different type of viewing experience for its audience. And with the present situation with movies not just in the Philippines but in the world in general, we take what we can get for now.

Where is the On The Job franchise going to next? How do you see the franchise developing?

On The Job as a story could go on and on because the tales of corruption dont really end. As storytellers, we also have a lot to explore about this topic. But being in a third world country, we only develop what is asked of us. We can only wish that we could keep on developing all the stories we have in our heads. But thats not really the case. Im privileged to have co-producers that would still make movies like this. The occasional prestigious film fest and HBO nod help a lot because they encourage filmmakers that these films can make it, and that theres an audience for them.

What does being in competition at Venice mean to you?

I never thought Id be discovered in the international film festival circuit. Inasmuch as my films are rooted in local stories, my aesthetics are really grounded on the films I grew up with which are mainly Hollywood, Italian westerns and Chinese Kung Fu movies. I am mainly a genre filmmaker. And we all know how hard it is to make it to a major festival with genre films. The first time I got into a major festival was in the Cannes Directors Fortnight for the first OTJ. I thought it was going to be my first and last entry to a festival that big.

Being chosen to be in the main competition in Venice is a big deal because its like an affirmation that my films can matter beyond the small audience we have in the Philippines. More so with this new film. Its a long movie without the same kind of adrenaline rush as the first one. While editing it, I started doubting myself. Will the cinemas show a film this long? Will the audience be disappointed that it is different from the first one? But I stood my ground that it should be told this way, with this length. The acceptance of Venice is a vindication of sorts.

It also came at the best time, pardon the irony. When I finished shooting this film at the start of the pandemic, our future was bleak and uncertain and we didnt know what to do with the finished film. Venice gave a new life for the film and I hope that this would be a testament to my fellow filmmakers in the Philippines. That we can still keep on making films and that there will be an audience to see it. In sickness and in health.

Like On The Job, you created an amazing universe in BuyBust. Are there any plans of developing that as a franchise?

Yes. We already have a draft of the second instalment that carries over the protagonist Nina moving into vigilante mode. No takers yet. But who knows. Maybe well see BuyBust characters in the next OTJ instalment or vice versa.

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DALLAS (AP)  Young people on social media have found a way to protest Texas new law banning most abortions by focusing on a website established by the state's largest anti-abortion group that takes in tips on violations.

Theyve shared short videos and guides on how to flood the Texas Right to Life site with fake information, memes and prank photos; it's an online activism tactic that comes naturally to a generation that came of age in the internet era.

I got the idea of, OK, well, we can sabotage these things online. Its kind of like internet activism. Is it something we can realistically do and its not going to take us very long to do it, said an 18-year-old TikTok user who goes by the name Olivia Julianna, using only her first and middle name due to safety concerns.

The law that took effect this month prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, which is usually around six weeks and before some women know theyre pregnant. It doesn't make exceptions for rape or incest.

Though abortion providers say the law is unconstitutional, they say they are abiding by it.

The law was not actually designed to be carried out in the sense of litigation, its designed to deter, said Joanna Grossman, a law professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Its just designed to bring the entire system of womens health care to a screeching halt through fear.

The website was down over the long weekend after host GoDaddy kicked it off, saying it violated the company's terms of service, including a provision against collecting identifying information without consent. As of Tuesday, the site was being redirected to Texas Right to Life's main website.

Texas Right to Life spokeswoman Kimberlyn Schwartz said Tuesday that the websites domain is now registered with Epik and theyre in the process of moving to a new host, but aren't yet disclosing which one. Epik used to host 8chan, an online message board known for trafficking in hate speech. Epik representatives didn't respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday.

Schwartz said they are working to get the tipster website back up but noted that in many ways it is symbolic since anyone can report a violation. And, she said, abortion clinics appear to be complying with the law.

I think that people see the whistleblower website as a symbol of the law but the law is still enforced, with or without our website, Schwartz said, adding, Its not the only way that people can report violations of the law.

Rebecca Parma, Texas Right to Lifes senior legislative associate, said they expected people to try to overwhelm the site with fake tips, adding "were thankful for the publicity to the website thats coming from all of this chatter about it.

And, Parma said, the website is just another facet of the network we already have in place. She said they have a network of anti-abortion attorneys and citizens who work with them, including people who are posted outside of abortion clinics and talk to people going in and coming out.

Julianna, who lives in Texas and has more than 136,000 TikTok followers, said that while she sees the tip website as more of a scare tactic than a threat, she has taken comfort in the like-minded people shes found in her quest to thwart it.

Weve grown up in this new age of technology, she said. So now you dont feel so isolated with what you believe in and your activism.

Sean Wiggs, 20, who goes by Sean Black on TikTok, came up with a shortcut people could use to autofill the questions on the site. Wiggs, who lives in North Carolina, said he has received an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, and that he hopes efforts like his lead to more people realizing the power that you have online.

Julianna said she was inspired by TikTok activists who last year flooded a registration website for a rally in Oklahoma for then-President Donald Trump, although they had no intention of attending. While its unlikely they were responsible for the low turnout, their antics may have inflated the campaigns expectations for attendance numbers that led to a disappointing crowd.

The law, which legal experts say was written in a way that puts defendants at a severe disadvantage, has left abortion providers leery of the potential cost of fighting a flood of frivolous lawsuits.

Ive never seen a statute that combines so many elements to disadvantage the defendant, said Seth Chandler, law professor at the University of Houston.

For one, if the plaintiffs win, they can get attorneys fees and costs, Chandler said. If the defendants win, they cant. Also, there could be multiple lawsuits filed in different counties based on the same allegation, and the statute prohibits a change of venue, he said.

Even if the accusations that these vigilantes make are untrue, the staff and physicians would be put in the position of having to defend themselves in court, hire attorneys, travel for hearings, who knows in what county in Texas, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Womans Health, which has four abortion clinics in Texas.

Dr. Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, said that although the website seems comically inept at this point," it does "what the actual law on the books is asking people to do, which is to report on people.

Wiggs said that aspect of the law, the way that they are deputizing private citizens to incentivize them to snitch on their neighbors, really stood out to him.

Its just the way that theyre turning people against each other over an already polarizing topic such as abortion, Wiggs said.

Texas has a history of creative forms of protest. In 2016, college students protested a new law allowing people to carry concealed handguns in public places, including universities, by walking around campus with sex toys in their hands and strapped to their backpacks, calling the protest cocks not Glocks. It got attention.

But, Metzl notes, it didn't stop the Legislature enacting laxer gun laws.

Its a form of protest and resistance, but it hasnt been effective changing policy, he said. "The best way to change policy is to win elections.

___

Ortutay reported from Oakland, California.
City council took steps to memorialize Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza on Tuesday.

Council approved the motion to honor Espinoza, who was one of 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at Afghanistans Kabul airport, by memorializing Cielto Lindo Boulevard as Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza Memorial Boulevard.

Ceremonies for Espinoza will be held starting this weekend.

Espinozas body is scheduled for a dignified transfer to the airport which will be closed to the public on Friday. However, while this event is closed to the public, the family has invited the community to participate in a welcome home procession.

Citizens can park in areas alongside the route which runs from the Hillside Road exit to McPherson Road, E. Del Mar Boulevard, N. Bartlett Road and finally Jacaman Road where it will end at the Joe Jackson North funeral home at 1410 Jacaman Rd. For the procession - which does not have an official start time yet - the city is encouraging the community and business owners to wave American flags during the procession to show respect for the fallen local hero.

Then Saturday, there will be a family viewing at the facility. This will be closed to the public. However, Sunday there will be a public viewing at Joe Jackson North. The family has invited the community to pay their respects on this day as they can arrive at any time from 8 a.m. through midnight.

Finally, military honors will take place on Monday, Sept. 13. A religious ceremony at St. Patrick Catholic Church will be held at 10 a.m. which will be streamed live at facebook.com/saintpatrickchurchlaredotx. The mass will be followed by the funeral procession at 11 a.m. at Espinozas alma mater of Lyndon B. Johnson High School.

Finally, the procession will depart to the City of Laredo Cemetery. During this time, the family again has invited the public to line up along the route from LBJ to the city cemetery to pay their respects.

gkroeger@lmtonline.com

Twitter: @gkroegs
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender Tuesday, but the rollout stumbled in its first hours and President Nayib Bukele said the digital wallet used for transactions was not functioning.

For part of the morning, El Salvadors president became tech support for a nation stepping into the world of cryptocurrency. Bukele marshaled his Twitter account  with more than 2.8 million followers  to walk users through what was happening.

Bukele explained that the digital wallet Chivo had been disconnected while server capacity was increased.

The president said it was a relatively simple problem. We prefer to correct it before we connect it again, Bukele said. He encouraged followers to download the app and leave comments about how it was going.

Meanwhile, the value of Bitcoin plummeted early Tuesday, dropping from more than $52,000 per coin to $42,000, before recovering about half of that loss  an example of the volatility that worries many.

The government has promised to install 200 Chivo automatic tellers and 50 Bitcoin attention centers.

The Associated Press visited one of the automatic tellers in San Salvadors historic center, where attendants waited to help citizens, who initially didnt show much interest.

Asked if he had downloaded the Chivo app, Emanuel Ceballos, said he had not. I dont know if Im going to do it, I still have doubts about using that currency.

Jose Martin Tenorio said he was interested in Bitcoin, but had not downloaded the app either. Im running to work. Maybe at home tonight.

In Santa Tecla, a San Salvador suburb, young attendants were waiting to assist people at a help center.

Denis Rivera arrived with a friend because they had been trying to download the digital wallet app without success.

He said he didn't understand why some people have been scandalized by Bitcoin. We've been using debit and credit cards for years and it's the same, electronic money, he said.

He was in favor of it and planned to use the $30 offered by the government as an incentive to try it out. I'm going to see how efficient it is and practical it can be and based on that decide if I keep using it or not.

Jose Luis Hernandez, owner of a barbershop in the area, came looking for information.

I have a small business and I want to know how to use the application and how are the rates and all of that, Hernandez said.

The AP confirmed that at least three international fast food chain restaurants were accepting Bitcoin payments.

David Gerard, author of Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain, said Tuesdays Bitcoin volatility likely had little to nothing to do with El Salvador. My first guess was shenanigans, because its always shenanigans, Gerard said via email.

Bitcoin basically doesnt respond to market forces or regulatory announcements, Gerard said. That sort of price pattern, where it crashes hugely in minutes then goes back up again, is usually one of the big guys burning the margin traders.

Because Bitcoin is so thinly traded, it could also have been a big holder making a large sale to have cash, thus sending the market for a ride, Gerard said.

Three face-to-face public opinion surveys performed recently showed that most Salvadorans did not agree with the governments decision to make Bitcoin legal currency. Bitcoin joins the U.S. dollar as El Salvadors official currencies.

In June the Legislative Assembly enacted the Bitcoin law, and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration is providing the government with technical assistance.

The law says that Bitcoin can be used for any transaction and any business with the technological capacity to do so must accept payment in the cryptocurrency.

The government will back Bitcoin with a $150 million fund. To incentivize Salvadorans to use it, the government offered $30 worth of credit to those who use Chivo.

Critics have warned that the currencys lack of transparency could attract increased criminal activity to the country and its wild swings in value could quickly wipe out users savings.

Opposition groups marched in El Salvador to demand the derogation of the law that allows Bitcoin use.

Bukele has said the cryptocurrency  originally created to operate outside government controlled financial systems  would help attract investment and save Salvadorans money when they transfer earnings in the United States back home to relatives in El Salvador. But its use would be voluntary.

___

AP writer Christopher Sherman contributed from Mexico City.
Courtesy /Falcon Bank

Falcon Bank has acquired a full-service bank branch from Citizens State Bank located at 134 S. US Hwy 83 in Zapata, and officially opened its newest location on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.

This transaction provides us the opportunity to service our existing customer base and further expand our market share in the Zapata community, Falcon Bank President & CEO Gilbert Narvaez Jr. stated. It has always been important to Falcon to pursue opportunities in the markets we know best and excel in meeting the financial needs of our customers. We have cultivated many banking relationships in this community, and we welcome the Citizens State Bank customers and employees to the Falcon Family.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Jill Biden has gone back to her whiteboard.

After months of teaching writing and English to community college students in boxes on a computer screen, the first lady resumed teaching in person Tuesday from a classroom at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has worked since 2009.

She is the first first lady to leave the White House to log hours at a full-time job.

There are some things you just cant replace, and I cant wait to get back in the classroom, she recently told Good Housekeeping magazine.

The first lady had been anxious to see her students in person after more than a year of virtual teaching brought on by a pandemic that continues to challenge the Biden administration.

A working first lady is a big deal, said Tammy Vigil, a Boston University communications professor who wrote a book about first ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.

The nations early first ladies did not work outside the White House. They supported their husbands, raised children and performed the role of hostess.

Some first ladies acted as ambassadors for their husbands. Eleanor Roosevelt was especially active, traveling around the U.S. and reporting back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose activities were limited by polio. She advocated for the poor, minorities and other disadvantaged people, and began writing a nationally syndicated newspaper column from the White House.

More recent first ladies, like Laura Bush, who was an elementary school teacher and librarian, had stopped working outside the home after having children and were not employed when their husbands were elected. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama were working mothers who decided against continuing their careers in the White House.

Jill Biden, 70, is forging a new path for herself and her successors.

The first lady has said she always wanted to be a career woman. She taught at the Virginia community college during the eight years that her husband was vice president and was not about to let the added responsibility of being first lady force her to give up a career she so closely identifies with.

Teaching isn't just what I do. It's who I am, she says.

Women made up nearly half, or 47%, of the U.S. labor force in 2019, according to Catalyst, a womens workplace advocacy group.

Leaders of the nation's largest teachers' unions are pleased that one of their own is now in a position to help influence the administration's education policies and raise the profile of a profession in which many have long felt unappreciated.

She sees it up close and personally and now, in the position as first lady, not only does she give voice to that from a place of understanding, she has an opportunity to create a platform and to have influence, said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association.

President Joe Biden told teachers attending the NEA's annual meeting that he learned about what they were going through by watching his wife learn how to teach online.

It gave me an appreciation firsthand that I thought I had, but I wouldn't have had had I not seen it, he said at the July meeting. And then going out and teaching  she was working four or five hours a day, getting ready to teach, putting her lesson plans together ... a different way.

Jill Biden started teaching English at a Roman Catholic high school in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1976, a year after she met and began dating then-U.S. Sen. Biden. She later taught at a psychiatric hospital and at Delaware Technical Community College.

She earned two master's degrees and a doctorate in educational leadership during those years.

After Joe Biden became vice president in 2009, she joined the faculty at Northern Virginia Community College. She continued to teach there after he left office and throughout his 2020 presidential campaign, including virtually after the pandemic hit.

Her virtual teaching continued as first lady, from her office in the White House East Wing or hotel rooms when she traveled to promote administration policies. She grades papers on flights.

It shatters the norms of what first ladies do, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Jill Biden tries to keep her political identity out of the classroom and has said that many of her former students in Virginia had no idea she was married to the vice president. She also did not talk about it. Secret Service agents accompanied her for security, but she had them dress casually and tote backpacks in an attempt to blend into the campus environment.

But being first lady, for which there is no job description or pay, comes with a much higher level of visibility, security and scrutiny.

First ladies make numerous public appearances  with or without the president  to promote their own or the president's issues, garnering coverage from national and local news media. Vogue magazine splashed the first lady on the cover of its August issue.

Jill Biden will teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with travel on days when she is not in the classroom. Her employer, the commonwealth of Virginia, requires everyone to wear face coverings indoors on Northern Virginia Community College campuses, regardless of vaccination status. The first lady is fully vaccinated.

The school is offering fall classes in a variety of formats, including fully remote, in-person on campus and a hybrid.

Anne M. Kress, president of Northern Virginia Community College, said she looked forward to welcoming the students and faculty, including Jill Biden, for the fall semester and expressed gratitude for their commitment to "excellence in instruction and equity in opportunity.

Their belief in our students is deep, real, and transformational, Kress said.
Following a three-day holiday weekend, officials from the City of Laredo and Webb County reported on Tuesday an additional 145 positive cases of COVID-19 and three related deaths.

The additions bring Laredo to 50,623 positives and 917 deaths historically dating back to the beginning of the pandemic locally.

Tuesdays report featured another dip in cases, similar to the start of last week.

Eight days prior, 156 new cases were reported, which was the fewest in a non-daily report in 14 updates. Now Tuesdays results are the fewest from the past 17 updates as well as 21 of the last 22.

Last week did see the next two updates rise again to each above 300 positives per report. It remains to be seen whether or not that trend will continue, especially as the city reported 1,587 new tests over the three-day holiday weekend as opposed to Friday which featured a record 7,988 added to the total.

The death total continued to remain elevated on Tuesday with another three being reported. Through just seven days, September already has 10 deaths. Prior to Augusts spike with 46, this month has nearly eclipsed all of the previous four months already as April and July both had 15 while May featured seven and June had five.

Laredo has announced three or more deaths in 11 of the past 14 updates, compared to the previous 13 of 14 non-daily reports which had fewer than three deaths.

The past two weeks have each featured 14 fatalities, which are the most since Feb. 13-19 had 51  the second-most ever during the pandemic.

The most recent three deaths included a man in his 40s and women in their 50s and 80s. They all died on either Saturday or Sunday.

Laredos rolling seven-day positivity rate is currently 6.5%  down significantly due to Fridays record test total reported. Texas rolling positivity rate is 13.1% while the United States is at 16.7%.

Active cases fell down to 488 with Tuesdays lower positive figure. It similarly dropped to 486 last Monday before rising up to 600 over the next two reports.

Of the current active cases, the city states that the majority come from the population below 30 years of age. A total of 160 are from those younger than 17, 124 are those between 18-30, 120 are between 31-49 and 84 are above the age of 50.

The city also stated that of just the currently investigated active cases, 59.4% are non-vaccinated individuals. Serious COVID cases still overwhelmingly belong to the unvaccinated population, as only 56 fully-vaccinated persons this year have been hospitalized with a breakthrough case.

Hospitalizations continue to trend downward falling for the fifth straight report now sitting at 68. They sat at 74 Friday and were as high as 86 on Aug. 25  the highest total since Feb. 18 had 97.

Yet as hospitalizations have dropped, serious ICU cases have instead remained at similar levels despite the death total being elevated. A total of 29 were in intensive care Tuesday  the same number as the previous two reports and one more than last weeks initial Monday report.

The COVID-19 hospitalization rate remained at an identical 16.7% from Fridays udpate, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services most recent data for Monday. The figure over the weekend had dipped down to as low as 15.5% for Saturday  its lowest figure since Aug. 7 at 13.3%.

Texas is seeing some positive signs in the lowering of its top hospitalization rates as the highest four regions from last time all fell. Lufkin dropped significantly from 39.6% to 26.4%, while the remaining three leaders saw slight decreases in Waco from 34.9% to 33.9%, Corpus Christi from 33.8% to 33.6% and Galveston from 30% to 29.4%. However, Victoria climbed nearly two points as it now sits among the leaders at 30.6%.

Unfortunately, Laredos capacity issues remain the worst in the state with just 16 available beds as of Mondays data. Corpus Christi in three days has seen this number fall from 115 down to 29, while Bryan/College Station (35), Waco (63) and Belton/Killeen (99) are the only other hospital regions of the 22 the DSHS lists below triple digits.

Laredo also reports two ICU beds available as of Monday.

As Laredo is medically underserved and with facilities understaffed, its hospital capacity has been diminished despite being nowhere near its previous high in hospitalizations of 249 in January when it was receiving help from the state, something that has been denied this time around. This is why local experts continue to tout being vaccinated as vital, even despite the areas success in that regard, as its current lack of resources has curtailed that success.

The City of Laredo reported on Tuesday that it now has 179,985 people fully vaccinated, which equates to about 83.4% of the total eligible population. Additionally, a total of 221,179 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, around 102.4% of the eligible population.

Laredo officials have stated that its eligible population figures are based off U.S. Census data, and due to the citys past of having its population undercounted, its true 100% figure may be more difficult to identify.

Additionally, around a third of Laredos total population is below the age of 18. That means that a significant segment of the citys actual population may not be vaccinated, as those under 12 are unable to do so.

As for its elderly, the city reports that 26,061 people age 65 and up have been at least partially vaccinated, around 96.5% of the eligible population.

Over the course of the pandemic, 409,727 tests have been administered. An estimated 49,218 people have recovered from a previous infection.



zdavis@lmtonline.com
A 46-year-old Dallas resident has been sentenced to 77 months in prison for transporting 126 migrants who had crossed the border illegally.

Jose Luis Ramos Jr. pleaded guilty on March 15 to conspire to transport undocumented migrants within the United States.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Ramos.

At the hearing, the court heard additional information including his prior involvement with the smuggling organization, details of the dangerous and reckless nature of the transportation and the number of migrants he attempted to transport. In handing down the sentence, Judge Marmolejo also noted his extensive criminal history and that he was not a minor participant in the conspiracy, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

The case dates back to Jan. 6, when Ramos arrived at the Interstate 35 checkpoint operating a tractor-trailer. He shouted out the window at an agent that he was a U.S. citizen as he slowly rolled through the primary lane. The agent stopped the trailer after a K-9 unit alerted to possible contraband within the vehicle.

Ramos ignored commands to drive to secondary inspection and exited the checkpoint. Agents pursued the vehicle and caught up to it at a gas station near mile marker 32 of I-35. An inspection of the trailer resulted in the apprehension of 126 individuals who had crossed the border illegally, including one unaccompanied minor.

The migrants were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and El Salvador, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

In a post-arrest interview, Ramos stated that a friend he identified as Sergio hired him to drive the tractor-trailer from Laredo to San Antonio. Ramos further admitted that he met with two people at a Walmart in Laredo during the early morning of Jan. 6. Ramos was taken to a factory where the trailer was parked.

Ramos added he was provided a bill of lading. But further investigation revealed that those documents contained false information, according to court documents. Authorities also discovered that the migrants were kept in the sealed trailer with the temperature of 50.7 degrees.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yoona Lim is prosecuting the case.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday issued an executive order to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician.

Amid a nationwide push among Republicans to outlaw most abortions, Noem directed the state Department of Health to create rules that abortion-inducing drugs can only be prescribed or dispensed by a state-licensed physician after an in-person examination. South Dakota law already places that requirement on doctors, but the Republican governor's order was made in anticipation that the Food and Drug Administration later this year will allow abortion medications to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.

Access to abortion medication has become a pressing issue after last week a Texas law took effect banning abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before many women know theyre pregnant.

About 39% of abortions in South Dakota last year were done through medication, according to the Department of Health. The state has one clinic that regularly performs abortions. Opponents of bans on telemedicine abortions say the method is safe, and outlawing them would have a disproportionate effect on rural residents who face long drives to the nearest abortion clinic.

Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Gov. Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship," said Janna Farley, the communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota. Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota.

Noem argues in her order that medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening and that she made the order in the interest of women's health and safety.

Physicians, under South Dakota law, are already required to meet with a pregnant woman and perform an examination before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion. Women are required to wait 72 hours before the procedure. The law also requires abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy to be performed in a hospital and outlaws abortions entirely after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless it is a medical emergency.

Noem's order blocks the drugs from being delivered through the mail or other delivery services and outlaws the drugs from being provided in schools or on state property. It also requires licenses for any clinics that only prescribe medicine for abortions and require more stringent reporting on medicine-induced abortions and any health complications related to them.

Similar restrictions, such as an Ohio law that was passed this year, have been blocked by courts from taking effect.

In response to the Texas law taking effect last week, President Joe Biden has vowed to look at what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions."

Noem's order makes it clear she expects the Legislature to make her order into law next year. She charged that the Biden administration was moving to leverage telemedicine abortions to undermine state laws and make it easier to have an abortion.

They are working right now to make it easier to end the life of an unborn child via telemedicine abortion," Noem said in a statement. "That is not going to happen in South Dakota.
3 1 of 3 Courtesy photo /Texas DPS Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





A man was arrested in relation to a human smuggling attempt reported at a central Laredo hotel along Interstate 35, according to state police.

On Sept. 1 during Operation Lone Star, the Texas Department of Public Safety criminal investigation division observed a Chevrolet Cruze transferring several migrants into a Chevrolet Suburban at a local hotel in Laredo.
TORONTO (AP)  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he wont alter how he campaigns after he and others were hit by gravel thrown by an anti-vaccine protester during the campaign this week.

Trudeau has faced increasingly hostile protests by what he calls anti-Vax mobs ahead of the Sept. 20 election. During a campaign stop in London, Ontario on Monday Trudeau and some journalists were hit by gravel thrown by a protester as he boarded his campaign bus.

Anti-Vax mobs are not respecting the basic science and the basic decency that Canadians have come to expect from each other, Trudeau said.

It is absolutely unacceptable that people are throwing things and endangering others at a political rally.

Police in London, Ontario, say they are investigating and are asking the public for information about the incident.

Trudeau said Canadians are proud of the fact that Canada is not like the United States and he wont change.

Canadians are reassured and even proud of the fact that were not the United States, that a prime minister or a candidate can walk down the street without fear of being attacked, Trudeau said.

Last month, a Trudeau campaign event was cancelled because of security concerns.

Trudeau has been critical of the unvaccinated and of Conservative leader Erin OToole, who had not mandated that his candidates be vaccinated.

OToole said he believes the country can find reasonable accommodations for those who are unvaccinated, like rapid testing and social distancing.

Four provinces including Quebec and Ontario, Canadas largest, are bringing in vaccine passports that require citizens to be vaccinated to enter places like restaurants and gyms.

Trudeau called the election last month seeking to win the majority of seats in Parliament but polls show that is unlikely and that he could lose power to OToole and the Conservative party.

Trudeau had wanted to capitalize on the fact that Canada is now one of the most fully vaccinated countries in the world, but the country is now in a fourth wave driven by the delta variant.

It's not just Trudeau that has been attacked by protesters. A Calgary, Alberta Liberal candidate said two of her volunteers were assaulted when they were out door-knocking on Sunday.

Sabrina Grover said an individual used the pamphlets being handed out by the volunteers to strike them and also spit in their faces. Spit on in the time of COVID, so you can only understand how distressing that is, Grover said.

Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said Trudeau is gaining politically because of the protests but his future remains very much in doubt.

Trudeau is gaining much sympathy and some additional voter support in reaction to these demonstrations. It has injected life into the Liberal campaign and passion into Trudeaus speeches, Wiseman said.

"However, it is not yet clear if these demonstrations will undermine the Conservative gains to date. I feel most voters have already decided on their vote. Unless more dramatic anti-Trudeau demonstrations take place, the contours of election results are becoming clearer by the day: a narrow minority government for either the Liberals or the Conservatives."
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Cloudy with rain ending for the afternoon. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Some passing clouds. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
THE first of a two part documentary into the killing of Fr Niall Molloy in Clara in 1985 was aired on RTE last Monday evening.

Even after 36 years, when the story has been told again and again, it still has the power to disturb and dismay.

Last Mondays documentary revealed nothing new by way of evidence, but listening to the facts of the case, the way the investigation was handled, and the scandal of the court case, most people could be forgiven for being angry at the judicial system and upset for the family of Fr Molloy who have never received any type of justice.

As Fr Molloys nephew Ian Maher said in the documentary Im shocked and abhorred, as a nephew but also as an Irishman, that our system of justice can work in such a manner.

Fr Molloy was found badly beaten in the bedroom of wealthy couple Richard and Theresa Flynn at Kilcoursey House in Clara.

Originally from Roscommon he developed a friendship with Theresa Flynn through show jumping circles and became a regular visitor to Clara.They had a joint bank account.

On July 7, Fr Molly went to the after party of the wedding of Flynn's eldest daughter Maureen to Ralph Parkes. He didn't officiate at the wedding as his first responsibility was to his parish of Castlecoote.

Politicians including Fianna Fails Brian Lenihan Snr were invited. A number of celebrities also attended.

Fr Molly arrived at Kilcoursey House at around 7pm and stayed for a number of hours before returning to Castlecoote to celebrate Mass. He went back to Kilcoursey on Sunday afternoon to attend a lunch hosted by the Flynn family.

Evidence shows that Fr Molly along with Teresa and Richard Flynn later travelled for drinks to Douglas Goodbody's house at Cork hill in Clara, leaving at 9.15pm. On their return Theresa is said to have taken a sleeping tablet and retired to bed leaving Fr Molly and Richard Flynn chatting downstairs.

Theresa Flynn said she awoke to find Fr Niall Molly sitting at the end of the bed and Richard in bed beside her. According to Richard Flynn,Theresa asked him to go back down to get a drink but he refused. Richard Flynn said Theresa and Fr Niall then got up and attacked him and he defended himself and in doing so hit Theresa knocking her unconscious. Fr Niall was also hit but he got back up again.

Richard Flynn said he hit him again this time knocking him unconscious. When he realised they were both unconscious he splashed water on them. Theresa recovered but Fr Niall didn't.

Richard Flynn rang Fr Deignan who was the parish priest at the time to administer the last rites.

When Dr Dan O'Sullivan arrived at the house he said Fr Niall was dead.

Theresa Flynn became hysterical and was given a sedative and according to the documentary was driven to Tullamore hospital by Dr O'Sullivan.

Fr Deignan went to the gardai and woke up Garda Sgt Kevin Forde asking him if there was any way he could keep it quiet. Speaking in the documentary Sgt Forde said he told the priest it would have to be investigated.

When Sgt Forde came to the house he found Fr Niall lying close to the door and a long streak of blood between the bed and his body. He said there was froth coming from his month. He said that straight away Richard Flynn admitted he was responsible. It was too pat, said Sgt Forde.

Sgt Forde also found the story about a row over drinks to be ridiculous. He said he couldnt corroborate the story as Therese Flynn was at Tullamore hospital. He said a garda technical team and investigation crew then arrived and they took over.

Richard Flynn was charged with the assault and manslaughter of Fr Molloy. The trial that followed lasted just four hours before Judge Frank Roe directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.

This came after the state pathologist Dr John Harbison revealed that Fr Molloy had a heart condition. The prosecution asked Mr Harbison if this could have been the cause of Fr Molloy's death to which he said it could have but it wasn't his opinion and it didnt account for the injuries to his head.

However, the case was dropped including that of assault and Richard Flynn was allowed to walk free from court.

The investigation by the gardai led Fr Molloy's nephew Henry McCourt to lodge a complaint with GSOC [Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission]. However, GSOC concluded that it was prohibited from investigating as the gardai involved had since retired.

An inquest held afterwards, found that Fr Molloy died from acute brain hemorrhage.

The documentary featured interviews with a number of friends of Fr Molloy from Roscommon where he was extremely popular.

Close friend Johnny Gallagher revealed, that in the days leading up to his death Fr Molloy had told him he wasnt looking forward to the coming weekend. When he asked him if he was alright, he said it was a private matter. He then said he was thinking of retiring and he just wanted to be his own person.

It's speculated that money was the real cause of Fr Molloy's death as he may have given a substantial loan to the Flynn's and the row that ensued was about that money.

Longford-Westmeath TD says "more questions" still to be answered over Zappone special envoy controversy Longford-Westmeath Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke has said Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveneys appearance before the Committee on Foreign Affairs this morning has raised "more questions than it answered".

Also interviewed was Brian Sheridan from Clara who said he was Richard Flynn's nearest neighbour but he said it was 30 years before he was interviewed.

Nephew Bill Maher visits the grave of Fr Molloy every year. Its a sad journey he said.  He has instigated a Justice for Niall campaign. Im getting old, I dont know how much longer I can keep doing it, but it has to be done. He was left to die, no one did anything. What sort of animals are they? he asked.

At the end of the documentary viewers saw the son of Richard Flynn being interviewed outside the court. When asked if it had been a difficult time for his family, he replied it was very difficult particularly when one knows certain answers but isnt in a position to comment. It makes it very difficult to live with.

The second part of the documentary will be aired next Monday on RTE.
A Longford man who spent a month in an induced coma in a Spanish hospital after being found unresponsive while out swimming has made a miraculous recovery.

Doctors gave Legan native Michael McDonald a ten per cent chance of survival after he was found unresponsive in a swimming pool in Gran Canaria on July 13.

The 65-year-old, as first revealed by the Leader back in July, was rushed to the Hospital Insular, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria where medics placed him in an induced coma.

Now back home and recuperating surrounded by close family and friends, Michael revealed how doctors informed his next of kin to prepare for the worst.

"My brother, James, came out and was told I only had a ten per cent chance of pulling through and that if I did I would more than likely suffer some sort of brain damage," he said.

"I can't remember much. I can recall losing my balance in the pool after someone passed me, but after that it's blank.

"I must have been out of it for a good while because when I was pulled out I was told I was absolutely grey in colour, my lips were blue and there was no heartbeat."

His friend and fellow Longford resident Mark Connolly helped pull him from the pool as a local Spanish woman rushed to administer CPR before emergency services arrived on the scene.

"I was told I was worked on for 20 minutes and rushed to hospital and put in an induced coma but it's all a bit of a blur," he said.

Despite the gloomy prognosis, Michael miraculously grew stronger with each passing day and was medically deemed fit to fly home in recent days.

He described his ordeal over the past nine weeks as being akin to "something out of a science fiction movie" and something which both he and his team of doctors are still baffled by.

"It's a mystery still as to what happened," he said.

"What I do know is I probably wouldn't have survived if it happened in any other country.

"The level of care I received was second to none. Between that and all the many messages of goodwill and support I have got from people, I will be forever grateful."

The retired farm labourer spoke to the Leader this week of how he is lucky to be alive following his return home to Longford and despite spending the best part of four weeks in a medically induced coma.
A decision by a group of concerned people to hold a rally in Longford town last weekend against Covid-19 jabs and other restrictions has been branded as unhelpful by the former chief of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

Dr Padraig McGarry who stepped down as president of the IMO in April following a two year term hit out at the gathering last Saturday.

The Longford medic called into question the coercive tactics employed by those involved with a number taking to the streets dressed in boiler suits and ghost masks.

I think it's inappropriate that such groups would hinder the free decisions of people who have made their choice to go and get vaccinated, he said.

It is unhelpful and people should be allowed to go about their daily business without intimidation.

Dr McGarry's comments were made in the wake of a weekend rally which saw a sizeable band of people take to the streets of the county town holding posters before holding momentary gatherings outside a number of pharmacies.

The group continued their protest by congregating on the steps of the Courthouse ahead of a brief walk through Longford Shopping Centre.

I cannot believe that we have steamrolled down this road to vaccinating young people when the risk from covid to under 30s is minimal, said spokesperson Andy Smith, who described the event as an information day as opposed to a protest.

Mr Smith carried a sign which which read, Health is our only immunity. He added, To me this is the key to maintaining health and taking responsibility for our own wellbeing as much as possible.

Mr Smith suggested, Young people have been coerced into taking this jab on the promise of being able to travel and for life to return to normal.

Many are unaware that these vaccines are still in the experimental phase and are only in emergency use at present, while awaiting safety and efficacy approval.

No sooner have they taken these jabs, when they are now being lined up for the boosters and where this ends, no one knows.

Dr McGarry countered those arguments however, saying scientific evidence had illustrated the benefits of innoculisation in the battle against Covid-19.

A further easing of restrictions on Monday saw the return of indoor events where attendees are fully vaccinated with live music at weddings and religious ceremonies operating at 50 per cent capacity rates being given the green light.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said the relaxations were owing to what he called Ireland's "world class vaccination programme.
The state agency responsible for attracting and retaining inward foreign direct investment to Ireland has revealed plans to build a state of the art building in Longford aimed at luring a large multinational company to the county.

Speaking at this afternoon's local authority meeting, Ken Whitelaw, Regional Manager at IDA Ireland, said agency bosses were committed to building 19 "advanced building solutions" across the country, one of which will be situated in Longford.

It forms part of the IDAs four-year strategy 2021 - 2024, which has a continued focus on regional development.

Mr Whitelaw said the building and its location, which is yet to be decided, would be "fit for purpose" depending on individual clients needs.

Anne-Marie Tierney-Le Roux, head of regional business development said talks over a possible site selection were at an "advanced stage" but said no specific timeframe had been made as to when the building would come on stream.

"We (IDA) will build it (building) and hopefully they (client companies) will come," she said.

"The skills, talent, placemaking and all the other areas the IDA are interested in is there (in Longford) and we believe we have a winning formula in Longford."

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Peggy Nolan urged IDA officials to increase its presence in each of Longford's three municipal district areas.

Ms Tierney-Le Roux, however, said the IDA had no "immediate plans" to develop a business park in the county despite refusing to rule out such a possibility in the future.




Longford has received a boost with indoor dining funding announced by Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin T.D and Failte Ireland.

38 permanent outdoor dining facilities are to be developed in 19 counties nationwide, including one at Main Street, Ballymahon.

IDA chiefs to construct multi million euro FDI site in Longford The state agency responsible for attracting and retaining inward foreign direct investment to Ireland has revealed plans to build a state of the art building in Longford aimed at luring a large multinational company to the county.

Failte Irelands Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme opened for applications in March 2021 and comprises two parts. This announcement relates to Part Two of the Scheme.

All Local Authorities were invited to apply to Failte Ireland for funding under Part Two - Local Authority Weatherproofing & Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme - to develop streets and public spaces to facilitate outdoor dining in urban tourism centres, enabling access to outdoor seating for extended periods throughout the year. 38 locations are set to benefit under the Scheme with almost 9million allocated.

Part One of the scheme covers outdoor seating and accessories - supports individual hospitality businesses with grants of up to 4,000 for seating, tables and outdoor accessories. Closing date for receipt of applications is September 30, 2021.

Longford man says he is 'lucky to be alive' after swimming collapse left him in month-long induced coma A Longford man who spent a month in an induced coma in a Spanish hospital after being found unresponsive while out swimming has made a miraculous recovery.

Longford anti-vaccine rally described as unhelpful A decision by a group of concerned people to hold a rally in Longford town last weekend against Covid-19 jabs and other restrictions has been branded as unhelpful by the former chief of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin T.D and Paul Kelly CEO Failte Ireland were in Howth, Co Dublin to make the official announcement.

Minister Catherine Martin said: I am pleased to announce the locations of 38 new outdoor dining facilities to be developed around Ireland including here in Howth, in County Dublin. The aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors. Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond. This scheme further strengthens the Governments deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide.

Paul Kelly CEO of Failte Ireland added: This Scheme supports resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term. Outdoor dining and hospitality will now be a permanent feature of our hospitality offering and businesses need to be supported to facilitate this for longer periods throughout the year. We have already seen the success of the first part of this Scheme, which provides individual businesses up to 4,000 towards the cost of outdoor seating.

"This second part of the Scheme being announced today is implemented in partnership with Local Authorities and will build on strengthening the outdoor dining offering around Ireland. We have learned during COVID-19 that people want the option of dining outdoors; this scheme will make dining areas suitable in a wider range of weather conditions so that they can be used for longer periods of the year, helping businesses towards sustainable recovery.

Moira Murrell, Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage (RCTCH) Committee stated: The implementation of the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Enhancement scheme will be hugely beneficial for towns and cities around Ireland, enhancing infrastructure and allowing local hospitality businesses to adapt and develop their offering. We look forward to working with Failte Ireland on the completion of this scheme.

See the locations received funding below:

Carlow County Council

 Main Street, Borris (61,000)

 Tullow Street Upper, Carlow (133,357)

Clare County Council

 Ennis Town Centre, Francis St, Lr Parnell St, Abbey St Car Park, Templegate Plaza (186,975)

Cork City Council

 Beasley St, (236,160)

 Caroline St, (375,083)

 Pembroke St, (302,187)

 Princess St, (112,150)

 Union Quay (284,130)

Cork County Council

 The Quays, Bantry (221,595)

 Short Quay, Kinsale (215,110)

Dublin City Council

 Merrion Row, (255,312)

 Suffolk St, (351,786)

 Capel St (742,095)

Donegal County Council

 Bundoran Oceanside, West End Car Park (126,840)

 Port Road, Letterkenny (137,000)

Fingal County Council

 Harbour Green Howth (600,000)

Kerry County Council

 Boat Yard, Dingle (292,118)

 Kenmare Place, Killarney (604,505)

Kildare County Council

 Main Street, Naas (187,275)

Kilkenny County Council

 Market Yard, Kilkenny City (649,000)

Laois County Council

 Dublin Road, Durrow (32,348)

 Hynd's Square, Portlaoise (129,446)

Limerick City & County Council

 Limerick City (750,000)

Longford County Council

 Main Street, Ballymahon (104,562)

Louth County Council

 The Green, Carlingford (118,000)

 Earl Street, Dundalk (82,000)

Mayo County Council

 Market Square, Castlebar (98,725)

 Market Square, Claremorris (101,300)

Offaly County Council

 O'Connor Square, Bridge St, Millennium Square, Tullamore (200,000)

Sligo County Council

 The Square, Enniscrone (94,772)

 Tobergal Lane, Sligo Town (265,160)

Tipperary County Council

 East Lane & Mary St Mall Clonmel (113,800)

 Old Baker Street, Thurles (86,200)

Waterford City & County Council

 Waterford City Trail - Bailey's New Street to O'Connell Street/John Street (354,919)

 Grattan Square, Dungarvan (151,774)

Wexford County Council

 Monck Street, Wexford Town (228,000)

Wicklow County Council

 Abbey Lane, Arklow (81,000)

 Market Square, Wicklow Town (118,624)
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If you are finishing school after the Leaving Cert or as an early school leaver, it can be difficult to know what your next step should be.

However, there are plenty of options out there for you, and its worth taking time to consider all of them before you make up your mind.

Some students will exceed their expectations and others will be disappointed with their results.

It is important that students do not panic. Regardless of your Leaving Certificate results and CAO points, there is a route for everyone towards their chosen career path.

CAO Vacant Places

If you do not receive an offer from the CAO, you can check out the list of vacant places on the CAO website under the heading Available/Vacant Places.

These are programmes which have not received sufficient applicants to fill the number of places on offer from the college in question. People who have not applied to the CAO may make an application online for a vacant place. If you have applied already, you simply go into your record in the CAO website and place the vacant course at the top of your CAO application list (free of charge).

Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (PLC)

Students apply directly to PLC courses. Minimum academic qualifications for these courses are normally five passes at Leaving Certificate. These courses are designed as a step towards skilled employment and are closely linked to industry and its needs.

A PLC course will provide you with an excellent opportunity to gain entry to a university or an Institute of Technology, as it will allow you to apply again to the CAO the following year, presenting the result of your PLC course as your method of entry. Many students who earn distinctions in their exams can progress on to higher education.

Private Colleges

There are a number of private or independent colleges, which apart from offering courses through the CAO also offer programmes for which students may apply directly to the college involved. Many of these courses are validated by bodies outside the State, such as universities in the UK.

UCAS Clearing

Clearing is how UK universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses between July and September each year. It's an ideal way for you to find another course, and is similar to the CAOs Vacant Places.

Studying abroad

More and more Irish students are going abroad to study. Many third level institutions across mainland Europe are struggling to fill their courses. Entry requirements are very reasonable, programmes are taught in English and the fees are surprisingly low.

Even as late as August there are still places available on courses in countries such as the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Spain, Italy and Norway. The quality of your education combined with an international experience will impress local and global employers. More information at www.eunicas.ie/

Apprenticeships

Students who have reached the age of 16 years and who have, as a minimum obtained grade D in any five subjects in the Junior Certificate, are eligible for an apprenticeship. An Appenticeship comprises on-the-job training with the employer and of-the-job training in a Solas Training Centre or the local Education and Training Board. You can apply directly to local firms for an apprenticeship.
Rates of prostate cancer in Ireland are higher than ever before with almost 4,000 people diagnosed in 2020, latest research from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI ) shows.

In its most recent annual report, the NCRI reported that 3,890 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in 2020.

However, thanks to increased awareness, early detection and improved treatments, survival rates have never been higher.

The Marie Keating Foundations third annual Stand Up For Your Prostate Campaign, kindly supported by Astellas, is encouraging men to be more open about their health and to speak to their GP about a PSA test when they turn 50, or 45 with a family history of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the number one most common cancer in men in Ireland (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), with one in six men expected to be affected by the disease in their lifetime. However, when detected early, prostate cancer has very promising five-year survival rates of 92%[3] . But like many other forms of cancer, these survival rates are all dependant on when the cancer is detected, and we know that early detection saves lives and improves survival.

Prostate cancer survivor and Stand Up For Your Prostate ambassador Raymond Poole, shares his experience with prostate cancer and what he wants the men of Ireland to know about looking after their prostate health in this new campaign.

Im a prostate cancer survivor, and Im asking men like me to just go and get their prostate checked. Do it for me, for yourself, for your partner, your kids, your dogs! Guys, just get your PSA checked. My prostate cancer diagnosis has impacted almost every aspect of my life, but it doesnt have to when its detected early, Mr Poole said.

A PSA, or Prostate Specific Antigen testing, is a simple blood test which checks the blood for protein markers that can help to indicate issues in the prostate early.

Consultant Urologist at St. Vincents Hospital, Dr David Galvin, explains why a PSA test is crucial for men once they reach a certain age.

When it comes to PSA testing, it is recommended that men start having that conversation with their GP around the age of 45. The difficult aspect of prostate cancer is that many men dont experience any symptoms or if they do, the warning signs of prostate cancer can be overlooked or easily dismissed. I am proud to help support the Marie Keating Foundation in their call for Irish men to speak up about prostate cancer and to get their PSA checked.

Prostate Cancers early warning signs can include:

frequency passing urine

getting up a night time to go to the toilet

pain on passing urine,

difficulty passing urine,

your flow has become weak or intermittent

blood in your urine or semen at any time that is otherwise unexplained



This years Stand Up For Your Prostate campaign aims to encourage men to take an active role in their health, and to speak to their GP if they have any concerns or worries about a change in their bodies.

Urology Nurse Specialist and Director of Nursing Services at the Marie Keating Foundation, Helen Forristal explains: Men typically get a bad rap for not speaking about their health, but when resources and supports are put in place, we see that this is not the case.

"Our Stand Up For Your Prostate campaign is designed to give men an opening to speak about their health with others, and can be exactly what some men need to go to their GP. Our message this year is a simple one, if you are 50, ask your GP to consider checking your PSA levels.it you are 45 with a family history of prostate or breast cancer in the family have that conversation. It could save your life.

The campaigns Little Blue Man emblem is being sold to help encourage the conversation about mens health and raise funds to support those on a cancer journey.

The Stand Up for Your Prostate pin is available to buy for just 3.

For more information about this campaign and information on prostate cancer, visit www.mariekeating.ie/standupforyourprostate/
Sisters Izzy and Ailbhe Keane from Galway, have announced their longed for collaboration with Disney.

Their company, Izzy Wheels, inspired by Izzy, who was born with Spina Bifida and is paralyzed from the waist down, was created to help bridge the gap between disability and style.

Izzy says that although her wheelchair is a symbol of freedom to her, it never reflected her personality. This motivated her sister Ailbhe to design a range of wheel covers, as part of her final-year project at the National College of Art and Design, in 2016.

The collaboration with Disney will see the sisters create a range of bright and colourful spokeguards for wheelchair users, which include characters from Frozen, The Lion King, Disney classics Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with superheroes from fan favourites, The Avengers.

This is huge! The Disney x Izzy Wheels collection is available now at https://t.co/uvSh1t9xGI!



As if that wasnt exciting enough already, 10% of proceeds from all Disney-themed wheelchair covers will be donated to Whizz-Kidz!



A BIG thank you to @izzywheels & @disney https://t.co/sWuSIy4KbU September 8, 2021

Its been my long-time aim to challenge the perception of people who use wheelchairs and encourage people to look beyond the chair, says Ailbhe, who is the companys chief executive and creative director. I want people to feel that their wheelchair is an extension of their personal style and a form of self-expression, which is why Disney is a fantastic partner.

The covers, which now ship worldwide, are designed for all ages with 10% of the proceeds from the Disney range going to Whizz-Kid, a charity focused on transforming the lives of disabled children in the UK.

The company has also pledged to help Disney's Make-a-Wish foundation by designing customisable wheelchair covers.
Family & Parenting, Seasonal & Current Events

By Ls Cohen Published: September 08 2021

Event was sold out last year.

Ready for pumpkin spice lattes, warm blankets, colorful leaves falling, and jack o lanterns? You wont have to wait too long for the autumn season to begin and fans of halloween can rejoice. Old Bethpage Village Restoration will once again host the The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, the second year in a row.

Photo: Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Website.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the news on her Facebook page.

Excited to announce that the Countys Old Bethpage Village Restoration will host The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze for the second consecutive year  providing a spectacular & safe way to celebrate the Halloween season here in Nassau, she wrote. We hope this unique and popular event will bring visitors to our downtowns and spur some local economic activity.

Photo: Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Website.

The event features thousands of carved and lighted pumpkins arranged to create fantastical and spooky exhibits. According to Newsday, this years event will premiere some new sculptures.

Last year, The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze sold out and was extended to allow for more visitors. You must buy tickets in advance.

Photo: Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Website.

Location: 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage.
Crime, Community, Charity & Cause

By Chris Boyle Published: September 08 2021

Dallas V served the residents of Suffolk for more than 5 years.

The Suffolk County Police Department is mourning the loss of active duty canine Dallas V, a 6-year old German Shepherd that died from a sudden illness recently.

Dallas V joined the SCPD in 2016, training with handler Kenneth Michaels, and was named to honor the lives of five Dallas area police officers who were shot and killed in an ambush in July 2016.

In addition to narcotics detection and suspect tracking, Dallas V also spent time visiting schools and attending community events to showcase the skills canines possess and the asset they provide to law enforcement.

Dallas was different; he was very special and exemplified the qualities, loyalty and bravery of the five officers that gave their lives on that fateful day July 7, 2016, Officer Michaels said of his partner.
School & Education, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause

By Chris Boyle Published: September 08 2021

Handwriting Without Tears is a curriculum for teaching handwriting, and has lessons that can accommodate children in Pre-K all the way through to fifth grade.

When it comes to early childhood education, every advantage a kid can get offers them an additional foothold when attempting to gain the skills that spell success in the classroom and beyond. A Farmingdale Occupational Therapist is looking to provide that opportunity to children with an exciting new multi-sensory handwriting program  called Handwriting Without Tears  that parents should be paying close attention to.

Michelle Malon, OTR/L , has an extensive background in working with kids; she graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia with a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2015, and she's been working in pediatrics ever since.

I've worked in sensory gyms, which are basically outpatient clinics for kids, she said. I've also worked in homecare, and I've worked in a couple of different school settings. I have a pretty diverse background in regards to Occupational Therapy and working with kids with special needs, especially on their fine motor skills and their writing/pre-writing skills.

Handwriting Without Tears is a curriculum for teaching handwriting, and has lessons that can accommodate children in Pre-K all the way through to fifth grade. Michelle is going to be offering a new after-school program based on Learning Without Tears at the Farmingdale Public Library , starting in the 2021-2022 school year.

Sessions are one-on-one, which allow Michelle to adapt her lessons to address each student's individual learning style.

Handwriting Without Tears is the best handwriting course out there because it's research-based, it's developmentally appropriate, it breaks down difficult concepts into simple tasks, and the most important part is that It's playful and fun, and the kids really enjoy doing it, Michelle said. It's also accessible and inclusive, so I can teach kids both with and without special needs. It's just really good at meeting children with where they are developmentally, and it helps them build the skills that are necessary to succeed in school.

Studies show that children with better handwriting skills show improvements in literacy, reading comprehension, note-taking, and study skills, and because of this they also show improvements in all of their other subject areas in school.

Michelle said she got involved with Handwriting Without Tears because she noticed that there weren't any programs of this nature in the Farmingdale area.

There really arent any handwriting services like this in this area of Long Island, she said. So I really saw a need for it here, and I was really interested in starting my own business, so I feel like this program can both help kids and fit with my personal goals as well.

Michelle has taken all of the courses required by Handwriting Without Tears and is currently in the process of gaining her certification with the program, which she hopes to have obtained by October of this year. In the meantime, she's getting a head start on things by offering free handwriting assessments to any interested parties until such time as she is able to begin teaching the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum in earnest.

Parents interested in signing their kids up for assessments can use the coupon code "LONG ISLAND" in order to get them free of charge, by calling, texting or e-mailing Michelle directly.

For those who may not be familiar with teaching methods that take a multi-sensory approach like Handwriting Without Tears, Michelle has taken the time to explain this very effective method

Multi-sensory teaching just means that you're engaging multiple senses, she said. There's visual, which means demonstrations, pictures, letters, and so on. Then there's auditory, which means language and music, and touch, which means different types of textures like Play-Doh, chalk, crayons, and more. There are also your senses of movement and body awareness that are included. It's very comprehensive.

By engaging more senses than is normally done in a traditional classroom setting, Michelle says that the learning experience proves to be far more encompassing and effective.

Multi-sensory teaching engages more areas of the brain, and that helps with better long-term memory. Also, every type of child learns in a different way, so this basically ensures that all learning styles are covered, she said. Some kids are better visual learners. Some are better auditory learners, such as when they're listening to something or reading out loud. Some kids really need to move in order to pay attention and feel their body moving in different ways, making shapes out of different body movements. Every child learnsin a different way, and Handwriting Without Tears covers all of the bases.

For those parents who may have concerns regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle is quick to point out that she has been fully vaccinated  although she does not require her students to be  and that the Farmingdale Public Library, where the program takes place, currently requires all patrons who enter the facility to wear masks at all times.

Also, for parents concerned about the price point of the program, Michelle notes that for in-depth occupational therapy, it is actually quite affordable. Students can attend lessons as often as they wish  once or twice a week, every other week, and so on  although the initial assessment that Michelle provides can give her a good idea of how much attendance would be optimal, and regular e-mail updates are provided to parents so that they can track their childs progress.

This summer Michelle is considering holding handwriting camps at the library, where groups of children can participate in multi-sensory activities that focus on their handwriting ability and improving it. As for the future, Michelle said that she intends to be a regular fixture at the library, offering the Hanriting Without Tears program for many years to come.

Michelle said that it's actually a great feeling to be able to offer a very interesting, unique, and important service like this that helps to set children on paths to achieve academic success in the classroom, no matter what their ability level may be.

I'm really excited to get the ball rolling and get started with this and help kids learn skills and make improvements in school and build their confidence, she said. It's really exciting, and it's also fun for me because it's my job to make learning fun for the kids, and when the kids are having fun, I'm having fun. So it's fun and exciting for everyone involved.
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(Alliance News) - Booster vaccines may not be necessary for everyone in Britain and rolling out third doses too quickly would be an "unnecessary burden" on the National Health Service, the head of AstraZeneca has said.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph alongside the company's executive vice-president of biopharmaceuticals research and development, Mene Pangalos; chief executive Pascal Soriot called for patience from the government, stressing the UK was "a few weeks away" from having a definitive answer on the effectiveness of two doses in providing "continued, protective immunity".

They said: "Moving too quickly to boost across the entire adult population will deprive us of these insights, leaving this important decision to rest on limited data.

"A third dose for all may be needed, but it may not. Mobilising the NHS for a boosting programme that is not needed would potentially add unnecessary burden on the NHS over the long winter months.

"Because NHS staff and resources are scarce, another national mobilisation would potentially leave us with fewer resources for cancer screenings and the other care provided by doctors and nurses each day."

Their comments come after vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs a vaccine booster programme is "ready to go" as soon as the scientific advice for the scheme is signed off.

More than half a million people with severely weakened immune systems and who are most at risk from Covid-19 will be offered another vaccine dose beginning this month, following a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

But that announcement is separate from any decision on a booster programme, with news on this expected soon.

Mr Zahawi added that he hopes the virus can be dealt with "year in, year out" without having to take the "severe measures" seen last December, telling BBC Breakfast: "Vaccines have given us the ability to reduce infections, to save 100,000 lives.

"It is through the booster programme that I hopeawe can transition the virus from pandemic to endemic status and deal with it year in, year out.

"It is going to be with us for many years a but not have to close down our economy or take the severe measures we had to sadly take in December of last year."

The UK's chief medical officers are currently reviewing the wider benefits of vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds, such as minimising school absences, after the JCVI declined to recommend a widespread rollout to the age group on health grounds alone.

A total of 668 deaths registered in the week ending August 27 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics - the highest number since 719 deaths were registered in the week to March 26.

The latest figures show the impact of the third wave of Covid-19, which began in the UK in May, but the number of deaths is still well below the level seen at the peak of the second wave.

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - ProPhotonix Ltd on Wednesday cheered rising interim profit and revenue, but warned of increased operating expenses and supply chain disruption for the second half.

Shares in ProPhotonix were trading up 15% at 6.98 pence each in London on Wednesday morning.

ProPhotonix designs and manufactures LED light systems and laser diode modules, with operations in the UK and Ireland.

Higher LED product sales drove a 14% increase in revenue which reached USD7.9 million in the six months ended June 30, from USD6.9 million the year prior.

In comparison, the company reported revenue of USD7.2 million in the first half of 2019, before the pandemic.

Interim pretax profit rose sharply to USD490,000, from USD266,000 a year ago and a USD206,000 loss two years earlier.

Profit rose even as the company's gross profit margin declined to 42% from 47% during the same period in 2020. ProPhotonix said the decline was caused by its product mix and increased material costs in the first half, along with the loss of the Covid-19 related government aid that the company benefited from in 2020.

The company's slightly lower gross profit margin was offset by lower operating expenses, which decreased by 10% to USD2.7 million in the first half, compared to USD3.0 million last year.

Operating expenses are expected to rise in the second half, the company said, given that it plans to invest in its products and services as the wider economic recovery continues.

"With a strong order book, the directors believe at this time that the second half trading will be in line with the first half trading subject to further disruptions by Covid-19 and/or supply chain and logistics challenges," ProPhotonix noted.

At the end of the first half, order bookings reached USD9.5 million, compared to USD6.8 million at the same point a year earlier.

However, the company cautioned that: "The risks in the supply chain are substantial and there will very likely be disruptions impacting the business."

By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will attempt to convince Conservative MPs to back his plan to fix social care on Wednesday at a snap House of Commons vote called just one day after the manifesto-busting new policy was announced.

The prime minister took a political gamble on Tuesday as he scrapped an election promise by raising national insurance contributions to deal with the backlog in the NHS built up during Covid and to deliver long-overdue reform of the social care system in England.

Tory opposition to the plans when first leaked was fierce, but any backbench rebellion appeared to have subsided by Tuesday as MPs provided little challenge to the PM as he presented his proposals to the Commons.

But the plan a along with another manifesto-breaking announcement to temporarily suspend the "triple lock" on pensions a moves Johnson away from his traditional position of low-tax Conservatism.

The PM also refused to give a firm commitment that taxes would not go up again a although he said he did not want that to happen.

"I certainly don't want any more tax rises in this Parliament. If you want me to give that emotional commitment, of course that's the case," he told a press conference in Downing Street, flanked by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

He said: "There are not many people in the Conservative Partya who are more dedicated to cutting taxes, bearing down on taxes where we can, than the three people standing before you today, I absolutely assure you of the truth of that."

Sunak added: "None of us standing here wants to be in a situation where we are raising taxes."

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Javid said he appreciates the tax hike "does not sit easily with everyone", but "no responsible government a especially a Conservative one a can bury its head in the sand and pass these problems on to the next one".

However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said the announcements meant tax revenues will reach the highest ever share of national income, and combined with previous announcements will raise the tax burden in the UK to the highest-ever sustained level.

Johnson is expected to address the influential 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs ahead of the vote on Wednesday.

The government's plan will see the introduction of a new health and social care levy, based on a 1.25 percentage-point increase in national insurance contributions a breaking a Tory commitment not to raise NI.

Under the new levy a typical basic-rate taxpayer earning GBP24,100 would pay GBP180 more a year, while a higher-rate taxpayer on GBP67,100 would pay GBP715.

As well as providing extra funding for the NHS to deal with the backlog built up during the Covid-19 pandemic, the new package of GBP36 billion over three years will also reform the way adult social care in England is funded.

A cap of GBP86,000 on lifetime care costs from October 2023 will protect people from the "catastrophic fear of losing everything", Johnson said.

The government will fully cover the cost of care for those with assets under GBP20,000, and contribute to the cost of care for those with assets between GBP20,000 and GBP100,000.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will receive an extra GBP2.2 billion a year as a result, around 15% more than they will contribute through the levy, creating what ministers described as a "Union dividend" of GBP300 million.

Reports suggested some Cabinet members had privately challenged Johnson when he unveiled his plan to them on Tuesday morning, but none have resigned over the principle.

In the Commons, Conservative backbencher Richard Drax (South Dorset) said: "As Conservatives, broken pledges and tax rises should concern us. Our finances are in a perilous state. Surely a radical review of the NHS is needed if this money is not to go and disappear into another blackhole?

"Does my right honourable friend agree with me that the Conservative way to raise revenue is to lower taxes not raise them?"

The prime minister responded that he did agree with "that general proposition", but that the pandemic had meant the rise was necessary.

Another backbencher was unhappy with the proposals themselves.

Stephen McPartland indicated that he could not support the government's plan for social care without more detail.

The MP for Stevenage said on Twitter: "The new health and social care levy provides no new funding for social care for at least three years. No money for living costs, only personal care costs. Selling your home is just deferred. It is a tax on jobs.

"I need much more detail to even consider supporting it."

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have said they will oppose the measures in Parliament on Wednesday, but former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he thought the government would win the vote.

He told the BBC: "I can't really imagine any backbenchers wanting to turn round to their own constituents and say they tried to vote down extra money for the NHS and care system."

A YouGov poll found voters were split in their views on the national insurance rise.

Some 44% of those surveyed supported the move, while 43% were opposed.

Among Conservative voters there was 59% support and 34% opposition, while only a third of Labour supporters backed the move, with 55% in opposition.

By Geraldine Scott, PA Political Correspondent

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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Lycoming College welcomed another strong academic and very diverse class during New Student Convocation, Aug. 26. The Class of 2025 entered through the David B Sykes gate not only as a robust, intelligent cohort, but also as a resilient one. Despite the interruptions and unusual challenges in their college search brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year and a half, the Lycoming College Class of 2025 is poised to make history.

The College experienced another spike in applications this year, garnering nearly 3,000  one of the highest numbers of overall applicants in the past three years. Deposits remained steady during the summer and 342 new students were welcomed into the community during the Convocation ceremony. On average, the Class boasts a 3.57 high school GPA, with 23 percent of first-year students ranking in the top decile of their high school class. Among those choosing to submit, the average SAT and ACT scores were 1160 and 25, respectively. Lycoming College broadened its long-standing test optional policy in 2020 in light of the pandemic.

For the sixth consecutive year at least one-third of the entering class identify as domestic students of color. Geographically, 43 percent of the incoming class hails from outside Pennsylvania, including 16 states and eight countries, including Egypt, Japan, and Nigeria.

Multiple speakers addressed new students at the event. I remember what this day felt like  I had no idea what awaited me. Nor did I grasp just how important those four years at college would be for the rest of my life, said Christopher Pearl, associate professor of history. My world was delightfully transformed by my experience in college. The professors I met, the courses I took, the books I read made a profound impact on my life, and I am continually blessed because of it. Thats what college is about.

Dan Miller, vice president for student life, provided the welcome at this years annual event, reminding first year students of their responsibility to uphold protocols that keep the campus community safe, adding, New Student Convocation has two very significant meanings. First, it is an acknowledgement of past achievement that led to your acceptance and ultimately your decision to enroll at Lycoming College. The second, it is your formal induction into this community of scholars, artists, community servants, student athletes and a community that seeks to be inclusive  acknowledging and celebrating  diversity of race, culture, identity, faith and much more. Congratulations! 

Fayla Guerin 22, corporate communications major, film and video arts minor, and president of the student senate, addressed first year students by urging them to Think Deeply. Act Boldly. by getting involved and pushing themselves to be their very best.

Provost and Dean of the College Phil Sprunger had these inspiring words for new students, reminding them they are now and forever will be part of the Lycoming College family: All of you are starting your Lycoming College experience as unique individuals with differing talents, differing hopes and differing dreams. Yet collectively you also make up an entering class, and in 2025 you will exit with bonds of friendship and common experiences to hold you together far into the future.

Kent Trachte, president of Lycoming College, told first year students that those who succeed best at the College learn to think deeply and act boldly. It happens by being open to the mentoring of our nationally recognized faculty. It occurs when you become an active learner. It takes place when you are open to exploring new ideas and studying the pressing issues that shape our world. It happens when you evidence intellectual curiosity and seek to expand your world view. It takes place when you are hungry to learn.
Jefferson, GA (30549)

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Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High 82F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

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Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Occasional rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
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
Atlanta, GA (30303)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Atlanta, GA (30342)

Today

Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy with showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
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The Blue Streak rollercoaster has been closed during the 2021 season at Conneaut Lake Park and is pending an assessment in the fall.
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Naidu said that people should be made aware that the noble act of donating their eyes would enable people with corneal blindness to see the beautiful world by restoring their vision."If all of us make a pledge to donate our eyes, we can treat the entire backlog of cases waiting for corneal transplant. Therefore, this is an achievable goal and we should strive untiringly to accomplish it," he said.The Vice President stressed the need for a structured eye-banking system to bridge the gap between demand for donor tissues and supply by promoting awareness, facilitating generation of donor tissues and ensuring their equitable distribution.Reiterating that 'share and care' is at the core of Indian philosophy, he said, "Ours is a culture where kings and sages like Shibi and Dadhichi had donated their bodies. These examples are built around the core values, ideals and 'sanskars' of our society."He also called for redefining those values and narratives in a modern context to inspire people and promote organ donation."By donating an organ, one not only helps a person lead a more fulfilling life, but also sets an example for others to work towards the larger good of the society," he added.Calling for increasing eye care facilities to treat cataract, glaucoma and other ophthalmological problems, the Vice President said there is an urgent need to devise a multi-pronged strategy for strengthening preventive and curative eye care across the country.Observing that large segments of the rural population are deprived of quality eye care, he said that many people living in the rural areas cannot afford the high cost of treatment at private hospitals."Therefore, we must equip our public sector eye care hospitals with the latest technologies to provide quality treatment to the people," he added.Source: IANS
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The instinct to move the body in expressive ways is as old as humanity. But movement-based strategies such as dance therapy have only recently been given much attention in mental health treatment circles.During the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of anxiety and depression has doubled in youth. As a result, many people are searching for new ways to cope with and handle emotional turmoil.Interventions that offer physical activity and creativity components at a time when children and people of all ages are likely to be sedentary and with reduced environmental enrichment can be beneficial during the pandemic and beyond.In fact, researchers understand that the majority of our daily communication is nonverbal, and traumatic memories are encoded, or stored, in nonverbal parts of the brain.This is especially important because research shows that early-life experiences and how children learn to cope with them can have a lasting impact on their health into adulthood.This new research shows thatLike yoga and meditation, dance therapy also focuses on deep breathing through the diaphragm. This intentional breathing movement physically pushes on and activates the vagus nerve, which is a large nerve that coordinates a number of biological processes in the body.Based on all these proven benefits of dance therapy, researchers have scaled up these programs and brought them into the virtual classroom for six schools throughout the metro Detroit region during the COVID-19 pandemic.Source: Medindia
With Thalaivii, Kangana Ranaut will be bringing to life the journey of the legendary actor-politician J Jayalalithaa from films to politics. And when you are playing a real-life personality who has been very influential, it obviously has massive risks involved. Theres pressure to deliver it just right because the person you are portraying on the screen is someone with whom people connect on an emotional level.

Considering Jayalalithaas popularity down south, fans have been eagerly waiting for the movie to release and are expecting it to do justice to her journey. Kangana initially thought she was not suited for the role as she hails from Himachal. Kangana told Film Companion South, I thought I was the worst casting for Thalaivii. The worst there can be. Vijendra sir came to me, and I saw Jaya maa's videos, and I was like what!

She continued, He kept saying, You have to do it, you have to do it. And the sheer obstacles of me, in my 30s, to gain 20-25 kgs of weight. And who knows how I'll look after gaining I would go mad, I would stress about it, and at this stage of my career, I have so much to lose. So I was filled with doubts when it came to Thalaivii Few people gave me a lot of confidence. Vijendra sir comes from the Telugu industry, but it's Vijay sir who actually He said, You will do it, you are the perfect casting. And I thought he will be bashed in Tamil Nadu and he has so much to lose; people are going to be offended. But he's a big director, there must be some merit in it. He also has everything to lose. You know how people are.

She also added that people will burn theatres if she isnt able to convince them. Jaya maa has temples. They will burn theatres if someone doesn't live up to (the expectations). That kind of passion people have for her.

Starring Arvind Swami as MG Ramachandran, Prakash Raj as M Karunanidhi, Jisshu Sengupta as Sobhan Babu, and Bhagyashree as Jayalalithaas mother Sandhya, the multi-lingual film is produced by Vishnu Vardhan and Shailesh R Singh. The film is slated for a theatrical release on September 10.

Do you think Kangana will be able to do justice to the character? Let us know in the comments section below.
Akshay Kumar's mother, Aruna Bhatia, breathed her last today, September 8. Its never easy to deal with the loss of a close one, let alone your parent. Akshay was extremely close to his mother and with her bidding him final goodbye, he has been left completely heartbroken.

Aruna Bhatia was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Today, Akshay shared the news of his mother's demise and wrote a heart-wrenching note, "She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti.

Fans have been sharing their condolences with the actor and are paying their final respect to his mother. One of the fans wrote, Megastar #AkshayKumar's Mom Smt #ArunaBhatia Ji is no more between us. Peacefully left this world today morning. Om Shanti. Stay strong @akshaykumar. She's seeing u from another world and having so much pride! Condolences to the family.

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Akshay Kumar had flown back from the UK to India after he got to know that his mother was ill. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, a source close to the actor revealed, "The actors mom has been unwell for a few days and is in the ICU at Mumbais Hiranandani Hospital. Akshay is extremely attached to his mother and could not stay away from her while shes not well, so he decided to fly back to India in a sudden decision."



The source further added, "Even as he has flown back to be with mom, he has told his producers to carry on shooting with scenes that do not require his presence. All other work commitments of his also continue. He has always believed that work must go on, despite any personal challenges."

We really hope that God gives him the strength to cope with this huge loss.
Meridian, MS (39302)

Today

Periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall possibly over one inch..

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Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
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Europes contract buyers have less need of spot material to cover shortfalls

US tin buyers report substantially lower offers

Taiwans tin premium holds with buyers hoping for further LME price declines

Tin ingot premiums in Europe eased from their all-time high for the first time since the start of the year on Tuesday September 7, upon the arrival of delayed material from Asia.Market participants noted metal that had been ordered since the start of the summer has slowly started to arrive onto the continent, allowing for contractual volumes to be fulfilled and easing pressure on European spot needs.

"Most end users have secured the material that they need for the rest of the year, so the demand is still there, but it's not as strong as it used to be when we first had...
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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The Miami University Office of Sustainability and the Climate Action Task Force invite the Miami community to a series of five Climate Cafes.

Each cafe will focus on a specific topic related to our institutional commitment to achieve carbon neutrality.

Participants will hear goals and updates related to each topic and have the opportunity to give input on the Climate Action Task Force Resilience Assessment and Climate Action Plan (both in development).

Climate Cafes will be held on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in room 2, Upham Hall.
Miami, FL (33127)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 87F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Miami, FL (33127)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 87F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Sept. 8, 2021

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has released its annual deer hunting preview just ahead of the deer hunting seasons, which begin Sept. 11. Overall, conditions are looking excellent for the upcoming seasons, and deer hunters can expect hunting to be as good or better than last year. Hunters who have viewed the 2021 Hunting Digest may have noticed a few regulation changes in place this year, including a universal antlerless license that can be used across deer management units in most of the state. Some northern Upper Peninsula DMUs are closed to antlerless deer hunting, and two U.P. DMUs, 351 and 352, require an access permit along with the universal antlerless license. See pages 60 and 61 in the 2021 Hunting Digest for more details. "These regulation changes reflect the evolution of deer hunting in Michigan," said Chad Stewart, DNR Deer and Elk Program specialist. "The last 20 years have resulted in dramatic and sustained declines in hunter numbers. When combined with an abundant and resilient deer herd that continues to grow, and the added challenge of managing deer diseases, a change that represented this shifting dynamic was necessary." Regional outlooks follow. The full 2021 deer hunting preview is available at Michigan.gov/Deer.

Upper Peninsula

Last year was challenging for U.P. deer hunters, with overall harvest down nearly 6% from 2019 and buck harvest down nearly 11%. Though harvest numbers were not as low as those seen in 2014-2016 after the severe winters in 2013-2015, they are down from harvest numbers in 2017 and 2018.

The 2020 U.P. winter was far milder than normal, which was a welcome respite for the deer population. The fast spring green-up meant that many adult deer were able to recover quickly from the tolls of winter. With abundant mast (nuts, seeds and fruits) production in the fall of 2020, deer headed into winter in overall good shape. Population trends seem to be on the upswing this year for the U.P.

Mast production this year seems very spotty. Look for areas with oaks producing acorns, as they are sure to attract deer. Buck numbers seem to be improving, but there are still areas where persistence is going to be necessary to be successful. Overall fawn production seems to be good. With the new changes allowing antlerless deer to be taken in the lower two-thirds of the peninsula, hunters have an increased opportunity to fill their freezer for what is hopefully another mild winter ahead.

The DNR is still focusing on chronic wasting disease surveillance in southern Dickinson County after the first case of CWD in the Upper Peninsula was detected in 2018. For hunters interested in getting their deer tested, check out the "For Hunters" tab at Michigan.gov/CWD to view the map of the priority area in the U.P.

Northern Lower Peninsula

In the 2020 hunting season, the northern Lower Peninsula saw an estimated harvest of 135,906 deer, which was up 7% from 2019. While buck harvest declined about 5%, from 68,168 in 2019 to 64,725 last year, antlerless harvest increased by 21%, with over 12,000 additional antlerless deer taken in 2020 than in 2019.

The winter of 2020 didn't seem to have adverse effects on the deer herd in this region due to fewer periods of extreme cold and an overall shorter winter. Another important factor that ensured winter survival was forest management practices (new growth of young trees and leaving treetops from harvested trees) that provided plenty of browse for deer throughout the winter.

The mast crop in the northern Lower Peninsula this year looks good, except in places that were affected by gypsy moth infestations. Those areas are not likely to see much in terms of acorn production. Elsewhere, acorns and soft mast, including apples on old homestead sites, blackberries and hawthorn are all producing nicely.

Deer numbers look very good in many locations, though it's important to point out that deer are not evenly distributed across the landscape, and certain areas may hold fewer deer than others. Overall, DNR staff is seeing good fawn production this year, with many twins trailing does.

The spring and summer rains seemed to provide optimal forage for deer, and the bucks have been turning that into nice antler growth. There are some reports of people seeing better bucks relative to recent years - something hunters can start getting excited about. In some locations, there is still a long way to go toward balancing the buck-to-doe ratio, so hunters are encouraged to take advantage of new regulations that allow antlerless deer to be taken on the deer and/or deer combo license during firearm and muzzleloader seasons.

Bovine tuberculosis surveillance is still a priority in the northern Lower Peninsula, with testing occurring in the primary counties of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda, but also in all surrounding counties (Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Ogemaw, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon). TB is a significant threat to the livestock industry, and hunters wanting to do their part to assist with surveillance can have their deer tested at any check station this year.

Southern Lower Peninsula

2020 was quite a year in the southern Lower Peninsula, with antlerless harvest increasing 29% from 2019. Buck harvest also increased by over 12%, and - when factoring in deer harvested by deer management assistance permits - nearly 250,000 deer were taken in this region alone. Much of this pressure on antlerless deer has been needed, as numbers throughout most of the area have been on a steady rise for years.

With winter rarely being a factor for population-level impacts on the southern Lower Peninsula deer herd, the DNR relies on hunters for the bulk of the deer management in this region, and the recent regulation changes seem to be a step in the desired direction for deer management.

The soft mast crops appear weak this year, likely due to the drought conditions experienced through June and the heavy rains throughout July. Though there doesn't appear to be a bumper crop of acorns in the region this year, some oaks are producing, and for those in an area with acorns, it's sure to be a magnet for deer in early fall.

With the agricultural fields performing well, deer certainly haven't been hungry this summer. The corn progression is on par with 2020 and ahead of the five-year average, so with any luck, many of the fields will be picked by the firearm opener, which should lead to continued success this season.

Deer numbers seem consistent with previous years, and as always, there have been some nice bucks observed. The fawns observed are well-developed and on their way to entering winter strong and healthy.

It's important to note that surveillance for chronic wasting disease is occurring in the southernmost counties of the southern Lower Peninsula. Hunters are encouraged to visit check stations and submit their deer for testing. A complete list of check stations is available at Michigan.gov/DeerCheck.

For more information about 2021 deer hunting regulations, visit Michigan.gov/Deer or check out the 2021 Hunting Digest.

The DNR wishes all hunters a safe and enjoyable season.

Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Caption information follows.

White-tailed deer: Deer hunting seasons begin Sept. 11. Overall, conditions are looking excellent for the upcoming seasons and deer hunters can expect hunting conditions to be as good or better than last year.
UIA Virtual Appointments Offer More Accessibility for Michiganders

UIA Virtual Appointments Offer More Accessibility for Michiganders

Closed caption option available for deaf and hard of hearing customers

September 7, 2021

Lansing, Mich. - The Unemployment Insurance Agency has added a virtual appointment option for customers needing assistance with their claims, including a dedicated link for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing utilizing voice to text closed captioning.

In addition to phone and in-person appointments, customers can now also schedule virtual appointments. Virtual appointments provide the personal contact with a customer service agent with the convenience of a remote connection.

The 20-minute virtual appointments can be scheduled online up to one week in advance at Michigan.gov/uia. Click on "Schedule an Appointment." The UIA expects to schedule up to 340 virtual appointments per day.

"We're excited to expand the ways that customers can get one-on-one service if they need assistance with their claim," said Liza Estlund Olson, acting director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency. "Offering virtual appointments, also helps us to be more responsive to our customers who are deaf or hard of hearing."

"The UIA's efforts to implement a virtual meeting platform option and enhance service accessibility to the public, particularly at this time, are excellent," said the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's Office of Employment and Training Director Stephanie Beckhorn. "The platform's real-time captioning and chat features may provide those with disabilities, such as deafness, hearing loss or other disabilities, a readily available accommodation option to engage in and receive UIA services."

Once the virtual appointment is scheduled, customers will receive an email with a link to join the appointment via Google Meet at the appointed day and time. Customers will need to have a Gmail account to join from a mobile device. They do not need to have a Gmail account to join from a computer.

Hours of operation for virtual appointments are:

Monday - Wednesday from 8:15 a.m. - 4:25 p.m.

Thursday - Friday from 8:15 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.

In addition to scheduling a virtual appointment, Customers may contact UIA by:

Calling the UIA Customer Service telephone line at 866-500-0017.

Chat with an agent through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) at From the MiWAM home page, click on I want to . . . Chat with an Agent.

Schedule a phone appointment or in-person appointment at Michigan.gov/uia. Click on Schedule an Appointment.

Customers in need of other special accommodations to participate in a virtual meeting should request the accommodation when initially scheduling their appointment.

So far, the Agency has held more than 12,000 virtual appointments, including 212 which utilized the closed captioning feature.

This video explains how to set up an appointment for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing. For hours of operation and office locations, visit the UIA website at michigan.gov/uia.
Port Austin mail carrier Dave Hunsanger has traveled a few miles during his career  a million to be specific.

The Port Austin Post Office recently presented Hunsanger with the Million Mile Award, which is given to postal workers with a million miles or 30 years of driving without a preventable accident.

"This is a very prestigious award and demonstrates his commitment to driving safely every day," said Janice Carson, the Port Austin postmaster, in a press release.

Hunsanger, however, takes a more humble view of the award.

"I would hope that everyone would aspire to do this," he said. "Not for the accolades or the plaque, just because you wanna be as safe as possible and do your job as efficiently as possible."

Originally encouraged to apply for the job by his father, who was a postmaster, Hunsanger has been delivering mail for 34 years. He chuckled as he mused that it took him a few years to reach the award's 30-year mark.

"I love my customers, they treat me like family," he said. "I'm probably the only person that a lot of people see day-to-day. So, they treat me like family; I'm spoiled in that regard. Which probably adds to the reasons of why I've been at this job as long as I have: I love the people, they're great."

His coworkers have also made the job an experience worth staying for.

"Everybody wants everything done yesterday,' Hunsanger said. "My people are the exception. They'll put up with mistakes, but most people remember mistakes. You misdeliver a package or something, that's what you're known for. I guess I've been lucky, because my people are pretty forgiving."

Hunsanger received the award in a small ceremony in the office and shares the honor with at least nine other drivers across the country, according to a list compiled by the National Safety Council this year.
BEIRUT (AP)  A number of Syrian refugees who returned home have been subjected to detention, disappearance and torture at the hands of Syrian security forces, proving that it still isn't safe to return to any part of the country, Amnesty International said Tuesday.

In a report entitled Youre going to your death, the rights group documented what it said were violations committed by Syrian intelligence officers against 66 returnees, including 13 children between mid-2017 and spring 2021. Among those were five cases in which detainees had died in custody after returning to the country torn by civil war, while the fate of 17 forcibly disappeared people remains unknown.

The report strongly counters claims by a number of states that parts of Syria were now safe to return to. It criticizes Denmark, Sweden and Turkey specifically for restricting protection and putting pressure on refugees from Syria to go home. It also criticizes Lebanon and Jordan, which have some of the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita.

In Lebanon and Turkey, where many refugees face dire living conditions and discrimination, governments have put increasing pressure on Syrians to return. Turkey has reportedly forcibly deported many Syrians in the last two years  expulsions that reflect rising anti-refugee sentiment in a country that once flung open its borders to millions of Syrians fleeing civil war.

Denmark earlier this year started revoking the residency permits of some Syrian refugees, arguing that the Syrian capital, Damascus, and neighboring regions were now safe. Citing similar reasons, in 2019 Sweden announced it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency, ending a policy that started in 2013.

Few experts agree with that assessment. While the security situation has stabilized in government-controlled areas and many parts of central Syria previously held by opposition rebels, forced conscription, indiscriminate detentions and forced disappearances continue to be reported. Entire neighborhoods are destroyed, and many people have no houses to return to. Basic services such as water and electricity are poor to nonexistent.

Any government claiming Syria is now safe is willfully ignoring the horrific reality on the ground, leaving refugees once again fearing for their lives, said Marie Forestier, researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International. She said that while military hostilities may have subsided in most parts of Syria, the Syrian governments propensity for egregious human rights violations has not.

The Syrian government and its chief international backer, Russia, have publicly called on refugees to return home and accused Western countries of discouraging it with claims that Syria is still unsafe.

In its report, Amnesty urged European governments to immediately halt any practice directly or indirectly forcing people to return home. It also called on neighboring countries Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, which host the bulk of the Syrian refugee population, to protect them from deportation or any other forcible return, in line with their international obligations.

It said Syrian authorities in some cases have targeted returnees to Syria simply for having fled, accusing them of treason or supporting terrorism.

The Syrian government routinely dismisses accusations of human rights abuses as lies.

The report documents serious violations committed by the Syrian government against refugees who returned to Syria from Lebanon, as well as from Rukban  an informal settlement between the Jordanian and Syrian borders  and also from France, Germany, Turkey, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates between mid-2017 and spring 2021. It was based on interviews with 41 Syrians, including returnees and their relatives and friends, as well as lawyers, humanitarian workers and Syria experts.

In some cases, the human rights violations included rape or other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary or unlawful detention, and torture or other ill-treatment, the report said.

Syrias 10-year war has killed about half a million people and forced about 5.6 million to flee abroad as refugees, mostly to neighboring countries.

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This story was first published on September 7, 2021. It was updated on September 8, 2021 to correct that Sweden has said it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency.
Dennis ONeil has been dealing with an issue that he says is demeaning him and wants Huron County to take action on.

Signs he says are derogatory and insulting have been set up by a neighbor living next to Rubicon Township farmland O'Neil owns. The signs include a clown propped up against one of them with sayings directed toward O'Neil and his ex-wife.

ONeil said the issue with his neighbor, Todd Irvine, started when the first sign was put up last October.

I didnt know about it at first, ONeil said. My neighbors called me about it. When I went up to talk to the guy, he said he can do whatever he wanted.

When ONeil and his wife returned to the area in May after being away for the winter, he said they found farm barrels on their land with a no trespassing sign on them, with Irvine trying to take over some of the land by claiming ONeil was not taking care of it.

When ONeil called the police to deal with the situation, the officer he spoke to said that police do not get involved in property disputes.

The officer said the prosecutor would have our ass, ONeil said. You gotta have somebody there to keep the peace.

Land surveyor James Hunt was then called in to deal with Irvines claims, with the surveyor ruling in favor of ONeil. Since then, more signs have been set up directed toward ONeil.

ONeil said Irvine moved to his current property from Nevada two years ago, and he thinks Irvine may be suffering from PTSD due to reportedly serving in the first Gulf War. He said that his previous neighbors never gave him any trouble.

When they said they were moving out, it broke my heart, ONeil said, because you dont know what youre going to get next.

ONeil has since reached out to members of the Huron County Board of Commissioners and appeared at a Huron County Planning Commission meeting explaining the situation and asking what can be done about it. He even asked the planners to amend the countys sign ordinance to eliminate derogatory or demeaning language.

Its embarrassing and demeaning, ONeil said during the planning commission meeting. I dont know the guy and suddenly Im the bad guy because I wont give him my farmland.

Director of building and zoning Jeff Smith said that under the countys zoning ordinance for signs, the signs in question do not meet the definition of an accessory sign or directional sign, since they have to be specific to a use of the activity on the property.

Smith also noted that other jurisdictions have more ability to deal with defamatory signs because they have more staff to dedicate to that, while the countys staff is spread thin. Townships and villages also have more legislative authority for these matters than counties.

While ONeil claimed he would win a lawsuit over the signs since Irvine has no defense, he does not want to because he said Irvine does not have enough money for a settlement.

Smith said the county will send a letter to Irvine requesting that the signs be taken down. If Irvine does not respond to the request within 30 days, or remove the signs, he will receive a civil infraction violation, which could result in an informal hearing in magistrate court or a formal hearing in district court.

Were going to seek cooperation with the property owner first before going down the written route, Smith said.

Irvine refused to comment for this story.
As larger manufacturers explore what options automation holds, smaller local manufacturers may have to fall in line.

Over the past month, Huron County has been involved with an initiative that helps explore automation opportunities for manufacturers not just for the Thumb, but for other parts of the state.

St. Clair County has been the lead county in this effort with six others  Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Genesee, and Lapeer  looking into automation, which is often called Industry 4.0.

Carl Osentoski, the executive director of the Huron County Economic Development Corporation, said Industry 4.0 refers to looking at the efficiencies of manufacturing and improving them with a variety of tools, most of them dealing with automation. This can include something like adding a sensor to a machine that picks up vibrations or adding a camera system that would inspect parts.

Its looking at ways to use technology and automation to be more efficient, Osentoski said. Less down time, less scrap rate.

Larger companies and manufacturers are already looking how to apply these standards to their process, with Osentoski saying they will soon ask their suppliers to do the same thing, so this is a way of proactively addressing this.

The counties have been given approximately $150,000 through a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to use the services of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, build a survey for manufacturers, and do outreach work.

Along with the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the seven-county region has also reached out to Automation Alley, the Troy-based organization dealing with automation and manufacturing, about what its services are.

The challenge is in the broad concept, since the application to every company looks different, Osentoski said. Everyones systems are set up different, based on processing and quality control.

An online survey gauging manufacturing businesses on how they feel about automation was open between July and August. Osentoski said it is meant for managers interested in the process and does not go into the equipment used for automation.

St. Clair County will share the results with the other participating counties, which Osentoski is expecting to receive this coming week. MMTC has already started working with some private sector companies that filled the survey out to see how they want to achieve automation.

Osentoski said this program is not looking to displace workers in the areas manufacturers. Rather, it would seek to address labor shortages manufacturers are seeing and even create new high-paying jobs for computer programmers and integration technicians.

If an automated quality control system were installed into a manufacturer, this allows the company to take its current employees and move them into more critical areas.

Part of the long-term goal is to train individuals with jobs and future employees in new technology, Osentoski said. Somebody has to write the computer code, repair the machines, and maintain sensors. This creates the next level of opportunity for individuals.

This is indeed a long-term process that some companies in the state have already started while others are only just looking at installing new technology like this in their business.

Our understanding is that all original equipment manufacturers are moving in this direction, Osentoski said. We didnt want our companies to be left behind.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesias capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.

Firefighters battled through the early morning hours to extinguish the flames as black smoke billowed from the compound of the Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta.

After the blaze was extinguished, ambulance after ambulance filled with body bags containing the victims were driven by Red Cross workers to the morgue of a local hospital, where they were stacked wall-to-wall on the floor of a room awaiting transport to a larger facility for identification.

Relatives of prisoners trickled in to the prison throughout the day to check and see whether their loved ones were among those killed.

Most of the 41 killed were drug convicts, including a man from South Africa and a man from Portugal, while other victims included a terrorism convict and a murderer, Indonesias Law and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly told reporters.

He expressed his deep condolences for the families of the victims and pledged to provide the best treatment for those injured.

This is a tragedy that concerns all of us, Laoly said. We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire.

The fire broke out at 1:45 a.m. in Block C2 of the prison, where the 19 cells that were built to hold 40 inmates were stuffed full with more than triple that number. The cause of the blaze appears to have been an electrical short circuit, according to initial findings, Jakarta Police Chief Fadil Imran said.

As the fire was brought under control, hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent prisoners from escaping, Imran told reporters near the scene.

Problems are rampant in Indonesia's prisons, largely due to overcrowding. More than half of the system's inmates are being held on narcotics offenses; a product of the country's war on drugs.

As of July, there were a total of 268,610 inmates in Indonesias prisons, which were built to hold 132,107 people.

Tangerang prison, located in the heart of Tangerang city in Jakarta's neighboring province of Banten, was designed to house 900 inmates but has more than 2,000, Laoly said. Officials had earlier said it was built to accommodate 1,225 inmates.

The government has acknowledged the problem, and is planning to refocus its approach toward drug offenders to start looking at them as addicts who need treatment, rather than criminals, in the hope of dramatically reducing the number incarcerated.

Reynhard Silitonga, the head of corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, told The Associated Press in an e-mail that if there isn't a change in policy, the number of inmates could top 400,000 within five years.

With the new approach, the spirit of handling drug offenders, especially users, is directed at the health aspect, no longer imprisonment, he said.

He did not say how long it would take to implement the changes.

In addition to those who died in the Tangerang fire, eight inmates were hospitalized with severe burns and nine with light injuries were treated at a prison clinic, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said. Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound for observation.

The 15 corrections officers guarding the cell block were unhurt, said Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department.

Agus Toyib, who heads the Banten provincial law and human rights office, which oversees Tangerang, said understaffing at the prison led to delays in rescuing inmates from their locked cells.

Most victims caught fire as they didnt have enough time to get out of their cells and the fire was growing rapidly, he said.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP)  A Davenport man has been charged in the shooting death of an Illinois man during the Labor Day weekend.

Demarco Darrelle Gray Jr., 27, was arrested Tuesday and is charged with first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, The Quad-City Times reported.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it is unconstitutional to punish abortion, unanimously annulling several provisions of a law from Coahuila  a state on the Texas border  that had made abortion a criminal act.

The decision will immediately affect only the northern border state, but it establishes a historic precedent and obligatory criteria for all of the countrys judges, compelling them to act the same way in similar cases, said court President Arturo Zaldivar. From now on you will not be able to, without violating the court's criteria and the constitution, charge any woman who aborts under the circumstances this court has ruled as valid.

Those circumstances will be clarified when the decision is published, but everything points to that referring to abortions carried out within the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy, the period allowed in the four states where abortion is already legal.

The decision comes one week after a Texas law took effect prohibiting abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity in the fetus. It allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who aids or abets a woman getting the procedure.

Only four Mexican states  Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Hidalgo  now allow abortion in most circumstances. The other 28 states penalize abortion with some exceptions.

Lawyer and activist Veronica Cruz, director of the collective Las Libres, or The Free, said the decision tears down barriers by sending the message that women cannot be charged for abortions.

There are currently no women imprisoned for abortions in Mexico, but there are some 4,600 open investigations for it, said Cruz, whose organization freed the last women who had been in prison for it.

Cruz believes the feminist movement will have to maintain pressure on state legislatures to change their laws, because as long as they exist someone will be trying to punish a woman.

In Mexico, we don't have any chance of legalizing nor decriminalizing in one go. It has to be state by state, Cruz said. That is why activists should work in one coordinated strategy to force change region by region, he said, to corner the politicians so that there's no way not to legislate because it would be politically incorrect to not eliminate the crime of abortion."

Mexico is a heavily Roman Catholic country. The church was a powerful institution through colonial times and after Mexicos independence, but a reform movement in the mid-19th century sharply limited the churchs role in daily life. Anticlerical efforts at times led to bloodshed, especially during the Cristero Rebellion from 1926 to 1929.

The topic still remains controversial in Mexico, however. The divide was on display Tuesday as groups from both sides demonstrated outside the court. Dozens of people kneeled in prayer in front of the court.

The conservative National Action Party reiterated its opposition to abortion. We are in favor of the defense of life from conception and until natural death, the party said in a statement. It asked that conscientious objection be protected for ethical, moral or religious motives.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Morena party declined Tuesday before the decision to comment on the topic, saying only that it was for the court to decide.

The Mexican Episcopal Conference sent a series of messages via Twitter citing previous comments by church leaders. One was from earlier this year before a vote decriminalizing abortion in the state of Hidalgo. May your decision for life not be conditioned by an ideology, but rather motivated by faith, hope and love, it read.

We're seen as a Catholic people, as a Guadalupano people, said law professor Leticia Bonifaz of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. But if you notice today, the issue being discussed is legal, not religious, not moral.

Bonifaz said this Supreme Court is more liberal than the one that decriminalized abortion in Mexico City in 2007. In the intervening years, there has been extensive education for not only the justices, but the lawyers who make up their teams from the perspectives of gender and human rights, she said.

For a long time, significant changes for Mexican society were ushered through the legislative branch, but more recently the Mexican justice system has been a vanguard justice system on many issues, Bonifaz said.

The historic case seemed to leap into the publics consciousness overnight, but in reality it had been moving through the legal system for four years, said Bonifaz. Former Attorney General Raul Cervantes had challenged its constitutionality before stepping down in 2017.

In previous decisions, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of women who had been imprisoned or had their rights violated for abortions. But Rebecca Ramos, director of the nongovernmental reproductive rights group GIRE, said the latest case was the first time the justices debated the fundamental question of whether abortion should be considered a crime or not.

The decision is a reflection of the historic fight of the feminist movement for legal, safe and free abortion, GIRE said in a statement. We hope that in the whole country women and people with the capacity to become pregnant have the conditions and the freedom to decide their reproductive destiny.

Justice Margarita Rios Farjat criticized those who she said trample on women's rights under the banner of pro-life. She said women are labelled ignorant and bad or egotistical, because good women complete the pregnancy and put the baby up for adoption."

Ramos believes the decision will also lead state legislatures where abortion remains a crime to review their laws before facing legal action.

The decision could potentially open another option for Texas women seeking legal abortions. For years, some women in south Texas have crossed the border to go to Mexican pharmacies to buy misoprostol, a pill that makes up half of the two-drug combination prescribed for medical abortions.

Legal abortions could become accessible now along Mexico's long shared border with Texas.

Justice Luis Maria Aguilar said, Today banishes the threat of prison and the stigma that weighs on people who freely decide to end their pregnancy.

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Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Middlesex Health / Contributed photo

MIDDLETOWN  The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $11.6 million to the state to reimburse Middlesex Hospital and Yale New Haven Hospital for the additional costs of operating safely and handling increased patient loads during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Middlesex Hospital in Middletown will receive $2,858,714 in federal funding, while Yale New Haven Hospital will get 8,774,012 to cover the increased costs of operating in a pandemic environment, according to a press release.
For years, David Paine and Jay Winuk have wanted to turn 9/11 into something positive, as counterintuitive as that might sound.

The two co-founders of 9/11 Day, who successfully lobbied the government to officially rename the day September 11 National Day of Service & Remembrance, have encouraged millions to commemorate the day with volunteerism. To mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, whose victims included Winuks brother Glenn, Paine and Winuk are expanding their efforts with a CNN special, Shine a Light, airing on Sept. 11.

The tribute to those affected by 9/11, Paine said, will also serve as a telethon, except instead of asking people to donate money were asking them to donate pledges of good deeds."

The Associated Press spoke recently with Paine and Winuk about how the meaning of 9/11 has changed and what this years anniversary means to them. The interview was edited for clarity and length.

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AP: With all the crises in the world today, does 9/11 still get the attention it is due?

Paine: Despite COVID, despite the events unfolding in Afghanistan, which are very important to a lot of us, despite the hurricane, despite all the extraordinary things that go on in our lives  some very tragic  9/11 is sort of that moment when we get to stop and think about whats most important in life, which is each other.

Winuk: And the lessons learned in the aftermath of 9/11 can be applied right now to the situation that our nation is in. In some ways, the 20th anniversary is coming at a really important time.

Paine: People want a sense of togetherness and unity. Thats really driving a lot of the growing interest particularly in our observance.

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AP: Unity isnt something we see a lot in America right now.

Paine: I had an epiphany following 9/11: Were not really divided. We just think we are. Division is really a disease of the mind because when you see something like 9/11 happen, it connects us to the truly authentic part within each one of us  that innate state of unitedness.

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AP: Finding something positive in 9/11 has been important to you.

Winuk: There was, of course, no escaping the tragedy of it. But you couldnt help but notice the way people came together and the way everybody wanted to pitch in whatever they could. I had never experienced that phenomenon before. We all hoped it would last forever, but everybody eventually gets back to their lives. When we first began this in 2002, we didnt want the remnants of 9/11 to just be about all the bad because there was good  the way we all focused on our common humanity. That was the genesis of this: Lets try to establish a ritual in this country that, at least on this one day a year, we rekindle that spirit and we come together because theres always going to be people in need. Theres always a way for people to be productive if we work together. Lets celebrate our differences instead of using them to divide. Its what makes this country great.

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AP: Why did you want to the CNN special this year?

Paine: We wanted a partnership that would help the 9/11 community tell its own story through its own voices in a truly authentic way.

Winuk: David and I have been doing this for 20 years now, and were never less than overwhelmed by what were exposed to. It doesnt get old. It gets fresher and fresher. Its more and more relevant. Its more and more important.

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AP: How are you going to mark 9/11 this year?

Winuk: Well spend a good part of the day on the Intrepid (Sea, Air and Space Museum, where) well be bringing together a few thousand people  socially distanced because of the pandemic  to pack thousands and thousands of meals again, as we do every year. Were doing that in 10 cities around the country. For me, personally, I always try to finish 9/11  even if its 2 oclock in the morning  at the Firefighters Memorial across from Ground Zero, which my brothers law firm funded and worked closely with the FDNY to create it as a memorial. Its amazing to go by there late at night, especially on 9/11 and candles are lit and people are gathered around.

Paine: This will be the first year I am back in New York for 9/11 in probably four or five years. I typically have gone to other cities where we staged these projects just to be in Dallas or Phoenix or different places to see how they all feel, which is fascinating. You dont have to be from New York or the Washington, D.C., area to understand what 9/11 was. In fact, I think so many people throughout the nation participate because for them, 9/11 is very much unfinished business. It isnt owned by the terrorists that killed all these people. Its our day, and were taking it back. We want to demonstrate that we can be sad, but we can also be resilient.

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The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
TOKYO (AP)  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 in North Korea after joining a resettlement program there that promised a paradise on Earth, a lawyer and plaintiff said Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un isn't expected to appear in court for the Oct. 14 hearing, but the judge's decision to summon him is a rare instance in which a foreign leader was not granted sovereign immunity, said Kenji Fukuda, a lawyer representing the five plaintiffs.

They are demanding 100 million yen ($900,000) each in compensation from North Korea for human rights violations they say they suffered under the resettlement program.

About 93,000 ethnic Korean residents of Japan and their family members went to North Korea decades ago because of promises of a better life. Many had faced discrimination in Japan.

Eiko Kawasaki, 79, a Korean who was born and raised in Japan, was 17 when she left in 1960, a year after North Korea began the massive repatriation program to make up for workers killed in the Korean War and bring overseas Koreans back home. The program continued to seek recruits, many of them originally from South Korea, until 1984.

The Japanese government also welcomed the program, viewing Koreans as outsiders, and helped arrange their transport to North Korea.

Kawasaki said she was confined to North Korea for 43 years until she was able to defect in 2003, leaving behind her grown children.

North Korea had promised free healthcare, education, jobs and other benefits, she said, but none of them were available and they were mostly assigned manual work at mines, forests or farms.

If we were informed of the truth about North Korea, none of us would have gone, she said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Kawasaki and the four other defectors from the program filed a lawsuit in August 2018 against North Koreas government in Tokyo District Court demanding compensation.

The court, after three years of pretrial discussions, agreed to summon Kim Jong Un to its first hearing on Oct. 14, said Fukuda, their lawyer.

Fukuda said he is not expecting Kim to appear, or provide compensation if it is ordered by the court, but hopes the case can set a precedent for future negotiations between Japan and North Korea on seeking the North's responsibility and normalizing diplomatic ties.

Although barred by the statute of limitations from legally seeking Japanese government responsibility for aiding the program, Kawasaki hopes Japan can help obtain the return of thousands of participants still waiting to be rescued out of North Korea.

I do think the Japanese government should also take responsibility, she said.

Kawasakis father was among hundreds of thousands of Koreans brought to Japan, many forcibly, to work in mines and factories before and during World War II. Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula in 1910-1945  a past that still strains relations between Japan and the Koreas.

Today, about half a million ethnic Koreans live in Japan and continue to face discrimination in school, work and their daily lives.

It has taken so long for us to come this far, Kawasaki said. Finally, its time for justice.
NEWTOWN  Donna Cimarelli and Scarlett Lewis met because they both have children who have been murdered, but they bonded like sisters because of their emotional chemistry and outlook on healing.

Lewis son, Jesse, 6, was among 20 first-graders killed Dec. 14, 2012, in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

A little less than two years later on April 25, 2014, Cimarellis daughter, Maren Sanchez, 16, a popular junior, was fatally stabbed at Jonathan Law High School in Milford by a fellow student.

We connect on this level that is almost out of this world, Lewis told Cimarelli in a recent conversation. I feel thats a gift that has come out of my experience.  Its such a blessing to be able to meet someone and connect on such a deep level.

Cimarelli said she feels the same.

When we met I just felt such a strong connection as a sister, Cimarelli said. I knew that would never break, even if there were any issues in life they viewed differently.

The women met after Cimarelli read Lewis book, Nurturing Healing Love: A Mothers Journey of Hope soon after Marens death and was unable to put it down. She found it so compelling that I literally digested every word.  Everything felt like it was me.

That included getting guiding messages from Maren, as Lewis still gets from Jesse.

File photo /

After being so moved by the book, Cimarelli contacted Lewis on Facebook to ask if they could meet for lunch. A week later they were together at the Gusto Trattoria restaurant in Milford.

Since then, the women have become so close that Lewis has incorporated Sanchez into a mural honoring Jesse and victims of the Sandy Hook shooting  20 first-graders and six educators. The mural hangs on the front of the barn on Lewis Wild Rose Farm facing the street.

Contributed photo / Co

The mothers, both positive thinkers looking for ways to bring light into the world, always are saying to one another their telephone conversations are so profound they should tape them.

Recently they did something like that when Cimarelli had Lewis as a guest on her Facebook Live segment of her new series, Speak Your Mind Value Your Voice, in which Cimarelli interviews people with interesting stories to share.

Who was Jesse?

When asked to tell the audience who she was, Lewis said her son Jesse was murdered along with 19 other children and six educators in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He was a hero at age 6 and would receive a medal for that, posthumously.

Contributed photo / Contributed photo

Jesse actually saved nine of his classmates before losing his own life, Lewis said.

Based on survivors stories, Jesse told his classmates to run after shooter Adam Lanza shot Jesses teacher, Victoria Soto, and stopped to reload.

It is believed, Lewis said, that Jesse stayed by his teachers side, while the others ran and Lanza shot him.

Cimarelli, always looking for that fateful twist, said in response to Lewis story: Whoever Jesse was able to save is probably going to do something great in the world.

The family farm

Cimarelli did the episode at Lewis Wild Rose Farm in Newtown where Jesse and his older brother, JT, resided with Lewis in a little boys haven of a playground, a goal post, horses for riding, lots of animals and plenty of land to for Jesse to play with his plastic army men.

When the boys came inside from old school fun with dirty fingernails, exhausted, thats when she knew they had a great day, Lewis said.

Before he was killed, Jesse left a written message for his brother: Have a lot of fun, and it makes sense, Lewis said.

I could just see Jesse here. I know hes so present, Cimarelli told Lewis.

Cimarelli, engaging and naturally conversational as a host, made the episode about Lewis journey, and, of course, Sanchez sometimes was brought into the fold.

Contributed photo /

Shes not only a friend to me, but I consider her one of my biggest mentors, Cimarelli told the audience, referring to Lewis. Everyone needs someone to look up to.

Cimarelli said Lewis story helps give her perspective  theres always someone who has it worse.

Cimarelli said in her case shes grateful she had her daughter 10 years longer than Lewis had Jesse and she doesnt know whether she would have survived losing Sanchez at the tender, innocent age of six. She said some people tell her that losing a child at 16 is worse because there are more memories.

Lewis in turn told Cimarelli she is grateful that she can offer comfort, healing and perspective through her story.

I feel thats a gift that has come out of my experience. I feel youre a gift that has come out my experience, Lewis told Cimarelli.

Spreading love, healing, prevention

Both women to help others in the wake of their tragedies.

Cimarelli founded the Maren Sanchez Home Foundation to educate and empower girls and young women to defend themselves against emotional, psychological and verbal manipulation and physical violence. Cimarelli believes if Sanchez had those lessons, she might be alive today. The foundation is now overseen by Boys & Girls Club of Milford.

Lewis founded and has dedicated her life to the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation, which promotes ways for communities to choose love over anger, gratitude over entitlement, and forgiveness and compassion over bitterness. She believes if Lanza had learned nurturing, healing love through a social and emotional learning program like hers, the tragedy wouldnt have happened. Her program is widespread and popular at schools throughout the country.

Contributed photo / Contributed photo

The message

The Jesse Lewis Choose Love foundation was inspired by a message that Jesse had left on their kitchen chalkboard with the words soon before his killing that read nurturing, healing, love spelled first-grade style as Norurtin, Helinn, Love.

I know what happened to Jesse and what happened to Maren was 100 percent preventable, Lewis told Cimarelli.

Lewis said she has continued connection with Jesse, as Cimarelli says Sanchez keeps her going in some ways from another dimension.

Referring to the written message Jesse left  now preserved under Plexiglas in the family home bursting with mementos  Cimarelli said it couldnt be random.

Who does that at 6? she asked. She said it was something messaged through him and she told Lewis, He left it for you.

Lewis said people need to learn social and emotional love because people are not born to cope with escalating problems in society such as bullying and other issues.

You cant love other people until you love and accept yourself, Lewis said.

She told Cimarelli, our brains are not designed for 24/7 information, such as news tracking hurricanes, developments in Afghanistan and news of COVID-19 coming in all coming in at once.

All the overflow of this information we cant handle is causing this explosion of anxiety, Lewis said.

The mural

Lewis tells the story of a mural for public viewing hanging on the front of her barn that honors Jesse and the others killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School that day.

Lewis said she was among four parents of victims on the Sandy Hook Memorial Committee who heard members of the public say at a meeting they didnt want a public memorial and didnt want to be reminded of the tragedy or have to explain it to kids.

Lewis quit the committee that day, called her art teacher in Arkansas, got a group together and painted their own mural.

I thought about you and I thought I need to include Maren, Lewis told Cimarelli.

Cimarelli said that when Lewis called with the news she assumed they were going to display the faces of all the victims and Cimarelli didnt know what to send so she said Sanchez should be represented by a fox, her spirit animal.

Lewis and her art teacher looked at each other because they already decided Jesse and the other Sandy Hook victims were going to be ducks, and foxes are known to be predators of ducks. They chose ducks because Jesse loved ducks, the logo for the foundation.

In the end, the friendly looking fox depicted in the mural is looking lovingly upon the ducks from the side of the water.

The colorful mural is filled with symbolism through nature.

Jesse, his schoolmates and the six educators lost are playing happily in the water, roses all around them in honor of the farm.

The fox is gazing at them peacefully and contentedly.

In heaven, everyone is happy, Lewis said.

Theres a hidden army soldier for Jesses love of toy soldiers, a bluebird of happiness in a tree, and more.

Cimarelli told Lewis that she had promised to wear her camouflage pants to the interview for Jesse but couldnt find them anywhere. So she asked out loud for Jesse to help her and was led to the correct stack of clothes.

Lewis told her that was funny because when she and JT are looking for something they pray as always to St. Anthony, but add a prayer to Jesse and usually find what theyre looking for.

The inside of the circa-1740 farm house where the family lives is full of portraits, photographs and mementos of Jesse.

I like having him all over. I feel him all over, Lewis said.

Lewis said life is all about what one chooses to surround themselves with.

Each of the women closed the Facebook episode with the words, Choose love.
3 1 of 3 Warehouse Point FD / Contributed Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Warehouse Point FD / Contributed Show More Show Less 3 of 3





EAST WINDSOR  One person was extricated after being severely pinned in an accident on Interstate 91 Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials.

Fire crews from the Warehouse Point and Broad Brook fire departments responded with medics around noon Tuesday to the area of I-91 near Exit 44 for a report of a vehicle that collided with a tree between the entrance and exit ramps of the southbound lanes.
Connecticuts COVID positivity rate dropped during the three-day holiday weekend, marking one of the lowest numbers recorded in a month, the latest figures show.

Of the 61,032 tests administered over the weekend, 1,612 were confirmed cases for a positivity rate of 2.6 percent, according to Gov. Ned Lamonts office. Hospitalizations also dropped by a net of two patients for a total of 363 statewide.

The daily positivity rate and hospitalizations, both key metrics reported daily by the governors office, have remained relatively stable through the past two weeks after a surge of delta variant infections caused cases to rise since June.

Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner who appeared several times alongside Lamont in weekly COVID-19 briefings, told CNBC this weekend theres a misconception that the Northeast is past the wave of delta variant infections.

I dont think that was the true delta wave, I think that was a delta warning, Gottlieb said in the interview with CNBC. I think our true delta wave is going to build after Labor Day in the Northeast. .... This is going to be a highly regionalized pandemic.

He said along with Labor Day, the return to school may influence a wave of infections from the delta variant.

Many schools have reopened in the last few weeks and some have already reported cases among their students.

The first weekly reports on COVID cases in public and private K-12 schools, released last Thursday, showed 58 total cases among staff members and 247 cases among students.

Dozens of schools, according to the recent data, had reported fewer than six COVID cases.

The heightened level of COVID-19 infections comes as the delta variant continues to spread across Connecticut.

The latest genomic surveillance report from the Yale School of Public Health, issued last week, showed that the delta variant was responsible for 99 percent of all cases that were recently sequenced.

Last week, the World Health Organization gave a Greek designation to the B.1.621, which was first found in Colombia earlier this year. The report from the Yale School of Public Health said this variant, now called mu, was found in 73 recent cases, less than 1 percent of those sequenced.

Nathan Grubaugh, who leads the genomic surveillance efforts at the Yale School of Public Health, said the mu variant has several mutations. One of the mutations relates to viral transmission and the other relates to escaping the bodys immune system.

However, Grubaugh said they have been monitoring the variant closely for months in Connecticut, and its prevalence is down.

He said via social media: the period of concern for Mu in Connecticut  and many other places in the US  is over. It was able to compete with with Alpha & Gamma, but it was no match for Delta.

When the WHO gave the variant a Greek letter designation, it listed it as a variant of interest. The other more prevalent strains, including delta and alpha, are considered variants of concern.

Given the increased prevalence of variants like delta, community transmission in Connecticut remains high in six of the eight counties, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fairfield and Middlesex counties were the only two below the threshold for high transmission.

The spread of highly contagious variants and the increased levels of community spread come as officials continue to press the urgent need for people to get vaccinated.

As of Monday, more than 76 percent of all eligible residents  people age 12 and older  are fully vaccinated in Connecticut, and 85 percent have received at least one dose, according to the CDC.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi has 120 days to come up with proposed long-term plan for how it will work to prevent unnecessary institutionalizations of people with mental illness in state hospitals, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ordered that the state's initial plan be submitted to the U.S. Justice Department and an independent monitor, Michael Hogan, for feedback. The final plan must be completed in 180 days.

Hogan is a mental health care veteran with 40 years' experience. He previously served as special master amid the ongoing litigation between the Mississippi Department of Health and the federal government.

Hogan is well-suited by qualifications, experience and judgment to serve as Monitor in this case, Reeves wrote.

The Justice Department sued Mississippi in 2016, and Reeves ruled the state was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Federal attorneys said during a 2019 trial that mentally ill people were being held in jails because crisis teams did not respond. They said people had been forced to live far from their families because mental health services were not available in their hometowns. They also said people made repeated trips to Mississippi mental hospitals because there was no effective planning for them to transition to community services, and the most intensive kinds of services were not being made available.

During a July hearing, state attorneys said Mississippi has enacted programs that enable people to obtain treatment in their communities and avoid hospitalizations, such as mobile crisis teams, supportive housing and peer support services.

Justice Department attorneys said those services need to be expanded and there need to be metrics to ensure they are working.

While acting as special master, Hogan suggested a monitor be put in place to independently verify the states data on services it provides. He said the state did not appear to be collecting adequate information to interpret the success of services.

Under Reeves' order, the state will be responsible for tracking a wide array of data, including state hospital admissions and the number of patients who remain in state hospitals more than 180 days, calls to mobile crisis teams and the number of people being placed in jail while waiting for a state hospital bed.

Mississippi will also be charged with starting a clinical review process. The state will be required to sample 100 to 200 patients a year to assure that services are working as intended to address the needs of people with serious mental illness.

Hogan said previously that the review process should provide a meaningful cross-check of data.

While acting as monitor, Hogan will be required to provide reports every six months on the state's compliance with Reeves' order. Reeves will hold a status conference with the state, the federal government and Hogan after each report is submitted. Hogan will be appointed for three years and could be reappointed. Hogan will be paid by the state, but Reeves' order did not specify how much.

___

Leah Willingham is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
As more people return to school and work after the holiday weekend, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to remind passengers that masks are still required, regardless of their vaccination status.

MTA, which includes Metro-North, will have staff and police officers distributing free masks to unmasked riders. These officials will be stationed at subway and railroad hubs, as well as bus terminals, MTA said in a press release Tuesday.

The science is clear, face coverings help reduce the spread of germs and viruses, said Patrick Warren, the chief safety officer for MTA. It keeps our workforce safe, it keeps your fellow commuter safe and it keeps you safe.

Since July 2020, the MTA has distributed more than 800,000 masks.

Passengers are not required to wear masks at outdoor train stations, platforms or at bus stops, but they are required once boarding a train, bus or other transit vehicle, according to MTAs website. Masks are also required inside indoor train stations.

Riders who refuse to wear a mask could get a $50 fine, according to the MTA website.

The transportation authority said about 93 percent of bus passengers have complied with the mask requirement, and 86 percent of subway passengers. MTA is hoping to achieve the 98 percent compliance it saw at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

Warren said the COVID-19 delta variant must be taken seriously, especially as more customers prepare to ride the rails.

As of Sept. 2, 369 people in Connecticut were hospitalized with coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From Aug. 1 to Sept. 2, more than 19,000 people have contracted the coronavirus in Connecticut and 101 people have died from the coronavirus, CDC data shows.

To find a coronavirus vaccine or a testing site in the state, visit Portal.CT.gov/Coronavirus.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
Olivier Douliery/AP

BERLIN (AP)  Dozens of people evacuated from Afghanistan by the United States military have applied for asylum in Germany during their layovers at the Ramstein U.S. Air Base, officials said Tuesday.

So far about 90 people, a fraction of the roughly 34,000 flown to Ramstein to date, have requested asylum in Germany and their decision to do so is in keeping with existing rules and practice, both countries said. Some 22,000 evacuees have already left the base for the United States or other locations.
ATLANTA (AP)  Another Georgia school district is switching to virtual learning, after two school bus drivers and a bus monitor died from COVID-19 in recent weeks.

The 9,700-student Griffin-Spalding County school system made the announcement late Monday, citing a disruption in student transportation.

Districts across Georgia are struggling to line up enough drivers and monitors to keep buses running. In Savannah, some bus drivers staged a sickout for the second day on Tuesday after a similar protest on Friday.

At least 210,000 Georgia students in 54 districts and charter networks have had their school schedules disrupted because of COVID-19. Some districts have taken days off, some shifted to every-other-day schedules and some sent home individual schools or grades. Thats more than 12% of Georgias 1.7 million public school students.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Georgia hospitals remains above 6,000, the highest level since the start of the pandemic. The number of newly reported cases has decreased in recent days, although cases remain near all-time high levels. The number of newly reported deaths continues to rise sharply, with Georgia currently averaging more than 80 deaths a day, totaling more than 23,000 since the pandemic began. Deaths usually trail behind new cases and hospitalizations, so it's likely the number of new deaths will remain elevated for weeks even if new infections fall.

More than 34,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported among children aged 5-17 in the two weeks ended Sept. 2, according to Georgia Department of Public Health data, with more than 125 infection clusters reported in K-12 schools during that period.

In the Griffin-Spalding district on the southern fringe of suburban Atlanta, bus driver Natalia D'Angelo and monitor Marie Darley died from COVID-19 last month, while driver Bobby Leverette died Sunday.

Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with friends, family and coworkers, the district said in a statement. It asked parents to drive students to and from school Tuesday, saying widespread bus delays were expected. Virtual learning will begin Wednesday and last at least the rest of the week. The districts Griffin High School had switched to virtual on Sept. 1 and is scheduled to stay that way until Monday, because there werent enough employees to staff all classrooms.

School system spokesperson Adam Pugh said some drivers have been calling in sick, saying it is hard to know whether that is motivated by fear or actual symptoms. He said the district is trying to hire 12 drivers and four monitors, which would be enough fill seven unfilled routes. He said that of 96 current drivers, four are on leave and five are out sick, four of those because of continuning effects from COVID-19.

The district is offering $500 to new bus drivers, and is considering paying all bus drivers an additional $1,000 or more.

Griffin-Spalding bus driver Cathedra Jones told WAGA-TV last week that many drivers are afraid because of COVID-19 and that shes thinking about retiring.

Life is more important than money, said Jones, who said she was in an intensive care unit for three months last year after she contracted the respiratory illness. She believes she caught COVID-19 while driving a bus.

In the Savannah-Chatham district, officials said about 45 drivers were protesting Tuesday. That's about 20% of bus drivers in what is Georgia's largest school district outside metro Atlanta, with 36,000 students. School officials say they've pressed other employees into driving buses but acknowledged the possibility of delays.

Savannah-Chatham had already suspended transporting children to charter schools because of a driver shortage.

Protesting drivers in Savannah-Chatham tell local news outlets that the district is requiring them to pick up students who aren't wearing masks, that they don't have enough time between runs to sanitize buses and that they're unhappy with how the district pays them.

Parents say they're confused about whether they can rely on buses to take their children to school. Frederica Green told the Savannah Morning News that the bus for her youngest child to Port Wentworth Elementary wasn't on time Tuesday and that on Friday she got a last-minute notice that she might need to pick up the child from school.

I feel like at this point, everybody knows that everything is chaos," Green said.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
A Navy helicopters rotors struck the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier before it plunged into the sea off San Diego last week, killing five crew members, according to the Naval Safety Center.

A center mishap report says the MH-60S Seahawk had just landed when it experienced side-to-side vibrations that caused the main rotor to strike [the] flight deck. The aircraft then fell over the side of the ship.

The Navy and Coast Guard launched an unsuccessful four-day search and rescue effort that ended Saturday when the service declared the sailors dead.

The new details not only shed light on what may have triggered the incident, but may also help to explain how five other sailors aboard the carrier were injured, in addition to the five who were lost. Two of the injured were taken ashore for treatment while the other three "had minimal injuries," the Navy said last week.

Read Next: Lawmakers Try to Ban Dishonorable Discharges for Troops Who Refuse Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccines

However, the information is likely the last that will be released until the Navy concludes its investigation into the incident. Lt. Sam Boyle, a Navy spokesman, said that he didnt want to put the investigation on a timeline and declined to offer an expected date for a reports release.

The statistics reported by Naval Safety Center also note that this latest crash is the 11th to occur with the Navys manned aircraft this year, and that the number of incidents per 100,000 flight hours has been steadily climbing over the past 3 years.

Last year, the Navy reported only nine severe incidents and five in 2019. When controlled for flight time, the rate of mishaps rose from just under 1 per 100,000 hours of flight in 2019 to 1.45 to date this year.

The squadron that the sailors belonged to, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8, has helped point people to fundraising campaigns for the families of the sailors who perished and the commanding officer has said that a memorial service is being planned.

No word of condolence can truly fill the hole left by the loss of these Sailors and Officers, Cmdr. Daniel Thomas wrote in a Facebook post on the squadrons page.

"There is no easy way to process the loss of a family member, just know that you do not walk this path alone, he added.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: 'Such a Sweet Soul': Tributes Pour in for Sailors Killed in Helicopter Crash Off California Coast
Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole was celebrated during the final years of his life as the last surviving member of the legendary Doolittle Raid of World War II in which 80 crew members manning 16 aircraft bombed Japanese cities, including Tokyo.

Tuesday would have been the 106th birthday of the former Air Force pilot, who died April 9, 2019. To honor him and his service, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the Air Force chief of staff, posthumously promoted Cole to the rank of colonel in a ceremony held at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas.

"We often get caught up in the daily static of life. Let us never forget that we truly stand on the shoulders of giants," Brown said. "I'm forever grateful for the early aviators that paved the way for our nation and for Air Force."

The ceremony included a memorial service followed by a burial service for Cole and his wife, Lucia Martha "Marty" Cole, who died in 2003.

The Doolittle Raid, named for Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who planned and executed it, began April 18, 1942, when 16 Army Air Force B-25B Mitchell medium bombers lumbered off the aircraft carrier USS Hornet with crew members instructed to land or bail out over neighboring China after unleashing their payloads over Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

There would be no triumphant return to the aircraft carrier for the crews. The best-case scenario for the 80 men involved was to survive hard landings in hostile territory as Japanese units dominated the ocean and land for hundreds of miles in each direction. Of them, 72 survived that mission.

Cole was Doolittle's co-pilot for the raid. Piloting the lead aircraft, Doolittle and Cole dropped incendiary bombs to mark targets for other bombers.

"Although the mission was initially thought to be a tactical failure. It ended up being such a huge strategic success. Their raid proved to Japan and the world that airpower could be delivered on Japanese soil," Brown said. "This man embodied service before self."

Knowing the danger, all the men involved volunteered to participate. Brown likened their courage to that of the airmen and pilots who stepped up in recent weeks to fly Americans and refugees out of Afghanistan as America's longest war came to a close. Those service members also volunteered for the mission, Brown said.

Following Brown's remarks, two of Cole's five children, Dr. Rich Cole, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Cindy Cole Chal, placed the rank of colonel on the box holding their parents' cremated remains. Maj. Nathan Chal and Capt. Elliott Chal, two of Dick Cole's grandsons who are Air Force officers, also participated in the ceremony.

Congress authorized Dick Cole's promotion to colonel in December 2019.

"They worked hard to give us all the best that they could. Mom loved being a military wife, and she knew exactly what it meant. She knew and understood that her husband's job was to defend the Constitution of the United States, from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Even if it meant giving his life for our nation," Rich Cole said of his parents.

After the military, the Cole family settled in Texas. Dick and Marty Cole's remains were interred Tuesday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
The Air Force should continue funding research and development on a new advanced engine for the F-35A Lightning II -- even if it ultimately scraps the work and sticks with the fighter jet's current engine, Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, the service's chief of staff, said Wednesday.

The research could result, at least in part, in an improvement in fuel efficiency for the jet, known as the Pentagon's most costly weapons program ever. But Brown said the Air Force eventually will face a "fork in the road" and must decide whether to move forward on a completely new replacement engine.

Congress is concerned about the issue, and the House Armed Services Committee last week passed a defense policy bill for 2022 that would require the Pentagon to explain how it will put a better engine in the F-35A, which is the jet variant used by the Air Force.

"You've got to continue the R&D in certain areas so, that way, you have the options in the future," Brown said during an online panel Wednesday hosted by Defense News at its annual conference. "If we stop the R&D on this, we basically shut ourselves off from having an option to go forward."

Read Next: Navy Helicopter Rotor Struck Carrier Deck, Causing Crash That Killed Five

The service has contracts with General Electric Aviation and Pratt & Whitney, through the Adaptive Engine Transition Program, to develop a new F-35A engine with improved fuel efficiency and more thrust, but it also could upgrade the F-35's current F135 engine.

The two defense contractors each won contracts worth $1 billion in 2016 for the program.

The Air Force has the most common F-35 variant, but the Navy and Marine Corps also fly versions of the aircraft, which is expected to cost $1.27 trillion over its 66-year lifespan, the Government Accountability Office reported in July.

Brown said he supports proposals in the policy bill that push the Pentagon to report sustainment costs of the F-35 and limit how many of the aircraft the military could buy, based on how well the services are keeping costs down.

"One of our goals is to make this sustainment [of the F-35] affordable," he said. "What's laid out by the Congress in this regard is exactly what we're trying to get done."

Meanwhile, Brown also said new delays in fielding the Air Force's next trainer aircraft aren't a significant problem.

The Air Force is working with contractor Boeing on the T-7 Red Hawk, which will replace the decades-old T-38 Talon and be used to train fighter and bomber pilots. Testing found a problem with "wing rock" that risked causing an uncontrollable roll.

"There are some areas, as we were going through some of the testing, that we found a couple of things," Brown said. "And that's somewhat typical as you bring [new airplanes] into the system. ... It is a slight slip, but nothing I would consider dramatic."

Brown told lawmakers in June that technical issues delayed the "Milestone C" review needed for the aircraft to go into full production. The decision on the T-7 now could happen in late 2023, more than a year after it was originally expected, though Boeing thought the delay would be several months shorter.

The delay led the service to cut its funding request for research and development on the T-7 in fiscal 2022 from $206 million to $189 million.

-- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey.

Related: New T-7 Red Hawk Trainer Faces Delays over Parts Shortages, Testing
STUTTGART, Germany -- Before 2001, German citizen Michael Weissenborn could take his U.S. Army-issued library card onto Patch Barracks in Stuttgart to check out books, mingle with American troops and feel a connection to a military community that was part of local life for generations.

The 9/11 attacks changed much of that, he said.

"In the old days, it was just so much easier to interact with U.S. soldiers. Now, it feels like they almost want to be invisible behind their bases," said Weissenborn, who works as a reporter for the Stuttgart Nachrichten newspaper. "It feels like alienation."

Twenty years after al-Qaida terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, American troops are out of Afghanistan.

But over two decades, the attacks changed everything for the U.S. military, which deployed hundreds of thousands of troops for the so-called Global War on Terror.

Not only did 9/11 change how the military fights, but it also changed how troops live and interact in the overseas communities where they reside.

A legacy that remains in place today and will continue to be a fact of military life for years to come in Europe: heavily fortified bases that resemble nothing like the relatively easy-access installations of the pre-attack era.

William Butler, U.S. European Command's historian, said security was always on the mind of commanders in Europe, who dealt with various terrorist threats dating back to the 1970s.

But the scale of the attacks on 9/11 meant the military was forced to take stronger measures, he said. As a result, that meant fewer base open houses and special events that put Germans in closer contact with American personnel.

"The perception, from the host nation side, is that their access was greatly restricted, and I think that was true," Butler said. "9/11 did change that."

Immediately after Sept. 11, 2001, military bases made unprecedented boosts to security.

Before then, parts of many bases in Germany were open to the public. Garrison housing facilities were generally wide open, without fencing or restrictions. Even Landstuhl Regional Medical Center could be accessed by the public, since no ID checks were enforced.

Now, elaborate fencing, concrete walls and single-entry access with mandatory ID checks are how business is conducted at U.S. military sites.

The looming threat of possible attacks on bases demanded such changes, which had started to take effect even before Sept. 11, 2001.

The 1998 attacks on two U.S. embassies in Africa were a precursor of more enhanced security at bases in Europe. For example, that's when fencing first went up around Army housing at Vogelweh Military Complex in Kaiserslautern.

"The two embassy bombings in '98, I think that changed life," recalled Mike Goff, who was in the Air Force at Ramstein Air Base and is now a retiree in the area.

At the time, Vogelweh and Pulaski Barracks were open to Germans, who often used those military neighborhoods as traffic shortcuts, Goff said.

"When they started coming up with the fencing, the Germans, they got a little upset, but they had to understand it was U.S. government property," he said.

There were other shifts, too. Security concerns meant less German access to private clubs on base.

"That seemed to change the relations," Goff said. "We wouldn't see our German friends come to the Ramstein rodeo, for example. The Germans loved that stuff."

Over the years, the military has always adjusted security depending on world events. But after 9/11, the big gates and armed guards at base entry points never went away.

In the years after the attacks, the military also invested heavily in improving on-post amenities in Europe, which resulted in more mini-America accoutrements. With more fast-food restaurants and base shopping malls, troops increasingly had the option of hunkering down during Europe assignments.

Weissenborn said that during the Cold War and up until the terrorist attacks, friendly encounters between Germans and Americans were more common.

German-American friendship festivals were major events in Stuttgart, but with fewer troops and more security, now such gatherings seem perfunctory, Weissenborn said.

"Now, there is no concerted effort of reaching out," he said. "And that goes for both sides."
The Pentagon will begin regular mandatory COVID-19 testing of unvaccinated civilian workers this fall, its next step in fighting the disease after requiring troops to get the shots, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said Wednesday.

Hicks said the department is adding stricter monitoring of its massive workforce of about 700,000 civilians, and also is considering how to deal with contractors, after President Joe Biden announced in July his intention to test all federal employees.

"We're working closely across the department and with interagency colleagues on the right approach for our contractors who are present on a routine basis on defense installations to make sure we have the right strategy for them," Hicks said during a virtual defense conference.

Civilian employees will be required to provide an "attestation of testing," meaning they must supply proof of vaccination, or undergo testing to monitor for the disease, which has killed 436 people in the Defense Department.

More than half of the reported deaths -- 282 -- were civilians. COVID-19 has killed 96 contractors and 40 service members, according to the department.

Read Next: Airmen Have Less than Two Months to Get Fully Vaccinated

But only about half of the civilian workforce, or 310,669 employees, has been fully vaccinated, the department's data shows.

The Pentagon is the largest federal agency and one of the largest civilian employers in the U.S., making its switch to mandatory testing significant. Businesses, states and health care facilities across the country also have mandated regular testing.

Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered all active-duty troops to be vaccinated, and the military services are in the process of rolling out rules and timelines. The Pentagon has said the vaccine mandate is a lawful order and troops face repercussions for refusing, though it remains unclear whether it would result in judicial punishment or separation from the military.

Biden announced the federal employee testing requirement July 29 in an effort to ramp up lagging national vaccination rates as the Delta variant of the coronavirus first took hold.

"Anyone who does not attest to being fully vaccinated will be required to wear a mask on the job no matter their geographic location, physically distance from all other employees and visitors, comply with a weekly or twice weekly screening testing requirement, and be subject to restrictions on official travel," the White House announcement said.

-- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten.

Related: Lawmakers Try to Ban Dishonorable Discharges for Troops Who Refuse Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccines
When hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the western facade of the Pentagon on 9/11, 125 people inside the building were killed along with the flights 59 passengers and crew. It was one of the deadliest single attacks on the U.S. military in modern history and killed the highest ranking Army officer since WWII. As flames and black smoke billowed from the Pentagon, the first major unit to respond was the Armys Military District of Washington Engineer Company.

The unit is a unique one in that it is the only technical rescue company in the DoD. The soldiers in the unit come from diverse backgrounds including firefighters, combat engineers, horizontal and vertical construction engineers, and other support specialties. To become part of the unit, soldiers undergo additional training and certification as rescue technicians and mine rescuers.

That September morning, the company was engaged in training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. We did all of our in-house training, from rope rescue to confined space to collapse structure, to shoring anything in that nature, Fred Brown told Army News Service. Brown, who now works as a Fairfax County Government project manager, was a senior NCO in the unit at the time. Shortly before 0900, he got word of the attacks in New York.

Fire crews work to put out the flames following the collapse of the E Ring, 11 September 2001. (U.S. Air Force/TSgt Louis Briscese)

He recalled a group of his soldiers who were on their way to a funeral service less than an hour away in Quantico. However, his leadership believed that the attacks were isolated to New York and insisted that the group continue to the funeral. That all changed when Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 0937. This was the real deal and the units training would be put to the test for the first time.

Brown called his soldiers back (again) and prepped gear for their mission. We were prepared to move within an hour, he recalled. The first team arrived at the Pentagon aboard a helicopter with a sling load of search and rescue equipment. However, they were asked to land rather than fastrope because the last hijacked plane (United Airlines Flight 93) was still in the air. The helo was redirected to Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. where they pre-staged their gear.

A firefighter works to put out fires burning in the E Ring of the Pentagon near the heliport control tower, 11 September 2001. (U.S. Ai Force/TSgt Louis Briscese)

Thirty minutes south at Fort Belvoir, Brown directed the loading of the companys Humvees for the mission of their lives. Along with Sgt. Dewey Snavely, who was on terminal leave but returned to the unit when he heard of the attacks, Brown took a Humvee ahead of the main body to meet with the advance team at Fort McNair and head to the Pentagon.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw when they arrived. There was chaos, Brown said. He linked up with the incident commander who was expecting the company. Shortly after, the bulk of the unit arrived along with local, state, and federal first responders. Thats when Browns years of training kicked in. I didnt think of anything except making sure that my guys were suited up correctly, he said. We were supplied with air apparatuses, and we went in and did the search.

A triage team prepares to work, 11 September 2001. (U.S. Air Force/TSgt Louis Briscese)

As bad as the scene was on the outside, the interior of the building was even worse. It was a living hell, Snavely recounted to ANS. When we first went in, there had been water sprayed on the building for so long, there was so much water in between the corridors, walkways had filled up with water. With nowhere for the water to drain, it flowed down the hallways carrying pieces of the plane, building rubble, and victims.

Whenever we found human remains, we informed the [FBI] because, by now, it is a known terrorist attack, Snavely said. the best that I can remember, everybody that we found died in the impact. This reality weighed heavy on the soldiers who were trained in search and rescue. Brown had to rally his troops.

Triage teams prepare to work, 11 September 2001. (U.S. Air Force/TSgt Louis Briscese)

[Were] search and recovery, but we switched into recovery mode only, he said. We just dealt with it. Many of the young Soldiers were recovering unrecognizable bodies, often unable to decipher burnt insulation from the flesh. It was hard on them. I made them understand I appreciate what theyre doing, the country appreciates what theyre doing and to let me know if there are any issues theyre having.

With leadership from their NCOs, the untested soldiers completed their mission at the Pentagon. The Soldiers that went in there performed their duty, and they did it well, Brown said. The unprecedented disaster validated their training and high standards.

In 2006, the unit was redesignated as the 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company for its efforts at the Pentagon on September 11. Today, the 911th TREC continues to train hard and specializes in rope rescue, confined space rescue, structural collapse, mine or tunnel rescue and trench rescue.

More articles from We Are the Mighty:

These sisters were children at the Pentagon daycare center on 9/11. Now theyre in the military.

Two more 9/11 victims were identified just before the 20th anniversary

This Dutch teenager spent 10,000 hours and $10,000 on his 9/11 memorial

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Sept. 10: Motter was not claimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Worcester, the Red Sox announced Friday

Sept. 7: The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves before this evenings game against the Rays. Utilitymen Kike Hernandez and Danny Santana were both reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list. To open active roster space, outfielder Franchy Cordero was optioned to Triple-A Worcester while infielder Taylor Motter was designated for assignment.

Hernandez was the first player on the Red Sox to test positive amidst the recent viral spread that has affected a sizable chunk of the roster. Hes also the first player to return from that group, and hell take his customary place atop the lineup this evening. Signed over the offseason to a two-year deal, Hernandez has put together one of the better seasons of his career in his first year in Boston. The 30-year-old owns a .258/.346/.465 line over 483 plate appearances.

Motter was claimed off waivers from the Rockies last Thursday to bolster the infield depth with Hernandez, Santana, Xander Bogaerts and Yairo Munoz all on the COVID IL. Hell lose his roster spot after just three games with a couple of the original options returning. While internal players selected as COVID replacements can be bumped from the active and 40-man rosters without being made available to other teams, those acquired from outside the organization (like Motter) still need to stick on the 40-man or be exposed to waivers.

While Motter hasnt gotten much of a big league look this season, he posted fantastic numbers with the Rockies top affiliate in Albuquerque. Over 265 plate appearances with the Isotopes, Motter hit .335/.460/.759 with 24 home runs and matching strikeout and walk rates (18.5%). That strong showing  coupled with his positional versatility  could pique the interest of another club once he lands on waivers.

While the Red Sox have begun to get some players back from the COVID IL, it wasnt unanimously positive news on that front. Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, who landed on the IL last Sunday, has tested positive for the virus, manager Alex Cora revealed to reporters (including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe). The positive test will keep another key player for Boston out of action for at least the next week-plus. The Red Sox enter play tonight holding a three-game advantage over the Blue Jays and Mariners in the American League Wild Card race.
After a six-year-long battle, a farmer in Andhra Pradesh finally got justice. In a plea filed by 62-year-old Savithramma from SPS Nellore district, the Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC) sentenced to jail term or penalty, five officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) for not following its orders on paying compensation to the farmer.

Those convicted by justice Battu Devanand include Revu Mutyala Raju, who was district collector of SPS Nellore and is additional secretary of the chief minister, MV Seshagiri Babu (former collector), KVN Chakradhara (present collector SPS Nellore district), Shamsher Singh Rawat (principal finance secretary) and Manmohan Singh, who is now retired but was principal secretary for revenue.

In its order, the bench says, "This Court by order, dated 17 March 2017, directed the respondents to pay compensation to the petitioner within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order. The compensation was paid to the petitioner only on 30 March 2021. This Court already noticed that the land was taken away by advance compensation from the petitioner in 2015. So, from 2015, the petitioner, who is a 62-year old widow, has been facing serious hardships for her survival at this old age. Taking into account the hardships being faced by the petitioner, due to wilful disobedience of the Court order by contemnors, in the considered opinion of the Court, it is appropriate to award costs in favour of the petitioner to meet the ends of justice."

The HC also asked the state government to pay additional Rs1 lakh to Savithramma towards the cost of the litigation and recover this amount from the erring officers. During the hearing, the authorities paid Rs1.30 crore as compensation for her land.

Mr Singh, who was principal secretary for revenue, is sentenced to four weeks in prison along with a fine of Rs1,000. If he fails to pay the fine, he should undergo simple imprisonment for seven days, the HC says.

Mr Raju, the additional secretary to the chief minister, is sentenced to two weeks simple imprisonment and will pay a fine of Rs1,000. Mr Rawat, the principal finance secretary, is sentenced to one months imprisonment and a fine of Rs2,000. Mr Seshagiri Babu, former collector and Mr Chakradhara, collector of SPS Nellore, are fined Rs2,000 each by the HC.

These IAS officers had tendered unconditional apologies but the Court did not accept it, saying "it is not bonafide."

"In the opinion of the Court, if any lenient view is taken against such type of officers, who are not implementing the orders of this Court, for years together, and implementing Court orders only after directing their appearance before the Court, in the opinion of this Court, it will send the wrong message to such type of government officers," the bench pointed out.

The 62-year-old Savithramma was a pattadar of land at Kanupur village in the Venkatachalam mandal. Following a proposal from the Union government to set up composite regional centre for persons with disabilities at Nellore, the district administration in 2015 allotted a 10-acre plot in the Kanupur village, including three acres of land of Savitharamma. However, the farmer woman was not paid compensation for the land.

She approached the Lokayukta and then the Andhra Pradesh HC. On 10 February 2017, the HC directed the state government to pay the compensation of Rs1.30 crore within three months. However, till 30 March 2021, Savithramma was not paid any compensation for her land.

The HC noted, "Though the respondents make several contentions in their counter-affidavits, one thing is clear that due to the inaction of the respondents in taking proper steps to comply with the order of the Court, the petitioner sustained irreparable loss and hardships for four years."

In the order, justice Devanand also passed strictures on Mr Rawat, the principal finance secretary. "...this officer worked as principal secretary to the finance department from 6 July 2020 to 15 February 2021 and from 19 March 2021 to till the payment of compensation to the petitioner on 30 March 2021. Upon perusal of the averments made in the counter affidavit filed by this respondent and the tone and tenor of the language used by this officer in his counter, in the opinion of the Court, this officer is under the impression that he need not implement the orders of the Court unless specific direction issued to him by the Court," the HC says.

Holding these IAS officers guilty of wilful disobedience, the HC then sentenced them to jail terms and levied penalties.

Here is the order passed by the Andhra Pradesh HC...
A subscriber of Moneylife forwarded to us an email sent by the office of the banking ombudsman, Delhi with a link to an online survey to evaluate the customer satisfaction level with respect to the complaint resolution process of the ombudsman.

Manish Kapoor (name changed) had filed a complaint last year on behalf of his carpenterSalman Khan (name changed). Mr Khan had taken a loan from the erstwhile Corporation Bank (now merged with the Union Bank of India) to buy a refrigerator and the equated monthly instalments (EMIs) had turned into a nightmare for him.

Mr Kapoor wrote to us saying RBI Ombudsman offices across India have started asking for feedback about a month ago. I have received a mail with the survey link for the complaint I had lodged last year. The questionnaire is available at this link:

He pointed out an obvious flaw in one of the most important questions in the questionnaire. The questionnaire asks respondents to choose their responses Considering your experience at this grievance redressal forum, kindly rate your level of agreement with the following statements. Kindly rate from 1 to 5, where 1 denotes strongly disagree and 5 denotes strongly agree

The flawed fifth question is mandatory and reads : "Overall, I am satisfied with the resolution of my complaint at the Office of the Banking Ombudsman *"

There is an empty text box below it to choose the rating from the drop-down list but the rating choice in drop-down is limited to only one option and that is 5. This is a perfect example of my way or the highway. Thus, respondents do not have the option to respond with a rating of anything other than 5 (strongly agree).

This in-built 'agreement bias' or 'conformity bias' means that they are being arm-twisted and forced to say that they are satisfied with the resolution of their complaints even when they might not be satisfied. The net result is that the survey results would portray a skewed analysis that consumers appear to be happier than they are with the Ombudsman resolution.

Mr Kapoor had reached nearly the end of the survey when he realised that the question is flawed. He refused to fill in the answer for that question and finally ended up not submitting the survey response.

It is not clear whether the Delhi office of Banking Ombudsman is trying to game the feedback or it is a technical error. It is, indeed, surprising that a questionnaire with such a flaw was rolled out without adequate testing and checks. But one thing is clear that the responses will be collated and will lead to flawed conclusions and inferences which will then be presented by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its banking ombudsman annual report and showcased proudly to announce that 100% customers are happy and satisfied with the resolution of their complaints to the Delhi office of banking ombudsman when the ground reality may actually be quite different.

Essentially, the banking ombudsman, Delhi office is pushing for the answers they want their higher-ups to see. But this is not scientific data collection. It is public relations or marketing. Either way, it is what we call gaming the system. Ombudsman reports are strangely complimentary to themselves.

The flawed question is restricted to the customer satisfaction survey rolled out by Delhi office of the banking ombudsman. Moneylife has accessed a similar survey from the Banking Ombudsman, Kanpur and it has multiple options from 1 to 5 as answers and is worded correctly.

In the annual report of the banking ombudsman released on 17 December 2019, RBI had mentioned that it had conducted a feedback collection exercise of those who have registered a complaint with the banking ombudsman through Karvy Data Management Limited.

A similar questionnaire seems to have been used then. RBI's banking ombudsman annual report had stated A third-party survey has shown overall satisfaction level of 73% among complainants under BOS, which RBI will strive to improve further.

The questionnaire checked on the source through which the respondent got to know about the ombudsman scheme (print media, friends / family, electronic media, internet and others), rating on a scale of five (1-strongly disagree and 5  strongly agree) on the following:

1) Process of lodging complaint with BO was simple and easy

2) Complaint was resolved in reasonable time (60 days)

3) Ombudsman tried to promote a settlement of the complaint by agreement between the complainant and the bank through conciliation and mediation

4) Escalating a complaint against any deficiency of service to the Ombudsman drives the service provider to redress the complaint immediately

5) Overall satisfaction with the resolution of complaint.

Suggestion of the respondent is also solicited at the end of the questionnaire.
We had mentioned in Tuesdays closing report that Nifty, Sensex may give up some gains. On Wednesday, the indices were volatile and ended flat. On the NSE, there were 1,062 advances, 918 declines and 1 unchanged.

The trend of the major indices on Wednesdays trading are given in the table below:

Maruti Suzukis production numbers for August 2021 showed decline of 7.9% at 1.14 lakh units against 1.24 lakh units in the same period last year.

Adani Power Maharashtra was declared as successful bidder for commercial mining of Gondkhari coal block in Maharashtra.

Sun Pharma has forayed into the nutrition bar segment with the launch of Revital NXT.

In its first case it has heard and dealt with under the IT Act 2000, the Rajasthan government imposed a fine of Rs 27 lakh on telecom company Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) on a data leak matter.

PSP Projects received a letter of intent for projects worth Rs 132.57 crore towards industrial and precast segment from different clients in Gujarat.

Life Insurance Corporation of India sold more than 2.07 lakh equity shares of ICRA via open market transaction, reducing shareholding to 5.81% from 7.96%.

Caplin Point Labs subsidiary Caplin Steriles was granted final approval by the USFDA for its Labetalol Hydrochloride Injection which is used for control of blood pressure in severe hypertension.

JSPL through its step-down subsidiary, Jindal Steel & Power (Australia) Pty Ltd, made a pre-payment of USD 105.66 million to reduce the Australian debt by approx. 50%.

Biocon and its subsidiaries have entered into a confidential settlement agreement with Celgene Corporation relating to patents for REVLIMID.

Ratnamani Metals & Tubes received a domestic order of Rs 148.95 crore for supply of carbon steel line pipes from Oil & Gas sector.

Ramkrishna Forgings bagged an export order worth Rs 130 crore from an OEM in a CIS country for the period of three years.

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:
A special bench headed by chief justice NV Ramana told the Union government that the Supreme Court is not keen on having a confrontation, but its patience is running out on delay in filling up vacancies at critical tribunals. Around 250 posts are lying vacant at various key tribunals, such as National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) and Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

The bench, also comprising justice DY Chandrachud and justice L Nageswara Rao, says tribunals across the country are on the verge of collapse, and some are only working with one member, and cases are being adjourned by as much as a year.

Chief justice Ramana told solicitor general Tushar Mehta, We are upset, we will give you three to four days. The bench clearly told Mr Mehta to convince the government to fill long-pending vacancies at tribunals by the next hearing on 13 September 2021.

The matter has remained unresolved since 2017 when the ministry of finance notified rules regarding qualifications, duration of tenure and composition of the search-cum-selection committees. The apex court struck this down in 2019.

The Union government made several attempts to introduce these rules, which were thwarted by the apex court, including the Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance. Despite this, on 13 August 2021, the Tribunal Reforms Bill was passed in Parliament. On 16th August, the apex court termed the passing of the bill as serious.

The Tribunal Reforms Act has provisions similar to the ones struck down by the Supreme Court. Justice Chandrachud even mentioned that the Tribunal Act is virtually a replica of the provisions struck down by the court in the Madras Bar Association case.

In August, the SC took cognisance at the behest of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that alleged that the enactment was ultra vires the governments Constitutional prerogatives.

The Tribunal Reforms Act dissolves eight tribunals, conferring their jurisdiction on high courts and civil courts. It also changes the procedure of the constitution of tribunals, granting the power of appointment and removal upon the search-cum-selection committee (SCSC). Further, a person below the age of 50 is ineligible for an appointment as chairperson or member of the tribunal. The selection committee is expected to recommend three names to the panel, four-year term of members, and salary and terms of appointment to be the same as bureaucrats.

At the beginning of the hearing on Monday, solicitor general Mehta asked for an adjournment in the matter. Denying adjournment, chief justice Mr Ramana says, You have no respect for the judgments of this court. You are testing our patience.

Mr Mehta shared a screenshot of a letter addressed to him by the finance ministry on 6th September. The ministry said the rules under Tribunal Reforms Act 2021 are being finalised and will soon be notified. The new law has paved the way for filling up of vacancies in the tribunals... The government will ensure that within the next two weeks, a decision on appointment to all the tribunals is taken where the Search-cum-Selection Committees-SCSCs have already given their recommendations to the government, the letter says.

However, the contents of the letters did not budge the bench, which instead shot a volley of questions at Mr Mehta while making critical observations on the Act.

Justice Rao questioned the assurance in the ministrys letter regarding filling up vacancies in the tribunals. He asked the solicitor general, The appointments have been pending for over a year-and-a-half. Why were these appointments not made?

The bench says, Next time we issue a judgement, there will be a new law contrary to the judgement. It is a replica!

Justice Chandrachud noted that names for appointments were cleared by the intelligence bureau (IB) and then by a committee that included top court judges and senior-level bureaucrats.

No clarity, why they are deleted? We sat together with bureaucrats and made decisions. It is a waste of energy, said justice Chandrachud.

Justice Rao says if appointments were not made, then tribunals would have to be closed. Emasculating by not appointing members, he added.

Chief justice Mr Ramana told solicitor general Mr Mehta that you never advise the government to make legislation after legislation, This is how the bureaucracy functions, I understand! But government needs to take a call.

We are not interested in or inviting any confrontation. We are listing it next Monday. By that time, see that appointments are made, the chief justice added.

Further, he says, We are happy with the appointment of judges (nine judges to the apex court). We do not want any confrontation with the government.

The chief justice emphasised that the Union government should fill up vacancies in tribunals, as it did for the Supreme Court.

He told Mr Mehta, The tribunals have virtually collapsed. Why are you so particular about the tribunals?

Justice Chandrachud also told the solicitor general that NCLT and NCLAT are critical to the economy and important for the rehabilitation of corporate entities. He added that important cases are not being heard because of vacancies and that not appointing members at these tribunals creates a very critical position.

The bench did not record these oral observations of the Court order; instead, it asked Mr Mehta to engage with the government on appointments. Mr Mehta said that he would convey it to the government.

The bench told the solicitor general, No, conveying is something else. If you dont want an order from us, you pass the order of appointments.

If orders are not implemented, the apex court says it has options, like staying the Tribunal Reforms Act, closing down tribunals, appointing people to fill vacancies, and initiating contempt of court proceedings.

Concluding the hearing, chief justice Mr Ramana stressed that the Court expects some appointments to be made by Monday.
The more you look for change, the more hopeless it makes you feel. If two court orders, discussed in my previous column ( Videocon and Supertech Orders: Blip in a Bleak Landscape or Harbinger of Change? ) held out a ray of hope last week, we are back to staring at the abyss this week.

What is the way forward when a new accounting regulator, doing a credible job, is at war with ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) that is working to undermine it along with a body of chartered accountants (CAs) with a poor track record?

What do you do if the Supreme Court also fails to understand the concept of exemplary penalty imposed on rating agencies, whose repeated failures have inflicted crippling losses on retail and institutional investors?

Lets look at the two episodes that explain why regulators may be reluctant to initiate decisive action because inaction is likely to find more favour with the government and courts.

NFRA at Loggerheads with MCA

The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), a brand new regulator, is at loggerheads with its administrative ministry, the ministry of corporate affairs as well as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). NFRA has already established a good track record with its investigation report on Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) and several auditors involved with the group.

A major bone of contention today is a consultation paper issued in March 2021 by NFRAs technical advisory committee (TAC) titled Enhancing Engagement with Stakeholders Report. Two paragraphs in the Report explain why ICAI is up in arms; but those very paragraphs explain why NFRA came into existence and needs public support, especially at a time when Indias investor population has nearly doubled and over 15 million investors are new to the market and its ways.

ICAI, which regulated the auditors, has a reputation of poor or negligible action against its members and has been opposed to the formation of NFRA  just as brokers used to be against the formation of the capital market regulator. Finance minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman has the charge of MCA, under which comes NFRA. Investors, as key savers and major stakeholders, should expect her to step in put an end to an unseemly war that has been extensively reported by N Sundaresha Subramanian in The Economic Times. Instead of reading the riot act to the warring parties and putting public interest first, the government appears unconcerned, even supportive, of those trying to destabilise the new regulator.

For instance, Mr Subramanian narrates how NFRA, on 29th June, had to write to MCA not to appoint CAs, even as part-time members on the regulatory body, since they are regulated entities. The NFRA letter that he obtained under Right to Information (RTI) minces no words. It says, In our considered opinion, it is travesty of independent audit regulation, and a mockery of the basic principles underlying the same, to have practising CAs even as part-time members of the authority. Apart from substantive objections to such membership, this also results in appearing to cut at the independence of the regulator.

This is not about a turf war alone, but a glaring example of how ignorant our bureaucrats and policy-makers are of the basic concepts of regulation, supervision, oversight and regulatory independence. When these fundamental tenets are compromised, we get crony capitalism, corruption and collusion, all of which leads to frequent corporate failures, affecting ordinary savers.

Over the past 30 years, we have watched every independent regulator being systematically compromised and defanged. Loyalty to the administrative ministry or minister in charge is the key consideration for appointments to top positions and repeated tenure extensions. It is ironical that many of those who tacitly supported or went along with this system are now calling for reform in regulatory bodies to make them truly independent, without calling for specific wrongs to be corrected.

Credit Rating Failure? No Consequences

We have often criticised the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for not acting quickly enough, or severely enough, against wrongdoers. While that is largely true, most glaringly in the co-location scam at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the penalty imposed on CARE Ratings in the Reliance Communications (RCom) ratings fiasco shows us what the regulator is up against. Or why SEBI would feel that it is futile to get tough with influential intermediaries or corporate houses.

Lets begin with the fact that three of the top four rating agencies have been badly exposed by big corporate defaults such as IL&FS, Altico Capital, Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL), Cox & Kings, a slew of Anil Ambani companies and others. SEBI, too, has been acting after the fact and imposing penalties on the rating agencies. This is cold comfort to investors who have lost money; but at least it showed the regulators willingness to punish wrongdoing. In September 2020, SEBI raised the penalty imposed on CARE Ratings (CARE), ICRA Ltd and Indian Ratings from Rs25 lakh to Rs1 crore for lapses in the IL&FS group entities.

In June 2020, SEBI imposed a penalty of Rs1 crore on CARE for taking its time to downgrade the rating of RCom, even while two other raters had downgraded it six months earlier, after RComs struggle to meet interest payments became evident. RCom had issued Rs2,000 crore of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) which were to mature in 2019; but it began to default on interest and payment of principal in 2016 and CARE had maintained a higher rating until November 2017many months after Moodys Investor Services and Fitch Ratings had announced a downgrade.

CARE contested the order and managed to persuade the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) to slash the penalty to a mere Rs10 lakh  not even a slap on the wrist really. SATs stunning failure to grasp a rating agencys responsibilities or understand how thousands of crores of rupees of public money is invested on the basis the credit rating is encapsulated in this sentence: The charge is one of lack of due diligence and it is not a case where ratings were not downgraded. The ratings were downgraded by the appellants but not in a timely manner. There could be a case of carelessness or sluggishness or laxity in the manner in which the downgrading was done by the appellant but it is not a case of oversight.

SEBI appealed the order and one expected the apex court to do better. Shockingly, the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed SEBIs special leave petition against the order allowing the reduced penalty to stand. The two-judge bench reportedly clarified that this reduction cannot be a precedent in all cases, but that is hardly of any consequence. The judgement sends out a chilling message that you should rely on ratings at your own peril and the rater will face no significant damage for breach of fiduciary duties.

The standing committee of Parliament on finance had taken note of the need for a fresh evaluation of the credit rating framework in India. The committee is headed by Jayant Sinha, who, unlike past convention, is from the ruling coalition and would have no real incentive to rake up issues that don't show the government in good light, especially after the latest SC ruling.

Over the past few years, the failure of several banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), stock brokers and corporate bankruptcies, have inflicted crippling losses on millions of investors and savers. These losses, if tabulated, would be significantly more than Rs25,000 crore in the past four years alone, including equity and fixed deposits written off. The unseemly move to undermine NFRA and the strange SC order to prevent SEBI from inflicting even small amounts of penalty on a rating agency which failed to do its job, explains why scams continue to happen regularly. Investors are really on their own; don't expect much help from the government, regulators and courts.
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A mix of clouds and sun. High 88F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
September 08, 2021 CNN 'Exclusive' Repeats MoA's Year Old Reporting - Ukraine/CIA Tried To Snatch Russian Veterans Trust in U.S. media is at a record low: The United States ranks last in media trust  at 29%  among 92,000 news consumers surveyed in 46 countries, a report released Wednesday found. Thats worse than Poland, worse than the Philippines, worse than Peru. (Finland leads at 65%.) One reason is that U.S. media are either not reporting important events, are misreporting them, or are very late in covering twisted plots that even a lowly blogger can get right just as they happen. On August 7 2020 Moon of Alabama reported on a Ukrainian operation designed to lead to the arrest, in Ukraine, of soldiers who had fought on the side of Donbas during the Ukrainian war on its east: People who had claimed to work for the Russian oil conglomerate Rosneft, but used a fake Rosneft domain for their emails, had hired Ukrainian/Russian veterans who had fought on the pro-Russian side in the civil war in the Ukraine. The men were told that they would guard oil fields in Syria and in Venezuela. They received some money and were given tickets prepared for them for a flight from Minsk to Turkey. Those tickets were booked by an Ukrainian travel agency in Kiev which seems to have been founded solely for that purpose. But when the mercenaries arrived in Belarus they were told that the flight had been canceled. They were put into a local hotel and told to wait a few days for another flight. The Ukrainian secret service then informed Lukashenko that a group of Russian mercenaries were in his country to launch a coup during the upcoming election. Lukashenko has publicly acknowledged that the information about the group had come from the Ukraine. Belarus arrested the men and the Ukraine immediately demand their extradition. the original idea had been to make the plane with the former soldiers land in the Ukraine during its flight from Minsk to Turkey. The former soldiers would then have been arrested. But some entity on the Ukrainian side - some says its president's office, others blame the CIA - sabotaged the original plan to create a ruckus in Belarus. After Russian media uncovered the whole plot Belarus released the veterans and let them go back to Russia. On September 21 2020 Moon of Alabama flogged the New York Times over misreporting the story: [The August 7 version of the] story has since been confirmed by the Ukrainian side (see below). But today's New York Times report does not tell that story at all. It makes it seem as if Lukashenko changed his mind about the 'Russian coup' not because he gained knowledge of the real plot, but because he was under pressure from election protests.

...

The NYT makes it look as if the Ukrainian intelligence service and the CIA were not involved at all and as if the revealed Ukrainian plot has not been real. The change in the 'Russian coup' story is attributed solely to the changing needs of Lukashenko. That is of course bollocks. The Ukrainian plot was real. We know that because officials from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, which is supported by the U.S. State Department, have officially admitted it and because the Ukrainian media have been all over the story.

...

There is zero doubt that the Ukrainian plot, which was planned and executed together with the CIA, was real. More than a year after Moon of Alabama provided an extensive account of the whole plot CNN is today (re-?)publishing the very same story as an "Exclusive" report: Ukraine spies tried to ensnare alleged Russian war criminals with a fake website, promises of riches and an international sting

EXCLUSIVE by Matthew Chance and Zahra Ullah, CNN Three former high-ranking Ukrainian military intelligence officials described exclusively to CNN how they orchestrated the extraordinary operation aimed at luring suspected war criminals out of Russia to face prosecution for atrocities committed in eastern Ukraine where separatists backed by Moscow have been fighting for years.

...

It was apparently of interest to US intelligence too, although US officials deny having a direct role. According to the Ukrainian intelligence officials, the Ukrainian-led operation got US cash, technical assistance and advice from the CIA on how to draw the Russian mercenaries in. A senior US official told CNN those claims are "false." The CNN report is sprinkled with Ukrainian propaganda. But there is otherwise nothing in the 'Exclusive' story except the last sentence quoted above which, according to the old adage "never believe anything until it is officially denied", is a confirmation of the CIA's extensive involvement in the plot. Considering that it took me only the better part of two days work from behind my desk to get the whole story right a full year ago this sentence in the CNN story is somewhat frustrating: CNN spent weeks in Ukraine, verifying and reviewing accounts of the operation and speaking to the men who were on the inside. Weeks of paid vacation for a story that was a just a web search away ... Nice job if you can get it. The Russian authorities have acknowledged the CNN report and call out the Ukrainian government and the CIA over it: The CNN report disclosing the circumstances of an attempt to kidnap Russians in Belarus in 2020 confirms that Ukraine's secret services, in fact, commit acts of state terrorism, a spokesman for Russia's federal security service FSB told the media on Wednesday. "The [Ukrainian] authorities are not interested in an impartial investigation of this affair. Because if it is investigated properly, all the facts that were mentioned a year ago and which CNN has now confirmed serve as fresh evidence Ukraine commits acts of state terrorism by the hands of its secret services. This is an accusation at a level of an international criminal court. There is no getting away from this."

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"We remember perfectly well what happened then: our citizens were in fact lured into Belarus by the GUR [main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry] and the security service SBU under the guidance of the United States' CIA. ..."

Intent one of the plot - to get the Russian veterans in front of an Ukrainian court - has failed. Intent two of the plot - to create panic in the government of Belarus just as the CIA's color revolution there was gaining steam - also failed. But what has failed even more is the U.S. media reporting of the whole story. Posted by b on September 8, 2021 at 16:45 UTC | Permalink Comments
Sayre, PA (18840)

Today

Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Does vaccination have an impact on hospital numbers? In El Paso, that answer is an emphatic yes.

Vaccinations, according to health officials in El Paso, were a game-changer. In fact, when vaccines became available it was hard for the University Medical Center to keep up. High demand created long lines.

Demand was so great that thousands of people from El Paso came to the Horseshoe in Midland for a vaccination. In April, Midland Health reported more than 3,300 vaccinations total provided to residents of just four El Paso area zip codes. All totaled, vaccinations were provided in Midland for people from 22 different El Paso area zip codes.

University Medical Center officials and others around the city eventually sought larger facilities, drive-through vaccination efforts and mobilized vaccination stations to provide shots for those in need.

UMC officials said Tuesday those 65 and older in El Paso are 88.6 percent fully vaccinated. Those 12 and older are 73.9 fully vaccinated and 86.4 percent have received at least one shot. Those numbers are consistent with other border counties. In Presidio, the percentages are 92.64 and 82.70, respectively. In Webb County, where Laredo is located, the percentages are 85.97 and 83.45.

In Midland, that percentage of those 65 and older that are fully vaccinated is 67.88  the lowest percentage of any larger-population county in West Texas. The percentage of those 12-plus that are fully vaccinated inside Midland County, according to the state, is 42.3 percent.

Historically, El Paso has been receptive to vaccines, said Miguel Rivera, UMCs Infection Control director. We started giving vaccinations, started seeing efficacy and no one was getting sick.

The higher vaccination percentages, Rivera said, is keeping people out of the hospital. The difference appears to be night and day.

Officials said at the end of last year (prior to the availability of vaccines), El Paso had its issues with COVID infection and hospital beds being used for COVID patients. They described the entire hospital as a COVID unit, with peak numbers reaching 242. They also said they lost 918 people to COVID between Oct. 11 and Dec. 31.

That will shake a community, Rivera said.

What officials are seeing following the July 4 holiday is different. The delta variant is not overstressing the hospitals infrastructure. While Midland Memorial Hospital has had more than 120 COVID inpatients during the latest spike, University Medical Center, a public facility, has had no more than 30 inpatients on any day, is seeing days with zero COVID admissions and numbers appear to have plateaued in August/September in the low-to-mid 20s.

Rivera credits vaccines. He said in July the ratio of patients in UMC were three unvaccinated for every one that was vaccinated. That ratio increased to 5:1 in August and September. He also said no vaccinated patients have ended up in ICU or on a ventilator.

Midland Health reported 109 COVID inpatients on Tuesday morning and basically as many waiting in the ER for a bed to become available as UMC has COVID inpatients in its hospital.

Again, University Medical Center in El Paso experienced what Midland is currently going through. But that is in the past, according to officials, thanks to vaccination and COVID inpatient numbers that have other areas envious.

Vaccination rates

(Counties)

12+

El Paso 73.91

Lubbock 46.67

Tom Green 45.29

Taylor 43.91

Randall 42.98

Midland 42.30

Potter 41.67

Ector 41.33

65+

El Paso 88.65

Tom Green 76.45

Taylor 75.42

Lubbock 74.87

Ector 72.26

Potter 71.66

Randall 70.49

Midland 67.88

Source: Department of State Health Services
LONDON (AP)  Britains interior minister was meeting her French counterpart on Wednesday as the U.K. pressed France to do more to stop a surge of migrants trying to cross the English Channel in small boats.

Dozens of women, men and children, wrapped up in blankets, were brought ashore Wednesday in the southeast England port of Dover by British Border Force boats after being picked up from dinghies in the Channel.

Thousands of migrants have landed on beaches in southeast England in recent days amid calm, summery weather, with 785 arriving on Monday alone, according to Britains Home Office. More than 12,000 have made the crossing this year, according to Britains Press Association news agency. In 2020, about 8,500 people made the journey, and several died in the attempt.

Migrants have long used northern France as a launching point to reach Britain, either by stowing away in trucks or on ferries, or  increasingly since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted international travel  in dinghies and other small boats organized by smugglers.

The British and French governments have worked for years to stop the journeys, without much success. Earlier this year, Britain agreed to give France 54 million pounds ($74 million) to help fund a doubling of the number of police patrolling French beaches.

But Channel crossings continue to soar. According to the French Maritime Prefecture in charge of the Channel, this year through July has seen 556 operations involving 12,148 migrants attempting to cross or crossing the Channel by boat. That compares to 868 such events involving 9,551 migrants in all of 2020.

Britain has not yet paid the promised money, and U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel has suggested she could withhold it if France does not do more to stop the smuggling boats from departing. She will talk with French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin during a two-day G-7 interior ministers meeting in London that begins Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said stopping the crossings depended largely on the French authorities.

We depend to a large extent on what the French are doing, but clearly as time goes on and this problem continues, we are going to have to make sure that we use every possible tactic at our disposal to stop what I think is a vile trade and a manipulation of peoples hopes, he told lawmakers in the House of Commons.

Refugee charities said the tough talk from the British government was pointless, and urged the government to make it easier for asylum-seekers to safely come to the U.K.

Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, said Patel should reach an agreement with her French counterpart to develop a humanitarian visa which would give safe passage to those likely to be recognized as refugees in the U.K.

French lawmaker Pierre-Henri Dumont, who represents the Calais region of northern France, said authorities there were doing all they could.

The fact is, weve got 300 to 400 kilometers (190 to 250 miles) of shore to monitor every day and every night, and its quite impossible to have police officers every 100 meters (330 feet) because of the length of the shore, he told the BBC.

We cannot stop all the crossings, he added. We need to address the causes of migration.

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Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this story.

___

Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
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.
Horry County saw a slight rise in COVID-19 cases last week, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported Tuesday.

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, there were a total of 1,806 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county. The number of confirmed cases in the past week is a near 2% increase from the previous week, which saw 1,772 confirmed cases.

The county saw a total of 37 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths combined from Sunday, Aug. 29, to Saturday, Sept. 4, the second-most across the state behind Greenville County.

As of Sunday, a total of 170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Horry County, DHEC said Tuesday. The 170 confirmed cases are the sixth most in the state.

According to the Horry County Schools COVID-19 dashboard, there were 638 confirmed cases among students as of Tuesday afternoon. Black Water Middle School had the most with 34 confirmed student cases. St. James Middle was second with 32 confirmed student cases.

The dashboard reports that 9,700 of Horry County students are currently in quarantine, meaning more than 20% of the student body is home. According to the dashboard, 37 total schools have at least 100 students in quarantine. A total of nine schools have at least 300 students out in quarantine.

Conway High School, which moved to virtual learning last week, has the most students in quarantine with 800, the dashboard reports.

As schools continue to grapple with the rise in COVID-19 cases in the county, local hospitals are struggling as well.

Conway Medical Center spokesperson Allyson Floyd said CMC was at 73% capacity as of Tuesday morning.

Floyd said that CMC currently has 50 COVID positive hospitalized patients, with 20 in ICU and 13 on ventilators. Of the 50 COVID positive patients, 44 are unvaccinated, one is partially vaccinated and five are fully vaccinated.

From Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, there were 10 COVID patient deaths at CMC.

Last week, Tidelands Health announced they would be receiving additional support from the South Carolina National Guard to help with the health agency amid the rise in COVID-19 cases across the county.
A $10.2 million project to build a new Illinois National Guard civil engineer complex in Springfield took a step forward Tuesday, when it was included in the National Defense Authorization Act passed by a congressional committee.

The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a measure Aug. 4 for a new facility to house the Base Civil Engineer Complex of the Air National Guard 183rd Wing at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.

On Tuesday, it passed out of the House Armed Services Committee after a 57-2 vote. It now will be considered by the full House and likely go to conference with the Senate to reach a final agreement.

Congressmen Darin LaHood and Rodney Davis had sought funding for the complex at the request of Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, Illinois National Guard adjutant general, and with the approval of the U.S. Department of the Defense.

The complex is meant to address readiness and efficiency by being able to bring together seven facilities that are scattered across the site, replace aging structures and bring three facilities into compliance with Anti-Terrorism Force Protection guidelines.

The men and women in the Illinois Air National Guard 183rd Wing deserve up-to-date resources to continue providing  emergency response and support services, LaHood said.

Davis said the complex was a top priority for Illinois National Guard officials.

Our troops here in central Illinois deserve to have a proper facility to meet their maintenance and preparedness needs, he said. This project would support their important mission. Im hopeful that this project will eventually be included in legislation that is signed into law and (I) will continue to advocate on its behalf.

U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the project was a critical investment for Illinois that would benefit families, communities and the economy in the state.
Bail was set at $75,000 for a South Jacksonville man arrested Sunday, hours after a woman who was found along Michigan Avenue unconscious and not breathing died.

Michael O. Bailey, 48, of South Jacksonville appeared in court Tuesday and formally was charged with reckless homicide, concealment of a homicidal death and failure to report an accident involving death. He did not enter any plea Tuesday to the charges, all of which are felonies.

Court records indicate Bailey remained lodged Tuesday afternoon in the Morgan County jail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 21 in circuit court.

Neither police nor prosecutors were releasing many details of what happened in the early morning hours Sunday that resulted in the death of Edwina Kris Teubner, 58, of Jacksonville because the investigation is ongoing.

Teubner was found about 3:20 a.m. Sunday on the grounds of Prairie Land Heritage Museum at 1005 W. Michigan Ave., according to South Jacksonville Police Chief Eric Hansell.

South Jacksonville and Jacksonville police, Morgan County deputies and crews from South Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and Lifestar Ambulance were called. They arrived to find residents who were on the scene when the woman was found had started CPR, but Teubner was pronounced dead by the county coroners office, Hansell said.

Bailey was arrested shortly after South Jacksonville police began investigating with assistance from Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services.

Teubner worked as a dog groomer at Canine Clipper for more than 30 years and also worked as a hairdresser. She was an avid bowler who took part in local and national tournaments, according to her obituary, and enjoyed boating and being at the lake with friends. She leaves behind two children, two brothers, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Williamson-Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in Jacksonville is in charge of arrangements.
With September and October the most common months for student housing fires and September being Campus Fire Safety Month in Illinois, Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez is encouraging students in higher education to create and practice a fire safety plan.

Illinois is among a number of other states urging students to create and practice a fire escape plan. The goal of this month is to help prevent common campus fires and reduce fire hazards. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fires in student housing cause an average of one death, 32 injuries, and $15 million dollars in property damage each year.

Three out of four of those fires begin in the kitchen. The likelihood of a fire is greatest on the weekends and on weekdays from 5 to 9 p.m. Since January 2000, at least 175 people across the U.S., including students, parents and children, have died in college-related fires with seven of those fatalities occurring in Illinois.

"This month serves as a good reminder for schools, universities, colleges and local municipalities to join together and evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in both on and off-campus student housing," Perez said in a statement. "Its important that all the proper steps are being taken to ensure fire-safe living environments are available for students."

The Office of the State Fire Marshal encourages entities across Illinois to come together and provide educational fire safety outreach programs to all students throughout the entire school year, not just in September. For many students, this could be their first exposure to a fire safety lesson since they were in elementary school. Since this is the first time many students have lived away from home, its more important than ever for students to understand how to create a fire safety escape plan and practice that plan, the office stated

Here are some fire safety tips and ways to help keep students safe when choosing a residence:

 Look for housing on- and off-campus that has sprinklers.

 Make sure that you can hear the buildings fire alarm system.

 Check to make sure all sleeping rooms and common areas have functioning smoke alarms. For optimal protection, all smoke alarms in the home should be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.

 Never remove batteries or disable the alarm.

 Test all smoke alarms at least monthly.

 If you live off-campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.

 Learn the buildings evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing.

 When the smoke alarm or CO alarm sounds, exit the building quickly and stay out until given instructions to return.

 If you smoke, smoke outside and only in designated areas.

 Never leave the kitchen when cooking.

 Check with your local fire department, building management or campus office before using a barbecue grill or fire pit.

 Never overload electrical outlets and check with the school to make sure what electrical appliances are allowed.
The Illinois General Assembly is currently not in session, but there are bills being introduced to new committees and bills being filed with the clerk by different state representatives. For example, on Sept. 3, there were 40 bills in the House referred to committee. On Sept. 7, two bills were introduced to the House clerk.

Here are multiple bills to pay attention to, as bills continue to pass through committees and be given to the other legislative body of Illinois, either the House or Senate.

Illinois Senate Bill 0927 may be the most pressing bill awaiting further action right now, as SB 0927 amends the General Assembly Redistricting Act of 2021 and the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011. It makes various changes to the boundaries of districts based on 2020 federal decennial census data and makes conforming changes in other provisions. The bill would be effective immediately and is awaiting Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature.

SB 2404, currently re-referred to Assignments, was introduced by Illinois Sen. Napoleon Harris and would amend the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. The bill would provide that Nonstorefront Delivery Organizations and Storefront Delivery Organizations are "medical cannabis dispensing organizations," amending the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.

SB 2404 provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Nonstorefront Delivery Organization or Storefront Delivery Organization may acquire cannabis for the purpose of selling or dispensing, exclusively through delivery, cannabis products to purchasers or to qualified registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act.

The bill would also ensure delivery organizations would be able to operate with licenses available no later than Oct. 1 and would contain requirements for application, licensure and background checks. The bill provides that delivery organizations can only engage in sales or deliveries or receive shipments between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and that the organizations may contract with a service that provides a technology platform to facilitate the sale and delivery of cannabis products. It would also label delivery organizations are "cannabis business establishments" and would be effective immediately.

Finally, House Bill 1975, introduced on Feb. 16 and sent to Assignments on May 29, amends the School Code to require the State Board of Education to prepare a parent resource guide to provide a centralized source of available assistance, support, advocacy, and resources to the parent or guardian of a student who is or may be the victim of sexual abuse.

HB 1975 provides for up to two teachers institute days for child abuse prevention training and sexual harassment prevention training, and requires training for school personnel on child sexual abuse. The bill would allow for professional development opportunities concerning the well-being of students and add provisions concerning sexual misconduct in schools, including requiring a school district to develop a code of conduct, an employment history review, and what a sex education class must teach.

HB 1975 would amend the Criminal Code of 2012 to add certain acts to the offenses of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and grooming. The bill would be effective immediately. Edwardsville State Rep. Katie Stuart is signed on to HB 1975 as a co-sponsor.
JERSEYVILLE  Long-time Jersey County Coroner Larry Alexander is being remembered as a good human being.

Alexander, 57, died Monday at home. First elected coroner in 1992, he was the longest-serving coroner in Jersey Countys history.

Larry was above all just a good human being, States Attorney Ben Goetten said. The job of coroner carries with it some unique responsibilities, moments an ordinary person may not be able to bear, like telling a family member their loved one has passed. But Larry was far from ordinary and in those moments he excelled.

Goetten said Alexander had a human connection with inherent grace and empathy.

You cant teach it or be trained to do it, he said.

Carl Crawford of Crawford Funeral Home wrote a tribute to Alexander on his funeral homes Facebook page.

Our community had been dealt a huge loss in unexpected death of Larry Joe Alexander, it read. He was a loyal friend, a professional and dedicated funeral director and coroner, a devout Christian, and most importantly a loving husband and dad. I am thankful for his friendship, his advice, his wicked sense of humor and thankful that God placed him and his family here in Jerseyville. We were and are blessed to have them as a part of our community.

Crawford noted they had been friends for many years.

Although we both had funeral homes in the same town and were competitors, first and foremost, we remained friends, Crawford said.

Goetten said the Jersey County Board has 60 days to appoint a new coroner, who must be a Republican. That person will hold the position until a special election in November 2022. The position will be up for election in 2024.

Alexander, a Republican, was unopposed in the 2020 general election. Goetten said he transcended politics.

He could have run as a candidate in the Whig Party and been elected overwhelmingly, Goetten said. He had an excellent sense of humor and a deep love for his family. Were truly going to miss him.

Alexander was a Jerseyville native and a graduate of Jersey Community High School in 1982. He graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.

In 1985, he started working at Gubser Funeral Home, eventually becoming the owner and naming it Alexander & Gubser Funeral Home. Last year, it became Alexander Funeral Home.

He married the Julie Ann Calvey in June 1989 and had two daughters. His wife died in 2016 after battling cancer.

Visitation is planned 4-8 p.m. Friday at First Assembly of God Church, 500 Cross Ave. Masonic Rites will be conducted by the Grafton Full Moon Masonic Lodge at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, followed by funeral at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  The South Carolina Supreme Court indefinitely suspended the law license of prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh on Wednesday, two days after his law firm said he took mone y from the business.

The one-page order by Chief Justice Don Beatty said he acted at the request of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates misconduct by attorneys in South Carolina. The order said Murdaugh agreed with the interim suspension, but it gave no further details.

Murdaugh found the bodies of his wife and son, shot multiple times, at the family's Colleton County home on June 7. On Saturday, he told police someone shot at him as he changed a tire on the side of a rural road. A family attorney has suggested someone cut the tire before Murdaugh left. State police haven't commented on the shooting.

Agents said Murdaugh was grazed by the bullet. He was released from the hospital two days later and said he had gone into rehab because the murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret.

Hours after Murdaugh issued his statement, the PMPED law firm released its own information saying Murdaugh had misappropriated an unspecified amount of money and would no longer be associated with the firm.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating all of this. No one has been charged in the killings of Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her 22-year-old son Paul in June or in the shooting involving Alex Murdaugh on Saturday. Agents have not spoken about the allegations of missing money.

The Murdaughs are one of South Carolinas most prominent legal families. Alex Murdaugh was a volunteer prosecutor in the same office where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather spent more than 80 years combined as the areas top prosecutors. Other members of the family are prominent civil attorneys.

When Paul Murdaugh was killed, he was awaiting trial for boating under the influence causing death in a February 2019 crash that killed a 19-year-old woman. State police have said they have since begun looking into the investigation of that crash to see if anyone tried to keep police from charging Paul Murdaugh.

After the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, state police also reopened an investigation into a 2015 hit-and-run death of a 19-year-old man in Hampton County. The victims mother said she thought Paul Murdaugh could have been involved.

Authorities havent released any information about why those cases were reopened.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.
Overnight reports from Jacksonville police:

 Christopher D. Mead, 48, homeless, was arrested at 4:25 a.m. Wednesday on a possession of methamphetamine charge after being stopped at King and Oak streets.
On Wednesday, Sept. 29, there will be an open-air job fair from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Jacksonville featuring 50 local organizations and businesses looking to hire employees. Parking and admission will be free, and no preregistration is required.

Some local employers could conduct on-the-spot interviews to fill available full- and part-time positions.

"Passavants Healthy Communities Collaborative is excited to help connect job-seekers with employers who are looking to fill positions in our area," said Lori Hartz, director of community health at Passavant Area Hospital. "All types of employers will be represented and participants will find information on a variety of jobs  everything from manufacturing to restaurant and retail to health care."

The Passavant Area Hospital Healthy Communities Collaborative sponsors the Just Jobs Employment Fair. The fair is part of the Healthy Jacksonville program and the Healthy Communities Collaborative, focused on four areas that address the highest needs identified by clients in the program. Those four areas are income and employment; food and nutrition; transportation and mental illness and substance use disorder.

The 2019 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps ranked Morgan County 67th out of the 102 counties in Illinois for overall health outcomes. This study revealed that social determinants of health  such as socioeconomic conditions, public safety and access to resources  often have a greater impact on an individuals health than medical care.

The 2018 Morgan County Community Needs Assessment identified access to care as one of the most significant healthcare concerns. Passavants Healthy Jacksonville project aims to reduce obstacles that keep individuals from improving their health.

For more information, visit the Just Jobs Employment Fair website.
Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Morgan R. Pierce, 21, of 604 Carroll St., Naples, was arrested at 12:44 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of a controlled substance after being stopped at Westgate Avenue and Northvale Drive. She is accused of being in possession of tablets of clonazepan, Alprazolam and oxycodone hydrochloride.



Pike County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Robert E. Willbanks, 52, of Griggsville was arrested at 12:25 p.m. Aug. 31 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

 Corey M. Manson, 34, of Griggsville was arrested at 5:09 p.m. Sept. 1 on a domestic battery charge.

 Jason M. Rennecker, 39, of Griggsville was arrested at 5:40 p.m. Monday on a violation of youth violent offender registration.

 Jon M. Capp, 43, of Hannibal, Missouri, was arrested at 11:16 p.m. Saturday on a domestic battery charge.

 Brian D. Morris, 40, of Hull was arrested at 1:47 p.m. Thursday on a charge of aggravated assault of a peace officer/firefighter/emergency worker.

 Michael B. Mendoza, 34, of Kinderhook was arrested at 4:21 p.m. Aug. 31 on a theft charge.

 Gary G. Sutton, 72, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested at 10:17 p.m. Saturday on charges of driving under the influence and obstructing justice.

 William A. Watts, 36, of Nebo was arrested at 11:56 p.m. Aug. 30 on charges of driving while license is revoked or suspended and resisting a peace officer.

 Gregory D. Santoni, 30, of Pittsfield was arrested at 2:19 a.m. Sept. 1 on a charge of aggravated domestic battery.

 Josie L. Smithers, 31, of Pittsfield was arrested at 1:32 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of unsealed cannabis by a driver, possession of methamphetamine and not having drivers license on person.

 John A. Sobie, 50, of Rockport was arrested at 8:32 p.m. Monday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

State police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Zachary D. Horton, 38, of Kansas City, Missouri, was arrested at 5:38 p.m. Saturday on a Cass County warrant accusing him of obstructing justice or destroying evidence and warrants from Sangamon County accusing him of domestic battery and driving while license is revoked or suspended.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer
Peter Cade | Getty Images

MACOMB  Students beginning the college search process can register now for the Illinois Regional College Fair, which will be Sept. 21 at Western Illinois University in Macomb.

The fair will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the University Union Grand Ballroom on campus. It will feature representatives of WIU and around 50 other public and private universities from across the Midwest.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Republicans in America's largest conservative state for years racked up victories under the slogan Keep Texas Red, a pledge to quash a coming blue wave that Democrats argued was inevitable given shifting demographics.

Now, those population transformations have arrived, with the 2020 census confirming that the state got bigger, more suburban and far more diverse. Yet a more apt state GOP rallying cry for today might be Make Texas Even Redder."

Faced with increasingly dire demographic threats to their partys dominance, Texas Republicans have championed a bevy of boundary-pushing conservative policymaking that dramatically expands gun rights, curbs abortions and tightens election laws  steering a state that was already far to the right even more so.

Far from tiptoeing toward the middle to appease the Democratic-leaning Texans driving population growth, the party is embracing its base and vowing to use a new round of redistricting to ensure things stay that way through 2030  becoming a national model for staying on the offensive no matter how political winds may eventually shift.

Texas, obviously, is a national leader as it concerns the laws that we pass and other states follow, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is fond of vowing to make Texas the freedom capital of America, said Tuesday.

Abbott, who is up for reelection next year and often mentioned as a possible 2024 presidential contender, signed voting legislation Tuesday that empowers partisan poll watchers and prohibits a host of measures that made casting ballots easier in heavily Democratic cities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans argue that the new rules boost election security and charged ahead to pass them, even as Democratic state lawmakers fled the state for weeks to block them.

The voting law was nearly overshadowed by national debate over another new Texas law  the nation's toughest set of abortion restrictions. By banning the procedure in most instances and leaving no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, the state has mounted perhaps the strongest threat yet to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a woman's right to an abortion.

Another new law allows virtually any Texan age 21 and older to carry guns without licenses. Other legislation banned schools from teaching about institutional racism and limited the states own cities from making decisions on police funding, environmental budgeting and mask mandates. And on Tuesday, Abbott instructed lawmakers to once again try passing restrictions on transgender student athletes when the Legislature convenes later this month to begin drawing new voting maps.

These policy victories are poised to become cemented for the foreseeable future. Because Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature, the party will decide new congressional and statehouse districts based on 2020 census figures  seeking to make the boundaries as favorable as possible so the GOP can hold statehouse majorities for the next decade and beyond.

The new maps will have to counteract what looks to be unfavorable census data for Texas Republicans. The state's Hispanic population grew by nearly 2 million, according to 2020 census figures, accounting for half of Texas' total population increase. Even as the GOP made gains with Hispanic voters, about 6 in 10 Hispanics in Texas chose Democrat Joe Biden over Republican Donald Trump in November, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the electorate.

Republicans also see warning signs in the suburbs. The state is home to four of the nations 10 fastest-growing cities, fueled by booming communities outside Houston, Dallas and Austin. After years of GOP advantages in these places, Biden split suburban voters in Texas with Trump, AP VoteCast found, and won the state's five largest counties.

Democrats blame the unfettered conservativism on Trumpism. The former president ushered in a new Republican Party that is more feisty. Its more fringe," said Democratic state Rep. Ron Reynolds, vice chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.

The cows left the barn, and its hard to put it back, said Reynolds, whose district includes booming suburban Houston. They have to entertain and they have to appease because these are the people that are excited about voting in Republican primaries.

Democrats like Reynolds warn there will be voter backlash. But they have little history to back that up: Republicans haven't lost a statewide race in 27 years and say it is a fierce commitment to conservativism, not pragmatic compromise, that has preserved the nation's longest electoral winning streak.

If anyone expected that, their head is way too far up their, uh, philosophy, Corbin Casteel, the Trump campaigns Texas director in 2016, joked about any notion that census figures might make the state's Republicans move to the center.

Even more moderate Texas Republicans say past pronouncements about changing demographics helping Democrats were overblown. The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated, said state Rep. Travis Clardy of Nacogdoches in east Texas.

We keep winning with really strong numbers, Clardy added. I dont think weve had strident, extreme, right-wing positions. I think weve governed conservatively.

Still, the party has shown a capacity for moderation in the not-too-distant past. After a Democratic wave swept Texas and the nation in 2018, the GOP had an exceedingly quiet legislative session, focusing on traditional issues like property tax cuts and public education.

It was only after the party held the Legislature and gained seats in Congress last November that it turned hard right  anticipating that its members' biggest electoral threat going forward is primary challenges rather than being unseated by Democrats.

Ive heard that all this demographic change is going to catch up to the party of the old white people, but I dont think its happened, Clardy said. The numbers may be changing, but they may not be trending the way they think that they are.

The move to the right is perhaps best illustrated by Abbott, a former state Supreme Court justice who was once considered to have a more measured and deliberative, business-friendly approach to the job but has lately gone even further right than the Legislature  particularly on immigration.

The governor recently ordered state police to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally and directed a state agency to pony up $25 million for 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of wall along Texas nearly 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico.

No major Democrat has yet announced a candidacy against Abbott, though former presidential candidate Beto ORourke  who came within 3 percentage points of upsetting Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018  still might. The governor has already drawn a primary challenge from former congressman Allen West, a onetime tea party darling known for likening Democrats to Nazis.

Casteel said doubling down on conservative values is working for Republicans in Texas and beyond. He pointed to Abbott and another governor and possible 2024 presidential candidate, Republican Ron DeSantis of Florida. Both have gained national followings by being willing to combat unpopular policies like universal mask mandates. That's despite Democrats in both states insisting the governors' failure to more strenuously battle the pandemic could ultimately jeopardize their aspirations for reelection  not to mention the White House.

Hes faced circumstances that few governors have, with the pandemic and all sorts of other things that put conservatives in a tough bind, Casteel said of Abbott. Its safety versus liberty and he  and folks like Gov. DeSantis  theyve threaded that needle very nicely. And I think the results are speaking for themselves.

___

Weissert reported from Washington.
HONG KONG (AP)  Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested four leaders of the group that organized the city's annual Tiananmen Square commemorations after they refused to cooperate in a national security investigation, the group said.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China had openly challenged the enforcement of a 14-month-old national security law, saying police were arbitrarily labeling pro-democracy organizations as foreign agents.

Chow Hang-tung, one of the four arrested and a vice-chair of the alliance, began a series of posts on Facebook shortly before 7 a.m., starting with two Facebook livestreams during which she says that some people have been ringing the doorbell. Chow, a lawyer, appears to be in her office, and muffled shouting could be heard in the background.

The worst thing about being arrested is that Ive not changed into a new set of clothes or brushed my teeth, will my breath overwhelm the national security police? she wrote in one post.

The alliance is best known for organizing candlelight vigils in Hong Kong on the anniversary of Chinas bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. The event was attended annually by massive crowds, and was the only large-scale public commemoration of the June 4 crackdown on Chinese soil.

Authorities have banned the vigils for the past two years, citing public health risks due to the pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the city following months of anti-government protests in 2019.

Alliance leaders delivered a letter to police Tuesday rejecting a request for details of the groups operations and finances. Police earlier warned that failure to comply could result in a fine of up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars ($12,900) and six months in jail.

Police on Wednesday confirmed that they arrested three men and one woman aged between 36 and 57 for failing to provide information in accordance with the national security law. Police did not identify them.

China's liaison office in Hong Kong issued a statement saying the arrests demonstrated fairness and justice because those who violate the law must be investigated.

Dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested since the implementation of the national security law, which outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion.

Critics say the law completes the rolling back of freedoms not found on the mainland that Hong Kong was promised it could keep for 50 years after being handed over from Britain, such as freedom of speech and assembly.

Many pro-democracy organizations have disbanded due to safety concerns, such as the Civil Human Rights Front, known for organizing mass protests on July 1, the day in 1997 that the former British colony was handed over to China. Other groups that have disbanded include the Professional Teachers Union, a pro-democracy trade union for teachers.

The Hong Kong Alliance is one of the few outspoken pro-democracy groups in the city that has yet to officially announce its dissolution.

Chow had been scheduled to represent pro-democracy activist Gwyneth Ho in court for a bail hearing, and wrote on Facebook that it's regrettable she won't be able to attend. She also posted a photo of the waterfront view outside her office, saying shes taking a look at it for the last time.

Chow also asked if anyone had any parting words for her. In less than three hours, supporters left more than 500 comments telling her to take care and thanking her for her work at the alliance.

The three others arrested are Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai and Tang Ngai-kwan, the group said. The three, together with Chow, are members of the alliance's standing committee.

The leaders said Tuesday that the police do not have a right to request information from the group because it is not a foreign agent and that authorities did not provide sufficient justification in their request.

This association believes that the issuance of the letter has no legal basis, so we will not provide any information requested in the letter, the committee said.

Police are investigating the alliance for allegedly working for foreign interests.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that law enforcement agents may request information from suspected foreign agents or foreign political organizations in accordance with the law.

If someone openly says that they will flout the law, they cant call themselves a civic society group, Lam said.

Several of the alliances leaders, including lawyer Albert Ho and activist Lee Cheuk-yan, are already behind bars after being convicted for their roles in unauthorized assemblies.

Members of the alliance were meant to meet on Sept. 25 to discuss and vote on whether or not to disband in a general meeting. The alliance said Wednesday that the meeting will proceed.
Today

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.

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.

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.

Unlocking Hidden Treasures: Researching Literary Ladies and Jacksonville History: 7 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Zoom or in person. In Unlocking Hidden Treasures, Cathy Green, Linda Ryan, and Suzanne Verticchio discuss the local and digital resources used in researching their book. Email Sarah at ssnyder@jaxpl.org for Zoom link. Books will be available for purchase.



Thursday

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Back 2 Business Grant Workshop: 10 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, 155 W Morton Ave. | Get assistance with Back 2 Business grant application. Bring documents to be scanned and complete application and have questions answered. For more information, call 217-245-2174.

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.

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.

ASL Sign Language Class: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Jacksonville Community Center for the Deaf, 907 W. Superior Ave. Free | For ages 13 and older. Eleven weeks. Call to register 217-245-0429. For more information, email jccdpresident@jccd.org.



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.
When you were a carefree kid, the hardest decision you had to make at a pool party was which color freeze pop you wanted. Well, its time to make popsicle decisions again: This summer Truly, a brand known for their hard seltzers and lemonades, came out with alcoholic Lemonade Freeze Pops. Dailys Cocktails, known for their frozen pouch drinks, also premiered alcoholic popsicles called Dailys Poptails.

But which alcoholic popsicle brand reigns supreme this summer? Ive taken the guesswork out for you: Recently, when the temperature was in the 90s, a mixed gender group of alcohol enthusiasts in their late 20s and early 30s (which is just code for me and my friends) decided to cool down with a pool party. I brought both brands of alcoholic popsicles and everyone thoroughly compared the brands and I took notes. Below are the results. Ill go over the price differences, alcoholic percentages, and, most importantly, flavor.

Which popsicle has more bang for your buck?

Trulys Lemonade Freeze Pop Variety Pack costs $17.99 on Drizly for a box with 12 popsicles. The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 5%. For the same amount of popsicles, Dailys Poptails only cost $16.99. Their ABV is 6.8%.

This means with Dailys, youre spending less money and getting a higher amount of alcohol. If your main focus is consuming as much alcohol as possible through popsicles or if you plan to buy a substantial amount and want to save money, Dailys Poptails is the clear winner. However, if you want a frozen trip to flavortown and taste is your top priority, keep reading as your buying decision may change.

Dailys Poptails Variety Pack Dailys drizly.com $16.99 Shop Now

Which is the tastier popsicle?

Trulys Lemonade Freeze Pops come in three flavors, including Original Lemonade, Mango Lemonade, and Strawberry Lemonade. The Original Lemonade tastes exactly how you would imagine it would. It tastes just like a mostly frozen Truly Hard Seltzer Lemonade.

In terms of the Truly popsicle flavors, this tended to be either peoples favorite or least favorite flavor. However, even people who ranked it third for the Truly flavors still enjoyed it. Its refreshing like Italian ice and you can taste the alcohol a bit more than other flavors.

Truly Lemonade Freeze Pop Variety Pack drizly.com $17.99 Shop Now

The Mango Lemonade was most peoples favorite  myself included. The flavor by far beat the others. It wasnt overwhelming, while still being delicious. As popsicle eater Aryn gushed, while eating her mango lemonade popsicle, I havent been this giddy eating a popsicle since I was six years old.

Strawberry Lemonade was the middle of the pack. Tasty, but not a favorite. The flavor was subtle and summery, but didn't stick out among the other choices.

All of the Truly popsicle flavors are a light lemonade color, eliminating your childhood urge to pick a flavor based on your favorite hue. A lot of people actually liked the lack of color as they didnt fear it would turn their lips and teeth weird colors. Popsicle fan Amanda explained, I like that theyre not colorful. You can take them seriously.

Having slightly less alcohol in the popsicles, compared to Dailys, means the popsicles were firmer because hard alcohol (think 40-80 proof) doesnt completely freeze at standard home freezer temperatures like beer or wine does (you can steal that fun fact for your own pool party).

Most agreed the firmness was better than having it slushier, especially because the sun quickly softens them. Overall, the consensus was that these popsicles definitely had to be bought for future gatherings.

The Dailys Poptails popsicle flavors include Green Apple, Strawberry, and Watermelon. Visually, the colors are bright and vivid, which instantly set them apart from the Truly popsicles. The Green Apple color looks as if it would glow in the dark, though sadly, tests concluded that it does not (I told you we were getting scientific). Several people commented that it tastes like Jolly Ranchers, but I could only describe it as tasting like pure Halloween. That may not be the clearest adjectival phrase, but Im sure it would be a welcome treat at Halloween parties.

I was excited for the Strawberry flavor since it felt like it would be the easiest direct comparison to Truly. The description of this flavor ranged from just like gummy bears to the aftertaste is like Seagrams. Most people agreed that Trulys Strawberry Lemonade flavor was superior to Dailys Strawberry, because Dailys was a bit too syrupy sweet.

Finally, we get to the interesting Watermelon flavor  which is interesting because not a single person described it as tasting like watermelon. When the first person to try the flavor said it tasted like bubblegum with a walnut aftertaste, I laughed, but when I finally got around to trying it, I had to agree it was an accurate description. Even weirder? Despite not sound super appealing, this ended up being the favorite Dailys Poptails flavor. Its a unique flavor I hadnt really experienced, and definitely worth a try.

With all flavors taken into account, judged solely on flavor, Trulys Freeze Pops were the near-unanimous winner. Most people agreed that even their least favorite Truly flavor was tastier than their favorite Poptail. Truly was truly better. The consensus was that Truly is worth buying and either brand is worth enjoying if somebody else is supplying popsicles.

However, if you want to save a few dollars, get a higher alcohol content, or take more Instagram-worthy photos with bright colors, Dailys Poptails might be what you need. The best option? Get both and conduct your own taste test with a group of friends (and make sure to tell me what you think the Watermelon flavor tastes like)!

Tips for consuming alcoholic popsicles

Do use a drink koozie to to hold your popsicle stick if your hands are getting too cold. I was proud of my boyfriend for coming up with this idea before somebody went to fetch oven mitts.

Dont stick one in your drink to use as a flavorful ice cube. They arent solid enough and will melt in your drink on a hot day. Somebody learned this the hard way.

Do use scissors to cut them in half if you have a lot of people who want to try a bunch of different flavors. These popsicles are larger than I expected and they cut easily with sharp scissors.

Dont cut your mouth on the freeze pops. If not cut strategically, you can get some sharp corners.

Do eat them quickly. They taste much better frozen than when they turn into liquid and you can taste the alcohol more.

Do try a variety of flavors. You never know what you might like best!
State-level officers of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Missouri greeted local lodge member Elmo Blum, who was honored for being a 75-year Master Mason. From left: Josh Thompson, Jacob Thompson, Kevin Fuller, Rick Kaeser, Blum (in vehicle), Ty Treutelaar, Charlie Wiegert and Emmett Bryson.
Trudeau hit by gravel, says it wont stop how he campaigns

Trudeau hit by gravel, says it wont stop how he campaigns View Photo

TORONTO (AP)  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he wont alter how he campaigns after he and others were hit by gravel thrown by an anti-vaccine protester during the campaign this week.

Trudeau has faced increasingly hostile protests by what he calls anti-Vax mobs ahead of the Sept. 20 election. During a campaign stop in London, Ontario on Monday Trudeau and some journalists were hit by gravel thrown by a protester as he boarded his campaign bus.

Anti-Vax mobs are not respecting the basic science and the basic decency that Canadians have come to expect from each other, Trudeau said.

It is absolutely unacceptable that people are throwing things and endangering others at a political rally.

Police in London, Ontario, say they are investigating and are asking the public for information about the incident.

Trudeau said Canadians are proud of the fact that Canada is not like the United States and he wont change.

Canadians are reassured and even proud of the fact that were not the United States, that a prime minister or a candidate can walk down the street without fear of being attacked, Trudeau said.

Last month, a Trudeau campaign event was cancelled because of security concerns.

Trudeau has been critical of the unvaccinated and of Conservative leader Erin OToole, who had not mandated that his candidates be vaccinated.

OToole said he believes the country can find reasonable accommodations for those who are unvaccinated, like rapid testing and social distancing.

Four provinces including Quebec and Ontario, Canadas largest, are bringing in vaccine passports that require citizens to be vaccinated to enter places like restaurants and gyms.

Trudeau called the election last month seeking to win the majority of seats in Parliament but polls show that is unlikely and that he could lose power to OToole and the Conservative party.

Trudeau had wanted to capitalize on the fact that Canada is now one of the most fully vaccinated countries in the world, but the country is now in a fourth wave driven by the delta variant.

Its not just Trudeau that has been attacked by protesters. A Calgary, Alberta Liberal candidate said two of her volunteers were assaulted when they were out door-knocking on Sunday.

Sabrina Grover said an individual used the pamphlets being handed out by the volunteers to strike them and also spit in their faces. Spit on in the time of COVID, so you can only understand how distressing that is, Grover said.

Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said Trudeau is gaining politically because of the protests but his future remains very much in doubt.

Trudeau is gaining much sympathy and some additional voter support in reaction to these demonstrations. It has injected life into the Liberal campaign and passion into Trudeaus speeches, Wiseman said.

However, it is not yet clear if these demonstrations will undermine the Conservative gains to date. I feel most voters have already decided on their vote. Unless more dramatic anti-Trudeau demonstrations take place, the contours of election results are becoming clearer by the day: a narrow minority government for either the Liberals or the Conservatives.

By ROB GILLIES

Associated Press
Mexicos Supreme Court rules that abortion is not a crime View Photo

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it is unconstitutional to punish abortion, unanimously annulling several provisions of a law from Coahuila  a state on the Texas border  that had made abortion a criminal act.

The decision will immediately affect only the northern border state, but it establishes a historic precedent and obligatory criteria for all of the countrys judges, compelling them to act the same way in similar cases, said court President Arturo Zaldivar. From now on you will not be able to, without violating the courts criteria and the constitution, charge any woman who aborts under the circumstances this court has ruled as valid.

Those circumstances will be clarified when the decision is published, but everything points to that referring to abortions carried out within the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy, the period allowed in the four states where abortion is already legal.

The decision comes one week after a Texas law took effect prohibiting abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity in the fetus. It allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who aids or abets a woman getting the procedure.

Only four Mexican states  Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Hidalgo  now allow abortion in most circumstances. The other 28 states penalize abortion with some exceptions.

Lawyer and activist Veronica Cruz, director of the collective Las Libres, or The Free, said the decision tears down barriers by sending the message that women cannot be charged for abortions.

There are currently no women imprisoned for abortions in Mexico, but there are some 4,600 open investigations for it, said Cruz, whose organization freed the last women who had been in prison for it.

Cruz believes the feminist movement will have to maintain pressure on state legislatures to change their laws, because as long as they exist someone will be trying to punish a woman.

In Mexico, we dont have any chance of legalizing nor decriminalizing in one go. It has to be state by state, Cruz said. That is why activists should work in one coordinated strategy to force change region by region, he said, to corner the politicians so that theres no way not to legislate because it would be politically incorrect to not eliminate the crime of abortion.

Mexico is a heavily Roman Catholic country. The church was a powerful institution through colonial times and after Mexicos independence, but a reform movement in the mid-19th century sharply limited the churchs role in daily life. Anticlerical efforts at times led to bloodshed, especially during the Cristero Rebellion from 1926 to 1929.

The topic still remains controversial in Mexico, however. The divide was on display Tuesday as groups from both sides demonstrated outside the court. Dozens of people kneeled in prayer in front of the court.

The conservative National Action Party reiterated its opposition to abortion. We are in favor of the defense of life from conception and until natural death, the party said in a statement. It asked that conscientious objection be protected for ethical, moral or religious motives.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Morena party declined Tuesday before the decision to comment on the topic, saying only that it was for the court to decide.

The Mexican Episcopal Conference sent a series of messages via Twitter citing previous comments by church leaders. One was from earlier this year before a vote decriminalizing abortion in the state of Hidalgo. May your decision for life not be conditioned by an ideology, but rather motivated by faith, hope and love, it read.

Were seen as a Catholic people, as a Guadalupano people, said law professor Leticia Bonifaz of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. But if you notice today, the issue being discussed is legal, not religious, not moral.

Bonifaz said this Supreme Court is more liberal than the one that decriminalized abortion in Mexico City in 2007. In the intervening years, there has been extensive education for not only the justices, but the lawyers who make up their teams from the perspectives of gender and human rights, she said.

For a long time, significant changes for Mexican society were ushered through the legislative branch, but more recently the Mexican justice system has been a vanguard justice system on many issues, Bonifaz said.

The historic case seemed to leap into the publics consciousness overnight, but in reality it had been moving through the legal system for four years, said Bonifaz. Former Attorney General Raul Cervantes had challenged its constitutionality before stepping down in 2017.

In previous decisions, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of women who had been imprisoned or had their rights violated for abortions. But Rebecca Ramos, director of the nongovernmental reproductive rights group GIRE, said the latest case was the first time the justices debated the fundamental question of whether abortion should be considered a crime or not.

The decision is a reflection of the historic fight of the feminist movement for legal, safe and free abortion, GIRE said in a statement. We hope that in the whole country women and people with the capacity to become pregnant have the conditions and the freedom to decide their reproductive destiny.

Justice Margarita Rios Farjat criticized those who she said trample on womens rights under the banner of pro-life. She said women are labelled ignorant and bad or egotistical, because good women complete the pregnancy and put the baby up for adoption.

Ramos believes the decision will also lead state legislatures where abortion remains a crime to review their laws before facing legal action.

The decision could potentially open another option for Texas women seeking legal abortions. For years, some women in south Texas have crossed the border to go to Mexican pharmacies to buy misoprostol, a pill that makes up half of the two-drug combination prescribed for medical abortions.

Legal abortions could become accessible now along Mexicos long shared border with Texas.

Justice Luis Maria Aguilar said, Today banishes the threat of prison and the stigma that weighs on people who freely decide to end their pregnancy.

___

Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.

By MARIA VERZA

Associated Press
Supervisor Kathleen Haff Speaks Concerns About Vaccine Directives View Photo

Update at 3:30pm: The Tuolumne County Supervisors reconvened this afternoon to further discuss COVID-19 and health directives. As reported below, much of the discussion this morning revolved around the idea of requiring county workers to either get the COVID-19 vaccine or test weekly. Supervisor Jaron Brandon indicated that while he disputes some of the earlier arguments made, he is not in favor of a vaccine directive. Without a majority in favor, the county will look at things such as increased testing for all employees, masking rules and temperature checks to help slow the spread. More details about the meeting can be found below.

Original story posted at 1pm: Sonora, CA  While no action was scheduled for a vote today, there was another passionate debate about whether Tuolumne County government workers should be required to either get the COVID-19 vaccine or test weekly.

It came up during todays discussion scheduled for the nine oclock hour at the supervisors meeting in which health officials gave an update about the recent increase in local cases. Discussion continued into the noon hour as two board members, and several concerned community members, spoke in opposition of earlier discussed vaccine directives.

At a meeting last month, three board members indicated a desire to put in place the vaccine/testing directive for county government workers (supervisors Ryan Campbell, David Goldemberg and Jaron Brandon). It was noted today that the issue is being reviewed by labor negotiators, and it will come back to the board at a later time for implementation.

Supervisor Kathleen Haff put out a 10 page position paper about information she feels is being suppressed related to COVID-19. She stated, Fear prevails right now, and fear has been prevailing ever since we noted that something was going on in China. And it is unnecessary to be fearful of COVID. She cited treatments available.

Supervisor Anaiah Kirk also raised concerns about putting the directive in place. He added that many have a level of natural immunity after contracting COVID. Asked about it, Dr. Eric Sergienko said it would be logistically challenging to find the level of antibody response a certain person has. Dr. Sergienko stated the most robust protection is likely having natural immunity and the vaccine.

Kirk questioned whether people who refuse to comply with directives would be fired. He feels that would be a violation of freedoms.

Kirk pushed for educating people via preventative treatment to boost immune systems. He also proposed an alternative to the vaccineregular testing of all workers and n95 type masks being distributed.

The room was nearly full with community members who were mostly concerned about vaccine directives. Both Haff and Kirk received standing ovations after their speeches.

During public comments, there were many who advocated for the use of ivermectin for COVID patients. Adventist Health Sonoras Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Alexander Heard, raised concerns about it, stating there have been a couple of recent local cases where patients have experienced severe liver failures after taking the drug, one of which was unprescribed and an overdose.

Other members of the general public voiced positives about ivermectin, and what they feel are its benefits.

Sheriff Bill Pooley also spoke and said there is a lot of angst and anxiety among his staff about where this is going to go (vaccine directives). He encouraged the board to speak with staff about ways the disease is being controlled already, citing preventative measures in the jail.

A majority of the public comments were against the vaccine directive, but there were also others who spoke in favor. After hearing all of the public comments, the supervisors broke for lunch shortly before 1pm.
California Rural Indian Health Board see more at: https://crihb.org/prevention-and-education/public-health/ View Photo

Tuolumne Public Health reports two deaths due to COVID-19, a woman and a man both in their 70s. There are 122 new COVID-19 cases since Friday, September 3rd reported today 6 are Sierra Conservation Center inmate cases and 256 are active cases including 16 who are hospitalized. The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County is 50.6 per 100,000 population. The cases by date are 24 community and 1 SCC inmate Saturday, 11 community and 5 SCC Sunday, and 81 community cases today.

Todays newly reported cases include 40 cases age 17 or under and 15 cases age 60 and older. The gender and age breakdown is; 8 girls and 9 boy age 0-11, 15 girls and 8 boys age 12-17, 9 women and 10 men age 18-29, 7 women and 6 men age 30-39, 13 woman and 8 men age 40-49, 2 women and 6 man 50-59, 4 women and 5 men age 60-69, 3 woman age 70 to 79 and 1 woman and 1 man age 80 to 89 and 1 woman age 90 or older.

Of the 116 new community cases, 98 were unvaccinated, 18 were vaccinated, and the man and woman who passed away were also both unvaccinated. There were 6 new Sierra Conservation Center inmate cases and the California department of corrections reports 40 active inmate cases, the most at one correctional facility in the state.

Calaveras County Public Health reports 52 new Covid cases since Friday, September 3rd. There are 90 active cases including 7 Covid hospitalizations. There are 13 new cases age 0-17 and 6 new cases in individuals 65 years old and older. Since the pandemic began Calaveras has had 413 Covid-19 positive people who are 17 and under and 557 Covid-19 positive people 65 and over.

Mariposa Public Health reports 19 new Covid cases since Friday, September 3rd. There are 56 active cases including 11 Covid hospitalizations. They shared a message from the California Rural Indian Health Board, As our community continues to struggle with the impacts of COVID-19 we understand some are affected differently than others. We are here to support our community in any way possible. This includes our Elders, without them many of our resources and traditions for care would not be possible. Please take care when you are out in the community, Elders and other at risk individuals may not have the strength to fight infections. You can do your part by staying home when sick, washing your hands before visiting, masking when out and about, and getting vaccinated.

COVID-19 Testing Public Health officials say, As a reminder, the symptoms of COVID-19 can sometimes be dismissed as allergies, a cold, wildfire smoke irritation, indigestion, etc. If you are experiencing any new or worsening symptoms, even if its only one of the symptoms, please get tested right away and avoid close contact with others while waiting for your results. Symptoms can include fever or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, fatigue, headache, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. If you have more serious symptoms such as pain or pressure in your chest, trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, sudden confusion, having a hard time staying awake, dizziness, contact your healthcare provider or urgent care.

If you believe you have been exposed to COVID, schedule an appointment to get tested 5 days after exposure. If you are having any symptoms, please get tested right away. The State testing site is open 7 days a week beginning from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments should be made rather than walking in. Appointments can be scheduled at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also available through, some pharmacies, at Rapid Care or the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider.

COVID-19 Vaccines Vaccine appointments can be made at local pharmacies and through myturn.ca.gov or by calling 833-422-4255. Anyone 12 and older is eligible for a COVID vaccine, Pfizer is approved for anyone age 12 or over. As detailed here healthcare workers are required to be vaccinated by September 30. The Pfizer vaccine requires 3 weeks between doses and the Moderna requires 4 weeks. The J&J vaccine requires only one dose. Call or email with any questions you may have Tuolumne is available at (209) 533-7440 Health@tuolumnecounty.ca.gov, Mariposa at (209) 259-1332 or mariposacovid19@gmail.com more numbers are available on our COVID-19 page here.

Public Health continues to strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, as the most important step to reduce the spread of disease and prevent serious illness and death, as well as to reduce the impact on the healthcare system. In addition, the continued practice of other preventive actions like wearing a mask in public, keeping your distance, avoiding crowds, washing hands, and staying home when sick will help slow the spread of the virus.

Health Officials detail, Choosing to help the Public Health Department slow the spread of COVID-19 helps protect you, your family, and your community. We all need to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19. We strongly encourage everyone to be part of the solution and answer the phoneit may be the health department calling to let you know your test result came back positive for COVID-19, or that you have been in close contact with someone who has it. For more information on contact tracing click here, for isolation and quarantine information go here.

County/Date

Tier Color Active

Cases New Cases

Total Cases COVID

Deaths Amador 9/4 155 30 2,729 43 Calaveras 9/7 90 52 3,024 64 Mariposa 9/7 56 19 858 10 Mono 9/7 46 1 1,215 5 Stanislaus 9/7 2,789 995 69,320 1,173 Tuolumne 9/7 256 122 5,936 96 For other county-level statistics view our page here.
Voting sign directing the public where to vote at polling site in Tuolumne County View Photo

Sacramento, CA  Registered voters may get a ballot in the mail at least 29 days before every election without having to ask for one, as the California Senate voted to make that rule permanent.

That came at the objection of Republicans including Mother Lode State Senator Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno). He relayed that he had received two ballots for the recall election in the mail, one at his primary residence and another one at his in-laws house.

So, if Im getting two ballots, I know others are getting multiple ballots as well, and that feeds into this narrative of distrust, Borgeas said.

Democratic Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) countered that even if people receive multiple ballots, they cant vote twice since the ballots are tracked with bar codes. He added that virtually no reports of fraud in the 2020 election.

The state assembly approved the measure months ago. But because the Senate made some changes to the proposal, the assembly must vote on it one more time before sending it to Governor Gavin Newsoms desk. Newsom will then decide whether to sign it into law.

The bill is one of multiple election-related measures pending in the final days of the legislative session that ends Sept. 10. Also, over Republican objections, the state Assembly last week voted again to ban paying people based on the number of signatures they gather to put a state or local initiative or recall petition on the ballot. They cited concerns that it encourages gatherers to cheat by misleading people into signing.

It passed 42-16 in the 80-member Assembly and returns to the Senate for a final vote. At least six states Arizona, Florida, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Dakota already limit per-signature payments, according to a legislative analysis.
Department of Justice View Photo

Sonora, CA  A Mexican National convicted of operating an illegal marijuana grow in the Stanislaus National Forest will spend the next four and a half years in prison.

37-year-old Eleno Fernandez-Garcia of Michoacan, Mexico, was also ordered to pay $45,688 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the environmental damage that the toxic chemicals and cultivation operation had on public land, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.

In May Fernandez-Garcia pled guilty to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana on the Stanislaus National Forest. The cultivation operation contained 9,654 marijuana plants and was located in the Basin Creek drainage in the forest in Tuolumne County. As reported here, Fernandez was found at the grow site holding pruning shears and was covered with marijuana debris. Three other individuals fled from the area.

Talbert detailed the significant damage to the environment including grazing cows, wildlife, endangered fish, and frogs. Additionally, investigative agents found the pesticide Weevelcide, a lethal restricted-use chemical; two types of rodenticides; 837 pounds of soluble fertilizer; 45.65 gallons of liquid fertilizer; and a dead raccoon. Also, besides chemicals and fertilizer, there was over 2,000 pounds of trash and irrigation tubing. Talbert also noted that nearly all of the native vegetation was cut down to make room for the marijuana plants, which were close to recreational activities, and Sugar Pine Springs, a natural spring used by two companies for bottled water.

Participating agencies involved in this investigation included the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) of the California Department of Justice, and the California Fish and Wildlife.
Amnesty: Syria refugees suffered abuse, torture upon return View Photo

BEIRUT (AP)  A number of Syrian refugees who returned home have been subjected to detention, disappearance and torture at the hands of Syrian security forces, proving that it still isnt safe to return to any part of the country, Amnesty International said Tuesday.

In a report entitled Youre going to your death, the rights group documented what it said were violations committed by Syrian intelligence officers against 66 returnees, including 13 children between mid-2017 and spring 2021. Among those were five cases in which detainees had died in custody after returning to the country torn by civil war, while the fate of 17 forcibly disappeared people remains unknown.

The report strongly counters claims by a number of states that parts of Syria were now safe to return to. It criticizes Denmark, Sweden and Turkey specifically for restricting protection and putting pressure on refugees from Syria to go home. It also criticizes Lebanon and Jordan, which have some of the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita.

In Lebanon and Turkey, where many refugees face dire living conditions and discrimination, governments have put increasing pressure on Syrians to return. Turkey has reportedly forcibly deported many Syrians in the last two years  expulsions that reflect rising anti-refugee sentiment in a country that once flung open its borders to millions of Syrians fleeing civil war.

Denmark earlier this year started revoking the residency permits of some Syrian refugees, arguing that the Syrian capital, Damascus, and neighboring regions were now safe. Citing similar reasons, in 2019 Sweden announced it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency, ending a policy that started in 2013.

Few experts agree with that assessment. While the security situation has stabilized in government-controlled areas and many parts of central Syria previously held by opposition rebels, forced conscription, indiscriminate detentions and forced disappearances continue to be reported. Entire neighborhoods are destroyed, and many people have no houses to return to. Basic services such as water and electricity are poor to nonexistent.

Any government claiming Syria is now safe is willfully ignoring the horrific reality on the ground, leaving refugees once again fearing for their lives, said Marie Forestier, researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International. She said that while military hostilities may have subsided in most parts of Syria, the Syrian governments propensity for egregious human rights violations has not.

The Syrian government and its chief international backer, Russia, have publicly called on refugees to return home and accused Western countries of discouraging it with claims that Syria is still unsafe.

In its report, Amnesty urged European governments to immediately halt any practice directly or indirectly forcing people to return home. It also called on neighboring countries Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, which host the bulk of the Syrian refugee population, to protect them from deportation or any other forcible return, in line with their international obligations.

It said Syrian authorities in some cases have targeted returnees to Syria simply for having fled, accusing them of treason or supporting terrorism.

The Syrian government routinely dismisses accusations of human rights abuses as lies.

The report documents serious violations committed by the Syrian government against refugees who returned to Syria from Lebanon, as well as from Rukban  an informal settlement between the Jordanian and Syrian borders  and also from France, Germany, Turkey, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates between mid-2017 and spring 2021. It was based on interviews with 41 Syrians, including returnees and their relatives and friends, as well as lawyers, humanitarian workers and Syria experts.

In some cases, the human rights violations included rape or other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary or unlawful detention, and torture or other ill-treatment, the report said.

Syrias 10-year war has killed about half a million people and forced about 5.6 million to flee abroad as refugees, mostly to neighboring countries.

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This story was first published on September 7, 2021. It was updated on September 8, 2021 to correct that Sweden has said it would no longer provide all Syrian asylum-seekers with automatic residency.

By ZEINA KARAM

Associated Press
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  The CIA man who briefed President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001, and later President Barack Obama on the intelligence that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden said Tuesday that hes convinced the Taliban will invite al-Qaida to rebuild in Afghanistan.

There is no doubt in my mind, said Michael Morell, who twice served as acting CIA director. I believe that the Taliban will give safe haven to al-Qaida, and I believe it will be al-Qaidas intention to again build its capability so that they can attack us here at home.

Morell spoke at an online forum sponsored by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is holding multiple panels this week to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Counterterrorism efforts fall into a pattern, Morell said, in which their capabilities can be easily degraded by a focused effort, but easily rebuilt when that focus fades. He pointed to the time in 2002 and 2003 when the U.S. shifted its focus to Iraq, which he said led to a resurgent al-Qaida prompting attacks in Madrid in 2004, London in 2005 and elsewhere.

When our focus got shifted to Iraq al-Qaida started bouncing back, Morell said.

He said that if al-Qaida establishes a safe haven in Afghanistan, it can be hard to develop the kind of tactical intelligence that makes it possible to take action against them. He said the U.S. will have to apply the lessons it learned over the last 20 years.

Equally important, he said, is that the U.S. uphold its values as it hunts terrorists. He acknowledged that the years immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks were a controversial period for the CIA, when it ran secret prisons and allowed interrogations that many people say crossed the line into torture.

He said those are missions the CIA never should have accepted.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, we were not experienced at interrogations, he said. Interviewing somebody who is willing to tell you everything, you know, were really good at that. But getting somebody to talk who doesnt want to talk to you, no experience in that whatsoever.

Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, moderated the discussion with Morell, which covered his time at the CIA before and after Sept. 11. Parekh noted during Tuesdays forum that the attack on the Pentagon occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.

These tragedies are deeply personal for our community, Parekh said. We join with our neighbors, remembering those when we lost, thanking those who responded to save lives and honoring those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

On Thursday, a panel is planned to discuss the 2006 trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a U.S. court for a role in the Sept. 11 attacks. The judge who presided over the trial, Leonie Brinkema, is scheduled to participate, as are a prosecutor and defense lawyer from the trial.

By MATTHEW BARAKAT

Associated Press
The Latest: Taliban decrees end to unapproved demonstrations View Photo

KABUL, Afghanistan  The interior ministry of the new Taliban government is seeking to end protests in Afghanistan after days of demonstrations that have brought heavy-handed assaults on protesters.

The minister has issued an order to end all protests in the country  unless demonstrators get prior permission, including approval of slogans and banners.

Its unlikely the women who have been leading near daily protest demanding their rights from the countrys hardline Islamic rulers will be allowed to protest under the new rules. In the words of the ministrys statement: It is announced to all citizens not to attempt at the present time to hold any demonstrations under any name whatsoever.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban name caretaker Cabinet that pays homage to old guard

 US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression

 Blinken and Austin to visit Gulf to address postwar stresses

 Taliban say they took Panjshir, last holdout Afghan province

 Over 24 hours in Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has taken to Twitter to say his flight from Kabul on Aug. 15 was done to save Afghanistans capital from bloodshed. He says his security personnel advised the secret departure, which opened the gates of the city to a Taliban takeover.

Ghani also denies widespread allegations of corruption as well as charges that he left the country with millions of dollars. He says there should be an independent investigation.

Ghanis sudden departure has been widely criticized both in Afghanistan and abroad. Washington blamed Ghanis flight and the governments collapse for a Taliban takeover ahead of a negotiated deal.

Prominent Afghan political figures who stayed behind say they had expected to meet with Taliban political leaders the following day to continue negotiations.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the country since Aug. 17 from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation formally known as Operation Allies Welcome.

DHS said in the latest updated released Wednesday that 17% of those arrivals are U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were in Afghanistan when the government there fell to the Taliban.

The remaining 83% are a mix of people. They include those with Special Immigrant Visas, for people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. or NATO. There are also other visa holders as well as applicants for visas who have not yet completed their processing. The remainder are various types of vulnerable Afghans who would be threatened under the Taliban, such as women and human rights advocates.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says a small number of evacuees have been prevented from entering the U.S. through multi-layered security vetting but he declines to provide specific numbers of provide details about the cases.

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UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations womens agency in Afghanistan says every day it is receiving reports of rollbacks on womens rights. The complaints range from women barred from going to work without a male guardian or even leaving their homes to attacks on centers helping women who flee violence and on girls and coeducational schools.

Alison Davidian is the deputy Afghan representative for UN Women and she said in a video briefing from Kabul that the lack of clarity of the Talibans position on womens rights has generated incredible fear  and this fear is palpable across the country.

She says UN Women is receiving reports of violations through its extensive network of women, civil society organizations, women leaders and human rights defenders. She the agencys Afghan operation hopes to reopen its offices in five provinces once the security situation improves because Afghan women have never needed us more.

Davidian says the situation for women differs from province to province and she urges the Taliban to show that it governs for all Afghans and that it has changed and will protect and promote the full spectrum of womens rights.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing the Taliban to allow charter flights carrying would-be evacuees to leave Mazar-e-Sharif.

Blinken said Wednesday that the Taliban arent permitting the flights departure because they claim that some of the passengers dont have the required documentation.

He added: While there are limits to what we can do without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security and procedures in place, we are working to do everything in our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground.

He said those efforts include working with advocates and lawmakers to help coordinate their efforts and offer guidance, and helping to arrange landing rights and liaise with other countries in the region on overflights.

Blinken said: Weve made clear to all parties, weve made clear to the Taliban, that these charters need to be able to depart. He said the U.S. will continue to press the Taliban.

He said some groups claiming to have all documentation and arrangements locked down unfortunately dont  often for good reason, but this creates further complications.

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WASHINGTON  White House press secretary Jen Psaki is defending the White Houses continued engagement with a Taliban government that includes an FBI most wanted terrorist and no women named to top positions.

Psaki says: Should we not talk to the people who are overseeing Afghanistan and just leave it and not get the rest of the American citizens out?

She added that the U.S. and international community are watching as it decides whether it will formally recognize the Taliban government.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is telling the Taliban that any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned after the group named an interim government.

Blinken spoke after he and his German counterpart on Wednesday hosted a virtual meeting of ministers from 22 countries as well as NATO and the European Union.

Blinken reiterated the cautious initial U.S. response to the Talibans naming Tuesday of an interim government line-up.

The new government stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

Blinken said that the government and the Taliban will be judged by their actions.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan says it will send food and medicine to the people of neighboring Afghanistan.

In a statement Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the first shipment of humanitarian aid will be dispatched to Afghanistan by three C-130 planes.

The announcement comes a day after the Taliban announced an interim government for Afghanistan.

The ministry said additional supplies of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan would continue through the countrys land routes.

Afghanistan is suffering under a long-running economic crisis that has worsened in recent months. Near daily flights from Qatar bring in humanitarian aid, but the needs are massive.

Pakistan also urged the international community to help the people of Afghanistan to avert a possible humanitarian crisis there.

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PARIS  France says the Talibans new government does not meet the demands of the international community.

Their actions do not match their words, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told an online briefing Wednesday.

She said France and other countries had demanded the safe departure of Afghans who wish to leave, free access to humanitarian aid, the total severing of relations with terrorist groups and respect for human rights, especially womens rights.

We can only note that these demands have not been met, she said

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BERLIN  Germanys foreign minister has responded skeptically to the Talibans announcement of an interim government line-up for Afghanistan.

Heiko Maas released a statement Wednesday, a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government. The Cabinet is stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition. Germany was a major troop provider for that alliance.

Maas said his country is ready to provide humanitarian aid via the United Nations and will continue to speak to the Taliban to secure the departure from Afghanistan of former employees and others.

He added that any commitment beyond that will depend on the Talibans behavior.

Maas said: The announcement of an interim government without the participation of other groups and yesterdays violence against female demonstrators and journalists in Kabul are not signals that make us optimistic about that.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The Norwegian ambassador to Iran says the Taliban have taken over the Norwegian Embassy in Kabul.

Ambassador Sigvald Hauge wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the Taliban say they will return it to us later and added but first wine bottles are to be smashed and childrens books destroyed.

Norway vacated its diplomatic post in the Afghan capital with the help of fellow Scandinavian neighbor Denmark before the Taliban took over the city

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistans foreign minister has urged the international community to help prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi was addressing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan. It was attended by his counterparts from China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting took place a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan. In his televised remarks, Qureshi said that Pakistan had noted the development.

He added that since Kabuls takeover by the Taliban, much dreaded bloodshed has not occurred, and the prospect of a protracted conflict and civil war seems to have been averted. Qureshi said that so far, a much-feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place.

The situation remains complex and fluid in Afghanistan however and it requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach.

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BERLIN  Germanys Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are set to meet at Ramstein U.S. Air Base for talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The two foreign ministers are first set to talk bilaterally and later hold a virtual meeting with other foreign ministers, the German foreign ministry said in a statement.

Maas praised the close cooperation with the U.S. during the evacuation efforts of international and local Afghans from the country in recent weeks, and said that in the next phase we want to continue to cooperate and coordinate, especially in regard of the new rulers in Kabul.

Maas warned that a threefold humanities crisis was looming in Afghanistan due to hunger, the stop of aid from international relief groups, and the volatile political situation with the new Taliban regime in Kabul.

Ramstein has become a turnstile for the evacuation for people from Afghanistan with around 34,000 flown for layovers to the U.S. base. Some 22,000 evacuees have already left the base for the United States or other locations.

Germany has relocated more than 4,000 people from Afghanistan so far.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan is hosting a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan to discuss the situation there.

A foreign ministry statement said Wednesdays meeting will be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will preside over the meeting, which aims to work together for the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic links.

The development comes a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan, stacked with veterans from their hard-line rule in the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

So far Pakistan has not commented on the formation of the interim government.

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By The Associated Press
Texas governor defends abortion law with no rape exceptions View Photo

DALLAS (AP)  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday defended a new state law banning most abortions that also does not provide exceptions for cases of rape or incest, saying it does not force victims to give birth even though it prohibits abortions before some women know theyre pregnant.

Abbott, a Republican, added that Texas would strive to eliminate all rapists from the streets while taking questions during his first press conference since the law took effect last week.

The comments drew new criticism from opponents of the Texas law that is the biggest curb on abortion in the U.S. since they were legalized a half-century ago, prohibiting abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, which is usually around six weeks. Though abortion providers in Texas say the law is unconstitutional, they say they are abiding by it.

His comments are confusing to me because they certainly do not seem to reflect the realities of this law, said Amy Jones, the chief executive officer of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center.

Recent surveys by the U.S. Department of Justice found that most rapes go unreported to police, including a 2019 survey that found about 1 in 3 victims reporting they were raped or sexually assaulted.

Abbott signed the measure into law in May. Although other GOP-led states have passed similar measures, they have been blocked by courts. Texas version differs significantly because it solely leaves enforcement to private citizens who can sue abortion providers who violate the law.

Abbott was asked about the new abortion restrictions while signing into law an overhaul of Texas election rules.

Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them, Abbott said.

Jones said Abbotts statements were both confusing and disheartening. She said shed like to hear more from Abbott on his statement on eliminating rape.

Certainly it is in our mission statement to work to end sexual violence, that is why we exist, but we are also very aware that that is an aspirational goal that yes, we do believe that this is a preventable crime, but it if it were that easy, rape would no longer exist, Jones said.

The Justice Department has said it will not tolerate violence against anyone who is trying to obtain an abortion in Texas as federal officials explore options to challenge the law.

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Weber contributed from Austin.

By PAUL J. WEBER and JAMIE STENGLE

Associated Press
Official: Wildfire near Lake Tahoe largely kept from towns View Photo

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  The huge wildfire near the Lake Tahoe resort region was about half contained Tuesday, with the head of Californias firefighting agency saying crews largely have been able to keep flames away from populated areas.

Weve been able to herd these fires around and outside of the main community corridors, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief Thom Porter said.

That includes the city of South Lake Tahoe and nearby Meyers that were threatened by the Caldor Fire as it churned east, and the communities of Pollock Pines and nearby Sly Park near where the fire ignited 3 1/2 weeks ago.

Unfortunately, that hasnt happened in every case, Porter said at a briefing. But by and large, weve been able to do a great job in protecting lives, property.

Nearly 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the fire near Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, including 776 homes. Many were in the community of Grizzly Flats near where the fire started and was able to burn before officials could divert significant resources from other blazes scorching California.

Others include the Dixie Fire, the second-largest in the states recorded history, which also has burned through rural, forested communities that firefighters were unable to protect.

The perimeter of that fire, which is farther north in the Sierra Nevada, has grown to 800 miles (1,300 kilometers), said Tony Scardina, the U.S. Forest Services deputy regional forester for California.

Thats the equivalent of driving the I-5 from the southern border of California to the northern border of California, he said of the major north-south interstate.

The Dixie Fire was 59% contained. It began in mid-July and has destroyed more than 1,200 buildings, including 688 homes.

Hot, dry, windy conditions across Northern California this week could spread existing or new fires, Scardina warned.

About 3,125 square miles (8,094 square kilometers) have burned so far this year, similar to the record 2020 fire season, Porter said.

We are on par with where we were last year. Thats sobering, and that is the new reality, the Cal Fire chief said.

California has experienced increasingly larger and deadlier wildfires in recent years as climate change has made the U.S. West much warmer and drier over the past 30 years. Scientists have said weather will continue to be more extreme and wildfires more frequent, destructive and unpredictable.

The entire state showing the potential for extreme fire danger in the next three months, Porter said.

Were right smack in the middle of wildfire peak season, he said. And so everybody needs to remain vigilant.

The Caldor Fire grew by just a few hundred acres over 24 hours, to just over 338 square miles (875 square kilometers), and containment lines were holding well, officials said at a briefing.

We had very little challenging of the line anyplace on the fire, said Tim Ernst, a Cal Fire operations section chief.

Some sections of the perimeter were a concern, but on much of the blaze, the work turned to mopping up, pulling miles of fire hose out of the forest and knocking down dangerously weakened trees.

The fire, which has grown explosively at times, was tamed enough to allow authorities to lift mandatory evacuation orders for the 22,000 residents of South Lake Tahoe on Sunday.

But Ryan Okashima, the California Highway Patrols assistant commissioner, urged residents to be cautious both in heeding evacuation warnings and when returning home.

Please be patient, take your time as youre trying to get back to your homes, he said. Please dont go to your homes until youre actually told that is clear to go to your homes.

The firefight was so intense that all eight available firefighting aircraft from the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve were called into service Sunday for the first time since 2012, said Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, who heads the California National Guard.

But with improving conditions, Baldwin said a couple hundred troops, four Guard helicopters and other equipment were pulled back.

The Caldor Fire broke out Aug. 14 on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and gutted the community of Grizzly Flats as it roared up and over the crest of the mountain range to the eastern side, burning more homes and cabins along the way until it was prevented from reaching Lake Tahoes south shore.

The fire has been one of the most impactful events that I think weve ever seen here, said Mike Blankenheim, chief of the Amador-El Dorado unit of Cal Fire.

The road back to some sense of normalcy for us is no doubt going to be long and no doubt going to have some challenges with it, but because of the efforts of this group here  that path has a solid anchor point and we have a direction to go with that right now, Blankenheim told firefighters.

On Tuesday, more than 15,500 personnel were working on 14 active large wildfires in California.

By SAM METZ

AP/Report for America
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Four men were hospitalized with injuries early Tuesday after a car crashed into a sidewalk homeless camp in Los Angeles, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 6 a.m. west of downtown in the Koreatown area.

One person was taken to the hospital in moderate condition and three were in fair condition, authorities said.

A 65-year-old man was trapped under the white Dodge Dart but a couch on which he was sleeping at the time may have saved his life by holding up the car, KNBC-TV reported.

Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange says a special rescue truck was brought in to lift the vehicle off a person.

The other three injured men were inside the car but managed to get out on their own.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP)  The former prosecutor charged with misconduct for her handling of the Ahmaud Arbery case was booked at a Georgia jail on Wednesday and released.

Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson turned herself in Wednesday morning at the Glynn County jail, county Undersheriff Ron Corbett said. Jail records show she was released on her own recognizance, meaning she did not have to pay a cash bond.

A grand jury indicted Johnson, 49, last week on a felony charge of violating her oath of office and a misdemeanor count of obstructing police. Johnson was the area's top prosecutor when three white men chased and fatally shot Arbery last year. The indictment alleges she used her position to discourage police from making arrests in the 25-year-old Black man's killing.

Johnson did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday. Officials at the jail and the Glynn County Superior Court clerk's office said their records did not list an attorney for her.

Greg McMichael and his grown son, Travis McMichael, armed themselves and pursued Arbery in a pickup truck on Feb. 23, 2020, after they spotted Arbery running in their neighborhood just outside the port city of Brunswick, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah.

A neighbor, William Roddie Bryan, joined the chase and took cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range with a shotgun. Greg McMichael told police they suspected Arbery was a burglar and Travis McMichael shot him in self-defense.

Prosecutors have said Arbery was unarmed and was carrying no stolen items when he was slain.

The McMichaels and Bryan weren't charged in the killing until more than two months later, after the video was leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case. Now all three men are scheduled to stand trial this fall on murder charges.

Greg McMichael worked for Johnson as an investigator in the district attorney's office before retiring in 2019. Phone records introduced in court show he called Johnson and left her a voicemail soon after the shooting.

Johnson has previously denied any wrongdoing, saying she recused her office from the case immediately because of its relationship with Greg McMichael.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office is prosecuting Johnson. Carr sought the misconduct investigation last year, saying the first outside prosecutor he appointed to handle the case had been recommended by Johnson, who never disclosed that she had already asked that prosecutor to advise police in the immediate aftermath of Arberys killing.

That outside prosecutor, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, later recused himself  but not before sending a letter to Glynn police advising that he believed the shooting of Arbery was justified.

Johnson lost reelection last year and blamed controversy over Arbery's death for her defeat.

___

This story has been corrected to say Johnson did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday, not Thursday.
BOSTON (AP)  Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.

In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: He should not be paroled.

Bobby believed we should work to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world, Kennedy, 93, wrote.

He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband, she wrote, adding: Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.

Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Her statement came a week after former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK's oldest son, also denounced the possible parole of Sirhan, 77.

Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.

The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society, noting that he had enrolled in more than 20 programs including anger management classes, tai chi and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Sirhan has served 53 years of a life sentence.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next four months by the boards staff. Then it will be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.

Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.
WALLINGFORD  The town is slated to received approximately $13.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to help people negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Wallingford leaders hope to use ARPA funds to help small business owners who have been adversely affected, including people like Michael Terrace Jr.

Terrace, a Wallingford resident, owns the former Rubins Mens Shop building at 4 Center St.

He purchased the prominent building at the corner of Center Street and Route 5 in December 2019, along with the northern abutting property at 35 N. Colony St.

Both buildings also have upstairs residential tenants. Theres a total of 10 units

between the two buildings.

Terrace said Tuesday that he lost only two of his renters, both of whom lost their jobs due to COVID-19, and has worked out payment plans with others.

There was some interest for an upscale wine bar and cafe in the groundfloor storefront at 4 Center St., but those plans were tabled when Gov. Ned Lamont closed everything down in March 2020, he said.

Since purchasing the properties, Terrace has overhauled the exterior of 35 N. Colony St.  redoing the roof, siding and all of the windows.

Inside, hes working on renovating the vacant apartments with LED lights, new pine board floors, new tile in the bathroom and back splash behind the sink and kitchen counter.

San Juanito Mexican Store and Classic Cutz Barbershop are still the commercial ground floor tenants at 35 N. Colony.

The Wallingford Democratic Town Committee currently occupies the ground floor of 4 Center St., having used the space as headquarters during election season for several years.

Even though they're not there making capital improvements to their commercial space, as a normal commercial tenant would, they're helping add to the war chest so that we can make these improvements, Terrace said. We're going to take care of the outer envelope, and the tenants will take care of the inner space.

Terrace said hes planning to pursue ARPA funding once the town establishes a way to apply for an ARPA grant.

Wallingfords plan

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March, sending a large infusion of cash to states  approximately $350 billion nationwide.

More than $6 billion is estimated to come to Connecticut through multiple ARPA grant programs, according to Lamonts plan for ARPA funding released in April.

Municipalities receive ARPA funds through the state Office of Policy and Managements coronavirus relief programs, under guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Wallingford is slated to receive $13,118,305 in two payments, called tranches at the state level, of about $6,559,152 each.

The first half has already been deposited and the other half is slated to come in next year.

Municipalities are obligated to spend the first half of their payments within two years.

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said Tuesday that the town is working on a plan to disburse the money locally to help people recover from losses due to the pandemic  from individuals who were unemployed to small businesses and nonprofits.

We are looking to set up a program that allows for applications for funding, Dickinson said, and review those applications, and hopefully award a grant to assist in those circumstances.

If applicants received money from other sources, such as unemployment benefits, they would have to reveal what revenue they received, Dickinson said.

Non-residents would be eligible if they have a business in Wallingford that meets the criteria.

Looking for a consultant

Dickinson put together a request for proposal through the town purchasing department to hire a consultant to guide town officials on the distribution of money.

We need assistance from an expert in federal programs, Dickinson said. There's a lot of reporting requirements associated with the ARPA program, and we need the advice of an expert on it.

The bid has not been posted publicly yet. The cost of hiring the consultant would be covered through the ARPA funding, Dickinson said.

Whether the town can use ARPA funding on town projects is a gray area, Dickinson said.

An example would be upgrading HVAC systems in town buildings with better air filtration systems aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Your loss has to be as a result of COVID. That's not a loss, he said.

The Water and Sewer Divisions, however, are eligible for funding to help with infrastructure projects not necessarily connected to COVID-19.

It gets very, very technical as to what would be acceptable, what wouldn't, and that's one of the reasons we want to hire someone, Dickinson said.

As part of the application process, he added, we're going to have to be complying with whatever information the federal government is looking for later on when they do the audit on all of this. We don't want the town liable for having spent money and then the audit says, no you shouldn't have and then owe the federal government the money.

The mayor didnt have a time frame for when the town would start accepting applications for ARPA funding, but said he wants to move as quickly as possible.

Currently, the towns Economic Development Commission is spearheading the effort to manage the ARPA funding distribution.

Other area towns

Every municipality and borough statewide is slated to receive some amount of ARPA funding through the state.

Meriden is slated to receive a total of $36.4 million. City leaders formed the Meriden American Rescue Plan Steering Committee in an advisory role to oversee the distribution of funds.

Southington is slated to receive nearly $13 million and Cheshire listed at $8.6 million.

LTakores@record-journal.com203-317-2212Twitter: @LCTakores
William Luther /Staff

After canceling his San Antonio album release party for his latest album "I love San Antone" due to COVID-19 concerns back in August, Garrett T. Capps has pinned a new date for the celebratory honky-tonk bash.

The local alternative country musician and owner of the Lonesome Rose, originally envisioned throwing down to his quarantine produced album at his own bar. However, in light of the ever-changing state of the world, Capps has opted for a larger, more open air venue, which he has found in fellow St. Mary's strip establishment, Paper Tiger.
NEW YORK (AP)  When Debra Perelman took over as Revlons first woman CEO in its 89-year history in 2018, the global beauty company was already facing big challenges.

The publicly traded company, which is backed by her billionaire father Ron Perelmans MacAndrews & Forbes Inc., and which also owns iconic brands like Almay and Elizabeth Arden, had been struggling for years. That includes a heavy debt load, changing consumer tastes and intense competition, most recently from celebrity launches like Kylie Jenner-backed Kylie.

Revlons problems only intensified with the pandemic, which hurt sales of lipsticks as people masked up. Sales fell 21% to $1.9 billion in 2020. The company avoided bankruptcy late last year by persuading enough bondholders to extend its maturing debt.

Its a big change from when Revlon in its heyday throughout much of the 20th century was the second largest cosmetics company by sales, behind only Avon. Now, its ranked number 22, according to a ranking by fashion trade WWD. Shares of Revlon are trading around $11, far from the near $80 level it traded 20 years ago.

Perelman, 48 and a self-proclaimed makeup junkie, says shes optimistic about the future. As women venture out, Revlons makeup sales are rebounding, though shes monitoring the delta variant. She also has used the health crisis as an opportunity to double-down on investments online. During the pandemic, Elizabeth Arden launched one-on-one virtual consultations, for example.

The company is learning from celebrity launches like Kylie to be more nimble; it's cutting months off of developing new product launches. Perelman says shes also seeing Revlon regaining market share. For the first half, the company's sales increase nearly 18% to $942.4 million and its losses shrunk to $163.7 million from $340.7 million in the year-ago period.

Perelman has also made a commitment to such issues as diversity and sustainability. Her current leadership team is more than 50% female. The pandemic has also inspired her to hold talks on mental health at the company. Thirteen years ago, she co-founded Child Mind Institute, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Perelman has a personal connection to the issue: her now 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an anxiety condition as a young child.

The Associated Press interviewed Perelman about beauty habits during the pandemic and how to stay nimble. Her responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Q. Do you find it odd that you're Revlon's first female CEO in its long history?

A. Im extremely humbled to be the first female CEO in Revlons history. While Im the first woman to hold the CEO role in our peer set of large legacy beauty companies, I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. Elizabeth Arden, as an example, founded her namesake brand over 100 years ago. Today, there are many female leaders in the industry who have had tremendous impact, particularly when we look to the indie space.

Q. What are your key priorities?

A. In 2018, our e-commerce as a percent of our net sales was 2% and at the end of last year it was 20%, which is an incredible acceleration of our capability as well as from a business standpoint, our results. Ive also made a commitment within the company on diversity and inclusion and sustainability.

Q. Tell me more about diversity and sustainability.

A. At the beginning of 2021, (new product developments)  two thirds of them  had sustainable elements. Most recently, we partnered with United Negro Fund in funding scholarships of students in the market as well as we partnered with the not-for-profit Beauty United, which is committed to increasing diversity and beauty.

Q. Which product areas are you focusing on?

A. During the pandemic, we were very focused on skin care as well as hair color. Whereas today were focused on color cosmetics, skin care fragrances, which has had an incredible comeback in the market.

Q. How do you reverse declining market share?

A. The focus has been on strengthening key brands and key markets. And when you look at Revlon, the number three global color cosmetic brand, we still have an incredible place in the market and very high brand recognition. In our most recent quarter earnings, were growing beyond the category, which means that we are gaining market share.

Q. How do you compete with celebrity brands like Kylie?

A. I think theyve been incredible for the beauty industry. They're bringing new users into the industry. So thats better for all beauty companies, and they have been able to create a path and a different business model in terms of how theyre executing a market to really resonate with the consumer. It has helped us in different ways, such as how we accelerate e-commerce.

Q. Any examples?

A. We started to work in specific pods that were responsible for that business. So they made all the decisions on how they were going to go to market, what they needed and how fast they needed to move. It wasnt up a chain. It was just isolated to that business group, which was a tremendous learning for the company. And we rolled it out to other parts of the business so that we can be faster.

Q. What is it like to have your father, Ron Perelman, as the chairman and majority owner of Revlons shares through MacAndrews & Forbes?

A. We have a very good working relationship. We speak every single day. I am very fortunate that he has such experience with not only this company, but so many other companies, and hes able to bring that experience and guidance to the table with me.

Q. How has the pandemic changed your management style?

A. It has changed my leadership style. And I think its changed a lot of peoples leadership style because we had to adapt to the changes that were going on with our employees. So I do think that empathy and compassion has become much more of a presence in my leadership style, and I think in others' leadership style.

______

Follow Anne DInnocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio
LAPLACE, La. (AP)  Giant trees knocked sideways. Homes boarded up with plywood. Off-kilter street signs.

Less than a week after Hurricane Ida battered the Gulf Coast, President Joe Biden walked the streets of a hardhit Louisiana neighborhood and told local residents, I know you're hurting, I know you're hurting.

Such a scene likely will be repeated early next week when Biden tours parts of the Northeast that also were battered by flash flooding caused by Ida's soggy remnants. The White House announced Saturday that Biden will visit Manville, New Jersey, and the New York City borough of Queens on Tuesday.

In Louisiana, Biden pledged robust federal assistance to get people back on their feet and said the government already had distributed $100 million directly to individuals in the state in $500 checks to give them a first slice of critical help. Many people, he said, don't know what help is available because they can't get cellphone service.

Residents welcomed Biden's Friday presence, one of them drawing a sign with his last name and a heart for the dot on the i. They laughed and posed for selfies.

More formally, Biden met with state and local officials in LaPlace, a community between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain that suffered major wind and water damage and was left with sheared-off roofs and flooded homes.

I promise were going to have your back, Biden said.

He also took a flyover tour of pummeled areas including Lafitte, Grand Isle, Port Fourchon and Lafourche Parish, where Parish President Archie Chaisson said 25% of the homes in his community of 100,000 were gone or had catastrophic damage.

The president later met privately with Gov. John Bel Edwards, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, who is from Louisiana, and local officials including Chaisson.

The devastation was clear even as Air Force One approached New Orleans, with uprooted trees and blue tarps covering shredded houses coming into view. The road to LaPlace exhibited power-line wood poles jutting from the ground at odd angles.

Trips to natural disaster scenes have long been a feature of U.S. presidencies, moments to demonstrate compassion and show the public leadership during a crisis. They are also opportunities to hit pause, however temporarily, from the political sniping that often dominates Washington.

In shirtsleeves and boots, Biden was welcomed at the airport by Edwards, a Democrat. Several Republicans, including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Scalise, were also on hand.

Edwards said Biden has "been a tremendous partner, adding that he intended to keep asking for help until the president said no.

In the aftermath of Ida, Biden is focusing anew on the threat posed by climate change and the prospect that disaster zone visits may become a more regular feature of the presidency. The storm has killed at least 14 people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and at least 49 in the Northeastern U.S. At least 25 people died in New Jersey alone.

The president has pointed to that destruction to call for greater public resolve to confront climate change. His $1 trillion infrastructure legislation intends to ensure that vital networks connecting cities and states and the country as a whole can withstand the flooding, whirlwinds and damage caused by increasingly dangerous weather.

At Fridays briefing with local officials, Biden insisted the infrastructure bill and an even more expansive measure later on would more effectively prepare the country.

It seems to me we can save a whole lot of money, a whole lot of pain for our constituents, if we build back, rebuild it back in a better way, Biden said. I realize Im selling as Im talking.

Sen. Cassidy tweeted later that in his conversation with Biden, "we spoke about the need for resiliency. We agreed putting power lines beneath the ground would have avoided all of this. The infrastructure bill has billions for grid resiliency.

Past presidents have been defined in part by how they handled such crises.

Seemingly casually, Donald Trump lobbed paper towels to people in Puerto Rico after a hurricane, generating scorn from critics but little damage to his political standing. Barack Obama hugged New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie in 2012 after Superstorm Sandy, a brief respite from partisan tensions that had threatened the economy. George W. Bush fell out of public favor after a poor and unprepared response to Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans in 2005.

Scientists say climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events  such as large tropical storms, and the droughts and heatwaves that create conditions for vast wildfires. U.S. weather officials recently reported that July 2021 was the hottest month recorded in 142 years of record-keeping.

Biden's nearly eight-month-old presidency has been shaped in part by perpetual crises. The president went to Texas in February after a cold winter storm caused the state's power grid to fail, and he has closely monitored the wildfires in Western states.

Besides natural disasters, the president has had to contend with a multitude of other challenges. He is searching for ways to rescue the 100-200 Americans stuck in Afghanistan after the longest war in U.S. history ended a matter of days ago. He is also confronting the delta variant of the coronavirus that has plunged the country into an autumn of uncertainty only months after he declared independence from the disease at a July 4 celebration on the White House lawn.

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. The storm's remnants dropped devastating rainfall across parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey on Wednesday, causing significant disruption to major cities.

___

Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Christina Larson and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
PARIS (AP)  French doctors and scientists on Tuesday called on authorities to take action against the insults and threats including death threats  that they have frequently received during the coronavirus pandemic.

The doctors said they fear that someone from the world of conspiracy theories will take action, not just against them but against other medical professionals, and condemned the silence of authorities.

Its months that some of us are receiving, regularly, death threats. Be it via social networks  Twitter, email, by telephone, or by the post. We are targets, said Jerome Marty, a physician who heads a union for doctors in private practice, UFMLS.

Some doctors like himself receive threats several times a day, he said, and some now have bodyguards.

What we fear is not so much the threats to us personally, Marty said. Their biggest fear is that an anonymous doctor, an anonymous nurse, an anonymous scientist, the people fighting today in the face of the (COVID-19) crisis  will be assaulted by someone who takes action.

Those in the group included medical professionals who often appear on TV to explain the current state of the pandemic to French residents.

Verbal threats were played, one from an anonymous man in Toulouse who said, Listen, buddy. The population is starting to get angry  So shut your big trap. Its like youre looking for it. Tougher was a threat on social media to one doctor, not present: And the bullet in your head that Im going to plant, how are you going to stop it?

Vulgar insults were scrawled on a note to Karine Lacombe, head of infectious diseases at a Paris Saint Antoine Hospital, and once a regular on news shows. Weve been following you for a while: car, house, route, garbage is destroyed, it read in part.

What shocks me is the impunity that the people who lit the fuse on purpose benefit from, to disturb an established order, to disturb what scientists say, and make the population waver, Lacombe said. She also expressed shock that the messages are relayed on social media and at weekly anti-health pass demonstrations.

Tens of thousands of people opposed to health passes needed to access restaurants, cafes and other gathering spots, including some opposed to COVID-19 vaccinations, march in cities around France each weekend.

Marty and others claimed the threats come from individuals who are being manipulated. He said there are perhaps a dozen to 20 people propelling the threats, but . We arent detectives.

Damien Barraud, an anaesthetist in Metz, who denounces conspiracy theories linked to the virus on Twitter, said in a Zoom call at the news conference that he received his first threat in April 2020.

But Its amplifying now  getting more serious.

Concerns about the threats grew with the publication last month in France Soir, a daily that has given voice to COVID-19 doubters, of an unsigned commentary taking down the medical establishment over the issue and naming names of doctors and scientists. The commentary, since revised, concluded with a cryptic reference to La Veuve (The Widow), a word once used to denote the guillotine. It was the last straw for the collective of doctors and scientists.

Lacombe stressed the need for the political class to take a stance at some stage and not believe that freedom of speech, which of course must be protected in France, means accepting that there may be some verbal and physical violence.

___

Follow all AP stories on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
On Tuesday, September 7, Texas made its rounds on nearly every talk show  and it wasn't a good thing.

Many of the comedians, like Jimmy Kimmel, brought up the new heartbeat law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy  a period before many women know they are pregnant. The law does not make exceptions for rape or incest.

Kimmel, who just came back from his two-month summer vacation, wasted no time bringing up the law. In his returning monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he brought up how weird the summer has been. Kimmel said, "Britney is free, and every woman in the state of Texas isn't."

Stephen Colbert also chimed in on the matter, calling Gov. Greg Abbott a "bloody fool" for signing it into law. On his show The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, he said what the Texas legislature did was "crazy." He explained how the law is turning private citizens against each other as it encourages individuals to sue anyone who has violated the law.

"Now famously, we all know you don't mess with Texas, but apparently it's cool to narc on other Texans," Colbert said.

On Late Night With Seth Meyers, the host allowed comedian Amber Ruffin to talk about the new law in Texas on the show's segment, "Amber's Minute of Fury." Ruffin goes into detail about how Texas politicians should control every part of her body since they want to be in charge of her uterus so bad.

She jokes they should tackle her at Dairy Queen to make sure she doesn't eat ice cream since she's lactose intolerant. Ruffin said the Texas legislature should manage her calorie intake and throw out her candy.

"How are you going to be in charge of just one part of my body? What kind of sense does that make," Ruffin said. "...At least take the whole bottom half. I want a federally funded pedicure... Can you do that? Of course, you can't you dumb f**ks, so don't take charge of the biggest decision I'll ever make in my whole life when you can't even get me a Goddamn pedicure."

At a press conference on Tuesday, Abbott defended the law, saying victims of incest and rape have six weeks to receive an abortion, and the state would "work tirelessly" to "eliminate all rapists."

He also called for another special legislative session for redistricting and other conservative priorities starting September 20 (meaning Texas will keep being late-night show fodder for a while).
Bob Daemmrich /TNS

Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a third special legislative session that will begin on September 20 and tackle redistricting, restrictions on transgender student athletes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to redraw legislative and congressional districts in accordance with the new census numbers," Abbott said in a statement. "In addition to redistricting, there are still issues remaining that are critical to building a stronger and brighter future for all Texans."
Since its doors opened more than a century ago, Providence Place has served as a safe haven for thousands of women and children in crisis. Over the years, the faith-based nonprofit has provided women  many of them abuse survivors  with shelter and services needed to transform their lives. Providence Place is a unique organization with a unique history. It was founded in 1895 by Madame Volino, a brothel owner in downtown San Antonio. A street revivalists message turned out to be life-changing for Volino, so much so that she decided to turn her brothel into a rescue mission for vulnerable young girls and women. Back then, it was called a home for wayward girls, and eventually, its mission would include caring for unwed mothers and arranging adoptions.

Although our society has changed a lot since then, some of the problems women face have not. Today, Providence Place operates on a 25-acre campus on the citys Northwest Side. The organization serves women 18 and older who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies, aging out of the foster care system, and survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking. One of the oldest adoption agencies in Texas, Providence Place facilitates private infant adoptions, foster care adoptions and has been recognized as a pioneer in open adoption. Thanks to Providence Place, more than 6,000 children have been adopted by loving families. These days, most of the children they place come from Child Protective Services.

CEO and president Judith Bell said the goal is for everyone to have the opportunity to envision a different future and transform their future story. Were a multiprogram agency, but we all work around the same mission, to eliminate the cycle of trauma, the generational cycle of trauma through innovative services, she said.

Programs designed to fulfill that mission include Parenting with a Purpose, a family development program focusing on education and empowerment for families with children younger than 3; My Mariposa Home, an 18-month transitional housing program for adult female survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence; Supervised Independent Living, a transitional housing program for young women in extended foster care; and Oasis Home, a temporary emergency shelter for those aging out of the foster care system who dont have a home.

Bell said many of their clients face trauma associated with exiting the foster care system, childhood abuse, and living on the streets. She said 81 % of the women who arrive at My Mariposa Home are homeless and have experienced some form of abuse. About 30 % identify as survivors of human trafficking, and 20 % come from the foster care system. These are women who have had very difficult lives, said Bell. Because of the abuse, many have abandonment and trust issues common for those dealing with complex trauma.

The transitional housing Providence Place provides often serves as a quiet place for restoration, a space where the women can be themselves and learn what its like to live a more normal life. One young mother, who recently spent 10 months at My Mariposa Home, said the temporary housing program gave her the safe place shed been looking for.

The womans name has been withheld to protect her privacy. She had been in an abusive relationship for years and was facing homelessness.

I was not in a very good mental state when I got there, she said. I was devastated and embarrassed and ashamed of my situation. While living at My Mariposa Home, she attended therapy sessions, received job training, and signed up for housing assistance.

She said counseling sessions helped her gain confidence and taught her the coping skills needed to make a fresh start. She now has a job, an apartment and has been reunited with her children. Although she has moved out of My Mariposa Home, she still attends campus therapy sessions. Providence Place continues to be an integral part of her support system. The thing Im most grateful for with My Mariposa Home is the healing, she said. I was taught the right way to interact and the right tools to use.

Like most nonprofits, Providence Place welcomes monetary donations, but Bell said they need Uber gift cards, store gift cards, Visa gift cards, and diapers. Information about how to donate can be found on the website, https://www.provplace.org/. Due to the pandemic, the organization is not seeking volunteers at this time, but those interested should check the website for upcoming volunteer opportunities. Bell wants people to know that Providence Place has been providing housing and services for women, youth, and families for 126 years.

We have been part of changing the stories of countless people, she said. This is about empowering women, youth, and families, and weve been doing it a long time.

For more information about Providence Place, go to https://www.provplace.org/ or call 210-696-2410.

Providence Place programs & services:

Adoption/Foster: foster care, private and DFPS adoption services, and licensing.

Parenting with a Purpose: family development program focusing on education and empowerment for families with children under the age of 3.

My Mariposa Home: an 18-month transitional housing program for adult female survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault and domestic violence.

Supervised Independent Living (SIL): transitional housing program for young women in extended foster care.

Oasis Home: an emergency shelter for young women who are 18-24 years old, who would otherwise be homeless.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Bird Song of the Day

An extended aria!

* * *

#COVID19

At reader request, Ive added this daily chart from 91-DIVOC. The data is the Johns Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. I feel Im engaging in a macabre form of tape-watching.

We already start to an instant rebound from Labor Day, I assume because reporting is returning to normal. Nevertheless, Labor Day, as the end of summer, also signals life changes for Americans, so those changes will affect the numbers too. We shall see!

Vaccination by region:

53.2% of the US is fully vaccinated, a big moment, bursting through the psychological 53% barrier (mediocre by world standards, being just below Ecuador, and just above Switzerland and Malaysia). Every day, a tenth of a percentage point upward. However, as readers point out, every day those vaccinated become less protected, especially the earliest. So we are trying to outrun the virus (I have also not said, because its too obvious, that if by Bubba we mean The South, then Bubba has done pretty well.)

Case count by United States regions:

Covid cases top ten states for the last four weeks:

Fresh-squeezed numbers from Florida.

NEW From CDC: Community Profile Report September 7, 2021 (PDF), Rapid Riser counties, this release:

It would be nice if all that lovely green were not a reporting artifact, but. This map, too, blows the Blame Bubba narrative out of the water. Not a (Deliverance-style) banjo to be heard. Previous release:

(Red means getting worse, green means bad but getting better. This chart updates Tuesdays and Fridays, presumbly by end-of-day.)

Test positivity:

Hospitalization (CDC):

NEW Here the CDCs hospitalization visualization, from the source above:

Deaths (Our World in Data):

We are now well past the peak of last year at this time. Which I am finding more than a little disturbing. (Adding: I know the data is bad. This is the United States. But according to The Narrative, deaths shouldnt have been going up at all. Directionally, this is quite concerning. Needless to see, this is a public health debacle. Its the public health establishment to take care of public health, not the health of certain favored political factions.)

Covid cases worldwide:

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Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune

They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

Biden Administration

An infrastructure plan in Congress could spur states to rethink how they allocate scarce transportation dollars. Separate provisions in the bill before the House seek to address controversies over spending on roads and bridges [Wall Street Journal]. The programs would seek to build better processes to direct funding and to provide data to help set priorities. The proposals show that lawmakers are still wrestling with how to scale up infrastructure spending while coping with criticism over earmarked funding for projects favored by politicians. One plan would offer $2 million grants to help planners determine funding in a more transparent way. The proposal is modeled on a program used in Virginia dubbed Smart Scale that shows how the system can workand how it can generate controversy. Backers say that having officials justify the reasoning behind their choices can allay concerns over the direction of spending .  Hmm. The Health 202: Senate Democrats eye vouchers to speed up potential new Medicare benefits [WaPo]. Senate Democrats are toying with the idea of then sending some form of financial help for hearing, vision and dental services to Medicare enrollees, four people with knowledge of the situation tell Jeff and me. Discussions range from roughly $600 to $1,000, though sources cautioned details are still very much in flux. The House Ways and Means Committee released its Medicare expansion bill yesterday  and it doesnt include a mechanism to give all three benefits to millions of seniors next year. Instead, the legislation starts vision coverage in 2022, then hearing in 2023 and phases in dental care beginning in 2028.  Idea: Tax credits! Trump Legacy The Jolt: Fulton County investigation into Donald Trump moving forward [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]. The DAs office is focusing on the Jan. 2 phone call Trump placed to [Secretary of State Brad] Raffensperger, in which he urged his fellow Republican to find the votes to reverse Joe Bidens win in Georgia. But the investigation also could extend to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who promoted lies about election fraud in a state legislative hearing; and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who was accused by Raffensperger of urging him to toss mail-in ballots in certain counties. Graham and Giuliani have denied any wrongdoing. Its not clear how quickly the investigation is proceeding, but were told to expect significant developments within months.

Realignment and Legitimacy

Into the Fairy Castle: The Persistence of Victorian Liberalism [American Affairs]. A Danish West Wing, Borgen. Borgen, in sum, forms a set piece in the continuing liberal project of constructing a hyperreal world in which political identities serve only as props of self-construction. Integrity is obsolete: the viewers, like [Prime Minister] Birgitte [Nyborg], must have their cake and eat it too, casting themselves as moral exemplars who have simply grown too savvy and realistic to bother with actual morals. Why, after all, as some perspicacious viewers have asked, does Birgitte form a coalition with the parties of the Left, rather than with the center-right bloc with whom she seems to share more common ground? Why would a moderate leader reach out only in one ideological direction, rather than the more natural course of building outward from her own partys middle position? The answer is the same reason that contemporary American liberals, though clearly in line with traditional middle-class thinking, still place themselves on the ideological leftnamely, it enables one to identify with reformist causes while refusing to take any position inimical to middle-class interests. Those who have endured this long examination of Borgen will hopefully recognize that we have considered the series not because it is socially impactful, but because it shines a light on a mentality and self-image that pervade the upper-middle classes in the modern West. Indeed, we must note that the currently growing progressive and democratic socialist Left shares most of the same fixations and proclivities as their liberal counterparts (many of whom are their own parents and teachers): obsessive cultivation of self-image and identity; punctilious policing of representation and the boundaries of polite speech; ecstatic identification with celebrity politicians; and enthusiasm for short-lived moral causes-celebres. (Indeed, even the perverse projection of mother-daughter relations onto the screen of factional politics is so persistent that the most outspoken leftists in Congress can call the Speaker of the House their mama bear.) Nonetheless, certain salient differences emerge as well. Contemporary leftists by and large perceive society as an arena of contending material interests, and accept as a premise of electoral politics that parties and politicians ought to deliver tangible material benefits in return for votes. Even this most basic acknowledgment is anathema to the liberal center, threatening as it does the understanding of politics as a theater of pure self-actualization. . A political structure is usually most inflexible when its foundations are under stress. The defenders of the liberal center-left persistthrough victories and defeats alikebecause success on the battlefield is less important to them than holding the center ground. Only from this position can the educated middle class defend its social position in the West, which it has taken centuries to attain. Liberalisms continuing tenacity, as it suppresses the tensions and contradictions at its base, can be understood only in light of the history of the social class whose haunted conscience it protects, and whose demons it attempts to keep at bay.  Lengthy as the article is, its hard to cut Democrats, Abortion and Phony Politics [Margaret Kimberly, Black Agenda Report]. Neither she nor anyone else in Democratic party leadership will ever acknowledge how badly they failed their people. They havent changed since 2016. They still hope to win by doing as little as they possibly can. The Texas law spawned hand wringing and foolish deification of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But like Clinton she bore responsibility for the makeup of the current Supreme Court. In 2013 Barack Obama asked the 80-year old, two-time cancer patient to step down, just in case Democrats lost control of the senate the following year. That is precisely what happened but truth telling doesnt suit the political image makers. Even worse, the Democrats lie about their ability to protect abortion rights. They could pass the Womens Health Protection Act which would make Roe v. Wade federal law and do away with all abortion restrictions across the country. They could have done this when Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had democratic control of both houses of congress and they can still do it now. Democrats have been lying about their ability to protect abortion rights for the past 30 years. The Democrats constantly treat their members as suckers. They raise millions of dollars claiming that they will stop the Republican onslaught against abortions or some other issue that is important to their voters.. The Womens Health Protection Act could be passed now but any expectation of that happening is for the suckers to believe. The Democrats claim that it would be too hard to pass because of the filibuster, which they also do nothing about. Round and round they go, with nothing to show except excuses for their inaction. Meanwhile their paid mouth pieces in corporate media use every trick in their worn out playbook to keep the rank and file from noticing they have been conned yet again.  I think this and the piece above translate to about the same thing. Your personal choice not to get COVID vaccine is putting our healthcare heroes at risk [Miami Herald]. On Friday, Gov. DeSantis actually uttered these incredible  and incorrect  words about the vaccine: Its about your health and whether you want that protection or not. It really doesnt impact me or anyone else.'  DeSantis is wrong, but I want to use this to pose a lateral question: Why cant we reclassify greed as a sin? More to the point, for todays social justice crowd, why dont we classify greed as a micro-aggression?

Stats Watch

Economic Optimism: United States IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index [Trading Economics]. The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index in the US plunged by 5.1 points to 48.5 in September 2021, the lowest since September last year and falling into pessimistic territory for the first time since December. Concerns about near-term prospects for the US economy mounted as the latest Covid wave pushes back the jobs recovery amid ebbing federal income supports. The federal policies subindex, which reflect views of how well government economic policies are working, dropped 3.8 points to 49.1, turning negative for the first time since February.

Employment Situation: United States Job Openings [Trading Economics]. The number of job openings in the US rose by 749,000 from a month earlier to a new series high of 10.934 million in July 2021, and well above market expectations of 10.0 million, adding to signs of labor supply constraints. Job openings increased in several industries, with the largest gains in health care and social assistance [Ill bet] (+294,000); finance and insurance (+116,000); and accommodation and food services (+115,000).

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Shipping: Shipping industry proposes levy to speed up zero carbon future [Reuters]. With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the worlds CO2 emissions and the sector is under growing pressure to get cleaner. For the first time, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Intercargo jointly proposed a levy based on mandatory contributions for each tonne of CO2 emitted from ships exceeding 5,000 gross tonnes and trading globally. The money collected would go into a climate fund that would be used to deploy bunkering infrastructure in ports around the world to supply cleaner fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, according to the proposal.

Manufacturing: The worlds auto makers are moving to take greater control of a critical part of electric-vehicle supply chains. Toyota says it will spend $9 billion over the next decade to build factories for electric-car batteries. making the Japanese manufacturer the latest in a growing field of car makers aiming to supply their own batteries [Wall Street Journal]. The investments by Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen are part of the high-stakes, high-cost efforts to build new supply chains for the raw materials and components that will go into a new generation of tech-heavy, emissions-slashing cars. Toyota has lagged behind its rivals on EVs, but the factory plan is part of significant new research and investment.

Manufacturing: Intel is investing heavily in efforts to expand and reset global semiconductor supply chains. The technology giant, which already has a fabrication site in Ireland, plans to spend $95 billion to build factories at an undisclosed site in Europe and will court auto makers among its customers.  [Wall Street Journal]. [T]he company is responding to an international race to add manufacturing capacity during a global chip-supply crunch, and that the investment could expand still further. The factories would cater to meteoric demand for semiconductors as computers, cars and electronics become more dependent on chips. The expansion in Europe is part of Intels push to become a major contract chip maker, an effort that includes plans for a plant in Arizona. Asian manufacturers have their own aggressive expansion plans that include tens of billions of dollars over the next three years.

Supply Chain: How the pandemic turned humble shipping containers into the hottest items on the planet [CNN]. Roughly 18 months into the Covid-19 pandemic, global shipping is still in crisis, with backlogs looming over the peak holiday shopping period. One look at the market for steel shipping containers, and its clear that a return to normal wont happen any time soon. Before the coronavirus hit, companies could rent a humble 20-foot or 40-foot box with relative ease, allowing them to move goods at a low cost. Containers have a lifespan of about 15 years before theyre recycled into low-cost storage or building solutions. But empty boxes remain scattered across Europe and North America, while supply chain delays mean even more are needed to fulfill orders. Demand for goods, meanwhile, has soared  giving the network of ships, containers and trucks that deliver merchandise around the world little time to catch up. Its been a nightmare. As a result, containers have become incredibly scarce and extremely expensive. One year ago, companies would pay roughly $1,920 to book a 40-foot steel container on a standard route between China and Europe, according to data from Drewry, a maritime research consultancy. Now, firms are spending more than $14,000, an increase of more than 600%. Meanwhile, the cost of buying a container outright has effectively doubled.

Supply Chain: Consumer demand must ease to end supply chain crisis, says Maersk executive [Financial Times]. Morten Engelstoft, chief executive of Maersk-owned APM Terminals, said a vicious circle had been created by surging demand putting strain on container groups, suppliers and logistics companies as they struggled to deliver goods. We need to work out how we break this vicious circle, said the boss of APM, the ports and terminal division of the worlds biggest shipping group, in an interview with the Financial Times. We need lower [consumer demand] growth to give the supply chain time to catch up, or differently spread out growth. Over a long period of time, we will need to recover efficiency.'  Well, the United States cant have a recession til after the midterms, at least.

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Todays Fear & Greed Index: 50 Neutral (previous close: 53 Neutral) [CNN]. One week ago: 57 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Sep 8 at 12:33pm.

The Biosphere

20 meat and dairy firms emit more greenhouse gas than Germany, Britain or France [Guardian (drumlin woodchuckles)]. Twenty livestock companies are responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than either Germany, Britain or France  and are receiving billions of dollars in financial backing to do so, according to a new report by environmental campaigners [Friends of the Earth]. Between 2015 and 2020, global meat and dairy companies received more than US$478bn in backing from 2,500 investment firms, banks, and pension funds, most of them based in North America or Europe, according to the Meat Atlas, which was compiled by Friends of the Earth and the European political foundation, Heinrich Boll Stiftung. With that level of financial support, the report estimates that meat production could increase by a further 40m tonnes by 2029, to hit 366m tonnes of meat a year. Although the vast majority of growth was likely to take place in the global south, the biggest producers will continue to be China, Brazil, the USA and the members of the European Union. By 2029 these countries may still produce 60% of worldwide meat output. Across the world, the report says, three-quarters of all agricultural land is used to raise animals or the crops to feed them.  Meat should be a condiment.

Health Care

The Plan to Stop Every Respiratory Virus at Once [The Atlantic]. The scientists who recognized the threat of airborne coronavirus early did so because they spent years studying evidence thatcontrary to conventional wisdomcommon respiratory illnesses such as the flu and colds can also spread through the air. Weve long accepted colds and flus as inevitable facts of life, but are they? Why not redesign the airflow in our buildings to prevent them, too? Whats more, says Raymond Tellier, a microbiologist at McGill University, SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to be the last airborne pandemic. The same measures that protect us from common viruses might also protect us from the next unknown pathogen. The challenge ahead is cost. Piping more outdoor air into a building or adding air filters both require more energy and money to run the HVAC system. (Outdoor air needs to be cooled, heated, humidified, or dehumidified based on the system; adding filters is less energy intensive but it could still require more powerful fans to push the air through.) For decades, engineers have focused on making buildings more energy efficient, and its hard to find a lot of professionals who are really pushing indoor air quality, Bahnfleth said. He has been helping set COVID-19 ventilation guidelines as chair of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force. The pushback based on energy usage, he said, was immediate. In addition to energy costs, retrofitting existing buildings might require significant modifications. For example, if you add air filters but your fans arent powerful enough, youre on the hook for replacing the fans too.  This is a must-read.

Kids and COVID: why young immune systems are still on top [Nature]. Data collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from hospitals across the country suggest that people under the age of 18 have accounted for less than 2% of hospitalizations due to COVID-19  a total of 3,649 children between March 2020 and late August 2021. Some children do get very sick, and more than 420 have died in the United States, but the majority of those with severe illness have been adults  a trend that has been borne out in many parts of the world. This makes SARS-CoV-2 somewhat anomalous. For most other viruses, from influenza to respiratory syncytial virus, young children and older adults are typically the most vulnerable; the risk of bad outcomes by age can be represented by a U-shaped curve. But with COVID-19, the younger end of that curve is largely chopped off. Its absolutely remarkable, says Kawsar Talaat, an infectious-disease physician at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. One of the few silver linings of this pandemic is that children are relatively spared.  Research is beginning to reveal that the reason children have fared well against COVID-19 could lie in the innate immune response  the bodys crude but swift reaction to pathogens. Kids seem to have an innate response thats revved up and ready to go, says Herold. But she adds that more studies are needed to fully support that hypothesis. The emergence of the Delta variant has made finding answers more urgent. Reports suggest that in the United States and elsewhere, children are starting to make up a larger proportion of reported infections and hospitalizations. These trends might be due to Deltas high transmission rate and the fact that many adults are now protected by vaccines.  I dunno. The transition from the happy talk in the headline to has made finding answers more urgent seems a little rough to me.

Hospitalisation among vaccine breakthrough COVID-19 infections [The Lancet]. A Comment: Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 is highly effective against infection with SARS-CoV-2 or hospitalisation with COVID-19. In our real-world assessment of patients admitted to hospital with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, we found that nearly a fifth of patients had received at least one dose of the vaccine, and we observed that many patients had not completed the full vaccine course. The finding that more than a quarter of fully vaccinated patients admitted to hospital with SARS-CoV-2 were severely or critically ill with COVID-19 could be reflective of numerous factors, including the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that might confer decreased vaccine effectiveness and an ineffective immune response mounted against vaccines among those with comorbiditieseg, older age, overweight, and use of immunosuppressive agents.  Hmm.

Efficacy of Portable Air Cleaners and Masking for Reducing Indoor Exposure to Simulated Exhaled SARS-CoV-2 Aerosols  United States, 2021 [Morbidity and Mortality Report, CDC]. A simulated infected meeting participant who was exhaling aerosols was placed in a room with two simulated uninfected participants and a simulated uninfected speaker. Using two HEPA air cleaners close to the aerosol source reduced the aerosol exposure of the uninfected participants and speaker by up to 65%. A combination of HEPA air cleaners and universal masking reduced exposure by up to 90%.

Is a Mask That Covers the Mouth and Nose Free from Undesirable Side Effects in Everyday Use and Free of Potential Hazards? [International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health]. A meta-study. From the Abstract: Up until now, there has been no comprehensive investigation as to the adverse health effects masks can cause. The aim was to find, test, evaluate and compile scientifically proven related side effects of wearing masks. For a quantitative evaluation, 44 mostly experimental studies were referenced, and for a substantive evaluation, 65 publications were found. The literature revealed relevant adverse effects of masks in numerous disciplines. In this paper, we refer to the psychological and physical deterioration as well as multiple symptoms described because of their consistent, recurrent and uniform presentation from different disciplines as a Mask-Induced Exhaustion Syndrome (MIES). We objectified evaluation evidenced changes in respiratory physiology of mask wearers with significant correlation of O2 drop and fatigue (p < 0.05), a clustered co-occurrence of respiratory impairment and O2 drop (67%), N95 mask and CO2 rise (82%), N95 mask and O2 drop (72%), N95 mask and headache (60%), respiratory impairment and temperature rise (88%), but also temperature rise and moisture (100%) under the masks. Extended mask-wearing by the general population could lead to relevant effects and consequences in many medical fields."  Readers? "The Spit Queen, The Economist And The NBA" [NPR].  Interesting on grant-making.

Naked Capitalism Cooking Community

Dumpling Digest: Tasting the Rainbow, Part 1 [Above the Fold]. Part 2. This series will take a look at the modern rainbow dumpling landscape, from the major restaurants that have parlayed multi-hued parcels into ultra-successful businesses, to the bloggers and small businesses working magic with everything from black carrot powder to beet puree. Ill also share recommended recipes for making your own at home.

Black Injustice Tipping Point

The Poetic Justice of Amanda Gormans Estee Lauder Contract [New York Times]. Ms. Gorman will become the first Estee Lauder Global Changemaker  as opposed to, say, spokeswoman or ambassador or face, though she will also be all of the above. Thats not just a semantic shift, but one that reflects a different balance of power in the current consumer reality, in which the influence of real people can carry more weight than the purely transactional nature of the celebrity model relationship, and where substance is particularly prized, as for-profit companies feel an imperative to prove they stand for something more than simply  well, profit. For at least the next three years, she will represent Estee Lauders flagship brand in ad campaigns and speaking events, just like, say, Liz Hurley (the global ambassador of The Estee Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign) and Carolyn Murphy (an Estee Lauder brand Global Brand Ambassador). But she will also work with the company on the corporate level to create Writing Change, a set of grants worth $3 million to promote literacy among girls and women  and with it access to equity and social change. The first recipients will be announced later this year. If all goes well, the relationship could be renewed again and again. (Estee Lauder declined to say how much it is paying Ms. Gorman, though her salary is on top of the philanthropic investment.)  This fits so closely with Adolph Reeds examination of the figure of the black voice' so closely it hurts. (See 2018s The Trouble with Uplift, always worth a reading.)

Class Warfare

Whos Raking Off All Your Awful Office Meetings? [Inequality.org].  Information Age theorists tend to see corporate hierarchies as anachronistic, easily disposable hangovers from bygone days of Industrial Age command-and-control. But corporate hierarchies still serve a real purpose in our new Information Age. They amount, in essence, to income-maintenance programs for top executives. Peter Drucker, the father of modern management theory, understood this income-maintenance dynamic years before anyone else. In any hierarchy, Drucker noted in 1982, every level of bureaucracy must be compensated at a higher rate than the level below. The more levels, the higher the pay at the top. Hierarchies would remain appealing to executives, he argued, so long as they prop up and push up executive pay. His solution? To make hierarchies less appealing to executives, Drucker suggested, limit executive pay. No corporate executives, Drucker wrote, should be allowed to make more than 20 times their worker compensation. In 2005, upon Druckers death at age 95, obituaries hailed his enormous contribution to modern management science. His ideas, one analyst told the Financial Times, have become part and parcel of todays commonsense understanding of business. But corporations before and since have studiously ignored Druckers wisdom on limiting the gap between chief executive and worker pay.

Anarchism Shaped David Graeber. Then He Shaped Anarchism [Novara Media]. Central to [Graebers] interpretation [of anarchism]  and also to the antiglobalisation movement itself  were two concepts: direct democracy and prefigurative politics. Direct democracy is a mode of social organisation in which every citizen votes on all important decisions. As Graeber himself puts it: It is about creating and enacting horizontal networks instead of top-down structures like states, parties or corporations; networks based on principles of decentralized, non-hierarchical consensus democracy. While prefigurative politics is the act of behaving in a way that reflects your political values. Prefigurative politics was at the core of Graebers anarchism  he believed that it was something you do not an identity. His politics was rooted in practice; it was about demonstrating the viability of anarchist principles, not through theory, but through living them out in your daily life. For Graeber, there was no particular set of social conditions needed for social revolution; we just had to start and dare the state to stop us. Rather than struggling for some far-off anarchist future, he argued that we should be creating the kind of anarchist spaces we wanted to see in the present. Perhaps the best example of this can be found in Graebers participation in, and influence on the Occupy Wall Street movement, which adopted several modes of organisation he had written about, including direct democracy and prefigurative politics. Spokescouncils, consensus decision-making and affinity groups  all anarchist modes of organising  were key organisational structures in the movement; while the camps themselves, which Graeber helped to organise, were essentially anarchist spaces established and operated without a centralised authority.

Karl Kautsky as Architect of the October Revolution [Jacobin]. In the aftermath of the February Revolution, the Bolshevik party as a whole emerged from the underground with Kautskys tactical advice in their political DNA: enlist the peasantry as a revolutionary ally, and do not deviate from militant anti-agreementism. From the very beginning of the revolution, the Bolsheviks acted on this advice and as a result they were accurately perceived as distinctive by all actors on the political scene. (Many people want to believe that the Bolsheviks were not anti-agreementist until Lenin presented his April Theses upon his return to Russia. I have documented the problems with this view elsewhere, but the issue has no bearing on the present discussion. Date Bolshevik anti-agreementism from early April if you wish!)  The word agreementism is new to me: Of particular interest to the Bolsheviks was Kautskys condemnation of any kind of political agreements (soglasheniia) with liberal or democrat reformers. I give the Russian translation of agreement, because in 1917 the rejection of agreementism (soglashatelstvo) became central to the Bolshevik message, as we shall see. Zinoviev (undoubtedly speaking for Lenin in this instance) cited Kautsky as an authority on this issue.

Good question:

The same way the Friends could afford theirs, I would say.

News of the Wired

No:

Fool me once, shame onshame on you. Fool meyou can't get fooled again. pic.twitter.com/jGx9PSdLy8  70s Dinner Party (@70s_party) September 7, 2021

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Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (GlennF):

GlennF writes: This bull thistle (see attached) popped up after heavy rains here in AZ. It is pretty but is considered dangerously invasive in our area. If you look carefully to the right of the central bud/flower, there is a green preying mantis. I am here for most invasive plants, but definitely not thistles.

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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the recently concluded and  thank you!  successful annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:









Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated.

If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!2:00PM Water Cooler 6/8/2021
By Sonali Kolhatkar, the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. Produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana, triggering a slow-moving disaster as floodwaters breached the levees around New Orleans. Nearly 2,000 people were killed over several weeks, hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Environmental scientists warned that Katrina was a taste of what was in store for the Gulf Coast region if climate change continued unchecked.

But greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise, and exactly 16 years after Katrina, Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 miles per hour and up to 10 inches of rain, leaving more than 1 million households in Louisiana without power. The remnants of the storm traveled up the East Coast with flash floods killing at least 15 people in New York and damaging homes and public transport infrastructure.

While some media coverage celebrated the fact that the post-Katrina levees around New Orleans remained intact, the real story is that Idas behavior fits the profile of storms fueled by a rapidly changing climate, and no levees will be strong enough to provide enough protection against such relentless hurricanes year after year.

For Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson, the wreckage of Ida is a surreal reminder of what he and others in the Gulf Coast region experienced 16 years ago. In a recent interview, Akuno shared that it unfortunately brings back some painful memories. As the former executive director of the Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund (PHRF), which was founded in the aftermath of Katrina, Akuno has experience witnessing inept government responses to such disasters.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under President George W. Bushs leadership, spectacularly failed to address the needs of Katrinas victims and survivors, mutual aid groups like PHRF stepped in. Today, the same appears to be happening, and Akunos newer, Mississippi-based organization Cooperation Jackson is scrambling to aid evacuees.

The worst effects of climate change are here now, and we have to build the systems and infrastructure to be able to deal with this, says Akuno. But he admits that Whatever we can amass is only going to scratch the surface of the overall need, and there has to be broader systemic change in order to deal with these crises in the future.

Satellite images show the shocking extent of devastation in the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Ida. Whether or not President Joe Bidens administration responds more efficiently to the needs of Idas survivors compared to Bushs response during Katrina remains to be seen. But government responses to climate-related disasters, while necessary, are part of the downstream solutions that center on the symptoms of climate change.

The multiple upstream solutions to climate disasters include building resiliency before storms hit, and, most importantly, require swiftly mitigating the causes of climate change. Few political leaders since the 2005 Katrina disaster have been willing to take strong action on that critical front.

At the same time that residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, and New York are facing the horrors of damaged homes, flooded streets, and no power, Indigenous communities in the Midwest are fighting against a pipeline that will transport climate-change-causing fuels across their lands. The Enbridge Line 3 pipeline is being upgraded in order to transport tar sandswhich are considered the dirtiest fuel left on the planetacross pristine lands where the Anishinaabe people grow wild rice.

The state of Minnesotas estimate put the social and climate impacts of the completed project at $287 billion over 30 years. The last thing our rapidly changing climate needs is yet another oil pipeline, and yet few leaders appear willing to stand in the way of fossil fuel company profits.

President Biden can suspend Line 3 right now, says Tara Houska, founder of the Giniw Collective, in an interview. All it would take is the stroke of a pen. Houska has been part of a years-long resistance movement against the pipeline that has been calling on Democratic Party leaders like Biden and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to stop the pipeline.

In spite of their stated acknowledgment of the dangers of climate change and the need to mitigate it, neither the federal nor state leader has taken action against Line 3. They say they get it. Its a lot of talk, and very little walk, says Houska. Theyre still allowing the [fossil fuel] industry to continue to build and expand.

Akuno worries that the Republican Party, which has an even worse record on climate change, will try to exploit Democrats failures in their bid to resume political control of Congress in 2022. Were already hearing signs in some of the local right-wing media trying to make this [Hurricane Ida] an Afghanistan.

In just a few months, national leaders and civil society members will convene in Glasgow, Scotland, for the next United National Climate Change Conference known as COP 26. Akuno has been involved in social movement responses to the conference and says without hesitation that the Biden administration has simply not done enough as a global participant. Weve been deeply dissatisfied with the approach and orientation that theyre taking toward the mitigation aspects of climate change, he says.

A press release for the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which was released in early August, spells outdeeply ominous warnings:

Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already set in motionsuch as continued sea level riseare irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years.

Hurricane Ida is clearly illustrating the climate devastation we face, and the Line 3 pipeline offers an equally clear opportunity to do something about it. Yet, a Democratic administration that has a stated commitment to tackling climate change and a Democratic governor who has made a similar pledge are both refusing to act.

Gov. Walz in defending his support of the Line 3 project said, Ive made the case and shown policies that we need to move away from fossil fuels but, in the meantime if were gonna transport oil, we need to do it as safely as we possibly can. It is not clear why Walz feels such a strong obligation to ensure the transport of fossil fuels in the face of massive opposition and against his own stated desire to address the sources of climate change. Do we really need to allow a fossil fuel company to do this? asked Houska. This oil is meant for foreign transport; its not meant for Minnesotas energy security.

Shes right. Neither Biden, nor Walz, and certainly not the people of Minnesota nor the United States as a whole, gains anything of value from the Line 3 project. Instead, at stake isin the words of Enbridge CEO Al Monacolots of free cash flow to the companys shareholders.

Even in the infrastructure bill that lawmakers are currently debating and that is a centerpiece of the Biden administrations legislative agenda this year, few climate-mitigation aspects have survived the aggressive deal-making between the two major parties. In other words, as the nation is ravaged by floods, droughts, wildfires, and other real impacts of climate change, our political leaders have no plan to immediately do something about greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.

As corporate profits continue to be valued more than our climate and our species, Houska urges us to have, a radical shift in the way in which we view our place in the world. Taking the long viewwhich our politicians appear unable or unwilling to takeshe reminds us of what is far more important than corporate profits: There has to be a recentering of nature in who we are as people and the centering of basic truths: that we cannot live without clean water, clean air, and clean soil.
It should come as no surprise that the US is regularly exposed as being incapable of managing its way out of a paper bag. We had the early 2020 Covid test kit fiasco, which never really ended. Even though it was obvious that Delta was coming, the US is already experiencing test shortages, with Covid infections set to worsen as schools open. And thats before getting to inexcusable data failures, like trying to shift vaccine complaints to VSafe, which was impossibly buggy, and being late with updates to VAERS (and having non-medical admins reject physician reports for arbitrary reasons) and refusing to track breakthrough cases among the vaccinated. And now that the CDC has reversed itself, its not clear what the follow through is like on the state and county level.

And the list goes onthe CDC not admitting error, such as admitting that surfaces arent enough of a Covid vector worth worrying about, leading schools to engage in hygiene theater when case counts rise, and refusing to admit to aerosol transmission or the merits of a layered defense, except in the bowels of its site, leading school administrators to neglect ventilation as a Covid defense.

With this history, its rich to see CDC and Biden Administration defenders act as if they were all set to offer boosters this fall, when their shambolic messaging and actions scream otherwise.

Lets start with the fact that the US officialdom was loath to admit that boosters would be necessary even though coronavirus infections do not confer long-lived immunity and the Covid vaccine was also not expected to be sterilizing. Mind you, the vaccine-makers themselves were signaling otherwise; recall the Pfizer news release that its shots conferred up to six months of immunity. By contrast, to the extent the likes of the sainted Dr. Fauci mentioned boosters, it was to suggest that they might need to be annual, like for the flu.

And how can we be sure that was an after the fact thought? The CDC vaccination cards. They were never intended to prove vaccination status to third parties or track vaccine history. They were envisioned more like dentist appointment card, to remind those in a two-shot regime when to come in for their second installment.

The fact that the CDC has no idea who got vaccinated and when is now allowing anyone so minded to get another shot, irrespective of when they had their last one and what type it was.

The sudden rush to ready a third round of mRNA shots, and then not be deliver on the changed messaging, is more proof of an inability to plan and execute, or alternatively, of caring more about optics than results.

First is the elephant in the room of not knowing if another round right now is such a hot idea given Delta. The press has admittedly done a fine job of burying the top level protest resignations at the FDA over the booster blitz:

Its worth noting that the two top US scientists resigned because Fauci (who lied to Congress about research and coverup) and Biden are basing vaccine/booster policy on politics and NOT on science. Im vaccinated but will only follow the science from here (not Fauci). #FauciLied  Kyle Bass (@Jkylebass) September 7, 2021

And to be clear, the politics are declining vaccine efficacy against Delta, particularly of the supposed gold standard vaccine Pfizer, as confirmed by data from Israel, Mayo, and Imperial College. Israel, which is close to a Pfizer monoculture, is in the midst of a new infection wave and has responded by launching a new round of vaccinations, starting with the elderly and immunocompromised.

By contrast, AstraZeneca itself is pushing back against another round of vaccinations in the UK, except for high risk groups. From the Daily Mail:

And the heads of AstraZeneca have warned that booster jabs may not be needed for everyone in Britain, and a rush to roll it out nationwide risks putting additional strain on the NHS. Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the company, said the UK remains a few weeks away from being able to make a decision on pushing a vaccine booster programme across the country. Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Soriot, along with Executive Vice President of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, Sir Mene Pangalos, warned that moving too quickly to boost the whole adult population would deprive scientists of insights into the effectiveness of two vaccine doses.

On the one hand, its revealing, and not a good way, to see drug company execs admit that they are conducting experiments on the public at large, without the normal consents and controls. But on the other, they are saying flat out that they dont have any evidentiary ground for seeing another round of shots as beneficial right now.

Note that Israel is already planning a fourth shot, which our GM anticipated in July (WT = wild type):

When Moderna put out their preprint on the B.1.351 booster (now obsolete with the rise of B.1.617.2): https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.05.21256716v1 There were two concerning observations there: 1. No neutralization activity left against P.1 and B.1.351 after 6-8 months

2. The booster worked, but only increased the neutralizing titers to ~40% of what they were originally against the Wuhan variant and what they are against it when boosted. Pfizer and Moderna have been interchangeable all throughout, they should perform the same here too. BTW, B.1.617.2 is probably about the same as B.1.351 with the WT booster, so expect the fourth shot to be needed sooner than 6 months if its not B.1.617.2-specific, and it will not be. Which is probably also why there is a push, not very vocal yet, for not just a 3rd shot, but an entire new course, 3rd+4th shots. And, as I have noted several times before, notice how even with the B.1.351 3rd hot, neutralization of B.1.351 is not the same as of WT.

Today the Financial Times reports in some detail that the Biden plan to rush out a new round of vaccinations is already going pear shaped:

The Biden administrations plans to widely administer Covid-19 vaccine booster shots later this month have become mired in confusion over regulatory approvals, eligibility and logistics, in the latest blow to its efforts to curb the pandemic. US health officials announced last month that they planned to start offering Americans another round of Covid jabs from September 20, following evidence that the effectiveness of some vaccines starts to wane after a few months. But with two weeks left before that date, the planned rollout of boosters is being hampered by uncertainty over the timing and implementation of the programme, putting the administration of President Joe Biden on the defensive. Former officials say the White House jumped the gun by announcing the September 20 date before booster shots had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The issue has caused such tension within the administration that two senior FDA officials last week announced their retirements from the organisations vaccine department. Allies of Marion Gruber and Philip Krause said the two had been upset by the way in which the FDAs role had been undermined over several months. The FDA declined to comment on the retirements, but one former administration official said: Those resignations were shocking. And with cases near record highs and booster shots about to be rolled out, they come at the worst possible time.

The apparently more compliant Associated Press is in blame Moderna mode:

President Joe Bidens plans to start delivery of booster shots by Sept. 20 for most Americans who received the COVID-19 vaccines are facing new complications that could delay the availability of third doses for those who received the Moderna vaccine, administration officials said Friday. Biden announced last month that his administration was planning for boosters to be available for all Americans who received the mRNA vaccines in an effort to provide more enduring protection against the coronavirus, pending approvals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Those agencies, though, are awaiting critical data before signing off on the third doses, with Modernas vaccine increasingly seen as unlikely to make the Sept. 20 milestone According to one official, Moderna produced inadequate data for the FDA and CDC to approve the third dose of its vaccine, and the FDA has requested additional data that is likely to delay those boosters into October. Pfizer, which is further along in the review process, in part because of data collected from the vaccines use in Israel, is still expected to be approved for a third dose for all by Sept. 20.

Israel only very recently allowed people over 40 to get a third shot. Before then, injections were limited to the elderly and the immunocompromised. The elderly were not heavily represented in the original clinical trials and the immunocompromised were excluded. One wonders if the reason Marion Gruber and Philip Krause of the FDA quit was that the data Pfizer was presenting to get its third shot approved wasnt sufficiently representative, and it would take some weeks before Israel had expanded its vaccination eligibility enough to have a broad enough population.

Curiously, these stories also fail to mention that there may be less reason to rush to shoot up Moderna recipients as urgently as Pfizer. From a CNBC write-up of the recent large-scale Mayo study:

The risk of suffering a breakthrough COVID-19 infection with the delta variant after being fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine may be much lower than the risk for those who received the Pfizer vaccine, according to a new Mayo Clinic study that is awaiting a full review. The study found that in July in Florida, where COVID cases are at an all-time high and the delta variant is prevalent, the risk of a breakthrough case was 60% lower for Moderna recipients as compared to Pfizer recipients. Similarly, in Minnesota last month, the authors found that the Moderna vaccine (also known as mRNA-1273) was 76% effective at preventing infection, but the Pfizer vaccine (known as BNT162b2) was 42% effective.

So the Administration, having put all its chips on the magic vaccines, can only double down on them and hope they work well enough (or they get lucky and contagion rates wane as the public increases its level of precautions) that infections fall off enough for them to escape blame. But the flip side is while not all that many get worked up at old people dying, even hale and hearty elderly who could well have lived a decade longer, kids perishing or suffering from Long Covid or other morbidities wont be well tolerated. It would be better if I were wrong, but we look set to have an ugly autumn.
Yves here. While I agree with the headline conclusion, I suspect readers will take issue with some of the claims and assumptions in this article, such as:

Biden has been diminished by the Afghanistan exit. Nope. Despite the press banging on, most Americans didnt care about Afghanistan or wanted the US out. Biden is damaged, but its due to the Covid spike and the ongoing effort to pretend that the Administration hasnt flip-flopped repeatedly on policy Kamala Harris may move to the fore. Even the qualified may is too generous. Harris has pretty clearly been relegated to a more marginal VP role than usual. What would elevate her is a diminution of Bidens health The assumption that America was ever serious about nation building. We dont know how to do it. The pretense that we might is cover for grifting by NGOs and other racketeers

By Paul Rogers, professor in the department of peace studiesat Bradford University, northern England. He is openDemocracysinternational security adviser, who has been writing a weekly column on global security since 28 September 2001; he also writes a monthly briefing for the Oxford Research Group. His latest book is Irregular War: ISIS and the New Threat from the Margins (IB Tauris, 2016), which follows Why Were Losing the War on Terror (Polity, 2007), and Losing Control: Global Security in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 3rd edition, 2010). He is on Twitter at: @ProfPRogers Originally published at openDemocracy

The USs disastrously chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has ended. Whether Taliban rule itself will descend into chaos as financial and other crises unfold is far from clear, but the regime has close friends in the region, especially within Pakistans military. Neighbouring China sees many opportunities for gain. Both these countries depend on a perceived level of Taliban-run stability, but even more distant states are already elbowing their way in.

Within a day of the final US plane taking off, the Qatari military landed with a team of specialists tasked with setting up the airport as a commercial operation. The Russian, Chinese and Pakistani embassies in Kabul have remained operational throughout the changeover, while the UK and US already have embassies in Doha, making it easy to meet the Taliban at their existing diplomatic office there. Even the British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, flew to Qatar in haste to help things along, and possibly salvage his career.

Overshadowing all of this on the world stage is the weakened status of the US and President Joe Bidens position. There is little doubt that his personal standing has been damaged, and we may now see Kamala Harris coming to the fore. Before the recent withdrawal chaos, the twenty-year war had become deeply unpopular, with the majority of Americans only too keen to see the troops return home. A Pew poll conducted in the last days of August showed that even as the tragedy in Kabul unfolded, support for the withdrawal among US adults remained at 54% to 42%.

Little Evidence of State-Building

In his speech from the White House this week, 24 hours after the last US soldier left Kabul, Biden accepted some responsibility for the mess  while also blaming others  but went on to make a much more general point: This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. Its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries. His declaration that such operations, especially when they included state-building, were no longer among US policy priorities, is widely assumed to be a major change of direction

Since US security policy impinges on the rest of the world, this may have a considerable long-term impact, but it raises many more questions than it answers. For a start, to what extent has the US even been involved in state-building over the past two decades?

The Afghanistan operation was supposed to destroy al-Qaida and terminate the Taliban regime, but the Bush administration lost interest in Afghanistan within weeks of the initial success in November 2001, leaving it to the Europeans and others to rebuild the state as Washington moved on to the wider axis of evil, starting with Iraq. It did go back into Afghanistan within a few years as the Taliban made their comeback but the emphasis then was on counterinsurgency, with state-building very much secondary.

Its true that with Iraq, at least, the initial focus was on building a new state intended to be a shining example of a pure neoliberal domain. Yet the transitional government known as the Coalition Provisional Authority was run from the Pentagon rather than the State Department and was aimed at transforming the Iraqi economy into an example for the region and beyond. Being run from the Pentagon took it far closer to the intentions of the Bush Administration and away from the professionals of the State Department who would ordinarily have been in charge.

Plans included wholesale privatisation of state assets, opening up oil and gas exploitation to foreign control, a minimum of financial regulation and a flat rate tax system, but it all went badly wrong, so much so that Barack Obama could fight his 2008 election campaign on getting out of the country as soon as possible.

The US had no involvement in any state-building during the 2011 war in Libya and it was left to the Europeans to make a hash of it. As for the 2014-2018 US-led air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, that was straightforward counterinsurgency fought from the air rather than the ground, speeding up the global transition to remote warfare.

That brings us to the wider record of recent years. What Biden proposes is not new but a continuation of Obamas policy of getting out of Iraq and, in his second term, cutting back radically on troops in Afghanistan after his initial military onslaught in 2010 failed to force the Taliban to negotiate.

Nor does it mean a drawdown in US military operations overseas, but rather two changes in posture. One is to continue Obamas bring on the drones approach that reached its height during the 2014-2018 battle, when ISIS lost more than 50,000 of its supporters in the intense air war, while the few US losses were due to accidents, rather than combat.

This is evident across the world, including Mali, Somalia, Iraq, Syria and of course, Afghanistan, where last weeks anti-ISIS-K attack involved an armed drone. Overall, we have firmly entered the age of remote warfare, with very few boots on the ground and instead, reliance on armed drones, strike aircraft, special forces, private military corporations and local militias.

The second change lies in the new military budget for the fiscal year 2022 (FY2022) that starts next month. Any drawdown from fighting wars overseas should surely mean lower military spending but Biden has sought a budget of $715bn, which is massive by any stretch of the imagination and close to the highest US military budget during the Cold War. (The UKs is less than a tenth of that). Moreover, Congress wants to increase that by $25bn to a revised figure of $740bn.

Pork-Barrel Politics Dominates

The US Senate had already passed this higher figure and the House of Representatives followed suit after the House Armed Services Committee held a one-day session this week. As Defense News reported on Thursday: The 14 Democrats who voted with Republicans on the measure included representative Elaine Luria, who represents a shipbuilding-heavy district in Virginia. She hailed the funding boosts inclusion of public and private shipyards: The presidents defence budget fails to adequately address the rising threats of China, Iran and Russia and I will not hesitate to break with my party if its in the best interest of our national security and the local economy of Hampton Roads.

Even if Biden wanted to scale back military spending, he would have a devil of a job to do so. Indeed, the power of the military-industrial complex, and especially the role of pork-barrel politics, where government spending is appropriated for localised projects, makes it close to impossible. The talk in Washington may be about facing up to the Chinese, but the FY2022 budget has plenty of funding for counter-terror operations too. And so well it might.

As my recent column pointed out, the challenge of extremist Islamism has not in any way diminished. Movements are active right across the Sahel, from Mauritania to Chad, as well as elsewhere in Africa  Mozambique, the DRC and Somalia. More are active in Yemen, while ISIS retains paramilitaries in Syria and Iraq, and there is radical Islamist activity in Pakistan, India, southern Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as both al-Qaida and ISIS in Afghanistan.

Added to that, the COVID-19 pandemic is still expanding in the Global South and worldwide vaccination is highly unlikely to be achieved before mid-2023. The impact is increased marginalisation around the world and all the simmering resentment that comes with that.

This marginalisation is just the ticket to recruit youths, especially men, to extreme movements  and climate breakdown will increase marginalisation even more if it is not prevented.

In the world as it is now, any talk of the US under Biden retreating from a global military role is nonsense. As the then head of the CIA, James Woolsey, said in 1993 at the end of the Cold War, although the US won, it had entered a jungle filled with a bewildering variety of poisonous snakes. As long as the US and other military powers consider the use of force to be their first port of call, little will change.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released two reports last month, Persistent Chemical Contaminants and Plastic Contamination, documenting the presence of PFAS and plastics contamination in compost.

According to the EPAs website:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body  meaning they dont break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

How Do PFAS and Plastics Get Into Compost?

It wont come as any surprise that such PFAS and plastics are found in compost. What I found most worrying is the source: food waste. Yes, thats right, PFAS get into compost via the food supply. According to the EPAs Persistent Chemical Contaminants report:

This issue paper demonstrates that food waste streams are a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in composts and digestates, with PFAS detected in food waste, food contact materials, and composts produced from food waste. While data on PFAS in food waste is limited, one study reported concentrations of three PFAS in the range of 0.111 g/kg in samples collected from grocery stores, hospitals, schools, restaurants, retirement communicates, and residences. The presence of PFAS in food waste is further supported by multiple studies reporting PFAS in food (i.e., precursor of food waste) from non-contaminated areas, with concentrations generally <10 g/kg. Seafood, followed by meat, may be important contributors to PFAS in food items, possibly due to bioaccumulation. Compared to PFAS concentrations in food contact materials, which ranged from <1 to 485 g/kg, the limited data show that food contact materials may contribute more to overall PFAS levels in food waste streams. Composts made from a variety of mixed feedstocks, such as food waste, green waste (leaves and grass), and manure, showed total PFAS levels ranging from 2.3 to 75 g/kg. Comparison of composts made with and without food waste showed that food waste compost had higher PFAS levels than green waste compost. Comparing results across three studies, which originated from the same research group, PFAS concentrations in decreasing order were: biosolids-based products (i.e., treated biosolids, composted biosolids) > food waste compost > green waste compost  other organic composts. An additional study on composts in Europe also showed that kitchenwaste compost had higher PFAS concentrations than green waste compost. Furthermore, the limited data also showed that PFAS concentrations were higher in composts with compostable food packaging and that compostable food contact materials have higher PFAS concentrations that non-compostable samples. No data on digestates were identified that would enable the determination of whether food waste digestates would have higher, similar, or lower PFAS concentrations compared with digestates produced from other feedstocks [executive summary, p.ii].

Likewise for plastics, including microplastics. According to the EPAs Plastic Contamination report:

The primary source of plastic contamination in food waste streams collected for processing at compost and anaerobic digestion facilities appears to be food packaging and containers, most likely from residential, commercial, and institutional sources. Food itself is also a source of microplastic particles. The level of plastic contamination present in food waste streams is not well characterized in the scientific literature. A recent analysis found approximately 300,000 pieces of microplastics per kilogram of food waste collected from grocery stores in the United States. In addition, limited data from Washington State and Oregon reports plastic contamination rates up to 2.8 percent (by weight) in mixed waste streams including food waste that were destined for composting or anaerobic digestion. Plastic contamination rates in purely food waste streams may be higher, as available evidence indicates plastic contamination levels in food waste streams may be higher than that of other organics waste streams, such as yard waste[executive summary p. ii]

In order to keep this post at a manageable length, Ill concentrate on the EPAs Persisistent Chemical Contaminants report. Waste Dive reports in Compost groups say EPAs new PFAS report misses the mark that makers of compost have criticised the EPAs framing of the PFAS issue, arguing the EPA should be focusing on targeting the manufacturers of PFAS and makers of plastic rather than discussing the presence of PFAS in compost. This is an excellent point and any policy that targets manufacturers of PFAS and makers of plastics would have the added benefit of reducing the presence of these substances in the food supply:

Organics and compost trade groups say the report unfairly scrutinizes their sector and mischaracterizes some of the data in the report. More should be done to target PFAS manufacturers and manufacturers of packaging and products known to contain the chemicals instead, said Frank Franciosi, executive director of the US Composting Council. . This issue is created by the companies that created these forever chemicals. Food has some PFAS in it, but the report also shows that it can show up anywhere, so how do we control that? Its not something we have an easy answer for, Franciosi said. Our position is, lets follow the stream of where the [PFAS] started and go upstream first. We need to fix upstream problems while we also get some more science behind this.

One source of the problematic substances in compost may be compostable food packaging  although there is disagreement between the EPA report and makers of such packaging on this point. Per Waste Dive:

Composters that handle food waste think the main source of PFAS in their facilities is packaging waste, and the EPA report highlights one study showing that PFAS concentrations were higher in composts that included compostable food packaging than those without. However, the EPA acknowledges theres limited data on the topic. The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which certifies items including biodegradable packaging, disagrees with how the EPA characterized the study comparing composts with and without compostable food packaging. The study was about municipal organic waste streams that have food packaging more broadly, not specifically compostable packaging, said Rhodes Yepsen, BPIs executive director, in an email. This is an important distinction, as only a fraction of food packaging is certified compostable today, and only one material type of certified compostable items (molded fiber) ever had PFAS, with other items using compostable biopolymers to provide grease and moisture barriers.

The industry may be right  although I point out that this wouldnt be the first time that some technofix solution to waste problems didnt prove to be all that it was cracked up to be, as I wrote in this 2019 post, Plastic Watch: Debunking the Technofix Fairy, Biodegradable Bags Dont Degrade:

Biodegradable  plastic bags were still intact and capable of carrying shopping three years after being exposed to the natural environment, according to a study published this week by scientists at the UKs International Marine Litter Research Unit, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth.

The industry trade group took a step in 2020 that should reduce PFAS contamination in food waste, according to Waste Dive:

In 2020, BPI stopped certifying compostable food packaging known to contain PFAS, a move the EPA report says should lead to decreased PFAS levels in food waste streams. Some composters have said they will not accept compostable food packaging.

Industry sources arent the only critics of the EPAs focus. Banning some chemicals outright has had a measurable impact on their concentrations in human blood. Per Waste Dive:

Sally Brown, a research professor at the University of Washingtons School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, said the report misses the mark on the important steps needed to reduce and eliminate PFAS in the environment. She argues that more needs to be done to eliminate PFAS at the source instead of starting with compost. . Some PFAS chemicals, such as PFOA, are no longer used in the United States to make certain items like fire-resistant products, and United Nations regulators voted to ban PFOA in 2019. Brown said restrictions on such PFAS chemicals have led to lower concentrations in human blood levels, so it really does work to ban the compounds, she said. However, other PFAS chemicals are still being used in everyday products such as cosmetics. Its a real question of if theyre necessary. How much would your lipstick suffer if it wasnt in there? she said.

What Is to Be Done?

Reports such as these make for depressing reading. The scale of our environmental problems is overwhelming, and the solutions proposed are usually so meager, not to mention long overdue  if and when theyre finally adopted in some much watered-down form. The presence of PFAS in food waste streams should be yet another reason to ban single-use plastic packaging. But even that sensible step is controversial, and as I wrote earlier this week, only evades the much more serious problem of curtailing excess plastic packaging (see Waste Watch: Russia, UK Adopt Single Use Plastics Bans).

Waste Dive summarizes the state of play for a more limited ban on PFAS in food packaging:

There are currently no standards for PFAS in finished composts or digestates, but the EPA report mentions that state and local guidelines prohibiting PFAS in food packaging have gained momentum in recent years. Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and Minnesota passed laws this year banning or phasing out packaging containing PFAS. New York and Washington also have similar laws. When signing his state law in July, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said minimizing future releases of PFAS to the environment is an important way to protect people from the health risks posed by PFAS. At the federal level, lawmakers are also working to advance the PFAS Action Act, which would set a deadline for the EPA to designate certain PFAS as hazardous substances and place a moratorium on products containing new PFAS. Some lawmakers have urged the EPA to speed up its regulatory process to avoid a patchwork of regulations they say could create confusion or uneven environmental protections.

One final point: Food waste is not the only source of chemical contamination in compost  a point made before in comments on some of my previous posts. The EPAs Persistent Chemical Contaminants report mentions documented cases of herbicide contamination in compost, traced to green waste, manure, or hay:
(Natural News) In his recent episode on BardsFM on Brighteon.TV, Scott Kesterson talked about the degradation of American democracy as people face government tyranny, fake pandemics and failed wars.

He posited that as the U.S. has become a secularist nation  or a nation without a god  it also found its moral decline. The secularist culture and society are sustained by less informed voters who have strayed away from their faith.

Kesterson also discussed the blessing that was COVID  without it, Americans never would have known the level of treason and corruption that the country is facing.

In particular, Kesterson questioned the necessity of the government to vaccinate children against the COVID-19 disease.

Mandating COVID-19 vaccines unconstitutional

After months of clinical trial, there are three vaccine candidates that received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with Pfizer recently getting full FDA approval for individuals ages 16 and up. But not everyone is happy about how fast the government sped up the vaccine approval timeline, with many worrying that researchers have sacrificed safety precautions to develop the vaccines faster.

Christine Turley, a pediatrics specialist and the vice-chair of research at Atrium Health Levine Childrens said that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) saved time by speeding through administrative components, but safety protocols have been followed. Children under 12 years old cannot receive any vaccines yet, but this might change soon, as Pfizer and Moderna are conducting pediatric testing in children 6 months and older. (Related: Kids dont need mandatory masking, says UC public health expert.)

According to so-called infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, vaccines may not be mandated for all American citizens. The federal government itself would have a difficult time mandating a vaccine due to the limitations set forth in the constitution. Nevertheless, the White House could still encourage or recommend that citizens get the vaccine and implement incentives to encourage them to get vaccinated.

Meanwhile, states can require vaccines if its considered necessary for public health, as precedented by the 1905 Supreme Court Case Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

There had been some talk about potential vaccine mandates in some states. In November, for instance, the New York State Bar Association passed a resolution urging lawmakers to consider vaccine mandates.

States cant mandate vaccines for no reason, either. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) must recommend doing so, and it will go through plenty of legal debates with city councils and state legislatures before then. Due to the current political climate, experts acknowledge that there would be public outcry over a mandate, and will have to consider whether or not mandating vaccinations will be worth the unrest.

In August, California became the first state to mandate vaccinations for teachers in public and private schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, or teachers will face weekly testing.

New York City is also mandating the vaccination of its Department of Education employees, including teachers, principals, and school staff.

As for students, vaccination mandates could happen at the state or local level once vaccines are approved for pediatric use. Schools already mandate other types of vaccines such as polio, DTap (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), MMR (measles, rumps, and rubella), varicella (chickenpox), and hepatitis B, so a mandate for COVID-19 vaccine is possible.

Experts will have to weigh the pros and cons in deciding if the benefits of vaccination outweigh potential risks. They will also have to consider that COVID-19 presents only with mild symptoms in children. There is also the consideration that even though children present with mild symptoms, they can also spread the virus to their parents, grandparents, and other family members with underlying health conditions.

Catch Scott Kestersons commentary on current events on BardsFM, Thursday at 5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Read more COVID-19 news and updates on Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Parents.com

CDN.HarvardReview.org

Newsweek.com
(Natural News) Ned Lamont, the governor of Connecticut, has signed an executive order that allows local health officials and school nurses to access the private Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination status of individuals living in their communities.

Existing law in Connecticut prohibits vaccination records from being released either to patients or to health care providers, but thanks to Lamonts action, that information will now be made readily available to government officials on demand in violation of federal medical privacy laws (HIPAA).

The decree will allow individuals to obtain a copy of their immunization records to satisfy vaccine mandates put in place by employers and businesses, reported The Epoch Times about Lamonts executive order.

Health care providers will be allowed to see their patients vaccination history, for example, if they needed to administer vaccine boosters, instead of keeping track of it on their own.

Beyond this, local health authorities will also be given access to the vaccination status of individuals living within their jurisdictions, even if the individuals in question have no idea that such information is being harvested by the government.

Specifically, school nurses and local health directors will be equipped with timely information about the vaccination status of their communities, a statement from Lamonts office explains about who will have access to the vaccination data.

The order is set to remain in effect until the end of September, though it can be modified to terminate on a different date. (RELATED: Learn about how a Connecticut public health laboratory discovered that Chinese Virus testing kits are inherently flawed.)

Without this order, patients will continue to be frustrated that they are blocked from accessing their own vaccination records, and doctors and healthcare providers will be unable to easily lookup when and with what vaccine their patients were administered a COVID-19 vaccine, Lamont contends.

Hospitals, medical centers praise Lamont for decimating patient privacy

Upon hearing the news, numerous hospitals, health centers and health center associations lauded Lamont for his executive order. One of these was Yale New Haven Health, the CEO of which praised Lamont for ruling against patient privacy.

Vaccinations are the only safe and proven way to end this pandemic and giving all Connecticut residents access to their vaccination records will allow us all to return to doing all the things we love with those we love, said Marna Borgstrom.

Connecticuts vaccination information system was first established in 1998 and was recently updated to include information about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination status of state residents.

In order to access and use the system, all health care providers, school nurses and local health departments are required to sign a confidentiality agreement that must be renewed every two years.

Users are supposedly monitored and logged to ensure that no inappropriate activity is taking place. In the event that foul play is identified, the state of Connecticut says it will investigate.

Neddy and his gang should remember the HIPAA Privacy Rule, wrote one commenter at The Epoch Times, linking to a summary of it published at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website.

The logical next thing for them to do is advance the cause of enabling employer access, whether directly or indirectly, to the data, this same commenter added, drawing parallels to what took place during World War II.

Whats next: gun registration, wearing a yellow star, or getting a tattoo with our social security number on our wrist instead of a Nazi concentration camp ID? When are we going to just say no?'

The latest news about Chinese Virus tyranny can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com

HHS.gov
(Natural News) The FBI allegedly paid a publisher of white supremacist literature more than $144,000 over 16-plus years to serve as a confidential informant, according to recent filings in an ongoing domestic extremism case.

(Article by Ken Silva republished from TheEpochTimes.com)

These allegations were made earlier this month by Kaleb Cole, an accused member of the white supremacist group Atomwaffen. Cole was arrested in February 2020 for allegedly participating in an Atomwaffen intimidation campaign against Jewish people and journalists of color.

On Aug. 13, Cole filed a motion to suppress evidence seized during the FBIs search of his Texas home. 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.

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.

According to Cole, the FBI has paid this white supremacist more than $144,000, including more than $82,000 for his work in this case.

Coles attorneys argued that the FBIs omissions violate requirements for law enforcement to disclose whether their informants have financial or other ulterior motives for providing information.

The failure to include the information about the CIs incentives is made more egregious by the fact that the warrant application incriminated Mr. Cole based almost solely on the alleged observations of the CI, Coles motion said.

The Department of Justice admitted in filings last week that the FBI failed to disclose information about the confidential informants criminal historythough prosecutors said the search warrant used against Cole was still legally obtained.

Although the defense is correct that certain potential impeachment information about the informant was not included in the affidavit, that omission is hardly fatal, the DOJ said. The omitted information was limited to the fact that the informant was well compensated by the FBI over a 16-year period, and was convicted of a firearms crime over 15 years ago.

According to prosecutors, the FBI didnt include this information because agents believed in good faith that probable cause wasnt dependent on the informants credibility.

Moreover, the FBI didnt believe that including the informants criminal history would have changed the judges decision to issue a warrant to search Coles home, prosecutors said. In fact, the DOJ argued that the FBIs use of the informant for more than 16 years suggests that the FBI consistently found the informant reliable.

And it is far-fetched to suggest that a single 15-year-old firearms conviction would have caused the magistrate judge to refuse to sign off on the warrant, the DOJ said. And finally, as the affidavit outlined in great detail, the agents were able to corroborate the information the informant had relayed about the plot.

The DOJs response didnt address Coles allegation that the FBI informant is a white supremacist publisher.

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 the FBIs Houston office directed inquiries to the national press office, which has not responded.

Coles case is set for jury trial on Sept. 27.

The allegations about the Atomwaffen informant follow revelations about the heavy role FBI informants played in the failed plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A Buzzfeed News investigation last month found that the FBI used at least 12 informants involved with the kidnappingsuggesting that the scheme might not have started in the first place without the FBI.

Working in secret, they [the informants] did more than just passively observe and report on the actions of the suspects. Instead, they had a hand in nearly every aspect of the alleged plot, starting with its inception, Buzzfeed reported. The extent of their involvement raises questions as to whether there would have even been a conspiracy without them.

Questions have also been raised about the role FBI informants may have played in the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots.

What would be shocking and strange is not if the FBI had embedded informants and other infiltrators in the groups planning the January 6 Capitol riot, said journalist Glenn Greenwald, whos been extensively documenting various questionable activities of the national security apparatus, in a recent op-ed. What would be shocking and strangebizarre and inexplicableis if the FBI did not have those groups under tight control.

Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com and FBICorruption.news.
(Natural News) In a video interview for Brighteon Conversations, Health Ranger Mike Adams talks to Dr. Michael Salla, an expert in extraterrestrial civilizations. They discussed exopolitics and what the future holds for Earth and extraterrestrial civilizations.

You can check out the full interview on Brighteon.com.

Who is Dr. Michael Salla?

Salla is also an author, and he wrote Space Force: Our Star Trek Future,  a book that attempts to provide answers to many critical questions about humanitys bold emergence as an interplanetary space power.

Salla is an internationally recognized scholar in international politics, conflict resolution and U.S. foreign policy. He wrote and edited four more books, including The Heros Journey Toward a Second American Century, Essays on Peace, Why the Cold War Ended and Islamic Radicalism, Muslim Nations and the West.

Salla founded the Exopolitics Institute (2005) and the Exopolitics Journal (2006). He has co-organized five international conferences on extraterrestrial life and Earth Transformation on the Big Island of Hawaii.

He is also the host of ExoNews.TV and has appeared in hundreds of radio and television shows and international conferences to talk about exopolitics and international conflict.

Dr. Steven Greers Disclosure Project

Salla was a professor of international politics at American University in Washington, D.C. in 2001. It was there that he took part in the press conference organized by Dr. Steven Greer. The event was an eye-opening one for Salla because it made him realize that he had a very conventional worldview at the time formed by standard peer-reviewed mainstream media and what conventional politicians were saying.

After taking part in the press conference, Salla realized that something very significant was happening behind the scenes and no one, not even universities and open-source literature, could fully explain what witnesses were talking about.

It was then that Salla recognized that there was much to discover in the field of exopolitics, or the political implications of extraterrestrial life.

Unfortunately, Sallas search for the truth led to him being forced out of the academe. He continued his work as an independent researcher and writer.

Whats gone wrong with the world?

According to Salla, exopolitics is a mirror of what is happening on Earth: Galactic politics or exopolitics is just as complicated and convoluted as human politics.

Even in space, the motivations of alien races are the same, ranging from the good, the bad and the in-between. When Adams asked Salla why aliens havent wiped out all life on Earth when humans are so destructive to the planet, the latter said that extraterrestrial races have a long history of involvement in human politics. (Related: Life on Mars: The Health Ranger talks to Mike Bara about the mysteries of the Red Planet.)

Extraterrestrials didnt invade humans because they already took over Earth thousands of years ago, explained Salla. But its more of a corporate takeover instead of a hostile one.

Now, a group of more positive extraterrestrials have taken over and attempted to help humans, who may have already reached a critical point in their evolutionary history. These extraterrestrials may also believe that humans deserve the chance to join the galactic community as opposed to going through old cycles of boom and bust.

Salla believes that extraterrestrials want to help humans instead of harming them. If politicians make the right decisions, then humans might have a chance at a much brighter future instead of the current darkness humanity is suffering through right now.

Can humanity have a brighter future with help from extraterrestrials?

Salla said that humans have a chance of having a better future and that its all part of the planning, particularly with the formation of the Space Force and the Artemis Accords.

Back in March 2019, the Air Force Space Command held an important workshop, which has then been renamed Space Force. The workshop involved 60 experts from America and other member states of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to hypothesize what space would look like within the next 40 years.

The participants tried to determine what humanity would want to create and they came up with eight possible scenarios, the best one being a Star Trek future, which was the scenario participants needed to create.

According to the report, the optimal future for humanity involves three categories where the U.S. and the global expansion into space become very focused:

Civil  Where a lot of people would be able to travel to outer space. Commercial  Where various companies could also venture into space. Military  This would involve an international coalition of like-minded space powers that are out there working to achieve similar goals.

Salla added the former president Donald Trump was a key player in this Star Trek future since Space Command was formed in September 2019 and Space Force was formed in December of the same year.

In October 2020, the Artemis Accords were signed, laying down the foundation for a multi-national space coalition that was all designed to eventually achieve this Star Trek future for the good of humanity.

Visit UFOs.news to learn more about extraterrestrials and exopolitics.

Watch:

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

ExoPolitics.org 1

ExoPolitics.org 2
(Natural News) Just when you thought the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine campaign was going to stop at a third booster shot, Israeli coronavirus czar Prof. Salman Zarka comes out to tell you that a fourth injection is soon on the way.

In order to remain fully vaccinated with full privileges for participation in the new normal, Israelis  and eventually the rest of the world  will need to submit to a fourth Chinese Virus shot on top of the first three that are currently being pushed.

Given that the virus is here and will continue to be here, we also need to prepare for a fourth injection, Zarka proclaimed, noting that the Israeli Green Pass system will likely need constant updates forever to accommodate each new injection as it is rolled out.

Israels vaccine passport system will soon require that all four injections be received in order for Israelis to enter synagogues, gyms, restaurants and other public spaces. Those who refuse will be denied the ability to buy and sell, as well as participate in society.

This is our life from now on, in waves, Zarka added chillingly.

Many predicted, only to be mocked and scoffed at, that Wuhan Flu shots would become a never-ending cycle of periodical injections. We knew that it would not stop with just two, or even three.

Four is the latest number, which is soon to become five, then six, then seven, and so on forever. Zarka said it himself: This is life from now on, in waves, whether people like it or not.

The fully vaccinated will need semi-annual booster injections for the rest of their lives

As of last Friday, some 2.5 million Israelis have already received a third dose of one of Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed injections. Soon, Israelis will need to roll up their sleeves for that fourth injection once it becomes available to them.

Israel would seem to be the testing ground for this global effort to force all of humanity to take these experimental injections, which we know permanently alter human DNA. They may also contain graphene, stainless steel and other mystery ingredients inside the vials.

In Israel, people who take just three injections, for example, will soon be considered unvaccinated for the purposes of the Green Pass. Those who take just two will also be lumped into this category.

Only those who take every injection that the government tells them to will be considered fully vaccinated and allowed to live. Everyone else will become a second-class citizen overnight.

The most vulnerable population at the moment  are the ones who received two vaccine doses but not the third, proclaimed Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

They walk around feeling like they are protected because they received both doses  (but they) must quickly get vaccinated with the third vaccine dose.

The latest edicts from the government suggest that fully vaccinated people will need to get booster shot updates every six months for the rest of their lives in order to remain immune against Chinese Germs.

This is becoming absurd, wrote one Zero Hedge commenter.

First they said the vaccines would prevent infection and transmission and would return to normal life. Not true. They said that natural immunity would not provide that protection and would not contribute to herd immunity. Not True  They said the vaccines would prevent severe infection, hospitalization and deaths. Not true.

Whats next? Presumably injections at least every 6 months for life? Big Pharma will love it.

The latest news stories about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine tyranny can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A coalition of government employees, including police officers and firefighters, has filed a lawsuit against Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in response to her unconstitutional mask and vaccine mandates for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

The Oregon Fraternal Order of Police and the Kingsley Firefighters Association argue that Browns executive order requiring state employees to roll up their sleeves for Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed injections violates a number of laws and needs to be blocked.

Plaintiffs seek an order declaring EO No. 21-29 is unenforceable because it conflicts with Oregon statutes, would result in a common law wrongful discharge of the Plaintiffs, conflicts with the Oregon Constitutions guarantee of free expression, and conflicts with the United States Constitution guarantee of equal protection, free exercise, and due process, the complaint states.

On August 13, Brown issued an executive order demanding that all workers on the taxpayer dole in Oregon take one or two of the available Fauci Flu shots. At the time, about 70 percent of the states executive branch had already complied voluntarily.

That other 30 percent was really nagging at Brown, who wants to see all state employees fully vaccinated for the Chinese Virus amid mainstream media reports about constantly spreading variants of the disease.

With the Delta variant raging in Oregon, with the states ability to fully return to in-person work continuing to be hampered by the risks from COVID-19, having implemented a series of incentives aimed at achieving voluntary compliance, and with full FDA approval of the COVID-19 vaccine expected within weeks, the time has come for any remaining state employees and those who work alongside them in state government to get vaccinated, Browns order reads.

Brown says shell ruin as many lives as possible in order to save lives

Just 10 days after Brown issued her order, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued full regulatory approval for a Pfizer-BioNTech injection for the Wuhan Flu that does not technically exist.

Now, state employees in Oregon have until October 18 to submit to Browns demand by providing proof of injection or else face dismissal. Brown is planning to ruin the lives of everyone in her state who does not permanently alter their DNA with mystery mRNA chemicals from the government and Big Pharma.

The individual plaintiffs are Executive Branch employees  who want to exercise control over their own medical treatment and are being forced to choose between their rights, privileges, and liberties as citizens on the one hand and their employment, careers, and financial futures on the other, the complaint says.

Liz Merah, a spokeswoman for Brown, defended her superiors ruling that all state workers in Oregon get fully injected with a Trump Vaccine. Merah claims that the Chinese Virus is a serious problem that can only be remedied if everyone agrees to get the jab.

Its critical to protect state workers, workplaces, and facilities, as well as members of the public who use state services, Merah maintains.

Brown and her regime claim that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Oregon are on the rise due to many more positive test results than normal. This, she says, warrants the imposition of full medical fascism in the Beaver State at warp speed, whether people like it or not.

Radical, corrupt and immoral dimwits who have too much control and need to be controlled by the legislature of the state AND by the people at least, wrote one commenter at The Epoch Times about Brown and her kind, and what people can do to get rid of them.

The latest news about Chinese Virus injection tyranny can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Archive.is

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Retired General Michael Flynn received a letter from Chase Bank explaining that doing business with his household was a reputational risk to our company.

(Article by Alexander Hall republished from NewsBusters.org)

The 280,000 followers-strong purported Telegram account of Flynn shared what appears to be a damning letter from Chase Bank. The letter informed his household: After careful consideration, we decided to close your credit cards, because continuing the relationship creates possible reputational risk to our company. Chase Bank initially responded to inquiry from MRC Free Speech America by noting that it was declining to comment, but later reportedly told TheBlaze we made an error' in reference to the letter.

The Telegram account purportedly representing Flynn later posted: I want to sincerely thank everyone for your unwavering support for my family and I over this Chase Bank cancel culture nonsense. Well fight through it like everything else weve experienced these past six years.

After commenting on how Chase Bank ought to focus on the families of men and women who died in Afghanistan, he expressed a wish for Chase Bank and other major companies to embrace even the most basic of American values: I pray Chase Bank and all their cancel culture partners think twice about what they are doing to destroy the fabric of our [C]onstitution. Trust me, the heart and soul of America will NEVER be broken. We the people will prevail.

TheBlaze noted one curious quote from its contact with a Chase Bank spokesperson: Weve contacted our customer to let her know that we made an error and we apologized for any inconvenience this caused. The question remains: If TheBlaze was asking about the Flynn family, why did Chase Bank refer to a her? One possibility would be that the letter was referring to Gen. Flynns wife, implying that even doing business with the spouses of conservative public figures was a reputational risk.

As TheBlaze observed, Flynn in his Telegram retort to Chase doesnt say the Chase letter was sent to him personally. He only accuses Chase of persecuting my family and I.'

The reported Flynn fiasco is not the first time Chase Bank has been tarnished by apparent action against conservatives.

Chase Bank reportedly shut down former Rebel Media host Martina Markotas bank account, much like how PayPal deplatformed activist Laura Loomer. Markota spoke to Big League Politics about how [Chase Bank] said they have the right to end our relationship and not tell me why.

The New York Post quoted a warning from conservative-leaning National Center for Public Policy Research Vice President David Almasi reacting to the incident: If Jamie Dimon cant absolutely guarantee that Chase Bank wont ever discriminate against conservatives, conservatives should consider banking elsewhere, referring to JPMorgans chairman and CEO.

Read more at: NewsBusters.org and Conspiracy.news
(Natural News) Israel has recorded nearly 2,000 cases per million people, or nearly 0.2% of the entire population, in a single day despite being the leading country to inoculate its population. The figure only looked at one days worth of tests and the rate is thought to have been driven up by a testing push ahead of school reopenings.

However, the country has consistently reported some of the highest infection rates in the world since mid-August, during an unprecedented third wave, despite being one of the most vaccinated nations (currently, 63 percent of the population is fully vaccinated).

In comparison, 522 people per million were tested positive in the U.K., while it was around 595 per million in the U.S. Experts say that these numbers suggest that protection gained from vaccines is starting to wane in the face of the highly transmissible delta variant. Israel is seeing record case numbers in its fourth wave. Fatalities have also risen sharply in the last month.

The country has been offering booster vaccines to seniors since July, and data suggested this helped curb rising hospital admissions.

Israeli lawmakers are looking to avoid the reintroduction of draconian measures and lockdowns. They are encouraging people for any dose of the vaccine to get their shots.

I dont want to impose a lockdown and I will avoid a lockdown at all costs. Everything is open  but we need masks and we need vaccines, said Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz.

Questions arise regarding benefits of booster vaccinations

In the U.K., the government is yet to sign off on plans about launching a mass booster jab program.

Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) member Neil Fergison said he expected a surge in cases in the winter; however, he isnt sure if the surge will be big enough to warrant rolling back restrictions. Meanwhile, other experts fear that COVID-19 will explode as children are getting ready to go back to school for face-to-face sessions.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) said that it was waiting for more evidence on whether or not a booster shot will benefit the majority of Britons who still had high protection against COVID-19. (Related: VACCINE FAIL: 64% of Israels COVID-19 patients in serious condition are fully vaccinated.)

While the committee finally signed off on plans for a third vaccine dose, they will be given only to half a million people with suppressed immune systems.

The group believes that the U.K. is in a unique situation because it went for a much longer two-dose strategy compared to Israel and the U.S.

In the U.K., shots were spaced out by up to 12 weeks instead of the recommended three-week gap, leading officials to believe that it generated better immunity for the population.

In the U.S., figures show that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines now only cut the risk of hospitalization by around 75 percent against the delta variant in elderly people, compared to the 95 percent efficacy when the vaccines were first deployed.

Protection after getting two shots of Pfizer vaccine decreased from 88 percent to 74 percent at six months, while it dropped from 77 percent to 67 percent for AstraZeneca.

A significant surge in cases is expected to be seen in the U.K., however, it is too early to say whether or not it may mean tightening restrictions once again.

Speaking to reporters on a webinar, Ferguson said that there are concerns about the effect of schools reopening that could spread the virus. We expect to see quite a significant surge in cases, to some extent in hospitalizations, but whether thats going to require any rolling back of the relaxation of restrictions is too early to say. It really depends on the level of healthcare demand, he said.

He also noted that if an unvaccinated population of 5 to 10 percent all got COVID in a short period, it could result in a large healthcare burden and could risk overwhelming health care systems, even in high-income countries.

Get more COVID-19 updates at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CNBC.com
(Natural News) Thanks to a FOIA request by The Intercept, we now have smoking gun proof that Anthony Fauci directed NIH funding for bioweapons research on SARS-CoV-2 (via gain-of-function experiments) under the cover of the Chinese Communist Party. The 900+ pages of once-secret documents also confirm that the United States government originated the bioweapons research and funded it to completion. After Trump banned biological weapons programs in the United States, Fauci and others conspired to criminally conduct illegal research by shifting the technology to China (and laundering US taxpayer money through the EcoHealth Alliance to fund it).

As detailed by The Intercept:

NEWLY RELEASED DOCUMENTS provide details of U.S.-funded research on several types of coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The Intercept has obtained more than 900 pages of documents detailing the work of EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S.-based health organization that used federal money to fund bat coronavirus research at the Chinese laboratory.

One of the grants, titled Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, outlines an ambitious effort led by EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak to screen thousands of bat samples for novel coronaviruses. The research also involved screening people who work with live animals.

The bat coronavirus grant provided EcoHealth Alliance with a total of $3.1 million, including $599,000 that the Wuhan Institute of Virology used in part to identify and alter bat coronaviruses likely to infect humans.

Fauci lied, millions died

In essence, thanks to the FOIA revelations, we now know that:

Fauci lied under oath when he claimed he never funded gain-of-function research. (Where is the FBI raid on Fauci?) The entire COVID pandemic was built as a biological weapons program from the very start. Fauci and others committed not merely criminal acts in violation of biological weapons research bans, he also committed treason against the United States of America by handing weapons of mass destruction to Americas communist enemy (China) when then deployed the weapon system against America.

We also therefore know that the vaccine is an extension of the bioweapons program funded by Fauci, since the spike protein incorporated into covid vaccines was developed through Fauci-funded gain-of-function research.

With this knowledge now being made public thanks to The Intercept, all vaccines should be halted worldwide, and criminal indictments should be leveled against Fauci and the thousands of co-conspirators who were complicit in this operation, which includes Big Pharma CEOs, virology scientists and freedom-hating politicians who used all this as an excuse to push toxic bioweapons onto the population via vaccine mandates.

BOMBSHELL: The US government started this as a MERS bioweapons program to mass murder people in the Middle East, but it was switched to murdering Americans when Trump took power

The other huge bombshell now emerging from all this is that it appears the US government was originally planning to deploy its bioweapons as a MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) virus to mass murder political enemies in Iran (and other nations) under President Clinton (who was slated to take office in 2017 after the 2016 election was rigged). But when Trumps military intelligence white hats blocked the election rigging of 2016 and Trump took office, the bioweapons program was redirected to focus on killing Americans and dethroning Trump with the coordinated covid-rigged election scheme of 2020.

So the bioweapons that the US government originally planned to dump on the people of the Middle East ended up being refocused on SARS-CoV and placed into vaccines to be injected into US soldiers and 200+ million American citizens, all in an effort to carry out mass genocide against the American people and its active duty defenders. All along, Fauci was taking orders from the Obama / Clinton cartel which had sought a seamless transition of power to the Clinton regime but was thwarted by the outpouring of popular support for Trump.

Thus, by definition, Fauci, Obama, Biden and the U.S. deep state have been working with communist China to build and deploy weapons of mass destruction against the American people. Nearly all Democrats are fully on board with this effort, since they hate America and openly call for the killing of conservatives. Shockingly, theyre also all-in on committing vaccine suicide by injecting themselves with the very bioweapon that was deployed to stop Trump. So what were about to witness in the years ahead is mass death of Democrats and whatever conservatives have been propagandized enough to inject themselves with the death shots labeled vaccines.

Vaccines are just the first step in a binary weapon system that has yet to be fully deployed

Finally, the vaccines are not designed to kill people immediately upon being injected. Theyre actually designed to impair the immune system and prime the body to overreact to a future release of a viral variant that sends the body into immune reaction overdrive. This is called Antibody Dependent Enhancement, and for it to be fully invoked, a new variant must be introduced and circulated that evades the antibodies produced by the current vaccines (what we call covid vax 1.0). It appears that the Delta variant has already achieved somewhere around a 65% evasion, but upcoming variants will demonstrate even stronger evasion / escape properties.

The real bombshell is that the same Fauci / Daszak / Baric bioweapons program that built SARS-CoV-2 could have already constructed a radical variant that functions as the second part in the binary weapon system. This new variant  perhaps one thats already released or soon to be released into the wild  would result in mass fatalities of those who took covid vaccines, even if they survived the more immediate vaccine adverse reactions such as blood clotting and heart attacks.

Get the full, shocking details in todays bombshell Situation Update podcast:

Brighteon.com/37495bd5-40d4-4f32-b452-63685b2b9321

Find more breaking news interviews and videos each day at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
(Natural News) Chief Medical Advisor to the White House Dr. Anthony Fauci said that booster vaccine doses for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) will likely be available on Sept. 20.

The United States currently recommends that people who are fully vaccinated take a booster dose eight months after their second dose. (Related: ITS A SUBSCRIPTION: Fauci says government on track to administer COVID-19 booster doses every eight months.)

On Aug. 15, President Joe Biden set a deadline for when booster doses will be available. He said the boosters will be available for every adult starting on Sept. 20.

Currently, only the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech may get approval from both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Weve said it right from the very beginning, were not going to do anything unless it gets the appropriate FDA regulatory approval and then the recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said Fauci during an interview with mainstream media outlet CBS.

Looks like Pfizer has their data in, likely would meet the deadline. We hope that Moderna would also be able to do it, so we could do it simultaneously, he added. But if not, well do it sequentially. So the bottom line is, very likely, at least part of the plan will be implemented, but ultimately the entire plan will be.

Current recommendations for people who have taken the Moderna vaccine are for them to hold off for longer as the company waits for the FDA and the CDC to sign off on Moderna booster doses.

In a different interview, Fauci insisted that people who were fully vaccinated using the Moderna vaccines said its better to wait for the approval of the third dose than to get a Pfizer shot.

He noted that the federal government still does not have data regarding mixing vaccines from different manufacturers. The studies regarding if people who received Moderna or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines would be able to mix-and-match and receive a Pfizer booster are still ongoing.

We were hoping that we would get both candidates  both products  Moderna and Pfizer rolled out by the week of the 20th. It is conceivable that we will only have one of them out, but the other will likely follow soon thereafter, said Fauci.

Fauci claimed that delaying the release of booster doses for Moderna is a safety precaution that must be taken. When youre dealing with allowing the American public to receive [a medical] intervention, you want to make sure you are absolutely certain [of its safety].

He made this claim despite the fact that for the past year Fauci and the government have been rushing to administer the hastily developed, experimental and deadly vaccines.

Over a million Americans have already gotten boosters

The mass vaccination of the U.S. continues despite the mounting data regarding adverse events arising from the COVID-19 vaccines.

This data comes from the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), a federal database run jointly by the FDA and the CDC that records reported side effects caused by vaccinations.

By the end of August, VAERS has recorded over 650,000 adverse events caused by the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

Vaccination trackers also show that the U.S. has administered over 373 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Information from the CDC confirms that around half of these doses may have gone to recipients of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. More than 95 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

Around 66 million more Americans have been fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine, and another 14 million have received the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson.

Furthermore, around 1.3 million people have already received an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose after the federal government authorized the administration of booster doses for certain individuals who are immunocompromised.

Learn more about Americas unscientific campaign to distribute COVID-19 vaccine boosters by reading the latest articles on Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

CNBC.com

BusinessInsider.com

NYTimes.com
(Natural News) In a statement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland pledged his support for abortion, decrying the new heartbeat abortion law that was passed in Texas.

According to Garland, murdering unborn babies is a human right that falls under the banner of reproductive health services, and thus should never be impeded by any kind of government action.

In case you missed it, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into a law a bill that outlaws abortion procedures in the Lone Star State after six weeks gestation. This is around the time when a babys heartbeat is able to be detected.

The left of course went into a tirade about the new law because it blocks women from murdering their unborn children closer to the delivery date. Garland sides with these leftist women, having threatened to sic the federal government on Texas for passing such a law.

We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, Garland declared, suggesting that preventing women from murdering their unborn children is itself a form of violence.

The Department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack, he added.

Is Garland planning to stage a false flag attack against Texas abortion clinics?

In Garlands view, cutting off abortion services after six weeks gestation could put abortion clinics at risk of violence, which is why he has decided to round up the troops at the FBI to keep a close eye on the situation.

Garlands strange and threatening language almost suggests that he might be conspiring with the FBI to stage a false flag terror attack of some kind against Texas abortion clinics, which can then be blamed on anti-abortion extremists.

The reason this could be the case is because the FBI has an extensive history of staging false flag events to frame political enemies while pushing an agenda. In this case, that agenda involves protecting the right of women to murder their unborn children.

We have reached out to U.S. attorneys offices and FBI field offices in Texas and across the country to discuss our enforcement authorities, Garland threatened.

We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, physical obstruction or property damage in violation of the Face Act.

While we cannot say for certain what Garland might have planned to further his pro-abortion agenda, this is definitely something to keep a close eye on in the days to come, especially since the new Texas heartbeat law has gained widespread media attention.

Far-left extremists have demonstrated time and time again that they will stop at nothing to preserve their right to commit all kinds of unspeakably evil acts. Such acts usually involve destroying children, whether through LGBTQ indoctrination or flat-out murder in the womb.

Funny how he tolerated all that nonstop violence from BLM and ANTIFA against peaceful conservative Americans, wrote one commenter at The Gateway Pundit about Garlands selective and politically driven approach to legal matters.

George Orwell or Joseph Goebbels would be proud of Merrick Garland for calling the murder of babies reproductive health care,' wrote another.

Another commenter pointed out that he is truly amazed how depraved todays liberals have become.

The existence of bacteria is evidence of life on Mars, but a heartbeat isnt evidence of life in a human being, this person wrote. The lunatics are those who are in power, running our country into the ground and destroying everything they touch.

The latest news about the lefts obsession with baby murder can be found at Abortions.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pulled a fast one on Americans with its supposed approval of Pfizers Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine.

As it turns out, the Pfizer jab currently in use was not actually approved by the FDA, which Liberty Counsel says pulled a bait and switch.

The well-respected law firm released a statement recently explaining that in order to help push draconian vaccine mandates, the FDA essentially lied to the American public about the approval, which never technically happened.

According to Liberty Counsel, all existing Pfizer vials remain under the federal governments emergency use authorization (EUA), which means that people have the option to accept or refuse it.

The third booster shot being pushed by Pfizer is also identical to the first two, meaning that it, too, is only authorized for emergency use and does not hold full approval.

BioNTech received FDA approval for people ages 16 and above under the name Comirnaty, but there are no Comirnaty doses available in the United States, Liberty Counsel further explains.

In other words, there is currently NO FDA approved COVID-19 injection available anywhere in the United States. Every COVID shot in America remains under the EUA law and thus people have the option to accept or refuse them.

Even if they do get approved, covid vaccines can NEVER legally be forced on anyone

Truth be told, there will never be a scenario in which one of Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed injections can ever be forced on anyone against their will.

This is because once a covid shot does get approved by the FDA, federal and state laws still protect the right of people to reject them for sincerely held religious beliefs or conscientious objections.

There are also medical exemptions to vaccines that allow the immunocompromised to forego them in order to protect themselves against further harm or potential death.

On August 23, the FDA issued two separate letters for two legally distinct injections: one offered by Pfizer and the other offered by BioNTech. The current Pfizer-BioNTech injection being widely administered differs from these two other shots.

The first letter is regarding FDAs biologics license application approval for the Pfizer Inc. / BioNTech COVID-19 injection which has been named Comirnaty, Liberty Counsel explains.

Yet Pfizer has not started manufacturing or labeling this drug for U.S. distribution, so it is not even available in the U.S. It is unclear whether or not it is protected by a liability shield, but web-based U.S. government communication indicates that the same program that provides compensation for COVID vaccine-related injuries will apply Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) rather than the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

As of this writing, there is not believed to be any compensation paid via the CICP to anyone who has been injured by any of the Chinese Virus injections currently being administered under EUA.

The Pfizer injection, on the other hand, is still considered experimental under U.S. law, Liberty Counsel further notes. There is a legal difference between products approved under authorization of emergency use (EUA) compared with those the FDA has fully licensed.

In essence, nothing currently being peddled by the government or the mainstream media as a covid vaccine is approved by the FDA, nor can it be mandated under any alleged law.

Covid shots constitute experimental gene therapy drugs that every individual has the right to just say no to, should they choose to do so. Just remember: my body, my choice.

Interested in learning more about the dangers and ineffectiveness of Chinese Virus injections? You can do so at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

Principia-Scientific.com

LC.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The latest tyranny to come out of Rutgers University in New Jersey involves requiring all remote learning students to be fully vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

It was not enough for Rutgers to simply force the jabs on in-person students. Now, those who learn at home in isolation on their computers must also undergo experimental gene therapy in order to get an education.

Junior Logan Hollar, who transferred to Rutgers in 2020, learned this the hard way. He currently takes virtual classes from his Sandyston home in Sussex County, which is located more than 70 miles away from the New Brunswick campus. In order to continue, however, he will have to take the injection.

Im not in an at-risk age group, Hollar told the media. Im healthy and I work out. I dont find covid to be scary. If someone wants to be vaccinated, thats fine with me, but I dont think they should be pushed.

As you may recall, Rutgers was the first institution of higher learning in the United States to mandate Operation Warp Speed jabs for all students at its campuses. At the time, students in fully remote online degree programs or online-only continuing education programs were not required to comply.

That has since changed, however, and now all students enrolled at Rutgers, no matter how they learn, must take one of Donald father of the vaccine Trumps syringes in order to learn.

When they put out the guidance in March, I was reading through all the verbiage, which was if you plan to return to campus, you need to be vaccinated, Hollar says. I figured I wouldnt be part of that because all my classes were remote.

Rutgers lied to Hollar and now he cant get an education

As recent as early August, Hollar was notified as part of a class switch that he would not be required to take a Chinese Virus injection in order to stay enrolled at Rutgers. He even checked a box on a survey screen that explained this plain as day.

After submitting the survey, I got no pop-up indication that I still needed the vaccine  like I had seen in the past  and since I was online and the survey said I was all set, I assumed the emails in my inbox pertaining to (the vaccine) must apply to in-person students, Hollar now says.

That turned out not to be the case.

On August 27, Hollar went online to pay his tuition, only to realize that he had been locked out of his email and all related Rutgers accounts. Hollar then called the universitys hotline and was told that he had to take a vaccine or two if he wanted to remain enrolled at the school.

Hollar repeatedly sought answers as to when and why the policy changed, right in the middle of his semester, but was stonewalled. All Hollar could do, he was told, was try to seek an exemption and be reinstated, a process that would take many weeks.

Hollar did just that, only to later be denied access to his classes. Hollar is now stuck with the option of either getting jabbed or being forced out of Rutgers.

Days later, I called back since I hadnt received anything, Hollar laments. They told me that unfortunately, they had decided that they would not grant waivers for anyone who had put in for them past August 23, even though I was told that I could get one with no problem on the 27th.

Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine fascism is spreading like wildfire. To keep up with the latest, visit ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

NJ.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A psychology professor at Duquesne University is raising eyebrows by agreeing with another educator who says it would be ethical for white people to kill themselves.

(Article by Joe Kavacs republished from WNDNewsCenter.org)

White people should commit suicide as an ethical act, says the top of a video presentation by professor Derek Hook at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, college.

Professor of Psychology at Duquesne University Derek Hook, defends the quote white people should commit suicide as an ethical act as an opportunity to castrate whiteness. This is part of an anti-racist discussion on nice white therapists held by AAPCSW. pic.twitter.com/IL839IjUCV  Mythinformed MKE (@MythinformedMKE) August 25, 2021

The video was posted by the anti-Critical Race Theory group Mythinformed MKE.

This is part of an anti-racist discussion on nice white therapists held by the [American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work],' the group wrote on Facebook.

The College Fix noted the video appears to be from a summer session hosted by Hook, though the content is not otherwise publicly available.

Hook, who himself is white, was quoting from Terblanche Delport, a South African philosophy professor at the University of Pretoria who wrote about white people killing themselves in 2016.

[T]he only (life) purpose for whites, specifically Afrikaners, is to await their death or to commit suicide, like the samurai falls on his short sword when he has fallen into disgrace, Delport said, according to Radio Free South Africa.

White supremacy could only be ended once whites are dead, continued Delport, who also is white. We should be prepared to die silently, without having children, so that white supremacy could come to an end at last.

Heres the kind of crazy gambit of this talk, Hook said in his analysis. I want to suggest that psychoanalytically we could even make the argument that there was something ethical in Delports statements.

He suggested white folks could symbolically kill themselves or undergo metaphorical castration.

I want to make the argument that there is some kind of ethical dimension to his provocations, Hook continued.

I think Delport took his white audience to the threshold of a type of symbolic extinction  he took them to a proposed end of whiteness.

According to his Duquesne biography, Hook is a scholar and a practitioner of psychoanalysis with expertise in the areas of Lacanian psychoanalysis, post-colonial theory (the work of Frantz Fanon in particular), the psychology of racism and critical social psychology.

The College Fix noted: The American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work is a liberal group that previously called on President Trump to resign days before his term in office ended due to the violence at the Capitol.

The group believes that Donald Trumps presidential powers must be immediately revoked, according to a January 13 statement. He has demonstrated an exploitation of such powers through the consistent promotion of racist groups and ideologies.'

Read more at: WNDNewsCenter.org and Lunatics.news
More than 18 months into the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected all of us, this virus has infected 200 million people around the world and over 4 million have died of it. It's frightening that in many countries including the United States, India, Brazil, France, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Peru, and other countries, variants of the virus are still spreading. The future remains uncertain.

People are exhausted, filled with anxiety, and want to know not only when it will all end, but also where did this virus suddenly originate from?

"The problem we have is that we don't have definitive scientific evidence. It will again remain an argument. And those that have more of a political agenda to argue that the origin was a laboratory one. Both are possible, but the probability weighs heavily in favor of a natural emergence", Dr. Dennis Carroll, who serves as Chair of the Global Virome Project Leadership Board.

Dr. Jonna Mazet, Professor of Epidemiology and Disease Ecology at the University of California, Davis Institute of Health, supports this, saying that she is "almost positive it spilled over from a bat, because of all the other coronaviruses that are similar to it we found in bats."

This science-based conclusion is backed by online research revealing that as many as 98% of articles, using a neutral keyword search 'Covid-19 virus origin', supported the view that the virus has a natural origin, or, that the findings are inconclusive.

In a globally televised press conference, Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, stated that the WHO has "listened, again and again to numerous scientists who've looked at the sequences, looked at this virus and we are assured that this virus is natural in origin."

And Professor Wang Linfa, in a recent lecture on the origins of Covid-19, said that "the virus is most similar to the bat virus" which "suggests a zoonotic link."

In addition to a wealth of scientific support, numerous scientific publications, including The Lancet and Nature Magazine, state that the strongest evidence available to date suggests the coronavirus pandemic emerged via a natural spillover event, and that 'SARS-CoV-2 probably has a natural origin and was transmitted from an animal to humans'.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden, in a Forbes magazine article dated June 9, 2021, stated that he and most scientists 'continue to believe the virus originated in animals in the wild and was transmitted to humans'.

But what are the arguments from the people who advocate the lab leak theory? Rather than scientists, it is specific sources of media, writers, and public figures that have more vocally supported this theory. Popular science writer and journalist Matt Ridley has contended that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, even though it is recognized as a P4-level bio-secure facility.

And in a May 2, 2021, article, science correspondent Nicholas Wade backed the lab leak theory because he had concerns about safety conditions at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. However, with no support from scientists to corroborate his claim, this appears to be speculation.

Can such conjecture determine the origin of the virus? Or should the scientific community continue their scientific approach? The extent of speculation or unfounded theory has been revealed in recent public opinion polls. In British weekly "The Economist" research showed that only 13% of Americans agreed with the scientific community's view, while "Morning Consult", a U.S. polling agency, showed a majority of people in Italy, Spain, France, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany believe in the Wuhan laboratory leak over a natural origin.

Veteran freelance journalist Justin Ling who specializes in covering stories untold, misunderstood, and often missed in the mainstream media, and is often cited in flagship polls, thinks the problem of misinformation in the past few years has only grown, especially as the proliferation of social media and disinformation campaigns and alternative news sites have cropped up.

"We've seen a rapid increase in the number of fake stories, trends, theories, conspiracy theories, flooding the zone, leading to a general kind of radicalization, leading to a general disruption of our political and media systems, and frankly, leading to a further distrust in more trustworthy outlets" he said.

Cleary, experts believe public opinion has been influenced by salacious headlines and amplified misinformation published through various streams of social media opinion pieces and even politically motivated mainstream media.

Eric Merkley, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, believes that it's very challenging for journalists to convey fast moving, scientific findings, asserting "Journalists don't really know how to delicately tailor those stories to acknowledge that uncertainty, because people want certainty, they crave certainty."

Merkley believes a combination of survival bias in an era where journalists and mainstream news outlets are under a lot of pressure, and people wanting clear and compelling answers immediately, has resulted in 'complications into science communication'.

What's more, continues Merkley, "there was a desire in the early stages of the pandemic for Trump to kind of off responsibility on to China. And so Republican leaders and Trump, pushed that linkage as much as possible in order to evade responsibility, and allies in the media kind of carried out that messaging faithfully, given their political leanings."

Who understands this virus best? Doesn't it make sense to leave the investigation into the origins of the pandemic to the scientists themselves?

U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, recently declared, "this is a time for science and solidarity. Wild conspiracy theories are infecting the internet. I salute journalists and others fact-checking the mountain of misleading stories and social media posts."

If scientific research confirms the source of the Covid-19 virus, then no matter what that truth is, we can be assured it will be a major scientific event for all of humanity. Why don't we wait for that day. Do you agree?
Thousands of South Lake Tahoe homeowners who escaped the Caldor Fire in California were allowed to return home this weekend, but officials cautioned them that they could face an unexpected threat: bears.

According to the Associated Press, Sgt Simon Brown of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office told reporters, "The delicate balance between humans and bears has been disrupted."

With Humans Gone, the Bears Came In

With the people gone for more than a week, the local bears were more assertive, appearing in more centrally situated, metropolitan districts than usual. According to SFGate, in addition to humans being gone, habitat and food source devastation caused by the wildfire may have pushed the bears to seek sanctuary in urban areas.

The bears have been strewing trash and, in some cases, breaking into residences without permission. Chief Dave Stevenson of the South Lake Tahoe Police Agency informed local television station KCRA that the department has received complaints of 17 break-ins this week, 15 of which turned out to be bear-related.

Related Article: Grizzly Bear Stalks Man for Days, Until He Was Rescued by Coast Guard After Spotting SOS Sign



"Arresting" the Bears?

Sgt. Brown told SFGate that bears breaking into homes is "not a crime." While law enforcement won't "arrest" the animals, he said they would try to lure them away from people's homes.

Returning residents should be wary if they detect any signs that a bear may have entered their home, according to bear expert Toogee Sielsch, because the animal may still be there.

"When you go home, and it appears that a window or door has been opened and that something has gained entry to your house, don't hurry in and especially don't block that spot," Sielsch told KCRA. "It may be a wild animal that has gotten into your house since it's the only way they'll know to get out of your house."

Lifting Mandatory Evacuation

On Sunday afternoon, authorities removed the mandatory evacuation orders for South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding regions, reducing them to a warning while firefighters battled the Caldor Fire. However, officials stated that the fire threat was not completely gone and that the air was still hazy and dangerous to people with respiratory problems.

Caldor Fire Rapid Spread

Because of the fast spread of the Caldor Fire, which started on August 14, the US Forest Service closed almost all national forests in the state until September 17. In addition, several state parks have been shuttered entirely or partially in the aftermath of a dozen major fires blazing throughout California.

Rampant Wildfires

Though wildfires have long been a natural and even beneficial part of the Western environment, human-caused climate change and heritage of ineffective forest fire management have combined to generate larger, deadlier, and more devastating blazes. Extinguishing flames rather than allowing smaller, less powerful fires to burn out was common among European settlers who colonized the western United States and Canada, resulting in a significant accumulation of combustible vegetation over the region. Furthermore, a changing climate has resulted in substantially hotter and drier conditions, making large fires much easier to start.

Also Read: "It Bit Me on My Neck and I Blacked out"- Survivor Recalls Horrifying Experience in Polar Bear Attack

For more wildlife news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
After the heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida prompted dangerous flooding, city officials intend on going door to door to make sure New York residents receive the federal relief benefits that are needed, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed on Monday.

Ida's Impact

The announcement followed President Joe Biden approving a major disaster declaration for the region, which Chuck Schumer, New York Senator, referred to as "the fastest (he's) seen a major disaster area declared."

Schumer said: "That means that grants, not just loans, but grants can go to individuals to help make up for damage that they have here. It means the city can get reimbursed for all of its expenses, and it means that small businesses can get loans if they were hurt by this as well."

In the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Ida caused landfall as a Category 4 storm the previous week which led to the destruction of homes and caused power outages that affected over a million people. More than one week following the event, close to 420,000 Louisiana's customers were without power, as per PowerOutage.US.

Also Read: Here's What Triggered Hurricane Ida to Intensify into a Monster Hurricane

President Biden to Tour Impacts Ida Left Behind

By the time the storm got to the East Coast, it was just remnants that were remaining, but the impact was still dangerous - taking the lives of not less than 52 people across six states.

On Tuesday, President Biden plans on touring the impacts left behind in New Jersey and New York. He will be touring Hillsborough Township, New Jersey first, then a place in Queens, New York.

Places under the major disaster declaration are Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Richmond (Staten Island), and Westchester.

Calling the impact "absolutely heartbreaking," Deanne Criswell who is FEMA's Administrator said people that inhabit those counties will be fitted for federal assistance through FEMA.

Mayor Tom Murphy said for towns like Mamaroneck, New York the disaster declaration will be of help immediately. Hundreds of people in the region are still displaced from their houses and are currently living in shelters, Murphy said.

The Recovery Process

12 feet of water submerged some houses in the region, and in the aftereffect first responders succeeded in making more than 150 water rescues, Murphy said Monday.

Murphy told John King of CNN that the town is "still in the process of restoration and recovery" and official town workers gathered three months-worth of refuse in a day on Sunday. He said he expected almost the same levels of refuse everyday "for the next few days at least."

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority disclosed that Tuesday morning will come with progress for residents of New York City as all subway lines will provide full service following the severe impacts of the storm.

The Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York City said the storm and the dead stop it brought New York reveals that most cities are not ready to battle potential climate change.

Related Article: In the Middle of Recovery, Ida Ravaged Northeast May Experience Severe Flooding

For more news, updates about Hurricane Ida and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Weather Alert

...RAIN...BREEZY WINDS...COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE FOR THIS WEEKEND... .A vigorous weather system may affect north central Oregon and south central Washington this weekend and bring the seasons first significant rain to portions of the area along with breezy winds. A cool front is expected to move across the area Friday night with developing rain showers along with breezy winds into Saturday. With increasing confidence some locations could receive over a quarter inch of rain especially in the area mountains. Any outdoor festivities should keep aware of the possible changing weather conditions as the weekend nears including any updates to the weather forecast.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
Opinion column

Now is the time to start loving our enemies

Philip Young has been considering recent events in the Middle East and believes that it is now even more important than ever to remember Jesus instruction to love our enemies.

Twenty years ago, terrorists flew two planes into the twin towers in New York and the tragedy of September 11 became a grim turning point in world history. The survivors are still trying to live with the trauma of that terrible day and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time of painful remembrance.



In reaction to this tragedy the War on Terror began, and Afghanistan was invaded and occupied for twenty years. During the course of this bloody conflict there was much loss of life and, after the recent rapid takeover of the Taliban, we are left wondering what it has all been for. Was it worth it?



I have always argued that to meet violence with more violence is never the right way. In my opinion Jesus came to break the cycle of violence and to offer a better way. The way of love.



We are now left with the legacy after a long war. Many people left in Afghanistan are fearful about revenge killings on those who collaborated with foreign forces. Given the Taliban's record, they are right to be worried. No wonder so many people have fled, and many remain who wish to escape what they suspect will be a cruel and harsh new regime.



What are we to do? More violence will not work. Another invasion by foreign troops will not solve anything. We must find more constructive and creative ways. We need to turn from war to peace, from hate to love. If the War on Terror is failing, then let us not pour fuel on the fire of the vicious cycle of violence any longer.



Firstly, we should welcome all who wish to flee the country and we should provide them sanctuary by negotiating safe passage for them with the Taliban. Secondly, we should try to engage with the Taliban to offer them help to build a peaceful country within the wider world community.



They may not change overnight, but to oppose them with more force will only encourage them to fight back with more of their own violence. We also need to encourage them to treat women equally and to include them in their new government.



Churchill said, to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war, and that remains true today - we should seek to talk and engage with those who oppose us.



Jesus said We should love our enemies. Make love not war.





The image of houses on an Afghanistan hillside is by David Mark from Pixabay


Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low near 65F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Cloudy this morning followed by isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Whippany, NJ (07981)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. Low 66F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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Authorities have recovered the body of a second professor from Iona College who died in flooding caused by the remains of Hurricane Ida in Rye Brook, N.Y., about two miles from the Greenwich border.

Her husband, also an Iona College professor, was killed as well after their car was trapped by rising floodwaters, according to police in Harrison, N.Y.

The body of Frances Bailie was found at about 11 a.m. Monday, police said. She had been missing since early Thursday morning, according to police.

Her husband, Ken, was found dead in the Purchase section of Harrison on Thursday.

Rye Brook Police notified HPD that a contractor discovered what appeared to be the remains of the victim under a displaced and partially destroyed bridge, not far from where the male victim was found, said a statement from Harrison police.

With the water level having dropped significantly over the past 48 hours, we are relieved that the victims body was recovered, and that the surviving family are able to have closure. Both I and the department would like to send condolences to all those affected by this tragedy, Harrison Police Chief John Vasta said in a statement.

Officers had found the couples unoccupied car pinned against a utility pole at Lincoln Avenue and Brookside Way just off the Hutchinson River Parkway during the storm last week, police said.

Ken Bailies body was found about a quarter-mile from their vehicle, which was caught in the flood-swollen Blind Brook that runs through Rye Brook and Purchase.

Connecticut State Police assisted in the search for the missing woman, according to Harrison police.

Ken and Frances Bailie were both professors in the computer science department at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. The colleges president, Seamus Carey, issued a statement last week asking for prayers for the devoted professors, and a service was held for them over the weekend.

The two professors had been married for over 50 years, according to the college. The couple lived in Rye Brook, a community adjoining the western border of Greenwich along King Street.

Rye Brook Mayor Paul Rosenberg said the deaths of the two well-regarded local residents, who have lived in the community for decades, was a tragic blow to us.

Fran Bailie walked around Rye Brook every day and was a visible and friendly presence, Rosenberg said, and the two were also involved in Catholic education in town.

Its horrendous, my heart goes out to the family, Rosenberg said.

The mayor said the damage from the remains of the hurricane showed how potent and dangerous flooding can be. It certainly hits close to home, he said. We all hear about flood warnings, and now a lot of people will now realize that it can kill people.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
CT State Police / Contributed

SHELTON  A New York man has been identified as the motorcyclist killed in a crash on Route 8 Monday night, according to a Connecticut State Police accident summary report.

Oliver John Mateo, 29, of Yonkers, N.Y., was found unresponsive on Route 8 north between exits 13 and 14 around 6:30 p.m. Monday.
Britney Spears' fight to end her court-ordered conservatorship took an unexpected turn on Tuesday when her father and the conservator of her estate, Jamie Spears, filed a petition to end the arrangement.

In a court filing obtained by CNN on Tuesday, the elder Spears cited his daughter's pleas at two separate court hearings over the summer in his request to terminate the 13-year conservatorship.

"Recent events related to this conservatorship have called into question whether circumstances have changed to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist," the filing states.

"Ms. Spears has told this Court that she wants control of her life back without the safety rails of a conservatorship. She wants to be able to make decisions regarding her own medical care, deciding when, where and how often to get therapy. She wants to control the money she has made from her career and spend it without supervision or oversight. She wants to be able to get married and have a baby, if she so chooses. In short, she wants to live her life as she chooses without the constraints of a conservator or court proceeding," the petition reads in part.

"As Mr. Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter. If Ms. Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr. Spears believes that she should get that chance," the filing said.

Mathew Rosengart, attorney for Britney Spears, called Tuesday's development "vindication."

"This filing represents another legal victory for Britney Spears -- a massive one -- as well as vindication for Ms. Spears," Rosengart said in a statement to CNN. "It appears that Mr. Spears believes he can try to avoid accountability and justice, including sitting for a sworn deposition and answering other discovery under oath."

Rosengart added that Britney Spears will "continue to explore all options."

The elder Spears has served has conservator of his daughter's estate since it was established in 2009. He was also the conservator of her person, overseeing her health and medical issues until he stepped aside in 2019. That's when Jodi Montgomery was appointed the temporary conservator of Spears' person.

During a hearing in July, Britney Spears said that she wanted to press charges against her father for "conservatorship abuse" and called the arrangement "f---ing cruelty."

Jamie Spears stated in a previous court filing that he intends to step down as conservator.

Just last week, Rosengart called on Spears to do so immediately "before he is suspended."

A previously scheduled hearing in the case is set for Sept. 29.

An earlier version of this story stated the court filing was obtained Wednesday. It has been corrected to state it was obtained Tuesday.

The-CNN-Wire

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Surging Covid-19 cases -- and the increasing proportion reported in children -- are causing many health experts to worry about the outlook as the school year gets underway across the entire country.

But Dr. Anthony Fauci said there shouldn't be a big uptick "if we do it right."

"We've gotta get the school system masked in addition to surrounding the children with vaccinated people," said the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "That's the solution."

In Miami-Dade County Public Schools, 13 school employees have died from Covid-19 since August 16, the school district and local teacher union told CNN. All 13 -- four teachers, one security monitor, one cafeteria worker and seven school bus drivers -- were unvaccinated, they said.

"I think this underscores the big tragedy that we see occurring across America," Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Tuesday.

"Even though in my community, 98% of individuals have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, there is still a lag specific to individuals that represent ethnic minorities in Miami-Dade."

The 13 school employees who died were African Americans and were unvaccinated, according to their families, Carvalho said.

Since vaccine mandates are illegal in Florida, the best thing Carvalho can do is offer incentives to teachers to get fully vaccinated, including a $275 stipend to any employee who shows proof of vaccination, he said.

Schools, particularly in the South, started their new year in August and many districts, notably those without mask measures in place, saw an explosion of cases.

Doctors and experts warn it could happen again when students in much of the rest of the country return to school after the Labor Day weekend unless there is strong action to keep the virus in check. Fauci and other officials across the US have stressed masks in schools and vaccination for those eligible are crucial.

"These little ones don't have the choice to take the vaccine. It's up to us," Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said during a back-to-school event in Rochester on Wednesday. "For goodness sakes, we're adults and we know what protects them, so it shouldn't be that hard to say, the science says, put them in a mask. You wouldn't let them run across the street without looking, you certainly wouldn't put them in a crowded classroom without a mask."

While officials believe the federal government is limited on broadly mandating vaccines, President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a major address this week on the next phase of the pandemic, which will include components related to schools, private companies and requirements for federal employees, two sources familiar with the speech told CNN.

Ahead of the speech, poll data from Gallup on Tuesday showed more Americans now disagree than agree that Biden and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have communicated a clear plan of action in response to Covid-19.

The speech comes as the impact of the pandemic on schools becomes clearer.

Children now represent 26.8% of the weekly Covid-19 cases, according to new data. Over two weeks, from August 19 to September 2, there was a 10% increase in the cumulated number of Covid-19 cases in children since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Pace of vaccinations may be slowing again

Meanwhile, data published Wednesday by the CDC shows an average of about 356,662 people are initiating their Covid-19 vaccination each day -- an 18% drop from last week and a 26% drop from a month earlier.

But those slowing numbers may have been affected by the Labor Day holiday, and could pick up again in the coming days.

US officials continue to stress the way out of the pandemic is through vaccinations.

"What we've got to do to get to a successful place with Delta is vaccinate enough people, develop enough in the way of therapeutics and treatments, such that we're not losing nearly as many people every day, every week, every year to the Delta virus," US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN's Jim Acosta on Wednesday.

A large, real-life study confirmed that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are about 90% effective at keeping people 50 and older out of the hospital. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine also had high effectiveness, the team found, but "additional data are needed."

The study, led by the CDC, found that two shots of Pfizer's or Moderna's mRNA vaccines were 91% effective against infection leading to an emergency department or urgent care clinic visit, 89% against infection leading to hospitalization and 90% against infection leading to an ICU admission.

Even among people 85 and older, effectiveness was 85% or higher, the team wrote. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine was 73% effective against emergency department or urgent care clinic visit and 68% against infection leading to hospitalization, the team found.

The study showed the mRNA-based vaccines were highly effective among people 85 or older and those with chronic medical conditions.

Reinforcements going to hospitals

The lagging vaccination rates and climbing case numbers are keeping the pressure on the health care systems in many states.

In Kentucky, hospitals are facing critical staffing shortages and getting pushed to the brink for ICU beds, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday, forcing the closure of some surgery rooms to create ICU centers and more beds to address the influx of Covid-19 patients.

The state has stepped in to help by providing Covid-19 testing via third-party vendors that set up outside of hospitals, freeing up hospital emergency room staff and clinicians to prioritize other healthcare needs for the community, Beshear said.

The governor said he also requested FEMA strike teams and has had a nurse strike team deployed up at St. Claire Regional Medical Center, which has been overwhelmed in treating the influx of Covid-19 patients.

Less than half of Kentucky's population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to CDC data.

Reinforcements are also on the way for health care workers treating Covid-19 patients in Idaho, Arkansas and Alabama.

Each state will get a 20-person US Army North (ARNORTH) team that includes nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical doctors. Six teams are already deployed, with three teams in Louisiana, two in Mississippi, and one in Alabama.

"This is the first time Department of Defense medical assets have deployed to support both Idaho and Arkansas during the pandemic," ARNORTH commander Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson said. "We are proud to be called upon to support our local, state, and federal partners there, and in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, in this whole-of-government response."

New data suggests unvaccinated people are at least several times more likely to test positive

The best protection against hospitalizations, health experts have emphasized, is vaccination.

Data from local health departments in Utah, Virginia and Seattle's King County suggests that unvaccinated people are at least four times -- and up to nine times -- more likely than vaccinated people to test positive for coronavirus, and that gap has grown in recent weeks.

About 53.2% of all Americans are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data. Those numbers are not yet where experts say they need to be to protect the majority of Americans.

In August, the FDA authorized an additional Covid-19 vaccine dose for certain immunocompromised people. And while the effort to vaccinate the entire population continues, officials are now preparing for the rollout of booster doses for a larger population.

The boosters do not indicate that something is wrong with the first two doses, Fauci said Tuesday. Rather, the third dose may just be part of a full vaccine regimen.

The White House is expected to kick off its booster plan the week of September 20. At that time, up to 5.2 million people may be eligible to receive their third dose.

The plan is to allow third doses starting eight months after a person receives the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines, although the timing could fluctuate.

It's not clear what the timing will be for a second dose of the single-dose J&J vaccine, which more than 14 million people received, according to the CDC.

"That might be two doses for a J&J, but for the mRNA, we know from studies that are already ongoing in Israel now, that when the degree of protection against infection and even severe disease goes down to a certain precarious level, when you give the person that third boost, you dramatically increase the level of protection," Fauci said.

"Even more so than before the boost, it goes up to and beyond the level of protection."

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Four activists from the Hong Kong pro-democracy group that organizes the city's annual Tiananmen Square vigil were arrested early Wednesday morning, after the group refused to comply with a police order to submit information on national security grounds.

Police had sought details concerning the group's funding and membership in relation to an accusation it was working as a "foreign agent," in violation of the city's sweeping national security law, according to a letter seen by CNN late last month.

The letter said the group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, had 14 days to submit the information, or face up to six months' imprisonment.

Under the law, which was imposed by Beijing last year, authorities have wide-ranging powers to crack down on political crimes.

The arrested members of group included vice chairwoman and barrister Chow Hang-tung, as well as standing committee members Leung Kam-wai, Tang Ngok-kwan and Chan Dor-wai, the group said.

Chow posted on social media early Wednesday morning that police were ringing her doorbell and attempting to open the door.

In a statement Wednesday morning, police confirmed they had arrested four individuals under the national security law, though neither the statement nor the police press office would identify their names or that they were members of the Hong Kong Alliance.

The four individuals are accused of failing to comply with the implementation of the national security law, said police.

"Police operations are continuing, and it cannot be ruled out that more people may be arrested," the statement added.

The Alliance, formed more than three decades ago to support those protesting for democracy in Beijing, said on Sunday that it would not comply with the police request, which included orders to hand over its members' personal details, as well as all meeting records with political groups in Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas.

The city's security agency released a statement later Sunday with a "solemn warning" that "endangering national security is a very serious crime," and that the Alliance "should immediately turn back before it is too late."

But the group doubled down on Tuesday, submitting a letter to police arguing they had insufficient grounds to request materials. In their letter, the group added that it was not a "foreign agent," and that police had yet to explain why they believed the group was linked to foreign forces.

Tsui Hon-kwong, a member of the alliance, said on Tuesday that a judicial review had been filed to challenge the police request.

In response, Carrie Lam, the city's leader, criticized the group for disobeying police. "I must strongly condemn (the Alliance's) statements," Lam said on Tuesday. Security Chief Chris Tang also warned on Tuesday that those who do not comply with national security police orders would face consequences.

Hours later, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the arrests were carried out.

The Hong Kong Alliance has held an annual candlelight vigil on the anniversary of the Tiananmen pro-democracy crackdown since 1990.

The events of Tiananmen Square began with protesters in Beijing, mostly college students, gathering in the heart of the Chinese capital to mourn the death of an ousted former leader -- then, to push for governmental reform and greater democracy. In the early hours of June 4, 1989, the Chinese military entered the square, with orders to put down the protests.

No official death toll has ever been released, but rights groups estimate hundreds, if not thousands were killed. The protests and crackdown have been wiped from the history books in China, censored and controlled. The annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong has been, for decades, the only mass memorial held on Chinese soil.

But the vigil's days appear to be numbered. Several core members of the Alliance, including former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, are serving prison sentences over charges of unauthorized assembly.

This year's event was banned by authorities, citing coronavirus restrictions. Hong Kong's Security Bureau also warned that attending or promoting any June 4 rally could violate the national security law and result in imprisonment.

Under the security law, protesters, journalists and pro-democracy figures have been arrested; newsrooms have been raided and forced to shut down; and textbooks, films and websites face new censorship.

A number of other activist organizations and civic groups -- many of which, like the Hong Kong Alliance, have been a key part of the city's political and social fabric for decades -- have folded after facing pressure from police.

Authorities in Hong Kong have repeatedly denied they are using the law to crackdown on political opposition or stifle dissent.

"I am confident that the police is using this power properly, based on the evidence that they have, to ask for the information," said Lam last Tuesday when asked about the Alliance. "We respect civic society."

However, she warned, the law will be "fully implemented" to "stamp out any activities that will endanger national security."

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Two nurses who helped evacuate residents from seven nursing homes to a Louisiana warehouse told CNN on Tuesday that some health care workers spent days trying to keep patients alive while enduring supply shortages, electricity cuts and what they described as a negligent nursing home administration.

One nurse told CNN the facility administrator "told us we were going to a medical facility. They told us we were going to sister facilities out of town; they at no time told us they were going to a warehouse."

The nurse recalled the administrator describing the warehouse as "a medical facility in Independence."

CNN is not naming the nurse, or their facility, because they were not authorized to speak to the media and were fearful they would lose their job.

"We were put in a situation that we did not know, but we handled it," the nurse said.

Natalie Henderson, a nurse at Maison DeVille Nursing Home of Houma, said that conditions were, "nasty, very unsanitary."

A review of business licenses by CNN has found that Bob Dean Jr. of Baton Rouge is listed as an executive for the seven nursing facilities, in addition to the warehouse.

When questioned about the warehouse by CNN affiliate WVUE, Dean said that, "we only had five deaths within the six days and normally with 850 people, you'll have a couple a day, so we did really good with taking care of people."

Seven nursing home residents died, according to state health officials.

CNN has reached out to Dean and the facilities for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The unnamed nurse said they received notice in the early morning hours of August 27 that staff and patients were evacuating ahead of Ida. Ambulances were used for bed-bound patients, "lift buses" for wheelchair-mobile patients and small buses were used to transport fully mobile patients.

Henderson said she was told their patients were evacuating the evening of August 27.

When the unnamed nurse got on the transportation, they were told they were heading to a "sister facility" out of town. Henderson, too, said that she was told by her supervisor they would be going to another facility.

Residents housed in leaking, flooded buildings and "had to squeeze in" to large warehouse

Instead of sister facilities, patients were being dropped off at a warehouse in Independence, both nurses said. While patients would stay there, the healthcare workers were provided lodging at a campground about 20 miles away, the nurses said.

Both nurses said patients initially were split between the large warehouse and two smaller buildings on site.

However, when the unnamed nurse returned to one of the smaller buildings on August 28, the rain from the outer bands of Ida had arrived. Doing their rounds, the unnamed nurse said they and other health care workers discovered that a number of patients had gotten wet from rain overnight. That led them to move residents to the warehouse.

"Which was crazy because it was already full," the nurse said. "So they had to squeeze in."

Henderson confirmed the unnamed nurse's account, saying that she arrived as the patients were being moved because of a leaking roof.

That Sunday saw Ida's winds and rains tear through Louisiana, causing widespread flooding and extensive damage. Parts of the warehouse property was affected by flooding, the unidentified nurse said.

Water at one point began rushing into a smaller building on-site where some patients were being kept, the nurse said.

The nurse and others rushed into the building and almost knee-high water and began evacuating roughly 60 patients.

Nurses quickly got the patients who use wheelchairs out, but had to use air mattresses stacked on top of each other to evacuate bedridden patients, the unnamed nurse said.

Once they evacuated the patients, that's when the lights went out, the nurse recalled.

Air conditioning and lights, or oxygen

For the next several days, the nurse says that while a large generator ran continuously, it switched between providing lights and air conditioning, and wall outlet electricity. The nurse said that as a result of that, the warehouse, which had few windows, was frequently plunged into darkness.

Henderson described the warehouse as hot and humid. There were electric fans inside the warehouse initially, she said, but they were later removed because they were perceived to be the reason breakers repeatedly tripped.

The flickering outages also meant that nurses had to pay special attention to what was receiving any electricity at any time. When the lights and air conditioning were on, the unnamed nurse said they eventually realized it meant the wall socket electricity was off. No one had informed them that would be the case, the nurse said.

That almost proved deadly, the nurse said, because a number of their patients required concentrated oxygen to stay alive. The only way that those in their section realized this, the nurse said, was when they noticed patient oxygen saturation levels dropping during their rounds.

"If you didn't make rounds you wouldn't have known," the nurse said.

Had the health care workers not realized this, the nurse said that the patients' oxygen levels would have begun desaturating and it would have likely resulted in death. When they realized this, the nurse said workers switched them over to oxygen tanks.

The nurse told CNN that supplies, including oxygen tanks, dwindled or completely ran out during the storm. At one point, the nurse said some patients were transported to the hospital because they had no more oxygen tanks.

Henderson said she was aware that some patients were evacuated because of oxygen tank depletion.

In the log of a 911 call obtained by CNN, someone requested emergency transport at the warehouse because there weren't enough "supplies" to feed a diabetic patient.

Henderson said food and water ran low throughout the ordeal.

"They had small portions of food," she said.

The hundreds of residents spent most of their time in the warehouse on air mattresses and cots, tightly packed together on the floor of the building, both nurses said.

Because they were in a warehouse, and not a medical facility, many patients just had to eat in whatever position they were in on their beds. Some patients, Henderson said, had to eat laying on their back, or flat on their side.

"Which was dangerous because they could have choked," she said.

Staff slept in cars after they couldn't make it to housing

Having the health care workers housed 20 miles away also proved dangerous, the nurse said. Colleagues sometimes spent hours trying to traverse flooded, or tree-blocked roads, the unidentified nurse said.

Some, the nurse said, were even trapped in cars for hours during the height of the storm. That, and because the housing also lost power and water, led many health care workers to sleep in their cars outside the warehouse.

"This was unbearable and unnecessary," the nurse said. "We didn't leave after the storm we were too scared of getting lost."

Henderson said that she only was able to get the hotel room for two nights. After that she, like many other healthcare workers, slept in her vehicle.

Despite promises that they would be fed, the nurse also said that healthcare workers had to find their own food. At times, they even had to find food for patients, paying for it with their own money.

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Nancy Salzman, who created Nxivm alongside Keith Raniere, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Salzman was an enabler who helped Raniere remain the leader of a criminal enterprise and gain access to victims, but Salzman's attorneys say she was a victim herself -- and possibly one of Raniere's first.

Salzman, 66, once the president of Nxivm, spoke at her sentencing in federal court in Brooklyn, more than two years after she pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge.

"I know, your honor, that I put myself here," Salzman said.

US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, who presided over Raniere's trial, said that Salzman should turn herself into authorities on January 19, 2022.

Prosecutors have said Salzman played a role in attempting to intimidate and investigate perceived critics of Raniere, which helped create a climate of fear within the organization. Her attorneys point out that she was the first of Raniere's co-defendants to plead guilty and helped facilitate others' guilty pleas.

Raniere was convicted of racketeering, child sexual exploitation, sex trafficking and other charges in 2019 and was sentenced to life in prison. Salzman and her daughter, Lauren, were also charged and pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy shortly before Raniere's trial.

The person Raniere was convicted of sexually exploiting when she was a 15-year-old girl spoke in court at Salzman's sentencing.

"Not only did she facilitate the environment for my abuse ... she provided an even worse environment for victims to heal," she said. CNN is not naming her.

Salzman's daughter Lauren will not go to prison, due in part to the fact that she testified against Raniere at his trial. And while Salzman will go to prison and have three years of supervised release, she will still serve less time than one co-defendant, Seagram's heiress Clare Bronfman. Bronfman is currently serving her nearly seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to conceal and harbor people who were not in the United States legally for financial gain, as well as fraudulent use of identification.

"The conduct underlying the defendant's conviction warrants a substantial sentence," Assistant US Attorney Tanya Hajjar wrote in a pre-sentencing court filing.

Salzman's attorneys, however, had asked for two years of home confinement and no prison time. They point to her serious health problems, her decision to plead guilty early and the fact that she is the caretaker for her elderly mother.

"Her decision and genuine remorse for her wrongful conduct had ancillary benefit for the Court and justice system at large, because, following (her) guilty plea, others, most notably her daughter Lauren, realized it was indeed possible to renounce Raniere, despite the many who still steadfastly remained faithful to him," Salzman's attorneys wrote in their request.

Human potential

Salzman is a former nurse who was specializing in a type of therapy called neurolinguistic programming when she met Raniere. Together, they started what they called a "human potential school" and developed a curriculum "designed to assist individuals with achieving their life goals," according to a court filing by her daughter's attorneys. Nxivm members called Salzman "Prefect" and Raniere "Vanguard."

The classes, called "Executive Success Programs," were pricey, multi-day lessons and prosecutors say Salzman pushed Nxivm members to take the classes and incur debt to do so. But prosecutors also allege that the classes Salzman helped Raniere develop "were designed to maintain power and control" over Nxivm members.

Salzman's 20-year relationship with Raniere was both intimate and business-like, her attorneys said, and since cutting off ties with Raniere she realized that what he saw in her was a worker who was "able to do things he was not, and for which she would allow him to receive credit."

In one letter presented by Salzman's attorneys in their court filing, an anonymous person said that she believes Salzman was one of Raniere's first victims.

"He used her to promote himself and kept her working all the time to keep the company and community together," an excerpt of the letter printed in a defense filing reads. "He kept her occupied all the time and hid from her what he was doing while she was hard at work."

One of the aspects of Nxivm that defense attorneys allege Raniere hid from Salzman was the existence of a secretive group known as DOS.

Allegations of abuse within DOS were at the heart of the prosecution case against Raniere. DOS was pitched as a female empowerment group to select women in Nxivm, and once women agreed to join they were pressured to give "collateral" to ensure they kept details of the group secret. Collateral could include explicit photos of themselves and even letters or statements making false or embarrassing claims that could be damaging if released.

Once in the group, women were known as "slaves" who were required to acquiesce to their "master's" every wish. Unbeknownst to many women, Raniere was the "grandmaster" of the group, and women were often directed to have sex with him, send him explicit photos of themselves, and some were even branded with a symbol that included his initials.

Salzman's attorneys point out that even prosecutors concede Salzman "was not aware of its existence" until details of DOS were revealed publicly.

Salzman's attorneys say she accepts responsibility for "enabling the horrific crimes Raniere committed," even when she wasn't aware crimes were being committed.

"Indeed, she herself feels the weight of responsibility for not making herself more aware of the enormity of what 'Vanguard' Raniere was doing at the helm of Nxivm, an entity that she had co-founded with him and that was her life's work," her attorneys said in a court filing.

The first to plead

Around the time that Raniere was arrested in 2018, several other high-ranking members were also charged in connection with the case. Raniere and "Smallville" actress Allison Mack faced racketeering, sex trafficking and forced labor conspiracy charges. Bronfman, former Nxivm bookkeeper Kathy Russell, Nancy Salzman and her daughter Lauren all faced racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges.

Lauren pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges and testified against Raniere at his trial; she was sentenced to no prison time. Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges and gave what prosecutors called "substantial assistance." She was sentenced to three years in prison.

The last of Raniere's co-defendants to plead guilty were Bronfmam and Kathy Russell, who pleaded guilty to one charge of visa fraud and has not yet been sentenced.

"Salzman became the first defendant in the case to accept that many of the things she had been taught by Raniere were false, and that the man she had thought and had taught others was 'infallible,' was actually deeply flawed, and vicious to the core," Salzman's attorneys wrote.

Weighing heavily on Salzman, her attorneys say, was the fact that she introduced her daughter to Raniere and pushed her to take the classes she helped design and get more involved in Nxivm and its community.

"Nancy deeply believes that the pain to which her daughter has been exposed is entirely her fault and regrets her role in that debacle every day of her life," Salzman's attorneys wrote.

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As the US watched Hurricane Ida barrel its way toward Louisiana's coast last month, state officials had already sounded the alarm.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was imploring residents to leave. Other towns issued mandatory evacuations. Thousands of soldiers and airmen from the state's National Guard had been mobilized. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was predicting the storm would be among the strongest hurricanes to hit the state in more than a century.

The storm made landfall near Port Fourchon on August 29 as a Category 4 hurricane, before eventually weakening to a tropical depression. Its hit was deadly -- claiming the lives of at least 22 people across Louisiana and Mississippi, destroying businesses and neighborhoods and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands.

Yet the storm spared the Gulf states the kind of death toll officials feared they'd face on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Instead, it continued trekking inland, making its way to the Northeast, where it delivered another round of misery, flooding streets, homes and neighborhoods and blindsiding local and state leaders who scrambled to respond to the storm's fierce second punch. At least 52 people died across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

"New York City literally has been paralyzed," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told CNN last week. "Unprecedented is almost an understatement. This is the first time ever we've had a flash flood emergency declared."

The storm's remnants dumped stunning amounts of rain across the East Coast. But it wasn't just the downpour that made the Ida's aftermath so deadly. Experts say there were several factors that compounded and led to the devastation and high death toll.

People tend to underestimate flood warnings

When meteorologists accurately forecast the storm's hit on Louisiana, many people in the state -- by now used to similar severe weather phenomena -- heeded the warnings.

The grim predictions, which came several days in advance, gave residents in the state's most vulnerable communities -- including areas outside Louisiana's flood protection system -- time to evacuate and seek higher ground.

Meteorologists similarly knew what was coming for the Northeast -- and warned about the potential for major flooding.

But in severe weather events, it's usually the threat of winds -- not water -- that pushes people to flee, CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said.

"This is despite the fact that water is the number one killer in a hurricane -- not winds," Ward said. "In general, large numbers of people don't evacuate from flash flooding. It could be that people have more fear or a hurricane than a flood, or believe they are more used to be being in flood watches and don't need to leave."

But following the storm's relentless, deadly flooding, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called Ida a "wake-up call."

He said last week the extreme rainfall should make everyone rethink expectations for evacuations, saying he would also consider being more aggressive with pre-storm evacuations and orders to clear the streets and subways in the future. Those steps would usually be reserved for hurricanes or massive blizzards.

"We're going to have to be much more aggressive with these tools," de Blasio told CNN.

Labels matter

It also didn't help that, as Ida was making its way through the US, the message many Americans heard was that it was no longer a hurricane -- but rather the remnants of the storm it once was.

"It's so hard to convey the threat of the remnants of a hurricane," Dr. Craig Colten, professor emeritus of geography at Louisiana State University, told CNN. "We tend to really diminish the threat. But some of the worst flooding in recent decades has been inland flooding, or flooding from remnant storms."

When storms are downgraded, people tend to relax and don't pay as close attention, Colten said, which can make it difficult for officials to convey the dangers of approaching severe weather and convince residents that they should evacuate or take certain precautions.

"It's hard to capture people's attention in the same way when you're talking about the remnants of a (storm). It's now just a tropical depression, it's no longer a hurricane. People aren't going to leave a ground-level apartment."

Since the amount of rain and flooding that parts of the Northeast saw was largely unprecedented, many people didn't understand or underestimated what its effects would be, said Ward.

Infrastructure plays a critical role

Places like New York City are also not built to handle that kind of water.

"There are very few basements in Louisiana, very few people live below, or even have a part of their house below the land surface," Colten said. "Architecture and the local high water table -- which makes people not want to build basements and the fact that simply most houses are elevated, even with the same kind of rapid flooding that happened in New York, if that had occurred in Louisiana, you wouldn't have seen the fatalities."

In New York City, most of the homes where residents were found dead were illegally converted basement or cellar apartments, officials have said. Those spaces often lack adequate means of escape in times of emergency -- and in many cases may not have windows or only have one way to go in or out.

De Blasio said Tuesday there are at least 50,000 illegal basement apartments across the city, with a total of at least 100,000 people living in them.

Colten said climate change means that severe weather events like the one that unfolded last week in the Northeast will continue to happen, and government leaders will have to adapt their current practices in order to ensure the public's safety. "We need to make sure these illegal basement apartments are made safe," he said.

Heavy rain came over a densely populated area

But it's not just the infrastructure that didn't help. The heavy rain came down -- quickly -- on one of the most densely populated areas in the US, which experts say also factored into the high death toll following the storm.

"The fact you had those extreme rain rates that aligned over that densely populated area is why it unfolded the way it did," Alex Lamers, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, previously told CNN.

The storm dumped an average of 7 inches of rain across the five boroughs of New York City -- meaning the city saw more than 35 billion gallons of water fall from the sky in about a six-hour period last Wednesday. On the same day, Newark, New Jersey -- the state's most populous city -- recorded its rainiest day on record, with more than 8 inches of rain recorded.

"The number of people and population density factored in hugely," Colten said. "You've got 8 million plus people in New York City alone. Louisiana has four-and-a-half million people statewide, maybe a million in the exposed area. So, far fewer people were exposed to damage here."

That's also why evacuating places like New York City would be so much harder, he added.

In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said that while victims of the storm were spread across a handful of counties, deaths were "largely concentrated" in central Jersey.

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Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.

Exodus 23:25
Some of the different risk factors that have been associated with an increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or mortality include comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. To date, few studies have looked at other risk or protective factors associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19.

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv* discusses a systematic investigation of both the known and unknown factors that may affect the risk of infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, and a severe course of COVID-19.

Study: Effects of 105 biological, socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental factors on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and a severe course of Covid-19: A prospective longitudinal study. Image Credit: Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com

About the study

Here, the researchers conducted a large prospective longitudinal study on 5,164 subjects in the Czech Republic who did not have a history of COVID-19 prior to the fourth surge of cases in this nation. Among the 5,164 responders, 1,746 were male and 3,411 were women, whereas 7 subjects did not answer the question about their sex. These subjects shared their information online about their exposure to 105 different risk factors.

At the time of the study, 13.7% (709) of subjects contracted SARS-CoV-2, whereas the remaining 86.3% (4,455) did not. Women were comparatively less infected than men, with this difference being more significant when controlled for age and urbanization. Both men and women who had COVID-19 reported suffering physically and mentally to a greater extent as compared to those who escaped infection.

To determine the biological, socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental factors influencing the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19, the researchers used separate partial Kendall correlation tests controlled for age, sex, and urbanization level with factors as independent factors, and dependent variables including infection with SARS-CoV-2, the course of COVID-1, the severity of symptoms index, length of infection, and physical and mental health indices.

The protective or risk factors

The 105 potential protective and risk factors investigated in this study included sex, age, body mass index (BMI), blood group, Rh positivity, urbanization, members of the household, education, family income, children, face mask use, hand washing, maintaining a safe distance, food habits, sports, vitamins, walking in nature, animals, depression, diseases, and use of herbs, among others.

Broadly, researchers grouped these factors into five categories, which included:

Biological factors including morphological traits

Sociodemographic factors

Behavioral traits/lifestyle variables

Contacts with animals

Comorbidities

Use of vitamins and supplements.

Study findings

While individuals with higher weight and higher BMI values experienced a more severe course of the disease, taller and heavier men also had a higher risk of infection as compared to shorter and less heavy men. Interestingly, the study found that the association between infection and height was stronger than the association of infection with weight or BMI. This observation was not found in women.

The researchers also observed that the risk of infection was lower in men and older subjects. This correlation is possibly due to the efforts of people who considered themselves at risk to avoid possible sources of infection. This is similar to the findings in subjects with other risk factors such as immunodeficient syndromes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The authors of the current study also found that moderate risks of COVID-19 infection were associated with the blood group (system ABO); however, no effect of the blood group or the Rh factor was reported on the severity of COVID-19.

Our results indicate that potential effects of Rh factor on the risk and severity of Covid-19 do deserve further attention, but investigation of this phenomenon should be preferably based on DNA-genotyped populations because Rh-positive heterozygotes have better and Rh-positive homozygotes worse health than Rh-negative individuals.

The sociodemographic factors mostly agreed with previously published data and were found to have had moderate effects on the risks of COVID-19. Notably, pets (dogs and cats) had no effect on the risk of infection and of severe COVID-19, despite previous studies showing the risk of viral transmission through animals.

Although all medical care, except for non-essential dentistry procedures, is paid for from mandatory medical insurance in the Czech Republic, higher-income individuals likely invested more in disease prevention, as their income positively correlated with their mental and physical health.

In the current study, the researchers found that being actively involved in a sport and cold-water swimming increased the risk of infection. This is comparable to other studies that have shown physical inactivity to be a risk of COVID-19. The researchers concluded that this association likely indicates that physical activity is a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, but not for severe COVID-19.

Conforming to previous observations, the strongest protective factor against COVID-19 infection was strict adherence to wearing masks and respirators, with the second strongest protective factor being the consumption of vitamins and supplements. However, anxiety and depression, especially among women, posed a risk of acquiring infection.

Interestingly, the researchers found an unexpected and strong protective effect against infection and severe COVID-19 in those diagnosed with borreliosis in the past or who reported drinking rooibos. The immunoregulative activity of the extracellular parasite Borrelia might confer immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 and a cytokine storm.

Rooibos, which is not a medical-herb drink, is a fermented extract from the leaves of Aspalathus Linearis. This drink has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, both of which may play a role in its protective effects against SARS-CoV-2. To date, there is no data relating to rooibos and COVID-19.

*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 University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental health scientist has developed an "overlooked hypothesis" to help explain the projected global population decline beginning in 2064: social stress.

Stress from social media and other largely empty or overwhelming social interactions may be leading or contributing to changes in reproductive behavior and reproductive physiology, suggests Alexander Suvorov, associate professor in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences.

In a review article, published in the journal Endocrinology, he examines various theories surrounding previous human population decline as models predict a "remarkable" decrease from 9.7 billion people in 2064 to 8.8 billion by 2100. Some countries' populations already have peaked and are projected to decline by 50% by the end of the century.

"A unique feature of the upcoming population drop is that it is almost exclusively caused by decreased reproduction, rather than factors that increase rates of mortality (wars, epidemics, starvation, severe weather conditions, predators, and catastrophic events)," he writes.

Suvorov outlines a hypothesis that connects reproductive trends with population densities, proposing that density reflects the quality and frequency of social interactions.

"Rising population numbers contribute to less meaningful social interactions, social withdrawal and chronic stress, which subsequently suppresses reproduction," the manuscript states.

Over the past 50 years, a 50% decrease in sperm counts has occurred. Stress is known to suppress sperm count, ovulation and sexual activity, Suvorov notes. While changes in reproductive physiology are usually attributed to the effects of endocrine-disrupting pollutants, Suvorov believes it is not the only factor.

Numerous wildlife and laboratory studies demonstrated that population peaks are always followed by increased stress and suppressed reproduction. When a high population density is reached, something is happening in the neuroendocrine system that is suppressing reproduction. The same mechanisms happening in wildlife species may be at work in humans as well." Alexander Suvorov, Associate Professor, UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences

Suvorov points to several changes in reproductive behavior that contribute to the population drop, including people having fewer children and waiting longer to start families or choosing to be child-free. But he says biological changes are likely happening as well. More research is needed, he says, such as studies to determine cortisol levels in human blood, an important measure of stress.

"A better understanding of the causal chain involved in reproduction suppression by population density-related factors may help develop interventions to treat infertility and other reproductive conditions," Suvorov writes.

He hopes his hypothesis offers up an enticing area of research that scientists from different fields will be interested in exploring.

"The goal of this paper is to attract attention to a completely overlooked hypothesis  and this hypothesis is raising more questions than it is giving answers," Suvorov says. "I hope it will trigger interest of people from very different domains and that after additional studies we will have a much better picture of to what extent population density is connected with social stress and how social stress is connected to reproduction, and what we can do about it."

A common-sense place to start, he suggests: "Back off social media."
An artificial intelligence (AI) program can spot signs of lung cancer on CT scans a year before they can be diagnosed with existing methods, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death with around 1.8 million lives lost around the world each year. Lung cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage when treatment is less likely to succeed.

Researchers hope that using AI to support lung cancer screening could make the process quicker and more efficient, and ultimately help diagnose more patients at an early stage.

Computerized tomography or CT scans are already used to spot signs of lung tumors, followed by a biopsy or surgery to confirm whether the tumor is malignant. But each scan involves an expert radiologist examining around 300 images and looking for signs of cancer that can be very small. Trials using CT scans to screen people with a high risk of lung cancer have shown promise, however screening is hampered by the practical difficulty of a radiologist reviewing each image, one at a time, to decide who needs further tests.

The new study was presented by Benoit Audelan, a researcher in the Epione project team of the Inria (France's National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology) center at Universite Cote d'Azur. He worked with colleagues from the Universite Cote d'Azur, Therapixel (a software company specializing in artificial intelligence for medical imaging) and the University Hospital of Nice.

The researchers trained their AI program using a set of CT scans from 888 patients that had already been examined by radiologists to identify suspicious growths.

Then they tested it on different set of 1179 patients who were part of a lung screening trial with three year follow-up, using CT scans that were taken in the last two years of the trial. These included 177 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer via a biopsy after their final scan in the trial.

The program identified 172 of the 177 malignant tumors in those CT scans, meaning it was 97% effective in detecting cancers. The five tumors that the program missed were near the center of the chest, where tumors are harder to distinguish from healthy parts of the body.

Researchers also tested the program on scans taken a year before the tumors were diagnosed in the same 1179 patients and it was able to identify 152 suspicious areas that were later diagnosed as cancer.

However, researchers say the program also identifies too many suspicious areas that are not cancer (false positives) and this would need to be vastly improved before the program could be used in the clinic because investigating all these would result in unnecessary biopsies.

Screening for lung cancer would mean many more CT scans being taken and we do not have enough radiologists to review them all. That's why we need to develop computer programs that can help. Our study shows that this program can find possible signs of lung cancer up to a year earlier. The objective of our research is not to replace radiologists but to assist them by giving them a tool that can spot the earliest signs of lung cancer." Benoit Audelan, Researcher

The researchers plan to work on a new system that will be better able to differentiate between malignant and non-malignant tissue to help radiologists decide which patients should be investigated further.

Professor Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, who was not involved in the research, is the European Respiratory Society Secretary General and a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Warsaw, Poland. She said: "Diagnosing lung cancer earlier is vital to improving survival rates and screening would be an important step towards that aim. Research shows that screening with CT scans could reduce lung cancer deaths.

"This work is promising because it shows that AI could help us to review lots of scans quickly and even pick up signs of cancer at an earlier stage. However, before this program can be used, researchers will need to make it better at distinguishing between lung tissue that is abnormal but benign and tissue that is probably cancer."
In a study conducted at the Mayo Clinic, USA, scientists have investigated the long-term efficacy of the mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) against symptomatic disease.

The findings reveal that although breakthrough infections occur in fully vaccinated individuals, the vaccine remains effective against symptomatic COVID-19 several months after full vaccination. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

Study: Durability analysis of the highly effective BNT162b2 vaccine against COVID-19 . Image Credit: Rido / Shutterstock

Background

In the USA, three COVID-19 vaccines including BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), mRNA1273 (Moderna), and Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) have received emergency use approval (EUA) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by February 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, more than 445 million vaccine doses have been administered to over 205 million people by September 2021 in the USA. Given its high efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and symptomatic COVID-19, the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 has recently received full approval by the FDA. However, with an increasing prevalence of the delta variant, several vaccine-breakthrough cases have been reported across the country.

Vaccine-breakthrough cases can result from various factors, including waning vaccine efficacy, removal of restriction on non-pharmacological control measures (mask-wearing, physical distancing, and movement restriction), or the emergence of vaccine-resistant viral variants. To break the chain of transmission, it is thus important to evaluate the durability of COVID-19 vaccines and implement appropriate strategies.

In the current study, the scientists have examined the durability of protection offered by BNT162b2 against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study design

The study was conducted on fully vaccinated people who were tested at the Mayo Clinic for suspected symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. As per the general protocol, two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine are administered at an interval of 18  28 days. People who were vaccinated between February and August 2021, were included in the analysis.

The scientists conducted a test-negative case-control analysis to assess the durability of vaccine efficacy. Specifically, they used conditional logistic regression models to assess the probability of symptomatic COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitalization (negative control) after full vaccination at specific time points: 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 days after full vaccination.

Important observations

The analysis was conducted on 11,606 people who were fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 and subsequently underwent PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 testing at the Mayo Clinic. Of these people, 670 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The final analysis included 652 people who had a positive test result after full vaccination (cases) and 5946 people who had a negative test result after full vaccination (controls).

The findings revealed that the risk of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection increases with time elapsed since the last vaccination. In fully vaccinated people, no significant correlation was observed between the risk of infection and age, sex, race, and ethnicity. However, a reduction in the risk of non-COVID-19 hospitalization was observed with time since the last vaccination. This observation suggests that the confounding factors may influence the regression logistic model to provide an underestimated information about waning vaccine efficacy.

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection after first-dose vaccination

The analysis involved 15,180 people who underwent COVID-19 testing after receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. A total of 1061 people were identified as positive cases. The findings revealed that the risk of infection was lower after 150 days of first-dose vaccination compared to that after 4 days of first-dose vaccination.

Furthermore, the scientists conducted a separate set of analyses by considering the time of vaccination and the incidence of COVID-19 in a given region at the time of testing. These analyses involved 974 people with a positive result and 11,371 people with a negative test result who were vaccinated with the first dose on or after January 1, 2021, and were potentially at risk of infection at the time of full vaccination. In this analysis, no correlation was observed between the risk of non-COVID-19 hospitalization and the time since the last vaccination. Importantly, the findings revealed that the risk of infection increases by 7-fold and 10-fold after 120 and 150 days of full vaccination, respectively, compared to that at the time of full vaccination. This indicates a waning vaccine immunity with time.

Study significance

The study indicates that the BNT162b2-induced immunity against symptomatic COVID-19 gradually declines with time. Based on the findings, the scientists emphasize on administering a third booster dose, developing new vaccines against emerging variants, and implementing non-pharmacological control measures.
In a study of the 9 largest U.S. cities, researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found stark racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in COVID-19 vaccination rates across neighborhoods. The study showed that high vaccination neighborhoods had more white residents, fewer people of color, higher incomes, and lower poverty rates. These high vaccination neighborhoods also had lower historical COVID-19 death rates, showing that lifesaving vaccines have been slow to reach the areas that were hardest-hit by the pandemic. The findings are published online in JAMA Health Forum.

The researchers analyzed inequities in vaccination in the 9 largest U.S. cities covering a total population of 40.8 million people: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, and Dallas.

Using data on COVID-19 vaccination and death rates from state and local health authorities, the researchers sorted neighborhoods into four groups in order of vaccination rate, which they defined as the fraction of adults with at least one dose. Neighborhoods in the lowest vaccination group had less than half the vaccination rate of those in the highest group (28 percent vs. 60 percent).

To assess inequities, the researchers then linked these neighborhoods with sociodemographic data from the American Community Survey. Racial disparities were particularly large: in the lowest vaccination neighborhoods, 25 percent of the population was Black and 52 percent was white, while in the highest vaccination neighborhoods just 6 percent of the population was Black and 70 percent was white. There were also large disparities by income: the average low-vaccination neighborhood had half the median income and over twice the poverty rate of the average high-vaccination neighborhood.

The researchers then studied whether vaccinations were going to people in hard-hit areas as measured by historical Covid-19 death rates. "The 209 neighborhoods with the highest death rates accounted for half of historical Covid-19 deaths, but they went on to receive only 26 percent of vaccinations," said Adam Sacarny, PhD, assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. "That finding is particularly concerning because it shows that the places that have borne the greatest burden of Covid-19 are not getting vaccinated at the same rate to prevent future harms from the pandemic."

To explain these findings, the researchers note that these inequities have occurred in a context of underinvestment in public health, especially in marginalized communities.

They reflect inequities in health care access that predate the pandemic. They are also hard to separate from the medical racism that underlies the legitimate mistrust in the medical system felt by many people of color." Jamie Daw, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia Public Health

"Our findings show that cities have an opportunity and urgent need to address vaccination inequities," said Sacarny.
Results obtained in a study recently completed at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital reinforce the notion that dementia with Lewy bodies can be pathologically classified into two different disease types.

Dementia with Lewy bodies is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, and it affects millions of people globally. This type of progressive memory disorder has features associated with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

At the tissue level, accumulations known as Lewy bodies that contain the alpha-synuclein protein, are found in the limbic system of the brain, in the cerebral cortex and the brainstem.

Two years ago, researchers at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital demonstrated that pathological changes of dementia with Lewy bodies occur in two different forms. In the more common form of the disease, changes progress upwards from the brainstem, while those associated with the other disease type originate in the amygdala.

Now, the researchers have advanced their investigations further.

We continued our studies, focusing on the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb is considered one of the first brain regions where alpha-synuclein accumulations relating to dementia with Lewy bodies occur." Liisa Myllykangas, Neuropathologist and Clinical Instructor, University of Helsinki

In the follow-up study, the researchers utilised a unique Finnish population-based neuropathological dataset (N=291). Alpha-synuclein accumulations in the olfactory bulb have not previously been investigated in non-selected population datasets.

Based on the results, two patterns of accumulations can be identified in the olfactory bulb, with differences seen in their anatomical location and severity.

"Comparing the findings with the two types of dementia with Lewy bodies defined in our prior study, we noted that the different alpha-synuclein accumulation patterns in the olfactory bulb have a strong association with these two disease types," Myllykangas says.

The results support the view that the first changes caused by dementia with Lewy bodies take place in the olfactory bulb in persons whose disease progresses to the amygdala and the rest of the limbic system at an early stage. In contrast, the onset of the other disease type occurs in the brainstem, spreading later to the olfactory bulb. The findings reinforce the notion that dementia with Lewy bodies can be classified into two different disease types.
David E. Carroll, 70, passed away Saturday, September 11, 2021 at Clark Memorial Hospital. He retired as a maintenance supervisor at Colgate. David was a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam-Era. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved his bourbon, cigars, and most of al
Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday that Kentucky has recorded more than 13,000 new COVID-19 cases in just four days. The governor also reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases in one week, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, with 30,680 cases, topping the previous record-high week reported the week before.
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(Newser)  Sunday was Father's Day in Australiaand Prime Minister Scott Morrison is taking flak for traveling to visit his family when more than half of the country is in lockdown. Morrison traveled from Canberra to New South Wales state, where his wife and two daughters live in Sydney, and was able to return to the capital Monday without the standard 14-day quarantine because of an exemption granted to lawmakers, the New York Times reports. New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory are both under strict lockdowns and travel between Australian states has been severely restricted. Some families separated by restrictions met Sunday at a plastic barricade that separates Queensland and New South Wales.

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Morrison was strongly criticized by opposition lawmakers including former Labor Party leader Bill Shorten, who accused him of "appalling judgment," the Guardian reports. "Its not that he doesnt deserve to see his kids but so does every other Australian," Shorten said. "And I think that when your people are doing it tough, youve got to do it tough." Capital Territory chief minister Andrew Barr, another Labor member, said the trip was "not a particularly good look."

Morrison was also slammed online, with one critic on Twitter saying there was " one rule for all the other dads separated by border closures and one rule for the PM," per the Times. The prime minister has spent most of the last few months in Canberra but he is still officially a Sydney resident.

Morrisson accused Shorten and other critics of "cheap politics" and said he was no different from other essential workers who need to travel for work, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. "The government still needs to function. And we return home when were able to return home," he said Tuesday. "That hasnt happened that often this year, Ive got to tell you, but thats the nature of the job and we all accept that." (Read more Australia stories.)
(Newser)  Health authorities in Spain are blaming human error for the switching of two baby girls in a maternity ward almost 20 years ago, after one of them discovered by chance through a DNA test as a teenager that she wasnt the daughter of her presumed parents. "It was a human error and we havent been able to find out who was to blame," Sara Alba, health chief of Spains northern La Rioja region, told a news conference Tuesday, per the AP. "The systems back then were different and werent as computerized as they are now," Alba said, offering assurances it couldnt happen again.

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The newborns were mixed up in 2002 after being born five hours apart at a hospital in La Rioja. They were both in incubators because they were born underweight. The woman, now 19, who first discovered she had been given to the wrong parents is demanding compensation of $3.5 milllion from local health authorities. Alba, the health chief, spoke after the local newspaper La Rioja published a report Tuesday about the switch. The other woman who was handed to the wrong parents has now been informed of the mistake, the newspaper said. Neither woman was identified.

(Read more Spain stories.)
(Newser)  A passenger flying from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City was arrested after what a fellow passenger calls a "complete meltdown of racist, sexist, and belligerent comments." Video shared by Dennis Busch shows the American Airlines passenger swearing at flight crew members, growling, and shouting "Joe Biden? Really?" NBC reports. The man, identified as 61-year-old Las Vegas resident Timothy Armstrong, was taken into custody by Salt Lake City police officers after the plane landed Monday afternoon, reports Gephardt Daily. Police say Armstrong was issued a citation for public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

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Busch says Armstrong's outbursts began during the final 30 minutes of the flight. "He began by yelling at the Asian woman in front of me to sit down when she was standing to deal with a back issue, Busch wrote on Facebook. "He proceeded to tell multiple flight attendants that she and her companion 'didnt belong here.'" Busch said the "complete meltdown" happened after flight attendants asked the man to calm down. Busch said the entire cabin became nervous every time Armstrong got up to shout at crew members. Busch praised the crew, "who kept their cool throughout the flight" and asked passengers not to engage with Armstrong.

An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed that local law enforcement had removed the "disruptive" passenger from the plane. "We thank our crew for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," the spokesperson said. (United Airlines recently reminded employees that they should try to avoid duct-taping unruly passengers to their seats.)
(Newser)  If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck but talks like a cranky Aussie, it's probably still a duck. At least that's the case with Ripper, the brash musk duck from the Canberra region that scientists claim has provided the first documented proof of the species being able to mimic human language and other sounds. Per the BBC, Ripper was recorded in 1987 by scientist Peter Fullagar, who at the time was researching vocal learning in birds. Included on tape during Fullagar's interactions with the 4-year-old male at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Ripper making sounds like a slamming door, as well as repeatedly saying what sounds like "you bloody fool" (listen here).

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Fullagar's recording remained buried until recently, when Leiden University animal behaviorist Carel ten Cate, who was himself researching vocal learning in birds, made the "special rediscovery," he tells the Washington Post. Cate reached out to Fullagar, now retired, and together they put together a two-year study published this week in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B journal. They added Biziura lobata, aka musk ducks, to the mix of animals being able to mimic sounds (a not-common phenomenon), joining songbirds, parrots, elephants, bats, and certain marine creatures, including dolphins and whales.

The scientists say that Ripper's "you bloody fool" insult "is most likely an imitation of a phrase he heard repeatedly from his caretaker" at the nature reserve. The Post notes that musk ducks don't come from huge broods, which allows them to bond more with their mothers. In the case of the now-deceased Ripperwho was hatched from an egg, then hand-reared by humansthat connection was likely forged with his caregiver, and he may have tried to emulate that caregiver's language.

Ripper reportedly performed his vocalizations during "aggressive mating displays," per the Guardian. Fullagar also recorded a second musk duck in 2000 at Tidbinbilla; in that case, the bird mimicked a different type of duck's quacks. The study also mentions reports of two other male musk ducks in the UK that have been observed mimicking coughing, though the researchers note those ducks weren't recorded and that the sounds they made haven't been independently verified. "This was not on my bingo card," Sean Dooley of the BirdLife Australia conservation group tells the Post. "We never thought ducks were capable of this." (Read more strange stuff stories.)
(Newser)  The former CEO of blood-testing startup Theranos goes on trial starting Wednesday. Elizabeth Holmes, 37, faces up to two decades behind bars on charges that her company, once valued at $10 billion, defrauded patients, some of whom will be allowed to testify. Her defense is expected to paint the picture of a 19-year-old being physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by a boyfriend twice her age when she dropped out of college to start the company with him, and analysts say Holmes' status as a new mom could help her in the eyes of jurors. Opening statements are set for Wednesday; the proceedings could last as long as four months. Here's the current coverage surrounding the case:

Those former patients: NBC News notes the trial will come down to whose story the jury believes. Some of the former patients set to testify include people who received false positives on HIV tests, or got bad information related to pregnancy or heart medication.

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Her "last pitch": Getting the jury to believe her story will be Holmes' biggest challenge yet, according to a long piece at the Intelligencer looking at Theranos' rise and fall, and what Holmes' trial tactics might look like. "About 85% of all federal criminal casesand about 90% in the subset of fraud casesresult in a conviction," writes Ankush Khardori.

Getting the jury to believe her story will be Holmes' biggest challenge yet, according to a long piece at the Intelligencer looking at Theranos' rise and fall, and what Holmes' trial tactics might look like. "About 85% of all federal criminal casesand about 90% in the subset of fraud casesresult in a conviction," writes Ankush Khardori. What goes up...: For more on that rise and fall, CNN has a detailed timeline.

For more on that rise and fall, CNN has a detailed timeline. The jury: Good Morning America takes a look at the jury selection process, including what each side was likely looking for in an ideal juror.

Good Morning America takes a look at the jury selection process, including what each side was likely looking for in an ideal juror. Lifestyle: Holmes is currently living on the grounds of one of the most expensive estates in the country, Green Gables, CNBC reports. The 74-acre Silicon Valley property is currently on the market, listed at $135 million. The Daily Beast says Holmes "is still living like a billionaire," and wonders how exactly she can afford to be staying there.

Holmes is currently living on the grounds of one of the most expensive estates in the country, Green Gables, CNBC reports. The 74-acre Silicon Valley property is currently on the market, listed at $135 million. The Daily Beast says Holmes "is still living like a billionaire," and wonders how exactly she can afford to be staying there. Competitors: Slate talks to other blood-testing companies that are still dealing with the fallout from the Theranos scandal. It's not easy.

Slate talks to other blood-testing companies that are still dealing with the fallout from the Theranos scandal. It's not easy. Opinion: At the New Republic, Natalie Shure offers her take on why Holmes' and Theranos' failure is a good thing.

(Read more Theranos stories.)
(Newser)  A powerful earthquake struck near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco on Tuesday night, killing at least one person and causing buildings to rock and sway in Mexico City hundreds of miles away. The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered about 10 miles northeast of Acapulco, the AP reports. Guerrero state Gov. Hector Astudillo told Milenio Television late Tuesday night that one person had been killed by a falling post in the town of Coyuca de Benitez near Acapulco.

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Astudillo said the tsunami alert center had not registered any variations in the sea level. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the threat of potential waves had passed. The mayor of Acapulco, Adela Roman, said in a statement to the television news outlet Milenio that there is no really serious situation so far. There are nervous breakdowns; people are worried because there have been aftershocks, she said, adding that there are "many gas leaks in many places as well as some landslides and fallen walls. No other victims or serious damage has yet been reported.

We heard loud noise from the building, noise from the windows, things fell inside the house, the power went out, said Sergio Flores, an Acapulco resident reached by phone. We heard leaking water, the water went out of the pool and you heard people screaming, very nervous people. Flores said all he could do when it started shaking was hug his wife. He saw people leaving hotels around the bay and some running into parking decks to remove their cars, fearing a collapse. Electricity was also knocked out in some Mexico City neighborhoods.

(Read more Mexico stories.)
(Newser)  A man shot a woman in a hotel lobby in Houston on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself. That's according to police, who responded to the downtown Marriott Marquis Houston hotel, one of the most popular in the city, around 3:33pm. Police Chief Troy Finner says officers arrived to find a white woman in her late 20s and a Black man in his late 30s dead of gunshot wounds in the lobby, per KTRK. He described it as a murder-suicide, adding the male "shot the female and then immediately shot himself." Investigators have not determined the relationship between the man and the woman, per KPRC.

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KTRK reports the pair arrived in separate cars five to 10 minutes before the shooting occurred. "Both of them came in with suitcases" and "they did have conversations that led people to believe they knew each other," Finner says. "The investigation is going to determine exactly what relationship it is," he adds, per NBC News. "This is tragic  We've got apparently two families affected here." No one else was injured in the shooting. One witness tells KPRC that she hid in a storage closet in the gift shop after an employee ran inside and locked the door, describing "an active shooter." (Read more murder-suicide stories.)
(Newser)  Residents are returning to the Lake Tahoe resort area more than a week after evacuation orders spurred by the Caldor Fire, though full containment is still weeks away. More than 53,000 people had been ordered to evacuate by Sept. 1. At that time, officials expected full containment by Wednesday. But the 15th-largest fire in state history was just 50% contained as of Tuesday evening, per Capital Public Radio. Full containment is now expected on Sept. 27. The fire has burned more than 216,000 acres of land and destroyed 776 single residences, 18 commercial properties, and 200 other minor structures. Another 77 structures have been damaged. However, the Lake Tahoe area was mostly left unscathed.

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Many residents have returned home in recent days as evacuation orders lifted, including for the 22,000 residents of South Lake Tahoe on Sunday. All but 9,500 residents were able to return home as of Tuesday morning, per the Monterery Herald, even though there was enough smoke to irritate the eyes and reports of bears roaming the streets. Multiple burglaries reported during the evacuation period were actually "bear break-ins," KTVU reports. "We're happy the firefighters saved our home," a woman tells the Washington Post after spending a week with her husband and toddler at a hotel in Stateline, Nev. "I'm thankful to be back. I'm thankful to be alive. I'm thankful my house is still standing," adds a man who found shelter in Reno.

Officials warn, however, that more fire activity is expected in the coming days and months. "We're right smack in the middle of wildfire peak season," Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter tells the Herald, adding "we are on par" to match the devastation of the 2020 season. More than 15,000 firefighters are battling 14 major wildfires across the state. The Dixie Fire in Northern California, which has burned more than 917,000 acres, "is on its way to becoming the largest wildfire in the state's history" and was only 59% contained as of Tuesday, per CNN. Porter adds weather models for September through December aren't promising, per Capital Public Radio. "The entire state shows drier, more wind events and large fire activity to continue." (Read more California wildfires stories.)
(Newser)  Idaho public health leaders have activated "crisis standards of care" allowing health care rationing for the state's northern hospitals because there are more coronavirus patients than the institutions can handle. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare quietly enacted the move Monday and publicly announced it in a statement Tuesday morningwarning residents that they may not get the care they would normally expect if they need to be hospitalized. The state health agency cited "a severe shortage of staffing and available beds in the northern area of the state caused by a massive increase in patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization." Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US. More from the AP:

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What's affected. The designation includes 10 hospitals and healthcare systems in the Idaho panhandle and in north-central Idaho. The agency said its goal is to extend care to as many patients as possible and to save as many lives as possible.

The designation includes 10 hospitals and healthcare systems in the Idaho panhandle and in north-central Idaho. The agency said its goal is to extend care to as many patients as possible and to save as many lives as possible. For instance. The move allows hospitals to allot scarce resources like intensive care unit rooms to patients most likely to survive. Other patients will still receive care, but they may be placed in hospital classrooms or conference rooms or go without some life-saving medical equipment.

The move allows hospitals to allot scarce resources like intensive care unit rooms to patients most likely to survive. Other patients will still receive care, but they may be placed in hospital classrooms or conference rooms or go without some life-saving medical equipment. For instance, II. In the ICU at Kootenai Healththe largest hospital in northern IdahoDr. Robert Scoggins says one critical care nurse might be supervising up to six patients with the help of two other non-critical care nurses. That's a big departure from the usual one ICU nurse for one ICU patient ratio.

In the ICU at Kootenai Healththe largest hospital in northern IdahoDr. Robert Scoggins says one critical care nurse might be supervising up to six patients with the help of two other non-critical care nurses. That's a big departure from the usual one ICU nurse for one ICU patient ratio. For instance, III. Urgent and elective surgeries are on hold, Scoggins said, and Kootenai Health is struggling to accept any of the high-level trauma patients that would normally be transferred from smaller hospitals in the region.

Urgent and elective surgeries are on hold, Scoggins said, and Kootenai Health is struggling to accept any of the high-level trauma patients that would normally be transferred from smaller hospitals in the region. Following Idaho's lead. Other states are preparing to take similar measures if needed. Hawaii Gov. David Ige quietly signed an order last week releasing hospitals and health care workers from liability if they have to ration health care.

Other states are preparing to take similar measures if needed. Hawaii Gov. David Ige quietly signed an order last week releasing hospitals and health care workers from liability if they have to ration health care. From the governor. On Tuesday, Gov. Brad Little called the move to limit care an unprecedented and unwanted point in the history of our state and urged residents to get vaccinated against coronavirus.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
(Newser)  A privately-funded expedition, commissioned by relatives of the victims of the M/S Estonia ferry that sank in the Baltic Sea nearly 27 years ago, will dive into the vessels wreckage this month. It's the latest attempt to gain more insight into one of Europes worst peacetime maritime disasters, reports the AP. The goal of the two-week dive, organized by the Estonia-based Mare Liberum fund and scheduled for late September, is to find answers to questions that official joint and separate investigations by Estonia, Finland, and Sweden have failed to provide "regarding the reason why Estonia perished, the fund said in a statement Wednesday.

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The M/S Estonia ferry, which was traveling from the Estonian capital Tallinn to Stockholm in Sweden, sank in heavy seas on Sept. 28, 1994, killing 852 people, most of them Swedes and Estonians. Only 138 passengers survived. The wreck of the M/S Estonia lies on the seabed 264 feet below the surface in international waters near the Finnish island of Uto. The wreck is considered a graveyard, which gives the area protection under the law.

It wasnt immediately clear what kind of stance the governments of Estonia, Finland, and Sweden would take about the private expedition, which rivals an official dive by Estonian and Swedish authorities that is expected in 2022. The 1997 official joint investigation by Estonia, Finland, and Sweden concluded that the ferry sank as its bow door locks failed in a storm. That separated the bow door from the vessel, causing extensive flooding of the decks that eventually sank the vessel in just 20 minutes. (Read more shipwreck stories.)
(Newser)  Russia's emergencies minister died Wednesday during a drill exercise while attempting to save a filmmaker, who also died. Film director Alexander Melnik slipped off a cliff at the Kitabo Oron waterfall in the Putorana nature reserve in northern Siberia, landing in water, the BBC quotes Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian broadcaster RT, as saying. Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, "rushed after the fallen man and died after hitting a protruding rock," Simonyan added. The ministry said Zinichev "tragically died in the line of duty during interagency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergency situations, while saving a person's life," per the AP.

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The incident is said to have occurred early Wednesday during two days of emergency drills involving 18 government agencies and 6,000 specialists across seven regions of Russia's Arctic. The drills came ahead of Russia's quadrennial Zapad military exercises with Belarus, which are to begin Friday, reports the Washington Post. Melnik, who filmed the 2015 Arctic adventure film Territory in the region, was reportedly filming a training video for the ministry at the time of his fall. He was also said to be planning a documentary about Russia's development of the Arctic and its Northern Sea Route.

Deputy Emergencies Minister Andrei Gurovich said Zinichev acted instinctively "not as a minister, but as a rescuer, carrying out a heroic feat. He did that all his life," per the Post. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov describes his death as "a great loss." Zinichev was a member of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle who formerly served with his security detail and as his aide-de-camp. Like Putin, Zinichev was from St. Petersburg and worked for the Soviet Union's main security agency, the KGB. He became the second-highest ranking official in the federal security service in 2016 and was named emergencies minister in 2018. (Read more Russia stories.)
(Newser)  Italy may have broken the record for the hottest temperature ever logged in Europeand amid the sweltering heat, Pope Francis made a gesture that's quite literally cool. A statement from the Vatican said that 15,000 ice creams were sent to prisoners in Rome. Reuters reports the "gelati" as it calls the dessert were delivered to the prisons in the pope's name by Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who as "the pope's almoner" hands out alms to those in need.

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It wasn't an isolated atypical move, with a statement noting that "visiting prisoners" is among the two works of mercy (there are seven total, per the Guardian) that volunteers with the popes charities office devoted themselves to. As part of that, "the 'charitable arm of the Holy Father' has made small evangelical gestures to help and give hope to thousands of people in Rome's prisons"among others. This summer the office also brought homeless people "to the sea or the lake  for an afternoon of relaxation and dinner in a pizzeria," sent a CT scan machine to a health facility in Madagascar, and contributed more than $2 million to bolster medical facilities in three unspecified countries in Africa. (Last month, Francis urged people to get vaccinated against COVID as an "act of love.")
(Newser)  The trial of 20 men accused of involvement in the 2015 Paris terror attacks got underway Wednesdayand it was soon disrupted by an outburst from the main suspect, Saleh Abdeslam. The Guardian reports that Abdeslam, believed to be the only survivor of the group that carried out the attacks in which 130 people died, jumped to his feet, ripped off his mask, and shouted at the court's president about being mistreated in prison. "We should be treated like human beings. We are not dogs," he said. At the back of the court, somebody said: "And us, we suffered 130 deaths, you bastard."

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Six of the defendants are being tried in absentia. Of the 14 suspects in court, Abdeslam is the only one charged with murder. When the 31-year-old was asked to give his name, he said, "Firstly, I will say there is no God except Allah and Muhammad is his messenger." When asked his profession, he said, "I have given up all profession to become a soldier with Islamic State." The other 13 defendants gave only "brief, hesitant, confused" answers, with no ideological messages, France24 reports. The presiding judge also read out the names of 1,800 plaintiffs.

Abdeslam allegedly ditched his vehicle and a malfunctioning suicide belt on the night of the attacks, the AP reports. The other defendants face lesser terrorism charges, but most of them could also face life sentences. "Is Salah Abdeslam shaping up to be the spokesman for the group in the dock?" asks Hugh Schofield at the BBC. "Is his bravado because he is insecure in his jihadist credentials? Remember, he failed in his apparent mission to blow himself up." Schofield describes the first day of the nine-month trial as one of "periods of quiet punctuated by periods of high emotion." (Read more Paris terror attacks stories.)
(Newser)  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has had another setback in his battle to prevent school districts from bringing in mask mandates. Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper ruled Wednesday that the state must immediately stop enforcing its ban on mask mandates, reports NBC. Cooper, who first ruled against the ban two weeks ago, lifted an automatic stay of his decision, saying the state had failed to prove that an appeal would succeed.

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"It's undisputed that in Florida we are in the midst of a COVID pandemic," the judge said, per CNN. "Based on the evidence I've heard, there's no harm to the state if the stay is set aside." He noted that expert witnesses had testified that younger children could only be protected from the delta variant by wearing masksor staying home. "We are not in normal times. We are in a pandemic," Cooper said. "We have children that cant be protected by vaccination."

Some 13 school districts in Florida have defied DeSantis by issuing mask mandates, and the state plans to financially penalize at least two of them. The case will now head to the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, the AP reports. Before Wednesday's ruling, DeSantis said he didn't think Cooper would lift the stay, "but if it is lifted I am confident that that will be reinstated at the 11th Circuit." (Read more Florida stories.)
Local

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Local school districts implement state-wide mandated masking policy

Venna Chris Grego / C. J. GREGO/STAFF PHOTO Campbell Mark Gilger / MARK GILGER/STAFF PHOTO Cheddar

After months of debate regarding school district masking procedures, a state-wide mask mandate for Pennsylvania school districts went into effect on Tuesday. Local school districts report minimal compliance issues with the policy.

The first day of the masking mandate went smoothly, according to Shamokin superintendent Chris Venna. He said all students were complying with the order.

We had a really good day. It was business as usual, said Venna.

Students who arrived unprepared for the first day of the mandate were provided masks by the district. Some children arrived to school without masks, according to Venna, but there were no objections when they were instructed to put one on.

I know we handed out a few, said Venna.

Shamokin Area School District is continuing to follow cleaning practices from last year, as well as distancing students as much as possible within their respective classrooms.

Id be willing to state students are at least 3 feet apart, said Venna.

Venna expressed gratitude to the students for their cooperation, not only just this year, but also for the past year and a half in dealing with all of the changes brought about by the coronavirus.

I was proud of our students and our parents, said Venna.

Mount Carmel Area School District superintendent Pete Cheddar said that they began its masking policy last Tuesday. He reports limited issues regarding the masking policy over the past week.

We are very appreciative of the support by our learning community, said Cheddar.

Line Mountain School District superintendent Dave Campbell said the district is focusing on what can be controlled and that is educating their students.

I can say everyone, students and administration, are all doing the best they can under the circumstances, said Campbell.

The masking mandate enforced by the Wolf administration applies to all public and private K-12 schools.

Wolf said the mandate was in response to a resurgence of COVID cases and a lack of masking measures adopted by school districts.

Since the start of the school year, more than 5,000 students have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to state health officials.

School-aged children under age 12 are too young to receive the immunization and are an extra worry, according to Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam.

Wolf said he plans to revisit the masking policy in October.
Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Metro Creative

Masks are returning to Fairbanks classrooms. The Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education voted Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, to reinstate face masks in classrooms because of rising Covid-19 cases in the borough and across the state.
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Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High 58F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Chairman Sameer Nass has praised the national press highlighting its pivotal role in the development of Bahrain and its people.

He commended the credibility and professionalism of the national press in covering events and happenings, mirroring the sentiment of the community, and documenting achievements, expressing pride in the freedom of press and expression in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the confidence Bahraini press earned.

This came as he received at his office the newly elected board of directors of Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) presided over by its president, Isa Al Shaiji. Nass congratulated the newly elected president and board of BJA and wished them every success in achieving their goals.

He voiced pride in the close cooperation between BCCI and the press, which facilitated communication with the business community, authorities and officials and contributed to achieving its wgoals.

Al Shaiji commended the BCCI on its role in empowering the private sector and reinforcing economic development in the Kingdom. He touched upon the goals and aspirations of BJA, affirming its commitment to upgrading journalistic work to match Bahraini peoples high-level of awareness and education and to continue serving the society and defending the nations interests.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday issued Royal Decree 89/2021, amending Article (1) of Decree 50/2019 on re-structuring the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning. According to the decree, Clause (C) of Paragraph (1) of (Third) of Article (1) of Decree 50/2019 on re-structuring the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning will be repealed. HM the King issued Royal Decree 90/2021, re-structuring the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA), as follows:

UPDA Chief Executive Officer, with the rank of Undersecretary, shall be responsible for:

First: The Human and Financial Directorate.

Second: Deputy CEO for Urban Development, with the rank of Assistant Undersecretary, will be responsible for the: 1. Directorate of Plans Implementation 2. Directorate of Urban Planning 3.

Directorate of Planning and Urban Design Third: Deputy CEO for Urban Planning with the rank of Assistant Undersecretary, will be responsible for the:

1. Directorate of Studies and Urban Policies 2. Directorate of Detailed Planning 3.

Directorate of Infrastructure Planning and Services Royal Decree 48/2017 on organising the Urban Planning and Development Authority was abrogated. His Majesty issued Royal Decree 92/2021, appointing Shaikh Ali bin Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Khalifa, and Saudi Hassan Al Nusuf as ambassadors at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

HM the King issued Royal Decree 91/2021, appointing Abdulla Rabia as Bahrains Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Sudan.
KSDE offers new way for Kansans to stay connected with latest education news
This weeks column starts off with some sad news from Scott Sebastian of the Connecticut Blues Society, who writes, It is with a heavy heart to announce that this year's Connecticut Blues Society Challenge is cancelled. I want to thank all the bands that signed up and I have reached out to all of them to let them know.

He continued, It was our hope to get back to normal, but this virus is just not done yet. We considered postponing, but that would not give enough time to get registered for the IBCs in Memphis. As of today, the International Blues Challenge in Memphis is going forward but our society will not be represented. I assume we will not be the only one. Bottom line, our board voted to cancel this year. The safety of all of us is more important. We look forward to 2022. You can find updates at www.ctblues.org/

The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center brings in Studebaker John on Wednesday, and hes making a stop at The Chicken Shack at The Carter Farm Thursday.

Studebaker John is a Chicago Blues institution. He has been blowing harp since he was seven years old. In the late 60s John hung around Maxwell Street, soaking up all the blues scene of the day had to offer. It was at this time that he was drawn to slide guitar wizard Hound Dog Taylors shows and took up guitar, modeling his playing after the Hound Dogs energetic style.

In the 1970s, John formed his renowned band, Studebaker John and the Hawks, named for a car still owns, with a nod toward JB Hutto and the Hawks. Studebaker John and his band have recorded nearly 20 albums. A number of Johns songs can be heard on the soundtracks of various movies over the years. His playing style and performances are exciting and steeped deep in his Chicago roots with its traditional blues forms, energized by a modern outlook. John has emerged as a creative force with vision and foresight creating a new standard for the future of blues.

Norwich Art Centers Blues on Broadway series rolls on when Studebaker John takes the stage at the Donald L. Oat Theater Sept. 17. This is an event so special that its been moved to a Friday instead of the usual second Wednesday of the month.

Chris Tofield is back in state for a visit. Thursday, he is at Sasso's Coal Fired Pizza in Torrington with Billy Billeca, Kris Jensen, and Steven Peck

Saturday, Bobby Christina's Blues Caravan with Chris Beard, Joe Beard and Duke Robillard are playing The Hygienic Art Park, with two generations of the Beard Family taking the stage.

"When you grow up in a house filled with the blues, when your father grew up on Beale Street, when music was in your DNA, then blues is who you are and what you do," said Chris Beard. He is a modern blues guitarist and singer like few others. The show opens with the Chris Leigh Band, followed by blues legends Joe Beard and Duke Robillard, and ending the evening with the Chris Beard Band.

Friday, The Stafford Palace Theater has the James Montgomery Blues Band. Dynamic and entertaining, Montgomery provides a good dose of blues along with some history and personal stories.

Dan Stevens has a few stops this week: Friday at These Guys Brewing Company, Saturday, Captain Daniel Packer Inne, Sunday, Shunock River at 4 p.m., and Wednesday, Best Video at 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Good Luck Blues Band play Walrus Alley.

Tony Ferrigno Band plays Ponza Italian Kitchen on Saturday and Blues on the Rocks is at Scotch Plains Tavern. Friday, the Camp Hazen, 100 Year Celebration has Blues on the Rocks.

Also on Saturday, Sacred Heart University Community Theatre has Local Legends featuring Jay Stollman, Joes Feliciano plus an opening band; and the Maple Tree Cafe presents his Blues n Boogie with Carl Ricci & 706 Union Ave.

Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., the Sara Ashleigh Band is at the Brass Horse Cafe.

Wednesday, WPKN's Music on Film Series presents Rolling Stones, Ole Ole Ole at the Bijou Theatre. Ole Ole Ole! is a documentary produced by The Rolling Stones that documents their Latin America tour in 2016. Part concert film and part travelogue, it follows the Stones throughout their tour that culminated in Havana, Cuba.

Saturday at Noon the Stone Gardens Farm in Shelton has Lunch and live music. This week it is Tracy Jo and Lee-Ann Lovelace. Also on Saturday, Veteran's Park hosts the Norwalk Oyster Festival. The bands include Doug Wahlberg Band at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, The B Side is outside at 6 p.m. at Church Lane. Notch8 Bar and Grill has Shuffle Bone on Friday and Saturday Madz & the Ladz. Then, theres Tiki Tuesday with Shawn Taylor.

Blues are busy in neighboring states too. Daryl's House has a Friday show with Roomful of Blues, a band providing a deeply rooted blend of blues, swing, rock n roll, jump, and soul.

Then Saturday they welcome Brandon TAZ Niederauer. He blends together the influences of his many musical mentors, Niederauers unique sound is popping into a contemporary space that the world has yet to hear. Since making his national television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres Show at just ten years old, Brandon has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Good Morning America, and The View.

Friday, Seth Rosenbloom is at Theodores.

If you are a Grateful Dead fan, The Falcon is the place to be. Saturday, Deadgrass & Friends, a musical adventure through Jerry Garcias world, featuring Grammy Award Winner C Lanzbom and others.

Then Thursday, Gratefully Yours which has established itself as one of the Northeasts premier Grateful Dead cover bands; with an all-star lineup, founded by Alex Mazur, of The Deadbeats - one of the longest running Grateful Dead cover bands. Both on The Falcon Main Stage.

The Turning Point on Friday has the Peter Karp Band. Saturday, it is the Band Band, returning again Sunday at 4 p.m.

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.
KENT  Every year for the past two decades, Kents Peter Gadiel is notified a donation was made to Washington and Lee University in Virginia, in the name of his late son  James Andrew Gadiel.

At 23, James Gadiel was one of the 2,997 people killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He died while at work as an assistant trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, on the 23rd floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Peter Gadiel has since learned the donation to the college is made by a woman who went to Washington and Lee with James, and that James in some way helped her get through an emotional difficulty, said Gadiel.

That represents the kind of person James was, his father says.

In a recent interview, Gadiel spoke of his late son and how his death has impacted Gadiels life.

He was a fabulous child and man, said Gadiel, who is 73. He was someone that was really admirable in every conceivable way. I would like to have been the man that he was.

One year after his sons death, Gadiel helped create 9/11 Families For A Secure America, a nonprofit corporation whose goal is to keep America secure from dangerous people living in the country illegally.

The corporation was founded by families of those murdered in the 9/11, and later expanded to include families of victims murdered by people living in the country illegally in other ways, such as in street crimes.

We had some effect, Gadiel said, in regard to purpose of the corporation. We worked to get the government to enforce immigration law so we would know who comes into the country.

The corporation helped pass the Real ID Act, which allows states to issue non-Real ID-compliant drivers licenses and identification cards.

Under the Real ID Act, there are certain requirements that you have to have when you get licensed that proves that you are who you are and not that youre somebody else, Gadiel said.

Additionally, Gadiel testified before Congress several times against the policy of open borders.

While the nonprofit closed in 2013 due to lack of financial support, according to Gadiel, it had hundreds of members.

Town memorial

In 2014, a memorial was placed outside Kent Town Hall in James Gadiels memory. The memorial, a large granite stone with an engraved brass plaque, reads: In Memoriam. To the 2,997 people killed by Islamist Extremists on Sept. 11, 2001. Among those murdered at the World Trade Center in New York City was lifelong Kent resident James Gadiel, 23, a Gentleman and a Gentle Man.

When the monument first went up, Gadiel said he made sure that it mentioned that he was one of 2,000-something people who were killed, because its not just a monument to James. Its a monument to everybody who died.

In reflecting upon the circumstances of his sons death, Gadiel said his message is to not be so trusting.

We assume people across the world are going to be decent, that they just want to live their lives  and it aint so, Gadiel said. While were enjoying our cars and our steaks and our VCRs, remember, there are real threats out there.

Its every minute, every second

Gadiel said thoughts of his late son are never far from his mind.

Its like a cloud. You may not see it and may not be conscious of it but its there: Its every minute, every second, he said. It colors everything I do 24 hours a day, every second of the day.

While Peter Gadiel said didnt have any regular father-son traditions with James, what he misses most is Just being with him  He was just everything a good human being should be.

sfox@milfordmirror.com
NEW YORK (AP)  A former nurse who co-founded and once ran the cult-like NXIVM group, where prosecutors say some women were brainwashed, branded like animals and coerced into sex, was sentenced Wednesday to 42 months in prison but won't be locked up until January.

Nancy Salzman, the former president and co-founder of NXIVM, must also pay a $150,000 fine, U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said. She has agreed to forfeit more than $500,000 in cash, several properties and a Steinway grand piano.

Salzman must report to prison by Jan. 19, Garaufis said. Her lawyers said she has been caring for her ailing mother.

Speaking in Brooklyn federal court, Salzman, 67, said she fell under NXIVM leader Keith Raniere's spell when they started working together 20 years ago and that she started rationalizing and overlooking the wrongdoing she saw around her. She offered an apology to everyone she's hurt.

I dont know that I can ever forgive myself, she said.

Salzman, known within the Albany-based group as Prefect," pleaded guilty in March 2019 to charges of racketeering conspiracy that involved conspiracy to commit identity theft and conspiracy to obstruct justice. She was one of the first in the group's leadership to plead guilty to criminal charges.

At that time, a tearful Salzman said she got mixed up with Raniere, a self-professed spiritual leader, because she wanted to help people improve their lives but that she ended up losing her way by helping spy on perceived enemies who sought to expose the group as a cross between a pyramid scheme and a cult.

At Salzman's sentencing, Garaufis said she had positioned herself alongside Raniere atop the NXIVM pyramid and left trauma and destruction in her wake.

In her misguided loyalty and blind allegiance to Keith Raniere, the defendant engaged in a racketeering conspiracy designed to intimidate NXIVMs detractors and that inflicted harm on NXIVMs members, Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis said in a statement after Salzman's sentencing.

Raniere was sentenced last October to 120 years in prison for turning some women into sex slaves branded with his initials and sexually abusing a 15-year-old. The group attracted millionaires, including Seagrams liquor heir Clare Bronfman, and Hollywood actors, including Allison Mack of TVs Smallville.

Bronfman was sentenced a year ago to nearly seven years in prison. Mack was sentenced in June to three years in prison. Salzmans daughter, Lauren Salzman, was sentenced in July to five years of probation and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service for her role in the group.

Nancy Salzman's crimes involved stealing identities of the groups critics and hacking into their email accounts from 2003 to 2008, prosecutors said. She was also accused of conspiring to doctor videos showing her teaching NXIVM lessons before the recordings were turned over to plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the group.

An NXIVM bio of Salzman posted on the internet said she was a consultant to New York state and major corporations until she met Keith Raniere and discovered an approach to personal growth that yielded powerful and permanent results.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Technology companies that led the charge into remote work as the pandemic unfurled are confronting a new challenge: how, when and even whether they should bring long-isolated employees back to offices that have been designed for teamwork.

I thought this period of remote work would be the most challenging year-and-half of my career, but its not, said Brent Hyder, the chief people officer for business software maker Salesforce and its roughly 65,000 employees worldwide. Getting everything started back up the way it needs to be is proving to be even more difficult.

That transition has been complicated by the rapid spread of the delta variant, which has scrambled the plans many tech companies had for bringing back most of their workers near or after Labor Day weekend. Microsoft has pushed those dates back to October while Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and a growing list of others have already decided wait until next year.

Given how they set the tone for remote work, tech companies return-to-office policies will likely have ripple effects across other industries. Employers next steps could redefine how and where people work, predicts Laura Boudreau, a Columbia University assistant economics professor who studies workplace issues.

We have moved beyond the theme of remote work being a temporary thing, Boudreau says. The longer the pandemic has stretched on, she says, the harder its become to tell employees to come back to the office, particularly full time.

Because they typically revolve around digital and online products, most tech jobs are tailor made for remote work. Yet most major tech companies insist that their employees should be ready to work in the office two or three days each week after the pandemic is over.

The main reason: Tech companies have long believed that employees clustered together in a physical space will swap ideas and spawn innovations that probably wouldnt have happened in isolation. Thats one reason tech titans have poured billions of dollars into corporate campuses interspersed with alluring common areas meant to lure employees out of their cubicles and into casual collisions that turn into brainstorming sessions.

But the concept of water cooler innovation may be overblown, says Christy Lake, chief people officer for business software maker Twilio.

There is no data that supports that really happens in real life, and yet we all subscribe to it, Lake says. You cant put the genie back in the bottle and tell people, Oh you have to be back in the office or innovation wont happen. 

Twilio isnt bringing back most of its roughly 6,300 employees back to its offices until early next year at the earliest, and plans to allow most of them to figure how frequently they should come in.

This hybrid approach permitting employees to toggle between remote and in-office work has been widely embraced in the technology industry, particularly among the largest companies with the biggest payrolls.

Nearly two-thirds of the more than 200 companies responding to a mid-July survey in the tech-centric Bay Area said they are expecting their workers to come into the office two or three days each week. Before the pandemic, 70% of these employers required their workers to be in the office, according to the Bay Area Council, a business policy group that commissioned the poll.

Even Zoom, the Silicon Valley videoconferencing service that saw its revenue and stock price soar during the pandemic, says most of its employees still prefer to come into the office part of the time. There isnt a one-size-fits-all approach to returning to the office, Kelly Steckelberg, Zooms chief financial officer, recently wrote in a blog post.

But the biggest tech companies, which have profited even more than Zoom as the pandemic that made their products indispensable for many workers, arent giving employees much choice in the matter. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have made it clear that they want most of their workers together at least a few days each week to maintain their culture and pace of innovation.

That well-worn creed sounds like backward thinking to Ed Zitron, who runs a public relations firm representing technology companies  and which has been fully remote since it launched in 2012.

The only reason to have an office, he says, is to satisfy managers with vested interests in grouping people together so that they can look at them and feel good about the people that they own ... so that they can enjoy that power.

Switching to hybrid work is ideal for people like Kelly Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for travel management company TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. She couldnt wait to return when the company partially reopened its offices in June, partly because she missed the built-in buffer that her roughly one-hour commute provided between her personal and professional life.

When I dont have that, I wake up in the morning, I start doing work and I take my kids to their camp or their daycare, Soderlund says. And then I come back and I work and then we pick them up, make dinner and then I go back to work. So, it feels like its just work all the time.

Soderlund believes being together in an office leads to more collaboration, although she also learned from the pandemic that workers dont need to be there every day for teamwork to happen.

Camaraderie and the need to separate work from home are among the top reasons employees at business software maker Adobe cite for coming back to the office, said Gloria Chen, chief people officer for one of Silicon Valleys older companies. Working from home is here to stay, but we also continue to value people coming together, she said.

The transition from the pandemic should enable smaller tech companies to adopt more flexible work-from-home policies that may help them lure away top-notch engineers from other firms more insistent on having people in the office, says Boudreau, the Columbia University scholar.

Labor markets are relatively tight now, so employees have more bargaining chips than they have had in a while, Boudreau says.

Ankur Dahiya, who launched his software startup RunX last year during the pandemic lockdowns, believes that remote work has helped him hire employees that otherwise may not have been candidates. The eight-worker startup rents a San Francisco office one day a week so Dahiya can meet with employees who live nearby, but other employees are in Canada, Nevada, and Oregon. The workers living outside of California have been flying in once every three months for super productive meetings and brainstorming, says Dahiya, who has previously worked at Facebook and Twitter.

Ive worked in offices for the last 10 years and I know theres just so much time lost, Dahiya says, recalling all the random conversations, lengthy meetings, aimless wandering, and other disruptions that seem to occur in those settings.

Twilios Lake is hoping the remote-work experience will transform employee behavior in the office, too, once they come back. She hopes that the remote experience will have given employees a chance to better understand how their teams work.

I think more than anything it is going to cause us to become more intentional about when, why and how we come together, she says.

___

An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the name of the software company Adobe

___

Follow AP coverage of how the coronavirus pandemic is transforming the economy at: https://apnews.com/hub/changing-economy
AMP created CANAVEX for cosmetic use and sold exclusively by pharmacists without a doctor's prescription. CANAVEX formulation includes high quality CBD, which is sourced from Germany and EU-GMP compliant, organic hemp seed oil and vitamin E.

CANAVEX's initial products are Basic CBD 5, which contains 500mg or 5% CBD and Basic CBD 10, which contains 1,000 mg or 10% CBD and are available in 10 ml sizes.

AMP will formally launch the CANAVEX brand at the 2nd annual YES!CON cancer convention to be held in Berlin on September 18th and 19th, where Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Jens Spahn, Federal Minister of Health (Germany), and 120 other speakers will exchange inspiration, information, ideas, empowerment and lifestyle around the topic of cancer.

YES!CON is organized by "YesWeCan! cer," Germany's largest digital cancer patient platform for patient support and developer of the YES!APP, which helps cancer patients exchange information.

About CANAVEX

CANAVEX formulation includes high-quality CBD sourced from Germany and is European Union - Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) compliant and tested for pesticides, microbiology and cannabinoid potency. CANAVEX's CBD products contain organic hemp seed oil, vitamin E and are vegan, THC-free and non-GMO. CANAVEX is sold exclusively by AMP Alternative Medical Products and is available only in German pharmacies.

About AMP

AMP Alternative Medical Products Inc. (formerly AMP German Cannabis Group Inc.) is a supplier of medical cannabis and CBD cannabis products to German pharmacies thru its subsidiary AMP Alternative Medical Products GmbH, with offices in Erfurt and Berlin, Germany. AMP operates in accordance with the German Narcotic Drug Act (BtMG) and with the regulatory requirements set by the Free State of Thuringia, ensuring products imported by AMP from around the world and sold in Germany meet the European Union - Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) standard.

The AMP Roundtable Series discusses issues about medical cannabis in Germany and is available as a podcast and video. In Episode #2, "Politics and Medical Cannabis in Germany" Dr. Wieland Schinnenburg, MdB (FDP), provides an up-to-date overview of the political issues and challenges facing the medical cannabis industry in Germany. Learn more at www.amp-eu.de/roundtable.

To learn more about the European cannabis industry, download AMP's sponsored report by Prohibition Partners; https://prohibitionpartners.com/reports/the-european-cannabis-report-6th-edition/

For more information, please visit www.amp-eu.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates, including with respect to its business plans and milestones and the timing thereof. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements do not guarantee future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances unless otherwise required to do so by law.

SOURCE AMP Alternative Medical Products Inc.

For further information: AMP's Contact: Investor contact: Alex Blodgett, CEO and Director, [email protected], +1 236-833-1602; Media contact: Valeria Bravo, Corporate and Media Communications, [email protected], +1 604-689-7533

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Flights to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Thunder Bay are the first to restart. Other Canadian destinations starting within the next 10 days are Halifax, Quebec City, St. John's, NL, and Moncton. U.S. destinations in Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington return on Sept. 17. Flights to other year-round destinations are set to resume as of Oct. 6, with all routes currently available for booking. The initial flight schedule can be found at www.flyporter.com .

"Our passengers and team members have been waiting for this day to arrive," said Michael Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines. "We currently have over 900 team members who have put in countless hours to get everything ready for our return to service, with more being recalled or hired every week. Everyone at Porter is looking forward to welcoming passengers back and delivering our distinct style of service again."

Toronto Mayor John Tory joins the celebrations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Porter has strengthened its existing standards with a focus on high levels of sanitization in order to protect the health of its passengers and team members. More information about the Healthy Flights program can be found on Porter's website.

In addition to Healthy Flights, Porter has also introduced a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for its team members. To support a safe and healthy workplace and travel experience, team members must present a negative COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of the start of their shift or be fully vaccinated. The Canadian federal government announced in August its intention to mandate vaccination for federally-regulated workers; once specific details are known, Porter's policy may evolve.

Bookings made before Sept. 30, will be eligible to change or cancel with no fees. Passengers also have the option to book a flight with the Full Refund Option for $40 plus taxes. The Refund Option entitles customers to receive a refund, including base fare, taxes and fees, for their booking upon advance cancellation of their flight for any reason.

About Porter Airlines

Porter Airlines provides a warm and effortless approach to hospitality, restoring glamour and refinement to air travel. Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline in the World Airline Star Rating.

The airline currently offers flights to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Halifax, St. John's, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, New York (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston and Washington (Dulles), and has seasonal flights to Mt. Tremblant, Que., Muskoka, Ont., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Stephenville, N.L.

Visit www.flyporter.com or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Details of growth plans to provide North America-wide service are available at flyporter.com.

SOURCE Porter Airlines

For further information: Media contact: [email protected]

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MONTREAL, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Sagard Private Equity Canada ("Sagard PE"), the new Canadian mid-market private equity fund of Sagard, today announced its first investment with the acquisition of Groupe LOU-TEC Inc., a leading heavy machinery and equipment rental company operating mainly in the province of Quebec. Alongside current Groupe LOU-TEC management and shareholders, Sagard PE is joined in the acquisition by Walter Capital Partners, Investissement Quebec and BDC Capital.

Founded in 1979, Groupe LOU-TEC is one of the leading equipment rental companies in Quebec, operating with more than 400 employees throughout 30 locations across the province. Groupe LOU-TEC differentiates itself through its commitment to high-quality service, offering a large, diversified and well-maintained fleet of equipment in all key categories including aerial, handling and excavation.

"Our investment in Groupe LOU-TEC is a great example of Sagard PE's strategy of partnering with strong companies and working together with co-investors to accelerate their journey towards market leadership. We have been impressed with LOU-TEC's long track record of growth in a highly dynamic marketplace, and we are proud to partner with CEO Jean-Marc Dallaire and his team for our inaugural investment. We are happy to invest in people and in infrastructure to expand the Company's presence in current -- and new -- geographies and product offerings to bolster LOU-TEC's leadership in the Canadian equipment rental market. We are confident this partnership will benefit customers, suppliers and employees alike," said Marie-Claude Boisvert, Partner and Head of Sagard PE.

"We are honoured to partner with Sagard as well as highly respected investors Walter Capital, Investissement Quebec and BDC Capital to pursue our mission and passion to support our clients in carrying out their construction, renovation and maintenance work. For over 40 years, Groupe LOU-TEC has helped build Quebec through its leadership in the rental industry. Thanks to this new partnership, Groupe LOU-TEC will be able to stay the course on its mission, support our customers with their projects, pursue our digital shift, accelerate our growth and expand into new geographies," said Jean-Marc-Dallaire, President & CEO of Groupe LOU-TEC.

"Walter Capital is delighted to team up with a company that has built a solid reputation in its market like LOU-TEC. We are looking forward to being actively involved along with Sagard, Jean-Marc Dallaire and his strong management team in propelling LOU-TEC's growth and market leadership," said Eric Doyon, Managing Partner of Walter Capital Partners.

"In cooperation with seasoned financial partners, Investissement Quebec is pleased to back the acquisition of LOU-TEC, which has been making its mark in the construction industry for over 40 years thanks to its strong management team and extensive distribution system. This financial support speaks to our commitment to keep head offices here in Quebec and to encourage the growth of leading Quebec companies, all while spurring economic development in the regions," said Investissement Quebec President and CEO Guy LeBlanc.



"BDC Growth Equity Partners is privileged to support Groupe LOU-TEC and its management in its next phase of growth and help the company to scale to a Canadian leader," added Jean Bedard, Partner, BDC Growth Equity Partners.

About Sagard Private Equity Canada

Launched in 2021, Sagard PE focuses on Canadian middle-market opportunities, partnering with management and other like-minded investors to help companies accelerate their growth trajectory to become Canadian champions and market leaders. With offices in Montreal and Toronto and a focus across Canada, Sagard PE is currently deploying its first fund by leveraging the team's 25+ years of experience in private equity investing in North America and Europe and the resources of Sagard's Value Creation Team and global ecosystem.

About Groupe LOU-TEC

Founded in 1979, Groupe LOU-TEC Inc. is a leader in the rental of heavy machinery, specialized equipment and tools used in construction, renovation and maintenance of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential buildings. Due to strong growth and being at the forefront of trends in the industry, Groupe LOU-TEC continuously invests in new equipment and new technologies to offer its customers reliable, safe and efficient equipment. Groupe LOU-TEC's rental experts are highly qualified and are committed to providing personalized and impeccable service. Their mission and passion is to contribute to client success.

About Walter Capital Partners

Walter Capital Partners is a private equity firm part of Walter Financial, the investment unit of the Walter Group. Its investment model combines capital inflow and operating expertise to support the growth of promising companies on solid and sustainable foundations, by drawing on the entrepreneurial background of the Walter Group and the extensive business leadership experience of its managing partners. Headquartered in Montreal, Walter Capital provides a solid international network. www.waltercapital.ca

About Investissement Quebec

Investissement Quebec's mission is to play an active role in Quebec's economic development by spurring business innovation, entrepreneurship and business acquisitions, as well as growth in investment and exports. Operating in all the province's administrative regions, the Corporation supports the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes with investments and customized financial solutions. It also assists businesses by providing consulting services and other support measures, including technological assistance available from Investissement Quebec  CRIQ. In addition, through Investissement Quebec International, the Corporation also prospects for talent and foreign investment and assists Quebec businesses with export activities.

About BDC Capital

BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDCCanada's only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country's most innovative firms. It offers a full spectrum of risk capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to scale their businesses into global champions. Visit bdc.ca/capital

SOURCE Sagard

For further information: For press inquiries, contact: Adam Daifallah, 514.316.7089, [email protected]

Related Links

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The IUCN Congress starting today in Marseille, France, is a key environmental milestone ahead of the United Nations conferences on biodiversity and climate, to be held in Kunming and Glasgow, respectively, in the coming months, and brings together private and public sector stakeholders to drive action on today's most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges.

Schneider Electric, which was named the world's most sustainable corporation by Corporate Knights Global 100 Index in January 2021, has long been committed to ensuring how companies can promote circularity, protect biodiversity and fight climate change through interrelated and interdependent actions for a nature-positive future.

Since releasing its first end-to-end biodiversity footprint assessment in 2020, by using the Global Biodiversity Score developed by CDC Biodiversite, Schneider Electric is now better equipped to set targets to tackle its direct and indirect impact on biodiversity. Schneider's Sustainability Essentials 2021-2025 program oversees the global implementation of conservation initiatives, with over 300 Schneider sites recently taking part in activities to restore ecosystems as part of World Environment Day. Also in UK, Schneider's Equipment & Transformers Scarborough plant is actively working with local council and biodiversity experts to assess the feasibility of redeveloping land adjacent to its factory to attract wildlife, enhance local species and create a biodiversity-rich, well-being space for employees. In France, Schneider's industrial plant in Brittany is working closely with NGOs for employees to get involved and protect local wildlife.

In May 2021, Schneider published its Biodiversity pledge, committing to no net loss of biodiversity across its direct operations by 2030, and recognized by Act4Nature, an alliance of international companies, NGOs, academic bodies and public institutions. Schneider is also a member of the Science-Based Targets Network for Nature, actively involved in the implementation of biodiversity strategies and action plans.

"Our sustainability program combines climate action with nature conservation and circular business initiatives across Schneider's global operations, through our wider business ecosystem and with a community of expert partners," said Olivier Blum, Schneider Electric's Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer. "This engagement  based on science-based targets, research, and leading by example  drives change faster."

Recent initiatives include collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, focusing on how circular economies enable businesses to reduce global biodiversity loss and the launch of the 100 Days of Possibility initiative with the Global Footprint Network, to showcase solutions such as 100% renewable power grids, smart homes and natural resource waste reduction. Schneider Electric signed the European Plastics Pact at its launch in March 2020.

Throughout the IUCN Congress, the Schneider Electric Foundation, under the aegis of Fondation de France, will partner with Art of Change 21's exhibition and creative workshops to raise public awareness of the climate emergency. Schneider Electric representatives will also participate in round table discussions.

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.

www.se.com

Follow us on:

https://twitter.com/SchneiderElec

https://www.facebook.com/SchneiderElectric?brandloc=DISABLE

https://www.linkedin.com/company/schneider-electric

https://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderCorporate

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SOURCE Schneider Electric Canada Inc.

For further information: Schneider Electric Media Relations - E mail: [email protected] Phone: 587 880 8821
Malvi Malhotra is best known for her acting skills. Her latest screen gig is the yet-to-release music video, Shikwa. Malvi joined us for a candid conversation on our special series, NewsX India A-List. Here are the excerpts of the interaction:

Speaking about how she felt about the song when she first heard it and what made her want to be a part of it. Malvi said, Its such a beautiful song, and when I heard the lyrics of the song, I felt so excited because the lyrics are written by Sayeed Quadri. The music is so nice and melodious, and I feel that people going through breakups will really connect with the song.

Reminiscing her experience of shooting for the video in Manali, It was amazing. We shot in the month of June and it was cold even then. The locations were very beautiful and scenic. The actress added that the mesmerising natural backgrounds were used for filming purposes without much artificial retouch.

When asked about her key lessons amid the Covid pandemic, she said, I just feel that everybody should be positive because this time is bad for everyone. This phase has taught me to be happy for every moment, for whatever you have. The people who used to work in production, the daily wage earners, had no more earnings and could hardly arrange meals for their families. We should come ahead and help such people and so many other people who cant survive in this pandemic. We should help as much as we can. Moreover, Malvi told us that saving up for rainy days was another wise lesson that the Covid mayhem taught her.

Talking about some of the ways that proved helpful in coping with the stress of the lockdown, she said, I would practice my usual workout routine as much as I could. Though indoors, I would still dress up in my fancy attires. I used to keep myself engaged in reading or just preparing a monologue. The actress then proposed Yoga for gaining mental tranquillity during such times. The best thing to deal with negative thoughts is meditation. Brahmi Yoga and Yoga Nidra are the best meditations for those suffering from insomnia, said the actress.

Our next question was about the project that Malvi considers her favourite to date. I have done a Tamil film that is going to release on Amazon Prime very soon. I shot the complete film in Malaysia and that never felt like work. I was just chilling all the time and exploring the place. So, yeah, that time was really fun. The team and the director were very nice. And to sum it up, it was a very pleasurable experience, was her answer.

To conclude the interview, we wanted to hear from the actress where she envisions herself five years down the line. To which she stated, I see myself getting a Best Actress award for a big film. I would prefer something like a women-centric film or a film that showcases me as an actor. Elucidating the final part of her thought, Malvika said, I dont want to portray myself as a star. I want that people appreciate my work as an artist and actor. Thats my goal. Furthermore, she also expressed her desire to work with renowned directors Anubhav Sinha, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and Mani Ratnam. Among actors, Vicky Kaushal, Manoj Bajpayee, and Rajkumar Rao are some of the names Malvi wishes to be cast alongside, someday.
In an exclusive conversation with NewsX as part of the India A-list series, Chairman and managing director of Parthiv group of companies Rakesh Rathi opened up about his entrepreneurial journey, latest business ventures and much more.

Rakesh Rathi, Chairman and managing director, Parthiv group of companies joins for an exclusive conversation with NewsX as part of the India A-list series. He is recognised by NewsX for excellence in finance.

Talking about his entrepreneurial journey till now, he said, We are in a multiple ventures. I am a Chartered Accountant by profession. I started my career as a finance person. Then I started with insurance. Insure efficient is a tech platform. All across India we have 50 plus locations in the insurance business. We started in FinTech as well, which is called LCPD. My clients come and find very reasonable economical rates. I started a restaurant business, which is called Explore. I then started off with my furniture business also that is called D3M. Recently, I am starting with a facility management company called security and housekeeping. We have also have a startup business.

I am a 10th fail and I did my CA in nine years. My family is in this business only. I am first person in my family who cleared CA and started my career as an employee in the company. I was working for 16 years with my dad and then I said that I wanted to start something of my own. I could not do it earlier because I did my CA very late. I cleared it in 14 attempts and joined Probe India Limited at the age of 28 as a finance person. I then worked for Dr Batra. In many enterprises, I was working as a CFO then I founded the Parthiv Group in 2016 after the death of my wife. She was diagnosed with cancer, he added.

Speaking about coping with pandemic, he said, We set up a very good technical platform. We are also in the community of servicing. It was slightly disturbing for us too. The difference is, in the first pandemic, only the metropolitan cities were closed. In the second one, even small cities were closed. We suffered almost 2-3 months. Now, we are able to sell and we are touching new heights and started three more ventures in the pandemic. I started our furniture business recently. We started a manufacturing unit in Mumbai only. Indian people want to buy their own countrys brand.

Sharing his view on the Make In India initiative and taking it to the next level of village level entrepreneurship, he stated, The entire India is residing in tier three or four cities. Moving by MP, Rajasthan, I touched the small cities also. Now, the time is coming that we should collaborate with the small villages also because all consumers stay in the small villages actually.

Talking about doing CSR activities along with running a successful business, Rakesh said, I run an NGO as well. The thing I love is to help others. Somewhere I want to get the blessings by doing such works. When asked about his advice to youngsters, he gave a motivating advice and said, Never give up. Whatever is your dream, just do it. Basically, dont kill your dream and as and when you work you will get a successful result.
Higher education institutions such as including technical, polytechnic and medical will be allowed to operate for undergraduate and graduate final year students. Teachers, students and non-teaching staff should be vaccinated at least with one dose of vaccine and those who are eligible for a second dose should get it administered immediately.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the government has decided to withdraw total lockdown on Sundays and night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am. Vijayan during a press meet in the evening said that the decision to ease the restriction was taken during the COVID-19 review meeting as the weekly test positivity rate fell to 17.91 per cent from 18.49 per cent. The weekly TPR for the period between July 24 and 30 was 18.49 per cent while from August 31 to September 6, the TPR stands at 17.91 per cent.

The CM also said that from October 4, higher education institutions such as including technical, polytechnic and medical will be allowed to operate for undergraduate and graduate final year students. Teachers, students and non-teaching staff should be vaccinated at least with one dose of vaccine and those who are eligible for a second dose should get it administered immediately. Training institutes will be allowed to operate in a bio-bubble model.

Commenting on the recent observation of the high court, CM said, it is up to the Centre to decide on the Kerala High Court ruling whether the second dose of Covishield can be taken after four weeks or 28 days. The Chief Secretary and Health Secretary will talk to the Central government on this issue. The Kerala High Court had allowed Kitex company to administer Covishield to its before the completion of 84-day gap on Monday. He further added, Class 10 and 12 studies are very important. So school teachers should also make sure to complete the vaccination by this week or month. Departments of Public Instruction and Higher Education should take steps to ensure that school teachers are vaccinated on priority.

Talking about the chalking out of plans to reopening of schools, the CM said, In Higher Educational institutions, final year undergraduate and postgraduate classes will begin from October 4. Details regarding the opening of educational institutions are being worked out. Opening of schools will be decided later, all teachers have been asked to complete vaccination by this month. Meanwhile, the total vaccination cover crossed 3-crore mark in the state. The first dose of anti-COVID shot has been administered to 76.15% of the eligible population and the second dose to 28.73 per cent.
Mamata Banerjee was defeated by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram assembly constituency. Following this, the Bhabanipur assembly seat was vacated by West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in May, making way for the West Bengal Chief Minister to contest from the seat.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress candidate from Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to start her campaign for Assembly by-polls from September 8, said sources on Monday. Mamata Banerjee will start her campaign as TMC candidate for the by-election in Bhabanipur constituency from September 8, said sources. On Saturday, the Election Commission has announced to hold by-elections to three assembly seatsBhabanipur, Jangipur and Samserganj in West Bengal on September 30. Bhabanipur is the traditional seat of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. TMC on Sunday officially announced that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the partys candidate for the Bhabanipur assembly. Further, TMC leaders Jakir Hossain and Amirul Islam will be the partys candidates for Jangipur and Samserganj seats respectively.

Earlier on Monday, sources said the Indian National Congress is unlikely to field a candidate against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming by-elections. The counting of votes will take place on October 3.

Notably, Mamata Banerjee was defeated by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram assembly constituency. Following this, the Bhabanipur assembly seat was vacated by West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in May, making way for the West Bengal Chief Minister to contest from the seat. The election on the seat is crucial for Banerjee to win if she has to remain the chief minister of the state.

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC registered a landslide victory in polls winning 213 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly. Despite aggressive campaigning, the BJP lost the polls but emerged as the second-largest party with 77 seats.
HARTFORD  The state Supreme Court Wednesday heard arguments as to whether the bond for Qinxuan Pan, accused of killing Yale graduate student Kevin Jiang, was unreasonably high, but did not immediately come to a decision.

Pan filed a petition for the court to review the bond  the second offered during the case  arguing his $20 million bond is unconstitutional in that it is disproportionately high, he has limited financial resources and no international ties, and he has indicated that he is amenable to residing in Connecticut and being subject to electronic monitoring and/or house arrest if released on bond.

Under the state constitution, defendants have the right to be released on bail upon sufficient security; the justices considered the meaning of that phrase during Wednesdays hearing.

Attorney Norm Pattis, representing Pan, said Wednesday the court should either send the case back for reconsideration, as Judge Gerald Harmon improperly failed to decide whether to offer a 10 percent cash bond to Pan on July 28, or reduce the bond to $5 million, accepting the recommendation of the bail commissioner in the case.

The state offered a series of assertions before Judge Brian Fischer, who initially set the bond at Pans arraignment, Pattis said. He said some of them, such as Pans financial wherewithal, were based on innuendo and anecdote, not evidence.

The state, by offering such accusations without evidence to Fischer, indirectly had denied Pan the possibility of bail, he said.

Is a prosecutorial proffer enough? Pattis said. The defendant was placed in a position of inescapable and irreparable prejudice in these bond hearings because the prosecutor ... clearly was in touch with law enforcement officers throughout the United States and was free to pick and choose ... data she was given.

Pattis noted the case of Peter Manfredonia, accused of two killings, kidnapping, home invasion and other crimes, in which bond initially was set at $5 million.

The Pan family wonders whether this is Yale, the shadow of Yale, cast on the criminal courts, said Pattis. Every case involving Yale seems to acquire a special gravitas.

Senior Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Sugrue argued that the court should uphold the bond, which he said took into account the totality of factors, including nature of the alleged crime, the likelihood of flight and the possibility of harm coming to the community, as well as Pans alleged resources.

Jiangs fiancee, Zion Perry, was the only apparent link between Jiang and Pan, he noted, and a protective order was issued in the case; a firearm allegedly discarded by Pan was tied to four other instances of shots fired in the area.

The state is obligated to offer some bond to the defendant, he said, but in this case, believes there is no amount that can reasonably assure he will reappear in court if released from custody.

If hes out, hes gone, said Sugure. Hes a serious and acute flight risk.

The justices asked a series of questions of Pattis and Sugure as they grappled with the case.

Justice Steven Ecker, noting that neither the prosecution nor defense had offered evidence to support their assertions in the two prior bond hearings, questioned whether an evidentiary hearing should have been held; Pattis concurred with the idea.

Justice Gregory DAuria asked from where the $20 million figure had come. Although Fischer had shared his general rationale, he noted, a dollar amount was not specifically tied to any factor. Given that, he asked, would $500 million have been reasonable?

I dont know what a judge is supposed to do under the circumstances (that) you dont have any useful financial information, said DAuria. It sounds like youre pulling a number out of the air.

Sugure said, in the states view, sufficient security encompassed the series of factors at hand beyond the defendants financial resources. The trial court cannot intentionally act to deny bail, he said, but can set a bond that is too high for the defendant to pay.

Justice Christine Keller and Justice Andrew McDonald asked whether the state should require judges to more expressly state their reasoning for a specific bond, as is done in other states, and/or rely solely on evidence at arraignment.

Sugure said those sort of steps would prompt practical concerns, given the volume of cases moving through the system. In an ideal world, judges would rely solely on evidence, but systemic realities apply as well, he said.

After the justices had exhausted their questions, Chief Justice Richard Robinson, noting the complexity of the case, adjourned proceedings for the day.

William Gerace, Pans attorney, filed the initial motion for Pans bail to be reviewed in June. He has said the $20 million bond, believed to be a record in the state, is too high to be reasonable  an amount tantamount to no bond at all.

In response to that initial motion, the state Supreme Court ordered Fischer, who set the bond, to articulate his reasoning or hold a hearing to establish the evidence on which he based it.

Fischer did so by the courts July 15 deadline, citing Pans flight from the area in February after the killing, which prompted a nationwide manhunt; the slaying itself; Pans financial resources; his use of a false name; his connection to China; and the likelihood that he would flee the country, among other factors.

Harmon then affirmed Pans bond at $20 million on July 28, saying he also believed Pan was an acute flight risk, among other factors. Fischers choice of bail was appropriate, he said.

In their announcement, judicial branch officials noted Harmon cited the seriousness of the charged crime, the strength of the states case, the defendants lack of ties to Connecticut, his flight and his familys assistance therewith, the $19,000 in cash found with him during his apprehension, and his mental health, among other factors.

Jiang was shot to death on Lawrence Street in the citys East Rock neighborhood Feb. 6.

5 things we know about Qinxuan Pans arrest and the killing of Kevin Jiang

Those who knew Jiang have described him as a person of faith and energy, including his parents, speaking during his funeral at Trinity Baptist Church in New Haven.

City police obtained a warrant charging Pan with Jiangs slaying in late February. The department had named him as a person of interest in the case Feb. 10.

Pan, formerly a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was not arrested until May 13 in Montgomery, Ala., following a search by U.S. marshals and others.

Perry, Jiangs fiancee, also attended MIT as an undergraduate student, graduating in 2020 with a degree in biological engineering.

Pan was living in Malden, Mass., on the day he allegedly drove to New Haven and killed Jiang.

Affidavit: The guns, cars and DNA that led police to arrest Qinxuan Pan in slaying of Yale grad student.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
As a high school cross-country runner at Cheshire High School at the end of the 1970s, the wooded running trails at Cheshire Park were a special place for Mark Jardim, according to his wife.

I think for Mark, running gave him a way to clear his mind, feel free, Jennifer Jardim said of her late husband, who was killed while at work in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, when two hijacked airplanes slammed into the twin towers.

In later years, I think it always took him back to the time he spent running in Cheshire and CHS cross-country and all the fun memories and friendships that enriched and sustained him through his life, she said.

Jennifer Jardim and members of her husbands 1980 graduating class will honor him next month by rededicating the parks pavilion in his memory. The ceremony will be part of the 40th reunion of the class, which had to be postponed from last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Jardim was 39 and a senior vice president in Investment Administration at Zurich Scudder Investments at the time of his death.

Linda Bouchard, a former classmate of Jardims and one of the organizers of the class reunion, recalled the day she heard about his death.

It was so horrific that I almost couldnt believe it, she said. It was just horrendous.

Cheshire Park had special meaning for Jardims family and friends even after his death because for 15 years, it was also home to the Mark Jardim Memorial Jog. The event raised money for a scholarship that was created in his name at Cheshire High School as well as other worthy causes.

Cheshire is a great town, it is special and I was always in awe and a bit envious of the environment in which Mark grew up, Jennifer Jardim said, Marks brother John, his wife, Kim, and their twin boys live in Colorado and they, myself and a few other friends were pivotal in organizing and running the MJMJ every year. But after 15 years, everyone was getting older, everyones kids were growing up and it was getting harder for everyone to get together every year, so we decided to end it on a high note, while we still had good participation.

Jennifer Jardim, who lives in New Jersey, met her late husband when they were both working at financial firm The Boston Co.

Mark went to Northeastern in Boston for college and I moved to Boston after college, she said.

They were friends at first for a few years, according to Jardim, part of a larger group of co-workers who were all starting out in our careers, working hard but also enjoying each others company, hanging out together and having fun outside of work.

He was warm, friendly, funny; he liked to get people together and had a pretty large group of childhood friends from Cheshire, and college friends whom he kept close, she said of her husband. He worked hard and was very successful in his career, rising up the ranks so to speak, but what he really valued was his family and friends.

The couple was married in 1994 in Portland, Maine, by the Rev. John Sullivan, a Cheshire High School classmate who had become a priest. Sullivan would come back into Jennifer Jardims life in the aftermath of 9/11: She credits him with helping her and others close to Mark come to terms with his death.

Three years later, their careers in finance took them from Boston to New York City where they both got jobs in the financial sector. At the time of 9/11, we were actually house-hunting in Connecticut, thinking we could commute into New York City, but have more space and a break from the rigors of New York City life, Jennifer Jardim said.  Mark jokingly envisioned a family compound where all his family and friends would live. He would have everyone whom he loved close by.

She said at Zurich Scudder, they called him the Pied Piper because whenever he went out for a drink after work, he would gather a large following to join him.

He was a manager by then and really enjoyed mentoring the younger staff and instilling in them the values that he felt important: Work hard, with integrity and purpose; stand up for your principles; try to bring fun, joy and satisfaction into what you do, Jennifer Jardim said. But always value your time with family and friends.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  A city man recently was indicted after allegedly helping run an effort to sell cocaine and crack cocaine in the Hill neighborhood, according to federal officials.

Brian Ward is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to judicial records.

In an affidavit seeking a warrant for Wards arrest, Adam Jones, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New Haven, said Ward and others were allegedly running a cocaine and cocaine base (crack) distribution operation involving multiple individuals who operate all hours of the day and night, every day of the week.

The investigation began on Jan. 8, Jones said, when a West Haven police officer was contacted by a New Haven police investigator regarding information from a credible and reliable source that two felons were in possession of firearms in at Econo Lodge on Highland Street.

West Haven police allegedly saw four men exiting a vehicle determined to have been stolen out of North Haven, then enter a room at the lodge, according to the affidavit. Police, seeing this, knocked and informed those inside of their presence.

Ward, along with 21 other people, were inside, according to the warrant affidavit. Among other items, police allegedly found six pistols and cocaine in the room.

The FBI in July obtained a search warrant for Wards residence, as well as a car he allegedly shared with another New Haven man believed to be involved, according to the affidavit. The other man was not identified.

Officers found four ammunition magazines and a box of 39, 9 mm rounds in Wards bedroom, according to the affidavit, and a Glock handgun in the vehicle. Due to prior convictions, Ward is prohibited from owning ammunition, police said.

Officials allegedly found cocaine at the other New Haven mans residence; Ward allegedly claimed ownership of a bag of cocaine allegedly thrown from the window as FBI agents and police arrived at the home.

Ward was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in New Haven, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for Connecticut.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
KITTERY, Maine (AP)  Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said growing threats around the world underscore the importance of a $1.7 billion project that will expand capacity and improve efficiency at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Getting vessels repaired and overhauled on time is crucial as China threatens sea lanes, Russias navy is emboldened and rogue states and terrorists threaten vessels in the Persian Gulf, Del Toro said.

The threats on the horizon are very real today, he said, exhorting workers to remain focused during a groundbreaking ceremony.

The seven-year project will allow two submarines to utilize the former Dry Dock 1 simultaneously. It will accommodate both Los Angeles- and Virginia-class attack submarines, increasing capacity.

The contract represents the largest and most complex project ever awarded by the Naval Facilities and Engineering Command, said Capt. Daniel Ettlich, the shipyard's commander.

The project doubles the dry dock capacity for Virginia-class submarines and cements the future of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the future of our submarine force," he said.

The project is a key part of the Navys $21 billion modernization efforts at four public shipyards that repair and overhaul ships, with a goal of eliminating a backlog and returning ships to the fleet faster.

About 60% of todays fleet was commissioned in 2001 or before  causing growing maintenance and operation costs.

Dignitaries at the groundbreaking at the shipyard included Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine.

The event was Del Toro's first visit to a public shipyard since he became Navy secretary last month. Afterward, he planned to visit a private shipbuilder, Maine's Bath Iron Works.
NEW HAVEN  With at least 124 people connected to the city school district quarantining due to COVID-19, the district is working on on a plan to provide some teaching time to those kids after school, schools spokesman Justin Harmon said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, an additional four people associated with the district  one at Wexler Grant School, two at Fair Haven School and one at Celentano BioTech, Health and Medical Magnet School  were confirmed to have COVID-19 Wednesday.

Contact tracing identified six additional individuals at Fair Haven who will quarantine due to exposure to the confirmed case, plus six more who were exposed at Celentano, Harmon said in a release. Two individuals who were exposed to the case at Wexler will quarantine.

This was the second case confirmed at Wexler Grant.

The latest case brings the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 after the school year began to 19, with a total of 39 cases including those who never came to school, then quarantined and subsequently were found to be infected, said Harmon.

Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey said she expected that there would be new cases when schools reopened for in-person instruction, and the number of cases so far is no surprise.

We expected these things to happen, Tracey said. When we opened, we knew we would not be so lucky to not have these things happen.

With a number of people out, Were working on a plan to have certified teachers, you know, our regular teachers, work with our students who are stuck at home either while quarantining or after testing positive for COVID-19, Tracey said.

Director of Health Maritza Bond said that with 41 schools in the New Haven Public Schools system, I do not have any major concerns at this juncture.

She added, however, that all of the contact tracing and all of the mitigation strategies are handled by the Board of Ed.

School board member Darnell Goldson said he was worried both about the number of cases and what he perceives to be the lack of a cohesive plan.

Im certainly becoming concerned by the number of cases that are being reported every day, Goldson said. I just dont understand why wed be, after a week and a half of school, still working on a plan for kids when theyre stuck at home. The plan should have been in place on the day school started.

They just continue to do the same thing over and over again, and thats a little frustrating, he said.

It seems like were being more reactive than proactive, and that concerns me, Goldson said. .. .Our kids are already behind ... and I hope they get it together  cause they spent all summer spending that money ... and apparently not putting a plan together for how to teach children once they are confined to their homes, he said.

Asked what the school district is doing to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further within the system, Harmon said, We are focusing on ensuring students wear masks properly; on contact tracing to quarantine where necessary; on providing instruction to students who are quarantined, and on maintaining good building hygiene.

Currently, students out on quarantine or with COVID are taught via an online system wherein teachers post material that kids need to work on online, Harmon said.

The plan to provide after-school teaching time to students who arent in school would supplement that, he said.

We strongly believe that kids are better off to be in school, so masking is very important, Harmon said. In addition, We do very thorough cleanings and we try to be really careful about contact tracing.

Were observing all the protocols that scientists tell us make a difference ... paying attention to masking, he said. Were encouraging vaccinations for students over the age of 12 and were doing a good job of cleaning in all the schools.

Meanwhile, the district is working with its bus company, First Student, to try to hire more bus drivers.

Last week we had a couple of instances where the buses were later than people would have liked, Harmon said. Weve had a conversation with our transportation provider yesterday and they said that the truth is ... were working in an atmosphere of constraints.

The fact is that there is a shortage and that they are advertising, trying to encourage more people to consider being bus drivers, Harmon said. Theyre trying signing bonuses. Theyre trying whatever they can to make it attractive as possible.

The school system so far this week has posted a letter from First Student seeking to hire bus drivers both on its website and its Facebook page to help the plea gain more visibility.

The citys public schools reported Tuesday that one individual each at the Wexler Grant School and the John S. Martinez Sea and Sky STEM Magnet School had cases of COVID-19 confirmed over the weekend.

Also on Tuesday, Harmon said two additional individuals from Wexler and one from Martinez were quarantined for exposure to the confirmed cases.

On Friday, according to the district, two individuals at James Hillhouse High School, one at Benjamin Jepson Magnet School and one at Sound School had tested positive for COVID-19.

The individuals have been instructed by the New Haven Health Department to remain home in isolation for 10 days, and have been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school, according to the district.

The New Haven Public Schools follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and Connecticut state mandates in the management of suspected COVID cases, Harmon said.

Prior to Friday, but since the beginning of school, a number of other New Haven Public Schools students had been confirmed with cases of COVID-19.

The district said last Thursday that a COVID-19 case was confirmed that day at each of Barack H. Obama Magnet University School, Wilbur Cross High School and Bishop Woods Architecture and Design Magnet School. Twelve individuals were quarantined at that time as a result: eight at Obama, two at Wilbur Cross, and two at Bishop Woods.

A student each in the Davis Street Magnet and the Edgewood Magnet had cases confirmed (Wednesday), the district said in emails last week. Two students in the Beecher Magnet school also had tests confirmed, according to the district.

Nine Davis students were quarantined for exposure to the student whose case was confirmed, according to the district. Three Edgewood students and six Beecher students initially were quarantined, the district said.

In a later update last week, the district confirmed that, in addition to two students at Beecher, a third individual at the school tested positive for COVID-19. The individuals have been instructed by the New Haven Health Department to remain home in isolation for 10 days, and have been provided with additional instructions to follow prior to returning to school, Harmon said at the time.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  The parent company of Maine Medical Center is postponing some elective surgical procedures because of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Maine Medical Center reduced surgeries by 30% last week, and all hospitals in the MaineHealth network are reducing surgeries that require a hospital admission after surgery, said Dr. Joan Boomsma, chief medical officer.

Boomsma told the Portland Press Herald the tightening hospital capacity for non-COVID-19 patients is similar to what Maine Med experienced at the previous peak of the pandemic in mid-January.

MaineHealth is the parent company of eight hospitals including Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington and Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick.

In other pandemic-related news:

THE NUMBERS

The Maine Center for Disease Control reported 732 infections over a four-day period that includes Labor Day. There were six additional deaths, the agency reported Wednesday.

Maine is hard-hit by the delta variant of the coronavirus.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine has risen over the past two weeks from 161 new cases a day on Aug. 23 to 316 new cases a day on Monday.

As of Tuesday, 183 Mainers were hospitalized with the disease, with 68 in critical care and 29 on ventilators, the Maine CDC said.

HONOR FLIGHTS

A nonprofit that flies Maine veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials honoring their service is suspending its trips planned for September and October because of worries over the delta variant of the coronavirus.

The last Honor Flight was in November 2019, before the pandemic struck. Now those flights are being delayed again.

As much as we regret having to make this difficult decision, the safety and well-being has always and always will be our priority for our veterans, guardians, and volunteers, the organizations chair Laurie Sidelinger told News Center Maine.

REMOTE LEARNING

Many schools are just a week into the year, and there already are 10 COVID-19 outbreaks and some schools are already moving to remote learning.

Mildred L. Day School in Arundel demonstrates the difficulties schools are facing. Officials said 143 people were identified as close contacts following COVID-19 cases, forcing the move to remote learning.

I guess kind of expected in a way, sadly. Delta is really contagious. Kids are like  Im sure theyre trying to keep their masks on but... parent Tara McNeal told WMTW-TV.

Last month, a school in northern Maine was forced to return to remote learning after a staff member tested positive for the virus.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
UNITED NATIONS  Former Irish president Mary Robinson, who heads the group of prominent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, called on China and Russia especially to tell the Taliban that participation of women in Afghan society and the education of girls are non-negotiable and must be respected.

Robinson recalled visiting Afghanistan in March 2002 as U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and being with the then minister of womens affairs and other Afghan women who had been active before the Taliban ruled from 1996-2001 when they drafted a charter of womens rights.

Now chair of The Elders, Robinson told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday this was an important reminder that womens rights are not Western rights  they are fundamental human rights that these Afghan women had reclaimed in accordance with their cultural values.

Over the past nearly 20 years, she said, hard-won gains in gender equality and womens rights have been secured through constitutional, legislative and policy changes.

We cannot allow the women and girls of Afghanistan to be deprived of these rights, including the right to leave the country, Robinson said.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban name caretaker Cabinet that pays homage to old guard

 US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression

 Blinken and Austin to visit Gulf to address postwar stresses

 Taliban say they took Panjshir, last holdout Afghan province

 Over 24 hours in Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for $606 million to help nearly 11 million people in Afghanistan for the rest of 2021. It says they face a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by drought, displacement, chronic poverty and the sharp increase in hostilities as the Taliban swept to power.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs already has a $1.3 billion appeal for Afghanistan for the entire year of 2021, but it is only 39% funded  at just $498 million.

The agencys a Flash Appeal launched Tuesday includes $413 million from the original appeal that has not been funded and $193 million in new needs through December.

The money aims to assist 11 million people with critically needed food and livelihood assistance, including 2 million people not covered in the original appeal. It is also meant to provide essential health services to 3.4 million Afghans, treatment for acute malnutrition for more than 1 million children and women, water and sanitation for 2.5 million people, and protection for 1.5 million people including children and survivors of gender violence.

The agency says even prior to the Taliban takeover, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was one of the worst in the world.

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WASHINGTON  The State Department says the U.S. is assessing the new Afghan government announced by the Taliban.

We note the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates and no women, a State Department statement said. We also are concerned by the affiliations and track records of some of the individuals.

We understand that the Taliban has presented this as a caretaker Cabinet. However, we will judge the Taliban by its actions, not words. We have made clear our expectation that the Afghan people deserve an inclusive government, it said.

On the issue of people trying to leave Afghanistan, the State Department said the U.S. will hold the Taliban to their commitments to allow safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghans with travel documents, including permitting flights currently ready to fly out of Afghanistan to agreed-upon onward destinations.

The statement added: We also reiterate our clear expectation that the Taliban ensure that Afghan soil is not used to threaten any other countries and allow humanitarian access in support of the Afghan people.

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UNITED NATIONS -- The acting head of the United Nations womens agency says the Talibans exclusion of women in Afghanistans new government calls into question its commitment to protect and respect the rights of women and girls.

Pramila Patten called womens political participation a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy and said that by excluding women from the machinery of government the Taliban leadership has sent the wrong signal about their stated goal of building an inclusive, strong and prosperous society.

The acting executive director of UN Women also expressed disappointment Tuesday at the Talibans apparent decision to no longer include a Ministry of Women in the governments institutions, calling it a further step backwards.

And she expressed serious concern at the reported use of force by authorities in Kabul against peaceful protesters, mainly women, demanding the equal enjoyment of their rights.

Patten called on the Taliban leadership to comply with its obligations under international treaties that Afghanistan is party to as well as the countrys constitution, which demand unambiguously the guarantee of equality for all citizens including the full participation of women in political and decision-making processes.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan that is stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

The move seems unlikely to win the international support the new leaders desperately need to avoid an economic meltdown.

Appointed as interior minister was Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on the FBIs most-wanted list with a $5 million bounty on his head and is believed to still be holding at least one American hostage. He headed the feared Haqqani network that is blamed for many deadly attacks and kidnappings.

The announcement came hours after Taliban fired their guns into the air to disperse protesters in Kabul and arrested several journalists.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N.s humanitarian chief says a top Taliban leader pledged to let aid workers operate safely and independently and reach the millions of Afghans in need. Now, the U.N. is aiming to get the promises in writing and put them into action.

In a video news briefing Tuesday, Martin Griffiths said a key humanitarian priority is getting safe and dependable access to the Kabul airport and road routes from neighboring countries.

Griffiths met over the weekend with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a longtime Taliban leader. He was named Tuesday to a Cabinet post in their interim government.

Griffiths said he also broached womens rights with Baradar and his advisers and was heard out, but the topic needs further work.

Griffiths says the Taliban leaders appear more willing to engage with the international community than they were in the 1990s, when he also discussed humanitarian work with the Islamic militants. But he says the challenge is the process of the next many months, when the people of Afghanistan will be learning to live with their new rulers, and so will we.

The U.N. was already striving to provide humanitarian aid to an estimated 18 million needy Afghans before the Taliban took over the drought-stricken country last month.

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LEDNICE, Czech Republic  The prime ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia say they are ready to help Afghan refugees after the Taliban took over, but only those who fled to neighboring countries.

Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz says Austria is sending the refugees staying in Afghanistans neighboring countries a sum of $18 million.

Kurz has long taken a tough approach to migration issues. He recently said that Austria wont accept any migrants from Afghanistan because it has taken in a disproportionately high number since 2015. In that year 1 million people entered Europe from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Kurz says: We cannot allow the year of 2015 to repeat itself.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says: Theres really no space for them in Europe.

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WASHINGTON  The top U.S. military officer is telling troops who participated in the massive and chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan to hold their heads high and ignore the criticism swirling around about the war and how it ended.

In blunt talk to military air crews at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey on Tuesday, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the war in Afghanistan didnt end the way many wanted.

This is not the outcome any of us wanted, but it is the outcome that we have, Milley told troops who flew evacuees out of Afghanistan. And know that at the tail end here, what you did as individuals and collectively was something enormously heroic and honorable and noble. You can always hold your heads high.

Milley spent much of the weekend traveling through Europe, speaking to U.S. service members who participated in the evacuation. The effort got more than 124,000 Americans, Afghans and others out of the country in the wake of the governments collapse amid a violent and swift Taliban takeover. The Biden administration has been criticized for the turbulent evacuation that left many at-risk Afghans behind, and after an Islamic State suicide attack killed many Afghans and 13 U.S. troops at a Kabul airport gate.

Milleys messages to the troops has been a thank you, punctuated by a heavy pep talk.

Milleys audience included the aircrew of the C-17 that took off from Kabul with 823 people crowded on board. In the early days of the evacuation, Afghans frantically climbed onto the aircraft. Rather than force some to get off, the crew decided to take off with what Milley said was three times their normal load of people. Photos of the jammed plane went viral on social media.

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MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan  An Afghan employee of an American organization in Afghanistan says the Taliban are blocking her and hundreds of other people from boarding charter evacuation flights out of Afghanistan.

The woman spoke to The Associated Press anonymously Tuesday, saying she feared for her safety if she is singled out by the Taliban.

The U.S. organization, Ascend, has worked for years with Afghan women and girls. The woman is among several hundred people, reportedly including American citizens and green card holders, who say they have been waiting in large residence halls and hotels for more than a week for permission to board waiting charter flights out of the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

We think we are in some kind of jail, the woman told the AP.

She says the American citizens she has met in the group are vulnerable people in their 70s, parents of Afghan Americans in the United States.

Taliban officials say they will let people who have the proper passports and other documentation leave. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday denied claims from Republican lawmakers that the situation in Mazar-e-Sharif amounted to a hostage-taking, after the U.S. government pulled its last troops and diplomats from the country last week.

The Afghan woman who talked to AP says her group has proper passports and visas, but the Taliban are blocking them from entering the airport. She says she went fleeing to the womens side of her hotel last week when word spread that the Taliban were searching the would-be evacuees, and had taken some away.

I am scared if they split us up and not let us leave, she said. If we cant get out of here, something wrong will happen. And I am afraid of that.

 By Ellen Knickmeyer in Oklahoma City

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TEHRAN, Iran  Irans foreign minister in a phone conversation with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai said his country will keep its borders with Afghanistan open and will continue to trade with the country.

The Iranian Foreign Ministrys website reported Tuesday that Hossein Amirabdollahian called for an Afghanistan free from war and terrorism.

The Iranian diplomat stressed the need for dialogue between all Afghan groups aimed at forming a government that reflects the countrys ethnicities.

The Taliban on Tuesday announced a caretaker Cabinet that paid homage to the old guard of the group, giving top posts to Taliban personalities who dominated the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition and its Afghan government allies.

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ISTANBUL  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given a cautious response to the Talibans new government.

He said at a news conference with Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Ankara: Its difficult to call it permanent but an interim Cabinet has been announced.

We do not know how long this interim cabinet will continue. It is our duty to follow this process carefully at this time, he said.

Turkey has expressed its desire to help Afghanistan after decades of conflict. Turkish and Qatari technicians are working to return Kabul airport to full operations. However, Turkeys call for it to provide security for the airport has been turned down by the Taliban.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban have fired gunshots to disperse a rally on Tuesday in Kabul and arrested several Afghan journalists who were covering the demonstration, witnesses and Afghan media outlets said.

The protest began outside the Pakistan Embassy in the Afghan capital to denounce what the demonstrators allege as Pakistans interference in Afghanistan, especially Islamabads alleged support for the latest Taliban offensive that routed anti-Taliban fighters in Panjshir province.

Posts on social media demanded the release of the arrested reporters.

An Afghan journalist who was among those detained and who was later freed told The Associated Press he was punished by the Taliban. They made me rub my nose on the ground and apologize for covering the protest, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fears for his safety. Journalism in Afghanistan is getting harder, he added.

Afghanistans TOLOnews TV channel said its cameraman Wahid Ahmadi was among those arrested.

Since taking control of Afghanistan last month, there have been reports of Taliban beating and threatening journalists. In one known case, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle said Taliban fighters going door to door in a hunt for one of its journalists shot and killed a member of his family and seriously injured another.

 By Tameem Akhgar in Istanbul

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghans with valid visas and passports stranded in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and waiting to take chartered evacuation flights out of the country will be allowed to leave, a Taliban official at the citys international airport said Tuesday.

Mawlawi Hafiz Mansour said the majority of Afghans waiting to take one of four evacuation flights have neither valid visas nor passports. The Taliban have said only Afghans with passports and valid visas would be allowed to leave.

Mansour did not provide a breakdown of the numbers of those with valid documents and those without.

Speaking from Qatar, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said the Taliban have given assurances of safe passage for all seeking to leave Afghanistan with proper travel documents. He said the United States would hold the Taliban to that pledge.

The U.S. is under pressure to help the remaining Americans and green card holders leave Afghanistan, and it has promised to work with the Taliban to do that.
GENEVA (AP)  Rich countries with large supplies of coronavirus vaccines should refrain from offering booster shots through the end of the year and make the doses available for poorer countries, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday, doubling down on an earlier appeal for a moratorium" on boosters that has largely been ignored.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said he was appalled after hearing comments Tuesday from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots for people in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer countries that face shortages. He said thats already been the case.

I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the worlds poor should be satisfied with leftovers, he told a news conference. "Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfill bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.

Tedros had previously called for a moratorium on boosters through the end of September. But wealthy countries  including Britain, Denmark, France, Greece, Germany, and Spain  have begun or are considering plans to offer third shots of two-dose vaccines to their vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Israel has been providing third doses to a wide swath of people who already received a full two-dose regimen months earlier. And last month, United States health officials recommended that all Americans get boosters to shore up their protection amid evidence that the vaccines effectiveness is falling. WHO officials insist the scientific justification for boosters remains unclear.

Tedros acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated."

Responding to the WHO calls on booster shots, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. has donated and shared about 140 million doses with over 90 countries, "more than all other countries combined.

She added: From Senegal to South Africa to India, weve made significant investments in boosting global productions of COVID vaccines. At the same time, the President and this administration has a responsibility to do everything we can to protect people in the United States.

U.S. health officials are continuing to assess the science and utility of boosters, and there are growing indications that the U.S. may miss the Biden administration's Sept. 20 target date for a wide rollout of extra shots for vaccinated people.

The WHO chief said he received a message of clear support from health ministers at a meeting of the influential Group of 20 countries this week for a commitment to help hit a WHO target that all countries vaccinate at least 40% of their people by year's end.

A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose, Tedros said. There has been little change in the global situation since then.

So today, Im calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40% of its population, he said.

The WHO says 5.5 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far, but 80% of those have been to upper- and middle-income countries. Rich countries have also offered to donate 1 billion doses to other countries, but fewer than 15% of those doses have materialized," Tedros said.

He noted that manufacturers have pledged to prioritize the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to get vaccines to the neediest people in the world  no matter how wealthy the country.

We dont want any more promises. We just want the vaccines, the WHO chief said.

Earlier Wednesday, COVAX managers again scaled back their target to ship doses this year, projecting about 1.4 billion doses will be available through the program by year-end  down from about 1.8 billion previously. They had originally hoped to ship 2 billion doses this year.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which co-runs the program, said COVAX has faced setbacks including export restrictions from hard-hit India  a key producer of vaccines  as well as regulatory hurdles for some vaccine candidates and manufacturing troubles elsewhere. But it also said deliveries are ramping up strongly, and another 1.1 billion doses are expected to be available by year-end through the program, up from 330 million so far. Most of those doses have gone to or are destined for poorer countries.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said Tuesday that about 1.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses are now being produced every month, and cited projections that a total of 12 billion will have been produced by year-end.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, a top adviser to Tedros, acknowledged that some countries may be going ahead with decisions" to widely administer boosters, but that the WHO call for a moratorium makes a real difference. He said some countries  which he did not identify  have approached the WHO about whether booster policies could be delayed.

But admittedly, the WHO's first call for a moratorium through September has not fixed the gaping imbalance in access to vaccines.

(O)ur role is to make sure that we put forward the strongest possible arguments and way out of this pandemic  and the way out of that is a moratorium and to extend it," Aylward said. "Because since the last time we called for it, the equity gap has gotten greater, the amount of vaccine available to low-income countries has gone down.

___

Aamer Madhani in Washington DC contributed to this report.

___

Follow all AP stories on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
In this July 17, 2000 file photo, Father Mychal Judge, a chaplain with the New York City Fire Department, stands at the shore before a service where 230 candles were lit for the July 17, 1996 victims of TWA Flight 800, at Smith Point Park in Shirley. (AP Photo/Ed Betz, File)
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Mostly cloudy. High 73F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.
Criminal justice students plant American flags on the lawn of the Niagara University campus to commemorate the lives of the victims of the attacks on 9/11.
The Department of State Services has filed terrorism charges against two detained aides of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo also know...

The Department of State Services has filed terrorism charges against two detained aides of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho.

The charges were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja after over two months since the secret police arrested and detained the two aides of the activist and the DSS refusal to grant them bail despite a court order.

In the suit no FHC/ABJ/CR/305/2021, which was dated August 31, 2021, the DSS through its lawyer S.M. Bello, filed five terrorism charges against Noah Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde (female).

The DSS alleged that Oyetunji was in possession of fire arms for terrorism-related activities while Babatunde promoted terroristic acts through her Facebook account.

But reacting in a chat with The PUNCH, the detainees lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said, The charges are baseless, vexatious, shameful and without limbs.

The court has not fixed any date for the hearing.

The DSS, last week, freed 10 of the 12 aides of Igboho after over 60 days in detention following their arrested since July 1.

The DSS had during a midnight invasion of Igbohos Soka house in Ibadan, Oyo State, arrested 12 of the activists allies and whisked them away to Abuja, where they had been kept in detention.

The detainees had approached the court to seek their fundamental right to freedom.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on August 4, 2021, granted bail to the 12 detainees.

They had met their bail conditions, including the provision of 24 sureties, but the DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, had kicked against the bail granted by Justice Egwuatu to four of them, claiming that they were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.

After a long dilly-dally, the secret police, in compliance with a court order, first released eight of the 12 detainees on Monday, August 30, 2021, holding onto the remaining four. Two more aides were freed last Friday while Babatunde and Oyetunji are still in detention.

Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria  Femi Falana, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Ifedayo Adedipe  had said that the DSS was inviting anarchy and lawlessness into the country by not obeying the order for the release of the 12 detainees.

Igboho, wanted by the DSS for alleged arms trafficking, has been in detention in Cotonou, Benin Republic, since July 19, 2021 when he was arrested at an airport as he tried to board a Germany-bound flight.

Details later
The Police anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad have arrested six suspects over their alleged connection in the murder of one Prince Eric Ta...





The Police anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad have arrested six suspects over their alleged connection in the murder of one Prince Eric Takerere and two mobile policemen.

They also allegedly carted away of their rifles as well as attempted to murder one Prince Franklyn Takerere.

The suspects include, Onoriode Shefo AKA Chikago M 36yrs, Omagbeosa Sholla M 30yrs, Godwin Obukoemu AKA Million M 30yrs, Ejime Mugagbam M34yrs, Ejiroghenen Nushe M 24yrs and Egho Monday M 28yrs.

They were arrested by the Police Operatives during a raid on their hideouts in Udu, Warri and Aladja Communities in Delta State.

The Delta State Police Command led by CP Ari Mohammed Ali confirmed the report in a statement signed by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe.

According to the Police image maker, They all confessed to be involved in the murder of prince Eric Takerere and his two mobile policemen.

They also led the operatives to their armoury where two AK47 rifles, one pump action gun, one locally made pistol, four magazines, seventy six rounds of live ammunition and thirty eight rounds of live cartridges were recovered.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) says its members are not ready for the Lagos State Government ban on open grazing. On...





The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) says its members are not ready for the Lagos State Government ban on open grazing.

On Monday, the Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill passed second reading at the House of Assembly.

The bill seeks to outlaw open grazing, the trespass of cattle, illegal entering into farmlands, among others.

On Wednesday, Miyetti Allahs Zonal Secretary in South-West, Maikudi Usman said the body needs more time to enlighten herders.

The scribe spoke at a one-day public hearing organised by the state legislature.

Usman stated that herders are not used to breeding cattle in one place.

When we say we will keep cattle in one place, the owner of the cattle will not have funds to feed the animals in one place.

They (herdsmen) depend on going from one place to another because during the rainy season, we have where we settle down, and we also have for the dry season.

We are pleading with the state government to give us more time to tell our people and train them on how to breed cattle in one place and not encroach on farmers land, he said.

Usman added that it would be more expensive to breed cattle in one location, and urged Lagos authorities to amend the proposed bill.
Ibrahim Salami, one of the Cotonou, Benin Republic-based lawyers of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, has faulted...

Ibrahim Salami, one of the Cotonou, Benin Republic-based lawyers of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, has faulted leaked audio where the activist faulted his legal team.

Igboho had expressed confidence in gaining freedom if returned to Nigeria by Benin Republic.

In leaked audio confirmed by multiple sources, Igboho alleged that he was abandoned by lawyers who collected a huge amount of money from him in Benin.

Salami explained that the leaked audio is dangerous for the justice being pursued on behalf of Igboho.

According to him, Igboho was angry with him and other members of the legal team because he felt he had no reason to remain in police detention.

The professor of law explained that Igboho found it strange to remain in police custody for not committing any crime.

He wants things to be done faster, the lawyer said in Yoruba.

Salami, who attempted to resist speaking on the matter in the media, also said Igboho didnt intend to make his complaint public.

Igboho is someone that gets angry easily and if I have a challenge with a client, it is not something to be discussed in the media, he added.





It was gathered that Igboho had made a similar complaint to the leadership of Ilana Omo Oodua, who is handling legal matters for him in Benin Republic.

The Benin-Republic-based lawyer hinted that the issues have been resolved, adding that he was continuing his work with other members of the team.

He noted that Igboho has a right to be angry with the way he was detained in violation of the law, in an interview with BBC. He has a right to be angry, the lawyer added.

A source among the leadership of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, said Salami was recruited because of his influence in Benin Republic.

According to the source, Salami understood the legal system in Benin and he is also one of the leading lawyers and consultants to the government.

Beyond being a professor, Salami understands the legal system. He is a government lawyer. He was very instrumental in stopping Igbohos extradition the moment he was arrested.

We also have some challenges with him, but we are hopeful that he will adjust going forward. For instance, after every sitting, he briefs the press first before his clients. That is wrong for elders and causing confusion.

Apart from Igboho, he is dealing directly with Professors Banji Akintoye and Wale Adeniran, and they dont get updates from him immediately.
Popular Nigerian actress, Mide Martins, and her husband and colleague, Afeez Abiodun popularly known as Afeez Owo, on Tuesday, 7th Septemb...





Popular Nigerian actress, Mide Martins, and her husband and colleague, Afeez Abiodun popularly known as Afeez Owo, on Tuesday, 7th September 2021, celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary.

The mother of two and fashion entrepreneur, took to her Instagram page to share a beautiful picture of herself and her husband in appreciation to God for the journey so far.

In the same vein, her husband also took to his Instagram page to shower praises on his wife while thanking God on the occasion of their anniversary.

Afeez married Mide, daughter of the late actress Funmi Martins, who died on April 6, 2002, after a brief illness.

According to reports, the two met when Mide returned from London during her mothers movie shoot while Afeez was Funmi Martinss manager at the time.

They started off as just friends, and Mide Martins, in a report, revealed she regarded him as a brother.

However, their friendship moved to the next level after they both got jilted in their different relationships.

In 2016, rumours filtered in that their marriage crashed with reports stressing that it was owing to Mides infidelity.

Afeez, at the time, according to reports had suspected his wife was lying to him and carefully observed her every move and the problem in their relationship went on for several months.

However, it became public when the couple started living in separate homes.

Martins, however later debunked the rumours by giving an update on their reunion.

The two are still married till date.
Justice K. C. J. Okereke of the Abia High Court has fixed 21 September for hearing of the N5 billion suit instituted by Nnamdi Kanu leader...

Justice K. C. J. Okereke of the Abia High Court has fixed 21 September for hearing of the N5 billion suit instituted by Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, against the Buhari administration and its officials.

In suit no HIH/FR14/2021 filed today by his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu demands compensation from the government over infringements of his fundamental human rights.

Those sued apart from the Buhari government are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); In the suit, Chief of Army Staff, Inspector General of Police, Director General, State Security Services and three others.

Kanu wants them to pay him N5 billion in damages, being monetary compensation for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological and other damages suffered as a result of the alleged infringements of his fundamental rights.

At the mention of the case today, Kanu secured an order from the court to serve by substituted means an application for enforcement of the fundamental rights of Kanu.

Kanu, who is currently in DSS custody was kidnapped in Kenya in June and then flown to Nigeria to continue the treason trial against him.

He contends that his rights have been infringed upon since 2017 when he fled the country due to an alleged threat to his life by security agents and after his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria from a foreign country recently.

A declaration that the expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria by the Respondents or their agents and their consequent detention and planned prosecution of the Applicant in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu) is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amount to infringement of the Applicants fundamental right against unlawful expulsion and detention, and to fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter).

An order restraining the Respondents or their agents from taking any further step in the prosecution of the Applicant in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu) pursuant to said unlawful expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria.

An order mandating and compelling the Respondents or their agents to forthwith release the Applicant from detention and restitute or otherwise restore Applicant to his liberty, same being his state of being as of 19th June, 2021; and to thereupon repatriate the Applicant to his country of domicile (to wit: Britain) to await the outcome of any formal request the Respondents may file before the competent authorities in Britain for the lawful extradition of the Applicant to Nigeria to continue his prosecution in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu).

An order mandating and compelling the Respondents to issue an official Letter of Apology to the Applicant for the infringement of his fundamental rights; and publication of said Letter of Apology in three (3) national dailies.

An order mandating and compelling the Respondents to pay the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira) to the Applicant, being monetary damages claimed by the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological and other damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of the infringements of Applicants fundamental rights.
The Lagos State Police command has invited Uzoamaka Ohiri, the former wife of comedian, Chinedu Ani, a.k.a Nedu Our correspondent le...

The Lagos State Police command has invited Uzoamaka Ohiri, the former wife of comedian, Chinedu Ani, a.k.a Nedu

Our correspondent learnt that policemen attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, visited her home in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Tuesday evening, but she was not at home.

They subsequently told the security guard to inform her to report at the SCID on Thursday.

Speaking on Wednesday, Uzoamakas cousin, who identified himself only as Peter, said, Policemen attached to Panti came to the house on Tuesday evening, but she was not around.

They asked the security guard to sign a document and then they asked her to come to their station.

A member of her legal team from Wingman Legal Chambers also confirmed that the comedians ex-wife had been invited.





It is true. She was asked to report at the SCID tomorrow morning, he said.

Attempts to speak with Uzoamaka proved abortive, as her telephone line indicated that it has been switched off.

She may have already been arrested because I have not been able to reach her all day, said Uzoamakas cousin, Peter.

The mother of three has been trending on social media for the last five days after accusing her ex-husband of domestic violence.

In his response to his ex-wifes allegations, Nedu said he had been the victim of domestic violence, rather than Uzoamaka.

Our correspondent could not ascertain the reason for the Police invitation as of Press time, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, could not be reached on the telephone on Wednesday.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State have asked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to reope...





The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State have asked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to reopen land borders without further ado.

NANS said the closure of land borders by the Buhari government for almost two years had exceeded its relevance.

The students body regretted that the negative effects of the closure were showing in the economy and living conditions of Ogun residents.

A statement by the Chairman of NANS in the state, Damilola Simeon, explained that the increase in smuggling activities in the Gateway State could be traced to the border closure.

We urge the Federal Government to reconsider the closure of Ogun State land borders. The closure has exceeded its relevance and the negative effects are showing in the economy and living conditions of the good people of Ogun State.

As a matter of fact, the increase in smuggling activities is traceable to the extended border closure as legitimate truck loaders and other border workers now resort to illegal dealings, it was said.

NANS and other student unions in Ogun State had met with the Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, Peter Kolo, on September 6 over claims of illegal arms importation through Ogun borders.

Kolo was said to have emphasised that neither he nor his officers were aiding smuggling as alleged by the students.

At the meeting, the students had demanded effective policing of the illegal routes that serve as the major outlets for gun-running and other contrabands as well as clamping down on smuggling activities in the area.

At the end of the meeting, we concluded that the Nigerian Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command has been assiduous in carrying out their duties.

The agency has, however, been grossly incapacitated by different challenges and remonstrance, including insufficient human and vehicular resources.

These challenges, if left to continue, could cripple the activities of the Customs and expose our borders to untold hardship.

We also demand that more patrol vehicles be provided for the command. We found out that the Command has less than ten patrol vehicles for their operations. This is ridiculous, to say the least.

Finally, we urge the Federal Government to liaise with the State Comptroller in order to receive and attend to more fundamental problems of the agency, the statement reads in part.
The 12 aides of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, have brought a fundamental human rights enforcement action before the Fe...

The 12 aides of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, have brought a fundamental human rights enforcement action before the Federal High Court Abuja against the Department of State Services for allegedly breaching their constitutional rights serially.

The aides are praying the court for an order granting the sum of N100 million being the aggravated and exemplary damages against the DSS.

Amongst other reliefs, the aides are praying for a declaration that the applicants have not committed any offence known to law that will warrant intimidation, harassment, and threats of persecution and degradation of their human person by the respondents violating the law.

A declaration that the detention of the detention of the applicants by the respondent beyond 48 hours as entrenched by the constitution is illegal and violates the applicants right to be tried within a reasonable time.

They are also seeking a declaration that the media parade of the applicants by the respondent without a court conviction is illegal and unlawful as same violated their fundamental right to dignity of human person, a defamation of their character and right of innocence as provided by the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended.

When the matter was called up before Justice Obiora Egwuatu on Wednesday, the lawyer representing the aides told the court that at the last adjourned date, they were asked to serve their process on the DSS and that they had already done so.

The DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, informed the court that they have received the process filed by the aides and have also filed their counter-affidavit in response on September 6.

However, Awo informed the court that on September 7, his colleague who was supposed to appear with him in the matter was asked to bring the case file to court.





However, he said the lady boarded a vehicle, which unknowingly to her, belonged to armed robbers, the type commonly referred to as one chance.

He stated that she was dispossessed of all her belongings including the case file by the armed robbers.

He also told the court that he had already applied for the Certified True Copy of the processes at the Process Registry and was not with any copy in court to serve the applicants.

Consequently, Awo applied for an adjournment to enable him to obtain the CTC and serve Igboho aides lawyer their counter-affidavit.

The aides lawyer conceded to the adjournment.

Justice Egwuatu held that the matter would not be concluded during the vacation court which ends in a week.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Showers with a possible thunderstorm this morning, then variable clouds during the afternoon with still a chance of showers. High 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Thunderstorms during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
Is it, or isnt it?

Is the Renaissance painting sold at a 2005 New Orleans art auction truly a rediscovered portrait of Christ by the master himself, Leonardo da Vinci?

Or is the Salvator Mundi, as it is known, simply a masterful copy and the linchpin to one of the greatest art scams in history?

Thats the question that has captivated the art world since the paintings re-emergence following that 2005 auction, which saw it sell for $1,175 before being restored and eventually resold for a record-shattering $450.3 million.

Its also the question at the center of the unexpectedly entertaining new documentary The Lost Leonardo, a real-life, high-stakes thriller that plays more like a Dan Brown novel or a Hollywood heist film than it does some stuffy art lecture.

(Its such a rich story that a competing documentary, director Antoine Vitkings Savior for Sale: Da Vincis Lost Masterpiece?, has also just been released. It begins streaming online Sept. 17, and it has merits of its own.)

Directed by Andreas Koefoed, The Lost Leonardo doesnt offer a definitive answer to the question of the paintings authenticity, mostly because even now it differs depending on whom you ask. Rather, it lets viewers make up their own minds.

Along the way it provides them with a wealth of material on which to base their opinions  as well as one heck of a tale to enjoy.

Benefiting from interviews with a wealth of art world figures, The Lost Leonardo paints its own riveting twin portrait of greed and audacity, thrusting viewers behind the scenes of the often shady world of Big Art, in which multimillion-dollar deals for masterpieces  or, as in this case, suspected masterpieces  are struck in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of the public and the taxman alike.

In this world, the stakes are staggeringly high. Consequently, so are the risks of fraud, forgery and multimillion-dollar rip-offs  all of which provide the tantalizing fuel that makes Koefoeds film go.

The whole twisting story starts with the purchase in 1958 of an amateurishly restored painting, then believed to have been originally created by a student of da Vincis, by New Orleans businessman Warren Kuntz and wife Minnie. The price: about 45, the equivalent of about $65 U.S.

It was later inherited by their nephew, Basil Clovis Hendry Sr., of Baton Rouge, and put up for auction by Hendrys estate after his death in 2005.

Enter Alex Parrish, a sleeper hunter who scours auction listings for mistakes and oversights that undervalue potentially significant artworks, which he then snaps up for a song and, ideally, flips for a tidy profit.

While the Hendry painting was heavily and ham-handedly restored, Parrish decided to take a shot that it could be something special, teaming up with art dealer Robert B. Simon to buy it for $1,175.

They then hired art restorer Dianne Modestini, of New York, to see if she could scrape away the previous restoration  which was widespread and included a repainting of the face  in the hopes it could be returned to something resembling its former glory.

Modestinis work would be central to the creation of what has become an art world phenomenon.

During the restoration process, she noticed something interesting. The original shading of the upper lip on the Christ figure in the painting was particularly well done. She had seen its like before, but only once: on da Vincis revered Mona Lisa.

The more she examined the painting, the more she became convinced it was da Vincis long-rumored Salvator Mundi, which was believed copied by many of his students while learning from him.

Experts were brought in. They were open to the idea. The art world was abuzz with the possibility that this male Mona Lisa was indeed the work of the master himself.

But its not as easy as all that. For starters, not everybody is as ready as Modestini and others to accept it as a true da Vinci.

As Koefoed lays out in his film, the globe-spanning journey of this Salvator Mundi also involves accusations of over-restoration, multiple deceptions, tax-sheltering freeports, the CIA, a Russian oligarch, a Saudi prince and Leonardo DiCaprio.

It all culminates with the 2017 sale of the painting for $430.5 million, the most ever paid for a work of art. The painting has not been publicly seen since.

(The purchaser, according to The New York Times: Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman.)

As well-produced as it is, The Lost Leonardo doesnt break new ground from a filmmaking perspective. But the truth is, the story it tells doesnt really need embellishment. Its fascinating enough on its own, although Koefeld deserves credit for pulling together its myriad threads to weave a compelling narrative.

It might not be a masterpiece, but it is an enjoyable and fascinating ride.

Mike Scott can be reached at moviegoermike@gmail.com.
Local baker Kelly Mayhew drove back to New Orleans the night after riding out Hurricane Ida with family in Texas, but he didnt come back to bake bread. Instead, by Day 2 after the storm, he had begun turning his Mayhew Bakery in the Faubourg St. John neighborhood into a community aid spot, distributing free essentials, from diapers and dog food to hot coffee.

I was going stir crazy in Texas. I had to get back here and do something, said Mayhew, an Army veteran who started his baking business a few years ago.

Friends in the restaurant business started bringing food from their kitchens to donate, and regular customers leaving the blacked-out city post-storm brought groceries from their own pantries there on the way out. Within days, what Kelly had started with a table full of goods and a few coffee pots had taken over the entire bakery, with caches of supplies inside and various cooking stations around the parking lot, producing burgers, steaks and even fresh juice and gazpacho made using bins of fresh produce restaurants had left out for community use in the outage.

As New Orleans people began venturing out of their homes to try to resupply the essentials -- food, water, ice -- in many cases, they found people from the New Orleans area hospitality community stepping up to try to still serve them in different ways.

It happened spontaneously, and in many cases was as simple as telling people to come take whatever they needed and could use from their kitchens. The urge was to put it to use before it went bad.

Just take whatever you want, chef Michael Gulotta instructed visitors who walked through his darkened Mid-City restaurant, MoPho.

+3 New Orleans music club that fed thousands in the pandemic gets cooking again after Ida The stage inside the New Orleans music venue the Howlin Wolf was dark and quiet after Hurricane Ida cut the areas power supply. But on the s

He had turned the courtyard into an open-air market of ingredients that normally go into his Asian fusion menu here, from fresh rice noodles and bread to braised greens and marinated mushrooms. The following day, he did the same thing with the inventory of his upscale fusion restaurant Maypop, once hed been able to assess its inventory.

The giveaway drew neighbors, former employees of the restaurant and people who were organizing their own community aid efforts around town.

Downed electric poles just outside made getting to Wishing Town Bakery Cafe on 17th Street in Metairie tricky, but those who showed up on Tuesday after the storm were handed whole cakes, trays of dumplings to steam at home and cases of eggs, blocks of butter and bins of fruit. Owners Vivi and Kevin Zheng worked furiously to portion and package what they could to make the kitchens inventory as useful as possible to people who could still cook.

Jessica and Alonzo Knox did the same thing at their Basin Street cafe Backatown Coffee Parlour, leaving their own home that was damaged in the storm to open the doors here and dish out food to others.

"We still realized that we are blessed," said Jessica Knox. "Times like this are when New Orleans really knows how to pull together."

Doris Metropolitan, the upscale steakhouse, gave away its inventory of aged and premium meat, and the Argentine steakhouse La Boca turned its supply into hundreds of meals handed out for free.

At some restaurants, the impulse to serve the stricken community sent chefs and operators to the stoves, bearing the oppressive heat of fired-up kitchens without electricity to cook for others.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Most of the restaurants cooking again have been small mom-and-pops, operating with family, a handful of staff or, sometimes, just the proprietor working alone.

One was the Real Pie Man, a Creole soul food joint on Franklin Avenue in Gentilly, where Cedric Singleton and his wife Carolyn gave away plates of fried chicken and smothered okra to anyone who walked in. The kitchen was dark except for a battery-powered lantern, but the couple maneuvered around each other swiftly as they worked.

Weve never done this before because we never had to, and after Katrina there was no way too, said Singleton, who has run his business for 30 years. We cant let all this go to waste. So well just do this as long as we can.

Bevi Seafood boiled all the shrimp it had on hand to give away, and Palm & Pine in the French Quarter prepared boxed meals to and through the front window to anyone coming by.

Outside Pals Lounge, the bar by Bayou St. John, the pop-up Tacos Para La Vida that often cooks for customers here in normal times set up its street food operation once again, using inventory donated from a number of local restaurants to provide hot meals on the spot. A line of people stretched down the block.

A faulty generator prevented Blue Oak BBQ from reopening, but the Carrollton Avenue smokehouse teamed up with chefs Aaron Sanchez and Miles Landrem of Johnny Sanchez for a community feeding event, with free barbecue sandwiches and tacos from the Johnny Sanchez food truck in the parking lot.

As the first week after Ida ticked on day by gruelingly hot day, more restaurants found ways to get cooking again with free community meals, from Marjies Grill and Cafe Carmo to the upscale Uptown restaurants Saffron and Lilette.

Over on Oak Street, Live Oak Cafe had only reopened from its 2020 COVID closure a few days before Ida hit, yet chef Clare Leavy still spent the week feeding the neighborhood, giving away plates of Southern comfort food and selling drinks from the bar.

Its been a jigsaw puzzle of prepping the most perishable items to keep supplying meals, but at least we can do something, she said.

+5 A New Orleans culinary school rapidly transforms as a hub of Hurricane Ida food relief Classes were on hold at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute after Hurricane Ida, but the downtown culinary school offered a v
As Hurricane Ida pounded the 1811/Kid Ory Historic House in LaPlace, its caretakers spent a very long night at the museum.

With windows blown out and rust-stained rainwater dripping through the ceilings, John McCusker and Charlotte Jones scrambled to save artifacts and exhibits while hoping the roof stayed on.

People warned us about ghosts, said McCusker, the museums founder and managing director. So far, Ida is the scariest thing weve seen. It was a pretty terrifying night.

But this was our lifes work. We had to protect it.

The 1811/Kid Ory Historic House documents two momentous events that occurred on its grounds: the start of the 1811 German Coast slave uprising, the largest rebellion of enslaved people in American history, and the 1886 birth of trombonist Edward Kid Ory, a New Orleans jazz pioneer.

Sections of the Andry, later the Woodland, Plantation's main house date to the 1790s. Timothy Sheehan bought the decrepit property from a group of Ory descendants in 2017 and undertook a massive renovation.

Wanting to open the historic building to the public, Sheehan approached McCusker. McCusker spent three decades as a photojournalist at The Times-Picayune and The New Orleans Advocate. Since the 1990s, his Cradle of Jazz guided tour has introduced jazz fans from around the world to little-known landmarks throughout New Orleans.

He also wrote the 2012 Ory biography Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz and has assembled what he believes is the worlds largest Ory archive.

Jones, the museums operations and program manager, enrolled as an anthropology doctoral student at LSU the week before Ida. Her area of interest is the role of mules in Louisiana history, a subject she lives: Her day job is as a French Quarter buggy driver.

A long-term lease for the 1811/Kid Ory Historic House was signed in early 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic. McCusker and Jones spent the first year of the pandemic researching, designing and installing exhibits. The museum opened in February.

McCusker and Jones both live on the grounds, so they decided to ride out Ida there. McCusker has experience safeguarding historic materials during natural disasters: As Hurricane Katrina approached in 2005, he stashed his Ory archive in the third-floor photo lab of the now-demolished Times-Picayune headquarters on Howard Avenue.

All his years of covering hurricanes as a photojournalist did not prepare him for Ida. He thought the eyewall would pass further west than LaPlace: "We didnt think we were going to be the bullseye."

And he and Jones trusted the strength of a 220-year-old structure that has weathered dozens of hurricanes.

It was built to withstand these kinds of storms, Jones said. But not this storm.

Ida rolled in closer to LaPlace than expected, devastating St. John the Baptist Parish. The wind howled like a train whistle, McCusker recalled, whipping rain into a mist.

Having grown up in Florida, Jones said, Ive seen my share of hurricanes. But not like this. When we thought the eyewall had passed, it was just getting started.

The winds penetrated gaps in shutters and blew open the French doors across the front of the main house. McCusker and Jones propped chairs under the doorknobs to brace the doors.

The wind punched out a kitchen window, a dormer window and an attic gable window, and tore the gift shop door off its hinges.

A window would blow in, wed button it up, McCusker said. Another window blows in, button it up.

Losing the south-facing attic gable window created a bigger problem: Rain blew in and mixed with 200 years worth of attic dust. The dirty sludge-water then seeped through seams in the tongue-and-groove cypress ceiling.

Jones and McCusker scrounged up plastic drop cloths to protect exhibits. In the room where the first blood of the 1811 rebellion was shed, they moved period-authentic furnishings out of harms way.

We had to improvise throughout the night, Jones said.

Being so busy left little time to be afraid  to a point.

When the attic frame from the barn almost blew through my room, Jones said, I called my dad crying.

McCusker was on an adrenaline high for much of the night. But around 4 in the morning, after the storm moved on and there wasnt that insane howl, I put my head down and cried. I needed that release.

As dawn broke, they got their first look at the damaged grounds.

Three of the four century-old magnolia trees in front of the house had toppled, but fortunately fell toward River Road instead of on the house.

The stables metal roof was torn up. A barn about 100 yards behind the main house was flattened.

Thats how random the destruction was, McCusker.

Some gift shop merchandise was damaged, but the museums artifacts, archives and exhibits were unscathed. Kid Orys 100-year-old trombone remained safe and dry in its sealed case.

Even a glass pane bearing an 1862 inscription etched with a diamond ring survived.

In the storms wake, Jones and McCuskers immediate tasks included mold remediation and cleaning up the sludge-water. Windows need to be re-glazed, but McCusker is waiting until the areas health care facilities are back to normal, in case he cuts himself.

With power out at the museum, they moved the artifacts and their archive materials to Baton Rouge for safekeeping.

During the first week after the storm, they slept with the windows open, repurposing the contemporary mosquito netting from an antique bed.

Without running water, they boiled rainwater collected from downspouts to wash their hands and utensils. It got pretty gnarly, McCusker said.

Water service has since been restored, and Jones boyfriend and mother provided a lifeline by delivering a camper and supplies.

Our sprits have remained pretty good, Jones said. Weve gotten a lot of support. The LSU geography and anthropology department has been very welcoming, and I just started a week before the storm.

The 1811/Kid Ory Historic House likely wont reopen to the public for weeks, if not months. To generate income, the museum is selling advance tickets via its web site, www.1811kidoryhistorichouse.com. Those tickets will be honored after the facility reopens.

Now that the literal dust has settled, McCusker says he has no regrets about spending a scary night at the museum.

Not at all. Creating this museum was a lifes dream. I wasnt going to let anything happen to it without defending it.

Having experienced both sides of two of the most destructive storms to ever strike Louisiana  reporting on victims of Katrina, being reported on as a victim of Ida  which does he prefer?

I can honestly say I didnt enjoy either.
GRAYTON BEACH, Florida  In a perfect, or at least post-coronavirus, world, Flow Tribe and other New Orleans bands would have spent Aug. 29 onstage at Michael Arnones 31st annual Crawfish Fest, a Big Easy-themed blowout at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey.

But this years Crawfish Fest was postponed until June 2022 because of COVID. The members of Flow Tribe still traveled to the northeast that weekend for other gigs theyd booked around the festival.

And so they watched from afar as Hurricane Ida smacked south Louisiana.

Despite what was happening back home, frontman K.C. ORorke and his bandmates still had a job to do.

To try and put on a happy face and perform.  Happy-go-lucky, fun funk band is not the mood youre in, ORorke said this week. If we were a goth band or a death metal band, it might be better.

Youre reading things and thinking about your family. You dont really know whats going on. And theres the added stress of being so far away.

They returned to New Orleans three days after Ida. With most of the city without power, Flow Tribes Sept. 4 gig at the Maple Leaf Bar was canceled.

But a Labor Day show at AJs Grayton Beach, a roadhouse-style bar in the Florida Panhandle, was still on.

flow tribe A banner advertises the New Orleans band Flow Tribe's appearance at AJ's Grayton Beach along Florida's Scenic Highway 30A on Monday, Sept. 6, 

So the bandmembers braved long gas lines and headed east to Florida on Monday, where a bar full of New Orleans evacuees awaited them.

The beach communities along Floridas Scenic Highway 30A  Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, Seaside, Watercolor, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach  are popular getaways for New Orleanians. Many headed there ahead of Ida and stayed put while waiting for power to be restored back home.

Louisiana license plates dotted the parking lot of AJs Grayton Beach on Monday. The newest of the four AJs locations along the Emerald Coast serves up oysters, beer and music. Hubcaps, old toy fire engines and vintage signs decorate the rafters and walls all the way to the well-worn wood floor. Its scruffy in a carefully curated way.

Approximately 150 revelers filled the main room, pressing close to the low stage. Many approached ORorke to identify themselves as fellow New Orleanians with comments like, I live in Lakeview, or I went to Brother Martin High School, too.

Theyre not necessarily in vacation mode  theyve got things going through their minds, he said. It was good night for everybody to distance themselves from the situation.

During the pandemic, Flow Tribe retooled its lineup. Brothers Darion Hodge, a bassist, and Mackeal Turtle Wells, a keyboardist, joined ORorke, guitarists Bryan Santos and Mario Palmisano and drummer Scott Sibley. Though costly in terms of lost gigs, the pandemic downtime gave the new roster time to rehearse and gel.

The payoff was evident at AJs. Flow Tribe fired off a nonstep succession of tightly constructed party songs. The ever-animated ORorke pogoed when he wasnt soloing on a trumpet. Alternating original compositions with such well-chosen covers as Rod Stewarts disco-tastic Da Ya Think Im Sexy kept the crowd moving.

Its a pleasure to be here, ORorke quipped at one point. Its a pleasure to be anywhere with power.

flow tribe The New Orleans band Flow Tribe performs at AJ's Grayton Beach along Florida's Scenic Highway 30A on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. The audience inclu

Even though the show was billed as a Hurricane Ida relief benefit  about $1,500 in donations was collected  he kept the Ida banter to a minimum.

You make a little comment, a little moment of levity, then try to move on, he said. You dont want to keep reminding them of a Category 4 storm. As New Orleanians, theres always the laughter with the tears.

Getting into the spirit of the show was easier than the previous weekend, when the storm was still bearing down on Louisiana.

By Monday, we knew our families were fine, our houses were fine, ORorke said. The show at AJs was a collective sigh of relief before we have to go back and put the blue tarp up and deal with insurance. It was a nice breather for us.

And for the audience. All in attendance seemed ready to forget not only the hurricane, but the pandemic, too.

Almost no one wore a face mask. And unlike New Orleans venues, those in Florida arent required to ask for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.

Its so weird to go from the (strict) protocols in New Orleans to a free-for-all in Florida, ORorke said. Its definitely jarring."

+4 Hot 8 Brass Band's Bennie Pete, 45, has died of complications from sarcoidosis and COVID Bennie Pete, the co-founder and sousaphone player of the Hot 8 Brass Band, died early Monday at New Orleans East Hospital of complications fro

The bandmembers are vaccinated. ORorke also takes an at-home COVID test whenever he returns from the road.

Im more comfortable that were at least onstage and not right in the mix. In the past, it was, Im so psyched that its packed! Now its, If we get half as many people, that wouldnt be so bad.

Its a contradiction. Were excited to be playing, but we dont want to get sick. We try to be as safe as possible. But at the end of the day, this is our livelihood.

The hurricane/pandemic double whammy reminded ORorke of the Biblical four horsemen of the apocalypse: Im pretty sure two more are coming. At some point, you just laugh.

Hopefully this thing is turning a corner. Theres got to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

At a Florida beach bar on Monday, there was.
A postal delivery driver was packing boxes into his truck in front of the open door to a Royal Street art gallery on Wednesday, while a Tennessee National Guard armored vehicle hugged the curb nearby.

On Toulouse Street, a massive hunk of Jax Brewerys roof, blown off in the early hours of Hurricane Idas hairy descent on metropolitan New Orleans 10 days earlier, blocked the road at Decatur Street as an employee of Cafe Maspero stood at the corner, waving a menu near a gaggle of troops.

RTA buses were rolling across the city, jockeying for space with utility trucks, ambulances, contractors and local drivers. Services were beginning to creep back in an increasingly lit metropolitan area, even as many residents still struggled without power, and signs of Ida's wrath were everywhere.

Garbage and debris still coat much of the city. But electricity in more neighborhoods, flowing gas pumps and dwindling supermarket lines have begun to make life less elemental across much of the metropolitan area as many evacuees return home.

Other signs of urban normalcy returned, as Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted a citywide curfew on Wednesday, while 900 inmates are now back in the Orleans Parish jail and in COVID -19 quarantine, a Sheriffs Office spokesman said. The Orleans Parish criminal courthouse is set to reopen Sept. 20.

Jefferson Parish has extended its curfew until Friday.

Orleans and Jefferson parishes are where power has come back quickest post-Ida, while harder-hit areas such as Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Charles and St. John parishes may not see power fully restored until months end, Entergy officials have said.

About 28,000 customers remained without power in Orleans Parish on Wednesday, as well as 88,000 in Jefferson Parish. Entergy officials said they expected 90% of customers in the regions two most populous parishes to be powered up by days end.

Nicole Alonzo finally came home Wednesday morning, though she wasnt too happy about it as she carted groceries into her mothers house on Bayou Road, which remained without power on Wednesday.

Alonzo, 43, had packed her seven children into her 2011 Infiniti sedan for a 12-hour drive to a hotel room in Beaumont, Texas, days after shed left the hospital after a three-week stay for COVID-19.

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Surviving, thats what we was doing, said Alonzo, a banquet chef at the National World War II Museum.

Alonzo said she made three trips home to provide gas and provisions for her 64-year-old mother, Deanna Alonzo, whos been sleeping on a pallet on the floor near her front door to stay cool while a small generator powers the refrigerator, cell phones and a fan.

Nicole Alonzo said her own damaged home around Norman Francis Parkway remained without electricity on Wednesday, but that she ran out of money and FEMA hasnt come through.

Im tapped out now. They wasnt paying, so we came back home, she said. It feels good, but not having power is not nice.

Getting back to business was on the minds of many in New Orleans, as an increasing number of French Quarter bars, galleries and souvenir shops opened their doors to a sleepy neighborhood. While Cafe du Monde was open, just a few people were standing in line for beignets.

Dead, said William Spansel from behind the register of Roux Royale, a Toulouse Street gift shop that was empty at noontime. Its almost like when we opened after the COVID shutdown.

Spansel said he expected business to pick up toward the end of next week, but added that if somebody gets shot getting gas, that could slow things down.

Store clerk Lindy Worley noted that much depends on employees abilities to get back into homes with electricity. Its not just the business not being able to open, she said.

Worley got her power back on in Algiers Point relatively early  a week after the storm  so she returned home after holing up with family in Slidell.

We cant afford to just not work for weeks, she said. I wish I could. Its not a luxury we have.
With recovery efforts for Hurricane Ida underway in southeast Louisiana, officials are urging the public to take extra caution when hiring contractors.

Predatory contractors and contracting companies use natural disasters to take advantage of storm victims and steal funds.

Scammers might steal insurance proceeds and personal funds by performing improper or little to no work. This can be done through deception, false contracts, fake companies, failure to provide services and misuse of funds, law enforcement leaders said.

Louisiana is no stranger to such fraud. Roughly 1,500 of fraudulent cases were filed in Livingston Parish alone after the historic 2016 flood.

+29 As fraud probe grows, Louisiana flood victims offer cautionary tales Many victims of natural disasters have three things in common: They have lost their homes or business. They are desperate to get back in them.

Now, authorities across the state are urging residents to be vigilant.

The New Orleans Police Department provided the public with the following information to reduce the likelihood of fraud in the wake of Hurricane Ida.

+7 Demand for roofers, repair work soars after Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana: 'Its sunup to sundown' Yusuf Hasan leaned against his truck and wrung the sweat out of a red handkerchief on Monday during a break from nailing shingles into a damag

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Here's what to do:

When hiring a contractor, treat the process like a job interview

Verify a contractor is licensed or registered through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors before you hire using one of the following methods:

you hire using one of the following methods: Visit lacontractor.org and search for the contractor



Download the free "La Contractor" app



Call LSLBC at 1-800-256-1392

Take note of the contractor's full name, business address, and physical description

Call the contractor's phone in their presence to ensure they are the account holder

Ask for references and read reviews online

Ask for proof of liability and workers compensation insurance

Ask that each ask be itemized with a cost and a total sum

Check the business name via the Louisiana Secretary of State website

Always get at least three estimates for the repairs -- this may be required by your insurance provider

Use local contractors when possible

Keep a detailed log of all conversations and use email as much as possible

Be sure all necessary permits are filed by the contractor and assure the permits are present and posted prior to starting the project

Here's what to avoid:

Never give a down payment of more than 10%

Never pay for projects not yet completed

Never pay with cash or money order -- always use check or credit card

Never give more information that necessary for the contractor to give an estimate or perform the job

More resources:

Anyone who feels as if they have been a victim of contracting fraud should report the incident to local authorities and the LSLBC.
Flying out of New Orleans in the coming days? If you're not headed to Atlanta, Dallas, or other major airline hub, be prepared to catch a connection.

Several airlines that fly out of Louis Armstrong International Airport said Wednesday that they had reduced flights out of New Orleans because of the still-reverberating impacts of Hurricane Ida. The flights that remain, according to spokespeople from Delta, American Southwest and Spirit, are often going to other major hubs for those airlines so that customers can connect to other airports.

Ida, to no one's surprise, grounded all air traffic in and out of New Orleans for several days after it hit Aug. 29. Delta was the first to restart flights, on Sept. 2. The airline currently has five flights per day leaving New Orleans; four to Atlanta and one to Detroit, both of which serve as hubs for Delta.

"These options allow for several ways for customers to connect into or beyond from New Orleans," Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said.

Southwest on Monday began a schedule of 14 flights per day to cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and Baltimore.

"This new schedule will allow customers to continue traveling to/from New Orleans as well as provide access for organizations transporting relief workers and supplies to the area," said Dan Landson, a company spokesperson. Before the storm, Southwest was operating up to 54 flights per day from New Orleans, Landson said.

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The company is working with customers to reschedule them and will ramp up to a full schedule as demand requires, he said.

A spokesman for Spirit Airlines said two of the airline's jet bridges in New Orleans were damaged by the storm and that has limited some flights. Still, 10 to 11 Spirit flights per day are going through the airport, a company spokesman said. That represents about 60-70% of the budget airline's full schedule, said Field Sutton, the spokesperson.

American Airlines is also on a reduced schedule and has waived change fees for impacted travelers. Five flights were canceled Wednesday, a spokesperson said.

Wednesday, the airport had 50 departures, still fewer than half as many as it averaged per day in June, according to an airport spokesperson. That number is steadily increasing: there were just 28 departures Sunday, but airport officials expect 65 flights to take off Thursday. No taxiways were damaged in the storm, and the terminal suffered no significant damage, the spokeswoman said.
Louisiana was already battling its fourth and worst surge of the coronavirus last week as Hurricane Ida tore roofs off homes and hospitals, caused widespread power outages and devastated entire communities in some corners of the state. But with limited testing as people return from shelters and shared evacuation accommodations, there is reason to worry there could be a storm-related COVID-19 bump in the near future -- and that the state will be flying blind when it hits.

Theres a real concern of reigniting our own problem again, said epidemiologist Susan Hassig, a professor at Tulane University. We may not know it if were not testing enough to detect it. Weve kind of been in a black hole of information.

In the week since Ida hit, COVID-19 precautions have slipped. Even in New Orleans, which has had some of the strictest mandates in the nation, masks came off as people waited for electricity to return in stifling homes or businesses. And distancing was not prioritized as families and friends crowded into homes with generators, in large shelters or in nearby states.

In short: surviving the elements trumped infectious disease precautions.

Thats a normal reaction, but COVID doesnt care, Hassig said.

The state has evacuated around 3,200 people into congregate shelters. It conducts testing for those people, and for those in medical needs shelters, according to a spokesperson with the Louisiana Department of Health.

+2 After resident deaths in New Orleans apartments, city officials, building owners trade accusations When Larry Tyler gathered with other residents outside of the Flint-Goodridge Apartments for seniors in Central City on Friday, he saw somethi

But testing across the state is much more limited than it was. There were 138,701 molecular tests reported in the seven days after the storm compared to 228,238 the week prior to the storm. Part of that is due to the fact that there are fewer testing sites operating. But it can also be attributed to people getting their footing again after the disruption left in Idas wake.

At Ochsner Health, Louisianas largest hospital system, testing is at about one-third of what it was pre-Ida, said Dr. Robert Hart, chief medical officer. Before the storm, testing statewide was between 4,000 to 6,000 daily, sometimes up to 7,000. Now testing is between 1,500 to 2,000 daily.

We may see a little bump in COVID following the storm, said Hart. The evacuations, lots of people staying in a hotel room if theyre evacuating, we do have a concern about that.

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Luckily, Ida came at a time when cases and hospitalizations were slowing in Louisiana. There were 2,003 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state on Tuesday compared to 3,022 on August 17, the states all-time high. In Ochsner facilities, COVID-19 patients are at 530, down from 772 last week and 982 two weeks ago, said Warner Thomas, CEO.

But around 2,000 patients is what Louisiana reported in early August, about a month into the 2021 summer surge, and its still a high number. Those patients take up a lot of space in hospitals that need room to care for people who are coming in with storm-related injuries, said Dr. Julio Figueroa, an infectious disease expert at LSU Health Sciences Center.

People (with COVID-19) in the ICU stay, they linger, said Figueroa, adding that they cant send someone home to a place without electricity or water, and rehabilitation facilities are also taxed.

Those sorts of places are hobbled because of the storm or staffing... or are full. The case management has been challenging for COVID," said Figueroa.

There are testing sites throughout the state set up by the Louisiana National Guard, but theyre thin compared to what was once available at pharmacies, hospitals and city-run sites across the state. In New Orleans, there is only one site at Allie Mae Senior Center in Central City. Other sites promoted by NOLA Ready in partnership with the New Orleans Health Department have been cancelled through Sept. 16.

In hard-hit Region 9, which include Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Livingston Parishes, there were no COVID-19 testing sites operated by the National Guard compared to two sites prior to the storm.

Plans to evacuate nursing homes to warehouse, where 7 have since died, were OK'd by state When news broke that nearly 850 frail nursing-home patients were crammed into a warehouse in a remote corner of Louisiana during Hurricane Ida

Hospitalizations, rather than testing, will alert experts of an uptick they believe will eventually show itself.

Well probably see a spike either this week or next week, said Figueroa, sighing. Well just have to see to what extent it happens.
Like most of the 7,000 or so residents of lower Plaquemines Parish, Sandy Gilbert couldn't check on her home for more than a week after Hurricane Ida blew through southeast Louisiana. Extensive flooding along Louisiana 23 rendered the West Bank's main road impassable, and even driving atop the Mississippi River levee wasn't safe for days.

In the meantime, the storm's moisture infiltrated Gilbert's Boothville trailer after the winds broke its seal, softening her recently remodeled walls and buckling the floors. While the exterior looked almost untouched, dangerous evidence of leaks and flooding grew within.

"We couldn't get back, and now the black mold's taken over everything," Gilbert said Tuesday, sitting with friends at a picnic table behind the Den Lounge in Venice. "It's going to have to be completely gutted."

Here, at what a 1982 film documentary called "the ends of the earth," Ida pushed an 8-foot wall of Gulf of Mexico water over the short levees along a 15-mile stretch of Plaquemines between Ironton and West Pointe a la Hache. Several inches of water remained on the highway nine days later, making it accessible only to high-water vehicles. Motorists in conventional cars rolled along the river levee in a slow convoy for hours to check their properties.

What they found, in addition to damage and mold, was no electricity and no access to safe drinking water. While many have emergency generators to keep the lights on, the extended period without drinking water was something few had experienced in past storms.

Breaks in water pipes between Belle Chasse and Port Sulphur, from Ironton houses that were ripped apart and airboats smacking fire hydrants hidden in the floodwaters, have delayed the return of water service to south Plaquemines, said Patrick Harvey, the parish government's director of homeland security and emergency preparedness. Parish Council member Richie Blink compared the process to "trying to pump water through a cheese grater."

The Water Department first tried to force drinking water from the Belle Chasse treatment plant, but those major leaks downstream made it ineffective. Huge generators on loan from the state were recently flown to water treatment plants near Port Sulphur and Boothville, but both have their challenges: Leaks around the Port Sulphur plant are too severe to use it, and the Boothville plant has been out of service for years.

"The Water Department and contractors are trying to locate ways to valve and cut the water off from these areas to pump [flood]water down," Harvey said. "Residents are expecting us to flip switches, but we're doing good with what we have."

After Hurricane Isaac in 2012, Louisiana 23 was under water for about two weeks, Harvey recalled. Ida's storm surge was two feet higher and covered an additional 3 miles of road, but draining it has been faster this time, Harvey said.

Still, faster doesn't mean fast enough to some residents.

At the Den Lounge, Duke Berghman, who was one of as many as 250 residents who rode out the storm in Buras, said the government's response has been slow. The first two Humvees with bottled water and MREs couldn't pass through the flood until Sept. 2, four days after the storm.

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"They're eating food; we're eating MREs," Berghman said angrily, questioning why resources weren't flown in. "And if I hear that word 'resilient' again in the media, I'm going to punch them in the mouth."

A short but intense rainstorm rolled in overhead. Opal Watkins, who also suffered rain damage to her trailer, raised her hands to the sky. Standing in the downpour, she shouted bitterly, "Look, we've got water in Plaquemines Parish." A beat passed. "Rain water."

Blink has been toting supplies down on his boat: MREs, drinking water and food for abandoned pets.

"It's very much a 'sh-t hits the fan' scenario here," he said. "There's just pieces of infrastructure that need to be here that are not here."

Redundancy in providing drinking water is among those pieces of infrastructure, he said: "This is really four disasters piled on top of each other at one time."

Though residents can access homes from West Pointe a la Hache to Venice, Harvey said they should come just to check on their property and assess damage - not stay.

"We're not encouraging them to stay because, one, they don't have water, and they don't have lights," he said, adding that Plaquemines Medical Center, a clinic and emergency services unit in Port Sulphur, was only partly operational as of Tuesday. "If something major happens, like somebody comes in with a heart attack or something, they have to be flown out."

With flooding levels receding between Belle Chasse and Port Sulphur, the Louisiana Air National Guard has established an emergency distribution site at South Plaquemines Elementary School in Port Sulphur, to hand out bottled water, ice and MREs. Residents have remained hardy, and conditions are slowly improving, Blink said.

"But at some point, we have to talk about if we want to live in harm's way or in a disaster zone, we better damn well be good at it," he said.
Two people from Louisiana drowned this past weekend in the Gulf of Mexico's fast-moving water in Florida, and now a tropical disturbance headed toward the Panhandle may make rip currents even stronger.

The National Hurricane Center has been watching a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that was officially named Tropical Storm Mindy.

With many Hurricane Ida evacuees waiting out the impacts of Ida in Florida, it's important for visitors to be aware of double red flag warnings, which mean that conditions are too dangerous for swimming.

One of the Louisiana drowning victims, an Oakdale man, 58, was unable to swim back to shore in the powerful current. The other victim, a 14-year-old boy, was found 1.5 miles away from the place he went missing.

While officials say the only way to entirely prevent the risk of drowning in a rip current is to stay away out of the water entirely on these double red flag days, here are some tips for how to escape one, per the National Weather Service:

Relax. Rip currents don't actually pull you under.

A rip current is faster than an Olympic swimmer; trying to swim against a rip current will only waste energy.

Do not try to swim directly into to shore. Swim along the shoreline until you escape the current's pull. When free from it, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.

If you feel you can't reach shore, relax, face the shore, and call or wave for help. Remember: If in doubt, don't go out!

If possible, only swim at beaches with lifeguards.

If you choose to swim on beaches without a lifeguard, never swim alone. Take a friend and have that person take a cell phone so that person can call 911 for help.

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Double red flag violations include a fine of $500 each and officials have been vigilant about enforcing them. In Panama City Beach alone, 250 people have been ticketed this year, totaling $125,000, according to the Panama City News Herald.

14-year-old boy who fled Hurricane Ida with family drowned in Florida, sheriff's office says Authorities have recovered the body of a 14-year-old Louisiana boy who disappeared in the Gulf of Mexico's turbulent waters near Miramar Beach

And that doesn't count the number of rescues lifeguards have had to perform from the waters in Panama City Beach, which totaled at 1,700. The beach patrol has added signage to help visitors recognize the danger and potential of fines.

"We are seeing people who have never been here who have seen we are writing citations to people," code enforcement manager of Panama City Beach James Tindle told the Panama City News Herald. "They've heard about it from a friend of a friend, so I think the word's getting out there. I think it's just going to take a little bit more (time) to get everybody on the program."
Laura Bergerol wanted to evacuate the city ahead before Hurricane Ida. And after. But she never managed to get out.

Without power, the 65-year-old photographer struggled in her Bywater house for days in brutal summertime conditions. Her migraines were persistent, she told neighbors who were checking on her.

Then, on Sunday, she stopped returning texts and didnt answer a knock on the door. A neighbor found her lying on the floor of her apartment dead.

As of Wednesday, at least 26 people had died in Louisiana as a result of Ida. Thirteen of those casualties occurred in New Orleans, including 10 who were killed by excessive heat during the extended power outages caused by the storm, state officials said.

Officials didn't immediately identify any of those lost to Ida in New Orleans. But Bergerol's age and gender matches those listed in connection with one of the eight heat-related deaths.

The death of Bergerol, who was in fragile but manageable health, has devastated the tight-knit community at the Bywater Art Lofts on Dauphine Street, where she lived.

Somebody in her health  being in this heat even for a day is not ideal at all, Bergerols neighbor, Caitlyn Ridenour said. And she was in it for a week.

Bergerol moved to New Orleans from California after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

She arrived as an animal shelter volunteer but later worked as a photographer, co-creating an exhibit named Images Without Borders, dedicated to raising money for the group Doctors Without Borders in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

Dad who lost kids to post-Ida CO poisoning wants all generators to include life-saving detectors Craig Curley Sr. suddenly couldnt get a hold of his two children or their mother, so he went by their place in Marrero and knocked on the doo

Bergerol was also a prolific Twitter commenter, weighing in on local politics, culture and other topics.

As Ida took aim at the region last month, Bergerol was anxious.

She tweeted about evacuating to Florida, but she was still in New Orleans on Aug. 28, the night before Ida struck. Officials said evacuating at that time was too risky, so she stayed.

Her complex stood up relatively well in the storm, which crashed onto Louisianas coast packing winds of 150 miles per hour. But the building lost power for days, along with most of the area.

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Bergerol soon expressed concern about the heat and lack of power on her Twitter feed, and she mentioned wanting to rent a hotel room on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

But when she called her rental insurance agency, the company told her it wouldn't pay for the room because the evacuation wasnt mandated by the city, she wrote on her Twitter feed.

So angry! Bergerol said, tagging USAA. The companys verified Twitter account wrote back that it understood her disappointment and asked whether she had filed a claim.

In any event, Ridenour said neighbors were regularly checking on Bergerol, who  besides migraines  battled a blood clotting disorder and had bad knees.

Ridenour gave Bergerol battery-powered fans to cool off and a pack to charge her cellphone so she could stay in touch. Neighbors were sharing food and water. Bergerol herself parted with some snacks and wine after receiving a text from Bobbi Studstill, who didn't stock enough provisions.

That was the person she was, Studstill said.

But the units themselves were absolutely infernal, Studstill and Ridenour said. And, desperate to cope with her knees and migraines, thats where Bergerol had preferred to stay most of the time.

+3 St. Tammany homeless veterans advocate dies while making Hurricane Ida repairs to former haven Ed "Cowboy" Lewis made helping homeless veterans his mission in life, and Sunday night the 68-year-old Lacombe resident lost his life while re

She tried to spend some time watching a movie and enjoying cool air in a common area powered by a generator the night of Sept. 3. But she ultimately had to retreat back into her apartment.

Two days later, on Sunday, her next-door neighbor Joshua Hailey returned from picking up ice and other supplies in Mississippi when Studstill and Ridenour asked him to check on Bergerol. She had gone silent on texts and didnt answer a knock on the door from Ridenour, who was offering another fan.

Hailey forced her door open, spotted her lying on top of some laundry on the floor, and screamed for neighbors to call 911. He performed CPR, but she was gone, first responders later told him.

The last I saw her she seemed fine, Hailey said. The fact it happened so quickly is the scary part. Its awful.

Bergerols neighbors acknowledge they don't know everything about her death. But they said they wanted to remind others to check on their neighbors and relatives during this phase of the recovery, when heat indexes are in the triple digits and air conditioning might not be an option.

We watched out for her and each other, Ridenour said. But you still wonder  is there more we couldve done?
In the wake of Hurricane Ida, schools are assessing their timelines about when they're set to reopen.

Public schools in Orleans Parish are opening faster than those in other parishes that were hit harder by the storm.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has targeted Monday, Sept. 13, for most Catholic schools to reopen. But the archdiocese said schools with extensive damage or in harder-hit areas, such as the River Parishes west of New Orleans, will open at a later date. The archdiocese said parents will be notified about school-specific reopenings.

Here's a list of what we know so far:

Orleans Parish

Orleans public schools set to open between Sept. 15 and 22 but that's dependent on power restoration. All schools will get official notice by Friday Sept. 10

Louise McGehee planning to open Sept. 13

Trinity Episcopal School aiming to reopen Monday, Sept. 13 and will update on Wednesday, Sept. 8

New Orleans public schools to reopen Sept. 15-22 following Hurricane Ida Having survived Hurricane Ida with little substantial damage, public schools in New Orleans will begin reopening next week, NOLA Public School

Jefferson Parish

School leaders have discussed possibly having a staggered return to class for students. But they said a return before October is questionable.

Thirty schools sustained major damagetwo of which in Jean Lafitte may be destroyed, another in Grand Isle took heavy damage

Lafourche Parish

All public schools closed until further notice

Plaquemines Parish

All public schools closed until further notice

Belle Chasse Academy closed through at least Sept. 10, when an additional update will be made

St. Bernard Parish

Public Schools will reopen on Monday, Sept. 13

St. Charles Parish

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Public schools closed until further notice

St. James Parish

Public schools closed until at least Sept. 10

St. John Baptist Parish

Public schools closed until further notice

St. Tammany Parish

Public schools will reopen Monday, Sept. 13.

Most St. Tammany public schools have power, but reopening date not set following Hurricane Ida As of Tuesday, power had been restored to 51 of St. Tammany Parish's 55 public schools. However, a date for the reopening of the schools has n

Tangipahoa Parish

All public schools closed until further notice

Terrebonne Parish

All public schools closed until further notice

Washington Parish

All Washington Parish public schools are set to resume on Sept. 7, with Mount Hermon to start when they get electricity

Colleges and Universities
In Jefferson Parish, buses were waiting outside the Wynhoven Senior Living Center and Metairie Manor apartment buildings two days after Hurricane Ida knocked out power to the region, ready to move residents out of the stifling heat and into shelters.

As part of a post-storm plan to check on older, independent adults, parish officials reached out directly to the managers of the senior-living apartments on Monday, Aug. 30, a day after Ida's landfall. On finding that staff had left the buildings, they demanded they go back, and then immediately pivoted to getting people out.

We made the decision pretty quick on Monday that we would need to evacuate, said Sarah Babcock, who oversees public health and emergency response for Jefferson Parish.

Across the parish line in New Orleans, officials said they didnt make the decision to inspect the dozens of independent-living complexes for senior-citizens that dot the city until Tuesday or Wednesday. According to Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Director of the New Orleans Health Department, they began inspections Wednesday or Thursday.

+2 After resident deaths in New Orleans apartments, city officials, building owners trade accusations When Larry Tyler gathered with other residents outside of the Flint-Goodridge Apartments for seniors in Central City on Friday, he saw somethi

It wasnt until Friday, Sept. 3 -- three days after evacuations began in Jefferson Parish apartment buildings -- that New Orleans residents were moved out of the Annunciation Inn and Renaissance Place, the first two of 10 complexes the city would go on to empty over the weekend.

By that point, five residents of the complexes had died. Though the cause of those deaths has not yet been released, its left the city and the buildings managers  including the Archdiocese of New Orleans and HRI Properties  pointing fingers over who bears the blame.

The facilities in both Jefferson and New Orleans are similar in type and, in some cases, share the archdiocese as an owner. All provide low-income housing for residents who are older but remain independent and do not need the services found in nursing homes, which are far more regulated and closely monitored when disasters strike.

+2 New Orleans seniors evacuated from several buildings after five die in aftermath of Hurricane Ida New Orleans on Friday and Saturday evacuated 10 apartment complexes full of senior citizens, five of whom died amid the sweltering heat follow

Though theyre far less prevalent in Jefferson Parish  only a handful of senior-focused apartments exist there compared to dozens in New Orleans  Babcock had experience dealing with them. Until this spring, she worked in the New Orleans Health Department, where her duties included emergency planning and handling vulnerable populations after a storm.

The different outcomes raise questions over whether New Orleans, which on paper has a far more robust system for ensuring the safety of its most fragile residents during a storm, acted quickly enough to put those plans into action.

In New Orleans, city officials spoke to managers at some of the properties they oversaw, finding there was a need for food and water at some of the buildings and that staff had left, according to Avegno, whose agency is responsible for handling the elderly and those with special needs during a storm. Those calls began in the first days after the storm, though the city didn't say whether that was Aug. 30 or Aug. 31. The city directed outside entities to those buildings with supplies before mid-week, but at first didnt send its own people, Avegno said.

New Orleans officials plan inspections of senior-living centers before residents return after Ida New Orleans officials said Monday they plan to inspect senior-living apartment buildings thoroughly in the coming days to ensure safe conditio

Tuesday or Wednesday was when we were having challenges communicating or we were starting to hear that there were greater needs that were not being provided to us, Avegno said. And thats when we realized we needed to have eyes on the ground.

Around that time, Jefferson was learning that other complexes it had not previously worked with were struggling with the heat. Westminster Tower and St. Joseph were evacuated soon after the parish was alerted to their situations last week, while most of the residents of Metairie Tower  a complex that suffered significant wind damage  were able to leave on their own, Babcock said.

A total of about 680 residents were brought from those buildings or the community at large by parish-chartered buses to shelters between Tuesday, Aug. 31, when the evacuations began, and Sunday, Babcock said. About 120 of those people were evacuated Aug. 31 from the first two complexes Babcock's team encountered, though the final number who got on buses to the state-run mega-shelter in Alexandria wasn't immediately available.

New Orleans ended up evacuating its first two facilities on Friday, with eight more evacuated the following day. Those were the beginnings of a city-assisted evacuation that continued until Tuesday and moved at least 740 people out of New Orleans.

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Avegno, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and other city officials have defended their work in getting seniors out. Cantrell castigated the buildings managers during press conferences, and on Tuesday Avegno and other city officials announced they were fully inspecting each of the complexes before they would allow residents to return. The blame, they said, is firmly on the building's owners, who they argued didn't provide for their residents.

+6 With power slowly returning after Ida, New Orleans offers rides out of town and a medical shelter Six days after Hurricane Ida severed New Orleans from the electric grid, a smattering of residents on Saturday took the city up on its offer f

"If there is an issue where it is a city matter, I own it. This is not one of them," Cantrell said on Monday. "This was negligence, and it was not on the backs of the city of New Orleans."

New Orleans readies medical shelter at Convention Center as Ida outages leave city sweltering New Orleans officials are preparing a shelter at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for residents with medical needs who are stuck in swel

The property managers, by contrast, have said their requests for assistance were ignored by the city. Cantrell and others have denied those claims, saying they had not been made aware of the dire conditions in the complexes.

Its a large universe of these buildings and trying to figure out each one and the specific needs and were relying on the building managers to tell us what we need. If were being told all we need is water and food thats not helpful for us to understand if the need is greater than that, Avegno said.

Avegno also said Tuesday that the lack of electricity was a concern, but that city officials were waiting on a more solid timeline from Entergy before making decisions. On Aug. 30, the day after the storm, Entergy was still assessing its grid and power infrastructure, but utility executives said that they expected power would be out for at least a week, if not longer.

Power outages are significant and we knew they were significant, Avegno said. But, she added, it was a little challenging to get a timeline for restoration.

In Jefferson Parish, that lack of certainty prompted Babcock's decision to evacuate the buildings quickly.

When Entergy wouldnt give us an estimate on power restoration time, we always kind of assumed the worst, Babcock said. The decision not to wait was reinforced by Jefferson Parishs struggles with water pressure in the aftermath of the storm.

New Orleans Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer, whose district includes several of the facilities and who was among the first to raise the alarm about Annunciation Inn on Friday, proposed tighter rules governing the complexes going forward.

I think we really need to reign in this concept of independent living, said Palmer, who is circulating a draft ordinance aimed at ensuring residents have access to adequate generator power and on-site staff during declared emergencies.

Additionally, the proposed rules would require building management to coordinate with city government on evacuations and emergency planning. Cantrell has expressed general support for the concept. Avegno said she supported stronger requirements for these complexes.

This is the first big test since Katrina, I dont think we had fully understood how great the gap was and we must understand that lesson, taking ownership for our part as well, Avegno said. Theres got to be another standard so we dont repeat this again.

+14 At remote Louisiana warehouse, nursing home evacuees lay in waste, calling out for help After spending six days in a fetid warehouse with overflowing toilets and piled-up trash, four nursing home residents died and nearly 800 more
New Orleans has lifted the curfew that's been effect since Hurricane Ida hit the city more than a week ago, officials said Wednesday.

The curfew ended at 6 a.m., according to Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

"However, we will continue to do blue light patrols in the areas where the power is still out," she tweeted.

Entergy says about 378,000 still without power; Jefferson Parish has most customers affected Entergy executives said Tuesday that there were still about 378,000 customers without power nine days after Hurricane Ida sent the New Orleans

The power went out during Hurricane Ida for much of the region after Entergy had "catastrophic" damage to its grid. Some people have been without power in southeast Louisiana since Sunday morning.

Entergy plans to restore power to the "vast majority" of Orleans Parish customers by midnight. For others in the hardest hit parts of the state, they could be waiting until the end of the month for power.

See the latest timeline from Entergy.

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A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has a 50% chance of developing into a tropical depression within 48 hours, hurricane forecasters said Wednesday morning.

Update: Hurricane forecasters tracking 4 systems, including Mindy, Larry

It is expected to head to the Florida panhandle and the bulk of its rain should stay east of Louisiana, forecasters said.

Rain is in the forecast Wednesday for southeast Louisiana, but forecasters with the National Weather Service say it is from a stalled frontal boundary that's not related to the tropical system.

The rest of the week in southeast Louisiana is expected to be mostly sunny with lower humidity.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic, Hurricane Larry is a large Category 3 storm that's approaching Bermuda.

Here's what to know about the tropics as of 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Tropical disturbance in Gulf of Mexico

Forecasters are tracking a disturbance over the Gulf of Mexico that's expected to move northeast and bring heavy rainfall to the Florida panhandle and Georgia.

It has a 50% chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within five days. It will be named Mindy if it strengthens into a tropical storm.

As of 7 a.m., disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with the system were over the Gulf of Mexico.

The system is expected to move northeast and could reach the coast by Wednesday night or early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Development possible

Environmental conditions are expected to become "slightly more favorable" for tropical or subtropical development as the system nears the Gulf Coast.

The shaded area on the graphic is where a storm could develop and is not a track. The National Hurricane Center releases a track when a tropical depression forms or is about to form.

The disturbance then is expected to cross Florida and Georgia and head into the Atlantic.

Some additional development is possible once it emerges into the Atlantic late this week, forecasters said.

Read the full advisory.

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Hurricane Larry a powerful storm in Atlantic

Hurricane Larry is causing dangerous swells and riptides to reach the U.S. East Coast, forecasters said in their morning advisory.

As of 7 a.m., it was about 560 miles southeast of Bermuda and is moving northwest at 10 mph.

On the forecast track, the center of Larry should pass east of Bermuda on Thursday. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda.

Larry has winds of 115 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane. Category 3 storms and stronger are considered major hurricanes by the National Hurricane Center. Some gradual weakening is expected during the next several days, but Larry is expected to remain a hurricane.

Swells generated by Larry continue to affect the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas and Bermuda. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

"Significant" swells are expected to reach the U.S. East Coast Wednesday and continue through the end of the week.

Read the full advisory.

Next available name

The next available name is Mindy.

Systems are named when they strengthen into tropical storms. Storms Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Julian, Kate and Larry formed earlier this season. Elsa, Grace, Ida and Larry strengthened into hurricanes.

Last year, there were so many storms that forecasters ran out of names and had to use the Greek alphabet. It's only the second time in recorded history that the Greek names had been used.

Things have changed for this season. If needed, forecasters will use a list of supplemental storm names instead of the Greek names.

Storm categories

The categories, in order of increasing strength, are tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane (categories 1 through 5).

On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the wind categories are:

Tropical storm: 39 to 73 mph

Category 1 hurricane: 74 to 95 mph

Category 2 hurricane: 96 to 110 mph

Category 3 hurricane (major hurricane): 111 to 129 mph

Category 4 hurricane: 130-156 mph

Category 5 hurricane: 157 mph and higher

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Politics Reporter

Reese Gorman covers politics and the COVID-19 pandemic for The Norman Transcript. He started as an intern in May of 2020 and transitioned into his current position as a staff writer in August of 2020.
Curtis C. McKnight, 76, passed away on Sept. 11 in Norman. Services are pending at First Christian Church. In lieu of flowers please make donations to First Christian Church in Norman. Please sign the online guestbook at www.primrosefuneralservice.com
Bradford County, Pa. -- Feed the Bus for CHOP, a county-wide food drive, is being held in memory of Jaymz Altieri. The goal of the food drive, which kicked off September 1, is to fill a school bus with non-perishable food for Child Hunger Outreach Partners (CHOP).

Bill Snyder of Sayre is coordinating volunteers to accept donations at the bus, which is parked at Chandlers Market, 448 N. Keystone Ave in Sayre, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout the month of September.

In addition to donating at the Bus, Liz Terwilliger for Congress is coordinating donation boxes throughout the county. Donations can be made in the Valley at Palmer Manufactured Homes in Waverly, FWF Wellness, in the Atrium at the Guthrie Clinic, Horns True Value, Sams Bar and Grill, Friendship Star Quilt Shop, Choice 102 and UTC Railcar Repair in Sayre, Yales Music Shop, IR FCU and Mad Hatters Cafe and Coop in Athens.

Athens and Sayre School Districts are participating as well. Outside the Valley, donations can be made at Ad Graphics in Milan, Mt. Pisgah Wesleyan Church in E. Smithfield, the Copper Tree Store and Western Alliance Emergency Services in Troy, the Bradford County YMCA and Jones Diner in Towanda and Jones Store in Warren Center.

I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, said Terwilliger. There have been several monetary and in-kind donations already, in addition to food being brought in. Matthew and Ann Carlsen, Walmart in Sayre, RSH Trucking, and Wilawana United Methodist Church have all contributed. Rich Powell designs of Rome is donating a banner for the bus.

CHOP has provided much needed support for so many families in Bradford County and beyond throughout the pandemic. Theyve held pop up pantries all over the county and their 'backpack program' gives school students a bag of food to take home every Friday. The support for this drive shows how much CHOP is appreciated and how beloved Jaymz Altieri still is in this community.

Terwillinger continued, "Jaymz was a Guthrie volunteer and helped deliver food to those homebound during the pandemic. September is Jaymz' birth month. It seems perfect for this food drive to be in his memory. Jaymz passed away unexpectedly in May.

If you would like to donate to Feed the Bus for CHOP, take non-perishable food items to the Bus or one of the participating businesses listed above. If youd like to accept donations at your business, please contact Liz Terwilliger at 570-731-0822.




Montoursville, Pa. -- Students returned to classrooms across the state today, masked once again, as ordered by the acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health.

Governor Wolf announced via a press conference on August 31 that masks will be required to be worn inside K-12 school buildings, early learning programs, and child care providers beginning September 7. The order, according to the state, is in response to the rising cases of COVID-19, specifically the Delta variant.

As the students returned, protesters in Montoursville rallied.

Carrying signs and chanting "no more masks,' the group, including children and adults, walked around the high school and continued to McCall Middle School on Willow St. in the borough.

Brenda Oberheim, a parent of two children in the Montoursville school district, has voiced her concerns over masking at previous school board meetings, and was present at the protest on Tuesday after dropping her kids at school.

"This morning I walked my kids up and I had a note," said Oberheim. "My note said, 'my kids have a medical exemption, do not mask them for any reason.'"

Her children weren't immediatly allowed in the school, Oberheim said.

Part of the problem: an exemption form that became available on the school district website late last week. Oberheim was told that she would need that form, signed by a doctor, in order for her children to attend school Tuesday without a mask.

Oberheim said making a form that requires a doctor's signature available on a Saturday of a holiday weekend for school attendance the next Tuesday put parents in a difficult situtation.

The form indicates that a student is "medically, cognitively, or emotionally unable to wear a cloth mask or a face shield for the entire school day, including on a district bus/van," and requires a doctor's signature. The form also states "Students who already had a doctor's excuse from last year do not need a new excuse."

Oberheim's two children, ages 10 and 11, were exempt last school year, and were eventually let in to the middle school Tuesday morning, but she feels that if she hadn't have been there to advocate for them, "it would have been a catastrophe."

Exerpt from the Order of the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health The CDC has issued a strong recommendation for masking of all persons, teachers, students and staff, within the nations schools, regardless of vaccination status, to create a multilayered approach for fighting COVID and to keep our schools open for in-person education. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has also strongly recommended masking in schools. Finally, recent studies have shown that mask-wearing in schools has contributed to lower levels of COVID-19 transmission among students and staff and allowed for the continued in-person attendance. Requiring face coverings in schools, therefore, balances the concerns for the mental health of our children with the need to protect them against a disease that is growing more virulent as we struggle to protect the most vulnerable members of our population. In accordance with the recommendations of the CDC and the AAP and based upon the rising case numbers and hospitalizations in general in the Commonwealth, including the number of cases in our children, as well as the need to protect and maintain in-person education for the health and well-being of those children, I am issuing this Order to protect the ability of our schools to continue to educate our children, and of our children to receive in-person instruction in the safest environment possible. Order of the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health

Protesters carried signs that said, "Unmask our children," "I do not co-parent with the government," "masks are not backed by science," "It's not about health, it's about control," in addition to slogans calling for the firing of school Superintendent Christina Bason.

A call to Bason for comment was not returned to NorthcentralPa.com.

The safety of mask wearing continues to be at the center of the dabate.

"The rest of the world is walking around unmasked, but our kids have to sit in school in masks because the state has that control," Oberheim said, pointing to the inconsistencies in mask mandating.

"The masks are harmful to children. Children are not at high risk for spreading COVID in any way," Oberheim said.

These statements, however, are ones that become contested.

Lycoming Physicians, a coalition of local physicians from a variety of practices and specialties shared recent results from what has been the largest study to date on the effectiveness of masking.

Scientists at Yale, Stanford, and UC Berkeley studied a population of 350,000 people in 600 villages in Bangladesh in the first randomized trial to examine the effectiveness of face masks at reducing COVID-19 in a real-world setting, where mask use may be imperfect and inconsistent.

The results indicated that increased mask-wearing via a community-level mask distribution and in-person pro-mask campaign, they found a significant reduction in the percentage of people with COVID-19, based on symptom reporting and SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing.

Read more at Berkeley News.

According to Tyler Wagner, public relations manager at UPMC, the health system is reporting an increase--though slight--in the number of pediatric patients at UPMC hospitals due to COVID-19.

System wide, providers are treating 399 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19, with 23 are in northcentral Pennsylvania.

The delta variant has been a lot more infectious and contagious, commented Dr. Camille Sabella a pediatric doctor in a publication by the Cleveland Clinic. Its much easier to transmit than the previous variants that weve seen.

Mask mandates are as much in place to protect school children as they are to protect the teachers, school staff, and community at large, doctors say. While children are less susceptible to severe illness, they are able to carry the variant.

UPMC's Wagner said, "as COVID-19 continues to evolve, UPMC encourages families and the public to vaccinate themselves and their children who are eligible as soon as possible. The best ways to minimize the spread of COVID-19 are by taking the vaccine, masking, and social distancing."

The Department of Health is providing weekly updated case counts each Thursday for the 2021-2022 school year for two age groups: 0-4 capturing child care and early learning age children and 5-18 capturing kindergarten through high school age children.

But mistrust in the Department of Health's data is rampant, and many are calling for autonomy.

Republican legislators agree, writing, "based on the governors comments earlier this summer that masking in schools should be a local decision, school boards across the Commonwealth spent the last several weeks working with health care providers, parents, and students to put protocols in place that reflected the needs and priorities of their districts.

"As a result, 195 districts voted to have some type of masking policy, 304 made it optional and one was still undecided," legislators have written.

"Parents should have the ultimate control over anything that is done to their children. There's no informed consent that is signed to allow them to do anything medical to our children," Oberheim said.

"This is all last minute," Oberheim said. "It's like [Wolf said], 'now I couldn't get to you any other way, and you weren't going to listen to me, so I'm going to stick it to you and your kids and cause this whole mess right when school starts."

"Wolf is lying to try to put masks on our kids," said Oberheim. If kids need a note signed by a doctor to be able to go without masks, "Doctors should sign off on Governor Wolf for what he's doing here."
Updated 9/10/21, 10:45 a.m.

For those of us who remember the day of the attacks with sharp clarity; for those who lost loved ones that day; for those who have died in the years following; for those born after September 11, 2001; for those whose lives changed irreparably: September 11 is a day for everyone to pause, reflect, and remember.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

People recognize the day in their own, personal ways. Here are a few ways to mark the anniversary this year.

9/11 Memorial Ride

The 9/11 Memorial ride through Lycoming County will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 starting and ending at the Clinton Township Fire Company, Montgomery Pa. The ride is hosted by the 911 Memorial Coalition.

Gates open at 10 a.m., memorial service at 2 p.m., and the ride begins at 3 p.m.

The line of bikers in this 42-mile ride can stretch up to 17 miles long and travels through 28 intersections. The coalition coordinates with law enforcement and fire companies in each of the 15 municipalities to block intersections and close roads.

For more information contact Tank Baird at 570-244-6153 or tbaird424@comcast.net.

Related reading: 20th Anniversary memorial motorcycle ride ready to roll

Gov. Wolf Commemoration of 9/11

In honor of the lives lost on September 11, and in commemoration of 20 years of grief, remembrance and healing, Governor Tom Wolf released a video message to Pennsylvanians.

In remembrance of the victims of the attacks and in honor of Patriot Day, Gov. Wolf has ordered all United States and Commonwealth flags on the Capitol Complex and Commonwealth facilities throughout the state be lowered to half-staff at sunrise on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

The United States Flag and the Commonwealth Flag shall remain at half-staff until sunset on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

All Pennsylvanians are invited to participate in this tribute.

Bucknell University: Remembering 9/11 at 20

Bucknell will hold a campus commemoration service on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. in the Rooke Chapel Memorial Grove.

The leadership of Panhellenic Council has been the primary planning group for the event, which will feature Bucknell President John Bravman offering remarks. The Universitys Conservatives Club is also planning to put out American flags by the Elaine Langone Center, which it does annually.

CONTACTS: Rev. Kurt Nelson, director, Religious & Spiritual Life, 570-577-1183, kurt.nelson@bucknell.edu; Brent Papson, 570-577-1168, brent.papson@bucknell.edu

Bloomsburg University: Sept. 11th Day of Remembrance event

9/11 Day of Remembrance event will be held Friday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. in the Academic Quad at Bloomsburg University.

Featuring PA State Treasurer and retired Army reserve Colonel Stacy Garrity 86 and Elizabeth Miller 17. Miller's father was killed in the 9/11 attacks.

Garrity served 30-years in the US Army, retiring as a colonel having earned two Bronze Stars and Legion of Merit for her service. Miller is a Rule of Law Fellow for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a nonprofit 9/11 family member group that is committed to the pursuit of justice within a rule of law framework.

In addition, BU President Bashar Hanna will offer remarks with Jared Stump, a BU student, veteran of the U.S. Marines, and president of BUSVA, serving as master of ceremonies.

Lock Haven University: 9/11 20th anniversary memorial event

Hosted by the LHU Student Veteran Alliance, the event will honor those who lost their lives during the attacks 20 years ago by placing flags on the lawn to represent each of the victims. The ceremony also will include several speakers from the LHU community.

The ceremony begins at 8:40 a.m., Sept. 11, at the LHU Poorman Commons and Poorman Amphitheater.

Following the ceremony, the Fredericks Family Carillon will chime 20 times to represent the years that have passed since the attacks and the LHU community will participate in a campus-wide moment of silence.

20th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Walk

The Mifflinburg Hose Company No. 1 will be hosting its 6th Annual 9/11 Memorial Walk. The walk will again cover 34.3 miles to honor the 343 firefighters as well as others that gave their lives on September 11, 2001.

The walk will start in Hughesville at 3 a.m. and follow Route 405 south through Muncy, Montgomery, Watsontown, Milton. In Lewisburg it will turn west onto Route 45 and follow the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail to Mifflinburg where it will end at Station 3. Organizers anticipate the walk will be finished by 1 or 2 p.m.

Contact Captain 306, Jarred Fry for information. If you wish to participate, please be advised this is a difficult and trying event. All money raised from the walk will be donated to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Annual Commemmoration Ceremony, NYC

In-person attendance for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY, is for family members only of those who were lost on 9/11 and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. But the moments of silence observed at the site can be respected anywhere.

The first moment of silence will be observed at 8:46 a.m, and houses of worship to toll their bells at that time.

At sundown, the annual Tribute in Light will once again illuminate the New York city skyline in commemoration of the anniversary of the attacks.

Pentagon 9/11 Observance Ceremony

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley will host an observance ceremony Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at 9 a.m., at the Pentagon Memorial in honor of the 184 people killed in the 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Prior to the 9/11 observance ceremony, there will be a flag unfurling at sunrise on the west side of the Pentagon.

Both events will livestream on Defense.gov

Flight 93 National Memorial September 11 Observance

The 90-minute observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial will be limited to family members and invited guests and livestreamed on the parks Facebook page.

Park grounds will reopen to the public following the conclusion of the ceremony.

The annual September 11 observance will begin at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, September 11, on the Memorial Plaza.

At 10:03 a.m.  the moment Flight 93 crashed  the names of the passengers and crew members will be read, the Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their memory, and a wreath will be placed at the Wall of Names.

At the conclusion of the wreath laying, the ceremonial gate to the crash site will be opened and family members will walk out to the crash site.

Related reading: Meet the 4 Heroes Award finalists from the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial
Doves are the most abundant game bird in North America, according to the PA Game Commission.

To monitor the life cycles and vast population of the species, doves are regularly banded. A review of Pa. dove research reveals that Pa. mourning doves do not travel beyond their primary geographic area; that is, they live and die in Pa. They sometimes travel only 54 miles in their lifetime, which averages 1.2 years.

Researchers collect data in order to monitor best practices for the hunting season, including season length and bag limits. These measures function as population control, which is the scientific basis for hunting that the PA Game Commission maintains.

Extending science to policy, the Commission describes hunting as a conservation effort, a practice founded to fight deforestation, pollution, and overpopulation.

The PA Game Commission estimates current dove population levels: 350 million doves total; 20 million harvested annually. In Pennsylvania, more than 16,000 hunters participate in dove hunting and generate an annual harvest of more than 100,000.

A statistical outlook on dove hunting situates the hunter as a productive contributor to the practice. Many do not share this view.

On the basis that hunting is an inhumane practice, dove hunting is often contested in a court of law. Michigan, for example, has seen significant resistance from animal rights groups, according to Oakland press reports.

Dove hunting is not legal in select states, including the northeastern states of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Overall, 41 U.S. states allow the practice.

State legislatures across the U.S. encounter repeated attempts to ban the practice, even prior to 1988, according to an edition of Field & Stream magazine from that year.

An objective, evidence-based perspective on dove regulation may fail to satisfy both hunters and hunting policy-reform advocates--for the same reason: hunting is often understood as a passion.

In spirit, dove hunting preserves a hunting tradition. In practice, however, the practice was founded in science, is monitored with science, and may support future scientific efforts.

Dove season in Pa. began on Sept. 1, and runs until Nov. 26, with a second round from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1. Hunters may harvest 15 doves daily but are only allowed to possess 45.

Other hunting sessions also began in September. The full list can be found online.

A reminder on Sunday hunting policies: 2021 Sunday hunting dates include Nov. 14, Nov. 21, and Nov. 28. These are the only Sunday hunting dates allowed by law.

Still need to purchase your 2021-22 hunting license? Buy your license online at www.huntfish.pa.gov.
Residents across the Northeast still recovering from the disastrous impacts caused by Tropical Rainstorm Ida last week should be on alert for showers and thunderstorms that could trigger additional flooding this week.

After Ida produced historic and deadly flooding, as well as severe weather, across the Northeast last week, rather benign conditions followed in the area for several days. While some locations received a brief period of rain over the weekend and at the start of this week, generally dry conditions will continue to follow Ida through Tuesday night.

At least 50 deaths were blamed on the former hurricane from Connecticut to Virginia, according to The Associated Press, as it unleashed torrential rainfall that inundated basement apartments in New York City, caused homes to collapse in New Jersey and put a major highway underwater in Philadelphia.

An end to the rather uneventful stretch of weather is coming for the middle of the week, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. The same cold front that will produce severe weather across the Great Lakes into Tuesday night will shift into the Northeast on Wednesday and deliver rounds of stormy weather.

Showers will first arrive in Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York in the morning hours of Wednesday. Throughout the day, thunderstorms could develop as the front pushes across the Northeast.

"For the first time since Ida's catastrophic flooding, parts of the Northeast will have the potential for more downpours and gusty winds," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean Devore.

Widespread rainfall amounts near half an inch are forecast across the region, while more localized amounts from 1 to 2 inches are expected, especially in any thunderstorms. The heaviest rainfall is likely as the front moves through the interior Northeast and I-95 corridor midday Wednesday through the evening hours.

While an inch of rain is not an excessive amount on a typical late-summer or early fall day, the recent heavy rain across the Northeast will make many areas more susceptible to flooding. Since Aug. 1, New York City has recorded more than 300 percent of the city's normal rainfall. Other cities such as Boston and Washington, D.C., have had more than 200 percent of their normal rainfall.

Totals in some other areas went up significantly when Ida pushed through the region last week. In the Philadelphia suburbs through portions of New Jersey, the nearly 10 inches of rain that fell last week will make it possible for some areas to flood on Wednesday, even if less than an inch of rain falls over three hours time.

Residents should be vigilant in heeding any warnings that are issued for their area. Motorists should be prepared for slowed travel, due to downpours reducing visibility and causing ponding on roadways.

Widespread severe weather is not expected as thunderstorms develop across the northeastern U.S. and southern Quebec later on Wednesday, but there could be some stronger wind gusts. Even a wind gust of 30 mph could have the potential to knock over a weakened tree, especially given the saturated soil in the region following a very wet last month.

"Along with the likelihood of torrential downpours and locally gusty winds, there is also the risk of a few isolated tornadoes, mainly from the Chesapeake Bay northward through eastern New York state to the western part of New England from Wednesday afternoon to Wednesday evening," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Once it pushes off the New England coast later on Thursday, this front will also be responsible for steering Hurricane Larry away from the United States, but toward Atlantic Canada. Even without Larry making landfall, however, the powerful hurricane will be able to bring rough seas and strong rip currents to the mid-Atlantic and New England beaches during the second half of the week.

"People at the beaches are urged to obey restrictions that authorities have in place. With the number of lifeguards dwindling at most beaches after the Labor Day weekend, the level of danger will increase for swimmers with Hurricane Larry at sea," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

Behind the stormy weather, a refreshing surge of cooler air will follow for the eastern U.S., allowing temperatures across the Great Lakes and much of the Northeast to drop as much as 5 degrees below normal for early September. Dew points will also drop, which will create less humid conditions across the region.

Near-normal temperatures are likely to persist for parts of the I-95 corridor from New York City up through New England and coastal locations in this stretch. High temperatures are forecast to be near 80 degrees for New York City and Boston.

The cool air rushing over the warmer Great Lakes may allow some lake-enhanced showers on Thursday and even an occasional waterspout to develop. However, high pressure is expected to move into the Ohio Valley on Friday, which will bring dry conditions just in time for the weekend.




Williamsport, PA (17701)

Today

Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Allenwood -- Donald E. Don Waltman, Jr., 78, of Allenwood died Sunday, September 5, 2021 at his home.

Born June 29, 1943 in Williamsport, he was the son of the late Donald E. Sr. and Kathryn (Schooley) Waltman.

Don was a 1961 graduate of Montgomery High School. He served honorably with the National Guard during the Vietnam War. Following his time in the service, he took over Don Waltman Meats when his father became ill and continued to operate at the former Williamsport Market. Following the 1972 flood, Don moved to the location on Court Street where he operated Don Waltmans Meats and Deli until retiring last year. He also sold chicken annually at the Grange Fair and operated a meat and deli stand at the Lewisburg farmers market.

He was of the Christian faith, attending multiple denominations.

Don was a member of the Muncy Lodge #299, F & AM. He loved hunting birds, especially pheasant, ducks and geese and was a member of the NRA. Don was an avid supporter to the local community, most notably to the Lycoming County law enforcement including Camp Cadet, St. John Neumann Regional Academy and Christ Episcopal Church.

Surviving are three sons, Jeffery (Kelly) Waltman, of Indianapolis, Indiana, Thomas (Wendy) Waltman, of Elysburg and Christopher Waltman, of Stevensville, Montana; and seven grandchildren, Lilly, Jack, Tyler, Kate, Zaya, Yara and Teddy.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a sister, Elizabeth Ann Waltman.

Friends will be received from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Grenobles, 121 S. Main St., Muncy, where the funeral will be held at 1 p.m. with Pastor Michael Hill, of Elimsport United Methodist Church, officiating.

Burial with full military honors will follow in the Elimsport Cemetery.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests contributions be made to the Donald E. Waltman Jr. Memorial Scholarship at Pennsylvania College of Technology, C/O the Penn College Foundation, 1 College Ave., Williamsport, PA 17701. This scholarship is being created to help aspiring students in the culinary and food services curriculum.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grenoblefuneralhome.com.

To plant a tree in memory of Donald Waltman, Jr. as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.




Tillamook, OR (97141)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 39F. NNE winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Calhoun, GA (30701)

Today

Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy with showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Local

Rome High School school zone speed cameras begin issuing fines on Wednesday as students return to classes

Doug Walker, File RedSpeed traffic cameras are located on Veterans Memorial Highway near Rome High School.

Fines will begin for those speeding in the school zone in front of Rome Middle School and Rome High School Wednesday, when a 30-day warning period expires.

The system installed by Illinois-based RedSpeed USA has sent out 1,284 warnings since activated on Aug. 5. As of Wednesday, it will generate $75 tickets for vehicles traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

The second offense will cost $125.

The cameras only capture the license plates  not the drivers images. The owner of the vehicle is ticketed.

The cameras will only issue tickets during the periods from an hour before school begins to an hour after school ends, while the school zone lights are flashing on Veterans Memorial Highway.

The Rome City school board approved the measure in 2019 and the City of Rome approved it in March 2020 after the Rome Police Department approached each board. RPD Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett said speeding on Veterans Memorial Highway has been an issue for law enforcement for years.

Our motorcycle officers work the school zone (one Veterans Memorial Highway) as often as they could, Burnett said. This will free them up to work other school zones, like elementary schools.

The option to place the cameras in school zones to catch speeding drivers was approved by the Georgia Legislature through House Bill 978, which was passed into law during the 2018 legislative session.

Of the revenue generated from the speed cameras, 35% goes to RedSpeed, which installed and monitors the devices. The other 65% goes to the Rome Police Department. It does not go into the citys general fund.

That could potentially be a boon to the police department. Assuming the rate of tickets for a 30-day period continues as it did for the warning period and those were first time offenders, it could add approximately $60,000 to the RPDs coffers.
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Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Chance of an isolated thunderstorm this morning, then variable clouds during the afternoon with more showers at times. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Commentary: What 9/11 may have taught the US: How to avoid being drawn into another unwinnable war
Samsung skipped the Galaxy Note 21 series this year, with the Galaxy Z series taking its place. Now, it has emerged that Samsung has not renewed its Galaxy Note trademark, making the chances of it releasing the Galaxy Note 22 series seem even more remote.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer - Details here



Samsung has updated its trademarks for numerous product names, including the Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series. The trademarks were renewed in August, presumably for next year's set of Galaxy smartphones. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S series will return next year, with the S22 series tipped to debut RDNA 2 GPUs in a smartphone form factor.

Samsung continues to push the Galaxy Z series hard too. For example, the company received over 900,000 Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 pre-orders in South Korea during the device's first week alone. In short, it appears that the Galaxy Z series has replaced the Galaxy Note series, at least from Samsung's point of view.

The omission of the Galaxy Note series from these new trademarks underlines this, in our opinion. Arguably, Samsung has not managed to replace the Galaxy Note series entirely yet though, even after bringing S Pen support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold3.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
To find out more about Diane Dimond, visit her website at www.dianedimond.com. Her latest book, Thinking Outside the Crime and Justice Box, is available on Amazon.com.
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:
A business banker at First Financial Bank will give a talk about business development to the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Andrew Kyres is a vice president and business banker at First Financial Bank, a Cincinnati-based financial institution with branches in Crown Point, Schererville, Highland, Hammond, Hobart, Gary and Kankakee.

Kyres will give a talk at 8 a.m. Sept. 23 at Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerces Coffee, Community & Connections event at the Chamber office at 440 W. 84th Drive in Merrillville. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. for networking, mingling and light refreshments.

His talk will be entitled "Business Development Tips & Insights."

"The business environment has changed significantly as we navigate through COVID," he said. "I will share some insights on how to better position yourself in the marketplace so that you might attain higher levels of business and personal success."

The event is free and open to both Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce members and the general public.
First Merchants Bank named Greg Mather its new chief marketing officer.

The Muncie-based bank, the successor to Munster-based Citizens Financial Bank that now has 18 branches in Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicagoland area, selected Mather to oversee effects to create a multi-channel customer experience and marketing sales pipeline.

Mather, a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin with a master's degree in business administration from the University of Toledo, has more than 20 years of marketing experience in the financial industry. He previously served as chief marketing officer for banks in Texas and the Midwest, amassing experience in omni-channel acquisition, brand management and marketing optimization.

Mather is a resilient leader who has embraced the First Merchants culture; his collaborative management style will continue the momentum to provide proven financial solutions for our clients, President Michael Stewart said. He believes in executing positive performance change to propel the best results for customers and employees. I have great faith that he is capable to lead this market and maximize its full potential.

He replaces Karen Evans who joined the bank in 2005 and is now retiring.
VALPARAISO  A 36-year-old LaPorte man pleaded guilty to child molesting in a case that alleges he sexually abused the girl over 100 times more than a decade ago when she was between the ages of 10 and 16, according to court documents.

Police say the accused, Jerry Rust, was 19 or 20 when the abuse began.

He pleaded guilty Tuesday before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer to the Class A felony count of child molesting in return for prosecutors dropping a second felony count of possessing child pornography.

The proposed plea agreement calls for a 35-year prison term with five years suspended and to be served on formal probation, court records show. Rust will be required to register as sex offender if the agreement is approved by DeBoer during a sentencing hearing Oct. 7.

The alleged victim came forward late last year and told Portage police that the abuse began in 2004 at a residence she lived in as a child, charging information says.

She said she would stay up late playing video games with Rust, who was known to her family, and he manipulated her into thinking they were in a relationship, police said.

Rust began molesting the girl and the alleged victim said a relative walked in once and caught him.
"Stated differently, this is enough billable hours to have one person working full time for over a year on this 500-square-foot improvement," police said.

Police believe Pratt fraudulently billed for labor not done because it would reduce the purchase price.

A further amendment done April 12, 2017  eight days before the homeowner's death  removed the trustee and health care representative, police said. The two-sentence amendment was peculiar in that it was handwritten on notebook paper, no witnesses were listed, and the homeowner's signature was not as clear as previous signatures by her.

A witnesses told police she watched the homeowner sign the document, but did not see it read to her, despite Pratt claiming the witness had read the amendment to the dying woman.

A quitclaim deed was allegedly signed by the homeowner on April 14, 2017, transferring her interest in the home to Pratt for $10, police said. The witness again did not see the document read to the homeowner before she signed it, according to police.

The homeowner's hospice caretakers reportedly told police she was not mentally competent to sign legal documents while in their care and was on narcotic medications, according to a court document.
Gary was taken into custody about 6 p.m. Aug. 27 after a police officer recognized him in the surveillance video because of his prior contacts with law enforcement, records state.

Officers went to an address Gary used when he was enrolled in school, and an adult called him up from the home's basement, documents say.

The charges linked to the Hammond Central High shooting aren't the only case Gary is facing.

He's wanted on an arrest warrant in Marion County, where he's accused of carrying a handgun within 500 feet of a school, records show.

Lake County prosecutors also charged Gary in connection with a robbery and shooting June 15 outside a restaurant in the 5800 block of Calumet Avenue in Hammond.

In that case, Gary and co-defendant Davion D. Evans, 17, of Hammond, are accused of robbing a couple Evans asked for a ride.

A teenage girl told police Gary grabbed cash from her and attempted to get out of the car and run, but she chased him and fought with him. Gary hit her in the head and shot her in the leg, then took her money and marijuana and fled down an alley, records allege.

Evans was wanted Tuesday on an arrest warrant in that case.
"They cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt what they've accused him of," King said.

King read Gray's statement to police in which Gray wrote he argued with his grandmother and she began hitting him with a cane.

Gray told police he tried to walk away, but his grandmother followed him, so he picked up a gasoline can and lit a match "to scare her."

Gray wrote in a statement the fire was an accident and one of the matches "caught." He claimed the flames became so large he ran away in fear.

King said Gray gave the statement to police after he worked an overnight shift as a security guard; called police about 3 a.m.  about 12 hours after he started his work shift  to report the fire; stuck around at the scene as emergency crews responded; was interrogated for hours starting at 7 a.m. at the Gary Police Department; and voluntarily returned later that day to the Lake County Sheriff's Department in Crown Point for another police interrogation.

Koonce said Gray called 911 to report the fire, but told a dispatcher he wasn't sure if he should go inside to try to rescue his grandmother.
MICHIGAN CITY  The citys public buildings are now open by appointment only. Washington Park Zoo remains open, but with several restrictions.

Mayor Duane Parry issued an executive order Tuesday afternoon in hopes of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions are effectively immediately and will continue until further notice.

Tuesdays City Council meeting was shifted from a hybrid of in-person and online to online only. Except for the Water Department, Sanitation Department and Port Authority, all Michigan City boards and commissioners will meet exclusively online, Parry said. All public meetings will be conducted via Zoom and live-streamed on Facebook to allow public comments.

City business will continue to be transacted, with employees continuing to work and answer phones and email. However, meetings with members of the public will be by appointment only. The public is encouraged to call or email the specific department if a meeting with a staff member is required.

Chief of Staff Chris Yagelski said Washington Park Zoo is limited to 25% capacity. The tower is closed, as are the bird sanctuary and the reptile house.
When I ran for Attorney General, I promised Hoosiers I would hold China accountable for their many abuses, including stealing our intellectual property, committing human rights violations, and unleashing a deadly virus on the world, which they unsuccessfully tried to cover up.

I continue keeping my end of the bargain to Hoosiers.

Just weeks ago, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General started an investigation into Valparaiso Universitys affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through its Confucius Institute. These organizations operate to spread propaganda and circulate the mantra of the CCP at both the university and in several K-12 schools in Indiana. Valparaiso alone has received at least $1.1 million from the CCP to operate its institute.

Three weeks after I announced the investigation, the university did the right thing by stating it intends to finally end its relationship with its Confucius Institute in six months. After March 1, 2022, there will no longer be any Confucius Institutes in the state of Indiana, but 38 still remain throughout the country. As a result of public scrutiny, Valparaiso has agreed to terminate its relationship with the CCP and has stated that the university will no longer receive CCP or other funding to hire CCP-blessed professors and staff from China through these partnerships.
The sales script went something like this, federal prosecutors say: The price of printer toner has gone up, but customers can lock in at the lower rate theyve been paying for the office supply.

But by the time tens of thousands of small businesses, charities and other organizations that signed orders for toner  the indispensable yet notoriously expensive fine powder used by laser printers and photocopy machines  saw the fine print, it was too late.

They had been conned out of a total of $126 million over six years, the Justice Department said, noting that the scheme had actually gone on for decades.

On Friday, the man who prosecutors say was the mastermind of that fraud scheme was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Orange County, Calif., to four years in federal prison, followed by two years of home confinement. In the scheme, telemarketers misrepresented that they were affiliated with actual suppliers of printer toner and forced the victims to pay for supplies they didnt need.
Immigrants from Eastern Europe have flocked to Manville, and its Polish population is one of the states largest: One downtown church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, holds two Polish Masses on Sunday, and there are two delis that sell Eastern European food like pierogies and stuffed cabbage. Immigrants from Central and South America have made Manville more diverse.

Mauro Rojas and Karla Licano, who are from Costa Rica, moved to Manville two years ago. They looked at 30 houses but bought the one on Boesel Avenue, in the Lost Valley. The house was near a vast park and close to a river, and had a backyard with a big porch and an aboveground pool. It was perfect for a family with a young daughter and dog.

The couple had heard that the house had a 1 percent chance of flooding, and even knew that several surrounding lots were empty because the government had bought and demolished flood-prone homes. They took a chance. But the night the floodwaters rose, they saw their dream house  and all of the items in it  disappear.

When water began to leak into their first floor from the basement and front door, Mr. Rojas, who runs a painting business, grabbed a ladder and led his family, including their Beagle mix, to the roof.

Their daughter, Elena, snuggled into her blanket. The dog shook. In tears and with disbelief, the family watched their 1,200-gallon pool rise from the ground, lifted by the water below it.

In the morning, after climbing into a rescuers boat, Elena began to weep when she saw the 27 rainbow-colored bags she and her mother had filled with lighted eyeglasses, hair bows, chocolates and other treats the night before. They were floating down the street. It was her sixth birthday.

She said, Mom, my birthday bags! No! and my heart broke, Ms. Licano, a secretary, said on Tuesday as she stood crying on a muddied floor.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

Still Horsing Around

Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show on Tuesday after taking the summer off.

I leave you people alone for two months, you start taking horse worm medicine? the host said.

Kimmel offered a name for people who have taken the medicine, ivermectin, as a supposed cure for Covid-19: pan-dimwits. There is no evidence that the drug is effective against Covid, and the health authorities have warned that it could pose a serious danger to humans.
Horns view is that Annes words are inspirational exactly because her perspective is not only incomplete but also false. We take the easy way out rather than plumbing the depths of evil. We look for universal lessons in lieu of attending to the actual persecution of Jews. Horn wants us not to be encouraged by what seems to be the proliferation of these forms of remembering, a proliferation spawned by an idealized, graceful perspective that has as its aim to reaffirm the values of the very culture that, in spite of it all, shattered so many Anne Franks.

In three other essays, Horn deals with the upswell of anti-Semitism in the United States. Here it becomes clear that her concern about the ways we remember is inextricable from the way we relate to what is happening today. Horn claims that setting the Holocaust as the bar for anti-Semitism means that anything short of the Holocaust is, well, not the Holocaust. The bar is rather high. According to Horn, this might explain the limited shelf life, so to speak, of current events like the gunning down of Jews in Pittsburgh, in San Diego, in New Jersey.

And then theres the moment of relief that Jews feel when we arrive at the famous questions in Act III of The Merchant of Venice: If you prick us, do we not bleed?  If you poison us, do we not die? So Shakespeare was not really an antisemite, but rather, more benignly, a satirist when he limned Shylocks stereotypical Jewish character. After all, he is Shakespeare, and we want him on our side.

Or how we recognize the Chinese governments investment of $30 million to restore Jewish heritage sites in Harbin, a city that was built by Russian Jewish entrepreneurs, who flourished there until they were no longer required.

People Love Dead Jews is an outstanding book with a bold mission. It criticizes people, artworks and public institutions that few others dare to challenge. Reading this book, I started to find the words I should have said to that woman in Motal. I should have responded that maybe Eastern Europe has been left with a void, but I have been left with hardly any family.

But there is a rare moment in Horns book in which she admits the austerity of her own perspective. Its in Legends of Dead Jews. The common family story that so many American Jews have heard about their surnames being changed at Ellis Island is a myth, she writes. The names werent changed by mistake. American Jews preferred to change their names to be able to fit in, to blend in, to assimilate.

I expected Horn to criticize the purveyors of this legend. After all, they distorted the past to avoid the discomfort of its truth. But she writes: Our ancestors could have dwelled on the sordid facts, and passed down that psychological damage. Instead, they created a story that ennobled us, and made us confident in our role in this great country. Perhaps revision of this sort does not always have to be about self-blinding. Perhaps, as Horn suggests, it is an act of bravery and love. Some things are just too painful to say.

Reading Horns beautiful words, I thought that maybe, after all, what this woman in Motal wanted, and needed, was a simple thank you, a handshake and a humble nod.
BURNING MAN: The Trials of D.H. Lawrence, by Frances Wilson. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $35.) This biography examines the English novelists life from 1915 to 1925, during a decade of intense writing and traveling. Letters, memoirs and diaries written by friends of Lawrence illuminate his three major crises and adversaries during the pilgrimage.

THE NEW YALE BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, edited by Fred R. Shapiro. (Yale University, $50.) An updated edition of the classic reference book contains over 12,000 quotations from all aspects of human activity, with attributions and new entries from public figures including Beyonce, Louise Gluck and James Comey.

LATE CITY, by Robert Olen Butler (Grove, $27.) In Butlers latest novel, 115-year-old Sam Cunningham is lying on his deathbed when God visits, prompting him to re-examine his life from his early days as an Army sniper to his struggles while working as a newspaper reporter in Chicago.

HARROW, by Joy Williams. (Knopf, $26.) Khristen attends a boarding school for gifted teenagers in the middle of the desert until it closes its doors, forcing her to travel across the scorching landscape and live in a community determined to revive a dying planet.
Early in Bill Clintons presidency, House Democrats voted to pass an energy tax, known as the B.T.U. tax, only to watch the Senate prevent the bill from becoming law. In the next midterm elections, more than 25 of the House Democrats who had voted for the bill lost re-election.

Early in Barack Obamas presidency, history repeated itself. House Democrats voted for a cap-and-trade plan to address climate change, and the Senate blocked the bill. In the next midterms, many House Democrats struggled to defend their votes.

That history helps explain the approach that congressional Democrats are taking on the biggest piece of President Bidens agenda  a $3.5 trillion plan to slow climate change, expand health care and education, cut poverty and increase taxes on the wealthy.

Many House Democrats are worried about getting B.T.U.d again, as some have put it. They do not want to take a tough vote that ends up having no policy impact. Some of us were here in 2010, when we took certain votes, Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, has said, and the Senate didnt take certain votes.
The Biden administration on Wednesday released a blueprint showing how the nation could move toward producing almost half of its electricity from the sun by 2050  a potentially big step toward fighting climate change but one that would require vast upgrades to the electric grid.

There is little historical precedent for expanding solar energy, which contributed less than 4 percent of the countrys electricity last year, as quickly as the Energy Department outlined in a new report. To achieve that growth, the country would have to double the amount of solar energy installed every year over the next four years and then double it again by 2030.

Such a large increase, laid out in the report, is in line with what most climate scientists say is needed to stave off the worst effects of global warming. It would require a vast transformation in technology, the energy industry and the way people live.

The report is consistent with climate and energy plans laid out by President Biden during his campaign last year, when he said he wanted to bring net planet-warming emissions from the power sector to zero by 2035. He also wants to add hundreds of offshore wind turbines to the seven currently in American waters. And last month, he announced that he wanted half of all new cars sold to be electric by 2030 in a White House event with executives from three of the nations largest automakers  a goal that will depend in large part on whether there will be enough places to plug in those cars.
Even as Lululemon reported soaring sales on Wednesday and forecast a robust holiday season, the athleisure company sounded a note of caution because of pandemic-related factory shutdowns in Vietnam, echoing concerns about the global supply chain voiced by many apparel retailers in recent weeks.

A third of our global sourcing does come from Vietnam so we are definitely in the market, Calvin McDonald, Lululemons chief executive, said in an interview. We are encouraged with the recent news of a phased opening in South Vietnam but we continue to work with our partners, shift, and if necessary, leverage airfreight and other ways to get our fall and winter goods in.

He added that even while the companys guidance called for robust sales and profit for the remainder of this year, we could have stretched and achieved even more, without the supply chain disruptions.

Lululemon has been one of few apparel retailers to thrive during the pandemic. Customers flocked to its pricey athleisure and exercise clothing while stuck at home, and the company made inroads in virtual fitness with last years acquisition of Mirror, a wall-mounted device for streaming workouts. Mr. McDonald said that Lululemon, which has more than 500 stores globally, would have 200 shop-in-shops featuring Mirror in North America by Black Friday.
Never having to be in the same conference room or cubicle as a co-worker may sound like a dream to some people. But the phenomenon of job hoppers who have not physically met their colleagues illustrates how emotional and personal attachments to jobs may be fraying. That has contributed to an easy-come, easy-go attitude toward workplaces and created uncertainty among employers over how to retain people they barely know.

Already, more workers have left their jobs during some pandemic months than in any other time since tracking began in December 2000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In April, a record 3.9 million people, or 2.8 percent of the work force, told their employers they were throwing in the towel. In June, 3.8 million people quit. Many of those were blue-collar workers who were mostly working in person, but economists said office workers who were stuck at home were also most likely feeling freer to bid adieu to jobs they disliked.

If youre in a workplace or a job where there is not the emphasis on attachment, its easier to change jobs, emotionally, said Bob Sutton, an organizational psychologist and a professor at Stanford University.

While this remote work phenomenon is not exactly new, whats different now is the scale of the trend. Shifts in the labor market usually develop slowly, but white-collar work has evolved extremely quickly in the pandemic to the point where working with colleagues one has never met has become almost routine, said Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank.

What it says the most about is just how long this has dragged on, she said. All of a sudden, huge swaths of white-collar workers have completely changed how they do their work.
California has long cast itself as a leader in the fight against global warming, with more solar panels and electric cars than anywhere else in the nation. But the states ambitious climate policies now face their biggest reckoning to date.

Voters in California are deciding whether to oust Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, ahead of a Sept. 14 recall election. Many of the Republicans vying to replace Mr. Newsom want to roll back the states aggressive plans to curb its planet-warming emissions, a move that could have nationwide implications for efforts to tackle climate change given Californias influence as the worlds fifth-largest economy.

Under the rules of the election, Mr. Newsom would be removed from office if more than 50 percent of voters choose to recall him. If that happens, the governorship would go to whichever of the 46 replacement candidates on the ballot gets the most votes  even if that person does not win a majority.

Democrats have worried that Mr. Newsom could lose, although polling over the past week suggests that voters in the state have started rallying around him.
I like to take credit for Jessica being there at the salon, Jennifer Fisher, a jewelry designer and longtime client of Ms. Gillin, said, with a laugh. Jessica has always been the cool-girl hairstylist.

When the opportunity at the salon came up, Ms. Gillin was on the fence. Ms. Fisher offered herself as guinea pig to sample Ms. Perrys work. My hair color was very generic-looking she said. I wanted to warm it up. Jenna has exponentially transformed it 360. I get more DMs about my hair than ever before. Shes like a hair magician.

Once Ms. Gillin moved to the salon in June 2020, the two started combining their skills in what Ms. Fisher describes as fashion hair. (With fashion prices: Ms. Perry charges $250 for a single process; a haircut from Ms. Gillin costs $275.)

Working in a largely male-dominated world of haute hair wasnt always easy for either of them. Ms. Perry, who grew up in Newport, R.I., went straight from high school to the local Paul Mitchell beauty school. Her first memory of noticing hair? When she was 8 years old and saw Spanish telenovelas for the first time.

I thought they were so glam and beautiful, she said. It was the first time I was mesmerized by glamour.

After beauty school, she moved to New York in 2005. There was a string of salon jobs: Space on Spring Street, then Soon Beauty Lab, where she started assisting on photo shoots. By the time she moved to Ion Studio in 2015, Ms. Perry was focused on color as her specialty.
Not long ago, Paul Gorman, a pop culture historian in London, the author of The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren: The Biography and an authenticator for auction houses that specialize in rock fashion, was given a shirt attributed to Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwoods Seditionaries label, circa 1977, to assess.

Made of muslin, it was decorated with an instantly identifiable graphic by the artist Jamie Reid, created for the sleeve of the Sex Pistols Anarchy in the UK single.

If it were genuine, it would command a significant price at auction. At a Bonhams sale in May, a 1977 parachute shirt by Mr. McLaren and Ms. Westwood sold for $6,660, and a rare black-and-red mohair sweater embroidered with a skull and crossbones and the lyrics to the Sex Pistols No Future went for $8,896.

Mr. Gorman, however, didnt believe the shirt he was assessing was what the owner claimed it to be.

The muslin had been aged in some places, Mr. Gorman said. Yet in others the fabric remained too fresh. The inks were not of 1970s quality and had not diffused into the fabric. When questioned about the provenance, the vendor withdrew the piece from the auction house and said it had subsequently been sold privately. There is only one similar shirt in a museum collection, Mr. Gorman said, and I believe that to be dubious too.
The National Museum of Beirut has only one ancient timepiece: part of a second-century-B.C. sundial. It was broken at some point in the past, but the fragment in the museum has survived even the enormous explosion that leveled the nearby Port of Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020, blowing some of the museums doors off their hinges and shattering windows.

The museum reopened on July 1 after a $175,000 restoration, donated by the Aliph Foundation through the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the sundial is once again on view, protected in a glass vitrine.

At a glance, it looks like a lump of stone, said Ruth Young, an archaeology professor at the University of Leicester in England, whose specialties include the Middle East. Yet on closer inspection, she noted, you can see the precision with which the lines are carved, marking out the passage of time.
For her 30th birthday last year, Brynn Wallner knew she wanted to celebrate the milestone with a watch, but she wasnt sure which one. While doing research online, she found not only a lack of inspiration, but a lack of representation.

There were many blogs and Reddit threads that, she said, felt very male-dominated. A lot of wrist shots with cuff links, whiskey and whatever dudes are into, Ms. Wallner said with a laugh, via a video call from her home in New York City. I felt like, none of this is doing it for me.

So in spring 2020 she started an Instagram page called Dimepiece. Dimepiece is slang for a hot girl  shes a 10, like a dime, Ms. Wallner said. Obviously were past ranking womens hotness numerically, but I thought it was such a cute play on the word timepiece, which sounds so comically serious.

But serious was behind her decision. Im 31, she said. Ive been nurturing a career, living on my own, I have a little bit of disposable income and Im at the place in my life where Im ready to level up in terms of what I own and what I do.
The young woman was awakened by the screams of her 39-year-old husband. Please make it stop! he shouted, leaping from the bed. It hurts! He paced back and forth across the room, arms crossed over his chest as if to protect himself. Two days earlier, he had inhaled a breath mint when his wife startled him. He felt it move slowly down his throat as he swallowed repeatedly. His chest had hurt ever since. But not like this.

The man squirmed miserably throughout the short drive to the emergency room at Westerly Hospital, near the Rhode Island and Connecticut border. No position was comfortable. Everything hurt. Even breathing was hard. Although the doctors in the E.R. immediately determined that the young man wasnt having a heart attack, it was clear something was very wrong. His blood pressure was so low that it was hard to measure. A normal blood pressure may be 120/80. On arrival, his was 63/32. With a pressure this low, blood couldnt get everywhere it was needed  a condition known as shock. His lips, hands and feet had a dusky hue from this lack of well-oxygenated blood. He was given intravenous fluids to bring up his pressure, and when that didnt work, he was started on medications for it. Three hours later, he was on two of these medicines and his fourth liter of fluid. Despite that, his pressure remained in the 70s. He had to be put on a breathing machine to help him keep up with his bodys demand for more oxygen.

The most common cause of shock is infection. But this man, as sick as he was, had no signs of infection. The medical team started him on antibiotics anyway. Could the painful mint have torn his esophagus? Up to 50 percent of patients with that injury will die. A CT scan showed no evidence of perforation or of fluid in his chest. What else could this be? There was no sign of a clot keeping blood from entering the lungs, another cause of deadly low blood pressure. An ultrasound of the heart showed that he had some fluid in the sac called the pericardium, which contains and protects the heart, but not enough to interfere with how well it was beating. He was tested for Covid and for recreational drugs  both negative.

The doctors in the small community hospital began to worry that they wouldnt figure out what was going on with this young man in time to save his life. They reached out to Yale New Haven Hospital an hour and a half away, which was better equipped to handle tough cases. Dr. Laura Glick, a resident finishing her second year of training at Yale New Haven, heard about this pending transfer and looked him up in the electronic medical record shared by the two hospitals. The patient was getting a CT of his abdomen and pelvis. Could there be a hidden infection there? As she read through his chart, an event note popped up. The patients heart had stopped while he was in the scanner. Was he going to die before he even got to Yale?
Hunley: This is my 10th year as a school administrator, and I have never felt such a high level of energy around transforming education. We had to cope through the pandemic. We had to adjust all these different practices. And I feel from teachers, from parents, from the kids: Were not going back to the way that things used to be. They have gained so much independence about what it means to be a learner. Some of the projects that kids have created while they were at home on remote learning have been incredible. We want to bring in more of that.

To return to a point that Brian made earlier, look at the work that weve been doing around racial equity. As a district, weve focused on naming the fact that from the founding of the United States, the way the educational system was set up created systemic racism and perpetuated injustices, first for Black students and then also for other students of color. It gives me a lot of hope that were naming that.

Coleman: What gives me the most hope are examples of strong, intentional collaboration, where everyone is buying into a shared goal. Our district asked each school last spring whether we wanted to keep our school resource officers  police  or reallocate the money for those positions. Our school is working with a community organization that ideally would send therapists to schools a few days a week to see students we refer, at no cost to the student. The counseling we currently offer is short-term, so this would be a way to help students whose needs go beyond that.

Schwinn: We had a big bus tour this summer, and it was about celebrating schools. Our profession is a joyful profession. We have to bring that back.

We lifted up districts like Chattanooga, an urban district where there was growth across student groups, with high-dosage tutoring and personalized attention and lots of accommodations to families. We lifted up our rural communities, where we saw energized teachers and really high student attendance in summer learning camps. Despite a pandemic school year, about 30 percent or so of our districts saw some level of growth in student proficiency.

Radesky: I appreciate the caring and committed approaches youve all presented. But I wonder about all the schools where funding isnt being allocated as wisely. The teachers are exhausted  and arent given the freedom to lie down on their classroom floors when they need to!  and the burden of children with special educational needs and social-emotional challenges is high.

I hope we keep encouraging kids to talk about how their bodies and brains feel. And I hope that based on the products weve seen and worked with for remote learning, we advocate for more child-centered designs for tech products, instead of platforms like YouTube and Tik Tok that monetize the attention of kids.
I recently joined a fast-growing health care company. I referred a candidate I worked with years ago, also a friend, who was a good match for an open position. My friend was offered the job, but I later learned that she intends to keep the full-time position she currently occupies while signing on for a full-time position at my company. Because each company allows for some remote work, she feels that shell be able to balance time for each. This arrangement is clearly against company policy, which requires, among other things, disclosure and approval of all other employment. My friend intends to keep her plans a secret from both companies.

When I made the referral, I had no reason to believe my friend would behave in this manner, and she remains undeterred despite my advice. Im worried about the potential fallout for her and also that my reputation in the company could be tarnished if her deception comes to light. Now that Im aware of her plans, should I warn my employer? Name Withheld

Business bigamy of this sort, to judge from recent news reports, may not be so very uncommon. Theres now a website, Overemployed, that, in a disabused tone somewhere between Office Space and Fight Club, offers practical tips for aspiring two-timers, while elevating mediocrity to a point of principle. (Because, you know, the Man.) But what your friend is doing is wrong in all sorts of ways. Shes being dishonest in deceiving both employers. Shes taking advantage of the trust these companies place in their employees and of colleagues who dont abuse this trust. And although she says shes capable of doing both jobs at the level required, her judgment about this is unlikely to be objective; either way, were she fully devoted to one of the jobs, she could surely do it better. Finally, she is, as you make clear, specifically wronging you, the person who effectively vouched for her.

Youve urged her to mend her ways, to no avail. At this point, you could tell her that youll report her hustle if she doesnt give it up  but youd also be justified in reporting her without giving her further notice. True, she let you know what was going on in the expectation that youd keep it to yourself. Yet she wasnt entitled to this expectation, and you didnt consent to withholding information from the company that its managers would expect you to share. What she did was an imposition: It saddled you with the reputational risk of being associated with her duplicity  of facing the question, Did you know about this? And oh, yes, it was definitely a violation of Overemployeds Rule No. 1: Dont talk about working two remote jobs.
But modesty works in the movies favor: Old Henry is a solid-as-a-rock western that, as it goes on, gently suggests its about more than youd anticipated. In a rare leading role, Nelson plays Henry, a widowed farmer living on a small patch of land in the Oklahoma territory. Its 1906, and Henrys teenage son, Wyatt (Gavin Lewis), is anxious to seek adventure, leave the farm, and wrest himself from the grip of his overprotective father.

But adventure finds them instead when Henry and Wyatt happen upon a nearly dead cowboy and his pouch full of cash. When Henry brings both back to his farm, it isnt long before a sinister gunslinger (Stephen Dorff) comes sniffing around for that bounty. And in the standoff that follows, maybe father and son will come to learn more about each other than either was expecting.

As an actor whos 57 years old and has been doing this a long time, theres something incredibly exciting about being associated with a younger filmmaker whos created something very special, Nelson said Monday night at da Ivo, a Venice restaurant that had been recommended to him by his O Brother co-star George Clooney, who held his bachelor party there.

For a supporting player like Nelson, who recently appeared in HBOs Watchmen, leading roles like the one in Old Henry are few and far between. Still, Nelson is humble about the promotion. If anything, it just means hes taking on more responsibility to get the film seen.
Holding a big bouquet of flowers and welcome balloons, Mr. Wali said he cried as he hugged his wife, Aishah, 29, and their children, Omar, 8, Zahra, 6, and Yasir, 1. He felt like he was in a dream, he said.

I would not believe it, to be honest with you, Mr. Wali said. You had a dream to be together, and now, thank God, you are together.

Mr. Wali immigrated to the United States in 1992 and found work at the Ariana Afghan Kebob restaurant in Midtown, which he took over in 2002 and still operates to this day. He had begun the laborious process of applying for citizenship for his wife in 2018, but when the Afghan government collapsed, her application was still in limbo.

His two older children, still battling jet lag, accompanied him to the restaurant on Tuesday evening. Omar laid his head down on one of the tables and promptly fell asleep.

When the Taliban first took control of Kabul, Mr. Wali thought he would never see his family again, he said. At the suggestion of two of his restaurants customers, he contacted Mr. Suozzi, who reached out to Mr. DeMarco at Allied Airlift to get the ball rolling.

After the Wali family was cleared for evacuation, finding them in the sea of thousands outside Kabuls airport was the next challenge. Workers told Ms. Wali to tie a red bandanna to their infants clothing or wave it in the air to help them stand out. Even then, Mr. DeMarco said, it took about 12 hours to find them.

Its a needle in a haystack, Mr. DeMarco said. It was just a sea of humanity, and its chaotic.

Compounding the difficulty was the fact that the American military kept changing the checkpoint gate over security concerns, Mr. DeMarco said, raising fears that the family would miss the pickup window. The Walis also had to break the curfew established by the Taliban, because the group hadnt found them by the time it went into effect.
Brian Downey, the deputy mayor of a village located about an hours drive north of New York City, was arrested last week after an early morning court-ordered search of his residence turned up what the authorities said was an arsenal of weapons.

There were guns hanging from one wall, guns on a rack against another wall and a sawed-off shotgun in a nearby closet, according to a federal complaint that cited a gun room in Mr. Downeys ground-level basement.

In all, the federal and state charges accuse Mr. Downey of possessing 17 unregistered firearms and 13 firearm silencers.

Details of the case emerged in recent days with the release of complaints by federal and state authorities.
Joseph I. Kramer, who tended to the afflictions of the poor as the self-described country doctor of Manhattans Lower East Side for nearly three decades, a period, beginning in 1969, when the neighborhood was infamous for urban squalor, died on Aug. 30 at his home in Leonia, N.J. He was 96.

The death was confirmed by his daughter, Leslie Kramer.

In the early 1960s, Dr. Kramer was working as a pediatrician in New Jerseys prosperous suburbs in Bergen County and seemingly on his way to fulfilling the dreams of his youth  a red Porsche and a getaway in the Bahamas. Yet he began to find work increasingly unfulfilling.

It wasnt that exciting; nobody was that sick, he told The Bergen Record in 1990. Doctors outnumbered diseases. Mothers would call up if their babies had a temperature of 98.9, or theyd ask what color vegetables to serve. He felt, he later recalled, like an expensive babysitter.

One night he got a hysterical call and rushed to a patients house, only to discover that the crisis had little to do with medicine. He returned home, called his partner and gave away his share of their practice.
Some have argued that, by their very nature, cryptocurrencies go hand-in-hand with criminal enterprise. Janet L. Yellen, the U.S. treasury secretary, said in an interview with CNBC in February that she feared Bitcoin was often used for illicit finance. The technology has become a concern for state and federal regulators, given how quickly it has developed and how poorly it is understood.

Ari Redbord, the head of legal and government affairs at T.R.M. Labs, a company that investigates cryptocurrency-related crime, and a former federal prosecutor, said that the association between cryptocurrency and criminal activity had developed because the qualities that made the technology useful had made it attractive to criminals, who also want to move funds at the speed of the internet.

What you often see in any new financial system really is early adoption by illicit actors who care less about things that traditional players in the financial system care about, he said.

But he emphasized that activity connected to potential crimes made up only a small percentage of all cryptocurrency transactions, and said that new technological tools would allow investigators to track the flow of money more easily than they had been able to with traditional currencies.

The void in understanding of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology more generally has allowed for the possibility of cryptocurrency-related schemes that do not involve ransomware, terrorism or international money laundering. These are, instead, pedestrian crimes with a 21st-century twist.

In another example on Wednesday, an Ohio man, Michael Ackerman, pleaded guilty in Federal District Court in Manhattan to an investment scheme in which prosecutors said he swindled hundreds of investors out of more than $30 million, telling them he would use their money to invest in crypto.

Instead, he used at least $9 million of his investors funds to buy numerous pieces of real estate and hundreds of thousands of dollars of Tiffany jewelry, prosecutors said.
It was one of the most intense experiences, he said.

The police had identified Mr. Ingram using facial recognition tools they applied to his Instagram profile, intercepted his phone calls and used drones to peer inside his apartment. Dozens of officers descended. The response seemed suited to a terrorist threat, Mr. Ingram said.

But Mr. Ingram, an organizer and activist, was not a terrorism suspect. Officers were seeking him in connection with his participation in a protest, where they said he spoke through a bullhorn near the ear of a patrolwoman, causing her temporary hearing loss. He would later be charged with assault of a police officer  a case that was subsequently dropped.

The intensity of the police operation was shocking, Mr. Ingram said.

It kind of felt stupid. I felt like it was a waste of taxpayer money and funds, Mr. Ingram said. Weve created a monster thats kind of always existed within America, but weve given that monster  because of 9/11, because of other terrorist attacks and things that have happened  unquestionable, unchecked power.

Safeguards meant to limit the polices ability to monitor political activity were suspended. Thousands of additional cameras and license plate readers were installed around Manhattan, part of the Lower and Midtown Manhattan Security Initiatives.

Only recently  because of a law passed by the City Council last summer, to police officials dismay  did the breadth of the Police Departments surveillance dragnet begin to become clear. The law, known as the POST Act, requires the department to provide a public accounting of its post-9/11 technological arsenal.

Police officials have proved reluctant to fully comply with the transparency requirements, and have historically kept such expenditures secret even from the citys own comptroller. But according to figures maintained by the citys Independent Budget Office, the Police Departments spending on intelligence and counterterrorism nearly quadrupled between 2006 and 2021, up to $349 million from $83 million in 2006, the earliest year for which the office keeps data.

For a department that was running entire precinct houses on single computers at the time of the attacks, the expansion has been stunning, said Raymond W. Kelly, whose second stint as New York Police Department commissioner began just months after the attacks. Mr. Kelly led a frantic, rapid effort to bring the department up to speed.
jane coaston

Today on The Argument: How do Americas veterans talk about September 11th? [MUSIC PLAYING]

news clip (joe biden) Last night in Kabul, the United States ended the longest war in American history. news clip (george w. bush) On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. news clip (barack obama) It was here in Afghanistan where Osama bin Laden established a safe haven for his terrorist organization. It was here from within these borders that Al Qaeda launched the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children. news clip (donald trump) Weve been there for 19 years. And weve acted as policemen, not soldiers. And if we wanted to be soldiers, it would be over in 10 days  one week to 10 days, if we wanted to. news clip (joe biden) I refuse to continue the war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interests of our people. 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.

jane coaston

This week is the 20th anniversary of September 11th. Im pretty sure you know that by now. Its wild to think that its been two decades since the only morning of my freshman year of high school I remember absolutely perfectly, every detail seared into some part of my skull. And its even more staggering and sobering and sad and awful to come to terms with the almost 20 years of wars that have followed. Beginning in October 2001 with the war in Afghanistan. Im Jane Coaston. And what I wanted to do this week is hear from veterans who fought in that war about what 9/11 has meant to them and how its colored their lives, their service, and their feelings about our country since. So today were bringing you a conversation I had with two veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom. Thats the official name of the United States global war on terror. [MUSIC PLAYING] Michael Washington and Ken Harbaugh are friends. They met years ago through Team Rubicon, an organization that helps veterans serve communities and humanitarian emergencies. Both of them have spent a lot of time thinking about what 9/11 and the 20 years since have meant to their communities. Mike is a former marine and firefighter who was deployed to the Middle East after 9/11. In 2008, his son Michael Jr., who was also a Marine, was killed in action in Afghanistan. It ultimately inspired Mike to become a therapist for veterans and first responders. Ken Harbaugh  and before you ask, not related to those Harbaughs  served as a U.S. Navy pilot from 1996 to 2005 and was in Afghanistan in 2006 with the human rights organization. After leaving the Navy, Kens worked as an advocate for veterans. A quick content warning: We mentioned suicide in this episode. And well provide some resources at the end of the conversation for veterans and anyone else who might be struggling right now. So I want to start with September 11th, 2001. I was a freshman in high school. And I did not realize at the time the next 20 years of my life would be defined by this thing I was watching on television. There has never been a moment of my adult life that was not post-9/11. So Id like to ask both of you, how long had you been serving in the military at that point? And where were you in that moment? Ken, lets start with you.

ken harbaugh

So Id been on active duty for about five years, joined the Navy after college, and became a Navy pilot and was commanding a combat reconnaissance crew in the Pacific on 9/11. And our aircraft was down for maintenance. And I remember the second plane hitting and realizing with a real sense of dread that were going to war. Like you, I never imagined the next 20 years would be defined by it. But in the immediate aftermath, we redeployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. And everything in the U.S. military shifted that direction.

jane coaston

Mike, how about you?

michael washington

I joined the Marine Corps in 1981 and left active duty in 1988 and became a firefighter. And I was in the reserves at the time, and a firefighter. And I just got back from Bosnia, a six-month tour in Bosnia, that May. And I was getting my kids ready for school. And I remember watching it on Good Morning America or whatever it was that happened to be on background. And the first plane strike, I was like, Oh, my gosh, what a horrible accident. How could that happen?

jane coaston

Right.

michael washington

And then as soon as the second one happened, I knew we were going to war with somebody and that Id be leaving soon. So I took my kids to school, thinking about, OK, whats my next step, started prepping my family for me to head back out. And a month later, I was in Saudi Arabia doing operations throughout the region.

jane coaston

So what was that month like for you from the afternoon of September 11th to the October invasion of Afghanistan? It was background for me as I was figuring out being a teenager. But for both of you, this reshaped where you lived, what you did, and the dangers you faced, Ken.

ken harbaugh

It was frenetic operationally. But I spent a lot of time thinking about what was happening at home because a lot of people were wondering what was going to happen next. And the DEFCON level changed on every base. Families were worried. I remember telling my crew, check in with your families now because were probably not going to be talking to them for a while. And that turned out to be absolutely the case. But in hindsight, an overriding sentiment that I had, and Ive talked to buddies of mine since then, was just the sense of unity that we felt, not just those of us in uniform but as a country. I contrast that with where we are today and just how much has changed. I mean, its not the same country today that it was the morning after 9/11.

michael washington

When I left that month from 9/11 to when I was in Saudi Arabia, I got my son spooled up, say, youre in charge. He really wasnt. But I needed him to feel that way. Never thought for a moment that he would be serving and ultimately die in Afghanistan. But, yeah, I had no reservations about going. I dont question as a Marine the bigger picture because I have a small picture of what Im going to be controlling that I have to worry about other Marines to keep alive and a mission to accomplish.

jane coaston

What did we go to Afghanistan for? What did you think we were going to do?

ken harbaugh

I wish that question had been asked more seriously at the time and in the intervening 20 years. My last active duty assignment was teaching at a military college. And we had this conversation a lot because I knew my students, many of them, would be headed downrange. And I got to confess, I was caught up in that desire to do something, that righteous anger that we all felt. That said, the writ given the U.S. military and the executive branch by Congress, with the authorization of the use of military force, was so broad that it all but invited perpetual war. It gave the executive the authority to wage war anywhere any time with anyone who might be even tangentially connected to those who planned and carried out the attacks. I was 100 percent on board with holding those responsible for the attacks accountable, tracking them down, and putting them out of business. I was partially on board, I was very sympathetic to the idea of exporting democracy. But as a young lieutenant, I didnt yet appreciate the difficulties of that. And its too easy to say hindsights 20-20 because we have so many lessons from history that we could have learned from to teach us that you dont bring democracy at the point of a gun.

jane coaston

I want to put the same question to you, Mike. Were you on board with the initial invasions? And what was that mission to you?

michael washington

Oh, absolutely. As a Marine, I consider myself maybe American samurai where my masters say, this is what were doing. And I go, and I conduct myself in the best way that I can to fulfill those orders. And so like Ken, I was totally on board with finding those responsible for attacking our country. And so I didnt even think in terms of anything broader than, go get these guys, this is what you do, youre a Marine, this is how it works. I dont question, as a Marine, the bigger picture.

jane coaston

Was there a moment when you started to question what we were doing in Afghanistan or what Americas mission was?

michael washington

Sure. When I had retired from the Marine Corps and was watching this from the sidelines and kind of just going, what are we doing here? There seemed to be no focus of effort. And I think the administration at the time was just filled with this pax Americana that we can just come in and were just going to do it. And they replicated that or tried to in Iraq: Were just going to invade and everybody is going to be happy and dont worry about it. Well think about it later. So as a civilian, when I retired, I was watching this intently. And going, we just dont seem to have direction here. What are we doing? And thats when I started to question.

jane coaston

I want to put that same question to you, Ken. When did you start questioning what we were doing there or what the mission was?

ken harbaugh

It was that time in Afghanistan and realizing that Kabul is not Afghanistan. And the vast majority of the policy directed towards Afghanistan was based on our understanding of Kabul. I spent a little time at the embassy in Kabul and at the ISAF headquarters. And the number of people  I got to caveat this by saying they were incredibly brave and well-intentioned folks on the ground  but so many others in critical roles who never left the compound. And that really caused me to doubt the possibility of long term success. My most vivid memory from Afghanistan was a conversation with a village elder  this is way outside Kabul, way beyond the reach of the nearest forward operating base and whatever American influence there was  and having to explain to this gentleman that I wasnt Russian. They had simply lost track of who was occupying them at the moment. And it reminds me of this phrase that the fighters in Afghanistan have about the Americans. They like to say that we might have the watches, but they have the time just from their experience of enduring occupier after occupier. And coming home and listening to all of the positivity and the pronouncements and the promises about Afghanistan. They just began to ring hollower and hollower. I still held out hope. But I was not nearly as optimistic as the American people were being led to be. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston

Lets talk about the withdrawal from Afghanistan. What are you hearing from the people around you as to whether the withdrawal was the right move, whether Bidens made the right decision? Has there been any consensus to either of you have heard?

michael washington

I think from my sons unit, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, I think those images that we saw at the airport, and especially when we lost those members at the airport, I think they wanted more of a offensive posture as we pulled out. But I think we missed the point, veterans, non-veterans, is that nobody saw the collapse of this army happening this quick. Nobody  nobody I heard of. Probably people now are saying they did. But I didnt hear it before. Most of the people I hear say, how come we didnt send more troops and to be more offensive-minded and fight? And I have to remind them that that means more people are going to die. Its not going to be one-sided. Americans will die if we go in there offensively. That will happen. But, again, most of the people who talk about that and are encouraging that kind of action are not people sending their kids there. Theyre waving the flag from ten thousand miles away.

ken harbaugh

I mean, its still too raw and too new for a post-mortem. I mean, Im having conversations with buddies who changed their mind in the course of a conversation, because its all just a lot to process when youve had 20 years of angst and losing friends and wondering whos going to deploy next and its over in a matter of a week. Thats not enough time to really come to grips with it. I would differ a little with Mike here on anticipating the speed of the collapse. I mean, it was fast. But the fact that we had one of the most heroic airlifts in history, while an enormous credit to those on the front lines who pulled it off, I think is a damning indictment of those who didnt plan ahead. We could have started this a long time ago with the sense of urgency that finally came to it in the final days.

jane coaston

Did this, for either of you convince you or not that America should stop trying to export American style democracy with the proviso that that means a lot of different things. But Im curious as to whether that changed your views on that. Mike, what do you think?

michael washington

Well, for me, yes, that changes it and especially if we dont have any real plan to go in. What are we doing? We had a doctrine. It was called the Powell Doctrine. And it was born out of Desert Storm, where before we go in someplace, we have a plan to get out. Whats the mission? How do we get out of there? And we executed it and almost immediately forgot it when we went into Somalia. So we replicated these disasters over and over again with Vietnam, with Somalia, with Iraq, and now here with Afghanistan. So with the American people being completely checked out of these wars, we have these neocons who can continue to crank out these missions and run things the way they want to. And people who make big money off of these wars and got rich off these wars, they can continue to do so unchecked because theyre untouched by it. So thats really the crime of it. We checked out.

jane coaston

Do you think that the separation we now have between people who serve and people who dont has contributed to that ability of folks to check out from it?

michael washington

Oh, absolutely. I use that World War II example. You were in it because we were in it. Some way, shape, or form you were touched. In Vietnam, if you were a parent with an 18-year-old son, you were paying attention. You were trying to get them into college, to Canada, or having them enlist. But you were you were involved. You couldnt check out. Now you can. And I dont know that Im in favor of a draft. But Im not against it either.

jane coaston

Ken, what do you think? Has this era of war changed the idea of exporting democracy for you?

ken harbaugh

Well, I think there is a huge difference between defending democracy where it is under threat. And I still think we have to do that in places like Taiwan. But exporting it at the point of a gun, we should have learned our lesson by now. It doesnt usually work. It usually costs a lot of lives on both sides. In terms of the draft, Im all for national service. Im not sure I want to go back to a military draft. But I think it would make a difference if more of our decision makers, if our political leaders had real skin in the game. I remember being a student, relatively older than my classmates at Yale Law School at the height of the war and just how disconnected everyone seemed from my experience, from the experience of my buddies. Theres a building at Yale called Memorial Hall. And the names basically stop at Vietnam, the names etched in marble inside the Hall of all of the Yale graduates whove given their lives. And after Vietnam, people stopped signing up.

jane coaston

Ken, do you wish that more politicians had a military background?

ken harbaugh

I dont know. What I most want to see is a degree of empathy that you can really only get by either having been downrange or having a loved one whos been sent. The burden that places on the families not just in the moment but often for years and years to come is something you cant really theorize. Its something you can only really appreciate from experience. And when we make these decisions as a country about war and peace, I just wish more of the decision makers were internalizing the cost of that, the personal cost of that. Would be a heck of a lot easier if they had felt it themselves or had a family member who had felt it themselves. That is what I mean by skin in the game.

michael washington

I was watching the solemn news coverage of the caskets being brought back to Dover and remember being there myself in 2008. And I think that every time we lose a service member overseas in combat, all media should show that. Every media platform has to stop for an hour and watch these caskets come off the plane in an attempt to wake up America and let them know that theres a cost here. I also think if I was king of America, I would have an app that when we are starting to beat the war drums, you get to say Im for it or Im against it. And if you press for it, somebody in your family, if not you, gets to deploy. And/or 10 percent of your income is going to go to help support that war that you are for. The American people just need to be more involved, more awake.

voicemail Hi, Jane. My name is Bertie Ryan, from [INAUDIBLE] Harbor. And the thing Ive been arguing about with my friends and family is whether the world is getting better or worse. And I know, its just such a general question. But it keeps coming up, because for a lot of people, it feels like the world is ending right now or has been in a state of ending for the last year and a half. And it just seems like theres lots of good news and lots of bad news, and it always has been. And is this even a worthwhile question? [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston

What are you arguing about? With your family, your friends, your frenemies? Tell me about the big debate youre having in a voicemail by calling 347-915-4324. And we might play an excerpt of it on a future episode. Something that really bothers me is that weve had four presidents who presided over this conflict over six terms. None of them served in a combat zone. And thats not to say they would have made better decisions because they had. But it seems as if veterans and service people are often used as a symbol, or theyre discussed or just become tropes. When you hear people talking about how Colin Kaepernick kneeling is against the troops or people using veterans in this way as a political cudgel while veterans themselves arent getting the resources they need at home, arent getting the support they need. Im curious as to your thoughts on how the veteran community is used as a cudgel sometimes, or if you think they are.

michael washington

Well, I absolutely think they are, both socially and politically. And it affects all of us as veterans. I know my wife and I, whos an army veteran, I almost cringe when I see a four by four pickup truck with an American flag flying from the back. Because that person I feel  and I could be wrong sometimes, but often Im not  has hijacked my patriotism. This is a guy who looks at me and doesnt have that same respect for me as what his picture of America is. And it just makes me angry, because I have that same flag flying out in front of my house right now. But more to your point, yes, its maddening. Youre seeing it right now with the gold star families. Who are being rolled out and theyre being used, and theyll be rolled out again for the next presidential election and used as that cudgel of whats right, whats wrong, whatever sides going to use them. And the veteran community has been manipulated so much. And it makes me mad. Infuriating.

ken harbaugh

Me, too. And Im so relieved but saddened to hear you talk about it at that way, Mike. Because in all of my years of active duty service  and I bet you would say the same  I never imagined that seeing a crowd chant U.S.A. would make me feel ashamed. But nowadays, patriotism itself has become weaponized. And when a far right protest or a Trump rally is shouting U.S.A., theyre not doing it to evoke any kind of patriotism that I recognize. Theyre doing it as a rebuke. And when patriotism has turned into a political weapon, it always ends badly. The vet experience is being misappropriated. And vets are being turned against each other. An alarming number of veterans participated in the January 6 insurrection. I think it has to be said, though, that they were led there. They were following, in many cases, what they believed to be orders from their commander in chief.

jane coaston

In my old job, I used to do a lot of work on extremism. And one thing that I think attracts folks to extremist organizations of any kind is a sense of isolation. And I know we talked a little bit about how the American public largely ignored this war. And I would argue also the media largely ignored this war. Is there something that we as civilians can do better? What do you think civilians have a responsibility to do to benefit veterans in a real way that isnt like putting a Punisher sticker on your truck or just thinking about veterans when its election season?

michael washington

Simply, be woke. Be educated about whats going on in the world and our place in it. And have an educated opinion about what we should do as Americans and where we should go. Right now, I feel that most Americans couldnt find Taiwan on a map. And theres a good chance we might go to war over there with China in the next 10 years. We have American troops in Syria. Most Americans dont know that. And I think we just need a more educated populace to encourage and vote in elected officials who are going to make decisions for them based on this knowledgeable background and experience.

ken harbaugh

When it comes to the veteran experience, I would just encourage listeners to not be afraid of the veteran story that they may be tentative about asking. I mean, its such a reflex to thank a veteran for their service. It doesnt take that much more to say, tell me a little bit about your service. And I think one of the things that most people will come to realize about veterans is that their service isnt over. They very much want to reengage in their communities and be productive members of their communities. I look forward to the day when people are excited to have a veteran as a neighbor, as an employee, as a boss. And that begins with listening to those stories. I think the most important stories, though, are the ones that offer some wisdom and offer some critique. And veterans have a special moral authority when it comes to critiquing the nation they fought for. You brought up Colin Kaepernick. I think it bears reminding folks that it was a veteran, Army Green Beret Nate Boyer, who convinced Colin to kneel as a sign of respect instead of sit on the bench during the National Anthem. And its that kind of display of respectful protest that I think is the highest form of patriotism. And that was inspired by a vet.

jane coaston

Both of you have spoken out quite a bit about the insurrection on January 6. So I wanted to ask you about it. It seems that theres clear bifurcation among veterans about January 6. Can you help us understand what the divisions look like from within the vet community? Noting that there are thousands of veterans with thousands of opinions.

ken harbaugh

Well, I think its important to say that veterans really werent significantly overrepresented on January 6. But they pose a unique kind of threat, because in military speak, they act as force multipliers. They bring a level of training and experience and discipline. And most importantly, cache and credibility. They bring to this cause this veneer of patriotism. In terms of what happened, I think a lot of them took the word of their senators and the former president at face value. And they thought that an election had been stolen and that the only thing to do was to fight to take it back. I mean, this is the power of disinformation and the real concern for me is that for a lot of vets I talked to, especially those who are studying these movements, January 6 was by no means the crescendo. It was a dry run.

michael washington

I think Kens absolutely right in the misinformation, the disinformation, propaganda that we have. Its on such a huge level that people are being drawn by this propaganda and just led. Veterans are just like anybody else. Just because you served overseas, doesnt mean you understand what was going on in the bigger picture. So we can be led and pushed and prodded and motivated just like anybody else. Just like on the left, just like on the right, on the extremes. And act when we feel led and motivated to do so.

ken harbaugh

Theres another side to this. The overwhelming majority of veterans repurpose their skills and training for good. And thats something I harp on, and I know Mike does as well. And there are incredible organizations out there that rechannel that energy, that patriotism, that desire to serve into good. And that should really be the story of this generation of veterans.

jane coaston

Mike, when you are working with veterans in your therapy practice, do they feel heard? When theyre talking to other folks, do you think that just thanking them for their service  is that what they want? What are you hearing from them?

michael washington

Largely, no. It almost echoes the law enforcement officers that I work with. Its us versus them. Theyre against us, and they dont want to understand us and they dont understand. And it echoes on both sides. And so you circle your wagons and dont tell anybody youre veteran  or just pretend it didnt happen and seek out your veteran groups to be with. And oftentimes, its not even that. So now its your own echo chamber in your head. And you dont know where to go for help and youre afraid to go to the V.A., and youre just on an island by yourself. Which allows you to be sucked into an extremist point of view whos pointing at you and saying, hey, youre by yourself, come with us. Were going to get you back to where you were, and were going to do something about whats going on. Thats part of how we get here.

jane coaston

I know youre a big advocate for therapy, and youre a therapist yourself. I think thats so important. So many people are afraid to talk about seeking therapy, and its important for us to be honest about, yeah, our brains need a coach sometimes. Can I ask, how long have you been working with a counselor?

michael washington

For me, its been about 2017. But in 2014, I was suicidal. And its a combination of 50 years of trauma as a child, as a firefighter, as a marine. And then losing my son. I went to a program called Save a Warrior after that and helped me start putting things in context and led me on my road to where Im at now. It doesnt matter how old you are or how young you are. Theres help for you out there. You just ask for it. Its out there. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston

I have just a couple of final questions. First off, what does 9/11 mean to each of you now in 2021?

michael washington

Well Im trying to come to grips with that as we come to the anniversary. Ive seen the clips and the trailers for the specials that are going to come on, and I still have a visceral reaction

jane coaston

Yeah.

michael washington

 that I cant watch.

jane coaston

I dont want to  nope, nope. [LAUGHS]

michael washington

I cant do it. So Im grappling with that. And combined with whats going on in Afghanistan, my therapist is busy.

jane coaston

Ken, what does it mean to you now, too?

ken harbaugh

Yeah, Im where Mike is. I have a hard time watching the scenes from that day. I have to remind myself, though, that that was the beginning of 20 years of trauma and horror. And I fear for my country today because of how our reaction to that affected our politics.

jane coaston

Is the 9/11 era over to either of you? Is it still ongoing? What would it mean for it to be over?

michael washington

I hope it is. I hope after the 20-year remembrances that were going to have and all the TV specials that are going to come out, I hope its over. And thats not to say forget about it. Its not that. But not living our lives in a foreign policy sense with the direction that originated from the 9/11 attacks. I hope thats the case.

jane coaston

What do you think, Ken?

ken harbaugh

I dont think its over. I think our geopolitics might have shifted.

jane coaston

How so, do you think?

ken harbaugh

I think were definitely pivoting towards Asia. But our foreign politics is a reflection of domestic priorities. And our domestic politics shifted so fundamentally after 9/11. Initially with that sense of common purpose, but that fear that was catalyzed on 9/11 has been repurposed to such terrifying effect by a major American political party. And instead of using fear as a way to unite Americans, it was very easily repurposed as a way to divide Americans and invent a path to minoritarian control. And I think one of the enduring legacies of 9/11 will be the weaponization of fear and patriotism in our politics.

jane coaston

Mike, Ken, thank you both so much for your time. I really appreciate you both.

ken harbaugh

Thank you, Jane.

michael washington

Thanks for having us. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston

Master Sergeant Michael Washington is a former marine and a licensed therapist for veterans and first responders. Kenneth Harbaugh is a former navy pilot and an advocate for veterans who worked with Team Rubicon and The Mission Continues and is the host of the podcasts Burn the Boats and Warriors in their Own Words. Ken and Mike suggested some resources for veterans and service people. And I want to share it with you here.

ken harbaugh

I think the most important one to mention at the top is the Veterans Crisis Line. Its well supported and well staffed now. They will answer your call. Youre not going to be put on hold. But then theres a whole long list of groups that have sprung up to help veterans with that transition. I know I put Team Rubicon at the top of that list. And, boy, are they busy today. Its a disaster relief organization that redeploys veterans. And Mike and I have both been on Team Rubicon missions. They do great work.

michael washington

I say the V.A. I know the V.A. gets a bad rap, but its a great organization run by great people. Yes, theres bad missteps that have happened. But Ive gotten great service from the men and women at the V.A. Theres the Vet Centers, which is part of the V.A., but its the storefront neighborhood softer version of the V.A. Thats where I get my therapy. Thats where I see my counselor. And its just been phenomenal for me. Thats been my experience. So I encourage veterans to try the V.A. Dont listen to all the bad stories. Make it your own story. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston
Australia was, until recently, heralded for its effective suppression of Covid-19; through strict border closures, prolonged lockdowns and its fortune as a remote island continent, the country was able to avoid a large-scale outbreak. The Delta variant has, however, turned that success upside down.

Despite more than half of Australias 25 million inhabitants living under very harsh restrictions  including overnight curfews, travel limits of only about three miles from home and limits on outdoor daily exercise to a couple of hours  cases have soared to more than 1,400 a day, the most since the pandemic began. As authorities tighten restrictions, hospitals are reaching capacity with Covid-19 patients, and Australias delayed vaccination program is only beginning to gain momentum.

Pre-Delta, Australias aggressive lockdowns quashed Covid-19 cases and allowed for the return to near-normal life from around December 2020 to May 2021. But this lulled the country into a false sense of security, and only 8 percent of eligible Australians were fully vaccinated by July 2021. Vaccination has progressed in recent weeks, most likely thanks to a growing supply of the Pfizer vaccine and increased motivation to get out from under restrictions. Now 39 percent of eligible Australians are fully vaccinated, and 64 percent have had at least one dose.

The countrys slow vaccination start stemmed from its inability to produce mRNA vaccines locally and its struggle to procure other vaccine options, leaving it dependent on the AstraZeneca vaccine as its vaccination programs backbone. When rare cases of blood clots were tied to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the country was unable to pivot. Though well intentioned, Australias scientific advisory group for immunizations urged people under 60 to wait for the Pfizer vaccine. Politicians bickered, the local media attacked the AstraZeneca vaccine relentlessly, and vaccine hesitancy spread. With its vaccination rate the lowest among high-income countries, Australia was a sitting duck for Deltas arrival.
There are things that can be done, and are being done, short of taking fields permanently out of production. Switching from flooding fields to spray or drip irrigation saves water. Another smart solution is to drench fallow fields in winter and early spring to recharge the underground aquifers beneath them. Salmon can be protected in streams where they spawn by pulsing water down them just when its needed, reducing flow at other times.

The California Farm Bureau Federation argues that shrinking the farm sector isnt necessary because capturing water and using it more efficiently will solve the problem. Danny Merkley, the federations director of water resources, says: There is enough water. Were managing it poorly.

But increasing efficiency may not be enough given the changing climate, which is making the western U.S. drier. Some acreage is going to have come out of production, says Peter Gleick, president emeritus of the Pacific Institute, a think tank specializing in water. He puts the number in California at half a million to one million acres out of eight million under cultivation. Honestly, he says, I dont know how its going to happen.

The economists way of reducing acreage would be to fallow the crops that deliver the least bang for the drop  the lowest dollar value of production per acre-foot of irrigated water. That would be the likes of corn and alfalfa, which mostly go for feeding dairy cows.

But its not that simple. For one thing, farmers who have access to abundant cheap water because of longstanding water rights can make money growing low-value crops. For another, high-value vineyards and orchards, whose owners can afford to pay more for water, are problematic in a different way. The expensive vines and trees die if they arent continually watered, so theyre more of a problem in a drought than annual field crops like tomatoes, which can easily be taken out of production when water is scarce.

Farm workers who lose their jobs because of fallowing deserve help, including training for other work. The good news is that many of the low-value crops that use a lot of water such as alfalfa are harvested by machine, whereas crops such as vegetables that might replace them are harvested by hand, so the amount of labor thats required could actually increase. Irrigation districts that sell water to thirsty municipalities for a profit can direct some of the money they make to helping farmers and farmworkers.
A more productive article would have discussed the grieving process after losing a child  not at all the same as losing a parent, as painful as that can be.

Mercury Schroeppel

San Francisco

To the Editor:

As the mother of a dearly loved adult child who died of cancer, I read this article with keen interest. When my daughter Rachel died, I learned that many people who try to offer comfort want to show that they understand how the bereaved person feels, and attempt to do that by mentioning deaths of people (and sometimes pets!) to whom they have been close. Friends and colleagues constantly told me about when their parents had died (which is not at all like having a child die). Each of us wants to talk  and hear  about our own beloved person.

We all know that Joe Biden grieves. He doesnt have to persuade any Gold Star family that he understands how they feel. What he needs to do is serve that familys need by allowing that family to talk about the son or daughter they have lost. Mark Schmitz rightly wants to talk and hear about Jared, his son, not about anyone else.

Florence Wagman Roisman

Indianapolis

To the Editor:

So its a front-page story that President Biden talks about his grief too much? And  God forbid  he ruminates on that when he should be offering more appropriate sympathy to all the many grieving people he meets?

The man first lost his wife and daughter, then his son. Judging him comes from an ignorance of the human need to express loss. What people have liked about Joe is his humanness. Now we blame him for it.
The future of New York City is being called into question. Neighborhoods have lost residents to the suburbs. Businesses have closed. People are on edge about public safety. And families are mourning the loss of loved ones.

This was the situation in the fall of 2001, after hijackers destroyed the World Trade Center and brought the city to its knees. And its the same situation today, with a pandemic raging and millions of people once again wondering if this citys best days are behind it.

Unemployment remains in double digits, retail and office vacancies have soared, and the tourism industry is in dire straits, with the economic pain falling hardest on low-income families. Yet we have good reason to be hopeful, because what was done once can be done again  and better, by heeding the lessons of the past.

Over the past eight years, I have been careful to stick to my pledge not to comment on my successors administration. Mayors dont need their predecessors chiming in from the sidelines, and I dont intend to start now. But I do believe New York Citys success in rebuilding Lower Manhattan after Sept. 11 and revitalizing all five boroughs can help the next mayor as he takes office in January and confronts the same two overarching challenges we faced 20 years ago.
In Kaufmanns view, a new, assertive ideology has emerged on the left, and the strength of this wing is reflected in its ability to influence the decision making of university administrators:

In universities, only 10 percent of social science and humanities faculty support cancellation (firing, suspension or other severe punishments) of those with controversial views on race and gender, with about half opposed and 40 percent neither supporting nor opposed. And yet, this does not appear to cut through to the administrations, who often discipline staff.

On Sept. 4, The Economist published a cover story, The Illiberal Left: How Did American Wokeness Jump From Elite Schools to Everyday Life?, that argues that there is:

a loose constellation of ideas that is changing the way that mostly white, educated, left-leaning Americans view the world. This credo still lacks a definitive name: it is variously known as left-liberal identity politics, social-justice activism or, simply, wokeness.

From another angle, Cass R. Sunstein, a law professor at Harvard and a former Obama administration official, asks in The Power of the Normal, a 2018 paper:

Why do we come to see political or other conduct as acceptable, when we had formerly seen it as unacceptable, immoral, or even horrific? Why do shifts occur in the opposite direction? What accounts for the power of the new normal?

Sunstein is especially concerned with how new norms expand in scope:

Once conduct comes to be seen as part of an unacceptable category  abusiveness, racism, lack of patriotism, microaggression, sexual harassment  real or apparent exemplars that are not so egregious, or perhaps not objectionable at all, might be taken as egregious, because they take on the stigma now associated with the category.

Sunstein is careful to note, It is important to say that on strictly normative grounds, the less horrific cases might also be horrific.

A key player in this process is what Sunstein calls the opprobrium entrepreneur. The motivations of opprobrium entrepreneurs:

may well be altruistic. They might think that certain forms of mistreatment are as bad as, or nearly as bad as, what are taken to the prototypical cases, and they argue that the underlying concept (abuse, bullying, prejudice), properly conceived, picks up their cases as well. Their goal is to create some kind of cascade, informational or reputational, by which the concept moves in their preferred direction. In the context of abuse, bullying, prejudice and sexual harassment, both informational and reputational cascades have indeed occurred.

Sunstein cites microaggressions as an area that has exploded, writing:

At one point, the University of California at Berkeley signaled its willingness to consider disciplining people for making one of a large number of statements, including America is a melting pot, Everyone can succeed in this society, if they work hard enough, and I believe the most qualified person should get the job.

Opprobrium entrepreneurs can be found on both sides of the aisle.

Jeffrey Adam Sachs, a political scientist at Acadia University, has written about a flood tide of Republican-sponsored bills in state legislatures designed to prohibit teaching of everything from feminism and racial equity to calls for decolonization. In an article in February, The New War on Woke, Sachs wrote:

One of the principal criticisms of todays left-wing culture is that it suppresses unpopular speech. In response, these bills would make left-wing speech illegal. Conservatives (falsely) call universities brainwashing factories and fret about the death of academic freedom. Their solution is to fire professors they dont like.

Sachss bottom line: Once you let government get into the censorship business, no speech is safe.

Zachary Goldberg, a graduate student at Georgia State, has researched the moral, emotional and technological underpinnings of the Great Awokening  the rapid and recent liberalization of racial and immigration attitudes among white liberals and Democrats for his doctoral thesis.

Goldberg has produced data from the 2020 American National Election Studies survey showing that white liberals, in contrast to white moderates and conservatives, rate minorities higher on what political scientists call a thermometer scale than they do whites.

One of the less recognized factors underlying efforts by conservatives and liberals to enforce partisan orthodoxy lies in the pressure to maintain party loyalty at a time when the Democrats and Republicans are struggling to manage coalitions composed of voters with an ever-expanding number of diverse commitments  economic, cultural, racial  that often do not cohere.

Jonathan Rodden, a Stanford political scientist, elaborated in an email:

For issue activists and party leaders in the United States, management of internal party heterogeneity is a central task. In order to get what they want, the core of true believers on issue x must develop strategies for managing those with more moderate or even opposing views, who identify with the party primarily because of issue y. One strategy is persuasion on issue x via messaging, from social media to partisan cable television, aimed at wayward co-partisans. Another is to demonize the out-party on issue y in an effort to convince voters that even if they disagree with the in-party on issue x, the costs of allowing the out-party to win are simply too high. A final strategy is to relentlessly enforce norms by shaming and ostracizing nonconformists.

I asked William Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings who has written extensively about Democratic Party conflicts, what role he sees white liberal elites playing in the enforcement of progressive orthodoxies. He wrote back:

You ask specifically about white liberal elites. I wonder whether the dominant sentiment is guilt as opposed to (say) fear and ambition. Many participants in these institutions are terrified of being caught behind a rapidly shifting social curve and of being charged with racism. As a result, they bend over backward to use the most up-to-date terminology and to lend public support to policies they may privately oppose. The fear of losing face within, or being expelled from, the community of their peers drives much of their behavior.

For some white liberals, Galston continued:

adopting cutting-edge policies on race can serve as a way of enhancing status among their peers and for a few, it is a way of exercising power over others. If you know that people within your institution are afraid to speak out, you can get them to go along with policies that they would have opposed in different circumstances.

Instead of guilt, Galston argued, this behavior is just as likely to reflect leadership that lacks purpose and core convictions and that seeks mainly to keep the ship afloat, wherever it may be headed.
Discord uses a mix of proactive and reactive tools to keep activity that violates our policies off the service, the company said in a statement. These include automated search tools like PhotoDNA and ways for users to report violations. Roblox reported that it uses a combination of machine learning and a team of over 3,000 people to detect inappropriate content.

Lori Getz, an internet safety expert and the author of The Tech Savvy Users Guide to the Digital World, said that caregivers cant control everything children are exposed to, but parents can empower children to handle difficult situations online. Heres how:

Start the conversation early.

Talk with children in age-appropriate ways about hate  including overt and covert signs, such as words, symbols and images  and trusting their instincts if something doesnt seem right. If caregivers dont talk with their children about these things, someone else will, and it may not be a credible source, Ms. Guy said.

If children are harassed online, ensure they have support, said Robyn Silverman, a child and teen development specialist. Online abuse should be taken just as seriously as other types of abuse, she said, noting that children and teens who are targeted can experience anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, stomach aches and other physical symptoms from cyber abuse.

Maintaining an ongoing, open dialogue about online safety is crucial. Even if children are not allowed to play certain games at home, they may be exposed to them in other places. A British survey of 20,000 children ages 11-18 reported that 57 percent said they have accounts that adults dont know about.

Children may withhold information from caregivers, especially if they are targeted online, out of fear of losing their games, Dr. Silverman said. Share with your children that they wont be in trouble if they come to you about this, she suggested. Let them know that you are there to support them.

Check content and review settings.

Review online content and the accounts that your children interact with, as well as privacy settings and parental controls. Be transparent so your children know you will be checking.

Ms. Getz recommended that caregivers check game ratings. Online platforms for children under 13 have stricter privacy requirements under the federal Childrens Online Privacy Protection Rule than platforms that target older users.
The Komodo dragon has earned its status as a reptilian icon.

The carnivorous lizard can grow up to 10 feet long and is equipped with a forked tongue, serrated teeth, armored scales and venom-laced saliva. The dragons can detect flesh from miles away while hunting an impressive array of prey, including deer, boars, horses, water buffalo  and one another. Females are even known to eat their own offspring.

Its got this fearsome reputation, said Craig Hilton-Taylor, a biologist with the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its like seeing your storybooks come alive.

But now, the worlds largest living lizard has moved one step closer to being wiped out in the wild.

Komodo dragons, previously considered a vulnerable species, were reclassified last weekend as endangered by the conservation organization.

Its had a genuine change in status, a deterioration, said Mr. Hilton-Taylor, head of the international groups Red List unit, which assesses the conservation risk of 138,000 species and counting. Its moving toward extinction.
When Sylvia Chan-Malik reflects on the aftermath of Sept. 11, she has two starkly different personal memories from the trauma.

She recalls the strangers yelling epithets at her and her young daughters on their way to Eid prayers. But she also thinks of her daughters, now teenagers, seeing Hasan Minhaj, the Muslim comedian, at a sold-out theater and reading novels about Muslim girls like themselves.

It has caused incredible violence and pain and trauma, but it has also created incredible possibility and hope and new forms of community, Dr. Chan-Malik, associate professor of American studies at Rutgers University, said of Sept. 11. It absolutely changed everything.

For 20 years the tragedy of that day has transformed American Muslim life, in deep and conflicting ways. The terrorist attacks unleashed a deluge of anti-Muslim hate and misinformation that persists today. In 2016, Americans elected a president with an anti-Muslim platform, and a surge in violence against American Muslims led a rise in hate crimes against all groups.
The state of Louisiana has revoked the licenses of seven nursing homes that evacuated more than 800 residents ahead of Hurricane Ida to a squalid warehouse north of New Orleans where several people died.

All of these nursing facilities clearly failed to execute their emergency preparedness plans to provide essential care and services to their residents, Courtney N. Phillips, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, said in a statement on Tuesday. When issues arose post-storm, we now know the level of care for these residents plummeted.

The seven nursing homes are now prohibited from admitting new patients or taking in those who lived there before the storm.

Ms. Phillips said the owner of the nursing homes failed to communicate the situation to state health officials. When the state investigated after getting word of poor conditions at the warehouse, a surveyor was expelled from the property and state employees were subject to intimidation, she said.
A U.S. Navy helicopter that crashed off the coast near San Diego last week, killing five sailors, landed on an aircraft carrier and experienced vibrations before its main rotor struck the flight deck and the aircraft fell into the ocean, the Navy said in a safety report.

The MH-60S Seahawk helicopter had been operating from the flight deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, before it crashed into the sea about 4:30 p.m. local time on Aug. 31, the Navy said.

Efforts to save the five sailors who were declared missing after the crash ended on Saturday. One person was rescued from the helicopter, according to the Navy, and five people on the flight deck were injured.

The Navy did not elaborate on what had happened to the Seahawk, or what had caused the injuries on the flight deck. But a day after the crash, an item on Page 28 of a regularly published safety report offered more details.
The Democratic advantage among college graduates may be a new phenomenon, but the relative liberalism of college graduates is not. College graduates have been far likelier than voters without a college degree to self-identify as liberal for decades, even when they were likelier to vote Republican.

College graduates attribute racial inequality, crime and poverty to complex structural and systemic problems, while voters without a degree tend to focus on individualist and parochial explanations. It is easier for college graduates, with their higher levels of affluence, to vote on their values, not simply on economic self-interest. They are likelier to have high levels of social trust and to be open to new experiences. They are less likely to believe in God.

The rise of cultural liberalism is not simply a product of rising college attendance. In fact, there is only equivocal evidence that college attendance makes people vastly more liberal. Far from the indoctrination that conservatives fear, liberal college professors appear to preach to an already liberal choir.

But it is hard to imagine the last half-century of liberal cultural change without the role played by universities and academia, which helped inspire everything from the student movements and New Left of the 1960s to the ideas behind todays fights over critical race theory. The concentration of so many left-leaning students and professors on campus helped foster a new liberal culture with more progressive ideas and norms than would have otherwise existed.

If you live in a community which is more liberal, theres a self-reinforcing ratcheting effect, said Pippa Norris, a professor and political scientist at the Harvard Kennedy School who believes that the rise of higher education contributed to the rise of social liberalism throughout the postindustrial world.

As college graduates increased their share of the electorate, they gradually began to force the Democrats to accommodate their interests and values. They punched above their electoral weight, since they make up a disproportionate number of the journalists, politicians, activists and poll respondents who most directly influence the political process.
Professors are nervous, my colleague Anemona Hartocollis reports. Last year, the rules could seem draconian, as students faced possible expulsion for attending parties. But this year, as lecture halls fill to capacity again, some educators yearn for clear, science-based guidance.

It seems like a repeat, Michael Atzmon, an engineering professor at the University of Michigan, told Anemona. On the one hand, we have the vaccine. On the other hand, we have Delta.

More than 1,000 colleges and universities  often in states that voted for President Biden  have adopted at least some vaccination requirements, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Some colleges took things one step further, Politico reported, punishing students who resisted vaccination mandates.

But other universities, especially in Republican-led states, must dance around state bans on mask or vaccination mandates. Teachers cannot require students to wear masks, or even ask those with Covid-like symptoms to leave the classroom.

Less than 50 percent of college-age people are fully vaccinated, according to data from the C.D.C.

The University of North Georgia, for instance, is not requiring its students to be vaccinated or masked this fall.
RICHMOND, Va.  One of the nations largest Confederate monuments  a soaring statue of Robert E. Lee, the Souths Civil War general  was hoisted off its pedestal in downtown Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, bringing to an end the era of Confederate statues in the city that is best known for them.

At 8:54 a.m., a man in an orange jacket waved his arms, and the 21-foot statue rose into the air and glided, slowly, to a flatbed truck below. The sun had just come out and illuminated the towering, graffiti-scrawled granite pedestal as a small crowd let out a cheer.

As a native of Richmond, I want to say that the head of the snake has been removed, said Gary Flowers, a Black radio show host and civil rights activist at the scene.

It was an emotional and deeply symbolic moment for a city that was once the capital of the Confederacy. The Lee statue was erected in 1890, the first of six Confederate monuments  symbols of white power  to dot Monument Avenue, a grassy boulevard that was a proud feature of the citys architecture and a coveted address. On Wednesday, it became the last of them to be removed, opening up the story of this city to all of its residents to write.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court will resume hearing arguments in person when its new term starts in October, after a break of more than a year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the court announced on Wednesday.

But the effects of the pandemic will continue to alter the courts practices, the announcement said. The courtroom will not be open to the public, and the court will provide a live audio feed. The new arrangement is an interim measure that will remain in place for arguments in October, November and December.

Courtroom access will be limited to the justices, essential court personnel, counsel in the scheduled cases and journalists with full-time press credentials issued by the Supreme Court, the announcement said. The court will continue to closely monitor public health guidance in determining plans.

The court last heard in-person arguments in March 2020. The courts initial reaction to the pandemic was to postpone some 20 arguments that had been scheduled for that spring. In the end, it heard 10 of them that May and deferred the rest to its next term, which started last October.
Three Vermont state troopers accused of being involved in a fake Covid-19 vaccination card scheme have resigned amid a federal investigation, the authorities said.

The troopers, Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski and David Pfindel, were suspected of having varying roles in the production of fraudulent coronavirus vaccine cards, the Vermont State Police said in a news release on Tuesday.

Mr. Sommers and Mr. Witkowski resigned on Aug. 10, a day after another trooper raised concerns with supervisors about their conduct, the police said. Mr. Pfindel resigned on Sept. 3 after an investigation by the states Department of Public Safety.

It was not immediately clear on Wednesday whether the men had lawyers. The Vermont Troopers Association, an organization that represents troopers, detectives and sergeants of the Vermont State Police, did not immediately respond for comment on Wednesday morning.
Ms. Pech is among the thousands of women who have been investigated for illegally obtaining abortion in recent years. In the first seven months of this year alone, 432 investigations were opened across Mexico into cases of illegal abortion, according to the Mexican government.

The ruling on Tuesday set a legal precedent for the nation  and stands in stark contrast to the trend in the United States, where Texas and other states have recently moved to restrict abortion. The courts decision also raised the prospect of Mexico eventually becoming a destination for American women seeking to end their pregnancies, advocates said, though that would require removing the many obstacles that make abortion difficult to obtain in much of the country.

Tuesdays decision applies only to the border state of Coahuila, and putting it into practice nationwide requires either legal challenges in each of the 28 states in Mexico that still criminalize the procedure, or a change in law by state legislatures. The justices did not specify how far into a pregnancy a woman can legally obtain an abortion, meaning those terms will likely be determined at the state level.

A leading abortion rights group in Mexico, GIRE, said that it would push for abortion to be legal in Coahuila for 12 weeks after conception at a minimum  a time limit established in the law that made abortion legal in Mexico City and which was previously validated by the Supreme Court.

If that were the case, Coahuila would have more permissive abortions rules than neighboring Texas, where the state legislature recently implemented a law that prohibits most abortions after about six weeks. In time, women from Texas could potentially cross the border to have an abortion  but for now, there wouldnt be enough infrastructure in place to meet the need, activists said.
Covid News: L.A. School System Is Expected to Issue Student Vaccination Mandate President Biden is to detail a plan on Thursday to pressure businesses, agencies and schools to take stricter approaches on vaccinations. The virus is killing pregnant women at high rates in Latin America, W.H.O. reports. Follow our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.

L.A. is set to become the first major U.S. school district to require vaccinations for students. Image Students at Normont Elementary on the first day of school in Los Angeles on Aug. 16. Credit... Allison Zaucha for The New York Times Los Angeles is poised to become the first major school district in the United States to mandate coronavirus vaccines for students 12 and older who are attending class in person. The districts elected Board of Education will meet Thursday afternoon to vote on the measure, which is expected to pass with broad support. The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest in the nation, serving over 600,000 students, and the mandate could set an important national precedent. Students would need their first vaccine dose by Nov. 21 and their second by Dec. 19 to begin the next semester fully inoculated. Those who turn 12 after those dates will have 30 days after their birthday to receive their first shot. Students participating in in-person extracurricular activities will need both shots by the end of October. The resolution mentions qualified and approved exemptions, but does not offer details. The district offers online independent study for those who opt out of in-person learning this year, but so far, only a tiny percentage of students have chosen it. The months before the mandate takes effect will allow the district to conduct outreach and educational programs for families. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Health, 58 percent of the districts 12-to-18-year-olds have already received at least one vaccine dose. Los Angeles Unified has been operating vaccine clinics in schools, and has the nations broadest school testing program, screening all students and staff members weekly. Masks are required for every individual on campus, indoors and outdoors, and staff members must be vaccinated, with limited exceptions for serious medical conditions and sincerely held religious beliefs. Our goal is to keep kids and teachers as safe as possible and in the classroom, said Nick Melvoin, a Los Angeles school board member, in a written statement expressing support for the resolution. A medical and scientific consensus has emerged that the best way to protect everyone in our schools and communities is for all those who are eligible to get vaccinated. A key constituency supporting the student vaccine mandate is the citys teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles. Since the start of the pandemic, the group has pushed for stringent safety measures, and during the last academic year, a longer period of remote learning. Initial data on infections at Los Angeles schools this year has been reassuring. According to a Los Angeles Times tracker based on district data, 1,620 active Covid-19 cases had been identified at schools as of Sept. 6; only five were linked to on-campus transmissions, at two schools. While it is typically states, not individual districts, that are responsible for school vaccine mandates, the Culver City school system, a small district also in Los Angeles County, announced a student mandate last month, and other California districts are considering similar requirements. Legal challenges are likely. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on an emergency basis for children ages 12 to 15, but could potentially grant full approval for that group later this year, which could pave the way for more school mandates. On Thursday, New York City expanded its coronavirus vaccine requirement for educators, and now will require all employees of city-contracted early childhood education programs and after school programs to be vaccinated. There will be no test-out option. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that all Department of Education staff, including educators, would have to get at least the first dose of their coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 27. While the new mandate will compel 24,000 people to be vaccinated in the coming weeks, it does not cover private pre-kindergarten or after school programs or those that do not contract with the city. Public school classes begin in the city on Monday. Eliza Shapiro contributed reporting.

President Biden is expected to impose new vaccination mandates in a speech on Thursday. Image President Biden has addressed the nation about vaccines before, including this time in May. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times President Biden is expected on Thursday to impose new vaccination mandates as part of a broad plan to put pressure on private businesses, federal agencies and schools to enact stricter vaccination and testing policies as the Delta variant continues its spread across the United States. The spread of the highly infectious variant has pushed the countrys daily average caseload over 150,000 for the first time since late January, overwhelming hospitals in hard-hit areas and killing roughly 1,500 people a day. Mr. Biden, who was briefed by his team of coronavirus advisers on Wednesday afternoon, is set to deliver a speech at 5 p.m. Eastern that will address about six areas where his administration can encourage  or, at this point, push  more eligible Americans to receive vaccines, according to the White House. Officials offered few specifics, stressing that the plan was still coming together. But two officials familiar with the plan said that it would include new federal requirements for vaccination, and that its underlying message would be that the only way to return to some sense of normalcy was to get as many people vaccinated as possible. We know that increasing vaccinations will stop the spread of the pandemic, will get the pandemic under control, will return people to normal life, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Wednesday. Thats what our objective is, so we want to be specific about what were trying to achieve. The Food and Drug Administrations decision last month to grant full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has already prompted the Pentagon to require members of the military to be vaccinated. Mr. Biden said at the time that the approval should sweep away any lingering doubts about vaccination and spur more mandates. When asked if Mr. Biden would be adding more detail to existing policies or would outline measures that would have an immediate and broad effect on Americans, Ms. Psaki replied: It depends on if youre vaccinated or not. Administration officials see signs that more people in the United States are open to receiving shots  some 14 million got their first shots in August, four million more than in July, Ms. Psaki said. But about 27 percent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any Covid vaccinations, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In some of the hardest-hit states, the unvaccinated percentage is higher: 42 percent in Texas, for instance, and 38 percent in Florida. See How Vaccinations Are Going in Your County and State See where doses have gone, and who is eligible for a shot in each state. About 1.3 million fully vaccinated people have received a third shot after federal officials approved them for people with compromised immune systems. Mr. Biden has publicly supported the idea of broadening the availability of third shots as boosters for much more of the population, but health experts have advised the White House to hold off promoting that for now. On Wednesday, Ms. Psaki said that the White House was working toward a plan for boosters, but did not give a time frame. She told reporters that Mr. Biden had chosen Thursday to deliver an extensive speech on the virus because he understood it was top of mind for Americans as they return to schools and offices. The president will also be seeking to course-correct after a difficult month for his administration, directing the public away from a chaotic and violent end to the war in Afghanistan and back toward his administrations efforts to curb a pandemic that has upended every facet of American life. But amid renewed fears of the viruss damaging effect on the economy and the prevalence of a troublesome variant, even Mr. Bidens allies say it will take more than a speech to ease concerns that the virus has once again spiraled out of a presidents control. He ran on competence, bringing adults back into the room, said Nick Rathod, a former domestic policy adviser to President Barack Obama. This is something that he needs to take control of and show his level of competency. I think thats why he was hired.

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The W.H.O. calls Covid during pregnancy a dire threat in Latin America and the Caribbean. Image A pregnant woman receiving a dose of Covid vaccine in Havana last month. Credit... Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press The coronavirus pandemic could wipe away 20 years of hard-fought gains in reducing maternal mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean, and countries in the region should prioritize those who are pregnant and those who have recently given birth in their vaccination campaigns, officials at the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday. So far, more than 270,000 pregnant women have become sick with Covid in the Americas and more than 2,600 of them  or 1 percent of those infected  have died from the virus, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, the director of the Pan American Health Organization, a division of the W.H.O., said at a news conference. Pregnancy enhances vulnerability to respiratory infections, including Covid-19. Most countries have reported higher numbers of cases and deaths during pregnancy in 2021 than in all of last year, and in Mexico and Colombia Covid-19 has become the top cause of maternal death this year. Dr. Etiennes organization recommends that vaccinations be universal during the first trimester of pregnancy and for those who are breastfeeding, as breast milk confers the vaccines protection to newborns. That is guidance similar to that issued last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Mexico which has prioritized shots during pregnancy for some time, Dr. Etienne said, not a single vaccinated woman has died from Covid during pregnancy. However, less than half of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have set out specific vaccination guidelines related to pregnancy and birth, Dr. Etienne said. At least 40 percent of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have reported disruptions to maternal and newborn care from the pandemic, Dr. Etienne said, and the region remains short of vaccines. Only 28 percent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully inoculated against Covid-19, she said, with far lower numbers in some countries. Guatemala and Nicaragua have fully vaccinated less than 10 percent of their people, and Haiti less than 1 percent. In the Caribbean, infections are dropping as a whole, although there is an increase in Covid-19 deaths in several islands, including Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World More than 5.79 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, equal to 75 doses for every 100 people. Infections are also rising in several Central American countries, including Costa Rica, Belize, and Guatemala, where half of hospitals are over capacity. By contrast, in South America, with the exception of Venezuela, cases and deaths have been steadily dropping. Officials with the Pan American Health Organization did not address if testing volume in the region may have affected the number of reported cases.

Elizabeth Warren asks Amazon to stop peddling misinformation about Covid vaccines and treatments. Image Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants Amazon to change search algorithms and stop directing shoppers to Covid-19 misinformation. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusets sent a letter to Amazon this week demanding the company do more to stop peddling misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and treatments through dubious products sold on the site. The letter, addressed to Amazons chief executive, Andy Jassy, and dated Sept. 7, asserts that the online retailers search algorithm contributes to the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 by promoting books on the sites best-seller list that are riddled with falsehoods about the pandemic and vaccines. Ms. Warren said her staff had searched Amazon using terms including Covid-, Covid-19 vaccine and pandemic, they found that the top results included books like The Truth About Covid-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal, which contains multiple claims that have been proven false. The book was also labeled a best seller in Amazons Political Freedom books category. One of the books authors, Dr. Joseph Mercola, was issued a warning letter by the Food and Drug Administration in February accusing him of representing vitamin supplements for sale on his website as being effective against the coronavirus. The searches by Ms. Warrens office also yielded first-page results of books that claimed Covid-19 vaccines were making people sick and killing them and literature that touted ivermectin, a deworming drug often used for livestock, as a Covid-19 miracle cure, which it is not. Collectively, this is an astonishing sample of misinformation that appeared in only a few potential searches relating to Covid-19, the letter states. A search by The New York Times came up with similar results. Ms. Warren acknowledged that Amazon had removed sponsored search results for pandemic-related terms and has made an effort to direct customers to accurate information by placing a banner at the top of all pandemic-related searches linking to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the results of my staffs review are nevertheless deeply troubling, the senator wrote. Ms. Warren asked Amazon to conduct a review within 14 days and provide public reports on both the extent to which Amazons algorithms are directing consumers products containing misinformation and on a plan to change the algorithms. In a statement to The Times, an Amazon spokesperson said: We are constantly evaluating the books we list to ensure they comply with our content guidelines. As an additional service to customers, at the top of relevant search results pages we link to the C.D.C. advice on Covid and protection measures.

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Parents in Mexico turn to courts to get their children vaccinated. Image Parents in Mexico are fighting a government program that restricts vaccination to people over the age of 18, though regulators have approved shots for use in children as young as 12. Credit... Joebeth Terriquez/EPA, via Shutterstock Hundreds of parents in Mexico are asking for court injunctions to have their children vaccinated against Covid-19 before they return to school, because the government is yet to offer a shot to people ages 12 to 18 even though they are authorized to receive it. The legal battle is taking place as the more transmissible Delta variant has pummeled Mexico, where only 28 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. The country is recording some of its highest daily caseloads of the pandemic, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors administration wants all students to return to school for in-person classes, which have been suspended for almost a year and a half. The Pfizer vaccine was approved in Mexico for use in children age 12 and above in June, but so far only those age 18 and above have been able to get shots. In the United States and various Latin American countries, vaccinations for children age 12 and above are well underway. But Mexican officials have downplayed the risk of the virus for minors, saying older people still waiting for their doses should be given priority. Alma Franco, a lawyer from the southern region of Oaxaca, was one of the first parents to sue and win an injunction. When she was granted the vaccine for her 12-year-old son, she tweeted a photo of the constitutional appeal, or amparo, a legal process used in Mexico. In her appeal arguing that her son should be entitled to vaccination, Ms. Franco cited both the Health Departments approval for the Pfizer vaccine and Mexicos laws around equal medical care. Since then, she said, about 1,000 parents from around the country have emailed her asking how they can do the same. Most of the parents who have asked me for the amparo are just worried about whats happening at a global level, and particularly in Mexico, Ms. Franco said. Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, the deputy health minister who is running Mexicos response to the coronavirus, said at a news conference on Tuesday that 262 legal appeals have been filed by parents since August, with the number rapidly increasing. He said that although he understood why parents want to ensure their children are vaccinated, every dose given to a student because of judicial action would otherwise have gone to someone with a higher risk of dying from Covid-19. Scientific evidence is abundantly clear and consistent that those who have the highest risk of severe Covid, hospitalization, intubation and death are older people, Mr. Lopez-Gatell said. There is a scale where the risk is progressively decreasing for younger ages. The new school year in Mexico began on Aug. 30, and the Mexican department of public education released a statement on Tuesday saying that 12 million students 18 and under were attending classes in over 135,000 schools. Entering the second week of the academic year, 88 schools have had coronavirus cases, and 39 had closed as a preventive measure, Delfina Gomez Alvarez, the secretary of education, said in the statement.

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Fake vaccination cards are under investigation in Vermont and Greece. Image Credit... Cooper Neill for The New York Times Three Vermont state troopers accused of being involved in a fake Covid-19 vaccination card scheme have resigned amid a federal investigation, the authorities said. The troopers, Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski and David Pfindel, were suspected of having varying roles in the production of fraudulent coronavirus vaccine cards, the Vermont State Police said in a news release on Tuesday. Mr. Sommers and Mr. Witkowski resigned on Aug. 10, a day after another trooper raised concerns with supervisors about their conduct, the police said. Mr. Pfindel resigned on Sept. 3 after an investigation by the states Department of Public Safety. The Vermont Troopers Association, an organization that represents troopers, detectives and sergeants of the Vermont State Police, did not immediately respond for comment on Wednesday morning. The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct  a criminal violation of the law  and I could not be more upset and disappointed, Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, the director of the Vermont State Police, said in a news release. In August, Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont announced that some state employees who work with vulnerable populations would be required to get vaccinated against Covid-19. About 77 percent of people ages 12 and older have been fully vaccinated, according to a Times database. As businesses and states reopen amid rising cases of the virus, many have required vaccination cards as proof that someone has been inoculated against Covid-19. Instead of getting vaccinated, some people have turned to faking that proof. In March, the federal Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the F.B.I. issued a public service announcement to warn the public that selling fake vaccination cards with a government logo on them is a crime. In July, a homeopathic doctor in California became the first person to face federal charges for selling fake Covid-19 vaccination cards. And in May, the owner of a bar in California was arrested on charges that he had sold fake Covid-19 vaccination cards. Vaccination centers in Greece investigated The authorities in Greece are investigating 10 vaccination centers across the country on suspicion of issuing fake vaccination certificates for Covid after dozens of forged documents were linked to health centers and hospitals. There is a high rate of vaccine hesitancy in Greece, even as experts warn of infection rates rising following the return to the cities after summer holidays on the islands. At one health center in the small town of Palamas in central Greece, 44 fake certificates were issued in August alone and have been traced to an administrative employee who is being sought by the authorities. Five employees of a hospital in Thessaloniki, Greeces second city, were suspended after using fake certificates to dodge vaccination which is obligatory for health workers. And a doctor in Messolongi in western Greece, is under scrutiny after using a sample from a patient with Covid to issue an antibody certificate to a colleague, according to local news media reports. t is thought that the real number of fake certificates is much higher, and Greeces national transparency authority is seeking to determine whether they are the work of nationwide forgery rackets similar to rings under investigation in France and elsewhere. The Greek government passed a law this week imposing a 5,000-euro ($5,900) fine for each instance of fraud. The same fine applies to individuals caught using fake certificates to go to work or gain entrance to cafes or leisure venues only serving the vaccinated. We wont allow anyone to defraud the system and put public health at risk, Greeces health minister Thanos Plevris said on Monday. About 54 percent of the population of 10 million has been fully vaccinated, compared with an average of 69.4 percent in the 27-nation European Union. More than 6,000 Greek health workers have been suspended without pay in the past week after refusing to get the jab in contravention of a new law obliging them to get the vaccine.  Niki Kitsantonis

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Some United Airlines workers who are exempted from vaccinations will be put on leave. Image United Airlines employees at OHare International Airport in Chicago. Credit... Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press United Airlines, one of the first large businesses to require employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, said Wednesday that it would impose strict limits even on workers who are granted exemptions from the rule. Any employee who is allowed to remain unvaccinated for religious or medical reasons will be placed on leave, in many cases unpaid, starting Oct. 2, United said. Workers who are not granted exemptions face being fired unless they get their first shot by Sept. 27 or are fully vaccinated within five weeks of receiving the denial. Our highest priority through the pandemic  and the sole reason we instituted a vaccine requirement for every U.S. employee at United Airlines  has been to keep people safe, Kirk Limacher, a United human resources executive, said Wednesday in a memo to employees who had requested exemptions. The policy addresses a big question facing large businesses that have announced vaccine mandates in recent months: How will companies police the use of religious or medical exemptions? United, which announced its mandate last month, is reviewing such requests. Those who are approved for medical exemptions will be placed on medical leave, which may be paid depending on the airlines collective bargaining agreements. Those who are approved on religious grounds will be placed on unpaid leave. When exempt employees will be allowed to return to work will depend on their role. Customer-facing employees, including pilots, flight attendants and gate agents, will not be allowed to return until the pandemic meaningfully recedes, Mr. Limacher wrote. Those who have operational roles, but who do not regularly interact with customers, will be allowed to return once the airline puts new safety protocols in place, such as mask requirements and regular testing. The airline expects to provide an update on such policies by mid-October, but noted that the return-to-work date for those workers might be significantly later. Workers in administrative or managerial roles will also be allowed to return only once the airline decides on appropriate safety protocols. Those employees are generally required to work from the office at least some days, so working permanently from home is not an option, the airline said. United did not say how many employees had submitted proof of vaccination. The company said about half of those who were unvaccinated when the mandate was announced a month ago had since received shots. The airline said last month that about 90 percent of pilots and 80 percent of flight attendants were vaccinated. Those employees had received incentives that United later extended to more workers. Other businesses have taken a different approach to encourage employees to get vaccinated. Delta Air Lines said last month that it would not require vaccines, but that it would impose penalties on unvaccinated workers, including a $200 monthly health insurance surcharge, an approach that comes with more legal complications than a mandate.

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Weddings and other gatherings are banned as the West Bank battles a new virus outbreak. Image Receiving a vaccine in Bethlehem in August. Credit... Samar Hazboun for The New York Times The Palestinian Authority has banned weddings, mourning tents and other gatherings, taking measures to stem the most significant outbreak of the coronavirus in the occupied West Bank in months. An average of 1,074 infections have been recorded daily over the past week by the Health Ministry, the highest seven-day average in the territory since at least April. Serious cases of the virus have also jumped, with the number of hospitalized people increasing more than sevenfold in the past month, according to ministry data. The ban on gatherings is scheduled to come into effect on Monday. Officials had originally said it would begin this week, but elected to postpone the date to allow people who had already reserved wedding halls this weekend to celebrate, said Ghassan Nimr, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. Wedding hall owners, who have closed their businesses for much of the pandemic, expressed frustration that they would need to close once again. I have 20 employees: What am I supposed to tell them? said Hanna Abu Alees, the owner of the Golden Roof Hall in Bethlehem. Should I say go home and good luck finding a way to feed your families? Mr. Abu Alees, 73, said he had been trying to limit the spread of the virus at his facility by distributing masks and hand sanitizer during events and capping attendance at 300 to 400 people, less than the 1,000 it can hold. Health Minister Mai al-Kaila suggested on Tuesday that the authority could enact even more restrictive measures if the virus continues to spread widely. As the health minister, I cant hold on to a mask for everyone and give a mask to everyone, Ms. al-Kaila told government-run television. In order to not close the country, let us follow the guidelines, she said, adding that vaccinations and social distancing are not a big deal and it should be a matter of personal responsibility. While many Palestinians have expressed skepticism about getting vaccinated, the number of people in the West Bank receiving inoculations has risen in recent weeks since the government announced that public sector employees who did not get the shots would be placed on unpaid leave until the end of the pandemic. The Transportation Ministry has also said that people must present vaccination certificates to receive services like renewing licenses or vehicle registration. More than 820,000 people in the West Bank, whose population is estimated to be about 2.75 million, have received at least one dose, according to Health Ministry statistics.

Macys plans a vaccinated Thanksgiving Day parade that will resume many traditions. Image The Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2019. Credit... Brittainy Newman/The New York Times Participants in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade must be masked and vaccinated, with a few exceptions, the company said on Wednesday, as the annual tradition plans a return to a version of its old self this November after a muted performance last year. The announcement is the latest sign that New York is determined to resume some semblance of normalcy even as it grapples with the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. Macys said its 95th celebration would travel a longer route than the one block it was confined to in 2020 and bring in marching bands and other groups that were unable to perform last year. It will allow 80 to 100 handlers for its giant character balloons after reducing the number last year. The company said that it anticipated thousands of participants again, though fewer than its typical 8,000, and that all volunteer participants and staff must be fully vaccinated. They must also wear face coverings, with some exceptions for performers, and maintain social distancing throughout much of the event. The pandemic upended traditions including festivals and Santa Claus meetings last year, and the parade became largely a television event as many spectators were told to stay home and the parade route shrank from its usual two-mile stretch. Some balloons even had flights that were pretaped for broadcast. A representative for Macys said the company was still determining this years route but expected that it would be closer to two miles. We applaud Macys work to creatively continue this beloved tradition last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement, and look forward to welcoming back parade watchers to experience it safely, live and in person this November.

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Even as American and NATO forces and almost the entire Western diplomatic corps packed up and fled the Afghan capital last month as the Taliban seized control, a handful of international aid directors made a decision: They were staying put.

They are now the most visible representatives of the decades-long Western development mission in Afghanistan, and along with United Nations humanitarian agencies, are the people on the ground negotiating with the Taliban on working conditions for thousands of Afghan employees.

Seven out of eight of the directors who stayed to lead their organizations aid efforts in Afghanistan are women.

There arent a lot of us here, said one of them. Theres a lot of uncertainty. She, like others, asked not to be named while relations with the Taliban remain so tentative.
Yasonna Laoly, the minister of law and human rights, said the fires victims included an inmate involved in a terrorism case and another involved in a murder, while the rest had been imprisoned for drug-related offenses. He said one victim was from South Africa and another from Portugal.

Among those who died were prisoners trapped in their locked cells as the fire spread.

Mr. Laoly said the fire broke out at 1:45 a.m. in what the authorities said was a bloc usually reserved for prisoners convicted in narcotics cases. After officers noticed the fire, he said, the head of security immediately called the fire department, and 12 fire trucks arrived within 13 minutes.

Because the cells were locked, Mr. Laoly said, some prisoners were unable to escape, and 40 died on the spot, while one died on the way to the hospital. Prison staff members managed to unlock some cells, and 75 people were evacuated.

Under prison procedures, the cells must be locked, Mr. Laoly said. He added that the fire had been extinguished in 90 minutes and that the prison would be reviewing its security procedures.

Mr. Laoly visited the prison on Wednesday to inspect the damage, and said he had instructed staff members to focus on the recovery of the victims.
The Australian governments approach to securing Covid vaccines has come under scrutiny again after it released documents detailing the early stages of talks with the drug maker Pfizer.

Internal government emails, released in response to a Freedom of Information request by an opposition party politician, show that a Pfizer Australia representative wrote to the Australian minister of health, Greg Hunt, in late June last year to request a meeting. The Pfizer representative wrote that the pharmaceutical giant had the potential to supply millions of vaccine doses by the end of 2020.

The request was passed to a senior official, a first assistant secretary of the health department, who met with Pfizer the following month. Subsequent emails show that Pfizer had asked the Australian government to sign a confidential disclosure agreement, which the official said was not usual practice for the government.

The exchange occurred around the same time that the U.S. and British governments were finalizing multibillion-dollar deals with Pfizer to secure access to large numbers of vaccine doses. That month, Britain bought 30 million doses and the United States 100 million.
The three men, dressed in suits, could have passed for customers at the Bulgari store in central Paris. Armed with guns, however, their intentions were more nefarious. They stole a large haul of jewels from the Italian jewelry company.

The robbery Tuesday morning took place in the Place Vendome, the historic square in Pariss 1st arrondissement that is known for its luxury stores and has been a frequent target for thieves. One person is in custody in connection with the robbery, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement. And the police are looking for others involved.

Bulgari confirmed the robbery in a statement and said that no one had been hurt.

The police declined to comment on the robbery, but an officer who spoke to the media at the scene on Tuesday described a brazen heist and said that after stealing the jewels, the suspects who entered the store fled in a vehicle, while four others took off on scooters toward the center of the city. The police stopped the vehicle in a shootout, the officer, who identified herself as Noura B., said in a video posted by Le Parisien.

The jewelry has not yet been found by the police, the Paris prosecutors office said.

It was unclear exactly how much the thieves had taken, the officer in the video said, adding that one suspect had dropped a bag, but the amount was estimated to be at least 10 million euros, or $12 million.
MOSCOW  A senior government official died on Wednesday when he dove off a cliff trying to save a prominent film director who had fallen into the water during a drill in Russias Far North, officials confirmed.

Yevgeny N. Zinichev, the minister of emergency situations, was tragically killed while on duty, while taking part in interagency exercises designed to protect the Arctic zone from emergencies, as he tried to save a persons life, a statement from his ministry said.

Mr. Zinichev, who was visiting the region of Norilsk as part of a multicity drill involving 6,000 people, dived into the water after Aleksandr Melnik, the director, slipped and fell off a wet rock, the ministrys press service told local reporters.

The Russian-state news agency, TASS, reported that Mr. Melnik, who was scouting locations for a documentary, also died. The men had been standing on the edge of the Kitabo Oron waterfall, part of the picturesque Putorana State Nature Reserve in northern Siberia, about 100 miles west of Norilsk.
The Palestinian Authority has banned weddings, mourning tents and other gatherings, taking measures to stem the most significant outbreak of the coronavirus in the occupied West Bank in months.

An average of 1,074 infections have been recorded daily over the past week by the Health Ministry, the highest seven-day average in the territory since at least April. Serious cases of the virus have also jumped, with the number of hospitalized people increasing more than sevenfold in the past month, according to ministry data.

The ban on gatherings is scheduled to come into effect on Monday. Officials had originally said it would begin this week, but elected to postpone the date to allow people who had already reserved wedding halls this weekend to celebrate, said Ghassan Nimr, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Wedding hall owners, who have closed their businesses for much of the pandemic, expressed frustration that they would need to close once again.
For questions about requirements in a given European Union member state, the best answers can usually be found on the website of its U.S. Embassy. Most, including France, Spain and Germany, still welcome travelers from the United States without much hassle.

It is different for a few others, and thats where the confusion starts.

For instance, any traveler from the United States, no matter their nationality, is prohibited from entering Bulgaria unless they meet an exception, according to the U.S. Embassy in Sofia. Those exceptions include students with a visa, citizens from an E.U. country, and foreign officials or medical professionals.

In Italy, meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Rome states that vaccinated travelers must take a virus test 72 hours before arrival, and that unvaccinated ones must isolate for five days. France has no travel restrictions on American visitors, but a health pass, based on testing or proof of vaccination, is needed to access cultural venues, restaurants or bars, among other places.

These varying measures, which can appear dizzying to non-Europeans, reflect a reality that the pandemic has only amplified: As much as the European Union strives to present a unified front on many issues, the bloc is made of 27 member countries with diverging  sometimes competing  interests, and facing different epidemiological situations.
Wildfire Took These Families Homes. Heres Why They Stay.

Thousands of homes were destroyed last year in the Almeda Fire  Oregons most destructive in years. Many are still displaced. What keeps them from leaving? Unbreakable bonds.

ASHLAND, Ore.  Last September, after high winds pushed flames through a drought-parched strip of southern Oregon called the Rogue Valley, razing entire communities, as many as 8,500 people found themselves suddenly homeless and facing the same question: Should I stay?

A year after the Almeda fire, hundreds who are still in trailers, hotels and other temporary homes continue to grapple with that question. They have faced vast challenges in rebuilding their lives in a region where affordable homes are in short supply and the competition is fierce. Above all, theres a looming sense that more fires are sure to come.

Still, residents are reluctant to leave a community they are bound to by work, school or family.

I know the people here, said Gladiola Garcia, whose family has been living in a string of temporary accommodations with help from relief organizations and the state government. If I go to another place I will be lost, more than Im lost here, she said.

With a warming world unsettling more American lives and wildfires burning across parts of the West, some, like Jairo Gomez, who now lives with his family in a donated trailer, have reasoned that moving somewhere else might be futile anyway. Everything is changing, he said. Youre going to start seeing wildfires everywhere.

The New York Times followed six families as they struggled to preserve their place in this valley. What little they still have is here, they say. Its home.

Has climate change upended your life? We want to hear from you.

Martin Rocha When Martin Rocha, 36, started working at an artisanal cheese company in Central Point in 2005, it was only a temporary job. But it became the anchor that kept his family in the valley after losing their home. After brief stints in a relatives crowded home and then a hotel, the couples boss let them move into the companys storage garage with their three children.

We live in a garage, sort of. It has a little kitchen, one room, a living room and a restroom. The owner said, You can stay for the time that you need. It is too small. The baby needs more space. We are the only ones in the area. It is like being alone on an island.

Martin and Maricela Rocha work at the Rogue Creamery, just across the street from where they are staying.

We went back four days after the fire. The furniture smelled like smoked meat. It couldnt be used anymore. We threw all the clothes away. We saved the important documents, things from my daughters quinceanera, a photograph of my brother who passed away and my photos as a child. I have them, but I cant nail anything to the wall here.

Im looking for a rental, but they are very expensive. The rent is $1,400 for two bedrooms. Trailers are very expensive. A new one is $169,000. Maybe the small one is $85,000. I dont have $85,000 for a trailer. I earn a little bit more than the minimum wage.

We are the only ones in the area. It is like being alone on an island.

There were times I couldnt sleep. I get stomach pain, a strong headache and part of my shoulders cramps up. The doctor told me that it was stress. To go looking for a house and not finding anything and not having the money to buy something bigger is really hard.

In the trailer park, I had friends and good neighbors. They would sometimes come to my house to eat, sometimes to make cookies. Id finish my work and my neighbors would say, You come. My wife or my brother or something is having a birthday. Little parties became big parties. All my friends and neighbors have been moving around. We dont know where they really are.

I have thought about moving to another state, but this is my community.

I try not to make my family feel sad. I never thought I would be in this situation, but I am hopeful I will find a place. Then we would try to heal ourselves from what happened to us.

Heather Spliethof The fire scattered families throughout the valley, putting a strain on social life for Heather Spliethofs youngest daughter, Alyssa, in an already isolating year. Though Ms. Spliethof, 46, knows her family may eventually have to move, she was reluctant to leave before Alyssas high school graduation. The family says it is split between two FEMA trailers, where they can stay as long as the agency is providing relief in the area. A spokeswoman for FEMA declined to comment on individual cases, but said the agency is committed to ensuring survivors get the resources they need to recover. For now, the parents and two children say they have tried to keep up the social gatherings they enjoyed in their old home.

Whenever I see black smoke  the bad smoke  I cant stop shaking.

The kids hot water heater caught on fire recently. I started throwing up. I was shaking. Luckily it only burned for a couple of minutes. But all of the smoke came through the outlets so their whole trailer was filled with smoke.

Alyssa getting ready for graduation.

Its kind of like youre constantly camping. We have a sink, a stove, a microwave, an oven, a refrigerator. Theyre all small, but we have them. The oven doesnt cook the same as a regular oven does. The showers are really tiny.

We were in the process of buying. The mobile home was going to cost $3,000. We had paid $1,000 and were making $100 payments on top of our rent. We were trying to sell it to get a down payment for an actual house with a yard. After the fire hit, those homes went up in price.

I really want to stay. This community is amazing.

We can stay here until FEMA pulls out. Every month we have to requalify. You have to be actively trying to find a place. You have to have three phone numbers of real estate agents or rental companies or whatever people youve talked to.

The family preparing paper plates and party favors for Alyssas graduation party.

I have days where, out of the blue, Ill start crying. I just need to let it out. At work, I try not to think about anything else. I take care of hospice patients. Then when Im at home, I deal with all the other stuff.

We may end up having to leave. I really want to stay. This community is amazing. The school has helped the kids tremendously since the fire. We have been doing everything we can to stay here because I wanted my daughter to graduate with her friends.

My kids make friends with some pretty good kids. Our house seemed to be where they always met. They would come over to play board games, play video games, listen to music, have bonfires.

Ms. Spliethof and her daughter return to their trailer after skipping rocks with a classmate who also lives in the R.V. park.

We still do bonfires here. The kids come over still on the weekends. I keep buckets of water out there just in case.

A house is just a structure. Your home is the people.

Sofia Rico Sofia Rico, 25, regularly returns to the blackened and debris-strewn site of the mobile home park where she lived to spend time with family at her sisters home, one of a handful there that survived the fire. They have helped each other lighten the darker moments in the past year. Leaving them, she said, would be unthinkable.

Toward the middle of January, I accidentally missed a phone call. There was a voice mail. I listened to it and I broke down. After searching for so long, we finally secured a spot. It was overwhelming, but I was super happy.

I wish it could have been closer to my sister. She is still at Talent Mobile Estates in the row that survived.

Everyone there was basically family. All the kids played together. I met my best friends there. We were always at the pool, riding bikes, playing ball. My favorite part about the trailer park was the trees during fall. They were red and pink combined with yellow ones. It was just super pretty.

Everything was burnt to the ground. Everything you worked so hard for, gone in less than two minutes.

Afterward, they were bouncing us back and forth between hotels. One of my friends knew a place that was becoming open. They had concerts there. That spot had beds in every corner. There was a bed up on the stage.

Leaving was never an option. Home is where families are. All my familys here.

There were 11 of us. We tried to make it as normal as we could for the kids. We dressed up on Halloween and took the kids trick or treating. We had our Christmas tree up too. It was harder at night because youre not in your own bed. Youre not home.

Every day we were out looking. Everything was taken or out of our budget. Every time, we tried. We tried our best and then heard back, No. It knocked us down all the way straight to zero.

Ms. Rico and Jerry Romero prepare a bath for their son, Anthony, who waits in the arms of his grandfather, Victor Rico. At one point, 11 of their family members were living in the mixed-use building.

There wasnt much housing left until we found this place. Its $775. The rent now is a little bit higher than it was at the mobile home. Our plan had been to save enough money for a down payment on a house. Were trying to keep the same plan. Maybe in at least three more years, well be there.

But leaving was never an option. Home is where families are. All my familys here. My work is here. My life is here. Having to get up and move would be stressful all over again, like starting out from zero.

Jairo Gomez Jairo Gomez, 39, named his three children Adam, Aileen and Adril so they might have an alphabetical advantage in life. He drives his kiddos, as he calls them, to school in the mornings and prizes the bilingual education theyre getting. Ever mindful of their future, he wants to stay for them.

I can close my eyes and see everything around me on fire like that day. It was terrifying. When I got to the highway and turned around, my home was gone.

We lost everything.

Elva Ledesma, 41, getting her son Adril, 2, ready for bed while her father sleeps on their couch.

I came from Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2006. The valley, thats what made me stay. I said, Heres perfect. Then I met my wife, Elva, and everything was perfect, like living in a dream. When I moved in, she told me, The mobile home is mine, but now we have to fix it.

It was really old. No windows. No heater. Leaking water everywhere. We did a lot of work. When Grandpa and Grandma came, we had to add another room. When Grandma had a stroke, we had to build a big ramp.

We planted strawberries. We had a peach tree, a cherry tree and a plum tree. Every day, Id wake up and water my garden, pick up eggs, feed my chickens.

I dont want to run away like a coward and not face my problems. I want to rebuild.

We thought we were fine before the fire. We werent. We had our mobile home, but we didnt own the land. My plan was, with what FEMA gave us, to buy the property. I would like to do that, but I cant, the owner told me. I sold the property.

Were on 26 waiting lists. We applied for low-income homes. Low-income apartments are $900 a month for two rooms and one bathroom. We make around $2,000 a month.

Weve lived in this R.V. since December. Me, my wife, my daughter and my youngest, we sleep in the big bed. The R.V.s have showers but its for emergencies because its a small space. You have to use the public ones.

Some people say, Why do you want to stay in Phoenix? Theres something there I like: the school district. Its bilingual. I wake up at 7 a.m. and I take them to school. Every day, we spend a lot on gas. $80 every week.

When Ms. Ledesma visits the homes of friends, she often returns to the trailer and dwells on how hard it is to find something similar. "When I see a real house I feel so sad," she said. "I feel bad because I can't do it."

I know I can start over in another place, but I dont want to run away like a coward and not face my problems. I want to rebuild. I want a little piece of property so if something happens, we can come back. I dont want anything for free. I want a chance, for somebody to believe in us and say, OK, Im going to lend you that money.

Melissa Brown Melissa Brown, 80, has lived by herself throughout most of her adult life. What little she still had after the fire was in the relationships shed cultivated over two decades in the valley. The community clothed her, put her and her dog, Dashiell, in an R.V. for eight months and finally an apartment. She doesnt want to leave and lose that too, she said.

I live alone and have for most of my adult life. Ive lived in a lot of places in the States and in Europe. I moved here in 2001 when I was 60. I had been an attorney doing corporate law at that point in my life.

I built a house on Ashland Creek, a really nice piece of property. But I could never find a job, and I eventually had to sell it. I moved into a manufactured home in Talent.

I did add a wood-burning fireplace. A fireplace has always been magical to me. I put in a skylight. I expanded the sliding doors so there was more light. I had an enormous amount of original artwork: paintings, sculptures, carvings. One was a carving of a baby walrus. I miss him a lot. Most of the furniture I had was wood. That would have been gone in a split second.

I looked around: no family, no nothing. It felt as though I had no connections to the universe, to the world, to anybody.

Two weeks after the fire, I turned 80. I looked around: no family, no nothing. It felt as though I had no connections to the universe, to the world, to anybody.

I moved into the R.V. in November. I have always made places feel like home. I didnt in that place. It was so confining. Recently, I had my right knee replaced. I lost an enormous amount of body conditioning. I just survived there.

I thought I had a house lined up to rent beginning Jan. 1. But then it wasnt available and it wasnt available. It went into February and I said, OK, enough of that. But the angels appeared around me. A woman I did not know before all of this contacted a man in Talent who is rebuilding an apartment complex he had finished before the fire. I went to the top of his list.

A burnt tree sculpture is one of the few remnants of Ms. Browns old home. She recovered it from the ashes and kept it outside the R.V. where she was living.

I absolutely know that this apartment building could burn to the ground again. I wont have much in it when it happens, if it happens. But I just didnt have any place to go. I have 20 years worth of familiarity here and friends. Insofar as I have any roots, theyre here.

Gladiola Garcia One of Gladiola Garcias first impulses after the fire was to help a stranger. Ms. Garcia, 39, and her family  her husband, three children and five dogs  shuffled between hotels for four months until they moved into a FEMA trailer in June. She has tried to help others along the way and remains grateful for those who continue to do the same for her.

The next day I got up early. I said: Im going to see my house. Even though they already told me it burned, I need to see it. We walked to the area. It was very hard to look at people who were crying and screaming. I remember a white woman doing that. I tried to communicate with her, to feel her pain, because I was in the same state. I wanted to give her a hug.

The disaster  what comes after the fire  continues to this day. We fought before to have what we had and the fire took it from us. Now we have to start over and fight.

Ms. Garcia's daughter, Ana Alvarez, 20, has devoted herself to helping other fire survivors by volunteering her time with a recovery group that distributes resources and helps the displaced find housing.

For four months, we stayed in an apartment that an organizer found for us. Then the state put us in a place that was not safe. We had to fight to get my children into a safer place.

Some nights you dont rest because you have to think about where you have to go, where you are going to ask for something or what youre going to do to get something. You go to bed with a headache and you wake up with a headache.

In spite of everything I feel this is my place. If I dont know what to do here, if I feel desperate, I can ask, I can go places. In another place, Ill be lost. This is where I belong. My children belong here.

Some nights you don't rest because you have to think about where you have to go, where you are going to ask for something.

But being in this tight space is very frustrating. In the last home, we all could sit for dinner and play. We could invite friends over. My bed was a king size. It had a nice bedspread and big pillows. My children would always get in and lay down.

Ms. Garcia, her daughter and their dog, Coco.

When we moved into the hotel, we bought bedspreads. In the mornings, when I make the beds, I say, OK, this is mine. These are small things. Maybe it doesnt matter, but for me it does.

I always say to myself that when I have a house again, I will make it look beautiful. I want my bed again. One day, well have a home. When? I do not know yet.
Stillwater, OK (74078)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Dan Darling

The National Religious Broadcasters group today whitewashed the firing of senior VP-communications Dan Darling after he expressed support of getting COVID-19 vaccinations during an Aug. 2 appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

The group issued a statement to say it has neither a policy nor official position on the vaccines. It prefers to take positions on issues of direct interest to its members, as if the potential life-and-death choice about the COVID-19 shot does not impact its audience of 141M people.

"While individual NRB members have wide-ranging views on the subject, the association has not weighed in on the question of the personal choices being made with respect to vaccines, because this is outside the scope of NRBs public policy engagement," it said in the statement.

And here is where the NRB gets loopy.

"NRBs neutrality on vaccines and other Covid-19-related mandates should not be interpreted as neutrality, or a lack of concern, about their impact on religious liberty.

"We have seen, and the Supreme Court has confirmed, that many Covid-19 mandates have treated religious people and institutions in an unequal manner."

The executive committee unanimously adopted the following motion:

After review, The Executive Committee affirms in every particular the administrative actions taken by the CEO in the termination of [the dismissed employee].

The committee then took a cheap shot at the media coverage of the Darling affair.

The Committee considers the runaway media narrative that developed in the aftermath of the dismissal to have been inaccurate, incomplete, and almost incomprehensible given the objective facts of the situation."

It vowed to move forward speaking with one voice on issues related to Christian communicators ability to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through every medium available.

My hunch is that Jesus would have taken the COVID-19 vaccine (though The Almighty really did not need one) to encourage his followers to follow suit so they wouldn't spread the Delta variant.

If a pitcher strikes out 18 guys during a game, announcers do not rush to interview the poor slob who earned a Golden Sombrero (four whiffs). They rush to talk to the pitcher.

Similarly, Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AR), a former Marine who served in Iraq, wants to know why cable TV gives high-profile platforms to former generals who were responsible for waging Americas forever war in Afghanistan.

They are wearers of the Golden Sombrero for their puffing up non-existent US progress in Afghanistan

We heard time and again from these Generals that Afghanistan was turning the corner. Same generals are out there claiming the outcome could have been different. Please stop listening to Petraeus and McMaster to start, Gallego tweeted.

The Phoenix Democrat told Politico:

The biggest frustration is the fact that the D.C. media elites dont see what we see. They see these guys as heroes and as these all-knowing geniuses when we know better. But nobody listens to us because we dont have the gold-star lapels.

Gallego also took aim at think tanks, who distorted our nation-building boondoggle.

Combat ops only ended because the Taliban had agreed to stop attacking us because we agreed to pull out. This is the problem with think tankers, they forget that the enemy has a vote when it comes to warfare. he tweeted.

Guys like Gallego deserve more cable TV facetime than the generals and think tankers.
David Landis

David Landis, founder and president of Landis Communications Inc., announced that he plans to step down at the San Francisco-based agency.

His retirement becomes effective October 1.

General manager Sean Dowdall has been appointed to succeed Landis in the president role.

Landis, who founded the agency in 1990, told ODwyers that his shop, which was responsible for launching Old Navy, making Match.com a household name and helping save the iconic redwoods of California through the agencys longstanding client, Save The Redwoods League, exceeded all expectations.

Landis said he plans to continue penning his food/restaurant column for the San Francisco Bay Times and will also interview symphony, opera, jazz and Broadway stars for the Amateur Music Network.

What could be better? Landis said.

Landis, which is one of the last independent communications agencies in San Francisco and specializes in consumer technology, B2B, healthcare, corporate and institutional PR, accounted for more than $2.1 million in net fees in 2020, according to ODwyers rankings of PR firms.
Lanny Davis

Lanny J. Davis & Associates and the Livingston Group have signed on as DC representative for field marshall Khalifa Haftar, the 77-year-old Libyan-American commander of the Libya National Army, to build US support for the national election that is slated for Dec. 24.

Davis, who was special counsel to president Clinton and his spokesperson during the impeachment trial, is working in conjunction with former House Speaker-designate Bob Livingston.

The Davis-Livingston team inked an engagement letter with an advisor to Haftar on August 24 that establishes a monthly fee of $160K for up to six months.

The mission is to prepare and support a high-level visit to Washington by the client.

In support of the DC visit, the Davis-Livingston team will draft a background paper and talking points to be pre-approved and used by the client and team in advance and during the trip.

The backgrounder will list reasons why the US government should provide additional political, diplomatic and economic support to the extent possible to enhance the future of a unified Libya under a democratic system of governments governed by the rule of law, according to the Davis-Livingston engagement letter.
The Texas abortion law and US Supreme Courts unwillingness to block it are blows to Americas image overseas, according to a top human rights official at the United Nations.

The chair of the UNs working group on discrimination against women and girls, which usually tackles issues in the Arab and developing world nations, called the Texas SB 8 law a violation of international law because it denies women control over their own bodies and endangers their lives.

Melissa Upreti considers the Texas law structural sex and gender-based discrimination at its worst.

She told The Guardian:

The law and the way it came aboutthrough the refusal of the US Supreme Court to block it based on existing precedenthas not only taken Texas backward, but in the eyes of the international community, it has taken the entire country backward.

The US Supreme Court decision to punt on the Texas abortion law that tramples the Constitutional rights of women was hardly a profile in courage.

In a sharp contrast, Mexicos Supreme Court ruled decisively on Sept. 7 to decriminalize abortion in a land in which the Catholic Church still holds some sway.

Arturo Zaldiver, president of the Mexican court, called the ruling a watershed in the history of the rights of all women, especially the most vulnerable.

In contrast the Washington jurists, ripped up 50 years of federal precedents and allowed the Lone Star State to devise a scheme to evade judicial scrutiny, according to the eloquent dissent written by associate justice Sonia Sotomayor.

She accused her colleagues of burying their heads in the sand in letting the Texas law stand because of complex and novel antecedent procedural questions.

Sotomayor called the Texas law that deputizes citizens as bounty hunters, offering them cash prizes for civilly prosecuting their neighbors medical procedures a breathtaking act of defiance of the Constitution and the rights of women seeking abortions throughout Texas.

The Texas law opens the door for any state to evade federal judicial scrutiny by outsourcing the enforcement of unconstitutional laws to its citizenry.

On cue, lawmakers in Florida, South Dakota, North Dakota, Indiana and Mississippi have announced plans to introduce their own restrictive aborton laws that are modeled on the Texas measure.

Can the US swap its Supreme Court with Mexico?

Mo Brooks, the right-wing Alabama firebrand, is among the 11 Republican Congressmen who signed a letter urging communications companies not to cooperate with the Congressional probe of the Jan. 6 riot.

Does Mo have something to hide?

He spoke during the Save America Jan. 6 pep rally at Washingtons Ellipse that sought to stop the certification of Donald Trumps electoral shellacking.

Tough Guy Brooks fired up the crowd with gems like start taking down names and kicking ass and how our ancestors sacrificed their blood, sweat, tears and sometimes their lives before challenging the mob about whether it would do the same. Get cracking, you bunch of wusses.

Mo, who was wearing body armour, asked the crowd if they were willing to do what it takes to fight for America and urged them to carry the message to Capitol Hill.

Mission was accomplished. Chaos ensued. A national disgrace happened.

The pride of Alabama has maintained his vitriol. His office released a statement on Aug. 25, saying president Biden has shown the strength of a marshmallow and the intellectual capacity and judgement of a gnat.

Brooks said Biden used to have a keen mind and was capable of weighing myriad facts to reach sound judgements but those days are long gone and Bidens mental capacity has significantly eroded.

Geez. Remember the outrage when South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson shouted You Lie at president Obama in 2009 during his speech on healthcare reform.

Wilson was decent enough to apologize after the speech.

He said:

This evening, I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the president's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility."

Times have certainly changed. Brooks expects his hateful words about Biden will power him to a US Senate seat.

Meanwhile, one of the letters sent by the 11 GOP Congressmen to the CEOs urging the boycott of their own institution was addressed to Marissa Mayer, who resigned from the Yahoo helm four years ago.

Even a person with the intellectual capacity of a gnat would have checked to see who is in charge of Yahoo.

Right, Mo? Its Guru Gowrappan.

Signs of a potential recovery for the battered travel business are fading from view, according to a poll conducted by Morning Consult for the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

It found that almost seven in ten (69 percent) of leisure travelers are planning fewer trips, 55 percent are postponing current travel and 42 percent are killing travel plans with no thought of rescheduling.

Chip Rogers, CEO of AHLA, said the rising levels of COVID-19 and the onset of slower travel months means the hotel business is at a pivotal point.

ALHA and UNITE HERE, the largest hospitality union, have been asking Congress for direct pandemic relief for more than a year. Congress has failed to deliver the goods.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) have sponsored the Save Hotel Jobs Act, which would provide a lifeline to the segment.

The Morning Consult survey shows that time is running out for the travel business.
OFFALY County Council has given conditional planning approval for a new visitor centre and shop at Tullamore DEW Distillery, Clonminch, Tullamore.

The move has paved the way for a change of use of the existing three storey three sisters administration building currently on the distillery campus into a facility which will welcome visitors from all over the world.

There will now be a four week period to allow for any appeals on the decision.

A spokesperson for Tullamore D.E.W said:

We are pleased to confirm that we have received notification of a decision by Offaly County Council to grant planning permission for our visitor experience, which means that there is now a four-week statutory consultation period before a final decision is made.

"If we get the green light at the end of that period, we aim to move ahead with our plans to relocate our new immersive Tullamore D.E.W. visitor experience to the Tullamore Distillery, and we look forward to being able to welcome visitors back to Tullamore before the end of the year.

The plan had been on hold while Offaly County Council sought further information following a request from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) who stated that prior written approval was required from them for the erection, removal or modification of directional signs on, or related to any national road.

The TII said that the erection of proposed signs if granted would set a precedent and could lead to a proliferation of such developments. TII also believed that because of the site location where particular vigilance is required it would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard due to the location of the signage and also be a distraction to drivers.

In response William Grant & Sons proposed to omit the sign and said no external sign at the main site entrance would be installed.

This appears to have satisfied the planning authority who have now granted permission for the proposal

In September 2020 William Grant announced it was to close the visitor centre which was located at Bury Quay in Tullamore.

The move came as a shock as the building had been leased by Offaly County Council to the company who subsequently invested heavily in the facility which attracted 40,000 people a year.

William Grant said at the time that they were in the process of creating "a rich and immersive Tullamore DEW experience at the distillery.
Offaly has received a boost with indoor dining funding announced by Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin T.D and Failte Ireland.

38 permanent outdoor dining facilities are to be developed in 19 counties nationwide.

Failte Irelands Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme opened for applications in March 2021 and comprises two parts. This announcement relates to Part Two of the Scheme.

All Local Authorities were invited to apply to Failte Ireland for funding under Part Two - Local Authority Weatherproofing & Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme - to develop streets and public spaces to facilitate outdoor dining in urban tourism centres, enabling access to outdoor seating for extended periods throughout the year. 38 locations are set to benefit under the Scheme with almost 9million allocated.

Part One of the scheme covers outdoor seating and accessories - supports individual hospitality businesses with grants of up to 4,000 for seating, tables and outdoor accessories. Closing date for receipt of applications is September 30, 2021.

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin T.D and Paul Kelly CEO Failte Ireland were in Howth, Co Dublin to make the official announcement.

Minister Catherine Martin said: I am pleased to announce the locations of 38 new outdoor dining facilities to be developed around Ireland including here in Howth, in County Dublin. The aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors. Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond. This scheme further strengthens the Governments deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide.

Paul Kelly CEO of Failte Ireland added: This Scheme supports resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term. Outdoor dining and hospitality will now be a permanent feature of our hospitality offering and businesses need to be supported to facilitate this for longer periods throughout the year. We have already seen the success of the first part of this Scheme, which provides individual businesses up to 4,000 towards the cost of outdoor seating.

"This second part of the Scheme being announced today is implemented in partnership with Local Authorities and will build on strengthening the outdoor dining offering around Ireland. We have learned during COVID-19 that people want the option of dining outdoors; this scheme will make dining areas suitable in a wider range of weather conditions so that they can be used for longer periods of the year, helping businesses towards sustainable recovery.

Moira Murrell, Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage (RCTCH) Committee stated: The implementation of the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Enhancement scheme will be hugely beneficial for towns and cities around Ireland, enhancing infrastructure and allowing local hospitality businesses to adapt and develop their offering. We look forward to working with Failte Ireland on the completion of this scheme.

See the locations received funding below:

Carlow County Council

 Main Street, Borris (61,000)

 Tullow Street Upper, Carlow (133,357)

Clare County Council

 Ennis Town Centre, Francis St, Lr Parnell St, Abbey St Car Park, Templegate Plaza (186,975)

Cork City Council

 Beasley St, (236,160)

 Caroline St, (375,083)

 Pembroke St, (302,187)

 Princess St, (112,150)

 Union Quay (284,130)

Cork County Council

 The Quays, Bantry (221,595)

 Short Quay, Kinsale (215,110)

Dublin City Council

 Merrion Row, (255,312)

 Suffolk St, (351,786)

 Capel St (742,095)

Donegal County Council

 Bundoran Oceanside, West End Car Park (126,840)

 Port Road, Letterkenny (137,000)

Fingal County Council

 Harbour Green Howth (600,000)

Kerry County Council

 Boat Yard, Dingle (292,118)

 Kenmare Place, Killarney (604,505)

Kildare County Council

 Main Street, Naas (187,275)

Kilkenny County Council

 Market Yard, Kilkenny City (649,000)

Laois County Council

 Dublin Road, Durrow (32,348)

 Hynd's Square, Portlaoise (129,446)

Limerick City & County Council

 Limerick City (750,000)

Longford County Council

 Main Street, Ballymahon (104,562)

Louth County Council

 The Green, Carlingford (118,000)

 Earl Street, Dundalk (82,000)

Mayo County Council

 Market Square, Castlebar (98,725)

 Market Square, Claremorris (101,300)

Offaly County Council

 O'Connor Square, Bridge St, Millennium Square, Tullamore (200,000)

Sligo County Council

 The Square, Enniscrone (94,772)

 Tobergal Lane, Sligo Town (265,160)

Tipperary County Council

 East Lane & Mary St Mall Clonmel (113,800)

 Old Baker Street, Thurles (86,200)

Waterford City & County Council

 Waterford City Trail - Bailey's New Street to O'Connell Street/John Street (354,919)

 Grattan Square, Dungarvan (151,774)

Wexford County Council

 Monck Street, Wexford Town (228,000)

Wicklow County Council

 Abbey Lane, Arklow (81,000)

 Market Square, Wicklow Town (118,624)
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MANVILLE, N.J. (AP)  The Dommar family of Manville, New Jersey, gave a tour Tuesday to the president of the United States of their home, devastated by the torrential leftovers of Ida: Thats the roof down the block. The babys room is in two pieces on the west and east sides of their property.

Just about every material possession Meagan and Caesar Dommar had was destroyed in the flood and subsequent fire that leveled their house to the water line and left much in cinders. They left last Wednesday evening before the flood waters rose, taking their 4-month-old daughter Lila and returning just as warning sirens blared for their pet cat Trinity.

We literally lost everything, Meagan Dommar said.

President Joe Bidens visit Tuesday afternoon alongside Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials seemed to buoy the Dommars, as they sort out what to do next.

They're among about six people the president spoke to Tuesday in the central New Jersey river town. They described Biden as kind and overwhelmingly felt grateful for the visit, they said. The presidential visit could help push along recovery and preparing for next time by elevating houses, Meagan Dommar said.

He told us that he was very sorry, that he was here to support us and our town, Meagan Dommar said. We are hoping that Biden being here will speed things along a little bit.

The Dommars left in just enough time as the rain fell. Others in the area of town, known as the Lost Valley, were trapped in their homes and had to be rescued by officials in boats.

But they had to contend with an explosion that tossed their roof down the street and set their house on fire. Meagan Dommar said a neighbor called to tell them about the blaze but she also recognized it in a news video while scrolling through social media.

I cant even explain the feeling, Meagan Dommar said. Our plan was to come back here obviously and go to the second story. We knew that the first story was probably going to be destroyed. The second story is where the nursery is. Was. So we were hoping to get to the story to save all the babys stuff. And then of course with the fire.  Its just been crazy.

The Dommars and others welcomed Biden, but some put out signs telling him to beat it. Someone had spray painted Trump 2024 on a couch put to the curb as trash.

In addition to the Dommars property, Biden saw heaps of discarded items put to the curb. There were mattresses, cabinets, broken musical instruments and childrens toys. A now dusty, reddish mud caked lawns and cars.

Manville, situated along New Jerseys Raritan and Millstone Rivers, is almost always hard-hit by major storms. It was the scene of catastrophic flooding in 1998 as the remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd swept over New Jersey. It also sustained serious flooding during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Biden has approved major disaster declarations, making federal aid available for people in six New Jersey counties and five New York counties affected by the devastating floods. He is open to applying the declaration to other storm-ravaged New Jersey counties, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

At least 50 people along the East Coast died in the storm, including at least 27 in New Jersey.
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Hal Capital, a Shariah-compliant Kenyan Fintech, recently signed an agreement with Dukaree to provide instant finance to its network of customers. The signing ceremony, which took place in Nairobi was attended by the Co-Founder and CEO of HAL Capital, Mr Lutfi Al Shukaili together with his counterpart from Dukaree, Mr Faraj Mansur, the Co-Founder and CEO. With this collaboration, HAL Capital and Dukaree will build a streamlined, resilient & growth accelerator 
What is Altai Balance? Altai Balance Canada - The supplement is advertised for diabetics, prediabetics, or any individual battling to readjust glucose. By taking Altai Balance each day, individuals supposedly offer their body 19 ingredients that are suggested to aid preserve solid glucose levels. Altai Balance is a health and wellness supplement intended to restore blood glucose levels back to regular levels. [BUY ONLINE] Altai Balance Pills Get 50% Discount >>> 
Leveraging Economies of Scale, the scheme will help Indian companies to emerge as Global Champions, help create additional employment of over 7.5 lakh people directly and several lakhs more for supporting activities.

Taking steps forward towards the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the Government led by Honble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the PLI Scheme for Textiles for MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics and ten segments/ products of Technical Textiles with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 10,683 crore. PLI for Textiles and RoSCTL, RoDTEP, and other measures of Government in the sector, e.g. providing raw material at competitive prices, skill development etc., will herald a new age in textiles manufacturing.

PLI scheme for Textiles is part of the overall announcement of PLI Schemes for 13 sectors made earlier during the Union Budget 2021-22, with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore. With the announcement of PLI Schemes for 13 sectors, minimum production in India is expected to be around Rs. 37.5 lakh crore over five years, and the minimum expected employment over five years is nearly one crore.

PLI scheme for Textiles will promote the production of high-value MMF fabrics, Garments and Technical Textiles in the country. The incentive structure has been so formulated that the industry will be encouraged to invest in fresh capacities in these segments. This will give a major push to the growing high-value MMF segment, which will complement the efforts of the cotton and other natural fibre-based textiles industry in generating new opportunities for employment and trade, resultantly helping India regain its dominant historical status in global textiles trade.

The Technical Textiles segment is a new age textile, whose application in several sectors of the economy, including infrastructure, water, health and hygiene, defence, security, automobiles, aviation, etc., will improve the efficiencies in those sectors of the economy. The Government has also launched a National Technical Textiles Mission in the past for promoting R&D efforts in that sector. PLI will help further in attracting investment in this segment.

There are two types of investment possible with a different set of incentive structures. Any person, (which includes firm/company) willing to invest minimum 300 Crore in Plant, Machinery, Equipment and Civil Works (excluding land and administrative building cost) to produce products of Notified lines (MMF Fabrics, Garment) and products of Technical Textiles, shall be eligible to apply for participation in the first part of the scheme. In the second part, any person (which includes a firm/company) willing to invest a minimum of 100 Crore shall be eligible to apply for participation in this part of the scheme. In addition, priority will be given for investment in Aspirational Districts, Tier 3, Tier 4 towns, and rural areas, and because of this priority, the industry will be incentivized to move to the backward area. This scheme will positively impact especially States like Gujarat, UP, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Punjab, AP, Telangana, Odisha etc.

It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme for Textiles will lead to a fresh investment of more than Rs.19,000 crore, cumulative turnover of over Rs.3 lakh crore will be achieved under this scheme and will create additional employment opportunities for over 7.5 lakh jobs in this sector and several lakhs more for supporting activities. The textiles industry predominantly employs women. Therefore, the scheme will empower women and increase their participation informal economy.

Courtesy: PIB
The ferries with over 120 passengers were travelling from Jorhat's Nimati Ghat to Majuli when the collision took place.

Guwahati: About 65 persons, including women and children, are missing after a passenger boat capsized in the river Brahmaputra in Majuli on Wednesday afternoon. In a horrific accident, one ferry named "Maa Kamala", carrying about 120 passengers, including women and children, capsized in the Brahmaputra River near the banks of Majuli Island on Wednesday (September 8) afternoon.

The accident took place after the collision of two ferries coming from two different directions on the river Brahmaputra.

Over 120 passengers were aboard the ferries.

According to reports, around 60 to 65 passengers are missing and are now suspected to be drowned.

The ferries were travelling from Jorhat's Nimati Ghat to Majuli when the collision took place.

An eyewitness said, "The ferry coming from Nimatighat was around 100 meters away from reaching Majuli bank when it collided with the other ferry going in the opposite direction from Majuli. There were some 25-30 motorbikes also on the ferry that sank completely."

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma asked the administration to expedite the rescue operation and asked minister Bimal Bora to rush to Majuli. CM said he would visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.

I am pained at the tragic boat accident near Nimati Ghat, Jorhat.



Directed Majuli & Jorhat admin to undertake rescue mission expeditiously with help of @NDRFHQ & SDRF. Advising Min @BimalBorahbjp to immediately rush to the accident site. I'll also visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.  Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 8, 2021

The national disaster response force (NDRF) and state disaster response team (SDRF) teams have already started a rescue operation. Top district administration officials, including DC and SP of Majuli, are on the spot to supervise the rescue operations.
Ajit Doval will hold an important meeting with his Russian counterpart, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Gen Nikolai Patrushev, on Wednesday before the crucial BRICS Summit to be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

New Delhi: A day before the crucial BRICS Summit to be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of Presidents of Russia and China, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, among others, NSA Ajit Doval will hold an important meeting with his Russian counterpart, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Gen Nikolai Patrushev, on Wednesday (September 8).

PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed the developments in Afghanistan over the phone on August 24. They expressed the view that it was important for the two countries to work together.

"The Consultations (between Doval and Gen Patrushev) are a follow-up to the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Modi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin," an MEA release said.

Russia, which had gone soft on the Taliban in the last few years, has grown apprehensive of certain developments. Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said that there is "ample scope" for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan. There is not much difference in the overall position of Russia and India on Afghanistan, he said.

President Putin last month warned about "militants under the guise of refugees" getting into some central Asian states. "There are no visa restrictions. Imagine that refugees entered any of these countries. Who is among these refugees, how do we know?" Putin reportedly told an internal meeting.

China and Pakistan have committed to good relations with the Taliban. Turkey' has also come out for closer coordination with the Taliban. Thus, there is a scope for enhanced Russia-India ties to deal with the new emerging situation.

"There are also plans to discuss current issues on the international and regional agenda with an emphasis on developments in Afghanistan," a Kremlin statement said about the BRICS Summit scheduled for September 9.

"The main agreements will be reflected in the final Declaration."

Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Gen Patrushev is on a two-day visit to India to hold extensive talks with NSA Ajit Doval. Patrushev is also slated to call on Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. After the Modi-Putin conversation, Russia said the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the dissemination of "terrorist ideology" and the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

Because of the fluid situations in the Af-Pak region, the observations of Xi Jinping and Putin on Afghanistan at the BRICS stage would be important. Both Russia and China had abstained when UNSC, under India's chairmanship, had adopted a resolution on the Afghanistan situation on August 30.


The BJP leader demanded the TRS government to celebrate September 17 as "official liberation day", as promised by CM KCR before coming to power and assured to provide houses to poor people in the state.

Sangareddy: Telangana state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday (September 7) said the party would bring a population control act in the state if it comes to power after the 2023 Assembly polls.

Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy on his 11th day of Praja Sangram Yatra, Kumar said the BJP would implement a population control act on lines of Uttar Pradesh after coming to power in Telangana.

Refuting allegations of spreading hatred and provoking people during his yatra, the BJP state chief said, "If telling and explaining facts is provoking people, then the party would definitely keep continue this work as we have been taking out 'Praja Sangram Yatra' to know the problems of people including students, farmers and unemployed youths who are facing problems in the TRS regime."

The BJP leader demanded the TRS government to celebrate September 17 as "official liberation day", as promised by CM KCR before coming to power. "But KCR has forgotten his promise under the pressure of AIMIM," he alleged.

He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah would attend a public meeting on September 17 at Nirmal on the occasion of Liberation Day.

"The Modi government has sanctioned 2.73 lakh houses for homeless poor in the state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. But KCR has shown daydream to poor in the name of the double-bed room and failed to provide them. The party has asked the TRS government to submit a list of beneficiaries of double bedroom houses which was never submitted," the BJP leader said.

Assuring to provide houses to poor people in the state, Sanjay said that the BJP would try its best to provide more houses if it comes to power.

Addressing the meeting, Tejasvi Surya, national president of BJP Yuva Morcha, appealed to the people to continue their support till the BJP forms government in the state.

Calling Bandi Sanjay's padayatra a fight against the TRS government, he said that the yatra is infusing new energy and a wave in Telangana people who have been fed up with the "corrupt" TRS government. "With the success and the support of people to this yatra, TRS leaders and workers are getting fear," he said.

"This yatra is a fight between justice and injustice," said Surya, while terming Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao regime as the "government of lies".

"The car belongs to TRS, but its driver is a razakar (MIM)," he said, adding that the BJP would ensure the end of this government.

He said KCR used to say that his government will give importance to "water, funds and appointments, but now it turned as "tears, debts and unemployment."

Courtesy: ANI
Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a very important phase of its political and historical churning. All these important developments are going to be the curtain-raiser for a comparatively better future.

Some recent developments in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Kashmir valley, have sent many strong signals across. Most of these developments took place in August this year and were indeed noticed by the world at large. These developments will have a far-reaching impact on the socio-political scenario in the Kashmir valley despite the existence and threat of unabated cross border terrorism.



While the entire nation celebrated its 75th Independence Day with the traditional gaiety, festivities, official patronage and people's participation, the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh also celebrated the day with great enthusiasm. However, celebrations in the Kashmir valley exhibited a special flavour and gleeful atmosphere this time around.



This author is witness to the Independence Day celebrations as he was on a week-long tour of the valley on occasion. I have the privilege to be a part of the celebrations of this important day in the valley of Kashmir right from my childhood days when it used to be a great fanfare event in our schools, colleges, vicinity, Government institutions and buildings and even in places of worship. This time, however, I am reminded of those pretty days. Kashmir valley wore a different look, this time two days ahead of the actual day of celebrations.

As a first major development, there was no internet, mobile or communication restrictions throughout the Kashmir valley, after a very long time, on and around this important day. Traffic movement was also normal on all roads barring a few roads around the main event celebrations stadium near the Circuit House, where the LG of JKUT, Manoj Sinha, hoisted the tricolour. There is a dire need to complete the renovation work in the famous Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar. Such big functions are organised in the traditional stadium with the grandeur and greatness of the day. It was observed that despite invitations circulated by the UT administration to the mainstream political parties, there were fewer representations of them in the programme except those of BJP in the valley.

The government relaxed certain COVID-19 restrictions for a couple of days to allow gatherings on occasion. It also used anti-drone technology at all sensitive places to make sure that nothing untoward happens. Security, as usual, was beefed up throughout the UT. The Clock Tower in Srinagar's Lal Chowk was illuminated in the colours of the Indian flag on the eve of Independence Day. The citizens organised a special programme near the Tower on the15th August evening in which earthen lamps were kindled, supported by the Army band playing the music of 'Sarey Jahan se Acha Hindustan Hamara!'

A big national flag, the Tiranga, on the highest mast of 100 feet, was hoisted upon the Hari Parbat Fort in Downtown Srinagar for the first time in history. The national flag was also hoisted on Shankaracharya Hill near the famous Dal Lake. SMC-Srinagar Municipal Corporation Mayor hoisted the National Flag at the Corporation office on occasion. Also, he congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir Police for getting 257 Gallantry Medals this year highest-ever tally.



On the occasion of "Shri Krishan Janam-Ashtami" this year on 30th August, there were scenes of great jubilation in the entire valley. Some processions and "jhankis" were organised by a handful of the population of the minority Hindu community living in the valley. People were seen singing devotional songs and 'bhajans' en route to the processions in temples and other places of worship. Though subdued celebrations took place during the early years, these celebrations were widespread this time and almost held in all districts of the valley.



For the first time in 32 years, Kashmiri Pandits organised a Janmashtami procession to celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna, which amid tight security arrangements, started from the Ganpatyar temple in the Habba Kadal area of the city and passed through Kralkhud, Barbarshah before reaching the clock tower at the historic Lal Chowk. The procession also crossed over the Amirakadal bridge, passed through the Jehangir Chowk, and returned to the temple. Devotees, including men, women and children, accompanied the 'jhanki-yatra'.



Such small group celebrations were also witnessed in the Transit camp accommodations of KPs at many places besides the other processions in Baramulla, Mattan, Anantnag and Handwara areas. The celebrations gave a resemblance to thirty-five-year-old celebrations of this important day in the Kashmir valley when this auspicious day would be organised at a large scale despite certain restrictions put by the then administration. It is important to mention here from the annals of history that Lord Krishna visited the Kashmir valley in the pre-Mahabharata war period. He coronated Rani Yashomati as the ruler of Kashmir and as the first woman ruler in the world.



Recent new developments in Afghanistan were not seen greatly affecting the minds of the people in the JKUT. Kashmir was and is not an exception in this regard. Except for a few inconsequential and irrelevant statements made by a few political leaders in the valley, there was no noticeable reaction in this respect. This has a historical background, too, since the Kashmiris does not consider Afghans good rulers and administrators as a whole. Rather, there is disdain and scorn among Kashmiris regarding the past Afghan rulers in Kashmir.



When Afghans ruled in Kashmir in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, they brought heaps of barbarism on the minority Hindus in the valley. They, in fact, were almost equally cruel against the local Muslims as well in many fields, especially the collection of revenue from the farmers and landlords. It used to be a common idiom of the then population of Kashmiris to wish for the end of Pathan rule in Kashmir. The intervention of Birbal Dhar to contact Maharaja Ranjeet Singh of Lahore state to take the initiative to end the misrule of Jabar Khan, the Afghan Governor in Kashmir in 1819, brought a great sigh of relief ultimately to the common Kashmiris when the Sikh forces defeated Jabar Khan in Shopian battlefield.

A few days ago, the demise of former Hurriyat leader SAS Geelani didn't create any security or law & order problems in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. The administration applied some sort of restrictions in the Kashmir valley, and everything passed off peacefully. His body was also laid to rest with the advised protocol. The government made sure that there was no untoward incident anywhere in the valley, barring some sloganeering incidents in a couple of places. It would be important to emphasise here that Syed Geelani, disgusted with Pakistan's role, had distanced himself formally from the Hurriyat a couple of years ago.



The statement released by Mehbooba Mufti, especially in connection with the Taliban takeover in Kabul, wasn't owned by any of the PAGD office bearers. The National Conference leaders went to the extent that they publicly distanced themselves from the statement. Their response that they weren't responsible or answerable to such statements can be termed as a politically wise reaction. Moreover, there was no major reaction from any of the noted socio-political organisation in the valley in reference to the Afghanistan developments, which surely suggest a great flux and variability.



The admission of the principal and the oldest political party of Kashmir valley, the National Conference, that their non-participation in the already held Panchayat elections was a mistake is noteworthy. It suggests reconsideration, review and rethinking for a better future. It will have a durable impact on the political front in the JKUT. It will also lead the other political combinations to think seriously about the ground realities in the Union Territory. Since the process of delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir is near its culmination, all political parties will sincerely think about their participation in the future Assembly elections. The current constituents of PAGD will also be inspired not to commit the mistakes of the past and take active measures to galvanise their cadres for a peaceful election churning in the UT, irrespective of the results.

Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a very important phase of its political and historical churning. All these important developments are going to be the curtain-raiser for a comparatively better future. There are expectations that the new Assembly would be representative of all sections of the society in the UT and particularly those who are hitherto unrepresented. In this regard, coming events cast their shadows before is an old-time saying.
37,875 New Cases reported in the last 24 hours, with Recovery Rate currently at 97.48%. India's Active Caseload (3, 91,256) is 1.18% of Total Cases, and the Weekly Positivity Rate (2.49%) is less than 3% for the last 75 days.

With the administration of 78,47,625 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, the country's COVID-19 vaccination coverage surpassed the cumulative figure of 70.75 Cr (70,75,43,018) as per provisional reports till 7 am today (September 8). This has been achieved through 72,81,305 sessions.

The Union Government is committed to speeding up the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.

The recovery of 39,114 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally of recovered patients (since the beginning of the pandemic) to 3, 22, 64,051. India's recovery rate stands at 97.48%.

Sustained and collaborative efforts by the Centre and the States/UTs continue the trend of less than 50,000 Daily New Cases reported for 73 consecutive days now. 37,875 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours while the Active Caseload is presently 3, 91, 256 and active cases presently constitute 1.18% of the country's total Positive Cases.

The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 17 53 745 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 53.49 Cr (53,49,43,093) cumulative tests. While testing capacity has been enhanced across the country, Weekly Positivity Rate at 2.49% remains less than 3% for the last 75 days. The Daily Positivity rate dips to2.16%. The daily Positivity rate has remained below 3% for the last nine days and below 5% for 93 consecutive days.

Courtesy: PIB
Maitra was replying to the comments made by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations at the UN General Assembly hall.

India on Tuesday (September 7) attacked Pakistan for fostering a "culture of violence" both inside and outside its borders and for using the United Nations platform to make hate speeches against it.

While speaking at the high-level forum on the Culture of Peace convened by the President of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, Indian diplomat Vidisha Maitra noted: "A Culture of Peace is not just an abstract value or principle to be discussed and celebrated in conferences, but needs to be actively built into global relationships between and among member states."

"We have witnessed yet another attempt today by the delegation of Pakistan to exploit a UN platform for hate speech against India, even as it continues to foment a 'culture of violence' at home and across its borders. We dismiss and condemn all such efforts," she added.

Maitra was replying to the comments made by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations at the UN General Assembly hall.

Munir Akram, in his remarks, brought up Jammu and Kashmir and mentioned the late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, rather than focusing on the meeting's theme.

Maitra also stated that the world should be concerned about terrorists, who use religion to justify their activities and those who support them in this quest.
The Taliban has omitted the Ministry of Women from the new government and replaced it with the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

New Delhi: Declaring the country an "Islamic Emirate", the Taliban have announced an interim government in war-ravaged Afghanistan. Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, one of the movement's founders, will lead the new regime.

"We know the people of our country have been waiting for a new government," spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said at a well-attended press conference.

Even before the withdrawal of US forces, the Taliban seized control of most of the country for about three weeks now, having ousted the elected leadership under President Ashraf Ghani, who had fled the country.

Deputy Prime Minister will be Abdul Ghani Baradar, who perhaps missed the 'leadership' because of Pakistani interference. Mohammed Omar, the first leader of the Taliban, had nicknamed him 'Baradar', which means 'brother'. He held senior positions in the Taliban during their rule from 1996 to 2001. After the Taliban government fell to the US-led invasion in 2001, Baradar rose to lead the organisation's Quetta Shura in Pakistan. He was imprisoned by Pakistan in 2010, allegedly because he had been discussing a peace deal with the Afghan government secretly, without the involvement of Pakistan. He was released in 2018 at the request of the United States.

The proceedings of the media meet were telecast live by most of the well-known news channels.

The new Interior minister for Afghanistan will be FBI-wanted leader Sirajuddin Haqqani of the Haqqani network. This group is affiliated with the Taliban, and Sirajuddin is also described as the 'deputy leader' of the Taliban.

The US has designated the Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation. Sirajuddin Haqqani is 'wanted' by US agencies for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed six people.

"He is believed to have coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Haqqani also allegedly was involved in the planning of the assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008," an FBI note says.

Taliban's co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will be the deputy Afghan leader.





The List of Ministers released by Taliban. Women welfare Ministry is dropped from the List

Key figures in the interim Govt:

Head of the Govt / Prime Minister - Mohammad Hasan Akhund

Deputy Prime Minister - Abdul Ghani Baradar

Interior Minister - Sirajuddin Haqqani

Foreign Minister - Amir Khan Muttaqi

Deputy Foreign Minister - Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai

Defence Minister - Mullah Yaqoob

Army Chief - Fasihuddin Badakhshani

Finance Minister - Mullah Hidayatullah

Information Minister - Zabihullah Mujahid

The Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub is the son of Mulla Muhammad Umar.

The Taliban spokesperson also said: "We represent the entire Afghanistan, not one ethnicity. We are present everywhere." The Taliban spokesperson said Afghanistan had "gained freedom", stressing that "only the will of Afghans" will be applicable in the country. "After today, no one will be able to interfere in Afghanistan," he emphasised.
Swindon Hindu temple is the only Hindu temple in the entire area and it had been closed for 18 months.

The iconic Swindon Hindu Temple in the UK was vandalised for the fifth time in a row. Idols were ransacked, and the miscreants looted money. The temple's main altar that seated deities were also vandalised, and thousands of pounds of cash were also stolen.

"It is with great regret that I have to inform you about a major incident that happened yesterday at Swindon Hindu Temple, affecting more than 10,000 people in Swindon and thousands more in the region," Temple Chairman Pradeep Bharadwaj said.

"They have entered the main altar of the temple where the deities are placed, and vandalised that areathis is a highly sanctified and consecrated space where only priests are allowed to enter." Mr. Bhardwaj also added, "This is a matter of great concern and of utmost sensitivity for all Hindus.". "It's more than the cash though ransacking the gods, idols and pictures, people are very enraged."

"This is the only Hindu temple in this entire area, the county and much beyond, and since it had been closed for the most part of the last 18 months, the community was very eagerly looking forward to resuming their normal activities, especially since the main Hindu festival period has just started," he said.
It is Hindu Economics that is driving the Indian economic systems Ever since the ancient times

The position of India as the premier economy continued uninterrupted for several centuries during the past two millennia. Figures show that India remained as the most sustainable economic power in the world. It was due to the wrong policies of the British that the Indian economy had to fall, beginning from the eighteenth century. This shows that Indian economy, by nature, is fundamentally strong with its original systems based on the Hindu orientations.

India was a poor and underdeveloped economy at the time of Independence. Now seven decades later, we are the most potential economy in the world with very high growth rates. Almost all the multilateral organisations, research bodies and rating agencies unanimously agree that India is fast emerging as the most powerful nation. A few years back, London Business School estimated that India had 85 million entrepreneurs functioning at different levels. Now the situation is such that no major economic discourse at the global level can take place without the presence of India.

How did we come to this position? How is that a country that was very poor is considered as the most potential nation in a period of just seven decades? A study of the economic history during the past decades shows that no other country in the world has made such a U-turn in a period of seventy years. How was it possible?

When we analyse the policies of the past decades, we come to know that there were confusions and contradictions in policy making during most of the period. Well before Independence, Mahatma Gandhi wanted to have a larger debate on the economic policies to be adopted after independence. But Nehru scuttled it repeatedly. Post 1947, the Nehruvian establishment went in for an alien ideology and adopted the socialistic approach, without much discussions. It was only when the socialism failed in the then USSR by the late 1980s, our ruling classes realised their foolishness. But by then we had already wasted four important decades, very crucial for the development of a country of Indias backgrounds.

After Communism failed at the global level, the Indian policy makers wanted to go for an alternative. Even during the initial decades of Nehruvian growth, our growth rates were either comparable or better than those of the western countries. Later the growth rates picked up over the years, leaving the other advanced countries way behind. It makes one to wonder as to what the reason could be ?

Field studies conducted in different parts of the country for the last twenty years and more reveal that the economic progress of India during the past seven decades has been largely due to our inherent strengths. Most of them are unique and play the critical role in the shaping and functioning of our economic systems. Family base, High savings, Self-employment base, Higher levels of entrepreneurship, the dominance of the non-corporate sector, community orientation with higher social capital, society-driven and not state-dependent approaches and the presence of higher value systems are the important among them.

It is the above features that support and sustain the economy to move forward continuously, in spite of many hurdles that the nation has been facing over the years. It is because of them that the nation was able to overcome the negative effects of the alien approaches. Even during the 2008 global economic crisis, India was able to escape it only due to the native economic systems.


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MANISTEE COUNTY As a somber nation reflects on the coming 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001, there will be ample opportunity to honor the victims and first responders who lost their lives.

Here is a sample of memorial events taking place in Manistee County and beyond to mark the occasion and commemorate the lives lost on 9/11.

Manistee County Library 9/11 Memorial

Manistee County Library will present September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World, an educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks.

Told across 14 posters, this exhibit includes archival photographs and images of artifacts from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum's permanent collection. It explores the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and communities at the local, national and international levels and encourages critical thinking about the legacies of 9/11.

The poster exhibition was developed by the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The exhibit will be open to the public from Sept. 9-30 in the upper gallery at the main branch of the library located at 95 Maple St. in Manistee. More information is available on the library's Facebook page.

Patriot Day in the Park

North Point Park Patriot Day is a tribute to those killed and injured on Sept. 11, 2001. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. in North Point Park in Onekama; it aims to honor first responders and the countless others who serve to defend the nation's freedom at home and around the globe.

Special gifts will be given to veterans and first responders, and crafts are available for kids.

First responder tribute at Scottville Fall Fest

The city of Scottville is set host its first ever Fall Celebration event, which in remembrance of 9/11, includes a tribute to local first responders.

The Scottville Optimist Club will host the event around 3:45 p.m., during a break in the Scottville Clown Bands performance at South Main Street.

For more information, visit the Scottville Fall Celebration page on Facebook, or cityofscottville.org.

Other 9/11 observances and resources

 The anniversary of 9/11 in New York City will be marked at Ground Zero with four moments of silence, to observe the times when both planes hit the twin towers, and when each tower fell. The observance will begin at 8:46 a.m.

 The Tribute in Light will take place in New York City at sunset on 9/11 until sunrise on Sept. 12. The tribute will project two lighted squares in the shape of the twin towers in lower Manhattan.

 Voices of September 11 is an online repository for survivor resources, information on ongoing memorial tributes and related interviews and photos. Visit voicescenter.org to get started.

 The September 11 Digital Archive is a clearinghouse for resources related to 9/11, with photographs, audio and video clips, documents, personal stories and interviews. The archive can be found online at 911digitalarchive.org.
SCOTTVILLE  In celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution, West Shore Community College has organized a variety of activities on Sept. 15, to commemorate the vote taken on Sept. 17, 1787, by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention to approve the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

WSCC will host its celebration midweek to take advantage of the large presence of students on campus for increased participation.
DETROIT (AP)  President Joe Biden glossed over important details and oversimplified the facts in his boast about support from the United Auto Workers union for his effort to dramatically increase sales of electric vehicles by decade's end.

In his remarks Wednesday, Biden failed to say that UAW did not endorse the EV targets he set in an executive order signed last month. The union's support is also dependent in part on robust government support for union-made cars in the form of tax credits in legislation pending in Congress  something that is far from guaranteed to happen.

A look at the claim:

BIDEN, praising the work of UAW members: The main Big Three (automakers) have decided along with the support of those unions on building, going electric, so we own that market.

THE FACTS: Not exactly. While UAW has expressed general support for more EV sales, it has repeatedly declined to back goals urged by Biden as part of his ambitious plan to combat climate change, including the 40% to 50% target agreed to by the largest automakers.

Biden last month announced his plan to own the EV market over foreign competitors, signing an order setting a goal that half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 will be zero-emissions vehicles, which environmental groups say is needed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That would be a seismic shift in the U.S. from internal combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles.

Transportation is the single biggest U.S. contributor to climate change.

The United Auto Workers union, in fact, has voiced concerns about being too hasty with an EV transition because of the potential impact on industry jobs. Since electric vehicles generally have 30% to 40% fewer parts and are simpler to build, fewer workers will be needed to assemble them. That will likely mean a reshuffling of jobs, as workers who once made engines, transmissions and other components for gas-powered cars have to switch to electric motors and batteries.

At the signing of Bidens order, UAW did not endorse a target, pointedly saying it stands behind the president to support his ambition not just to grow electric vehicles but also our capacity to produce them domestically with good wages and benefits.

Both UAW and the Big Three" automakers  Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler  have made clear that a dramatic shift can only happen with incentives for electric vehicle purchases, adequate government funding for charging stations and money to expand electric vehicle manufacturing and the parts supply chain.

In a bipartisan infrastructure bill awaiting congressional passage, there is $7.5 billion for grants to build charging stations, about half of what Biden originally proposed. He also had wanted $100 billion for tax credits and rebates to entice people into buying electric vehicles. At least some of that money was expected to be incorporated in a $3.5 trillion spending bill that is facing resistance in Congress.

___

Krisher is an Associated Press auto writer.

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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
The League of Women Voters, among other voting rights activists, are sounding alarms over various attempts to restrict voting rights in the state of Michigan.

Just recently, a ballot petition drive was launched by the Michigan GOP to call for voter ID laws to be enacted in the state of Michigan.

The League of Women Voters of Michigan released the following statements in response to attempts that attack voter rights. These include requiring voters to present identification when casting ballots in elections or prohibiting state officials from sending absentee ballot applications to all voters.

For more than 100 years, the League of Women Voters of Michigan has worked to ensure voting is accessible to every eligible voter, and these attempts will only serve to make voting more difficult for many, stated Christina Schlitt, co-president of the Michigan League. Requiring voters to show their IDs when voting in person or absentee will lead to voter disenfranchisement across our state when we already know that our elections are fair and secure.

The League of Women Voters of Michigan has been vocal against bills that restrict voting rights and make it more difficult to administer elections, especially after Michigan voters in 2018 overwhelmingly affirmed their desire to make voting more convenient and accessible for all through Proposal 3.

Tactics like requiring IDs or that prohibit the mailing of absentee ballot applications to all voters will negatively affect voters, specifically people with disabilities, people with lower incomes and young people who all have more difficulty obtaining the type of ID that is required to vote, stated Paula Bowman, co-president of the Michigan League. These types of changes are unnecessary and make voting more difficult, which is the opposite of what Michigan voters have asked for.

Secure MI Vote, which is being run by veteran GOP operatives, on Aug. 30 announced a ballot drive to tighten Michigans voting and election laws, backing a maneuver that would let GOP lawmakers enact the changes without Gov. Gretchen Whitmers 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 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 drivers 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 have accused the GOP of trying to confuse voters and perpetuating former President Donald J. Trumps lies of election fraud with the ballot drive. Though the then-president maintained election wrong-doing, his attorney general, William Barr, reported last December that the U.S. Justice Department had uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could change the outcome of the 2020 election.

Trumps allegations also have been dismissed by judges and refuted by state election officials, an arm of his own administrations Homeland Security Department, and some Republicans in the Michigan Senate.

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, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes told the Associated Press.

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.

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.

The Daily News reached out to State Rep. Annette Glenn and State Sen. Jim Stamas, both Midland Republicans, to get their thoughts on the ballot drive. Glenns office declined to comment and Stamas did not respond.
Midland County added 107 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths between Saturday, Sept. 4 and Wednesday, Sept. 8.

COVID-19 numbers reported from Sept. 4-8

Midland County: 107 cases and two deaths were added; pandemic total is 7,521 cases, 730 probable, 102 deaths and three probable deaths.

Bay County: 90 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 11,232 cases, 730 probable, 350 deaths and 15 probable deaths.

Gladwin County: 37 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,065 cases, 417 probable, 58 deaths and four probable deaths.

Isabella County: 87 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 5,810 cases, 1,012 probable, 98 deaths and five probable deaths.

Saginaw County: 168 cases and two deaths were added; pandemic total stands at 21,616 cases, 1,519 probable, 619 deaths and 21 probable deaths.

The state added 13,125 cases and 80 deaths between Saturday and Wednesday. Overall, Michigan is at 964,317 cases and 20,447 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Sept. 7, 7,259 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Sept. 3, a total of 887,790 persons have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Sept. 6 was listed at 8.6%, and Gladwin County's was listed at 16.4%. Our 12-county region is listed at 11.1% and Michigan is at 9.1%.

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.

Schools

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 Wednesday, Sept. 8, MPS reported 90 staff/students are in quarantine, 112 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 Wednesday include Dow High (3), Midland High (3), Jefferson Middle (2), Adams Elementary (20), Chestnut Hill Elementary (6), Siebert Elementary (2) and Woodcrest Elementary (2).

Midland County vaccinations

The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midland's completed vaccine rate is 64.7%. 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.

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.
RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Moroccans voted Wednesday for a new parliament and local leaders in elections that have been reshaped by the pandemic, and whose outcome is hard to predict as opinion polls were not allowed.

Candidates promised to create jobs and boost Morocco's economy, education and health care. The kingdom has been hit hard by the pandemic, but has Africa's highest vaccination rate so far.

Despite a dip in popularity in recent years, the governing Islamist party is eyeing a third term at the helm of the government if it again wins the most parliament seats. But a recent election reform could limits its powers, and the role of lawmakers is limited by the powers of King Mohamed VI, who oversees strategic decision-making.

I hope that the people we voted for do not disappoint us, said voter Adel Khanoussi, casting his ballot in the capital Rabat. "There are so many projects that should be implemented. The peoples expectations are high."

Turnout was 36% three hours before polls closed.

The outcome of Wednesday's voting is difficult to predict since opinion polls on elections are banned. The race will likely be close and no matter which party comes first, it will likely need to cobble together a coalition with other parties to form the government.

At a school turned polling station in Temara, near the capital, dozens of people stopped in to vote before going to work. Two security officers were stationed outside, and a poll worker took voters temperatures before letting them in.

Once inside, voters are asked to provide their identity cards and hand over their phones before entering the booth. Theyre required to use hand sanitizer, wear a mask and keep 1-meter (3-foot) distances.

A 36-year-old woman who only gave her name as Fatima said she hopes the parliament can bring a new Morocco seen as an advanced world country.

While Morocco has one of the regions strongest economies and a thriving business district in Casablanca, poverty and unemployment are also widespread, especially in rural regions. Morocco has seen thousands of despairing youth make risky, often deadly, trips in small boats to Spains Canary Islands or to the Spanish mainland via the Strait of Gibraltar.

Strict pandemic guidelines restricted candidates ability to reach the 18 million eligible voters. Candidates weren't allowed to distribute leaflets and had to limit campaign gatherings to a maximum of 25 people. As a result, many stepped up efforts on social media instead.

Morocco has registered more than 13,000 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to figures from the Moroccan Health Ministry.

There were 31 parties and coalitions competing for the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament. Voters will also be selecting representatives for 678 seats in regional councils.

The moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), at the helm of the government since 2011, is seeking a third term. With Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani, the party has campaigned on raising the competitiveness of Moroccos economy.

El Othmani acknowledged that turnout is a challenge in a country where many are disillusioned with politics, but said he was encouraged at his voting station to see good participation of voters of both sexes."

Other major contenders are the center-left Party of Authenticity and Modernity, or PAM, the Istiqlal party and the liberal National Rally of Independents.

Istiqlal general secretary Nizar Baraka said the new parliament should work for the people to get them out of poverty and stop the deterioration of the middle class.

The elections were monitored by 4,600 local observers and 100 more from abroad.
Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael Sharrow said on Wednesday that it is hard to say which way COVID positive case numbers are trending and what the ultimate effect will be of the recent four-day Labor Day weekend. But he said it appears there are no new outbreaks at any MPS schools this week.

"(It's) too early to speculate where positive case numbers are trending, and it does appear we have no active outbreaks this week," Sharrow wrote in an email reply to the Daily News. "The four-day holiday assisted us in school spread stopping, but the four-day holiday may also lead to outside exposures that have not yet shown up."

The Detroit News reported on Tuesday that Adams Elementary had "the largest K-12 outbreak" in the state, with 23 positive cases including students and staff.

"The state data reflects last week. So it is designated as an outbreak," Sharrow told the Daily News concerning the Detroit News report. "We have no further spread this week at Adams."

The updated COVID report on MPS's website on Wednesday said Adams had 20 current positive cases (all students) and 18 close contacts (including one staff member). For all but three of those individuals, the required isolation or quarantine will end on Sept. 13 or sooner.

The MPS COVID report also said a total of 90 MPS staff/students were in COVID-related isolation or quarantine, 112 were close contacts, 38 currently tested positive, and there were three new cases since Tuesday's report.

Chestnut Hill Elementary had the second highest number of current positive cases in MPS with six. Dow High and Midland High each had three, and Jefferson Middle, Woodcrest Elementary and Siebert Elementary each had two. No other MPS school had any current positive cases.

Also on Wednesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released new COVID quarantine guidance for asymptomatic students. But Sharrow said that MPS will continue to follow the guidance of the Midland County Health Department and will defer to the health department's recommendations based on the new release.

"COVID isolation and quarantine protocols are provided to us by the Midland County Health Department. I will not interpret this 'recommended guidance' from MDHHS and will allow Midland County Health to review and update us if there are changes based on this release," Sharrow wrote.

When asked about the new guidance MDHHS issued on Wednesday, Catherine Bodnar, Midland County Department of Public Health medical director, said it is similar to the current Midland County school guidelines and no changes will be made to local protocols at this time.

Bodnar also said the Midland County Health Department is very concerned about the reported outbreak at Adams Elementary and said the department is working with the schools to ensure layers of public health protection are in place.

We dont know the future, but expectations are the current surge will begin to subside by (early) October, Bodnar said.

According to Bodnar, the Midland County Department of Health recommends following the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidance on layered protection, including vaccinations for individuals 12 and older; wearing face masks indoors and, when social distancing cannot be maintained, outdoors; keeping three feet distance between students and at least six feet between students and adults; frequent handwashing/sanitizing; optimizing ventilation; adequate disinfection of high-touch surfaces; testing for COVID-19; cohorting when possible; isolating sick individuals and quarantining close contacts.

An important layer of protection for students is for the adults around them to be fully vaccinated. We urge all those age 12 and older to get fully vaccinated, Bodnar stated.

While the case numbers have increased in local schools, severity doesn't seem to be an issue. According to Dr. Lydia Watson, senior vice president and chief medical officer of MidMichigan Health, no children ages 12 and under in Midland have been hospitalized due to COVID-19.

The Daily News reached out multiple times to Adams Elementary School Principal Scott Cochran about the schools COVID numbers, but received no response before press deadline.

A COVID vaccination clinic was to be held Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Dow High School.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP)  The U.S. and Germany on Wednesday stepped up pressure on Iran to return soon to talks on its nuclear program, with Germany's foreign minister saying that a delay of two or three months floated by Tehran is too long.

The remaining parties to the 2015 accord with world powers meant to contain Iran's nuclear program held several rounds of talks in Vienna earlier this year on how to bring the U.S. back into the deal and how Iran can return to compliance with its terms.

But the last round ended in June and no date has been set for their resumption. Last week, new Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the other party understands that it takes two to three months for the new administration to establish and do planning for any sort of decision.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that that isn't good enough. He said he told Amirabdollahian last week that two or three months is a time frame that is much too long for us and called for a quicker return.

The U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump. Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia have tried to preserve the accord, and President Joe Biden has said he is open to rejoining the pact.

Asked whether the delay suggested by Iran is too long for a return to the accord as it stands to be possible, Blinken said: Im not going to put a date on it, but we are getting closer to the point at which a strict return to the compliance with the (nuclear deal) does not reproduce the benefits that that agreement achieved.

Weve been very clear that the ability to rejoin the (deal), return to mutual compliance, is not indefinite, he added.

After the U.S. withdrawal, Iran embarked on a strategy of deliberately violating the deal. That is seen as an attempt to pressure Europe to give Iran incentives to offset the crippling American sanctions re-imposed after the U.S. pullout.

On Tuesday, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Iran has continued to increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in contravention of the accord. The International Atomic Energy Agency also told member states in its quarterly report that its verification and monitoring activities have been seriously undermined since February by Irans refusal to let inspectors access IAEA monitoring equipment.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Wednesday that a nonconstructive attitude by the U.N.s nuclear watchdog could damage the nuclear talks.

The Iranian governments website quoted Raisi as saying that Iran has cooperated with the IAEA, indicating Tehrans willingness to be transparent in its nuclear activities. It is natural that in the case of a nonconstructive (attitude) in the agency, it is not logical to expect Iran to have a constructive reaction," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran contributed.
Director of Content and Operations

Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half.
On Aug 31., the Paintsville Rotary Club hosted Kentuckys Secretary of State, Michael Adams, who took the opportunity to speak with the clubs members about the 2020 elections, dispelling rumors of widespread voter fraud and detailing many reforms that were enacted last year.
Leon Jones passed away at his home in Dallas, Texas. He is preceded in death by his twin brother Louis Jones, a son Timothy Jones and his father Elmer Jones. He is survived by his sister, Katie Jones Hodges of Dallas, Texas, a brother Calvin Jones of Dallas and locally by his sister Lois Jon
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Fatou Jaw Manneh, adviser on strategic communications, development, and emerging social issues, has resigned in protest over an alliance between former President Yahya Jammeh's Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party and President Adama Barrows National Peoples Party (NPP) for the upcoming 4 December presidential election.

PANA reports that the alliance with the party President Barrow defeated in December 2016 with popular votes and described by 95 per cent of Gambians as ending dictatorship, was signed on Saturday.

Manneh's resignation letter made available to PANA here Tuesday stated: I would instead support you on that trajectory and lose elections than you win elections with a formal alliance with a dictator on these fraudulent terms that not only undermine our quest for democracy but shows an outright abuse of power and your weak leadership.

She added: It also clearly demonstrates you have no authority and you are not in control. This deal does not only show the lack of will-to-power as a leader, but that your party has been hijacked under your nose, the march to democracy undermined, and votes at any cost might lead to a political grave.

Your decision to ally with the APRC has many implications for governance and integrity associated with my roles and functions. I can't entirely agree with the conceptual framework of the alliance, and it is my firm belief that this particular alliance undermines the integrity of your government and jeopardizes everything I stood for as a journalist, activist, politician, community worker, learner, and educator.

"Personally, I am not against some form of amnesty at a later date to Jammeh and his cohorts of abusers, in the name of peace and reconciliation, but this blanket amnesty on these terms are unimaginable and an insult to Gambians.

From an ethical perspective, allying with APRC is a total miscalculation of our spirit of NEVER AGAIN and a direct insult to the victims of Jammehs 22 years rule of terror," Manneh said

She said she was excited at the opportunity accorded her and willing to help to usher in democracy for the new Gambia.

-0-PANA MSS/RA 7Sept2021
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The European Union's High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security, Joseph Borrell, is expected to meet with officials of Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) on Wednesday, the Delegation of European Union (EU) has announced
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Seventy-nine people, considered as political detainees of ousted Guinean President Alpha Conde, were on Tuesday released from the Conakry prison on the orders of the military junta, National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), that seized power on Sunday
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The party of ousted Guinean president Alpha Conde and its allied parties on Tuesday called on the military junta to preserve his "physical and moral integrity" and quickly release him unconditionally
Photo: (Photo : ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)

Toddlers in Cuba will be the first in the world to get their COVID-19 vaccinations despite no recognition from the World Health Organization. On the other hand, Chile will start rolling out Sinovac for children as young as six years old.

Cuba has been using its locally-produced COVID-19 vaccines, Abdala and Soberana, for its inoculation program for more than 11 million residents. Clinical trials in minors showed that Abdala and Soberana, which the state-owned firm, Finlay Institute, manufactures, has a 90 percent efficacy rate. But it is not a globally recognized vaccine brand.

Now, the country wants the kids to be vaccinated as well so that they can resume in-person classes. Schools have remained closed in Cuba since March 2020, and while a new school year has started this September, the classes have remained online.

However, leaders want the children to gradually go back to in-person learning by October, thus the move to include toddlers to 11 years old in their vaccination program. Vaccination for school children from 12 years old or older has started the previous week.

Read Also: Parents Fake Kids' Age for COVID-19 Vaccine Under 12 Years Old, Doctors Say It's Risky

COVID Situation in Cuba, Chile

Cuba has had more than 690,000 cases since the start of the pandemic. Its death count is at 5,700, with 2,400 having died within August 2021. The country is currently experiencing a surge in cases despite its effective containment last year, before the Delta variant spread.

Some 60 percent of the 2.2 million adult residents of Havana, the country's capital, have been fully vaccinated. About 50 percent of the general population have received at least one dose.

Apart from the COVID-19 cases, Cuba's food and medical supplies have been running short because of the trading sanctions imposed by the U.S. Its tourism industry has also been shut down, but leaders are hoping to re-open this industry by November.

Meanwhile, Chile is the first Latin American country to announce the rollout of the Sinovac vaccines for children between 6 years old to 11 years old. Even though its public health experts have voted to approve the COVID-19 vaccinations, a Sinovac study involving 4,000 Chilean children is still underway.

It comes after China has authorized the vaccine for children between three to 17 years old in June 2021. Chile has had more than 1.6 million cases since the pandemic started, wherein over 37,000 have died. In July, Chile has reportedly vaccinated 78 percent of its adult population, one of the fastest rollouts in the world.

Britain Holds Vaccines for Kids

Amid the push to vaccinate younger kids in Latin America, health experts in Britain, on the other hand, have been holding back on the vaccination rollout for 12 to 15 years old kids. According to the BBC, the country's ministers have asked the health officials to review the guidelines. They have concerns over reports that the Pfizer vaccine, the approved brand for children, may cause heart inflammation, especially for those with pre-existing conditions.

Britain hopes to vaccinate older kids as school is also set to begin this fall. However, members of its Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization said that it would have to go over the safety data for Pfizer in kids as the "margin of benefit" might be too small for this age group.

Related Article: Families With Unvaccinated Children Try To Navigate COVID-19 Risks
Photo: (Photo : KURT DESPLENTER/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

A furious Las Vegas mom wants a substitute teacher at the Reedom Elementary School, who taped a face mask on her son's face, to resign from her job.

In an interview with Fox News, the Las Vegas mom claimed that the teacher might have inflicted long-term effects on her son because of how she handled the situation. Apparently, the boy took off his face mask when he drank water in class and forgot to put this back on. Instead of telling the student to wear his face mask again, the teacher allegedly pulled the boy in front of the class, then "taped the mask across the top of his face."

The mother said that the entire class laughed at the incident while her son was humiliated. The boy wasn't the only student subjected to the embarrassing situation as other kids also had their masks taped to their faces.

Reedom Elementary School is under the Clark County School District, which acknowledged the "isolated incident." The school district stated that the family had been notified of the investigation on its employee "through proper channels."

Read Also: Parents Want Cooking and Kitchen Skills to Be Added to the School Curriculum

Boy Cried Over the Embarrassment

The Las Vegas mom further said that her son cried because he was embarrassed in front of the class. The teacher did not only taped the face mask once but also added another layer of adhesive from the boy's nose to his forehead.

A school administrator noticed the boy's taped face mask as he picked up the stuff his father had dropped off in school. The administrator then alerted the school principal, who checked up on the class.

In July, Clark County School District announced the face mask mandate for both students and employees, which received support from Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak. The mother said that she's not against the mask mandate at Reedom Elementary School, but she is against corporal punishment.

Her son relayed that at least five other students received the same punishment from the substitute teacher, whose identity was not revealed. The mom filed a police report against the teacher, and the family is considering moving their son to another school.

Nevada Allows No Mask at Events with Vaccine Requirements

Meanwhile, Nevada has joined other states requiring the public to prove that they have been fully vaccinated before joining events or being in public places. Sisolak said that venues with vaccine rules might opt out of the face mask mandates.

"I think it is going to get more people wanting to go to an event because they know that when they walk in that arena or that stadium, everybody's vaccinated," the governor said.

Partially vaccinated individuals and children who cannot receive the vaccines because of their age may still attend public events if they prefer, but they need to keep a face mask on.

However, the governor emphasized that this was not an order but simply a suggestion that venues may or may not apply in their operations.

Related Article: Piano Child Prodigy, Age 4, Denied Carnegie Hall Debut Because She Can't Be Vaccinated
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It's being reported today that U.S. lawmakers are barreling ahead with legislation to change the way Apple Inc. runs its App Store, unconvinced by the companys recent moves to address antitrust complaints from developers and regulators around the world.

A proposed bill from a bipartisan trio of senators would force significant changes to the way consumers download and use apps on their iPhones and other Apple devices. Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar, head of the Senate antitrust subcommittee and one of the bills sponsors, said Congress is no longer willing to trust tech companies to "do the right thing."

Klobuchar said Tuesday in a statement to Bloomberg, that "Though Apple has taken some small steps to respond to criticism of its anti-competitive conduct, they did not go nearly far enough. There is growing momentum to pass the Open App Markets Act to finally address Apple and Googles twin monopolies, and I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get it done."

Apple and Alphabet Inc.s Google Play Store hold a duopoly on the mobile app market outside China. Last year in the U.S., 59% of app downloads were on Apples App Store, and 41% were on Google Play, according to data from Sensor Tower, an app data company.

The Senate bill would require devices to host alternative app stores, allow consumers to make purchases using alternative payment systems, and give app developers access to all aspects of iPhone hardware, including components that previously remained exclusive to Apples apps and accessories.

Several global developments, including a similar law passed last month by South Koreas National Assembly, have generated momentum for the U.S. to make its own changes. Bipartisan support for the app store proposal means it has potential to gain traction, even though Congress has a full slate when lawmakers return to Washington this month.

John Bergmayer, legal director of tech-policy organization Public Knowledge, which supports the Klobuchar bill stated that "Theres not 100% agreement among critics of the App Store model on exactly how far to go, but theres consensus that probably we need to go a little further than what Apple has announced. It would be better if we resolved it in a more systematic way rather than waiting for these little piecemeal approaches," taken by Apple and Google.

For more on this story, read the full Bloomberg report.
At the height of Apple's iPhone 13 production, it's being reported by Hong Kong's SCMP that a Chinese artificial intelligence firm has asked a Shanghai court to stop the production and sale of Apples iPhone in the country over a long-standing patent dispute involving virtual assistant Siri.

Shanghai Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology, also known as Xiao-i Robot, last Friday applied to the Shanghai Higher Peoples Court for a preliminary injunction to ban the manufacture, sale and export of iPhones containing Siri that infringe on its patent, according to the Chinese companys statement that was posted on its official WeChat account on Tuesday.

Xiao-i Robot chief executive Yuan Hui said in the statement that Apple did not respect its intellectual property. Apple should immediately stop the infringement, take down and stop selling the related products, Yuan said.

The statement came a few hours before Apple, with a market capitalization of US$2.59 trillion as of Wednesday, announced a special event in the US on September 14, when the company is expected to launch its latest iPhone 13 line and other devices.

Responding to a request for comment on Wednesday, an Apple spokeswoman referred to the companys previous statement issued in August 2020, when it refuted the allegations in Xiao-i Robots patent infringement lawsuit that sought 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in damages.

The 2020 statement read: "Siri does not contain features included in their patent, which relates to games and instant messaging  Independent appraisers certified by the Supreme Peoples Court have also concluded that Apple does not infringe Xiao-i Robots technology."

In June last year, Chinas Supreme Court ruled that Xiao-i Robots patent was valid, after multiple legal battles with Apple since 2012. The Chinese company first applied for its patent, described as a chat robot system that can complete conversations in natural language, in 2004. It was granted that patent in 2009, before Apple first integrated Siri with its iPhone 4s model in 2011.

For more, read the full report by the South China Morning Post.
Its still a pain in the butt to find a new graphics card at a good price, but if youre looking to up your gaming experience, another option is to improve your display. Walmart can help you with that today with a 34-inch Samsung ultrawide gaming monitor with a pixel-packed 3440-by-1440 resolution for $279Remove non-product link. You can find similar Samsung models elsewhere for $320 to $350, so its a great deal.

This is a WQHD ultrawide monitor, which means its much wider than your average display, sporting a 21:9 aspect ratio versus the more standard 16:9. Samsungs also outfitted the monitor with FreeSync technology for buttery smooth gaming when paired with a compatible graphics card. The refresh rate isnt that high at 75Hz, but its still higher than the standard 60Hz (and its hard for GPUs to push all those pixels at 3440-by-1440 anyway).

Thats not all this monitor can do. It has picture-by-picture functionality that can display input from two sources (such as a desktop and a console) side by side at their native resolution. Theres also picture-in-picture mode that lets a second sources output occupy up to 25 percent of the screen and be positioned anywhere.

For ports, the display has two HDMI and one DisplayPort. This is a VA panel with a 4 millisecond response time, and a max brightness of 300 nits.

For gameplay or even for productivity this is an excellent monitor upgradeand today its going for a great price.

[Todays deal: 34-inch Samsung WQHD 21:9 display for $279 at Walmart.Remove non-product link]
Microsoft is warning of a new Office vulnerability that can probably be avoided by continuing to use smart Internet practices. Namely, dont open untrusted documents.

Researcher EXPMON reported a new vulnerability to Microsoft on Sunday, the company said, and Microsoft confirmed the vulnerability in a security update on Monday. Microsoft has yet to issue a patch, though Microsoft said it will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers.

The vulnerability takes advantage of the MSHTML rendering engine used by Internet Explorer, a browser that Microsoft has deprecated. (IE will still run within Edge, but within the browsers sandbox, protecting your PC.) So instead, the attackers are targeting the IE engine running within Microsoft 365 or Office documents. If a malicious Office document is sent you via email, then clicked upon and enabled, the vulnerability could be used to give an attacker control of your PC.

An attacker could craft a malicious ActiveX control to be used by a Microsoft Office document that hosts the browser rendering engine, Microsoft said. The attacker would then have to convince the user to open the malicious document. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

Microsoft already has two layers of protection that will secure your PC against this threat. First, you first have to click on the malicious document to open it. Second, if your PC is configured (as it should be) to first open a document in Protected View (which prompts a Be careful, this file originated... warning, and confirms you want to edit it), that vulnerability wont manifest. Its only if you click on the document and then turn off Protected View or Application Guard for Office that your PC could be at risk. So dont do that, OK?

Finally, Microsofts last sentence drives home a key pointyou might not be impacted as much if youre running as a standard user rather than with full admin rights. Theres a reason we devoted a whole section to that very topic in our roundup of 5 easy tasks that can supercharge your security.
President Akufo-Addo has on Friday, September 3, 2021, commissioned phase three of the Keda Ceramics factory in the Shama District of the Western Region.



The factory has generated some 2,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment opportunities, with the company having invested some US$150 million in all three phases, resulting in an increased production capacity of 150,000 square metres of tiles per day.



Currently, the company exports 60% of tiles produced to the West African market, the president revealed.



He added that despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the KEDA Ceramics factory was able to export 7,156,800-meter square of ceramics amounting to US$22.9 million, which increased to 10,540,800-meter square in 2020 and raked in US$34.8 million.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah is making a strong case that President Akufo-Addos vision is focused on production and not taxation.



Speaking at the commissioning of Phase III and sod cutting of phase IV of KEDA(Ghana) Ceramics Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Twyford in Shama, Darko-mensah said Mr President, you have a great vision. Im certain that Akufo-Addos vision is for production, not taxation.



For his part, Managing Director of KEDA (Ghana) Ceramics Company Ltd Li Wei says the company is fully committed to the industrialization agenda of President Akufo-Addo.



Li Wei noted that Well hand over technical positions to local staff to steer the affairs of our company as part of our far-reaching plans.



Chairman of KEDA (Ghana) Ceramics Company Limited Mr. has promised to scale up production to 150,000 square meters per day to generate more foreign exchange for Ghana. I can boldly say were the biggest employer in the manufacturing sector.



The company currently produces 100,000 square meters daily, with 2000 direct jobs and 3000 indirect jobs.



Shen Yanchang noted that Were committed to the industrialization drive. We intends the company the most industrial hub of Africa.















Source: africaneditors.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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Director-General of State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Stephen Asamoah Boateng has reproached some of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other Heads of State Entities who failed to attend a consultative workshop at the Labadi Beach Hotel.



The SIGA organised stakeholders consultative workshop on draft code of corporate governance with the theme strengthening good corporate governance practices in specified entities for national development, aims to assemble CEOs, Board Chairs and other stakeholders to deliberate on the draft code for adoption.



Expressing his disappointment over the low turnout for the consultative workshop by the CEOs of state entities, Mr. Asamoah Boateng charged them to be time conscious and discipline towards work.



I want to say this, those who have not been with us today although they were invited, I am sort of disappointed because this is such a crucial document which will impact on your entities and your lives as a CEO, as a board member, as a board chair. Invitations went out and my team has been calling and here we are, about just half, he chided.



My concern is that I have been around for so long in Ghana politics and in the economy so much that, one of the things that we fail to acknowledge is time management and discipline of work. We have been entrusted to do a job, just put our brains, attention and commitment to it and do it and if you cannot do it, ask permission and leave the seat. Somebody is prepared to do the job, he rebuked.



He made it known that the draft code of corporate governance which is up for discussion is very important for all the Chief Executive Officers of the State Entities to show commitment and seriousness.



"If we take our job seriously and attend to these matters in a disciplined manner, we will not be surprised with document and workshops which is impacting on the job we do, because the failure to abide by the code when it is finished, there are sanctions that will go to the extent of even removal from office or even the dissolution of the board if we apply it properly. There are consequences and there are even sanctions that affect your remunerations, he cautioned.



He posited that the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) which was inaugurated by President Akufo-Addo with a 9-member board is not an ordinary organisation; thus, he is resolved to change the old status quo of the establishment for a positive one.

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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A Cape Coast High Court has placed an interlocutory injunction on the end of semester examination of the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU).



The university was on Thursday September 2, 2021 served with a notice of injunction by the Cape Coast High Court.



This was after 21 out of 43 students of the university sought an interlocutory injunction to be placed on the conduct of their examination, pending the determination of their substantive human rights application pending before the court.



The students all in their first year (supposed to be in second year now), according to their counsel, Mr Richard Kwesi Nkrumah-Amos, were given dismissing letters or letters of rustication on April this year based on their purported involvement in examination malpractices in last academic year.



The students filed the motion to restrain the university and its Academic Board as well as their agents, privies, workmen assigned to conduct the exams from doing so until the matter is settled in court.



The end of second semester examination for the 2020/2021 academic year begun on Monday, September 6, 2021.



The students are challenging the validity, legality and constitutionality of the decision by the CCTU and it's academic board to rusticate them.



Nkrumah-Amos said the school regulations stated that the institution should investigate any such alleged malpractices and undertake sanctions not later than one month after the semester. That, he explained, this meant the affected students should have been punished not later than 2020.



The said punishment was in connection with the Cost and Business Accounting-PUS 144 and DPM 102 paper which was written in or was part of the papers for the end of the second semester examinations for the 2019/2020 academic year.



Re-write



He said after the university's investigations, the said leaked paper was cancelled and fresh examinations conducted for them.



Mr Nkrumah-Amos said the students involved cooperated with the university in the investigations.



However, he said, after the investigations by the university's Examination Malpractices Committee, the university did not communicate with any of the affected students.



The said students, he noted, came back to school, registered for the next academic year and attended lecturers regularly without any problem with the universitys management.



Wrote the examination



He said they wrote the mid semester examination without any problem which was marked by lecturers.



The affected students were given letters indicating they were either sacked or rusticated for a year.



He said while the affected students were writing their end of first semester 2020/2021 examinations, they were embarrassingly sacked from the examination hall.



He said though court had suggested an out of court settlement, the students said they no longer trust the management of the university to deal justly with them as the management had gone ahead to start the examinations in spite of the injunction.



Mr Nkrumah-Amos said it was worrying that the university had taken an entrenched position, adding that the students rights to education were being infringed upon.



He said the students would demand letter of understanding from the management until they would agree to an out of court settlement.

Meanwhile the legal officer for the university, Mr John Ben Assan said he was not ready to comment on the issue.



Parent



One of the parents of an affected student said the university should find a way to amicably resolve the issue in order to allow the students to continue their schooling.



He said the psychological trauma and intimidation from some of the authorities from the school was worrying, saying all relevant stakeholders must help resolve the case.





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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NDC Member of Parliament(MP) for Juaboso constituency and a ranking member on the health committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has accused the ruling NPP government led by President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo of doing business with the COVID-19 pandemic.



According to him, it has become necessary that Ghanaians are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and so they have taken advantage of the situation to rob the country of millions of dollars all in the name of procuring COVID-19 vaccines.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that though donors are giving out some of the vaccines for free, government has squandered millions of Ghana cedis all in the name of procuring some of the vaccines.



"Kwame, the minority will come with facts and figures to prove that this government has turned this COVID-19 thing into business to enrich themselves. A typical example is what happened to the Health minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu."



"I can tell you that all that matters for this government in this Covid-19 fight is how much they are getting from it to enrich themselves, and not what will help the millions of Ghanaians who are killed by this deadly virus," he said.



The former deputy minister for lands and natural resources could not fathom how government spent millions of Ghana cedis on free food distribution alone.



He added that very soon parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinize government's record on how much was spent by the government on the Covid-19 fight.



Watch video below





More than 1.2 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States arrived in Ghana.U.S. Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan, Deputy Minister of Health, Honorable Mahama Asei Seini, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Honorable Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, and the UNICEF Country Representative to Ghana Ms. Anne-Claire Dufay received the vaccines at Accras Kotoka International Airport.Delivered through COVAX, the donations are part of the Biden-Harris Administrations global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghanas Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service will oversee vaccine distribution nationwide.These vaccines will save lives here in Ghana. Vaccines, along with other preventive protocols, will help control the pandemic and slow the development of new variants. We stand with the Government of Ghana in its fight to stop the spread of COVID-19, said Ambassador Sullivan.The United States has worked closely with Ghana since the start of the pandemic and has contributed over $30 million to support public health efforts and the COVID-19 response in Ghana. These funds are addressing the immediate and medium-term effects of COVID-19 on the health, agriculture, and education sectors, including the hard-hit private sector.The 1,229,620 doses donated to Ghana by the United States through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are part of the Biden-Harris Administrations commitment to share the U.S. vaccine supply with the world. The United States has already donated and delivered more than 125 million doses to more than 80 countries and economies worldwide.As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are meeting today to find a solution to the ouster of the Guinean leader, Alpha Condo, last Sunday by an elite army unit of that country.



The virtual emergency meeting, which would be held at 1400 hours on Wednesday will be hosted by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.



The bloc is expected to leverage the meeting to reinforce its objection to the unconstitutional political change in that country, and the need for actors in the political situation to abide by Guinea's Constitutional dictates and the rule of law.



ECOWAS, after the power seizure, condemned the last Sundays attempted coup and demanded a swift return to constitutional rule.



It also ordered the Coup makers to immediately and unconditionally release President Alpha Conde, and all other persons arrested in the power seizure by unnamed soldiers calling themselves the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development.



It also asked the Guinean defense and security forces to remain in a constitutional posture, and expressed its solidarity with the Guinean people and their Government, the statement said.



The elite army unit, led by a former French Legionnaire, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, announced that they had seized power and arrested 83-year old President Conde, and suspended the Constitution of the West African nation.



President Conde is being held by those behind the coup. Some other persons who were arrested in the process have been released.

Source: GNA









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says Ghana is determined to deepen its ties with Ethiopia to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation.



He said this on Wednesday when the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who is in Ghana on a three-day working visit, called on him at the Jubilee House, Accra.



The President, in a short interaction with the media, said his administration would expand exchanges with the East African nation to enhance the bonds of friendship that existed between the two countries.



He has come to talk to us about the progress of bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Ghana and then of course, necessarily, regional and continental issues will also be part of our meeting, President Akufo-Addo said before retiring to a closed door session with his guest.



Ghana and Ethiopia have enjoyed cordial relations since the time of Ghanas first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile Selassie.



Their political history has been at the core of the relationship that exists between them.



More recently, both nations have sought to expand economic ties, and revitalize trade relations. The two countries are yet to conclude and sign a proposed agreement for a joint declaration of a strategic partnership that would offer the framework required to increase cooperation between the two.

Source: GNA









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The Chairperson of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Ms Josephine Nkrumah, has stated that democratic governance required strong, independent and well-resourced institutions to keep the wheel of democracy running.



She said it was important for African countries to work together, learn from one another and help one another to achieve the common goal of promoting freedoms and bringing prosperity to their citizens.



The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement with its headquarters in Ghana, she said, was one of such initiatives which showed that the continent was willing to work together and forge ahead.



She stated this when a delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), currently in the country to understudy institutions that promote democracy and how best the DRC could learn from Ghana in stabilising and promoting democratic governance, paid a courtesy call on her.



The delegation was headed by President Felix Tshisekedi of DRCs Special Advisor in charge of Regional Cooperation and Integration, Mrs Bestine Kazadi.



Ms Nkrumah said the importance of civic education to democratic stability and sustenance could not be underestimated.



Beacon of democracy



For her part, Mrs Kazadi described Ghana as a beacon of democracy in Africa, which the DRC was ready and willing to learn from.



Ghana has a great reputation for promoting democracy and always having peaceful transfers of power. We are, therefore, here to learn how you raise awareness, promote civic education, and how you educate Ghanaians on good electoral practices so that we can adapt same in our general election scheduled for 2023, she 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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US First Lady, Jill Biden has returned to the classroom at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has worked since 2009, making it the first time a sitting US first lady will depart the White House, in Washington, DC, for a full-time job.



The White House say she officially resumed on Tuesday, September 7.



There are some things you just cant replace, and I cant wait to get back in the classroom, Biden, 70, told Good Housekeeping magazine in a recent interview. The first lady has said that teaching isnt just what I do, its who I am.





Biden taught English and writing remotely for months before returning to the classroom. She taught at the community college throughout the eight years that her husband Joe Biden served as vice president.





Leaders of the National Education Association, which is the countrys largest teachers union, reacting to Biden's decision said.



She sees it up close and personally and now, in the position as first lady, not only does she give voice to that from a place of understanding, she has an opportunity to create a platform and to have influence, said the unions president Becky Pringle.



Even though Biden is the first wife of a president to leave the White House for a full time job she is not the first wife of a president with a teaching background.



Laura Bush, the wife of former President George W Bush, was an elementary school teacher and a librarian but stopped working after having children and was not in the workforce when her husband entered the White House.



Former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton were also working mothers but ended their jobs while at the White House.













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Managaing Director of the State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea, has fired shots at Ex-President John Mahama for coming at the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during a forum recently held at the University of Ghana.



Ex-President Mahama, speaking at an event organised by the Professionals Forum (PROFORUM) of the NDC in collaboration with the Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA), appealed to Ghanaians to vote out the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2024 general elections.



When I called for a change in government in 2024 as the first step towards halting this hemorrhage of badly needed resources through corruption and holding offending officials to account, our friends in government took offense but it remains the only viable way to save the public purse in the face of abundant evidence that nothing will be done about the situation, he stated.



 . . most of the gains we made and bequeathed to this government have been eroded and we have been plunged into further economic crisis.



COVID-19 has become the convenient whipping boy and has been cited as the reason for the crisis we face now and the attendant economic hardships but it is however not the main reason why we are in the current hole we find ourselves. COVID-19 only became a pretext for reckless election-related spending, which produced the largest ever budget deficit in the recent economic history of Ghana last year, he asserted.



Nana Akomea has challenged the former President to compare records with President Akufo-Addo.



Making his submissions on Tuesday's 'Kokrokoo' programme on Peace FM, he alluded to Mr. Mahama's track record citing his failures that led to his "biggest rejection" by Ghanaians.



He asked Mr. Mahama to show a single social programme he introduced that surpasses President Akufo-Addo's free SHS policy stating, "since the Fourth Republic, no one has done an industrialization programme like what's happening now. Free SHS, when we said we would do it, President Mahama said we can't but today, he says he introduced it. Have you seen the hypocrisy? Can he show us any social programme that he initiated in the eight years when he was Vice President and President which will come close to free SHS?''







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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Media Personality and Host of Peace FM's 'The Platform' programme, Nana Yaw Kesseh, has rebuked former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Charles Wereko-Brobby, over some comments on social media in relation to a recent coup de'tat in Guinea.



Wereko-Brobby aka Tarzan on his Facebook page Eyetarzan Anokyenana, reacting to the military takeover wrote: #Mali!, #Guinea! Ghana? Militarization of the union?



Nana Yaw Kesseh who was highly disappointed in Tarzan said:



"You were given an enviable position and you've benefitted from this country, and this is what you wish for? You're a nation wrecker. You know you have few years to live; that is why you are making such reckless comments; that there should be a coup in Ghana . . . it's not your fault, you have managed to steal from this nation and had it been some other country you would be in prison, you've got the gust to call for coup . . . may God forgive you for that evil thought . . . you are the reason why Ghana is suffering," he fired.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Editor-in-Chief of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has slammed both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over their struggle for political power.



Mahama Jabs Akufo-Addo



In a recent forum attended by former President John Mahama, he lambasted the President of the Republic, Nana Akuo-Addo, asserting voting out the President and his government is the step to saving Ghana from further economic mismanagement.



To him, the Akufo-Addo-led government is plunging the nation into crises.



When I called for a change in government in 2024 as the first step towards halting this hemorrhage of badly needed resources through corruption and holding offending officials to account, our friends in government took offense but it remains the only viable way to save the public purse in the face of abundant evidence that nothing will be done about the situation, he stated.



. . most of the gains we made and bequeathed to this government have been eroded and we have been plunged into further economic crisis, he further asserted.



NPP Rebuts



The NPP has also rebutted the former President's claims.



NPP former National Communications Director and currently the STC Chief Executive Officer, Nana Akomea jabbed Mr. Mahama saying "in the year 2009, when President Mahama was Vice President, they were given the chance to investigate what the NPP did. What did they do between 2009 and 2016? So, if he has something different to say for Ghanaians to vote for the NDC, he should rather put that across because when you ruled for eight years, you didn't say we shouldn't vote for you again because of that. So, tell Ghanaians something different...but if he has nothing to say, then don't talk at all".



He added; "Since the Fourth Republic, no one has done an industrialization programme like what's happening now. Free SHS, when we said we would do it, President Mahama said we can't but today, he says he introduced it. Have you seen the hypocrisy? Can he show us any social programme that he initiated in the eight years when he was Vice President and President which will come close to free SHS?"



Kwesi Pratt Fires NPP/NDC



Reacting to the back and forth NPP/NDC arguments, Kwesi Pratt noted he is "tired of the two parties and the political talks".



According to him, "Ghanaians are not as much concerned with what party comes to power in the next elections as they are about their living conditions being improved".







We'll Regret If.....

Speaking to host Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Mr. Pratt stressed that Ghana's revenues are majorly spent on paying debts and public sector emoluments and have no direct positive impact on the ordinary Ghanaians.



"These two-line items accounts for 128 percent of total national revenue. This is what we're dealing with and we are here playing NDC/NPP politics. 128% of total national revenue is used to pay debts and public officials. There's no money for road constructions. We don't have money to do anything; in fact, everything we do demands that we go for loans before we are able to do it. This is the state of the national economy."



To him, the power struggle is nothing important to Ghanaians.



"For me, voting isn't my priority. What's important to me is to find ways to alleviate the hardships and financial problems to ease the burdens on Ghanaians," he emphasized.







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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The feud in the opposition People's National Convention (PNC) has taken a new twist with an extraordinary National Executive Committee meeting deciding to overturn the indefinite suspension of the General Secretary, Janet Asana Nabla.



The meeting held in Kumasi Tuesday morning (September 7, 2021) also decided to remove from office, the National Chairman of the party, Mr Moses Dani Baah and the National Leader of the party, Mr David Apasera, who was the presidential candidate of the party in the 2020 elections.



Graphic Online's Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports from Kumasi that the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the PNC, Mr Bala Maikankan has been sworn in as the new acting national chairman of the party.



Internal wrangling



Internal wrangling have taken centre stage in the PNC for some months now.



The wrangling deepened following a recent petition submitted to the Electoral Commission (EC) asking the election management body not to recognise some persons occupying positions in the party.



While a group, led by the partys leader, Mr David Apasera and national chairman, Mr Moses Dani Baah, last week met and declared its General Secretary, Ms Janet Asana Nabla suspended with immediate effect, another group led by Ms Nabla held a counter virtual meeting and called on the leader of the party, Mr David Apasera and national chairman, Mr Moses Dani Baah to resign from their respective positions within one week or face the consequences of a properly constituted NEC.



COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PNC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) MEETING HELD IN KUMASI, 7TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2021



Pursuant to Article 45(1a) of the PNC constitution, NEC met in Kumasi extraordinarily, to address recent disturbing occurrences in the party and to make a determination on a petition brought before NEC by the General Secretary; Janet Asana Nabla, the Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer; Muniru Mohammed and the Communication Director of North East; Mamuna Yidana.



Present at the meeting were nine (9) regional chairmen and secretaries, some national officers as required by law.



National Vice Chairman Henry Asante and Sam Adeifio (the Central Regional Secretary) were present virtually via Zoom.

NEC judiciously deliberated on recent occurrences in the party and resolved as follows:



That the NEC meeting of 28th August 2021 was not properly constituted pursuant to Article 45(3) and as such that meeting is null and void and its outcome must be treated with contempt.



That NEC subjected the petition submitted by the three to very diligent scrutiny and upholds all the accusations as the truth. Consequently, Mr. David Apasera and Mr. Moses Danibaah are guilty of the accusations.



That, they are removed from their respective offices pursuant to Article 49(a)(4) of PNC constitution for misconducting themselves as prescribed in the petition indefinitely.



That in their absence, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman shall act as the National Chairman and Leader of the PNC.



That the General Secretary is cleared to continue to conduct her function as stated in the constitution.

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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Mame Yaa Aboagye, Deputy Communication Director of the NPP has jabbed former President Mahama for his recent comments in which he accused President Akufo-Addo of corruption.



She stated emphatically that given his abysmal track record, the former President had no moral right to speak on corruption. Were you able to fight corruption when you were in power? How about the GYEEDA, Sada, Airbus and Bus Branding scandals?



According to her, it is wrong to tag President Nana Addo and the government as corrupt.



Im shocked Mr. Mahama is now tagging President Akuffo Addo as corrupt all because he wants to come to power...President Nana Addo is not corrupt and has never been corrupt. No matter how hard you try, you cannot hang the corruption tag around his neck, she said.



Mame Yaa stressed; In fact, President Akufo-Addos actions and inactions towards the fight against the canker of corruption are unmatched.



How could someone who has created the Office of the Special Prosecutor with the view to combating the effects of corruption be tagged as a corrupt leader? she questioned.



She stated further that although former President Mahama was clinging to what he himself had referred to as the short memories of Ghanaians, we will never forget the unprecedented levels of corruption that he presided over as President.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The raging disagreements within the leadership of the Peoples National Convention appears to deepen on Tuesday, with confusing directives coming from the two main blocs emerging from the party.



Moments after a supposed National Executive Committee held an extraordinary meeting in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi to reinstate the suspended General Secretary, Janet Asana Nabla, the National Chairman, Moses Dani Baah counter-issued a statement insisting Janets suspension still holds.



While the Kumasi NEC meeting purported to oust Chairman Dani Baah and National Leader David Apasera from office, and rather swore in the Greater Accra regional chairman Bala Maikankan as its new National Chairman, the incumbent National Chairman says that can only amount to an illegality.



The following is the statement issued by the PNC National Chairman to confirm his stand.



MS JANET NABLA IS STILL INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED AS PNC GENERAL SECRETARY



The PNC wishes to state unequivocally that it's former General Secretary, Ms Janet Asana Nabla is still under an indefinite suspension following the National Executive Committee Meeting of 28th August, 2021 held at the GNAT HALL in Accra.



The National Executive Committee of the Party is the second highest decision-making organ of the party after the National Congress. As such, it is only NEC or Congress that can vary any decision taken by NEC. And since the NEC meeting at which the former General Secretary was suspended, there has not been any meeting of NEC or Congress to review the decision.



It is therefore preposterous for any gathering of dissatisfied party executives to meet anywhere and take a rather void decision to indicate that the suspended General Secretary has been reinstated. National Executive Committee meetings are convened at the behest of the leader in consultation with the National Chairman and/or the General Secretary with one-third of all NEC members attending and chaired by the National Chairman or in his absence any of his vices and in their absence a Regional Chairman but with the written consent of the National Chairman.



As far as the PNC is concerned, there has not been any notice or invitation for a National Executive Committee Meeting sanctioned by the leader and the National Chairman or any organ or group within the party as stipulated by Article 45 (l)(a) of the Party Constitution. In this regard, the widely publicised meeting in Kumasi today cannot pass for a NEC meeting and therefore the accompanying communique should be treated with the contempt that it deserves.



Hon Moses Dani Baah is the legitimate serving National Chairman of the party and Mr Bala Maikankan will only be impersonating if he holds himself anywhere as the Acting National Chairman of the PNC. The party will sooner than later take disciplinary action against all those involved in this act of lawlessness that seeks to project the PNC in a bad light. Thank you



Hon Moses Dani Baah

(National Chairman)



The above statement was issued moments after the Kumasi meeting issued the following communique at the end of deliberations.



Below is copy of the communique from the Kumasi meeting



COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PNC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) MEETING HELD IN KUMASI, 7TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2021



Pursuant to Article 45(1a) of the PNC constitution, NEC met in Kumasi extraordinarily, to address recent disturbing occurrences in the party and to make a determination on a petition brought before NEC by the General Secretary; Janet Asana Nabla, the Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer; Muniru Mohammed and the Communication Director of North East; Mamuna Yidana.

Present at the meeting were nine (9) regional chairmen and secretaries, some national officers as required by law. National Vice Chairman Henry Asante and Sam Adeifio (the Central Regional Secretary) were present virtually via Zoom.

NEC judiciously deliberated on recent occurrences in the party and resolved as follows:

That the NEC meeting of 28th August 2021 was not properly constituted pursuant to Article 45(3) and as such that meeting is null and void and its outcome must be treated with contempt.

That NEC subjected the petition submitted by the three to very diligent scrutiny and upholds all the accusations as the truth. Consequently, Mr. David Apasera and Mr. Moses Danibaah are guilty of the accusations.

That, they are removed from their respective offices pursuant to Article 49(a)(4) of PNC constitution for misconducting themselves as prescribed in the petition indefinitely.

That in their absence, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman shall act as the National Chairman and Leader of the PNC.

That the General Secretary is cleared to continue to conduct her function as stated in the constitution.

Source: graphiconline.com









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Accra Mall, the mall with it all, has organised the 2021 Accra Mall Fashion Weekend to celebrate both the changing trends in fashion and the various fashion brands at the mall. This years event which was under the theme Metamorphosis was held on Friday, 3rd September 2021.



The fashion show which took place at the Accra Mall Food Court saw the display of ready-to-wear clothes from Woodin, all types of jewelery and accessory from Pandora, and beautiful casual outfits for both men and women from Nallem and Mr Price.



Mr. Anthony Asamoah, Marketing Manager of Accra Mall, said Accra Mall is committed to giving both our shoppers and tenants a great experience and the fashion week is one way of showcasing the products of our tenants in a more classy and attractive setting. This event is also used to announce the products and services available at the mall to make shopping easy for our customers, he explained.



Other shops which featured their products on the run way were Zig Zag, which stocks a wide array of fashion accessories ranging from bags, purses and jewellery to sunglasses and belts. Aha, an intimate clothing brand also displayed some steamy lingerie, boxer shorts and male and female underwear to the admiration of many. Compu-Ghana was not left behind in the showcasing of digital accessories such as headphones, watches and blue tooth devices which are available at their shop.



The Accra Mall Fashion Weekend (AMFW) is an annual two-day fashion event that focuses on the fashion and beauty retail category. This years event featured a Fashion Show on Friday and the announcement of the winner of the annual Future Fashion Fund on Saturday. The runway show also featured clothing, jewellery and digital accessories from retailers at the mall.



The Accra Mall Fashion Weekend was proudly sponsored by Woodin, Scentopia, Maybelline, Say Cheers, Bodybasics, Hair Depot and Bloom by Edzi.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Monica Samille Lewinsky, an American activist, television personality, fashion designer, and former White House intern who Bill Clinton admitted to having an affair with, has said that the former US President should apologize to her.



Monica, who co-produced a limited TV series about the sex scandal that nearly ended Clinton's presidency, which is also set to premiere on FX, said seeing the scandal that altered her life play out on screen was challenging.



The mini-series will focus on telling Monica's side of the notorious American tale, and she provided a hint of what to expect when "Today" host Savannah Guthrie asked if she has a message for Clinton.



The activist stated that Clinto should apologize for his actions, as she strongly insinuated that he never offered her one. She also stated that she no longer needs it.



Monica said;



"He should want to apologize in the same way I want to apologize any chance I get to people my actions have hurt.



"I'm nervous for people to see some of the worst moments of my life and a lot of behavior that I regret.



"Ive really worn two hats in this project. I do not recommend watching your early 20s be dramatized on TV, especially in this instance where the truth really was stranger than fiction."



Monica gave notes on the script, but didn't have veto power. The activist claimed she made sure to include parts that might not feature her in the best light with the goal of making sure the series, while a dramatization, had "an enormous amount of emotional truth."



She added; "I shouldnt get a pass. Truth and context were really missing at the beginning of 1998.



"I hope that those are all things that we brought to the show."



When asked if things would be different if such scandal played out in 2021, Monica said "I might have had a little bit of support," because of "conversations about power differentials" and social media allowing more people to be heard.



She futher stated; "I dont know that it would be as different as people want it to be."



On Jan. 17, 1998, a 24-year-old Lewinsky was thrust into the public eye fast and hard. Her co-worker, Linda Tripp had secretly recorded her confessing to a relationship with then-President Bill Clinton. On that day, a Drudge Report headline that read "Newsweek Kills Story on White House Intern" changed Lewinsky's life forever.









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Carbo Denies Addamo His Fifth Super MILLION$ Victory

September 08, 2021 Matthew Pitt

Gerard "Hightroler" Carbo is the latest GGPoker player to be crowned the Super MILLION$ champion. The Andorra-based star came out on top of a tough final table to bank the $420,536 top prize, which denied Michael Addamo his fifth victory in this event.

Super MILLION$ Season 2 Episode 11 Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Gerard "Hightroler" Carbo Andorra $420,536 2 Michael Addamo Canada $324,278 3 Anatoly Filatov Russia $250,052 4 Christopher Frank Austria $192,817 5 Biao "d7777" Ding China $148,682 6 Joakim Andersson Malta $114,649 7 Samuel Vousden Finland $88,407 8 Tarun "AreYouAhead" Goyal India $68,171 9 Dmitry Yurasov Belarus $52,567

U.S. Player Bags 2021 WSOP Main Event Seat Via ClubGG

Short stack Dmitry Yurasov busted during the first level of the evening when the blinds were 25,000/50,000/6,000a. Yurasov opened to 100,000 from a 713,298 stack with pocket tens, and Joakim Andersson called from the big blind with ace-eight of hearts. Yurasov flopped a set of tens, but the flop had two hearts also. All the chips went in on the flop, and Andersson turned a straight to win the pot and send Yurasov home in ninth.

Eighth place and $68,171 went to Indias Tarun "AreYouAhead" Goyal who lost all but three big blinds when his ace-king ran into Anderssons pocket aces. Goyal bowed out a couple of hands later when his queen-five lost to the ace-seven of Biao "d7777" Ding.

Addamo Bulldozes His Way To The Top

Samuel Vousdens tournament ended abruptly in seventh place after an ill-timed shove against Addamo. A 140,000 min-raise from Addamo, made with ace-ten in the cutoff, was three-bet all-in for 1,471,383 by Vousden in the big blind with ace-four, and Addamo snap-called. Addamo flopped a ten, which was more than enough to reduce the player count by one.

Two-time Super MILLION$ champion Andersson was the next player out of the door. He ripped it in for 10 big blinds under the gun with king-queen, and Filatov called with ace-jack. Filatov spiked an ace on the flop to end Anderssons latest deep run.

Addamo held more than 12 million chips at this stage with the next highest stack being for 3.3 million. It looked like an Addamo victory was certain, especially when he sent the short-stacked Ding to the rail with seven-two offsuit! Addamo min-raised to 160,000 before calling Dings four big blind shove, which he made with jack-ten offsuit. A seven on the flop and another on the river sent Ding home in fifth.

Daniel Negreanu Inspires Latest ClubGG WSOP Main Event Seat Winner

Christopher Frank crashed out in fourth for $192,817 at the hands of, youve guessed it, Addamo. Frank three-bet all-in with ace-three for 6.6 big blinds after Addamo min-raised with queen-four. A queen on the river sent Frank to the showers and pushed Addamos atck past 15.8 million, over three-times more than both his opponents stacks combined.

GGPoker ambassador Filatov was the penultimate elimination. Addamo open-shoved for 30 big blinds effective from the small blind with king-five, and Filatov finally found a hand good enough to fight back with, ace-jack. Filatov was a firm favorite prefop, but the king of clubs on the flop left him drawing to won of the three remaining aces. None appeared on the turn and river, and the latest Super MILLION$ tournament was now heads-up.

Huge Chip Lead For Addamo

Addamo went into heads-up against Carbo holding an 18,292,308 to 2,507,692 chip lead at the 50,000/100,000/12,500a level. Super MILLIONS victory number five looked like a dead cert, but Carbo had other plans. First, he doubled with king-jack versus Addamos ace-ten before a run of favorable hands saw Carbo claim the chip lead.

Carbo relinquished his advantage again as Addamo bulldozed his way back to the summit, but the lead changed hands numerous times before something finally gave.

At the 100,000/200,000/25,000a level, Carbo min-raised to 400,000 with pocket eights, Addamo three-bet to 1,500,000 with ace-ten of clubs and called when Carbo jammed all-in. An eight on the flop and another on the river gifted Carbo a 19,537,406 stack to Addamos 1,262,594.

It was all over a couple of hands later when Carbo set Addamo all-in with eight-four of clubs, and Addamo called with jack-eight of hearts. Carbo flopped a flush draw, and turned a four to send Addamo to the rail in second place for $324,278, locking up the $420,536 top prize for himself.
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GOOSE CREEK  A major homebuilder that purchased 1,500 acres in the Carnes Crossroads development earlier this year has sold nearly two-thirds of the property to a Boston private equity and real estate company for $29 million.

In May, an affiliate of Lennar Corp. purchased 1,475 acres on the western undeveloped portion of the 2,300-acre site at U.S. Highways 17A and 176 in Goose Creek for $41 million.

Lennar, one of the nations largest homebuilders, held onto the parcel for three months before selling a large portion of the property to Rockpoint Group on Aug. 31, according to Berkeley County land records. The 913-acre parcel sits between U.S. Highways 17A and 176 and Nexton Parkway.

All of that property is under a development agreement with the city, said Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib. The development agreement is based on some pretty high standards. We have the same expectations for the development of Carnes Crossroads, regardless of who the builder is. Weve had great meetings with Lennar and we believe that they will continue to develop a premier neighborhood. I dont expect anything different from any other developer or builder.

Lennar or Rockport Group could not be reached for comment.

The first residents began to move into Carnes Crossroads nine years ago and the community has slowly been building up since then. About 460 homes are currently on the ground, but the community is approved for about 4,500.

Carnes Crossroads is mostly southwest of the intersection of U.S. Highways 176 and 17A, but a portion of it sits across 17A, where apartments and retail tenants have sprung up.

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Most of the land set aside for housing in Carnes Crossroads has now been sold, but much of the commercial portion remains with the original developers.

The community already includes the 50-bed Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital, medical offices, apartments and restaurant and retail tenants.

Meanwhile, a 16-acre parcel on U.S. Highway 17A is set aside for a future grocery store. North Carolina-based Harris Teeter has been planning a supermarket on the site since 2009.

Harris-Teeter has not committed to a timetable to develop that property, Habib said. I know there have been some discussions about developing that property and maybe they are getting closer to developing the property, but that could be years down the road.

In 2020, Goose Creeks population was 45,351, making it the eighth-largest city in South Carolina. When Carnes Crossroad is finally completed and with other developments on the way, Habib is convinced that the city will grow to about 60,000 residents by 2030.

I havent seen anything that would lead me to believe that our growth isnt going to continue or increase at its current pace, Habib said.

Carnes Crossroads abuts the 5,000-acre Nexton tract between Interstate 26 and U.S. Highway 176, where about 7,000 homes could be built. It currently has about 1,300 single-family homes on the ground and roughly 900 completed apartment units.
COLUMBIA  The city has moved to sell a Devine Street building for redevelopment into apartments plus retail and restaurant space to a private developer for $4.5 million.

The six-story building, just up the hill from Harden Street, is to be revamped by developer Latitude 32 LLC after the city council voted Sept. 7. to conclude the sale.

The measured passed unanimously and without debate.

The developer is Charleston-based and has overseen other projects in the Midlands, according to Ryan Coleman, director of the city's economic development office.

The city bought the six-story building at 2221 Devine St. from the state for $3.8 million in June 2019 with plans to encourage a mixed-use development with a possible hotel.

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The hotel part of the proposal has fallen by the wayside in the current market.

The city's agreement specifies that the project is not to be student housing, nor to be marketed as a student-friendly project.

The 46-year-old building includes a two-level parking garage, with more than 300 spaces total. At least 50 parking places would be set aside for public use, according to the city's agreement with the developer.

Redeveloping the former government building could be a piece in what some in the area hope is a larger revival in the historic village district that has seen popular bars and restaurants close and storefronts darken.

Many involved in business in Five Points want to see more people in the neighborhood in the daytime, whether in apartments, offices or a new hotel.

Right now, the district is retail-oriented during the day and becomes University of South Carolinas major bar draw at night.
CAYCE  In response to pleas from Lexington County's main hospital system, the town of Cayce unanimously passed a mask mandate Sept. 7 covering government buildings, shops and restaurants as cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in the Midlands.

"We reach out to you today to help us with tomorrow," Lexington Medical Center's leadership wrote in a letter sent to local government officials around Lexington County. "We believe strongly that mask mandates help prevent the spread of this dreaded disease."

Cayce Councilman Tim James said before casting his vote, "I think it would be a tragedy for us not to support our hospital at this trying time."

Cayce's mandate, which goes into effect Sept. 10 and lasts for two months, requires anyone over the age of two to wear a mask in public buildings and area businesses, including fitness centers while not actively exercising and restaurants while not seated.

The mandate carves out exceptions for schools and day cares to comply with a special rule passed this legislative session by state lawmakers, which prohibits the mandating of masks in K-12 schools statewide.

The mandate also provides for religious and health exemptions. Those who do not comply can be fined $25 per violation and businesses can have their business license revoked for repeated violations.

Similar mask mandates were passed across the state last year when the pandemic first spiked and were reversed in the spring as cases dropped.

In addition to Cayce, Clemson and Orangeburg recently have passed new ordinances that affect some private businesses, said Scott Slatton of the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

Lexington Medical Center CEO Tod Augsburger made a similar appeal for a mask requirement to West Columbia City Council. The city has yet to initiate any kind of mask requirement, but council will meet again at 4 p.m. Sept. 8 to discuss reinstating a mandate.

Based on what Ive been told by hospital leadership, I absolutely believe were in the middle of an emergency health care crisis, Mayor Tem Miles said. "We've got to do something to get those numbers back in line."

For the past 3 weeks, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 at Lexington Medical Center has not dropped below 175 and the hospital has had 54 patients die of the disease during that time, Augsburger said.

We are not yet able to get enough people in the community vaccinated, he said, and the virus continues to spread rampantly, largely among those not immunized.

To keep up with the surge in patients, Lexington Medical has rerouted all of its personnel to its emergency and intensive care units.

"I know everyone is trying to get back to normal and have a normal life, but our doctors and nurses don't have that right now," Augsburger said. "This (mask wearing) doesnt solve our problem, but it slows it down."

Cayce Councilman Phil Carter also acknowledged that there are many people who would prefer to go without a mask but spoke in favor of the mandate.

"It's going to help; it's certainly not going to hurt," he said.

The council said it heard from area business people who are in support of the mandate. Mayor Elise Partin referenced The Kingsman Restaurant having to close two weekends prior because of too many cases among staff members.

Without masking requirements "we are not helping our economy," she said.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina's second-largest city will again require masks in schools, businesses, restaurants, churches and other public-gathering spots with the ongoing spike in COVID cases.

The Columbia City Council unanimously passed 30-day mask requirement during an emergency meeting Sept. 8. The rule is similar to one cities across the state used during previous COVID case surges. The mandate started immediately.

Violators would face a $100 fine with the enforcement from city fire marshal. Those younger than 5 are not required to wear a mask. There are exceptions for people with health conditions that would worsen with a face covering and while receiving some personal services, like a haircut.

West Columbia, a Lexington County town across the Congaree River from Columbia, approved a 30-day rule requiring masks in locations where the public gathers during a special meeting Sept. 8, a day after neighboring Cayce, passed a 60-day citywide mask mandate.

West Columbia's ordinance, which goes into effect for a month starting Sept. 10, largely mimics Cayce's, requiring masks in restaurants, shops, and city buildings, with exemptions for health and religious reasons. Fines for violating the mandate were set at $25.

"The hospitals are not able to provide the standard of care they want and normally can provide due to the overload from unvaccinated patients at the hospital," Mayor Tem Miles said.

Miles said vaccination can prevent COVID-19 but people in need of medical treatment for other conditions  like heart attacks and car wreck injuries  are being put at risk due to the pandemic's strain on the health care system.

Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said slowing the spread of coronavirus would again require regional cooperation.

"We all understand if we work together, we can save lives," Benjamin said. "And thats our ultimate goal."

With Gov. Henry McMaster's state of emergency having lapsed in the spring when cases dropped, Columbia would declare its own emergency, Mayor Steve Benjamin said. The order would be in place for 30 days as city officials monitor COVID-19 cases.

"Were seeing these record-shattering numbers," Benjamin said. "And weve got to decide that were going to act."

The city will try again with the emergency order to require masks in schools and day cares within city limits. The S.C. Supreme Court last week shot down the city's school mask requirement passed in August as conflicting with a state budget amendment that says money in the current state budget can't be used for mask requirements.

The Supreme Court heard the case after S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson sued the city over the rule.

In an effort to comply with the judges' decision, the city ordinance passed Sept. 8 says fire officials will exclusively enforce the mask rule and that school employees will not have to administer or announce a mask requirement.

The city will encourage voluntary compliance in schools, but violations could eventually land a $100 fine, including the parents or guardians of children who refuse to wear a mask.

Wilson's office said Sept. 8 it would wait to see what the city's approved ordinance says before commenting on the schools provision.

"However, the Supreme Courts ruling is clear and speaks for itself," Attorney General's Office spokesman Robert Kittle said. "If the Courts orders are flouted, people who do so could be punished."

Benjamin said the city also will ask McMaster and state health officials to be able to go door-to-door in the city to encourage vaccines. McMaster has written to the state health board to discourage such outreach.
The site of the former Piggly Wiggly at the intersection of Old Towne Road and Sam Rittenberg Boulevard in West Ashley looks bleak today but soon may get a major makeover designed to make it a popular place for locals. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
GEORGETOWN  A Pawleys Island man who looted jewelry and flatware from six homes in the Pawleys Plantation community during Hurricane Florence in 2018 is heading to prison.

On Sept. 8, the day his trial was slated to begin, 35-year-old Coleman Jack Tudor pleaded guilty to looting under a state of emergency, four counts of second-degree burglary non-violent and two counts of first-degree burglary, according to court records.

Tudor was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Frank Addy to 20 years in prison on the two first-degree burglary charges.

He must serve at least 85 percent of his 20-year sentence before he is eligible for parole, said Alicia Richardson, the deputy solicitor who prosecuted the case for the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office.

Tudor also was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the remaining charges, which was the maximum punishment for those offenses. All the sentences will run concurrently, court officials said.

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During and after Hurricane Florence, six homes were burglarized in the neighborhood three miles south of Pawleys Island while residents were evacuated.

DNA evidence found in one of the homes by Georgetown County Sheriffs Office investigators was later linked to Tudor. On Sept. 21, 2018 he was arrested on charges of burglary and grand larceny in connection with the incident.

Gold and silver jewelry, and flatware reported stolen were recovered by officers in a storage unit rented by Tudor.

Richardson praised the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office for helping solve the case during the State of Emergency for Hurricane Florence.

"Looting during a mandatory evacuation will not be tolerated in Georgetown County," she said.
Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County is one step closer to opening a ReStore thrift shop in the former location of a Bi-Lo grocery store on Mauldin's West Butler Road.

The nonprofit's application for a business license to operate in the city was denied in early August as officials considered a ordinance that would limit the number of secondhand stores in Mauldin. But on Sept. 7, Mauldin's Economic Planning and Development Committee voted to advance a version of that ordinance  initially recommended by the Planning Commission  that would allow ReStore to move into the retail space.

City Council will consider the ordinance at its next meeting and could still choose to add restrictions that would block Habitat from setting up shop in the city.

The original draft of the ordinance prohibited any new thrift shops from opening within 200 feet of a residential property line and required that they only occupy a multi-tenant shopping center. Both restrictions would have prohibited the ReStore from opening, and the planning commission recommended at its August meeting a version of the ordinance without those provisions.

During the Sept. 7 committee meeting, Habitat leadership and a representative for the Bi-Lo building's landlord spoke in support of the planning commission recommendations.

Ahead of the vote, all three committee members  councilmen Dale Black and Taft Matney and Councilwoman Diane Kuzniar  said they wanted to learn more about the ordinance and discuss it with the rest of council during the upcoming meeting before voicing their thoughts publicly.

"I do have a few concerns but would like to hear from full council before I speak," Kuzniar said.

At its July meeting, City Council passed a resolution instructing the planning commission to consider an ordinance that would severely limit the number of thrift stores in Mauldin and to host a public hearing on the matter.

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Mayor Terry Merritt said city leadership is working to cultivate a new image for the city and more thrift shops is inconsistent with their vision, particularly as Mauldin embarks on the first phase of its city center project. The former site of the Bi-Lo supermarket is one of several shopping centers officials hope to redevelop and modernize in the near future, he said after the planning commission made its recommendation last month, and he would not support a version of the ordinance that allowed ReStore to move in.

Kevin Conway, who works for the building's landlord Wheeler Real Estate, said at the Sept. 7 meeting that the company has tried to attract multiple tenants to the location since the Bi-Lo closed earlier this year  including Food Lion, Hobby Lobby, Kroger, Harris Teeter and Piggly Wiggly  and none have been interested.

"We'd like to partner with Habitat for this location and not have it be vacant for the next two years," he said.

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County CEO Monroe Free also spoke at the meeting. He said income from ReStore locations accounts for about one-third of the nonprofit's revenue and losing the opportunity to move into the new location would be a blow for the organization, which specializes in building affordable housing.

"When you say 'You can't have a business license to operate a ReStore here in Mauldin,' what you're saying is, 'We're going to limit your ability to build affordable housing,'" he said. "And there could not be a worse time to do that."

With the 200-foot residential buffer and multi-tenant requirement removed, the ordinance would largely include cosmetic requirements, such as prohibiting vehicle lines from blocking traffic or parking, outdoor donations, and the use of drop off bins. It would also mandate clear signage indicating drop off locations and times.

Mark Steenback, Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County vice president of resource development, said the organization's stores already follow those guidelines at its Wade Hampton Avenue and Woodruff Road locations.

"We communicate internally to all of our staff that we are a retail store, not a junk store," he said. "We just happen to sell donated items."
GREENVILLE  Three weeks after Greenville County Council adopted new rules to guide how subdivisions can develop in unzoned areas of the county, one of the councilman opposed to those new rules asked the council to consider a six-month moratorium on new major subdivisions.

Joe Dill, who represents District 17 in northern Greenville County, introduced the proposed moratorium Sept. 7. Council Chairman Willis Meadows referred the plan to the councils planning and development committee, which Dill chairs.

The council didnt discuss the proposal during its meeting. Afterwards, Dill said the county needs to get a handle on the impacts of the new development rules on the existing infrastructure and roads.

Weve got to get a grasp on the infrastructure and these things before we ever can start putting in these major subdivisions, Dill said.

The county considers subdivisions larger than six lots as major subdivisions.

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At its August meeting, the council passed a replacement to Article 3.1 of its land development regulations that govern how subdivisions can be built in the countys 500,000 acres of unzoned land. The ordinance deeply divided council and was opposed by dozens of vocal residents who saw it as too lax toward developers before the 7-5 final vote. Residents and environmental groups wanted the council to adopt a plan the countys planning staff had drafted.

After the vote during the August meeting, Dill said he would have to ask for a moratorium to study the impact of the new rules.

Councilman Lynn Ballard, whose District 26 covers a large area of unzoned property, said if the council were to allow a development moratorium, it needed to have concrete items to accomplish during that time. Without timelines and a list of tasks to be accomplished, Ballard, who voted against the new development rules, called it a pipe dream to stop subdivision development for six months.

In late August, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project sent a letter to council members that warned of a potential lawsuit if the council didnt reconsider its vote on land development rules that were amended and passed without public input or council debate Aug. 17.

The council did not reconsider its vote at the Sept. 7 meeting.
Even as COVID-19 cases start to level off in some Southern states, the virus is showing no signs of slowing down in South Carolina, where more than 20,000 confirmed and probable cases were recorded by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control over the Labor Day weekend.

Compared with the rest of the country, COVID-19 rates are very high in South Carolina. The New York Times calculated Sept. 7 that, once again, the rate of new cases in the Palmetto State is higher than anywhere else in the U.S.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 4,901 confirmed, 1,184 probable (Saturday); 4,585 confirmed, 1,150 probable (Sunday); 3,673 confirmed, 1,127 probable (Monday); 3,453 confirmed, 304 probable (Tuesday).

Total cases in S.C.: 625,786 confirmed, 147,399 probable.

Percent positive: 12.3 percent.

New deaths reported: 26 confirmed, 12 probable (Saturday); 53 confirmed, 20 probable (Sunday); 47 confirmed, 6 probable (Monday); 23 confirmed, 5 probable (Tuesday).

Total deaths in S.C.: 9,451 confirmed, 1,358 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 81.59 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 57.7 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 48.7 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Hardest-hit areas

As of Sept. 7, Greenville (481), Spartanburg (400) and Lexington (229) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases.

What about tri-county?

Charleston County had 126 new cases on Sept. 7, while Dorchester had 190 and Berkeley had 151.

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 Sept. 7, at least 352 people in South Carolina died from the virus Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, and their ages ranged from pediatric (younger than 18) to elderly (65 and older). Greenville County recorded 39 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 2,560 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Sept. 7, 569 were in the ICU and 403 were using ventilators.

Student, teacher and faculty cases

DHEC's school dashboard shows, through Sept. 1, there have been 4,474 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 Sept 1, 2,313 samples have been identified as variants of concern over the course of the pandemic. More than 1,066 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?

Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, said on PBS Newshour on Sept. 6 that a South Carolina resident who is fully vaccinated now runs the same risk of catching COVID-19 as does a New York state resident who is unvaccinated.

"And that is simply because there is so much more virus circulating right now in South Carolina," Gounder said, "that even with the protection of the vaccine, you could still get infected."

To date, more than 6,800 breakthrough cases in South Carolina have been reported to DHEC. These cases remain rare. According to agency data, only .33 percent of vaccinated people will experience a breakthrough infection.
The Dorchester County Sheriffs Office announced that during the month of August, three separate victims contacted deputies to report being the targets of moving scams.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Mostly cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 86F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
After nearly 20 years, some of the most difficult and controversial questions about the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks may soon be answered  in court.

The sprawling lawsuit on behalf of 6,600 family members and survivors has entered a new and pivotal phase, according to attorneys with Motley Rice, the Mount Pleasant law firm spearheading the epic legal battle.

In recent months, lawyers have interviewed about 40 Saudi Arabian witnesses.

Theyve made inroads into prying loose documents from the U.S. government  information long shielded from the public that could shed even more light on the attack's puppeteers.

Lawyers on both sides have filed a flurry of motions and briefs, a prelude to a potentially explosive decision next year by a federal judge in New York: whether to hold a trial or end the lawsuit for good.

Theres a lot on the courts plate, and theres a lot on our plate, but its all moving more smoothly than it has in recent memory, said Jodi Flowers, one of the lead attorneys in the case. And either way, a decision about the trial is probably going to happen in the next six to eight months.

Given the lawsuit's allegations, trying them before a jury would yield a courtroom drama unlike any other.

The lawsuit alleges the Saudi Arabian government, Middle Eastern banks and some of the worlds most prominent Muslim charities helped finance the attacks. It seeks $1 trillion in damages.

Whether it goes to trial or not, the case already has made lasting impacts. It fueled a push for a new federal law making it easier for U.S. citizens to sue foreign governments over a state-sponsored attack. It yielded new evidence into al-Qaida's international networks.

Over time, the case had twists reminiscent of a spy thriller, along with moments where it seemed as if it would wither away. Some family members have since died, and children of 9/11 victims became adults.

I didnt expect it to take this long, Flowers said. I dont think any of us did.

Highs and lows

It began 19 years ago in dramatic fashion. Flanked by grieving family members, Ron Motley, the firms charismatic co-founder, unveiled the lawsuit during a press conference in Washington, D.C.

Motley vowed to identify people and entities who financed the attacks, holding thick binders of information his firm's investigators had already compiled.

Say a 15-year-old kid gets on a bus and blows it and himself up. Whos at fault? The 15-year-old, of course, Motley told The Post and Courier at the time. But what about the person who strapped the bomb onto him? What about the people who paid for the bombs? Thats what this case is about, the people who aid and abet terrorism.

He said then that he expected the case to last maybe four years.

It quickly became more complex than Motley and the firm's clients ever imagined. The firm bankrolled an investigation that rivaled one by a government.

It hired former intelligence officers and military experts to pick up the hijackers money trail. Lawyers worked with intelligence agencies in Germany and France. They interviewed Afghan witnesses who talked about Saudi paymasters. It was dangerous work. Some operatives risked their lives to meet witnesses. And in those early years, Motley and others on his team sometimes wondered whether they might eventually become targets.

This wasnt paranoia. In 2003, a man hired to serve legal papers against defendants in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates was found dead on a highway to the United Arab Emirates. Legal documents reportedly were in the passenger seat of the mans car. The crime has not been solved.

While the investigation yielded new clues, the court case itself bogged down. The Saudi government and other defendants mounted ferocious legal counterattacks, bolstered by a long-established precedent: sovereign immunity. Sovereign immunity generally shields foreign governments from being sued. Because of this, legal motions by the 9/11 families to move the case forward often went nowhere. Motley died in 2013, three years before one of the lawsuit's most important victories.

FBI secrets

The 9/11 families and their lawyers had long pushed for a law to narrow sovereign immunity protections.

And, in 2016, Congress responded with a law that did just that, overriding President Barack Obamas veto.

The new law opened the door to more depositions and secret documents, including some locked in FBI files. The FBI handed over a cache of documents, but judges have prevented anyone from disclosing what's in them, including lawyers representing the 9/11 families.

Its frustrating, because I cant tell my clients everything weve learned, Flowers said.

The tranche of new FBI documents led to even more questions, as well as revelations that the FBI has other evidence compiled during a secret project called Operation Encore  classified findings that could be even more revealing.

An investigation by ProPublica and The New York Times last year detailed for the first time Operation Encore's push to examine possible Saudi involvement in the attacks. But the Justice Department continued to block any attempts to release the FBI's findings. In 2019, the 9/11 families urged President Donald Trump to declassify the work. Its done, Trump reportedly told them.

The opposite happened. Justice Department officials told the court that national security would be threatened if they opened the case files. Some retired FBI agents who worked on the case grew frustrated and eventually started working with the 9/11 legal team, the ProPublica/New York Times report said.

That declassification push gained steam a month ago when a bipartisan group of House members and senators filed legislation to open the files. On Sept. 3, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to do just that. Biden directed the U.S. attorney general to examine the materials and "err on the side of disclosure," and do so within six months.

'Truth starts to pour out'

Motley Rice lawyer Don Migliori said the 9/11 families' relentless advocacy helped make the release happen and called it "a major milestone in what has been a long and winding road to the truth."

Terry Strada lost her husband, Tom, a bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald, when the North Tower of the World Trade Center fell. She noted that some documents could be made public soon.

"The truth starts to pour out this week," she said. "We've been stonewalled for nearly 20 years and all of a sudden there's not just a crack, there's a wall coming down."

Releasing these materials adds more pieces to the unfinished puzzle over what happened. "We're not safe as long as there are well-funded terrorism networks," she said. "So this is for all Americans."

For herself, it's about closing a chapter.

"I wanted to know the answers that very day. When I wasn't crying, and before I put my head on the pillow September 11th, I had all these questions swarming around in my mind. And they've never stopped."
COLUMBIA  The S.C. Supreme Court suspended Alex Murdaugh's law license on Sept. 8, only days after he announced he was entering a rehab program amid allegations he misappropriated funds at his former law firm.

Alex Murdaugh's brother, Randy, said in a statement Sept. 8 he was "shocked" to learn of the allegations against his brother and he did not condone his behavior.

The high court placed the 53-year-old attorney, whose wife and son were shot to death in June, on an interim suspension subject to the Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement.

An attorney may be placed under interim suspension if sufficient evidence demonstrates he or she "poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public or to the administration of justice," according to the disciplinary rules.

Murdaugh's law license will remain suspended pending a final determination by the court, the disciplinary rules state. Murdaugh consented to the interim suspension, the order reads.

The order does not indicate what evidence prompted the suspension.

Ginny Jones, spokeswoman for the S.C. Judicial Branch, said she could not provide further information about the order, citing appellate court rules requiring confidentiality for attorney disciplinary records.

Murdaugh resigned from Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, Detrick, a powerful law firm founded by his great-grandfather in rural Hampton, on Sept. 3 after the law office discovered that Murdaugh had "misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies," the firm said in a written statement.

Randy Murdaugh said in a statement that he was "shocked" to learn of his brother's drug addiction and "stealing of money."

"I love my law firm family and also love Alex as my brother," Randy Murdaugh said. "While I will support him in his recovery, I do not support, condone, or excuse his conduct in stealing by manipulating his most trusted relationships. I will continue to pursue my clients interests with the highest degree of honesty and integrity, as I always have."

The day after he resigned, Murdaugh reported being shot while traveling through rural Hampton County, leaving him with what state investigators described as "a superficial gunshot wound to the head."

He then issued a surprise statement Sept. 6 indicating that he was leaving the family firm and entering rehab to deal with unspecified problems that had grown worse since the unsolved slayings of his son Paul, 22, and wife Maggie, 52.

The law firm countered with a statement of its own, first reported late Sept. 6 in The New York Times. PMPED indicated it had contacted a forensic accounting firm and notified law enforcement and the South Carolina Bar. The Times quoted an unidentified firm member as saying the amount of missing money totaled in the millions of dollars.

"This is disappointing news for all of us," the firm's statement read. "Rest assured that our firm will deal with this in a straightforward manner. Theres no place in our firm for such behavior."

Citing ongoing investigations and client confidentiality, PMPED officials declined to comment further. The firms website remained offline on Sept. 8, replaced by a white screen with the message: This website is temporarily unavailable.

Murdaugh's attorney, Jim Griffin of the Griffin Davis firm in Columbia, confirmed Sept. 7 his client resigned after being accused of diverting lawyer fees from the firm, but Murdaugh has admitted no guilt. The allegations caused him to confront substance abuse issues that have spanned "many years," said Griffin, who declined to identify the substance in question.

Amanda Loveday, a family spokeswoman, also confirmed Sept. 7 that Murdaugh had entered rehab for substance-abuse issues. Like Griffin, she declined to say where he is being treated.
Steve Garrison covers breaking news and public safety. He's a native of Chicago who previously covered courts and crime in Wisconsin, New Mexico and Indiana. He studied journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Missouri.
Officials at the Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe violated a host of procurement regulations, state auditors determined, raising fresh questions about the boarding school's progress and leadership.

In a 21-page litany of failures, auditors with the State Fiscal Accountability Authority identified new problems and confirmed earlier findings by The Post and Courier and Greenwood Index-Journal in their Uncovered investigations.

Auditors pored through more than $2 million in payments since 2018 at the school in rural McCormick County.

Much of the money involved a push to bring the storied 1,300-acre campus up to par with the state's two other governor's schools.

Auditors found evidence that school leaders:

Circumvented rules requiring competitive bids.

rules requiring competitive bids. Steered work to favored businesses.

to favored businesses. Had bidding practices that increases the risk of collusion.

that increases the risk of collusion. Likely held improper discussions with contractors.

discussions with contractors. Failed to follow a corrective plan after the school was cited for an illegal contract.

During a meeting of the authority Sept. 8, top state officials gave the school's president, Tim Keown, a brief tongue-lashing. "If this were my audit and you came back here again with something like this next year, there will be different people standing here," Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr. said. "Make no mistake, this is unacceptable."

Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom said he was surprised that school officials failed to give auditors basic documents, which he called a "violation of state law and regulations," and added: "Going forward, I propose we look very carefully over the new president's shoulder, as a partner with him, to get the situation at John de la Howe corrected."

Earlier this year, Keown defended the school's financial practices to The Post and Courier and The Index-Journal.

But in a statement Sept. 8, Keown said "we accept the audit findings."

Instead of hiring staff, his statement said, "we should have hired a general contractor for the renovations, and we will from here on out on future projects."

The audit comes on the heels of another critical report by the state inspector general that concluded officials violated state purchasing laws and needed ethics training.

Both examinations followed a Post and Courier Uncovered investigation in April that revealed numerous cases of questionable spending, especially payments to contractors from Edgefield.

Follow-up investigations by The Index-Journal, an Uncovered partner, exposed how school leaders with Edgefield ties funneled hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to their contractors of choice.

Spending records also revealed that school officials broke up jobs into smaller ones, sidestepping state rules that require competitive bids.

In their new report, state auditors confirmed that more than $1.5 million in taxpayer-funded work violated rules for competitive bidding and that school officials steered "business to favored vendors."

School officials also flouted rules designed to prevent bid rigging, with vendors sending bids to facility managers instead of procurement officials. Auditors recommended improvements to "ensure the integrity of the bid process."

These and other faults highlight the school's rocky effort to reinvent itself.

With roots stretching back to 1797, the school was used as an orphanage and later as a haven for troubled youths. In 2018, the school's board shifted its focus toward making it the state's third and newest governor's school, joining the highly touted Arts and Humanities in Greenville and Math and Science in Hartsville.

Led first by interim President Sharon Wall of Edgefield, the school hired Ken Durham as director of facilities. Durham is mayor of Edgefield. It also hired Scott Mims as Durham's deputy. Mims serves on Edgefield City Council.

One troubling practice in the audit described how school officials gave different details about projects to different bidders, then gave other vendors modified specifications after seeing initial cost estimates.

For instance, the school sought bids for sidewalk demolition and paving. A Georgetown contractor offered a $79,919 quote to remove 12,610 square feet of concrete and install 7,910 feet of sidewalk. The final work, which totaled $70,000 between two contracts, was less than a quarter of that size.

The winning bidder was a company run by Mims' business partner.

During the authority's meeting Wednesday, Eckstrom described the bidding discrepancies as "serious violations" that were "suspicious" and "questionable." One example: a bid that was dated before a bid request. Another: The school sent instructions to a contractor to begin work before the date of the winning bid.

"I think you and your business office really need to double down on sound business practices because what the auditors found were not sound business practices," Eckstrom said.

Auditors also said Wall, the previous head of the school, negotiated a $224,394 consulting contract during her tenure that state officials deemed illegal.

The report didn't name the company, but the details match those of Student Centered Education Consulting Group.

When Wall left the school in 2020, she immediately joined the company, earning a $1,500 per day consulting fee. She did so despite a state ethics law requiring a one-year cooling-off period.

Wall did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Keown told the board, which also includes Gov. Henry McMaster, that his staff is already making changes suggested in the report.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
A section of barrier wall along a five-mile stretch on Interstate 85 in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties will be removed earlier than scheduled by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

SCDOT announced Sept. 7 the chute between mile markers 81 and 86 will be removed by Sept. 15. Once this is completed, the rest of the chute will be removed from mile markers 87 to 91, according to SCDOT. The chute was installed in 2020 for motorists traveling through single-lane construction as part of an Interstate 85 widening project. Since January, four people have been killed in vehicle crashes in the chute. Three were killed July 15 in a multi-vehicle crash.

On July 21, SCDOT said the chute would be removed as soon as feasible to reduce risk to motorist traveling through the construction zone.

"It is expected that it will take several nights to shift the five miles (mile markers 81 to 86) of wall along this section of the chute," SCDOT said in a released statement. "Traffic will remain in its current configuration until the entire five miles of barrier wall has been shifted."

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The removal of the first five miles of chute is 30 days ahead of schedule. South Carolina Highway Patrol will continue to monitor traffic along the chute for additional safety. The speed limit along the construction zone was lowered from 55 mph to 45, and the speed limit in the chute was lowered to 35 mph.

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler told The Post and Courier the chute proved to be a "most dangerous piece of engineering." There have been no other fatal vehicle crashes in the chute since July 15.

"I applaud them for their efforts in doing so (removing the chute)," Fowler said. "They should remove the rest of it. Obviously, they realized it's dangerous and doesn't work."
The State Law Enforcement Division has opened an investigation into a Summerton councilman who failed to disclose his involvement with the small towns problem-plagued water systems, which are the focus of a separate probe by state and federal authorities.

The investigation into Chalmers Stukes began in August, according to SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby.

In June, The Post and Courier and The Sumter Item reported that Stukes did not disclose his employment with the company the town hired to operate its water systems. And that he did not recuse himself from votes that could benefit the business. Both omissions appear to violate state law.

Stukes did not respond to a phone message requesting comment on Sept. 7. One of his attorneys, Shaun Kent, declined to discuss the inquiry.

Its probably unfair to make a comment at this point. SLED has not reached out to us as of yet," Kent said. "Clearly, the news media has more information than we do."

SLED's investigation adds a new layer to mounting scrutiny of the situation in Summerton. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control and the federal Environmental Protection Agency are investigating the town's water systems. A spokesperson for DHEC, which regulates drinking water, said the investigation by the agencies is ongoing.

Documents obtained by the newspapers showed that an outside consultant had found major problems with Summerton's systems: unrepaired equipment, missing paperwork and insect poison scattered around drinking wells. A state health inspector said that systems no longer met state standards and some people were told for months to boil their water.

Council members in the town, located about 50 miles southeast of Columbia, said they only learned about the issues after residents complained about illnesses and cloudy drinks. In response, Summerton officials this spring ended the town's contract with Stukes' employer, Blackman Laboratory, which had a role in the towns water systems for decades.

Crosby, the SLED spokesman, declined to release additional information about the agency's investigation because it is ongoing.

The previous story about Stukes was part of Uncovered, a yearlong initiative in which The Post and Courier has teamed up with community newspapers to expose government misconduct across South Carolina. In cases like Summertons, reporters have found that the states weak ethics enforcement allows apparent violations and conflicts of interest to go unchecked.

State law requires officials to disclose money they make from government contractors. It also requires them to list all their sources of income, from public and private entities. For years, Stukes never mentioned Blackman Laboratory in electronic filings with the State Ethics Commission. And he has not updated his filings since the story published, records show.

Meghan Walker, the executive director for the state ethics agency, said she could not confirm nor deny whether Stukes was the subject of a complaint.
Berks County employers learn that they have a legal leg to stand on if they demand that workers get vaccinated but will any? They are also concerned about attracting employees.
Montco Courts

Upper Merion man held for trial on charges he beat his infant son
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The Wall Street Journal has a long feature up today on the fact that in larger and larger numbers men have decided not to go to college. But despite its length and depth, the story is too chicken to investigate what may be the leading cause of this trend.

Lets take in some excerpts:

Men are abandoning higher education in such numbers that they now trail female college students by record levels. At the close of the 2020-21 academic year, women made up 59.5% of college students, an all-time high, and men 40.5%, according to enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit research group. U.S. colleges and universities had 1.5 million fewer students compared with five years ago, and men accounted for 71% of the decline. . . No reversal is in sight. Women increased their lead over men in college applications for the 2021-22 school year3,805,978 to 2,815,810by nearly a percentage point compared with the previous academic year . . .

But the really interesting detail is conveyed in this bit:

Enrollment rates for poor and working-class white men are lower than those of young Black, Latino and Asian men from the same economic backgrounds. . .

So it is not just men, but specifically white men, who are bailing out of college most. But the Journal is too terrified to look deeper into what this fact might mean. The best they can do is:

No college wants to tackle the issue under the glare of gender politics, said Ms. Delahunty, the enrollment consultant. The conventional view on campuses, she said, is that men make more money, men hold higher positions, why should we give them a little shove from high school to college?

Yes, I can imagine no one is willing to risk their position on a college campus asking, Im wondering if it might be something we said? Im sitting here scratching my head, wondering if there could be any reason why young white men might find todays college experience unappealing?

By coincidence, former Hollywood starlet Ellen Barkin chose yesterday to post this timely and related tweet:

Thats a pretty good summary of the official attitude and campus climate for white males today. I dont think I really need to repeat the catechism about whiteness, patriarchy, Title IX enforcement mechanisms that deprive males of due process, diversity, equity, and inclusion (which pointedly does not and cannot include white males), the mandatory training sessions that are in essence Maoist confessionals, and all the rest of the woke vocabulary do I?

This sent me back to an old essay by Aaron Wildavsky, the legendary Berkeley political scientist who noticed starting back in the 1980s that the Democratic Party was increasingly turning away from white males; not just turning away, but making them into the premier oppressor class (or scapegoat) on whom blameand remedial taxationshould be heaped (and keep in mind that Wildavsky was a lifelong loyal liberal Democrat):

A tale from India tells of how the world rests upon a huge elephant. Upon being asked who holds the elephant up, and Indian man responds that the elephant stands on an even bigger turtle. And who, the questioning continues, holds up the turtle? Why, the response goes, its turtles all the way down. My theory is that the Democratic party [has] . . . made the white working male into the turtle of American political life. . .

From here Wildavsky goes on to explain what is evident today, namely, why Democrats want open borders and hopes to change the denominator of the American electorate with the importation of pro-Democratic minorities:

The Democratic party expanded the category of the deprived so that it included a good two-thirds of the population. Begin with women, who constitute some 52 percent of the population. Add racial and ethnic minorities, whom compose around one-fifth of the today. . . At least two-third of the population is defined as deprived. . . To the question of who should pay to provide for this elephantiasis of the deprived, the Democrats give the same answer, Turtles all the way down. The categories that make up the Democratic partys vision of the deprived are urged to protest that they have not gotten their due. They are told to organize, mobilize, to make demands. In sum, the deprived have interests it is their duty to declare so that others can meet their obligations. Turtles, however, had obligations, but not, it seems, interests. . . [Democrats are] a party that delegitimizes the nations second largest constituencywhite, working, Christian males. . . Eventually even turtles get tired.

At which point they vote for Donald Trump, can cause liberal elites to lose their damn minds. And wonder why males doesnt want to attend Woke University and signup for their classes.

P.S. There is this additional paragraph late in the Wall Street Journal story worth noting:

Young men get little help, in part, because schools are focused on encouraging historically underrepresented students. Jerlando Jackson, department chair, Education Leadership and Policy Analysis, at the University of Wisconsins School of Education, said few campuses have been willing to spend limited funds on male underachievement that would also benefit white men, risking criticism for assisting those who have historically held the biggest educational advantages.

And colleges think young white men dont notice this?
The obituary of coal as an energy source has been written many times, but rumors of coals death are premature, as two stories in the news show. In the U.K., Britain is forced to fire up coal plant amid record power prices and winter squeeze.

Like the U.S., Britain has been relying increasingly on wind power. Funny thing about thatit doesnt work when the wind stops blowing.

Energy prices have spiked to a record high in Britain after calm weather shut down the countrys wind turbines amid a global shortage of natural gas. Wholesale power costs surged to more than four times their normal level, forcing officials to fire up coal-based plants to handle demand. It is feared the high prices will continue into winter as the weather gets colder, raising fears over household bills and putting a string of energy suppliers at risk of going bust.

A global natural gas shortage? The U.S. might do something about that, if we had an administration that was not determined to shut down one of our cleanest energy sources, along with nuclear power. More:

Electricity prices reached an all-time high of 240 per megawatt hour on Friday and were trading at 219.46 per MwH on the N2EX exchange on Monday morning. The squeeze was worsened by a slump in wind output in the UK. It dropped as low as 474 megawatts, compared to a record of 14,286 megawatts on May 21, according to analysis by Bloomberg, as a three-day heatwave settled across much of England and Wales. Wind now provides about 20pc of the UKs electricity throughout the year, but this varies hugely day by day. At 7pm this evening, real time data showed Britain was getting 45.6pc of its power from gas-fired turbines, 13.5pc from nuclear power plants, 5.5pc from wind and 12.3pc from interconnectors to the continent and Northern Ireland. 5.5pc was coming from coal. National Grid ESO, which balances Great Britains power supply, asked EDF to switch on two coal-fired units at its West Burton A station this morning to help meet demand.

Coal has its faults, but unlike wind and solar, it is reliable and cheap.

Global demand for coal continues to grow, and Australia is a major exporter. A representative of the United Nations requested or demanded that Australia stop producing and selling coal. The government told the U.N. to pound sand.

A United Nations demand for Australia to accept coals days are numbered was comprehensively rejected Monday with a lawmaker in Canberra promising the future of the vital export and job creator will be decided by the Australian Government, not a foreign body. If the world does not rapidly phase out coal, climate change will wreak havoc right across the Australian economy: from agriculture to tourism, and right across the services sector, [Selwin Hart, the U.N.s assistant secretary-general and special adviser on climate action] said. Australias Resources Minister Keith Pitt shot back by affirming coal would remain a significant contributor to the Australian economy well beyond 2030. The future of this crucial industry will be decided by the Australian Government, not a foreign body that wants to shut it down costing thousands of jobs and billions of export dollars for our economy, Pitt said, according to the Australian Associated Press. He pointed to three months to July that saw coal exports soar to $12.5 billion  a 26 per cent increase on the previous quarter  as evidence of just how vital the commodity remains to the Australian economy and the jobs that go with it, the AAP report said. Coal will continue to generate billions of dollars in royalties and taxes for state and federal governments, and directly employ over 50,000 Australians, Pitt added, in a direct challenge to climate activists who join the U.N. in demanding Australia cease and desist the practive.

Support for green energy is a mile wide and an inch deep. Most people express favorable opinions of green energy, which is not surprising since the propaganda begins in kindergarten. But support for wind and solar evaporates quickly when energy prices triple or quadruple, and most of all, when blackouts begin.
In an earlier post, I discussed how top jobs in the new Taliban government will be held by leaders with close ties to al Qaeda. But theres more to this story.

You can find a list of the Taliban cabinet members here. It includes four terrorists who were released by the U.S. in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl.

The four are:

Mullah Norullah Nori (Acting Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs)

Mohammed Fazl (Defense Deputy Minister)

Khairullah Khairkhwa (Acting Minister of Information and Culture)

Abdul Haq Wasiq (Acting Director of Intelligence)

Wasiq was deputy head of the same key agency when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s

The inclusion of these four comes as no surprise. All of them (plus the fifth terrorist freed in the Bergdahl deal) were among the Taliban members who participated in negotiating the infamous peace deal with the Trump administration.

At the time, close observers of Afghanistan expressed concern that the inclusion of the five, all of whom were close to Mullah Mohammed Omar in the regime the U.S. overthrew, signaled that the Taliban hadnt changed and, upon gaining power, would rule as it did under Omar. For example, Haroun Mir, an Afghan political analyst, warned:

The Taliban are bringing back their old generation, which means the Taliban have not changed their thinking or their leadership.

The Talibans cabinet selections, from top to bottom, confirm this assessment.

Im pretty sure Donald Trump, who denounced the Bergdahl deal, understood that the Taliban hadnt reformed. Heck, even Joe Biden probably did. Neither cared.

But they should have. We overthrew the Taliban for a reason. It abetted anti-Western terrorism.

We imprisoned the Bergdahl five for a reason. They are murderers and terrorists.

The best Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defense at the time of the deal, could say about the five was that they were not the most radical prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. Great.

To be sure, the fact that the Taliban hasnt changed its leadership and its ideology doesnt mean it will behave the same way as before with regard to the U.S. Its possible that fear of U.S. intervention will cause the Taliban to try to prevent al Qaeda and other such groups from using Afghanistan as a springboard for terrorism against America.

But its also possible that the Taliban wont fear future intervention. Given the approach of both the Trump and Biden administrations, the Taliban might well conclude that the U.S. wont return to Afghanistan and, to avoid doing so, would accept Taliban denials of any responsibility for attacks on the America by al Qaeda, for example.

Thats pretty much what I have concluded.
President Biden engineered the humiliating disgrace of the United States in Afghanistan. It will travel far with us along our road. Biden wants both to celebrate it as a glorious victory and to move on.

Yesterday Biden turned his attention, such as it is, to the climate. Biden seeks to get the climate under control. Biden was out stumping on the climate in New York and New Jersey. The damned thing is always changing and occasionally manifests in a most destructive fashion  for example, in what we used to call tornadoes (video below).

What do we call them now? We used to call a question such as this a brain twister. Iowahawk penetrates the Biden fog. Exit brain twister: the plural of tornado.

all the cool kids call 'em 'twisty boys'https://t.co/NbeRLzkn4q  David Burge (@iowahawkblog) September 7, 2021
Yes, no matter what

Yes, but it depends on variety

No, for medical reasons, uncertainty

No, principle

Vote

View Results
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Naira clinched a meagre gain against the U.S. dollar at the official market on Tuesday as it exchanged hands with the foreign currency at N410.67 per $1.

This represents a N0.46 or 0.11 per cent appreciation from the N411.13 rate it traded in the previous session on Monday.

Foreign exchange supply dipped by 31.34 per cent with $128.11 million recorded at the market segment as against the $97.54 million posted in the previous session on Monday.

Naira touched an intraday high of N400.00 and a low of N412.95 at the trading session before closing at N410.67 at the close of business on Tuesday.

However, the currency remained stable at the black market window at the close of the days trading.

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According to abokiFX.com, a website that collates the parallel market rates in Lagos, the currency exchange hands with the greenback currency at N532.00.The same rate it traded in the previous session on Monday.

The spread between the unofficial and official market rates stood at N121.33 as of the close of business on Tuesday, which leaves a disparity of 22.81 per cent.
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Bandits suspected to be fleeing Nigerian Air Force attacks in the Bakura  Talata Mafara axis of Zamfara State on Tuesday stormed Dange Shuni local government area of Sokoto and kidnapped at least 20 residents.

There is an ongoing clampdown on bandits in forests in Zamfara State.

The military operation has been supported with the shutdown of mobile telecommunications networks and suspension of cattle markets and ban of sale of petrol in jerry cans.

States like Sokoto, Katsina,and Niger have all taken similar measures.

Residents of Dange Shuni local government area, however, told BBC Hausa as monitored by PREMIUM TIMES that communities in the area were witnessing influx of bandits recently.

Sokoto State Commissioner for Security Affairs, Garba Moyi, confirmed the development but said the state government was on top of the situation.

He said bandits from Zamfara had been moving into Sokoto but were not kidnapping people as being reported because they were only looking for escape routes.

Mr Moyi confirmed that sometimes the bandits attacked residents to instill fear or steal food while on the run.

An unnamed local, said Even yesterday (Tuesday) the bandits running away from bombs in Zamfara attacked a village called Fajanbi and abducted nine people.

Another person taken from another village escaped and told us that abductees from the area were more than 20 in the kidnappers den.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has described Saturdays local government elections in the state as a victory for democracy.

He also said the peaceful elections will foster unity in the volatile state.

Mr El-Rufai stated this in a broadcast on Tuesday.

Competitive elections

The governors party, the APC, won 15 of the 17 chairmanship seats whose results have so far been declared, while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the other two.

The polls were postponed in four of the states 23 local government areas to September 25, over security concerns.

The governor, however, lost his polling unit of Unguwar Sarki in Kaduna North LGA to the opposition PDP.

But the APC also won in the home councils of top PDP chieftains, including former Vice President Namadi Sambo and former Governor Ahmed Makarfi.

Below is the full text of the governors broadcast.

With utmost humility, I wish to express profound gratitude to the people of Kaduna State for the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of the local government elections of 4th September 2021.

On behalf of the Kaduna State Government, I pay tribute to the residents of our state for their maturity and sophistication in exercising their democratic right to freely choose their leaders at the local level.

As Governor of Kaduna State, I have always taken the view that we all win when democracy triumphs. We congratulate all the winners in the local government elections and challenge them to use their period in office to serve the people, uphold democratic tenets and promote peace in our state. These local government elections have demonstrated that the APC government of Kaduna State stands resolutely for free and fair elections. We have placed the credibility and integrity of the electoral process above the discredited practice of previous governments that sought to win every contested seat by all means

I commend the people of Kaduna State for showing, for the second time, that there is no obstacle to the successful adoption of electronic voting technology in Nigeria. In 2021, the people of Kaduna State have repeated the conclusive argument first made in 2018 for our country as a whole to fully automate the voting process.

Voters in Kaduna State first made history on 12th May 2018 when they cast their ballots on electronic voting machines to elect chairmen and councillors for the 23 local government councils in our state. It is the participation of our people that has placed Kaduna State as the first in Nigeria to use electronic voting, the first subnational in Africa to do so and has also positioned Nigeria as only the second country in Africa after Namibia to use the technology.

The local government elections of 4th September 2021 further validate the Kaduna State Governments decision to invest in Electronic Voting Machines to promote electoral integrity and transparency. Kaduna State is proudly upholding a new chapter in elections in Nigeria, using electronic voting technology, championed by a government that is determined to respect the outcome, win or lose.

As an elected governor, I welcome the successful impact on deepening democracy of the policy decision we took to adopt electronic voting. It is our hope that elected leaders at the local level will use their democratic mandates to advance the reforms we have introduced in local government administration in the interest of our people.

As leader of the APC in Kaduna State, I wish to express fulsome gratitude to the people of Kaduna State for the support they gave our candidates during the local government elections. Our people again demonstrated with their votes that they recognise our efforts to empower them, to educate their children properly, to secure better healthcare for them and to return their priorities to the heart of government.

I am particularly pleased that our governance attainments and determined efforts to promote democracy are helping to further unity in our state. We welcome the results in the Kaduna South Senatorial District as a significant step in advancing political consensus in our state and overcoming division.

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We are most grateful to the people of the Kaduna South Senatorial District whose votes have helped expand the APCs footprint in the area. The voters have given the APC victory in four of the seven local government where elections were conducted in southern Kaduna.

In addition to retaining Sanga and Kagarko which we won in 2018, the APC has won in Jemaa and Kauru local government councils. The unprecedented victory in Jemaa augurs well for advancing unity and commitment to common endeavours in the interest of unity, peace and progress in our state. It is an embrace that we do not take for granted. We accept it as a moment for opening new vistas, extending bridges and saying farewell to needless divisions.

This emphatic statement at the ballot box has shattered the unhelpful myth that any part of our state is an impregnable stronghold of any party. It has removed the baseless stereotyping of certain parties as ethnic bastions and religious vehicles. I call on all leaders and citizens in our state to cherish this moment and make it the beginning of an enduring rapprochement. I say to every part of Kaduna State that we can achieve much together if we put our minds and our hearts to it.

Once again, I thank all the people of Kaduna State. It is humbling and reassuring that after six years in office, our people find our record of service compelling enough to vote for us. Our opponents portrayed the local government elections as a referendum on the performance of our government. The people have repudiated the vain hopes of an entitled segment of the political elite that our people would punish us at the polls for taking consequential decisions in favour of ordinary people.

The people have spoken again, and their views resoundingly denounce the selfish claims of political merchants. They have rejected populist timidity as credible political behaviour in a state that seeks rapid and enduring progress.

Our party has won a great victory across the state. We salute those who voted for us. We did not win every local government, although we campaigned hard to do well everywhere. And having worked hard to make our case to the people, we respect the views of those who chose differently!

We have restored democracy at the local level. We have reformed the local government system, enabling them to deliver services at the grassroots and for the bankrupt ones to move to solvency. And we hope that the newly elected officials will run these councils in an inspiring, new way. The elected chairmen and councillors, of any party, assume a sacred obligation to deliver for the people, to move closer to realising the goal for which they were established. We are convinced that democratic governance at the local level must have a substantive, real impact in the lives of people.

I wish to put on record our gratitude for the efforts of Dr. Saratu Dikko- Audu and her team at SIECOM for successfully repeating a revolution in election management in Nigeria. I thank the security agencies for providing a safe canopy for our people to joyfully exercise their democratic preferences.

However, we have sadly noted that those political forces that do not want free and fair elections tried to sabotage the process. We will investigate and prosecute those indicted.

As a government, we are grateful for this resounding endorsement. We do not have much time to savour the victory. We get back to work, to continue to do our best until the next elections.

God bless Kaduna State!

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
The State Security Service (SSS) has filed five terrorism charges against two associates of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Jamiu Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde were accused of committing acts of terrorism, including being in possession of prohibited firearms, and over 1,500 rounds of ammunition without lawful authority.

The secret police also accused them of involving in activities in preparation to commit acts of terrorism.

In the fifth count which concerns only Ms Babatunde, SSS alleged that she used her Facebook account as a platform to promote terrorist activities.

The details of the acts of terrorism or terrorist activities were not provided in the charges.

Their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, described the charges as baseless, vexatious, shameful and without limbs.

The charges filed on September 1, 2021, came two months after the two defendants were arrested along with 10 other associates of Mr Adeyemo in an early morning raid on his home in Ibadan, Oyo State, on July 1.

All the 12 were illegally detained without charge for 61 days, in defiance of a court order granting them bail, before eight of them were released on August 29.

SSS, a governments secret service notorious for little regard for court orders, subsequently released two others  Tajudeen Oyinloye and Uthman Adelabu  on September 3.

The eight detainees earlier released by the agency are: Abideen Shittu, Abdullateef Onaolapo, Ayobami Donald, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Dikeola Ademola, Bamidele Sunday, Raji Kazeem, and Taiwo Tajudeen.

Mr Oyetunji and Ms Babatunde have remained in detention after the 10 other defendants were released.

Although filed on September 1, the charges against the two remaining detainees were only served on the defence on Wednesday, a period of a week after the filing, their lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Olajengbesi also confirmed that the case has yet to be assigned to a judge and no date has been fixed for arraignment.

Charges in detail

All the five counts in the newly filed case border on terrorism.

The case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/305/2021 was filed on behalf of two SSS lawyers  S.M Bello and M. I Bennett, who accused the defendants of violating various provisions of the Terrrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 and Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention e.t.c.) Act, 2015.

In the first count, the prosecution alleged that Mr Oyetunji, Ms Babatunde with others still at large, on July 1, at the residence of Sunday Igboho in Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State did conspire to commits acts of terrorism, to wits possession of prohibited firearms: contrary to Section 17 of Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

It similarly alleged in the second count that both defendants did have in your possession, without lawful authority, the under-listed prohibited fire arms in violation of section 1(3)(c)(v) of the Terrorism Prevention Act CAP 10, 2011 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.

The prohibited arms which the defendants were allegedly caught with include five (5) AK 47 rifles with serial numbers 04956, 213740, 8673, 945999 and 6139 respectively.

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Also listed among them are two (2) AK 47 rifles with unidentifiable serial numbers; two (2) pump action rifles with serial numbers 8836 and 9398 respectively.

The rest are one (1) pump-action with unidentifiable serial number, and one (1) stun gun.

In the third count, the prosecution also accused the two defendants of in possession of 1,295 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 221 live rounds of 5.56mm ammunition without lawful authority.

The act, according to the prosecution is contrary to Section 1(3)(c)(v) of the Terrorism Prevention Act CAP 10, 2011 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) act 2013.

The fourth court alleged that the two defendants involved yourselves in activities in preparation to commit acts of Terrorism contrary to Section 21 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.

Ms Babatunde, the only named defendant in the fifth count, was accused of using her Facebook account at Okeare area of Ibadan, Oyo State as a platform to promote terrorist activities contrary to Section 18(1 & 2) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015.

Almost three weeks after the futile attempt to arrest him during the July 1 raid on his home, Sunday Igboho was apprehended in the Republic of Benin while trying to board a Germany-bound flight with his wife on July 19.

While his wife has been released, he is still being held in custody in the neighbouring country, facing proceedings.

Concerns

The charges are bound to heighten concerns about the Nigerian governments inconsistencies in the depiction of terrorism in the country.

The government has failed to declare the activities of criminals, referred to as bandits, causing mayhem and mass kidnapping for ransom in the North-west and North-central region of the country as terrorism.

Many have also suggested that the activities of criminal herders involved in violent activities such as kidnapping in different parts of the country should be declared as terrorism

Some have also attributed the escalation of these crimes in different parts of the country to the unevenness of governments handling of the criminals by being soft with the criminal herders while always rushing to declare other groups linked with violence terrorist organisations.
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Protests broke out Wednesday in El Salvador, after Bitcoin witnessed its biggest crash in nearly a month, just a day after the Central American nation became the first country in the world to adopt the popular cryptocurrency as a legal tender.

The countrys president, Nayib Bukele, announced on Monday that they had acquired roughly $21 million bitcoin worth in order to uplift the circulation of the digital currency among its citizens.

This came three months after the president had announced in June that he has sent a bill to the countrys parliament for a vote on the currencys adoption.

Lawmakers in the Central American country voted by a supermajority in favour of the Bitcoin Law, which received 62 out of 84 of the legislatures vote. The price of bitcoin was up 5 per cent to $34,239.17 shortly after the vote.

From today, businesses will be obliged where possible to accept the controversial digital coins as payment, a BBC report quoted the government as saying Tuesday.

Daniel Hercules, 26, a Salvadorian taxi driver expressed excitement by the move, but that he is also worried about how stable his earnings will be.

Ive accepted Bitcoin for about two months since I knew this was coming. I just had someone pay me $40 in Bitcoin for a fare to the airport but its rare. Only around 10% of customers prefer to pay with Bitcoin, the BBC quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, a survey by the Central American University (UCA) found that only 4.8 per cent of the 1,281 people who took part understood what Bitcoin is all about.

It was noted that more than 68 per cent of respondents said they disagreed with using cryptocurrency as a legal tender.

Bitcoin crashes

Nearly 24-hour after El Salvadors Bitcoin policy took effect, Bitcoin crashed to its lowest in nearly a month. It fell from the $52,000 benchmark it has been trading in days to below $43,000 at some point.

Over 1,000 protesters took to the streets of San Salvador to vent their plights, opposing the Latin American countrys adoption of Bitcoin as a legal tender.

The crash in the price of the currency happened as platforms such as Apple and Huawei refused to offer the government-backed digital wallet, called Chivo, which resulted in servers having to be pulled offline after user registrations could not be sustained.

Within this period, the coin experienced a low of $43,285.21 and oscillated to a high of $51,240.80 before settling at $$46,099.20 on Wednesday at 10.21 AM Nigerian time.

By implication, the price of the digital currency has plummeted by 29.34 per cent after it touched an all-time-high record of $64,829.14 in April, coinmarketcap.com data showed.
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The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has praised the Kaduna State Government for the peaceful conduct of its just concluded chairmanship and councillorship elections.

In the elections held on Saturday across the 23 local governments of the state, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won 15 of the 17 chairmanship seats while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched the remaining two seats.

The elections were postponed in four of the LGAs to September 25 for security reasons.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the victory of the PDP in Governor Nasir El-Rufais Unguwan Sarki polling unit in Kaduna North LGA.

Since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, most, if not all the LG elections conducted by the states across the federation, are usually won by the parties in power in the states, leaving nothing for the opposition.

As a result, some persons have called for the transfer of the power to conduct LG elections from the state independent electoral commissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a statement sent to this newspaper on Wednesday, the NSCIA, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, said the peaceful outcome of the election is a signal to a better political atmosphere in the state.

The Council considers the development as a glimmer of hope for constitutional democracy and a mark of integrity on the part of the electoral and political leaderships in the state, with specific reference to the recently conducted local council elections.

Before now, only very few discerning Nigerians have an iota of respect for the state electoral process because of the prevalence of the syndrome of who pays the piper calls the tune.

More often than not, the prefix of the Independent Electoral Commission is missing and it is always a zero-sum mindset for the party in power on whom the electoral umpires depend to announce results.

Those who head such electoral commissions also know that many people dont have any respect for them as they are always in cahoots with politicians in power to rob people of their votes and declare whichever party in power as having almost if not 100% of all positions in the contest, the body said in the statement signed by its Director of Administration, Zubairu Usman-Ugwu.

The NSCIA further praised Mr El-Rufai for his manner of handling the election process despite losing his ward to the main opposition party and urged other political leaders to allow democracy take its natural course in their respective states.

This, they said, will boost Nigerians confidence in the electoral system as well as politicians.

There is no disputing the significance of good politics to the wellbeing of the society. Religious freedom, economic development, healthy environment, human security, peaceful coexistence, good governance and general progress are offshoots of political choices and policies. The Council is convinced that if Nigeria gets her politics right at all levels, everything shall be all right across board, with positive multiplier effects on the society.

Using the Kaduna example as a metaphor, therefore, the Council calls on Nigerians, Muslims especially, to always do the right thing and do their things right in order to serve as models in line with the Quranic injunction of being the best ummah (Q3: 110). This applies not only to politics but also the personal life of individuals, the NSCIA said.
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A gang of suspected gunmen on Tuesday killed a tipper driver, Tajudeen Adelanwa, popularly called Olota at Oke-Ata junction of Ibara-Orile road in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

A family member of the deceased, Haruna Yusuf, said the incident occurred at about 7 p.m. He said the deceased was having a conversation with his colleagues by the roadside when the gunmen opened fire on him.

Mr Yusuf said Olota was hit in the stomach and was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Abeokuta where he died.

As of the time of filing this report, the corpse has been transferred to State Hospital, Abeokuta, to extract the bullet and conduct a post mortem.

Mr Yusuf said the report of the incident was made at Lafenwa police station.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident, and added that investigation has commenced.

It was gathered that the deceased, a father of two girls aged 12 and 6, lost his wife two years ago. Burial arrangements, according to Islamic rights, are ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
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The Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru, on Wednesday, sacked the Executive Secretary, Jigawa State and Local Government Contributory Pension Scheme Board, Hashimu Fagam.

The governor also approved the appointment of Kamilu Musa as the acting Executive Secretary of the board.

The governor did not state his reason for removing Mr Fagam.

But PREMIUM TIMES gathered that it was possibly connected to a protest by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the ruling partys congress in Gwaram LGA.

The aggrieved party members took the protest to the Government House, demanding the cancellation of the congress in their council area.

Mr Fagam and the federal lawmaker representing Gwaram, Shittu Galambi, allegedly sponsored the protesters.

Both men are against the governors choice of partys leaders in their area.

Mr Fagam is reportedly aspiring to an elective position.

No reason given

The governor, in a statement signed by the State Head of the Civil Service, Hussaini Kila, announced Mr Fagams dismissal.

The statement said, a professional accountant, Mr Musa would replace Mr Fagam as acting executive secretary.

Until his appointment, Mr Musa, was the deputy director accounts at the board.

The appointment of the new Executive Secretary is purely on merit, competency and personal integrity.

The appointment is with immediate effect, the statement said.
The need for accurate data in the mining sector is behind the recent launch of airborne geophysical survey operations by the Nigerian government in partnership with the World Bank, the director general of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Rasak Garba, has told PREMIUM TIMES in an exclusive interview.

Mr Garba, in a telephone interview with our reporter, said the operation is part of the countrys Mineral Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) Project.

According to the DG, the World Bank had engaged some companies to carry out the operations and these companies were responsible for the recent launch of two aircraft to commence the operation.

Aircraft and acquisition

The agencys helmsman also debunked the claim that the Nigerian government acquired the two mini aircraft for the airborne geophysical survey operations, describing as misleading the reports in some dailies that the government acquired the aircraft.

Mr Garba said the agency has previously embarked on a high altitude geophysical survey covering the entire country with the discovery of some areas regarded as proof of concept.

These are the areas we think based on our interpretation are considered good but then we need to do what we call high resolution that would help get a closer look at prospective areas for generation of necessary information, he said.

He added that 19 states were identified based on-going mining activities in some areas and the availability of previously gathered airborne data that suggest there might be some potential mineralisation or host to mineralisation in those areas for the airborne activities to kick-start the project.

So based on this we carved out those areas and designed a flight pattern for the survey to be carried out, he added.

He said the aircraft will be flying as low as 50 metres (approximately 15 storey-building) to enhance high resolution images.

Sensitisation

However, the director general said to avoid panic by the people who might be scared of the sight and sound of the aircraft and in order not to misconstrue the operations for acts of terrorism, the agency had embarked on sensitisation activities in the concerned states.

I have been on a sensitisation programme in Kwara while some of my colleagues have been to Kaduna and others have gone to other parts of the country such as Ekiti and Ondo States. We have engaged the government officials and traditional rulers in these states to assist us in passing the information.

We also made fliers and jingles on the radio so that people will not think Boko Haram is taking over the place. The essence is to sensitise the people.

Endorsement

Some persons have applauded the government for the efforts, saying if properly done, the data that may be derived would attract both local and foreign investments to the sector.

They said the sector contributes less than one per cent to the national gross domestic product (GDP) despite several reforms geared towards repositioning the sector as a major revenue driver.

In his reaction, the president, Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kabiru Kankara, said his organisation is delighted by what he described as a laudable foresight.

Having these types of aircraft that can help enhance data collection and data capturing of our reserves and mineral locations is long overdue and we are happy it became reality. We hope the NGSA will take the opportunity to enhance their data collection and data acquisition programme. This would go a long way for exploration activities.

We are excited as miners because this is what we have been waiting for. And it will go a long way in enhancing the confidence of our foreign partners and investors. No investor will come and invest in any environment when there is no proper data that can guide you to know if it is viable or not. So it is a welcome development.

About the NGSA

The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development which is charged with the responsibility of providing updated relevant geoscience information necessary for economic development of the country.

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The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the health and education sectors.

The group also wants the government to immediately convoke education and health summits to comprehensively address the challenges facing the sectors.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its president, Francis Oke, a bishop, it noted that the summit would bring together stakeholders in both sectors including state and local governments, the private sector, development partners, non-governmental organisations, labour unions, students and other interest groups.

Their coming together should generate a policy framework which will serve as the basis for immediate, long-term and lasting solutions to put an end to the unending crises in the sectors, the statement reads in part.

On doctors strike

Mr Oke also condemned the attitude of the federal government towards the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

We are particularly worried that in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, cholera epidemic and other health emergencies, the government did not take advantage of the 21-day notice given by the doctors to resolve the issues and prevent this avoidable crisis that has led to loss of lives and worsening of the condition in an already imperilled sector.

He said PFN is aware of the warning given to the FG by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the 15-day ultimatum by the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals Association (JOHESU), as well as the notice by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which might plunge the two sectors into another round of crisis.

He, therefore, called on the government to immediately address all the issues, which the unions allege stem from the failure of the government to keep to previous agreements.

Brain drain

Speaking on brain drain in the medical field, he said the group is concerned about the doctor-patient ratio in the country.

The government is not putting the right foot forward to address the increasing wave of doctors and other professionals migrating abroad in search of greener pastures. A situation where we have over 20,000 Nigerian-born physicians practicing in the United Kingdom while we have less than 40,000 doctors on the register at home does not augur well for the country, PFN said.

PFN said it is pleased that the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, a professor, is making efforts to resolve the NARD issue.
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The police in Lagos have arrested three suspects who allegedly conspired to murder a 27-year-old Uber driver, Morenikeji Stephen, and made away with his Toyota Corolla saloon car.

This was contained in a statement released on Wednesday, by Adekunle Ajisebutu, the police spokesperson.

Mr Ajisebutu said the suspects gruesomely murdered the driver and were arrested by detectives attached to the Meiran Police Division in the state.

The police said the suspects requested the service of the Uber driver online, lured him to the Meiran area and strangled him to death.

The suspects, after the dastardly act, dumped his body on the Abule Egba bridge, along the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway and made away with his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with Reg. No. KSF 830 GX.

Following a report by the victims fiancee at the Police Division on 6th September, 2021, detectives immediately put in motion investigation mechanisms which led to the arrest of the suspects in their criminal hideouts, and recovery of the stolen car, the statement reads.

The suspects are Rilwan Nasiru, 27, Sodiq Taiwo, 23, and Oladimeji, 20.

Mr Ajisebutu, a chief superintendent of police, said the police commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, was pleased with the arrest of the suspects, though saddened by the incident.

The police boss has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.

Mr Odumosu commiserated with the victims family, and assured that no stone would be left unturned to diligently prosecute the case.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that 186 murder suspects were arrested in Lagos between January and August this year, with a number of them being prosecuted in court.
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Gunmen on Wednesday kidnapped a retired lecturer of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, who was reportedly travelling from Abeokuta to Imasai town in Ogun State.

Fasasi Olanigan, who lives in Abeokuta, was with another occupant in his car when he was seized at the Isaga axis of the road by the gunmen

Mr Olanigans wife said the incident occurred at about 2 p.m. As of the time of this report, she said a report had been made at Lafenwa Police Headquarters and the kidnappers were yet to contact the family

The victims friend, who was in the Toyota Verso car during the incident and narrowly escaped, thereafter, raised the alarm to inform the family and friends of the kidnap.

A brother of the victim, Abass Olanigan, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Ogun State Civil Service, also confirmed the incident, adding that the kidnappers emerged from the bush to kidnap Mr Olanigan. He described the incident as worrisome because the victim, after his retirement in Offa, decided to relocate to a more peaceful Ogun State.

Following the incident, hunters in the neighbouring community made efforts to comb the bush, having seen the footprints of the kidnappers. Their attempts yielded little result, as of the time of filing this report.

Efforts to speak with Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, were unsuccessful.
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Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has relaxed the curfew in Jos North Local Government.

The Governor disclosed this in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs , Makut Macham in Jos.

Mr Lalong said the curfew in Jos North is now to be enforced from 10p.m. to 6a.m., with effect from Wednesday.

He said that the curfew was reviewed following the State Security Council meeting at Government House Jos, over the killings in the state .

The governor, however said, the curfew in Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas still remain from 10p.m. to 6a.m.

The governor also relaxed the total ban on operations of tricycles.

This means that no tricycle will be allowed to operate between the hours of 6p.m. to 6a.m.

However, the ban on motorcycles within the Jos/Bukuru Metropolis remains in force and will continue to ensure that violators are arrested and punished according to the law.

The government is working on innovations, legislations and enforcement modules, for enhancing security, effectiveness and availability of public transportation in the State.

It will soon be unveiled to ensure the safety of passengers, he said.

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He thanked the people of Plateau for their cooperation in complying to its directives, while urging them to continue to support the Government in restoring normalcy to the State.

Mr Lalong also thanked all stakeholders within and outside the State for their show of concern over recent attacks in Plateau.

He assured that his administration would continue to pursue the path of peaceful coexistence.

Mr Lalong also stated that criminals and crisis merchants bent on tarnishing the enviable image of the State, would be fished out and dealt with.
Trading resumed at the Kawo market in Kaduna on Tuesday as people defied an order by the state government suspending weekly markets in the state.

The government announced an indefinite suspension of trading at weekly markets, including the popular Kawo market in the state capital, last week.

The state Commissioner for Internal security, Samuel Aruwan, announced the measure through a statement.

The Kawo weekly market which usually holds every Tuesday in Kaduna North LGA has been suspended with immediate effect.

Kawo market is one of the largest weekly markets in Kaduna North.

It is located in the same area as the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the Hassan Usman Katsina House popularly known as State House and the Legislative Quarters.

However, thousands of traders and buyers returned to the market on Tuesday to trade as usual in defiance of the state government order.

PREMIUM TIMES reporter, who visited the market to observe the adherence to the order , saw people going about their business activities without concerns.

The market was filled to capacity.

Some traders, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, said they were aware of the suspension of the weekly market.

I bring yams from Zaria every Tuesday. I heard of the suspension but I knew there will be no enforcement. That is why I came today, a trader said.

Some vegetables sellers also spoke to our reporter in the same vein.

A civilian JTF member told our reporter that he was in the market. He said: Buyers and sellers return to the market to monitor the security.

Suspension of other markets

Before the suspension of trading at Kawo market, the state government had earlier suspended all weekly markets and selling of petrol in jerrrycans in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kajuru local government areas of the state.

The Government of Kaduna State wishes to highlight that the previous directives suspending weekly markets, and selling of petrol in jerrycans in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kajuru LGAs, as well as banning the felling of trees for timber, firewood and charcoal and other commercial purposes in Birnin Gwari, Kachia, Kajuru, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kauru LGAs, are still in force.

Citizens are hereby informed that all these directives will be vigorously enforced by security agencies, Mr Aruwan had said while announcing the measures.

Meanwhile, a resident of Gadar Gayan in Igabi local government told PREMIUM TIMES that all weekly markets in the area also opened despite the ban.

Calls to Mr Aruwans mobile phone did not get through as of the time of this report.

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As the process to select the 9th substantive vice-chancellor for the Lagos State University (LASU) continues, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged not to interfere in the process.

The governor said he does not have a personal interest in who becomes the next VC of LASU and that he has no intention of influencing the process, adding that due process would be followed in the appointment.

Mr Sanwo-Olu spoke on Tuesday while receiving members of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) who had paid him a courtesy visit.

He said; The process for the appointment of the substantive VC of LASU is ongoing and I can assure you that all the laws and due process that would lead to the appointment of the VC would be fully adhered to.

I have no intention to interfere or have any interest in the choice of who would be VC. We have put in the committee, men and women of impeccable character that have distinguished themselves and are willing to do for us a good job.

Promising to put in adequate and continuous funding for the state-owned tertiary institutions, he said plans are in top gear to establish two additional universities of technology and education in the state.

He also promised to assist the CVCNU to get back the title documents of its property situated at Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, in Lagos, saying the property would be released to the Committee at no cost.

Mr Sanwo-Olu also hinted that the Lagos State Government will support the committees forthcoming 60th-anniversary celebration which has been scheduled to hold next year.

Commendation

The AVCNU chairman, Samuel Edoumiekumo, a professor, commended the governor for rising to the occasion in the war against the rampaging coronavirus pandemic, adding that the ongoing metro rail system and the proposed 38-kilometre fourth mainland bridge project, are testimonies of a thoroughly focused government.

Mr Edoumiekumo said Mr Sanwo-Olus support as the Visitor to Lagos State University is commendable.

As Nigerias economic and social powerhouse, Lagos is arguably a mini-Nigeria and leader in its federation of states. Lagos sets the agenda and leads other states to emulate in economic development, innovation, good governance, and education, he said.

The chairman said the committee is desirous of working with key stakeholders to improve the nations university system as he called for a mutually rewarding partnership with both the people and the government of the state.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly on Tuesday countered each other over the electronic transmission of election results.

Against the stance of the National Assembly mandating the commission to get the approval of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for e-transmission of results, INEC said it does not owe the latter such constitutional obligation.

That is absolutely unconstitutional. You cannot ask INEC to seek the approval of another agency of government to transmit results electronically when actually INEC has power to impose duties on NCC to achieve electronic transmission of results.

I completely agree that in the context of underscoring the independence of the commission, section 160 of the Constitution has done everything it needs to do. What is left is for INEC to use the power it has under the constitution to achieve its aim, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Electoral Operations and Logistic Committee, Okechukwu Ibeanu, reportedly said at the commissions third quarterly meeting of INEC with media executives in Abuja.

Before proceeding on recess in July, the National Assembly, while voting on the amendment to the Electoral Act, rejected the section on electronic transmission of election results by INEC, saying the country was not ready for such.

The amended electoral act, if signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to improve the quality of Nigerias elections. Many observers have, however, faulted the lawmakers decision on the electronic transmission of results; saying that by making it subject to the approval of the NCC, the lawmakers were hindering INECs independence and efficiency.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how the NCC misled the lawmakers into believing that the country was not technologically prepared for electronic transmission of election results.

At Tuesdays meeting with the media executives and civil society organisations, INECs Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, reiterated the commissions intention to proceed with making the electoral system more credible through the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He said the BVAS would eliminate the electorates fear of identity theft as it would replace the Smart Card Reader (SCR) and Z-pad.

Senate Frowns

In his reaction to INECs latest stance on electronic transmission of results, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru, told the PUNCH newspaper that Mr Yakubu had misinterpreted item 22 and Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution and thereby misinformed the public.

INEC, in implementing the law, becomes independent pursuant to the constitutional provision. He (INEC chairman) should not muddle the independence of INEC with that of its agencys operations, as to the legislative competence of the National Assembly to stipulate framework for elections.

The INEC chairman does not seem to know the position of the law as to the constitutional power of INEC vis a vis the National Assembly from what he said. I will advise him to seek proper legal advice, he said.

PDP, APC react

Speaking on the matter, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said INEC does not require the approval of the NCC to transfer election results electronically since the constitution has given the commission the right to set a template for a smooth election.

The law establishing INEC gives it powers to set the template for the smooth conduct of elections; it was the same law it used to introduce the card reader which has improved our electoral system, the PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said.

On its part, the APC, which controls both chambers of the National Assembly, has been evasive on taking a formal stance on INECs position on electronic transmission of results. Although the majority of the lawmakers who voted against INECs request to transmit results electronically are members of the APC, the party has refused to formally make its position known.

When asked to speak on the matter on Tuesday, the interim secretary of the ruling party, John Akpanudoedehe, simply spoke on INECs independence.

INEC is the regulator of political parties; political parties cant tell it what to do. The APC, as you know, is a law-abiding party; we are always guided by the provisions of the law, Mr Akpanudoedehe said.
The Nigerian police have accused Olanrewaju Suraj, an anti-corruption advocate, of peddling allegedly fabricated evidence subjecting a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to media trial in respect of the Malabu oil saga.

Mr Adoke had petitioned the police, accusing Mr Suraj who chairs the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), an accountability and transparency advocacy group, of peddling the piece of evidence tendered in the Malabu oil trial in a court in Milan, Italy, where oil giants, Eni Shell, and along with their top officials were being prosecuted.

In their report of the investigation sent to Mr Adoke on request, the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit which handled the case, alleged that Mr Suraj circulated the information via his organisations social media accounts without verifying its authenticity.

The police also said Mr Surajs organisation is unregistered, a claim this newspaper found to be false by a mere check of the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

A thorough investigation was carried out and in the course of an investigation, it was evident that Mr Olarenwaju Suraju of Human and Environmental Development Agenda-an unregistered organisation, without verifying the authenticity of the purported telephone interview and email proceeded to use the social media handle of @HedaAgenda on Twitter and @HedaResourceCentre on Facebook to disseminate same, the report dated September 2, 2021, read in part.

Malabu controversy

The Malabu case, in which the email evidence complained about by Mr Adoke had featured, involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

Investigators and activists suspect Mr Etete fronted for top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, in the Eni and Shells controversial acquisition of OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks, which Mr Etete had awarded to his Malabu Oil and Gas Limited while serving as the petroleum minister in the late Sani Abacha regime.

Being the AGF who advised then Goodluck Jonathan administration on the OPL 245 transactions at the time, Mr Adoke has been repeatedly named in controversies connected with the deal.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has also accused Mr Adoke of accepting N300 million in bribes from Abubakar Aliyu, a controversial businessman and one of Mr Etetes cronies. The former minister rejected the allegations.

While Shell and Eni, alongside their managers, were the main defendants in the case in Italy and have been acquitted, Messrs Adoke, Etete and Aliyu have pending cases filed against them by the EFCC in Nigeria.

Adokes complaint

But Mr Adoke, before the acquittal in the Italian court in March, wrote to the Inspector General of Police, demanding an investigation into a piece of email evidence presented against him by prosecutors in the Malabu trial in Milan.

In the petition dated February 5, the former justice minister claimed that an email presented at the Italian court and purported to have originated from him was forged and presented in court to interfere with the course of justice.

The former minister told the police in his petition that those behind the alleged forgery were unknown to him, but urged the police authorities to expose them.

He also complained that some people, one of whom he suspected to be Mr Suraju, circulated the allegedly fake tape purporting it to be that of an interview he had with an Italian journalist where he admitted that the Malabu transaction was a scam.

He insisted that he granted no such interview, adding that the tape was concocted and circulated.

PREMIUM TIMES later reported how Mr Suraju, who with other anti-corruption activists gave support to the Italian prosecutors and petitioned the ex-officials in Nigeria, was detained by the (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Asokoro, Abuja, in April.

He was later released on bail after questioning.

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Police investigation

The police now alleged in the two-page report that Mr Suraj feigned sickness and jumped bail during investigations.

They said he resorted to issuing press statements maligning the police, writing frivolous counter petitions and filing civil suits in Court against the IGP Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja and the Police, aimed to undermine the investigation and to evade the course of justice.

The police said the claims made by Mr Suraju that his foreign partners, national and international agencies were the authors of the information he shared were misleading.

The totality of the conduct of Olarewaju Suraju is a calculated attempt to resort to media trial and to falsify relationship between Mohamed Bello Adoke, SAN, and Aliyu Abubakar while their cases are still ongoing in court, thereby misleading the public, of which elements of a prima facie case of cyber-stalking, giving false information to a misled public officer, injurious falsehood and criminal defamation with intent to incite exist; the report concluded.

Suraj reacts

The report holds no water, Mr Suraj said when asked for his reaction by PREMIUM TIMES.

On the police allegation that his organisation was unregistered, he said HEDA was duly registered, describing the police claim as a cheap blackmail.

He added: When you check the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission, you will see our (company) registration there; from the February 24, 2004.

We have sued the government and taken several legal actions locally and internationally. And you cant embark on such legal actions without the legal status of your organisation to do that. No company can go to court and sue anybody without proper registration.

To add, in one of my many previous meetings with the police, they have checked on the website of the commission, in my front and they saw my registration that dates February 24, 2004.

PREMIUM TIMES independently confirmed Mr Surajs organisation was registered.

Mr Suraj, however, blamed those not pleased with his anti-graft fight for the fabricated police report.

He added, Although we are going to issue a statement today, I would rather say to you officially, that I know corruption would fight back. Those behind that fake report are not aware of the level of investigation done by both the EFCC, Police and other partners.

As far as we are concerned, the subject of the petition is about an email forgery and not about an organisation stalking or cyberstalking, the activist said.

And it is not for me to deny or accept. It is for them to work through their cybercrime unit, Interpol and establish truly if that email was true or not.
The Federal Executive Council has approved the National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Networks for Nigerias digital economy.

The council gave the approval Wednesday at the council meeting following the presentation by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

According to a release by the ministers technical assistant, Femi Adeluyi, the policy has been developed over a period of two years, due to the need for extensive stakeholder engagement and the need to ensure adequate public awareness and sensitisation.

The stakeholder engagements were said to be thorough and multi-sectoral in nature.

It also took into account the report of the 3-month 5G trials that commenced on the 25th of November 2019, he said.

According to Mr. Adeluyu, the report critically reviewed and studied the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria.

Leading international organizations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an organ of the United Nations, have confirmed that the deployment of 5G networks leave no adverse health effects and are safe, he said.

5G networks offer significant advantages over the current technologies. Some of its advantages include much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes, and greater network flexibility. Several countries have already commenced the deployment of 5G and are enjoying its benefits.

He listed the countries to include the United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, South Africa, and Lesotho, to mention but a few.

He also said the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), chaired by the minister, will soon release spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for mobile network operators that meet all the required conditions.

The NCC, as the regulator of the telecommunications sector, will continue engaging stakeholders with a view to developing the regulatory instruments required for the successful deployment of the technology in Nigeria, he said.

Ahead of the approval, the commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will facilitate the release of contiguous bandwidth in one of the most suitable frequency spectrum bands for early deployment of the fifth-generation (5G) Network services in Nigeria.

Mr Pantami also addressed journalists at the presidential villa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said: I presented (a memo) before the Federal Executive Council and was approved after deliberation, that is the National Policy on 5th Generation network for Nigerias digital economy. That policy has been approved by the Federal Executive Council today.

Furthermore, the policy discusses the benefits to be attained through the deployment of 5-G in Nigeria and any part of the world which includes lower latency, larger capacity, and higher data rate.

In a simple language we can say it will open many opportunities economically, educationally, and even in the health sector, and it will also support our security institutions particularly in areas where they need high-quality services.

He noted that the network would have been deployed since last year but there was a lot of outcry from the Nigerian public, which made the government stay action on that to give room for more consultations.

In the year 2020 there was a time that we started the 5th Generation trial but there were complaints from citizens about the relationship between 5-G and COVID-!9, he said.

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But because our government is a responsible one, we decided then, to put everything on hold and engage more stakeholders and we spent almost 18 months working on that.

We also waited for the resolution or verdict of the two most important organisations globally when it comes to the deployment of telecommunications facilities. These are the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which are both arms of the United Nations.

Both of them confirmed that there is no adverse health hazard associated with 5-G, and it has not been proven to be harmful to human health.

Most importantly, even its frequency and radiation is even lower than that of 4-G and the electronic gadgets like the television sets and microwaves we use at home. So they have already issued that explanation about its safety.

They also advised nations on the standards and regulations they use in the course of its redeployment, he further explained.

He said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had been directed to comply with all the regulations and standards specified by the ITU and WHO.

Furthermore, in order to create awareness and sensitise our citizens, the Nigerian Communications Commission has been reaching out to citizens through local languages to tell them the advantages of 5-G, he said.

He said the deployment of the network would be in phases, as it will start with major cities of the country, where there is a need for high-quality broadband, between now and 2025.
The Conference of 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State has requested an equal sharing formula with the state in the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) bill now before the state House of Assembly.

The Secretary of the Conference 57 and Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, Abdulrasak Ajala, made the request at a one-day public hearing on the bill organised by the Lagos Assembly on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the title of the bill is A Bill for a Law to impose and charge Value Added Tax (VAT) on certain foods and services, provided for the administration of the tax and for related matters.

Mr Ajala explained that for the councils to pursue meaningful development, they required a better sharing formula for its members in the proposed VAT law.

The conference 57 secretary said they were requesting for a 50-50 sharing formula, contrary to the 75-25 proposed in the bill in favour of the state government.

Being the closest to the grassroots, Mr Ajala explained that the councils, who also host the companies, should benefit from a better share than the 25 per cent in the bill.

The council chairman commended the 9th Assembly for the bill, as well as the synergy between the Executive and the Legislature.

On the distribution of revenue, you will agree with me, Value Added Tax is on consumption and production, and all these economic activities are domiciled in our respective communities.

In addition, local governments, being the closest to the grassroots, need more revenues given the enormity of the responsibilities the Constitution confers on us.

Hence, the 25 per cent in the bill is grossly inadequate for local governments to execute all the promises we made to our people; and of course all our electoral promises.

This is the reason we are making a passionate appeal, on behalf of Conference 57, that we should raise the bar higher, from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, Mr Ajala said.

Contributing, Michael Ade, representing the Lagos Tax Justice and Governance, commended the Lagos Assembly and the state government for having the political will at a time like this.

Also commenting, the states Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosere Onigbanjo (SAN), declared that the judgment on the VAT law was not valid only in Rivers State, but any state in the country stood to benefit from the judgment.

Mr Onigbanjo noted that the National Assembly does not have powers on VAT, which was what brought them to where they are today.

Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Rotimi Olowo, insisted that it would make no sense if all monies accruable to Lagos state was taken by the Federal Government.

Mr Olowo argued that given the pressures on the state governments in terms of infrastructure development, the proposed law on VAT in the state would bring about holistic development of the state.

In his address of welcome, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, assured participants at the public hearing that their contributions were as vital as the bill and would be included in the proposed bill before its passage.

Mr Obasa, represented by the Deputy Speaker, AbdulWasiu Eshilokun, noted that their contributions would be looked into so they could come up with an all inclusive VAT law for the state.

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(NAN)
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El-Rufai also said that the electronic voting machine made it impossible for voters to indulge in multiple voting, while equally admitting the low turnout of voters: You activate the voting machine with your voters card once you have been accredited the whole process takes less than 15 seconds; its very quick and efficient and you see your ballot paper being printed; it is capable of transmitting results to a server, so it is difficult to alter.

The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KSIEC) conducted the local government elections last weekend using the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). The election was fraught with many infractions, not because of the deployment of modern technology, but in spite of it. Even the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which cried foul over the conduct of the election still had kind words for Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The party chairman, Mr Felix Hassan Hyat, said in a statement that, the party (PDP) notes that Nasir El-Rufai has consistently promised the people of Kaduna State free and fair local government election through a modernised system of voting, hence his heavy investment in the EVM.

On this we have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the governor. However, our reports from all over the state show that his aides changed the names of polling unit officers that were trained with untrained cronies. This led to the non-functioning of the EVM in many polling units across the state. The PDP noted that the manipulation of the machines by the governors aides has made nonsense of the governors effort and brought his promise to public ridicule.

The import of the EVM example is multi-faceted. First, we should note that local government elections have always been prone to manipulation and rigging by state governments and governors, in collusion with pliant and biased security agencies, vulnerable voting populace and desperate politicians. Over time, state electoral commissions often skew election results to favour the party in power. That of Kaduna State was not different. Any party in power at the state level  whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  would always win all elections conducted by the so called SIECs. Indeed, the governors are the worst culprits in our unsavoury democratic journey.

The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commissions use of the EVM is proof that electronic voting is doable, but that the process was aided and scuttled by politicians is also evidence that Nigerians are not ready for free and fair elections. Any electronic gadget can be a force for good or evil, as its usage in the Kaduna State LG elections have shown. Let it be clear from the start, therefore, that the antidote to election rigging lies with attitudinal change, not machines. However, this does not validate the National Assemblys rejection of the deployment of technology for the conduct of elections, because to a large extent, national elections conducted by INEC are far more rig-proof than local government elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions.

El-Rufai also said that the electronic voting machine made it impossible for voters to indulge in multiple voting, while equally admitting the low turnout of voters: You activate the voting machine with your voters card once you have been accredited the whole process takes less than 15 seconds; its very quick and efficient and you see your ballot paper being printed; it is capable of transmitting results to a server, so it is difficult to alter. Apart from curbing multiple voting, the fact that the results were later manipulated, and the machines integrity compromised, should not detract from their efficiency and desirability by millions of Nigerians.

The National Assembly ignored leadership lessons, abdicated their responsibility, and took the electorate for granted in July when they passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law and jettisoned the electronic transmission of election results aspect of it, as proposed by INEC, while justifying this by using the National Communications Commission (NCC) as an alibi.

You cannot help but commend El-Rufais efforts. Despite being notorious for demolition in the name of endless urban renewal projects, you cannot discountenance El-Rufais courage to take bold steps in providing solutions to pestering problems. With the electronic voting machine used for LG election in Kaduna, El-Rufai has shown leadership. A leader does not have to be populist; he is that person who shows the way, takes decisive action, makes mistakes, learns from it, and makes it better the next time.

Im not a fan of El-Rufai, but I wont also shy away from aligning my views with his or his action if the need arises. According to Steve Jobs, the late Apple co-founder, innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. With this, El-Rufai will leave a trail through the path he has created.

John Maxwell said, the pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sail. El-Rufais vision to leave a legacy made him adjust the sail and dare the consequences, despite being a key member of the ruling APC, whose lawmakers at the National Assembly rejected electronic voting. Leadership is not inaction; it is about taking decisions and responsibility.

The National Assembly ignored leadership lessons, abdicated their responsibility, and took the electorate for granted in July when they passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law and jettisoned the electronic transmission of election results aspect of it, as proposed by INEC, while justifying this by using the National Communications Commission (NCC) as an alibi. This is despite the advocacy and lobbying that preceded this, thereby taking us back to the dark days of open ballot snatching and the manipulation of figures, before the 2015 elections.

The lawmakers claimed that they were relying on the National Communications Commission (NCC) survey which indicated that less than half of the polling units (50.3 per cent) in the country have 3G network to transmit election results. In quoting the African Independent Television (AIT)s interview with INECs Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Nick Dazang, in an article published by PREMIUM TIMES, Dazang said: In January 2018, INEC approached NCC that it wants a technological-driven commission and both have been working closely to deliver free, fair and credible elections in the country for the benefit of our citizens. They are also aware that two network providers  MTN and Airtel have assisted JAMB conduct their examinations across Nigeria. So, INEC is still wondering why NCC has suddenly made a U-turn that there is not enough network coverage in every part of Nigeria.

The historic election that brought APC to power was made possible partly due to the deployment of technology. The card reader is an electronic devise that assisted with the transparency of the election of 2015, but APC now wants to take us to the dark ages of manual transmission, when figures were padded and 10 can become 100 overnight. El-Rufai has now proved the point that a credible poll is not rocket science

I am convinced that if INEC was given the chance to appear before the National Assembly alongside NCC, the commission would have told the distinguished senators and honourable members that all the network providers have assured INEC that network coverage is 100% across the country, Dazang added.

Well, that opportunity never came, and the powers that be that have held Nigeria down for years have remained adamant. They profit from Nigerias mess and are not visionary, so they cannot be bothered about the coming generations.

We should recall that the INEC bill was passed by the eight Senate led by Bukola Saraki three times and was rejected three times by President Buhari. One of the reasons cited by President Buhari then was that the bill would usurp the constitutional powers of INEC to decide election matters, including the deployment of technology, as deemed fit.

The Ahmed Lawan-led ninth Senate which passed the latest bill (without electronic transmission) into law stripped INEC of the power to do anything concerning the transmission of election results, without recourse to the National Assembly and the NCC. In a nutshell, INEC has lost its autonomy, which amounts to giving with the right hand and taking back with the left hand. The contentious section states that the commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable.

The historic election that brought APC to power was made possible partly due to the deployment of technology. The card reader is an electronic devise that assisted with the transparency of the election of 2015, but APC now wants to take us to the dark ages of manual transmission, when figures were padded and 10 can become 100 overnight. El-Rufai has now proved the point that a credible poll is not rocket science, if all parties involved are prepared to bring integrity to bear on the process.

zainabokino@gmail.com
The local government elections of September 4 further validate the Kaduna State Governments decision to invest in electronic voting machines (EVMs) to promote electoral integrity and transparency. Kaduna State is proudly upholding a new chapter in elections in Nigeria, using electronic voting technology, championed by a government that is determined to respect the outcome of polls, whether it wins or loses.

With utmost humility, I wish to express profound gratitude to the people of Kaduna State for the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of the local government elections of September 4. On behalf of the Kaduna State Government, I pay tribute to the residents of our State for their maturity and sophistication in exercising their democratic right to freely choose their leaders at the local level.

As governor of Kaduna State, I have always taken the view that we all win when democracy triumphs. We congratulate all the winners in the local government elections and challenge them to use their period in office to serve the people, uphold democratic tenets and promote peace in our State. These local government elections have demonstrated that the APC government of Kaduna State stands resolutely for free and fair elections. We have placed the credibility and integrity of the electoral process above the discredited practice of previous governments that sought to win every contested seat by all means.

I commend the people of Kaduna State for showing, for the second time, that there is no obstacle to the successful adoption of the electronic voting technology in Nigeria. In 2021, the people of Kaduna State have repeated the conclusive argument first made in 2018 for our country as a whole to fully automate the voting process.

Voters in Kaduna State first made history on May 12, 2018, when they cast their ballots on electronic voting machines to elect chairmen and councillors for the 23 local government councils in our State. It is the participation of our people that has placed Kaduna State as the first in Nigeria to use electronic voting; the first subnational unit in Africa to do so, and this has positioned Nigeria as only the second country in Africa, after Namibia, to use the technology.

The local government elections of September 4 further validate the Kaduna State Governments decision to invest in electronic voting machines (EVMs) to promote electoral integrity and transparency. Kaduna State is proudly upholding a new chapter in elections in Nigeria, using electronic voting technology, championed by a government that is determined to respect the outcome of polls, whether it wins or loses.

As an elected governor, I welcome the successful impact on deepening democracy of the policy decision we took to adopt electronic voting. It is our hope that elected leaders at the local level will use their democratic mandates to advance the reforms we have introduced in local government administration in the interest of our people.

This emphatic statement at the ballot box has shattered the unhelpful myth that any part of our state is an impregnable stronghold of any party. It has removed the baseless stereotyping of certain parties as ethnic bastions and religious vehicles. I call on all leaders and citizens in our State to cherish this moment and make it the beginning of an enduring rapprochement.

As leader of the APC in Kaduna State, I wish to express fulsome gratitude to the people of Kaduna State for the support they gave our candidates during the local government elections. Our people again demonstrated with their votes that they recognise our efforts to empower them, to educate their children properly, to secure better healthcare for them, and to return their priorities to the heart of government.

I am particularly pleased that our governance attainments and determined efforts to promote democracy are helping to further unity in our state. We welcome the results in the Kaduna South Senatorial District as a significant step in advancing political consensus in our State and overcoming division. We are most grateful to the people of the Kaduna South Senatorial District whose votes have helped expand the APCs footprint in the area. The voters gave the APC victory in four of the seven local government where elections were conducted in southern Kaduna.

In addition to retaining Sanga and Kagarko, which we won in 2018, the APC has won in Jemaa and Kauru local government councils. The unprecedented victory in Jemaa augurs well for advancing unity and commitment to common endeavours in the interest of unity, peace and progress in our State. It is an embrace that we do not take for granted. We accept it as a moment for opening new vistas, extending bridges and saying farewell to needless divisions.

This emphatic statement at the ballot box has shattered the unhelpful myth that any part of our state is an impregnable stronghold of any party. It has removed the baseless stereotyping of certain parties as ethnic bastions and religious vehicles. I call on all leaders and citizens in our State to cherish this moment and make it the beginning of an enduring rapprochement. I say to every part of Kaduna State that we can achieve much together, if we put our minds and our hearts to it.

Once again, I thank all the people of Kaduna State. It is humbling and reassuring that after six years in office, our people find our record of service compelling enough to vote for us. Our opponents portrayed the local government elections as a referendum on the performance of our government. The people have repudiated the vain hopes of an entitled segment of the political elite that our people would punish us at the polls for taking consequential decisions in favour of ordinary people. The people have spoken again, and their views resoundingly denounce the selfish claims of political merchants. They have rejected populist timidity as credible political behaviour in a State that seeks rapid and enduring progress.

Our party has won a great victory across the State. We salute those who voted for us. We did not win every local government, although we campaigned hard to do well everywhere. And having worked hard to make our case to the people, we respect the views of those who chose differently!

Our party has won a great victory across the State. We salute those who voted for us. We did not win every local government, although we campaigned hard to do well everywhere. And having worked hard to make our case to the people, we respect the views of those who chose differently!

We have restored democracy at the local level. We have reformed the local government system, enabling it to deliver services at the grassroots and for the bankrupt ones to move to solvency. And we hope that the newly elected officials will run these councils in an inspiring, new way. The elected chairmen and councillors of any party, assume a sacred obligation to deliver to the people, to move closer to realising the goal for which they were established. We are convinced that democratic governance at the local level must have a substantive, real impact in the lives of people.

I wish to put on record our gratitude for the efforts of Dr Saratu Dikko-Audu and her team at SIECOM for successfully repeating a revolution in election management in Nigeria. I thank the security agencies for providing a safe canopy for our people to joyfully exercise their democratic preferences.

However, we have sadly noted that those political forces that do not want free and fair elections tried to sabotage the process. We will investigate and prosecute those indicted.

As a government, we are grateful for this resounding endorsement. We do not have much time to savour the victory. We get back to work, to continue to do our best until the next elections.

Nasir El-Rufai is the Governor of Kaduna State, Nigeria.

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This is the text of remarks made on the Local Government Elections of September 4, as delivered on Tuesday, September 7.
Undeterred by war mongers who find ready allies in promoters of self help and armageddon, Governor Simon Lalong has maintained his steady strides to restore Plateau as the Land of Peace and Tourism; hence it is a misnomer to interpret anything outside these laudable efforts by the governor as standing by the people of Plateau State.

An eye for an eye will make the world blind.  Mahatma Gandhi

Following recent issues that threatened the six past years of relative peace on the Plateau, the social media space has been agog with a new argot: Standing by the Plateau people, which tends to cast every peace initiative as unbecoming in the present circumstances.

This coinage gained traction with political opportunists who latched on primordial fault lines to feed a narrative that sees crises from the narrow lenses of ethnic and religious divides.

As this is hardly the case with the recent issues in Plateau State, people of good conscience have been able to scrutinise the twist, analyse its content and expose it as baseless, due to reasons which we shall soon see.

For about six years (2015  2021) since the coming into office of the current administration, Plateau State has witnessed and has continued to enjoy tremendous peace, in comparison to the preceding years when the State was in turmoil for a period of time.

The serenity and calm of the last six years have been attributed rightly to the reign of equity and justice under the key philosophical levers of peace, security and good governance.

During this period, the State Government has been privileged to enjoy tremendous support from President Muhammadu Buhari and the various security agencies in the country.

These well-orchestrated evil actions are carefully designed and fed into the sentiments of the Plateau people, such that the resort to ethnic and religious sentiments are becoming the new normal.

These collective efforts have taken Plateau State out of the quandary of multidimensional crises that had become a recurrent decimal within its territory.

The result of these efforts is that the State is fast regaining its pride of place as not only the Home of Peace and Tourism, but as a mini Nigeria, where all citizens can call home.

Sadly enough, this feat is being thwarted by some conspirators and conflict merchants who have resolved to return Plateau State to the theatre of violent conflict and insecurity.

Their combined evil machinations have led to sporadic violence in some areas of the State, particularly in parts of Riyom, Bassa and Jos North Local Government Areas.

These well-orchestrated evil actions are carefully designed and fed into the sentiments of the Plateau people, such that the resort to ethnic and religious sentiments are becoming the new normal.

It explains the happenings in Irigwe land, the slaughtering of unarmed Nigerian citizens travelling from Bauchi to Ondo en route Jos, as well as subsequent reprisals and counter-attacks, all aimed at inducing avoidable violent conflict, to instigate religious and ethnic crises, as a deliberate ploy to destabilise the State at all cost.

Governor Lalong has continued to prioritise peace in the Jos  Bukuru Metropolis and all the local governments that have been under constant threats and attacks, such as Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South, Jos North and Bassa, and he has succeeded in bringing together the Berom and Fulanis to dialogue and reconciliation, climaxing in the signing of a Peace Accord.

But in spite of that, Governor Lalong has continued to prioritise peace in the Jos  Bukuru Metropolis and all the local governments that have been under constant threats and attacks, such as Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South, Jos North and Bassa, and he has succeeded in bringing together the Berom and Fulanis to dialogue and reconciliation, climaxing in the signing of a Peace Accord.

He has also replicated the success model in the Fulani and Irigwe communities.

These are in addition to the fact that he has been able to make other adequate arrangements for the sustenance of peace and security, like the recent procurement of security vehicles and motorcycles to boost the efforts of security personnel, as well as the training of 3,000 vigilantes to support the conventional Police, for the protection of lives and property.

Undeterred by war mongers who find ready allies in promoters of self help and armageddon, Governor Simon Lalong has maintained his steady strides to restore Plateau as the Land of Peace and Tourism; hence it is a misnomer to interpret anything outside these laudable efforts by the governor as standing by the people of Plateau State.

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Governor Lalong, who understands that peace is foundational to development and has championed the path to mutual co-existence and harmonious living, is therefore the one standing with the people.

Yakubu Dati writes from Jos.
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The Chairman of the Community Development Committee, CDC, in Magboro, Oluwasegun Oladosu, says at least 25 persons have died of cholera in the community.

Mr Oladosu told journalists on Tuesday that 15 deaths were recorded in Arepo, Akeran, Akintonde, Sofolarin and Abule-Oko communities, all in Magboro, Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun State.

He said about 10 persons, who relocated from Magboro to Kara in Ifo local government of the state, have equally died of cholera.

He added that commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders), whom he claimed are mostly of Hausa extraction, were the most hit by the outbreak.

Hausas dont release dead bodies, they have rushed to bury them. A number of them are already fleeing the community. But the information we have now is that 15 people are already dead, Mr Oladosu said.

Forget about tribe, we have been living here with Hausas for a long time, peacefully. But, some of them had travelled recently and they just returned, especially the Okada riders.

They will always tell you the truth. Some of them came with the disease. Some of them who ran to Kara (Hausa settlement), we learnt 10 of them are dead.

A total of 65,145 suspected cases of cholera, including 2,141 deaths, have been reported from 23 states and the FCT as of September 2, according to the NCDC.

Mr Oladosu said a government team had visited Magboro community and provided drugs for cholera treatment and prevention.

He, however, called on the government to ensure they always enforce sanitation in all the communities.

Government reacts

But Tomi Coker, the health commissioner, said no cholera fatality has been recorded in the state in the last 24 hours.

I dont know where that information is coming from, but definitely, such a number of people are not dead, because we havent had any reported death in the last 24 hours; and there is no active case, she told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone, responding to the claim that 25 people people had died of cholera.

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The only active case we have at the moment had been picked up on Sunday and he is going to be discharged tomorrow (Wednesday). He is well and alive and hes being resuscitated at the local primary health centre there at Magboro.

The bacteria is transmitted from faeces to the mouth. The situation at Kara cattle market could not cause it if people do not defecate in the open. And secondly, when some people go to the toilet, they dont wash their hands.

Mrs Coker, however, said the government has set up a treatment centre in Magboro and has engaged the traditional ruler to keep the people informed, safe, and calm.

On the exact number of casualties, the Commissioner said, We are still investigating. The public health officers are out there investigating and I will wait for the report.
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A 57- year-old trader, Chima Udemi, told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday that her husband, Tobechukwu, is an unrepentant adulterer who has slept with her sister.

Mrs Udemi was responding to a suit filed by Tobechukwu, who had accused her of infidelity.

Tobechukwu is a serial womaniser, he sleeps with my younger sister and my friends.

He once abandoned me and our seven children and relocated to his mistress house.

He is an irresponsible husband and father. I struggled, doing unpleasant jobs to feed my children.

He lives with me in the house I single-handedly built, eats my food, drinks my water and still frustrates my life.

If my husband insists on divorcing me, he should be ready to move out of my house, she said.

The mother of seven urged the court to grant her husbands request for the dissolution of their marriage.

When I die, he should not come for my burial. And I can assure you that when he dies, I will never attend his burial, she said.

The petitioner, Tobechukwu, prayed the court to dissolve his 33-year-old marriage accusing his wife of infidelity.

My wife is having an affair with a man from her village. She also abandoned me and the children for 10 years.

She deserted her matrimonial home to an unknown destination for 10 years. She just returned in 2020, he said.

After listening to both parties, the President of the Court, Adeniyi Koledoye, directed the estranged couple to maintain peace.

Mr Koledoye adjourned the case until September 21 for further hearing.

(NAN)
White Bear Lake, MN (55110)

Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 76F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
ELIZABETHTOWN [mdash] Kenneth M. Eddy, 68, of Elizabethtown passed away Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, at his home. He was a kind soul that always saw the good around him. He loved transforming the earth into lovely gardens and his work can be seen at the Colonial Gardens and many other locations 
Southbury, CT (06488)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Southbury, CT (06488)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Empowering women since 2017 Since the program launched in 2017 in partnership with the NGO CARE International, Lancome's Write Her Future philanthropic program aims to fight the invisible taboo that is female illiteracy.

This year, Lancome's is proud to share a number of milestones and achievements: In Morocco, CARE International has implemented pre-school and school education programs, benefitting 1,635 children and 1,516 parents. Today, 1,100 women can support their children with schooling. In Guatemala Write Her Future has benefited more than 5,000 young women excluded from the educational system, as well as an additional 5,460 other women aged over 35 years old who have had no access to education. Likewise, in Thailand, the initiative has given 2,578 women access to literacy classes, allowing them to learn and share their knowledge with other women.

As we look to 2022, Lancome understands that rapid global digitalization offers an unprecedented opportunity to empower even more women and drive greater change. Knowing that the Write Her Future program is now more relevant than ever, Lancome this year expands and accelerates its commitment to sharing knowledge via digital solutions that foster two key pillars of the philanthropic program: online mentorship and entrepreneurship.

Mentorship for entrepreneurship training join the program, ahead of 2022

"At Lancome, we continue to accelerate our global transformation by further expanding our cause mission into mentorship and entrepreneurship. Our priority is to scale up our programs in order to deliver on our ambitions and ultimately allow all women to become authors of change, starting with themselves, their families and beyond." - Francoise Lehmann, Lancome Global Brand President

Around the world, Lancome partners with 15 international organizations and new initiatives continue to launch at pace. In Germany, an online mentorship and entrepreneurship program has empowered women with the confidence and mindset they need to launch their businesses and gain self-confidence, benefiting over 10 thousand e-users.

Lancome UK & Ireland pledges to reach 5,000 beneficiaries by July 2023 (the end of the 2022 school year), equipping them with the literacy skills, leadership abilities and confidence needed in order to boost their career prospects and employment opportunities.

In their ongoing ambition to expand the Write Her Future program across the globe, Lancome will launch further initiatives in 2021. In the USA, a program will foster educational equity for all women to include mentorship and scholarships for women of colour. In China, the program will further empower women with the basic skills they need to secure employment; and in Japan, Write Her Future will enhance women's digital skills, so that they may obtain top leadership positions.

Lancome's mission is to promote positive perceptions of beauty so that both individually and collectively, we may thrive and commit to a happier future for all. Through Write Her Future, Lancome aims to empower an ever-growing number of women with the ability to narrate their own destinies. Join Lancome this International Literacy Day in spreading the word, speaking out, and supporting every woman to Write Her Future.

Notes:

About NGO CARE

CARE International is a global network of 14 National Members with a common vision and mission to defeat global poverty. Each CARE Member is an independent organisation that leads programmes, raises funds, advocates on key issues and communicates to the public in their country, thus supporting our work in 95 countries. CARE offices around the world work alongside a broad network of partners and allies to multiply our impact as we strive to rebuild and improve the lives of the most disadvantaged, with a particular focus on women and girls.

The CARE International Secretariat coordinates and supports the network to achieve our common impact goals and shared global priorities in line with our global CARE 2020 Vision and Programme Strategy. It is also responsible for representing the network at the United Nations, the European Union and key forums, leading CARE's global advocacy, and hosting the CARE Emergency Group and the CARE International Safety and Security Unit. The Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland, with offices in Brussels and New York.

About Lancome

Lancome was founded in 1935 by the visionary pioneer perfumer Armand Petitjean. For 85 years, Lancome's mission has been to help women feel happier by making them more beautiful, providing the best in cosmetics innovation in terms of quality, science and efficacy.

Over the decades, Lancome has spread its vision of French elegance, adding pioneering science that has made Lancome the leading luxury beauty brand worldwide.

About Lancome's non-profit partners around the world:

CARE International, Agence Nationale de Lutte contre l'Illettrisme, National Literacy Trust, Plan International, Action Aid, ProLiteracy, Redes Da Mare, CreceChile, Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, Arbeiterkind, Canadian Women's Foundation, China Women's Development Foundation, MExoxo, NPO Hanalabs and NAACP.

Press Contacts

Carolina SCHMOLLGRUBER

Carolina.SCHMOLLGRUBER@loreal.com

Hayat ZENATI

Hayat.ZENATI@loreal.com

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SOURCE Lancome
The 2-month long International Innovation Conclave was named after the Missile Man of India and former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as a mark of respect for his contribution made in the field of Defense and Space Technology. More than 5000 young and budding innovators from 32 countries participated in the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave during the 2-month long conclave student participants tried to find innovative & technology driven solutions of problems in the field of Agriculture, Health, COVID-19, Waste Management, Water Management, Rural Development.

Sai Prasad from IIT Bombay won first position for his innovative idea of Skin spray gun which helps in rapid healing of wounds using patient's own skin in the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave which ended today at Chandigarh University. Raman & Lakshman from Sethu Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu and Rutvik Mehenge from Trinity College of Engineering won 2nd positions. While Mann Goel from IIT Kanpur, Jai Chachra from Chandigarh University, and Ayushi Sharma from UPES, Dehradun won 3rd positions jointly in the competition. Parkhi from Dass and Brown School, Ferozepur secured first position in the school category while Shankha from S.S Public School secured the 2nd position in the same category. Jams O Rychard from Indonesia won first prize in the International category while Krishna from Brazil secured second position and Marcos got 3rd position in the same category. A total prize money of Rs. 11 lakh was given to the winners of the innovation conclave of various categories.

Dr. Mohit Gambhir (Innovation Director, MoE & Innovation Cell, Govt. of India), Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao (President, University of Southeastern Philippines), Joy King, Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S Embassy, New Delhi, Vikas Sood, Director Nexus, Startup Hub and Incubator, US Embassy and Dr. R.S Bawa, Pro- were the dignitaries who were present during the concluded ceremony of the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Conclave.

During his inaugural address Dr. Mohit Gambhir said, "The solution which participants have provided is the need of an hour. The entities and the agencies like DST, DBT, Innovation cell of Government of India are working for making a breeding ground for the next generation of entrepreneurs." While emphasizing on the importance of grassroot innovation. He said, "In today's time it is well understood that the future innovations will spring from the base of the pyramid - where everyone will innovate for their needs. This base of the pyramid is very critical for holistic development of society and needs to be trained."

"India currently houses the world's 3rd largest start-up ecosystem and there are over 40,000 registered startups in India. More than 50 firms are there in India which are valued more than over US $ 1 billion. From e-commerce to electric vehicles Indian start-ups are the torch bearers for innovation and entrepreneur's spirit of India," said Vikas Sood, Director Nexus, Startup Hub and Incubator, US Embassy. He further said, "The start-up ecosystem in India is playing a major role in the digitization of India and creating wealth & employment across the segment of the society. The global capital is moving into India at never before pace. There are over 15 startups that have become unicorns since the start of this year and there are still 4 months to go."

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao said, "Everything begins with an idea, in fact most of the things we see all around us, be it technology, medicine, products, infrastructure etc. have been created from small ideas, which later turns into a great invention. Ideas are no longer just concepts, they are now becoming the reality. Even during the time of pandemic this conclave has provided an outlet of innovative ideas to the students and during this 2-month international conclave, students have used their potential to assess the current problems and come up with their innovative solutions."

Joy King said, "At a time when the whole world is witnessing a critical situation due to COVID-19. I congratulate the university and the participating students for their successful completion of this conclave which shows the determination and dedication of the young budding entrepreneurs." She further said "Crisis sometimes creates new opportunities and innovators play an important role in the development of any country. Innovation promotes social change while improving the quality of life through new products, equipment, and better services." "Innovators make the country prosperous, because the services and products they produce, enable the development of a new market, increase the national income by creating new jobs," added Joy King.

About Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

For more information, please visit our website www.cuchd.in.

SOURCE Chandigarh University
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that data from its migraine portfolio will be presented at the International Headache Congress 2021, held jointly this year by the International Headache Society and the European Headache Federation, from September 8-12. The company will share a total of 23 abstracts, including two oral presentations and one abstract lecture.

"We continue to conduct research that seeks to provide additional insights into the safety, efficacy and clinical utility of our approved and investigational migraine therapies," said Michael Gold, M.D., vice president, neuroscience development, AbbVie. "The data we're presenting are a result of AbbVie's ongoing commitment to driving progress in the migraine community."

Among the new data being presented are results from an open-label, multicenter extension to the pivotal Phase 3 ADVANCE trial evaluating the long-term safety and tolerability of atogepant, an investigational, orally administered calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist developed for the preventive treatment of migraine over 40 weeks. Researchers will also share data from the Phase 1, single-center, open-label, multiple-dose study assessing the potential for pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions between atogepant and topiramate; the observational cross-sectional UNIVERSE study examining real-world effectiveness and patient satisfaction of ubrogepant for acute migraine treatment; and the POLARIS study, a retrospective claims data analysis examining the real-world treatment patterns of oral migraine preventive medication by pharmacologic class in people with migraine.

Additional presentations will focus on the efficacy of atogepant for the preventive treatment of migraine based on further analyses from the ADVANCE trial, the safety and tolerability of investigational ubrogepant as a potential acute treatment for perimenstrual migraine, and real-world evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of CGRP monoclonal antibody therapy added to BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) for migraine prevention in adult patients with chronic migraine. Results from a post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 PREEMPT trials evaluating the use of BOTOX for chronic migraine will also be presented.

AbbVie abstracts and presentation details for IHC 2021 are outlined below.

Abstract Title Presentation Details All times CT Atogepant Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of Atogepant 60 mg Following Once Daily Dosing Over 1 Year for the Preventive Treatment of Migraine ePoster September 11, 2021 3:42 a.m. CT Atogepant 60 mg Once-Daily Shows Efficacy for the Preventive Treatment of Migraine: Results From a 52-Week Open-Label Extension Trial ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Atogepant Significantly Reduces Mean Monthly Migraine Days in the Phase 3 Trial (ADVANCE) for the Prevention of Migraine ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Effects of Atogepant as Evaluated by the Activity Impairment in Migraine-Diary (AIM-D) and Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) in a 12-Week, Double-blind, Randomized Phase 3 (ADVANCE) Trial for Preventive Treatment of Migraine ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Atogepant Improved Patient-Reported Migraine-Specific Quality of Life in a 12-Week Phase 3 (ADVANCE) Trial for Preventive Treatment of Migraine ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Oral Daily Atogepant for the Preventive Treatment of Migraine Increases Responder Rates for Reduction in Mean Monthly Migraine Days ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Daily Dosing of Oral Atogepant Improved Patient-Reported Measures of Quality of Life, Activity Impairment, and Headache Impact in a 52-week Trial ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Daily Atogepant Provides a Rapid Onset and Sustained Benefit in the Preventive Treatment of Migraine ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Evaluation of The Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of Oral Atogepant 60 mg Once Daily for Preventive Treatment of Migraine: A Phase 3, 40-Week, Multicenter Extension to the ADVANCE Trial Abstract Lecture September 12, 2021 2:45-2:55 a.m. CT Evaluation of the Pharmacokinetic Interaction and Safety of Coadministered Atogepant and Topiramate ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Ubrogepant Preventive Oral Migraine Treatment Utilization Patterns (POLARIS STUDY): A Retrospective Claims Data Analysis ePoster September 11, 2021 4:51 a.m. CT COmbining UbRogepAnt and Preventives for miGrainE (COURAGE) Study Using the Migraine Buddy Application: A Novel, Entirely Remote Design for Collecting Real-World Evidence ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Ubrogepant Users' Experience - Patients on Ubrogepant, Characteristics and Outcomes (UNIVERSE STUDY) Oral Presentation September 11, 2021 3:20 a.m. CT A Novel Approach to Defining Success in the Acute Treatment of Migraine: Demonstrating Therapeutic Benefit at 1 Hour Post-Dose in the Pooled ACHIEVE I and ACHIEVE II Trials ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT A Novel Approach to Defining Success in the Acute Treatment of Migraine: Pooled Results From the ACHIEVE I and ACHIEVE II Trials ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Ubrogepant Was Safe and Well Tolerated in the Acute Treatment of Perimenstrual Migraine ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Ubrogepant Treatment When Pain Is Mild Increases the Likelihood of Achieving Pain Freedom in Participants Who Treated Migraine Attacks of Mild and Moderate or Severe Pain ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) Real-World Evidence for Control of Patients With Chronic Migraine Who Received Calcitonin GeneRelated Peptide Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Added to OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Optimal Acute Treatment Is Associated With Productivity Gains in People With Migraine: Results From the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study ePoster September 11, 2021 3:39 a.m. CT Consecutive Headache-Free Days With OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment in Patients With Chronic Migraine: A Pooled PREEMPT Analysis ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Real-World Evidence for the Safety and Efficacy of CGRP Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Added to OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment for Migraine Prevention in Adult Patients with Chronic Migraine ePoster September 11, 2021 4:12 a.m. CT Impact of Prior Monthly Headache Days on Migraine-Related Quality of Life: Results From the CaMEO Study ePoster (on-demand only) September 8, 2021 1 a.m.-1:15 p.m. CT Characterizing Preventive Treatment Gaps in Migraine: Results From the CaMEO Study Oral Presentation September 10, 2021 8:15 a.m. CT

About Atogepant

Atogepant is an investigational, orally administered, CGRP receptor antagonist (gepant) specifically developed for the preventive treatment of migraine. CGRP and its receptors are expressed in regions of the nervous system associated with migraine pathophysiology. Studies have shown that CGRP levels are elevated during migraine attacks, and selective CGRP receptor antagonists confer clinical benefit in migraine. Atogepant is currently under review by the U.S. FDA.

About BOTOX

BOTOX was first approved by the FDA in 1989 for two rare eye muscle disorders  blepharospasm and strabismus in adults. Today, BOTOX is FDA-approved for 12 therapeutic indications, including Chronic Migraine, overactive bladder, leakage of urine (incontinence) due to overactive bladder caused by a neurologic condition in adults, cervical dystonia, adult and pediatric spasticity, severe underarm sweating (axillary hyperhidrosis), and pediatric detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition.

BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) Important Information in the United States

Indications

BOTOX is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used:

To treat overactive bladder symptoms such as a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents (urge urinary incontinence), a strong need to urinate right away (urgency), and urinating often (frequency) in adults 18 years and older when another type of medicine (anticholinergic) does not work well enough or cannot be taken

To treat leakage of urine (incontinence) in adults 18 years and older with overactive bladder caused by a neurologic disease who still have leakage or cannot tolerate the side effects after trying an anticholinergic medication

To treat overactive bladder due to a neurologic disease in children 5 years of age and older when another type of medicine (anticholinergic) does not work well enough or cannot be taken

To prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headache lasting 4 or more hours each day in people 18 years or older

To treat increased muscle stiffness in people 2 years of age and older with spasticity

To treat the abnormal head position and neck pain that happens with cervical dystonia (CD) in people 16 years and older

To treat certain types of eye muscle problems (strabismus) or abnormal spasm of the eyelids (blepharospasm) in people 12 years of age and older

BOTOX is also injected into the skin to treat the symptoms of severe underarm sweating (severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis) when medicines used on the skin (topical) do not work well enough in people 18 years and older.

It is not known whether BOTOX is safe and effective to prevent headaches in patients with migraine who have 14 or fewer headache days each month (episodic migraine).

BOTOX has not been shown to help people perform task-specific functions with their upper limbs or increase movement in joints that are permanently fixed in position by stiff muscles.

It is not known whether BOTOX is safe and effective for severe sweating anywhere other than your armpits.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOTOX may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX:

Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months

due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect away from the injection site when BOTOX has been used at the recommended dose to treat chronic migraine, severe underarm sweating, blepharospasm, or strabismus.

BOTOX may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Do not receive BOTOX if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

Do not receive BOTOX for the treatment of urinary incontinence if you: have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or cannot empty your bladder on your own and are not routinely catheterizing. Due to the risk of urinary retention (not being able to empty the bladder), only patients who are willing and able to initiate catheterization post treatment, if required, should be considered for treatment.

Patients treated for overactive bladder:

In clinical trials, 36 of the 552 patients had to self-catheterize for urinary retention following treatment with BOTOX compared to 2 of the 542 treated with placebo. The median duration of post-injection catheterization for these patients treated with BOTOX 100 Units (n = 36) was 63 days (minimum 1 day to maximum 214 days) as compared to a median duration of 11 days (minimum 3 days to maximum 18 days) for patients receiving placebo (n = 2). Patients with diabetes mellitus treated with BOTOX were more likely to develop urinary retention than nondiabetics.

Adult Patients treated for overactive bladder due to neurologic disease:

In clinical trials, 30.6% of patients (33/108) who were not using clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) prior to injection, required catheterization for urinary retention following treatment with BOTOX 200 Units as compared to 6.7% of patients (7/104) treated with placebo. The median duration of post-injection catheterization for these patients treated with BOTOX 200 Units (n = 33) was 289 days (minimum 1 day to maximum 530 days) as compared to a median duration of 358 days (minimum 2 days to maximum 379 days) for patients receiving placebo (n = 7). Among patients not using CIC at baseline, those with MS were more likely to require CIC post injection than those with SCI.

The dose of BOTOX is not the same as, or comparable to, another botulinum toxin product.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported, including itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, dizziness, or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you experience symptoms; further injection of BOTOX should be discontinued.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX.

Tell your doctor if you have any breathing-related problems. Your doctor may monitor you for breathing problems during treatment with BOTOX for spasticity or for detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition. The risk of developing lung disease in patients with reduced lung function is increased in patients receiving BOTOX.

Cornea problems have been reported. Cornea (surface of the eye) problems have been reported in some people receiving BOTOX for their blepharospasm, especially in people with certain nerve disorders. BOTOX may cause the eyelids to blink less, which could lead to the surface of the eye being exposed to air more than is usual. Tell your doctor if you experience any problems with your eyes while receiving BOTOX. Your doctor may treat your eyes with drops, ointments, contact lenses, or with an eye patch.

Bleeding behind the eye has been reported. Bleeding behind the eyeball has been reported in some people receiving BOTOX for their strabismus. Tell your doctor if you notice any new visual problems while receiving BOTOX.

Bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections (common colds) have been reported. Bronchitis was reported more frequently in adults receiving BOTOX for upper limb spasticity. Upper respiratory infections were also reported more frequently in adults with prior breathing-related problems with spasticity. In pediatric patients treated with BOTOX for upper limb spasticity, upper respiratory tract infections were reported more frequently. In pediatric patients treated with BOTOX for lower limb spasticity, upper respiratory tract infections were not reported more frequently than placebo.

Autonomic dysreflexia in patients treated for overactive bladder due to neurologic disease. Autonomic dysreflexia associated with intradetrusor injections of BOTOX could occur in patients treated for detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition and may require prompt medical therapy. In clinical trials, the incidence of autonomic dysreflexia was greater in adult patients treated with BOTOX 200 Units compared with placebo (1.5% versus 0.4%, respectively).

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you: have or have had bleeding problems; have plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; weakness of forehead muscles; trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; have symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) and are being treated for urinary incontinence (symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include pain or burning with urination, frequent urination, or fever); have problems emptying your bladder on your own and are being treated for urinary incontinence; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX can harm your unborn baby); are breastfeeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX in the past.

Tell your doctor if you received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc, Dysport, or Xeomin in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX include: dry mouth, discomfort or pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, neck pain, eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of your eyelids, dry eyes; drooping eyebrows; and upper respiratory tract infection. In adults being treated for urinary incontinence, other side effects include urinary tract infection and painful urination. In children being treated for urinary incontinence, other side effects include urinary tract infection and bacteria in the urine. If you have difficulty fully emptying your bladder on your own after receiving BOTOX, you may need to use disposable self-catheters to empty your bladder up to a few times each day until your bladder is able to start emptying again.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see BOTOX full Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About UBRELVY (ubrogepant) in the United States

UBRELVY (ubrogepant) is an orally administered calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist (gepant) for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults that is an option for a wide range of patients who experience migraine attacks. UBRELVY is the first pill of its kind to directly block CGRP, a protein released during a migraine attack, from binding to its receptors.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Who should not take UBRELVY (ubrogepant)?

Do not take UBRELVY if you are taking medicines known as strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ketoconazole, clarithromycin, itraconazole.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking UBRELVY?

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

Have liver problems

Have kidney problems

Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant

Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take UBRELVY with other medicines.

What are the most common side effects of UBRELVY?

The most common side effects are nausea (4%) and sleepiness (3%). These are not all of the possible side effects of UBRELVY.

What is UBRELVY (ubrogepant)?

UBRELVY is a prescription medicine used for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura in adults. UBRELVY is not used to prevent migraine headaches.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie in Migraine

Impacting one billion people worldwide, migraine is a neurological disease with recurring attacks that causes pain and other disabling symptoms. However, migraine can be treatable. At AbbVie, we are committed to empowering people in their pursuit of migraine freedom. We advance science that enables healthcare providers to care for people impacted across the spectrum of migraine. Through education and partnerships with the migraine community, we strive to help those with migraine navigate barriers to care, access effective treatments and reclaim their lives.

About AbbVie in Neuroscience

At AbbVie, our commitment to preserve the personhood of those living with neurological and psychiatric disorders is unwavering. Every challenge in this uncharted territory makes us more determined and drives us harder to discover and deliver solutions for patients, care partners and clinicians. AbbVie's Neuroscience portfolio consists of approved therapies and a robust pipeline in neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, migraine, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, post-stroke spasticity, schizophrenia, stroke and others.

We have a strong investment in neuroscience research, with our Foundational Neuroscience Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and our Neuroscience Discovery site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where our research and resilience in these challenging therapeutic areas is yielding a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and identifying targets for potential disease-modifying therapeutics aimed at making a difference in people's lives.

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @AbbVie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits from AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan plc ("Allergan"), failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry and the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE AbbVie

Related Links

abbvie.com


WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Access Partnership , the global public policy firm for the tech sector, released a report today addressing the global policy landscape for the semiconductor industry. "Semiconductors: A Global Policy Review" highlights the lifecycle and current pain points that underpin the semiconductor industry as well as the policy influence and geopolitical landscape that relates to this fast growing and important sector.

Semiconductors are critical to the modern and digital economy not only because they are a key building block in all electronic devices, but also because they enable new products, services, and industries. Technologies such as Artificial intelligence (AI) reliant smartphones, adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and the automotive sector are all underpinned by semiconductors or "chips". This report examines the global semiconductor supply chain and explores the critical concerns for policymakers and geopolitical issues in the US, Europe, and Asia.

"The global shortage in semiconductor chips, which are the "brain" found inside every kind of electronic device, has dogged economies for over a year now," said Michael Clauser, Principal & Head of North America at Access Partnership. "This report seeks to inform industry stakeholders and policymakers, as well as highlight responsible solutions, beneficial outcomes, and Fair Tech for all."

Key findings from "Semiconductors: A Global Policy Review"

US and Chinese governments are spending $200 billion combined to build domestic semiconductor capabilities, with a focus on both securing domestic supplies and increasing their shares of global semiconductor output.

combined to build domestic semiconductor capabilities, with a focus on both securing domestic supplies and increasing their shares of global semiconductor output. Social media discussions have increased 138% among members of the US Congress on semiconductor-related issues since 2020, and 92% among members of the European Parliament.

Semiconductor policy and dual use export controls are being weaponized to cripple competitors' domestic semiconductor industries.

Multiple countries are supporting new regional and domestic preferential manufacturing programs such as reshoring and nearshoring.

The US and its allies are all subjecting intellectual property and technology transfers to China to heightened scrutiny, including Chinese acquisitions of semiconductor companies.

to heightened scrutiny, including Chinese acquisitions of semiconductor companies. The Chinese government has continued to subsidize its domestic semiconductor industry allowing substantial growth and opportunities for both domestic companies and foreign ones with operations within region.

For more information on the report and recommendations for effective policy, download "Semiconductors: A Global Policy Review" here. For more information on Access Partnership, visit www.accesspartnership.com .

About Access Partnership

Access Partnership is the world's leading public policy firm dedicated to opening markets for technology. We shape national, regional, and international policies to ensure a fair, long-lasting environment for technology that drives growth. Our teams in six offices across the globe uniquely mix policy and technical expertise to drive outcomes for clients operating at the intersection of technology, data and connectivity.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1518319/Access_Partnership_Logo.jpg

Media Contact:

Imtiaz Mufti

Senior PR & Communications Manager

[email protected]

+44 7534458383

SOURCE Access Partnership
MUMBAI, India, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to globetrotting, the Lander family are a well-traveled bunch. Thanks to their parents' far-reaching careers, brother and sister duo Tara and Neil have seen the world's most iconic cities, immersing themselves in their cultures, visiting attractions and landmarks, and learning about its citizensthat is when they aren't busy in eventful escapades along the way. With his new middle-grade series, Cities of Adventure, bestselling author Rishi Piparaiya turns the travel adventure book category on its head, providing fascinating facts and information against the backdrops of the world's most traveled cities.

Cities of Adventure Promo Video Cities of Adventure logo Cities of Adventure Books

Twelve-year-old Tara Lander and her ten-year-old brother Neil, along with their adorable Labrador, Sumo, are no strangers to intercontinental adventures. Their dad, a brilliant scientist, frequently travels the world giving talks and presentations at various conferences. Their mother, Amy Lander, is a renowned chef and food influencer and her projects regularly take her to exotic foreign locations. Between Mama's work and Papa's travels, the family has visited dozens of countries.

Humor, mischievous capers, and thrilling drama permeate this fun and action-packed adventure series, brimming with fascinating facts about major international cities. The first four books, The Secret of the Snallygaster (Washington, D.C.), Framed in Hollywood (Los Angeles, California), The Race to Phar Lap's Saddle (Melbourne, Australia), and The Men from B.A.G.E.L. (New York City, New York), masterfully written by bestselling author Rishi Piparaiya, have twists and turns, memorable characters, and abundant travel references that will instill young middle-grade readers with a love of exploration and reading.

An expert traveler, having visited nearly forty countries, Piparaiya prepared writing these books by traveling to more than fifty-five cities to research every attraction referenced in each story. He is supported by a global team of writers, researchers, and illustrators, who have helped make every book as authentic as possible. Each book includes a reference section highlighting key elements including the destination's history, famous people, maps, local foods, and fun facts. Cities of Adventure books (www.citiesofadventure.com), published by Mumbai-based Imaginara Legacies, are available now in leading online and physical bookstores. Additional books featuring Sydney, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Boston, London, Istanbul, and more are following soon.

For more information about author Rishi Piparaiya (www.rishipiparaiya.com), publisher Imaginara Legacies (www.imaginara.com) and the Cities of Adventure books (www.citiesofadventure.com), please contact [email protected] or at +91 90825 76227

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rishi Piparaiya is a bestselling author and former executive who left his corporate job at the helm of his career to pursue his passions of travelling and writing. His debut work, Aisle Be Damned, a humor book on air travel, was a national bestseller in India and his second book, Job Be Damned, was an acclaimed satire on corporate life. Cities of Adventure is his first series for children. Rishi has an MBA from Cornell University and BA from the University of Rochester.

Media contact:

Rishi Piparaiya

[email protected]

+91 90825 76227

SOURCE Rishi Piparaiya

Related Links

www.citiesofadventure.com


STOCKHOLM, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "I am pleased to welcome Anders Goransson to lead Bactiguard into the future. I am convinced that Anders, with his solid international experience in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, combined with McKinsey's background, will take Bactiguard to new heights. If global healthcare has not previously focused enough on the problems of infections and resistant bacteria, recent years have shown that companies such as Bactiguard are a prerequisite for us to be able to jointly create a better world to live in, "says Thomas von Koch, Chairman of the Board.

"At the same time, I would like to thank our outgoing CEO Cecilia Edstrom for her major contribution to Bactiguard's success. Cecilia announced to the board in February that she wanted to leave the role of CEO after seven intensive years in the management team, but at the same time offered to continue working until a new CEO took office, which she has done with great commitment. The board is also happy that she will continue as a senior advisor and board member," Thomas von Koch continues.

It is with pride and energy that I look forward to taking on the role of CEO in Bactiguard. With Bactiguard's technology and product portfolio, we can reduce healthcare-associated infections and reduce the need for healthcare worldwide. More and more large medical technology companies are starting to open their eyes to our unique technology, most recently Zimmer Biomet with its trauma implant ZNN Bactiguard," says Anders Goransson.

"This is just the beginning, all devices that are meant to remain in the body for more than two days should have Bactiguard's infection preventive technology. It is my and our employees' responsibility to spread it as widely as possible to save lives, reduce the use of antibiotics and save money for the world's healthcare providers. With Bactiguard's own products and with our licensees' Bactiguard-coated products, we have only begun that journey," Anders Goransson concludes.

Anders Goransson, who is 50 years old, began his career as an accountant at Ernst & Young, and later worked as a consultant at McKinsey. From McKinsey, Anders moved to Amgen, where he led the Swedish operations and later moved to Amgen's European headquarters in Switzerland. Anders has held senior positions in several functions, such as sales and marketing, company integration, and most recently with responsibility for Amgen Innovation Europe. Anders has a bachelor's degree in business and economics from Uppsala university and an MBA from Suffolk University, USA.

This information is information that Bactiguard Holding AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below 2021-09-07, at 23.59.

For further information, please contact:

Thomas von Koch, Chairman, through Birgitta Wretling at +46 70 955 66 52

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/bactiguard-holding-ab--publ-/r/bactiguard-appoints-new-ceo,c3411576

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/9686/3411576/1465534.pdf 210907 Bactiguard appoints new CEO https://news.cision.com/bactiguard-holding-ab--publ-/i/anders-goransson,c2951875 Anders Goransson

SOURCE Bactiguard Holding AB (publ)
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG) announced that Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) has ranked several BRG experts among leading patent and intellectual property (IP) strategy professionals. In addition, IAM named BRG among the top US Expert Witness Consultancies.

IAM Patent 1000: The World's Leading Patent Professionals notes that BRG is a "repository of trust for many." Its "experts seamlessly collaborate with trial counsel, but approach their damages and economic analysis work with scrupulous independence in a way that significantly enhances their credibility in the courtroom; the group's policy agnosticism elevates this further." Further, IAM says "each expert comes to the stand well prepared and with a 360-degree understanding of the issues."

Individuals noted in the IAM Patent 1000 guide include Executive Chairman David Teece and Managing Directors Jeffery Stec, William Kerr, Cathy Lawton and Joshua Lathrop. Teece is "one of the pre-eminent economics and business minds in the United States." Stec "helps to instill this beneficial approach as captain of the IP practice and co-head of economics and damages. He has addressed the widest range of economic issues in the context of IP infringements." Kerr is "a thought leader whose writings on IP damages have illuminated pathways for many grappling with this complex subject." Lawton is referred to as "one of the ensemble's elite testifying experts  and one of the best on the market." She is "never less than utterly impressive, given her command of the industries in which she works, her commercial acumen and her thoroughness." Lathrop is a "great fit for ITC matters, having addressed the economic issues arising in Section 337 investigations on numerous occasions; he's also a great match for any IP case anywhere."

Managing Directors David Kennedy and Larry Tedesco have been named among the IAM Strategy 300: The World's Leading IP Strategists. Kennedy is "collaborative and a pleasure to work with" and is cited by notable figures in patent law as "one of the most accomplished licensing, IP valuation and damages experts in the world." His "vast experience shines through in the perspicacity of his advice." Tedesco is "hailed as one of the best consultants in the IP business" and praised for "the quality of his overall IP monetisation skills and diversity of experience." He "can be counted on for unique perspectives that inform and for evolving growth strategies."

About BRG

Berkeley Research Group, LLC is a global consulting firm that helps leading organizations 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

Related Links

http://thinkbrg.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the last decade, there has been an enormous cultural shift taking place in modern businesses and start-ups, which challenges traditional work-place norms. Some of these changes include conventional working hours and, more significantly, stiff dress codes. Sneakers signify this shift in culture and have now become the everyday footwear staple in nearly all environments. SANS MATIN, an established British footwear brand, is launching their line of ethically handmade unisex trainers in the U.S. to provide conscious consumers with more diverse sneaker options.

SANS MATIN sneakers capture what the modern-day consumer is looking for; a versatile, comfortable, and stylish trainer. This, coupled with the incredible craftmanship that goes into every ethically handmade pair of Sans Matin shoe, has culminated with the perfect every day sneaker. Their brand ethos is one consumers can trust and believe in, without compromising their aesthetic.

Cousins Charly and Lockie Cunningham conceptualized the idea behind the brand while backpacking across South America in 2015. After a slight complication involving a pair of trainers and a tumble-dryer, a new pair of shoes were needed. When they couldn't find a stylish, comfortable, and affordable trainer on the market that suited varied environments, they founded SANS MATIN.

With the aim of providing a 'one-stop shop' for the conscious consumer, SANS MATIN will launch at least one new shoe every month over the next few years. This will also include the launch of espadrilles and platform sneakers. Offering increasing diversity to their product offering through style and aesthetic will enable consumers to build out their own footwear collection with a brand whose products and ethos that they can truly believe in.

"Sustainability is at the forefront of our minds at SANS MATIN. Our ethically and locally sourced materials minimize our carbon footprint and waste. All our packaging is made from recycled materials and sugar cane, and the accompanying shoe bags are made from PET (recycled plastics) and recycled cottons. We also have a sustainable closed loop of sourcing and producing 60% natural rubber soles," said Lockie, Co-Founder of SANS MATIN. "All of our shoes at SANS MATIN are ethically handmade, which means continued expansion of employment opportunities for the incredible individuals in our atelier in Medellin, Colombia."

The brand understands the importance of giving back and donates 2% of all sales to charity. Their current partnership is with Children Change Colombia (CCC), working with children and their families to challenge poverty, inequality, discrimination, and violence. Additionally, their SMCycle program offers consumers the opportunity to recycle their old SANS MATIN shoes to complete their lifetime. Sneakers will either be donated to charities in the UK and developing countries, or reused and repurposed as new, recycled materials.

About SANS MATIN

SANS MATIN is a family-founded British footwear brand that provides versatile, comfortable, and stylish trainers for the conscious consumer. All shoes are ethically handmade with premium, sustainable materials that are produced in South America. The brand donates 2% of all sales to their charity partner Children Change Colombia (CCC). For more information visit www.sansmatin.com or join the conversation on Instagram and Facebook.

About Children Change Colombia (CCC)

Children Change Colombia works with Colombia's most at-risk children, to keep them safe and defend their rights. The charity exists to help children find their voice and influence decisions which will affect their lives now and in the future. To do this, CCC works in partnership with Colombian children's organizations who have a proven record of success in defending the rights of children most affected by poverty, inequality and conflict and helping them work towards change. Crucially, we also work with the adults who most influence the lives of children  parents, teachers, policymakers  so they can keep children safe now and in the long term. For more information visit www.childrenchangecolombia.org.

Cindy Riccio // [email protected]

Valerie Patruno //[email protected]

(201) 446-9091

CRC, Inc.

SOURCE SANS MATIN

Related Links

http://www.sansmatin.com/


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bureau Veritas today announced the appointment of Riad Habib, as Senior Vice President of Energy and Industry in North America, effective immediately. Riad will lead the North American Energy and Industry group in a wide range of CAPEX and OPEX project support services, including field and laboratory testing services focused on delivering sustainability and renewable energy solutions, quality testing, inspection, and certification. He will also be responsible for supporting the growth of the company's Green Line sustainability offering.

Riad comes to Bureau Veritas with nearly two decades of energy industry experience and a proven track record of driving financial performance, operational excellence, and leading customer sustainability objectives across the energy and renewables sector. Riad will be responsible for the 2,000 plus member team of the North American Energy and Industry group at Bureau Veritas. He will report to Shawn Till, EVP and CEO of Bureau Veritas North America.

"With a strong background in driving high-performance and operational excellence in the renewable energy sector, and his deep understanding of the future of the energy markets, we are excited to welcome Riad to our leadership team in North America" said Shawn Till, EVP and CEO, Bureau Veritas, North America. "As the world is experiencing monumental shifts to turn focus toward sustainability in energy and mining, Riad will be poised to support Bureau Veritas' mission to shape a world of trust through our testing, inspection and certification serviceshelping our customers meet the highest safety, quality and sustainability standards during this exciting time in the energy sector. We look forward to his leadership as we continue to focus on the strategic growth objectives of Bureau Veritas, and enabling our customers in the energy and renewables sector toward a more sustainable future."

"I am excited for my new role as Senior Vice President and welcome the opportunity to build upon the 200-year legacy of quality, trust, safety, and transparency that Bureau Veritas brings to the energy sector," said Riad Habib, Senior Vice President, Energy and Industry, Bureau Veritas North America. "The prospect of supporting Bureau Veritas in their dedication to renewable energy and sustainability is a privilege and a continuation of my personal core values of helping client during this historic energy market transition, toward more green and resilient offerings."

Prior to joining Bureau Veritas, Riad's career included a range of energy and operational leadership positions at a Fortune 500 global infrastructure consulting firm, most recently as Senior Vice President of the National Energy division for the Americas. In this role, he was instrumental in defining the vision and growth of the Energy business to capture customer energy transition needs within the renewable energy, energy delivery, and decentralized energy markets.

As a global leader with diverse experience across the energy sector, Riad is a respected thought leader on renewable energy, sustainability, design and construction management, project controls, procurement, supply chain management, and commissioning. Riad holds a Master of Science in International Business Finance from Touro College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hartford.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 78,000 employees located in more than 1,600 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its 400,000 clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index.

Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

For more information, visit www.bureauveritas.com, and follow us on Twitter (@bureauveritas) and LinkedIn

MEDIA CONTACTS

Theresa Anderson +1 917 344 4593 [email protected]

SOURCE Bureau Veritas

Related Links

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Stray Dog Capital has been leading investments in the field of plant, synthetic biology and (cultivated) cell-based food since its infancy. "The team at CHKN Not Chicken has developed an amazing product, built the key infrastructure that will allow production to scale quickly, and created a brand that resonates with consumers and will help expand the plant-based chicken category" said Johnny Ream, Partner at Stray Dog Capital.

"We are excited to partner with Stray Dog Capital and share their passion for creating a healthier, humane, and more sustainable future," said Brian Pope, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CHKN Not Chicken. "By creating delicious food that also happens to be plant-based, we believe we can dramatically increase the number of Flexitarians in the world who are becoming more mindful of the foods they eat and are looking for options that allow them to create delicious meat-free versions of their favorite recipes."

Prior to CHKN Not Chicken, Pope was Chief Growth Officer at the plant-based hydration brand Nuun Hydration, which was recently acquired by Nestle Health Sciences, and has also served as Chief Marketing Officer of Popchips, Neuro Drinks, and Virgin Galactic.

"Hands down, this is the best plant-based chicken that I've ever tasted," said David Israel, Founder and CEO of plant-based cheese brand Good Planet Foods who co-invested in the round. "All it took was one bite and I knew the team at CHKN Not Chicken was doing something special I had to be a part of it."

For more information about CHKN Not Chicken, please visit our website at www.CHKNnotChicken.com or follow on IG at @CHKNnotChicken.

About CHKN Not Chicken

CHKN Not Chicken is based in Portland, Oregon and is on a mission to help people improve their health and live more sustainably by eating less meat. CHKN Not Chicken is vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, packed with 20 grams of protein per 8 oz serving and has only 140 calories. Its first product line of shredded CHKN comes in three delicious varieties: Naked CHKN (traditional), Fiesta CHKN (Mexican spice and citrus), and Zen (Asian spices and ginger). Use CHKN Not Chicken as an alternative to chicken in all of your favorite recipes including stir fry, rice bowls, tacos, sandwiches, salads, soups, pastas, and more.

Interested in joining the CHKN Not Chicken team? Connect with us on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/chknnotchicken ) or shoot us an email at [email protected].

About Stray Dog Capital

Stray Dog Capital is a venture capital fund investing in innovative, early-stage companies across the food, beverage, and biotechnology sectors that are driving a healthier, humane, and more sustainable future. Stray Dog Capital supports its portfolio of investments with broad experience from its team as entrepreneurs, operators, advisors, and investors. www.straydogcapital.com

Media Contact:

Natalie Beitashour

[email protected]hicken.com



SOURCE CHKN Not Chicken

Related Links

www.chknnotchicken.com


LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CIGNEX, a leading provider of Open Source, Cloud and Automation technology solutions and services, recently announced its sponsorship at the UiPath Forward IV 2021 which is to be held at Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States from October 5 - 6, 2021.

UiPath Forward is the largest RPA event which nearly hosts 3,000 attendees who are interested in implementing automation and taking their businesses to the next level. Sessions at Forward IV will focus on important topics like governance, security, scaling, up skilling, employee and customer satisfaction, as well as the latest updates on the UiPath Platform.

"We are really excited about our sponsorship at UiPath Forward IV. Our goal is to assist our clients in their digital transformation journey by providing actionable insights that will help them get closer to being a completely automated company - which is possible with UiPath," 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.

CIGNEX is a UiPath Gold Partner. Having invested in RPA since 2016, CIGNEX has built an RPA Centre of Excellence (CoE) with 60+ RPA experts who have accomplished 150+ certifications and are helping customers achieve their automation goals with quality RPA solutions. CIGNEX offers a full range of UiPath services including license procurement, assessment, consulting, implementation, managed services, support.

CIGNEX team will be available at Booth #E5 at the event.

RPA enthusiast and leaders who are planning to attend the event, can schedule a meeting in advance with the CIGNEX Team at https://www.cignex.com/event/uipath-forward-iv-2021

More information on CIGNEX's UiPath capability 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

Global Head of Marketing

CIGNEX

[email protected]

+91-79 6701 0345

SOURCE CIGNEX
HAMILTON, N.J., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CircleBlack, a unified wealth management platform, has partnered with State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) and Smartleaf Asset Management (SAM) to offer advisors access to a range of new low-cost growth strategies through its wealth management platform.

The additional model portfolios, available through CircleBlack's Model Marketplace, include:

Suite of SSGA asset allocation, tax-sensitive, and income strategies

SAM core models designed to track the S&P 500 with limited holdings

Advisors gain access to a suite of low-cost model portfolios from State Street, a pioneer in the indexing space which launched the first U.S. ETF and has built a universe of active and index strategies across asset classes.

Those portfolios include the Strategic Asset Allocation ETF Portfolios, six model portfolios that are constructed, based on risk tolerance, to achieve market exposure across both equity and fixed income markets.

Other portfolios include the Active Asset Allocation ETF Portfolios, which focus on outperforming benchmarks over a full market cycle, and Tax-Sensitive ETF Portfolios, which capture potential tax advantages of municipal bonds while diversifying globally.

Each State Street ETF Model Portfolio is designed, built, and managed by the Investment Solutions Group, which manages money for central banks, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and other large institutions.

Through SAM, advisors have access to the Smartleafs core model strategies designed to track the S&P 500 with limited holdings. The strategies include: Smartleaf Core Model-S70 (SCM-S70) and Smartleaf Core Model-S150 (SCM-S150).

The new offerings complement the array of asset managers already available in CircleBlack's Model Marketplace including (but not limited to), Blackrock, Goldman Sachs, PIMCO, and Wisdom Tree.

"We know advisors need a diverse range of model portfolios to serve their clients as they focus more and more on financial planning and wellness," said Alex Sauickie, President and CEO of CircleBlack.

"While other advisor platforms are just starting to introduce models for availability to advisors, CircleBlack has been supporting models for years and is approaching 20 asset managers to offer a wide selection of cost-effective, globally diversifying, tax-sensitive strategies as we also expand our model management tools, rebalancing features, and platform integrations."

About CircleBlack

CircleBlack, Inc. provides financial advisors with technology that aggregates data, integrates other financial applications seamlessly, manages data from multiple custodians and delivers actionable intelligence about client portfolios, helping advisors better manage clients' wealth while growing and deepening advisor-client relationships. CircleBlack provides a leading platform built for the digital age, with a web-based and mobile application that can be taken anywhere and accessed anytime. CircleBlack's solution leverages proprietary technology that helps sustain the Company's unique competitive advantages. CircleBlack believes in making wealth management better, for both the investor and the advisor. For more information about CircleBlack, visit https://www.circleblack.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Zach Allegretti, JConnelly

973-850-7341

[email protected]

SOURCE CircleBlack

Related Links

http://www.circleblack.com


The contest highlights art that expresses individual experiences with cancer. Tweet this

Winners will be selected based on the following criteria:

The artist must submit an image of any kind of original visual art, such as a painting, sketch, or sculpture.

The artist must submit a title and a short description for their artwork that states its meaning to them, how it relates to the cancer experience and what medium(s) they used to create the work.

The artist can submit more than one artwork but will only win for one piece if selected.

The artwork must be submitted by, and attributed to, its creator(s).

Submissions will be accepted through October 15, 2021. Those should submit a high-resolution photo of their work to [email protected] with the subject line "2022 Calendar Contest".

Readers who do not wish to participate in the calendar contest but still wish to submit artwork to appear in our online gallery are encouraged to do so throughout the year. Those submissions may also be considered for inclusion in the print or online CURE magazines.

For the full list of criteria, more information about the 2022 CURE Calendar Contest, and to view the CURE art gallery, click here.

About CURE Media Group

CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research, and education. It combines a full suite of media products, including its industry-leading website, curetoday.com; innovative video programs, such as "CURE Connections"; a series of widely attended events; and CURE magazine, which reaches more than 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

CURE Media Group Media Contact

Alyssa Scarpaci, 609-716-7777

[email protected]

SOURCE CURE Media Group

Related Links

https://www.curetoday.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The national nonprofit Delivering Good has identified the Haiti earthquake, Hurricane Ida recovery, ongoing domestic natural disasters and the Afghan refugee resettlement as the priority emergencies for its long-term response. The charity is assessing each event separately, working with local and national community partners and government agencies, and is offering ways for companies and individuals to help.

When supporting any type of humanitarian crisis services, timing can be very important. Delivering Good's role in emergency responses is to support people recovering and rebuilding their lives; most of this work is done after the initial rescue and immediate services from first responders, local governments and various agencies. Through the years, Delivering Good has been committed to assisting and supporting impacted communities for days, weeks, months and years after the initial event.

Since 1985, Delivering Good has developed the expertise to distribute donated new goods in the times of crisis, and knows how to work with the right partners to help. With connections to companies in the fashion, home, consumer and children's industries, and a network of over 800 community partners in the US and Canada, the charity helps companies develop emergency responses that have helped people in need.

"This has been a busy time for emergency and disaster relief, as well as other challenging situations," said Delivering Good President & CEO Lisa Gurwitch. "Our donations of new merchandise will help communities as they build back, and as people resume their lives. Financial support of our work also makes a big impact by funding the processing and distribution of new product donations."

To support Delivering Good's efforts, individuals and companies can make cash gifts online, and companies with new merchandise to donate can also submit an online donation form. Both options are available at https://www.delivering-good.org/emergencies/; questions can be emailed to [email protected].

Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina was especially meaningful to Delivering Good. Hurricane Katrina was the motivation for members of the fashion and home industries to form Fashion Delivers, one of the two organizations that united to become Delivering Good. The impact Ida has had throughout the US will be included in relief for that disaster, and the charity is also responding to other regional events such as California wildfires and flooding in Tennessee. Unfortunately, relief to Haiti is extremely challenging in the current environment, but Delivering Good continues to work with local partners to determine the appropriate allocation of new, needed items.

Delivering Good's support for the resettlement of Afghan refugees to the United States is a critical emergency response. The charity is working with the Office of Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State, as well as the network of New York Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NYVOAD). Delivering Good will be securing donations of new products to help the Afghans as they settle into their new lives.

Delivering Good Disasters & Emergency Responses

Delivering Good's work will include supporting the impacted communities over the next year as they resettle or rebuild after the clean-up of the immediate events. For 36 years, Delivering Good has provided over $2 billion of new apparel, shoes, toys, educational material, home items and other useful items to help people in need. By coordinating closely with community partners about both their immediate and long-term needs, Delivering Good can provide donations of new apparel, home items, children's products and other essentials that can help the recovery.

The current natural disasters and emergencies are coming after last year's pandemic challenges and a record amount of donated new merchandise. In 2020, Delivering Good achieved received donations of over 69,000,000 units of new product worth more than $280,000,000. Delivering Good is hoping that product donors will be able to help with this year's needs as well.

About Delivering Good

Delivering Good is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides people impacted by poverty and tragedy with new merchandise donated by retailers and manufacturers. Since 1985, Delivering Good has distributed over $2 billion of new, useful items through its network of more than 800 community partners, offering hope, dignity and self-esteem to at-risk children, families and individuals. By uniting retailers, manufacturers, foundations and individuals, Delivering Good strives to help create a more equitable world where children, adults and families facing economic, medical, social and environmental challenges have useful items needed to overcome adversity and achieve their full potential. For more information about Delivering Good, please visit Delivering-Good.org or follow @DeliveringGood on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Peter Paris

646.362.9091

[email protected]

SOURCE Delivering Good, Inc.
Industry leaders form new adult beverages company to mix up the traditional approach to building premium global brands. Tweet this

Led by Clerkin, CEO, and Menashe, Executive Chairman, Demeter & Co will develop new adult beverage brands informed deeply by consumers and the cultural landscape - with the clear intention to mix up the industry's approach towards building premium global brands.

With an insider's understanding of the industry's inefficiencies around route-to-market, in addition to how brands must modernize their engagement with consumers, Clerkin and Menashe are looking to not only develop new global brands but also the framework for doing so.

While the US-based company is new, its leadership team have a proven track record of building the industry's leading global brands including: Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Moet Hennessy, Campari, Heineken, Aperol, Guinness, and Jim Beam, among many others.

And crucially, it will be the only team in the industry to blend the dynamic perspective of entrepreneurs and corporate brand stewards, investment banking and operations, as well as digital and field marketing across both US and global markets.

To ensure brands engage consumers nationally across all channels, Demeter & Co will align with leading distribution partners including Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits - the world's preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol.

A long-term friend of Clerkin, Wayne Chaplin, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Glazer's was the first partner to support the venture: "As a multi-generational, family-owned company that operates in 44 U.S. states, we are always looking for new and evolving adult beverage brands that not only connect and appeal to a diverse consumer, but also break the traditional mold when it comes to choice and experience.

"Clerkin and Menashe are mixing up the rules when it comes to brand relevancy. By identifying new products that reflect cultural movements, this dynamic pairing will set a new standard for how global brands are built with a 360-consumer lens. "

Demeter & Co origins

Clerkin and Menashe have long standing relationship which started when Menashe became M&A Advisor to Clerkin, as he looked to expand Moet Hennessy's portfolio.

Working on deals such as Moet Hennessy's acquisition of Woodinville Whiskey Company, the duo became friends based on their mutual trust for never compromising on fairness and quality, as well as a shared passion for building teams and global adult beverage brands.

Clerkin and Menashe have been able to witness first-hand how the relationship between consumer and brand is evolving, in part, through their joint involvement with ReserveBar - the largest e-commerce platform in the spirits industry. Changes within both the competitive landscape and the cultural mood sparked an idea  to become owners of a new generation of adult beverage brands.

"Covid-19 made us all re-evaluate what really matters in life. I was locked in an apartment in New York feeling increasingly frustrated, doing a lot of thinking - whilst at the same time all these great opportunities were arriving on my desk that I couldn't move on because I didn't have the autonomy to do so," explained Jim Clerkin, Co-Founder of Demeter & Co.

"As I talked to Jeff, he was the first to have the idea of doing something completely new together. We saw an immediate opportunity to mix up the industry's approach to developing global adult beverage brands, through a digital-first lens and by celebrating the real boldness and expressiveness of their consumers.

"The way our two world's combine and complement each other, and the speed at which we can move compared to big committees and corporate organizations allows us to take a new approach that will mix up how our industry develops global brands."

"There's such a newness in terms of the cultural mood, how people connect to each other, consumer expectations of how brands need to speak to them and how brand communities want to be part of a larger movement. It presents so much opportunity in the adult beverage industry to build global brands that make positive impact," continues Jeff Menashe, Co-Founder Demeter & Co.

"As of now, no one is fully leveraging the opportunity at scale across a portfolio of brands, as it is tough to do from the traditional approach to building brands. It requires a real posture to continuous learning as well as making positive impact. "

Clerkin and Menashe are building a team unlike any other. To date, they have recruited 10 professionals, each of whom is recognized for their ability to impact the trajectory of global brands within their area of expertise.

Clerkin continues, "Jeff and I decided that we were only going to work with the very best talent at Demeter & Co. Not just in stature and title, but people we trust to pivot from the traditional corporate structure to entrepreneurs and owners leading with independent thought, unbelievable inner drive and a real passion for building global brands through the power of people and collaboration."

Demeter & Co will launch its first brand into the US market in late September 2021. Significantly, the company will be introducing the UK's leading no and low alcohol spirits brand through wholesale as well as direct-to-consumer. Clerkin and Menashe are especially excited to get out of the gate to bring the brand's fresh take on tequila, one of the fastest growing categories in the US.

Media Notes

In addition to founders Jeff Menashe, and Jim Clerkin, Demeter & Co's team include Jacques Mantz, chief financial officer and former global chief financial officer and chief operating officer, Moet Hennessy, Rudy Costello, head of sales and former global chief executive officer, Stoli Group, Lana Buchanan, chief brand officer and former VP Beyond Beer, Anheuser Busch, Stephanie Olmstead, head of ecommerce and former director, commercial strategy and transformation, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Richard Hurst, head of strategy and former head of strategy / M&A, Moet Hennessy Americas, Laurence Wolfe, head of operations and former senior vice president operations and chief supply chain officer, Heineken USA, Elizabeth Lee, head of financial planning and analysis and former manager, Business Transformation Group, Mattel, Amee Lile-Schrock, controller and former vice president and controller of finance, Sacramento Kings LP, Linda King, accounting director and former senior accounting manager, Campari America LLC.

About Demeter & Co

Established in 2021, Demeter & Co is an adult beverage company co-founded by Jeff Menashe, Founder and CEO of Demeter Advisory Group, the leading investment bank to premium adult beverage brands in the US, and Jim Clerkin, former CEO of the Americas for Moet Hennessy and Jim Beam.

Demeter & Co develops global adult beverage brands that make an impact as much as the bold and expressive consumers who love them.

Demeter & Co will develop wine, spirits, champagne, ready-to-drinks, low and no alcohol, and cannabis-infused drinks as part of its portfolio of brands.

For more information, visit www.demeterandco.com

Media Assets, interviews and images:

Press Contact:



Tara O'Driscoll [email protected] +44 7791 091 909 Alexandria Nahlous [email protected] +1(646) 515-1322

SOURCE Demeter & Co
BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eaton Vance Management ("EVM"), investment adviser to Eaton Vance Short Duration Diversified Income Fund (NYSE: EVG), announced that Akbar A. Causer and Federico Sequeda, CFA, each a Vice President of EVM, have joined the Fund's portfolio management team. Effective September 8, 2021, the members of the Fund's portfolio management team are Catherine C. McDermott, Andrew Szczurowski, CFA, Eric Stein, CFA, Mr. Causer and Mr. Sequeda.

About the Fund

Eaton Vance applies in-depth fundamental analysis to the active management of equity, income, alternative and multi-asset strategies. Eaton Vance's investment teams follow time-tested principles of investing that emphasize ongoing risk management, tax management (where applicable) and the pursuit of consistent long-term returns. The firm's investment capabilities encompass the global capital markets. With a history dating back to 1924, Eaton Vance is headquartered in Boston and also maintains investment offices in New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore. For more information, visit evmanagement.com. Eaton Vance is a part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the asset management division of Morgan Stanley.

Shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from their net asset value. The market price of Fund shares may vary from net asset value based on factors affecting the supply and demand for shares, such as Fund distribution rates relative to similar investments, investors' expectations for future distribution changes, the clarity of the Fund's investment strategy and future return expectations, and investors' confidence in the underlying markets in which the Fund invests. Fund shares are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested. The Fund is not a complete investment program and you may lose money investing therein. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Before investing, prospective investors should consider carefully the Fund's investment objective, strategies, risks, charges and expenses.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute an offer to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Additional information about the Fund, including performance and portfolio characteristic information, is available at eatonvance.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, as defined by the U.S. securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors that may be beyond a Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Eaton Vance Management

Related Links

www.eatonvance.com


HONOLULU and EAST PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Earthshot Ventures , a new venture capital fund launched to support entrepreneurs tackling climate change, today announced its first close of $60M. The fund is designed to bring together new and existing networks in the climate tech space to more rapidly scale critical solutions.

Earthshot Ventures is spinning out of Elemental Excelerator , a global climate tech organization that pioneered the use of the accelerator model for climate technologies. Since 2012, Elemental has evaluated over 5,000 companies, invested alongside 2,000 co-investors, and built an inclusive community to advance climate investing. Three of Elemental's team members will lead the fund: Dawn Lippert, Elemental founder and CEO, Mike Jackson, who has served as Elemental's investor-in-residence since 2017, and Ramsay Siegal, former head of Elemental's portfolio.

Earthshot is backed by Limited Partners including Emerson Collective, John Doerr (Chairman, Kleiner Perkins), Tom Steyer (Founder, NextGen America), McKinley Alaska, Microsoft, Employees' Retirement System of Hawaii, Stafford Capital Partners, Chris Cox (Chief Product Officer, Facebook), David Crane (Co-Founder & CEO, Climate Real Impact Solutions), and Impact Engine. These partners share a commitment to investing in bold climate solutions and working together to help companies succeed.

Additionally, Launch Alaska , a clean technology accelerator and deployment engine that has worked closely with Elemental since its founding, has also partnered with Earthshot to provide dealflow and access to customer networks. Launch, founded in Alaska, and Elemental, founded in Hawaii, bring real-world experience and insight deploying technologies in communities on the front lines of climate change.

Quotes from Earthshot Ventures

"We built Earthshot Ventures to increase catalytic funding for bold and diverse founders who are transforming markets. Earthshot gives us a new tool to help founders tackle enormous challenges, while providing investors access to the world's biggest growth opportunity: combating climate change," said Dawn Lippert, Founding Partner, Earthshot Ventures.

"Earthshot is unique because of our team's deep experience working alongside ventures as they are deploying technology. We have a strong sense of what has commercial traction and the ability to make rapid impact. This enables us to invest in both hardware and software companies at the early stages, and supercharge their efforts by plugging into our global network of customers, investors, and policy-makers," said Mike Jackson, Managing Partner, Earthshot Ventures.

"Over the last 10 years, Elemental operated one of the largest climate tech portfolios in the industry, and have celebrated 20 exits to date," said Ramsay Siegal, Partner, Earthshot Ventures. "The stars are aligning, we have the right ingredients. There is no better time than now to be a climate entrepreneur."

Quotes from Earthshot Ventures Limited Partners

"Earthshot raises the bar for equitable climate tech investment," said Laurene Powell Jobs, President, Emerson Collective and Board Chair, Elemental Excelerator. "Our deeply aligned group of investors is seeking the most audacious entrepreneurs to rapidly address the climate crisis."

"Backing cleantech entrepreneursand motivating others to do the sameis not only the smart thing for investors to do, it's one of the most profitable things they can do," said John Doerr, chairman of Kleiner Perkins. "The team behind Earthshot Ventures has deep experience growing climate organizations, and their track record is exceptional. They have the grit and perspective it takes to roll back the threat of climate change."

"Recent global catastrophes have proven that our collective commitment to combating the climate crisis must become mainstream," said Tom Steyer, Founder of NextGen America. "Earthshot is finding some of the most impactful founders in the field, proving that significant investment opportunity and significant climate impact can go hand in hand."

"The ability of Elemental and Launch Alaska to attract some of the world's top climate entrepreneurs gives Earthshot a distinct advantage in sourcing startups," said Joseph Jacobson, Director of Private Equity at McKinley Alaska Private Investment, LLC. "We believe Earthshot will address climate and social equity issues while delivering returns for its Limited Partners."

"Microsoft is investing in Earthshot because of their ability to deliver impactful and equitable climate solutions, two top priorities for our Climate Innovation Fund," said Brandon Middaugh, director of the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. "We look forward to supporting the new technologies made possible by this investment, which are key to a net zero carbon future."

"The approach that Earthshot is taking to climate-tech investment is unique, and we believe that a fund with roots in Hawaii represents a model for the world to follow," said Elizabeth Burton, Chief Investment Officer of Employees' Retirement System of Hawaii. "We are excited to support a fund born out of Elemental, given its strong work advancing Hawaii's entrepreneurial ecosystem and breaking open markets for new climate technologies."

About Earthshot Ventures

Earthshot Ventures is a $60 million early-stage venture fund investing in entrepreneurs solving the toughest climate challenges. The fund invests in both hardware and software companies from Seed through Series B, and helps companies scale by plugging them into our global network of customers, investors, and policymakers. In 2021, Earthshot spun out of Elemental Excelerator, a global climate tech organization that pioneered the use of the accelerator model for climate technologies. The fund is led by Dawn Lippert, Elemental founder and CEO; Mike Jackson, who served as Elemental's investor-in-residence since 2017; and Matt Logan, who previously evaluated startups and led corporate partnerships for Elemental.

For more information, please visit earthshot.vc .

About Elemental Excelerator

Elemental Excelerator is on a mission to redesign the systems at the root of climate change. In 2009, the non-profit launched a new model for funding climate tech deployment. Breaking down barriers to innovation alongside entrepreneurs provides Elemental unique insight into the policy, market, and technology innovation needed to build systems to uplift people and communities around the world. Elemental has invested in over 115 growth-stage companies and celebrated more than 20 exits, funded more than 70 technology projects, and built a platform for scaling equitable, market-driven solutions to climate change.

For more information, please visit elementalexcelerator.com .

About Launch Alaska

Developing and deploying solutions to climate change has the potential to radically improve our world, moving us away from pollution and extraction, and towards equity, access, and abundance. Launch Alaska views startups as the key to a needed industrial re-revolutiondriving the rapid modernization and decarbonization of our critical systems to mitigate the causes and effects of climate change, while unlocking incredible economic opportunity.

The challenges are massive. But the solutions are exciting, and we're proud to partner with game-changing startups from all over the globe to amplify their efforts to solve some of the world's most pressing problems.

For more information, please visit launchalaska.com .

Disclaimer: Nothing contained in this press release should be relied upon as a promise or representation as to the future performance of Earthshot Ventures (the "Fund"). No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy of statements, estimates, targets, and/or projections herein. Similarly, nothing contained herein is or should be relied upon as a promise or representation as to the external conditions and circumstances under which the Fund will operate (including without limitation, overall market conditions, technology developments, strategic alliances, and other matters outside the control of the Fund's General Partner). Prospective investors must not rely upon any matters described in this release. Even with respect to matters within the control of the General Partner, the activities undertaken by the General Partner or the Fund may differ from those described above due to unexpected external circumstances or otherwise. Finally, for the avoidance of doubt, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Media Contacts

mc2 for Earthshot Ventures

[email protected]

Tom Biro

Elemental Excelerator

[email protected]

+1.862.485.0711

SOURCE Elemental Excelerator

Related Links

https://elementalexcelerator.com/


REDDING, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new documentary film "Send Proof" chronicles a man's intellectual and spiritual journey to discover whether claims of divine intervention and miracles of healing can be corroborated with medical testing and scientific evidence.

Six years in the making, Star Gazer Media Group is announcing the release of this first-of-its-kind movie on Sept. 14 in Los Angeles County (Pasadena), California at Ambassador Auditorium.

Dr. Jacalyn Duffin, acclaimed miracle researcher, is interviewed for Send Proof. James Randi shows filmmaker Elijah Stephens magic tricks.

In the 95-minute documentary, filmmaker Elijah Stephens takes a careful look at assertions that someone has been miraculously healed working in tandem with the Global Medical Research Institute, interviewing board-certified doctors, scientists, an atheist medical historian who believes in miracles, and some of the leading skeptical voices who insist that miracles are bogus.

"I am excited to release this movie because I think both skeptic and believer alike will enjoy it and find it challenging," Stephens says.

"The reason I named my film 'send proof' is that this is a call for Christians who claim to be supernaturally healed to send in evidence, their medical records, to be researched and possibly be published as case studies in peer-reviewed academic journals."

As surveys continue to show, a broad swath of the American public believes in miracles, and if medical evidence can be utilized to bolster their veracity, it could shift our collective paradigm regarding how Westerners think about miracles.

The movie documents accounts of miraculous healings that have been published as case studies in the Complementary Therapies in Medicine Journal. Stephens also travels to Mozambique to document the ministry of Rolland and Heidi Baker, detailing in the film how miracles of the healing of deaf and blind Mozambicans were followed up on by researchers and their findings were published in the Southern Medical Journal .

Leading voices in charismatic Christianity who claim to flow in healing anointings are featured prominently and for those hesitant about embracing such theological paradigms in light of abuse of spiritual gifts, the filmmaker says that he wanted to engage a wide array of voices. Evangelical apologists and scholars Dr. William Lane Craig, Dr. J.P. Moreland, Dr. Craig Keener, and Dr. Gary Habermas also provide their perspectives.

Skeptic and atheist authors and thought leaders Dr. Michael Shermer; Dr. Michaell Ruse; John Loftus, a former Christian; and the late James Randi weigh in an attempt to show balance.

For more information or to book a showing of "Send Proof" please visit sendproof.com or email Tyler Feller at [email protected]

Trailer:

https://vimeo.com/505917828/b78f70ceff

Media Kit:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jNlVzKrdTyorYCBeRMr5ipadc3o4t0koxqoh8i8v694/edit?usp=sharing

Media Contact:

Tyler Feller

[email protected]

812-573-0864

SOURCE Star Gazer Media Group
LONDON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FleishmanHillard today announced its continued focus and investment in bringing leading DE&I expertise across Europe with the launch of True MOSAIC across 15 markets, further advancing the agency's global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy and supporting its ambition to become the most inclusive agency in the world.

Since launching the True MOSAIC practice in 2020, FleishmanHillard has rapidly expanded its DE&I offering across all regions, including the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. The emphasis is on supporting the growth of FleishmanHillard's DE&I expertise on a global scale, strengthened in each region with deep local knowledge and distinctive cultural fluency.

"Global integration of our DE&I efforts is at the core of our vision and our belief that communications can be a strategic catalyst for creating equity and inclusion," said Adrianne C. Smith, FleishmanHillard's chief diversity and inclusion officer. "To support that vision, we're delighted to bring together the many FleishmanHillard and OPRG DE&I practitioners across Europe to provide locally relevant strategic counsel, supported by the proven experience and consulting model of FleishmanHillard's True MOSAIC practice."

The unification of the FleishmanHillard and OPRG DE&I expertise in Europe brings together a well-resourced talent pool and a high level of experience in helping clients navigate their communications  forging new and reimagined standards, ideas, values and ways of exploring diversity and inclusion solutions.

The galvanized DE&I consulting team in Europe includes 15 key markets: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Paris, Frankfurt, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Rome, Valencia and Warsaw, with teams of experienced DE&I practitioners in every market. More countries are being formally added as the offering expands further throughout Europe.

Coupled with customized DE&I counsel, True MOSAIC offers tools to help guide a client's DE&I journey and measure their progress. They include:

DE&IQ. A proprietary diagnostic tool created to help organizations assess public perception of their DE&I actions to better strengthen their positions and map meaningful plans of action. The framework assesses an organization's reputation across five pillars related to DE&I and is designed to give organizations a clear diagnostic about how their actions and communications are resonating in the market and relative to their competitors.

A proprietary diagnostic tool created to help organizations assess public perception of their DE&I actions to better strengthen their positions and map meaningful plans of action. The framework assesses an organization's reputation across five pillars related to DE&I and is designed to give organizations a clear diagnostic about how their actions and communications are resonating in the market and relative to their competitors. TRUE Self x True MOSAIC. A strategic workshop that combines FleishmanHillard's best-in-class corporate positioning methodology with the expert counsel of its dedicated DE&I counselors. The collaboration is designed to help clients bring their most important stakeholders and decision makers together to align how they engage on DE&I  where they've been, how committed they are to their values and what they do next.

A strategic workshop that combines FleishmanHillard's best-in-class corporate positioning methodology with the expert counsel of its dedicated DE&I counselors. The collaboration is designed to help clients bring their most important stakeholders and decision makers together to align how they engage on DE&I  where they've been, how committed they are to their values and what they do next. Decision Tree. Responding to the complex DE&I landscape requires a delicate balance that is nuanced and individualized to each organization. When reputation is on the line, this process helps organizations know when and how to engage on issues and societal events, arriving at a place of action and communication.

Responding to the complex DE&I landscape requires a delicate balance that is nuanced and individualized to each organization. When reputation is on the line, this process helps organizations know when and how to engage on issues and societal events, arriving at a place of action and communication. Inclusive Language Guide and Workshop. Beginning with a constructive conversation might sound simple, but the language we use can either be inviting or polarizing. The True MOSAIC Inclusive Language Guide and Workshop is a first step to help corporate leaders and organizations communicate consciously by educating them on the power of words.

About FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named 2020 Campaign Global PR Agency of the Year; 2019 PRWeek U.S. Outstanding Large Agency; 2019 Holmes Report North America Large Agency of the Year; ICCO Network of the Year  Americas 2017-2020; PRovoke Media Greater China Consultancy of the Year 2020; PRWeek UK Best Places to Work 2020; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality 2018-2020; and NAFE's "Top Companies for Executive Women" 2010-2020. The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group and has 80 offices in more than 30 countries, plus affiliates in 50 countries.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE FleishmanHillard Inc.

Related Links

https://fleishmanhillard.com


LAS VEGAS and TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flower One Holdings Inc. ("Flower One" or the "Company") (CSE: FONE) (OTCQX: FLOOF) (FSE: F11), the leading cannabis cultivator and producer in Nevada, today announced Kellen O'Keefe, Flower One's President and CEO, will present live at VirtualInvestorConferences.com on September 9th.

DATE: September 9th, 2021

TIME: 3:00pm ET

LINK: https://bit.ly/3ylJi2m

This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

Recent Company Highlights:

The Company reported record revenue of $18.3M for the second quarter of 2021, ahead of its guidance of $16M - $18M and representing a 373% increase over the same period of the prior year and a sequential increase of 32% compared to the first quarter 2021.

for the second quarter of 2021, ahead of its guidance of - and representing a 373% increase over the same period of the prior year and a sequential increase of 32% compared to the first quarter 2021. The Company holds two of the top three flower brands in Nevada (Cookies and in-house brand, NLVO), while its various bulk and white label offerings represent more sales by volume than the top selling brands in the state.

About Flower One Holdings Inc.

Flower One is the largest cannabis cultivator, producer, and full-service brand fulfillment partner in the state of Nevada. By combining more than 20 years of greenhouse operational excellence with best-in-class cannabis operators, Flower One offers consistent, reliable, and scalable fulfillment to a growing number of industry-leading cannabis brands (Cookies, Kiva, Old Pal, Heavy Hitters, Lift Ticket's, The Clear, HUXTON, and Flower One's leading in-house brand, NLVO, and more). Flower One currently produces a wide range of products from flower, full-spectrum oils, and distillates to finished consumer packaged goods, including a variety of: pre-rolls, concentrates, edibles, topicals, and more for top-performing brands in cannabis. Flower One's Nevada footprint includes the Company's flagship facility, a 400,000 square-foot high-tech greenhouse and 55,000 square-foot production facility, as well as a second site with a 25,000 square-foot indoor cultivation facility and commercial kitchen. Flower One has built an industry-leading team passionate about sharing cannabis with the world.

The Company's common shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the Company's symbol "FONE", in the United States on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol "FLOOF" and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "F11". For more information, visit: https://flowerone.com.

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly-traded companies to meet and present directly with investors.

A real-time solution for investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences is part of OTC Market Group's suite of investor relations services specifically designed for more efficient Investor Access. Replicating the look and feel of on-site investor conferences, Virtual Investor Conferences combine leading-edge conferencing and investor communications capabilities with a comprehensive global investor audience network.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of United States securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other unknown factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from historical results or from any future actual results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements labeled with the terms "believes," "belief," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "potential," "should," "may," "will," "plans," "continue" or other similar expressions to be uncertain and forward-looking.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, timing of filing the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying management's discussion and analysis on SEDAR in due course, expectation of continued financial performance of the Company, statements relating to the Company's position as a leader in the Nevada cannabis market and anticipated sales and record revenue, the Company's leadership as a cannabis cultivator, producer, innovator and full-service brand fulfillment partner, and the production of a wide range of products for the nation's top-performing brands.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, the "Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Information" section contained the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended June 31, 2021 (the "MD&A"). All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's public securities filings with the Canadian securities commissions, including the MD&A. Although Flower One has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. Flower One disclaims and does not undertake any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Non-IFRS Measures

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and certain other financial information provide herein are non-IFRS financial measures that the Company uses to assess its operating performance and financial position. EBITDA is defined as net earnings (loss) before net finance costs, income tax expense (benefit) and depreciation and amortization expense. Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted for other non-cash items such as the impact of unrealized fair values, share based compensation expense, impairments, one-time gains and losses, and one-time revenues and expenses. This data is furnished to provide additional information and are non-IFRS measures and do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. The Company uses these non-IFRS measures to provide shareholders and others with supplemental measures of its operating performance. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties, frequently use these non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of companies, many of which present similar metrics when reporting their results. As other companies may calculate these non-IFRS measures differently than the Company, these metrics may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. We caution readers that Adjusted EBITDA should not be substituted for determining net loss as an indicator of operating results, or as a substitute for cash flows from operating and investing activities.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE VirtualInvestorConferences.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GenNx360 Capital Partners ("GenNx360"), a New York City-based private equity firm investing in middle market business-to-business industrial and business services companies, in partnership with the management team of Whitsons Culinary Group ("Whitsons" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce a majority investment in Whitsons.

Headquartered in Islandia, NY, Whitsons is a provider of dining services to consumers and public and private organizations throughout the Northeast. Whitsons has a long and proud history of serving local communities and setting new standards for the foodservice industry with wholesome foods and family values. Whitsons leads the industry with its customized services, innovative programs, commitment to quality, focus on nutrition, local sourcing and community support. Its services include school nutrition, residential and healthcare dining, prepared meals and emergency dining. Paul Whitcomb and Beth Bunster will continue to lead the Company as the CEO and CFO, respectively. Other members of the Whitcomb family will also remain active in the business. Whitsons was represented by JMP Securities LLC who served as Whitsons' exclusive financial advisor and Burns & Levinson LLP who served as Whitsons' legal counsel.

Paul Whitcomb, CEO of Whitsons stated, "We are excited to partner with GenNx360, whose deep operational expertise and track record of building platforms will be a tremendous asset to us as we drive our next phase of rapid growth. GenNx360's investment in Whitsons will enable us to focus on driving our mission of Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time. We will continue to build our team and our services and expand our reach to serve more communities wholesome and delicious meals. There will be no changes to our day-to-day management and operations, and the Whitcomb family will remain actively involved in the business."

Daphne Dufresne, GenNx360 Managing Partner said, "Whitsons is led by an impressive management team who has built an industry-leading platform. We look forward to supporting Paul, Beth and the rest of the team in executing upon their growth strategy."

Rishi Verma, GenNx360 Principal said, "The transaction reflects the strength and resilience of Whitsons' business model and is a testament of our ability to partner with family-owned companies."

About GenNx360 Capital Partners

GenNx360 Capital Partners is a private equity firm focused on acquiring middle market business services and industrial companies. GenNx360 invests in companies with proven and sustainable business models in expanding industries, with the objective of implementing value-enhancing operational improvements to accelerate growth, deliver efficiencies and generate strong financial returns. Target industries include industrial machinery and components, business & industrial services, automation & industrial technology, packaging products, equipment services, environmental services, and food ingredients/equipment/services. GenNx360 was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in New York City. For more information on GenNx360 Capital Partners, please visit www.gennx360.com.

About Whitsons Culinary Group

Whitsons Culinary Group provides a wide range of highly customized dining services to public schools, healthcare dining and emergency services throughout the Northeast, with a strong focus on nutritious, high quality meals made from wholesome, fresh ingredients. Whitsons has a long and proud history of excellence and growth since 1979 and is setting new standards for the foodservice industry with wholesome foods and family values. For more information, visit www.whitsons.com.

For media inquiries about this press release, please contact:

GenNx360 Capital Partners

Carmen Rojas, Director of Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 212.257.6772

SOURCE GenNx360 Capital Partners

Related Links

http://www.gennx360.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") reminds investors of the upcoming September 14, 2021 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired RenovaCare, Inc. ("RenovaCare" or the "Company") (OTC: RCAR) securities between August 14, 2017 and May 28, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period").

If you suffered a loss on your RenovaCare investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at https://www.glancylaw.com/cases/renovacare-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at [email protected] to learn more about your rights.

On May 28, 2021, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued a litigation release stating that RenovaCare was being charged with alleged securities fraud. According to the SEC's complaint, between July 2017 and January 2018, the Company's controlling shareholder and Chairman, Harmel Rayat ("Rayat"), "arranged, and caused RenovaCare to pay for, a promotional campaign designed to increase the company's stock price." Specifically, "Rayat was closely involved in directing the promotion and editing promotional materials, and arranged to funnel payments to the publisher through consultants to conceal RenovaCare's involvement in the campaign." When OTC Markets Group, Inc. requested that RenovaCare explain its relationship to the promotion, the complaint alleges that "Rayat and RenovaCare then drafted and issued a press release and a Form 8-K that contained material misrepresentations and omissions denying Rayat's and the company's involvement in the promotion."

On this news, the Company's stock price fell $0.66, or 24.8%, over three consecutive trading sessions to close at $2.00 per share on June 2, 2021.

The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that, at the direction of Rayat, RenovaCare engaged in a promotional campaign to issue misleading statements to artificially inflate the Company's stock price; (2) that, when the OTC Markets inquired, RenovaCare and Rayat issued a materially false and misleading press release claiming that no director, officer, or controlling shareholder had any involvement in the purported third party's promotional materials; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were defective; and (4) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked reasonable basis at all relevant times.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired RenovaCare securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than September 14, 2021 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. To be a member of the class action 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 action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

SOURCE Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP

Related Links

www.glancylaw.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Immersion Technology, Component, Business Model, Type and Country - Analysis and Forecast, 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global military synthetic and digital training solution market is estimated to reach $17,385.8 million in 2026, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.45% during the forecast period 2021-2026.

Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Market

The manufacturers ensure that the hardware and software integrated within the military synthetic and digital training solution are well matched within their scope of application. To ensure that users (military personnel) get the best possible simulation environment, the companies operating in the vertical are increasing their investment in research and development.

Some major technological development within the market encompasses cross-domain simulations and ultra-high-fidelity immersive experience. The market faces several technical and non-technical challenges, such as integrating software and hardware and operations on an open network. However, these are expected to be eliminated over time from the market.

Impact of COVID-19 Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of the military synthetic and digital training solution market. The increasing geopolitical conflicts between nations due to rising cases of COVID-19 and the arms and ammunition escalation race across the globe have generated a demand for combat-ready troops across several nations. Such situations have generated business opportunities for the market.

However, limited logistics support and fund allocation toward acquiring new simulation technologies due to COVID-19 have also seized a few business opportunities. Several companies have reported a loss of business and limited their fund toward R&D, which may impact the market in the long run. However, the gradual decline of COVID-19 cases will lead to a more stable ecosystem, opening new business opportunities for the global military synthetic and digital training solution market.

Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Industry Overview

The global military synthetic and digital training solution market has been growing rapidly over the past few years due to the rising demand for high-quality and high-fidelity simulators that offer comprehensive cross-domain training environments. Major key companies are acquiring smaller and emerging companies to increase their operational regions in various applications.

Market Segmentation

Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Market by Application

The global military synthetic and digital training solution market has been segmented based on various immersion applications, including combat and personnel training, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) training, leadership and skill assessment, and medical training. The combat and personnel training segment includes various sub-segments such as personnel training, aircraft, vehicle, and vessel.

These segments are also further divided into manned and unmanned vehicles. The aircraft segment will witness the highest market share in combat and personal training within the global military synthetic and digital training solution market. The increasing cost of live combat and personnel training and the rising risk of fatal injuries during live training is the primary market driver supporting the usage of military simulators.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

The companies profiled in the report have been selected post undergoing in-depth interviews with experts and understanding the details around companies such as product portfolio, annual revenues, market penetration, research and development initiatives, key developments, and domestic and international presence in the military synthetic and digital training solution industry.

Key Questions Answered in the Report

Which region is expected to be leading the global military synthetic and digital training solution market by 2026?

What are the key developmental strategies implemented by the key players to sustain in this highly competitive market?

What are the futuristic trends in this market, and how is the market expected to change during the forecast period 2021-2026?

What are the key drivers and challenges faced by the companies currently working in the global military synthetic and digital training solution market?

What are the anticipated segments and applications expected to dominate the market share during the forecast period?

What are the opportunities for the companies to expand their businesses in the global military synthetic and digital training solution market?

What is the current and future revenue scenario of this market?

Industry Outlook

Evolution of Military Training Environment: Current Vs. Future Scenario

Aerial Military Simulator (by Country), 2021

Emerging Technologies in the Global Military Synthetic and Digital Training Solution Market

Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Interactions

Patent Analysis, 2020 and 2021

Supply Chain Analysis

Market Dynamics

Business Drivers

Rising Demand for Virtual Simulation Training for Ensuring Safety of Trainees and Cost-Effectiveness

Ease of Accessing Data

Reduction of Training Cost

Increased Training Efficiency

Reduced Dependency

Enhanced Safety

Rising R&D Activities for Development of Military Simulation System

Integration of Synthetic Training Environment (STE) in Next-Generation Equipment

Miniaturization of Components

Improvement in Communication Technologies

Fifth Generation (5G) and Internet of Things (IoT)

Laser Communication

Wireless Communication

Business Challenges

High Production and Deployment Cost of Systems

High Complexity Associated with Simulation System

Low Bandwidth and Latency

Limited Data Rendering Capabilities

Prone to Cyber Attack

Business Opportunities

Developing a Multi-Domain Battle Training System

Partnership Opportunities with Telecom and AR/VR Manufacturers

Remote Training Solution

Key Market Strategies and Developments

Long Term Collaborations, Contracts, New Product Launches, and Investments

Companies Mentioned

Airbus S.A.S.

Boeing

CAE Inc.

ECA Group

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.

Indra Sistemas, S.A.

Kongsberg

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Leonardo S.p.A.

Northrop Grumman

Reiser Simulation and Training (RST)

Saab

ST Engineering

Thales Group

The DiSTI Corporation

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/twfkun

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

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NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New York based fashion brand, HIROMI ASAI, (www.hiromiasainy.com) has been trying to revive the essence of Japanese Kimono for modern luxury fashion. The designer, Hiromi Asai, first presented Kimonos on runway at the New York Fashion Week in 2016. Then, HIROMI ASAI develops men's wears made of Japanese Kimono textiles, which were presented at Pitti Uomo, New York Fashion Week, and/or Paris Fashion Week every season since 2017. HIROMI ASAI collection has been getting international acclaim.

HIROMI ASAI Spring/Summer 2022 - Ebb and Flow, Made of Kimono Textiles HIROMI ASAI Spring/Summer 2022 - Ebb and Flow, Made of Kimono Textiles

HIROMI ASAI is active as a member of the boutique and showroom in SoHo, New York; Flying Solo (flyingsolo.nyc), which showcases independent and emerging fashion brands, and now becomes the US largest fashion platform and retail for independent designers. Flying Solo also produces fashion shows to demonstrate the latest collection of the independent designers in the globe.

HIROMI ASAI presents Spring/Summer 2022 (SS22) collection on runway at Flying Solo New York Fashion Week Show starting at 4pm ET on Sunday, September 12, 2021. The theme of the collection is "Ebb and Flow". HIROMI ASAI Spring/Summer 2022 represents silence and violence. All textiles for this collection were created in Tango, Kyoto, Japan. The craftsmen usually manufacture textiles for Kimono by traditional techniques and the designer, Hiromi Asai, developed new textiles suitable for this collection. Based on the designs by Hiromi Asai, Tetsuya Hagiyama accomplished elaborate pattern making, and Teruo Hirokawa, an authority of handmade tailoring in Japan, tailored all this collection. Cumulatively, HIROMI ASAI demonstrates luxury fashion with unique prominent textiles and sophisticated designs with dedication of Japanese craftsmanship.

The show is held in person at SoHo Rooftop in New York, but as the capacity of the venue is limited, this show is livestreamed on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/flyingsolonyc/), starting at 4pm ET on Sunday, September 12, 2021.

"I am very happy to present our new HIROMI ASAI collection again at the New York Fashion Week with Flying Solo designers. I hope many people watch our new collection with the theme: Ebb and Flow. I appreciate great collaboration with craftsmen in Japan." Ms. Hiromi Asai, a chief designer of HIROMI ASAI said. "Indeed, I have been focusing on Kimono, but now I am focusing on its `textile` not its `form`. It is our responsibility to hand over craftsmanship to the next generation. I continue transforming Japanese textiles created by traditional techniques to modern luxury fashion, which also serves as echo-friendly sustainable fashion."

After the show during the New York Fashion Week, HIROMI ASAI Spring/Summer 2022 collection is subsequently presented at the Paris Fashion Week. All the HIROMI ASAI Spring/Summer 2022 collection appears at Flying Solo in New York after all these presentations in October 2021.

DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE SHOW

HIROMI ASAI @ Flying Solo

Spring/Summer 2022, Flying Solo Show at New York Fashion Week

Date and Time: Sunday, September 12, 2021; 4pm Eastern Time

Location: SoHo Rooftop, Manhattan, New York (only by invitation)

Livestream: https://www.instagram.com/flyingsolonyc/

HIROMI ASAI WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA

HP: http://www.hiromiasainy.com

Flying Solo HIROMI ASAI online store: https://flyingsolo.nyc/collections/hiromi-asai

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiromi.asai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modeandclassic

Media Contact:

Hiromi Asai

646.242.4156

[email protected]

SOURCE HIROMI ASAI - Mode & Classic LLC
"We're excited to support the Alliance to raise awareness about the role protected lifetime income plays in helping people achieve financial security in retirement," said William T. Nicklin, CEO of Horsesmouth. "Social Security is the granddaddy of retirement security and we're pleased to highlight top financial professionals who play critical roles in their communities educating the public about the best ways for them to claim Social Security."

Nicklin said that financial professionals and experts from across the country who have developed their skills using the company's Savvy Social Security Planning program will be featured by the Alliance at its activation sites outside the concert venues.

"Social Security is the world's greatest retirement annuity but it's never enough to achieve financial security," Nicklin said. "That's why it's important that people maximize their claiming strategy and know exactly what additional income they'll need to feel safe and secure in retirement."

Financial professionals will also be eligible to participate in an Alliance-sponsored Stones tickets sweepstakes in each city of the No Filter tour and register to win one of two dozen annual memberships to Horsesmouth's Savvy Social Security Planning program.

Since its introduction in 2008, the Savvy Social Security Planning program has been used by tens of thousands of financial professionals to educate themselves and millions of clients and community members on how to get the most out of Social Security and coordinate benefit claiming strategies with overall retirement planning. The impact of education has made a difference across the country. Since the launch of the program, the average benefit claiming age for retirees increased steadily for a decade, whereas it had been flat in the decade prior.

The program includes foundational education resources for professionals and materials for educating clients and community members. The program's critically acclaimed Social Security analytical tools suite enables professionals to estimate benefits and provide guidance on claiming strategies. The tools were rated tops in user satisfaction by thousands of financial professionals in the T3 Software Survey for 2021 among the major players in the Social Security planning segment (including vendors with market share greater than 1.5%).

For the most complex Social Security cases and claiming strategy questions, the team behind the Savvy Social Security Planning program provides personalized support via the program website. The team has answered over 17,500 such complex cases and inquiries for financial professionals in recent years.

Jean Statler, CEO for the Alliance, said that the Rolling Stones, with more than 50 years of playing rock and roll, were a perfect match for a campaign encouraging people to live a full life in retirement.

Statler said the Alliance's partnership with Horsesmouth helps them extend their mission to help financial professionals create retirement income plans for clients that avoid the risk of outliving their retirement savings and provide more dependable income. Planning for Social Security is a critical early step in that process.

"As the sole sponsor of the Rolling Stones 'No Filter' tour, the Alliance for Lifetime Income can't wait to hit the road with the band again this year," said Statler. "We've all spent the past 18 months focused on protecting our health and fighting back a global pandemic. We're excited to be a part of this iconic tour and one-of-a-kind show as we educate millions of Stones fans, now more than ever, about the need for protected income in retirement."

Financial Professionals: Register Today

Interested in winning a pair of tickets to see the World's Greatest Rock n' Roll Band? How about winning a year-long membership to Horsesmouth's Savvy Social Security Planning, the industry's leading program helping professionals educate their clients on how to get the most from Social Security? Don't miss this chance:

Visit the Alliance's sweepstakes page: at http://resources.protectedincome.org/stonestour

Financial professionals will be able to:

- Enter a sweepstakes to win tickets to see the Rolling Stones

- Enter a sweepstakes to win a year-long membership to Savvy Social Security Planning by Horsesmouth

- Gain free access to the Alliance's online educational resources for financial professionals and their clients

All financial professionals registering for the sweepstakes will earn free access to the Alliance's Financial Professional Resource Center and newsletter, which offer an extensive library of resources for financial professionals to educate themselves and their clients on protected income and using annuities in retirement planning. Resources are updated monthly, many of which can be personalized and are FINRA reviewed.

About Horsesmouth

Horsesmouth helps financial professionals educate their clients and grow their businesses. We serve financial advisors, planners, agents, accountants and other professionals, representing every major financial firm and business model. Our Savvy Social Security Planning program was the industry's first comprehensive client education program. It combines professional education, marketing, software, personalized case support, and regulator-reviewed client education materials. Horsesmouth provides a portfolio of similar programs, including Savvy Medicare Planning, Savvy Tax Planning, Savvy IRA Planning, Savvy College Planning, Savvy Generational Planning, Savvy Caregiving and Savvy Cybersecurity. The Horsesmouth team is guided by extensive primary research and two decades of experience. The company is headquartered in midtown Manhattan, with employees spread out across the country. To learn more, visit www.horsesmouth.com.

About the Alliance for Lifetime Income

The Alliance for Lifetime Income is a non-profit 501(c)(6) educational organization based in Washington, D.C., that creates awareness and educates Americans about the value and importance of having protected lifetime income in retirement. Our vision is for a country where no American has to face the prospect of running out of money in retirement. The Alliance provides consumers and financial professionals with educational resources, interactive tools, and actionable research and insights to use in building retirement income strategies and plans. We believe focusing attention and conversations on retirement income that lasts throughout life leads to greater retirement security for millions of Americans. Learn more at www.ProtectedIncome.org.

SOURCE Horsesmouth

Related Links

www.horsesmouth.com


PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Human Identification Market by Product (Instruments, Assay Kits & Reagents, and Software), Technology (Polymerase Chain Reaction, Next-Generation Sequencing, Capillary Electrophoresis, and Others), Application (Forensic Applications, Paternity Identification, and Others), and End User (Forensic Laboratories and Research Centers and Academic & Government Institutes): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030." According to the report, the global Human identification industry generated $1.34 billion in 2020, and is expected to generate $3.22 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 9.3% from 2020 to 2030.

For Right Perspective and Competitive Insights, Get Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13319

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities

Advancement in technology in human identification system and declined cost of DNA analysis, favorable government initiatives and increase in funds for forensic program, and rise in demand for NGS drive the growth of the global human identification market. However, high cost of genomic instrument and dearth of skilled professionals hinder the market growth. On the other hand, rise in development of advanced analytical system by major key players in the industry present new opportunities in the coming years.

Covid-19 Scenario-

The COVID-19 outbreak negatively impacted the global human identification market, as the outbreak has stressed the global healthcare systems.

A huge number of clinics, hospitals, and institutions across the globe were restructured to increase the hospital capacity for the patient diagnosed with COVID-19, which led to suspended human identification activities.

The assay kits and reagents segment to continue its leadership status during the forecast period

Based on product, the assay kits and reagent segment contributed to the highest market share in 2020, accounting for nearly four-fifths of the global human identification market, and is expected to continue its leadership status during the forecast period. This is due to advancement in R&D activities in pharmaceutical & biotechnology industry, rise in demand for reagents, and surge in adoption of point-of-care testing and demand for DNA sequencing. However, the instruments segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 10.8% from 2020 to 2030. This is attributed due to rise in funds by government and private organization for development of instruments in industry and rise in number of research laboratories.

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The forensic laboratories segment to maintain its dominant share during the forecast period

Based on end user, the forensic laboratories segment accounted for the highest share in 2020, holding more than one-third of the global human identification market, and will maintain its dominant share in terms of revenue during the forecast period. In addition, the same segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 9.7% from 2020 to 2030. This is attributed to rise in number of crime cases, high testing volumes, and stringent government regulation.

North America to maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period

Based on region, North America held the highest share in 2020, contributing to more than one-third of the global human identification market, and will maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period. This is owing to development of technology in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, presence of key players, increase in funds from government and private organization, and advancements in technology for forensic science. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period. This is due to rise in number of crime cases, surge in awareness about forensic technology, growth in demand for DNA analysis, and increase in number of research centers.

Leading market players

Hamilton Company

Promega Corporation

QIAGEN

SecuriGene Technologies Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Verogen, Inc

AutoGen, Inc.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Carolina Biological Supply Company

GENETEK BIOPHARMA GmbH

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"We have also published few syndicated market studies in the similar area that might be of your interest. Below are the report title for your reference, considering Impact of Covid-19 Over This Market which will help you to assess aftereffects of pandemic on short-term and long-term growth trends of this market."

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SAN FRANCISCO and SUZHOU, China, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, today announced that the first subject with type 2 diabetes has been successfully dosed in a phase 2 clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04965506) of IBI362, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) and glucagon receptor (GCGR) dual agonist in China.

NCT04965506 is a randomized, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IBI362 as compared with placebo and dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes in China. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate change from baseline in HbA1c level after 20-week dosing in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with lifestyle intervention or metformin.

Professor Wenying Yang of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, primary investigator of the study, stated: "Diabetes has been a global health concern. Currently, there are many types of agents for the treatment of diabetes, and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Appropriate treatment plan should be determined according to the characteristics of patients. Novel antidiabetic drugs, represented by GLP-1R agonists, have additional benefits such as weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction, and kidney protection besides effective glycemic control. IBI362 is a dual agonist of GLP-1R and GCGR, and the synergistic effect of dual agonism may achieve more significant benefits of blood glucose reduction, body weight loss, hepatic fat metabolism and potential cardiorenal improvement than GLP-1R agonists. Results from a phase Ib study of IBI362 in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes demonstrated a favorable safety profile, tolerability and outstanding preliminary efficacy, which will be disclosed in an academic conference later this year. We have strong confidence that IBI362 will demonstrate clinical benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes in phase 2 and 3 studies."

Dr. Lei Qian, Executive Director of Medical Sciences and Strategies of Special Diseases of Innovent, stated: "Metabolic syndrome is not only the pathological basis of type 2 diabetes, but also the risk factor of its pathogenesis. IBI362, an innovative oxyntomodulin analog, can activate GLP-1R and GCGR. In addition to achieve glycemic control and induce weight loss, IBI 362 can also improve multiple metabolic parameters, including live fat content, blood pressure and lipid profiles. The results from a phase 1b study in patients with type 2 diabetes are very encouraging, based on which we will make every effort to promote the phase 2 clinical study and the early marketing of IBI362 in China, benefiting the majority of patients with type 2 diabetes."

About IBI362

Innovent entered into a licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) for the development and potential commercialization of OXM3, a dual GCGR and GLP-1R agonist, in China (IBI362). In parallel, Lilly is developing OXM3 outside China. IBI362 is a synthetic long-acting mammalian oxyntomodulin analog (OXM3) and is a GLP-1R and GCGR dual agonist with best-in-class potential. IBI362 utilizes a fatty acyl side chain to prolong the duration of action, allowing once-weekly dosing. As an OXM analog, the effects of IBI362 are thought to be mediated through the binding and activation of GLP-1R and GCGR. In addition to the effects of GLP-1R agonists on promoting insulin secretion, lowering blood glucose and reducing body weight, IBI362 may also increase energy expenditure and improve hepatic fat metabolism through the activation of GCGR. The treatment of metabolic diseases by activating multiple metabolism-related targets simultaneously is currently the worldwide trend in drug development.

About Diabetes

The prevalence of diabetes among adults in China is 11.6%, of which type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% of the total number of diabetic patients, and the number of patients is still increasing. Poor glycemic control will lead to irreversible microvascular and macrovascular complications such as decreased visual acuity, blindness, renal insufficiency, peripheral neuropathy, myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation, etc. As a latent disease with serious complications and high incidence, diabetes mellitus has seriously threatened human health. Currently, there are many treatment options for diabetes, and the development of new hypoglycemic drugs will also explore the additional benefits for diabetic patients in terms of weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction, and renal protection in addition to effective glycemic control.

About Innovent

Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing and commercializing high-quality innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune, metabolic and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK.

Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully integrated multi-functional platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 26 valuable assets in the fields of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune disease and other major therapeutic areas, with 5 products  TYVYT (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO (adalimumab biosimilar injection), HALPRYZA (rituximab biosimilar injection) and Pemazyre (pemigatinib oral inhibitor)  officially approved for marketing, 1 asset's NDA under NMPA review, sintilimab's Biologics License Application (BLA) acceptance in the U.S., 5 assets in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials, and an additional 15 molecules in clinical studies.

Innovent has built an international team with advanced talent in high-end biological drug development and commercialization, including many global experts. The company has also entered into strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly and Company, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Hanmi and other international partners. Innovent strives to work with many collaborators to help advance China's biopharmaceutical industry, improve drug availability and enhance the quality of the patients' lives. For more information, please visit: www.innoventbio.com and www.linkedin.com/company/innovent-biologics/.

Innovent Biologics, Inc. Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Innovent does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Innovent with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Innovent's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Innovent's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

Innovent, the Directors and the employees of Innovent assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialise or turn out to be incorrect.

SOURCE Innovent Biologics
PHOENIX, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Integro Bank (Proposed) announced the hiring of two highly experienced operational executives, Danielle Fredey and John Parsons, to accelerate the build-out of their proposed small-business bank.

Fredey joined Integro as Senior Vice President, Director of Deposit & Lending Operations. She is a Six Sigma Black Belt expert who will focus on building the digital operations to support the needs of the bank's targeted small business clients. Fredey brings more than 30 years financial services experience including leadership roles at GE Capital, Key Bank, TD Bank, and Fiserv. She has a BA from Hiram College and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

"Danielle's experience with some of the nation's leading financial services and technology organizations, as well as her Six Sigma Black Belt operational success, will help us deliver a favorable experience designed specifically for our targeted small business clients," Elaine Szeto, Executive Vice President & Chief Innovation Officer, said.

Parsons joined Integro as Vice President, Director of IT and is tasked with overseeing technology, information systems, cyber security, governance, and digital strategy. He has over 20 years of experience, most recently as VP in IT Operations at Western Alliance Bank, and holds a BA from Michigan State University and a BS from ITT Technical Institute.

"The additions of Danielle and John help us continue to build the operational excellence that will be necessary to fully implement our differentiated Integro360SM approach to serving small business clients," Thomas J. Inserra, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, said.

Connect with Integro Bank (Proposed)

Learn more by connecting on LinkedIn with Danielle Fredey (linkedin.com/in/danielle-fredey-2808582), John Parsons (linkedin.com/in/johnwayneparsons) and Integro (linkedin.com/company/integro-bank).

About Integro Bank (Proposed)

Integro Bank (Proposed) is forming a bank to be based in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). Our proprietary Integro360SM consultative approach and CEO Club are designed to help small business grow and maximize employment. To learn how you can make an impact, help small business and become a co-owner of your own bank, visit: www.integrobank.com.

Media Contact:

Thomas J. Inserra

Chairman and CEO, Integro Bank (Proposed)

[email protected]

(602) 805-5088

SOURCE Integro Bank (Proposed)

Related Links

https://www.integrobank.com


PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World," approximately 811 million people around the world were undernourished in 2020. Although proper nutrition is the cornerstone of good health, it is something many people still do not have access to. To help overcome this global challenge, MealCubes recreate the world's healthiest meals in the convenience of a few tasty candies to bring more efficient and affordable nutrition wherever it is needed.

MealCubes recreate the world's healthiest meals in the convenience of a few tasty candies to bring more efficient and affordable nutrition wherever it is needed.

Through a six-step proprietary process, MealCubes pack the highest amount of nutrition and calories in a few cubes that taste like fruity candy. By breaking an entire meal into its basic building blocks (amino acids and peptides, carbohydrates, lipids and micronutrients), MealCubes delivers "real food" meals such as wild salmon, kale, sweet potato and avocado via an efficient and affordable option.

"An astounding number of people around the world continue to suffer from undernourishment. Recognizing the severity of this issue, we've set out to revolutionize nutrition with MealCubes," said Matthew Elonis, co-founder and CEO, Meepo. "MealCubes will also meet the everyday demands of consumers, businesses and even impact the future of food in space as consumer flight becomes a larger reality."

MealCubes is developed by Meepo, an emerging innovator focused on changing the world through next-generation nutrition technologies. Meepo's core mission is to revolutionize nutrition by making it accessible, affordable, and personalized - enriching every global citizen, no matter where they are born, in order to properly feed their bodies and minds.

Each MealCube pack contains a "meal" consisting of a small pack of cubes flavored as cherry, orange and green apple and containing 420 calories, 25 grams of protein, 28 grams of healthy fat, 23 grams of complex carbohydrates and 35 essential vitamins & minerals. The product is available for purchase on getmeepo.com and retails for $5-$7 per "meal" during the initial launch phase, while offering wholesale pricing to healthcare, NGO, and government partners.

Meepo's nutritional claims have been third-party validated by world leader in food, environment, and pharma product testing company, Eurofins (eurofins.com).

MealCubes is well-positioned to serve the needs of the following:

Travelers : Whether on a plane, train, or at a hotel or resort, MealCubes ensures travelers always have handy nutrition. MealCubes is also an ideal solution for a different type of travel  space! The product has been literally tested by astronauts and is ideally suited for consumption while onboard spacecrafts.

: Whether on a plane, train, or at a hotel or resort, MealCubes ensures travelers always have handy nutrition. MealCubes is also an ideal solution for a different type of travel  space! The product has been literally tested by astronauts and is ideally suited for consumption while onboard spacecrafts. Athletes: Using Meepo, professional, collegiate and amateur athletes as well as everyday fitness consumers and outdoor adventures can easily incorporate nutrition into their training regimen.

Using Meepo, professional, collegiate and amateur athletes as well as everyday fitness consumers and outdoor adventures can easily incorporate nutrition into their training regimen. Healthcare : Healthcare institutions, as well as senior living facilities, can provide a full meal of calories and macronutrients as well as the essential vitamins that patients and first frontline workers require at a fraction of the cost of a "real meal."

: Healthcare institutions, as well as senior living facilities, can provide a full meal of calories and macronutrients as well as the essential vitamins that patients and first frontline workers require at a fraction of the cost of a "real meal." Education: Whether due to taste, cost, lack of availability, or inconvenience, many children simply aren't getting the nutrients they need. MealCubes provides nutrition in the form of a few affordable gummies that taste like a treat.

Whether due to taste, cost, lack of availability, or inconvenience, many children simply aren't getting the nutrients they need. MealCubes provides nutrition in the form of a few affordable gummies that taste like a treat. Government/Military: Private and public organizations can provide more efficient and effective nutrition for disaster relief and service members around the world by leveraging MealCubes.

About Meepo

Meepo was founded in 2019 to revolutionize nutrition by making it accessible, affordable and personalized for everyone. Through nutrition-technology and innovation, Meepo has the ability to support governments and organizations combat world hunger, help athletes reach peak performance, and fuel the everyday go-getters to reach the edge they're after. For more information on Meepo, please visit getmeepo.com.

SOURCE Meepo
PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "IoT Sensors Market By Type (Temperature Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Pressure Sensor, Level Sensor, Gas Sensor, Image Sensor, Optical Sensor, Gyroscope Sensor, Humidity Sensor, Accelerometer Sensor, and Others), Network Technology (Wired and Wireless) and End Use (Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Industrial Healthcare, Food & Beverages, Aerospace & Defense, Transportation, Agriculture, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". As per the report, the global IoT sensor industry was pegged at $12.37 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $141.80 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 28.1% from 2021 to 2030.

Major Determinants of the Market Growth

Rise in use of sensors in IoT applications, surge in use of IoT sensors in automotive and industrial sectors, and high demand for connected and wearable devices have boosted the growth of the global IoT sensors market. However, data privacy and security related concerns hinder the market growth. On the contrary, increase in demand for IoT sensors in development of smart cities is expected to open new opportunities for the market players in the future.

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COVID-19 Scenario:

The pandemic had a huge impact on consumers and economies. The majority of the manufacturing hubs are working at low efficiency to curb the spread of the virus. This significantly affected the supply chain and created shortage of materials, finished goods, and components.

As electronic components and semiconductor devices are imported from China , the ban on imports from China affected the manufacturing industry.

, the ban on imports from affected the manufacturing industry. However, rise in number of vaccinated people and pandemic situation is better controlled in North America and Europe is expected to help the market get back on track.

The Gas Sensor to Manifest the Highest CAGR through 2030

By type, the gas sensor segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 36.4% during the forecast period, as smart sensors can automatically act to avoid damages from leakages. However, the pressure sensor segment held the lion's share in 2020, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the IoT sensors market, due to government regulations mandating use of pressure sensors in several IoT industrial applications.

The Wired Segment Held the Lion's Share

By network technology, the wired segment dominated the market in 2020, contributing to more than half of the IoT sensors market, due to their reliability and less possibility of dropped connections. However, the wireless segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 29.2% during the forecast period, owing to rise in launch of wireless IoT sensors and their scalability.

Asia-Pacific, Followed By North America, to Contribute the Highest Revenue By 2030

By region, the IoT sensors market across Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2020, accounting for nearly half of the market. Moreover, the region is projected to portray the highest CAGR of 29.1% during the forecast period, due to rapid industrialization and rise in population across the region. On the other hand, North America held the second-largest share in 2020, contributing to more than one-fourth of the market.

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Major Market Players

Texas Instruments (U.S.)

STMicroelectronics ( Switzerland )

) Siemens ( Germany )

) TE Connectivity ( Switzerland )

) Honeywell (U.S.)

Infineon Technologies ( Germany )

) NXP Semiconductors ( Netherlands )

) OMRON Corporation ( Japan )

) General Electric (U.S.)

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ( Japan )

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About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact Us:



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SOURCE Allied Market Research
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Keep Music Alive, the music education non-profit organization, announced today a partnership with the Music & Arts retail chain to celebrate the 6th Annual Kids Music Day this October. Kids Music Day will be officially celebrated on Friday October 1st, 2021, with related events being held between October 1st and October 10th in the US, Canada and a dozen other countries. Music & Arts is making it easier (and more fun) than ever to give music a try!

Music & Arts will host two free group music lessons at 180+ lesson locations nationwide:

Kids Music Day Ambassadors & Supporters include: Matthew Morrison, Julie Andrews, Jack Black, Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Michael Feinstein, Kenny Loggins, Richie Sambora, Sarah McLachlan, Vanessa Williams, Victor Wooten, Todd Rundgren, Philip Lawrence, Bernie Williams, Damien Escobar, Mandy Harvey, Alfred Music, CASIO EMI, Conn-Selmer, D'Addario Foundation, Kala Brand Music, Les Paul Foundation, Music Nomad Equipment Care, Remo Percussion, Taylor Guitars Last years Kids Music Day spokesperson Matthew Morrison advocating for music education on Entertainment Tonight

Sat 10/2 - Group Piano Class with a brass & woodwind showcase from instructors

RSVP - https://www.musicarts.com/cms/lessons-showcase/lesson-showcase-october-2

Sat 10/9 - Group Guitar Class with an orchestral strings showcase from instructors

RSVP - https://www.musicarts.com/cms/lessons-showcase/lesson-showcase-october-9

All group lesson attendees can register for a free trial lesson with an instructor of their choice, and if they sign-up to become a lessons student, they will receive FREE registration (additional $30 value). Keep Music Alive will also host a Music & Arts Giveaway at KeepMusicAlive.org with a $100 Gift Card prize and a full month of free lessons.

Each year, Keep Music Alive partners with over 1,000 music schools, stores and other music organizations around the world to hold special events that benefit & celebrate children playing music. The organizations mission is to help more kids (and adults) reap the educational, therapeutic and social benefits of playing music. Events held by participating locations include open houses, instrument petting zoos, free music lessons, student music performances, community/family jams, instrument donation drives, kids open mics, workshops, clinics and more. Due to the ongoing pandemic, virtual events and promotions for Kids Music Day will include live-streamed performances and open mics for kids, free online lessons, virtual instrument petting zoos (think musical Show & Tell), online instrument clinics and Kids Music Day Sales on select instruments, accessories and lesson programs.

Over a dozen celebrity artists are showing their support for Music Education by lending their name as Kids Music Day Ambassadors including:

Matthew Morrison, Julie Andrews, Jack Black, Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Michael Feinstein, Kenny Loggins, Richie Sambora, Sarah McLachlan, Vanessa Williams, Victor Wooten, Todd Rundgren, Philip Lawrence, Bernie Williams, Damien Escobar and Mandy Harvey

Kids Music Day is also supported by numerous music industry brands including Alfred Music, CASIO EMI, Conn-Selmer, D'Addario Foundation, Kala Brand Music, Hungry for Music, Les Paul Foundation, Music & Sound Retailer, Music Nomad Equipment Care, Remo Percussion, Rock Out Loud LIVE, Spirit of Harmony and Taylor Guitars. Keep Music Alive is honored to welcome these partners helping to share the Kids Music Day message, inspiring more kids to begin their own musical journey.

Kids Music Day is one of two international music holidays founded by Keep Music Alive. In March 2021, Keep Music Alive partnered with over 1,000 music schools, stores and organizations in 15 countries to offer free lessons to new students (children & adults) as part of the 7th Annual Teach Music Week. Some of the largest music chains in the nation participate in Kids Music Day & Teach Music Week, with many of their locations including Music & Arts, Guitar Center, Kindermusik, Music Together, Gymboree, Long & McQuade, Bach to Rock and the legendary School of Rock.

Keep Music Alive is a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the value of music. Our goal is to inspire more kids and adults to reap the educational, therapeutic and social benefits of playing music. For more information please call (610) 874-6312 or visit www.KeepMusicAlive.org and www.KidsMusicDay.org.

Music & Arts, one of the nation's largest music lessons providers and part of the Guitar Center family of brands, continues its mission to promote and support the merits of music education and the joy of music lessons by offering this opportunity for new musicians to get involved. To learn more about Music & Arts, visit www.MusicArts.com.

Media Contact:

Vincent James

610.874.6312

[email protected]

SOURCE Keep Music Alive

Related Links

http://www.KeepMusicAlive.org


DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, is celebrating 25 years of growing its proprietary line of rosemary to create sustainable solutions for foods. Kemin pioneered the use of rosemary molecules in ingredients in the late 1990s and has since established itself as a leader in the market.

"The Kemin team is incredibly excited to celebrate this major milestone, and we are proud to offer our partners solutions that come from our sustainable, vertically integrated rosemary program," said Dr. John Greaves, Vice President of Specialty Crops, Kemin Industries. "Being one of the first suppliers in the marketplace, we have dramatically evolved our offerings and continuously improved the production of these specialty crops over the last 25 years."

Today, rosemary is recognized alongside tocopherols as a major component in maintaining natural freshness and flavor.

As one of the largest vertically integrated producers of sustainably grown rosemary, Kemin offers a well-tracked supply chain and can trace its crops from cuttings to final product. The company's proprietary rosemary is formulated into effective clean-label solutions to help keep food fresher, safer and more flavorful.

Prior to the innovation and initial investment by Kemin in developing its own vertically integrated rosemary program, the plant was mainly wild harvested in southern Europe and North Africa.

"We quickly realized wild harvesting was not sustainable, and we needed to put a rosemary cropping system in place to improve biomass through plant breeding. Kemin developed one of the first rosemary-breeding programs, which took the plant from a Mediterranean evergreen shrub to a high-performance 'phytochemical manufacturing plant'," said Greaves.

"Our scientists analyzed and selected the most potent lines of rosemary from around the globe," said Greaves. "Then, our team used conventional plant-breeding methods to begin a continuous improvement program, which resulted in one of the largest collections of rosemary in the world."

Demand for products with simple labels and natural ingredients has skyrocketed, and sustainability in ingredients continues to drive growth. According to Mintel, 42 percent of U.S. consumers feel a strong sense of responsibility to live more sustainably.1

Kemin rosemary crops are SCS Sustainably Grown Certified by SCS Global, a certification that recognizes leadership in environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic stability.

"As we look to the future, Kemin continues to invest in innovation as our scientists and growers work together to discover new molecules for new natural antioxidants," said Greaves. "We are actively developing new botanical sources of antioxidant molecules to complement rosemary-based formulations and are continually working with extraction and formulation methods to produce the most effective rosemary products."

To learn more about the Kemin portfolio of natural ingredient solutions to delay food oxidation, extend shelf life and protect color, click here.

About Kemin Industries

Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services. The company supplies over 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textile, biofuels and animal vaccine industries.

For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offer product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products.

Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately held, family-owned-and-operated company with more than 2,800 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

Media Contact:

Carrie Livingston, Director of Media Relations, [email protected], +1 815 519 8302

REFERENCES:

1Young, Elysha. Surroundings 2021: Sustainable Space. Mintel, 26 Nov. 2020, clients.mintel.com/trend/surroundings-2021-sustainable-spaces.

 Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2021. All rights reserved.   Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A. Certain statements, product labeling and claims may differ by geography or as required by government requirements.

SOURCE Kemin Industries

Related Links

http://www.kemin.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a compelling, thought-provoking narrative, Saundra Henderson Windom, nee Bang Sun, shares how the Korean War robbed her of her parents and homeland when she was only a child. Published by Wordeee on September 8, 2021, Orchestration is based on the author's real-life story. From the day she was found tied to a tree at four, feeble, ill, and food-deprived, she faced unforeseen struggles and tragedies. Born in Korea to an African American father and Korean mother, she navigates through painful and beautiful memories of her homeland, living in orphanages, and moving to a new country. This captivating book invites you to journey with her through 1950s Korea to her adoption in Compton, CA, the generosity of the Holt family and Holt International Children's Services.

"Readers will find themselves spellbound by this powerful recollection of early life experiences of a war-abandoned child while getting history lessons of Korea and the USA," stated publisher, Marva Allen, CEO of Wordeee http://wordeee.com.

Glenn Kramon, former Assistant Managing Editor at The New York Times, reminisced the time spent with the author during college, "Fifty years ago, in our freshman dorm at Stanford, we knew her as Sandy Henderson, a dynamic, beautiful sprite straight outta Compton. What we never knewand what she barely knewwas her extraordinary history. Her cinematic bookAnnie of our timestells that story."

Dr. Lamman Rucker, actor/producer, activist, educator, and entrepreneur, called Orchestration, "Poetic. Haunting. Hopeful. Historical...a profound testimony of faith, identity, resilience, and self-determination. Brutality. Neglect. Denial. All unmatched by the infinite power of the human spirit. Bang Sun is my new personal hero!"

From the forgotten war, Saundra Henderson Windom brings alive the stories of so many. Military relations, abandonment, adoption, racism, identity crisis, bi-racialism, parenting, forgiveness, and spiritual healing are all powerful themes found in Orchestration.

Saundra Henderson Windom is a retired principal of Alonzo A. Crim Open Campus High School in Atlanta, GA. She earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford and her Master's degree from the University of Southern California. From Korea's dusty, barren roads to the American orphanages, her success, she affirms, is because of God's grace and mercy and His Orchestration. A devoted mother and grandmother, she gives back by supporting orphaned and needy children through her church's partnerships with local and international missionary programs. Being an orphan makes it easy for Saundra to support World Vision and Holt International, the organizations whose mission saved her life. Watch Saundra Henderson Windom's video here: https://youtu.be/hIDUJaSMVfY

Contact:

Wordeee

8882998220

Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12884367



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Wordeee
MIAMI, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), one of the nation's largest homebuilders, announced today that the Company will release earnings for the third quarter ended August 31, 2021 after the market closes on September 20, 2021. Additionally, the Company will hold a conference call on September 21, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The call will be broadcast live on the Internet and can be accessed through Lennar's website at www.lennar.com. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived at www.lennar.com for 90 days.

In order to listen to the live event, a participant must have a multimedia computer with speakers and Windows Media Player. To download the software prior to the event, please visit www.lennar.com, click the conference call link on the home page and follow the pre-event instructions.

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com.

SOURCE Lennar Corporation

Related Links

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LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In early December 2013, Ervin L. Lachalmelle, Jr., then age 54, visited the Robley Rex VA Medical Center with low back and flank pain. He had his blood tested, and his prostate-specific antigen ("PSA") level, a compound which can indicate prostate cancer, measured 2.13 ng/mL (normal limits range from 0  4 ng/mL).

Later in December 2013 and November 2014, Mr. Lachalmelle returned to the VA where the doctor again tested his PSA levels. His resulting numbers were 1.80 and 2.10.

Gladstein Law Firm Logo Attorney Seth Gladstein

In November 2015, Mr. Lachalmelle presented to the VA with a fever and productive cough.[5] His doctor, who ordered the PSA checks in 2013 and 2014, ordered a chest x-ray, but did not order a PSA check or perform a rectal exam.

In February 2016, Mr. Lachalmelle returned to the VA Medical Center, and his doctor ordered blood tests. His PSA was above normal limits. Again, however, the physician did not perform a rectal exam or refer Mr. Lachalmelle to a urologist.

In March 2016, Mr. Lachalmelle's PSA was still outside the normal range. The physician's plan was to check Mr. Lachalmelle's PSA again at his next visit. The note from this visit contains no mention of possibly referring Mr. Lachalmelle to a urologist.

Just over a year later in March 2017, Mr. Lachalmelle returned to the same doctor at the VA with various complaints. The doctor did not order another PSA check, despite his note from 2016 indicating a PSA level outside the normal range.

On September 1, 2017, Mr. Lachalmelle returned to his physician at the Louisville VA. During this visit, Mr. Lachalmelle PSA measured 173, an almost-99-point increase from approximately 18 months earlier. Mr. Lachamelle subsequently underwent two additional PSA tests, and, sadly, his numbers were just as high. A subsequent abdominal and pelvic CT revealed "bulky" metastatic disease in his lymph nodes. In October, 2017, Mr. Lachalmelle underwent a prostate biopsy, which revealed poorly differentiated prostate cancer.

On October 31, 2017, Mr. Lachalmelle began treatment for his metastatic prostate cancer. He underwent six cycles of chemotherapy.

Currently, Mr. Lachalmelle receives hormone injections every six months to stop his cancer from worsening. Each costs $24,000.00. Mr. Lachalmelle also takes medication to strengthen his bones, as the chemotherapy resulted in bone density loss. Mr. Lachalmelle's illness is terminal.

Gladstein Law Firm argued that it was below good and accepted medical standards for Mr. Lachalmelle's regular doctor not to order any PSA testing for Mr. Lachalmelle in November 2015. Moreover, the doctor deviated from good and accepted medical standards by failing to regularly perform digital rectal examinations of Mr. Lachalmelle, especially because Mr. Lachalmelle was over age 50 and his chances of developing prostate cancer were increased. Furthermore, it was below good and accepted medical standards for Mr. Lachalmelle's primary care doctor not to refer Mr. Lachalmelle to a urologist in March 2016 after noting his elevated PSA level, as well as the high rate/velocity at which Mr. Lachalmelle's PSA levels were increasing.

Gladstein Law Firm further argued that had Mr. Lachalmelle's doctor ordered a complete blood count in November 2015, it would have revealed a rapidly increasing PSA level for a patient in his mid-50's. That should have signaled to the doctor that Mr. Lachalmelle was at an increased risk for developing prostate cancer. Moreover, had Mr. Lachalmelle's doctor timely diagnosed the prostate cancer in 2015, there would have been much less, if any, cancer. The doctor's negligent delay in diagnosing Mr. Lachalmelle's prostate cancer allowed the cancer spread to Mr. Lachalmelle's lymph nodes. Most importantly, the doctor's negligence resulted in a terminal diagnosis for Mr. Lachalmelle.

In March 2021, Gladstein Law Firm successfully settled Mr. Lachalmelle's case for $500,000.

Seth Gladstein is a trial lawyer and the owner of Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Gladstein focuses his practice on medical negligence, nursing home abuse, car and truck wrecks, and other serious personal injury matters. Mr. Gladstein is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been named a Kentucky SuperLawyer for plaintiffs' medical malpractice for six consecutive years. In 2022, Mr. Gladstein will become President of the Louisville Bar Association.

Contact:

Gladstein Law Firm, PLLC

2000 Warrington Way #170A, Louisville, KY 40222

(502) 791-9000

gladsteinlawfirm.com

SOURCE Gladstein Law Firm
SUN VALLEY, Idaho, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- How do you repair a relationship with a loved oneyour childafter they have passed away? And how do you dedicate yourself to understanding the learning challenges that he struggled with and that so many children face?

In More to Life than More: A Memoir of Misunderstanding, Loss, and Learning (September 7; Skyhorse Publishing) Alan Pesky and Claudia Aulum grapple with these questions, as they chronicle Alan's relationship with his son, Lee Pesky, who died unexpectedly of brain cancer, when he was just 30 years old.

Book Cover Alan Pesky and Claudia Aulum

The memoir takes us from Alan Pesky's upbringing in New York during the depression era, to becoming the first in his family to attend college, and a highly successful career in the "Mad Men" era of advertising. At age 63, Alan launched a nonprofit in memory of his son, the Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) dedicated to understanding and helping those with learning differences.

Lee had struggled with learning disabilities in ways Alan could not understand at the time, when there was little help for children who had them. The memoir delves into their complicated relationship and Alan's deep sense of loss at his passing, "More than anything, I wish that Lee and I could have connected in a more open and tender way, with all defenses, expectations, and misunderstandings put aside."

Nearly 25 years since its founding, LPLC has helped more than 100,000 children. Through his involvement with growing the center, from a small nonprofit to a national force in early childhood education, Alan gained a deeper understanding of himself and the son he lost.

More to Life Than More will resonate with anyone who has dealt with the loss of a loved one, and with parents and teachers who have struggled to understand a child. It is also an inspirational call for making the most of the second act in our lives when we have so much to offer.

"Alan Pesky's memoir soars with emotion, hard lessons, and zippy writing." Idaho Press

For more on the book, visit: www.moretolifethanmore.com

About the Authors

Alan Pesky is the founder of Lee Pesky Learning Center, a non-profit organization that works together with students, families, and schools to understand and overcome obstacles to learning.

Alan was one of the founding partners of Scali, McCabe, Sloves, an independent advertising agency which was named Agency of the Year by Advertising Age in 1975. He retired as president in 1983. He and his wife, Wendy, are ardent supporters of humanitarian causes, and were honored in 2005 as Outstanding Philanthropists of the Year in Idaho. They live in Ketchum, Idaho, and love the outdoors.

Claudia Aulum is a first-generation American and graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. After a wide range of professional experiences, she turned to writing as a way to explore barriers that separate us.

Contact: Puja Sangar

650-336-4646

[email protected]

SOURCE Alan Pesky and Claudia Aulum

Related Links

http://www.moretolifethanmore.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It is common to feel distress before and after a crisis. Emotional distress is second only to death and injury in terms of the toll disasters take within impacted communities. Most distress symptoms are temporary, but for some individuals and families these symptoms may last for weeks or months after a natural or human-caused disaster.

The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the nation's only hotline dedicated to year-round disaster crisis counseling and is available to those in need of emotional support related to all natural or human-caused disasters, including Hurricane Ida, the California wildfires, the Tennessee floods, the crisis in Afghanistan, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Services are free, confidential, and available 24/7 across the United States and territories. Anyone experiencing distress or other mental health concerns related to disaster can call or text 1-800-985-5990 to connect with a trained DDH counselor. Spanish-speakers can call or text the hotline and press "2" for 24/7 bilingual support.

Deaf or hard of hearing American Sign Language users experiencing disaster distress can contact the DDH through a direct videophone option via any videophone-enabled device and dialing 1-800-985-5990, or by selecting the "ASL Now" option on the DDH website at disasterdistress.samhsa.gov .

WHO: The national Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) hotline and texting service, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and administered by Vibrant Emotional Health

WHAT: Free, confidential crisis counseling and emotional support available for anyone in the U.S. and territories impacted by natural and human-caused disasters

WHY: Disaster events and disaster memorial dates can trigger or renew symptoms of emotional distress in disaster survivors, responders, & others.

WHEN: Crisis counseling and emotional support services are available 24/7, 365 days a year.

WHERE: DDH hotline, text, and Videophone for ASL users are available across the United States and territories. Callers to the hotline can connect with counselors in over 100 other languages via 3rd-party interpretation services. To connect with a counselor in another language, callers can indicate their preferred language to the responding counselor, who will connect to a live interpreter.

September is National Preparedness Month, and the DDH has a Disaster Emotional Prep Kit to help you add to your resiliency toolkit with action steps, coping resources, and other disaster behavioral health supports. Check it out at https://strengthafterdisaster.org/emotional-prep-kit/ .

For more information, visit disasterdistress.samhsa.gov .

SOURCE Disaster Distress Helpline

Related Links

https://www.samhsa.gov


CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SMART Technologies, the education technology company with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement, is making the popular Desmos Graphing Calculator available to millions of educators through Lumio.

The collaboration comes as teachers are focusing on accelerating learning with students returning to the classroom post-pandemic, particularly in math. A recent study showed that in spring 2021, fewer students performed at grade level across all grades compared to comparable periods.

The new collaboration between SMART and Desmos will integrate the Desmos Graphing Calculator into Lumio , the digital learning tool that transforms lessons into active, collaborative learning experiences that engage students on their own devices.

Math or science instructors can now set up learning activities using the Desmos graphing calculator or add pre-made math resources to their Lumio lessons giving students all the tools they need to work through problems and interpret results during class, for a homework assignment, or quiz. It also prevents teachers and students from having to buy expensive, one-time-use hardware to explore graphing, which is an integral part of many college-preparatory math courses.

"We're delighted to add the Desmos Graphing Calculator to our already-robust collection of resources in Lumio," said SMART CEO Nicholas Svensson. "There's so much to like about this collaboration, but I think educators will most appreciate the ability to add Desmos calculators on the fly, while class is in progress. When tech is accessible and easy to use, teachers spend less time preparing content and more time building connections that matter with their students."

Teachers use Lumio to build lessons that can include images, videos, manipulatives, graphic organizers, customized games, and opportunities for student input and small group work. Students log in with their own devices, then interact in real-time in class or remotely, in real time or anytime. The addition of Desmos Graphing Calculator works the same way: each has access to their own calculator, which gives students the time and space to practice graphing concepts in school or at home.

"We're excited to work with SMART Technologies, which shares our commitment to accessible, high quality math education, to offer this resource to Lumio users," said Desmos founder and CEO Eli Luberoff. "Our mission is to help every student learn math and love learning math. To that end, we've created learning tools that are fun, easy-to-use and accessible. Now users of Lumio will have access to the Desmos technology to make their math lessons come alive."

Earlier this year, Lumio was named Best Collaborative Learning Solution for Students as part of the annual SIIA CODiE Awards. Additionally, EdTech Digest's 2021 EdTech Awards named Lumio winner in its Collaboration Solution category, which included 20 finalists. In its inaugural Top Ed Tech Products of the Year awards, District Administration called Lumio "a powerful platform ... designed with remote use in mind, so it's an effective tool during remote and hybrid learning." It also won Tech & Learning's Best of 2020 award, with one judge noting that "[i]t enriches student-led learning, project-based learning and flipped classroom experiences."

About SMART Technologies Inc.

SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interconnected solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. The first SMART Board launched in 1991. Since then, SMART has continued to innovate through SMART Notebook, the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and through Lumio, the award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products used by millions of educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

About Desmos

Desmos is company whose mission is to help every student learn math and love learning math. Desmos builds and delivers a free suite of math tools, including the Desmos Graphing Calculator used annually by more than 50 million educators and students in more than 200 countries around the world. Its tools power core math curricula for many of the world's largest publishers, and its calculators are built into the majority of U.S. state-level assessments and digital college entrance exams. The Desmos interface has been translated into 35 languages. For more information, visit desmos.com.

SOURCE SMART Technologies
The Thermo Scientific TSQ Plus triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) portfolio increases workflow throughput through superior data acquisition and polarity switching speeds. The improved low-mass product ion transmission efficiency enhances sensitivity for key target applications. The new portfolio, which consists of the TSQ Altis Plus, TSQ Quantis Plus and TSQ Fortis Plus MS, can be used across a range of applications, from targeted quantitation to cutting-edge research. Intuitive mass calibration routines and method optimization, in combination with market-leading chromatography and data processing software solutions, offers improved ease of use to address future analytical challenges.

"Laboratories performing routine quantitative experiments continue to need to identify new compounds of interest across industries, such as pharma, food and environmental, resulting in rapidly changing regulations and lower detection limits," said August Specht, vice president, research and development, chromatography and mass spectrometry, Thermo Fisher. "In order to protect consumer and environmental health, laboratories need to provide comprehensive workflows to address evolving requirements, and the TSQ Plus triple quadrupole MS portfolio has been designed to deliver."

Professor Julijana Ivanisevic, University of Lausanne, said "The TSQ Altis Plus platform is a step forward toward omics-scale, quantitative MS-based methodology for in-depth investigation of metabolism. The unprecedented acquisition speed of the TSQ Altis Plus allows us to maximize the metabolome coverage and significantly enhances the peak definition, essential for accurate quantification. The TSQ Altis Plus mass spectrometer allows for robust quantification of low abundant species, thus complementing the comprehensiveness of measured metabolite signature. This increase in productivity, along with the quantitative aspect, is crucial for metabolic phenotyping of human populations  a prerequisite for the transfer to clinical settings."

Users of the TSQ Plus triple quadrupole MS portfolio will benefit from:

Increased system uptime due to enhanced quadrupole mass stability.

Direct instrument method transfers from the existing Thermo Scientific TSQ MS portfolio to the TSQ Plus MS portfolio, enabling simplified transfers.

Integration with mzCloud database to provide Selective Reaction Monitoring (SRM) transition information with predicted collision energy.

Integration with industry-leading liquid- and ion-chromatography systems and software, delivering powerful quantitative application solutions.

For more information on the TSQ Plus triple quadrupole MS portfolio, please visit: www.thermofisher.com/TSQPlus

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $30 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 80,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:



Laura Bright

Thermo Fisher Scientific

+1 562-335-8318

[email protected]



Janice Foley

BioStrata

+1 617-823-5555

[email protected]

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


New Research Shows the Pandemic's Impact on U.S. Entrepreneurs Tweet this

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, which polled more than 2,000 U.S. adults in August 2020, provides a comprehensive look at the impact COVID-19 had on entrepreneurs and business owners six months after the pandemic first caused restrictions on American life and business. Among established business owners, 58% halted some of their core business activities because of COVID-19. Of those who closed a business, more than one-third cited the pandemic as the reason.

"The United States has long relied on entrepreneurs to drive innovation, job creation and economic growth. There is no question that the pandemic created both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs and mature business owners," said GEM U.S. Team co-Leader and Babson College Entrepreneurship Professor Donna Kelley. "Stable jobs and economic vitality depend on the survival and growth of businesses. This research can help guide decisions that support entrepreneurship in America, which will surely be a critical contributor to the post-pandemic recovery."

Despite the fact that 82% of entrepreneurs thought that starting a business was more difficult than a year earlier, and nearly 70% cited delays in getting their businesses operational because of COVID-19, Americans were still starting and running new businesses in 2020.

"People may have different reasons for starting a business: needing to generate income or seeing new opportunities, for example, but the GEM results show that people still turn to entrepreneurship, even in the throes of a social and economic crisis," said Smaiyra Million, Executive Director of The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College. "These are the adaptive and creative entrepreneurial leaders that solve today's problems and help create new and lasting change for themselves, their businesses, and their communities. This is especially critical as we look to the future. There is no going back to doing what we have always done. Entrepreneurs today will evolve and learn from the lessons of the last 18 months and emerge stronger."

"Much like the Great Depression or World War II, the pandemic promises to be a transformative event, one in which the society we knew is remade and filled with change and possibility and entrepreneurial leaders will lead the way," said Stephen Spinelli Jr., PhD, President of Babson College. "There's no roadmap to our post-pandemic recovery. The same attributes that enable entrepreneurial leaders to make decisions, solve problems, and create value are what will successfully lead us forward. Entrepreneurial leadership is more needed and relevant than ever before. GEM will be there to witness and capture this extraordinary moment, and through research, we will continue to understand and learn from entrepreneurs and help guide them as they shape the world of tomorrow."

Additional Key Findings

About 40% of Americans knew at least one person who closed a business due to COVID-19, although 21% knew someone who began a business.

Among the U.S. Adult Population (18-64 years old), 40% of respondents stated that their household income declined because of COVID-19.

Over one-third of those closing a business cited COVID-19 as the reason (41% of women who closed a business and 30% of men who closed a business).

Among established business owners, 28% had received, or expected to receive, pandemic-related financial support from the government, with women reporting a higher percentage than men (32% vs. 25%).

Established business owners were more likely than entrepreneurs (51% vs. 45%) to state that the federal government was effective in responding to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among entrepreneurs, 51% said the state government was more effective than the federal government in responding, compared to 32% of established business owners.

Necessity played an instrumental role in driving entrepreneurship in 2020; half of entrepreneurs were motivated to start a business in order to earn a living because jobs were scarce, a 22% increase from 2019.

The established business ownership rate (those that own or manage a business older than 3.5 years) was 9.9%, a slight decline from 10.6% in 2019.

Among the U.S. Adult Population, 4.4% closed a business, a 50% increase from 2.9% in 2019.

Most Americans hold positive perceptions about entrepreneurship: it is associated with high status in society (78%), it is a good career choice (70%) and it receives positive media attention (72%).

Perceptions about one's capabilities for starting a business were high (64%) and relatively unchanged from 2019. However, opportunity perceptions dropped from 62% in 2019 to 49% in 2020. Fear of failure rose from 35% in 2019 to 41% in 2020, an all-time high.

More than one-half (57%) of entrepreneurs are building businesses in finance, services, and information/communications technologies.

Growth projections, or the proportion of entrepreneurs anticipating adding more than five new jobs in the next five years, declined in 2020 (27.5% vs. 32.5% in 2019).

Black people are twice as likely as white people to have entrepreneurial intentions (20% vs. 10%) and nearly twice as likely to start businesses (26% vs. 14%).

The TEA rate for women was 16.6% and for men 18.3%, about eight women entrepreneurs for every 10 men entrepreneurs.

About Babson College

Babson College prepares and empowers entrepreneurial leaders who create, grow, and steward sustainable economic and social value everywhere. We shape the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge, skills, and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in organizations of all types and sizes. A global leader in entrepreneurship education recognized globally by U.S. News & World Report, our undergraduate, graduate, executive programs, and partnership opportunities are tailored to the needs of our world.

About GEM

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) is a consortium of national country teams, primarily associated with top academic institutions, that carries out survey-based research on entrepreneurship around the world. GEM is the only global research source that collects data on entrepreneurship directly from individual entrepreneurs! GEM's Adult Population Survey (APS) provides analysis on the characteristics, motivations and ambitions of individuals starting businesses, as well as social attitudes towards entrepreneurship. The National Expert Survey (NES) looks at the national context in which individuals start businesses.

In numbers, GEM is:

20+ years of data

150,000+ interviews a year

100+ economies

500+ specialists in entrepreneurship research

300+ academic and research institutions

200+ funding institutions

GEM began in 1999 as a joint project between Babson College (USA) and London Business School (UK). The consortium has become the richest resource of information on entrepreneurship, publishing a range of global, national and 'special topic' reports on an annual basis.

SOURCE Babson College

Related Links

http://www.babson.edu


"Low-flow LC users are limited by technical capacity and a high level of expertise required for system operation," said Kent Davidson, vice president and general manager, high performance chromatography solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "The Vanquish Neo UHPLC System and PepMap Neo Columns allow for long-term operation at maximum performance levels without compromise. Enhanced ease-of-use and increased versatility enable users to push science forward."

Professor Bernhard Kuster, Technical University Munich, said, "The Vanquish Neo UHPLC System will transform how scientists perform proteomics studies by providing the long-term robustness and flow-range versatility required for deep and fast LC-MS profiling of thousands of proteomes, while coupled with PepMap Columns and high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) systems."

The new Thermo Scientific Vanquish Neo UHPLC System and Thermo Scientific PepMap Neo Columns deliver application flexibility and robust analytical performance at flow rates from 1 nL/min to 100 L/min up to 1500 bar. Novice and expert LC-MS users will enjoy accelerated productivity, reduced method overhead time, and long-term operation essential for 24/7 large sample cohort analysis.

Users of the Vanquish Neo UHPLC System and PepMap Neo Columns benefit from:

Excellent separation performance, column-to-column reproducibility, and simple operation.

Seamless integration with the comprehensive portfolio of Thermo Scientific mass spectrometers.

Enhanced quantitation through high-injection volume linearity, precision and accuracy.

Negligible system carryover with automated wash routines.

System monitoring and control with automated procedures and guided maintenance routines through the Thermo Scientific Vanquish User Interface.

For more information on the Thermo Scientific Vanquish Neo UHPLC System, please visit: www.thermofisher.com/vanquishneo. For more information on the Thermo Scientific PepMap Neo Columns, please visit http://www.thermofisher.com/lowflowHPLCcolumns.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $30 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 80,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:



Laura Bright

Thermo Fisher Scientific

+1 562-335-8318

[email protected]



Janice Foley

BioStrata

+1 617-823-5555

[email protected]

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, RightForge announced the launch of its own website-hosting platform. The platform is the first of its kindbuilt from the ground up with industry-leading technology and dedicated to the timeless principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence.

Critically, RightForge's platform provides customers safe harbor from censorship practices that have become common in Silicon Valley and beyond because it is not reliant upon Big Tech. In particular, it allows for the migration to and creation of WordPress sites on an independent stack. The goal is to unleash the American entrepreneurial spirit and revitalize freedom of expression online.

RightForge is a full-service technology infrastructure company specializing in high-availability cloud hosting, web development, and protecting online assets for individuals and organizations that wish to preserve an open and free Internet and the American way of life.

"Americans are rightfully concerned about being deplatformed after seeing Big Tech unilaterally silence the sitting President of the United States as well as countless other fellow citizens," said RightForge CEO Martin Avila. "Starting today, Americans now have a choice. They can choose to make themselves subjects of Big Tech monopolists or choose to be free citizens of the internet."

RightForge is built upon one of the world's largest IPv4/IPv6-peered networks with dedicated server space in over 30 data centers around the globe. Also, with a 24/7 national operations center staffed by veterans of the United States Armed Forces, the company employs a content-delivery network to ensure industry-leading security and some of the fastest upload/download speeds possible.

Those interested in creating a new website or migrating their current one should visit rightforge.com .

RightForge has been featured by, among other national outlets, Federalist, American Conservative, Daily Caller, NewsMax, Newsweek and Fox Business.

SOURCE RightForge

Related Links

http://rightforge.com


KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QM Power and Purdue University today announced findings from part one of a two-part study on the impact of QM Power motor technology on the efficiency (SEER) in residential HVAC systems and heat pumps. The result was a significant SEER increase of 1 on the 21-point scale. This announcement was made at the 12th International Conference on Compressors and their Systems by John Brehm of Purdue University and Dave Augustine, VP of Product Management and Engineering for QM Power.

Revolutionary Motor Design. Unparalleled Efficiency. Innovative Controls.

The focus of the two-part study is to identify how much residential HVAC and heat pump SEER can be increased by using a more efficient evaporator blower motor and condenser fan motor. Part one was a simulation while part two, currently underway, will include actual residential heat pump hardware. Both studies use QM Power's proprietary Q-Sync Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor. Dave Augustine of QM Power states, "Using Q-Sync motors is a straightforward path for a manufacturer to improve the SEER of their HVAC system to comply with 2023 energy efficiency standards."

Improvements in SEER are notoriously difficult to achieve. Normally, several components such as condensers, controls, and compressors require improvement leading to increased costs, heat, and electrical draw from the grid. This study quantifies the impact that Q-Sync technology makes on total HVAC system design without the addition of other components.

Part one of the study was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 by Purdue's Dr. Eckhard Groll, the William E. and Florence E. Perry Head of Mechanical Engineering and Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering, by Davide Ziviani, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Director of the Center for High Performance Buildings, and by John Brehm, Master's Degree Candidate. According to Dr. Groll "the simulation results of the theoretical Phase 1 project clearly showed that significant increases in energy efficiency are possible when using improved electric motors and drives. Based on these most promising results I have the utmost confidence that we will show significant energy savings in Phase 2."

About QM Power

QM Power has proprietary and patented innovations in magnetic circuits and electronic controllers for the global electric motor market. Motor applications include electric vehicles, commercial refrigeration, heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, and drives (soft starters, variable frequency drives). We are well financed by a leading industrial-focused private equity firm. We offer competitive compensation and an invigorating, collaborative work environment. Learn more at www.qmpower.com.

About Ray W Herrick Laboratories - Purdue University

The Ray W. Herrick Laboratories supports world-class Mechanical Engineering research. Among the facilities available are HVAC and indoor air quality labs; advanced engine test cells; acoustics, noise, and vibration testing; and unique perception-based engineering labs. Learn more at https://engineering.purdue.edu/Herrick.

Contact: Mike More

Tel.: (612) 327-9438

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.QMPower.com

SOURCE QM Power
MIAMI and TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Retired Canadian Air Force Major General Sean Friday, who led Canada's Royal Military College and served in many other roles in the Royal Canadian Air Force, has been named Senior Vice President for M&A firm STS Capital Partners, the expert guides for private company owners who want to sell their companies for extraordinary amounts.

Friday will support Chairman & CEO Rob Follows in the direction, management, and administration of STS' operational excellence and strategic growth, helping generate billions in new philanthropic capital to assist clients in achieving global significance in their philanthropic pursuits.

Friday's most recent position with the Royal Canadian Air Force was at the United States Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Fla., where he was Vice Director, Logistics and Engineering, co-managing a staff of 180 and directing essential logistical support for roughly 100,000 personnel across 18 Middle Eastern countries.

"We are thrilled to have Sean join the STS Team as Senior Vice President responsible for driving Delivery Excellence," said Rob Follows, STS Chairman and Founder. "It's a given that his leadership skills and experience are a tremendous asset to STS clients and team members. But even more, his energy, positivity, and natural empathy raise up and enable everyone he meets."

"After over three decades serving my country and allies in building global peace and security, it was incredibly important to me that my transition to the private sector be in an area where I can continue to make a positive impact in people's lives," Friday said. "I am inspired by STS Capital's unique and deep-rooted commitment to standing up on behalf of private business owners on their company sale journey. Even more, I am energized knowing that achieving exceptional results for our clients also creates huge legacy potential to use their financial upside to make the world a better place."

Friday has held executive leadership roles across six continents. His experience in global operations and acquisition spans multiple sectors including aerospace, transportation, cyber security, data analytics, education, information technology, engineering, and defense. An important part of his responsibilities will include continuing STS Capital's global expansion as it brings on C-suite executives that embrace STS Capital's mission and values in Managing Director, Director and Project Manager leadership positions.

Friday was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from both Canada and the United States, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, among others, and is invested in the Order of Military Merit. He received his Executive MBA from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, and his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with honors from the Royal Military College. He also attended Harvard University's program for Senior Executives in National and International Security and the National Security Program at Canadian Forces College in Toronto.

About STS:

STS Capital Partners is a different kind of global M&A firm creating billions of dollars in new philanthropic and impact capital. STS stands for Success to Significance through Selling to Strategics.

We expertly guide entrepreneurial business owners towards Extraordinary Exits with a focus on supporting their legacy.

Our global relationships and world-class team bring international strategic buyers to the deal process. The result is highly competitive, multi-bidder, soft auctions that achieve maximum value. To learn more about STS, please visit www.stscapital.com.

STS is also growing globally and recruiting talented individuals that share our passion for enabling Extraordinary Exits. To learn more, please visit www.stscapital.com/join-our-team/.

STS supports The Knowledge Pledge, the organization building a platform to unlock human capital and connect volunteers with business skills to leading nonprofits with scalable solutions to the United Nations Global Goals. Please visit https://www.theknowledgepledge.world/.

PR Contact: Alan Hermesch, (202) 210-6262, [email protected].

Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12884406

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE STS Capital

Related Links

https://stscapital.com


"Jim's holistic approach to sales, marketing, and operations makes him the ideal leader to drive topline growth and profitability," said CEO Ann Fandozzi

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie Bros., a global marketplace for insights, services, and transaction solutions, announced today that its Chief Operating Officer, Jim Kessler, will take on the additional role of President, effective immediately.

"The President role will align our global revenue, services, operations, and critical support functions under Jim's leadership," said Ritchie Bros. CEO Ann Fandozzi. "As we accelerate our growth strategy as a company, we need a more integrated view of our strategic initiatives, resources, and talent. Jim's holistic approach to sales, marketing, and operations, makes him the ideal leader to drive topline growth and profitability from our transaction solutions."

Jim Kessler has more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions, including those of President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. He holds an undergraduate degree and MBA from Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania.

Fandozzi continued, "We are creating a more integrated view of our programs and resources at Ritchie Bros. to provide the best customer solutions and scale the business. I'm extremely excited about the potential in front of us and am passionate about improving the buyer and seller customer journey as I focus on accelerating our transition to a modern architecture, strategic partnerships, M&A, and other foundational elements to create a more robust marketplace for insights, services, and transaction solutions for commercial assets."

About Ritchie Bros.:

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, oil and gas, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offers live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with featured weekly auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; and Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales. The Company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system. Ritchie Bros. also offers sector-specific solutions including GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Kruse Energy, plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.

Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media.

SOURCE Ritchie Bros.
In partnership with iconic American instrument brand Gibson , School of Rock , the leader in performance-based music education, introduces the School of Rock Limited Edition Gibson Les Paul Special . It's an American-made signature guitar students will cherish their entire lives. It's not intended to be a student's first guitar, but instead designed to be his or her first forever guitar.

"At School of Rock we aim to instill in our students a musical passion that will last a lifetime. We designed this guitar to be part of that journey--something they will cherish the rest of their lives," said Elliot Baldini, chief marketing officer of School of Rock and head of the School of Rock GearSelect program. "This vintage-inspired guitar pays homage to the history of rock and other music styles such as blues, reggae and pop. These timeless genres are the foundation of School of Rock's patented curriculum."

Only 100 School of Rock Limited Edition Gibson Les Paul Specials will be produced, and they will be available exclusively to School of Rock students, parents, and staff. To commemorate this special series, each guitar comes with a backplate recognizing it as being one of one hundred units. Additionally, School of Rock is donating 100% of all profits from the sale of these guitars to Save The Music , one of Gibson Gives' key partners. Save The Music is the leading music education foundation in the United States. Their mission is to help students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music.

"We want this guitar to not only inspire our students, but to also help make gear and music education more accessible to new musicians," added Baldini.

"Save The Music shares the belief that when young people have the opportunity to make music, they start a journey that benefits them for a lifetime - in terms of both the creative outlet and the life skills that come with learning an instrument," said Henry Donahue, executive director of Save The Music Foundation. "We can't wait to hear the music that comes out of this project from the School of Rock and Save The Music communities."

"It's exciting to evolve our collaboration with School of Rock with the introduction of the Limited Edition Gibson Les Paul Forever Special guitar," says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. "We have been working on this project for over a year, during which our Gibson Lab team led by Mat Koehler, with Elliot Baldini, Rob Price and the group from School of Rock designed a versatile Les Paul Special that combines vintage features with modern concepts and looks badass! We look forward to seeing these guitars in the hands of the future generation of musicians that School of Rock is creating."

The signature model features a classic aesthetic and boasts an array of unique features. Its glossy black, nitrocellulose finish is unique for a Les Paul Special model, as is the gold hardware. A compensated, wraparound bridge was chosen for the best intonation possible. All of the detailed specs and features are outlined here .

The School of Rock Limited Edition Les Paul Special is part of GearSelect , an exclusive program where students can buy music instruments and music gear directly at School of Rock. School of Rock now sells drums, keyboards, microphones, recording equipment, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories, guitars, bass guitars and more. School of Rock has partnered with some of the music industry's biggest brands to compile an incredible selection of musical gear.

Preorders for the School of Rock Les Paul Special can be placed here on a first come, first served basis.

School of Rock provides students of all ages an exciting and engaging learning environment for taking guitar lessons , drum lessons , bass lessons , keyboard lessons , and singing lessons . Drawing from all styles of rock and roll, School of Rock students learn theory and techniques via songs from legendary artists such as Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, Aretha Franklin and Green Day. Thanks to the school's patented performance-based learning approach, students around the world have gained superior instrumental skills and confidence on the big stage, with some moving on to record deals and larger platforms such as American Idol, The Voice and Broadway.

About School of Rock:

School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to over 40,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons , including guitar lessons , singing lessons and piano lessons . The company also sells musical instruments and music gear through its GearSelect program. School of Rock was awarded US Patent 10,891,872 in 2021 for its innovative music education method. School of Rock also has garnered the following industry awards: 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; 2021 Global Franchise Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2021 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; Franchise Business Review's 2021 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 100 list; 2020 Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Franchise and the #1 Child Enrichment Franchise; and 2018 Forbes # 2 Best Franchise Medium-Level Investment Award and the #1 Music Franchise in America.

Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA .

For more information on School of Rock visit www.SchoolofRock.com or call 866-695-5515. To learn more about School of Rock franchise opportunities head to http://franchising.schoolofrock.com/

About Gibson Gives:

Gibson Gives through their brand programs Epiphone Empowered, KRK Kares, Kramer Kares, and Mesa Mission work extensively with other charities in a 360-degree way, raising the funds they need the most right now including Save The Music, Notes For Notes, Little Kids Rock, Give a Note, Music Makes Us, and other non-profits in the music education space. They also support music wellness by supporting MusiCares, The Recording Academy (GRAMMY's), Guitars For Vets (helping U.S. military veterans with PTSD), Let's Stay (In) Together Apollo Theater Benefit, Women Who Rock (raised over $45,000 for breast cancer research at Magee Women's Research Institute) Ryan Seacrest Foundation (placed Gibson instruments and KRK studio gear in all of their U.S. hospitals for pediatric patients and offering them music-making lessons to cope with illness), JoyRxMusic Children's Cancer Association (arranged music lessons for hospitalized kids and teens facing cancer and serious illness) and the Do it for the Love' Foundation (a wish-granting non-profit organization for people living with life-threatening illnesses). Gibson Gives became the exclusive stringed instrument provider for the Nashville based non-profit Musicians On Call (who arrange in-room and virtual performances by superstar artists with hospital patients) and donated high-value guitars for auction to support the Teenage Cancer Trust (London, U.K.). Gibson Gives partnered with the NAMM Foundation for their Believe In Music 2021program--NAMM attendees both donated and selected the non-profit they wanted to receive their donationraising $20,000 in three days. Since re-launching in 2019, Gibson Gives has raised over $3 million dollars worldwide through its mission to create, develop and support non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused education, and wellness initiatives. 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives--a 501(c)(3) organization--go towards giving the gift of music. Gibson Gives is changing livesone guitar at a time. For more information, visit: www.gibsongives.org .

About Gibson:

Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 127 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone , which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer , the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie , the home of tone, and KRK , behind great music for over 30 years. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at Gibson.com and follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Gibson TV , and Instagram .

About Save The Music:

The Save The Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. Founded in 1997, Save The Music partners with school districts and raises funds to restore music programs in public schools. Since inception, the organization has donated over $60 million worth of new musical instruments, equipment, and technology to 2,201 schools in 277 school districts around the countryimpacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of students. Learn more about Save The Music and its efforts at www.savethemusic.org .

SOURCE School of Rock
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sense's partner program continues to expand rapidly with the addition of nearly 150 new innovative solar partners across the country in the last year. They join industry leading providers such as Solgen Power, SUNation, and nearly 500 other solar providers who've chosen Sense.

According to Wood Mackenzie, the solar industry experienced record growth in 2020, and the first half of 2021 brought strong, continued momentum for Sense and its solar partners. Buoyed by strong demand for home improvements and other factors, the solar industry is poised for continued strong growth.

At the same time, new challenges face solar installers as consumers demand simpler ways to manage their increasingly complex solar and home energy installations. More consumers are asking "Do you have an app for that?" and installers are finding the answer with Sense Solar and its savvy approach to smart home energy monitoring, making Sense a familiar brand.

Said Gabe Abbott, Sense's vice president of strategic partnerships: "Our partners recognize the importance of offering whole home energy savings to their customers. We've found that when customers have greater visibility, they save more, are more satisfied, and thus are more likely to refer their friends and family to their solar provider. Sense delivers a uniquely engaging experience that delights customers and earns their trust and loyalty for years to come."

Solar companies across the country, large and small, are seeing these trends bear out in the market. "Sense has proven to be invaluable to so many of our solar customers," said Tyler Uebelhoer, founder and CEO of Buffalo Solar Inc. serving Western New York. "Our customers love the real-time information this tool provides and how it empowers them to make energy use decisions in the moment, right in the palm of their hand."

Once Sense Solar is installed, it provides energy awareness throughout the solar sales cycle, making customers aware of their energy usage in real time, helping solar installers rightsize their installations, set expectations with customers, and reduce cancellations while permitting takes place. After the solar installation, Sense Solar adds value immediately by creating energy awareness, deepening the customer relationship, generating loyalty and increasing referrals.

To learn more about the Sense Pro program, visit sense.com/pro or contact [email protected].

About Sense

Sense's mission is to make all homes intelligent by keeping people informed about what's happening in their homes, and helping to make homes safer, more efficient, and more reliable. Founded in 2013 by pioneers in speech recognition, Sense uses machine learning technology to provide real-time insights on device behavior, even for those devices that are not "smart." Customers rely on Sense for a wide range of uses including monitoring their home appliances, determining whether they left appliances running and identifying how to reduce their energy costs. Sense has received investments from two of the world's largest energy technology companies, Schneider Electric and Landis + Gyr. Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To make sense of your energy, visit: https://sense.com.

SOURCE Sense

Related Links

www.sense.com


MILWAUKEE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating JMP (NYSE: JMP), for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Citizens.

Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/jmp-group-llc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Ademi LLP alleges JMP's financial outlook and prospects are excellent and yet JMP shareholders will receive only $7.50 for each common share of JMP, or approximately $149 million. The merger agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for JMP by prohibiting solicitation of further bids, and imposing a substantial penalty if JMP accepts a superior bid. JMP insiders will receive millions of dollars as part of change of control arrangements. We are investigating the conduct of JMP's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for JMP.

If you own JMP common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/jmp-group-llc.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
Dealing with rampant misinformation and ensuring responsible media practices are some of the biggest challenges that brands face today. The Sightly/Ad Fontes Media partnership brings to market the power to assess, decide and activate the foundational requirements of "brand safety and suitability" around news, opinion and similar content with speed and at scale.

"Both our companies feel that brands deserve to know what they are buying so they can make decisions in real-time about where their messages and media dollars are running in today's fast-changing environment," said Adam Katz, Sightly Chief Revenue Officer and GM.

"There's so much noise in the media landscape now that legacy tools can't keep up," added Vanessa Otero, CEO and Founder of Ad Fontes. "The mission we're on together is to help brands know what they're walking into so they can determine how to respond."

Sightly's proprietary technology gives brands a mega advantage over competitorsthe intelligence to instantly respond in a consistent, authentic way to the constant, rapid changes in today's world. Its Brand Mentality platform fuses each brand's unique DNA with state-of-the-art AI and NLP algorithms to identify specific signals from the constant flood of data and recommend real-time actions that avoid threats or seize marketing opportunities.

Ad Fontes Media delivers unmatched responsible media intelligence by rating news content for reliability and bias using a rigorous, non-partisan methodology. The company provides social media giants, media buyers and others with access to comprehensive news source rating data through its powerful Ad Apex solution suite.

Prior to the last US election, a study published by CHEQ and the University of Baltimore revealed that fake news was costing the global economy $78 billion each year. Other studies reveal that trust and values heavily influence consumer purchase behavior. According to Edelman, three out of five consumers now buy from brands based on trust and two-thirds of consumers worldwide now buy on beliefs .

Together, Sightly and Ad Fontes turn these challenges into opportunities: Ad Fontes identifies misinformation that is typically difficult to access, trust and hard to act on. Sightly gives brands the ability to define what they believe and amplifies its own signals with Ad Fontes data across multiple digital platforms, making them more safe and suitable.

Ad Fontes Media enhances Sightly's Brand Mentality platform by:

Finding online misinformation affecting brands that other solutions miss and feeding the platform's Anticipation Software  that filters massive social, cultural and traditional data streams,

that filters massive social, cultural and traditional data streams, Contributing scenarios about fake news, political bias, etc. for the Brand Mentality profile instrument that defines each brand's unique DNA,

Boosting reach of the platform's rapid inclusion/exclusion List Builder solution across more media sources, including programmatic Web, publisher direct properties, podcasts, CTV, etc., and

Strengthening media activations by bringing considerably increased protection to WFA's GARM framework for brand safety and suitability that is built into Brand Mentality.

Through this integration and amplification, brands, agencies and ad technology companies can be confident that when they use Brand Mentality to make real-time, rapid-fire marketing decisions in response to social moments, news, trends, etc., their messages won't accidentally end up somewhere contrary to their brand's values, such as on polarizing or misleading articles or YouTube videos. Better yet, they can use this intelligence to confidently lean into news coverage and content that actively aligns with their mentality.

About Sightly

Sightly is a marketing tech and services company that gives brands a major competitive edge through its groundbreaking Brand Mentality platform, which integrates each brand's unique DNA with state of the art AI and NLP algorithms to identify specific signals from the rapidly changing events in today's worldand respond instantly to avoid threats or seize market opportunities.

Brands can use self-service to respond to these signals, or Sightly's managed service, which activates at scale across massive video and social UGC platforms, programmatic and publisher direct content. Brand Mentality also generates powerful targeted macro-cultural trend intelligence that creates a strategic advantage for any department inside a business. Learn more and request a demo at www.sightly.com .

About Ad Fontes Media

Ad Fontes Media is the media bias intelligence leader and producer of The Media Bias Chart which rates media sources in terms of political bias and reliability. The company was founded by patent attorney Vanessa Otero with the goal of combating political polarization. In 2021, Ad Fontes Media launched its flagship Ad Apex solutions suite, a family of integrated media bias intelligence solutions. Ad Apex allows Ad Fontes Media's app, brand, media and media technology partners to leverage its comprehensive news source ratings so they can realtime engage them in media planning, in support of their brand purpose and values. https://adfontesmedia.com

Media Contact

Rebecca Nowacek at Purpose Worldwide for Sightly

[email protected]

210.589.2756

SOURCE Sightly Enterprises, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sightly.com


EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Oak Services Partners, LLC ("Silver Oak"), a leading lower middle market private equity firm focused exclusively on business, healthcare and consumer service businesses, announced today that it has led the recapitalization of Drive Automotive Services, LLC ("Drive" or the "Company").

Drive, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, is a leading, full-service operator of automotive repair shops, serving over 120,000 vehicles annually. The Company has 22 automotive repair sites across the U.S., in attractive, high-growth metropolitan markets including Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Knoxville and Phoenix under a handful of operating banners. Drive and its team of over 120 service technicians provide a complete suite of automotive maintenance and repair services to all major vehicle brands, with a relentless focus on customer service and experience.

"This is an exciting time for Drive as we've experienced significant growth in recent years. We are delighted to partner with Silver Oak as we look to expand our footprint. Silver Oak brings extensive experience in scaling multi-site platforms like ours, which will be invaluable as we execute on our growth strategy," stated Rissy Sutherland, CEO & President of Drive.

Wade Glisson, Partner at Silver Oak, added, "We are thrilled to partner with Rissy and the rest of the Drive team. Over the past several years they have developed well-established brands across an attractive regional footprint with a differentiated operating model. We look forward to supporting the team in the next phase of the Company's growth."

Please contact Dan Gill, Wade Glisson or Molly Martin of Silver Oak for additional information.

About Silver Oak Services Partners

Founded in 2005 and based in Evanston, IL, Silver Oak Services Partners, LLC (www.silveroaksp.com) is a lower-middle market private equity firm focused on partnering with exceptional management teams to build industry leading business, consumer and healthcare service companies. Silver Oak utilizes a proactive, research-led investment process to identify attractive services sectors and seek out the best potential management teams and investment opportunities. Silver Oak seeks to make control investments in leading service businesses with $15 to $150 million in revenue. The firm is currently investing out of its fourth fund, a $500 million investment vehicle.

Contact:

Chris Tofalli

Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC

914-834-4334

SOURCE Silver Oak Services Partners, LLC

Related Links

http://www.silveroaksp.com


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BizVibe is a modern B2B platform dedicated to connecting buyers and sellers from around the world. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe is designed to help companies generate leads, shortlist suppliers, request proposals, and identify global companies. Evaluate companies side-by-side to compare key metrics and initiate productive partnerships.

Buyers use BizVibe to discover suppliers from among more than 5 million companies using advanced search filters and comparison tools. Features for buyers include:

Shortlist potential suppliers

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Explore BizVibe's buyer services: https://www.bizvibe.com/buyers

Sellers can take advantage of BizVibe's smart sales intelligence tools to discover, evaluate, and communicate with prospects across 300+ categories. Features for sellers include:

Identify and qualify sales prospects

Receive customized prospect recommendations

Analyze and evaluate potential buyers

Integrate CRMs for efficient data transfer

Discover BizVibe's seller tools: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers

About BizVibe

BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and helps sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today.

Contact

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

Email: [email protected]

+1 855-897-5880

Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/

SOURCE BizVibe

Related Links

http://www.bizvibe.com/


Here is what to expect of your ping pong experience:

SPIN has partnered with AIRPHX ("air fix") across all venues to put our guest's health and safety first. AIRPHX uses cold plasma chambers that effectively eliminate bacteria, virus, mold and other pathogens continuously on both surfaces and in the air.

Vaccinations are mandatory for all SPIN employees and we will adhere to local rules and regulations regarding all incoming guests.

The locations are deep cleaned daily and after each individual group experience.

QR code ordering is in place for all food and beverage offerings.

SPIN monitors the CDC and WHO guidance and will adhere to state and local laws around safety protocol.

NOW LET'S GET BACK TO CONNECTING AND CELEBRATING

Having the time of your life and curating a ping pong experience that is memorable is SPIN's promise. Every Friday, beginning September 10th, THE SPIN PROS (professional ping pong players) will be making their triumphant return. Have you ever played a SPIN PRO with your iPhone or a banana instead of a paddle? Have you ever witnessed top-tier world-class ping pong exhibition matches on center court? SPIN's signature Friday nights are back with a banggreat music, craft cocktails, delicious sharable food and free access to communal games that are meant to connect you with your friends and group. #DoItTogetherNeverAlone

Not able to make it Friday night? SPIN has created opportunities to enjoy the ping pong experience all week long. From happy hours to birthday parties, all SPIN venues will be the ultimate safe and immersive experience for any gathering. The SPIN team has designed the best party packages, no matter the size of the group. Event packages include hand-selected sharable items, thirst-quenching drink packages, and dedicated spaces for your group, even SPIN PROS to facilitate tournaments and provide pointers. Visit SPIN's website for more up to date information regarding upcoming events, party packages and programming. WEARESPIN.COM

ABOUT SPIN

SPIN is the original social network of ping pong venues that encourage human connections. At the core is our mission to connect through a game that transcends age, gender and any boundaries. SPIN welcomes diversity and embraces the unconventional. Each venue features ping pong courts, a full-service bar, restaurant, private rooms and unexpected event spaces that attract guests of all kinds. With locations in New York, Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington DC, SPIN has built an unparalleled social experience that encourages connection and celebrates play. #UnitedByPingPong

*SPIN New York 23 & 54, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco will open September 7th. SPIN Washington DC in early October 2021.

PRESS CONTACT:

Greg Godfrey | VP Brand and Culture

[email protected]

SOURCE SPiN Global

Related Links

http://wearespin.com


"Water unites every person on the planet," said EarthEcho International founder Philippe Cousteau, Jr. Tweet this

Tuesday, September 28, 2021 , 7 pm : https://youtu.be/4MuHu1g3BBw - Expedicion: agua por diseno - agua de lejos (10 mins)

, : https://youtu.be/4MuHu1g3BBw - Expedicion: agua por diseno - agua de lejos (10 mins) Thursday, September 30, 2021 , 7 pm : https://youtu.be/GU3YpTBX73g - Expedicion: agua por diseno - Agua subterranea (10 mins)

"Water unites every person on the planet," said EarthEcho International founder Philippe Cousteau, Jr. "And it will take all of us to ensure that clean, healthy water is an available and sustainable resource for future generations. Everyone who takes part in World Water Monitoring Day activities is taking an important step in investing in that future."

The EarthEcho Water Challenge runs annually from March 22 through December 31 and is comprised of three easy steps:

Test  It all begins by understanding the state of water quality in your community. Get started by purchasing a simple test kit at www.monitorwater.org;

 It all begins by understanding the state of water quality in your community. Get started by purchasing a simple test kit at www.monitorwater.org; Share  Participants can enter their data online through the EarthEcho Water Challenge database and share their stories and photos on our website at www.monitorwater.org or through social media using #MonitorWater; and

 Participants can enter their data online through the EarthEcho Water Challenge database and share their stories and photos on our website at www.monitorwater.org or through social media using #MonitorWater; and Protect  Armed with knowledge about local water resources, participants can use the information and tools available at www.monitorwater.org to protect local water resources every day.

"Our mission at Xylem is to solve the world's biggest water challenges, so we always look forward to supporting Earth Echo's World Water Monitoring Day. It is a great opportunity to work with communities, especially young people, on their local water issues," said Austin Alexander, VP of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. "As communities are becoming more aware of water challengesespecially as the impacts of climate change become more apparentit's important that we're giving the next generation the tools to be involved in the solutions."

World Water Monitoring Day 2021 Events

To kick off this year's activities, EarthEcho International will host a two-day event on September 13-14, 2021 at the Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, CO. Over 250 students will test water quality at a local stream, learn how stormwater affects the health of their community and participate in the engineering design process to identify solutions to reduce water usage. The event is made possible through the generous support of Western Digital. Participating partners include Catamount Institute, Colorado Springs Stormwater Education, US Air Force Academy and Xylem Watermark.

Partners

Water Challenge partners around the country are also holding water monitoring and conservation activities as part of this year's events. 2021 partners include Austin Youth River Watch, Blue Scholars Initiative, Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Friends of the Chicago River, OceanConservancy, Waccamaw Riverkeeper, Department of Transportation & Infrastructure | City & County of Denver.

From September 11-30, 2021 EarthEcho's 44 Water Challenge Ambassadors, a network of young leaders across the country, will lead a series of community-based water monitoring events in 18 locations. These events include beach cleanups, connecting with boy and girl scouts, implementing virtual class visits to present on water quality and collaborating with EarthEcho partners including Xylem Watermark to facilitate in-person water monitoring events near their local waterways.

Please visit (https://www.monitorwater.org/news/events) for a full schedule of this year's events.

The EarthEcho Water Challenge is made possible through the generous support of Xylem, a leading global water technology company. A diverse group of global partner organizations collaborates with the EarthEcho Water Challenge on outreach, resources and events. Learn more about these organizations at www.monitorwater.org/partners.

For more information, visit www.monitorwater.org and follow us on social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthecho

Instagram: @EarthEcho

Twitter: @EarthEcho

Join the conversation using hashtag #MonitorWater

For information about EarthEcho International, please visit www.earthecho.org.

For information about Xylem, please visit www.xylem.com.

SOURCE EarthEcho International
SAO PAULO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo (MASP) has just begun a new expansion project to enlarge its physical space, attaching its present installations to the neighboring building, which will be thoroughly remodeled. The new building will add 6,945 m2 of floor space with 14 new floors of galleries, classrooms, collection storage area, conservation lab, restaurant, museum shop and event areas  all linked by an underground connection to the current building. The project will make the museum's physical structure commensurate with its institutional ambition, transforming MASP into one of the most modern museum infrastructures of Latin America and preparing it for the coming generations.

It is the most significant undertaking in the history of the museum after its 1968 transfer from its original location in the headquarters of the Diarios Associados, on rua 7 de Abril, to its present building on Avenida Paulista. The reason behind that move was for the museum to have a home worthy of its collection.

"We will increase the museum's exhibition capacity by 66%, integrating the two buildings. I believe that this expansion consolidates the museum and Avenida Paulista as a cultural axis, perhaps the most important cultural axis of Brazil, of which MASP, without a doubt, is the mainstay," says Alfredo Setubal, chairman of the board of MASP.

The current expansion will bring multiple gains: increased public access; a new and better structure to offer public programs and courses; a larger environment, equipped with the latest technologies for the restoration and conservation of iconic artworks; the upgrading of technical installations and more space for showing works that belong to the museum's collection and which, coupled with the acquisitions made year by year, tell increasingly diverse, inclusive and plural histories of art.

As a way of preserving and valorizing the institution's history, the original building will receive the name of its architect, Lina Bo Bardi (19141992), and the new building will bear the name of the museum's first artistic director, Pietro Maria Bardi (19001999). These names, together with the name of its founder  which appears in the museum's full name (Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo Assis Chateaubriand)  will complete the homage to MASP's founding trio.

"MASP's collection has been growing. Our plan is for Lina's building, especially its sublevel floors, to be dedicated to showing works that belong to the museum's collection. For their part, the new galleries will be used for temporary exhibitions," explains Adriano Pedrosa, MASP's artistic director.

The cost of the project is around R$ 180 million, to be entirely financed by donations from individuals  following a trait that MASP has had since its founding, of engaging private society in a wide range of projects. "Allowing for the construction of this building through donations is the crowning of a new administrative model for MASP, an institution whose pillars are planted in civil society," says Heitor Martins, the museum's CEO.

"The involvement of civil society is increasingly important in institutions. We see this not only in Brazil, but around the world. Inspired by this, we understood that it was possible to make the expansion possible in partnership with civil society, which has already been engaging with the museum in recent years and allowed it to reach the outstanding level it is on today," states Geyze Diniz, vice president of MASP's board. "The Expanding MASP project is the largest operation of Brazilian philanthropy supported by Brazilian families, without tax law incentives or any governmental stimulus," explains Ronaldo Cezar Coelho, president of the Expanding MASP committee.

The architectural design was co-authored by Julio Neves, an architect who served as MASP's president for 14 years, from 1995 to 2009, and the architectural firm METRO Arquitetos Associados, of partners Martin Corullon and Gustavo Cedroni.

The work is slated to be completed in 2024. At the end of the revamping, MASP will have a total area of 17,680 m2 (today it has 10,485 m2). Besides increasing the physical space, the new construction will enlarge what MASP is and already represents on the national and international scene.

PRESS RELATIONS

FSB Comunicacao

Jamille Menezes and Renata Megale

[email protected]

MASP

[email protected]

SOURCE The Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo (MASP)
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C. , is proud to announce Louis Godfrey as the recipient of its Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship for Autism for 2021. Each year, the firm offers a higher education scholarship in memory of Avonte Oquendo, a nonverbal 14-year-old boy with autism who left his Queens public school undetected in 2013 and tragically drowned in the East River. David Perecman , Founder and Lead Trial Lawyer at The Perecman Firm, represented Avonte's mother, Vanessa Fontaine, in a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of her son.

Each year, The Perecman Firm offers the scholarship to directly benefit students with autism and those with autistic family members. After reviewing numerous applications and inspiring essays from bright and talented students across the country, the team is pleased to select Louis as this year's recipient.

Louis is a recent graduate of J.L. Mann Academy in Greenville, South Carolina and will be attending Clemson University in the fall. His essay, entitled "Adversity and Autism," detailed his life and experience with high-functioning autismthe early behavioral signs that led to his diagnosis, the difficulties he and his parents faced early in his education, and the steps he's taken to succeedas well as his thoughts on how learning about his diagnosis "was a critical step to overcoming it." Louis explains his implementation of strategies that, alongside the support from his parents, support groups, and therapy, helped him reenter the public school system in middle school, play trumpet and make friends in the school band, and secure a well-deserved spot in the All-County Band. In addition to earning all A's and becoming team captain of the robotics club, Louis strived to ensure everyone on his team felt valued.

"All of us at The Perecman Firm congratulate Louis Godfrey on being named the recipient of this year's Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship for Autism," said Mr. Perecman. "We are very proud to offer this scholarship in Avonte Oquendo's name to support and help students with autism and those directly impacted by autism to pursue higher education opportunities and further their career interests."

More information about the Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship can be found at www.perecman.com/avonte-oquendo/autism-scholarship .

For more information about The Perecman Firm, visit www.perecman.com .

About The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.

Founded in 1983 by David Perecman, The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C. is a full-service personal injury law firm with offices in New York, New York, and Jericho, Long Island. The firm's attorneys concentrate their legal practices in all aspects of personal injury, including construction accidents, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death and civil rights matters, as well as, workers' compensation, and Social Security Disability. Recognized by U.S. News for the past ten consecutive years as one of the Best Law Firms in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury in New York, the Perecman team is distinguished among their peers for their professionalism and knowledge. The firm's consistent and notable results garnered attention from nationally-recognized organizations including Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, which named David Perecman a 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" in Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs. The firm and its attorneys have recovered more than half a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements on their clients' behalf. For more information, visit www.perecman.com.

Contact: Candice Votke

[email protected] / (516) 640-8197

SOURCE The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.

Related Links

https://www.perecman.com


BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrasio today announced the acquisitions of category leaders SafeRest (mattress protectors), Wise Owl Outfitters (camping equipment) and Danjor Linens (home bedding), marking Thrasio's three largest acquisitions to date. The brands are expected to add more than $90 million in sales to Thrasio in their first year. The acquisitions showcase Thrasio's momentum as the company acquires increasingly larger brands and brings them to far-reaching consumer audiences through a robust omnichannel strategy.

"We are very happy with our experience working with Thrasio and their team," said Sarah Douglass, founder of Wise Owl Outfitters. "We had several offers from all types of buyers and ultimately decided to go with Thrasio because of their approach, their infrastructure and the competitiveness of their offer. The deal was fast, and the process from beginning to end was incredibly smooth."

Thrasio continues to evaluate and acquire proven brands. In addition to doubling the average deal size, Thrasio has increased the pace of acquisitions. Deals can be structured in any number of ways to best suit the needs of the entrepreneurs, with different payout structures and varied levels of post-acquisition involvement from sellers.

"We're building a consumer goods company that is rooted in customer feedback and established quality," said Carlos Cashman, co-founder and co-CEO of Thrasio. "We take beloved products, invest the resources to solidify their category leadership on Amazon, and then we increase their sales footprint through international expansion and other channels. When a brand comes into our portfolio, it gains immediate value from our proven flywheel to grow stronger and reach even more happy customers."

As Amazon aggregators become more common, entrepreneurs with desirable brands have difficult choices to make. Maintaining a growing FBA business is taxing, and successful products attract competitors. Acquisition can be an appealing route, and sellers should take care to ensure that prospective acquirers are able to complete deals in a timely manner and have the capacity and capability to ensure their brands are well positioned for the future. As the world's largest acquirer of Amazon brands, Thrasio has the most experience, the deepest team and an established track record of success.

Thrasio selects brands that sell products with excellent ratings across many reviews. With tens of thousands of products on offer, that careful approach has led to a large portfolio of quality products with mass customer approval. In fact, one in ten US households already owns a Thrasio product, and that number is likely to increase as the company continues to expand. Sellers who are interested in a potential acquisition should visit https://www.thrasio.com for more information.

About Thrasio

Thrasio is the consumer goods company reimagining omnichannel commerce and consumer products, and boasts an innovation engine that brings high-quality products to market across digital marketplaces, channels, and retailers globally. With the experience of evaluating 6,000 Amazon FBA businesses, data on consumer preferences from more than 150 brands, and the operational scale of more than 22,000 products, Thrasio is the largest acquirer of Amazon FBA brands. Thrasio builds these brands to compete with top household names, offering consumers more choice and exceptional value. Thrasio brands include the Vybe Percussion deep tissue massage gun, Circadian Optics bright light therapy lamps, and skincare products from Sdara Skincare. For more information, visit https://thrasio.com.

SOURCE Thrasio

Related Links

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"The hazards associated with noncompliant cables present significant risks with respect to the nature and scale of a fire event. Our robust fire safety testing of cables, which is available at our new Abu Dhabi laboratory, brings trust and confidence that such safety issues have been assessed in the products manufacturers and companies are bringing to the marketplace," said Sameer Abdul Salam, UL's business head for the MEA Region. "As the global safety science leader, UL looks forward to helping local purchasers, specifiers, installers and inspectors of telecommunication cables achieve increased speed to market and the ability to demonstrate their commitment to fire safety to their customers."

The new fire safety laboratory is designed to test electric and optical cables, and busways as per various standards for flame retardant and fire resistance properties. Staffed with UL's industry-leading experts, the facility will enable faster turnaround times with enhanced regulation enforcement. The local presence in Abu Dhabi with global expertise will help ease the logistical challenges for our customers in Europe and Asia.

"In recent years, the Middle East has seen increased regulation around the fire safety of cables used in buildings to meet the civil defense requirements. At UL's new Abu Dhabi laboratory, our fire safety experts will work with customers to help them meet these increased demands without sacrificing time or efficiency," said Salam.

"The opening of our new fire safety laboratory comes at an important time as governments and companies continue to invest in local infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and around the Middle East. These new investments mean that there is an increased need for safe cables and busways. With our new fire safety testing capabilities, we are excited that we will be able to help local manufacturers address product risks, safety and performance while helping them have a positive impact throughout the region," said Sajeev Jesudas, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at UL.

UL offers its customers advisory and testing services to help them meet and exceed fire safety requirements. Research testing services for manufacturers can help customers design cables that comply to the necessary fire resistance/fire reactance standards. UL can also produce a Type testing report and Type examination certificate based on IEC/EN/BS standards.

Learn more about UL fire safety capabilities in the Middle East.

About UL

UL is the global safety science leader. We deliver testing, inspection and certification (TIC), training and advisory services, risk management solutions and essential business insights to help our customers, based in more than 100 countries, achieve their safety, security and sustainability goals. Our deep knowledge of products and intelligence across supply chains make us the partner of choice for customers with complex challenges. Discover more at UL.com.

For information about Standards development and other nonprofit activities, visit UL.org.

Press contacts:

Steven Brewster

UL

[email protected]

+1.847.664.8425

Christina Bostock

IHC

[email protected]

971.55.887.3054

SOURCE UL

Related Links

http://www.ul.com


For many parents, the pandemic learning environment of last year brought to light the learning challenges and developmental needs of their children. Recent research from Understood and UnidosUS' Back to School Study found that 65% of parents observed learning challenges with their child over the last year, and 44% of parents don't know how to start the conversations about the learning challenges they've noticed. The study also indicated that 84% of parents with children who have learning and thinking differences, such as dyslexia and ADHD, wish that they'd had a tool or resource to help them track changes in their child's behavior before their diagnosis.

"As students adjust to this school year, parents and teachers alike are concerned about the lasting impact of the pandemic on children, including the learning challenges that they are observing," said Fred Poses, CEO and co-founder of Understood. "It's important that parents and caregivers have expert-backed resources to help ensure that every child receives the support that they need to succeed. Take N.O.T.E. is designed to do that."

Learning and thinking differences are variations in how the brain processes information and can affect reading, writing, math, focus, and following directions. Signs of learning and thinking differences are often overlooked or misinterpreted by families. Misinformation, stigma, lack of awareness, and other barriers such as cost can stand in the way of children getting the support they need.

"Pediatricians are here to help," said AAP President Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP. "A simple tool like Take N.O.T.E. that helps families spot signs and look for patterns can be invaluable in helping lead constructive conversations with trusted professionals, such as teachers and the child's pediatrician, to determine what to do next."

Take N.O.T.E. is based on a four-step process that parents and children can follow together to understand if the child has a learning and thinking difference. Designed as a mnemonic device, Take N.O.T.E. asks users to:

Notice if there's something going on with their child that's out of the ordinary

if there's something going on with their child that's out of the ordinary Observe and keep track of patterns

and keep track of patterns Talk with other people who can offer insight and support, like pediatricians, teachers, and other caregivers

with other people who can offer insight and support, like pediatricians, teachers, and other caregivers Engage their child to get information and explore options for what to do next

Each step in Take N.O.T.E. includes simple, free, and accessible practice activities and multimedia features to help families understand the signs of learning and thinking differences  and then use that knowledge. Available in English and Spanish, features include:

Multiple entry points for parents and children to use the tool based on their particular stage of the journey with learning challenges

Participatory checklists, printables, emoji check-ins, and activities to begin the process of observing and practicing taking N.O.T.E.

Opportunities to involve their child in the process with prompts for open and honest conversations

Written, audio, and video tips to bring the process to life and give parents engagement options, as well as written articles that dive deeper into observations and other subjects

Audio clips featuring others going through the journey

In addition to Take N.O.T.E., to help parents start the conversations around potential learning and thinking differences, Understood, with AAP, UnidosUS, and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), is offering a free, virtual Town Hall forum on Thursday, September 9, at 10 a.m. ET. The event, available in both English and Spanish, will feature discussions with parents, pediatricians, teachers, and experts about how to address academic and emotional challenges that may arise this school year, and ways to make it a positive experience for all. Interested families can RSVP to attend here .

About Understood

1 in 5 Americans have learning and thinking differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia. They are often misunderstood, undiagnosed, and dismissed, and these differences are viewed as a weakness. This leaves many on a journey that is stacked against them and costs society more than $500 billion. Understood is the only lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. Today, we help more than 20 million people each year discover their potential, how to take control, find community, and stay on a positive path along each stage of life's journey. When others join this journey, and people are broadly embraced, everyone thrives. Understood is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation based in New York. For more information, or to become a partner, visit u.org/media and follow us on Twitter @UnderstoodOrg.

About the American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1600275/Back_to_School_Study_2021__Infographic.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1574220/understood_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Understood

Related Links

www.understood.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new research study on "Virtual Queue Management System Market Forecast to 2028  COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis  by Component, Platform, Organization Size, and End User," the market is projected to reach US$ 436.00 million by 2028 from US$ 287.37 million in 2021; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2021 to 2028.

Get in-depth details on "Virtual Queue Management System Market" (No. of Pages  197, No. of Tables, Charts & Figures - 201) Download PDF Brochure: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00019403/

With the increase in processing capability of microprocessors and affordable prices of the internet, coupled with the decrease in prices of digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, the digitalization of various operations and processes has gained significant traction over the last decades, especially in emerging economies of Asia Pacific. Small- and medium-sized enterprises across the world are investing significantly to improve their business operations with the help of digitalization, as it helps in creating a digital presence and new contact channels, improving decision-making capabilities, and streamlining communication and collaboration, while increasing efficiency and productivity. Moreover, as digitalization is paving the way for the creation of new economic sectors, governments across the globe are implementing initiatives such as Digital India, Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, US Digital Government Strategy, The European Digital Strategy introduced by European Union, and MyDIGITAL initiative by the Malaysian government, to boost digitalization. Thus, with the increasing digital transformations of various enterprises and government processes worldwide, along with the growing adoption of digital devices by the masses, the virtual queue management system market is growing at a significant pace.

Irrespective of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and the shutdown of business operations for months, manufacturers had to continue the production of essential products, resuming it earlier than other businesses. However, since the travel activities were closed and theme parks and public places such as offices and corporate buildings were shut down, the virtual queue management system market was heavily impacted. However, the pandemic brought a lot of positives for the virtual queue management system market as many government offices, banks, healthcare organizations, and other public places started using this technology to implement social distancing laws and improve public safety. For instance, in 36 branches in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Raiffeisen Bank has officially deployed SEDCO's full client visit management technology. Raiffeisen is taking this step to become a smart branch, with the ability to monitor the performance of all branches from the head office.

Increasing Emphasis on Customer Service Across Major Industry Verticals to Boost Virtual Queue Management System Market Growth

With the increasing competition across various industries, organizations are emphasizing massively on customer retention to stay competitive in the marketplace. Lately, customer service has gained significant importance and investment in various advanced technologies, including virtual queue management solutions, to streamline the customer service processes to enhance the overall customer experience. The virtual queue management solutions are powered by features such as online appointment booking, virtual queuing via smartphone, customer feedback surveys, and real-time monitoring. Using such solutions, the customers are placed in a virtual waiting queue to place their service order/request using digital devices such as smartphones or personal computers while eliminating the need of waiting in physical queues. By using virtual queue management solutions, organizations can reduce waiting periods, streamline communication, improve staff efficiency and service quality, and better customer flow management, which will subsequently lead to improved customer satisfaction. Samsung, Nike, NHS, Tesco, NatWest, Walmart, Tickets.com, and Five Guys are among the well-known organizations that have significantly invested in virtual queue management solutions. Thus, the increasing importance of customer service in the modern-day marketplace is driving the virtual queue management system market.

Get Sample Copy of Virtual Queue Management System Market:

https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00019403/

Virtual Queue Management System market: Component Overview

Based on component, the virtual queue management system market is segmented into solution and services. The solution segment led the virtual queue management system market in 2020. The solution is developed and deployed according to the end-user requirement and regular software updates are provided by the market players to the end users. The solution can also be integrated with the in-house CRM of the end users. Furthermore, these solutions are powered by advanced analytics and reporting tools, which allow the end users to map their service operations accordingly. Thus, with the increasing need for optimizing the customer handling operation the virtual queue management system market is experiencing significant growth.

Virtual Queue Management System Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Accesso Technology Group, plc; Advantech Co. Ltd.; AKIS Technologies; eGlobe IT Solutions; Lavi Industries; Ombori; Queue-it; Qmatic; SEDCO; and Hague Australia are among the key players that are profiled during this market study. In addition to these players, several other essential market players were also studied and analyzed to get a holistic view of the global virtual queue management system market and its ecosystem.

In 2021, Boston Logan International Airport teamed with accesso Technology Group plc to pilot a virtual security line. This is accesso's first venture into the airline business, and it establishes Boston Logan International Airport as a leader in the deployment of technology that is proven critical to improving customer safety, trust, and loyalty while following the pandemic-related regulations.

Purchase a copy of Virtual Queue Management System Market research report @ https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00019403/

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The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.

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SOURCE The Insight Partners
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Triplpoint unveiled its inaugural line of direct-to-consumer boutique Italian footwear created for a distinguished clientele, including artisan-crafted shoes, boots, and booties of Italian leather handmade by a single family of shoemakers. Each Triplpoint design is named for the woman who inspired the creation. Led by, Domenico "Dom" Sgambellone's vision of the current and future direction of where people are heading, Triplpoint maintains a delicate balance between being in vogue and serving as the perfect enhancement accent to any modern wardrobe. The Triplpoint line is currently available online.

ECLIPSE in moon white MARY JO in neon pink patent

With a passion for styling women that spans over two decades, lead designer and Triplpoint President, Dom, explained the motivation behind his new shoe label:

"I've been in the luxury shoe business and listening to customers for over 25 years, and it's just in my blood at this point. I would not want to be doing anything else. Moving to create my own line was always the end goal, and now that it's a reality, I couldn't be happier. The company's name is very personal and symbolic to me as well.

"Triplpoint stands for the three states of water: solid, liquid, and vapor. It speaks to versatility  the ability to adapt and change as necessary, always appropriate to the environment. And 40-73 references the latitude and longitude coordinates for New York City  one of the greatest fashion design capitals in the world. Our designs are very NYC chic."

What is it like to design such an exclusive line of shoes?

"Each design starts with a new client  so the journey is always a unique one. I usually have an end-look in mind, but I listen and learn directly from my customers, all of whom are world-class, seasoned travelers. So they are extremely discerning in style and fit. They demand the best, and that means going to Italy for shoe manufacture. Italian shoemakers are world famous for a reason: since the end of WWII, Italy has become the absolute center of high-end luxury shoes and boots."

"We chose a family of artisans as our partners, with over 100 years of crafting experience. We were fortunate to find such a talented family  two sisters, a mother and father team. They understand exactly what our customers need and want, and because each shoe is handmade, each shoe is unique and limited in quantity. Maintaining this level of personal excellence and old-world Italian artistry is important to us. It means exclusivity and luxury. You're not going to bump into dozens of other women who are wearing the exact same shoes from us. And that's how we like it."

What is the bespoke design process like?

"Our overall concept is to visualize a NYC vibe and look for today's modern customer. We're always speaking directly with our clients, creating styles they want to see. But at the same time, we want our footwear to be a comfortable fit all day long. A beautiful shoe is useless if you can't wear it for very long. As I tell my customers: you can argue with your boyfriend, or you can argue with your husband  but you absolutely can't argue with your feet. One of my most discerning customers  my wife  absolutely agrees. She designed two shoes specifically for her: Sugarhill Cheryl and Cyberpunk Cheryl. They are both perfect examples of the style, quality, and refinement that clients can expect from Triplpoint."

For more information on the Triplpoint line, or to inquire about booking an individual consulting session to design a bespoke shoe, visit Triplpoint online.

Media Contact:

Domenico Sgambellone

201-290-7378

[email protected]

SOURCE Triplpoint 40-73
The Enlinx acquisition strengthens Whiplash's position as a partner for emerging and established retailers and brands, in line with the company's long-term plan to grow its national footprint while advancing its efficient shipping and multi-node distribution capabilities. One of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, the Intermountain West region is a prime spot for expansion that enables Whiplash to better manage escalating D2C order volumes and reach more consumers faster, with frictionless cost-effective options.

"We're very pleased to have found a company whose culture and commitment to brand success matches ours so well," said Greg Morello, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Whiplash. "In a demanding market, gaining 400,000 square feet of order fulfillment space with value-added service capabilities enhances our ability to deliver seamless fulfillment experiences. We expect Salt Lake City to become an important part of our long-term growth strategy."

Enlinx follows a series of additions to Whiplash's national footprint in the past year, including new omnichannel distribution centers in Seattle, Wash. and Savannah Ga., and a second facility in Columbus, Ohio.

For Enlinx, Whiplash ownership was a welcome opportunity to partner with a like-minded provider that shares its core values and commitment to continuously improve the end customer's fulfillment experience.

"The biggest thing that stood out to us about Whiplash was their desire to always go the extra mile for their clients," said David Burns, CEO of Enlinx. "It's a drive that we share here at Enlinx, which made this acquisition the clear path forward. Our customers will gain the advantage of being part of a much larger network that enables dual or multi-node fulfillment strategies, something we were unable to offer in the past, while still receiving the level of care they have come to rely on. The Whiplash technology and relationships with major parcel carriers rounds out what is sure to be a highly productive partnership."

About Enlinx

Founded in 2011, Enlinx's mission is to simplify the fulfillment process by offering a full suite of scalable logistics solutions including order fulfillment, warehousing, supply chain logistics, and returns management. Having experienced the pains of rapid growth first-hand in previous ventures, Enlinx started with improving logistics from the ground up by addressing the underlying causes of business growth pains. Their commitment to ensure the perfect order for end customers enables their clients to focus on developing great products and services, rather than getting orders from A to B. To learn more about Enlinx, visit: https://enlinx.com

About Whiplash

Whiplash is a leading direct-to-consumer fulfillment and retail logistics provider, including end-to-end customer care, transportation, distribution, and value-added warehouse services. Its high-performance operations are supported by its namesake ecommerce platform and a suite of advanced technology solutions, enabling the multi-channel connectivity required by the retail supply chains of today and tomorrow. Operating 18 distribution centers nationwide across more than 6.5 million square feet of space in addition to its international partner network, Whiplash brings emerging and established brands the scale and vision they need to grow and succeed. For more information, visit: https://whiplash.com

SOURCE Whiplash

Related Links

www.portlogisticsgroup.com


TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Victor Garber, known for numerous film roles including in Titanic and Argo, and Farah Nasser, anchor on Global News at 5:30 & 6, will host World News Day: The Climate Crisis, a virtual event on Sept. 28 highlighting the vital role journalism plays in providing the public with facts about the climate emergency.

Now in its fourth year, World News Day celebrates the power of journalism to effect change. It is presented by The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and the World Editors Forum (WEF), the network for editors within the World Association of News Publishers.

World News Day 2021 will serve as an important means of driving public conversation about the climate emergency and its impact, and draw attention to the importance of global fact-based journalism in reporting on this critical issue.

The flagship virtual event will showcase journalism from around the world, highlighting regional climate change issues, activism and solutions. Registration for the 90-minute event is free, open to a global audience and available in all time zones on Sept. 28.

Featured coverage includes the flooding and wildfires experienced in different regions this past year, the impact of climate change on wildlife, how lockdown affected carbon emissions, examples of youth activism and more. Journalism from the following news organizations will be featured: Al Jazeera English, BBC, CBC News, Deutsche Welle, Global News, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, National Observer/Indigenous Leadership Initiative, The New Yorker, Reuters, The Sacramento Bee, The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, Thomson Reuters Foundation and Univision.

"Victor Garber is a world-renowned stage, television and film actor," says Bob Ezrin, the legendary music producer who serves as executive producer of World News Day and chair of the 2021 CJF Award for Climate Solutions Reporting. "Like the characters he portrays, Victor is a person of unique dignity and humanity. He is also a concerned citizen, particularly about the environment, and is someone who understands the power of media and journalism to inform, motivate and effect change."

As for Farah Nasser, CJF president and executive director Natalie Turvey says: "We're honoured to have her back on our World News Day stage. Farah was part of our inaugural event in 2018, speaking to the vital importance of a diversity of perspectives in the news. She cares deeply about bringing Canadians journalism that matters to their lives and communities."

Garber, whose television and stage work has earned a number of Emmy and Tony nominations currently appears in Ghost on Starz and The Orville on Fox. Nasser, an award-winning journalist, was the force behind #FirstTimeIWasCalled and #LivingInColour, two digital series exploring the experiences of marginalized peoples.

In addition to the virtual event, World News Day 2021 also includes a global initiative of more than 300 newsrooms that aims to highlight the importance of reliable, fact-based information in a healthy democracy.

Visit www.worldnewsday.org to find out more about the global campaign and to sign up to watch the virtual show.

The CJF and WEF thank the generosity of sponsor Google News Initiative, supporter Lippo Group and in-kind supporters Global News and CISION.

CISION is the exclusive distribution partner of the CJF.

#WorldNewsDay #JournalismMatters

Twitter: @WND2021

Facebook: @WorldNewsDay2021

About The Canadian Journalism Foundation

Established in 1990, The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes, celebrates, and facilitates excellence in journalism. The foundation runs a prestigious annual awards and fellowships program featuring an industry gala where news leaders, journalists and corporate Canada gather to celebrate outstanding journalistic achievement and the value of professional journalism. Through monthly J-Talks, a public speakers' series, the CJF facilitates dialogue among journalists, business people, academics and students about the role of the media in Canadian society and its ongoing challenges in the digital era. The foundation also fosters opportunities for journalism education, training and research.

About the World Editors Forum

The World Editors Forum is the leading global network for editors of news organizations within WAN-IFRA. It is built on a commitment to defend press freedom and promote editorial excellence. It was established more than two decades ago and focuses on building the capacity of newsrooms through training, innovative practices, conferences and sharing of experiences.

SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation

Related Links

http://www.cjf-fjc.ca


AD HOC Announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

ZURICH, Sept. 8, 2021 Adecco Group AG (the "Company" or "Adecco Group") successfully raised approximately EUR 232.29 million through the placement of 5,100,000 New Shares at a price of CHF 49.60 per New Share.

Coram Williams, CFO of Adecco Group, said: "Today is an important milestone in the process to acquire AKKA Technologies and another step in executing on our strategy. With the successful placing of new shares, investors are demonstrating their support for this transaction and its significant value creation opportunity, which includes strong earnings accretion in 2022."

We are already planning the integration of AKKA and Modis, and we look forward to updating investors regularly on progress and demonstrating the value created. We will continue to advance Adecco Group's strategy through our three market-leading Global Business Units, Adecco, LHH and Modis, united by the provision of talent, efficiently and at scale, that meets the differing people needs of our customers, from blue-collar to engineers, and through transformation services, from training and re-skilling, to outplacement," he added.

FULL PRESS RELEASE (PDF)

The Adecco Group, Investor Relations, +41 (0)44 878 88 88



SOURCE The Adecco Group
CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this global allergy treatment market report.

The allergy treatment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 6.66% during the period 20202026.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

The global allergy treatment market is expected to witness an incremental growth of around USD 13.6 billion and absolute growth of over 47% during the forecast period. Technological advancements in the medical devices and development of immunotherapy for allergy treatment is expected to boost the market during the forecast period. Immunotherapy segment in the global allergy treatment market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.46% during the forecast period. By indication, rhinitis holds major share and is expected to dominate the market with an incremental growth of USD 2.8 billion during 2021-2026. In the distribution channel segment, the online sales are expected to grow at highest CAGR of 7.22% during the forecast period. North America region is dominating the global allergy treatment market and is likely to witness highest incremental growth of USD 4.3 billion and APAC is expected to witness highest absolute growth of over 60% during the forecast period.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20202026

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by product type, indication, dosage form, distribution channel, and geography

Competitive Landscape  8 key vendors and 12 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/allergy-treatment-market-size-analysis

Allergy Treatment Market  Segmentation

Medications acquired a share of 75.46% of the global allergy treatment market in 2020. Allergic diseases or allergies are increasing as the global population is rapidly rising. Although allergies are common in children, they reach their peak when people are in their twenties or thirties.

Allergic rhinitis acquired 26.29% of the global allergy treatment market in 2020. Allergic rhinitis or hay fever is the most prevalent allergic disease globally. It affects almost 10%-20% of the global population.

Oral dosage form acquired 40.12% of the global allergy treatment market in 2020. It is one of the most common dosage forms because of the convivence of administration which results in high acceptance, especially from the pediatric population. Almost all medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, mast cell stabilizers, and corticosteroids are available as oral formulations.

Allergy Treatment Market by Product Type

Medications



Antihistamines





Decongestants





Corticosteroids





Mast Cell Stabilizers



Immunotherapy



Emergency Epinephrine

Allergy Treatment Market by Indication

Rhinitis



Food Allergy



Pollen Allergy



Skin Allergy



Anaphylaxis



Others

Allergy Treatment Market by Dosage Form

Oral



Nasal



Others

Allergy Treatment Market by Distribution Channel

Retail Pharmacy



Hospital Pharmacy



Online Sales

Allergy Treatment Market  Dynamics

Allergy immunotherapy is not a new concept as it was since its introduction in 1911. However, the use of the method has been rare due to the lack of proper studies and technological advances for mass application of the therapy. Allergy immunotherapy is based on the same principle as vaccines. Hence, are also referred to as allergy vaccines. The process involves using a significant dose of certain allergens or a combination that is continuously administered in a person over a certain period to induce immunological tolerance. Immunological tolerance is induced using two mechanisms as immune deviation and induction of regulatory T cells. Immune deviation involves changing the type of immune response to the allergen. During this, the allergen-specific T helper type 1 (Th1) cells are activated and mobilized instead of Th2, which then produces the interferon-gamma (IFN-). IFN- stimulates then B cells in the body and signals them to generate the IgG instead of the generally produced IgE, which does not produce any allergic reaction.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

On-Demand Pharmacy

Technological Advances in Medical Devices for Allergy Treatment

Anxiety Related to Food Allergies

Increasing Risk of Environmental Allergies

Allergy Treatment Market  Geography

North America acquired 37.30% of the global allergy treatment market in 2020. North America is the biggest segment in the global allergy treatment market by geography. The growth of the segment has been attributed to factors such as the increasing prevalence of allergies in the region, having a mature market, higher awareness of allergic diseases, and growing risk factors contributing to the allergies. The US and Canada are both developed economies that have high per capita healthcare expenditures. Both countries have been reforming their healthcare sectors to become more patient-centric, which has resulted in higher awareness of personal health and various diseases. Awareness of allergic diseases in North America, which has been contributing to the allergy treatment market in the region, is also high. It has also improved the acceptance of newer therapies and medical devices for allergy management, such as immunotherapies and epinephrine autoinjectors and inhalers. The challenges of immunotherapy include low awareness and focus on treating conditions instead of preventing them.

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/allergy-treatment-market-size-analysis

Allergy Treatment Market by Geography

North America



US





Canada



Europe



Germany





UK





France





Italy





Spain



APAC



China





Japan





India





Australia





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico





Argentina



Middle East & Africa



South Africa





Saudi Arabia





Turkey

Major Vendors

Sanofi

GlaxoSmithKline PLC

Dermapharm Holding SE

Johnson & Johnson

ALK-Abello

Allergy Therapeutics

F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd

Boehringer Ingelheim International

Other Prominent Vendors

Stallergenes Greer

Aimmune Therapeutics

Bayer AG

Perrigo Company

Alcon

AstraZeneca AB

LES Labs

Viatris Inc

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Amneal Pharmaceuticals

Adamis Pharmaceuticals

Kaleo Inc

Explore our healthcare & lifesciences profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

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SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
www.spendedge.com/report/amusement-park-construction-services-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

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This report evaluates suppliers based on heat transfer efficiency, incorporation of integrated solutions for decision support, warranties, and safety capability. Waste Management Services Sourcing and Procurement Report: The waste management equipment will grow at a CAGR of 4.67% during 2021-2025 . Prices will increase by 5%-8% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market.

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Analysis of the cost and volume drivers and supply market forecasts in various regions are offered in this Amusement Park Construction Services research report. This market intelligence report also analyzes the top supply markets and the critical cost drivers that can aid buyers and suppliers devise a cost-effective category management strategy.

Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform-Activate Free subscription.

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Executive Summary

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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.

Contact

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Annovis Bio, Inc.. ("Annovis Bio" or the "Company") (NYSE: ANVS) from May 21, 2021 through July 28, 2021 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleges violations of the Securities Act of 1934.

If you purchased Annovis Bio securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Annovis Bio Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected]

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements as well as failed to disclose adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects.

On July 28, 2021, after the market closed, the Company announced that its Alzheimer's and Parkinson's drug, Posiphen, failed to show statistically significant success relative to the placebo in clinical trials.

On this news, the price of Annovis Bio shares fell $65.94 per share, or 60%, to close at $43.50 per share on July 29, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 18, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.

If you purchased Annovis Bio securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/annovisbioinc-anvs-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-fraud-stock-431/apply/ or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected]

Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2021 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

CONTACT:

Rujul Patel

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

https://www.bernlieb.com

(877) 779-1414

[email protected]

SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP

Related Links

http://www.bernlieb.com


VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Appcessori Corporation today introduces Rayz Rally Pro, which combines a powerful, portable audio device with an app to deliver exceptional mobile video conferencing experiences. Designed specifically for Google Meet, the Rayz Rally Pro will automatically launch Google Meet as the preferred conferencing app. The combination of Google Meet on the Rayz Rally Pro offers an ideal conferencing solution for road warriors or work-from-home professionals looking for a quick and high-quality way to change their environments while on video calls.

Rayz Rally Pro for Google Meet

Rayz Rally Pro is not only highly portable (not much bigger than a smartphone) but also incredibly versatile. It is a speaker (wired and wireless), a microphone, a rapid phone charger, a phone stand and an app launcher, all in one simple package*.

"We are very excited to announce the Rayz Rally Pro today to address the many pain points in typical remote work conferencing scenarios," said Sydney Newton, Appcessori CEO. "We have worked very closely with the Google Meet hardware team to develop this appcessory which delivers a compelling mobile conferencing solution for Google Workspace users."

"We are delighted to see the launch of Rayz Rally Pro as the first mobile product available under the Designed for Google Meet program, which identifies peripherals that are partner-designed specifically for and to work with Google Meet, augmenting the overall experience," said Dave Citron, Director for Product Management for Google Meet. "Rayz Rally Pro takes mobile video conferencing to the next-level by tying together video, audio, voice and Google Meet into a delightfully simple and powerful mobile experience."

Plug and Tap enables joining a call in seconds

Rayz Pro features Plug and Tap, a key innovation that allows users to instantly join a call. Joining a Google Meet video call is as simple as plugging in a smartphone and then tapping the Google Meet invite that is automatically launched at plug in.

Optimized for smartphones but universal connectivity

Rayz Rally Pro is optimized for Google Pixel and Apple iPhone* but it works effortlessly with nearly any laptop or tablet via Bluetooth or a USB cable. Rayz Rally Pro for iPhone makes switching to and from Bluetooth mode super easy - simply unplug from the connector and audio automatically changes to Bluetooth audio, re-plug the phone to Rayz Rally Pro and the audio returns to wired mode.

Hardware and App integration enhanced by advanced Digital Sound Processing drive optimized conferencing and music listening experiences

The custom designed speaker and processor deploy proprietary digital signal processing that is loud enough to fill any mobile environment. When the content is a call, the speaker automatically enhances voices for less fatiguing listening. When the content is music or movies the speaker delivers a richer, fuller, sound.

Rayz Rally Pro also hosts a powerful built-in omni-directional microphone and leverages advanced sound processing technology like active noise suppression and automatic gain control to transmit a clear, intimate and natural tone in any call or voice recording.

In addition, Rayz Rally Pro makes toggling between unmute and mute completely seamless with a dedicated "mute button" that lights-up 'red' for muted and 'green' for unmuted. The 'mute button' works with any conferencing or audio app.

Always Available Conferencing

Another significant challenge with mobile conferencing devices is keeping the devices charged and available on demand. Rayz Rally Pro supports multiple charging and power modes to enable the "always available" experience.

Rapid Pass-Thru USB Charging : Rayz Rally Pro enables charging of the connected smartphone at the fastest charge rate the phone supports. External power not only charges the connected smartphone but also the Rayz Rally Pro.

: Rayz Rally Pro enables charging of the connected smartphone at the fastest charge rate the phone supports. External power not only charges the connected smartphone but also the Rayz Rally Pro. Phone Charging from Rayz Rally Pro Battery: Rayz Rally Pro will automatically charge a connected phone from the sizeable Ray Rally Pro internal battery.

Rayz Rally Pro will automatically charge a connected phone from the sizeable Ray Rally Pro internal battery. Reverse Power from Smartphone to Rayz Rally Pro: Rayz Rally Pro has the ability to continue operation even when the internal battery is fully drained by using a small amount of smartphone battery.

Rayz Rally Pro comes in two models and is available for worldwide shipment from www.rayzrallypro.com September 2021.

For Apple iPhone: Rayz Rally Pro: SP-01 : MSRP USD $199.99 /  199.99

For Google Pixel: Rayz Rally Pro: SP-51 : MSRP USD $199.99 /  199.99 **

*App and software features may vary by model. Please see website for specific functionality of each model.

**Rayz Rally Pro SP-51 can be used with other USB-C smartphones. Please see website for specific device compatibility.

ABOUT APPCESSORI CORPORATION.

Located in Vancouver, Washington USA and Kyoto, Japan, Appcessori Corporation is an innovator in mobile consumer electronic products. Whether we are developing products under our own Rayz brand or enabling some of the world's best audio, gaming, aviation and enterprise products, we are deeply focused on developing new experiences through technology innovation. Our products and services are proudly designed and delivered in the USA and Japan.

Apple, iPad, iPod touch, and Lightning are trademarks of Apple Inc. registered in the United States and other countries. The trademark of iPhone is used based on the license of Aiphone Co., Ltd.

RAYZ and RAYZ RALLY are trademarks of Appcessori Corporation registered in the United States and other countries. All trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

 2021 Appcessori Corporation. All rights reserved. Note: Specifications and design subject to change without notice

MEDIA CONTACT:

Breanna Ritthaler

Appcessori

[email protected]

503-583-3157

SOURCE Appcessori Corporation
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Astyra Corporation, a black-owned staffing and consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, earned a spot on the 2021 Inc. 5000 list. The honor is reserved for the Top 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America. This is the firm's fifth appearance on the list and their second major national recognition in 2021.

"We first earned a spot in 2009," said Ken Ampy, Astyra CEO. "After several years of progressive growth, it is extremely fulfilling to make our return and to have remained relevant 12 years later."

In April, Astyra also received Corporate Plus distinction from the National Minority Supplier Development Council for their expertise in fulfilling large national contracts.

Since opening their doors in 1997, the firm has expanded rapidly. Today, it matches high-profile clients in healthcare, energy and finance with qualified experts in 14 states.

"As we continue to expand our footprint, our expert team of associates and consultants continue to rise to every challenge," said Sam Young, Astyra president. "We're committed to supporting our clients' growth and success, wherever they may be."

About Astyra

Founded in 1997, Astyra Corporation (www.astyra.com) is an award-winning staffing and consulting firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. They are proven experts in successfully matching highly skilled consultants to innovative business solutions. Clients range from government agencies and financial institutions to major systems integrators.

SOURCE Astyra Corporation

Related Links

https://astyra.com/


"I am excited to join atHeart's board and work with the company to evolve septal closure. The company's next-generation, metal-free, bioresorbable frame design is a novel approach in the structural heart space," said Mr. Cleeland. "Unlike current competitive metallic frame occluders, the reSept occluder resorbs over time to restore a more natural septum and leaves minimal metal behind, a significant benefit for patients who may require future transseptal interventions."

Mr. Cleeland is currently the CEO of Fogarty Innovation, a leading nonprofit focused on visionary approaches that address unmet needs in an evolving medtech landscape. Prior to joining Fogarty, Mr. Cleeland served as vice president and general manager at Medtronic following the acquisition of Twelve Inc., which he led as CEO. Previously, he was the president and CEO of Ardian, the pioneer of renal denervation for hypertension acquired by Medtronic in 2011. He currently serves on the board of three venture-funded companies, Saluda Medical, Zenflow, Inc. (chairman) and MMI S.p.A. (chairman). Mr. Cleeland also holds advisory positions at two top-tier venture capital firms, Longitude Capital and Arboretum Ventures. At a global industry level, he has been invited to serve on multiple initiatives including the UCSF-Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium, the Medical Device Innovation Consortium, and the Singapore government's Biomedical Research Council (BMRC).

"We are pleased to welcome Andrew to the atHeart board. He is a proven medtech leader with a strong passion for championing novel healthcare solutions," commented Laurent Grandidier, CEO of atHeart Medical. "His wealth of knowledge and business expertise will be critical in guiding our strategic plan as we accelerate the IDE trial and prepare for future milestones."

About atHeart Medical

atHeart Medical is a medical device company with offices in Switzerland and the United States and is committed to establishing a new standard of care for treatment of atrial septal defects (ASD). For more information, please visit www.atheartmedical.com.

About ASD

Commonly described as a "hole in the heart", an ASD is an opening in the septum between the left and right atria. Most ASDs are congenital defects, affecting six in 10,000 births.1 They can also be the result of a procedure that requires transseptal crossing. A large atrial septal defect can cause extra blood to overfill the lungs and overwork the right side of the heart. If not treated, the right side of the heart eventually enlarges and weakens. The blood pressure in the lungs can also increase, leading to pulmonary hypertension. When ASDs require closure, the current standard of care is to implant a septal occluder with a metallic frame through a minimally invasive procedure.

About ASCENT-ASD Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Trial

A prospective, single-arm, global multi-site clinical investigation study that will enroll a total of up to 250 patients. The study aims to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the reSept ASD Occluder for treating clinically significant secundum ASD with a transcatheter approach as compared to pre-defined performance goals from other commercially available occluder devices. For more information, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov  Trial Identifier: NCT04591392.

1. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/atrialseptaldefect.html

Media Contact:

Katie Arnold

SPRIG Consulting, LLC

+1 408.805.0520

[email protected]

SOURCE atHeart Medical
"Unfortunately, I don't see this pandemic ending soon. We're working just as hard, if not harder, than we were when it started," said Annica Potts '06, who has been working with COVID-19 patients since April 2020. "Someone has to be up for the challenge, though. The patients need us, whether vaccinated or not. I continuously pray for the safety of each of us front-line workers."

As the school was marking its 40th anniversary during the 2019-20 school year, school officials began to hear stories from many of its alumni, facing the unimaginable as part of the coronavirus response. They reached out for more accounts, and a book, "Auburn NursingLiving the Creed During the COVID-19 Pandemic," was born. Its publication also coincided with the Year of the Nurse.

In the book foreword, Dean Gregg Newschwander, who serves as the Barbara S. Witt Professor, wrote how Auburn nursesveteran nurses, new graduates and current studentsrose to the challenge and put themselves in harm's way to do their jobs.

They "answered the call to serve on the front lines, at the epicenters and in rural communities. They worked in their hometowns, they deployed to where they were needed most. They cared for every patient populationnewborns, homeless people, the elderly and inmates. They ensured supply chains.

"They researched potential vaccines. They were terrified and exhausted; determined and resilient."

In the book, Potts shared the struggles she faced in the COVID-19 hotspot of Albany, Georgia. She also worked in some Georgia prisons, testing inmates for exposure.

"In my recent experience, most hospitalized patients haven't been vaccinated," she said. "Most have been misinformed about COVID-19 and/or the vaccine and regret not having received it."

Claudia Henderson '83 spent 2020 at the East Alabama Medical Center's COVID-19 testing site "with the most dedicated nurses, technicians and registration representatives. There were emotional ups and downs, but as health care workers, they recognized what they were doing would greatly impact the lives and health care of many."

Henderson retired from the Opelika, Alabama, hospital on Jan. 1, 2021, capping off a 25-year career as director of perioperative services. But since the resurgence, she still reports to the testing site, when her new work schedule permits. She's now a clinical associate in the School of Nursing.

Elizabeth Marshall '95, an associate professor of nursing at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia, saw her college pivot classes and clinicals in 2020 to ensure students still received an education and training. This year, she said students obtained vaccinations and administered more than 5,000 on their campus alone.

"Our students have been standing side-by-side with nurses taking care of all patients, including COVID-19 positive patients," said Marshall. "They have persevered and stood strong and brave through this crisis.

"I am proud of my education from Auburn and believe it has prepared me for the challenges we are facing today."

Chris Martin '12, an assistant clinical professor at Auburn, said the nursing faculty on the Plains adjusted as well, relying heavily on simulation experiences since many clinical partners remain closed to students for hands-on training.

Under the new normal, Martin said faculty continue to prepare students for the future, whatever it may be.

Newschwander said he's not sure what normal looks like anymore, adding "but I do know that as I look around and see how our students, faculty and staff adapted during the past year and how they have risen to each challenge, I am encouraged about the future."

The Auburn nursing book can be viewed online, or a free copy can be obtained at the Auburn University Bookstore or on its website, www.aubookstore.com.

SOURCE Auburn University

Related Links

http://www.auburn.edu


RAIPUR, India, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Automotive Seals Market by Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Light Commercial Vehicle, and Medium- & Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicle), by Application Type (Engine System, Transmission System, Brake & Suspension System, Body Structure, and Others), by Material Type (Elastomer Seals, Thermoplastic Seals, Metal Seals), by Product Type (O-rings, Gaskets, Profile Seals, Lip Seals, and Others), by Motion Type (Static Seals, Linear Seals, and Rotary Seals), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2021-2026.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's automotive seals market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. After a continuous interest in our automotive seals market report from the industry stakeholders, we have tried to further accentuate our research scope to the automotive seals market to provide the most crystal-clear picture of the market. The report segments and analyses the market in the most detailed manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as formulate the growth strategies.

Automotive Seals Market: Research Highlights

Seals are used to serve a multitude of functions including connecting the joints, prevention of leakage, and exclusion of unnecessary particles. In the automotive industry, seals are used in many parts of a vehicle for filling the gap between two components to make sure that there is no leakage between them during the compression stage. Automotive seals come in different shapes and sizes, and are used in induction sealing, heating, stuffing, and adhesion of various parts in automobiles. The choice of materials to manufacture seals depends on the application and its requirements.

Seals are small but undoubtedly one of the major components, especially where there is a greater need for high-temperature resistance and excellent corrosion resistance. The selection of material is dependent on several parameters including temperature resistance, lightweight, durability, strength, etc. Thermoplastics are gaining traction in the market because of their enormous advantages over others.

The year 2018 and 2019 were challenging for the automotive industry stakeholders in the wake of the saturating demand in the developing economies. The pandemic further devastated the entire supply chain including the demand for automobiles. As a result of that, the automotive seals market recorded a massive decline of -17% in 2020, crushing the market to well below its 2015-market value. However, the long-term outlook still seems resilient with good growth opportunities across regions. Overall, the automotive seals market is estimated to grow at a healthy CAGR of 4.2% over the next five years to reach US$ 18.6 billion in 2026.

Click here for running through the detailed TOC of the report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/1951/automotive-seals-market.html

Based on the vehicle type, passenger car is expected to remain the largest as well as the fastest-growing vehicle type in the market during the forecast period. Huge passenger car production coupled with the growing use of seals remain the key growth propellor of the market in the long run.

Based on the application type, the market is segmented as Engine System, Transmission System, Brake & Suspension System, Body Structure, and Others. Body structure is expected to remain the largest segment of the market in the coming five years, whereas transmission system is likely to be the fastest-growing segment of the market during the forecast period. These seals are used in a wide spectrum of engine applications and are designed to withstand high temperatures.

Based on the material type, elastomers are expected to remain the most dominant material type in the market during the forecast period. Elastomers are a desirable material for high-performance applications owing to their good strength, durability, and effectiveness. Owing to their massive array of advantages, elastomers are gaining traction in the automotive industry.

Based on the product type, the market is segmented as O-rings, Gaskets, Profile Seals, Lip Seals, and Others. The dominant product type in the automotive seals market is Profile Seals while the fastest growing is Lip Seals. Lip Seals have various advantages over their counterparts. Increasing awareness towards development of vehicles offering greater fuel efficiency is also imprinting the dynamics of the seals market. There has been a paradigm shift from traditional seals to lightweight seals.

Click here and register for the free sample of the exhaustive report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/1951/automotive-seals-market.html#form

In terms of regions, Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest market for automotive seals during the forecast period. Most of the seals suppliers have their presence in the region to address the emergent needs of OEMs and to be the partner for their upcoming automotive programs or upcoming fuel-efficient vehicles of the existing programs. Furthermore, huge production base of automobiles in China, Japan, India, Korea, and Thailand assures enormous demand for seals in the region.

The market for automotive seals is gradually consolidating as major companies are performing mergers & acquisitions to quickly gain the leading position and to tap growing opportunities in this briskly expanding market. Following are the key players in the automotive seals market.

Dana Incorporated

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Cooper Standard Automotive Inc.

Meccanotecnica Umbra S.p.A.

Hutchinson SA

AB SKF

Federal-Mogul Corporation

Flowserve Corporation

Smiths Group PLC

Trelleborg AB

Elringklinger AG

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies GmbH & Co. KG

Datwyler Holding

Development of lightweight seals for critical applications and execution of M&A activities are the key strategies adopted by the major players to gain a competitive edge in the market. Over a period of time, technological advancements have made automotive seals safer and more effective.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis

Market trend and forecast analysis

Market segment trend and forecast

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities

Emerging trends

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players

Key success factors

This report studies the automotive seals market and has segmented the market in six ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the six ways in which the market is segmented:

Automotive Seals Market, by Vehicle Type

Passenger Car (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Light Commercial Vehicle (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Medium-& Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicle (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Automotive Seals Market, by Application Type

Engine System (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Transmission Systems (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Brake and Suspension System (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Body Structure (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Automotive Seals Market, by Material Type

Elastomer Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Thermoplastic Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Metal Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Automotive Seals Market, by Product Type

O-Rings (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Gaskets (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Profile Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Lip Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Automotive Seals Market, by Motion Type

Static Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Linear Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Rotary Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Automotive seals Market, by Region

North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , the UK, Russia , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , China , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , Saudi Arabia , and Others)

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the automotive and transportation industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Automotive-Transportation.html

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

For enquiries,

Contact:

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SOURCE Stratview Research
LONDON and PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Babylon, in collaboration with Rwanda's National ID Agency (NIDA), have taken another step towards creating one of Africa's most advanced digital-first primary care services. By removing a major barrier to healthcare access for Rwandans they have seen a considerable increase in both registrations and appointments, especially among women.

Since 2016, Rwandans have been able to register for Babyl via their mobile phone using their National ID number. This process was quick and easy, however, was restricted to people with a registered mobile. Babylon developed new processes and functionality to change the way a patient's identity is verified so that non-phone owners can register, have a digital consultation with a doctor or nurse and receive a prescription all from any shared digital or analog device using their national ID.

This is important in Rwanda where phone subscriptions can often be held by only one person in any given household and is essential as low-smartphone ownership means that the Babyl service operates on a text-based USSD platform, which is available on even the most basic style feature phones.

Since this product update was rolled out in April, Babyl has seen a 64% increase in female registrations and a 55% increase in consultations. As a result, Babyl's doctors and nurses now carry out over 5,000 consultations a day, with that number having grown from an average of 3,000 per day earlier in the year.

Babyl's Managing Director, Shivon Byamukama said: "I'm proud that Babylon has been able to remove another barrier to healthcare for Rwandans, especially for women. We're committed to working with the Government and relevant authorities, such as NIDA, to continually improve and innovate Rwanda's healthcare system as they become one of most advanced countries for digital health. This important change brings us one step closer to our mission of putting high-quality accessible and affordable healthcare in the hands of every person on Earth."

Rwanda has been leading the way for technological innovation in Africa, with the Government being wholly supportive of a digital transformation. Babylon launched Babyl in Rwanda in 2016 in partnership with the Government of Rwanda with the aim of creating Africa's first universal primary care service utilizing a digital-first approach. Babyl has received grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support this partnership.

Since then, over 30% of the adult population has registered with Babyl, whose doctors and nurses have completed over 2 million consultations. The service is available to all Rwandans over the age of 12 and is integrated into the country's National Insurance Scheme.

In 2020, with the service going from strength to strength, Babylon signed a 10 year agreement with the Government of Rwanda, to work together to digitise Rwanda's health system, including the introduction of Babylon's AI technology which is due to be launched later this year.

About Babylon

Babylon is a world leading, digital-first, value-based care company whose mission is to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone on Earth.

Babylon is reengineering healthcare, shifting the focus from sick care to preventative healthcare so that patients experience better health, and reduced costs. This is achieved by leveraging a highly scalable, digital-first platform combined with high quality, virtual clinical operations to provide all-in-one, personalized healthcare. We endeavor to keep patients at the peak of health and get them back on their feet as quickly as possible, all from their devices, with the aim to promote longer and healthier lives. When sick, Babylon provides assistance to navigate the health system, connecting patients digitally to the right clinician 24/7, at no additional cost.

Founded in 2013, we have since delivered millions of clinical consultations and AI interactions, with c.2m clinical consultations and c.3.9m AI interactions in 2020 alone. We work with governments, health providers and insurers across the globe, and support healthcare facilities from small local practices to large hospitals. For more information, please visit www.babylonhealth.com/us .

SOURCE Babylon
BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since The Boston Beer Company, Inc.'s (the "Company's") last guidance update for fiscal year 2021 financial performance, the market for hard seltzer products has continued to experience decelerating growth trends. Industry reports have estimated that the full year 2021 volume for the hard seltzer market retail sales will have over 100 million fewer cases than the volumes estimated in May 2021 and over 30 million fewer cases than the volumes estimated in July 2021. While demand for the Company's hard seltzer products continues to grow at faster than category rates in measured off-premise channels, we believe there will be continuing uncertainty about hard seltzer demand trends for the remainder of 2021.

As a result of this uncertainty and its impact on our volume trends, the Company is withdrawing its 2021 financial guidance issued on July 22, 2021. Further, the Company now expects to incur hard seltzer-related inventory write-offs, shortfall fees payable to 3rd party brewers, and other costs that will be expensed during the remainder of fiscal 2021. As a result, the Company currently expects full year 2021 earnings per diluted share will fall below the previously-reported estimate of between $18.00 and $22.00, excluding the impact of ASU 2016-09.

The Company will continue to review its volume projections and the related impact on its business and full year financial results in light of evolving market conditions and will update its progress on its next scheduled earnings call scheduled for October 21, 2021.

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. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words "expect," "believe," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements may relate to business strategy, future operations, prospects, and plans and objectives of management, as well as information concerning market trends. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur or will occur on the contemplated timetable. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

In addition to risks and uncertainties associated with ordinary business operations, the forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including changes in the projected growth in demand for the Company's hard seltzer products and the resulting impacts on the Company's expected financial performance, the accuracy of all projections, and other factors and uncertainties disclosed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2020 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 27, 2021 and June 26, 2021, which could cause actual future performance to differ from current expectations.

About the Company

The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) began in 1984 brewing Samuel Adams beer and the Samuel Adams brand is currently recognized as one of the largest and most respected craft beer brands. Our portfolio of brands also includes Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, and Dogfish Head Brewery as well as other craft beer brands such as Angel City Brewery and Coney Island Brewing. For more information, please visit our investor relations website at www.bostonbeer.com, which includes links to all of our respective brand websites.

SOURCE The Boston Beer Company, Inc.

Related Links

www.bostonbeer.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the findings of Zion Market Research study, building information modeling (BIM) industry amassed revenue of US$ 22.58 billion during 2020 and is slated to gain profits worth US$ 30.24 billion during 2028. The building information modeling (BIM) market is expected to register highest gains of about 3.7% during 2021-2028. Moreover, building information modeling provides insights to construction engineers in proficiently scheduling, designing, handling, and constructing buildings along with strengthening real-estate infrastructure. This will completely transform phase of building information modeling (BIM) market growth over years ahead. In addition to this, surge in construction activities across globe will pave way for expansion of building information modeling (BIM) market during forecast timeline. With COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, there is massive acceptance of remote working activities across globe and this is projected to create lucrative avenues for building information modeling (BIM) market over years ahead. Surge in urbanization and inflating population has culminated into massive rise in real-estate construction projects, thereby steering industry trends. Apart from this, large-scale acceptance of building information modeling can be credited to massive benefits offered by it as compared to other tools such as paper-based designing and CAD systems.

Moreover, rising popularity of connected things and enacting of strict laws pertaining to use of building information modeling will translate into humungous growth for building information modeling (BIM) industry over years to come. With many of public & private real estate owners implementing building information modeling software for enhancing efficiency of operations, the market for building information modeling (BIM) is projected to gain traction over years ahead.

Get Free Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/building-information-modeling-market

Legislations Aiding BIM Implementation in Construction Sector to Boost Market Growth

Demand for building information modeling (BIM) software use in residential & commercial construction activities is increasing profusely in recent years. Additionally, the software helps both land owner and person in building construction business in reducing operational costs and hence government has supported use of BIM software tool in construction activities. Citing an instance, in 2016, UK government had made BIM level 2 implementation as mandatory in various public utilities, thereby steering massive use of software in infrastructure & construction sectors in the UK. Furthermore, government of UK claimed that use of BIM software product reinforced security of construction activities. Another instance is of Swedish Government which in 2015 encouraged use of BIM in alliance with private & public players of AEC, thereby resulting in reduction in operational costs. Reportedly, government authorities in Germany, France, India, South Korea, Australia, and China are keen in implementing software and this will pave way for humungous expansion of building information modeling (BIM) market over forthcoming years.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: Report Scope

Report Attribute Details Market Size 2020 Value US$ 22.58 billion Market Forecast for 2026 US$ 30.24 billion Expected Growth Rate CAGR 3.7% from 2021-2028 Base Year 2020 Forecast Year 2021-2028 Top Market Players Beck End-user, Ltd., Nemetschek AG., Dassault Systemes SA, Bentley Systems, Inc., Autodesk, Inc., AECOM, Pentagon Solutions Ltd., Trimble Navigation Ltd., Synchro Software Ltd., and Asite Solutions Limited. Segments Covered By Solution, By End-User, By Vertical, By Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa Pricing Options Request customized purchase options to meet your research needs. Explore purchase options

North America to Make Notable Contributions towards Overall Market Size By 2028

The regional market growth over forecast timeline can be credited to quick acceptance of new online tools and supporting government policies aiding use of BIM software in various infrastructure ventures and construction projects carried out in the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. is home to various tier 1 firms and forefront in accepting of new digital tools in infrastructural domain. This will contribute majorly towards building information modeling (BIM) market growth in North America over years to come. Apparently, the product finds large penetration in architectural projects and is utilized by engineers for planning, designing, and constructing a specific construction unit. Reportedly, large-scale acceptance of product as a result of use of cloud-driven engineering software will prop up market trends in North America over forecasting years.

Request for Customization on this Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/1196

Key participants influencing market growth and profiled in study are Beck End-user, Ltd., Nemetschek AG., Dassault Systemes SA, Bentley Systems, Inc., Autodesk, Inc., AECOM, Pentagon Solutions Ltd., Trimble Navigation Ltd., Synchro Software Ltd., and Asite Solutions Limited.

This review is based on a report by Zion Market Research, titled, "Global Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market- By Solution (Software and Services), By End-Users (Architects, Engineers, and Contractors), and By Application (Commercial, Public Infrastructure, Industrial, and Residential): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 20202028."

The global Building Information Modeling Market is segmented as follows:

By Solution

Software

Services

By End-User

Architects

Contractors

Engineers

Others

By Vertical

Commercial

Residential

Infrastructure

Institutional

Industrial

By Region

North America

The U.S.



Canada

Europe

France



The UK



Spain



Germany



Italy



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



South Korea



Southeast Asia



Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

& GCC



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

Browse Other Reports from Zion Market Research

Smart Building Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/smart-building-market

Smart City Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/smart-city-market

Smart Energy Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/smart-energy-market

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SOURCE Zion Market Research
Daniel Furbush, President autoLOTO "autoLOTO is excited about the opportunity to partner with CAI and to bring our life-saving software and application to their global network of mission critical and pharmaceutical clients."

Jackie Karceski, CTO, CAI

"CAI is very excited for the partnership with autoLOTO and their innovative technology. We look forward to helping our clients improve their safety profile while saving significant time and money with effective lockouts driven by autoLOTO."

ABOUT CAI

Since CAI's founding in 1996, we have delivered nearly a billion dollars in services for hundreds of clients across thousands of projects globally. With offices in the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Korea, Switzerland, India, Ireland, Italy, China, Singapore, and Malaysia, we have built an international team of over 650 professionals providing local support from a global company. Our engineering, technical, and consulting services are fashioned to deliver mission critical facilities with a high level of performance and reliability. When operational readiness and startup are critical, CAI delivers to a higher standard. www.cagents.com.

ABOUT autoLOTO

autoLOTO is a transformative enterprise application that saves lives through hazardous energy identification and management. autoLOTO seamlessly blends a mobile application, desktop management program, and the clients' physical infrastructure to create a system that makes the Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) process easier, more efficient, and demonstrably safer. www.autoloto.co

Contact: David Shenberger, [email protected]

SOURCE CAI

Related Links

cagents.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- First Liberty Institute filed separate charges of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") on behalf of two flight attendants against Alaska Airlines. The charges come after the airline terminated the two flight attendants because they asked questions emanating from their religious beliefs about the company's support for the "Equality Act" in a forum created by the airline to facilitate employee discussion about the company's policies.

You can read the charges here and here.

"The corporate 'canceling' of our clients by Alaska Airlines makes a mockery of laws that protect religious Americans from employment discrimination," said David Hacker, Director of Litigation for First Liberty Institute. "It is a blatant violation of state and federal civil rights laws to discriminate against someone in the workplace because of their religious beliefs and expression. Every American should be frightened if an employer can fire them for simply asking questions based on their religious beliefs about culturally important issues."

In early 2021, Alaska Airlines announced its support for the Equality Act on an internal employee message board and invited employees to comment. Flight attendant Lacey Smith posted a question, asking, "As a company, do you think it's possible to regulate morality?" In the same forum, First Liberty's second client asked, "Does Alaska support: endangering the Church, encouraging suppression of religious freedom, obliterating women rights and parental rights? ...." Both clients were subsequently investigated, questioned by airline authorities, and eventually fired from their jobs.

In its notice of discharge to Ms. Smith, Alaska Airlines claimed, "Defining gender identity or sexual orientation as a moral issue  is  a discriminatory statement."

In its complaints to the EEOC, First Liberty attorneys state, "[Our clients are] firmly committed to equality and diversity and always treating others with kindness and respect. [They] simply sought clarification of the airlines' position, yet after asking [their] question[s] in response to the company's invitation, [they were] fired. In firing [our clients], Alaska Airlines discriminated against them on the basis of religion, perpetuated a hostile work environment, failed to grant them a religious accommodation allowing them to express their opinions on the same basis as other protected classes, and retaliated against them."

About First Liberty Institute

First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.

SOURCE First Liberty Institute

Related Links

https://firstliberty.org/


TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts ("Four Seasons" or "the Company"), the world's leading luxury hospitality company, today announced that its longstanding shareholder, an affiliate of Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (collectively, "Cascade"), has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Company. In the all-cash deal, Cascade will increase its existing 47.5 percent stake to 71.25 percent by purchasing half of the existing 47.5 percent stake owned by an affiliate of its long-term investment partner Kingdom Holding Company ("KHC") for $2.21 billion, valuing Four Seasons at a $10 billion enterprise value. Four Seasons Founder and Chairman, Isadore Sharp, through Triples Holdings Limited ("Triples Holdings") will retain his 5% stake.

Cascade's increased investment reflects its strong belief and excitement for Four Seasons iconic brand. Along with its long-standing investment partners, Cascade reaffirms its support for the vision and unique culture that will further distinguish Four Seasons as one of the world's leading luxury companies. The transaction marks a pivotal point in the evolution of Four Seasons, strengthening Cascade's commitment to provide the Company with resources to accelerate growth and expand its strategic goals. Cascade first invested in Four Seasons in 1997 when the Company was public.

"As we mark our 60th anniversary and look back on the profound impact that Four Seasons has had on luxury hospitality we also look forward with tremendous excitement and confidence in the future of the industry," said Four Seasons CEO John Davison. "The unwavering support and partnership of our shareholders has and continues to be critical as we capitalize on growing opportunities to serve luxury consumers worldwide."

"Our Company is at yet another key moment in its storied history and the confidence of our shareholders in Four Seasons and our strategic vision help position the iconic Four Seasons brand for continued success," Davison said.

Sharp founded Four Seasons in 1960 and set the company on its path toward global expansion. Four Seasons now manages 121 exceptional hotels and resorts, and 46 world-class residential properties in 47 countries complemented by a strong pipeline of more than 50 projects at various stages of development. Four Seasons shareholders took the Company private in 2007, executing a strategy that expanded new opportunities for guests, residents, employees, and hotel owner partners worldwide. Today the Four Seasons name is synonymous with a singular focus on luxury and highly personalized service the world over.

Following the transaction and through its affiliate's ownership of its 23.75% in Four Seasons, KHC remains strongly committed to the Company and looks forward to continuing to assist Four Seasons with its growth plans.

The sale is expected to close in January 2022, pending regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first hotel in 1961, and since that time has been dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. Currently operating 121 hotels and resorts, and 46 residential properties in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries, and with more than 50 projects under planning or development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world's best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com and follow @FourSeasonsPR on Twitter.

About Cascade Investment, L.L.C.

Cascade Investment, L.L.C. is a private investment entity that holds assets of William H. Gates III.

About Kingdom Holding Company

Kingdom Holding Company is one of the world's most successful diversified companies and is internationally renowned for its investments in both high performance global companies and strategic regional interests. Founded in 1980 and based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, KHC has achieved almost four decades of exceptional investment success and is renowned for its diversified portfolio of global powerhouse brands and high performance local regional investments. KHC was incorporated as a publicly listed company in 2007.

Known as one of the largest investment firms in the world, KHC's disciplined approach spans the globe and includes leading market segments such as ride sharing, e-commerce, digital services and social media (Lyft, Uber, Careem, JD.com, Twitter, Deezer), banking and financial services (Citigroup, Saudi Fransi Bank).

KHC is also a global leader in luxury hotels and hotel management, with ownership and significant interests in marquee properties such as the George V in Paris and the Savoy Hotel in London and managing The Plaza in New York via Fairmont. KHC's global hotel brands include the Four Seasons, and the Accor Group (Fairmont, Raffles, Movenpick, Swissotel, and Sofitel).

In Saudi Arabia, KHC's real estate interests include the famed Kingdom Tower in Riyadh and Jeddah Economic City owner of the highly anticipated Jeddah Tower that, once completed, will be the tallest tower in the world with a height exceeding 1000 meters, Kingdom oasis and the east of Riyadh land.

KHC also has investments in petrochemicals (Tasnee NIC), education (Kingdom Schools), health care (Kingdom Hospital), aviation (NAS Saudi Arabia), private equity (CDC Sovereign Wealth Fund of France) In addition to many different investments in multiple domains.

Media Contacts:

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Sarah Tuite

[email protected]

Cascade Investment, L.L.C.

Charles V. Zehren

[email protected]

212-843-8590

Kingdom Holding Company

Naief H. Al Zuhair

[email protected]

SOURCE Four Seasons Hotels Limited

Related Links

http://www.fourseasons.com


AMHERST, Mass., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CAVA Robotics International announced the opening of its new European headquarters in Berlin, Germany. "CAVA's new Berlin office will help advance our firm's position as the leader in robotic surgery program optimization for hospitals in the US and now Europe," said CAVA president and CEO Josh Feldstein.

The move is part of CAVA's strategy to introduce robotic program improvement in quality, efficiency, profitability, and patient satisfaction to facilities in Germany and throughout Europe. "There is high need for robotic program support  governance, instrument reduction, efficiency, data management, surgeon and crew best practice training, and more  at a highly professional level of support and attention that many European institutions require," said Rainer Kimmig, MD, CAVA's Medical Director in Germany as well as professor and Department Head of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University of Duisburg-Essen. "Now, by bringing CAVA's peer-reviewed data and validated best practices to Europe, we believe there will be considerable opportunity for robotic surgeons and leading hospital administrators to learn from more than a decade of CAVA's deep US robotic program experience" said Dr. Kimmig. "Our goal is to raise the bar of robotic surgical services and patient healthcare."

Berlin is also an "ideal home for CAVA's European headquarters," said Feldstein. "It boasts strong healthcare quality and innovation as well as an infrastructure of top-tier technical and clinical talent."

"CAVA has an excellent opportunity to impact the global robotic surgery landscape," said York Zoellner, PhD, CAVA's European market advisor who also serves as full professor in Health Economics at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and holds an affiliation at ChariteUniversity Medicine in Berlin. "Many hospital administrators and surgeons have expressed excitement that CAVA is coming to Germany and Europe generally."

CAVA's team includes European and U.S. surgeons, surgical technicians, health economists, and data scientists who together help to advance the efficiency, profitability, quality, and growth of robotic surgical programs.

"CAVA also works closely with hospitals seeking to launch new robotic programs," said Feldstein. "As the role of robotic technology continues to grow, there is substantial opportunity for surgeons and hospitals with robotic programs to achieve best practice status," Feldstein said.

About CAVA Robotics International

Since 2011, CAVA Robotics International has been the leader in robotic program optimization, helping hospitals capture large robotic program cost savings while rapidly building a robotic program's net margin, clinical quality, efficiency, and growth. CAVA client hospitals create strong robotic surgery programs with outstanding patient outcomes and excellent financial performance. For more information, please visit cava-robotics.com .

Contact: Jason Tuzinkewich

Telephone: 920 / 391-8255

Email: [email protected]

Website: cava-robotics.com

SOURCE CAVA Robotics
With more than 80 medical centers in 12 states, ChenMed offers a full range of primary care services to seniors, from preventive care to diagnostic services and management of chronic diseases. The medical centers, located in underserved communities, are led by caring, expert doctors who coordinate all aspects of their patients' care.

It's an honor to partner with Dr. Miller and his staff who have served this community for decades.

"It is an honor to partner with Dr. Miller and his staff who have served this community for decades. We are committed to having his patients experience the same excellent service that they have come to expect", said Dr. Robert DeColli, D.O., chief medical officer for Dedicated in Memphis.

ChenMed operates three Dedicated Senior Medical Centers in the greater Memphis area, with locations in the Graceland, Lamar Airways and Southeast Memphis neighborhoods. Joining Dr. Miller at the Dedicated Graceland location is his Nurse Practitioner Regina Harper, R.N., and three medical assistants.

"I've been impressed with ChenMed's core values and patient-centric model," said Dr. Miller. "I'm looking forward to serving my patients using the resources Dedicated provides. Together, we believe this will result in better outcomes for my patients' health challenges."

About ChenMed

ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that brings concierge-style medicine  and better health outcomes  to the neediest populations. Physician-led, ChenMed is a provider of choice for some 20 Medicare Advantage health insurance plans. Operating more than 80 primary care medical practices for diverse populations of seniors, ChenMed results include up to 75 percent drops in emergency room visits and 30 to 50 percent reductions of inpatient hospital admissions. In addition, this high-touch primary care is shown to reduce coronavirus deaths by 40 percent, according to a study published in American Journal of Preventive Cardiology. A Fortune 2020 "Change the World" company, ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center.

SOURCE ChenMed

Related Links

http://ChenMed.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that Eduard Vernede has joined the company as managing director in CIT's Aerospace, Defense & Government Services business.

In his new role, Vernede will largely be focused on CIT's lending activity to serve the multibillion-dollar government and defense contractor industry, as well as supporting the aerospace segment. His responsibilities will include developing new client relationships, identifying new target markets and ensuring outstanding customer support and satisfaction. His coverage territory will primarily focus on the Washington D.C. beltway region and adjacent areas.

"Eduard is an experienced and accomplished financial professional with demonstrated expertise in aerospace, defense and government services," said John Heskin, managing director and group head for CIT's Aerospace, Defense and Government Services business. "We look forward to his contributions as we reaffirm our commitment to supporting this vital sector."

"We are pleased to have Eduard join our team of seasoned bankers helping support our clients and growth in this dynamic industry sector," said David Harnisch, head of CIT's Commercial and Real Estate Finance business.

Vernede previously worked at Lloyds Banking Group, where he directed the company's aerospace and defense group in North America. Prior positions included roles at Royal Bank of Scotland and ABN AMRO.

CIT's Aerospace, Defense & Government Services group, part of the company's Commercial Finance division, provides integrated financial solutions for manufacturers, suppliers and service providers in the aerospace, defense, homeland security and government services markets.

About CIT

CIT is a leading national bank focused on empowering businesses and personal savers with the financial agility to navigate their goals. CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with over a century of experience and operates a principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender). The company's commercial banking segment includes commercial financing, community association banking, middle market banking, equipment and vendor financing, factoring, railcar financing, treasury and payments services, and capital markets and asset management. CIT's consumer banking segment includes a national direct bank and regional branch network. Discover more at cit.com/about.

MEDIA RELATIONS:

John M. Moran

212-461-5507

[email protected]

SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

Related Links

www.cit.com


"Right here, where Winter's legacy began, a new legacy will emerge as Clearwater Marine Aquarium furthers our commitment to saving Florida's iconic species, the manatee," said CEO Frank Dame.

To commemorate the day, Clearwater Mayor Hibbard presented a signed proclamation naming September 7 "Save the Manatee Day."

"I appreciate that CMA educates our citizens and our visitors on maintaining the quality of our marine life  it's so critically important," said Mayor Hibbard.

This reveal comes on the heels of an announcement CMA made in July to open a rehabilitation center at their Fred Howard Park location this winter. The location, originally built to rehab cetaceans, will be ready to accept the influx of manatees affected by the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) occurring on the east coast of Florida as well as those in need of care from boat strike wounds and cold stress syndrome. Collectively, CMA estimates they will be adding approximately 12 more "beds" for manatees in need.

"The addition of both sites to the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership capacity broadens our duty as devoted stewards to the species as well as to our colleagues," said President and Executive Director of Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute Dr. James "Buddy" Powell.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium presented a check to Andy Garrett with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as a representative for the MRP, for ten thousand dollars, on top of the annual dues the organization already pays to fund the Partnership's rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

"It takes all of us to protect and save our manatee population and we hope this small donation encourages others to donate as well," said Powell.

For over a decade, Clearwater Marine Aquarium has assisted in rescuing, releasing, and tracking wild manatees around the world. Together with current rehabilitation techniques gained from the experience of its partners in the MRP and knowledge gained from post-release monitoring, CMA's rehabilitation efforts will focus on behavioral and welfare components to further manatees' adaptation to the wild post-release.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium has received $95,000 in federal funding to assist in the construction of the new manatee rehabilitation sites. It is seeking additional grants to help offset the costs. A fundraising campaign will also run through the duration of the construction. For more information or to donate, visit manateehelp.org.

Contact: Kelsy Long, [email protected]

SOURCE Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Related Links

http://www.manateehelp.org.


SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cotopaxi , an outdoor gear and apparel brand and Benefit Corporation , today announced that it has secured funding led by Bain Capital Double Impact , the impact investing strategy of Bain Capital . The investment will propel Cotopaxi's global growth, sustainable products strategy, and impact on addressing poverty and supporting community development. As a part of this round of investment, Cotopaxi is adding Cecilia Chao of Bain Capital Double Impact to its Board of Directors.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi was founded in 2014 with a mission to create sustainably designed outdoor products and experiences that inspire adventure while also leading people to do good by helping fund poverty relief efforts. Cotopaxi products are sold at select outdoor gear and apparel retailers across the country, including REI, Moosejaw, MEC, Backcountry and the Company's own website and retail stores.

"We are just getting started in the growth of this brand, and together with Bain Capital Double Impact, we will continue to prove that business can be a vehicle for positively impacting people, the planet, and our communities," said Davis Smith, co-founder and CEO of Cotopaxi. "Like Cotopaxi, Bain Capital Double Impact leads with their values and commitment to sustainability, and we could not be more excited to collaborate with one of the most respected investors in the impact space to advance a shared vision."

As an extension of its mission-driven commitment, the Cotopaxi Foundation awards grants to outstanding nonprofit partners who are carefully selected for their track records at improving the human condition and alleviating poverty. To date, the foundation has touched over 3 million people experiencing poverty through proven methods of effective giving. Throughout the pandemic, the Cotopaxi Foundation has awarded 36 focused grants, assisted over 822,000 impoverished individuals, received over 10,000 customer contributions, and donated masks to over 110,000 people.

"Cotopaxi is setting industry standards for mission-driven brands by integrating positive impact into every aspect of their business  from innovative designs and sustainable product development strategies to a commitment and culture of driving positive social and environmental outcomes," said Chao. "Their customers, retailers, employees, and non-profit partners have incredible affinity for the brand, and we are thrilled to partner with Cotopaxi to scale its reach and impact by accelerating its global omnichannel and experiential retail strategy while strengthening their sustainability mission and efforts to address poverty."

Cotopaxi is certified as a B Corporation, Climate Neutral company, and a 1% Pledge member. The company seeks to address the harmful environmental practices in the fashion industry by incorporating recycled compounds into 94% of its products and establishing best-in-class manufacturing, labor, and supply chain standards to diminish waste.

Media Contact:

Erin Wyer

612-747-1314

[email protected]

SOURCE Cotopaxi
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Royal Regal Apple and Harlem's Fashion Row (HFR)  a premier agency creating a bridge between brands and designers of color in the fashion industry  united on Tuesday evening for HFR's New York Fashion Week Style Awards, Runway Show and After-Party. Committed to empowering the next generation of artists and creatives, Crown Royal Regal Apple collaborated with HFR's 501(c)(3) nonprofit, ICON360, to award four $10,000 grants to emerging Black designers that help push culture forward in innovative, new ways.

Crown Royal Regal Apple and Harlems Fashion Row (HFR) united for an evening of Regal Renaissance during HFRs New York Fashion Week Style Awards, Runway Show and After-Party on Tuesday, September 7. Committed to empowering the next generation of artists and creatives, Crown Royal Regal Apple awarded design grants during the Style Awards to four creators, including Charles Harbison of Harbison Studio, showing their new lines as a part of the runway show. Crown Royal Regal Apple showed up ahead of the colorful evening of Regal Renaissance with a 360 degree photo experience and sneaker cleaning booth to help guests stay fresh all night. Crown Royal Regal Apple celebrates Black excellence and designers who were awarded a $10,000 grant and a customized Crown Royal bottle during HFRs Style Awards at New York Fashion Week. During the Crown Royal Regal Apple x Harlems Fashion Row after-party, deejay Kitty Ca$h spinned into the evening while guests sipped Crown Apple cocktails. Crown Royal after-party guests also perused pieces from each designers collection from the Harlems Fashion Row Runway Show, all of which were available for purchase via custom QR codes.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8946851-crown-royal-regal-apple-harlem-fashion-row-style-awards-grants-to-black-designers/

Ahead of the evening at 137th Street & 7th Avenue, Crown Royal Regal Apple outfitted Harlem's Fashion Row Runway Show with its own photo experience and sneaker cleaning booth to help guests stay fresh ahead of the night. Further into the evening, the Style Awards peaked with the presentation of the 2021 Royal Icon Awards presented by Crown Royal Regal Apple & ICON360, a grant awarded to each creator showcasing their new lines as a part of the Runway Show.

"Crown Royal Regal Apple, in partnership with Harlem's Fashion Row and ICON360, is continuing its mission to support artists and creators who, in fresh, new ways, are shaping culture," said Nicola Heckles, Vice President at Crown Royal. "These grants not only celebrate each designer but also directly supports their work in a meaningful way, sharing our platform to support the visibility and successive sales of the designs they've shown tonight."

Crown Royal Regal Apple and HFR's Icon360 grant recipients include: TIER founders Nigeria Ealey, Esaie Jean Simon and Victor James, who strive to impact, inspire, create and communicate their individual and collective stories through fashion and experiences; Johnathan Hayden, whose work has contributed to exploring meaningful applications of technology in fashion; Shawn Pean, founder of luxury menswear brand June79 that aims to redefine luxury among a new renaissance consumer; and Charles Harbison, Creative Director for modern luxury lifestyle brand Harbison Studio.

"Crown Royal Regal Apple and Harlem's Fashion Row share the same charge to champion and uplift creators in multicultural communities," said Brandice Daniel, CEO of Harlem's Fashion Row. "ICON360 was created specifically to fund designers of color who, with monetary support, can continue leading the revival of Black culture that is happening right now in places like Harlem and across the country."

Crown Royal Regal Apple also hosted the official after-party with deejays Kitty Ca$h and Cory Townes both spinning while guests of legal drinking age sipped Crown Apple cocktails. Each collection from the newly knighted crisp culture grant recipients was also displayed as an extension of their earlier debut. Guests were able to purchase the designs directly via QR codes at the display dubbed 'Designer's Row'.

Infused with Regal Gala Apples, Crown Royal Regal Apple is a smooth, delicious tasting whisky that is best enjoyed responsibly as a chilled shot, on the rocks or in a cocktail. Crown Royal Regal Apple invites you to raise a glass to all crisp culture creators in our communities and remember to drink responsibly.

About Crown Royal

Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the world and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy presentation reflect its regal origins  it is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information, visit crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please enjoy responsibly.

About Diageo North America

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

About Harlem's Fashion Row

Founded in 2007 by Brandice Daniel, the organization supports emerging talent and provides a platform for underrepresented African American and Latino designers. Harlem's Fashion Row (HFR) engages audiences and aligns brand partners with emerging designers of color in Fashion. HFR's mission is to discover and showcase the emerging talent of color through a platform of national events and customized multi-platform programs. The organization initiates innovative events which attract a multitude of diverse influencers connected to the fashion industry. Their objective is to provide real business opportunities to people of color in fashion to showcase their skills and abilities in an industry, which is often inaccessible to this group. To learn more, please visit harlemsfashionrow.com.

About ICON 360

The Mission of ICON360 is to create equitable opportunities in the fashion industry by providing resources for HBCUs and Black designers and creatives. The non-profit (a subsidiary of Harlem Fashion Row) offers financial grants as well as developmental and advisory programs that support marginalized talent. ICON360 brings fashion industry stakeholders together to secure equity for established and emerging Black designers and creatives. The organization seeks to fill voids created by systemic barriers and inequitable practices that have excluded Black talent from professional advancement. To learn more, please visit hfricon360.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kyra Zeller

DIAGEO

[email protected]

Kait Sheppard

TAYLOR

[email protected]

Frances Armand

HARLEM'S FASHION ROW

[email protected]

SOURCE Crown Royal
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte today reported aggregate global revenue of US$50.2 billion for the fiscal year ending 31 May 2021 (FY2021), a 5.5% increase in US dollars (USD).

"Events of this past year have had an unprecedented impact on the world and our organization. From the COVID-19 pandemic to more frequent, extreme climate events, and social upheavals, we are grateful that we've been able to continue to help clients and support our people as we all navigate through this challenging environment," says Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO. "While the past year was difficult and defined by uncertainty, it has shown what can be achieved at speed and scale when businesses, governments, and society work together to tackle tough global challenges. This cooperative approach is a model that we must continue to build on."

"Deloitte embraces the opportunity to lead by example, to drive change through cooperative efforts, and to find and invest in better solutions to business and societal challenges. Our focus during the past year has been on deploying our global capabilities to help clients respond, recover, and thrive during the pandemic; enabling mental and physical wellness for our professionals to perform at the highest levels; helping communities address the need for greater health equity and better educational opportunities; and prioritizing the environment as we move closer toward our net-zero target," adds Renjen.

Staying resilient, responding to clients' evolving needs

Deloitte successfully served clients, leveraging investments in technology that helped us stay connected, expand alliance relationships, invest in innovation, and serve the public interest. Deloitte's success during the year reflects our commitment and our ability to adapt to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

Among the businesses, Financial Advisory grew fastest at 12.9% in USD, followed by Audit & Assurance, which grew 6.1% in USD. Government & Public Services was the fastest growing industry, followed by Technology, Media & Telecommunications. Financial Services clients contributed 27% of Deloitte's total revenue. Among the regions, Asia Pacific (APAC) grew fastest at 14%, followed by Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), which grew at 11.3% (both in USD). We also expanded our global alliance and ecosystem business by 24%. Additional business insights include:

Audit & Assurance continued to deliver consistently high-quality audits in line with our public interest role within the financial reporting ecosystem. We deployed our global audit platforms, Deloitte Omnia and Deloitte Levvia, to advance innovation in audit service delivery worldwide. Our Audit & Assurance professionals assisted clients and stakeholders in addressing ESG reporting needs as well. Assurance services continue to help clients thrive as they manage complexities and opportunities in the financial, regulatory, and operational landscape. Audit & Assurance revenue grew 6.1% in USD.

continued to deliver consistently high-quality audits in line with our public interest role within the financial reporting ecosystem. We deployed our global audit platforms, and Deloitte Levvia, to advance innovation in audit service delivery worldwide. Our Audit & Assurance professionals assisted clients and stakeholders in addressing ESG reporting needs as well. Assurance services continue to help clients thrive as they manage complexities and opportunities in the financial, regulatory, and operational landscape. Audit & Assurance revenue grew 6.1% in USD. Consulting helped clients build organizational resilience and imagine different futures using its scale and vast industry and sector expertise, especially in areas most disrupted by the pandemic. Deloitte continued to develop cloud native software solutions to accelerate digital transformation and made significant investments in next-generation technologiesincluding cloud and edge computing and artificial intelligence. Drawing on our alliances with 15 leading technology companies, we orchestrated ecosystems to deliver integrated technology solutions for clients in innovative ways. With the creation of the Deloitte Center for AI Computing and targeted strategic acquisitions, we advanced the development of new offerings and services. Consulting revenue grew 5% in USD.

helped clients build organizational resilience and imagine different futures using its scale and vast industry and sector expertise, especially in areas most disrupted by the pandemic. Deloitte continued to develop cloud native software solutions to accelerate digital transformation and made significant investments in next-generation technologiesincluding cloud and edge computing and artificial intelligence. Drawing on our alliances with 15 leading technology companies, we orchestrated ecosystems to deliver integrated technology solutions for clients in innovative ways. With the creation of the Deloitte Center for AI Computing and targeted strategic acquisitions, we advanced the development of new offerings and services. Consulting revenue grew 5% in USD. Financial Advisory served as a trusted advisor on thousands of distressed and COVID-related mandates. Additionally, Deloitte's market-leading M&A practices advised on thousands of transactions during the merger wave of 2020, and our Turnaround and Restructuring teams assisted governments around the world to administer pandemic-related funding for businesses and individuals. Deloitte also participated in government-sponsored COVID-19 task forces, advising on distressed sectors. The Deloitte Center for ESG Solutions supplied decarbonization, hydrogen, electricity, and other quantitative energy models to support major sustainable energy transformation projects. Financial Advisory revenue grew 12.9% in USD.

served as a trusted advisor on thousands of distressed and COVID-related mandates. Additionally, Deloitte's market-leading M&A practices advised on thousands of transactions during the merger wave of 2020, and our Turnaround and Restructuring teams assisted governments around the world to administer pandemic-related funding for businesses and individuals. Deloitte also participated in government-sponsored COVID-19 task forces, advising on distressed sectors. The Deloitte Center for ESG Solutions supplied decarbonization, hydrogen, electricity, and other quantitative energy models to support major sustainable energy transformation projects. Financial Advisory revenue grew 12.9% in USD. Risk Advisory supported clients to build trust, demonstrate resilience, and strengthen their security. With cyberattacks on the rise, Deloitte's 22,000 cyber professionals helped organizations identify cyber risks, prepare for and detect threats, strengthen and secure their environments and, most importantly, respond and recover quickly. Our professionals worked with clients to digitally transform their compliance and internal control systems while these organizations navigated virtual work environments and evolving regulations. We also accelerated our clients' journey to net-zero, delivering a portfolio of services globally. Risk Advisory revenue grew 5.6% in USD.

supported clients to build trust, demonstrate resilience, and strengthen their security. With cyberattacks on the rise, Deloitte's 22,000 cyber professionals helped organizations identify cyber risks, prepare for and detect threats, strengthen and secure their environments and, most importantly, respond and recover quickly. Our professionals worked with clients to digitally transform their compliance and internal control systems while these organizations navigated virtual work environments and evolving regulations. We also accelerated our clients' journey to net-zero, delivering a portfolio of services globally. Risk Advisory revenue grew 5.6% in USD. Tax & Legal supported clients navigating the ongoing complexity caused by the pandemic as they developed plans for recovery and growth. The acceleration of new business models is challenging the tax function in fundamental ways and driving demand for transformative tax operating models including outsourcing and co-sourcing of routine compliance and reporting activities. As a result, clients are seeking advisory services to embed resilience and innovate through technology, and fueling growth in areas like major tax policy reforms, digitization of tax, M&A, supply chain, employment and mobility, and sustainability reporting. Deloitte Legal responded to changing demands from clients by transforming its core services, focusing on helping clients be resilient through the pandemic, becoming a leading digital legal service provider of choice, and building a thriving Legal Management Consulting practice. Tax & Legal revenue grew by 2.3% in USD.

Additionally, in FY2021, Deloitte intensified efforts to help clients advance their ESG and sustainability efforts. Employing innovative approaches, digital solutions, deep industry insights, and lessons learned from our own experiences, Deloitte worked with clients to develop their strategies and adapt their operations for success in a changing marketplace.

For the third consecutive year, Brand Finance recognized Deloitte as the strongest and most valuable commercial services brand in the world. And industry analysts continued to acknowledge Deloitte's leadership in many service areas including cloud, cyber, strategy, and analytics.

Living our Purpose by making a positive impact for people and society

As the world's largest professional services organization, Deloitte is guided by its purpose to make an impact that matters. For Deloitte professionals, that means working to address the increasingly complex challenges society faces and creating a future where trust in institutions and systems is restored and progress is made on major societal challengesincluding systemic racial injustice, social inequity, climate change, and economic inequality.

In FY2021, Deloitte made significant progress on ESG reporting; education; health equity; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); mental health; and the environment. Deloitte's FY2021 societal impact investment was $223 million USD, bringing our five-year investment total to $1.15 billion USD.

ESG reporting: This year, the Deloitte Global Impact Report includes in-depth reporting of our impact on the environment and on society, as well as a more detailed look at the structures and processes of our organization.

In FY2021, Deloitte began reporting against the World Economic Forum's Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics. This effort builds on the critical work we are doing as part of the Forum's International Business Council (IBC) to lead and promote the adoption of a common set of ESG reporting metrics. These metrics enable companies to measure value-creation factors, increase reporting transparency and comparability for stakeholders and drive action to achieve sustainable long-term performance.

We also issued our first report following the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures detailing our processes for addressing climate change risks and opportunities in the areas of governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. The report quantifies climate change impacts in financial terms and also examines risks and opportunities under two different climate scenarios.

Education and skills building: While the pandemic has accelerated trends such as reskilling and leveraging technology to improve educational outcomes, it has also exposed widening inequalities. Recognizing these challenges and the life-altering outcomes an education can provide, Deloitte doubled its commitment to supporting those being left behind in school and at work by increasing our WorldClass goal from 50 million to 100 million individuals reached by 2030. In FY2021, we reached 8.2 million individuals, and since 2017, we have reached 20 million individuals.

Through WorldClass, and throughout the pandemic, Deloitte has invested in programs to help students keep learning, including educating children in remote villages in India and virtual mentoring through Strive for College in the United States to help students who face financial need navigate getting into and through college and starting their career. To achieve our WorldClass goals, in May 2021 Deloitte launched The WorldClass Education Challenge, an initiative inviting educators, entrepreneurs, and innovators to work alongside Deloitte professionals and the World Economic Forum's UpLink platform to identify and advance solutions that support access to a quality education for more of the world's students.

Health equity: COVID-19 challenged us allpublic and private sector aliketo rethink the status quo to rebuild and reinvest in more equitable and affordable health care infrastructure.

In FY2021, Deloitte piloted an initiative with the Government of Haryana state in India that offers a potential remedy to underinvestment in public health infrastructure. Together with state government and medical professionals, Deloitte developed a uniquely Indian approach that leveraged local resources to deliver support and home care to those in the Karnal district with mild to moderate COVID-19, freeing up local hospitals to care for the most critically ill patients. Deloitte's program is being expanded to Africa, Brazil and Southeast Asia.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and mental health: We want our people to feel accepted as they are, engaged in our organization, and empowered to succeed. That commitment is reflected in Deloitte's ALLIN global diversity and inclusion strategy. The foundation of our strategy is our emphasis on respect and inclusion, which focuses on all aspects of diversity. Built upon this foundation are three pillarsworking toward gender balance, fostering LGBT+ inclusion, and supporting mental healththat advance all of our interventions and actions.

The events of FY2021 highlighted the growing recognition of mental health as a critical component of overall well-being. To meet the needs of our people, we established a mental health baseline for measuring well-being factors, made a global commitment to mental health within our organization and in society at large, and became a Founding Partner of the Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of mental health in the workplace and facilitate the adoption of best practices that enable employees to thrive in the workplace.

Expanding our commitment to the environment

Deloitte believes deeply that climate change is one of the defining global challenges of our time. Through Deloitte's WorldClimate strategy, we are driving responsible climate choices within our organization and beyond.

We're empowering our more than 345,000 professionals to take individual and collective climate action alongside clients and communities. In collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), we developed a climate learning program for all Deloitte professionals.

As part of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen joined over 70 CEOs in an open letter urging world leaders to support "bold and courageous commitments, policies and actions."

joined over 70 CEOs in an open letter urging world leaders to support "bold and courageous commitments, policies and actions." In recognition of Deloitte's environmental commitment, Deloitte's greenhouse gas reduction goals were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Additionally, Deloitte committed to all three Climate Group initiatives supporting 100% renewable electricity (RE100), 100% electric vehicles adoption (EV100), and energy efficiency/productivity (EP100) within our organization globally. We made great progress towards these targets during FY2021, reducing absolute carbon emissions by 41% and carbon emissions per FTE by 44% from our base year of FY2019.

"While the pandemic and disruptions of the past year have exposed considerable inequities in our society, they have also provided us with an opportunity to build resilience into our global economy, rebuild trust in our systems and businesses, and foster a better future for more of the world's people," adds Renjen. "Our future is not preordained. We can create a better world for future generations. To thrive tomorrow, it is imperative for everyonegovernments, businesses, and individualsto put people and our environment first, and act now to create a more resilient world that is prepared for and adaptable to the next set of challenges."

To learn more about Deloitte's societal impact and FY2021 performance, please read our 2021 Global Impact Report.

About Deloitte

"Deloitte," "us," "we" and "our" refer to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ("DTTL"), its global network of member firms, and their related entities (collectively, the "Deloitte organization"). DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") and each of its member firms and related entities are legally separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm and related entity is liable only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of each other. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more.

Deloitte is a leading global provider of audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services. Our global network of member firms and related entities in more than 150 countries and territories (collectively, the "Deloitte organization") serves four out of five Fortune Global 500 companies. Learn how Deloitte's more than 345,000 people make an impact that matters at www.deloitte.com.

SOURCE Deloitte Global

Related Links

http://www.deloitte.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Small Business Expo is proud to announce that Oxygen , an award-winning digital banking platform, has signed on to become the National Presenting Sponsor for all live shows for 2021. Small Business Expo is America's biggest networking and educational event for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Small Business Expo attendees visit our Exhibitors in the busy exhibitor hall. Small Business Expo hosts incredible workshops and keynote presentations about how to grow your Small Business.

According to Zachary Lezberg, Founder and CEO, "We are excited to have Oxygen join us this year as our National Presenting Sponsor because Oxygen's digital banking platform was made for entrepreneurs and small business owners. As we return to live shows for the remainder of 2021, it is a perfect fit to share news of Oxygen's innovative financial technology with the movers and shakers transforming small businesses today."

"Oxygen are hyper focused on helping innovators start, run and grow their small businesses and are excited at the opportunity to introduce our banking platform built for those creating the 21st century economy," said Hussein Ahmed, CEO of Oxygen, adding, "we are excited to partner with Small Business Expo and look forward to meeting these small businesses in person."

Oxygen's National Presenting Sponsorship of Small Business Expo will include the following 2021 Live Show dates:

Chicago  August 25

 San Diego  September 2

San Francisco  September 9

 Los Angeles  September 14

 Phoenix  September 21

 Philadelphia  October 6

 Brooklyn  October 13

 New York City  October 22

 Boston  October 27

 Dallas  November 3

 Austin  November 11

 Houston  November 16

 Atlanta  December 2

 Orlando  December 9

 Miami  December 16

In addition to networking, participants are invited to attend workshops which cover a wealth of business-critical strategies including sales and marketing, finance, SEO, social media, business planning and growth and much more.

To register for a Small Business Expo event  which is free to attend  visit TheSmallBusinessExpo.com . Small Business Expo will be following city, state, and CDC safety guidelines. A list of safety protocols may be found on SBE's website.

About Small Business Expo

Founded in 2008, SBE is America's biggest business networking event which targets companies with under 500 employees. SBE helps small businesses take their businesses and ideas to the next level, offering quality free content and providing a thriving venue for some of the most exciting business theories and innovations. For additional information, visit TheSmallBusinessExpo.com .

About Oxygen

Oxygen is a modern financial platform designed for the 21st century economy - providing digital natives, creators and entrepreneurs pushing everyday boundaries a banking partner that understands how they live and work by offering a seamless user experience for both personal and business accounts that makes them feel in their element. Available on iOS and Android, Oxygen users enjoy early direct deposit, simple transfers, cashback rewards, robust savings options in addition to everyday retail and travel benefits. Businesses can easily control their finances with integrated solutions that are elegant, simple and secure. Reject ordinary. Banking for the Extraordinary.

Based in San Francisco, Oxygen is backed by Runa Capital, Y Combinator and other leading fintech investors. For more information, visit www.oxygen.us and follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, Member FDIC.

MEDIA CONTACT FOR SMALL BUSINESS EXPO:

Jane Coloccia

JC Communications

917-930-0062

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT FOR OXYGEN:

Alisha Alvarez

[email protected]

SOURCE Small Business Expo
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation has awarded grants to 59 nonprofit organizations in Virginia. Totaling more than $600 thousand, the grants will support essential human services.

"The pandemic amplified the most basic human needs including food, shelter and medical care," said Hunter A. Applewhite, President of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. "We are proud to support these worthy non-profits across our footprint, making a tremendous impact in their local communities. This work is more important now than ever."

Through the Critical Community Needs Grants, the foundation has provided more than $1 million this year to 206 total organizations across Dominion Energy's footprint.

A few examples of this year's Virginia grant recipients include:

Judeo-Christian Outreach Center ( Virginia Beach ) to support emergency housing and daily feeding programs.

( ) to support emergency housing and daily feeding programs. Avalon: A Center for Women and Children ( Williamsburg ) to purchase and install generators at Avalon's apartment buildings, which house survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

( ) to purchase and install generators at Avalon's apartment buildings, which house survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children ( Norfolk ) to purchase equipment that will make it possible for children and young adults to begin interacting with others more frequently. The Tru-D disinfection machine and PPE will provide the healthiest conditions possible to keep residents safe.

( ) to purchase equipment that will make it possible for children and young adults to begin interacting with others more frequently. The Tru-D disinfection machine and PPE will provide the healthiest conditions possible to keep residents safe. La Cocina ( Alexandria ) to increase their Healthy Food Assistance Program from 13,000 to 40,000 healthy meals annually, providing additional food security and helping individuals recover from the pandemic.

( ) to increase their Healthy Food Assistance Program from 13,000 to 40,000 healthy meals annually, providing additional food security and helping individuals recover from the pandemic. Northern Virginia Family Service ( Fairfax ) to sustain language-specific, trauma-informed, affordable mental health services across Northern Virginia .

( ) to sustain language-specific, trauma-informed, affordable mental health services across . Wesley Housing Development Corp. ( Alexandria ) to provide emergency relief supportive services to historically under-resourced persons (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] and women), to achieve a more equitable society. Services include: eviction prevention, employment counseling, and material assistance.

"To say it's been a challenging time this past year would be an understatement," said Teresa L. Christin, Executive Director of the Avalon Center. "But we keep going because of the support of our community and businesses like Dominion Energy."

"We're proud and thankful to have been awarded a grant from Dominion Energy," said Kristin Ward, Development Director, Judeo-Christian Outreach Center. "This funding will be used for Emergency Shelter and daily feeding programs which equip our clients' with the resources needed for their homelessness to be rare, brief and nonrecurring.

"Thanks to Dominion Energy's support, we can continue to provide stabilization services to more than 1,200 families in Northern Virginia," said Shelley Murphy, President and CEO of Wesley Housing. "These hard-working individuals and families are still struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dominion's contribution helps us provide relief to those who need it most."

For more on charitable giving programs and a full list of recipients, visit Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation .

About the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

More than 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed more than $58 million in 2020 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education, and encourage community vitality. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy

Related Links

http://www.dominionenergy.com


LOUISVILE, Ky., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Galen College of Nursing is pleased to announce Tracy A. Ortelli, Ph.D., RN, CNE, ANEF, has been selected to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader's career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their contributions and impact to advance the public's health and will contribute their collective expertise to the Academy by engaging with health leaders, nationally and globally, to improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science. The inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions at the Academy's annual Health Policy Conference on October 7-9, 2021.

"This is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a nurse, and it's no surprise to me or any one of our colleagues that Dr. Ortelli was selected by the American Academy of Nursing. Throughout her tenure at the College, Tracy has continued to raise our standard of academic excellence," exclaimed Mark Vogt, Galen College of Nursing CEO. "This honor is a first for a Galen College of Nursing, and I'm thrilled to congratulate Tracy for this incredible milestone in an already distinguished career."

Dr. Ortelli's leadership in assessment and evaluation has been the focus of her work, research, and publications. She led the development of the NLNs Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) program and published seminal research on the performance of candidates who took the CNE examination. Her research has catalyzed other scholars. She was also a co-author of the seminal work, The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators (National League for Nursing, 2005), which was the first monograph to define the history, values and beliefs, theoretical framework, scope, competencies, and standards of academic nursing education practice. Application of her expertise in assessment and evaluation was incorporated in her current role at Galen, where she established a college-wide, scalable assessment process that informed curriculum and faculty development, led to significant, sustained improvement in first-time NCLEX pass rates, and facilitated program expansion.

Dr. Ortelli is the current president of the New Jersey League for Nursing, which received the National League for Nursing (NLN) Constituent League Excellence in Innovation Award in 2020. She is also the coordinator for the AJNs Nursing Resources column and is an inducted member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Academy of Nursing Education. She received her BSN from The Ohio State University, her MS from Columbia University, and her Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University.

This year's conference and induction ceremony will be offered in a hybrid format, allowing attendees to participate either in-person (at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC) or virtually. Learn more about the Academy and visit the hybrid policy conference website for more details.

About Galen College of Nursing

Founded over 30 years ago, Galen College of Nursing is one of the largest private nursing schools in the United States. With a focus solely on nursing education, Galen offers master's, baccalaureate, associate, and practical/vocational nursing programs, to over 8,000 students on its campuses in Louisville and Hazard, KY.; San Antonio and Austin, TX; Nashville, TN; Tampa Bay and Miami, FL.; Cincinnati, OH; and online. Galen is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Programmatic accreditation status for Galen's multiple programs and nationwide campuses can be found here.

About the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,800 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing's most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.

Contact:

Andy Stillwagon, Brand Communications Director

(502) 387-7476 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Galen College of Nursing
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EagleAi LLC, a provider of advanced Risk Management solutions using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, announced today that EagleAi Trading Risk, Fraud Risk, and Compliance Risk, its flagship products for risk management in Trading are now available in AWS Marketplace as a SaaS platform. AWS Marketplace is a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

"We are delighted to announce the availability of EagleAi on a major cloud platform like AWS." said Shyam Sreenivasan, CEO of Quantel AI. "With EagleAi as a AWS SaaS platform, our customers can depend on the enterprise grade security and scalability offered by AWS and seamlessly apply specialized AI/ML based solutions to detect operational issues, fraud, and/or other regulatory issues hidden in their environments in near real-time."

EagleAi is a massively scalable, self-learning AI engine that "observes and learns" the patterns of trading behaviors of different entities involved in trading such as the clients, traders, trading desks, symbols, and even the systems that are used for trading, and provides an anomaly dashboard to accurately detect any anomalous trading activity or patterns in the entire environment. Risk managers can have an eagle's eye view on trading activity with EagleAi.

EagleAi modules have a high accuracy rate thanks to the ensemble of AI models employed to do the job. With its reliance on multiple different approaches to confirm an issue before it is raised as an alert, EagleAi is highly accurate in its identification of issues and reduces false positives. Furthermore, it is able to detect a problem before it becomes serious using its trend forecasting techniques. EagleAi uses innovative methods to triangulate across different models to be able to identify the exact problem such as the specific client, trader, system name, etc., where the problem exists, which would provide detailed information and visual analytics to fix any problem instantaneously. There is no need to second guess with issues identified by EagleAi with potential savings of thousands of dollars on regulatory fines and operational losses.

The EagleAi product suite includes:

EagleAi Trading Risk module  an ensemble of AI engines that observes trading transactions and learns to identify outliers that matter for risk management. The advanced AI engines powering EagleAi Trading Risk modules have been designed to detect issues to prevent loss in trading due to operational issues and regulatory fines.

EagleAi Compliance Risk module  EagleAi's enterprise scale AI platform and its advanced compliance management modules reduce non-compliance risks faced by the trading firms. EagleAi has prebuilt models to support compliance rules of most global regulators such as SEC, FINRA, CFTC, FCA (UK), ESMA (EU) and SEBI (India).

EagleAi Fraud Risk module  an ensemble of AI engines that detects fraudulent trading patterns like spoofing, layering, and front running, timely detection of which can help avoid costly fines and litigations.

Highlights :

 EagleAi is a modular, customizable and scalable risk management solution that uses an ensemble of advanced AI techniques for accurate and timely detection of issues.



 10x Faster in identifying costly errors than a traditional rule based risk management system.



 Reduces time-to-build your Artificial Intelligence based risk and compliance management solutions



 Integrates easily with a variety of data pipelines for alerts, dashboard charts, reporting, workflow ticketing, and GRC tools.

Get started with the EagleAi Risk Management Plug and Play Modules today @ https://eagleai.com/eagle-ai-aws-marketplace/

Watch our introduction to EagleAi on YouTube @ https://bit.ly/3DjpkJh

Follow us on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/eagle-ai

About EagleAi LLC.

EagleAI, LLC is a fully owned subsidiary of Quantel AI, Inc, a New York based Fintech firm that was founded in 2018 to bring the power of AI for solving real-world problems in financial services such as fraud-detection, risk and compliance management in Trading and for democratizing access to smart systematic investment strategies to everyone with its AI based Robo-Investment platform  TenjinAI. For more information, visit https://quantel.ai, https://eagleai.com or email us at [email protected]

Press Contact:



Shyam Sreenivasan

1-833-324-5424

https://eagleai.com/

SOURCE EagleAi LLC.

Related Links

https://quantel.ai

https://eagleai.com


"The Insiders are the professionals their companies turn to with their most important or challenging behind-the-scenes projects, and their contributions and hard work lead to superior results," according to HousingWire. The 2021 Insiders were carefully chosen by HousingWire's selection committee based on their vital and dynamic contributions to their companies and the industry as a whole.

"I'm very honored to be named to HousingWire's Insider Award list," Miller said. "I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to work with all components of Embrace Home Loans' production line, and to know that my work has helped with our success."

Miller has played a number of important roles in her 30+ year career at Embrace Home Loans. In 2020, Miller was called to serve as a mentor to the company's closing group in order to share her vast expertise and experience. By early 2021, she became the leader of the group. Since then, the size of the closing group has doubled.

"Every mortgage company has a 'go to' person who understands all facets of the production line, from application to servicing," said Claudia Mobilia, senior vice president of operations. "For Embrace Home Loans, Cheryl Miller is that person. She is incredibly valuable to our loan production team and has a special ability to dig into any challenge, dissect it and create the most efficient solution for all."

Miller's leadership and support of employees "truly exemplify Embrace Home Loans' core values, which place an emphasis on integrity and honesty." Mobilia said.

About Embrace Home Loans

Founded in 1983, Embrace Home Loans is a prominent mortgage lender that provides borrowers and financial institutions with an exceptional mortgage experience. Licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Embrace has been recognized seven times as one of the Best Medium-sized Companies to Work for in America by Fortune and six times by Inc. The company has also been recognized twelve times as one of the Best Places to Work in Rhode Island, as the Most Community Involved Company in Rhode Island, and with the Leadership Excellence Award by Providence Business News. The company is based in Middletown, Rhode Island. For more information, please visit www.embracehomeloans.com .

PRESS CONTACTS:

Henry Drennan

Strategic Vantage Marketing and Public Relations

(615) 497-8358

[email protected]

Mary McGarity

Strategic Vantage Marketing and Public Relations

(203) 260-5476

[email protected]

SOURCE Embrace Home Loans

Related Links

http://www.embracehomeloans.com


DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent eventsincluding legal rulings on how to treat COVID-19 and the legislative changes in Texasthe American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the Texas College of Emergency Physicians (TCEP), and the Emergency Medicine Residents Association (EMRA) express deep concern about the current legal and political overreach into the practice of medicine and oppose legislative efforts that interfere with the patient-physician relationship.

"Emergency physicians are bound by law to provide care for anyone, anytime. Trust is vital to the relationship between a patient and a physician to ensure access to safe, appropriate, professional and high-quality medical care, especially in an emergency," said Mark Rosenberg, DO, MBA, president of ACEP. ACEP is a member of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and supports its recent statements about legislative interference.

Legislation like SB 8 in Texas undermines physicians' ability to have honest, confidential discussions with their patient regarding their health. The law also opens a legal quagmire in which private citizens could take action against emergency physicians and other health care providers.

"We will always advocate for the ability to discuss all treatment options, and the risks and benefits, in an open and unrestricted manner with our patients. We will fight for this because it leads to the highest quality of care, it is what our patients want and need, and it is at the core of why we went into medicine," said Craig A. Meek, MD, MS, FACEP, president of TCEP.

It is crucial that emergency physicians and other qualified health care professionals remain able to determine the most appropriate treatment options for their patients.

"Patients and physicians should be the ones making medical decisions about what's best for them, not politicians or lawyers. We must not allow personal politics to threaten the sacred trust between physicians and patients," said RJ Sontag, MD, president of EMRA.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education, and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)

Related Links

www.acep.org


AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eventus Systems, Inc., a leading global provider of multi-asset class trade surveillance and market risk solutions, today announced that it has closed on a $30 million Series B funding round, led by Centana Growth Partners. Also participating in the round were DRW VC, an arm of principal trading firm DRW, CMT Digital, existing investors Jump Capital and LiveOak Venture Partners, along with several new strategic investors.

Eventus will use the proceeds to further scale across the organization, including growing its sales, product and engineering teams, building further on its flagship Validus platform, expanding its product suite across asset classes and introducing new financial risk applications to the platform.

Centana Partner Ben Cukier has joined the Eventus Board of Directors.

Eventus CEO Travis Schwab said: "Following our investment round early last year, we continued to show strong topline revenue growth, nearly quadrupling our staff across every facet of our business, building on our presence in Europe and Asia-Pacific, attracting a wide range of new clients and adding hundreds of new features and enhancements to our Validus platform. With a strong foothold in all of the major asset classes, we became the leading trade surveillance solution for the major digital asset exchanges globally and expanded our reach into the fixed income and foreign exchange markets. This new investment positions us to achieve our ambitious plans for further growth and penetration into new markets, as well as our never-ending quest for delivering market-leading solutions and support across the capital markets ecosystem. We're delighted to welcome our newest investors and grateful for the continued support of those who believe in our vision."

Matt Alfieri, Principal at Centana Growth Partners, said: "The past year has demonstrated the increased need for automating and strengthening regulatory compliance. We've been incredibly impressed by the deeply experienced team and efficient, scalable and powerful trade surveillance and market risk system that Eventus has built. Its clients are truly passionate about the platform and quality of service. As the focus of trade surveillance widens to other asset classes like crypto, Eventus is poised not only to set the standard for compliance and transparency but to further accelerate its growth trajectory."

Kim Trautmann, Head of DRW VC, said: "As a firm committed to using sophisticated technology to drive efficiency, fairness and transparency in global markets, DRW is a strong believer in the importance of the solutions that Eventus has developed to enhance market surveillance and market risk. We're excited to offer our insights and expertise to help the firm continue to revolutionize this space."

With the new investment round, Eventus has raised $48.5 million to date, including the $10.5 million Series A growth capital funding round in February 2020, led by Jump Capital and LiveOak Venture Partners.

Eventus has earned 15 global awards and honors since late 2018 for its technology, innovation and client service, including four in the past six months alone: the Risk Technology Award for Trade Surveillance Product of the Year, WatersTechnology's Sell-Side Technology Award for Best Sell-Side Market Surveillance Product, the WatersTechnology Asia Award for Best Market Surveillance Tool and the Markets Media Markets Choice Award for Best in RegTech.

About Eventus Systems

Eventus Systems is a leading global provider of multi-asset class trade surveillance and market risk solutions. Its powerful, award-winning Validus platform is easy to deploy, customize and operate across equities, options, futures, foreign exchange (FX), fixed income and digital asset markets. Validus is proven in the most complex, high-volume and real-time environments of tier-1 banks, broker-dealers, futures commission merchants (FCMs), proprietary trading groups, market centers, buy-side institutions, energy and commodity trading firms, and regulators. The company's rapidly growing client base relies on Validus and Eventus' responsive support and product development teams to overcome its most pressing regulatory challenges. For more, visit www.eventussystems.com .

About Centana Growth Partners

Centana is a unique growth equity firm that invests in the future of financial services. We partner with firms across the entire financial ecosystem, from institutions to fintech disruptors. Centana connects our portfolio companies to a catalyzing community that can help accelerate business growth. With offices in Palo Alto and New York, the Centana team taps into decades of financial services expertise and insight to find partner firms that bring real value and innovation into the industry.

SOURCE Eventus Systems
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ExtendaTouch, an innovative digital platform for caregivers to connect with each other, today announced a partnership with misterb&b  the largest LGBTQ travel community, with more than one million LGBTQ-friendly hosts, travelers, and accommodations. Under the terms of the agreement, misterb&b will provide hosts and guests access to a free caregiver account at ExtendaTouch. The agreement will provide a critical service of bringing caregivers together to support one another, widely disseminate information, and provide access to local non-profits to help simplify and improve the caregiving process.

"While the world is suffering from the COVID pandemic there is a severe shortage of caregivers," said Matthieu Jost, Founder of misterb&b. "ExtendaTouch has a proprietary platform that allows paid and non-paid caregivers to access services and support each other. Think of Next Door, exclusively for the underserved caregiver market. We want all of our hosts and members to have access to this much-needed service."

ExtendaTouch solves the problem of inefficiencies in an ad-hoc support system in the marketplace for caregivers. The company specializes in matching the needs of caregivers with peer-to-peer support. Family and professional caregivers have enormous amounts of knowledge and experience. ExtendaTouch is the go-to organization for caregivers who are often unappreciated.

"There is no unified caregiver community that provides a broad sense of protection, support and belonging until now," said Andy Cramer, Founder of ExtendaTouch. "It's the reason why we created ExtendaTouch. Our mission is to help relieve the stress and isolation that comes with caregiving by creating a platform to help caregivers navigate the complexities associated with caring for others."

ExtendaTouch is a caregiver support network that can be accessed via a digital platform, enabling fast, private, personal connections between caregivers. Contact is opt-in, and profiles are anonymous, allowing the caregivers to discuss sensitive topics, including self-care, without fear of stigma.

About ExtendaTouch

ExtendaTouch is a tech company that has developed a unique platform for relevantly matching caregivers. Their vision is to relieve overwhelmed family and paid caregivers worldwide and to produce better outcomes for those needing chronic or occasional care. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, ExtendaTouch is free and can be accessed at www.extendatouch.com. Press contact: [email protected]

About misterb&b

misterb&b is the world's largest short-term rental marketplace dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. Today, misterb&b operates out of three offices on three continents, providing users with access to more than 1M properties in 200 countries. The service is open to everyone across the spectrum of gender & sexual preferences. In the media, misterb&b has been recognized by CNN as being integral to 'The Gay Travel Revolution' and has received coverage in Forbes, the New York Times, USA Today, and other major publications.

Press contact: [email protected].

Contact: Andy Cramer, ExtendaTouch Phone: 415 847-4988 Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ExtendaTouch

Related Links

https://www.extendatouch.com


HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Farm Aid announced today that its music, food and farm festival will be broadcast live on Circle Network, SiriusXM and FarmAid.org. The program will include music from the day and videos that tell the stories of New England farmers. Farm Aid 2021 is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25, at Xfinity Theatre in Harford, Connecticut.

"Connecticut has embraced Farm Aid again, and we are thrilled to return to live music, especially after such a difficult year. We're grateful for the opportunity to gather with people across the Northeast who value the power of music, appreciate delicious family farm food and  most of all  support family farmers," said Carolyn Mugar, executive director of Farm Aid. "We are excited to partner with Circle this year to bring the Farm Aid festival to television for those not able to join us in person."

Farm Aid 2021 will feature performances by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, Bettye LaVette, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russell, Particle Kid, Ian Mellencamp and Wisdom Indian Dancers.

Circle Network will begin livestreaming Farm Aid 2021 at 2 p.m. ET across Circle All Access platforms, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, with the live, on-air broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. ET. To find Circle in your area, visit www.circleallaccess.com/watch-circle. The Farm Aid 2021 webcast at www.farmaid.org will begin at 2 p.m. ET.

"Circle is proud to begin a strong partnership with Farm Aid in support of their invaluable efforts to benefit and uplift America's vital farming community," said Circle's SVP of Content Evan Haiman. "We are excited to have the opportunity to share this amazing musical event with our audience, bringing them the unforgettable performances that only Farm Aid can provide."

Beginning at 12 p.m. ET, SiriusXM subscribers will be able to listen to Farm Aid 2021 live on SiriusXM's Willie's Roadhouse (channel 59) and Dave Matthews Band Radio (channel 30) via SiriusXM radios and on the SXM App. The live coverage will also include backstage interviews with artists, stories from family farmers and more, hosted by SiriusXM's Dallas Wayne. All coverage will feature a behind-the-scenes look at the annual Farm Aid festival and the organization's year-round work since 1985 to strengthen family farm agriculture.

As of August 17, all attendees of Farm Aid 2021 will be required to show proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours prior to entering Xfinity Theatre upon their arrival at the event. Attendees are encouraged to bring either their original vaccination card, a paper copy of the vaccination card or a printed copy of the negative test results to streamline the verification process at the gate. For those areas of the venue that are indoors, please note that the City of Hartford currently mandates that masks must be worn indoors. Farm Aid is encouraging mask wearing in outdoor areas as well. Farm Aid will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will update protocols as warranted leading up to September 25. For more information, visit www.farmaid.org/festival/covid-safety-at-farm-aid.

Tickets for Farm Aid 2021 are available for purchase at LiveNation.com. Prices range from $65 to $305.

Farm Aid welcomes the participation of the business community and offers corporate sponsorship and VIP hospitality opportunities. For more information, contact Glenda Yoder at [email protected].

For event updates, follow Farm Aid on Twitter (@FarmAid), Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid) and Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), and visit farmaid.org/festival. Festivalgoers are encouraged to use the hashtags #FarmAid2021 and #Road2FarmAid to join the conversation on social media around this year's festival.

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 35 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $60 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

**Editors, Producers and Photographers Note: Advance credentials are required for all media to attend Farm Aid 2021, and credential requirements have changed. Please visit farmaid.org/media to learn about these requirements and apply. Media can download official Farm Aid photos and videos at farmaid.org/media.**

SOURCE Farm Aid

Related Links

http://www.farmaid.org


VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - PODA LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS LTD. ("Poda" or the "Company") (CSE: PODA) (FSE: 99L) (OTC: PODAF) is pleased to announce that two former JUUL Executives, along with the CEO of Poda, will be hosting a webinar to discuss the Company on Wednesday, September 29th, 2021, at 12 pm EDT.

Mr. Michael Nederhoff and Mr. Nicholas Kadysh, in conjunction with Mr. Ryan Selby, CEO of Poda, will be hosting a webinar to discuss the recent developments regarding Poda's business operations, as well as the reasons why they have joined the Poda team and the opportunities they see for the Company moving forward. See details below for the webinar:

Date: Wednesday, September 29th, 2021

Time: 12 pm EDT

Register Here

Mr. Michael Nederhoff is a member of Poda's Global Advisory Board and serves as a consultant for the Company. Michael was previously the president of JUUL Labs Canada, a division of JUUL Labs Inc. ("JUUL"). JUUL is an American e-cigarette company headquartered in San Francisco. Altria Group, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, invested $12.8 billion into JUUL in December 2018, acquiring a 35 percent stake. Michael was hired by JUUL to launch the product and business unit in Canada. He was instrumental in dealing with the commercial and regulatory aspects of the e-cigarette market. In addition, Michael was previously responsible for launching Red Bull and CytoSport into the Canadian marketplace, and he is currently the CEO of Shelter.

Mr. Nicholas ("Nick") Kadysh is a member of Poda's Global Advisory Board and serves as a consultant for the Company. Nick has over a decade of experience as a public affairs and regulatory expert and has led government relations and regulatory departments for a number of large corporations, including acting as Head of Corporate Affairs for JUUL, as Government Affairs & Public Policy Leader for General Electric Canada, and as Director of Public Affairs for Red Bull Canada. Nick is currently the founder and CEO of PharmAla Biotech. Prior to his work in the corporate sector, Nick gained a deep understanding of government as a campaign and legislative staff member in multiple levels of government, most recently directing the Outreach department of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition at Queen's Park in Toronto. He has also worked at the Canadian Parliament as a policy advisor.

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with TD Media LLC to provide social media and client outreach strategy services for the Company.

On Behalf of the Board,

Ryan Selby

CEO, Director, and Chairman of the Board

ABOUT PODA LIFESTYLE

Poda Lifestyle is actively engaged in the global commercialization of HNB smoking products, which have the potential to reduce the risks associated with combustible smoking products. The Company has developed a patented HNB system that uses proprietary biodegradable single-use pods, which are both consumer and environmentally friendly. The innovative design of the Company's HNB platform prevents cross-contamination between the heating devices and the pods, eliminating all cleaning requirements and providing users with the most convenient and enjoyable potentially-reduced-risk smoking experience. Poda Lifestyle's HNB system is fully patented in Canada and is patent pending in over 60 additional countries, covering almost 70% of the global population. The Company's Poda Pods are the first and only cigarettes to have a completely closed end. This exclusive design eliminates all cleaning requirements and provides a truly ashless HNB cigarette. Poda Lifestyle's fully patented system is one of a kind and solves the major pain-point that ALL other HNB products suffer from: daily cleaning requirements. The Company's flagship Beyond Burn Poda Pods contain a unique tobacco-free blend of pelletized tea leaves infused with synthetic nicotine, which provides adult smokers with a smoke-free alternative to their regular habit without sacrificing satisfaction. Beyond Burn Poda Pods have been expertly crafted to mimic the sensorial experience of traditional cigarettes without the smoke, without the smell, and without the tobacco.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although Poda Lifestyle believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Poda Lifestyle can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. Poda Lifestyle undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Poda Lifestyle, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Poda Lifestyle disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

SOURCE Poda Lifestyle and Wellness Ltd.

Related Links

https://podalifestyle.com/


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Abl, developer of popular master scheduling software used by a growing number of U.S. schools and districts, today announced the appointment of Natalie Nichols as Head of Strategic Consulting. A former superintendent, school principal and United States Army Veteran, Nichols brings more than two decades of educational experience, and a hands-on understanding of district and school operations to the role.

Founded in 2015, Abl works with states and school districts including Washington State OSPI, Denver Public Schools, Portland Public Schools, Washington D.C. Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and San Diego Unified School District, to bring insights, logistics, and design to bear on resource allocation decisions, as well complex operational processes, including the design of course pathways and master schedules.

"In education, we're so in love with data that we think that the act of consuming data is all that it takes, but this is not enough -- actions change minds, not the other way around. Equitable outcomes start with ensuring that students have equitable access to the courses and resources that they need to succeed and thrive," said Ms. Nichols. "This role is about partnering with districts to translate ideas and insights into action."

Nichols joins Abl along with several other senior executives who will expand Abl's product, data science, and strategic consulting teams, with an emphasis on understanding and utilizing data to shape strategic decision-making.

Hillary Mellin joined Abl from Jetpack Workflow and is now a designer with the Abl Product Design team.

joined Abl from Jetpack Workflow and is now a designer with the Abl Product Design team. Yayoi Furuhata joined Abl's fast-growing Data Science team from Booz Allen Hamilton , where she hones expertise transforming messy data into clear and actionable insights.

joined Abl's fast-growing Data Science team from , where she hones expertise transforming messy data into clear and actionable insights. Kristin Combs joined as a Strategic Consulting team member from the School District of Philadelphia , where she developed extensive experience in master scheduling.

"Natalie's journey from marginalized student to transformative district leader has earned her profound respect within our field," said Howard Bell, Abl CEO. "A proven and disciplined collaborator and team-builder, she brings the expertise we need to help districts evaluate and make the sort of operational shifts that can move the needle on equity."

Since its inception, Abl has focused not just on providing best-in-class software tools -- but on giving district and school leaders the data analytics, school design expertise, and professional development necessary to align resources with district goals while better meeting the needs of students and teachers. Abl now supports more than 275 schools across 80 districts in 17 states, and has reviewed over 9 million high school transcripts as part of their mission to support more equitable access to high quality pathways, as well as postsecondary and career opportunities.

About Abl

Abl empowers districts to fulfill the promise of education by simplifying complex operational processes. We expose and disrupt ineffective and inequitable pathways through data analysis and intelligent tools so districts can intentionally design flexible and responsive schools that allow students to own their futures. Learn more at ablschools.com .

SOURCE Abl

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http://www.ablschools.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this France crawler excavator market report.

The France crawler excavator market is expected to grow at a CAGR by volume of over 4.27% during the period 20212027.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

The French economy witnessed a contraction of 4.4% in GDP in 2020. France is an attractive FDI destination for investment in the manufacturing and real estate. FDI flows to France declined by 39% in 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also in April 2020 , the Eurozone construction production declined by over 30% compared to January 2020 . France is an extremely cost-effective location and lies in the heart of the euro zone with world class infrastructure. France is in the 32nd position in ease of doing business among Asian countries. The Rhone-Alpes accounted for majority of the crawler excavator market in France . Government key infrastructure projects such as "Grand Paris" and "Canal Seine-Nord," is expected to pump up the crawler excavator market in France and large transportation projects such as the Grand Paris Express will continue to bolster the construction and demolition industry. The popular trend of automation, rising dependence on technology to enhance productivity, development in advanced technologies such as telematics + IoT, and autonomous excavators provides competitive advantage to the OEMs in the market. The market is highly competitive characterized by the presence of several OEMs including Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi Construction Machinery Volvo Construction Equipment, Hyundai Construction Equipment, SANY, Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe B.V, JCB, Doosan Infracore, and others. The France crawler excavator market is expected to grow significantly at a CAGR of 4.27% during the forecast period with high demand in mini and <60 HP segments.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20212027

Market Size & Forecast by Volume (Units) | 20212027

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by excavator type and operating weight, application, and gross power output

Competitive Landscape  9 key vendors, 6 other vendors, and 4 rental companies

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/france-crawler-excavator-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

France Crawler Excavator Market  Segmentation

The mini crawler excavator market in France expects to reach 14,760 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.42%. Mini excavators accounted for 73.4% of the overall crawler excavator market in France in 2020. The demand for mini excavators is largely driven due to increased investments in building and civil engineering sector.

expects to reach 14,760 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.42%. Mini excavators accounted for 73.4% of the overall crawler excavator market in in 2020. The demand for mini excavators is largely driven due to increased investments in building and civil engineering sector. Surface mining makes significant use of small or medium-sized excavators. Strip mining operations employ large excavators for shifting high quantities of backfilling, overburden, and dumping of the excavated area.

The less than 60HP category predominantly hosts a wide range of mini excavators used for compact operations such as landscaping, excavating, demolishing, and material handling in cities and farms majorly in the construction sector.

France Crawler Excavator Market by Excavator Type and Operating Weight

Mini (Less than 6 tons)

Small (6-24 tons)

Medium (25-40 tons)

Large (above 40 tons)

France Crawler Excavator Market by Application

Construction

Mining

Agriculture

Forestry

Others

France Crawler Excavator Market by Gross Power

61-101 HP

102-200 HP

Greater than 201 HP

France Crawler Excavator Market  Dynamics

Construction machineries are increasingly rented or leased. Purchasing new equipment is significantly expensive, with high maintenance and storage challenges. Renting becomes a feasible option for new businesses. A strong rental demand has pushed construction equipment sales in France to record high. With 3,910 units sold in 2019, the sale of mini crawler excavators increased by slightly over 10%. The rental industry is witnessing a demand due to growing equipment costs, increased economic instability, a shortage of cash, technological upgrades, unpredictable building and infrastructure expansion, depreciation issues, costly failures, and restricted space availability. Loxam, Europe's largest leasing firm, has gone into exclusive talks to buy Locarest, a company located in Paris, a rental company.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

The Grand Paris project, a 20-year endeavor, driving excavator sales

Rental driving record French crawler excavator sales

High expectations for green market growth

Development of low-emission and energy-efficient excavators

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/france-crawler-excavator-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Major Vendors

Caterpillar

Komatsu

Hitachi Construction Machinery

SANY

Volvo Construction Equipment

Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe B.V.

JCB

Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe

Doosan Infracore

Other Prominent Vendors

Sumitomo Construction Machinery

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG)

LeeBoy

Kubota Machinery

Ingersoll Rand

Liebherr Group

Rental Companies

LOXAM

Algeco

Bouygues Travaux Publics

Kiloutou

Explore our industrial machinery profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Contact:



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SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
Inspired by the icon that started it all, Gloria Vanderbilt forever changed the fashion world when she started the designer jean movement in the late 1970's. Her trailblazing brand introduced "The Amanda" the brand's best-selling style with close to 100 million units sold. Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans continues to be one of the leading and largest denim brands in the country, thanks to its legendary fit and signature swan logo.

Christian Siriano is one of the most highly-acclaimed fashion designers of our time. The last few years have been very strong for him, with highlights including a TIME 100 honor for his commitment to inclusivity on the runway and red carpet that helped transform the landscape of American fashion, a historic moment with Billy Porter at the Academy Awards, dressing both former FLOTUS Michelle Obama and current FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden, nine looks at the 2019 Met Gala and his contributions to the greater NY area when he turned his atelier into a mask-making factory at the start of the pandemic (2 million and counting).

Siriano is most excited about this new collaboration because it gives the designer an opportunity to pay homage to the iconic look Gloria Vanderbilt jeans has built for decades. "I'm so excited and honored to work with a brand that's been around for such a long time. I grew up watching my mom wear Gloria Vanderbilt jeans in the 80s, one of the many reasons I am excited about this collaboration. The brand has always been known for representing diverse, powerful women and I look forward to continuing that tradition."

Christian Siriano worked closely with the Gloria Vanderbilt design team to ensure that every single piece embodied the signature GV touch, with a dose of modern whimsy and Siriano flair.

Jack Gross, Chief Executive Officer of ONE Jeanswear Group, shared that "After meeting Siriano some years ago, I knew instantly that Siriano was a natural talent and a rising star in the fashion industry; a collaboration with OJG was the next logical step."

"After reconnecting a few years later, the opportunity presented itself to bring the Siriano touch to the legendary Vanderbilt brand", Gross added.

OJG acquired the Gloria Vanderbilt brand in 1993, believing in the brand and the opportunity to make Gloria Vanderbilt a household name. "While the denim revolution became dormant in the late 80's" adds Gross, "we [OJG] persevered and remained committed to offering the 'best-fitting jean in America'".

Gross added that this new collaboration encompasses his vision to advance the heritage and legacy of the Gloria Vanderbilt brand with a modern take on the iconic styles that have stood the test of time.

ONE Jeanswear Group is the premier jeanswear company in North America and a leader in denim innovation, technology and fit.

The highly anticipated GLORIA VANDERBILT X CHRISTIAN SIRIANO collaboration release date is forthcoming, but fans of both designers can expect an assortment of relevant fits, and progressive washes that will catapult the Gloria Vanderbilt name to even greater heights.

About ONE Jeanswear Group

One Jeanswear Group is a leading, global fashion company operating a diverse portfolio of premier brands and a renowned private label resource rooted in denim. One Jeanswear Group oversees design, product development and innovation, technical support, fabric procurement,

marketing, merchandising and global sourcing. One Jeanswear Group's branded portfolio includes: Gloria Vanderbilt, FRAYED Jeans, Vintage America, Jessica Simpson (L), Nine West Jeans (L), Bandolino (L). One Jeanswear Group products are sold in multiple channels of distribution including department stores, mass retailers, and ecommerce.

About Christian Siriano

Award winning CFDA designer Christian Siriano launched his eponymous collection in 2008 following his studies in London under Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Known for whimsical and show-stopping design, the collection is shown each season at New York Fashion Week and sold in retailers across the globe. In 2012, the first flagship Christian Siriano store opened in NYC and his latest retail venture, "The Curated NYC", was located in the heart of midtown. Siriano's designs have been worn by current FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Julianne Moore, Lady Gaga, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Porter, Cardi B, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Whoopi Goldberg and Julia Roberts to name but a few. Siriano was named among Time's 100 Most Influential People for his leading contributions on body diversity on the runway and red carpet.

Most recently Christian has been heralded for leading the PPE charge during the COVID-19 pandemic. His atelier shifted entirely from clothes to masks and to date he and his team have shipped over one million masks to frontline workers in the New York area. 2020 also saw Siriano launch his own digital BRAVO talk show called "SO SIRIANO" which saw him break down all things fashion and pop culture with guests ranging from Drew Barrymore, Leslie Jones, Billy Porter, Ashley Graham, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Sia. And Christian fulfilled a longtime passion when he added interior designer to his impressive list of credits with the debut of his newest venture, Siriano Interiors and a full custom furniture collection. With over a decade of fashion experience, the Siriano design studio continues to celebrate beauty and diversity in this ever-changing Fashion industry.

This Fall will see the very first solo exhibition of his work at the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

SOURCE ONE Jeanswear Group

Related Links

http://ojg.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Market Report 2021-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global peer-to-peer electric vehicle charging market size is expected to reach USD 425,595.0 thousand by 2028, registering a CAGR of 21.9% from 2021 to 2028.

To eliminate the range anxiety issues of Electric Vehicles (EV), various governments are emphasizing the provision of funds for the development of peer-to-peer networks. For instance, the Government of the U.S. has established the Northeast Corridor Regional Strategy, under which it provides support for various activities, such as the development of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructures and peer-to-peer (P2P)) electric vehicle charging networks.



Various governments have mandated allotting space for EV charging in the parking spaces of residential complexes, which is expected to create new growth opportunities for the market.

For instance, in August 2019, the U.K. proposed EV charger mandates for offices and new homes. Under this regulation, residential buildings with more than ten parking spaces under major renovations are expected to have dedicated charging spaces for EVs. Additionally, large nonresidential buildings with 20 parking spaces are expected to have one EV charger by 2025.



Many companies are partnering with energy and utility companies to extend the reach of their peer-to-peer EV charging solutions. For instance, in January 2020, EVmatch announced a pilot project with utilities based in the U.S. state of Vermont, such as Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power. The aim of this initiative is to offer a logistical, affordable, and simple way for property owners to make EV charging available to multi-family residences.



The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to trigger the sales of automobiles, including electric cars, as consumers would prefer traveling in their personal cars to avoid exposure to coronavirus. Initiatives such as protection against job losses, deferred payments, and benefits offered by finance companies, such as 0% financing, are also expected to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and subsequently trigger the demand for EV charging stations.

Thus, the COVID-19 outbreak is positively impacting the P2P electric vehicle charging market growth.



Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Market Report Highlights

The level 1 charger segment is anticipated to register a significant growth owing to the increasing number of multi-unit dwellings installing level 1 charging stations

The commercial segment is projected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increasing focus of companies such as The Coca-Cola Company and General Motors on making EV charging stations at their facilities open to public

European manufacturers of electric utilities, such as Copenhagen Electric and Stromnetz Hamburg, are collaborating to deliver e-roaming services to EV drivers through projects such as evRoaming4EU, which bodes well for the growth of the market in this region

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2 Executive Summary

2.1 Market - Industry Snapshot & Key Buying Criteria, 2018 - 2028

2.2 Market, 2018 - 2028



Chapter 3 Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Industry Outlook

3.1 Market Segmentation and Scope

3.2 Market Size and Growth Prospects

3.3 Market - Value Chain Analysis

3.4 Market - Market Dynamics

3.4.1 Market driver analysis

3.4.1.1 Increasing contribution of transportation sector toward carbon emissions

3.4.1.2 Advances in battery technology and growing emphasis on autonomous vehicles

3.4.1.3 Rise in the number of residential charging stations and growing need to reduce range anxiety among electric vehicle drivers

3.4.2 Market challenge analysis

3.4.2.1 Rise in the number of public charging stations

3.4.3 Market opportunity analysis

3.4.3.1 Government regulations and tax exemptions

3.5 Penetration and Growth Prospect Mapping

3.6 Market - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

3.7 Market - PESTEL Analysis



Chapter 4 Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Charger Type Outlook

4.1 Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Market Share By Charger Type, 2020

4.2 Level 1

4.3 Level 2



Chapter 5 Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Application Outlook

5.1 Market Share By Application, 2020

5.2 Residential

5.2.1 Market in residential application, 2018 - 2028

5.2.2 Private Homes

5.2.3 Apartments

5.3 Commercial

5.3.1 Market in commercial application, 2018 - 2028

5.3.2 Destination Charging Station

5.3.3 Fleet Charging Station

5.3.4 Workplace Charging Station



Chapter 6 Peer-To-Peer Electric Vehicle Charging Regional Outlook

6.1 Market Share By Region, 2020

6.1 Market, 2018 - 2028

6.2 Market, by charger type, 2018 - 2028

6.3 Market, by application, 2018 - 2028

6.3.1 Market, by residential, 2018 - 2028

6.3.2 Market, by commercial, 2018 - 2028



Chapter 7 Competitive Analysis

7.1 Recent Developments & Impact Analysis, By Key Market Participants

7.2 Company Categorization

7.3 Vendor Landscape

7.3.1 Key Company Market Ranking, 2020

7.4 Company Analysis Tools

7.4.1 Company Market Position Analysis

7.4.2 Competitive Dashboard Analysis



Chapter 8 Competitive Landscape

8.1 Company overview

8.2 Financial performance

8.3 Product benchmarking

8.4 Strategic initiatives

Chargepoint Inc.

ClipperCreek Inc, Inc.

Enel X

EVBox

EV Meter

Greenlots

hastobe gmbh

innogy

Power Hero

Webasto Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/shgyww

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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"El Favor is providing us with exciting drilling results at both the eastern and western ends. Hole 60 is near the west end of the deposit, and gave us an excellent high grade intercept of over 2 kilos, enveloped in a very wide 83m intercept of 265 g/t AgEq. At the other end, in El Favor East, hole 59 is a strong hole which is 100m to the east of hole 56, previously our most easterly hole in El Favor East," said Brad Langille, President and CEO. "We continue to extend strike length at El Favor with excellent widths and grades, which we anticipate will contribute greatly to the upcoming resource."

Table 1: Drill Hole Intersections

Hole ID Area / Vein From To Length1 Au Ag AuEq2 AgEq2



(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) LRGF-21-057 El Favor East 13.5 64.9 51.4 0.32 79.4 1.38 103.5

including 31.2 33.0 1.9 2.74 779.6 13.14 985.1

and 83.8 100.5 16.8 0.20 107.9 1.64 123.1

including 97.1 99.1 2.0 0.54 380.1 5.61 420.7 LRGF-21-058 El Favor3 5.8 91.0 84.2 0.18 78.7 1.23 92.0

including 11.5 13.8 2.3 0.70 388.7 5.88 441.1

including 12.0 12.8 0.8 1.36 817.8 12.27 920.0

incl. Salomon3 50.0 73.0 22.0 0.47 190.0 3.00 225.2

including3 60.0 67.0 6.0 1.35 587.9 9.19 689.4

including 61.2 63.0 1.9 2.92 1,356.1 21.01 1,575.4 LRGF-21-059 El Favor East 112.2 139.4 27.2 0.38 11.8 2.27 170.5

including 133.8 135.7 1.9 2.45 1,073.2 16.76 1,257.2 LRGF-21-060 El Favor4 8.0 93.0 82.9 0.36 238.3 3.54 265.3

including4 45.6 92.0 44.4 0.62 407.7 6.05 454.1

including4 66.7 82.6 13.8 1.09 700.3 10.43 782.2

including4 72.5 82.6 8.1 1.56 1,009.2 15.02 1,126.5

including 77.4 78.8 1.4 5.66 2,162.8 34.49 2,587.0 LRGF-21-061 El Favor East 75.5 118.2 40.7 0.21 124.7 1.87 140.2

including 76.5 79.8 3.3 0.56 583.6 8.34 625.6

including 77.5 78.3 0.8 1.80 1,629.3 23.52 1,764.2

1. Not true width 2. AqEq converted using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1 at recoveries of 100% 3. Excludes 1.0m of historically mined void 4. Excludes 2.1m of historically mined void

Figure 1: El Favor Drill Hole Locations

Figure 2: El Favor East

The exploration team has been moving east of El Favor with drilling in 25m stepouts in the eastern end of El Favor, beginning with discovery hole 48, and continuing to intersect wide strong mineralization. This area is known as the El Favor East zone and in addition to these drill holes, additional drill holes further to the east are pending assays. The mapping program at El Favor East has extended the presence of mineralization 900m to the east of hole 48 (El Favor East zone discovery hole), as shown in Figure 2.

Three of the four major veins (Salomon, Guitarrillas and Los Chivos) appear to converge into a 100m wide zone at the western end of the El Favor deposit in the vicinity of the Hundido Pit at an elevation of 1300m. The wallrock in between the veins is strongly silicified, altered and mineralized. The merging of these veins continue to provide significant widths of good grade which could be potentially amenable to bulk mining.

The El Orito deposit (as presently defined) is located about 800 metres along strike to the west of the Hundido Pit (see Figure 3). Wide zones of precious and base metal mineralization were cut by drill holes at El Orito at elevations between 600 to 800m. Geological mapping, sampling and Induced Polarization ("IP") surveying programs in the area between El Orito and El Favor are underway.

Figure 3: Favor-Orito Long Section

Table 2: Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length LRGF-21-057 585878 2336762 1198 180 -45 244 LRGF-21-058 585134 2336469 1301 180 -45 189 LRGF-21-059 586028 2336759 1266 180 -45 220 LRGF-21-060 585103 2336463 1295 180 -45 228 LRGF-21-061 586002 2336759 1254 180 -45 252

Figure 4: Plan View  La Trini to El Favor Area of Los Ricos North

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the GoGold Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for GoGold can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/decks/10437 and on the Company's website at: www.gogoldresources.com.

Los Ricos District Exploration Projects

The Company's two exploration projects at its Los Ricos property are in Jalisco state, Mexico. The Los Ricos South Project began in March 2019 and an initial resource was announced on July 29, 2020 which indicated a Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource of 63.7 million ounces AgEq grading 199 g/t AgEq contained in 10.0 million tonnes, and an Inferred Resource of 19.9 million ounces AgEq grading 190 g/t AgEq contained in 3.3 million tonnes. An initial PEA on the project was announced on January 20, 2021 indicating an NPV 5% of US$295M.

The Los Ricos North Project was launched in March 2020 and includes drilling at the El Favor, La Trini, Casados and El Orito targets. During 2020, GoGold's exploration team identified over 100 targets on the Los Ricos North properties, demonstrating the significant exploration potential. The Company plans to drill 10 of these targets as part of its 2021 drilling program which is planned to exceed 100,000 metres of drilling and will be one of the largest in Mexico.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full core is sawn with a diamond blade core saw with one half of the core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged sample bags are transported to the ActLabs facility in Zacatecas, Mexico. ActLabs crushes the samples and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 150 mesh (106m). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 50-gram charge by fire assay (Code 1A2-50) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 1A3-50). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code 1F2 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 8-Ag FA-GRAV Ag).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed GoGold's QA/QC protocols.

Mr. David Duncan, P. Geo. is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information of this release.

About GoGold Resources

GoGold Resources (TSX: GGD) is a Canadian-based silver and gold producer focused on operating, developing, exploring and acquiring high quality projects in Mexico. The Company operates the Parral Tailings mine in the state of Chihuahua and has the Los Ricos South and Los Ricos North exploration projects in the state of Jalisco. Headquartered in Halifax, NS, GoGold is building a portfolio of low cost, high margin projects. For more information visit gogoldresources.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy of any of GoGold's securities in the United States.

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" as defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Los Ricos South and North projects, and future plans and objectives of GoGold, including the intention to undertake further exploration at Los Ricos North, and the prospect of further discoveries there, constitute forward looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions in connection with the continuance of GoGold and its subsidiaries as a going concern, general economic and market conditions, mineral prices, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates, and the performance of the Parral project. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from GoGold's expectations include exploration and development risks associated with GoGold's projects, the failure to establish estimated mineral resources or mineral reserves, volatility of commodity prices, variations of recovery rates, and global economic conditions. For additional information with respect to risk factors applicable to GoGold, reference should be made to GoGold's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with securities regulators, including, but not limited to, GoGold's Annual Information Form. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date of this release.

SOURCE GoGold Resources Inc.

Related Links

https://www.gogoldresources.com/


AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodPop frozen pops, announces its #PledgeGood challenge on social media, to encourage people to post good deeds with a commitment to donate one million meals* to Feeding America throughout September, Hunger Action Month. For every social media post with #PledgeGood, and every pledge made on their website, GoodPop will donate a meal.

Michelle Chen of World of Vegan shares a video of her good deed as part ofGoodPop's #PledgeGood challenge. Take the #PledgeGood challenge on TikTok, Instagram or at https://www.goodpops.com/pledgegood-challenge/ Join the #PledgeGood Challenge hosted by @GoodPop and they will match every pledge with a donation to @FeedingAmerica to fight hunger! Join the #PledgeGood challenge at https://www.tiktok.com/@goodpop

To kick off the challenge, GoodPop has partnered with TikTok and Instagram creators Smile Squad, Taylor Cassidy , Michelle Chen of World of Vegan and Zahra of Muslimthicc , who will share videos of their acts of kindness using #PledgeGood and encourage others to do the same. Check out an example video here.

"The good in our name isn't just about the ingredients we use or the way our products taste, it's an integral part of GoodPop's mission to use our frozen treats as a vehicle to do social and environmental good," said Goetz. "We created the Pledge Good Foundation and are embarking on the #PledgeGood challenge to make the world a brighter place, with more generosity and random acts of kindness. We are committed to donating for every person who pledges to do something good and our goal is to create a ripple effect that brings more good and joy into people's lives and creates positive change."

People who want to participate but are not on TikTok and Instagram can pledge their good deed at https://www.goodpops.com/pledge/ .

The #PledgeGood campaign is part of a larger goal made by GoodPop's non-profit, Pledge Good Foundation to reach five million pledges by 2025. The #PledgeGood challenge is the foundation's first big push to reach its first million pledges.

"Our mission is to Pledge Good. Do Good. Feel Good," said Goetz. "We have been donating $1 per pledge to various non-profit partners from the beginning, but we felt we needed to do something bigger to encourage people to make a pledge. If five million people pledge to do a good deed and we make a donation for every single one, think about how much positive change we can make. This mission is what drives us and inspires us."

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. Meal claim valid as of 7/1/20 and subject to change.

Downloadable images available here.

About GoodPop

Since 2009, Austin-based GoodPop Frozen Pops has been committed to using fresh, natural, organic, Non-GMO, rBST-free, real and wholesome ingredients. GoodPop is available in 15 unique, on-trend flavors with mainstream appeal. As the best performing emerging natural novelty brand, GoodPop is certified B-Corp and dedicated to doing good, giving back and making people happy. GoodPop has both a strong awareness and authentic story that cannot be found anywhere else. www.goodpops.com .

Media Contact:

Janette Rizk

[email protected]

805-895-4940

SOURCE GoodPop
Horizon3.ai enables organizations to see their enterprise through the eyes of an attacker. Our autonomous penetration testing platform, NodeZero, continuously assesses your attack surface, identifying ways an attacker could chain together harvested credentials, misconfigurations, dangerous product defaults, and exploitable vulnerabilities to compromise your systems and data. Our core innovation is the use of knowledge graph analytics combined with adaptive attack algorithms. We give IT administrators and network engineers 'security superpowers,' enabling them to operate like ethical hackers with 20 years of experience. Our bigger vision is to deliver continuous attack paired with continuous defense, the ultimate purple team, executing an integrated learning loop that gets smarter with every interaction, all delivered as an Autonomous Security Platform.

"We are excited to showcase a high-quality list of enterprise tech startups with the Constellation Academy, a super elite group of technology decision makers across all industries in the Global 2000. These finalists represent the best of enterprise tech startups in the early stages of growth," said R "Ray" Wang, chairman and founder of Constellation Research.

'It is a great honor to be selected as a finalist in The Pitch by Constellation Research! When we came together in early 2019 to start Horizon3.ai, we knew we were building something security professionals needed and wanted because we are security professionals ourselves. We didn't know if our security tools worked, or if we fixed the right vulnerabilities until we were breached, and by then it was too late. We set out to create NodeZero, an agentless, self-service and autonomous pentesting platform that enables enterprises to continuously find, fix, and verify the remediation of security weaknesses, so you can proactively improve your security posture."  Snehal Antani, CEO and co-founder of Horizon3.ai

The Pitch is the only industry wide two-day event that brings startup founders, enterprise technology decision makers, early-stage investors, venture capitalists, corporate venture funds, and system integrators together to identify the next enterprise startup unicorns. These senior level buy-side executives selected finalists who demonstrated growing success in business and technology among their industry competitors. Finalists have shown how their solutions can benefit the Global 2000 organizations with new and innovative ideas.

Voting for The Pitch winners will take place from September 13  14, during a live two-day virtual event. Finalists will be grilled by the judges for 30 minutes, and the winners in each category announced at the end of each section.

For more information, visit https://www.constellationr.com/events/thepitch2021

About Horizon3.ai

Horizon3.ai's mission is to help you find and fix attack vectors before attackers can exploit them. NodeZero, our autonomous penetration testing solution, is a true self-service SaaS offering that is safe to run in production and requires no persistent or credentialed agents. You will see your enterprise through the eyes of the attacker, identify your ineffective security controls, and ensure your limited resources are spent fixing problems that can actually be exploited. Founded in 2019 by industry, US Special Operations, and US National Security veterans, Horizon3.ai is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and made in the USA.

For more information, visit https://www.horizon3.ai

For a free trial, visit https://portal.horizon3ai.com



About Constellation Research

Constellation Research is a technology research and advisory firm based in Silicon Valley. We deliver strategic guidance to companies seeking to transform their businesses through the early adoption of disruptive technology. Our analysts draw on their experiences as practitioners to deliver pragmatic advice to CXOs leading digital transformation within their organizations. Clients include board of directors, C-suite executives, line-of-business leaders, and IT visionaries who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. Our mission is to conduct research on emerging technologies, identify and validate trends, and empower our clients to succeed in the digital economy. Constellation Research also hosts DisrupTV, a show hosted by our founder R "Ray" Wang, which features disruptive leaders and reaches 40k+ viewers each week.

Global Press Contacts:

Hillary Blair Bisset and Ann Rinaldi

Email: [email protected]

Elle Froze and Hannah Hock

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Horizon3.ai

Related Links

https://www.horizon3.ai


ROCKAWAY, N.J, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) USA, expresses its deep concern about the upcoming online event titled "Dismantling Global Hindutva". We strongly condemn such events that amplify Hinduphobia, encourage Hindu hate, and incite violence against the minority Hindu population in the West.

The minority Hindu community in the United States has contributed toward national progress, while harmoniously assimilating American values. Our community has faced attacks on our people, businesses and places of worship many times in the past. The 2018 FBI report shows an increasing trend in the attacks motivated by religious hatred on Hindus in America.

This so-called conference is organized by Indian political activists, including many Communist party members, and is supported by a few individuals and departments in some American academic institutions. It not only lacks speakers who are academically qualified to speak on Hindutva, but also excludes those who can provide alternate points of view on the subject. The fact that several universities have publicly disowned their support of the event, and the organizers have been compelled to remove all the university logos from their website shows the deceit used to publicize the event.

HSS welcomes any academic effort to understand Hindutva where the topic is discussed, analyzed, debated, examined and adds to the knowledge of the subject. But here the title of the "conference" itself calls for violent action, and the imagery suggests uprooting Hindus. The power of the platform provided by alleged university sponsorships is considerable, and abusing such a platform with a call to violence is likely to harm the Hindu students on the campuses.

We urge universities to withdraw their institutional support to such events, stop targeting minority communities, and avoid irreversible harm to their own academic reputation.

HSS appreciates and supports our members, many Hindu organizations, and individuals who are expressing their concerns to university officials, and educating elected officials about the Hinduphobia that their constituents experience.

Hindutva is a way of life that manifests Hindu-ness. The highest court of India has expressed a similar opinion in its 1985 verdict. Hindus sincerely practice this philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" or "Entire world is one family." Swami Vivekananda's famous Chicago address of Sept 11, 1893, reminds us to be proud of "Hindu Dharma" that has taught the world tolerance, universal acceptance and respect. This profound wisdom addresses the current need for diversity, equity, and inclusivity in society.

The Hindu-American community, a religious minority, deserves safety and respect just as all other communities in America. HSS urges everyone to counter the rise of Hinduphobia, and ensure the safety of Hindus.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS or HSS USA) is a 501(c)(3), voluntary, non-profit, social, educational, and cultural organization. HSS USA endeavors to instill pride in Hindu heritage among its members and enhance appreciation of Hindus worldwide, their traditions, and civilization by the broader community in the United States. We foster a sense of civic duty, responsibility, and volunteerism through service activities and outreach projects.

Contact:

Vikas Deshpande

973-500-8477

[email protected]

SOURCE Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today disclosed that Hurricane Ida caused no significant damage to its Geismar, Louisiana manufacturing facility. The Geismar facility manufactures products for Huntsman's Polyurethanes and Performance Products divisions and all units were shutdown orderly and safely before Hurricane Ida made landfall. Site personnel are currently preparing the production units for restart. The precise timing of the restart of each unit is dependent on the availability of utilities and the ability of other third-party suppliers to restart their respective operations. Currently, the Company's best estimate is that production comes back online slowly this coming weekend with an increase in rates next week. Under this timeline, the Company currently anticipates that the estimated impact from Hurricane Ida to third quarter 2021 EBITDA will be offset by strength in the broader Performance Products division and the European and Asian MDI markets.

About Huntsman:

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2020 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com .

Social Media:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Huntsman_Corp

Facebook: www.facebook.com/huntsmancorp

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/huntsman

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain information in this release constitutes 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. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, ability to achieve projected synergies, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Huntsman Corporation

Related Links

http://www.huntsman.com


BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Viral sensations attorney Jonathan Bloom and his Film producer son Bronsen Bloom reveal punchy new video podcast series, Daddy Issues, available to stream on www.daddyissuesthepodcast.com at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TikTok via @daddyissuespod, and via Patreon at www.patreon.com/daddyissuespod, officially appoint award-winning PR agency The Gab Group as agency of record. Through local and national PR efforts, The Gab Group will position Daddy Issues as a vodcast filled with hilarity that features one conservative father and one liberal son tackling the world's hottest (and touchiest) subjects.

With refreshing candor and frankness, Jon & Bron, America's coolest father and son duo in recent history, chat all things politics, taboo topics, current affairs, pop culture and beyondsomehow without killing each other. An inspirational departure from walking on eggshells in conversation, Jon & Bron's debates confront controversial topics head on, sending home a never-as-important-as-now message to families all around America: it all comes down to love. And there's even an occasional surprise appearance from Mommy Issues  Nel Bloom, the Bloom family's uber cool matriarch.

"America cannot get enough of the brutally honest and entertaining Daddy Issues family," says Founder and CEO of The Gab Group Michelle Soudry. "They want uncensored news and a safe place to debate uncensored opinions on today's real issues. Daddy Issues is uninhibited, enlightening, hysterical and will become your new favorite social watching addiction."

Having always been a popular sport in their family, debating was a way for Jon, his father, and his son Bron to voice their opinions without holding back. When Jon's father passed away last year, Jon and Bron wished they had recorded some of their talks together and decided to launch the show in honor of those spirited sit downs.

Jon & Bron show their audience that family members may hold wildly differing personal beliefs and still laugh it off.

ABOUT DADDY ISSUES

Daddy Issues is a new TikTok viral hit podcast series created by father and son duo, Jonathan and Bronsen Bloom. A premier Florida real estate attorney, Jon brings the conservative side of the debate, while his son Bron, a TV producer, offers up the liberal voice as they discuss current affairs, politics, pop culture and more. Controversial topics hilariously abound and, incredibly, no one gets hurt. Daddy Issues is available to stream on www.daddyissuesthepodcast.com.

Media Contact:

Michelle Soudry

The Gab Group

561.750.3500

[email protected]

SOURCE The Gab Group

Related Links

http://www.thegabgroup.com/


Food loss and waste has been identified as a shared challenge of the international community. While seeking solutions to this issue, the world continues to suffer from the impact of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and faces frequent extreme natural disasters caused by climate change. In this context, the holding of an international conference on food loss and waste was proposed.

According to Li Meng, vice governor of Shandong province, the conference will be held both online and on site, with an on-site visit activity held in the morning of September 10 and the opening ceremony of the conference held in the afternoon, inviting relevant leaders and representatives of countries and international organizations to give a speech. Three thematic forums are scheduled to be held on September 11 focusing respectively on reducing food loss in production, reducing post-harvest food loss, and reducing food waste in consumption. It is expected that "Jinan Initiative on International Food Loss and Waste" will be released during the conference, and Shandong Provincial Action on Food Loss and Waste will be launched.

The conference will be addressed online by the agricultural ministers of Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Indonesia, and other G20 member states, the special envoy of the United Nations Food Systems Summit, the director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

The conference will be attended by ambassadors to China from 15 countries.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province
OEGSTGEEST, Netherlands, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V., a clinical stage biotech company, announces the start of patient dosing in a pivotal clinical trial investigating the combination of ISA101b and Libtayo (cemiplimab) in advanced HPV16 positive oropharyngeal cancer. This new study is the third with active recruitment under ISA Pharmaceuticals' strategic immuno-oncology collaboration with Regeneron.

The oropharyngeal cancer phase 2 study (NCT04398524) will include 86 patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16 positive oropharyngeal cancer that progressed with prior anti-PD-1 therapy, a cancer with a high unmet medical need. The primary efficacy outcome parameter is Overall Response Rate (ORR) and the study expects top line data in the second half of 2023.

The other studies testing the combination of ISA101b and Libtayo are:

A cervical cancer phase 2 study (NCT04646005) that is being conducted by Regeneron. It will enrol 103 adult patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16 positive cervical cancer who have experienced disease progression after first line chemotherapy. Primary endpoint of this study will be ORR.

A randomised, placebo controlled phase 2 study in first and second line HPV16 positive head-and-neck cancer (NCT03669718) that will include 194 patients also with ORR as primary endpoint. ISA Pharmaceuticals runs this study. Top line results for this study are expected in the second half of 2022.

ISA101b immunotherapy targets HPV16 positive cancers. It induces strong and specific immune responses to the HPV16 virus, and (re-)establishes a powerful and targeted T-cell immune response against infected and/or cancerous cells and tissues. ISA101b is using ISA's proprietary Synthetic Long Peptide (SLP) technology. Libtayo is an anti-PD-1 antibody that is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi.

Gerben Moolhuizen, Chief Executive Officer of ISA Pharmaceuticals, said: "We are pleased to announce that the first patient has been treated in this new study. It highlights the productive collaboration we have with Regeneron, with active operational involvement from both companies. This additional trial offers a potentially shortened path to first approval in a HPV16 positive cancer indication."

Head-and-neck and cervical cancers can be severe and life-threatening, often diagnosed in young to middle aged adults, with low overall survival rates once these cancers progress to advanced stages. HPV16 is a major cause of head & neck cancer with over 25,000 new cases and 11,000 deaths in Europe1 and 46,000 new cases and 9,000 deaths in the US2.

More information on the clinical trials can be found here.

1 Adapted from https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/3-Oropharynx-fact-sheet.pdf

2 Adapted from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/oral-cavity-and-oropharyngeal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

About ISA Pharmaceuticals

ISA Pharmaceuticals is an immunotherapy company developing treatments for various cancers and infectious diseases. ISA Pharma has best-in-class technology to stimulate and activate the human immune system, specifically T cells, to fight diseased or infected cells. Its lead asset ISA101b is in late-stage clinical trials for human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-induced cancer in a collaboration with US pharmaceutical company Regeneron. Other assets are in preclinical stage development and include immunotherapies to treat patients that suffer from chronic hepatitis B infections, cancers that over-express PRAME, cancers caused by other HPV types than HPV16, or SARS-CoV2 infections. For more information, please visit www.isa-pharma.com.

SOURCE ISA Pharmaceuticals
SHAWNEE, Kan., Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- John R. Alley, Jr., MD, FACS, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Trusted General Surgeon for his years of medical service and dedication to teaching and mentoring young doctors in the surgery field.

John R. Alley, Jr., MD, FACS

As a General Surgeon at Kansas Health System, Dr. Alley performs all general surgery procedures, and is a hernia repair specialist. As a surgeon for nearly two decades, he has successfully performed thousands of procedures, ranging from emergency laparoscopic procedures to hernia surgeries. He is also spearheading a new Emergency General Surgery Service at the Medical Center.



Dr. Alley is passionate about guiding the next generation of surgeons. He teaches and mentors young students, providing them with the wealth of knowledge he has gained throughout his years of working as a surgeon. He works as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the General and Pediatric Surgery Division at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has published several articles on topics such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy and in-utero fetal brain trauma after a vehicle collision.



After completing his undergraduate education, Dr. Alley served the United States Military for ten years, beginning in 1991. After his first four-year tour, he attended college at Pittsburgh State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry and Physics. He graduated in 1995. He then attended the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he completed his general surgery training.



As a General Surgeon, Dr. Alley is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and the American Board of Surgery (ABS). He is certified in CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 and Epic Care Ambulatory EMR. Dr. Alley's exceptional work has been profiled on issuewire.com and kumc.edu.



To stay current in the medical field, Dr. Alley is a member of the Society of Laparo-Endoscopic Surgeons and the Kansas Medical Society, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.



He performs many types of surgeries, mainly focused on the abdominal area. He may perform surgery in or around the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix, bile ducts, and thyroid. His specialty is hernia surgeries. He believes in treating every patient with respect, kindness, and a willingness to listen and respond to their concerns.



On a personal note, Dr. Alley is married and has four children, three girls and a boy. His hobbies include spending time with family, skydiving, gourmet cooking, and sampling fine wine and premium cigars. In order to give back, he serves as the Medical Director for Guatemala for the Medical Missions Foundation. Each year, he travels to Guatemala and perform surgeries in underserved regions.



He would like to dedicate this honorable recognition In Memory of James H. Thomas MD, his mentor and Chairman in the Department of Surgery during Dr. Alley's early career; and to his uncle James M. Dover, MD, who is his inspiration and mentor.



For more information about Dr. Alley and the University of Kansas Medical Center, please visit https://www.kumc.edu/.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


BEIJING, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Joy Spreader Group Inc. (HKG:6988, "the Group", "Joy Spreader"), a leading marketing technology company, hosted a conference call regarding its interim results for 2021 On August 31. During the meeting, the Group's management discussed several topics of importance to the industry, including personal data protection, algorithm-based recommendations and data security. The firm's data falls into three categories: product, new media content and anonymous user behavior, none of which involves the collection of users' personal information such as name and gender.

With an overall shift to an information-based society, the internet has introduced fundamental changes to daily living, initiating the growth of the digital economy while opening the door to an avalanche of unprecedented issues around unauthorized collection of data, fraudulent transactions and abuse of personal information.

Against this backdrop, China has officially established a data governance framework centered around a trio of laws that came into effect on August 20, 2021: the Network Security Law, the Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law. The framework ensures information security in the digital world while helping promote the long-term, healthy growth of the digital economy, including the mobile new media performance-based marketing sector.

The Chinese government's increased regulatory efforts to ensure data security and protect personal information are expected to reduce uncertainties about the growth of the digital economy and stabilize market expectations. At the same time, the barrier to market access has been raised as a result of the government setting stricter compliance requirements for industry players. This, in turn, helps the better performing players in the industry stand out and build competiveness by virtue of their ability to remain in compliance of the new laws.

Joy Spreader, a leading marketing technology company mainly engaged in mobile new media intelligent performance-based marketing, has fully incorporated the concept of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) into its operational management while ensuring compliance with the new laws.

Recently, Chinese regulators have strengthened regulations guiding algorithm-based recommendations, allowing users to opt out of algorithm-driven services and delete point of interest (POI) tags by themselves. When responding to this topic, Joy Spreader said that the company also has an interest-based recommendation mechanism, but it only involves recommendations of marketing points and products as well as recommendations to each other. The firm has not been affected by the government's heightened regulations concerning algorithm-based recommendations as its recommendation mechanism is in no way similar to mechanisms that offer interest-based content recommendations to internet users.

It is hard for internet users to avoid being influenced by fraudulent traffic and fake comments on the internet as the information has become so prevalent in daily lives. In this regard, Joy Spreader said that fraudulent traffic and fake comments are associated with the management of accounts or the fan economy, both businesses that the firm hasn't and will not become involved in.

Fake fans and comments would undermine Joy Spreader's business as they can mislead the company's algorithm models. The government's increased efforts to crack down on fraudulent traffic and fake comments are helping create a healthier new media environment, which is good news for Joy Spreader.

As for data security, Joy Spreader stated that the firm has been viewing data as a core asset from day one with an ongoing commitment to protecting it in accordance with the strictest industry standards. With multi-tier licensing and a comprehensive backup mechanism, the Group's database is securely stored on trusted cloud and on-premises server platforms. In addition, the company has strengthened its IT and internal control audits in an effort to ensure data security.

The interim financial report showed that Joy Spreader achieved revenue of HK$624 million (approx. US$79.8 million) during the first half of 2021, an increase of 62.37 per cent from the same period of the previous year.

Net profit excluding foreign exchange losses for the period also grew 102.26 per cent year on year to HK$137 million (approx. US$17.5 million). Joy Spreader uses a cost-per-sale (CPS) approach as its main revenue model. During the first half of the year, CPS-based revenue accounted for 92.71 per cent of the Group's total. With a high barrier to entry, the CPS approach requires accumulation of sufficient real data that spans a meaningful period of time while relying on investment into research and development over the long-term as well as continued optimization of the algorithms. The strong performance that led to the firm's excellent interim results has demonstrated the role of compliance with all rules concerning data algorithms in boosting the growth of the business.

Going forward, Joy Spreader plans to fulfill its responsibilities as an industry leader by strengthening awareness of the importance compliance across the organization while implementing measures that ensure that the firm is always in compliance with existing regulations. By doing so, the firm expects to lead the industry in terms of data security and information protection by leveraging its extensive experience with the secure use of data, promoting the stable growth of the industry.

For more information about Joy Spreader Group Inc., please visit here.

SOURCE Joy Spreader Group Inc.

Related Links

www.joyspreader.com.cn


Frotet Project , Quebec (Joint Venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining): 18,000m diamond drill program

, diamond drill program Healy Project , Alaska (Optioned from Newmont Corporation): 5,000m maiden diamond drill program

, maiden diamond drill program Tanacross Project , Alaska (100% owned): soil geochemistry, UAV magnetic, and IP surveys

, soil geochemistry, UAV magnetic, and IP surveys Chicobi Project , Quebec (Optioned to Sumitomo Metal Mining): Geophysics (UAV magnetics, IP, EM)

, Geophysics (UAV magnetics, IP, EM) Hunter Project , Quebec (100% owned): Property-wide airborne VTEM geophysical survey

, Property-wide airborne VTEM geophysical survey Chebistuan Project , Quebec (Optioned to Newmont Corporation): Phase 2 soil geochemistry survey

, Phase 2 soil geochemistry survey South Uchi Project, Ontario (100% owned): LIDAR survey and regional till sampling (planned for fall)

Francis MacDonald, Executive Vice President of Exploration, commented, "We are carrying out a significant amount of exploration this year, which is shaping up to be our largest yet in terms of both sole-funded, and partner-funded budgets. There is over C$17 million of exploration happening across our portfolio, with the majority of that spend going towards drill programs at the Frotet Project, in Quebec, which is currently under JV with Sumitomo Metal Mining, as well as the Healy Project, in Alaska, which we have optioned from Newmont Corporation, with the balance advancing our 'pipeline' of greenfield projects, located in Quebec and Ontario. With over C$11 million of these expenditures funded through partners on projects which we remain operator, Kenorland not only shares the risk of exploration but also generates significant revenue through management fees and cash payments, which we estimate will be over C$2 million this year alone."

Figure 1. Kenorland Minerals North American Project Locations

Zach Flood, President and CEO states, "Our mission at Kenorland has always been to maximize shareholder return through exploration success. We take a long-term approach with multiple grassroots projects being advanced through the pipeline at all times. Some of our projects are sole funded, some are farmed out, while other assets are sold entirely for equity and royalty interests, depending on how a project fits within our risk profile. We believe that scale, creativity and flexibility are fundamental to building value and optionality within an exploration portfolio. Any of these projects may result in a significant discovery, as we have already witnessed at Frotet through the grassroots discovery of Regnault last year. With interest in over 1 million acres of ground, all which has seen various stages of systematic exploration and being actively explored, we are confident that our efforts will return significant gains to our shareholders."

2021 Exploration Update

Frotet Project, Quebec (80/20 Joint Venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd.): The Company has completed 9,889 meters of diamond drilling from the recently announced program consisting of up to 18,000 meters (see press release date July 14, 2021) allocated for infill and step-out drilling along the R1 and R2 gold-bearing structures as well as follow-up on additional zones of mineralization within the Regnault trend. In addition to drilling at Regnault, till and soil geochemical surveys as well as prospecting campaigns were completed on several regional areas of interest within the Frotet Project. This work has yielded a number of robust geochemical anomalies which warrant follow-up exploration including detailed geophysics in preparation for drill targeting. Drill testing of these regional target areas is tentatively planned for Q1 2022.

Healy Project, Alaska (Optioned from Newmont Corporation): The ongoing drill program at Healy (see press release date June 3, 2021) has been extended to include over 5,000 meters of diamond drilling to systematically test the Bronk, Thor and Spike target areas. The Company has also completed 5 line-kilometers of high-powered induced polarization (IP) and magnetotellurics (MT) which transects the entire Healy gold system. A total of 4,821 meters has been drilled to date and complete assays from the drill program are expected to be announced in Fall 2021.

Tanacross Project, Alaska (100% owned): The Company has completed an extensive soil geochemical and mapping survey covering East Taurus, West Taurus, and South Taurus prospects as well as the Big Creek target. A total of 1870 soil samples have been collected and sent for analysis. Detailed UAV magnetics surveys, consisting of over 600 line-kilometers, was flown over the same target areas. The Company has also completed 5 line-kilometers of high-powered IP and MT over the South Taurus target. Due to delays of the geochemical and geophysical surveys, the previously announced drill program planned at Tanacross has been put on hold until further notice, and the budget was reallocated to complete additional drilling at the Healy Project.

Chicobi Project, Quebec (Optioned to Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd.): The Company has received all assay and gold grain counts from the Phase 3 sonic drill-for-till geochemical program. A coherent, multi-element (including gold) anomaly, 'Target B', was identified from multiple sonic drilling campaigns which began with a property-wide regional survey in 2019. Detailed geophysical surveys are now being planned to refine drill targets within the anomaly. These geophysical surveys, which include drone magnetics, IP, and electromagnetics (EM), are planned for fall 2021. Initial diamond drill testing is tentatively scheduled for Q1 2022.

Hunter Project, Quebec (100% owned): The Company has completed a property-wide airborne Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) geophysical survey covering the 18,177-hectare project aimed to identify potential volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) targets for follow-up exploration. A total of 1,104 line-kilometers were flown at a spacing of 200m.

Chebistuan Project, Quebec (Optioned to Newmont Corporation): The Company has completed the Phase 2 geochemical survey following up on multiple anomalous areas of interest defined from the initial regional program in 2020. A total of 2,121 soil samples were collected for geochemical analysis and 225 till samples collected for gold grain analysis. A follow-up prospecting campaign is tentatively planned for the Fall.

South Uchi Project, Ontario (100% owned): The Company has completed a LIDAR survey and surficial geology map covering the 76,511-hectare project. This data has been used for planning a first pass till geochemistry program scheduled for the Fall.

Other Equity and Royalty Interests

Rupert Project (LiFT Power Ltd - Private) Kenorland recently optioned the Rupert Lithium Project, located in Quebec, to LiFT Power in return for a 10% equity interest in the company upon listing and a 2% uncapped NSR. A first-pass regional till sampling program has been completed covering ~1000 km2 of the prospective geologic sub-province boundary that hosts the Whabouchi lithium pegmatite deposit.

Napoleon Project (J2 Metals Inc. - Private)  The Company recently vended the Napoleon Project, located in Alaska to J2 Metals for a significant equity position and 2% uncapped NSR. J2 is currently carrying out a 3,000m rotary air blast (RAB) drill program to test multiple gold-bearing structures.

Fox River Project (Superior Nickel Corp. - Private)  The Company recently vended two mineral exploration licenses covering prospective Ni sulphide targets in the Fox River Belt in Manitoba in return for a significant equity position and 2% uncapped NSR, as well as an exploration commitment to complete 2,000m of diamond drilling to test various Ni-sulphide targets within the belt.

Goldrange and Thibert Projects (Kingfisher Metals Ltd. - TSXV: KFR): The Company holds a 2% uncapped NSR on the Goldrange and Thibert Projects as well as a significant equity position in Kingfisher. A 5,000m maiden diamond drill program is currently underway at Goldrange to test a large-scale gold-in-soil anomaly related to a previously undrilled gold system.

Prospector Royalty Corp. (Private)  The Company owns an approximate 40% stake in Prospector Royalty Corp., a private royalty generation and acquisition company which recently received a C$2 million strategic investment from Gold Royalty Corp. (NYSE: GROY).

Koulou Gold Corp. (Private)  The Company owns a 20% stake in Koulou Gold, a private West Africa-focused gold exploration company.

Qualified Person

Mr. Jan Wozniewski, B. Sc., P. Geo., OGQ (#2239) is the "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSX.V KLD) is a mineral exploration Company incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Kenorland's focus is early to advanced stage exploration in North America. The Company currently holds three projects in Quebec where work is being completed under joint venture and earn-in agreement from third parties. The Frotet Project is held under joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. (SMMCL), the Chicobi Project is optioned to SMMCL, and the Chebistuan Project is optioned to Newmont Corporation. The Company also owns 100% of the advanced stage Tanacross porphyry Cu-Au project as well as an option to earn up to 70% from Newmont Corporation on the Healy Project, both located in Alaska, USA.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.kenorlandminerals.com

Kenorland Minerals Ltd.

Zach Flood

President and CEO

Tel: +1 604 363 1779

[email protected]

Kenorland Minerals Ltd.

Francis MacDonald

Executive Vice President

Tel: +1 778 322 8705

[email protected]

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Kenorland Minerals Ltd.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. and ST. LOUIS, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lambert & Co. announced today it has acquired The Vandiver Group, Inc. (Vandiver), a St. Louis-based strategic communications and market research firm. The deal marks Lambert's fourth transaction in the last two years, fueling its integrated service offerings and expanding its talent bench.

Vandiver is a WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council) certified PR firm founded by communications veteran Donna Vandiver, president & CEO of The Vandiver Group, who leads a team of communicators, creatives and research strategists. She founded and has led the company for more than 28 years, expanding its services from strategic communications and corporate reputation to market research, digital and integrated marketing, and more. Throughout its history, Vandiver has led communications efforts for a host of Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and consumer brands. She joins Lambert & Co. as managing director and will continue to lead the St. Louis office. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We are always looking for great talent and acquisitions is one way we can complement and catapult our strategic goals," said Jeff Lambert, founder and CEO of Lambert & Co. "I have known Donna for several years and this acquisition is a culmination of a relationship driven by values alignment and strategic fit."

The transaction is grounded in Lambert's strategy to be the nation's leading PR and IR firm for emerging and established market leaders through organic growth, acquisitions and innovation. Acquiring Vandiver deepens Lambert's roster of communicators, specifically within crisis and reputation management, corporate communications, market research and executive and employee training. Vandiver has been recognized by the Emmy Awards, The Communicator Awards, MarCom Awards, AMA Marketing Excellence Awards and by PRWeek and others for its business and reputation-impacting work. Additionally, the firm has been named "Best PR Firm" by St. Louis SBM for 12 consecutive years.

"Jeff and I have been peers within the communications industry and have developed a strong relationship through our partnership for many years in PROI Worldwide. We've watched their growth and how they've stayed true to their vision. We'll now be able to offer additional services and diverse perspectives, while continuing the award-winning work we have always produced," said Donna Vandiver.

Lambert has taken a proactive approach to achieve its growth objectives, leaning further into service elevated through the pandemic such as crisis and reputation, issues management, diversity consulting and multi-cultural marketing. The firm posted revenue growth of 30% in 2020 despite the tumultuous marketplace, and launched new practices and a retail investor marketing platform and fintech startup, TiiCKER.

About Lambert & Co.

Lambert & Co. invented the PR and IR integrated model nearly 25 years ago and today leads with strategic communications and integrated marketing campaigns that deliver to the bottom line. The national, award-winning firm is a top-40 PR agency and top-10 IR firm with top-5 practices in Automotive and Mobility, Education and M&A/Private Equity nationally, and has talent hubs in Grand Rapids (HQ), Detroit, Houston, New York, Phoenix and St. Louis. Lambert has earned Firm of the Year honors from PR Week and PRNews and founder Jeff Lambert was the inaugural winner of the PR industry's Diversity Action Alliance "Ally of the Year" in 2021. Lambert & Co. is a founding partner of TiiCKER, a consumer shareholder marketing and perks platform, an equity partner in minority-owned national branding and advertising agency 9thWonder Agency, and a global partner in PROI Worldwide, the largest partnership of independent PR firms in the world spanning 120 cities on five continents.

Contact

Cierra Mangal, [email protected], 248-506-0325

Bill Raack, [email protected], 314-602-0696

SOURCE Lambert & Co.

Related Links

http://www.lambert.com


BONN, Germany and BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LeanIX ( https://www.leanix.net/ ) the platform to plan and manage the Continuous Transformation journey, today announced the LeanIX Connect Summit 2021 happening on September 29-30, 2021. Participation is free for the international IT industry event  happening in Bonn, Germany and live on the web. Register today at https://www.leanix-connect.com/eu .

LeanIX regularly brings together leading minds from the IT industry. What started in 2014 as an exclusive event for enterprise architects has developed into one of the world's most important events for CIOs, CTOs, enterprise architects and other IT managers. The new name, LeanIX Connect Summit, encompasses the diverse challenges that corporate IT and product IT face to enable continuous transformation in their organizations. Topics of the two-day event include modern enterprise architecture, intelligent DevOps management, and the ever-increasing demands in SaaS management. Industry thought leaders will provide new insights and share best practices - on-site at the World Conference Center in Bonn and from a live webcast.

LeanIX events bring together thousands of IT experts to discuss the latest trends impacting the industry:

LeanIX CEO Andre Christ explains the outcomes of the event: "A wise writer once said: "Knowledge is the only good that increases when you share it." This is exactly the goal of our networking event. Companies present best practices and provide honest insights into their work, and we discuss challenges and new opportunities with technology partners as independent experts present their vision of how to future-proof companies. In short, we offer real information exchange and exciting ideas to act upon. This is noticed and appreciated in the industry."

A first look at the presentations at the LeanIX Connect Summit 2021:

International thought leaders and IT executives from renowned companies

What does the future hold for enterprise architects in the age of platforms? In his keynote, world-renowned enterprise strategist Gregor Hohpe explains why these specialists are more in demand today than ever before. The EA team at Robert Bosch GmbH outlines the special challenges of a global company with a complex IT landscape, while Dr. Quirin Gorz talks about business capability management at his company KUKA from the CIO perspective. SaaS management expert Jim Hussey takes a look at the rapidly growing number of SaaS applications in companies and the consequences of this dynamic, with LeanIX CEO Andre Christ also presenting the key findings of a new international study. Mulesoft, provider of the leading connectivity platform for APIs and integrations, presents current challenges in product IT. The representatives of the Belgian Keytrade Bank will also speak on the DevOps topic with their experiences in setting up a microservices architecture.

Learn more about the current agenda for the 2021 LeanIX Connect Summit:

https://www.leanix-connect.com/eu

About LeanIX

LeanIX's Continuous Transformation Platform is trusted by Corporate IT and Product IT to achieve comprehensive visibility and superior governance. Global customers organize, plan and manage IT landscapes with LeanIX's automated and data-driven approach. Offering Enterprise Architecture, SaaS, and DevOps Management, LeanIX helps organizations make sound decisions and accelerate transformation journeys. LeanIX has hundreds of customers globally, including Adidas, Atlassian, Bosch, Dropbox, Santander or Workday. The company is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, with offices in Boston, San Francisco and around the world.

Contact:

Jeremy Douglas

Catapult PR-IR

303-589-1941

[email protected]

SOURCE LeanIX

Related Links

http://www.leanix-connect.com


This agreement creates an abundance of opportunity to positively impact more lives. Tweet this

"In short, this agreement creates an abundance of opportunity for LHC Group to positively impact more lives through the delivery of quality healthcare in cooperation with our new colleagues from Brookdale Health Care Services," said Keith Myers, LHC Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "As such, we will be able to serve more people in the comfort of their home or place of residence. LHC Group also looks forward to working with Brookdale Senior Living's 226 senior living communities in these territories."

"In July, HCA Healthcare purchased a majority stake in Brookdale Health Care Services to expand access to healthcare services for our patients," said Sam Hazen, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare. "We believe the sale to LHC Group of these sites of care, which were part of that transaction and are not in communities we currently serve, positions them for continued success."

Lucinda "Cindy" Baier, Brookdale Senior Living's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are looking forward to working with LHC Group, another national provider of healthcare services. This transaction will further strengthen our liquidity, maintain our 20% interest in the venture with HCA Healthcare, and ensure that high-quality home health and hospice services continue to be available to our residents at communities in these markets. I'm pleased that Brookdale's residents will benefit from a seamless offering of services across our broad care continuum."

On Aug. 4, 2021, LHC Group's guidance for acquired annual revenue for 2021 was increased from $350 million to $500 million, compared with $150 million to $200 million previously. With this latest agreement, the company has now acquired or announced $308 million in M&A activity year-to-date.

This acquisition marks LHC Group's initial entry into two new states  Minnesota and New Mexico -- and expands its service areas in states where the company already operates. The agencies and locations include the following:

Home Health

Nurse On Call, Oneonta, AL

Nurse On Call, Phoenix, AZ

Brookdale Home Health, Sonoma, CA

Brookdale Home Health Hartford, Rocky Hill, CT

Brookdale Home Health, Naperville, IL

Nurse On Call, Indianapolis, IN

Nurse On Call, Shrewsbury, MA

Brookdale Home Health Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI

Brookdale Home Health Minnesota, Edina, MN

Brookdale Home Health St. Louis, Creve Coeur, MO

Brookdale Home Health Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

Brookdale Home Health Raleigh, Durham, NC

Brookdale Home Health Winston, Greensboro, NC

Brookdale Home Health Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM

Brookdale Home Health Cleveland, Brooklyn Heights, OH

Brookdale Home Health Columbus, Dublin, OH

Brookdale Home Health Dayton, Moraine, OH

Brookdale Home Health Tulsa, Broken Arrow, OK

Brookdale Home Health OKC, Oklahoma City, OK

Brookdale Home Health Portland, Wilsonville, OR

Brookdale Home Health Philadelphia, Wayne, PA

Nurse on Call, Lincoln, RI

Brookdale Home Health, Lynwood, WA

Hospice

Brookdale Hospice, Phoenix, AZ

Brookdale Hospice, Sacramento, CA

Brookdale Hospice, Rolling Meadows, IL

Brookdale Hospice, Indianapolis, IN

Brookdale Hospice, Farmington Hills, MI

Brookdale Hospice, Bloomington, MN

Brookdale Hospice Columbus, Columbus, OH

Brookdale Hospice, Moraine, OH

Brookdale Hospice Cleveland, Richfield, OH

Brookdale Hospice, Wilsonville, OR

Brookdale Hospice, Wayne, PA

Therapy

Brookdale Therapy Roswell, Roswell, GA

Brookdale Therapy Lake View, Chicago, IL

Brookdale Therapy Oak Park, Oak Park, IL

Brookdale Therapy, Farmington Hills, MI

Brookdale Therapy Carriage Club, Charlotte, NC

Brookdale Therapy Heritage Hills, Hendersonville, NC

Brookdale Therapy North Raleigh, Raleigh, NC

Brookdale Therapy Monroe, Monroe Township, NJ

Brookdale Therapy Westlake Village, Westlake, OH

Brookdale Therapy, Tiverton, RI

Brookdale Therapy Anderson, Anderson, SC

Brookdale Therapy Maryville, Maryville, TN

Brookdale Therapy Bristol, Bristol, VA

SVB Leerink is serving as financial advisor and Alston & Bird LLP is serving as legal counsel to LHC Group.

About LHC Group, Inc.

LHC Group, Inc. is a national provider of in-home healthcare services and innovations for communities around the nation, offering quality, value-based healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. The company's 30,000 employees deliver home health, hospice, home and community based services, and facility-based care in 35 states and the District of Columbia  reaching 60 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older. Through Imperium Health, the company's ACO management and enablement company, LHC Group helps partners improve both savings and patient outcomes with a value-based approach. As the preferred joint venture partner for more than 400 leading U.S. hospitals and health systems, LHC Group works in cooperation with providers to customize each partnership and reach more patients and families with an effective and efficient model of care.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, and all statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believe", "hope", "may", "anticipate", "should", "intend", "plan", "will", "expect", "estimate", "project", "positioned", "strategy" and similar expressions, and are based on assumptions and assessments made by LHC Group's management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and LHC Group undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in LHC Group's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors", as well LHC Group's current reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:





Investor Relations Media Relations

Eric Elliott Mark Willis

(337) 233-1307 (337) 769-0673

[email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE LHC Group, Inc.
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums announced today the long-awaited location for their upcoming Pittsburgh exhibition. With a new opening date of October 21, 2021, the original, Immersive Van Gogh will find a home at the newly titled Lighthouse Artspace Pittsburgh, housed in a historic manufacturing plant at 720 E Lacock Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 located adjacent to the Allegheny River. The building illustrates the city's beautiful, industrial, and technological history that pairs seamlessly with Immersive Van Gogh. To date, over three million tickets have been sold for the original Immersive Van Gogh exhibits across North America, making it one of the most sought-after attractions on the continent.

Set designer and creative director Rowan Doyle will be adorning the lobby with one-of-a-kind immersive pieces of art that pay homage to the City of Bridges and the infamous painter. With lengthy and award-winning resume designing sets, Doyle's pieces will bring a new side of Van Gogh to life through her interpretation and affinity for the painter that will prepare visitors to the wonders that lie ahead in the exhibition's main galleries.

Rising to blockbuster status, the original Immersive Van Gogh has proven to be one of the hottest shows with sold-out runs in Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and more. The exhibition invites audiences to step into the mind of Van Gogh, illustrating his paintbrush strokes in a swirl of color, brought to life with the help of 60,600 frames of video, 90,000,000 pixels, and 500,000+ cubic feet of projections.

The breathtaking exhibit featuring state-of-the-art technology and immersive storytelling is one of "the hottest tickets in town!" by MSNBC Morning News and "a mesmerizing interactive experience" by Architectural Digest.

"Immersive Van Gogh is perfectly hosted at Lighthouse Artspace Pittsburgh," said co-producer Diana Rayzman, Co-Founder of Impact Museums. "Our vision to feature the famous art in a multi-dimensional experience against the beauty of the building is exactly what we were hoping for."

"We have been delighted to see the way the city and people of Pittsburgh have embraced Immersive Van Gogh," says Producer Corey Ross.

"We've created a unique and enthralling production where Pittsburgh residents and visitors alike can quite literally surround themselves with the work of Vincent van Gogh, one of the greatest artists who ever lived," added Producer Svetlana Dvoretsky.

For more information about Immersive Van Gogh, visit https://www.immersivevangogh.com/ . Follow the exhibition on social media on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .

For images, click here , and for video, click here

SOURCE Lighthouse Immersive
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindbody, the leading experience technology platform for the wellness industry, today announced that the Company has awarded WellBiz Brands, Inc. ("WellBiz Brands") with the 2021 Industry Icon Award. The award, presented annually at Mindbody's BOLD conference, is given to an enterprise customer that has differentiated themselves from other businesses and made a profound, lasting impact on the wellness industry.

"WellBiz Brands'dedication to bringing exceptional wellness experiences to their customers truly makes them an industry leader. They provide each of their portfolio companies with individualized guidance and growth plans to bring their first-in-class offerings to as many consumers as possible, while keeping that valuable personal touch," said Josh McCarter, CEO of Mindbody. "Our collaboration with WellBiz Brands has allowed us to consciously evolve to the specific needs of our customers over the years to enhance our offerings to better serve not just WellBiz Brands, but the entire wellness industry."

WellBiz Brands is the nation's premiere franchisor of beauty and wellness brands. With five separate franchise brands, Drybar,  Amazing Lash Studio, Elements Massage, Fitness Together, and LunchboxWax, and more than 800 locations, WellBiz Brands specializes in enabling the accelerated growth of emerging consumer brands. WellBiz Brands has secured three spots on the Inc. 5000 list over the last fouryears, highlighting their unique ability to quickly scale businesses into some of the most loved brands.

Additionally, WellBiz Brands provides its portfolio with access to shared services, infrastructure and support. As part of this, WellBiz was able to secure PPP funding for its brands to assist them through the pandemic.

"As WellBiz has expanded our portfolio over the years, including our most recent acquisitions, Mindbody has grown, innovated and expanded alongside us," said WellBiz Brands' Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Morgan. "After a year of unprecedented hurdles for the wellness industry, we are honored to be chosen for the 2021 Industry Icon Award. We look forward to continuing our dedication to serving our consumers."

In 2020, Physique 57 was honored with the Industry Icon Award in recognition of the value the brand brought consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic through its expansive library of on-demand offerings. Orangetheory Fitness was granted the inaugural Icon Industry Award in 2019.

About Mindbody

Mindbody is the leading experience technology platform for the fitness, wellness, and beauty industries. Fitness studios, salons, spas, and integrated health centersfrom the newest entrepreneurs to the largest franchisesuse Mindbody's integrated software and payments platform to run, market, and grow their businesses. Consumers use Mindbody to more easily find, engage, and transact with wellness providers in their local communities and around the world. For more information on how Mindbody is helping people lead healthier, happier lives by connecting the world to wellness, visit mindbodyonline.com.

About WellBiz Brands, Inc.

WellBiz Brands, Inc. is the manager of five beauty and wellness franchise brands: Drybar, Amazing Lash Studio, LunchboxWax, Elements Massage and Fitness Together. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, WellBiz Brands, has more than 800 combined U.S. locations across their five brands. Through the WellBiz Brands support center staff, the brands strive to uphold these core values: fun, ownership, respect, passion, and integrity. All five brands offer unique franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs from all walks of life and various investment levels, with a fresh focus on recurring revenue models. For more information about WellBiz Brands and its franchise opportunities, visit WellBizBrands.com.

SOURCE Mindbody

Related Links

https://www.mindbodyonline.com


TSX andOTCQX: MPVD

TORONTO and NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. ("Mountain Province", the "Company") (TSX: MPVD) (OTCQX: MPVD) today announces changes to its Board of Directors. Additionally, the company reminds shareholders of its upcoming virtual Annual General Meeting ("AGM").

Mr. Tom Peregoodoff has tendered his resignation from the Board of Directors with immediate effect. Mr. Peregoodoff joined the board in 2019 and served on the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, as well as the Audit and Risk Committee. In addition to these formal roles, Mr. Peregoodoff made valuable contributions to the Company in the areas of exploration, operations and business development.

Jonathan Comerford, the Company's Chairman commented: "On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank Tom for his service to Mountain Province Diamonds and wish him well as he turns his focus to a leadership role in the precious metals industry. His many years of practical experience in the mining industry, which he brought to the Board, served the company well."

Reminder of 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

The Company wishes to remind shareholders of the upcoming virtual Annual General Meeting ("AGM") being held at 11:00AM EDT on Tuesday September 14th, 2021. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 5, 2021, being the record date, are eligible to vote at the meeting. Details on how to attend the AGM are available on the company's website at https://www.mountainprovince.com/agm. Further details of the AGM are contained in the Company's 2021 Management Information Circular, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About the Company

Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Canada in the Gahcho Kue diamond mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories. The Gahcho Kue Joint Venture property consists of several kimberlites that are actively being mined, developed, and explored for future development. The Company also controls 106,202 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims and leases that surround the Gahcho Kue Joint Venture property that include an indicated mineral resource for the Kelvin kimberlite and inferred mineral resources for the Faraday kimberlites.

For further information on Mountain Province Diamonds and to receive news releases by email, visit the Company's website at www.mountainprovince.com.

Qualified Person

The disclosure in this news release of scientific and technical information regarding Mountain Province's mineral properties has been reviewed and approved by Matthew MacPhail, P.Eng., MBA, and Tom E. McCandless, Ph.D., P.Geo., both employees of Mountain Province Diamonds and Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and United States securities laws concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to operational hazards, including possible disruption due to pandemic such as COVID-19, its impact on travel, self-isolation protocols and business and operations, estimated production and mine life of the project of Mountain Province; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; the future price of diamonds; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the ability to manage debt; capital expenditures; the ability to obtain permits for operations; liquidity; tax rates; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Mountain Province, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates," "may," "can," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "targets," "intends," "likely," "will," "should," "to be", "potential" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Mountain Province and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.

Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking statements include the development of operation hazards which could arise in relation to COVID-19, including, but not limited to protocols which may be adopted to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and any impact of such protocols on Mountain Province's business and operations, variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in market conditions, changes in project parameters, mine sequencing; production rates; cash flow; risks relating to the availability and timeliness of permitting and governmental approvals; supply of, and demand for, diamonds; fluctuating commodity prices and currency exchange rates, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated.

These factors are discussed in greater detail in Mountain Province's most recent Annual Information Form and in the most recent MD&A filed on SEDAR, which also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Mountain Province cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on forward-looking statements should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Mountain Province believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.

Although Mountain Province has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Mountain Province undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered as the property is developed.

Further, Mountain Province may make changes to its business plans that could affect its results. The principal assets of Mountain Province are administered pursuant to a joint venture under which Mountain Province is not the operator. Mountain Province is exposed to actions taken or omissions made by the operator within its prerogative and/or determinations made by the joint venture under its terms. Such actions or omissions may impact the future performance of Mountain Province. Under its current note and revolving credit facilities Mountain Province is subject to certain limitations on its ability to pay dividends on common stock. The declaration of dividends is at the discretion of Mountain Province's Board of Directors, subject to the limitations under the Company's debt facilities, and will depend on Mountain Province's financial results, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

SOURCE Mountain Province Diamonds Inc.

Related Links

http://www.mountainprovince.com


VIPER, an important part of the Artemis program, is a golf cart-sized rover that will roam several miles across the South Pole of the Moon to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of ice during its approximately 100-day mission. The Artemis program will accomplish many "firsts" for NASA and the global space community. VIPER is NASA's first lunar robotic rover , and is the first resource-mapping mission on the surface of another celestial body. Additionally, the thermal control system developed jointly by ACT and NASA will be the first to maintain operation for a 100-day mission while in shadowed conditions. "It's exciting to demonstrate some of the best passive thermal management solutions on such an important mission," said Bill Anderson, Chief Engineer at ACT.

For this contract, Advanced Cooling Technologies (ACT) will deliver a combination of high-performance, passive thermal technologies specifically designed to meet the challenges associated with a long-term lunar mission.

Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) with integral Thermal Control Valves (TCVs)

External Ammonia Constant Conductance Heat Pipes (CCHPs)

Honeycomb Radiator Panels with embedded Constant Conductance Heat Pipes (CCHPs)

In addition to the flight articles, ACT will be providing system and sub-system level thermal analysis, verification, and thermal testing in coordination with the teams at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. All flight articles will be delivered by June 2022, meeting NASA's critical launch schedule. The image below shows a mock-up of VIPER and various aspects of the thermal control hardware developed during the Engineering Demonstration Phase.

As referenced above, one of the most challenging aspects of VIPER's mission is operating in shadowed conditions. Due to the slow rotation of the lunar surface relative to the sun, the environmental temperature drops to below 100K (-280F) for approximately 14 earth days. This condition has been avoided in the past, including the Apollo mission which landed in the lunar morning. To enable long-duration science missions on the lunar surface it is necessary to maintain the electronics above survival temperature while in shadows. The hardware ACT is developing reduces the amount of survival heat needed by an order of magnitude  from 100s of Watts to 10s. This significantly reduces the amount of solar power generation and mass required on the rover; ultimately extending life and functionality.

This program is a follow-on effort to an Engineering Demonstration program that concluded earlier this year. During that phase, ACT validated the performance of the thermal hardware and provided Engineering Demonstration Units (EDUs) to NASA for further testing. The collaboration between NASA and ACT dates back over a decade, nearly to ACT's inception as a company in 2003. Many of the mission-critical technologies controlling the temperature on VIPER were developed through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and stemmed from original development programs over a decade ago. "NASA and ACT have been working for many years developing these technologies and the team is thrilled to get the chance to build the products that will actually fly to the Moon", stated Ryan Spangler, ACT's Lead Aerospace Engineer.

This program was also made possible by ACT's continued investment in its space system capabilities. ACT is a global leader in space heat pipe capabilities having expertise in system-level design and high quality, reliable hardware manufacturing. Over the past 5 years, ACT has dramatically increased CCHP production- achieving over 50 million Flight Hours without failure, gained space flight heritage with Space Copper-Water Heat Pipes (SCWHPs), and progressed technology aimed for future extreme environment missions including Venus, Mars, and Jupiter (in addition to the Moon!).

Media Contact

Megan Ulrich

717-295-6061

[email protected]

SOURCE Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.1-act.com


"Everyone is talking about the U.S.-China tech war, but few tried to understand it from a perspective of history," says Nina Xiang, author of the book. "I wrote this book so that readers can understand how the U.S. and China arrived at their current positions."

Despite decades of government-led efforts to boost its semiconductor chips industry, China has lagged far behind other countries, and the nation is vulnerable to U.S. trade blockades. US-China Tech War focuses on the semiconductor chip industry, the epicenter of the current US-China tech rivalry.

The book dispels key myths about how China progressed technologically: the whole-nation model, forced technology transfer, and China's efforts to stimulate home-grown tech. The book's deeper analysis into these hyped terms reveals a new angle for China's innovation journey that will surprise readers.

"The U.S.-China tech war is not one started with a manifesto from either side or with one defining moment; it's better defined as a war with sporadic barrages and unpredictable battles overlaying a steady hum of preparation," says Nina Xiang. "Some frontlines have already been drawn, especially in regards to semiconductors, 5G, and artificial intelligence. These areas are seeing deepening decoupling between the two countries that is tearing apart decades of globalized supply chains."

The book is currently available on promotion in e-book and paperback formats:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B098YSDSD6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

About Nina Xiang

Nina Xiang is an expert on the Chinese venture capital and technology sector with nearly twenty years of financial and business media experience. She has held editorial positions at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Euromoney Institutional Investor, China Radio International, and China Business Network in Beijing, New York, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

In 2011, she founded China Money Network, a platform tracking China's smart investments and technology innovation.

Nina Xiang is part of the team winning an Excellence in Human Rights Reporting honor in SOPA Awards in 2007. She was awarded an Foreign Press Association Annual Scholarship in 2007.

She is an agenda contributor for the World Economic Forum and was named Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the ChinaBang Awards 2019. She appears frequently in a range of international media, including the BBC and CGTN. Her previous book Red AI: Victories and Warnings From China's Rise In Artificial Intelligence was the number one new release in its category.

SOURCE China Money Network
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the most cherished family memories are stored away in shoeboxes, under beds and in closets, rarely viewed among family members. As Save Your Photos Day approaches, Epson today unveiled the Epson FastFoto app1 for use together with the Epson FastFoto FF-680W High-Speed Photo Scanning System (sold separately) to help families easily scan, rediscover and share memories. The Epson FastFoto app1 captures the voice of loved ones and creates custom videos with music, audio, text, and transitions from an iOS or AndroidTM smartphone or device, so families can relive treasured moments together for generations to come.

"Epson has simplified the process of turning cherished memories into organized, digital stories to share with loved ones," said Dan McMillen, product manager, Scanners and Software. "Catering to today's mobile lifestyles, the new FastFoto app extends the workflow of the FastFoto scanner to help families create shareable stories with photos and recorded voice stories to recapture moments in time  from grandpa's voice to a cousin's accent or a loved one singing."

The FastFoto app1 is an extension of the award-winning Epson FastFoto FF-680W High-Speed Photo Scanning System, allowing users to seamlessly manage their workflow directly from a mobile device. The convenient app makes it easy to scan and share first-hand stories about photos by capturing the voice of loved ones and creating slideshows directly from an iOS or Android smartphone or device. By bringing old photos to life with auto enhancement, color restoration and more, the stories you create are as vivid and memorable as they can be.

Offering extraordinary versatility, the Epson FastFoto app1 also offers an easy, guided Wi-Fi set up process as well as a variety of format options for quick sharing, archiving and photo enlargements. Additional features include:

Share Stories for Future Generations  use the Epson FastFoto app 1 to add voice over and text to your photos and create slideshows, right from your smartphone

 use the Epson FastFoto app to add voice over and text to your photos and create slideshows, right from your smartphone Scan Direct  use the app to control the FastFoto FF-680W and scan directly to your smartphone to preserve memories and share with friends

 use the app to control the FastFoto FF-680W and scan directly to your smartphone to preserve memories and share with friends Easy to Connect  Easy WiFi setup of your FastFoto FF-680W scanner with Epson FastFoto App

 Easy WiFi setup of your FastFoto FF-680W scanner with Epson FastFoto App Compatible with Android and iOS devices 1  easily download the app from the respective app stores

 easily download the app from the respective app stores Perfect Picture Imaging System  bring new life to old photos with auto enhancement, color restoration, red-eye reduction, de-skew, crop, rotate

 bring new life to old photos with auto enhancement, color restoration, red-eye reduction, de-skew, crop, rotate Single-Step Technology  capture both the image and any handwritten notes on the back of a photo in a single scan

More about the FastFoto FF-680W Scanner

The Wi-Fi enabled2 FastFoto FF-680W High-Speed Photo Scanning System is the world's fastest personal photo scanner,3 scanning thousands of photos  as fast as one photo per second at 300 dpi4 and up to 36 photos per batch, front and back. SafeTouch technology offers worry-free scanning for a variety of media types and sizes up to 8.5-inches wide, including postcards, panoramic photos up to 36 inches and Polaroid photos. New flexible scanning modes were developed for easy sharing (300 dpi), archiving (600 dpi TIFF) and enlarging (1200 dpi),5 and proprietary software offers organization, restoration and scan to cloud features to share images to cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.6

Save Your Photos Month

The Photo Managers (formerly The Association of Personal Photo Organizers) promotes Save Your Photo Month each year in September, a worldwide effort to organize family memories  keeping them safe and accessible so they can be enjoyed for years to come. The Epson FastFoto app1 used together with the Epson FastFoto FF-680W High-Speed Photo Scanning System helps families easily scan, rediscover and share memories in time for National Save Your Photos Day on September 25. More information on saving your photos, including access to helpful tutorials is available on the Save Your Photos Day page.

Availability

The FastFoto app is currently available for free download from Google Play and on the App Store.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/

Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

EPSON, Epson ScanSmart and FastFoto are registered trademarks, EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark and Better Products for a Better Future is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Mac is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android and Google Drive are trademarks of Google LLC. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2021 Epson America, Inc.

1 Requires Epson FastFoto App download (data usage fees may apply) compatible mobile device and FastFoto FF-680W (sold separately)

2 Wirelessly scan to the cloud, PCs or Mac with Epson FastFoto software and Epson ScanSmart software, installed on the connected Windows PC or Mac; wirelessly scan to smartphones or tablets (Android/iOS devices) via the Epson FastFoto app. Internet connection required.

3 As compared to other personal/consumer photo scanners, generally defined as photo scanners priced under $1,000 USD (MSRP).

4 Based on average speed from start of scan to end of feeding, scanning thirty-six 4" x 6" photos at 300 dpi in landscape orientation. Results may vary based on processor speed, memory and operating system of the connected computer.

5 Interpolated resolution is the doubling of the optical resolution using a software algorithm to increase dpi.

6 Internet connection and active Dropbox or Google Drive account required.

SOURCE Epson America, Inc.

Related Links

www.epson.com


VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - New Found Gold Corp. ("New Found" or the "Company") (TSXV: NFG) (OTC: NFGFF) is pleased to announce recently received assay results from seven holes drilled at the Lotto Zone ("Lotto"), located approximately 2 km north of the Keats Zone discovery. These holes were completed as part of the Company's ongoing 200,000 m diamond drill program at its 100% owned Queensway Project ("Queensway"), located on the Trans-Canada Highway 15 km west of Gander, Newfoundland.

Highlights

Highlight intervals are summarized below. Additional results are provided in Table 2.













Hole No. From

(m) To (m) Interval

(m)* Au (g/t) Zone NFGC-21-233 169.20 171.85 2.65 111.36 Lotto Main NFGC-21-278 131.35 133.40 2.05 15.54 Lotto Main NFGC-21-311 294.65 297.45 2.80 76.81 Lotto Main Including 294.65 296.55 1.90 112.51

* Note that the true width of the mineralization is uncertain, but host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping implying true widths in the range of 80% to 90% of reported intercepts. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade and minimum width of 2 m; grades have not been capped in the averaging.

The interval of 76.81 g/t Au over 2.80 m in NFGC-21-311 is almost 90 m vertically deeper than the previously reported interval in NFGC-21-201 which yielded 683.1 g/t Au over 2.45 m (see press release dated June 23, 2021 ) and has doubled the depth of the Main Vein to over 200 m vertically, starting at surface and open to depth.



in NFGC-21-311 is almost vertically deeper than the previously reported interval in NFGC-21-201 which yielded 683.1 g/t Au over (see press release dated ) and has doubled the depth of the Main Vein to over vertically, starting at surface and open to depth. The high-grade intervals reported to date occur in a steeply (78) east-dipping vein that is part of a network of north-south striking vein arrays that are spatially associated with the Lotto Baseline Fault Zone, a splay of the Appleton Fault Zone. Recent drilling has defined the vein network over a 340 m x 325 m area that remains open in all directions (see the plan view, 2D cross section, 3D composite cross section and long section in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 below).



x area that remains open in all directions (see the plan view, 2D cross section, 3D composite cross section and long section in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 below). The Company continues to test new targets at Lotto with current exploration focused on extending the Lotto Main Vein to depth and along strike.



The mineralization drilled at Lotto is often characterized by massive and vuggy textured veins containing very fine visible gold, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, boulangerite and ammonium-illite which are common traits found in epizonal systems, similar to the high-grade gold mineralization encountered at Keats (Figure 5).

Greg Matheson, P.Geo. COO of New Found, stated: "The Lotto Main Vein structure continues to show strong continuity and consistent widths of high-grade gold mineralization from two to ten plus meters width downhole (note that true widths are estimated at 80% to 90% of reported drill interval widths). While numerous secondary mineralized structures exist outside the Main Vein structure, we have started to target expansion of the Main Vein at depth with significant intercepts of 111.36 g/t over 2.65 m (NFGC-21-233) and 76.81 g/t Au over 2.80 m (NFGC-21-311). NFGC-21-311 is the deepest hole drilled to date and demonstrates significant persistence of continuity of the Lotto Main Vein to depth. The grades and widths at Lotto are outstanding and we are very excited to be consistently hitting these high-grade intervals as we step out to depth and along strike."

Drill-hole Details













Hole No. From

(m) To (m) Interval

(m)* Au (g/t) Zone NFGC-21-109 146.55 148.60 2.05 6.17 Lotto And** 152.70 161.50 8.80 19.30 Lotto Main Including 154.20 157.40 3.20 51.30 And 179.00 181.00 2.00 1.03 Lotto NFGC-21-205 216.00 219.00 3.00 4.75 Lotto Main NFGC-21-211





NSV Lotto Main NFGC-21-233 169.20 171.85 2.65 111.36 Lotto Main NFGC-21-278 131.35 133.40 2.05 15.54 Lotto Main NFGC-21-285 163.40 167.30 3.90 6.99 Lotto Main NFGC-21-311 294.65 297.45 2.80 76.81 Lotto Main Including 294.65 296.55 1.90 112.51

Table 2: Summary of results reported in this release

* Note that the true width of the mineralization is uncertain, but host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping implying true widths in the range of 80% to 90% of reported intercepts. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade and minimum width of 2m, grades have not been capped in the averaging. ** Results released on March 23, 2021, from NFGC-21-109 updated with additional secondary zone results.













Hole No. Azimuth

() Dip () Length

(m) UTM E UTM N NFGC-21-109 300 -45 252 659012 5428912 NFGC-21-205 299 -46 254 659059 5428890 NFGC-21-211 297 -45.5 426 658943 5428864 NFGC-21-233 298 -45.5 342 659024 5428935 NFGC-21-278 299 -45.5 207 658984 5428985 NFGC-21-285 298 -45.5 201 659006 5428970 NFGC-21-311 299 -45.5 321 659107 5428914

Table 3: Details of drill holes reported in this release

Photos of Drill Core

Note that these photos are not intended to be representative of gold mineralization in hole NFGC-21-311.

Queensway 200,000m Drill Program Update

Approximately 38 percent of the 200,000 meters have been drilled to date with approximately 21,000 meters of core pending assay results. Nine core rigs are currently operating, with a tenth scheduled to start in Q3 2021.

Sampling, Sub-sampling and Laboratory

True widths of the intercepts reported in this press release have yet to be determined but are estimated to be 80% to 90% of reported core lengths. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Assays are uncut, and calculated intervals are reported over a minimum length of 2 meters using a lower cut-off of 1.0 g/t Au. All HQ split core assays reported were obtained by either complete sample metallic screen/fire assay or standard 30-gram fire-assaying with ICP finish at ALS Minerals in Vancouver, British Columbia, or by entire sample screened metallic screen fire assay at Eastern Analytical in Springdale, Newfoundland. The complete sample metallic screen assay method is selected by the geologist when samples contain coarse gold or any samples displaying gold initial fire assay values greater than 1.0 g/t Au. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with National Instrument 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are included with every 20 samples for Quality Assurance/Quality Control purposes by the Company as well as the lab. Approximately 5% of sample pulps are sent to secondary laboratories for check assays.

Qualified Person

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Greg Matheson, P. Geo., Chief Operating Officer, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Matheson consents to the publication of this news release dated Sept 8, 2021, by New Found. Mr. Matheson certifies that this news release fairly and accurately represents the information for which he is responsible.

About New Found Gold Corp.

New Found holds a 100% interest in the Queensway Project, located 15 km west of Gander, Newfoundland, and just 18 km from Gander International Airport. The project is intersected by the Trans-Canada Highway and has logging roads crosscutting the project, high voltage electric power lines running through the project area, and easy access to a highly skilled workforce. The Company is currently undertaking a 200,000 m drill program at Queensway. Nine rigs are currently in operation at Queensway with the drill count planned to increase to ten rigs in Q3 2021. With a current working capital balance of approximately $115 million, New Found is well funded for this program.

Please see the Company's website at www.newfoundgold.ca and the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Acknowledgements

New Found acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Contact

To contact the Company, please visit the Company's website, www.newfoundgold.ca and make your request through our investor inquiry form. Our management has a pledge to be in touch with any investor inquiries within 24 hours.

New Found Gold Corp.

Per: "Craig Roberts"

Craig Roberts, P.Eng., Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (604) 562 9664

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to further exploration and drilling on the Company's Queensway gold project in Newfoundland, interpretation of results of the drilling program and funding of the drilling program. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's Annual Information Form and Management's discussion and Analysis, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

SOURCE New Found Gold Corp.

Related Links

https://newfoundgold.ca/


NextEra Energy Partners, LP

NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NextEra Energy Partners acquires, manages and owns contracted clean energy projects with stable, long-term cash flows. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy Partners owns interests in geographically diverse wind and solar projects in the U.S. as well as natural gas infrastructure assets in Texas and Pennsylvania. For more information about NextEra Energy Partners, please visit: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com.

Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results for NextEra Energy, Inc.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NextEra Energy) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NextEra Energy's and FPL's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning adjusted earnings per share expectations and future operating performance, statements concerning future dividends, and results of acquisitions. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NextEra Energy and FPL and their business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause their actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, or may require them to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in this news release and the following: effects of extensive regulation of NextEra Energy's and FPL's business operations; inability of NextEra Energy and FPL to recover in a timely manner any significant amount of costs, a return on certain assets or a reasonable return on invested capital through base rates, cost recovery clauses, other regulatory mechanisms or otherwise; impact of political, regulatory and economic factors on regulatory decisions important to NextEra Energy and FPL; disallowance of cost recovery by FPL based on a finding of imprudent use of derivative instruments; effect of any reductions or modifications to, or elimination of, governmental incentives or policies that support utility scale renewable energy projects of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and its affiliated entities (NextEra Energy Resources) or the imposition of additional tax laws, policies or assessments on renewable energy; impact of new or revised laws, regulations, interpretations or ballot or regulatory initiatives on NextEra Energy and FPL; capital expenditures, increased operating costs and various liabilities attributable to environmental laws, regulations and other standards applicable to NextEra Energy and FPL; effects on NextEra Energy and FPL of federal or state laws or regulations mandating new or additional limits on the production of greenhouse gas emissions; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to significant and increasing compliance costs and substantial monetary penalties and other sanctions as a result of extensive federal regulation of their operations and businesses; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of changes in tax laws, guidance or policies as well as in judgments and estimates used to determine tax-related asset and liability amounts; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of adverse results of litigation; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of failure to proceed with projects under development or inability to complete the construction of (or capital improvements to) electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities or other facilities on schedule or within budget; impact on development and operating activities of NextEra Energy and FPL resulting from risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; risks involved in the operation and maintenance of electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, gas infrastructure facilities, retail gas distribution system in Florida and other facilities; effect on NextEra Energy and FPL of a lack of growth or slower growth in the number of customers or in customer usage; impact on NextEra Energy and FPL of severe weather and other weather conditions; threats of terrorism and catastrophic events that could result from terrorism, cyberattacks or other attempts to disrupt NextEra Energy's and FPL's business or the businesses of third parties; inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage for protection of NextEra Energy and FPL against significant losses and risk that insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; a prolonged period of low gas and oil prices could impact NextEra Energy Resources' gas infrastructure business and cause NextEra Energy Resources to delay or cancel certain gas infrastructure projects and could result in certain projects becoming impaired; risk to NextEra Energy Resources of increased operating costs resulting from unfavorable supply costs necessary to provide NextEra Energy Resources' full energy and capacity requirement services; inability or failure by NextEra Energy Resources to manage properly or hedge effectively the commodity risk within its portfolio; effect of reductions in the liquidity of energy markets on NextEra Energy's ability to manage operational risks; effectiveness of NextEra Energy's and FPL's risk management tools associated with their hedging and trading procedures to protect against significant losses, including the effect of unforeseen price variances from historical behavior; impact of unavailability or disruption of power transmission or commodity transportation facilities on sale and delivery of power or natural gas by NextEra Energy, including FPL; exposure of NextEra Energy and FPL to credit and performance risk from customers, hedging counterparties and vendors; failure of NextEra Energy or FPL counterparties to perform under derivative contracts or of requirement for NextEra Energy or FPL to post margin cash collateral under derivative contracts; failure or breach of NextEra Energy's or FPL's information technology systems; risks to NextEra Energy and FPL's retail businesses from compromise of sensitive customer data; losses from volatility in the market values of derivative instruments and limited liquidity in over-the-counter markets; impact of negative publicity; inability of FPL to maintain, negotiate or renegotiate acceptable franchise agreements with municipalities and counties in Florida; occurrence of work strikes or stoppages and increasing personnel costs; NextEra Energy's ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, including the effect of increased competition for acquisitions; environmental, health and financial risks associated with NextEra Energy Resources' and FPL's ownership and operation of nuclear generation facilities; liability of NextEra Energy and FPL for significant retrospective assessments and/or retrospective insurance premiums in the event of an incident at certain nuclear generation facilities; increased operating and capital expenditures and/or reduced revenues at nuclear generation facilities of NextEra Energy or FPL resulting from orders or new regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; inability to operate any of NextEra Energy Resources' or FPL's owned nuclear generation units through the end of their respective operating licenses; effect of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets or actions by third parties in connection with project-specific or other financing arrangements on NextEra Energy's and FPL's ability to fund their liquidity and capital needs and meet their growth objectives; inability of NextEra Energy, FPL and NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc. to maintain their current credit ratings; impairment of NextEra Energy's and FPL's liquidity from inability of credit providers to fund their credit commitments or to maintain their current credit ratings; poor market performance and other economic factors that could affect NextEra Energy's defined benefit pension plan's funded status; poor market performance and other risks to the asset values of NextEra Energy's and FPL's nuclear decommissioning funds; changes in market value and other risks to certain of NextEra Energy's investments; effect of inability of NextEra Energy subsidiaries to pay upstream dividends or repay funds to NextEra Energy or of NextEra Energy's performance under guarantees of subsidiary obligations on NextEra Energy's ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock; the fact that the amount and timing of dividends payable on NextEra Energy's common stock, as well as the dividend policy approved by NextEra Energy's board of directors from time to time, and changes to that policy, are within the sole discretion of NextEra Energy's board of directors and, if declared and paid, dividends may be in amounts that are less than might be expected by shareholders; NextEra Energy Partners, LP's inability to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms could have an effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and on the value of NextEra Energy's limited partner interest in NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP; effects of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets on the market price of NextEra Energy's common stock; and the ultimate severity and duration of public health crises, epidemics and pandemics, including the coronavirus pandemic, and its effects on NextEra Energy's or FPL's businesses. NextEra Energy and FPL discuss these and other risks and uncertainties in their annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NextEra Energy and FPL undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results for

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (together with its subsidiaries, NEP) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NEP's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning adjusted EBITDA, cash available for distributions (CAFD) and unit distribution expectations, as well as statements concerning NEP's future operating performance and financing needs. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "aim," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NEP and its business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause NEP's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties could require NEP to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders is affected by wind and solar conditions at its renewable energy projects; Operation and maintenance of renewable energy projects and pipelines involve significant risks that could result in unplanned power outages, reduced output or capacity, personal injury or loss of life; NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects can be materially adversely affected by weather conditions, including, but not limited to, the impact of severe weather; NEP depends on certain of the renewable energy projects and pipelines in its portfolio for a substantial portion of its anticipated cash flows; NEP is pursuing the repowering of wind projects and the expansion of natural gas pipelines that will require up-front capital expenditures and expose NEP to project development risks; Terrorist acts, cyberattacks or other similar events could impact NEP's projects, pipelines or surrounding areas and adversely affect its business; The ability of NEP to obtain insurance and the terms of any available insurance coverage could be materially adversely affected by international, national, state or local events and company-specific events, as well as the financial condition of insurers. NEP's insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; NEP relies on interconnection, transmission and other pipeline facilities of third parties to deliver energy from its renewable energy projects and to transport natural gas to and from its pipelines. If these facilities become unavailable, NEP's projects and pipelines may not be able to operate or deliver energy or may become partially or fully unavailable to transport natural gas; NEP's business is subject to liabilities and operating restrictions arising from environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, compliance with which may require significant capital expenditures, increase NEP's cost of operations and affect or limit its business plans; NEP's renewable energy projects or pipelines may be adversely affected by legislative changes or a failure to comply with applicable energy and pipeline regulations; Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) may claim certain immunities under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Mexican law, and the Texas pipeline entities' ability to sue or recover from Pemex for breach of contract may be limited and may be exacerbated if there is a deterioration in the economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico; NEP does not own all of the land on which the projects in its portfolio are located and its use and enjoyment of the property may be adversely affected to the extent that there are any lienholders or land rights holders that have rights that are superior to NEP's rights or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management suspends its federal rights-of-way grants; NEP is subject to risks associated with litigation or administrative proceedings that could materially impact its operations, including, but not limited to, proceedings related to projects it acquires in the future; NEP's cross-border operations require NEP to comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations of the U.S. government and Mexico; NEP is subject to risks associated with its ownership interests in projects or pipelines that are under construction, which could result in its inability to complete construction projects on time or at all, and make projects too expensive to complete or cause the return on an investment to be less than expected; NEP relies on a limited number of customers and is exposed to the risk that they may be unwilling or unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to NEP or that they otherwise terminate their agreements with NEP; NEP may not be able to extend, renew or replace expiring or terminated power purchase agreements (PPA), natural gas transportation agreements or other customer contracts at favorable rates or on a long-term basis; If the energy production by or availability of NEP's renewable energy projects is less than expected, they may not be able to satisfy minimum production or availability obligations under their PPAs; NEP's growth strategy depends on locating and acquiring interests in additional projects consistent with its business strategy at favorable prices; Reductions in demand for natural gas in the United States or Mexico and low market prices of natural gas could materially adversely affect NEP's pipeline operations and cash flows; Government laws, regulations and policies providing incentives and subsidies for clean energy could be changed, reduced or eliminated at any time and such changes may negatively impact NEP's growth strategy; NEP's growth strategy depends on the acquisition of projects developed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) and third parties, which face risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, the environment, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; Acquisitions of existing clean energy projects involve numerous risks; NEP may continue to acquire other sources of clean energy and may expand to include other types of assets. Any further acquisition of non-renewable energy projects may present unforeseen challenges and result in a competitive disadvantage relative to NEP's more-established competitors; NEP faces substantial competition primarily from regulated utilities, developers, independent power producers, pension funds and private equity funds for opportunities in North America; The natural gas pipeline industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could adversely affect NEP's business; NEP may not be able to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms, which would have a material adverse effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and pursue other growth opportunities; Restrictions in NEP and its subsidiaries' financing agreements could adversely affect NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; NEP's cash distributions to its unitholders may be reduced as a result of restrictions on NEP's subsidiaries' cash distributions to NEP under the terms of their indebtedness or other financing agreements; NEP's subsidiaries' substantial amount of indebtedness may adversely affect NEP's ability to operate its business, and its failure to comply with the terms of its subsidiaries' indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on NEP's financial condition; NEP is exposed to risks inherent in its use of interest rate swaps; NEE has influence over NEP; Under the cash sweep and credit support agreement, NEP receives credit support from NEE and its affiliates. NEP's subsidiaries may default under contracts or become subject to cash sweeps if credit support is terminated, if NEE or its affiliates fail to honor their obligations under credit support arrangements, or if NEE or another credit support provider ceases to satisfy creditworthiness requirements, and NEP will be required in certain circumstances to reimburse NEE for draws that are made on credit support; NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NEER) or one of its affiliates is permitted to borrow funds received by NEP's subsidiaries and is obligated to return these funds only as needed to cover project costs and distributions or as demanded by NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP (NEP OpCo). NEP's financial condition and ability to make distributions to its unitholders, as well as its ability to grow distributions in the future, is highly dependent on NEER's performance of its obligations to return all or a portion of these funds; NEER's right of first refusal may adversely affect NEP's ability to consummate future sales or to obtain favorable sale terms; NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (NEP GP) and its affiliates may have conflicts of interest with NEP and have limited duties to NEP and its unitholders; NEP GP and its affiliates and the directors and officers of NEP are not restricted in their ability to compete with NEP, whose business is subject to certain restrictions; NEP may only terminate the Management Services Agreement among, NEP, NextEra Energy Management Partners, LP (NEE Management), NEP OpCo and NextEra Energy Operating Partners GP, LLC (NEP OpCo GP) under certain limited circumstances; If the agreements with NEE Management or NEER are terminated, NEP may be unable to contract with a substitute service provider on similar terms; NEP's arrangements with NEE limit NEE's potential liability, and NEP has agreed to indemnify NEE against claims that it may face in connection with such arrangements, which may lead NEE to assume greater risks when making decisions relating to NEP than it otherwise would if acting solely for its own account; NEP's ability to make distributions to its unitholders depends on the ability of NEP OpCo to make cash distributions to its limited partners; If NEP incurs material tax liabilities, NEP's distributions to its unitholders may be reduced, without any corresponding reduction in the amount of the IDR fee; Holders of NEP's units may be subject to voting restrictions; NEP's partnership agreement replaces the fiduciary duties that NEP GP and NEP's directors and officers might have to holders of its common units with contractual standards governing their duties and the NYSE does not require a publicly traded limited partnership like NEP to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements; NEP's partnership agreement restricts the remedies available to holders of NEP's common units for actions taken by NEP's directors or NEP GP that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duties; Certain of NEP's actions require the consent of NEP GP; Holders of NEP's common units currently cannot remove NEP GP without NEE's consent and provisions in NEP's partnership agreement may discourage or delay an acquisition of NEP that NEP unitholders may consider favorable; NEE's interest in NEP GP and the control of NEP GP may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent; NEP may issue additional units without unitholder approval, which would dilute unitholder interests; Reimbursements and fees owed to NEP GP and its affiliates for services provided to NEP or on NEP's behalf will reduce cash distributions from NEP OpCo and from NEP to NEP's unitholders, and there are no limits on the amount that NEP OpCo may be required to pay; Increases in interest rates could adversely impact the price of NEP's common units, NEP's ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; The liability of holders of NEP's units, which represent limited partnership interests in NEP, may not be limited if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of NEP's business; Unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them; The issuance of securities convertible into, or settleable with, common units may affect the market price for NEP's common units, will dilute common unitholders' ownership in NEP and may decrease the amount of cash available for distribution for each common unit; NEP's future tax liability may be greater than expected if NEP does not generate net operating losses (NOLs) sufficient to offset taxable income or if tax authorities challenge certain of NEP's tax positions; NEP's ability to use NOLs to offset future income may be limited; NEP will not have complete control over NEP's tax decisions; Distributions to unitholders may be taxable as dividends; and, The coronavirus pandemic may have a material adverse impact on NEP's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders. NEP discusses these and other risks and uncertainties in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other SEC filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings made through the date of this news release. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NEP undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.; NextEra Energy Partners, LP
CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP), is proud to announce the finalists for the 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day 2021 Manufacturer of the Year Awards. The finalists have demonstrated industry leadership, innovation, growth, and commitment to the professional development of its employees and communities. 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day 2021 is a time for the industry to come together and highlight the great successes accomplished by New Jersey manufacturing while showcasing stand-out organizations.

"Manufacturing as a whole was thrust into the limelight over the past 18 months. The employees that showed up every day to produce the products, medicine, and food to helped dampen the impact the pandemic had on the nation received more attention than they have in decades. They deserve more but it was nice to see them recognized to some extent. Without the industry, we've been in a much different place today. I'm glad 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day exists to draw attention to local manufacturers. Having the chance to present a handful of companies with the 'Manufacturer of the Year' title is a fantastic bonus." John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., CEO, NJMEP stated when asked how we felt about the list of finalists.

"New Jersey is home to some amazing manufacturing businesses. 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day is New Jersey's largest manufacturing networking event of the year and it's the perfect setting to highlight how local manufacturing gave back to the economy and the community," Kennedy continued.

See the full list of the 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Awards finalists, below.

The categories and finalists are as follows:

'MADE in New Jersey Manufacturer of the Year'... Start-Up

Timbur LLC

Bellus LLC

'MADE in New Jersey Manufacturer of the Year'... Small

F.W. Winter Inc. & Co.

Groezinger Provisions Inc.

Custom Picture Frames

'MADE in New Jersey 'Manufacturer of the Year'... Medium

L P S Industries Inc.

Norwalt Design Inc.

Revel Nail LLC

'MADE in New Jersey 'Manufacturer of the Year'... Large

Keystone Industries

Wedgewood Village Pharmacy, LLC

CompoSecure LLC

Innovator of the Year and Manufacturing Cares...

A P M Hexseal Corporation

Davion Inc.

CompoSecure LLC

Carl Stahl Sava Industries Inc

'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day 2021 is a hybrid event with an in-person or online attendance option. Attendees will hear keynote speeches from prominent industry leaders like Paul Hudson, CEO, Sanofi as well as state leadership. The event takes place on October 1, 2021 and Registration is open now. Join either in-person or online and take part in 'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day 2021, New Jersey's largest manufacturing networking event of the year.

'MADE in New Jersey' Manufacturing Day wouldn't be possible without the support of these incredible companies:

RSM US LLP

Provident Bank

HINJ

WithumSmith +Brown, PC

NJ Advance Media

Crowe LLP

LB Goodman & Co.

SAX LLP

Grassi & Co.

Cytellix Corporation

About NJMEP:

NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance.

For more than 25 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $5.4 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact.

SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program

Related Links

njmep.org


PITTSBURGH, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Walker, currently Chief Financial Officer of North American Dental Group (NADG), has been named Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Ken Cooper, an NADG co-founder who led the company since its inception in 2008 and successfully grew NADG from a single clinic to be one of the nation's leading Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) supporting 250 locations across 15 states. Cooper will transition to an advisory role within the company focused on development and new affiliation opportunities.

"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead one of the best-known, best-run DSOs in the country," Walker said. Tweet this NADG CEO Jonathan Walker

"I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to lead one of the best-known and best-run DSOs in the country and to be supported by so many terrific doctor partners and team members," Walker said. "Thanks to Ken's leadership, I am stepping into the CEO role at a great time in the organization's trajectory. With its unique culture, dentist partner led operating model, and strong reputation for high quality care, NADG is well positioned for continued success. This is an exciting time for our company, and I'm thrilled to lead NADG into a period of sustained growth."

Cooper co-founded NADG with Dr. Andrew Matta, a practicing dentist in New Castle, PA. Dr. Matta will continue serving in his current role as NADG's Chief Medical Officer.

"It is with immense pride that I enthusiastically support Jonathan and I am grateful for his willingness to serve as only the second CEO to ever lead our company," Cooper said. "I am very proud of the company that Andrew and I have built over the past 13 years in partnership with our group founders and doctor partners. Starting with a single kind gesture of helping a dentist friend in my Ohio hometown to today being one of the most recognized DSO brands in the country. We have fostered the NADG leadership team with an eye towards fulfilling our vision of being the industry leader in providing unparalleled service levels to our dentist partners. I am pleased to have hired Jonathan as my successor. Jonathan has a great deal of experience leading companies through transformational growth and is the right leader to further advance NADG's goals."

The succession has been thoughtfully planned and was developed in conjunction with NADG's investment partner, Jacobs Holding AG. The move coincides with NADG's launch of a multi-year strategic operations plan centered around scaling operational excellence, driving sustained growth and continuing its unmatched provider and patient centric culture.

"We want to express our sincere appreciation for Ken and his inspirational leadership and tenacity in growing what we believe to be the best dental support organization in the United States," said Patrick De Maeseneire, CEO of Jacobs Holding AG and Chairman of NADG's Board of Directors. "Ken is a visionary leader within group dentistry. NADG's orientation towards empowering dentist partners makes this a DSO model like no other. We are excited for Jonathan as he assumes the CEO role. He brings a proven track record of driving scalable growth within healthcare services companies, and we look forward to supporting NADG's continued success."

Prior to joining NADG, Walker served as CEO of Pittsburgh-based MedExpress, helping that company more than double in size in four years and become one of the nation's premier urgent care operators with more than 300 walk-in centers and worksite clinics across 26 states. Earlier in his career, he worked as an investment professional within the retail and healthcare service sectors at American Securities, a leading U.S. based private equity investment firm.

In addition to serving as an advisor to Walker, Cooper said that he will be a cultural ambassador for the company and will focus on outside causes, such as, supporting mental health awareness. Walker will assume the CEO role immediately.

About North American Dental Group

North American Dental Group (NADG), based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was co-founded in 2008 by Ken Cooper and Dr. Andrew Matta. NADG was created to transform the dental experience for patients, clinicians, and support teams and today consists of a network of 250-plus supported dental practices across 15 states. The values of maintaining an emotionally intelligent approach, being thoughtful educators, and displaying a healthy bravado fuel its day-to-day patient care and operations. These founding values are alive and well as NADG celebrates its pioneer spirit by solidifying its partnership with Jacobs Holding AG. For more information, please visit: www.NADentalGroup.com.

For Information:

Reginald Fields

[email protected]

614-537-7943

SOURCE North American Dental Group

Related Links

https://nadentalgroup.com


VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Vertex Mining Corp. (TSXV: NEE) (USOTC: NHVCF) (the "Company" or "Northern Vertex") wishes to announce that the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has authorized a consolidation of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation Common Share for every six (6) pre-consolidation Common Shares (the "Consolidation") and a change of the Company's name from "Northern Vertex Mining Corp." to "Elevation Gold Mining Corporation" (the "Name Change"). Prior to, or concurrently with, the Consolidation, Northern Vertex will be cancelling approximately 19.5 million Common Shares that are held in treasury related to the merger with Eclipse Gold Mining Corporation on February 12, 2021 (the "Merger Shares"). After completion of the Consolidation, the Common Shares will begin trading on the OTCQX platform for United States based investors.

After cancellation of the Merger Shares, the remaining approximately 364.9 million Common Shares issued and outstanding will be reduced to approximately 60.8 million post-Consolidation Common Shares prior to rounding for fractional shares. No fractional shares will be issued under the Consolidation. Any fractional shares equal to or greater than one-half resulting from the Consolidation will be rounded up to the next whole number of Common Shares, and any fractional shares less than one-half resulting from the Consolidation will be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The exercise or conversion price and the number of shares issuable under the Company's outstanding stock options and convertible instruments will be proportionately adjusted upon completion of the Consolidation, including, but not limited to, the Common Share purchase warrants of the Company expiring on January 14, 2023 which were issued pursuant to a warrant indenture dated February 12, 2021 between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada and are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") under the symbol "NEE.WT".

The Consolidation and the Name Change are subject to the approval of the TSXV and the pre-consolidation Common Shares will continue to be traded on the TSXV under the current trading symbol "NEE" until the effective date of the Consolidation and the Name Change. Upon receipt of TSXV approval for the Consolidation and the Name Change, the Company will provide further details, including the effective date of the Consolidation and the Name Change and the commencement date for trading of the Common Shares on a post-Consolidation basis under the Company's new name and trading symbol.

The Board believes that the Consolidation will provide the Company with greater flexibility for the continued development of its business and the growth of the Company, including financing arrangements.

About Northern Vertex Mining Corp.

Northern Vertex offers investors a rare combination of cash flow, production, top-tier management, and exceptional exploration potential within two projects on the Walker Lane Gold Trend of western Nevada and Arizona. Management is executing a clear strategy that expands production and resources at the Moss Mine in Arizona while aggressively exploring the Hercules Project in Nevada.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF NORTHERN VERTEX MINING CORP

"Michael G. Allen"

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute 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", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to statements regarding the Consolidation and the Name Change. Although Northern Vertex believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Northern Vertex can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Northern Vertex's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Northern Vertex's expectations include risks related to the failure of Northern Vertex to receive the acceptance of the TSXV of the Consolidation and the Name Change; risks associated with the business of Northern Vertex; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Northern Vertex; risks related to exploration and potential development of Northern Vertex's projects; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Northern Vertex's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR (available at www.sedar.com). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Northern Vertex does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Northern Vertex Mining Corp.

Related Links

www.northernvertex.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) and Edward-Elmhurst Health today announced their intention to merge the two healthcare systems under a new parent system, pending regulatory approval. Together, the organizations will extend their focus on community-connected, expert care while serving as a best place to work, learn, practice and receive care.

"NorthShore and Edward-Elmhurst Health share a vision of delivering expanded access to a transformative, differentiated patient care experience," remarked J.P. Gallagher, President and CEO of NorthShore. "By working together, we will connect patients and communities to personalized care, advanced clinical solutions and innovative technologies through improved access, expertise and services."

Building upon a long legacy of connection to their communities, the organizations have also announced the creation of two community investment funds, with each organization committing $100 million to their respective communities. These funds will each generate millions of dollars in annual interest that will be used to make a direct impact. The funds will be used to support partnerships with organizations working to enhance community health equity and well-being and advance local economic growth.

"NorthShore's approach is aligned with Edward-Elmhurst in so many ways," explained Mary Lou Mastro, President and CEO of Edward-Elmhurst Health. "We share values and a vision for the future that gives us a strong foundation to create a needed regional alternative offering vibrant, community-connected healthcare. We look forward to working with our staff and clinical partners in transforming the future of healthcare through their expertise, compassion and commitment."

When complete, the combined organization will include 25,000 team members, serve an area with over 4.2 million residents and bring together the collaborative expertise of more than 6,000 best-in-class physicians through an expansive geographic network of nine hospitals and more than 300 ambulatory facilities throughout the region.

Together, the two organizations are poised for growth in several highly ranked services such as orthopedics, cardiology, obstetrics and behavioral health. They intend to maintain existing physician and medical groups, ensuring physicians remain the key clinical decision-makers and are supported by leading edge equipment, research and innovation opportunities and Magnet-level nursing care. With a broader clinical network, care will be available when and where patients need it, seamlessly connected throughout the system.

NorthShore and Edward-Elmhurst Health expect to close the transaction later this year, pending regulatory review and approval. The new organization, comprised of two regions  NorthShore and Edward-Elmhurst  will be led by J.P. Gallagher as President and CEO and governed by a single board of directors with representation from NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst, Swedish Hospital and Northwest Community Hospital board members. Mary Lou Mastro will join the executive team of the new organization, maintaining leadership as CEO of the Edward-Elmhurst region.

About Edward-Elmhurst Health

Edward-Elmhurst Health is a 736-bed system that includes three hospitals  Edward Hospital in Naperville, Elmhurst Hospital and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health  and has more than 60 outpatient locations across a service area of 1.7 million residents in Chicago's west and southwest suburbs. The system has 8,500 team members and more than 2,000 physicians on staff covering 100 medical and surgical specialties. Edward-Elmhurst has been consistently named one of the nation's 15 Top Health Systems by IBM Watson Health. Edward and Elmhurst Hospitals are Magnet-recognized and have earned reputations as regional healthcare leaders with advanced cardiac care, state-of-the-art cancer diagnosis and treatment, world-class stroke care, latest imaging technology, care for critically ill newborns, minimally invasive surgery and the latest clinical trials. For more information, visit www.EEHealth.org.

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

Headquartered in Evanston, IL, NorthShore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system that includes six hospitalsEvanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Skokie, Swedish and Northwest Community. The system also includes more than 3,300 physicians, over 120 office locations, three dozen Immediate Care Centers and over 17,000 team members. NorthShore is a Magnet-recognized organization that consistently ranks as a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital in the United States, with an established reputation for exceptional patient care and is a national pioneer in the implementation of advanced health information technology. Together, the NorthShore system provides clinical excellence and community-focused care across Chicagoland. For more information, please visit NorthShore.org, SwedishCovenant.org and NCH.org.

SOURCE NorthShore University HealthSystem and Edward-Elmhurst Health

Related Links

http://www.NorthShore.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new research study on "On Street Vehicle Parking Meter Market Forecast to 2028  COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis  by type, payment type, and Geography," the market is expected to grow from US$ 590.7 million in 2021 to US$ 1,138.8 million by 2028; it is estimated to register a CAGR of 8.6% from 2021 to 2028.

The growing traffic congestion by vehicles and increasing number of automobiles are driving the growth of the on-street vehicle parking meter market. Furthermore, growing urbanization and infrastructure development in emerging economies are anticipated to create market opportunities for the on-street vehicle parking meter market during the forecast period. The increasing population count in urban cities has driven the vehicles sale. With rising disposable incomes, the population is keen to have their own vehicles for daily commute.

Get in-depth details on "On Street Vehicle Parking Meter Market" (No. of Pages  132, No. of Tables, Charts & Figures - 131) Download PDF Brochure: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00024271/

Rapid growth in urbanization with the increasing sale of vehicles has led to the increased adoption of smart parking management solutions. The requirement of smart parking meters to efficiently manage available parking spaces has propelled the market growth. According to the UN reports, urbanization in Europe is supposed to increase by ~83.7% by 2050. Also, as per EEA, 75% of the population in the EU prefers to live in urban areas. Therefore, these factors drive the on-street vehicle parking meter market growth to facilitate parking payment methods.

North America's technological advancements have made it a highly competitive market. The countries of the region are investing huge capitals for infrastructure development under smart city programs. North America is one of the leading region in automotive sector and holds highest share in electric vehicles consumption. Thus, the region owns one of the strongest potential for on street vehicle parking meter market. In addition, the users of on street parking mater in regions are comparatively higher to others region due enhanced awareness and knowledge about systems.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for smart parking technologies has increased significantly owing to the surge in demand for contactless payment. This demand has stabilized the use of parking kiosks (multi-space) at some extent. However, the pandemic negatively impacted the on street vehicle parking meter market during the first two quarter of 2020. The demand resumed with the continuation of economic activities. Thus, the global market is projected to recover its demand in the coming months and the subsequent years as parking kiosks (multi-space) more widely adopted in the urban cities.

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Growing Adoption of the Parking Meters in Developing Nations to Propel On Street Vehicle Parking Meter Market Growth

On street parking has strong roots of deployment in developed nations as the peoples are keen towards a modern solution the adoption ratio is higher in developed countries. However, with rising technological advancement and awareness about modern technologies, developing nations like India and China attract numerous market players. The governments of developing nations are investing substantial capital in the parking industry to resolve traffic congestion, parking space availability issue, and reduce air pollution caused due to vehicles. For instance, in April 2021, the Transport Department ("TD") of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has awarded the contract of US$ 680 million to Flowbird and HKT under the smart city program to develop digital on-street parking systems.

On Street Vehicle Parking Meter Market: Type Overview

On street vehicle parking meters are designed the resolve the parking issues that happened in the urban localities. Parking problems have been a rising issue in urban cities, whether it may be developed or developing nations. Hence, to simplify the on street parking operation, demand for a parking meter is increasing. However, the parking meters are being offered in two types: Parking Meters (Single Space) and Parking Kiosks (Multi Space). Both the types have particular advantages as per the space and technology requirements.

On Street Vehicle Parking Meter Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Ditech SRL; Duncan Solutions; IEM SA; IPS Group, Inc.; J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (MacKay Meters); MEYPAR, S.L.; Parking BOXX Inc.; and Ventek International are among the key market players in the global on street vehicle parking meter market. The leading companies are focusing on the expansion and diversification of their market presence and acquisition of a new customer base, thereby tapping prevailing business opportunities.

In February 2021, Duncan Solutions have collaborated with Logan City Council in their trialing of an innovative solution to improve parking in the Beenleigh region with the help of setting a new smart parking system. The new smart parking system would advise drivers entering the Beenleigh CBD where parking spots are available.

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In January 2021, Flowbird and HKT had a contract by the transport department of the government of Hong Kong for the design, deployment, and management of the new generation of parking meter system.

Browse Related Reports:

Vehicle Parking Meter Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

Multi-Space Parking Meters Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

Parking Sensors Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis

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TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX: ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") ") is pleased to announce that it will be attending the Precious Metals Summit, and the Gold Forum Americas, both in Colorado.

Mr. Juan Gavidia, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Raul Alvarez, Director of Exploration and Technical Services and Mr. Binh Vu, VP Legal, will be attending the Precious Metals Summit held at Beaver Creek, Colorado from September 8-11, 2021. Mr. Gavidia will be presenting on Friday September 10, 2021 at 16.45 (MT). The Company Presentation and webcast will be available on Orvana's website.

The Company will also be attending and presenting at the Gold Forum Americas / XPL-DEV 2021, held in Colorado Springs from September 12-15, 2021. Mr. Gavidia will be presenting on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 8:20 a.m. (MT). The Company Presentation and webcast will be available on Orvana's website.

The Company's updated August 2021 Presentation is available on Orvana's website at https://www.orvana.com/English/investors/presentations/default.aspx

ABOUT ORVANA - Orvana is a multi-mine gold-copper-silver company. Orvana's assets consist of the producing El Valle and Carles gold-copper-silver mines in northern Spain, the Don Mario gold-silver property in Bolivia, currently in care and maintenance, and the Taguas property located in Argentina. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com).

Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this presentation constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the ability to maintain expected mining rates and expected throughput rates at El Valle Plant; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates including specifically, but not limited to, in the case of Don Mario, the processing of the mineral stockpiles and the reprocessing of the tailings material; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; the Company's ability to optimize productivity at Don Mario and El Valle; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, which includes, without limitation, as particularly set out in the notes accompanying the Company's most recently filed financial statements. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this information, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle and Don Mario being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this presentation also contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the results of the preliminary economic assessment, including but not limited to the mineral resource estimation, conceptual mine plan and operations, internal rate of return, sensitivities, taxes, net present value, potential recoveries, design parameters, operating costs, capital costs, production data and economic potential; the timing and costs for production decisions; permitting timelines and requirements; exploration and planned exploration programs; the potential for discovery of additional mineral resources; timing for completion of a feasibility study; timing for first gold production; and the Company's objectives and strategies.

A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: the potential impact of the COVID-19 on the Company's business and operations, including: our ability to continue operations; our ability to manage challenges presented by COVID-19; the accounting treatment of COVID-19 related matters; Orvana's ability to prevent and/or mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases at or near our mines; our ability to support the sustainability of our business including through the development of crisis management plans, increasing stock levels for key supplies, monitoring of guidance from the medical community, and engagement with local communities and authorities; fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or ability to resume long-term operations at the Carles Mine; the Company's ability to successfully implement a sulphidization circuit and ancillary facilities to process the current oxides stockpiles at Don Mario; the Company's ability to successfully carry out development plans at Taguas; sufficient funding to carry out development plans at Taguas and to process the oxides stockpiles at Don Mario; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; current and future environmental matters; and the risks identified in the Company's disclosures. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors.

Any forward-looking statements made herein with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions 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. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

SOURCE Orvana Minerals Corp.

Related Links

www.orvana.com


REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ossia Inc., the company behind Cota Real Wireless Power  the patented technology that delivers power over-the-air, at a distance, and without the need for line-of-sight  today announced that it has successfully passed both EU and UK regulatory assessments. This is the first RF based non-line-of-sight, wireless power technology at-a-distance product to receive EU/UK Type Examination Certificates and that can bear both the CE and UKCA marks.

The Type of Examination Certificates received from an EU Notified Body and UKCA Conformity Assessment Body confirm the Cota system's compliance with the radio, emissions, immunity, and RF safety standards applicable under the EU Radio Equipment Directive and the UK Radio Equipment Regulation. Along with compliance with the European restrictions on hazardous substances in electrical equipment (RoHS) and product safety requirements, the Cota system complies with the UK and European Union essential requirements and can be licensed and sold with the CE marking in Europe and the UKCA mark in the UK. Previously, the Cota system was only authorized for sale in the US.

This certification, which does not have a distance limitation for delivery of wireless power over-the-air, comes on the heels of two recent US FCC certifications of Cota wireless power technology, and enables the company to service its clients globally. The lack of distance limitation is a significant advantage; a single Cota transmitter has been tested to safely and effectively deliver power over air without any distance limitation.

"We couldn't be more excited to bring our ground-breaking wireless power technology to more countries and regions in the world. These milestone achievements pave the way for multiple global approvals of Cota Real Wireless Power at-a-distance. While other wireless power technologies require line-of-sight and offer insignificant power that requires the system to switch off in environments with humans, Cota can effectively power devices in the consumer, commercial and industrial spaces," said Doug Stovall, Ossia's CEO. "Even if the device is on the move or is not in line-of-sight of the transmitter, power can be efficiently and continuously delivered with Cota. This certification paves the way for a whole new level of innovation and product development across a wide range of industries globally," continued Stovall.

Cota Real Wireless Power is currently being deployed in multiple customer applications, including as an asset tracker for the logistics and transportation industry in the US. Ossia has more than 158 issued and allowed patents globally and 213 active utility patent assets for its wireless power transfer system. The EU and UK certification is the latest official recognition of achievement for the company and its technology.

"This certification is a critical step to empowering existing and emerging EU- and UK-based technologies to become free of wires and batteries, which can improve environmental footprints by decreasing reliance on disposable batteries, decreasing costs, and enabling a whole new world of smart products. We are committed to bringing the full range of wireless power at a distance technology to more countries and global brands," said Stovall.

Global wireless power devices based on this EU and UK certification will be available through Ossia's commercial partners.

About Ossia

Ossia Inc. is leading the world on what is possible with wireless power. Ossia's flagship Cota technology redefines wireless power by safely delivering remote, targeted energy to devices at a distance. Ossia's Cota technology is a patented smart antenna technology that automatically keeps multiple devices charged without any user intervention and enables an efficient and truly wire-free, powered-up world that is always on and always connected. Ossia is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Visit our website at www.ossia.com .

Related Links

https://www.ossia.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ossia-inc-

https://twitter.com/ossiainc

https://www.facebook.com/OssiaInc/

https://www.ossia.com/cota/

https://blog.ossia.com/

Media Inquiries:

Jen Grenz: [email protected]

SOURCE Ossia

Related Links

http://www.ossia.com


INOLA, Okla., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ParFab Companies ("ParFab" or "the Company"), a U.S.-based, global leader in turnaround, general mechanical, fired heater, reformer, and fabrication services, today announced several appointments across its Leadership Team and Board of Directors that will enhance the Company's execution of its strategic initiatives and growth strategy. Jay A. Smith joined ParFab as its Chief Financial Officer on August 23, 2021, and Robert Kent, Mike McGinnis, and Chris Swinbank have been appointed to the ParFab Board of Directors.

As Chief Financial Officer, Jay A. Smith will accelerate ParFab's business goals and continue to build upon its strong financial foundation. With more than 20 years of international and domestic leadership experience, Smith understands the importance of developing and implementing business strategies globally to improve revenue streams. Most recently, Smith held the position of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Operational Leader at Xcaliber International, where he collaborated with the Board of Directors to establish business objectives, future revenue growth strategies and operational excellence. Smith has also held general manager, finance, and controller roles at OSECO, Inc. and Delphi Automotive.

Robert Kent is a seasoned industrials professional. His extensive knowledge of the industry and operations will enable ParFab to continuously improve its safe and effective execution of projects. Kent currently serves as President of REK Energy, an independent consulting company specializing in downstream refining, renewable fuels, and petrochemicals. Previously, Kent served in many roles at CITGO Petroleum Corporation, most recently as the Executive Vice President, Refining, and in prior engineering, management, and technical roles across Koch Industries and Chevron Corporation. Kent currently sits on the Boards of Tor Minerals and Sinclair Oil Corporation.

Mike McGinnis is an experienced board member and senior advisor, who will leverage his past experiences in spearheading organizations to operate to their fullest potential, ensuring ParFab continues to provide its customers with safe, high-quality solutions while maintaining operational excellence. McGinnis previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Brock Group, a leading provider of industrial specialty services. McGinnis held prior executive positions across a variety of companies including B&G Crane Service, XServ (which was acquired by Brock Group in 2007), among others. McGinnis has extensive Board experience, dating back more than 25 years, and currently holds Board memberships in Platform Partners LLC, and The Taurus Group. McGinnis also serves as Co-Chairman of the Board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Texas Gulf Coast Chapter.

Chris Swinbank is a distinguished business leader. Swinbank brings a diverse perspective that will support ParFab in enhancing its environmental excellence and position the Company to exceed industry standards. Swinbank previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Board member of NRC Group, a global provider of environmental, compliance and waste management services. Prior to that, Swinbank served as Chief Executive Officer of Sprint Energy Services and in executive roles as founder and Chief Executive Officer of Triton Oilfield Services and co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Sprint Industrial Holdings, d/b/a Tidal Tank and Sprint Safety. Swinbank currently serves on the Board of Loan Star Disposal LP.

"Each of these appointments is a leader who will individually strengthen our company, bringing decades of experience, knowledge of our industry, problem solving capability, and ingenuity. Together, alongside the entire Leadership Team, Board, and talented ParFab employees, I am excited to welcome Jay, Mike, Robert, and Chris to ParFab, working alongside them as we continue investing in and growing our business," said Frank Wolfe, Chief Executive Officer of ParFab. "We look forward to learning and collaborating with them to continue excelling in the industries we serve, enabling us to meet and surpass the needs of each of our customers for years to come."

About ParFab

Headquartered in Inola, Oklahoma, ParFab Companies was founded in 2001 as a fabrication shop that manufactured heaters for the petroleum industry. Since its origins in manufacturing, it has grown into a diversified, multi-location company that is capable of capital projects, large-scale turnarounds, general mechanical operations, construction, equipment fabrication and more for the petrochemical, refining, renewable, syngas and energy industries.

Contact:

Candice Fobb, PHR

ParFab Companies

15615 East 590 Road

Inola, OK 74036

Office: (918) 543-4253

SOURCE ParFab Companies
"It was an honor to be involved with this release and witness to the expert care provided by the International Bird Rescue team," said Phil Gyori, Chief Executive Officer of Pelican. "Our ongoing partnership with IBR reflects our commitment to fostering relationships with organizations that protect our planet and that connect with the customers we serve."

The Brown Pelican's recovery was nothing short of remarkable, given her care journey. She required extensive care by IBR veterinarians, including two surgical procedures. Yet in just seven weeks, the pelican was healthy and able to be released.

IBR began in 1971 when 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the San Francisco Bay and concerned individuals, led by a registered nurse, rescued and rehabilitated 300 water birds. The organization continues to pave the way where there is none by setting standards of care for oiled water birds, partnering to create global response teams and conducting research that improves wildlife crisis response. IBR treats approximately 4,500 wildlife annually and has responded to more than 230 spills across six continents with the support of 31,000 volunteers.

Pelican Products is a long-time supporter of IBR and previously helped release 14 rehabilitated Brown Pelicans. For more information about Pelican's community engagement and sustainability efforts, visit www.pelican.com . To learn more about IBR, visit www.birdrescue.org .

Pelican Products, Inc. is a portfolio company of Behrman Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York and San Francisco.

About Pelican Products

Pelican Products, Inc. is the global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance protective cases, temperature-controlled packaging solutions, advanced portable lighting systems and rugged gear for professionals and outdoor enthusiasts. Their products are used by professionals in the most demanding markets including fire safety, law enforcement, defense / military, aerospace, entertainment, industrial and in numerous outdoor markets. Pelican products are designed and built to last a lifetime. Pelican operates in 25 countries, with 23 international sales offices and twelve manufacturing facilities around the globe. In Europe, the company does business under the name Peli Products, S.LU. For more information, visit www.pelican.com or www.behrmancap.com.

SOURCE Pelican Products, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.pelican.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, POM Wonderful is excited to launch a social media cocktail contest dedicated to supporting local bars that were impacted by pandemic closures. The competition will put bartenders' mixology skills to the test as they create cocktails using POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice. Five winners will each designate a deserving bar to receive a $10,000 cash prize and year's supply of POM Juice.

Mixologists across the country are encouraged to highlight the sweet-yet-tart taste of POM Juice and enter the #POMCocktailContest. Entrants will be tasked with developing a signature POM-inspired cocktail and sharing a photo of their creation on Instagram along with the recipe, tagging @POMWonderful and nominating a local bar. Entries will be judged on presentation, creativity, diversity of ingredients, and the extent to which POM Juice is featured.

On October 1, 10 finalists will be chosen, and their cocktails will be featured on the @POMWonderful Instagram page. Consumers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite POM cocktail by "liking" the photo to determine the semi-finalists. Five winners will be selected on October 11. The winners' nominated bars will receive a $10,000 cash prize to help them recover from pandemic hardships, along with a year's supply of POM Juice to incorporate into cocktails.

"The bar community played an important role in the beginnings of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, bringing to life the iconic POMtini and pomegranate margarita. With so many bars impacted by COVID-19 closures, we wanted to rally behind those who have supported us," said Adam Cooper, senior vice president of marketing, The Wonderful Company. "Through a friendly competition and unique POM cocktails, we hope to bring some hope, excitement and flavor to the bars and bartenders that have had a challenging year."

As a cocktail ingredient, POM Juice adds a unique burst of flavor and antioxidant goodness, perfect for those looking for a better-for-you mixer. To learn more about the contest and for official rules, please visit POMCocktails.prizelogic.com. For cocktail inspiration and information about POM Wonderful, please visit POMWonderful.com , on Facebook at /POMWonderful , and Instagram at @POMWonderful .

About POM Wonderful

POM Wonderful is the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States as well as the worldwide leader in fresh California pomegranates and pomegranate-based products including our 100% pomegranate juices, healthy juice blends, and teas. We grow, handpick and juice our own pomegranates to ensure the highest quality. POM Wonderful is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $5 billion company, which also has other No. 1 brands such as Wonderful Pistachios, FIJI Water, Wonderful Halos, JUSTIN Wine, and Teleflora. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr .

SOURCE POM Wonderful

Related Links

http://www.wonderful.com/csr


Strelka is a seasoned tax lawyer who has litigated cases from pre-suit negotiations through the appellate process and has extensive experience in tax refund suits, matters concerning the Administrative Procedure Act, transfer pricing disputes, and tax-exempt organizations. He rejoins Latham after serving as Senior Tax Counsel in the Biden White House where he provided advice on all manner of issues relating to federal taxation, as well as overseeing the vetting and Senate confirmation process. Strelka's prior government service also includes experience at the Internal Revenue Service, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and the US Department of Justice's Tax Division where he was detailed to a similar tax advisory role in the Obama White House.

Miriam Fisher, Global Chair of Latham's Tax Controversy Practice said: "Andy is an experienced and dynamic tax litigator who we are excited to welcome back to Latham. Our team has seen increased demand in the past few years as we've continued to successfully represent domestic and multinational companies, tax exempts, and high-net-worth individuals resolve complex, contentious tax matters. Andy's return and substantial government experience will further enhance the firm's ability to serve clients around the globe in their most significant tax disputes."

"Andy has an excellent reputation as a skilled tax litigator and his experience serving in multiple roles within the federal government and in private practice will be invaluable to our clients," said Daniel Lennon, Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner. "We're glad to welcome him back to Latham's thriving Tax Controversy Practice."

"I am thrilled to rejoin my friends and talented colleagues in Latham's Tax Controversy Practice, which is known for achieving phenomenal results for clients in tax disputes across the globe, both in and out of the courtroom," said Strelka. "I'm looking forward to building on that success and working with the firm's clients as they navigate the many tax risks and challenges that face business organizations operating in today's global economy."

Strelka received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center with distinction, and his B.A. from the University of Virginia.



About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

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.

Contacts

Daniel Lennon, Washington, D.C. Office Managing Partner, +1.202.637.2347

Miriam Fisher, Global Chair, Tax Controversy Practice, +1.202.637.2178

SOURCE Latham & Watkins

Related Links

www.lw.com


DUBLIN, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The world could use more caring and empathy. And when it comes to healthcare, it may surprise you to know that the individual healthcare journey is often lacking these characteristics. That's why Quantum Health , the leader in consumer healthcare navigation and care coordination, announced today it has partnered with Stanford University professor, author, and leading empathy researcher, Jamil Zaki, Ph.D., to underscore the need for a more supportive and personalized healthcare experience for consumers.

Leading empathy researcher and author Jamil Zaki, Ph.D.

Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory. He is author of the book "The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World" and has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker and The Atlantic.

"There's a fair amount of research that demonstrates that empathy is on the decline. In fact, based on self-reported data, Americans in 2009 were 75% less empathic than in 1979, so there has been a big drop in empathy over time," said Zaki. "This general decline in empathy is playing out in many different ways. For example, in healthcare settings, we've all had the experience of not being seen fully as people, but more as a number or body when going through the healthcare system. That can influence our overall experience with our doctors and even our health outcomes."

Zaki's recent book is based on research conducted in his lab at Stanford and on an analysis of global research into the state of empathy, including whether empathy is a learned or inherited trait, how the increased use of technology impacts empathy, how empathy influences patient outcomes, and how compassion fatigue and burnout affect healthcare providers and caregivers and their interactions with patients.

"The power of empathy in healthcare and in the workplace cannot be overlooked. In fact, at Quantum Health, we built our entire business model around this concept. I started this company to address the gaps in how people were having to manage challenging healthcare issues and deal with their healthcare benefits when they were highly stressed and least able to do so effectively," said Kara Trott, founder and CEO of Quantum Health. "There was a huge lack of focus on the consumer and an even larger empathy gap. We are thrilled to partner with Jamil as we further explore the dimensions and possibilities that empathy brings to healthcare navigation and to the important services our teams deliver every day."

Quantum Health provides personalized support to help people navigate their healthcare journeys  from identifying healthcare issues, to helping them find the right providers, to managing their claims. By doing so, Quantum Health reduces complexity for the member, enhances the experience, and helps control costs for self-insured companies who provide healthcare benefits for their employees.

As part of his collaboration with Quantum Health, Zaki will share knowledge and insights with employers about the importance of empathy in the workplace in a live conversation on Oct. 6, titled, "The Empathy Advantage: Employers, Benefits and the ROI of Caring."

"Empathy in the workplace is always smart and always important. When leaders and organizations act with empathy, employees benefit in numerous ways. They are less likely to be stressed or burned out, they have greater morale, and they're more likely to work more productively and creatively," said Zaki. "Empathy is even more important now, because work has changed so much during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we've lost some of those natural in-between moments at work when we might otherwise get to know each other and show empathy."

Working in an empathetic culture is a priority for employees. According to the 2020 State of Workplace Empathy, an annual survey by BusinessSolver, 83% of employees would consider leaving their current job for a similar role at a more empathetic employer, and in 2021 this same survey found that 84% of CEOs believe empathy drives better business outcomes.

To hear more from Jamil Zaki on the topic of empathy in the workplace, sign up to attend the free virtual event, "The Empathy Advantage: Employers, Benefits and the ROI of Caring," here. To learn more about Quantum Health, visit quantum-health.com .

About Quantum Health

Quantum Health is the industry-leading consumer healthcare navigation and care coordination company that delivers an unparalleled consumer experience to its members, as well as validated claims savings and high satisfaction rates for its self-insured employer clients. Quantum Health's proprietary Real-Time Intercept model identifies opportunities for early intervention in a member's healthcare journey, resulting in better engagement, outcomes and cost efficiencies. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Dublin, Ohio. Since its inception, Quantum Health has earned numerous awards and honors, including being named among the Fastest-Growing Private Companies by Inc. 5000, and a Great Place to Work by FORTUNE Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine. The Women Presidents' Organization has ranked Quantum Health as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies, and Columbus Business First has honored Quantum Health as a Best Place to Work.

To learn more about the company, visit Quantum-Health.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contacts:

Barbara Tabor

Tabor PR

[email protected]

651-230-9192



Susan Simkins

Quantum Health, Corporate Communications

[email protected]

800-257-2038 x 13494



SOURCE Quantum Health

Related Links

http://www.quantum-health.com


PARIS, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Revaia, formerly known as Gaia Capital Partners, announces the final closing of its first growth fund, Europe's largest female-founded VC fund, at 250 million, exceeding its initial target of 200 million. Furthermore, the sustainable growth equity fund has taken a new name in the form of "Revaia" in line with its mission to reveal the future European tech leaders.

Final closing: Europe's largest female-founded VC fund and one of the largest globally, with 250m

Since the launch of its fund in late 2019, which is now closing, the investment firm has been building a strong portfolio. The portfolio currently consists of ten investments in European scaleups in the software, consumer, and fintech sectors, all of which are shaping new consumer habits while focusing on their environmental and societal impacts. One of these companies, Aircall, recently achieved a unicorn valuation at its most recent fundraising round.

"When we set up the firm, we were determined to create an investment strategy in line with our convictions  a focus on European companies with high ambitions but with no compromise on sustainability  and with the objective of bridging the gap between private and public markets. Our venture has performed beyond our initial expectations", said Alice Albizzati, co-founder of Revaia.

The firm grew its team to 15 people and now has a foothold in the two biggest powerhouses within the European technology ecosystem since the opening of an office in Berlin in early 2021, as well as a presence in New York and Toronto. These achievements convinced institutional investors - Tier 1 insurance companies such as Generali, Allianz, and Maif, pension funds, other institutional investors such as Bpifrance - and over 50 renowned family offices and high-profile individuals to back the fund ahead of its final closing at 250 million, above its initial target of 200 million. The fund is Europe's largest female-founded VC fund and one of the largest globally.

"We are very grateful to our investors and entrepreneurs who trusted us as we accelerated the build-up of our portfolio. This final closing of our first fund is a huge milestone. It is a solid foundation from which we can support future European technology leaders with their ambitions and sustainability plans, as well as expand and internationalize our team while building a strong value creation platform." added Elina Berrebi, co-founder of Revaia.

Objectives for 2022 and beyond: Building a pan-European value creation platform

The fund is already well invested, and two new investments should be announced soon. Revaia targets investments in around fifteen companies for its first fund and is already making plans for its next one, which it hopes will have an even greater impact.

The team will also be expanded shortly, both on the investment and operational sides, throughout Europe, to deliver the most effective support. Revaia aims to accompany as many companies as they can to make the journey to IPO and beyond, thus implementing the fund's initial crossover vision based on a solid partnership with listed market sustainable investor Sycomore Asset Management.

The objective is to keep building the fund's footprint in Paris and Berlin and put down new roots in other locations in the coming years.

Revaia: An augmented version of Gaia Capital Partners

To reflect its evolution, Gaia Capital Partners has renamed itself Revaia. Revaia is a natural evolution of Gaia, which represents the fund's mission to reveal Europe's future sustainable tech leaders.

"With this successful final closing behind us, we have even greater projects ahead of us. We believe Revaia can be a positive force in the financial and tech ecosystem as it embodies our ambition of doing big while doing good," explained both co-founders.

With this new name comes a new signature: "Reveal a better future," which is Revaia's purpose and embodies the team's mission to spread sustainability within the European tech ecosystem.

About Revaia

Based in the heart of Europe, with our roots in two of the continent's financial and technology powerhouses - Paris and Berlin  Revaia (formerly Gaia Capital Partners) is pan-European at heart.

We invest in European growth-stage companies with global ambitions and sustainable leadership. We use our heart, soul, and sweat to help them navigate the entire life cycle from the growth stage to IPO and beyond.

We are a young, complementary, and diverse team with entrepreneurial and private equity backgrounds. We build bridges between venture, private and public markets with our partner Sycomore Asset Management, a pioneer in responsible investment in public markets.

We are sparring partners for entrepreneurs who are working to transform our world for the better. Our team has already invested in companies that are doing just that, including Aircall, Epsor, GetAccept, gohenry, Planity, Welcome to the Jungle, and Yubo.

Revaia.com

Join us on Medium, Twitter and Linkedin.

Sandra Cadiou, [email protected];Maitland/AMO / [email protected] / [email protected]



Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1609950/Revaia_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Gaia Capital Partners
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Revolution Foods , a company transforming citywide wellness by providing healthy, culturally relevant and affordable meals for school and community feeding programs nationwide, today announced the company's conversion to a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), codifying its commitment to operating sustainably and generating social impact through its ongoing operations. The announcement follows a $60 million funding round led by L2 Point and investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Private Credit. The new funding will allow the company to continue its mission of building lifelong healthy eaters and providing greater access to nutritious foods. The funding will further enable significant investment in systems, production infrastructure and innovation to serve more communities in need.

With school meals at its foundation, Revolution Foods has long been dedicated to creating meals that meet or exceed nutrition and ingredient standards set by the federal government and making its products accessible throughout the U.S., including in low-income communities. Widespread distribution of healthy meals is even more critical as the pandemic continues to exacerbate food insecurity for vulnerable populations, and Revolution Foods has expanded its ability to serve communities in need throughout the pandemic.

Revolution Foods became a Certified B Corp in 2009. Now as a PBC, the company continues its work as a for-profit company while deepening its social mission of large-scale food systems change through higher standards of purpose, transparency and accountability. The company will also remain a certified B Corp to satisfy its reporting requirements as a PBC.

"The transition to a PBC marks an important milestone in our journey while also aligning with our broader company mission to transform citywide wellness," comments Kristin Groos Richmond, CEO and co-founder of Revolution Foods. "The Board's approval of this critical measure, coupled with L2 Point and Morgan Stanley Private Credit's significant investments, will enable us to strengthen our infrastructure and innovation while we expand into new channels and regional markets. This investment will support the company's ability to address a growing market to offer equitable access to healthy food nationwide."

"Revolution Foods has been a leader in serving food-insecure populations for over a decade," says Kerstin Dittmar, managing partner of L2 Point. "As the only company of national scale specifically focused on affordable healthy meals, we believe Revolution Foods is uniquely positioned to address the growing demand for nutritious, good-for-you food options across an increasingly wide range of customer segments."

"We're excited to integrate becoming a PBC into our legal charter so we can ensure that Revolution Foods' accountability to all stakeholders continues in our next chapter of growth," adds Kirsten Saenz Tobey, Revolution Foods co-founder. "Our growth opportunities have always been tightly connected to our mission and DNA, and becoming a PBC now cements our commitment to balancing mission and profit, while solidifying our commitment to ensuring that every meal we serve has a direct impact on transforming lives and addressing food insecurity in a scalable manner."

Since its inception in 2006, Revolution Foods has designed, produced and delivered close to 500 million healthy meals to various partners, including community and major city feeding programs, childhood education centers, districts, charter schools, senior programs and afterschool youth programs, across 23 states. The company has also created over 1,500 jobs in inner city areas across eight culinary center locations. Over the course of the pandemic, Revolution Foods expanded its offering to address acute food insecurity among the nation's most vulnerable populations.

Through their investment, L2 Point and Morgan Stanley Private Credit join Revolution Foods' existing investor base, which includes Revolution Growth, Catamount Ventures, DBL Investors, Westly Group, and Oak Investment Partners.

For more information about Revolution Foods, please visit RevolutionFoods.com .

About L2 Point

L2 Point is a San Francisco based investment firm providing innovative capital solutions for growth companies. With expertise across the capital structure, L2 Point works to address a common concern of late-stage companies today: the lack of an alternative cost of capital product between highly dilutive growth equity and operationally restrictive debt. For more information, please visit: www.L2-Point.com .

About Morgan Stanley Private Credit

Morgan Stanley Private Credit, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, is a private credit platform focused on direct lending and opportunistic private credit investment in North America and Western Europe. The Morgan Stanley Private Credit team invests across the capital structure, including senior secured term loans, unitranche loans, junior debt, structured equity and common equity co-investments. For further information, please visit the website: https://www.morganstanley.com/im/privatecredit .

About Revolution Foods

Founded in 2006, Revolution Foods is committed to transforming citywide wellness and making healthy, chef-crafted, culturally relevant meals accessible to all. The company's innovative approach began with serving freshly prepared, healthy meals to students in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since then, the company has designed, produced and delivered close to 500 million meals to various sites across 23 states, including community and major city feeding programs, childhood education centers, districts, charter schools, senior programs, and afterschool youth programs. Committed to combating food insecurity, Revolution Foods is a certified B Corporation  recognized by B Lab with the COVID-19 Impact Award  aiming to drive systems change and a brighter future for our nation. For more information, visit RevolutionFoods.com.

SOURCE Revolution Foods

Related Links

http://www.revolutionfoods.com/


REXBURG ,Idaho, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AvantGuard (AG) is pleased to announce their 8th annual 5k benefit race on Saturday, September 18th, to support a Rexburg family in need.

Each year, AvantGuard's Rexburg team members select a family to sponsor who is facing financial strain from medical costs. This year AG is holding the event to benefit the Tagg family. Their newborn daughter, Ruth, was born at 24 weeks old on March 31, 2021. Ruth weighed in at 425 grams  just under one pound.



Ruth has been battling for her life every day in an Idaho Falls hospital since her birth. She has been struggling with respiratory and heart complications and enduring several surgeries to help with these complications. At birth the doctors gave her a 42% chance of survival, and she seems to be beating the odds. She continues to grow and gain strength. Parents, Brandie and Chapman Tagg, and two-year-old brother, Bradley, remain optimistic but recognize the challenging road ahead.

Support from the race will help the Tagg family pay for the care Ruth needs. AvantGuard President, Justin Bailey said, "Our goal is to provide as much support as possible for the family by gathering community support and by donating the money we raise from race registrations and sponsorships to the family."

Brandie and Chapman express their most sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and support they have received from the community and are so appreciative of AG's efforts to help raise funds for their new little girl's healthcare.

The Rexburg 5k race and one-mile walk will take place Saturday, September 18, 2021, starting at Smith Park, East Main Street in Rexburg. There will be a variety of other fun activities for families and participants to enjoy. Check-in time is from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. and the run/walk will start at 9:00 a.m.

Learn more, register and/or donate at https://www.agmonitoring.com/ag-run-for-a-reason-5k-rexburg.

AvantGuard is a premier provider of wholesale alarm monitoring, offering professional monitoring services, cloud monitoring and hybrid partnerships. They utilize the most advanced monitoring technology with three state-of-the-art, hot-redundant call centers, along with skilled operators who respond promptly and compassionately. AvantGuard proudly meets or exceeds all industry standards of excellence. Monitoring centers are based in Ogden UT, Rexburg ID, and Cedar City UT.

Contact:

Jonathan Knoder

Content Manager at AvantGuard

Email: [email protected]

Related Links: www.agmonitoring.com

SOURCE AvantGuard Monitoring

Related Links

www.agmonitoring.com


"We have worked diligently over the past several years to develop and foster a team-based clinical education model, combined with Roseman University's Six-Point Mastery Learning Model, to create curricular efficiencies that allow students to obtain more classroom and clinical contact hours in less time," said Frank Licari, DDS, MPH, MBA, dean of Roseman University College of Dental Medicine. "Capitalizing on these efficiencies, our goal with this transition to a shorter program is to reduce the cost of dental education and thereby reduce student debt upon graduation."

According to Licari, Roseman University College of Dental Medicine will not be applying a full four years worth of tuition over three years in the new model. Rather, students will only pay three years of tuition, providing true cost savings. "Roseman's students will save about $130,000 in tuition and living expenses, but will also benefit from an extra year of earning potential by graduating and entering the dental profession one year sooner," said Licari. "The American Dental Association's most recent income survey reported that the average net income nationally in 2020 was $170,160 for general dentists and $323,780 for specialists. Entering the profession a year earlier can provide substantial financial benefit immediately, and potentially in the future for those who choose to pursue specialty training."

In addition to reducing the length of its DMD program, the College of Dental Medicine also received approval from CODA to increase its new class size from 100 admitted per academic year to 120 in 2023-2024 and up to 136 admitted per academic year beginning in 2024-2025. Once the program is fully transitioned to three years in 2026-2027, the College will have a total program enrollment of 408 students..

To accommodate the increased class size, the College of Dental Medicine is also going through a physical transformation, with additional patient chairs being added to its South Jordan clinics. "We're completing construction on a new clinic space that will add 24 chairs to our existing 106. We have plans to add another 32 chairs in the coming year," said Licari. "This increase in chair capacity combined with our team-based clinical education model allows our student dentists to treat 4-6 patients a day, offering diverse clinical experiences."

Remarking on the CODA approval, Roseman University President and Co-founder Renee Coffman, PhD said, "Roseman University has a long history of challenging the status quo by looking for ways to enhance health sciences education. Twenty years ago our Six-Point Mastery Learning Model allowed us to create a three-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree rather than the traditional four, and serving as a new model for other pharmacy education programs across the country. I'm proud of our College of Dental Medicine administration and faculty for working to accomplish the same for dental education. In the end, it is the students and their professions that benefit."

About Roseman University College of Health Sciences

Founded in Henderson, Nevada in 1999, Roseman University of Health Sciences is a non-profit, private institution of higher learning training the next generation of undergraduate and graduate-level health care professionals that serve, collaborate and set new standards in their communities and within their professions. With campuses in Henderson and Summerlin (Las Vegas), Nevada and South Jordan, Utah, the University is comprised of the College of Dental Medicine, offering an Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics/MBA residency and Doctor of Dental Medicine program; College of Pharmacy, offering a Doctor of Pharmacy and Professional Continuing Education; College of Nursing, offering an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner; and College of Graduate Studies offering a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. Roseman University of Health Sciences will also offer a Doctor of Medicine through its College of Medicine, once it becomes accredited. More than 7,000 Roseman graduates are caring for patients, conducting research, and engaged in public health and policy in Nevada, Utah, and across the country. Roseman University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. www.roseman.edu

The program in dental education is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United State Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission's web address is: http://www.ada.org/en/coda .

SOURCE Roseman University of Health Sciences

Related Links

http://www.roseman.edu


DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- STL (NSE: STLTECH), an industry-leading integrator of digital networks, announced a partnership with Sabafon to transition from traditional billing systems to a fully Cloud-native SaaS-based Billing Support System (BSS) and Operation Support System (OSS) solution. The 5-year long deal will involve STL delivering and supporting a new-age, converged, charging, billing, and CRM solution deployed in a public cloud infrastructure. The deal reflects STL's continued commitment towards business expansion in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA).

Sabafon is a leading telecom operator in Yemen. Due to the ongoing geopolitical situation, Sabafon has been facing several business challenges like end-to-end revenue management of complete customer operations due to the inherent limitations of the legacy charging process. STL, with its expertise in cloud-native, carrier-grade BSS solution, powered by Microsoft Azure, offered a converged solution to automate online and offline charging, billing, and customer relationship management. Through this integrated solution, STL also addresses the provisioning and mediation issues, thereby mitigating operational challenges. The first phase of the solution has been made live-in-operation in less than 90 days of the project commencement.

Commenting on the partnership, Fahed Al-Ariqy, CEO, Sabafon, said: "We're happy to have STL on board as the trusted partner. STL has years of expertise in solving the problems of telecom operators and driving digital transformation in the region. We are confident that STL's Network Software stack integrated with the latest technologies for both development and delivery will add tremendous value in our growth journey."

Speaking on the deal, Saikat Mitra, COO - Network Software, STL, said: "We are delighted to join hands with Sabafon to provide a cloud-native converged Charging, Billing, and CRM platform in a public Cloud infrastructure. This integrated software solution will elevate Sabafon's offering while driving the company's journey towards the 'as a service' model."



About STL - Sterlite Technologies Ltd:

STL is an industry-leading integrator of digital networks that helps telcos, cloud companies, citizen networks, and large enterprises deliver enhanced experiences to their customers. Read more, Contact us.

stl.tech |Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube

SOURCE Sterlite Technologies Ltd. (STL)
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate Counsel Men of Color (CCMOC) will host a virtual Career Strategies Conference on Thursday, September 9, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The goal of the conference is to support career success for men of color in the workforce. The event, which is open men in all professions, is sponsored by Salesforce.

Seven prominent men of color who are leaders, businessmen, best-selling authors, philanthropists and entrepreneurs will give presentations during the event:
LANCASTER, Pa., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Barbara A. Grimm, President and Founder of School Responder (www.schoolresponder.com) announces a strategic partnership with BrightFuturesUSA.org, a national not-for-profit organization founded in Joplin, Missouri by Dr. C.J. Huff. "We at School Responder (SR) are so fortunate to have someone on board with CJ's leadership, talent, and unique experiences. Well-known in the educational field as a champion for all children, CJ has built an extensive network of relationships, nationally and internationally, with like-minded professionals and organizations," said Grimm.

Dr. C.J. Huff from BrightFuturesUSA.org is joining School Responder as a strategic partner.

David B. Cooper, Founder, CFO/CTO, SR concurs, "CJ's vision expands communication beyond a school's mental wellness and into the community. Bright Futures' focus on food, shelter and clothing needs, matches Time, Treasure and Talent pledges by champions in the community. These efforts then come together to provide support for the whole child, via our SR app."

"I am incredibly honored to be a part of this project with SR," said C.J. Huff. "I talk to school leaders every day struggling with how to best meet the needs of students. Building and deploying a powerful- communications tool that gets students the support they need, when they need it, is really a dream come true. This app is going to bring a fundamental change for school systems across the country as it meets the diverse and ever-growing needs of our kids. I'm just proud to be a part of such a forward-thinking team."

As a part of this strategic partnership, C.J. will serve in a leadership role on the Board of SR as a special advisor, providing leadership and subject matter expertise to support SR's efforts to improve the health, wellness and safety of children and youth across the nation.

About School Responder: Rapid Response Mobile Apps for Wellness and Crisis Messages

Our mission is to provide the school community streamlined communications to ensure an effective response plan for mental health, wellness, and student safety. Our rapid response app technology aspires to protect and empower every student in every school, every day.

School ResponderA New Category of Apps.

Designed to Handle Every Day Mental Health, Wellness and Student Safety

For On-Campus & Remote-Learning Settings

Best Practices in Compliance and Reporting

De-centralized, Fully Secured, Private Communications

Automated, Crisis Message Services

Rapid Response Automated De-escalation Communications

Media Contact: Barbara Grimm

610.278.9067 [email protected]

SOURCE School Responder

Related Links

http://www.schoolresponder.com


SEATTLE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 26, 2021, a partnership between Security Properties and Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation ("Intercontinental") purchased Taluswood, a 512-unit multifamily property located in Mountlake Terrace, WA. The property was originally built in 1987 and sits on over 41 acres of land.

Taluswood Apartments Taluswood Apartments

Taluswood's unique central location allows residents the benefit of convenient regional job access in multiple directions. To the east is the heart of the East side's High-Tech Corridor, containing some of the area's largest employers like Microsoft and Google. Just 25 minutes north of Taluswood sits Boeing's 100 acre, 472 million cubic feet assembly plant and more than 38,000 employees. Bothell, also east of Taluswood, is a business hub featuring notable employers such as Blue Heron Biotechnology, AT&T, Lockheed Martin, and Seattle Genetics. Further, being just 25 minutes north of Seattle, the list of employers expands to include Amazon, Facebook, University of Washington, Tableau, and Providence Health.

This accessibility will be further enhanced when Sound Transit's Link Light Rail extends its service north to the intersection of 236th Street SW and Interstate 5 (approximately 1 mile west of the property), currently scheduled to open in 2024.

Within 10 minutes of Taluswood, residents are exposed to multiple major shopping centers, including the Alderwood Mall, the Northgate Mall and the Park Hills shopping center. These major shopping centers include a variety of dining and retail options, including Nordstrom, REI, Apple, Target, Macy's, Panera, and Starbucks. Other nearby amenities include the Terrace Creek Park (60-acres) and Ballinger Park (55-acres), both within a 5-minute drive.

The partnership between Security Properties and Intercontinental plans to renovate the unit interiors and update the common areas. According to Davis Vaughn, Senior Director at Security Properties, the recapitalization was done because, "we are long term believers in lower cost housing options in first ring Seattle suburbs. We are excited that we had the opportunity to continue implementing our business plan as we upgrade the asset to fully capitalize on its job proximate location."

"Seattle continues to be a very dynamic market with high employment drivers" said Jessica Levin, Senior Director, Acquisitions for Intercontinental. "Upon the execution of our business plan, residents will benefit from an upgraded living experience with premier access to the new light-rail, nearby retail, leisure and recreational amenities. We believe that this compelling combination will make Taluswood Apartments an excellent long-term investment for our investors"

The property will be managed by Security Properties Residential, an affiliate of Security Properties.

About Security Properties

Security Properties is a national real estate investment, development, and operating company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For more than 52 years, Security Properties has provided quality housing to its residents as well as excellent financial performance for its investors. Since its founding, Security Properties has acquired or developed over 100,000 residential units at a cost of over $9.0 billion across 600+ assets. Security Properties Residential is the affiliated property management firm of Security Properties, created to increase the value of its real estate holdings by more closely managing its assets. Security Properties maintains a focused multi-family strategy supported by integrated teams of professional acquisition, development, construction, investment, and property management specialists. For more information, visit www.securityproperties.com

About Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation https://intercontinental.net/

Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser with decades long experience in real estate investment, finance, development, construction management and asset management. Since 1959, Intercontinental and its affiliates have managed, developed, or owned collectively over $14 billion in real estate property. Today, Intercontinental manages a real estate portfolio of approximately $10 billion for its clients. The Intercontinental portfolio is diversified both by robust property mix and by geography. Fund strategies actively seek opportunities to invest in both Core and Core-Plus properties, as well as in Value-Add operating properties and development projects.

News media contact:

Ed McGovern

206.622.9900

[email protected]

SOURCE Security Properties

Related Links

http://www.securityproperties.com

https://intercontinental.net/


SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SixFifty today launched an automated product to help organizations generate the legal paperwork they need to comply with China's new data privacy law, called the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL). The law resembles Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applies to any organization that has employees in China or does business in China. Organizations must comply with China's new law by November 1, 2021.

SixFifty worked with the law firm Wilson Sonsini and privacy experts in China to develop and automate the compliance documentation that the PIPL requires. SixFifty's solution allows organizations to quickly draft customized policies, notices, contractual clauses, and impact assessments in English and Chinese to comply with China's new regulation. Most organizations can complete the process in a few hours.

"China's new data privacy law will affect thousands of organizations in the United States," said Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty. "Most of those companies won't have the money to use a law firm to help them figure it out. We wanted to give organizations of all sizes an easy and affordable way to generate the legal paperwork they need to comply."

SixFifty's automated solution asks companies a series of questions about their business and how they handle personal information from China. Based on that information, SixFifty's product drafts customized policies, contractual clauses, privacy notices, and impact assessments in English and Chinese that are required by the new law. SixFifty then keeps the documents up to date as the law evolves. The PIPL is expected to change as comments and revisions emerge before the law goes into effect on November 1, 2021.

SixFifty also provides a ticketing system that can help companies collect, catalogue, and respond to data rights requests. Under the new law, people in China have the right to request that organizations (1) delete their data, (2) correct their data, or (3) provide a copy of their data. SixFifty's ticketing system provides organizations with a link they can publish to collect data rights requests from people in China. Organizations can then track and respond to those requests inside SixFifty's product.

In addition to helping organizations with China's new privacy law, SixFifty provides compliance solutions for other privacy laws as well, including the GDPR and California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). SixFifty also helps organizations create employee handbooks and other compliance paperwork that cover the law in every state and account for a workforce that is more remote, mobile, and diverse.

To learn more about SixFifty's automated solution for China's new data privacy law, please visit www.sixfifty.com/china .

About SixFifty

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, SixFifty is the technology subsidiary of the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. SixFifty works with Wilson Sonsini to teach a computer to write legal documents like a lawyer. SixFifty automates the law in two areas: privacy and employment. For more information, please visit www.sixfifty.com.

SOURCE SixFifty Technologies

Related Links

https://www.sixfifty.com/


COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Law firm Smiley Wang-Ekvall (SWE)  leaders in business bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization law; business litigation; and real estate transactions - announced today that the majority of the firm's attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

"It is a high honor for so many of the firm's lawyers to be included among such a distinguished group of legal practitioners across the country," said SWE Partner Robert Marticello. "This peer recognition is a testament to the dedication our attorneys have to our clients."

The following Smiley Wang-Ekvall attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 for their work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Costa Mesa:

Kyra E. Andrassy

Kraig Kilger

Robert S. Marticello

Philip E. Strok

In addition, attorneys Michael Simon and Tim Evanston were again recognized by Best Lawyers as 'Ones to Watch,' also for their work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on peer-review evaluation. The organization received more than 15 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America  , more than 10.8 million votes were analyzed. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed.

Smiley | Wang-Ekvall achieves unparalleled results for its clients in the areas of business litigation, real estate transactions, and bankruptcy and insolvency matters, combining the hands-on attention and cost-effectiveness of a small firm with the depth and breadth of experience of a large firm. Visit http://swelawfirm.com/ to learn more.



SOURCE Smiley Wang-Ekvall

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According to a March 2021 survey of students in grades 6th through 12th, by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), nearly 60% of the state's high school students and almost half of its middle-schoolers, were sad or depressed most days during the pandemic, with 8-10% surveyed having little or no hope about the future.

"Our community is facing a mental health crisis in the wake of COVID-19 with the pandemic having disproportionate and devastating harm to this community, especially young adults in specific communities that were already at risk," said Mike Sherbun CEO at Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital. "Stress and anxiety from the pandemic have pushed people to their limits and increased substance abuse in millions of Washingtonians. Over the past year, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospitals has been working hard to serve our communities, by providing the full continuum of accessible, specialized, in-market support services."

Prior to COVID-19, poor mental health had reached a crisis level in the state, particularly among young people. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 15 through 24 according to the Washington State Department of Health . And in February 2020, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation declaring a youth mental health crisis, citing a 73% increase in admissions for adolescent acute inpatient care and a 68% increase in acute care admissions for pediatric behavioral health issues (2020 compared to 2019).

To support the continued mental health struggles of Washington adolescents, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital has created the Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Program. Specific to youth ages 13-17, the program utilizes Collaborative Problem Solving and Zones of Regulation curriculum, teaching teens and their families how to structure conversations to help adolescents self-regulate and seek collaborative solutions, rather than the child becoming reactive and destructive in their behaviors.

Additionally, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital has created two programs for men and women aged 18+ struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. A new Adult Dual Diagnosis and Detox program helps women and men dealing with substance use disorders and any underlying mental health issues, while receiving detoxification from chemical substances. And an Inpatient Treatment Program specifically for women who have had trauma in their lives, ranging from adverse childhood experiences and/or abusive relationships in adulthood, helps address mood and personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse issues.

Lastly, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital has expanded its Telehealth Intensive Outpatient Program (Tele-IOP). Rolled out in March 2020 to meet the challenges of the pandemic when individuals needed access to mental health services but could not attend in-person due to social-distancing mandates, Tele-IOP provides an inpatient level of care virtually. It will become available to individuals on an outpatient basis, including Women IOP, Dual Diagnosis IOP, and Partial Hospitalization to adolescents, in the Fall of 2021.

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital offers a full continuum of mental health and substance use disorder care, including the Inpatient Adult Intensive Care Program, Adult Dual Diagnosis and Detox Program, and programs specifically tailored for Adolescent Mental Health and Women. It also offers assessments free of charge, and individuals can be admitted directly into the programs or referred. Information is available 24 hours a day at (844) 202-5555.

About Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital's mission is to provide outstanding care, compassionate people, and unparalleled service, offering a full continuum of inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment to patients in Washington. The state of the art, 115-bed hospital, provides specialized, evidence-based behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. For more information, please visit www.smokeypointbehavioralhospital.com.

Contact:

Mike Sherbun, ACTING CEO

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

360-651-5963

SOURCE Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital

Related Links

http://www.smokeypointbehavioralhospital.com


"Outgrowing your home doesn't always mean it's time to move," said Susan. "We are passionate about helping homeowners who love their neighborhood, but don't love their house, turn it into something they never thought possible. There's nothing better."

In the premiere episode the Kadilak's breathe new life into a 1980's colonial for a blended family of six. In order to make spaces large enough for the family they redesign a narrow kitchen, battle pipes in the wall, and creatively contend with an eyesore of a fireplace in order to make it all work.

Future episodes include projects ranging from kitchen renovations to new builds. Season One of "Renovation Rekindle" will feature Massachusetts homes in the Metro Boston area.

"Renovating your house is a stressful process in general," said Paul. "Your house is upside down, you're spending a ton of money, and you get decision fatigue. We guide you through the process to get it all done while trying not to take things too seriously."

Susan grew up in the construction business and built her first home when she was 24. When Paul met Susan he was intrigued by her love of renovating which led to over a decade of transforming hundreds of properties together. When they're not working together, Paul is also a local firefighter and Susan runs her real estate brokerage. They have 4 children.

"Renovation Rekindle" airs on NECN on Saturdays at 10:30am and Sundays at 8:00am beginning September 18, 2021.

The production team is led by Executive Producer Seanbaker Carter. He has formatted, produced, and overseen series for multiple networks including Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Animal Planet's Dogs 101 franchise, and VH1's Swab Stories.

Viewers can see show updates and more project details on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest @KadilakHomes or on the blog: www.KadilakHomes.com .

SOURCE Kadilak Homes

Related Links

http://www.KadilakHomes.com


LONDON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Standard Chartered PLC (the "Company") has today announced the expiration and final results of its previously announced invitation to holders (the "Securityholders") of its US$2,000,000,000 Fixed Rate Resetting Perpetual Subordinated Contingent Convertible Securities (ISIN: US853254BA77 (Rule 144A) / USG84228CQ91 (Regulation S)) (CUSIP: 853254 BA7 (Rule 144A) / G84228 CQ9 (Regulation S)) (the "Securities") to tender up to US$1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Securities (the "Maximum Tender Acceptance Amount") for repurchase by the Company for cash (such invitation, the "Offer") subject to certain offer restrictions as contained in the section "Offer and Distribution Restrictions" of the Tender Offer Memorandum dated 10 August 2021 (the "Tender Offer Memorandum"). The Offer is made on the terms of and subject to the conditions contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum, including the Maximum Tender Acceptance Amount, copies of which may be obtained by eligible holders from the Information and Tender Agent, Morrow Sodali Limited. Capitalised terms used but not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

As at 5:00 p.m. New York City time (10:00 p.m. London time) on 7 September 2021 (the "Expiration Deadline"), US$5,300,000 aggregate principal amount of the Securities (the "Additional Tendered Securities") were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn (the "Additional Principal Amount Tendered") in addition to the US$995,705,000 aggregate principal amount of Securities tendered prior to the Early Tender Deadline and purchased on the Early Tender Settlement Date pursuant to the Offer (the "Original Principal Amount Accepted", and together with the Additional Principal Amount Tendered, "Total Principal Amount Accepted"). The Company has accepted for purchase all of the Additional Tendered Securities.

The table below sets out the principal amount of Securities the Company has accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer.

Description of the Securities ISIN / CUSIP Outstanding Principal Amount(1) Original Principal Amount Accepted Additional Principal Amount Tendered(2) Additional Principal Amount Accepted Repurchase Price (for each Integral Multiple in principal amount) Principal Amount Outstanding After Late Tender Settlement Date Total Principal Accepted Amount US$2,000,000,000 Fixed Rate Resetting Perpetual Subordinated Contingent Convertible Securities ISIN:

US853254BA77 (Rule 144A) / USG84228CQ91 (Regulation S) CUSIP:

853254 BA7 (Rule 144A) / G84228 CQ9 (Regulation S) US$2,000,000,000 US$995,705,000 US$5,300,000 US$5,300,000 US$1,000 per US$1,000 in principal amount US$998,995,000 US$1,001,005,000

__________________

(1) As at the commencement of the Offer.

(2) As at the Expiration Deadline, as reported by the Tender Agent.

The Total Principal Accepted Amount represents approximately 50.05 per cent. of the outstanding principal amount of the Securities as at the date of commencement of the Offer.

Payment for Additional Tendered Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Expiration Deadline and accepted for purchase by the Company pursuant to the Offer will be made promptly on the Late Tender Settlement Date, which is expected to occur on 9 September 2021. Following the settlement on the Late Tender Settlement Date, U.S.$998,995,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Securities will remain outstanding.

In accordance with the Tender Offer Memorandum, given that all conditions to the Offer were satisfied, Securityholders whose Additional Tendered Securities have been validly tendered and accepted for purchase after the Early Tender Deadline but at or prior to the Expiration Deadline, and whose Securities were accepted for purchase, will be entitled to receive the repurchase price of US$1,000 per US$1,000 in principal amount (the "Repurchase Price") and accrued and unpaid interest on their Securities from (and including) the immediately preceding interest payment date to (but excluding) the Late Tender Settlement Date (the "Accrued Interest"). Such Securityholders are not eligible to receive the Early Tender Premium.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Securityholders may access the Tender Offer Memorandum (as described in the Tender Offer Memorandum) at https://bonds.morrowsodali.com/sc.

For further information, please contact:

THE DEALER MANAGERS

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway, 29th Floor

New York, NY 10036

For information by telephone: +1 866 718 1649 / +44 20 7677 5040

Attention: Liability Management

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

and

Standard Chartered Bank

One Basinghall Avenue

London EC2V 5DD

For information by telephone: +1 212 667 0351 / +44 (0)20 7885 5739 / +852 852 3983 8658 /

+65 65578286

Attention: Liability Management

Email: [email protected]

Requests for information in relation to the procedures for tendering Securities in, and for any documents or materials relating to, the Offer should be directed to:

THE INFORMATION AND TENDER AGENT

Morrow Sodali Limited

In London: 103 Wigmore Street W1U 1QS London United Kingdom Telephone: +44 20 4513 6933 In Stamford: 470 West Ave., Suite 3000, Stamford, CT 06902 United States Telephone: +1 203 609 4910 In Hong Kong: Unit 23-016, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central Hong Kong Telephone: +852 2319 4130

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://bonds.morrowsodali.com/sc





DISCLAIMER

This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum. The Tender Offer Memorandum contains important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer described in this announcement. If any holder of Securities is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, from its stockbroker, bank manager, counsel, accountant or other independent financial adviser. Any holder of Securities whose Securities are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Company, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Standard Chartered Bank, Morrow Sodali Limited or any of their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether or not any holder of Securities should tender Securities held by them pursuant to the Offer.

No offer to purchase any Securities is being made pursuant to this announcement. Neither this announcement nor the Tender Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to purchase in any jurisdiction in which, or to or from any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer under applicable securities laws and tenders of securities pursuant to the Offer will not be accepted from holders thereof in any jurisdiction where such invitation or tender is unlawful.

The distribution of this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law.

Persons into whose possession this announcement and/or the Tender Offer Memorandum comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

Offer Restrictions

United Kingdom

The communication of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. 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, and are only for circulation to persons outside the United Kingdom or to persons within the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order")), or within Article 43(2) of the Order, or within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, or to other persons to whom they may lawfully be communicated in accordance with the Order.

Belgium

Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been or will be notified to, and neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been or will be approved by, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autoriteit voor financiele diensten en markten / Autorite des services et marches financiers) and, accordingly, the Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Articles 3 and 6 of the Belgian Law of 1 April 2007 on public takeover bids as amended (the "Belgian Takeover Law"). The Offer is conducted exclusively under applicable private placement exemptions. Accordingly, the Offer may not be advertised and the Offer will not be extended, and neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than "qualified investors" in the sense of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended (the "Prospectus Regulation") and (ii) in any circumstances set out in Article 6, 4 of the Belgian Takeover Law. Insofar as Belgium is concerned, this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum has been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium.

Canada

Any offer or solicitation in Canada must be made through a dealer that is appropriately registered under the laws of the applicable province or territory of Canada, or pursuant to an exemption from that requirement. Where one of the Dealer Managers or any affiliate thereof is a registered dealer or able to rely on an exemption from the requirement to be registered in such jurisdiction, the Offer shall be deemed to be made by such Dealer Manager, or such affiliate, on behalf of the Company in that jurisdiction.

France

This announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other document or material relating to the Offer have only been and shall only be distributed in France to qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum have not been and will not be submitted for clearance to nor approved by the Autorite des Marches Financiers.

Italy

None of the Offer, this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to Italian laws and regulations.

The Offer is being carried out in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the "Financial Services Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 3 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended (the "Issuers' Regulation").

Accordingly, the Offer is only addressed to holders of Securities located in Italy who are "qualified investors" (investitori qualificati) as defined pursuant to and within the meaning of Article 100 of the Financial Services Act and article 34-ter, letter b) of the Issuers' Regulation.

Securityholders or beneficial owners of the Securities that are located in Italy may tender their Securities in the Offer through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-a-vis its clients in connection with the Securities and/or the Offer.

Switzerland

Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Securities constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article 35 et seqq. of the Swiss Federal Financial Service Act ("FinSA"), or a prospectus which was understood pursuant to article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (as in effect prior to the entry into force of the FinSA).

Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Securities have been, or will be, filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority.

Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Securities may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland. This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum is personal to the recipient only and not for general circulation in Switzerland.

General

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell Securities, and tenders of Securities in the Offer will not be accepted from Securityholders, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws require an Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a Dealer Manager or its affiliate is such a licensed broker or dealer in such jurisdictions, the Offer shall be deemed to be made on behalf of the Company by such Dealer Manager or such affiliate, as the case may be, and no Offer is made in any such jurisdiction where the relevant Dealer Manager or its affiliate is not so licensed or appropriately registered.

SOURCE Standard Chartered PLC
"A proven leader with a passion for ultra premium, Keane joins our leadership team working to meet our aggressive five year goals. Szonyi brings unparalleled passion for the liquor industry and brand-led innovation," commented Damian McKinney, Global CEO of Stoli Group. "We are thrilled to have attracted their deep domain expertise and passion for our legacy, and emerging brands."

Keane joins Stoli Group after a long, successful stint at Diageo, where he was the global marketing leader brands including the Single Malt Whisky Portfolio, Ultra Premium Scotch, J&B whisky, Tanqueray, Gordon's Gin, and Captain Morgan Rum as well as running the Guiness Africa business. Previously Nik was at Procter and Gamble and advertising agency JWT leading international campaigns. In addition to his strong track record in accelerating brand performance, Keane is particularily adept at building partnerships, developing winning strategies, driving inclusion and diversity, and instilling creativity flair. In this role, he will lead all Stoli ultra premium brands including Kentucky Owl Bourbon, Bayou Rum (Louisiana) and Tulchan Gin (Scotland).

Most recently Tim built the Commercial Marketing, Innovation and Sales functions of Tribe Breweries one of Australia's largest Craft Beer Brewers. Previously, Tim worked for global companies including Mars, Levi Strauss and Diageo as a Commercial Director both in Australia, New Zealand and Latin America and the Caribbean. As a CEO Tim led the transformation of Artisan Spirit Merchants, a Vodka & Tequila company launching new Super Premium Vodka brands in the USA, Craft RTD's and a Premium Tequila brand, all now owned by Asahi Beverages. As a Management Consultant Tim spent 4 years with McKinsey & Co. as a leader in the Marketing & Sales and Consumer & Retail practices focusing on large scale transformations. He also spent 2.5 years in the USA as the Regional Partner Americas for McKinney Rogers, working with the Alcohol Distributor network across the country and supporting clients that included the Bacardi Company Globally and Heineken Americas.

About Stoli Group

Stoli Group was established in 2013 and is responsible for the production, management, and distribution of SPI's global spirits portfolio. Mainly known for the Stolichnaya Vodka brand, Stoli Group has expanded its portfolio in recent years to appeal to premium on-premise and more sophisticated global consumers. Signature brands are: Stoli Vodka, Elit Vodka, Bayou Rum, Kentucky Owl, Villa One, Gator Bite Rum Liquers, Cenote Tequila, Kah Tequila and Se Busca Mezcal. With a presence across a network of more than 176 markets, Stoli Group works with a passionate team of 200 distributors around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Stoli has production facilities in Russia, Latvia, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, and the United States some of which are steeped in history as early as the 1900s. For more information, visit stoli-group.com .

Contact:

Machie Madden/Maureen Landers

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Stoli Group
"Jonathan is an experienced and influential global sales, ecosystem and technology leader," said Switch Founder and CEO, Rob Roy. "Jonathan's wealth of experience in sales leadership, cloud strategy, strategic partnership and ecosystem development, and end-to-end product development will be invaluable in taking our team to the next level as we scale for continuing rapid growth and expansion to meet our strong customer demand."

At Google Cloud, King led strategic technology partnership and ecosystem development including launching Google Cloud's Telecom & Edge industry effort and partner ecosystem and the Google Cloud VMware Engine. Prior to Google Cloud, King held executive positions leading transformation and growth lines of business for World Wide Technology, Ericsson, CenturyLink, Joyent, Verizon, Totality and Exodus giving him over 20 years of diverse sales and operating experience in every facet of the data center business and surrounding technology ecosystem.

As Chief Revenue Officer for Switch, King will oversee Switch's sales strategy and business development efforts to drive revenue growth and develop strategic partnerships to enhance the product offerings for Switch's client base.

"As a former customer and multiple time partner of Switch for over a decade, I have witnessed the innovative, sustainable and forward-thinking vision of Switch CEO and Founder Rob Roy come to life to revolutionize the data center industry," said King. "At a critical time when society needs sustainable infrastructure more than ever, I am thrilled to join the Switch team to help lead its talented management and sales team through this wave of growth and expansion."

About Switch

Switch (NYSE: SWCH), is the independent leader in exascale data center ecosystems, edge data center designs, industry-leading telecommunications solutions and next-generation technology innovation. Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy has developed more than 750 issued and pending patent claims covering data center designs that have manifested into the company's world-renowned data centers and technology solutions.

We innovate to sustainably progress the digital foundation of the connected world with a focus on enterprise-class and emerging hybrid cloud solutions. The Switch PRIMES, located in Las Vegas and Tahoe Reno, Nevada; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; and Austin, Texas are the world's most powerful exascale data center campus ecosystems with low latency to major U.S. markets. Visit switch.com for more information and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding data center campus capacity and future development, growth and strategies. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Switch as of the date hereof, and Switch disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. For additional information regarding forward-looking statements, please refer to discussions under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" and elsewhere in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Switch's SEC filings are available on the Investor Relations section of our website at investors.switch.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Switch

Related Links

www.switch.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Next week's "Innovative Thinking and Metal Forming and Welding after the Pandemic" webinar featuring five Taiwan smart machinery manufacturers follows a strong performance in the sector during the first seven months of 2021. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA), the industry exported $1.5 billion (US) in machine tools from January to July to achieve a 17% year-over-year increase, including a nearly 15% increase in the export value of metal cutting machines and a 25% increase in metal forming machines.

The webinar, to be held from 1-2:30 pm (Central Daylight Time) on Tuesday September 14 in conjunction with the FABTECH 2021 conference in Chicago, will highlight the latest Industry 4.0 innovations from five Taiwan companies in the metal forming and welding space. The session will include presentations from:

Cosen Saws, a leading ban saw manufacturer that will discuss the latest advances and benefits of its Industry 4.0 Mechalogix CPC (Cosen Predictive Computing) application. The software generates health and usage reports, preventative maintenance reminders, and real-time updates on cutting jobs from a user-friendly dashboard, helping make sawing operations more efficient and cost-effective.

a leading ban saw manufacturer that will discuss the latest advances and benefits of its Industry 4.0 Mechalogix CPC (Cosen Predictive Computing) application. The software generates health and usage reports, preventative maintenance reminders, and real-time updates on cutting jobs from a user-friendly dashboard, helping make sawing operations more efficient and cost-effective. SEYI America, a leading global press supplier with customers in more than 40 countries. The company's advanced direct drive servo presses provide multiple presses in a single machine, allowing metal stampers to optimize production for every part. Its IoT-based Intelligent Manufacturing Solution monitors Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), generates management reports, and aids production and preventative maintenance planning.

a leading global press supplier with customers in more than 40 countries. The company's advanced direct drive servo presses provide multiple presses in a single machine, allowing metal stampers to optimize production for every part. Its IoT-based Intelligent Manufacturing Solution monitors Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), generates management reports, and aids production and preventative maintenance planning. Tailift Co. Ltd., a specialist in laser cutting equipment and sheet metal machinery. The company's newest AC Servo drive and numerical control technology spans turret CNC punching press, CNC press brake and laser cutting equipment with extensive automation. Its newest punching machines also feature integrated punching, forming, rolling and tapping functionality that reduces floor space requirements and greatly improves processing efficiency.

a specialist in laser cutting equipment and sheet metal machinery. The company's newest AC Servo drive and numerical control technology spans turret CNC punching press, CNC press brake and laser cutting equipment with extensive automation. Its newest punching machines also feature integrated punching, forming, rolling and tapping functionality that reduces floor space requirements and greatly improves processing efficiency. Da Jie Electricity Machinery Industrial Co, Ltd., a manufacturer of metal forming and welding machines used to produce auto parts, water tanks and products in many other industries. Da Jie recently enhanced its automation capabilities with intelligent controls systems that deliver a 45% power savings, 50% increase in production capacity, 80% manpower savings and production yield increases of up to 100%.

a manufacturer of metal forming and welding machines used to produce auto parts, water tanks and products in many other industries. Da Jie recently enhanced its automation capabilities with intelligent controls systems that deliver a 45% power savings, 50% increase in production capacity, 80% manpower savings and production yield increases of up to 100%. Dees Hydraulic Industrial Co., Ltd., a hydraulic press manufacturer with more than 4,500 custom installations worldwide. DEES' newer hot-forming presses tame ultra-high-strength steel and firm aluminum alloys, overcoming post-forming bounceback issues and improving the accuracy of finished parts. The company also offers high-precision stamping advances and Industry 4.0 abilities such as remote monitoring, history review systems and program-fixing tools.

Advance registration for the "Innovative Thinking and Metal Forming and Welding after the Pandemic" webinar is required and available by contacting [email protected].

Taiwan's FABTECH 2021 events are organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (www.twmt.tw).

SOURCE Taiwan External Trade Development Council

Related Links

http://www.twmt.tw/


PITTSBURGH, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tecum Capital Management, Inc, an investment firm based in Pittsburgh, Pa., today announced it received a license from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to operate its third SBIC (Small Business Investment Company) fund and concurrently held its first closing for the new fund. This third fund is nearly fully subscribed at $240 million. Tecum's new SBIC fund, Tecum Capital Partners III, L.P., will continue the strategies of its prior SBIC funds by making mezzanine loans and minority equity investments across many industries.

"This third SBIC license is a significant achievement for Tecum Capital as it will help drive our long-term growth plans," said Stephen J. Gurgovits, Jr., managing partner of Tecum Capital Partners. "This new fund aligns with our primary investment strategy to provide strategic, long-term debt and equity capital solutions for lower middle market companies."

With a strong interest in Rust Belt states as well as the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, the team at Tecum Capital supports independent sponsors, family offices, private equity funds, and management teams to facilitate recapitalizations, buyouts, generational transitions, acquisitions, and other growth capital needs. "Through strategic guidance and operational improvements, Tecum Capital offers an attractive partnership for our portfolio companies. Tecum is Latin for 'with you' and relationship investing is an important part of our business," Gurgovits said. Over the last eight years under its prior funds, Tecum Capital saw the total employee count of its portfolio companies increase 30% from 6,821 to 8,864.

The average investment size for the new fund will be $5 million to $20 million per transaction. "Our investment criteria remains consistent with our predecessor SBIC funds," said Gurgovits. "We are targeting the same size companies using the same proven strategies. Our investment philosophy is driven by a seasoned team at Tecum Capital, which creates a strong value proposition for our investors and clients." The investor base of the new fund includes many of the existing limited partners, along with several new institutional investors, including several new banks.

Originally launched as a wholly-owned subsidiary of its former bank parent company in 2005, the Tecum Capital team spun out and formed its first SBIC fund in 2013. Along with Gurgovits, the firm's original founding partners include Matthew L.T. Harnett and Tyson S. Smith, all of whom continue to provide leadership to Tecum Capital's now 16-person investment team.

Tecum Capital Partners III is a $240 million pooled fund of committed capital licensed by the SBA as an SBIC. The fund is managed by Tecum Capital Management, a private investment firm, which invests in mezzanine debt, subordinated notes, private equity and other securities issued by small- and medium-sized commercial enterprises. The firm is focused on providing financing for recapitalizations, buyouts, generational transitions, mergers and acquisitions and other growth capital needs. The Tecum Capital team will work with financial buyers, independent sponsors, management teams and/or family office with its investments. Tecum Capital Partners III is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., with a geographic footprint that extends across the United States with a focus in the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

About Tecum Capital Management, Inc.

Tecum Capital Management, Inc. ("Tecum") is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based private investment firm deploying capital in lower middle market companies. Tecum provides mezzanine debt and equity investments in growth-oriented middle market companies across the broader high-value manufacturing, value-added distribution, and business services sectors, with a focus on opportunities that demonstrate strong long-term industry fundamentals, differentiated products or services, and identifiable secular growth tailwinds. Our team partners with independent sponsors, family offices, committed funds, business owners seeking succession plans, and management teams to create shared success. Tecum focuses on businesses with EBITDA greater than $3 million. Tecum seeks to invest $5 million to $20 million in potential portfolio companies. Tecum manages a licensed Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC") and is currently investing out of Tecum Capital Partners III, L.P, a $240 million fund launched in August 2021. Since 2006, the team has collectively invested more than $750 million in over 100 platform and add-on acquisitions. For more information, please visit www.tecum.com.

CONTACT: Stephen J. Gurgovits, Jr., CPA, CFA

Managing Partner

Tecum Capital

Phone: 724-602-4401

[email protected]

SOURCE Tecum Capital

Related Links

tecum.com


Bevy's new sparkling citrus refresher is made from a delicious and easy-drinking blend of citrus flavors and wild juniper berries for an exceptionally thirst-quenching beverage that's perfect for any occasion. Bevy Long Drink's initial styles are sweet, tart, refreshingly packed with flavor, and 5.8% ABV.

"Drinkers are searching for the ultimate in refreshment, but also don't want to sacrifice taste. That's where Bevy Long Drink comes in," said Lesya Lysyj, The Boston Beer Company's Chief Marketing Officer. "It's cocktail-inspired, easy to drink, and full-flavored, yet highly refreshing unlike any beer or pre-mixed cocktail out there."

What is a "Long drink"?

Long Drink is a traditional Finnish cocktail that traditionally consists of gin, grapefruit soda, and tonic. The drink was first created when the Finnish government commissioned a refreshing cocktail to serve guests attending the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.

While inspired by the traditional cocktail, Bevy Long Drink will be the first Long Drink inspired beverage available in the U.S. without spirits. Bevy Long Drink is made with an original malt base containing natural flavors and wild juniper berries.

Lysyj continued, "The Long Drink cocktail is Finland's best-kept secret, but it's typically made with gin. Bevy Long Drink is our signature spin on this classic. We developed a cocktail-inspired recipe, with all the citrus flavors and wild juniper berries, and made it ready-to-drink from a can. You get all the refreshing citrus flavor without the gin. But the best part is that you don't have to fly to Finland. You can just pick up a 6-pack at the store."

Boston Beer, maker of other industry leading alcohol beverages Samuel Adams beer, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, Angry Orchard, and Dogfish Head beer plans to continue its proven track record of innovation to bring Finland's best kept secret to US drinkers in early November, in 6-packs and 12-packs (12oz cans) and single-serve 24oz cans.

About The Boston Beer Company:

The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) began in 1984 brewing Samuel Adams beer and the Samuel Adams brand is currently recognized as one of the largest and most respected craft beer brands. Our portfolio of brands also includes Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard Hard Cider and Dogfish Head Brewery as well as other craft beer brands such as Angel City Brewery and Coney Island Brewing. For more information, please visit our investor relations website at www.bostonbeer.com, which includes links to all of our respective brand websites.

SOURCE The Boston Beer Company, Inc.

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"Showing at the Empire State Building this season is a huge moment in fashion, not only for the brand but it holds a very special place in my heart," said Smith. "I am born and raised in New York and to be able to show my Spring/Summer 2022 collection at the icon of New York City really feels like a full circle moment for me. The Empire State Building celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, and I will be the first designer in history to host a show there. The timing just felt so right to celebrate not only its 90th anniversary but also a revival of fashion and live runway shows in New York City."

A notable name in luxury fashion, LaQuan Smith's womenswear designs are lauded by icons like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and the Kardashians, who regularly attend his shows. A show like this has never taken place in the history of the Empire State Building, which throughout 2021 celebrates its 90th anniversary with a series of firsts.

"The Empire State Building is the international icon of New York City, and she is honored to bring Fashion Week to new heights with LaQuan Smith's spectacular show," said Stacey-Ann Hosang, VP, branding and media relations at Empire State Realty Trust. "This is the first time we have ever closed our world-famous Observatory for such an event, and we are excited that we do so to celebrate the achievements of another native New Yorker."

The invitation-only event will begin at 9 p.m. More information on LaQuan Smith can be found online; more information about the Empire State Building and its Observatory Experience can be found at esbnyc.com.

Hi-res imagery with accompanying photo credit information can be downloaded here.

About the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building , "The World's Most Famous Building" owned by Empire State Realty Trust , Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture. 2021 is the 90th anniversary year of the Building which officially opened on May 1, 1931. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world.

Empire State Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and Global Brands Group, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Weibo , YouTube , or TikTok .

About Empire State Realty Trust

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building." The company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of June 30, 2021, which consists of 9.4 million rentable square feet across 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; as well as approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.

Empire State Realty Trust is a leader in energy efficiency in the built environment and sustainability space, with 76 percent of the eligible portfolio ENERGY STAR certified and 100 percent fully powered by renewable wind electricity. As the first commercial real estate portfolio in the Americas to achieve the evidence-based, third-party verified WELL Health-Safety Rating for health and safety, ESRT additionally earned the highest possible GRESB 5 Star Rating and Green Star recognition for sustainability performance in real estate and was named a Fitwel Champion for healthy, high-performance buildings. To learn more about Empire State Realty Trust, visit esrtreit.com and follow ESRT on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Category: Observatory

SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.esbnyc.com


An extremely rare and precious liquid, The Dennis Malcolm 60 th Anniversary Edition, is a luxurious spirit, displaying an elegance that can only be achieved with time, and dedication. Harnessing The Glen Grant's long, rich history and expertise of Dennis Malcolm, this expression marks an exciting new chapter for The Glen Grant, showcasing the incredible six decade career of the Master Distiller on the world's stage.

Each marked with a bespoke number, every one of the 360 decanters have been made from hand-blown crystal glass, designed by world renowned Glencairn Studio, and are based on the design of the distillery's unique tall slender pot stills. Nestled in an elegant presentation case crafted from sustainable walnut, the decanter itself requires over 15 hours of expert craftsmanship for each creation, encompassing intricate details which symbolize the unique aromas of The Glen Grant. Each presentation case has the Master Distiller's signature engraved within it and includes a Certificate of Authenticity, signed personally by Dennis Malcolm.

The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, Aged 60 Years is bottled at 52.8% ABV and is non-chill filtered to retain optimal flavour and aroma. With a deep chestnut colour, the aroma starts with notes of vibrant Seville orange that give way to an unravelling of rich fruits and nuts; apricot, peaches, raisons, pecan nuts, and a hint of cigar smoke. Rich and fruity in taste with a beautiful balance of dark chocolate layered with treacle toffee, the taste has elements of a liquid fruit cake, finished with long, lingering flavours of figs, dates, liquorice, and a slight hint of smoke.

Born at The Glen Grant distillery in 1946, few in the worldwide spirits industry share the whisky-industry lineage of Dennis Malcolm. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him, he got his start at age 15 as apprentice cooper and later, as a manager supervising the growing company's nine distilleries. In his current role as Master Distiller, Dennis has been an integral part of the brand and part of its history, maintaining the malt's distinctive character, all the while innovating and growing the range of award-winning expressions, including the newly introduced Arboralis and core expressions aged 10, 12, 15, and 18 Years. Reflecting on his diamond anniversary, Malcom remarks, "It's never been a job to me, it's been a way of life. I don't like my actual birthday -that makes me a year older. But I like my milestones with Glen Grant because it's a year longer than I'm here. I can keep doing what I was destined to do. "

Malcolm's careful craftsmanship and attention to detail in crafting The Glen Grant's single malt scotch whiskies has received worldwide acclaim, including recognition for his service by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2016, when he was named as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Dennis was inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame in 2014 and in 2015, he received the first-ever Spirit of Speyside award for his achievements in the industry. Dennis also went on to receive the Whisky Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and was honored with the International Wine and Spirits Competition's Outstanding Achievement in the Scotch Whisky Industry Award the same year.

"With the launch of The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, we celebrate and pay tribute to the career of a true Scottish gentleman and globally recognized Scotch Whisky craftsman. Dennis has not only created some of the most-awarded single malts in the world, but also serves as an unwavering champion for the industry. His unrelenting passion for consistent quality in everything he creates is revered on the world's stage by connoisseurs, collectors and aficionados. Dennis even hand-bottled these decanters!" remarks Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Campari Group CEO. "We are honored to work beside such a legend. This refined, remarkable liquid is a luxurious homage to a life spent doing what he loves most."

The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition Aged 60 Years is priced at  25,000.00 and will be available in select retailers in global markets beginning in October, 2021.

About The Glen Grant

The Glen Grant's story began in 1840, in Rothes, Speyside  Scotland's premier region for Whisky production; by brothers John and James Grant. Still produced in Rothes today, The Glen Grant holds a range of prestigious industry awards and is world renowned for its consistent quality across its aged variants. The elegant and seductively smooth taste for which The Glen Grant is famous is the result of the innovative tall slender stills and revolutionary purifiers that James 'The Major' Grant, son of founder James Grant, was one of the first to introduce over a century ago. Still used to this day, this lasting legacy continues to distinguish the brand.

Today, Dennis Malcolm, the multi-award winning The Glen Grant Master Distiller, directs and presides over the amber liquid. Born in the grounds of The Glen Grant Distillery in 1946, he has worked for The Glen Grant for over five decades, with an uncommon passion and unrivaled knowledge of the industry. Dennis' unmatched Scotch whisky experience ensures that every expression in The Glen Grant range makes the absolute best of the complex alchemy of spirit, wood and time.

The current range includes; The Glen Grant Major's Reserve, Arboralis, 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old, 15 Years Old, 18 Year Old (select markets), limited edition bottles and a selection of travel retail exclusive offerings, including a 12 Years Old Non-chill Filtered and Cask Haven. The Glen Grant became part of the Campari Group portfolio in 2006. The ABV of each The Glen Grant single malt Scotch whisky differs between each expression and consumers are encouraged to always drink responsibly.

THE AWARD-WINNING THE GLEN GRANT RANGE

Glen Grant 12 Year Old (2021)

89 Points; Gold - Ascot

93 Points, Great Value  USC

91 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI

Glen Grant 15 Year Old

94 Points; Platinum - Ascot (2021)

DOUBLE GOLD  SFWSC (2019, 2021)

92 Points  USC (2021)

(2021) 93 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI (2021)

Gold Medal: "Single Malt Scotch of the Year" -New York International Spirits Competition (2020)

Glen Grant 18 Year Old (2021)

100 Points; Double Platinum - Ascot Awards

DOUBLE GOLD  San Francisco World Spirits Competition

95 Points, Finalist  USC

93 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI

About the Campari Group

Campari Group is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. Campari Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. Campari Group's portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits (the core business), wines, and soft drinks. Its internationally-renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey, and Grand Marnier. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 22 countries. Campari Group employs around 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy our brands responsibly.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606157/The_Glen_Grant_Hero_Box_Bottle.jpg

SOURCE The Glen Grant Distillery
LIVINGSTON, N.J., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IRMS is thrilled to open its first New York office location in the heart of Staten Island's "Medical Mile" at 1441 South Avenue. Located at Corporate Commons Three, this is the latest addition to Richard and Lois Nicotra's unique Bloomfield-based Corporate Park of 1.5 million square feet of office space amid a 415-acre natural preserve with walking trails, outdoor work pods, and an organic rooftop farm.

The Institute for Reproductive Medicine & Science (IRMS) opens its first New York office location delivering state-of-the-art fertility care. Located in the heart of Staten Islands Medical Mile at 1441 South Avenue within Corporate Commons Three, this is the latest addition to Richard and Lois Nicotras unique Bloomfield-based Corporate Park of 1.5 million square feet of office space amid a 415-acre preserve with walking trails, rooftop organic garden, and first class patient amenities..

IRMS is a world-class fertility center that has been serving patients at their multiple New Jersey locations for close to thirty years. Pioneers in the field of infertility, their experienced team of Reproductive Endocrinologists & Embryologists have trained at some of the nation's leading institutions including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, & NYU.

This new, state-of-the-art IRMS location will be led by Dr. Melissa C. Yih and Dr. Debbra A. Keegan.

Dr. Keegan, a Staten Island native, is the clinical director at IRMS, director of third-party reproduction and co-partner of the practice. She is overjoyed to see the realization of her dream to empower her community with access to exemplary fertility care.

"It has always been my dream to return to Staten Island and serve the community that is my home. Current treatment options in reproductive medicine seem limitless to me. Family building is always achievable with an open heart and open mind. Now, with the best science and medicine for which IRMS is known, families in my hometown have another choice." (Dr. Debbra A Keegan)

Dr. Keegan is board certified in reproductive endocrinology and general obstetrics and gynecology. She received her medical degree from NYU School of Medicine and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bellevue Hospital / NYU Langone Medical Centers. Dr. Keegan completed her undergraduate work at Cornell University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development. Born and bred in Staten Island, Dr. Keegan attended St. John's Lutheran School, Intermediate School 34 and Tottenville High School. She worked at local health club and as a server at RH Tugs on her summers off. Her family members are equally passionate Staten Islanders - her father is a retired NYPD officer and her mother & sister are lifetime nurses at Staten Island University Hospital (Northwell Health).

Dr. Melissa Yih is Board Certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and has been practicing in the NJ area since 2002. She brings a tremendous amount of experience to IRMS's clinical practice and valued patients.

Dr. Yih received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and her medical degree from The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency and her clinical fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at New York-Presbyterian Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

"I am thrilled to be joining the extraordinary physicians and caregivers of IRMS. After practicing in the New Jersey area since 2002, it is an honor to contribute my clinical experience to a remarkable practice such as IRMS, where their reputation of personalized, state of the art care precedes them." (Dr. Melissa Yih)

SOURCE Institute for Reproductive Medicine & Science
ORRVILLE, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) issued its 2021 Corporate Impact Report today, sharing an update on progress made on its Thriving Together agenda and its commitment to positively influence the issues challenging people and pets. The Company's Thriving Together agenda focuses on supporting access to quality food, access to education, equitable and ethical treatment for all, connections to necessary community resources and a healthier planet.

Key highlights shared in the 2021 Corporate Impact Report include:

Access to Quality Food: Supported the delivery of more than 23 million meals for people and pets in need

Supported the delivery of more than 23 million meals for people and pets in need Access to Education: Partnered with the LeBron James Family Foundation to launch HomeTown Hall, a large indoor space for the growing I PROMISE School family to gather, learn and grow together

Partnered with the LeBron James Family Foundation to launch HomeTown Hall, a large indoor space for the growing I PROMISE School family to gather, learn and grow together Equitable and Ethical Treatment for All: Announced support of leading social justice organizations including the Akron-Canton Urban League, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Equal Justice Initiative, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc., Toronto Chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Council and Urban League of Greater Cleveland

Announced support of leading social justice organizations including the Akron-Canton Urban League, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Equal Justice Initiative, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc., Toronto Chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Council and of Connections to Community Resources: Donated more than $1.3 million to the Red Cross and United Way to support the communities where the Company operates

Donated more than to the Red Cross and United Way to support the communities where the Company operates Healthier Planet: Exceeded its 2020 environmental impact goals for waste-to-landfill diversion, water-use-intensity reduction and greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity reduction

"We recognize our stakeholders have significant expectations for the positive impact we must make on society; however, the expectations we have for ourselves are even higher," said Mark Smucker, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The work of our employees and partners to deliver on our Thriving Together agenda amid the unprecedented circumstances of the past year has been an inspiration to me and my leadership team. It also provides us with confidence in our ability to continue to make a meaningful, positive impact on the issues our communities face."

As part of the 2021 Corporate Impact Report, the Company has introduced its new environmental impact goals, which are in addition to the previously shared packaging sustainability commitments.

These new goals include:

Reduce absolute scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions 28% by 2030 from a 2019 base year (the target boundary includes biogenic emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks)

Reduce scope 3 GHG emissions 22% per unit of sold product by 2030 from a 2019 base year

Achieve TRUE certification at 100% of sites by 2030

Reduce energy intensity at company-owned facilities 5% by 2025 from a 2019 base year

Reduce water intensity at company-owned facilities 5% by 2025 from a 2019 base year

"These new goals build on our progress while challenging us to enhance the positive impact we can make," Smucker said. "A great example is our greenhouse-gas-emissions goals, which were developed using the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). The use of science-based targets allows us to leverage established standards and supports our commitment to long-term resiliency."

Learn more about the Company's Thriving Together agenda and its impact on those connected to its business by visiting the Company's website: www.jmsmucker.com/our-impact.

About The J.M. Smucker Co.

Each generation of consumers leaves their mark on culture by establishing new expectations for food and the companies that make it. At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to be at the heart of this dynamic with a diverse portfolio that appeals to each generation of people and pets and is found in nearly 90 percent of U.S. homes and countless restaurants. This includes a mix of iconic brands consumers have always loved such as Folgers, Jif and Milk-Bone and new favorites like Cafe Bustelo, Smucker's Uncrustables and Rachael Ray Nutrish. By continuing to immerse ourselves in consumer preferences and acting responsibly, we will continue growing our business and the positive impact we have on society. For more information, please visit jmsmucker.com.

The J.M. Smucker Co. is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein except for Rachael Ray, a registered trademark of Ray Marks II LLC, which is used under license.

SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co.

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BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Physicians Foundation today released Improving America's Health Care System: Recognize the Realities of Patients' Lives and Invest in Addressing Social Determinants of Health, which outlines specific, practical recommendations that are needed to address social determinants of health (SDOH) that impact physicians and patients across the country. SDOH recognize that the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age have a major influence on individuals' health and the cost of health care in America.

The recommendations detail four key principles to address how we pay for and deliver care to improve health, while reducing costs and easing administrative burdens on physicians. These key principles are:

Address SDOH in combating the COVID-19 pandemic Integrate SDOH into payment policies for physicians Create new standards for SDOH quality, utilization and outcome measurement Make SDOH central to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center's (CMMI) and states' innovation agendas

The 17 specific recommendations are designed to impact at least one of the above principles, with one recommendation cross-cutting all principles: "Consistent with CMS's 'meaningful measures' initiative, for every SDOH measure adopted, retire three+ other process and/or efficiency measures to re-balance the national measure set to align with what matters to patients and reduce physician burden and burnout."

"Physicians have long experienced the impact of social determinants of health on patient health, care outcomes, costs, physician burden and the physician-patient relationship," said Gary Price, MD, president of The Physicians Foundation. "In fact, in our 2020 Survey of America's Physicians, 73% of physicians indicated that SDOH, such as access to healthy food and safe housing, will drive demand of health care services in 2021."

Physicians know addressing SDOH, such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, nutrition/food security, access to health care and social support networks, will require comprehensive coordination among individual physicians, medical societies, health systems, social services systems and policymakers. These recommendations outline specific actions needed for Medicare, Medicaid and the CMMI to support all stakeholders in addressing these social factors.

"Our health care system is increasingly recognizing that we cannot improve health outcomes or reduce health care costs without addressing social determinants of health," continued Gary Price, MD, president of The Physicians Foundation. "The COVID-19 pandemic has truly highlighted how these social-related health factors can have vast impacts on different communities across the country. It is of utmost importance that we continue creating awareness around how social determinants of health impact our health care system and advocate for these important recommendations to improve health outcomes for all people."

For more information on The Physicians Foundation's work addressing SDOH, visit www.physiciansfoundation.org/social-determinants-of-health/.

About The Physicians Foundation

The Physicians Foundation is a nonprofit seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and help them facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients. As the U.S. health care continues to evolve, The Physicians Foundation is steadfast in strengthening the physician-patient relationship, supporting medical practices' sustainability and helping physicians navigate the changing health care system. The Physicians Foundation pursues its mission through research, education and innovative grant making that improves physician wellbeing, strengthens physician leadership, addresses social determinants of health and lifts physician perspectives. For more information, visit www.physiciansfoundation.org.

SOURCE The Physicians Foundation

Related Links

http://www.physiciansfoundation.org


Partnership will bring first GMP manufactured products to be sold through Valens in both Australia and New Zealand

Access to Epsilon's GMP facility in Australia to provide Valens with future access to global markets including Latin America, Europe, UK and Asia-Pacific



KELOWNA, BC, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Valens Company Inc. (TSX: VLNS) (OTCQX: VLNCF) (the "Company," "The Valens Company" or "Valens"), a leading manufacturer of cannabis products, today announced an exclusive partnership with Epsilon Healthcare Limited (ASX:EPN) (Epsilon), a diversified global healthcare and pharmaceuticals company, for access to Epsilon's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility in Australia for manufacturing products, furthering its international expansion to GMP markets in Latin America, Europe, UK and the Asia-Pacific regions. Products will be distributed through Valens' Australian Distribution Partner, Cannvalate PTY Ltd ("Cannvalate"), and will be the largest quantity of products provided to Cannvalate for distribution to date (collectively, the "Transaction"). The partnership is reflected in the terms of the Binding Heads of Agreement between the Epsilon, THC Pharma (the Epsilon's wholly owned subsidiary, and owner of the Southport Facility), Valens, and Valens Australia Pty Ltd (Valens' wholly owned subsidiary) (the "Agreement").

With this partnership The Valens Company continues its "revenue first, capital efficient" strategy of expanding internationally. As part of the Agreement with Epsilon and Cannvalate, Valens will be provided with access to Epsilon's GMP manufacturing capabilities at the Southport Facility (as defined below) located in Queensland, Australia, the largest cannabis manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest at domestic scale with complimentary Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) and EU GMP capabilities. The partnership also marks the first GMP manufactured products to be sold through Valens in Australia, and provides Valens with the capability to deliver GMP-grade products to Latin America, Europe, UK and Asia-Pacific.

Key Transaction Details:

The Valens Company, a leading Canadian manufacturer of cannabis products, has entered into a long-term partnership with Epsilon, for exclusive access to the Epsilon's GMP Manufacturing Facility in Southport , Queensland Australia (the " Southport Facility ')

, (the " ') Epsilon's Southport Facility is the largest cannabis extraction facility in the Southern Hemisphere with TGA and EU GMP capability

Valens to fund all operational and capital expenditure of the Southport Facility in return for preferential access for up to 85 percent of the operational capacity of the Southport Facility over the next five years, with an option to extend this arrangement for an additional six years

Valens to provide operational and management consultancy at the Southport Facility to bring their industry-leading intellectual property, technology, and team to the Southport Facility to take advantage of Epsilon's GMP Manufacturing capability

Marks first foray into EU GMP medicine production for Valens

The Agreement compliments its existing partnership with Cannvalate opening up GMP manufactured products to be sold through Cannvalate's distribution network First products manufactured under strategic alliance expected to be delivered in the coming weeks

Epsilon's wholly owned subsidiary, THC Pharma Pty Ltd (THC Pharma) operates a TGA and Office of Drug Control (ODC) licensed medicinal cannabis manufacturing facility with TGA and EU GMP capabilities in Southport, Queensland Australia. THC Pharma's GMP Southport facility is a 10,000 square foot purpose-built botanicals extraction facility capable of extraction of raw plant material and downstream purification and isolation processing. The facility consists of its own QC lab and grade D cleanroom space for the manufacture of oral dose format products. Epsilon also owns a number of medicinal cannabis assets, including the Tetra Health clinic, and the Medimar Platform  an end-to-end ecommerce solution for nutraceuticals and cannabis. Epsilon also operates a turn-key cannabis cultivation solutions provider based in Vancouver, Canada.

"With this partnership we have fulfilled our promise to achieve GMP manufacturing in 2021 and we have gained access to international cannabis markets through the 'Valens way,' utilizing an asset-light approach that allows us to export to GMP markets globally. We are excited to work with the largest and most advanced cannabis manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere to distribute GMP products, and look forward to advancing our product distribution capabilities through our continued partnership with Cannvalate. We believe this strategic partnership is an efficient use of capital towards accessing GMP quality products and accelerates our timeline to market dramatically," said Tyler Robson, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of The Valens Company. "With the rapid unit volume growth coming out of our K2 facility that was built to GMP standards, we believe this agreement offers us the best of both worlds - access to GMP manufacturing without giving up on domestic revenue growth opportunities."

Jarrod White, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilon noted, "This year alone, Valens has grown exponentially not only across provinces and territories in Canada, but in the US as well, which is an excellent platform for the growth we see forthcoming in the international Medicinal Cannabis market generally. Epsilon's partnership with Valens as a leading manufacturer of cannabis products is complementary to our facility, being the largest TGA and EU GMP facility in the Southern Hemisphere. We are excited to be working with Valens during such a flourishing time in their corporate trajectory. Valens also shows a promising production throughput to scale up our GMP manufacturing capability. We look forward to furthering our partnership with Valens in the coming months as we accelerate the commercial production output from Epsilon's wholly owned facility."

Dr. Sud Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer of Cannvalate added, "Having worked closely with Valens for over a year, we have already noticed significant growth in their market share in the APAC market. Now, with access to a GMP facility via our partnership with Epsilon, we forecast a dramatic increase in demand both domestically and internationally. With New Zealand moving to a pureplay GMP market in October 2021 and the Australian Government indicating they will too in the very near future, we see this opportunity as building a significant competitive advantage for the Valens-Cannvalate partnership."

This initial production run is the first milestone of Valens' partnership with Epsilon. Valens anticipates that the partnership will see further expansion as it receives additional orders for GMP product globally.

Further details concerning the Transaction as set forth in Schedule 1 below.

At Valens, it's Personal.

About The Valens Company

The Valens Company is a leading manufacturer of cannabis products with a mission to bring the benefits of cannabis to the world. The Company provides proprietary cannabis processing services, in addition to best-in-class product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cannabis consumer packaged goods. The Valens Company's high-quality products are formulated for the medical, health and wellness, and recreational consumer segments, and are offered across all cannabis product categories with a focus on quality and innovation. The Company also manufactures, distributes, and sells a wide range of CBD products in the United States through its subsidiary Green Roads, and distributes medicinal cannabis products to Australia through its subsidiary Valens Australia. In partnership with brand houses, consumer packaged goods companies and licensed cannabis producers around the globe, the Company continues to grow its diverse product portfolio in alignment with evolving cannabis consumer preferences in key markets. Through Valens Labs, the Company is setting the standard in cannabis testing and research and development with Canada's only ISO17025 accredited analytical services lab, named The Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science by partner and scientific world leader Thermo Fisher Scientific. Discover more on The Valens Company and its subsidiaries at http://www.thevalenscompany.com.

About Epsilon Healthcare Limited

Epsilon Healthcare (ASX:EPN) is an ASX listed diversified global healthcare and pharmaceuticals company. EPN owns a number of medicinal cannabis assets including the largest GMP cannabis manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere, the Tetra Health clinic, and the Medimar Platform. EPN's manufacturing facility is a fully licensed and permitted Australian TGA and EU GMP bio-floral extraction facility with a range of approved GMP licensed products and formulations. EPN's facility is capable of product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cannabis consumer packaged goods in addition to the manufacture of products and formulations for use in clinical trials to a TGA and EU GMP standard. EPN additionally operates a turn-key cannabis cultivation solutions provider based in Vancouver, Canada.

About Cannvalate

Cannvalate is Australia's largest business-to-business services company supporting both domestic and international Medicinal Cannabis companies fast track their growth into the Australian market. Their two key services include:

ACMA (Australian Cannabis Market Access)  Australia's largest network of medicinal cannabis prescribing clinics, consisting of more than 2,400 referring physicians and 600 affiliated pharmacies spanning all states of Australia . Cannvalate prescriptions currently account for almost 50% of the Australian market, which is now the fastest growing pure-play medical market in the world.

largest network of medicinal cannabis prescribing clinics, consisting of more than 2,400 referring physicians and 600 affiliated pharmacies spanning all states of . Cannvalate prescriptions currently account for almost 50% of the Australian market, which is now the fastest growing pure-play medical market in the world. Medicinal Cannabis Research Collaboration (MCRC)  The world's only cannabis-specialised, Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) providing best-in-class, cost-effective, clinical and preclinical research. The MCRC provides end-to-end, novel cannabinoid drug discovery in conjunction with a talented, commercially-orientated, scientific team, capable of performing preclinical, phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3 trials.

Schedule 1

The material terms of the Binding Heads of Agreement between the Epsilon, THC Pharma (the Epsilon's wholly owned subsidiary, and owner of the Southport Facility), Valens, and Valens Australia Pty Ltd (Valens' wholly owned subsidiary) (Valens AU) are provided below:

1. The Parties must use their best endeavours to execute the following documentation by 30 November 2021 to formalize the terms in the Binding Heads of Agreement:

a. The Epsilon-Valens Management/Operational Consultancy



(the "Operational Agreement"); and

b. The Epsilon-Valens Export Supply Agreement (the "Export Supply Agreement")



(together, the "Definitive Agreements"). 2. The conditions precedent for the execution of the Definitive Agreements are:

a. Epsilon and THC Pharma being satisfied that their entry to the Definitive Agreements will not jeopardize any regulatory license or other authorization held by THC Pharma (including any license or authorization granted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration or the Office of Drug Control);

b. Each of the Parties obtaining all required authorizations from any Government agency or regulatory body including, but not limited to, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Office of Drug Control. 3. The material terms of the Operational Agreement are:

a. Valens and/or Valens AU will provide management and operational consultancy services to THC Pharma in respect of its manufacture of medicinal cannabis and medicinal cannabis products for supply to the Australian and international markets, including a license to use Valens know-how and other intellectual property rights regarding the manufacture of medicinal cannabis products.

b. During the term of the Operational Agreement, Valens will cover the cost of all THC Pharma's operational and capital expenditure. In return for priority access to THC Pharma's manufacturing output.

c. Valens will leverage its preferred partnership with Cannvalate to sell GMP products manufactured in the Epsilon Southport Facility for sale in Australia or New Zealand.

d. THC Pharma will pay Valens a management fee on all medicinal cannabis products manufactured by THC Pharma for Valens customers such that in effect THC Pharma retains a 'royalty' of 2.5% to 4% of sales revenue for all Valens customer products.

e. THC Pharma will pay Valens a management fee on all medicinal products manufactured by THC Pharma for its own customers being the cost of production plus 25%, or such other amount the parties agree after good faith negotiations.

f. Valens is required to use the Epsilon Southport Facility for all production of medicinal cannabis products for sale in Australian or New Zealand.

g. The term of the agreement is for a minimum of five years, with an additional five year option, and a final 12 month option, each of which can be exercised at Valens's discretion. 4. The Operational Agreement may otherwise only be terminated in the event of a material increase in the monthly forecasted costs or annual costs of the facility over a continuous period, in the event of a failure to meet regulatory and statutory requirements, a breach of law or regulation, a change of control of THC Pharma, or failure to meet specified confidential performance criteria under the Agreement for two consecutive quarters.The material terms of the Export Supply Agreement are:

a. Valens AU appoints THC Pharma as its contract manufacturer for the manufacture of medicinal cannabis products in Australia at the order of Valens AU for export from Australia by Valens AU to Valens customers.

b. Valens AU will be the 'sponsor' of the product for Australian compliance purposes and will be responsible for all regulatory obligations as the sponsor of the products.

c. The term of the agreement is for a minimum of five years, with an additional five year option, and a final 12 month option, each of which can be exercised at Valens's discretion.

There can however be no assurance that the Definitive Agreement will be entered into.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements

All information included in this press release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance and other statements of The Valens Company that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "scheduled", "trends", "forecasts", "future", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "believe", "intend", "ability to", or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of these words or other variations thereof, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosure regarding future results of operations, future outcomes of transactions, economic conditions, and anticipated courses of action. Investors and other parties are advised that there is not necessarily any correlation between the number of SKUs manufactured and shipped and revenue and profit, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, , Canadian regulatory risk, Australian regulatory risk, U.S. regulatory risk, U.S. border crossing and travel bans, the uncertainties, effects of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, reliance on licenses, expansion of facilities, competition, dependence on supply of cannabis and reliance on other key inputs, dependence on senior management and key personnel, general business risk and liability, regulation of the cannabis industry, change in laws, regulations and guidelines, compliance with laws, limited operating history, vulnerability to rising energy costs, unfavourable publicity or consumer perception, product liability, risks related to intellectual property, product recalls, difficulties with forecasts, management of growth and litigation, many of which are beyond the control of The Valens Company. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risks faced by The Valens Company, and which may cause the actual financial results, performance or achievements of The Valens Company to be materially different from estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, please refer to The Valens Company's latest Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com or on The Valens Company's website at www.thevalenscompany.com. The risks described in such Annual Information Form are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Although the forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management's current beliefs and reasonable assumptions based upon information available to management as of the date hereof, The Valens Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The Valens Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Valens 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. Nothing herein should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell securities of The Valens Company.

SOURCE The Valens Company Inc.

Related Links

https://thevalenscompany.com/


The Nashville site is part of Thermo Fisher's now more than $650 million capital investment to expand its bioprocessing production capabilities across 11 manufacturing sites in North America, Europe and Asia. Additional capacity will be added in 2021 with the completion of expansion projects in Logan, Utah, Suzhou, China, and a new SUT manufacturing site in Singapore. This additional capacity in the SUT network supports global customers as the company's manufacturing strategy utilizes equivalent processes and procedures to manufacture SUT products of consistent quality, form, fit and function worldwide.

The $650 million investment program also expands global production capabilities in additional bioprocessing manufacturing networks. Capacity expansion projects in Grand Island, N.Y., Miami, Fla., and Inchinnan, Scotland are tracking to accelerated timelines to increase production capacity for Gibco cell culture media, supplements, and process liquids as well as the manufacturing of customer-owned proprietary media formulations. Thermo Fisher's purification network, which specializes in the production of process-scale chromatography resins for a variety of applications, including vaccines and gene therapies, continues to progress in capacity expansion efforts at its POROS resin manufacturing site in Bedford, Mass. and is nearing completion of the first phase of construction at its new site in Chelmsford, Mass.

For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com/bioprocessing.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $30 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 80,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:

Ron O'Brien

Phone: 781-622-1242

E-mail: [email protected]

Investor Contact Information:

Rafael Tejada

Phone: 781-622-1356

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to make a strategic growth investment in Intel 471, the premier provider of cyber threat intelligence for leading enterprises and governments. Co-founders Mark Arena and Jason Passwaters will continue to lead the company and will retain a significant ownership position. Financial details were not disclosed.

Founded in 2014, Intel 471 provides comprehensive intelligence and monitoring on threat actors. The company's centralized TITAN platform enables intelligence and security professionals to access structured information, dashboards, timely alerts and intelligence reporting via web portal or API integration. The operational and financial resources from Thoma Bravo are expected to help the business continue to evolve its product suite, broaden its go-to-market strategy and continue to aggressively pursue innovation to best deliver security solutions for new and existing customers.

"As cybercriminals and their tactics become increasingly sophisticated, our monitoring and intelligence solutions have become mission-critical, with organizations of all sizes looking to us to help them protect against attacks," said Mark Arena, CEO of Intel 471. "With deep security expertise, Thoma Bravo understands our vision of a preventative approach to cybersecurity. Thoma Bravo's industry experience, operational capabilities and capital support make it the right partner for us as we take our business to even greater heights."

"Through our portfolio of robust, proprietary threat intelligence solutions, Intel 471 delivers round-the-clock strategic insights to our customers, helping them to navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape," said Jason Passwaters, COO of Intel 471. "Thoma Bravo has a demonstrated track record of driving sustainable growth, and we are confident that this investment will enable us to continue delivering premier insights through our TITAN platform and continue to meet  and exceed  our customers' needs."

"As digital transformation continues to accelerate, organizations have reached an inflection point in how they approach cybersecurity, recognizing the paramount importance of threat preparedness," said Adam Solomon, a Principal at Thoma Bravo. "Mark and Jason have done a tremendous job establishing Intel 471 at the forefront of the threat intelligence industry, and with strong leadership, best-in-class solutions, and a diverse and growing customer base, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the market opportunity ahead. We are thrilled to support Intel 471 as it continues to deliver high-value data and insights on threat actors."

"Intel 471 is providing actionable insights  in real time  to organizations all over the world, and we are excited to apply our industry experience and operational expertise as we partner with the Intel 471 team to bolster threat preparedness capabilities worldwide," said Annie Wei, a Vice President at Thoma Bravo.

Debt financing for the transaction is being provided by Antares Capital. Kirkland & Ellis is serving as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo. Cowen is serving as financial advisor to Intel 471 and Reed Smith is serving as legal counsel.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $83 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2021. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm's deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired more than 325 companies representing over $100 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit thomabravo.com.

About Intel471

Intel 471 empowers enterprises, government agencies, and other organizations to win the cybersecurity war using near-real-time insights into the latest malicious actors, relationships, threat patterns, and imminent attacks relevant to their businesses.

The company's TITAN platform collects, interprets, structures, and validates human-led, automation- enhanced results. Clients across the globe leverage this threat intelligence with Intel 471's proprietary framework to map the criminal underground, zero in on key activity, and align their resources and reporting to business requirements. Intel 471 serves as a trusted advisor to security teams, offering ongoing trend analysis and supporting their use of the platform.

Learn more at https://intel471.com/.

SOURCE Thoma Bravo

Related Links

http://thomabravo.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Treacy & Company welcomes Gary Gebenlian as a Principal in our Chicago office. He has 20+ years of experience in growth strategy, venture building, and executive management and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from McGill University.

Prior to joining Treacy & Company, Gary was a leader in Monitor Deloitte's Strategic Growth Transformation practice, serving clients in consumer, hospitality, retail, and technology. Gary also brings prior founder and venture experience to Treacy & Company. He co-founded a technology company in the dining space, helped grow an early online-to-offline commerce pioneer business in dining and hospitality, and led marketing & ecommerce for a PE-backed B2B business that led to a sale.

"Gary will bring our clients fresh perspective on growth and innovation, given his unique experience and expertise." said Managing Director, Josh Coleman. "We're looking forward to seeing him work with our clients to create, implement, and sustain strategies for growth and innovation".

Gary is passionate about international travel  having visited 70+ countries so far and hoping to break 100 one day!

Please join us in welcoming Gary to our team. He can be reached at [email protected].

SOURCE Treacy & Company

Related Links

https://www.treacyandco.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Truvant, a global provider of high-quality packaging services solutions, recently signed a lease and has begun interior construction of a world-class 355,517 square foot building in Hazlet, TX, within the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area. The latest expansion supports Truvant's continued growth and will increase its global network of packaging services facilities, allowing it to better serve its customers in North America. The facility is expected to open in early 2022.

The attractive demographic trends in the area will allow Truvant to best serve its global customers through access to the high-quality workforce and superior logistical advantages present in the Dallas market. Once complete, the state-of-the-art complex will contain best-in-class, highly automated packaging operations with capabilities for bagging, kitting, bundeling, shrink wrapping, pouching, blister packaging, display assembly, e-commerce fulfillment and more.

"This latest investment in our operations is a testament to how Truvant works closely with our customers to help get their products to market in the most efficient and effective way possible," said Scott Lamb, CEO of Truvant. "This facility is purpose-built to deliver flexibility, scaleability, and sustainability as a zero-landfill operation. Our solutions enable our customers to have the right item in the right place at the right time, and this facility will allow us to continue to help our customers deliver on that promise to consumers."

The new facility brings over 150 jobs to the area with plans to expand to over 500 workers in the next 36 months. Truvant offers employees competitive pay, workplace flexibility, and management growth potential in an environment that respects and embraces innovation and diversity. "Like we have done with the recent opening of our new facility in Indianapolis, we are excited to provide an opportunity for the Dallas/Fort Worth community to work with a dynamic and rapidly growing company," continued Lamb. "Every employee is encouraged to participate in continually improving our operations, developing our culture and taking pride in the community."

Truvant is a portfolio company of The Halifax Group, a Washington, D.C. based private equity investment firm.

About Truvant

Founded in 1994, Truvant is a leading global contract manufacturing and contract packaging provider to many of the world's top food, consumer, household, and industrial brands. Truvant currently has operations across North America and Europe and employs over 6,200 individuals world wide.

Contact:

Steve Sena

513-312-0960

[email protected]

SOURCE Truvant
ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Energy Development Corporation (U.S. Energy), an exploration & production (E&P) firm which provides direct investments in energy, announced its most recent strategic acquisition of a $50 million asset in Loving County, Texas, in the core of the Delaware Basin.

The project has wells targeting three of the basin's most prolific benches  3rd Bone Spring, Wolfcamp A and Wolfcamp XY. The new deal brings U.S. Energy's total investment in the Permian Basin to $135 million over the past year.

This acquisition announcement marks U.S. Energy's fifth major deal in the calendar year. The firm is planning to invest an additional $400 million among the Permian, Powder River, Eagle Ford and DJ Basins over the next two years.

The Permian Basin is one of the oldest and most widely recognized oil and gas producing regions in North America. It covers approximately 86,000 square miles across New Mexico and Texas. The Permian is divided into three main sub-basins: Midland Basin, Central Basin and Delaware Basin.

About U.S. Energy Development Corporation

U.S. Energy Development Corporation is a privately held oil and gas operator established in 1980 which provides direct investments in energy. The firm was named the Best Investment Company in North America by World Finance in its 2020 Oil & Gas Awards. U.S. Energy has invested in, operated and/or drilled more than 2,400 wells in 13 states and Canada and deployed more than $1.5 billion on behalf of its partners. More information is available at http://www.usedc.com/

SOURCE U.S. Energy Development Corporation

Related Links

http://www.usedc.com/


MUNICH and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two leaders in user consent management solutions, Usercentrics and Cybot, parent company of Cookiebot CMP , announced that they will merge operations to become a global market leader in delivering solutions that help brands protect their customers' personal information. From now on, the combined business will operate under the name Usercentrics. The deal was orchestrated by growth equity firm Full In Partners , an investor in both companies. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The combined business will address the growing global demand from end users for greater data privacy and transparency. The company will scale to support organizations all over the world that are affected by the GDPR and new and impending regulations, empowering those organizations to handle their users' data compliantly and in a way that builds trust and competitive advantage.

Since the advent of the GDPR, Usercentrics brings experience providing an enterprise solution to large companies handling consumer data consent as a core business KPI. Founded in 2012, Cybot operates the self-service solution Cookiebot consent management platform, which enables websites to provide transparency and prior consent around the use of cookies and tracking on their domain.

By joining forces in this growth-focused merger, Usercentrics and Cookiebot will further strengthen and expand their organizations and their combined platform for ensuring trustworthy data protection and transparency. The products offered by both companies will remain available, with Usercentrics focusing on enterprise and Cookiebot providing plug-and-play cookie compliance mainly to small- to mid-sized businesses.

The merger comes as the industry reaches a tipping point: consumer demand for clearer data practices is at an all-time high and consumer trust and loyalty is at stake for brands. 71 percent of people say they would stop doing business with a company if it gave away sensitive data without their permission, according to a 2020 McKinsey survey . To address concerns, several U.S. states have enacted or are planning to enact new legislation governing the way in which personal data is collected, stored, utilized and protected.

Usercentrics CEO and founder, Mischa Ruerup, stated, "Privacy is the new normal. However, businesses that approach data consent solely with a view of achieving regulatory compliance are missing the bigger picture. Transparent privacy practices inspire something really powerful for businesses: user trust. Together with Cookiebot, we are now in a stronger position to build an industry standard in user consent that leads with transparency and trust."

The combined Usercentrics business is a global market leader in the consent management industry. Their diverse customer base and partner network include more than 20 technology and 2,000 channel partners serving organizations of all sizes in over 100 countries, across 700,000+ websites. Businesses and their users trust the handling of an average 61 million consents per day to Usercentrics and Cookiebot.

The merger will focus on growing both companies by sharing resources and expertise to best serve all customer segments.

CEO and founder of Cybot, Daniel Johannsen, commented, "Long before the birth of GDPR, we understood the need for a solution that provides end users with transparency around what goes on with their data, and helps companies manage user consent correctly. During diligence with Usercentrics, we discovered a shared set of values and goals to make transparent data compliance accessible and achievable for companies of all sizes. Merging with Usercentrics provides an exciting opportunity to reach an even larger audience and spread our message about the importance of protecting privacy through transparency and consent even better".

Elodie Dupuy, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Full In, added, "Through our conversations with Usercentrics and Cybot, it was clear that bringing these two great companies under one roof could prove transformative to their future growth. Full In is proud to have played a role in creating a market leader in consent management as user privacy becomes a more pressing topic worldwide."

Usercentrics' early investors Alstin Capital and Cavalry Ventures welcome this step as it paves the way for the two European RegTech leaders to address users' desire for more privacy and transparency on a bigger, global scale. Carsten Maschmeyer, Founding Partner of Alstin Capital, stated, "GDPR is a European export to the world. Usercentrics and Cookiebot, located in data privacy's birthplace, now manifest the urge for protection in one single global company." Alstin Capital Partner Lukas Bennemann, responsible for all RegTech & Cyber Security investments at Alstin, will remain a Member of the Board in the combined company.

Usercentrics and its early investors were advised by Taylor Wessing. Cybot was advised by Ropes & Gray, Deloitte & Touche, Shearman & Sterling, Kromann Reumert, Danders & More and BDO Denmark. Full In Partners and its affiliates were advised by Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

About Usercentrics

Headquartered in Munich, Usercentrics is a Consent Management Platform (CMP) market leader. Usercentrics' SaaS solution enables companies to collect, manage and document user consent on all digital channels, such as websites or apps  all while maintaining high opt-in rates. Usercentrics' solution ensures alignment among marketing, data strategy and international data protection regulations, such as the GDPR and CCPA. For more information, please visit: www.usercentrics.com/

About Cybot and Cookiebot

Cybot launched out of Denmark in 2012 on a mission to enable websites to protect the privacy of their users, and to strike a healthy balance between data privacy and data-driven business. Plug-and-play solution Cookiebot consent management platform is built around a powerful scanner that automatically detects and controls all cookies and trackers on a website, ensuring a compliant use of data. For more information visit: www.cookiebot.com

About Full In Partners

Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019 by Elodie Dupuy, Jess Davis and Eric Tonkyn. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while providing a more founder-friendly approach through proactive operational and strategic support. To learn more about Full In, please visit: www.fullinpartners.com

Contact: Marion Weber, Usercentrics: [email protected] and Madeleine Saunte, Cybot: [email protected]

SOURCE Usercentrics

Related Links

http://www.usercentrics.com

http://www.cookiebot.com

http://www.fullinpartners.com


BEIJING, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Waterdrop Inc. ("Waterdrop", the "Company" or "we") (NYSE: WDH), a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare service with a positive social impact, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Financial and Operational Highlights for the Second Quarter of 2021

We achieved outstanding business growth in the second quarter of 2021. The first-year premiums ("FYP") generated through our Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace for the second quarter reached RMB5,357 million ( US$829.6 million ), representing an increase of 94.1% year over year.

( ), representing an increase of 94.1% year over year. The number of insurance customers and FYP per customer both grew rapidly. A total of 4.2 million customers purchased insurance policies from Waterdrop during the second quarter of 2021, an increase of 53.0% year over year. The number of cumulative insurance customers reached 102.1 million and cumulative paying insurance customers reached 24.9 million as of June 30, 2021 . The FYP per customer increased to RMB1,267 , or 26.9% year over year.

. The FYP per customer increased to , or 26.9% year over year. We continued to expand and enrich our product offerings. As of June 30, 2021 , we offered 275 insurance products on our platform. Over 90% of our FYP was contributed by our exclusive customized insurance products. In terms of product mix, the FYP of critical illness insurance increased by 120% in the second quarter of 2021, continuing our strong performance seen in the first quarter after the changes in the regulatory definition of critical illness.

, we offered 275 insurance products on our platform. Over 90% of our FYP was contributed by our exclusive customized insurance products. In terms of product mix, the FYP of critical illness insurance increased by 120% in the second quarter of 2021, continuing our strong performance seen in the first quarter after the changes in the regulatory definition of critical illness. Net operating revenue increased by 38.0% to RMB939.4 million ( US$145.5 million ) year over year. Excluding the impact from the cessation of our mutual aid business in March 2021 , the adjusted net operating revenue (1) increased by 44.4% year over year.

( ) year over year. Excluding the impact from the cessation of our mutual aid business in , the adjusted net operating revenue increased by 44.4% year over year. As of June 30, 2021 , approximately 372 million people donated an aggregate of over RMB42.8 billion to nearly 2.1 million patients through our Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding. Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding charges zero service fees and we do not generate any revenues from medical crowdfunding business.

Mr. Peng Shen, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Waterdrop, commented, "Waterdrop's listing on the NYSE in the second quarter of 2021 marked an important milestone since our inception. Recently, the capital markets have witnessed an increase in volatility and the insurance industry in China has entered a period of transformation, which have affected the overall investment sentiment. We believe our well-established business infrastructure, organizational capabilities, and competitive advantages will allow us to efficiently adapt to the new trends and challenges. To demonstrate our confidence in the long-term sustainable development and consistent commitment to generating shareholder value, we have decided to launch a share repurchase program and have obtained the Board approval."

Mr. Guang Yang, Co-founder, Director and General Manager of Insurance Marketplace, commented, "We strive to serve a broader range of users with better customer experience, to develop products and services tailored for different groups, and to contribute to new innovations on the supply side. During the second quarter, we have made some encouraging progress in offering new products that go beyond our existing portfolio, including but not limited to cancer insurance, outpatient medical insurance, and critical illness insurance for substandard groups. In terms of channel development, we have been evaluating the market window for appropriate opportunities to invest in external traffic and build vast customer base. To improve our efficiency in external traffic channels, we have also increased the use of technological applications and automatic service tools. We believe recent regulatory initiatives will benefit the long-term development of the industry. We will remain fully compliant with regulatory requirements and take the lead in upgrading and optimizing business model for online insurance."

Mr. Kangping Shi, Chief Financial Officer of Waterdrop, added, "Although the overall industry growth decelerated in the second quarter, we managed to achieve strong growth of 44.4% year over year in adjusted net revenue on a comparable basis. This performance has demonstrated our proven success in customer acquisition, aptitude in customer service, as well as the strong demand from our targeted markets. In light of the latest regulatory trends and industry competition dynamics, we would gradually focus more on quality enhancement than volume growth. Going forward, we will further improve our cost structure and adjust our budget plan through more refined operational management and stricter cost controls. In the third quarter, we expect to materially reduce our sales and marketing expenses."

Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2021

Operating revenue, net

Net operating revenue for the second quarter of 2021 increased by 38.0% year over year to RMB939.4 million (US$145.5 million) from RMB680.8 million for the same period of 2020, which was primarily due to the growth of insurance related income.

Insurance related income includes insurance brokerage income and technical service income. Insurance brokerage income represents brokerage commissions earned from insurance companies. Technical service income is derived from providing technical services to insurance companies, insurance brokerage and agency companies, including customer relationship maintenance, customer complaint management, claim review, and user referral services, etc. Our insurance related income amounted to RMB899.1 million ( US$139.2 million ) in the second quarter of 2021, representing an increase of 38.3% year over year compared to RMB650.0 million for the second quarter of 2020, which was mainly driven by the strong FYP growth.

( ) in the second quarter of 2021, representing an increase of 38.3% year over year compared to for the second quarter of 2020, which was mainly driven by the strong FYP growth. Net operating revenue from management fee income was nil for the second quarter of 2021, compared to RMB30.4 million for the second quarter of 2020, which was mainly due to the cessation of the mutual aid business at the end of March 2021 . Following this adjustment, the corresponding management fee income from mutual aid business is no longer a revenue stream for the Company in the second quarter of 2021 and onwards. Excluding such management fee income, the adjusted net operating revenue(1) for the second quarter of 2021 increased by 44.4% compared with the same period of 2020.

Operating costs and expenses

Operating costs and expenses increased by RMB1,081.1 million, or 160.5% year over year, to RMB1,754.7 million (US$271.8 million) for the second quarter of 2021 from RMB673.6 million for the same period of 2020.

Operating costs increased by 63.3% year over year to RMB260.4 million ( US$40.3 million ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with RMB159.4 million for the second quarter of 2020, which was mainly due to (i) RMB38.0 million increase in personnel cost as our consultants and insurance agents team rapidly expanded to support the business growth, and (ii) RMB56.4 million increase in professional and outsourced customer service fees.

( ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with for the second quarter of 2020, which was mainly due to (i) increase in personnel cost as our consultants and insurance agents team rapidly expanded to support the business growth, and (ii) increase in professional and outsourced customer service fees. Sales and marketing expenses increased by 270.3% year over year to RMB1,244.9 million ( US$192.8 million ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with RMB336.2 million for the second quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to (i) RMB734.6 million increase in marketing expenses to third-party traffic channels as a result of our accelerated business expansion and branding promotions in the favorable market window, and (ii) RMB153.4 million increase in outsourced sales and marketing service fees to third parties.

( ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with for the second quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to (i) increase in marketing expenses to third-party traffic channels as a result of our accelerated business expansion and branding promotions in the favorable market window, and (ii) increase in outsourced sales and marketing service fees to third parties. General and administrative expenses increased by 21.8% year over year to RMB149.1 million ( US$23.1 million ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with RMB122.4 million for the second quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to an increase of RMB29.7 million in professional service fees and personnel cost, partially offset by a RMB13.0 million decrease in share-based compensation expenses.

( ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with for the second quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to an increase of in professional service fees and personnel cost, partially offset by a decrease in share-based compensation expenses. Research and development expenses increased by 80.4% year over year to RMB100.3 million ( US$15.5 million ) for the second quarter of 2021, compared with RMB55.6 million for the second quarter of 2020. The increase was primarily due to a RMB44.1 million increase in research and development personnel cost and share-based compensation expenses, as our research and development team continued to expand to enhance our competitive capabilities in technology.

Operating loss for the second quarter of 2021 was RMB815.4 million (US$126.3 million), compared with operating profit of RMB7.2 million for the same period of 2020.

Interest income for the second quarter of 2021 was RMB11.3 million (US$1.8 million), compared with RMB5.5 million for the same period of 2020. The increase was primarily due to the increase in our bank balance and short-term investments as a result of the receipt of net proceeds from the completion of our initial public offering in May 2021. The Company does not generate interest income from the medical crowdfunding business.

Income tax benefit for the second quarter of 2021 was RMB143.5 million (US$22.2 million), compared with income tax expense of RMB16.6 million for the same period of 2020.

Net loss attributable to Waterdrop for the second quarter of 2021 was RMB655.8 million (US$101.6 million), compared with net loss of RMB19 thousand for the same period of 2020.

Adjusted net loss attributable to Waterdrop for the second quarter of 2021 was RMB570.1 million (US$88.3 million), compared with adjusted net profit RMB89.8 million for the same period of 2020. Adjusted net loss margin was negative 60.7% for the second quarter of 2021, compared with positive margin of 13.2% for the second quarter of 2020.

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

As of June 30, 2021, the Company had combined cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of RMB1,487.8 million (US$230.4 million), as compared with RMB1,323.3 million as of December 31, 2020.

_____________ Note: (1) See the sections entitled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for more information.

Share Repurchase Plan

The Board of the Company has approved a share repurchase program whereby the Company is authorized to repurchase its own ordinary shares in the form of American depository shares with an aggregate value of up to US$50 million during the 12-month period. The Company expects to fund the repurchase out of its existing cash balance. The Company's proposed repurchase may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The timing and dollar amount of repurchase transactions will be subject to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") Rule 10b-18 and/or Rule 10b5-1 requirements. The Board will review the share repurchase program periodically, and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size or suspend or discontinue the program.

Business Outlook

The Company expects the FYP generated through Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace to be in the range of RMB4.3 to RMB4.6 billion for the third quarter of 2021. Also the Company expects to materially reduce the sales and marketing expenses compared to the second quarter of 2021. This forecast is based on the current market conditions and reflects the Company's preliminary view and estimates, which are all subject to changes.

Exchange Rate

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to USD were made at the rate of RMB6.4566 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on June 30, 2021 in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or USD amounts referred could be converted into USD or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. For analytical presentation, all percentages are calculated using the numbers presented in the financial statements contained in this earnings release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjusted net operating revenue and adjusted net loss, in evaluating the Company's operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. Adjusted net operating revenue represents net operating revenue excluding management fee income from mutual aid business. Adjusted net loss represents net loss excluding share-based compensation expense, impact of terminating the mutual aid plan, foreign currency exchange gain or losses, and share of results of equity method investee. Such adjustments have no impact on income tax.

These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to net loss or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of our operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review the Company's historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Adjusted net operating revenue and adjusted net loss presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to our data. The Company encourage investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations in this announcement, contain forward-looking statements. Waterdrop may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Waterdrop's beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Waterdrop's mission, goals and strategies; Waterdrop's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the insurance and online healthcare industry in China; Waterdrop's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of our products and services; Waterdrop's expectations regarding its relationships with consumers, insurance carriers and other partners; competition in the industry and relevant government policies and regulations relating to insurance and online healthcare industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Waterdrop's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Waterdrop does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Conference Call Information

Waterdrop's management team will hold a conference call on September 8, 2021 at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

United States: 1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong: 852-580-81995 Mainland China: 4001-206115 International: 1-412-317-6061 Elite Entry Number: 5215739 #

Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the Elite Entry Number to join the call.

A telephone replay will be accessible through September 15, 2021 by dialing the following numbers:

United States: 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Access Code: 10160009 #

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.waterdrop-inc.com/.

About Waterdrop Inc.

Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH) is a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare service with a positive social impact. Founded in 2016, with the comprehensive coverage of Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace and Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding, Waterdrop aims to bring insurance and healthcare service to billions through technology. For more information, please visit www.waterdrop-inc.com.

For investor inquiries, please contact

Waterdrop Inc.

Xiaojiao Cui

[email protected]

Christensen



In China

Mr. Eric Yuan

Phone: +86-1380-111-0739

E-mail: [email protected]

In US

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

WATERDROP INC. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (All amounts in thousands, unless otherwise noted)



As of

December 31, 2020 June 30, 2021

RMB RMB USD







Assets





Current assets





Cash and cash equivalents 1,061,962 893,361 138,364 Restricted cash 261,387 594,395 92,060 Short-term investments 1,193,160 2,342,975 362,881 Accounts receivable 539,791 626,107 96,972 Current contract assets 824,544 893,226 138,343 Amount due from related parties 813 906 140 Prepaid expense and other assets 651,080 474,825 73,541 Total current assets 4,532,737 5,825,795 902,301 Non-current assets





Non-current contract assets 24,006 23,541 3,646 Property, equipment and software, net 28,724 42,917 6,647 Intangible assets, net 53,034 56,822 8,801 Long-term investments 2,741 2,721 421 Right of use assets, net 60,694 70,160 10,866 Deferred tax assets - 6,012 931 Goodwill 3,119 3,119 483 Total non-current assets 172,318 205,292 31,795 Total assets 4,705,055 6,031,087 934,096







Liabilities, Mezzanine Equity and Shareholders'

(Deficit)/Equity





Current liabilities





Amount due to related parties 9,789 14,616 2,264 Insurance premium payables 607,326 604,700 93,656 Deferred revenue 22,017 3,783 586 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 595,606 834,440 129,238 Current lease liabilities 36,551 42,867 6,639 Total current liabilities 1,271,289 1,500,406 232,383 Non-current liabilities





Non-current lease liabilities 27,709 25,441 3,940 Deferred tax liabilities 225,745 13,551 2,099 Total non-current liabilities 253,454 38,992 6,039 Total liabilities 1,524,743 1,539,398 238,422







Total mezzanine equity 4,837,336 - - Shareholders' (deficit)/equity





Ordinary shares 41 - - Class A ordinary shares - 107 17 Class B ordinary shares - 27 4 Additional paid-in capital - 7,274,877 1,126,735 Accumulated other comprehensive income 14,956 3,140 486 Accumulated deficit (1,672,021) (2,786,462) (431,568) Total shareholders' (deficit)/equity (1,657,024) 4,491,689 695,674 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and

shareholders' (deficit)/equity 4,705,055 6,031,087 934,096



WATERDROP INC. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data, or otherwise noted)







For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2020 2021 2020 2021

RMB RMB USD RMB RMB USD













Operating revenue, net 680,839 939,354 145,487 1,334,634 1,822,721 282,304 Operating costs and expenses(i)











Operating costs (159,440) (260,417) (40,333) (292,728) (561,025) (86,892) Sales and marketing expenses (336,182) (1,244,935) (192,816) (835,383) (2,082,088) (322,474) General and administrative expenses (122,424) (149,101) (23,093) (187,189) (270,388) (41,878) Research and development expenses (55,590) (100,259) (15,528) (123,200) (185,134) (28,674) Total operating costs and expenses (673,636) (1,754,712) (271,770) (1,438,500) (3,098,635) (479,918) Operating profit/(loss) 7,203 (815,358) (126,283) (103,866) (1,275,914) (197,614) Other income











Interest income 5,525 11,327 1,754 10,837 24,542 3,801 Foreign currency exchange gain 941 1,473 228 6,176 2,257 350 Others, net 2,889 3,332 516 4,521 5,433 841 Profit/(loss) before income tax, and share of loss in equity method investee 16,558 (799,226) (123,785) (82,332) (1,243,682) (192,622) Income tax (expense)/benefit (16,575) 143,474 22,221 (38,413) 217,774 33,729 Share of loss in equity method investee (2) - - (5) - - Net loss attributable to Waterdrop Inc. (19) (655,752) (101,564) (120,750) (1,025,908) (158,893) Deemed dividend on modification on preferred shares (67,975) - - (67,975) - - Deemed dividend upon issuance of warrants (90,268) - - (90,268) - - Preferred shares redemption value accretion (61,328) (42,000) (6,505) (114,964) (152,287) (23,586) Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (219,590) (697,752) (108,069) (393,957) (1,178,195) (182,479) Net loss (19) (655,752) (101,564) (120,750) (1,025,908) (158,893) Other comprehensive income/(loss):











Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax 3,529 (9,253) (1,433) 3,590 (12,035) (1,864) Unrealized gains/(loss) on available for sale investments, net of tax 368 (848) (131) 393 219 34 Comprehensive income/(loss) 3,878 (665,853) (103,128) (116,767) (1,037,724) (160,723) Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in computing net loss per share











Basic and diluted 1,153,883,893 2,854,023,284 2,854,023,284 1,173,805,725 2,027,403,481 2,027,403,481 Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders











Basic and diluted (0.19) (0.24) (0.04) (0.34) (0.58) (0.09)













(i) Share-based compensation expenses are included in the operating costs and expenses as follows. As of June 30, 2021, there are 286,740,404 outstanding share options under 2018 Share Incentive Plan,

and nil Class A ordinary shares of the Company have been issued as a result of the exercise of any option under the 2018 Plan.





























For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2020 2021 2020 2021

RMB RMB USD RMB RMB USD













Sales and marketing expenses (979) (3,633) (563) (1,301) (6,614) (1,024) General and administrative expenses (86,893) (73,939) (11,452) (104,282) (135,960) (21,058) Research and development expenses (2,919) (9,597) (1,486) (4,641) (15,773) (2,443) Total (90,791) (87,169) (13,501) (110,224) (158,347) (24,525)

WATERDROP INC. Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results (All amounts in thousands, unless otherwise noted)







For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2020 2021 2020 2021

RMB RMB USD RMB RMB USD













Net operating revenue 680,839 939,354 145,487 1,334,634 1,822,721 282,304 Less:











Management fee income 30,352 - - 69,238 2,745(ii) 425 Adjusted net operating revenue 650,487 939,354 145,487 1,265,396 1,819,976 281,879





























For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2020 2021 2020 2021

RMB RMB USD RMB RMB USD













Net loss (19) (655,752) (101,564) (120,750) (1,025,908) (158,893) Add:











Share-based compensation expense 90,791 87,169 13,501 110,224 158,347 24,525 Foreign currency exchange gain (941) (1,473) (228) (6,176) (2,257) (350) Impact of terminating the mutual aid plan (iii) - - - - 96,697 14,976 Share of results of equity method investee 2 - - 5 - - Adjusted net profit/(loss) 89,833 (570,056) (88,291) (16,697) (773,121) (119,742)

(ii) This represents management fee revenue related to the mutual aid business for the first half year of 2021 after recording the RMB19.9 million reduction of management fee revenue previously recognized for each participant to the extent of the cumulative amount earned until March 26, 2021. (iii) This represents the estimated cost of medical expenses and cost of one-year health insurance coverage. RMB19.9 million (US$3.0 million) was accounted for as a reduction of management fee revenue previously recognized for each participant to the extent of the cumulative amount earned until March 26, 2021. RMB76.8 million (US$11.8 million) was recorded as operating costs.

SOURCE Waterdrop Inc.

Related Links

www.waterdrop-inc.com


The Care Counts laundry program by Whirlpool brand is designed to remove one small but important barrier to attendance - access to clean clothes - by installing washers and dryers in schools nationwide. Since its inception in 2015, the program has contributed to decreases in chronic absenteeism, and increases in attendance rates, grades and engagement levels among participating at-risk students. When most schools halted in-person learning due to COVID-19, the Care Counts laundry program by Whirlpool brand continued to be a resource for students with the help of school leaders and community volunteers. As a result, nearly 90% of participating high-risk elementary school students1 enrolled in the program were reported by teachers to feel connected to their school during the 2020-2021 school year, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

"At Whirlpool brand, we believe that acts of cooking, cleaning and washing have the power to change lives. Since we first launched the Care Counts laundry program six years ago, we've seen first-hand how the program positively impacts the lives of children who might not otherwise have access to clean clothes," said Laura Fletty, Communications Manager for Whirlpool brand. "It is an honor to bring the Care Counts laundry program by Whirlpool brand to Benton Harbor Area Schools. The positive response has been incredibly moving, and we are excited to see the program help the students and families in our own community thrive."

Working hand-in-hand with the Benton Harbor Area School Board and superintendent Dr. Andrae Townsel, Whirlpool brand installed washers and dryers in every school within the district and developed a customized program to collect anonymized data to study the impact that the program made on student attendance, grades, graduation rates and engagement. Townsel, who began his service with Benton Harbor Area Schools in February 2020, has been a strong advocate for the Care Counts laundry program after speaking to school leaders in other participating districts and hearing about the impact firsthand.

"Since I stepped into my role as superintendent, my vision was to build lasting relationships and trust within the Benton Harbor community to better serve our students. Listening to the needs of the students, parents, and school staff was vital in establishing how we advance the lives of our young people," said Dr. Townsel. "With the support of Whirlpool brand and the implementation of the Care Counts laundry program, we can achieve a collective goal of excellence for our students by supporting their growth and prosperity within our community and beyond."

The introduction of the Care Counts laundry program by Whirlpool brand to Benton Harbor Area Schools will be the first time that laundry units have been placed in every school in a district. The program has historically focused on supporting elementary students, but Whirlpool brand will include all levels of education for Benton Harbor Area Schools including: Fair Plain East Elementary School, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Fair Plain Middle School, Benton Harbor High School, Discovery Enrichment Center, and CAPE Center. As of the 2021-2022 school year, the Care Counts laundry program by Whirlpool brand is present in 134 schools across 36 states - including the Benton Harbor Area Schools - and has provided access to clean clothes for thousands of children nationwide.

To learn more about the Care Counts Laundry Program by Whirlpool brand, visit https://www.whirlpool.com/care-counts

###

About Whirlpool Brand

For more than one hundred years, Whirlpool brand has been inspired by how people care for their families. Whirlpool brand is designing home appliances that are focused on improving how families give and get the care they need with the latest technologies and innovations  whether that means flexible refrigerator storage for all types of family needs, induction technology for efficient cooking and easier cleaning, or laundry pairs that sense and adapt to clothes with the latest in connected technologies. Whirlpool brand created and continues outpacing goals of its Care Counts Laundry Program, through which the brand is committed to helping create educational equality by installing washers and dryers in schools to help remove one small but important barrier to attendance  access to clean clothes. Whirlpool brand is part of Whirlpool Corporation, a leading appliance manufacturer committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. For more information on Whirlpool, please visit whirlpool.com/everydaycare or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/whirlpoolusa or Twitter at @WhirlpoolUSA . Additional information about the company can be found at whirlpoolcorp.com .

____________________ 1High-risk elementary school students is defined as elementary students at risk of missing 10% or more days of school during a reporting period

SOURCE Whirlpool Brand

Related Links

https://www.whirlpool.com/care-counts


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle, the iconic fast-food hamburger chain and consumer-packaged goods company, has been an ardent supporter of essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, giving free meals to healthcare workers, making food deliveries to grocery and food retail workers, and offering discounts to school employees. Today, the family-owned business announces a month-long program to thank its own team members who opt for the vaccine: $100,000 in cash prizes.

White Castle employees who show proof of vaccination can win one of 200 $500 cash prizes in the Vax-a-Thousands program. Tweet this White Castle White Castle's new Vax-A-Thousands program will give $500 prizes to 200 employees who can show proof of vaccination.

The giveaway, internally referred to as VAX-a-Thousands, invites any of White Castle's 10,000 team members to submit proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccine to be automatically entered to win $500, one of 200 such cash payments being awarded during the month of September.

"We are encouraged by our team's immediate response to the available vaccines this year," said Jamie Richardson, a vice president at White Castle. "Our VAX-a-Thousands giveaway is a meaningful way to thank our essential team members and inspire others to get vaccinated."

The $100,000 prize total is a nod to the Slider pioneer's 100th birthday being celebrated throughout 2021. For four weeks starting the week of Sept. 6, White Castle will randomly select 50 winners each week among those eligible to receive $500. Team members in more senior positions will be excluded from eligibility to focus the benefit primarily on front-line workers.

"The safety of our team members, their families and the communities we serve has been a top priority since we started satisfying cravings in 1921," Richardson said. "Today more than ever as we power through the pandemic, we want to be here in ways that matter for our team members."

The team member giveaway is the latest in a series of campaigns from White Castle to support people during the pandemic. This past April, customers who showed proof of a vaccine were given their choice of free desserts-on-a-stick. In spring 2020, White Castle gave away $1 million worth of free combo meals to EMTs, paramedics, nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals who were risking their own health and safety to ensure the safety of their communities. Throughout the summer of 2020, White Castle delivered more than 15,000 free Sliders to hospital, grocery store and retail food workers. They also provided a 20% discount to grocery store and retail food workers, first responders, healthcare workers and to all school employees.

About White Castle

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for 100 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider in 1921. Today, White Castle owns and operates more than 350 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers' cravings morning, noon and night. Through its retail division, which launched in 1987, White Castle also offers its famous fare in freezer aisles of grocery, convenience and club stores nationwide. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time," is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted Sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle's Impossible Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the "Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger." White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. In 2021, 100 years after the first Slider was sold, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and also for its faithful fans ("Cravers"), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play, makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com.

SOURCE White Castle

Related Links

http://www.whitecastle.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Industrial Controls Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides the strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global industrial controls market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down.

The global industrial controls market is expected to grow from $45.82 billion in 2020 to $47.34 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3%.The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $49.6 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 1%.



Reasons to Purchase

Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12+ geographies.

Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates.

Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis.

Identify growth segments for investment.

Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market.

Understand customers based on the latest market research findings.

Benchmark performance against key competitors.

Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing.

Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis

Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the industrial controls? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Industrial Controls market global report answers all these questions and many more.



The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider industrial controls market, and compares it with other markets.

The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.

The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the impact of the COVID-19 virus and forecasting its recovery.

Market segmentations break down market into sub markets.

The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the impact and recovery trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets.

Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.

The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers.

The industrial controls market section of the report gives context. It compares the industrial controls market with other segments of the industrial controls market by size and growth, historic and forecast.

Major players in the industrial controls market are ABB Ltd, Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation, Siemens, Honeywell International Incorporation, Emerson Electric Company, Schneider Electric SA, Omron Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Yokogawa Electric Corporation and Endress+Hauser.



The industrial controls market consists of sales of different types of control systems and related instrumentation. Industrial control systems (ICS) include networks, devices and systems used to operate and/or automate industrial processes.



The industrial controls market is expected to be aided by rapid growth in investments in smart city projects in many countries globally. Industrial controls are being designed using artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT) that can support energy, telecommunications, surveillance and other services. Smart city technologies are integrated with electrical and electronic components, thereby benefitting the companies operating in this market. According to a recent forecast in the National Smart Cities Investment Guide of the International Data Corporation (IDC), global investment in smart city projects will total nearly $124 billion in 2020, a rise of 18.9% over 2019. The concept of smart cities is also increasingly being adopted in developing nations. For instance, more than 1,000 smart city pilot projects are either ready for or are under construction globally and around 500 of these projects are in China.



Malicious cyber-attacks due to lack of security in industrial infrastructure are acting as a restraint on the industrial controls market. Industrial controls are increasingly being integrated with connected sensors and integrated data systems making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. For instance, 156 tornado alarm systems in the US city of Dallas were hacked forcing authorities to shut down the emergency system.



The industrial controls market covered in this report is segmented by control system into distributed control system (DCS), supervisory control & data acquisition system (SCADA), and manufacturing execution system (MES). The industrial controls market in this report is segmented by end user into automotive, utility, electronics & semiconductor, mining, and others.



OEMs are increasingly outsourcing product design and development processes to EMS partners to reduce overall costs and shift from fixed costs to variable costs. Some OEMS are collaborating with EMS partners and moving into new business models such as joint design manufacturing (JDM) and outsourced design manufacturing (ODM). JDM model is further divided into high touch JDM and low touch JDM. ODM model focuses on qualification and system integration testing, thus indicating a shift in industrial controls manufacturing process.



In September 2020, Dover Corporation, an American conglomerate manufacturer of industrial products acquired XanTec Steuerungs und EDV-Technik (Maag) for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition enhances Maag's automation solutions offering with an internet of things-enabled technology, and positions Maag to grow its presence in aftermarket, remote service and monitoring solutions for the polymer processing and related markets. XanTec Steuerungs und EDV-Technik (Maag), a Switzerland based provider of integrated and customizable process technology solutions for the polymer, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Industrial Controls Market Characteristics



3. Industrial Controls Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact of COVID-19 on Industrial Controls



5. Industrial Controls Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global Industrial Controls Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers of the Market

5.1.2. Restraints on the Market

5.2. Global Industrial Controls Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers of the Market

5.2.2. Restraints on the Market



6. Industrial Controls Market Segmentation

7. Industrial Controls Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global Industrial Controls Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Industrial Controls Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

8. Asia-Pacific Industrial Controls Market

9. China Industrial Controls Market

10. India Industrial Controls Market

11. Japan Industrial Controls Market

12. Australia Industrial Controls Market

13. Indonesia Industrial Controls Market

14. South Korea Industrial Controls Market

15. Western Europe Industrial Controls Market

16. UK Industrial Controls Market

17. Germany Industrial Controls Market

18. France Industrial Controls Market

19. Eastern Europe Industrial Controls Market

20. Russia Industrial Controls Market

21. North America Industrial Controls Market

22. USA Industrial Controls Market

23. South America Industrial Controls Market

24. Brazil Industrial Controls Market

25. Middle East Industrial Controls Market

26. Africa Industrial Controls Market

27. Industrial Controls Market Competitive Landscape and Company Profiles

27.1. Industrial Controls Market Competitive Landscape

27.2. Industrial Controls Market Company Profiles

27.2.1. Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation

27.2.1.1. Overview

27.2.1.2. Products and Services

27.2.1.3. Strategy

27.2.1.4. Financial Performance

27.2.2. Siemens

27.2.2.1. Overview

27.2.2.2. Products and Services

27.2.2.3. Strategy

27.2.2.4. Financial Performance

27.2.3. Honeywell International Incorporation

27.2.3.1. Overview

27.2.3.2. Products and Services

27.2.3.3. Strategy

27.2.3.4. Financial Performance

27.2.4. Emerson Electric Company

27.2.4.1. Overview

27.2.4.2. Products and Services

27.2.4.3. Strategy

27.2.4.4. Financial Performance

27.2.5. Schneider Electric SA

27.2.5.1. Overview

27.2.5.2. Products and Services

27.2.5.3. Strategy

27.2.5.4. Financial Performance



29. Key Mergers and Acquisitions in the Industrial Controls Market



29. Industrial Controls Market Future Outlook and Potential Analysis



30. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c31knp

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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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DUBLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Soil Fertility Testing Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Test Type (Physical, Chemical, and Biological) and Method (Onsite and Offsite/Laboratory)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The soil fertility testing market was valued at US$ 4,355.51 million in 2020 and is projected to reach US$ 5,891.06 million by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2021 to 2028. Soil fertility testing is used to simulate the roots' ability of assimilating minerals.

Soil fertility testing helps determine the growth potential of soil, indicating inadequacies of nutrients, potential toxicity caused by excessive fertility, and inhibitions due to non-essential trace minerals. Soil fertility testing has become widely accepted in the agriculture sector in the last few years for achieving higher field yields and revenues. Further, increasing population in the world, the rising availability of arable land, and the presence of a large number of soil fertility testing service providers are boosting the demand for soil fertility testing products and services.

Based on test type, the soil fertility testing market is segmented into physical, chemical, and biological. The chemical segment held the largest share in the market in 2020. Chemical soil tests have emerged as a monitoring tool for avoiding excessive nutrient input to the farm system. These tests help determine the concentration of essential plant nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, available lime, organic matter, sulfur, and trace elements as well as other physical properties such as capacity, permeability, density, and pH. Further, the soil chemical testing assists in the optimization of crop production, protection of the environment from contamination caused by runoff and leaching of excess fertilizers, diagnosis of plant culture problems, and enhancement of nutritional balance of the growing media.

The soil fertility testing market is segmented into five main regions-North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM). In 2020, Europe accounted for the largest market share. The market growth in the region is attributed to the existence of stringent food safety, environmental, and agricultural regulations as well as enforcement of laws pertaining to the nutritional content, chemicals, and labeling. In addition, the better availability of arable land and presence of a large number of soil fertility testing service providers is also boosting the market growth in the region. In January 2021, Agrocares and Blue Fifty Scanner, its local partner as well as a representative of SoilCares in Poland, introduced their scanner packages to the Polish market. The scanner in combination with smartphone apps allow the users to test pH and soil texture, and send practical lime recommendations in 10 minutes. It will also be able to measure N, P, and K as well as provide fertilizer recommendations.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Soil Fertility Testing Market

The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupting the soil fertility testing market due to the slowdown of agricultural activities, instabilities in supply chains, limitations on trade movements, and decrease in the availability of workforce, among others. The outbreak has distorted operational efficiencies and disrupted the value chains due to the sudden shutdown of national and international boundaries. However, as the economies are planning to revive their operations, the demand for soil fertility testing is expected to rise globally in the coming months. Furthermore, the demand for healthy food crops, fruits, and vegetables as well as the need for nutrientorich and immunity-boosting food products have risen due to an increase in number of COVID-19 cases, which would support the soil fertility testing market growth. Further, amid the pandemic, agrarian nations such as India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, where agriculture accounts for 12-16% of GDP, have been hit the worst. Despite relief plans and packages announced by governments for small farmers, the agriculture sector performance has been declining. The supply of agricultural produce from California, which supplies nearly one-third of the US's fruits and vegetables, was restricted with the surge in infection in 2020, which hampered the growth of the soil fertility testing market in the country.

Reasons to Buy

Highlights key business priorities to assist companies realign their business strategies.

Features key findings and crucial progressive industry trends in the global soil fertility testing market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long-term strategies.

Develops/modifies business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering from developed and emerging markets.

Scrutinizes in-depth market trends as well as key market drivers and restraints.

Enhances the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation, and industry verticals.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology

4. Global Soil Fertility Testing Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.2.1 North America

4.2.2 Europe

4.2.3 Asia-Pacific

4.2.4 Middle East and Africa

4.2.5 South and Central America

4.3 Expert Opinion



5. Soil Fertility Testing Market - Key Market Dynamics

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Stringent Government Regulations Pertaining to the Nutrient Content of Crops to Boost Market Growth

5.2 Surging Demand to Boost Agricultural Productivity in Developing Regions

5.3 Market Restraints

5.3.1 Lack of Awareness Among Farmers in Developing Regions

5.4 Market Opportunities:

5.4.1 Increasing Outbreak Of Food-Borne Diseases

5.5 Future Trends:

5.5.1 Emerging Technologies to Improve Soil Fertility

5.6 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints



6. Soil Fertility Testing - Global Market Analysis

6.1 Soil Fertility Testing Market Overview

6.2 Soil Fertility Testing Market -Revenue and Forecast To 2028 (US$ Million)

6.3 Competitive Positioning - Key Market Players

7.1 Overview

7.2 Soil Fertility Testing Market Breakdown, By Test Type, 2020 and 2028

7.3 Physical

8.1 Overview

8.2 Soil Fertility Testing Market Breakdown, By Method, 2020 and 2028

8.3 Onsite

8.3.1 Overview

8.4 Offsite/ Laboratory

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 Offsite/ Laboratory: Soil Fertility Testing Market, Revenue And Forecast To 2028 (US$ Mn)



9. Soil Fertility Testing Market - Geographic Analysis



10. Overview- Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak

10.1 Overview

10.2 North America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

10.3 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

10.4 Asia Pacific: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

10.5 Middle East & Africa: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

10.6 South and Central America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic



11. Industry Landscape

11.1 Product & Service Launch

11.2 Merger & Acquisition

11.3 Partnership

11.4 Joint Venture

11.5 Expansion

11.6 Market Positioning - Global Soil Fertility Testing Market Players



12. Company Profiles

12.1 SGS SA

12.1.1 Key Facts

12.1.2 Business Description

12.1.3 Products and Services

12.1.4 Financial Overview

12.1.5 SWOT Analysis

12.1.6 Key Developments

12.2 Eurofins Scientific

12.2.1 Key Facts

12.2.2 Business Description

12.2.3 Products and Services

12.2.4 Financial Overview

12.2.5 SWOT Analysis

12.2.6 Key Developments

12.3 ALS

12.3.1 Key Facts

12.3.2 Business Description

12.3.3 Products and Services

12.3.4 Financial Overview

12.3.5 SWOT Analysis

12.3.6 Key Developments

12.4 Agrocares

12.4.1 Key Facts

12.4.2 Business Description

12.4.3 Products and Services

12.4.4 Financial Overview

12.4.5 SWOT Analysis

12.4.6 Key Developments

12.5 Water Agricultural Laboratories, Inc.

12.5.1 Key Facts

12.5.2 Business Description

12.5.3 Products and Services

12.5.4 Financial Overview

12.5.5 SWOT Analysis

12.5.6 Key Developments

12.6 Polytest Laboratories

12.6.1 Key Facts

12.6.2 Business Description

12.6.3 Products and Services

12.6.4 Financial Overview

12.6.5 SWOT Analysis

12.6.6 Key Developments

12.7 AGROLAB GmbH

12.7.1 Key Facts

12.7.2 Business Description

12.7.3 Products and Services

12.7.4 Financial Overview

12.7.5 SWOT Analysis

12.7.6 Key Developments

12.8 Activation Laboratories Ltd.

12.8.1 Key Facts

12.8.2 Business Description

12.8.3 Products and Services

12.8.4 Financial Overview

12.8.5 SWOT Analysis

12.8.6 Key Developments

12.9 Crop Nutrition Laboratory Services Ltd.

12.9.1 Key Facts

12.9.2 Business Description

12.9.3 Products and Services

12.9.4 Financial Overview

12.9.5 SWOT Analysis

12.9.6 Key Developments

12.10 A and L Great Lakes

12.10.1 Key Facts

12.10.2 Business Description

12.10.3 Products and Services

12.10.4 Financial Overview

12.10.5 SWOT Analysis

12.10.6 Key Developments



13. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2zysls

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BERLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeotap , the next-gen Customer Data Platform, has announced an $11m extension to its Series C round. The extension follows the company raising $42m in July 2020 , which was followed by an initial extension of $18.5m in November from SignalFire's Breakout Fund. This new extension takes place to enable new investors such as Liberty Global Ventures to come on board, following oversubscription to previous rounds.

The new round brings the company's total funding raised to $90M, fuelling Zeotap's drive to provide solutions for marketers facing a privacy-first future. Zeotap's Customer Intelligence Platform (CIP) was launched in 2020 as the next-generation Customer Data Platform (CDP), designed to deliver on the more challenging compliance requirements of the European market. ID+ , Zeotap's Universal ID solution, was also launched last year to enable brands and publishers to resolve identities at scale when third-party cookies are deprecated in 2023.

Today's announcement sees new investors come on board, including several senior executives across global SaaS and retail. Liberty Global Ventures , whose portfolio includes Skillz, Lacework and Samba TV, was one of many investors who contributed to the round. Other new investors include Richard Pennycook CBE (former CEO of the Co-operative Group).

"Zeotap's drive to put privacy at the heart of customer data initiatives is unique in the space and arrives exactly when the market needs it more than ever," said Kay Schwabedal, Chief Digital Officer, Virgin Media O2, Liberty Global's UK Joint Venture with Telefonica. "It's no surprise that this has resulted in an incredible growth trajectory, and we're thrilled to be on board to support this mission."

Since its last extension round, Zeotap reported 126% ARR growth in 2020 (a 201% Y-o-Y growth in subscription revenue). The company has also signed several new clients, including Virgin Media, DER Touristik and Nestle, and partnered with over 60 leading European publishers on ID+.

"With our last investment round and extension so oversubscribed, we're pleased to now have the opportunity to bring new investors on board," said Daniel Heer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zeotap. "This further fuels the incredible momentum that we've generated since the launch of our platform, and we're excited to have even more support on this journey."

Zeotap recently announced the launch of Predictive Audiences , which enables users of Zeotap's Customer Intelligence Platform to create and activate machine-learned segments without needing data science expertise. It was also named a Leader in G2's Spring 2021 Grid Report for Customer Data Platform Software, with Chief Product Officer and Founder Projjol Banerjea awarded 'Tech Pioneer of the Year' at the Campaign Tech Awards .

About Zeotap

Zeotap is the next-generation Customer Data Platform. Its Customer Intelligence Platform (CIP), empowers brands to unify, enhance and activate customer data in a cookieless future, all while putting consumer privacy and compliance front-and-centre. Recognized by Gartner as a "Cool Vendor", Zeotap works with over 80 of the world's top 100 brands, including P&G, Nestle and Virgin Media. It is also the founding member of ID+, a universal marketing ID initiative. For more information visit www.zeotap.com.

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United Nations, Sep 8 : Afghanistan's Permanent Representative Ghulam Isaczai has defied the Taliban government and denounced its overthrow of the elected government and use of violence to reinstall the "so-called Islamic Emirate." Speaking at the General Assembly on Tuesday as the Taliban-controlled government was trying to settle in, Isaczai said asked the international community to reject the Taliban as the rulers of Afghanistan.

"They continue to choose war over peace as a way of resolving their differences with those who oppose them as we are witnessing their brutal offensive against the people of Panjshir and suppression of women peacefully demonstrating across cities in Afghanistan," he said.

"The Taliban unseated the elected Government of Afghanistan and gained power through violence and are seeking to reinstate their so-called Islamic Emirate, in violation of the resolution passed by this Assembly less than nine months ago," he said.

Isaczai, who was appointed as the country's representative at the UN by ousted President Ashraf Ghani and presented his credentials in July, continues to represent the country under UN rules.

The Taliban, which overran Afghanistan and took control of Kabul on August 15, announced on Monday a hardline government with Mohammad Hassan Akhund as Prime Minister and excluding women.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's Deputy Spokesperson Farzan Haq said that member countries recognise governments and not the UN.

The General Assembly's credentials committee, which determines who represents a country, can take up Afghanistan's representations when it meets next week. Isaczai said, "We ask that you continue to reject the reinstatement of the Islamic Emirate." Currently, there is another country, Myanmar, that is represented by the envoy appointed by an ousted government.

Even though the military government has said that U Kyaw Moe Tun has been replaced as the permanent representative by its nominee Hau Do Suan, only Kyaw who was appointed by of State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi continues to be recognised by the UN as the country's envoy.

At the General Assembly, he had denounced Tatmadaw, the military regime in Myanmar, calling on the international community to act to make it "stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy." Speaking at the General Assembly's High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace, Isaczai said, "The Afghan people, especially our youth who have only known a free and democratic Afghanistan, will not accept a governing structure that excludes women and minorities, eliminates constitutional rights for all, and does not protect the gains of the past." Asking member nations "to help us promote a Culture of Peace in Afghanistan," he said the to "hold the Taliban to account for their violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, insist on an inclusive government, and draw a fundamental red line regarding the Taliban's treatment of women and girls, and respect for their rights." The UN and the international community face the dilemma of dealing with the Taliban because it is on the UN's list of terrorist organisations.

Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who met with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday, told reporters in a remote briefing that UN dealing with the Taliban on humanitarian issues does not amount to recognising it.

Talban's desire for recognition is the only leverage that the international community has, Guterres has said.

He will be convening a high-level ministerial humanitarian meeting on Monday in Geneva to aid Afghanistan, Haq said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is appealing for $606 million to help Afghanistan.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lucknow, Sep 8 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the state university named after Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, a Jat icon, in Aligarh on September 14.

The move is aimed at winning over the Jat population which accounts for around 17 per cent of the voting population in 12 districts of west UP region.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be visiting Aligarh on Wednesday to take stock of the preparations for the prime minister's visit.

According to principal secretary, PWD, Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, the construction of the university will take at least 24 months from the date when its foundation would be laid.

The university is, therefore, expected to be ready by September 2023.

The university will come up in Lodha and Musaipur village of Kol tehsil in Aligarh district over an area of more than 115 acres.

The state government has already allocated an initial budget of over Rs 101 crore for the purpose.

At present, the Aligarh division has only one state university -- Dr BR Ambedkar University in Agra.

The Yogi Adityanath government had decided to establish a state university in the name of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh in Aligarh in 2019 after some right-wing outfits demanded rechristening the name of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in the name of Singh, who is believed to have donated land for the iconic central university which was initially founded as Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1877. The college was formally transformed into a university in 1920.

According to officials in PWD, the nodal department for the project, the state government plans to construct a sprawling academic block, an administrative building, a facility centre, Health Centre, hostels for boys and girls and residential buildings for the academic staff.

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, born in a socio-economically influential Jat family of Mursan in Hathras district on December 1, 1886, was a freedom fighter and social reformer.

He studied in Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College till 1905. He later set up an indigenous technical institute Prem Mahavidyalaya in Vrindavan in 1909, an initiative that played a crucial role in getting him nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bhopal, Sep 8 : Tribal voters have their own political significance in Madhya Pradesh, hence, both major parties -- ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress -- have started calling upon their biggest benefactors from among the tribals.

Out of the total 230 assembly seats, a total of 47 are reserved for this category and victory or defeat on these seats are crucial for political players. That's why both the political parties have stepped up efforts for these seats.

Congress has resorted to Adivasi Adhikar Yatra. Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath took part in this yatra in Barwani and attacked the BJP fiercely, showing no hesitation in calling it anti-tribal. He also attacked Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying that he only makes announcements.

On the other hand, the BJP during the 75th Amrit Mahotsav of Independence in Jabalpur on September 18 will remember tribal heroes Shankarshah and Raghunath Shah. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also be present at the event.

BJP's state spokesperson and MLA Yashpal Singh Sisodia said that Kamal Nath was "in power for 15 months in the state, if he had worked for the interests of the tribals, today he would not have needed to take out the 'Adhikar Yatra'. The Chief Minister has always been concerned about the rights of tribals. Kamal Nath is shedding crocodile tears for the tribals today".

Sisodia added that the Congress in its 15 months in power did not do any work for the tribals or for Lord Birsa Munda, Shankar Shah, Raghunath Shah and Veerangana Durgavati.

"Today the tribal vote bank is slipping out of the hands of Congress, as such it is drawing the line of division in the society with the help of foreign forces. By taking out the Kamal Nath Yatra, they are only doing misleading the tribals," Sisodia said.

Political analysts believe that bye-elections are coming up in one Lok Sabha and three assembly constituencies, so both the parties have intensified efforts to woo the tribals.
Lucknow, Sep 8 : Ten persons, including two suspended police personnel, have been booked for abetment of suicide of Vishambhar Dayal, who served as personal secretary to a senior IAS officer.

Dayal had shot himself in his office at Bapu Bhawan on August 30.

In his suicide note, Dayal had accused the policemen at Auras police station in Unnao of harassing him in a case in which his sister had a property dispute with her husband's relatives.

The state government had asked Inspector General (IG), Lucknow Range, Laxmi Singh, to probe the case.

Later, Station House Officer (SHO) Auras, Hari Prasad Ahirwar and a sub inspector Tamizuddin were suspended for laxity.

Unnao police issued a statement saying that Dayal was not named in any case.

Unnao police had claimed that Dayal's sister Ram Devi had a property-related issue with her family and both the parties had lodged cross FIRs.

The Unnao police said in a case lodged in this connection in 2019, Dayal was also named but his name was expunged later.

The police added that another case was filed against the family members of Ram Devi under the POCSO Act.

On Tuesday, Dayal's brother Om Prakash, lodged a case against former SHO Auras, Hari Prasad Ahirwar and SI Tamizuddin, who had been suspended earlier.

Others named in the FIR include Surat, Babulal, Pappu Gautam, Brijesh Chaurasia, Satish Kumar, Rama Shankar, Sanjeev Yadav and Satish Kumar.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), central zone, Rajesh Srivastava, said, "All the named persons have been booked under the charges of abetment of suicide, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and prevention of corruption act."
Shimla, Sep 8 : The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the state Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary (PWD) and others over the non-availability of a parking facility near the Mata Chintpurni Temple, the prominent Hindu shrine in Una district.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the orders on Tuesday on a petition taken up suo motu as a public interest litigation on a letter written to the Chief Justice by Vijay Singh.

The petitioner said the Mata Chintpurni Temple is one of the richest temples. But due to the lack of parking space devotees and local residents faced problems as traffic jams were a regular feature.

He said the police had given to the temple administration in writing that a parking lot should be constructed and resolutions to this effect were passed by the gram panchayats. Local residents had also brought the problem to the notice of the temple administration but nothing had been done till date.

The petitioner alleged that the high court passed directions in 2008 for the construction of a parking lot near the temple, but the orders were not complied with.

The petitioner prayed for directions to the temple administration for the construction of a parking lot on the Talwara bypass in a time-bound manner so that lakhs of devotees and local residents are relieved of traffic jams.

The court directed the state to file replies within four weeks.
Hyderabad, Sep 8 : The Telangana government has declared holiday on Wednesday and Thursday in Greater Hyderabad in view of incessant rains.

Arvind Kumar, secretary, municipal administration, announced holiday for all private institutions, offices and non essential services within Outer Ring Road (ORR) with work from Home advisory.

With many parts of the city and suburbs still waterlogged and without electricity, authorities also declared a holiday for online classes for schools and colleges.

Municipal administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao and Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav held an emergency meeting with city officials to take stock of the situation.

Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy has urged people to stay indoors. "It's time again to restrain yourselves from coming out. People are requested to reach your police on #Dial100 & DRF teams on 040-29555500 for assistance," he tweeted.

People are advised to stay indoors unless it's an emergency, said the Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar.

"Traffic Advisory is for your safety and security. Pl follow them. Our officers have been working since last night to see that minimum inconvenience is caused to you. I just saw many onlookers coming on roads near Jahanuma. Please avoid coming on roads till water recedes," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan tweeted that incessant heavy rains and aftermath worries all of us. "Apart from Govt every one of us should take part to help & share people suffering whatever way possible Interacting with Telangana Redcross volunteers today 2 appreciate their work & motivate them further," she wrote.
Mysuru, Sep 8 : Karnataka police probing the Mysuru gang rape have arrested the seventh accused in the case, the police sources said on Wednesday.

The accused will be produced before a court and his custody will be sought for further investigations.

The accused was picked from Tamil Nadu late Tuesday. The police department had deputed a special team to nab him based on the clues by other co-accused. The 7th accused had switched off his mobile and disappeared after the August 24 crime at an isolated place near the foothills of Chamundi hills.

The police officers stationed in Tamil Nadu had kept a close tab on his relatives, family members and friends and finally a fortnight after the incident managed to secure him.

The other six accused have already been produced before the 3rd JMFC court on Tuesday as their 10-day police custody ended.

The court has remanded five accused persons to 14-day judicial custody. The accused have been sent to Mysuru central jail, while a minor accused was sent to a juvenile home.

The police sources said the victim is yet to record her statements regarding the incident, given her traumatised condition.

The Congress party has decided to raise the issue in the upcoming assembly session after it completed its own parallel probe into the incident and came up with 19 recommendations.

The committee headed by former MP V.S. Ugrappa has demanded that the police department should record the statement of the victim immediately and in case of rejection, legal action should be initiated against her under IPC section 202. The speedy investigations have to be taken up and accused should be paraded before the victim. Charge sheet has to be filed before the court on time and accused should be punished within a span of 5 months.

The government should come with a law for holding jurisdictional district commissioner and superintendent of police responsible in such cases. The party also demanded the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra for failing to prevent the crime.

The incident took place on August 24 evening, when the victim had gone to an isolated place near the foothills of Chamundi hills along with her male friend. The accused, who had noticed couple frequenting the area, took them hostage and demanded Rs 3 lakh ransom.

When they failed to give the money, the accused took turns to rape the victim. They also assaulted the male friend. The accused had forced the youth to call his family for money. The family members rushed to the spot and shifted the victim and her friend to a hospital.

The case made national headlines and the state police department came under intense pressure. Protests broke out all over the state demanding the arrest of the accused. The police managed to arrest 5 accused rapists within 84 hours of the incident and have now taken the other 2 accused persons also into custody.

The victim, who is under trauma is yet to record her statement and the government has stated that it will not force her for the statement until she is in a condition to speak. The police department claimed that the victim will cooperate as the investigation progresses. She has already identified her attackers from photographs.
September 08 : Akshay Kumars mother Aruna Bhatia passed away on Wednesday morning. Taking to Twitter, Akshay shared the news and expressed his grief. Akshay, who is close to his mother, had earlier rushed back to Mumbai from UK after hearing about his mothers ill health.

She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti, he tweeted.

She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti   Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 8, 2021

On Tuesday evening, he took to social media to update his fans and followers about his ailing mothers health, and asked them to keep her in their prayers. Reportedly, Akshays mother was admitted in the ICU of Hiranandani hospital after her health worsened. Taking to Instagram handle, the BellBottom actor wrote, Touched beyond words at your concern for my moms health. This is a very tough time for me and my family. Every single prayer of yours would greatly help. Akshays post was flooded with fans best wishes and get-well-soon messages.

Akshay Kumar was shooting for his upcoming film Cinderella in the UK when he had to flow back to Mumbai after he came to know that his mothers health had worsened. He has reportedly asked his producers to carry on shooting with other team members where his presence is not required.
New York, Sep 8 : Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime made his first major semifinal at the US Open after Spanish giant-killer Carlos Alcaraz retired due to an undisclosed injury 6-3, 3-1 at the Flushing Meadows.

The 21-year-old is the first Canadian man to make the US Open semifinals in the tournament history (since 1881) and the youngest man to advance to the last four at Flushing Meadows since Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina lifted the trophy in 2009.

"It's an amazing milestone. It's been a fantastic tournament for me. Of course it was a weird ending today. But in the end, I'm through," Auger-Aliassime said. "I'll have a chance to play on Friday against one of the best players in the world right now to have a chance to be in my first Grand Slam final. It's amazing, I'm happy I'm through and I'll try to win the next one," Auger-Aliassime told atptour.com.

The 12th seed will next play second seed and two-time major finalist Daniil Medvedev of RUssia, who won their only previous ATP head-to-head in a final-set tie-break in Toronto three years ago.

Alcaraz won back-to-back five-setters against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and German Peter Gojowczyk to make it this far. The teen was not as sharp as he was earlier in the tournament, making 16 unforced errors in 13 games. The booming groundstrokes that so often found their mark earlier in the fortnight fell into the net on Tuesday.

During the first changeover of the second set, an ATP physiotherapist visited Alcaraz and had a lengthy discussion with the Spaniard, but did not treat him. One game later, Alcaraz retired, surprising Auger-Aliassime.

"No, I didn't [know anything was wrong] until he called the physio. I don't know what happened, clearly, but it's unfortunate. I didn't see it coming. He's such a good player. You guys were amazing again tonight," Auger-Aliassime told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. "I thought we were putting on a good show."
Mumbai, Sep 8 : Sacked Mumbai cop Sachin H. Vaze had allegedly ploughed back extortion incomes to execute a terror threat to top businessman Mukesh Ambani and his family, besides terrorising other rich corporate honchos to extort money out of them through threats of dire consequences.

This and other shock revelations figure in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge sheet against Vaze and 9 other accused in the sensational planting of a SUV near the Ambani home Antilia and the subsequent killing of the vehicle owner Mansukh Hiran cases, filed in the Special NIA Court on September 3.

The CBI contended that the suspended and sacked cop Vaze was aiming to make a comeback as a 'Supercop' to regain his lost glory after he was reinstated into the Mumbai Police in 2020, after 16 years in the wilderness, but after the current case, he was sacked again.

"Through extortion, he (Vaze) was collecting huge amount of money, part of which was used for the commission of instant crime. As evident from the threat note placed along with the (20 gelatin sticks) explosives in the vehicle (Scorpio SUV) planted by Vaze himself on Carmichael Road (on February 24) was an act of terror on the part of Vaze," said the NIA charge sheet.

The 290-page dossier adds: "The intent was clearly to terrorize wealthy and prosperous individuals and also to extort money by putting them into fear of dire consequences. The post on Telegram channel 'Jaish Ul Hind' appears to be a deliberate attempt to add credibility to the above said act of terror, and the murder of Hiran was a direct outcome of the said act of terror." Later, the ex-cop ordered the killing of Hiran's murder as he was proving to be the proverbial 'weak link' in the entire conspiracy.

Vaze allegedly forced Hiran to take the blame for planting the SUV with the explosive material, but when he refused to oblige, the cop along with others conspired to eliminate him, sitting in the Mumbai Police headquarters compound.

Hiran was lured and bumped off by hired killers under the guidance of co-accused Pradeep Sharma, and the matter came to light after his body was fished out from the marshes of Thane Creek near Bhiwandi on March 5.

Vaze had also asked Hiran to file the missing complaint of his vehicle to use it in the crime, and fake number plates belonging to Nita M. Ambani's security convoy, was used on the Scorpio SUV.

After planting the car near Antilia, Vaze also got the case transferred to the Crime Intelligence Unit which he headed and destroyd incriminating CCTV footage, etc.

He conducted a fake raid on March 5 - the date on which Hiran's body was recovered - to create proof that he was on duty far away from the scene of the crime pertaining, and later tried to project it as a suicide by circulating it through his media contacts, the NIA said.

The NIA has produced the statements of 178 witnesses including 20 who are under protection, comprising one who has witnessed Vaze parking the Scorpio near Antilia and another who saw him while visiting the then ex-home minister Anil Deshmukh on February 24.

The 10 accused are dismissed cops Vaze and Vinayak B. Shinde, both from Thane, and Mumbaikars - Naresh R. Gor of Grant Road, Hisamuddin Kazi of Jogeshwari, Sunil D. Mane, Santosh A. Shelar and Manish V. Soni, all from Malad, Anand P. Jadhav and Pradeep R. Sharma, both of Andheri, Satish T. Mothkuri of Goregaon, said the NIA.

Taking a serious view of the twin cases which triggered a massive political row, all the accused have been slapped with terror and hatching terror plot charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, murder, and conspiracy to murder under Indian Penal Code besides the Arms Act and the Explosive Substance Act.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Centre's decision to extend the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director S.K. Mishra till November 2021, despite having reached the retirement age in May last year. However, the top court made it clear that no further extension can be granted to him.

A bench headed by Justice L. Nageswara Rao emphasised that though the Centre has the power for extension of tenure, it should be only done in exceptional cases. "No further extension should be granted. Petition is dismissed", said the top court.

The top court judgment came on a PIL by NGO Common Cause challenging the extension of the tenure of Enforcement Directorate Director.

The NGO's plea contended that the Centre has employed a circuitous route in order to ensure that Mishra gets one more year as the ED director by way of retrospectively modifying the appointment order dated November 18, 2018, itself. The NGO has made three respondents in its plea: Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance; present ED directors; and Central Vigilance Commission.

The plea filed by the NGO had sought direction for quashing of November 13, 2020, order along with a direction to the Centre to appoint ED director in a transparent manner and strictly in accordance with the mandate of Section 25 of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003.

"The said two-year tenure came to an end on 19.11.2020. Pertinently, the Respondent No. 2 (Mishra) has already reached the retirement age of 60 years in May 2020", said the plea.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Head of Afghanistan's second-largest political party -- Jamiat-e-Islami -- Salahuddin Rabbani reacted to the caretaker government of the Taliban and said that a government composed of a single ethnic group will not last long.

Salahuddin Rabbani has written on his Facebook post that the monopoly of power has been experienced in the past which was defeated and the Taliban with this cabinet will too bite the dust, Khaama News reported.

The former foreign minister wrote the post from an unknown place as he had fled Afghanistan to Islamabad prior to the Taliban takeover, and Pakistani officials say that he has left that country as well.

Rabbani said that the Taliban had pledged to establish an all-inclusive government which is not seen at all in their new cabinet and accused the Taliban of being tribal extremists.

"The people of Afghanistan will never accept the regimes which have been imposed through force and will fight to change the ongoing undesirable situation," read the statement.

Rabbani has called on the international community and the regional countries in particular not to rush for the recognition of the Taliban because the government does not represent all the classes and ethnic groups of Afghanistan, the report said.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced a 33-member caretaker cabinet on Tuesday (September 7) in which no woman is seen.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Taliban's religious leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, hours after the announcement of the new Afghanistan cabinet, issued a statement saying the new cabinet will start its work immediately.

"As a caretaker and committed cabinet has been announced by the authorities of the Islamic Emirate to control and run the affairs of the country which will start functioning at the earliest, I assure all the countrymen that the figures will work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and Sharia law in the country, protecting the country's highest interests, securing Afghanistan's borders, and to ensuring lasting peace, prosperity and development," Akhundzada said.

The statement also said the new government remains committed to protecting human rights.

"The Islamic Emirate will take serious and effective steps towards protecting human rights, the rights of minorities as well as the rights of the underprivileged groups within the framework of the demands of the sacred religion of Islam," reads the statement.
September 08 : Supporting husband and lyricist Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi asked trolls to calm down, who took offence when he took a dig at politician Shashi Tharoor on his singing.

On Monday, Shashi Tharoor shared on Twitter a video clip of him singing Kishore Kumars popular song Ek Ajnabee Haseena Se at an event. Javed Akhtar poked fun at his Hindi, and tweeted, Wow! We have almost a similar song in Hindi too!!! Many were amused by Javed Akhtars comment. One Twitter user wrote, Sir.. you are great... What a sense of humour. But you got to give him his confidence, sporting spirit, and the sheer joie de vivre he has.. marvellous, wrote another followed with a rolling with laughter emoji.

After the cultural programme by Doordarshan Srinagar for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I was persuaded to sing for the Members. Unrehearsed and amateur but do enjoy! pic.twitter.com/QDT4dwC6or  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 6, 2021

Reacting to Shashi Tharoors video, Shabana Azmi tweeted, Shashi! Thats lovely, and in a follow-up post, she wrote, And all those trolls just chill. Shashi Tharoor is a good friend and Javeds remark was in pure jest!

And all those trolls just chill . Shashi Tharoor is a good friend and Javeds remark was in pure jest ! https://t.co/NsYKOPyM1a  Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) September 7, 2021

Sharing the video clip of his singing on Twitter, Shashi Tharoor had written, After the cultural programme by Doordarshan Srinagar for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I was persuaded to sing for the Members. Unrehearsed and amateur but do enjoy!

Earlier, Javed Akhtar came under attack from the Shiv Sena and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for his comments that appeared to compare right-wing outfits with the Taliban that has seized power in Afghanistan. Following social media attacks on the lyricists, security was beefed up outside his residence in Mumbai. A Maharashtra BJP MLA also demanded an apology from him over his remark.

Shabana Azmi was last seen in the historical show Empire, which featured Kunal Kapoor, Dino Morea and Drashti Dhami. The show is streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar. Recently, the veteran actress has been roped in by Karan Johar in his directorial Rocky and Rani Ki Prem Kahani alongside Jaya Bachchan and Dharmendra. The film stars Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 8 : With the reporting of over 30 Covid-19 infections in some schools, the Odisha government has constituted a special cell to monitor the cases in the schools, officials said on Wednesday.

The Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) has issued an order for this purpose. As per the order, the Covid monitoring cell has been constituted in the office of the State project director (SPD), OSEPA with the command control centre.

The officials engaged in the cell will collect the daily attendance of the Classes ---9, 10, 11 and 12 and monitor various Covid related incidents of the districts and submit reports on a daily basis to SPD, OSEPA.

The government has also asked all the District Education Officers (DEOs) to constitute a Covid monitoring cell at the district-level as soon as possible and appoint a senior officer as Covid compliance officer.

The Covid compliance officers will ensure implementation of the Covid protocol in the schools and collect daily attendance of the Class 9 to 12 students and submit it to the OSEPA on a daily basis.

"If any Covid related incident occurs in the district, it will be reported on that very day to the undersigned without delay," the order said.

Meanwhile, the School and Mass Education principal secretary, Satyabrata Sahu has issued a fresh SOP for the functioning of schools.

In a letter to all DEOs, Sahu said the teachers will have to ensure that students coming to the schools must wear masks. In case, any student has come to a school without a mask, the school administration should not allow the student to enter into the premises.

At the entry point, thermal screening and hand sanitization of all the students must be ensured, he said. Sahu asked the officials to ensure social distancing inside the classrooms and not to allow any student, teacher, non-teaching staff having mild symptoms like cold, sneezing and fever.

The above instructed came in the wake of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Covid-19 review meeting, where he said that the educational institutions would be held responsible if reports of negligence come to the fore. He had directed the local administration to form special teams to inspect the educational institutions regularly.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Disha Patani is known for scorching hot pictures on social media and her moves when she breaks into song and dance. Patani is also recognised as the face of diamond jewellery brand ORRA. Gearing up for the festive and bridal season the brand is all set to take on the bridal jewellery market with a special line in collaboration with designer duo Falguni Shane Peacock.

IANS caught up with the designers to find out more details: Q: More and more Indian designers are collaborating with jewellery brands to launch collections together, is this more of a marketing strategy or is it to create jewels which compliments the designer's collections and vice versa?

A: Bridal wear and jewellery always go hand-in-hand, it's so important to have the right bridal outfit and the right bridal set match one another. We really love ORRA's jewellery and the quality of diamonds they have. We were wanting to create jewellery and ORRA happened.

Q: Tell us about the inspiration for this collection and also its unique design elements? A: A lot of the collection is inspired by our current collection, Love Is, which we shot at the Taj Mahal. A lot of the lehengas have chandeliers in them and a lot of small detailing, which we have kept for the design of the jewellery. We have tried to keep the Falguni Shane Peacock signature in the jewellery.

Q: You are the first designers to shoot their couture collection at the TAJ... tell us about the experience A: We have been working for two years to get the permissions to shoot at the Taj! The monument is so inspiring and amazing, and we wanted to do everything with the right permissions. We just got the clearances in time for couture week and we knew we had to shoot the collection at the Taj. It's been one of our most amazing experiences to shoot at the Taj.

Q: Jewellery and clothes are the biggest part of the big fat indian wedding, or for that matter even the slimmed down intimate version of it, do you agree? A: Even though weddings have limits on how many people can attend, brides really want to dress up and look their best -- it is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for them. They don't want to compromise on the look, jewellery, and the clothes. Despite the pandemic, the brides are dressing in the way they have always dreamed -- they are wanting to do what makes them happy and makes them look good.

Q: Share with us how the collaboration came to be.

A: We have been wanting to design jewellery for a long time now. ORRA's precision and dedication towards delivering quality align very well with Falguni Shane Peacock's design sensibilities, thus creating a perfect marriage of both brands via this collaboration. With the 73 faceted diamonds that shine brighter than a usual diamond, this line has turned out to be truly unique and one-of-a-kind.

(IANSlife can be contacted at IANSlife@ians.in)
Chennai, Sep 8 : A team of police officers from Niligirs have reached Kerala to issue summons to suspects and witnesses in the Kodanad estate murder and heist case.

The team left for Kerala on Tuesday and is conducting investigations in the neighbouring state as some of the accused who are out on bail are in Kerala.

Senior police officers, including IG West Zone, R. Sudhakar, DIG Muthuswamny, and Nilgiris Superintendent of Police, Ashish Rawat has revived the progress report of the case.

The prosecution case was that a group of people barged into the Kodanad summer estate on April 24, 2017 and murdered a watchman, Om Bahadhur, and injured another watchman, Krishna Bahadhur. The robbers stole 5 watches and a crystal idol from the estate bungalow.

The DMK government which came to power in 2021 reopened the case which has high political links as the estate was owned jointly by the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa and her close aide V.K.Sasikala.

The AIADMK strongly suspects that the move of the government is to implicate former Chief Minister and senior leader of the party, K. Palaniswami in the case.

The 10 accused in the case were arrested and later released on bail except the driver of the late chief minister, Kanagaraj, who died in a road accident.

Police officers in Nilgiris told IANS that many of the suspects are from Kerala. When asked about the details of these suspects, police remained tight-lipped.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Tamil Nadu police to conduct reinvestigation in the Kodanad murder and heist case. The apex court refused to entertain a plea seeking a stay on further investigation. The court said, "We cannot interfere in the investigation of the Tamil Nadu police and let the truth come out ultimately." The plea which was filed by the prosecution witness and AIADMK member, Anubhav Ravi, said that he was being threatened by the Tamil Nadu police to depose a favourable witness statement.

In the plea, Ravi asked the court as to why the case was being reinvestigated after a charge sheet has already been submitted and he has been examined.

This is being seen as a major blow to the AIADMK and the former Chief Minister. Palniswami has alleged that the DMK government under Stalin was trying to implicate him in the case.

The Special Investigation Team is also likely to investigate the road accident that took place on April 29, 2017 at Kannadi in Palakkad district of Kerala, in which the main accused K.P. Sayan's family including his wife and son died and he had escaped with injuries.

The Kodanad murder and heist case is turning into a major political confabulation between the DMK and AIADMK with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin telling the assembly that the DMK and the government are not acting with a vengeance or vendetta.

He said that the truth has to come out and the DMK had promised the people of Tamil Nadu that a proper investigation would be carried out in the Kodanad murder and heist case once it came back to power.

Interestingly the case will have its ramifications in the AIADMK also as there is a possibility of the section close to former Deputy Chief Minister, O.Panneerselvam trying to take over the party if something negative comes out against Palaniswami in the investigation.
New Delhi, Sep 8 Sep 8 : The novel coronavirus impacted everyone around the globe equally. However, the virus has been more severe and dangerous for people with pre-existing chronic illnesses. Moreover, the combination of Covid-19 and cardiovascular diseases have been proven dangerous in more ways that one.

People suffering from cardiovascular diseases have had it worse during the ongoing pandemic. Heart patients have been living in the constant fear of sudden deaths and severe infections. Over the past one year, we have witnessed a spike in the number of deaths due to cardiac arrest, post Covid infections. During the second wave, one of the most common aftereffects was sudden deaths due to cardiac arrest post Covid. Therefore, it was advised that people with a history of heart diseases should get themselves vaccinated. Although people believe in myths and misconceptions around Covid-19 vaccines, it is important, especially for heart patients to take the vaccine shot. Hence, it is now imperative to address the following question: are Covid-19 vaccine safe for people with heart conditions? Some safety concerns or adverse reactions of Covid-19 vaccinations that have arose are guillan-barre syndrome, increased blood clots, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), or anaphylaxis (acute allergic reaction to an antigen). However, what has been documented is that most of the mentioned side-effects tend to show up weeks following vaccination, and not long after it. It has been further witnessed that the side-effects, which have consequential risks appear, most commonly after a month of inoculation. Hence, they can be managed well if diagnosed in time. There are no side-effects that are severely detrimental to our health and well-being.

Moreover, the severe side-effects associated with vaccines are fewer than reported averages across the general population. For example, the risk of developing gullian-barre syndrome is said to be 17 times more likely with general infections in comparison to vaccines.

Additionally, reports suggest that Covid-19 vaccines are not only safe for people with heart diseases, but they are also very important. We are at a point where there is a growing risk of emerging variants, there heart patient being one of the most vulnerable populations in the society need to get their vaccine shots as soon as possible.

If one is still concerned about the safety, they must note that the vaccines are safe for all age groups. Earlier this year, the American Heart Association released a statement urging everyone fitting the eligibility criteria to get their vaccination shots. The statement had particularly mentioned people with cardiovascular risk factors, heart diseases, and heart attack and stroke survivors to get vaccinated as soon as possible since they are at a greater risk from the virus than the vaccine.

However, some common effects to note post vaccination are fever, fatigue, headache, and joint pain. Additionally, pain in the injection site may also be witnessed. Whether a person is healthy or is someone with a pre-existing heart ailment, these side-effects from the vaccine will be the same in everyone. As a heart patient, the symptoms will not differ from others. It is, however, always recommended to consult your doctor and also keep a constant check post vaccination.

It is most important to note that whether a person is healthy or is someone with a heart ailment, getting vaccinated does not mean that one is safe from contracting the virus. Vaccination reduces the chances for hospitalization; however, cases of breakthrough infections have increased in current times with the emergence of new variants. Therefore, physical distancing, wearing a mask, maintaining hand hygiene, and staying at home is extremely important.

Nishith Chandra -- Director, Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla road, New Delhi (IANSlife can be contacted at IANSlife@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Sorry and please are often described as 'magic' words simply because of the inherent power they possess to transform situations -- be it placating the recipient, strengthening a bond, or managing relationships. Effective communication emphatically talks about its frequent but genuine use to establish rapport apart from being polite and respectful. In that, 'sorry' holds a special significance for children as they navigate through their growing up years.

We often define these growing-up years as work in progress as children work out cause and effect, and understand that relationship management can be 'tricky' business. During these formative years, children deal with their family, school teachers, or friends and for that matter, even strangers. Perspectives, opinions, and misunderstandings pepper these years as a child matures and embraces social skills. Experience over a period of time is what enables children to regulate their emotions. Dangers of 'damage', a natural consequence of some of these misunderstood situations, can be mitigated if children are encouraged to make amends and move on.

The early years are dominated by the child's need to put himself/herself at the centre of every situation, often not realising that in doing so (this is a developmental milestone and will ease into maturity eventually), they could 'hurt' someone. And their need to resist apologising for their actions could largely be attributed to the fact that they are unable to fathom its severity and impact. For children, they are simply reacting and not intending to 'hurt' someone in a quest to protect themselves. They consider this an act of normalcy -- like snatching a toy that belongs to them, or pushing another child to get ahead, or jumping the line or speaking out of turn. Remember, their world is about them and hence it is important to educate children about feelings, appropriate behaviour, and how to build relationships.

As children 'age', the primary years become grounds for more experiences, and children naturally evolve into being more aware of the consequences of their acts. And through regular communication by watching adults around them, they tend to use the word more often to 'mend' the situation. As social creatures, and quick to please, they recognise the need to 'adapt' and 'mould' themselves as per norms that are likely to receive praise or acknowledgement.

In middle and high school years, the level of understanding about social interactions is purely the result of exposure and conditioning over the years, and therefore children ease into managing these relationships much better.

The key always remains the foundation, and the start, and consistent communication over the years with timely intervention to help students become the polite, sensitive, aware, and amicable adults we all aspire them to be. This requires efforts on part of those nurturing these students in school and at home as the 'seniors' who lead the way.

Fatema Agarkar, Educationist and Founder of ACE Some quick tips: Role-model behaviour: Children are silent observers of everything they see around them, and the best way for them to 'learn' how to manage relationships and use the word sorry, is if they see enough examples of adults apologising. For example, in a fit of anger, if an adult has spoken rudely to the house help or a teacher to a fellow teacher, by apologising in public and explaining the rationale to the little ones, children understand the concept of a mistake, and that mistakes can be rectified through acts or actions in a way that builds a stronger bond. Hence, the importance of public display is critical for children to know that they can adopt a similar approach when faced with a similar situation.

Cinema: Watching films that convey this message (lots of children films are about this) together with your children, and discussions after about what they understood and how the relationships became stronger because of the apologies is also a great way to communicate in a non-threatening way to the children. Often well-meaning adults tend to 'lecture' and children tune off given the plethora of instructions they receive daily, and these audio-visuals serve as an effective reminder of protocols to be adopted. Discussions post the film are important communication channels because it helps point out 'facts' that are important for them to know.

Books: Cannot emphasise how crucial this component is at any age -- great tools for expressing and role-modelling appropriate behaviour for children, and post a book reading, getting them to relate to situations that they have encountered is also a way to help them self-analyse.

Journals: Encourage children to 'write' about difficult situations, and how they reacted to it, and what were some of the consequences if they had said 'sorry' instead of furthering the problem! Reflection as a tool and exercise, especially in primary years, helps children 'think' back and analyse their choices. A true learning milestone if we have to raise well-balanced children. Children do tend to 'forget' things, and unless they think about writing them down, and discussing it with their parents, they will never learn the art of reflection. The adults again can guide, and mentor (without judgement) and ease the children into making amends by apologising. This forms a dialogue with them.

Social media: There are lots of positive quotes, stories, and images on social media about relationships. Encourage children by sharing this with them especially how someone dealt with a particular situation and overcame it. It is motivational, positive, and gets them to think about 'solving' problems and for that matter, 'accepting' that everyone has them! Rewards: Rewards do not have to be materialistic, but do use this liberally as words. Acknowledge, and praise when the children are using appropriate behaviour and mending ties! This is perhaps the most underutilised of all communication strategies -- as adults, the praise is reserved for performance academically or in co-curricular, and it is time, this gets incorporated for behaviour and skills that build relationships. Write your child an email, a letter, or create a card and let them know how proud you are of them.

Beyond 'sorry', the crux of communication and mentoring students remains focused on building relationships. For that, the children need to accept that mistakes happen, and these mistakes can lead to feelings of anger, aggression, or trauma for those at the receiving end. But that these are the moments that can be salvaged, and lead to better experiences and closer bonds. Sometimes demonstrating this to them, standing by their side as they attempt to, or pointing it out to them when they have not noticed will go a long way in creating happier children! (N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)
Hyderabad, Sep 8 : Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bandi Sanjay Kumar has promised that if voted to power in the state, the party will bring a population control legislation on the lines of a law proposed in Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjay made the promise while addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy district as part of his 'Praja Sangrama Padayatra'.

"As the president of the BJP state unit, I am announcing that BJP will form the government in 2023 and we will bring the population control bill," he said Sanjay, who is also a member of the Lok Sabha, said the BJP's policy is that one child is ideal and the maximum limit is two.

Uttar Pradesh proposed to bring a legislation soon to bar people with more than two children from contesting local elections.

The BJP leader also slammed the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government for implementing religion based reservation and alleged that this is causing gross injustice to the weaker sections.

Sanjay challenged Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to enhance quota for Muslims. "KCR is trying to please MIM by increasing quantum of reservations for Muslims. BJP will not keep quiet. We will never allow this," he said.

The MP, who launched his walkathon from a temple abutting historic Charminar in old city of Hyderabad on August 28, plans to cover 550 km till October 2.

Addressing public meetings during his padyatra, Sanjay has been hitting out at the TRS government for what he calls its failures on all fronts. He is also speaking about the BJP's plans after forming the next government in the state.

However, the BJP leader has come under criticism from other parties for certain remarks made during the speech. Alleging that Sanjay is creating communal disharmony, the Congress party has urged the Director General of Police to restrict his padyatra.

Congress party's state vice-president G. Niranjan has demanded action against the BJP MP for what he calls his attempts to spread communal hatred. He has taken strong exception to Sanjay's statement that if voted to power in the state, BJP will distribute Nizam's properties among the Hindus.
Washington, Sep 8 : The US has expressed concern over affiliations and track records of some of the individuals included in the Taliban unveiled Afghanistan's new 'caretaker' government.

In a statement, the US state department has said: "We note the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates and no women." The interim cabinet is led by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who is on a UN blacklist. Another figure, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is wanted by the FBI, the BBC reported.

The statement added that the US would "judge the Taliban by its actions, not words." "Washington would continue to hold the Taliban to their commitments to allow safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghans with travel documents, including permitting flights currently ready to fly out of Afghanistan," it asserted.

"We also reiterate our clear expectation that the Taliban ensure that Afghan soil is not used to threaten any other countries," it said, adding: "The world is watching closely." The Taliban has said on Tuesday that Mullah Hassan Akhund was appointed as the Prime Minister of Afghanistan's caretaker government.

Meanwhile, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi were named as the acting deputy Prime Ministers.

Similarly, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of the late Taliban co-founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, was appointed as the acting defense minister.

Amir Khan Muttaqi served as the acting Foreign Minister and Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, was named as the acting Interior Minister.

A Taliban spokesman has said the appointments of the interim government are not final as these are acting positions, and the remaining posts will be announced at a later date.

The spokesman has stressed that it is an "acting" government and the group will try to take people from other parts of the country.

The formation of the Afghan caretaker government was announced after the Taliban said on Monday that it had completely captured Panjshir, the last holdout province of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

The Taliban previously promised to build an inclusive government and expressed hope that Afghan people would help in the country's transition
Bengaluru, Sep 8 : Hitting back at the author of Panchajanya article attacking software giant Infosys, T.V. Mohandas Pai, current Chairman of Manipal Global Education and former director of Infosys, said the author is a crazy fellow.

Talking to IANS, he said that Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy is very upset and hurt over the scathing attacks on him by RSS-affiliate Panchajanya magazine.

"This is a crazy fellow. I don't know who the writer is, I don't know what his name is. He must be demented for having made such comments. That's why people must write to the editor and tell him to withdraw the article." the Padma Shri awardee said.

Asked if there is any agenda behind the write-up, he maintained, "I don't think there is an agenda for it. I just think they are crazy writers who want to prove that they are more nationalist than anyone else," he added.

He further said, it's wrong for the Panchjanya to launch such an attack on Narayana Murthy. "I am in touch with him and I know he is very hurt. Because you can always be critical but not abusive like this. Tukde-tukde gang has not done anything for the country, but this man Murthy is from different background," he explained.

When asked about how the company is looking at the allegations, he said, "I think the employees of Infosys are very angry and upset at these stupid charges. It will not impact their work or performance, but certainly, they will have negative opinion towards Panchjanya. There are 2.80 lakh employees in Infosys. With their families, they make up 12 lakh people. They are a very large group and you are abusing all of them for nothing, he pointed out.

The company's reputation has been totally tarnished, the people of the country are with Narayan Murthy. He is one of the largest job creators of India. You can criticise Infosys for making mistakes and they will fix it, that is very correct. But you can't call them anti-national and all that rubbish, Pai maintained.

Yes, the portal is not working properly and they are fixing it. But you can't call them anti-national. I think we should all talk to them and tell them to withdraw the article, he opined.

He further clarified the concern raised by the union finance ministry, saying it is a very complex process. It's extremely complex, it will take time to fix it. My personal view is there has been inadequate testing by the department. After the software is delivered, the department has to test whether it has reached the niche. They have probably not tested it enough. The software was released prematurely. There will be some bugs they have to take care of and they are taking care of them.

Asked about Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman's statement on Infosys, he said, "I don't want to comment on the union finance minister's statement. Because the finance minister has been very supportive and I don't want to comment. She is reacting to criticism that's all." Reacting to the Panchajanya magazine defending the article against Infosys, he explained that, the person who wrote it must be a crazy fellow, he does not understand anything. "I think we should ask the editor to withdraw it. I think they must write to Panchjanya and tell them it is very unfair. Its a big company from Karnataka. These fellows are attacking it for nothing," he opined.

When asked about whether RSS has got anything to do with it, he said, "I don't think it's the view of the RSS. It's only the view of the Panchajanya. People of Karnataka should protest against it," he said.

Talking about questions being raised on recruitment to Infosys, he answered that "every appointment is made on merit. I don't know what they are talking about." It hurts industrialists, it hurts job creators because they don't like this. No company or industrialist is anti-national. You can call politicians anti-national, media anti-national because it is building public opinion right or wrong. You can call political leaders whatever you want, but why do you call an industrialist anti-national, it's stupid, he said.

Commenting on comparing the company with Naxals and tukde tukde gang, Mohandas Pai replied, "Tell me if any responsible person makes such a statement, what will come to your mind? Crazy people. We are a free country what to do. It's very abusive. I think we have to criticise them and get along."
Kolkata, Sep 8 : Two bombs were hurled at the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP of Barrackpore Arjun Singh at his residence in North 24 Parganas's Bhatpara. Police rushed to the spot and additional security has been deployed to ensure the safety of the BJP MP.

Panic triggered when some miscreants on motorbike came and hurled bombs on the entry gate of Singh. According to the police two bombs were hurled -- one on the gate of the MP's residence and the other at the Central force barrack on the opposite side of the residence.

"Though no one was injured, the gate and portion of the barrack were damaged. We are looking into the CCTV footage to identify the criminals. The security of the MPA has also been tightened," a senior police officer of the Barrackpore police commissionerate said.

The Barrackpore MP said, "Yesterday. I got the responsibility of Bhabanipur constituency and today only bombs were hurled at my residence. This is only to scare us, but they should know that it is difficult to put me under pressure".

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar condemned the attack on the BJP MP's house and demanded prompt action from the West Bengal police. He also said that wanton violence in the state shows no sign of abating.

Taking to Twitter, Dhankar said "Wanton violence in WB shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions this morning outside the residence of Member Parliament @ArjunSinghWB is worrisome on law and order. Expect prompt action @WBPolice. As regards his security the issue has earlier been flagged @MamataOfficial." Trinamool Congress state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, "They (BJP) might have some internal problem and it can be a result of that. How do we know about all these things? We are not interested even".
New Delhi, Sep 8 : In a major setback for cement major Lafarge, Frances top court has overturned a decision by a lower court which had dismissed charged against the company for complicity in crimes against humanity in Syrias civil war, reports said.

Lafarge is accused of paying nearly $15.3 million to militant groups including the Islamic State (IS) to keep its cement factory in northern Syria running through the early years of the country's war.

France's top court has overturned a decision by a lower court to dismiss charges brought against cement giant Lafarge for complicity in crimes against humanity in Syria's civil war.

The ruling by the Court of Cassation on Tuesday marks a major setback for Lafarge, which is accused of paying nearly 13 million euros ($15.3m) to armed groups including the Islamic State, in ordere to keep its cement factory in northern Syria running through the early years of the country's war.

Lafarge, merged with Swiss group Holcim in 2015 and is under formal investigation in France for its efforts to keep a factory running in Syria after conflict erupted in 2011. In India, LafargeHolcim, the holding company of ACC and Ambuja Cements, rebranded itself Holcim Group in July this year.

According to rights groups including the Berlin-based European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and France's Sherpa, the company bought raw materials and oil from armed fighters and made payments for the safe passage of workers through checkpoints.

As per media reports, Lafarge has acknowledged that its Syrian arm paid middlemen to negotiate with armed groups to allow the movement of staff and goods inside the war zone. However, it denies responsibility for the money winding up in the hands of terrorist groups and has fought to have the case dropped.

In 2019, the Paris Court of Appeal had dismissed the crimes against humanity charge.

Later, the lower court's verdict was challenged by 11 former employees of Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) backed by NGOs at the Court of Cassation.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Abdul Ahad, the father of a former police officer, claimed that Taliban forces attacked his house to search for weapons and a military vehicle in Kabul.

The man, who is living in Kabul police district 17, said the Taliban fired on his house and then began to beat him, Tolo News reported.

However, he said that his son surrendered his government weapon and vehicle, but the Taliban attacked their house.

Abdul Ahad said: "They told me 'your son was police, he had weapons. Give us the weapons and the car.' They beat me and imprisoned me at the police station." Abdul Ahad asked for justice, saying such conditions cannot continue, the report said.

"They should defend my rights. No one should be allowed to attack people's houses and take people to prison," he said.

However, Taliban officials denied the claims.

Qari Safiullah, one of the Taliban's officials in Kabul Police district 17, said "Many military and civilians from the previous government live here, we have not yet gone to their houses and will not let anyone do it." Meanwhile, a video posted on social media appears to show the Taliban entering a house without official documents in the Kabul police district, wounding a person.

Kabul residents asked the Taliban officials to not prosecute any government or military officials after announcing a "general amnesty."
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Nudged by the Supreme Court, the Centre on Wednesday informed the top court that it has taken a decision to allow women into the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that there is a good news, as a decision has been taken at the highest-level that women will be inducted for NDA, and the chiefs of three Armed Forces have also agreed. Bhati said the decision had been taken late evening Tuesday (September 7).

Justice Kaul said that the court has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves, and sometimes things only move when the court steps in. "Armed forces are respected forces of this country. But on gender equality they have to do more", said Justice Kaul.

Bhati said it will be path breaking and generational reform. The bench responded that the court is extremely glad to learn that the Armed Forces themselves took decisions to induct females in the NDA. However, the top court emphasized that it is important for it to take a stand on these issues.

The top court also asked the Centre to inform: What it is doing now? What is it planning to do in the future? The Centre said it will file an affidavit regarding its submissions allowing girls into NDA.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Kush Kalra, seeking NDA to open its doors for women aspiring to join the Armed Forces. The plea was argued by senior advocate Chinmoy Pradip Sharma.

The plea also sought a direction from the court to allow women to get trained in the Indian Naval Academy as well.

On August 18, the Supreme Court had said the mindset is not changing and emphasized why judicial orders are required to allow women candidates to take the entrance exam for National Defence Academy (NDA), even after the top court's judgment expanding the horizons and extending the permanent commission in the Army to women.

The top court passed an interim order allowing women to take the exam slated on September 5. However, Wednesday the top court was informed that the exam has been rescheduled to November 14.

The matter has been adjourned to September 22.
Srinagar, Sep 8 : The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday raided the residences of four journalists in Srinagar although no official statement has so far been issued regarding these raids.

The four journalists are Shoukat Mota, Shah Abbas, Azhar Qadri and Hilal Saqi.

Of these, three worked for the local English daily 'Greater Kashmir' and one for 'Tribune' in the past.

Some reports said the raids were connected with the spread of fake news in the aftermath of senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani's death last week.

Police sources said details about these raids would be shared with the media later.
Karnal, Sep 8 : Continuing protest for the second day over August 28 lathicharge incident, farm leaders have started a fresh meeting on Wednesday here at Karnal.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Karnal-based BKU leader Jagdeep Singh Chaduni and some representatives of other farm unions have joined the meeting.

The fresh meeting has been called to chalk out further strategy to decide on the way forward.

Agitating farmers said it has been more than 24 hours that they have been demanding action against the IAS officer who on August 28 ordered for lathicharge, and also held several rounds of talk with senior government officials on the matter, however, no concrete action was taken so far.

Firmed in their demand of action against the IAS officer (SDM Ayush Sinha, who has been transferred to Chandigrah), farmers said they would not call off their ongoing protest, until the government takes action.

The protest that began at Anaj Mandi early on Tuesday has shifted to the mini-secretariat in Karnal distrct of Haryana on Wednesday. More and more people from the surrounding areas have joined the sit-in demonstration.

In the meeting, farmers will also discuss the suspension of internet services in several districts.

"Our protest will continue until our demands are met. We have put up only demand that IAS officer should be suspended and an independent enquiry should be initiated against him," Rakesh Tikait said.

Meanwhile, to intensify the protest, farmers have set up tents outside the DC office. Some farmers have even said that the protest in front of the district administration office will be extended if their demands are not met.

After the incident on August 28, a video-clip of IAS Ayush Sinha ordering the force to hit the farmers on their heads had stirred a row after it went viral on social media. The farmers demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh and government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge and died later due to heart attack along with a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the wounded persons.
September 08 : Akshay Kumar's mother, Aruna Bhatia, who was in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Mumbai's Hiranandani Hospital, died on Wednesday morning. Taking to Twitter, Akshay informed his fans and expressed his grief.

The funeral of Aruna Bhatia was held at Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai. Akshay Kumars friends from Bollywood including Riteish Deshmukh, Sajid Khan, Rohit Shetty and Ramesh Taurani was at the crematorium to pay their last respects to Akshays mother. Karan Kapadia and Twinkle Khanna were also seen arriving at the funeral.

In the morning, Akshay Kumar took to Twitter and informed his fans and followers about his mothers demise. She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti, he tweeted.

As soon as Akshay Kumar shared the news, many Bollywood celebrities including Ajay Devgn, Hansal Mehta, Pooja Bhatt, Pratik Gandhi, Renuka Shahane, Raj Nayak, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Dia Mirza and others sent their condolences to the grieving actor and his family. My deepest & most sincere condolences! May you navigate this phase and the years ahead with love & strength, Pooja Bhatt wrote. Heartfelt condolences to you and the family, Pratik Gandhi wrote.

On Tuesday evening, Akshay took to social media and thanked his fans and followers who were sending him best wishes and get well soon messages for his ailing mother. Touched beyond words at your concern for my moms health. This is a very tough time for me and my family. Every single prayer of yours would greatly help.
London, Sep 8 : There are enough vaccines to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target of inoculating at least 10 per cent of people in every country, Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla has said.

In late May, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had called for global support for a "sprint to September", to enable every country to vaccinate at least 10 per cent of its population by the end of September.

Just 10 countries have administered 75 per cent of all vaccine supply, while low-income countries have vaccinated barely 2 per cent of their people, according to the global health agency.

Bourla said he believed it was "feasible" to fulfil the WHO's target, the Financial Times reported.

The US intends to donate 200m Pfizer doses this year, which would cover about 15 to 18 per cent of the population of the world's 92 poorest countries, he said.

Pfizer aims to deliver 41 per cent of its vaccines to low and middle income countries by end 2021, while Johnson & Johnson will send more than half, as production soars in the second half, the report said.

"I think yes, we will be covering (the goal). I think next year, we should be having enough doses for all that they want to receive, then we will reach the same problems that we are reaching in the high income countries, with people refusing to get the vaccination," FT quoted him as saying at a press conference of the global pharma industry association.

While countries like South Africa and India, have rallied for waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 doses, vaccine makers have been pushing back against the proposal.

According to Bourla, the vaccines are created by "two miracles": the original development and the scale-up of manufacturing. "I'm not sure what is the point of transferring a technology that is going to take years to transfer," he said.

Bourla's comments came after a recent study from Airfinity, a life sciences analytics company, concluded that developed countries are sitting on 500 million doses they could be distributing this month -- and will have an extra 1.1 billion by the end of the year, the report said.

Ghebreyesus has slammed vaccine nationalism by the developed countries, calling it a "shame on all humanity".

The pandemic can be ended in a matter of months if doses are shared and manufacturing is scaled up equitably, he said.

The WHO has also called for a moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September, even as countries like Israel, the US, France, Italy and a slew of others have started the third dose of Covid vaccines. The WHO aims to vaccinate 40 per cent of the population in every country by the end 2021.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Congress party is unlikely to contest West Bengal bypolls on three seats giving a walkover to the Trinamool.

The Congress has already decided not to field any candidate against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur constituency in the larger interest of the Opposition unity. WBPCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has made a formal announcement in this regard.

But sources say the Congress will not put up candidates on other two seats going for bypolls -- Samsergunj and Jangipur. Samsergunj falls in the Lok Sabha constituency of PCC President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury while in Jangipur, sources say, Left parties will field its candidate as the Left had fought this seat in alliance with the Congress.

Congress leaders say that for the joint opposition, it's necessary to support Mamata Banerjee, she in her meeting with Congress High Command Sonia Gandhi recently, had emphasised on the importance of Opposition unity to take on the BJP.

The Election Commission had announced the date for the by-elections for three Assembly constituencies including Banerjee's stronghold Bhabanipur.

The election in Samsergunj and Jangipur were withheld because of the death of the candidates before polls during the recently concluded Assembly election in West Bengal. On the other hand, by-election in Bhabanipur Assembly constituency was necessitated because existing MLA Sovondeb Chattopadhyay resigned from his seat to make way for Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee lost to the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhiakri in Nandigram and is still not an elected member of the legislative body.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The National Security Advisors' level meeting between India and Russia on security issues, including the Afghanistan crisis began here on Wednesday.

The Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will be discussing these security related issues with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev following the situation that arises after the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan.

Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day visit for a "High Level India-Russia Intergovernmental Consultations" on the invitation of India's National Security Adviser.

India and Russia face common challenges from Afghanistan, like the rise of terrorist groups, increased drug trafficking, organised crime and the flow of refugees. And, also the fact that a very large amount of very advanced US Military equipment is now in the hands of a large number of known terrorist organisations who are now parts of the Afghan militia, therefore, both countries wanted to discuss threadbare discussion on these security related issues.

This consultation was a follow-up to the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on August 24 when the two leaders expressed their views that the two strategic partners work together, and directed their senior officials to remain in touch on Afghanistan.

Patrushev is also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar too, India's External Affairs Ministry said.

After the Modi-Putin conversation, Russia said that the two leaders expressed the intention to enhance cooperation to counter the spread of 'terrorist ideology' and drug threat emerging from Afghanistan.

Both leaders also agreed to set up a permanent bilateral channel for consultations on the issue.

Earlier on August 26, the Afghan situation was discussed in detail when Deputy NSA Pankaj Saran visited Moscow to meet Russian NSA Nikolay Patrushev and Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.

On September 6, the Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev also reiterated that there was an ample scope for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan and both sides have been in regular touch with each other on the latest developments in the war-torn country.

He also said that Russia was equally concerned as India that the Afghan soil should not be a source of spreading terrorism to other countries and there was an apprehension that the terror threat may reach to the Russian territory as well as in India's Kashmir.

Russia was a key player in pushing for the Afghan peace process before the Taliban captured power in Kabul on August 15 this year.
Bengaluru, Sep 8 : Several Kannada Organisations in Karnataka have reacted sharply to an article in RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya attacking Bengaluru based software giant Infosys and its founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, a Kannadiga.

They have also demanded an apology from the magazine and warned of befitting reply if it failed to do so.

Talking to IANS, Praveen Shetty, President of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Praveen Shetty faction) described the magazine as stupid and injudicious. "It might be an RSS mouthpiece. But, we all remember the journey of Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy. They have been an inspiration for the youth. They have set standards for other corporates and the society," he said.

"We have been seeing how certain forces from north India are trying to tarnish the image of tall personalities from the southern region. Immediately, the magazine should tender an apology. It is not fair on its part to insult a fine Kannadiga technocrat like Narayana Murthy," he explained.

Which is an anti-national? The persons who carry out anti-national activities are different. The Tukde-tukde gang is also different. But, insulting Narayana Murthy is untenable. "We carry tremendous respect towards him. The magazine should tender a public apology. Otherwise, we will burn the copies of Panchajanya and effigies," he stated.

Sanneerappa B, State General Secretary for Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) stated that they will stand with Infosys on the issue. If it continues, we know how to give a befitting answer, he underlined.

The humanitarian work taken up by Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy across the country and in Karnataka is unmatched. Even Bill Gates has not done so much human service in India. Through Infosys, Narayana Murthy has created lakhs of employment for Indians. They want to damage the brand Infosys and assassinate the character of Murthy, he said.

Infosys has been involved in hundreds of central as well as state government projects. Whenever, there is a cyclone in Gujarat, floods and be it a Metro Project, Infosys has come forward to put in crores of rupees. "Why Japanese, US based or MNCs from other countries do not come forward to support the people. Instead of encouraging Indian businessmen, industrialists from across the globe to create jobs in India, the magazine is indulging in falsely targeting Narayana Murthy," he stated.

"We want to assure Infosys and Narayana Murthy not to get worried over these fake threats. Write-ups like this can't do anything. You have created jobs for all Indians belonging to different faiths. Even if a hundred similar attempts are made, they can't hurt you and we will fight against it," he explained.

Dr B.P. Maheshchandra Guru, a retired professor and progressive thinker, said Narayana Murthy has contributed immensely towards industrial development. "His name was in the forefront for the post of President. "When it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities we look up to Azim Premzi of Wipro and Infosys. Infosys is a reputed institute and they are also service conscious. Till date Infosys has not been involved in a single scandal. They have built thousands of homes for earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters, he said.

The people with false and fake nationalism are indulging in extorting industrialists, reputed personalities and leaders. If they are so bothered about the country, let them work in slums, let them come to civic workers, Dalits and empower them with skills and help them to live in dignity. "I condemn the article on Infosys," he stated.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The succession of senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani by Masrat Alam as the chairman of All Party Hurriyat Conference has much more to it than meets the eye.

Known as the 'King of stone peters' in Kashmir, Masrat Alam apparently heads his own faction of separatist leaders called the Muslim League.

Beyond the name of his so-called political outfit, there is nothing political about Masrat Alam.

He is a known hardcore separatist ideologue who stands for the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan.

That is Alam's political belief, but he believes, beyond any shade of doubt, that his 'political objective' can only be achieved through an armed struggle.

No other separatist leader has been booked under the harsh Public Safety Act (PSA) in J&K as many times as Alam.

He holds the unenviable record of having been slapped with the PSA by the authorities over 40 times.

He was arrested in 2015 and is presently under detention.

He played a pivotal role to convert the Amarnath Shrine land row of 2008 into a bloody agitation.

Arson, intimidation, physical violence and murder of those who do not agree with his belief are some of the choice tools Alam believes must be used to fight the 'infidels'.

Anybody, be he a Muslim or the follower of any other faith, who stands between his pursuit of 'freedom' and him, is an 'infidel' whose elimination is part of the struggle started by him.

The fact that Alam was nominated from across the border as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference and as Geelani's successor, has another interesting angle to it.

The inability of any of the over a dozen senior separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan or even Geelani's son-in-law, Altaf Shah, proves the mistrust these separatist leaders have earned over the years in the eyes of their handlers in Pakistan.

Supporters of these separatist leaders try to rub off the salt from their wounds by saying these leaders are against violence.

This argument does not cut much ice because each time they called for a protest shutdown in Kashmir in the past, stone pelting and support from the armed outfits always came handy to make such 'appeals' successful.

Geelani, in his own lifetime, had been expressing public mistrust of all other leaders, including some from his own parent organisation, the Jamaat-e-Islami.

He broke loose from the United Hurriyat Conference in 2003 after accusing some of its constituents for fielding dummy candidates in the 2002 Assembly elections.

He also broke away from the Jamaat in 2008 forming his own party called the 'Tehreek-e-Hurriyat'.

Those close to him argue that he had been betrayed by almost all senior separatist leaders.

The truth about whether Geelani disliked his separatist colleagues for not accepting him as their undisputed leader or for reasons of their divided loyalties will now remain interred with him.

The net result has been that the political face of separatism in Kashmir was finally lost in Geelani's death.

Masrat Alam as the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference will always remain as somebody for whom dialogue and engagement are as meaningless today as they were yesterday.
Kolkata, Sep 8 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has asked West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee to appear before the probe agency with regard to the I-Core chit fund scam in September. A notice regarding this has been sent to Chatterjee.

It has been learnt that the CBI has found direct relation of Chatterjee with I-Core group and they want to interrogate him on the basis of that. Sources in CBI revealed that the premier investigation agency has found a video clip where Chatterjee was found with I-Core chief Anukul Maity on the stage in a program and Chatterjee was heard speaking in favour of I-Core.

"The date of the video clip dates back to a time when there were several complaints against I-Core and so it would be interesting to learn why, being a minister of the state, Chatterjee went to the program and spoke in favour of I-Core that might have influenced the people. Not only that, during interrogation, on several occasions, Chatterjee's name popped up and we want to know the exact details from the state minister," a CBI officer said.

This is not the first time but there were several other occasions when the central agencies like CBI and ED had issued notices to Partha Chatterjee but he had avoided the interrogation citing his engagement in election and other political programs.

In April this year ED had sent a notice to Chatterjee but he didn't turn up saying that he was busy with his election campaign. "We hope this time he turns up, else we will have to think of something else," the officer said.

The I-Core chit fund scam broke in 2015 when the Central Investigation Agency arrested the chief of I-Core group Anukul Maity allegedly for illegally mobilising funds collected from small investors to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore. Maity who faced charges of money laundering was lodged in a jail in Bhubaneswar where he died in November 2020.
San Francisco, Sep 8 : Nearly a year after Tesla started testing its controversial "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) beta software with a select group of customers, the company's CEO Elon Musk said he is aiming for a wider release by the end of September.

According to The Verge, the news comes as an older version of the software leaked online.

Musk said on Twitter that the company would begin rolling out FSD version 10 to customers in its early access programme at midnight on September 10. Then, the software "will need another few weeks after that for tuning (and) bug fixes," which Musk estimated would take four weeks.

At that point, a "public beta button" will be made available to more Tesla customers, which is expected to take the form of a download button for people who purchased the FSD package.

Musk has been promising a wider release of the beta software for those customers who purchased the FSD package (which currently costs $10,000) for a while now. It's possible that Tesla will blow past this deadline and Musk will tweet a new date to get customers excited, the report said.

In 2018, Musk said that the "long awaited" version of FSD would begin rolling out in August of that year, which didn't happen.

He did it again in 2019, proclaiming that "a year from now" there would be "over a million cars with full self-driving, software, everything." That also didn't happen.

The company actually began shipping FSD version 9 in July, but only to members of its early access programme.

Meanwhile, Tesla is expected to launch cars in the Indian market soon as its four models have received approval for homologation as seen on the government's Vahan Sewa portal.

"Tesla has completed homologation and received approval for four of its vehicle variants in India," a Tesla Club India tweeted recently.

"While we don't have any confirmation on names yet, these are probably Model 3 and Y variants," it added.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : With the recent takeover by Taliban in Afghanistan, the situation has become dynamic and recent reports indicate a surge in Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) activities, including a series of meetings of JeM top leaders with Taliban Leadership in both Pakistan (Quetta) and Afghanistan (Kandahar). JeM is reportedly pursuing Taliban for a responsible role in Afghanistan and simultaneously seeking help in its operations in Kashmir.

a It was expected that Pak would seek return of the favour extended to Taliban, and shift the entire terror ecosystem including terror training camps to Afghanistan. Grey listing of Pakistan by the FATF has brought the establishment under consistent strain. A prolonged stay in the list is detrimental to its long term sustainability. On the other hand, the world has realized that keeping the hanging sword of FATF over Islamabad has been the only effective way to put pressure on Pakistan to keep jihadi/ terror groups under rein.

a Taliban under Pakistan's perpetual control is definitely not the vision their leaders would have for Afghanistan. This is another reason why Pakistan would like to keep its militant groups on Afghanistan's soil enabling it to arm twist the nascent Taliban government should it decide to go against its interests. Islamabad has been a master in the art of creating and managing militant / jihadi groups and putting one against the other. It may be recalled that it had come out with the idea of good Taliban -bad Taliban in order to get rid of the elements who had challenged its authority. Presence of even more radical groups like IS Khurasan and AQ, which have amply demonstrated to be acting as other proxies for Pakistan, is also a reminder for Kabul to realize the limits of its functional autonomy. It is in this back ground that we need to see the surge in militant and infiltration activities in J&K.

a Pak Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has established a number of terrorist training camps in PoJK, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Terrorist cadres are mainly recruited from Pak provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, besides those from PoJK being coerced into joining terrorist groups, for jihad' in Kashmir. Indian air strike on Balakot JeM terror camp in retaliation of Pulwama attack in 2019 brought to the fore the open terror activities going on in Pakistan and the patronage of the establishment they enjoy.

a Further, in order to facilitate the infiltration of militants/jihadists into J&K, it has established many Launch Pads (LPs) in PoJK and Pakistan along LoC and International Border with India stretching from higher reaches in Kashmir to the south of Pir Panjal in Poonch and Rajouri and further down to Samba and Jammu area. About 250-300 militants are waiting for infiltration at various launching pads/detts across LoC. Pakistan Army facilitates infiltration of terrorists into the Indian Territory by providing inputs on infiltration routes as well as giving covering fire to the terrorists. While at present about 200 terrorists are active in J&K, around 90 of them are from Pakistan.

a Pakistan has also devised creative ways to take the Kashmiris to PoJK, brain wash them and provide militant training. It has started sponsoring a number of students for getting medical and engineering education in Pakistan and PoJK. However, once these students crossover through legal route, they are taken to training camps and imparted weapons and explosives training. On return they join the terrorist ranks to wage jihad. J&K police has listed more than 50 such students who had gone to Pakistan to study but later on joined militant ranks. Many of these have been killed in the encounters with security forces.

a The ISI is also aggressively smuggling arms & ammunition in J&K, including throughdrones/quad-copters near the IB/LoC. Recoveries of arms/ammunition near LoC and IB were made in Nowshera (June 4, August 28, September 18-19); Hiranagar (June 20); Samba (September 6 &7); and Akhnoor (September 21/22). A number of sorties of Pak drones were detected in the Jammu region in the recent past as well as along the IB in the Gurdaspur sector of Punjab. The weapons dropped include AK Rifles- 8, M4 Carbines-2, Norinco T97 NSR Rifle-1, Pistols-9, Grenades-14, and ammunition. The drones used in this exercise are sophisticated and expensive. Further the arms and explosive smuggled are also available only to state agencies. Thus it is clearly indicative of the involvement of ISI in pushing the weapons in pursuance of Islamabad's policy of sponsoring terrorism.

a Not only smuggling, but the terror groups operating under the command and control of ISI are devising newer ways of causing terror attacks. The first of its kind of attack using a drone/quad-copter (Jun. 27) by Pak-sponsored terrorist groups on an Indian Air Force facility at Jammu airport has added a new dimension to the security threat. In this attack, two pressure-activated IEDs of 2 kg each were dropped by GPS guided drones targeting a hangar with 7 parked helicopters. Inputs point to the involvement of LeT in the attack. Till now drones were being used to push arms/ammunitions across for terrorists in the valley.

a While a number of incidents have recently been reported which indicate a fresh impetus in the activities of Pak-based terror groups, including increased infiltration attempts, border crossing events, BAT actions etc, it is only an indication of the future plans Pakistan may have prepared for Kashmir. With Afghanistan under its tutelage, it feels emboldened to repeat the same in its jugular vein. Despite setbacks and straight humiliating defeats in the past, its obsession with Kashmir has not dwindled. From its strategy of 'bleeding through a thousand cuts' to the limited war under nuclear umbrella', it once again appears willing to put at stake its inflated ego even at the risk of being declared a terrorist state.

a In this backdrop, it is heartening to realize that even Afghans are wary of negative activities of Pakistan and people came on the streets of Kabul (September 6-7) to protest Pakistan's intrusive role in Afghanistan. Covert intrusive involvement in other territories has been an area of expertise for the ISI and their survival hinges on pursuing such activities. J&K could thus remain in their radar.
Hong Kong, Sep 8 : The Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested four people on suspicion of breaching the national security law.

Three men and one woman, aged from 36 to 57, remain in custody after being arrested in operations of the police's national security department, Xinhua news agency reported.

The police said they did not comply with the implementation rules for Article 43 of the national security law in Hong Kong to provide information.

The police operations are still ongoing and more people could be arrested.

Local media reported that the people under arrest were from an anti-China group named the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. Its vice-chair is Chow Hang-tung and committee members include Leung Kam-wai, Tang Ngok-kwan and Chan Dor-wai.
Moscow, Sep 8 : At least two people were killed and five injured in a household gas blast in a Moscow suburb on Wednesday, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The second, third and part of the fourth floors of a nine-storey residential building collapsed during the explosion in the town of Noginsk, the Moscow Region, and 24 apartments were damaged.

More than 170 people have been evacuated. It is not known yet if there are still people under the rubble. Search and rescue operations are underway, Xinhua news agency reported.
Panaji, Sep 8 : The BJP in Goa has cheered the appointment of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the party's election in-charge for the 2022 assembly polls.

"It's a great feeling that @Dev_Fadnavis will be (the) party's election in-charge for #Goa. His experience will help the party win majority seats in the state. @DrPramodPSawant @ShetSadanand @CTRavi_BJP @BJP4Goa," Goa Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Urfan Mulla tweeted on Wednesday.

"We at @BJP4Goa welcome appointment of young & dynamic @Dev_Fadnavisji as #ElectionIncharge for oncoming #Goa elections. We are confident that under your able guidance, we will retain people's trust to form absolute majority Government. 22+in 22," former BJP MLA and spokesperson Sidharth Kuncalienkar also tweeted.

Political parties in the state across the board are gearing up for the assembly polls, which are scheduled to be held in early 2022.

The Congress appointed former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram as the All India Congress Committee's senior observer in-charge of the Goa Polls last month.
Gandhinagar, Sep 8 : In a major crackdown by the Income Tax department on Wednesday, the Ahmedabad department officials raided six major business houses including real estate dealers, builders and a media house.

Raiding more than 24 places, the IT officials are believed to have unearthed undisclosed income from these business houses.

According to official sources, the income tax officials conducted raids early morning on Wednesday at around 4 a.m. at premises of various business groups, including Deepak Thakkar, Yogesh Pujara and K. Mehta group. Raids were also carried out at various places of a media house.

Around 24 premises belonging to six groups and real estate business houses were raided, sources said.

Sources also said that the raids were in connection with some land deals, made by the these firms. Yogesh Pujara is believed to be a close relative of a reputed industrialist.

The raids were carried out at the offices of Deepak Ajitkumar Thakkar, Yogesh Kanaiyalal Pujara, Sheetal Chunilal Jhala, Prashant Himmatbhai Sarkhedi, Jagdish Govindbhai Pavra, Vasantiben Jagdish Pavra, Ashok Kumar Ramdayalchand Bhandari, offices of Bagmar Neela projects and of a media house.
Gurugram, Sep 8 : Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij will hold a meeting with senior officials of the Gurugram police at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

A senior police official requesting anonymity said a crime-related agenda could be discussed at the meeting along with the overall performance of the department, public grievances and redressal of complaints.

'Dial 112' service was recently introduced across Haryana and the Gurugram district has 75 quick response vehicles which means three vehicles each for every police station, the police official added.

The data related to these patrolling vehicles and their response time could also be shared during the meeting.

Vij had suspended a few officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram during his surprise visit in August over irregularities in the functioning of the civic body.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Amid farmers protest in Karnal, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday that the government should avoid confrontation with the farmers and find amicable solution.

He said confrontation is not good as farmers have every right to protest peacefully for their demands.

Hooda said, "the farmers are demanding MSP guarantee and go and see what is the position in Mandis as even input cost of the farming is not covered." The government should initiate talks with the farmers immediately and come out with some solution, he said

Meanwhile, a meeting of farm leaders with local administration has begun in Karnal on Wednesday with farmers demanding action against SDM Ayush Sinha and an independent inquiry in the matter.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, activist Yogendra Yadav are among the 13 representatives participating in the meeting with District administration officials.

Before going for the meeting, Rakesh Tikait said, the Khattar government is conspiring to limit the farm agitation to Karnal, which will not be successful. He said the farm protests at borders of Delhi will continue. He added that he will not waste the energy in the protest at Karnal and would like to solve this issue as soon as possible.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Gandhinagar, Sep 8 : The Gujarat government on Wednesday reversed its earlier order mandating that government primary school teachers work for eight hours. The state government was adamant on making the teachers work for eight hours, through a notification against which a majority of the teachers and their federations had expressed anger.

Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama on Wednesday said, "We are cancelling the earlier notification mandating the primary teachers to work for eight hours." Protesting primary teachers from various parts of the state had met education department officials on Monday.

The teachers demanded that if the state government wanted the primary teachers to work for eight hours as per the provision in the RTE, they must also consider the provision under the RTE which states that teachers cannot be assigned other duties apart from teaching.

The teachers expressed that recess time was not counted in the work shift of 8 hours despite the fact that they have to take care of children. The teachers report an hour early as compared to students at the school and leave the school an hour later after students.

The Gujarat Teachers' Federation said that if primary teachers were considered at par with other government employees, including college teachers, it must consider that all of them get compulsory holiday on Saturdays, which the primary teachers are not granted.
Jakarta, Sep 8 : One prisoner who was a terrorist and two other prisoners from South Africa and Portugal were among the 41 inmates killed a prison fire in Tanggerang town near Indonesian capital Jakarta on Wednesday, a government official said.

Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly said that 40 prisoners were killed instantly in the fire that broke out in prison Block C2 at 1.45 a.m. local time while another one died on the way to a hospital, Xinhua news agency reported.

There are several rooms in the block, the minister said, adding that during the night the cells were locked according to official procedure.

After the fire broke out, officials in charge tried to open the rooms but they were not able to open all of them due to the raging flames, Laoly added.

He said that 81 prisoners were rescued but many of them suffered burn injuries.

Laoly admitted that the prison was over capacity by 400 percent with a total number of 2,072 inmates.

Rika Aprianti, a spokeswoman for the prison department in the Law and Human Rights Ministry, said that the Block C2 prison was overcrowded as the venue, which was designed for 40 prisoners, accommodated 122 inmates.

Laoly said that initial investigations suggested that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, but the police will further probe the cause of the fire.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Ryan Reynolds' upcoming sci-fi comedy film 'Free Guy' is all set to release theatrically in India on September 17. The Hollywood star has spoken about his character and said that there is something wonderful about playing a character who's "naive and innocent".

Reynolds was asked during a global press conference: "Ryan, as far as heroes go, we kind of know and love you as 'Deadpool' in recent years. What has it been like stepping into a very different type of hero, this wholesome, blue shirt guy?" Known for his great sense of humour, Reynolds replied: "Well, um, you know, my-my-my-my default is just pure trash in, you know, on the inside." He added: "So, for this, it's just slightly new for me. Um, I like, I sort of like that guy is, you know, there's a movie that I love called 'Being There' starring Peter Sellers. And that was, like, the first kind of, uh, uh, foothold I had into this character and this world." "And, you know, there's something really wonderful about playing a character who's kind of naive and innocent, and really like, and I mean, it's even said in the movie, he's, in a sense, he's kind of like, he's a four-year-old adult." The actor, who is married to actress Blake Lively, had fun exploring.

"I think, really fun about exploring, you know, everything with new eyes, which is what this character gets to do, and sort of filtering that through the prism of, you know, comedy and occasionally cynicism, and all sorts of other things," he said.

"But it's, uh, I love a playing character who is sort of stepping out of the background into this kind of new, new person," the actor added.

Directed by Shawn Levy, 'Free Guy' will be released in English and Hindi. It also stars Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 8 : The Kerala BJP has smelled a rat as the traditional political rivals -- the ruling Left and the Congress-led UDF appear to move hand in glove over reports of frauds in a few Cooperative banks in the state.

For the past few weeks the Cooperative banking sector in Kerala has been having a bumpy ride with few banks coming under a cloud with anxious depositors waiting in front of them to pull out their money, after alleged scams surfaced.

One such bank which hit the headlines was at Trissur, while the other one is at Malappuram and while the former one is a fully CPI-M controlled bank and in the fraud a few arrests have been made, at the Malappuram, the one who is facing the heat on account of deposits is of the state's topmost politician and veteran legislator P.K. Kunhalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League.

And it was not until Kunhalikutty's arch political rival, former State Minister K.T. Jaleel who has been going hammer and tongs and even went before the Enforcement Directorate complaining about an over Rs 1,000 crore fraud which was done by Kunhalikutty, which Jaleel claims is unaccounted black money, was out rightly denied by the CPI-M, which included Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and also the acting secretary of the CPI-M, A. Vijayaraghavan.

On Wednesday, Cooperative Minister V.N. Vasavan said the state government will not play ball to anyone's vested interest.

"You should ask Jaleel only, on what he said about Kunhalikutty and in the state itself we have enough machinery to probe any aspect in the Cooperative segment and we do not need the help of the ED," said Vasavan and added that the Chief Minister has already made things very clear.

It was on Tuesday in the midst of Vijayan's media briefing on Covid, in reply to a question on Jaleel's request for an ED probe into the Malappuram bank's dealings, he said, "I think Jaleel has a new found trust in ED as he was in the recent past questioned by the agency. He should not have made such a demand and there is no need for it," said Vijayan.

But on Wednesday Jaleel who has taken a severe knock from the CPI-M, wrote in his Facebook post that Vijayan is someone who can take any liberties because he is like a father figure to me and can say anything about me.

"I will till my last breath fight against Kunhalikutty, who is engaged in shady things and my fight against him will go on," said Jaleel.

And on Wednesday, joining the issue was national vice-president of the BJP, a former Lok Sabha member, when he was with the CPI-M and later moved to the Congress and was a legislator, A.P. Abdullakutty said he is preparing a complaint to be given to the Finance and Cooperative Ministry at the Centre.

"Vijayan is trying to help Kunhalikutty and it's against this that I am going to give a complaint as things have to be cleaned up in the Cooperative sector in Kerala," said Abdullakutty, who joined the BJP in 2019.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday said door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination is not feasible and it cannot pass a general direction to scrap the existing vaccination policy.

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising justices Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli asked the petitioner Youth Bar Association, to present its suggestions before a competent authority.

The plea had urged the top court to pass a direction allowing door-to-door COVID-19 jab for the disabled and people belonging to weaker sections of society. The bench responded that the vaccination drive is already in progress and over 60 per cent of the population has been administered the first dose.

The bench told the petitioner's counsel, "With one brush you want an order for the entire country. The vaccination drive is already in progress and over 60 per cent of the population has been administered the first dose".

The bench further added that it is matter of governance and it cannot scrap the existing policy. It said in Ladakh the situation is different from Kerala and in Uttar Pradesh the situation is different from any other state. The bench said: "In urban areas, situation is different from rural areas. There are different kinds of problems in every state in this vast country..." The petitioner's counsel submitted that health ministry should be asked to consider the representation in a time bound manner. The bench replied that it understands that the ministry officials are under pressure during these testing times. "They have to look for oxygen supplies across the country, besides looking into other aspects", it added.

The bench told the petitioner's counsel that vaccination programme is already underway, and it is monitoring the situation under suo motu proceedings.

The bench further emphasized that in the backdrop of the diversity in the country, it is not feasible to pass general directions. "Any directions passed should not impinge upon the existing vaccination policy of the government," it said.

The plea sought direction to the Centre and all state governments to begin door to door COVID vaccination of less privileged, disabled, weaker sections of society. The petition contended that these people find it difficult to register on the CoWIN portal.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Amid emerging threats of re-use or re-sale of original US military equipment in Asia by Pakistan using reverse technology, the experts have warned that it could lead to proliferation of arms in Asia.

According to the latest intelligence input, a team of top aviation engineers of the Pakistan Air Force arrived in Kabul to assess the aircraft and choppers left behind by the American forces at Bagram airbase and Kabul airport.

"The Pak engineers have been evaluating the worthiness of those military aircraft which are operational, reparable, or saleable for further utilisation of these air assets for their own operational requirements or for passing on to their strategic partners or non-State actors on payment", the sources said.

They also said that the Pak team has been preparing an inventory of spares needed to operationalise these grounded air assets or they can also use important components of these aircraft for their own military use.

If these aviation assets are transferred to terror outfits, this could lead to vital security threats not only to India but for the whole of Central Asia, a senior defence official said on the condition of anonymity.

"The Pak Air force is facing shortage of spares for its US-origin military hardware due to a supply embargo put in place by Washington, and the engineers could identify and dismantle such parts required by the Pakistanis," an expert keeping eyes on these developments in Kabul said.

Counter Terrorism experts have observed that these military hardware left behind in Afghanistan could potentially lead to arms proliferation in entire Asia and beyond.

They also apprehend that by using "Reverse engineering" of US military equipment, Pakistan could bring out better or even advanced versions of these defence assets which could dominate over the forces in the region. This could pose a challenge to the Indian forces' edge with the use of American military hardware.

Quoting the example, a senior defence forces officer said that when a US Black Hawk helicopter crashed during the mission that killed Osama bin Laden on May 4, 2011, the Americans took away the wreckage of the copter so that the technology could not be copied by Pakistan or China.

The Chinese have always been looking for US military technologies to upgrade their defence assets and this could be boon for them as both China and Pakistan are the mentors of the new Taliban government formed on Tuesday.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Tokyo, Sep 8 : Japan's Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida vowed Wednesday to increase people's income and narrow gaps through wealth redistribution in the post-pandemic era, announcing his economic policies for the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

"The economic gap will widen further if we do the same things we have been doing," Xinhua news agency quoted Kishida as saying.

He said that the deregulation and structural reforms promoted by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his predecessor Shinzo Abe "undoubtedly yielded results".

"Unless we properly distribute the fruits of growth, we cannot prevent disparities from widening," Kishida said at a news conference in Tokyo, promising to fulfil the expansion of the middle class by providing support to those raising children.

Kishida also pledged to revitalize regional economies while rectifying excessive concentration of the population and industries in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

In order to achieve the country's goal of net zero emissions by 2050, Kishida said Japan needs not only renewable energy, such as hydrogen and nuclear energy, but various options, and he also mentioned the need to maintain nuclear technology.

In late August, Kishida declared his bid for the leadership of the LDP on September 29, which will effectively determine the next prime minister as the LDP controls the powerful lower house of parliament.

As last week Suga suddenly announced that he intended to resign, the election is now projected to be contested between Kishida, former communications minister Sanae Takaichi and vaccine chief Taro Kono.

Takaichi formally announced her bid on Wednesday, while Kono is expected to do so later this week.

Meanwhile, four opposition parties including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) reached an agreement on a set of corporate pledges on Wednesday, including lowering the consumption tax rate and achieving a zero-carbon society without nuclear energy.

The CDPJ and Reiwa Shinsengumi also vowed to lift the minimum wage.
Amaravati, Sep 8 : The Andhra Pradesh police has come under attack from TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who accused them of harassing his party cadre at the behest of the ruling YSRCP.

In a letter addressed to DGP Gautam Sawang on Wednesday, Naidu said that police atrocities have reached their limits in the last two years. "The reputation of police is hitting rock bottom with every passing day," he declared.

Naidu alleged that false cases have been filed against six TDP activists of Mogulicherla village in Prakasam district. The local TDP leaders were let go late in the night but again summoned early next morning, Naidu alleged.

Unable to bear the police harassment, two of the TDP activists have attempted suicide. Only after that, the police have stopped the harassment, he alleged.

Those harassed include children aged between 6 and 10 years old, Naidu has claimed.

The TDP leader has demanded an inquiry into the Mogulicherla incident, and action in the matter.
Guangzhou, Sep 8 : The 2021 Asian Youth Games will be postponed until December 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) said in an announcement on Wednesday.

The 3rd Asian Youth Games was originally scheduled to be held in Shantou, south China's Guangdong province from November 20-28, 2021.

The new schedule will be December 20-28, 2022, according to the COC statement.

"The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the COC and the local organizing committee had an in-depth discussion and made the decision together, in order to protect the interests of every national/regional Olympic committee and ensure the safety and health of all athletes," the statement said.

Shantou won the right to host the 3rd Asian Youth Games in 2019. The Asian Youth Games are among the top five multisport events in Asia.
Chennai, Sep 8 : Former AIADMK presidium chairman and Tamil poet, Pulamaipithan (86) passed away on Wednesday at a private nursing home.

He was a close associate of AIADMK founder and former Chief Minister, Late M.G. Ramachandran. He was honoured with the Periyar award by the Tamil Nadu government and had penned hundreds of poems in Tamil.

Pulamaipithan had also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council and as Arasai Kavignar (Poet Laureate) during the period of MG Ramachandran as Chief Minister.

He had vouched for the return of V.K. Sasikala into the AIADMK fold and she had also visited him at the hospital.

Pulamaipithan was a well known votary of the Tamil Eelam cause.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin extended his condolences to the bereaved family. AIADMK leaders O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi. K. Palaniswami also expressed grief on the death of Pulamaipithan.
Panaji, Sep 8 : The Goa Police on Wednesday busted an illegal call centre operating from the beach village of Morjim in North Goa, whose staff would pose as US government agents and would threaten US nationals with blocking their social security numbers, while later "settling" the issue by paying of fines which were then converted into Bitcoins.

In an official statement, the Crime Branch of the Goa Police said that 13 persons from Mumbai and Gujarat have been accused in connection with the racket.

"Upon analysis of evidence and preliminary interrogation, it is found that they were defrauding American nationals by impersonating US govt agents and telling them that their Social Security Numbers (SSN) were going to be blocked as they were found in criminal investigation," the statement said.

"The victims were then coerced to settle the matter by paying fines in the form of Cash vouchers which were then converted to Bitcoin and used by the fraudsters," it also added.

The raid was conducted by officials of the Crime Branch and the Cyber Cell of the state police at the Eden Hotel in Morjim beach village, from where the call centre was operating.

"Upon raid, 13 persons including the mastermind were apprehended and seizure of electronic devices including 12 computers and laptops was made," the statement also said.
Chennai, Sep 8 : A 45-year-old man, who allegedly tried to immolate himself inside the Tamil Nadu Assembly premises, was saved by a staffer on Wednesday.

The man has been identified as Murugan, who entered the Assembly premises masquerading as a journalist, poured petrol on his body and was about to light a matchstick when an alert Marshal foiled his alleged suicide attempt. The police immediately took him into custody.

He was taken to a nearby hospital and is under medical observation.

Police sources told IANS that the reason behind the suicide attempt was yet to be ascertained.
Panaji, Sep 8 : After enduring the exit of 13 MLAs since 2017, the Congress will now opt for "candidates with character" during the 2022 state assembly polls, Congress working president Aleixo Sequeira said on Wednesday.

Sequeira, however, told reporters that there was no sure fire way to stop MLAs from hopping political parties once they are elected.

"The party might have erred when selecting candidates. That is why we will ensure that we will select candidates with character, who are not going to jump to the other side. That is one mistake of ours. In good faith we gave him the ticket, these ten people have jumped to the other side. So this is one of our mistakes. We will try and ensure that we will not repeat such mistakes of the past," Sequeira told reporters in Margao town in South Goa.

"To the best of my knowledge, there is no such mechanism (to stop MLAs from party-hopping). So what do you do? You select the person in whom you have the confidence, who you believe, his character will not permit him to jump to the other side. Who will stand by the party, leave aside the party, who will stand by the side of his voter. His voter has voted him on a certain platform and he will not let down the voter," he also said.

Overall 15 MLAs, including 13 from the Congress and two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have joined the ruling BJP since 2017.

The repeated exodus of MLAs is expected to be a key issue for the assembly polls, which are scheduled to be held in early 2022.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : As the automobile industry wades through a severe semiconductor shortage, Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday reported an 8 per cent fall in its vehicle production in August.

It produced a total of 1,13,937 units last month, compared to 1,23,769 units in August 2020, the company said in a regulatory filing.

In the sub-segment of mini cars, which includes S-Presso and Alto models, the automaker produced 20,332 units during the period under review, compared to 22,208 in the same period last year.

The compact cars sub-segment, consisting of WagonR, Celerio, Ignis, Swift, Baleno and Dzire, witnessed the sharpest decline in production from 67,348 units in August 2020 to 47,640 units in August 2021.

However, the production of the sedan 'Ciaz' increased to 3,001 units last month from 1,190 units a year ago.

The utility vehicle sub-segment, which includes the models Gypsy, Ertiga, S-Cross, Vitara Brezza, XL6 and Jimny, witnessed a rise to 29,965 units last month from 21,737 units in August last year.

The production of Super Carry, the light commercial vehicle, also increased to 2,569 units from 2,388 units in the year-ago period.

The decline in production comes at a time when the automobile industry worldwide is facing a severe crisis of chips.

Last month, the company had said in a regulatory filing that it has been informed by its contract manufacturer -- Suzuki Motor Gujarat -- that production will be partially impacted in August owing to chip shortage.

"This is to inform you that owing to the semiconductor shortage situation, the company has been informed by its contract manufacturing company, Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited (SMG), that production will be partially impacted in this month. SMG will tentatively not carry out production on the three Saturdays (August 7, 14 and 21)," the filing had said.

Besides, the company had said that some of the production lines may see temporary reduction from two-shift to one-shift operations.

Globally, various industries, including consumer durables as well as automobiles and other sub-segments, are facing semiconductor or electronic chip shortage due to high demand.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, AAP and MIM, former Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit has alleged that the three parties are hand in glove to weaken the Congress.

Dikshit speaking to IANS said, there has been no case of ED and Income Tax or no raids on the leaders of these political parties and while every opposition leader is summoned by ED or raided, he gave the examples of Maharashtra and West Bengal.

Later in a tweet Sandeep Dikshit added that he was told by a BJP MLA of Madhya Pradesh that, "the Modi-Shah have two point agenda, one to strengthen their own party and second, to strengthen agents like Kejriwal and Owaisi, the evidence that he gave was amazing." Dikshit who is two time Lok Sabha MP and son of former Chief Minister of Delhi, the late Sheila Dikshit, questioned why the government is not taking any action on them because they are helping BJP wherever they want and dent votes of other secular parties. The AAP is contesting elections in Goa, Punjab, Uttrakhand and UP.

The Congress is in direct contest with BJP in Goa Uttarakhand and Manipur, but AAP is posing a threat to eat into the votes of the Congress in Goa and Uttrakhand while in Punjab it has become main challenger. The AIMIM which was instrumental in upsetting the chances of the grand alliance in Bihar could not do anything in West Bengal and is contesting elections in UP with much fanfare.

NCP leader and Congress ally in Maharashtra Sharad Pawar also attacked the Union government on Tuesday and alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was being used as a tool by the Centre to suppress opponents.

He said that it's an attempt to infringe upon the State government's rights and to put down opponents, he also said that political cycles change in due course and he will raise the issue in Parliament.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Swachh Survekshan Grameen, 2021, will be launched under the second phase of the 'Swachh Bharat' Mission on Thursday across 17,475 villages in 698 districts of the country.

As part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', Swachh Survekshan Grameen aims at supporting acceleration of open defecation free (ODF) interventions and results in the country. An expert agency has been hired to conduct the Survekshan 2021 under which villages, districts and states would be ranked using key parameters, said a release from the Jal Shakti Ministry on Wednesday.

As part of the Swachh Survekshan Grameen, 17,475 villages in 698 districts across the country will be covered. A total of 87,250 public places such as schools, anganwadis, public health centres, haat/bazaars/religious places in these villages will be visited for the survey.

Nearly 1,74,750 households will be interviewed for their feedback on Swachh Bharat Mission-related issues. The citizens will be mobilised to provide feedback on sanitation-related issues online using an application developed for the purpose, the release added.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) had carried out the 'Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) earlier in 2018 and 2019. The SSG is not just a ranking exercise but has been a vehicle for creating a 'Jan Andolan' (people's movement).
Patna, Sep 8 : Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President Chirag Paswan, who is inviting several top leaders from Bihar and New Delhi, said he also wants to invite Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar for a meeting.

"I have made an appointment request at the Chief Minister's official residence for the meeting. Though, it is not easy to get an appointment for a meeting with him. So far he has not given me time," Paswan added after the meeting with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.

"Bihar Chief Minister has not given time so far. He has especially not given time to me in the past. I am hopeful that he will give time to me this time. I want to invite every leader who worked with my late father," he said.

Chirag Paswan is the son of late LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan.

He has familial relations with the family of RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad. He will meet Lalu Prasad in New Delhi on Thursday, Chirag added.

"The meeting with Tejashwi ji was not a political one. I have family ties with him which have continued since the beginning of my father and Lalu ji's political career in Bihar," the LJP Chief added.

Tejashwi Yadav, who was standing alongside Chirag Paswan reiterated the same demand as the latter. He said Nitish Kumar must find time for meeting him.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Congress MP Manish Tewari has written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya after reports that a Delhi based private hospital charged Rs 1.8 crore from a patient for treatment of Covid. The Congress leader demanded that to avoid such incidents, a regulator should be appointed.

In the letter to the Health Minister, Tewari wrote, "I would urge you to immediately call for an explanation as to why and how did the hospital charge such an exorbitant sum of money from a patient irrespective of how unwell he or she might be." He said that the government should bring a bill to immediately appoint a regulator with powers to check such types of incidents.

The matter came to light after AAP's Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti on Monday lashed out at Max Hospital, Saket for allegedly charging Rs 1.8 crore for Covid treatment of a man who was admitted in April-end and discharged earlier this month.

"Wife spent her all the savings and possibly took help to meet this unbelievably fatty medical bill. The husband was admitted to Max on April 28 and released yesterday. What's shocking is the behaviour of Dr Gurpreet Singh who had the audacity to shout at her even after charging Rs 1.8 cr." "What's the maximum you have heard a hospital charging for curing Corona? Rs 25 lakh? Rs 50 lakh? No, it's a whopping Rs 1.8 cr! Max Healthcare Saket charged this unbelievable amount to a wife for her husband and then shouted at her when she took my help to ask for a discount. Heartless," he tweeted.

According to the reports, the hospital said the the patient was diabetic, hypertensive and developed multiple complications leading to liver dysfunction and sepsis. The patient remained hospitalised for almost four-and-a-half months and was discharged on September 6.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Paris, Sep 8 : France is all set to begin a 'historic' trial in the 2015 Paris attacks which left 130 people dead.

The trial is being described as the biggest in France's modern history, as the shooting and bombing assault by Islamist State (IS) group extremists was the 'worst' post-World War 2 atrocity in the country.

The only surviving attacker, Salah Abdeslam, will appear in court with 13 other defendants at a purpose-built facility in Paris, reported the BBC.

Over the next nine months there will be over 140 days of hearings that will involve about 330 lawyers, 300 witnesses and 1,800 complainants.

The witnesses include survivors and Francois Hollande, French president at the time of the attacks.

Ahead of the trial, Hollande told French media that this was an important moment for the victims of the attacks, which he described as an "act of war" at the time.

The IS had claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Bataclan concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars on 13 November, 2015.

Abdeslam, 31, is accused of providing logistical support to the assailants.

He fled the scene of the carnage after abandoning his suicide belt, which investigators later found to be defective.

He was captured four months later in the Belgium capital, Brussels, after a shootout with police.

On Wednesday morning Abdeslam and the other suspects arrived at court in police vehicles under heavy security.

The area around the court was blocked off and armed police with dogs were on patrol ahead of the proceedings, reported the British news broadcaster.
Lucknow, Sep 8 : The Yogi Adityanath government plans to start the first seaplane service between Varanasi and Gorakhpur.

The state government has written a letter in this regard to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The UP government asked the centre to conduct a feasibility study and take further action in the matter.

UP civil aviation minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi met union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the start of the seaplane service on the Varanasi-Gorakhpur air route. They also discussed other issues related to aviation.

According to official sources, Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi asked Jyotiraditya Scindia to take immediate action on the seaplane service proposal sent by the UP government to the centre.

The seaplanes can operate from both land and water. Flying and landing can also be done from a 300-metre-long reservoir. The central government has planned 100 seaplane services in the country, in which about 111 rivers can be used as airstrips.
Shivamogga, Sep 8 : In a shocking incident, some miscreants allegedly buried around 150 dogs alive in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka, police sources said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Ranganathapura within the limits of Kambadaalalu-Hosur gram panchayat near Bhadravathi town. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the incident took place on September 4.

The miscreants allegedly buried the dogs in the Tammadihalli forest area. The locals who heard the barking of dogs constantly became suspicious when suddenly the sounds stopped coming.

The locals informed animal rights activists but the incident came to light only when the activists visited the spot. The case has been taken up by the Bhadravathi Rural police station but the reason behind the incident is yet to be ascertained.

A preliminary inquiry suggested that the contractor, who had taken up the tender for neutering (a surgical procedure that renders dogs incapable of reproducing) canines committed this act to save money.

Police sources said the panchayat authorities had given oral instructions to dog catchers in this regard this time. Earlier, the dogs were picked up and left in distant isolated areas. This time the police suspect that they caught the dogs within the limits of Kambadaalalu-Hosur gram panchayat and buried them alive.

Earlier, 38 monkeys were found dead at a village in Karnataka's Hassan district. They were being shifted to a forest area in gunny bags when they suffocated to death in August. The Karnataka High Court took immediate notice of the incident and directed the state government to take action against the culprits. The police have arrested seven persons so far.
Islamabad, Sep 8 : At the invitation of Pakistan, a virtual foreign ministers' meeting on the Afghan issue was held among the neighbouring coutries of Afghanistan.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi chaired the meeting which was attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The agenda of the meeting was to review the evolving situation in Afghanistan to address the common challenges and realise the emerging opportunities to ensure regional stability and prosperity, providing an opportunity to the neighbours of Afghanistan to work together for shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic linkages and realise the connectivity agenda.

Addressing the meeting, Qureshi said that the developments in the region will have profound implications for Afghanistan, the region and the world at large.

"It is clear that no one could anticipate the recent turn of events -- from the meltdown of security forces to the collapse of the Afghanistan government. All previous assessments and predictions proved wrong. Notwithstanding the un-anticipated and sudden nature of these developments, it is important to note that the much-dreaded bloodshed has not occurred," he said.

Qureshi expressed cautious satisfaction that the prospects of a protracted conflict and civil war in Afghanistan seems to have been averted and the much-feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place for the moment.

"The Taliban have announced the formation of a caretaker setup. We have noted this development. We hope that the political situation stabilises at the earliest, leading to normalcy," he said.

Qureshi said that during his recent consultations with the various regional countries, important issues related to Afghanistan were identified, including the following: a Security situation along the borders

a Prevention of Afghan soil from being used by terrorist entities

a Possibility of fresh influx of refugees

a Containing drug trafficking and transnational crimes

a Stemming any spread of extremist elements

a Challenges relating to Covid-19 pandemic

a Impediments to regional connectivity

Moreover, Qureshi also underscored what he called rich dividends if peace is secured in Afghanistan, which include the following:

a Secure borders

a End of threat of terrorism from Afghan soil

a Possibilities of return of refugees

a Economic stability and improvement in living standards

a Realisation of connectivity projects

a Enhanced regional economic integration

Qureshi proposed that in order to attain the common vision of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, the following steps needs to be implemented:

a Affirm full support and solidarity with the Afghan people

a Reaffirm full commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan

a Afghan related issues should have Afghan solutions

a Ensure that Afghan soil is not allowed to be used against any country

a National reconciliation in Afghanistan by underscoring the multi-ethnic nature of the Afghan society

a Preventing an economic meltdown of the country

Qureshi urged that if humanitarian crisis and economic stability in Afghanistan is assured, then peace can be consolidated and a mass exodus precluded.
Lucknow, Sep 8 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the state university named after Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, a prominent freedom fighter and Jat icon, in Aligarh on September 14.

The move is aimed at winning over the Jat population which accounts for around 17 per cent of the electorate in 12 districts of western UP region.

Incidentally, Raja Mahendra Pratap was also an MP, winning the Second Lok Sabha elections in 1957, when he relegated future Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the fourth place.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be visiting Aligarh on Wednesday to take stock of the preparations for the Prime Minister's visit.

According to Principal Secretary, PWD, Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, the construction of the university will take at least 24 months from the date when its foundation would be laid.

The university is, therefore, expected to be ready by September 2023.

It will come up in Lodha and Musaipur village of Kol tehsil in Aligarh district over an area of more than 115 acres.

The state government has already allocated an initial budget of over Rs 101 crore for the purpose.

At present, the Aligarh division has only one state university -- the Dr B.R. Ambedkar University in Agra.

The Yogi Adityanath government had decided to establish a state university in the name of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh in Aligarh in 2019 after some right-wing outfits demanded rechristening the name of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in the name of Singh, who is believed to have donated land for the iconic central university which was initially founded as Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1877. The college was formally transformed into a university in 1920.

According to officials of the PWD, the nodal department for the project, the state government plans to construct a sprawling academic block, an administrative building, a facility centre, health centre, hostels for boys and girls and residential buildings for the academic staff.

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh (1886-1979), born in a socio-economically influential Jat family of Mursan in Hathras district on December 1, 1886, was a freedom fighter and social reformer.

He studied in Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College till 1905. He later set up an indigenous technical institute Prem Mahavidyalaya in Vrindavan in 1909, an initiative that played a crucial role in getting him nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932.

Raja Mahendra, who announced India's first provisional government from Afghanistan in 1915, spent over three decades out of the country as the British wanted to arrest him. He only returned to India in 1946.

He was elected to the second Lok Sabha from Mathura as an Independent candidate, garnering over 40 per cent of the votes and defeating his Congress rival, Chaudhary Digambhar Singh, by nearly 25,000 votes. On fourth position was Bharatiya Jan Sangh candidate Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who secured around 23,000 votes, or 10 per cent.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Indian government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 56 transport aircraft from the Airbus Defence and Space S.A of which 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India.

These 56 C-295MW transport aircraft of Airbus will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence for the Indian Air Force.

The C-295MW aircraft is a transport aircraft of five to 10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology. The aircraft has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo.

Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing of the contract, and 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India by the TATA Consortium within 10 years of signing of the contract.

"This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

All the 56 aircraft will be installed with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.

"The project will give a boost to the aerospace ecosystem in India wherein several MSMEs spread over the country will be involved in manufacturing of parts of the aircraft," the ministry said.

The programme will provide a major boost to the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' mission of the government as it offers a unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into the technology intensive and highly competitive aviation industry.

The project will augment domestic aviation manufacturing, resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports.

A large number of detail parts, sub-assemblies and major component assemblies of aero structure are scheduled to be manufactured in India.

The programme will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country and is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector of India.

It will involve development of specialised infrastructure in the form of hangars, buildings, aprons and taxiway.

During the process of manufacturing in India, it is expected that all the suppliers of TATA Consortium who will be involved in special processes will gain and maintain globally recognised National Aerospace and Defence Contractors Accreditation Programme (NADCAP) accreditation.

"Before completion of deliveries, a 'D' Level servicing facility (MRO) for C-295MW aircraft is scheduled to be setup in India. It is expected that this facility will act as a regional MRO hub for various variants of C-295 aircraft," the ministry said.

In addition, the original equipment manufacturer will also discharge its offset obligations through direct purchase of eligible products and services from Indian offset partners, giving further boost to the economy.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : From farmer protests to the CAA, India's Covid response and the challenges of the second wave, India's skirmishes with China to the Balakot strike, "The Midway Battle" (Bloomsbury) by Gautam Chintamani takes a broad look at the challenges and triumphs of the Narendra Modi-led government in its second term thus far.

In 2019, the BJP came into power once again on the back of one of the most significant electoral mandates in recent years. Since then, the government has seen a tumultuous few years as it has implemented far-reaching legislative changes, including the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, triple talaq, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as well as farming laws. These laws, when implemented, caused widespread protests and upheaval across the country.

While the country grappled with internal strife, it also faced challenges from its neighbours in the form of one of the most intense military stand-offs in decades after an unprovoked attack by China's People's Liberation Army at Galwan as well as a global pandemic. While the Modi government took swift steps to limit the spread of the pandemic in 2020, the second wave of Covid-19 in early 2021 hit the country hard, claiming thousands of lives.

Bringing a well-researched and nuanced understanding to Modi's second term, "The Midway Battle" sheds light on the socio-political issues facing India as it continues its struggle against enemies both known and unknown and puts into in perspective what lies ahead for the world's biggest democracy.

Gautam Chintamani is a film historian and author whose books include the bestselling "Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna" (2014), "The Film That Revived Hindi Cinema" (2016), "Pink: The Inside Story" (2017) and, most recently, "Rajneeti: A Biography of Rajnath Singh" (2019). His writing has featured in publications across the world and he has also contributed original essays to the British Film Institute. He was on the National Film Awards jury for Best Writing on Cinema in 2016.

Gautam is the great-grandson of literarian Sir C.Y. Chintamani and the grandchild of Telugu poet laureate Arudra and noted feminist writer K. Ramalakshmi. He and his wife, Amrita, along with their dog, Buddy, live in Gurugram and in the hills of Himachal.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu region on Thursday.

Congress' J&K unit President Ghulam Ahmed Mir said that Gandhi will walk to the shrine, take part in the arti in the evening, stay there overnight, and then walk back down the next day.

The Congress leader will participate in the party meeting and will address the workers in Jammu.

Gandhi, who will be on two-day visit to Jammu, will also meet Congress leaders and take feedback of the situation in the Union Territory, particularly after the Taliban capture of Afghanistan He had paid obeisance at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal district during his visit last month - his first visit to the Valley since the Centre abrogated Article 370.
Karnal, Sep 8 : The fourth-round meeting between farmers and the administration of Karnal district in Haryana ended inconclusively on Wednesday. After coming out of the meeting, the farmers leaders said the administration has refused to take any action against SDM Ayush Sinha.

The farmers leaders said the protest will continue until their demands are met. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said a parallel protest will run in Karnal, but they will not disrupt the administration's functioning.

"A peaceful protest will continue here at Karnal until the government takes action against the IAS officer. However, the administration will be allowed to function for daily services, so that the people are not affected," Tikait said.

He said they will hold a meeting after one or two days and will decide on the strategies for the protest. "We have clearly told the administration that invite us (farmers) for a meeting only if they have got instructions from the higher authorities to take action against the SDM, otherwise don't call us for a meeting," Tikait added.

It was the fourth meeting between the farmers leaders and the Karnal administration since the protest began early on Tuesday.

A delegation of 13 farmers led by Tikait attended the meeting with the administration officials and insisted on action against SDM Ayush Sinha and an independent inquiry into the matter.

Before going for the meeting, Tikait had accused Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar of conspiring to confine the farmers agitation to one district (Karnal). "Ongoing farm protests at borders of Delhi will remain the main centre of the protest. No matter how much the governments try to suppress us we will not waste energy in the protest at Karnal but would like to solve this issue as soon as possible," he added.

The decision for the fourth round of talks with the district administration was taken in a meeting held among the representatives of the farmers unions on Wednesday. It was the fourth meeting in the last 24 hours, since scores of farmers sat on a protest against the August 28 lathicharge. Three meetings on the same issue were held on Tuesday, however, all those meetings were inconclusive.

They also alleged that the Haryana police have banned the entry of farmers coming to join the protest. "All entry points to the mini-secretariat have been sealed. Farmers sitting here on protest would need water, food and other things but we are not allowed to enter. The more the government will harass the farmers the more this protest will intensify. The government must understand that farmers will not leave the place until our demands are met," said Chetan Singh, one of the protesters.

The agitating farmers said it has been more than 24 hours that they have been demanding action against the IAS officer who on August 28 ordered a lathicharge.

Firm on their demand for action against the IAS officer who has been transferred to Chandigarh, the farmers said they would not call off their protest until the government takes action against him.

The protest which began at Anaj Mandi early on Tuesday shifted to the mini-secretariat at Karnal on Wednesday.

To intensify the protest, the farmers have set up tents outside the DC office. Some farmers said that the protest in front of the district administration office will be extended if their demands are not met.

Apart from action against the IAS officer, the farmers have also demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharaunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge on August 28 and died later due to a heart attack. They also demanded a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to all those who received injuries in the lathicharge.
Chennai, Sep 8 : A survey-cum-study undertaken by the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu has ensured that nearly 60 per cent of the students, who had dropped out of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic, relocate back to school.

The study undertaken on August 10 by the SSA with the support of government and private school teachers traced a large number of students who had dropped out of schools due to the pandemic. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) portal of the Tamil Nadu government updates the status of school students who did not rejoin classes.

The SSA team found that out of 6,07,258 school students in Coimbatore district, 24,977 were found not participating in school activities when tracked using the EMIS portal.

A senior SSA official requesting anonymity, as the list of other districts was being finalised, said, "In Coimbatore district we could trace that 24,977 students were not seen actively involved in school-related activities. If students do not involve in education-related activities for a month, we consider them not a part of the school anymore." The SSA team along with the school teachers found that most of these students who did not attend classes had left Coimbatore district, following the loss of their parents' jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The team could trace that most of these students were living in the native place of their parents. With the support of SSA authorities in the respective districts they were able to re-enroll these students in schools and other educational institutions in the districts where they are staying now.

The survey, according to the SSA official, has ensured that the students return to school in one district or the other. Some students are opting for Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnic courses after completing class 10 while school students below class 10 have rejoined schools in the districts.

The SSA official said, "We have traced the educational status of 21,000 students who have dropped out of school in Coimbatore district and have ensured that 60 per cent of these students return to school as well as complete ITIs and polytechnic courses." SSA officials are trying to locate the remaining students and bring them back to school.

The survey found that parents were using their children as helpers in farming as well as rearing of cows, goats, hens, but with lack of awareness were against their children returning to schools. However, with the SSAs and teachers intervention, the parents have allowed the children to go back to school.

The SSA official said, "It is a cumbersome task and we feel that a follow-up is necessary so that the students do not drop out of their schools and teachers have ensured us full support in it. The SSA will also build a network in the respective districts and ensure that the children continue going to school."
Islamabad, Sep 8 : The Afghan Taliban announced an interim-government setup on Tuesday, listing the newly-appointed cabinet of ministers comprising veteran old guards from their previous tenure in the 1990s.

Among the top leadership, Mullah Muhammad Hasan Akhund has appointed as the caretaker Prime Minister of Afghanistan with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as his deputy.

Interestingly, the list of ministers also include veteran Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has been given the important Interior Ministry. Sirajuddin Haqqani is on the FBI's most wanted list with a bounty of $5 million on his head. Haqqani headed the widely feared Haqqani network of the Taliban and has been accused of many deadly attacks and kidnappings in the past.

It is pertinent to mention here that the cabinet and the interim setup announced by the Taliban comprises mostly Pashtun ethnic group, which is expected to be another issue that would become a hurdle in seeking international support for the Taliban.

There are many factors in the interim setup that may inject uncertainty and distrust among the international community, which is looking towards the Taliban to walk the talks and fulfil their commitment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

However, it seems that the Taliban have opted to stick to their top leadership and old guards to take over control of the country, as they look towards immediate inflow of aids and funds to help Afghanistan weather the cited economic and humanitarian meltdown.

It should be noted that about 80 per cent of Afghanistan's budget comes from foreign aids. At the moment, flights from Qatar are landing in Kabul on a daily basis with aid supplies. However, the immediate needs are much more and the country needs immediate aid from the global community.

The United Nations (UN) has estimated about $660 million as immediate relief aid, needed on urgent basis to cater to the desperate needs of Afghanistan for at least four months.

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is being seen with focused concern as reservations over the newly-elected interim government in Afghanistan has raised eyebrows.

"The world is watching closely," read a statement issued by the US State Department, expressing concerns over the selection of cabinet members being only Taliban.

The US State Department has expressed its reservations over no female representation in the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan, along with personalities like Sirajuddin Haqqani, who what they call has a troubling track record.

"The administration would be judged by its actions," the US State Department statement added.

As far as the appointment of Haqqani is concerned as the country's top cop, it is also believed that the Haqqani group still holds a US civilian contractor Mark Frerichs in its custody. Frerichs was abducted in January 2020.

Even though the interim government led by the Taliban leadership is dominated by ethnic Pushtuns, inclusivity and representation of other ethnic groups may have been catered by some ranks of the cabinet, which have been given to ethnic Tajik and Uzbeks.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Though the Taliban leadership structure remains intact, factional differences have emerged over power sharing in the new governing set up, especially the manner in which the Haqqani Network moved in to control large sections of Kabul.

These internal differences notwithstanding, the Taliban are reaching out to regional/global powers underlining their desire to build "good relations" with the neighbouring countries, especially China which has "always contributed" to the Afghan economy, as well as with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, India and Uzbekistan.

However, the outfit does not appear willing to offer any guarantees on its links with and activities of terror outfits, including the Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, preferring only "verbal assurances" to gain international legitimacy.

Considering the long-standing organic ties between foreign terror groups and the Taliban, Al Qaeda, IS-KP/Daesh, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) and Pak proxies like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Al-Badr would re-group and strengthen apart from securing safe havens in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

In the developing situation in Afghanistan, Beijing is trying to steal the lead by building a narrative for internal consumption as well as friendly countries that China is best suited for Afghan reconstruction, given its policy of political neutrality; close coordination with key players, including Russia, and availability of diverse funding sources to build Afghan infrastructure and push investment.

Further, Beijing, with support from Pakistan, has been actively involved in establishing links with the Taliban in order to promote its economic and security interests in Afghanistan and beyond.

On its part, Islamabad continues with its diplomatic initiative to push the narrative of the "positive role" it has played in Afghanistan. Pakistan's well documented support for transnational terrorism would be further entrenched as Islamabad would now be in a position to shift terror infrastructure, particularly of its India-centric proxies, such as the LeT and JeM, into Afghanistan in order to maintain deniability and avoid international censure, especially through mechanisms such as the FATF.

Given the developing situation and Taliban's engagements with key regional stakeholders, the real-politik in the region involving Russia, China and Iran is expected to gain momentum. Islamabad is expected to pursue its duplicitous policies with the regional stakeholders, as well as the US, in order to draw maximum advantage and stay central to any outcomes in Afghanistan.

Iuuses of concern for India A key concern is the threat of Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for international terror outfits. It could be a manageable challenge, provided the Taliban is accepts and undertakes verifiable and irrevocable CT commitments on ground to ensure that interests of regional stakeholders are not impaired by the outfit.

The encouragement the Taliban victory provides to radical Islamic outfits, especially Al Qaeda and ISIS, in India. Given the statements by international terror outfits in favour of the Taliban and an acknowledgement by Pak Islamist parties, a sharp boost in Islamist propaganda in the region, including in India is expected.

Afghanistan will become a magnet for not just terror elements from J&K but also from other parts of India. It will give a fillip to self radicalisation attempts, recruitment from within as well as attempts to exploit the faultlines and spread disaffection against the India state.

Pakistan's involvement in fomenting instability through proxies, notably LeT and JeM, remains a formidable challenge. Islamabad is increasingly making efforts to promote IS-KP/Daesh as its new proxy and is expanding activities of such outfits, through the Haqqani Network (HQN) but under the Taliban umbrella, from Afghan territory.

The August 26 attack near Kabul Airport by IS-KP is a pointer to the ISIS nexus with these outfits. Though the Taliban had earlier rejected (Aug 8, 2019) linking the Kashmir issue with the Afghan cause, as had been attempted by Pak elements, arguing that Afghanistan should not be turned into "theater of competition" between other countries, Islamabad would continue to influence the Taliban government, directly and through affiliate outfits, to raise the issue at international fora.

Strong possibility of slippage of weapons left behind b the US, especially small arms, sniper rifles, mines, night vision glasses, communication equipment, bullet proof jackets, tech to create even more sophisticated IEDs, VBIEDs, Magnetically Attached IEDs (MAIEDs), weaponised drones, superior tunneling tactics used in Afghanistan and other jihadist theaters, suicide bombings etc. into the hands of terrorists operating in the Valley through Pakistan, further destabilizing the security environment.

Surge in production of opium to fund Taliban operations if the international community does not accept the assurances extended leading to unfreezing of Afghan assets abroad and provision of financial assistance.

India's gains achieved through significant contribution made in the past towards Afghan reconstruction and economic progress through various development and aid projects would be relegated to the background. In this context, India-Afghanistan relations, strengthened by the Strategic Partnership Agreement in October 2011, which provides for assistance to help rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure and institutions, and providing duty free access to the Indian market to support Afghan exports, could be adversely affected.

Under the Taliban, the ISI would scuttle such initiatives to tarnish the otherwise well-established and acknowledged positive influence and image of India in Afghanistan.

On the economic front, given the geographical proximity and historical linkages, India has been a natural trading partner for Afghanistan and remains the largest market in South Asia for its products. Besides trade, a large number of Afghanstravel to India for education and medical treatment.

Any selective approach by the Taliban to exploit such channels could be detrimental to the long-term interests of New Delhi, in view of the pro-active attempts by China to expand its presence and influence in Afghanistan.

The Chabahar Port is of strategic importance. Since Afghanistan is a landlocked country and needs access to warm water ports for its economic growth, its connectivity to the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean through the Port reinforces Iran's role in the regional diplomacy and economy and build India-Iran-Afghanistan-Central Asia ties.

However, given Taliban's pre-disposition to build close ties with China, and in collusion with Pakistan to promote the CPEC and other economic interests of China, Ind'a's connectivity and energy interests in the region could be affected.

Besides, the security of minority Hindu and Sikh communities in Afghanistan could come under threat, though the fragile security situation in Afghanistan has caused them to migrate to India.

The emerging axis of China-Turkey-Pakistan in Afghanistan would pose diplomatic and geo-strategic challenges. Beijing would attempt to thwart Indian influence, through Pakistan, in a bid to contain Indo-US proximity.

Options for India The question of recognising a Taliban Government in Afghanistan must be addressed only if it undertakes meaningful reconciliation with other Afghan leaders and is inclusive; makes firm commitments to uphold human rights, minority and wom'n's rights, media freedom; and ensures that other terror outfits (including Al Qaeda, LeT and JeM) do not operate in the country.

The Taliban regime must explicitly disavow any association with terror outfits, and be held to account in the form of demonstrable consequences if it fails to do so, including over the horizon counterterrorism action and further tightening of sanctions.

Amid Western efforts to contain the rising global influence and threat posed by China, joint collaborative efforts, both CT and diplomatic, to contain Chi'a's expansionist activities through Afghanistan would need to be considered.

Messaging from the international community should be consistent, and not result in emboldening the Taliban. Financial aid and sanctions relief should not be considered at this stage. Only after the Taliban has verifiably lived up to the above commitments, can a gradual and sequential re-engagement on these lines be undertaken.

The regime must also remain neutral and neutralize Pak attempts to use Afghan soil as staging/training grounds or safe havens for its proxies.

Globally recognised terror groups such as the Haqqani Network and its leaders must not benefit from any mainstreaming of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Regional stakeholders must be taken on board, under UN auspices, to ensure oversight and engagement by the international community. Given Tehran and Mosc'w's unambiguous stance on formation of an inclusive and representative Government in Kabul, increasing pressure needs to be mounted on the Taliban to ensure due accommodation of ethnic leaders and regional representatives, and a decentralized governance setup be established.

Moscow remains concerned about Taliban's non-committal attitude on its links with radical Islamic groups and presence of safe havens for such groups on Afghan territory. Russia is also apprehensive about the ambivalent approach of the outfit towards the opposition forces, many of whom are elements of erstwhile Northern Alliance.

Moscow also needs to be sensitized about China's expanding footprints in the Central Asian region through BRI connectivity projects. In this context, the feasibility of evolving a long term mechanism to deal with the emerging threats from Afghanistan would need to be coordinated.

In the economic sphere, the Taliban should be encouraged to pursue a global approach, and avoid falling prey to a Chinese debt trap or be subservient to Pak economic interests.

Undertake diplomatic initiatives to flag Beiji'g's hollow claims of its financial support to Afghanistan and raise voices from within Afghanistan, international Islamic platforms, UNHCR, SCO, etc. over victimization of Uyghur Muslims in China.

Underline New Delhi's continuing economic cooperationwith Tehran, and sensitize Iran about New Del'i's concerns over Beijing's efforts to link Chabahar with the Gwadar port.

Forge a common platform with Iran, Russia and Central Asian countries, especially Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, taking into account their security concerns, to counte" "Pak-China-Turk"y" nexus on the Afghan issue. In this context, active intelligence sharing and joint operations with Tashkent and Dushanbe, especially the growing increasing presence of Central Asia-centric militant outfits in North Afghanistan and in the Af-Pak region, may be considered.

Convince and take on board Islamic countries, especially the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries, to adopt a balanced approach on the Afghan-Taliban reconciliation.

Continue cooperation with EU partners to ensure sustained pressure on Pakistan through FATF, WB, IMF, UN, to stop financing terrorism.

Given keen interest expressed by Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to join the CPEC and Islamabad's concerted efforts to enhance border trade with Iran and revive a transnational rail link (Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad), there is a need to closely monitor such developments.

Strengthening of Indian presence at the Ayni Airbase in Tajikistan, coupled with Indo-Tajik joint military exercises, in tandem with Russia would signal India's pro-active approach and stake in the region and also be a counter to Beijing's efforts to secure the Wakhan Corridor through joint border patrolling with Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
New York, Sep 8 : American rock band 'Kiss' have announced the rescheduled dates for the North American leg of their 'End of the Road' World Tour after postponing five shows due to band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons testing positive for Covid-19 in August.

The band took to Instagram and shared the dates of the tour. "We will return to the stage this Thursday, September 9th at the @fivepointamphitheatre in Irvine, California! All other shows remain unchanged. @livenation. Rescheduled show dates & info is now live at www.KISSOnline.com." Following a 10-day quarantine, doctors have advised the tour is safe to resume on September 9 at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California. The new dates will be in October. However, due to routing and availability, the shows in Hartford, Connecticut, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Raleigh, North Carolina, have been postponed to 2022. The rest of the tour dates remain unchanged.

Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. Well known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics.

In September 2018, Kiss announced that after 45 years of recording and performing it would be embarking on its ongoing final tour, the 'End of the Road' World Tour, which started in January 2019 and is currently set to conclude in 2022.

Kiss is regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of all time, as well as one of the best-selling bands of all time.
London, Sep 8 : It was September 6. In Pakistan it is observed as Defence Day in remembrance of the 1965 Indo-Pak war that lasted for 17 days.

However, as numerous former military men and strategic analysts were appearing on television channels competing among each other in praising the men in uniform and their role during the evening broadcast, men in plain clothes were knocking on the door of popular Pakistani YouTube blogger Zafar Naqvi pretending to be from the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).

Naqvi is an unwavering critic of Prime Minister Imran Khan's economic policies. His YouTube subscriptions have soared as his sharp criticism of the economic policies of the sitting government continue. Emboldened by his popular support Naqvi decided to delve into matters otherwise considered too sensitive to ponder upon, the Pakistan army.

In a video uploaded on June 20, Naqvi informed his viewers about that a petition refused to be entertained by the Islamabad High Court had now been filed at the Lahore High Court. The petition was filed by a former Major General of the Pakistan army Manzoor Ahmed who challenged the decision approved by military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Ahmed accused the military for unfair dismissal.

Zafar Naqvi is journalist who has previously worked for television Channels Abb-Tak TV, ARY and Bol before he decided to give up his job to launch his YouTube channel in 2020. Since the start Naqvi has shared the anti-military narrative for which the tone was set by Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Nawaz Sharif.

But don't get me wrong. Although Naqvi has criticised the role of military generals when it comes to political meddling and corruption but that does not mean that he is against the Pakistan army as an institution. Naqvi supports the role of the Pakistan military as a necessity against any foreign invasion. But that's not the point. The point is that Pakistani military establishment is tightening the noose of censorship around the neck of any sign of freedom of expression.

Kidnappings, beatings, even murder of journalists are acts that have now become ever so frequent and are understood to act as a warning and compel the fourth state to impose self-censorship upon itself. Only recently at last two such incidents managed to cater international media's attention. One was the abduction Matiullah Jan (January 2021) the other of blogger Assad Ali Tour (May 2021).

The former was kidnapped while the later beaten and had his bones broken at his residence by the infamous 'unknown' attackers, a phrase commonly used in Pakistan to refer to the Pakistan's notorious intelligence agency the ISI, hence the slogan 'Yeh jo namaloom hain, yeh sub ko maloom hain' (Everyone Knowns who the unknown are), now a popular slogan raised at anti-government protests and rallies alike.

A draft for the creation of a new media law enforcement agency called Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) has now been approved by the Imran Khan cabinet (August 23) and is expected to be presented to the parliament for approval.

The draft for PMDA is designed in such a manner that the day it is passed and is made into an act by the parliament, it would automatically cancel around 50 percent of the declarations (licences) of the country's newspapers.

PMDA is to be empowered to impose a fine of up to Rs 250 million for 'violations' of the code of conduct by the electronic media. Furthermore any Pakistani You Tuber would be bound to air at least 30 percent Pakistani content.

The proposed PDMA has been rejected by the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, and by the Electronic Media Editors and News Directors.

On September 6 at 10.25pm when 'unknown' men pretending to be FBR officials knocked on the door of Zafar Naqvi he did not open the door and that might just have saved him from falling victim to the ongoing witch hunt against outspoken journalists in Pakistan.

Defence of the right of freedom of expression is the rallying call issued by journalists for September 13 when the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi is expected to address the joint session of the parliament. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has announced to stage a protest at the gates of the National assembly in Islamabad on that day.

Unity among Pakistan journalists is key to help prevent Zafar Naqvi and his companions from falling victim to the witch hunt against outspoken journalists.

(Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK. The views expressed are personal)
Hyderabad, Sep 8 : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on its study visit to Hyderabad, on Wednesday ran into leading Tollywood actor Mahesh Babu at a five-star hotel here.

"What a delightful personality," tweeted Tharoor after the meeting with the actor.

"Talking to MaheshBabu @urstrulyMahesh shows you why no one in Hyderabad refers to him without the honorific 'Superstar'! He had just finished knocking out the villain in his next production when we had a chat behind the scenes," wrote Tharoor who posted a video of the meeting.

"As it happens, at our hotel in Hyderabad, the @TridentHyd, I ran into Superstar MaheshBabu @urstrulyMahesh along with my colleague (& his brother-in-law) @JayGalla, a member of the Committee. What a delightful personality!" he tweeted.

Galla Jayadev, a member of Lok Sabha, belongs to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The Parliamentary committee members also planted saplings at Shiparamam as part of Green India Challenge initiated by Rajya Sabha member Joginpally Santosh Kumar.

They appreciated the TRS MP for his novel initiative and called upon all to carry forward the Green India Challenge.

Tharoor, while appreciating the efforts of Santosh Kumar, felt that the fruits of the saplings we plant may be enjoyed by the next generations and that nation building is also the same.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The Union Finance Ministry on Wednesday said that the technical issues in the Income Tax e-filing portal are being "progressively" addressed and a positive trend has been witnessed in terms of e-filing on the portal.

The ministry came up with the update days before the September 15 deadline it gave to Infosys, the service provider, for resolving the issues faced by taxpayers.

It said that the department is continuously engaged with Infosys to ensure a smooth filing experience to taxpayers.

"A number of technical issues are being progressively addressed and there has been a positive trend reflected in the statistics of the various filings on the portal," a Finance Ministry statement.

Over 8.83 crore unique taxpayers have logged in till September 7, with a daily average of over 15.55 lakh in September 2021. The Income Tax Return (ITR) filing has increased to 3.2 lakh daily in September and 1.19 crore ITRs for AY 2021-22 have been filed.

Of these, over 76.2 lakh taxpayers have used the online utility of the portal to file the returns, the ministry said.

The e-filing portal of the Income Tax Department was launched on June 7 this year.

However, taxpayers and professionals had reported glitches and difficulties in the portal since then. The Ministry had been regularly monitoring the resolution of issues with Infosys Ltd, the developer of the portal.

The Finance Ministry also said that taxpayers have been able to view over 8.74 lakh notices issued by the Department under the faceless assessment, appeal, penalty proceedings, to which over 2.61 lakh responses have been filed.

An average of 8,285 notices for e-proceedings are being issued and 5,889 responses are being filed in September on a daily basis.

Over 10.60 lakh Statutory Forms have been submitted including 7.86 lakh TDS statements, 1.03 lakh Form 10A for registration of trusts/institutions, 0.87 lakh Form 10E for arrears of salary, and 0.10 lakh Form 35 for appeal.

Further, Aadhaar-PAN linking has been done by 66.44 lakh taxpayers and over 14.59 lakh e-PAN have been allotted. These two facilities are being availed of by over 0.50 lakh taxpayers on a daily basis in September 2021.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : India's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister, Bhupender Yadav, on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with UAE Climate Envoy and Industry and Advanced Technology Minister, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, and discussed issues regarding COP26, renewable energy and other related matters.

Stating that renewable energy and energy efficiency are among the key pillars of Indian climate change strategies, he said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has worked to make sure that renewable energy, particularly solar, becomes cheaper than energy from fossil fuels, a Ministry release said.

COP26, or, the annual Conference of Parties that are signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is to be held at UK's Glasgow this year.

Yadav further mentioned that India has already installed about 151 GW of non-fossil fuel installed capacity, or 39 per cent of the total capacity, and going ahead, declared an aspirational target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030.

He also mentioned the Hydrogen Energy Mission, global initiatives such as International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and leadership group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) and underlined the need for prioritising the concerns of developing countries, particularly in areas of implementation support including finance and technology.

Dr Jaber sought support of India for the UAE Initiative on Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM-C) along with US and UK to be launched at COP26 to be held in Glasgow.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : A day before the 'Himalaya Diwas' is celebrated every year, former Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Wednesday launched his book titled 'Hemnad -- Manav Jeevan Ka Aadhaar' at a national conference on the conservation and protection of the snow-capped Himalayas. The Himalaya Diwas campaign was started in 2011 and is celebrated every year on September 9.

Under this campaign, the Centre for Himalayan Studies at Delhi University, Himalayan Environmental Studies And Conservation Organisation (HESCO) Institute, Dehradun, and the Dehradun Himalayan University joined hands and organised a national conference "Beyond Himalaya".

On this occasion a book was launched by Nishank, also a writer and thinker keenly associated with Himalayan initiatives.

An area made up of crystalline stones of ice, sediments, and water that holds snow for most part of the year is called 'Hemnad'. It is a sensitive indicator of climate change and makes a significant contribution towards the environment.

The former Union Minister said, "The significance of Himalayas has to be understood, it is not possible to imagine the Indian subcontinent without it. The Himalayas need to be studied in both sociological and scientific forms. It is the crown and sentinel of India. If 'Hemnad' remains intact, our existence will not be threatened. I am happy that my book on 'Hemnad' has been published by the National Book Trust." Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, PMO Minister Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar as well as Environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee, Anil Prakash Joshi, Rajesh Naithani, Vice-Chancellor of Himalayan University Dehradun and PC Joshi, Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, and many other dignitaries attended the event while others guests interacted through video-conferencing.

The matter of concern of all people present were the drastic changes taking place in the environment.

Speaking about the book 'Hemnad -- Manav Jeevan Ka Aadhaar', Rajesh Naithani said more than half of the world's humanity is directly and indirectly connected to the Himalayas. The basis of human existence is the Himalayas, he added.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said various types of research are being undertaken in the country to study the Himalayas. He spoke about bringing all the stakeholders on one platform and congratulated Anil Prakash Joshi and Nishank on marking the beginning of the Himalaya Diwas.

Kiren Rijiju said the Himalayas are essential for human existence. We all have to worry about the protection of Himalayas, he added.

Patron of Hesco Institute, Dehradun, Anil Prakash Joshi commended on how the whole world is doing their bit for the protection of the Himalayas. Union Minister of State Ajay Bhatt, while discussing the contribution of the Himalayas, emphasised on protecting the environment around the Himalayas.
Beijing wants everyone to believe that Tibet has been part of China since antiquity - but Tibetans cannot accept this because 'China did not even exist then, contrary to what the new Emperors would like us to believe.

What is China is a question which has some relevance today, and the answer is important not only for the Communist Party of China (CPC), but the world at large too.

On September 1, Xinhua reported that a series large exhibitions centered on the theme 'Ethnic Unity - Casting a Firm Consciousness of the Chinese National Community' sponsored by the National Culture Palace, had officially been launched in Beijing.

It included several displays centred on a multi-ethnic China; the exhibitions were entitled: 'Treasures of Nationalities'; 'People of All Ethnic Groups - Hearts to the Party'; 'National Ethnic Minorities' Gifts to the Party', and 'Cultural Relics in the Collection of the Palace of Nationalities'.

Why suddenly this emphasis on China's 'ethic unity' and this after 100 years of the CPC's existence? As always in China, the propaganda's stress is put on something which is missing ('unity').

Already in August, President Xi Jinping addressed a Central Ethnic Work Conference pleading for solid ethnic work and 'casting a firm sense of Chinese ethnic community'.

He mentioned 50,000 precious cultural relics, more than 200,000 ancient books, some 400,000 other books and more than 3,000 paintings and works of art, kept in the National Culture Palace "fully reflecting the connotation of national unity and progress, and letting history speak and letting culture speak."Whether these 'relics' were forceful taken away from minorities' areas, is of course not mentioned.

Has it not been the habit of colonisers to loot their new colonies? Remember the Kohinoor? Xi spoke of "the beautiful interaction and exchanges among the various ethnic groups in China." According to the party's General Secretary, the intermingling of the different 'nationalities' focused on "showing the sons and daughters of all ethnic groups to listen to the Party, feel the Party's grace, follow the Party, hand in hand, to build a great revival of the Chinese dream of the glorious course." Why wait 100 years to remember that the 'nationalities' exist?

It further raises another issue, is China a nation or only an amalgam of different nationalities recently assembled together, in which case why have the nationalities not been given their due place during the last century?

To give a concrete example, why are so few members of the 'nationalities' members of the CPC's Central Committee and not a single one is in the Politburo or the Central Military Commission? Examples could be multiplied. Many see this as Han Chauvinism.

Today, Beijing would like us to believe that China a unified entity which since immemorial times included the Periphery of the Middle Kingdom; it is simply not true.

Already in 2015, in a 'White Paper on Tibet', Beijing argued that "the only sensible alternative is for the Dalai Lama and his supporters to accept that Tibet has been part of China since antiquity".

Why should the Tibetans accept a lie? The Chinese publication mentioned: "The wheels of history roll forward and the tides of the times are irresistible. Tibet's path of development is one imposed by history and chosen by the people. Experience proves to us that only by upholding unity and opposing separatism, only by upholding progress and opposing retrogression, only by upholding stability and opposing turmoil, can the future of Tibet be assured. Any person or force that attempts to resist the tide will simply be cast aside by history and by the people." Any serious student of history is aware that tides come and go; where is the mighty British Empire today?But for the sake of argument, let us accept the Chinese contention, then one should ask: what is China?

A few years ago, Professor Ge Jianxiong, Director of the Institute of Chinese Historical Geography at Fudan University in Shanghai stated in an article in The China Review: "It would be a defiance of history to claim that Tibet has always been a part of China since the Tang Dynasty (7th to 10th century)." Jianxiong went further and questioned the notion of China: "When discussing the peaceful rise of China and the history of the great powers of the world, it is natural to think of ancient China. Can ancient China be considered a Great Power? If so, how big was it? This is a prerequisite for knowing the history and comparing development." For the professor, there was no such thing as China, but dynasties who ruled over small or larger areas: "First of all, China ('Zhongguo') only officially became the name of our country with the founding of the Republic of China in 1912. Before this, the idea of China ('Zhongguo') was not clearly conceptualised." Jianxiong said: "The concept of China has continued to expand. From referring specifically to the central plains of China, the concept has since grown to now refer generally to a whole nation. Even during the late Qing, China would sometimes be used as a name to refer to the Qing State, including all the territory within the boundaries of the Qing Empire, but other times it would only refer to the '18 Interior Provinces' and not include Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Therefore, if we want to understand the extent of ancient China's territory, we can only speak of how large was the actual territory controlled by a particular dynasty at a particular moment." Jianxiong gave Tibet as an example: "If we ask: How big was 8th century China and if we speak about the borders of the Tang Dynasty, we cannot include the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. This was ruled by Tubo/Tufan [dynasty] and so does not count. Tubo/Tufan was sovereign, independent of the Tang Dynasty. At least it was not administered by the Tang Dynasty; there would have been no need to erect the Tang-Tubo/Tufan alliance tablet [Tibet-Tang Treaty of 821 [AD]. It would be a defiance of history if we claim that since the Tang Dynasty, Tibet has always been a part of China - the fact that the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau subsequently became a part of the Chinese dynasties does not substantiate such a claim." Jianxiong continued: "Moreover, we must differentiate between territory that was actually under administrative control of a dynasty, that which was a vassal state, and that which was within the reaches of our prestige." Tibet has been part of China since antiquity- Tibetans cannot accept this contention, simply because China did not even exist then, contrary to what the new Emperors would like us to believe.

The present leadership in Beijing should do their homework and start studying the history of their 'empire', before asking the Tibetans, the Uighurs or the Mongols to sign on a dotted line.

And sooner or later, the Communist Dynasty will also collapse, like all other dynasties before; then, the Middle Kingdom will probably shrink again behind the Great Wall.

So why all this noise about 'ethnic unity' in the Middle Kingdom in the Chinese media? (The writer is an author, journalist, historian, Tibetologist, and China expert. The views expressed are personal)
Dhaka, Sep 8 : Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah hit an unbeaten 43 to lead his team to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the fourth T20I in Dhaka on Wednesday. The victory now gives Bangladesh an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match T20I series. It is their first-ever series win over New Zealand in T20Is.

Opting to bat first, New Zealand were bowled out for 93 in 19.3 overs. Bangladesh overhauled the target with five balls to spare and six wickets in hand.

Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed dismissed Rachin Ravindra (0) in the very first over of New Zealand's innings. Finn Allen (12) tried to be creative with the bat with a switch hit, but spooned a catch to point.

Captain Tom Latham (21) and Will Young (46) tried to resurrect the New Zealand innings with a 35-run partnership. Latham danced down the pitch, only to be beaten by Mahedi Hasan's turn and was stumped by keeper Nurul Hasan.

Henry Nicholls (1) and Colin de Grandhomme (0) were dismissed on consecutive deliveries by Ahmed, making this difficult for the tourists. Bangladesh kept striking at regular intervals to keep New Zealand on a tight leash. Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman were the standout performers with the ball, grabbing four wickets each. Ahmed ran through the top and middle order while Rahman took out Young and the tail to end New Zealand's misery at 93 in 19.3 overs.

Chasing a small total of 94, Bangladesh lost Liton Das (6), Shakib Al Hasan (8) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) quickly with scorecard reading 32/3 in 6 overs. A brief 35-run partnership Mohammad Naim (29) and Mahmudullah resurrected the chase before the former was run-out while running for the second run.

But Mahmudullah made sure his team crossed the finish line in the final over. The experienced batsman survived a stumping chance in the 17th over as Latham couldn't gather the ball. After a powerful six over cow corner off Blair Tickner in the 19th over, Mahmudullah closed the chase with a slog sweep through mid-wicket on the first ball of the final over off Cole McConchie.

The final match of the T20I series will be played on Friday.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 96/4 in 19.1 overs (Mahmudullah 43 not out, Mohammad Naim 29, Ajaz Patel 2/9, Cole McConchie 1/34) beat New Zealand 93 all out in 19.3 overs (Will Young 46, Tom Latham 21, Nasum Ahmed 4/10, Mustafizur Rahaman 4/ 12) by six wickets.
65-year old tribal AADLYA PADVI' 60-year old ill wife Sidhalibai died on his shoulders as he carried her to the Taloda Rural Hospital, 22 kms away. Image Source: IANS News

65-year old tribal AADLYA PADVI' 60-year old ill wife Sidhalibai died on his shoulders as he carried her to the Taloda Rural Hospital, 22 kms away. Image Source: IANS News

65-year old tribal AADLYA PADVI' 60-year old ill wife Sidhalibai died on his shoulders as he carried her to the Taloda Rural Hospital, 22 kms away. Image Source: IANS News

Nandurbar : , Sep 8 (IANS) In a tragic incident, a 60-year-old sick tribal woman succumbed on the shoulders of her 65-year-old husband on a hilly path as he was rushing her on foot to a rural hospital around 22 km away, officials and activists said here on Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, Sidhalibai Padvi had complained of certain health issues at their small dwelling in Chandsaili village, up in the forested hills of Nandurbar.

Since the local sub-health centre is reportedly shut for over a year now, the undeterred husband, Aadlya Padvi, lunged her on his shoulders and started a tortuous downhill trek along the sludgy and slippery path to go to the Taloda rural hospital, some 22 km away from the village.

The shocking incident came to light when a tribal youth named Yogesh D. Patil, who was in the vicinity, shot some pictures of the helpless elderly man weeping over his wife's body, said a Lok Sangharsh Morcha (LSM) President Pratibha Shinde.

"From the information we got, barely a kilometre on the way to Taloda, he was stopped in his tracks by some huge boulders and stones that had fallen off in an hillslide earlier due to torrential rains in this region," Shinde told IANS.

Somehow, he kept Sidhalibai down to find an alternative path, and returned to again pick her on his shoulders to resume the long journey which he would have completed only by Wednesday evening given the weather conditions and the non-existent roads there.

Barely had he crossed the hillside area, he was shocked to discover that Sidhalibai had breathed her last on his shoulders, Shinde said.

A shaken Patil also stopped to help the grieving Padvi and informed the other villagers who rushed downhill to assist in bringing her body to Chandsaili and complete other formalities.

"This is a monumental tragedy, the kind that we have so far heard only happening in some backward states, not in Maharashtra. An LSM team comprising Katha Vasave, Ramesh Naik, Dilwar Padvi, Jilabai Vasave and others shall visit Chandsaili village on Thursday and prepare a report," Shinde said.

Meanwhile, the LSM and other local activists have shot off messages to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope and other concerned officials to order an inquiry into the tragic incident.

"We have repeatedly raised the demand to restart the Chandsaili health sub-centre that caters to around 10,000 tribals in this remote corner, rebuild the roads left dug up after a mobile company laid cables and installed its towers, and set up other necessary facilities for this 100 per cent tribal region," Shinde said.

She also warned that unless the authorities immediately take remedial measures on a war-footing, the LSM will move the Bombay High Court for directions to the government.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Hyderabad, Sep 8 : Air India will commence its first-ever non-stop service between Hyderabad and London Heathrow, with the first flight arriving in Hyderabad on September 9 and departing for London the next day.

The flight will operate twice a week -- Monday and Friday -- with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 256 seats, including 18 in Business Class and 238 in Economy Class configuration, Air India announced on Wednesday.

On Mondays, AI 147 will depart Hyderabad at 1.30 a.m. (local time) to arrive in London at 7.30 a.m. on the same day. On Fridays, the flight will leave Hyderabad at 5.30 a.m. to arrive in London at 11.30 a.m. the same day.

The return flight AI 148 will operate on Sundays and Thursdays, departing from London at 9.45 a.m. (local time) to arrive in Hyderabad at 11.35 p.m. (local time) on the same day.

The total flight time on this route will be 10 hours and 30 minutes from Hyderabad to London and 9 hours 20 minutes from London to Hyderabad, depending on the wind speed and other conditions on that particular day.

At present, Air India operates non-stop flights to London from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Amritsar, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Panaji.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The much-awaited relief package for the telecom sector may bring about a moratorium of around four years on the payment of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).

The moratorium may also be applicable on spectrum payments, sources said.

The measures, if implemented, would be most beneficial for debt-ridden Vodafone Idea, which is struggling to continue as a going concern.

The government has been in talks with several stakeholders, including banks, for a package for the sector amid the concerns of a possible duopoly in the Indian telecom sector if Vodafone Idea shuts. It is also the most impacted telco due to the AGR claims of the government.

People in the know said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has proposed the measures along with lowering of spectrum usage charge (SUC) which has been a long standing demand of the telecom services providers.

Other likely measures include a reduction in bank guarantees, and a change in the definition of AGR to exclude non-telecom items from its coverage, in a prospective manner.

Some of the relief measures were expected to be approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. However, no decisions were taken on the same.

Official sources said that the government is of the view that competition must prevail in the sector and any chances of a duopoly should be averted.

Last week, Vodafone Idea's former Chairman, Kumar Mangalam Birla met Union Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

During the meeting on September 1, Birla and Vaishnaw discussed about the health of the sector and the urgent need for government intervention.

On August 4, the board of Vodafone Idea accepted the request of Birla to step down as the Non-Executive Director and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

Days before Birla's resignation as the Chairman, it became public that he had written to the government that he is willing to hand over his stake in the debt-ridden company to government entities in a bid to keep the company operational.

In a letter to Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on June 7, Birla said that, with a "sense of duty" towards 27 crore Indians connected with Vodafone Idea, he is willing to hand over his stake to public Sector Unit (PSU), a government entity or any domestic financial entity, or any other entity that the government may consider worthy of keeping the company as a going concern.

In the letter, Birla sought clarity on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), adequate moratorium on spectrum dues and floor pricing, adding that without immediate and active government support, VIL's operations will be at an "irretrievable point of collapse".
Bhubaneswar, Sep 8 : Opposition BJP and Congress stalled the proceedings of the Odisha Assembly and virtually confined the Speaker in his chamber for rejecting an adjournment notice on the "mining scam" in the state.

The Congress had moved the notice for a discussion on the "mining scam", but Speaker S.N. Patro has rejected it.

As soon as the House assembled for the day at 10.30 am, Congress members rushed towards the Speaker's podium to protest. BJP members also stood up on their seats and created ruckus, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings till 11.30 a.m.

The opposition party members then surrounded the chamber of the Speaker and did not allow him to come to the House to conduct the business. At this, Deputy Speaker R.K. Singh adjourned the House till 4 p.m.

The situation remained the same in the post-lunch session too. The Opposition members continued their protest and did not allow the Speaker to come to his chair in the House, and the Deputy Speaker conducted the businesses. Amid uproar, several reports were tabled and four Bills passed.

BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi alleged that the state government has a nexus with the owners of mines and is equally involved in the scam. Therefore, the Speaker rejected the notice citing it doesn't have any relevance at present, he said.

Joining Majhi, Congress legislator S.S. Saluja alleged that the government is so neck-deep in the mining scam that it is scared to even discuss the issue. Therefore, the government is avoiding discussion on mining irregularities in the State, he said.

The Speaker said the Congress members led by party leader Narasingha Mishra and BJP members had come to his chamber to inquire about the reason for rejecting the adjournment notice. Patro said he informed them about the reason for rejecting the notice and had told them to raise the issue during the zero hour.
New Delhi, Sep 8: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Talibans deputy leader is now the interior minister of the country which was forcibly captured by the Taliban. He runs the Haqqani network (HQN), a global designated terrorist organization. There is still a bounty of $10 million on his head. Thanks to the intervention of Faiz Hameed, chief of Pakistan's notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI, the HQN has the lion's share in the Talibans cabinet.

There are at least six ministers in the newly formed Taliban government who are directly associated with the most dreaded UN designated terror organisation in Afghanistan. As an interior minister of the country, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of the HQN, will be running Afghanistan's intelligence agency.

He will be appointing all governors and police chiefs of 34 provinces. His uncle, Khalil-ur-Haqqani, a ruthless terrorist who is also the security chief of Kabul, is the Minister of Refugees. Two other kinsmen, Abdul baqi Haqqani and Najibullah Haqqani are the Minister of higher Education and Minister of Communication respectively.

Sirajuddin's close confidant and a UN sanctioned terrorist, Abdul Haq Waseeq is appointed as the chief of Intelligence of the country. Another trusted lieutenant and expert in suicide bombing Mullah Taj Mir Jawad is now appointed his first deputy of the Interior minister. Waseeq and Jawad both are "favourites" of the ISI and they are believed to be involved in the attacks on the Indian missions in Afghanistan on the behest of the ISI.

Molvi Abdul Salam Hanafi, an ethnic Uzbek, the new second deputy of the Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, is a graduated from Haqqania Madrassa, Pakistan which is known as the university of Jihad. Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary, which is based in Akora Khattak in Pakistan, The Haqqani network is named after the madrassa where its leader once taught and subsequent leaders studied. The Haqqania madrassa is the most important and influential hardline Sunni clerical network and it serves as a "terrorist factory" where students received combat training, bomb making, guerrilla warfare .

Haqqani network is a vast and long-standing criminal network, but they swore bay'aht, pledged allegiance to the Taliban and fought under the Taliban and really provided the teeth to the Taliban strategy in capturing the country.

According to the FBI's Rewards for Justice Program, the "United States Department of State is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading directly to the arrest of Sirajuddin Haqqani." The US says that "Haqqani is thought to stay in Pakistan, specifically the Miram Shah, North Waziristan, Pakistan, area. He is the head of the Haqqani network, and maintains close ties to the Taliban and al Qaeda. Haqqani is a specially designated global terrorist." Sirajuddin Haqqani's father and founder Jalaluddin Haqqani was the first Pakistani recruited Jihadi who first took arms again the Afghan state way back in 1973 and the relations has continued. The Haqqani network, which has the backing of elements within the Pakistani security establishment, is now one of Afghanistan's most experienced and sophisticated insurgent organizations.

The HQN still maintains a safe haven in North Waziristan, Pakistan, across Afghanistan's southeastern border. The Pakistani Army has consistently refused to launch a military operation in North Waziristan despite the presence of al-Qaeda senior leadership.

The Pakistani army and ISI t continue to view the HQN as a useful ally and proxy force to represent their interests in Afghanistan.

To this end, Haqqani forces have repeatedly targeted Indian infrastructure and construction projects in Afghanistan.

Thanks to the ISI ,the Haqqani Network, which now gets the lion's share of political power in Afghanistan under Taliban, remains Pakistan's most loyal proxy and an al-Qaeda affiliate. According to Pakistani media, ISI chief Faiz Hameed was personally handling the Taliban's government formation in Kabul and he made sure that as a patron, Haqqanis get a strong and strategic place in the government.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 8: Russias top security official, Nikolai Patrushev has begun talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday- wading into a crucial meeting that is likely to give a new structural direction to Indo-Russian ties and taking them to a new level.

There is significant context to what is likely to be a pathbreaking conversation between Doval and Patrushev, the head of the Russian security council. The reassertion of the Taliban, evidently backed by the Pakistani ISI in Afghanistan, has endangered the security of the two countries. Both New Delhi and Moscow view the change of guard in Kabul a worrisome historic event that they must address jointly.

The results of the meeting are likely to be far reaching, which is taking place in the backdrop of a solid track record of mutual trust, built over decades, including the Cold War years when Moscow and New Delhi were virtual allies. The exit of the United States from the region-a major geopolitical event-- is also framing the big picture of the Doval-Patrushev parleys.

The Patrushev-Doval meeting is taking the cue from a key conversation on August 24, between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders. known for their warm personal chemistry, had decided to establish a new mechanism that would focus and coordinate the positions of the two countries on Afghanistan. The new institutional arrangement is expected to unroll during Patrushev's visit.

Diplomatic sources told India Narrative that insulating Central Asia and other neighbouring countries from the possible radiation of terrorism from Afghanistan during the post-Taliban phase is expected to engage the two interlocutors.

The Russian side is keen that India strongly supports and bolsters the military resilience of the secular Central Asian Republics especially Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan to counter a possible onslaught of radicalism from Afghanistan. "If India does not step in then the vulnerable Central Asians may reach out to China-an eventuality that neither the Russians or the Indian side wants".

Russia considers Central Asia as its backyard and will strongly resist China's geo-economic influence in this region under the garb of the Belt and Road Initiative, a giant pan-Eurasian mega-connectivity project that Beijing is steamrolling. Despite Russia's deepening engagement with China in recent years, the distrust between Moscow and Beijing, which fought a brief war in 1969, runs deep.

In fact, insiders say that the Russians are keen that India plugs into the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), not necessarily as a formal member but as a heavyweight that can help blunt Chinese influence in this region. Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia are some of the key members of the Russia-led CSTO.

The Russians, which have positioned a motorised division in Tajikistan could also want India to activate and coordinate the role of Ayni, an Indian air base in the Central Asian country. Sources told India Narrative that India actively used the Ayni air base to evacuate Indian nationals who were stranded in Afghanistan after the Taliban swept into Kabul on August 15.

The two countries are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Chabahar route from Iran that heads into Afghanistan. Both Russia and India are keen to integrate the two routes, and are wary that the coming of the Taliban does not jeopardise the functionality of these corridors, and their integration process.

The Doval-Patrushev talks will also give an opportunity to both India and Russia to assess the big-picture about the longevity of the United States as a superpower, which had to stage an unceremonious exit from Afghanistan.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Apprehending a possible third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday decided to ban public celebrations of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Any procession or gathering in connection with Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations will be prohibited, it said.

The festival starts on Friday, and concludes on September 21.

"Considering the prevailing restrictions on gatherings and congregations and present situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided that Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations may not be allowed in public places and people may be advised to celebrate the festival at their home only," a notice issued by Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev said.

It added that all District Magistrates and the Delhi Police have been directed to ensure that no idol of Lord Ganesha is set up in tents, pandals, or public places. They also have been asked to strictly disallow any form of procession and not grant permission to any committees.

"All District Magistrates and their counterparts, Deputy Commissioners of Police and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order and shall adequately inform and sensitise the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance in letter and spirit," the order read.

Every year, over 100 committees seek permission for community celebration of Ganesh festival in Delhi.

"It is also directed that the District Magistrates and district DCPs shall convene meetings with religious/community leaders/Ganesh festival committees before the festival to get their cooperation to maintain law and order and harmony and also to sensitise public for compliance of guidelines/instructions issued for combating Covid-19 by the government from time to time," the order added.

Latest updates on Ganesh Chaturthi Festival 2021
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover of the war-torn nation, has again denied stealing millions from the treasury.

"My wife and I have been scrupulous in our personal finances. I have publicly declared all of my assets. My wife's family inheritance has also been disclosed and remains listed in her home country of Lebanon. I welcome an official audit or financial investigation under UN auspices or any other appropriate independent body to prove the veracity of my statements here," Ghani said, as reported by Al Arabiya.

During his statement released on Wednesday, Ghani said he had left at the urging of the palace security in order to avoid the risk of bloody street fighting, the report said.

Ghani also apologised, saying he regretted "how it ended", according to a statement.

"Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens. I have devoted 20 years of my life to helping the Afghan people work toward building a democratic, prosperous, and sovereign state - it was never my intent to abandon the people of that vision," Ghani said in a long statement posted on his official Twitter handle.
Chennai, Sep 8 : The Income Tax Department has seized 11 properties belonging to expelled AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala and her close relatives, T.T.V. Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi, sources said on Wednesday.

Twenty-four acres of land belonging to Sasikala and her relatives worth around Rs 100 crore have been seized by the IT Department, sources said.

The properties spread across 24 acres of land in Payanoor village was allegedly purchased by Sasikala in 1991 and 1996 when late J. Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka Special Court judge, John Michael Cunha, had listed these 11 properties as disproportionate assets of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, and her close relatives, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran.

Official sources told IANS that the land registration department of Tamil Nadu was informed of the attachment and notices were also put up outside the properties.

Sasikala and her nephew and close associate Dhinakaran are planning to come back to the AIADMK fold and had a meeting with O. Panneerselvam after his wife Vijayalakshmi passed away in Chennai.

While Sasikala held the hands of Panneerselvam under full media glare, Dhinakaran attended the funeral of Vijayalakshmi at the ancestral residence of former Chief Minister Panneerselvam at Theni.

There were speculation that Sasikala had entered into a cordial relationship with Panneerselvam at the behest of the powerful Thevar community to which both the leaders belong.
Jaipur, Sep 8 : Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari will on Thursday inaugurate an emergency landing field for Indian Air Force planes, which has been developed on National Highway-925 at the Gandhav Bhakasa section of Barmer in Rajasthan.

Once functional, it will be the first occasion when a National Highway of the country will be used as an emergency landing field.

Situated near the India-Pakistan border, this strip has been developed under the Bharatmala Project in Barmer district, some 40 km from Pakistan.

This project will improve the connectivity between the border villages of Barmer and Jalore districts.

Located near the western borders of the country, the emergency air field will help increase the vigilance capacity of the Indian Army, besides strengthen the infrastructure of the region.

Apart from this emergency landing field, three helipads of size 100X30 mt have also been made set up in Kundanpura, Singhania and Bhakhasar villages keeping in mind the requirements of the Air Force/Army.

The emergency landing field has been developed for the Air Force's emergency use. It is 3-km long and 33-metre wide. Parking facilities have been created on both sides to ensure that planes can be stationed there.

The construction work had started in July 2019 and it was completed in January 2021.

Under the supervision of the Indian Air Force and the NHAI, the construction work was carried out by M/s GHV India Pvt Ltd.

In normal days, the field will be used for uninterrupted traffic, but when Air Force would require it for its activities, the service road will be used by only by it.

The service road will also allow smooth movement of traffic. All types of aircraft of the Indian Air Force will be able to land on this landing strip.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Looking into the caste composition in five poll-bound states, the BJP has appointed its election in-charge and co-incharges with an eye on proper representation of important and decisive segments of the population.

The BJP on Wednesday appointed election in-charges and co-incharges for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa, and Punjab, where Assembly polls will be held early next year.

A party leader said that all the appointments for the high-stake Uttar Pradesh poll aimed at giving representation to all important, dominant, and decisive castes and communities.

"These appointments will send a strong message among the electorate that the BJP is party of every caste and communities like Other Backward Classes (OBC) and all - Yadavs, upper castes and Dalits - get a key role in decision and strategy making," he said.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is the poll in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, where OBCs constitutes over 50 per cent of the total electorate, and non-Yadavs make around 35 per cent of this.

A senior party functionary said that Pradhan and co-incharge Annapurna Devi, a Yadav leader from Jharkhand, will help the BJP in consolidating OBC votes.

Pradhan will be assisted by six other co-incharges - Union Ministers Anurag Thakur (Kshatriya), Arjun Ram Meghwal (Dalit), Shobha Karandlaje (a prominent face of upper caste Vokkaligas in Karnataka), Rajya Sabha members Saroj Pandey (Brahmin) and Vivek Thakur (Bhumihar), and former Haryana minister Captain Abhimanyu (Jat).

Another BJP leader claimed that apart from caste equation, all the leaders are young and help the BJP to establish a connect with youth voters in the state.

In Punjab, the BJP has appointed Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Kshatriya) as election in-charge, with Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri (Sikh) and Meenakshi Lekhi (Punjabi), and Gujarat MP Vinod Chavda as co-incharges.

In Goa, the BJP tried to strike a balance with sizable Marathi voters by appointing former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He will be assisted by Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Darshana Jardosh.

In Uttarakhand, BJP has appointed Union Minister Pralhad Joshi (Brahmin) as election in-charge. He will be assisted by Lok Sabha member Locket Chaterjee, another Brahmin leader, and national spokesperson R.P. Singh (Sikh). Brahmin are the second most dominant caste in Uttarakhand after Thakurs, while Sikhs comprise a sizable number in some pockets.

In Manipur, election in-charge Union Minister Bhupender Yadav will be assisted by Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik and Assam Minister Ashok Singhal. "Bhoumik and Singhal represent the Tripura and Assam and they will help the party establish a link with the voters in Manipur," a party insider said.

(Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in)
Kolkata, Sep 8 : Lashing out at the BJP in her first election campaign for the bypolls to the Bhowanipur Assembly constituency where she is a candidate, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that the saffron brigade is using the central agencies to thwart the voices of the opposition.

She also told the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo that this might work well against other political parties, but it will not have any effect on Trinamool Congress.

Speaking at a party workers' meet in Chetla in south Kolkata, Banerjee said, "They have interrogated Abhishek Banerjee (Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Mamata Banerjee's nephew) for nine hours and again they are asking him to come. Is it possible to go to Delhi every day? Why did they shift the case from Kolkata?" "Nothing has been found against him, but he will have to go and prove that he is a thief," Banerjee said, adding: "Now they have summoned Partha Chatterjee. Whenever an election is announced, the central agencies start to dance. I don't blame them because they are also under pressure and the pressure is from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah." On Wednesday, state Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee was asked to appear before the CBI in connection with the I-Core chit fund scam. He has been asked to appear before the CBI on September 13.

Banerjee echoed Abhishek Banerjee when she said, "They can silence the Congress with agencies' fear. They can silence Mulayum Singh jadav, Akhilesh Jadav and Sharad Pawar in the same way, but they cannot stop us. We will fight till the end." It should be mentioned here that after being interrogated by the ED in connection with a money laundering case related to the coal scam in New Delhi for nine hours, Abhishek Banerjee had said, "I shall die but I shall not bow my head. They can stop the Congress but they can stop us. We will go to all the places where democracy is being killed." Speaking on the Nandigram election where she was defeated by the Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, the Chief Minister said, "I was defeated in Nandigram, but I have filed a case and if there is nothing in the case, it would not have been admitted by the court." Banerjee needs to win the bypoll from Bhowanipur to continue as the Chief Minister of Bengal.

"A lot of things happened in Nandigram. The VVPATs were not counted. Lots of machines were broken. I had to campaign with an injured leg. There were lots of conspiracies that were hatched against me. The case is sub-judice and so I shall not say much," she said.

"We only know how we fought against all the odds to win the Assembly polls. The BJP brought in goons from other states during the Assembly elections. I have to contest this bypoll as a conspiracy was hatched against me (in Nandigram)," she added.
Jaipur, Sep 8 : The Rajasthan Home Department on Wednesday issued fresh orders continuing the ban on any kind of gatherings - social, political, sports, cultural, or religious - as well as fairs and 'haats' to check the spread of coronavirus infection in the state.

Principal Secretary, Home, Abhay Kumar, in a letter to all District Collectors, Police Commissioners/Superintendents of Police, cited the order issued on July 10, which said that "corona infection is not completely over yet. Negligence in following the Corona guidelines can become the reason for the third wave".

Keeping this in mind, the ban on crowds/programme continues. Dharnas, processions, rallies etc should not be organised, he said.

Instructions have been given to all the Collectors and the Police Commissioners to strictly follow the "no mask, no movement" guidelines. If the norms of Covid appropriate behaviour are not followed by any establishment, market, or general public, then action should be taken against them by the administration, the letter said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Agartala, Sep 8 : At least eight party offices of the main opposition CPI-M in Tripura were either burnt down or damaged while many vehicles and other assets were smashed on Wednesday in Agartala and three other districts of the state, the police and party sources said.

The leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), including the party's politburo member and former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, said that the ruling party workers led by the BJP leaders were responsible for the attacks on the party offices in Agartala, southern Tripura's Udaipur, Santir Bazar, Western Tripura's Dukli, and at Boxanagar, Bishalgarh and Khatalia in Sepehijala district.

The BJP leaders, however, have denied the allegations.

Trpiura Left Front convener Bijan Dhar said that the CPI-M's district office in Bishalgarh was first damaged by a bulldozer and then set on fire, reducing most of the assets and papers to ashes.

He also said that six vehicles and more than a dozen two-wheelers were burnt down in Agartala and other places of the state.

"Ministers, the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly and senior BJP leaders have been urging their party workers and members to continue attacks on the opposition party members and their offices," Dhar told the media.

He also said that a large number of party workers, including leaders Nani Paul and Partha Pratim Majumder, were seriously injured in the series of attacks on Wednesday.

Dhar, a CPI-M central committee member, said that the "BJP goons" have damaged the statue and photographs of former Chief Minister Dasaratha Deb and other late party leaders in the party offices.

The Left leader said that the "BJP backed goons and their workers" also attacked the office of the party's mouthpiece "Daily Desher Katha".

Sarkar, who was the Chief Minister for 20 years (1998-2018), said that during the arsoning and unprecedented attacks on CPI-M party offices in different parts of Tripura, he spoke to the Chief Secretary, Kumar Alok, and senior police officials, requesting them to stop these pre-planned political violence.

"The police in most places remained mute spectators as the BJP men unleashed reign of terror almost simultaneously at 8 to 10 places," he told the media.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that Sarkar himself has been instigating violence in different parts of Tripura to create lawlessness in the peaceful state.

"On Monday (Sept 6), Sarkar, while visiting his Assembly constituency in Dhanpur, provoked the CPI-M workers to unleash attacks on the BJP workers. People of the state do not want to repeat the political violence that was a regular feature during the 25 years of CPI-M rule.

"Today (Wednesday), when the BJP members and leaders were holding rallies in Agartala and in other parts of the state, stones were hurled on them by the CPI-M workers," Bhattacharjee claimed.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Moradabad cities together contain more than 2,000 ha of planned open spaces, which provide an opportunity to harvest over 2,600 million litres of storm water annually, according to a report from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

"This opportunity must not be missed any more. If not harnessed, it may lead to incidences of localised urban flooding. This potential can be realized by allocating only 1-3 per cent of the area of these parks to storm water harvesting structures based on Water-Sensitive Design and Planning (WSUDP) principles," the report recommended, according to a CSE release on Wednesday.

The report 'Roadmap for Implementation of Water-Sensitive Design and Planning in Uttar Pradesh: Storm Water Harvesting in Parks and Open Spaces' was released at an online event titled 'Water-sensitive Urban Design and Planning: Approach, Challenges and Potential'. The CSE prepared the report in partnership with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Jal Shakti Ministry.

NMCG Director General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, shared how Namami Gange mission has evolved from a river-cleaning project to a holistic river rejuvenation mission. "Water sensitive urban design and planning is one of the key focus areas of the Namami Gange mission. The NMCG, in association with other stakeholders, has released a 'River sensitive master plan' and 'Guidelines to protect urban wetlands," he said.

He also pointed out that it is time to remind urban city planners and managers that if the city has to survive and thrive, they need to focus on urban water bodies.

"Urbanisation is not watertight - rather, it is a diffused process and hence it is necessary to have a composite approach of centralised and decentralised strategies and a mix of options. The learning from Namami Gange initiatives is applicable in other river basins as well," he said.

Senior Director, Urban Water programme, CSE, Suresh Kumar Rohilla spoke about the key issues and challenges in the Ganga basin. "The urban built-up area has increased by approximately 44 per cent between now and 2005-06. This has widened the water demand-supply gap, leading to overexploitation of river stretches and aquifers and deterioration and encroachment of urban lakes and ponds. In such a scenario, cities need a water-sensitive approach." The report provides a brief overview of the Ganga basin with respect to urban water management, focusing on the five cities which are located on the banks of the Ganga and its tributaries.

"The cities face complex issues related to urban flooding, over-exploited groundwater resources and encroachment of water bodies. They are also part of the national flagship programmes of AMRUT and Smart Cities, which provide an opportunity to mainstream WSUDP in these cities," it said.

The report advocates the application of storm water harvesting in parks and open spaces to tackle urban flooding issues and augment the groundwater resources of these cities. An estimated 2,624 million litres of storm water can be harvested from parks and open spaces in these five cities, which is a missed opportunity and ends up as a liability for the city causing urban flooding, it said.
Bengaluru, Sep 8 : Hundreds of students from Afghanistan staged a protest against Pakistan near Town Hall on Wednesday, raised slogans against it for helping the Taliban to capture Panjshir province.

One of the protesters, Ferat Ahmad Noori said that the protest is being organised against Pakistan for supporting the Taliban which includes designated terrorists.

"Pakistan has bombed Panjshir province only to help Taliban terrorists. The protests are happening across the world including Germany and Iran. We want the world to know about Taliban, about Pakistan. They are killing women, children and people. It's not human," said Masood.

Another protester said: "Our cousins are in Panjshir, they are fighting. People from Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif came to fight against the Taliban. Now, Pakistan bombs the province. They don't have food, the Taliban will kill everyone." "Our President did not allow the army and mujahidin to put up a fight. Mujahidin are for a democratic setup. They want the government to run the country. They confronted the Taliban. Now, fighters are trying to get away from the clutches of the Taliban by escaping to Iran and other countries. It is difficult to say, whether our families will be alive," he added.
Kolkata, Sep 8 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a report from the West Bengal government after the BJP submitted a written complaint alleging that the dole of Rs 50,000 announced for each of the 36,000 puja committees in the state is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct in place for the bypolls to three Assembly constituencies in the state.

The state Home Department has been asked to submit a detailed report in the matter.

Though the state government, which has already sent its reply to the poll panel, is tight-lipped, senior officials are of the opinion that the state government has not violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Highly-placed sources in the Home Department said that the announcement was made by the Chief Secretary, and not Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is contesting the bypolls from the Bhowanipur Assembly constituency in Kolkata.

"According to the rules laid down by the Commission, in case of by-election, if a constituency is in a metropolitan city, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will be in force in that constituency, and in case the constituency is in a district, then the MCC will be in force in the entire district. Following this rule, the MCC will be in force only in the Bhowanipur constituency in Kolkata and in the entire Murshidabad district as Samaserganj and Jangipur fall under that district," a senior official of the Home Department said.

"During Banerjee's meeting with the puja committees on Tuesday, no organiser from Bhowanipur or Murshidabad was invited. So, the question of giving money to them doesn't arise," the official said.

The state government officials, however, said that the Commission wants a detailed report on the basis of the complaint lodged by the BJP, but there is no mention of any kind of financial ex-gratia in the letter.

The controversy broke out after Chief Secretary H.K. Diwedi on Tuesday made an announcement that the state government will give ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to all the 36,000 puja committees of the state.

This is not new as last year also Banerjee had decided to give money to the puja organisers because of lack of sponsors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year the announcement was made by the Chief Secretary after the Chief Minister held a meeting with the puja committee members.

Immediately after the announcement, the BJP in a letter to the Election Commission said that as many as 2,500 puja committees in Kolkata alone will receive the dole, which makes it clear that the goal is to appease the puja committees in the city as they play a big role in the polls.
New Delhi, Sep 8: UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality, has criticised the Talibans decision to drop the Ministry for Women from among the institutions of government in Afghanistan.

"I am disappointed by the apparent decision to no longer include a Ministry for Women among the institutions of government. Such ministries are found around the world and reflect governments' commitment to ensure respect for women's human rights. To no longer have such a ministry in Afghanistan is a further step backwards," Pramila Patten, the acting head of UN Women, said in a statement.

"I reaffirm my call on the Taliban leadership to fully comply with its legally binding obligations under international treaties to which Afghanistan is party as well as with relevant constitutional provisions," Patten said.

These demand unambiguously the guarantee of equality for all citizens, including the full participation of women in political and decision-making processes. The international community has been clear and will continue to be so: women's rights, including the right to full and meaningful participation in public and political life, are non-optional, non-negotiable human rights, the statement adds.

"The world's gaze rests firmly upon Afghanistan. The course currently set by the Taliban authorities for women's human rights must change immediately if the growing fears of the international community are to be addressed and the future of women and girls assured," Patten said.

Taliban leaders have stated that women will play a prominent role in society in Afghanistan and have access to education. But they have not been involved in talks over forming a government. In recent weeks, the Taliban has signaled women should stay at home, and, in some instances, militants have ordered women to leave their workplaces.

There was no mention of a ministry for women in Tuesday's announcement, and the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Muhajid merely said that the Taliban would be dealing with that issue.

Patten also expressed "serious concern" over the use of force by authorities in Kabul against peaceful protestors, mostly women, who were demanding the equal enjoyment of their rights.

In response to questions about the Taliban's crackdown on protesters, Zabihullah said that illegal demonstrations would not be allowed.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Patna, Sep 8 : A day after being disqualified from contesting for the post of village head (Mukhiya), a man in Bihar's Gaya tied the knot with his girl friend on Wednesday, and will field his newly-wedded wife in the election.

Aditya Kumar alias Rahul Kumar filed his nomination for the post of village head of Horma panchayat under Khijsarai block, but the returning officer disqualified him due to discrepancies in his caste certificate.

He belongs to the Dangi caste but it was not mentioned in the caste certificate.

"The Election Commissioner has turned down my nomination paper as the caste certificate I have submitted had a mismatch with the other papers. In the caste certificate, only Aditya Kumar is mentioned. As the Horma panchayat is reserved, I was disqualified for contesting the election," he said.

"As I was preparing for a long time to contest this election, I decided to marry my girl friend who is having a caste certificate. Now, she will contest the election for the panchayat head," he said.

The marriage function was held in a temple in Khijsarai block, with both families present, and a band also present.

The bride, Sarita Kumari, a resident of adjoining Naudiha village, will file the nomination on Thursday.
Karnal, Sep 8 : Amid the ongoing stand-off between the Karnal district administration and the protesting farmers over the lathicharge on the latter on August 28, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Karnal, Nishant Yadav, said on Wednesday that demanding action against a government official without any inquiry into the matter 'is not fair'.

Yadav's comments came after the meeting between the district administration and the protesting farmers ended inconclusively for a second straight day on Wednesday.

He was referring to the farmers' demand to suspend SDM Ayush Sinha, who was allegedly caught on camera instructing the police to beat up the farmers during their protest on August 28.

The meeting between the farmers' delegation and the district administration on Wednesday lasted for around five hours, but ended without any breakthrough.

A delegation of 13 farmer leaders led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait stood firm on its demand to take action against the SDM and conduct an independent inquiry into the matter, whereas the administration said that taking action against government officials will not be possible without a proper probe.

"Today's meeting was inconclusive. Another round of meeting will take place in the coming days. It is not necessary that every meeting would be conclusive. They have agreed on some points, but have disagreed on many," Yadav said.

He said the farmers have been permitted to continue their protest peacefully without disrupting the functioning of the mini secretariat.

"The farmer leaders have assured us that they will not create any hurdle in the functioning of the administration. The barricades put up on the main road connecting the mini secretariat will be removed. But no one will be allowed to enter the secretariat," Yadav added.

Meanwhile, the farmer leaders said that their protest will continue until their demands are met.

"Our peaceful protest will continue here in Karnal until the government takes action against the IAS officer. However, the administration will be allowed to function as usual so that the people don't get affected," Tikait said after the meeting.

He said the farmers' unions will hold a meeting after a day or two to decide the future strategies.

"We have clearly told the administration that invite us (farmers) for a meeting only when if you have got instruction from the higher authority to take action against SDM, otherwise don't call us for any meeting," Tikait added.

The protest that began near the Anaj Mandi on Tuesday has now shifted to the mini secretariat in Karnal.

Gangaram Punia, Superintendent of Police (SP), Karnal, who was also present in the meeting, said, "We are trying to communicate with the farmers as much as possible. We are hopeful that a fruitful decision will be taken soon." "Around 30 units of police and central forces have been deployed here to ensure security of the farmers. If needed, more force will be deployed. So far, the protest has been peaceful," Punia added.
New Delhi, Sep 8 : The last Indian/Asiatic cheetah was killed in 1947 in the jungles of central India. Now, with the country celebrating the 75th year of its Independence, the countdown has begun for the African cheetah to be introduced in Madhya Pradesh.

Experts believe this is possibly the first time that such a large carnivore is to be sent from one continent to another. After scouting for six sites across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, an experts' committee had zeroed in on Kuno National Park, proposed for relocation of the Asiatic lions that shares similar habitat as cheetahs.

This has been a much discussed project of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It was in January 2020 that the Supreme Court, while responding to an application by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), given "permission to reintroduce cheetahs from Africa to suitable sites in India." Several meetings and field visits later, a team is now ready to visit Namibia very soon but the dates are yet to be finalised. The team will visit the southern African country for an assessment and then, a decision about exactly how and when the cheetahs can be brought here will be finalised.

The Ministry's ADG, Wildlife, Dr Soumitra Dasgupta told IANS: "We are targeting 8-10 cheetahs. There would be more females." Cheetahs share the territorial areas with tigers and like it, needs herbivore and large inviolate areas, and for the herbivores, there need to be ample grasslands.

"As and when the cheetahs arrive, it will be a soft release first. Only later, other batches would arrive," he said, adding that it will happen soon.

The whole process from the team's visit to Africa to the cheetahs actually reaching India may take four to six months, a top Ministry official said.
Agartala, Sep 8 : In unprecedented violence, the office of a leading Tripura newspaper here was attacked and vandalised on Wednesday, with many computers and other assets damaged and several vehicles, parked in front of the office, set on fire.

At least four journalists of the local daily "Pratibadi Kalam", were also injured in the attack, the media outlet said.

Editor and Publisher Anal Roy Chowdhury, in the FIR, alleged after a BJP rally, workers of the ruling party attacked and ransacked his office, and burnt the cars and two-wheelers parked in front of it.

"At least four journalists were injured in the attack. All papers and documents, computers, and CCTV cameras were destroyed while a huge contingent of police remained silent spectators and did nothing. The goons were armed with lathis and sharp-edged deadly weapons and one of our journalists, namely Prasenjit Saha, was hit on the back of his head by a sharp-edged weapon and injured seriously," the FIR said.

Roy Chowdhury told the media that such a dangerous violent attack on a media office never happened in Tripura in the past.

Many media organisations and senior journalists, including Agartala Press Club Secretary Pranab Sarkar, visited the newspaper office and vehemently condemned the attack and demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.

"If the police did not arrest the attackers within 12 hours, we would launch massive agitations to get justice. Government must compensate for the damages done by the attackers," Sarkar told the media after meeting police officials.
Ranchi, Sep 8 : Several BJP workers, including its Jharkhand unit chief Deepak Prakash, reportedly sustained injuries after the police resorted to lathicharge while they were protesting against a move to allocate a special room for offering Namaz inside the state Assembly, her on Wednesday.

On Monday, BJP legislators had chanted 'Jai Sri Ram', 'Har Har Mahadev' inside the Jharkhand Assembly to protest against the allocation of a room by the Speaker for offering Namaz during the Assembly session.

"Many BJP workers sustained injuries in the police lathicharge, including innocent party workers and women," BJP legislstive party leader Babulal Marandi told the mdia on Wednesday.

The BJP on Wednesday gheroed the state Assembly premises to protest against the notification to allocate a separate room for offering Namaz inside the Assembly campus.

Hundreds of BJP workers gathered at the Assembly to express their displeasure with the Speaker's decision. Some BJP workers even tried to break the barricades put by the police to prevent them from entering the Assembly premises.

The police used water canons before resorting to lathicharge. BJP Jharkhand President Deepak Prakash reportedly sustained injuries on his arm.

Marandi claimed that attempts were also made to attack him, but the jawans deputed for his safety saved him. He alleged that the Hemant Soren government in the state wants to suppress all dissenting voices.

He said the allocation of a room for a particular community in the Assembly is not correct and the party will oppose all such acts of appeasement.

The BJP workers who sustained injuries in the incident were admitted to a hospital in Dhurwa.
Karnal : , Sep 8 (IANS) The agitating farmers at the mini-secretariat in Karnal seem to be digging in as they have started converting their temporary camps into a 'Pucca Morcha' (permanent protest) after the administration refused to accept any of their demands.

Showing solidarity, several organisations have started 'Langar Seva' at the protest sites to help the farmers, while local residents are also contributing their bit. A makeshift dispensary with first aid services and one ambulance have also come up at the protest site.

"We have come here with a team of four doctors to take care of the farmers' medical requirements. We are setting up four makeshift dispensaries here," Swasima Singh from the Five Rivers Heart Asociation told IANS.

The Municipality Corparation has set up four movable toilets at the site, while eight water tankers and a total of 42 cleaners have also been deployed.

Meanwhile, more farmers are coming to the site to join the agitation. Despite the agitating farmers having to spend their night on carpets, they are happy as the union leadership has decided to continue the protest.

The protesters also include a good number of women participants, who are raising slogans against the administration.

Meanwhile, the farmers' unions will meet at the Shahjahanpur border on September 10 to chalk out the future course of action. The meet will see the participation of farmers spanning state lines.
New Delhi, Sep 9 : Amid ongoing Naga peace process, the Centre and the Niki Sumi-led group of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) on Wednesday signed a ceasefire agreement for one year, till September 7, 2022.

The agreement was signed between the representatives of the NSCN-K Niki group and the Additional Secretary, Home Affairs.

With this agreement, more than 200 cadres of this group joined the peace process.

"The ceasefire will be applicable for the period of one year with effect from September 8, 2021,to September 7, 2022. The ceasefire will be subject to adherence to the Ceasefire Ground Rules to be mutually agreed and signed by the two sides. The Ceasefire Ground Rules will be subject to to mutual review and amendment with the involvement of the both parties," the agreement reads.

The Home Ministry has already signed a 'Framework Agreement' with the NSCN-IM and ceasefire agreements with other Naga groups, namely, NSCN-NK, NSCN-R, and NSCN-K-Khango are already in place.

It had also signed an agreement with Tripura's National Liberation Front of Twipra-SD in August 2019, by which its 88 cadres along with 44 weapons joined the mainstream in Tripura.

The Ministry had signed a Bodo Agreement in January 2020, under which more than 2,250 cadres of insurgent groups, including all factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), along with 423 weapons and huge quantity of ammunition, surrendered in Assam and joined the mainstream.

The NDFB was an armed separatist outfit which sought to obtain a sovereign Boroland for the Bodo people, and was designated as a terrorist organisation by the government.

Similarly on February 23 this year, the Union Home Ministry also signed a peace agreement with Karbi groups and a total of 1,040 leaders and cadres of various underground Karbi groups of Assam surrendered along with 338 weapons.

On September 4, it signed a tripartite 'Karbi Peace Accord' here in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives of the six Karbi outfits, bringing an end to the decade-long agitation and unrest in Assam.
Bengaluru, Sep 9 : Karnataka attracted the country's maximum share of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the April-June quarter, Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani said on Wednesday.

"Karnataka attracted Rs 62,085 crore investments in the April-June fiscal and became a top recipient with 48 per cent share of total FDI in India.

"Our state had attracted Rs 30,746 crore FDI in 2019-20 and stood at the third spot and in 2020-21, we maintained the third spot by attracting Rs 56,884 crore," he said.

Lauding the Karnataka Udyoga Mitra (single window agency for investments) for emerging as the country's top Investment Promotion Agency, Nirani said its ranking was a matter of pride for the state.

He said the agency's role was crucial in ensuring an investor-friendly atmosphere.

"Udyoga Mitra scored full points in winning investment projects, facilitating investment projects, aftercare, and managing website. Its role in providing clear information to investors like opportunities, procedures and necessary facilities was very crucial. We have removed hurdles for investors by easing many policies and provided necessary assistance to start industries," Nirani added.

Briefing on the government's reforms to help industrialists, the minister said the government is aiming to score 100 points on all the parameters in the coming days.
Gurugram, Sep 9 : Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij held a meeting with the senior police officials of the Gurugram police on Wednesday.

During the three-hour meeting, Vij obtained the area-wise law and order information from the concerned area Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCPs) of the Gurugram police.

The minister especially sought reports about the status of the heinous crime. Each DCP was asked how many cases of heinous crimes are pending in his area and the reasons behind them.

During the meeting, Vij directed all the DCPs that they must visit at least one police station in a week and also make an entry in the register there. Apart from this, he ordered the police officers to hold Janata Darbar in their office every day from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. He also said that a committee of Eminent Persons should be formed at every DCP level in their concern areas to get public feedback.

He directed the officials that everything should be on record and immediately register the complaint on which case can be registered and also inform the complainant about the case rejections.

Vij also took stock of the traffic system in Gurugram and said that the places with traffic jams should be identified and planned. While discussing cybercrime, he said that every district of the state should have a cyber police station.

ACP Karan Goel, who is looking after the Cyber Crime Cell in Gurugram, told the Home Minister that 54 employees are working in this cell, out of which 27 are working as investigating officers. All of them have received training in cybercrime control in Madhuban. Not only this, in more complicated cases, private experts are also hired after taking permission from the Police Commissioner.

The ACP informed that since the opening of the Cyber Police station in Gurugram around 16,500 complaints have been received so far, out of which about 12,500 have been resolved. He also informed that due to the settlement of these cybercrime incidents, an amount of Rs 1.80 crore has also been returned to the complainants.

During the meeting, Gurugram Police Commissioner K.K. Rao had also apprised the Home Minister that there are 8,221 sanctioned posts in Gurugram district, out of which 5,850 are filled and still 2,370 posts are vacant.

Vij also said that the police stations should have thein building and there should be e good arrangement for the personal. In Gurugram, orders were given to the Commissioner of Police to identify the place for construction of buildings of police stations running in rented buildings and send proposals to the government.

While sharing information about the traffic in Gurugram, DCP Traffic Ravinder Tomar said that postal challans are being sent to the violators via postal challan So far in this year, 2,587 challans sent.

Police Commissioner KK Rao also informed the minister that the work of renewing the arms license has been streamlined.

"15 days before the date of renewal, the person concerned is informed by sending an SMS. After that the message is sent again a day before and even after renewal, the applicant is being informed," he informed the minister.
Manila, Sep 9 : The Philippines has opened its doors to Afghan refugees, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on Wednesday night.

"We stay steady where others waver: tonight we welcome Afghan nationals including women and kids seeking refuge," Locsin said on Twitter. "Our doors are open to those fleeing conflict, persecution, sexual abuse and death." Locsin said that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will issue a statement on the matter, stressing "we're not interested in publicity or thanks," the Xinhua news agency reported.

The Philippines has started moving out its citizens from Afghanistan as the Taliban gained control of the country last month with the US withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan on August 30.

The DFA issued an alert level 4 for Afghanistan "due to the uncertain security situation in the country."
Moscow, Sep 9 : Russian President Vladimir Putin and European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday expressed readiness for cooperation to stabilise the situation in Afghanistan and avoid the risk of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.

Putin and Michel held a telephone conversation to discuss in detail the situation in Afghanistan, the Kremlin said in a press release.

It said both parties stressed the importance of maintaining peace, preventing violence, and launching a practical intra-Afghan dialogue to guarantee the country's integrity, with due consideration for the interests of all groups in the country, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has not yet planned to hold talks with the newly formed Afghan government but will establish contacts through its embassy in Kabul and continue to monitor the situation.
With the addition of 3D Maps to Pynwheel Maps, prospects will have the ability to rotate the map in any direction in a 3D environment to see different perspectives of unit locations, amenities, and common areas.

Pynwheel, Inc. has announced a new 3D Map update to their interactive property map solution, Pynwheel Maps. Pynwheel interactive website maps allow prospects to find their future home in a community by providing them with details and images about available apartment units and amenities which will be further enhanced by the addition of 3D Maps. Visitors to the Pynwheel exhibit at last weeks Apartmentalize conference in Chicago, IL were the first in the industry to see the new feature in action.

The addition of 3D Maps to Pynwheel Maps allows prospective residents to see 3D renderings of properties built before their eyes on an area map. Prospects will have the ability to rotate the map in any direction in a 3D environment to see different perspectives of unit locations, amenities, and common areas. The detailed nature of the 3D Maps will provide Pynwheel Maps users with an even more dynamic user experience.

I am so pleased that Pynwheel had the opportunity to partner with our friends at Beans.ai to bring this new 3D Map feature to Pynwheel Maps, says Jennifer Cyphers, Founder and CEO of Pynwheel. With this new tool, we can easily create a 3D experience for a high volume of property maps on the fly. As most prospects begin their apartment search online, having a tool like Pynwheel Maps with such robust features will be a huge benefit to properties and prospects alike.

Pynwheel Maps was originally created alongside of Pynwheels sales & leasing touchscreen, which was re-released in 2016. Pynwheel Maps was also integrated into the companys self-guided tour solution in 2019, Pynwheel Self Tour. As a large component of both tour technology products, clients receive a free Pynwheel Map with the purchase of either Pynwheel Touch or Pynwheel Self Tour. Pynwheel Maps can also be purchased as its own standalone product.

For additional information, visit http://www.pynwheel.com or e-mail info@pynwheel.com.

About Pynwheel

Pynwheel is a privately-held marketing technology company in Denver, Colorado founded in April 2012 by Jennifer Cyphers, former Co-Owner, Sole Managing Member, and President of Engrain (fka Multifamily Edge) and Director of ApartmentGuide.com at PRIMEDIA. Pynwheel designs interactive applications for the multifamily housing industry. Pynwheel innovation makes leasing easier for hundreds of apartment communities across the United States. For more information, visit pynwheel.com or follow Pynwheel on Facebook, LinkedIn, or @Pynwheel on Instagram and Twitter.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT:

303.640.3652 Ext. 119

mailto:media@pynwheel.com [media@pynwheel.com __title__ null]
Commodity Technology Advisory LLC (ComTech Advisory), the leading analyst firm covering energy and commodity trading and risk management (E/CTRM) and related technologies, announces the release of the 2021 SourceBook of CTRM and Commodity Management Suppliers and Software (CTRM SourceBook). With a record number of vendors included in this latest edition, the CTRM SourceBook remains the most informative, yet easy to use report of its kind.

Featuring coverage of 57 software products from 42 different vendors, the CTRM Sourcebook series continues to be the primary resource tool for companies who are planning or are actively seeking a software solution to capture and manage their commodity trading and risk management activities. Designed to be information rich, yet highly usable, it includes extensive information on the vast majority of full-scale, multi-market CTRM products, and many of the commodity/region/market-specific solutions currently available around the globe. Each individual product listing provides guidance on geographic & industry segment coverage, a detailed matrix of functionality by commodity, a company and product-line description, and contact information for each vendor.

According to Patrick Reames, Managing Partner of Commodity Technology Advisory, The complexities and unique characteristics of the various commodity markets around the globe can make finding a best fit solution difficult for companies seeking new CTRM software. The CTRM SourceBook has been designed to enable buyers to find those products that are best able to address their unique needs regardless of where and how they operate, or in which commodities they transact.

The CTRM SourceBook from Commodity Technology Advisory, LLC has become the leading tool for those seeking to procure CTRM and related software, said Dr. Gary. Vasey, Managing Partner. It is easy to use, informative at a reasonable level of detail and the ideal tool for long-list generation.

The 2021 CTRM Sourcebook is now available for free download from the http://www.CTRMCenter.com and http://www.ComTechAdvisory.com websites.

About Commodity Technology Advisory

Commodity Technology Advisory (ComTech Advisory) is the leading analyst organization covering the Energy and Commodity Trading and Risk Management (E/CTRM) technology markets. Led by Patrick Reames and Dr. Gary M. Vasey, ComTech Advisory provides invaluable insights, backed by primary research and decades of experience, into the issues and trends affecting both the users and providers of the applications and services that are crucial for success in markets constantly roiled by globalization, regulation and innovation. For more information, visit http://www.comtechadvisory.com
The jobs of tomorrow may require a different skillset, and its easier to get ahead of it than be left behind. - Express CEO Bill Stoller

A majority of companies (72%) would rather take the time to reskill current employees for production needs than hire new ones from outside the organization.

This is according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Three-in-five hiring decision-makers (60%) say their companies plan to reskill employees by the end of 2021 with larger companies the most likely to offer reskilling opportunities: 2-9 employees: 26%, 10-49: 45%, 50-99: 63%, 100-499: 76%, 500+: 79%.

Among businesses planning to reskill employees, they most commonly plan to do this by offering company-led training sessions or programs (67%), partnering with a third-party that offers training or courses (51%) and providing on-the-job training by other employees (50%).

Greg Sulentic, Express franchise owner in Lincoln, Nebraska, says every staff decision is based on employee productivity and development, which is why he prefers to reskill his employees.

Reskilling leads to improved longevity because it adds a pathway of growth for the employee, he said. Current employees are a better bet to stay with the company because they are already used to the environment and office culture. No matter how careful we are in adding new employees, its still a gamble as to whether they are going to be the right fit.

All industries in Sulentics local market are reskilling employees, including one large client who has started paring unskilled workers with a skilled buddy so they can train to be forklift operators or welders. This happens early in the employment process, allowing the re-skill process to also be a recruiting tool for unskilled employees.

By utilizing other employees for on-the-job training, the company can get immediate productivity from the newly hired employee, he said. They also have the experienced, skilled employee provide full-shift support to the new employees that are being trained. This is an approach that creates faster, less expensive ways to move unskilled employees to a skilled position.

With all the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought for businesses, Jon Noceda, Express franchise owner in Chula Vista, California, believes he would also prefer to reskill employees instead of hiring new talentto an extent.

As the market changes, the available positions change, too, he said. One example is the evolution of remote work where computer and communication skills are more important than ever.

While Sulentic has seen the success of on-the-job training to gain skills, Noceda believes an outside expert is the best choice.

Partnering with a third-party entity that offers training or courses saves companies time because those groups are experts in providing continuing education and development, he said.

In a rapidly evolving workforce, businesses can see the benefits of reskilling, but this is not limited to only the top brass.

Employees should take the initiative to reskill or upskill on their own, as well, to maximize their career potential, Express CEO Bill Stoller said. The jobs of tomorrow may require a different skillset, and its easier to get ahead of it than be left behind.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between March 23 and April 12, 2021, among 1,001 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data was weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing company has more than 830 franchises in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since inception, Express has put more than 9 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit http://www.ExpressPros.com.
"Even without prior, or deep AI knowledge or expertise, users can develop an edge AI POC with the ready-to-use plugins and reference codes using the drag-and-drop GUI, which ultimately speeds up deployment and time to market.

Summary:



ADLINKs EVA SDK is an artificial intelligence edge visual analysis software platform that supports AI models optimized by TensorRT, OpenVINO, and ONNX runtime, enabling AI developers, AI software companies, and in-house system integrators (SI) to develop an AI vision POC in two weeks

Software platform is pre-installed on ADLINK AI vision hardware, making it easier to develop edge AI vision applications with intuitive GUI and ready-to-use plugins, allowing users to focus on AI model training and integration

EVA SDK is a one-API framework that supports open-source plugins, including image capture and pre-processing, AI inference, post-processing, and analytics, at each stage of an AI vision project lifecycle

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, today released EVA SDK, an edge vision analytics software that lets users build a POC for AI-enabled machine vision solutions within two weeks. EVA SDK includes a no-code graphical user interface (GUI) and support for 10+ types of cameras, field-ready plugins, ONNX runtime, TensorRT and OpenVINO for fast AI inference validation. EVA SDKs integrated development environment (IDE) is currently built into ADLINK's NEON series AI smart cameras and EOS series AI vision systems for AI-enabled machine vision project development.

EVA SDK is a one-API framework that lets users build edge AI vision applications with low coding efforts, said Chia-Wei Yang, Head of Edge Vision Business Center, ADLINK. Even without prior, or deep AI knowledge or expertise, users can develop an edge AI POC with the ready-to-use plugins and reference codes using the drag-and-drop GUI, which ultimately speeds up deployment and time to market.

Benefits of EVA SDK:



Allows developers to select from more than 10 cameras, with no effort required to learn camera APIs

Simplifies integration with drag-and-drop GUI, allowing easy switching of image sources, image processing adjustment, and AI models, shortening the development time

Supports review function of each step from image capturing, image pre-processing to AI inference, so that users can easily verify and debug if necessary, shorting the time to deployment

Guarantees the quality of edge AI vision solutions with ADLINK-verified open-source plugins

Enables flexible, optimized configuration for higher cost efficiency

While artificial intelligence benefits many aspects of business, developing AI applications often requires in-depth knowledge and skill. Using EVA SDK, developers can build an AI vision application quickly without AI expertise. Currently, EVA SDK benefits applications ranging from safety AI, behavior analysis for SOP compliance, object detection and object classification, which are all tasks typically required by smart factories, such as in semiconductor, electronics, and automobile manufacturing. ADKINK now offers a new Fast AI PoC Kit including the all-in-one NEON AI smart camera with necessary accessories for EVA SDK, to help customers dramatically shorten the integration time for hardware and software, as well as reduce AI vision PoC development time and effort. EVA SDK will continue to release more reference codes to support more edge AI applications.

ADLINK, an industrial AI vision expert with 25 years of experience in machine vision, continually provides application-oriented, ready-to-develop AI models to manufacturers. EVA SDK and other ADLINK leading edge solutions help manufacturers develop their own computing capabilities.



Read more about EVA SDK for ADLINK vision products

See how EVA SDK can accelerate an edge vision POC

Watch and learn more about EVA SDK IDE for fast AI inference validation

Find out how NEON AI smart cameras support EVA SDK

About ADLINK Technology

ADLINK Technology Inc. (TAIEX:6166) leads edge computing, the catalyst for a world powered by artificial intelligence. ADLINK manufactures edge hardware and develops edge software for embedded, distributed and intelligent computing  from powering medical PCs in the intensive care unit to building the worlds first high-speed autonomous race car  more than 1600 customers around the world trust ADLINK for mission-critical success. ADLINK holds top-tier edge partnerships with Intel, NVIDIA, AWS and SAS, and also participates on the Intel Board of Advisors, ROS 2 Technical Steering Committee and Autoware Foundation Board. ADLINK contributes to open source, robotics, autonomous, IoT and 5G standards initiatives across 24+ consortiums, driving innovation in manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, energy, defense, transportation and infotainment. For over 25 years, with 1800+ ADLINKers and 200+ partners, ADLINK enables the technologies of today and tomorrow, advancing technology and society around the world. Follow ADLINK Technology on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or visit adlinktech.com.
2021 State of Our Schools Schools that are in a state of disrepairsuffering from poor indoor air quality due to lack of ventilation and proper filtration and compromised water qualityare often in the most disadvantaged communities."

The 2021 State of Our Schools Report: Americas PK-12 Public School Facilities, released today by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and the National Council on School Facilities, projects that the United States faces a shortfall of a staggering $85 billion in school facility funding every year. Districts are spending about $110 billion every year on maintenance, operations, and capital construction  but the educational facilities standards for good stewardship necessitates nearly $195 billion. The rise in the nations PK-12 gap has been brought on by increased school construction costs, building inventory increases, and a sharp decline in facility expenditures after the great recession.

All this exists despite extraordinary efforts on the part of local communities and states to deliver public school buildings that help protect the health and safety of the students, teachers and staff who walk through their doors every day.

In our last report in 2016, we saw an annual gap of $46 billion in school facilities funding--$60 billion in todays construction dollars, said Mary Filardo, executive director, 21st Century School Fund and lead author of the report. Unfortunately, while local districts are struggling with making facilities safe in a pandemic, they are faced with longstanding deficiencies in their aging infrastructure, which makes this very difficult.

In the U.S., PK-12 school facilities are the second largest sector of public infrastructure spending behind only highways. However, unlike transportation infrastructure, which has most of its capital costs paid from federal and state sources, local school districts individually bear the heaviest responsibilities for school construction capital funding in most states. Nationally, local districts cover 77 percent of school facility costs, with only 22 percent coming from states. Schools received just over 1 percent from federal funds ($7.1 billion) for school construction between 2009 and 2019. One third of these federal funds came from FEMA to aid schools after natural disasters.

The U.S. system for funding capital construction projects for public school facilities is no longer sustainable. While states and the federal government contribute roughly 45 percent and 10 percent respectively to school districts annual operating costs, the capital investment required to build and modernize buildings falls most heavily on local districts and taxpayers, said Rachel Hodgdon, president and CEO of IWBI. If the financial resources in the community arent there, new construction rarely gets funded. Where our children learn matters, and access to safe, healthy and equitable learning environments should be a right, not a privilege.

The data from this report shows that the system is broken and has been for decades. Local districts held nearly half a trillion dollars in long-term debt at the end of fiscal year 2019. This represents a national average of slightly more than $11,000 per student. The poorest districts, particularly small and rural ones, cannot even afford to borrow capital to address their aging facilities.

The $85 Billion Gap

Across the nation, local school districts work hard to deliver healthy and safe public school facilities that offer suitable learning environments. They support ongoing operations and maintenance in annual operating budgets and invest in buildings and grounds construction and improvements in capital budgets. But every year the shortfall increases in both budgets, leaving school districts unprepared to provide adequate and equitable school facilities.

The $85 billion gap between what is needed for good stewardship and what districts and states have done occurs both in capital outlays and operations and maintenance.



Annually, U.S. public school districts spent an average of $54.1 billion on capital improvements from fiscal years 2009 to 2019 (in 2020 dollars), leaving a capital investment gap of $57.4 billion.

Annually, the U.S. spent an average of $56 billion on facilities operations and maintenance, leaving a maintenance and operations gap of $27.6 billion.

Closing these annual funding gaps must be a top priority. We have Title 1 for the classroom. We need a Title 1 for school facilities as well. This will ensure that all public schools meet modern standards for health, safety, learning, and environmental sustainability and resiliency, said Juan Mireles, president, National Council on School Facilities and director of facilities and transportation services, California Department of Education. Too many of our schools are just old and worn out, with inadequate ventilation for clean air, which is a must during this pandemic. The recent 2020 GAO study on the condition of our nations public schools found that thousands of school districts have at least half of their schools in need of updates or replacements of key building systems or features.

The Astounding Inequity

When comparing the funding for school districts across socioeconomic, race, ethnicity and location, the disparities were profound. On average, school districts with high levels of economically disadvantaged students spent less per school than well-off suburban communities. These structural inequities are also found in and often compounded by racial and ethnic composition and the locations of the districts. Rural districts serving high poverty public school communities have funded capital improvements at almost half the level of the national average$2.3 million on average per school compared to $4.3 million per school.

This is another area where those who have the least suffer the most, said Hodgdon. Schools that are in a state of disrepairsuffering from poor indoor air quality due to lack of ventilation and proper filtration and compromised water qualityare often in the most disadvantaged communities. These schools werent sufficient before the pandemic; today, in many cases, they are just plain dangerous.

The Health, Performance and Economic Impact

With more than one-sixth of the entire U.S. population inside PK12 public school buildings each weekday, modernizing and replacing old public schools can have a major impact on the health and performance of both students and staff. These efforts can also enable communities to conserve land, energy and water, reduce carbon emissions, and in the face of climate change, protect lives and reduce the level of relief funding needed following disasters.

At Carrier, were committed to creating enhanced learning environments that have been shown to improve the health, well-being and cognitive function of students and staff, said Greg Alcorn, vice president, Healthy Buildings, Carrier, a platinum sponsor of the report. This report shines a light on long-standing deficiencies and needs for air quality and safety upgrades in many of our schools, and also the opportunity that with the right strategies in place, a healthier and safer indoor environment can be achieved.

Looking to the Future

The report found that if school districts across the nation dedicated 15 percent of their recent Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to addressing the crisis of school facilities conditions in low wealth and high need communities, they would have about $30 billion over the next three years to reduce deferred maintenance and make their schools healthier and safer.

Congress is currently considering additional funding to address long standing facilities deficiencies. If there was $130 billion of federal funding dedicated to rebuilding Americas schools, it could close the capital investment gap by about 22 percent over 10 years. Federal funding is the only way many low-wealth and high-need districts will be able to bring their PK-12 schools into the 21st century.

The status quo is unsustainable. This report provides Congress and state leaders with a roadmap to address these daunting challenges to rebuild our nations schools for communities and families today and for generations to come, says Filardo.

In support of the launch of the 2021 State of our Schools Report, more than 30 non-profit organizations, education associations and businesses have joined in to help make the data in the report widely available. To dive deeper into the data cited here as well as to find more detail about the conditions of schools in each state, please visit stateofourschools2021.org.

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What Other Supporters Are Saying about the 2021 State of our Schools Report

Our mission at Delos is to improve health and well-being in indoor environments, and we see schools as one of the most critical, particularly given the tremendous challenges we continue to face with COVID-19 and the pervasive issue of aging and inadequate infrastructure at far too many schools, said Paul Scialla, founder and CEO of Delos and founder of the International WELL Building Institute. Delos is proud to sponsor this report as part of our ongoing effort to help improve the quality of classroom environments, protect the health of students and faculty and create spaces where children can thrive.

AASA is proud to support the 2021 State of Our Schools Report which finds the nations public school facilities in crisis, grappling with essential maintenance and capital improvements that are chronically underfunded. Adequate investment in our schools is critical: school facilities have a direct impact on student learning, student and staff health, and school finances. We commend the report for being both direct and succinct, highlighting the scope of the public school facilities crisis, the long history of chronic underinvestment, inequity in capital improvements and disparity in school construction funding sources, said Daniel A. Domenech, executive Director, AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

The State of Our Schools Report shines a light on the unacceptable conditions facing many of our nations schools  especially in underserved and low-income communities, which widens social inequities, said Donny Simmons, president, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies. Giving students and teachers healthier school buildings should be one of our highest priorities, and urgent action is needed. The science, funding and innovation are within reach to create healthier, more comfortable and sustainable learning environments that set schools and communities up for lasting success.

Five years after the last State of Our Schools Report, the deficits have grown and the same hard truth remains. If the condition of a communitys school facility is dependent on the local tax base, as almost all are, the conditions across our nations schools will remain inequitable, said Anisa Heming, director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. It doesnt have to be this way. With federal and state contributions, every childs school could be an inspiring, safe and resilient learning environment that protects the health of its occupants, its community and the planet.

What are we saying to poor children and school personnel when we send them back into school facilities that dont have good circulation - even with masks these are dangerous situations - do their lives matter? When will America commit to a comprehensive plan to educate children in facilities and with the tools they need to function in a 21st century economy? Our strength as a nation rests with the outcomes for these children today, said Oleta Fitzgerald, regional administrator, Southern Rural Black Womens Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (SRBWI).

Creating opportunities for educational success for all students is critical and that starts with healthier, safer and more equitable learning environments, said Doug Wright, president and CEO, Honeywell Building Technologies. Closing gaps in school facility funding should be a top priority. The technology and capability exist; collective action at all levels must follow.

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) applauds and is a proud supporting organization for the National Council on School Facilities, the 21st Century School Fund, and the International Well Building Institute with their efforts to create this report. A4LEs mission is leading the innovation at the intersection of learning and place and our members strive for equitable and high performing school facilities for all learners and in particular, those in underserved communities. It is vital that our focus continues to bring Americas schools into a state of excellence and equity, said Philip Poinelli, chair of the board, A4LE, SMMA.

Successful and effective learning demands that students, teachers and support staff all have a safe, healthy and welcoming environment, and there is much work to do to achieve that goal equitably nationwide. The State of our Schools Report provides clear and compelling evidence of the challenges to our education system. At Johnson Controls, we are fully committed to bringing our healthy buildings expertise and capabilities together with the important work of the National Council on School Facilities, the 21st Century School Fund and IWBI to promote the WELL Building Standard. This partnership helps ensure critical infrastructure upgrades are undertaken wisely and effectively to benefit students and educators in every type of community across the nation, said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls.

"State of Our Schools 2021 forces us to face a national problem we ignore at our children's peril: too many of our public schools are in crumbling buildings that undermine health and achievement. The gap in investment for good stewardship of our school buildings is growing. Not surprisingly, lower income children and communities face the biggest hurdles. School districts, states and the federal government need to forge new partnerships to renew these important community assets, together," said Jeff Vincent, PhD, director, public infrastructure initiatives, Center for Cities + Schools, University of California, Berkeley.

The airborne pandemic has laid bare the devastating inequities in our nations schools. School occupants are primarily women and children and the facilities are more densely occupied than nursing homes. The poorest communities hardest hit by the pandemic  Black, LatinX and Native American - endure the worst facilities. To heal the nation, Congress must invest in the capacity of states, tribes, and schools to sustain healthful indoor air/environments and it must invest in the wise rebuilding of public school infrastructure so that schools become both pandemic- and climate-resilient, said Claire L. Barnett, MBA, executive director, Healthy Schools Network.

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About 21st Century School Fund

21st Century School Fund is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 to build the public will and the public capacity for modernized public school facilities. 21CSF is a well-respected and relied-upon source of research, policy analysis and technical assistance for communities, school districts and states on the public engagement, policies and practices that support the delivery of healthy, safe and educationally appropriate K12 public school facilities.

About National Council on School Facilities

The National Council on School Facilities is the nonprofit association of state K12 public school facilities leaders. Its mission is to support states in their varied roles and responsibilities for the delivery of safe, healthy, and educationally appropriate school facilities that are sustainable and fiscally sound. NCSF engages in research and development and works to represent the states perspectives and experience regarding effective policy, planning, practice, regulation, finance, and management of school facilities. By leveraging state knowledge through collaboration and the elimination of duplicate efforts, the Council saves time and public resources.

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the worlds leading organization focused on deploying people first places to advance a global culture of health. The WELL Building Standard anchors a WELL ecosystem that includes WELL v2, the WELL Community Standard, the WELL Health-Safety Rating and WELL Accredited Professionals. IWBI mobilizes its community through the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources, and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Portfolio Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Health-Equity, WELL Performance Rating, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.
Shirley Cairme-Garcia, a Philippine-born physician who immigrated to the United States with her husband, mother, and three sons in 1972, welcomed a baby girl into her family several months later, completed her residency in psychiatry, and went on establish a successful practice treating adults and children in New York for twenty-three years until her retirement, has completed her new book Our Way to Heaven: a must-read for newly baptized and lifelong Catholics alike.

The author writes, Prayers are very important. We pray to God, to Jesus, to the Holy Spirit, and our Immaculate Virgin Mother and saints to ask for help in our daily lives, forgiveness for our sins, as well as safety, health, and blessings for our loved ones. We also ask for prayers to reach those less fortunate and those who do not know God.

Our loving God created us in His image and gave us the Ten Commandments as a code to live by so that after death, we could be worthy enough to join Him in heaven. Since mankind is weak and prone to sin, God showed his great love for us by sending His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, a pure Lamb as a redemption for our sins.

It is only through Jesus and following His ways that we can enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus proved Himself to be God by His many miracles on earth. But, remember that the Immaculate Virgin Mary, through God, received the Holy Spirit and was chosen to give birth and raise our Savior, Jesus Christ. One can enter Heaven only through Him. So believe in Him as God who made His Mother Mary second to Him in power on earth and she helps Him save more souls to be in Heaven with them. He made her first before He became a human being in her womb. Hence she was created without original sin.

We pray especially to Mother Mary, who is a true mother in that she considers all of us as her children. She has proven this by appearing in many different countries and performing many miracles, most notably the well-known healings in Fatima, Portugal, and in Lourdes, France. Through her, being our Mediatrix to Jesus, She can lessen the number of years ones soul stays in purgatory thus helping one go to Heaven earlier to be with Her.

Published by Page Publishing, Shirley Cairme-Garcias engrossing book is an invaluable resource for devout Catholic readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Our Way to Heaven at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Outriders VIP Kit Wins Gold for E-Commerce and Subscription Packaging We are honored to receive these awards as a testament to our dedication to innovation in the POP display and packaging industry, said Greg Tucker, CEO.

Bay Cities, North Americas most innovative packaging and design company, today announces being awarded first and second place at the AICC 2021 Box Manufacturing Olympics Competition in Orlando, Florida. Bay Cities entries competed in various categories such as Structure, Printing and Combined. The Scout Comics Vending Machine display, Avengers Infinity War Trend Pod Header, and the Outriders VIP Kit all took first place. The Bay Cities 2019 Christmas Book took second place. All were recognized for their creative structural and graphic design.

For over 60 years, Bay Cities has been the leading creative packaging and display partner to brand marketers, retailers, and e-commerce companies. Through innovation and creativity, Bay Cities has executed unique, eye-catching POP displays and packaging for major brands to be placed at retailers and on-line.

For the first time in history, TAPPIs CorrPak Competition and AICCs Design Competition joined forces to become the 2021 Box Manufacturing Olympics (BMO). Since 1981, AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, has been proud to recognize, showcase, and reward those independents who have met and exceeded their customers expectations of their packaging designs and displays.

We are honored to receive these awards as a testament to our dedication to innovation in the POP display and packaging industry, said Greg Tucker, CEO. He continued, now more than ever brands need to stand out on the retail floor and online with creative displays and packaging that will attract shoppers. We thank the organizers and judges for this recognition.

From concept to completion, Bay Cities is a brand partner with a strong understanding of major retailers, shopper marketing and supply chains.

To learn more about our offerings, contact us. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

About Bay Cities

Bay Cities is North Americas most innovative packaging and design company, providing integrated, end-to-end packaging and logistics solutions that are proven to drive sales, both on-shelf and online. Powered by technology and the best people, Bay Cities works seamlessly with brands and retailers to design and deliver product packaging and in-store display programs with ease and accuracy.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the lawsuit against Patrol Masters Security Services, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The Los Angeles employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a lawsuit against Patrol Masters Security Services, Inc. alleging the company violated Labor Code  2699, et seq. seeking penalties for DEFENDANTs alleged violation of California Labor Code  201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 221, 226(a), 226.7, 233, 246, 351, 510, 512, 558(a)(1)(2), 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802. The lawsuit against Patrol Masters Security Services, Inc. is currently pending in the Orange County Superior Court, Case No. 30-2021-01213869-CU-OE-CXC. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

According to the lawsuit filed, Patrol Masters Security Services, Inc. allegedly failed to reimburse employees for required business expenses. California Labor Code  2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties..." During employment, Plaintiff and other Aggrieved Employees were allegedly required to use their personal cellular phones in order to complete their job duties.

PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code.

For more information about the lawsuit against Patrol Masters Security Services, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

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Robert (Bob) DeWitt, Vice Chairman of GID and former President and CEO, today was inducted into the Multifamily Executive (MFE) Hall of Fame. The MFE Hall of Fame recognizes leaders who have had a transformative effect on their companies and the multifamily industry as a whole. Mr. DeWitt has long championed a high standard of excellence at GID while also playing a crucial role in shaping federal policy that impacts the industry, testifying before Congress on issues including housing finance, affordable housing, and rent control.

As GIDs President and CEO, Mr. DeWitt used his expertise and vision to transition the company from an emerging multifamily business to one of the largest owners and managers of apartment communities in the United States. Through his foresight, expertise and principled leadership, Mr. DeWitt helped shape GIDs overall investment strategy to include a wide array of real estate asset types, including apartments, office, retail, industrial, and for-sale condominiums.

To lead means to go first and Bobs entire career is marked by the visionary forethought to see a different path forward and ability to inspire others to do the same, says Greg Bates, CEO of GID. Bobs optimism, kindness, and genuine love for the work that we do is a unique gift that has not only benefited GID, but our entire industry.

Its impossible to walk the halls of our offices or visit one of our communities without seeing the fingerprints of all that Bob has accomplished during his 35 years at GID, says Gardner Wallace, Chairman of GID. His career is characterized by the respect, responsibility, integrity, and collaboration that he practices on a daily basis.

Mr. DeWitt took on leadership roles in several national real estate trade associations, including the Urban Land Institute as Chairman of the Multifamily Gold Council and the National Multifamily Housing Council where he served as an officer for eight years, including the final two years as Chairman. In this position, he became a trusted advisor to many federal officials, educating them on issues that affect the multifamily industry. His efforts helped secure the federal governments extension of unlimited financial support for the Government Sponsored Enterprises as the 2008 financial crisis was undermining liquidity in the apartment industry. Mr. DeWitt helped educate Administration officials, including HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, about the vital role that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac played in preventing a total credit crisis in the industry.

Mr. DeWitt also joined in efforts to increase access to the real estate profession through Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives at NMHC. As Chairman, Mr. DeWitt elevated the importance of DE&I by incorporating the topic as a permanent breakout session during the organizations annual meetings. GID was also a Founder Sponsor of NMHCs DEI Sponsorship Program and joined industry-wide DE&I efforts by launching its own Diversity Internship Program, which offers a 10-week paid internship program for candidates from underrepresented groups.

A recognized leader in the multifamily industry, GID is the 26th largest apartment owner in the country and among the top ten within privately-owned companies, according to NMHCs authoritative 2021 ranking of the nation's Top Apartment Owners.

About GID

GID is a privately-held and vertically-integrated real estate company that develops, owns, and operates a portfolio of multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use developments. With corporate offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco, GID is an experienced real estate private equity investor and manager supported by an integrated operating platform and has 60 years of experience across multiple asset classes. GIDs existing and under-development properties are valued at over $20 billion.

During its 60-year history, GID has developed, managed or acquired over 79,000 residential units and 32.2 million square feet of commercial space in twenty-four states. The current portfolio includes over 37,000 residential units, 1 million square feet of retail and office space, and 18.8 million square feet of industrial space. More information is available at http://www.gid.com.

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CaringKind, New York Citys leading expert on Alzheimers and dementia caregiving will be hosting their 33rd annual CaringKind Alzheimers walk on September 26th at the Coney Island Boardwalk and on October 10th at Central Parks Naumburg Bandshell.

The purpose of the Walk is to raise awareness around the importance of caregiving support and to raise funds for the myriad programs offered through CaringKind to support caregivers and their families.

This year, the event honors prominent philanthropist Susan Patricof who passed in January of 2021 after being diagnosed with Alzheimers disease 12 years ago. The wife of renowned Alan Patricof, one of the founding fathers of venture capital, the two were described as an indomitable pair and worked side by side on countless causes. Mr. Patricof found solace and support in CaringKind, utilizing their programs and systems as a caregiver himself.

CaringKinds support groups are led by trained facilitators and provide caregivers the opportunity to discuss the many challenges of caring for a family member with Alzheimers and related dementias, with other who understand. Their goal is to provide a safe setting which promote mutual support, both practical and emotional, throughout the course of the disease.

I am honored that this year's Alzheimer's Walk by CaringKind, the Heart of Alzheimer's Caregiving, will be held in my wife, Susan's name. She loved New York City and was devoted to and supported many of its most important organizations. I know from personal experience the value of having support groups. A regular check-in with other caregivers is critical to a person's mental and emotional health. CaringKind does that better than anyone." said Alan Patricof.

The Manhattan Walk will feature television and Broadway star David Hyde Pierce, and exciting performances from the Unforgettables, an acapella group made up of those with Alzheimers and their caregivers, and Blue Angels drumline. The drumline will lead the walkers to the start and celebrate Walkers at the finish line.

Attendees (both virtually and in person) are encouraged to share memories and photos of loved ones to be incorporated into the CaringKind Memory Wall, a physical manifestation of the love, remembrance, promise, and hope the Walk represents.

As of August 18, sponsors for the event include Micro Essential Labs, 305 West End, First Republic Bank, Inspir, Grimaldi & Yeung, UFT, Columbia App Study, Insperity, Eisai, The Hirsh Family, Pitta & Baione LLP, Greycroft, and Apax Foundation.

CaringKinds mission is to create, deliver, and promote comprehensive and compassionate care and support services for individuals and families affected by Alzheimers disease and related dementias. In particular, the support They achieve their mission by providing programs and services for individuals with dementia, their family, and professional caregivers, increasing public awareness, collaborating with research centers, and informing public policy through advocacy.

In 2021, CaringKind has answered 6,100 helpline calls, initiated 1,000 social work consultations, enrolled 31,500 people in their Wanderers Safety program, and hosted 83 different support groups facilitated by a trained leader both virtually and in person.

About CaringKind

CaringKind* is New York Citys leading expert on Alzheimers and dementia caregiving. With over 40 years of experience, CaringKind works directly with their community partners to develop the information, tools, and training to support individuals and families affected by dementia. They offer a CaringKind Helpline (646) 744-2900 run by professional staff; individual and family counseling sessions with licensed social workers; a vast network of support groups; education seminars and training programs; early-stage services and a wanderers safety program. They believe in the power of caregiving and seek a world where everyone dealing with dementia has the support they need when they need it.

http://www.caringkindnyc.org

*Formerly Known as Alzheimers Association, New York City Chapter.
Today, CG&S Design-Build announced the passing of the companys co-founder Clarence Guerrero earlier this month. Clarence was 93 and is survived by his wife Stella, eight children, 33 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Born on April 18, 1928, Clarence grew up in east Austin, TX during the Great Depression as one of seven children. He learned carpentry from a young age by following his father on job sites across the region. Clarence spent two years in the Navy before attending one year of architecture drafting school and continuing to pursue carpentry.

Clarence met Stella at a dance held at St. Edwards University and the foundation of the Austin-based architect builder started when Clarence and Stella married in 1953. The two moved into a house Clarence built himself and began their family. As the family grew, the couple purchased land in the country to accommodate more storage and an office. The CG&S Design-Build offices sit on the same property today.

Clarences roles over the years encompassed every facet of the business and he ran each job himself during the companys early years. As the business grew, he was supported by Stella, who aided in bookkeeping and several different office roles, and his children who also helped with various aspects of the business from a young age.

According to Dolores Guerrero Davis, Clarences daughter and the current president of CG&S Design-Build, the family-run business was a constant presence in the Guerrero household.

Our parents grew our family as they were establishing the company and that shifted the focus of their business model from taking on enough work to live to a business model that supported enough business to create a company that was meaningful and could be passed on to their children, Guerrero Davis said.

Clarence and Stella sold the company to their children in the 1990s. Over 60 years later, CG&S Design-Build continues to serve the Austin community aided by a third generation of family members.

My dad understood if he worked hard, he would be successful and provide for his family. That was the foundation of taking Clarence Guerrero and Sons and turning it into what CG&S is today. He was aware other people could take over, Guerrero Davis said. Our company culture has always been about reflecting the loyalty and love of family in our relationships with each and in our projects. To honor my fathers legacy, I hope we can continue to reflect his work ethic and the stories of his experiences through this company.

Outside of the business, Clarence was a generous host and always enjoyed inviting friends into his south Austin home for weekly get-togethers where he served barbecue and beer. His hobbies included racing and owning quarter horses at Manor Downs. He was a lifelong devout Catholic and an avid University of Texas fan.

Clarence will be missed by many, but he leaves behind the memory of his integrity, humor, strong character, unique talents and enduring legacy in the beautiful homes and spaces he built across Austin, as well as through the large, loving family he created.

About CG&S Design-Build

CG&S Design-Build is a local architect-building company specializing in full-service design, interiors and construction services. Started as a family business over 60 years ago, CG&S was founded on a culture of loyalty and dedication to hard work  delivering the highest quality product to their clients. Since then, CG&S has grown into a locally and nationally recognized design-build company with hundreds of projects under its belt, but they havent forgotten their homegrown roots. CG&S strives for perfection with every client, no matter the size or scope of the project. At their core, CG&S is a group of individuals who work collaboratively toward one sole purpose: making great homes.


City of Mount Pleasant Joins the Texas Purchasing Group Registered vendors can access bids, related documents, addendum and award information.

The City of Mount Pleasant announced it has joined the Texas Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. bidnet directs Texas Purchasing Group connects over 40 participating agencies from across Texas. The purchasing group provides a transparent bid process through which the bid is available to all vendors at the same time. The City of Mount Pleasant invites all potential vendors to register online with the Texas Purchasing Group to access its upcoming solicitations by visiting http://www.bidnetdirect.com/texas.

The City of Mount Pleasant joined the purchasing group in September. The City of Mount Pleasant will utilize the system to streamline the purchasing process including bid management, bid distribution and vendor relations. The Texas Purchasing Group is a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities and provides over 40 local government agencies the tools needed to have a transparent bid process while minimizing costs and saving time.

The Texas Purchasing Group expands an agencys vendor pool and enhances vendor competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Texas Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with the City of Mount Pleasant can register online: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/texas. The City of Mount Pleasant invites all interested bidders to register today.

Registered vendors can access open bids, related documents and files, additional addendum, and award information from all participating agencies. In addition, the Texas Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts.

With one click, the City of Mount Pleasant can now see how many vendors match a specific opportunity, how many have downloaded documents, responded and more. The City of Mount Pleasant also has its own, branded page on the public side of the Texas Purchasing Group in which vendors can view all closed bids and any awarded information.

We now have information at our fingertips for each bid opportunity and award. The information is fully tracked and auditable. Vendors can access documents and addenda right online and we can see that the vendor has indeed seen the addendum. It is exciting to build on to the transparent office we strive to be by becoming a part of the Texas Purchasing Group, stated Miykael Reeve, Director of Finance of the City of Mount Pleasant.

Vendors may register on the Texas Purchasing Group: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/texas. bidnet directs vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2.

Other local Texas government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Texas Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution.

About the City of Mount Pleasant:

The City of Mount Pleasant is at the center of Titus County, roughly halfway between Dallas and Texarkana. Mount Pleasants growth is evident with the construction of new residential properties and communities, major expansion of existing manufacturing plants and construction of new manufacturing facilities.

About bidnet direct:

bidnet direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. bidnet direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Texas Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers
Cybereason, the leader in operation-centric attack protection and Smarttech247, a multi-award-winning MDR (Managed Detection & Response) company, announced a partnership to enable joint customers to detect and end cyber attacks on endpoints anywhere on their networks.

Businesses today face a constant barrage of cyber threats, including destructive ransomware attacks and other malicious activity. Cybereason and Smarttech247 will work together to enable organizations to better safeguard their most critical data assets through award-winning AI-driven managed security services that include industry leading prevention, detection and remediation capabilities.

Cybereason is an established leader in endpoint protection and incident response. Because threat actors are emboldened, tenacious and determined to steal proprietary information and run double extortion scams to steal as much money as possible making our partnership timely, said Raluca Saceanu, COO at Smarttech247.

The technology exists to help organizations more effectively defend their organizations against advanced cyber attacks. It is critical for companies to deploy a mature security program that reduces risk and ensures business continuity making the joint Cybereason and Smarttech247 solution viable, said Andy Philpott, General Manager, EMEA, Cybereason.

About Smarttech247

Smarttech247 is a multi-award-winning cybersecurity organization that provides innovative solutions to global companies. The Smarttech247 MDR (Managed Detection & Response) solutions include advanced cyber defence products and services designed to help global organizations mitigate against the risks of cybercrime. Smarttech247 is certified to ISO27001, Cyber Essentials and ISO9001 and has won multiple cybersecurity awards, including the Outstanding Security Solution Beacon Award in 2019 and 2018 MSSP of the Year. Visit us at http://www.smarttech247.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Cybereason

Cybereason is the champion for todays cyber defenders, providing operation-centric attack protection that unifies security from the endpoint, to the enterprise, to everywhere the battle moves. The Cybereason Defense Platform combines the industrys top-rated AI-powered detection and response (EDR and XDR), next-gen antivirus (NGAV), Anti-Ransomware Protection and Proactive Threat Hunting to deliver context-rich analysis of every stage of a MalOp (malicious operation). Cybereason is a privately held, international company headquartered in Boston with customers in more than 50 countries.

Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Media Contacts:

Bill Keeler

Senior Director, Global Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler@cybereason.com

(929) 259-3261
David Morgan, a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the Vietnam War, has completed his new book A Small an Insensitive Species: an insightful look into how humans as a species have used their greed to move far from their connection to nature. It describes not only how this detachment affects humankind, but also the very planet and the different species that inhabit it with them.

As Morgan states, Im not a scientist. Im a farm boy. That rural experience generated a good deal

of reverence for the natural world. The majority of my lifes important moments have been outside in different elements of nature. This is a fictitious account of greed and excess getting into a grudge match with the realities of overpopulation or maybe not so fictitious.

Published by Page Publishing, David Morgans perceptive tale is told through the eyes of a whale who has watched and studied humanity throughout all of history and focuses on protagonist Gizmo as he struggles through life not fully understanding the world around him. This ineptitude is explained to be caused by humans having used their dominion over the planet to abuse it, thus losing touch with nature and the basic needs of their own species.

Readers who wish to experience this observant work can purchase A Small an Insensitive Species at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Working in Indiana and throughout the midwest for so many years has helped me understand the market and the ups and downs of the industries in this area. Were fortunate to get to work with such a variety of local customers and industries

DEUFOL North America was established in 2001 by The DEUFOL Group and is celebrating 20 years of successful business in 2021. The DEUFOL team offers comprehensive crating, and export packaging and thermoforming services around the world.

DEUFOL North America provides safe and secure packaging for just about any item for shipping just about anywhere it needs to go. With decades of experience and a knowledgeable skilled crew, the heaviest, largest, most valuable, awkward, fragile assets are crated, packaged, and shipped via land, air, and sea.

Of the milestone, John Appel, President of the North American division had this to say, This is our 20th year in business with DEUFOL North America, and I attribute our success to our entire team. They are an excellent staff. Just a great and talented group. They have all contributed to the success of our operation with good training, knowledge, experience, and hard work. Also the support provided by the Deufol Group corporate team and other locations worldwide continues to be ever-present in these 20 years. I am proud to be a part of this outstanding organization and I look forward to another 20 years of growth and prosperity for all of us.

The business has seen a consistent increase in clientele and community support, Working in Indiana and throughout the midwest for so many years has helped me understand the market and the ups and downs of the industries in this area. Were fortunate to get to work with such a variety of local customers and industries.

Celebrate these two decades with us by browsing our services on our brand new website!

About DEUFOL North America:

DEUFOL North America is a pioneer and leading expert in specialty packaging, domestic and export crating, and supply chain solutions. The range of business services includes thermoforming & industrial packaging, warehousing services as well as innovative IT solutions along the supply chain. Acquired in 2001 by the DEUFOL Group headquartered in Hofheim (Wallau) near Frankfurt am Main - Germany, DEUFOL North America has 5 brick-and-mortar locations across the U.S. and serves business customers in all sectors including telecommunications, electronics, medical equipment, aerospace, biotechnology, and heavy machinery. From simple packaging to complex manufacturing plant moves, DEUFOL North America is a global powerhouse with local accountability.

Contact DEUFOL North America at 888.658.4098 or visit their website at deufol.com/us/ to learn more.
EarthKind Wins Business Intelligence Group's Global Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award As a leader committed to eliminating harmful chemicals from schools, homes and the environment with naturally smarter solutions, were so honored to be recognized by the Business Intelligence Group for these efforts under our Year of the Monarch initiative. We cant wait to keep moving forward!

EarthKind, manufacturers of the nations leading plant-based pest prevention products, is thrilled to receive the Business Intelligence Groups Sustainability Initiative of the Year award for its Year of the Monarch Campaign.

The Business Intelligence Groups Sustainability Awards program honor those people, teams, and organizations across the world who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission.

Launched in January 2021, EarthKinds Year of the Monarch initiative is a national collective effort to preserve and protect threatened monarch butterfly and pollinator habitats, while recognizing and supporting teachers across the country who focus on implementing eco-education into their curriculums.

At the heart of the initiative is the Harmony Hero Award program. Each month, through a rigorous nomination and selection process, EarthKind recognizes one K-12 teacher who is committed to implementing impactful eco-curriculums focused on getting kids outdoors and connected to nature at an impressionable age. Each teacher receives Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training for their school to reduce pesticide-use, plus sustainable product essentials for their outdoor eco-education curriculums. At the end of the year, one teacher will win an all-expense-paid National Habitat Adventure (NHA) trip to Mexicos Kingdom of Monarchs for themselves and three guests. This trip will be led by NHA sustainable travel guide and entomologist, Dr. Court Whelan, in March 2022.

This year, through our Year of the Monarch initiative, weve been diligently working to protect declining pollinator habitats, honor teachers across the country, advance eco-curriculums for children, advocate for policy change, launch groundbreaking products to replace reliance on poisons, and maintain the integrity of our transparent, sustainable supply chain, comments Kari Warberg Block, CEO and Founder of EarthKind, I couldnt be prouder of all weve been able to accomplish under this activation, and I couldnt be prouder of the EarthKind team, who collectively imagined #YearOfTheMonarch into existence from our factory floor in Mooresville, NC, she adds, This award truly reflects the power of giving all employees a voice in how they wanted to show-up during these challenging times. The Monarch, which depends on Fir trees for protection from hungry mice, made it a natural icon choice. We also felt that eco-teachers were doing really important work by getting kids off their devices and outside in nature doing something meaningful. Kids need to know their impact matters, and teachers need more support.

Over the past year, EarthKind has also received esteemed certifications unheard of within the pest control industry. The brand has become carbon neutral, 100% climate neutral certified, Leaping Bunny 100% Cruelty-Free certified, and has achieved the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified BioPreferred Product label, highlighting the high percentage of biobased content used throughout its line of sustainable pest repellents.

We are proud to reward and recognize EarthKind for their sustainability efforts, said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. It was clear to our judges that their vision and strategy will continue to deliver results toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. Congratulations!

Our approach to pest control is fundamentally unique. EarthKind understands ecosystems, recognizing every animal, plant and insect in nature has a specific role to play. We look to the outside to protect whats inside, aiming to create a balanced, harmonious ecosystem in all places we live, work, learn and play, comments Warberg Block, As a leader committed to eliminating harmful chemicals from schools, homes and the environment with naturally smarter solutions, were so honored to be recognized by the Business Intelligence Group for these efforts under our Year of the Monarch initiative. We cant wait to keep moving forward!

For media inquiries and more information, please contact Sara White at sara@adinnyc.com or 914.621.1323.

About EarthKind:

Founded by leading pest prevention expert Kari Warberg Block, EarthKind is a pioneer in natural prevention for families and households everywhere. EarthKind is a pest prevention brand that manufactures naturally smarter pest solutions that are guaranteed to keep pests out, without killing or poisoning them. All EarthKind products are designed by inventive artists, scientists and engineers who care about the earth, made in the USA with 80% of the materials sourced from American farms and the company is providing handicapped individuals with meaningful employment. EarthKind received the Business Intelligence Groups 2021 Sustainability Initiative of the Year award for its Year of the Monarch campaign, and Kari was awarded the 2019 GMDC Retail Champions of Change award for her role as an inspirational industry retail leader. She was also named to the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Woman Class of 2012, 2013 ND SBA Small Business Person of the Year and National Second Runner Up. Her latest product line, Stay Away was the winner of the 2015 NEXTY Peoples Choice Award for Best New Product of the Year. EarthKind has been featured in Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, HGTV, Womens Health and more. Learn more at https://www.earthkind.com and on social media:

FB: @EarthKindLiving https://www.facebook.com/earthkindliving

IG: @EarthKind.Living https://www.instagram.com/earthkind.living/

Twitter: @EarthKindLiving https://twitter.com/EarthKindLiving

Pinterest: @EarthKindLiving https://www.pinterest.com/EarthKindLiving/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EarthKindLiving

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executivesthose with experience and knowledgejudge the programs. The organizations proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
By 2023, an estimated 35% of U.S. employees will leave their jobs each year to go to work somewhere else. High turnover rates can have a deleterious effect not only on staff morale, but on a companys bottom line. These figures are a clear indication that businesses should make employee retention part of their overall business plan.

In 2018, 41.4 million U.S. workers voluntarily left their jobs, creating a national voluntary employee turnover rate of over 27%. This represented an 8.3% increase over 2017, and a staggering 88% increase over 2010.(1) By 2023, an estimated 35% of U.S. employees will leave their jobs each year to go to work somewhere else.(2) High turnover rates, says MLA Companies co-founder and CEO Seth Morgan, can have a deleterious effect not only on staff morale, but on a companys bottom line. These figures are a clear indication that businesses should make employee retention part of their overall business plan.

According to a recent study by the Work Institute, notes Morgan, the cost of replacing a single worker is approximately one-third of that workers annual salary.(3) Part of this is due to lost productivity, but another important component is escalating replacement cost, even for nonprofessional positions. A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that the reservation wagethe minimum compensation workers would require to accept a jobwas, for those without a college degree, 19% higher in March of 2021 than in November of 2019, an increase of nearly $10,000 per year.(4)

Among the factors at work in this situation, says Morgan, is the still-ongoing workplace disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent upsurge in labor union activity.(5) Of potentially greater impact, he notes, may be demographics. In 2010, 60% of the U.S. population was between the ages of 20 and 64. By 2030, the proportion of Americans in this age group will drop to 55% as the baby boomer generation continues to age.(6)

For business leaders seeking ways to deal with the changing worker-employer environment, Morgan offers key advicemake your company a great place to work. Taking care of the employees you have, he says, is often your best form of advertising for new ones.

One key to doing this, he notes, is giving employees a sense of ownership. Some of his firms clients, for example, offer salaried employees a greater level of profit-sharing in lieu of annual pay increases. Morgan reports that many employees take this option, intensifying their focus on initiatives that may not pay off for several years. While deciding how to make cutbacks during COVID, some hourly workers agreed to an across-the-board reduction of their hours per week instead of laying off some and keeping others fully scheduled.

Programs of this sort, Morgan notes, require careful planning to design and implement. Investing in your people is always the right move, he says. The trick is first understanding what actually motivates them and then doing it with careful consideration and planning to conserve your capital. To avoid that problem, he recommends that business leaders, particularly leaders of small to medium-sized businesses, consider seeking expert advice as they move to make employee retention an integral part of their companys business plan.

A good workforce, says Morgan, is an appreciating asset, not just in operational performance, but in long-term enterprise value. If youre a business leader, you need to make surefor the companys sake and that of the employeesthat you and they are positioned to make the very best of that asset.

About MLA Companies

MLA Companies is not a CPA firm that also does consulting. They are consultants whos customized, value-driven approach offers processes and services that align to clients needs and future growth. Founded in 2006 by CEO Seth Morgan, they are financial experts positioned to understand a client and their business  to protect, guide, and empower. Clients who invest in building relationships with MLA Companies know that their purpose will not change but their service offerings can grow as the business grows. At MLA Companies the discussion with a client is centered around purpose and growth first  then finance and services second. Visit https://mlacompanies.com/

1. Mahan, Thomas F.; Nelms, Danny; Bearden, Christopher Ryan; Pearce, Brantley; 2019 Retention Report; Work Institute; Accessed 08 Sept 2021, info.workinstitute.com/hubfs/2019%20Retention%20Report/Work%20Institute%202019%20Retention%20Report%20final-1.pdf

2. Post-Coronavirus Employee Retention Strategy. Strammer, 18 June 2020, strammer.com/en/post-coronavirus-employee-retention-strategy/.

3. Bolden-Barrett, Valerie. Study: Turnover Costs EMPLOYERS $15,000 per Worker. HR Dive, 11 Aug. 2017, hrdive.com/news/study-turnover-costs-employers-15000-per-worker/449142/.

4. Irwin, Neil. Workers Are Gaining Leverage over Employers Right before Our Eyes. The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 June 2021, nytimes.com/2021/06/05/upshot/jobs-rising-wages.html.

5. Johnson Hess, Abigail; How the coronavirus pandemic may be causing support of labor unions to rise; 29 Jan 2021; CNBC; cnbc.com/2021/01/29/support-of-labor-unions-is-at-65percentheres-whats-behind-the-rise.html

6. Kinder Alternatives for Senior Adults: Options for SENIOR AMERICA. Kinder Alternatives for Senior Adults | Options for Senior America, optionscorp.com/about-us/demographics-and-statistics.
GEMCO President, Casey Bickhardt, advised, Thanks to GEMCOs world-class mixers, dryers and control technologies, we will continue helping more and more 3D businesses achieve their goals to make or reclaim AM powders efficiently.

GEMCO, the worldwide mixing and drying authority, will be exhibiting at the 30th annual Rapid + TCT event to be held at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL from Monday September 13 through Wednesday, September 15, 2021.

Joining leaders in additive manufacturing and 3D technologies, GEMCO will be displaying an acrylic test tumble mixer in Booth E8440 at RAPID + TCT and providing solution information including:



Powder Flow

Spheronization

Oxygenation

Heat Treatments

Gas and Liquid Coatings

Virgin and Reclaim Powders

GEMCO President, Casey Bickhardt, advised, RAPID + TCT brings together North Americas 3D and additive manufacturer leaders and GEMCO is proud to be there. Thanks to GEMCOs world-class mixers, dryers and control technologies, we will continue helping more and more 3D businesses achieve their goals to make or reclaim AM powders efficiently.

With over 100 years of expertise, GEMCO has been providing best-in-class tumble mixing and drying solutions since 1916. A fourth generation, family-owned operation, GEMCO has manufactured and installed thousands of mixers and dryers worldwide and maintains the largest tumble mixing and drying technology center on the planet.

If interested in meeting with GEMCO before, during or after the RAPID + TCT event, please contact GEMCO directly at 800.654.3626 or sales@okgemco.com.
Having spent my career in health care, I am honored to receive the Florida Assisted Living Associations 2021 Sid Rosenblatt Excellence in Leadership Award, said Dudek.

Liz Dudek, director of Health Care Affairs in the Tallahassee office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A., received the Florida Assisted Living Associations (FALA) 2021 Sid Rosenblatt Excellence in Leadership Award on Aug. 4 during a virtual presentation.

The annual award, designed to honor Sid Rosenblatt, one of FALAs founding members, is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities within the assisted living industry as well as within the community. The award is the highest level of recognition presented by FALA.

Dudek is the first Sid Rosenblatt Excellence in Leadership Award recipient who was not a facility owner/operator or a FALA staff or member.

The Florida Assisted Living Association is the oldest assisted living association in the state. It has provided advocacy, education, and regulatory support for its members for more than 25 years. FALA is the largest state association representing more than 650 assisted living facilities and adult family care homes and nearly 300 associate members who provide products and services to assisted living.

Having spent my career in health care, I am honored to receive the Florida Assisted Living Associations 2021 Sid Rosenblatt Excellence in Leadership Award, said Dudek. Assisted living facilities throughout the state are at the forefront of serving some of our most fragile, vulnerable, and at-risk populations and we all have to work together to provide the services needed for the elderly in our community.

As director of Health Care Affairs, Dudek is part of the firms state and national Health & FDA Business Practice as well as the Government Law & Policy Practice. She helps the firms clients navigate the healthcare system, interact with agencies, and better understand legislative affairs and their accompanying issues. Her career in Floridas state government spanned over 40 years across a variety of senior management positions including Secretary of Floridas Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and Deputy Secretary of Health Quality Assurance. As AHCA Secretary, Dudek oversaw one of the largest Medicaid programs in the nation. Under her administration, the Agency successfully implemented the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program and established the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. She has decades of experience working with health care facilities, providers, and insurers.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2200 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT 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
Diagnostic Imaging Management Company, ImageLink Were proud to offer yet another way to empower the patient to make the best choices possible for their care.

ImageLink, a diagnostic imaging management company, today announces their implementation of a consumer-focused business model, further empowering patients to explore their often unrealized healthcare options. This patient-first approach is supported by the team behind the success of Smart Choice MRI, including CEO Rick Anderson. The Smart Choice team boasts proven expertise in consumer-driven healthcare, and they are now using this knowledge and experience to transform the ImageLink brand into the preeminent diagnostic imaging management company. ImageLink currently manages 14 centers across Georgia and Ohio and has begun the first step of their expansion plan with a 15th managed location in Boynton Beach, Florida.

ImageLinks consumer-driven approach is supported and evidenced by their overall patient experience. This experience includes the convenience of accessible retail locations (versus going into a hospital), ease of scheduling (getting scheduled within a matter of days instead of typical hospital wait times of weeks or months), cost (MRIs done at ImageLink typically cost the patient thousands of dollars less than those performed at the hospital), and an inviting, comfortable environment.

Over the past decade, as deductibles have continued to rise significantly, consumers have become much more healthcare-savvy and proactive in their care journey, says CEO Rick Anderson. Our goal is to inform patients that they have a choice when it comes to getting an MRI and other diagnostic imaging tests. Surprise billing should become a thing of the past as consumers become more informed and begin to shop for their care. While quality and value are oftentimes difficult to find in the same placeespecially in a healthcare settingImageLink strives to provide the best of both in their managed locations. Their managed centers offer the services of leading board-certified radiologists in a spa-like environment.

Price transparency continues to be a buzzword in the healthcare industry, and ImageLink caters to this growing trend. Adds Anderson, Were proud to offer yet another way to empower the patient to make the best choices possible for their care.

About ImageLink

ImageLink is a premier consumer-focused diagnostic imaging management company. Centers offer imaging tests for thousands of dollars less than hospitals, including interpretation by top radiologists, as well as convenience and scheduling ease. ImageLink managed centers are accredited by leading organizations including the American College of Radiology and the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission and are in network for most major insurers, including United Health Care, Anthem and Humana. ImageLink currently has 15 locations in Georgia, Ohio, and Florida. For more information, visit our website.
Inc. magazine revealed that Winthrop Wealth is No. 2791 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.

We are honored to be recognized by Inc. This great milestone is a direct reflection of our teams resolve to deliver an ever improving client experience, said Max Winthrop, CEO of Winthrop Wealth.

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/. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which is available on newsstands.

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 Winthrop Wealth

Winthrop Wealth is an independent wealth advisory firm with a mission to help clients live life to the fullest. Winthrop provides wealth planning, investment management, and tax and estate planning services for high-net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, families, and business owners. The firm also offers retirement plan advice for small  to medium-sized businesses. Consistent with the emphasis Winthrop places on building long-term and productive relationships is their deeply experienced multi-generational team. Winthrop helps its clients manage every aspect of their financial lives by providing fresh ideas, professional experience, stability, and comprehensive service. At Winthrop, we believe that helping clients discover and pursue financial freedom requires putting them front and center, providing them with continual and comprehensive attention. That is our purpose and our passion.

For more information about Winthrop Wealth, visit https://www.winthropwealth.com.

Investment advice is offered through Winthrop Wealth, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

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/.

Contact:

Alexandra Balukonis

617-530-1010

alexandra.balukonis@winthropwealth.com
It is an absolute honor to see Kosmos Q Inc. on the Inc. 5000 list of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies. We are thrilled to celebrate this accomplishment as a team while we continue to grow our organization said Darian Khosravi, President and CEO of Kosmos Q Inc.

Inc. magazine revealed that Kosmos Q Inc. is No. 431 and No. 1 in Oklahoma 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.

It is an absolute honor to see Kosmos Q Inc. on the Inc. 5000 list of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies. We are thrilled to celebrate this accomplishment as a team while we continue to grow our organization said Darian Khosravi, President and CEO of Kosmos Q Inc.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2021 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million 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 also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available now on newsstands.

The companies on this years Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2021 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 19 to 23, 2021. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

Since the beginning, the Kosmos Q mission has been to help barbecue fanatics who want to make the most badass Q on the planet, by equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to make the best barbecue every time. We want to inspire people to savor their barbecue experiences while creating unforgettable memories with their family and friends. With Kosmos Q rubs, sauces, injections, and more, even backyard barbecue beginners can serve up award-winning meals every time.
Elnaz Arman (far right) received the Beauty Envision Future Star award recognizing emerging cosmetology talent. There is so much science and architecture in cosmetology. Color, light, and processes are all part of the hairstylists craft.

Elnaz Arman, a cosmetology student at Bellus Academy in San Diego, received the 2021 TrendVision Future Star Award. Sponsored by leading professional beauty brands including Wella Professional, Sebastian Professional, Nioxin, Kadus, Clairol Professional and OPI, the 2021 competition attracted more than 3,000 entries from across the U.S.

Almost as striking as Elnazs dramatic competition entry is the radical career transformation she made following the pandemic. A chemical engineer who earned a masters degree in petroleum engineering, Elnaz immigrated to California from her native Iran in 2015 and accepted a position with Tesla. Despite the prestige of her job title, Elnaz always considered herself an artist at heart and during the Covid lockdowns, she thought about what she would do if she had just one week to live. When I asked myself what I would be doing with my life if I had only a week to live; the answer was clear: Id be a hairstylist, says Elnaz.

After enrolling in Bellus Academy in fall 2020, Elnaz immersed herself in the theory and practice of hairstyling and found it allowed her to pursue her passion for art and interest in science in a single vocation. There is so much science and architecture in cosmetology, she says. Color, light, and processes are all part of the hairstylists craft.

Like many families in America and Iran, Elnazs family steered her toward a career in science, encouraging her to pursue a career in medicine or engineering. And while she excelled in her engineering studies, Elnaz continued to pursue her passion for painting as a hobby. After losing some friends to Covid-19, she made an intentional choice to direct her professional energies toward her passion for art and beauty. And to jump-start her success, she took on the challenge of entering one of professional beautys most rigorous competitions.

Jessica Guastella, NA Senior Manager, Portfolio Education at Wella Education said the Trendvision competition recognizes the confidence and passion that drive hairstylists to push their creative limits and embrace professional risk. Moving out of your comfort zone is one of the hardest things to do as a beauty pro, she says. Usually, its a slow progression like trying a new technique or changing up a go-to-formula. However, entering a competition like the Beauty Envision Awards pushes young talent to take risks and go beyond what they thought possible. Thats where the ultimate growth happens!

The TrendVision competition challenges artists creativity in a timed competition that showcases skill in color, precision cutting and styling. While Elnaz was surprised to win a national competition within a year of enrolling in beauty school, the winners podium is not new to Bellus Academy. Two of its educators were finalists in the TrendVision competition and the schools students and staff have won multiple accolades, including the prestigious Intercoiffure Best Academy  North America.

Competitions and lifelong learning are integral parts of the hairstylists journey, which is why Bellus Academy encourages students and educators to continually push artistic boundaries from their first day on campus, says Lynelle Lynch, owner of Bellus Academy.

Upon completing her cosmetology studies in fall 2021, Elnaz plans to pay her success forward by establishing an art-based academy and growing in her career as a licensed professional. But the biggest surprise of all she says is the reaction from friends and family regarding her career change. I hear again and again that they see the joy I feel when I am styling hair, she says. And I am so touched by the support of everyone at Bellus Academy who supported me on this journey  from educators who encouraged me as I worked against the clock to finish my look for the finals, to Bellus Academys owner who was cheering me on from the front row of the awards ceremony. More information about Bellus Academy is available at https://www.bellusacademy.edu/

Remarking on the strong performance of Bellus Academys team, owner Lynelle Lynch said team members selection reflects the strong emphasis placed on competition. Beginning on the first day of class, Bellus Academy students are encouraged to take their craft to the next level on the ultimate playing field  industry competitions that encourage young talent to push boundaries, channel their creativity and aspire for ever-higher levels of success.
John Fareri John Fareri has an incredible record of economic development, including adding important tax ratables to the region and helping to create thousands of jobs, said Mike Oates, President and CEO of HVEDC. HVEDC is excited to welcome him to our Board of Directors and looks forward to his insights.

John Fareri, CEO of Fareri Associates LP, has announced he has joined the Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. (HVEDC).

Fareri is a well-established and highly regarded developer, owner, and manager of commercial, industrial, and residential real estate in Westchester County and the Lower Hudson Valley and Fairfield County, Conn.

Fareri Associates is in the final approval stages for the North 80 project, a 1.2 million square foot science and technology center to be created on an 80-acre site adjacent to the Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College and the nearby headquarters complex of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The project will further enhance the Hudson Valleys growing reputation as the leading bioscience and medical technology hub in New York State and the Northeast. Phase One of the $227 million project is expected to create nearly 490,000 square of innovatively designed buildings whose tenants will bring an estimated 1,177 new jobs to Westchester County and the Mid-Hudson Valley.

To date, Fareri and its affiliated companies have developed, repositioned and/or currently own approximately $1.5 billion and 5 million square feet of real estate. The developments and investments include retail locations, mixed-use properties, office buildings, industrial properties, medical buildings, townhouse developments, residential-rental projects, and single-family homes.

Fareri Associates is a family-owned and operated company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The firm specializes in real estate development, investment and construction in Westchester County, N.Y., and Fairfield County, Conn. Recent projects include The Harbor at Greenwich, Old Track in Greenwich, Conn., Purchase Professional Park in Harrison, N.Y., Greenwich Office Park, and 19 Broadhurst Avenue in Hawthorne, N.Y.

Fareri is also well known for his charitable work in New York and Connecticut. John and his wife, Brenda are the founders of the Maria Fareri Childrens Hospital, a $200 million-plus state-of-the-art facility at the Westchester Medical Center campus in Valhalla, N.Y., that was built in honor of their youngest daughter, Maria.

John Fareri has an incredible record of economic development, including adding important tax ratables to the region and helping to create thousands of jobs, said Mike Oates, President and CEO of HVEDC. HVEDC is excited to welcome him to our Board of Directors and looks forward to his insights.

HVEDC is the leading economic development agency for the seven-county region of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties. The public-private partnership markets the region as a prime business location to corporate executives, site selection consultants and real estate brokers. HVEDC helped start the organizational, branding and promotional effort for NY BioHud Valley, Hudson Valley 3D Printing and the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance. To learn more, call 845-220-2244 or visit hvedc.com.
We are proud to partner with Paul, Danny, and team as they now expand the reach of Kalepa to more insurers and brokers, and in doing so, protect the livelihoods of small businesses across the country. -Penny Pritzker, co-founder at Inspired Capital and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Kalepa, the leader in Efficient Frontier commercial insurance, today announces that it has raised a $14MM Series A led by Inspired Capital, with participation from previous investor IA Ventures. Leading fintech operators and experts in embedded finance also joined the round, including Gokul Rajaram of Doordash, Coinbase, and formerly of Google, Jackie Reses, formerly of Square, and Henry Ward of Carta. This financing will fuel Kalepas launch of an MGAKalepa Insurance Servicesto further accelerate Kalepas mission of partnering with leading commercial insurers to deliver Efficient Frontier insurance to businesses across the country.

Kalepa was founded by Paul Monasterio, an MIT-trained PhD in Computational Physics and Nuclear Science, and Daniel Hillman, a UPenn-educated Systems Science Engineer and former intelligence lead in the Israel Defense Forces. They launched their AI-powered Copilot software in 2018 to empower commercial insurance underwriters. Kalepas technology has significantly improved both loss and expense ratios for partners, which currently include 3 of the top 15 US commercial insurance companies. Over the past three months alone, Kalepas ARR has tripled.

InsureTech has seen a massive evolution over the past decade, but commercial insurancewhich supports hard-working business owners and protects their most important assetshas been left behind. At Kalepa, we are proud to lead the charge in modernizing commercial insurance, says Kalepa Co-Founder and CEO, Paul Monasterio. We leverage billions of data points and unlock crucial insights in order to bring businesses and insurers a single version of the truth. This transparency enables businesses to get the coverage that they need and realigns incentives towards risk mitigation and collaboration.

We call our core technology engine Copilot, because it augments human understanding of risk. We have built a first-of-its-kind Efficient Frontier solution for better selecting and managing risk in commercial insurance, adds Co-Founder Daniel Hillman. We have seen tremendous demand for an expanded offering to support carriers looking to further improve underwriting quality. Our MGA, Kalepa Insurance Services, is the next step in advancing our mission.

Commercial insurance represents a $1T industry globally and helps 30 million U.S. businesses. Kalepa has brought some of the sharpest minds in understanding risk to this segment of the insurance market that has long been in need of innovation, says Penny Pritzker, co-founder at Inspired Capital and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. We are proud to partner with Paul, Danny, and team as they now expand the reach of Kalepa to more insurers and brokers, and in doing so, protect the livelihoods of small businesses across the country.

In addition, veteran insurance leader Mario Vitale has joined Kalepas Board of Directors. He brings over four decades of industry experience, serving as CEO of several of the foremost insurance carriers and brokers including Aspen Insurance, Zurich Global Corporate and Willis North America.

In the time Ive spent getting to know the Kalepa team over the last two years, it is clear that Paul and Danny have both the vision and the technical expertise to transform how commercial insurance is underwritten, driving positive outcomes for insurance carriers, brokers, and businesses alike, says Mario Vitale, Kalepa Board Member. I am proud to join Kalepas Board and advance their critical mission to elevate commercial insurance to a new frontier.

Through Kalepas MGA, the company is also embedding Efficient Frontier insurance into the operating systems that businesses use on a daily basis through partnerships with leading business technology providers including point-of-sale, delivery and business management solutions.

Kalepa will be the dominant player in enabling businesses to access insurance in a transparent and reliable manner through partners they love and trust, says Gokul Rajaram, who participated in this round. Kalepa has an unparalleled understanding of the specific needs of each business, allowing them to deliver a superior product - this presents an enormous opportunity to deliver enduring value.

To support this new phase of growth, Kalepa will grow the team four-fold over the next year, with an emphasis on engineering, data science, and insurance talent.

About Kalepa

Kalepa is a software company delivering Efficient Frontier commercial insurance. By analyzing billions of points of structured and unstructured data, Kalepa's Copilot platform enables commercial insurers to better understand the exposures and controls in small and medium businesses, leading to more accurate coverage and pricing and, consequently, large improvements to profitability and growth. Kalepa also offers a Copilot-powered MGA, further enabling insurance carriers, brokers, and businesses to access Efficient Frontier commercial insurance at scale. Kalepa is based in New York City and is backed by IA Ventures, Inspired Capital, and leaders in insurance and technology. To learn more, visit Kalepa.com or follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/kalepa/
Lake Charles Toyota offers attractive Toyota lease programs on its popular models

Toyota vehicle owners who reside in and around Lake Charles, Louisiana, and are looking for leasing options should stop by Lake Charles Toyota. The dealership gives all the correct information regarding auto financing to ensure that drivers can make the right decision.

Leasing has its perks for many drivers, but before deciding, it is recommended that they speak to the dealership's knowledgeable and friendly finance experts or sales consultants to understand the Toyota lease agreement. In general, entering a Toyota lease can be the right decision for the customers who drive 15,000 miles per year or less and who are inclined toward purchasing a new vehicle every two years and for the tech-savvy drivers who desire the latest features and technology, or for those drivers who do not like to customize or personalize their vehicle.

Lake Charles Toyota offers attractive Toyota lease programs on its popular models including 4Runner, Camry, RAV4, Corolla, Tacoma, Highlander, Tundra, Prius, and Sienna. The lease allows drivers to drive one of these premium vehicles at a monthly payment that would impress even the most value-conscious shoppers.

The customers who are interested in the Toyota lease program at Lake Charles Toyota are encouraged to contact the dealerships finance expert or sales executive directly at (337) 426-1691. Those who want to get the Toyota lease can complete the online finance application and start the process. Individuals who want to learn more about the offers running at Lake Charles Toyota, as well as the new vehicles that are available there, can visit the official website https://www.lakecharlestoyota.com. Drivers can also visit the dealership at 3905 Gerstner Memorial Drive in Lake Charles, Louisiana.


68 King William St, London "We needed a solution that could accurately communicate each vacancys quality finishes and detailing in a digital environment. Swivels Interactive Space Showcase provides the advanced 3-D visualization technology to achieve this. - Oliver Corlette, Founder & CEO, Black Mountain Partners

Swivel, the Design Experience Platform that transforms the way commercial real estate is marketed, leased, and planned, today announced its first customer deployment in the UK. Black Mountain Partners, a London-based property development and investment company, has deployed Swivels Interactive Space Showcase to provide immersive virtual tours for more than 65,000 sq. ft. of office space at historic 68 King William St. in London.

Black Mountain Partners and its broker partners at Savills, one of the top leasing teams in London, are the first to deploy Interactive Space Showcase in the UK. As they incorporate the solution into their marketing and lead generation strategy, they will capitalize on the solutions proven ability to help landlords and their leasing teams improve their marketing, reduce vacancy downtime, minimize future design notifications, and win more deals.

We have reimagined and developed this historic building as a landmark mixed-use, office-led property that offers exceptional hospitality and wellness features appealing to the unique demands of the City of London, said Oliver Corlette, Founder & CEO, Black Mountain Partners. In order to promote the available spaces to potential tenants, we needed a solution that could accurately communicate each vacancys quality finishes and detailing in a digital environment. Swivels Interactive Space Showcase provides the advanced 3-D visualization technology to achieve this.

Interactive Space Showcase creates detailed digital twins of physical spaces to virtualize critical interactions throughout the office marketing process. It enables prospective tenants and their brokers to digitally tour a given space, often prior to a build out. This helps prospects visualize a spaces potential in multiple layout options while helping leasing teams communicate how the space could work for various types of tenants. Available as a standalone solution or as part of the end-to-end Swivel Design Experience Platform, Interactive Space Showcase shortens and streamlines the leasing process by providing certainty around the viability of a space once constructed. In fact, Swivels Interactive Space Showcase product has demonstrated a 15X ROI for landlords with vacant space.

Were thrilled to provide the innovative technology that Black Mountain Partners and Savills need to most effectively promote and lease such an impressive and historic building, said Scott Harmon, CEO and founder of Swivel. Weve rapidly expanded our footprint in the largest and most competitive markets in the U.S., and the opportunity to now help Londons leading developers and brokers introduce a new audience to these immersive virtual experiences is very exciting.

To learn more about the Swivel Design Experience Platform and Interactive Space Showcase solution, visit http://www.swivel.work or book a demo at http://www.swivel.work/book-a-demo.

About Swivel

Swivel is the Design Experience Platform that enables commercial property owners to efficiently market, lease and digitally build out tenant workspaces prior to construction. Founded in 2017 and backed by Breyer Capital, JLL Spark and Floodgate, nearly 100 properties and portfolios, including Brandywine, Cousins, and JLL, use Swivels sophisticated immersive visualization technology to reduce the time and cost associated with commercial office leasing. To learn more, visit http://www.swivel.work.

About Black Mountain Partners

Founded by Oliver Corlette in 2018, Black Mountain Partners is a property development and investment company based in London, UK. The firm acquires, develops and asset manages unique mixed-use real estate opportunities with a focus on delivering exceptional, design-led, and highly sustainable developments. http://www.blackmountain.partners
Melanie Flowers joins Nepris as Vice President of Business Strategy and Corporate Partnerships. As a partner and champion of Nepris since its inception, [Melanie Flowers} is perfectly suited to help build our corporate partnerships and bring a fresh perspective to our business strategy.

Nepris, Inc., a rapidly growing education technology company that provides education and industry stakeholders a platform to connect and collaborate with each other to bring real world relevance and career exposure to every student, today announced that Melanie Flowers will join the leadership team as Vice President (VP) of Business Strategy & Corporate Partnerships working out of Austin, TX. This appointment is timely, as the need for virtual career readiness platforms have accelerated this past year and employers everywhere are looking for ways to scale their employee engagement and education outreach.

MS Flowers will be joining Nepris from Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS) where she worked for 24 years in various leadership roles, and was most recently the Head of Technical Training. She saw the impact of Nepris first-hand at SAS as she engaged their wide employee base virtually with K-12 students nationwide. Through their collaboration with Nepris, SAS employees shared insights about their careers in manufacturing, engineering, the trades, and more via Nepris, introducing thousands of students, both locally and across the country, to SAS and its many careers, pathways, and opportunities.

Nepris has revolutionized the way work-based learning is conducted, said Melanie Flowers. I am excited to take on the challenge of advancing workforce development from a different corner of the room. Strategically aligning industry to the classroom is key for businesses to win the war for talent and Nepris is poised to help them do just that.

Melanie is actively involved in the community as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Skillpoint Alliance, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Workforce Solutions Capital Area Board, member of the Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Committee for Austin Community College, member of the Women in Technology at Samsung (WITS) affinity group, and part of the Manor ISD Stem Advisory Committee. She contributes to the Promoting Manufacturing and K-12 Getting Involved Projects with Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA), and was awarded the 2018 CTAT/ACTE Business of the Year in recognition of Samsungs leadership and excellence in career and technical education. She is also a 2021 STEP Ahead Honoree (The Manufacturing Institute) for her work in mentoring and promoting women in the manufacturing industry.

Its not easy to find a leader who understands our entire ecosystem of K-12 school districts, community colleges, workforce development, employers, and intermediaries, said Sabari Raja, CEO of Nepris. We are thrilled to be working with Melanie as she not only has the necessary leadership experience and skillset, but is also passionate about promoting minorities and women in STEAM careers. As a partner and champion of Nepris since its inception, she is perfectly suited to help build our corporate partnerships and bring a fresh perspective to our business strategy.

Timing could not be better for the addition of Melanie Flowers as Nepris receives inquiries from employers everywhere eager to support teachers and students in the new school year. Flowers priorities will focus on scaling industry partnerships, expanding Nepris diverse network of professionals, and streamlining internal processes for implementation, all while supporting existing industry partners to maximize their investment and impact in the virtual work-based learning space.

ABOUT NEPRIS

Austin-based Nepris provides a cloud-based platform connecting industry professionals with K-16 classrooms so that students see the relevance of what they are learning in school. Students are exposed to diverse role models and career paths in STEM, the arts, retail, manufacturing, and countless other careers. Nepris makes it easy for teachers to leverage industry connections while offering a scalable platform for employers and regional intermediaries to easily and effectively engage the current workforce with the future workforce, virtually. Over 1.5 million students have participated in a Nepris virtual session or viewed one of the over 10,000 hours of videos in its library. See Nepris in action at Nepris.com or on social via @NeprisApp
Supportiv Caregivers Article Collection Being a caregiver requires massive internal strength, but you cant be expected to maintain your strength without support of your own.

Forty-three percent of all US adults are caregivers, and almost half care for more than one person at a time. While caregivers focus on the needs of others, they are taxed by their own specific emotional struggles. Caregivers complete both physical and emotional labor on a daily basis, causing them to experience a twenty-six percent greater impact of physical and mental health conditions than the average population.

Caregivers may be life partners, children of aging parents, parents, teachers, nurses or aides, paid or unpaid, formal or informal, young or aging themselves. Across the diverse range of caregiver roles, a common theme is the compromise between their own needs, and the needs of someone else who is dependent on them.

Maintaining caregiving responsibilities shows empathy, and caregivers can also show self-love by taking care of themselves: I want to be able to help you as much as possible, so I need to do X-Y-Z for myself right now. In a caregiving role, that can translate to setting boundaries, applying for financial assistance, cultivating pride, defusing conflict, or finding a realistic way to take a breakhowever small.

Supportivs new Caregiver Collection of articles seeks to meet caregivers where they are, providing tools to create emotional change for the better, either within themselves, or together with the person for whom theyre caring.

Supportiv, the digital peer-to-peer support network, has collaborated with experts including Alexandra Drane of ARCHANGELS and C. Grace Whiting J.D. of the National Alliance for Caregiving, to provide practical insights on how to face the seemingly impossible struggles caregivers faceoften without someone to care for them. Article titles from the new resource collection include:



Unpaid Caregivers: Easing Financial And Emotional Burdens

Instead Of Being Young And Carefree, Im A Caregiver. How Can I Be Both?

Things You Think You Cant Say As A Caregiver

The Impact Of Caregiving On Your Physical And Mental Health

Maintaining Your Boundaries As A Caregiver: Go From Guilt To Glow

Caregiver In Need Of Help? Here Are Some Options

Courageous Caregivers: Being Proud Of Your Role

Caregiving For Your Significant Other: Surviving The Tension

Providing Care For An Aging Parent: Navigate A New Dynamic

Caregiver Burnout: Avoid It, Or, Rise From The Ashes

When The Person You Care For Refuses Professional Help

Caring For Someone Who Is Vocally Ungrateful

Helena Plater-Zyberk, Supportiv CEO and Co-Founder, reflects on the emotional catch-22 which many carers face:

At various points in our lives, each of us may be called upon to devote ourselves to the care of a loved one. Being a caregiver requires massive internal strength. You cant be expected to maintain your strength without support of your own.

Supportiv Co-Founder Pouria Mojabi explains his drive to make these perspectives available to as many people as possible:

In addition to unpaid caregivers who take care of loved ones, there are also thousands of paid caregivers nearing the breaking point. Burnout, financial stress, and compassion fatigue are real risks among the caregiver population.

Relevant Supportiv articles and tips also surface in real-time inside its 24/7 peer support chats. By typing a few words in response to the question: Whats your struggle? users are matched in under a minute to topic-specific peer-to-peer group chats for anonymous support  from pandemic burnout to virus anxiety, from relationship drama to isolation, and from trauma to depression. Even experiences regarding objectification, culture, stigma, and shame are up for discussion in Supportivs anonymous peer support chats.

Supportiv has already enabled over 700,000 users to feel less lonely, anxious, stressed, misunderstood, and hopeless through its moderator-guided chats with AI-driven content and resource recommendations. The peer support network is available instantly at https://www.supportiv.com.
Forefront: Securing Pittsburghs Break-out Position in Autonomous Mobile Systems Our focus cant just be on R&D. We need to close the commercialization cycle by manufacturing and distributing end-user products and services here, too, just like we historically did for steel. And we need to make regulatory changes that remove barriers and make our region more attractive.

The Pittsburgh autonomy sector has reached critical mass and has the potential to become a major player in the global market, a new study finds. But urgent action is needed to compete more effectively against other regions and to encourage autonomy companies to locate and remain in Southwestern Pennsylvania as they mature and grow.

The report  Forefront: Securing Pittsburghs Break-out Position in Autonomous Mobile Systems  was issued by Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) and the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce with research conducted by TEConomy Partners.

The culmination of a nine-month long study, the report finds that the Pittsburgh region is one of the top centers for autonomous mobile systems  a sector predicted to grow to a $1 trillion+ global market by 2026, with an estimated 5,000 jobs and a $10 billion impact for a region that captures 1 percent of that global market growth.

The study was conducted with funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, and the regions top autonomous technology companies, including Argo AI, Aurora, Carnegie Robotics, Motional, Seegrid, and Thoro.ai.

The estimated direct employment footprint of Pittsburghs autonomy sector totals over 6,300 jobs which provide an estimated $651 million in labor income, $34.7 million in state and local tax revenues, and $126.7 million in federal tax revenues. These companies generated an additional 8,604 full- or part-time indirect jobs, bringing the total number of jobs in the region that are dependent on the industry to 14,923.

Though Pittsburgh is already a national hub, the study found that its gains are at risk due to competition from other regions, a challenging regulatory environment for testing and deployment, and insufficient coordinated support for the sector. The study offers a six-part strategic plan with specific strategies to reinforce the regions current strengths, attract and retain talent, and root emerging companies in the region.



State-level autonomy program to position the region for future growth, including regulatory changes and increased funding.

A coordinated effort to advance the identity of the region as a leading autonomous systems hub serving a diverse set of markets.

Better coordination of the regions innovation ecosystem assets to support the autonomous systems industry.

Further development of the regional autonomous industry supply chain to capture future manufacturing opportunities and jobs when the sector scales to market.

Creation of demonstration and testing infrastructure assets to support industry scaling.

Expansion of the talent pipeline to support the growth of autonomous systems industry, which is expected to require a diversity of new jobs, both degree-requiring and not.

TEConomy analyzed the economic impact of 71 local firms (or in cases of major multinational corporations, the divisions, or operating units of those firms), which were identified as having core business operations primarily serving the autonomy sector.

Other key findings include:

Not only is Pittsburgh 7th in autonomous business establishment volume, it is 2nd only to Detroit-Ann Arbor in concentration of market leaders.

Pittsburghs diverse base of autonomy companies is a crucial competitive strength that can help the region remain agile to shifts in broader markets as adoption of autonomy solutions grows.

Pittsburgh has an R&D-intensive industry; it does not yet have widely productized goods and services or large-volume consumer bases, which it needs for long-term autonomy sector eminence.

While Pittsburgh is an R&D center, companies are choosing to locate testing infrastructure investments and jobs in other states that have the environmental and regulatory conditions companies find attractive  which is likely to continue unless the region updates its regulatory framework.

Pittsburghs future within this increasingly competitive space is far from assured; the region cannot take a passive stance and rely solely on existing industry and innovation activities.

The report notes that: Pittsburgh will face increasing competition from regions with signature state and regional initiatives that support autonomous systems applications and must establish its own programs to reinforce its current innovation ecosystem as well as root emerging companies and talent in the region.

We have a tremendous opportunity to become the premiere global center of autonomous technologies, says RIDC President Donald F. Smith, Jr. But to achieve that, our focus cant just be on R&D. We need to close the commercialization cycle by manufacturing and distributing end-user products and services here, too, just like we historically did for steel. And we need to make regulatory changes that remove barriers and make our region more attractive. We have all the puzzle pieces. We need to put them together strategically and collaboratively  with a coordinated regional plan  or well fall behind the competition.

In the Pittsburgh region, we dont wait on opportunity, we seize it. That drive has allowed our region to define  and redefine  itself over time and reinforce its value proposition in a changing world. Our region has such an opportunity now with autonomy, a global growth market and a sector where were well-positioned to compete, said Matt Smith, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, an Allegheny Conference on Community Development affiliate.

He goes on to comment, To claim global leadership, long term, a focused state-level autonomy policy is essential. That will enable us to compete  and win  in this space. The entire 10-county region has so much to gain if we move now to create the right environment to leverage an opportunity thats cross-cutting  from self-driving vehicles and robotics to farming and advanced manufacturing. Pittsburgh can become the global hub for autonomous technologies with opportunities up and down the sectors supply chain and future-focused jobs for workers of all levels from technicians and skilled trades to PhDs.

Pittsburgh long has relied on a proven formula to generate prosperity: We see opportunities for national and global economic leadership, and we seize them, said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, which provided funding for this project. At the Foundation, we years ago identified the autonomous vehicles industry as one of the next great opportunities for Pittsburgh leadership  and weve been betting on its potential with philanthropic investments ever since. This study makes that potential clear for everyone to see  and also makes clear what we need to do, together, to seize it.

Study participants included regional economic development organizations, universities, and the regions diverse base of autonomy companies. A full list can be found on page 142 of the report. Comments about the report from some of the participants can be found here.

ABOUT RIDC:

RIDC catalyzes and supports economic growth through high quality job creation, real estate development and financing of projects that advance the public interest  developing real estate to capture emerging and existing growth opportunities across diverse industry sectors. With a focus on economic development that benefits communities, RIDC properties are home to many of the regions technology companies, ranging from fast-growing, early-stage entities to some of the leaders in the autonomy field.

ABOUT THE GREATER PITTSBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:

The Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, the advocacy arm of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, serves as the 10-county Pittsburgh regions chief advocate at all levels of government to secure public sector investment and legislative and regulatory improvements to improve the economy and quality of life. The enduring contribution of the chamber is its ability to bring people and organizations together around issues critical to the regions competitiveness and, through a unified voice, effectively convey the needs and priorities of the region to local, state and federal decision makers.
Isaiahs Rock and NFI Industries Isaiahs Rock shares our goal to uplift health and community causes right at home.

NFI, a leading supply chain provider, announced a two-year relationship and $50,000 donation to Isaiahs Rock in Chino, California. In alignment with NFIs core value of social responsibility, Isaiahs Rock is committed to helping the Chino, CA, community fight hunger and homelessness.

As a trusted leader in the community, Isaiahs Rock works to provide shelter, clothing, and personal hygiene items to the homeless or on the verge of homelessness. In addition, Isaiahs Rock works to provide three hot meals a day to anyone hungry, as well as drive-through distribution at the Chino City Hall.

Isaiahs Rock shares our goal to uplift health and community causes right at home, said NFI President and Vice Chairman Ike Brown. NFI is one of the largest third-party logistics companies in North America, employing more than 14,500 associates in the United States and Canada. As an employer of choice, the company focuses on programs that improve the well-being of its employees and communities.

In addition to the donation, NFI employees will volunteer their time at Isaiahs Rock during the upcoming holiday season. Brian Webb, Senior Vice President, Operations for the West region, said, Our employees take pride in supporting their communities through volunteering. We look forward to this opportunity with Isaiahs Rock and the chance to make a difference.

Thanks to NFI, were able to be particularly generous with so many of the local families and individuals who depend on us, said Charleen King, co-founder of Isaiahs Rock. We are honored to have the support of NFI leadership and their employees.

In 2021, NFI has donated more than $300,000 to support communities and nonprofits tied to health and welfare, diversity and inclusion, and education.

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 more than 14,500 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates approximately 53 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 1,700 owner-operators. NFI has a significant drayage presence at nearly every major U.S. port, leveraging the services of an additional 1,200 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 http://www.nfiindustries.com or call 1-877-NFI-3777.

About Isaiahs Rock -- Isaiah's Rock started with scheduled weekly food and children's toys distribution. It all started with David and Charleens response to Gods calling to take care of their neighbors. Due to their obedience, God opened up more opportunities and more people joined together to help the Chino residents that make them feel more love. Through cooperation with other groups and organizations, Isaiah's Rock has been sending supplies every Wednesday and Friday for over 30 years, in addition to providing warm meals, daily necessities, and laundry services to people in need.
Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay (OMG) announces the addition of Dr. William Trey Shield to the practice.

Dr. William Trey Shield is a native of the metro Detroit area and attended the University of Michigan Honors College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in microbiology. He then worked at the National Cancer Institute as a research fellow for two years prior to returning to the University of Michigan to complete medical school in 2015.

Following medical school, he then completed a 5-year orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Maryland and R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Maryland where he served as academic chief resident. During residency he was awarded the senior research award and has published peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of joint replacement. While in residency Dr. Shield became interested in joint reconstruction and chose to pursue an additional year of specialized training in the field.

Upon completion of residency, he began fellowship training at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California where he focused on primary and revision hip and knee replacement as well as knee joint preservation techniques and osteochondral allograft. At the completion of his fellowship, he was drawn to Tampa, Florida due to the excellent reputation of OMG as well the presence of several prior University of Maryland residency graduates.

Dr. Shield prides himself in utilizing an evidence-based approach to caring for patients with not only hip and knee pain but general orthopaedics and patients of all ages. He believes that his training is never truly complete and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as well as the American Academy of Hip and Knee Surgeons. He has trained extensively in the anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty and performs primary as well as revision total hip and knee arthroplasty.

The partners, surgeons and staff at Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay are excited to welcome Dr. Shield to the group.
Our Little Pal, Buddy: a delightful story about accepting others as they are and helping those in need. Our Little Pal, Buddy is the creation of published author Patrick Earl.

Earl shares, Our Little Pal, Buddy is the story of a little stray puppy that doesnt have a family or home and is trying to find out what life is all about.

Through various encounters, while meeting new friends, Buddy learns about caring for others and how to be loved.

Our Little Pal, Buddy brings a brand-new story to children of all ages that teaches the very special lesson of treating others like you would like to be treated. This is a story of hope, love, and friendship that brings many new characters to life for all to enjoy.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Patrick Earls new book is an important object lesson for young readers.

With a wholesome story and vibrant imagery, readers will delight in the key virtues found within.

View a synopsis of Our Little Pal, Buddy on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Our Little Pal, Buddy at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Our Little Pal, Buddy, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Paulette Fryar will be honored as the 2021 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY), in recognition of her outstanding commitment to the military community, at an awards luncheon this Thursday, Sept. 9 at 12 p.m. at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, VA.

Video of the awards ceremony will be available.

The highly-anticipated awards luncheon, which draws VIPs from the military and civilian communities, originally slated for May, 2021, had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fryar, who represents the Coast Guard branch of the service, was nominated for the honor by colleagues from the various boards and clubs she has served on. She was chosen following a rigorous selection process that saw the nomination of close to 1000 military spouses from all branches of the military with over 23,000 votes cast. The Spouse of the Year was selected based on the highest combined scores from the popular vote, the Judge Advisory Panel and the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year (AFI MSOY) Panel.

Fryar, 50, is the spouse of Coast Guard CDR Troy Fryar, who is stationed at Scott Air Force Base in OFallon, Illinois. The mother of four grown sons, Fryar says she has a passion for helping ensure no military spouse feels alone. If she or he feels supported and loved their spouse can fulfill their duties better.

In her quest to achieve that goal, Fryar has spearheaded vital scholarship committees to assist military dependents to attend colleges or trade schools--or to achieve needed career certification and also plays a key role in the military branch of the Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS) Program specifically designed to support young mothers.

Commenting on Fryars achievement, Lieutenant General Stanley E. "Sid" Clarke III, U.S. Air Force (ret.) and AFI Chairman, said, This has been a time filled with unprecedented events: the pandemic has had substantial impact on our personal and professional lives as well as our nation and the world. Our thoughts go out to those directly affected. AFI remains proud of its long tradition of recognizing the sacrifice and rewarding the hard work of military spouses who continue to inspire others and have a tangible, measurable effect on their communities. Therefore, it is our privilege to officially present Ms. Paulette Fryar with the 2020-2021 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year award. Paulette was chosen after an extensive voting and board process. The competition was tough as all of our branch winners are exceptional spouses who represent their member, family and service with distinction. We congratulate Paulette on her selection and thank her for her service to our country as well.

The 2021 Branch Winners are:

2021 Army Spouse of the YearYvonne Coombes

2021 Marine Corps Spouse of the YearArlene Allen

2021 Navy Spouse of the YearDavid Carrera

2021 Air Force Spouse of the YearBree Carroll

2021 Coast Guard Spouse of the YearPaulette Fryar

2021 National Guard Spouse of the YearCristy Reid

For more information on the AFI Military Spouse of the Year program, please visit msoy.afi.org.

About Armed Forces Insurance

AFI was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively-priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. AFI understands that military members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service thats unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at http://www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234.

For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:

3 Roads Communications, Inc.

Russ Hodge703-786-5678 or rhodgethr@aol.com

Catherine Christman803-240-5863 or cath137@aol.com
PetDesk, a leading veterinary client engagement technology company, is happy to announce the recipients of its inaugural Equity in Veterinary Scholarships. Partnering with North Carolina State University, Tuskegee University, and Purdue University, PetDesk chose schools that specifically focus on supporting groups historically underrepresented in the veterinary field.

The scholarships, which range from $2,000 to $20,000, were awarded to undergraduate and postgraduate students. PetDesks Equity in Veterinary Medicine Scholarship awarded $20,000 to postgraduate students attending North Carolina State University and Tuskegee University; the PetDesk Pre-Veterinary Scholar Award offered $2,000 to undergraduates at North Carolina A&T State University and Tuskegee University; and PetDesks Equity in Veterinary Nursing Scholarship awarded $2,000 to undergraduates attending Purdue University. PetDesk also partnered with the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association (MCVMA) to create its Veterinary Business Start-Up Grant, which will award $20,000 to one lucky applicant. This grant will provide much-needed financial assistance for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) veterinarians looking to start their own practice.

As a result of these inaugural Equity in Veterinary Scholarships, Dr. Allen Cannedy, NC State College of Veterinary Medicine director of diversity and multicultural affairs, states: Our college and the veterinary profession owes PetDesk a huge show of appreciation. Their investment in our future will not only change the lives of the recipients of their scholarships but will surely help diversify our profession. Thank you, PetDesk, for supporting our underrepresented minority students and for your sincere generosity.

Dr. Ruby L. Perry, Dean of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, adds: We are very grateful to PetDesk for their inspiring and intentional commitment to the veterinary profession through the establishment of the PetDesk Equity in Veterinary Medicine Scholarship. The spirit of this scholarship aligns with the legacy of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine to embrace and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the veterinary profession. PetDesks vision and generosity will not only support students in the professional DVM program on track to becoming career-ready veterinarians, but also undergraduate pre-veterinary medical scholars aspiring to become veterinarians.

Dr. Chad Brown, director of the Veterinary Nursing Program at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, expresses that: It is our goal to provide a quality education for veterinary nursing students and PetDesk is helping tremendously to relieve the burden of the financial stress of our students. This contribution to the students education also brings an effort to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion not only within our college but our communities. We are happy that PetDesk recognizes the importance of this caliber of support for the nursing side of the veterinary profession.

Dr. Marie Sato Quicksall, President of the MCVMA, also voices: "MCVMA is excited to be working with PetDesk on the Equity in Veterinary Medicine Grant. PetDesk has made a commitment to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for both students and veterinary graduates at a much needed time. Many veterinary schools have done fantastic work on improving DEI, but they can't be the only ones doing the work. This innovative grant program will expand efforts beyond veterinary schools and into the field."

PetDesks Equity in Veterinary Scholarship program was started in 2020, in an effort to enhance the organization's corporate social responsibility by improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within the pet care industry, rather than simply giving money to pet health causes. Starting with three colleges to award scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year, the goal is to continue extending the program to include more schools as PetDesk grows its business.

Our mission at PetDesk is to extend pet lives, not only by connecting pet parents and pet care providers, but also by returning all of the insights and data we create to academics and the industry at large, said Taylor Cavanah, CEO of PetDesk. We want to support our applicants and graduates so that more possible paths before and after school are open to them, which will lead to more equitable outcomes. There is still a lot of work to be done, and we are by no means solving the entire issue, but we hope that this program is a step in the right direction toward equality within the industry.

PetDesk is hoping to get the word out about the program - the more educators, students, vets, and industry professionals who know about the program allows for more feedback to the team on how it's working or how it can be improved. In terms of processes, each recipient is chosen by their respective schools for the program. For more details about the PetDesk Equity in Veterinary Scholarship program and information on when the next application period opens, please visit http://www.petdesk.com.

About PetDesk

Since 2013, PetDesk has been leading the veterinary industry and empowering over 2,700 practices and hospitals with simple yet powerful software solutions that streamline front office processes and build better relationships with clients and their pets. With the 5-star rated mobile app and 3 million users, PetDesk is committed to connecting pet owners with their pet care providers to stay current with their pets health so that they can live longer, happier, and healthier lives. Learn more about PetDesk by visiting http://www.petdesk.com.

About The Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association

The Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association (MCVMA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2014 to address the lack of cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity within the veterinary profession. The Multicultural Veterinary Medical Associations vision is to transform the veterinary profession into one which is inclusive and equitable, where people of underrepresented races and ethnicities are valued and supported in their careers resulting in all communities receiving the benefits of veterinary medicine. Find out more about MCVMA at http://www.mcvma.org.

###

Contact

BAM for PetDesk

petdesk@bamtheagency.com
PlanHub Ranked 6th on South Florida Business Journal's Fastest-Growing Companies South Florida is our home," said PlanHub CEO and Founder, Kevin Priddy, "to be acknowledged by the South Florida Business Journal is an incredible honor and we love being part of the business community here."

PlanHub, a leading pre-construction bidding software as a service (SaaS) company for general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers has been named on South Florida Business Journals annual list of the 50 fastest-growing companies in Southern Florida, the Fast 50. PlanHub was included as 6th on the list under $25 million, where rank was based on two-year revenue percentage growth.

South Florida is our home, and to be acknowledged by the South Florida Business Journal is an incredible honor and we love being part of the business community here. Im proud of the growth that PlanHub has accomplished and Im looking forward to continuing our growth well in the future, said CEO and founder, Kevin Priddy.

Founded in West Palm Beach in 2009 by CEO Kevin Priddy and Kyle Conlan, PlanHub was created to simplify and improve the complex and disjointed bidding process that all construction companies face. Since then, PlanHub has grown into an easy-to-use, affordable, and innovative software with hundreds of thousands of users across the country. PlanHub is a company created by contractors for contractors.

ABOUT PLANHUB

PlanHub is a leading cloud-based pre-construction bidding platform that enables General Contractors, Subcontractors, and Suppliers to collaborate on construction projects across the US. PlanHub was created by contractors, for contractors, to simplify the construction bidding process with an easy-to-use application  a hub where a vibrant community of construction professionals can work together to efficiently tackle new projects and stay connected. https://planhub.com/
Ark II: an action-packed science fiction novel that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Ark II is the creation of published author R. J. Feeney, a loving husband and father who served in the United States Army, attended Glassboro State College in New Jersey, and retired from the United States Postal Service after twenty-four years.

Feeney shares, Some say fourteen-year-old Erin McCoy is naturally gifted. Her uncanny swimming skill as a US Olympic team hopeful and her ability to understand even the most advanced mathematical equations lends considerable credence to those assumptions. As well-adjusted and content as any teenager could ever be expected to be, Erin describes living with her NASA scientist father and small craft-shop owner mother, who also happens to be her best friend, though she will never admit so in public, as not horrible. She has even recently started what she secretly hopes will become a very, very good relationship with a classmate named Stu. Only time will tell.

Unfortunately, time is not always friendly, and Erin is about to learn just how mean it can be. An unexpected family tragedy soon turns her protected life upside down. Erin and her father are soon faced with decisions that will forever change their futures, as well as the future of the world, in ways they could never have imagined. Taking their places as part of an elite four-person crew onboard the Stellar-1, Erin and her father join Lt. Trevor Robbins and Dr. Kelly Rainier as they are thrust into an incredible adventure that challenges time itself.

The intellect, character, and physical endurance of the Stellar-1 crew are soon tested to their limits as they cross the globe to complete a mission that is constantly changing and holds the worlds history in the balance. Along the way they discover some of the worlds most spectacular places, find themselves joined by the unlikeliest of allies who agree to join their quest and are threatened by the most violent and dangerous of enemies who will stop at nothing to ensure its failure.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, R. J. Feeneys new book is a fast-paced race against time to save the world and humanity.

Feeneys attention to detail and determination to craft a quality science-fiction novel are on display within the pages of this compelling work.

View a synopsis of Ark II on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Ark II at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Ark II, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Deirdre Thompson, SVP Virtual Service Delivery Deirdre was instrumental in moving our service center forward in coordination with the advancement of online services. In the virtual realm, she remains a consummate voice for RCU members.

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) has promoted Deirdre Thompson to senior vice president of virtual service delivery. In her new role, Thompson is responsible for making sure members receive the same level of passionate service digitally as they do in person.

Thompson joined RCU in 2009 with more than ten years of experience in finance and tech. She formerly worked as senior vice president and technology service delivery manager at Bank of America, an experience that allowed her to quickly take on the task of upgrading RCUs member service software and phone systems to build a service-centric team.

Deirdre was instrumental in moving our service center forward in coordination with the advancement of online services, said Tony Hildesheim, chief operating officer. She remains a consummate voice for the member and has been the driving force behind the way we measure customer satisfaction. Im excited to see her lead and execute a vision for the future of virtual service delivery at RCU.

For her many achievements in delivering measurably happier and more loyal members, customers, and employees, as well as sustainable growth, Thompson was honored in 2021 with a North Bay Women in Business award.

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UC Berkeley, is a graduate of Western CUNA Management School, and holds Net Promoter and Six Sigma Greenbelt certifications.

Thompson works out of RCUs Napa administrative offices and is part of the team that will lead its growth and ability to serve as an additional disaster recovery siteensuring unencumbered access to financial services at all times.

About Redwood Credit Union

Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the North Bay and San Francisco. RCU offers complete financial services including checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, online and mobile banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, and more. Wealth management and investment services are available through CUSO Financial Services L.P., and insurance and auto-purchasing services are also offered through RCU Services Group (RCUs wholly owned subsidiary). RCU has more than $6.8 billion in assets and serves more than 385,000 members with full-service branches from San Francisco to Ukiah.


Seattle-based luxury lifestyle brand, Rossario George is proud to announce the addition of the RG Beauty facial contouring pallet which features three shades for contouring and three for highlighting. The Fall/Winter Shimmer and Shine metallic eyeshadow pallets have 9 marvelous metallic hues laid out as follows:

Row 1: Metallic shine  Silver, Light Gold, Dark Gold

Row 2: Red Shimmer  Lilac, Plum, Wine

Row 3: Brown Shimmer- Tan, Copper, Brown

Rossario George holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. All products are 5-star rated, leaping bunny certified cruelty-free and parabens and phthalates free.

You can shop Rossario George beauty (including the new facial contouring and shimmer and shine eyeshadow pallets) on the following online retailers sites:

Website:

http://www.rossariogeorge.com

Beauty Bridge:

http://www.beautybridge.com/rossario-george

Glosswire:

http://www.glosswire.com/collections/rossario-george
Coming together as one team is a major milestone that will accelerate our long-term vision to bring value to what is a very underserved market. We couldnt be more thrilled to begin working together to further transform the pharmacy benefits industry.

RxBenefits, the employee benefits industrys first and only technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO), today announced it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Confidio, a pharmacy benefits consulting firm.

RxBenefits and Confidio are both focused on solving a persistent industry issue  how to best maintain the affordability of a robust and competitive pharmacy benefit, complimented by an exceptional service experience. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with employers navigating a volatile economy and labor market, the deal strengthens the combined companys value proposition to lower drug costs, improve employee safety and health outcomes, eliminate wasteful spending, and bolster employee engagement and retention.

As part of the deal, RxBenefits will be expanding its breadth of service offerings over the coming months to provide additional enhanced solutions, including:



Enhanced analytics to enable plan sponsors to select the most appropriate PBM;

Advanced clinical utilization management strategies to eliminate wasteful spending;

Enhanced member safety through optimized drug therapy;

Additional white-glove management services of the plan; and

Other long-term opportunities for cost savings.

RxBenefits and Confidio share a common purpose and values. We are both committed to making it easier for benefits advisors to deliver optimized pharmacy benefits to the plan sponsors and combined three million member lives we serve and counting, said Bryan Statham, Chief Executive Officer, RxBenefits. Coming together as one team is a major milestone that will accelerate our long-term vision to bring value to what is a very underserved market. We couldnt be more thrilled to begin working together to further transform the pharmacy benefits industry.

Today is an exciting day for Confidio as we join forces with RxBenefits, a like-minded organization committed to helping plan sponsors navigate the complex pharmacy benefits landscape,'' said Scott Vogel, newly appointed Chief Strategy Officer, RxBenefits and Co-Founder and former Chief Executive Officer, Confidio. Together, we look forward to providing even more comprehensive solutions that are laser focused on our clients most pressing strategic needs of addressing affordability and increasing health outcomes.

In August of 2020, RxBenefits launched the first and only pharmacy benefits optimizer, or PBO, which combines advanced data science, market-leading purchasing power, and patient-centric clinical management strategies to help self-funded plan sponsors and their members achieve the best economic and health outcomes from their pharmacy benefits investment. With the client-aligned PBO model, RxBenefits has already saved self-funded employers an average of 26% the first year through contract savings alone, and an additional 3%-7% through utilization management programs, all with minimal member disruption. Together, RxBenefits and Confidio will collectively form the industry's leading PBO and will be well positioned to drive unnecessary cost out of what is indisputably a very complex marketplace. The deal will further fuel innovation to protect clients against soaring Specialty medication costs and future drivers of trend.

Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for three consecutive years, Confidio is well-known for two unique service offerings, Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) and Confidio Consulting Service (CCS). PPS is a leveraged pharmacy management platform distributed exclusively through benefit advisors. CCS is a consulting practice through which Confidio has designed and deployed custom procurement, advisory, and audit solutions for the nations largest and most complex plan sponsors and health plans. By making the CCS solution available through its broker distribution channel, RxBenefits looks forward to helping benefits consultants meet emerging client requirements as they endeavor to move up market.

Piper Sandler acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Confidio.

About RxBenefits

RxBenefits is a technology-enabled pharmacy benefits optimizer (PBO) with more than 500 pharmacy pricing, data, and clinical experts working together to deliver prescription benefit savings to employee benefit consultants and their self-insured clients. With more than 2 million members, RxBenefits brings market-leading purchasing power, independent clinical solutions, and high-touch service to its customers  ensuring that all businesses, regardless of size, can provide an affordable and valuable pharmacy benefit plan to their employees. The company is headquartered in Birmingham, AL. For more details, visit http://www.rxbenefits.com or follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Confidio

Confidio is a technology-enabled pharmacy benefits consulting firm that optimizes the value of clients pharmacy benefits through transparency, accountability and advanced data analytics paired with deep insider expertise. We help clients minimize drug spend while maximizing patient outcomes and satisfaction. Our reliable solutions are performance-based, results-driven and continuously validated. For more details, visit http://www.confidio.com.
CZUR Et18 Pro Scanner by ScannX The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX empowers libraries to stay within tight budgets without sacrificing quality, reliability, or features, said Murray L. Dennis, CEO of ScannX.

ScannX today announced the most affordable, entry-level scanner to its product family, the CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX. This powerful overhead scanner combines inspired, innovative hardware that is custom-integrated with the award-winning ScannX Book ScanCenter software to streamline book scanning to page turning. The ScannX software automatically creates flat scans from curved books, digitally removes thumbs positioned to hold down pages, and enables glossy prints to be scanned without glare or reflection.

The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX empowers libraries to stay within tight budgets without sacrificing quality, reliability, or features, said Murray L. Dennis, CEO of ScannX. This well-designed book scanning powerhouse gives libraries and their patrons everything they can possibly need to reduce their dependency on paper, eliminate the need to provide endless tech support, and deliver flawless scans automatically to even the most novice users."

The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX:



Delivers ultra-fast scans in 2.5 seconds, with no pre-scan required

Features a unique overhead hardware design to capture face-up books up to 17 x 11 in size

Uses advanced page-flattening algorithms to transform pixels from a 3D, curved book surface to a completely flat undistorted image

Removes user's thumbs from the finished output automatically with ThumbErase technology

Creates blotch-free scans of glossy documents through GlareFree side lighting

Enables users to control the scanner using a touch screen, a hand button, or a foot pedal

Integrates ABBYY FineReader technology for unmatched OCR accuracy, with automatic conversion to searchable PDF, Word, MP3, JPEG, TIFF, and PNG file formats

Works seamlessly with coin, bill, and credit card devices for cost recovery, with add-on options for faxing and digital translations

Provides accessibility tools for the visually impaired

A Broad Range of Scanning Solutions

The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX is the newest member of the companys broad family of document scanning systems, ranging from entry-level overhead and book-edge scanners designed for use by library patrons, to the industrys most advanced A2 and A3+ preservation systems for archival-quality document retention. All are designed to protect the librarys investment in its books, while delivering superior ease-of-use that allows unsupervised patrons to complete their own scans.

"The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX is really advancing what libraries can expect from an entry-level scanner," Murray continued. "It starts with powerful hardware, and then the ScannX software takes everything to an even higher level. Users can scan to any destination they desire, whether that is saving it to a USB drive, taking it home on their mobile device, or saving it to their Google Drive. And administrators can track scanner usage across as many libraries as they manage, deploying features remotely, with detailed reporting that surfaces insights from that usage data."

Powerful Cloud-Based Scanning

ScannX systems include IoT technology and cloud-based support that make it simple to scan, store, and send digitized content as searchable PDF documents to Dropbox, Google Drive, email, smartphones, and tablets, as well as to local USB drives or printers. For larger installations, ScannX Cloud Services aggregates usage data across multiple locations, providing performance metrics and benchmarking. Software updates can automatically be pushed and installed, removing unnecessary technical burdens from library management while ensuring maximum availability.

Accessibility is a standard feature of all ScannX systems, which are designed to meet the needs of visually impaired and fully blind users. Audio feedback simplifies navigating the scanning process; books can be read to the user while scanning; or text converted into MP3 files that can be listened to at their convenience.

Pricing and Availability

The CZUR ET18 Pro Scanner by ScannX is available immediately with pricing starting at $2,995. Contact ScannX at sales@scannx.com to get yours today.

About ScannX

ScannX is the leading developer of cloud-based document scanning and delivery solutions for libraries. The companys systems provide powerful, yet extremely easy-to-use, copier-replacement solutions for scanning books, documents, and photos; and instantly store scanned content in the widest range of digital options. ScannX reduces operating costs, makes printed information instantly accessible, enables libraries to meet their sustainability goals, and expands the range of services libraries can offer their patrons. ScannX users have scanned nearly 200 million pages to date. For more information, visit http://www.scannx.com.

Follow ScannX

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scannx

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScannX

Media Contacts

ScannX, Inc.

Contact: Christopher Kryzan

email: ckryzan@scannx.com

ScannX, the Scannx logo, GlareFree, ScanCenter, and ThumbErase are registered trademarks or trademarks or ScannX, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SGF welcomes reproductive urologist, Dr. Russell Hayden, to SGFs Chesterbrook, PA, and Towson, MD offices. In my eyes, each patient is a person rather than a number, so I prioritize patient needs in a way that I would want to be treated if I were in their shoes.

Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) announced today it is expanding its Center for Male Fertility team with Russell Hayden, M.D., a urologist with a sub-specialty in male infertility and microsurgery, who is now scheduling new patients at the Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania and Towson, Maryland offices, as well as additional SGF Pennsylvania offices. Dr. Hayden joins fellow urologists Paul R. Shin, M.D., and Cori Tanrikut, M.D., to optimize treatment outcomes for patients affected by male factor infertility.

When patients are diagnosed with a male factor, which is the cause of infertility in 40 to 50 percent of couples, an SGF urologist and reproductive endocrinologist work together to optimize treatment outcomes. This integrated care model was designed to provide comprehensive male and female infertility services to ensure continuity of care and communication for both partners before, during, and after treatment.

Shady Grove Fertility prioritizes patient outcomes, rather than the number of procedures per patient, which tends to be the oddity in contemporary medical systems, shares Dr. Hayden. In my eyes, each patient is a person rather than a number, so I prioritize patient needs in a way that I would want to be treated if I were in their shoes.

It was during Dr. Haydens graduate studies in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University where his drive to work in an impactful field of medicine where an alignment of technology, precision, and creative problem solving manifested. Dr. Hayden earned his medical degree from Harvard University. He remained in Massachusetts to pursue his residencies in general surgery and urology from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Hayden then completed his fellowship in reproductive medicine and microsurgery at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

Dr. Hayden is a member of the American Urological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology, the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction, and the New York Academy of Sciences. He has published papers, written chapters, and presented several topics, including vestibular prostheses, azoospermia, metastatic prostate cancer, and more.

SGFs Center for Male Fertility Offers Specialty Services in Mens Reproductive Health

SGF's Center for Male Fertility offers a range of services provided by Drs. Shin, Tanrikut, and Hayden, including:



basic evaluation and testing,

state-of-the-art microsurgical techniques including varicocele repair, vasectomy reversal, and vasectomy, and

sperm injection and extraction techniques that have nearly eliminated infertility among couples with a severe male factor.

Welcoming Dr. Hayden to the team allows SGF to expand its Center for Male Fertility offerings beyond the D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia regions, and into Pennsylvania, says Dr. Shin. Between 60 and 70 percent of the male population experience some issues with sexual health and fertility, so this growth provides more convenient access to fertility services for individuals and couples in search reproductive assistance.

Another advantage to the Center for Male Fertility at SGF is that patients outside of the practice may be referred directly to Drs. Shin, Tanrikut, and Hayden for diagnostic testing, evaluation, and/or treatment for male infertility or for SGFs unique no needle, no-scalpel vasectomy services.

I am proud to welcome Dr. Hayden to the SGF team of urologists, shares Dr. Tanrikut. Ive been familiar with his work for some time, seeing as we followed the same residency and fellowship trajectories. Reproductive urology is a specialized niche in the medical field, and Im confident that Dr. Haydens expertise will complement SGFs integrated approach to fertility care.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hayden at the Chesterbrook or Towson offices, call the New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or submit this brief online form.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 100,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 41 locations, including new locations in Colorado and Norfolk, VA, as well as throughout CO, FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C. and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
Sunkist Brand Logo We are thrilled to partner with Sunkist on this new line of delicious and nutritious sauces and dressings. This is the first time they have licensed products within the sauces and dressings category, and we couldnt be happier they are working with our team.

Sokol Custom Food Ingredients, a family-owned company that has been developing custom food formulations for 125 years, announced a new partnership with Sunkist Growers, Inc. The partnership includes development and production of a complete line of better-for-you Sunkist branded dressings and sauces in a variety of vibrant and fruit-driven flavors. Created to complement everything from salads to tacos, dipping sauces and more, the range will include gluten-free and nut-free offerings with no GMOs or high fructose corn syrup.

We are thrilled to partner with Sunkist on this new line of delicious and nutritious sauces and dressings, said Paul Noble, Executive Vice President, Sokol. This is the first time they have licensed products within the sauces and dressings category, and we couldnt be happier they are working with our team. Sauces and dressings are an excellent pairing for our two companies, allowing us to bring together Sunkists brand of the highest quality citrus ingredients with Sokols co-manufacturing and development strengths. We look forward to continuing our partnership and cant wait to see this inspired line of great-tasting, clean and healthy dressings and sauces hit store shelves. We anticipate products will be available nationwide by early 2022.

Industry trends indicate that interest in overall wellness continues to be on the rise, and that more people have learned how to create healthy meals at home this past year, adds Mark Madden, Vice President, Marketing and Global Licensing at Sunkist. These trends have informed us as we look for new ways to educate consumers on the many nutritional benefits of citrus, and inspire them to incorporate fresh ingredients in their meals and snacks. It was great to collaborate with our partners at Sokol and create this new line of dressings and sauces that will bring vibrant flavor to our consumers homemade creations.

Sokol offers customers complete turnkey co-manufacturing solutions that ensure high-quality, consistent products. Services can include ingredient sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, inventory control, and shipping. They offer a variety of packaging sizes and can also accommodate any need for Kosher, Halal, gluten-free, organic and non-GMO manufacturing.

Learn more about how Sokol, a family-owned and operated business, can help launch your next licensed products here.

About Sokol Custom Food Ingredients

Sokol Custom Food Ingredients is a family-owned company that has been developing custom food formulations for retail, industrial and foodservice industries worldwide for 125 years. Through a century of evolution and adaptation, Sokol, along with an impressive portfolio of retail and private label products such as Solo Foods retail brand, has evolved into a multifaceted food company focused on long-lasting strategic partnerships. Sokols team of formulation experts, quality ingredients, optimized production process, packaging solutions and dedicated customer service team give customers a unique experience and the ability to tap into current market trends and get to market quickly.

About Sunkist Growers, Inc.

Sunkist Growers is a citrus marketing cooperative, founded in 1893, which is owned by and operated for thousands of family farmers growing citrus in California and Arizona. For more information, visit http://www.sunkist.com. Sunkist is a registered trademark of Sunkist Growers, Inc., USA 2021
"This community embodies our active lifestyle brand and we look forward to further establishing our presence here, states Vice President of Real Estate, Alyssa Parker.

StorQuest Self Storage, a dynamic brand with a commitment to innovative solutions and an industry-wide reputation for exceptional guest service, is excited to announce the rebrand and management of Extra Space Self Storage, located at 3296 Heritage Rd. The state-of-the-art facility marks the fifth StorQuest location in the growing San Diego market.

Built with the highest standards in self storage design, this Class-A location is strategically located in the second largest city in the San Diego metro market and is equipped for the ever changing needs of the community. We feel fortunate to be managing this newly developed facility in the growing Chula Vista neighborhood. This community embodies our active lifestyle brand and we look forward to further establishing our presence here, states Vice President of Real Estate, Alyssa Parker.

The innovative brand inspires customers to put away their stuff, live big, and Make Room for Awesome. This mantra takes the form of a gleaming facility equipped with an abundance of climate-controlled units, 24 hour digital surveillance, access 7 days a week and RV, boat and auto storage. Getting started is "awesomely simple" too, with contactless rentals, 24/7 customer leasing & support, and online account access.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter to learn more about the company and how we inspire our guests to make the most of self storage, and life.


Syniti logo Syniti and SAP have a rich history together. We have been an SAP platinum partner for years, and we continue to invest in our solution extensions and go-to-market innovation.

Syniti, a global leader in enterprise data management, announced it appointed Joel Bernstein to its board of directors. Bernstein will serve on both Synitis board and audit committee where he will support the businesss growth strategy.

Bernstein is the Chief Financial Officer of the Customer Success Board Area & Head of Global Finance at SAP where he is responsible for leading the financial activities and profitable revenue growth of the companys customer go-to-market organization across 130 countries. As Head of Global Finance he oversees SAPs global treasury, tax, facilities, shared services, procurement and global controlling, strengthening SAPs Global Finance and Administration organization. A 25-year veteran of SAP, Bernstein is a seasoned finance professional, having held numerous positions across SAP.

Syniti and SAP have a rich history together. We have been an SAP platinum partner for years, and we continue to invest in our solution extensions and go-to-market innovation, said Kevin Campbell, Syniti CEO. Were excited to welcome Joel to our team, and his leadership will help further our mission to continue to grow and support our partnership with SAP.

Synitis customers rely on our partnership to help deliver data they can trust in achieving their most important business initiatives, said Bernstein. Syniti has an incredible team and one that Im excited to be a part of while we continue to build on a momentous business year.

Bernstein, a resident of the greater Philadelphia area and alumnus of Wilkes University, is also a member of The Franklin Institutes Board of Trustees, an organization whose mission is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. He resides in Media with his family.

For more information about Syniti, visit http://www.syniti.com.

About Syniti

Syniti solves the world's most complex data challenges by uniquely combining intelligent, AI-driven software and vast data expertise to yield certain and superior business outcomes. For over 25 years, Syniti has partnered with the Fortune 2000 to unlock valuable insights that ignite growth, reduce risk and increase their competitive advantage. Syntis silo-free enterprise data management platform supports data migration, data quality, data replication, master data management, analytics, data governance, and data strategy in a single, unified solution. Syniti is a portfolio company of private equity firm Bridge Growth Partners LLC. Read more at http://www.Syniti.com.

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 2020 SAP SE. All rights reserved.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices.
California sandwich giant Togos is expanding in the Greater Las Vegas area. The nearly 200-unit franchise is opening a location in Henderson on September 8th, the first of several Nevada-based locations.

There will also be a grand opening celebration at the Henderson shop on Thursday, September 30th, including a ribbon cutting ceremony and $5 pastrami sandwiches from 11 a.m. to 2 pm.

Togos franchisee Wayne Bauer is behind this Las Vegas expansion, and the Henderson location is the first in his three-unit agreement. Bauer grew up in California and developed a love for the brand from an early age. Growing up in the late 80s, my friends and I would regularly leave our high school campus for lunch at Togos, he said.

Bauer previously worked as a general manager at a Pizza Hut franchise for more than 10 years. Between his past experience in the restaurant industry and his insights for business in Las Vegas, he is confidently entering a multi-unit deal with Togos. The sandwiches taste as good now as they did when I first had them. Theyve stood the test of time, and for a business to be that solid and maintain brand loyalty in a tough business market, thats impressive, he said.

Togos has been able to remain true to the sandwich with 50 years of proven success. Its menu and offerings have always emphasized quality, fresh ingredients, and giant portions. The West Coast original fan favorites, the #9 Hot Pastrami and the #24 Turkey & Avocado, have developed a devout following from repeat customers. The $5 pastrami deal taking place at the grand opening event will introduce Nevada to a sandwich the brand has become renowned for.

John Dyer, Togos Vice President of franchise sales and real estate, says Bauer is the perfect franchisee to kick-off the brands Las Vegas expansion.

Weve discussed locations outside California for quite some time. The Las Vegas market is an exciting one for tourists, locals, and businesses alike, and it truly presents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for our brand. We have found an experienced operator who is passionate about our company and our food, he said.

The Vegas Metro area has an all-around great business climate, Bauer added. He looks to capitalize on the West Coast fan base that Togos has already established, paired with the growing population of greater Las Vegas. Southern Nevada is so close to our California brand following, and were in a great position to develop more brand recognition right away, he said. He says the brand already has plans for 5 more stores in the area and is actively pursuing other partnerships to expand even further in the area.

Togos already has plans for further expansion in Reno, Nevada with three additional locations set to open over the next few years. A similar path for expansion is being pursued in Las Vegas with the help of an enthusiastic Southern California customer following, and an already-proven business model.

ABOUT TOGOS EATERIES, LLC

Togo's Sandwiches was founded in 1971 in San Jose, California, by a young college student with a large appetite and little money who was looking to make sandwiches the way he liked them  big, fresh, and meaty. Today, that spirit of the founder and the original sandwich shop continues. Like the first days of the brand, Togo's products are still made with only the highest quality ingredients, including fresh artisan breads, hand sliced premium pastrami, turkey, and roast beef, as well as Hass avocados hand-mashed in-house daily. Togo's is a franchised business that offers entrepreneurs a terrific opportunity to own their own business. With nearly 200 locations open and under development throughout the West, the brand is a restaurant staying ahead of the pack. For more information, to find your closest Togos location, or to order online, please visit http://www.togos.com.


We are thrilled to welcome Beverley, Mark and Sean. The combination of renowned experts from Australia, Europe and the United States, each with global experience, is incredibly powerful. - and their expertise and insight will be invaluable.

Edalex, the edtech company on a mission to surface learning outcomes, digital assets and the power of individual achievement, today announced the finalisation of its inaugural Credentialate Advisory Group, a strategic panel of thought leaders focused on bridging the gap between education and the world of work.

Credentialate, the world's first Credential Evidence Platform to discover, assess and validate students attainment of essential workplace skills, was developed in close collaboration with leading research-based university design partner UNSW Sydney, in support of a multi-year, cross-faculty micro-credential community of practice and research project. Credentialate integrates with third-partyLMS and assessment platforms - wherever learner data resides - to provide a personalised evidence record for the learner.

The Credentialate Advisory Group will play a vital role in advising strategic decisions relating to the evolution of the Credentialate platform, said Dan McFadyen, Managing Director of Edalex. We are thrilled to welcome Beverley, Mark and Sean. The combination of renowned experts from Australia, Europe and the United States, each with global experience, is incredibly powerful. - and their expertise and insight will be invaluable. McFadyen continued: "We look forward to their ongoing advice, debate, and support for our vision and strategy for our platform and community."

The incoming members of the inaugural Credentialate Advisory Group members are:

Emeritus Professor Beverley Oliver, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Australian National Teaching Fellow based in Melbourne, Australia. She is a non-executive director at Open Learning, an ASX-listed company, and at EduGrowth, Australias not-for-profit acceleration network for high-growth, scalable, borderless education. Beverley was formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education at Deakin University (2013-18). She is the founder and former editor of the Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. Beverley now works as a higher education consultant, speaker and researcher focussing on digital education, micro-credentials, curriculum transformation, quality assurance and graduate employability.

Professor Mark Brown, is Irelands first Chair of Digital Learning and Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) at Dublin City University. Mark is an EDEN Fellow and serves on the Supervisory Board of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). He is also Vice President of the Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (ODLAA). Mark was recognised in 2017 by the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL) as a world leader in open and distance education. In 2020, Mark contributed to the European Commissions high-level consultation group on developing a policy response to the growth of micro-credentials. Professor Brown is currently leading a major project funded by the European Commission to produce a comprehensive literature review on micro-credentials.

Executive Professor Sean Gallagher, is Executive Director of Northeastern Universitys Center for the Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy, and Executive Professor of Educational Policy. A globally recognised expert with more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Sean previously served as Chief Strategy Officer for Northeastern and as a business leader at research and consulting firm Eduventures. His book, The Future of University Credentials, was published in 2016 by Harvard Education Press. Sean holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University; an M.B.A. from the New York Institute of Technology; and a B.S. in Marketing from Northeastern.

Its great to be working with Edalex, and more specifically in relation to Credentialate, Oliver commented. We all know the challenges the world is currently facing in disrupted education and employment, and we desperately need new ideas to bridge that gap. Demand for digital credentialing is surging worldwide - making this an opportune time for international collaboration, adds Gallagher. "The worldwide growth of new micro-credentials provides new opportunities for new tools and new collaborative partnerships as we look to reimagine the traditional credential ecology, Brown observed. I'm looking forward to fruitful and productive exchanges with my colleagues on this future-focused advisory group."

Edalex anticipate that the new Credentialate Advisory Group members will contribute to future thought leadership in the skills and micro-credential space, as well as lend real-world knowledge and insight to the further development of the Credentialate platform itself.

Find out more about Credentialate: https://www.edalex.com/credentialate

About Edalex

Learning gets personal  View content and credentials through a new lens

Edalex is an edtech company on a mission to surface learning outcomes, digital assets and the power of individual achievement. Founded in 2016, Edalex develops technology solutions that extract hidden value from educational data to make it accessible and more meaningful. Edalex brings together the team behind the CODiE award-winning openEQUELLA open source platform that centrally houses teaching and learning, research, media and library content.

In 2019, Edalex launched Credentialate the world's first Credential Evidence Platform that helps discover and share evidence of workplace skills and analyse competency achievement across an institution like never before.

Learn more at https://www.edalex.com
Nick Krus, Vice President, Marketing I trust that under Nick's leadership, TuneCores best in class marketing team will continue putting artists first - listening to what they want in order to advance their careers - and delivering innovative initiatives to uniquely meet those needs.

Leading independent DIY digital music distributor TuneCore, owned by global music company Believe, has named Nicholas Krus to the position of Vice President, Marketing. He will report to Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore. As head of marketing, Krus will manage all marketing efforts on behalf of the independent digital music powerhouse.

In his new role, Krus will oversee all areas of marketing including brand, acquisition, retention, analytics, and research. Most recently, as Senior Director of Client Marketing, Nick oversaw customer acquisition and integrated marketing, helping spread awareness about TuneCores best-in-class music services, and providing guidance and strategy across various marketing campaigns and cross-team initiatives. He was a key architect of the groundbreaking TuneCore Rewards program, TuneCore Certified digital awards and the TuneCore Artwork Creator  all exclusively available to TuneCore artists and labels.

Commented Gleeson, Nick is that rare individual who is actively right and left brained. He can analyze data one minute, then turn around and produce highly creative and innovative marketing initiatives. I trust that under his leadership, TuneCores best in class marketing team will continue putting artists first - listening to what they want in order to advance their careers - and delivering innovative initiatives to uniquely meet those needs.

Senior Director Melanie Seddon will continue to lead Brand Marketing, encompassing social media, branding and events on a global level for TuneCore. Currently TuneCore has 11 social media channels, having increased followers 38% (+ 190,000 YOY) over the past year.

Also reporting into Krus are Erica Quinn, who has been promoted to Senior Director of Client Marketing, with additional responsibility for Acquisition Marketing, and Reva Sookraj continuing in her role as Manager of Consumer & Market Research.

Said Krus, Ive been blessed to work with extremely talented colleagues who execute with expertise and efficiency at every turn. I am extremely excited to continue to put artists first in everything we do and thank Andreea for believing in me to take on this mission.

Krus worked as an Analyst at Warner Music Group before starting at TuneCore over six years ago. He began his tenure at TuneCore as an analyst and quickly transitioned over to the marketing department.

About TuneCore

TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers  with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 4 continents. http://www.tunecore.com

About Believe

Believe is one of the worlds leading digital music companies. Believes mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believes passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Groups global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,270 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Believe, Nuclear Blast, Naive, Groove Attack and AllPoints.

Believe is listed on compartment A of the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Ticker: BLV.PA, ISIN : FR0014003FE9)

http://www.believe.com
USOSM President and CEO Richard Hall welcomes the company's newest oral surgeon partner. We look forward to this, our first partnership in Oregon, and are honored that its with Columbia Oral Surgery and Implants, which is known throughout the Portland community and the OMS profession for exceptional dedication to patient care and clinical excellence.

U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM)  a specialty management services company that exclusively serves premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons  has formed a new partnership with oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists Columbia Oral Surgery and Implants, which has multiple surgeons and two locations in Portland, Oregon. This is USOSMs first partner practice in the state.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USOSM now has partner practices spanning 16 states: Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee, Minnesota, Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Arizona, California and Oregon.

We look forward to this, our first partnership in Oregon, and are honored that its with Columbia Oral Surgery and Implants, which is known throughout the Portland community and the OMS profession for exceptional dedication to patient care and clinical excellence  values we share and look for in prospective partners, said Richard Hall, USOSM president and CEO.

Led by founding doctor Normund K. Auzins, DDS, Columbia Oral Surgery and Implants provides quality service and compassionate care in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Dr. Auzins offers a full range of oral surgery services, from dental implants to wisdom tooth removal, oral biopsies, bone grafting and more. Services are offered in two convenient locations: one in the Northeast area of Portland, and the other in downtown.

We're experts in oral and maxillofacial surgery and USOSM is an expert in business. Partnering together means we'll be able to focus more on what we do best  caring for our patients  while USOSM focuses on the business side, so that our practice can run as smoothly as possible. We will continue to have full clinical autonomy  so how we treat patients won't change at all  but we will gain more resources and valuable business expertise to help support our team and our patients, noted Dr. Auzins.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USOSM is a shared services organization that collaborates with premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons to offer a partnership solution for continued and accelerated practice success. USOSM provides operational, marketing and administrative support services, reinvests resources, and applies best practices to improve clinical and financial performance and produce steadier, more profitable growth for all. For more information, visit https://www.usosm.com/.
We believe that a key to our rapid growth and success is continually ensuring the requirements and feedback of our customers is a priority.

Venminder, an innovator in third-party risk management solutions, announced today that it has been named a Leader in the Third Party and Supplier Risk Management Software category within the G2 Fall Awards 2021. Venminder has also achieved the Best Relationship Award based on the responses of real users, highlighting Venminders quality of support, highly recommended rate and ease of doing business.

We are thrilled to receive this recognition from G2, particularly as it comes from customer evaluations and ratings, said James Hyde, CEO of Venminder. We believe that a key to our rapid growth and success is continually ensuring the requirements and feedback of our customers is a priority. As a dedicated provider of third-party risk solutions, we empower our customers through our platform to make informed, risk-based decisions to manage the entire assessment process throughout the vendor lifecycle. We are extremely proud to see this strategy being translated into winning rankings and online recognition from our customers.

Within G2s Fall 2021 Report, Venminder received high scores across all important customer satisfaction ratings categories, including:



97% would recommend Venminder

98% are satisfied with Venminders quality of support

98% find it easy to do business with Venminder

98% agree that Venminder meets all their requirements

100% say Venminder is headed in the right direction

96% say Venminder is easy to use

According to Tom Pringle, Vice President, Research at G2, It is the authentic voice of the customer that powers our reports at G2 - ranking B2B software founded on users experience in buying, implementing and using it. We are delighted to highlight the tangible achievements of software solutions ranked on our site as they showcase the voice of the user while delivering valuable, actionable insights to other potential buyers and users.

The G2 Fall Report Awards comes as Venminder continues its track record of rapid growth, with the company expected to add its 1,000th customer this year. Venminder stands out from other providers in the market through its 100% commitment to third-party risk. The combination of Venminders growth and dedication to third-party risk has enabled the company to innovate faster, consistently delivering new enhancements and third-party risk solutions to its growing customer base more effectively and efficiently than other providers in the market.

About Venminder

Venminder offers a world-class SaaS platform that guides and streamlines third-party risk management. Venminders platform helps users collaborate on all things vendor-related and guides through critical processes such as oversight management, contract management, risk assessments, due diligence requirements, questionnaires, SLA management, vendor onboarding and more. Robust and configurable reporting can be generated from the tool to give clear visibility into the management and ongoing monitoring of third parties. Completed vendor risk assessments can be found in the Venminder Exchange and include thorough assessments of a vendors information security, SOC reports, contracts, financials, business continuity/disaster recovery and more. Venminder also powers Third Party ThinkTank, an online free community dedicated to third-party risk professionals. For more information, visit http://www.venminder.com. Follow Venminder on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About G2

G2 is the largest and most trusted software marketplace, helping 5.5 million people every month make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews. Thousands of companies partner with G2 to build their reputation, manage their software spend, and grow their business -- including Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoom, Adobe, Lyft, and more. To support its mission to become the place for software, the company has raised over $350M in funding from IVP, Accel Partners, Permira, LinkedIn, Emergence Capital, Pritzker Group, Chicago Ventures, Hyde Park Ventures, and industry leaders and founders, which includes our Series D round of $157M. Founded and headquartered in Chicago, the company now has a valuation of over $1.1B and operates globally with offices in San Francisco, London, Bangalore, and Singapore.
We are excited to be ranked #22 out of Top 100 Roofing Contractors in the nation! We are dedicated to leading the way in safety, technology, and best practices in construction and restoration, said Stephen Shanton, CEO and president of Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL).

Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) ranked number 22 on the esteemed Top 100 Roofing Contractors List by Roofing Contractor magazine. Roofing contractors from every region and major market in the country submitted company revenue, data, and business statistics to be considered. Only 100 were selected.

The Top 100 list is the most anticipated and high-interest story we pursue annually and its no surprise to see this year is no different. Despite all the challenges of 2020 and pivots required to stay in business, roofing contractors proved they are essential, and this list highlights the companies that had a very strong year. Congratulations to Venture Construction Group of Florida on their success, and we look forward to seeing them again next year, said Jill Bloom, publisher, Roofing Contractor magazine.

Roofing and manufacturing took a hit throughout COVID-19, with the industry battling unprecedented supply chain delays, price increases, and material and labor shortages.

Last year, we continued what we do best, to grow our teams and our training and provide the best level of service possible. We are excited to be ranked #22 out of Top 100 Roofing Contractors in the nation! We are dedicated to leading the way in safety, technology, and best practices in construction and restoration. Im so grateful for our amazing team that works so hard to bring top-tier service to all of our customers, said Stephen Shanton, CEO and president of Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL).

About Venture Construction Group of Florida

Founded in 1998, Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is an award-winning leader in construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Specializing in residential, industrial and commercial projects, VCGFL assists homeowners, property managers, condominium boards, homeowner associations, association boards, hotels, and business complexes with general contractor services, roofing, specialty construction, historical restoration, water and flood mitigation, and property repairs due to fire, flood, water, wind and hurricanes. With offices in Boca Raton, Ft. Myers, Naples, Panama City Beach, Orlando, Stuart, Tampa, San Juan, and Nassau, VCGFL is committed to operational excellence and exceptional customer service. VCGFL takes care of the details every step of the way including roofing, siding, windows, drywall, flooring, paint, gutters to rebuilding properties after major storm events from hurricanes, tornadoes, and hailstorms. VCGFL has earned leading industry awards including Roofing Contractor Magazines Top 100; Better Business Bureau (BBB) Southeast Florida and Caribbean 2021 Torch Award for Ethics Finalist; Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA) Silver PRISM Award for Safety Team of the Year, GCBA Gold PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, GCBA Silver PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, Owens Corning Pinnacle Award for Safety, Construction Business Owner Award, Roofing Alliance MVP Award, Coatings Pro Contractor Award, Pro Remodeler Forty Under 40 Award, Qualified Remodeler Top 500 Remodelers Award, Qualified Remodeler Master Design Award, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association S.T.A.R. Spotlight Trophy for the Advancement of Roofing Awards in Sustainability and Community Service. Shanton is a certified member of the WindStorm Insurance Network and is a WIND Certified Umpire, WIND Certified Appraiser, and WIND Certified Fellow. VCGFL carries advanced accreditations and is an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor and Certified Member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors. VCGFL is a proud member of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Industry Members Association (EIMA); Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA); Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA); Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association (IAUA); National Association of Environmentally Responsible Mold Contractors (NAERMC); National Association of Home Builders (NAHB); National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA); NRCA Qualified Trainer; Property Liability and Resource Bureau (PLRB); Restoration Industry Association (RIA). VCGFL is a registered U.S. Federal Government Contractor and holds leading manufacturer certifications including Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Mule-Hide Legacy Contractor, Certified CertainTeed Contractor, and Duro-Last Certified Contractor status. VCGFL credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third-party Global Risk Management Solutions. For more information, call 866-459-8351 or visit us online at http://www.VCGFL.com.

About Roofing Contractor Magazine

Roofing Contractor is the premier magazine for roofing contractors. Each month relevant information covering the latest trends in the roofing industry, safety, business, and legal concerns are addressed. Our editorial reaches a national audience and covers all aspects of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional roofing. For more information, visit http://www.roofingcontractor.com.

Media Inquiries:

Alexis Bott

Elev8 Consulting Group

Ph: 386-243-5388

Web: http://www.elev8cg.com

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We are very excited to launch this firm. We believe it will help fill a gap that currently exists in IP law firms  legal service grounded in deep and broad IP experience provided at a sensible cost.

Verlander LLP announces the launch of a new type of IP firm that provides top tier legal services at a reasonable cost. The firm has a highly experienced group of attorneys with not only vast experience in all aspects of IP and IP litigation, but strong technical backgrounds in engineering and computer science. This team operates at the highest level and achieves results equal to the best law firms.

Wendy Verlander, managing partner at Verlander LLP, has over 25 years of IP and IP litigation experience. She has successfully litigated and settled dozens of cases and represented some of the largest technology companies in the world. Ms. Verlander was formerly a partner at WilmerHale, one of the most successful IP practices in the country. In 2014, Ms. Verlander left WilmerHale to found the successful IP monetization company, Blackbird Technologies.

Ms. Verlander is joined by two other partners that have extensive experience in IP litigation and analysis. Jeffrey Ahdoot has significant trial experience, representing clients in complex patent litigation matters before judges and juries in federal district courts across the country, the PTAB, the ITC and the Federal Circuit. Daniel Harris, an attorney highly experienced at analyzing patents for assertion, headed the patent analysis group at Blackbird Technologies.

Ms. Verlander commented, We are very excited to launch this firm. We believe it will help fill a gap that currently exists in IP law firms  legal service grounded in deep and broad IP experience provided at a sensible cost.

The firm represents clients, both large and small, across all IP practice areas and numerous technologies. Through litigation and licensing, Verlander LLP protects and monetizes clients important IP assets as well as defends against claims impacting their business operations. Firm attorneys can also assist existing litigation teams, seamlessly increasing team size to fit the needs of a case.

About Verlander LLP

Verlander LLP combines top law firm experience with small firm efficiency and cost. Our attorneys have decades of experience in IP and IP litigation and hail from some of the countrys most prestigious and successful law firms.
We are so honored to have these three incredible business leaders join Virginia Readys board of directors." - Caren Merrick, CEO of Virginia Ready

The Virginia Ready Initiative (VA Ready), a 501(c)(3) public-private partnership dedicated to reskilling Virginians and helping them secure in-demand positions, is gaining the support of three new board members: Michelle OHara, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at SAIC; Cynthia Lawrence, director of the Office of Workforce Development at Carilion Clinic; and Becky Sawyer, executive vice president and chief people officer for Sentara Healthcare.

We are so honored to have these three incredible business leaders join Virginia Readys board of directors, said Caren Merrick, CEO of Virginia Ready. Michelle, Cynthia, and Becky are powerful role models for women in the workforce and their guidance will be invaluable as we expand the impact of VA Ready to prepare Virginians for in demand jobs and help Virginia businesses find the talent they need.

OHara brings with her decades of experience in human resources. As chief human resources officer of SAIC, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Virginia, OHara leads the design and implementation of strategic people-related initiatives, including organizational development, cultural transformation, talent acquisition, retention, and employee experience. She is responsible for fostering top talent to enable SAICs growth and market leadership. Prior to her joining the company in 2009, Michelle served as head of global talent acquisition at Bearingpoint, and prior to that, leadership roles at Perot Systems Corporation and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Lawrence leads workforce development at Carilion Clinic. Previously she founded and led two companies from 1986-2015, at which time they were acquired. Committed to the importance of womens education as a critical component of a healthy, economically vibrant community, Cynthia founded an organization of women business leaders, The Commonwealth Council, focused on mentoring emerging women leaders and funding undergraduate scholarships for adult working women in need. Lawrence is on the Western Virginia Workforce Development Board, a member of the Virginia Chambers Workforce and Education Committee, and is a founding member of the Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science.

Sawyer leads HR strategy and execution for 28,000 employees, including over 1,600 leaders across a fully integrated healthcare system with multi-state operations in Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio. Sawyer supports a strategic human resources management program to maintain a positive, diverse, multigenerational workplace where team members develop their full potential and contribute to the Sentara mission to improve health every day. Under her leadership, Sentara Healthcare became a Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality in 2020 and was named to the Forbes 2018 America's Best Employers list in the Best Large Employers category.

For more information about partnering with Virginia Ready or applying to be a Virginia Ready Scholar, visit http://www.vaready.org

About the Virginia Ready Initiative (VA Ready)

VA Ready is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that launched in June 2020 with a mission to help thousands of Virginians access the short-term training needed to find jobs in todays most in-demand industries. With its Public-Private-Partnership design, VA Ready brings together the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) 23 colleges, the Commonwealth's FastForward program, and more than 20 business partners who employ millions of Virginians. VA Ready Scholars have access to 34 healthcare, technology and other skilled training programs; learn the skills needed to secure one of today's most in-demand positions; receive $1,000 upon credential completion; and are connected to VA Ready's business partners for employment opportunities. Learn more at http://www.vaready.org
"This milestone is a result of our team's unparalleled commitment in guiding enterprises to drive digital commerce transformation and build modern and customized experiences for their consumers, said Mariano Gomide de Faria, founder and co-CEO at VTEX.

VTEX (NYSE: VTEX), the enterprise digital commerce platform for premier brands and retailers, the leader in accelerating the commerce transformation in Latin America and now expanding globally, has been recognized by Gartner as a Visionary in this years Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce report.

This marks the second year in a row that VTEX has been named a Visionary in the Magic Quadrant, building upon the accelerated global momentum VTEX garnered during a banner year marked by three acquisitions and an IPO.

We are pleased to again be recognized as a Visionary in the digital commerce industry by Gartner, an important authority in our field. This milestone is a result of our team's unparalleled commitment in guiding enterprises to drive digital commerce transformation and build modern and customized experiences for their consumers, said Mariano Gomide de Faria, founder and co-CEO at VTEX. On the heels of our recent IPO, this recognition proves for enterprise brands that VTEX has a unique, composable and complete platform offering, which includes native marketplace technology, Order Management System - OMS and a strongly connected digital commerce ecosystem.

Gartner named VTEX as a Visionary in its Magic Quadrant for digital commerce providers, published in August 31, 2021. According to Gartner, By 2023, prices for B2C digital commerce platforms will be 30% less than in 2019, due to feature commoditization and headless implementations. They further say, Gartner defines the digital commerce platform as the core technology that enables customers to purchase goods and services through an interactive and self-service experience. The platform provides necessary information for customers to make their buying decisions, and uses rules and data to present fully priced orders for payment.

For a complimentary copy of the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce report, click here (https://vtex.com/us-en/resources/2021-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-digital-commerce), or for more information about VTEX, its commerce and marketplace capabilities, and its work with some of the worlds largest brands, please visit http://www.vtex.com.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce, 31 August 2021, Jason Daigler, Yanna Dharmasthira, et. Al.

GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

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 Gartners 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.

About VTEX

VTEX (NYSE: VTEX) provides a software-as-a-service digital commerce platform for enterprise brands and retailers. Our platform enables our customers to execute their commerce strategy, including building online stores, integrating and managing orders across channels, and creating marketplaces to sell products from third-party vendors. Founded in Brazil, we have been a leader in accelerating the digital commerce transformation in Latin America and are expanding globally. Our platform is engineered to enterprise-level standards and features. We are trusted by more than 2,000 customers with over 2,500 active online stores across 32 countries, who rely on VTEX to connect with their consumers in a meaningful way.*

*Figures as of FY ended on Dec. 31st, 2020
Obtaining Benetech accreditation is a significant achievement that demonstrates Westchester Publishing Services' ongoing commitment to our clients, stated Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer.

Westchester Publishing Services is pleased to announce that it has received accreditation as a Benetech Global Certified Accessible (GCA) vendor. Benetech, a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good, issues this accreditation to those companies who produce ePubs that meet a full range of accessibility features required to support the needs of all readers, including those with disabilities and learning differences.

Benetechs GCA vendor certification program is the first ever, third-party ePub certification program to verify e-book accessibility. All approved ePub conversion vendors have demonstrated success consistently producing files in accordance with Benetechs GCA certification standard, meeting the EPUB Accessibility 1.0 Conformance and Discovery specification and exceeding a publishing standard level of WCAG 2.0 AA. Benetech recommends these vendors as experts in producing fully accessible EPUBs.

Obtaining Benetech accreditation is a significant achievement that demonstrates Westchester Publishing Services' ongoing commitment to our clients, stated Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer. We are honored to work with more than 300 publishers on over 10,000 publications annually and during the last eighteen months, we have seen a substantial increase in the number of publishers who are updating their older backlist content to align with current ePub specifications. Accreditation from Benetech provides publishers with the assurance that Westchester Publishing Services has the capabilities required to support the needs of all of their customers.

All digital content can - and should - be born accessible, said Brad Turner, Vice President and General Manager of Global Education and Literacy at Benetech. As a recipient of the first and only global third-party accessibility certification, Westchester Publishing Services can be trusted by publishers and content creators to ensure that their content is fully accessible.

To learn more about the digital conversion capabilities that Westchester Publishing Services offers, please visit: https://www.westchesterpublishingservices.com/composition-services/epubs-digital-conversion/

To learn more about Benetechs Global Certified Accessible Program visit: http://bornaccessible.benetech.org

# # #

About Westchester Publishing Services:

Founded in 1969, Westchester Publishing Services is the only US employee-owned company concentrating in editorial, composition, design, and digital conversion services. Westchester Publishing Services has been a trusted partner to the US publishing industry for decades with clients including Macmillan, Harvard University Press, W.W. Norton, The MIT Press, Bloomsbury, and UCL Press. In 2014, Westchester Publishing Services became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2017, Westchester Publishing Services launched a new division, Westchester Education Services, based in Dayton, Ohio, to serve the needs of educational publishers. In 2018, Westchester Publishing Services launched Westchester Publishing Services UK, based in Stratford upon Avon, to provide added services for publishers in the UK, and Europe.

For information about our expanded offerings, please contact: Nicole Tomassi, Marketing and Conference Manager, Westchester Publishing Services, at: 203-658-7135 or Nicole.Tomassi@westchesterpubsvcs.com. Further information is also available at: http://www.westchesterpublishingservices.com.

About Benetech:

Benetech is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing social and economic inequity in partnership with the communities that we serve through software for social good. Benetechs initiatives are transforming how students, jobseekers, and older adults across the globe read, learn, and work. Benetech believes that access to information is a human right, and no person should encounter barriers to education, literacy, or employment due to differences or disability. Visit http://www.benetech.org
I am excited to join WINFertilitys Medical Advisory Board, I look forward to contributing to WINs mission in providing the highest quality clinical outcomes for both clients and patients.

WINFertility(WIN), the nations leading fertility benefits management company with the largest portfolio of employer clients, announces the addition of board-certified reproductive endocrinologist Dr. John Rinehart, M.D. to WINs Medical Advisory Board. WINFertilitys Medical Advisory Board is composed of leading academic and community-based reproductive endocrinologists who empower WINs mission to provide clients and patients access to the most up-to-date clinical recommendations and highest quality clinical outcomes for their family-building journey. Dr. John Rinehart will also actively contribute to clinical oversight of the WINFertility Quality Assurance Program.

We are honored to have Dr. John Rinehart join our Medical Advisory Board, said Roger Shedlin, M.D., J.D., President and CEO of WINFertility. Dr. Rinehart makes an excellent addition to our Medical Advisory Board, which supports our clients and patients receiving the most clinically appropriate and effective treatments available today.

I am excited to join WINFertilitys Medical Advisory Board, said Dr. John Rinehart. I look forward to contributing to WINs mission in providing the highest quality clinical outcomes for both clients and patients.

John S. Rinehart MD, PhD, JD is the Chief Medical Officer for Rinehart Fertility Center with locations in Oak Lawn and Hinsdale. For the past 40 years, Dr. Rinehart has maintained an exclusive practice in infertility and reproductive endocrinology in the Chicago area. Dr. Rinehart provides his patients with quality medical attention by combining his academic training and broad clinical experience. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and his fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Womens Hospital. Dr. Rinehart serves as a Senior Attending Physician with North Shore University Health System and as a Senior Clinic Educator for the Pritzker School of Medicine for The University of Chicago.

Dr. Rinehart has been Board Certified in obstetrics/gynecology since 1985, and in reproductive endocrinology since 1988. In addition, Dr. Rinehart completed his law degree with a concentration in health law at DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, in 2002. Dr. Rinehart received a Masters Degree in Predictive Analysis from Northwestern University School of Special Studies in 2018.

About WINFertility

WINFertility is the nations leading family-building and fertility benefit management company, providing comprehensive solutions for employers, health plans and consumers. From fertility management, including medical treatment, pharmacy and genetics to surrogacy and adoption, WINFertility has helped more than 100,000 families by providing access to the best doctors, technology, and support. WIN works with the nations leading reproductive endocrinologists and integrates with national and regional insurance carriers, as well as the nations largest pharmacy benefit managers, to deliver the most advanced and effective fertility treatments and family-building solutions. WIN Nurse Care Managers navigate patients through the often-complex process, providing clinical oversight, emotional support, advocacy, and education throughout the journey. Patients and clients that utilize WINs program see higher pregnancy rates, fewer multiple gestations, more efficient Rx utilization, and lower costs. WINFertility is a privately held company located in Greenwich, CT.
Photo courtesy of X-Bots Robotics On Sept. 11th, through the generous support of the PPG Foundation, we will launch a pilot expansion of the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program across six Boys & Girls Club sites in California to assist families who have toddlers with mobility challenges, said Elisa Avila, Executive Director of X-Bots

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the tragic terror attacks on American soil, X-Bots Robotics Inc., an award-winning community-based high school robotics team operating under FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), will launch a pilot expansion of its X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program presented by PPG across six sites in California on Saturday, Sept. 11, through its partnership with PPG Foundation and Boys & Girls Club (BGC). September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance, a day in which individuals are asked to find a volunteer opportunity and address a critical need in the community.

The X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program that partners students in a Robotics team with a BGC and together they build specially designed physical therapy cars for toddlers with cerebral disorders affecting their body mobility. Together, X-Bots Robotics, PPG Foundation and BGC will provide an opportunity for hands-on STEM learning by enabling students to put their skills to work to serve families with toddlers who have mobility challenges. The pilot expansion will launch at the following BGC sites in California: BGC of Whittier | Pico Rivera, BGC of Cathedral City, BGC of Fontana, BGC of Malibu, BGC of Santa Monica and Santa Clarita Valley B&GC.

In the spirit of unity, honor, and compassion, X-Bots Robotics, PPG Foundation and Boys and Girls Club will join together to create a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering programming that not only develops students leadership skills and inspires them to pursue a career in STEM, but also serves local families, said Elisa Avila, Executive Director of X-Bots Robotics Inc. On September 11th, through the generous support of the PPG Foundation, we will launch a pilot expansion of the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program across six Boys & Girls Club sites in California to assist families who have toddlers with mobility challenges.

Each BGC partnership will host one X-Bots Robotics Mobility workshop, enabling students to apply practical solutions, peer-to-peer learning, skills sharing and immersive lessons in engineering, all while bringing joy to children and their parents. The workshops will reach an estimated 290 students (combined X-Bots Robotics teams and BGC members) and modify 60 cars.

PPG Foundation is supporting X-Bots Robotics in its expanded program of STEM educational opportunities to impact a greater number of students, toddlers, and their families. As a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials, PPG recognizes the importance of immersing young people in STEM concepts that are linked to real-world solutions and innovations, such as robotics and mobility technology that may one day redefine solutions for our global society.

At PPG, we know that education sits at the helm of the innovation that will shape our world for generations to come. Through this partnership, our aim is to open future opportunities to both the students who will find and explore their passions in STEM fields and families in need, said Malesia Dunn, Executive Director of PPG Foundation and Corporate Global Social Responsibility. In all that we do, we aim to protect and beautify the world. The X-Bots Robotics program reinforces this by encouraging future engineers and scientists to experience the joy of experimentation and discovery and by demonstrating the immediate impacts both community service and STEM concepts make in the lives of others.

At the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera, the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program has focused on applying GoBabyGo, an open-source movement focused on real-time, real-world solutions for mobility, to provide STEM educational and leadership opportunities for middle school and high school students. The program is a unique combination of peer-to-peer learning paired with a half-day hands-on workshop that draws in the families and toddlers who benefit from the finished product.

Our youth are the recipients of services. Heres an opportunity for our kids to say, You know what? When things are not so well you can still make an impact on other peoples lives,  said Oscar Hernandez, Executive Director of BGC Whittier | Pico Rivera. We want to continue to make that impact for families on Sept. 11, and every day of the year.

Founded in August 2015, X-Bots Robotics Inc. aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders by developing a passion for STEM careers at a young age. The nonprofit organization provides students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering training that develops their leadership skills to inspire others through outreach efforts. To learn more about the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program, visit https://www.xbotsrobotics.com/gobabygo.

# # #

About X-Bots Robotics Inc.:

Through FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), a mind sport that combines science and technology for high school students, two parents saw the opportunity to impact a community with much-needed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. They set out to recruit mentors, volunteers and interested students to start the first FRC community robotics team in the area.

Founded in August 2015, X-Bots Robotics Inc. aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders by developing a passion for STEM careers at a young age. We provide students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering training that develops their leadership skills to inspire others through outreach efforts.

Our X-Bots Robotics team members train high schoolers from the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera to help them build characteristics to be great leaders in the future while simultaneously expanding their knowledge of STEM careers. X-Bots has now moved into the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera facilities and they have become our strategic partner. Weve expanded our reach by networking with other Robotics teams to work in collaboration with BGCs in other cities, including high school students with an interest in STEM.

About PPG Foundation:

PPGs global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested $13 million in 2020, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 30 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow todays skilled workforce and develop tomorrows innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

About Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera:

Located at 7905 Greenleaf Ave in Whittier, Calif., the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera provides after-school and summer programs for youth ages 6 to 18 years old that emphasize Academic Success; the development of good Character & Citizenship; and the formation of Healthy Lifestyles.

The nonprofit currently operates its programs at 24 locations: The Main Clubhouse on Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier serves youth from 6-18 from throughout the community, the Club at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera serves El Rancho students, and we currently serve youth in the Whittier City School District in partnership with Reach for the Stars. The organization also serves youth in the East Whittier School District, South Whittier School District and Los Nietos School District.

The Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera is a place that any child can find safety, encouragement, and the strength to grow and become a contributing member of our community.

Locations of the Six BGC Sites:

Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera: 7905 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA 90602

BGC of Cathedral City: 32141 Whispering Palms Trail, Cathedral City, CA 92234

BGC of Fontana: 7723 Almeria Ave, Fontana, CA 92336

BGC of Malibu: 30215 Morning View Dr, Malibu, CA 90265

BGC of Santa Monica: 4901 Marionwood Dr, Culver City, CA 90230

Santa Clarita Valley B&G: 24909 Newhall Ave., Newhall, CA 91321
Biomedical engineer Chi Hwan Lee developed a sensor that can be placed on an over-the-counter contact lens and then used to detect glaucoma in patients. (Purdue University photo/Rebecca McElhoe)

Biomedical engineering professor turns objects into smart devices to improve, address health issues

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  As a child, Chi Hwan Lee always had Lego sets on his birthday list. Lee, who loves math and physics, would spend hours building the sets  following the instructions as well as his imagination.

That imagination and those Lego pieces became the building blocks of Lees Purdue University research, which focuses on converting items like contact lenses and prosthetic hands into smart devices with specially designed electronic stickers to measure vision loss or simulate the sense of feeling.

From solar cells to biomedical applications

Lee, the Leslie A. Geddes associate professor of biomedical engineering in Purdues Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, says his passion for creating and assembling items continues to grow, thanks to the entrepreneurial and collaborative environment at Purdue.

While his initial research involved developing additive manufacturing processes to convert solar cells and sensors to become flexible and even wearable, it was during his job interview at Purdue where faculty members asked if he had ever thought about using his solar cell work in a biomedical setting.

That moment was pivotal for Lee, who now has a joint appointment in the School of Mechanical Engineering and a courtesy appointment in the School of Materials Engineering.

All of those discussions were very productive. The Purdue faculty looked at the technology that I was working on and encouraged me to explore applications that I never dreamed about, Lee says. Purdue has a perfect environment for me to do these interdisciplinary collaborations.

That attractive culture at Purdue and the surrounding community helps Lee stay creative and allows him to collaborate with academic and medical researchers, physicians, veterinarians, entrepreneurs and businesses around the world.

The collaboration and my research aim to solve big problems in the world together. Thats a real satisfying job, he says.

Lees main focus now is developing platform technologies using sticktronics, which are sticker-like items that contain electronics or smart technology. He also specializes in custom-printed soft medical sensors and conformable sensor arrays, all of which can transform telemedicine and on-demand drug delivery systems.

Sticktronics offer the ability to physically separate materials in existing items and turn an item into a sticker that can be more flexible or transparent, especially on curved displays and biomedical sensors.

You can change the form factor from rigid and stiff to flexible and stretchable, Lee says.

Lee also stresses to other researchers and the more than 20 students of all academic levels who work in his lab that to make the best devices, one has to listen to the end users: patients, physicians, nurses and other providers.

Once there is a value and a clear clinical need, and there are a lot of talented people there, all other things are minor. Everything else is natural, he says.

Having a vision to save peoples eyesight

Lee was invited to give a lecture at a seminar led by Dr. Pete Kollbaum in the School of Optometry at Indiana University in August 2018 about his biomedical work and what optometrists and physicians should consider about clinical device needs.

Intrigued by his research, Kollbaum has since partnered with Lee in the development of contact lens technology that can diagnose and monitor ocular medical conditions such as glaucoma. Kollbaum also serves as director of the Borish Center for Ophthalmic Research at Indiana University. Additionally, Lee has invited other researchers from various medical schools to explore this technology.

There is a clear clinical need for studying and researching glaucoma as millions of people suffer silently through the loss of sight, Lee says.

Lee learned that there are not many ways to effectively test and measure pressure on a persons eyes, even during sleeping. Thanks to his persistence, collaboration and innovation, his lab group began taking standard over-the-counter contacts and placing sensors on the lenses.

Patients can wear the specialized contacts through the night, and pressure measurements are sent to a telemedicine monitor, where physicians can learn more about glaucoma. Currently, a handful of patients in Indiana are trialing this technology. Further collaboration on this project included Bryan Boudouris, a professor of chemical engineering at Purdue, who helped develop the wet adhesive for attaching the sensor to the contact lens.

The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization helped secure a patent for the technology, and it is available for licensing. Lees lab recently received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health with Yannis Paulus, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, who helped evaluate the contact lens device in a drug delivery setting.

By combining all this expertise together, were going in the right direction, Lee says. Purdue has the perfect environment to create all of these things. There are no barriers or restrictions. Collaboration is key to doing research. Thats the Purdue culture.

Empowering student creativity in problem-solving

Lees lab space includes 3D printers so students, for example, can make parts for an electronic glove, which simulates the sense of touch for prosthetic hands. The technology is being tested at a physical rehabilitation center in Chicago  you can watch the video here. The lab also has standard sewing machines that can turn strands of specialized nanotechnology textiles into clothing.

Researchers and students in the lab, Lee says, complement each other with their talents, backgrounds and skill sets, ranging from traditional engineering and marketing to industrial design.

I cannot do all things; everything is interdisciplinary, Lee says. The most important aspect and requirement in the lab is persistence.

While being a part of three startups, Lee wants to continue on the technology development and science side of biomedical engineering to mentor his students and encourage them to take over technologies they help create  all aimed at achieving one, primary goal.

I want our group to develop more technologies out of Purdue to make peoples lives better  be it in biomedical, consumer or consumer electronics, Lee says. I would love to see something on the market that came through working with my students. I want to see people benefit through our technologies.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.

Writer, Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-586-7496 (cell), oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

Source: Chi Hwan Lee, lee2270@purdue.edu

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(The Center Square)  A year after a series of hurricanes slammed into Louisiana, and after many attempts to secure aid, President Joe Biden has initiated supplemental disaster relief funding for still recovering areas of southwest and central Louisiana.

Biden issued the formal disaster aid request to Congress as part of a $24 billion funding proposal that includes Hurricane Ida relief, and an additional $6.4 billion for Afghan refugee resettlement.

Louisianas congressional delegation has made numerous appeals for the supplemental aid, most recently in advance of Bidens tour of Ida-affected areas Friday with Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta caused widespread damage beyond initial recovery efforts last year. Though Congress often appropriates additional natural disaster funding, the process must begin with a request from the president.

That did not occur until the White House budget office announced urgent national funding needs Tuesday.

The Administration is committed to delivering the funding necessary to help impacted states and tribes recover from recent extreme weather events and natural disasters," acting Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young wrote. "This includes disasters from the last eighteen months  such as Hurricanes Laura and Delta  for which there are remaining unmet needs, as well as more recent and immediate needs such as those stemming from ongoing wildfires and Hurricane Ida.

The request included $14 billion to address natural disasters nationwide before Hurricane Ida, and another $10 billion for post-Ida recovery.

Louisiana sought $3 billion earlier this year to cover wind, flooding and other damages after Hurricane Laura. Its unclear how much funding now will go to Louisiana or where it will come from.

The White House's pre-Ida national funding request included $2.3 billion for the Community Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program, $2.6 billion for Federal Highway Emergency Relief and $9 billion for the Wildlife and Hurricane Indemnity Program.

U.S. Sen. John Cassidy, R-La., said the request was long overdue for southwest Louisiana, and added, We must make sure that everyone is cared for after Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta from 2020 and Ida from last week.

A letter signed by Cassidy and U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., on Sept. 3, along with the state's six U.S. House members, urged Biden to expedite Hurricane Ida relief and cited $10 billion in aid provided just four days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005.

Although the White House funding request came nine after Idas landfall, the $24 billion natural disaster package is far from filtering into the state.

According to Young, Congress will need to pass a continuing resolution, or stop-gap spending bill, to secure the funding while lawmakers continue to negotiate the House Democrats' proposed $3.5 trillion reconciliation budget.

With the end of the fiscal year rapidly approaching, its clear that Congress will need to pass a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to provide more time for the FY 2022 process to unfold, she said.
New York City, NY (11385)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low around 70F. SW winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The series - Inside Central Station: Australias Busiest Railway, which will premiere on SBS on 12th September, and Australia Behind Bars, commissioned by Nine Network - will now spearhead Fred Medias autumn launch slate, joining new titles from parent company WTFN as well as Stripe Studios, Tastemade, MWC Productions, CheekyMac Productions and Haciyatmaz Films.Inside Central Station: Australia's Busiest Railway (10 x 60- pictured) is an immersive observational documentary series that tracks the daily behind-the-scenes challenges in the operation of Sydney Trains. For the first time, cameras have been allowed inside the 2000 trains and 175 stations in the network, plus ITVSA secured access to all footage caught on the 12,000 CCTV cameras the company operates. Stories are told through the eyes of the staff, from trainee drivers at the control of their first train to station staff dealing with dangerous and volatile passengers.Australia Behind Bars (8 x 60), dubbed the real Wentworth, sees cameras go behind the walls and razor wire to reveal what really goes on in three of the countrys toughest prisons. An Australian television first, the series boasts unprecedented access to prison officers and inmates  both male and female - and will bring incredible, eye-opening moments to the screen, as never before.We are very excited to be partnering with ITV Studios Australia to launch these two big new series, commented Fred Medias general manager Roger Vanderspikken. Both titles were made with incredible access, skilful storytelling, and great production values. They reveal new facets about life in Australia and I am confident they will have great appeal to international broadcasters as we formally launch them to the market this autumn.Added ITV Studios Australia CEO David Mott: We are delighted to partner with Fred on these new titles. Both Inside Central Station: Australia's Busiest Railway and Australia Behind Bars have been real passion projects for our business and, while uniquely Australian, the themes and stories they convey are universal. I am delighted for them now to be starting their journey around the globe.The new Fred slate also sees the formal launch of Sydney Harbour Force (10 x 60), the now completed observational documentary series produced by WTFN for Discovery UK, Australia and New Zealand. It follows the struggles and triumphs of the dedicated team of men and women who control every aspect of the iconic Sydney Harbour, one of the largest and busiest natural harbours on the planet. The Circus (20 x 30) is a new reality series produced by Stripe Studios for NBCU (Bravo) New Zealand. It follows the lives of the Webers, a family of 10 who live together, work together, and play together under the backdrop of a Circus Big Top.
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St. Anthony Fauci just lost his halo. For more than a year, the media has hailed our kindly scientist grandfather as some sort of infallible holy figure. But new reporting casts doubt o
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  On a single day last November, two events helped set the course for just the second recall election against a governor in California history: Gov. Gavin Newsom dined with 11 friends and lobbyists at one of the countrys most expensive restaurants as he pleaded with Californians to stay home, while those looking to kick him out of office won four more months to qualify for the ballot.

Photos of the maskless dinner showed the Democratic governor going against what he had been urging for months to combat the coronavirus: dont gather in groups, keep your distance, wear a mask. That it was happening at the French Laundry  where the cheapest meal is $350  fueled the idea Newsom was out of touch. The dinner turned up the heat on the fledgling recall, and the extra time allowed it to reach full boil.

By March, organizers had more than the 1.5 million signatures they needed to force a vote on whether to remove the first-term Democratic governor in the nations biggest blue state.

We had a perfect storm with the judges ruling, with the French Laundry incident, with the greater environment of COVID and the economic disaster, said Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California.

Voters will have the final say next Tuesday. A majority of voters would need to mark yes to oust Newsom more than a year before his term ends.

If they do, they would chose from a list of 46 replacement candidates  many of them unknown, but others with some recognition, including conservative talk show host Larry Elder and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner also is running but has failed to gain traction.

Because so many people are running, the winner would likely become the next governor of the nations most populous state with 25% or less of the votes. Thats a far cry from the landslide that swept Newsom into office in 2018.

In California, a state where ballot initiatives thrive, many governors have faced recall drives under a century-old reform that created a mechanism for voters to remove them mid-term. But only one other effort tapped into enough frustration to make the ballot: Voters recalled Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in 2003 over an energy crisis and replaced him with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last California Republican to win statewide.

A loss for Newsom, 53, would be a shocking twist in his relatively charmed political career and would almost certainly install a Republican governor in the nations chief laboratory for progressive policies. A slight majority approve of his job handling, according to a recent poll from the Public Policy Institute of California that also shows the recall failing.

The results will be picked apart for clues on how voters are feeling heading into the 2022 midterm elections, when control of Congress and more than half of governorships are up for grabs.

The outcome of this election is going to be fuel for 2022, period, Romero said.

Amateur political organizer Orrin Heatlie launched the recall in February 2020, before coronavirus became a full-fledged public health crisis in the United States. He was upset about Newsoms support for immigrants in the country illegally and other liberal policies.

By the time he began collecting signatures, the coronavirus dominated.

Newsom was the first governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order, and when he dined at the French Laundry eight months later, the state had gone through whipsaw reopenings and closings that left small-business owners, parents of schoolchildren and others overwhelmed and confused.

California was facing an uptick in infections and hospitalizations, and Newsoms administration was urging people not to gather with more than three households. While Napa County, where the French Laundry is located, allowed outdoor dining and limited indoor seating, the dinner party brought together a dozen people from more than three households.

News of the Nov. 6 dinner broke a week later, on a Friday when Newsom had no public appearances. In a statement, he said he and his wife followed the restaurants health protocols and took safety precautions but should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner. When he appeared in public that Monday, Newsom said it was an outdoor restaurant but acknowledged he made a bad mistake.

The next day, a Los Angeles TV station obtained cellphone photos calling into question that the dinner was outdoors. The photos showed the table set back in a space with three walls and one side open with a sliding glass door. Newsom and the other guests were sitting close together and not wearing masks.

Anne Dunsmore, campaign manager for the pro-recall group Rescue California, said it reinforced the narrative that Newsom says one thing and does another. It also aligned with the image that Newsoms detractors have pushed  that hes an out-of-touch politician.

The French Laundry was an incredible boost to the effort, Dunsmore said.

The recall campaign similarly tagged Newsom as elitist when his children returned to class in person at a private school while most public school students were stuck with virtual learning.

Ace Smith, Newsoms longtime political consultant, disputes the dinners importance in the recalls march to the ballot. He views the presidential election, also that November, as an important marker, saying Donald Trumps loss created fresh anger for the recall campaign to seize on. Six million people in California voted for Trump.

They realized that they had bottled up this intense anger among the Trump base, and the trick is they only needed a fraction of the Trump base to get this thing qualified for the ballot, Smith said.

Neither explanation would have mattered had recall organizers not won four more months to pitch voters. A judge granted the extra time because the coronavirus stalled traditional in-person signature gathering outside stores or at farmers markets.

Newsoms team never appealed the judges decision, a move widely seen as a tactical mistake. Then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla had said recall organizers were not showing signs of a serious campaign.

The judge sided with recall organizers in a tentative ruling, and neither side showed up to argue it in court on Nov. 6, making it final.

The two main recall committees raised roughly $2 million in November and December, five times what the effort had raised before, and ultimately collected 1.7 million valid signatures.

Newsom launched his Stop the Republican Recall campaign in March, weeks before the signature gathering ended, painting the effort as one driven by Trump-supporting extremists. Hes made the states response to the pandemic and the economic fallout a central theme of his campaign.

The highly contagious delta variant blunted his early message of California roaring back, and in the final weeks before the election, hes warning that the choice before voters is a matter of life and death.

Elder is the target of much of Democrats attention. They warn the conservative talk radio host would roll back mask and vaccine mandates and reverse progress on a host of liberal issues.

Its part of a calculation by Newsoms team to turn the recall from a referendum on the governor and his actions into a choice between Democratic and Republican values.

If you sit around and let it become a referendum on the person in office, it doesnt matter how good or how positive they are, youre always at a disadvantage because youre playing defense, Smith said. We need to be in a place, very simply, where were playing offense.
Like alumni of universities across the country, many Princeton graduates have become deeply concerned about the attacks on free speech and academic freedom at our alma mater. It is not just the public attacks that are of concern. Multiple national and college-specific polls have shown that faculty and students are afraid to say what they think. Princeton is no different. One student told us he was afraid to speak up not just because he would be attacked, but because others with whom he was working on a project might also be attacked for associating with him.

It was certain that instances of indoctrinating, intimidating, and shaming students would pick up once in-person classes began again this semester. Little did we know that the indoctrination at Princeton would start during first-year orientation, before the start of classes, or that the orientation would conflict directly with the universitys own free speech rules.

As two Princeton professors stated in an op-ed: During orientation, the entering class received a mandatory injection not of a vaccine against COVID, but of indoctrination, including an utterly one-sided and negative picture of Princetons history. This indoctrination was in materials prepared by Princetons Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the actions of which are ultimately the responsibility of Christopher Eisgruber, the universitys president.

Much of the orientation was devoted to an extensive Gallery of photos, drawings, and texts presenting the history of racism at Princeton, plus a video of professors discussing the gallery. The gallery gives multiple examples of speech and actions that it deems racist. Some of them  mostly from long ago  clearly were racist, from founders who owned slaves to the racist policies of Woodrow Wilson both as president of Princeton and later as president of the United States to the use of blackface by students in a 1949 theatrical production. The gallery also stressed isolated, allegedly racist actions by individual students as recently as last year.

It should go without saying that students should learn about the history of racism at Princeton. But should the first presentation by the university to new students, fresh out of high school, be a lengthy portrayal of todays Princeton largely as an institution marinated in racism? There was very little context about the history of our country over the same period or about the many positive things Princeton has done to address racism on its campus and beyond.

The gallery and video must have left impressionable new students thinking that Princeton is a hateful and evil place. In fact, one of the speakers in the video, classics Professor Dan-el Padilla Peralta, says that Princeton professors should provide their students with the tools to tear down this place and make it a better one.

The gallery also contains a vicious attack on one Princeton professor by others for a controversial statement in a July 2020 article that the university later found to be officially protected by its free speech rules. This attack sent a clear message that Princetons rules protecting free speech must have little meaning since the administration will attack its own professors if they say something out of line with woke ideology.

Another message sent by the orientation to new students is that protecting free speech is bad because it allows what partisans call hate speech. Professor Padilla Peralta drives the message home when he disparages the way his colleagues use free speech as masculinized bravado, and advocates a free speech and academic discourse that is flexed to one specific aim, and that aim is the promotion of social justice, and an anti-racist social justice at that. There was nothing positive about free speech in the orientation.

Princeton was one of the first universities to adopt the Chicago Principles, a statement providing clear standards for protecting campus free speech that was developed at the University of Chicago. These principles have now been adopted in some form by over 90 colleges and universities. Eisgruber has endorsed them, and they are incorporated into the universitys rules. But the orientation painted a picture directly contrary to the Chicago Principles, and therefore the universitys own rules, in the most fundamental way.

So, what Princeton told students just starting out on their college journey was that this venerated university, which they had worked so hard to get into, is still mired in what Eisgruber has called systemic racism and that its free speech rules should not be taken seriously. Actually, words that run counter to campus orthodoxy may well get you in real trouble; you might even be made an example in next years orientation.

Edward Yingling is the secretary-treasurer of Princetonians for Free Speech.
Good morning, its Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Forty-seven years ago today, President Gerald R. Ford shocked the country, while simultaneously compromising his own 1976 election chances, by pardoning Richard Nixon.

In hindsight, it was an act of moral courage. Ford, who had been president for only a month, put the countrys welfare ahead of his own political fortunes, as his critics later acknowledged. But in the raw summer of 1974, Americans werent necessarily in a trusting mood. Certainly, prominent Democrats werent. Neither was the media.

The question in the air was this: Had Ford made a deal with Nixon prior to being chosen as vice president? Those who knew the man personally found the idea absurd. But Ford wasnt widely known outside the Michigan congressional district he had represented on Capitol Hill for 25 years. And coming on the heels of the Vietnam War, Watergate had ravaged Nixons presidency and further eroded Americans basic confidence in their institutions.

Nonetheless, Ford did what he thought was right, explained the decision to the American people and then, the following month, made an accounting of himself before a congressional subcommittee.

Every U.S. president since Harry Truman has claimed that the buck stops here, but with Jerry Ford these werent just words. In a moment, Ill highlight some excerpts from his Sept. 8, 1974, statement on the pardon that prevented his predecessor from being prosecuted.

First, Id point you to our front page, which aggregates, as it does each day, columns and stories spanning the political spectrum. Todays edition includes Patrick Wintour on the future of U.S. foreign policy (The Guardian); Matt Taibbi on the latest example of journalistic hysteria (Substack); and Tom Edsall on new evidence of political polarization (New York Times). We also offer a complement of original material from RCP reporters and contributors, including the following:

* * *

Critics Fault Biden Admin in Evacuation Stand-Off. Susan Crabtree reports on rising frustrations as planes chartered to take 143 Americans as well as many allies out of Afghanistan remain grounded over possible bureaucratic missteps.

Princeton Indoctrination Begins Before Classes Even Start. Edward Yingling and Stuart Taylor Jr. take exception to this years new-student orientation, which conflicted directly with the universitys own free speech rules.

Blueprint for Bipartisan Climate Action. At RealClearEnergy, Mary Anna Mancuso explains how the cooperation displayed by Senate Republicans and Democrats who hammered out the infrastructure bill can pay bigger dividends down the road.

Eurasian Steel Trap Is Closing. At RealClearWorld, Brandon Weichert warns of growing Chinese and Russian influence following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Lessons From the Ivermectin Debacle. At RealClearScience, Dr. Buzz Hollander considers the basis for excitement about the drug as a possible agent against COVID-19, as well as the concerns expressed by the medical establishment.

Proposed Legislation Could Revitalize Cities. At RealClearPolicy, Stone Washington spotlights a plan to turn offices and other buildings rendered vacant by COVID into mixed-use or residential spaces.

The Supreme Court in the American Constitutional Order. In the newest 1776 Series essay at RealClears American Civics portal, Matthew J. Franck gives an overview.

* * *

In explaining his reasoning for pardoning Richard Nixon, President Ford noted that although he believed in equal justice for all Americas, whatever their station or former station, there were no historic or legal precedents to guide him, none that precisely fit the circumstances of a private citizen who has resigned the presidency of the United States.

So Ford was on his own. And heres what he decided:

The facts, as I see them, are that a former president of the United States, instead of enjoying equal treatment with any other citizen accused of violating the law, would be cruelly and excessively penalized either in preserving the presumption of his innocence or in obtaining a speedy determination of his guilt in order to repay a legal debt to society. During this long period of delay and potential litigation, ugly passions would again be aroused. And our people would again be polarized in their opinions. And the credibility of our free institutions of government would again be challenged at home and abroad. 

But it is not the ultimate fate of Richard Nixon that most concerns me, though surely it deeply troubles every decent and every compassionate person. My concern is the immediate future of this great country. In this, I dare not depend upon my personal sympathy as a longtime friend of the former president, nor my professional judgment as a lawyer, and I do not.

As president, my primary concern must always be the greatest good of all the people of the United States whose servant I am. As a man, my first consideration is to be true to my own convictions and my own conscience. My conscience tells me clearly and certainly that I cannot prolong the bad dreams that continue to reopen a chapter that is closed. My conscience tells me that only I, as president, have the constitutional power to firmly shut and seal this book. My conscience tells me it is my duty, not merely to proclaim domestic tranquility but to use every means that I have to ensure it.

I do believe that the buck stops here, that I cannot rely upon public opinion polls to tell me what is right. I do believe that right makes might and that if I am wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference. I do believe, with all my heart and mind and spirit, that I, not as president but as a humble servant of God, will receive justice without mercy if I fail to show mercy.

Finally, I feel that Richard Nixon and his loved ones have suffered enough and will continue to suffer, no matter what I do, no matter what we, as a great and good nation, can do together to make his goal of peace come true.

Carl M. Cannon

Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics

@CarlCannon (Twitter)

ccannon@realclearpolitics.com
90 Day Fiance alum Anny Francisco is a mom of two.

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The television personality recently welcomed her second child, a son, with her husband and Season 7 co-star, Robert Springs.

Springs shared the news Tuesday on Instagram Stories.

"Much love and respect to my wife who's the true warrior gave birth to our baby boy 9 lb 3 oz 21 inches long @anny_dr02," he wrote.

Francisco confirmed the birth by re-posting Springs' message Wednesday.

"So happy," she said on Instagram Stories.

Francisco and Springs also have a 13-month-old daughter together, Brenda. Springs has six other children.

Francisco gave birth to her daughter in July 2020 and announced in April that she was expecting again.

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"I am so happy to announce that we have a healthy baby on the way. Our family is growing! I am so emotional and happy to have my babies, my second blessing," she wrote on Instagram.

Francisco and Springs starred in Season 7 of 90 Day Fiance, a TLC reality series that features couples where one partner is seeking or has a K-1 visa. Francisco is originally from the Dominican Republic.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/08/2021



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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.

featured Chris Conran breaking Jessenia Cruz 's heart for newcomer Alana Milne and being scolded by his castmates to leave the resort, Kenny Braasch dumping a furious Demi Burnett Becca Kufrin sparking a connection with Thomas Jacobs , and Tammy Ly regretting her decision to dump Aaron Clancy for "a new shiny penny" during Tuesday night's Season 7 episode on ABC.The broadcast began with Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer "doing great," according to Noah, who also said The Bachelorette alum Becca and Aaron were "vibing and having fun."The other strong couples in Paradise at this point were Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn, Jessenia and Chris, and Brendan Morais and Pieper James But Kenny was stuck in a love square with Demi, Tia Booth and Mari Pepin -Solis. Demi, in fact, invited Kenny to join her in "The Boom-Boom Room" at breakfast, but when Kenny didn't jump at the opportunity, she accused him of wanting to hang out with "losers" instead.Demi said she really liked Kenny and was just going after what she wanted, but Mari also wanted to be with Kenny and so she planned to have a serious conversation with him again.Suddenly, actor Tituss Burgess arrived in Paradise and revealed to the cast members he'd be throwing "a tight ass party" for VIP's only."It's a 24 karat night you won't want to miss," Tituss said. "But only a select few will be joining, and the list is Becca, Aaron, Noah, Abigail, Kenny, Jessenia, Chris, Riley, Demi, Deandra Kanu James Bonsall , and Thomas Jacobs Riley asked Maurissa not to have too much fun without him, but she predicted more women were going to arrive and he was the one who needed to be good.Mari was very upset to not receive an invite considering Demi and Kenny would get to party together."I'm just so angry right now. I'm tired of being walked over. I'm done taking it," Mari complained."I know what I want and I'm not ready to let it go. I'm not going to let you do whatever you want, like, I was there first. Demi doesn't know who she's messing with. The heat is on!"Mari worried Demi and Kenny were going to grow their relationship and take it to the next level since they'd have time together that evening, but she hoped deep down inside Kenny would dump Demi and pursue a romance with just her.Tammy then told Thomas that she hoped he'd want to come back to her but she didn't want him to feel obligated to return to her arms. Thomas, however, joked with Tammy that she'd probably punch him if he neglected her.As the women on the beach began overthinking everything -- including Maurissa, who cried and was "sick" over the idea of Riley potentially leaving her for another woman -- the cast members at the party were having a good time."I'm happy Jessenia is at the party. She's still my choice on the beach. She's been my top choice since before I walked up here, but I feel like there's something that's going to happen at this party, and I'm slightly nervous for that," Chris explained.Tituss then welcomed a handful of new VIP's to the party who could also potentially join the Paradise resort: Alana Milne Alayah Benavidez , and Mykenna Dorn The competition heated up, and Jessenia was disappointed by Alana's arrival, knowing Alana was "also interested in Chris." Jessenia claimed Alana had "thrown herself" on Chris in San Diego, CA, which "wasn't a good look," and she was only interested in him.Chris immediately pulled Alana aside for a conversation, and she shared how she and Chris had met each other a few times before Paradise and she'd like to see if they could be "more than friends."Chris acknowledged Jessenia had been sweet to him, but he didn't waste any time making a move on Alana."It might piss someone off but there's something I've been wanting to do for a while," Chris said before kissing Alana.Jessenia walked in on the kiss and appeared totally disgusted, but not necessarily surprised.Jessenia felt totally betrayed and "blindsided" as Abigail attempted to comfort her, and Jessenia called the whole thing "hurtful" considering it played out right in front of her face.Chris explained to Jessenia that she's smart, amazing and absolutely gorgeous but he was struggling with his feelings for Alana. Chris told Jessenia that both she and Alana were on his list of women he'd like to see in Paradise, with Jessenia being his No. 1."I didn't think I'd have feelings for her at all. I don't know what it is or what happened," Chris claimed.Alana tried to interrupt the conversation and Jessenia forcefully told Alana to leave. Chris told the cameras he had a mental block in his head and felt "in trouble.""There was a little piece of me that was looking for something a little bit more from Jessenia," Chris said in a confessional, "and I could potentially find it with Alana. Here were are: love in Paradise."But the surprises didn't end there. The cast members received a private concert from Olivia Holt , who kicked off her show by performing her hit song "Next."Chris kissed Alana directly in front of Jessenia on the dance floor, and his fellow cast members couldn't believe it.Thomas said he was "bewildered" to see it, and Riley added, "That's one of the most dishonorable and disgusting things you could do to somebody. Clearly Jessenia is heartbroken." Abigail also called Chris' behavior "messed up."James told the cameras that Chris' actions were "sketchy" and it seemed he had come to Paradise for the wrong reasons, and Deandra said this felt like "a Brendan and Piper situation" in which maybe the pair had been involved and dating prior to the show.Jessenia then left the party, apparently without saying goodbye to anyone.Jessenia cried to her friends on the beach how it wasn't even worth having a conversation with Chris and hearing him out because his actions spoke volumes about how he was feeling and what he wanted.The next day, Mari sat down with Kenny for a chat and said she really liked him and cared about him and wanted to be with him. Mari said she wanted to start thinking about the relationship they could have outside of the show, but Kenny worried Mari may be after his rose.Mari promised Kenny that her intentions were pure and she felt 100 percent about him and was being honest."I know it came off like I was flip flopping back and forth, but I was just scared," Mari told Kenny, explaining why she had taken a step back and wanted to date other people at one point."It's not like my feelings have changed; I've been about you the whole entire time."Kenny admitted his feelings for Mari were "pretty strong" from the start and he couldn't even explain why. He said there was "something different" about their connection and he never felt this way about a woman before.Kenny and Mari agreed they'd leave the show together without roses if it came down to it, and then Kenny kissed his girl -- and Demi watched from a distance with fury in her eyes.Demi lamented in a confessional about how Kenny sucked, adding, "I feel like I just had a one-night stand that doesn't want anything to do with me."Demi wanted Kenny to determine which woman he wanted to pursue going forward, and Kenny let Demi know gently that Mari was The One."Why do you want her?! A girl who is stuck-up as f-ck? She's completely different from me. She thinks her sh-t doesn't stink. She's rude to everyone. So is that what you like or do you like someone like me, who's playful and funny?" Demi asked Kenny.Kenny said he didn't expect to like Demi and hang out with her as much as they had been.Demi lashed out and called Mari "not nice" and "mean," and she just couldn't believe Kenny was dumping her when she had been nice and sweet to Kenny."She's evil! She's a mean, mean girl. She's a pageant girl!" Demi said."I feel like an idiot, dude. I don't know why you'd want to be with someone who didn't even know if they wanted you. I wanted you; you literally had sex with me and then you're like, 'I still want this girl.'"Demi said she deserved way better than this before calling Kenny the most immature 40 year old she'd ever met in her life. Demi said Mari and Kenny could both "suck [her] ass" and she was going to "burn the beach down."Jessenia was then shown crying and feeling totally defeated. She put her guard back up to protect herself and was upset because she realized how much she liked him.However, Jessenia had lost trust in Chris both as a partner and as a friend, and so she insisted she was done with him.Later on, Chris cried on the beach alone and second-guessed his choices. Riley said Chris was clearly not a genuine guy and he didn't care about what he did to Jessenia at all."The man is a clown. Everyone is seeing him for what he is. He has no honor, and I don't deal with dishonorable men, period," Riley snapped in a confessional.Mari said all Chris needed to do was be upfront with Jessenia and let her know that he wanted to explore his connection with Alana, whom he had clicked with before filming .Just as Chris was questioning his one-night romance with Alana, she arrived on the beach to go after her man.Although Alana received a warm welcome from most of the cast members, Noah pointed out how she had ruined one of the strongest couples on the beach, and Aaron agreed she was "making waves" and he wasn't a fan of her. And Jessenia certainly didn't engage with the brunette.Alana asked Chris out on her date, and Chris announced to the group how he was just following his heart. Both Becca and Joe Amabile mocked Chris' speech, and Chris left without even talking to Jessenia first.However, Chris suddenly returned and his co-stars advised him to have a conversation with Jessenia to at least give the poor girl some closure.But Jessenia insisted she had nothing else to say to Chris and he didn't owe her anything. She thought his romance with Alana completely seemed planned, and Jessenia accused both Chris and Alana of "scheming" and not having good intentions."When people lie and they burn me that way, they just no longer exist to me," Jessenia noted.While Chris and Alana were on their date, Joe and Riley worked each other up and became pretty passionate over how Chris had treated Jessenia. Joe accused Chris of coming to Paradise "with a playbook and a strategy."Jessenia also said Alana had talked to her about Instagram followers before, which made the men even more suspicious.For their date, Chris and Alana went ziplining, and Chris said he needed to do what's best for him because he's looking for a woman with whom to spend the rest of his life.Jessenia told Joe that it seemed like Chris used her for a rose so he could stay in Paradise up through Alana's arrival.Chris and Alana were then shown making out on their date, and Chris said, "It's about time you showed up."Joe told the group Chris had failed to outsmart anybody and he's "a bad actor." He determined that something needed to be done and he didn't want Chris or Alana to stay on the beach."When they get back from their date, I think they've got to go... He's a scumbag," Joe said in a confessional.Meanwhile, Becca said she was interested in forming a relationship with Aaron, whom she had given her rose to at the previous Rose Ceremony. She anticipated having meaningful and insightful conversations with Aaron to progress their relationship, but then Chelsea arrived on the beach ready to flirt and unafraid to make a move.Aaron gushed about Chelsea being gorgeous with long legs, and Chelsea asked Aaron out on her date.Becca was a little disappointed she'd miss out on time with Aaron and wondered if he really liked her since he wasn't exactly trying to get to know her on a deep level, but Tia Booth assured Becca that Aaron was really into her.However, Aaron appeared to have a great time riding horses with Chelsea on the beach, and the pair kissed during a picnic on the beach. Aaron connected with Chelsea and hoped the date would solidify whom he'd like to give his next rose to.Becca said was completely different from being the Bachelorette and she's never not received a rose. She didn't know if she was going to stay or go home basically the next day.Just as Tammy gushed about trusting Thomas and being so happy with him, Becca received a Date Card that evening and revealed how she wanted to get to know Thomas better.Becca thought Thomas was well-spoken, charming and charismatic, and so she asked Tammy for permission to take Thomas out. Tammy told Becca that they'd remain friends no matter what and Tammy hoped Thomas would just pick and return to her later on."Who am I to stand in the way of a connection? If you want to explore it, I think you should. Please, go for it," Tammy said.But Tammy broke down and cried moments later, and Maurissa said Tammy had done this to herself."Aaron was all-in for Tammy, but then comes Mr. Thomas, and it was like a shiny penny over here!... And Tammy was like, 'Ooh, shiny penny!'" Maurissa joked.Once Becca and Thomas left for their date, James questioned Thomas' intentions, saying Thomas had found "the perfect victim" in a former The Bachelorette star with a lot of clout.The girls, including Demi, also worried about Thomas' swag and whether he was being genuine or putting on a show.But Thomas told Becca that he didn't know anything about her past. Becca explained she had been engaged before and thought she was going to marry this man -- Garrett Yrigoyen -- and have children with him, and so when things ended, she put walls back up."I'm scared to be doing this," Becca confessed to Thomas.Thomas said it was okay to be afraid but he'd never want to leave "what if" on the table. Thomas shared how he also felt trepidation to join the Paradise cast but felt really good by Becca's side, and she gushed about how she was "smitten" and couldn't stop smiling.Thomas and Becca then danced and laughed to the sounds of a mariachi band, and Becca was ultimately glad she had traveled to Mexico to find love again."I'm starting to feel tonight what I think Paradise should be," Becca said.Aaron seemed to believe Tammy deserved to be in pain over Thomas' potential connection with Becca because Tammy had done him "dirty" and so he didn't feel sympathy for her."I'm so stupid!" Tammy lamented on the beach about leaving Aaron, adding that she was going to give up on love if Thomas ended up choosing Becca.When Chris and Alana returned to the beach from their date, the cast members were fuming about Chris being "a fraud" and all about having more social-media followers.Chris explained he instantly felt a connection and spark with Alana that he had been missing with Jessenia and so he wanted to continue this journey in Paradise with Alana.But Joe immediately wanted to talk to Chris upon his return. Joe said Chris had called himself a solidified couple with Jessenia, only to leave her right when Alana arrived."You're ruining it for everyone. It does seem like a lot of this was structured," Joe told Chris.Chris said he was putting everything he had into his relationship with Jessenia but wanted to give it more. Chris said something just wasn't clicking with Jessenia, and Joe said that made "no sense" because Chris and Jessenia were clearly good.Riley hopped in and scolded Chris for having his tongue down another woman's throat with Jessenia watching nearby."You were setting it up to make me feel like you were actually here for me, Chris, and you weren't! You lied to me multiple times! So don't sit here and ask for a pity party, because it's not going to be given to you," Jessenia griped.Riley said it was apparent Chris and Alana had something going on before the show, but Chris wouldn't confirm that. In fact, Chris insisted he was "not in a relationship" before coming to Paradise.Riley told Chris that he has no honor or respect, but Chris said he was just looking for a spark.Riley then accused Chris of wanting "clout" as his spark and said it was "f-cked up" how he went about things."You told me word for word that you were not going to choose Alana over me, and that's exactly what you did," Jessenia said.When Alana asked if anyone wanted to know what she thought, everyone clapped back, "No!"Jessenia told Chris to f-ck himself, follow his heart, and "get the f-ck out of Paradise," and Riley and Joe seemed to agree.Chris and Alana realized their experience in Paradise going forward was going to be miserable because nobody liked them, and Alana got really upset because she had just arrived.Chris said he felt "fireworks" with Alana and so he asked her to leave the resort with him, but Alana cried and said she only had one date with Chris and wasn't convinced yet that she wanted to be exclusive with him in the real world.Chris told Alana that he's stay in Paradise for her because he only wanted to be with her, but Alana didn't know what to say or what to do.Alana ended up leaving alone and single, and Chris was forced to do the same since Alana didn't want to be in a relationship with him."I can't believe this, what?! I feel the same way Jessenia feels, bur yet it's cool that Brendan gets to explore his already-established connection with Pieper," Natasha complained."It's the same thing! You guys feel this strongly about Chris but you don't feel as strong about my situation? What?"But Demi pointed out how Brendan was even worse than Chris and was probably sh-tting in his pants.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Google is celebrating DJ, producer and songwriter Tim Bergling, better known by his artist name Avicii, with a new Doodle.

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Google's homepage features artwork of Bergling playing an electric piano by Doodler Alyssa Winans. Bergling would have been 32-years-old on Wednesday. The music star died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 28.

The artwork features a play button that when clicked on, presents a colorful music video that uses Bergling's 2013 hit song "Wake Me Up."

Bergling plays in front of crowds and travels in the clip, which uses a similar art style as the Doodle.

Bergling began mixing songs at 16 and released dance track "Levels" under his stage name Avicii in 2011. He launched the House of Hunger tour in North America in 2012 and donated proceeds to combating food insecurity worldwide.

The DJ played an estimated 220 sets globally from 2011 to 2016 and had a five-year residency in Ibiza. Bergling was also nominated for several Grammys and won awards at the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards.

His hometown of Stockholm announced in 2021 that the Ericsson Globe Arena would be renamed the Avicii Arena. Berglings family has also started the Tim Bergling Foundation, which works to promote mental health awareness.

"The Doodle is fantastic, my family and I feel honored and Tim would have been very proud and love it. It is a friendly and warm story of a young man fulfilling his dream to be a DJ and at the same time telling us that our journey in life is not always easy despite fame and fortune," Bergling's father Klas Bergling said in a statement.
Kiss has rescheduled five dates on the North American leg of its End of the Road tour.

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The rock band announced rescheduled dates for the tour Tuesday after postponing shows due to band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons testing positive for COVID-19 in August.

Following a 10-day quarantine, Kiss will resume its tour Thursday in Irvine, Calif. The rescheduled tour dates will now take place in October.

In addition, the Hartford, Conn., Milwaukee, Wisc., and Raleigh, N.C., shows have been postponed to 2022. The rest of the tour dates remain unchanged.

Here's the rescheduled dates for the End of the Road tour:

Oct. 10 - Atlanta, at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood

Oct. 13 - Burgettstown, Pa., at The Pavilion at Star Lake

Oct. 15 - Clarkston, Mich., at DTE Energy Music Theatre

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Oct. 16 - Tinley Park, Ill., at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Oct. 17 - Dayton, Ohio, at Wright State University Nutter Center

Kiss confirmed in late August that Simmons had tested positive for COVID-19 and that the band and crew would quarantine for 10 days. Stanley said Aug. 30 that he was feeling better, saying, "It's over now."
FILE - In this Nov. 19, 1994 file photo, the bow door of the sunken passenger ferry M/S Estonia is lifted up from the bottom of the sea, off Uto Island, in the Baltic Sea, near Finland. A privately-funded expedition, commissioned by relatives of the victims of the M/S Estonia ferry that sank into the Baltic Sea nearly 27 years ago, will dive into the vessels wreckage this month, Sept. 2021. It's the latest attempt to gain more insight into one of Europes worst peacetime maritime disasters.
The Red & Black sat down with Chana Refson who, with her husband Rabbi Michoel, runs the Chabad House at the University of Georgia, which is often considered a home away from home for many Jewish students in Athens.
Greenville, NC (27833)

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Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
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Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Beckley, WV (25801)

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Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 79F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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PHOENIX (AP)  Lawyers defending the founders of the classified site Backpage.com against allegations they knowingly ran ads for prostitution told jurors Wednesday that the adult service ads published by their clients were controversial but ultimately protected by the First Amendment.

Attorneys for Michael Lacey and James Larkin said in opening statements at their trial that the site ran legally allowable ads for escort services, but didnt publish ads for sex. They say the site beefed up its staff and methods for spotting illegal ads, helped authorities in investigating sexual trafficking cases and earned compliments from law enforcement for their assistance.

Backpage was doing everything they could to help the police, said Paul Cambria, one of the attorneys representing Lacey.

Last week, a prosecutor told jurors that the majority of the sites revenue came from prostitution ads but the founders and operators of Backpage tried to conceal it. The prosecutor said the site hired content moderators whose job was not to remove prostitution ads but to edit them so they werent so blatant. The prosecutor also said the website developed a partnership with a website where customers wrote reviews of prostitutes, which drove significant traffic to Backpage.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich denied a request for a mistrial made by defense lawyers, who argued a prosecutors repeated references to sex trafficking during opening statements were inflammatory.

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 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.

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.

The sites operators are accused of giving free ads to prostitutes and cultivating arrangements with others who worked in the sex trade to get them to post ads with the company.

Thomas Bienert, an attorney defending Larkin, read aloud to jurors compliments that law enforcement agencies gave to Backpage for their cooperation in sex trafficking investigations.

Bienert also said the operators of Backpage had reason to think they were operating legally, saying judges who presided in now-dismissed lawsuits over Backpage ads found that its adult services ads were protected by the First Amendment.

Some people might not like the material published on Backpage but the ads were still legal, Bienert said. Controversial doesnt equal illegal, Bienert said.

The trial is expected to last two to three months.
Ron Chapple / Getty Image

A 23-year-old Hartford man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for distributing fentanyl, according to officials.

In the summer of 2020, Hartford police learned that a West Hartford man was using his apartment on Farmington Avenue to store fentantyl, the U.S. Attorneys office said.
TORRINGTON  Residents concerned by a proposed gas stations potential traffic onto their nearby street were ready to bring a petition to the Planning & Zoning Commission for its meeting this week, but that hit a snag late Tuesday afternoon.

The plan to build a gas station on Route 4/New Harwinton Road had been scheduled for a public hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the commissions agenda. However, that public hearing was continued to Oct. 13, at the applicants request, according to the city in a post just before 4 p.m. Tuesday on the city website.

The tight entrance and exit areas and the nearness of Circle Drive prompted the citizens petition. We, the undersigned residents of Circle Drive and Santa Maria Drive submit this petition signed by 57 residents ... In opposition of the application being presented to them on July 21, 2021, the petition reads in part. Health, safety and welfare are part of the city of Torrington zoning regulations and the safety of our neighbors is at risk every time we try to exit Circle Drive.

Harwinton-based Alam Realty owns the existing business, Sams Food Store, at 861 New Harwinton Road, according to the application, which is for a special exception use permit to add gas dispensers, a canopy, storm drainage, modified parking and changes to the buildings facade.

The plan first was presented in July. Residents presented petitions against it in August, citing concerns about increased traffic entering and leaving the gas station. Circle Drive is adjacent to the parking lot.

The applicant was given a long list of required changes to the application, according to City Planner Martin Connor, who gave his own report at the commissions July 21 meeting. The application was missing key information and had incorrect dates and road names; had no outdoor lighting plan; required a performance bond, a stormwater management plan, and a description of the stations underground fuel storage tank plan. He also suggested including electric car charging stations and an emergency generator large enough to power the gas station and convenience store.

Building Official Kevin Gillette said the applicant already had completed substantial interior renovations to the store without any permits. Until those renovations are inspected and approved, no other permits should be granted and no other work should be done, Gillette said.

Fire Marshal Ed Bascetta also weighed in, saying the building should be equipped with a complete fire protection and alarm system, and that its electrical system needed to be brought into compliance. City engineer Paul Kundzins pointed out that cars at gas pumps must not be allowed to exit onto Circle Drive or Route 4 on the opposite side of the entrance.

The public hearing Oct. 13 will begin at 7 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium, second floor.

Instructions for watching via Zoom are available online at www.torringtonct.org/zoom.
There is a student mental health crisis at community colleges and a new telehealth service will fail to meet the need, the colleges counseling staff said Tuesday.

Connecticut State Colleges and Universities announced last month a two-year partnership with TimelyMD to provide around-the-clock telehealth services to all community college students, particularly during the pandemic.

But mental health professionals at the states 12 community colleges, who noted they were hardly consulted before the Board of Regents approved the purchase, said the state college system needs to focus on adequate in-person supports first.

There was very little conversation with the existing mental health counselors in the community college system, who are already on the front lines, about what we really needed in order to assist the mental needs of our students, said Lisa Slade, the director of counseling and wellness at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport.

The telehealth company partnership, priced at more than $659,000 per year, is funded by federal COVID-19 relief dollars. The service includes 12 scheduled individual counseling sessions per student, and unlimited health consultations and support through its on-demand platform, TalkNow.

CSCU acknowledges the tremendous work (of) our staff, said Leigh Appleby, a spokesperson for the state university system, and remains committed to an on-ground presence, but must respond to the overwhelming need right now.

Appleby added face-to-face services may still be limited or interrupted this school year, due to unforeseen COVID-19 variants, stagnant vaccination rates and other factors  while demand is dramatically increased as students balance their studies with job loss and disruption, illness and care-taking responsibilities.

But Kayla Garner, a recent graduate of Gateway Community College in New Haven, suggested at a Tuesday press conference co-hosted by two labor unions  the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges and American Federation of Teachers  that telehealth alternatives dont cut it for students.

Garner said she reached out to Gateway the week before finals for support, but the wellness center was closed due to a lack of counselors.

In some ways I do feel the school has failed me in that moment, said Garner, who was later hospitalized for her deteriorating health.

Remote services like mental health hotlines, she noted, already existed: What we need is on-ground, in-person support, she said.

Seth Freeman, president of the community college faculty union, said only a couple of the schools have full-time, dedicated mental health professionals.

While many of our colleges have a mental health counselor, these counselors are not dedicated to mental health counseling, he wrote in an email. Many must also do academic counseling, transfer counseling, disability counseling and/or career counseling. So, even where we do have mental health counselors, they are not able to perform mental health counseling 100 percent of the time.

Gateway, where Garner attended, is one of the extreme cases, Freeman said, where some colleges have no mental health counselors at all.

Slade, the Housatonic counselor, too said that the state college systems primary focus should be strengthening campus mental health services.

We are experiencing the traumas of our students firsthand, she said. We are experiencing students who are having housing insecurities and food insecurities, and are in distress and crisis. And the sad part is we dont have what we need to service them  and thats the gods honest truth.

Slade cited the International Association of Counseling Services Accreditations standard that there be at least one licensed mental health counselor for every 1,000 to 1,500 students, and said Connecticut community colleges are not in compliance with that guidance.

She also said she lacks the proper software to do adequate case management.

Slade added on-campus counselors could be better situated to meet the needs of community college students. They need people who look like them, who live in the same communities as them, who understand the struggles that they are experiencing, she said.

Ruth Gonzalez, the director of the student and community life office at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted, said she sees the partnership as a chance to open a dialogue and gather data on mental health  but that one-on-one, on-campus relationships are much better.

I live in the community that my campus is in, she said. So if we are producing not only academically balanced but also generally, overall balanced students, then we have a thriving community.

Appleby, the CSCU spokesperson, responded that this isnt an either/or situation  telehealth helps ensure students can access support at any time, any day of the week.

CSCU remains committed to the work of assessing each campuss capacity, surveying students to get a better handle on actual need and expanding partnerships with state agencies and community providers to improve access for our students, he said.

The state college system announced the expanded mental health options on Aug. 23. Slated for this fall, the service was intended to help address COVID-19s impact on student well-being, according to system officials.

Access to health services  and particularly mental health services  has long been a major challenge for too many community college students, said Terrence Cheng, the state colleges and universities president, when the partnership was announced.

He added the platform gives students access to mental health practitioners who have experience with college students.

This is a major expansion of mental health services, and it is sure to make the college experience more manageable for the students we serve, Cheng said.

David Levinson, the interim president of the community colleges, said the demand for mental health support has increased dramatically, and cited steps the system has taken to meet that need, including partnerships with local providers.

However, this is the largest systemic investment to date and will provide much-needed access to critical health care services to all of our students, he said.
WINSTED  Residents are very interested in the towns proposed changes to blight ordinances and are anxious to see them put into place, according to Town Manager Josh Kelly.

But the Board of Selectmen, which this week held a public hearing on the proposed changes to ordinances governing blight and noise, also wants to make sure there is a full understanding of the impact the changes would make on the public.

Members decided not to vote on the changes this week, and instead held several discussions to understand that impact. The board plans to vote at its next meeting Sept. 20.

I want to be sure the board is comfortable with the amount of time were giving ourselves to approve these, said Mayor Candy Perez. Usually, theres a two-week period between the hearing and the adoption of the changes, and between that, we post them to our website. So we can move this along or wait.

Kelly said residents are interested in the ordinances, especially for blight. Blight complaints are made by neighbors or concerned citizens, and Winsteds blight official is responsible for investigating them.

I have talked with a number of residents about the noise and blight ordinances, and a lot of people were in favor of them, said Kelly. They wanted to know, basically, how soon the blight ordinance would be enacted.

A new blight officer and additional notification to property owners have been added, as well as clarity on violations and filing a complaint. Town attorney Kevin Nelligan wrote the changes, Kelly said.

The noise ordinance changes are intended to help police enforce laws regarding high-decibel, repetitive sounds, as well as nuisance noise from a gathering, for example. To enforce a noise ordinance, Kelly said, it first must be reviewed and approved by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Without DEEP approval, any enforcement ticket would be thrown out of court.

Other types of noise were also discussed. Kelly said that existing businesses that create noise for long periods of time, such as manufacturing companies, can apply for a variance from the Police Department. If someone were to file a complaint, it would also be up to the Police Department to enforce the ordinance. Thats not a reasonable burden to be placed on a business, so we have several options to consider, Kelly said.

Selectmen, Kelly said, can add a subsection to the ordinance for existing businesses, and adjust the times for a noise violation.

So businesses operating from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. or even a little later, have the opportunity to make noise during the day, and get a little leeway, Kelly said. You can change the decibel levels in the ordinance to allow for that type of noise.

Kelly also said the ordinance could be changed to say that all businesses in existence will be automatically grandfathered in with a variance. If the business were to relocate to another part of town or is sold to a new owner, they would have to apply for a new variance.

Or, you can do nothing, and let the variance process run its course, Kelly said.

Perez was concerned about the idea of grandfathering. It works if you know what came before it, she said. Sometimes it gets a little dicey. So do we need that noise defined? People dont want noise in the middle of the night when theyre sleeping or getting the kids to bed. Is this the language we want?

The board asked Kelly to add the definition of grandfathering into the ordinance, to be discussed at its next meeting.
New London Police Department / Contributed Photo

NEW LONDON  An 18-year-old man was arrested Monday and faces various narcotics and domestic violence charges, including assault of a pregnant woman, according to the New London Police Department.

Officers arrested Taquez Scott, 18, of New London, after serving a search-and-seizure warrant for a home on Robinson Street, the police department said Tuesday.
Pottsville, PA (17901)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Michael A. Kechula, 82, of Phoenix, Ariz., passed away peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

Born June 9, 1939, in Shenandoah, he grew up in Mahanoy City before moving to Wallington, N.J., where he graduated from Wallington High School.

He joined Air Force Intelligence in 1956 at the age of 17 and served in Libya, Morocco and Northern California.

He lived in San Jose, Calif., for 30 years and retired from IBM Corp. as a technical writer and instructional designer. There, he authored more than 20 instructional books, some used by the Fortune 500, and taught thousands of students in stand-up lectures. He was one of the original developers of Computer Based Training in Silicon Valley.

He received his associate degree from San Jose City College and continued his studies with honors at San Jose State University and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

He was an award-winning flash fiction writer and authored several books in the genre, along with how-to instructional texts for aspiring writers. He played the accordion magnificently since the age of 10, including with the band Joey Dee and the Starliters. He was also an avid photographer.

He was preceded in death by his father, Michael; mother, Adele; brother, John.

As a loving father and grandfather, he is survived by his sons, Michael and John; his daughters, Michelle and Noel; his ex-wife, Joan; several grandchildren and cousins.

He is forever in our hearts and will be missed!

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014. Public visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, followed by a service at 11 a.m. then lunch reception at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85022. After lunch, a military burial will be in National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85024.
Congratulations are in order for Emily In Paris star Lily Collins as she married her fiance Charlie McDowell in an intimate ceremony on September 4 in Colorado. The duo had a perfect Labor Day weekend as they 'officially became each others forever', sharing priceless pictures from the ceremony, which has left their fans gushing in excitement. The duo updated their respective social media handles, making their wedding announcement as they posed in a scenic setting, adorned in classic wedding trousseau.

The news comes as no surprise as Lily, 32, and Charlie, 38, had always been vocal about their relationship after making it official in August 2019. They then took a leap and got engaged last year in September, as the writer-director proposed to her lady love on a quarantine cross-country road trip.

Lily Collins gets married to Charlie McDowell

Lily shared adorable photos of the duo, including them kissing at the altar, expressing that she has 'Never been happier'. Lily, who was wearing an exquisite Ralph Lauren gown with a lace embellished veil, expressed her excitement in being McDowell's wife. "Ive never wanted to be someones someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife. On September 4th, 2021 we officially became each others forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell", she said in a post. In another post, she mentioned how their fairytale is now her 'forever reality' adding that she falls short of words to describe the otherworldly feeling, 'but magical is a pretty good place to start'. Have a look.

Charlie too posted one of the photos on his Instagram account, looking dapper in a black tuxedo. "I married the most generous, thoughtful, and beautiful person I've ever known. I love you @lilyjcollins.", he captioned it.

More about the duo's relationship

Lily's fiance now husband, is an American director and writer, who happens to be the son of actors Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell. They sparked dating rumours back in 2019 when the Love, Rosie actor uploaded photos with Charlie in France, where she was shooting for her hit Netflix series, Emily in Paris.

The duo has never shied away from making their relationship public, with Lily showcasing her sparkling rock as she announced her engagement last year. "I've been waiting my lifetime for you and I can't wait to spend our lifetime together, Collins wrote. While McDowell shared a picture of his lady love and wrote," In a time of uncertainty and darkness you have illuminated my life. I will forever cherish my adventure with you. ".

(IMAGE- LILYJCOLLINS_INSTAGRAM)
Amidst the grave crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, Afghan students in Bengaluru were seen protesting against the terrorist group. The protests are being carried out a day after the Taliban announced its interim government in Afghanistan. Visuals showed students carrying Afghanistan's national flag. The Afghan students were also protesting against the interference of Pakistan.

However, they were soon dispersed by the police as the protests were not permitted. However, the police requested the students to hold their protests elsewhere. Therefore, the protestors were seen heading towards the Mysore Bank Circle. Speaking to Republic, one of the protestors slammed Pakistan for its interference in Afghanistan.

"Why is Pakistan attacking with drones. This is a clear interference from Pakistan's side and even the ISI is in Kabul. Its clear that they are behind everything," the Afghan student stated.

Afghan students protest against Taliban, Pakistan in Bengaluru

The student further demanded that the United Nations should take action against Pakistan for involving in the matters of Afghanistan. Another student hit out at Pakistan for bombing Panjshir, the resistance bastion currently putting up a fight against the Taliban.

"Pakistan interfered and killed so many innocent people, including children and pregnant women," the student added "We are here to raise our voice and support Ahmad Massoud," she said

Many students were seen with Afghanistan's national flags and placards with slogans against Pakistan. Few of them were also seen carrying placards against Pakistan's ISI and Imran Khan. The protesting students have stated that Pakistan should not support the Taliban or involve in Afghanistan's matters.

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 the US and NATO troops from war-torn Afghanistan.

As the Taliban breached Kabul, Ashraf Ghani, the democratically elected President, fled the country with 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 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'.
With the Afghanistan crisis on table, India's National Security Advisor of India (NSA) Ajit Doval will be holding a significant meeting with his Russian counterpart- Secretary of the Security Council General Nikolay Patrushev. Earlier on Tuesday, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Chief William Burns was also in New Delhi to discuss a number of issues arising from Afghanistan. The two separate meetings involving the NSA are taking place amid Government formation by the Taliban in Kabul. The current developments also underscore India's importance and participation in the ongoing Afghanistan crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are expected to receive Patrushev and a meeting will also take place between them, as informed by the MEA. It is pertinent to mention here that these conferences are taking place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin's August 24 phone conversation where they stressed the importance for the two strategic partners to work together and instructed their senior officials to remain in touch on Afghanistan. Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said on Monday that there is "ample opportunity" for cooperation between India and Russia on Afghanistan.

CIA Chief in India

Meanwhile, sources informed that CIA Chief William Burns discussed India's security establishments as the Taliban announced the Government formation in Kabul. On the other hand, the United States' President Joe Biden was quoted saying 'China has real problem with Taliban'. The response from the President came after he was questioned on China's funding to the Taliban.

"As does Pakistan, as does Russia, as does Iran:" President Biden on concerns over Taliban's Government announcement.

China has real problem with Taliban. So they're going to try to work out some arrangement with Taliban, I'm sure. As does Pakistan, as does Russia, as does Iran. They're all trying to figure out what do they do now:US Pres when asked if he is worried that China would fund Taliban pic.twitter.com/cLFQ2zhNbp  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

Joe Biden has also said that US is going to 'wait and watch' as the Taliban announced its 33-member cabinet in its interim government.

Taliban announces Afghanistan Government

On Tuesday, Taliban announced the government of the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan', naming Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura' as its interim Prime Minister. He will be accompanied by Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as his deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani as interior minister, Mohammad Yaqoob, the eldest son of the Taliban founder Mohammad Omar, as Minister of Defense. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, "we are trying to include people from all parts of the country in the government", as internal rifts between the three Taliban factions came to the forefront. It is important to note here that the interior minister of Afghanistan is designated as global terrorist by the FBI.
Ahead of the Ministerial 2 + 2 dialogue on 11th September, India and Australia are looking forward to strengthening the overall defence and security system between both countries as well as boost the strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The dialogue will be held by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton.

As stated by official sources on Tuesday, the 2+2 ministerial dialogue will see some major discussions on topics including the Afghanistan situation followed by the strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, China's military assertiveness, the extension of military cooperation, and so on. Furthermore, the meeting will be focusing on boosting the overall cooperation in the Indo-Pacific as China's military assertiveness grows in the area.

India Australia 2+2 dialogue

Also, the ministers are looking forward to expanding the strategic cooperation between both countries followed by military cooperation in areas of maritime security.

Meanwhile, India and Australia have recently elevated the cooperation between their defence and military strategy in the past few years. Earlier in June, they elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and also signed a landmark deal providing reciprocal access to military bases for logistic support. This was done during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Also, the Australian Navy was a part of the recent Malabar naval exercise that featured major navies of India along with the US and Japan. India also has a similar type of framework with other countries which includes the US and Japan.

India-Australia on Taliban issue

Australian ministers are also scheduled to hold discussions in the wake of the Afghanistan situation since the Taliban takeover. This is said to be discussed in separate meetings with their Indian counterparts.

(With ANI inputs)

(Image Credits: PTI/AP)
Vaccine distributor Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday said that the two doses of Sputnik V vaccine should be taken at the same hospital. The pharma company also informed that the two vaccines must have a gap of 21 days. In India, Sputnik V vaccine is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. Both doses of the vaccine should be taken from the same hospital, Dr Reddy's said in a statement.

In India, Sputnik V vaccine is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. Both doses of the vaccine should be taken from the same hospital: Dr Reddy's pic.twitter.com/cA5nRo2GP9  ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical companys latest announcement comes after the vaccine makers Panacea Biotec began supply of the second component of the Sputnik-V vaccine. The makers have now made the first shipment of the second component of the vaccine to hospitals across India. "As announced by our partners, the RDIF and Panacea Biotec, supply of the second dose component manufactured by Panacea Biotec has now commenced. Dr Reddy's has initiated supply of the first dose component to partner hospitals all over India followed by equivalent quantities of the second dose component," the spokesperson of the city-based pharma firm told PTI.

Dr Reddys informed that individuals who wish to get the Russian vaccine can visit their official site to find out its availability. The company had earlier suspended the supply of the first dose component due to logistical constraints from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Dr Reddy's had signed a pact with RDIF to sell the first 125 million people doses of the vaccine in India. Earlier in August, Indian pharma company Panacea Biotec had announced their plans to produce up to 25 million doses of the vaccine and supply it to Dr Reddys for distribution.

Russia's COVID vaccine-Sputnik V

The vaccine has been developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and is being marketed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), globally. Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the marketing partner for the vaccine in the country, has been importing the shots from Russia. Apart from India, the Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in a number of countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Serbia, Bahrain, Hungary, UAE, and others. The vaccine uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. It employs a different vector for each of the two shots, given 21 days apart. According to Gamaleya and the RDIF, Sputnik V was first introduced with an efficacy rate of 92 per cent, however, this fell during future tests to 83 per cent.

IMAGE: PTI
In a controversial statement, the National Conference president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah advised the Taliban to respect human rights and carry out justice. The statement by Abdullah comes to the fore after the Taliban regime, on September 8, announced their leadership and cabinet portfolios at Afghanistan's state machinery.

The Taliban on Tuesday announced that they had appointed Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund as the acting Prime Minister in the new Afghan government, with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Mullah Abdul Salam being his deputies.

The Taliban must protect human rights in Afghanistan and build good relations with the rest of the world, he told reporters while speaking at an event honouring Sheikh Abdullah on his death anniversary.

Senior Abdullah further stated that he hopes the Taliban will rule a war-torn nation as per Islamic principles. Last week, his son and NC Vice President Omar Abdullah lashed out at the centre after the Indian envoy in Qatar for the first time, publicly met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai.

Abdullah duo seek India' action plan on Taliban regime

Omar took a dig at India initiating talks with Afghanistan's new rulers, the Taliban. He sought clarity on the central government's approach towards the new regime in the neighbourhood- whether they are viewed as terrorists or not. Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah further said that he had no idea when elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly would be held.

I dont know when elections will be held. (But) whenever they are held, we wont shy away and rather participate and win as well. The Centre must first restore statehood before holding polls, he told reporters

Abdullah, an MP from the Srinagar constituency, said that his party was committed to fighting for the restoration of statehood and Article 370. There is no change in our stance. We are fighting and will continue to fight, he added. Earlier, Dr Farooq Abdullah voiced his concern on the impact of the Taliban's arrival in Afghanistan on Kashmir

He had said, Taliban's influence will be felt. Where it will fall, how much will fall on America, how much will fall on Russia, how much will fall on China, I do not know. And we have to see how much impact it will have."
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, urging the Centre to repeal the law. Chief Minister M K Stalin who moved the resolution in the House asked the Union Government to repeal the law in order to ensure unity and communal harmony in the country. Stalin asserted that the Citizenship Amendment Act was enacted to discriminate against refugees based on their religion and nationality.

The Citizenship Amendment Act was enacted to discriminate against refugees on the basis of their religious affiliation and nationality, regardless of their status: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Anti-CAA resolution in the state Assembly pic.twitter.com/ijEBCX2MPp  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

Tamil Nadu Assembly moves anti-CAA resolution

Moving the resolution, Stalin stated that the law is 'not in tune' with the secular principles laid down in India's Constitution. Here's the complete resolution statement:

"This August House considers that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in the year 2019 is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India. As per established democratic principles, a country should be governed taking into consideration the aspirations and concerns of the people belonging to all sections of the society. But, it is clearly seen that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was passed in such a way that it does not accord a warm support to the refugees considering their plight, but instead discriminates against them according to their religion and their country of origin. Therefore, to protect and ensure the unity and communal harmony in this Country and to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, this August House resolves to urge the Union Government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019."

Citizenship Amendment Act

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act amends the previous Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. Moreover, the Bill exempts the inner line permit areas in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling under the Sixth Schedule in the regions. It will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

Moreover, it also relaxes the terms of naturalised citizenship, from the original 14 years to five years. Anyone belonging to the above-mentioned six religions and three countries can apply for citizenship after residing in India for the stipulated five years. The Act also allows cancellation of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders' citizenship if they violate any law, including minor offences like parking violations. The Supreme Court is yet to hear the 150 pleas challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), after it refused to stay its implementation.
Space travel without rockets could be possible as per a new study that describes the development of a lunar elevator could be developed. This elevator could be used to transport lunar resources to Earth. The study's authors, University of Columbia astronomy PhD candidates Zephyr Penoyre and Emily Sandford believe it can be done for a few billion dollars. This is proposed in their study published in 2019.

Helium-3, a rare type of helium from the moon, could be used in fusion power plants on Earth. Rare elements like neodymium could be mined and shipped back to Earth for usage in smartphones and other electrical devices. The majority of the 400,000km to Earth would be covered by a cable anchored to the lunar surface. Due to the relative movements of the two objects, it couldn't be directly linked to the Earth, but it would end high up in Earth orbit. That would also put it above the bulk of our space trash, which is becoming more of an issue as more satellites are launched into space. Solar-powered robotic shuttles might go up and down the cable, serving as a conveyor belt for important resources to be transported back.

Space travel, resource mining could be done by a Lunar Elevator

The study states, Perhaps the biggest hurdle to mankinds expansion throughout the Solar System is the prohibitive cost of escaping Earths gravitational pull. In its many forms, the space elevator provides a way to circumvent this cost, allowing payloads to traverse along a cable extending from Earth to orbit. However, modern materials are not strong enough to build a cable capable of supporting its own weight. In this work, we present an alternative to the classic space elevator, within reach of modern technology: The Spaceline. By extending a line, anchored on the moon, to deep within Earths gravity well, we can construct a stable, traversable cable allowing free movement from the vicinity of Earth to the Moons surface. With current materials, it is feasible to build a cable extending to close to the height of geostationary orbit, allowing easy traversal and construction between the Earth and the Moon.

How would the Lunar Elevator work?

The wire would be slightly thicker than a pencil and would weigh 40 tonnes, as per the research. This is well within the capabilities of contemporary rockets like SpaceX's Starship. Unlike a space elevator that travels from Earth's surface into space, a lunar elevator that stops just short of the Earth would not be subjected to massive gravity forces. The Moon, like the Earth, has no atmosphere, which makes things easier for an elevator. That means the cable might be manufactured from current materials like Kevlar rather than the super-strong materials needed for an Earth-to-space elevator that has yet to be produced.

Artemis mission and potential monetary benefits from Moon's resources

Every year, Jeff Bezos sells $1 billion in Amazon stock to support his Blue Origin space tourism enterprise. The Artemis mission, which will carry the first female astronaut and the first astronaut of colour to the Moon later this decade, is estimated to cost $86 billion. On July 26, Jeff Bezos wrote an open letter to NASA offering a discount of $2 billion for allowing his company to build a moon lander. Because the Moon's resources are so valuable, another research calculated that a lunar elevator would pay for itself in just 53 flights. NASA has negotiated agreements with international partners to supply several components for the gateway, including the European Space Agency (ESA), Russia, Japan, and Canada.

Coming soon: the fully stacked and integrated #Artemis I mission @NASA_Orion spacecraft and @NASA_SLS rocket 



Members of the media are invited to apply to capture images of the progress: https://t.co/ed6CXcrLUZ pic.twitter.com/UXXHkFgoSA  NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) September 6, 2021

China's plans for space missions and research

These two studies and programmes could be integrated in the future. In June 2021, China's publication, Global Times, revealed the country's plan for a "Sky Ladder". For this a spaceship would be launched up an elevator from Earth's surface to a waiting space station, then launched towards the Moon, where it would meet another elevator and be lowered to the lunar surface. As reported by them, China also has plans to explore asteroids and the Jovian system, which comprises Jupiter and its moons.

(IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK)
The head of the junta that overthrew Guinean President Alpha Conde over the weekend met with members of the armed forces on Tuesday at the Defence Minstry in Conakry.

After participating in a military ceremony broadcast on state TV on Tuesday night, Col. Mamady Doumbouya, who led the coup, met with dozens of military officials and called on them to "come together".

IMAGE: AP

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Two days after Sunday's coup that overthrew President Alpha Conde, Guineans in the capital were trying to get back to their normal lives.

Customers and sellers packed a market in Conakry on Tuesday, where one of the main topics of conversation was the political crisis in the West African country.

"We have been suffering in the past government," said Fatmata Diallo, who sells cow milk.

"We are so happy for this change," she added.

Many hoped that Guinea's landmark 2010 election would finally give the West African country a democratic leader after decades of corrupt dictatorship.

Instead, Conde decided to stick around for a third term, modifying the constitution so that the term limit no longer applied to him.

His plan to extend his rule prompted violent street protests in Conakry last year  and ultimately sealed Conde's fate as vulnerable to the kind of military coup that many hoped was becoming a thing of the past.

Jubilant Guineans were celebrating the change in the streets, but the real test could be whether forces loyal to the ousted president accept the coup led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.

The new military leaders are seeking to tighten their grip on power and are ordering the deposed president's soldiers to join them.

Doumbouya also barred government officials from leaving the country, ordering them to hand over their passports and government vehicles.

Guinea's governors have been replaced by regional military commanders selected by the junta.

The international community has called on the junta to immediately release Conde and West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has threatened economic sanctions if the demand is not met.

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The largest regional bloc of West Africa expressed their concern about the transitional administration of Mali which has not made enough advancement in holding elections at the beginning of the next year, as planned after a military takeover. As per the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stated in a statement on Tuesday, the absence of practical efforts to organise for the poll worries them. The statement further states that the current acting President Colonel Assimi Goita pledged to conduct the poll for February 2022.

The statement was made after former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan undertook a three-day visit to Mali. The return of democracy to Mali after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's fall in August 2020 has been keenly followed in an area that had four coup attempts from the last year, recently which occurred on Sunday is in Guinea.

Following the military intervention, Mali's military commanders committed to an 18-month transition period, concluding in presidential and parliamentary elections in February 2022, under influence of ECOWAS. They also decided that a constitutional referendum will be held on October 31.

Lack of action on Mali's February polls

However, a number of election milestones have been missed which comprises the commencement of voter roll updates and the introduction of a new constitution. The changeover was further hampered in the month of May when Goita, who conducted the original coup, ordered the acting president's imprisonment and subsequently gained power for himself.

As per the ECOWAS statement given to the reporters in the nations capital Bamako, added that the mission emphasised the necessity of following the scheduled election date in order to establish the authenticity of the transitional stage.

On the other hand, the administration of Mali has stated that it is aware of its obligation to meet the election date, although some individuals have hinted that it may not be met.

Previous assault on Malian Armed Forces

Earlier in the last month, the Ministry of External Affairs of India has issued a statement in response to the terrorist assault in Mali on August 19. India strongly opposes the terrorist assault on a Malian Armed Forces convoy in the Mopti district of Mali, which resulted in the deaths of 15 Malian troops, according to the statement.

According to reports, a group of gunmen attacked a Malian army convoy in central Mali on August 19. At least 15 troops were killed in the ambush. The soldiers were on their way from Douentza to Boni on the day of the incident. They were attacked by a car that detonated as it went by at this point. According to a military statement, heavy gunfire ensued shortly afterward.

(Image Credit: PTI/ AP)
The eastern-Asian region has been warned of heavy downpours as Geologists said that Typhoon Chanthu that is racing to hit China and Taiwan, is expected to make landfall around September 11-12. A report by Taiwan News said that the cyclone which was initially thought to be a tropical depression has evolved into a category four typhoon in the last 36 hours. The hazardous cyclone is expected to achieve maximum wind speed of up to 233kmph before reaching parts of Taiwan and the Chinese southern coast.

Geologists predict destruction

Cheng Ming-dean, Director-General of the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) warned people via his Facebook page that Chanthu's growth in strength is even more 'amazing' as compared to hurricane Ida, which caused considerable damage in the United States in late August.

The aforementioned report suggested that the typhoon will hit Taiwan first for which CWB will be issuing a public warning around September 9-10 prior to the landfall. Calling the typhoon a 'beast', meteorologist Tom Sater predicted it to turn into a super typhoon as its hot vertices around the centre has a well-defined eye, as per a Taiwan News report.

However, sources couldn't confirm the trajectory of the hurricane as it is unclear whether it will hit the Chinese coast first or just pass over Taiwan. According to a CNN report, Chanthu is just one of the two hurricanes racing through the south-east Asian region, as 'Conson' the severe tropical storm made landfall over the Philippines on September 7.

Hurricane Ida

Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ida that hit Lousiana on August 29, US President Joe Biden has called US citizens to take a step against climate change. In his latest speech on September 7, Biden blamed climate change for the hurricane and declared it as everybody's crisis, reported AP. Biden also reviewed the areas of New Jersey and Queens that suffered the most damage. As of now, the death tolls following Ida's departure has risen to over 60 with massive loss of property. Media reports suggested that the category four hurricane stormed through at a speed of 240kmph.

(IMAGE CREDITS: @DOST_PAGASA-TWITTER)
China on Wednesday announced $31 million as aid to Afghanistan, its first after the Taliban seized power in Kabul. It backed the Afghan terrorist group's interim government, saying it is a necessary step to restore order and end the anarchy.

Taking part in the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will provide Afghanistan with 200 million yuan ($31 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per its requirements, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The meeting convened by Pakistan was also attended by Foreign Ministers from Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, all of them being the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan. Russia was conspicuously absent at the meeting hosted by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Wang Yi said China has decided to donate 3 million vaccine doses to the Afghan people in the first batch. China is also ready to provide more anti-epidemic and emergency materials to Afghanistan under the China-South Asian Countries Emergency Supplies Reserves.

Wang Yi also said China would work with countries in the region to help Afghanistan rebuild its economy and society, as well as fight terrorist groups and illegal drug trade.

The Taliban on Tuesday unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the terrorist group.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing that China attaches importance to the Afghan Taliban's announcement of the formation of an interim government and some key roles.

Wang Wenbin told that the formation of the new Taliban government has put an end to the anarchy in Afghanistan that lasted for over three weeks. He mentioned that it is a necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue post-war reconstruction.

Significantly, Xinhua news agency reported Wang Wenbin's comments with a headline 'China welcomes Taliban's announcement of caretaker government'.

The spokesman also highlighted the Taliban's statement that the interim government is formed to restore social and economic order as soon as possible. He also reiterated China's stand that the Taliban should establish a broad and inclusive political structure.

"We hope Afghanistan will establish a broadly based and inclusive political structure, follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces, and live on friendly terms with other countries, especially its neighbours.

"Beijing also supports the Afghan people in independently choosing a development path suited to the country's conditions," he said, adding that China will respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.

Asked whether China would recognise the new administration considering that Beijing has been calling for an "open and inclusive" government, Wenbin said the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan is operating normally, suggesting that Beijing already has its diplomatic presence in Kabul.
As the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdowns had a severe negative impact on the global economy, the Denmark government has proposed raising taxes in an attempt to revive the economy and alleviate the pressure on the state coffers. While last month, the Danish government vowed to tighten the financial screws, now it intends to accomplish its goal by pushing what could be termed as a new labour logic, as per a report by Sputnik.

The government plans to increase the taxation share from 42 to 45% for gains over DKK 56,500 ($9,000). Apart from this, other key elements include lower benefits rates for non-providing graduates below the age of 30 and incentives for people who stay in the workforce longer, Sputnik reported quoting Danish Radio.

With the help of these initiatives the Danish government-led by Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, aims to push an additional 10,500 people into the labour market by 2030. In order to achieve this aim, the government intends to launch a new benefits model. Under this model, the newly unemployed will be awarded a high rate which will subsequently decrease over time, prompting the recipients to find work, reported the Russian news agency. "The government wants to push a new labour logic conveying a message that everyone has a duty to contribute to the nation. If you can't find work, you must work for your benefits. You will be debarred from getting your benefits if you don't show up in the morning," PM Frederiksen said, as reported by Sputnik.

'13% of the Danish GDP allotted for COVID relief'

The Prime Minister further stated that the Danish economy was performing relatively well yet there was still room for improvement. Among the many planned expenditure, the Danish government intends to invest DKK 4.5 billion each year in Green Switch, DKK 1 billion in research and development and a further DKK 1 billion in other resources to reach the 2030 climate goal. Apart from this, at least DKK 285 billion ($45 billion) which constitutes almost 13% of the Danish GDP, has been allotted to provide relief packages to support people whose businesses were hit by the pandemic, reported Sputnik. It should be noted here that according to the country's health ministry, Denmark has reported 3,50,000 COVID-10 cases with as many as 2,600 deaths.



Image Credits: Pixabay/AP
Almost all glaciers in the Swiss Alps could disappear by 2100, and at least 10 per cent have melted in the past 5 years due to the impact of global warming accelerating climate change, a study published by top environmentalists in the journal Nature warned. As the permafrost on snow-capped Alps Mountains has been drastically shrinking, melting the glaciers five times faster than they were in the 1960s, each year, the authorities in Switzerland and European Alps try to limit the impact of the rising global temperature by draping the glacial slopes with large blankets manufactured out of the polyester fleece that bounces sunlight away acting as a reflector.

In the footage, one can see vast white fleece covering stretches of snow mountains over huge areas near the glacier's edge. Some are piled up near the rocks, or on top of few wooden planks with a ladder on its side, that will be used by the workers from the nearby Swiss resorts to cover the snow-capped mountains. They are desperately trying to preserve the Swiss tourist attraction. Scientists have warned about the extreme glacier loss in the years to come as a result of the human-caused climate change. A study revealed that climate change has triggered mass loss of ice on the glaciers in the Southern Alps, Swiss, and European Alps. This melting ice event was at least 10 times more likely in 2018. Another event leading to the loss of giant ice occurred in 2011.

These blankets are keeping things cold in the Alps.



Read more about them here: https://t.co/dvvFApkKON pic.twitter.com/gbSxaf8uJ1  World Economic Forum (@wef) September 4, 2021

Huge scathes of ice from the 3,238-metre (10,623-ft) Mount Titlis, a popular Swiss tourist attraction, have disappeared. Within the next half-century, all of it is expected to melt, according to the World Economic Forum. Workers nearby the Swiss Alp resorts have resort to blanketing the loft snowy peaks with fleece to provide a protective shield from global warming and climate change. Loss of snow in Switzerland would be an existential threat to ski resorts, the workers say, in a report carried by WEF. The Swiss government meanwhile is worried that approximately 90 per cent of the remaining snow-capped peaks, an estimated 1,500 glaciers, will be gone by the end of the century.

[The oldest glacier in the Alps is protected by tarps to prevent it from melting. Credit: AP]

Authorities this year have ramped up the draping of the Titlis Bergbahnen, although year after year, they have witnessed the size of the cover increasing. It takes these workers somewhere between five-to-six weeks to complete the process of the protective polyester fleecing as this year, their task was to blanket 100,000 square meters of the area to prevent the snow from melting. The entire 10,623-foot Mount Titlis is expected to disappear entirely within the next 50 years due to the climate crisis, scientists say.

['Extreme glacier loss events linked to human-caused climate change. Credit: World Economic Forum]

White fleece bounces sun's energy back off 1,076,391 square feet area

White fleece helps radiate the sun's energy back into the atmosphere, thereby preserving some snow on the glaciers until the winters arrive. Each year, the workers remove a layer of snow coating from the fleece and use it to refill the cracks on the glacier's surface. This strategy is applied across 1,076,391 square feet area of the Alps. But as the climate crisis melts away the mountain glaciers and the Arctic polar ice, Swiss authorities were made aware that a drastic step was needed.

It was in 2004 that they came up with the idea of using white tarpaulin over the Gurschenfirn glacier above the Andermatt resort, according to the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL). They then expanded the blanketing strategy to seven other glaciers in the Swiss Alps, and then one other at the Diavolezza resort. Each year there are more glaciers standing in the face of the threat of global climate change, and the experts at WSL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Fribourg tally that it would cost more than $1 billion a year if covering all of Switzerland's glaciers would be needed, one day.

Footage Credit: World Economic Forum

IMAGE: AP
Israel launched airstrikes on what it said was a militant site in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday after Palestinians sent incendiary balloons into Israel in support of six Palestinian prisoners who had escaped from an Israeli prison the day before. Israeli forces were still scouring the country's north and the occupied West Bank for the escapees after the biggest prison break of its kind in decades.

Fighter jets struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing workshop as well as a Hamas military compound in Khan Yunis, a city in southern Gaza, according to the army statement. The army said the compound houses a cement factory used for building militant tunnels.

The strikes came in response to incendiary balloons launched by Gaza's ruling Hamas movement into Israeli territory, the army said. The devices were a show of support for the prison break, which Hamas and other Palestinian militants hailed as a heroic victory.

For Israel, the escape through a secret tunnel, likely with outside help marks an embarrassing security breach. The massive manhunt through Israel's north and the occupied West Bank continued on Tuesday as Jews celebrated Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

The prisoners appear to have gone into hiding after crawling through a narrow tunnel leading from the floor of their cell to a hole outside the prison walls. The escape marked an awkward moment for Israel's new coalition government as it seeks to maintain calm after the deadly 11-day war with Hamas in May and amid a surge in coronavirus infections.

Palestinians consider prisoners held by Israel to be heroes of their national cause, and many celebrated the escape on social media. Efforts to capture the six will likely draw attention to the Palestinian Authority's security coordination with Israel, which is deeply unpopular among Palestinians.

"Every Palestinian prisoner wants freedom, and they have the right to seek out any path to freedom," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told reporters Tuesday, without directly referring to the escape. He reiterated the PA's longstanding demand that Israel release all Palestinian prisoners.

Israel has erected roadblocks and is conducting patrols in the area. Israel's Army Radio said 400 prisoners are being moved as a protective measure against any additional escape attempts. It was the biggest Palestinian escape from an Israeli prison since 1987, when six militants from the Islamic Jihad group broke out of a heavily guarded prison in Gaza months before the outbreak of the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel.

The six who escaped early Monday come from Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, about 25 kilometers away. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority wields little control in the town, where militants in recent weeks have clashed with Israeli forces. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club, which represents both former and current prisoners, identified the men as ranging in age from 26 to 49 years old.

The most well-known among them is Zakaria Zubeidi, 46, who was a prominent leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed group affiliated with Fatah, during the second intifada from 2000-2005. He was later granted amnesty along with other Fatah-affiliated militants, but was arrested again in 2019 on what Israeli authorities said were new terror suspicions.

As a child, Zubeidi had been part of a children's theater troupe in Jenin established by Arna Mer-Khamis, an Israeli rights activist, that was the subject of a 2004 documentary. The other five prisoners were members of the Islamic Jihad militant group, and the prisoners' group said four were serving life sentences.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the breakout a grave incident that required maximum effort by Israel's various security branches. The escape poses a dilemma for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz a week ago in the first high-level meeting between the two sides in years. Abbas has said he hopes to revive the peace process after more than a decade-long hiatus under former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But Abbas' Palestinian Authority is deeply unpopular. He cancelled the first elections in 15 years in April when it appeared his Fatah party would suffer an embarrassing defeat. The PA was largely sidelined during the Gaza war in May, and it has cracked down on a wave of protests following the death of an activist in its custody in June. PA security forces coordinate with Israel to target Hamas and other militants that both view as a threat. But any effort to help Israel re-arrest the escaped prisoners risks further undermining the PA in the eyes of Palestinians.

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The trial of the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks resumed once again after a series of delays, including the coronavirus pandemic. According to CNN, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, along with four other alleged 9/11 plotters, appeared in a military court for a pretrial hearing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on September 7. All five - Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Bin al-Shibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi - are accused of being involved in planning and executing the 2001 attacks. If convicted, all five detainees could receive the death penalty.

According to reports, Tuesdays hearing is the first time the five detainees have appeared in court since February 2020. They all were dressed in culturally appropriate attire provided by their lawyers. CNN reported that Mohammed was seen wearing a Pashtun-style hat, with a white top covering his head and a navy-blue scarf braided and wrapped around his head and shoulders. Three of the detainees, on the other hand, were seen wearing headscarves, while Ali Abdul Aziz Ali wore a grey Sindhi, a hat traditional of his native Pakistani province.

It is worth mentioning that the case has faced a series of challenges since and before the detainees were arranged at Guantanamo Bay in 2012. The most recent hiatus was caused by the ongoing pandemic and personnel changes. Now, the first week of hearings is expected to cover the issue of whether or not the prosecution or the defence team have any objection to Judge Col. Matthew N. McCall presiding over the case. The questioning of the judge by both defence and prosecution will continue on Wednesday.

9/11 attacks

The 9/11 terrorist attacks were one of the deadliest attacks faced by the US in its history. Over 3,000 people were killed. The terrorist group had crashed three commercial jet planes into the twin towers of New Yorks World Trade Centre and the Pentagon outside Washington DC.

A fourth hijacked plane believed to be targetting the US Capitol building, however, had crashed in a Pennsylvania field. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is believed to be one of the key terrorists who were behind the attack. After 9/11, the US had sent its troops to Afghanistan to kill Osama Bin Laden, who was the head of the major brains behind the deadly attacks on the US.

(Image: Twitter/Unsplash)




Bangkok dispatched a first mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit Wednesday to support its campaign in communities in need around the Thai capital. Some 100 people living near Thepnaree temple were vaccinated in just 45 minutes. The mobile unit, converted from an old bus, will travel to serve Bangkok residents with mobility issues and those with tough family work schedules. Health officials said it also helps reduce crowds at vaccination centers in town.

"Here we need only five or six staff. Usually at the vaccination center, we would need about 20 to 30 people. And we can move around," Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said, adding the unit can give up to 1,000 jabs each day.

Residents insert their national ID cards to pull up their health records on the bus' computer system linked to the national vaccination database. Aswin said the city will deploy several of these units to help vaccinate as many as they can ahead of Thailand's plan to lift more restrictions and reopen to foreign travelers. Bangkok's vaccination rate is steadily growing with more than 90% of people having received a first dose and 22% have received the second dose.

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On Wednesday morning, a massive fire in an Indonesian prison broke out which killed at least 41 prisoners and left 81 other inmates injured. Meanwhile, authorities are still investigating the reason behind the massive fire but, the preliminary investigation pointed to a short circuit in one of the blocks cells that lead to the fire.

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the fire broke out at Tangerang jail in Jakarta late at night when most of the prisoners were sleeping. It took almost two hours for the firefighters to completely douse the flames. While briefing the reporters, Police Chief Fadil Imran said hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent prisoners from escaping.

Meanwhile, televised footage of the incident showed firefighters battling to douse orange flames, while some jail staff were seen recovering the bodies from the jail premises. The fire broke out around 1:45 am. The situation is now under control," Imran said, adding that at least 41 inmates were killed and 81 are were hospitalised, eight of them with severe burns.

Authorities are still investigating the cause but, the preliminary investigation pointed to a short circuit in one of the blocks cells, Imran said. Indonesias Justice and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly, during a presser, informed most of the prisoners killed were drug convicts including two men from South Africa and Portugal. "This is a tragedy that concerns all of us," Laoly said. We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire."

"Jakarta prison was designed to house 1,225 inmates but has more than 2,000 inmates"

While explaining the reason behind the loss of 41 lives, Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department at the Justice Ministry, said that the prison was designed to house 1,225 inmates but has more than 2,000 inmates who are currently facing their jail terms. Further, Rika Aprianti said that Block C, where the fire occurred, was stuffed full of 122 convicts and added at least 15 prison officers guarding the area were unhurt. It is worth noting that overcrowding and jail fire in Indonesian prisons has become a common problem faced by thousands of inmates.

In recent times, a large number of people arrested in a war on illegal drugs has further boosted the problem of already overburdened prisons. Moreover, the prison officers were also struggling with poor funding. In April last year, inmates angered by restrictions on family visits and the early release of 115 other inmates to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, set fire to prison on Sulawesi island. Earlier in 2020, inmates set fire to prison in Banda Aceh during a riot.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image Credit: AP/Pixabay)
As the Afghan people continue to stage protest against Pakistan, the Taliban on Wednesday open fired at the protesters in the capital city, Kabul. In the exclusive video accessed by Republic Media Network, the Taliban is seen open firing at the Afghan citizens, who were protesting by chanting anti-Pakistan slogans.

Anti-Pakistan protests continue in Afghanistan

Earlier on Tuesday, massive protests had taken place in Afghanistan outside the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, where thousands of Afghan civilians including women had hit the streets chanting slogans of "Death to Pakistan" and "Azaadi". Following this, the Taliban's Badri force had started firing in the air to disperse the huge swarm of people, who were demonstrating against Pakistan outside the embassy.

#Breaking (Asvaka Exclusive)

Happening now near Presidential Palace.

Taliban open fire on anti-Pakistan protesters who were marching towards ARG & Kabul Serena Hotel where the #Pak ISI director is living. pic.twitter.com/XvtMcM3OcI  Asvaka -  News Agency (@AsvakaNews) September 7, 2021

As per the local media reports, several Afghan women, who were protesting, were locked up in a bank's basement to prevent them from joining the anti-Pakistan protests in Kabul. Not only this, TOLO News had informed that the Taliban had captured one of its photographers.

These anti-Pakistan protests in Afghanistan come a day after the Northern Resistance Forces commander Ahmad Massoud, who has been actively leading the Resistance against the Taliban, had issued an audio message to the Afghan people, urging them to rise against the terror group. In the audio message, Massoud had called upon Afghan people to protest the oppression in every possible manner. This came after the Taliban had bombed the Panjshir valley with the help of the Pakistan Air Force and with the ISI chief hobnobbing in Afghanistan.

The Taliban takeover

After the Taliban stormed into Kabul on August 15, Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani resigned and fled the country with his associates. Since then, several persons have lost their lives in the chaos at the Hamid Karzai International Airport with thousands of people desperately trying to flee the country. This includes the death of at least 169 Afghans, 11 US Marines, a US Navy sailor, and a US Army soldier in a suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate of the Kabul airport on August 26. This led to US airstrikes on terrorists belonging to ISIS-K which claimed responsibility for this attack.

On August 31, the Taliban gained control of the Kabul airport after the last batch of US troops left Afghanistan. While the Taliban promised to form an "inclusive" government to run Afghanistan, it announced a 33-member caretaker Cabinet a day earlier which neither has women nor mainstream politicians from previous regimes. While Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the chief of the Taliban's Rehbari Shura, is the new Prime Minister, he has two deputies in Mullah Baradar and Mawlavi Hanafi. Another terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani is the Interior Minister whereas Taliban founder Mullah Omar's son Mullah Yaqoob has been named the Defence Minister.

Image: AP & Republicworld.com
The Supreme Court of Mexico has decided that punishments for abortion are unlawful. Now, women in the northern state of Coahuila will not be punished if they get an abortion, according to a judgment. The state of Coahuila was ordered by the court on Tuesday to eliminate abortion-related penalties from its penal law. The citizens of the nation believe that ruling might open the path for abortion to be decriminalised throughout the country.

Abortion is now only permitted in a few places; exceptions are in the case of rape or when the mother's life is in jeopardy. As per BBC, a judiciary official said that the judgment would influence throughout Mexico. The official further stated that women are allowed to conduct the surgery in those places where abortion is illegal but with a judge's permission.

The judgment was characterised as revolutionary by the Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE), which works for the rights of abortion. They hope that women and people who have the potential to bear a child across the nation have the circumstances and liberty to choose their reproductive future.

More about Mexico abortion rule

Except for four, all of the country's states have strong restrictions on abortion. Before the judgment, abortion was permitted in Mexico City and three other states throughout the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, Mexican states are allowed to make their own legislation, still, those can be nullified if they conflict with Supreme Court judgments that define the law. The historical decision in Mexico comes after Argentina's historic declaration of the right to an abortion at the beginning of this year.

Previous developments in Mexico

Earlier, on Sunday, border security and migration authorities in Mexico's southern town of Hiuxtla stopped a migrant caravan of US-based with around 400 asylum seekers. Border officials arrested the migrants and attempted to break up the group barely a day after the outgoing vehicle left. The caravan's passengers were primarily Central Americans, Haitians, and Venezuelans.

The huge group had set off from the southern city of Tapachula and was travelling north when the vehicle was halted by Mexican National Guard personnel. The incident occurred less than a week after Mexican border officials successfully prevented another big group from trying to cross the border. It's worth noting that the United States' policy of requiring asylum applicants to remain in Mexico until their petitions are processed has resulted in one of the greatest migrant crises ever at the US-Mexico border.

(Image Credit: AP)
The Taliban, on September 7, announced the formation of the 'Government of Islamic Emirate'. While Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund is inducted as Afghanistan's acting Prime Minister and Head of State, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been named as the Deputy Prime Minister. As gazes are affixed to the newly-inducted cabinet of ministers, the world is concerned about the affiliation and track records of most of the leaders named by the hardline Islamic group.

For the world, Haqqanis and other close aides to dangerous terror groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS getting Afghan government berths is bad news.

Terrorists appointed as Afghanistan leaders

The Taliban announced a government comprising extremists and even terrorists, as designated by the United Nations and the international community. In fact, more than one newly-appointed Taliban ministers are 'specially designated global terrorists' with close ties to al-Qaeda, and is now being named to one of the seniormost designations in the hierarchy of Afghanistan's state machinery. It is pertinent to note that minutes after the Taliban announced their cabinet, the piece of information hit the bulletin which stated that FBI-designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani has been appointed as the Interior Minister of Afghanistan. A senior leader of the Haqqani Network is included in the FBIs most-wanted list with a USD 5 million bounty on his head.

Additionally, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaghoub Mojahed is the acting Minister of Defence and Alhaj Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani is appointed as the acting Minister of Interior. Notably, Mullah Abdul Haq Akhand has been named as the Deputy Minister of Interior in the fight against drugs.

Taliban terrorists now ministers in Afghanistan

Here's a rundown of what is known of the upcoming leadership in the war-torn state of Afghanistan:

Mullah Mohammed Hassan Akhund- acting Prime Minister, the Head of State

Mullah Hassan Akhund is regarded as the 'most wanted' terrorist on the United Nations sanction list. He was responsible to direct the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001. He was the chief of the Taliban's power concentrated and decision-making organ 'Rehbari Shura' or Leadership Council has been named as the new acting head of state. The aforementioned Council has served much like a governing body running all the group's affairs subject to the approval of the supreme leader. Hasan belongs to Kandahar, the place of origin for the Taliban and is one of the founders of the hardline Islamic group and their armed movement.

Alhaj Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani as Acting Minister of Interior

The son of a commander from the anti-Soviet jihad and a CIA asset, Jalaluddin Haqqani, Sirajuddin doubles as both the deputy leader of the movement and also heads the Haqqani Network. He was named in the truck bomb explosion in Kabul in 2017 which killed around 150 civilians. Wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with 2008 attacks on a hotel in Kabul. Sirajuddin was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2008.

Deputy Prime Minister- Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

The co-founder of the Taliban's armed movement, Baradar, became the lynchpin of insurgency after the US invasion in 2001. After the Taliban was defeated in 2001, Baradar was amongst the insurgents who approached interim leader Hamid Karzai. He had outlined in a letter a potential deal that would make militants recognise the new administration.

Arrested in Pakistan in 2010, he was under custody until the US pressurised authorities to set him free in 2018. Later, he relocated to Qatar. He was then appointed head of the Taliban's political office and oversaw the signing of the withdrawal agreement with the US.

Abdul Ghani Baradar was raised in Kandahar province which is the birthplace of the Taliban movement. Baradar's life was altered by the Soviet invasion of the country in the late 1970s, converting him into an insurgent, later a terrorist. He allegedly fought side-by-side with the one-eyed cleric Mullah Omar. The duo is known to have founded the Taliban movement in the 1990s.

Khalil Haqqani- Refugee Minister

Regarded as the most wanted terrorist on the UN sanctions list and he was designated as a global terrorist by the US in 2011. Khalil Haqqani has been given a sensitive portfolio to manage refugees in the war-ravaged state. The Haqqani network is known to embrace its affiliation with Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well.

Khairallah Khairkhwah- Information & Broadcast Minister

The newly-inducted IB Minister of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime has been named as a party to a massive armed clash with Afghan forces in Dehdadi District in Balkh province. He was also a part of the killing of Hazara civilians while capturing Mazar in 1998. Khairallah was known after he spent 12 years in Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba until 2014.
Somalias Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Roble on Wednesday fired the chief of the Horn of Africa nation's intelligence service over a political spat with President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, as tensions escalated in midst of militant offensives, and political standoffs. Roble asked Fahad Yasin, the director of the National Intelligence Service Agency (NISA) to turn in his resignation as the former accused Yasin of failing to produce a declassified government report on the mysterious disappearance of one of the agency's agents in June. Roble was reported to be exceedingly 'triggered' when he dismissed his NISA chief and instead appointed Bashir Mohamed Jama as the interim head of NISA, as per the news agencies reports.

Calling Roble's move unconstitutional, Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed appointed a third man named Yasin Abdullahi Mohamed as the national intelligence chief as he lodged a protest over Robles unilateral decision. The political rift flared with leaders from the African Union, UN, and foreign donor nations which included the UK and the United States urging both sides to de-escalate the political row and deter from provocations that could lead to a violent outcome in the region marred by the civil unrest.

[Demonstrators from Somali anti-government opposition groups burn photographs of the president in the Fagah area of Mogadishu, Somalia. Credit: AP]

Somalia armed forces roped into political row

In April, Somalias President extended his own tenure of the four-year term by two years extra, which led to intense clashes with the nations Prime Minister and opposition. The countrys Armed forces were roped into the political row as they each took positions against the Army supporters of the rival side in the capital Mogadishu, combat-ready. Hundreds of Somali Armed forces returned at the barracks after a mutual agreement was reached with the prime minister over the tenure of the president, a spokesman for the Somalia troops had told the news agencies.

[Military forces supporting anti-government opposition groups display their weapons in Mogadishu, Somalia. Credit: AP]

Violent clashes erupted in Mogadishu, were brought under control. As the Somalia Senate rejected Presidents move, who later bowed to the international pressure, the country grappled with a lasting political crisis. Mohammed had then stated that he will appear before the Lower House of Parliament and ask to restore an agreement known as the 'September 17 agreement' that will call for the election of federal lawmakers.

Now, the rift over intelligence chief between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Roble threatens to derail indirect elections in Somalia. Roble accused Mohamed of 'obstructing the effective investigation of Ikran Tahlil Farah's case,' referring to the missing intelligence agent who worked for the countrys cybersecurity department. The Roble believe the latter may have been murdered.

(Image Credits: AP)
Supporters of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday night breached police lines protecting the way to the Congress and the Supreme Court, ahead of multiple rallies on Tuesday.

Images showing the demonstrators dressed in the national green and yellow colors stood in the street after patrol cars retreated.

By morning, dozens of honking trucks were parked on the Ministries' Esplanade, where only pedestrians were supposed to be allowed.

Along the esplanade, there was a festive mood, with cold drinks and the scent of grilled meat.

Celebrating Independence Day on Tuesday, Bolsonaro got a rousing reception from tens of thousands of people gathered in capital Brasilia of support for the right-wing leader embroiled in a feud with the country's Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro is calling for the resignation of Supreme Court justices who have ruled against executive orders issued by the president, and backed investigations into his administration's handling of the pandemic and possible corruption.

IMAGE: AP

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused the Colombian government of trying to derail dialogues in Mexico between government delegates and opposition groups, allies of leader Juan Guaido. Maduro, who showed the agreements signed by Norwegian Kingdom representatives and both government and opposition delegates, said the talks have started as a success but warned that Colombian President Ivan Duque was trying to sabotage the negotiation process.

"Well, we have made a great effort to set it up, to get it (the negotiations in Mexico) started. I believe that the start has been a success", Maduro said. "But I must also denounce before Venezuelan men and women the conspiracies against the dialogue".

On Tuesday, on his Twitter account, Duque said that "the return of democracy to Venezuela is fundamental and any agreement that consolidates the dictatorship will be a continental tragedy that will only promote exodus and misery." "Ivan Duque is desperate, mad, isolated and defeated", Maduro said in response.

Maduro also considered that the action of the Colombian Superintendency of Companies to take control of the company Monomeros Colombo Venezolanos S.A. - a subsidiary of Pequiven, the Venezuelan State corporation in charge of producing and commercializing petrochemical products - constitutes an act that seeks to affect dialogue.

The Superintendency, a state entity that oversees commercial companies, "subjected Monomeros to control" with the purpose of "ordering the necessary corrective measures to correct a critical situation of a legal, accounting, economic or administrative nature".

Monomeros is one of the assets of the Venezuelan state, which is under the opposition's control after the sanctions imposed by the United States. The Venezuelan president recently expressed his intention to regain control of the company, Maduro's government broke off relations with Colombia in 2019, arguing that Bogota is pushing plans to destabilize his government and force his overthrow.

Colombia is also among the dozens of countries, including the United States, that recognize Guaido, who, as head of the now-former National Assembly, proclaimed himself interim president, arguing that the socialist president was reelected in 2018 in fraudulent elections.

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Tens of thousands of supporters of embattled right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro heeded his call and turned out at rallies on Tuesday as he stepped up his attacks on Brazil's Supreme Court and threatened to plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.

In calling on his followers to take to the streets on Brazil's Independence Day in protest, Bolsonaro stirred fears among his foes that the demonstrations could erupt in violence akin to the January 6 riot at the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.

In Sao Paulo just a few blocks away, thousands of opponents of the embattled leader rallied to demand his resignation or impeachment.

The duelling messages reflect the political chasm Bolsonaro has generated and nurtured in the country and which could engulf his administration if Congress decides to initiate an impeachment process against him, as they seem to be considering.

Bolsonaro has been locked in a feud with the high court, in particular a justice who has jailed several of the presidents supporters for allegedly financing, organizing or inciting violence or anti-democratic acts, or disseminating false information.

Opposition groups, led by the Worker's Party (PT), waved flags and banners calling for the ouster of Bolsonaro, chanting slogans and dancing in the streets to samba music.

Many in the opposition crowd hope Lula (Luis Ignacio da Silva), the former president, will announce his candidacy soon and ride a wave of anti-Bolsonaro sentiment to a victory in next year's election.

"We are not afraid; we are not afraid of coup plotter threats. We are not afraid of threats from militiamen," Guilherme Boulos, an activist and former presidential candidate, told the cheering crowd.

Activists on both sides believe they have a winning message for the voters of Brazil, but the debate is becoming increasingly acrimonious, with elections more than a year away.

A sobering sign, say political experts, that the days ahead may become more tumultuous and uncertain as the country with the world's second-highest COVID-19 death toll battles an ongoing pandemic in difficult political times.

IMAGE: AP

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The recently announced Taliban government in Afghanistan is anything but inclusive, the countrys envoy to the United Nations said. On Tuesday, the Sunni Pashtun insurgents announced the formation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan naming Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura' as its interim Prime Minister. However, the Taliban failed to include any women or minority leader in the administration despite a public vow to do so.

Meanwhile, Afghanistans Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Ghulam Isaczai asserted that the countrys youth, whove been habitual of freedom and democracy will not accept the hardline government. He, furthermore, denounced the Taliban government stating that an administration devoid of women and minority leaders and that which does not safeguards constitutional rights will not be accepted. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Isaczai called for international organisations to reject the Islamic Emirate, protect womens rights and promote a culture of peace" in Afghanistan.

As I speak and today, the Taliban announced their government. It is anything but inclusive. The people of Afghanistan, especially our youth who have only known a free and democratic Afghanistan, will not accept a governing structure that excludes women and minorities, eliminate constitutional rights for all and does not protect the gains of the past, Isaczai said.

Taliban announces new govt

On Tuesday, the Taliban announced the government of the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan', naming Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the head of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura' as its interim Prime Minister. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, "We are trying to include people from all parts of the country in the government", as internal rifts between the three Taliban factions came to the forefront. With ISI Chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed in Kabul, Mujahid denied any involvement of Pakistan in finalising the new government saying, "We won't allow that to happen (involvement). We fought for our country and Islam for the past 20 years". Meanwhile, the Taliban's secretive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has never been seen in public, issued a statement announcing that the newly appointed government will uphold Sharia Law.

Image: ANI/AP
During his visit to Queens, N.Y., on Tuesday as he took stock of the damage caused by Hurricane Ida, US President Joe Biden warned against the threats posed by climate change as he toured the devastation caused in the hard-hit New York borough of Queens. Prior to this visit, he visited Manville, New Jersey. The world faces a "code red" on climate change danger, Biden told reporters, adding everyone needs to listen to the scientists, the economists and the national security experts to mitigate the crisis. They all tell us this is code red, the US President said. "The nation and the world are in peril. That's not hyperbole. That is a fact," he added.

"This is everybody's crisis," US President Joe Biden said in his speech on Tuesday. "These disasters aren't going to stop. They're only going to come with more frequency and ferocity, he warned. Furthermore, Biden stressed that the systemic upgrading and hardening of Americas infrastructure was the urgent need as he brought focus on his giant infrastructure spending Bill that included major funding for green economy projects.

Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks from Queens, New York on the Administrations response to storm damage from Ida. https://t.co/NkFzvWMcyp  The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 7, 2021

The US President pledged robust federal funding to the Northeastern and Gulf states battered by Hurricane Ida and wildfires to ramp up the rebuilding efforts. He stressed that the calamities were a reminder that the climate crisis has arrived. These extreme storms, and the climate crisis, are here, Biden said in a White House speech. We must be better prepared. We need to act. As he visited New Jersey and the state of New York earlier today to survey damage in Manville, New Jersey, and Queens, days after his Louisiana visit, he warned that such extreme natural calamities require urgent human intervention and that the threat of climate change must be taken more seriously.

"I think we've all seen, even the climate skeptics are seeing, that this really does matter. And it's not just whether or not people who are just trying to get by in these homes in these alleys here working their butts off do well  it's people in high towers along the shore will find that as this rain and all this change takes place in the groundwater, the buildings are actually beginning to tilt. Hundred-story buildings. This goes so far beyond what anybody is willing to speak to up to now," Biden said in his remarks from Queens, New York as he surveyed the damage from hurricane Ida, and met with the grieving families.

Labelling the disasters impact on the residents as an eye-opener, Biden said that the intensity of the damage caused in the neighborhoods, loss to the families, and the tedious efforts by the first responders just goes to show how badly the natural calamities can impact the communities. He lamented the mammoth scale of destruction and pain from the devastating storm as he alerted people about climate change. Ida, as per the weather forecasters, was the fifth-most powerful storm to strike the US sustaining maximum winds of 150 mph (240 kph).

$14 billion for 'unmet needs'

Biden called on the US Congress to appropriate approximately $14 billion in funding for recovery to the unmet needs from natural disasters. He pledged $10 billion for the Hurricane Ida rebuilding. Mamaroneck, New York, Mayor Tom Murphy informed the US president that homes had submerged in 12 feet of floodwater and were destroyed, several families were rendered without power supply, and have been displaced due to Ida. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told the President that it might take several months to rebuild. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, meanwhile, called Hurricane Ida a cataclysmic weather event at a state presser, as he stressed that New York was in for a long haul in building back up. While the death toll remains at 27, at least 4 are missing as search operation continues, according to reports.
A Delaware judge on 7 September ruled that Boeings board of directors must face a lawsuit from shareholders over two fatal crashes involving 737 Max Plane. According to the court documents, Vice-Chancellor Morgan Zurn said that the first crash was a red flag about a key safety system on the aircraft that the board should have heeded but instead ignored. Zurn said that the real victims were those who died and their families but investors had also lost billions of dollars.

In his ruling, the judge said, "While it may seem callous in the face of [the families'] losses, corporate law recognises another set of victims: Boeing as an enterprise, and its stockholders."

He added, Stockholders have come to this court claiming Boeing's directors and officers failed them in overseeing mission-critical airplane safety to protect enterprise and stockholder value.

It is imperative to note that the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 killed all 346 people on board, leading to the 737 Max being grounded across the globe. Later, investigators had found a flaw in an automated flight control system, known as MCAS. Then in January, Boeing paid $2.5 billion to settle criminal charges that it concealed information about changes to MCAS from safety officials. However, the company still faced civil lawsuits from victims families along with the latest action from shareholders.

Boeing 'disappointed' in the court's decision

On Tuesday, Zurn dismissed some of the investors claims, including one regarding a decision to award former chief executive Dennis Muilenburg a $60 million retirement package after he was fired. But the judge said that another claim about board member oversight could go ahead. In a lengthy summary of the shareholders case, the judge said that the board publically lied" about if and how it monitored the 737 MAXs safety.

The same day, Boeing in a separate statement said that it was disappointed in the courts decision to allow the plaintiffs case to proceed past this preliminary stage of litigation. According to BBC, a Boeing spokesperson said that the firm will review the opinion closely over the coming days as it considers the next steps. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the MAX has been cleared to fly in the US in November 2020, and in Europe and Canada in January 2021.

(Image: Shutterstock/AP)


The US will join a High-Level Dialogue on Climate Action in the Americas hosted by Argentina on 8 September (local time), according to a release by the US Department of State. The one-day long virtual summit would witness US Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry giving opening remarks. In addition to Kerry, the much-vaunted summit would also see leading statesmen from Latin America, Caribbean along with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General.

"Looking forward to joining the High-Level Dialogue on Climate Action in the Americas tomorrow hosted by Argentina. We're working to unite our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and foster solutions for sustainable development. #AmericasClimateAmbition," Kerry wrote on social media.

Ever since Joe Biden took charge, Washingtons efforts to tackle climate change and global warming have increased substantially. Not only has the top democrat rejoined the 2015 Paris Accord but also promised to slash greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Earlier this year, he also hosted the Leaders Summit on Climate inviting more than 40 leaders.

Panel discussions

Meanwhile, the High-Level Dialogue on Climate Action co-hosted by seven countries is expected to set the momentum for the upcoming Climate Change Conference (COP26), scheduled for November in Glasgow. The dialogue would include panel discussions on various topics including enhancing climate ambition, accelerating climate action through regional cooperation and strengthening resilience to impacts of climate change.

The event is being co-organized by the Governments of Argentina, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, and will include interventions from governments, the private and financial sectors, development banks, academia, and civil society organizations, an online statement said.

Meanwhile, British Queen Elizabeth II has said that she will attend the COP26 summit scheduled to be held in Glasgow later this year. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) jointly hosted by the UK and Italy, is now planned to occur at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. According to the official website of COP26, the conference aims to protect and restore ecosystems and build resistance against climate change. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) was originally scheduled in November last year but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The summit, which is scheduled to take place from 31 October to 12 November, is expected to witness 120 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Pope Francis and teen activist Greta Thunberg.

Image: AP
Ai said Credit Suisse had failed to take note that he was never charged or prosecuted for tax evasion after being detained.

Credit Suisse has said it will shut down a Swiss bank account belonging to dissident artist Ai Weiwei's foundation, citing his "criminal record" in China, although he has never been convicted of a crime, according to Ai.

In a Sept. 7 post to Artnet, Ai said he had received a "surprising notice" from Credit Suisse, informing him that it was terminating the account of his Fart Foundation, which he set up to support free speech.

"They did this, they wrote, in accordance with a new policy of closing all accounts with people who have had criminal records," Ai wrote, in a post translated by China scholar Perry Link.

"They believed (or pretended to believe?) that I had been convicted of a crime in China," he said. "Just a bit of homework could have shown them that I was never formally charged, let alone convicted of a crime."

"When the Beijing regime detained me and smeared my name, it was only applying its normal techniques of persecuting political opponents," Ai said.

Ai told RFA in an interview on Wednesday that the bank had cited "new rules" leading to the decision.

"This is, of course, absurd," he said. "I said that if they had done the most basic investigation, they would have seen that I was never formally arrested nor prosecuted."

Ai was detained incommunicado for about three months in 2011 but not charged, although the Chinese authorities later hit his company with a U.S.$2.4 million tax bill.

He ran afoul of authorities for outspoken commentary on government scandals, including shoddy school construction and corruption that contributed to the deaths of thousands of students in a massive earthquake in Sichuan Province in 2008.

Appeasing the Party

He told RFA that he believes the move was instead driven by a desire to appease the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in the hope of boosting its market share in China.

"The relationship between an individual and those in power is the same the world over; it's just a matter of degree," he said. "[It depends how] shameless people are prepared to be; some are more prepared to be shameless than others."

Ai said he had also been warned by another Swiss bank, UBS, that it would shut down his account after he gave an interview to a Swiss media organization in which he criticized the country's anti-immigration policies.

Ai said he has no wish to continue to use UBS' services, whether or not the bank withdraws its original decision.

U.K.-based author Ma Jian said Western banks shouldn't support the CCP, nor do its bidding.

"It's possible that the Chinese government told Credit Suisse to do this to Ai Weiwei as a way of controlling him," Ma said.

"The whole Western financial system is basically unethical when it comes to making money in China, and there is collusion between politics and business for their own benefit," he said.

"Globalization has brought a lot of opportunities to the CCP, and where economic activity goes, politics will soon follow," Ma said.

Looking to expand

In his article, Ai said Credit Suisse was likely looking to expand in China, hoping to triple their number of employees in the country within the next five years.

"In China and elsewhere, political connections are the fuel of the economic colonialism that occupies the core of todays surging globalization," Ai said.

"In Chinas state capitalism, high officials enjoy unchecked power and wield it in an environment totally empty of democratic supervision."

He said no foreign country can do business in China without the backing of the country's political and financial elite, known as the "princelings."

He said the further danger is that Western cultural institutions want to attract Chinese money.

"This marks the final triumph of cultural globalization," Ai wrote.

"We think of war as invasive and bloody, but cultural invasion and war, fought with invisible gunpowder and producing odorless gore, is in fact just as cruel and unscrupulous."

Last year Reuters reported that global wealth managers, including Credit Suisse, were examining whether their clients in Hong Kong had ties to the city's pro-democracy movement, in an attempt to avoid getting caught in the crosshairs of China's draconian national security law.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Vietnam, Taiwan and China all claim sovereignty over the Paracels which are now entirely under Chinas control.

Translation of a letter from the Qing Empire's Zongli Yamen, or foreign ministry, addressed to Mr. Henry Bax-Ironside at the British Legion in Peking (Beijing) dated Aug. 8, 1899.

A rare find in the British National Archives may provide another piece of evidence discrediting Chinas claim of historic rights to the disputed Paracel archipelago in the South China Sea.

After months of scouring the archives, British journalist-turned-scholar Bill Hayton came across a semi-official document indicating that until the late Qing Dynasty, Chinese authorities still didnt consider the Paracel Islands part of Chinas territory.

Hayton, author of The Invention of China (2020) and South China Sea (2014), discovered an 1899 translation of a letter in which the Zongli Yamen -- equivalent to the foreign ministry -- of the Qing Empire informed British officials that Chinese authorities could not accept liability for the looting of a ships cargo in the late 1890s in the Paracels.

The letter refers to the so-called Bellona copper case where the German ship Bellona was wrecked in the archipelago a few years earlier and the copper cargo it was transporting was stolen by Chinese fishermen.

The Chinese government refused compensation for the British-insured copper because the islands were high seas and were not Chinese territory.

The original letter in Chinese is yet to be found, and theres a high possibility that it has been lost or destroyed, so the translation is the first and only contemporaneous copy of the Chinese official document found to date.

Hayton said he also found the transcription of a different letter from the viceroy of the Liangguang  which comprised the regions of Guangdong and Guangxi -- to the British consul in Canton, Byron Brenan, on April 14, 1898, speaking of the same case. Viceroy Tan Zhong Lin wrote that the Chinese authorities could not possibly protect the shipwrecks as they were in the deep blue sea, hence they could not admit the compensation claims.

Its not the smoking gun, yet, Hayton said. But it could be helpful for Vietnam to make the case that China really didnt care about the [Paracel] islands until later.

The Paracel Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Credit: RFA

The Bellona copper case was also mentioned in a 1930 letter from the French governor general of Indochina to the French minister for the colonies in which the Chinese viceroy of Canton was quoted as stating that the Paracels were abandoned islands and belonged no more to China than to Vietnam, and no special authority was responsible for policing them.

Such questions of historical record remain politically sensitive for claimant states in the South China Sea  not least because China justifies its sweeping maritime and territorial claims on the basis of historic rights  a position that was rejected by an international arbitral tribunal in 2016 in a case brought by the Philippines.

Nguyen Nha, a well-known Vietnamese historian, said the newly found letter could serve as another valuable piece of evidence that China did not hold ownership of the Paracels since ancient times as it always insists.

Vietnam, Taiwan and China all claim sovereignty over the Paracels which are now entirely under Chinas control.

Both Hanoi and Beijing have released numerous historical documents, often replicas as original versions are almost impossible to trace, to back their claims.

Haytons discovery was met with interest in the South China Sea study circles.

Norwegian historian and South China Sea researcher Stein Tonnesson said the letter may confirm other sources indicating that the Qing Empire did not at that time consider the Paracels as Chinese territory.

But in 1909 it did, and Im not sure the lack of a claim in 1899 would invalidate a claim made ten years later, he said.

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, warned: China would obfuscate the issue by calling into question the genuineness of the letter.

Haytons post about the letter on social media has caused a stir, and some critics have raised questions about the accuracy of the English-language translation.

Hayton said he believes there'll be a transcribed version of the Chinese language letter somewhere, and hes looking for it.

But whatever the outcome, according to Storey, no one piece of evidence is ever conclusive in this long-running war of documents and maps between Vietnam and China.
Vice chair Chow Hang-tung is arrested for refusing to submit information about the group's membership, funding, and activities.

Chow Hang-tung, standing committee member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, speaks at a press conference at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Sept. 5, 2021.

Police in Hong Kong on Wednesday arrested key members of a group that once organized an annual candlelight vigil for the victims of the June 4, 1989 massacre in Beijing, the group said.

Chow Hang-tung, vice chair of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was taken away from her home in handcuffs wearing a black T-shirt with the word "Truth" emblazoned it in the early morning after posting to social media that the police were at her door.

"Someone has been ringing on our doorbell and trying to hack through our door security code for the past five or 10 minutes," Chow wrote.

Chow, a barrister by profession, said she regretted she would be unable to appear at the High Court on Wednesday to argue that former Stand News journalist and activist Gwyneth Ho, who is awaiting trial under the national security law, should be released on bail.

"I fear Gwyneth may not be released after the bail hearing this morning," Chow wrote. "My message to the people of Hong Kong: keep fighting and don't give in to power wielded unreasonably."

At least three other key members of the group -- Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai, and Tang Ngok-kwan -- were also taken away, the Alliance said.

Police later confirmed that they had arrested three men and one woman, aged between 36 and 57, on suspicion of failing to comply with an information request under Article 43 of a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from July 1, 2020.

They said further arrests could still be made.

The arrests came after the Alliance refused to cooperate with a request by national security police to hand over detailed information on its finances, membership, and activities dating back years.

Chow had argued that the group wasn't bound to comply with the Aug. 25 order to hand over confidential documents by Sept. 7, because it isn't an agent of a foreign government under Article 43 of the national security law.

The police have said they will take action against any group failing to comply with such orders.

Prepared for arrest

Her fiance Ye Du, who lives in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, said he had made mental preparation for Chow's arrest.

"They moved so fast to take her in that I'm not sure she was even prepared for it herself," Ye told RFA. "I spoke with her around midnight last night ... and she said she would be in the High Court to represent Gwyneth Ho."

"As for me, I have been mentally prepared for this for a long time," Ye said. "As a member of the democratic movement myself, this is entirely to be expected."

"We have become used to the idea that people we know disappear, be it in mainland China or Hong Kong," he said. "We are accustomed to living in darkness."

Ye said it was unlikely that Chow would be granted bail once charged under the national security law, and it was unclear when he would hear from her again.

Under the law, failure to submit information under the law by the specified deadline is punishable with fines of up to 100,000 yuan and imprisonment for up to six months.

Request for review

On Tuesday, Alliance committee member Tsui Hon-kwong said he would apply for a judicial review over the police's demand, saying the Alliance wasn't a foreign agent.

"Our name is the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, so we are obviously patriotic," Tsui said.

"There are three criteria for foreign agents: they must receive overseas funding and instructions from a foreign country, and they must act in the interests of a foreign country."

"Everything [we do] is for the benefit of China," he said.

Security secretary and former police chief Chris Tang said on Tuesday that some people were receiving financial support from political organizations overseas to carry out activities that are in foreign interests.

He also hinted that even activists already in jail could be targeted by the national security police, as they were allegedly getting treats brought in by visitors.

Many people may wonder what the problem is with having one more hair clip, one more piece of chocolate," Tang said. "These signify privilege within prison walls.

By smuggling these things inside [to] recruit followers and build influence, [they] create hatred towards the government and endanger national security, he said.

Ho, who was among 47 former lawmakers and pro-democracy activists arrested for "subversion" under the national security law after they took part in a democratic primary, was returned to prison on Wednesday.

Ho had made media access a precondition of going ahead with the hearing.

But national security judge Esther Toh ruled that the media wouldn't be permitted to cover the proceedings.

Bail is of course important, but it is meaningless to have a process that is unfair and not open to the public, Ho said in comments reported by Stand News.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
State-run mainstream media in China appeared to have ignored the 45th anniversary of the death of late supreme leader Mao Zedong this week, although leftist websites ran tributes to the "Great Helmsman."



The Red Song Network posted an article listing rousing tributes to Mao, as well as reports of "spontaneous" events marking his death, on its front page.



"On Sept. 2, 2021, residents of Xiangyang community ... in Heihe city, Heilongjiang held a an event to mark the 45th anniversary of Chairman Mao's death," the article said.



The party was titled "Watching Red Movies and Recalling the Years of Prosperity," and moved many participants to tears, the article said.



"They thought of Chairman Maos great achievements, thought that without Chairman Mao, there would be no [ruling Chinese] Communist Party [CCP], and we wouldn't have the happy lives we have ," it said.



Meanwhile, residents of Shexian county in northern Hebei province "spontaneously gathered to express their infinite love for Chairman Mao" on Sept. 3, the article said.



", there are thousands of hearts facing Beijing and [Mao's birthplace] Shaoshan; there are also thousands of smiling faces turned towards the red and the great savior of the people," it said.



'Longing for the Mao era'

It also quoted poems and tributes to Mao made by the website's readers, ending with the words:



"Chairman Mao, we will always follow you!"



Hunan current affairs commentator Guo Min said crowds of visitors make the pilgrimage annually to Mao's birthplace in Shaoshan around this time of year.



"The fact that they are doing this sends a message, I think," Guo said. "A lot of things that are happening right now are similar to the past."



"Our leaders in particular seem to feel some kind of longing for the Mao era."



Writer Tan Zuoren said that while many people in China still revere Mao, Maoism in 's China also forms the political basis for some very concrete demands.



"People who truly worship and mourn Chairman Mao are often those with the least education, the lowest incomes and the lowest social status," Tan said.



"These people are often far away from the centers of power, wealth and even culture," he said. "They are the marginalized part of the population."



Workers and farmers

He said the stronger China appears to become, the more leftist, Maoist tendencies are emerging, with far more such groups now visible than during the 1980s and 1990s.



"Back then hundreds of millions of people who once loved Mao started to hate and condemn him," Tan said. "It seemed that all of their misfortunes were his fault."



"But then, economic development came, and workers were laid off in huge numbers and farmers started losing their land, and their material interests were harmed," he said. "People had no way to stand up for their rights, and so they naturally started to miss the good old days."



He said workers and farmers had better social standing during the political violence and social turmoil of the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution.



"At least during the Cultural Revolution, workers, laborers and farmers had some kind of nominal social status," Tan said. "Nobody dared to bully them."



A petitioner from Wuhan surnamed Gao said many petitioners -- ordinary Chinese who try to use existing complaints channels to fight for their rights in the face of official harassment and abuse -- weren't simply engaging in idealistic, blind worship when they revered Mao, however.



"After many years of petitioning, I have managed to learn a little bit of the truth, but it's hard," Gao said. "Internet controls are so tight now, so it's very difficult to do."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
In a file photo, a North Korean man rests near a farm field along a highway outside the eastern coastal city of Wonsan, North Korea.

With food shortages driving hungry North Koreans to steal crops from fields, authorities have deployed military units to guard farmland during harvest season with orders to shoot crop thieves on sight, sources in the country told RFA.

The campaign to stop crop theft has unfolded amid an extensive investigation into the unprecedented theft of emergency wartime supplies of anti-biotics from a government warehouse,

Chronically short of food, North Korea has seen starvation deaths this year in the wake of the closure of the Sino-Korean border and suspension of trade with China in Jan. 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

With thievery from farms on the rise nationwide, authorities in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong have ordered the military to patrol the farms there, a military source from the area told RFAs Korean Service Monday.

The 9th Corps have organized groups to patrol the farms day and night because thefts are happening frequently, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The General Staff Department ordered them to patrol the farms because cooperative farm thefts are increasing all over the country, said the source.

If the authorities do nothing to prevent this, harvest yields will be greatly reduced, the military source added.

The source said that the farms were tasked with unrealistic production goals at a ruling Workers Party congress at the beginning of this year, which called for a major agricultural windfall as a solution to projected shortages.

Preventing residents intrusion into the farms for stealing crops is also important for the military to secure its own rations, the source said.

The army built guard posts and formed patrol teams of about 20 soldiers that have been authorized to use deadly force, according to the source.

Any illegal trespasser is regarded as an impure element against the government system and is to be shot without warning, so the order is causing tension among the residents living near the farms, the source said.

In nearby Ryanggang province, soldiers are also patrolling farms, said a resident of the provincial capital Hyesan.

When I go to the outskirts of the city these days, it is common to see soldiers carrying weapons and patrolling the crops, so the people avoid those areas, especially at night, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

The people are terrified that they could be shot without warning if they merely approach the fields, said the second source.

The local neighborhood watch units and the probate office are pushing an anti-crop theft campaign of education sessions and propaganda, according to the second source.

But the residents are not happy about it. The current food problem is considered to be our countrys worst since the Arduous March, said the second source, referring to the 1994-1998 famine that killed about 10 percent of the countrys population of 23 million.

The people are saying that they have to eat to survive, even if it means stealing food.

Penicillin pilfered

A dramatic theft of penicillin from a warehouse inside a guarded government building last month underscored how chronic medicine shortages have also gotten worse since the pandemic and the closure of the border with China.

In South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang, police are investigating a large theft from a wartime medicinal storage facility of the antibiotic, which has recently doubled in price.

The military drug management offices no. 4 warehouse here in Songchon county was burglarized, so the judicial authorities are on alert, a resident of the county in South Pyongan told RFAs Korean Service Sept. 5.

That warehouse stockpiles and stores various emergency medicines, including antibiotics set aside for civilians in the event of war, said the third source, who declined to be named.

Governments in every North Korean province, city and county manage reserve warehouses. No. 2 warehouses store food, and No. 4 warehouses store medicine and other necessities. Some municipalities put the warehouses in spent mines or other unused facilities, where they are usually guarded by armed men to prevent theft.

Songchon countys No. 4 warehouse is located inside the drug management office building, under tight security, according to the South Pyongan source.

The thief who broke in cut the lock with some kind of tool and stole hundreds of doses of penicillin from the warehouse. This is the first time that wartime medicine has been stolen, so the militarys judicial authorities have been on high alert and are conducting an investigation, but theres been no progress, the third source said.

According to the third source, the price of 100 milligrams of penicillin recently jumped from 1,500 won (U.S. $0.25 to about 3,000 ($0.50) won.

Another resident from South Pyongan told RFA that the unprecedented theft triggered an all-out investigation.

Individual retailers who have been reported to have sold even one dose of penicillin in the local market or in private are the first to be investigated, said the source on condition of anonymity.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, the operation of pharmaceutical factories was greatly reduced, said the South Pyongan resident.

Even the antibiotic supplies from China are depleted, leading to a big medicine shortage in the market. So, the police are investigating where sellers are getting their penicillin, added the source.

Police investigated one retailer who said he bought penicillin off a merchant from another area a few months ago, according to the South Pyongan source.

They searched the house, checked the production dates on the penicillin doses found in their homes, but not a single dose was found to be stolen from the No. 4 warehouse, the fourth source said.

Even if they catch the thief, the head of Songchon countys drug management office will not avoid heavy punishment.

Though Korean War hostilities ended in an armistice agreement in 1953, North Korea technically remains at war with the more prosperous South.

Reported by Myungchul Lee and Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun and Jinha Shin. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Not counted is the cost in damage to the country's environment and Lao citizens' loss of homes and livelihoods, experts say.

A Chinese worker carries materials for the first rail line linking China to Laos in a photo taken in Luang Prabang, Laos, Feb. 8, 2020.

Chinas investment in Laos has climbed since 1989 to a cumulative $16 billion, but little of this money has benefited ordinary citizens, while the negative impact from Chinese development projects isnt being counted accurately, Lao sources say.

Sonexay SiphandoneMinister of Investment and Planningtold a meeting with Chinese investors last month that Chinese investment takes top place on the list in Laos, with over 800 small, medium, and large-scale projects at a total value of $16 billion.

Foreign investment totals are added to calculations of the countrys GDP, which was $19 billion in 2020, but mega projects such as hydropower dams and other infrastructure schemes dont distribute their benefits equally to local people, a Lao researcher told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity for reasons of security.

Its unacceptable that we should talk about the value of investments when these arent shared to support the peoples interests.

For example, a high-speed Lao-China railway under construction in Laos at a projected cost of $6 billion has benefited more Chinese than Lao workers, the researcher said.

The majority of workers have been imported from China, while unskilled Lao workers have been recruited at much lower salaries, he said.

In the agricultural sector, the overuse of herbicides and pesticides by Chinese-invested banana plantations in northern Laos have harmed the environment and health of people living in surrounding areas, he added.

This is not sustainable development, because the impacted communities are not allowed full participation in the [management of the] farms. In theory, these are win-win arrangements, but in practice things are absolutely different, he said.

Chinese hydropower and mining projects, the Lao-China railway, and an expressway project in the Lao capital Vientiane have also displaced thousands of families, many of whom lost their farms, incomes, and ways of life in the process.

These were huge impacts, and it will take a long time now for things to be returned to their normal condition, the researcher said.

I travel in the north and I see banana plantations that have been abandoned. The Chinese owners went back to China, and the Lao workers have not been paid their salaries, he said.

'A huge gap'

Also speaking to RFA, a Lao legal advisor who asked not to be named said, Lao workers on Chinese projects are paid smaller salaries, while Chinese businessmen buy hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in places that the Lao-China railway runs through.

There is a huge gap between the value of Chinese investments in Laos and the negative impacts they create, the legal advisor said, adding, No one can express concerns about these things in public out of fear for their safety.

It makes no sense to just tell people the high value of Chinese investments, agreed a Lao businessman, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

The impact of Chinese investment projects is that the environment is ruined and that local people lose their ways to make a living, and no one reports the estimated costs of this, he said.

Requests for comment by senior officials of Laos Ministry of Investment and Planning received no response.

A lower-level ministry official, however, said that Laos and China, countries with similar one-party political systems, are working to strengthen Laos economy by building a community of common destiny  a phrase from a 2017 speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Laos is now drowning in debt with at least $400 million due in loans this year that cant be repaid, with cash flows crippled in the country because of a shutdown of the economy due to COVID-19 and another $1 billion coming due each year from 2022-2025, experts said in earlier reports.

State officials and Lao researchers say they now see no way the one-party communist state can meet the debts it owes foreign lenders, mostly in China but also in Thailand and Vietnam, amid the global pandemic.

China is Laos largest foreign investor and aid provider, and its second-largest trade partner after Thailand.

Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Military campaigns against ethnic groups and citizen militias have displaced 280,000 refugees since the Feb. 1 coup.

People displaced by fighting in north-western Myanmar between junta forces and anti-junta fighters eat, in Chin State, Myanmar, May 31, 2021.

Myanmar junta forces have occupied churches and destroyed stocks of food aid for refugees during clashes with ethnic armed forces and militias that oppose the Feb. 1 military takeover, local officials told RFA.

The military has been embroiled in fighting with many of the hundreds of militia groups formed by citizens to oppose the junta, some of which are receiving training and support from armed ethnic groups that have been fighting with Myanmars military for decades.

In the countrys western Chin state, home to the mostly Christian ethnic Chin population, fighting between the military and local Chinland Defense Force (CDF) militias has raged since April.

During their campaign against the CDF, the juntas forces set up posts inside churches, and in a church in Mindat township, troops drank liquor and destroyed copies of the Bible, a pastor told RFAs Myanmar Service.

"They were drinking and behaving in the local church in Chat Village of Mindat Township, as if it was a tavern. There is much destruction in the church, Chin Baptist Convention general secretary Law Ha Ling said.

He said soldiers defaced other places of worship in Chin state, including a Catholic church in Tal village in Falam Township on August 5, which they occupied for five days.

In recent clashes with the CDF, three churches in Mindat were also damaged, including the Great Catholic Church, which was broken into by soldiers.

"This shouldn't have happened. I think they should be even more careful, especially in a country like ours, which is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country that we have built together, Law Ha Ling said.

Whoever rules the country should not let this kind of thing happen by insulting a religion, it could be seen as an insult to the ethnic nationalities who believe in that religion, he said.

Churches destroyed

Fighting destroyed two Baptist churches in the Chin state town of Kanpetlet on Aug. 6, a resident told RFA on condition of anonymity.

"This is a war crime because we know that soldiers are not allowed to be deployed in public buildings such as churches and hospitals, said Salai Za Op Lin, deputy executive director of the Chin Human Rights Organization.

Junta spokesman Maj. Gen Zaw. Min Tun was unavailable for comment on the occupation and destruction of churches.

During its campaign in Chin state, the military destroyed stocks of food, at least some of which would go to feed refugees, a member of the local shadow government in Mindat township told RFA.

The most important thing right now is rice. During the fighting, as the military passed through the villages, they doused the rice bags with diesel fuel or cut them open on the ground. There will be food shortages soon, the administrator told RFA.

According to records compiled by RFA and relief groups, fighting since the February overthrow of Myanmars elected government has displaced around 280,000 people.

Fighting in eastern Kayah state has displaced more than 130,000 people, while another 70,000 refugees are sheltering parts of Karen and Mon states that are controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU), according to Naw Wa Khushee, spokeswoman for the Karen Peace Support Network, a refugee relief group.

In Kachin state, 336 post-coup clashes between the junta forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have displaced around 10,000 people, according to the Kachin Political Interim Coordination Team (KPICT), a group formed after the coup to advocate for the Kachins during military rule.

A local resident, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said that refugees had to live in makeshift shelters because there was no proper camp in Kachin state.

There must be thousands of people as they came from about 500 houses from four villages, the resident said, adding that they sometimes take refuge in churches at night and return home or to work in the morning.

Pandemic effect

In Shan state, refugees face additional difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Maing Mai, a schoolteacher helping refugees in the eastern state.

"Some of the refugees are having difficulty getting enough food. A lot of things are not going well. Previously, there were many aid organizations, but COVID-19 brought about a lockdown in the camps, Maing Mai said.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) told RFA that it estimated some 200,000 refugees were in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Chin states and the Sagaing and Magway regions.

The Kachin Baptist Church (KBC) told RFA that it is trying to win the release of three Christian pastors detained for holding peace prayer services.

Rev. Koshan Singsar of the KBC, Rev. Z Kaw Htinah of Christ Church and Rev. M Hawng Di of the Rawan Baptist Church, each in their 60s, held the special prayer service March 3, where they allegedly used the phrase ending military dictatorship, in violation of section 505 (a) of Myanmars Penal Code, which forbids defamation of the military.

The three pastors were arrested June 28 and are currently held at Nam Hot Prison in Putao township.

Their lawyer in July asked for the court to grant them bail, but the court asked him to file for bail at the next hearing. The courts where then shut down due to a nationwide upswing in the COVID-19 pandemic and the men remain in detention.

M Hawng Di has kidney and stomach diseases as well as diabetes, and Koshan Singsar has suffered a stroke. All three pastors face a high risk of contracting COVID-19 in prison, Nogmung residents told RFA.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Eugene Whong.


The announcement was followed by an uptick in attacks by anti-junta forces on the military.

Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) on Tuesday declared a nationwide state of emergency and called for open rebellion against junta rule, prompting an escalation of attacks on military targets by various allied pro-democracy militias and ethnic armed groups.

NUG interim president Duwa Lashi La delivered a video address via social media in which he asserted that the military had not only seized control of the country by force through a Feb. 1 coup detat, but also violated the livelihoods and property of Myanmars 54 million citizens, necessitating its immediate overthrow.

In his 14-point address, the NUG leader said peaceful resistance had failed to convince the junta of the need to hand power back to the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government and that the people of Myanmar would no longer accept oppression with their heads bowed.

The peoples resistance against the military dictatorship starts today, Sept. 7, he said.

This revolution is a peoples revolution, and the entire population of the Union of Myanmar must resist Min Aung Hlaings brutal military, he said referring to the coup architect and junta leader, an army senior general.

The leader of the five-month-old NUG called on the numerous branches of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias and armed ethnic groups to target the military and their support pillars to take control of their regions, while also urging all levels of local administrators to stop working immediately.

He also urged the PDF to protect the lives and property of the people and to strictly follow the regulations and instructions issued by the Peoples Defense Army under the NUGs command.

The acting NUG president asked the public to avoid unnecessary travel and advised households to store adequate amounts of food and medicine, while preparing to aid PDF units.

Additionally, Duwa Lashi La called on the countrys Border Guard Force (BGF) and all militias under the junta to join forces with the people against the military, while asking that police personnel and civil servants formally align themselves with the NUG as soon as possible.

Witnesses told RFAs Myanmar Service that residents of major cities, such as Yangon and Mandalay, were desperately buying food and medicine following the announcement on Tuesday.

The NUG declaration came weeks after the announced plans for a D-Day operation to purge the country of the junta through a popular uprising supported by a network of PDF groups formed to protect the public from the military.

In the seven months since the coup, security forces have killed 1,051 civilians and arrested at least 6,313, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)mostly during crackdowns on anti-junta protests.

The junta says it had to unseat Aung San Suu Kyis NLD government because the party engineered a landslide victory in Myanmars November 2020 election through widespread voter fraud. It has yet to present evidence of its claims and public unrest is at an all-time high.

A group of protesters march in support of the National Unity Government's declaration of war on the junta in Mandalay, Sept. 7, 2021. RFA Empty statement

In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesperson noted the declared launch of a peoples defensive war against the military regime, but called for peace to allow the delivery of aid and medicine.

The United States does not condone violence as a solution to the current crisis in Burma and calls on all sides to remain peaceful, said the spokesman, using the countrys former name.

The worsening COVID-19 situation inside Burma underscores the need for a peaceful environment that allows for equitable, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance. We continue to urge the regime to end all violence, restore Burma to its path to democracy, and to release all those unjustly detained, the spokesman said.

Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the pro-military Strategic Studies Institute, called the NUGs announcement an empty statement that would have no effect, noting that the military had arrested a number of PDF members and terrorists.

You can make an announcement only when you are in control of the situation, he said.

They are making an announcement without the ability to accomplish anything. Their supporters couldnt follow their instructions if they wanted to.

Thein Tun Oo said the number of bombings claimed by anti-junta groups had dropped and suggested there wont be many clashes or explosions in the cities as more and more PDF members are being arrested.

Attempts by RFAs Myanmar Service to contact military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for comment went unanswered Tuesday.

At a Aug. 27 news conference in the capital Naypyidaw, Zaw Min Tun acknowledged that the military had yet to take full control of the country because the NUG, Parliaments Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Committee of Representatives (CRPH), and the PDF were seeking to undermine its rule through the D-Day campaign and other actions.

Despite Thein Tun Oos assessment that the NUG announcement would have little effect, representatives of various anti-junta groups pledged to join the fight and told RFA they believe it could ignite a full-scale revolution.

Other groups, including a PDF branch in Sagaing regions Pale township, called on the NUG to follow up on its announcement with material support.

We have made preparations to some extent and could begin the fight very soon, but we need an adequate number of weapons, as we have to face a powerful and well-organized enemy, said Bo Naga of the Pale PDF. We have high morale but not enough weapons.

Armed ethnic groups said they expect fight against the junta to intensify. But they said the NUGs announcement made little difference to them because many of them are already fighting the military, which stepped up offensives in Myanmars remote border regions after seizing power in February.

Its nothing exciting for us because we have been fighting in our state every day like the D-Day they are talking about, said a spokesman for the Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF) in Kayah state in the countries east..

The announcement is expected to intensify the fighting. We are better prepared than ever, and all our comrades are already in place.

Expectations that clashes would increase were echoed by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Kachin state and the MNDAA Kokang military in neighboring Shan state  both regions that border China.

Youths march in support of the National Unity Government's declaration of war on the junta with a banner reading 'Accept NUG, Reject the Military' in Yangon, Sept. 7, 2021. RFA Uptick in fighting

Immediately following the announcement, fighting was seen to intensify between the military and armed ethnic groups, as well as local branches of anti-junta militias.

A spokesman for the Beikthano PDF in Magway regions ancient city of Bishnoi told RFA that his group carried out five bombings on military sites in the townships of Natmauk, Yesagyo, Myothit and Taungdwingyi shortly after noon. At least two soldiers were killed, and several others wounded, he said.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out in several villages in the deep southern Tanintharyi region townships of Pathein Chaung and Palaw under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) on Tuesday, causing an unknown number of residents to flee the area.

Sources said the military suffered casualties but that no PDF members were killed in the fighting, although RFA was unable to independently verify the reports.

PDF forces in Kayah states Loikaw and Demawso townships also carried out attacks on the military on Tuesday.

The clashes came a day after a two-hour long battle broke out between Kanpetlet CDF and the YDF-Saw coalition forces and junta soldiers in Chin state after two military columns attacked a CDF battalion base.

A spokesman for the Kanpetlet CDF said eight members of the CDF and three members of the YDF-Saw were injured in the clashes and that the military suffered at least 20 dead. RFA was unable to confirm the exact number of casualties.

Also on Monday, the military expanded its offensive against Kokang forces in northern Shan states Mongkoe sub-township near Myanmars border with China. Local media reported that a 34-year-old villager was wounded when junta troops shelled Phaungsai village, some 10 miles from Mongkoe.

Nearly 700 refugees have fled the fighting in recent days and have been unable to return to their homes, according to sources.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Aug. 27 that the number of people who need humanitarian aid in Myanmar increased to nearly two million since the military coup on Feb. 1.

OCHA said earlier last month that there are 205,260 internally displaced persons in Myanmar, most of whom are in Kayin, Kayah, Shan and Chin states.

They join more than 500,000 refugees from decades of conflict between the military and ethnic armies who were already counted as IDPs at the end of 2020, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO.

Amid the fighting, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Special Envoy to Myanmar has called for a four-month ceasefire to allow the delivery of much-needed aid to the countrystruggling with the triple crisis of political tensions, a failing economy, and a COVID-19 outbreakas early as mid-September.

Erywan Yusof, Bruneis second foreign minister, told Japans Kyodo News online over the weekend that he proposed the cease-fire until the end of this year in a videoconference with Myanmars military-appointed foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, last week, and that the military had accepted it.

Erywan was appointed special envoy to Myanmar in early August, months after ASEAN leaders agreed to a five-point consensus that would see the junta end violence in the country, enter into dialogue to find a peaceful solution to the countrys political

The consensus calls for an immediate cessation of violence, the start of dialogue for a peaceful solution, the facilitation of the dialogue by a special envoy, humanitarian aid and the envoys visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned.

In his speech, NUG interim president Duwa Lashi La said he hoped ASEAN countries and the rest of the world, including the United Nations, would understand as the announcement was made based on the needs of the country.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Authorities say that Nguyen Tuong Thuy, as a prisoner, is technically not a citizen.

Authorities in Vietnam have rejected petition letters calling for an investigation into legal proceedings against detained blogger Nguyen Tuong Thuy, who is serving an 11-year sentence for writing articles online that criticized Vietnams one-party communist government, his family told RFA.

The petition was rejected on the grounds that Thuy, as a prisoner, technically does not have the rights of a citizen of Vietnam.

Thuy, a former vice president of the Vietnam Independent Journalism Association (IJAVN), had blogged on civil rights and freedom of speech issues for RFAs Vietnamese Service for six years, and visited the United States in 2014 to testify before the House of Representatives on media freedom problems in Vietnam.

Arrested in May 2020, Thuy was indicted along with two other IJAVN members Pham Chi Dung and Le Huu Minh Tuan on Nov. 10 for making, storing, and disseminating documents and materials for anti-state purposes under Article 117 of Vietnams Penal Code. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison along with Tuan, while Dung was given 15 years.

Thuys wife Nguyen Thi Lan told RFAs Vietnamese Service Wednesday that her husband had called home from the An Phuoc Detention Center in the southern province of Binh Duong a day earlier.

He sounded very unhappy. He had asked the detention center to send his petition letters to the procuracy and other agencies In their responses, the authorities said that in a way, he did not have citizenship rights. This is ridiculous and unreasonable, she said.

The authorities did, however, suggest that he request an appeal to reconsider the court decision if he did not agree with it. They said his petition was not valid because he no longer had necessary citizen rights to file it, said Lan.

RFAs website features many articles written by Thuy, including a series of reports about death-row prisoner Ho Duy Hai, whose harsh sentence has been criticized by legal experts.

Thuy also wrote reports depicting the plight of people involved in land disputes against developers or the government, and refuted government reports on the anniversary of the 1975 fall of Saigon that mocked Vietnamese people who fled the country then to escape the Communist regime.

Thuy, born in 1950, joined the North Vietnamese army in 1970, retiring after 22 years of service. Over the past 10 years he wrote many articles and managed a popular personal blog that has generated over for million page visits.

Vietnam, with a population of 99 million people, has been consistently rated not free in the areas of internet and press freedom by Freedom House, a U.S.-based watchdog group.

Dissent is not tolerated in the communist nation, and authorities routinely use a set of vague provisions in the penal code to detain dozens of writers and bloggers.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Anna Vu. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Belarusian officials say Russian fighter jets have arrived to help patrol Belarus's borders, as part of a new joint military effort.

The arrival of the Sukhoi jets, announced on September 8, comes a day ahead of a critical meeting between Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The Russian jets "arrived at the Baranovichi airfield to form a joint training center for the air force and air defense forces of Belarus and Russia," the Belarusian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The statement did not say how many jets arrived, or give further details.

The jets' arrival also comes two days ahead of major military exercises involving thousands of troops from both countries -- exercises that have prompted public statements of concern from some NATO countries.

Lukashenka and Putin's meeting comes with growing speculation that the two leaders could finalize an integration of the two countries planned decades ago, something known as the union state.

The project would be a major step toward reuniting the two countries, but also could undermined Belarus's sovereignty, something Lukashenka has strenuously resisted for years.

But Lukashenka has been increasingly isolated since a presidential election last year in which he claimed reelection to a sixth term. The vote was condemned by Belarus's opposition as rigged, and prompted months of street protests that Belarusian security forces have harshly cracked down on. Western governments have ignored Lukashenka's claim to reelection.

In recent weeks, Belarusian officials have given signals that Lukashenka might finally be moving to sign the last of a series of "road maps" that would finally lead to the union state.

Earlier this month, Lukashenka said Russia would soon deliver a huge military hardware consignment to Belarus, including aircraft, helicopters, and air-defense systems.

With reporting by Reuters
Moscow-imposed authorities in Ukraine's Crimea region have detained another Crimean Tatar after his home was searched.

The Crimean Solidarity public group said that police detained Eldar Menseitov on September 7 after searching his home in the town of Molodizhne, near the Crimean capital, Simferopol.

Menseitov is a defense witness in the ongoing trial in absentia of veteran Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev. Dzhemilev is charged with illegally crossing the border, possession of an illegal firearm, and negligence while keeping a firearm.

Dzhemilev, who is a Ukrainian lawmaker, and his supporters have rejected the charges, saying they are politically motivated.

Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova also condemned Menseitov's detainment, calling it the continuation of "Russia's practice of shameful repression of the Crimean Tatar people."

"I demand the Russian Federation immediately stop persecuting the indigenous people of the Crimean Peninsula and releases all illegally held citizens of Ukraine, Denisova's statement on Facebook said.

Menseitov is a former deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars self-governing body, Mejlis, which was labeled as extremist and banned by Russia-imposed authorities.

Menseitov's detainment came the same day Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) publicly accused five other Crimean Tatars detained over the weekend of sabotaging a gas pipeline.

The FSB claimed on September 7 that Ukrainian military intelligence procured an explosive device and promised a cash reward of $2,000 to the men to plant it at the pipeline. A day earlier, Ukraine dismissed the charges against the five men as fabricated.

Since Russia seized Crimea in 2014, Russian authorities have prosecuted dozens of Crimean Tatars for allegedly belonging to the Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group, which is banned in Russia but not in Ukraine.

Moscow's takeover of the peninsula was vocally opposed by many Crimean Tatars, who are a sizable minority in the region.

Exiled from their homeland to Central Asia by the Soviet authorities under dictator Josef Stalin during World War II, many Crimean Tatars are very wary of Moscow's rule.

Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Russian-imposed authorities in Crimea who are targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar community and others who have spoken out against Moscow's takeover of the peninsula.

Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after sending in troops, seizing key facilities, and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by at least 100 countries. Moscow also backs separatists in a war against government forces that has killed more than 13,200 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.
BISHKEK -- Authorities in Kyrgyzstan have added new charges against Jenish Moldokmatov, the jailed leader of the opposition party Turan, which he denies.

Moldokmatov, an outspoken critic of President Sadyr Japarov, was arrested in May and charged with the seizure of buildings during anti-government rallies against the official results of parliamentary elections in October 2020.

His lawyer, Kantemir Turdaliev, told RFE/RL on September 7 that his client has been additionally charged with the attempted seizure of power, the organization of mass disorder, threatening or attacking law enforcement officers, and stealing a firearm.

Turdaliev said Moldokmatov did not sign papers acknowledging the new charges and has refused to cooperate with the investigators.

Moldokmatov already rejected the earlier charges, saying they are politically motivated.

He ran for a parliamentary seat in the October vote and participated along with thousands of other Kyrgyz in street protests that followed the official results.

The rallies eventually led to the resignations of the government and then-President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

Current President Sadyr Japarov was among several prominent politicians freed from prison by protesters during the postelection unrest.

He had been serving a 10-year prison sentence for hostage taking during a protest against a mining operation in northeast Kyrgyzstan in October 2013. Japarov maintains his conviction was politically motivated.

Japarov easily won the January presidential election.

Despite some reforms, Japarov has been criticized by rights groups for failing to follow through on promises of more freedoms. They say existing Kyrgyz laws on countering extremism have been applied unevenly and that their overly broad definition has allowed for their misuse against political opponents, journalists, and religious and ethnic minorities.

Moldokmatov's arrest on May 6 came three days after Japarov signed into law constitutional amendments approved by a nationwide referendum in April that has been criticized by his opponents as a move to concentrate power.
NUR-SULTAN -- The leader of Kazakhstan's unregistered El Tiregi (People's Pillar) party has been charged with violating the law on public gatherings following a protest rally in the capital, Nur-Sultan.

Party activists told RFE/RL that Nurzhan Altaev was briefly detained by police at the September 7 event and charged the next day.

They said at least six El Tiregi members were sentenced to jail terms of between seven and 15 days after being detained in a group of around 25 people when police dispersed the rally.

The demonstrators were demanding the government's resignation, protesting against forced COVID-19 vaccination, and demanding the government abandon plans to build a new nuclear plant.

Two leading members of the party, Union of the Soviet-Afghan War Veterans in Kazakhstan Chairman Murat Mukhametzhanov and lawyer Nursultan Ermakhanov, were detained the day before the rally and jailed for 10 and 15 days, respectively.

Altaev quit the ruling Nur-Otan party and announced the creation of El Tiregi in late November 2020, saying no genuine opposition political forces were represented in the current parliament.
Regional authorities say more than 6,000 people were convicted and sentenced in the first half of the year for violations of the law on public gatherings in the Russian capital, Moscow.

According to the latest report by the Moscow directorate of the Supreme Court's judicial department, about 90 percent of the 6,727 cases related to violations of the law on public gatherings ended with convictions, while 625 were returned to police due to technical issues and 45 were closed without further investigation. Total fines imposed on those found guilty in the cases was almost 66 million rubles (more than $900,000), it added.

The percentage of cases that ended in jail sentences for those convicted was 21 percent, the data showed. By comparison, the human rights group OVD-Info says that for all of 2019, only 4 percent of cases involving violations of the law on public gatherings ended with guilty parties being incarcerated.

The vast majority of the cases were related to a series of demonstrations in support of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most-vocal critic, was arrested in January upon returning from Germany, where he had been treated for a near-fatal poison attack he has blamed on the Kremlin.

The arrest sparked two major rallies -- on January 23 and January 31 -- resulting in the detention of more than 10,000 of his supporters.

In February, a Moscow court ruled that while recovering in Germany, Navalny violated the terms of parole from an old embezzlement case that is widely considered as being politically motivated. Navalny's 3 1/2 year suspended sentence from the case was converted to a jail term, though the court said he will serve 2 1/2 years in prison given time he had already served.

That sparked further nationwide protests, and a ratcheting up of the government's crackdown on unsanctioned demonstrations as September 19 elections that will choose members of the State Duma, 39 regional parliaments, and nine regional governors approach amid waning support for the ruling Kremlin-backed United Russia party.

Through an unrelenting campaign of intimidation and criminal prosecutions the authorities have purged the electoral field of all but a select few government critics.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has appointed an outspoken critic of Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline to oversee policy for Central and Eastern Europe at the State Department following backlash over its decision to allow the project to move ahead.

Robin Dunnigan, who served as deputy assistant secretary for energy diplomacy in the State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources from 2014 to 2017, will help craft policy toward Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, as well as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, a spokesperson told RFE/RL.

She takes over Eastern Europe duties from Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent, who served in 2019 as a key witness in the Ukraine-centric impeachment trial of then-President Donald Trump.

Dunnigan was an early critic of Russian plans to build a second natural-gas pipeline to Germany along the floor of the Baltic Sea to reroute European exports around Ukraine, potentially depriving Kyiv of as much as $2 billion a year in transit fees.

The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 project will soon be completed after the Biden administration in May agreed to waive sanctions on its Swiss-based operator in an attempt to deescalate tensions with Germany.

The decision angered countries in Central and Eastern Europe, which see the pipeline as a security threat.

"You have to ask: Why would you support Ukraine with one hand and strangle it with the other," she told a conference of policymakers in November 2015 as the West supported Kyiv with military and economic aid to help it battle Kremlin-backed fighters in eastern Ukraine.

"Nord Stream 2 actually threatens not only Ukraine's survivability and their resources, but it is a risk to fuel diversification in Europe, especially Southeastern Europe," Dunnigan said at the time.

The Biden administration and Germany reached an agreement in July on steps to help Ukraine handle the economic fallout resulting from the completion of Nord Stream 2, including investing in the countrys alternative energy industry, a compromise that Kyiv considers inadequate.

The Biden administration recently appointed Amos Hochstein, who served as the State Departments energy envoy from 2014 to 2017, to oversee the implementation of the agreement with Germany.

Hochstein, who also served as a board member on Ukraine's state-owned natural gas company Naftogaz, oversaw the Bureau of Energy Resources when Dunnigan served there.

"I am hoping that Dunnigans background in energy is going to help people in the State Department understand how critical energy security is for Ukraine as a country. It cant succeed unless it has energy security," said Daniel Vajdich, president of Washington-based lobby firm Yorktown Solutions, whose clients include Naftogaz.

Dunnigan took up her new position on September 7. Her focus on energy security will not be directed solely toward Ukraine.

The United States has been seeking to help the wider Central and Eastern Europe region reduce its dependency on Russian fossil fuels by investing in energy infrastructure projects through the Three Sea Initiative, a forum of 12 nations including Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria.

Dunnigan had been serving at the U.S. Embassy in Austria for the past three years, first as deputy chief of mission and most recently as charge d'affaires to Austria.

Kent served as chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv from 2015 to 2018 before returning to Washington to oversee policy toward Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus.

He has been outspoken about endemic corruption in Ukraine and repeatedly called on the country's leaders to pursue investigations of top officials and tycoons, including Austria-based energy billionaire Dmytro Firtash.

Kent will hand over policy for Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia to Erika Olson, the former director for Northern European, Baltic, and Arctic security affairs at the State Department.

Olson will also oversee South Europe, including Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, the State Department spokesperson said.

The moves are part of the regular rotation of staff at the State Department. The spokesperson did not say what position Kent will hold next.
Around 30,000 Hasidic Jews from more than 10 countries gathered in the Ukrainian city of Uman on September 7 to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The pilgrims visited the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, the founder of the Breslov branch within Hasidic Judaism, who died in 1810. This year, the pilgrims enjoyed free access to the Rabbi Nachman memorial complex, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I'll get rid of your rats" may be an unusual campaign slogan, but Leopold Valeryanovich is an unusual candidate: He's a cat.

Ahead of parliamentary elections and local balloting across Russia on September 17-19, voters in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk were surprised by a campaign stand set up on a downtown square urging them to cast ballots for the feline.

The campaign was announced on Facebook by local historian and activist Andrei Pozdnyakov, who reported: "The first supporters have already appeared for the cat-candidate, whose representatives are shamelessly bribing voters with bonbons."

Leopold Valeryanovich, a gray longhair with an angry expression, is apparently named after Kot Leopold, a popular Soviet-era cartoon cat whose tagline was "Let's all get along."

His patronymic, based on the name Valeryan, is reminiscent of a common Russian natural sedative called valeryanka, which is a treatment for insomnia, anxiety, and nervous exhaustion -- catnip for people, in a way.

It was not clear if the pictured cat was a Siberian cat, a natural breed from Siberia that is Russia's national cat.

Robert Coalson contributed to this report
Now trending on Russian Twitter: the surname of the liberal St. Petersburg city lawmaker seeking reelection to the municipal legislature, Boris Vishnevsky.

And another official linked to the ruling United Russia party with the same name.

Oh, and also a salesman for a car-repair company who -- like the United Russia-linked official -- changed his name to Boris Vishnevsky ahead of the national parliamentary elections set for September 17-19.

The primary driver making him -- or them -- a trending topic? The fact that the candidate whose actual birth certificate says Boris Vishnevsky appears to be the victim of the latest in a long line of dirty election tricks, mainly of which have been featured in St. Petersburg elections over the past 30 years.

A quick recap:

An opposition politician who heads the liberal Yabloko party's faction in the local legislature, Boris Vishnevsky is a prominent figure in Russias second-largest city, a man known locally as a defender of the city's cultural heritage and as a columnist in the independent newspaper Novaya gazeta.

Over the past couple months, the number of public figures named Boris Vishnevsky suspiciously multiplied. The story took another strange twist this past week when the two other Boris Vishnevskys apparently grew beards, making them look uncannily similar to their better-known rival.

The goal seems clear to even nonexpert observers of Russian politics: to confuse Russian voters at the polls and undermine support for the opposition candidate.

Whether it will work remains to be seen.

But the transparency of the effort has drawn the rapier wit of the Russian blogosphere and social-media mavens.

Late on September 6, Russian Twitter users started changing the names of their accounts to say Boris Vishnevsky or something similar.

Others came up with a host of memes that riffed off the Vishnevsky doppelgangers, mostly with what appeared to be scorn for the officials -- local or otherwise -- who came up with this election dirty trick.

This one riffs on the 1999 Spike Jonze film Being John Malkovich:

Another mashed up Vishnevskys name, and face, with the photoshopped face, and name, of Russias elections chief, Ella Pamfilova:

Vishnevsky has faced other dirty tricks in the past.

In 2019, two Russian news outlets linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian tycoon and alleged mastermind behind the notorious troll factory, published allegations of sexual harassment against Vishnevsky, citing complaints from anonymous women.

Observers called it part of a coordinated smear campaign.

And St. Petersburg itself has a long history of dirty electoral tricks and what is often called black PR in Russian.

In 2007, during the campaign for the municipal legislature, fliers circulated in one district stating that one candidate had been knifed and had died from his wounds. Adding to the weirdness, the flier also said: "To kill a man just because he is of a different race is low and dirty," implying that the candidate was not an ethnic Russian.

In fact, the candidate was very much alive. And yes, he was an ethnic Russian.

And way back in 1998, in a similar race for the city legislature, one incumbent candidate named Oleg Sergeyev faced two challengers to his seat.

Their names?

Oleg Sergeyev and Oleg Sergeyev.
The Supreme Court of Russia's Republic of Mordovia says it will decide within a week on the date of a hearing into a request to transfer Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who is serving a lengthy prison term in Russia on espionage charges he calls trumped up, to the United States to serve out the rest of his sentence.

Whelan's lawyer, Olga Karlova, told the Interfax news agency on September 8 that court officials had informed her client's defense team by phone that a decision on the date will be made by September 14.

Hours earlier Karlova and Whelan's second lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, told Interfax that a hearing on the issue had been set for 10:00 a.m. on September 27.

Whelan's lawyers, Olga Karlova and Vladimir Zherebenkov, told the Interfax news agency on September 8 that a hearing on the issue had been set for 10:00 a.m. on September 27.

Whelan's defense team initially asked the Moscow City Court to consider their client's request to be handed over to the United States to finish serving his sentence. But the court refused to consider the matter over jurisdictional issues and forwarded it to Mordovia, where Whelan is currently serving his term.

Mordovia is a region located about 350 kilometers east of Moscow historically known as the location of Russia's toughest prisons, including Soviet-era labor camps for political prisoners.

Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 on espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison in May 2020 following a trial that was condemned by the United States as a "mockery of justice."

A holder of U.S., Canadian, British, and Irish passports, Whelan has rejected the espionage charges and has accused his prison guards of mistreatment.

The United States has criticized the Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of Whelan.

Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier when he was arrested. He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding.

He is one of several Americans to face trial in Russia in recent years on charges that their families, supporters, and in some cases the U.S. government, have said are trumped up.

Another former U.S. Marine, Trevor Reed, is serving a nine-year prison term in Mordovia as well. He was sentenced in July 2020 on charges of assaulting two Russian police officers.

The U.S. government and Reed deny the allegations and questioned the fairness of his judicial proceedings.

Reports have surfaced several times of a possible swap involving Whelan, Read, and two Russians -- arms dealer Viktor Bout and drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko -- who are serving lengthy sentences in U.S. prisons.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov said on August 25 that Washington's unspecified "unconstructive" position makes a prisoner swap unlikely.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax
Russian military personnel in three settlements of the northwestern Murmansk region were gathered on September 7 to cast ballots early in Russias September 17-19 legislative elections, according to a report in Novaya gazeta the same day.

The Novaya gazeta story was based on reports from service members families collected by Oleg Cherkashin, an opposition candidate running for a seat in the Murmansk regional legislature.

According to the report, military polling station No. 492 was granted special permission by the regional election commission to hold early voting from September 7-10 because of scheduled military exercises.

The exact time of the voting was not reported to the regional election commission or to election monitors -- who were therefore not present when ballots were being cast or counted.

In a video posted on the VK social network, Cherkashin accused United Russia of colluding with the Defense Ministry to falsify the election.

United Russia understands that it cannot win the election honestly and so it is beginning to do things like this, even involving the military and anyone else they can get, he said. And it is easy to guess what the results of this voting will be when there are no monitors and the commanding officer is standing over them and watching how they vote.

The Russian authorities have long been accused by activists and the opposition of using various means to pressure service personnel and state-sector workers to vote for United Russia, the ruling party that is loyal to President Vladimir Putin.

In August, Putin signed off on one-time payments of 15,000 rubles ($200) to firefighters, police officers, prosecutors, and soldiers, a move that many saw as an attempt to buy the votes of key constituencies in the face of United Russias declining popularity.

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report.
Despite United Russias declining popularity over the last few years, the Kremlin-controlled ruling party still has a base of supporters, as well as being able to muster the votes of many state-sector workers like teachers, doctors, law enforcement, and the military.

Ivan Vorobyov, a Cossack leader in southern Krasnodar Krai and a father of three, is among those who are likely to support United Russia in the September 17-19 State Duma elections, although he considers himself a socialist by inclination.

Right now, if I go to vote, I will vote for United Russia, Vorobyov told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. I have a lot of questions, and there is a lot that I dont like. But unfortunately, it is the only party that can -- that is a ruling party. It can maintain at least some sort of stability for the state.

Current Time is producing a series of stories featuring families that support each of the major parties running in the elections of the Duma, Russias lower parliament house and a key lever of power for President Vladimir Putin. The first installment was devoted to United Russia, which currently holds 343 of the 450 Duma seats and has dominated regional legislatures and executive branches.

The other parties that currently hold seats  the Communist Party, A Just Russia, and the inaccurately named Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, led by flamboyant nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky -- compete against United Russia but often toe the Kremlin line and are widely seen as part of Putins system of rule.

Liberal opposition groups have largely been pushed out of electoral politics since Putin came to power more than 20 years ago.



United Russia is polling between 25 and 35 percent, according to the limited opinion surveys that have been conducted publicly. A poll by the independent Levada Center in March found support for United Russia at 27 percent.

I am a socialist, but Im also a statist, Vorobyov said. I think that there should be a strong, solid, powerful state which -- well, it is good it if cares about its citizens and is capable of defending its citizens.

When asked what his primary concerns are, Vorobyov did not mention the economy, the state of individual liberties, or widespread reports of corruption among United Russia officials and senior figures in the government and administration of President Vladimir Putin. The most important thing for him is keeping Russia strong in the face of perceived external threats.

The history of Russia tells us that we are not loved, that we do not have any friends abroad, he said. This is absolutely normal. It is objective reality. We are the largest and the richest. That is it. Why should they like us?

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry reports that Minister Yevgeny Zinichev has died "while carrying out his service duties" during exercises being carried out in the Arctic, although multiple reports have sprung up contradicting the official version of the 55-year-old's death.

"The Emergency Situations Ministry of the Russian Federation informs with sorrow that while carrying out his service duties, during interdepartmental exercises on defending the Arctic zone from extraordinary situations, and while attempting to rescue a person, the chief of the Emergency Situations Ministry, Yevgeny Zinichev, has tragically died," the Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement on September 8.

It added that Zinichev died in the city of Norilsk, but gave no further details.

However, the independent RBK, Tayga.info, and RTVi media outlets quoted unnamed sources as saying that Zinichev died in a tourist area near Lake Lama, about 120 kilometers from Norilsk.

RBK and RTVi suggested their sources said Zinichev died after traveling to an area in or near the Putoransky Nature Reserve the day after opening the exercises.

The reports could not immediately be corroborated.

RT Editor in Chief Margarita Simonyan said in a tweet that Zinichev died after he fell off a cliff while trying to grab a cameraman who himself had just slipped. The cameraman is also dead, she said, citing eyewitnesses.

The Emergency Situations Ministry later identified the cameraman as well-known Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Melnik. He was 63.

President Vladimir Putin "expressed deep condolences" to Zinichev's relatives and friends, the Kremlin website said, adding that Putin and Zinichev, both natives of St. Petersburg, had worked together for many years.

Zinichev was in the region to oversee large-scale drills and to visit the construction site of a new fire station in Norilsk, as well as a search-and-rescue team in the area.

Before becoming head of the Emergency Situations Ministry in October 2018, Zinichev held a number of jobs including as former deputy director of the Federal Security Service, part of Putin's personal security detail, and briefly as acting regional governor of Kaliningrad for two months in 2016.

With reporting by TASS, RIA Novisti, RBK, and Interfax
ASHGABAT -- Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov has been reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 even as authorities continue to deny the presence of the coronavirus within the country's borders.

Two separate sources close to the government told RFE/RL on September 8 that the 61-year-old Meredov has not been seen in public since August 20 and is currently being treated for coronavirus in a newly built hospital in the village of Yzgant, in the south-central region of Ahal.

Media reports say that another sign of Meredov's illness is that Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's upcoming visit to Uzbekistan is being prepared by Deputy Prime Minister Esenmurad Orazgeldyiev and not Meredov, who is also a deputy prime minister and normally is responsible for the organization of the presidents foreign trips.

Turkmenistan has not reported officially a single coronavirus infection since the pandemic started in March last year and the government remains steadfast in its zero-infections claim despite signs of outbreaks across the country such as increasingly overcrowded hospitals and changes to the academic year that have extended the summer holiday.

RFE/RL's correspondents have reported from across the country that number of people who were killed by COVID-19 has increased dramatically and many have to bury their loved ones in plastic bags as they cannot afford burial expenditures.

The bodies of victims of lung ailments are being delivered to relatives in special plastic bags, and there have been an unusually high number of fresh graves across the country, RFE/RL's correspondents have reported.
RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who has been in detention in Russian-occupied Crimea, has made detailed allegations in court about being tortured while in custody. He has been charged with the possession and transport of explosives, which he denies. RFE/RL President Jamie Fly called Yesypenko's detention a Kremlin-backed move to target independent media outlets.
Top Ukrainian officials have dismissed an explosive CNN report that said Ukraine's main intelligence agency orchestrated a sting operation in neighboring Belarus in 2020 to arrest Russian mercenaries wanted for crimes in Ukraine.

The report, published on September 8, quoted three "former high-ranking Ukrainian military intelligence officials" as saying that Ukrainian intelligence, with help from U.S. security agencies, worked to fool a group of Russians into thinking they were flying to Venezuela as private soldiers to guard oil facilities there.

CNN said the Russians were duped into turning over evidence to Ukrainian agents who recruited them for the fake mercenary work. The plan allegedly went awry when the Russians, 32 in all, were unexpectedly diverted to Belarus and were arrested at a Minsk region resort by Belarusian security officials.

The arrest came just weeks before Belarus held a presidential election in which longtime ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka ultimately declared victory, sparking unprecedented street protests amid allegations of widespread fraud.

Ukraine's main security agency denied initial reports of its involvement last year.

In an interview with RFE/RL on September 8, Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, dismissed the report and suggested that CNN had been duped.

"Let's start with the fact that there are no factual references in the material at all. An anonymous source then spoke about a possible event," Podolyak said. "In the [United] States themselves, they absolutely denied any participation in any such special operations. What position should it be? We should formally enter into a dialogue with anonymous sources."

"Who could CNN journalists talk to in Ukraine? What are these anonymous people whose words were used? And how to verify that these 'anonyms' are not related to Russian interests and influence?" Podolyak said.

Russia's main security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), meanwhile issued an unusually quick response to the CNN report, alleging Ukraine had committed an act of state terrorism.

The incident "is a criminal offense to begin with. It is the planned abduction of Russian citizens from the territory of a third country, and everything that happens, everything that we see from the Ukrainian special services, are acts of state terrorism," the FSB was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

In the aftermath of the arrests in August 2020, Zelenskiy spoke with Lukashenka by phone and called for the Russians who had been detained by Belarus to be transferred to Ukraine, according to a readout of the call released by Zelenskiy's office.

However, Lukashenka reportedly rejected that request.

The CNN report also said Ukraine received funding and technical support from the Central Intelligence Agency in setting up the ruse.

However, the report quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying some U.S. officials were aware of the plot but had no involvement.
Richmond, KY (40475)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. High around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Weather Alert

...Areas of fog will reduce visibilities through sunrise... Fog will reduce visibilities to less than a half mile in many areas, mainly along and east of the US-1 corridor. Motorists are advised to slow down, use low beam headlights, and remain alert for sudden drops in visibility. Improving visibilities are expected after 8 AM.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

Today

Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
Rutland, VT (05701)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
In a phone call with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan Tuesday, minister Son expressed high appreciation of Singapore's support so far, especially its commitment to provide essential medical equipment and supplies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

A foreign ministry statement said that Son stressed the issue's urgency for Vietnam in order to protect the health of its people, including experts and foreign citizens living and working in Vietnam.

Son congratulated Singapore on becoming the first country in the world to have 80 percent of the national population with two doses, and suggested that it considers supporting or transferring spare vaccine doses to Vietnam as soon as possible, either via government aid or the Covax facility.

Foreign Minister Balakrishnan said Singapore always attached importance to its strategic partnership with Vietnam and believed Vietnam will soon control the pandemic.

He said Singapore was ready to support nearby countries, including Vietnam, with medical equipment, test kits as well as vaccines as soon as possible.

He hoped that the two sides could soon reopen their borders, facilitating the travel of citizens of both countries.

In their talks, the two ministers agreed to organize soon the 14th political consultation between their foreign ministries in preparation for upcoming high-level visits.

Singapore's Temasek Foundation on Monday presented Vietnam with 16 ventilators and hundreds of thousands of medical protective gear.

Vietnam aims to receive 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to inoculate 70 percent of its 96-million population in order to achieve herd immunity by April next year.

So far, more than 22.67 million people have been vaccinated, with over 3.4 million getting two doses.
AP fileJennifer Porter, of Hyannis, cleans windows at Red Jacket Resorts in Yarmouth. It's not just hotels, restaurants and other businesses in tourist destinations that are hurting for employees, it's impacting employers big and small in all sections of the state.
Ipswich - Joseph David Short, 77, a long-time resident of Ipswich, entered into eternal life on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, following a battle with cancer. Joseph was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 9, 1944, the son of the late Sammons Short and Gladys (Watkins) Short. He was the husband o
Many ATMs across the country will only give out 20 dollar bills. If youre withdrawing a large sum of money, this can be pretty inconvenient. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to shove a huge stack of small dollar bills into your wallet or purse. Instead of settling for a wad of twenties, we recommend going to an ATM that dispenses large dollar bills instead. If you need to make a big withdrawal soon and are wondering which ATMs give 100 dollar bills, read on to view our list of banks below.

Chase

Many Chase ATMs have a custom denomination feature, which allows you to choose what kind of bills you want dispensed. You can get denominations ranging from just 1 dollar up to 100 dollars. You can even get coins from select Chase ATMs, which really comes in handy if you need change to pay for parking. Youll usually be able to withdraw between $500 and $3,000 from Chase ATMs depending on your account type, banking history, and available funds.

Youre most likely to find this custom denomination feature in machines inside of Chase bank branches. If you cant find a Chase ATM that dispenses 100 dollar bills, however, you can go inside a branch and exchange your small dollar bills for a hundred. But youll usually need a valid photo ID, and there may be limits on how much money you can exchange, so keep that in mind.

PNC

Many PNC Bank ATMs also allow you to choose how many bills you want in certain denominations. Instead of only giving you twenties, these machines dispense bills ranging from 1 dollar all the way up to 100 dollars. This makes it easier to withdraw the exact amount of money you need.

Just like Chase, PNC Bank ATMs also have relatively high limits. Youll be able to withdraw between $500 and $2,000 depending on your banking history and available funds.

PNC Bank ATMs also have lots of other useful features like card-free access for customers. You can request a one-time access code in the PNC Bank app and enter it on the ATMs welcome screen to withdraw funds without your debit card. Another feature called Express Funds allows you to use money from an approved check youve just deposited right away, although youll have to pay a fee.

Bank of America

Bank of America also has ATMs that dispense 100 dollar bills. You can usually get cash in increments of $10, $20, and $100, which makes it easy to withdraw both large and small sums of money.

The maximum withdrawal amount at Bank of America ATMs is usually $1,000 depending on your available funds and account type. However, if you set up a withdrawal in advance using the Bank of America mobile app, your withdrawal limit will only be up to $800. Another thing to keep in mind is that the machines can only dispense a maximum of 60 bills at a time.

Wells Fargo

Which other ATMs give 100 dollar bills? Select Wells Fargo locations give out hundreds. Youre most likely to find a machine that doles out Benjamins inside Wells Fargo bank branches. In addition to hundreds, they usually give out bills in increments of $1, $5, and $20, which is convenient if you need a mix of small and large bills.

As for withdrawal limits, youll usually be able to take out $300 per day as long as you have enough funds.

Do you prefer to get small or large dollar bills at the ATM? Let us know in the comments section below.

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India is now trying to contain a Nipah virus epidemic. The virus, not related to the COVID-19, took away the life of a 12-year-old kid in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The recent incident made the authorities quickly track down the victim's contacts.

The New York Post said the child was taken to the hospital with a high fever a week ago. Healthcare workers submitted the victim's blood samples to the National Institute of Virology. Tests confirmed a Nipah virus as his health worsened, and physicians suspected brain inflammation. On Sunday morning, he passed away.

Authorities have stepped up contact tracing efforts, identifying, quarantining, and testing anybody who may have come into contact with the little victim. According to state health minister Veena Georg, contact tracers identified 188 persons who had direct contact with the child. Twenty of them were designated high-risk main contacts - primarily his family members, all of whom were subjected to severe confinement or hospitalization.

Two healthcare workers who had close contact with the victim had shown symptoms of Nipah infection on Monday. They had submitted their blood samples for testing and are now admitted to the hospital.

Authorities closed the area within a two-mile radius of the boy's house and began screening individuals for symptoms in all of Kerala's neighboring districts. Tamil Nadu, a neighboring state, was also on high alert for any suspected instances of fever.

A Nipah virus epidemic has been detected in Kerala for the second time in three years, and the state is also dealing with a high prevalence of COVID-19 infections. Every day, around 68 percent of India's about 40,000 new cases are reported to the state.

Nipah Virus Explained

Nipah, like the coronavirus, is a zoonotic virus. It could spread from animals to people, as Science Times reported. Humans get infected if they come into direct contact with the animals or eat contaminated food. However, Nipah can be transferred from person to person in some cases.

Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, naturally spread the Nipah virus. Other animals such as cats, dogs, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep have all been reported to get the virus from them.

An infected person will experience fever, headache, and other respiratory problems like cough and sore throat. The disease could quickly swell the brain cells. That will eventually lead to disorientation, sleepiness, coma, and even death.

Nipah has no known cure or vaccination. Therefore patients are only provided supportive medical treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, Nipah infections can be fatal in up to 75% of cases. On the other hand, the coronavirus is estimated to have a mortality rate of approximately two percent. Meanwhile, several survivors have neurological consequences that might last a long time, such as seizures and personality problems.

Nipah Virus May Cause Another Epidemic

According to USA Today, authorities found the Nipah virus in 1999 during an outbreak in Malaysia. Multiple outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia have happened since then. It is believed to have killed around 260 individuals in all.

Gulf News reported that the source of a 2004 Bangladesh outbreak was humans ingesting date palm sap contaminated by infected fruit bats. CBS News said the Nipah virus claimed the lives of 17 of the 18 persons who were infected in 2018. All of the illnesses were linked back to fruit bats discovered dead in a family's well water.

Nipah is less infectious than coronavirus, but it has a considerably greater fatality rate, a 45-day incubation period, and the capacity to infect a far larger range of animals, all of which make it major concern epidemiologists seeking to anticipate and prevent the next pandemic.

Veasna Duong, the head of virology at the Institut Pasteur research lab in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, claimed the proximity that people and bats encounter at markets and other crowded places across the Asian continent poses a serious risk.

Duong, who spoke to the BBC's Future program, said this type of exposure might lead the virus to evolve, resulting in a pandemic. He added that the Nipah virus might find a host and go outside of Asia in some cases.

In another CBS News report, scientists warned that as temperatures warm and humans destroy more natural habitats for animals like fruit bats in Asia, more zoonotic variations will develop.

WHO said fruits or fruit products infected with saliva or urine from infected bats could be washed thoroughly and peeled before consumption to reduce the danger of international transmission. Fruit that bats have bitten should be discarded, the health agency added.

RELATED ARTICLE: Brain-Swelling Nipah Virus The Next Pandemic? Scientists Warn Its 75 Times Deadlier Than COVID-19

Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.
DENVER (AP)  A Colorado city announced Wednesday it has agreed to pay $3 million to a woman with dementia who was roughly arrested by police last year after being suspected of shoplifting, money which her family said will pay for the around-the-clock care she has needed after her condition deteriorated following her arrest.

Then-Officer Austin Hopp arrested Karen Garner, 73, after she left a store without paying for $13.88 worth of items in Loveland, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Denver in June 2020. Police body camera video shows that after she turned away from him, he grabbed her arm and pushed her to the ground, still holding the wildflowers she had been picking as she walked through a field. A federal lawsuit that Garner filed claimed he dislocated her shoulder by shoving her handcuffed left arm forward onto the hood of a patrol car.

Police station surveillance video also showed Hopp and others officers talking about the arrest, laughing and joking at times as Garner sat in a holding cell.

Officials in Loveland apologized to Garner and her family in the announcement of the proposed settlement and listed the steps they have taken in response to her arrest, including a pending independent investigation and changes to how it reviews cases when police use force. They pointed out that Hopp and another officer who responded to help him are both being criminally prosecuted for their actions.

The settlement with Karen Garner will help bring some closure to an unfortunate event in our community but does not upend the work we have left to do, City Manager Steve Adams said.

The announcement came a day after the death of 19-year-old, who was armed with a knife and in a reported mental health crisis when he was shot by a Loveland police officer last month. It also came a day after Garner's lawyer, Sarah Schielke, released internal reports that show that some supervisors had signed off on Hopp's use of force against Garner, including some who noted they had watched the body camera footage.

While the settlement will allow Garner's family to provide her with the best care possible, Schielke said full justice required a change in leadership. Everyone who was involved with Garner's arrest or fostered an environment where it could happen should lose their jobs, she said, offering to donate $50,000 to a dementia or Alzheimer's charity if the city's police chief resigned or was fired in the next month.

Chief Bob Ticer told The Denver Post that he did not plan to step down.

I understand the emotion, I understand those demands, he said. But my responsibility here is to ensure the investigations (into the Garner incident) that are moving forward are handled professionally.

Garner, a mother of three and a grandmother of nine, has not talked about what happened since the day after, when she kept asking why this had happened to her, her daughter-in-law Shannon Steward said. After struggling with whether to settle the case since they could not know what Garner wanted, her family agreed to after finding a letter she had written to her family several years ago at the beginning of her dementia which showed that she thought peace and closure was important for her loved ones, Schielke said. It said, in part, Don't make it any rougher on yourselves by living in the past. Look out the front window. Don't dwell on what's in the rear view mirror.

Garner's daughter, Alissa Swartz, also called for change in the police department.

I don't want to see this happen to anyone else's families again. I don't want to see it, said Swartz, who had sprigs of wildflowers pinned to her shirt as did Steward.

Garner is not aware of the settlement, which will have to be approved by a probate court because of her condition and administered by a conservator, Schielke said.

Hopp has been charged with second-degree assault in the arrest. At a court hearing last month to weigh the evidence against him, his lawyer, Jonathan Datz, argued that Hopp's supervisors determined his actions to be acceptable, the Loveland Reporter-Herald reported.

A representative from Datzs office said Wednesday that he declined to comment.

The body camera footage shows that when Hopp has Garner pushed against the hood of his car, she tried to turn around and repeated that she was trying to go home. He then pushed her back against the car and moved her bent left arm up near her head, holding it, saying, Are you finished? Are you finished? We dont play this game.

Investigators found that Hopp filed reports to mislead his superiors and protect himself, according to his arrest affidavit. He did not mention Garners shoulder injury in an initial report.

In a report filed after being told that she was going to the hospital, he wrote that Garner was asked several times if she wanted medical attention but that she did not answer, according to the affidavit.
PARIS (AP)  Twenty men accused in the Islamic State group's 2015 attacks on Paris that left 130 people dead and hundreds injured are on trial in the French capital. The proceedings began Wednesday in an enormous custom-designed chamber.

Nine gunmen and suicide bombers struck within minutes of each other at the national soccer stadium, the Bataclan concert hall and restaurants and cafes on Nov. 13, 2015.

The lone survivor of the extremist cell from that night is among those being tried for the deadliest attack in France since World War II. The same IS network went on to strike Brussels months later, killing another 32 people.

WHO'S ON THE STAND?

Twenty men are charged, but only 14 are appearing at court. Chief among them is Salah Abdeslam, who ditched his car and a malfunctioning suicide vest and ultimately fled to a hideout in his hometown of Brussels. Five of the six men being tried in absentia are presumed dead; the whereabouts of one man is unknown.

Most of the defendants face the maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of complicity in the attacks. Only Abdeslam is charged with murder.

WHY THE SPECIAL COURTROOM?

This is the biggest trial in French history. Among the plantiffs are nearly 1,800 victims, including survivors who suffered physical or psychological harm and families whose loved ones died that night. A total of 330 lawyers are representing them and the defendants.

The modern courtroom was constructed within the storied 13th-century Palais de Justice in Paris, where Marie Antoinette and Emile Zola faced trial, among others. The chamber, which has pale wood and enormous screens, can house 550 people, all the defendants and 10 cameras. Multiple overflow rooms will carry live broadcasts of the proceedings.

For the first time, victims can also have a secure audio link to listen from home if they want, with a 30-minute delay.

HOW WILL THE TRIAL UNFOLD?

The trial is scheduled to last nine months. The month of September will be dedicated to laying out the police and forensic evidence. October will be given over to victims' testimony. From November to December, officials including former French President Francois Hollande will testify, as will relatives of the attackers.

From January to March 2022, the defendants will be questioned following the chronology of the events, from the preparations to the attacks and their aftermath. Abdeslam will be questioned multiple times.

In early April, experts will give psychological assessments. Closing arguments follow through May. The verdict is scheduled at the end of May.

WHAT IS SECURITY LIKE FOR SUCH A MASSIVE EVENT?

The courthouse is on the island at the center of Paris, lile de la Cite. All driving, parking and even pedestrian traffic will be blocked from most of the surrounding streets and along the banks of the Seine River. There will be different entries for different parties to the case, who face searches each time they enter the building and at multiple checkpoints.

The trial starts each day at 12:30 p.m. to avoid having to search everyone again after a midday lunch break.

WILL THE TRIAL BE BROADCAST?

None of the proceedings will be televised or rebroadcast for the public, but it will be recorded for archival purposes. The videos wont be accessible to the general public. Cameras are restricted to filming outside the trial room.

Video recording is illegal in French courts and has only been allowed for a handful of cases considered to be of historical value. The attacks trial will be the 13th case deemed so. In the past, France has recorded trials of Nazi officials and collaborators including Klaus Barbie, Rwandan officials involved in the Tutsi genocide and figures linked to Chilean Gen. Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.

The most recent recorded court proceedings were last year, for the January 2015 attacks against the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris and a kosher supermarket.
AP

HANOVER, Md. (AP)  The driver of a passenger tour bus was shot and wounded early Tuesday while traveling on a Maryland highway, state police said.

The tour bus was traveling on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Interstate 195 around 2:45 a.m. when a passing motorist shot at the bus, police said in a news release. The driver was struck and pulled off the road and into the departure lanes at Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
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Monadnock Regional School Board

Monadnock school board chair: Stipend vote should have been public

Jack Rooney / Sentinel Staff Monadnock Regional School Board Chairman Scott Peters of Troy, left, and Superintendent Lisa Witte participate in Tuesday nights board meeting at the middle/high school in Swanzey Center. Jack Rooney / Sentinel Staff Monadnock Regional School Board Chairman Scott Peters of Troy speaks at Tuesday nights board meeting at the middle/high school in Swanzey Center. During the meeting, Peters said a June 15 vote to spend roughly $450,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds on staff stipends should have happened in a public meeting, instead of a non-public session, and took responsibility for the misstep. Jack Rooney / Sentinel Staff Monadnock Regional School District Superintendent Lisa Witte speaks during Tuesday nights board meeting at the middle/high school in Swanzey Center, where she updated board members on the seven vacant staff positions in the district. The school staffing challenges are common right now throughout the region, Witte said.

SWANZEY CENTER  The Monadnock Regional School Boards June 15 vote to spend roughly $450,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds on staff stipends should have happened in a public meeting, the board chairman said Tuesday.

The board took that vote in a non-public session, a move that has drawn criticism from several residents of the district  which covers Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Richmond, Roxbury, Swanzey and Troy. At Tuesday nights board meeting, Chairman Scott Peters of Troy took responsibility for what he characterized as an unintentional misstep.

The mistake we made was in not exiting non-public and taking the vote for the use of the grant funding in a public setting, Peters said during the meeting, which was held in the library of Monadnock Regional Middle/High School in Swanzey Center and also broadcast via Zoom. So, I accept responsibility for that. Im sorry.

Peters said the board entered that June 15 non-public session for an appropriate reason, but when the conversation shifted, the group should have moved back to a public session to vote on the $450,024 in stipends for 334 employees, representing 2.5 percent of staff members annual compensation.

The board went into that closed-door session for the purpose of discussing the compensation of any public employee, according to the minutes. Thats one of about a dozen reasons New Hampshire state law allows public bodies like school boards to go into non-public meetings.

The June 15 conversation, Peters said, was a continuation of one that began two weeks earlier in another non-public session, when the board began discussing the possibility of providing stipends for a few staff members based on their performance during the 2020-21 school year.

What happened in that moment, however, is we were immediately presented with the opportunity to use CARES funds to support the take-home stipends, Peters said Tuesday, referencing the federal coronavirus relief package. And we did not continue the conversation about individual performance because we learned there was sufficient funding to support stipends for all.

Adam Hopkins of Troy, who initially raised concerns about the transparency of the boards non-public vote on the stipends, said previously that the board used an overly broad interpretation of the exemption in state law that allows non-public discussions on individual compensation. That provision covers conversations about payment of a single employee, not entire groups of school staff, said Hopkins, who also chairs Monadnocks budget committee.

Peters said previously that the board received guidance from the districts attorneys that the decision on the stipends should be made in a non-public session. But on Tuesday, Peters said he agrees with Hopkins assessment, and said he should have moved the board back into a public discussion when the conversation turned to a district-wide staff stipend.

It was at that moment that we should have exited non-public to continue the conversation, Peters, who has been on the board since 2015, said. And this is not [the] administrations fault. This is specifically my fault. I should have recognized that moment, when we were in it, and I should have stopped the conversation to get us out of non-public.

Board members Elizabeth Tatro of Swanzey and Lisa Steadman of Troy, the boards vice chairwoman, told Peters he did not need to take full responsibility for the error. But, Peters said, its the job of the board chair and vice chair to make sure that were operating according to our mandate. (Steadman, who previously served as board chairwoman, was not present for the June 15 non-public session).

Hopkins, the lone member of the public to attend Tuesdays meeting in person, thanked Peters and the board for providing follow-up information on the non-public stipend vote.

The Monadnock district has been allocated a total of $6,466,526 in federal COVID-19 relief money over four rounds of grant funding, according to the district. The district is currently seeking public input on how to prioritize spending $3,961,969 Monadnock has been allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act, which President Joe Biden signed in March. These funds are eligible to be spent through September 2023 for purposes ranging from educational programs to help students recover from the effects of the pandemic to facility upgrades like ventilation systems, according to federal guidelines.

As of Tuesday, Monadnock Assistant Superintendent Jeremy Rathbun said the district had received 28 responses to its request for input, all from staff members.

And the vast majority of that input had to do with ventilation and climate control, about schools being too hot, too cold and wanting more ventilation, Rathbun said. So the vast majority of that feedback really revolved around air quality.

Also at Tuesdays meeting, Superintendent Lisa Witte updated board members on current staff vacancies. At the boards Aug. 17 meeting, the district had 14.5 open positions, according to the minutes of that meeting. That figure has dropped to seven as of Tuesday, Witte said, with paraprofessionals remaining the biggest need.

From what I know of whats happening in other districts in our region, thats similar, Witte said after the meeting. And thats a longstanding difficulty. I think its been more difficult with COVID, but its not new, unfortunately. Those are hard roles to fill. Theyre great roles, theyre great jobs, but they can be difficult. And so it takes a special person to be a paraprofessional.

Witte told the board she remains hopeful the district will be able to fill all open positions soon, though she did not provide a specific timeline.
Keene, NH (03431)

Today

Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
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Good morning, Bay Area. Its Wednesday, Sept. 8, and investigators are trying to figure out what started a rash of fires Monday night in Healdsburg. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

The myriad housing and rental reports available out there can be confusing, and sometimes even contradictory.

So The Chronicles data team put together a guide for reviewing housing data from some of the more common sources such as Zillow, Redfin and Compass, breaking down what they provide, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

The guide, from reporter Susie Nielson, focuses on reports that try to capture the value, and value change, of homes within the Bay Areas rental and real estate markets.

Also:

 City officials are putting the brakes on plans to turn a tourist hotel in Japantown into housing for homeless people after droves of neighbors complained about the proposal.

 Find your next Bay Area home through the The Chronicles housing guide.

Possible arson?

Deanne Fitzmaurice/Special to The Chronicle

On Monday night, a rash of about 15 small fires ignited one after another around the outskirts of Healdsburg, quickly doused by a cavalry of firefighters.

Law enforcement officers are investigating the fires that have the mark of possible arson, but Cal Fire officials are not ruling anything out.

Other than lightning, pretty much all fires are human-caused, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Marshall Turbeville said Monday. We look at everything that happened and follow the scientific process.

Read more from Julie Johnson about the suspicious occurrence.

Also:

 Northern Californias hellish wildfire season is not over yet, and its on pace to match 2020s record-setting season.

 Thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the Bay Area later this week, raising concern that dry lightning could spark new fires.

Coronavirus updates

 Californias COVID-19 supplemental sick-leave pay is set to expire at the end of September. Will it be renewed?

 The Chronicle is tracking every reported coronavirus case in the San Francisco Unified School District, which reopened to more than 50,000 students on Aug. 16.

Around the Bay

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

 Stalled by the pandemic: Oaklands flagship anti-violence program, Oakland Ceasefire, largely switched to remote work just when the city needed it the most. Also: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to outlaw the sale and possession of ghost gun kits and parts.

 California drought: San Francisco is suing the state for enacting sweeping drought restrictions that prevent thousands of landowners from drawing water from rivers and creeks. Also: Check the water shortage status, reservoir levels and restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts with The Chronicles drought tracker.

 Lawsuit dropped: San Francisco school board member Alison Collins dropped her $87 million lawsuit against the district and five fellow board members Tuesday.

 Recall election: President Joe Biden plans to travel to California early next week in an effort to support Gov. Gavin Newsom in the gubernatorial recall election. Also: Newsom makes a campaign stop Tuesday in S.F.s Mission District to pump up Latino voter turnout. And: Larry Elder, the radio host and Republican front-runner in Californias recall election, has raised more than $18.3 million.

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.

 New state park? A 3,100-acre stretch of land in Alameda County could soon become a protected state park instead of an off-road vehicle space.

 Elizabeth Holmes trial: The former Theranos CEO and her partner are reportedly living on the grounds of the most expensive estate currently listed for sale in the Bay Area.

Chronicle Food

Briana Marie Photography

Fans of the Redwood City-based Impossible Foods brand can now try a new product: vegan chicken nuggets.

The plant-based nuggets, which will be priced at $7.99 for 20 pieces, are now for sale at Gotts Roadside restaurants and the El Alto Jr. pop-up at the brand-new State Street Market in downtown Los Altos.

Unlike the gradual debut of the Impossible Burger in 2016, the vegan nuggets will be widely available soon. Restaurants can already order the nuggets through major distributors, and some grocery stores like Safeway and Walmart will stock the nuggets in their frozen aisles later this month.

Read more from Janelle Bitker.

 Check out the list of the buzziest new restaurants and pop-ups across the Bay Area.

 State Street Market, an ambitious food hall thats been years in the making, opened Tuesday in downtown Los Altos.

 Cassavas popular Japanese breakfast is coming to a bigger location in S.F.s North Beach.

Bay Briefing is written by Kellie Hwang and Anna Buchmann and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com.
When Lucy Koh, a federal judge in San Jose, was nominated to a U.S. appeals court in San Francisco by President Barack Obama in 2016, Senate Republicans refused to hold a confirmation vote, and the vacancy was later filled by an appointee of President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Koh was one of three judges nominated by President Biden to the same court, with an apparently clear path to confirmation.

Biden also named Gabriel Sanchez, a justice on the states First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco and a former farm labor attorney, and Holly Thomas, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge and a former civil rights lawyer, to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In addition, the president nominated three judges to the trial-level U.S. District Courts in California: Maame Frimpong and Hernan Vera, both Los Angeles County Superior Court judges, to the federal court in Los Angeles, and Jennifer Thurston to the Sacramento-based Eastern District, where she has served as a magistrate since 2009. Frimpong is a former Justice Department attorney, and Vera is a former president of Public Counsel, the nations largest law firm that specializes in providing free legal services.

The Ninth Circuit nominations, if confirmed by the Democratic-controlled Senate, will not change the partisan balance on the nations largest federal appeals court, which has 16 Democratic appointees among its 29 full-time judges. The nominees would succeed three appointees of President Bill Clinton  Judges Marsha Berzon, William Fletcher and Richard Paez  who all plan to transfer to senior status, with a reduced caseload, once their successors are confirmed.

Biden previously nominated longtime labor attorney Jennifer Sung to succeed Judge Susan Graber, another Clinton appointee who is taking senior status.

But the new selections signal an end to the circuits rightward shift under Trump, who appointed 10 judges to a court that had previously been among the most liberal of the nations appellate courts. The three-judge panels that hear most cases include senior judges, and the odds of drawing a panel with a Republican-appointed majority are currently about 50-50.

The nominees are diverse, experienced and decades younger than their predecessors, who will remain available to hear cases, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who tracks judicial nominations. But he said Californias senators, Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, need to act more quickly to recommend new judges for U.S. District Courts, which have 18 vacancies classified by the judicial system as emergencies in California.

Koh, a former federal prosecutor, became the nations first Korean-American federal District Court judge when Obama appointed her to the San Jose court in 2010, and would become the second federal appellate judge of Korean descent if confirmed to the Ninth Circuit.

Her February 2016 nomination to the appeals court was one of many that Republican leaders refused to take up in the last two years of Obamas presidency. They included Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland, then a federal appeals court judge and now Bidens attorney general, to succeed Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February 2016.

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.

As a federal judge, Koh refused to dismiss a suit in 2014 by thousands of employees who accused companies, including Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe Systems, of conspiring to hold salaries down by agreeing not to hire one anothers workers. The four companies agreed to a $415 million settlement in 2015.

After her Senate rejection, Koh presided over a suit on the Trump administrations handling of the 2020 census, and issued a nationwide injunction last fall prohibiting the administration from halting census-taking a month ahead of schedule, a shutdown that could have reduced population counts in minority communities.

Chronicle Washington correspondent Tal Kopan contributed to this story.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Californias special COVID-19 sick-leave policy, which has sustained many low-income workers during the pandemic, is set to expire Sept. 30, a change that is raising fears of new disruptions for communities of color and others disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.

The looming cutoff  which would erase the requirement for an extra two weeks of paid sick days  comes just as the highly transmissible and potent delta variant is sending more people to hospitals, even amid higher rates of vaccination. Low-income workers, many in jobs requiring them to interact with the public, face financial loss if they dont get paid while staying home when infected with the coronavirus. But they risk the public health as well as their own well-being if they do report to work out of financial necessity, proponents of the policy say.

The state Legislature would have to act before Fridays close of session to keep the COVID sick-leave policy alive. The extension measure was not in print for public review by Tuesday night, the deadline for it to be eligible for a vote by Friday.

The program, enacted in California earlier this year, was funded by the federal government. That federal funding expires on Sept. 30, meaning if California were to extend the sick-leave program, it would have to find new money or pass the cost to businesses.

Oakland resident Victor Moreno, 56, knows the value of extended sick pay. He got COVID-19 in January and received nearly two weeks of paid time off from his job at a Berkeley company making alternative meat products. That employer offered generous benefits and encouraged his time off, he said. But in his current job, at a San Francisco restaurant, it would be a different story if he were to get sick without the mandated extended sick leave.

I dont know how I would have survived without the time off, said Moreno, who described COVID-19 as a terrible experience. To have no income coming in when youre that sick, I dont know how people go through it.

California requires all employers to offer three days of paid sick leave, but during the pandemic expanded the requirement for workplaces with more than 25 employees. SB 95, effective this past March, required them to provide an additional 80 paid hours off for COVID-related illness. Without lawmakers action to extend it, the requirement will be on track to die on Sept. 30.

Lacking a vote on the measure this week, a special session or an executive order by the governor could be other ways to address the extension, but those avenues appeared an uphill challenge. After Fridays close, lawmakers are not back until Jan. 3. Gov. Gavin Newsoms office did not respond to requests for comment.

The California Chamber of Commerce opposed an SB95 extension on grounds that the federal tax credits that helped employers absorb the sick-leave requirement are ending. An extension would leave businesses that are struggling to rebuild burdened with a new obligation they cannot afford at this time, the Chamber wrote to the Legislature last month. The organization also warned that extending sick leave for those who have chosen to remain unvaccinated only encourages the decision to remain unvaccinated.

Demand for sick leave has risen during the pandemic, particularly for some workers who risk more exposure to the virus, according to employment lawyers. Without paid leave, low-income workers, many of whom work in the retail, hospitality and restaurant industries, face an impossible choice in having to decide between their health and their work, they say.

So many families cant afford to go without their income right now, said Katherine Wutchiett, staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, a San Francisco nonprofit providing legal services to working-class families. Even before the pandemic, for many people, its been hard to find a job that is healthy and safe and pays an income they need, she said.

Wutchiett said the number of cases and inquiries around legal action on perceived unfair paid sick leave policies doubled at her work during the pandemic. She declined to provide specific figures, but called it unthinkable that the state would let this expire.

We cannot let Sept. 30 come and go without extending this, said Mitch Steiger, a legislative advocate at the California Labor Federation. Workers need to take the time they need to get well if they get sick.

Californias regular policy, ensuring three days of paid leave, dates to 2014. San Francisco enacted its own sick leave law in 2006.

A recent UCLA study found the U.S. to be lagging behind almost every other country in offering sick pay to its workers, a scenario that deepens social inequalities.

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 disparities in sick leave access are worsened by eligibility rules, Dr. Jody Heymann, professor at UCLAs School of Public Health and lead author of the study, told The Chronicle. People of color have faced higher risks of financial ruin due to job losses, and higher risks of danger to their health because of working conditions exposing them to COVID-19.

The U.S. is one of just 11 countries globally without required paid medical leave, the new study said. Though no federal law mandates pay, the Family and Medical Leave Act provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for serious medical conditions.

The Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, which is a coalition of 11 greater Bay Area public health departments and the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, consisting of 10 health departments, implored the state to extend the states COVID sick leave policy as the delta variant picked up speed in late August.

When workers do not have adequate paid leave, fear of job loss and resulting economic instability leads many to report to work even when they are ill, increasing the spread of infectious disease, the coalition wrote.

For Moreno, the multiple days of paid sick leave were a lifesaver.

A lot honestly depends on the work culture of a place. Even if something is legal, it doesnt mean itll be looked upon as good when workers exercise their rights, Moreno said. I was lucky to have a good employer when I got COVID, but what if I worked somewhere else where that was not the case?

Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com; Twitter/Instagram: @shwanika
San Francisco, along with a handful of Central Valley irrigation districts, is suing the state for enacting drought restrictions that are keeping thousands of landowners and suppliers from drawing water from rivers and creeks.

The lawsuit, filed late last week in Fresno County Superior Court, claims that the State Water Resources Control Board  drought or no drought  does not have the authority to suspend the draws of those with the most senior claims to Californias water.

These water-rights holders include farms and many of their suppliers, as well as San Francisco. The city holds water rights on the Tuolumne River that date from between 1901 and 1911, allowing it to collect mountain runoff in reservoirs at and around Yosemite National Park and pipe it 160 miles to the Bay Area.

The orders to halt water draws came last month when state officials, after two years of punishing drought, determined that the Sacramento-San Joaquin River basin doesnt have enough water to go around. The move, which curtails 4,500 farms, businesses, public agencies and others that divert water between Fresno and the Oregon border, represents the most drastic cuts ever under Californias water-rights system.

The lawsuit, in turn, represents a major threat to the states ability to manage dwindling water supplies.

Many of those hit with the curtailment orders have backup water sources or storage thats not affected by the crackdown, including San Francisco. But some dont, and others that have plenty of water want to preserve their ability to draw from rivers  for if and when their supplies run out.

Weve got a decent amount of water, certainly by comparison to other people, said Steve Ritchie, an assistant general manager for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the citys water department. But this drought has come upon us faster and deeper than the most recent droughts. So with curtailments, if we have a very dry year next year ... well start to get a lot more nervous.

The SFPUC provides water not only to city residents and businesses but to several other communities in the Bay Area.

The thrust of the legal challenge is that the state water board, which began regulating water draws in 1914, doesnt have authority over water rights that predate its powers. Those with water rights dating before 1914, considered senior rights holders, claim that only the courts have jurisdiction.

As a pre-1914 water-rights holder, there are legal questions about what they can and cant do with us, Ritchie said.

The suit also argues that the state water board hasnt established a clear need to make cuts, nor have the cuts been implemented in a fair and legal way. The litigants say the state doesnt have the tools to adequately measure water use, and therefore, cant ration water appropriately.

The lawsuit was filed by the San Joaquin Tributaries Authority, which represents water suppliers that tap the rivers flowing to the San Joaquin River. The suppliers include Modesto Irrigation District, Oakdale Irrigation District, South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District and San Francisco.

Officials with the state water board declined to discuss the suit. In an email Tuesday, agency spokesperson Jackie Carpenter commented only on the August curtailment orders, calling them necessary to address extreme water shortages.

The past two years have been among Californias driest. Theyve left many of the rivers and creeks in the vast Sacramento-San Joaquin River basin at record lows. The basin covers about 40% of the state.

Californias priority-rights system, which dates to the Gold Rush when miners made claims on the states waterways, is based largely on who first staked out the water. Under the system, when water supplies are low, those with more junior rights have to defer to those with senior claims. Surface water from rivers and creeks makes up the bulk of Californias water supply. This year, though, many suppliers are having to turn to groundwater, recycled water or desalination.

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.

While the state water board occasionally makes cuts down the hierarchy of surface water rights, rarely have pre-1914 rights holders been curtailed. One occasion was last decades drought, which resulted in lawsuits similar to this years challenge.

In those cases, the courts partially favored senior water-rights holders, though the opinions took issue more with how the state implemented the cuts and not their merit. The issue is yet to be settled. This year, the state water board has taken a slower, more deliberate approach to curtailments, providing more notice and public hearings for water users, cognizant of past suits and hoping for a different outcome.

Water attorney and consultant Felicia Marcus, now a visiting fellow at Stanford University and a former chair of the state water board, said the state stands a good chance of prevailing this time around. She added that the stakes are high because the state needs to retain the ability to regulate water use during extraordinary droughts like the current one.

Senior water-rights holders control roughly half of the water, and on some water courses, nearly all of the water, Marcus said. So, without that authority there is no there there.

In total, 10,300 water rights, held by 4,500 parties, are being curtailed by the state.

In the Sacramento River watershed, which covers rivers and creeks north of Sacramento, water users with rights gained after the mid-1890s are being cut off. In the San Joaquin River watershed, which covers waterways south of Sacramento, all water-rights holders are being restricted. Those with land next to a waterway, with so-called riparian rights, are not being curtailed.

The extent of the cuts seeks to leave enough water in rivers and creeks for fish and other wildlife as well as for water-rights holders at the very top of the pecking order.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to outlaw the sale and possession of ghost gun kits and parts in the city, marking a key moment in what is emerging as a statewide battle against the untraceable weapons.

The ordinance allows police and the city attorneys office to go after manufacturers and providers who profit off the sale of ghost gun kits and parts. Officials would be able to build up trafficking cases against them. Each violation or sale of a part would be punishable by a $1,000 fine.

The legislation will now move to a second, perfunctory read by San Francisco supervisors before its presented to Mayor London Breed to sign into law, after which it would take effect in 30 days.

The ordinance comes amid a surge in the number of ghost guns found in the city over the past year. In San Francisco, police seized 164 ghost guns last year  a 2,600% increase from the six they confiscated in 2016.

By April 30, San Francisco police had seized 75. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott told The Chronicle in May that 44% of the recovered guns used in San Francisco homicides were ghost guns, compared to 6% in 2019.

This massive loophole has allowed ghost guns to become the weapon of choice among those who are otherwise prohibited from obtaining a firearm, said District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who authored the legislation in May, when San Francisco became the first city in the state to introduce such an ordinance.

Stefani said the legislation gives the city the power to hold ghost gun manufacturers accountable for their role in proliferating violence in our community.

Anyone can order ghost gun parts without a background check and have them delivered almost anywhere in the U.S. Ghost guns are often shipped in parts or disassembled kits, and online how-to videos show even an amateur how to put together a fully operational firearm in less than an hour. Since the weapons come in pieces, theyre not technically considered firearms and can be shipped without serial numbers and without a background check.

So unlike conventional firearms, which can be traced back to the original buyer if found at a crime scene, ghost guns strip police of a crucial investigative tool.

People who purchase ghost guns parts are required to register the firearm with the U.S. Department of Justice to receive a serial number, which forces the owner to submit to a background check. But because ghost guns are often purchased with the specific intent of committing crimes, critics say, there is little compliance with this law.

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 proliferation of ghost guns comes amid a recent spike in shootings in San Francisco, a trend that has tracked with cities across the nation. San Francisco police recently reported a 78% rise in shooting victims over the past year, with 151 victims recorded by the end of August, compared to 85 during the same time period in 2020.

The 2021 figure is also significantly higher than any other time in the past five years, with an average of 104 victims reported during through August between 2016 and 2020.

Last month San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced his office was suing the manufacturers of three companies that make and distribute untraceable weapons, in what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind legal battle.

The suit, filed jointly alongside law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters and the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, alleges that the manufacturers violated state laws that require them to apply for serial numbers, and that they misled consumers into believing the firearms  even without serial numbers  were legal.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
DNY59/Getty Image

A counselor at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall has been charged with assault after he allegedly punched a detained 17-year-old boy in the head about a dozen times while breaking up a fight, the countys district attorneys office said Tuesday.

Robert Medellin, 46, a counselor at the San Jose detention facility for 18 years, took the boy to the ground, punched him repeatedly as the boy tried to protect his head with his hands and slammed the boys head into the floor before handcuffing him, according to the district attorneys office.
It seems like the only consistent thread to the Bay Areas housing story is that its very expensive to live here. Otherwise, studying reports on the regional housing market can feel like riding a Ferris Wheel. One day rent in San Francisco is cheaper than in New York City, and the next its way more expensive. One month home prices soar, and the next they plummet.

Many different organizations release reports on Bay Area housing trends. To cut through the noise, the Chronicle data team put together a guide of the available housing data from some of the more prominent sources, including those we have found most reliable and the ones we normally try to take with a grain of salt.

We focused on housing reports that try to capture the current value and recent changes to the value of homes within the Bay Areas rental and real-estate markets. This review was originally intended for internal purposes, but we thought it was worth sharing more widely.

The Chronicle data teams preferred data resources for understanding changes to home values are CoreLogic, Zillow and the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS). For changes to the rental market, we recommend Apartment List, Zillow and the ACS. But we also recognize that other data sources may be appropriate depending on exactly what a person is hoping to learn.

Zillow

Rentals: Yes

Sales: Yes

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/2jbrfabj

What they aim to provide: Zillow offers detailed monthly data on how home values and rents are changing, ranging from nationwide trends down to shifts at the neighborhood level.

Instead of just looking at homes that have sold in a given month, Zillow calculates monthly changes to its Zestimates  estimated values for nearly every home in the U.S. It calculates a homes Zestimate by looking at its features (the number of bedrooms, for example), location and sales of homes nearby, among other factors.

To look at changes to rents, Zillow uses whats called a repeated transaction methodology, where it only looks at properties that have been listed more than once. This allows it to analyze changes to rents for the same units over time.

Strengths: Zillow is generally regarded as one of the countrys best sources for property value data because of the Zestimate, which allows it to track changes to values of all homes, not just properties that have recently been on the market. Because the Zestimate does not rely solely on recent sales data, its reports can also be produced more quickly than others and capture changes reliably down to the neighborhood level.

Weaknesses: Zillows index is not quite as accurate when estimating the average value of listed homes as, say, Redfin, whose index focuses more on currently listed properties than every home that exists. Zillows real estate and rental numbers also do not reveal as much about what is on the market, as they give a sense of overall price levels.

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey

Rentals: Yes

Sales: Yes

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/y7835c5x

What they aim to provide: The American Community Survey (ACS) gathers multiple data points on housing in the U.S. on a yearly basis, including the share of homes that are occupied by renters vs. homeowners, the self-reported values of those homes, and median rents.

Strengths: The ACS surveys over 3.5 million U.S. households and is generally regarded as one of the most accurate sources of data about the American population over time. Its data can assess changes to rents and home values down to the neighborhood level.

Weaknesses: The American Community Survey relies on self-reported data, and not everyone may report their own home values or rents accurately. The survey also only publishes once a year, so its data will not reflect monthly fluctuations in the housing market.

CoreLogic

Rentals: Not for the Bay Area

Sales: Yes

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/yuj55h3x

What they aim to provide: CoreLogics main product is the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which reflects the average change in home values across 20 different metropolitan areas and is calculated monthly.

Strengths: The index is considered the gold standard for housing value data for people seeking to understand changes to the U.S. housing market over time; the Federal Housing Finance Agency uses it, as do many of the property websites listed below. It only uses data on houses that have sold at least twice to capture how each unit has changed in value over time.

Weaknesses: The Case-Shiller Price Index doesnt update as quickly or frequently as some of the property data reports below. The Index also doesnt have data at a level more granular than metropolitan areas, and only indexes a select number of metro areas (although San Francisco is included). Finally, its index does not list a dollar value for a typical home in a given region.

Redfin

Rentals: Yes

Sales: Yes

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/7ufp8e2w

What they aim to provide: Redfin publishes data on monthly sales prices of homes, among other reports. It draws from sales reported to county governments and multiple listing services, organizations that gather home sales data from lots of realtors. It has also recently started to publish data on average monthly rents.

Strengths: Redfin publishes data more quickly than many other platforms, and provides both median sales price data and a Redfin estimate, which is similar to Zillows Zestimate in that it considers multiple aspects of a home including its location and other attributes. Unlike Zillow, however, Redfin focuses on homes that are currently on the market  though it does calculate estimates for off-market homes.

Weaknesses: Redfins data is not as accurate as Zillows when looking at unlisted homes. This means that if youre using the site to understand the value of your own home before selling it, you should search for similar homes near yours that have recently sold  not your own property. Redfin also has less-thorough coverage of areas outside of major metros, though the companys Bay Area data is among its most reliable and complete.

California Association of Realtors

Rentals: No

Sales: Yes

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/tj252dhh

What they aim to provide: The California Association of Realtors (CAR) releases monthly data on real estate trends in California, including the number of home sales, median sale price, number of active listings and more.

The organization also calculates a Housing Affordability Index on a quarterly basis; this index looks at the percentage of households in a given region that could afford a median-priced single-family home.

Strengths: CAR focuses exclusively on California, which can be useful to people looking at trends across the state and within its regions. Its reports also analyze changes to inventory and active listings, providing a birds eye view of market demand.

Weaknesses: CAR primarily analyzes median prices, and does not account for changes in available housing stock, so is not as useful for assessing trends. In other words, while this data can reveal whether the average cost of a house in a market has risen, it does not say much about whether the price of a similar 3-bedroom house in the market is going up or not.

Compass

Rentals: No

Sales: Yes

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.

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/uaz3n7d8

What they aim to provide: Compass publishes monthly reports on home prices and real estate trends in major Bay Area markets, including San Francisco, Marin and Oakland-Berkeley.

Strengths: For sheer volume of reports, Compass cant be beat. And the reports cover a lot of ground, citing everything from monthly new listings and average number of days on market to an unsold inventory index, which calculates how long it would take for all homes in a given market to sell out at the current rate of sales. Compass averages its sales data across three months to help control for outliers.

Weaknesses: Compass lacks its own sophisticated index like the Zestimate or the Redfin Estimate, and the companys Bay Area reports do not generally incorporate Census data, which include a wider range of housing types, like public housing. So its reports might have a higher margin of error than Redfin and Zillow.

Apartment List

Rentals: Yes

Sales: No

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/88d25zaz

What they aim to provide: Apartment List publishes a monthly report that estimates median rent for studio apartments and 1, 2, 3 and 4+ bedroom apartments.

The company looks at data from the Census Bureau to analyze rent statistics for recent movers. Its analysts then estimate how rents have changed more recently using a growth rate calculated from listing data on its platform.

Strengths: Because Apartment List uses Census data and not just its own listings, its rent averages reflect more types of properties, including public housing and single-family rental homes. Other websites tend to over-represent more expensive rental units, according to Apartment List researcher Rob Warnock.

Apartment List also estimates changes in actual rents paid by renters, not list prices, which is helpful because landlords often reduce list prices over time as units remain vacant. Apartment List also uses a similar repeat transaction model as Case-Shiller and Zillow, where it looks at changes in the same apartments rents over time instead of just looking at how median rents overall have changed.

Weaknesses: While it uses Census data to look at median rents in various months, Apartment List only uses listings on its own platform to look at changes over time. So if rents change in a market segment that doesnt have a strong presence on Apartment List, the platform may not accurately reflect changes to that market within a given month.

Zumper

Rentals: Yes

Sales: No

Where to find the data: https://tinyurl.com/7cpxvejj

What they aim to provide: Zumper generates monthly reports on changes to median rents for one- and two-bedroom apartments for the top 100 most populous cities in the U.S., plus hundreds of other cities within major metropolitan areas. Its most recent report for the S.F. Bay Area was published on August 26. It sources its rental data through its own website, as well as multiple listing services.

Zumpers methodology excludes listings that are currently occupied or not on the market. Zumper spokesperson Crystal Chen said this allows the websites reports to serve as a better measure of what a consumer would experience shopping for an apartment at any given time. Chen noted, however, that the sites reports do not capture every new listing on the market.

Strengths: Zumper sources from over one million active listings per month, more than many other property websites, according to Chen.

Weaknesses: Like Compass, Zumper does not use an index to measure change over time  it looks at changes to median rents. Thus, its monthly data can look more volatile than the actual market, and potentially mislead consumers as to changes in a given market over time.

For instance, if a slew of new luxury apartment buildings were constructed within a year or two in Oakland, a report from Zumper might show that the median price of a one-bedroom apartment in the city jumped up, when in reality most of the citys one-bedroom apartments could have hovered around the same monthly rental price.

Additionally, Zumpers reports source largely from listings on its own website, which skew towards higher-income properties, according to urban economist Joe Cortwright. So median rents and home prices may look higher in Zumper reports than they actually are in reality.

Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson
The battle against the Caldor Fire near South Lake Tahoe was holding steady Wednesday, but more firefighters were arriving as conditions were expected to grow more intense, with temperatures pushing into the high 90s  which qualified it as a heat warning day.

Also, the National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a fire weather watch in effect from 5 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday for all of interior Northern California, including the Caldor Fire area in the Sierra and the Dixie Fire area to the north. The watch indicates the potential for storms producing dry lightning and gusty winds to spark new fires.

The Caldor Fire, burning since Aug. 14, was at 217,569 acres and 50% contained on Wednesday. By midday, the fire had burned an additional 1,000 acres  compared to 1,500 acres on Labor Day, and about the same as Tuesday.

Weve had days where it burned 13,000 acres, so it is a good day. The fire is winding down, said Siobhan Slater, public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service.

On Wednesday, the blaze continued moving away from Lake Tahoe, with the Kirkwood Mountain Resort to the south and Desolation Wilderness to the north still in danger.

The firefighting force grew to 4,820, an increase of 100 from Tuesday.

I believe there is a crew from Mexico today, so we are pulling from afar, Slater said.

Samuel Metz / Associated Press

The population centers of Grizzly Flats, Meyers and Washoe Meadows remained evacuated.

There was better news on evacuations in the Dixie Fire to the north, where evacuation warnings were lifted after as long as six weeks for some portions of Lassen County.

On Wednesday morning, residents of Janesville, Milford, and both the Herlong and North Doyle area were told by Cal Fire that their communities were no longer in immediate danger.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

The Dixie Fire, which started July 14, is by far the largest wildfire currently burning in California. At 922,192 acres Wednesday, it was nearing the all-time record set by the August Complex, which consumed 1,032,648 acres last year. Containment of the Dixie Fire was at 59% Wednesday.

The battle has held steady, but the weather was expected to be hotter and drier for the next few days, with temperatures rising into the 90s and winds at 10-15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

We still want to encourage people to stay vigilant on the weather and fire behavior, said Mike Yeun, Cal Fire public information officer on the Dixie Fire.

The Bridge Fire, which started Sunday in Placer County, had burned 411 acres and was 50% contained in the area around Foresthill Bridge on Wednesday.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @samwhitingsf
When the voracious Caldor Fire raced through forested Phillips near South Lake Tahoe, it destroyed dozens of cabins but spared a couple. One was wrapped in what looks like aluminum foil, prompting some to describe it as a giant baked potato or an oversize plate of leftovers.

However odd that may sound, wrapping buildings with what are known as fire blankets or aluminized structure wrap can foil the flames of a wildfire.

The blankets are designed to help protect cabins and other structures in three ways:

 By preventing firebrands, or large burning embers, from entering buildings through gutters, eaves, vents, broken windows and roofs, or lodging in corners or other angular spots.

 By keeping homes from making direct contact with flames.

 By reflecting thermal radiation from a large fire burning nearby over a sustained period, possibly protecting the house from bursting into flames from the intense heat.

Fumiaki Takahashi, an engineering professor at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, has conducted experiments in laboratories and also in a prescribed burn area and concluded that two-layer blankets with an aluminum surface can block up to 92% of the convective heat and 96% of the radiation.

It is effective for protecting structures for a short period while the wildfire front passes  five to 10 minutes  but longer protection would be needed to prevent structure-to-structure ignition, he told The Chronicle.

The foil, usually applied with thousands of staples, isnt off-the-shelf Reynolds Wrap, though it is sold in rolls. Its aluminum on the outside, woven threads of polyester and fiberglass inside, and laminated with a high-temperature adhesive, according to Dan Hirning, founder of Firezat, a San Diego company that sells the foil.

Its not tin foil, he said. Its so perfectly engineered after all these years.

Foil-wrapped houses may seem like a new technology, Hirning said, but the idea was born in the Yellowstone National Park fires in 1988, when firefighters working to protect a remote historic building had to flee but cut up some of their protective fire shelters and tacked them to the building.

They think thats part of what saved them, he said.

Perhaps because of its origin, the U.S. Forest Service often uses his fire wrap, Hirning said, usually to protect historic cabins and other buildings off the beaten track where they cant be guarded by fire crews with hoses and water, or when firefighters cant wait for the flames. Theyve also been used by broadcasting and telecommunications companies to protect transmitters and repeaters as well as by homeowners, mainly people who own large remote estates or large family cabins.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

But the popularity of the foil among owners of smaller mountain homes and cabins in high-fire-danger zones has grown in recent years, Hirning said. Government firefighting agencies used to account for about 95% of his business, he said, but thats gradually shifted, and homeowners now account for about 40% of sales.

But wrapping the family cabin in protective foil isnt something that can be easily accomplished as the fire nears. Even if a homeowner has rolls of the wrap on hand, the biggest obstacle is time. Covering a typical cabin in foil takes four to five people six to seven hours and thousands of staples.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Firezat sells 200-foot rolls of 5-foot-wide foil wrap for $687, and there are other products on the market. To install the blanket, a homeowner and helpers place the roll on a shovel or broom handle and spool out the wrap, starting at the bottom of one wall of the house, stapling it into place, then moving up, overlapping the previous layer by a couple of inches. All vents and gaps need to be covered as well as the roof, depending on the type.

Once the house is covered, Hirning recommends topping the foil shield with chicken wire to help hold it in place as the fire nears and winds pick up.

Buyers are required to sign a waiver acknowledging that the product is not guaranteed to prevent a wrapped structure from being damaged or destroyed.

Jennifer Diamond, a spokesperson for the team fighting the Caldor Fire, wasnt sure who wrapped the Phillips Tract cabin but said shes helped cover a historic backcountry building with foil in the past. Aside from historic buildings, firefighters might choose to wrap a remote cabin where property owners have already cut back vegetation, cut down overhanging trees, and cleared roofs and gutters of debris.

With so many cabins and houses in the forests, the intensity of the fires and the limited number of firefighters, theres rarely the time or people to wrap more than a single structure, much less a cluster of homes in a rural neighborhood.

We dont have a lot of time to do all that, she said. It takes a lot of time and effort and firefighters to (wrap a cabin). Its not something we can run around and do to everything.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
The North Bay could see thunderstorms this week  a double-edged forecast for a region beset by drought but wary of the possibility of vegetation fires sparked by dry lightning.

The thunderstorms, which may or may not bring precipitation, are expected to roll into Napa and Sonoma counties Thursday afternoon and evening, said Jeff Lorber, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

There could be some moisture with these thunderstorms, but they could also be dry as well, Lorber said. Any lightning strikes pose significant hazards to our area because of very dry fuels, especially with the recent heat that weve been having and the very dry air mass thats settled into place.

Since last October, the start of the current meteorological year, the Bay Area has seen only about 39% of its normal rainfall for that time period. The last time it rained in San Francisco was Aug. 5, and that drizzle produced just four-hundredths of an inch of rainfall.

Its definitely been a dry period these past two years  this past year even more so than the previous year  and thats had a compounding effect, Lorber said. Its led to more severe drought.

Long periods without rain have dried out fields and forests across the state and created an abundance of dry fuel for vegetation fires to spark and spread. California is in the middle of its fire season and on pace to match last years record wildfire destruction.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Satellite images show an unrelated system of thunderstorms a couple hundred miles off the California coast, but Lorber said those storms are not expected to reach land.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
As Oakland grapples with rising violent crime, one city leader who voted against adding more money to the police budget in June has shifted her position.

Council Member Sheng Thao was one of six who voted in June to only fund four police academies over two years. At the time, Thao said that if she felt funding a fifth academy would make my son safer, I would vote for it today.

During the meeting, Thao said she was open to adding a fifth academy in the future after having conversations with the police chief about how to produce better graduation rates from the academy.

In the months since that vote, homicides continued to spike and some residents  including some of Thaos constituents  pressured leaders to add more police resources.

Thao said this week that she plans to introduce a resolution at the Sept. 21 City Council meeting to immediately fund an additional police academy this fiscal year and a second next year.

Thaos changing position signals a shift among some city leaders as public safety becomes a top issue.

So far in 2021, Oakland has seen 88 homicides, compared to 64 at this time last year.

Though a mayoral election is slated for November 2022, Thao said she is not actively working toward a mayoral run, but may change her mind in the future.

Thaos decision has been mostly applauded by city officials, who say the need for more officers is critical, but some criticized her shift.

I am shocked that she is proposing the exact thing that she voted against two months ago, said Council Member Loren Taylor, who had proposed funding five police academies in June. His proposal was rejected. It is disingenuous to portray yourself as an advocate. She was on the wrong side of history and is trying to correct it.

Thao told The Chronicle on Tuesday that voting in June to add a fifth academy would have been fiscally irresponsible.

Its been fully vetted now, Thao said. Its been worked on. We are not rushing the process. We are making sure we are fiscally responsible.

She said her decision to push for two more academies over two years comes after she was able to roll up her sleeves and work with the chief. Chief LeRonne Armstrong meets with all council members regularly. Thaos proposal directs the department to prioritize Oakland residents, people of color and women into the academies by teaming up with local colleges.

In June, Armstrong told the council he had begun working with Oaklands school district and Merritt College to offer career opportunities at the department. Thao also wants city staff to study the cost of offering child care services for trainees.

Thaos decision to support the fifth academy isnt exactly surprising given her comments in June that she could fund it in the future, said Jim Ross, an Oakland-based political consultant.

Her shift, in part, could come from the recent news that Oakland has made significant headway in its reforms under federal oversight. It also could be related to the news that a program to dispatch counselors and paramedics from the Fire Department to mental health crises, instead of police officers, may not launch until February, Ross said. Thats later than many city leaders had hoped.

In May, Mayor Libby Schaaf proposed a two-year budget that would have increased funding for the Oakland Police Department by spending $693 million total. The mayors plan would have paid for two additional police recruit academies, bringing the total to six.

Instead, council members approved a budget that redirected about $18 million from the Police Department to fund violence prevention measures and social services. Those investments included about $30 million from the broader budget set aside for council members to allocate.

Justin Berton, a spokesman for Schaaf, said in a statement that the mayors initial proposal of six academies was meant to maintain staff levels and provide all Oaklanders with a basic level of police service.

Berton said Thaos proposal, offered just 10 weeks later, gives council members a second chance to address the reality of an understaffed OPD.

Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, whose budget Thao voted for in June, said she needs more information about Thaos proposal and from the Police Department before supporting another police academy.

I was really clear when we passed our budget, both in terms of the amendments and my policy directives, that we have to see more effectiveness in how we are currently running and spending on our two police academies per year, Bas said. We have to see much more success in recruitment, graduation and retention.

On Tuesday, Barry Donelan, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, blasted the councils June decision again  pointing to a shrinking Police Department. The department recently fell below 700 sworn officers to 698 for the first time in six years, Donelan said.

I absolutely support the idea of more academies, he said of Thaos proposal. But the flip-flop is the irony here. She has voted to defund the police, and now faced with a staggering violent crime increase, its, Uh-oh, can I do a redo and try and get new academies?

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.

Thao said the Police Department saved on costs due to low graduation rates at prior police academies.

Paul Chambers, a spokesman for the Police Department, said the department was authorized and funded for 45 police officer trainees per academy for two academies. But in May, only 23 out of 45 trainees graduated after people dropped out. And a current police academy is set to graduate 26 out of 45 trainees  leaving 42 funded positions that wont be filled.

The cost savings from those two academies could potentially fund another academy, he said.

A sixth academy next year could be funded by taking money out of the polices overtime budget, Thao said. A 2019 city audit showed that the Police Department has averaged nearly $30 million in overtime costs over the previous four fiscal years.

Thao said, after talking to city staff, taking money from the overtime budget can be done.

Thaos decision also comes amid escalating pressure from residents in her district who say crime is increasing and they are tired of delayed 911 response times.

Waheed Alsaidi, owner of Montclair Auto Shop, said he wants more community policing and social services to help deter crime.

He said his business has been hurt by crime as car break-ins have increased. Instead of having up to 15 cars in his lot to work on, he takes only three at a time so he can park them inside his auto shop to ward off potential break-ins. When he calls 911, nobody comes.

Its better to have enough police so they can help the residents, Alsaidi said. I dont think there is enough because every time something happens and we call, they never show up.

Alsaidi said more than 20 residents attended a community meeting last week with Thao and Armstrong to discuss issues in the district. Alsaidi, who was there, said residents were upset with Thao that she was not voting in the right way.

Thao said shes had to explain to her constituents why she voted the way she did  to be fiscally responsible.

Public safety has been so politicized in this city, Thao said. Its not just one narrative. We need both police officers and we need violence interrupters and violence prevention, as well.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
One of Californias most cutting-edge wine brands is dissolving. Napas Dirty & Rowdy Wine Co., which has developed a devoted following for its experimental, genre-defying Mourvedres, is shutting down after 11 years.

Winemaker Hardy Wallace said that he had ended his partnership with co-founder Matt Richardson as of Wednesday. There are no physical assets to split up: The wine is produced at a shared facility, and the business never owned any vineyards or land. As his next act, Wallace is partnering with his wife Kate Graham to launch their own wine label, called Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!

I wish Hardy the very best with his new venture, said Richardson, who declined to comment further.

Wallace was always the face of Dirty & Rowdy, as well as the day-to-day winemaker. Richardson was far less visible. Yet the company was an equal partnership. Its title reflected that: Wallaces nickname was Dirty (a callback to his now-defunct wine blog, Dirty South Wine), and Richardsons was Rowdy.

The specialty at Dirty & Rowdy was always single-vineyard Mourvedre, a red grape variety most closely associated with Frances Southern Rhone Valley. Whereas most Mourvedres are fashioned as full-bodied, concentrated wines, Wallace crafted his with a much lighter touch, resulting in wines that could have easily been mistaken for a more delicate wine like Pinot Noir or Gamay in the glass.

Russell Yip/The Chronicle 2019

When they decided to part ways, Wallace and Graham considered offering to buy Richardsons share back from him. Ultimately, they decided it would be better to start fresh. It just doesnt seem like you can have a Dirty & Rowdy without a Dirty and a Rowdy, Wallace said.

Wallace declined to share details regarding the reason for the split, only saying that they no longer shared the same goals.

Their relationship predates either ones career in wine. In 2009, they were friends living in Atlanta when Wallace decided to apply for a contest sponsored by Murphy-Goode Winery in Healdsburg that offered $10,000 a month in exchange for social-media work. Wallace, who already had a following thanks to his wine blog, created a wacky application video, and Richardson filmed it. (Richardson also makes a cameo onscreen.) Wallace won.

After his stint at Murphy-Goode ended, Wallace stayed in Sonoma County and got a job working for Kevin Kelley, an influential natural wine producer operating an outlet called the Natural Process Alliance. That fall, one of his coworkers, Angela Osborne  the acclaimed winemaker now behind A Tribute to Grace and Land of Saints  connected Wallace with a vineyard in Santa Barbara that had some Mourvedre grapes to spare. Wallace could make that wine at Kelleys winery in his spare time, as a side hustle.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle 2019

He hadnt expected to make some wine of his own, Wallace said, and it suddenly presented all sorts of expenses  purchasing the fruit, paying for winemaking equipment. Richardson provided some of the starter capital, Wallace said, and the two created Dirty & Rowdy as a fifty-fifty partnership.

From the beginning, the Dirty & Rowdy wines stood out. They captured the attention of the natural-wine crowd, who liked Wallaces minimal-intervention protocols. The whites could be hazy and rust-colored, the reds pale and electrically juicy. His style became highly influential, contributing to a proliferation of wines made in this translucent-red fashion over the last couple of years. The labels stood out too, featuring busy cartoon renderings of Wallace and Richardson battling a leopard or being pursued by a Sasquatch.

Thanks in large part to Wallaces social-media presence and the legacy of his blogging days, the winery was able to build an uncommonly large direct-to-consumer business. In certain years, Dirty & Rowdy produced over 6,000 cases of wine, Wallace said, and by the end they were selling about 90% directly to their wine club, with only 10% of their volume going to restaurants or stores. (For the average U.S. winery, the inverse is true: Overall, direct-to-consumer shipments represent only about 10% of wines sold from the countrys wineries, according to data from Sovos Ship Compliant, an alcohol-distribution software company.)

For a few years, on the side, he and Graham operated a small label called Clothing Optional. They made only two or three barrels worth of wine and didnt publicize it much. Eventually, they rolled it under the larger Dirty & Rowdy business umbrella, and Graham left her career in nonprofits to join as a fulltime employee.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle 2019

But the couple came to miss the creative autonomy that the Clothing Optional project had afforded them, Wallace said. To be able to have that freedom  if we want to take risks, we can; if we want to make less wine, we can, he described. Kate and I didnt have that outlet anymore.

Now, with Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!, the couple hope to get that outlet back.

The new wines will be lower in quantity  about 800 cases per year, to start  and slightly higher in price, spanning $40-$60 as opposed to Dirty & Rowdys general $30-$50 range. There will be less of an emphasis on single-vineyard wines, and more on blends from vineyards in disparate areas of California. Mourvedre will remain part of the lineup but will not be the main focus. Already, in the last few weeks, Wallace has harvested Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, wines he never made for Dirty & Rowdy.

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The Extradimensional wines will be sold starting in mid-September, offered to a mailing list. That release will consist of a Chenin Blanc-Semillon blend, a light red that blends red and white grapes, an orange wine and a Mourvedre blend. Theyre from the 2019 and 2020 vintages, initially intended for Dirty & Rowdy bottles but now purchased back by Wallace and Graham for their new company.

There will still be some Dirty & Rowdy bottles in circulation, at least for a little while, since some of the 2020 wines did get bottled under the Dirty & Rowdy label.

Hardy Wallace

To get smaller and smaller means well bring in less money, sell less wholesale, Wallace said. Its just changing the business strategy. That involves price increases, but he also hope the smaller volume will allow him and Graham to focus more on direct interactions with their customers  virtual and in-person events, for example  in order to build up a loyal audience.

Leaving Dirty & Rowdy feels sad, Wallace said, but it also feels like a graduation, with all of the bittersweet connotations implied by that rite of passage.

He and Richardson are bound by these 11 years of work and this thing that we created together, Wallace said. It mattered to us and I think it stood for something for some people.

Even though were going on to this glorious next step, he continued, theres still those moments of sadness.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley
BEIJING (AP)  An avalanche of changes launched by Chinas ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinpings vision of making a more powerful, prosperous country by reviving revolutionary ideals, with more economic equality and tighter party control over society and entrepreneurs.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has called for the party to return to its original mission as Chinas economic, social and cultural leader and carry out the  rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation.

The party has spent the decade since then silencing dissent and tightening political control. Now, after 40 years of growth that transformed China into the world's factory but left a gulf between a wealthy elite and the poor majority, the party is promising to spread prosperity more evenly and is pressing private companies to pay for social welfare and back Beijings ambition to become a global technology competitor.

To support its plans, Xi's government is trying to create what it deems a more wholesome society by reducing childrens access to online games and banning sissy men who are deemed insufficiently masculine from TV.

Chinese leaders want to direct the constructive energies of all people in one laser-focused direction selected by the party, Andrew Nathan, a Chinese politics specialist at Columbia University, said in an email.

Beijing has launched anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns to tighten its control over internet giants, including e-commerce platform Alibaba Group and games and social media operator Tencent Holdings Ltd., that looked too big and potentially independent.

In response, their billionaire founders have scrambled to show loyalty by promising to share their wealth under Xis vaguely defined common prosperity initiative to narrow the income gap in a country with more billionaires than the United States.

Xi has yet to give details, but in a society where every political term is scrutinized for significance, the name revives a 1950s propaganda slogan under Mao Zedong, the founder of the communist government.

Xi is reviving the utopian ideal of early communist leaders, said Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. But of course, huge question marks have arisen, because this will hurt the most creative and lucrative parts of the economy.

Alibaba, Tencent and others have pledged tens of billions of dollars for job creation and social welfare initiatives. They say they will invest in developing processor chips and other technologies cited by Beijing as priorities.

The party's anti-monopoly enforcement and crackdown on how companies handle information about customers are similar to Western regulation. But the abrupt, heavy-handed way changes have been imposed is prompting warnings that Beijing is threatening innovation and economic growth, which already is declining. Jittery foreign investors have knocked more than $300 billion off Tencent's stock market value and billions more off other companies.

I expect that over the next year or two we are likely to see a very rocky relationship develop between the political elite and the business elite, Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Peking University's Guanghua School of Business, said in a report.

Chinese officials say the public, consumers and entrepreneurs will benefit from higher incomes and more regulatory oversight of corporate giants. Parents welcome curbs announced last month that limit children under 18 to three hours of online games a week and only on weekends and Friday night.

I feel this is a good rule, said Li Zhanguo, the father of an 8-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl in the central city of Zhengzhou. Games still have some addictive mechanisms. We cant count on childrens self-control.

The crackdowns reflect party efforts to control a rapidly evolving society of 1.4 billion people.

Some 1 million members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps in the northwest. Officials deny accusations of abuses including forced abortions and say the camps are for job training and to combat extremism.

A surveillance initiative dubbed Social Credit aims to track every person and company in China and punish violations ranging from dealing with business partners that violate environmental rules to littering.

Our responsibility is to unite and lead the entire party and people of all ethnic groups, take the baton of history and to work hard to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi said when he and the six other members of the new party Standing Committee appeared in public for the first time in November 2012.

The party Central Committee shifted its economic emphasis from efficiency to fairness in late 2020, a researcher at a Beijing think tank wrote in August in Caixin, China's most prominent business magazine.

The party moved from early prosperity for some to common prosperity and from capital to labor, wrote Luo Zhiheng of Yuekai Securities Research Institute. He said leaders are emphasizing science, technology and manufacturing over finance and real estate.

Prominent economists have tried to reassure entrepreneurs.

It is impossible to achieve common prosperity through robbing the rich and helping the poor, the dean of the school of economics at Shanghais Fudan University, Zhang Jun, told the news outlet The Paper on Aug. 4.

The 1979 launch of market-style economic reform under then-leader Deng Xiaoping prompted predictions abroad that China would evolve into a more open, possibly even democratic society.

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The Communist Party allowed freer movement and encourages internet use for business and education. But leaders reject changes to a one-party dictatorship that copied its political structure from the Soviet Union and watch entrepreneurs closely. Beijing controls all media and tries to limit what Chinas public sees online.

As the previous decade's economic boom fades, Xi sees himself as the only person capable of recreating the momentum, said June Teufel Dreyer, a Chinese politics specialist at the University of Miami.

Party members who worry reforms might weaken political control appear to have decided Chinas rise is permanent and liberalization is no longer needed, said Edward Friedman, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin.

That means anti-totalitarian elements of the reform agenda could be rolled back, Friedman said in an email. That is what Xi is doing, as manifest in his attack on purportedly gay and girlie culture as a supposed threat to a so-called virile militarism."

An Aug. 29 commentary by an obscure writer, Li Guangman, described common prosperity as a profound revolution. Writing on the WeChat message service, Li said financial markets would no longer be a paradise for capitalists to get rich overnight and said the party's next targets might include high housing and health care costs.

The commentary was reposted on prominent state media websites including the ruling party newspaper Peoples Daily. That prompted questions about whether Beijing might veer into an ideological campaign with echoes of the violent 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, when some 5 million people were killed.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times, a newspaper published by Peoples Daily that is known for its nationalist tone, responded by criticizing Lis commentary. Hu warned in a blog post against a return to radicalism.

The Cultural Revolution was a period of chaos, purposely unleashed by Mao because he felt comfortable in chaos, Nathan said.

This is almost the exact opposite, he said. It is an effort to create tightly structured orderliness.

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AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  For a second year in a row, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will not visit the University of Wyoming due to the coronavirus.

Gorsuch had been scheduled to visit the law school and campus Sept. 16, giving a talk alongside Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Lynne Boomgaarden in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts concert hall.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  The sweeping changes to Texas' election code that GOP Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Tuesday 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 about three weeks ago to end the impasse, and GOP leaders made quick work of pushing the bill through both chambers. Abbott immediately said he would sign it, which happened Tuesday.

Texas is among at least 18 states, including Florida, Georgia and Arizona, that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The national GOP campaign to tighten voting laws has been partly driven by former President Donald Trumps false claims that the election was stolen.

Here's a closer look at what's in the new Texas law:

EMPOWERING POLL WATCHERS

Some of the most significant changes in Texas law 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 law gives partisan poll watchers new access, protections and power. The law 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 law 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 law empowers poll watchers to sue and seek court orders against election officials who get in their way. The new law also requires 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 law 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 law also makes it a felony for any election official who sends out unsolicited applications or ballots to vote-by-mail.

The GOP law also bans drive-thru voting for most voters and controls the times at which county governments can keep polling places open. That will 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 law 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 law 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 law partially addresses that concern. Voters who submit ballots before Election Day will 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.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES

The Texas law, like others approved or 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 law expands an existing mandate that people who help voters with ballots provide information on the envelope attesting to their role. Under the law, 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 law'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 law 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 commonsense 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 of the bill 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. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin contributed to this report.

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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.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that any legitimacy or international support for the Taliban will have to be earned after Afghanistan's new rulers announced an interim government that drew a deeply skeptical Western response.

The secretary of state and his German counterpart met at a U.S. base in Germany that has become a key transit point for evacuees from Afghanistan. They hosted a virtual meeting of officials from 22 countries as well as NATO, the European Union and U.N. the day after the Taliban announced their all-male interim government.

Blinken said the new Afghan government certainly does not meet the test of inclusivity and it includes people who have very challenging track records.

The administration is stacked with veterans of the Taliban's hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition. Initial responses suggested that it may struggle to win the international support the new leaders desperately need to avoid an economic meltdown. It includes Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is wanted for questioning by the FBI, as interior minister.

The announcement of a new government came hours after Taliban fired their guns into the air to disperse protesters in the capital of Kabul and arrested several journalists, the second time in less than a week that heavy-handed tactics were used to break up a demonstration.

The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support, Blinken told reporters. Any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned, and we heard that across the board, from everyone participating in today's session.

U.S. engagement with the Taliban and a new government will be for purposes of advancing the national interest and those of partners, and in ways that are fully consistent with our laws, he added.

Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pressed demands for the Taliban to allow Afghans to travel freely and to respect their basic rights, including women's. They also pushed the Taliban to ensure that Afghanistan is not used to launch attacks, refrain from reprisal attacks and allow humanitarian access.

Blinken said the U.S. is still assessing the announcement and noted that the Taliban has billed it as a caretaker Cabinet. We will judge it, and them, by its actions," he said.

Maas said the make-up so far of the new government is not the signal for more international cooperation.

It must be clear to the Taliban that international isolation cannot be in their interest, Maas said. He added however that no one has an interest in turning their back on Afghanistan and the international community must use what possibilities it can to exert influence on the group.

As for formal diplomatic recognition, Maas said: I don't see it at the moment.

Frances government said the Taliban's actions do not match their words."

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told an online briefing that France and others had demanded the safe departure of Afghans who wish to leave, free access to humanitarian aid, the total severing of relations with terrorist groups and respect for human rights, especially womens rights.

We can only note that these demands have not been met, she said.

Pakistans foreign minister urged the international community to help prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

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Qureshi told a virtual meeting of countries neighboring Afghanistan that since Kabuls takeover by the Taliban, much dreaded bloodshed has not occurred, and the prospect of a protracted conflict and civil war seems to have been averted. He said that so far, a feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place.

The situation remains complex and fluid in Afghanistan, however, and it requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach, he said. Qureshi later spoke to the meeting hosted by Blinken and Maas.

Blinken met with Maas at the Ramstein Air Base, where he traveled after visiting Qatar, another important staging post in the evacuation effort.

So far, more than 34,000 people have been flown to Ramstein under a transit agreement with Germany, As of Wednesday, about 23,000 people had been flown from Ramstein to the U.S. or other locations. There were about 11,200 people at the base and the nearby Rhine Ordnance Barracks awaiting onward travel.

Authorities say that about 90 people have requested asylum in Germany during their layovers at Ramstein, and officials in both countries say that is in keeping with existing rules and practice. Maas stressed that that is less than 1% of those who have been brought to the base, and that the German-U.S. transit agreement is being respected fully.

Maas said there are various reasons why those people have sought asylum, for instance that they have relatives in Germany, and noted that the transit operation isn't expected to last for more than a few weeks. So he expects that this situation will remain absolutely manageable.

___

Moulson reported from Berlin. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP)  A Mississippi man has been indicted on charges of capital murder and other felony counts in the February slaying of a sheriffs deputy.

A grand jury in Hancock County returned the indictment against 31-year-old Joseph Michael Rohrbacker in the fatal shooting of Hancock County sheriffs Lt. Michael Boutte, the Sun Herald reported Tuesday. Rohrbacker has been jailed since his arrest in March.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesias capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.

Firefighters battled through the early morning hours to extinguish the flames as black smoke billowed from the compound of the Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta.

After the blaze was extinguished, ambulance after ambulance filled with body bags containing the victims were driven by Red Cross workers to the morgue of a local hospital, where they were stacked wall-to-wall on the floor of a room awaiting transport to a larger facility for identification.

Relatives of prisoners trickled in to the prison throughout the day to check and see whether their loved ones were among those killed.

Most of the 41 killed were drug convicts, including a man from South Africa and a man from Portugal, while other victims included a terrorism convict and a murderer, Indonesias Law and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly told reporters.

He expressed his deep condolences for the families of the victims and pledged to provide the best treatment for those injured.

This is a tragedy that concerns all of us, Laoly said. We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire.

The fire broke out at 1:45 a.m. in Block C2 of the prison, where the 19 cells that were built to hold 40 inmates were stuffed full with more than triple that number. The cause of the blaze appears to have been an electrical short circuit, according to initial findings, Jakarta Police Chief Fadil Imran said.

As the fire was brought under control, hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent prisoners from escaping, Imran told reporters near the scene.

Problems are rampant in Indonesia's prisons, largely due to overcrowding. More than half of the system's inmates are being held on narcotics offenses; a product of the country's war on drugs.

As of July, there were a total of 268,610 inmates in Indonesias prisons, which were built to hold 132,107 people.

Tangerang prison, located in the heart of Tangerang city in Jakarta's neighboring province of Banten, was designed to house 900 inmates but has more than 2,000, Laoly said. Officials had earlier said it was built to accommodate 1,225 inmates.

The government has acknowledged the problem, and is planning to refocus its approach toward drug offenders to start looking at them as addicts who need treatment, rather than criminals, in the hope of dramatically reducing the number incarcerated.

Reynhard Silitonga, the head of corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, told The Associated Press in an e-mail that if there isn't a change in policy, the number of inmates could top 400,000 within five years.

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With the new approach, the spirit of handling drug offenders, especially users, is directed at the health aspect, no longer imprisonment, he said.

He did not say how long it would take to implement the changes.

In addition to those who died in the Tangerang fire, eight inmates were hospitalized with severe burns and nine with light injuries were treated at a prison clinic, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said. Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound for observation.

The 15 corrections officers guarding the cell block were unhurt, said Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department.

Agus Toyib, who heads the Banten provincial law and human rights office, which oversees Tangerang, said understaffing at the prison led to delays in rescuing inmates from their locked cells.

Most victims caught fire as they didnt have enough time to get out of their cells and the fire was growing rapidly, he said.
BERLIN (AP)  A 30-year-old German man was found guilty Wednesday of an anti-Semitic attack on a Jewish restaurant three years ago in the eastern German city of Chemnitz in which the owner was injured and the restaurant damaged.

The Chemnitz district court ruled that the man, whose name was not given in line with German privacy rules, was found guilty of severe aggravated assault and breach of the peace. Judge Dominik Boerner convicted him of a one-year suspended prison sentence, the German news agency dpa reported.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Republicans in America's largest conservative state for years racked up victories under the slogan Keep Texas Red, a pledge to quash a coming blue wave that Democrats argued was inevitable given shifting demographics.

Now, those population transformations have arrived, with the 2020 census confirming that the state got bigger, more suburban and far more diverse. Yet a more apt state GOP rallying cry for today might be Make Texas Even Redder."

Faced with increasingly dire demographic threats to their partys dominance, Texas Republicans have championed a bevy of boundary-pushing conservative policymaking that dramatically expands gun rights, curbs abortions and tightens election laws  steering a state that was already far to the right even more so.

Far from tiptoeing toward the middle to appease the Democratic-leaning Texans driving population growth, the party is embracing its base and vowing to use a new round of redistricting to ensure things stay that way through 2030  becoming a national model for staying on the offensive no matter how political winds may eventually shift.

Texas, obviously, is a national leader as it concerns the laws that we pass and other states follow, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is fond of vowing to make Texas the freedom capital of America, said Tuesday.

Abbott, who is up for reelection next year and often mentioned as a possible 2024 presidential contender, signed voting legislation Tuesday that empowers partisan poll watchers and prohibits a host of measures that made casting ballots easier in heavily Democratic cities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans argue that the new rules boost election security and charged ahead to pass them, even as Democratic state lawmakers fled the state for weeks to block them.

The voting law was nearly overshadowed by national debate over another new Texas law  the nation's toughest set of abortion restrictions. By banning the procedure in most instances and leaving no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, the state has mounted perhaps the strongest threat yet to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a woman's right to an abortion.

Another new law allows virtually any Texan age 21 and older to carry guns without licenses. Other legislation banned schools from teaching about institutional racism and limited the states own cities from making decisions on police funding, environmental budgeting and mask mandates. And on Tuesday, Abbott instructed lawmakers to once again try passing restrictions on transgender student athletes when the Legislature convenes later this month to begin drawing new voting maps.

These policy victories are poised to become cemented for the foreseeable future. Because Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature, the party will decide new congressional and statehouse districts based on 2020 census figures  seeking to make the boundaries as favorable as possible so the GOP can hold statehouse majorities for the next decade and beyond.

The new maps will have to counteract what looks to be unfavorable census data for Texas Republicans. The state's Hispanic population grew by nearly 2 million, according to 2020 census figures, accounting for half of Texas' total population increase. Even as the GOP made gains with Hispanic voters, about 6 in 10 Hispanics in Texas chose Democrat Joe Biden over Republican Donald Trump in November, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the electorate.

Republicans also see warning signs in the suburbs. The state is home to four of the nations 10 fastest-growing cities, fueled by booming communities outside Houston, Dallas and Austin. After years of GOP advantages in these places, Biden split suburban voters in Texas with Trump, AP VoteCast found, and won the state's five largest counties.

Democrats blame the unfettered conservativism on Trumpism. The former president ushered in a new Republican Party that is more feisty. Its more fringe," said Democratic state Rep. Ron Reynolds, vice chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.

The cows left the barn, and its hard to put it back, said Reynolds, whose district includes booming suburban Houston. They have to entertain and they have to appease because these are the people that are excited about voting in Republican primaries.

Democrats like Reynolds warn there will be voter backlash. But they have little history to back that up: Republicans haven't lost a statewide race in 27 years and say it is a fierce commitment to conservativism, not pragmatic compromise, that has preserved the nation's longest electoral winning streak.

If anyone expected that, their head is way too far up their, uh, philosophy, Corbin Casteel, the Trump campaigns Texas director in 2016, joked about any notion that census figures might make the state's Republicans move to the center.

Even more moderate Texas Republicans say past pronouncements about changing demographics helping Democrats were overblown. The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated, said state Rep. Travis Clardy of Nacogdoches in east Texas.

We keep winning with really strong numbers, Clardy added. I dont think weve had strident, extreme, right-wing positions. I think weve governed conservatively.

Still, the party has shown a capacity for moderation in the not-too-distant past. After a Democratic wave swept Texas and the nation in 2018, the GOP had an exceedingly quiet legislative session, focusing on traditional issues like property tax cuts and public education.

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It was only after the party held the Legislature and gained seats in Congress last November that it turned hard right  anticipating that its members' biggest electoral threat going forward is primary challenges rather than being unseated by Democrats.

Ive heard that all this demographic change is going to catch up to the party of the old white people, but I dont think its happened, Clardy said. The numbers may be changing, but they may not be trending the way they think that they are.

The move to the right is perhaps best illustrated by Abbott, a former state Supreme Court justice who was once considered to have a more measured and deliberative, business-friendly approach to the job but has lately gone even further right than the Legislature  particularly on immigration.

The governor recently ordered state police to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally and directed a state agency to pony up $25 million for 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of wall along Texas nearly 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico.

No major Democrat has yet announced a candidacy against Abbott, though former presidential candidate Beto ORourke  who came within 3 percentage points of upsetting Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018  still might. The governor has already drawn a primary challenge from former congressman Allen West, a onetime tea party darling known for likening Democrats to Nazis.

Casteel said doubling down on conservative values is working for Republicans in Texas and beyond. He pointed to Abbott and another governor and possible 2024 presidential candidate, Republican Ron DeSantis of Florida. Both have gained national followings by being willing to combat unpopular policies like universal mask mandates. That's despite Democrats in both states insisting the governors' failure to more strenuously battle the pandemic could ultimately jeopardize their aspirations for reelection  not to mention the White House.

Hes faced circumstances that few governors have, with the pandemic and all sorts of other things that put conservatives in a tough bind, Casteel said of Abbott. Its safety versus liberty and he  and folks like Gov. DeSantis  theyve threaded that needle very nicely. And I think the results are speaking for themselves.

___

Weissert reported from Washington.
HONOLULU (AP)  A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting Oct. 15, Alohilani Resort will require its employees, patrons and guests to show proof they're fully vaccinated. The requirement will also apply to the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company.

It's the right thing to do as Hawaii grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious delta variant, said Kelly Sanders, senior vice president of operations at Highgate Hawaii.

There were an average of 706 newly confirmed infection cases per day across Hawaii between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, according to the state Department of Health. Hawaii's vaccination rate was nearly 76% for those 12 and older. Children 11 or younger are not yet eligible for the shot.

So I think we will be the safest hotel in Hawaii, at least for now, Sanders said ahead of a news conference Wednesday to announce the mandate. And hopefully that helps our business and doesnt hurt our business.

John De Fries, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, called the move a step in a the right direction and said he hopes other hotels follow suit.

What I appreciate about it is that our community, our workforce and the guests are all mutual beneficiaries of this decision by Highgate, he said. And I anticipate that it will receive much attention from others in the industry.

Hawaii state workers and Honolulu city employees must show proof of vaccination or get weekly COVID-19 testing. Honolulu is requiring patrons of restaurants, gyms, bars, movie theaters, museums and other businesses to show vaccination proof or recent negative tests starting Sept. 13.

Sanders said the Waikiki hotels won't allow testing alternatives, but will allow for medical or religious exemptions and will exempt children younger than 12.

We want to create an environment where everybody feels comfortable coming to work, Sanders said. And I dont think you can do that from an employee standpoint unless youre requiring all your patrons and your guests to do the same, to be honest.

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There are about 1,000 employees among the seven properties and an estimated 80% are already vaccinated, Sanders said.

Highgate's decision on vaccinations comes as Hawaii's tourism-dependent economy is trying to rebound from earlier in the pandemic when the state imposed a mandatory quarantine on all incoming travelers.

Travelers can now bypass quarantine by showing proof of vaccination. Others must have negative test results before their departures to Hawaii to avoid the 10-day quarantine.

As of the end of last month, about 75% of visitors provided vaccination cards, said John Monahan, president and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The move sets "a high standard as to what is expected of you when you get here, for your own wellbeing as a traveler and out of respect for the community that youre visiting and the work environment ... you will be residing in, De Fries said.
I need a mental rest. We all do.

Though I havent been on social media since 2015, its hard to avoid even inadvertent doomscrolling when every new headline is about poor air quality from fires, Texas shredding abortion and voting rights, unmasked reopened schools helping spread COVID-19 to 500,000 children, and the should-have-been-over-last-year pandemic pushing on while people eat horse paste instead of medically proven vaccines.

Staying positive occasionally feels like singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life while hanging from a crucifix in the boiling sun.

But Im not here to bring you down, reader. To quote Violet Blue: Creating alarm about something people cant do anything about becomes counterproductive.

So how do we find the balance between staying up to date and not staring into the abyss?

As it happens, a pair of San Francisco documentaries gave me perspective. I recently rewatched The Times of Harvey Milk for the first time in years. Despite the films sense of foreboding  Milk practically predicted his own assassination  theres also an undeniable optimism.

Milk served on the most diverse San Francisco Board of Supervisors up to that point: He was the first openly LGBTQ member; the late Ella Hill Hutch was the first Black woman; Gordon Lau the first Chinese American; and Carol Ruth Silver was a single mother. Despite nationwide distrust in the government, an oil shortage and other 1970s-specific forms of pessimism, Milk and his colleagues created a we-can-get-this-done sense of hope.

I also watched Empress Yee and the Magical History of Chinatown, the story of Chinatown Magics Cynthia Yee. As with her namesake neighborhood tour, Yee covers a history of the neighborhood that has seen its share of highs and lows. Though the pandemic and the recent surge of anti-Asian racism present new obstacles for Chinatown residents, Yee uses these and earlier events as examples of challenges where the neighborhood has not only survived but thrived. Its residents have refused to let racism, gentrification or even the bubonic plague erase them. And they refuse to be erased now that bubonic has been replaced with COVID.

In my writing, Ive frequently brought up how Martin Luther King Jr.s nonviolent approach to civil rights is often misunderstood, if not outright distorted by right-wing revisionists. The man wasnt one to simply sit back passively and hope it gets better. He was an indisputably confrontational man who would have happily taken part in Black Lives Matter, had he lived to see it.

We cant feel bad about clinging tightly to each sliver of hope we see these days. Like King, we just need to follow up with tangible action. The system that benefits from our misfortune (like, say, the worlds billionaires multiplying their fortunes during pandemic shutdowns) does so by letting the people believe that theyre powerless to change things.

Thats not true, and the exercise of even a little power proves it.

Like hearing about delta cases dropping? Good, now flex your power by getting vaccinated, social distancing, taking your vaccine card or QR code everywhere you go, and wearing a damn mask. Do that while you support vaccine and mask mandates.

Like how Proposition 22 may be defeated in court? Good, now keep using public transport and demanding higher taxes on the rich to fund public resources.

Like the glimmer of hope in latest climate report? Good, now keep buying local, consuming less, and pushing for more alternative fuels and taxes on big polluters.

Consider the health-happiness connection, wherein doing good makes you feel better about, well, everything. You have the power to vote no on an asinine recall election that wastes taxpayer money one full year before a proper election. (As someone old enough to remember the disastrous administrations of George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and the recall-installed Arnold Schwarzenegger, I find the current Republican candidates bear an uncanny resemblance to Martin Sheens nuke-happy would-be president from The Dead Zone.)

Hope can only be considered ignorance if it avoids the reality of the situation and fails to inspire tangible action.

When Cynthia Yee is asked about what future she sees for Chinatown, the beauty queen, tour guide and burlesque legend envisions a reborn artistic setting in touch with its rich history but free of patriarchal norms. I want it to be a place that is vibrant, safe and for our children to know that we are also in a safe community, she says.

Less than 24 hours before King was assassinated, he gave his famous Ive Been to the Mountaintop speech, in which he declared, Ive seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.

More than 50 years later, the country is nearly as broken as when he was taken from it. That wont change without hope.

One could only imagine what Milk would think of todays incarnation of the Castro, but he ends his predictive audiotape by requesting for the movement to grow, because last week I got a phone call from Altoona, Pennsylvania, and my election gave somebody else, one more person, hope. And after all, thats what this is all about. Its not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power  its about giving those young people out there in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias, hope.

You gotta give them hope, he said.

Thats how you get the ball rolling.

Charles Lewis III is a San Francisco-born journalist, theater artist and arts critic. You can find dodgy evidence of this at The Thinking Mans Idiot.
Vice President Kamala Harris flew into the Bay Area on Wednesday to headline a rally for Gov. Gavin Newsom, urging voters to reject the effort to recall him or risk seeing Republicans try the same tactic against Democratic leaders across the country.

They think that if they can win in California they can do this anywhere, Harris said during an 11-minute speech that brought the audience of 200 at a San Leandro union training facility to its feet, applauding. We will show them that you will not get this done.

Harris said Republicans were pouring so many resources and time into trying to take out Gavin Newsom because of his vision and his agenda.

We are here to say that we fight for Gavin Newsom, she said.

The Republican-led effort to recall Newsom comes to a head with a Sept. 14 special election in which voters will be asked whether they want to kick out the first-term governor and replace him with an alternative drawn from a field of 46 candidates. The latest polls show a majority of likely voters opposing the recall, including in a survey released last week by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder is currently polling far ahead of other would-be Newsom replacements.

Harris was scheduled to stump for Newsom last month at a rally outside the Cow Palace in San Francisco but the event was postponed after a bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 military personnel and 169 Afghans.

The vice president, who was elected as San Franciscos district attorney at the same time as Newsom became mayor in 2003, has long run a parallel career with the governor as they ascended Californias political ladder. They also share the same political consultants, donor base and many of the same policy positions  and have been described as having a political sibling rivalry as they rose through the ranks.

But theres nothing like a recall to draw political family members together. On Wednesday, Harris said she traveled across the country  and returned immediately to Washington, D.C., after her appearance  because it was really important for me to come home today to stand and speak in support of my dear friend, my long-standing friend.

She praised Newsom, from the time he supported same-sex marriages in San Francisco in 2004, as someone who can see what can be, unburdened by what has been. We want our leaders in California to have a vision of what is possible.

The vice presidents appearance underscored the importance of the recall fight to the Democratic establishment.

Harris rallies the progressive Democratic base just like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren do, yet the vice president brings it on home to California here and makes it real, said David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University who is teaching a course on the recall. Warren appeared alongside Newsom last week in Los Angeles and Sanders has starred in ads opposing the recall. Shes excellent in retail politics.

Plus, McCuan said, Harris helps turn out female voters  not just progressives. (She) speaks to women and especially women of color who are tired of being taken advantage of by the Democratic Party and desire recognition for their work and sacrifices.

Harris wasnt the only high-profile Democrat to support Newsom on Wednesday. Former president Barack Obama is starring in a 30-second ad opposing the recall that was released the same day. Hammering home a theme that has been successful for the Newsom campaign, Obama praised the governors efforts to protect Californians during the pandemic.

Now Republicans are trying to recall him from office and overturn common sense COVID safety measures for health care workers and school staff, Obama says, as images of Elder and Donald Trump flash on the screen. Your vote could be the difference between protecting our kids or putting them at risk.

The Newsom campaign also got more good news Wednesday in the form of a survey that showed 57% of likely voters opposing the recall, according to the poll of 1,618 likely voters from the Hoover Institution and Stanford Universitys Bill Lane Center for the American West, in partnership with YouGov.

Top Newsom campaign officials at Wednesdays rally sounded optimistic, boasting that their field operation was the best in the states history. So far, the campaign has sent 31 million text messages and the campaign says it has made 28 million phone calls since Labor Day.

Republicans criticized Harris visit, saying she should be concentrating on her day job in Washington.

Instead of trying to save Gavin Newsoms job, the embattled governor, President Biden, and Vice President Harris should be doing everything they can to get stranded California children home from Afghanistan safely, Republican National Committee spokesperson Hallie Balch said Wednesday.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
Gov. Gavin Newsom made a campaign stop in San Francisco Tuesday to try to jump-start support from Latino voters, who have been slow to embrace the Democrat in the recall election set for Sept. 14.

While Latino voters comprise roughly 27% of Californias electorate, they account for only 17% of the mail-in ballots returned so far, according to Political Data, a Sacramento political firm that is tracking returns. Their turnout could be key to whether Newsom remains in office, given that about two-thirds of Latino voters typically back Democrats in California.

Activists and community organizers say that many Latino families  who have shouldered a disproportionate amount of the impact from the COVID pandemic  have been more focused on trying to get their families back on track than on an off-calendar recall election.

I am offended when somebody says that we (Latino voters) are slow in getting there, said Olga Miranda, president of SEIU Local 87, which represents 5,000 members in San Francisco. We dont vote for any clown. Were voting for somebody that has stood with us and defended our communities at a moment that we needed it.

That person would be Newsom, Miranda said. She and others predicted that the share of Latino voters would increase from its current level. The last few days of calls and texts have shown recall opponents that more Latino voters are tuning into the election as they realize what could be at stake if a Republican candidate were to replace Newsom.

I dont think (the slower turnout) is something against (Newsom), said Tracy Gallardo, a member of San Franciscos Latino Task Force. I think we just we need to get the message out to the Latino voters about how much of an impact that will be if we have someone other than a Democrat winning.

Newsom defended his record, saying that many of his policies  like universal transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds and an expansion of after-school and summer school programs  will disproportionately help the Latino community.

Newsom spent a sizable chunk of the 12 minutes he addressed the audience invoking former President Donald Trump, who remains unpopular in Californias Latino community because of his hardline immigration policies and racist rhetoric about Mexican immigrants bringing crime across the nations southern border. And, of course, Newsom mentioned conservative talk show host Larry Elder, who polls say is the leading candidate to replace him should he be recalled, and linked him to Trump.

He warned that a GOP governor could portend a return to the days of Proposition 187, the 1994 voter ballot measure  championed by GOP Gov. Pete Wilson  that would have cut off undocumented immigrants from public education and non-emergency health care. Voters approved it, but the courts eventually threw it out.

I want to remind you of the xenophobia and the nativism, Newsom said. Some of you are too young to remember 1994. Im not.

Elder, Newsom said, is to the right, I would argue the far right, of Donald Trump.

Newsom said he hoped that a planned campaign visit with Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday in the Bay Area would help energize base Democratic voters. The same goes for President Biden, whom the White House signaled will campaign in California for Newsom before Election Day on Tuesday.

But Gallardo said those kind of star appearances wont do anything for Latino voters.

She motioned to the dozens of people making calls Tuesday for Newsom and said, People right here will help get the Latino voters out. People they trust.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
SACRAMENTO  High school students in California could all be required to learn about the contributions and oppression of people of color in America, if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bill sent to him Wednesday by state legislators.

The Assembly gave final approval to AB101 by Assembly Member Jose Medina, D-Riverside, which would add a one-semester ethnic studies course to the states high school graduation requirements, starting with the 2029-30 academic year.

We see the culmination today of a long struggle, a struggle of 50 years, Medina said as dozens of lawmakers stood behind him on the Assembly floor. When students at San Francisco State and UC Berkeley stood up, united together, across racial groups, across ethnic groups, to say, We need to be represented in the curriculum.

The effort to require ethnic studies in public schools has been a lengthy, controversial fight at the Capitol. Last year, Newsom vetoed a similar bill Medina carried after critics said a draft curriculum for the course was biased.

But Newsoms chances of signing the legislation are likely buoyed after the state Board of Education approved a model ethnic studies curriculum for public school students this past spring.

The curriculum they approved is designed to teach students about the history, culture and struggles of racial and ethnic groups, including discussions of institutionalized systems of advantage and the causes of racism and other forms of bigotry.

It focuses on four historically marginalized groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. The guidelines also include supplemental lessons on Jews, Armenians and Sikhs.

California set out to write an ethnic studies curriculum in 2018. From the outset, the process was often embroiled in tension, and Medinas legislation was sidelined two years in a row while the state sought to resolve disputes over the course.

Earlier, draft versions of the ethnic studies guidelines prompted a torrent of complaints. Many of the comments focused on concerns that the curriculum evoked anti-Semitic stereotypes or dwelled on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The final version of the curriculum removed those references, though it evoked complaints from some educators and activists who said it erases Palestinians and waters down content about Arab Americans.

On Wednesday, legislators noted that AB101 discourages school districts from using earlier versions of the model curriculum, with the removed references. The bill would also prohibit schools from using instruction materials that promote bias or discrimination toward any group.

Still, some Republican legislators said the course is inappropriate for high school students. Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore (Riverside County), said the course is rooted in critical race theory, a view that racism is ingrained in laws and government institutions.

Our kids arent born hating other people because of their race, Melendez said on the Senate floor. They are taught that, and the last thing we need is state-sanctioned racism being taught in our schools.

The ethnic studies movement began in the late 1960s, when students at San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley led Third World Liberation Front strikes. They demanded courses about people of color in America and their historic exploitation.

Proponents say ethnic studies courses are shown to help students of color improve academically because they feel empowered by seeing themselves reflected in textbooks, rather than a Eurocentric version of history.

We want to make sure that those young people growing up ... understand their rich culture, their rich heritage, said Assembly Member Mike Gipson, D-Carson (Los Angeles County). Today, we can turn and write a new narrative for this state.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
It was an impulsive move, driven by the fear and patriotism swirling after the Sept. 11 attacks. Hearing Gov. Gray Davis say on TV that the Golden Gate Bridge was a potential terror target, Jeffrey Orth grabbed a small flag from his house in San Francisco and dashed off to the span to wave it.

He wound up walking all the way across the bridge, holding the Stars and Stripes high. Then he did it again the next day. And the day after that  again and again, for nearly a year. Before long, it became an obsession, and hed picked up a nickname.

Orth, until then a little-known 52-year-old real estate agent, became the Flag Man.

And so began a rare, seldom-remembered chapter in post-9/11 America, highlighted by this one mans crusade to symbolically buoy everyones spirits with a patriotic gesture. Orth came to embody a time when everyone seemed, for a brief period, to universally embrace the U.S. flag as a rallying symbol  in stark contrast to long-held perceptions, still strong today, that conservatives claim it more as their own.

Flag stores everywhere, even the giant AAA Flag & Banner in San Francisco, sold so heavily they ran out. Banks, flower stands and head shops posted flags on their windows and walls. The colors fluttered from ranch trucks with George W. Bush bumper stickers, Prius sedans with leftover Al Gore stickers, porches and poles from coast to coast.

The universal embrace didnt last. But for the first several months that Orth, a gay, liberal military veteran from left-coast San Francisco, waved his flag every day on the bridge, there was unity around the nations banner from both the right and the left.

Scholars say it seems to have been the only time in recent memory thats happened.

There was a brief period right after Sept. 11 where the flag really did transcend all of its ambiguity and for a while became a universally positive thing about what we hoped was going to happen after this disaster, said Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University professor who studies popular culture. One could make the argument that the three months or so after Sept. 11 may have been one of the only times, and the last time, when we reached something like a consensus on the flag in modern times.

There really was a sense that it represents a multifaceted nation. And your guy on the bridge was a perfect example.

Roopa Gogineni / Special to The Chronicle

Orths schtick was simple. All he did was walk from the San Francisco side of the bridge to Marin and back again every morning, a 3-mile round trip, holding a 10-by-12-inch flag above his head. But the fact that he was waving the red, white and blue on what is arguably the worlds most famous bridge at a time when the country was united and boiling for revenge drew international headlines from Costa Rica to Australia.

Commuters honked and waved, police officers and soldiers guarding the bridge slapped high fives with him, People magazine and network television profiled him.

On one of his walks in November 2001, Orth stopped to chat with M16-toting National Guard Sgt. Arthur Acosta, who had been on the other side of the Vietnam protests back in the 1970s. If wed met then, we probably wouldnt have talked to each other, Orth told Acosta. And back then, it was totally uncool to wave the flag  but thats all changed now. Since Sept. 11, its everyones flag again.

Acosta shook his hand. Hes an amazing inspiration, he told The Chronicle at the time.

Orth began his daily walk on Nov. 2, 2001, and stopped it on, appropriately, Independence Day 2002  but continued to make the trip on the 11th of every month for two more years. By that July 4 in 2002, hed clocked 680 miles, lost 25 pounds and turned what started out as an hour-and-20-minute trip into a brisk 42-minute jaunt. Wind and rain shredded three flags.

Doing the Flag Man walk back then  it was an amazing journey, Orth recalled the other day from his home in Atlanta, where he is retired at age 71. Im proud of what I did, but it wasnt really me that it was all about. The whole thing touched a nerve with people. It wasnt really just patriotism  it was love of country, love of people. And I still absolutely feel that way today.

Roopa Gogineni / Special to The Chronicle

As unifying as those first few post-9/11 months were, it was all but inevitable that attitudes about the flag that have persisted for generations would creep back in, said Lawrence Rosenthal, chair and lead researcher at the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies at UC Berkeley.

Right after 9/11, there was that moment of, We are all one. But as you know, it didnt last, he said. It is a reasonable thing to say that the flag as a symbol belongs to the right in this country.

Before terrorists slammed planes into New Yorks World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a windswept field in Pennsylvania 20 years ago, killing more than 3,000 people in the deadliest terror attack on American soil, the Stars and Stripes had largely been considered by left-leaning people to have been co-opted by conservatives. It had been that way since the 1960s.

The flag is a varied, multifaceted, in-need-of-context symbol, Thompson said. The flag today might as well be a Rorschach test. It means whatever it means to the person holding it or talking about it. ... In the 1960s, you had the love-it-or-leave-it kind of thing, the Archie Bunker attitude often associated with the anti-youth movement, opposing people who were against the war. The flag was seen as anti-hippie.

Roopa Gogineni / Special to The Chronicle

In return, the left came to see, and still sees, typical flag-waving as a right-wing expression  or, as author Bruce Watson wrote in a 2018 essay for USA Today, too corny, too conservative.

I remember when I was a kid, U.S. flags were being sewn on the butts of teens, Thompson said. That infuriated people. I remember people calling for laws and regulations for what you could or could not do with flags. And, of course, there were flag burnings along with draft cards.

Former President George H.W. Bush highlighted the split in the 1980s when he proposed a constitutional amendment banning flag burning. Former President Donald Trump  whose rallies are notably festooned with flags  revived the sentiment, proposing that Americans who burned the flag be jailed or stripped of citizenship.

Obviously, the split is not absolute, Rosenthal said. Plenty of liberals, like conservatives, do display flags  in lapel pins, on holidays like July 4 and more  but the overall divide is real, though complicated, he said. He boils it partially down to conservatives historically sticking more to symbols like the flag, and liberals sticking more to writings and words like all men are created equal when it pertains to interpreting the founding of the country.

The flag ultimately reflects white evangelical America, Rosenthal said. I would say that point of view has been consistent through American history, but it came of age in its current incarnation in the 1960s.

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.

Orth is circumspect about all this.

Roopa Gogineni / Special to The Chronicle

He grew up in a military family and served in the Air Force in 1970-71 until he was honorably discharged after telling his superiors he was gay. But he also vigorously protested the Vietnam War and considers himself very liberal.

There was a great deal of pride in place and country in my family when I was growing up, and even though getting out of the Air Force radicalized me, I have always seen the flag as a source of pride, he said. I never stopped embracing it. I stand up at ball games, take the ball cap off and hold it across my chest when they play the anthem and show the flag.

He said it has always saddened him to see a right-left chasm on the flag. Orth is both proud and wistful for that time after 9/11 when the chasm seemed invisible. And he maintains contacts with people from those days on both sides of the aisle.

One of those people is Julio Bandoni, a self-described conservative and retired California Highway Patrol officer who used to chat with Orth during the Flag Man walks. They often call each other on Sept. 11.

Im still in awe, Bandoni said last month from his home in the Central Valley. He was out there rain or shine, and if youve ever been out there with the wind blowing hard, its not fun. But he did it, every day.

As for right-left debates on the flag, Bandoni waves them off.

I learned a long time ago you want to stay friends with someone, never talk politics and religion, he said with a chuckle. The only thing I can call Jeffrey is a patriot who loves the U.S. I think it was pure heart, what he did.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

On Sept. 11 this year, Orth said he plans quiet reflection. And he will post a flag at his home  an act that he just might have wavered on not so many months ago.

It was disheartening to me during the last administration  horrible that it started to represent a right-wing culture again, Orth said. Jan. 6 was the worst. Seeing the flag being used as a battering ram against the police was heartbreaking. And for a little while I stopped wearing a cap outside that I have that has an American flag on it because I thought people would think I was a right-wing supporter.

But that just lasted a couple of months, he said. I felt very sad that I had to think about whether I wanted to carry or display my flag. So I decided that I couldnt let them own that part of me.

The flag is for all of us.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
Jeffrey Tumlin was running late.

The director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency rushed to the West Portal station fare gates, about 30 minutes behind schedule for a rally outside of San Francisco City Hall that was meant to highlight Munis importance to the city and coalesce support to fund the financially struggling transit system.

I missed my 48 (bus line), and its running on 20-minute headways, Tumlin told a group of city officials and transit riders waiting to board a shuttle train from West Portal station to City Hall.

Tumlins morning encapsulated the state of Muni 18 months after the pandemic worsened the transit agencys perpetual financial crisis.

As city leaders weigh a possible 2022 ballot measure to rescue transit service, some Muni lines have seen improvements while others are running less frequently or not at all. Now, the citys transportation agency wants riders input on whether they value restoring more lines or making existing ones run more frequently as it decides the next wave of limited service restorations next year.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Tuesday morning, Tumlin and a collection of city leaders rode Muni as a coordinated Muni ride-along for Transit Month, organized by San Francisco Transit Riders. Gwyneth Borden, president of the SFMTA Board of Directors, and Supervisor Ahsha Safai had a smooth trip on the 14R-Mission Rapid line, which ran buses frequently and sped up commutes using transit-only lanes.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and other riders experienced few delays riding the J-Church Muni Metro line from Noe Valley. Same for Supervisor Gordon Mar, who rode the N-Judah from the Sunset District. Both Muni Metro lines are among bus and rail routes have improved in travel times and reliability during the pandemic, according to SFMTA data.

Tumlins issue was that he had trouble getting to West Portal station from Noe Valley on time after taking a bus line, the 48-Quintara/24th Street, that runs infrequently.

Well, you look good, Supervisor Myrna Melgar told Tumlin as the group of riders laughed off the delay before boarding a train headed toward the Market Street subway.

At City Hall, city leaders and transit advocates celebrated Muni as an essential public service for San Francisco, vowing to come together to mount an effort at the ballot box next year to drum up funding to restore and potentially expand service operations beyond pre-pandemic levels. They expressed gratitude for frontline transit operators whove kept trains and buses running for the past tumultuous 18 months.

Photos by Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

But Tuesdays celebration also highlighted the tension and uncertainty surrounding San Franciscos flagship transit system.

SFMTA officials released details over the weekend on the three proposals the agencys Board of Directors will consider in November to restore Muni service to 85% of pre-pandemic levels early next year. One option would bring back service as it was before the pandemic. Another alternative would boost service frequencies on lines with high riderships in favor of less-trafficked routes. A third hybrid option would incorporate a mix of the two.

The agency is gathering feedback from riders, but the three options have generated intense debate on social media among transit riders who say they fall short of the Muni service necessary to help the city recover from the pandemic.

Riders are being given nothing to fight for and are instead too often asked to just accept austerity, line eliminations and excuses, said Supervisor Dean Preston, whos sparred with the agencys leadership over service restorations.

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 Board of Supervisors and SFMTA leadership are pinning hopes on a ballot measure next year to help restore and expand Muni service beyond pre-pandemic levels. The agency projects it would cost $85 million in ongoing operating funds to get back to 2019 service. But actual details about a proposal and the strategy for mounting a possible tax measure campaign in 2022 remain absent.

Right now, were just waiting to hear. Theres nothing on the table, said Muni rider Cyrus Hall, who arrived at West Portal station from Forest Knolls in hopes of hearing from city leaders on how they plan to address Munis persistent structural deficit. And so were stuck with reduced service, which hurts the people who need it the most.

Mandelman said conversations at City Hall and with SFMTA leaders about raising revenues for Muni are ongoing. He supports raising the citys general fund contribution to SFMTA. A sizable portion of the agencys budget comes from the city along with fare and parking revenue that have taken a nosedive during the pandemic.

Right now, the question is, how much how much appetite is there among the voters for revenue for MTA? Is the June election or the November election more favorable? Mandelman said in reference to a 2022 ballot measure.

His colleague, Mar, offered transit riders and advocates who gathered at City Hall a possible funding option: Lets tax the rich to fund the bus. We need to have the vision to ultimately create fair and free public transit in San Francisco.

Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco officials are putting the brakes on plans to turn a tourist hotel in Japantown into housing for more than a hundred homeless people, after droves of neighbors complained about the proposal.

Many Japantown community leaders, business owners and residents oppose the purchase, worried that losing one of two hotels in the neighborhood will hurt local businesses.

The Kimpton Buchanan Hotel at 1800 Sutter St. is one of four properties the city wants to buy with state money and turn into permanent supportive housing. But the proposal has attracted so much neighborhood opposition that Mayor London Breeds office said Tuesday that it will give officials a few more weeks for community outreach.

If the project doesnt move forward, the city could lose a chance to apply for state funding to create 131 units of desperately needed housing in a neighborhood with scant homeless services. Officials said they are considering other properties in the city in case this one doesnt work out.

With so many people living on our streets we are committed to moving quickly to buy hotels, Andy Lynch, a spokesman for Breed said in a statement. But we also will listen to the community, hear their concerns, and try to incorporate their feedback, which is what were doing now.

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

In the meantime, Breed introduced a resolution at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting to approve the acquisition of two other properties  one in the Mission and another in the Outer Mission. Officials are working on the contract for a fourth property in SoMa and plan to move forward on it soon.

The four buildings would add 368 units to the citys permanent supportive housing stock, in which homeless people pay 30% of their income in rent and receive social services such as case management.

But the resistance in Japantown demonstrates the challenges Breed faces as she tries to spread homelessness services and housing around the city. The overwhelming majority of the citys shelter, drop-in centers and permanent supportive housing units are in the Tenderloin and SoMa.

We support supportive housing, said Richard Hashimoto, president of the Japantown Merchants Association. But just not in this neighborhood.

By Tuesday, more than 6,500 people signed an online petition to stop the sale of the Japantown hotel, which is currently a temporary shelter for homeless people during the pandemic.

Theyre not going to spend as much money in Japantown as a tourist would, Hashimoto said, referring to the would-be tenants who are often living on the margins of society and struggling with mental illness and drug addiction. Thats a huge economic loss for us.

Supervisor Dean Preston, whose district includes Japantown, said he is supportive of having multiple permanent supportive housing buildings in his district but he is not convinced the Kimpton Buchanan Hotel is the best location.

All districts and parts of the city should be part of the solution to providing affordable housing for formerly homeless folks, Preston said. But when you get concerns raised by the community, its also incumbent to make space for folks to weigh in before making a final decision.

He said he is eager to bring more housing for homeless people to his district, but were not going to do that by ignoring the concerns of residents.

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 mayor hoped the Board of Supervisors would approve the purchases by the end of September, and close on the sale by the end of the year. It is unclear how long she will wait until moving forward on the Japantown site.

But the clock is ticking: The citys tight timeline is driven by Project Homekey, a state grant program to create homeless housing. The state will start accepting applications on a rolling basis in late September, and local officials are working under the assumption that the sooner they get the applications in, the better.

The city has not yet disclosed prices of the hotels.

Meanwhile, Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Ahsha Safai said Tuesday that they both support the purchases in the Mission and Outer Mission.

Safai said there are a few community members who are skeptical of turning the Outer Mission tourist motel at 5630-38 Mission St. into housing for homeless people.

But he feels confident that the city will be able to move forward on the purchase.

Every neighborhood needs to do their fair share, he said.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
San Francisco's delta-variant-induced summer COVID-19 wave seems to be ending, as cases are falling precipitously in the city and hospitalizations are also starting to decrease.

The city's health officer, Dr. Susan Philip, said Wednesday that San Francisco is weighing whether to drop its indoor mask mandate and "increasingly" looking at softening some portions of the mandate before others. Specifically, health officials are considering the provision requiring all employees  regardless of vaccination status  to wear masks in office spaces. If the office mask mandate is softened, it will likely be tied to vaccination status.

"Certainly, the level of vaccination within a workplace will come into play," Philip said.

Philip stressed that health officials want to see continued downward movement in cases and hospitalizations before making any changes to the order. Cases are falling off fast (the seven-day average of new daily cases sits at 124, down from 309 on Aug. 2.) but hospitalizations, typically a lagging indicator, are decreasing at a slower rate.

However, Philip said that health officials are considering peeling back the order slowly, with mask mandates being lifted in some indoor areas before others. She said that the Food and Drug Administration granting full approval to the Pfizer vaccine was a significant development for office spaces.

"We know that with that full approval, there will be some businesses  not mandated through the health order, but just part of their corporate decision-making or their office space decision-making  that will decide to require vaccination of their staff for in-person work," she said. "The decision-making will involve the level of vaccination status at a given workplace. We're not ready yet, so we're just thinking about what that might look like, and that's part of the information that's going to go into the thinking and the planning of what that might look like."

No specific timeline was provided, but Philip used the phrase "coming weeks" when discussing the conversations Bay Area health officials will have on possibly modifying health orders.

San Francisco has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, as 80% of eligible residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Philip said it's impossible to predict whether it is even possible for San Francisco to experience a large surge again given its vaccination rate plus immunity from prior infection among some unvaccinated residents.

"I don't think anyone can predict that with 100% certainty because it depends on a lot of unknown factors," she said. "But what I can say is the best possible protection that we can build up against those unknown things that might happen is this high level of vaccination."

She added that once children under the age of 12 are eligible to be vaccinated, the decision-making calculus on restrictions will likely change.

"Once all of us are vaccinated I think our conversations will shift to thinking about COVID as more of an endemic disease that we learn to live with just as we do with flu," she said. "But for right now, with so many people that are still unprotected by vaccines, despite our really good rates of vaccination among those who are 12 and up, we need to think about these other measures as well."
NEW YORK (AP)  Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday:

Sherwin-Williams Co., down $6.15 to $296.69.

The paint and coatings maker cut its third-quarter sales forecast because of supply chain problems and higher costs.

PulteGroup Inc., down $3.19 to $49.53.

The homebuilder warned that supply chain issues and a shortage of materials are hurting operations.

Kadmon Holdings Inc., up $3.77 to $9.07.

Sanofi is buying the biopharmaceutical company for about $1.9 billion.

Perrigo Co., up $3.74 to $45.34.

The drug company is buying HRA Pharma from private equity firms for about $2.1 billion.

General Mills Inc., up $2.59 to $59.38.

The maker of Cheerios cereal, Yoplait yogurt and other packaged foods gave investors an encouraging financial update.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., up 65 cents to $18.41.

The oil and gas company gained ground as natural gas prices jumped.

Ford Motor Co., up 8 cents to $13.03.

The automaker hired a former executive from Apple and Tesla as head of advanced technology.

Citrix Systems Inc., up $3.09 to $106.59.

Activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. has reportedly taken a $1 billion stake in the information technology company.
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is considering introducing parking fees at seven parks and sites in San Francisco and Marin to help pay for the costs to provide operations for the growing numbers of visitors at parks, the agency said in a statement.

If the fees go into effect, visitors would be charged $3 an hour with a maximum of $10 a day at Baker Beach, Lands End, Sutro Heights, Navy Memorial, China Beach, Rodeo Beach and Fort Cronkhite and Stinson Beach. These fees would be in effect daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New fees for evening tours at the Point Bonita Light house are also being proposed: $16 for adults, $8 for seniors, $10 for children.

The fees are being met with mixed reactions.

"To me that sounds a little steep. Especially if you're someone who comes and walks your dog every day," Jackie Ferris of San Francisco told KTVU.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic when many people turned to the outdoors to escape their homes, the recreation area saw 12.4 million people at its sites in 2020. The large crowds translate into higher costs for increased trash removal, beach cleanup and traffic control.

The parks service said the fees would also help pay for visitor protection services including ocean safety operations.

"The park is planning to use fee monies, for example, to fund the replacement of the Stinson Beach lifeguard tower and the removal of sand at Ocean Beach to maintain visitor and emergency vehicle access," the agency said.

If the fees are approved, they would be be phased-in lot by lot over several years, beginning to take effect as early as mid 2022.

The National Parks Service is calling on the public for comment on the fees through Sept. 26. Email comments to to goga_business@nps.gov or call 415-561-4700.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are trending downwards across the San Francisco Bay Area, precipitously so in some counties.

In San Francisco County, the seven-day average of new daily cases sits at 124, down from 309 on Aug. 2. In Marin County, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has been cut in half from 20 on Aug. 23 to 10 on Sept. 6.

In early August, seven Bay Area counties  San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Marin and Sonoma  simultaneously issued an indoor mask mandate for all individuals regardless of vaccination status as the more contagious delta variant of COVID-19 started to spread in the region. Napa County later followed suit, but Solano County has not issued such a mandate.

At the time, some health officials  including Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano and Marin County Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Santora  said their counties will monitor hospitalization numbers in determining when to lift the mandate.

With hospitalizations starting to fall off across the highly vaccinated Bay Area, SFGATE checked in with the eight counties enforcing an indoor mask mandate and asked whether health officials are eyeing any specific case or hospitalization thresholds to determine when to lift mandates.

Of the eight, only Alameda and Marin pointed to specific criteria that health officials are using in their decision-making process. Here's what all seven counties said when asked about the future of indoor mask mandates.

San Francisco

When the mandate was first announced, city acting Health Officer Dr. Naveena Bobba expressly referred to the mandate as "temporary."

Now, with cases and hospitalizations decreasing in the San Francisco, the city's health department said in a statement, "We continue to monitor the cases and hospitalizations and will make decisions on masking requirements based on the data and the science and are consulting with our regional and state partners on next steps."

No case or hospitalization data criteria was shared.

Alameda

Unlike San Francisco, Alameda County pointed to specific criteria for when the mandate will be lifted.

Alameda County Public Health Department spokesperson Neetu Balram said health officials will not consider lifting the mandate until the county reaches "moderate" or "low" levels of community transmission on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's county-by-county tracker.

Alameda County is currently listed as a place of "high" transmission, as is every other Bay Area county with the exception of Marin, which is listed as "moderate."

San Mateo

A spokesperson for the county said only, "We continue to assess data about the impact of COVID-19 in San Mateo County and to stress vaccination and the wearing of face coverings as the most effective safety measures to reduce the spread of the disease and prevent serious illness and death."

Santa Clara

When the mandate went into effect, Santa Clara County was the only county that offered a long-range estimate for when it would be lifted, as Deputy Health Officer Dr. George Han said, "We need the added protection of masks back into our lives until everyone is able to be vaccinated, especially children.

Han's statement strongly suggests that Santa Clara won't lift its indoor mask mandate until the FDA approves vaccines for children ages 12 and younger. The latest estimate for when approval might happen is "early to midwinter," NBC News reported, meaning Santa Clara County could be looking at indoor mask mandates for the rest of 2021.

When asked whether the county still plans to keep the mask mandate in place until the FDA approves vaccines for younger children, the county's health department said in a statement, "We continue to monitor and maintain situational awareness of our case counts and vaccination rates to provide the community with the most current information and will inform the community when the mandate could be or is lifted," and "we defer to the federal authorities on when children under 12 years would receive the vaccine."

Contra Costa

County Health Officer Farnitano had previously said hospitalization numbers will be used to determine when to lift the mandate, and the most recent seven-day average for hospitalizations in the county is 188 patients, down from the peak of 220 on Aug. 23.

The county's health department did not provide a threshold for when hospitalizations would be considered sufficiently low, stating, "We don't use a specific threshold for determining when to change the health order, and we can't predict when conditions will permit a change. We can say that, while the summer surge of COVID-19 likely peaked in mid to late August in Contra Costa, our case rates and hospitalization totals remain high, comparable to last winter. We are carefully monitoring the data and will adjust health orders when safe to do so."

Marin

County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis wrote in an email that his county will look at case rates and where those case rates would have fit on the state's old color-coded reopening blueprint.

"We're still in 'purple' equivalent and would want to see numbers closer to orange," he wrote. "But not committing to any single metric. If hospitalization rates remain elevated we would stick to our current approach."

Willis added that mandates would be kept in place if other concerning variants arise, and that his county will be "be approaching this cautiously" as "It's much harder to get control after a surge starts than to prevent it."

Sonoma

Cases and hospitalizations are not falling quite as precipitously in Sonoma County as the rest of the region, and county spokesman Matt Brown said in an email there is "no end date or trigger that would end" the mask mandate.

Napa

Napa County issued a mask mandate later than the other Bay Area counties, and like Sonoma, is not seeing a rapid falloff in new cases. In fact, Napa County's case rate actually increased week-over-week.

Dr. Karen Smith, Napa County's interim public health officer, said in a statement, "We continue to carefully monitor several indicators of the spread of COVID-19 in Napa County and the surrounding area including: case rates, local hospitalizations and intensive care unit capacity. The mask mandate will be lifted when there is evidence of a sustained downward trend in transmission and ICU capacity has recovered.

There are currently 22 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Napa County and the county dashboard estimates 0% ICU capacity.
Two new polls of the Gavin Newsom recall election paint a promising picture for the current governor of California.

Polls released Wednesday by Suffolk University and YouGov show double-digit leads for Newsom on question one (Should Gavin Newsom be recalled?).

The Suffolk University poll found 58% of those surveyed plan to vote "no" while 41% said they would vote "yes," and the YouGov poll found 56% of people intended to vote "no" while 44% plan to vote "yes."

The polls come as the tide has appeared to change for Newsom, whose poll results from earlier in the summer were uninspiring. The previous YouGov poll from July only showed Newsom fending off the recall by four percentage points.

Both of these polls suggest that last week's Public Policy Institute of California poll  which showed Newsom beating back the recall by 19 percentage points  may not be as big an outlier as thought.

The top replacement candidate in both polls was conservative personality Larry Elder, who Newsom has vehemently campaigned against in the final stretch. In the Suffolk poll, when voters supporting the recall were asked why they wished to remove Newsom, most respondents did not list a reason or cited his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic or homelessness.

On Wednesday, Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned against the recall together as Newsom has sought to nationalize the race.

"You have to understand that this recall campaign is about California, and it's about a whole lot more," Harris said at the rally.

For more on if the polls can be trusted, read SFGATE's analysis from earlier Wednesday here.
Two separate polls of the Gavin Newsom recall election show the governor opening up large leads in the final days of the campaign.

The first, from Survey USA and the San Diego Union-Tribune, 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. A separate poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) showed Newsom leading question one by an even wider 58% to 39% margin  a 19 percentage-point lead that appears seemingly insurmountable.

Of course, polls  especially ones from 2016 and beyond  that show Democrats with comfortable leads have not always been accurate. The 2020 presidential election featured a polling miss as large as the 2016 miss, and a great deal has been written on why polls seem to consistently undersample conservative voters.

Rather than enter a discussion around "shy" Trump/recall voters, response rates in the work-from-home era or weighting by education, perhaps the best way to determine the reliability of the Newsom recall polls is by seeing how well Survey USA and PPIC performed in California's last statewide election  which was less than a year ago with pollsters working under the same COVID-19 related constraints.

Below is a table showing numbers from Survey USA's final poll for the 2020 general election compared with actual results. Included are the results of four races: 1. The presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, 2. California's Proposition 15 (raising property taxes on commercial and industrial properties), 3. California's Proposition 16 (lifting a ban on affirmative action) and 4. California's Proposition 22 (granting app-based transportation and delivery companies an exception to a state labor law by classifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees).

The "conservative" side for the three ballot measures are "no" on Prop. 15, "no" on Prop. 16 and "yes" on Prop. 22. Because a recall election is a special election with lower-than-expected turnout, looking at past polling on ballot measures may be more useful than polling on big-ticket, top-of-ballot races like the presidential election.

Survey USA logged some massive misses on Prop. 15 and Prop. 16, largely explained by the large portion of respondents who said they were undecided. On Prop. 15, Survey USA found 49% of respondents voting "yes," 21% voting "no" and a whopping 30% saying they were undecided. In the end, 52% of Californians voted "no" and 48% voted "yes," so unless every single undecided voter decided to vote "no" at the last second, this constitutes a major miss.

For Prop. 16, Survey USA's polling found 40% of respondents voting "yes," 26% voting "no" and 34% undecided. The final result was 57% voting "no" and 43% voting "yes." Survey USA's polling for Prop. 22, on the other hand, was fairly accurate, predicting a win of 14 percentage points (Prop. 22 passed by 17 percentage points). If we work under the assumption that Survey USA's undecided voters consistently seem to end up taking the "conservative" side, then the recall could be a nail-biter, as Survey USA's final recall survey shows 51% opposing the recall, 43% in support and 6% undecided.

PPIC fared better than Survey USA in 2020  but still missed on Prop. 15 and did not ask respondents about Prop. 22.

If we take PPIC's worst miss from 2020 (Prop. 15) and assume a similar eight-percentage-point miss in the recall, Newsom would still survive by 11 percentage points, as PPIC's final recall poll shows Newsom leading by 19.

Polls from earlier in the summer attempted to weight by how likely a voter is to actually cast a ballot, as Republicans have been more enthusiastic about the recall than Democrats. More recent polls show the enthusiasm gap shrinking, and given the makeup of California's electorate (47% Democratic, 24% Republican, 23% nonaffiliated, 6% other), that's very good news for Newsom.

Additional polling, including from the Berkeley Institute of Government Studies, is expected ahead of the Sept. 14 recall election.
Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images 2019

Former President Donald Trump, who is still banned on most social media platforms for pushing thoroughly debunked voter fraud conspiracies related the 2020 presidential election, called into Newsmax Tuesday and offered some fresh new evidence-free conspiracies regarding the Gavin Newsom recall election.

"It's probably rigged," Trump said. "They're sending out all ballots, the ballots are mail-in ballots; in fact, I guess you even have a case where you can make your own ballot. When that happens no one is going to win except these Democrats."
Charles Krupa/AP

NEW YORK (AP)  There will be something missing at two Whole Foods stores opening next year: the rows of cashiers.

Amazon, which owns the grocery chain, said Wednesday that it will bring its cashier-less technology to two Whole Foods stores for the first time, letting shoppers grab what they need and leave without having to open their wallets. Cameras and sensors track whats taken off shelves. Items are charged to an Amazon account after customers leave the store with them.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias foreign and defense ministers are visiting Indonesia, India, South Korea and the United States to bolster economic and security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region, where tensions are rising with China.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defense Minister Peter Dutton left Australia on Wednesday despite pandemic restrictions which continue to make overseas travel rare for government officials.

The trip will prepare for Prime Minister Scott Morrisons visit to Washington, D.C., later this month to meet with U.S., Indian and Japanese leaders in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

China has called the so-called Quad an attempt to contain its ambitions.

Payne and Dutton will have their inaugural meeting with their Indian counterparts while in New Delhi.

They will discuss economic security, cybersecurity, climate, critical technology and supply chains, Payne said in statement.

Australia wants to strike a free trade deal with Quad partner India to reduce its economic reliance on an increasingly hostile China.

Australian special trade envoy for India and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said last month that an India-Australia free trade deal would signal the democratic worlds tilt away from China.

The trip by the Australian ministers strongly reinforces Australias active engagement in our region, a government statement said.

Australias tough quarantine restrictions for international visitors mean that Payne and Dutton will meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the United States. The two countries normally take turns hosting the annual meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., last year.

Dutton, who was infected with the coronavirus during a Washington, D.C., visit last year when he was minister for home affairs, said his upcoming U.S. trip is an important opportunity to build on an already-strong defense relationship near the 70th anniversary of the signing of their bilateral defense treaty.

Payne said one of the most pressing issues to be discussed in all four countries is cooperation on the region's recovery from the pandemic.
MENIFEE, Calif. (AP)  Five U.S. Marines were slightly injured Wednesday when their truck went off a Southern California highway, authorities said.

The truck was towing a trailer with an artillery gun when it went off Interstate 215 in Menifee in Riverside County at around 12:45 p.m., authorities said.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A New Hampshire bank is getting $60 million to help a community development program invest in small businesses.

Mascoma Bank in Lebanon will receive the funds through the New Markets Tax Credit program to help Mascoma Community Development, the state's congressional delegation said in a news release Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES  Zachary Horwitz, an actor in low-budget horror and science-fiction movies, has agreed to plead guilty to running a massive Hollywood Ponzi scheme.

Horwitz, 34, admitted in court papers that he duped investors into giving him more than $650 million for fictitious movie deals with HBO and Netflix.

While Horwitz repaid much of the money in order to lure victims into investing more, he also spent large sums of it to finance his "lavish lifestyle," according to his Sept. 1 plea agreement with the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles. Horwitz acknowledged that he has failed to repay $231 million.

The agreement calls for Horwitz to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud at a hearing on Oct. 4. Prosecutors indicated in court records they will ask U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi to impose a hefty sentence in light of the huge sum Horwitz swindled. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Horowitz's attorney, Anthony Pacheco, did not respond to requests for comment.

Horwitz admitted in the plea agreement that for seven years he falsely represented to investors that his film company, 1inMM Capital, LLC, was buying foreign distribution rights to movies, then licensing them to Netflix, HBO or other platforms to stream online in Latin America, Australia, Europe and Africa.

Investors would "lend" 1inMM Capital from $35,000 to $1.5 million per film deal, and Horwitz guaranteed he would repay them within a year with a return of 25% to 45%, according to the plea agreement.

But Horwitz acknowledged in the agreement that the distribution and licensing contracts were forged. The effort to con investors into thinking they would eventually be repaid included showing them fake correspondence he claimed to have exchanged with Netflix and HBO executives.

More than 250 investors fell victim to Horwitz's scheme, the plea agreement says. They included several of Horwitz's closest friends from college, along with their parents, grandparents, siblings and in-laws, some of whom lost their retirement savings.

Brian R. Michael, a lawyer for three of the college friends, said his clients were pleased that Horwitz "is being held accountable for his criminal fraud." The college friends have been trying to help federal investigators recover Horwitz's assets so that victims "can rebuild their lives after the devastating harm he has caused so many people," Michael said.

Horwitz, who grew up in Florida and Indiana, moved to Los Angeles in 2012. He befriended two brothers who helped him break into the film business: producer Julio Hallivis and his brother Diego, a director and producer. Under the name Zach Avery, Horwitz appeared in a series of their low-end films including "Trespassers" and "The Devil Below."

The Ponzi scheme turned Horwitz into a wealthy man. He traveled by private jet and bought a $5.7 million Beverlywood house with a screening room, gym and 1,000-bottle wine cellar, according to court records. Former friends said in court papers that he often bought courtside seats at Lakers games and once tried to tip a waitress $5,000.

The scam began to unravel in 2019 when Horwitz was unable to meet investors' demands for repayment, sparking a lawsuit that alerted Netflix to his use of forged contracts.

Horwitz was arrested at dawn on April 6, when FBI agents raided the house in Beverlywood.

"The banging of the doors literally caused our walls to tremble and being woken up to a troop of FBI agents swarming our house was the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced," Mallory Horwitz, his wife, said in court papers.

Weeks after the arrest, Mallory Horwitz filed for divorce, saying in court that her husband had been "deceiving and manipulating me and everyone around him, and he is not the person that I believed he was."

A federal grand jury indicted Horwitz in May on five counts of securities fraud, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. If he goes forward with the plan to plead guilty to the single fraud charge, the others will be dismissed.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Officials in Alaska have requested help from more than 470 out-of-state medical personnel in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The state has requested nurses, patient care technicians, respiratory therapists and other health care workers, Alaska's News Source reported. There is no guarantee the state will get the personnel it is requesting, a state health department spokesperson, Elizabeth Manning, said.

Health departments from other states have made similar requests from the federal government. Hospitals nationwide are reporting strains and staffing concerns.

Manning said the emergency procurement request for out-of-state personnel was made possible through state legislation enacted earlier this year.

Out-of-state nurses, doctors and other health care workers have been able to get emergency courtesy licenses to practice in Alaska during the pandemic, the news outlet reported. Glenn Hoskinson, a state commerce department spokesperson, said issuance of such licenses can take days if everything is in order.

However, if we get hundreds of those at once, it would take weeks because we dont have the capacity, she said.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has asked lawmakers to consider legislation that would allow Alaska to participate in a nurse licensure compact. The state commerce department has said this would allow registered and practical nurses in any of the other participating states to practice in Alaska without having to go through a time-consuming, redundant licensing process.

Supporters of the approach say it would streamline the licensing process for out-of-state nurses. But critics have raised concerns about how the nurses would be monitored and questioned whether it would help with staffing when facilities nationwide also have staffing issues.

Alaska's bipartisan House majority coalition, composed largely of Democrats, have asked Dunleavy to issue a disaster declaration to respond to the latest pandemic wave. Dunleavy said he has no intention to do so.

In a letter to legislative leaders last week, he said the virus is endemic and that his administration, in response, is adapting and proposing changes that make the response to the challenge more durable, and not subject to the whims of 30-day proclamations or health orders.

He last week expanded the agenda of the current special session to include bills dealing with nursing and telehealth. Special sessions can last 30 days. That limit would be reached on Tuesday.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Former President Donald Trump has chosen a favored candidate in his bid to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney, one of his most vocal Republican critics.

Trump is planning to endorse Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman, who is preparing to launch a primary campaign against Cheney, the most prominent member of Congress to vote for Trump's second impeachment, according to a person familiar with his decision. The person spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement.

The move marks Trump's most significant endorsement to date as he works to maintain his status as GOP kingmaker and make good on his threat to exact revenge on those who voted to impeach him or blocked his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump has already endorsed a number of Republicans challenging GOP incumbents including Kelly Tshibaka, who is running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska; Michigan State Rep. Steve Carra, who is trying to unseat longtime Rep. Fred Upton; former White House aide Max Miller, who is running against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez in Ohio; and Joe Kent, who is challenging Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in Washington.

All voted in favor of impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol building.

Trump met with Hageman last month as he assessed the potential candidate pool, hoping an early endorsement would help clear the field and prevent a crowded primary that might be advantageous to Cheney's chances.

At least half a dozen other Republicans have already announced their intentions to run and it wasnt immediately clear whether the news of Trump's decision  which was first reported by Politico  would succeed in pushing them out.

They include state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, whose campaign was disrupted in May by the revelation that he impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18; state Rep. Chuck Gray, a political radio commentator; and Darin Smith, an attorney with ties to the Christian Broadcasting Network and the conservative Family Research Council.

Hageman was an early supporter of Cheneys unsuccessful attempt in 2013 and 2014 to oust popular U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, and the two have remained in touch, though it is unclear how close they are personally.

She finished third in a six-way Republican gubernatorial primary in 2018, getting 21% of the vote. Former State Treasurer Mark Gordon won, followed by investor and Republican megadonor Foster Friess, whom had Trump endorsed.

Hageman grew up on a ranch near Fort Laramie in southeastern Wyoming. She holds undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

Shes listed as a senior attorney with the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm that aims to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the administrative state," according to its mission statement.

Her Cheyenne law firm touts its ties to Wyomings ranching industry and Hagemans involvement in lawsuits over wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, grazing on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land and water rights, among other issues.

She recently expressed support on Facebook for a new Texas law banning most abortions and has been a longtime cheerleader for the state's coal mining industry.

Possibly foreshadowing the congressional race ahead, Hageman was the first in her 2018 campaign to go negative, criticizing one opponent as anti-coal and obsessed with so-called green energy.

Now, Hageman faces having to explain why she has parted ways with Cheney despite recent close ties. Hageman was among the first and most prominent people to endorse Cheney in her brief and unsuccessful run against Enzi. And Hageman and Cheney coordinated politically as recently as 2017, emails obtained by The Associated Press show.

Undercutting a common line of attack against Cheney  that she spent most of her life outside Wyoming before moving to Jackson Hole in 2012  Hageman told The Associated Press in 2013 that Cheney's family had a long history in Wyoming and that such criticism was a distraction.

Hageman also donated $1,500 to Cheney for her successful first run for the U.S. House in 2016, and photographs of the pair together were already being used as campaign fodder.

Trumps allies in Wyoming have been trying  unsuccessfully so far  to change state election law to allow for a runoff or ranked-choice voting system starting with next years primary. Such a big change would be costly and difficult to pull off by then, opponents of the changes say.

Hageman didnt return phone and social media messages seeking comment.

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Gruver reported from Fort Collins, Colorado.
BARRE, Vt. (AP)  The chief of the Barre Police Department issued a warning on Wednesday following six drug overdoses, including three fatal ones, in central Vermont over the last several weeks.

Police have found blue pressed pills at some of the scenes, Chief Timothy Bombardier said in a news release. The pills, along with other unknown drugs, are being distributed in the central Vermont area, he said.
BOSTON (AP)  Bostons top mayoral hopefuls sparred on a range of topics  from education and climate change to housing affordability and public safety  during their first televised debate Wednesday, less than a week before next Tuesdays preliminary election.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey, city councilors Annissa Essaibi George, Andrea Campbell and Michelle Wu, and John Barros, the citys former economic development chief, faced off during the hourlong debate sponsored by NBC10 Boston, Telemundo Boston and NECN.

One of the top concerns was the city's public school system.

As students head back to classes in what is now the third school year effected by the pandemic, the candidates agreed students, teachers and staff should continue to wear masks given the threat of the delta variant of COVID-19 and the fact children under 12 cant yet receive vaccines.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey said shes excited for the start of the new school year, but acknowledged many challenges remain.

It will be difficult, but we will get through it, she said.

The candidates discussed other, longer term problems that continue to weigh down the schools.

Michelle Wu said she would work to close the gap on early education, create a childrens cabinet in the mayors office and strengthen vocational education while Essaibi George, who taught in the public schools, said shes committed to making sure students in every seat in every classroom in every community have a high quality experience.

Campbell faulted the administration for not preparing better for a potential shortage of school bus drivers. She said she was one of the parents with children in the schools who got a recorded call warning of a driver shortage.

We should have been proactive in planning for this, she said adding that every parent should have been reached out to individually.

Barros said the school busing program  initially meant to integrate the citys schools and create more equality in education  has failed, including failing the families it was meant to help.

We need to make sure every neighborhood has a quality school, he said. We should all be walking to our neighborhood schools.

The five also said the city needs to do more to make sure residents can continue to live in the city in the face of soaring housing costs.

Some of the candidates, including Janey and Essaibi, said the city should focus on down payment assistance for first time homeowners, while Campbell said the city should be doing more to convert city-owned lots into affordable housing. Wu said she supports rent stabilization, a proposal that could be challenging given that rent control has been banned in Massachusetts.

Housing is health. Housing is opportunity. Housing is safety, Wu said.

Janey said she issued an order banning evictions during the ongoing pandemic.

The candidates also addressed the threat of climate change, not only threats to neighborhoods near the harbor but other disparities heightened by climate change like tree canopy cover between wealthier and less wealthier sections of the city.

Climate action is so important in our city, Essaibi George said. We need to act quickly when it comes to environmental injustice.

Wu said the city needs to take large and small steps to address rising heat, more frequent flooding and more intense rain  from adopting electric school buses to planting more trees.

We need to do a whole lot more a whole lot quicker, she said.

The candidates also said the city needs to respond to the root causes of other troubles like addiction and crime.

All the candidates are Democrats. Mayoral races in Boston do not include party primaries. The two top vote earners in the Sept. 14 preliminary election will face off Nov. 2.

The campaign marks a pivotal turning point in the citys history. The preliminary election will almost certainly for the first time narrow the field of mayoral contenders to two candidates of color, possibly both women.

Wu's parents immigrated to the United States from Taiwan. Janey and Campbell are Black. Essaibi George describes herself as a first generation Arab-Polish American. Barros is of Cape Verdean descent.

Throughout its history, Boston has only elected white men as mayor.

Wu has held a lead over the other top four candidates in a number of recent polls, setting up a scramble among the other contenders for the second spot if Wus lead holds.

Janey, who became the first Black Bostonian and first woman to occupy the citys top office after former Mayor Marty Walsh stepped down earlier this year to become President Joe Bidens labor secretary, has traded barbs with Campbell.

Essaibi George has also targeted Janey, who has used the higher public profile afforded by the mayors office to help propel her campaign. The strategy has been a double-edged sword, bringing Janey both praise and criticism.

Barros has struggled to gain traction in the contest.

Janey has raised the most campaign cash this year, bringing in more than $1.5 million since January.

Campbell, who has raised more than $1.4 million since January, followed by Wu and Essaibi George  both of whom have raised more than $1.3 million.

Barros has raised about $644,000.
BOSTON (AP)  A shortage of bus drivers in Boston's public schools is raising concern among parents who fear that some students could be left behind when the district starts a new year Thursday.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey and Superintendent Brenda Cassellius have told families to expect significant delays or bus cancellations, but details are not being provided to families until Thursday morning, The Boston Globe reports.

The shortage is so severe that a union for bus drivers last week urged the district to postpone the start of classes. The district's bus fleet was short more than 60 drivers at the time, and few had been added as of Thursday.

Families and advocates worry that some students could end up stranded at home or at bus stops on Thursday. The Boston Special Education Parent Advisory Council has raised concerns about students who need special education services including door-to-door transportation or individual bus monitors.

I honestly dont know what to expect now and am concerned for families that dont have the work flexibility, income, or resources to secure alternative transportation," said Roxi Harvey, who chairs the council.

Schools across the nation have been grappling with driver shortages amid a labor market that has been tightened by the pandemic. Districts in some areas are offering drivers cash bonuses as schools work to reopen amid surging numbers of COVID-19 cases.

In Boston, Janey has defended her administration's handling of the bus system amid criticism from some other mayoral candidates.

I am committed to ensuring every student has access to safe transportation to school, Janey said in a statement. I have challenged my team to create creative solutions to ensure students get to school, as well as hire more drivers, as the city faces the nationwide bus driver shortage.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP)  Someone severely vandalized flags hung on a Southern California freeway overpass to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in the suicide bombing at Afghanistans Kabul airport last month, police said.

A citizen reported the damage to the 13 American flags and a Marine Corps flag that were attached to a fence on a bridge over the State Route 91 freeway in the city of Riverside, local police said in a social media post Tuesday.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California's progressive state Legislature has shelved bills aimed at requiring workers to either be vaccinated or get weekly coronavirus testing to keep their jobs, punting on a debate about vaccine mandates just days before the state's Democratic governor faces a recall election.

California is already at the forefront the debate around vaccine mandates, with Gov. Gavin Newsom ordering all of the state's roughly 2.2 million health care workers to either get vaccinated or lose their jobs while also directing state workers and teachers to either get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

Democrats in the state Legislature were crafting a pair of bills behind the scenes during the final two weeks of the session that would have gone further by either aiding or expanding those orders to include workers in both the public and private sectors.

One bill by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks would have required all workers to either receive the coronavirus vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Another bill by Assemblyman Evan Low sought to make sure state law protected businesses that chose to require their workers to be vaccinated while also extending paid sick leave for up to 40 hours per week for anyone who can't work because of the virus.

Wicks announced last week she would not pursue her bill this year. Low's bill was still alive this week, and the Democratic Assemblyman from San Jose said he had secured agreements from both business and labor interests. But bills had to be introduced by Wednesday for lawmakers to vote on them this year, and Low missed that deadline.

Both lawmakers indicated they would try again next year.

We unfortunately ran out of time, Low said. While I'm disappointed we will not be passing a bill that would have created greater safeguards for workers and employers, I will continue to exhaust all legislative avenues when it comes to protecting the health and prosperity of all Californians.

Both bills' demise did not stop more than a thousand people from gathering outside of the state Capitol Wednesday for a rally opposing vaccine mandates. People marched around the Capitol in the midday heat, toting signs that read Oppose vaccine mandates or they will never end" and Nothing warrants removal of medical choice" while vendors hawked smoothies from the sidewalk.

As protesters marched, the state Assembly passed a bill that would make it illegal to come within 30 feet (9.14 meters) of someone at a vaccination site for the purpose of obstructing, injuring, harassing, intimidating, or interfering.

Violators could face up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000. The bill passed on a 54-0 vote, with Republicans not voting. It must return to the Senate for a final vote before lawmakers finish their work for the year on Friday.

We know that there are anti-vaccine extremists that are escalating their tactics to disrupt and stop these vaccine efforts," Democratic Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan said.

But organizers of the vaccine rally at the Capitol rejected the anti-vaccine label they say has been unfairly thrust on them by others.

If somebody wants to vaccinate, I support that. I just want them to have a choice. I want to have a choice to say no, said Joshua Coleman, co-founder of the group V is for Vaccine that organized Wednesday's rally. He said he believed most people who attended the rally have gotten vaccines at some point in their life. Some people just don't want the COVID-19 vaccine."

Some in the crowd wielded signs with inaccurate information, with one sign claiming vaccines cause early death and another claiming there is no pandemic, just the government waging psychological warfare on you.

There have been more than 222 million confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide with more than 4.5 million deaths, according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective, with more than 369 million doses having been administered in the United States as of last week.

Around noon, organizers had everyone crowd around the west entrance to the state Capitol for a giant group photo, with the goal to show lawmakers people who oppose vaccine mandates are not the minority.

I want the legislators to understand that there is a large a mount of people in this state that do not want medical mandates and that it's unfair, said Olivia Mikos, 44, who organized Wednesday's rally along with Coleman.

More than 80% of people 12 and older in California have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. That puts California, by far the most populous state in the country, among states with the highest vaccination rates.

___

Associated Press reporter Don Thompson contributed.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California lawmakers moved to make the state the first to outlaw stealthing, which is removing a condom without permission during intercourse.

Legislators sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill on Tuesday adding the act to the state's civil definition of sexual battery. It makes it illegal to remove the condom without obtaining verbal consent.

But it doesn't change the criminal code. Instead, it would amend the civil code so that a victim could sue the perpetrator for damages, including punitive damages.

Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia has been pushing for the legislation since 2017, when a Yale University study said acts of stealthing were increasing against both women and gay men. Her original bill attempted to make it a crime.

But legislative analysts said at the time that the act could already be considered misdemeanor sexual battery, even if it isn't specifically referenced in the criminal code. But the analysts said it is rarely prosecuted, if only because of the difficulty in proving that a perpetrator acted intentionally instead of accidently.

Analysts this year said Garcia's bill would remove any ambiguity in civil law.

Garcia said the act can cause long-term physical and emotional harm to its victims.

Lawmakers in New York and Wisconsin previously proposed related legislation, but Garcia said California would be the first to make it illegal. Her bill passed in California this year with no opposition.

Its disgusting that there are online communities that defend and encourage stealthing and give advice on how to get away with removing the condom without the consent of their partner, but there is nothing in law that makes it clear that this is a crime," Garcia said in a statement.

Her bill has support from the Erotic Service Providers Legal Educational Research Project, which said it could allow sex workers to sue clients who remove condoms during otherwise consensual sex.

Also Tuesday, the state Senate moved to treat the rape of a spouse the same as the rape of a non-spouse. The bill removes an exemption to the rape law if the victim is married to the perpetrator.

California is one of 11 states that distinguish between spousal rape and other forms of sexual assault. The bills supporters said the distinction lingers from a time when women were expected to obey their husbands.

Those convicted of spousal rape currently can be eligible for probation instead of prison or jail, although there is no difference in the maximum penalties. Those convicted of spousal rape also must register as sex offenders only if the act involved the use of force or violence and the spouse was sentenced to state prison.

The bill passed, 36-0. It returns to the Assembly for a final vote before lawmakers adjourn for the year on Friday.
NEW YORK (AP)  With Katie Holmes and Lil' Kim on his front row and singer Marina on the mic high above his runway, Christian Siriano helped kicked off New York Fashion Week's first big pandemic round of in-person shows Tuesday with a flurry of neon and lace inspired in part by all the Italian women in his life.

From ornate Gotham Hall, beneath a stained glass skylight 70 feet up, Siriano's commitment to size inclusivity was never stronger as he opened and closed the show with plus-size breakout model Precious Lee. She first walked in a stunning yellow trouser suit with wide loose pants and an asymmetrical jacket, a matching crossover bralette underneath.

His crowd pared down to 300 from his usual 800 guests due to the pandemic, Siriano told The Associated Press he wanted to bring the glamour in today's dark times. He harkened back in some looks to old photographs of his paternal grandmother on vacation in Positano on Italy's Amalfi Coast during the 1960s and '70s. He put vintage sunglasses on some of his models as they strutted in bright yellows, sunset oranges and emerald green gowns and dresses with huge ruffles for sleeves and bulbous skirts.

Fashion Week is back. It's such a good feeling. New York is feeling great, Siriano said, with Kristin Chenoweth, Alicia Silverstone and muse Coco Rocha also on his front row.

The pandemic, he said, has brought on bouts of nostalgia for many, including himself. He recalled an apricot dress with polkadots among his grandmother's favorites.

She's still alive at 101, Siriano said. I was just feeling that and it has the glamour that I love. I was surrounded by women who got dressed every day. It was lipstick. It was hair and makeup every day."

He wanted this spring-summer collection to be very strong and powerful, but sexy, too.

There were looks in barely there black lace, tiny bra tops paired with trousers and full skirts, and body hugging slinky dresses with cut outs from neck to calf. As Marina sang from a platform at the end of the runway, models of all sizes also walked in classic evening looks in black and white, including one-shoulder dresses with a single long sleeve and a slice of bared midriff. Other looks were adorned with vertical rows of feathers.

I love that. I miss that, he said of his touch of drama and old-world glam. I think that's what people miss about fashion, too. We have friends that are going to, like, a birthday party and they want a gown. It's so interesting to see what we were missing.

Fashion, Siriano said, is in a really hard place at the moment.

Business is really struggling everywhere. It's nowhere near what people used to shop. But luckily, for our world, people really are looking for that aspirational piece. They're spending more than ever on that. My best friend just got married. She canceled her wedding three times. I made her the biggest dress I could possibly make her. She wanted it. She's a curvy girl, and pregnant, and she was like, I don't care.

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Associated Press video producer Gina Abdy in New York contributed to this story.

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Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie
KEY WEST, Fla. (AP)  U.S. Coast Guard crews rescued four men after their fishing boat became disabled off of Key West.

The fishermen told rescue crews they left from Cancun, Mexico, on Aug. 29 in a boat named Aqua Limo II. It broke down off of Key West and they were left with no food, water or fuel, the Coast Guard said in a news release on Wednesday.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP)  The Colorado Supreme Court will not hear a lawsuit from the Daily Camera newspaper of Boulder that challenges the University of Colorado's refusal to reveal the finalists for the school president's job in 2019.

The Camera reported that the court denied its petition Wednesday. It had asked the court to determine who is considered a finalist for chief executive jobs not only at the university but at other publicly funded government entities under the Colorado Open Records Act. The law requires a finalists identity be publicly disclosed.

The Camera sued in 2019, seeking the names of six finalists interviewed by the Board of Regents to replace then-university President Bruce Benson, who was retiring. Mark Kennedy, a former president of the University of North Dakota who got the job, was the only candidate publicly identified by the university.

A district court judge ruled for the Camera in 2020. That decision was overturned in March by a Court of Appeals panel that found governmental entities can determine who is a finalist.

A dissenting judge wrote that the opinion allows the university and other government entities to manipulate their procedures to shield information from disclosure in spite of" the Open Records Act and Colorados Open Meetings Law. The open meetings law requires that meetings of two or more members of a state public body to discuss public business must be open to the public.

Al Manzi, publisher of the Camera and president of parent company Prairie Mountain Media, said the newspaper was disappointed by the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case.

We hope our efforts to try to get the courts to order governing bodies to release the names of more than one finalist will eventually bear fruit, he said.

The university was pleased with the outcome, spokesman Mike Sandler said. The school has said candidates for the presidents position should have an expectation of confidentiality and that releasing their names could jeopardize their current jobs.

The Legislature passed a bipartisan measure allowing certain governmental entities that are seeking a chief executive to disclose just a single finalist, as in the case of a city manager or school district superintendent. It became law this year without Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signature.

Supporters of the bill said government agencies lose talented candidates when they know their names will be publicized. Opponents, including the Colorado Press Association, say the public has a right to know who is being considered for a taxpayer-financed government position.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Some incoming Afghan refugees were greeted by two members of New Mexicos all-female U.S. House delegation, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, at Holloman Air Force Base.

Afghans evacuated in recent days by the American military are largely being processed at U.S. government facilities across the country, including Holloman outside Alamogordo and nearby Fort Bliss in westernmost Texas, before going to resettlement agencies that will determine their final destinations.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury of Albuquerque said Wednesday she felt fortunate to meet at Holloman with an Afghan interpreter who is seeking refuge in the U.S. with a wife and two children, as well as a support group for women seeking asylum in the U.S.

As these families transition into American life, there are different gender norms here in the U.S. Thatll be part of the journey as well, Stansbury said of the Tuesday tour of the air base.

Republican U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell recounted her contact with a plane load of about 150 evacuees from Afghanistan as they arrived at Holloman. She said the base is expecting to accommodate 5,000 refugees by Friday.

They had just landed, so obviously Im interacting with them, said Herrell, an Alamogordo resident. The first thing that happens ... they get refreshment, water, food and then they go to a quick medical screening."

Herrell and Stansbury were accompanied at the base on Tuesday by an Air Force general, a Homeland Security coordinator and State Department official.

Herrell expressed a combination of pride in the humanitarian effort toward resettlement  and trepidation over security vetting procedures for refugees.

To see a humanitarian effort take shape in this capacity, it touches my heart and it truly makes me proud to be an American," she said.

She described Herculean efforts by contractors and military personnel to set up tents with living quarters, including private spaces to accommodate individual families, and provide medical care including COVID-19 testing.

My biggest concern is the vetting process for asylum-seekers, Herrell said. And we pressed the general yesterday on these issues."

Lawyers representing refugees and special immigrant visa holders say the wait time for approval is at least two years while background checks and interviews are conducted.

Herrell says she worries Afghan refugees won't all go through that process, and that U.S. doesn't have access to enough reliable data on Afghan nationals. She opposes any artificial deadlines for security vetting.

Stansbury called those concerns political talking points," and says she is confortable with the vetting process at multiple stages in the resettlement process.

Theyre not based on the reality of what our armed services and the State Department and the FBI and others are doing to make sure that the people that we helped to evacuate were people that were allies ... people that qualify for resettlement and services here in the U.S.," she said.

Herrell said her concerns about proper vetting do not signal disapproval of resettlement efforts.

"The refugees that are coming here seeking safety and looking for a new way of life, certainly they want to be protected also," Herrell said. There needs to be a more robust vetting process at these facilities where theyre stopping before they come to America.

New Mexico has a new slate of first-term representatives in Congress.

In 2018, Herrell flipped New Mexicos southern District 2 seat to Republican control while embracing then-President Donald Trumps border wall strategy and espousing a pro-petroleum philosophy in a major U.S. oil-production hub.

Stansbury won a special election in June on a progressive political platform to fill the former congressional seat of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has offered New Mexico as a ready participant in efforts to assist with Afghan refugees seeking asylum.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The Ohio Supreme Court is deciding whether the insurance company for a drug distributor should be forced to provide a legal defense in the companys fight against government lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic.

Justices on Wednesday heard arguments in a dispute between Hamilton County-based Masters Pharmaceutical and its insurer from 2010 to 2018, Wisconsin-based Acuity Insurance.

Beginning in 2012, West Virginia and local governments in Michigan and Nevada sued Masters and other opioid distributors, seeking compensation for the cost of increased public services incurred during communities' battle against the painkiller epidemic. Those included necessary increases in policing, court cases, substance abuse treatment, emergency responses and medical services.

Masters argues it did nothing wrong. But it also says that under its contract with Acuity, the company must defend Masters against the allegations. Masters argues that previous court rulings have upheld the notion that insurance companies must provide a defense for businesses for plausible claims of alleged damages.

Acuity's policy with Masters requires it to defend lawsuits alleging damages because of bodily injury, lawyers for the drug company argued in a court filing earlier this year.

Because governments are suing Masters for the cost of medical care and treatment for citizens allegedly harmed by the company's distribution of opioids, Acuity must defend Masters against those lawsuits, the lawyers said.

Allegations against Masters include specific references to injuries, including the cost of 116 opioid-related hospitalizations in Saginaw County, Michigan; 24 hospitalizations in Mason County, Michigan; and 243 doses of the overdose antidote Narcan administered by the Lansing, Michigan, fire department, Masters attorney Paul Rose said during Wednesday's hearing before the state Supreme Court.

Every one of these ambulances that went out to pick up someone picked up a specific person. Every dose of Narcan was administered to a specific person, Rose said.

Acuity counters that its only liable for coverage of injuries incurred by specific people, not the overall costs of the opioid epidemic to governments.

Government lawsuits are seeking compensation for costs associated with increased public services, not bodily injury experienced by any one person or persons, and therefore don't require Acuity to mount a defense, the company's attorneys said in a court filing.

Some justices seemed skeptical of Acuity's position and questioned why it shouldn't defend Masters.

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor noted that the policy required the company to defend against damages claimed by any person or organization for care, loss of services, or death.

Benjamin Sasse, representing Acuity, said the key was an additional phrase referring to the bodily injury.

These coverages are written and underwritten to respond to injuries to a particular person," Sasse said.

Insurance companies are urging the court to side with Acuity in the closely watched case.

Insurers have no obligations to defend suits seeking massive and unfettered government expenditures for public services, a group of insurance company associations argued in a February friend of the court brief siding with Acuity.

To obligate them to do so would drastically deviate from the applicable law, insurance policy terms, and public policy, the companies said.

A decision in the case isn't expected for months.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The Danish government presented a proposal Tuesday to get foreigners and people with immigrant backgrounds to work 37 hours a week in exchange for welfare benefits.

The proposal by the minority Social Democratic government said there are still too many people, especially with non-Western backgrounds, who do not have a job to get up to in the morning. It claimed that many women of foreign descent remain outside the labor market, especially those with roots in the Mideast, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey.

If you come to Denmark, you have to work and support yourself and your family," the proposal said. If one cannot support oneself, one must have a duty to participate and contribute what is equivalent to a regular working week to receive the full welfare benefit.

The program will start with those who have some Danish proficiency and skills training will be done by local municipalities.

No date has yet been set for the 179-seat parliament to vote on the proposal. Although the Social Democrats do not have a majority, they would likely get support from center-right lawmakers to pass it.

Mai Villadsen, a lawmaker with the opposition Red-Green Alliance, called the idea foolish. She argued that it could lead to downward pressure on the wages of other workers.

The foundation of our welfare society is a strong safety net, Villadsen wrote on Twitter.

Mirka Mozer, head of a Copenhagen-based organization that helps immigrant women get jobs, said to her, the plan didnt sound ambitious enough.

We have lots of women who are willing to take jobs, including jobs that are 37 hours (per week), but there needs to be more 37-hour jobs, Mozar told The Associated Press.

In 2018, her group, the Immigrant Womens Center has registered almost 13,000 people from 57 different nations. Mozer said it has contacts with dozens of companies that offer jobs to immigrant women, but most were only 4-to-10 hours per week.

Some certainly fear that their (welfare) benefits will be reduced because they cant get a 37-hour job, she said.

Immigrants and their descendants represent 14.1% of Denmarks nearly 6 million people. The largest groups are from Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
SPARTA, Wis. (AP)  Several Democratic members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation who toured Fort McCoy say they're confident Afghan refugees arriving at the Wisconsin base are being properly vetted before they resettle across the country.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and U.S Reps. Ron Kind and Mark Pocan toured the base in Monroe County on Tuesday with several Democratic state lawmakers.

Kind said evacuees were undergoing a multi-layered process that includes biometric screening.

Fort McCoy is one of eight U.S. military bases thats temporarily housing Afghans who have fled their country after the recent collapse of the government to the Taliban. The base can host up to 13,000 refugees and as of Friday, 8,780 people had arrived.

Pocan said refugees could start completing the immigration process and leaving the base to resettle elsewhere as early as this weekend. He said all but one of the arrivals have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine as part of their medical screening.

Kind confirmed that officials had reported a very small amount of COVID-19 infections among the evacuees, but said the lawmakers didnt get an exact number of positive cases.

The refugees are getting other vaccinations as well, including for measles and mumps.

Baldwin said officials at Fort McCoy have been checking whether there are any child brides among the refugees. No one 15 or younger has been found to be married, Baldwin said the delegation was told.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  Duke Energy Corp. says two of its properties in downtown Charlotte are up for sale as part of the utilitys consolidation plan to move into a single building.

Duke Energy spokesman Neil Nissan says buildings on Church and College streets have been listed, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday. The sale is part of the power companys long-term workplace strategy to cut its real estate footprint by 60%, from 2.5 million square feet (232,257 square meters) to 1 million square feet (92,903 square meters) in the next two years.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippines' governing party nominated President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday as its vice presidential candidate in next year's elections, a maneuver widely seen as an effort to keep the popular leader near the center of power while avoiding constitutional term limits.

The party's nominee for president, however, declined to run.

Duterte, 76, notorious for vulgar rhetoric and a crackdown on illegal drugs that has killed thousands of mostly petty suspects, told the national convention of his PDP-Laban party that he hopes this will allow me to continue serving the Filipino people and help lead the entire nation toward greater progress.

Duterte attended the convention in San Fernando City, north of the capital, Manila, in person while others attended online to observe COVID-19 health protocols. The party was the first to hold a convention to select candidates for the May 9 national elections.

Do you know why Ill be running for the vice presidency? Is it ambition? Maybe. But is it really a sense of love of country? Yes," Duterte told the gathering. "Is it really ... because I want to see the continuity of my efforts even though I may not be the one giving the direction? Maybe I can just help.

Dutertes popularity has remained strong despite the Philippines' struggles through the COVID-19 pandemic, with rising infections and death rates and a slow vaccine rollout.

Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science associate professor at the University of the Philippines, said the fact that Duterte has the audacity to run and the party nominated him indicates they've been emboldened by the approval and trust ratings of the president despite the bungling of the pandemic response.

Polls indicate strong support for Duterte running in tandem with his daughter, Sara Duterte, as the candidate for president  though he suggested he might step out of the vice presidential race if she announces a bid for the top job.

Sara Duterte, 43, is currently the mayor of Davao City and is a member of the regional HNP party, which she founded in 2018. She has supported her father's party at the national level.

Under Philippine law, the vice president is elected separately from the president and Dutertes party on Wednesday nominated his longtime ally and former aide Sen. Christopher Bong Go for the candidacy.

But Go, who had told the party at the end of August that he had decided not to run for president, in what analysts suggested was a move to pave the way for Sara Dutertes candidacy, declined the nomination.

I repeat, I am not interested to run for president in the coming election, he said in a statement. My whole heart and mind are focused on serving our countrymen and I have no desire to compete for the highest position in the country.

No alternative to Go was immediately named.

Philippine presidents are limited by the 1987 Constitution to a single six-year term. At least two former presidents, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, have made successful runs for lower public offices after serving as president, but not for vice president.

If Duterte goes ahead with his run, it will likely face court challenges from the opposition, though the Supreme Court has strongly supported the presidents moves in the past.

The constitution is not particularly clear whether the president running as vice president is legal or not, but what is clear is that its against the spirit of the particular constitutional provision banning the reelection of Philippine presidents," said Cleve V. Arguelles, a political scientist at De La Salle University in Manila.

"The provision ended up there because we dont want presidents ... to enjoy incumbent advantage in a presidential election. And by all means if he will be allowed to run as vice president, then he will have incumbent advantage.

Critics of Duterte say his bid for vice president is also an attempt to protect himself from possible prosecution by the International Criminal Court, which has said it found reason to believe crimes against humanity have been committed during Dutertes anti-drug crackdown.

Hours ahead of the convention, Sen. Panfilo Lacson of the Partido Reporma or Reform Party launched his candidacy for president, with Senate President Vicente Sotto III as his running mate. They vowed to give local governments more responsibility and to win back public trust in institutions.

Lacson lost his first bid for president to Arroyo in 2004.

A rival faction of PDP-Laban led by boxer and Senator Manny Pacquiao, who has been touted as a possible presidential candidate, will hold its convention later this month.

Another familiar name who has suggested he might announce a bid for president is Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the ousted dictator whose government was infamous for corruption.

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Rising reported from Bangkok.
Dylann Roof has filed the next step in his federal appeal, challenging a court's confirmation of his conviction and death sentence for the 2015 racist slayings of nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation.

In a petition filed Wednesday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, attorneys for Roof argued that the court's decision last month to uphold his federal conviction and sentence interpreted too broadly the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which authorizes Congress to regulate commerce among the states.

Last month, a three-judge panel of the court unanimously upheld Roof's conviction and sentence, saying the legal record cannot even capture the full horror of what he did. The judges rejected arguments that the young white man should have been ruled incompetent to stand trial in the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Now, Roof wants the full court to consider his appeal.

By accepting the governments argument that a combination of factors including Roofs use of the internet to post his views and research the church constituted interstate commerce, Roofs lawyers wrote, the panels decision amounted to an amorphous, unprecedented, and all-encompassing standard for federal Commerce Clause jurisdiction over local crime, effectively nullifying states traditional police power in that arena.

In 2017, Roof became the first person in the U.S. sentenced to death for a federal hate crime. Authorities have said Roof opened fire during the closing prayer of a Bible study at Mother Emanuel, raining down dozens of bullets on those assembled. He was 21 at the time.

In his appeal, Roofs attorneys had argued that he was wrongly allowed to represent himself during sentencing, a critical phase of his trial. Roof successfully prevented jurors from hearing evidence about his mental health, under the delusion, his attorneys argued, that he would be rescued from prison by white-nationalists  but only, bizarrely, if he kept his mental-impairments out of the public record.

Roofs lawyers said his convictions and death sentence should be vacated, or his case should be sent back to court for a proper competency evaluation.

The 4th Circuit initially found that the trial judge did not commit an error when he found Roof was competent to stand trial and issued a scathing rebuke of Roofs crimes.

No cold record or careful parsing of statutes and precedents can capture the full horror of what Roof did," the judges wrote. His crimes qualify him for the harshest penalty that a just society can impose.

It remains to be seen who exactly would hear the case, should the court grant Roof a full hearing. All of the judges in the 4th Circuit, which covers South Carolina, have recused themselves; one of their own, Judge Jay Richardson, prosecuted Roofs case as an assistant U.S. attorney. The panel that heard arguments in May and issued August's ruling was composed of judges from several other appellate circuits.

Along with his request for a full-court hearing, Roof also asked that either U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts designate a panel to consider the rehearing petition or the 4th Circuit's chief judge designate other judges from within that district to make up such a panel.

After his federal trial, Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty in 2017 to state murder charges, leaving him to await execution in a federal prison and sparing his victims and their families the burden of a second trial.

Earlier this summer, however, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a moratorium and halted all federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its execution policies and procedures. The review comes after a historic run of capital punishment at the end of the Trump administration, which carried out 13 executions in six months.

A federal lawsuit also has been filed over the execution protocols  including the risk of pain and suffering associated with the use of pentobarbital, the drug used for lethal injection.

As a candidate, President Joe Biden said hed work to end federal executions. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in March that he continues to have grave concerns about it.

If unsuccessful in his direct appeal, Roof could file whats known as a 2255 appeal, or a request that the trial court review the constitutionality of his conviction and sentence. He could also petition the U.S. Supreme Court or seek a presidential pardon.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Democratic state Sen. Kirsten Engel of Tucson resigned from the Legislature on Wednesday to focus on her campaign for the U.S. House.

Arizona's 2nd Congressional District race will be pivotal to the Democratic Party's efforts to retain the U.S. House majority, and this is not an endeavor to be taken lightly," Engel said.

I know how much work it will take to win this district, and I'm ready to take on that challenge whole-heartedly, Engel said in a statement.

Incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick is retiring. The district, which includes parts of Tucson and southeastern Arizona, has been highly competitive in the past, though it's unknown how the boundaries will change through the ongoing redistricting process.

Engel, an environmental law professor at University of Arizona, is in her first term in the state Senate following two terms in the House. She faces Democratic state Rep. Daniel Hernandez, who is best known as the intern credited with saving former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords when she was shot in the head.

State Rep. Randy Friese, another Tucson-area lawmaker, dropped out of the Democratic primary last week saying he needed to focus on his job as a doctor during the pandemic.

The Legislature is not scheduled to be in session until January. The Democratic precinct committeemen in Legislative District 10 will come up with a list of nominees from which the Pima County Board of Supervisors will pick a new senator. Engel's replacement must be a Democrat.

Engel's resignation makes for two Democratic vacancies in the 30-member Senate. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is nearing a decision on a replacement for Sen. Tony Navarrete, who quit after he was charged with sex crimes. He denies the allegations.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The former co-owner of an award-winning Mississippi restaurant will avoid prison time after she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of a man outside a liquor store she also owns.

Greta Brown Bully, 52, of Ridgeland, entered the guilty plea Wednesday in Hinds County Circuit Court. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but two of those will be served on house arrest and the other eight are suspended. That means she will not spend any time in prison.

Bully was charged with first-degree murder, drive-by shooting and evidence tampering after Larry Lee, 65, was shot to death in April 2020 in the parking lot of a liquor store she owns in Jackson.

Bully is the daughter of a Hinds County constable. She is also former co-owner of Bullys Soul Food Restaurant in Jackson, which received an America's Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2016. The foundation says the designation is for restaurants that have timeless appeal and serve quality food that reflects the character of their communities.

WAPT-TV reported that before Judge Forrest A. Johnson accepted Bullys plea deal Wednesday, he heard testimony and watched police body camera video that showed Bully telling officers she shot Lee after he walked up on her and she told him several times to leave.

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said two handguns were used to shoot Lee while he sat outside a liquor store that Bully owned. A Jackson police detective testified that Lee appeared to be sitting on the ground next to the building when he was shot.

Bully told the judge she was sorry for Lees death, but she shot him because I feared for my life and I had no alternative."

Johnson is a retired circuit judge from Adams County. The Mississippi Supreme Court last year appointed him to oversee Bully's case last year after all four Hinds County circuit judges recused themselves.

WLBT-TV reported that Bully's defense attorney, Dennis Sweet, previously sought to have all charges dropped against her. He cited a state law that allows people to defend themselves if their homes or businesses are threatened. Jackson Police Detective Bruce Triplett had said the shooting appeared to be not for lawful self-defense."

In May, Johnson sealed court documents in Bully's case and ordered those involved not to discuss the case in public. The court docket shows he unsealed the documents and lifted that prohibition Tuesday.

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This story has been corrected to show that the judge unsealed documents and lifted restrictions on people discussing the case on Tuesday, not Wednesday.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Born out of the 1980s war against the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan, the terror group al-Qaida under Osama bin Laden grew into a generational threat to America that culminated in its Sept. 11, 2001, attack that brought down the World Trade Center in New York.

The 9/11 attacks, which also saw the Pentagon struck by the commercial airliners hijacked by the group's militants, led to the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and the start of America's longest war that just ended with the military's frantic airlift from Kabul.

It also represented a new kind of danger, a war not against a nation per se but a shadowy network of financiers, acolytes and suicide bombers that continues even after bin Laden's killing at the hands of U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011 in Pakistan. Others have followed their model to even-more horrific results.

ORIGINS

Al-Qaida, or the Base in Arabic, organized as the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan. Hoping to capitalize on the support the mujahedeen, or the holy warriors, received during their war against Moscow, bin Laden formed al-Qaida and became its leader. The son of a construction magnate in Saudi Arabia, bin Laden also enjoyed familial wealth as well.

He demanded U.S. forces withdraw from Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam. America deployed troops there in the lead-up to the 1991 Gulf War over Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.

THE PEAK

In 1996, bin Laden issued a formal declaration of war. But it wasn't until trucks loaded with explosives detonated outside of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killing more than 200 people on Aug. 7, 1998, that the threat became real.

The al-Qaida suicide bombing of the USS Cole off Aden, Yemen, followed in 2000. Seventeen people died. Then came the Sept. 11 attacks. Bin Laden fled the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, only to be hunted down in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a decade later.

LEGACY

Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian who became leader after bin Laden's death, has faded in prominence in recent years and is believed to be in poor health. Bin Ladens son, Hamza, who became a leading figure inside al-Qaida, was later killed.

But al-Qaida's prominence following Sept. 11 saw it gain affiliates across the Mideast. One became the Islamic State group, whose filmed beheadings and takeover of large parts of Iraq and Syria shocked the world.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)  A man fed up with a private road in poor condition near his southwest Florida business has a novel solution: plant a banana tree in a pothole to warn motorists away.

Last week, Bryan Raymond planted the tree in a stubborn pothole along Honda Drive just off U.S. 41 in south Fort Myers. Raymond, who owns Progress and Pride Fitness Group, said the idea of planting a banana tree ripened in his mind after having to fill holes in the street with cement multiple times.

Because Honda Drive is a private street, county officials said, its up to the business owners to maintain the street.

For Raymond, the banana tree is an attention-grabbing repair.

If we have to maintain it and make sure nobody gets hurt, we are going to put something obvious there to make sure nobody gets in the hole, Raymond told television station WBBH.

For some time, Raymond's security cameras have caputured problems along the street, including a pothole damaging cars and floodwaters causing his trash bin to float away.

Some who work along the road say anything is better than potholes.

I love it, I think its hilarious. We should have more of these, said Scott Shein, who works at a nearby business, told WBBH. I think it is sending a message.

He's seen so many cars hit a pothole on the street and bottom out that it's a real concern.

Charlie Lopez, who lives in nearby Cape Coral, agrees.

It messes up your tire, messes up the rim and then it basically messes up your day, he said.

For some, though, the sight of a tree brings disbelief.

I pulled up and Im like, is that really a tree in the middle of the road? said John Hulker, who lives in Fort Myers, speaking with WINK-TV.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP)  A former Olathe teacher was found guilty Wednesday of stalking a fourth-grade girl while he was teaching her at an elementary school.

James Longabill, 59, of Lenexa, was convicted by Johnson County District Judge Thomas Sutherland of reckless stalking.

Testimony indicated Longabill took more than 240 pictures of the girl's legs and buttocks. She was 10 when Longabill was teaching her at Meadow Lane Elementary School in Olathe.

The girl, who is now 12, testified that knowing about his actions made her scared to be alone at night and gave her nightmares, The Kansas City Star reported.

Loganbill's sentencing is set for Nov. 3. He faces a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Loganbills lawyer, Carl Cornwell, said he hopes to overturn the verdict on appeal.

Loganbill resigned in March 2020 and later filed for retirement after three decades working at three different schools in Olathe.

Because of this case, the Kansas Legislature recently changed the crime of reckless stalking to a felony, which carries more prison time.
MOSCOW (AP)  A gas explosion in an apartment building outside Moscow on Wednesday killed two people and injured at least five others, law enforcement officials said. Russian media said more people may be under the rubble.

The blast occurred in a nine-story building in Noginsk, a town 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Moscow. The blast affected the lower part of the building, damaging about 30 apartments. Local authorities evacuated 170 people from the building.
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP)  A handcuffed woman who was arrested with a gun at a highway gas station near Kingman Tuesday managed to grab a revolver from a detective's holster and shoot him in the hand before another officer tased her.

The Mohave County Sheriffs Office detective was treated at a local hospital for a non-life threatening hand injury.

Bullhead City police said they are investigating the shooting after sheriffs deputies responded at 9:15 a.m. to reports of an erratic female with a gun inside the Maverick Country Store on U.S. 68 in Golden Valley 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Bullhead City.

She was combative before officers arrested her for disorderly conduct with a weapon and resisting arrest, police said in a statement.

When the detective escorted her outside in handcuffs, she somehow grabbed the detectives duty weapon out of its holster, the statement said. When the detective felt her grab his gun and tried to stop her, she discharged the weapon and shot him in his hand.

Police identified the woman as Brenda Thomas, 51, of Golden Valley. She was not injured.

Police said she faced an additional charge of attempted second-degree homicide when she was expected to be booked into the Mohave County Jail in Kingman later Tuesday.

 This story has been corrected to show that Thomas faces an 'attempted second-degree homicide charge, not second-degree homicide.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  A Republican-controlled legislative committee on Wednesday began floating ideas for new North Dakota legislative districts, with little option than to shift the political balance of power to the states urban areas for the next decade.

The Legislature must draw new political boundaries based on the 2020 census to make sure every lawmaker is representing about the same number of people.

What were doing here is not rocket science  it really is just arithmetic, said Grand Forks GOP Sen. Ray Holmberg, who is serving on his fifth redistricting panel. His first was in 1981.

The panel of 14 Republicans and two Democrats met Wednesday in Fargo for its second meeting. It's the only meeting that will be held outside of Bismarck. A third meeting is scheduled next week.

The GOP-controlled Legislature will finish the redistricting job during a special or reconvened session this fall. The full Legislature must approve the plan, and the governor must sign off on it.

Finley GOP Rep. Bill Devlin, chairman of the redistricting committee, said any draft plans are simply concepts at present. Devlin has served on two previous redistricting committees.

North Dakotas population is estimated at a record 779,000, up almost 16% during the last decade, but most of the states rural legislative districts lost residents, according to census data.

When the Legislature completed its last redistricting plan a decade ago, district populations averaged about 14,500 people. The new plan adds about 2,000 more people to that.

The panel has focused on keeping 47 districts, rather than increasing or reducing the size of the Legislature. Population shifts within North Dakota have made it necessary to redraw the boundaries of most of the existing districts. Most urban areas of the state will gain political strength in the Legislature, while rural parts with declining population will have some districts erased.

Thirty of the states 53 counties lost population in the past decade, according to census data.

Devlin has said he expects at least three rural legislative districts likely will be eliminated.

Areas in and around Fargo, Bismarck, Minot and Grand Forks already account for nearly half of the Legislatures members. Fargo, Bismarck and Williston, which is in the heart of North Dakotas oil patch and has doubled its population in the past decade, are assured of adding more districts.

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney told the panel the states largest city has grown 20% in the past decade, and now represents a quarter of the states population. West Fargo Mayor Bernie Dardis said his city has seen 49% growth and is no longer a quiet little bedroom community.
CHICAGO (AP)  The Illinois attorney general announced Wednesday that his office will investigate a suburban Chicago police force for possible unconstitutional or unlawful policing following the 2020 death of a Black man in police custody.

The civil investigation was requested in June 2020 by Joliet's mayor and council members about five months after the death of 37-year-old Eric Lurry. He died in a police vehicle after a drug-related arrest. The coroner called it a drug overdose death and prosecutors concluded there was no police misconduct related to the death. But video released by a sergeant, which showed an officer slapping Lurry, raised questions.

While the request to Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office noted a specific case, Raoul said staff attorneys would take a wider look at the Joliet Police Department's policies, training, practices and officer complaints related to traffic and pedestrian stops, searches and arrests.

Raoul said it isn't a criminal investigation.

Although this investigation will not reopen an investigation or issue findings about Mr. Lurry's death, we are committed to investigate whether there exists systemic practices or patterns of unlawful policing that must be addressed, Raoul said at a Chicago news conference.

Messages left Wednesday for Joliet police and the mayors office werent immediately returned.

The investigation will include interviews and meetings with police, government officials, residents and advocates to determine whether reforms are needed. It will also review use of force and how the department handles officer complaints. Joliet, a community of roughly 150,000, is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) outside Chicago.

The probe is the first of its kind under a new Illinois law that gives the attorney generals office more authority to investigate and take civil action when looking at patterns or practices of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.

After Lurry's death, a police sergeant was charged with misconduct for releasing video showing another officer slapping Lurry and pinching his nose. Sgt. Javier Esqueda, who was stripped of his badge and gun and transferred to desk duty, said he released the video because he believed the department was trying to cover up the arrest. Esqueda has been praised as a whistleblower by advocacy groups.

Raoul said he met with members of Lurrys family to offer condolences and discuss limitations of the investigation.

Lurrys widow, Nicole, has filed a separate lawsuit against the city and police officers alleging willful and wanton acts and reckless conduct leading to his death.

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Follow Sophia Tareen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiatareen
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced that $100 million of the more than $1.48 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to the state will go to build news homes.

Reynolds announced the plan Wednesday during a stop in Cedar Rapids, the Des Moines Register reported. The federal funds plus $230 million in tax credits allocated by the Iowa Legislature over five years will help developers build 36,450 new housing units to help address a growing shortage of housing in Iowa, she said.
A judge ended parts of a lawsuit against several newspapers that was brought by a podiatrist accused of providing poor care to veterans.

Six veterans sued the Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta in 2017 over alleged mistreatment for foot and ankle problems by Dr. Thomas Franchini.

Franchini was not named as a defendant in those suits, which have since been settled. In 2018, he sued several newspapers, including the Portland Press Herald and the Bangor Daily News, alleging libel and defamation following their coverage of the veterans' claims.

The Portland Press Herald reported Tuesday that a judge wrote Friday that Franchini should be considered a public figure and that under free speech protections in the Constitution, he does not have the right to "any recovery in the absence of proof of actual malice.

The judge previously determined that Franchini had failed to allege that the newspapers knowingly published false information or acted with a reckless disregard for whether the report was false.

We accurately reported the truth about a critical public health concern at the VA hospital, Press Herald Executive Editor Cliff Schechtman said in a statement. Were pleased the court ruled in our favor.

The federal government settled the lawsuits brought by five of the veterans in March 2020 without admitting fault. Combined, it paid them more than $1 million as a part of that settlement, the Press Herald reported.

An attorney for Franchini, Raymond Belair, told the Press Herald that he did not think his client should be considered a public figure and that they planned to appeal the judge's order ending the suit.

Two of Franchini's claims, against the publications USA Today and Investors Business Daily, remain pending.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana is rescheduling its fall elections because of Hurricane Idas far-reaching damage, estimates of weeks-long power outages and wide displacement of residents across the southeastern parishes.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced Wednesday that Gov. John Bel Edwards has agreed to push back the election dates by five weeks. The statewide election scheduled for Oct. 9 instead will be held Nov. 13, and a runoff as needed will be scheduled for Dec. 11.

Ardoin thanked Edwards in a statement.

This will allow our staff and local partners more time to properly prepare for a statewide election while ensuring the integrity of our election processes and that our voters traditional voting habits are as undisturbed as possible," the Republican elections chief said.

The fall ballot has a statewide proposal to overhaul Louisianas income tax structure, along with several special elections to fill vacant legislative seats and municipal elections in New Orleans, including the mayors race. Without rescheduling, early voting would have started Sept. 25  before some areas are expected to see power restored from Ida's destruction.

Edwards' office didnt immediately comment Wednesday on the decision to delay the elections.

Ardoin had asked the Democratic governor for the postponement in a meeting a day earlier. Ardoin said Ida's damage would make holding the election as originally scheduled virtually impossible without impairing" election integrity.

Utility officials have estimated it could take until the end of the month or longer to get power up and running in some of the parishes hardest hit by Ida, which roared ashore as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 29. Workers who staff polling locations, in some instances, have evacuated or been displaced because of the storm's wind and water damage. Postal service remains disrupted in some areas, creating problems for absentee ballot delivery. And dozens of polling sites suffered damage from the storm, according to the secretary of state's office.

Louisianas last hurricane-related election delay was in 2008 after Hurricane Ike, according to the secretary of states office. For that storm, elections in Cameron and Terrebonne parishes were pushed back several weeks. After Hurricane Laura wrecked southwestern Louisiana last year, thousands of people saw their polling sites shifted for the presidential election, and Calcasieu Parish created several consolidated mega-polling sites.

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Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The U.S. Defense Department is sending a 20-member military medical team to Arkansas to help expand the state's hospital capacity in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Wednesday.

Hutchinson said the team of 14 nurses, four physicians and two respiratory therapists would be sent to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock.
AMMAN (AP)  Egyptian natural gas should reach Lebanon through Jordan and Syria soon after maintenance of pipelines and the review of a deal interrupted 10-years ago are finalized by early October, ministers of the four countries said Wednesday.

There is no date yet for when the gas will be pumped. But reviving the Arab gas pipeline to deliver Egyptian gas to Lebanon comes as the small country is reeling from a crippling energy crisis.

Lebanese Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar said the World Bank would help his cash-strapped government guarantee payment for the gas, which is expected to help produce 450 megawatts of electricity in the countrys only natural gas plant, in northern Lebanon.

Speaking at a news conference with the three ministers in Amman, Jordanian energy minister Hala al-Zawati said the infrastructure to resume gas flow to Lebanon needed checks after a 10-year hiatus. These should be finished in three weeks.

It is almost ready. Some things here and there need fixing, she said.

Egyptian energy minister Tarek Mullah said some clauses in the deal will also need reviewing. He didnt elaborate.

We put a roadmap with the ministers and technical teams. In the coming weeks we will confirm that all that is ready to be able to pump the gas at the soonest possible opportunity, he said.

Ghajar said the World Bank will offer partial risk guarantees to ensure that the commercial deal goes through. He didnt say how much it will cost but said Lebanon is working with the World Bank to secure the deal.

Lebanon is witnessing an economic crisis described as one of the worlds worst since the 1850s. Shortages of medicine, fuel and basic supplies have often brought the country to standstill, while political disagreements have foiled efforts to form a government to negotiate a rescue package with international financial institutions.

The Arab cooperation to deliver gas to Lebanon through Syria represents a significant thawing of relations between the war-ravaged country and its neighbors, most of who had either cut diplomatic ties or limited relations to security collaboration during the 10-year civil war.

The Syrian government of Bashar Assad is under U.S. and western sanctions for its role in the brutal war, which has left nearly half a million killed and disappeared and nearly half of the population displaced.

Despite the sanctions, the U.S. has supported the resumption of natural gas from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria.

Syrian Oil Minister Bassam Tomeh said the Syrian grid, which had been damaged and sabotaged in the recent years, has been fixed and is part of the national grid. But technical teams are ensuring it is ready for use.

God willing, we will support any joint Arab action that realizes our peoples interests.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  A commission discussing how to spend federal COVID-19 relief dollars is recommending Montana's governor approve $22 million for job training and retraining programs to increase the workforce as businesses struggle to find enough employees.

The Department of Labor and Industry proposed $10 million for rapid job retraining and $2 million to clear up a backlog of job training for people with disabilities. The Department of Commerce recommended spending $10 million for training grants to businesses. The Economic Transformation, Stabilization and Workforce Development Advisory Commission unanimously approved all the recommendations Wednesday.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has final say on the spending.

The labor department recommended spending $4 million over the next two years through existing job training programs as well as workforce and education programs for people receiving public assistance.

An additional $6 million would be used to create up to 10 short-term training programs, like one in Missoula where potential employees at a technology consulting company go through a 12-week course at the University of Montana.

The project will identify and create programs at universities to train workers for in-demand jobs that pay $50,000 a year or could lead to jobs that pay that much, officials said. The types of jobs are still to be determined.

The money would be used to develop a curriculum, cover the cost of training and subsidize a wage for those doing on-the-job training, said Scott Eychner, administrator of the Workforce Services Division within the Department of Labor and Industry.

The Montana Chamber of Commerce plans to partner in the effort by surveying businesses about what kind of skilled employees they would need to grow their businesses.

State, education and business interests said they believed the programs would continue even after the federal funding ends.

Separately, the labor department said it has $1.75 million in federal funds this fiscal year to help retrain dislocated workers, including about 100 people whose jobs will end when a sawmill in St. Regis closes this fall.

The labor department proposed spending an additional $2 million in relief funds on job training for people with disabilities, saying there are 1,300 people awaiting assistance through vocational rehabilitation programs. The funding would allow the state to hire 10 temporary staffers for two years to help work through the backlog and increase the number of available workers.

The Department of Commerce requested $10 million be spent on matching grants to help businesses pay to train new and existing full-time workers for jobs that would pay at least $14.88 an hour.

Additional incentives would be provided for businesses that train employees in high-demand sectors for jobs that pay $24 an hour or more, said Wayne Johnston, chief of the agency's Business Assistance Bureau.

Union groups urged the commission to ensure some of the money is used to train workers to complete infrastructure projects  such as broadband, road and sewer work  funded by other federal relief money.

In other business, Eychner told the commission that the demand for the state's return-to-work bonuses was not as high as expected. The state has paid out nearly $930,000 to 774 people, with 3,600 more applications pending.

Eychner told the commission that it's clear the agency won't be paying out all of the $15 million set aside for the $1,200 bonuses, which could have provided return-to-work incentives for up to 12,500 workers.

The program offers the bonuses for people who were receiving unemployment as of May 1, returned to work between May 4 and Oct. 31 and worked at least four weeks for a single employer. Gianforte announced the incentives as Montana stopped paying an extra $300 weekly unemployment benefit.

The governor's office did not respond to a request for information on what he might suggest doing with the leftover money.
CHICAGO (AP)  A federal judge has granted class-action status in a lawsuit filed six years ago that alleged the Chicago Police Department's stop-and-frisk policy targeted Black and Hispanic people who hadn't committed any crime.

Attorneys involved in the lawsuit announced Tuesday that the case's six original plaintiffs are now part of a class of more than 1 million people. The plaintiffs' lawyers say some 2 million unconstitutional stops occurred in Chicago between 2010 and 2017 in which officers allegedly had no reasonable suspicion that a crime had been or was about to be committed.

The decision was handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood on Aug. 31.

The ruling, which could lead to a trial, comes at a difficult time for a police department that has long been plagued by a legacy of excessive force and racism and has scrambled to restore public trust.

This practice has to stop  and elevating this issue to a class action provides a way to make significant change and make our community better," Antonio Romanucci, an attorney who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement.

In fact, the judge limited her ruling only to the possibility of a change in policy, according to Jennifer McGuffin, a spokeswoman for Romanucci's firm.

The judge only certified the class for injunction relief that would require the CPD to change its practices and training, she said.

McGuffin said it remains an open question whether the original six plaintiffs from the 2015 case might receive a monetary award, but the others involved in the 2 million stops would not be in line for any money.

But the judge seemed to suggest that the city and the police department would be wise to make significant changes, pointing out that the lawsuit was a strong one.

She noted, for example, that the attorneys had "made a sufficient showing that the City knew, or should have known, that its stop and frisk program was associated with a risk of widespread" violations of the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.

What those changes might look like is also an open question. The police department referred questions to the city's law department, which in an email said, The City does not comment on ongoing litigation.

But in her ruling, Wood said that not only did the department make hundreds of thousands more stops before Garry McCarthy's tenure as superintendent between 2011 and late 2015, but that after he left the department, stops plummeted.

McCarthy was fired by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel shortly after the release of a video that showed a Chicago police officer fatally shooting Black teenager Laquan McDonald. McCarthy could not be reached for comment.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  The Oklahoma attorney general's office has asked the state's Court of Criminal Appeals to push back execution dates for seven death row inmates based on requirements to give a 35-day notice before any execution.

Attorney General John OConnor asked the court in a brief filed Friday to schedule John Marion Grants execution for Oct. 28 or Nov. 18. Six other executions would be set at three-week intervals to allow for potential clemency hearings, according to The Oklahoman.
SEWARD, Neb. (AP)  An Omaha man has been sentenced to four to eight years in prison for the death of a passenger in a vehicle he was driving that crashed during a police pursuit.

Julio Fernandez Bonilla, 19, was sentenced Wednesday after he pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the June 12. 2020 crash that killed Jasmin Casique-Negrete, 17, of Omaha, The Lincoln Journal Star reported.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Arizonas second most populous county is prodding its workforce to get COVID-19 vaccinations by requiring employees who refuse the shots to pay more for their health insurance.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to make unvaccinated employees lose discounts amounting to about $1,570 annually, local news outlets reported.

Supervisor Steve Christy voted in opposition, saying it was wrong and illegal to penalize unvaccinated workers.

The board previously authorized $300 bonuses plus three days of paid time off for county workers who have been vaccinated.

Supervisor Matt Heinz before Tuesdays meeting had requested agenda items to consider requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all state-licensed health workers who work in Pima County, which includes metro Tucson, and re-imposing indoor mask mandates countywide. He dropped both ideas, saying they lacked support among fellow board members.

In other developments:

 Arizona on Wednesday reported 2,222 newly confirmed COVID-19 infection cases and 26 more deaths, increasing the state's pandemic totals to 1,037,012 confirmed cases and 19,079 deaths.

The number of virus-related hospitalizations during the current surge continued to gradually increase with 2,090 COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds as of Tuesday, according to the state's coronavirus dashboard.

That's over half of the peak hospitalizations during the 2020 summer surge and about two-fifths of the pandemic peak during last winter's surge.

 The Mohave County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize the hiring of two new two public health workers to track the pandemic and educate the public about COVID-19 shots and other vaccinations.

The board voted 4-1 Tuesday to authorize hiring an epidemiologist and a community health education specialist after at least one board member questioned whether the positions were necessary, The Miner reported.

Public Health Director Denise Burley said her department would encourage residents to get vaccinations and to talk with their medical providers,

Supervisor Hildy Angius voted to authorize the hirings but said many people distrust information provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 A suburban Phoenix school district is using $3 million of COVID-19 relief funds to install air scrubbers in all of its schools to remove unhealthy particles floating in the air, KNXV-TV reported.

The Dysert Unified School District's installation of 2,700 scrubbers will have other benefits, said Ken Ricks, assistant superintendent of business services.

We always have a flu season, we always have sick times. This helps in that environment, said Hicks. It takes particulates out of the air and creates healthier air. So, yes, its going to continue to have benefits moving forward.
PITTSBURGH (AP)  The superintendent of Pittsburghs public school system will step down in the wake of an ethics commission finding that he submitted negligent reimbursements for travel and was improperly paid for days off when he was not working for the school district.

District officials said Wednesday that Superintendent Anthony Hamlet submitted his resignation, effective Oct. 1. He will get a severance package worth about $400,000, equal to one year of salary and benefits, according to the district solicitor, Ira Weiss.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A man was fatally shot in Kansas City's historic 18th and Vine neighborhood early Wednesday, and investigators were looking for clues and a suspect, police said.

The shooting happened just after midnight Tuesday, police said in a news release. Officers called to the area were told that a man who had been shot was taken by a private vehicle to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
LONG BEACH, N.Y. (AP)  Police divers searched the waters near a beach with metal detectors Tuesday to try to locate missing artifacts that were stolen from a Jewish temple in August, including two handwritten Torahs.

A 23-year-old man has been charged with burglary among other charges for allegedly breaking into the Chabad of the Beaches at Temple Beth El in Long Beach in August and stealing the Torahs as well as other valuable artifacts, Newsday reported.

Rabbi Eli Goodman of the Long Beach congregation told the newspaper that the stolen Torahs were irreplaceable.

Long Beach police arrested the man last month when they found him at a beach in the town located on the southern coast of Long Island. The man was naked except for a Jewish prayer shawl and was holding a spear, the newspaper reported.

Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said he did not think the attack was motivated by antisemitism and that the accused man seemed to be in mental distress.

There is a rise of antisemitism around the country, but not so much in Nassau County and we want to keep it that way, Ryder said.

Nassau County and Long Beach police said they were increasing patrols around places of worship during the Jewish holy days.

No new artifacts were found Tuesday.

Weve had two big storms and well see what we can find," said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. Even if we can find one remnant, I think it would give a sense of closure to the Chabad.

The newspaper could not reach an attorney for the man. He is being held in custody and is expected to appear in court on Sept. 16.
TOWSON, Md. (AP)  Baltimore County police have charged a 19-year-old Greenbelt man, who they said fired a gun at an unsanctioned gathering of hundreds of people at Towson University, striking himself and two others.

Samuel Nnam was arrested a short time after he was released from a hospital and charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault, police said in a news release Tuesday night. Nnam is being held without bail. Online court records do not list an attorney for Nnam.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said Wednesday that he will no longer prosecute felony charges stemming from most low-level traffic stops, saying it's time to change a practice that has disproportionately impacted generations of minority communities.

Recognizing the role we play as prosecutors in perpetuating racial inequities that often result from these types of stops is an important first step in charting a new, less harmful course, Choi said in a statement.

Choi said his office will not prosecute crimes that are discovered solely because of a low-level traffic stop, such as broken tail light or expired license tabs. He said the new policy does not apply to situations that create a public safety hazard or when a vehicle is stopped because of a dangerous condition.

Choi said during a news conference that he used to believe that pretextual stops  in which police use a minor violation as a reason to pull someone over and search for a more serious crime  amounted to good policing.

I no longer believe that, he said, adding that these stops seldom result in seized contraband.

And sometimes the consequences can be fatal.

In 2016, Philando Castile, who was Black, was fatally shot by a suburban police officer in Ramsey County after he told the officer he had a gun. Castile and his girlfriend were told they had been pulled over because of a broken tail light. Choi's office prosecuted former St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was acquitted of manslaughter.

In neighboring Hennepin County, 20-year-old motorist Daunte Wright, who was Black, was killed in April after a former Brooklyn Center police officer pulled him over for expired tabs and for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Kim Potter has claimed she meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun when she shot Wright. She is scheduled to be tried for manslaughter this fall.

Police departments nationwide have been examining their traffic stop policies amid public outcry over these high-profile cases and some, including Minneapolis and Lansing, Michigan, have changed their policies to say officers will no longer stop drivers for minor infractions.

In Ramsey County, where Choi is prosecutor, St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell told his officers on Wednesday that minor violations should not be used as a primary reason for a traffic stop unless there is an articulable public safety concern. The city of Roseville, also in Ramsey County, has also stopped enforcing minor violations that don't pose a danger or safety concern.

Republican leaders and an association representing public safety professionals were quick to criticize the change.

Basically, the county attorney just announced his office wont uphold the law and wont prosecute those who break it, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Executive Director Brian Peters said in a statement. Thats absurd, and is a slap in the face to victims of crime."

Senate Public Safety and Judiciary Committee Chair Warren Limmer, a Maple Grove Republican, said the public should be outraged and that Choi should be voted out of office.

The number one role of government is the safety of its citizens," Limmer said in a statement. "Its his job to put criminals away, not leave them on the streets. ... This change is an offense to the victims of crime -- including the people of color, children, and those in poverty. It endangers law enforcement officers doing their jobs, while putting innocent people at risk.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said public safety in response to fear-based rhetoric doesn't work.

One of the things that I think our officers will appreciate about this policy is, it gives them the opportunity to focus their time, their energy, their resources on the things that actually make us less safe," Carter said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Former Republican officeholders and elections experts said Wednesday that the GOP-ordered investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin lacks credibility, transparency and raises security risks and legal concerns.

And a Republican Wisconsin lawmaker who heads the state Senate's election committee separately defended the integrity of the state's election process after a two-hour informational hearing attended by other Republicans who have pushed for investigations.

Im sorry, but there is not a reason to spread misinformation about this past election when we have all the evidence that shows otherwise," state Sen. Kathy Bernier said after after she led a tutorial at the state Capitol for legislators and their their staffs about how the states elections function. That included a demonstration of voting equipment.

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Kentucky's former secretary of state, Trey Grayson, said the ongoing investigation in Wisconsin, like one in Arizona, are part of disinformation campaigns and threats to democracy.

Its clear these are bad faith efforts, not fact-finding missions but rather political stunts to keep the lies of the 2020 election alive," said Whitman, who served in former President George W. Bush's Cabinet. Grayson, who is also a Republican, said now was the time to build trust in elections, not spread conspiracy theories.

I worry about the future of election security and the future of the Republican Party," Grayson said. Both he and Whitman spoke during a conference call organized by the nonpartisan group States United Democracy Center, which advocates for free, fair and secure elections.

President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by more than 20,000 votes in Wisconsin. The results were upheld following recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties and through numerous state and federal lawsuits filed by Trump and his supporters.

Still, Republicans have questioned numerous aspects of the 2020 election but have produced no evidence of widespread fraud while calling for a broader forensic audit. To date, only two people out of 3.3 million votes cast in Wisconsin have been charged with election fraud.

Wisconsin Republicans ordered a review by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau, which was to release its findings this fall. But under pressure from conservatives for a broader review, Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to lead a separate investigation.

Gableman, a conservative, has a budget of $676,000 to hire investigators and do a data analysis on election results. What form that data analysis will take, and whether county leaders would turn over sensitive information without a court order, remains to be seen.

Gableman in November told a crowd of Trump supporters in Milwaukee that, Our elected leaders  your elected leaders  have allowed unelected bureaucrats at the Wisconsin Elections Commission to steal our vote." Gableman also traveled to Arizona to talk with officials about the investigation there, and he attended a symposium in South Dakota organized by MyPillow founder Mike Lindell that included presentations by advocates of election conspiracy theories.

Elections officials in Milwaukee and Brown counties last week rejected subpoenas issued by Assembly Elections Committee Chair Rep. Janel Brandtjen that sought access to ballots and voting machines. The subpoenas were not signed by Vos or the Assembly's chief clerk, as required by law, leading the county election clerks to reject them.

Brown County Attorney David Hemery also voiced concerns about what steps would be taken to ensure the security of all the information requested. Republican efforts questioning the outcome of the 2020 presidential race have led to voting system breaches that election security experts say pose a heightened risk to future elections.

States United Democracy Center released a memo Wednesday comparing the Wisconsin probe with the widely discredited Arizona audit led by Cyber Ninjas, a small cybersecurity firm based in Florida picked to lead the review.

We should not allow unqualified and hyper-partisan actors to make a mockery of official election procedures and sow doubt about our democracy, the bipartisan group co-chaired and founded by Whitman wrote.

Neither Vos nor Brandtjen have experience in administering official audits or ballot counts, which raises more security concerns, the report stated.

Vos and Brandtjen did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Whitman said the goal is to sow distrust in elections so that legislatures are empowered to change voting laws and make it possible to overturn results in 2022 and 2024 that they dont like.

This is a real threat to our democracy, she said. It is happening across the country. Its not something that just popped up.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's emergency situations minister has died during drills, the ministry said Wednesday.

Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, tragically died in the line of duty during inter-agency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergency situations, while saving a person's life," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

The ministry didn't offer any details about where or how he died. According to its website, in recent days Zinichev was on a trip to the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk. On Tuesday, he opened large-scale drills spanning seven regions in the Russian Arctic that were scheduled to last through Wednesday.

In a statement sent to the Associated Press, the ministry said Zinichev died while trying to save prominent film director Alexander Melnik, who came to the site of drills. The statement didn't elaborate as to what happened and whether Melnik survived.

The RBC news site reported, citing an anonymous source, that Zinichev died while taking part in a video shoot. He tried to save a cameraman who tripped and fell off a ledge into the water and they both died, the report said.

Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russia's state-funded TV channel RT, also said on social media that is what happened.

Together with a cameraman, they stood on the edge of a ledge. The cameraman tripped and fell into water. There were enough witnesses  no one had even figured out what had happened when Zinichev rushed into the water after the man and fell onto a protruding stone, Simonyan wrote.

Zinichev became the head of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry in 2018. His predecessor stepped down not long after a major fire in a shopping mall in Siberia killed more than 60 people, sending shockwaves throughout the country.

In 2016, Zinichev had a two-month stint as an acting governor of Russia's westernmost Kaliningrad region. For a long time before that, he was part of President Vladimir Putin's personal security detail.
MOSCOW (AP)  Police in Moscow on Wednesday detained three journalists who picketed Russia's Justice Ministry, protesting the authorities recent crackdown on independent media, Russia's top independent Dozhd TV channel reported.

Irina Dolinina, Alesya Marokhovskaya and Polina Uzhvak of the Vazhniye Istorii news outlet came to the ministry to protest against the recent designation of several independent media outlets, including Dozhd and Vazhniye Istorii, as foreign agents." The label carries strong pejorative connotations that can discredit the recipient, and implies additional government scrutiny.

The three journalists demanded that authorities abolish the law allowing media and journalists to be labelled foreign agents." They displayed small banners reading There are no foreign agents, there are journalists, along with an elaborate disclaimer those designated as foreign agents are obliged to add to any content they produce, disclosing their status.

The fact that we're being labeled foreign agents is merely a ban on honest journalist work, nothing else, Dozhd quoted Dolinina as saying. She and Marokhovskaya have been designated as foreign agents," as well.

Independent media, journalists, opposition supporters and human rights activists in Russia have faced increased pressure ahead of a Sept. 19 parliamentary election, which is widely seen as an important part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to cement his rule before the next presidential election in 2024.

The 68-year-old Russian leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, pushed through constitutional changes last year that would potentially allow him to hold on to power until 2036.

In recent months, the government has designated a number of independent media outlets and journalists as foreign agents and raided the homes of several prominent reporters. The publisher of one outlet that released investigative reports on alleged corruption and abuses by top Russian officials and tycoons close to Putin was outlawed as an undesirable organization.

Two other news outlets shut down after authorities accused them of links to undesirable organizations.

The Kremlin denies that it is stifling press freedoms and insists that the foreign agent designation doesnt bar outlets from operating.

The wave of repression has prompted past protests in Moscow. About two weeks ago, 12 journalists were briefly detained after picketing Russias Federal Security Service in protest of the foreign agents law. Another small rally took place in the Russian capital on Saturday.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A high school in Indianapolis sent students home Wednesday after two were involved in a morning altercation involving a knife, officials said.

Few details were immediately released. Medical care was being provided, according to the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township.
LENOIR, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina legislators are going outside Raleigh to hear from residents about how General Assembly and congressional districts should be redrawn for the next decade.

The House and Senate scheduled over a dozen public hearings for September, with the first occurring Wednesday evening in Caldwell County.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  Some hospitals in rural parts of West Virginia have reached their critical bed capacities as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge statewide, health officials said Wednesday.

Health officials are pleading with the public to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits to allow hospitals to focus their resources on treating COVID-19 patients.

There were 813 patients hospitalized for the virus statewide Wednesday, just below the record 818 on Jan. 5 when vaccination efforts were starting. There are a record 252 virus patients in hospital ICUs and a record 132 patients on ventilators, according to state data.

Our hospitals are being stressed in ways that they havent been stressed before," Dr. Clay Marsh, the state's coronavirus expert, said at a news conference.

In southern West Virginia, Princeton Community Hospital has no ICU beds available due to an increase in COVID-related patients, hospital President and CEO Karen Bowling said Wednesday. The hospital has 128 beds for acute patients and an ICU capacity of 18.

Bowling said people with emergency needs should still come to the hospital. Incoming patients will stay in the emergency department until a bed becomes available, either at the hospital or somewhere else.

In Lewisburg in the southeastern corner of the state, the 122-bed Greenbrier Valley Medical Center also is at capacity, according to a Facebook post from Dr. Bridgett Morrison, Greenbrier County's health officer. Visitors to the hospital are now banned due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, and the hospital is conducting virus tests only as part of an emergency room visit for patients with virus symptoms, the hospital said on its Facebook page.

Telephone messages left with Morrison and the hospital weren't immediately returned Wednesday.

Some hospitals in other parts of the state recently hit a seven-day average of 90% of their ICU bed capacity, according to federal data.

Were all on high alert, Bowling said. Other facilities also have a high level of patients that are needing critical care, too.

Statewide the number of positive virus cases last week in West Virginia, about 7,800, were the second-highest for one week since the start of the pandemic. The number of active cases have doubled since Aug. 23 to more than 22,000.

There have been 45 virus deaths reported statewide since Sunday and 95 so far this month, double that from the entire month of July. There have been 3,169 virus deaths since the start of the pandemic.

While the seven-day trend of infections shows the virus in every age group, 16% of infections involve children under age 12  too young to be vaccinated for the virus, according to federal recommendations.

Gov. Jim Justice, Bowling and others have pleaded with unvaccinated residents to get their shots. About 59% of residents over age 12 are fully vaccinated and 73% have received one dose.

Its critical as we get through this spike that theres not another spike, Bowling said.

About 83% of people currently hospitalized for the virus in West Virginia are unvaccinated, including 90% of ICU patients, said James Hoyer, a retired major general leading the states coronavirus task force.

Justice has refused pleas to issue another indoor mask mandate. An earlier mandate was lifted in June.

I dont want to sound like a tough guy, but Im not going to be afraid of anybody," Justice said. "Im going to try with all in me to make the very best decisions for everybody.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP)  Classes were canceled in western Michigan school districts Wednesday as crews worked to restore power and clear debris from a storm that swept across the state.

Consumers Energy said about 28,000 customers had no electricity as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, while DTE Energy reported nearly 30,000 without power as of 5:24 p.m.. Teams from Ohio and Alabama were in Michigan to help.
BEIRUT (AP)  Syrian forces Wednesday entered the rebel-held district of a volatile southern city as part of a truce negotiated by Russia to end weeks of fighting, according to state media, the opposition and a war monitor.

The troops are to set up checkpoints and search for gunmen who have refused to implement the agreement that involves surrendering their weapons. It was the first time that government troops have entered Daraa al-Balad, a bastion of the Syrian armed opposition since 2013.

The Russian-negotiated deal went into effect last week to end a government siege and intense fighting in the city of Daraa and with rebel fighters holed up in the citys old quarter, known as Daraa al-Balad. But the cease-fire was riddled with fighting and government bombing of rebel-held areas, where civilians also live.

Following two days of quiet, Syrian army units entered the quarter, raising the Syrian flag over the reconciliation center where hundreds of gunmen have already handed in their weapons, according to the state news agency SANA.

Ahmed al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in neighboring Jordan, said about 400 Syrian troops entered Daraa al-Balad. The gunmen are believed to be holed up in a displaced camp outside the district.

The move will be followed by deployment of nine government checkpoints under the Russian-negotiated deal reported on by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory said the checkpoints will also include Russian military police.

Russia negotiated a cease-fire last week to end the violence that erupted this summer between government forces and opposition fighters, and included a siege on the city that had threatened to undo years of relative calm along the borders with Israel and Jordan.

The opposition blamed the government for the escalation, saying that troops were pressing an offensive to force insurgents to surrender.

Under the agreement, insurgents who accept the deal have to hand over their weapons in return for amnesty. More than 900 have handed their weapons in, according to the Observatory. Those who refused would have to be sent to a rebel-held area in northern Syria.

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 and eventually led to civil war. It was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018 but rebels remained in parts of it. Assad has since regained control of most of Syria 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.

_____

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed reporting.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP)  A Texas death row inmate won a reprieve Wednesday evening from execution for killing a convenience store worker during a 2004 robbery that garnered $1.25 after claiming the state was violating his religious freedom by not letting his pastor lay hands on him at the time of his lethal injection.

The U.S. Supreme Court blocked John Henry Ramirezs execution about three hours after he could have been executed. He is condemned for fatally stabbing 46-year-old Pablo Castro, who worked at a Corpus Christi convenience store.

Ramirez was in a small holding cell a few feet from the Texas death chamber at the Huntsville Unit prison when he was told of the reprieve by Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark.

He was quiet when I let him know, Clark said. He shook his head and said: Thank you very much. God bless you.

In its brief order, the court directed its clerk to establish a briefing schedule so Ramirez's case could be argued in October or November.

Prosecutors say Ramirez stabbed Castro 29 times during a series of robberies in which the inmate and two women sought money following a three-day drug binge. Ramirez fled to Mexico but was arrested 3 years later.

Seth Kretzer, Ramirezs lawyer, had argued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was violating the death row inmates First Amendment rights to practice his religion by denying his request to have his pastor touch him and vocalize prayers when he was executed. He called the ban on vocal prayer a spiritual gag order.

It is hostile toward religion, denying religious exercise at the precise moment it is most needed: when someone is transitioning from this life to the next, Kretzer said in court documents.

Lower appeals courts had rejected Ramirezs argument.

The request by Ramirez, 37, is the latest clash between death row inmates and prison officials in Texas and other states over the presence of spiritual advisers in the death chamber.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has granted stays halting several executions in Texas and Alabama over the presence of clergy or spiritual advisers in the death chamber. The only execution stays the Supreme Court has granted in recent years have been related to issues of religious practice or discrimination.

In April, the Texas prison system reversed a two-year ban on allowing spiritual advisers in the death chamber. The ban came after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 halted the execution of another Texas inmate who had argued his religious freedom was being violated because his Buddhist spiritual adviser wasnt allowed to accompany him. That inmate, Patrick Murphy, remains on death row.

Texas previously allowed state-employed clergy to accompany inmates into the chamber, but its prison staff included only Christian and Muslim clerics. The new policy allows an inmates approved spiritual adviser to be in the chamber but the two cannot have any contact and vocal prayers during the execution are not allowed.

Texas prison officials say direct contact poses a security risk and the vocal prayer could be disruptive and would go against maintaining an orderly process. Aside from some prison officials, an inmates final statement and a doctor who announces the time of death, no one else usually formally speaks during an execution.

Dana Moore, Ramirezs spiritual adviser the last four years, said the request to let him touch Ramirez was about letting the inmate practice his Christian faith and treating him with a certain amount of dignity.

Moore and Kretzer say the laying of hands is a symbolic act in which religious leaders put their hands on someone in order to offer comfort during prayer or confer a spiritual blessing at the moment of someones death.

Johns sentence wasnt death and you cant have any meaningful contact, said Moore, who is pastor at Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. He is paying for his crime. I guess the question that would come up, is that not enough?

But Mark Skurka, the lead prosecutor at Ramirezs 2008 trial, said while he believes a death row inmate should have a spiritual adviser at the time of execution, there should be limitations based on security concerns.

Pablo Castro didnt get to have somebody praying over him as this guy stabbed him 29 times. Pablo Castro didnt get afforded such niceties and things like to have a clergyman present, said Skurka, now retired after later serving as Nueces County district attorney.

Castro, who had nine children, had worked at the convenience store for more than a decade when he was killed.

He was a good guy. He would help people out in the neighborhood. Everybody liked him, Skurka said.

Two women who took part in the robberies and were convicted on lesser charges remain in prison.

Six more executions are scheduled for later this year in Texas, the nations busiest capital punishment state.

___

Lozano reported from Houston.
PARIS (AP)  The trial of 20 men accused in a series of coordinated attacks on Paris in 2015 that spread fear across Europe and transformed France opened Wednesday in a custom-built complex embedded within a 13th-century courthouse.

Nine Islamic State group gunmen and suicide bombers struck within minutes of one another at several locations around Paris on Nov. 13, 2015, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. It was the deadliest violence to strike France since World War II and among the worst terror attacks to hit the West.

The worst carnage was at the Bataclan concert hall, where three men, dressed in black and armed with assault rifles, gunned down scores of people and grabbed a handful of hostages. Others targeted the national soccer stadium, where the president was attending a game, as well as cafes filled with people on a mild autumn night.

The lone surviving attacker from that night, Salah Abdeslam, is the key defendant  but he has so far refused to speak to investigators, denying them answers to many of the remaining questions about the attacks and the people who planned them.

Abdeslam, whose brother was among the suicide bombers, appeared intent on provoking those assembled to see justice done Wednesday. Dressed all in black, mask included, he declared his profession to be fighter for Islamic State and later burst out with complaints about treatment in prison.

Abdeslam, who fled the night of the attacks after ditching his car and a malfunctioning suicide vest, is the only defendant charged with murder. The other defendants present face lesser terrorism charges.

The presiding judge, Jean-Louis Peries, acknowledged the extraordinary nature of the attacks  which changed security in Europe and France's political landscape  and the trial to come. France only emerged from the state of emergency declared in the wake of the attacks in 2017, after incorporating many of the harshest measures into law.

The events that we are about to decide are inscribed in their historic intensity as among the international and national events of this century, he said.

Dominique Kielemoes, whose son bled to death at one of the cafes, said hearing victims' testimonies at the trial will be crucial to both their own healing and that of the nation.

The assassins, these terrorists, thought they were firing into the crowd, into a mass of people. But it wasnt a mass  these were individuals who had a life, who loved, had hopes and expectations, and that we need to talk about at the trial. Its important, she said.

Of the 20 men charged, six will be tried in absentia. Abdeslam will be questioned multiple times  but it remains to be seen if he will break his silence beyond the sort of allegiance he offered Wednesday to Islamic State groups.

We were expecting it, and we were prepared for it and in fact, were not expecting anything from him, Kielemoes said after Abdeslam first appeared.

The same IS network that hit Paris went on to strike Brussels months later, killing another 32 people.

Authorities have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure security at the trial, building an entirely new courtroom within the storied 13th-century Palais de Justice in Paris, where Marie Antoinette and Emile Zola faced trial, among others.

Survivors of the attacks as well as those who mourn their dead on Wednesday packed the complex's rooms, which were designed to hold 1,800 plaintiffs and over 300 lawyers.

For the first time, victims can also have a secure audio link to listen from home if they want with a 30-minute delay.

The trial is scheduled to last nine months. The month of September will be dedicated to laying out the police and forensic evidence. October will be given over to victims testimony. From November to December, officials including then-French President Francois Hollande  who was at the Stade de France on the night of the assaults  will testify, as will relatives of the attackers.

In the wake of the attacks, France changed: Authorities immediately declared a state of emergency and now armed officers constantly patrol public spaces. The assaults sparked soul-searching among the French and Europeans more broadly since most of the perpetrators were born and raised in France or Belgium. And they transformed forever the lives of all those who suffered losses or bore witness to the violence.

Our ability to be carefree is gone," Kielemoes said. "The desire to go out, travel  all of thats gone. Even if we still do a number of things, our appetite for life has disappeared.

For Jean-Luc Wertenschlag, who lives above the cafe where his son died and who rushed downstairs soon after the first gunshots to try to save lives, it has even changed the way he moves around the city where he was born and raised. He never leaves home without the first aid gear he lacked that night, when he ripped off his shirt to stanch the bleeding of a victim.

"What we did that evening with other people, to provide assistance to the people wounded during the attack, was a way to stand against what these monsters had tried to do to us, he said.

Among those scheduled to testify is Hollande, who in addition to being present at one of the scenes of attack gave the final order to police special forces to storm the Bataclan.

Hollande said Wednesday he would speak not for the sake of French politics, but for the victims of the attacks. He said he keenly felt the weight of responsibility that night and for the days and weeks after it.

When the cameras are turned off, you go back to the solitude of the Elysee (presidential palace)," Hollande told told France-Info. You ask what can I do? ... Is what just happened going to change society?

Wednesday's hearing paused briefly after one of the defendants appeared to have a medical issue. When it resumed, Abdeslam burst out in fury.

We should be treated like human beings. We're not dogs, he said, before being ordered to be silent.

None of the proceedings will be televised or rebroadcast to the public, but they will be recorded for archival purposes. Video recording has only been allowed for a handful of cases in France considered to be of historical value, including last year's trial for the 2015 attacks against the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris and a kosher supermarket.

___

Associated Press journalists Angela Charlton, Alex Turnbull and Catherine Gaschka contributed to this report.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review a case that centers on whether Native Americans should receive preference in adoptions of Native children.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a sharply divided ruling in April over the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. The law gives Native American families priority in foster care and adoption proceedings involving Native children, and places reporting and other requirements on states.

The appeals court upheld the law and Congress authority to enact it.

But the judges invalidated some of the laws placement preferences, including for Native American families and Native foster homes, saying they violate equal protection rights under the Constitution.

The court also ruled that some of the laws provisions unconstitutionally control the duties of state officials in adoption matters.

Now, four petitions are seeking review. They ask the U.S. Supreme Court to decipher the complex ruling that had multiple partial dissents and partially concurring opinions. On some issues, a majority of the appeals court agreed. On others, the court tied, meaning the original decision from a U.S. District Court in Texas on the issues prevailed. The appeals court ruling on the issues isn't considered precedential.

The states of Texas, Louisiana, Indiana and seven individuals  three non-Native couples and the biological mother of a Native American child that was adopted by a non-Native family  want the law thrown out. The children are enrolled or potentially could be enrolled as Navajo or Cherokee, White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.

The district court sided with the states and individuals who argued the Indian Child Welfare Act was unconstitutional because it was racially motivated and violates the Equal Protection Clause.

A panel of the 5th Circuit disagreed with the lower court. The majority of the court agreed to rehear the case and upheld the determination that the law is based on the political relationship between federally recognized tribes and the U.S. government, not race.

The lead defendant  the U.S. Department of the Interior  and a handful of Native American tribes are asking the Supreme Court to determine whether the plaintiffs had standing to challenge the law's placement preferences. They've long championed the law as a way to protect Native American families and their cultures and want it kept wholly intact.

The case is the most significant challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act since it was passed in 1978. Studies have shown that before then, up to one-third of Native American children were being taken from their homes by private and state agencies, including church-run programs, and placed with mostly white families or in boarding schools in attempts to assimilate them.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is expected to reevaluate a Trump-era environmental review that provided a basis for plans to open an additional roughly 6.8 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to oil and gas leasing.

A memo outlining the planned review accompanied government filings in lawsuits brought by conservation and environmental advocacy groups. Those lawsuits challenged the adequacy of the environmental analysis underpinning the plans that were finalized in the final weeks of the Trump administration.

U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Tuesday requested stays in the cases pending the new evaluation.

The memo, dated Friday, was from Laura Daniel-Davis, principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management for the Interior Department. She said she was directing the land management agency to evaluate the environmental review and related analyses.

She wrote that the department had not yet decided whether to "withdraw or replace the 2020 plan. But she said the department's initial assessment was that it was inconsistent" with policy set out in a January executive order from President Joe Biden.

Biden's order lists as administration policy such things as protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Daniel-Davis' memo does not go into great detail on areas the department deemed problematic but describes the 2020 plan as containing provisions that reduce environmental protections in favor of further promoting oil and gas development."

Daniel-Davis said the Bureau of Land Management was not to offer for lease tracts in the areas that would be newly opened under the Trump-era plan while the evaluation was under way.

She said the agency would provide the status of its review and related actions within 120 days from the date of the memo.

The Interior Department is committed to protecting public health, conserving land, water, and wildlife, and ensuring that management of our public lands and oceans is guided by science, equity, and community engagement," spokesperson Tyler Cherry said in a written statement.

The announced review is in line with Biden's directive to review and address agency regulations and programs that conflict with this Administrations climate priorities, the statement says.

The plan, which the Bureau of Land Management said was signed by then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Dec. 31, made about 18.6 million of the reserve's roughly 23 million acres available for oil and gas leasing. The land agency, in announcing the decision, said it contained important safeguards for wildlife and sensitive resources, while allowing for responsible oil and gas leasing.

Suzanne Bostrom, an attorney with Trustees for Alaska who is representing some of the groups in the litigation, said Wednesday that she saw as encouraging the department's intent to review the plans.

Conservationists, among other things, have cited concerns with possible impacts from development on the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area, which they've described as a productive wetlands complex and caribou calving area.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy's office was expected to release a statement.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  The number of virus cases in Nebraska continued their steady climb last week as the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus spreads.

Nebraska reported 5,649 new virus cases last week for the 11th straight week of increases, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Omaha World-Herald reported that's up from 4,916 cases the week before and 3,464 cases the previous week. The state was reporting 253 cases per week in late June when officials declared an end to the state virus emergency.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska rose over the past two weeks from 575.29 new cases per day on Aug. 23 to 693.43 new cases per day on Monday.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is also on the rise, straining hospitals that are already running full with other patients. As of last Thursday, the seven-day average number of people hospitalized was 337, up from 309 the week before.

The Nebraska Infectious Diseases Society recently sent a letter to state officials urging them to reconsider their denial of the Douglas County health directors request to issue an indoor mask mandate in the Omaha area.

The group noted that only 56% of Douglas Countys residents have been fully vaccinated, area hospitals are running full and the rate of transmission of the virus now is higher than it was when the Omaha City Council imposed a mask mandate a year ago.

Your decision to deny this request is not based on the best and scientifically proven methods to stem the very real public health crisis occurring in this community, they wrote.

In recent weeks, the state has taken a couple steps to ease the burden on hospitals by waiving some state licensing laws and regulations and putting limits on some elective surgeries. The state also reopened its transfer center to help Nebraska hospitals find places to send patients who need additional care.

But state officials have not changed their opposition to the proposed Douglas County mask mandate. Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts has steadfastly opposed any mask mandates, and health officials have said they had to balance the potential benefit of mask wearing with individual liberty.
The state's power grid operator issued a flex alert Tuesday asking the public to conserve energy because of tight power supplies and excessive heat.

The California Independent System Operator issued the request, called a flex alert, Tuesday evening asking the public to conserve energy from 4-9 p.m. Wednesday to avoid rotating power outages.

To conserve energy, residents can set their thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using major appliances, turn off lights they aren't using, unplug unused items and use fans to cool their home.

An Oakland city councilmember is proposing to add two police academies to stem the city's loss of officers, she said on Tuesday.

Councilmember Sheng Thao submitted her proposal to be heard at the next scheduled City Council meeting on Sept. 21. Recently, the number of officers on the police force dropped below 700, which is the lowest number is six years, according to the Oakland Police Officers' Association, the police union.

Thao said if the number of officers fails below 678, Oakland will no longer be able to collect Measure Z taxes, which help fund among other things fire safety and violence prevention programs.

Police arrested a suspect who had barricaded himself in a home Tuesday in the 1500 block of June Avenue in San Jose's Tropicana neighborhood.

San Jose Police first tweeted about the incident at 10:06 a.m., saying they had responded to a 7:05 a.m. report of a man pointing a gun at a neighbor.

A second post three hours later reported that officers on scene used a noise flash diversionary device, also known as a flash bang.

In a final post at 5:37 p.m., police reported they had taken the suspect into custody.

A Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall counselor has been charged with assault for allegedly punching a boy and slamming his head against the floor earlier this year, county prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Robert Medellin, who has worked as a counselor for about 18 years, is charged with assault by a public official for the April 14 attack inside a juvenile hall building.

According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, two boys attacked another boy in the common area of the building when Medellin intervened. He took one of the boys, a 17-year-old, to the floor and punched him about a dozen times and slammed his head onto the floor once before handcuffing him.

A 22-year-old San Jose man died Monday from injuries he suffered last week in a motorcycle collision in Santa Clara, police said Tuesday.

Benjamin Gholamipour died following a collision on the afternoon of Aug. 31 at Lafayette and Harrison streets.

Gholamipour was on a motorcycle when he was hit by a car, according to police.

According to a preliminary investigation, the car was traveling east on Harrison Street as Gholamipour was traveling south on Lafayette Street, police said.

A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the death of Charles Feezel in Berkeley in June, police said Tuesday.

Feezel, 50, of Oakland, was struck at 9:36 p.m. June 14, by vehicle as he was lying on Telegraph Avenue between Webster Street and Ashby Avenue.

The driver of the vehicle drove away after the collision, according to police. Feezel was taken to a hospital where he died.

Three teenagers were injured in a shooting in Antioch on Monday evening but are expected to survive, police said.

The shooting was reported at 5:27 p.m. in the area of Eagleridge and Asilomar drives and injured two men, ages 18 and 19, and a 19-year-old woman, who were all shot in the leg, according to police.

No arrest has been made in the case and Antioch police have not released any suspect information or determined a motive for the shooting.

The National Weather Service forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area calls for continued warm temperatures Wednesday. Expect highs in the upper 60s along the coast to the 70s and upper 80s around the Bay. Highs will should reach the 90s in the northwest and south bay and into the lower 100s in the inland valleys. Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s.

Similar daytime highs will continue into Thursday as high pressure lingers over the region. Cooler temperatures are expected beginning Friday.

A surge of upper level moisture will result in a slight chance for thunderstorms late Thursday afternoon and evening over the north bay.

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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.
Sharon, PA (16146)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High 71F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.
The neighbors are beginning to talk. Kim said her husband Ken was wondering who the weird guy was standing on the shore of the neighborhood pond every day, whistling. Several others had seen and heard this, as well, from their backyard decks. I think hes harmless, but he is technically tre
SHELTON - The city has officially designated next week to honor the U.S. Constitution.

Mayor Mark Lauretti has proclaimed Sept. 17 to 23 as Constitution Week. Lauretti presented the proclamation to Sarah Riggs Humphreys-Mary Silliman (SRH-MS) Chapter Regent Patricia King last week.

King noted that Sept. 17 marks the 234th anniversary of the framing of the Constitution which is the guardian of our liberties. The U.S. Constitution is the oldest constitution still in active use in the world today and is the basic document of our republic, which protects the individual liberties of all citizens through written law.

Lauretti said he is a strong advocate of the Constitution and asks residents to reaffirm the ideals the Framers of the Constitution held in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties - remembering that lost rights may never be regained.

King thanked Lauretti on behalf of the members of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The DAR wishes to encourage every generation of Americans to celebrate the spirit of the men and women who achieved our nation's independence, King said.

King added that Shelton has many Revolutionary War patriots who defended the state from the British and agreed with Lauretti that our citizens today need to protect our Constitution.

The DAR is a womens service organization dedicated to historic preservation, education and patriotism. Any woman older than 18 who can prove lineal descent to an ancestor who served in the American Revolution is a prospective member. For more information, visit http://sarahriggshumphreysdar.org/.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Cole steps down from Scottville commission

Sally Cole

SCOTTVILLE  There were hugs and even a few tears at Scottville City Hall on Tuesday as Sally Cole officially resigned from her position with the city commission.

Her letter of resignation was approved, and she stepped down from the at-large seat shes held since December 2015.

Sally and her husband, Jerry, recently sold their downtown Scottville business, Coles Antiques Villa, and the couple is planning to move outside the city limits. Once they do, they wont be eligible to serve on the citys boards or committees. Though they dont know exactly where theyre heading yet, the Coles said the time was right to make the change.

Jerry resigned from his positions on the citys planning commission and board of review on Aug. 16, and Sallys resignation was something her fellow commissioners knew was coming. Still, they made it clear they didnt want her to leave.

Due to the change in her and her husbands life, they will be moving out of town, Mayor Marcy Spencer said. Whether we accept it or not, shes leaving us.

Spencer made a motion to approve the resignation, and it was supported by Commissioner Bruce Claveau.

Several commissioners expressed their gratitude to the couple.

Youre going to be very much missed, Sally  you and Jerry both, Commissioner Rob Alway said.

Commissioners Ryan Graham and Nathan Yeowmans both praised Sallys commitment to the city. Graham told her he sees her as an icon and a legend for her success in business, government and her sense of civic duty. Yeowmans said Cole was an inspiration for him.

Prior to the conclusion of the meeting, Sally said that when she and Jerry moved their business to Scottville after decades in Ludington, the citys residents made the couple really feel like we mattered, by encouraging them to join public boards and committees.

She said shes impressed with the citys small businesses, its staff, its DPW workers, its officials, commission and committee members and more.

And, she implored any interested residents to consider serving on the commission.

I just want to impress upon other citizens in our town to step up, take a look at whats going on, and help, she said. Many hands make for lighter work, and our city is on the cusp of great things, so I encourage that.

Spencer thanked the Coles for their service and their dedication.

Also during Tuesdays meeting, the planning commission seat left vacant by Jerry was filled when commissioners unanimously approved the application of Randy Wyman. Wyman was the only resident to submit a letter of interest for the position. His first meeting will take place on Sept. 14.

CHICKEN ORDINANCE

Commissioners approved a revision of the citys policy for keeping animals, livestock and fowl, which was originally proposed at the start of the summer.

The new policy establishes a permit process to be handled by City Manager Jim Newkirk, making chicken-keeping requests no longer under the purview of the full commission, unless it is called upon to preside over an appeal of a decision made by Newkirk.

Alway said one of the main reasons for the ordinance is that it takes requests out of the hands of the commission. Previously, Alway stated that it should not be the commissions job to approve these requests, noting that the commission should focus on creating and enforcing policy.

A public hearing was held, during which no comments were made, and the ordinance was unanimously approved.

The new ordinance requires that chickens only be kept on single-family dwellings.

The ordinance also states that the maximum number of chickens on a property will be six. It prohibits roosters, requires that chickens must be maintained in an enclosed structure at all times, and prohibits the slaughtering of chickens, among other stipulations.

Permits, if approved by the city manager, are not transferable, and will be valid for one year.

WEBSITE SERVICES

The commission accepted a bid from Envigor for city website redesign services.

Envigors bid was one the three  picked from a total of eight by Newkirk  that were considered. The first-year cost will be $6,500, and $700 annually thereafter.

The personnel, rules and ethics committee recommended Envigor based on what was included in its proposal, and the proximity of the provider to Scottville.

We came to the conclusion that Envigor was not only the most reasonable, but the most local, said Alway, who serves on the committee.

Spencer noted that Proud Citys bid was slightly lower, bud did not include some of the same services for the cost. She also stated that the company was located in California, saying that did not inspire confidence about someone being present in the office to handle website issues.

ALSO ON MONDAY

The city also upheld the denial of a FOIA request from Ludington resident Tom Rotta, who sought a copy of a speech read by Alway during a previous meeting.

The decision was made based on the advice of City Attorney Carlos Alvarado.

Mr. Rotta requested a copy of the prepared speech that commissioner Alway read at (a recent) meeting . The denial is based on the fact that the document did not exist in the record, Alvarado said. My conclusion  is that, since this was not part of the record, and simply does not exist the (denial) should be sustained.

Spencer made a motion to uphold the denial, motioned to uphold the denial, which Yeowmans supported.

Spencer also reminded the commissioners and the public that Scottvilles first-ever Fall Celebration is Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. She encouraged people to come out and attend.
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Following on the heels of an executive order by Oregon's governor requiring full vaccination for teachers, staff and volunteers in K-12 schools, the Oregon Health Authority recently issued a new rule requiring that health care providers and health care staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Oct. 18.



"Health care providers" and "health care staff" mean individuals in a health care setting who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients, residents or infectious materials. Health care setting includes a health care facility, whether inpatient or outpatient, and assisted living facilities.

On or before Oct. 18, health care providers and health care staff must provide their employer with either proof of vaccination showing they are fully vaccinated (two doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single vaccine plus 14 days since the final dose) or documentation of medical or religious exception. "Medical exception" means an individual has a physical or mental impairment that prevents or limits the individual from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. "Religious exception" means an individual has a sincerely held religious belief that prevents the individual from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

The new rule effectively removes lingering obstacles under Oregon law that, until now, had limited or prevented health care industry employers from requiring that all their employees be fully vaccinated.

A few open questions remain under the rule. Section 3(b) of the new rule states that an employer of a health care provider or health care staff may not "employ" a health care provider or staff at a health care setting unless they are fully vaccinated or have a documented medical or religious exception.

Does the rule require the employer to terminate the employment of a noncompliant employee? Or is an employer allowed to place the noncompliant employee on leave until compliance is obtained or the vaccination rules are modified? Section 2(f) of the rule defines a medical exception as "a physical or mental impairment that prevents the individual from receiving a vaccination." But Section 4(b) defines documentation of a medical exception as a medical provider certification that an individual has a physical or mental impairment that limits (rather than prevents) the ability to receive a vaccination.

Sarah J. Ryan and Kevin M. Coles are attorneys with Jackson Lewis in Portland, Ore.  2021 Jackson Lewis. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission.
Actress Natasha Bharadwaj, who plays a resident doctor in the upcoming web series 'Mumbai Diaries 26/11', says as her mother is a doctor, she borrowed the lab coat and stethoscope of her mother for her role in the show.

Sharing how she bagged the role on the show, Natasha said, "I had auditioned for Mumbai Diaries 26/11 and when I was told the part, I knew that I want to do this because as an actor, I am greedy and this was a role that I did not want to let go."

"So after I was shortlisted, I waited for almost a month and as I did not hear from them I thought I am not getting the part. Then one day, while I was driving, I got a call about the confirmation, and as soon as I reached home, I asked my mother to give me her lab coat and stethoscope and that's how I broke the news to her because she knew that I had auditioned for this role. It was heartwarming and overwhelming for both of us."

Directed by Nikkhil Advani, the show also features - Konkona Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, Tina Desai, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satyajeet Dubey, Mrunmayee Deshpande and Prakash Belawadi among others.

'Mumbai Diaries: 26/11' will release on September 9 and stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Text: IANS

Images: Natasha on Instagram
New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) A new report analysed 10 disasters from 2020-21, including Cyclone Amphan in the border region of India and Bangladesh, and found that even though they occurred in vastly different locations and did not initially appear to have much in common, they were interconnected with each other.

The report, Interconnected Disaster Risks 2020/2021 was released on Wednesday by the United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).

As shown by the key findings of the recent IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, extreme events, such as droughts, fires and floods, are increasingly compounding each other, likely as a consequence of human influence.

Viewed through a lens of interconnectivity, this new report shows in detail how not only climate disasters, but human-made disasters in general build on the impacts of the past and pave the way for future disasters.

The frequency of severe weather events, epidemics and human-made disasters is increasing globally, and it is becoming ever more challenging to keep pace with the corresponding changes and impacts.

In 2020-21, the world witnessed a number of record-breaking disasters: the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, a cold wave crippled the state of Texas, wildfires destroyed almost five million acres of Amazon rainforest, and Vietnam experienced nine heavy storms in the span of only seven weeks.

By analysing past events through the lens of interconnectivity, both the disasters that are happening right now and those that will happen in the future can be better understood.

"When people see disasters in the news, they often seem far away," said UNU-EHS Senior Scientist Zita Sebesvari, a lead author of the report.

"But even disasters that occur thousands of kilometres apart are often related to one another and can have consequences for people living in distant places."

An example of this is the recent heatwave in the Arctic and cold wave in Texas. In 2020, the Arctic experienced the second-highest air temperatures and second-lowest amount of sea ice cover on record. The increasing temperature in the Arctic destabilizes the polar vortex, a spinning mass of cold air above the North Pole, allowing colder air to move southward into North America.

Thus, changes in Arctic temperature influence locations far away from the Arctic and likely also contributed to the below-freezing temperatures in Texas, a state that is used to year-round warm weather.

Around four million people were without electricity as the power grid froze up, and 210 people died.

Disasters also often occur simultaneously and compound each other, as happened with the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Amphan in the border region of India and Bangladesh.

In an area where almost 50 per cent of the population is living under the poverty line, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns left many people without income options, including migrant workers who were forced to return to their home areas and were housed in cyclone shelters while under quarantine.

When the region was then hit by Cyclone Amphan, many people, concerned over social distancing, hygiene and privacy, avoided evacuating to shelters and weathered out the storm in unsecure locations.

The "super" cyclone in turn worsened the conditions for pandemic response in its aftermath, as health centres were destroyed and COVID-19 cases spiked in some areas. Amphan itself caused over 100 fatalities, damages in excess of $13 billion and displaced 4.9 million people.

Oftentimes, disasters stem from the same root causes, which mean that they are interconnected by the same underlying factors that create the conditions for these seemingly unrelated disasters to occur.

The new report Interconnected Disaster Risks identifies three root causes that affected most of the events in the analysis: human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, insufficient disaster risk management and undervaluing environmental costs and benefits in decision-making.

Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions were one of the reasons why Texas experienced the freezing temperatures, but they also contribute to the formation of super cyclones such as Amphan, for example -- an entirely different disaster in an entirely different part of the world.

Insufficient disaster risk management was one of the reasons why Texas experienced such high losses of life and excessive infrastructure damages during the cold wave, and the same also contributed to the high losses caused by the Central Vietnam floods.

But disasters are not only connected to each other; they are also connected to us as individuals. The record rate of deforestation and wildfires in the Amazon is in part due to the high global demand for meat: farmland is needed to grow soy, which is used as animal fodder for poultry.

This means that some of the root causes of disasters are in fact influenced by the actions of people far away from where the event itself occurs.

"What we can learn from this report is that disasters we see happening around the world are much more interconnected than we may realize, and they are also connected to individual behavior. Our actions have consequences, for all of us," said fellow lead author Jack O'Connor.

"But the good news is that if the problems are connected, so are the solutions."

The report showcases solutions at both the societal and individual level and explains how one action, such as cutting our greenhouse gas emissions, can affect many different types of disasters: it can prevent a further increase in the frequency and severity of hazards and protect biodiversity and ecosystems.

--IANS

vg/arm
Most of ISKP's cadres include disgruntled elements from the Taliban, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and Pakistan's other proxy groups like Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The rest include foreign fighters from Uzbekistan, Kerala (India), etc., Abhinav Pandya wrote in National Interest.

There is a strong likelihood that IS-KP will claim responsibility for more attacks on Western and Indian targets in the region soon. Moreover, Pakistan's double game of keeping up the pretense of being the US ally against terror while sheltering, funding, and training terrorist groups with US aid money is likely to continue. The only difference now is that IS-KP has replaced Al Qaeda and the Taliban as America's latest antagonist. Regardless, as long as the Pakistani Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi continue to play its bloody and covert intelligence game from behind the scenes, innocent Afghans will continue to suffer, the article said.

"Hence, since raising multiple proxies gives Pakistan deniability, the ISI is using the same model in Afghanistan. For example, luring Indian nationals into IS-KP and inducing them to target Indian interests in Afghanistan has offered convincing deniability to Pakistan compared to using known proxies like LeT and JeM. Likewise, since Pakistan's links with the Taliban and HQN are well-known, it is nurturing IS-KP for three reasons: to maintain a degree of plausible deniability, to project an image of also being a victim of terror, and to make the Taliban more acceptable to international actors," it added.

In the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, there are numerous heavyweight proxies that are supported by the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) like the Haqqani Network (HQN), JeM, LeT, and the Taliban. Given these groups' presence, it is almost impossible for a new organisation to survive without the blessings of the Pakistani Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the article said.

Reportedly, since its formation in 2015, the ISI has infiltrated the IS-KP with a sizable number of its cadres from LeT, JeM, and HQN.

There is no reason to believe that IS-KP and the Taliban are sworn enemies due to perceived ideological differences. If some disgruntled individuals deserted the Taliban to join IS-KP, it mainly was over the leadership clashes, turf wars, and the distribution of financial resources from opium smuggling.

"Interviews I had with informed interlocutors in Pakistan suggest that key figures in IS-KP have had links with individuals and entities associated with the Pakistani ISI since the group's inception.

"Further, this claim was substantiated through my conversations with the members of India's intelligence fraternity. In 2016, they found compelling evidence of Pakistani agencies radicalizing Indian youth from Kerala on IS-KP's behalf. Reportedly, they also assisted them in moving to the IS-KP stronghold in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region through third countries," the author said.

Having discussed the interconnected and overlapping nature of terror groups in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, it becomes clear that the ISI is the common denominator among all of them, Pandya added.

--IANS

san/dpb
But back to the issue of Afghanistan. Russia and India must call for a Hindu Kush Peace Summit, with all countries that share a border with Afghanistan. Participants at the summit must include Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, China, and of course Russia and India. The objective of the summit should be to 'firewall' the 'physical' spread of terrorists beyond the territory of Afghanistan. The inspirational spread of ideology is a different matter, will be secondary, and each nation will have to work out its own manner on how to stop this spread.

Each of the border nations with Afghanistan has a big problem on their hands -- and the challenges for each nation are specific to its own history. All of these nations may be playing their own power and cat-mouse games in the vast heartlands and mountains of the Hindu Kush region, but they can come together for a 'Common Minimum Program' on at least one issue -- how to contain the export of terror-jihadis into their country, and also the issue of refugees that has arisen.

By convening such a peace summit, India and Russia will interject a new, positive, and solution-oriented dynamic in this region. With the abdication, withdrawal of US and Europe from Afghanistan, now the destiny of this region is in the hands of these above nations -- and how they provide a Common Minimum Leadership which at the same time helps them to secure their own borders.

Exactly 20 years after 9/11, the world is now witnessing another shift, which is as terrifying in its scope as 9/11 was. Today we are seeing the birth of a newer version, a silent-9/11 which has epicentre in the Hindu Kush region, and which will stab and bleed the core sovereign interests of all in the neighbourhood.

It is in the mutual self-interest of Russia, and India, to convene this summit. All participating nations can protect their self-interest via this summit. Russia and India must take leadership, step forth -- and shape a new paradigm of Eurasia.

(Robinder Sachdev is president of The Imagindia Institute. The views are personal)

--IANS

robinder/dpb


New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): Goa Shipyard Limited has recently signed a contract with a Ukrainian firm Zorya-Mashproekt for the supply of two sets of M7N Main Gas Turbine Aggregate for the new Talwar-class frigates being built at GSL for the Indian Navy, stated the Defence Ministry on Wednesday.



India and Russia are building four warships under the Talwar-class follow on the project of which two are being built in Russia and two in Goa.

The GSL was nominated as the Indian partner during the tenure of Manohar Parrikar as Defence Minister.

The two warships are already in the advanced stage in Russia and would be ready for delivery soon. India has been the biggest partner of Russia in terms of military hardware. (ANI)


Experts believe this is possibly the first time that such a large carnivore is to be sent from one continent to another. After scouting for six sites across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, an experts' committee had zeroed in on Kuno National Park, proposed for relocation of the Asiatic lions that shares similar habitat as cheetahs.

New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The last Indian/Asiatic cheetah was killed in 1947 in the jungles of central India. Now, with the country celebrating the 75th year of its Independence, the countdown has begun for the African cheetah to be introduced in Madhya Pradesh.

This has been a much discussed project of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It was in January 2020 that the Supreme Court, while responding to an application by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), given "permission to reintroduce cheetahs from Africa to suitable sites in India."

Several meetings and field visits later, a team is now ready to visit Namibia very soon but the dates are yet to be finalised. The team will visit the southern African country for an assessment and then, a decision about exactly how and when the cheetahs can be brought here will be finalised.

The Ministry's ADG, Wildlife, Dr Soumitra Dasgupta told IANS: "We are targeting 8-10 cheetahs. There would be more females."

Cheetahs share the territorial areas with tigers and like it, needs herbivore and large inviolate areas, and for the herbivores, there need to be ample grasslands.

"As and when the cheetahs arrive, it will be a soft release first. Only later, other batches would arrive," he said, adding that it will happen soon.

The whole process from the team's visit to Africa to the cheetahs actually reaching India may take four to six months, a top Ministry official said.

--IANS

niv/vd
CoinSwitch Kuber is a safe, user-friendly website for Indian customers. They can quickly purchase more than 100 cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, etc., at the best rate with a range of payment methods. Users may use the pooled liquidity of India's top exchanges immediately after completing the KYC/AML processes to receive the best price and trade. CoinSwitch Kuber application is the most advanced cryptocurrency trading platform, with a simple user interface that provides you with a smooth user experience.

CoinSwitch Kuber has announced on 22 April that it has secured 25 million dollars from the Tiger Global Management Series B investment round, valuing the firm at approx. Five hundred million dollars, which is used to help individual investors investing in cryptocurrencies. Among the other investors are Sequoia India and Ribbit Capital.

Coinswitch Kuber Cryptocurrency in India

Ashish Singhal, Govind Soni, and Vimal Sagar Tiwari founded CoinSwitch, a global aggregator of cryptocurrency exchanges, in 2017. In June 2020, it introduced Kuber, an Indian-focused investing crypto platform with 4.5 million members. According to CEO Singhal, the yearly turnover of the firm is around $50 million.

While Bitcoin is the most recognized cryptocurrencyand the Bitcoin price most followed, CoinSwitch permits users to invest in hundreds of different currencies and has compared it to Indian rupees, allowing investors to deposit Rs 100 into the growing but potentially hazardous asset class. WazirX, Binance, Cryptopia, KuCoin, HitBTC, HUOBI, and DEX exchanges enable customers to pick cryptocurrencies at their favorites. The functionality of CoinSwitch is similar to that of Changelly and Shapeshift. It offers an easy-to-use user interface and several crypto-monetary pairings.

It's relatively safe because, with CoinSwitch, you don't save your money. You may only purchase and convert coins on the website in real-time. It doesn't hold your money for trade and minimizes the danger of fraud because your cash isn't kept. Since the exchange is non-regulated, however, it is not entirely safe for investors.

Coinswitch Kuber Reviews

CoinSwitch seems to offer several attractive characteristics. It provides its customers with pricing information from approximately nine crypto-monetary exchanges as a crypto-monetary aggregator. Coins are converted and transferred straight to the wallets of users. Its anonymity makes it an attractive alternative for anonymous investors.

The bitcoin exchange aggregator is based in Bangalore, India, and most supplies Asian customers.

There are fewer cryptocurrencies in Asia, making them a healthy market environment than certain western countries like the United Kingdom and the USA, which are tighter for crypto-trading.

Advantages

CoinSwitch provides a fantastic amount of trading pairings on its website, with over 400 currencies on the market.

No registration implies that fast trading is easyno need to register or through a KYC checking process.

A straightforward structure makes it easy to use CoinSwitch, even for inexperienced traders of bitcoin.

CoinSwitch enables purchases of credit cards.

There is a potentially profitable referral scheme that makes it easy to earn a Bitcoin bonus.

Disadvantages

In certain places,CoinSwitch is not available, especially in the United States.

CoinSwitch is essentially an exchange between cryptographs, and money cannot be deposited by bank transfer or wire transfer.

Sometimes costs may be higher than initially mentioned since CoinSwitch demands traders pay the exchange and network charge for each transaction. This concept is distinct from a Changelly exchange where all the costs are already included in the transaction trading charge quota.

If CoinSwitch appears to match you well, CoinFi readers will receive a $5 Bonus in Bitcoin if they exchange their first $100 in cryptography.

How CoinSwitch Works

One trader first goes to CoinSwitch and notifies the platform of the deal he wants to do, such as Bitcoin for Ethereum, and then tells CoinSwitch how much he would like to trade, e.g., Bitcoin 0.25.

After the trader supplies this information, CoinSwitch will offer a list of exchanges to complete the deal.

Notice how different this concept is from other sites such as Changelly. If a trader utilizes Changelly, the platform picks the exchange at the best price and conducts the deal there automatically.

CoinSwitch displays exchange rates for users from all exchanges and allows them to pick the business they wish to use.

Once a trader chooses to use the exchange, CoinSwitch will offer a deposit address. The merchant must transfer its coins to that address. You must also specify another address to which you wish the swapped coins to be shared.

As stated above, the trader does not have to open an account or carry out a KYC check.

CoinSwitch Kuber, NDTV Content Across Platforms to Launch Crypto Content

NDTV collaborated with CoinSwitch Kuber to latest in Crypto-Money space comprehensive and top quality coverage. A brand new show on NDTV 24X7 and NDTV India will be a crucial component of this cross-platform expansion every alternative weekend.

The cooperation aims to enhance the credibility and confidence of NDTV paired with the subject expertise and robust trade platform of CoinSwitch Kuber. All NDTV platforms, including their vast social media communities, will have the material available.

Ashish Singhal, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, CoinSwitch Kuber, spoke on the partnership, "Over the previous decade, Crypto has experienced exponential growth, and the feeling only becomes stronger. Everyday users are becoming first-time investors in cryptography, both in the metro and the furthest reaches of the nation. We must offer consumers access to information on this asset class as India's top cryptoinvestment platform. As one of India's premier media firms, NDTV will help us communicate our message to everybody  from novices to experienced investors."

NDTV Convergence, head Suparna Singh, stated, "We all look forward to this fantastic new cooperation with Coinswitch Kuber at NDTV. Cryptocurrency is a large and complicated sector to investigate, and we will report with the rigor and integrity known to NDTV. Our digital and on-air teams will work together to provide an Indian audience with the latest cryptocurrency news and trends.

Final Thoughts

CoinSwitch Kuber is a safe, user-friendly website for Indian customers. They can purchase more than 100 cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ripple, etc., at the best rate. Users may use pooled liquidity of India's top exchanges immediately after completing the KYC/AML processes. CoinSwitch is essentially an exchange between cryptographs, and money cannot be deposited by bank transfer or wire transfer. Users do not have to open an account or carry out a KYC check before using CoinSwitch.

NDTV has partnered with CoinSwitch Kuber, India's top crypto investment platform. Digital and on-air teams will provide an Indian audience with the latest cryptocurrency news and trends. The platform also allows users to choose which exchanges they wish to use. "Young Indians are so invested - and we are looking forward to giving them all the information they need."
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According to the sources, the latest share parcel cost Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz about $2.6 million. Mr Gordon, who has now twice sold shares to Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz, still owns 11.37 per cent of the company, according to an ASX filing on Wednesday morning.

Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz are easily the largest shareholders in the company, which tried to merge with Seven West Media in 2019. The increase in ownership is a clear signal the pair still want to take over the company, the sources said.

Industry sources familiar with the transaction, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Mr Catalano now holds a 22.9 per cent stake in the regional TV broadcaster, having bought more shares with his rich list business partner Alex Waislitz from WIN Corp billionaire Bruce Gordon.

Real estate entrepreneur and regional media owner Antony Catalano has increased his stake in Prime Media Group for the second time in six months, pushing himself over the 20 per cent takeover threshold.

Mr Catalano was on his morning walk in NSWs Byron Bay and said he was unavailable for comment. The increase comes six months after Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz increased their exposure in Prime from 14.57 per cent to 19.99 per cent. That trade was subject to a review by the media regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

While the pair - through their investment vehicle WA Chess Investments - now meet the 20 per cent takeover threshold, they will not be obliged to make a bid for the entire company. The two executives acquired the 3 per cent parcel six months after their most recent previous purchase, which means they are exempt from having to lodge a takeover bid for the company under creep provisions in the takeover law.

But Mr Catalano and Mr Waislitz, who own a number of regional newspapers including The Newcastle Herald and The Canberra Times through Australian Community Media, now have more influence in determining the future of Prime. They also carry more weight should Seven propose another takeover bid. Industry sources familiar with their plans, who spoke anonymously, said another request for board representation is inevitable.

Mr Stokes, who is the chairman of Seven West Media, has previously used creep provisions to take control of a company. He slowly increased his stake in West Australian Newspapers, and implemented the same strategy to take control of Beach Energy, which is owned by Seven Group Holdings (the majority shareholder of Seven).

Mr Waislitz and Mr Catalano first established a 14.6 per cent stake in Prime in late 2019 in an attempt to block a $60 million merger between the regional broadcaster and Seven. Prime has an affiliate deal with Seven, allowing it to broadcast Seven hit shows such as The Voice and Holey Moley in regional markets.
It is a perennially uncomfortable nugget of Facebook trivia that it began as a website for rating the attractiveness of Harvards female students.

Facemash did not last long, but its place in the story of Mark Zuckerbergs company has lingered, haunting what is now the worlds biggest social network whenever it finds itself criticised for bias.

Facebook revealed plans in 2019 to double its female staff count globally over five years but in July, it revealed women made up 36.7 per cent of its workforce, a drop from the year befores 37 per cent figure. Credit:AP

Facebooks early years after its founding in 2004 are replete with tales that would today make its executives squirm. Sexually explicit murals donned the walls of its offices and complaints about harassment among the companys first employees were reportedly dismissed as playful banter.

Since then, Facebook has grown into a $US1.1 trillion ($1.5 trillion) giant with 63,000 staff. While expanding it has attempted to shake off the frat house reputation that accompanied its early days and replace it with the image of a liberal tech firm. There are no more lewd murals, for one thing.
Australia has produced few jurists of Sir Isaac Isaacs ilk. Born in Melbourne in 1855, he became attorney-general of both Victoria and the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia. Then appointed to the High Court, he became its Chief Justice in 1930 and later the nations first Australian-born governor-general.

But Isaacs could hardly have foreseen the advent of the internet, its implications for legacy media as a source of trusted and curated news and information, or the perils of social media.

The internet or social media were not considerations for Sir Isaac Isaacs, pictured in 1930.

On Wednesday, the High Court of Australia had the opportunity to reconsider the application of age-old principles of defamation law in the online era. Instead, it affirmed a pronouncement by Sir Isaac in a 1928 case about a defamatory circular concerning litigation over mice-damaged wheat, and applied it to users of Facebook.

Dylan Voller, a young Aboriginal man whose treatment in youth detention in the Northern Territory had attracted media attention, is suing Fairfax Media Publications (the former publisher of this masthead), Nationwide News (publisher of The Australian and The Daily Telegraph) and Australian News Channel (operator of the Sky News channel) in relation to comments by members of the public posted in response to stories these outlets published on their Facebook pages. The outlets use Facebook as a vehicle for promoting their content to reach the 16 million or so Australians who are active users of the social media network.
The Sydney Kings have suspended training until further notice after a player returned a positive COVID-19 test.

The NBL club is at the start of pre-season with the league pushing the start of the season until November 18 and all players and staff deemed as close contacts will be tested and self-isolate following NSW Health protocols.

NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger. Credit:Jamila Toderas

NBL champions Melbourne United were hit by a COVID-19 outbreak last year at the start of Victorias second wave and later went on to win the championship.

The Kings said in a statement they were able to train under strict guidelines as an elite sporting team and the majority of their players and coaches had had their first vaccination shot.

Kings chief executive Chris Pongrass said the health of the player was their top priority.

Our primary concern is for the health and wellbeing of our players, staff and their families and ensuring that we adhere to NSW Health regulations to mitigate any further risk to the wider community, Pongrass said.

We will continue to work with the NBL and NSW Health to ensure the health and safety of our players and staff.

While this is another hurdle for our playing group, we are resilient and our preparations for NBL22 continue; we look forward to being back out on court in front of our fans at Qudos Bank Arena in the coming months for what will be an exciting season.

NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said the league was working with the Kings.

He added that while the NBL wasnt mandating vaccinations, players or coaches who werent vaccinated would find themselves unable to play in every game nor travel into many states.

We have been working closely with Sydney and the relevant health authorities to ensure all protocols are followed with the health and wellbeing of those impacted and the community a priority, Loeliger said.

At this point, we are not going to mandate vaccinations for players, coaches and staff, but we will continue to educate our people and will strongly recommend it.

It may be that those who dont get vaccinated wont be able to travel between states and countries, or even enter certain venues, and therefore wont be able to participate in some games when the season begins.

Individuals that decide not to get vaccinated could be subjected to different rules depending on various government protocols and restrictions.
A judge will decide whether to allow the lawyer of former special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith to cross-examine his ex-wife over whether she gave her friend access to his email account.

Mr Roberts-Smith, who is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation over articles that he says wrongly portray him as a murderer and war criminal, is also taking action against his former wife, Emma Roberts, to find out if she gave confidential information to the newspapers lawyers.

Ben Roberts-Smith is suing his ex-wife over claims she leaked confidential information related to his defamation trial. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Mr Roberts-Smiths barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, told the Federal Court on Tuesday that telecommunications records indicate an email address used by the former soldier to correspond with his lawyers was accessed by Danielle Scott, a close friend of Ms Roberts, on at least 101 occasions.

Ms Roberts signed an affidavit on August 20 swearing that she did not give Ms Scott access to the account.
Neddy Smith was the product of a philandering serviceman and a mother with a difficult background who hardly had a chance to turn out to be other than what he became  a murderous thug. His genes were poor, whoever his father might have been. He had three half-brothers, each with a different father.

Arthur Stanley Smith was born in Sydney on November 27, 1944, and was brought up in Sydneys inner suburbs. He died in Long Bay jail. Smith, 76, was serving two life sentences for the 1987 road rage murder of tow truck driver Ronnie Flavell, and the shooting murder of brothel owner Harvey Jones in 1983.

Neddy Smith was one of Sydneys most notorious criminals. Credit:Dean Sewell

He started his criminal career before puberty, convicted of stealing at the age of 11, he went to a boys home at Mittagong. He last saw the inside of a school classroom at 13 and at 14 was arrested for attempted break and enter and possession of housebreaking implements. He was further brutalised at a tough juvenile institution in Tamworth. At age 16, he was living with a prostitute and pimping for her.

His idea, which he shared with numerous other toughs he associated with through life, was that he could get by by simply taking what he wanted. But he was never cunning enough to avoid the law. By age 18 he had chalked up seven convictions. Smith was sentenced to four years jail for armed robbery. At 22, he participated in a vicious pack rape, for which he was convicted and sentenced to 12 years jail.
NSW Police have asked a Sydney court to find YouTuber Jordan Shanks in contempt of court over a video he posted in August that airs a statement from NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, which forms part of their case against a Friendlyjordies producer.

Kristo Langker, 21, was arrested by the Fixated Persons Unit in June and charged with stalking Mr Barilaro after he approached the politician twice, at Macquarie University and on a street near Parliament, to speak to him in videos filmed for the Friendlyjordies YouTube channel.

John Barilaro is suing YouTuber Jordan Shanks for defamation, and pursuing stalking charges against his producer.

In a subsequent video posted to the channel on August 27, Mr Shanks  being sued for defamation by Mr Barilaro  aired a police statement from the Deputy Premier dated April 2021. In it, Mr Barilaro complains about an earlier video Mr Shanks filmed from inside the politicians lavish holiday home, which the YouTuber rented.

And before you even think its contempt of court for me to read it, dont worry, from my understanding its not relevant to any matter before the courts at the moment, Mr Shanks assures his viewers in the video.
Fully vaccinated Sydneysiders will be able to enjoy a drink in a pub by the end of October and some parts of NSW will have restrictions eased within days as the state government reveals its plans to emerge from the extended Delta lockdown.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian will on Thursday deliver the long-awaited COVID-19 recovery road map outlining the first freedoms granted to NSW when the state reaches its 70 per cent double dose vaccination target, which is expected to happen in less than six weeks.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian will outline NSWs long-awaited COVID-19 recovery plan on Thursday. Credit:James Brickwood

The first areas to emerge from lockdown are expected to be in the regions with the Riverina, New England and North Coast set to have all restrictions eased as early as Friday.

In Sydney, the first stage of the road map, which was approved by the states crisis cabinet on Wednesday afternoon, will allow gyms, hairdressers, restaurants, cafes and pubs to reopen at reduced capacities.
COVID-19 cases have spiked in the inner-city suburbs of Waterloo, Redfern and Elizabeth Bay in the past week, with health authorities urgently calling for residents to get vaccinated to curb rising infections.

As vaccination rates in the citys west outpace the east and inner-city, case numbers in metropolitan Sydney grow. Data from NSW Health shows 300 infections recorded in the City of Sydney local government area in the past week, nearly half the total recorded there during the entire Delta outbreak. Another 135 have been reported in the inner west, 184 in Bayside and 125 in Randwick.

People line up to be vaccinated at the Sydney Olympic Park hub. Credit:Dean Sewell.

NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale on Wednesday said health authorities were particularly concerned about a jump in infections in Glebe, Waterloo, Redfern and Marrickville.

The Sydney local health district has set up special Pfizer clinics where bookings can be made or walk-in appointments for residents of those areas, said Dr Gale, noting new clinics at the Peter Forsyth auditorium in Glebe, the PCYC in Marrickville and the Wests leagues club in Ashfield.
National anti-gangs police have raided homes and a business owned by the in-laws of offshore bikie leader Mark Buddle as part of a relentless effort targeting his networks and ongoing influence in organised crime in Australia.

Mr Buddle, who has been living in the Middle East and is wanted for questioning over a fatal shooting in 2010, is one of nine men suspected by law enforcement agencies of leading the Aussie Cartel earning an estimated $1.5 billion a year bringing illegal drugs onto Australian shores.

As part of raids targeting the in-laws of Mark Buddle, police seized a ring believed to be the fugitive bikies. Credit:NSW Police

NSW Police and Australian Federal Police detectives, as part of the national anti-gangs squad, executed search warrants at four premises linked to the family of Mr Buddles partner Mel Ter Wisscha on Wednesday.

The raids took place at homes in Baulkham Hills and Boat Harbour in the Hunter region. The business targeted was the family-owned Flemington Unloading Services that has supplied the Flemington Markets for decades.
Queensland has secured the 2021 NRL grand final amid Sydneys ongoing COVID crisis.

Making the announcement from the Sunshine Coast, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the historic deal, which followed negotiations with the Queensland government, would also include regional matches.

Suncorp Stadium is set to host the NRL decider for the first time. Credit:Getty Images

Never in my lifetime did I think we would have an NRL grand final here in Queensland and finally thats happened, she said.

Depending on COVID restrictions at the time, Ms Palaszczuk said the game, on Sunday, October 3, would be played to a packed stadium of more than 50,000 people.
Trevor Robinson will happily welcome customers back inside his Barwon Heads cafe, but he considers it more a service to the community than a business decision.

Lockdown will be lifted in regional Victoria on Friday, but strict capacity limits for the hospitality sector will make it difficult for many businesses to trade profitably.

At the start of the pandemic, Mr Robinson vowed he would continue operating his Ebb & Flow cafe so customers could at least get their coffee fix during lockdown.

I promised the public I would remain open through thick and thin for two years, he said.
Australians have been given many facts and figures about the vaccine rollout but it has not been easy to get a clear fix on the volumes going to states and territories since shipments began in February.

Now there are figures from the federal governments vaccine taskforce showing the deliveries each month in the three programs in the rollout.

This is a different way to view the rollout compared to the daily results on jabs in arms. The shipments do not always lead to jabs in the same month, given the vials can be stored for weeks before being used.

What the figures show is what Australians would probably expect: some states experienced greater shipments at some points in time to respond to rising coronavirus case numbers.
A war of words has broken out between Peter Dutton and Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth about whether she tried to contact him about the return of Aussie Diggers into hotel quarantine.

It comes as Queensland authorities rubbished claims Diggers sent to rescue refugees in Afghanistan had been stranded overseas due to delays in approving hotel quarantine, saying their return was never in doubt.

An Australian solider serving in Afghanistan.

News Corp reported that Queensland soldiers sent to Afghanistan were held up in Dubai because the Palaszczuk government had not approved a special hotel quarantine exemption for them.

But Ms DAth said Diggers returning to the state would be permitted to quarantine in their own bubble.
Victoria is predicted to have 18,000 active COVID-19 cases and 800 people in hospital by mid-October, prompting health officials to warn that not enough specialist intensive-care staff are available to cope if infections surge once restrictions ease.

With most regional Victorians expected to come out of lockdown at midnight on Thursday and Melburnians hoping for some easing of restrictions this month, Health Department data has fuelled concerns about the ability of hospitals to deal with an influx of gravely ill patients.

A paediatric nurse helps prepare extra beds at the Monash Medical Centre on Wednesday. Credit:Jason South

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday morning: At the moment we have a relatively small number of people in hospital and a relatively small number of people in intensive care, but those numbers are going to grow  particularly as we open up.

Mr Andrews comments came as Victoria recorded 221 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, of which 123 were mystery cases. There were 1920 active cases across the state.
If your household is struggling to share the flat screen in the lounge room, its not hard to give an old television a new lease of life to keep people entertained while were all stuck at home.

The great digital TV switchover saw most old analogue CRT televisions end up on the nature strip, but some are too precious to part with. Recently, Ive helped reader Avi revive a classic 1975 Rank Arena, one of Australias first colour televisions built right here in Penrith, back when things were made to last. Its the FJ Holden of televisions.

Avis Rank Arena is still going strong 50 years later, it just needs a way to receive signals from modern devices.

Still in pristine condition, the television belonged to Avis grandparents David and Helen. Holocaust survivors who migrated to Australia with their lives in a suitcase, they worked hard and never took their few luxuries for granted.

Today we are quick to upgrade and throw things away, but their generation knew hardship and learned to appreciate things, Avi said.
Pictured in front of Hughes Marine Services original 1965 sign, a brightly colored landmark on Piney Forest Road in Pittsylvania County, are (from left): Drew Yeaman and his parents, owners Mary Yeaman and Andy Yeaman.
~Tax advisors present Finance Minister with Caribbean tax law book~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten  On Friday afternoon Minister of Finance Hon. Ardwell Irion received a copy of the book Capita Selecta; Caribisch Fiscaal Recht,

presented by Tax Inspector Marco Aalbers and Tax Advisor Quincy Lont. Both Aalbers and Lont are working in the tax field on Sint Maarten for many years and are co-authors of the book.

The book contains a unique thematic introduction to the tax law as it applies to Sint Maarten, Curacao, Aruba, the BES islands, and Suriname. The first edition (2020) of

the book was the initial title presenting the Caribbean tax systems from a thematic introduction.

This renewed second edition (2021) was necessary because of the expansion with new chapters. For example, the income tax on Sint Maarten as well as the profit tax on Aruba and Curacao are now included. Formal tax law has been expanded with procedural tax law and international tax law has been supplemented with interregional

tax law said Tax Inspector Aalbers.

Caribbean tax law is a fascinating area of law that has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Since 2019, the University of Curacao has been offering a four-year

bachelor's degree in Tax Law, which as of 2021, can be attended by interested persons on Sint Maarten. However, there is a lack of literature and textbooks related to

Caribbean tax law. This book aims to fill that gap.

The book is written in understandable language, so both students and tax professionals, who are still a bit unfamiliar with Caribbean tax law, can quickly become familiar with this subject, said Tax Advisor Lont.

The Minister thanked Aalbers and Lont for a copy of the book and encouraged everyone who is interested in Caribbean tax law to get a copy.

Capita Selecta; Caribisch Fiscaal Recht, is available in the Wolters Kluwer online shop.

https://shop.wolterskluwer.nl/Capita-selecta-Caribisch-fiscaal-recht-sNPCSCAFIR/
PHILIPSBURG:--- Sunday, September 5, recently sworn in Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Roger Lawrence met with the management team of Sint Maartens newest five-star luxury boutique hotel The Morgan to discuss key areas pertaining to responsible tourism.

The hotel grows its own crops to offer guests a farm-to-table experience. In a separate meeting, Minister Lawrence also met with local agricultural farmer Denicio Wyatt and discussed Agri-tourism and its opportunities on the island.

Food Tourism has grown considerably and has become one of the most dynamic and creative segments of tourism. Sint Maarten continues to be highly praised for its diverse food scene, and culinary experiences are top-of-mind among todays travelers. People are seeking connection with what they eat and that is what is being offered here. There is no reason why the hard work of our creative sector, cant reach the hearts and minds of our guests, said Minister Lawrence.

We need to create stable instruments of cooperation to develop and promote our tourism sector. The engagement with other sectors like Agri-tourism will stimulate creative environments, build synergies, and develop opportunities and collaborations to enhance our overall tourism product, stated Lawrence.

The newly appointed minister, his cabinet, and ministry eagerly continue to meet with stakeholders in the tourism industry. If we want to innovate, joint collaborations within sectors need to take place, and government can contribute. Entrepreneurs both local and abroad must be facilitated in the process of starting their business. In most countries, a business license can be obtained within days. It is one of my highest priorities at team TEATT, to fast-track this process, Lawrence added.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion announced on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing that he took note of the reports made by the CFT. He said he noticed the report did not mention anything about the recommendations made by the IMF in their reports that state that the Netherlands should cancel the debt St. Maarten accumulated through liquidity support. The debt cancellation should take place in 2022. The Minister of Finance said he is looking forward to seeing such recommendations in the reports the CFT has to make and send to the RMR.

He said St. Maarten accumulated 207 million guilders in debt just for liquidity support during the pandemic.

Of this amount Naf. 70M was used for SSRP which was given to businesses to go through the pandemic and social assistance.

Ardwell said the focus should be placed on how the government of St. Maarten is in its current position especially when it comes to SZV. He explained that the past governments did not take decisions. The government he said pays SZV about NAF 3.8 M per month which is about NAF 700.000.00 under its monthly payment. The Minister said his government has decided to stop the bleeding and is now paying the full amount to the Social Insurance (OZR). He said these topics are considered touchy but in fact, it is the reality of what transpired over the years. Ardwell said that the government increased its debt to SZV over the last 10 years since the government has to contribute 10% of the funds.

The Minister said either for political or other reasons governments in the past did not address these issues which caused a major increase in its debts towards SZV. The Minister said his government did look for other solutions but in any case, they stopped the bleeding and lower the debts going forward.

Ardwell said that the past governments also did not work on their financial statements going back to 2015, he said his government had two years to get all the financial statements in order and they have accepted that challenge and will have everything in place by 2022. The Minister said that even though his government is loaded with issues relating to the pandemic they had to take on the challenges that were neglected by the former governments.
Somerset, KY (42501)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Data explosion: Futureproofing your video surveillance infrastructure

Video surveillance systems are producing more unstructured data than ever before. A dramatic decrease in camera costs in recent years has led many businesses to invest in comprehensive surveillance coverage, with more cameras generating more data. Plus, advances in technology mean that the newest (8K) cameras are generating approximately 800% more data than their predecessors (standard definition). Traditional entry-level solutions like network video recorders (NVRs) simply arent built to handle massive amounts of data in an efficient, resilient and cost-effective manner. This has left many security pioneers grappling with a data storage conundrum. Should they continue adding more NVR boxes? Or is there another, better, route? Retaining video data In short, yes. To future proof their video surveillance infrastructure, an increasing number of businesses are adopting an end-to-end surveillance architecture with well-integrated, purpose-built platforms for handling video data through its lifecycle. This presents significant advantages in terms of security, compliance and scalability, as well as unlocking new possibilities for data enrichment. All of this with a lower total cost of ownership than traditional solutions. Security teams would typically delete recorded surveillance footage after a few days or weeks Previously, security teams would typically delete recorded surveillance footage after a few days or weeks. However, thanks to increasingly stringent legal and compliance demands, many are now required to retain video data for months or even years. Theres no doubt that this can potentially benefit investigations and increase prosecutions, but it also puts significant pressure on businesses storage infrastructure. Data lifecycle management This necessitates a more intelligent approach to data lifecycle management. Rather than simply storing video data in a single location until its wiped, an end-to-end video surveillance solution can intelligently migrate data to different storage platforms and media as it ages. So, how does this work? Video is recorded and analysed on a combination of NVR, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and application servers. Then, its moved to resilient file storage for a pre-determined period, where it can be immediately retrieved and accessed for review. Finally, based on policies set by heads of security, data is moved from file storage to highly secure, low-cost archive storage such as an object, tape or cloud. Data is moved from file storage to highly secure, low-cost archive storage Long-term storage This process is known as tiering. It allows businesses to use reliable, inexpensive long-term storage for most of their data, whilst still enabling security pioneers to retrieve video data when the need arises, such as during a compliance audit, or to review footage following a security breach. In a nutshell, it offers them the best of both worlds. Scaling your video surveillance infrastructure can be a headache. Businesses that rely on NVRs  even high-end units with 64 or even 96 hard drives  are finding themselves running out of capacity increasingly quickly. In order to scale, security pioneers then have to procure new boxes. With NVRs, this inevitably involves a degree of guesswork. Should they go for the largest possible option, and risk over provisioning? Or perhaps a smaller option, and risk running out of capacity again? Common management console Security pioneers can easily add or remove storage capacity or compute resources  separately or together As businesses add new cameras or replace existing ones, many end up with inadequate surveillance infrastructure made up of multiple NVR boxes along with several application servers for running other surveillance functions such as access control, security photo databases, analytics, etc. This patchwork approach leaves security pioneers scrambling for capacity, maintaining various hardware footprints, repeating updates and checks across multiple systems, and taking up valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere. By contrast, flexible HCI surveillance platforms aggregate the storage and ecosystem applications to run on the same infrastructure and combine viewing under a common management console, avoiding swivel chair management workflows. Plus, they offer seamless scalability. Security pioneers can easily add or remove storage capacity or compute resources  separately or together. Data storage solutions Over time, this ensures a lower total cost of ownership. First and foremost, it removes the risk of over provisioning and helps to control hardware sprawl. This in turn leads to hardware maintenance savings and lower power use. Many security pioneers are now looking beyond simple data storage solutions for their video surveillance footage. Meta tags can provide context around data, making it easier to find and access when needed Instead, theyre asking themselves how analysing this data can enable their teams to work faster, more efficiently and productively. Implementing an end-to-end video surveillance architecture enables users to take advantage of AI and machine learning applications which can tag and enrich video surveillance data. These have several key benefits. Firstly, meta tags can provide context around data, making it easier to find and access when needed. Object storage platform For instance, if security teams are notified of a suspicious red truck, they can quickly find data with this tag, rather than manually searching through hours of data, which can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Plus, meta tags can be used to mark data for future analysis. This means that as algorithms are run over time, policies can be set to automatically store data in the right location. For example, if a video is determined to contain cars driving in and out of your premises, it would be moved to long-term archiving such as an object storage platform for compliance purposes. If, on the other hand, it contained 24 hours of an empty parking lot, it could be wiped. These same meta tags may be used to eventually expire the compliance data in the archive after it is no longer needed based on policy. Video surveillance architecture Continuing to rely on traditional systems like NVRs will fast become unsustainable for businesses Even if your organisation isnt using machine learning or artificial intelligence-powered applications to enhance your data today, it probably will be one, three, or even five years down the line. Implementing a flexible end-to-end video surveillance solution prepares you for this possibility. With new advances in technology, the quantity of data captured by video surveillance systems will continue rising throughout the coming decade. As such, continuing to rely on traditional systems like NVRs will fast become unsustainable for businesses. Looking forward, when moving to an end-to-end video surveillance architecture, security pioneers should make sure to evaluate options from different vendors. For true futureproofing, its a good idea to opt for a flexible, modular solution, which allow different elements to be upgraded to more advanced technologies when they become available.
Enterprise, AL (36331)

Today

Light rain this morning with thunderstorms by evening. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
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JOHNSTON HALL: TIMELINE

1888  Building Constructed by Seabury Divinity School

1933  Divinity School relocates to Illinois; Building use unknown.

1959  High-resolution images shows that it is boarded up and does not appear to be in use.

1960  Building occupied by Faribault Area Vocational/Technical Institute.

1975  Building listed on National Register of Historic Places

1984  Building determined to be unsafe by Minnesota Department of Education due to "settlement" of bell tower: Vo-tech relocates.

1986  Building studied by Preservation Team for reuse

1987  Building purchased and rehabilitated by Ankeny-Kell Architects.

Rehabilitation includes:

 100% re-pointing of exterior wall.

 Installation of internal bracing in bell tower

 Installation of internal elevator.

 Modernization of interior, new wall material, electrical, plumbing and HVAC

1992  Installation of tie rods in bell tower

2008  Purchased by District One Hospital
Jan Mittelstadt Tippett is a retired daily newspaper editor and publisher who returned to Owatonna after 30 years away. She can be reached at jtippett@midco.net
STAMFORD  Indeed, one of the largest career-services firms in the world, in March 2020 became one of the first large companies based in Connecticut to temporarily close its offices in response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, it is still charting the return to its offices as its staff continue to work remotely.

Its strategy will affect more than 10,000 employees  including about 1,000 based in Stamford, with the company ranking as one of the largest employers in the city.

In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, Paul Wolfe, Indeeds senior vice president of human resources, discussed how the company has navigated the pandemic, how it is approaching employee vaccinations and the long-term role of its offices.

The following are excerpts from that interview.

Q: How would you assess how the past 18 months have gone at Indeed?

Wolfe: We got through the first 12, 15 months of this and everybody thought that the summer of 2021 was going to be when we got summer back. And I think we got that for the first month or so (of summer) and then delta (variant) has really taken hold. Theres a little bit of a whiplash effect where you see light at the end of the tunnel, and then the light is taken away.

But I think all of our folks have been resilient. Weve all rolled with the punches. I think weve done a lot to support our employees the best we can. We cant solve everyones challenges because theyre all very different. But leaning on empathy and humanity has been something thats helped us get through this.

Q: What is the companys position on COVID-19 vaccinations for employees?

Wolfe: We have not mandated vaccines. Its a personal choice, and we respect that. Were encouraging our employees to consider getting vaccinated if theyre able to get vaccinated.

We had our medical adviser come on and join us for one of our Q&As to answer questions that our employees might have about the vaccine, the delta variant, other variants. Were doing everything we can to help educate our employees and encourage them where it makes sense and where they have the availability to get it, to consider getting vaccinated.

We have a lot of Indeedians who are parents and have children under 12. Those children dont have a vaccine available to them right now. Thats another reason were being very cautious from a health-and-safety perspective.

Q: How has remote working gone, and how is the company approaching the return to offices?

Wolfe: There are good things (about remote working). People have realized that they can spend time with their families and get their job done. Flexibility is key to that, and were going to embrace that as we think about how we go into our new ways of working once we see whats going to happen with the delta variant.

Originally, we had targeted a July 1, 2021, return to office. Then we pushed it to Sept. 7, and then we pushed that date to Jan. 3, 2022, globally. Our focus is the health and safety of our employees, and weve been able to manage so far and hit our company objectives. Were comfortable pushing that (return) off and seeing what happens with the delta variant so we can make sure were bringing employees back into the safest environment possible for them.

Q: How does the company view the long-term role of its offices?

Wolfe: One of our values is being data driven and we pride ourselves on that. This is a situation where theres not a lot data. We dont know how employees are going to use our offices. We know that its going to change when we go into our new way of working. We want to think about the best way to design our offices to fit that new way of working.

I think collaboration will still be important. I think were going to see employees use offices to get work done but also for that socializing and human interactions they were so used to.

Pre-pandemic, we had 95 percent of our population in offices. Do I think Im going to walk on to a floor in the Stamford, New York or Austin offices and see 200 people sitting at their desks all day long  probably not. Its going to be different.

Q: Indeed has committed to hiring hundreds of additional employees in Connecticut in the coming years. How have the pandemic and remote working affected the companys hiring?

Wolfe: Hiring has changed  not just for us, but for all of our clients.

Were doing everything virtually right now. We have an Indeed hiring platform thats all virtual that helps us and helps our clients continue to hire.

There was a pivot because youve got to take people out of the paradigm of in-person interviews into virtual ones. But weve made that pivot, and its going well for us. Our recruiting teams continue to deliver qualified teams to our hiring managers, and they continue to make decisions about hiring.

Were growing across the globe, and Stamford is still a market where were growing.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
STAMFORD  On the day Mayor David Martins vaccine mandate for city employees went into effect, about half of Government Center staff had received both COVID-19 shots, according to an early count of vaccinated employees from the city. But, more are likely fully vaccinated  their paperwork just has not yet been processed.

The mayor announced in early August that he would require shots or a weekly COVID-19 test for city personnel by Tuesday in response to the delta variants prevalence.

However, the mandates reach falls short of covering everyone who works in the Government Center. Martins rule does not cover agencies or third parties that lease out space from the Government Center, including employees at the Stamford Senior Center, though those agencies may have their own vaccine mandates.

Though mandated by a separate entity, the Board of Education, employees at Stamford Public Schools are also required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing.

About 1,990 people work at the Government Center, and 1,000 employees submitted proof that they are fully inoculated. Another six documented that they have a single dose, according to Director of Human Resources Al Cava. To comply with the protocols laid out by Martin in August, the city would have to test approximately 984 employees every week.

However, that figure is likely incomplete, according to mayoral spokesperson Rachel LaBella.

It remains crucial to realize that this number does not represent the total number of City employees that are vaccinated, she said Thursday in an email. This number accounts for the number of employees that have completed the documentation indicating they are fully vaccinated with HR as of Tuesday. Out of the remaining employees, many of these individuals are, in fact, fully vaccinated and simply have not yet had their vaccination status documented.

LaBella maintains that the number will continue to rise in the coming days and weeks, since the documentation process for 1900 employees (many of who work nights and weekends) is time consuming.

On top of the vaccine card collection process, the city is also working to establish a testing program for city employees who opt out of vaccination, though the exact details have yet to materialize.

Although Mayor Martins original vaccine mandate still stands, the city is currently working on nailing down the logistics behind the weekly COVID testing alternative, LaBella said.

In light of many municipalities in our area, the state, as well as many local private businesses currently requiring vaccines and/or periodic testing, the whole process has become a little more complex, so as a result the city will defer the effective date of the testing requirement to the week of Sept. 13, she continued.

Stamford was likely the first municipality in Connecticut to mandate full vaccination among all its employees as a response to the delta variants rapid fire spread across the nation. Government Center staff who decline to get vaccinated must submit a weekly negative COVID-19 test starting next week.

Employees were also permitted to request an exemption from the vaccine requirement for either medical or religious reasons from the citys human resources department by Aug. 20.

But effectively testing nearly 1,000 people presents another hurdle for the Government Center. Employees can choose between getting tested by the city weekly or proving their own negative PCR tests to the mayoral administration.

We are in the process of putting together an employee testing program with one or more vendors, special mayoral assistant Laura Burwick wrote in an email. There is no contract at this time, but we anticipate entering into contract(s) with vendors to provide this service.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

BEIJING (AP)  Chinese regulators on Wednesday summoned gaming companies including Tencent Holdings and NetEase Inc. and urged them to protect the physical and mental health of children, state media reported.

The companies were instructed by regulators including the National Press and Publication Administration and the Cyberspace Administration of China to strictly abide by new restrictions on gaming time for minors and prohibit harmful game content, such as violence or portrayal of sissy men, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The Connecticut Citizen Action Group filed a whistleblower complaint Wednesday over what the consumer advocacy organization said was an improper sending of 50,000 emails by state Senate Republicans in a battle over health reform.

The Republicans sent the emails in their effort earlier this year to kill a proposed public option health plan that would have allowed individuals, small businesses and non-profit agencies to piggyback on the states employee health insurance.

The formal complaint, filed with the states independent state Auditors of Public Accounts, charges that the Senate GOP improperly used state resources to send misleading emails urging citizens to oppose the expansion of the program.

This is clearly an illegal use of state funds to benefit private health insurance companies, in a manner that should concern all the residents of Connecticut, said Liz Dupont-Diehl, CCAGs special project coordinator, who filed the complaint. The system is already skewed to corporate interests. We dont need legislators breaking rules to make it even more so.

Last week, a CCAG report indicated that the state insurance industry spent more than $1.3 million to lobby against the proposal, supported by progressive Democrats and State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, who administers the health insurance programs for state employees and retirees. The legislation died, however, amid opposition from Gov. Ned Lamont and claims that 25,000 insurance industry jobs could be threatened by the bill.

On April 13, five Connecticut insurance companies sent Lamont a letter warning that they could move out of Connecticut if the public option were enacted.

The CCAG report also alleged that Cigna and UnitedHealth Group pressured employees to lobby against the bill, amounting to an unreported lobbying expenditure that should have been reported to the Office of State Ethics.

The complaint, filed under Connecticuts whistle blower statute, will by reviewed by the two auditors, Clark Chapin and John Geragosian and their staff, who will investigate the issues and refer the case to the attorney generals office. State law protects the identity of complainants unless they want to be named.

Last week, Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, charged that the CCAG report was politically motivated, and he reiterated that accusation Wednesday.

Heres an attempt by Democrats and their political allies to stop us from bringing the truth to Connecticut families, Kelly said in a statement. No rules have been broken. No false statements made. Information was shared with engaged constituents including details about our ideas to make health care more affordable for all people, and our valid concerns about the public option  concerns that have been echoed repeatedly by Gov. Lamont.

Kelly said Republican plans could cut monthly insurance costs by $500 for the average Connecticut family.

It is disappointing that instead of working with allies on both sides of the aisle to reduce health care costs, this partisan group is putting their energy toward making baseless claims against people who are fighting for the exact same thing they claim to stand for, Kelly said. Health care is unaffordable in Connecticut, and we are offering solutions.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa saw 30 more deaths caused by the coronavirus in the past week as data showed more children and young adults were getting infected and more people were being treated in hospitals, according to the state Department of Public Health.

As the states COVID-19 death total climbed to 6,337, the state reported 8,404 new confirmed virus cases in the past week. More young people were testing positive, with 29% of the positive tests in the past seven days among children aged 17 and under. Thats up from 22% the previous week.
MILFORD  While electric generators slightly reduced their air emissions in 2018, increases in transportation and business-and-residential emissions continue to make Connecticuts air some of the worst in the nation at the same time it is contributing to climate change and rising sea levels.

Those are some of the findings of a new report released Tuesday by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection that Gov. Ned Lamont used as an occasion to revive his attempt to persuade the General Assembly to join the regional Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI).

I think the votes are there, Lamont said Tuesday morning when reporters asked whether he would ask fellow Democrats in the legislature to include the issue this month in a special session to consider the extension of his pandemic emergency powers. Im sitting down. Im talking to the leadership. If they can make it pass, I think its a good idea. If the Republicans have a better idea, tell me their idea, but give me an alternative. Connecticut has been a leader. I want us to stay a leader.

Using the picturesque marsh and boardwalks at Silver Sands State Park as a sunny, late-summer backdrop, Lamont and state environmental officials said that extreme weather events will be occurring more often unless the world can somehow slow down the warming atmosphere.

Climate change changes the weather, said James ODonnell, executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation at UConn. The climate is going to warm and its hard to think of any theory in which increasing emissions of CO2 in the atmosphere doesnt lead to warming. When you warm the atmosphere it holds more water vapor. So CO2 emissions need to be capped in order to limit the amount of warming that occurs in order to reduce the severe weather impacts.

People are seeing the impact of climate change, said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes, announcing that although the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions is three-years-old, it remains very relevant. Weve seen rainstorms that are depositing six, eight inches of rain in the period of just a few hours. Climate delay is just as dangerous for our kids as climate denial, Dykes said. We have to tackle both climate delay and climate denial. We have to continue to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, so that we can prevent these gas emissions from becoming catastrophically worse.

Connecticut recognized climate change as far back as 2008, and Dykes believes that the state continues to realize decreasing emissions in the electric-power sector as buildings become more energy efficient, the use of solar energy expands, and the cap-and-trade Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative sets long-term emission goals, including a 45-percent reduction of emissions by 2030.

The report says Connecticut created 42.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2018, about 7.3 percent below 1990 levels; 17.8 percent below 2001 levels; and 24 percent below 2004 levels, the year they peaked. But Connecticuts 2018 transportation-sector emissions were 1.3 percent higher than those of 1990.

In the residential and commercial arena, colder weather drove higher emissions from 2017 to 2018, including an 18-percent increase in emissions from residential use of fuel oil in 2018 and a nearly 9-percent increase in emissions from the use of natural gas. Commercial emissions increased nearly 11 percent for natural gas and 6.6 percent for fuel oil.

Lamont said he will again ask legislative leaders to consider joining TCI, which would generate a billion dollars for the state over 10 years to fund mass-transit, electric vehicles including replacing the states 6,000 diesel-burning school buses and fund coastal resiliency projects. His plan to join TCI failed during this years legislative session amid Republican claims that the estimated nickel-a-gallon cost to raise about $90 million a year would be just another tax on state residents.

We all want cleaner air for Connecticut residents, said state Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford. But the TCI gas tax is a false promise to improve our environment. A new gas tax will not result in cleaner air. Rather it creates a new financial burden that will hit low-income residents the hardest.

Kelly said that since no states to the west of Connecticut are participating in the TCI, their air pollution will continue to drift to Connecticut with prevailing weather patterns.

There is a problem, we all agree, but the TCI gas tax is not the solution, Kelly said in a statement on Tuesday. With a historic level of funding from Washington likely headed to Connecticut, we should be working on maximizing a record investment in our state to protect the environment and improve our infrastructure - without hurting working and middle class families in the process.

On Wednesday, legislative Republicans have scheduled a Stop the Gas Tax rally from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Wheels gas station located off of Interstate-95 at 440 Lordship Blvd in Stratford.

AAA Northeast on Tuesday reported that the statewide average of $2.40 per gallon in January for regular fuel jumped to $3 in March, $3.13 in July and $3.19 last month.

Still, it seems less likely that majority Democrats will piggyback the contentious climate initiative into a special session that would otherwise focus on giving Lamont a few more months of emergency powers as the COVID pandemic lingers.

Democrats dropped TCI amid Lamonts opposition to their request to raises taxes on the states wealthiest.

I look forward to discussing TCI and climate policy with the Governor and other leaders. I know its an important issue to our members in House Democrats, said Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, on Tuesday. The weather the last few weeks is a stark reminder that climate change is real and will require federal and state investments to prepare for the changing weather patterns and more frequent extreme storms.

But another special session later in the year, possibly combining the climate legislation with the issue of a rise in the theft of automobiles, might be a more-realistic occasion for TCI to be discussed again in the General Assembly.

TCI has to be reconfigured somewhat to address the problem in the governors original proposal that had a gas tax proposal that would be damaging to middle and low-income drivers, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. We have to do it in a way that would not put a disproportionate and regressive burden on the portion of the population that would view it as punitive, Looney said in a Tuesday interview.

The problem that existed in the General Assembly, talking with members in both chambers, is that people are broadly supportive of the goal, but they have grave concerns that the proposal not sensitive enough to the needs of moderate and low-income drivers, Looney said.

But environmentalists warned that Connecticut is slipping away from a leadership role.

This report demonstrates that our legislative leaders cannot continue to turn a blind eye to our worsening climate crisis and our states failure to meet its own commitments, said Charles Rothenberger, climate and energy attorney at the Save the Sound advocacy organization.

This market-based, cap-and-invest program will reduce carbon emissions from the largest source of climate pollution in Connecticut, the transportation sector, while investing in healthy, resilient local communities, Rothenberger said in a statement after the reports release. Last session the General Assembly had numerous opportunities to take necessary and meaningful action on climate change pollution, including by passing the Transportation and Climate Initiative, and it failed on each and every one.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Maine has been efficient in distributing money from rental assistance programs, staving off mass evictions.

State data shows Maine has been faster than most states in distributing rental assistance from two congressional COVID-19 relief packages, the Bangor Daily News reported.

That prevented evictions due to non-payment of rent as a patchwork of federal prohibitions on evictions expired in recent weeks.

Maine received $200 million in December and another $152 million in mid-March from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The amount of that for a state like Maine is remarkable, said Greg Payne, director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition.

The Maine State Housing Authority has approved more than 10,000 households to receive nearly $58.4 million, with most of it going toward covering rent or addressing rental arrears, the newspaper said.

The state has spent 28% of its December funds, putting it 11th in the nation, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The relief programs helped larger property owners to withstand the pandemic, even with non-paying tenants, said Paul Cook, the founder of Maine Real Estate Management, which oversees 3,500 units across Maine.

We havent seen a crush of non-payment of rent, Cook said. Most tenant disputes and evictions have been for reasons other than non-payment, such as tenant behavior, he said.

In other pandemic-related news:

MANDATE LAWSUIT

Another lawsuit is targeting Maines vaccine requirement for healthcare workers  this time in state court.

The lawsuit from the Alliance Against Health Care Mandates was filed late last week in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has called on all healthcare workers to be vaccinated by Oct. 1 but she's delaying enforcement until Oct. 29 to give them more time to comply.

A hearing is scheduled later this week in federal court on a separate lawsuit by the Liberty Counsel, a conservative Christian organization .

The federal lawsuit asked a judge to impose a temporary order preventing the mandate from taking effect.

___

Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
MADRID (AP)  Protests in Spain to denounce a rise in hate crimes against LGBTQ people went ahead on Wednesday after a high-profile case that had grabbed attention across the country took an unexpected twist.

Thousands gathered in Madrid and Barcelona three days after a young man told police that he had been brutally assaulted by a group of hooded assailants in the Spanish capital. He said that his unidentified aggressors used a knife to slash his lip and carve a homophobic slur into one of his buttocks.

On Wednesday, however, the Interior Ministry said that the young man had amended his statement to investigators to say that he had consented to the wounds.

The police investigation remained open.

Despite the turn in the case, the protests went ahead as planned. Participants said it was necessary to denounce the overall rise in reported cases of hate crimes as reflected in official statistics.

We are tired of being attacked at any given moment. 58-year-old Rafaela Corrales said in Madrid. I dont know if this last attack in Madrid is true or not. I dont really care, since we suffer all types of violence all year long.

One of the groups organizing the protest in the capital, Movimiento Marika Madrid, said that the change of the young mans story did not take anything away from their cause.

Because we have also seen in recent days attacks in Toledo, in Melilla, in Castellon and in Vitoria, the group said on social media. Our lives are at stake.

In July, the death of a 24-year-old man in an attack prompted widespread condemnation after friends of the victim claimed he was targeted and beaten to death for being gay. There has also been a steady trickle of victims of hate crimes speaking out in recent weeks.

Hate crimes, including those against LGBTQ people, increased 9% in the first six months of the year compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic confinement and curfews, according to Spains interior ministry.

Activist groups claim that official statistics capture only a fraction of the problem because many incidents arent reported.

The alleged attack in Madrid was quickly taken up by Spain's leading political parties.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a Socialist, said he was calling a meeting of his government's committee on hate crimes for Friday over which he would personally preside.

Not one step backward. We are going to continue advancing in tolerance, respect and diversity, Sanchez said Wednesday. In Spain there is no place for hate.

However, Rocio Monasterio, a senior member of the far-right Vox party, used the change of story by the young man to criticize what she called the lack of presumption of innocence in Madrids regional law against alleged hate crimes.

___

Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona. Renata Brito contributed to this report from Barcelona.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning with thunderstorms becoming likely this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
WASHINGTON  It isnt a pretty picture.

One coast is burning. The other is under water. In between, anti-abortion vigilantes may soon rampage across gunslinging territory.

What has happened to this country?

America is reeling backward, strangled by the past, nasty and uncaring, with everyone at one anothers throats.

Post-Trump, we let ourselves hope that the new president could heal and soothe, restore a sense of rationality, decency and sanity. But the light at the end of the tunnel turned out to be just a firefly.

We feel the return of dread: Were rattled by the catastrophic exit from Afghanistan; the coming abortion war sparked by Texas; the Trumpian Supreme Court dragging us into the past; the confounding nature of this plague; the way Mother Nature is throttling us, leaving New Yorkers to drown in their basements. And now comes Donald Trump, tromping toward another presidential run.

It feels as if nothing can be overcome. Everything is being relitigated.

Were choking on enlightened climate proposals but the disparity between the disasters we see, and whats being done in Washington, makes it feel as if nothing is happening except climate change. Were so far from getting a handle on the problem, the discussions around it seem almost theoretical.

Sen. Joe Manchin, tied to the energy industry, balks at climate change provisions in the reconciliation bill. He should be looking for ways to get West Virginia in touch with reality rather than living in the past.

Manchins claim that climate pollution would be worsened by the elimination of fossil fuels  or by the resolutions actual, more incremental climate provisions  is highly dubious, if not outright false, The Intercept reported, noting that the truth is that Manchins personal wealth would be impacted. Since he joined the Senate, The Intercept said, he has grossed some $4.5 million from coal companies he founded.

With its new abortion law, sending women back to the back alley and encouraging Stasi-like participation from the citizenry, Texas now becomes the capital of American unreason. The law essentially delegated enforcement of that prohibition to the populace at large, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts.

There were medieval fiefs more enlightened than the Lone Star GOP.

Between putting women in danger by pushing that law and putting children in danger by imposing his anti-mask mania on school districts that want to mask up, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has become a scourge of the first rank.

A cynical slice of the Republican Party  and this includes Trump  privately denigrates anti-abortion activists as wackos, but publicly moves in lock-step with them in order to cling to that base and keep power.

But the anti-abortion forces were somehow clever enough to hijack the Supreme Court and Republicans will have to contend with the backlash when the court tosses Roe v. Wade aside.

As botched as the withdrawal from Afghanistan was, at least Joe Biden was trying to move into the future and do triage on one of Americas worst mistakes.

And unlike other presidents  JFK with the Bay of Pigs, LBJ with the Vietnam War and Barack Obama with the Afghanistan surge  Biden did not allow himself to be suckered by the generals, the overweening Ivy Leaguers and the Blob, the expense account monsters who keep this town whirring and always have a seat at the table, no matter how wrong they were, and are.

The Afghanistan tragedy, as James Risen wrote in The Intercept, was just two decades of Americans lying to one another, and it brought out in Americans the same imperial arrogance that doomed the U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Unlike his three predecessors, Biden risked Saudi ire by directing the Justice Department and other agencies on Friday to review and declassify documents related to the FBIs investigation into 9/11. Families of 9/11 victims had been pushing for the release of the secret files to learn more about the role the Saudis played in the attacks.

The enablers of our misbegotten occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq have been shrieking like banshees at Biden, trying to manacle him to their own past mistakes as he attempts to lift off.

With peerless chutzpah, Tony Blair called Bidens decision to depart cynical and driven by an imbecilic political slogan about ending the forever wars.

But Biden knew enough not to spend more lives and treasure to prop up a kleptocracy. He oversaw some bad weeks in Afghanistan but George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld should be blamed for 20 bad years.

Remarkably, as Jon Allsop pointed out in The Columbia Journalism Review, the word Bush was not mentioned once on any of the Sunday news shows the weekend Kabul was falling.

He looks like the Babe Ruth of presidents when you compare him to Trump, Harry Reid, the former Democratic Senate majority leader, told The Washington Posts Ben Terris, for a story this past week on Bush nostalgia.

With a memory like a goldfish, America circles its bowl, returning to where we have been, unable to move forward, condemned to repeat a past we should escape.

MAUREEN DOWD is a columnist for The New York Times.
Citizens gathered around the walls of City Hall on Tuesday night to protest the vaccine policy for city employees.
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Adiss becomes the first company in the field of water treatment and purification listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, on the AeRO market, BVB announced on Wednesday.

"We are glad to see today the 18th company that lists on the AeRO market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, a company from northern Maramures, a company founded in the early 90's by some Romanian entrepreneurs who had an idea and had the consistency, the tenacity to work for almost 20 years to put it into practice. A company that operates in the field of engineering, a company that is in the trends we are talking about today more and more, those about a green planet, discussions about sustainability, a company that is involved in creating a more sustainable environment around us. The field of water treatment and purification is present starting today at the Bucharest Stock Exchange," Radu Hanga, president of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, said.

According to a press release by BVB, the company Adiss (BVB:ADISS) was founded in 1993 in Maramures County and is specialized in the field of water treatment and purification. The listing was preceded by the successful conclusion of a private placement through which the company raised from investors over 6.3 million lei. The funds raised from the capital market will support the development of the company by creating divisions oriented towards new technologies to improve water quality, as well as for the online sale of products, to strengthen Adiss' position on the water purification market and to expand into the water treatment market, as well as for investments in the complete digitization of the company, Agerpres informs.

Adiss manufactures compact stations and water treatment equipment and offers design, development, project management, consulting and management solutions, under the concept of "end to end solutions".

The company registered at the end of 2020 a turnover of 40.4 million lei, an increase of 84.65 pct from the end of 2019 when it recorded a turnover of 21.9 million lei. According to the company, the turnover comes in a proportion of 95 pct of the sold production, Adiss carrying out a commercial activity based mainly on its own products. The profit registered at the end of 2020 was over half a million lei, respectively 657,501 lei, a value higher by 64.8 pct compared to 2019 when it reported a profit of almost 400,000 lei. At the end of 2020 the company had 70 employees.

For the end of 2021, Adiss estimates a business figure increasing from 2020, up to 52.6 million lei. The Adiss team also estimates an upward trend of turnover and profit for the period 2021 - 2025.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, had on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the second day of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy (RADR), a telephone conversation with Dan Tehan, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment from Australia, special guest of the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs at the RADR session on "Resilience during the pandemic. Strengthening cooperation between partners".

During the telephone conversation, the head of the Romanian diplomacy underlined "Romania's firm commitment for the development and diversification of the bilateral relationship with Australia, as well as the increased interest for the Indo-Pacific region, in which Australia plays a very important role," reads a Foreign Ministry (MAE) release.

Minister Aurescu also highlighted, in agreement with Minister Tehan, the similarities between the strategic priorities of the two states, at international and multilateral level, as well as the common commitments to promote democratic values and principles and the global rule-based order, Agerpres informs.

Regarding the bilateral collaboration, the two ministers emphasized a pragmatic and results-oriented approach, starting from the recent Australian investments in the energy field in Romania. In this context, the renewed potential for bilateral collaboration with Australia emerged in areas such as cyber security, including from the perspective of Romania hosting the new EU Cyber Center (European Center for Industrial, Technological and Research Skills in Cyber Security).

The Romanian minister stressed the importance of sharing experience in the field of resilience and highlighted the opportunity offered by the Euro-Atlantic Center for Resilience hosted in Bucharest since May 2021.

Minister Bogdan Aurescu also pointed out the importance that the Romanian Government attaches to the accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and expressed the hope that the new Secretary General of the organization, Mathias Cormann, will succeed in advancing the negotiations. Minister Tehan reconfirmed Australia's support for Romania's goal.

For his part, the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment of Australia, Dan Tehan, conveyed the interest of the Australian side in the prospects of strengthening and expanding political and economic relations between Romania and Australia, based on values and priorities shared globally and multilaterally, also considering Romania's quality as an EU member state. He stressed the importance that Australia attaches to the conclusion, as soon as possible, of the Free Trade Agreement with the EU, Romania confirming its support in this regard.
Prime Minister Florin Citu expressed his disappointment on Wednesday with the resignation of the Minister of Health, Ioana Mihaila (USR PLUS), in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stated in Ploiesti that he had asked the former Minister of Health, Nelu Tataru, to coordinate the activity of the Ministry of Health, as an honorary adviser.

"I am disappointed that a health minister can leave a ministry without leadership in the midst of a pandemic, when we already have 2,000 cases of infection [per day] and more than 400 people in ICU, but ... that's it. We're moving on. I asked Mr. Nelu Tataru to be an honorary adviser to take over and go manage this situation," Citu said.

Citu: I will make sure PNRR is approved this month; all reforms are moving forward

Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Wednesday in Ploiesti that he will make sure that Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is approved this month, pointing out that all reforms are moving forward, Agerpres informs.

"Things are going very well. Romanians need to know that the government is moving forward. Interim ministers will take over the ongoing projects. I have been involved from day one in PNRR, I have had talks with the European Commission through the minister and directly, we are on the home stretch, and I will make sure that this month the PNRR is approved," said Citu.

He pointed out that because of the animosities inside the coalition, there were delayed investment projects, but after the budget revision they move on.

"The other investment projects have been delayed due to animosities inside the coalition and we could not approve the budget revision. Once we have approved the budget revision, all these projects will move on. All I can tell you is that all the reforms, including PNRR, and it is about the pension reform, the public pay reform, the public administration reform, the educated Romania - we have already started working on it and on Friday we will have the first relevant decision of the government - everything goes on. Nothing stops," said Citu.

PM Citu: Vulnerable consumer law is not enough for this winter

Prime Minister Florin Citu believes that the vulnerable consumer law, which was adopted by Parliament on Tuesday, "is not enough for this winter."

On the occasion of his visit to Ploiesti on Wednesday, he underscored that the government plans to adopt additional protection measures designed for people with low incomes, to compensate for the increases in their energy bill.

"The vulnerable consumer law was approved yesterday and I am glad that, after I insisted for a month, the Parliament finally found the time for it. For the law waited in the Romanian Parliament for several months, but there was no time for it. They voted it yesterday, finally. I want to see the exact details because I understood that there are some changes. We do have the resources, but this is not enough. The vulnerable consumer law is not enough for this winter. We need additional measures for this winter," said the head of Executive.

The head of the Executive participated, on Wednesday afternoon, in the inauguration of the Palace of Justice in Ploiesti.

He stated that it took over 20 years and 28 ministers to complete the construction, and a situation like this can no longer be tolerated in Romania.

"Finally this Palace of Justice is inaugurated. I also received the history of this building. We have been talking for 22 years to erect a single building, 22 years it took for this construction to be completed, and 28 ministers. I think, and I will be very firm here, that we can no longer tolerate something like this to ever happen in Romania again (...) During all this time, the courts in Prahova functioned in inappropriate, undersized, even unclean spaces, in rented buildings. Also, lacking a proper space, the Prahova Court even worked in the building of a mall downtown Ploiesti, while the archive was somewhere else, on the outskirts of the City. It's good, however, that we can make up for these things in the next interval. We also have the resources and the political will," the Prime Minister said in his speech.

He pointed out that the judicial reforms do not only aim at the legislative framework, but also at ensuring suitable spaces for carrying out the activity.

"I am a man who has asked and I continue to ask for reforms in the essential areas, and justice is an essential field, and by reforms I mean not only the modification of the legislation, the adaptation of the legislation to the European framework, the speedy judgment of cases, but also the provision of suitable spaces for carrying out the activity," the head of the Executive also said.

In this context, the interim Minister of Justice, Lucian Bode, underlined the "imminent" need for investments in the offices of courts and prosecutor's offices.

"The inauguration of the Palace of Justice in Ploiesti has been awaited for many years, being the most important investment objective pursued by the Ministry of Justice after the Palace of Justice in Bucharest. (...) It is hard to believe that it took 27 years from the initial project on paper, in 1994, to complete an important objective for justice in Romania, with the Palace gates having been opened on September 2 this year (...) Without permanent and consistent investments in the judiciary, it is not possible to obtain results, so that litigants benefit from a quality and timely justice," Bode said.

He reiterated that the Government has allocated funds in the budget revision for the continuation of the works at the courts countrywide.

"Yesterday, on the occasion of the first budget revision, the Florin Citu Government allocated the necessary funds for the continuation of the construction works on 20 headquarters of Romanian courts. The process of reforming the Romanian judiciary must continue with full engines, and besides the rebuilding of the normative framework that was seriously damaged between 2017 and 2019, investments in people and in improving the logistical conditions appropriate to a quality justice must be done in parallel. The rule of law can only be strengthened with reformed justice in the shortest possible time," said the interim Minister of Justice.

Construction works on the building of the Palace of Justice in Ploiesti began in December 1996, and the deadline was postponed several times.

The building covers a total of about 20,000 square metres, with a built area of 3,750 square metres.
Energy prices will stay high, so people should make their consumption more efficient, government should help the vulnerable, and companies should pay a solidarity contribution, Chairman of Romania's Competition Council Bogdan Chiritoiu told AGERPRES on Wednesday.

"Energy prices will stay high, as it is estimated that the carbon dioxide certificate, which now costs 50 euros, could reach 100 euros. These high prices will not disappear. We will have to learn to live with high energy prices," he said.

The Competition Council chief pointed out that the increase in electricity and gas prices is a European phenomenon, not only Romanian, justified in part by economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, but also by the European policy of increasing pollution penalties, which leads to a very large increase in coal-based energy prices, Agerpres informs.

Subsidies for vulnerable consumers could come from a solidarity fee to be paid by all energy companies, Chiritoiu added. Currently, only gas producers pay a deregulation surcharge.

In Romania, the Competition Council initiated in 2020 procedures to request information from the relevant companies on the basis of which it can step in on the market.

There are currently market instances in which some suppliers do not stick to their fixed price contracts when they are at a disadvantage, but similar instances existed in previous years as well.

Large energy consumers qualify for aid schemes, but in terms of small and medium-sized enterprises, we will see their higher energy costs in the price of their products in a few months' time, he continued.

According to him, Romania is importing about 10% of its electricity consumption and 20% of its natural gas consumption, and in the absence of imports prices would be even higher because more electricity generated from coal would be used.

Romania's electricity market was liberalised on January 1, 2021, and its gas market on July 1, 2020.
Romania can count on Greece's "full support" in its efforts to join the Schengen Area and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), visiting Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in a joint statement delivered today with his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu.

Dendias also spoke about the importance of supporting the Western Balkan countries.

We must avoid creating a black hole in the Western Balkans. We, the EU countries in this enlarged region, have a responsibility and an interest in promoting the deeper integration process of the Western Balkan states, subject to certain conditions. During talks this May, Greece and Romania have already agreed on certain elements. If the European Union does not fill this void, others will try to do it and they do not follow the same principles. There are countries that support radical ideas and extremist movements. We must also support our eastern neighbors, Minister Dendias said according to the official translation, Agerpres informs.

Nikos Dendias also said that Greece will not allow the issue of migrants to be "instrumentalized" by other countries.

The recent events on the Polish border, in Lithuania and in Latvia, have shown us that no EU country is immune to these threats. Even if Afghanistan is geographically remote, be aware that it is very close, said the Greek Foreign Minister.

The Greek top diplomat expressed his gratitude for the support Romania offered his country in the fight against this summer's wildfires.

Allow me now to express the full and deep appreciation of the Mitsotakis Government for the support offered by Romania during the recent crisis caused by forest fires. Thank you very much! This important gesture comes from longtime friends, EU partners and NATO allies, Dendias said.

Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu brought to mind that the deployment of the Romanian forces was done under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, and that "the activation of this mechanism is yet another example of what the European Union and European solidarity mean."

Aurescu also spoke about the importance of the Greek and the Romanian community for the two states.

Following Wednesday's consultations, Aurescu added, the sides agreed on developing a joint plan "under which we can identify in more detail all those common goals and actions we can undertake together."

We are - both Romania and Greece - very involved in supporting the states in the region. Together we reiterated our support for the European perspective of the Western Balkan states. We want to see the concrete negotiation process for Albania and North Macedonia's accession unblocked as soon as possible, Aurescu said.

Nikos Dendias is a guest of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats (RADR) and participates today in the "Current security challenges" session that will see OSCE Secretary-General Helga Schmid join via video call.
A detachment of the Royal Canadian Air Force was certified on Wednesday by the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) to carry out enhanced air policing missions, according to the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN).

Senior official with MApN's Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Affairs Simona Cojocaru attended, together with Canadian ambassador in Bucharest Annick Goulet and Commander of NATO's Combined Air Operation Centre at Torrejon Air Base, Spain, Fernando de la Cruz Caravaca, the NATO certification ceremony at the Mihail Kogalniceanu 57th Air Base.

"Ensuring airspace security is extremely important to Romania, as well as to the entire Eastern flank of NATO. This mission also offers the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to any potential aggression, strengthening interoperability and strengthening bilateral ties with our allies. Canada is not limited to air policing missions, as Canada is participating in all three NATO multinational structures in Romania: MNBDE SE, MND SE HQ and MNC SE HQ," said Cojocaru, Agerpres informs.

She pointed out that it is imperative that NATO's deterrence and defence posture be strengthened by ensuring a forward NATO presence on the Eastern flank, as well as by continuing to develop NATO's capabilities and strengthen its ability to deal with threats of any nature and origin.

Canada's ambassador to Romania Annick Goulet is quoted as commending the good collaboration between the Romanian and Canadian military and highlighting that Canada's participation in the NATO air policing mission demonstrates the close and privileged relationship between the two countries in all areas.

CAOC Torrejon Commander de la Cruz noted in his remarks that the ceremony marks a very important moment for the alliance, with the presence of the Canadian detachment in Romania for the sixth time emphasising the lasting transatlantic link among NATO allies.

The Canadian detachment, consisting of approximately 140 personnel and six CF-188 Hornet aircraft, will carry out enhanced air policing missions under NATO command for the next three months, jointly with Romanian Air Force soldiers and F-16 Fighting Falcon and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft.

This is the fifth deployment at Mihail Kogalniceanu of the Royal Canadian Air Force, after those in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Canadian military also conducted a mission in Romania, at Campia Turzii, in 2014.

Joint air policing missions are said to contribute to the development of response and deterrence resources, as well as to strengthening interoperability between the Romanian and Canadian Air Forces.

The deployment of CF-188 Hornet aircraft in Romania is part of the implementation of an action plan to ensure NATO's operational capability on its eastern flank in both the northern and southern areas and demonstrates NATO's unity and determination in response to security challenges.
Prime Minister Florin Citu stated on Wednesday, in a press conference, that he has sent President Klaus Iohannis the resignations of Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) ministers, because he wanted to help save them from ridiculousness, as they risked to face a motion tabled by their own party.

"There is still a way for discussion, the signatures of the USR can be withdrawn from this toxic motion, in which it allied itself with AUR [Alliance for the Union of Romanians] and PSD [Social Democratic Party] - together they want to bring down their own government. And I want to tell you why I sent those decisions today to the President, because I wanted to save the colleagues from the USR from ridiculousness, to not have a motion tabled against their own people. It cannot be for an MP to table a motion against themselves. Dragnea did that. I pulled them from the ridiculousness today, so they stop being ridiculous, I accepted their resignations and today they can table a motion which is against their own government, but at least they're no longer in Government," Citu also said, Agerpres informs.

He showed that if the USR PLUS MPs withdraw their signatures from the motion, then it's possible to resume dialogue.

"USR must decide if it is governing or it is in opposition. I tell you I am concerned for Romanians, when AUR and PSD come to power, because to maintain these people in government means to maintain AUR and PSD. Today, in Romania, we have an AUR-PSD-USR coalition, a toxic coalition which was formed, which wants to place a new Prime Minister, I understand that Mr. Ciolacu (PSD's leader, ed. n.) is attempting to be the new Prime Minister of the USR-PSD-AUR coalition; there are negotiations made for this majority. I believe we all need to chill out, take a break for a couple of days and return to the table for discussions. We can still discuss about the governing coalition that we have today," he said

PM Citu to explain Fitch Ratings that reform program carries on

In a reaction to Fitch Ratings' cautioning that the collapse of Romania's coalition government could disrupt fiscal consolidation efforts, which are key to resolving the negative outlook on Romania's 'BBB-' rating, Prime Minister Florin Citu gave assurances that the reform program will continue, and that Romania has higher budget revenues that allow it to narrow the budget deficit.

"I discussed, I discuss with rating agencies two, three times a year, this time too I will have discussions with the rating agencies to explain that the reform program carries on. The National Liberal Party is a responsible party, a party that isn't made of spoiled children who take their toys and leave at the first hiccup, a party that is interested in Romania's governing and all the reforms we have pledged in the governing program. We will also explain to the rating agency that we have higher budget revenues, we can reduce the budget deficit and keep to the budget deficit reduction schedule accepted by the European Commission in spring," Citu said in a press conference

E-billing project starts testing September 15

The e-billing project will enter testing on September 15, and from October 1 it will be online, said, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Florin Citu, who emphasized that digitization is the top priority in the realm of taxes.

"I would like to reiterate what I said every time, that it is an important project, that will help eliminate large part of tax evasion, but is part of the digitization of the public administration," said Florin Citu at the meeting of the Interministerial Committee for the implementation of the e-billing project.

The head of the Executive added that in regards to the digitization of the public administration things are not going as they should.

"Last year there were moments when we could advance, but we see that we are hitting all sorts of barriers. What I expect from you and this project, is to see where those barriers are, to identify them so we can, afterwards, eliminate them in order to do the entire digitization of the public administration," he stated.

The Prime Minister pointed out that once the PNRR is approved there are important resources for the digitization of the National Tax Administration Authority (ANAF).

"And it's important that the team that is working today, here, on e-billing already prepare to implement the systems that you have proposed in the PNRR. The first resources will be advanced payments, you know very well," said Citu.

He mentioned that on the taxes side, digitization is top priority.

"We don't mess with taxes, we don't want to do anything on this side, all the other things I don't think they're that much of a priority. Digitization, if we succeed in this government to digitize the way in which economic agents, citizens, work with the tax administration, you will see the results will be, on one hand, the appreciation of citizens, and on the other, the reduction of fiscal evasion," said Citu.

The head of the Executive reiterated that the main benefits of the e-billing project are the elimination of tax evasion and the ease with which economic agents work with the Romanian state

Liberals will not take action to oust own Government, Orban's decision to be analyzed

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced on Wednesday, at the end of PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau (BPN), that liberal MPs cannot take action to oust their own Government and cannot take part in the reunited plenum for debating the vote of no confidence submitted by USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity alliance) until the signature legality is verified.

Citu specified that PNL's BPN made several decisions during Wednesday's session, in accordance with the attributes specified by the PNL Statute.

"Article 1: No PNL MP will take action in Parliament or outside it oust their own Government and the Prime Minister, Florin Citu, appointed by PNL". Otherwise, they will be subjected to the statutory sanctions. Article 2: PNL will not make Government with PSD (Social Democratic Party). Article 3: PNL MPs are mandated not to participate in the reunited plenum summoned by the Chairs of the two Chambers of Parliament, at the end of the reunited Standing Bureau, where the calendar of the vote of no confidence, submitted illegally by USR PLUS - AUR (The Alliance for the Unity of Romanians) will be discussed, until the signature legality is verified," Citu specified the three decisions.

Asked what will happen in the case of PNL's chairman, Ludovic Orban, who summoned the reunited plenum. Citu replied that the situation will be analyzed.

"First, I want to know if he broke the statute through this summon - if it is an illegal summon and against the statute and PNL - then there will be sanctions," he said.

On the other hand, Florin Citu announced that the representation figure for PNL's National Council on September 18 is 800 people, and the session will take place at the Parliament Palace

No PNL MP will take action to bring down their own Government or PM

Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Wednesday, at the end of the PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau, that no liberal MP will take actions in Parliament or outside it for "bringing down their own Government and PM, Florin Citu, who is appointed by PNL.

"No PNL MP will take actions in Parliament or outside it to bring down their own Government and Prime Minister appointed by PNL, Florin Citu. Otherwise, they will be subjected to the statutory sanctions," he said in a press conference.

The Prime Minister mentioned that PNL MPs will be mandated not to take part in the reunited plenum summoned by the Chairs of the two Chambers of Parliament or the sessions of the reunited Standing Bureaus where the USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity alliance) - AUR (The Alliance for the Union of Romanians), which he says it was "submitted illegally" until the signature legality is verified"

Citu: Gov't to notify CCR regarding conflict with Parliament on censure motion

The Executive will notify the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) regarding a conflict between Government and Parliament on the issue of the censure motion, Prime Minister Florin Citu announced, on Wednesday, at the end of the meeting of the National Standing Bureau of the National Liberal Party (PNL).

"I am announcing that the Government will notify the Constitutional Court for a legal conflict between the Government and the Parliament of Romania. There are doubts regarding the way these signatures were submitted. (...) We will notify the Constitutional Court, they must say if Parliament respects the Constitution, ultimately it is the only institution that has a say in respecting the Constitution," said Florin Citu.

The Prime Minister explained that the PNL is not opposed to the constitutional right of a parliamentary party, which has legal signatures, to submit a censure motion.

"What we want is to ensure, and this was the role of Parliament, to ensure that all procedures are followed from a legal point of view. What we saw and the information we received and those types of signatures, several, some have written - resubmitted because they were a photocopy. If you omit that you have unlawfully submitted some signatures, from my point of view it's inadmissible, we are notifying the Constitutional Court, the only one that can tell us if the Constitution was respected by the Romanian Parliament. We have opinions, we have beliefs, but the decision of the Constitutional Court is singular," Citu said.

He said that the notice will be submitted on Wednesday.

"I believe today we will submit it, we await the decision of the Court. If the Court says it was legally submitted, the procedures will run and we move forward," said Citu

PM Citu: Let this be clear for everyone: PNL is not making Government with PSD

Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Wednesday morning that he requested the reunion of PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau in order to make certain clear decisions regarding the political situation.

"Firstly, a decision for all PNL MPs to support all the actions taken by the PNL Government, so that no PNL MPs to take any actions in the Romanian Parliament against its own Government, regardless of the position they hold in PNL - without excuses with constitutionality and so on, the Constitutional Court says what is constitutional and what is not, not us - and thirdly, a clear decision that PNL will not make Government with PSD (Social Democratic Party), let this be clear for everyone," Florin Citu specified.

Liberals from the team of PM Florin Citu summoned for Wednesday, at 10:00, PNL's Standing Bureau, through a video-conference, in order to discuss the political situation.
President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday received at the Cotroceni Palace the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, in which context he underscored the need for strengthening strategic bilateral dialogue at a high level between the two countries, from the perspective of their contribution to the regional stability and security.

According to a press release of the Presidential Administration, President Iohannis appreciated the Greek high official's visit to Bucharest on the occasion of the latter's participation in the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy, which visit reconfirms the excellent level of bilateral relations, based on traditional historical and cultural ties and also on common interests at regional and European level.

Moreover, the same source showed that the head of state underscored the importance of extending cooperation between the two countries in the economic field, through the development of mutual investments, Agerpres informs.

During the meeting, they also approached topics on the international agenda, such as the maritime law, developments in the Mediterranean area, and the expansion of the European Union, by reiterating their common support for the European perspectives of the Western Balkan states.
Senate Chair Anca Dragu said on Wednesday that it is the right of the prime minister to remove from office the senior and local government officials belonging to the Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) alliance.

"It is the right of the prime minister to remove from office senior and local government officials. There is no commenting on that. As for me, I know that many would like my job and they would like me not to be here just not to be able to apply the constitutional provisions regarding this motion of censure," said Dragu at the Parliament House responding to being asked to comment on the fact that the prime minister would have decided to dismiss USR PLUS senior state officials, prefects and deputy prefects, and the National Liberal Party (PNL) criticising her for not resigning.

Dragu mentioned that if the motion of censure tabled by USR PLUS and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) is defeated and if the formula of the ruling coalition changes, then one can also talk about her resignation, Agerpres informs.

"Do we have another coalition at the moment? We must say very clearly that my office, chair of the Senate, is the result of a political discussion and the vote count recorded by USR PLUS in the general election. We can consider [her resignation] if the coalition, or the formula of the coalition changes. If we have a coalition between PNL and PSD [Social Democratic Party], that coalition will probably put pressure and remove me from the position of chair of the Senate," Dragu said.
Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday that he will not vote on a motion of censure against the prime minister and no liberal MP will, emphasising that as national chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) he defends the government.

He said he would propose to the party's Executive Bureau that PNL MPs be present at the sitting of Parliament where the motion of censure will be debated, but abstain from vote, Agerpres informs.

Asked to comment on the fact that the PNL lawmakers who participate in the plenary sitting to consider the motion of censure will be expelled, he said: "no one is allowed to threaten the PNL lawmakers."

Also asked if a PNL MP could be penalised if attending the plenary sitting, he replied: "I have never heard of such a thing, to make a political decision that is contrary to the Constitution, to the Rules of Parliament."

On Wednesday, at the end of a meeting of the National Political Bureau (PNB) of PNL, Prime Minister Florin Citu said that the PNL lawmakers should not take steps to overthrow their own government and should not participate in the plenary sitting debating the motion tabled by Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) alliance before the signatures affixed to the motion are audited.

He added that the PNL BPN took several decisions at Wednesday's meeting in accordance with the powers bestowed on it by the PNL statutes.

Asked what will happen to Orban, who convened the joint plenary sitting, Citu replied that the situation will be looked into. "Let us see first if he violated the statutes by calling this sitting - if it is an illegal summoning running against the statutes and PNL - and then there will be penalties," he said.

Calling on all political leaders to settle government crisis

Orban called on Wednesday on all political leaders to settle the government crisis, underscoring that for him there is no other solution than maintaining the National Liberal Party (PNL) as the major party at rule.

"From my point of view, there is only one honorable political solution for Romania and, obviously, for PNL: restoring the governing coalition that was formed after the parliamentary election, which generated a parliamentary majority, a governing program, which lives up to the Romanians' challenges and expectations, maintaining the PNL as the major party at rule responsible for the implementation of this governing program," Orban declared at the House of Parliament.

"During the election campaign we promised four years of peace, of stability, four years during which we are to focus on Romania's development, on putting into practice all the reforms Romania needs. (...) We must return to what we promised the Romanians. Today, the Romanians look at us in bewilderment as to what has sparked this political and governmental crisis, and why the problems they face are not solved as they expect," Orban said.

According to him, the current crisis affects Romanians, impinges on the capacity of state institutions to handle the challenges facing Romania and also raises serious questions about the external perception of what is happening in Romania.

Parliament Chairs' constitutional obligation is to summon plenum

The Speaker announced on Wednesday that it is the constitutional obligation of the Chairs of the two Houses to summon the Parliament plenum, mentioning that he will summon the Standing Bureau in order to establish this plenum session's agenda.

"Today I made the decision to summon the plenum of the joint Houses along with the Senate president. I would like to make a few clarifications, so that I am very well understood: the summon made by the Chairs of the two Houses does not contain the agenda, it is not in accordance with the regulation for Chairs, when they summon the plenum of the reunited Chambers, to establish the agenda. For establishing the day's business agenda, we will summon the joint Standing Bureau, which, in accordance with provisions of Article 15 from the regulation of joint sessions, they have this attribute of establishing the business agenda. It is a constitutional obligation of the Chairs of the two Chambers to summon the plenum in order to allow for the Constitution to be respected," Orban said.

He said that constitutional provisions and provisions of the regulation of the two Houses "are very clear" regarding procedures along with submitting the vote of no confidence.

"Once summoned, the session takes place. (...) the plenum is sovereign," he added, mentioning that the plenum has the capacity of voting the agenda of the day.
USR PLUS (Save Romania Union, Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) calls on all MPs to allow the censure motion to follow its course and expects PSD (Social Democratic Party) representatives to attend Thursday's plenary session, convened to present the motion, Ionut Mosteanu, spokesman for USR PLUS, stated on Wednesday.

"I call on all responsible politicians not to commit such abuses anymore and allow the censure motion follow its course. And what the presidents of the two chambers did was a normal act in a consolidated democracy, they showed that they are statesmen who respect the Constitution, they respect the citizens who put them in those positions and they convened that joint plenary meeting tomorrow. Tomorrow, the USR PLUS MPs will attend the joint plenary sitting, we will read the motion and the motion will follow its course in Parliament, it should have normally happened for a few days now, for almost a week," said Mosteanu, who is also the leader of the USR PLUS Deputies.

He said things were simple: "Whoever wants Prime Minister Citu to go home should vote for the motion, whoever does not want to continue to support him, does not vote., Agerpres informs.

"I am making a call once again on all MPs, on all politicians, let's return to the normal, constitutional path. We have a motion so we need to vote, who wants Citu to go home, should vote for the motion, who doesn't want to continue to support him should not vote. It's so simple, so natural, without all this communicational ballet, without 20 thousand tricks that the gentlemen from PSD keep inventing overnight. We are waiting for them tomorrow in Parliament," added Mosteanu.

The joint plenary sitting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies was convened for Thursday, 4.00 pm, for the presentation of the censure motion entitled "Dismissal of the Citu Government, the only chance for Romania to live! Florin Citu must leave!".
Wizz Air introduces two new routes from Romania to Spain and Belgium, with flights to be operated in early December.

Thus, Romanians will be able to travel from Iasi to Madrid, Spain, on Thursdays and Sundays, starting with December 2, and from Suceava to Brussels, Belgium, every Tuesday and Saturday, from December 4.

According to a company release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, the tickets for the two routes are already available online and through the mobile application, starting from 99 lei, Agerpres informs.

"These new routes add to the flights already operated from airports in Romania to destinations in Spain and Belgium, popular among Romanians," the release said.

According to the company, Romanian passengers will be able to travel with the help of these new affordable flights from Wizz Air in two of the most enchanting European capitals. At the same time, the second largest city in the EU, Madrid is an urban center with a charming and rich culture, history and architecture, and the host of key European Union institutions, Brussels, is an important economic, cultural and social hub in Europe.

The low-cost airline Wizz Air operates a fleet of 144 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. Wizz Air is listed on the London Stock Exchange with the abbreviation WIZZ. All Wizz Air flights are operated with Airbus A320 aircraft with 180 seats, A320neo with 186 seats, A321 with 230 seats and Airbus A321neo aircraft with 239 seats.
While all the worlds attention was focused on New York City two decades ago, another story was unfolding in Gander, Newfoundland.

There, at an airport where planes had been diverted in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, thousands of strangers were reminded of the goodness that emerges in the most unimaginable times.

A new film version of the Broadway musical Come From Away celebrates the friendships that were formed, the laughs that were shared and the outpouring of love that continues to this day.

Like the recent Disney+ edition of Hamilton, Come From Away was filmed before an audience. In the production, you get to see Christopher Ashleys creative direction. Using chairs, hes able to suggest everything from a Gander bar to the cockpit of an airplane. Highly inventive, the musical chairs concept was jaw-droppingly good onstage. In this adaptation, it isnt as fluid, particularly since close-ups dont show the transitions that bring the changes in venues.

Still, Kelly Devines choreography seeps through as the cast of 12 stomp through rousing numbers that talk about the concerns of plane people meshing with those of Gander residents. Humor, thanks to Irene Sankoff and David Heins multilayered book, is everywhere, making this a joyous look at goodness at a difficult time.
From the studio that brought you Hustlers comes another ripped-from-the-headlines tale about women who live, laugh and love to scam. Based on the true story of Robin Ramirez, a Phoenix woman who pleaded guilty in 2013 to fraud and counterfeiting somewhere north of $40 million in fake coupons she sold online, Queenpins is Extreme Couponing with a criminal twist. Unfortunately, this crime comedy, written and directed by husband-and-wife team Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, is an aggressively mediocre and disappointing endeavor.

Ramirezs story offers the potential for a film to grapple with questions of wealth and gender inequality, as well as the uniquely American values of greed and consumerism, refracted through the lens of the suburban female existence. But Queenpins mangles any and all possibilities for trenchant social commentary, despite a few fumbled attempts. Rather, it relies on lowest-common-denominator humor and the overly optimistic assumption that Kristen Bell in an unflattering wig equals comedy.

Bell stars as Connie, our annoyingly chipper coupon queen. Connie is essentially power hungry teachers pet Tracy Flick from Election, if she grew up to become an Olympic race-walking champion who has struggled with infertility. She channels all of her frustrated energy into clipping coupons, addicted to the dopamine hits of every dollar off. Her best friend and neighbor, JoJo (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), is an aspiring influencer who talks a big game on her couponing YouTube channel but cant move out of her moms house because her credit was ruined by identity theft. Connie, stymied in an unfulfilling marriage to an IRS auditor (Joel McHale), yearns to achieve greatness in some way. She convinces JoJo to drive to Mexico with her to bribe an employee in the coupon printing factory to send her the discarded Free Item coupons, so that she and JoJo can sell them for a profit. Its not theft, she claims; its just removing. The scheme garners the interest of a supermarket loss-prevention officer, Ken (Paul Walter Hauser), as well as a U.S. postal inspector (Vince Vaughn).
This week brought the devastating news that Michael K. Williams died Sept. 5 at age 54. Known best for his complex and terrifying performance as Omar Little on The Wire, Williams had so much incredible work in front of him, including the second season of his unscripted Vice series, Black Market, which was still in production. He was nominated for an Emmy this year for his work on HBOs Lovecraft Country, with the awards ceremony taking place Sept. 19.

Williams leaves behind an incredible body of work, and while social media is filled with tributes and memories from fans and collaborators, whats striking is how the actor made every performance indelible. While he burst onto the scene with his memorable role on The Wire, Williams was so much more than Omar. In his memory, heres a list of his best work available to stream. Whether its a revisit or a first watch, you wont be disappointed.
Post doesnt want to think about what could happen if Lela caught COVID-19. He and his wife never take their daughter to restaurants, stores or busy playgrounds. She only sees her vaccinated relatives. Still, he hopes she can soon return to school and experience a sense of normalcy.

If we as a society decide to, as a whole, get vaccinated and create herd immunity, we could protect some of the most vulnerable people and allow them to have a more normal life than they already are living and enjoy their childhood instead of having be kept in the house and possibly having problems later on down the road, Post said.

Lelas doctor, Dr. Shalini Shenoy, a Washington University pediatric oncologist with St. Louis Childrens Hospital, said she is seeing more children with weakened immune systems hospitalized with COVID-19. These children are experiencing long-term heart and kidney problems, she said, and they have to put off their cancer and other treatment while they fight the infection.

St. Louis-area hospitals have reported anywhere from around 15 to 30 children hospitalized with COVID-19 on any given day for the past month. The best way to protect vulnerable children, Shenoy said, is for everyone who can to get vaccinated and wear a mask indoors when transmission is high.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  West Virginia's largest annual festival will require most people in attendance to wear masks when Bridge Day is held this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic in America's newest national park.

Tens of thousands of people typically show up on the third Saturday of October to watch parachutists, zip liners and rappellers on the 876-foot-high (267-meter) New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville.

Masks will be required at the festival regardless of vaccination status, and social distancing must be observed whenever possible, the Bridge Day Commission said in a statement.

Our number one priority remains the health and safety of our guests, staff and community, the statement said. We are taking the suggested and appropriate measures to ensure a safe environment for Bridge Day 2021.

People come from across the world to attend the event. Festivalgoers typically line the center of the 3,000-foot-long (914-meter) bridge shoulder to shoulder trying to get a good look at parachutists catapulting themselves off the nations third-highest bridge.
The girl is the daughter of Claudia Rowling and Curtis Stringer. Samuels is the sister of Rowling, who suffered a massive stroke 15 days after giving birth to Calyia, Samuels said. Rowling lost some speech and has some right-side paralysis from the stroke, said Samuels, who has medical power-of-attorney for her sister.

Because of the mothers health, relatives and friends pitched in to help the parents raise Calyia.

Calyias mom has been fighting since the birth just to be here with her, Samuels said. Calyia was a very joyful little girl. She was loved by a lot of people and she had a lot of support.

Calyia was an only child. She loved unicorns and enjoyed spending time outdoors riding her bike.

Samuels said the family has a message for the community: We just really need them to know that we want justice and we want anyone with information to come forward.

She was an innocent child, Samuels added.

East St. Louis police Chief Kendall Perry, who responded to the shooting scene along with other officers, said he is concerned about an escalation of violence in the wake of the shooting.

Katie Kull and Taylor Tiamoyo Harris of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Rotimi Oladimeji and Olumide Akinrinmade pleaded not guilty in federal court Tuesday after being indicted July 28 and arrested Aug. 9 in Texas. Akinrinmade is facing four mail fraud charges and a mail fraud conspiracy charge. Oladimeji is facing those charges as well as four wire fraud charges and an aggravated identity theft charge.

Prosecutors say the woman began communicating with Oladimeji on an online dating site in October 2019. Oladimeji was pretending to be a businessman by employing a fictitious background, someone else's photo and a fake LinkedIn profile, prosecutors said. Oladimeji then claimed to need help while traveling in the United Arab Emirates, and had the woman electronically transfer funds to banks in Saudi Arabia and send cash via Federal Express to Akinrinmades home in Texas. Between Oct. 23, 2019 and April 26, 2020, the woman sent $1.2 million that was deposited into accounts opened by Oladimeji, Akinrinmade and others, said prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The meeting was the latest step in the lengthy and potentially controversial map-drawing process that occurs every 10 years to account for changes in population.

The commission has until December to submit a tentative plan to the Secretary of States office.

There could be some roadblocks to get the correct data, commissioners learned.

The Missouri Secretary of States office, for example, said all absentee votes cannot be tracked back to the voters original precinct, which could have an effect on determining where the district lines are located.

The issue was not a major headache in 2010, when fewer than 5% used the absentee option. But in the pandemic-influenced 2020 election, about 22% of the votes were cast as absentee.

I would not be in favor of drafting a map with a huge chunk of data missing, Shegog said.

Officials are awaiting a decision on how to proceed from the General Assembly.
Webb said she didnt want her bill to apply to police officers. But the bill would require thousands of county merit employees to report their vaccination status to supervisors once the bill becomes law, or be required to wear masks  with some exceptions  and submit to regular COVID-19 tests.

The Civil Service Commission, which oversees rules for merit employees, is expected to meet later this week to adopt a policy requiring vaccines that would mirror the countys legislation, Human Resources Director Sue Daniels told the council.

Daniels emphasized that employees who dont get vaccinated would not face a threat of immediate dismissal, but could be subject to discipline from their department heads as necessary. The county can only ask employees to provide proof of vaccination, but could not require them to release personal health records.

County Executive Sam Page, who said he supports Webbs bill, asked the commission last month to formally adopt the regulation. Page said County Prosecutor Wesley Bell and Assessor Jake Zimmerman have also agreed to vaccine mandates for their employees.

The council also heard testimony from two health care industry workers, invited by Trakas, who claimed health care workers skeptical of the vaccine are being bullied out of employment.
Circuit Judge Claude Hundley dismissed the suit, but the state argues it needs to know who paid the fine to end the case. It also says the judge still needs to rule on its claim that Madison County broke the law when it moved the monument.

Erected in 1905 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the monument went up outside the Madison County Courthouse at a time when Confederate descendants were trying to portray the Souths cause in the Civil War as noble rather than linked to slavery. The statue was moved to a city-owned cemetery.

Demonstrators sought the removal of the Huntsville statue and other numerous Confederate statues around the nation last year amid nationwide protests against racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Those efforts to take down statues honoring Southern figures from the Civil War continued Wednesday as work crews hoisted an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee off its giant pedestal in Virginia's capital city of Richmond, cheered on by a crowd.

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Large studies are underway in the U.S. and overseas to determine if the drug has any effect on preventing or reducing the effects of COVID-19. Ivermectin has been promoted by Republican lawmakers, conservative talk show hosts and some doctors, amplified via social media to millions of Americans who remain resistant to getting vaccinated. It has also been widely used in some other countries such as India and Brazil.

Missouri's COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday showed 934 newly confirmed cases, and three more deaths. The state has reported 641,493 confirmed cases and 10,660 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.

Days after Jackson County ordered the closure of Rae's Cafe in Blue Springs for failing to adhere to the county's mask mandate, the owner has reopened the eatery as a private club. The club's only dress code is: No masks allowed.

Private clubs are exempt from the mask mandate.

Owner Amanda Wohletz told WDAF-TV that she plans to remain open as long as they let me, referring to the county.

A statement from Jackson County said it will take the necessary steps to ensure the health order is enforced.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
TOKYO (AP)  One of the main candidates to be Japan's next prime minister said Wednesday the country needs a new type of capitalism to address income and social gaps caused by the pandemic. Another, a protege of former leader Shinzo Abe, promised a stronger Japan that can cope with enemy attacks, natural disasters and pandemics.

Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was the first to announce his candidacy to lead the governing Liberal Democratic Party and succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Whoever wins the Sept. 29 party vote is almost certain to be the next government leader.

Kishida, who announced his candidacy last week, focused Wednesday on his economic policy, which he described as a shift from the neo-liberalism and deregulation begun by reformist former leader Junichiro Koizumi in the early 2000s that Japan has since adopted.

While deregulation and structural reforms have strengthened Japans economy and promoted growth, they also created a gap between the rich and the poor, and those who possess and others who dont, Kishida said. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the disparity, with tourism industry workers, contract workers and women among the worst hit, he said.
Since ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) lost control of all its territory in 2017, one lasting relic of that Islamic State was the few gold coins it minted in 2015. This Islamic State currency was based on a standard established in the 7th century by the third caliph Mohammed, Uthman ibn Affan. ISIL planned to mint seven coins, including two gold dinars, worth one and five dinars respectively. Like their 7th century predecessors, the actual value of the two gold and three silver coins would be based on the current value of the precious metals they contained. When minted the ISIL five-dinar coin was made of 21 carat (88 percent pure) gold, weighed about three-quarters of an ounce and worth nearly $700 each when minted. The price of gold fluctuates and was near its historical high in 2015 ($1,350 an ounce), up from $260 in 1970. Recent highs of about $2,100 were reached in 1980 and the mid-2021 price is $1,800. Because of this, gold coins have always been popular in areas or periods where the local economy was in bad shape.

These ancient coins always had historical value but in the 20th century coin collecting became much more common and older or rare gold coins were much sought after and became worth much more than just the value of gold they were made of. The few gold dinars produced by ISIL retained their value and are still being used in eastern Syria, where they were first circulated. The few active ISIL members in eastern Syria favor those civilians and merchants who still have and use these coins. Owners of ISIL dinars find them much more valuable than their intrinsic gold value. Foreign collectors have also been offering higher prices for these rare, although, recent gold coins.

After the ISIL Islamic state reached its maximum size in early 2015, the ISIL caliph and founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, realized, like his 7th Century role model Caliph Affan, that running a caliphate was difficult. Baghdadi was hunted down and cornered by American commandos in 2019. He blew himself up rather than risk capture. Caliph Affan introduced religious and currency reforms but was notoriously corrupt and after twelve years in power there was a rebellion that led to his assassination in 656.

At its peak ISIL controlled four major cities and the results of their social and economic reforms were unpleasant and expected, because they were similar to what happened 1,400 years earlier. ISIL captured the eastern Syrian city of Raqqa (population 500,000) in early 2014 and turned it into their capital. Strict lifestyle rules were imposed and local Christians had to pay an extra tax to avoid persecution. They applied those same rules in the western Iraq city of Falluja (250,000) where they already shared control with local Sunni tribes opposed to the Iraq government and eventually ISIL as well. In mid-2014 ISIL took Mosul (two million) in northwestern Iraq. In May 2015 they took Ramadi (200,000) in western Iraq. All four cities already had problems with electricity and water supplies and shaky sewage systems. Many of the inhabitants of these cities fled before or after ISIL arrived. Leaving became more dangerous once armed ISIL men were patrolling the streets and controlling the roads in and out of town. In Ramadi more than half the population was gone when ISIL arrived and that was largely because details of what would happen when ISIL took over were widely known. In short, nothing good.

ISIL enforced the strictest lifestyle rules, based on an interpretation of Islamic scripture that is more hostile to most modern tech than al Qaeda ever was. That meant no music, video or anything that could be identified as Western or alien to 7th century Moslems, Exceptions were made, grudgingly, when it was necessary to keep ISIL members alive. While Western aid groups were banned, Western medical supplies were allowed in. ISIL members got priority. Even Moslem medical personnel who stayed had to prove they were Islamic enough to meet ISIL standards. Those who could not, and that meant most of them, were controlled by threats and treated like prison trustees. Before ISIL arrived most university educated professionals fled, or tried to. Those captured while trying to flee were often killed on the spot. The few medical personnel who remained could barely care for ISIL leaders and ISIL fighters suffering from severe combat wounds.

Getting electricity, water and sanitation networks operating was a priority but crippled by lack of supplies (especially fuel) and spare parts as well as people qualified to repair, maintain or operate these utilities. Anywhere else in the Middle East foreign suppliers and experts would be called upon as necessary. That was not Islamic, according to ISIL, and instead locals with some skills had to step forward and try to cope. A call was put out for Moslem technical experts elsewhere in the world to come to the new caliphate and use their skills to make things work. Few qualified foreign Moslems arrived and the result was intermittent water supplies, unreliable sanitation systems and lots of people using portable generators for power or just living in the dark like their 7th century ancestors.

Many of the civilians who stayed behind managed to adapt and an economy of sorts was created. In late 2014 ISIL sought to create their own currency (gold coins) but that did not get far. In practice any currency, local or Western, that had established value was used. This meant the ISIL economy used lots of dollars. Taxes'' were collected in a medieval fashion that could best be described (in modern terms) as opportunistic extortion. Dollars were preferred because smugglers could not use Iraqi or ISIL currency. This problem was addressed with lots of looting when ISIL took control of new territory. Banks containing cash were a favorite target.

While much was made of Moslems, especially Western ones, trying to get to the ISIL Islamic State, the reality was that more people already there were trying to get out. In many cases escape was a matter of life and death because the collapse of the medical care system has left most people with few useful options if they got sick or injured. ISIL considers such misfortunes the will of God '' and complainers are regarded as heretics.

By mid-2016 the ISIL Islamic State had lost over half of the territory it seized by early 2015. ISIL income from Syria and Iraq was down nearly 60 percent. In 2016 personnel losses were heavy as well, meaning ISIL control was concentrated in their cities and not the rural territory in between. ISIL was under the most pressure in Iraq but Syria was no longer a safe place for ISIL men to seek refuge. Getting there meant encountering government forces or hostile militias. The growing number of ISIL deserters provided more details about what was happening in ISIL controlled territory. Increasingly effective air strikes were possible because of more local informants as well as relaxed ROE (Rules of Engagement) that ignored the use of human shields. Aerial bombings more frequently hit ISIL leaders and caused a lot more ISIL casualties in general. ISIL leaders were, at least according to deserters, often visibly uneasy and some were publicly executed for various failings. Lower ranking ISIL men were worse off, in part because of reduced pay or no pay at all. Even essential supplies like food and ammo were not always available. The more frequent use of public executions was driving more ISIL fighters and support personnel away even as it became more difficult and dangerous to leave, and hardly any new people were seeking to live in the new caliphate.

Most ISIL controlled territory was in eastern Syria and western Iraq because these areas had a largely Sunni Arab population but were also mostly desert or semi-desert. Most of the population was concentrated in or near towns and cities along the few rivers. After 2015 ISIL was unable to take and hold large cities. ISIL control of Raqqa and Mosul was lost by 2017.

In 2016 ISIL lost control of Ramadi and Fallujah in western Iraq and desperately tried to retain control over some of the roads crossing the border. Without control of those roads ISIL could not quickly move anything between Iraq and Syria. By 2016 Mosul was basically cut off from the outside world and Raqqa, the largest city in eastern Syria and the ISIL capital, was also being surrounded. Losing control of so many roads meant it was easier to concentrate a very large force against ISIL defenders in a town or military base and quickly destroy the defenders no matter how fanatic they were.

By 2018 ISIL was down to a few thousand active members organized into several dozen separate groups united by nostalgia and the millions of dollars that had been retained and exported. This money was laundered via Turkish and other foreign banks. Access to those foreign bank accounts was controlled by a few trusted ISIL officials. Captured ISIL documents revealed that even the most fanatical Islamic terror groups had problems with corruption on a scale the 7th century caliphs were familiar with. Western counterterrorism organizations put more efforts into disrupting the ISIL finances which forced the remaining ISIL members to resort to extortion and kidnapping to pay the bills. History does repeat itself, especially in the Middle East.
by Austin Bay September 8, 2021

On Sept. 7, Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a news conference in Qatar declared he was "unaware" of any "hostage-like situation" in aircraft waiting to take off from Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport.

Blinken was responding to Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. On Sept. 5, McCaul told Fox News Sunday that six planes at Mazar-i-Sharif transporting American citizens and Afghan interpreters had been denied departure. The State Department "has cleared these flights and the Taliban will not let them leave the airport," he said. He added: "We know the reason why (they are held) is because the Taliban want something in exchange." McCaul speculated the Taliban wanted U.S. diplomatic recognition.

McCaul is the House Foreign Affairs Committee's ranking Republican.

Mazar-i-Sharif is 190 miles northwest of Kabul. Several private organizations have tried to arrange chartered flights from Mazar-i-Sharif with the aim of evacuating stranded Americans and Afghan nationals who possess or deserve a U.S. Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV.

McCaul described a hostage situation quid pro quo. In exchange for releasing Americans held against their will, the Taliban want diplomatic recognition, which might give the Taliban access to frozen Afghan financial assets.

Blinken's oily response was a nondenial. Claiming he is personally "unaware" doesn't mean no one in his State Department knows otherwise. Note Blinken adds cheap spin with the weasel term "hostage-like."

Blinken's waffles followed White House press secretary Jen Psaki's Aug. 23 Alice in Wonderland reply to a reporter that "Americans aren't stranded" in Afghanistan. On the fly, Psaki redefined "stranded" to mean something it doesn't. She contended citizens denied entry to Kabul's airport weren't stranded because they had cellphone contact.

They follow their leader. Blinken and Psaki mimic President Joe Biden's repugnant example. On Aug. 31, Reuters published a July 23 telephone exchange between Biden and Afghan then-President Ashraf Ghani. Biden told Ghani that " ... the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things aren't going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban. And there's a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture. "

The Reuters report has decisive historical importance. Biden knew his clumsy, incompetent and haphazard withdrawal was failing. However, instead of assisting the Afghan government in order to safely and successfully evacuate U.S. citizens, Biden wanted Ghani to use word and image perception gimmickry to conceal Biden's real-world leadership, policy and battlefield failure.

Blinken's Sept. 7 performance included some subtle but ugly admissions. Flights from Afghanistan were denied exit because people with valid travel documents are grouped with people lacking proper State Department paperwork.

Biden announced his withdrawal on April 14. He craved the optics of exiting Afghanistan by 9/11's 20th anniversary. But Biden's presidential order failed to prod the State Department to act to meet his withdrawal deadline.

On Aug. 16, the Washington Examiner reported that the State Department had a SIV "processing backlog" for 18,000 Afghan allies and 53,000 Afghan dependents.

That "backlog" testifies to the life-threatening wages of the State Department's ingrained institutional defects. I'll list a few: paper shuffling, bureaucratic 9-to-5 inertia; lack of accountability; and focus on perception, not policy execution and results.

Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) is Pentagonese for "the departure of civilian noncombatants and nonessential military personnel from danger in an overseas country to a designated safe haven ... "

By doctrine, in a NEO the State Department is the lead government agency. The State Department identifies who should be evacuated, processes their paperwork and arranges for safe havens. The State Department constantly coordinates with the Pentagon, so the military is prepared to safely conduct the evacuation.

Biden and Blinken at best gave a nod to a haphazard planning process. Then they mismanaged the withdrawal's preparatory action phase and utterly botched its execution phase.

We confront our appalling moment: Biden and Blinken's leadership failures and the State Department's ineptitude have created a prolonged hostage situation. The failures and ineptitude also spurred the chaos that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. military personnel.
Collecting 'Junk' for Better Streaming

A bit over a year ago, Dom Robinson and I wrote an article about the need to consider the impact that streaming at a global scale has on power consumption. The article, called "The Greening of Streaming," argued that there are three Ps that should be considered, adding power (consumption) to the traditional price-performance considerations most streaming companies use to sell or buy products and services.

As you can read in Dom's follow-on article, "Greening of Streaming: One Year On," we've not just pitched the idea to the industry; instead, we've actively worked to raise awareness of the importance of greening by launching a formal initiative of the same name. By the time you read this, we'll have had our first Greening of Streaming virtual roundtable and will be moving on towards several member-only events in the last quarter of 2021.

To say that I advocate for anyone involved in the business of streamingfrom cameras and content acquisition through encoders to content delivery networks to end-user playback peripheralsto lend their voice to the Greening of Streaming initiative would be an understatement. Do it, and do it now, for both environmental and social reasons.

There's a second initiative that I'd also like the industry to get behind: collecting "junk" as a way to research better streaming approaches.

Almost three years before I got involved with the "greening" discussion, a group of industry veterans got together to discuss ideas on how to lower the digital divide. Our initial approach, and the driving force behind starting up a not-for-profit charitable organizationnow a 501(c)3 called Help Me Stream Research Foundationwas to focus on the digital divide in emerging economies.

To do that, we needed to gather first-world electronic "junk" that's sitting in drawers and closets across the United States (and Canada and Europe, for that matter) and repurpose that into efficient and very inexpensive streaming solutions that could run on intermittent power.

Beyond emerging economies and the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that serve them, we've also been challenged to provide solutions for disaster areas andwith the advent of COVID-related lockdowns last year, which laid bare the rural-urban digital divide in the United Statesto consider solutions for rural communities.

I'm happy to report that we've caught enough attentionboth from key influencers and forward-looking companies in the streaming spacethat Help Me Stream is opening its first test lab this month, where we'll not only validate claims made about newer gear in the industry but also work to turn that donated "junk" into streaming systems to distribute to NGOs in key markets across the globe.

We're doing so in partnership with a nationally-known public health program, where we'll have the opportunity to turn that "junk" not only into robust streaming solutions, but also help teach medical studentsmany that may work in areas of the U.S. or the world where resources are limited to what one has on handto identify components from a variety of abandoned computers to build a working device that could power not only an electronic medical records solution but also a basic on-demand playback system to offer education to those who may not be able to otherwise access it.

In turn, we'll gain from the experience this public health program at East Tennessee State University already has in training its students to use bicycle parts to create small power generators that are currently used to power small water pumps for better hygiene and crop irrigation.

The common thread between the Greening of Streaming and Help Me Stream Research Foundation initiatives is to simultaneously grow the streaming industry's innovations for at-scale delivery, while also reducing electronic landfill through the intentional repurposing of older desktops, laptops, servers, smartphones, and tablets.

How can you help? After considering a membership in Greening of Streaming, spend a few minutes digging in your closets, sock drawer, or garage, to see if there's any "junk" that you'd like to donate. As a 501(c)3 we're able to give donation letterseither for this "junk" or any monetary donation to the missionand we'd love to have your insights into projects that would benefit from the "junk" you've found. Visit hmsrf.org/donate or email donations@hmsrf.org for more details.

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ATLANTA, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Howard Hirsch, whose experience includes serving as General Counsel at a large investment management firm that sponsors public and private real estate companies, has joined the Real Estate Capital Markets Group at Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP.

"MMM's Real Estate Capital Markets Practice reflects my business-first approach." -- Howard Hirsch

Hirsch has closed billions of dollars of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) deals throughout his 20+ year career. He spent more than seven years with Griffin Capital Company and its affiliates, most recently as General Counsel and previously as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors of Griffin Realty Trust, Inc., a public REIT based in Los Angeles, California. He joins MMM as Of Counsel.

Hirsch has known RECM Group Chair Lauren Prevost and Partner Seth Weiner for years. "That was a big selling point  to work with people I know well and who reflect my values," Hirsch said. "MMM's Real Estate Capital Markets Practice reflects my business-first approach. We're not doing our clients justice if we're not thinking like a business owner. I know from working with the MMM team on previous deals that they provide that kind of service and advice."

"Howard is well-known within the REIT and alternative investments industries," Prevost said. "He's held prominent leadership positions in industry groups and he's a frequent speaker at industry conferences - and he's a great guy to boot. When we heard he was interested in returning to Atlanta, Seth and I immediately got to work to convince Howard that MMM is the best place for him to continue to practice law."

"Bringing on someone with Howard's talent is great for the firm," Weiner added. "He's a thoughtful, intelligent lawyer and a genuinely good person. He knows everyone in this industry and he's going to be extremely valuable for expanding our client base. We enjoyed working with him in the past and look forward to collaborating with him on a daily basis."

As an executive team member with Griffin, Hirsch was heavily involved in Griffin's business decisions. He also oversaw legal matters related to corporate operations, governance, securities, compliance, employment and intellectual property matters for Griffin and many of Griffin's sponsored public and private affiliates.

"Howard was a critical piece to Griffin Capital's amazing growth over the last seven years," concluded Griffin Capital Chairman & CEO Kevin Shields. "While we hate to see him go, we are excited he has the opportunity to return home to Atlanta and be a part of such a well-respected firm in our industry. We look forward to continuing to have Howard represent us in an external capacity."

Morris, Manning & Martin (www.mmmlaw.com) is an Am Law 200 law firm with national and international reach. We dedicate ourselves to the constant pursuit of our clients' success. To provide our clients with optimal value, we combine market-leading legal services with a total understanding of their needs to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and opportunity. MMM enjoys national prominence for its real estate, corporate, litigation, technology, healthcare, intellectual property, capital markets, environmental, international trade, and insurance practices.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reit-veteran-hirsch-joins-mmm-real-estate-capital-markets-group-301370683.html

SOURCE Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP
TICKERS: TSXV; OTC, CMP, NFG

Source: Ron Struthers for Streetwise Reports (9/8/21)

Atlas Salt has a unique project on the west coast of Newfoundland. I would venture to say it is the best risk/reward scenario in the province. Strategically located, the Great Atlantic Salt Project can serve significant North American demand and is uniquely positioned to capture market share from overseas countries with higher shipping costs.



This is a very unique and new story that I have been following for several months. The company did a name change effective September 1 from Red Moon to Atlas Salt to better reflect their business.

Atlas Salt Inc. (TSXV:SALT; OTC:REMRF) Shares Outstanding: 75 million Recent Price: CA$0.98

Atlas Salt has a unique project on the west coast of Newfoundland. I would venture to say it is the best risk/reward scenario in the province. Strategically located, the Great Atlantic Salt Project can serve significant North American demand and is uniquely positioned to capture market share from overseas countries with higher shipping costs.

What makes this rare and unique is that it is a massive salt deposit near a major coastal port in Newfoundland with access to Eastern North America. It was already advanced privately and has a 880-million tonne 43-101 resource at 96.9% NaCI, using 95% cut off. The total resources is massive that varies in thickness between 200 and 250 meters. It could have a mine life cut-off of over 100 years.

What is most important to understand is there is no risk with grade, metallurgy, strip ratios, processing and mining methods like mining other metals or materials. A processing plant is not required, you simply scoop material out of the deposit with a salt processor and ship to port. It is more like a salt factory than a mine. These salt projects generate huge cash flow and profits, but very seldom does one ever come to market in a public company.

Management

Atlas Salt's management team has a lot of experience in NFLD and in provincial corporations. They boost one of the top experts in the Salt industry as well.

Patrick Laracy, LL.B., P.Geo, CEO & Director is the founder of the company and has leveraged over $100 million of high risk exploration expenditures through equity and joint venture financings. He is a member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador with over 30 years of industry experience in various technical and executive capacities.

Rowland Howe, President & Director is a chartered Engineer with an impressive background in the salt industry. He was with North American Salt since the beginning that later became Compass and went public in 2003. Rowland was Mine General Manager at Goderich in Ontario from 1995-2011 where he led the expansion of the operation to the largest and most productive salt mine in North America. Following this, he was Director of Strategic Projects for Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) through 2016. He is currently President of the Goderich Port Management Corporation.

John Anderson, Director, is the founder of multiple start-up companies and a director of Newfoundland-based New Found Gold Corp. (NFG:TSX.V), has 25 years of successful corporate and financial capital market experience. He is currently President of Purplefish Capital Management Ltd., a private investment company focused on the resource sector.

Fraser H. Edison, Director has experience in finance, construction, Oil and Gas, and transportation management. He is currently President and Chairman of the Board of Rutter Inc., Chairman of Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, and member of the board and governance committee of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

Highlights:

Strong management team with lots of experience in salt and NFLD.

Salt deposit is close to sea port, greatly improving economics.

High grade deposit, at 96.9% NaCI.

Large resource with many decades of supply.

Location location, location  can offset oversea imports.

Feasibility started to move into production.

Planned spin out of their Fischell's Brook Salt dome (renewable energy storage).

Salt Industry

Salt is produced by the following three primary production methods: seawater solar evaporation or inland brines, brine extracted through solution mining, and mined rock salt.

The countries with the highest volumes of salt production in 2019 were China (67M tonnes), the U.S. (42M tonnes) and India (29M tonnes), together comprising 46% of global production. These countries were followed by Germany, Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, the Netherlands, France and Turkey, which together accounted for a further 29% (IndexBox estimates).

With COVID-19 lockdowns it is no surprise that In 2020, almost every country experienced a drop in salt production. China was the exception, indicating a 1.7% growth against 2019 figures. In the EU countries, salt extraction decreased by approx. 16%; in the U.S., it fell by 7%, in Canada, by 10%, in Russia, by 12%, and in India, by 3%. Since salt is widely used for the production of chlorine and sodium chloride, the stagnation seen in the chemical industry in 2020 explains this decline in production.

However, when it comes to Atlas Salt, the highway deicing market remains consistent. Demand is mostly affected by weather and with climate change we can expect wild swings in winter weather. Remember the snow storms in Texas last year. De-icing salt is a very specific salt that requires a minimum 95% grade.

Compass Minerals (CMP:NYSE) estimates the consumption of highway deicing salt in North America at about 39 million tonnes per year in an average winter. The consumer and industrial market is approximately 10 million tonnes year.

This graphic is from Compass at the same link. I highlight the two companies in relation to the market. Compass is also in the UK so why it is shown. Compass has great access in the middle area via the great lakes. Atlas will have very good sea access to all of Eastern Canada and Eastern US.

What is more important is supply that comes from South America and the Middle East is far more expensive to ship compared to what Atlas could do. Currently around 8 million tonnes per year are shipped from these distant sources into the Eastern US and Canada. The has been no new mines in North America in the last 20 years.

Atlas has that location, location, location and they have a whack load of salt too (see next 2 graphics). I might also add it is high grade at 96.9% NaCI (de-icing market standard).

On July 7, Atlas engaged SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., a global leader in the mining and minerals advisory service, to complete a feasibility study (FS) for the Great Atlantic Salt project. By proceeding from a resource estimate directly to a feasibility study, given the geological nature of this relatively homogeneous and shallow high-grade deposit immediately adjacent to key infrastructure, the goal is to expedite potential development of Great Atlantic to serve the North American road salt market.

Drilling is planned to upgrade the resource but also very interesting will be step out drilling towards the port. With the potential they can start the mine or ramp into the deposit much closer to the port. It is only about four kilometers away as it is. A conveyor is not out of the question either, we will just have to see what the feasibility comes up with. This would all be beneficial to the economics resulting in stronger cash flow.

Atlas is not just a one-trick pony. They have an open pit gypsum mine, just several kilometers away and as shown in the next graphic, the stock has further strong potential with a planned spin out of a salt dome for renewable energy storage. Atlas's Fischell's Brook salt dome also has the same advantage, having potential to be very close to the same seaport.

Financial

Last financial s as of June 30th show $7.6 million cash and no long-term debt. Since then Atlas completed a $1 million financing at 78 cents per unit. Each unit consisted of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable at a price of $1.05 for a period of two years following the closing of the offering.

Summary

There has been over $5 billion in acquisitions in the industry over the past two years. For example, in April 2020, Stone Canyon Industries bought out The Kissner Group that controls the Detroit Salt Company for $2 billion. Detroit Salt has a salt mine dating back to the early 1900s at 12841 Sanders St. Its now a so-called salt city about 1,200 feet below the citys surface and spreading over 100 miles of underground roads, according to the company website.

Mark Demetree of Stone Canyon appears to be reshaping the North American Salt industry and is probably not done. Whether Stone Canyon or not, it would not surprise me if Atlas is bought out within the next 2 years at multiples of the current share price.

The best comparison is Compass Minerals with a market cap of US$2.2 billion and very profitable. They are the largest salt company in North America and run the largest salt mine in the world at Goderich Ontario. I am familiar with this when I lived in Owen Sound and worked for IBM. I have been to the site numerous times many years ago. I never went into the mine but a couple of my friends have. It has been operating since 1959.

Rowland Howe was Mine General Manger at Goderich from 1995 to 2011 and led the expansion and modernization of the mine. He joined Atlas Salt as President and Director this year as he knows how big the potential of this is. This gives Atlas very strong expertise in this sector. Patrick Laracy is CEO with over 30 years experience and lives in Newfoundland. John Anderson from New Found Gold is also a director.

SALT has a small market cap of just US$58 million compared to Compass at over US$2 billion, and the Great Atlantic Salt project has the potential to be a Goderich-type asset. Of course more development is required, but SALT has already started their feasibility study. Some drilling is planned as part of the feasibility to potentially expand the deposit closer to port so a decline into the deposit could be a shorter shipping distance to port, perhaps about 3 kilometers.

This YouTube video is a must-view. It will give you an excellent perspective on the industry and company.

On the chart, there is strong support around $0.65 and the stock just bounced off this level. It also just tested first resistance around $1.00. Once that is breached there will probably be a quick test of the $1.35 area.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosures:

1) Ron Struthers: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own securities of the following companies mentioned in this article: Atlas Salt Inc.

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(U.S. Air Force)

DAYTON, Ohio (Tribune News Service)  The events of 9/11 launched the Global War on Terror, setting the Air Force and all of the Department of Defense on a new path.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was affected, as well.

The war "was a huge detour away from what the Air Force had planned for the first decade of the new century," said Loren Thompson, chief operating officer of the Virginia non-profit Lexington Institute and a defense analyst familiar with Wright-Patterson.

"Like the other military services, (the Air Force) was looking to emerging technologies to transform the way that war was fought. Instead, it found itself fighting fleeting, ragtag terrorists who had no air defenses and no air force."

During the war on terror, the Air Force could fly a then-50-year-old bomber like the B-52 above the enemy and not worry about surface-to-air missiles.

"Obviously that is not getting you ready to compete with countries like Russia and China," Thompson said.

But retired Air Force Gen. Lester Lyles, who commanded Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base 20 years ago, said the DoD never lost sight of what are sometimes called "near-peer rivals," nations like Russia and China.

And strategic posture "definitely was not impacted or interrupted" by the war on terror, he said.

But, Lyles added, "There was a realization that this was a different type of warfare. There was a change in terms of focus areas, where you would apply technologies, requirements and needs and capabilities.

"So yes. Things did change."

The U.S. had been hit by terror attacks before. But 9/11 was a watershed moment.

"What changed on 9/11, apart from our devastating losses, was Americans' understanding of the scale and importance of this war. Our leaders also gained greater will and ability to commit the resources necessary to fight it most effectively," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Susan E. Rice wrote in 2003.

Many of the changes were unmistakable  the military quickly launched two overseas wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in early October 2001, less than a month after the events of 9/11.

And two years after 9/11, some 130,000 American troops found themselves in Iraq.

Mark Cancian, senior advisor with the Center for Strategic and International Studies' International Security Program, said some changes were gradual. Reliance grew on drones. The protection of ground forces was emphasized everywhere, with security growing stronger at military installations.

Other areas of technology  ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and close air support of troops, for example  either took on new guises or were deployed in new ways.

The extended life of the Air Force bomber force might be seen as another outcome of the wars after 9/11, some believe.

"They were able to safeguard their place in a way they may not have," had 9/11 not happened, Thompson said.

Drones had been used well before 9/11, but their usage grew.

"It was pushed very hard, not only from the top but from the field," Cancian said of UAVs.

Cancian sees reliance on UAVs as being as close to permanent as anything can be in constantly changing strategies.

"The Air Force built this very large UAV establishment which it did not have before and which it had not been terribly enthusiastic about before, but was really forced into this new technology," he said.

"That is directly traceable to 9/11 and the wars."

Lyles, a retired four-star general, said development of drones had been proceeding for some time.

"Their use and application, and how we could quickly buy them and also adapt them for a wartime environment, was immediately stepped up," he said.

Wright-Patterson grew quickly in the years after 9/11. The National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), in particular, saw speedy growth.

Jeff Hoagland told the Dayton Daily News in 2019 that NASIC had grown by about 100 jobs per year for 15 straight years.

"We needed more diverse intelligence, and we had to develop all sorts of novel capabilities," Thompson said.

But the biggest boon to Wright-Patterson was not 9/11, but the 2005 BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) process, said retired Maj. Gen. Todd Stewart, who served as the director of planning and programs at AFMC at Wright-Patterson 20 years ago.

"Certainly, the fallout from 9/11 had implications for what was done, what is done here at Wright-Patt," Stewart said.

"But the big driver, probably the bigger driver, was the 2005 BRAC decision. It moved a whole bunch of stuff from Texas and elsewhere up here to Wright-Patt."

As a result of the 2005 BRAC decisions, the School of Aerospace Medicine moved from Brooks City Base in San Antonio to Wright-Patterson in 2011. The school had been in San Antonio for 85 years.

"That was probably the biggest increase," Stewart said.

Retired Air Force Col. Mike Hazen  the commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson 20 years ago  noted that before 9/11, most motorists drove on base with simply a front sticker on the bumper or window of their automobile.

"We gave those stickers to friends and families almost," he recalled.

The war on terror ended that. At least in the immediate aftermath, base security personnel were searching vehicles. Today, they rigorously check each driver's license.

The Air Force added millions of dollars in fencing for Wright-Patterson and other bases, Hazen said. Before 9/11, not all areas had been fenced in.

The nation's citizen-soldiers changed perhaps more dramatically than other segments of what is sometimes called the "total force"  the complete shield of active-duty, Reserve and National Guard personnel, working together across all military branches.

Major Gen. John Harris, Ohio adjutant general, said 9/11 and its resulting wars essentially changed the National Guard irreversibly. Before, the Guard often stayed poised for action in "strategic reserve" while the active component went overseas to fight, he said.

Shortly after 9/11, however, "We started mobilizing people right away," he said.

The reason was clear. The nation's military had shrunk after the end of the cold war. In 2017, there were some 1.34 million men and women serving on active duty, according to Pew Research. That number had been down from a high of 1.46 million in 2010  and was down far more from more than 2 million active duty service members in 1990.

Today, some 41% of the Army's combat units are in the National Guard, Harris said

"For such a protracted conflict, there was no way the Army could function without its National Guard," he said.

The Guard is more indispensable than ever, and Harris said he believes his active-duty counterparts understand that. The Guard has units that have deployed three or four times in the past 20 years.

Indeed, 14 soldiers and one Airman from Ohio lost their lives in service in the past 20 years, he said.

Said Harris: "If a person joins the National Guard today, they know they're not only going to deploy once but probably multiple times."

"The Guard became a big part of their (the military's) plan, and they had no choice to switch us from an operational reserve to a big part of their force," said Col. Jeff Watkins, chief of joint staff for the Ohio National Guard.

(c)2021 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

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U.S. Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez was one of 13 military service members killed inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, by a suicide bomber on Aug. 26. At least 170 Afghans also were killed. (Sanchez family)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Tribune News Service)  Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto "Bert" Sanchez, one of 13 U.S. service members who died in Afghanistan during an explosion amid evacuation efforts, will be brought home to Indiana on Sunday.

He was 22 years old.

His body will be flown to Grissom Air Reserve Base on Sunday, Sept. 12, according to Gundrum Funeral Home and Crematory, which is handling his services. A procession escorting him back to Logansport will leave the airbase about 10:45 a.m. The route is listed online on their Facebook page and on Google Maps, shared by Indiana State Police.

People are encouraged to honor Sanchez and line the procession route, with state police suggesting the following viewing areas: Foreman Drive near Grissom Air Reserve Base, along State Road 218 and U.S. 35 in Walton, and along the entire route in Logansport.

There will be a garrison flag positioned at Market and 8th streets in Logansport, with the procession stopping there for about 30 seconds, state police shared. There will not be a ceremony on Sunday once Sanchez arrives in Logansport.

On Monday, Sept. 13., LifeGate Church will host a public visitation from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The church will host a public funeral service on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. The service will be streamed online on his tribute page at gundrumcares.com.

Sanchez will be laid to rest, with military graveside rites, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Logansport.

Sanchez was born and raised in the northern Indiana city, graduating from Logansport High School in 2017. His community has been honoring him with displays and messages over the last week, most recently with a mural at a McDonald's where he worked in high school, shared by the Logansport Art Association.



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A Navy MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 ferries cargo from the dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew, background, to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during a vertical replenishment March 1, 2012, in the Arabian Sea. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Benjamin T. Liston/U.S. Navy photo)

WASHINGTON  A Navy helicopters rotor struck the flight deck after landing on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, causing the crash that killed five sailors last week, according to a Naval Safety Center report.

An MH-60S Knighthawk had just touched down aboard the Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 31 when it experienced side-to-side vibrations causing the main rotor to strike [the] flight deck, according to the report.

The helicopter then fell over the side of the carrier and into the ocean off the coast of San Diego, according to the report. One sailor was rescued, but five others  Petty Officer 2nd Class James P. Buriak, Petty Officer 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns, Lt. Bradley A. Foster, Lt. Paul R. Fridley and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker  were never recovered.

The Navy and Coast Guard searched for the missing crew members for four days before declaring them dead on Saturday. The sailors were assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8, according to the Navy.

Five other Abraham Lincoln sailors were injured in the incident, but the Navy has not released further detail about how they were hurt. Two were taken to San Diego for treatment while the others were treated on board for minor injuries, the service said Sept. 1.

The crash was the Navys 10th "aviation class-A mishap this year, which the service defines as one that causes a fatality or permanent total disability, more than $2.5 million in damages or destroys an aircraft, according to the report.

It was also the first fatal Navy aviation crash of 2021, though two crew members were seriously injured Aug. 19 in a TH-57 Sea Ranger crash at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Santa Rosa, Fla., according to the report.

Caitlin Doornbos
An MQ-9 Sea Guardian unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft system flies over Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Coronado during U.S. Pacific Fleets Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem 21 on April 21, 2021. (Shannon Renfroe/U.S. Navy)

WASHINGTON  The Navy will launch its first task force dedicated to unmanned systems and artificial intelligence in the Middle East on Thursday as the U.S. military continues to shift its counterterrorism forces within the region, the service announced.

Naval Forces Central Command will oversee Task Force 59, which will concentrate unmanned and AI capabilities from across the Navy and roll them out for sailors to use in a real-world, complex setting, said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of NAVCENT and 5th Fleet.

We need to get unmanned systems out into the fleet into the hands of operators, so this is exactly what we're doing here at NAVCENT with Task Force 59, he said Wednesday.

Cooper declined to say whether the new task force would be involved with counterterrorism missions, though he said NAVCENT has been very involved with Afghanistan from a [noncombatant evacuation] standpoint.

The establishment of the Navy task force in the Middle East comes as the U.S. boosts its reliance on unmanned capabilities in the region after withdrawing all American forces from Afghanistan last week and ending 20 years of military involvement in that country.

U.S. Central Command has said it will continue to conduct over-the-horizon counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan if needed. That included two drone strikes on Islamic State fighters in Kabul in the final days of U.S. evacuation efforts from the city.

The Task Force will employ some technologies that have not yet been used in daily operations. The idea is to evaluate the systems in a real-world setting, which is exactly what will help us accelerate the technology development and integration across the fleet," Cooper said.

This effort is really to get the unmanned systems in the hands of the operators so they can put it against real problems and determine whether it helps solve those problems and if it doesn't, perhaps we should look for [other options,] he said.

Task Force 59 will integrate the Navys arsenal of aerial, surface and undersea drones and AI systems as a means to do two things: enhance our maritime domain awareness and to increase our deterrence, Cooper said.

Among those unmanned and AI technologies are those used in the Pacific Fleets Unmanned Battle Problem 21, a weeklong exercise in April that tested manned and unmanned capabilities in invented scenarios, Cooper said.

The initiative comes as the Pentagon pushes to further integrate AI and unmanned capabilities into the forces as it focuses on confronting near-peer adversaries such as China. In its 2022 budget, the Defense Department requested $112 billion for development, testing and evaluation  its largest-ever request for the category that includes AI and autonomous systems development.

Beijing already talks about using AI for a range of missions, from surveillance to cyberattacks to autonomous weapons, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence in July. Chinas leaders have made clear they intend to be globally dominant in AI by the year 2030.

Primarily, the drones and AI systems will be used to offer a more complex picture of the surrounding environment, from above and below the surface, Cooper said.

An unmanned surface vessel nested with five or six or 10 other unmanned surface vessels patrolling a certain area in this region offers us the ability to see what's happening in that region and would obviously deter malign activity that would happen there, he said.

The 5th Fleet region, which spans from the Red Sea to parts of the Indian Ocean, offers benefits to testing the equipment in operational settings as the waterways are ripe for real-world evaluation with its 5,000 miles of coastline and three critical choke points, including the Strait of Hormuz, the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, and the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, Cooper said.

I think that environment really suits us well to experiment and move faster, he said. Our belief is if the new systems can work here, they can probably work anywhere else.

Caitlin Doornbos
An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea, Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. (Isaiah Williams/U.S. Navy)

A Navy aircraft carrier strike group and a destroyer steamed separately through the South China Sea on Wednesday, just days after China imposed a law requiring foreign vessels to give notice before entering waters claimed by Beijing.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold asserted navigation rights and freedoms within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, according to a 7th Fleet news release Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group were training elsewhere in the region, according to the Navy.

The entire Spratly chain is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan; the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also claim portions of them.

Neither warship provided notice to any country with claims in the South China Sea, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Mark Langford told Stars and Stripes in an email Wednesday.

Also Wednesday, the Chinese military issued a statement saying the Benfold entered the area without permission and that it had tracked, monitored and warned off the destroyer.

The statement, attributed to Col. Tian Junli of the Southern Theater Command, said Beijing has indisputable sovereignty over the islands. It also called the U.S. a security risk maker in the South China Sea and the biggest destroyer of peace and regional stability.

The 7th Fleet responded with its own statement Wednesday afternoon, saying the operation abided by international law. It called Beijings statement the latest in a long string of actions intended to misrepresent the Navys operations and assert excessive and illegitimate maritime claims.

China has reclaimed land and built military infrastructure in the Spratlys since 2014, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Mischief Reef is one island China has improved and occupies.

The Benfold made the Navys seventh freedom-of-navigation operation in the area this year, according to a Defense Department statement Langford provided to Stars and Stripes. The U.S. last conducted a freedom-of-navigation operation in the Spratly Islands in February.

The United States challenges excessive maritime claims without regard to the nation asserting them, the statement said.

In late July the Benfold passed through the Taiwan Strait, another practice that China routinely condemns.

The Carl Vinson held flight operations and maritime strike exercises and coordinated training between surface and air units on Monday, Carl Vinson spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Miranda Williams said in an email to Stars and Stripes Tuesday.

Carrier operations in the South China Sea are not new or unusual, she wrote. Our Navy has flown, sailed, and operated throughout the Indo-Pacific region in accordance with international law for more than 75 years and will continue to do so.

The Carl Vinson carries the Navys air wing of the future, aircraft that include the F-35C Lighting II stealth fighters and CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

On Sept. 1, a Chinese law took effect that requires certain foreign vessels, including nuclear-powered ships, submarines and ships carrying dangerous substances, to notify Chinese authorities before entering areas claimed by China, such as the South China Sea.

Chinas law will not hinder U.S. military activities in the region, according to Pentagon spokespeople, who said Sept 1. that the Navy would sail wherever international law allows.

Beijings claims in the South China Sea are outlined by the nine-dash line, a demarcation adopted from a 1947 Chinese map. In 2016, a United Nations tribunal declared some of those claims unlawful under the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Documentary producer Gregory Cooke sits with Ruth Wilson at Wilson's Philadelphia home. Cooke interviewed Wilson for his film "Invisible Warriors." (TYGER WILLIAMS, The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  In her early 20s during World War II, Ruth Wilson became a sheet metal worker at the Navy Yard, helping to build an aircraft carrier.

She ended up building much more. Wilson is one of 600,000 African American "Rosie the Riveters," whose contributions helped win the war and expand the Black middle class. Their efforts have long been overlooked and are the subject of a forthcoming documentary by Philadelphia native Gregory Cooke. On Wednesday, Wilson, now 99, is returning to the shipyard for the first time since WWII and since her sheet metal job ended.

Looking back, she said, the job was transformative, coming with a bigger paycheck and a new level of economic independence. "That changed my life," she said in an interview Tuesday. "I could do more things for the kids, and I never went back to housework."

But before meeting Cooke, Wilson had not thought of herself as a "Rosie," or considered that she'd done historically important work during the war.

Cooke, a former Drexel University writing instructor turned filmmaker, is on a mission to change that perception for the public. He founded the Basil and Becky Educational Foundation  named for his uncle and his mother  to spotlight Black history. And he has worked on the film Invisible Warriors: African American Women in World War II for over a decade. The film has been shown in select screenings so far, and Cooke plans for it to be released next year.

All the women he interviewed for the documentary "had no idea of their historical significance," Cooke said. His late mother, a typist in the U.S. Patent Office during the war, also didn't know she was a Rosie. "I think through my work, I say this with all humility, I expanded the definition of what Rosies were," Cooke said.

Ruth Wilson, 99, a sheet metal worker at the Navy Yard during World War II, is one of 600,000 African American "Rosie the Riveters" who helped win the war and expand the Black middle class. She is featured in a forthcoming documentary by Gregory Cooke. (TYGER WILLIAMS, The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

The story he tells in Invisible Warriors is also one of broader economic empowerment in an era of racial segregation. Black women left behind jobs as sharecroppers and domestic workers for wartime employment, whether in heavy industry or a government office.

Rosies, together with African Americans who served in the military, "were really the launching pad for the Black middle class," Cooke said.

Visiting what's now the Philly Shipyard for a brief ceremony, with Wilson's two daughters and two granddaughters in attendance, makes a "complete circle," Cooke said.

In his search for interview subjects, Cooke contacted senior living facilities. Wilson recalled the day she heard a manager at her apartment complex, asking over the loudspeaker for anyone who'd worked at the Navy Yard during World War II to please come down. Wilson agreed to let the manager pass her phone number to Cooke.

"I never dreamed it was going to be this big," Wilson said.

As she put it, "a lightbulb went on" when she found out Cooke had interviewed the famous civil rights activist Dorothy Height, the longtime president of the National Council of Negro Women who died in April 2010. The film also features former Camden Mayor Gwen Faison, who worked in RCA's wartime manufacturing operations and died this past July.

Wilson was born in 1922 in Maryland, and raised mostly in New Jersey, after her parents died, and she and her siblings went to live with an aunt and uncle.

She later moved to Philadelphia, where she did housework, and eventually found a job in the laundry at the Navy Yard. "They wanted me to work during my lunch hour," she said. Wilson refused, and quit  then received a letter from the government saying she was not allowed to quit because of the war.

So she went back to the Navy Yard, took a test, and was then sent to vocational school.

"I ended up going to sheet metal school," Wilson said. She graduated after about six weeks, and reported for work, helping to install bulkheads on the USS Valley Forge.

Her husband, meanwhile, was serving in the military in Europe, as Wilson worked and raised their two daughters.

Reflecting on how discrimination affected her life at the time, Wilson recalled: "My husband always said, if he hadn't had family here, he would have never come back here after the war. He said, because Europe treated them much better, over there than they did here."

Wilson's family tree, reflected in family photos around her apartment, includes two granddaughters, five great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She is very proud of them.

The grandchildren in the family are amazed by "what she had to go through," said 80-year-old Deborah Wilson, one of Wilson's two daughters. Deborah recollected, for instance, that when her mother lived in New Jersey, she was not allowed to sit downstairs in a segregated movie theater.

Another time, Wilson was working for a family who asked her to take their two little girls to dinner. The maitre d' said the restaurant wouldn't serve her.

"We always faced it, but you know, you went along with it because you had no other recourse," Wilson said of the racism she faced. "But you didn't like it. You just had to accept it. And where you could speak out, you did."

"Young people now," she is quick to add, "are going to get their way. They're going to change the world."

(c)2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Staff members of a hospital morgue in Tangerang, Indonesia, stand among body bags containing the victims of a prison fire on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia  A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesia's capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.

Firefighters battled through the early morning hours to extinguish the flames as black smoke billowed from the compound of the Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta.

After the blaze was extinguished, ambulance after ambulance filled with body bags containing the victims were driven by Red Cross workers to the morgue of a local hospital, where they were stacked wall-to-wall on the floor of a room awaiting transport to a larger facility for identification.

Relatives of prisoners trickled in to the prison throughout the day to check and see whether their loved ones were among those killed.

Most of the 41 killed were drug convicts, including a man from South Africa and a man from Portugal, while other victims included a terrorism convict and a murderer, Indonesia's Law and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly told reporters.

He expressed his deep condolences for the families of the victims and pledged to provide the best treatment for those injured.

"This is a tragedy that concerns all of us," Laoly said. "We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire."

The fire broke out at 1:45 a.m. in Block C2 of the prison, where the 19 cells that were built to hold 40 inmates were stuffed full with more than triple that number. The cause of the blaze appears to have been an electrical short circuit, according to initial findings, Jakarta Police Chief Fadil Imran said.

As the fire was brought under control, hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent prisoners from escaping, Imran told reporters near the scene.

Police officers inspect damaged cells after a fire at Tangerang Prison in Tangerang, Indonesia, on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (Indonesian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights via AP)

Problems are rampant in Indonesia's prisons, largely due to overcrowding. More than half of the system's inmates are being held on narcotics offenses; a product of the country's war on drugs.

As of July, there were a total of 268,610 inmates in Indonesia's prisons, which were built to hold 132,107 people.

Tangerang prison, located in the heart of Tangerang city in Jakarta's neighboring province of Banten, was designed to house 900 inmates but has more than 2,000, Laoly said. Officials had earlier said it was built to accommodate 1,225 inmates.

The government has acknowledged the problem, and is planning to refocus its approach toward drug offenders to start looking at them as addicts who need treatment, rather than criminals, in the hope of dramatically reducing the number incarcerated.

Reynhard Silitonga, the head of corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, told The Associated Press in an e-mail that if there isn't a change in policy, the number of inmates could top 400,000 within five years.

With the new approach, "the spirit of handling drug offenders, especially users, is directed at the health aspect, no longer imprisonment," he said.

He did not say how long it would take to implement the changes.

In addition to those who died in the Tangerang fire, eight inmates were hospitalized with severe burns and nine with light injuries were treated at a prison clinic, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said. Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound for observation.

The 15 corrections officers guarding the cell block were unhurt, said Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department.

Agus Toyib, who heads the Banten provincial law and human rights office, which oversees Tangerang, said understaffing at the prison led to delays in rescuing inmates from their locked cells.

"Most victims caught fire as they didn't have enough time to get out of their cells and the fire was growing rapidly," he said.
An RQ-4B Global Hawk lifts off for the first time from Palmdale, Calif., April 15, 2021. It is the first of three that will be operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. (Northrop Grumman)

The maker of the U.S. militarys longest-range unmanned surveillance aircraft will get nearly $40 million to develop software for RQ-4 Global Hawks operated by Japan and South Korea.

The contract, awarded to San Diego-based Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, is worth up to $39.9 million for work on both countries drones under the Foreign Military Sales program the Defense Department announced Sept. 1.

Northrop Grumman manufactures the aircraft, which have been in service with the Air Force since 2001.

The Foreign Military Sales program authorizes sales of weapons and services to other countries when the deals strengthen U.S. security and promote world peace.

South Korea has four Global Hawks that are believed to be flown out of Sacheon Air Base, near the port of Busan, according to an October report by Janes Defence Weekly.

The first of three Global Hawks the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will operate from Misawa Air Base in the countrys northeast made its maiden flight in California in April.

Northrop Grummans deal provides for the co-development, testing and integration of software for the U.S. allies Global Hawk fleets, according to the DOD announcement.

The work, due to be completed by July 31, 2023, will be done in San Diego with integration efforts at Misawa and Sacheon, the announcement states.

The Global Hawk flies at 60,000 feet and has a line of sight to targets more than 340 miles away, according to Northrop Grumman.

The exact range of the aircrafts cameras and sensors is classified, but a Global Hawk flying near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, for example, could see well beyond the Yalu River that marks North Koreas border with China.

A single RQ-4 costs about $130 million, according to the Reuters news agency, quoting industry sources in 2019.

The Air Force has positioned its own Global Hawks at Misawa for several summers since 2014. The drones come to Japan to avoid typhoons at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. In recent years, including 2020, they have operated out of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo during summer.
Buy Photo Then-U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris poses at his residence in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2020. (Stars and Stripes)

Washington should review its ambiguous position on defending Taiwan during a Chinese attack, according to a former Indo-Pacific Command leader who warned that Beijing seeks to dominate the island democracy.

The Communist Party of China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force. Since 1979s Taiwan Relations Act, Washington has left some doubt as to what conditions would dictate U.S. involvement to prevent that from happening.

"We should reconsider  our longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity, retired Navy Adm. Harry Harris told Japans Kyodo News during a recent interview from Colorado. "If, at the end of that  reassessment, we keep the same policy, that's fine. But we shouldn't keep it simply because we've done it that way since the late 1970s.

The policy is intended to deter both Beijing and Taiwan from escalating their feud by leaving doubt as to when or if the U.S. might intervene in conflict. However, Chinas military buildup and aggression toward its neighbors have led to calls for a reassessment of the stance.

In March, then-INDOPACOM commander Adm. Philip Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee he believed China could overtake Taiwan and force reunification in the next six years.

He also suggested the U.S. review its policy regarding relations with Taiwan.

I would submit that weve got more than 40 years of the strategic ambiguity that has helped keep Taiwan in its current status, he said. But, you know, these things should be reconsidered routinely. Id look forward to the conversation.

The sitting INDOPACOM commander, Adm. John Aquilino, has also warned that "this problem is much closer to us than most think," without giving a timeline for China achieving the capability to invade the island.

Harris told Kyodo the U.S. should be "clearer in what our responsibilities are" under the Taiwan Relations Act that governs U.S. ties with Taiwan. Washington has "not been consistent," he said, especially over its arms sales to the island.

"If you're not consistent in what you sell Taiwan or any other country, then how can they be  how can they adequately plan for their military readiness, in the long run?" said Harris, who recently served as U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

U.S. Navy warships have made eight transits of the Taiwan Strait this year, the latest on Aug. 27 by the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd and Coast Guard cutter Munro.

Meanwhile, Taiwans Defense Ministry, in an annual report, warned that China could "paralyze" its defenses in a conflict, Bloomberg News reported Sept. 1.

A debate over strategic ambiguity has merit, according to Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.

The policy was adopted to restrain Taiwan, as much as China. Today it seems less likely that the islands leaders would be provocative, Chong said by telephone Wednesday.

Taiwan seems far more willing to be the restrained party, he said.

Beijing, at the same time, is increasingly forward leaning and aggressive with flights of military aircraft and patrols of naval vessels, Chong added.

Theres an argument to be made that the U.S. has to be clear about its commitment to deter aggression across the Taiwan Strait, he said.
Buy Photo People walk outside Shibuya Station in central Tokyo, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Tokyo prefecture recorded 1,834 COVID-19 infections that day. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

TOKYO  New coronavirus cases discovered daily in Japans capital city continued to trend lower Wednesday and fell below 2,000 for a third consecutive day.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported another 1,834 people tested positive Wednesday, 1,334 fewer than a week prior, according to public broadcaster NHK and metro government data. New infections have fallen below the previous weeks numbers for 17 days in a row.

Meanwhile, U.S. military bases in Japan reported 37 new cases of COVID-19 since Sept. 1.

Yokosuka Naval Base, homeport of the 7th Fleet south of Tokyo, had 30 people test positive since Friday, according to a base news release Wednesday.

Eight base employees and nine people affiliated with the Navy, all unimmunized, came down with COVID-19 symptoms; another nine immunized people also fell ill, according to the base.

Medical screenings discovered two unimmunized and one immunized patient, and one unimmunized person turned up during contact tracing, the release said.

The base has 65 people under medical observation.

Naval Air Facility Atsugi, 26 miles southwest of central Tokyo, had one person identified as a close contact turn up positive Tuesday, according to a base news release.

U.S. Army Japan, headquartered at Camp Zama 28 miles southwest of Tokyo, discovered six people with COVID-19 between Sept. 1 and Wednesday, according to a news release.

One individual was tested by Japanese officials upon arrival in Japan. Another reported COVID-19 symptoms and four were already quarantined after contact with a previously infected person, according to the Army.

Another person at Zama Middle School tested positive on Monday, according to a message to parents, students and staff from Principal Henry LeFebre on Tuesday.

All Zama classrooms will remain open while public health authorities trace that persons contacts, he wrote. The school remained open after reporting a coronavirus case Sept. 1.

Japan reported another 10,634 new cases Tuesday and 62 deaths related to COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Nearly half, 48.1%, of Japans population, or 61 million people, are fully vaccinated.

South Korea update

U.S. Forces Korea had 11 people test positive for COVID-19 after arriving on the peninsula between Aug. 17 and Sunday, according to a news release.

All 11  six service members, four Defense Department civilian employees and a family member  arrived on commercial flights at Incheon International Airport between those dates, according to USFK.

Five tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, four tested positive during quarantine, and two were positive on the test required to exit quarantine. All were isolated at either Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Base.

South Korea reported another 2,050 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, according to the Korean Center for Disease Control and Preventions daily update Wednesday. Of those, 665 were discovered in Seoul and 691 in Gyeonggi province, where Humphreys and Osan are located.

As of Tuesday, 36.6% of South Koreas population, or 19 million people, are fully vaccinated, according to KDCA. Another 61%, or 31.3 million, have received the first of a two-dose vaccine.
Buy Photo Secretary of State Antony Blinken answers a question at a press conference during his visit to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 8, 2021. Blinken was at Ramstein to meet Afghan refugees, talk to U.S. service members and thank German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Germany for their help during the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  Secretary of State Antony Blinken got an up-close look Wednesday at Ramsteins role in one of the largest air evacuation efforts in U.S. history, meeting with American military personnel and a couple of dozen Afghan evacuees.

Blinken toured evacuee operations on base, and in an interview with Stars and Stripes, called the small city on the tarmac  quite extraordinary.

During remarks at the officers club with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Blinken thanked Germany for its pivotal role in facilitating the evacuation of 124,000 people from Afghanistan in recent weeks. Of that number, more than 34,000 transited through Ramstein on to the United States and other destinations.

The fact that Germany generously stepped up and offered to serve as a temporary transit location for Afghans at risk is a remarkable gesture of compassion and statesmanship, Blinken said. They found a safe place to catch their breath and many people eager to help them.

Evacuees expressed gratitude for what weve done to get them out of Afghanistan and support them on their way to a new life, he said.

Buy Photo German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, left, listens to his U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken answer a question at a press conference during their visit to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 8, 2021. Blinken was at Ramstein to meet Afghan refugees, talk to U.S. service members and thank German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Germany for their help during the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Some evacuees at Ramstein have asked Germany for asylum. Maas said the number was less than 1% of those transiting through Ramstein.

Some applicants have relatives in Germany, he said. Its not clear whether theyll be allowed to stay in Germany while their cases are reviewed.

Besides the Ramstein tour, Blinken joined a virtual meeting of officials from 22 countries as well as NATO, the European Union and the United Nations, to discuss the way forward with the Taliban.

On Tuesday, the Taliban announced a new interim cabinet, and the selections did not fulfill the groups vow to install a more moderate and inclusive government this time around. Maas said the makeup of the interim cabinet does not make us optimistic.

Blinken said judgment will be based on the cabinet members and their actions.

The Afghan people deserve an inclusive government  one thats more broadly representative of the Afghan people, he said.

Future dealings, including the need to provide Afghanistan with humanitarian aid, are complicated by the installation of an all-male interim government with no outside political or ethnic minority representation.

Without a more representative government, the country risks increased tension and violence and even civil war, Blinken said.

Both Blinken and Maas said the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is dire and must be addressed. About 50% of the Afghan population is in need of some form of assistance, Blinken said, citing information from the U.N.

In the interview with Stars and Stripes, Blinken said assistance can be delivered directly to those in need by nongovernmental organizations and U.N. agencies, not through the government.

During remarks with Maas, Blinken also called on the Taliban to stop blocking charter flights with Americans trying to leave Afghanistan. There have been reports that planes carrying Americans have been stuck at the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif.

The Taliban have claimed that some of the passengers dont have the required documentation to depart.

Blinken said the U.S. is working to solve the issue but has limited options without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security procedures in place.
Buy Photo Shoppers ride the escalators in the K in Lautern mall in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Under new rules in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, shops and restaurants will no longer have to shut down when coronavirus numbers tick up above certain levels. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes)

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany  The German state that is home to Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases and several U.S. Army installations is doing away with coronavirus lockdowns but tightening restrictions on unvaccinated people.

Under new rules that take effect Sunday, people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 can attend indoor and outdoor gatherings, go to a movie, shop and eat out, much as they did before the pandemic, Rheinland-Pfalz Chief Minister Malu Dreyer said Tuesday after meeting with state leaders.

Hotels, cinemas, stores and restaurants will no longer have to close when infections climb above a certain level, and indoor and outdoor events can go ahead, she said in a statement posted on the state governments website.

We no longer see lockdowns as a protective mechanism, Dreyer said.

Buy Photo People walk past shops in the pedestrian zone in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on June 12, 2021. The state of Rheinland-Pfalz, which includes Kaiserslautern and numerous military installations, is adopting new coronavirus rules that do away with lockdowns. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo People eat outside near the market square in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Under new coronavirus rules in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, shops and restaurants will be allowed to stay open when COVID-19 numbers rise above certain levels. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes)

Instead, the state will seek to avoid overloading the health system by reducing the number of unvaccinated people allowed into cultural venues, dining establishments and other businesses when infections increase, she added.

While the number of infections around Germany has stagnated in recent days, hospitalizations are up and the number of patients in intensive care with COVID-19 almost doubled, to more than 1,300 in the past two weeks, Lothar Wieler, the head of Germanys disease prevention agency, told reporters in Berlin Wednesday.

The overwhelming majority of those seriously ill patients are not vaccinated, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said at the same news conference, urging more Germans to get the shot or face a fourth wave of COVID-19 in the fall.

About 61% of Germany's population has been vaccinated, according to The Associated Press. Thats a lower percentage than in some other European countries.

At Ramstein Air Base, nearly 90% of active duty airmen have received at least one dose, giving the base one of the highest vaccination rates in the Air Force, Lt. Col. Will Powell, a spokesman for the 86th Airlift Wing, told Stars and Stripes.

The Army military community in Germany is nearly 90% vaccinated, said Gino Mattorano, spokesman for Regional Health Command Europe.

It was not immediately clear how peoples vaccination or recovery status would be checked in Rheinland-Pfalz, but Germany began issuing digital and printed vaccination certificates earlier this year. They are available for free to fully vaccinated Americans living in Germany.

People who have recovered from COVID-19 need either a positive PCR test result or a letter from their doctor, saying a PCR test has confirmed they had the illness caused by the coronavirus. The test must have been carried out at least four weeks earlier and be no more than six months old.

The state also changed its coronavirus alert system, which currently allows restrictions to be tightened or loosened based only on the weekly number of new infections per 100,000 residents of a district or city.

Starting Sunday, the seven-day incidence of people hospitalized with COVID-19 and the percentage of intensive care beds that are taken up with COVID-19 patients will also be taken into account.

Children under 12 and people who cant have the shot for health reasons are counted as vaccinated under the new rules.

Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report.
U.S. Special Forces soldiers look for enemy fighters moving on a mountainside during a firefight, during an operation in Afghanistan's Laghman province in 2016. (Connor Mendez/U.S. Army)

This story is part of a series that examines the impact of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The adaptations required of the U.S. military for its irregular warfare since 9/11 have created a risk that American forces will lose in an armed conflict against a major power, and now the country must reacclimate to more traditional foes, some experts warn.

American combat after 9/11 did not feature conventional warfare against massed units, but instead pitted the U.S. and its allies against small bands of insurgents lacking air forces, navies or jamming technology of note. These fighters could simply melt into the populace after a clash.

As a result of battling guerrillas for almost two decades, the skills the U.S. needs to fight a major power with modern technology have atrophied, government officials and analysts say.

You have whole generations of soldiers with firsthand experience in fighting wars that probably wont look very much like the wars youd be fighting in the future, said Karl P. Mueller, a senior political scientist at the Rand Corp.

An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission over Nevada in 2019. American drones were effective against terrorists, but experts say they would be shot down easily in traditional great-power warfare. (William Rio Rosado/U.S. Air Force) The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan plows through the Arabian Sea on Sept. 6, 2021. The Taliban did not have missiles to sink aircraft carriers, but in a conventional war against Russia or China, that would not be the case. (Michael B. Jarmiolowski)

Calls for reform began well before the U.S. war in Afghanistan ended in a Taliban victory last month, but the coming years will most likely see a greater urgency for changes in strategy and tactics.

The DOD is refocusing after two decades of fighting insurgencies to great-power competition, said Elizabeth Threlkeld, a South Asia expert at the Stimson Center in Washington. That is going to require a significant retooling in the way the U.S. fights.

Mueller said a war against China or Russia would lead to deaths and equipment losses on a scale far beyond the worst days in Iraq or Afghanistan, and he noted that war games simulating a conflict against Russia or China frequently end in decisive defeats for the U.S.

While these war games are meant to be difficult and test U.S. military planners, they are not overly pessimistic, he said.

The war declared on terrorism after 9/11 altered nearly every aspect of the American approach to combat.

Counterinsurgency efforts put low-level military officers in charge of economically developing areas amid conflict in the belief that doing so would sway locals to support allied governments, which were often corrupt.

The U.S. also engaged in counterterrorism, which encouraged military leaders to rely on small units of elite special operations forces. These units could find and kill enemies in shadowy operations with minimal public oversight.

Special operations forces have almost risen to the status of a separate service, said retired Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, who commanded Marines in Helmand province from 2010 to 2011. He added that the past 20 years led to vast changes in how the U.S. military communicates on the battlefield.

A U.S. Special Forces soldier waits for nightfall to start an operation in Laghman province, Afghanistan, in 2016. (Connor Mendez/U.S. Army) The joint operations center at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. Modern command centers feature arrays of screens with live drone imagery, which is beamed to high-ranking leaders thousands of miles away. ( U.S. Africa Command )

A World War II veteran could walk into an average command center of the 1990s, with its radios and paper maps, and feel at home, said Mills, who began his military career in 1975. But modern command centers feature arrays of screens sharing live battlefield imagery captured by aerial drones and beamed to high-ranking leaders thousands of miles away, Mills said.

This strategy, with its reliance on elite forces backed up by airstrikes and use of real-time communications, would most likely have to change against a technologically advanced foe such as China, analysts say.

The main danger is that we will assume dependable communications connectivity at all levels of command for high data flows in particular, said Michael OHanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he specializes in U.S. defense strategy.

Furthermore, the Taliban did not have missiles able to sink aircraft carriers and devastate airfields or the ability to shoot down aerial refueling tankers and radar surveillance planes. They were also significantly outnumbered by U.S., Afghan and NATO forces, which enjoyed clear advantages in firepower and battlefield mobility.

The battle for the skies will be the most striking difference between fighting insurgents and major powers, Mueller said.

We havent fought an enemy that has had the ability to contest our control of the air since 1972, he said, adding that even the drones used over Afghanistan and Iraq would be easily shot down and that tactics will have to adapt.

The U.S. military sounded the alarm on its eroding competitive advantage in 2018, publishing a National Defense Strategy that said competition between large states, not terrorism, is the primary national security concern.

In recent years, the military established the Space Command, developed organizations to prepare for future wars and updated its field manual to emphasize battlefields where enemies have tanks, artillery, air forces, drones and cyber capabilities.

An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. Aerial drones can send live battlefield imagery to high-ranking leaders thousands of miles away. (Bobbi Zapka/U.S. Air Force)

The end of the war in Afghanistan will make it easier for the U.S. to shift away from counterterrorism to threats like China and Russia, but this could be a mistake, said Brian Michael Jenkins, a senior adviser to the president of the Rand Corp.

The skills honed over the past 20 years are still applicable, as wars against China and Russia would most likely include elements of irregular warfare, Jenkins said.

Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the nonprofit Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of Long War Journal, said that any change in how the U.S. fights will require Americas military leaders to honestly assess the past 20 years.

Over that period, American military leaders created a culture that was not inclined to reflect on its strengths and weaknesses, but instead focused on managing perceptions, Roggio said.

My biggest concern with the U.S. military moving forward is that these generals who have never had accountability will, lets face it, lose us the next war, Roggio said.
Russian Emergency Situation Minister Yevgeny Zinichev attends a meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort Sochi, Russia, on Oct. 27, 2018. According to reports on Wednesday, Sept. 8m, 2021, Zinichev died during drills in the Arctic. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool via AP)

MOSCOW  Russia's emergency situations minister has died during drills, the ministry said Wednesday.

Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, "tragically died in the line of duty during inter-agency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergency situations, while saving a person's life," the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

The ministry didn't offer any details about where or how he died. According to its website, in recent days Zinichev was on a trip to the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk. On Tuesday, he opened large-scale drills spanning seven regions in the Russian Arctic that were scheduled to last through Wednesday.

In a statement sent to the Associated Press, the ministry said Zinichev died while trying to save prominent film director Alexander Melnik, who came to the site of drills. The statement didn't elaborate as to what happened and whether Melnik survived.

The RBC news site reported, citing an anonymous source, that Zinichev died while taking part in a video shoot. He tried to save a cameraman who tripped and fell off a ledge into the water and they both died, the report said.

Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russia's state-funded TV channel RT, also said on social media that is what happened.

"Together with a cameraman, they stood on the edge of a ledge. The cameraman tripped and fell into water. There were enough witnesses  no one had even figured out what had happened when Zinichev rushed into the water after the man and fell onto a protruding stone," Simonyan wrote.

Zinichev became the head of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry in 2018. His predecessor stepped down not long after a major fire in a shopping mall in Siberia killed more than 60 people, sending shockwaves throughout the country.

In 2016, Zinichev had a two-month stint as an acting governor of Russia's westernmost Kaliningrad region. For a long time before that, he was part of President Vladimir Putin's personal security detail.
Syrian army soldiers, are seen through a damaged military truck window in Daraa city, Syria, on May 9, 2012. According to reports on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, Syrian forces entered Daraa as part of a truce negotiated by Russia to end fighting in the city. (Muzaffar Salman/AP)

BEIRUT  Syrian forces Wednesday entered the rebel-held district of a volatile southern city as part of a truce negotiated by Russia to end weeks of fighting, according to state media, the opposition and a war monitor.

The troops are to set up checkpoints and search for gunmen who have refused to implement the agreement that involves surrendering their weapons. It was the first time that government troops have entered Daraa al-Balad, a bastion of the Syrian armed opposition since 2013.

The Russian-negotiated deal went into effect last week to end a government siege and intense fighting in the city of Daraa and with rebel fighters holed up in the city's old quarter, known as Daraa al-Balad. But the cease-fire was riddled with fighting and government bombing of rebel-held areas, where civilians also live.

Following two days of quiet, Syrian army units entered the quarter, raising the Syrian flag over the reconciliation center where hundreds of gunmen have already handed in their weapons, according to the state news agency SANA.

Ahmed al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in neighboring Jordan, said about 400 Syrian troops entered Daraa al-Balad. The gunmen are believed to be holed up in a displaced camp outside the district.

The move will be followed by deployment of nine government checkpoints under the Russian-negotiated deal reported on by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory said the checkpoints will also include Russian military police.

Russia negotiated a cease-fire last week to end the violence that erupted this summer between government forces and opposition fighters, and included a siege on the city that had threatened to undo years of relative calm along the borders with Israel and Jordan.

The opposition blamed the government for the escalation, saying that troops were pressing an offensive to force insurgents to surrender.

Under the agreement, insurgents who accept the deal have to hand over their weapons in return for amnesty. More than 900 have handed their weapons in, according to the Observatory. Those who refused would have to be sent to a rebel-held area in northern Syria.

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 and eventually led to civil war. It was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018 but rebels remained in parts of it. Assad has since regained control of most of Syria with the help of Russia and Iran.

A Russian-mediated deal in 2018 allowed some of the province's 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.

_____

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed reporting.
Preschool children from the New Horizons Child Development Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, attend an event in November 2015. (Michelle Gigante/U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service)  Ohio doesn't especially stand out in a just-released Department of Defense assessment of how well states educate children of military families and how well states welcome professionally licensed military spouses as they try to find employment after a move.

The report, titled "Support of Military Families 2021," grades states by colors. "Green" states are seen as "highly supportive of military families," while "yellow" states are "moderately supportive," with red states regarded as "least supportive."

Schools were judged on several criteria, including student-to-teacher ratios, graduation rates and more. States were measured as well on how well they eliminate barriers to license portability for military spouses.

In terms of licensure portability, only eight states and Washington, D.C., were graded as green. Two states were red, and 41, including Ohio, received a "yellow" ranking.

The nearest green state to Ohio is Michigan.

Ohio appears to fall in the middle of the pack in most categories, despite recent well publicized efforts to make the state more friendly to military families and retirees.

The ranking matters to Pentagon decision-makers. If a state is welcoming to military families, the Department of Defense notices. And if the DOD notices, then so do defense-sector employers.

Making the Buckeye State more welcoming to military families and retirees has long been a priority for state leaders. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with north of 30,000 military and civilian employees, is the state's largest employer at one site.

In a virtual signing ceremony in June 2020, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 16, a bill said to benefit Wright-Patterson families who move into Ohio but don't automatically qualify for lower in-state college tuition reserved for longtime state residents.

The governor also signed Ohio Senate Bill 7 in a January 2020 visit to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. That bill requires state occupational licensing agencies to issue temporary licenses or certificates to uniformed service members and their spouses who are validly licensed in another jurisdiction and have moved to Ohio for military duty.

Another change: Retirement pay received for service on military active duty or the National Guard or Reserves, as well as pay received by surviving spouses, has been exempt from the Ohio income tax since 2008.

Education

Wright-Patterson received an overall "yellow" rating for the array of public schools around the base, falling within the middle 33 percent of all Air Force installations as assessed.

In education, absenteeism and pre-kindergarten education are graded as "red." Suspension rates get a "yellow" grade.

A change from 2019: The overall education rating for schools near Wright-Patt did not shift, "However," the report added, "graduation rates shifted from yellow to red while student-to-teacher ratios shifted from red to yellow."

Licensure portability

Ohio received an overall yellow rating for licensure portability, indicating state statutes "contain barriers to licensure and certification portability for military spouses," the report said, adding: "This assessment was awarded for issuing of temporary licenses."

Ohio also provides temporary licensure with no supervisory requirements for the law profession, the report noted.

"Although Ohio has enacted legislation to join the Physical Therapy Compact, as of the time of this assessment, the compact benefits are not yet being provided to military spouses as additional requirements need to be met in order for Ohio to fully receive all of the compact privileges," the report said.

The compact is described as an "agreement between member states to improve access to physical therapy services for the public by increasing the mobility of eligible physical therapy providers to work in multiple states."

Said the report: "Barriers remain for all occupations as they include language that state boards 'may' issue a temporary license (for) certification to military spouses rather than 'shall' issue."

And the report points to barriers for "other occupations" as current statutes do not exclude any other occupations from licensure portability burdens.

The report says it relied on "publicly available, reputable third-party sources" for its data.

Education data is from the Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection and EDFacts, and Stanford Education Data Archive.

The reports can be found here.

(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.
Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy who was assassinated during his 1968 presidential campaign, watches a video about her late husband on June 5, 2018, during the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights awards ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington. Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday Sept. 7, 2021 that her husband's assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, "should not be paroled." (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

BOSTON  Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.

In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: "He should not be paroled."

"Bobby believed we should work to 'tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world,'" Kennedy, 93, wrote.

"He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband," she wrote, adding: "Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again."

Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Her statement came a week after former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK's oldest son, also denounced the possible parole of Sirhan, 77.

Two other RFK offspring, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, have said they support the release.

The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society, noting that he had enrolled in more than 20 programs including anger management classes, tai chi and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Sirhan has served 53 years of a life sentence.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next four months by the board's staff. Then it will be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.

Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.
The statue of World War I hero Sgt. Alvin C. York stands on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., on March 16, 2021. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

HARRISBURG, Pa.  The academic press that published a Pennsylvania state senator's book about World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York has asked him to review a list of factual errors and sourcing issues in the book and the press' director said Tuesday it plans to publish a corrected version early next year.

University Press of Kentucky director Ashley Runyon outlined plans for the potential corrections and revisions to Sen. Doug Mastriano's book in emails Tuesday to The Associated Press and to another researcher looking into York's 1918 acts of heroism while fighting in France.

Runyon said the press "will allow the author the opportunity to respond to the sources in question before preparing our final list of errata and corrections for a new printing. The verified sources and other corrections will also be reviewed by an outside scholar for confirmation."

She said the press does not typically ask for an outside review for reprints but was "adding this external layer of review to ensure the accuracy of any corrections in the reprint."

Mastriano's opposition to pandemic mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania and support for former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his election loss last year have made him a one-man force in state politics. He has said he is considering running for Pennsylvania governor next year, when incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited.

Researchers have questioned Mastriano's claim that he located York's battle site with precision, identified erroneous footnotes and raised doubts about a photo that appears on the book's cover. Mastriano claims the government photo shows York with prisoners from the famed battle, contradicting the military photographer's caption. The AP also identified sourcing errors in the book in a story published six months ago.

York led a small group of badly outnumbered American soldiers behind German lines to disrupt machine gunfire in the woods of northern France during the waning weeks of the war. More than 20 German soldiers were killed and 132 captured, winning York widespread fame and a Medal of Honor.

Runyon said the University Press of Kentucky sent Mastriano a list of about 30 "queries," some confirming typos and others seeking sources to back up information in the book. He was asked to respond by the end of October, Runyon said.

If he responds, the press and its outside peer reviewer will evaluate the material and incorporate it into a new printing, she said. If he does not, the press will suggest revisions and have the outside peer reviewer approve them.

Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, attends a hearing of the Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Policy Committee, on Nov. 25, 2020, in Gettysburg, Pa. (Julio Cortez/AP)

Mastriano, a Republican who represents Franklin County in southcentral Pennsylvania, did not respond to messages left at his Capitol office and on his cellphone Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It feels like the integrity is coming back, hopefully this new edition next year will finally correct these issues that have been prevalent and help get the story back on track," said James Gregory, a doctoral student in history at the University of Oklahoma who has researched the actions of other men in York's unit.

In the 2014 book "Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne," Mastriano repeatedly dismissed any notion that there is a legitimate dispute about the site where he claims this battle took place. He has claimed that "we know with certainty the location of the York action," that it was "discovered with 100% certainty" and that it "has been located and verified."

Mastriano's research into York helped earn him a doctorate from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. But Gregory and others interested in York's story argue Mastriano's research is plagued with errors  small and large  and that a walking trail to the battle location that he helped build actually takes visitors to the wrong spot.

University of New Brunswick officials involved in reviewing Mastriano's work indicated they do not discuss such matters without the consent of the student involved  in this case, Mastriano.

Runyon described the new version as a new printing to correct errors and not a new edition. She said the press has also completed a review of a second Mastriano book it published, "Thunder in the Argonne," and does not plan to make any changes.

After Trump lost his reelection bid, Mastriano began seeking to have the results reversed, and has recently clashed with the top-ranking state Senate Republican over Mastriano's plan to force three counties to turn over election equipment and records for review by the Senate.
Army veteran and former U.S. congressional candidate Kyle Van De Water, 41, was found by Town of Poughkeepsie Police at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery on Tuesday night. (Kyle Van De Water for Congress Facebook)

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Tribune News Service)  An Army veteran and a former U.S. congressional candidate has been found dead in an Upstate New York cemetery.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports Kyle Van De Water, 41, was found by Town of Poughkeepsie Police at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery on Tuesday night. Sources told the Mid-Hudson News that his death is under investigation as a likely suicide; the New York Daily News reports police would not say if he left a note.

Van De Water was a former Poughkeepsie resident who worked as an attorney in Dutchess County. He ran as a Republican candidate against U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, a Democrat, for New Yorks 19th Congressional seat last year. The New York Post reports Van De Water announced his second campaign in July, but abruptly dropped out of the race two weeks ago.

I have been truly humbled by and will be forever grateful for all of the support I have received these past few years. It has been an honor getting to meet so many of you as I traveled across the district. Unfortunately, circumstances in my life have changed and I am no longer able to give 110 percent towards this endeavor. For the good of the party, and the district, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy. I look forward to vigorously and enthusiastically supporting the GOP candidate in 2022, he said in a statement in late August.

Van De Water previously spent eight years in the military, serving in the Afghanistan war and earning a Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal before an honorable discharge in 2014. He held the rank of major and continued to serve in the Army Reserves Judge Advocate Generals Corps.

The married father of four graduated from Albany Law School in 2005 and was an attorney at Corbally, Gartland and Rappleyea in Poughkeepsie. The family lived in Millbrook, where Van De Water served as a village trustee.

My heart is broken for Kyles children and family. My prayers are with them as they attempt to come to grips with this absolute tragedy, said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in a statement. Kyle was a war hero who put his life and well-being on the line for his country. We owe him, his family, and all of our brave service men and women everything for the sacrifices they have made.

The Journal reports Molinaro and Delgado both included the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255, in statements.

Kyles death is tragically felt not only an individual level, but also nationally, as far too many veterans across our country are going without the support and care that their service to our great land undoubtedly necessitates, Delgado said. We can and must do better. May God rest Kyles soul and may God bless his family.

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Stillwater, OK (74074)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low around 65F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
The volume of building activity in New Zealand rose 2.0 per cent in the June 21 quarter, compared with the March 2021 quarter, Stats NZ says this week.

The June quarter showed high levels of building activity volume, and follows a 4.1 per cent increase in the March quarter, says construction statistics manager Michael Heslop.

Residential building activity drove the increase, rising 4.2 per cent in the June 2021 quarter, while non-residential building activity fell 1.5 per cent.

These are seasonally adjusted volume estimates which show quarter-on-quarter changes in building activity after removing the effects of construction cost changes and typical seasonal patterns.

Volumes are calculated at September 1999 quarter prices.

Between the March 2021 and June 2021 quarters, residential building costs rose by 4.3 per cent, and non-residential building costs by 3.1 per cent (see Business price indexes: June 2021 quarter).

The estimated volume of building work decreased in the March and June 2020 quarters due to Covid-19 alert level changes.

Total building activity then bounced back in the September 2020 quarter, and residential work remains at historically high levels.

Annual residential construction value up 21 percent

The estimated value of residential building activity in the June 2021 year was over $18 billion, up 21 percent from the June 2020 year.

For non-residential buildings in the June 2021 year the value was $8.9 billion, increasing by 3.6 percent from the June 2020 year.

Value estimates are at current prices, so are impacted by changes in residential construction costs, which have increased by 6.9 per cent between the June 2020 and June 2021 quarters. The value estimates include both new builds and renovations.

Residential construction in the last 12 months has been strong, following historically high levels of new homes consented in recent quarters. The June 2021 year has also seen fewer direct impacts from Covid-19, with no alert-level 4 lockdowns like we saw in the June 2020 year, says Heslop.

Education construction up, commercial down

The value of building work put in place for education buildings increased by over 18 percent in the year ended June 2021, compared with the year ended June 2020.

The value of building work put in place for commercial buildings decreased by more than 12 per cent over the same period and was the only building type to see a decrease in the June 2021 year.

Commercial buildings include shops, restaurants, offices, and public transport buildings.

Covid-19 and building activity in the June 2021 quarter

Estimates for the June 2020 quarter onwards remain provisional due to COVID-19-related measurement challenges. See Methodology for Value of building work put in place: June 2021 quarter.

The alert-level 4 lockdown starting in August has not had an impact on the June 2021 quarter results. Impacts are expected in the September 2021 quarter.

Any methodological changes in the September 2021 quarter will be outlined before the September 2021 quarter release scheduled for December 6 2021.
Air quality data shows that dust pollution is on the decline in the Mount Maunganui industrial area.

Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council expanded their monitoring network in this area in November 2018.

Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of exceedances of national guidelines for fine dust, the most concerning pollutant across New Zealand.

Monitoring and operations committee chairperson, Councillor Kevin Winters, says this a positive step forward for the Regional Council which is starting to see the benefits of its investment and work in this area.

Weve got 11 monitors in the Mount Maunganui industrial area and these are situated near known sources of pollution so we can measure levels where they are most concentrated.

These monitors recorded 16 exceedances of limits set by the Ministry for the Environment in the first year, 13 in the second year and with year three almost complete, weve only recorded 6 so far.

Even one exceedance is too many, but its great to see we are moving in the right direction.

This monitoring comes at a cost ($500,000 per annum), but its important were able to get an accurate picture of whats in the air here and whether its triggering exceedances.

Factoring in environmental conditions, this data enables us to build a picture of the issue and work with industries whose dusty activities are likely contributing to the problem.

What its showing is that air quality issues are not unique to urban areas, but they are amplified in an urban environment due to the greater levels of human activity.

Its also showing that compared with colder parts of the country, where wood and coal used for home heating continues to degrade winter air quality, the quality of air in this area appears to be improving, says Kevin.

The dust that settles in the Mount Maunganui industrial area, and basically all urban areas, is a mix of both natural and human sources.

Natural sources include sea spray, soil particles, fine sands and pollens.

Man-made sources are more varied, with dust samples taken on any given day likely to show signs of particles from activities associated with the Port of Tauranga, industrial process sites, particles from vehicles such as from the exhaust, tyre and brake wear, and emissions from shipping to name a few.

Kevin says the improvements seen can likely be attributed to actions taken by some businesses.

"The sealing of some hard surfaces within the industrial area and installation of dust fences around the perimeter of the port is making a difference.

Another recent example of industry helping to address the dust problem is the installation of a roof extension which connects four sheds housing palm kernel on Hewletts Road.

What this data doesnt speak to however is odour. We know that for many who live, work or play in this area odour can be a significant issue and negatively impact mental health.

We acknowledge this is hugely frustrating for those impacted.

We continue to use what tools we have in our toolbox to address odour issues, including reviewing resource consents, drafting stricter rules and responding to calls to the Pollution Hotline. We also carry out enforcement action as required, including the recent successful prosecution against Ziwi.

Alongside Tauranga City Council and Toi te Ora were just one part of the solution though and industry needs to continue to step up, he says.

For more information, or to view air quality data for the Mount Maunganui industrial area, visit www.boprc.govt.nz/mountindustrial
As all of New Zealand except the Auckland region moves to Alert Level 2 tonight, Police encourage people to familiarise themselves with the new restrictions and ensure they abide by these.

Information can be found on the official COVID-19 website at https://covid19.govt.nz/

"We understand people will be enthusiastic about the drop in Alert Level and getting back to some of the activities they love, but this outbreak is not over yet," says police commissioner Andrew Coster/

"Police will continue to be out and about highly visible in our communities ensuring people are complying with Alert Level restrictions.

"In particular, we recommend people scan in using the QR code or sign in everywhere they go and wear a face covering while out and about.

"We will continue to take a graduated approach as we all work through the new rules and ask for the publics patience in this."

Coster says police will take an education-first approach but will use enforcement where necessary.

"Police also extend huge thanks to our communities in Auckland who remain in Alert Level 4 and are doing the hard work as we enter the fourth week at AL4.

"Please continue to stay the course and follow the rules  the communitys collective efforts are making a difference.

"Overall compliance to date has been pleasing and we want to see this continue so we can all continue to move down the alert levels as quickly as possible."

Compliance data:

Since Alert Level 4 came into place, 197 people have been charged with a total of 212 offences nationwide as at 5pm September 6, 2021.

Of the charges filed, 193 were for offences committed in Alert Level 4 and 19 were for offences committed in Alert Level 3.

Of these, 142 are for Failing to Comply with Order (Covid-19), 43 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 19 for Health Act Breaches, and eight for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.

In the same time period, 501 people were warned for 504 offences.

Of the formal warnings 214 were for Failing to Comply with Order (Covid-19), 159 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 130 for Health Act Breaches, and one was for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.

Since August 19, police have been issuing infringements for Covid-19 related breaches.

As at 5pm on September 6, Police have issued 3,711 infringements nationwide.

A total of 2923 of these were issued under the previous Health Order, primarily for Person failed to remain at current home/residence other than for essential personal movement.

Since the new Health Order came into force on September 1, 788 infringements have been issued as follows:

 Left home / residence other than for essential personal movement (AL4)  436

 Left home / residence other than for essential personal movement (AL3)  270

 Other breaches under the new Health Order  82

Police have now received a total of 17,632 105-online breach notifications.

A total of 10,875 were about a gathering, 5042 were about a business, and 1715 were about a person.

In addition to the online breach notifications, a total of 11,054 Covid-19 related calls were made to the 105-phone line.

The majority (7,911) of calls were requests for information, and 3,143 were to report perceived Covid-19 breaches.

No significant issues have been reported at checkpoints over the last 24 hours.

Daily checkpoint reporting on vehicle volumes and turn-arounds will not be published today, due to a transition in the method of data capture at checkpoints.

Data covering the 48-hour period September 5 to September will be published later today.
Schools in the Bay of Plenty will be back to normal as of today and educators in the region are hoping to make it as exciting and safe a return as possible for their students.

New Zealand, excluding Auckland, dropped into Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm Tuesday, with public schools given Wednesday to put the final procedures in place for a Thursday restart.

Andrew King is the principal at Oropi School, a primary education facility in Oropi.

He and his staff spent yesterday getting the final pieces in place to get kids back in school.

Some teachers were out buying extra hygiene products, such as sanitiser, whilst others have been ensuring the QR code operation was up and running on the school gates.

He says he is thankful the Government gave schools this extra day to get final preparations out of the way.

It has been quite hectic but we are all positive because it is quite nice to be going back to some normality, says Andrew.

We need to do it and we want to do it so no one is grumpy about it.

Whilst some schools were able to accept students back yesterday, Andrew believes 99 per cent of schools in the Tauranga area are back to class today.

Oropi School will be operating at full capacity and communications have been relayed to parents about protocols surrounding issues such as school buses, visitors and mask usage.

At our school kids do not need to be wearing masks, says Andrew.

However, if people choose to do so that is absolutely fine.

But it is different for parents and visitors on site. They will need to be wearing masks.

Getting that consistency of messaging out at the moment is the key thing.

The Government is strongly encouraging face coverings in schools and education facilities, but only for those aged 12 and over.

However, it is not mandatory, and Tauranga Boys College principal Robert Mangan will be ensuring all students have the right information to make them all as comfortable as possible.

I will be hosting a virtual assembly tomorrow with the head boy to advise on health and safety and protocols to keep pupils and staff safe under level 2, he says.

It is very clear that the masks are not mandatory but recommended. So it is very important we give them the best advice and information on how to keep everyone around them safe as well as our teachers and staff acting as appropriate role models.

Tauranga Boys' College principal Robet Mangan. File photo.

Simon Akroyd, principal of Whakatane-based Apanui School, says the towns Communities of Learning (Kahui Ako) are pleased to be welcoming students back to learning facilities.

The Kahui Ako consists of 11 schools based in the Whakatane area and 17 early childhood education centres.

He says principals have worked collaboratively, with assistance from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, to create consistent guidelines to keep staff and pupils safe across facilities.

The guidelines should help to put parents at ease and to create a positive and safe environment for children and staff to return to, says Simon.

The Whakatane Kahui Ako would like to acknowledge the exceptional work of the teachers and support staff of our schools / ECE and especially of the parents and children who have been outstanding in their commitment to continue learning during the Covid-19 lockdown.

We look forward to seeing the children on Thursday.

For Andrew, he is just hopeful to add some normality to the lives of the pupils and parents of Oropi School.

The key thing is we want kids excited to come back to school, says Andrew.

That is my key message to parents, that we are doing everything we can to make kids want to be here. Sure, there will be a small percentage of kids that have enjoyed being at home, but the vast majority are going to be pretty excited at being back.

We will be looking to make it as fun as possible to start.

Andrew also says he is looking forward to his pupils interacting with one another again, pointing out how important it is for their development.

Robert is of a similar belief, believing plenty of the boys at Tauranga Boys will be pleased to be back at school and out of their respective bubbles.

They are absolutely going to be excited to get back, he says.

That human contact has been missing throughout lockdown and the boys will be very happy to be catching up with their mates and long may that continue.
Bay of Plenty

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Seminole, FL (33772)

Today

Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
A pine tree stands in a forest on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. A pine tree can live to be anywhere between 100 and 200 years old.
In brief: Apples highly-anticipated and secretly kept car project, a.k.a. Project Titan, has lost a key figure to Ford Motor Co. Doug Field, who is a former Tesla executive and served as Apples VP on the special projects team, will now oversee Fords software and connectivity strategy under CEO Jim Farley.

The impending arrival of digitally connected, driverless EVs means lots of executive poaching among traditional automakers and tech companies. The most recent example is Doug Field, who left his role as the head of Apple's car project to lead Ford's software and digital connectivity efforts as its chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer.

Doug Field joined Ford in a hiring coup for the Blue Oval's CEO Jim Farley, reports Bloomberg. Field originally began his career at Ford in the late 1980s, and his later roles involved him working as a product designer and engineer for Segway, Tesla, and Apple. Back in 2013, Doug left Apple as VP of Mac Hardware to work on the Tesla Model 3 and returned to Cupertino five years later as the head of Project Titan.

It's easy to see why Doug's experience developing consumer electronics and automobiles is invaluable to Ford. The company has recently been making big splashes with vehicles like the electric F150 lightning and the Mustang Mach-E, and its CEO Jim Farley has increasingly focused on building stronger digital services and connectivity experiences.

For Apple, meanwhile, bringing Project Titan to fruition will become increasingly challenging now that the program's chief has departed. Cupertino's car ambitions were disrupted earlier this year when it paused talks with Hyundai, though recent rumors point towards a potential partnership with Toyota.
Facepalm: Yesterday was the first day that El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as an official currency, and what happened? BTC crashed to its lowest point in almost a month, from $52,000 to under $43,000. But President Nayib Bukele was far from worried; he took advantage of the fall to buy an extra 150 Bitcoins, increasing the country's holdings to around 550 in total, worth about $25 million.

Just a few months after adopting Bitcoin as legal tender, it became an official currency of El Salvador yesterday. It's hoped that the move will make it easier for the huge number of El Salvadorians living abroad to send money home to their familiesthe government says Bitcoin could save the country $400 million per year in transaction fees, though the BBC believes this to be closer to $170 millionand with three-quarters of the population lacking a bank account, proponents say adopting Bitcoin will facilitate quick money transfers.

But not everyone in El Salvador thinks moving to Bitcoin is a good idea. There have been protests over its adoption, with many citing its volatile nature as a reason to be wary. These naysayers likely felt justified yesterday when Bitcoin dipped by around 15% to under $43,000. BTC has rebounded slightly since then and is hovering close to $45,000 at the time of writing.

One of Bukele's opponents said the drop caused El Salvador to lose $3 million, but the president took a different view, tweeting that the country was "Buying the Dip"taking advantage of the lower price by buying more. It has now added 150 Bitcoins to the 400 it already held. "We saved a million in printed paper," Bukele wrote.

It appears the discount is ending 



Thanks for the dip @IMFNews. We saved a million in printed paper.



El Salvador now holds 550 bitcoin.#BitcoinDay #BTC   Nayib Bukele  (@nayibbukele) September 7, 2021

Forbes writes that the price drop began when El Salvador's wallet system experienced difficulties upon its debut. "Heightened trading volume then fueled speculation about institutions selling off large stakes and even triggered brief outages and trading delays on many of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges," the publication explains.

Users on Twitter and Reddit were urged to buy $30 worth of Bitcoin yesterday to celebrate the crypto's adoption by El Salvador. Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says that "a "pump and dump scenario is partly playing out."
Recap: NASAs most complex space observatory to date is also unfortunately one of the agencys most hamstrung projects. Work on the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope officially started way back in 1996, some six years after Hubble was launched into low earth orbit. A litany of delays and cost overruns ensued, pushing the project well beyond its initial 2007 launch date and sub-$1 billion budget.

NASA has set a new target launch date of December 18, 2021, for the James Webb Space Telescope after it recently completed final testing late last month. Heres to hoping the date actually sticks this time.

By the time it launches at the end of the year (assuming that actually happens), nearly $10 billion will have been sunk into the mission.

When it does finally reach its destination in space, the James Webb Space Telescope promises to offer an unprecedented look at the universe that'll help us better understand its origins and our place in it. The infrared telescope features a 6.5-meter primary mirror comprised of 18 separate segments that will unfold once in space.

NASA plans to put the telescope into a halo orbit roughly 930,000 miles from Earth where it'll be able to operate at the extremely low temperatures required by its instruments.

The Webb telescope is currently being stored at Northrop Grummans facilities in Redondo Beach, California, but will soon be shipped off to Europes Spaceport in French Guiana where itll hitch a ride to space via an Ariane 5 rocket.
Forward-looking: To create a better hybrid work setting, Google is updating Workspace apps with a slew of features. One of the highlights of this update is video and voice calling contacts through the Gmail mobile app and Google Meet, allowing users to do the equivalent of a "spontaneous hallway conversation" in a hybrid work environment.

The Gmail mobile app will be the first to receive the feature, with Google Meet following soon after. Once the apps are updated, you'll receive a notification when someone calls you, as well as a "call chip" on your computer, allowing you to choose where to answer the call.

Google Workspace is also getting a redesigned interface for Gmail, turning it into a communication hub for work. As part of the makeover, Google is also introducing Spaces as a "central place for team collaboration in Workspace," which should now be available for all users.

As promised, Google will deeply integrate Spaces with other Workspace tools, such as Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Tasks. Spaces will offer threads to separate chatting subjects, searchable spaces for members to access, and enhanced security and admin features to configure permissions.

Google Calendar is also receiving an important update that lets users set their location during a given workday. Moreover, Google Meet will get a Companion mode in November so users can leverage audiovisual hardware and live-translate captions from English to French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, with more to come.

To prepare for the launch of Companion Mode on Google Meet, the company is also expanding the Google Meet hardware portfolio with two new all-in-one (AIO) video conferencing devices. The first is the Series One Desk 27, a 27-inch AIO device suitable for home and office use. The other is the Series One Board 65, a 65-inch 4K device that can be used with an optional stand to turn "any room or space into a video collaboration hub in minutes."

Google also announced third-party devices certified for Google-Meet use, including the Logitech Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini, complete room solutions for small and mid-sized rooms, and the Rayz Rally Pro mobile speaker dock.

Google's decision to upgrade Gmail to a communication hub looks good and practical, but what will happen to the remaining Google communication apps? If you have an app that does it all, there's no need to have or use multiple apps to do the same.
In brief: AMD and Samsung's collaboration on bringing RDNA 2 graphics to mobile has yet to materialize into an actual product, but the first wave of phones to feature the new graphics engine could land as soon as early next year. You read that right -- Samsung may bring RDNA 2 graphics to phones other than the Galaxy S and Galaxy Z lineups, but also to upcoming mid-range A-series phones.

AMD and Samsung have both confirmed they've been working on bringing RDNA 2 graphics technology to high-end smartphones, and if everything goes well and Samsung does finalize the Exynos 2200 SoC design, we may be able to see it in actual devices early next year.

The mysterious AMD mobile GPU carries the "Voyager" codename, suggesting the company believes it will slowly, but surely make its way to the top of the performance chart. This will no doubt make it into devices like the Galaxy S series and foldables from the Galaxy Z family, and AMD says the new chip will come with variable rate shading and ray tracing capabilities, so we're in for a treat.

However, the Voyager project may not be about a singular mRDNA GPU, but rather two like the interstellar probes, or three if the rumor mill is to be believed. According to a new leak corroborated by @FronTron, Samsung plans to also equip its mid-range A-series phones with an mRDNA part, albeit a cut-down version of what will be integrated into the Exynos 2200 chipset.

This means that phones like the upcoming Galaxy A73 and Galaxy A53 will get a Voyager GPU with four compute units that can boost to around 1 GHz, while flagship phones will have a GPU with six compute units clocked at around 1.3 GHz. Lower-end A-series phones are expected to get a configuration with only two compute units, which should still be faster than the Adreno and Mali GPUs integrated into existing devices from that range.

As for which regions will get to see phones equipped with an mRDNA graphics engine, a final decision has not been made but there are some hints that suggest people in Europe and South America will be able to buy Exynos 2200-powered handsets, while most Asian countries including South Korea will likely only have access to Samsung phones equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 Mobile Platform.

In the meantime, Samsung is negotiating exclusive contracts with China Telecom in China and Verizon in the US, but so far there's been no word on whether the companies have made any progress in those discussions.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) TikTok app

TikTok is enticing more and more people, and now a new report suggests that the China app, also known as Douyin, has surpassed YouTube in terms of watched hours.

TikTok Surpasses YouTube

According to App Annie, the average time per user spent on the app is higher for TikTok. This means that the platform has high levels of engagement.

App Annie characterized TikTok as a platform that upended the streaming and social landscape.

However, YouTube is still the number 1 streaming service when it comes to the overall time spent, not per user, because overall, it has way more users than TikTok, according to The Verge.

YouTube has more than 2 billion monthly users, while TikTok has more than 700 million in mid-2020. In May, TikTok surpassed Facebook after the latter lost 30% of downloads.

Also Read: TikTok Bans Milk Crate Challenge Following Injury Reports

The metric regarding the "time spent" of users only recorded the ones on Android phones, and it does not include the users in China where TikTok originated, according to BBC.

Jamie MacEwan from Enders Analysis said that YouTube still leads TikTok in overall time spent, not just in the United States but also in the United Kingdom.

The Google-owned streaming service means that it is getting more demographics composed of users who only spend a couple of hours a day online, so the time spent per user is low.

The most invested YouTube users have probably surpassed the time spent of an average TikTok user.

However, that does not mean that TikTok is not a success.

The ByteDance-owned app has been attracting users who are willing to spend an entire day on the platform. TikTok is known for being the home of the entertaining and whimsical videos, most of them going viral.

But the majority of them do not hang around for long compared to YouTube.

In the U.K., TikTok has surpassed YouTube last year and has since maintained its lead.

In the U.S., YouTube and TikTok swapped spots numerous times in 2020 before TikTok came on top in April.

The firm also tracks the increasing importance of TikTok based on its online metrics.

Among the apps, TikTok is ranked as the most downloaded one worldwide since 2020. Since last year, it is also going head to head with YouTube for the number 1 stop in consumer spending.

Spending Money on Streaming

According to App Annie's report, apps with live streaming like TikTok are responsible for increasing the money spent on content creators.

Three-quarters of the money users spend online goes to apps with live-streaming services as they pay subscription fees and tip content creators.

The rest of the money that users spend online goes to buying items on e-commerce sites like Amazon.

On Twitch, a popular gaming site, users can purchase Bits, a virtual currency on the site, and spend them on streamers during their session. They can also subscribe to a creator's channel to get the benefits reserved for subscribers.

TikTok lets users tip the content creators with coins, while YouTube has the same program for its streams.

App Annie stated that live-streaming is driving growth in engagement for these platforms, and the apps set people up to spend money while they are online.

When it comes to money spending, the winner in 2020 is Snapchat. According to App Annie's data, the messaging app saw its downloads outside the U.S. increase by almost 30% yearly and by 45% in 2019.

Related Article: Milk Crate Challenge and Other TikTok Challenges That Sent People to the Hospital

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) PS5 restock

PS5 restocks had been more challenging than usual to spot over the last week. Major retailers were focused on the Labor Day sales that dropping the new batch of consoles were pushed aside.

PS5 Restock This Week

Since Labor Day weekend is over, there is a massive chance that people will see a greater volume of restocks this week.

According to CNET, Walmart may drop another wave of consoles this week, though the retailer has not announced anything yet.

The two other retailers rumored to restock PS5 are Best Buy and GameStop.

If you wish to get your hands on a console, you can check out the websites of the major retailers or follow Twitter accounts dedicated to tracking the consoles' release.

Also Read: PS5 Restock 2021: Around 18 Million Consoles Coming Soon; Here's Latest Updates

PS5 Availability

There have been a couple of stock drops last week. However, the consoles were only available for a couple of minutes before they were sold out.

At Antonine, the last restock was on Aug. 31. Walmart dropped PS5 restocks on Aug. 5, Aug. 12, and Aug. 25. Sony dropped stocks on Aug. 17, Aug. 19, and Aug. 24.

As for GameStop, the retailer dropped consoles on Aug. 3, Aug. 17, and Aug. 25. PS5 consoles were available on Amazon on Aug. 25 and Sept. 2.

Target dropped stocks on Aug. 10 and Aug. 27, while Best Buy's last PS5 restock was recorded as on July 23, according to TechRadar.

Difficulties in Buying PS5

There are numerous reasons why it is a challenge to get a PS5 console. For one, the system is so popular that people are racing to get one for themselves. It has been Sony's best-selling console so far, and it has already sold 10 million units since November 2020.

Another reason is the global chip shortage that is affecting the production of the console. The crisis has threw off the balance of supply and demand. Sony did assure the public that it has secured enough chips to meet its goal of 14.8 million consoles for this year.

And lastly, the scalpers. The scalpers use bots to purchase many PS5 consoles at once, leaving a few for actual humans to buy. They resell these consoles at a much higher price, ripping off those who can't wait for another restock.

Major retailers had added bot protections on their sites, but it is not clear if it really works, according to NewsLetter.

Getting PS5 from PlayStation Direct

The retail store that drops PS5 restocks constantly is Sony's official store, PlayStation Direct. The retailer drops stocks at 2 PM Pacific Time or 5 PM Eastern Standard Time, and it does it in the middle of the week.

Sony has sent a few lucky subscribers email invites for exclusive access to the store. In order to get the invites, you need to get a PlayStation Direct Number or PSN.

You can sign up for a PlayStation Direct account for free. While signing up, make sure that you accept emails from Sony.

These priority emails are sent to subscribers randomly, and you will need to wait in the queue on PlayStation Direct's site to be considered.

Related Article: PS5 Restock Alternative? This AMD PC Kit Alternatively Includes Console Processor

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Wind farm inauguration

Scandinavia's largest offshore wind farm, Kriegers Flak, powered by Swedish company Vattenfall, was inaugurated on Sept. 6. The first foundation of the wind farm was built in May 2020.

Scandinavia's Wind Farm Now Open

His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Denmark, led the inauguration along with Simon Kollerup, the Danish Minister for Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs, according to Electrek.co.

Scandinavia is the latest country to open a wind farm for clean energy after South Korea opened a 1.4-gigawatt wind farm last week.

Anna Borg, the CEO of Vattenfall, said that with the inauguration of the wind farm, they are taking a step closer towards their goal of enabling fossil-free electricity that will support this generation.

Borg added that the company stands as a strong contribution to the country's plan to push through with the green transition, which is why they are happy that the wind farm is now officially in full operation. It can provide fossil-free power to thousands of Danish homes and businesses.

Also Read: Abe Issa Examines 5 Emerging Trends in Clean Energy

Helene Bistrom, the head of business area wind at Vattenfall, said that the company has been very successful in its project despite being constructed during the peak of the global pandemic. The operation did not fall behind schedule.

The construction of the wind farm shows the commitment of their partners, the public, and the company to promote a carbon-neutral future, according to Reuters.

Also, wind farm underlines the company's strategic ambition to speed up the fossil-free living with the help of renewables.

The 604-megawatt wind farm is considered the largest in Scandinavia so far. It is expected to increase Danish wind power production by 16%. It also features 72 offshore wind turbines, and it has a height of 617 feet or 188 meters.

The wind farm can support the yearly energy consumption of 600,000 Danish households. The wind farm covers 51 square miles or 132 square kilometers, and more than 106 miles or 170 kilometers of cables have been installed underwater.

Kriegers Flak is located in the Baltic Sea, which is 25 miles or 40 kilometers off the coast of Denmark. It is now a part of a new 400 MW interconnector between Germany and Denmark, according to Energy Live News.

Clean Energy was Second-Most Prevalent U.S. Electricity Source

As Europe pushes for clean energy, the United States or the U.S. is not falling behind.

In 2020, clean energy sources had generated 834 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

The sources used are hydroelectric, wind, biomass, solar, and geothermal. That is about 21% of all the electricity in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration or EIA.

As for natural gas, it produced more electricity than clean energy in the U.S. in 2019.

For the first time, clean energy had surpassed nuclear and coal in 2020. This happened because less coal was used in the U.S. electricity generation, and there was an increase in wind and solar energy.

The use of coal dropped 20%, while renewables increased 9%. The most prevalent source of U.S. clean energy is wind energy, and it increased 14% last year.

Utility-scale solar increased 26% last year, while small-scale solar, like rooftop solar, increased 19%.

Related Article: Hillary Clinton wants U.S. to be clean energy superpower

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WhatsApp has moderators who can read your messages, and this is what ProPublica has revealed in their recent report, which has claimed a lot against the instant messaging app and Facebook. The issue has been tackled on the latest advisory of WhatsApp via the application, where they have explained that no one can read messages on the platform.

The instant messaging application has initially rolled out features with regards to hiding conversations, effectively hiding them from other people that can access a said account. Still, WhatsApp is under fire for its data privacy issues that have been observed earlier this year, which allows Facebook to have stakes for ad-tracking.

WhatsApp Moderators can Read Your Messages says ProPublica

ProPublica reports that WhatsApp and its moderators can read the messages of the more than two billion users of the application, having no regard for privacy and safety. This follows the recent advisory of WhatsApp that clarifies it does not have moderators that can read messages from the application.

WhatsApp is known for its promise of an end-to-end encryption platform where the messages are private to the sender and receiver and vice versa. The promise of end-to-end was WhatsApp's cornerstone or main marketing, as it has been the trusted application by many since it was established.

However, there are a lot of disputes when it was bought and acquired by Facebook in 2014, saying that data would now be exposed because of this. It was said that the parent company, Facebook, has requested data for ad-tracking via WhatsApp messages.

While this would not monitor said conversations, it still holds data stakes over the public.

Read Also: WhatsApp Fined $267 Million for Not Being Transparent About Data Sharing with Facebook

WhatsApp Safety and Privacy

According to the Washington Post's transcript of what Mark Zuckerberg has said, WhatsApp does not have moderators that monitor conversations and read on. Here, the CEO of Facebook has said that the reports are not true and that the app features a private and safe conversation via the application.

However, according to Gizmodo, a lot of evidence has pointed out to WhatsApp's moderators and stakes to data, something which the company has repeatedly denied. They claim that WhatsApp is safe and private to users, but several publications and investigators have shown mixed reviews about the app.

Is WhatsApp Safe?

Earlier this year, there have been massive protests against WhatsApp, where boycotts have been made in favor of others like Telegram and Signal Messenger.

A lot of people still use WhatsApp for all their personal, private, and business communication needs, but there is a significant lot who have left it for encrypted ones.

Related Article: WhatsApp iOS to Redesign its Chat Bubbles into a More Rounded Look, Says WABetaInfo

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Ingenuity, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mars helicopter has completed its 13th flight.

Ingenuity's previous flight, its 12th, was successfully completed last month. Both flights took place on the South Seitah region of Mars.

Initially meant to go on just four flights, the mission of Ingenuity was extended by NASA after a series of successful flights. Its aerial scouting of the planet continues to help the Perseverance rover's next moves.

The Mars helicopter and the Perseverance rover celebrated the first anniversary of their launch to space back in July.

Ingenuity Completes Its 13th Flight

Ingenuity, NASA's Mars helicopter, has successfully completed its 13th flight two months after it marked its first anniversary since launch.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory tweeted "Happy Flight the 13th!" in celebration of Ingenuity's latest milestone.

According to a report by Space, the Ingenuity helicopter flew at a speed of 7.3 mph, which was slower than its speed during the 12th flight. The Ingenuity was able to capture images of the southwest area of Mars' South Seitah region.

The Ingenuity also flew at a lower altitude, flying just 26 feet above the surface. The Mars helicopter captured images pointing southwest in the region, which differed from the northeast orientation of the images taken during its 12th flight.

The Mars helicopter's 13th flight was also the second time that it flew around the planet's South Seitah region.

Ingenuity's 12th Flight

Ingenuity's previous flight, its 12th, was its longest flight to date and also took place in the South Seitah region. The Mars helicopter flew at an altitude of almost 33 feet above the surface.

"On Flight 12 we covered 1,476 feet (450 meters) of Martian ground in 169.5 seconds and took 10 pictures (again - all pointed northeast)," according to Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity Team Lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Ingenuity helicopter was able to have a glimpse of an area of outcrops in the region, which it scouted even further during its successful 13th flight.

Related Article: NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Completes 12th Flight on Mars

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

The Ingenuity helicopter and the Perseverance rover are both parts of NASA's Mars 2020 Exploration Program. Both Mars-bound spacecraft were launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 20, 2020.

Ingenuity weighs 4 lbs, and its height is 19 cm.

The Mars helicopter, which has been nicknamed "Ginny" by scientists, arrived on Mars "tucked inside" its rover companion on February 18, according to the report by Space.

NASA initially intended only three or four flights for the Ingenuity, but the success of its initial flights prompted scientists to extend the helicopter's mission on Mars. The Mars helicopter's first successful flight took place last April.

According to the tweet by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory celebrating the helicopter's 13th flight, the Ingenuity's aerial scouting continues to aid in planning" the moves of the Perseverance rover.

Also Read: NASA Shares Photos of Perseverance Rover's First Rock Sample

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Apple Car's head, Doug Field, who is also a Tesla veteran, left the tech giant to work with another car company, Ford--making his departure the fourth instance that the exec left the EV project of the iPhone maker.

The former Cupertino giant exec will be serving as the Chief Advanced Technology and Embedded Systems Officer of his new company, Ford.

Meanwhile, the replacement of Field as the head of the electric car endeavor of Apple is still unclear.

Apple Car EV Project

According to Bloomberg, Field joined the EV project of Apple in 2018 to lead it, and on Sept. 7, the exec exited the tech giant.

Field previously had a major role in the engineering of the popular Tesla Model 3. As such, his transfer to Apple gave hope to the EV project of the Cupertino giant with people expecting that he will be building a vehicle.

He went on to bring with him some of the former execs of Telsa to develop some aspects of the Apple EV project, such as the exterior design, the interior, the drivetrains, and the self-driving software.

And in 2020, rumors that Apple is negotiating with other car manufacturers have been sprouting like mushrooms with Kia, Hyundai, and BMW being floated.

It is worth noting that the Apple car project has already been existing for seven years. And it has already faced numerous exec departures. It has even changed its direction over time since it was first kicked off in 2014.

Read Also: Tim Cook Reveals Apple Car is Autonomous like a Robot, Hopes Parler Returns to App Store in Sway Podcast

Apple Car Head Joins Ford

As per The Verge, Ford announced in a press release that the former head of the Apple Car "will lead Ford's efforts to develop the next-gen Blue Oval Intelligence tech stack to deliver smart, connected vehicles and services that improve over time through constant updates."

On the other hand, Apple said in a statement that the tech giant is "grateful for the contributions Doug has made," adding that the company is wishing him well with his new responsibility with Ford.

Although the new Apple Car chief has yet to be unveiled, the Cupertino giant is still home to EV veterans on their team.

Just last June 11, the Cupertino titan went on to hire a former BMW exec, who is also a co-founder of another EV startup, Canoo. Ulrich Kranz worked with Field on the Apple Car project named "Project Titan."

On top of that, last Sept. 3, Apple also added two former engineers from Mercedes to join its EV endeavor, and specifically work on the product design.

Elsewhere, another report, citing a source from the company, said that Apple is planning to manufacture its EV batteries in the United States.

Related Article: Foxconn Signs with Fisker for EV Manufacturing-Taiwanese Chip Maker Not to Make the Apple Car Anymore?

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An AI algorithm developed by a team of researchers from Lithuania could prove extremely valuable in the future when it comes to diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease.

In a report by ScienceAlert, the AI algorithm has shown itself to be over 99% accurate in identifying specific changes in the brain that could lead to Alzheimer's.

This is massive news, especially when you consider the fact that it can take a really long time for a human doctor to properly diagnose the disease.

By the time the diagnosis is officially made, it's often too late to slow the damage down.

The artificial intelligence analyzed data taken from fMRI brain scans of 138 individuals. From this data alone, the AI is able to pinpoint signs of so-called mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

This is defined as a step towards cognitive decline, which is perhaps the biggest hallmark of Alzheimer's.

It's also worth noting that MCI often doesn't come with physical symptoms. A person could seem all perfectly sharp one day, and then the dementia symptoms set in almost rapidly.

With this new AI algorithm, there is an excellent chance that brain damage can be slowed down significantly.

While human doctors do have the skills to diagnose Alzheimer's Disease by looking for MCI, they're nowhere near as fast or even as accurate as techniques that employ AI and deep learning. That's because the machines can infer from mountains of data.

Read also: Artificial Intelligence Vs. Human Intelligence: How Do They Differ?

AI For Detecting Alzheimer's: How Does It Work?

Rytis Maskeliunas, a professor of informatics from Lithuania's Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), has this to say about why the AI algorithm is almost 100% accurate: "Modern signal processing allows delegating the image processing to the machine, which can complete it faster and accurately enough. Of course, we don't dare to suggest that a medical professional should ever rely on any algorithm 100 percent. Think of a machine as a robot capable of doing the most tedious task of sorting the data and searching for features."

Basically, what Maskeliunas meant is that an AI algorithm can do almost all of the boring work that involves sorting out data without getting annoyed or burned out.

That's one of the biggest parts of the human equation, which, while potentially helpful, can also affect the accuracy of the end result, not to mention the speed at which the result was produced.

In an official post about the study on the KTU news portal, they mentioned that the deep learning model they developed used a modification of ResNet 18, which is a residual neural network.

They trained the AI on almost 80,000 fMRI images which led to insane detection accuracies of 99.99% (early MCI vs. AD), 99.95% (late MCI vs. AD), and 99.95% (MCI vs. early MCI).

What's Next for the Algorithm?

The team, however, are still not satisfied with the results. They're saying that despite the high numbers they achieved, it's still not an indicator of actual real life performance.

Right now, Maskeliunas and his peers are working with medical institutions to gather even more data, presumably to make their artificial intelligence as foolproof as possible.

Related: The Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Our Day to Day Lives

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AI or artificial intelligence could predict startup success to an impressive 90% accuracy, a study using machine learning models that look into tons of companies showed.

Startups Success Rate

As per Embroker, startups turn out to be a complete failure in most cases. To be precise, about 90% of them do not become successful.

What's more, about 10% of startups end up being a failure every year, regardless of what industry it is in--whether it is from tech or retail. Not to mention that failure began at roughly the second to the fifth year of the firm.

However, CBInsights learned in its recent data that 42% of the unsuccessful startups are due to misreading the market demand.

It is worth adding that Fundera further noted that about 82% of the failed ventures had a problem with their cash flow, to begin with.

Given that existing data has already recorded the pattern of why startups end up an upset, AI could possibly predict what will be the next successful unicorn out there.

AI Predict Startup Success Rate

According to Phys.Org, a group of scientists was able to develop an AI that could accurately predict whether a startup will end up being the next big thing, or it will be another failed attempt to disrupt the market.

The machine learning models that were used for this AI predicting tool look into over a million companies to further say the scalability of a startup.

That said, if the tool turns out to be absolutely accurate, more investors could help the capitalization of these budding startups.

On top of that, it would also be beneficial to investors as they will no longer be risking their money for startups that would end up being a waste of their time.

Read Also: Robot 'Police' Using 360-Degree Cameras With AI Are Now Patrolling Public Areas in Singapore

AI Startup Success Prediction Tool Research

The results of the research testing of the AI that could predict the success rate of startups were promising.

The study was published in The Journal of Finance and Data Science of KeAi.

To be exact, the AI was able to assess 90% of the companies that were part of the study accurately, which only means that 9 out 10 startups have been predicted precisely.

The machine learning models of the AI were trained with data coming from a platform that publishes information about numerous companies called Crunchbase.

But it was not based on that alone.

The scientist also paired the vast data to the patent info of the United States Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO.

However, the scientist working on the AI further noted that the crowd-sourced nature of Crunchbase is a problem that they had to face along the way as some details from companies were missing.

Nevertheless, the researchers went on to take note of this missing info and later on use it as an actual input in the machine learning model. And the team further learned that the absence of some details is necessary to predict the future of a company.

Elsewhere, here are the top AI health startups in 2021.

In other related news, this AI attempted to mimic a husband's dead wife.

Related Article: New AI Algorithm Proves To Be 99% Accurate in Detecting Pre-Alzheimer's Changes in the Brain

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA has to calibrate a lot of their stuff because, if they don't, they're going to lose whatever functionalities those gizmos have. And in turn, the world won't have enough reliable scientific data to understand our universe.

As such, their old sub-observing instrument, the Solar Dynamics Observatory or SDO satellite, is in need of much-needed calibrations.

To preserve the SDO satellite's Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE), NASA is sending so-called "sound rockets" to it, reports ClarksVilleOnline.

To make sure that the EVE instrument on the SDO satellite remains in good condition, NASA will be launching the sounding rockets, which carry EVE duplicates. These duplicates will record measurements about 180 miles above the Earth, to keep its twin instrument on the SDO in sync.

NASA's 30-minute launch window for the EVE calibration is scheduled on Sept. 9 at 11:25 AM MT, where it will launch from the White Sands Missile Range, which is located in New Mexico.

According to NASA, this will be the eighth total calibration of the instrument since its first launch in 2016.

The main reason why NASA needs to periodically calibrate the EVE instrument is simple: the energy from the sun will degrade anything it hits over time.

The SDO and its EVE instrument is no exception.

Since its main job is to provide scientists with almost a real-time observation of the sun--albeit in a limited period of time because of the intense radiation--it constantly gets bombarded by solar particles and intense light, which can put its gizmos in disarray.

Read also: NASA Is Trying To Find Ways To Reduce Stress in Plants Grown in Space

Why Does NASA Need To Keep Tabs on the Sun?

To understand this, you must understand the actual job that EVE has to perform.

Specifically, the goal of the SDO's EVE instrument is to measure solar irradiance, aka the energy from the sun that constantly hits the Earth.

But since there are multiple types of solar irradiance, the EVE instrument's task is to measure Extreme Ultraviolet radiation (a type of solar energy, alongside light and infrared/heat).

Typically, extreme ultraviolet never hits the Earth's surface because it gets absorbed by the atmosphere much higher up there. But if it does, then it can be harmful to people, electronics, and almost everything else.

NASA sent EVE to observe extreme UV in rapid intervals of 10 seconds. Then, the scientists on the ground can use the data they get from EVE to warn the world about when these extreme UV rays might cause damage.

They're also using it to make any manned space mission a lot safer, because once astronauts go beyond the protection of the Earth's atmosphere, they are at the mercy of the extreme UV rays, according to this NASA video about EVE.

Radiation Is The Biggest Enemy of Manned Missions

By now, you should know that NASA, in collaboration with SpaceX, are planning to send the first manned missions to Mars.

The only problem is that the Red Planet's very thin atmosphere doesn't offer much protection against radiation from the sun, not to mention the extreme UV that EVE measures.

As such, both NASA and SpaceX have determined that Mars missions should only last under 4 years, in order to protect the health of astronauts there.

While this may put a damper to the hopes of building a city on Mars by 2050, it's a great suggestion nonetheless.

Related: NASA Plans To Study, NOT MINE, A 'Goldmine' Asteroid Worth QUADRILLIONS By 2026

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The popular astrobiologist, Paul Davies, claimed that space viruses could be lurking in other exoplanets. However, the theoretical physicist and science author explained that before these tiny organisms could exist on other planets or outer space, other intelligent life forms should also be present.

"In the constellation of Eridanus there lurks a cosmic mystery. It's as if something has taken a huge bite out of the universe, leaving a super-void," explained Davies.

Paul, the director of The Beyond Center at Arizona State University, also said that viruses might also be included in the web of life outside Earth.

Currently, NASA and other giant independent space agencies are trying to find other planets that could sustain or already sustain life. Based on Davies' statements, astronomers would also find space viruses if ever they discover other intelligent life forms aside from humans.

Astrobiologist Claims Space Viruses Exist

According to The Daily Mail UK's latest report, the popular astrobiologist shared his thoughts about the so-called space viruses in his latest book titled "What's Eating the Universe," published recently on Sept. 2 and is currently available on Penguin UK and other online book stores.

Also Read: Ingenuity Helicopter Completes Its 13th Flight on Mars

He also added that if space viruses exist, they would only have one type of microbe, which is unlikely to infect humans. This means that astronomers venturing outer space would also be safe from these organisms.

Aside from him, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also concluded that humans are not alone in the universe since lots and lots of planets can be discovered outside the solar system.

In other news, NASA shares photos of Perseverance Rover's first rock samples. On the other hand, SpaceX's Inspiration4 is expected to be launched soon.

Could Infectious Viruses Also Exist in Outer Space?

As of the moment, NASA and other space agencies haven't proven yet if infectious viruses could be lurking in outer space. However, they already experimented with Earth bacteria that could survive outside the planet.

These include E. coli, which is believed to have the capability of hardening its defense systems once it experiences microgravity stress. ISS already conducted research involving two types of E. coli viruses.

For more news updates about space viruses and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: NASA Is Using Rockets To Maintain their Sun-Observing Instrument EVE

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(Photo : GettlyImages/ Alex Wong) NASA JWST

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has an official launch date. The long-awaited telescope will be launched on Dec.18, a couple of months after it was tested in August.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Launch

According to NASA, the telescope will reach the Earth's orbit via an ESA-supplied Ariane 5 rocket lifted off from French Guiana.

NASA will ship the James Webb Space Telescope or JWST to the launchpad, but most of the parts have already arrived at the site.

In 2016, the space agency announced that the JWST was complete two years ahead of its scheduled 2018 completion. However, NASA said the telescope faced several delays because of the construction.

In 2019, the telescope was reassembled, yet the global pandemic that began the following year had forced the space agency to push back on the launch date.

Also Read: NASA's New James Webb Space Telescope Survives Last Thermal Vacuum Test

The JWST was originally developed in 1996 with an expected 2007 launch date, but the space agency made some changes and redesigned the telescope in 2005.

The importance of the telescope remains the same, as it is expected to replace the Hubble Space Telescope that is currently in orbit.

The JWST includes a larger mirror with a lower frequency meant to help detect early galaxies that the Hubble Space Telescope can't find. The functionality of the JWST explains why there have been several setbacks.

The telescope's instruments will stay in the cold temperature of -370F in order to avoid any interference with infrared measurements. It will also require a massive sun shield and an insertion near a Sun-Earth Lagrange point.

JWST's mission is short because it needs propellant in order to orbit successfully. It is not meant to circle the Earth indefinitely. NASA stated that they expect JWST to have a five-year lifespan, but they are hoping that it will last for ten years.

Aside from spotting galaxies, the telescope is also expected to help astronomers and astrophysicists in their space studies, something that the Hubble Space Telescope could not do, according to Space.com.

Now, there is a real chance that the JWST can help solve several space mysteries as its infrared waves can cut through cosmic dust, enabling astronomers and astrophysicists to have a clearer view.

JWST's Preparation

In August, NASA stated that it was done testing the James Webb Space Telescope and is preparing to ship it to the spaceport in French Guiana in Europe.

The telescope underwent several final tests conducted inside the Northrop Grumman facility in California to ensure it will work as intended after it is launched into the Earth's orbit.

NASA will be sending the JWST through the Panama Canal for it to reach French Guiana successfully. Once it is at the spaceport, NASA will oversee the deployment of the processing teams that are set to assist the telescope in its flight.

The deployment process will consist of several stages, including post-shipment checkouts and filling up the tanks with fuel, according to ArsTechnica.

The teams of engineers will connect the JWST to the Ariane 5 rocket vehicle that the European Space Agency or ESA will provide.

Related Article: James Webb Space Telescope's Golden Mirror to Capture Oldest Stars' Light; NASA's Final Testing to Be Conducted

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Telluride R-1 School District Board of Education members Cheryl Miller, Stephanie Hatcher, Dylan Brooks, Jill ODell and Jenni Ward. The board has canceled the Nov. 2 school board election as the sole candidates filing positions were incumbents Hatcher and ODell. The move will save the district between $10-20,000. (Courtesy photo)
Madisonville, KY (42431)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High near 80F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
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
Ten days after Hurricane Ida shredded her roof, Candace Pepp was the first of up to 70,000 households in Louisiana to get a temporary roof Wednesday courtesy of the federal government.

The program, called Operation Blue Roof, rolls out industrial-strength plastic sheeting designed to protect homes until permanent repairs are made.

Pepp, a mother of three who lives in New Orleans East, said the blue roof like those that dotted the landscape after Hurricane Katrina will allow her to finally relax in her own home.

"I actually have to stay inside to make sure nothing else is leaking, the ceiling is not falling in," Pepp said shortly before workers arrived. "It is kind of scary. Last night we had a drizzle. I was up all night making sure nothing is caving in anywhere."

Things changed in a few hours Wednesday.

"It is good to be back home and to be blessed to be first on the list," she said.

More than 40,000 households have applied for the roofs, and the work is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

"This is literally the first of what will probably be at least 44,000 and probably many more," said Col. Zachary Miller, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hurricane Ida recovery effort.

"The models tell us probably 80,000 private homes need this," Miller said, adding that some of the repairs will be handled by private insurance or individuals.

Officials aim to put on about 800 blue roofs per day once the program is moving full speed.

"The people we contract directly with will have dozens and dozens of subcontractors and there will literally be hundreds of crews out there by the time we get to full mobilization spread all over the state, not just in Orleans," said Miller, who is based in Memphis but was born and raised in Baton Rouge.

The house clearly took a beating when Ida's winds roared through the New Orleans area on Aug. 29.

Temporary blue and gray tarps, which were installed by a friend when Pepp and her family fled to Foley, Ala., hid vast stretches of missing shingles, leaving only bare-bones plywood to protect the house from the elements.

Expert says that, while families do what they can until help arrives, homespun tarps are rarely able to weather substantial winds and rain after a hurricane.

+2 'Blue roof' program to bring familiar tarps to Louisiana parishes impacted by Hurricane Ida Federal officials will be offering free, temporary roofs for Orleans, Jefferson and 11 other parishes damaged by Hurricane Ida, Gov. John Bel 

A total of 15 parishes have been authorized for the roofs, including Orleans.

Most of Louisiana's congressional delegation has asked FEMA to revise its criteria so that more parishes qualify, including East Baton Rouge Parish.

+2 As blue roofs near installation in Louisiana, state leaders push for wider qualifications Louisiana congressional leaders Monday asked federal officials to revise the criteria used for which parishes get temporary roofs after East B

Applicants can file requests at blueroof.us or by calling 1-888-766-3258.

The work is for primary residences or permanently occupied rental property with less than 50% of roof structure damage.

Typically crews of 4-8 workers handle the job.

There is no charge for the temporary cover.

The waterproof material is supposed to protect homes for at least 30 days, and usually much longer.

Blue roofs were still providing protection two years after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

John Bel Edwards wont echo state leaders call for blue roof expansion; latest on Ida recovery Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday he is not ready to echo complaints by Louisiana's congressional delegation that federal officials are being

Lake Charles residents who had the roofs installed after Hurricane Laura struck last year found they kept their damaged homes dry a few weeks later when Hurricane Delta arrived.

Pepp, 38, is the mother of three children aged 14, 3 and 2 months. She was born and raised in New Orleans and is a stay-at-home mom.

Pepp applied for a blue roof online.

Her aunt, Mercedes Pepp, said the family was stunned when they quickly got word that a roof was on the way.

"When she told me it was like, 'I can't believe it,'" Mercedes Pepp said Wednesday.

Miller said where the work began was part of a high-tech process.

"Along the lakefront is where we had immediate aerial imagery," he said. "That is how we narrowed it down to this area."

Candace Pepp has a different explanation for why she was first in line.

Her mom died of COVID-19 last year and her birthday is Friday.

"This is my mom's birthday present to us," Pepp said. "I said, 'Oh momma, thank you.'"
Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday he is not ready to echo complaints by Louisiana's congressional delegation that federal officials are being too restrictive on which parishes qualify for temporary roofs in the wake of Hurricane Ida.

"I cannot tell you I have a concern today," Edwards told reporters. "That may change once I know whether additional parishes have been added."

A total of 15 parishes have been authorized by FEMA to get temporary roofs under the Blue Roof program.

But 10 parishes declared disaster areas have been left out, including East Baton Rouge Parish.

+2 As blue roofs near installation in Louisiana, state leaders push for wider qualifications Louisiana congressional leaders Monday asked federal officials to revise the criteria used for which parishes get temporary roofs after East B

U.S. Reps. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson and three others in the congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deane Criswell on Monday. It asked that the agency revise its criteria so more parishes are eligible for the fiber-reinforced sheeting designed to keep homes dry until permanent repairs are made.

Edwards said he has not seen the criteria used by Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine which parishes qualify.

He said he was told earlier by the Corps that parishes subjected to hurricane-force winds would be eligible.

The first roofs are set to go up Wednesday weather permitting. The work is done by contractors under the direction of FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

About 40,000 households have applied for the temporary roofs, and an official said Monday the request list may grow to 70,000 households.

The 15 parishes approved for blue roofs are Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Terrebonne.

Those declared disaster areas but excluded from the blue roofs are East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin, St. Mary, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.

The governor made his comments during a 75-minute briefing on hurricane recovery efforts nine days after the Category 4 storm arrived near Port Fourchon.

Edwards said the death toll from the hurricane has risen to 15 with the deaths of a 68-year-old man who fell off his roof while making repairs and a 71-year-old man who died from lack of oxygen during a power outage.

Both were St. Tammany Parish residents.

Edwards said about 435,000 customers remain without power, which means individuals grappling without electricity are three of four times higher since a customer can be a home with multiple family members.

About 25,000 state residents are in hotels under a federal program that pays for rooms and taxes.

FEMA has paid about $175 million in emergency assistance.

133,000 households qualify for $500 hurricane aid checks, officials say Federal officials have paid $66 million to Hurricane Ida survivors who sought $500 checks for food, water and other urgent needs, FEMA officia

Stephen Russo, general counsel for the Louisiana Department of Health, said a wide-ranging investigation is underway after major problems developed when seven New Orleans-area nursing homes were evacuated to a warehouse.

Russo said when LDH employees tried to check on the evacuated nursing home residents Tuesday they were "intimidated" by someone claiming to be a nursing home owner.

He said at the time state officials were told by the owner that he had a plan in place and things were fine.

"That is not what we were finding when we were on the ground," Russo said.

The seven homes are owned by Baton Rouge businessman Bob Dean.

Officials also spelled out benefits for 18 parishes with residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or SNAP.

Those whose cases were certified before Aug. 29 will get replacements of 55% of the August benefit allotment because of power outages that affected at least half the parish. Benefits are set to be loaded on EBT cards by Sept. 11.

The parishes are Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington.
Ten days after Hurricane Ida shredded her roof, Candace Pepp was the first of up to 70,000 households in Louisiana to get a temporary roof Wednesday courtesy of the federal government.

The program, called Operation Blue Roof, rolls out industrial-strength plastic sheeting designed to protect homes until permanent repairs are made.

Pepp, a mother of three who lives in New Orleans East, said the blue roof like those that dotted the landscape after Hurricane Katrina will allow her to finally relax in her own home.

"I actually have to stay inside to make sure nothing else is leaking, the ceiling is not falling in," Pepp said shortly before workers arrived. "It is kind of scary. Last night we had a drizzle. I was up all night making sure nothing is caving in anywhere."

Things changed in a few hours Wednesday.

"It is good to be back home and to be blessed to be first on the list," she said.

More than 40,000 households have applied for the roofs, and the work is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

"This is literally the first of what will probably be at least 44,000 and probably many more," said Col. Zachary Miller, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hurricane Ida recovery effort.

"The models tell us probably 80,000 private homes need this," Miller said, adding that some of the repairs will be handled by private insurance or individuals.

Officials aim to put on about 800 blue roofs per day once the program is moving full speed.

"The people we contract directly with will have dozens and dozens of subcontractors and there will literally be hundreds of crews out there by the time we get to full mobilization spread all over the state, not just in Orleans," said Miller, who is based in Memphis but was born and raised in Baton Rouge.

The house clearly took a beating when Ida's winds roared through the New Orleans area on Aug. 29.

Temporary blue and gray tarps, which were installed by a friend when Pepp and her family fled to Foley, Ala., hid vast stretches of missing shingles, leaving only bare-bones plywood to protect the house from the elements.

Expert says that, while families do what they can until help arrives, homespun tarps are rarely able to weather substantial winds and rain after a hurricane.

+2 'Blue roof' program to bring familiar tarps to Louisiana parishes impacted by Hurricane Ida Federal officials will be offering free, temporary roofs for Orleans, Jefferson and 11 other parishes damaged by Hurricane Ida, Gov. John Bel 

A total of 15 parishes have been authorized for the roofs, including Orleans.

Most of Louisiana's congressional delegation has asked FEMA to revise its criteria so that more parishes qualify, including East Baton Rouge Parish.

+2 As blue roofs near installation in Louisiana, state leaders push for wider qualifications Louisiana congressional leaders Monday asked federal officials to revise the criteria used for which parishes get temporary roofs after East B

Applicants can file requests at blueroof.us or by calling 1-888-766-3258.

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The work is for primary residences or permanently occupied rental property with less than 50% of roof structure damage.

Typically crews of 4-8 workers handle the job.

There is no charge for the temporary cover.

The waterproof material is supposed to protect homes for at least 30 days, and usually much longer.

Blue roofs were still providing protection two years after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

John Bel Edwards wont echo state leaders call for blue roof expansion; latest on Ida recovery Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday he is not ready to echo complaints by Louisiana's congressional delegation that federal officials are being

Lake Charles residents who had the roofs installed after Hurricane Laura struck last year found they kept their damaged homes dry a few weeks later when Hurricane Delta arrived.

Pepp, 38, is the mother of three children aged 14, 3 and 2 months. She was born and raised in New Orleans and is a stay-at-home mom.

Pepp applied for a blue roof online.

Her aunt, Mercedes Pepp, said the family was stunned when they quickly got word that a roof was on the way.

"When she told me it was like, 'I can't believe it,'" Mercedes Pepp said Wednesday.

Miller said where the work began was part of a high-tech process.

"Along the lakefront is where we had immediate aerial imagery," he said. "That is how we narrowed it down to this area."

Candace Pepp has a different explanation for why she was first in line.

Her mom died of COVID-19 last year and her birthday is Friday.

"This is my mom's birthday present to us," Pepp said. "I said, 'Oh momma, thank you.'"
The effort to further shrink the proposed boundaries for the controversial city of St. George will resume this month, with the Metro Council set to consider several huge annexation requests to stay in the City of Baton Rouge.

Woman's Hospital and groups of businesses and homeowners have refiled annexation applications with the city-parish. The hospital is asking that its 225-acre main campus on Airline Highway at Stumberg Lane be pulled out of the proposed city of St. George and into Baton Rouge.

It is joined by:

the adjacent 100-acre master planned community known as Materra,

the nearby headquarters of local construction services company H&E Equipment Services

Resource Bank, located in the 9500 block of Jefferson Highway

14 homeowners in the Willow Ridge subdivision as well as a portion of Willow Bay Drive and a triangular plot of private property east of the subdivision

+3 Why Woman's Hospital says it wants to be part of Baton Rouge, not St. George Woman's Hospital and two other businesses are seeking annexation into the city of Baton Rouge, spanning hundreds of acres of potentially taxab

Baton Rouge attorney Charles Landry, with Fishman Haygood law firm, is representing the requests. Landry was traveling Tuesday and could not be reached to comment on the requests.

The annexation requests come as Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome continues her long battle in court to block the creation of a fifth city in the southeastern corner of the parish.

Landry also represented several other businesses that have already successfully petitioned to enter the City of Baton Rouge from an otherwise unincorporated swath of East Baton Rouge Parish. Voters in 2019 approved the creation of St. George within the parish limits, but its incorporation has been on hold amid the legal challenge.

The Metro Council on Wednesday will only consider setting a public hearing for Sept. 22 to possibly vote on the requests. And it'll be the first time many council members will be dealing with the St. George-related annexations half of the 12-member body are still in the first year of their four-year terms following last fall's elections.

Councilman Dwight Hudson, whose district falls within much of the proposed city's boundaries and who has been a staunch supporter of the incorporation efforts, said Tuesday he hasn't talked to many of the new members yet to see where they fall on the issue.

But his position hasn't changed: He doesn't think the council should be approving any annexation requests while the ongoing legal fight still pending in the background.

"The time to do these type of annexations was before the (incorporation) vote," he said. "Now it's almost like we as a municipality would be poaching a future municipality's potential tax base. That's not the way to treat your neighbor or neighboring municipality."

He added: "And the Willow Ridge requests remains a very silly way for us to annex. To piecemeal a neighborhood like that would be totally unprecedented."

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The Willow Ridge residents  who make up only part of the subdivision  had pulled their original annexation petition late last year, vowing to resubmit it once they convinced more of their neighbors to join in their opposition to St. George's creation. But it appears those numbers haven't increased, according to the petition submitted to the council for consideration.

There were 26 other homeowners who came out in opposition of the annexation effort. Some of them questioned how services like garbage collection and fire protection would be handled if the 40-home subdivision was divided between Baton Rouge and St. George.

+5 Willow Ridge residents withdraw Baton Rouge annexation request; can try again later A handful of Willow Ridge residents have temporarily dropped a request to have their homes annexed into Baton Rouge before they are absorbed b

The assessed property value of Woman's Hospital is upward of $16.5 million, but much of its campus value is exempt from tax collection, property assessor records show.

The Materra development includes more than $250,000 in assessed property and the H&E Equipment Services headquarters is $1.2 million in assessed property covering a 16-acre site.

Resource Bank's 1.4-acre lot has an assessed value of $230,360, according to property assessor records.

But revenue to St. George's proposed budget would mostly be generated through sales tax, not property taxes, which would remain in parishwide coffers.

Hospital officials said previously they wanted the their campus to align with existing collaborations among the other health care providers in the hospital district formed within Baton Rouge in the Bluebonnet/Essen Lane/Perkins Road area.

H&E Equipment Executive Chairman John M. Engquist has always expressed his opposition to the creation of St. George. Engquist is also involved in the development of Materra.

The petition also seeks to annex a stretch of Airline Highway, which is a state roadway, as part of the request, in addition to Stumberg Lane. Those roadways would connect the properties to the city of Baton Rouge, which is required for annexation to be considered.

"I don't believe any of these businesses will affect us from a sales tax standpoint (but) we are opposed to these annexations," said Drew Murrell, spokesman for the incorporation effort. "I do think it's a shame John Engquist and Charles Landry are using a tragedy to their advantage to slide these in while everyone is trying to recover from Hurricane Ida."

This story has been updated to more clearly describe the affect of property taxes on the proposed City of St. George's budget.
Ascension Parish schools are postponing the return to school after Hurricane Ida, as are two Baton Rouge public schools.

Its a mix of schools that have yet to get power back at all to schools that have had power only to lose it later. Ascension and East Baton Rouge Parish both had their staff return to work Tuesday.

In a message sent out about 4 p.m. Tuesday, Ascension Superintendent David Alexander said hed hoped to open schools Wednesday as late as mid-day Tuesday, but finally decided to push it all back.

Unfortunately, there are several obstacles outside of our control, Alexander said. The biggest obstacle continues to be power.

Alexander did not commit to Thursday as a reopening date: We will provide you with another update tomorrow that provides our plans for Thursday, he wrote.

He said about 80% of staff came to work Tuesday and did important work to get schools ready for students.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, almost every school has power, but rolling power outages are bedeviling efforts to reopen as normal on Wednesday.

Two schools wont reopen Wednesday: Bernard Terrace and Wildwood elementary schools. Wildwood had power, only to lose it. Bernard Terrace had power Tuesday, but did not have working internet.

It's not clear when those two schools will be ready to reopen.

More schools had power come on and off during the day Tuesday as school staff reported back to work.

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Weve had 15 schools that have had exchanges of power today, said Monique Scott-Spaulding, the new director of physical plant services for East Baton Rouge,

Why some Baton Rouge-area schools are ready to reopen after Ida  but others aren't After shutting down for a week because of Hurricane Ida, many Baton Rouge-area schools made plans Monday to reopen by Wednesday. But in parish

Scott-Spaulding said Entergy has a standing warning that short-term outages will continue into at least Wednesday, perhaps longer. So that means some students are likely to face power outages for some portion of the day tomorrow.

Alex Stubbs, chief of communications for the school system, said schools will follow the process they follow any time there is a power outage. She said that the school district is committed to helping families get their lives back on track.

We understand that this may be the first time their child may be back in a place with a/c or may have a hot meal, Stubbs said. Our job is to provide those students a place that is as safe and comfortable as we can to bring back a chance for learning again.

Baton Rouge public schools still had some work to do Tuesday to be ready.

Schools that don't have power for days can often grow mold that must be cleaned. Aramark, the private company which maintains East Baton Rouge schools, has been active in schools since last Wednesday but there was still some mold when staff returned. Pictures taken Tuesday showed mold at a handful of schools in Baton Rouge  mold that was apparently not cleaned up over the course of the day.

Chief of Schools Sharon Williams acknowledged the problems in an email late Tuesday afternoon to principals, who said there were "numerous reports of 'mold' or 'mildew' in our school facilities." Williams asked principals to complete a survey by noon Wednesday identifying mold locations that still need to be cleaned.

When asked about Williams' email, Stubbs said the survey is part of collaborative effort by school leaders and district operations team members to do safeguard the "health and wellbeing of our students and staff."

"Water intrusion can occur after these sorts of events and present at various intervals," Stubbs said. "Well continue to stay vigilant on this and other potential issues."
The Sydney cryptocurrency entrepreneur behind the Bitcoin Babe peer-to-peer trading platform says shes been shunned by 91 financial institutions, put on a terrorism watchlist and bullied by Austrac.

Michaela Juric, a 28 year-old who runs her Bitcoin Babe business from her home in the western Sydney suburb of Kingswood, told the Senates Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre inquiry on Wednesday that the process of being debanked  where a bank stops dealing with a customer  had a significant impact on her personally.

Ive been very grateful for my seven years in the crypto community and all that Ive learned, and the people that Ive met. But at the end of the day, the irreversible damage to my livelihood has been done, she said.

Michaela Juric, known as Bitcoin Babe, appears before the Senates Select committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre. Credit:Fairfax Media

Ms Juric set up Bitcoin Babe in 2015 and describes herself on Twitter as a sensual provocateur for all your traditional financial nonconformity pleasures. Her business allows for people to trade cryptocurrencies through a peer-to-peer network.
San Jose: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes engaged in lying and cheating to attain wealth and fame, a federal prosecutor told jurors on Wednesday at the former Silicon Valley stars trial on federal fraud charges arising from her actions at the now-defunct blood-testing startup once valued at $US9 billion ($12.2 billion).

Robert Leach, a member of the prosecution team, delivered the governments opening statement to the jury in one of the most closely watched trials of a US corporate executive in years, with the defence to follow afterward.

Elizabeth Holmes walks into the federal courthouse for her trial in San Jose, California on Wednesday. Credit:AP

Holmes is accused of making false claims about the company, including that its devices designed to draw a drop of blood from a finger prick could run a range of tests more quickly and accurately than conventional laboratory means.

Holmes, 37, has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy.
Stocks on Wall Street eased further from their recent highs on Wednesday (US time) amid more signs that US economic growth is being dampened by a resurgence in coronavirus cases and other challenges.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 per cent, its third straight drop. The benchmark S&P 500 was roughly split between gainers and losers, but weakness in technology, communication and financial stocks weighed down the market. Less risky investments, including consumer staples and utilities, made broad gains.

Wall Street is on track for more losses. Credit:NYSE

Small-company stocks fell more than the broader market. Bond yields were mixed. Oil prices rose.

The Australian sharemarket is set to open lower, with futures at 6.59am AEST pointing to a fall of 35 points, or 0.5 per cent, at the open.
Yet ironically Hartcher also devotes considerable energy to decry the influence of elites over Australias attitudes towards China, fostering what he calls a great complacency against a growing danger from Beijing. He fights imagined conflicts of his own, also appearing defensive in response to those he sees as influenced by Beijings talking points. Hartchers sorrow is not merely confined to the political class or the business lobby, which he portrays as having been blinded by the lure of economic riches in Chinas massive market. He also blames a self-flagellating media culture, too willing to reach for a headline declaring Chinas anger and conditioning Australia to cringe. He presents standing up against China as a national awakening. So, who is right? Frustratingly, I think both can be. There was for a long time a liberal fatalism that as Chinas citizens grew wealthy the countrys rulers would eventually, inevitably, take a democratic turn. There is now a potent consensus in powerful circles in Canberra that people in China will never again smile under communist repression. There are also important lessons in Brophys scepticism about the power of the state, both in Australia and China, as well as from Hartchers relentless certainty about the threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to Australia.

Credit: And if Hartcher underplays the beneficial wealth generated for the Australian public from the China boom, Brophy overstates the democratic deficit in local politics. Each has a useful lens through which to interpret abuse of Uighurs in Chinas northwest Xinjiang region or the danger of racism in Australia. The way Australia will reconcile the approach to China is first to accept that like any relationship, this amounts to an endless project. What works one year might not the next. Governments of all political colours talk of national interests, a phrase intoned as if fixed and unrelenting. But there is no stone tablet inscribed with a permanent set of commandments to guide the way. Values equally depend on a practical definition  and there will always be examples of hypocrisy where principals are betrayed for expediency. Besides, Australia obsesses too much over forecasting the future. It is common, especially in foreign-policy debates, to mistake efforts to anticipate the shape of the world power in decades to come as more important work than dealing with the here and now.

Credit: So, deciding what to do about China will involve constant debate and adaptation. Michael Smith, in The Last Correspondent, captures the challenge neatly with his rueful observation that as a China correspondent or commentator you can never win. Smiths story, along with Bill Birtles in The Truth About China, is illustrative of what will be the most immediate and pressing test for Australians: understanding a China from which it is increasingly cut off. China last year kicked out Smith, from The Australian Financial Review, and Birtles, with the ABC, from Shanghai and Beijing respectively, robbing the Australian media of its last correspondents in the country. The two books tell of the sudden and intimidating end to their posting, but also chart the deterioration in Australia-China relations through South China Sea controversies, Hong Kong protests, arbitrary detention of Australians, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

But what audiences in Australia will miss by their absence in China is the relentless curiosity that good correspondents also bring. Credit: Smith, for example, persisting to win an interview with Chinas mercurial tech magnate Jack Ma or adventuring in the region bordering North Korea. Birtles telling of a boy who lived in Beijing on a rubbish dump or discovering a beer festival mid-pandemic. As Birtles notes, these stories dont generate the biggest headlines, they help most with understanding. Even before they were deported already the coverage tightened. The constant focus on politics and strategic rivalry painted a very narrow picture, far removed from the daily lives of people, Birtles explains. It meant when awful things happened to people in China, audiences struggled to feel empathy towards citizens of a country so often seen through a political and economic lens. That rift is a consequence of a communist party-state paranoid about control. It is exacerbated by the firewalled separation of technology.

Australians should not be guided to equate the people of worlds most populous nation with the actions of their rulers. Smith captures this sentiment with a gentle quote from one man he interviewed: Like many people in China, in the last 40 years I have experienced a big change in my life. Not just from wealth but in psychology. While I was a child, life was very simple. Now it is very complicated. One factor none of the authors really grapples with is a media industry landscape at home straining under its own pressures, of public distrust in information and the rewards via social media for bombastic declarations. Loading The United States, however, does loom in the background of all four books. Birtles gives a telling insight into Chinas President Xi Jinpings difficulties with then counterpart Donald Trump. Smith tells of the contest Beijing invented with Washington to distract from its own mishandling of the pandemic. Hartcher offers fascinating detail about the Turnbull government catching the Trump administration somewhat by surprise with its decision to ban Chinas Huawei from the 5G network. Brophy presents Australia not as a sheriff following Americas lead but instead determined to entangle the US further in its neighbourhood.

It is reminder that for all the well-warranted attention on China in recent years, Australias most enduring and difficult question is how to manage relations with its American ally. Plenty more books could be written. China Panic: Australias Alternative To Paranoia and Pandering, David Brophy, La Trobe University Press, $32.99

Red Zone: Chinas Challenge and Australias Future, Peter Hartcher, Black Inc., $32.99

The Last Correspondent: Dispatches From The Frontline of Xis New China, Michael Smith, Ultimo Press, $34.99

The Truth About China: Propaganda, Patriotism and The Search For Answers, Bill Birtles, Allen & Unwin, $32.99
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra chief executive Sophie Galaise is fed up with staff turning to an overseas website to rail against the orchestras COVID cost-cutting measures.

Galaise told her troupe this week that publicly venting over the orchestras decision to jettison freelance and contract musicians was not the right approach.

The chief executive is furious that staff appear to have been leaking sensitive internal information to a London-based classical music gossip site, Slipped Disc. Over the past month, the website has reported that Galaises management team had terminated all freelance contracts.

This week, Galaise circulated an internal email to all staff insisting finances were stable and that the MSO could guarantee salaries would be paid until the end of the year. All permanent employees were brought back to work in July with the help of a $5 million cash injection from the state and federal governments, although unhappiness persists about the treatment of freelancers and contractors.

Players Committee president Ann Blackburn came to the defence of management, publishing a statement alleging there were many inaccuracies in the Slipped Disc reporting.
I wish the revelation that South Australia is rolling out facial recognition and geotagging technology to replace quarantine check-ins came as a surprise, but by age 21, Ive been waiting for this sort of thing for a while now. We are staring into the void, and the void is uploading our images into a database.

The scheme, at first glance, seems fairly innocuous and economical: individuals in home quarantine will upload a photo of themselves  along with geotagging data which confirms their location  to an app within 15 minutes of a police request. This will be used to verify their compliance with lockdown. If they fail to do so, a police officer will arrive at their place of residence.

How much of ourselves should we hand over to the police? Credit:istock photos

Governments and police forces have been dipping their toes into technological solutions to lockdown since the beginning  think QR codes, or the federal governments COVIDSafe app. However, the move into facial recognition presents new concerns, especially with both the Prime Minister and the NSW Premier expressing a desire to switch to home quarantine.

While SAs approach may seem superficially intuitive  after all, most people would rather take a selfie than have a police officer come to their door every day  its use should ring alarm bells. Sure, its a convenient lockdown-compliance tool, but police rarely relinquish powers granted to them. More often, they build on them.
Rabbits are gentle and docile animals. The very same breed many of us share our homes with are being exploited in some of the worst ways imaginable, Mr Meddick said.

I have lodged a complaint with Agriculture Victoria and the Minister for Agriculture asking them to urgently act on the alleged breaches documented in this investigation. Cruelty should not go unpunished.

Southern Farmed Rabbits owner-operator Shane Moodie said he was aware of the investigation but denied any systemic cruelty had taken place at his familys farm. He said his animals were cared for and his breeding stock even given names.

Mr Moodie said one rabbit seen in the undercover footage, named Phil, was being treated for his facial disease and, while he admits he should have euthanised the animal earlier, the farmer said hed grown attached to the six-year-old buck.
Throughout its almost 170-year history, The Age has faced having to defend in court articles we publish in our newspapers. In modern times, the same has also applied to our websites. However, a judgment by the High Court on Tuesday has made clear we can also be liable for things we had no role in writing, editing or putting into the public sphere.

The court found that several news outlets should be considered the publishers of allegedly defamatory comments that were added by third parties to Facebook posts about former Northern Territory youth detainee Dylan Voller.

The High Court decision places a significant burden on the media. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

At the time the comments were made, Facebook did not enable operators of public pages to switch them off. The NSW Supreme Court suggested in 2019 instead that we use the keyword filter, blocking out comments using common words such as and, the and she, then reinstating only those that were not offensive  an impossibly onerous task.

In response to that judgment, the only choice The Age felt it had was to vacate the field, leaving contentious articles that were clearly in the public interest off Facebook entirely because of the risk that they would attract defamatory comments. The effect was to leave the social media platforms, already derided for a lack of quality information, even more at the mercy of the misinformation squad  the QAnon types, the Russian bots and the ivermectin merchants  or anybody else with an axe to grind and a budget to spend. That was rectified in March and media outlets can now opt to switch off the comments on individual posts.
Singapore: Australia is needlessly risking its security with a standoff with China, says former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who claims Canberra must make the first move to settle tensions with Beijing.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Mahathir also attacked the use of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue  comprising the US, Australia, Japan and India  as a vehicle to try and stand up to China.

Scott Morrison and Mahathir Mohamed meet on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in Singapore in 2018. Credit:Wallace Woon

He believes it risks provoking Xi Jinpings regime and that rallying countries together against the Chinese Communist Party is not the way to raise concerns about its behaviour, from its claims to most of the South China Sea to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.

It is an aggressive move, Mahathir said.
London: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thanked expats around the world for their sacrifice and for the first time has acknowledged the heartbreak and frustration they have suffered being locked out of Australia.

In a pre-recorded message at an awards ceremony, Mr Morrison promised that home quarantine would be the norm by the end of the year, opening up the prospect of families with members overseas being able to reunite at home for their first Christmas since the pandemic.

His message was delivered at professional network Advances annual awards ceremony recognising Australians who excel in their fields overseas.

Youve carried a very heavy burden this past year and a half, Mr Morrison said.
Madrid: Health authorities in Spain are blaming human error for the switching of two baby girls in a maternity ward almost 20 years ago, after one of them discovered by chance through a DNA test as a teenager that she wasnt the daughter of her presumed parents.

The 19-year old who first discovered the mistake is now suing the regional health department for more than 3 million ($4.8 million), her lawyer told a local TV station on Tuesday.

The babies who were mixed up were born hours apart and were both kept in incubators.

Health authorities in Spain are blaming an undetermined one-off human error for the switch, saying they would respect any judicial proceedings.

It was a human error and we havent been able to find out who was to blame, Sara Alba, health chief of Spains northern La Rioja region, told a news conference Tuesday.
Conway, AR (72032)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 67F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Van Buren, AR (72956)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.
Zimmerman trail as it winds up the rim rocks on the West end of Billings, Montana.
Staff Reporter

Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times.
The Susquehanna River is seen near Northumberland, Pennsylvania. The river flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, shown last week, announced Thursday that he was loosening the state plan guiding COVID-19 restrictions on businesses.
Wisconsin voters cast their ballots in the state's primary April 5, 2016, at the South Shore Park Pavilion in Milwaukee.
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The latest modeling shows COVD-19 cases in Oregon are slowing, but Gov. Brown and state health officials caution that the latest surges are largely among those who are not vaccinated.
DuBois, PA (15801)

Today

Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with mostly cloudy conditions overnight. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
The queens favorite boy. Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

For about a month now, Britains Prince Andrew has been trying to shake the international agents on his tail. In early August, Virginia Giuffre sued the Queens Favorite Boy for his (alleged) participation in Jeffrey Epsteins sex-trafficking ring. Giuffre has long maintained that Andrew raped and sexually assaulted her when she was 17, and since she filed her suit, U.S. attorneys have sought to serve him court papers. Andrew denies having been Epsteins accomplice and having had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Giuffre at all; still, the Sun reports that he has fled to Balmoral Castle in an attempt to dodge the law. Hmmm. Nothing screams innocence as loudly as a powerful man hiding at his moms house.

The Sun published pictures of the prince and his ex-wife-slash-current-roommate, Sarah Ferguson, making the 500-mile dash from the Royal Lodge in Windsor to Scotland in their Range Rover. According to the tabloids sources, Andrew has been going stir-crazy inside Royal Lodge for the past few weeks, afraid to go outside lest a courier spring the dreaded papers on him. He couldnt even go horseback riding! His security guards have reportedly deflected multiple attempts to serve Andrew, and good luck getting him at the queens country estate, especially while she is there on her vacation.

The Suns informants say that Andrew knows he is far safer up there, but attorneys for Giuffre have insisted that her case will go forward with or without princely cooperation. Though Giuffre wants a jury to weigh in on her long-standing allegation that Andrew abused her even though he knew that she was a sex-trafficking victim of Jeffrey Epsteins as well as a minor, Andrew does not necessarily need to be present for civil proceedings. Continuing to ignore judicial process would likely mean a default judgment against him, Giuffres attorney, David Boies, told the BBC. Boies added that at this point  Andrew has been batting down these allegations for years; recall the disastrous BBC interview of 2019  litigation is the only way to establish once and for all what the truth is. Giuffre wants Andrew to understand that you cannot hide behind wealth and power and palace walls, but  I guess as long as Mother is willing to protect you, unfortunately, you can.

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Towanda, PA (18848)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High around 80F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Oneonta, NY (13820)

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Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Oneonta, NY (13820)

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Mostly cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom.

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Forest City, NC (28043)

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A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Cloudy with occasional showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Conversion therapy is still legal in Aotearoa, and now is your chance to help put a stop to it.

So, what actually is conversion therapy?

Conversion therapy is a method used to change or supress someones sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Lots of research has found conversion therapy to be harmful, and can contribute to mental health issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

As reported by The Guardian,

A study by the Family Acceptance Project, a US-based initiative that helps families support their LGBTQ children, found that rates of attempted suicide were more than twice as high among LGBT youth who had been subjected to conversion practices.

Medical bodies in Aotearoa and worldwide have declared conversion practices ineffective, unethical and harmful.

The Labour Party campaigned on banning Conversion Therapy. The Green party and the Maori party support the bill, along with Young Labour, Young Greens and Young Nats.

I am Hope, Mental Health foundation, New Zealand Psychology Society, and Youthline, are just some of the many organisations that are also in favour of the bill.

So, what is the bill trying to achieve?

The bill states:

The Governments objectives in prohibiting conversion practices are to

affirm the dignity of all people and that no sexual orientation or gender identity is broken and in need of fixing:

prevent the harm conversion practices cause in New Zealand and provide an avenue for redress:

uphold the human rights of all New Zealanders, including of rainbow New Zealanders, to live free from discrimination and harm.

If so many political parties and organisations are for banning conversion therapy, why isnt illegal already?

Our government is moving to ban conversion therapy... Nationwide churches and TERFS are making submissions against banning conversion therapy

- Shaneel Lal, Founder of @EndConversionTherapyNZ

So, because people and organisations are making submissions against the bill, we need as many submissions for the bill as possible, if we want to put an end to Conversion Therapy.

So, how do I make a submission?

It is super easy to make a submission, and itll take you 5 minutes tops. Shaneel Lal has almost done all of the work for you!

Head to Shaneels Instagram, or the Ending Conversion Therapy Instagram. Click the link in their bio, then click the template that applies to you.

Shaneel has outlined the simple steps to make a submission its that easy!
$3.5 Trillion Budget Is Really About the Children, Women: Pelosi

At her weekly press conference Wednesday morning, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) argued that Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) $3.5 trillion budget represented a long-overdue package to assist women and children through new appropriations, programs, and environmental policies.

The budget, said Pelosi, is really about the children. She added later that My theme all along  has been build back better with women.

An emphasis on women and children has long been Pelosis focus in regards to the budget. During the Houses emergency session to advance the budget on Aug. 24, Pelosi made a similar case, pleading with her Democratic colleagues to vote for the package for the children.

Pelosi commended the wide-ranging, transformative vision of President Bidens build back better agenda. She specifically singled out its new policies and appropriations geared specifically toward womens and childrens issues.

Pelosi listed a slew of policies geared toward these groups.

Child Tax Credit and Family Leave

First, she mentioned the expansion of the child tax credit in the resolution. This credit offers parents a $1,000 reduction of their federal tax bill for each child they have. Rather than being simply a deduction calculated before the final tax bill, the credit would come directly off the gross total owed in taxes. Because of this, she said, this Biden tax credit, is in fact a Biden tax cut. This move, Pelosi said, would overwhelmingly help women, who are in many cases the primary caregiver for their children.

Another critical part of the Democratic agenda for the bill would be providing paid family leave. When Sanders introduced the budget, he criticized the United States as being the only developed country without such a system in place. Pelosi only briefly discussed this provision today, but has in the past been very vocal about its importance, especially to women who have just had a baby and are recovering from the strenuous ordeal of childbirth.

Paid family leave has long been a Democratic hope, dating back to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, signed by President Bill Clinton after being vetoed twice by Bush. This provided new requirements that employers in both the public and private sectors allow their employees unpaid family leave under certain conditions.

Proponents of paid family leave won a small victory in March 2020 when President Donald Trumps signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which allowed some employees to receive paid leave for loss of income due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.

But these benefits were temporary. Under the budget bill, Pelosi and Democrats hope to expand the system dramatically. When presenting the resolution, Sanders said that mothers should not have to choose between taking care of their new baby and keeping their income.

Government-funded Childcare

Pelosi also referenced provisions in the budget that would offer government-funded childcare, a policy that Pelosi emphasized as being among the most helpful to women raising children.

To justify this, Pelosi pointed to efforts by Congress to pass similar legislation 50 years before. At the time, Pelosi said, everyone thought President Richard Nixon would sign it. This was not the case however, Pelosi continued, after Patrick Buchanan, a strong 1992 Republican challenger to President George H. W. Bush, intervened and made [the program] a cultural issue, like were sending our children to a Soviet-style situation by having childcare. Though the House and Senate had passed the legislation, this attack on the program by Buchanan led to the president vetoing the bill in 1971.

Since then, Pelosi said, the issue of government-funded childcare has been an especially important one to her, explaining If we are going to build back better, we have to do so including many more people, starting with women, who took the biggest hit  [from] COVID. According to the speaker, the pandemic hit women especially hard because their children could not go to school; If these women could not afford childcare, they would have little choice but to stay home to take care of their children.

Finally, Pelosi emphasized programs in the bill that would help caregivers of disabled parents or siblings to be able to get back to work by providing in-home healthcare to those who needed it. Pelosi turned toward the camera and said to people in such a role, this bill is for you.

She then turned to how broader economic and environmental themes in the expansive budget would benefit children and their families.

Pelosi said: [The budget] will deliver one of the largest tax cuts for families ever  it will lower costs for healthcare, childcare, and the rest, and it will create millions of jobs while tackling the climate crisis and advancing justice.

Environmental Programs

One of the key shortcomings for Pelosi in the infrastructure bill was its lack of environmental programs. These are hardly addressed in that bill for obvious reasons. The budget is much more comprehensive on these policies, Pelosi said.

Pelosi linked ongoing disasters from wildfires in the west and Hurricane Ida in the southeast to climate change. She said: Mother Nature is not happy with how we recognize the challenges that face us. Climate change is real [and] humans have an impact on it.

She criticized the power of the fossil fuel industry, saying that lobbyists from the industry have too much power, but that the budget would limit that by funding research and development of clean energy. The United States should lead the world in this field, Pelosi said. The budget as outlined by Sanders would devote a total of $265 billion toward an extremely aggressive [transformation] of the U.S. energy system away from fossil fuels.

She told the audience If you believe as I do that this planet is Gods creation as I do, then you believe that its our responsibility to be good stewards of it. She tied this responsibility to be good stewards back to the benefits to children again, saying We owe it to our children to pass on the planet in a responsible way.

The speaker shrunk back from committing to cutting any of these provisions to satiate moderate Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), who have both said that they will not vote for such an expensive bill. What would you cut? she asked. She then answered her own question, stating that childcare, paid family leave, and home healthcare are so important, recoiling at the thought of cutting any of these programs.

Pelosi summarized the legislations benefits to women and children as being about the future. The budget, she concluded, takes us into the future for the children.
Afghan Officer Rescued From Kabul Starts New Life in US

The dramatic rescue in Afghanistan happened under the cover of darkness. The Taliban were closing in, and Americans were running out of time to save Mohammad Khalid Wardak.

The high-profile Afghan national police officer spent years working alongside the U.S. military, and after the fall of Kabul, he went on the run, moving from safe house to safe house, at one point running barefoot to avoid capture. The U.S. and its allies had only minutes to get Khalid, as his friends call him, and his wife and their four young sons to the safety of a waiting helicopter.

As part of Operation Promise Kept, the family was whisked away to an undisclosed location in Kabul and then to Kuwait, where Khalid was treated for a wound from a mortar attack. Less than three weeks later, the warrior who once directed resistance against the Taliban from a hospital bed has settled with his family in the United States.

Im a free man, Khalid told The Associated Press through an interpreter after arriving at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., aboard a U.S. military flight 15 days after his rescue. Its like a dream for me.

Ryan Brummond, U.S. Special Forces Officer (C) is seated next to Mohammad Khalid Wardak (R) in Afghanistan. (Ryan Brummond via AP)

During a 90-minute conversation from a U.S. government officials home, Khalid, who left Afghanistan with a few important documents and the clothes he was wearing, recounted his final firefights with the Taliban, the brotherhood he developed with U.S. special forces, and the prospect of a new life with no need for bodyguards, thanks to the generosity of friends and strangers.

Every single minute I was, like, Theyre probably going to kidnap my children or my brothers and kill them, he said, still worried about relatives in Afghanistan. Everybody was looking for me.

Khalid is one of the thousands of Afghans starting over in new countries after the American withdrawal. His friends said he had no intention of leaving and planned to defend his homeland after U.S. forces were gone. But the government collapsed with stunning speed, and the president fled the country.

He was widely known because of his position as police chief in southern Afghanistans Helmand province and from television appearances, including one in which he challenged the Taliban to a fight, his friends said.

Theres no price in the world to be able to see Khalid and his family, said Robert McCreary, a former congressional chief of staff and White House official under President George W. Bush, who worked with U.S. special forces in Afghanistan. Youre talking about human lives and whether they live or die. Were so happy that we were able to get this done for them after everything theyve done for us.

McCreary told the AP last month that Khalid originally sought protection only for his family while he kept fighting.

Mohammad Khalid Wardak is seen in Afghanistan on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 after the U.S. military and its allies rescued him and his family. (AP Photo)

He said Khalid came to the rescue in March 2013, when a special forces detachment in eastern Afghanistans Wardak province suffered an insider attack. Someone dressed in an Afghan National Security Forces uniform opened fire, killing two Americans.

When the outpost was almost simultaneously attacked from the outside, a U.S. commander called on Khalid, who within minutes raced into the valley with a quick-reaction force to defend his American partners.

In 2015, when Khalid lost part of his right leg in a rocket-propelled grenade attack, friends in the U.S. military helped get him medical care and a prosthetic leg outside the country. A month later, he was again leading special police operations alongside Americans, said Army Special Forces Sgt. Major Chris Green, who worked with Khalid in Afghanistan.

Along the way, he helped apprehend al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. He went on to serve as police chief in Ghazni province and then Helmand province, where he was wounded in July in the mortar attack.

Khalid said he left a very tough situation and returned from the dead.

I served my country for 20 years. We had a government. We had a military. Everything is gone. Sometimes I cry about it, he said. These brothers helped me. I wasnt expecting to be alive. But they saved my life and my family.

Khalid spent his first days in Washington walking around the city and spending time with his family at a park. The children of a government official baked his family dozens of cookies. He was taken over the weekend to Walmart to buy clothes.

He hopes to meet this week with Sen. Chris Coons who, with McCreary, helped lead the effort to rescue Khalid, McCreary said. He also plans to meet with immigration attorneys to begin the process of becoming an American citizen.

Khalid said he wants to learn English, pursue a degree in computer engineering and spend more time with his family, something he wasnt able to do in Afghanistan.

I spent a lot of time at war, he said. This is the first time that Im home safe with my family.

Mohammad Khalid Wardak is seen after the U.S. military and its allies reportedly rescued him and his family, in Afghanistan on Aug. 18, 2021. (AP Photo)

Nic McKinley, a CIA and Air Force veteran who founded Dallas-based DeliverFund, a nonprofit thats secured housing for 50 Afghan families in the United States, said that Khalids story, while dramatic, is not unusual among Afghans.

He helped find Khalid a host in Washington and made sure he and his family had clothes and food.

Khalid is a very smart man, a very capable man, McKinley said. The whole community is wrapping around him to make sure that he has the things that he needs and, more importantly, as new needs pop up in the future, he has a community that he can lean on.

McCreary said he planned to be there for Khalid every step of the way.

This is a great way to show him how much we love him for everything that hes done with us and for us and how many American lives he saved and his time working alongside us, McCreary said. Its a true honor to keep that promise for him.

By Alex Sanz
An Amazon worker sorts items at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Peterborough, east England, on Nov. 27, 2019. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

Amazon Hands 492 Million to UK Taxman From 20 Billion Revenue

Amazon handed 492 million ($678 million) to the UK taxman last year, from a total of 20 billion ($27 billion) in revenue, as the pandemic and lockdowns nitro-charged their online sales.

Figures filed recently in Companies House show total revenues of 20.63 billion for the group in the UK during 2020, up from 13.73 billion ($18.93 billion) in 2019.

Amazons taxes have often become something of a lightning rod for anger at how Big Tech multinationals appear to side-step UK taxes.

Amazon said in a statement on Sept. 7 that it has plunged over 32 billion ($44 billion) of investments into its UK operations in the last decade.

The company also says it helps to fund public services and infrastructure through a further 1.1 billion ($1.52 billion) that ended up in the coffers of the Treasury via indirect taxes, such as VAT paid by its customers or income tax from its employees.

Amazon invested more than 1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) in its British operations amid the lockdown-fuelled surge in online shopping.

Amazon said: We are proud of the significant economic contribution we are making to the UK economy.

Looking ahead, we know that the UK remains full of opportunity and we continue to be excited by the potential to continue to invest, create jobs, develop talent, and have a positive impact in communities across the country.

The publication of Amazons tax bill makes for awkward optics for the Conservative government, emerging just as the prime minister announced a hike in National Insurance that some analysts say effectively pushes taxation to the highest since World War II.

Amid growing concerns that Big Tech firms are channeling their profits through low-tax jurisdictions, last year the UK government launched a 2 percent tax on digital sales.

Controversy surrounds Amazon and its UK tax bill, as the group officially reports its British retail sales through Luxembourg, with Amazon UK services representing only a small part of the wider UK operation.

But the technology titan stressed its UK retail sales, related expenses, profits, and taxes are recorded in the UK and therefore reported, and paid, directly to HM Revenue & Customs.

Amazons UK workforce now stands at more than 55,000 after another 10,000 jobs have been created so far this year, with more staff being recruited to meet soaring demand.

For the finance ministers of many nations, the ability of big multinational tech giants to funnel profits through the path of least tax resistance and to shift profits to tax havens has been a long-standing concern.

After eight years of talks, the G-7 this year agreed to a collective solution, backing a minimum global corporate tax rate of at least 15 percent.

Facebook said it expected it would have to pay more tax in more countries as a result of the deal.

PA and Reuters contributed to this report.
American Flags Honoring 13 Military Members Killed in Terrorist Attack Vandalized in California: Police

Flags that were displayed in California to honor 13 U.S. military members who died last month during a terrorist bombing were allegedly vandalized, according to officials on Tuesday.

A memorial including 13 American flags and a Marine Corps flag was displayed on a fence above the 91 Freeway in Riverside, said the Riverside Police Department in a statement on social media. Police officers were notified on Monday after an individual who noticed the flags may have been defaced, said the department.

Sometime yesterday, an observant citizen noticed the flags appeared to be damaged and it was reported to the police, said the department, including photos of flags that appeared to be either ripped or cut. At this point, we dont have any suspect description but its obvious the flags were intentionally damaged.

The group, What Is Going on in Riverside County, brought the incident to the departments attention, while police said that the allegedly defaced flags were removed and were turned over to a local Boy Scout Troop 703 for proper retirement.

The 13 soldiers were killed during the U.S.-led evacuation mission at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. Terrorist group ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, which also claimed the lives of more than 150 Afghans.

It occurred in the midst of a rushed and chaotic evacuation of Americans, Afghans, and other foreign nationals who were attempting to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban extremist group took over Kabul in mid-August. The Biden administration drew significant condemnation from a number of veterans, Republican lawmakers, and even members of his own Party over how he handled the pullout.

And on Aug. 31, the United States carried out its final evacuation flight and removed all its military troops from Afghanistan, effectively ending the 20-year-long conflict. However, it is believed that hundreds of American citizens and their family members may remain inside the country amid conflicting reports and statements from various administration officials.

Pentagon officials last month acknowledged that possibly thousands of ISIS members may have been released from Afghan prisons by the Taliban as the group made advances across the country.

Ten of the U.S. service members killed in the incident were based out of Californias Camp Pendleton, located in San Diego County and south of Riverside County. The attack last month represented the worst single-day loss since the August 2011 attack on a Chinook helicopter that killed 30 service members.

The department then asked that anyone who has information about the vandalism to contact the Property Crimes Unit at (951) 353-7955. Other details about the incident were not provided by police.
George Gascon, then San Francisco district attorney who took office as Los Angeles County district attorney on Dec. 7, 2020, speaks during a new conference in San Francisco on Dec. 9, 2014. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Another Veteran Prosecutor Sues Los Angeles County, Gascon, Again Alleging Retaliation

LOS ANGELESAnother veteran prosecutor is suing Los Angeles County, alleging he has been defamed, denied promotions, and had his fitness to practice law questioned because he has been outspoken of District Attorney George Gascons reform directives.

Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatamis lawsuit alleges retaliation, race discrimination, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He joins a growing number of prosecutors in recent months alleging retaliation for voicing criticism.

A representative for the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office declined on Sept. 7 to comment on the complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Hatami, who is the prosecutor in the case of Jose Cuatro and Maria Juarez, a Palmdale couple charged with murder and torture in the death of their 4-year-old son, Noah.

Hatami was one of two prosecutors in the trial of Isauro Aguirre and Pearl Fernandez, who were sentenced to death and life in prison without parole, respectively, for her 8-year-old son Gabriels death.

When Gascon was sworn in last December, he promised to stop enforcing Californias three-strikes law, end use of the death penalty and create a review board to probe the actions of law enforcement. As Hatami criticized Gascons changes, he claims he experienced retaliation and a hostile work environment, according to his court papers.

Gascon has deliberately denied assigning (Hatami) to complex child abuse and murder cases within his jurisdiction as punishment for not going along with his directives, the suit alleges. This in turn impacts

(Hatamis) work and ability to prove himself for desired promotions.

In August, Gascon promoted 15 deputy district attorneys from grade 3 to grade 4, but excluded Hatami, who was due for the elevation due to his perfect work records, highly positive performance evaluations and numerous high-profile cases and trials, according to the complaint.

Gascon said during an interview last Oct. 27 with Crime Story, Some people will be unhappy and  either become internal terrorists or theyll leave. And I know certainly how to deal with both, the suit states. The racially infused comment was directed at Hatami, who is part Iranian and whose father is Muslim, the plaintiff alleges.

Last Nov. 18, Gascon said in an interview on Spectrum News 1 that the only reason the plaintiff sought the death penalty in the Gabriel Fernandez case was because his ego had been hurt by Aguirre, that Aguirre had rubbed Hatami the wrong way, that Aguirre was not the heavy in the case and that Aguirre had refused Hatamis plea deal, according to the suit.

The comments were knowingly false and were meant to damage Hatamis reputation and fitness to carry out his duties, according to the suit.

Last Dec. 11, Maxwell Szabo, spokesman for Gascons transition team, tweeted, The biggest threat to public safety is the cabal of rogue DAs and their friends in police unions, according to the suit, which alleges the comment was directed at Hatami.

Six days later, Szabo stated on Fox 11, It seems Mr. Hatami has made a profound discovery rather late in his career. Like any other workplace, if you dont do what your boss tells you to do, you may be disciplined, according to the suit.

Szabo went on to say, Hatamis delusional theories raise questions as to ones fitness to practice law, the suit states. That same day, Hatami wrote to county Supervisor Kathryn Barger detailing the alleged harassment and defamatory conduct he was experiencing, but did not hear anything in return, according to his suit.

The county in no way intervened or gave an official public statement denouncing the defamatory language published by Gascon and Szabo, the suit alleges. The county also did not intervene to prevent and stop the hostile work environment created almost immediately after Gascon was sworn in as the Los Angeles County District Attorney in which DAs with long-standing reputations were harassed, intimidated, treated like snitches and retaliated against for speaking up about concerns over the legality of new directives.

Szabo also called Hatami a liar during an April 27 Whittier City Council meeting, the suit alleges. Hatami said he filed an internal grievance against Szabo and asked that the District Attorneys Office make a public retraction of Szabos allegedly defamatory statements. On Jan. 26, Hatami says he received a letter, sent on behalf of Gascon, that the investigation was closed.

The letter stated that even if the facts Hatami alleged were true, they were not jurisdictional to the County of Los Angeles Policy of Equity, which aims to protect the right of employees to be free from discrimination, unlawful harassment, retaliation and inappropriate conduct, according to the suit.

Other prosecutors alleging retaliation in the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office include Richard Doyle, a 30-year veteran with the office who agreed on an undisclosed settlement with the county in March. Former head deputy for the juvenile division, Shawn Randolph, and former assistant head deputy of the family violence division, Lesley Klein Sonnenberg, also filed suit in July.
A dose of AstraZeneca vaccine is prepared at COVID-19 vaccination centre in the Odeon Luxe Cinema in Maidstone, UK, on Feb. 10, 2021. (Andrew Couldridge/Reuters)

AstraZeneca Boss Urges UK Government to Hold Off CCP Virus Booster Jabs

The UK government should hold off its plan to roll out CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus booster vaccines for Englands adult population until more data is accrued, the CEO of AstraZeneca said.

Writing in The Telegraph with Executive Vice President Sir Mene Pangalos, AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot said that its not yet clear whether a booster shot is clinically necessary.

AstraZeneca is the developer of the UKs own CCP virus vaccine in collaboration with Oxford University.

According to Soriot and Pangalos, clinical trials have shown a strong immune response up to 45 weeks after a second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, a high level of T-cells that are critical for lasting immunity, and that a third dose boosted antibody levels six-fold with a continued strong T-cell response.

But the scientists are yet to find out what mix of antibodies and T-cells are needed to prevent serious illness from CCP virus infections, they said.

This is why we need the weight of the clinical evidence gathered from real-world use before we can make an informed decision on a third dose, Soriot and Pangalos wrote.

The pharmaceutical bosses acknowledged that it may be a sensible immediate precaution to give the shots to the very elderly and the immunocompromised, but argued that the decision on giving booster shots to the whole population needs to be clinically driven to avoid adding unnecessary burden to the NHS and throwing away the chance to collect real-world clinical effectiveness data.

Low-and middle-income countries that struggle to procure vaccines have an even greater need for these data, Soriot and Pangalos said.

Their comments come after vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs a vaccine booster programme is ready to go as soon as the scientific advice for the scheme is signed off.

More than half a million people with severely weakened immune systems and who are most at risk from COVID-19 will be offered another vaccine dose beginning this month, following a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

But that announcement is separate from any decision on a booster programme, with news on this expected soon.

Zahawi added that he hopes the virus can be dealt with year in, year out without having to take the severe measures seen last December, telling BBC Breakfast: Vaccines have given us the ability to reduce infections, to save 100,000 lives.

The UKs chief medical officers are currently reviewing the wider benefits of vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds, such as minimising school absences, after the JCVI declined to recommend a widespread rollout to the age group on health grounds alone.

PA contributed to this report.
Smoke billows following an airstrike by U.S.-led international coalition forces targeting the ISIS terror group in Mosul, Iraq, on July 9, 2017. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images)

At Least 22,000 Civilians Killed by US Airstrikes Since 9/11: Watchdog

At least 22,679 civilians have been killed in U.S. airstrikes during the past 20 years in the global war on terror, according to the latest figures from the watchdog Airwars.

The United Kingdom-based Airwars released its report on civilian deaths on Sept. 6, ahead of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Over the past two decades, the United States has initiated at least 91,340 airstrikes spanning seven countries, Airwars said.

The most civilian deaths have occurred in Iraq (at least 11,474), followed by Syria (5,731), Afghanistan (4,815), Pakistan (424), Yemen (156), Somalia (72), and Libya (7), according to the Airwars data.

The deadliest period was during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, when at least 5,529 civilians were killed in airstrikes, Airwars said. After 2004, civilian deaths from airstrikes largely stayed under 1,000 per year until the rise of ISIS.

Campaigns to force ISIS from the Iraqi city of Mosul and the Syrian city of Raqqa in 2016-2017 saw some of the most intense urban fighting since the Second World War, Airwars said. In Raqqa alone, Coalition strikes reportedly killed at least 1,600 civilians.

Airwars noted that the estimated 22,679 deaths is a conservative figure, and that as many as 48,308 may have died from U.S. airstrikes. A lack of government transparency and the overall fog of war make it difficult to get a precise body count.

The gap between these two figures reflects the many unknowns when it comes to civilian harm in war. Belligerents rarely track the effects of their own actionsand even then do so poorly, Airwars said. It is left to local communities, civil society, and international agencies to count the costs.

The organization said it approached U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for its project and was told that data on civilian harm isnt readily available.

The information you request is not immediately on hand in our office as it spans between multiple operations/campaigns within a span of between 18 and 20 years, CENTCOM said, according to Airwars.

Internal government documents obtained by The Intercept show further flaws in how the military tracks civilian deaths from airstrikes. Those documents, dubbed the Drone Papers, reportedly showed that the military designates people it kills in targeted strikes as EKIAenemy killed in actioneven if they were not the intended targets of the strike.

Unless evidence posthumously emerged to prove the males killed were not terrorists or unlawful enemy combatants, EKIA remained their designation, The Intercept said, citing the source who leaked the documents.

Critics of the airstrikes have warned that their resulting civilian deaths could lead to blowbacka term coined by the CIA to describe how U.S. operations abroad could result in unintended consequences at home.

One possible example of blowback from the airstrikes came in May 2017, when UK civilian Salman Abedi killed 23 people in a suicide bombing outside of Manchester Arena following a concert by Ariana Grande. Abedis sister reportedly said at the time that his actions may have been inspired by a desire for revenge for dead civilians in Syria.

I think he saw childrenMuslim childrendying everywhere, and wanted revenge. Abedis sister told The Wall Street Journal. He saw the explosives America drops on children in Syria, and he wanted revenge.

Regardless of whether U.S. airstrikes result in blowback, Americans should be outraged at their government killing innocent civilians, says Maha Hilal, co-director of the Justice for Muslims Collective. Hilal said that this is unfortunately not how most U.S. media outlets present the issue.

When we talk about the lives of Muslims and civilian casualties, most of the time the concern is about, If we cause too many civilian casualties, will this create hate in the groups being targeted? Will this lead them to become anti-American, and therefore will be some sort of revenge? Hilal said on Sept. 1, during a webinar hosted by Brown Universitys Costs of War Projectwhich has estimated that some 387,000 civilians have died in total from the terror wars.

In other words, the concern is not actually about civilian deaths. Its about civilians being killed and the possibility that their deaths could create more violence.

The Department of Defense didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment about the Airwars report.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne (C) and Minister for Defence Peter Dutton (R) at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Aug. 27, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Australian Looks to Deepen Ties in Indo-Pacific as Free Trade Agreement With India Moves Closer

Australia is looking to deepen ties across the Indo-pacific with Foreign Minister Marise Payne and the Minister of Defence Peter Dutton jetting off on a tour of the region for a series of 2+2 meetings with their counterparts from Indonesia, India, South Korea, and the United States.

In a joint press release on Sep. 8, Payne and Dutton said that the tour would enable Australia to reinforce our active engagement in the region and advance Australias contribution to peace and stability in the region.

Australias security and economic prosperity is deeply integrated with those of our regional partners in the Indo-Pacific. We share with these key partners a vision for an open, inclusive and resilient region, underpinned by mutual prosperity and stability, the joint release said.

Payne noted that the most pressing issue for discussion is cooperation for the regions recovery from COVID-19.

During our meetings and engagements across the four countries, we will discuss our continuing partnerships to overcome the pandemic, including through the equitable, safe and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and our shared path to global economic recovery, Payne said.

While Dutton said, the visits were an important opportunity to build on already strong defence partnerships, particularly with the U.S. with the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS alliance.

I am very much looking forward to meeting with my counterparts face-to-face to build on our already strong relationships and to discuss further our shared interests in keeping our region safe and secure, Dutton said.

The ministers Payne and Dutton will also be attending the first Australia-United States Ministerial consultations (AUSMIN) with the Biden Administration in Washington on Sept. 16.

They will be joined by counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to discuss further cooperation on issues such as economic coercion, defence, climate, supply chains, COVID-19 recovery and more.

A key part of the tour will be Payne and Duttons meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sept. 11 to discuss issues including economic security, cyber, and supply chains.

The ministers note that the relationship between Australia and India is at a historic high, with the prospect of a free trade agreement with India also on the table.

I have a real sense that we are progressing this time. I think they had the former Prime Minister Tony Abbott here recently as a special envoy dealing with trade. So I think there is a tailwind which we hope to get us past the post, Jaishankar told the Australian National Universitys JG Crawford Oration on Sep. 6.

(L-R) Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott walk together as they leave the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Nov. 18, 2014. (Rick Rycroft- Pool/Getty Images)

In the address, Jaishankar also said the Indian Prime Minister had expressed his serious intention to advance the Australia-Indian relationship.

Ive heard specifically and regularly from my Prime Minister do more with Australia, find a way of improving this relationship, Jaishankar said.

In 2011, Australia begun negotiations with India for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Negotiations were suspended in 2015 then re-engaged in 2020 by both Prime Ministers.

On Aug. 26, 2021, Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal agreed to speed up negotiations to achieve an interim trade agreement announcement by Dec. 2021.

Australian Scott Morrison (L) participating in the inaugural Quad leaders meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a virtual meeting on Friday, March 12, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (AAP Image/Pool/Dean Lewins)

The recent push to advance economic relations with other Indo-Pacific nations was triggered by the Chinese Communist Partys politically motivated economic coercion of Australia, which has forced domestic industries to diversify away from China and towards nations like India.
Biden Administration Warns US May Hit Debt Limit in a Few Weeks

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday warned the United States could hit its debt limit by next month, warning Congress that she will run out of maneuvering room.

In a letter to leaders of Congress, Yellen said she cant provide a specific date for when shell be not able to keep the federal government funded unless the chamber raises the debt limit. Should that happen, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, funding for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare will likely be halted.

Given this uncertainty, the Treasury Department is not able to provide a specific estimate of how long the extraordinary measures will last, the secretary wrote in the letter (pdf). However, based on our best and most recent information, the most likely outcome is that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted during the month of October. We will continue to update Congress as more information becomes available.

And Yellen warned that once cash on hand and other available measures are exhausted, the United States would be unable to meet its obligations for the first time in our history.

The U.S. debt ceiling, which reached $22 trillion in August 2019, is the legal limit on the amount of debt the federal government can borrow, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Lawmakers missed a July deadline to extend former President Donald Trumps two-year suspension on the borrowing limit, which was reinstated in August 2021.

For months, Yellen has warned lawmakers to raise the U.S. debt limit before the end of July and warned that a delay could cause irreparable damage to the U.S. economy and global financial markets.

Waiting until the last minute to suspend or increase the debt limit can cause serious harm to business and consumer confidence, raise short-term borrowing costs for taxpayers, and negatively impact the credit rating of the United States, Yellen also wrote in her letter. At a time when American families, communities, and businesses are still suffering from the effects of the ongoing global pandemic, it would be particularly irresponsible to put the full faith and credit of the United States at risk.

Her later was dated Wednesday and was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

In response to the warning, Pelosi told reporters this week that Congress has several means to raise or suspend the debt ceiling before funds run out.

Wed like to do it in a bipartisan way, Pelosi said. We dont ever want to put the full faith and credit [of the U.S.] in doubt
President Joe Biden speaks on workers rights and labor unions in the East Room at the White House on Sept. 8, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Biden Offers Remarks on Labor Unions

President Joe Biden gave remarks Wednesday in the East Room of the White House to honor labor unions, two days after spending his first Labor Day as president.

In his speech, Biden recounted past labor movement victories like the eight-hour workday and weekends.

Unions built the middle class, he told the room of mostly labor leaders.

Biden also called for the passage of the PRO Act, a bill that would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns while weakening right-to-work laws that allow workers to avoid paying union dues in more than half the states. He also continued his push for his Build Back Better agenda, which proposes widespread changes in education, healthcare, and the workforce.

My Build Back Better investments are going to allow us to keep and progress and move further in the years to come, he said.

Biden also referred to the ongoing national labor shortage, which according to the Department of Labor has seen the number of job openings increase to a series high of 10.9 million on the last business day of July.

The economy my administration has built, instead of workers competing with each other for the jobs that are scarce, everybody is mad at me, because guess what, employers are competing to attract workers, Biden said.

Biden has signed executive orders to create a White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment meant to promote competition in the American economy.

Biden was accompanied on the stage by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, newly appointed AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and United Food and Commercial Workers Member Jocelyn Cruces.

Walsh gave opening remarks, where he announced that essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic will be inducted into the departments hall of honor alongside the likes of Cesar Chavez, Mother Jones, and the 9/11 first responders.

Essential frontline workers have carried us on their backs from the beginning of the pandemic, Walsh said.

Shuler, who was elected into her new role after the passing of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka last month, also spoke of creating a modern, inclusive labor movement, with women and people of color moving from the margins to the center.

At the end of the speech, Biden took no questions from the media and no questions were shouted out.

Biden also attended a labor event Monday held by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 313 in his home state of Delaware, delivering sandwiches to the union members.
President Joe Biden speaks, flanked by US Senator Chuck Schumer (L) speaks, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (R) and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (2nd L), during a tour of a neighbourhood affected by Hurricane Ida in Queens, New York on September 7, 2021. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Visits Areas in Northeast Affected by Ida Flooding, Promotes Infrastructure Bill

President Joe Biden traveled to parts of the northeast Tuesday to view the aftermath of flash flooding that left at least 50 people dead in six states.

Biden made stops in Manville, New Jersey and the New York City borough of Queens, where record rainfall last week caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida overwhelmed rivers and sewer systems leaving some trapped in flooding basements or swept away by fast-moving waters that crashed through the streets. The storm also produced multiple tornadoes.

Biden used the weather event as a backdrop to push his $1 trillion infrastructure plan to modernize roads, bridges, sewers and other infrastructure to better withstand extreme weather. The measure is still being considered in Congress. The White House has also asked Congress for an additional $24 billion to cover the costs of Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters.

Biden called the situation code red, claiming that climate change was the cause for the storms and a reason to enact his infrastructure plan.

Climate change poses an existential threat to our lives, to our economy, said Biden in an address given in an alley in Queens surrounded by New York officials and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D). The threat is here. Its not going to get any better. The question is can it get worse. We can stop it from getting worse.

Biden said climate change is an international problem and needed a global response saying, Weve got to move the rest of the world. Not just America.

The route the presidents motorcade took through New Jersey earlier in the day provided evidence of the flood damage, with piles of garbage bags and sodden furniture heaped along the curbs.

The streets were also lined with residents holding cell phones above their heads. Among them were large clumps of Trump supporters waving signs and shouting.

You really took a hit, Biden said while meeting with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and other state officials at the Somerset County Emergency Management Training Center. The losses we witnessed were profound.

Manville is located along New Jerseys Raritan River and is regularly hard-hit by major storms. The borough experienced flooding in 1998 in the remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd, in 2011 during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and in 2012 from Superstorm Sandy.

Of the total deaths from the aftermath of Ida, 27 were recorded in New Jersey and 13 in New York City, including 11 in Queens.

In a statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said the storm caused about $50 million in damage to infrastructure and public property. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop wrote on Twitter damage to city infrastructure was estimated at $35 million.

Biden approved federal disaster funding for the two states in statements released over the weekend. The disaster declarations make federal funds available to the New York counties of Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Westchester, and the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset. He is open to applying the declaration to other storm-ravaged New Jersey counties, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell told New Jersey officials in her address that while damage assessments continue, more than 7,000 families had already applied for aid and that number is expected to rise.

Individuals affected by the storm can seek assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, or they can call 1-800-621-FEMA.

Biden visited New Orleans last week where Ida first made landfall as a Category 4 storm. It claimed at least 13 lives in that state and power is still being restored to customers in the region.

Hurricane Henry is currently churning over the Atlantic Ocean increasing the risk of rip currents along the East Coast this week. A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Bermuda.
Californians Share Mixed Feelings on Governor Recall

Californians can agree that something needs to be done about the states rising homelessness, wildfires, and drought. But recalling the governor proves to be a more controversial issue.

With the gubernatorial recall election day approaching on Sept. 14, 46 candidates are vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Epoch Times talked to passersby at random in Redondo Beach, California, asking their opinion on the recall on Sept. 4.

Out of nine individuals, six said they were opposed to the recall and three were in favor.

Those supporting the recall all said they were voting for Larry Elder, a conservative radio talk show host who is the top contender in the polls of likely Republican voters who are voting yes to recall.

Elder is an Epoch Times contributor and host of Larry Elder with Epoch Times on EpochTV.

Mike Gage, a 32-year resident of Redondo Beach, is voting to recall Newsom because he made things worse while in office.

[Newsom] is incompetent and hes made a lot of mistakes, and theres nothing thats gotten better about this state in a long time, Gage told The Epoch Times.

Ive seen things just deteriorate  Everything else is just too expensive. Its a shame that I live in a state where the seniors who retire and are now on a retirement income have to sell [their homes] and go elsewhere to live. Its a shame they pay taxes all their lives and now they have to leave. Everybody I know has to leave because again [they cant] afford to live here.

Gage said Newsom doesnt keep his promises.

When he ran for election last time, he said he was going to stop that crazy rail train to San Francisco project. He said he was going to stop it when he was running for election, and when he got elected, he said, Im not going to stop it, Gage said.

I would support Larry Elder. Hes the obvious, good candidate whos got the support out there to get elected. Hes the only one thats going to get any votes at all.

[Elder will] downsize the government here; hell allow the free market to work and things will get better; he will have a conservative view versus liberal view.

Everybody I know is voting for him.

We have the highest home prices, we have the highest cost of living. Its seniors have to move out of the state when they retire because they cant afford to live here. Its just ridiculous.

Susan S., of Redondo Beach, said shes voting yes on the recall because of how Newsom handled the pandemic.

I think that Gavin Newsom was a disaster during the COVID, she said.

He didnt play by the right rules. When you keep Macys and Lowes and you keep all these big stores open and you close all the mom-and-pop stores, what are you doing for our community? What are you doing for the people that live in the neighborhoods? What are you doing for peoples livelihood?

Susan said the rising suicide rate among high school students resulting from school closures during the pandemic is never talked about.

More people have probably died from that, or been exposed to that, than people who have died because of COVID, she said.

Susan said the recall is bipartisan because the issues related to Newsoms recall arent political.

[Newsoms] whole family was not affected by COVID at all. He didnt lose his job; his children got to go to school; his children got to go to camp; he got to go out to eat, while everybody else is locked down. I just think if youre going to be a political figure, you need to play by all the rules and I dont think that he has, she said.

Susan said theres a huge divide between the Republicans and Democrats, thats not the way it should be, and that Newsom is partly responsible for that divide.

If youre transparent and youre trying to work together  either Elder or [Kevin Kiley] could do that better. Newsom has caused more of a divide than he has an equity.

Suzie K., of Redondo Beach, doesnt support the recall and said Newsom did the best he could, during the pandemic.

Im very happy with what hes doing and what hes done. Im not saying hes perfect, she said.

I dont think anyone could have done a good job under the circumstances.  I believe he adverted multiple [COVID-19] deaths.

Suzie said she agrees with Newsoms principles of helping all the immigrants and the homeless. Its okay for us to have to pay a little more in taxes to help the community.

Cumby Jones, of Calistoga, also said the wildfires have severely affected the air quality in his hometown.

Were still getting the smoke from the fire down in Tahoe  the air quality goes way down because of the fire, Jones told The Epoch Times.

Jones said his hometown of Calistoga has been affected by major fires three times in the past six years.

However, Jones isnt supporting the recall because [Newsom] has done a pretty good job with the COVID issues. And I know that its a big state and weve kind of done pretty well during this troublesome time.

Naomi Mizushima, of Torrance, called the recall a total waste of time [and] waste of money.

I just dont think that thats a real recall. To me, the election is next year, so why do it at this time? It doesnt make any sense to me, Mizushima told The Epoch Times, adding that Newsom did a decent job.

Mark Olson, of Torrance, concurred that the governor has done an overall great job.

Hes made a few mistakes. But overall, after reflecting on what he did wrong, he turned it around and hes done some things right, Olson told The Epoch Times.

Louise Williams, of Carson, also said homelessness was a major issue in the state and that Newsom is doing all he can.

She said people are blaming Newsom for the homeless situation but that there were homeless people in California before he became governor.

I blame some people because of their own [problems] because theyre not paying their bills. Theyre doing everything else but paying their bills, Williams told The Epoch Times.

I think a lot of people are homeless because their minds are not together. And I think we should open up places to treat people with mental problems.

Williams added that she likes the governor and wouldnt like to see him replaced by Elder.

Anybody but Larry Elder.  I dont think he has what it takes to be a governor, she said.

Steven W., of Redondo Beach, said he voted for Elder in the recall election because Elder is very conservative; hes very outspoken, and a very popular candidate.

I just think that hes the one to beat Newsom, Steven told The Epoch Times. Im just glad he showed up and threw his hat in the ring, so to speak, and I really hope that he gets elected.

I think hell do the best job he can, and anything that he can do I think would be a good thing.

Weve got to do something about the homeless crisis, Steven said. Its not just a problem, its a crisispeople that are on drugs, mental issues that are made worse by drug and alcohol abuse.

Steven said Newsom has done many things wrong, but the one that stands out was when he had the dinner for everybody during the COVID [lockdowns]. Thats a real pompous attitude for somebody in government to take, and he should pay the price for his transgression.
A member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance uses a website that monitors global cyberattacks on his computer at an office in Dongguan, in China's southern Guangdong Province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

CCP Says Western Forces Launching Cyberattacks on China: Internal Document

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has warned of cyberattacks conducted by Western anti-China forces, according to a leaked internal document.

The document (pdf), titled Cybersecurity Risks, Challenges, and Countermeasures, was issued by a municipal agency of Tieling city in the northeastern province of Liaoning. The document was dated June 19, 2020, weeks before CCPs founding anniversary.

The document, obtained by The Epoch Times, was intended for internal circulation within agencies of the Chinese regime. The goal was for the agencies to clearly understand the extreme importance and complexity of cybersecurity ahead of the anniversary.

The agencies were required to be politically, financially, and technologically prepared for any cybersecurity incidents.

Internet Is Important Battleground

The document starts by saying that the goal of the Western anti-China forces and a certain Western country is to overthrow the CCPs rule and stop the revival of the Chinese nation by any means possible.

It states that the internet has become an important battleground. Specifically, a certain Western country uses its strong technological resources to infiltrate, subvert, defame, and attack the CCP in an all-encompassing manner.

The document gives some examples of cyberattacks by anti-China forces. It states that a certain Western country has established more than 100 cyber combat teams and has developed several thousand cyberattack and defense weapons. But China is lacking in this regard and has become a major victim of hacking attacks.

It then claims that in the past few years, about 70 percent of Chinese netizens have become victims of cyberattacks, without providing details about who was behind the attacks.

Although not specifically named, a certain Western country appears to refer to the United States. The reference to the 100 cyber combat teams is apparently based on a speech given by the director of the National Security Agency, Michael S. Rogers, at a U.S. Senate hearing in 2016 (pdf).

However, there is no evidence linking the U.S. cyber combat teams to cyberattacks targeting Chinese netizens. The 70 percent of netizens is likely from domestic cyber fraud, according to a report by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

The CNNIC report says that in 2016, 70.5 percent of internet users encountered certain types of cybersecurity incidents. Seventy-five percent of such incidents trick the user into believing he or she has won a prize.

Anti-CCP Hacker

A hacker by the name of @fangongheike (anti-communist hacker) is known for posting anti-CCP messages on the homepages of hacked regime websites.

This hacker is mentioned by the leaked document as part of the threats from the West. In addition, in a set of training slides on cyber security, the hacker appears under the threat slide. It says that since May 2012, the so-called anti-communist hacker group hacks into a regime website every three days, posts derogatory remarks, and aims at overthrowing the CCP.

The hacker said on his own Twitter account that its been the work of a single person.

Since April 12, 2012, when I hacked into a web page to vent my dissatisfaction with the government, everything has been done by myself alone. I use we to make myself look bigger, he said.

A screenshot of a Twitter post by an anti-communist hacker group. (Twitter/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

In addition, @fangongheike says on his profile that he doesnt contact any individual or organization via any means, and that he hacks regime websites to satisfy his own private interests. He posts screenshots of hacked websites overlaid with @fangongheike messages, while the website functionality doesnt seem to be affected.

As another example, the leaked document says that according to a Western media report, a certain Western country has planted a Trojan horse virus in the Russian power grid, and that it can instantaneously cause a complete blackout in Russia.

In June 2019, there was a blackout in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. While Argentinas energy secretary ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of the blackout, it was later concluded that the trigger was a short circuit that had disconnected a 500-kV transmission line.

However, the leaked document says that it was a rehearsal by a certain Western country to attack Russia.

Chinese State-Sponsored Hackers Charged

The leaked document also mentioned that several so-called advanced persistent threat (APT) hacker groups have been targeting Chinese businesses and regime entities. But it failed to provide solid examples of damage done by these groups, which include APT32 (OceanLotus), APT-C-09 (patchwork), and APT-C-08. These groups target countries in Asia and the Middle East.

APT is a covert cyberattack on a computer network where the attacker gains and maintains unauthorized access to the targeted network and remains undetected for a significant period. During the time between infection and remediation, the hacker will often monitor, intercept, and relay information and sensitive data.

Several APT hacker groups are sponsored by the CCP. Since 2017, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has indicted multiple Chinese hackers as members of CCP-sponsored APT groups.

Three Chinese hackers belonging to APT 3 were charged in November 2017 for computer hacking, theft of trade secrets, conspiracy, and identity theft directed at U.S. and foreign employees and computers of three corporate victims in the financial, engineering, and technology industries between 2011 and May 2017. Siemens alone lost 407 gigabytes of data due to APT3 hacking.

A screenshot of an FBI wanted poster for Chinese members of the APT 10 hacker group. (FBI/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

In December 2018, two Chinese hackers were indicted as members of the APT 10 group for targeting intellectual property and confidential business information. According to the indictment, from around 2006 to 2018, APT 10 conducted extensive hacking campaigns, stealing information from more than 45 victim organizations, including U.S. companies. Hundreds of gigabytes of sensitive data were secretly taken from companies in a diverse range of industries, such as health care, biotechnology, finance, manufacturing, and oil and gas.

A screenshot of an FBI wanted poster for Chinese members of the APT 41 hacker group. (FBI/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

In August 2019 and August 2020, the DOJ charged five hackers from APT 41, which orchestrated intrusions at more than 100 companies across the world, ranging from software vendors, video game companies, telcos, and more. The APT 41 group is now one of the most infamous and active state-sponsored hacking groups. Victim companies are from countries such as the United States, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A screenshot of the FBI wanted poster for Chinese PLA members involved in the Equifax hacking. (FBI/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

In February 2020, the DOJ charged four members of the Chinese military for hacking into credit reporting company Equifax, which affected more than 150 million customers. According to the indictment, the state-sponsored hackers ran approximately 9,000 queries on Equifaxs system obtaining records for nearly half of all U.S. citizens. Exposed data included names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers.

A screenshot of the FBI wanted poster for Chinese members of the APT 40 hackers group. (FBI/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

In July 2021, four members of APT 40 were charged with hacking various companies, universities, and government entities in the United States and worldwide between 2011 and 2018. Examples of APT 40 activity include targeting maritime industries and naval defense contractors in the United States and Europe, regional opponents of the Belt and Road Initiative, and multiple Cambodian electoral entities in the run-up to the 2018 election, according to the UKs National Cyber Security Center.

In September 2020, then-U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen summarized the goal of CCP hacking.

The record of recent years tells us that the Chinese Communist Party has a demonstrated history of choosing a different path, that of making China safe for their own cybercriminals, so long as they help with its goals of stealing intellectual property and stifling freedom.
Soldiers of The People's Liberation Army (PLA) take part in military exercises after a snowfall in Tianshui, Gansu Province of China, on Jan. 24, 2018. (Getty Images)

Chinas Military Drill in Tibet a Warning to India: Experts

The Chinese regimes recent show of military strength in Tibet was an attempt to intimidate neighboring India amid heightened tensions, according to two former high-ranking military officers. But New Delhi remains confident its a formidable opponent to Beijing, they said.

At the end of August, large-scale joint exercises were conducted by the People Liberation Armys (PLA) Tibet Military Command (TMC). At least 10 brigades and regiments affiliated with the PLA took part in the exercises near Indias northeastern border. The exercises were akin to last months naval and air force assault drills carried out by the PLA near Taiwans southern coast.

This week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping promoted Wang Haijiang, a senior PLA officer, to general and as head of the Western Theatre Command. Hes now in charge of overseeing the disputed India-China border.

In carrying out these drills near the border with India, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is giving the appearance of taking a tough stance against India, as it prepares itself for a potential showdown against the South Asian country in the future, retired Lt. Gen. J.S. Bajwa told The Epoch Times.

Given that the training exercises were held in the high elevations of Tibetnearly 14,700 feet (4,500 meters) above sea levelthe former chief of staff, eastern command and director-general of infantry in the Indian Army said this provided the cold weather and altitude training necessary to test the performance of the military, equipment, and munitions of the PLA.

Bajwa said its unlikely that the CCP would permanently capture any territory beyond the Tibet autonomous region, but suggested the regime is only attempting to uphold the appearance of being a formidable force.

Long-Standing Dispute

The threat posed by the PLA in neighboring Tibet doesnt concern Bajwa, who noted that the border standoff with China was nothing new. Skirmishes along the disputed border in 2020 were particularly violent, resulting in the first fatalities since 1975.

With tensions continuing to remain high between Beijing and New Delhi, Bajwa said that alleviating a continued border standoff with the Chinese regime would prove difficult, noting that the two sides havent made any progress diplomatically to resolve the dispute.

India, he said, will keep the necessary military forces deployed at a given time near the region, [and be] able to respond at short notice.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis agreed, saying that it would appear as if India is going to be steadfast in their opposition to any incursion by the Chinese communistsand the fact that the [CCP] displayed some prowess in the Himalayas with an exercise suggests they also have no intention to back down.

Given the long-running nature of the border conflict, Maginnis suspects that many disputessome of them deadlywill continue to occur.

Those in New Delhi should be very apprehensive about the intentions of those who are in Beijing, Maginnis told The Epoch Times. Despite the Chinese threat, he said Indias military has proven itself to be fully equipped with the materials and weaponry necessary to engage the TMC, if necessary.

The CCP Presses in From All Sides

But its not just the CCP military threat that India needs to contend with.

Maginnis pointed to a larger problem: The entire region around the Indian subcontinent has been circumvented by Chinese relationships. These, he noted, include places such as Afghanistan, Burma (also known as Myanmar), Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and more.

In Sri Lanka, for example, the country is becoming increasingly occupied by Chinese businesses, he said. While Chinese projects were once limited to southern Sri Lanka, China is establishing its presence in the north of the country with a number of infrastructure projects.

For Maginnis, the economic threat and military threat of the Chinese regime cant be separated.

The CCP has every intention of dominating the region through every means it can, he said.

Maginnis says Xi has hegemonic ambitions not only for the Asia region but also for the entire world. Such plans, he said, are evidenced by the CCPs military aggression in the disputed South China Sea, a region unlawfully claimed by Beijing, and its intimidation of other claimant nations such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

By 2049, the 100th anniversary of the communist regime in Beijing, [the CCP] wants to be the top dog economically and militarily in the world, he said.

Before a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee in June, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Chinas stated intent is to complete the modernization of its forces by 2035 and to field a world-class military by 2049.

As part of the CCPs grand strategy, the regime will continue to make every effort to smother nations like India, according to Maginnis. But any moves targeting India may not prove successful.

Xi Jinping has a local neighbor there in New Delhi thats willing to fight back, he said.

India, meanwhile, will likely be bolstered by its warming relationship with the United States, Maginnis noted. In the past year, New Delhi has deepened its engagement with Washington amid escalating disputes with the CCP. Yet, in light of the recent U.S. withdrawal and toppling of the Afghanistan government, Maginnis voiced concern about U.S. commitment in the region.

How far will the United States go to support an ally? he asked.
Chinas Three Gorges Dam Hits 23-year High

Nations are scrutinizing a Chinese-made genetics test. The test is used on pregnant women around the world. And the company that produces it has ties to the Chinese military.

When exactly did the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak begin in Wuhan? A top epidemiologist reveals he first heard about it back in mid-December 2019two weeks before it was reported to the World Health Organization.

Chinas Three Gorges Dam sees a 23-year record high water level. Landslides strike China in at least three areas, destroying homes and killing several people along the way.

NATO voices concerns about Chinas nuclear expansion.

And a European country no longer wants its ambassador in China. This comes after a disagreement with Beijing over Taiwans opening of a de-facto embassy.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.



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Closing the Learning Gap May Solve the Skills Gap

Employers and educators can help our youth gain opportunities to advance

The advancement of technology is a concern for those who own businesses and are seeking to invest in top talent. Many media outlets have recently addressed the growing worry of a skills gap created by these advancements. The future is unknown for many regarding their careers. Even more so for our youth. Intelligence and talent have proved to come from all over the globe. Given the right opportunity, ideas and solutions can come from the most unexpected regions of the world. Employers and educators alike can work together to help close this gap. Starting with our education system and then requirements from employers for traits that go beyond a book. Below are some ways that may be useful in closing this gap and preparing for a brighter future for our youth and businesses.

Hire Based on Human Traits and Resiliency

Youth that come from poorer areas, challenged upbringing, or less than optimal circumstances, and have endured show signs of excellence in being able to withstand what an unknown future may hold. These life experiences often teach these people how to deal with current resources, leverage outside support when possible, and above all etch in them a grit to succeed that school at a higher level simply is unable to replicate. This is not to take away from the skills and training that are obtained during matriculation through schools. It adds value to many who are first-generation attendees and sets paths for them going forward.

The address here is for employers to take an unconventional approach to the skills gap that is so widely complained about. Dont talk, act. It is a unique time in history where technology is leveling the playing field to create opportunities for those who would not otherwise have it. There are entire industries where years of experience and education are in danger of becoming completely automated. At the same time, technology is creating massive opportunities for those who are willing to learn and adapt to these changes. Youth from these areas may show the blueprint on how to deal with circumstances that require a change on a large scale with uncertainty. A determination to succeed may go much further than what a four-year degree may say. Dont close the door on unconventional ways to acquire talent.

Related: 4 Criteria Diverse Talents Use to Evaluate Their Prospective Employers

Educate to Focus on Core Values

Critical thinking, collaboration, agility, and problem-solving are all much-needed skill sets to thrive now and in the future. School programs that focus on early adoption of training in these areas will better prepare their students to be impactful in contributing to the needs of employers. How many students now are in classrooms identified by teachers, or incapable of performing, because of perceived inabilities to align with standard training? Yet these youth in their spare time are building technology, new devices, or creating new methodologies to advance healthcare. The current system often overlooks these talents based on geographical and other demographics. Educators are either not trained to identify these students or not given the tools to support them for those who do recognize these talents.

I believe there is a great deal of talent that is being ignored now based on schools seeking to train students in concepts that are outdated to fit in the business landscape for the future. As an employer, we look for the basic human traits that show core values. How does this person deal with setbacks? What will they do under increased pressure to meet a deadline? What new ways have they looked at an old problem that they may be able to improve on? Are they open to take the lead on a project idea that they have brought in? How willing are they to go all-in for the purpose of what we do and how it aligns with their goals in life?

When asked by schools to give my feedback, I often mention how businesses and employers getting involved with children early can have a great impact on their abilities to understand their capabilities to succeed. When they realize what businesses need now and pointing to a future many are still trying to grasp, they are better suited to respond to changes.

Related: Correcting and Dispelling the Myths About Diversity and Inclusion Hiring4 Experts Weigh in

Collaboration Between Employers and Schools

There is enough research supporting the executive skills shown in the early years far outweigh the academic prowess at that age. The famous marshmallow experiment speaks to how these traits can follow children into adulthood. A holistic approach to hiring that identifies the social, emotional, and intellectual abilities as the value versus what school or grades attained may be a great way to hire going forward.

Employers that work with educators regarding the skills that are needed to excel in this new paradigm can help administrators develop programs that support this idea. Empowerment to young girls for their equal gifts to this world, support for diversity, and opportunity given based on excellence in humanity may speed up the close of this gap. The conventional methods for acquiring talent are not keeping pace with the creating of technology. Out-of-the-box thinking in focusing on the humanity element in our youth while hiring and leading based on it may be the very thing that causes technology and skills to run parallel to each in the end.

Related: Stop Focusing on the Pipeline Problem. Techs Diversity Issues Run Deeper.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is seen on Martin Luther King Day in Washington on Jan. 21, 2019. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

Colorblind Is the Moral Ideal

Commentary

There is little that reveals the immorality and dishonesty of the left more than its labeling the term colorblind racist.

Here are just a few of countless examples:

The University of California published a list of microaggressionsterms and ideas it considers racistthat white people should avoid using. The list includes the term colorblindness, as well as statements such as there is only one race, the human race.

The lefts racist war on colorblindness is everywhere.

Psychology Today published an article by a psychology professor titled, Colorblind Ideology Is a Form of Racism.

HuffPost published a piece titled, How Colorblindness Is Actually Racist, in which the author gives three examples of statements white people make that are racist:

I am colorblind.

I see people, not color.

We are all the same.

The Walt Disney Co. recommends that its white employees atone for their racism by [challenging] colorblind ideologies and rhetoric such as  I dont see color.

Even the U.S. Army got into the act. It sent an email to all personnel saying that the word colorblind is evidence of white supremacy. The Army later withdrew the email after a congressman threatened a federal investigation.

I could give dozens of other examples of the lefts Orwellian labeling of colorblind as racist.

Why Orwellian?

Because becoming colorblind is precisely what people opposed to racism should aspire to.

That is why Martin Luther King Jr.s most famous quote, from his most famous speech, is: I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

The lefts position is that Martin Luther King Jr. was wrong.

But its the left thats wrong. The colorblind person is the very definition of a non-racist person.

Heres one obvious proof: The worst racistsdefenders of slavery, supporters of Jim Crow laws, and the Ku Klux Klan, just to cite American exampleswere the least colorblind people. Color is the one thing they and all racists see in people. Precisely because they defined people by their color, they justified their subjugation of black people.

Colorblind means one does not believe a persons color is in any way significant.

Isnt that the ideal? Shouldnt we define a person by their heart, mind, personality, and, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, above all, character? When people, of any color, look into a mirror, do they see color? No, they dont. They see a human being. When a white person looks into a mirror, does he or she think, Look, a white person!? When a black person looks into a mirror, does he or she think, Look, a black person!?

Of course not. When we look at ourselves, we see John, or Jessica, or Tameka, or Jose. We see ourselvesnot color. Why isnt that how we would want everyone else to see us?

The lefts insistence that color is important is one of the most racist and anti-human doctrines of our time. It was precisely when America was most racist that peoples color was deemed most important. Why would we want to return to that time?

Why is your skin color any more important than your hair color or, for that matter, the color of your shoes?

Name one important thing your color tells others about you. You cant.

Does your color tell us if youre kind, or smart, or what foods or music you like, or what you do for a living? Does it tell us anything about the most important thing about youyour values?

No. Your color tells us nothing about you.

So, why should anyone not be colorblind? To be colorblind means one ignores the least important thing about you. Isnt that a good thing? And isnt the opposite positionthat your race is importantracist?

Those of us who regard the Bible as the greatest book ever written, as the greatest repository of wisdom, must be colorblind. The only thing the Bible tells us about the first human being, Adam, from whom we are all descended, is that he was created in Gods image. If the Bible placed any significance on race, wouldnt it have told us Adams color?

That there were Christians who defended slavery on race grounds only proves that there were Christians who didnt take the Bible seriously. Conversely, some Christians who did take the Bible seriously organized the first large-scale effort in world history to abolish slavery.

One final thought: Imagine that tomorrow every human being became blind. Would the world be moreor lessracist?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A Long March 3B rocket carrying the Beidou-3GEO3 satellite lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China, on June 23, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Coordinated Western Response Needed to Counter Chinese Space Threat: UK Expert

The West is facing a growing threat from China in the space sector, and a coordinated response is needed to counter that, space industry experts told the UK Parliament on Tuesday.

I think China is one of the biggest issues at play geopolitically. China is building up a strong military and civil and more commercial space programme now. Its very advanced. The threats are increasing from them, said Nik Smith, Lockheed Martin Space UK Regional Director for the UK, at a session of the Defence Select Committee in the House of Commons.

Smith warned that the UK needs to avoid another potential Huawei-type situation. Britain has become so dependent on telecom equipment from the Chinese company that Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially refused to ban Huawei from the UKs 5G networks, a decision that was reversed in July 2020 under intense pressure from the Trump administration.

If the Chinese continue to invest particularly commerciallythey are building a 13,000-satellite mega constellation funded by their governmentwe need to be careful not to fall into that situation that we saw with Huawei, said Smith, adding we need a coordinated Western response on this, working closely with our allies.

At the official opening of the UK Space Command in July, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the Royal Air Force, said China and Russias activities in space were reckless.

He said the UK sees the two countries development of anti-satellite weapons as a real concern and wants the international community to call out such behaviour.

Also addressing the Defence Select Committee on Tuesday, Nick Shave, chairman of UK Space, the trade association of Britains space industry, said the way to respond to these threats is through burden sharing with allies.

You build up far more comprehensive enterprise responses to these threats, you work with allies to put in place a strong deterrent posture, which then is your mitigation against these threats, he said.

Shave said the UK needs to maintain a certain level of sovereignty in the space sector in order to retain control.

Not everything needs to be built in the UK, but we need some core real central parts of the systems to be built and designed in the UK to retain that control over open spaces and for example the communications link to the spacecraft to control the decryption devices need to be built in the UK, he said.

Shave also suggested that the UK government should appoint a minister for space as a single role, as Japan has done, to improve coordination among all government departments involved in the space sector.
Election Campaign Day 25: Leaders Continue Campaign Promises Ahead of French-Language Debate

The French-language leaders debate will be held at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, on Sept. 8, and party leaders are expected to discuss topics ranging from pandemic recovery, the cost of living, and climate change to reconciliation and foreign policy. In the leadup to the debate, heres a roundup of recent announcements made on the campaign trail. Liberals

The Liberal Party is promising to beef up protection of the French language in Quebec and across Canada. If re-elected, the Liberals will reintroduce legislation to modernize the Official Languages Act within 100 days of a new mandate, the party announced in a statement on Sept. 8.

The Liberals also announced various programs to support the cultural sector amid the pandemic and reiterated plans to require web giants to pay their fair share of taxes on revenue generated in Canada, as well as for those companies to be held accountable for harmful content published on their platforms. The Liberals also pledged to increase funding for CBC/Radio-Canada to reduce its dependence on advertising revenue with an aim to eliminate ads entirely during news and public affairs programs. Conservatives

Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole announced a plan on Sept. 8 to support restaurants hard-hit during the pandemic. His partys Dine and Discover Program would give Canadians a 50 percent rebate for food and non-alcoholic drinks purchased for dine-in meals from Monday to Wednesday for one month, once it is safe to do so.

This will pump almost $1 billion into our hard-hit hospitality sector, he said in a Sept. 8 video Tweet. NDP

On Sept. 8, NDP candidates proposed specific policies for northern Ontario residents that promise more affordable living, health care services, job creation, reconciliation, and climate change response plans.

Party Leader Jagmeet Singh continued to promote his plans for more affordable housing on Sept. 7, by reiterating his promise to tax home flippers by increasing the taxable amount of their capital gains profit from 50 to 70 percent. A 20 percent foreign buyers tax would also be imposed to curb housing speculation. Peoples Party

While campaigning in Dauphin, Manitoba on Sept. 7, PPC Leader Maxime Bernier announced that, if elected, his government will prioritize improving the trade and labour mobility between provinces and territories.

In order to protect local special interests, provincial governments have adopted all kinds of measures that erect barriers to trade and labour mobility. This is not what the Fathers of Confederation had intended, he said in a statement on the partys website.

A Peoples Party government will reassert the authority and leadership of the federal government on internal trade. Green Party

The Green Party released its election platform on Sept. 7 with plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and to cancel all pipeline projects and any new oil exploration.

Their platform also lists plans to expand social programs by abolishing tuition for post-secondary education, cancelling federal student loan debt, and introducing universal pharmaceutical, dental and child care.
Emerging Technologies That Are Disrupting Cybercrime

The struggle to fight against cybersecurity breaches is real

The struggle to fight against cybersecurity breaches is real. There has been a concerning increase in data breaches of late. Since the onset of the pandemic, the FBI reported a 300 percent rise in cybercrimes like spear-phishing.

Q2 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more

Spear-phishing is a cybercrime that steals sensitive financial information via email. It targets people to click on a website link that redirects them to a site with malware. The malware is then maliciously downloaded onto a device. It infects the device and gains access to their data.

Even executives at top companies are not safe and have become victims of these scams. The State of the Phish report by Proofpoint surveyed 600 IT professionals across seven countries; and found that 55 percent of organizations had fallen victim to at least one successful attack.

With the emergence of employees working from home, organizations need to be vigilant. And introduce policies to protect employees and their companys interests from cybercrime.

The Role Of Password Protections

Humans, and machines worldwide, store approximately 300 billion passwords to log into confidential digital information. But, heres the problem. Many people use the same password for multiple accounts.

If a hacker gains access to one particular password, other accounts can become under threat. According to Verizons Data Breach Report, in 2019 alone, the proportion of breaches related to hacking that used either lost or stolen online credentials stood at a staggering 81 percent.

Thats why it may come as no surprise to hear that some people are opting to use password managers instead, thereby keeping their passwords different but storing them all in one place for easy recall. Unfortunately, this is somewhat akin to putting all of your eggs into one basketit is never a good idea to keep all of your sensitive data in one, hackable place.

Password managers can seem like a logical solution, but they are inherently risky. For starters, if you forget your master password for a password manager that lacks a reset feature, youre stuck. Then, there is the issue with backing up your information. If you dont take steps to back up your information and a server error, you could lose your data. On the condition that the provider backs up your information, is it safe from hacking?

Cybercriminals can easily hack password managers if your device becomes infected with their malware. Once they gain access to your master password, they have access to every one of your accounts.

Remembering multiple passwords has been a problem for many for a long time now. While password managers may solve it from an organizational perspective, they do nothing to better protect your sensitive information from cybercriminals.

That is why the ultimate solution is to go with passwordless technology. So much so that Gartner predicts that by 2022, 90 percent of midsize businesses will utilize passwordless authentication technologies during more than 50 percent of their login processes.

We cant protect our sensitive data from every threat all of the time. For example, no matter how well we protect our financial authentication information, all bets are off if the bank we entrust our personal information with gets hacked.

Most hacks occur with people logging into platforms without being aware of their hacked data. Going passwordless is one way to add another level of protection against cyberthreats. Thats where asymmetric encryption comes in.

Asymmetric Encryption

Many professionals use weak passwords. And, it has become far too easy for hackers to gain access to login credentials when stored on multiple online verification databases.

Emir Ceric, the founder of Meveto, a company that provides passwordless authentication technology, sheds light on this and says, Data breaches via password authentication hacks are one of the biggest problems globally. Everything is kept online, from banking, medical information, personal correspondence to photos. Its all there, ready to be hacked.

Asymmetric encryption can help to mitigate this problem through passwordless authentication systems that use dual-key cryptographic technology. On-site databases do not store password data. But instead, theyre stored as a single lock that has two keys.

Asymmetric encryption is a more secure way to authenticate as the private keys are decentralized on the users phone. This encryption adds an extra level of protection to sensitive personal information as hackers cannot hack one place and set a honeypot orhoney trap like they can with passwords.

A Double-Edged Sword

Gartner predicts that the global information security market could surpass $170 billion by 2023. Technologies such as AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been pivotal in enhancing the speed and precision for companies to defend their data. But these advantages have come at a cost.

AI-enabled tools allow hackers to leverage artificial intelligence and automate malware to avoid antivirus software detection. For companies, this is quite troublesome as it means that they will have to invest heavily into cyber risk mitigationto evolve as hackers do.

One thing remains clear. Companies must take cyber threats seriously. If they dont, then they run the risk of becoming the next Sony Pictures hack.
Ethel Kennedy Says Sirhan Sirhan Should Not Be Paroled

LOS ANGELESRobert F. Kennedys widow said today that his killer, Sirhan Sirhan, should not be freed, despite the recommendation of a parole board last month.

Bobby believed we should work to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world. He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband, Ethel Kennedy, 93, said in a statement Tuesday.

Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.

He should not be paroled, Kennedy concluded.

Sirhan assassinated Kennedy in June 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, as the New York senator and Democratic presidential candidate was claiming victory in the California primary.

He was recommended for parole on his 16th attempt on Aug. 27. The decision by a two-person panel does not automatically mean that the 77-year-old Sirhan, who is imprisoned at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in Otay Mesa in San Diego County, will be released. The decision entered a 120-day review period, after which it will be forwarded to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to uphold the decision, reject it, or modify it.

During the hearing, Kennedys youngest son, Douglas, spoke in favor of Sirhans release. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also sent a letter to the board in support of parole.

Six of Kennedys other seven living children issued a statement after the decision explaining they were devastated that the man who murdered our father has been recommended for parole.

Our fathers death is a very difficult matter for us to discuss publicly and for the many past decades we have declined to engage in the parole

process, according to the statement from former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Massachusetts), Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Christopher G. Kennedy, Maxwell P. Kennedy and Rory Kennedy.

Given todays unexpected recommendation by the California parole board after 15 previous decisions to deny release, we feel compelled to make our position clear. We adamantly oppose the parole and release of Sirhan Sirhan and are shocked by a ruling that we believe ignores the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California.

Our fathers death impacted our family in ways that can never adequately be articulated and todays decision by a two-member parole board has inflicted enormous additional pain. But beyond just us, six of Robert Kennedys nine surviving children, Sirhan Sirhan committed a crime against our nation and its people. He took our father from our family and he took him from America.

The hearing was not attended by anyone from the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. District Attorney George Gascon has set a policy against attending parole hearings for defendants who have served lengthy prison sentences beyond the required minimum term. His office took the position that the parole board has all the information it needs to decide if an inmate is suitable for release.

A Palestinian from Jordan, Sirhan was initially sentenced to death, but it was later commuted to life in prison after the state Supreme Court declared capital punishment unconstitutional in 1972.
A statue of George Washington stands as Federal Hall across Wall Street from the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan in New York City, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

Ex-China: Smart Investors Are Fleeing China for the Rest

Commentary

The investing term ex-China has a lovely ring to it. It means everything but China. So for emerging market (EM) investors, many of whom have traditionally invested in China, an EM ex-China fund provides the opportunity to invest in emerging markets, except China. The biggest emerging market economies, ex-dictatorships, are Brazil, India, and Mexico, in that order.

In 2021, some of the biggest investors have finally accepted the risks of China, like its crackdown on the booming tech sector, opaque accounting, shell companies through which international investments are made, and Beijings deleveraging efforts. Thats not to mention the long-term threat of China to democracy and human rights, which is one of those intangibles that could eventually bite investors where they arent looking.

According to a government document from early 2021, the top-20 institutional investors in China had $2.3 trillion tied up in the country. The biggest investor was BlackRock, with over $255 billion in China.

On Sept. 6, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion article by billionaire liberal George Soros titled, BlackRocks China Blunder. You may disagree with Soros on everything else, but he was right to say, The BlackRock initiative imperils the national security interests of the U.S. and other democracies because the money invested in China will help prop up President Xis regime, which is repressive at home and aggressive abroad.

Wake-up calls came in fall 2020, when Jack Mas Ant Group IPO, expected to be the biggest in history, was cancelled. He had become Chinas richest billionaire, publicly criticized Chinas financial system as being run on a pawn-shop mentality, and sometimes adopted an anti-establishment look, for example when serenading his employees in a rock band with a metal-studded leather jacket.

Alibaba Group co-founder and former chairman Jack Ma attends the World Trade Organization (WTO) Forum Trade 2030 in Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 2, 2018. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

Mas counter-establishmentarianism, despite his membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), likely did not sit well with Chinas financial regulators, or authoritarian General Secretary, Xi Jinping. So Ma disappeared for three months, almost certainly under duress at the very least. When he returned, he was a toned-down shadow of his former self, better approximating what the CCP thinks an entrepreneur should be.

But investors took notice and disagreed. That month, they penalized Chinese assets by increasing their investments elsewhere. Already in November 2020, five major EM exchange traded funds (ETFs) that exclude China hit a one-year record, though still under $200 million. ETFs are securities structured to track a particular type of asset, which in this case are those associated with emerging markets.

In December, that number increased to $277 million. Year-to-date, total assets in these EM ex-China ETFs rose 442 percent to $1.5 billion through August 2021. In August alone, assets in these ETFs surged 41 percent.

Net July inflows to EM ETFs, in which China is the largest weight by far, decreased to $696 million from an average $4 billion monthly in the first half of 2021.

Then the media blitz came, with some analysts from top international investors claiming that China was overweight, which is another way of saying buy Chinaits a good deal. A research unit from BlackRock, the biggest U.S. investor in China according to government figures from early 2021, claimed in an Aug. 17 report that investors should double or triple their China positions in diversified global portfolios. At the time of writing, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index has since outperformed the S&P 500 Index by about 3 percent.

But these investors arguably have a conflict of interest, and Chinas state-backed investors could have manipulated the stock prices since then to make their predictions true, at least in the short term.

Thats harder to do over a longer term, as indicated by Chinese and Hong Kong indexes. Hong Kongs Hang Seng index is down 11 percent over the last three months. The onshore CSI 300 index is down 8 percent. But the MSCI EM ex-China is holding firm. So the problem is not with EM generally, but with China.

There are other diversified ways to avoid China investment. The Freedom 100 EM ETF (ticker FRDM) has a focus on personal and economic freedom, according to Perth Tolle, the founder of Life + Liberty Indexes. We are the only freedom-weighted EM ETF, and have never owned China equities as a natural result of freedom weighting, she wrote in an electronic communication. Its assets rose from $30 million toward the end of 2020, to $87 million by Aug. 31.

Investors thus have the option to put their money into assets that support freedom rather than dictatorship. The smartest ones are and should do so, while they still have any freedoms left. If the CCP achieves its goal of global control over capitalists, on the backs of the very capitalist money they target, those freedoms will be gone.

Soros now, and many conservatives before him, have been critical of Wall Street investment in China, and said, in their various ways, that laws should be passed or enforced to avoid those investments turning into the rope that hangs us. Congress should pass legislation empowering the Securities and Exchange Commission to limit the flow of funds to China, he wrote in the opinion article.

China risk is clearly accumulating, and some of it is now being manufactured in New York City and Washington. The smartest of smart money sees the writing on the wall and is starting to trickle away from China. A deluge of dumb money should follow, or we will all pay the consequences with our freedom.

Correction: The Freedom 100 EM ETF focuses on personal and economic freedom, not as previously stated, human rights and a respect for property. The index is called Freedom 100 EM ETF, not as previously stated, the Freedom ETF. The Epoch Times regrets the errors.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Ryanair aircraft are pictured at Stansted airport, northeast of London on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

Exclusive: Ryanair Ready for Long Wait for Boeing to Cut MAX Price, Says OLeary

ROMERyanair is willing to wait years for Boeing to drop its prices before placing a big new plane order with the U.S. company, Chief Executive Michael OLeary told Reuters, while he also downplayed the chance of a deal with rival Airbus.

The Irish airline, one of Boeings biggest customers, said on Monday it had ended talks over a new order of 737 MAX 10 jets worth tens of billions of dollars after the budget carrier said the prices on offer were too high.

Were not wasting any time on those MAX 10 discussions nor will we for a period of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 years until we get to the next crisis, OLeary said in an interview.

We at Ryanair have always had the discipline to wait out the cycle.

Europes largest budget carrier is already the regions largest MAX customer with 210 of the 197-seat MAX 8200 on order. It has dangled a fresh order potentially worth $33 billion at list prices for up to 250 of the 230-seat MAX 10.

But OLeary said there had been a fundamental breakdown in talks due to the fact that Boeing believed the COVID-19 crisis was effectively over while Ryanair believed the U.S. giant still badly needed an order.

Boeing are looking for a price increase while many of their customers are moving to Airbus, OLeary said.

We take the view we are still in a period of great crisis. Boeing take the view that now the world is fine and its all recovered and its latest pricing offer reflects that, he said.

Boeing on Monday said it valued Ryanairs business, but said it had to exercise discipline and make decisions that made sense.

The U.S. giant appears to believe the market is finally moving in its direction after winning a series of orders, including 150 MAX 10 from United Airlines and outselling Airbus on narrow-body jets this year.

Boeing has sold 524 Boeing 737 MAX this year as of the end of July, compared with Airbuss Jan-August tally of 234 A320-family jets.

The rare decision to go public over big-ticket plane negotiations comes after months of wrangling that had already delayed a deal for the largest version of the 737 MAX.

A large new Ryanair order would have provided a boost to the U.S. planemaker as it rebuilds confidence in the MAX, an aircraft which was grounded for 20 months until November after two fatal crashes.

It would also speed a tentative industry recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary holds a news conference in Brussels, Belgium on March 6, 2018. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

The talks can always be restarted, but only when Boeing realise they need to price competitively, OLeary said.

Airbus Alternative

Asked if Ryanair might consider Airbus in the medium term, OLeary said it might, but that Boeings European rival did not currently have a competitively priced short-haul aircraft either.

There is always a prospect that Airbus become a significant supplier. But there is a chance that the ChineseCOMACcould become a significant supplier to Ryanair in the medium term, he said.

Playing Boeing against Airbus to secure lower prices is doomed to failure as a strategy, he said.

Basically its a duopoly, he said. You dont get leverage by holding discussions with one or the other.

OLeary said he was not concerned that the breakdown in talks would leave him with too few planes when his current order is completed in 2025 as Ryanair already had more aircraft on order than any of its competitors.

By Gavin Jones and Angelo Amante
The downtown city skyline is seen in Phoenix, Ariz., on Aug. 28, 2018. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Feds Identify Phoenix as Best City for Afghan Refugees

A federal agency has named Phoenix the ideal location for Afghan refugees to resettle.

The U.S. government is assisting thousands of Afghans in finding new homes after they fled whats now a Taliban-controlled country. Governors and mayors from New York to California expressed their desire to help these refugees.

Gov. Doug Ducey and House Speaker Rusty Bowers released a joint statement Aug. 19, saying the refugees had a home in Arizona.

Despite the Presidents poor response to growing tensions in the Middle East, Arizona recognizes the service of thousands of Afghans over the last 20 years, the statement said. As refugees come and find homes in states across the nation, we welcome them to our state full of opportunity and choice, and were working closely with federal and state officials to offer them safety in Arizona.

Ducey and Bowers said the Arizona Office of Refugee Resettlement would work with refugees to secure housing and employment, enroll in English classes if needed, connect them with health care resources, and their childrenincluding their daughters who would be denied an education under the Taliban will be enrolled in school.

Although other states, namely California and New York, have higher concentrations of Afghan communities, the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Consular Affairs lists the Phoenix as the most opportune place in the country for those seeking to resettle.

The list of 19 cities is sorted by reasonable cost of living, housing availability, employment opportunities, and strong resettlement services and support.

Refugees working with the bureau are given $1,100 in a monthly stipend for the first three months once they arrive in the country.

Even though California has communities such as Fremonts Little Kabul thats known as the largest concentration of Afghan residents in the country, the bureau discourages settlement there.

Please be aware that the cost of living and the availability of housing can vary significantly in different locations across the United States, the bureau said. The Washington, DC metro area including northern Virginia and some cities in California are very expensive places to live, and it can be difficult to find reasonable housing and employment. Any resettlement benefits you receive may not comfortably cover the cost of living in these areas.

UPDATE: The bureau removed the list of 19 cities from its resettlement page over the weekend. A State Department spokesperson said the change was to maximize potential placement options and flexibility and would eventually use the list again once the placement process becomes more normalized. The official maintains that the list was for refugees to self-select a place to resettle should they not have close ties in the United States.

In the meantime, the bureau would continue working with its nine resettlement partners and affiliates across the country to resettle refugees, they said.

By Cole Lauterbach
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Responds to Speculation Hes Running for President in 2024

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denied claims and rumors suggesting he would run for president in 2024 and said hes focused on performing his duties as governor of Florida.

All the speculation about me is purely manufactured, said DeSantis during a press conference in St. Cloud, Florida, on Tuesday. I just do my job and we work hard  I hear all this stuff and honestly its nonsense.

For months now, speculation has mounted that DeSantis, a Republican, would make a run for the presidency if former President Donald Trump doesnt enter the race. Trump himself suggested earlier this year that he could choose DeSantis, whom he promoted during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, as his running mate if he decides to for a 2024 bid.

DeSantiss comments come just days before he is scheduled to headline an event in Nebraska with several other potential GOP presidential candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Trump, meanwhile, has not publicly said whether he would run for president again, citing campaign finance laws. But in recent days, advisers to the former commander-in-chief suggested that he would, while Trump also sent out an email to supporters last week with polls that show he would lead the Republican field of candidates by a significant margin.

I would say somewhere between 99 and 100 percent, adviser Jason Miller, who is also the CEO of social media website Gettr, said in an interview several days ago about Trumps presidential prospects. I think he is definitely running in 2024.

But when speaking to Politico, Miller said that the former president hasnt made a final decision.

President Trump doesnt do misdirection, he wears it on his sleeve, he explained.

And the reason why Trump hasnt declared his candidacy, Trump told Fox Business earlier this year, is because of federal campaign finance laws.

The campaign finance laws, which are antiquated and stupid, OK? Stupid and corrupt in a way. Theyre stupid. Doesnt allow me to tell you that, OK? If I tell you that a whole host of things happen, which are bad. So I cant tell you. I can tell you this. I love our country and youre going to be very happy, Trump said at the time.

In recent months, DeSantiss popularity has surged among GOP voters due to his policies against COVID-19 lockdowns, masking, and vaccine passport mandates. The governor has traveled to Wisconsin, Utah, Indiana, Texas, and other states as campaign fundraising initiatives.
Families protest any potential mask mandates before the Hillsborough County Schools Board meeting held at the district office in Tampa, Fla., on July 27, 2021. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Florida Judge Sets Aside Automatic Stay, Allowing Schools Mask Mandates to Continue

The state will file to reinstate the stay

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.On Wednesday morning, Second District Court Judge John Cooper heard arguments from both sides over an automatic stay on Gov. Ron DeSantiss executive order that allows parents to opt out of school districts mask mandates. The judge ruled to set aside the stay, allowing schools to continue to mandate facial coverings for students, staff, and vendors, as well as bar the Department of Education from issuing penalties to school districts for not following the governors executive order.

After the Leon County judge ruled last week against the governor, citing his executive order as unconstitutional, the attorneys for the state filed an appeal. During the appeal process, an automatic stay is triggered to set aside the judges order until the appeal is heard, which is normally reserved for government entities. This did not sit well with the opposition as they filed a motion to have the automatic stay set aside, which led up to the judges decision Wednesday.

However, the ruling came as no surprise to the governors camp as the judges decision was anticipated.

Taryn Fenske, communication director for the governor wrote, No surprise here that Judge Cooper concluded that he is unlikely to be overruled on appeal. We (unsurprisingly) disagree, in a statement to the Epoch Times.

Today we plan to file our emergency motion to reinstate the stay, and we anticipate the appellate court will rule quickly, much like during the school re-opening case last year, Fenske said.

Coopers final decision was made after a 30-minute argument and evidence was presented from both sides. In the end, the judge determined that because children under the age of 12 are unable to be vaccinated, a danger exists and other mitigations such as masking should be considered by school boards, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the gold standard.

Its undisputed that in Florida we are in the midst of a COVID pandemic, Cooper said in open court. Based on the evidence Ive heard, theres no harm to the state if the stay is set asidetheres nothing in my final judgment that prevents the defendants from enforcing the full Bill of Rights, Im just saying you cant just enforce part of it. I see no harm to the state in setting aside the stay.

Parents Bill of Rights

The Parents Bill of Rights is 68 days old and has already sparked a legal battle between parents who want mask mandates in schools and a governor who maintains that parents and legal guardians should be the ones making health decisions for their children including whether to mask them or not.

Cooper in his original ruling stated the Parents Bill of Rights protects a districts choice to install protections like a mask mandate provided it meets certain criteria if challenged. It was the judges opinion that the governor had overstepped his bounds and found his executive order to be unconstitutional.

DeSantis disagreed with the judges ruling and has maintained his executive order and connected administrative rules are lawful. He continues to defend the action as protecting a parents right to choose whats best for the health and wellbeing of their children.

Why dont we just empower parents, DeSantis said at a press event last Friday. Let them make the best decision for their kids and I think itll end up working out.

Attorneys for parents filed a motion last week arguing that during the appeal process schools could not enforce their mask mandates and were putting the health and safety of students at risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, more specifically the Delta variant which has plagued Florida all summer. The motion was based on the likelihood of irreparable harm.

The attorney representing the parents, Charles Gallagher, said ending mask mandates would lead to more sick and dead children and places all students, teachers, parents, and staff in harms way.

Michael Abel, attorney for the state, disagreed and argued that the governor was likely to win the case on appeal based on previous court decisions and should be granted the stay as the case proceeds. He also challenged the plaintiffs idea that students would be harmed.

That rhetoric is unhelpful and irresponsible, Abel said. They havent shown irreparable harm.

Four days before the judges written order was released last Friday, Florida Department of Education Chairman Richard Corcoran punished two school districts and initiated investigations into two others who had defied the governors order.

Alachua and Broward district boards had funding withheld equal to the salaries of the superintendents and school board members who voted in favor of mask mandates without parent opt-outs. Hillsborough and Sarasota districts are currently under investigation over their mask policies.

During his ruling, Cooper spent a great deal of time defending his decision, noting that he had previously decided cases for former Gov. Jeb Bush and former Gov. Rick Scott. If you look at my record, its not somebody who runs all over the place and rules against the governor, he said.
Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate Adlai Stevenson III (L) talks with Sen. Edward Kennedy (R) as they finish a series of appearances in Chicago on Oct. 14, 1982. (File/AP Photo)

Former Sen. Adlai Stevenson III Dies at 90

Former Illinois Sen. Adlai Stevenson III, a Democrat, has died at the age of 90, his family has confirmed.

His son Adlai Stevenson IV said the Illinois Democrat had passed away at his North Side home in Chicago on Monday, and added that he had dementia.

He just faded away, his son told the Chicago Sun Times.

His wife of 67 years, Nancy, said the cause of death was Lewy body dementia. Stevenson is survived by Nancy and their two sons, Adlai IV and Warwick; two brothers, John and Borden; and nine grandchildren.

Stevenson III seemed almost destined for a great political career, and was the great grandson of former Vice President, Adlai Stevenson, while his father, Adlai Stevenson II, was a former Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate.

He graduated from Milton Academy, Harvard College and Harvard Law School and served with the Marine Corps in Korea and was discharged as a captain from the Marine Reserves in 1961.

He served two years in the state House of Representatives and one term as state treasurer from 1967 to 1970.

In 1970, Stevenson won a special election to the U.S. Senate after Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen died in office. When running for the Senate, Stevenson asked then-Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley for advice.

My advice to you is dont change your name, Daley told him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Stevenson won re-election in 1974, but decided not to run again in 1980 and instead stepped aside in January 1981 for fellow Democrat Alan Dixon, who won the November election.

The late senator ran for governor of Illinois twice; first in 1968, when he lost to then-Mayor Richard J. Daley, and again in 1982, which saw him lose by just by less than 1 percentage point5,074 votesto Republican Gov. James R. Thompson, making it the closest Illinois election for governor in modern state history.

Following the narrow loss, Stevenson did not seek office again and instead focused on a career in the private sector, particularly on U.S.-Asian business relations. He held the position of president of the U.S. Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, and was former co-chair of the East Asia Financial Markets Development Project. He was also a former president and chairman of the Japan America Society of Chicago.

He also became an author, writing The Black Book, which records American politics and history as his family knew it over five generations of active engagement, starting with Abraham Lincoln in central Illinois, according to GoodReads.

Before he passed away, Stevenson III continued to live a politically active lifestyle, and would often organize presentations and speakers for the Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy in Libertyville, Illinois, according to the Sun-Times. He also worked on his familys farm in Hanover, Illinois.

In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called Stevenson a rare individual for earning both the Illinois Order of Lincoln honor from the governor and the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan in one lifetime.

Whether in elected office, in the Marines or in non-profit work, Adlai Stevenson III lived each of his 90 years as an example of public service. His commitment to global exchange is as evident here in Illinois as it is abroad, Pritzker said.

Most markedly, Sen. Stevensons pursuits were anchored in a passion for democracy. As the first chairman of the modern Senate Ethics Committee and later in his work in global development, his commitment to bringing people into politics transcended international borders.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, also paid tribute to his friend and partner in countless causes over the years.

He wrote on Twitter, Like his father before him, Adlai was most at home in the cerebral world of politics. His most effective ally in retail politics was his beloved wife, Nancy. The two were inseparable and one of the best teams in Illinois Democratic politics. Adlai was my friend and partner in countless causes over the years. Loretta and I send our love and sympathy to Nancy and the family.

Reuters contributed to this report
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China vice-chairwoman Tonyee Chow Hang-tung speaks to members of the media outside police headquarters in response to the National Security Department's request on allegations of foreign agents in Hong Kong, China, on Sept. 7, 2021. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

Hong Kong Police Arrest Pro-Democracy Group Leaders Citing Foreign Collusion

Hong Kong police on Wednesday morning arrested four leaders of a pro-democracy group, alleging the group was working as a foreign agent.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China is known for organizing the citys annual vigil commemorating those who died in Beijings Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.

The arrested members of the group included vice chairwoman and barrister Chow Hang-tung, as well as standing committee members Leung Kam-wai, Tang Ngok-kwan, and Chan Dor-wai.

The Hong Kong police sent a letter to the group last month, citing the national security law introduced by Beijing last year. The police alleged the group to be a foreign agent and requested it hand over its membership and financial information no later than Sept. 7. In response, the group went to the Wan Chai Police Headquarters, stated the request was based on reasonable grounds to believe, which has no justification thus refused the request. On Sept. 8, Wednesday morning, the police went to Chows work office in the Bank of America Tower to arrest her. According to the group, several standing committee members were subsequently arrested, including Leung, Tang, and Chan.

Chow was broadcasting live on Facebook early Wednesday morning, showing the police were ringing her doorbell and attempting to open her door. Leungs arrest footage was also broadcast live.

Later, Chow posted a series of messages saying that someone was slamming her keypad at the door and questioned if it was a daytime robbery. Chow is a prominent barrister in Hong Kong; she was originally scheduled to represent Gwyneth Ho, a Hong Kong politician charged with conspiring to subvert state power, in high court to apply for her bail. Chow was preparing for Hos bail statement in her office overnight before the police came for her arrest. She later expressed regret for not being able to represent Ho.

Before Chows arrest, she posted a photo of the sunrise in Victoria Harbour from her office, suggesting that this may be [her] last time to look at this scenery. At the same time, many people left messages on her post wishing for her return.

In the evening after Chows arrest, her assistant updated her Facebook and wrote: We shall argue with reasons for our beliefs with utmost efforts and without fear and regret. Chows updated Facebook page suggested she is in good spirit and had already met with her lawyer. Chow showed great concern for her colleagues in custody, as well as the plea sessions in the coming two days of the defendants in the unauthorized assembly case over the June 4 candlelight vigil in 2020.

The police stated that the four (Chow, Leung, Tang, and Chan) were arrested for failure to comply with the submission requirements under Article 43 of the Hong Kong national security law. It suggests that more people may be charged.

Timeline of the Arrest

On Aug. 25, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force sent a letter to the pro-democracy group requesting it to hand over sensitive information citing the national security law. The groups standing committee went to the Wan Chai Police Headquarters to deliver a response letter, stating refusal and denying being a foreign agent. The group criticized the Hong Kong police for failing to provide any justification and for violating the principles of natural justice.

The groups Standing Committee member, Tsui Hon-Kwong, requested the high court to rule the police letter invalid. The groups full name is the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, Tsui said to the media in front of the police headquarters, adding that they are patriots and not foreign agents.

Chow was also at the police headquarters. To the people of Hong Kong: You must continue to fight. Dont cave to authoritarian power, dont live in humility. Be yourself and live with your conscience, he said.

Chris Tang, the Secretary for Security in Hong Kong, stated on Sept. 7 that if someone fails to hand over information as required by the Hong Kong police, swift enforcement action will be taken. The police also issued a press release denouncing [unnamed] groups blatantly refuse to submit information and reiterated that the groups could be fined $15,500 and imprisoned for six months if they failed to submit information on time.

Pro-Democracy Group Upholds Founding Principles Despite Pressure

One of the founding principles of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China is ending [Chinas] single-party system.

The pro-democracy group was harassed and threatened repeatedly by the Hong Kong police, government officials, and the Chinese state-owned media. There were rumors that its standing committee could dissolve the group; it held a press conference on Sept. 5, stating that it would hold a special meeting on Sept. 25 to discuss the topic. However, the group is designed so that members can still elect a new chairman at its meeting even if the standing committee members are arrested. According to Chow, there are still more than 100 members in the group, and to disband the group, at least 20 members must be present, and 70 percent of the members present must agree.

After Beijing implemented the national security law in Hong Kong, the pro-communist faction claimed that one of the five principles of the pro-democracy group violated the law. In June of this year, Luo Huining, Director of the Liaison Office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Hong Kong, declared that ending the single-party system destroys the foundation of one country, two systems, and is, therefore, the enemy of Kong Hongs prosperity and stability. However, the pro-democracy group has reiterated that it will not change its principles and guidelines under political pressure.

On May 20, 1989, the CCP declared martial law in Beijing, which triggered a march on May 21 by millions of Hong Kong people, accounting for about one-fifth of Hong Kongs population. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was established on May 21, 1989, in the then British colony of Hong Kong during the massive protest demonstration, with Szeto Wah, a veteran of the Hong Kong democracy movement, as its first leader.

After the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing, the groups primary goals have been to rehabilitate the democracy movement and hold the CCP accountable. Since then, every year, on the evening of June 4, the group has held a candlelight commemorative event at Victoria Park.

Despite gathering restrictions caused by CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, the group still held an event last year, which led to the arrest of 24 pro-democracy individuals with alleged crimes of assembling without approval. Its then chairman, Lee Cheuk-yan, and vice-chairman, Albert Ho, were also imprisoned for participating in the demonstrations and assemblies.
Chow Hang-tung, vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, speaks during a news conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 5, 2021. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo)

Hong Kong Police Arrest Tiananmen Vigil Leaders

HONG KONGHong Kong police on Wednesday arrested four leaders of the group that organized the citys annual Tiananmen Square commemorations after they refused to cooperate in a national security investigation, the group said.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China had openly challenged the enforcement of a 14-month-old national security law, saying police were arbitrarily labeling pro-democracy organizations as foreign agents.

Chow Hang-tung, one of the four arrested and a vice-chair of the alliance, began a series of posts on Facebook shortly before 7 a.m., starting with two Facebook livestreams during which she says that some people have been ringing the doorbell. Chow, a lawyer, appears to be in her office, and muffled shouting could be heard in the background.

The worst thing about being arrested is that Ive not changed into a new set of clothes or brushed my teeth, will my breath overwhelm the national security police? she wrote in one post.

The alliance is best known for organizing candlelight vigils in Hong Kong on the anniversary of Chinas bloody massacre of pro-democracy protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. The event was attended annually by massive crowds, and was the only large-scale public commemoration of the June 4 massacre on Chinese soil.

Vice-chairwoman of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, Chow Hang Tung, poses with a candle ahead of the 32nd anniversary of the massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators at Beijings Tiananmen Square in 1989, in Hong Kong, on June 3, 2021. (Lam Yik/Reuters)

Authorities have banned the vigils for the past two years, citing public health risks due to the pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of an ongoing suppression of dissent in the city following months of protests in 2019.

Alliance leaders delivered a letter to police Tuesday rejecting a request for details of the groups operations and finances. Police earlier warned that failure to comply could result in a fine of up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars ($12,900) and six months in jail.

Police on Wednesday confirmed that they arrested three men and one woman aged between 36 and 57 for failing to provide information in accordance with the national security law. Police did not identify them.

Chinas liaison office in Hong Kong issued a statement saying the arrests demonstrated fairness and justice because those who violate the law must be investigated.

Dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested since the implementation of the national security law, which outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism, and foreign collusion.

Critics say the law completes the rolling back of freedoms not found on the mainland that Hong Kong was promised it could keep for 50 years after being handed over from Britain, such as freedom of speech and assembly.

Many pro-democracy organizations have disbanded due to safety concerns, such as the Civil Human Rights Front, known for organizing mass protests on July 1, the day in 1997 that the former British colony was handed over to the Chinese communist regime. Other groups that have disbanded include the Professional Teachers Union, a pro-democracy trade union for teachers.

The Hong Kong Alliance is one of the few outspoken pro-democracy groups in the city that has yet to officially announce its dissolution.

Chow had been scheduled to represent pro-democracy activist Gwyneth Ho in court for a bail hearing, and wrote on Facebook that its regrettable she wont be able to attend. She also posted a photo of the waterfront view outside her office, saying shes taking a look at it for the last time.

Chow also asked if anyone had any parting words for her. In less than three hours, supporters left more than 500 comments telling her to take care and thanking her for her work at the alliance.

Chow Hang-tung (2nd L), vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, and other group members attend a news conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 5, 2021. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo)

The three others arrested are Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai and Tang Ngai-kwan, the group said. The three, together with Chow, are members of the alliances standing committee.

The leaders said Tuesday that the police do not have a right to request information from the group because it is not a foreign agent and that authorities did not provide sufficient justification in their request.

This association believes that the issuance of the letter has no legal basis, so we will not provide any information requested in the letter, the committee said.

Police are investigating the alliance for allegedly working for foreign interests.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that law enforcement agents may request information from suspected foreign agents or foreign political organizations in accordance with the law.

Several of the alliances leaders, including lawyer Albert Ho and activist Lee Cheuk-yan, are already behind bars after being convicted for their roles in unauthorized assemblies.

Members of the alliance were meant to meet on Sept. 25 to discuss and vote on whether or not to disband in a general meeting. The alliance said Wednesday that the meeting will proceed.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks during a House Judiciary Committee markup on H.R. 7120 the "Justice in Policing Act of 2020," at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on June 17, 2020. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

House Committee Approves NDAA Amendment Requiring Report on Pandemic Origins

The House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY2022, which would require top government agencies to investigate and publish an unclassified report on the true origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rep. Mike Johnsons (R-La.) amendment (pdf) was accepted on a bipartisan basis.

My amendment to the NDAA will REQUIRE U.S. Defense and Intelligence agencies to create an unclassified report regarding the TRUE ORIGINS of the pandemic. The American people deserve to know! We must hold the Chinese Communistsand anyone else involvedACCOUNTABLE! wrote Johnson in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Johnsons bill would require the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency to coordinate with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence to create the public report.

Republican members of Congress have been calling on the full government to take action to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for any possible cover-up of the pandemic and misinformation about the origins of the virus.

In the face of mounting evidence and unanswered questions regarding the origins of COVID-19, my amendment will mandate a comprehensive investigation into how the pandemic was unleashed on the world, Johnson said in a written statement. It is critical for us to have these answers to help prevent future pandemics.

In addition to Johnsons amendment, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) had an amendment passed by the panel, which would investigate whether the participants in the Military World Games in Wuhan in 2019 were infected by the virus.

These two amendments are the latest pieces of legislation that the GOP members have offered to hold the CCP accountable for the initial mishandling of the pandemic in 2019, and to investigate where the outbreak started, how it was spread, and how the CCP was involved.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said that China should be investigated and held accountable at the very least for preventing the World Health Organization and the U.S. Center for Disease Control from entering China and investigating the origins of the virus at the start of the pandemic in January.  That alone is why China is morally culpable, why they should be held accountable for the spread of the coronavirus, Banks said at the Liberty University Conference on U.S.China relations in July 2020.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) speaks during an event in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) agreed that China was not transparent with other countries and knew there was a virus early on, because they cut off travel inside of China, between Wuhan and other cities in China, but not internationally. So again,  I completely agree with the take that Jim had on this.  They did allow it to spread, and then they also spread misinformation, through their contacts at the World Health Organization, Crenshaw said.

Some moderate Democrats have also voiced concerns about the CCPs role in the spread of the pandemic.

Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Kendra Horn (D-Okla.), and former representative Max Rose (D-N.Y.) in July 2020 led the Blue Dog Coalition to introduce the Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act. This bill was aimed at requiring the director of national intelligence to work with the heads of the Department of Defense, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security to assess the possible ways China has and could further undermine the United States and its allies interests during the pandemic.

Bipartisan concerns in Congress about Chinese government policies have only increased once COVID-19 emerged in China and spread to virtually every country in the world. Since the start of this pandemic, we have witnessed a pattern of alarming behavior from the Chinese government in a range of areas, said Murphy in a press statement.

While Democrat House leaders have not joined the call to hold the CCP accountable, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on June 23 laid out an eight-pronged plan focused on the communist regime and other bodies to ensure Americans get the accountability and transparency they deserve.

We cannot allow the wrongdoing of China to go unnoticedand more importantly, to not allow the accountability to happen, McCarthy said at a press conference in Washington.

The first item on the agenda, he said, is to introduce legislation compelling the government to declassify intelligence relating to the origins of the CCP virus, which caused COVID-19.

President Joe Biden on May 26 ordered the intelligence community to produce a report in 90 days on the origins of the virus, which was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan. He said intelligence agencies are looking at rival theories, including the possibility of a laboratory accident in China.

The Biden administration said they wont take immediate action on China to pressure the communist regime for an independent probe into whether COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab until there is an international consensus, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on June 20.

Cathy He contributed to this report.
House Ethics Committee Reviewing Rep. Malinowskis Stock Trades

The House Ethics Committee on Tuesday said that it is reviewing whether Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), the vice-chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, violated ethics rules and federal law when he allegedly failed to disclose his stock trades.

Chair of the House Ethics Committee Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Ranking Member Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) said that pursuant to House and committee rules, they have jointly decided to extend the matter regarding Representative Tom Malinowski, which was transmitted to the committee by the office of congressional ethics on July 23, 2021.

It comes after two ethics complaints were filed against the New Jersey Democrat earlier this year, following a report from Business Insider that he failed to disclose dozens of stock transactions worth at least $671,000 in violation of the 2012 Stock Act, and a report by The Associated Press (AP) that found he bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the COVID-19 pandemic response.

The Stock Act is a 2012 law intended to curtail stock market speculation by lawmakers, and requires Congress members to report any securities transactions exceeding $1,000 within 45 days of the trade execution.

Malinkowski told AP that it was a mistake that I own 100%. Last month, he placed his financial assets into a blind trust, which is operated by an independent trustee.

A formal probe into the lawmaker hasnt been opened by the House Ethics Committee, but it is reviewing a report from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), an independent ethics watchdog, which, unlike the Ethics Committee, cannot issue subpoenas or discipline members.

Rep. Malinowski continues to participate in this routine process in good faith, and remains committed to complete transparency with the public; going beyond the requirements for Members of Congress by placing his holdings in an Ethics Committee approved qualified blind trust, Malinowskis office said in a statement.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Malinowskis office for additional comment.

The Ethics Committee noted that its disclosure of extending the review into Malinowski does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.

The committee will announce its course of action in this matter on or before Thursday, October 21, 2021, Deutch and Walorski wrote.

The House Ethics Committee on Tuesday also announced the extension of reviews of alleged misconduct by three other lawmakersRepublican Reps. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota, and Alex Mooney of West Virginia.

The offices of Kelly, Hagedorn, and Mooney didnt immediately respond to requests for comment by The Epoch Times.
Utility crews stand in water as they work on repairing power lines along Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish, La., over a week after Hurricane Ida, on Sept. 7, 2021. (Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

Ida Curfew Lifted in New Orleans; 11 New Deaths Reported

HOUMA, La.New Orleans lifted a nightly curfew Wednesday as the city moved closer to regaining full power 10 days after Hurricane Ida, but hundreds of thousands of people outside the city were still without lights and water and more than a quarter of a million children were unable to return to schools.

The city was left completely in the dark when Hurricane Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast with 150 mph (240 mph) winds on Aug. 29, cutting power to more than a million people statewide. Two days later, New Orleans Police and Mayor LaToya Cantrell imposed an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, citing cases of theft and other minor crime. They withdrew the order Wednesday morning but the police department said in a statement that it would maintain increased and focused patrols throughout the city.

Meanwhile, officials raised the states death toll from Ida to 26 on Wednesday, with the additional 11 deaths all occurring in the city of New Orleans. The deaths happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the state health department said.

Nine of the New Orleans deaths came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, according to the health department. The remaining two deaths involved carbon monoxide poisoning. The heat-related deaths involved people ages 64 to 79, the department said.

Debris piles up at curbside as residents gut their flooded homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., on Sept. 7, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Also Wednesday, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley noted that 250,000 students were still unable to attend class because of the hurricane. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, Brumley said.

In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but that power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city.

Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely.

Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that.

No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles, and St. John the Baptist. Ten days after the hurricane, 96 percent of utility customers in those parishes are still without power.

In the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, bucket trucks with linemen were on every street and as the day progressed there were signs of progressstreet lights began working on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon.

Even as power was coming on in parts of Terrebonne Parish, it was of limited use to Coy Verdin. The 52-year-old fisherman was staying at his sons house in Houma. His own bayou-side home was all but destroyed in the storm.

All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell.

Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said.

The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website states that all schools and offices will be closed until further notification as officials inspect the buildings. Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school systems website, with no timeline for a return in sight.

Statewide, crews have now restored power to 600,000 of the 902,000 who lost electricity at the peak of Hurricane Ida, Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said on a Wednesday conference call with reporters.

Lori Butler wipes her brow as she moves debris she is gutting from her home that was flooded, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La. on Sept. 7, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Meanwhile in New Orleans, the power company expected to have 90 percent of the city back online by Wednesday evening, said Entergy New Orleans President and CEO Deanna Rodriguez.

The greater New Orleans area is coming back to life, Rodriguez said.

May cautioned that some people who get power back on could still lose it at some point in coming days. Thats because the tree canopy was left severely damaged by Ida, and damaged limbs and branches still in trees could be shaken loose and fall.

Access to fuel was still dire Wednesday, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48 percent of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56 percent of stations in New Orleans were also dry.

About 62,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 580,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety.

In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program.

Idas death toll in Louisiana rose to 15 people Tuesday after the state Department of Health reported two additional storm-related fatalities: a 68-year-old man who fell off of a roof while making repairs to damage caused by Hurricane Ida and a 71-year-old man who died of a lack of oxygen during an extended power outage. The storms remnants also brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

By Kevin McGill and Melina Deslatte
Aaron OHalloran driving a car on railway tracks between Duddeston and Aston stations in Birmingham, UK, on May 9, 2021. (BTP/PA)

Idiotic Motorist Jailed After Driving Car Down Railway Track

A man has been jailed for 15 months after he drove a car half a mile down railway tracks, causing passenger delays of up to eight hours.

British Transport Police (BTP) said Aaron OHallorans idiotic actions on a stretch of track between Duddeston and Aston stations in Birmingham, which were caught on CCTV, resulted in more than 23,000 ($31,700) worth of damage.

The 31-year-old, of Thornbury Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, was found guilty of endangering people on the railway, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and using a vehicle without insurance, BTP said.

He received a 15-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of 156 ($215) at Birmingham Crown Court on August 23.

BTP said the court was told that at around 7.30 a.m. on May 9 this year, OHalloran drove the vehicle through a gate at Duddeston station and travelled half a mile down the railway tracks towards Aston.

Aaron OHalloran in an undated handout photo issued by British Transport Police. (BTP/PA)

He then abandoned the car across the tracks and fled the scene.

A mobile phone found by officers inside the car was traced back to him, BTP said.

In an interview OHalloran refused to comment on the incident, only denying it was him driving the vehicle when shown CCTV footage.

A video clip shared by BTP showed the dark-coloured vehicle driving along railway tracks past a station platform with its front number plate appearing to hang loose.

Detective Inspector Raymond Ascott said: This was an immensely dangerous and senseless act by OHalloran which caused significant risk to passengers and damage to the railway.

The sentence handed to him reflects the severity of this crime, and we are thankful no-one was injured as a result of OHallorans alarming behaviour.

Hell now have plenty of time to reflect on his idiotic actions in prison.

By Tom Pilgrim
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) questions Washington Gov. Jay Inslee during a House Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 2, 2019. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Internal Documents Raise Questions on US Grants to China: House Lawmakers

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the ranking minority member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and two other Republican representatives are pressing Dr. Anthony Fauci for answers after newly disclosed documents reveal that U.S. money went to China for coronavirus research.

Among the documents, obtained by The Intercept through the Freedom of Information Act, was a previously unpublished grant proposal titled Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, outlined by Peter Daszak, president of U.S.-based health organization EcoHealth Alliance.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) awarded the granttotaling $3.1 million for five years from 2014 to 2019to EcoHealth.

A portion of the grant money, $599,000, was directed to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) for research, including altering bat coronaviruses that were deemed likely to infect humans.

The disclosure seems to contradict claims by Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, who both have said that the grants didnt back gain-of-function research.

These NIH grant documents further indicate that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins have broken trust with the American people, Rodgers and Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) said in a statement released on Sept. 7.

For months, Dr. Fauci dismissed any consideration of the lab leak theory despite, or perhaps because of, his agencys involvement in risky coronavirus research at the Wuhan lab. Dr. Collins has repeatedly denied what these documents now show.

Guthrie is the leading Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee. Griffith is the leading Republican on the Committees Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

The WIV, home to one of Chinas highest-level biosafety P4 laboratories, has been under scrutiny as the source of the virus. Its located only miles away from the seafood market where the first clusters of patients infected by COVID-19, a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, are said to have emerged.

Beijing has denied any suggestion of a link between the virus origin and a lab leak at the WIV. Instead, it has thrown its weight behind a natural zoonotic hypothesisthat the virus was transmitted to humans from an animal host.

A State Department fact sheet released in January said it had reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses.

A U.S. intelligence report, which was released on Aug. 27, stated that it couldnt come to a conclusive assessment about the pandemics origins, given Chinas refusal to cooperate.

If NIH, NIAID, and EcoHealth Alliance had been transparent about research being conducted at the Wuhan lab from the beginning, perhaps it would have aided in our response to the global pandemic, the three lawmakers stated.

The American people deserve answers, they wrote. These documents raise more questions about what kind of risky research Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins have been funding and what other information they refuse to give us.

We will continue our pursuit of the truth and will not stop until we get answers the American people deserve.

Other lawmakers have since also raised questions in connection to the documents, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.).

Its time Daszak comes clean & stops covering for the Chinese Communist Party, Reschenthaler wrote on Twitter.

Evidence suggests that Daszak has ties to the Chinese regime. At a 2018 conference sponsored by Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, he revealed that EcoHealth had received funding from Beijing. CGTN is the international arm of Chinas state broadcaster CCTV.

Daszak and the NIAID did not respond to requests for comment.

The NIH in response to the documents told The Epoch Times by email, NIH has never approved any research that would make a coronavirus more dangerous to humans. The research we supported in China, where coronaviruses are prevalent, sought to understand the behavior of coronaviruses circulating in bats that have the potential to cause widespread disease.

It added: The body of science produced by this research demonstrates that the bat coronavirus sequences published from that work NIH supported were not SARS-CoV-2.

This article has been updated with a comment from the NIH.
Photographer David Kawashima was honored by the city of Irvine with an art exhibition of his photographs at the Irvine Civic Center starting Sept. 16, 2021. (Courtesy of City of Irvine)

Irvine Honors City Photographer With Gallery Exhibition

IRVINE, Calif.The city of Irvine is honoring its longtime city photographer David Kawashima with an art exhibition displaying his photographs at the Irvine Civic Center.

The photo exhibition opens free to the public beginning Sept. 16 with a reception held from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition will be on display until Nov. 24.

Over the years, David documented countless milestones, celebrations, meetings, events, presentations, ensuring these moments in Irvines history could be permanently preserved, Mayor Farrah Khan said in a Sept. 7 statement.

We are extremely grateful to have had the privilege of knowing and working with David, and we offer our sincere condolences to all who knew and loved him.

Kawashima passed away at the age of 62 on April 18, in a traffic accident in Tustin with a driver who was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a stolen car, according to Tustin police.

In addition to the gallery, Kawashimas name was added to the citys Wall of Recognition at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, and a photography studio at Irvine Fine Arts Center was renamed in his honor.

David Kawashima passed away in a tragic accident. Davids been an integral part of the Irvine community and the surrounding area for many years. And hes documented many of our milestones and important events and celebrations, Councilman Mike Carroll said during an April 27 council meeting.

David was a friend to us all up here  He chronicled so much of what makes this city.

The exhibit featuring Kawashimas images is the latest in the citys ongoing series of art exhibitions, dubbed as Art at City Hall, which focuses on local artists of all ages and media types.

The city of Irvine said in a statement that Kawashima was a beloved brother, son, partner, stepfather, and friend to many. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, and his photographs were featured in regional and nationwide publications.

Kawashima worked with the city of Irvine for nearly 15 years. He also worked for notable clients including ESPN, Kingston, Orange County Metro, Orange County United Way, the Los Angeles Times, and Toshiba.
A 'We're Hiring!' sign is displayed at a Starbucks on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 23, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Job Openings Surge to Record High While Hiring Stays Flat

Job openings in the United States surged to a record high of more than 10 million on the last day of July, while hiring lagged that figure by more than 4 million, painting a picture of an economic recovery held back by businesses struggling to fill vacant positions.

The Labor Departments Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), released Sept. 8, showed that the number of job vacancies jumped by 749,000 to 10.9 million on the last day of July.

The private sector accounted for 9.9 million job openings, with the remainder coming chiefly from state and local government and a small 116,000 contribution from the federal level. Sectors leading the way in job openings were health care and social assistance (+294,000), finance and insurance (+116,000), and accommodation and food services (+115,000).

Hiring remained little changed over the month, with U.S. employers taking on 6.7 million workers, the same number as in the prior month. Hires fell in retail trades (-277,000), durable goods manufacturing (-41,000), and educational services (-23,000).

There are now 2.5 million more job openings than unemployed people in the United States. The Labor Departments most recent jobs report showed that the total number of unemployed people edged down to 8.4 million in August.

The biggest challenge is matching the substantial number of jobs available with individuals in the labor force, Bankrate senior economic analyst Mark Hamrick said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. It remains to be seen whether improvement in employment wanes a bit further here in the closing act of 2021.

Separations, which include quits, layoffs, and discharges, remained little changed over the month, at 5.8 million in July, according to the JOLTS report. The quits rate, which reflects worker confidence in being able to find a better job, remained unchanged over the month at 2.7 percent, a historically elevated number.

While the continued reopening of the economy has driven many businesses to seek workers, hiring efforts have been hampered by a labor shortage, with analysts generally pointing to factors such as child care issues, lingering worries about the pandemic, and generous unemployment benefits. The federal pandemic jobless aid programs have now ended in all states, with future JOLTS reports sure to be closely scrutinized for a bump in hiring.

The record-high job openings and the mismatch between vacancies and hires is likely to add to pressure facing the Federal Reserve to trim its massive asset-buying programa process known as tapering.

Fresh record for July data. Huge pressure building for the Federal Reserve to taper. The 11 MILLION JOB OPENINGS! crews cries will need Bose noise-reducing everything, Danielle DiMartino Booth, CEO and chief strategist at Quill Intelligence, wrote in a tweet.

The Fed has been buying around $120 billion in monthly Treasury and mortgage securities, one of the crisis support measures for the economy the central bank adopted in the face of the pandemic.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at the Jackson Hole Symposium several weeks ago that central bank policymakers would need to see substantial further progress toward the Feds maximum employment mandate as a prerequisite to start trimming asset purchases.

The recent Nonfarm Payrolls report, which showed U.S. employers creating far fewer jobs than expected, weakened the case for the Fed to move quickly to taper its bond-buying program, according to some analysts. But St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard told the Financial Times in an interview that the central bank should move forward with tapering, despite the job growth slowdown.

There is plenty of demand for workers and there are more job openings than there are unemployed workers, Bullard told the outlet. If we can get the workers matched up and bring the pandemic under better control, it certainly looks like well have a very strong labor market going into next year.

On Sept. 3, the Labor Department reported that the economy generated 235,000 jobs in August compared to expectations of around 750,000, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent.
Larry Elder Says Newsom, Biden, Harris Are Deathly Afraid of Him

California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder on Sept. 7 dismissed news that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris plan to campaign with Gov. Gavin Newsom in the final days before the recall election on Sept. 14.

At a press conference at an SC Fuels gas station in South El Monte, Elder, who is an Epoch Times contributor and EpochTV host, said Newsom, Biden, and Harris are afraid of him.

They are deathly afraid of Larry Elder from the inner city, who went to public school, whos going to break the stranglehold that Democrats have had over blacks and browns for decades, he said.

Californians are hurting. They couldnt care less what Kamala Harris says. They couldnt care less what Joe Biden says.

Newsoms campaign team said Vice President Kamala Harris, a former senator and attorney general from California, will campaign for Newsom on Wednesday, while White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would visit California early next week.

He is a key partner in fighting the pandemic and delivering economic relief to working families and helping us build our economy back better than ever, Biden said in recent remarks.

Elder was joined at the Tuesday press conference by John DeWitt of SC Fuels, San Gabriel City Councilman John Harrington, businessman Larry Felix, and Gloria Romero, former California State Senate majority leader.

The Republican candidate was enthusiastically endorsed by Romero, a Democrat, who said during the event that Californians are struggling with the high cost of living.

We have the highest taxes in the nation, we are paying more for gasoline, and with these taxes, we were promised excellent roads. That was a lie. Basically, what we are finding now is that gas prices are almost five dollars a gallon and the governor, when he had a chance to put a pause on an automatic increase last July, looked at the other way and passed that cost of living onto the people of the state of California, she said.

Gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder (C) speaks at a press conference with (L-R) businessman Larry Felix; Gloria Romero, former California State Senate majority leader; and San Gabriel City Councilman John Harrington, in South El Monte, Calif., on Sept. 6, 2021. (Sarah Le/The Epoch Times)

At the conference, Felix said he is moving his business, which he founded in South El Monte in 1952, out of state because he, like many other Californians, are leaving for less taxed, more affordable areas.

The situation in South El Monte is that not only is it difficult for businesses to maintain a viable enterprise here, but its also impossible for people that are from this community to continue to live here. I have a facility  in the City of Industry that employs 120 people. Im in the process of closing that facility right now and moving it to Decatur, Texas. So thats 120 jobs, Felix said.

Harrington, who is in his eleventh year on the San Gabriel City Council, encouraged Californians to recall Newsom, because he believes issues such as homelessness, crime rate, quality of education, and the drought are worsening.

His policies have increased homelessness, they have not reduced it. He has increased crime by releasing felons and lowering criminal penalties. He has failed the people. He has decreased the value of our income, he hasnt increased it. He has failed the economy, Harrington said.

Harrington said that the recall is not about political parties, but about who can better solve the issues in California and represent the values of Californians.

The recall is about two things, its about value and our values. The value is whether we as Californians are receiving a return for the tax dollars that we put into the system. Values are whether the elected officials stand up and support the values of the people. Newsom has failed in both of these aspects.

Elder also criticized Newsoms policies for driving up housing and gasoline prices, increasing crime rates, and causing small businesses to close. He repeatedly mentioned how these issues are encouraging middle class and wealthy people to flee California.

Ive been campaigning now for six weeks  For six weeks, Ive been listening to the complaints of business people all over California, and they are too numerous to mention, he said.

When I get to Sacramento, small business people are going to have a friend, and were going to turn around this anti-business attitude that has caused people to leave California.

Elder also condemned Newsoms handling of the pandemic, especially for shutting down schools without considering the vulnerability of minority groups.

He shut down the state in the most severe way, [more] than the other forty-nine states  his own kids were enjoying in-person private education, denying in-person schooling for the kids in our government schools, 80 percent of whom are black or brown, said Elder.

Before the pandemic 75 percent of black boys could not read at state levels of proficiency and they were denied a whole year of in-person education. Nearly 50 percent of all third graders before the pandemic could not read at state levels of proficiency.

Elder stated that he believes in choice in education, and mentioned there will be a ballot initiative for the November 2022 election to set up ESAs (Education Savings Accounts) for students. In the plan, about $15,000 per student will be distributed to parent-controlled accounts every year. The ESAs would allow the parents to withdraw their children from public school and attend a private school, charter school, or cover the cost of home schooling.

In conclusion, he said: Crime is going up, the cost of living is going up, homelessness is going up, the quality of our schools is going down, business people are leaving.

The hopes and dreams of countless Californians were destroyed when this man ignored science and shut down the state, while exempting his own winery from the very mandates that he was imposing on everybody else, Elder added.

It is time for him to go.

Alice Sun
Defense attorney John Pierce speaks during an extradition hearing for Kyle Rittenhouse in Lake County court in Waukegan, Ill., on Oct. 30, 2020. (Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo, Pool)

Lawyer for Jan. 6 Defendants Released From Hospital, Says Reports He Went Missing Are Inaccurate

A lawyer representing 17 clients who were allegedly involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach released a statement on Sept. 7, saying reports that he went missing are false.

John Pierce, whos based in California, issued a lengthy statement to The Gateway Pundit saying that he was hospitalized for 12 days and has recovered. Pierce later confirmed to The Epoch Times that he released the statement.

Court filings that were submitted in August by Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips state that about 20 cases related to the Jan. 6 incident havent proceeded after Pierce failed to appear in court, alleging that he was reportedly ill with COVID-19 and on a ventilator. A law firm associate who isnt a licensed lawyer appeared in Pierces place during court hearings and proceedings, according to the filings.

Unfortunately, it seems that Mr. Pierce may be hospitalized and unable to communicate, and it is unclear when Mr. Pierce will recover, prosecutors wrote in the filing.

However, Pierce said he was released from a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sept. 5, following a 12-day stay.

I was not missing or anything of the sort. I am greatly appreciative of the many expressions of prayer and support, he said in a statement. And I am deeply grateful for the amazing care I received from the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for me.

Police release tear gas into a crowd during clashes at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Due to his recovery, Pierce said he wont partake in a full-time schedule until Sept. 13.

Next week, I expect to be fully operational, he said.

It isnt clear why Pierce was hospitalized. However, he stated that he has not taken any vaccination for COVID-19, nor do I plan to do so.

A colleague of Pierces, Brody Womack, told Business Insider that the lawyer may have been exhausted and dehydrated due to his continual work for his clients. The reports of Pierces absence drew some concern from several of those clients, including alleged Proud Boys member Paul Rae.

Unless Im being lied to, Im hearing Dont be concerned, Rae told ABC News. I dont know whats going on.

Several months ago, Pierce was one of several lawyers who raised the alarm about how dozens of the Jan. 6 defendants were being treated while in a federal jail in Washington, saying that they were being confined 23 hours per day, had a lack of medical care, and had only restricted access to legal counsel.

Pierce told Epoch TV in July that the defendants are being detained by federal judges under the 1984 Bail Reform Act, which authorizes pretrial detention if its believed that the individuals are a threat to the community or a flight risk.

There are about 50, plus or minus, that are being detained, that have been in prison for months and will likely remain in prison for many more months until their day in court, Pierce said.
Lest We Forget: Some Lessons From Rudyard Kipling

When I was a boy of fourteen, Mark Twain once noted, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

Like Twain, some children roll their eyes when parents or grandparents offer advice. The 1960s gave birth to the adage Never trust anyone over 30, which some young people believed until they hit middle age and found themselves parents or in positions of authority. Thats when the eye rolling abruptly ended.

The same holds true in regard to certain writers. In our age, some despise authors for their views on women, or race, or gender, and though they may be as gifted and wise as Shakespeare, Jane Austin, or Mark Twain, were willing to throw them and their work into the dumpster when they offend our cultures standards of political correctness.

One early victim of such a cultural execution was Rudyard Kipling (18651936).

Rudyard Kipling (R) with his father, John Lockwood Kipling, circa 1890. (PD-US)

A Mixed Reputation

Kipling, who in 1907 won the Nobel Prize, was once one of the most popular writers in the world. Even after his death, his work inspired Hollywood films like The Jungle Book and Gunga Din, and his short stories and poetry regularly made their way into anthologies of English literature. My public library carries at least two dozen of his titles.

During the cultural upheavals of the last 50 years, however, Kiplings reputation has suffered the blows and kicks of our progressive age. Schools removed his works from their curriculum, and hes disappeared from certain textbooksmy sixth edition of X.J. Kennedys textbook, Literature, is 1,859 pages long but without a single reference to Kipling. And today many consider the author of such works as Kim, Captains Courageous, and the poem If a racist, a jingoist, an imperialist, and a misogynist.

Of course, there is some truth to these charges. Kipling was, after all, a man of his time and a promoter of empire. On the other hand, if we judge any writer from the past by our present-day standards, well likely find some electric socket that will shock our modern sensibilities, just as our own prejudices will no doubt appall or amuse our descendants a century from now.

If, however, we dig a little deeper into Kiplings prose and verse, we discover a writer who has some words of wisdom for us, some caveats we ignore at our peril.

Lets give it a look.

Imperialism and Nation Building

Many today condemn Kipling as an imperialist, an apologist for the British Empire.

Lets grant them that point.

But perhaps they should then read The Man Who Would Be King or watch the movie by the same name as directed by John Huston. Kiplings story focuses on two British ex-soldiers and con men, Daniel Dravot and Peachey Carnehan, who connive to set themselves up as kings of Kafiristan, today a part of Afghanistan. They intend to support one warring tribe against another, subvert the powers that be, make themselves monarchs, and then, as Dravot says in the film, loot the country four ways from Sunday.

Their plan nearly works, but in the end the native people execute Daniel, and Peachey returns to India broken in health and mind, where he dies shortly afterward.

This sounds less like a prescription for imperialism than a warning about its dangers. Given our recent catastrophe in Afghanistan, we might urge our leaders to visit Kiplings tale of arrogance and its consequences before embarking on our next overseas adventure.

In The Man Who Would Be King, Kipling shows the selfishness of would-be imperialists.

Race

Given Kiplings reputation, what, some might ask with a contemptuous laugh, could he possibly teach us about race?

In short, toleration and respect.

In Gunga Din, Kipling creates Gunga Din, a regimental bhisti, or water carrier, who rescues a wounded British soldier, plugs his wound, gives him water, and is then himself shot dead. The soldier and his comrades had looked down on Gunga Din, but the poem ends with these words: Though Ive belted you and flayed you,/ By the livin Gawd that made you,/ Youre a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

In The Ballad of East and West, Kipling returns to this theme of respect beyond race or creed at the beginning and end of his poem:

Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,

Till Earth and Sky stand presently at Gods great Judgment Seat;

But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,

When two strong men stand face to face though they come from the ends of the earth!

In Kim, perhaps the best of his fiction, Kipling brings an array of characters into his story of India, with special emphasis on the Irish orphan and vagrant boy Kim and his Buddhist mentor and friend, the lama. Though we witness some racial prejudice in the story, these sentiments are representative of the age. In general, Kipling presents all his characters of whatever caste or color race realistically, and in the lama we meet a saintly man who treats those he encounters with respect and goodwill, regardless of their beliefs or the color of their skin.

Kim, perhaps Kiplings finest novel, shows that a persons selflessness is of greater value than skin color.

Raising Our Children, Particularly Boys

When it comes to educating young people and building their character, ours is an age of confusion. We lack a universal moral standard, we often fail by our words and deeds to set a good example for our children, and our teenagers in particular may fall under the adverse influence of our electronic culture.

Here again, Kipling may give us a star to steer by. His novel Captains Courageous, for example, tells the tale of a wealthy, self-centered teen who falls overboard and is rescued by Portuguese fishermen. In his essay The American Boy, Theodore Roosevelt says of this book that it describes in the liveliest way what a boy should be and do. The hero is painted in the beginning as the spoiled, over-indulged child of wealthy parents, of a type which we do sometimes unfortunately see, and than which there exist few things more objectionable on the face of the broad earth. This boy is afterward thrown onto his own resources, amid wholesome surroundings, and is forced to work hard among boys and men who are real boys and real men doing real work. The effect is invaluable.

In If, Kipling gives us a more succinct formula for turning boys into men. In the 32 lines of this poem, we find distilled the magic of that transformation. You can find my take on this poem in my online essay at The Epoch Times, Youll Be a Man, My Son: Rudyard Kipling on Manhood.

Forewarned Is Forearmed

Finally, Kipling issues several warnings about the troubles plaguing our nation right now. The Gods of the Copybook Headings with its admonitions against breaking or abandoning a moral code is more applicable today than when Kipling wrote it. These headings were the maxims or proverbs at the top of a page in a copybook, which students then wrote over and over again to develop their penmanship. After the poems narrator recites a litany of sorrows suffered when we ignore this timeless wisdom, the poem ends with this verse:

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins

When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,

As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,

The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

Tradition and common sense, Kipling tells us, trump the bogus ideas of the Gods of the Marketplace.

In 1897, Kipling wrote Recessional for Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee. Here we see none of the jingoism of which he stands accused. Instead, his poem is a somber reminder about the impermanence of empire and power. Here is the final verse:

For heathen heart that puts her trust

In reeking tube and iron shard,

All valiant dust that builds on dust,

And, guarding, calls not Thee to guard;

For frantic boast and foolish word

Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!

Humility, not hubris, is the theme of the poem.

Lets Look Backward to Move Forward

In Ring Lardners short story Zone of Quiet, Miss Lyons, a hospital nurse, blathers on unceasingly to the poor man in her care. At one point, she tells him of a man shes seeing:

We were talking about books and reading, and he asked me if I liked poetryonly he called it poultryand I said I was wild about it and Edgar M. Guest was just about my favorite, and then I asked him if he liked Kipling and what do you think he said? He said he didnt know; hed never kipled.

That last line has stuck with me since my classmates and I read this story in a high school lit class. It was funny then and still brings a smile.

We put ourselves in grave danger when we ignore the wisdom garnered by our ancestors. Maybe its time we all tried kipling  or rather, Kipling.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of non-fiction, Learning As I Go and Movies Make The Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
The icons of Facebook and WhatsApp are pictured on an iPhone, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Nov. 15, 2018. (Martin Meissner/AP Photo)

Media Liable for Comments Posted on Their Facebook Pages: Australian High Court

In a landmark decision, Australias apex judicial body, the High Court, has dismissed an appeal from major media outlets claiming they were not responsible for comments posted by readers or audience members on their social media pages.

Experts believe the judgement will have wider ramifications across not just media outlets but businesses, government entities, and community organisations, who will have to moderate comments even more stringentlyor remove the option altogetherto ensure defamatory comments are not publicised.

The case in question revolved around Dylan Voller, a former inmate at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.

Voller sued the publishers of news outlets The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and Sky News Australia over comments posted by individuals on their Facebook pages in 2016 and 2017.

Former Don Dale youth detainee Dylan Voller speaks to the media during a press conference in Canberra, Australia, on May 24, 2018. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

While the news stories posted online were not defamatory, Vollers lawyers argued that the comments featured in the posts were defamatory and that the media companies were legally liable.

An initial case was heard in 2019 by the Supreme Court of New South Wales (NSW), who found it in Vollers favour. In 2020, the NSW Court of Appeal again ruled in Vollers favour agreeing that the media outlets were the publishers.

The media companies appealed once more to the High Court of Australiathe final appellate body in the countrywhich found in favour of Voller with a five to two majority.

The news companys lawyers had argued that they were not instrumental toor were participants inthe allegedly defamatory third-party comments.

However, the court disagreed and found that in creating a Facebook page and posting content, the news outlets facilitated, encouraged, and therefore, assisted in the publication of comments, meaning they should be deemed the publishers.

The High Court of Australia in Canberra on Aug. 22, 2011. (Torsten Blackwood /AFP via Getty Images)

The High Court also found that it did not matter that the comments function in Facebook could not be disabled at the time.

The appellants attempt to portray themselves as passive and unwitting victims of Facebooks functionality has an air of unreality, Justices Stephen Gageler and Michelle Gordon said in the judgement (pdf) on Sept. 8.

Having taken action to secure the commercial benefit of the Facebook functionality, the appellants bear the legal consequences, they added.

Dissenting Justice Simon Steward argued a more stringent standard needed to be applied to who was deemed a publisher, saying it should be established whether they procured, provoked or conducted the comments.

His concern was that it could make all Facebook page owners liable for third-party comments.

A later court hearing at the Supreme Court of New South Wales will determine whether the comments were defamatory in nature. The three media outlets were ordered to pay the costs of the action.

David Rolph, professor of law and expert in defamation at the University of Sydney, said the decision had wider implications across all social media outletsnot just Facebookincluding Twitter, Instagram, and even websites with comments sections.

An iPhone displays the apps for Facebook and Messenger in New Orleans on Aug. 11, 2019. (Jenny Kane/AP Photo)

Todays ruling may mean if you post something to a social media platform and encourage or invite third party comments, you could be liable for any comments that follow, he wrote in The Conversation on Sept. 8.

So, it could affect individuals, online community groups, neighbourhood Facebook pages, the local P&C Facebook page, and so on, he added.

David Flint, emeritus professor of law and former chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, said the public debate would suffer as a result, with media outlets potentially closing off comments to unknown readers.

I think the analogy would be having a noticeboard on the wall around your property and inviting people to make comments there as a community facilityunder this ruling, you would be liable for any defamatory comments, he told The Epoch Times in an email, noting as well that a similar case under U.S. law would have been unsuccessful due to the public figure rule.

This decision will only encourage more litigation, including ambulance chasing. Solutions other than damages should be considered, he added.

For example, if a media organisation is not aware of a potentially defamatory comment, once its attention is drawn to this, it should be sufficient if it takes this down and, if requested, hands over known contact details with the person who posted the comment.

The Facebook logo is reflected in a drop on a syringe needle in this illustration photo taken March 16, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Rolph noted that under new defamation laws on July 1 in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory, a concerns notice must be sent before any legal action is taken. In Vollers case, his lawyers sued immediately.

A concerns notice is a formal letter informing an individual or organisation of defamatory content and giving them an opportunity to make amends.

Rolph also noted that a serious harm threshold existed, which could protect individuals from lawsuits.

This clause aims to rule out trivial defamation cases because while its true anyone can cause serious harm to a persons reputation on social media, there is also a lot of banter and to-ing and fro-ing which might be offensive but might not cause serious harm to a reputation, he wrote.

Meanwhile, Nine media, who own The Sydney Morning Herald, hoped national defamation law reform would take into account the High Courts decision.
The Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif., in this file photo. The UCLA undergraduate population is made up of 59 percent women and 41 percent men. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Men Represent an All-Time Low 40 Percent of College Students, Report Says

The number of men enrolled at two- and four-year colleges has fallen behind women by record levels, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

For the past 2020-2021 academic year, women made up an all-time high of 59.5 percent of the overall student population, while men trailed at 40.5 percent, the Journal reports, citing data from the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit research organization that provides nationwide coverage on college enrollment.

The report is consistent with data analysis by Clearinghouse last year (pdf), which stated that while enrollment in higher education in fall 2020 fell by more than 461,000 students compared to the fall of 2019, the decline among men (5.1 percent) was more than seven times as steep as the decline among women (0.7 percent).

More women also applied to college than men for the ongoing academic year of 2021-2022, with 3,805,978 female compared to 2,815,810 male applicants. Thats nearly one percentage point higher than the gap from the previous academic year, according to the Common Application, the nations most popular online college application platform.

This gap between the two sexes in college enrollment numbers has been widening for 40 years, the Journal reports. Douglas Shapiro, executive director of the research center at Clearinghouse, told the Journal that if this trend continues, two women will earn a college degree for every man within the next few years.

When race and income are taken into account, men still lag behind women in college enrollments, with poor and working-class white men often enrolling at lower rates than black, Latino, and Asian men in the same income group, according to an analysis of census data by the Pell Institute for the Journal.

Some colleges are taking affirmative action for men in an effort to redress the imbalances, according to the report. At Baylor University in Texas, for example, seven percentage points more places have been offered last year to men than women, who account for 60 percent of undergraduates. The university has also been running a campaign for years to boost applications from high school boys.

That being said, many schools and colleges are unwilling to join the effort, in part due to fear of being criticized for using their limited resources to support white men, who historically enjoyed better access to higher education than women and other underrepresented groups.

As a country, we dont have the tools yet to help white men who find themselves needing help, Jerlando Jackson, the department chair for Education Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsins School of Education, told the Journal. To be in a time when there are groups of white men that are falling through the cracks, its hard.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state's Democratic electors at the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on Dec. 14, 2020. (Carlos Osorio/AFP via Getty Images)

Michigan Governor Calls for Repeal of Statute Outlawing Abortion

LANSING, Mich.Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer today urged the Republican-controlled state legislature to repeal a state law banning abortion.

Whitmer stated in a press release, I call on the legislature to send (Democrat) Senator Erika Geiss bill that repeals our nearly century-old ban on abortion to my desk. I have always stood with those fighting for their right to choose, and will not stop now.

The law that Whitmer wants repealed is Act 328 of 1931. That law considers abortion a felony, except in cases where the life of the mother is endangered.

The law was superseded by the 1973 U. S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion across the nation, but still remains on the books.

If the U. S. Supreme Court were to overturn its 1973 decision that abortion is a constitutionally protected right, Act 328 is likely to again become the law of the state.

Citing the high courts recent decision not to enjoin a Texas law greatly restricting abortion from taking effect until the pending court challenge is litigated, Whitmer said that she feared a majority of the justices may be willing to throw out the constitutional right to choose.

Whitmer asserted in her statement, if the U. S. Supreme Court overturns Roe, that Michigan law and others like it may go into effect in dozens of states, disproportionately impacting Black and brown communities.

Whitmer provided no explanation in her press release as to how the minority groups she mentioned would be unfairly affected.

Right to Life of Michigan believes that Act 328 would once again become an enforceable statute, saying in a statement, After Roe v. Wade was decided, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in People v. Bricker that Roe v. Wade is only blocking enforcement of Michigans law (Act 328); Roe did not repeal Michigans law.
An emergency preparedness specialist from the Oakland County Health Department fills a syringe with a COVID-19 vaccine dose at the Southfield Pavilion in Southfield, Michigan, on Aug. 24, 2021. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images)

Michigan Health System Employees Sue Over Vaccine Mandate

A group of 51 employees of a Detroit health care organization filed a lawsuit on Sept. 6 challenging their employers COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The lawsuit argues that the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) violated the plaintiffs right to bodily autonomy and their right to reject medical treatment under interpretations of the 14th Amendment. The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring the mandate unconstitutional and unenforceable.

We remain confident that vaccination is the most powerful tool we all have against the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond that, we cannot comment on pending litigation, a spokeswoman for HFHS told The Epoch Times.

The HFHS had announced a vaccine mandate on June 29, advising staff and contractors to be vaccinated by Sept. 10. HFHS management warned that those who werent vaccinated by the deadline would face suspension and be given until Oct. 1 to receive the vaccine.

The lawsuit (pdf) cites data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to allege, contrary to the description provided on the VAERS website, that 13,627 deaths have occurred in the U.S. as a result of COVID-19 vaccines.'

The lawsuit goes on to cite an anonymous person, who identifies as a computer programmer, providing a professional estimate that VAERS data is underreported by a factor of five. The lawsuit uses the anonymous affidavit to allege that 65,000 Americans have lost their lives to these vaccines.'

The Mandate requires that Plaintiffs choose between exposing themselves to potential harm or death or abandon their careers in health care, the lawsuit reads.

A disclaimer on the VAERS website states: VAERS accepts reports of adverse events and reactions that occur following vaccination.  While very important in monitoring vaccine safety, VAERS reports alone cannot be used to determine if a vaccine caused or contributed to an adverse event or illness.

The reports may contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable. In large part, reports to VAERS are voluntary, which means they are subject to biases. This creates specific limitations on how the data can be used scientifically. Data from VAERS reports should always be interpreted with these limitations in mind.

The Michigan Legislature is considering a bill that would effectively ban employers from imposing vaccine mandates. Health care workers packed a hearing on the measure in August.

Most of Michigans largest hospitals and health care systems, employing hundreds of thousands of workers, have announced that they would begin enforcing a vaccination requirement for staff as a condition of employment.

Multiple surveys have shown that theres considerable hesitation and resistance among health care workers to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, with three out of 10 workers not yet vaccinated. According to Beckers Hospital Review, one in six health care professionals have said they would rather quit than get the shot.

Steven Kovac contributed to this report.
Falun Gong practitioners in a vigil commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the persecution in China, in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 18, 2021. (Courtesy of Debora Cheng)

Multiple Falun Gong Practitioners Die in Police Custody in China

Multiple practitioners of Falun Gong lost their lives while in police custody in China since May, according to reports from Minghui.org, a U.S.-based leading website that documents the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) persecution of Falun Gong.

The practitioners were prisoners of conscience, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been carrying out systematic persecution against believers of Falun Gong since July 20, 1999.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese spiritual practice consisting of slow-moving meditation exercises and moral teachings that promote truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in everyday life. Its popularity peaked in the late 1990s in China, with 70 million to 100 million adherents, according to official estimates.

On multiple occasions, the U.S. government has passed resolutions condemning the CCPs actions and has been calling for an end to the persecution.

Death in Detention

Guo Zhenfang, a resident of Chifeng city, Inner Mongolia Province, died in police custody before arriving at a local hospital on June 9. He was held at the Songshan District Detention Center before being transferred to the hospital.

Police informed Guos family of his transfer. Upon arrival at the hospital, the family found that Guos body had a bloody nose, bruises on his buttocks, and a wound on one of his inner knees.

Multiple plainclothes police officers arrived at the hospital soon after the family got there. The officers would not allow the family to view Guos body any longer and ordered that his remains be transferred to a local funeral housewithout the familys consent.

Another practitioner died in police custody in Dongrulai village, Shandong Province. Police arrested Sun Peijin while he was working on his farmland on June 17.

The following day, police contacted his family and reported that Sun had passed away. His family found his skull caved in and one of his eyes missing.

Authorities claimed Sun jumped to his death from Mengyin County Peoples Hospital of Shandong Province after refusing a nucleic acid test.

On June 26, police had Suns body cremated after coercing the family.

Wei Mingxia, 70, died after two weeks in police custody. Police arrested Wei on July 19, and imprisoned her in Huludao Detention Center.

Before being arrested, Wei was in good health, but she perished on Aug. 2. Her remains are frozen and being held in a local funeral parlor.

Police arrested another practitioner named Li Xianxi at a train station in Anyang city, Henan Province, on May 11. He was discussing the persecution of Falun Gong with travelers. Police then searched Lis properties without warrants.

The following day, Li was placed under criminal detention at Anyang Detention Center. On June 13, police informed the family that Li had died the previous day. Family members said Lis body was emaciated, with a swollen head and scars on his waist, back, and knees.

Immediately Cease the Persecution

State Department spokesman Ned Price called on the Chinese communist regime to immediately cease its long-running persecution of Falun Gong and release all adherents who have been jailed for their beliefs at a regular press briefing on July 19, a day before the 22nd anniversary of the start of Beijings eradication campaign against the faith group.

On May 12, one day before World Falun Dafa Day, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced sanctions against a CCP high-ranking official, Yu Hui, for persecuting Falun Gong in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Both Yu and his immediate family are banned from entering the United States.

On July 20, 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the CCP of suppressing practitioners. Extensive evidence shows the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] government continues to repress and abuse this community to this day, including reported torture of Falun Gong practitioners and detention of thousands.
My Memories of the 9/11 Boat Evacuation

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, my husband and I were awakened by a huge explosion that shook our building. We ran to the terrace on the 24th floor of our apartment building just six blocks from the World Trade Center to see thick black smoke coming from the North Tower. Then a second plane came roaring overhead and struck the South Tower. The impact hurled us backward into our living room and knocked us unconscious. When we came to, we grabbed our dog and quickly evacuated our building. Barefoot and still wearing pajamas, we sought safety in nearby Battery Park. But the nightmare continued. The towers soon fell, covering us with toxic dust and debris, and heavy smoke surrounded us in a deadly cloud.

We were trapped. We desperately needed to get off the island.

A crowd gathered along the Hudson, and we managed to board a boat headed to New Jersey. It was a large, white NY Waterway boat, a ferry service for commuters.

The ferry soon filled with Lower Manhattan residents, office employees, hotel staff, students from nearby schools, tourists, and mothers holding babies. Some appeared unscathed as if they hadnt been in the chaos at all, while others were yellow from dust, and a few red from blood. Many were crying or had a stunned, wide-eyed, panicked look on their faces.

As we left the burning city behind us, I took in the view of the harbor. Boats of all shapes and sizes were racing toward Manhattan from every direction.

Sept. 11 would prove to be the largest sea evacuation in recorded history, surpassing the Miracle at Dunkirkthe rescue of British and Allied forces from the French seaport during World War II.

Immediately after the New York attacks, subway trains were shut down, all bridges and tunnels were closed to Manhattan, and buses were suspended or rerouted. More than a million workers and residents south of Canal Street found themselves fleeing north on foot, through streets littered with dust and debris from the collapsed buildings, or heading south and west, hoping for a water rescue.

When it came to the attention of the U.S. Coast Guard that large crowds were pooling at the coastline, they issued a radio call to assist in the rescue. Dan Ronan, former director of vessel trafficking service of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York, said, We made the conscious decision that we wanted the professional mariners of New Yorkof which there are many and who are very talentedto be that workforce to move people that day.

Seafarers have a long tradition of selfless service to others, said Peter Johansen, former COO of NY Waterways, who was a key organizer of the boat evacuation. When a vessel puts out a distress call, any vessel that can assist goes to their aid. The same thing happened on 9/11.

The Coast Guard wasnt sure how many boats would respond, but respond they didan estimated 150 of them. New York Harbor quickly filled with sightseeing boats, ferries, tugboats, water taxis, dining boats, personal watercraft, fishing boats, and party boats. Some of them raced back and forth across the harbor all day, dropping off passengers in New Jersey, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and upper Manhattan.

Those evacuated were a true cross-section of New York City demographics. Its estimated that 300,000 office workers from states such as New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, along with 25,000 residents, 50,000 students, and hundreds of tourists were downtown that Tuesday morning. The spontaneous boat evacuation of 9/11 rescued 500,000 people in less than nine hours, thanks to at least 800 maritime heroes.

Its hard to believe its been 20 years since my husband and I landed in our pajamas, barefoot, and completely yellow with dust, on the shores of New Jersey. We were able to continue on with our lives, when almost 3,000 precious souls were not. But on a day of devastating loss, we also witnessed selfless acts of true, unsung American heroes.

When the Coast Guard sent out the message Calling All Boats, the mariners did as they have always done, rescue those in danger, Johansen said. I wouldnt want to live in a world where that didnt happen.
Bobby Matherne sits on a gas barrel as locals prepare to refuel a cell phone tower in Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

New Orleans Metro-Area Residents Rely on Each Other After Hurricane Ida

Without electricity, gas, food, or cellphone connection, residents help each other

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, New Orleans bakes in a strange silence.

The muffled buzz of a few generators and the splatter of cars cutting through inches-deep water are the only modern noises. A thick pudding of bayou mud covers the ground. For a while, theres no barrier between nature and the bayous people.

The only thing the nearly 430,000 people of the New Orleans metropolitan area have is each other. But its enough. But its enough.

Without power, all of southern Louisiana runs on cooperation and trust. Locals put aside their personal tragedies and work to help their neighbors.

One of many ships left wrecked after Hurricane Ida at Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

The Storm

In Jefferson Parish, on the southwest side of the metropolitan area, Hurricane Idas waters overwhelmed the levee.

When waters first crested the levee, they were stopped by a backup sandbag barricade, local Joseph Casso said. But rescue workers had to break it down.

At some point, they had to go rescue people in lower Lafitte. So they had to bust out the sandbags, which just let the water in, he said.

The waters surged into the rest of the city.

Only a few days ago, the entire neighborhood was under four feet of water, local resident Taddese Tewelde says.

Piggly Wiggly owner Taddese Tewelde speaks with insurance representatives inside his store, which was flooded by Hurricane Ida, in Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

Tewelde owns a local Piggly Wiggly grocery store. When the floodwaters hit, they destroyed much of his store. Now, he offers his remaining essential items for free.

The hardest part is dealing with the insurance companies, he said. They dont have no mercy. Other than that, all this cleaning will pass.

Words Against Water

The first priority after a disaster isnt food, air conditioning, water, or gasoline, said Bobby Matherne, a local resident. Instead, its getting cell signal and internet back up. Emergency services all need good communications.

Nobody can communicate without it, Matherne said.

A convoy of Army vehicles bring aid into Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

Along with other men, Matherne worked to fill large gasoline cans from a barrel. The men placed the cans in a pickup truck that towed a flat-bottomed airboat.

During the hurricane, Matherne stayed home. When he realized the storm was too strong, he fled. He didnt even have time to evacuate his chickens; 14 of them died. When he returned, he started working to fix the neighborhood.

Without power, cellphone towers rely on diesel-powered generators filled by Matherne and others. Matherne drove roughly 100 miles and paid for the barrel of gas himself. He expects to be reimbursed by his company. The gas was for fueling the boat to carry diesel to the generators.

Their efforts paid off. By Sept. 3, only five days after the hurricane, Jefferson Parish had five bars of cellphone signal.

A scene after Hurricane Ida at Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

Finding Food

Flooding wasnt the only damage Ida inflicted. Without power, refrigerators stop working. Stores and restaurants that survived the floods soon found that they were out of food.

To help, award-winning chef Jose Andress organization, World Central Kitchen, prepared hot meals for hurricane victims across Louisiana.

The local St. Anthony Catholic Church distributed the meals to locals from a tent outside its water-ravaged church. The meals included spiced chicken and rice, as well as hearty muffuletta sandwiches. Without working power, warm food was rare in the city.

The volunteers handed food to drivers from the neighborhood. However, they wont be meeting for Mass at the end of the week. The building was flooded with two feet of water and is currently unusable.

A woman distributes food in Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

Mass will be dispensed this weekend, said Father Luke Nguyen. Our lives are broken, so we just pray to God that he will continue to bless us.

Not a Drop to Drink

After Hurricane Ida, temperatures in Jefferson Parish remained in the high 80s and 90s. Without air conditioning, every day means a new struggle against the heat. New Orleans residents sweat without escape or relief.

To survive, people need to consistently drink water. However, the storm left tap water polluted. Beside the road through Jefferson Parish, the water left by Ida stinks, dark with foul-smelling bayou mud.

In the heat after the hurricane, a bottle of cold water becomes a rare treasure.

The Miss Brittany lies aground on the shore of Jefferson Parish, La., on Sept. 4, 2021. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times)

St. Anthonys deacon, Ted Cain, offered water from a cooler to neighborhood residents.

That was what they were begging for yesterday. Ice cold water, he said. One guy said the other day, This is the first cold drink Ive had since the hurricane.

The power wont turn back on for many days yet, residents said. To help protect others from the heat, some families share their generators and houses.

We feel very blessed. We have a house generator, so we have people staying with us. We have all of our neighbors plugged into our generator, said resident Andrea Burlette.

It seems Jefferson County residents are able to endure hurricanes because of their community. Community is also why they keep living in a place that seems doomed to face a watery apocalypse every few decades.

People are saying, Why dont you get out if you want to avoid the flooding? They dont understand, said another local, Richard Bolott. Were friends. Our family is here.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Jefferson Parish as part of New Orleans. Jefferson Parish is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach attends the Executive Board virtual meeting at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sept. 8, 2021. (Philippe Woods/IOC/Handout via Reuters)

North Korea Suspended From IOC After Tokyo No-show

North Korea has been suspended from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until the end of 2022, meaning it will miss out on the Beijing Winter Games, after failing to send a team to the Tokyo Olympics, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday.

The National Olympic Committee of Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (PRK NOC) is suspended until the end of the year 2022 as a result of its unilateral decision not to participate [in Tokyo], Bach told a news conference.

Bach said the decision meant the North Korean Olympic Committee would not receive financial support during the suspension and would definitively forfeit support that had previously been withheld due to sanctions.

The IOC chief, however, said the IOC did reserve the right to make decisions on any individual North Korean athletes who qualify for Beijing 2022 and to reconsider the duration of the countrys suspension.

North Korea was the only country not to send athletes to Tokyo and the IOC said they had been warned of the consequences of not participating.

Throughout the process, the PRK NOC was given a fair opportunity to be heard, and received very clear warnings about the consequences of its position and the fact that any violation of the Olympic Charter would ultimately expose the PRK NOC to the measures and sanctions provided in the Olympic Charter, the IOC executive board said in a statement.

The IOC said it had held lengthy talks and offered solutions, including vaccines, to the North Koreans but these measures had been systematically rejected by the countrys Olympic committee.

By Simon Evans
Police tape in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

NY Congressional Candidate Found Dead Weeks After Withdrawing From Race

Kyle Van De Water, an Afghanistan War veteran and former New York congressional candidate who abruptly ended a second bid last month, died suddenly on Tuesday, according to local officials.

Van De Water, 41, who last year challenged incumbent Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado, was found dead by police at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery after responding to a report of a man down, MidHudsonNews.com reported.

News of his death comes shortly after he announced, and then withdrew, another bid for Congress in next years midterm elections. He lost against Delgado last year by more than 40,000 votes.

Delgado said in a statement on Twitter that his heart breaks for Kyle, and his beautiful family.

We shared a number of conversations about family and country, and I walked away from each one knowing that he had a profound love for both, Delgado said.

He shared the number of a Veterans Crisis Line, but didnt mention a cause of death.

Kyles death is tragically felt not only an individual level, but also nationally, as far too many veterans across our country are going without the support and care that their service to our great land undoubtedly necessitates, Delgado added. We can and must do better. May God rest Kyles soul And may God bless his family.

Van De Water just weeks ago announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy, saying that he was looking forward to vigorously and enthusiastically supporting the GOP candidate in 2022.

I have been truly humbled by and will be forever grateful for all of the support I have received these past few years. It has been an honor getting to meet so many of you as I traveled across the district, the 41-year-old announced in a statement on Twitter on Aug. 27.

He added, Unfortunately, circumstances in my life have changed and I am no longer able to give 110% towards this endeavor. For the good of the party, and the district, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said on Twitter that his prayers were with the Army veterans family as they try to come to grips with this tragedy.

Kyle was a war hero who put his life and well-being on the line for his country, said Molinaro. We owe him, his family, and all of our brave service men and women everything for the sacrifices they have made.

The New York Republican Party said it was deeply saddened to learn of Kyles untimely passing.

He was an American hero and soldier whose selfless service in the Army will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, it said in a statement.

According to the bio on Van De Waters website, he was born born in Rhinebeck and raised in Poughkeepsie. He studied Political Science and Economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and subsequently graduated from Albany Law School.

He joined the U.S. Army in 2006, assigned to the Judge Advocate Generals Corps working as an Administrative Law Attorney at the United State Military Academy, West Point. He was later deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star in 2011.

Van De Water received the Meritorious Service Medal and his honorable discharge from the Army in 2014.

The circumstances of Van De Waters death remain unclear as of Tuesday night.
Police search a car following a stand-off in front of the 45th Police Precinct in the Bronx in New York City on July 8, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NYPD Arrests Down From 2019, Majority of Serious Crimes Up

New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrest activity has declined since 2019 and it doesnt appear to be simply the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the majority of serious crime types have increased, according to NYPD data.

NYPD arrests have been steadily dropping since 2014 and, for some time, crime was declining in tandem. The numbers particularly cratered with the onset of the pandemic last year, reaching a low of less than 7,500 in July 2020. Arrests have since rebounded, but not to the prior level. Instead, they seem to keep following the previous downward trend. Less than 75,000 have been arrested in the first half of this year, compared to more than 110,000 in the first half of 2019, the data shows.

Meanwhile, four out of the seven categories of serious crime tracked by the NYPD saw increases compared to 2019. Shootings in particular went through the roof.

In 2020, more than 1,850 were shot, fatally and non-fatallymore than double the year before. So far this year, more than 1,300 have been shot by Sept. 5, a slight increase from 2020.

Murders slightly declined this year versus the last, but are still nearly 40 percent above 2019.

In other serious crime categories, rape is up from 2020, but down from 2019; robbery is slightly down; felony assaults are the highest in 20 years, nearing 15,000 so far this year; burglaries are down from 2020, but up from 2019; grand theft is up from 2020, but down close to 20 percent since 2019; and carjackings are the highest since 2010.

There has been a lively debate on whats the main factor behind the crime hike. There seems to be a whole host of factors in play.

The shooting wave started in May last year coinciding with protests and rioting in the city after the killing of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest in Minneapolis.

Some officers previously told The Epoch Times officers may be reluctant to go out of their way to make arrests due to new policies that make arrests riskier and less consequential.

The city implemented new laws that banned judges from requiring cash bail for most nonviolent and some lower-level violent crimes, resulting in more criminals returning to the street after an arrest. Some officers called the policy demoralizing.

Last year, the state outlawed officers from placing a knee on a suspects back or chest as a restraint technique during an arrest. Police officers and experts have criticized the law for criminalizing martial arts techniques used to safely subdue resisting subjects.

During the initial pandemic lockdown, courts ground to a halt before resuming operations in remote mode, facing a backlog of cases. All staff and judges only returned to work in person in May. That means criminals out on bail have rarely faced conviction and imprisonment.

In addition, prosecutors have been twice as likely to drop charges against suspects last year than the year before, the New York Post reported.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to the media at City Hall in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 30, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Portland Leaders Postpone Vote on Resolution That Would Boycott Texas Over Pro-Life Law

The city council in Portland, Oregon, decided not to move forward this week with a planned boycott of Texas over the states new law banning most abortions.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat who is part of the council, announced Wednesday that the vote was being postponed.

City Council is working together to best understand the impact of the emergency resolution regarding our business with Texas. We decided to postpone this item so City Council can work together to best understand the impact of this important decision, Wheeler said in a statement.

Portland officials announced last week the intention to vote to pass the resolution, which would ban city agencies from future procurement of goods and services from Texas.

The resolution would also bar city employees from traveling to the Southern state.

The ban was going to stay in effect until Texas withdrew the law, Senate Bill 8, or it was overturned by a court, Wheelers office said.

The law, which went into effect on Sept. 1, forces physicians to try to detect a fetal heartbeat before carrying out an abortion.

If a heartbeat is detected, doctors are prohibited from performing an abortion, unless a medical emergency exists.

Abortion providers say up to nine out of 10 abortions are prohibited under the new law.

Heather Hafer, a spokeswoman with the Portland Office of Management and Finance, told The Oregonian that the city had agreed to nearly $35 million in contracts with businesses based in Texas in the past five years. Portland employees, meanwhile, have made 19 trips to Texas since 2019.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, said on social media this week that Portlands planned boycott is a complete joke before taking aim at the policies the Democrat-run city has enacted in recent years.

A city led by depraved officials allows lawlessness, putting their citizens in grave danger. A boycott will hurt them, not us. Texas economy is stronger than ever. We value babies and police, they dont, he wrote.
Peter Boghossian, assistant professor at Portland State University and co-author of How to Have Impossible Conversations. (New Discourses)

Portland State University Professor Resigns, Says School Is a Social Justice Factory

Portland State University professor Peter Boghossian said hes resigned from his position in an open letter and accused the college administration of creating an environment that imperils dissent.

I never once believednor do I nowthat the purpose of instruction was to lead my students to a particular conclusion, Boghossian, a philosophy professor, wrote in the letter. Rather, I sought to create the conditions for rigorous thought; to help them gain the tools to hunt and furrow for their own conclusions. This is why I became a teacher and why I love teaching.

But over time, he argued, Portland State Universitya publicly-funded collegemade intellectual exploration impossible and has transformed itself into a social justice factory with a primary focus on race, victimhood, and gender.

Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues, said the letter, which was published on Bari Weisss Substack page. Weiss herself previously worked for the New York Times until 2020 when she resigned, accusing her Times colleagues of bullying, and arguing that the paper capitulated to Twitter-based pressure campaigns.

Faculty and administrators have abdicated the universitys truth-seeking mission and instead drive intolerance of divergent beliefs and opinions, Boghossian added. This has created a culture of offense where students are now afraid to speak openly and honestly.

Portland State University did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment.

Later in his letter, Boghossian said that over time, he faced retaliation for speaking out against academias narratives around race, gender, and social justice.

For me, the years that followed were marked by continued harassment. Id find flyers around campus of me with a Pinocchio nose. I was spit on and threatened by passersby while walking to class. I was informed by students that my colleagues were telling them to avoid my classes, he wrote.

The lecturer added: And, of course, I was subjected to more investigation. I wish I could say that what I am describing hasnt taken a personal toll. But it has taken exactly the toll it was intended to: an increasingly intolerable working life and without the protection of tenure.

Years ago, Boghossian drew headlines when he and two other authors submitted bogus race, gender, sexuality, and cultural studies to academic journals to see whether they would pass through peer review and be accepted for publication.

Many of the papers were subsequently published, which Boghossian and the others suggested was due to lackadaisical criteria and institutional rot in several academic fields.
Rare Nerve Disorder Listed as COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effect by EU

The European Unions drug regulator listed a rare nerve disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) as a possible AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine side effect, according to the watchdog in a Wednesday update.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the AstraZeneca shot, known as Vaxzevria, was associated with 833 GBS cases as of July 31. Thats out of 592 million doses administered, the EMA said (pdf).

Reported cases of GBS concern suspected side effects such as medical events that have been observed after vaccination, but which are not necessarily related to or caused by the vaccine, said the agency. Pain in legs and arms or stomach and influenza-like symptoms have also been included in the product information as side effects, it added.

In another update this week (pdf), the EMA said that potential side-effects to Johnson & Johnsons single-dose shot include swollen lymph nodes, unusual or decreased feeling in the skin, tinnitus, diarrhea, and vomiting. GBS was not associated with the J&J vaccine.

Both AstraZenecas and Johnson & Johnsons vaccines will include updated product information to reflect their respective side-effects, according to the EMA.

Deployment of the AstraZeneca vaccine was put on hold in March of this year in several European countries after reports emerged that the shot could be associated with rare blood clots that were developed after individuals received it. Most countries that placed a pause on the vaccine resumed its usage during the same month.

AstraZenecas vaccine, which uses an adenovirus vector, has not been authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, which uses similar technology, was authorized for emergency use earlier this year. Vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer use different technology based on mRNA and require two doses.

The FDA also has warned that GBS is a rare but possible side effect of the J&J vaccine.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

According to the Mayo Clinic, GBS is a condition where the bodys immune system attacks the nerves, potentially causing paralysis.

In its most severe form Guillain-Barre syndrome is a medical emergency. Most people with the condition must be hospitalized to receive treatment, the clinic says, noting that there is no known cure. The exact cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome is unknown although two-thirds of patients report symptoms of an infection in the six weeks preceding.

As of mid-day, J&Js shares were down by about 0.19 percent, and AstraZenecas shares were down by 2.23 percent.

AstraZeneca and J&J have not responded yet for a comment on the EMAs update.
Really No Place for Afghan Refugees in Europe, Says Czech Prime Minister

There is really no place for Afghan refugees in the European Union, Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sept. 7, adding that leaders should adopt solutions and assist the Afghan people to remain in their home country.

There is really no place for them in Europe, Babis said after meeting with his Slovakia and Austrian counterparts, who share a similar opinion on illegal immigration in Europe.

A better alternative is a solution making the people stay in Afghanistan, the Czech leader added amid growing concerns an exodus from the beleaguered nation is likely to happen.

Babis was joined by Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday and made the remarks at a news conference after meeting at Lednice Castle in the southeastern Czech Republic.

The three leaders all agreed that they are against illegal immigration but shared the same opinion on fighting human smuggling, Gandhara reported. Chancellor Kurz said Austria has already planned to contribute $21.3 million to help Afghans in countries neighboring Afghanistan.

We will try to moderate their suffering, but we agree the year 2015 should not happen again. We are against illegal migration and we will fight traffickers, Kurz said. We need to seek a solution in the region and not spark another exodus to Europe, he added.

Austrias Chancellor Sebastian Kurz speaks during a press conference prior to talks with the German Chancellor at the Chancellery in Berlin on Aug. 31, 2021. (Kay Nietfeld/AFP via Getty Images)

The three countries are among a growing list of nations, including Greece and South Africa, that have expressed concerns about a possible surge of illegal immigrants trying to cross the border following the Talibans rise to power.

The lightning takeover of Afghanistan by the designated terrorist group has fuelled the European Union to resist a possible repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis when nearly 1 million people fleeing the Middle East and beyond crossed into Greece from Turkey before traveling north to wealthier states.

Greece already announced it is insisting it will not allow a repetition of the 2015 crisis. Border forces are warned to make sure the country does not become Europes gateway again and Greece already bolstered its border defense in recent months.

Last week, South Africa also said that it is not in a position to accommodate additional Afghan refugees who fled the country into neighboring Pakistan.

The South African Government is unfortunately not in a position to accommodate such a request, the South African Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement in response to a request made to the country, asking it to consider receiving a number of refugees.

South Africa is already home to a substantial number of refugees and is seized with addressing their needs, it added. Most of them already benefit from the Social Assistance and free medical health programs offered by our country.

The United Nations (UN) said in August that they are estimating up to half a million Afghan nationals could flee a humanitarian crisis in their homeland in a worst-case scenario.

From NTD News
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announces a snap five day lockdown for the state during a press conference in Melbourne, Australia on July 15, 2021 . (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Regional Victoria Lockdown to End Midnight Thursday

The Australian state of Victoria will lift COVID-19 restrictions in regional parts of the state from midnight on Thursday due to low CCP virus case numbers.

Meanwhile, metropolitan Melbourne and the single regional town of Shepparton are still managing serious outbreaks and will remain in lockdown.

From Friday, the five reasons to leave home will end in the regions, schools will reopen for Prep to Grade 2 and Year 12 students, and there will be no limit on the distance regional Victorians can travel from home for the eligible regions.

Most businesses and venues will also be able to reopen with capacity and density limits.

But Victorian Premier Dan Andrews warned Victorians that there remained a serious risk of the virus spreading.

Its not a snapback. Its not freedom day. Its not 100 percent capacity down at the pub, Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.

It cant be. If it is, then we will simply see numbers spread and then well have to close large parts of regional Victoria down again, and perhaps even all of regional Victoria. We dont want that, he went on to say.

On the advice of the Chief Health Officer, Regional Victorias lockdown will be lifted. There remains a significant risk of cases seeding, so we all have to continue to work hard to keep regional Victoria, and all of us safe. pic.twitter.com/0vqNEhQfng  Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) September 8, 2021

Police will also be out in force to ensure people from metropolitan Melbourne and Shepparton arent sneaking into regional Victoria, conducting on the spot checks. Fines for breaching the health orders can be as much as $5,452.

Despite Victorias targeted approach to easing restrictions, it is not clear whether other states will end regional Victorias hotspot status.

A Queensland Health spokesperson told The Epoch Times, We regularly review restrictions and will ease or lift them as soon as it is safe to do so however the reality is outbreaks in southern states will not just disappear over the next few weeks.

Our decisions consider a range of factors including a jurisdictions own restrictions; the movement of people in line with those restrictions; the impact of vaccination rates; what COVID-19 variant we are dealing with; what the testing numbers are; what the wastewater results indicate; and how the virus is spreading.

Meanwhile, around 200 Victorian residents trapped on the New South Wales side of the border will be among the first to trial home-based quarantine. This forms part of the National Cabinets plan to reopen the country.

Any Victorians who have been residing in an NSW Local Government Border Area since at least Aug. 25, will be eligible to apply to return home via the new special exemption permit category: Victorians in the cross-border community.

To be eligible for the new category, Victorians will need to provide proof of their residency, evidence of a negative COVID-19 test, and proof theyve had at least one CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccine. The CCP virus is commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

Applicants also need to somehow show evidence with either receipts or QR code check-ins, that theyve stayed within the border region and have had limited social contact while in NSW.
Parisoma, a coworking space, is seen mostly empty in San Francisco, on March 12, 2020. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

Remote Workers Comfort Returning to the Office Drops to Lowest Level Since February: Poll

The level of remote workers who feel comfortable returning to the office amid the COVID-19 pandemic has dropped to its lowest level since February, according to a new poll by Morning Consult.

The data intelligence company has been closely tracking the perceptions of employees who typically work in an office but are working remotely due to the pandemic regarding their comfort levels when it comes to returning to the office and traveling for work.

Adults who are currently working remotely were asked, If your office announced that you could return to your normal workplace starting next week, how comfortable would you feel returning to the office?

According to data, the share of workers who would feel comfortable returning to the office now stands at 51 percent, down from 73 percent six weeks ago, and signifying the lowest share since early February.

Forty-three percent still feel uncomfortable returning at this time, up nine points from the previous week.

Meanwhile, 53 percent of remote workers said they would consider quitting their job if their employers asked them to return to the office before they felt it was safe to do so.

As per the data, 60 percent of remote workers want to return to the office as soon as it is safe. The same share said they would only be willing to return to the office once all of their co-workers have been fully vaccinated.

When it comes to traveling for work, just 40 percent of Americans said they would feel comfortable with domestic travel for work, while 23 percent would be happy to travel internationally.

Additionally, 35 percent of those in the poll said they would feel comfortable attending a work conference, and the same share would feel comfortable going to an office party.

Growing concerns over the rising number of COVID-19 cases has promoted a number of companies to push back their original return-to-work dates.

Passengers make their way to the rideshare location at LAX in November 2020. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

In July, tech giant Google announced it was delaying return dates to October from September, while those returning to the office will need to be fully vaccinated.

Apple has also postponed a return to offices until at least January and advised employees to get vaccinated in light of an apparent increase in Delta variant cases.

Amazon also pushed back its return-to-office date for tech and corporate workers until January, while Microsoft, Twitter, Uber, and Lyft followed suit with the latter telling workers not to return to the office until February 2022.

Following months of declining CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus infections, the United States has seen an increase in new cases, with roughly 127,100 new cases per day based on a seven-day rolling average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, 176.7 million Americans, roughly 53.8 percent of the population, have received COVID-19 vaccinations.

President Joe Biden will soon unveil a six-step plan to curb the Delta variant and increase U.S. vaccinations, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Sept. 7.

Psaki said the plan will span the public and private sectors to help continue to get the pandemic under control, but didnt elaborate on the details.

We need to continue to take more steps to make sure school districts are prepared and make sure communities across the country are prepared, Psaki added. So, again, the president will lay out a six-step plan on Thursday. Well be finalizing that over the coming days, and well have more preview as we get closer.

Meanwhile, data released in August by Kastle Systems, which manages security for commercial real estate, offices, and government in the United States, noted an increase in building occupancy rates at the end of the month.

According to its Back to Work Business Barometer, building occupancy rates were up to 33.1 percent across 10 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but still lagged the mid-July peak of 34.8 percent.
A shark swims on a reef in Ailinginae Atoll in the Marshall Islands, in August 2018. (Greg Asner/Allen Coral Atlas via AP)

Researchers Complete First-Ever Detailed Map of Global Coral

HONOLULUResearchers have completed a comprehensive online map of the worlds coral reefs by using more than 2 million satellite images from across the globe.

The Allen Coral Atlas, named after late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will act as a reference for reef conservation, marine planning, and coral science as researchers try to save these fragile ecosystems that are being lost to climate change.

The group announced the completion of the atlas Wednesday and said it is the first global, high-resolution map of its kind. It gives users the ability to see detailed information about local reefs, including different types of submarine structures like sand, rocks, seagrass, and, of course, coral.

The maps, which include areas up to 50 feet (15 meters) deep, are being used to inform policy decisions about marine protected areas, spatial planning for infrastructures such as docks and seawalls, and upcoming coral restoration projects.

This screenshot shows a map of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Allen Coral Atlas via AP)

Our biggest contribution in this achievement is that we have a uniform mapping of the entire coral reef biome, said Greg Asner, managing director of the Atlas and director of Arizona State Universitys Center for Global Discovery and Conservation.

Asner said they relied on a network of hundreds of field contributors who gave them local information about reefs so that they could program their satellites and software to focus on the right areas.

And that lets us bring the playing field up to a level where decisions can be made at a bigger scale because so far decisions have been super localized, Asner said. If you dont know what youve got more uniformly, how would the U.N. ever play a real role? How would a government that has an archipelago with 500 islands make a uniform decision?

The atlas also includes a coral bleaching monitor to check for corals that are stressed due to global warming and other factors.

Asner said about three-quarters of the worlds reefs had not previously been mapped in this kind of in-depth way, and many not at all.

The project began in 2017 when Allens company, Vulcan Inc., was working with Ruth Gates, a Hawaii researcher whose idea of creating super coral for reef restoration was funded by the philanthropic foundation.

Gates and Vulcan brought in Asner because of his work with the Global Airborne Observatory that had been mapping reefs in Hawaii at the time.

Alexandra Ordonez Alvarez, from the University of Queensland, collects geo-referenced data on the Great Barrier Reefs Ashmore Bank in Australia, in December 2019. (Chris Roelfsema/Allen Coral Atlas via AP)

Allen, who said he wanted to help save the worlds coral reefs, liked the idea of using technology to visualize data, so Gates connected the group with a satellite company called Planet, and Allen funded the project for about $9 million.

The University of Queensland in Australia used artificial intelligence technology and local reference data to generate the layers on the atlas. Anyone can view the maps for free online.

Both Allen and Gates passed away in 2018, leaving Asner and others to carry on their work.

Ruth would be so pleased, wouldnt she? Asner said. She would just be tickled that this is really happening.

He said about a third of the calls he is getting are from researchers who hope to use the maps to be sure that their planning and their reef restoration work is going to have its max efficacy.

When Gates found out she was sick, she selected friend and colleague Helen Fox from the National Geographic Society to help communicate with conservation groups about how to use the tool.

It really was a global effort, said Fox, who is now the conservation science director for Coral Reef Alliance. There were huge efforts in terms of outreach and helping people be aware of the tool and the potential scientific and conservation value.

By Caleb Jones
Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was arrested for alleged spying, listens to the verdict in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Moscow on June 15, 2020. (Sofia Sandurskaya, Moscow News Agency photo via AP)

Russian Court to Consider Transferring Jailed Ex-Marine to US: Lawyers

MOSCOWA Russian court plans to consider a request by a former U.S. Marine imprisoned in Russia to be transferred to the United States to serve his sentence there, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

Russia convicted Paul Whelanwho holds U.S., British, Canadian, and Irish passportsof spying in June 2020 and sentenced him to 16 years in jail. He denied the charge and said he was set up in a sting operation, and Washington has demanded his release.

Lawyers Olga Karlova and Vladimir Zherebenkov told the Interfax news agency that the hearing into Whelans potential transfer was set to take place on Sept. 27.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was arrested for alleged spying in Moscow on Dec. 28, 2018, stands in a cage as he waits for a hearing in a court room in Moscow on Aug. 23, 2019. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)

Karlova later told TASS news agency the court had postponed the hearing and that the date will be known in due course.

Whelanwho Russia said was caught with a computer flash drive containing classified informationhad said he hoped to be freed as part of a prisoner swap.

President Vladimir Putin discussed the topic with his U.S. counterpart President Joe Biden at a summit in June, but Whelan and Trevor Reed, another former U.S. Marine, remain behind bars in Russia.

Whelan, who is being held in a high-security prison eight hours drive from Moscow, denounced his trial as a sham and said he thought the drive, given to him by a Russian acquaintance, contained holiday photos.
San Clemente Rally Honors Fallen Servicemen

Hundreds of people rallied in San Clemente, California, on Sept. 5 to honor the 13 U.S. service members that were killed in a terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Aug. 26 ISIS suicide bombing killed over 150 Afghan civilians and wounded at least another 18 servicemembers.

Nine Marines and one Navy Hospitalman were deployed from Camp Pendleton, the major West Coast marine base only 30 minutes south of San Clemente.

The crowd gathered at the intersection of Avenida Del Mar and El Camino and marched through the streets towards the citys Marine Monument at Park Semper Fi.

People gathered around the parks Marine Memorial, where Pastor Jim Glynn, a retired marine from Camp Pendleton, addressed the crowd.

It would be wrong to only focus on the lives lost in August, Glynn said, according to the San Clemente Times. Since Sept. 11, 2001, 2,448 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.

That number makes what we are doing here today even more vital because by being here and standing together we are reaffirming our love, gratitude and support for all those veterans who have served our country in the United States military, Glynn said.

If you are a veteran, we want you to know that now more than ever we stand with you and beside you today and the days to come, he continued. We want you to know you are not alone and we believe in the sacrifice you made on behalf of your fellow Americans.

We have always loved our Marines, said Tamara Fields-Seyhun, one of several women who planned Sundays march for the fallen, the Orange County Register reported.

We saw other towns organizing vigils and memorials for the Marines in an expression of honor. We felt the same way and we wanted to do something in San Clemente.

After Fields-Seyhun posted the idea of holding a rally for the Marines on Facebook, three of her friends from San Clemente High School withLaura Glynn, Julie Regenovich, and Cyndi Martinhelped put on the rally, according to the Orange County Register.

Ragenovich, owner of Sonnys Pizza and Pasta in San Clemente, said she felt the that the community needed to come together to honor those who lost their lives in the attack, according to the San Clemente Times.

San Clemente is a military town. As a community, we need to rise up and support all our [servicemembers] and especially the fallen 13 that will not return, Ragenovich said, the San Clemente Times reported. Seeing the amount of people coming out for this  brings tears to my eyes.
Social Media Companies Should Remove Taliban Content: Pelosi

At a weekly press conference Wednesday morning, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) criticized social media giants like Twitter and Facebook for allowing content from the Taliban terrorist organization on their platforms.

An audience member asked about this situation in the midst of reports that videos of women being beaten by Taliban terrorists were being shared on the platform. This comes as the group, once a minor insurgency in Afghanistan, moves to take complete control of the government and people of the nation in the wake of the controversial U.S. withdrawal from the country.

Pelosi began by saying that she was concerned about offensive content on the platforms even beyond Afghanistan.

She has long held similar concerns. During Donald Trumps presidency, Pelosi asserted in a press release that the problem with social media companies was not, as Trump had asserted, that they used their platforms to censor certain political viewpoints; Rather, Pelosi criticized big Internet companies complete failure to fight the spread of disinformation.

Wednesday, she encouraged social media companies to respond to Taliban content as being highly dangerous [and] immediate in its impact. She continued, I would hope that they would react in a responsible way. To achieve this responsible reaction, she said, we have to call [social media firms] out on it.

The speaker then shared her own experiences in the now terrorist-run country, emphasizing the plight of women and girls now that the Taliban have taken over, and the need for such content to be barred from social media platforms.

Pelosi said that she had been a total of nine times. While there, she said, she and other lawmakers had had two primary concerns. The first of these was meeting with and thanking U.S. troops in the country as a matter of national security. She continued: But we always, always, always had as another priority what was happening with women and girls in Afghanistan. That was bipartisan, it was bicameral  it was [the] White House as well as Congress.

In the wake of the takeover of the country by the Taliban, Pelosi shared concerns about the wellbeing of girls in the country. She said that Its been 20 years [that the U.S. has had a presence in the country]  so some of these young women have not known another life than [one where] they could go to school.

Pelosi concluded, We will shine a very bright light of transparency on whats happening there for girls.

A Double-edged Sword

She then brought the discussion back to online platforms allowing Taliban content. Social media is a double-edged sword, she began, explaining, it has great things in terms of communication and the rest. But, she continued, it has enabled people like the QAnon to find each other and go to two million peoplethank you Facebook.

QAnon is an online community of people who believe that people within the state and intelligence community, which they call the deep state, are working against the interests of common people and that Trump was leading a faction during his presidency to combat these groups.

In 2020, after harsh criticism of the group, Twitter purged QAnon content on the platform. After this controversy, Pelosi said, social media companies should know better when it comes to whats happening in Afghanistan.

Pelosis comments add to a chorus of partisan debates over the role that social media companies should play in policing discourse on their platforms.

One prominent criticism came in a letter (pdf) sent to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.).

Lamborn began by express[ing] concerns over the double standards and potential bias [of] Twitters speech standards. He cited as an example of these double standards the companys move to ban the then-president from the platform on Jan. 8 but then allowing the Taliban spokesmen to operate on the platform.

He also criticized the company for not fact checking these Taliban spokesmen, a common practice during the Trump presidency. In my review of these accounts, Lamborn writes, I did not find a single fact check on any of their tweets, nor any warning for false or misleading content.

Lamborn concluded: It is clear that Twitter has political bias in its algorithms and a troubling double standard. I look forward to a prompt reply on why a former United States President is banned while two Taliban spokesmen are allowed to remain.
Social Security Is Bad Retirement Savings Vehicle, Critics Claim

Social Security, a mandatory retirement program with some 65 million beneficiaries and 176 million covered, is inferior to private sector retirement saving alternatives, according to critics. They warn Americans not to over-rely on it to fund retirement. And some also claim its a bad investment, especially for young people.

Over their lifetimes, a couple born around the year 2000 and earning an average wage earner can only expect to get 90 cents out of Social Security for every dollar they put in, writes Charles Blahous, a former Social Security trustee now with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Still, he contends promises can be kept to the young with some adjustments. Those in the older generation should make sacrifices, he says.

A Heritage Foundation report, Is Social Security Worth Its Cost?, is more critical. It calls for dramatic changes. The July 2018 report found younger workers paying into it over decades will lose money on Social Security taxes. Returns will be between zero and -14.53 percent. Thats far less than what workers would get from stocks.

Its a raw deal, Rachel Greszler, a Heritage Foundation scholar and co-author of the report said of Social Security. We are telling young people to put money into this program that guarantees zero or negative returns, she told The Epoch Times. Greszler supports privatization. Her group is preparing a plan.

Social Security officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Blahous says Social Security is no longer a retirement saving program, but an income transfer program.

Older generations, Blahous notes, generally receive more in Social Security benefits than they paid for with their own taxes. Lawmakers face the delicate task of spreading out other generations income losses as evenly as possible, so that no generation of Americans is unusually disadvantaged. In sum, Social Security is redistributing income from poorer, younger workers to better-off, older ones.

The solution, Greszler said, is private investments. They are better in accumulating retirement assets.

By contrast with projected negative Social Security returns, the long-term stock market record is superior. Going back a century the long-term annual stock market return is some 9.5 percent, according to the book Stocks for the Long Run by Professor Jeremy Siegel.

A social security card with coins and cash in New York, on Feb. 14, 2021. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Another Social Security debate is over the systems health. In the 1970s and 1980s, with frequent payroll tax increases, a booming economy, and lots of new workers, Social Security had big surpluses. But both Republican and Democratic governments borrowed surpluses to reduce deficits. However, for the last decade, owing to fewer workers, people living longer and the borrowing of previous governments, the system is in the red.

This year, in the latest Social Security Trustees report, the programs combined Old Age Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Trust (DI) ratio of reserves to payments is falling.

The ratio of reserves to annual cost is projected to decline from 253 percent at the beginning of 2021 to 85 percent at the beginning of 2030, the trustees write in the 2021 OASDI Trustees Report (pdf). Because this ratio falls below 100 percent by the beginning of the 10th projection year, the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds fail the Trustees test of short-range financial adequacy.

Declining reserves, Social Security officials say in the report, would mean a 20 percent cut in payments in about a decade. Social Security, Greszler noted, has $19.8 trillion in unfunded obligations and they are growing.

At $19.8 trillion in 2020, she added, the Social Security and DI programs unfunded obligation amounts to $154,000 for every household in the U.S.

This is not Social Securitys first crisis.

In both the Carter and Reagan administrations, bipartisan solutions were enacted to save the system. They included benefit cuts and higher taxes. For example, before the Social Security reforms of the 1980s, no one paid taxes on Social Security payments. Now most recipients pay taxes when they receive benefits.

Social Security taxes, collected through payroll taxes, are 12.4 percent, divided evenly between the employee and the employer except in the case of the freelancer. In the latter, the worker directly pays the entire tax. This tax has been criticized as regressive because, for millions of Americans, it is their biggest tax.

A sign is seen outside a United States Social Security Administration building in Burbank, Calif., on Nov. 5, 2020. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)

Social Security critics over the decades have contended that trust fund reserves have been arrogated. One such critic, economist Murray Rothbard in his 1970 book Power and Market, argued Social Security was a form of double taxation.

In a 2019 interview, Social Security Chief Actuary Stephen Goss conceded shortfalls but suggested lawmakers will fix them.

Between now and 2035, the Congress will need to act, Goss said, either raising the amount of revenue scheduled in the law, or lowering the level of benefits or some combination of these approaches.

However, advisers offering retirement services often say dont wait for Congress. Private retirement savings should be the bulk of a retirement plan, they say.

Charles Hughes, a Bay Shore, New York adviser, cautions clients on Social Security.

If a client is expecting to get most of his income from Social Security, then there is very little I can do to help. Hughes contends Social Security should be less than 50 percent of anyones retirement income.

I tell people to be very conservative about Social Security payments in building a retirement plan, said Ronald Roge, a Bohemia, New York adviser. It should be no more than a third of your income.

Hughes believes guaranteed income is the key in constructing an effective retirement plan. He predicts higher Social Security taxes. And that, he added, comes at a time when many Americans either dont save enough for retirement or dont have enough retirement income. Those factors, Hughes said, could hurt retirees and those saving for retirement.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks to attendees at the NCGOP convention in Greenville, N.C., on June 5, 2021. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

South Dakota Governor Restricts Access to Abortion Drugs

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has issued an executive order to restrict telemedicine abortion and chemical abortions in the state.

The Sept. 7 executive order (pdf) states that abortion drugs can only be prescribed and dispensed after an in-person consultation with a doctor licensed in South Dakota.

Under South Dakota law, doctors already are required to meet in person with a pregnant woman and carry out an examination before scheduling a surgical or chemical abortion.

Noems order was made in anticipation that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year will allow abortion drugs to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.

Subsequently, the order blocks abortion-inducing drugs from being delivered through delivery services and telemedicine, and also prevents the drugs from being provided in schools or on state grounds.

In restricting chemical abortions, Noems order directs the states Department of Health to require licenses for abortion clinics that only prescribe abortion drugs. It also requires the department to collect data on how often chemical abortions are being carried out as a percentage of all abortions.

The department also is required to collect data on any related health complications that need a medical follow-up. The department is required to enhance reporting requirements on emergency room complications related to taking abortion-inducing drugs.

According to Noems office, the governor plans to work with the South Dakota legislature to pass legislation that makes these and other protocols permanent in the 2022 legislative session.

A Strong Pro-Life State

President Joe Biden issued a statement on Sept. 2 in response to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of a Texas law (pdf) that bans abortions if the fetus has a heartbeat, with the exception of a medical emergency.

Biden, a Democrat, said that hes seeking to launch a whole-of-government effort to respond, especially to see what steps the Federal Government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.

Noem, a Republican, accused the Biden administration of moving to leverage telemedicine abortions to undermine state laws.

The Biden Administration is continuing to overstep its authority and suppress legislatures that are standing up for the unborn to pass strong pro-life laws. They are working right now to make it easier to end the life of an unborn child via telemedicine abortion. That is not going to happen in South Dakota, Noem said in a statement.

I will continue working with the legislature and my Unborn Child Advocate to ensure that South Dakota remains a strong pro-life state.

Janna Farley, the communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, told The Associated Press: Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Governor Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship.

Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, praised Noem for what she calls a bold action that will save lives from dangerous chemical abortions, which have a fourfold higher rate of complications compared to surgical abortion.

The Biden administration would turn every post office and pharmacy into an abortion center if they had their way, leaving women alone and at risk of severe heavy bleeding, physical, emotional, and psychological stress, and more. States must take action. Governor Noem is setting a courageous model today that we hope more state leaders across the nation will soon follow, Dannenfelser added.

Catherine Glenn Foster, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, also praised the governor.

I applaud Governor Noems action today to stop dangerous chemical abortion drugs from being mailed to South Dakota women, she said in a statement. This is no longer about a woman and her doctor, but a womanor girland a stranger on the internet. States can no longer depend on the FDA to regulate abortion drugs in any meaningful way, and I am pleased to see Gov. Noem step up for her state. Abortion is never safe, but its far more dangerous when women are abandoned by physicians and left to manage their complications alone.

South Dakota law currently also requires that a pregnant woman must wait 72 hours before the abortion procedure. Pregnant women seeking to undergo an abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy are required to have the procedure performed in a hospital. Abortions are outlawed after the 22nd week of pregnancy, with the exception of medical emergencies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A woman wears a face mask as she walks by a sign advising of the mandatory wearing of masks and face coverings in Montreal, on September 21, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Student Questions Due Process of Mask Enforcement at Clemson University

After a Clemson University student was brought before an ethics board based on an anonymous report alleging that she wasnt wearing a mask, the student is now questioning the due process of the mask enforcement policy at the South Carolina university.

Clemson University had implemented an ethics hotline, an Office of Community and Ethical Standards board (OCES), and restrictive building access based on weekly PCR test results.

The Supreme Court of South Carolina had ruled in favor of allowing state colleges to impose mask mandates after a University of South Carolina (USC) professor filed a lawsuit against state Attorney General Alan Wilson and USC.

Before the lawsuit in July, Wilson had told the USC president that his mask mandate violated a state proviso.

According to Robert Kittle, communications director for the attorney generals office, the intent behind the proviso related to college universities was to prevent mask mandates, but the wording allowed for a loophole.

The proviso is basically saying, you cant require only unvaccinated students to wear a mask, and so, what the college did was decide that everyone must wear a mask, Kittle told The Epoch Times, adding that the ruling differs from a more recent case in which the court ruled that publicly funded K-12 schools cant require masks.

A Student Summoned

By Aug. 17, Clemsons mask mandate was in place, and later that month, one student found herself before the OCES board after having been reported multiple times for not wearing a mask.

The student, who contested the accusation, asked to remain anonymous to avoid retaliation.

She had received a letter from the OCES Board Director signed by Associate Dean Kris Hodge, requiring that she attend an OCES Zoom meeting to discuss the incident.

In the letter, the student was told that the OCES had been informed that she had violated the mask policy, which itself is a violation of the universitys student code of conduct directive regarding health and safety compliance.

When I received this letter, I was very upset and scared, as its formality led me to believe the Zoom meeting would be akin to a hearing where I would have to defend myself to school administrators, the student told The Epoch Times. Something was going on my record. What amplified my anxiety was how our universitys code of conduct states reports to OCES require sufficient evidence for them to be taken seriously. This caused me to fear whoever had reported me had taken pictures or videos of me without my consent or knowledgedid I have some sort of passive-aggressive stalker?

Though the student said Hodge was the only person in the meeting, and that the meeting was just a warning, she continued to be disturbed by the way the alleged infraction was handled.

According to the health directives, reporting another student is only to be a last resort, she said.

So, whoever reported me jumped straight to the last resort without trying to communicate with me or the professor, she said. Had my mask slipped below my nose I would have been happy to comply with a request to fix it.

In addition, the university is wasting a lot of time and recourses investigating issues with no merit, she said.

Because the reports can remain anonymous through a proxy email with no proof required, the student said, Anyone wishing to harass a target has free rein to make the targets life miserable for what could be a personal grievance or petty act of revenge.

The student expressed her misgivings to Hodge during the meeting, she said, and Hodge responded, saying that the OCES would re-examine and change how it handles reports about mask violationsspecifically ones reported multiple timeson a case-by-case basis.

However, the student said, Theres a better way.

Overall, I feel Clemson is respectful to common sense, personal freedoms, and freedoms of speech, she said. We are not required to be vaccinated, which is greatly appreciated. I do not wish to cause Clemson or Ms. Hodges any undue embarrassment or harsh criticismbut rather to hopefully point out how minor incidents could be more reasonably handled, thereby causing less stress for everyone all around.

Masking has become a politicized mandate relying on fear, which in turn, she said, brings out people who are eager to use it as a means of control.

Places of education have been thrust into this politicized arena as wellfacts be damned, she said.

Tiger STEPS Toward Absolution

The OCES has a program called Tiger STEPS (Tiger Students Taking Educational Preventive Steps), which is designed, according to its website, to allow Clemson University students to resolve minor violations through several mediums, including in-class activities and personal reflection.

After a violation, such as not wearing a mask, a student has the option to enroll in the $75 class that ends with a personal reflection paper.

Clemsons Response

According to Philip Sikes, communications director for student affairs for Clemson, based on COVID-19 trends in the community, Clemson currently requires masks in all its buildings through Oct. 8.

Masks were shown in models to have a significant impact on curbing the spread of the virus and correspondingly enhances the universitys ability to stay in-person, Sikes told The Epoch Times. Clemson will continue to review trends in the community and based on the data will modify its strategy accordingly.

Negative weekly PCR saliva tests are required for clearance status through the Clemson Computing and Information Technologys phone appmy.Clemsonthat is updated with each test result, and potential disciplinary measures for non-compliance are handled by the OCES.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Another student who also wished to remain unidentified said hes known of two people who were called before the board by using what he called a snitch hotline, adding that it could be that the students are being targeted for their Republican political ideologies.

You shouldnt be able to report someone without any evidence, leaving you guilty until proven innocent, because they are just going to warn you, he said. A student says you arent wearing a mask, so we are going to bring you in front of this big bad board and scare you. That is honestly the most stupidity Ive ever seen.
Students with face masks go upstairs to their classrooms at the Petri primary school in Dortmund, western Germany, on Aug. 12, 2020. (Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)

Studies Find CCP Virus Infection Does Not Affect Lung Function in Children and Young Adults

Infection with the CCP virus does not impact lung function in children and young adults, according to two separate studies presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

It was not known what the long-term effects on lung function were in children and young adults, but now, European scientists have found that there is no damage to lung function in this group after infection with COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about if and how the lung is affected after clearance of the coronavirus infection, especially in young people from the general population with less severe disease. Until now, this has not been known, Ida Mogensen, lead author of the Swedish study and a post-doctoral researcher at the Karolinska Institute, said in a news release Tuesday.

No Difference in Lung Function in Young Adults With or Without COVID-19

Mogensen and her team analyzed information collected from 661 young adultsborn in Stockholm between 1994 and 1996who had been participating in a large, ongoing study prior to the pandemic.

They were clinically examined pre-pandemic between 2016 and 2019, and again between October 2020 and May 2021, where lung function, inflammation, and white blood cells were measured.

Of the 661 participants, 178 or 27 percent tested positive for antibodies against the CCP virus, indicating they had been previously infected.

The researchers found that there was no difference in lung function between young people with a prior COVID-19 infection and those who had not been infected, and even participants with asthma did not show statistically significant deterioration in lung function except for slightly lower measurements for the amount of air they could exhale forcibly in one secondknown as forced expiratory air volume in one second (FEV1), which is one of the measures of lung function.

Measuring lung function with a spirometer for the BAMSE (Swedish abbreviation for Children, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiology) study. (Courtesy of Fuad Bahram)

Our analysis showed similar lung function irrespective of COVID-19 history, Mogensen said. When we included 123 participants with asthma in the analysis, the 24 [percent] who had had COVID-19 tended towards having a slightly lower lung function, but this was not statistically significant.

Mogensen said the findings were reassuring for the young adult population and added that more data from those with asthma and severe COVID-19 illness were needed.

Lung Function Unimpaired in Children and Adolescents

Scientists from the University Childrens Hospital of Bochum, Germany, examined the long-term effects on lung function after infection with the CCP virus in participants aged 5 to 18 years between August 2020 and March 2021.

The study involved 73 patients who either tested positive for antibodies against the virus or had a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and 45 participants without COVID-19 but may have had some other infection, acted as controls. Lung function tests conducted between two weeks and six months after infection were compared between the two groups.

Of the 73 patients, 26 showed symptoms during acute infection, and 14 of the 45 in the control group had a symptomatic infection that was not COVID-19. Furthermore, 19 of the 73 patients reported new or persistent symptoms after a CCP virus infection, and eight had at least one respiratory symptom: two with persistent cough and six had ongoing breathing issues.

When the researchers compared the two groups, however, they found no significant differences were detected in the frequency of abnormal pulmonary function.

In children and adolescents, severe pulmonary complications are rare, even though 11.1 [percent] of our patients with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection described dyspnoea with acute COVID-19, the authors wrote.

To our knowledge, our study is the first to compare pulmonary function in symptomatic and asymptomatic children and adolescents with and without evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection; no difference between these two groups was observed. Even most patients with persistent respiratory symptoms did not show impaired lung capacity, the authors added.

The severity of infection was the only indicator of the mild changes in lung function, independent of a COVID-19 infection, according to the lead author and specialist in pediatric and adolescent medicine Dr. Anne Schlegtendal.

These findings should offer some reassurance to children, adolescents, and their families, Schlegtendal said. The discrepancy between persistent breathing problems and normal lung function suggests there may be a different underlying cause, such as dysfunctional breathing, which is a problem that has also been identified in adults.
Swiss Interior and Health Minister Alain Berset (R) and Guy Parmelin President of the Swiss Confederation attend a news conference on the outbreak of COVID-19 in Bern, Switzerland, on Sept. 8, 2021. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

Swiss Will Need COVID Certificates to Go to Bars, Restaurants

ZURICHPeople will need to show a COVID-status certificate to enter bars, restaurants, and fitness centers in Switzerland from Monday, the government ordered, in a move to relieve pressure on hospitals that are struggling to cope with the fourth wave of infections.

The government last week had held fire on the moveset to last four months initiallyamid a public debate over whether it was going too far to infringe individuals liberty.

But with the situation in hospitals strained and some postponing operations, the cabinet pushed ahead on Wednesday with the plan.

The situation remains unstable with more than 3,500 cases today, Health Minister Alain Berset told a news conference in Bern. The alternative is to close everything, and we will do our utmost to avoid that.

The Swiss COVID certificate provides proof of vaccination, recovery from infection, or a negative test result.

The hospitality sector blasted the move, which it said would hurt sales just as the pandemic was showing signs of easing.

This decision is disproportionate and leads to a blatantly unequal treatment of the population, said Casimir Platzer, president of hospitality and dining sector lobby GastroSuisse, demanding the state compensate businesses for lost revenue.

A man walks past a sign at a COVID-19 vaccination center in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 15, 2021. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

Its expanded use has moved into focus as the number of new infections in Switzerland and tiny neighbor Liechtenstein show the highest incidence rate in continental Europe.

More than 800,000 have contracted the respiratory disease since the pandemic began. The death toll has exceeded 10,500.

Just over half the Swiss population has been fully vaccinated, lagging the rate in other European countries.

The government is also mulling new travel restrictions for people who had not been vaccinated or recovered from the virus. Those could include quarantines or COVID-19 testing.

It may require individuals to provide a negative test result to enter the country, no matter from where or how they arrive.

By Michael Shields and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a meeting with his German counterpart at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Sept. 8, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via Reuters)

Taliban Still Blocking Americans From Leaving Afghanistan: Blinken

Taliban terrorists are continuing to block Americans from leaving an airport in northern Afghanistan, a top U.S. official said Wednesday.

A number of people, including Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), described a hostage situation at the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif this week. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the Taliban was preventing Americans from leaving because they lacked proper papers.

Its my understanding that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, he said after meeting with officials in Qatar.

A day later, Blinken shifted in tone when speaking about the situation.

As of now, the Taliban are not permitting the charter flights to depart, Blinken said after meeting with his German counterpart at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

They claim that some of the passengers do not have the required documentation. While there are limits to what we can do without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security procedures in place, we are working to do everything in our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground, he added.

But Blinken, who has said that the United States lacks the ability to vet the passengers on planes leaving or attempting to leave Afghanistan, later said that some of the groups claiming to have all of the documentations and arrangements locked down, unfortunately, dont.

McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Epoch Times via email, No matter what the Biden administration tries to claim, we know for a fact there are Americans with proper documents who are trying to leave and have not been able to.

U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. Since then, Americans stranded in the country have been without direct assistance from the U.S. government.

Taliban soldiers are seen in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 7, 2021. (Wali Sabawoon/AP Photo)

Further, a staffer from McCauls panel said that the State Department cannot finalize visa requests for Special Immigrant Visa applicants because such applicants require an in-person interview and no U.S. staff members remain in Afghanistan. If the planes are allowed to leave, that means the Afghans who dont already have a visa will not be able to leave.

Private groups chartered six flights to help Americans and others escape from Mazar-i-Sharif, but those planes still have not taken off.

The State Department is working with non-governmental organizations, advocates, and lawmakers around the clock to help coordinate their efforts and offer guidance where we can, Blinken said, adding that the agency is trying to help with clearing the flights to land in third countries.

While Blinken portrayed the United States as assisting in the ongoing efforts to get Americans out of the Taliban-held country, others have said the State Department is actually hindering them.

Three Americans engaged in rescue missions told Fox News that the agency was obstructing the missions. Fox later cited an email obtained from Eric Montalvo, who organized some of the charter flights, that showed the State Department would not provide approval for landing the flights in third countries, nor would the United States let the planes land at U.S. military bases.

A State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email, As the secretary said, were working around the clock with NGOs, with members of Congress and advocacy groups, providing any and all information and doing all we can to clear any roadblocks that theyve identified to make sure that charter flights carrying Americans or others to whom we have a special responsibility can depart Afghanistan safely.

To be clear, we are doing everything we can to facilitate these flights, the spokesperson said.

Blinken also appeared to respond to the reports.

The bottom line is this: those flights need to be able to depart. And we will work every day, to make sure that theyre able to do that. We will continue to press the Taliban to allow the charters to leave. And also critically, to open HKIA, the Hamid Karzai International Airport, to the regular-flow civilian aircraft, which can enable the safe and orderly departure of people from Afghanistan, he said.
Participants take part in a demonstration demanding the government take immediate action against climate change in Sydney, Australia on January 10, 2020. (Mohammad Farooq/AFP via Getty Images)

Tesla a Bigger Financial Risk to Banks Than Climate Change: Prominent Economist

Claims that climate change poses a risk to the coal industry are ludicrous, according to a leading U.S. economist, who has warned Australian members of Parliament not to allow overseas institutions to dictate the countrys development.

John Cochrane, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and author of Asset Pricing, a widely used textbook in universities, said even if oil wells, and coal mines began losing value due to a shift towards renewable energy development, the transition would be gradual over several decades and not immediate.

The financial system will not blow up, he said, noting these industries had been stable for decades and were funded by long-term debt, which was not volatile.

The dangerous assets are the Teslas of the world: the high-flying, overpriced growth stocks. The slow decline of industries has never caused financial problems, he added. The 2000 tech bust was not a bust of the typewriter industry; it was a bust of the new industries. Thats been the pattern throughout history.

Members of Parliament in Australia are holding an inquiry into the financial sectors support of the countrys export industry, which includes resources such as coal and gas.

However, over the course of the inquiry, leading banks, insurers, and wealth funds revealed their reluctance to continue supporting coal mining businesses, claiming a decline in such industries would come about due to the global shift towards renewable energy. This, in turn, posed a supposed risk to financial institutions.

As a result, many banks and wealth funds have withdrawn support from coal mining projects to mitigate this risk, which has led to small to medium-sized resource companies complaining of the increasing difficulty of getting their projects off the groundwhich could impact employment in regional areas in future.

Cochrane was also critical of the banks characterisation of risk, telling the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth, This is a fantasy invoked to get around the legal restriction that regulators are just not allowed to send money where they like for political ends.

Its really a usurpation of your power in the legislature to either make these difficult decisions on behalf of Australians or to not make them if you think they are unwise, he said.

Cochrane also pointed to the elephants in the room on the climate change issue, which was China, India, and developing nations.

Chinas still building coal-fired plants. They were building them at the rate of one a week for a long time. Each of those plants is going to require coal until its replaced with something else, and Chinas growth is going to be replaced with something else, he said.

Protesters take part in the School Strike 4 Climate rally on in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2021. (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Electricity is a wonderful thing for the worlds poor. India, Bangladesh, all these countries need electricity, and coal is still the cheapest way to get it.

July figures released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) revealed electricity demand worldwide would rise five percent in 2021, and four percent in 2022.

Most demand would come from Asia, with IEA estimating that China could account for over half of global growth and India around nine percent. The IEA also conceded that fossil fuels would be needed to supply that demand, despite growth in the renewable sector.

Australia, meanwhile, has continued to face pressure to set more ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions in the country, a move it has resisted so far.

If you decide you want to get out of the coal businessor you want to let financial industries do it for yourealise that the coal you dont mine does not necessarily mean theres that much less carbon because somebody else will mine it and sell it to the Chinese and Indians as long as theyre still going this way, Cochrane said.
Federal Government Limits Distribution of Antibody Therapy

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began to limit the distribution of the antibody therapy for COVID-19 on Sept. 3 to address a surge in demand for the treatment.

The department immediately limited orders only to sites that report their utilization of the monoclonal therapy to the government, according to a notice. The HHS is also vetting all orders against the rate at which the sites are utilizing the allotted doses.

The notice states that the change is temporary.

We will continue to monitor product utilization rates, variant prevalence, and overall availability of monoclonal antibody therapeutics to determine when we will shift back to the normal direct ordering process, the notice says.

The Republican governors of Texas and Florida put an emphasis on the use of the antibody therapy, arguing that it may reduce the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis opened up the 23rd antibody infusion center in Florida on Tuesday. More than 63,000 doses of the treatment, manufactured by Regeneron, have been given to Floridians so far, according to the governor.

Jim Jackson, a Houston urgent care specialist, recently took to Twitter to voice concerns about the governments involvement in ordering doses of the antibody therapy. Jackson orders his supply through Amerisource, a third-party affiliate for Regeneron. He was surprised to find out that he had to provide the company with other information besides ordering the product.

This is what happens when government gets involved in things. Before I just told Amerisource how many doses I wanted and they sent them, Jackson told The Epoch Times. Now I have to inventory my entire supply room to count masks and gloves.

The HHS notice states that the limitation on orders is meant to help promote optimal and equitable use of the available supply.

Jackson expressed concern over the use of the word equitable.

This word suggests to me that theyre [federal government] trying to manipulate distribution of who they think should get this, Jackson said.

Jackson placed an order on Monday and said the site was not user friendly and he worries that health clinics like his will simply give up because of the lengthy process it takes to order the product.

It took me almost two hours to navigate the form, Jackson said. It is very complex and I almost gave up.

Jackson said that he hopes this doesnt deter other physicians from getting the treatments for patients who need them and said that the form was data driven.

I think the form was geared more toward hospitals because of the questions they were asking, he said. Theyre after data, I get that, but the length of the form was complex and I had to inventory my supply room just to answer the questions. They wanted to know how many hospital beds I had. Im a doctors office, not a hospital.

The Epoch Times has contacted HHS for comment.

Ahead of the Curve

Jackson gave praise to the Florida governor and said that because of his efforts, it put Florida ahead of the curve.

Texans still dont know about it (monoclonal antibodies), he said. It has not been widely reported; this is a lifesaving treatment.

Today I estimate that for every 10 patients, nine of them were either positive for COVID or were worried they had the virus, he said. Most of patientsmore than halfhas never heard of the monoclonals.

Regenerons treatment, called REGN-COV2, is a combination of two types of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies work by targeting the coronavirus spike protein, blocking the virus from entering the bodys cells and stopping the infection from spreading, according to the HHS website.

DeSantis has been introducing new antibody treatment centers since August.

The state of Florida is working to ensure all the monoclonal antibody treatment sites have adequate supply to meet the needs of our communities, said Christina Pushaw, DeSantiss press secretary. At this time, the sites do have sufficient supply, and DOH will continue monitoring this closely.

Regenerons Effectiveness

In January 2021 under Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government reached an agreement with Regeneron reached to purchase 1.25 million additional doses of the monoclonal antibody treatment. Regeneron was to deliver a total of 1.5 million doses by June 30, 2021.

The federal government covers the costs of the treatment to patients. The antibody therapy has been shown to sharply reduce hospitalizations and deaths when given to patients within a 10-day window of experiencing symptoms, via intravenous infusion or injections. When administered during that timeframe, the treatment appears to cut the rates of hospitalization and death by roughly 70 percent, according to DeSantis, who says he has heavily researched and read data on the virus and treatment options.

Desantis says that vaccinations and antibody treatments have helped reduce hospital admission rates.

COVID is not going away, DeSantis said at a press conference. We just have to learn how to live with it. We are still dealing with the 1918 flu, so I know this will hang on as well.

Tammy Allen, spokesperson for Regeneron, said she has seen a spike in demand from a number of states.

We have seen an increase in demand in recent weeks, she said in a written statement to The Epoch Times. They are largely located in the SoutheastFlorida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Allen did not have the data on how many doses were distributed to each state. She added that the product that has been distributed has an expiration date of 2023.

At Tuesdays press conference, the Florida governor promoted the vaccine but said it could take as long as six weeks to provide full protection.

The antibody treatments can be given to patients who are already sick, with a more immediate effect, DeSantis said.

The federal government has been distributing monoclonal antibody drugs to the states since last winter, but the treatments were underused due to a lack of awareness from physicians, low interest among the public, and the logistics of setting up areas to give them to patients via IV infusion.
The Afghanistan Disaster Through Young Eyes

Commentary

As a Generation Z journalist, Im one of the few in the industry who cant remember 9/11. Therefore, my perspective on the Afghanistan disaster differs from most voices in the media.

Though Im too young to recall the attack on the World Trade Center, I have felt its impact. Like any other American, Ive lived with its legacies, from airport security to suspicion and division. Perhaps most profound of all: the sense that the security of Americaand our cushy lives hereare not, in fact, guaranteed.

I grew up in the tristate area, so 9/11 hit close to home, both literally and figuratively. I know families who lost their loved ones. My own mother, even, worked in the World Trade Center a few years before the attack. And, living in New York today, the towers glaring absence is there whenever I look southward. Certainly, then, the justification for war in Afghanistan is more than understandable.

But the fight has dragged on for the vast majority of my life, rendering it merely a fact of life. It was rarely reported in the newsand rarely considered by me. After 20 years, suggestions to pull out sounded more than reasonable. Thats why I joined the nearly three-quarters of Americans who supported withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan. After all, its one of the few things that both Trump and Biden can agree on.

Over the course of my life, the goalposts of the war on terror shifted so dramatically that our purpose for remaining there indefinitely felt unclear, as did our justification for risking the lives of our sons and daughters deployed there. Above all, I had faith in my nations ability to execute this withdrawal properly.

But what transpired in carrying out the common will of the American people horrified me. From planning to execution to the fallout now, the withdrawal of our troops has been grotesquely mismanaged in virtually every conceivable way.

The speed of Afghanistans collapse at the feet of the Taliban revealed just how delicate the veneer of peace really was. It also demonstrated that the fight for freedom can only be waged by the will of the people, not by interventionist weapons and force. A general failure to fortify our allies in Afghanistan with the strength and strategy to exist independently was staggering.

But even more obvious is the utter lack of basic planning. With no good reason, we have left behind not only our equipment but also our allies and our citizens to the Taliban. Whether a result of gross negligence or an overeagerness for good optics on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, watching our botched withdrawal has been nothing short of horrifying to me as a young American.

My heart aches for those in Afghanistan, suffering on account of my nations mistakes. I worry for the Americans still stranded, who have been totally abandoned. Their mistreatment denigrates the very sanctity of American citizenship. I, too, worry for the women of Afghanistan who are totally helpless, their liberties stripped and their schools shut down. They have been left at the mercy of extremists and ideologues intent on repressing them.

Im concerned for the young people in the country who, like me, also cant remember a time before the American forces arrived in Afghanistan. The median age in the nation is a shocking 18.4 years. The majority of its citizens, therefore, are entirely unprepared for their new lives.

I also think of the Afghans who believe in liberty, some of the bravest of whom no doubt are the translators who helped American forces. They knew the risk of doing so but chose to trust the Americans, aligning themselves with our mission of freedom and holding onto the faith that it will come for them. Now, theyve been left to their own devices, relabeled as traitors in their own homes, and abandoned by their supposed saviors.

My worries are domestic, too. Perhaps the most obvious concern is security, particularly as a resident of New York City. Despite 20 years of investment, I cant help but wonder if we even slightly mitigated the threat we set out to quash in Afghanistan. The same forces who terrorized us before have risen back to power. Are we not now just as much of a target? Are we not projecting our weakness?

And what of our allies? In Afghanistan we left them defenseless, with none of our promises kept. Why would they trust us again? And why would other foreign allies take our word? Will they be at our side in our times of need? As a member of Generation Z, these concerns are heightened. I hope I have a long life ahead of me, but what will the legacy of this disaster be? How will it impact my nations prestige? My nations security? Its longevity?

We need accountability. We need answers. These are questions I hope all my peersmy fellow inheritors of this nationare asking, too. They are questions I hope every parent and grandparent is asking for the sake of their progeny. And, most importantly of all, these are questions that I hope are keeping our leaders up at night.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Two graduates pass by a big screen showing the centenary of the CCP at Wuhan University in Wuhan, China, on June 23, 2021. (Getty Images)

CCP Amplifies Political Indoctrination in Universities, Displeasing Students

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) inspectors have told 31 of Chinas top universities to step up ideological training and political indoctrination among staff and students.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the CCPs top anti-corruption agency, made the demands for change after a two-month inspection of the universities party branches. Suggestions for rectification were published in dozens of statements on the agencys official website on Sept. 5.

The CCDI chastised some universities for weak political and ideological education, noting they had failed to follow the CCPs education policies.

Criticism against the universities came after Chinas education regulator mandated in August teaching a new political course on party leader Xi Jinpings thoughts.

China has instituted five political theory classes in college so far, teaching both communism and thoughts of party leaders like Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping. These courses are compulsory for all majors.

The CCP watchdog has required universities to study Xis theory in-depth and ramp up political education.

It demanded that party cadres understand and follow Xis theories and the CCPs orders, take a leadership role in college governance, and tighten the Party control over colleges, according to the CCDI website.

All universities have party cadres working as liaisons between the school and the CCP.

The regulator added that the rectification results will play a crucial role in evaluating the work of party cadres. The agency threatened that it will hold party officials accountable if they fail to implement the new measures.

CCP mouthpiece the Peoples Daily said the regulator had been investigating the Ministry of Education and the 31 colleges since May. The CCDI sent 15 special working teams to the top universities, including Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Fudan University.

A patron walks past a display of books about Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, on June 25, 2021, (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Student Complaints

A recent graduate from Peking University told The Epoch Times on Aug. 25 that students have complained about heavy political courses.

At the beginning, the course, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era, was an elective course in some colleges, the graduate surnamed Wu said. But the class was almost canceled in many colleges, such as Peking University, due to low enrollment.

It shows the young generation doesnt have strong admiration for Xi and lacks interest in his ideology, Wu said.

However, with recent changes, the course has become compulsory in universities since the beginning of the fall semester.

The Ministry of Education said the course aims to strengthen the resolve to listen to and follow the Party.

Wu added that examinations in those political courses changed to closed-book tests. The heavy workload has only led to students further dissatisfaction, he noted.

Feng Chongyi, a professor on China Studies at the University of Technology Sydney, suggested the indoctrination of Xis thoughts wont be effective in the internet age. He said, Mockery [of Xi] is all over the internet.

Luo Ya contributed to this report.
A COVID-19 vaccine record card is seen at a vaccination site in Miami Gardens, Fla., on April 14, 2021. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

3rd Vermont State Trooper Resigns Amid Probe Into Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards

Three Vermont State Police troopers have resigned as a result of an investigation into fraudulent vaccination cards, the states Department of Public Safety said on Sept. 7.

Two of the men, Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski, submitted their resignations on Aug. 10, one day after another trooper reported them. The third, David Pfindel, resigned on Sept. 3 as a result of a DPS investigation, the department announced.

All three of the troopers are suspected of having taken part in creating fake CCP virus vaccination cards. Fellow troopers reported the conduct to Vermont State Police supervisors, who, in turn, alerted federal authorities about the alleged misconduct.

The accusations, in this case, involve an extraordinary level of misconducta criminal violation of the lawand I could not be more upset and disappointed, Col. Matthew Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, said in a statement. If these allegations are proved to be true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic, when being vaccinated is one of the most important steps anyone can take to keep their community safe from COVID-19.

Im embarrassed that this situation has occurred and know that it has tarnished the reputation of the Vermont State Police.

The FBI is investigating the allegations, Vermont State Police said; the department withheld additional information, citing the continuing federal probe.

Based on an initial internal review, we do not believe there is anything more the state police could have done to prevent this from occurring, Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said in a statement. As soon as other troopers became aware of this situation, they raised the allegations internally, and commanders took swift and decisive action to hold these individuals accountable and report this matter to federal authorities.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has on more than one occasion seized fake vaccination cards from China. Blank templates for the cards as well as instructions for filling them out are readily available online.

A number of states have enacted a variety of vaccine mandates, prompting those who dont want to take the shot to falsify their vaccination status. An Illinois woman was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to use a falsified COVID-19 vaccination card when entering Hawaii.

More than 176 million people in the United States have received the full COVID-19 vaccine regimen as of Sept. 7, according to the CDC. A number of recent studies have shown that vaccine effectiveness declines over time.

The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, is the pathogen that causes COVID-19.

Recent research from Israel suggests that people fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine are 13 times more likely to become infected with the Delta variant and 27 times more likely to develop symptomatic illness compared to those who had recovered from a previous infection of COVID-19. The figures apply when comparing cases where the first vaccination or infection occurred between January and February.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes arrives for the first day of jury selection in her fraud trial, outside Federal Court in San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Nick Otto/AFP via Getty Images)

Trial of Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Set to Begin After Multiple Delays

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are scheduled to deliver their opening statements on Sept. 8 in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of medical sciences company, Theranos Inc.

Holmes, who founded Theranos in 2003 at the age of 19, is facing counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to her blood-testing startup that was once valued at $9 billion.

Holmes, 37, and her co-defendant, former romantic partner Ramesh Balwani, are accused of perpetrating a scheme that defrauded investors of millions of dollars as they claimed Theranoss blood-testing laboratory services were revolutionary and readily available, which would effectively eliminate the way we currently administer blood tests now.

The revolutionary services attracted multiple investors including media entrepreneur Rupert Murdoch, the family of former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos, and the Walton family behind Walmart, despite Holmes and Balwani knowing that Theranos could not consistently produce accurate and reliable results for some blood tests.

A 12-member jury in San Jose, California, is set to hear opening arguments in the trial on Wednesday, which is being presided over by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, starting with the prosecution.

Holmes has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy. In court filings, Holmess attorneys have argued there is a missing link between what Holmes herself knew and what Theranos employees told doctors and regulators about the companys technology.

For the most serious charge of wire fraud, prosecutors will have to prove the Theranos founder acted with intent to defraud customers and investors. To be convicted, the jury of 12 must unanimously find her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt that she acted with intent.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and she may have to pay restitution for each count.

Former Theranos executive Balwani, who is scheduled to be tried separately, has also pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that Holmes and Balwani defrauded investors over the course of five years between 2010 and 2015 and deceived patients when the company began making its tests commercially available. This includes via a partnership with the Walgreens drugstore chain.

Along with a lack of transparency regarding the accuracy of the blood tests, prosecutors claim Holmes told the companys private investors several lies, including that Theranos did not need approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its devices.

The Wall Street Journal in 2015 reported that the Theranos devices were flawed and inaccurate.

Holmes has maintained her innocence since she was charged in 2018.

Holmess attorneys have said in court papers that she is highly likely to take the witness stand during the trial and testify that her relationship with Balwani affected her mental state. Defendants rarely take the stand in their own trials and the move could potentially prove risky.

Court filings unsealed last month showed that Holmes has alleged that Balwani abused her emotionally and psychologically.

She told a psychologist that Balwani was controlling, monitoring her calls, text messages, and emails; physical violence, such as throwing hard, sharp objects at her; restricting her sleep, according to a filing from February 2020 by Balwanis lawyers.

Balwani has denied the allegations.

Holmess trial was previously delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and again in July when she gave birth to her first child.

The new trial is expected to last more than two months.

Reuters contributed to this report.
People wait after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 11, 2021. (Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images)

Tucson Pauses COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate After Arizona Attorney General Deems It Illegal

The city of Tucson, Arizona, has paused a mandate that ordered employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine or face five days of suspension and other discipline.

The states attorney general, Mark Brnovich, said on Sept. 7 that the mandate, imposed last month, is illegal because it violates an executive order by Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this year, in addition to a state law that is set to go into effect later this month.

Brnovich warned Tucson officials that unless the mandate was rescinded, he would proceed with directing the state treasurer to withhold the citys portion of state shared revenue until officials halted the policy.

The revenue for the current fiscal year was estimated at more than $175 million by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.

Tucson officials, in statements released by the city, criticized the finding by Brnovichs office but said theyll pause the policy, at least for now.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, a Democrat, claimed that Brnovich, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, is prioritizing his political ambitions over his responsibility to objectively interpret the law.

But Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega conceded that officials arent sure whether the mandate was legal.

Until we have a better understanding of our legal position in relation to todays report, I have instructed staff to pause on the implementation of the policy, he said.

Ducey, a Republican, issued an order in April banning so-called vaccine passports. The order prohibited state agencies, counties, cities, and towns from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter or receive a government service.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich speaks at a news conference in Phoenix, on Jan. 7, 2020. (Bob Christie/AP Photo)

Tucson officials, though, imposed their mandate on Aug. 13, ordering all employees to provide proof of vaccination by Aug. 24 or face discipline.

In response, Ducey on Aug. 16 said in a new order that state law doesnt allow a city, town, or county to impose vaccine mandates and said his previous order made clear such policies werent allowed.

Arizona Republicans this year approved Senate Bill 1824, which prohibits vaccine mandates, but the law doesnt take effect until Sept. 29.

Duceys order, though, took effect immediately and expressly says that cities cannot implement a vaccine requirement in violation of the bill, the investigation report from Brnovichs office noted.

Tucson officials in their response ignored the finding that their mandate violated Duceys order, instead focusing on how the law hasnt taken effect.

We are evaluating the implications of the Attorney Generals opinion that the Citys vaccine requirement violates a statute that does not yet have legal effect, said Mike Rankin, the city attorney.

Brnovichs office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

His investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by state Sen. Kelly Townsend, a Republican.

In a statement after the mandate was deemed illegal, Townsend described herself as relieved, adding that public employees have further grounds to not only preserve their ability to make medical decisions for themselves without illegal coercion from the government, but that they have a stronger defense when seeking damages, if necessary.
Twins Who Were Conjoined at the Head Are Successfully Separated After a 12-Hour Surgery

One-year-old twin girls who were born conjoined at the back of the head can now make eye contact with each other for the first time after undergoing a rare separation surgery in Israel.

The more than 12-hour operation that took place at Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba on Sept. 2 took months of preparation and involved dozens of experts from Israel and abroad, the hospital said on Sept. 5.

Formerly siamese Israeli twins look at one another after having undergone rare separation surgery at Soroka Medical Centre, Beersheba September 5, 2021. The one-year-old girls, whose names were not released to media, were born with the rear parts of their heads conjoined. (Soroka Medical Centre/Handout via REUTERS)

This was a rare and complex surgery that has been conducted only 20 times worldwide and now, for the first time, in Israel, said Mickey Gideon, Sorokas chief pediatric neurosurgeon. To our delight, everything went as we had hoped.

The surgery involved cranial reconstruction and scalp grafts. The medical staff used advanced equipment and technology, some of which was sourced externally, including 3D modeling, virtual reality, and special monitoring devices, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The procedure specifically used STRATASYS, 3D4OP 3D models based on images from MRI, CT, and angiography scans that replicated the complexity of the connection of the blood vessels, meninges, skull bones, and skin of the twins.

With the help of a VR model, the medical team was able to make simulations of the procedure and plan it in the most exact manner. Additionally, a day before the surgery, dozens of simulations of all the stages of the operation were performed on the models before the surgery.

The twins even went through numerous tests and monitoring, which included their cardiac and respiratory functions, over the past few months before the surgery took place.

On the day of the surgery, a team of 50 medical professionals, including neurosurgery, plastic surgery, pediatric anesthesia, pediatric intensive care, and brain-imaging specialists, was on call, all set for the surgery.

Their bones were separated after the blood vessels, and a set of doctors split into two separate teams and rooms before performing a reconstruction of the skull on each of the girls and closing their skin.

Photos from the hospital show the twins, whose names havent been revealed, in their cots with bandages on their heads.

They are recovering nicely. They are breathing and eating on their own, the head of Sorokas plastic surgery department Eldad Silberstein told Israels Channel 12 news.

Watch the video:

Video Credit: Reuters

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Two Charged in City of Industry Corruption Case Make First Court Appearance

LOS ANGELESA former state legislator and a La Jolla-based developer made their first court appearances today in connection with a case stemming from the alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of millions of dollars that was to be used to study whether a solar farm was suitable on land to be bought by the City of Industry.

Former state Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier), 67, and William Barkett, 63, did not enter pleas. They are both due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Oct. 27 for arraignment.

The two are charged along with former Industry city manager Paul Jule Philips, 70, and attorney Anthony Bouza, 60. Philips is set to be arraigned Friday, while Bouzas arraignment date is pending.

Philips, who made his first appearance last Friday on one count of misappropriation of public funds, is now the top administrator in the City of Bell, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, which first reported the charges. He was released after being booked Sunday, jail records show.

Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, who is representing Phillips, told the newspaper that his client is innocent and wrongly charged.

Hill is charged with two counts of having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity and is free on bond.

Barkett is charged with one count each of misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement, money laundering, and grand theft. He was arrested last Wednesday in San Diego County and was expected to be released on a $1 million bond after a Los Angeles judge found Tuesday that the source of the bail money was not from the alleged crimes.

Barketts attorney, Bill Seki, told reporters outside court that his client is a lifelong California resident who has a medical condition and knew he had been under investigation.

Most importantly he wants to fight to prove his innocence here, the defense lawyer said.

Bouza is charged with one count of misappropriation of public funds and eight counts of having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity. He was released from custody on bond about four hours after being arrested last Wednesday, according to jail records.

Public corruption erodes the trust of our citizenry and hampers progress. There is no place for it in Los Angeles County, District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement last week announcing the charges, which were filed Aug. 24.

The City of Industry entered into a land lease agreement between 2016 and 2018 with San Gabriel Valley Water and Power LLC (SGVWP)which was owned by Barkettto examine a potential solar farm and agreed to advance certain costs that had to be repaid if construction began.

Phillips and Bouza, an attorney hired by the city and a private contractor who allegedly helped draft an agreement, handled the funds, according to the District Attorneys office.

Roughly $20 million in public funds was allegedly routed to an account controlled by Barkett during that time, in which some of the money was paid to other vendors and about $8.3 million was allegedly spent by Barkett on personal items, according to prosecutors.

Bouza and Hill are accused of having a financial conflict of interest when they allegedly drafted or influenced contracts with the city, according to the District Attorneys Office, which noted that the case remains under investigation.

In a statement obtained by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Mayor Cory Moss said, For years, the city has alleged that SGVWP and related parties submitted false and fraudulent invoices to the city for work that was never performed. It is my hope that the matter moves swiftly and that those who are responsible for this misuse of taxpayer funds are brought to justice.

A civil case brought by the cityin which former Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is representing Hillis still pending, the newspaper reported. Rackauckas is also representing Hill in the criminal case.

Hill served a 46-month prison sentence for his 1994 conviction on federal extortion and money laundering charges stemming from a $2,500 payment he took from federal undercover agents in an FBI sting operation.
A fiery blasts rocks the World Trade Center after being hit by two planes in New York City, Sept. 11, 2001. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Two More 9/11 Victims Identified Just Days Before 20th Anniversary

Two additional victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center have been identified, just days before the 20th anniversary, New York Citys chief medical examiner announced on Tuesday.

In a press release, Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said that Dorothy Morgan of Hempstead, New York, is the 1,646th person, and an unnamed man is the 1,647th person to be identified through ongoing DNA analysis since 2001.

The mans identity has been withheld at the request of his family, the release states.

According to The New York Times, Morgan was working as an insurance broker in the World Trade Center at the time of the collapse. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when two airliners destroyed the building.

Sampsons office has been since 2001 conducting DNA testing to identify those killed in the attack on the World Trade Center. The two last identifications are the first since October 2019. Some 1,106 victims, or 40 percent of those who died, remain unidentified, the release states.

Morgans identity was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, while the identification of the unnamed man was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001, 2002, and 2006.

The ongoing effort is the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of the United States, Sampsons office says.

Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones, and with these two new identifications, we continue to fulfill that sacred obligation, said Sampson.

No matter how much time passes since September 11, 2001, we will never forget, and we pledge to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure all those who were lost can be reunited with their families.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit all three sites of the Sept. 11 attacks to honor those killed, the White House Said.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden will first visit New York City, then the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, where a third airliner crashed; and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a fourth aircraft believed to have been headed to the U.S. Capitol or White House was forced down by passengers.

The White House added that Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Shanksville with her husband Douglas Emhoff for a separate event, before joining the Bidens at the Pentagon.
The UN's climate road map will see China continue to burn coal until 2040. (Ralf Vetterle from Pixabay)

UN Permits China to Burn Coal for a Decade Longer Than Australia

The United Nations (U.N.) has been criticised for giving China a pass to continue firing up coal power stations until 2040 despite pushing Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other OECD countries to halt its use by 2030.

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Action Selwin Hart unveiled the new climate road map Monday which provided a strict deadline for developed nations to cut out coal.

This comes following prior calls from the U.N. for Australia to establish a concrete deadline for reaching net-zero, including recent decries from former U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon.

Yet despite being the worlds largest producer of greenhouse gases, China was not included in the stringent 2030 deadline set by the U.N.

Aerial view of a modern large coal power plant in Dezhou City, Shandong Province, China in this undated photo. (chungking/Adobe Stock)

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said the U.N.s unequal treatment towards the worlds biggest emitter was hypocritical and he accused the international body of trying to subvert Australias economy.

The U.N. has exposed their real agenda this week, Canavan told The Epoch Times on Aug. 7. This isnt about changing the climate, it is about changing our society.

Concern has also been raised regarding Beijings influence within the U.N. As a permanent member with veto powers, China is the U.N.s largest financial backer, allocating $470 million (US$350 million) in its most recent 2021 budget.

Hart echoed the words of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who said in March that phasing out coal was the single most important step the world must take in tackling climate change.

If the world does not rapidly phase out coal, climate change will wreak havoc right across the Australian economy, Hart said at the ANUs Crawford Leaders Forum.

But Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon told Sky News Australia on Aug. 7 that the U.N.s 10-year deadline demonstrated a poor understanding of Australia, our economy and our markets.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Oct. 15, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

According to ABS data, the industry is a major job provider, with close to a combined 50,000 Australians employed at coal mines and coal power stations.

Furthermore, over the last five years, Australia has exported around $280 billion (US$210 billion) of coal, forming close to 16 percent of the nations total exports.

Fitzgibbon pointed to Australias accelerated transition towards renewable energy generation, something which he said required support from coal power to ensure energy security.

We will need our coal generators in the system, our younger ones, for more than a decade to keep the grid stable and to get more renewables into the system, Fitzgibbon said.

Fitzgibbon highlighted that a large percentage of Australias coal went to support other countries, including China prior to the trade war initiated by Beijing.

Eighty percent of our coal is exported to our partners in Asia, including developing countries like India and China, Fitzgibbon said. We cant stop exporting coal, we shouldnt stop exporting; we are doing the right thing here in Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had also previously called China out for producing more emissions than the OECD combined.

In particular, as the worlds biggest carbon emitter, China produces more carbon dioxide in 16 days than Australia does in one year.

A report by the global energy monitor (pdf) outlined that in 2020 China built on average one large coal power station per week, totalling over three times the amount of new coal capacity compared to other nations in the world, combined.

The report also found that, as of February, China had 247 gigawatts of coal plants in developmentaround five times Australias total energy generation capacity.

The U.N.s climate deadline is part of a new road map intending to accelerate emissions reduction efforts following a report by the U.N.s IPCC stating that it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.

However, peer-reviewed research published shortly after the report accused the IPCC of selectively choosing data and ignoring models that included the suns effects on global temperatures.

Morrison had previously stated Australia would aim for a 2050 target, but that the commitment would not be legislated.
A poll worker stamps a voters ballot before dropping it into a secure box at a ballot drop off location in Austin, Texas on Oct. 13, 2020. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

Undeliverable Mail-in Ballots in Georgia Were Double the Official Margin of Victory, Report Says

An estimated 27,000 mail-in ballots in Georgia were returned as undeliverable by the post office during the 2020 election, according to a research brief by a good-government group. The number is more than double the margin of victory12,000 votesby which President Joe Biden won the state.

The new report from the Indianapolis-based Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) raises questions about the efficacy of voting-by-mail policies that were hurriedly adopted across the nation in the early days of the pandemic last year, purportedly to arrest the spread of the CCP virus that causes the disease COVID-19.

PILF describes itself as the nations only public interest law firm dedicated wholly to election integrity, existing to assist states and others to aid the cause of election integrity and fight against lawlessness in American elections.

Now you see why Georgia lawmakers passed mail ballot integrity laws, PILF President J. Christian Adams said in a statement, referring to the Election Integrity Act of 2021, which Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law on March 25, over vocal opposition by Democrats.

The Biden administration is challenging the Georgia electoral reforms, including the states new voter identification requirements, in the courts. If the administration is successful, the problems experienced in 2020 can only get worse if the current volume of absentee ballots holds in future contests, the brief stated.

You cant vote from home with confidence when you learn how many mail ballots failed. The fact that the Biden Justice Department is committed to interrupting Georgias integrity law demonstrates the level to which Washington bureaucrats will sink to preserve system weaknesses.

In official 2020 results for Georgia, Biden received 2,473,633 votes, besting Trumps 2,461,854 votes by a margin of 11,779, according to Ballotpedia. The figures provided a dramatic contrast with the official 2016 results for the state, in which Trump garnered 2,089,104 votes, compared to Democrat Hillary Clintons 1,877,963, for a margin of victory of 211,141.

In the 2020 election, 1.7 million ballots were mailed to voters and 27,287 mail-in ballots were returned as undeliverable, which is more than double Bidens margin of victory. At the same time, 4,804 ballots returned by voters were rejected by election officials, and 217,677 ballots were classified as unknown, meaning election officials dont know what happened to them.

In the 2016 election, 236,925 ballots were mailed to voters and 1,622 of those ballots were returned as undeliverable. At the same time, 13,677 ballots returned by voters were rejected by election officials, and 21,976 were placed in the unknown category.

When the U.S. Election Assistance Commission gathers election data, it asks local officials how many ballots werent returned as voted, were returned as undeliverable, or were otherwise unable to be tracked, according to the PILF brief.

The U.S. Postal Service inspector general previously reported that only 13 percent of mail ballots in the 2018 general election took advantage of the official tracking system.

This means [there is] a wide variety of things that can happen to a ballot in the unknown column, the brief stated.

A ballot can be misdelivered. It can be thrown out with your unpaid bills. It can be left on the floor of apartment mailrooms (like seen in Nevada in 2020). Election officials simply do not know what happened.

Unknown ballots are one of the greatest weaknesses in the American electoral system. The unknown ballots that fail to reach their intended destinations are naturally susceptible to mischief if voter identification safeguards are not present.

In the chaotic November 2020 general election, almost 15 million mail-in ballots went unaccounted for nationwide, according to PILF, as The Epoch Times reported last month.

These figures detail how the 2020 push to mail voting needs to be a one-year experiment, Adams told The Epoch Times last month.

Bills pending in Congress such as the proposed For The People Act, risk inflating these numbers even further, pushing our election system toward error, disenfranchisement, and ultimately widespread doubt about election outcomes, Adams said.

Some of the counties with the least experience in administering mail voting rejected the most ballots nationwide. If continued, 2020-style chaos will become the norm.
A student follows along remotely with the teacher's online live lesson at STAR Eco Station Tutoring & Enrichment Center in Culver City, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2020. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Understanding the Importance of Online Education Platforms After a Pandemic

The pandemic changed the world in many respects, and one of the most affected sectors wasand still isthe educational system. Schools, universities, and other traditional institutions worldwide had to close their doors and send their students home.

While some of them were able to move their classes online thanks to pre-existing remote platforms quickly, most authorities and teachers were caught off guard and unprepared. Struggling to catch up and provide effective solutions.

Importance of Online Education Platforms After a Pandemic

What is the impact of social distancing in education? Can we explore some implementations of educational video platforms that have proved to be successful over the past year?

The New Reality of Remote Learning

We already know that e-learning can be very effective because students can tailor their own experiences to make the process more enjoyable.

The Key: Students learning at their own schedule and pace, with the possibility of going back, skipping, or re-reading when they need or want to.

Fifth-grade teacher Jessica Equils greets her students on the first day of class from her home in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on Aug. 3, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

However, for students to be able to learn at their own speedits critical to have access to the right technology, IT structure, and digital knowledge. In this case, when the pandemic hit the world, both educators and students were suddenly forced to relocate the school to their homeslearning on-the-go how to make the new remote learning experience work.

How Did the New Reality of Digital and Remote Learning Impact Education?

For one thing, the teacher-student interaction is different in a virtual class. In a classroom, instructors are constantly making adjustments to their lessons in response to how students react to them. Something thats much more difficult to achieve through a camera, especially when it comes to identifying someone that could need extra support.

Another important factor is the attention element, particularly with younger students. It can be pretty easy for teenagers and kids to get distracted, doubly so if you consider that the Internet and social media platforms are only a click away. That alone may result in low or more limited interaction levels during the socially distanced class.

To Be Effective, Online Classes Need to Be Presented and Structured Differently

Its important to remember that learning works because (and when) its a social and engaging activity. Therefore, teachers need to adapt their lessons to enhance the virtual experience and make it more interactive, for example, using compelling educational videos or interactive slide presentations.

Ultimately, the goal is to motivate students and encourage them to get involved online or not. So, integrating fun games and activities to apply what theyve learned, or assigning hands-on projects that they can do at home, has become more important than ever.

Also, good and constant communication is vital. Educators should take advantage of the many collaboration tools available and create a more class-like social-learning environment. For example, using chat groups, video meetings, and document sharing to regularly reach out to students and be present.

A teacher at King Elementary School sits in an empty classroom teaching her students remotely during the first day of classes in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 8, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

UNESCOs Vision of Online Education and Flexible Learning Pathways

Higher educationuniversities and other tertiary institutionshas never been more diverse. In addition to traditional students, there are part-time learners, older people going back to school, and international studentsall with different objectives, challenges, and needs.

As a response, UNESCOs International Institute for Educational Planning presented a projectwhich includes eight in-depth country case studiesto guide institutions to identify tools that can support flexible learning pathways. That is, an educational system that allows entry and re-entry points at all ages and educational levels, links between formal and non-formal structures, and validation of knowledge or skills obtained from informal education.

Within the new post-social distancing context, there are many examples of flexible learning and online education that can be taken from the project and applied to the new normal.

For example, in India, theres a platformSWAYAMwith access to multiple online courses that are recognized by several higher education institutions. A student entering a university can transfer credits from those online courses and complete an academic program.

On a similar note, the Open University Malaysia offers super flexible education programs so that students can tailor their studies at their own convenience. Basically, it provides online learning programs, digital tutoring, forums to communicate with teachers and peers, and credit transfer from previous education.

Now, implementing online education (while ensuring quality) is not an easy task. Besides all the important issues related to technology and connectivity, not all classes can be successfully supported by digital technology, for example, practical science or lab-based programs.

However, making e-learning part of the presentand futureof higher education seems to be the way to goEspecially when it comes to creating new, more effective methods that can allow more flexible education in terms of delivery and access.

Distance Learning Solutions Spotlight: Online Education at Its Best

Online education can take many formseBooks, real-time classes, video courses, online interactive activities, and so on. Now, given that the format is super versatile, engaging, and helps you convey a lot of information in a short amount of time, weve chosen examples of online education done with video. Some of them are more simple and were self-produced, while others were developed by talented educational video creators.

Opting for e-books. (Robert Michael/Getty Images)

What do they all have in common? First, they showcase the amazing power and versatility of these tools when implemented correctly.

Animation

Few things are more compelling, creative, and memorable than animation, especially when combined with solid storytelling. It doesnt matter how abstract, flat, or hard-to-grasp a concept can be; using animation, you can make the message more approachable, engaging, and understandable. Like this educational video that thoroughly covers the topic of inbound marketing in less than three minutes!

Live Lectures Recording

Recording a lecture and then uploading it to a YouTube tutorial, Instagram how-to video, or a remote platform is another great and simple way to make online education happen. Heres an example of how the Department of Political Science at Duke University does it.

They film each class and then upload the material on both YouTube and their website,making it accessible not only for students that missed the class but also to anyone interested in the subject!

Lightboard

These videos almost look like a traditional classwhere a teacher does the boardwork while talking to an audiencebut theyre pre-recorded. They can be beneficial for technical subjects that include graphics, sketches, symbols, etc.

Heres a short piece developed by Northwestern University explaining why they use it for their online lectures.

Lecture Slides

Marrying slides with a lecture to explain a subject or topic is one of the most common online learning methods. Lecture slides resemble a PowerPoint presentation, but its narrated, making the content much more dynamic and easier to follow.

Take this example produced by the School of Public Health from the University of Michigan to explain the US healthcare delivery systemIts simple yet very clear.

Nina Goodall (8) works on her lessons online for the first day of term with help from her dad Seamus Goodall before he leaves for work while in lockdown at their home in Kaipara Flats in Auckland, New Zealand on April 15, 2020. (Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Screencast Demonstration

Screencast technology is perfect for demonstrating how to use complex software or explaining highly technical topics, such as math problems or equations. For example, the following video was developed to apply matrix operations in Mathematica, a technical computing system.

Closing Thoughts

Offering a more flexible educationespecially in terms of deliverywas unavoidable, especially after COVID-19.

However, only a small percentage of institutions were able to quickly adapt to this sudden change and provide proper online educationrevealing that the educational system in most countries of the world is falling behind, at least in terms of IT structure and connectivity.

Theres no doubt that implementing online education is not something that can be done overnight. There are many challenges, not only technologically but also socially.

Hopefully, this pandemic will result in a broader change in education and how its approachedtransitioning from traditional learning methods to new, more flexible, and inclusive alternatives.

By Victor Blasco
Matthew Wade (L) of Australia kneels for Black Lives Matter during the 4th T20I between Australia and West Indies at Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on July 14, 2021. (Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images)

Weaponisation of Identity Politics by Marxists Threaten Every Free Society: Think Tank

The weaponisation of identity politics in Western nations threatens freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas in liberal societies, one expert has declared.

In The Threat of Identity Politics, published by Sydney-based thinktank Centre of Independent Studies, author Simon Heffer said political activists such as the Marxist Black Lives Matter movement used the global outrage over the death of George Floyd for objectives that go beyond racial equality.

Such consequences were desired by some for whom Floyds killing could be used to further a political agenda broader than that of equality and justice irrespective of race, he wrote.

Heffer, who is also a modern British history professor at the University of Buckingham, said the tidal wave of identity politics it brought forward has led to rancour, division, and distrust across Western nations.

He argues that identity politics could make normally rational people, who consider themselves part of an oppressor group, behave in an irrational, self-hating way.

They do this in order to distance themselves from appalling behaviour that it would never occur to them to engage in, but also for fear of being seen not to conform and thereby attract public condemnation, Heffer said.

A discussion paper published in 2019 by a parliamentary inquiry into nationhood, national identity, and democracy said people in identity politics movements often hold perspectives that would inhibit free speech and contribute to divisions within society.

[It fosters] an intolerance of differing perspectives in a way that may well alienate other segments of the community from democracy, as they come to believe that their perspectives and contributions are unwelcome in the public space, the paper said.

Protesters throwing the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally, UK, on Jane 7, 2020. (PA Wire/PA Images)

Heffer believes that politicians, particularly in America and the UK, have been a major driving force behind identity politics after left-wing politicians jumped onto the Black Lives Matter bandwagon following the death of Floyd.

Theres nothing in the Western world now that will give a politician more credit more quickly than by claiming their own virtue, that theyre not racist, and by accusing others of racism, Heffer told Sky News Australia. Its a very quick way to get headlines, and its a very quick way to make yourself look good.

But Heffer notes that although BLM began in response to legitimate issues, it had morphed into an organisation for anti-capitalists and anarchists that weaponise the sympathies of people to advance their own agenda.

Heffer noted that in Britain, the movement had been largely led by people who had long histories in the anti-capitalist and anarchist movements.

These are people who have used the abominable killing of George Floyd to make arguments about anarchy and about anti-capitalism, he said.

A protester is holding a defund the police sign at a Black Lives Matter protest in Manhattan, New York City, on July 13, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

When BLMs Marxist roots are pointed out, Heffer said many people and companies are either unwilling to remove their association with an anti-racism movement or dont care due to the benefits it gives them. Others are also willfully ignorant of the fact.

Only by making the wider public aware of what such groups really stand for, will this cynicism be countered, he wrote. Identity politics is but the latest weapon in a war that is being fought for very high stakes.

The comments by Heffer come after former Labor politician Keith DeLacy warned that the woke brigade within the Labor party and their obsession with identity politics, cancel culture, and the BLM movement would destroy the party.

This country needs to accept that a persons race, gender and sexuality are irrelevant to their worth. What counts is having a go, DeLacy wrote in his memoir. It seems for some people it is not progress and reconciliation they want; it is the intoxication of the battle and the warm glow of victimhood.
Members of the U.S. Navy prepare to carry the remains of U.S. Navy Corpsman Max Soviak at the Morman Hinman Tanner Funeral Home in his hometown of Berlin Heights, Ohio, on Sept. 8, 2021. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

What Afghanistan Teaches Us About Our Ruling Class

Commentary

With our political and military establishment spending 20 years waging war in the mountains of central Asia, Americans now know that the old saying about Afghanistan and imperial ambition is a lie. A great nation with a keen pride in its own identity and the destiny defined by it doesnt risk blood and treasure to convince primitive tribes to adopt its style of governance.

Only a failing power that has lost all sense of what once made rivals shrink would spend the lives of its young men and women to plant its flag on a pile of inconsequential rocks. Afghanistan isnt the graveyard of empires. Rather, its where failing regimes go to be euthanized.

The Soviet Union was already crumbling when Leonid Brezhnev sent troops to prop up a Communist regime in Afghanistan in 1979. Months after Mikhail Gorbachev withdrew the last Soviet soldier in February 1989, the Berlin Wall was toppled. Russia survived and so will America. Its only the end of our ruling class, the curators of the new world orderglobalismthat rose with the end of the Cold War. The impending collapse of this deracinated elite, such as that of the Soviet Union, has simply been accelerated by its loss in Afghanistan.

It wasnt inevitable that what began in the wake of 9/11 as an act of retribution would end in a theater of self-pity. With lower Manhattan still smoking, Americans entrusted their political and military leadership with their safety and continued prosperity. Many of the most high-spirited among us offered America their service and some gave their lives.

But as the leadership class foundered in AfghanistanOsama bin Laden had escaped, Afghan democracy proved to be a fantasy, neither its army nor national police force could stand on its own, and so onit saw that the failures prolonging the war in fact created opportunities for personal advancement. They used Afghanistan as a financial instrument to launder their spoils and purchase the power and prestige that are naturally owed to victors. Like all habitual losers, Americas ruling class escaped the shame and humiliation it merited by forcing others to bear responsibility for the crimes that it alone committed.

And thats the context in which to understand the massive airlift for which the Joe Biden administration keeps congratulating itself. Never mind the thousands of Americans sent to their death for no strategic purpose and the trillions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money wasted on the fantasy of turning Afghanistan into a democratic state. The message is this: Were good guyswere rescuing Afghans from the clutches of the Taliban.

The phony atonement of the ruling class comes at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer. No one knows how many Afghans will be coming to the United States. Tens of thousands have been settled already, with others reportedly on their way, totaling around 120,000, according to some reports. Government sources say that after refugees start bringing over family members still in Afghanistan, the final tally will likely reach 250,000, maybe more.

The resettlement abuses the generosity of Americans, most of whom dont understand that the Afghans sent to their communities arent the Afghans who helped the United States. The media and local political, social, and religious organizations have misled them to believe that these are the interpreters and others who assisted U.S. troops and other agencies. But according to reports, the Biden team left many of those Afghans behind. So, who are these people?

No one really knows. The problem isnt that theyre unvetted, but that vetting them is impossible. The biometric information collected by U.S. authoritieswhich has now reportedly fallen into the hands of the Talibandocumented the Afghans who worked for them. Those among the warring tribesmen who opposed the U.S.-led coalition are undocumented, unless theyre so notorious for shooting at Americans that they wound up on terror lists.

Those Afghans are known. There are also records of those who committed crimes during earlier stays in Western countries and were deported. As for the rest, they pushed their way into the Kabul airport, forced their way onto planes, and now, theyre here.

Gen. H.R. McMaster famously showed Donald Trump a 1970s photograph of young Kabul women in miniskirts to dissuade him from withdrawing forces. Trumps adviser was trying to show that just underneath the countrys primitive violence was an open-minded and liberal core just waiting to be liberated.

But those like the people in those pictures arent part of this wave of Afghan migrants, because all of those open-minded and liberal Afghans left for the West years ago. The people coming now are poor and illiterate. They support strict Islamic law. Some of the tribal elders brought child brides with them. Thats normal in traditional Afghan culture. So is raping young boys, which the Afghans call bacha bazi.

These Afghans can hardly be expected to assimilate American values and norms. And yet in one significant respect, these Afghans were shaped by their recent experience with Americans. The two-decade-long occupation trained them to be dependent on U.S. handouts. Thus, it isnt entirely accurate to say that the Afghans are fleeing the Taliban. Rather, theyre following their source of income.

In this light, its hard not to feel some sympathy for Hamed Ahmadi, the 28-year-old Afghan refugee who posted a picture on Twitter of the meager meal he and other immigrants were served when arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas. Many commentators called him an ingrate, but see it from his perspective. He was 8 years old when U.S. forces landed. The only world he knows is the one in which the Americans give you money just so you wont take up arms against them. The way he sees it, the Americans have no choice but to keep paying.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a press conference organised by the Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU) amid the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, on July 3, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

WHO Demands US, Other Nations to Stop COVID-19 Boosters for Rest of 2021

The leader of the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on wealthy nations to issue a moratorium on COVID-19 boosters and instead provide initial vaccine doses to poorer nations.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has frequently said that wealthier countries should hold off on booster shots, said Wednesday that these nations need to wait until the end of the year.

I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the worlds poor should be satisfied with leftovers, Tedros told a news conference, adding that he is appalled that some comments by a leading pharmaceutical association this week about the global supply chain being strong enough to support both vaccines and booster shots.

Israel, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States recently started either implementing a booster program or are working on doing so.

A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses, at least until the end of September to prioritize vaccinating the most at risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose, Tedros added. There has been little change in the global situation since then.

So today, Im calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population, he said.

So far, according to the WHO, about 5.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered globally but mostly in wealthier countries.

We dont want any more promises. We just want the vaccines, said Tedros.

Its not clear what action the WHO or Tedros could takeif anyshould those wealthier nations continue pursuing additional shots.

Last month, White House press secretary Jen Psaki and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that the WHOs calls for a moratorium on booster doses are immaterial because the United States can provide both the booster shots and initial vaccines to countries that need them.

Murthy and other federal health officials said they are targeting Sept. 20 to rollout third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Over the weekend, Biden administration COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci told news outlets that it appears likely the Food and Drug Administration will approve the third Pfizer shot before the Moderna shot.

Another WHO official, Dr. Mike Ryan, also separately said that COVID-19, the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, will stick around and become akin to influenza.

People have said were going to eliminate or eradicate the virus, Ryan remarked during a separate news conference. No were not, very, very unlikely.
NEW CANAAN  Tenants are expected to move into the first of two contemporary four-story affordable housing buildings near the end of September, in spite of supply chain issues.

The building of the first structure, which is one of two that will replace the 10 structures at Canaan Parish at 186 Lakeview Ave, has faced challenges. We have and continue to suffer through the same supply chain issues related to COVID that everyone has been hearing about, Scott Hobbs, chairman of the New Canaan Housing Authority, said Wednesday.

The project, which will house one, two and three-bedroom apartments, is now down to just a few vital items that will hopefully arrive in accordance with the most recent promises by suppliers, Hobbs said.

As soon as the current Canaan Parish residents are moved into the new building, the demolition of the existing apartment will begin so that the construction of the second building can commence.

Construction during the pandemic has not been easy. We are constantly dealing with manpower issues as crews suffer from COVID-19 scares and cases, Hobbs said.

In February, Hobbs said that he had expected the first building to be complete in late August or early September. But the supply chain issues add to the normal challenges associated with such an undertaking. We greatly appreciate everyones patience and understanding as we reach this milestone.

The New Canaan Housing Authority is overseeing the project on the New Norwalk Road and Lakeview Avenue, which will increase the number of livable units from 60 to 100 while reducing overall building footprint.

The construction depends on gas connections from Eversource and the company is facing shortages of meters and regulators, Hobbs explained.

They believe that they have everything that they need, but we will not really know for sure until hookups happen by next week, he said.

Eversource is also shorthanded as they have sent crews to help in Louisiana, the chairman of the New Canaan Housing Authority said.

The generator used to power the emergency devices, such as alarms, lighting and the elevators, was ordered at the beginning of the year. It has been delayed multiple times. Now, it is expected to arrive in October, and we have scrambled to put together a temporary power solution.

Appliance manufacturers have been having notorious issues getting parts, but his team has found substitutes and he believes we are in good shape.

They have also had to find new suppliers for window treatments due to supply shortages.

AP Construction and our owners representatives, Heritage Housing, have done a fantastic job constantly modifying the schedules to ensure that we can do as much as we can whenever we can, Hobbs said.

Property managers Westmount have begun coordinating the move in process with the moving companies and our residents, Hobbs said. Westmount have done a great job, and everyone is excited to be able to see the finish line.

The smaller footprint is expected to leave more room for green space and community areas for tenants, according to presentations made at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in 2018. The buildings are planned to open up onto a shared grass courtyard and walkways.

The present parking lots have been said to be the only outdoor play space for children and the new construction will have additional outdoor areas to give room for a playground, according to presentations.

The plans also call for an onsite office, a community gathering room, a catering kitchen and parking under and around the buildings, according to Hobbs.

One of the buildings will have common space for tenant gatherings and barbecues are expected be placed near the sitting areas.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The summer that was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

It felt like we had this forward, positive momentum, lamented Katie Button, executive chef and CEO at two restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina. The delta variant wiped that timeline completely away.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. More than six months into the U.S. vaccination drive, President Joe Biden held a White House party on July Fourth to celebrate the countrys freedom from the virus, and other political leaders had high hopes for a close-to-normal summer.

Then the bottom fell out.

The summer wave was fueled by the extra-contagious delta variant combined with stark resistance to vaccinations that formed along political and geographic lines, said Dr. Sten Vermund, of the Yale School of Public Health.

The virus was more efficient in spreading among the unvaccinated so that you blunted the expected benefit of vaccines, Vermund said.

The crisis escalated rapidly from June to August. About 400,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded for all of June. It took all of three days last week to reach the same number.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The 2021 delta-driven onslaught is killing younger Americans at a much higher rate than previous waves of the pandemic in the Northeast last spring, the Sun Belt in the summer of 2020 and the deadly winter surge around the holidays.

During the peaks of those waves, Americans over 75 suffered the highest proportion of death. Now, the most vulnerable age group for death is 50 to 64, according to data from U.S. officials.

Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter, when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at a quarter-million per day.

The U.S. is now averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August.

Even before the delta variant became dominant, experts say there were indications that larger gatherings and relaxed social distancing measures were fueling new cases.

We had been cooped up for over a year and everyone wanted to get out, said Dr. David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In the face of that kind of strong change in behavior, even getting almost two-thirds of our adult population vaccinated wasnt enough.

The COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective against hospitalization and death, but many tens of millions of eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. Nearly 40% of Americans 12 and older are not fully protected.

In Rapid City, South Dakota, school officials have recorded nearly 300 cases among students and staff since classes began less than two weeks ago. Still, the majority of school board officials voted this week 5-2 against a proposed two-week mask mandate.

Nobody wanted to be here. Everyone wanted the personal freedom to be away from masks and free of illness, said Amy Policky, who introduced the proposal with one other member. But we have to look at the facts: Were having illness rage through the school and the community, so what can we do?

Still, Yale's Vermund sees reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the next few months. Cases in most states appear to be plateauing and are likely to decline in the fall, buying health authorities more time to vaccinate adults and teenagers before flu season.

If we can continue making progress between now and Thanksgiving, we may be able to substantially blunt the coronavirus surge in flu season, Vermund said.

While the economy has been rebounding strongly over the past several months, hiring slowed sharply in August in a sign that the variant is discouraging Americans from flying, shopping or eating out.

And on Monday, unemployment benefits  including an extra $300 a week from the federal government  ran out for millions of Americans.

Button, the North Carolina chef, was feeling great heading into the summer. Her team was mostly vaccinated in May and restrictions were loosening. But the crisis soon changed direction.

Button supports the mask mandate that was recently reinstated in her county but said her employees are exhausted by having to enforce it. And since she has no outdoor seating, some diners have been less comfortable coming in.

Its hard to take a step forward and then take three steps back, she said.

___

Associated Press data journalist Nicky Forster contributed to this report from New York. Durbin reported from Detroit.
NEW CANAAN  I commuted for 29 years. They never had the 5:30 train, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said Tuesday.

Although Moynihan currently serves the town of New Canaan these days from its most central location at Town Hall, the current first selectman spent nearly three decades rising early and hopping on the train to Manhattan to work as a corporate lawyer.

So Moynihan knows a thing or two about how integral a commute is to a New Canaan resident who makes their bread from an office building in New York City. That is why Moynihan did not mince words when Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro North, recently came to the New Canaan Train Station to announce that one-seat direct train service to Manhattans Grand Central Station would return on the New Canaan train line.

The first selectman called it momentous.

Now that the summer has unofficially come to its end with the passing of Labor Day, Moynihan said that he anticipates a slow change in the number of residents who will begin to return to working in-person, therefore commuting via the train. He contended that many residents working in the financial field have been working at least partially in person. The technology industry, he said, might take a bit more time.

Moynihan took a ride around on Tuesday to the various commuter parking lots, for which the town sells permits, to observe the trends now that the direct service resumed in late August.

There were more cars at the Lumberyard lot than I expected, Moynihan said.

Talmadge Hill seemed to be another lot where many commuters were parked Tuesday. The Richmond Hill parking lot, not so much, Moynihan said.

It will take a little while post-Labor Day to adjust, Moynihan guessed. He said that while direct rail service was suspended, many residents drove to Darien to hail a train. There, he said, they would be able to board and find a seat that they could keep until Grand Central Terminal.

My understanding was that it was a horrible experience switching in Stamford, Moynihan said. He said commuters told him that, while connecting trains are scheduled to arrive at the same time in Stamford for a transfer to the New Haven Line into Manhattan, those schedules were prone to delays.

Commuters also complained of the inability to secure a seat upon transferring onto an already packed morning rush train at Stamford. Youd have to stand, Moynihan said. That is not a good commuter experience.

He hopes to see more and more residents become aware of the return to direct service in New Canaan and are able to use it instead of driving to neighboring towns. He will also be able to tell when an expected influx materializes after the Parking Bureau brings town commuter lot statistics to him every week.

But Moynihan understands that some residents just are not ready to return to Manhattan yet. He cited continued worries some may have of the spread of COVID-19 and public safety in general on public transportation. The town has accounted for that in its parking plan, as it is letting residents keep their name in the permit pool for up to two years before having to reactivate their plan.

We are allowing people to stay on a waitlist up to two years before being reinstated, Moynihan said. And a number of people are doing that.

While much attention has been paid to residents from New Canaan being able to return to Manhattan with more convenience, many dont focus on the inverse, he said, adding many of New Canaans small business workforce, especially its restaurant workers, commute into town daily.

With the return to direct rail service, Moynihan believes that life for the workforce that serves New Canaan will also be afforded some convenience.

I look at this as a necessity for these workers, Moynihan said, to have this reliable service.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Taliban on Tuesday announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition, a move that seems unlikely to win the international support the new leaders desperately need to avoid an economic meltdown.

Appointed to the key post of interior minister was Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on the FBIs most-wanted list with a $5 million bounty on his head and is believed to still be holding at least one American hostage. He headed the feared Haqqani network that is blamed for many deadly attacks and kidnappings.

The announcement came hours after Taliban fired their guns into the air to disperse protesters in the capital of Kabul and arrested several journalists, the second time in less than a week that heavy-handed tactics were used to break up a demonstration.

Drawn mostly from Afghanistans dominant Pashtun ethnic group, the Cabinet's lack of representation from other ethnic groups also seems certain to hobble its support from abroad.

As much as 80% of Afghanistan's budget comes from the international community, and a long-running economic crisis has worsened in recent months. Near daily flights from Qatar bring in humanitarian aid, but the needs are massive, and the Taliban can hardly afford isolation.

In announcing the Cabinet, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid emphasized that the appointments were temporary. He did not say how long they would serve and what would be the catalyst for a change.

Since taking over Afghanistan in mid-August after U.S. troops withdrew, the Taliban have shown no indications they will hold elections.

The U.S. State Department in a statement expressed concern that the Cabinet included only Taliban, no women and personalities with a troubling track record, but said the new administration would be judged by its actions. The carefully worded statement noted the Cabinet was interim, but said the Taliban would be held to their promise to give safe passage to both foreign nationals and Afghans, with proper travel documents, and ensure Afghan soil would not be used as to harm another.

The world is watching closely, the statement said.

The interim prime minister, Mullah Hasan Akhund, also headed the Taliban government in Kabul during the last years of its rule. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who had led talks with the U.S. and signed the deal that led to the withdrawal, will be one of two deputies to Akhund.

A policy statement accompanying the Cabinet announcement sought to allay fears of Afghanistan's neighbors and the rest of the world, but was unlikely to calm the fears of women, who didn't get a single post.

Our message to our neighbors, the region and the world is that Afghanistan's soil will not be used against the security of any other country, the statement said.

It urged foreign diplomats, embassies, consulates and humanitarian organizations to return to Afghanistan. Their presence is the need of our country, it said.

The statement spoke of protecting the rights of minorities and the underprivileged, and it promised education to all countrymen within the framework of Sharia. Women were not mentioned in the three-page statement.

Abdul Salam Hanafi, an ethnic Uzbek, was named as second deputy to Hasan Akhund. A long-time Taliban member, he is unlikely to satisfy demands for inclusivity and minority representation.

Besides Haqqani as head of the police, the other top security post of defense minister went to Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob , the son of Taliban founder and near mythic figure Mullah Mohammad Omar.

The Haqqani network, which dominates most of eastern Afghanistan, has been blamed for dramatic attacks in Kabul in the past two decades and for orchestrating kidnappings, often of Americans. Washington believes it still holds Mark Frerichs, a civilian contractor, who was abducted in January 2020 and hasnt been heard from since.

The new foreign minister will be Amir Khan Muttaqi, another prominent figure from the Taliban's last time in power. He faces a difficult task, given the Cabinet's lack of diversity.

The Cabinet selection defied the many voices that had urged inclusivity and moderation. Instead, it seemed to be a bow to the Taliban's tens of thousands of fighters, who would have struggled to accept figures from previous governments that they see as corrupt and that they believe they were called upon to oust.

The fighters made the sacrifices. ... They are the decision makers, not the politicians, said analyst and author Fazelminallah Qazizai, who has has written extensively about the Taliban.

Yet even with a Cabinet dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, the Talibans fighting force would appear to have already attained some diversity, with their ranks bolstered considerably by ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks. That may have helped hand the Taliban a surprising win in the mostly Tajik province of Badakhshan, which they overran with hardly a fight. When they last ruled, the province was the only one they failed to control.

At Tuesday's demonstration that was broken up by gunfire, protesters had gathered outside the Pakistani Embassy to accuse Islamabad of aiding the Taliban's assault on northern Panjshir province. The Taliban said Monday they seized the province  the last one not in their control  after their lightning advance through Afghanistan last month.

Afghanistan's previous government routinely accused neighboring Pakistan of aiding the Taliban, a charge Islamabad has denied.

Dozens of women were among the protesters, and some carried signs bemoaning the killing of their sons by Taliban fighters that they say were aided by Pakistan. One sign read: I am a mother. When you kill my son, you kill a part of me.

At one point, a Taliban fighter responded: "We have announced amnesty to everyone who has killed our sons."

The Taliban moved quickly and harshly to end the protest as demonstrators arrived near the presidential palace. They fired their weapons into the air and arrested several journalists covering the demonstration. At one point, a Taliban member waving a Kalashnikov rifle took a microphone from a journalist and began beating him with it. The journalist was later handcuffed and detained for several hours.

This is the third time I have been beaten by the Taliban covering protests, the journalist told The Associated Press, speaking on condition he not be identified because he feared retaliation. I wont go again to cover a demonstration. Its too difficult for me.

A journalist from Afghanistans popular TOLO News was detained for three hours by the Taliban before being freed. He was given back his equipment and his video of the demonstration was intact.

On Saturday, Taliban special forces in camouflage fired their weapons into the air to end a protest march in Kabul by women demanding equal rights.

-

Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar and Rahim Faiez in Istanbul contributed to this report.
TRANSWESTERN INVESTMENT GROUP

Transwestern Investment Group has sold its industrial building at 22 Gateway Commerce Center Drive in Edwardsville. The property, which is 155,700-square-feet, was 57% leased at the time of sale to New York/New Jersey-based Moxie Equities.



"Moxie Equities was able to acquire one of the few shallow-bay warehouses of its kind in St. Louis Metro East submarket below replacement cost, Ryan Grable, vice president at TIG, said in a press release.



Built in 2007, the property is located within Gateway Commerce Center, an institutional distribution park offering access to four modes of transportation: road, rail, water and air.

The press release did not disclose a sale price.


EDWARDSVILLE  Psychological services for two high-profile 2019 murder cases were approved by the Madison County Boards Judiciary Committee on Friday.

Madison County Public Defender Mary Copeland requested a psychological evaluation for Brittany N. McMillan, 29, of Birmingham, Alabama. She has been charged in the Dec. 19, 2019 deaths of Shari Yates, 59; her son, Andrew AJ Brooks, 30; and John McMillian, 32, in Bethalto.

Copeland also sought a psychological evaluation for Zachary I. Capers, 26, of Collinsville, accused in the March 18, 2019 deaths of Michael and Dr. Lois Ladd of Edwardsville.

Capers trial is set for December. McMillans trial is tentatively set to start Jan. 24, 2022.

Killian and Associates  a mental health group based in Springfield, Illinois  would conduct the examination of McMillan. Pocket Expert Forensic Consulting LLC, no address cited, would provide services for Caper.

Both requests now go to the Madison County Finance Committee before final approval by the Madison County Board.

Brittany McMillan and Brady K. Witcher, 42, both of Birmingham, Alabama, were charged in the Dec. 19, 2019, deaths of Yates, Brooks and John McMillian.

Authorities allege McMillan and Witcher killed a woman in Alabama on Dec. 13, 2019, before holding a Nashville, Tennessee, couple against their will and driving their truck to Bethalto. There, authorities allege, Witcher killed the Bethalto residents and Brittany McMillan took Yates Ford Focus, which was later found at a motel in Hazelwood, Missouri.

Brittany McMillan has a pre-trial conference set for Sept. 14 in front of Circuit Judge Kyle Napp. She has been charged with nine counts of first-degree murder, all Class M felonies, and one count each of armed robbery and aggravated vehicular hijacking, both Class X felonies. The multiple first-degree murder charges account for different theories related to the killings.

Witchers trial was scheduled to start Sept. 13 but, according to court documents, he has been hospitalized. A pretrial conference was held Sept. 3. He faces the same charges as Brittany McMillan, in addition to unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony.

Both are being held without bond.

Capers is charged with multiple felonies in the deaths of Michael Ladd, 79, a local contractor, and his wife, Dr. Lois Ladd, 68. The two were found dead at their residence at about 10:30 a.m. on March 18, 2019.

Edwardsville Police were contacted after an employee at Dr. Ladds chiropractic office called police when she failed to report for work. Police responding to the home, near a wooded residential area north of downtown, found the couple dead in their home. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was contacted for assistance into the investigation.

Capers faces four counts of first-degree murder, all Class M felonies. He is also being held without bond.
News

National Guard assisting at LeConte Medical Center

Submitted photo Tennessee National Guard members are assisting at LeConte Medical Center. Cindy Simpson/The Mountain Press LeConte Medical Center is watching and making adjustments when needed with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some patients have said their outpatient procedures have been rescheduled. LeConte Medical Center has not made an official suspension of elective procedures, but when local circumstances warrant may delay or reschedule procedures to accommodate patient volume.

SEVIERVILLE  The Tennessee National Guard has sent 14 members of its COVID Taskforce to supplement staff at LeConte Medical Center, as hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to rise.

The state has been offering National Guard assistance to hospitals experiencing staffing shortages and increase in volume due to the rise in cases of the virus this summer.

Last week, Leconte Medical Center  the only hospital in Sevier County  requested aid. On Friday, the state dispatched 10 administrative staff and four medics to the hospital.

We are extremely grateful for this additional support from our Tennessee National Guard, said Gaye Jolly, president and chief administrative officer for the hospital.

This is a critical time for hospitals all across our state and country, and we are imploring citizens who have not yet had the COVID vaccine to please get one as soon as possible.

In its update issued Monday, the hospital indicated it had 34 confirmed cases of the virus among patients staying there and three more suspected cases.

Eleven of the patients were in the ICU; all of those patients were unvaccinated, according to the figures.

Some patients have reported that they have recently had elective surgeries rescheduled at the hospital.

LeConte has not announced a wholesale suspension of elective surgeries a method some hospitals take due to the spike in patients and the prevalence of the virus.

LeConte Medical Center is open as usual to provide safe care to our patients and our community, spokesman Jacob Forman said.

If local circumstances warrant, elective procedures may be delayed or canceled to accommodate patient volumes. Patients will be notified if there will be any delays or cancellations of their scheduled procedures.

Hospital policy calls for all visitors to wear masks while in the hospital, and they limit most inpatients to having one visitor at a time.

Sevier County had about 1,000 active cases of the virus for several days, but it fell to 994 Thursday  the most recent date included in the Tennessee Department of Healths update.

The county school system also reported a drop in active cases among students over the past week.

In new figures released Tuesday, the school system said there were 172 active cases among students, down from 196 on Aug. 30. Active cases among staff dropped from 41 to 34.

The number of students quarantined dropped by a large margin from 872 on Aug. 30 to 587 Tuesday. The number of staff quarantined rose from 15 to 35.

Contact Jeff at jfarrell@themountainpress.com or Twitter at @jeffmtnpress
The Hardin County History Museum, which is depicted on the cover of this community history book, will benefit from proceeds from its sales.
Alarm raised after local reports seeing crocodile off Layan Beach

PHUKET: A local fisherman has raised the alarm after seeing what he believed was a crocodile on the small island just offshore from the northern end of Layan Beach in Cherng Talay.

tourismSafetymarineanimals

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 05:07PM

Mr Somchai said he saw the crocodile on Koh Kata, the small island offshhore from the northern end of Layan Beach. Image: Google Maps

Mr Somchai indicates the size of the crocodile he saw. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Local resident Somchai Choomrak points to where he saw the crocodile. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Local resident Somchai Choomrak points to where he saw the crocodile. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Local resident Somchai Choomrak, 55, reported the sighting to the 191 police emergency hotline after arriving at the northern end of Layan beach to go fishing near the mouth of the canal at about 2:30pm.

Mr Somchai said he had walked out into the water to cast a net in the canal when he saw the crocodile on the beach near the rocks on Koh Kata, located some 50 metres offshore.

The crocodile was about one metre long and its body was dark black, he said.

At first I didnt think it was a crocodile, but as I walked closer the crocodile turned and plunged into the water. The sound was so loud that it could be heard clearly in the canal, he added.

Mr Somchai pointed out that two crocodiles had been caught at Koh Kata in recent years.

In addition to calling the police, Mr Somchai also informed local officers at Sirinat National Park.

I would like the responsible officers to come and find the crocodile as soon as possible in order to prevent them from attacking tourists in this area, Mr Somchai said.

There are tourists taking small children for a walk during low tide and if no one knows that in this canal there are crocodiles, they might go swimming and be bitten by a crocodile, or maybe lose someone they love for the rest of their lives, he added

Mr Somchai said that while he was informing park officers he met a person who said that he saw something in the water that looked like a crocodile while windsurfing offshore.

One of the officers at Sirinat National Park who joined the search for the crocodile this morning told The Phuket News that the search party was unable to find any crocodiles in the area.

But we did find two large monitor lizards, the officer said.

Park rangers will continue to keep an eye for any crocodiles in the area, the officer assured.

A RETURN OF PHUKET CROCODILES

In March this year, a two-metre-long crocodile was spotted in the Chalong Pier marina area off Phukets southeast coast.

After weeks of searching, the Kraithong Lumnamtapi expert croc catchers from the Department of Fisheries in Surat Thani failed to find the crocodile, and the search was called off.

At last report the crocodile was believed to have rounded the southern end of Phuket and was making its way up the west coast.

The Kraithong Lumnamtapi team were the lead hunters in catching two crocodiles in Phuket: Yanui in 2018 and Leypang in 2017.

The team were also called in to help catch a crocodile seen at Saphan Hin last September. That croc was never caught.

Unlike in the hunt in 2018 for the female crocodile now named Yanui, no beaches were closed earlier this year while the search continued for Phukets latest crocodile at large.

Yanui took just days to make her way up the west coast to where she was caught off Layan Beach a week after she was spotted at the southern end of the island, stopping off at Kata Noi and passing Patong en route.

After an extensive 11-day hunt, Yanui was finally caught at Leypang Beach, right next to Layan and Bang Tao Beaches, in Cherng Talay, halfway up Phukets west coast.
Cabinet approves holding of local elections

BANGKOK: A meeting of Cabinet ministers has approved the holding of local elections, starting with subdistrict administrative organisation (OrBorTor) polls, and has directed the Election Commission (EC) to consider the proper time to hold them this year and set safety guidelines amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

politics

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 09:38AM

Photo: NNT

Government Spokesman Dr Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said yesterday (Sept 7) that the Cabinet meeting acknowledged preparations to hold local elections, which include subdistrict administrative organisations, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Pattaya City.

The move was proposed by the Ministry of the Interior, reports state news agency NNT.

The EC will consider the time frame. Once everything is set, the Cabinet will consider holding subdistrict administrative organisation elections in 5,300 locations this year. Bangkok and Pattaya polls will then follow, the report noted.

The Ministry of the Interior has prepared funds, using the fiscal 2022 expenditure budget provisions of subdistrict administrative organisations, Bangkok and Pattaya. The provisions include the expense of holding the elections and additional expenses related to measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The EC has issued regulations and announcements to recruit local EC members in all areas, and has set guidelines on the voting process amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Domestic visitors to Phuket can conduct own rapid tests at checkpoint

PHUKET: All domestic visitors arriving at the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai to come onto the island are now allowed to bring their own antigen test kits (ATKs) and use them at the checkpoint to prove they are not infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourism

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 12:16PM

Image: PR Phuket

Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon confirmed the news during a live broadcast from the Phuket Sandbox Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at the Phuket Provincial Police headquarters in Phuket Town this morning (Sept 8).

ATKs are pretty easy to buy at pharmacies. Arrivals can bring their own ATK and conduct the test at the checkpoint by themselves. We have health officers standing by to give advice and check whether they conducted the test properly, Dr Kusak said.

If the result comes out as negative, the health officer will issue a confirmation document. The document can be used to enter Phuket, he added.

However, Dr Kusak noted that the document issued by the officer allowing the arrival to enter Phuket will be deemed valid for entering Phuket, but may not be accepted by health officers in other provinces, or deemed valid for other purposes.

This may help people who regularly travel between Phuket and Phang Nga, Dr Kusak said.

Phuket people leaving the island may also bring their own ATKs to the checkpoint and conduct the test themselves there so they can be issued a negative test confirmation document that will be valid for 72 hours, allowing them to return to Phuket using the same document if they return within the 72 hours, he said.

The move to allow people to use their own ATKs to be tested for COVID-19 at the checkpoint has been approved for seven days, from today (Sept 8) to Sept 14, Dr Kusak noted.

For those tourists from other provinces, they must still present negative results of an RT-PCR test or ATK within 72 hours of arriving, not within seven days, Dr Kusak reminded travellers.

Of note, a last-minute change in the entry requirements for arrivals to Phuket from other provinces is that they no longer need to be tested by RT-PCR method on Day 5 of their stay if they are staying on the island more than seven days.

We have contacted two operators to set up testing booths and provide ATK testing services at the Phuket Check Point, but right now they are still looking to confirm where to set up the booths, Dr Kusak said.

We are pleased to let several operators set up testing services. The greater number of booths, the more convenient for our arrivals, he added.
Hotel operators consider closing amid weak demand

BANGKOK: Amid tepid tourist demand, 52% of hotel operators are considering closing temporarily, while 9% want to shut down permanently if the COVID-19 pandemic lasts longer than expected.

COVID-19Coronavirustourismeconomics

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 09:27AM

A welcome sign greets tourists arriving at Koh Samui under Samui Plus travel scheme. As of Monday, the island has received 621 tourists from the pilot programme. Photo: Bangkok Post

A joint survey by the Bank of Thailand and Thai Hotels Association (THA) found that 62% of hotel operators planned to reduce labour costs in order to deal with the financial effects of the pandemic, reports the Bangkok Post.

Meanwhile, 61% said they planned to cut other expenses.

Between Aug 13-28 the central bank and THA conducted a poll of 234 respondents, of which 14 were alternative state quarantines and five were hospitels.

A total of 38% of Phuket Sandbox respondents said foreign tourist arrivals were lower than their expectations, but 35% said the numbers were as expected.

On average, the occupancy rate was steady at 15%.

However, 52% of hotel respondents in Surat Thani, the host of the Samui Plus model, said they were receiving fewer travellers than expected, with the average occupancy rate at 4%.

Most hotel operators were experiencing low incomes, with 58% of hotels reporting income of less than 10% of pre-Covid levels, while 17% earned 11-30% of their pre-outbreak income.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of THA, said hotels in August had an occupancy rate of 10.6% nationwide, which was only slightly higher than the previous months 9.6%.

A total of 65% of hotel operators said they had only enough liquidity to survive for less than three months.

Mrs Marisa said that while 17% of them remained closed, the number of active hotels increased from 40.1% in July to 48.4% in August, mainly driven by hotels in Bangkok, which turned to the long-stay market, and in Phuket, which has its quarantine-free programme for inoculated tourists.

Lower confidence on Koh Samui recently prompted tourism operators to call for a relaxation of the Samui Plus model, which still requires inbound tourists to stay at quarantine facilities for three days after arrival.

Mrs Marisa said the quarantine-free approach should be applied to other destinations to stimulate more demand, which could help save hotels during the tough financial crisis.

As of Sept 6, Samui had received only 621 tourists via the pilot programme, while the number of tourists that completed the programme in Phuket and then travelled to Samui stood at over 400.

After starting the programme on July 15, tourists spent 7,136 room nights in Samui Plus destinations, while another 8,335 room nights have been reserved in advance.

The numbers are still a far cry from Phuket, which saw 176,128 and 125,434 room nights booked in August and September, respectively.
Mobs block traffic, throw bombs, say police

BANGKOK: Anti-government protests were organised in Bangkok all yesterday (Sept 7), including a violent rally at Din Daeng intersection, police said.

police

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 11:45AM

Protesters gather at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok last night (Sept 7). Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya

Pol Maj Gen Piya Tavichai, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said a group of demonstrators called Ramkhamhaeng for Democracy gathered briefly at Government House at 10am and poured paint and littered there. Police arrested them for prosecution.

The second group of protesters led by Nattawut Saikuar blocked Asok intersection at 4pm and set up a stage for speakers.

At 5:10pm some protesters left the intersection on their vehicles and travelled on Sukhumvit Road via Phra Khanong intersection to Bang Na intersection. Then they returned on the same road to Asok intersection. The demonstration ended there at 7:10pm.

The Thalu Fah group staged their protest at the Democracy Monument at 4pm. Protesters hung banners on the monument and burnt things around it. The demonstration ended at 8pm.

The last group, Thalu Gas, gathered at Din Daeng intersection at 5:30pm. Demonstrators threw fireworks, ping pong bombs and pipe bombs at government offices and a hospital.

At 7:45pm police arrested 15 wrongdoers and seized a certain number of improvised explosive devices and weapons, Pol Maj Gen Piya said.

Demonstrators also set fire in many areas and their violent attacks continued at Din Daeng intersection. Pol Maj Gen Piya advised passers-by to take precaution and people who lived in the vicinity to return home before 9pm.

Police arrest Thalu Gas group members

Meanwhile, 18 protesters of the Thalu Gas group have been apprehended for allegedly damaging state property including circuit control panels operating a major water drainage tunnel on Monday (Sept 6), according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB).

Pol Maj Gen Piya said two protests took place on Monday, one at the Asok intersection led by red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikuar and another at Din Daeng intersection headed by the Thalu Gas (tear gas survivors) group.

Violent scenes were witnessed when the Thalu Gas group clashed with riot police around the intersection. The mostly young protesters partially occupied roads in the area and hurled marbles and hard objects, as well as improvised explosives, pipe bombs, incendiary bombs, and firecrackers, at nearby state and private buildings.

They reportedly burned state property, including circuit control panels of a major water drainage and flood mitigation tunnel.

Pol Maj Gen Piya said the City Halls Department of Drainage and Sewerage was assessing the damage and seeking legal action against the culprits.

They cant even be called protesters, victims, or political activists. They are lawbreakers, plain and simple, said Pol Maj Gen Piya.

Since July of last year, police have identified 684 protesters, 427 of whom were caught in 179 protest-related cases. Police also confiscated 115 of their motorcycles.

Meanwhile, anti-government protesters have routinely convened at Asok intersection to put pressure on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down.

On Monday, protesters dropped a large quantity of papers containing their protest demands from the skywalk over the intersection.
Pattaya flooded again, residents vent frustration

PATTAYA: An overnight downpour left Pattaya Citys roads inundated on Wednesday (Sept 8), and residents fed up with repeated flooding used social media to complain about authorities continual failure to resolve the problem.

weather

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 03:23PM

Downtown Pattaya flooded again, this time on Wednesday morning after an overnight downpour. Photo: @padlomcool / Twitter

The Traffic Police Twitter account and the We Love Pattaya Facebook page reported flooding in several locations, including Sukhumvit Road and streets along the beach in the downtown area, reports the Bangkok Post.

Part of the road running along Jomthien Beach subsided and was closed to vehicles, the traffic police network tweeted.

Regular flooding spots were also under water, including the area near the railway station and roads in Bang Lamung district bordering Pattaya City, according to We Love Pattaya, a Facebook account reporting on the city.

The heavy rain triggered a landslide at Bali Hai pier, slightly damaging three vehicles parked in the area, according to a parking lot employee.

Red flags were raised as a warning for all small boats to remain ashore as waves rose three metres high.

The flooding came as Tropical Storm Conson brought rain to most parts of the country.

It was the second bout of major flooding in Pattaya in two weeks. Torrential rain on Aug 27 left many roads under water. Pattaya City officials said the Aug 27 flooding was the worst in a decade.

Residents expressed their growing frustration, venting their anger through Twitter and Facebook, criticising the city administration for its long-term inability to prevent floods.

Pattaya flooded again. Thumbs up for the mayor, one sarcastic Twitter poster declared.

What the mayor is doing when people are suffering, another wrote on We Love Pattaya Facebook.

City mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem admitted at a meeting on Friday (Sept 3) the problem would not be solved until a B600 million drainage system still under construction is completed. That would not be for some years.

The constant flooding damaged the resort citys economy and its image, he said.

Anuwat Laothongkham, who is in charge of sanitation and drainage, said downtown areas were flooded by water draining from the eastern part towards the sea.

The citys sewer tunnels were old and too small to handle the volume of runoff, and land previously used to retain excess water had been built over with housing estates, he said.
SOS Food Rescue Foundation to hold Thailands first food waste changemaking event: Zero Summit 2021

We are reaching the irreversible point of the climate change crisis, and with ongoing environmental and socio-economic problems, the statement cannot be any more precise. The United Nations urges immediate actions, a wake-up call, for the world to make a change before its too late.

Community

By Press Release

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 11:10AM

Each year we lose 931 million tons of food produced for human consumption while more than 1 billion people still do not have access to adequate food.

In Thailand, according to the Pollution Control Department, 64% of municipal waste is food waste which equals 17.5 million tons per year! Some of those food wastes are invisible food, produced but never reach the consumer.

There are still more businesses that are not addressing their food waste. There are more people now under the poverty line (9.9%) and 6.5 million people in the country are undernourished. Plus, there is still no law protecting businesses from donating their surplus food to people.

Its time to rally all the food industry leaders to help us fight this battle and achieve ZERO Food Waste and ZERO Hunger in Thailand.

ZERO Summit 2021 is the virtual summit, the first-ever food-driven sustainability event organized by Scholars of Sustenance, the first food rescue foundation in Thailand sponsored by The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) as the Sustainable Event Partner.

On 29th September 2021 from 13:00  18:30, the virtual summit offers 3 main activities and knowledge sharing sessions for everyone to understand and drive a change together with us to make change for a better future in Thailand.

This event is a wake-up call for Thailands food supply chain.

Save the date! Learn more and act now!

Lets find the answers together from the experts in the food industry from leading local and international organizations about how we can best accelerate sustainable food system changes in Thailand.

*Note: The panel discussion will be held in the English language*

Panel 1: Systemic Approach on Food Waste Reduction

The unrevealed successful story of food waste prevention cooperation between partners and SOS, the first food rescue foundation in Thailand, is disclosed here for all participants who want to know how we systematically prevent surplus food from becoming food waste. We are additionally delighted to share our vision and plan for future cooperation with all interested participants.

Panelists

Visit Limlurcha - Chairman of the Food Processing Industries Club, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Honorary President, Thai Food Processors Association (TFPA) Puntarika Susuntitapong - Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications, Lotuss Sirapassorn Sagulwiwat - Assistant Vice President Sustainability and Global Partnership Division Corporate Sustainable Development (SD) Office, CPF Dharath Hoonchamlong - Co-Founder, Wasteland Kanwra Tanachotevorapong - CEO & Co-Founder, More Meat



Panel 2: Food Waste Reduction Engagement

Have you ever wondered how people can engage in food waste reduction? This talking panel will discover marvelous answers from the interesting practice cases of our guest speakers, who have experience in creating whizzed programs for people to participate in solving the food waste issue together.

2.1 Building Engagement in the Service Sector

Panelists

Nick Boyd - Cluster Director of Operations, Hilton & DoubleTree by Hilton Sukhumvit Tippawan Nitijessadawong - Michelin Guide Thailand Director, Michelin Guide Thailand Daniel Bucher - Managing Partner, Planet B Sustainability Agency Louis-Alban Batard-Dupre - Founder and CEO, Yindii

2.2 Building Engagement in the Business Sector

Panelists

Patchara Taveechatwattana - Chief Customer Officer, Allianz Ayudhya Vicharee Vichit-Vadakan - Co-Founder, Kinnest Group  theCOMMONS Greg Kamaruudeen Threlfall - Director of Outreach, Shrewsbury International School Kavalin Athayu - Global Head of CSR & Sustainability, Agoda

Workshop: Shaping the Future Food System

Its time for food business leaders to unite and shape the future food system in Thailand together, but how can we do that, and how can policy support us? Here is the discussion workshop, where our professional guest speakers will share their brilliant ideas with all participants for brainstorming and drawing the future policy for supporting food waste management in Thailand together.

Opening Remarks

Marisa Panyachiva - Partnership and Development Finance Officer, UN Resident Coordinator Office in Thailand, The United Nations in Thailand

3.1 Shaping the Future Food System (International Level)

Panelists

Thanyaporn Krichtitayawuth - Executive Director, Global Compact Network Thailand Werner Kossmann, Project Director of TGCP Waste Project, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Pat Satkhum - Senior Manager Sustainability Development Section MICE Capabilities Department, The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)

3.2 Shaping the Future Food System (Domestic Level)

Caratlux Liumpetch - Researcher, Thailand Development Research Institute Foundation (TDRI) Benjamas Chotthong - Director of Project Development and Planning Program, Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) Anuda Tawatsin - Environmental Officer, Professional Level, Pollution Control Department

Event Schedule

13.00 - 14.00: SOS Zero Summit 2021 Introduction

14.00 - 15.00: Systematic Approach on Food Waste Prevention

15.00 - 16.00: Food Waste Reduction Engagement (Breakout Rooms: Service Sectors & Business Sectors)

16.00 - 16.10: Break Time

16.15 - 17.30: Shaping the Future Food System Workshop (Breakout Rooms: International & Domestic)

17.30 - 18.00: ZERO Summit Pledge

18.00 - 18.30: Closing Ceremony

18.30 - Onwards: Virtual Networking

Book Your Spot Now at https://www.eventpop.me/e/11544/zero-summit

A ticket bought in this virtual summit is the direct support to Scholars of Sustenance Foundation on its food rescue operation. We are raising 22,100 meals from this event and the revenue from ticket selling will go straight to feeding the vulnerable communities (5 Baht is equivalent to 1 meal).

For more information about Zero Summit 2021

Event Date & Time: 29 September 2021, 13.00-18.30

Website: https://www.scholarsofsustenance.org/zero-summit

Phone: 088-308-9978 (Kie) 095-553-2795 (Earth)

Email: Info@scholarsofsustenance.org

Scholars of Sustenance Foundation Thailand (SOS) - The first food rescue foundation in Thailand established in 2016. Our mission is to improve food equity in the country by rescuing and redistributing good quality surplus food from food related businesses and suppliers to vulnerable communities in Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, and other places in the country every day. To date, SOSs programs rescued approximately 2.9 million kgs of surplus food, served 12 million meals to 548 communities, and reduced 5.6 million kgs of C02 creation if the food were wasted.
On Demand

We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet.

In-Room VDO
Witness testimony deferred in trial of Bangla shooter cop

PHUKET: Witness testimonies in the trial of Pornthep Channarong, the corporal with the Phuket Provincial Police who was drunk off-duty when he shot 25-year-old noodle vendor Aroon Thongplab in the stomach on Bangla Rd in Patong in February, has been deferred, The Phuket News has confirmed.

patongpoliceviolencecrime

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 8 September 2021, 03:05PM

Mr Aroon in this picture taken in June is seen enjoying being with his now 9-month-old son. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub / file

The deferment follows the first court session of the trial starting on Aug 23. Pornthep has been charged with attempted murder, carrying a firearm in a public area without necessary reason, and firing a weapon in a public area.

An officer at Phuket Provincial Court told Kulthida Chananan, Mr Aroons wife, that the reason given for the deferment was the current COVID-19 situation in Phuket.

The lawyer representing Pornthep said that it was not convenient for witnesses to come to the court to give their testimonies on that day, Ms Kulthida said.

Asked whether Pornthep was still in remand, Ms Kulthida said I think hes still in prison and has not been released on bail.

We had a court appointment to hear witness testimonies and examine evidence on August 23, but the lawyer of the policeman [Pornthep] filed a request to postpone the testimonies. No one informed me before that day, Ms Kulthida said.

On that day, I went to the court to be told that the testimony was postponed. Luckily, Lawyer Kerdphol did not come to Phuket on that day, she said.

Bangkok-based lawyer Kerdphol Kaewkerd, popular for taking up cases of gross injustice to protect the rights of those unable to afford legal representation, has volunteered to represent Mr Aroon and Ms Kulthida in court, with assistance from lawyer Phakin Jantira, based in Phuket Town.

Today, I am still waiting for a letter from the court about what date the testimony will be, Ms Kulthida told The Phuket News.

Her husband, Mr Aroon, left paralysed from the waist down after the bullet fired by Pornthep hit his spine, is well, but still recovering from recent surgery to clear an obstructed intestine, Ms Kulthida said.

His condition is still stable. He went through surgery on his intestines in hospital last month and was just discharged last week, she said.

Doctors told me that because he cannot make any movements like us, his organs in digestive system do not work well, leading to the intestinal obstruction, she explained.

Doctors had to cut about 45cm of his intestines out and left a big scar on his stomach. Right now, he needs to lay down all the time. He cannot sit up. We need to raise up the bed, so that we can give him food, Ms Kulthida added.

He had to stop physical therapy after being discharged from the hospital. For his lower parts are still the same. He is still unable to walk and feel anything from his waist down, she said.

He can speak, but not like normal people because he still has a tube and hole on his neck, she added.

Ms Kulthida express her thanks to all the people who have provided support for her and Mr Aroon, helping them with medical bills and getting by without any income while raising two young children.

I received money donated from expats on the island, and I have spent that money on buying a patient bed and air mattress for Aroon, she said, noting the valuable contribution that has made in caring for her husband.

Ms Kulthida offered The Phuket News to talk with Mr Aroon.

Asked how he was feeling at the time, he said shortly, I feel a little bit better, but I feel exhausted.
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NASAs Psyche spacecraft is in the midst of system integration and test at JPL. This image was taken on Aug. 18, less than a year from launch in August 2022.
Visitors look from the observation platform at the visitors center at the Flight 93 National Memorial, Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Shanksville, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
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EDWARDSVILLE  Eight people have been charged with felony mob action after a fight at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville early Saturday morning.

According to SIUE police reports, there was a report of multiple male subjects fighting another male subject at about 2:51 a.m. Saturday.

Charged were Deandre L. Jones, 19, Lanorris C. Redmond, 18, Amadre A. Harris, 19, and Larry T. McWilliams, 18, all of Markam; Leslie L. Brazier III, 18, of Fairview Heights; Javon L. Jones, 18, of Posen; and Remy C. McNeal, 19, and Daron M. Powell, 19, both of Chicago. Each was charged with one count of the Class 4 felony of mob action.

The cases were presented by the SIUE Police Department.

According to court records and police reports, the eight were allegedly kicking and punching another person.

Bail was set at $30,000 each. According to SIUE police, all but McNeal posted bond and were released.

Other felony charges filed Sept. 7 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Randall J. Hanstein Jr., 40, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated arson, a Class X felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Aug. 17 Hanstein allegedly set fire to a residence in the 2100 block of Delmar Avenue, Granite City, knowing or reasonably should have known that two people were in the residence. Bail was set at $250,000.

 Corey R. Ward, 45, of St. Louis, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, an enhanced Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Sept. 4 Ward allegedly was found to be in possession of a Sig Sauer .380 semi-automatic handgun. It was noted he has a prior conviction for resisting felony arrest out of St. Louis County in 2009, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Nakhia D. Reed, 18, of Mascoutah, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 5 Reed allegedly was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Taurus semi-automatic firearm with an extended magazine in her vehicle without a concealed carry license. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Ketric L. Giles, 26, of Belleville, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 5 Giles allegedly was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Taurus .38 caliber handgun in a vehicle without proper licensing. Bail was set at $40,000.

 Tariq J. Brooks, 20, of Granite City, was charged with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Sept. 7 Brooks allegedly was found to be in possession of a Smith & Wesson .380 Shield EZ semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number. Bail was set at $15,000.
ALTON  In recent months, Haiti has suffered from a 7.2 earthquake, a tropical storm and the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.

Pastor Jim Johnston, minister of the First Christian Church in Alton, is calling for support.

Johnston is the chairman of the board of the Christian Mission South Haiti (CMSH), an organization that is raising money to provide food, water, tents and tarps to the Haitians that have had 53,000 homes destroyed and 130,000 homes damaged. Currently, 2,189 have died and 344 people are still missing.

Since so many people have lost their homes in the earthquake, we need tarps and tents to set up temporary shelters, he said.

One of our problems is getting supplies from the international airport in Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes, Johnston said. There are three evil criminal gangs that are robbing and killing drivers in trucks transporting goods. It takes more money than usual to get the supplies to the people of Les Cayes that they so desperately need.

The Christian Mission of South Haiti has been in Haiti for 30 years trying to provide religion and education to the children of Haiti. Currently, the group oversees 10 churches and operates a school that provides education for 150 students grades 1-8 grade. In the past, the group ran a high school but were unable to staff the high school with teachers.

CMSH has raised between $8,000 and $10,000. To donate send checks to CMSH, 760 Washington, Alton, IL 62002 or visit https://www.christianmissionsouthhaiti.com.
BOSTON (AP)  Bostons top mayoral hopefuls are scrambling to get as many of their voters as possible to the polls ahead of next Tuesdays preliminary election that will almost certainly for the first time narrow the field of mayoral contenders to two candidates of color, possibly both women.

Throughout its history, Boston has only elected white men as mayor. The election marks a shift in the city's political landscape.

Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, who has held a lead over the other top four candidates in a handful of recent polls, is planning a rally on Saturday in the citys Chinatown neighborhood with her former Harvard Law School professor  U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The citys early voting period, which began Saturday, runs through Friday.

The other candidates are focusing much of their attention on each other as they work to secure the second spot on the November ballot.

Earlier this year acting Mayor Kim Janey became the first Black Bostonian and first woman to occupy the citys top office after former Mayor Marty Walsh stepped down to become President Joe Bidens labor secretary.

On Tuesday, Janey traded barbs with Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, who is also Black, with Campbell calling on Janey to disavow a political action committee that launched a radio ad targeting Campbell.

Janeys campaign manager responded in a statement saying Campbells entire campaign has been made up of negative political attacks on Janey,

City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, who is also scrambling for a slot on the November ballot, has also targeted Janey, who has used the higher public profile of the mayors office to help propel her campaign.

John Barros, the citys former economic development chief, has struggled to gain traction against the other candidates.

Janey is narrowly leading the fundraising race with her total fundraising since January topping $1.5 million as of Tuesday.

The candidate with the second highest fundraising total is Campbell who has raised more than $1.4 million since January, according to the state Office and Campaign and Political Finance.

Shes followed closely by two other city councilors  Wu and Essaibi George  both of whom have raised more than $1.3 million.

Barros has raised $644,000.

Wus parents immigrated to the United States from Taiwan. Essaibi George describes herself as a first generation Arab-Polish American. Barros is of Cape Verdean descent.

All the candidates are Democrats. Mayoral races in Boston do not include party primaries. The two top vote earners in the Sept. 14 preliminary election will face off on Nov. 2.

All five are scheduled to participate in their first televised debate Wednesday.

Wednesday is also the last day to apply to vote by mail in the preliminary election. Applications must arrive at the city election office by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order for a ballot to be mailed, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin.

Any voter who wants to cast their ballot by mail can apply by submitting a signed request for a ballot by drop box, email, fax, or by mail. Emailed applications must include an image of a hand-written signature.

Since the U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to seven days for mail delivery, Galvin is urging voters to use drop boxes to submit applications and ballots  especially in the 15 cities across the state, including Boston, holding elections on Sept. 14.

The mail can take up to a week to be delivered, so if you havent returned your ballot already, you should use a drop box if you can, Galvin said in a press release. If you havent applied yet, keep in mind that your application will need to reach your city election office by 5 p.m. tomorrow and you will likely need to use a drop box to return your ballot.

Voters still have the option of casting their ballot in person.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Godfrey woman faces several fraud, theft and forgery charges stemming from home service time sheets.

The case was filed Tuesday by the Illinois Attorney Generals Office.

Marqkita M Byrd, 36, of Godfrey, was charged Sept. 7 with vendor fraud and two counts of theft, all Class 1 felonies, and one count of forgery, a Class 3 felony.

According to court documents, between June 20, 2017 and Jan. 2, 2020, Byrd submitted false time sheets to the Illinois Department of Human Service for payment of between $10,000 and $100,000, and made or altered documents to commit fraud.

Bail was set at $150,000.

Other felonies filed Sept. 7 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Isaiah N. Morrissette, 18, of Alton, was charged with criminal damage to property over $500, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 3 Morrissette allegedly damaged a television, end table, closet door, carpet and other items at a residence in the 1100 block of Putnam. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Dkayla D. Coleman, 19, of East St. Louis, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. On Sept. 4 Coleman allegedly took clothing valued in excess of $300 from Hibbit Sports, 2302 Troy Road, Edwardsville. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Corey E. Willis, 30, of St. Louis, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Sept. 3 Willis allegedly took beer valued at less than $300 from the Granite City Quiktrip. He has a prior conviction for theft out of Angola County, Texas in March. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Robert Pospischel, 54, listed as homeless out of Granite City, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. On Sept. 6 Pospischel allegedly took ribeye steaks valued at less than $300 from Market Basket in Edwardsville. It was noted he has a prior conviction for retail theft out of Madison County in 2011. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Eddie L. Adams Jr., 30, of East St. Louis, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Sept. 5 Adams allegedly took beer valued at less than $300 from the Granite City Schnucks. He has a 2017 St. Clair County conviction for retail theft. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Walter T. Borello, 51, of Alton, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Sept. 6 Borello allegedly took cat food and kitty litter valued at less than $300 from the Godfrey Walmart, 6660 Godfrey Road. It was noted he has a prior conviction of larceny by employee out of Haywood County, North Carolina in 2008. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Thelma D. Jordan, 32, of Alton, was charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 4 Jordan allegedly was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Impala when she attempted to flee from an Alton police officer, disobeying two or more traffic control devices. Bail was set at $25,000.
ALTON  Illinois American Water (IAW) has lifted the boil water order issued to a large portion of the city of Alton customers. Customers can resume normal water usage.

During the boil water order, a series of water-quality tests were performed to confirm drinking water met regulatory drinking water standards. Samples were taken from sites in the affected area and tests confirmed the water meets all state and federal requirements. It is no longer necessary for customers to boil their water before drinking or cooking.
JERSEYVILLE  Long-time Jersey County Coroner Larry Alexander, who died unexpectedly Monday, is being remembered as a good human being.

Alexander, 57, died Sept. 6 at his home. First elected coroner in 1992, he was the longest serving coroner in Jersey Countys history.

Larry was above all just a good human being, said Jersey County States Attorney Ben Goetten. The job of coroner carries with it some unique responsibilities, moments an ordinary person may not be able to bear, like telling a family member their loved one has passed. But Larry was far from ordinary and in those moments he excelled.

Goetten said Alexander had a human connection with inherent grace and empathy.

You cant teach it or be trained to do it, he added. You have it or you dont, and Mr. Alexander had it in spades.

Carl Crawford, of Crawford Funeral Home, wrote a tribute to Alexander on his funeral homes Facebook page.

Our community had been dealt a huge loss in unexpected death of Larry Joe Alexander, it stated. He was a loyal friend, a professional and dedicated funeral director and coroner, a devout Christian, and most importantly a loving husband and dad.

I am thankful for his friendship, his advice, his wicked sense of humor and thankful that God placed him and his family here in Jerseyville, it said. We were and are blessed to have them as a part of our community.

Crawford noted they had been friends for many years, and it was Alexanders influence that he joined the profession.

Although we both had funeral homes in the same town and were competitors, first and foremost, we remained friends, Crawford continued. I cant begin to tell you how many times Larry bailed me out of binds  whether it was loaning me his hearse, because I somehow managed to schedule two funerals at the same time, offering me a casket he had on hand when Id forget to order one, or be there as sounding board when one of us would have a daunting situation and would need to be talked down from the ledge.

The Jersey County Board has 60 days to appoint a new coroner, who must be a Republican. That person will hold the position until a special election in November 2022. The position will be up again in 2024.

Alexander, a Republican, was unopposed in the 2020 general election. Goetten said he transcended politics.

He could have run as a candidate in the Whig Party and been elected overwhelmingly, Goetten said. He had an excellent sense of humor and a deep love for his family. Were truly going to miss him.

Alexander was a Jerseyville native and a graduate of Jersey Community High School in 1982. He attended and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.

In 1985 he started working at Gubser Funeral Home, eventually becoming the owner and naming it Alexander & Gubser Funeral Home. Last year it became Alexander Funeral Home.

He married the late Julie Ann Calvey in June 1989 and had two daughters. His wife died in 2016 after battling cancer.

On Wednesday Alexanders daughters released a statement.

Dad was truly one of a kind. He was so many things to so many people he was quick to comfort, to make a joke, and to be there with a helping hand, it said. Dad cared so very much for each and every family that he came into contact with throughout his time at the funeral home and Coroners office.

His compassion and laughter will be missed greatly by everyone who knew him, they said. Us girls and the entire Alexander family have felt his loss so deeply, but feel so blessed to have had him on this earth for 57 years.

Visitation is planned 4-8 p.m. Friday at First Assembly of God Church, 500 Cross Ave., Jerseyville. A Masonic Service will be held by the Graton Full Moon Masonic Lodge at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, followed by funeral services at 10 a.m., with pastors Adam Smith and Sonny Renken officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.
JERSEYVILLE  A Jerseyville man is facing domestic battery charges after allegedly attacking two family members.

Jeremy W.L. Jones, 23, of Jerseyville, was charged Sept. 1 with two counts of domestic battery, both Class 4 felonies, and unlawful possession of hypodermic syringe or needle, a Class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, on Aug. 30 Jones allegedly pushed one household or family member to the ground and grabbed anther by the neck and punched them. He was also allegedly found to be in possession of two hypodermic syringes.

Bail was set at $25,000.

In May Jones was charged with several felony and misdemeanor weapons charges and violating an order of protection.

According to court documents, on May 21 Jones allegedly was found to be in possession of a knife with a nine-inch blade, and a pair of brass knuckles. Because he has a felony conviction out of Kansas, possession of those weapons is against the law.

He also had allegedly violated an order of protection by making contact with a protected person by going to their residence.

Other recent felony filings by the Jersey County States Attorneys Office include:

 David A. Pace, 56, of Otterville, was charged Sept. 1 with theft, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, in August Pace allegedly took a catalytic converter from a 2002 Grand Prix belonging to another person. He has a 2019 Madison County conviction for a related charge. Bail was set at $10,000. On Aug. 16 Pace was charged with burglary, a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison. According to court documents, on Aug. 14 he allegedly entered a building/garage in the 200 block of East Main Street, Otterville, to commit theft.

 Jaylen Kewuan Gunn, 25, no address given, was charged Aug. 30 with obtain substance by fraud, a Class 4 felony. On Aug. 28 Gunn allegedly used a forged prescription pad to obtain codeine. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Katherine E. Alexander, 42, of Otterville, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony. On Aug. 31 Alexander allegedly was found to be in possession of between 5-15 grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Judith W. Brannan, 47, of Jerseyville, was charged Sept. 2 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. On Sept. 1 Brannan allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Terry L. Jackson, 52, of East Prairie, Jerseyville, was charged Sept. 2 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. On Sept. 1 Jackson allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Dennis R. Perkinson, 53, of Jerseyville, was charged Aug. 31 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. On Aug. 30 Perkinson allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000.

 Devin P. Dixon, 22, of OFallon, Missouri, was charged Aug. 31 with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, a Class 4 felony, and obstructing a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor. On Aug. 30 Dixon allegedly was driving a 2014 Yamaha FZ 09 on Illinois 109 at Davidson Road when he tried to elude a peace officer, reaching speeds in excess of 21 miles above the posted speed limit. He also allegedly tried to pull away from two Jersey County deputies who were attempting to arrest him after he wrecked his motorcycle. Bail was set at $25,000.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Local officials in Ethiopia alleged Wednesday that Tigray forces have killed more than 120 civilians in recent days following battlefield losses, in what would be one of the deadliest massacres of the East African nation's 10-month war. Tigray forces denied killing civilians.

Sewunet Wubalem, administrator for the Dabat district in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region, told The Associated Press that 123 bodies had been recovered and more were expected to be found.

The attack on Sept. 4 was the most severe one, especially in the village of Chenna Teklehaymanot, the administrator said, adding the attack began on Aug. 27 after Ethiopian forces blocked an attempt by Tigray fighters to seize the city of Gondar.

Local residents blamed the Tigray forces for looting, shelling and killing civilians, Sewunet said. Children, mothers and even religious elders were also targeted, he said.

The death toll could be as high as 200, said Bekele Yitbarek, head of the North Gondar Health Bureau. As far as I know, some (Tigray) fighters are still hiding in between farms and are continuing their killings."

The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission in a brief statement said it has learned that civilians who were unable to flee when the town came under control of (Tigray) forces stayed behind on the assurance that that no harm will come to them if they supply them with food. Citing residents and local authorities, it said the people were killed by retreating Tigray forces as Ethiopian and regional forces approached.

The Tigray forces in a statement on Wednesday called the allegations fabricated" by the Amhara regional government.

A spokesman for the Tigray forces, Getachew Reda, told the AP last month that Tigray forces arent targeting civilians as they fight in Ethiopias Amhara and Afar regions.

But multiple witnesses even before the latest killings have alleged otherwise.

The conflict in Ethiopias Tigray region has spread into other areas in recent weeks, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. The Tigray forces say they are trying to pressure the government to lift the near-complete blockade on food aid and other essential supplies to their region as some 400,000 people there face a famine.

Ethiopia's government has called on all able citizens to join the effort to stop the Tigray forces once and for all, urging students and others into basic military training.

The United Nations, the United States and others are pressing for an immediate cease-fire and a path to talks to end a war that has killed thousands of people in Africa's second-most populous country.
EDWARDSVILLE  R.P. Lumber Co., Inc., has announced the rebranding of all 22 Stock + Field locations it acquired through the bankruptcy process this past spring to their new name, R.P. Home & Harvest.

As of Sept. 7 a complete interior, exterior and online rebranding will begin projected to be completed within 30 days.

Founded in 1964 in Watseka as Big R stores, the chain was acquired in 2018 and renamed Stock + Field. Earlier this year it entered bankruptcy and liquidation. R.P. Lumber Co., Inc. stepped in this past spring and kept the stores operating after a complete liquidation under prior ownership.

R.P. Home & Harvest will offer quality products essential to rural lifestyles at affordable prices. Many of the new products and operational changes within the stores were specifically driven by the recent Its Your Store campaign where input was sought from customers across the 22 locations. More than 4,000 customers participated in the digital and in-store campaign.

These stores have a decades-long tradition as being a part of the fabric of the community, and our intentions remain steadfast, said Jason Plummer, Vice-President of R.P. Lumber and President of R.P. Home & Harvest. We want R.P. Home & Harvest to be an extension of the culture of service weve cultivated at R.P. Lumber over the years.

Based in Edwardsville, R.P. Lumber Co., Inc. is a family-owned retailer operating 74 full-service hardware and building material stores throughout Illinois, Missouri, Wyoming and Iowa. The company was founded in Staunton in 1977 by Chairman/CEO Robert L. Plummer.

We primarily serve small and medium size communities, he said. Retailers like us can often be one of the top employers and sales tax generators in the area. We saw an opportunity to breathe life into these economies and keep good, hardworking people employed.

Our customers played a key role in renaming our stores, he said. We received over 2,500 suggestions via our website and social media pages and took each one into consideration. We now hope to pick up where Big R left off and will continue to earn the respect of our customers through good old fashioned hard work and customer service.

Jason Plummer thanked the stores employees for their help during the transition.

Taking these empty stores that had just gone through some very rough times and then, in this economic environment, hiring nearly 1,000 great team members and refilling the shelves in such a short period of time was a monumental task and it could not have happened without great employees and great vendor partners, he said. We sincerely thank them and look forward to what the future brings as we all move forward together.

This is our passion  providing jobs, opportunity, and a best-in-class shopping experience in small town USA, he said. Our goal is to bring value and great service to our customers and make sure they have what they need at home, at work, or on the farm.

In addition to a tactile shopping experience at its brick-and-mortar locations, R.P. Home & Harvest plans to offer more than 100,000 products online at www.homeandharvest.com.
EDWARDSVILLE  Two men were charged Tuesday in connection with an alleged Aug. 31 armed robbery in Alton.

Desmond M. Murphy, 19, of Cahokia, and DAngelo A. Adams, 21, of Belleville, were each charged Sept. 7 with armed robbery, a Class X felony.

The cases were presented by the Alton Police Department.

According to court documents, on Aug. 31 the two allegedly took an iPhone and $40 to $50 in U.S. currency from another man after threatening him with a handgun.

Bail was set at $100,000 each.

Other felony charges filed Sept. 7 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Nickolas D. Roberts, 26, of Alton, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 6 Roberts allegedly picked up an ex-girlfriend and dragged her on rocks, causing injuries to her head. Bail was set at $75,000.

 Roger P. Galbraith, 39, of Edwardsville, was charged with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Sept. 3 Galbraith allegedly punched a household or family member in the face. He has a 2012 Madison County conviction for violating an order of protection. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Joshua K. Moss, 34, of St. Louis, was charged with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Sept. 6 Moss allegedly slapped a household or family member. He has a 2019 conviction for domestic assault out of St. Louis. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Uriah N. Musgrave, 23, of Alton, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Sept. 3 Musgrave allegedly struck an Alton Police officer in the abdomen during an arrest. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Lydia I. Chester, 39, of East Alton, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Sept. 6 Chester allegedly pushed a senior citizen. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Latasha L. Taylor, 36, of Sikeston, Missouri, was charged with aggravated assault, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Sept. 5 Taylor allegedly drove a vehicle directly at a Granite City Police officer. Bail was set at $25,000.
CAIRO (AP)  A United Nations panel said Wednesday that at least 18,000 Yemeni civilians have been killed or wounded by airstrikes since the countrys war escalated in 2015.

In a report presented to the Human Rights Council, a group of experts named by the U.N. said that Yemens people have been subjected to some 10 airstrikes a day, a total of more than 23,000 since March 2015.

The report, which cited the Yemen Data Project for the airstrike figures, found both sides in the war to have violated international law. The project, a local data gathering operation, attributes all of the airstrikes to the Saudi-led coalition.

Meanwhile the coalitions rivals, the Houthi rebels, have shelled neighborhoods, camps for the displaced, an airport and markets, leading to the deaths of dozens, according to the U.N. experts.

Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis took control of the capital of Sanaa and much of the northern part of the country, forcing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led coalition, backed at the time by the U.S., entered the war in March 2015 to try restore Hadi to power, and threw its support behind his internationally backed government. Despite a relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has deteriorated largely into a stalemate, also spawning the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. has since suspended its direct involvement in the conflict.

Neither the Saudi-led coalition nor the Houthis immediately responded to requests for comment on the report. In the past, both have leveled charges at their opponents for bearing the greater responsibility for civilian deaths.

The true toll of the conflict remains in question, due to limited access to some of the remote areas in which it is conducted. In December 2020, the U.N.'s humanitarian body said that the war had caused more than 200,000 deaths, including more than 100,000 from indirect causes such as starvation and preventable causes due to lack of basic services. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which collects conflict data internationally, says that the war has killed 144,620 people between 2015 and now.

The U.N. report pointed towards the airstrikes having been committed by the Saudi-led coalition, without directly accusing it.

The Houthis do not have a functional air force, but they have launched attacks by explosive-laden drones that have left causalities among civilians. They rely on ground-fired missiles and rockets, largely.

The group criticized the coalition for failing to share details of how it determined what would be the targets of certain attacks that resulted in the deaths of children and women. It also said the coalitions own investigating body had found technical error" to be responsible in cases of civilian death without any subsequent changes to operations.

Both sides were found to have made targets of key health facilities and food supply chain infrastructure.

Among the shelling incidents investigated was a December 2020 attack at Aden international airport that killed at least 25 people moments after a plane carrying new members of the internationally recognized government arrived. U.N. experts have previously said the attack could be fairly conclusively attributed to Houthi-fired rockets.

The U.N. report said the continued sale of weapons to both sides of the war has exacerbated the fighting. It said countries that have continued arms transfers to Yemen are Canada, France, Iran, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Showers and thundershowers early, then overcast overnight with occasional rain. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

Mostly cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
London, KY (40741)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Showers tapering off early with foggy conditions overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
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
The secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its Spanish acronym), Manuel Cidre Miranda, recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to strengthen commercial ties and identify areas of opportunity with the neighboring country.

Cidres first official visit to the Dominican Republic will mark the basis for the visit of Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in December, where important agreements will be signed that will expand relations between the two neighboring nations.

The DDEC secretarys agenda included meetings with representatives of the Dominican government, education, businesses, unions and medical device sectors established in the countrys free trade zones.

In the meeting with the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Pena, the two agreed to share the strengths of both countries in the face of the pandemic, the situation in Haiti and the challenges for the future. The meetings with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Small and Midsize Businesses of the Dominican Republic, Victor Bisono, as well as with Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, revolved around uniting both nations on their respective agendas in Washington, D.C., aimed at strengthening the region in an integrated manner.

DDEC Pushes the Promotion of Local Businesses Includes selling to the local government and encouraging exports

In general, Puerto Rico maintains a trade surplus with the Dominican Republic (Puerto Ricos exports are greater than its imports), with the exception of 2020, when Puerto Ricos imports were more than exports. By 2020, total trade between the two markets was estimated at $858 million, exports represented about $396 million and imports, $462 million. Business opportunities with the Dominican Republic include medical supplies and equipment, pharmaceuticals, construction products, renewable energy systems, and equipment for hotels and restaurants.

The COVID pandemic notwithstanding, since 2010, the Dominican Republics gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual average of 5.8 percent, making the country the fastest-growing in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In addition to the meetings with government sectors, the DDEC team held meetings with the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic, the National Council of Private Companies, the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic, and the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic in order to promote commercial exchange between both markets, identifying areas of real opportunity.

The Caribbean needs and deserves to be more relevant in economic and social development - we cannot wait any longer. The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico need to optimize their strengths in all sectors, from education to the import and export of services, technology and investment, as well as sharing best practices so that we make the region relevant to the whole world, Cidre stated.

DDEC Highlights Efforts to Increase Competitiveness Outlines strategic pillars to boost the economy

Part of the agenda included visits to various industries and key business projects to exchange ideas and foster alliances that promote greater economic development opportunities for the region.

Such was the case of Cidres visit to the Santo Domingo Cybernetic Park, a public-private ecosystem that serves as an innovation and knowledge hub where the educational, business and government sectors join forces to boost the Dominican economy and insert it into the global market. According to the secretary, this type of project is a great example of successful alliances between the private sector, academia and government in favor of economic development.

The agenda also included a visit to the company Edwards Lifesciences, specialized in the manufacture of medical devices for critical care monitoring and replacement of heart valves. Likewise, Cidre participated in the inauguration of the Visitor Center of the company Cortes Hermanos, a commercial icon for more than 90 years in the Dominican market. Cortes Hermanos is the largest cocoa processor in the Caribbean basin, with the capacity to process roughly 8,000 tons of cocoa a year.

For his part, Nelson Torres, the executive director of the Office of the Government of Puerto Rico in the Dominican Republic expressed that the visit was a very productive one because we managed to establish a genuine commitment and strengthen commercial ties between both islands, while creating alliances with the different business associations for the benefit of bilateral economic development.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 76F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 76F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
The battle for Morrisons is set to be decided in a head-to-head auction between two private equity bidders.

The supermarkets bosses have asked the Takeover Panel to extend the process until October 18 to allow time for a showdown between Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) and rival suitor Fortress.

The dramatic finale to the three-month takeover tussle pits former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leah, who is fronting the pursuit for CD&R, against Joshua A Pack, the chisel-jawed American go-getter behind the Fortress bid.

Auction: Morrisons bosses have asked the Takeover Panel to extend the process until October 18 to allow time for a showdown between Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and rival suitor Fortress

Morrisons directors initially rejected a 5.5billion bid from CD&R before backing two offers from Fortress, the final one in early August worth 272p a share or 6.7billion.

The board then switched horse on August 19 when CD&R increased its bid to 285p a share or 7billion.

But Fortress has remained in the hunt, forcing the Takeover Panel to intervene to end the uncertainty facing Morrisons, its staff and suppliers.

The parties held talks this week to agree on the details of the auction, which typically lasts between one and five days, with the bids put to shareholders next month.

The takeover tussle pits former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy (left), who is fronting the pursuit for CD&R, against Joshua A Pack (right), the chisel-jawed American go-getter for Fortress

Shares rose 0.5 per cent, or 1.3p, to 292.4p as investors hoped the auction would draw out higher bids, making Morrisons Britains second largest supermarket by value behind Tesco.

Wealth firm Cinven snapped up Private equity group Cinven is snapping up wealth manager True Potential for 2.5billion  handing bosses and staff a huge pay day. The London buyout firm has beaten other suitors, which were rumoured to include billionaire Bernard Arnault and rival Hellman & Friedman. True Potential, run by father-and-son team David and Daniel Harrison, looks after around 20billion of savers money and is seen as a serious competitor to the likes of Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell.

It is now valued at 7.02billion compared to the 6.98billion market capitalisation of Sainsburys and 19.8billion of Tesco.

Three months ago, before the supermarkets attracted interest, Morrisons was worth just 4.3billion and Sainsburys was valued at 6.3billion.

The final stretch of the takeover battle has been accompanied by a war of words. Fortress, backed by the billionaire Koch family and the Singapore sovereign wealth fund, has sought to paint CD&R as short-term investors who will flip the business for a quick profit.

Sources close to CD&R hit back saying that, unlike its rival, it has experience in UK retail from its long and successful investment in the discount chain B&M.

Morrisons will today reveal its half-year results, with analysts expecting it to report profits of around 240million.

The fight for Morrisons is the most high-profile amid a raft of bids and counter-bids, reflecting private equitys appetite for UK Plc.

CD&R and Fortress have been forced to make far-reaching pledges to protect the legacy of the supermarkets founding family, avoid asset sales and protect jobs.

However, critics warned the promises are not legally binding. Morrisons said that given a competitive situation continues to exist between Fortress and CD&R it has asked the Takeover Panel to intervene and conduct an auction.

In a statement to the stock market, it went on: In addition to the financial terms of any offer, the Morrisons board continues to place very significant emphasis on the wider responsibilities of ownership of Morrisons.

These responsibilities include a recognition of the importance to Morrisons of all stakeholders, including colleagues, customers, pension trustees and suppliers as well as the distinct heritage and history of Morrisons and the legacy of Sir Ken Morrison.
Tifton, GA (31794)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
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Cresaptown, MD (21502)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High around 85F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Barre, VT (05641)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Diane C. Jones, age 59, of Thomasville passed away on September 12, 2021. She was born on July 3, 1962, daughter of the late Leon and Ruth Jones. Diane was a 1980 Thomas County Central graduate and went on to graduate from technical school for respiratory therapy. She was employed with Archb
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina health officials on Tuesday released a report showing 170 ongoing COVID-19 clusters in K-12 schools or child care settings.

While the state Department of Health and Human Services said it does not have data on the number of pupils quarantined statewide or the share of those forced to miss school without a remote learning option, districts without mask-wearing requirements are seeing substantially more spread of the virus and hours of lost learning among students.

Union County Public Schools, which voted down a proposal last month to require mask wearing in the states sixth-largest public school district, reported about one in 8 of the more than 41,000 students in the district were under quarantine, as of Friday. The more than 5,200 students were placed under quarantine after 337 pupils tested positive for the virus last week.

Meanwhile, the Wake County Public School System, where masks are mandatory and which is four times larger than Union County Public Schools, has less than a fourth the number of students quarantined. Data from the Wake County district shows less than 1,300 of its more than 161,000 pupils were quarantined last week.

In Durham County, where face coverings are also mandatory, the public school district with nearly 31,000 pupils learning in person reported 97 new cases among students last week.

The weekly report state health officials updated on Tuesday shows the Union Academy Charter School in Monroe has the worst cluster in North Carolina, with 111 positive cases, including 98 among children. This amounts to about one in 20 of the charter schools students being infected. Charter Day School in Brunswick County has the next highest cluster of 81 infected children, followed distantly by Emereau Charter School in Bladen County with 31 infections among students.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 COVID-19 boosters are coming but who will get them and when?

 Idaho hospitals begin rationing health care amid COVID surge

 Indian state battered by COVID now on alert for Nipah virus

 First responders nationwide resist COVID vaccine mandate

 Read AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

ATLANTA  Another Georgia school district is switching to virtual learning, after three school bus employees have died from COVID-19 in recent weeks.

The 9,700-student Griffin-Spalding County school system made the announcement late Monday, citing a disruption in student transportation.

Districts across Georgia are struggling to line up enough drivers and monitors to keep buses running. In Savannah, some bus drivers staged a sickout for the second day on Tuesday after a similar protest Friday.

At least 210,000 Georgia students in 54 districts and charter networks have had their school schedules disrupted because of COVID-19. Some districts have taken days off, some shifted to every-other-day schedules and some sent home individual schools or grades. Thats more than 12% of Georgias 1.7 million public school students.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Georgia hospitals remains above 6,000, the highest level since the start of the pandemic. The number of newly reported cases has decreased in recent days, although cases remain near all-time high levels.

More than 34,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported among Georgia children aged 5-17 in the two weeks ended Sept. 2, according to state data, with more than 125 infection clusters reported in K-12 schools during that period.

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SEATTLE  Fans attending most pro sporting events in Seattle will soon be required to show proof theyve been vaccinated against COVID-19 or that theyve tested negative for the virus.

The NFLs Seahawks, MLSs Sounders, NHLs Kraken and MLBs Mariners, along with the University of Washington and Washington State University, all announced updated policies Tuesday for fans attending games this season.

The Seahawks will be the first to implement the requirements, starting with their Sept. 19 home opener against Tennessee. Fans will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test taken within 72 hours of the event to be granted entry.

Team president Chuck Arnold said in a statement that the measures will allow for a full stadium while keeping the experience safe.

Washington will begin an identical verification process for fans with its Sept. 25 home game against California. The Sounders will begin with their Oct. 3 match against Colorado. Washington State said its verification process will begin in October.

The Mariners said fans should plan to provide proof of vaccination for any potential postseason games the team hosts. The team also said all front office, event staff and Mariners employees at team operated facilities in the U.S. were told in late August they must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 4 as a condition of employment.

While the other Seattle teams are permitting a negative test to gain entry, the Kraken will only allow vaccinated fans at games.

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FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va.  West Virginias largest annual festival will require most people in attendance to wear masks when Bridge Day is held next month.

The Bridge Day Commission says masks will be required at the festival regardless of vaccination status, and social distancing must be observed whenever possible.

Tens of thousands of people typically show up on the third Saturday of October to watch parachutists, zip liners and rappellers on the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. Exceptions to the mask mandate include those thrillseekers at the time of their participation.

The announcement comes as officials in nearby Oak Hill are telling anyone who attended the Oak Leaf Festival to get tested for the virus after some workers and volunteers tested positive for COVID-19.

Last years Bridge Day event was canceled due to the pandemic.

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PARIS  French doctors and scientists are calling on authorities to take action against the insults and threats  including death threats  that they have frequently received during the pandemic.

The doctors say they fear someone from the world of conspiracy theories will act not just against them but against other medical professionals. They condemn what they call silence by authorities.

Physician Jerome Marty, who heads a union for doctors in private practice, says some have been receiving regular death threats for months via social media, email, telephone or the postal service.

Some have engaged bodyguards, Marty says: We are targets.

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BROOKFIELD, Ill.  Animals at Brookfield Zoo in suburban Chicago are getting their own COVID-19 vaccinations.

Primates, small carnivores, big cats and bears will be among the first to get shots.

Dr. Mike Adkesson, vice president of clinical medicine at the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo, says it is known that a variety of species can transmit and be sickened by coronaviruses.

Adkesson says vaccinating animals is not only important for their own health, but healthy animals help keep humans healthy, too.

Similar vaccination programs have started at zoos in Detroit and elsewhere. Like humans, the animals get two doses about three weeks apart.

The Zoetis-made vaccine has been authorized by the federal government and Illinois officials.

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OMAHA, Neb.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing that meatpacking workers and farm workers who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible for grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program.

Officials say the grants are meant to defray some of the costs workers bore as many of them bought their own protective equipment or took unpaid leave as the virus tore through their industries even as they were required to keep showing up for work.

Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, says meatpacking plants saw some of the deadliest outbreaks and their workers deserve support.

While the rest of America could work from home," Perrone said, "these brave men and women continued to show up for work every single day to ensure that we all food on our tables that we could eat.

The UFCW union, which represents roughly 80% of the nations beef and pork workers and 33% of its poultry workers, estimates that at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers were infected with or exposed to the virus.

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PHOENIX  Arizona's attorney general says Tucsons vaccine mandate for city employees is illegal.

Mark Brnovich's decision gives the city 30 days to repeal the mandate or lose millions of dollars in state funding.

Brnovich cites a state law approved this summer banning local governments from mandating vaccines for their employees. It takes effect later this month. Brnovich also cites an August executive order signed by Gov. Doug Ducey.

Last month a Pima County judge rejected a Tucson police unions challenge of the mandate.

A spokesman for Tucson Mayor Regina Romero did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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BOISE, Idaho  Idaho public health leaders have activated crisis standards of care for the states northern hospitals because there are more coronavirus patients than the institutions can handle.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is warning residents they may not be able to get the care they expect because of a severe shortage of staffing and available beds caused by a massive increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The measure includes 10 hospitals and health care systems in north-central Idaho and the panhandle. It lets hospitals allot scarce resources like intensive care unit rooms to those most likely to survive.

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GENEVA  The head of a top association of pharmaceutical makers says they are now churning out coronavirus vaccine doses at a rate of about 1.5 billion per month, so wealthy governments that have been sitting on stockpiles no longer need to do so.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations says rising production can help offset gaping inequalities in vaccine access that have left developing countries far behind.

IFPMA director-general Thomas Cueni says 7.5 billion doses have been produced so far. He adds that an independent adviser projects that 12 billion would be available worldwide by year-end and nearly twice that by next June.

At those rates wealthy G7 nations could vaccinate their populations sufficiently  including booster shots  and still have enough to donate 1.2 billion doses to other countries.

Critics have accused the industry of putting profits over people. Key manufacturers like Pfizer and Moderna have reported huge surges in revenues and earnings behind sales of their mRNA vaccines.

The World Health Organization has repeatedly called on governments and manufacturers to do more to ensure that vaccines are distributed more equally. It says the pandemic can fester and worsen, such as with the emergence of new variants, if large parts of the world remain unvaccinated. The WHO has also praised the industrys rapid development and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

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LONDON  The U.K. has reported its biggest daily rise in coronavirus deaths in six months, at a time when new infections are expected to rise further with children returning to school.

Government figures on Tuesday show 209 new coronavirus-related deaths, taking the country's overall total to 133,483. It's the largest daily increase since March 9, when the country was in a strict lockdown.

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Figures reported on Tuesdays throughout the pandemic have tended to be higher because of weekend reporting lag effects. Over the past week, deaths are up 39% on the preceding week to 948.

Deaths are still lower than in previous waves of the pandemic, with nearly two-thirds of the U.K. population fully vaccinated.

Health officials are expected to decide soon whether children aged 12-15 will be able to get vaccinated.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanian health authorities say the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus now has sustained community transmission in the country, where new infections are surging.

The National Institute of Public Health says in a Tuesday report that of 2,563 variants of concern reported by seven laboratories, 807 were determined to be the delta strain. Of those delta cases, 184, or 22.8%, involved fully vaccinated people.

Where just a few dozen infections were being reported daily in mid-July in Romania, home to about 19 million people, on Tuesday more than 2,000 new cases were reported.

Overall, Romania has recorded more than 1.1 million COVID-19 infections and 34,762 deaths.

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MADRID  Over 8 million schoolchildren in Spain are returning to classes this week with masks social distancing as authorities try to boost vaccination rates among students.

The staggered return to schools varies by region and age group. It has been a cause of concern because vaccinations among the youngest started only in the past few weeks.

About 40% of students over 12 have received the two vaccine doses required to build the optimum level of immunization. Although Spain has little vaccine hesitancy, the government has launched campaigns on social media to motivate teenagers to get inoculated.

Officials are betting on in-class education for this year with no remote classes. Pupils will need to wear masks in classrooms and during recess time.

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HELSINKI  Finland will lift all remaining coronavirus restrictions after at least 80% of people over age 12 are fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin says that goal will likely be reached in October, at which time we will open the (Finnish) society and keep it open.

Marin says her governments updated COVID-19 strategy is more oriented toward reopening than its previous strategy of testing, tracking and quarantining, and the key to achieving it is more vaccinations.

Some 53% of Finlands over-12 population have received both vaccine doses and over 72% have had one jab.

Some coronavirus restrictions will begin phasing out gradually.

Restrictions on restaurants and pubs remain in effect in many parts of Finland. In the capital, Helsinki, they must shut down at 11 p.m.

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STOCKHOLM  Swedish officials say most coronavirus restrictions, including limits on gatherings and a work-from-home advisory, will be lifted Sept. 29.

Citing high vaccination rates, Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren says that we are heading a toward a normal everyday life, toward a society free of restrictions.

Officials say 70% of people over age 15 have gotten both vaccine shots and nearly 82% have received at least one dose.

Sweden, which had opted to keep large sections of society open during the pandemic, has seen more than 1.1 million COVID-19 cases and nearly 14,700 deaths. It has stood out among European nations for its comparatively hands-off response to the pandemic.

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SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bosnian authorities say only about 12% of the country's people have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, among the lowest rates in Europe.

The Civil Affairs Ministry reports that as of Sept. 3 some 600,000 people, about 18% of the population, have also received their first dose.

Vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Sinovac are available in the Balkan nation, whose health system is still recovering from the civil war in the 1990s.

Bosnia has recorded about 218,000 coronavirus cases overall and nearly 10,000 deaths.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lankan health authorities say 62% of people above age 20 have been fully vaccinated as the country grapples with amid an unprecedented surge of coronavirus cases and deaths due to the delta variant.

The government hopes that everyone over 20 will be fully vaccinated before the end of October. Sri Lanka has been using the Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines.

Aiming to hinder the spread of the virus, the country has imposed a pandemic lockdown from Aug. 20 through Sept. 13.

Doctors have warned that hospitals and morgues are reaching capacity.

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NOUMEA, New Caledonia  The French overseas territory of New Caledonia has reported its first three confirmed COVID-19 infections.

The remote Pacific Ocean archipelago had been coronavirus-free until now. Dr. Sebastien Mabon of the Department of Health and Social Affairs says the first cases were confirmed Monday and the virus has been circulating for a few days.

Authorities have responded by enacting a strict confinement measure for an initial period of 15 days. It is the third confinement in 18 months, following two that were implemented even before there were any confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Over 30% of the territory's population of some 270,000 have been vaccinated.
NEW YORK (AP)  Turn on your television.

Those words were repeated in millions of homes on Sept. 11, 2001. Friends and relatives took to the telephone: Something awful was happening. You have to see.

Before social media and with online news in its infancy, the story of the day when terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people unfolded primarily on television. Even some people inside New York's World Trade Center made the phone call. They felt a shudder, could smell smoke. Could someone watch the news and find out what was happening?

Most Americans were guided through the unimaginable by one of three anchors: Tom Brokaw of NBC News, Peter Jennings of ABC and Dan Rather of CBS.

They were the closest thing that America had to national leaders on 9/11, says Garrett Graff, author of The Only Plane in the Sky, an oral history of the attack. They were the moral authority for the country on that first day, fulfilling a very historical role of basically counseling the country through this tragedy at a moment its political leadership was largely silent and largely absent from the conversation.

The news media has changed in the ensuing 20 years, and some experts believe the same story would feel even more chaotic and terrifying if it broke today.

But on that day, when America faced the worst of humanity, it had three newsmen at the peak of their powers.

___

Brokaw, Rather and Jennings were the kings of broadcast news on Sept. 11, 2001. Competitive drive and ego had led them to that place. Each had anchored his network's evening newscasts for roughly two decades at that point. Each had extensive reporting experience before that  Brokaw and Rather at the White House during Watergate, Jennings primarily as a foreign correspondent.

While they weren't the only journalists on the air  CNN's Aaron Brown memorably narrated the scene from a New York rooftop, for example  ABC, CBS or NBC were the first choices for news.

Unlike today, when a TV studio is likely to be stuffed with people from many backgrounds when a big story breaks, back then it was pretty clear who was in charge.

The three of us were known because we had taken the country through other catastrophes and big events, Brokaw recalled this summer. The country didn't have to, if you will, dial around to see who knew what.

Each was in New York that morning. They rushed to their respective studios within an hour of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m.

Was it a terrible accident? The second plane bursting into the towers with a ball of flame, and scary reports from the Pentagon, answered that question but left many more.

Initial network reports were handled by journalists of considerable reputation: Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Bryant Gumbel, Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer. Yet the faces of the tragedy became a trio of legendary anchors  Brokaw, Jennings and Rather  reflecting an era of broadcasting where white men still commanded the top jobs.

It was clear that it was an attack on America, says Marcy McGinnis, who was in charge of breaking news at CBS that day. You want the most experienced person in that chair because they bring so much. They bring all of their life experience, they bring all of their anchoring experience.

It's hard to convey the confusion and anxiety they stepped into. At one point Brokaw wondered aloud whether damage to the towers would be so severe they would have to be taken down. Yet viewers could see that, moments earlier, most of one tower had already collapsed.

Things were happening too quickly to keep up.

The country needed some sort of stability, some sort of ground, says David Westin, ABC News president at the time. Where are we? What's going on? How bad can this get? It needed some sense of, Theres some things we do know and some things we don't know. But this is how we go forward from here.'

Those are usually duties handled by politicians who take to the airwaves at the first sign of a wildfire, hurricane, pandemic or some other disaster. Yet government leaders were kept out of sight for much of Sept. 11 until it was clear the attack was over.

Until late afternoon, President George W. Bush stayed in the air on Air Force One; then-primitive communications captured TV signals only intermittently, allowing the president to watch broadcast TV only when the plane flew over big cities.

The president's absence accentuated the importance of the television anchors and, in fact, led to anger by some members of the Bush administration toward Jennings that lingers to this day. Egged on by Rush Limbaugh, they felt Jennings slighted Bush in the way that he pointed out that the president was out of sight for several hours during the crisis. Westin said Jennings was misinterpreted.

___

On that day, each anchor exhibited particular strengths.

Brokaw, who had just authored The Greatest Generation, a book about those who fought World War II, was instantly able to put the event into context: We were witnessing history, he explained, and not just news.

He called it the biggest attack on U.S. soil since the War of 1812, said the profile of Manhattan had changed forever, that day-to-day life would not be the same. This has been a declaration of war on the United States, he told viewers.

Looking back, Brokaw says he felt it was his primary job to give viewers more than what they could see for themselves onscreen.

Throughout my career, I was constantly trying to think, Whats the big picture here? he says. I think that was especially true that day.

Rather would tap his foot on the brakes, reminding those watching to distinguish between fact and speculation. Before Twitter and Facebook existed, he cautioned that rumors would spread like mildew in a damp basement.

When he took over CBS coverage, he told viewers that the word of the day is steady, steady. Yes, there have been some terrible things happening but until and unless we know the facts, it's very difficult to draw many conclusions.

He reminded people that the whole city is not in smoke and flames, not by a long shot.

Sometimes his caution got the better of him, as he repeatedly referenced unconfirmed reports that the first tower had fallen. By then, viewers could see that for themselves.

Emotions and tensions were high that day, Rather told The Associated Press recently. In order to cut through the noise, to help calm the panic, you have to be clear, concise and transparent. People will know exactly where they stand and can assess for themselves.

Surprisingly few false reports slipped through in those early hours, most prominently that a car bomb had exploded at the State Department in Washington. One group falsely claimed responsibility for the attack. Speculation was kept largely in check, though in the shadow of the World Trade Center attack eight years earlier, Osama bin Laden's name quickly came up.

Jennings was the consummate anchorman. He skillfully weaved all of the elements  eyewitness accounts, expert analysis, fast-breaking bulletins and what viewers saw with their own eyes  into a compelling narrative.

Thats what he was born to do, says Kayce Freed Jennings, widow of the ABC anchorman, who died of lung cancer in August 2005. He was in a zone. He was a great communicator and, perhaps, great communication was the most important thing he could offer that day.

Each of the anchors, trained in the old school, kept emotions in check. The exception was Jennings, whose eyes were moist when the camera returned to him following a report by ABCs Lisa Stark.

He revealed that he had just checked in with his children, who were deeply stressed. So if youre a parent and youve got a kid in some other part of the country, call em up, he advised.

There was more of a formality even 20 years ago than there is today, where there is no limit to how personal anchors will get sometimes, MSNBCs Brian Williams says now. For Peter to do that kind of instantly included all of us.

At first, talk of casualties was kept at a minimum. No one knew. That changed when the second tower imploded, still the morning's most breathtaking moment. The anchors prepared viewers for the worst.

There are no words to describe this, Rather said then. It's a time to watch, absorb and think. What we had hoped and prayed would not happened, could not happen, has happened. New York's World Trade Center, in effect, has been destroyed. The loss of life will be high.

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It's going to be horrendous, Brokaw told viewers. The damage is beyond what we can say.

We're all human, Brokaw said this summer, even those of us who are journalists who spend our lives trying to put things into context and add to the viewers' understanding. We have to be both empathetic and help the viewer through what they are seeing.

That night, after more than a dozen hours on the air, Brokaw returned to an empty apartment, his wife and family out of town and unable to get back. He poured himself a drink and took a phone call with the news that a family friend had died, unrelated to the attacks.

For 40 minutes, he sat on the edge of his bed and cried.

___

Brokaw stepped down from NBC Nightly News after the 2004 election. Now 81 and ailing, he keeps busy writing books but seldom appears on television. Rather left CBS News after the fallout from a 2004 story about Bush's National Guard service. Now 89, he's an energetic tweeter about politics and the media.

New anchors are in their old roles at ABC (David Muir), CBS (Norah O'Donnell) and NBC (Lester Holt).

If a Sept. 11-styled attack was to happen in today's media world, where would people turn for news? The cable news networks are better established now as a place to go for breaking news, yet they're also much more driven by opinion. How many people would instantly want their news seen through an ideological prism?

Many would likely go to social media first, Graff said. Television anchors are already acutely aware, during breaking news, that many people watching them are also monitoring Twitter feeds.

I have a hunch that we would spend a lot of our time knocking down misinformation on social media, Williams says.

Besides opinion and speculation, the Internet would be home to more reporters, amateur or otherwise. First word that something was wrong might not have come from a plane hitting the World Trade Center, but in a tweet from someone saying their plane had been hijacked.

Recreated scenes of passengers rushing the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 to confront hijackers before the plane crashed in Pennsylvania became a part of Sept. 11 lore. Today, someone might post pictures of the real thing on Instagram.

The world would surely see in graphic detail the horror of what was going on in the World Trade Center  the mangled bodies, uncontrollable fires and decisions about whether to jump or burn.

Television news had traditional gatekeepers making editorial decisions on Sept. 11  most prominently, the decision not to show pictures of people leaping or falling to their deaths. Networks eventually halted reruns of planes striking the towers, worried that traumatized children would think the same tragedy was happening again and again.

On social media, there are no such guardrails.

It would defy censorship, says David Friend, author of Watching the World Changes: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11. As panic-inducing as it was and as tragic an experience it was historically in this country, had the current technology been around in 2001, I think you would have had something far more heart-wrenching.

___

The passage of time and David Westin's current job  he's now an anchor on Bloomberg Television  have given him perspective on what Peter Jennings did on Sept. 11, 2001. He believes Jennings was the best television news anchor ever and, as terrible as the day was, it was his crowning achievement.

All three were prepared on that day, says Russ Mitchell, an anchor for WKYC-TV in Cleveland. Two decades ago, he was a stand-in for Rather if he needed help on Sept. 11. All of their careers had led up to that point.

There's one other thing the men appeared to have in common.

Freed Jennings said she doesn't believe her husband ever looked at tapes of his performance that day. That wasn't his way, she said. Brokaw said he hasn't, mostly because he's afraid he'd spot a mistake that would eat at him. Rather hasn't either, and his reason is simplest.

Living through the day once was enough.

___

David Bauder covers media for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dbauder
Medication drop boxes arent impossible to come by  there is at least one drop box available in every county in the Hudson Valley  but they should become more readily available as the state begins to see a full implementation of a three-year-old law.

In July 2018, New York State signed the Drug Take Back Act into law. The measure aims to reduce medication misuse and protect the states water supplies by preventing unused drugs from being flushed.

Dan Shapley, Director of Riverkeepers Water Quality Program, said pharmaceutical pollution is one of the top problems for the Hudson River. With more medication drop boxes, the thinking is that fewer unused drugs would be flushed and end up in the river in the form of pharmaceutical pollution.

Riverkeeper found more than 50 different pharmaceutical compounds, with greater numbers in samples at or near municipal wastewater treatment plant outfalls, when it conducted surveys in the Hudson River estuary.

By in large, wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove this kind of pollution, said Dr. Megan Fork, ecosystem ecologist at Dutchess Countys Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Its not that theyre failing, theyre just not designed to do this.

Instead, the pharmaceuticals pass through the treatment process and go into the water. This includes not just flushed medicine, but also medicine excreted from our bodies after ingestion. There are 16 communities in the Hudson River Watershed that rely on combined sewer systems that overflow into the Hudson River or its tributaries at more than 210 combined sewer overflows.

Medication drop boxes could alleviate some of this pollution until new wastewater treatment technology is implemented. Places like the City of Kingston are looking to replace combined sewer systems with separate storm and sanitary sewers to help keep sewage from getting into the water, said Fork, which would help with pharmaceutical pollution.

This summer, a study by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies revealed that an antidepressant commonly detected in waterways could change crayfish behaviors in ways that could harm them and their environment.

With pharmaceuticals, theyre by design meant to have an impact on our body systems at quite low levels typically, said Shapley. Were putting these mixtures of pharmaceuticals out into the environment  the same waters we drink, and the fish are swimming in  and the concern is we dont know how to measure the impact the combination of these might be.

The Drug Take Back Act gives manufacturers of pharmaceutical products responsibility for costs of the collection program. Chain and mail-order pharmacies will be required to provide consumers with collection options, which could be either a drop box or a prepaid mail-back envelope. There would be no cost to the consumer or pharmacy itself.

Were just getting ready to see it implemented, said Shapley. Consumers, you and me who go to pick up our medicine at the pharmacy, will see a drop box that in the same location to safely dispose of medications we dont need.

While the law was passed three years ago, the planned January 2019 implementation was delayed due to COVID-19 and other factors. Riverkeeper, along with other environmental and local government organizations, sent a letter to the Department of Health last summer calling for final regulations and implementation of the act.

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Additionally, with the further rise of the opioid epidemic amid the COVID-19 pandemic, lobbyists said the Drug Take Back Act was needed for further prevention measures. Removing those unused painkillers is getting them out of the medicine cabinet that could lead to the first use of somebody becoming hooked, said Shapley.

Eventually the law was later updated to take effect on March 10th of this year.

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) said in a written statement that they are currently reviewing proposals from Drug Take Back Program operators and, once the DOH approves the proposals, operators and chain pharmacies will implement them statewide. State health officials did not specify a timeframe as to when consumers might see the drop boxes. By law, pharmacies must display clear signage advertising the availability of drug collection so that everyone is aware of the new policy.

We should start to see a very new, public facing service that is available widely in New York State for people to get rid of unused medications, said Shapley.

--

Clarification: This article has been updated with a statement from the DOH that expands upon the implementation of the Drug Take Back Program.
At 8:46 a.m. on the bright morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, Huntley Gill was fast asleep in his Manhattan apartment. Tim Ivory was getting breakfast at a place near the New Jersey marina where he was living on his boat. Jessica DuLong was in her Brooklyn flat working on a freelance story.

Within 24 hours all three would be aboard the John J. Harvey, an old fireboat tied up just a short walk from the smoldering remains of the World Trade Center.

Amid the blur of activity over the next several days, the vessel would pump millions of gallons of Hudson River water to land-based firefighting equipment as well as provide its all-volunteer crew a ringside berth near the ongoing rescue and recovery operation at what would become known forever as Ground Zero.

Everybody in the city, everybody in the county, wanted to do something essential, Gill said over the phone from his weekend home overlooking the Hudson in Germantown, Columbia County. Not everybody could, but we could do something very constructive.

Gill, a Manhattan-based architecture preservationist, helped lead the effort to rescue the Harvey from the scrapyard in 1999, five years after the 130-foot vessel had been retired from the Fire Department of New Yorks fireboat fleet. Ivory, a former truck mechanic who now lives in Kingston, joined the Harveys crew soon after its purchase from FDNY and became its chief engineer.

He was later succeeded by DuLong, author of Saved At The Seawall: Stories From The September 11 Boat Lift, a newly published book about 9/11 and the role New Yorks maritime community played that day in evacuating an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 people from Lower Manhattan after the Twin Towers fell.

The trios shared maritime interests are linked to the Harvey, named for a FDNY fireboat captain killed while battling a ship fire in 1930. When launched a year later, the Harvey was the fastest, most powerful fireboat in the world, capable of pumping 18,000 gallons of water per minute from its battery of water cannons used to douse ship and shoreline fires.

The Harvey was called out to some of the citys biggest waterfront disasters, from massive pier blazes to the 1942 fire aboard the French luxury liner Normandie, which eventually capsized at its Hudson River berth and wouldve taken another city fireboat with it if not for the Harvey crews quick response. As Manhattans old wooden piers and warehouses gave way to the citys post-World War II waterfront redevelopment projects, the Harveys days on the job were numbered. It was finally retired from service in 1994.

But the Harvey wasnt done yet. Newly restored and fresh off a cruise to Albany just weeks earlier, the then-70-year-old vessel with the storied past responded to its biggest callout ever when terrorists flew two hijacked airliners into the North and South towers of the WTC on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Remembering a fireboats heroic response to a horrific event

John J Harvey Ltd

When the first plane hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., Gill was sleeping in his Upper West Side apartment after a late night piloting the fireboat as it provided illuminated water displays for a Mark Jacobs outdoor fashion show on a Manhattan pier. Having unplugged his landline phone, it took a coworker from his nearby firm banging on his door to wake him up and alert him to the horror unfolding in Lower Manhattan.

Gill eventually spoke by phone with Chase Welles, Gills partner in purchasing the Harvey. Welles had contacted the FDNY to offer the Harveys assistance. The FDNYs response: Just go down there!

Gill, Welles, Ivory and two other crew members arrived separately at the Harveys berth, then located at Pier 63 on the Hudson. They soon had the fireboat underway and headed south.

When the Harvey arrived at the scene, the crew was greeted at the seawall near the Battery by thousands of people, many of them covered in dust from the destroyed towers. Gill used the vessels loudspeaker to tell the crowd the boat could take people uptown.

About 150 jumped over the [fireboats] rail, he said.

The Harvey delivered its passengers to safety, then responded to FDNYs request that the vessel return to help pump water from the river to fire trucks parked nearby. The collapsing towers had destroyed the areas water mains and hydrants, leaving firefighters to rely on the Harvey and FDNYs two fireboats, the Fire Fighter and John D. McKean, to supply water to fire crews.

Other Harvey crew members and supporters soon began showing up to run hose lines, arrange food and beverage supplies and provide other assistance.

DuLong, then just six months into her involvement with the Harvey, spent that day in her Brooklyn neighborhood seeking ways to help out. After speaking with Ivory on the phone the next morning, she headed for the Harvey, finally hitching a ride aboard a motorboat piloted by merchant mariners.

As the boat rounded the tip of Manhattan, DuLong spotted the Harvey docked along the seawall, fire hoses thick with water snaking inland.

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Here was this retired fireboat finally serving the city again, doing the job she had been built for, said DuLong, a Massachusetts-born author and maritime historian whos the Harveys chief engineer emerita. That was just a tremendous feeling to see that and participate in that in some way.

The Harvey spent three full days and part of a fourth docked at the seawall, pumping thousands of gallons of river water per minute and serving as a floating emergency assistance platform and bunkhouse for its crew.

It was overwhelming, said Ivory, who remains the Harveys chief engineer emeritus while working full-time aboard tugboats for a maritime company. When you got down there, you tried to focus the best you could on the job at hand.

Historic boats summer in Hudson Valley

John J. Harvey Ltd

Media accounts of the Harveys response to 9/11 were numerous, putting the historic fireboat in the public eye once again. It was even the subject of a 2002 childrens book, Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey, by Maira Kalman.

The boat was saved to become an educational organization, Gill said while recalling the events of 9/11, and the fact that all of a sudden a historic vessel could serve a tremendously practical purpose was extremely edifying.

Privately owned by Save Our Ships New York and operated as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization that relies on private donations for its upkeep, the Harvey serves as an educational center and floating museum. Based at Pier 66, the vessel provides trips around New York Harbor and voyages upstate for free. (A five-day cruise scheduled in mid-August with stops in Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and Kingston was cancelled when a crew member tested positive for COVID-19.)

The vessel has participated in 9/11 commemorations in New York City and the Hudson Valley, and on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks the Harvey will once again participate in the citys maritime events honoring the fallen.

On the evening of Sept. 20, the 90th anniversary of the Harveys launching will be celebrated at the Frying Pan Restaurant, located at Pier 66 in Manhattan. The event will feature food, beverages, a silent auction, live music and tours of the Harvey. Tickets can be purchased at the organizations website: 1931fireboat.org.

Mechanicville-born Chris Carola is a freelance writer living in Saratoga Springs. He worked 37 years in daily journalism, the last 31 as an Albany-based reporter for The Associated Press.
ALBANY  A former CIA officer and counterterrorism official is vying for U.S. Rep. Elise Stefaniks congressional seat.

Matt Castelli, a Democrat, formally announced Wednesday he is running to represent New Yorks 21st Congressional District. The area includes Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Hamilton, Essex, Warren, Washington and Fulton counties, and parts of Herkimer and Saratoga counties.

Castelli previously served as the director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council under the administrations of presidents Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump. In that role, he said, he developed strategy, policy, operational planning.

Prior to that post, Castelli was a CIA officer based in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading intelligence collection, counterterrorism operations and strengthening security cooperation with U.S. allies, according to his campaign release. His team worked within the same unit that found Osama bin Laden and hunted other dangerous terrorists, according to the statement.

Castelli is running to prioritize country before party and create better economic, health and education outcomes in North Country communities, the announcement states.

Elise Stefanik and I both took the same oath to defend our democracy, but she violated hers, Castelli wrote. Country must always come before party. I promise to stand alongside the people of the North Country to create better outcomes for those who need it most.

In the wake of a global pandemic and dysfunctional government, northern New Yorkers are working harder than ever. But right now were represented by a career politician seeking to create division for her own personal gain," he stated. "I am running for Congress because I will never turn my back on our democracy or the North Country, especially during a time of more job loss, declining population, rising barriers to health care, and families working too hard for too little.

Castellis decision to run came after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the statement added. In July, Stefanik faced widespread criticism after blaming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the attack.

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At a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol that month, she said, The American people deserve to know the truth  that Nancy Pelosi bears responsibility as speaker of the house, for the tragedy that occurred on Jan. 6.

Stefanik voted against certifying the Electoral College vote, along with many other Republicans in Congress. She cited debunked claims of widespread voter fraud and court decisions relating to those claims as invalid.

Castelli is from upstate New York and a resident of Saratoga County. He is a graduate of Siena College, Georgetowns School of Foreign Service and Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management. His father is a Democrat and his mother is a Republican, according to the statement.

The last Democrat to hold Stefaniks seat was U.S. Rep. Bill Owens. Owens declined to run for another term and retired in 2014. Stefanik beat democratic opponent Aaron Woolf. She was the youngest woman elected to Congress and is currently the House GOP conference chair. Castelli is the fourth Democrat to announce plans to challenge Stefanik.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  The CIA man who briefed President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001, and later President Barack Obama on the intelligence that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden said Tuesday that hes convinced the Taliban will invite al-Qaida to rebuild in Afghanistan.

There is no doubt in my mind, said Michael Morell, who twice served as acting CIA director. I believe that the Taliban will give safe haven to al-Qaida, and I believe it will be al-Qaida's intention to again build its capability so that they can attack us here at home.

Morell spoke at an online forum sponsored by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is holding multiple panels this week to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Counterterrorism efforts fall into a pattern, Morell said, in which their capabilities can be easily degraded by a focused effort, but easily rebuilt when that focus fades. He pointed to the time in 2002 and 2003 when the U.S. shifted its focus to Iraq, which he said led to a resurgent al-Qaida prompting attacks in Madrid in 2004, London in 2005 and elsewhere.

When our focus got shifted to Iraq al-Qaida started bouncing back, Morell said.

He said that if al-Qaida establishes a safe haven in Afghanistan, it can be hard to develop the kind of tactical intelligence that makes it possible to take action against them. He said the U.S. will have to apply the lessons it learned over the last 20 years.

Equally important, he said, is that the U.S. uphold its values as it hunts terrorists. He acknowledged that the years immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks were a controversial period for the CIA, when it ran secret prisons and allowed interrogations that many people say crossed the line into torture.

He said those are missions the CIA never should have accepted.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, we were not experienced at interrogations, he said. Interviewing somebody who is willing to tell you everything, you know, were really good at that. But getting somebody to talk who doesnt want to talk to you, no experience in that whatsoever.

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Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, moderated the discussion with Morell, which covered his time at the CIA before and after Sept. 11. Parekh noted during Tuesday's forum that the attack on the Pentagon occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.

These tragedies are deeply personal for our community, Parekh said. "We join with our neighbors, remembering those when we lost, thanking those who responded to save lives and honoring those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

On Thursday, a panel is planned to discuss the 2006 trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a U.S. court for a role in the Sept. 11 attacks. The judge who presided over the trial, Leonie Brinkema, is scheduled to participate, as are a prosecutor and defense lawyer from the trial.
Will Waldron/Times Union file

CHESTERTOWN  State Police said a 66-year-old Saranac Lake man was drunk when he drove the wrong way on the Northway Friday night and crashed into a car head-on, killing two people.

Police said they charged Dennis M. Ford on Tuesday with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular second-degree assault and DWI.
HOUMA, La. (AP)  The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 Wednesday, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew.

While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds.

The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths  of people ages 64 to 79  came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said.

More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The state's largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit.

Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations.

We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley.

In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running.

Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely.

Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that.

No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday.

Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area.

Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon.

Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm.

All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell.

Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said.

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The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification." Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school system's website, with no timeline for a return in sight.

Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update posted Wednesday.

Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry.

About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety.

In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program.

Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm.

In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia.
ALBANY  Alain Kaloyeros, the former physics professor who founded Albany Nanotech and made the Capital Region one of the most important centers of computer chip research in the world, has lost his appeal of his 2018 conviction in a federal bid-rigging cases.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which handed down its decision on Kaloyeros on Wednesday, also issued a separate ruling against the appeal of Joseph Percoco, the onetime aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo who was charged with wire fraud and accepting bribes in deals involving state government that were separate from the Kaloyeros case.

Kaloyeros, once the highest-paid employee of the State University of New York system, faces a sentence of 3 years in federal prison in his case. The jury determined he steered state business to two upstate contractors and major donors to Cuomo who were eventually awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in construction contracts for Albany Nanotech projects in Syracuse and Buffalo.

"We conclude that there was sufficient evidence to support each of defendants' convictions, the district court did not err in instructing the jury, it did not abuse its discretion in admitting the challenged evidence while precluding other evidence ... accordingly, the judgments of the district court are affirmed," the appeals court ruled.

It is unclear when Kaloyeros would begin his prison term if he chose not to appeal Wednesday's decision.

Kaloyeros, who is still free on bond and living in the Capital Region, declined to comment when reached Wednesday by the Times Union.

But he and his attorneys, Michael Miller and Reid Weingarten from the law firm Steptoe & Johnson, gave the Times Union a statement later in the day after reviewing the appeal court's decision.

We are disappointed with the outcome today," the statement reads. "We believe that Alain created enormous value for the state of New York as the leader of SUNYs cutting edge, high-tech research and development program and committed no crimes along the way. We will continue to pursue all of Alains options to seek his exoneration."

Kaloyeros still has a loyal following of supporters who believe he was wrongly convicted, including those who once worked with him.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit delivered its decision Wednesday, upholding convictions of Kaloyeros and three executives from the contracting firms, Steven Aiello, Joseph Gerardi and Louis Ciminelli, on charges of wire fraud.

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The conviction of Percoco, who is already serving a six-year prison sentence, was also upheld by the appeals court. In March 2018, a jury found Percoco guilty of corruption for taking bribes from businessmen in two schemes, both of which involved payments to Percoco's wife, Lisa Toscano-Percoco. Prosecutors alleged Percoco, once Cuomo's closest adviser, leveraged his position and power in the administration to line his pockets with $320,000 in bribes.

Kaloyeros had stepped down as the head of the board that ran Albany Nanotech before his 2016 indictment. He was ousted from his other role as head of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, which he spun off from the University at Albany, shortly after his arraignment on charges of wire fraud.

Kaloyeros has since filed a lawsuit against SUNY and the Research Foundation for SUNY over their failure to try and commercialize a computer chip innovation that Kaloyeros and two others invented two decades ago. Kaloyeros has been successful in getting the judge in that case, filed in state court, to rule against motions by SUNY and the Research Foundation to dismiss the case.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - The arrests of four Black Lives Matter activists on warrants for disorderly conduct sparked a protest rally outside the police station at City Hall Tuesday night.

On Wednesday afternoon, police said the four, including BLM leader Lexis Figuereo, were accused of interfering with traffic and blocking a driver who had a heart condition during a July 14 protest that started in Congress Park and spread to the streets. The driver with a medical problem told the protesters of the condition, but they continued to block the road, police said.

"After learning of these added details regarding this protest, Chief (Shane) Crooks ordered that an investigation be conducted and that

those identified be charged and held accountable where appropriate," a police statement read. "The results of that investigation led to the identification of multiple individuals who participated in unlawful acts during the protest and charges have been filed for those individuals."

Arrest warrants were issued on Aug. 31, police said. The four were charged with disorderly conduct, and obstructing traffic, which is a violation. One of the protesters had an additional charge of unlawful imprisonment.

A fifth person was also arrested on Tuesday night. Police allege she threw a water bottle at them as they were trying to make an arrest of the others charged. She was charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child.

"When informed she was under arrest, she refused to comply and pulled away from officers," police said in a statement. "In turn, she grabbed onto the stroller where her small child was seated until she was taken into custody. The child was fine and sent with another family member at the scene."

In a video posted on YouTube, one woman can be heard screaming, "For what, for what, for what? and This is ridiculous as the woman with a child in a stroller is pulled inside by a group of police. The child was crying Mommy," horrifying activists who were present. Supporters then went upstairs to the City Council meeting Tuesday night to express their dismay.

Hollyday Hammond, a member of MLK Saratoga who was also witness to the aftermath, criticized the City Council, saying that the city has reached an all-time low.

I am shaking, I am so upset right now, she said to the body. The manner in which they, Black Lives Matter activists, were detained or arrested  grabbing a parent in front of her two children.

After the arrests, protesters stayed outside of City Hall chanting against police and ICE and saying, "We won't stop until we get our rights."

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Many of the BLM activists gathered at City Hall to support Figuereo, who was the first one arrested earlier in the day in Malta by Saratoga County deputies on the warrant. In addition to the July 14 disorderly conduct, Figuereo faces other charges for allegedly disrupting July 6 and 20 City Council meetings. For that, he was charged with two counts of obstructing governmental administration.

Figuereo is also facing charges in Albany, including recent additional offenses in connection with an April 14 confrontation between Albany police and Black Lives Matter protesters there.

Crooks also said the investigation of the July 14 Saratoga march is ongoing and that more arrests may be made.

"The Saratoga Springs Police Department recognizes the right to peacefully and lawfully protest but many of the acts committed on July 14 are not only unlawful acts, but they placed the protestors and the public in harms way," Crooks said in a statement.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The interior ministry of the new Taliban government is seeking to end protests in Afghanistan after days of demonstrations that have brought heavy-handed assaults on protesters.

The minister has issued an order to end all protests in the country  unless demonstrators get prior permission, including approval of slogans and banners.

Its unlikely the women who have been leading near daily protest demanding their rights from the countrys hardline Islamic rulers will be allowed to protest under the new rules. In the words of the ministry's statement: It is announced to all citizens not to attempt at the present time to hold any demonstrations under any name whatsoever.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Taliban name caretaker Cabinet that pays homage to old guard

 US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression

 Blinken and Austin to visit Gulf to address postwar stresses

 Taliban say they took Panjshir, last holdout Afghan province

 Over 24 hours in Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has taken to Twitter to say his flight from Kabul on Aug. 15 was done to save Afghanistans capital from bloodshed. He says his security personnel advised the secret departure, which opened the gates of the city to a Taliban takeover.

Ghani also denies widespread allegations of corruption as well as charges that he left the country with millions of dollars. He says there should be an independent investigation.

Ghanis sudden departure has been widely criticized both in Afghanistan and abroad. Washington blamed Ghanis flight and the governments collapse for a Taliban takeover ahead of a negotiated deal.

Prominent Afghan political figures who stayed behind say they had expected to meet with Taliban political leaders the following day to continue negotiations.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the country since Aug. 17 from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation formally known as Operation Allies Welcome.

DHS said in the latest updated released Wednesday that 17% of those arrivals are U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were in Afghanistan when the government there fell to the Taliban.

The remaining 83% are a mix of people. They include those with Special Immigrant Visas, for people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. or NATO. There are also other visa holders as well as applicants for visas who have not yet completed their processing. The remainder are various types of vulnerable Afghans who would be threatened under the Taliban, such as women and human rights advocates.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says a small number of evacuees have been prevented from entering the U.S. through multi-layered security vetting but he declines to provide specific numbers of provide details about the cases.

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UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations womens agency in Afghanistan says every day it is receiving reports of rollbacks on womens rights. The complaints range from women barred from going to work without a male guardian or even leaving their homes to attacks on centers helping women who flee violence and on girls and coeducational schools.

Alison Davidian is the deputy Afghan representative for UN Women and she said in a video briefing from Kabul that the lack of clarity of the Talibans position on womens rights has generated incredible fear -- and this fear is palpable across the country.

She says UN Women is receiving reports of violations through its extensive network of women, civil society organizations, women leaders and human rights defenders. She the agencys Afghan operation hopes to reopen its offices in five provinces once the security situation improves because Afghan women have never needed us more."

Davidian says the situation for women differs from province to province and she urges the Taliban to show that it governs for all Afghans and that it has changed and will protect and promote the full spectrum of womens rights.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing the Taliban to allow charter flights carrying would-be evacuees to leave Mazar-e-Sharif.

Blinken said Wednesday that the Taliban arent permitting the flights departure because they claim that some of the passengers dont have the required documentation.

He added: While there are limits to what we can do without personnel on the ground, without an airport with normal security and procedures in place, we are working to do everything in our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground.

He said those efforts include working with advocates and lawmakers to help coordinate their efforts and offer guidance, and helping to arrange landing rights and liaise with other countries in the region on overflights.

Blinken said: Weve made clear to all parties, weve made clear to the Taliban, that these charters need to be able to depart. He said the U.S. will continue to press the Taliban.

He said some groups claiming to have all documentation and arrangements locked down unfortunately dont -- often for good reason, but this creates further complications.

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WASHINGTON  White House press secretary Jen Psaki is defending the White Houses continued engagement with a Taliban government that includes an FBI most wanted terrorist and no women named to top positions.

Psaki says: Should we not talk to the people who are overseeing Afghanistan and just leave it and not get the rest of the American citizens out?

She added that the U.S. and international community are watching as it decides whether it will formally recognize the Taliban government.

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is telling the Taliban that any legitimacy, any support will have to be earned after the group named an interim government.

Blinken spoke after he and his German counterpart on Wednesday hosted a virtual meeting of ministers from 22 countries as well as NATO and the European Union.

Blinken reiterated the cautious initial U.S. response to the Talibans naming Tuesday of an interim government line-up.

The new government stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

Blinken said that the government and the Taliban will be judged by their actions.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan says it will send food and medicine to the people of neighboring Afghanistan.

In a statement Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the first shipment of humanitarian aid will be dispatched to Afghanistan by three C-130 planes.

The announcement comes a day after the Taliban announced an interim government for Afghanistan.

The ministry said additional supplies of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan would continue through the countrys land routes.

Afghanistan is suffering under a long-running economic crisis that has worsened in recent months. Near daily flights from Qatar bring in humanitarian aid, but the needs are massive.

Pakistan also urged the international community to help the people of Afghanistan to avert a possible humanitarian crisis there.

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PARIS  France says the Talibans new government does not meet the demands of the international community.

Their actions do not match their words, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told an online briefing Wednesday.

She said France and other countries had demanded the safe departure of Afghans who wish to leave, free access to humanitarian aid, the total severing of relations with terrorist groups and respect for human rights, especially womens rights.

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We can only note that these demands have not been met, she said

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BERLIN  Germanys foreign minister has responded skeptically to the Talibans announcement of an interim government line-up for Afghanistan.

Heiko Maas released a statement Wednesday, a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government. The Cabinet is stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition. Germany was a major troop provider for that alliance.

Maas said his country is ready to provide humanitarian aid via the United Nations and will continue to speak to the Taliban to secure the departure from Afghanistan of former employees and others.

He added that any commitment beyond that will depend on the Talibans behavior.

Maas said: The announcement of an interim government without the participation of other groups and yesterdays violence against female demonstrators and journalists in Kabul are not signals that make us optimistic about that.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The Norwegian ambassador to Iran says the Taliban have taken over the Norwegian Embassy in Kabul.

Ambassador Sigvald Hauge wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the Taliban say they will return it to us later and added but first wine bottles are to be smashed and childrens books destroyed.

Norway vacated its diplomatic post in the Afghan capital with the help of fellow Scandinavian neighbor Denmark before the Taliban took over the city

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistans foreign minister has urged the international community to help prevent a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi was addressing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan. It was attended by his counterparts from China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting took place a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan. In his televised remarks, Qureshi said that Pakistan had noted the development.

He added that since Kabuls takeover by the Taliban, much dreaded bloodshed has not occurred, and the prospect of a protracted conflict and civil war seems to have been averted. Qureshi said that so far, a much-feared exodus of refugees has also not taken place.

The situation remains complex and fluid in Afghanistan however and it requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach.

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BERLIN  Germanys Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are set to meet at Ramstein U.S. Air Base for talks on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The two foreign ministers are first set to talk bilaterally and later hold a virtual meeting with other foreign ministers, the German foreign ministry said in a statement.

Maas praised the close cooperation with the U.S. during the evacuation efforts of international and local Afghans from the country in recent weeks, and said that in the next phase we want to continue to cooperate and coordinate, especially in regard of the new rulers in Kabul.

Maas warned that a threefold humanities crisis was looming in Afghanistan due to hunger, the stop of aid from international relief groups, and the volatile political situation with the new Taliban regime in Kabul.

Ramstein has become a turnstile for the evacuation for people from Afghanistan with around 34,000 flown for layovers to the U.S. base. Some 22,000 evacuees have already left the base for the United States or other locations.

Germany has relocated more than 4,000 people from Afghanistan so far.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan is hosting a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from countries neighboring Afghanistan to discuss the situation there.

A foreign ministry statement said Wednesdays meeting will be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will preside over the meeting, which aims to work together for the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is essential to forge strong economic links.

The development comes a day after the Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan, stacked with veterans from their hard-line rule in the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition.

So far Pakistan has not commented on the formation of the interim government.

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Rudolph Giuliani was a hero before he was a punchline. Lisa Beamer was a wife and mother before she became a symbol of Sept. 11  and though her celebrity passed, her widowhood cannot.

In the aftermath of the planes falling from the sky, America and the world were introduced to an array of personalities. Some we had known well, but came to see in different ways. Others were thrown into public consciousness by unhappy happenstance.

Some, like Osama bin Laden and Mullah Mohammad Omar, are dead. But others have gone on to lead lives that are postscripts to Sept. 11, 2001. Here are a few of the boldface names of that tumultuous time  what they were then, and what has happened to them since.

RUDOLPH GIULIANI

THEN: Mayor of New York City, he was a hero of the moment -- empathetic, determined, a focus of the nations grief and a constant presence at ground zero. The number of casualties will be more than any of us can bear ultimately, he said on Sept. 11. Oprah Winfrey pronounced him Americas Mayor; Time magazine declared him Person of the Year.

SINCE: After suggesting that his expiring term be extended due to the 9/11 emergency -- an idea that was roundly dismissed -- Giuliani went into private life, but not all that private. He launched a profitable security firm and ran abortively for the Republican nomination for president in 2008. His adventures as a supporter of and agent for President Donald Trump are well documented, and resulted in the suspension of his law license in his home state.

BERNARD KERIK

THEN: New York Citys police commissioner. Bald and stocky, he never left Giulianis side in the days after Sept. 11 -- and followed the mayor after he left office, joining the Giuliani security firm.

SINCE: President George W. Bush appointed Kerik as Iraqs interim minister of the interior in 2003 during the Iraq war, and nominated him to head the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2004. He withdrew from consideration when it was revealed that he had employed an undocumented worker as a nanny and housekeeper; there followed a series of legal troubles, including convictions for ethics violations and tax fraud. He was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020.

GEORGE W. BUSH

THEN: The 43rd president of the United States, Bush was informed of the 9/11 attacks while reading The Pet Goat to second graders in Sarasota, Florida. He spoke to the nation that night and visited ground zero three days later, grabbing a bullhorn to declare: I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people  and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon. His support in the polls reached 85 percent.

SINCE: The War on Terrorism begat the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Bushs demand that the Taliban hand over the terrorists, or ... share in their fate. He had long retired to oil painting in Texas when Navy SEALs killed bin Laden, and when President Joe Biden pulled U.S. forces from Afghanistan. In August, he said he was watching developments there with deep sadness.

RICHARD CHENEY

THEN: While the Secret Service played hide the president with Bush on Sept. 11  he was shuttled to military bases in Louisiana and Nebraska, for fear of terrorist attacks  his vice president hunkered down in a secure, undisclosed location, a bunker inside the White House where he helped direct the governments actions. Cheney became a fierce advocate of an unbridled response to the attacks, using any means at our disposal. He pushed for the 2003 war in Iraq. The interrogation technique known as waterboarding was a proper way to get information from terrorists, he said -- not torture, as its critics have long insisted.

SINCE: After five heart attacks and a 2012 heart transplant, Cheney has lived to see his daughter, Liz, win his old congressional seat in Wyoming and become GOP persona non grata because of her criticism of Donald Trump.

COLIN POWELL

THEN: A former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell was confirmed unanimously as secretary of state in 2001. He would go on to make a persuasive case before the United Nations for military action against Iraq, claiming that Saddam Hussein was building weapons of mass destruction. The war was waged, Saddam was toppled and killed, Iraq was destabilized; no such weapons were found.

SINCE: Powell has consistently defended his support of the Iraq War. But the lifelong Republican had little use for Trump, endorsing Hillary Clinton in 2016 and speaking in support of Biden at the 2020 Democratic convention. He left the Republican party after the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE

THEN: National security adviser to Bush. In the summer of 2001, she met with CIA Director George Tenet at his request to discuss the threat of al-Qaida attacks on American targets. The CIA reported that There will be significant terrorist attacks against the United States in the coming weeks or months. Rice would later say that the information was old.

SINCE: Rice succeeded Powell as secretary of state and has since returned to Stanford University as provost, then as a faculty member. In 2012, she also became one of the first two women allowed to join the Augusta National Golf Club.

JOHN ASHCROFT

THEN: Attorney general during Bush's first term. In the wake of 9/11, he was the administration's prime advocate of the USA PATRIOT Act, which gave the government broad powers to investigate and prosecute those suspected of terrorism. But in 2004, while lying in an intensive care unit with gallstone pancreatitis, he refused the administration's entreaties to overrule a Justice Department finding that the Bush domestic intelligence program was illegal.

SINCE: After leaving office in 2005, Ashcroft became a lobbyist and consultant. His appearances as a gospel singer (and songwriter  his tune Let the Eagle Soar was performed at the second Bush inauguration) have tailed off.

JOHN YOO

THEN: As deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, Yoo provided much of the legal underpinning for the War on Terrorism. He argued that enemy combatants captured in Afghanistan need not be given prisoner of war status; that the president could authorize warrantless wiretaps of U.S. citizens on American soil; that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding was within the power of the president during wartime.

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SINCE: Yoo is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. He remains a strong supporter of presidential prerogatives; in 2020, his book Defender in Chief: Donald Trumps Fight for Presidential Power argued that Trumps vision of the presidency was in line with that of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton.

KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED

THEN: Leading propagandist of al-Qaida, labeled the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks by the 9/11 Commission. He was captured in 2003 by the CIA and Pakistans secret police, then spirited to CIA prisons in Poland and Afghanistan and finally to Guantanamo. Under duress  some called it torture  he confessed to involvement in nearly every major al-Qaida operation, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, the killing of journalist Daniel Pearl, the 2001 attacks and others.

SINCE: His trial date has been postponed again and again. He remains at Guantanamo, indefinitely.

HAMID KARZAI

THEN: Interim leader and then elected president of Afghanistan in the wake of Sept. 11, he managed the delicate balancing act of remaining on friendly terms with the United States and the West while unifying his countrys many factions  at least for a time. More than once, he called the Taliban brothers, and the later years of his presidency were marked by friction with the United States.

SINCE: Karzai has survived numerous assassination attempts, but when his second term expired in 2014, the passage of power to his successor, Ashraf Ghani, was peaceful. Ghani would lead the country for almost seven years, until he fled in the face of the Taliban's triumphant return.

HOWARD LUTNICK

THEN: The chairman of the stock trading company Cantor Fitzgerald would have been in the companys offices at the top of One World Trade Center, but he took his son Kyle to the first day of kindergarten. A total of 658 of the companys employees  two thirds of its New York City workforce, including Lutnicks brother Gary  perished. Within three days, Lutnick had established the Cantor-Fitzgerald Relief Fund for his companys victims.

SINCE: The fund has disbursed more than a quarter of a billion dollars, including money for other victims of terrorism and disasters. Twenty years later, Lutnick remains the companys chairman.

LISA BEAMER

THEN: After 9/11, Lisa Beamer became the face of the days mourners, and a reminder of the days heroism. Her husband, Todd, a former college baseball and basketball player, is believed to have led other passengers in an attack on the hijackers of United Airlines Flight 93 that brought the plane down before it could crash in Washington. His exhortation of Lets roll! became a rallying cry. His widow made 200 public appearances in the six months after the attacks.

SINCE: Lisa Beamer co-wrote a book, Lets Roll! Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage, and established a foundation in her husbands memory. Donations dwindled, and Beamer receded from public view. The couple had three children, and all attended Wheaton College, where their parents met. All are athletes, like their dad: Dave, 3 years old when his father died, was a football quarterback; Drew, who was 1, played soccer, as has Morgan, born four months after the attacks. Morgan was her fathers middle name.

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Jerry Schwartz, editor at large for The Associated Press, wrote the AP's main story on Sept. 11, 2001. He has written extensively about the aftermath of that day, and also served as an editor on the Iraqi War desk.

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For an in-depth look at APs coverage of 9/11 and the events that followed, read September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath & Legacy, available now.
HONOLULU (AP)  A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting Oct. 15, Alohilani Resort will require its employees, patrons and guests to show proof they're fully vaccinated. The requirement will also apply to the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company.

It's the right thing to do as Hawaii grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious delta variant, said Kelly Sanders, senior vice president of operations at Highgate Hawaii.

There were an average of 706 newly confirmed infection cases per day across Hawaii between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, according to the state Department of Health. Hawaii's vaccination rate was nearly 76% for those 12 and older. Children 11 or younger are not yet eligible for the shot.

So I think we will be the safest hotel in Hawaii, at least for now, Sanders said ahead of a news conference Wednesday to announce the mandate. And hopefully that helps our business and doesnt hurt our business.

John De Fries, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, called the move a step in a the right direction and said he hopes other hotels follow suit.

What I appreciate about it is that our community, our workforce and the guests are all mutual beneficiaries of this decision by Highgate, he said. And I anticipate that it will receive much attention from others in the industry.

Hawaii state workers and Honolulu city employees must show proof of vaccination or get weekly COVID-19 testing. Honolulu is requiring patrons of restaurants, gyms, bars, movie theaters, museums and other businesses to show vaccination proof or recent negative tests starting Sept. 13.

Sanders said the Waikiki hotels won't allow testing alternatives, but will allow for medical or religious exemptions and will exempt children younger than 12.

We want to create an environment where everybody feels comfortable coming to work, Sanders said. And I dont think you can do that from an employee standpoint unless youre requiring all your patrons and your guests to do the same, to be honest.

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There are about 1,000 employees among the seven properties and an estimated 80% are already vaccinated, Sanders said.

Highgate's decision on vaccinations comes as Hawaii's tourism-dependent economy is trying to rebound from earlier in the pandemic when the state imposed a mandatory quarantine on all incoming travelers.

Travelers can now bypass quarantine by showing proof of vaccination. Others must have negative test results before their departures to Hawaii to avoid the 10-day quarantine.

As of the end of last month, about 75% of visitors provided vaccination cards, said John Monahan, president and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The move sets "a high standard as to what is expected of you when you get here, for your own wellbeing as a traveler and out of respect for the community that youre visiting and the work environment ... you will be residing in, De Fries said.
MESA, Ariz. (AP)  Sikh entrepreneur Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed at his Arizona gas station four days after the Sept. 11 attacks by a man who declared he was going to go out and shoot some towel-heads and mistook him for an Arab Muslim.

Young Sikh Americans still struggle a generation later with the discrimination that 9/11 unleashed against their elders and them, ranging from school bullying to racial profiling to hate crimes  especially against males, who typically wear beards and turbans to demonstrate their faith.

As the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 nears, those younger Sikhs say much more is needed to improve how hate crimes against their community are tracked. The FBI didnt even begin tracking hate crimes specifically against Sikhs until 2015, and many local law enforcement agencies fail to record bias attacks comprehensively.

The onus is on a community organization like ours to identify the problem and then build support to ensure better reporting, said Satjeet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition. Formed in the wake of Sept. 11, the largest Sikh advocacy group in the U.S. documented more than 300 cases of violence and discrimination against Sikh Americans in just the first few months.

Such attacks can be particularly hard on young Sikhs, who face bullying by classmates who try to yank off their turbans or mock them as Osamas nephew or Saddam Hussein. They often struggle with the Sikh philosophy of chardi kala, which calls for steadfast optimism in the face of oppression.

The eternal optimism can help us get through it, but sometimes you also have to highlight the harsh realities, said Tejpaul Bainiwal, 25, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Riverside, who is studying the history of Sikhs who first began arriving in the U.S. in the late 1800s.

Bainiwal acknowledges he got into plenty of fistfights in high school with other students who tugged at his head covering and taunted him. He said terrified Sikh families debated whether to continue displaying outward signs of faith after the Aug. 5, 2012, massacre at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, which ultimately killed seven worshippers.

Now, as Americans watch from afar the events unfolding in Afghanistan, Bainiwal reflected on how Sikhs have been mislabeled and mischaracterized through history.

One hundred years ago we were labeled Hindus, then Saudi Arabians, and when Iran was in the American eye we were called the ayotollah. 

Media images of turbaned and bearded Taliban leaders who recently regained control of Afghanistan with the withdrawal of U.S. troops have made Sikh Americans nervous again as they warn one another about those who incorrectly see their turbans and beards as symbols of extremism. In the Sikh faith, long uncut hair is one of five articles of the faith. Most males and some women traditionally wear head coverings over their long locks.

The FBI listed 67 anti-Sikh crimes for 2020, the highest annual number since the category was created in 2015, said criminologist and civil rights attorney Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

He said the center recently created a conflict advisory saying the risk of targeted aggression against Sikhs and others in the U.S. has been elevated to a near severe level. Political and international events could sporadically push those dangers even higher over the next 18 months, the advisory said.

Levin told the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Aug. 5 that domestic extremism often follows catalytic events that provoke fear, such as the coronavirus outbreak, which sparked anti-Asian violence; the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol; and the upcoming anniversary of Sept. 11.

After the 2001 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi was among the first of Sikhs, Arab Muslims and others targeted in hate crimes.

Airplane mechanic Frank Roque was convicted of first-degree murder in the Sept. 15, 2001, killing and was sentenced to death before that was commuted to life imprisonment. Roque also was accused of drive-by shootings the same day at an Afghan familys home and a Lebanese mans convenience store, although no one was injured in those attacks.

Rose Kaur Sodhi, Balbir Singh Sodhis niece, was a second grader getting ready for a relatives birthday party when her family learned of her uncles murder.

We knew something was terribly wrong because my dad came home crying. I had never seen that before, she said of her father and Balbirs brother, Rana Singh Sodhi, who became a well-known figure in the Sikh American community and taught her to share her familys story and advocate for peace.

We couldnt believe it, said the younger Sodhi, now 27 and a medical resident in Los Angeles. He was so nice, always giving candy from his store to all the kids.

In the months that followed, children at her elementary school near Phoenix began harassing her then-6-year-old brother, prompting her to complain to the principal when they called him names and tugged on his topknot.

That gas station where he was murdered is our ground zero, said activist filmmaker Valarie Kaur, who refers to Balbir Singh Sodhi, a family friend, as uncle. Local and national dignitaries have been invited to remember Sodhi at a memorial there Sept. 15.

Kaur was a college student on Sept. 11 when she watched the Twin Towers of New York Citys World Trade Center collapse on the television set in her parents bedroom in Clovis, California.

When images of a bearded man in a turban repeatedly flashed on the screen, I realized that our nations new enemy looked like my family, said Kaur, who now lives with her husband and young son in Los Angeles.

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After Sodhis death, Kaur traveled around the U.S. exploring the subsequent explosion in hate crimes against Sikh and Muslim Americans, along with other people perceived as foreign or different.

The resulting documentary, Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath, has been used in classrooms and communities across the country to inspire discussions about hate crimes. Kaur followed up last year with a memoir, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love."

Now, she worries about what her young son will have to deal with.

My son was born during the election season of 2016 ... when hate crimes were skyrocketing, Kaur said. Once again, I had to reckon with the fact that hes growing up in a nation more dangerous for him than it was for me.

Kaur said that danger became exceedingly clear in 2012 when a white supremacist Army veteran shot and killed six worshippers at the gurdwara, or Sikh temple, in Wisconsin before taking his own life.

A seventh person, Baba Punjab Singh, a Sikh priest visiting from India, was shot in the head and left partially paralyzed. He died from his wounds on March 2, 2020.

Over seven years, the priests son, Raghuvinder Singh, split his time between caring for his father in Oak Creek and working in Glen Rock, New Jersey, as assistant priest at a gurdwara there.

When his father was still alive, he could communicate by blinking: once for no, and twice for yes.

Singh, now 49, said the greatest lesson his father taught him was how to embody chardi kala.

I would say, Papa Ji, are you in chardi kala? And he would double blink every time, Singh said. In that condition, if he can live in chardi kala, why cannot we?

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Nasir reported from Oak Creek, Wisconsin and Lodi, New Jersey.

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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.
My husbands parents live in a small town north of Venice, Italy. A few years ago, his father needed a hip replacement. After months of waiting, the date of the surgery was set.

As he hobbled from the car door to the hospital entrance, he collapsed. He was loaded onto a gurney to the cardiology unit. They found that he had severe aortic stenosis and proceeded to replace his aortic valve. Then, after a few months of recovery, he was able to complete the journey from automobile to operating room without incident, and he received his hip replacement.

Because of single-payer healthcare, my in-laws didnt have to worry about a bill. And because of his exposure to the exorbitant medical costs associated with sickness in the United States, my husband was able to fully appreciate the benevolence of the Italian single-payer system.

Fortunately, this episode occurred in 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic made the hospital an even more foreboding destination. As of this moment, more than 600,000 people, almost .2 percent of the U.S. population, have died of this novel and devastating disease. Although there are myriad ways in which the U.S. was ill prepared for a pandemic, our aggressively capitalistic health care system has certainly not helped.

Implementing single-payer health care in the U.S. would improve medical care and the health of the nation, and not a moment too soon.

There are a few obvious flaws in our current health care system. Medical bills contribute to half of all personal bankruptcies, and three-fourths of those bankrupted had health insurance at the time they got sick or injured. Perhaps more disturbing than the high financial cost of the U.S. for-profit health care system is the price we pay in human life. Those who cant afford health insurance are also less likely to seek medical care, which affects health outcomes. The Institute of Medicine estimated that annually, 18,314 Americans between 25 and 64 years of age die because of a lack of health insurance, which is comparable to the number of deaths from diabetes, stroke or homicide.

The solution lies in single-payer, particularly a national health insurance (NHI) plan. NHI systems are publicly financed, and health care providers are reimbursed through tax-financed funds.

One well-known example of an NHI system is Canadas, which provides excellent medical care funded only by taxes. Another example is Medicare, providing medical care to the elderly in the U.S. through a progressive tax.

A review of major national health plans found that universal coverage models spend less in spite of covering everyone. They also found that single-payer cost-related barriers and out-of-pocket payments were half the amount reported in the U.S.

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An oft-maligned drawback of single-payer systems is wait times. This is in fact a valid claim, as my father-in-law did wait a few months for his hip replacement. Single-payer systems do have longer wait times for elective surgeries, yet they perform as well as the U.S. or better on urgent medical care.

The New York Health Act is a single-payer proposal for New York state. Under this bill, funding for NY Health, as the plan would be called, would from a progressively graduated tax schedule. Under NY Health, all New Yorkers would be covered, and the average New York family would pay much less for health care, even if their premium is currently subsidized by an employer. The New York Health Act has passed the Assembly multiple times, yet has stalled in the Senate.

Although passing this piece of legislation would be a boon for single-payer supporters, what we really need is single-payer for all Americans, and we need it now.

Mary Rossillo of New York City is a medical student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine pursuing a residency in internal medicine.

Note: An earlier version of this article inaccurately stated the percentage of the U.S. population that has died from COVID-19.
ALBANY  Attorney General Letitia James office has issued a subpoena to the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics for its records on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's book chronicling his administration's early response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Times Union has learned.

The subpoena was issued in connection with a criminal investigation that the attorney general is conducting into whether Cuomo's use of government workers to assist him in writing the book violated any laws.

James issuance of a grand jury subpoena in the matter does not confirm that a grand jury has begun reviewing evidence in the investigation. But it does signal that the investigation into Cuomo's and his staff's potential misuse of government resources for private gain is entering a phase beyond interviews and gathering publicly available records.

Cuomos attorney, Rita Glavin, did not respond to a request for comment. James office also declined to comment.

The focus of the subpoena is not clear, but JCOPEs approval was required for Cuomo, as a government official, to write American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic. The former governor ultimately revealed that the book deal could pay him more than $5 million.

When Cuomo sought the approval in July 2020, his special counsel Judith Mogul explicitly stated in her letter to JCOPE that government staff would not be used on the book project. Later that month, a top JCOPE staffer approved the project, and cited that specific assurance.

Yet by the time Mogul had sought the approval, Cuomo staff had already been deeply involved in the project, and some JCOPE commissioners believe Cuomos office made a material misrepresentation to the panel's staff.

Cuomos office had said the staffers' work on the book was voluntary and therefore legal. But Moguls letter promising not to use government staff never mentioned any caveats about the former governor planning to use voluntary labor.

A number of high-ranking aides to Cuomo helped produce the book, including editing it. There were also lower-level staffers assigned more menial tasks related to the project. Some of those staff members told the Times Union they did not consider their assignments to be truly voluntary, and that the duties occurred within the context of normal work assignments. At least two junior staffers assigned book-related tasks earned substantial overtime in 2020, but Cuomos office said the overtime was government-related.

The approval has also generated blowback because it was granted by JCOPE staff without the consent of the bodys 14 commissioners, who never voted on the matter. At an upcoming JCOPE meeting this month, the commissioners may vote on whether to rescind the staff approval, which could pave the way for commissioners to attempt to claw back Cuomos millions in proceeds from the publisher, Crown New York.

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In April, following media reports on Cuomo's use of state workers, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli sent a formal request to the attorney general requesting her office launch a criminal investigation.

DiNapoli requested an investigation "related to the use of property, services, or resources of the state for personal purposes by Cuomos office, including the drafting, editing, sale and promoting of the governor's book and any related financial or business transactions."

A Cuomo spokesman, Richard Azzopardi, has previously stated that, Any state official who volunteered to assist on this project did so on his or her own time and without the use of state resources." He cast the actions of DiNapoli and James as politically motivated.

On Aug. 13  when Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie announced that the Assembly Judiciary Committee was suspending impeachment proceedings because Cuomo was resigning  Heastie said the Assemblys investigation had revealed evidence of misuse of state resources in relation to the publication of the governors memoir. The Assembly's Democratic leaders said they will issue a report detailing the evidence gathered during the investigation.

While misuse of government resources is a state-level offense, Cuomo's book also has been a focus on an investigation launched by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.

A report Aug. 3, issued by two independent attorneys retained by James, found that Cuomo extensively engaged in sexual harassment and improper touching of female employees and other women. Cuomo, who denied the allegations, has characterized the findings as biased. But facing impeachment, Cuomo announced his resignation a week later.
ALBANY  Adam W. Perry, a well-known Buffalo attorney, is Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie's pick to serve a three-year term on the state's Cannabis Control Board, which is charged with regulating the marijuana industry.

"This is an historic moment where we get to shape from the ground up a new industry in our state, where we can make sure there is social equity and fairness," Perry said in a statement released by Heastie's office.

Perry is a longtime Buffalo resident and a partner at Hodgson Ross law firm. His law practice has focused on labor disputes and employment issues, according to a biography page on the firm's website. He has represented the city, its housing authority, and the district attorney, according to the Buffalo News. In 2015, the city of Buffalo named Aug. 6 as "Adam W. Perry Day."

Over the last five years, Perry has contributed at least $24,000 to local and state campaigns in New York, according to campaign finance records. He has been a frequent donor to the Erie Democratic County Party, state Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal People-Stokes and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Perry has given Brown at least $22,000 since 2008.

"As we create the mechanisms and regulations around the new legal cannabis industry, it is critical that we have people involved that are committed to our communities and to ensuring that the industry serves the people of New York," Heastie said in a statement.

Perry went to Erie County Community College and the University at Buffalo. He is a board member and chair of Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Aviation Committee and the chair of the Citizen Planning Council.

Both Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins each make one appointment to the board. The governor appoints the chair of the board along with two other members. Appointments, according to the legislation, are to the greatest extent possible to be "geographically and demographically representative of the state and communities historically affected by the war on drugs."

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Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul made two cannabis-related appointments: cannabis policy professional Christopher Alexander to run the Office of Cannabis Management and former Assemblywoman Tremaine S. Wright to lead the five-person Cannabis Control Board. The state Senate, along party lines, later confirmed the appointments in a special session of the Legislature.

Three appointments to the Cannabis Control Board remain outstanding, two from Hochul and one from Stewart-Cousins.

Hochul's appointments were long awaited by lawmakers, many of whom blamed ex-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for unnecessarily delaying the process. Without the board in place, it cannot begin to regulate and license the recreational marijuana market. Recreational smoking of marijuana became legal on March 31.
Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
A former nurse who co-founded and once ran the cult-like NXIVM group has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison
Church of Scientology International Honors Those Who Served After the 9/11 Terror Attacks
September 08, 2021





Technology has allowed for a rapid change in the way we work and interact with one another. Remote work has become more and more prevalent in the 21st century.

However, it is a good idea to commit to remote working during the pandemic. It can help reduce employee turnover rates, raise productivity, and reassure team members who feel uncomfortable near people who might have an infectious disease.

Remote work has been trending for a while, and it will continue to be popular. Its a great idea for any company looking to grow. It also offers an attractive alternative for more than just weathering the pandemic and could become the new normal in the future.







How to Properly Implement Remote Work in Your Company

Some companies have already been using remote employees as part of their workforce, but they have not committed to it 100%. They are hesitant to commit because they fear that their employees will not work effectively from home.

However, this is a false assumption as there is no evidence to support it. On the other hand, plenty of data shows that companies that have a strong culture of remote workers have seen a significant increase in productivity due to the increase in efficiency of communication between employees.

Here are three ideas on how to make it possible for your company to create a remote work option for employees:

Use the best internet service for your city. If, for instance, your business is based in Southern California, find a managed service provider in San Diego that focuses on working with office systems and providing workflow solutions. Use a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) provider: There are many advantages to using a PaaS business cloud service instead of your current setup. They are cheaper, more reliable, and easier to use. Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure is an excellent example of a business cloud service. It includes storage, virtual machines, databases, and other useful features businesses need for their online operations. Cloud services can also be used to back up your company's data if something goes wrong with your servers or internet connection. Use a business VoIP service for your telephony needs: Find a company that offers more global uptime. Recently, for example, 8x8 (News - Alert) , a cloud service provider, announced how it would offer its business customers 99.999% global uptime.

How to Improve Your Company's Productivity For Remote Workers

In today's day and age, remote workers are becoming more commonplace. This trend is becoming more prevalent for organizations that need to scale their operations and independent freelancers who need to take on multiple projects simultaneously.

Here's how you can improve your productivity for remote workers.

Create a workspace that meets your remote worker's needs: If your company uses different tools or applications, such as Slack, Trello, Google (News - Alert) Drive, Basecamp, or Outlook, make sure you have a central hub where your team members can transfer files and messages in one place. Provide clear lines of communication: Don't let communication get lost in the noise of emailing back and forth between employees. Instead, use team communication tools. For example, chat apps like Slack are easy to use and allow for group conversations.

As remote work becomes increasingly popular in the future, there will be increased pressure on companies to take care of their remote workers and the quality of life that comes with it. Companies will have to step up their game when it comes down to taking care of their employees needs and making sure they are happy at work while still getting the job done on time.
September 08, 2021





Ranking for your company website is essential; the higher you rank, the more potential sales youll be able to make. If youre trying to attract local customers or clients, having a solid regional SEO strategy can make a considerable difference. For inexperienced business owners, navigating the SEO realm can be daunting. It seems like youre constantly being pulled in multiple directions without an experienced guide to make sure youre doing every step correctly. For most, a local strategy is nothing more than hoping for the best. While business owners can still appear in search rankings, having an optimized plan can keep new traffic coming into the site.









Most people believe a local SEO strategy involves complex strategies and keyword stuffing content to drive up your traffic. The truth is far from this expectation. Its often simple fixes that can make the most significant improvement to your website visibility. While getting your local SEO strategy off the ground, consider the following eight mistakes most businesses are making and how to avoid them.

No company reviews online

Building a business needs to start with a users experience with the company. Online reviews take just minutes for the individual to complete but can significantly influence your local SEO. This influence means that every past customer has the potential to improve your businesss credibility online. Theyll help build trust for new customers while showing Google (News - Alert) that your company is a reputable location.

To avoid this, always follow up with your customers or clients and ask them for feedback. Youre welcome to send an email to clients with direct links to the platforms (Google, Facebook (News - Alert) , and Yelp). Directly asking a customer for feedback or a review can go a long way with customers, which can help build brand loyalty in the process. If you have an email marketing system established, add these directories to your monthly newsletter.

Minimal Directory Profile Information

The more frequently you submit business information online, the more your company appears online. Different directories offer different search results, with many appearing above traditional blogs or company pages. Thats why its crucial to share all of your information online in as many places as possible.

Always look for reputable directories for company profiles and submit your information online. Make sure that all business information posted is accurate and complete before submitting it online. Inaccurate information can negatively impact your search ranking, particularly with local SEO results. Cross-reference any directory online to ensure accuracy and fluidity online. Make sure the business name is the same, the current phone number, and the website is accurate.

Content on the Blog isnt Optimized

If you regularly post to your blog online, using location-specific keywords to target your audience can increase credibility and website traffic. Many business owners fail to include long-tail keywords in their SEO strategy, particularly with geographical location. Companies that target specific locations and areas should always add local SEO to their blog content to find targeted traffic. Organic web traffic is not an instantaneous thing; it takes time, energy, and focus. When writing, consider that all keywords should mix tailored SEO and localized terms that consider location.

For example, a sugar daddy website that operates in a specific location should target any geographical keyword instead of solely using generic SEO. Using phrases like sugar baby Tampa will help attract localized traffic within a particular region of Florida. Make sure all SEO elements are optimized, including internal links, images, blog content, headings, and the title tag (News - Alert) .

Not Completing the Google My Business Listing

As a business owner trying to rank within local regions, Google My Business is crucial in driving traffic to your website. This information will appear for anyone that searches for your company name, phone number, or business genre. For example, if your business is listed as a car dealership, the listing will appear when someone enters those keywords (assuming youre a local business).

Simply make sure that all business information is submitted to the Google My Business link or claim an existing listing if one exists. From there, youll be able to customize your listing to your companys specifications. Youll be able to edit your business hours, website, photos, categories, and contact information through the platform. Make sure that your business name is accurate and listed precisely as its registered. Trying to keyword stuff your Google My Business listing can hurt your search rankings instead of helping it.

Not Following Up with Negative Reviews or Feedback

Feedback systems help potential clients make informed decisions while shopping. An angry customer will tell virtually everyone they know, including the internet and social media sites. A consumer that feels ignored will share their experience over and over again. For most people, the occasional negative review wont deter them from making a purchase. What does influence an individual is the companys response.

While avoiding negative feedback or opinions may seem more straightforward, a business looks better when they take the professional high road and respond. For any negative replies, encourage the customer to reach out directly to an email address you provide. Its always better to apologize that an experience wasnt up to their standard without accepting ownership in the situation. If your business did misbehave, owning up to this can go a long way with potential customers.

Your local SEO strategy needs to balance long-tail keywords, optimized content, and improved online visibility. Missing any particular portion of these categories can be detrimental to any business. Make sure that all contact information is accurate and current across all online websites. Always check that the targeted areas are the geographical regions you service; targeting a location outside of your jurisdiction can lead to frustrated viewers. The last thing that people want when searching for a service is to find a company that cant deliver.
September 08, 2021

For new car dealers, getting customers includes navigating several steps in the sales funnel. Dealers must invest significant portions of their budgets into generating leads and then invest time in converting those leads to a sale. However, a new car-matching platform is taking the pain points of buying and selling cars out of the process.







LetYouKnow, Inc.s innovative platform (LetYouKnow.com) matches new car buyers with dealers easily and instantly online. Not only do buyers set their own prices on the platform, but dealers also are able to sell cars at the prices they want. Dealers anonymously list their prices on LetYouKnows dealer portal and the matching system will bring them highly committed buyers who are willing to pay at least those prices. By listing their new vehicles on LetYouKnows dealer portal, dealers are able to bypass the long, expensive process of generating and chasing leads.

About LetYouKnow

LetYouKnow was a project years in the making. Boris Zhukov, CEO and Aaron Shao, CTO originated the idea of LetYouKnow almost 20 years ago. After working for years at perfecting the algorithm-based model that is rooted in principles of economics and mathematics, the LetYouKnow website was officially launched in late 2020. Currently, LetYouKnow has 31 dealerships in its network across eight states and five regions.

Consumers who want to buy a brand-new car, go to LetYouKnow.com, input the type of car they want, chose the search radius and the price theyre willing to pay. If there is a match, the buyer pays a prepaid fee of $799, then the dealership information is revealed. At that point, the dealer will contact the buyer to schedule an appointment to complete their transaction and pick up the car. Not only does LetYouKnow take uncomfortable negotiations and tediousness out of car buying, but it also has proven to be tremendously beneficial for dealerships.

Changing the automotive industry optics

As the automotive industry has undergone changes over the past few years, mainly going from in-person negotiations to online listings and digitalized sales, the business fundamentals have stayed pretty much the same. This includes continued focus on chasing leads, which is both time-consuming and costly. LetYouKnow helps dealerships shift their focus from a lead-chasing mentality to sealing deals with highly committed buyers. This leads to higher inventory turnover, optimized lot space, fewer costs and more profits.

Zhukov said dealers often order large batches of new car inventory that they try to sell as soon as possible to gain a larger profit partly due to manufacturers kickbacks, but dealers will need to sell those larger volumes and have to turn to discounting and ads to do so. However, this method of publicly displaying discounted prices arms both buyers and competitors to use the information against these dealers. Competitors can try to undercut such discounts and buyers will use these discounted prices as their new starting points in negotiations. The result is lost sales and lower prices across all new car models including those that could have been potentially sold at sticker prices in the absence of publicly displayed discounting prices and ads.

The result is a clear win-win situation for all parties involved, Zhukov said. Quicker inventory turnover rates imply larger sales volumes that will bring dealers incentive kickbacks from manufacturing companies and the ability to discount a portion of the inventory that they need to move quickly without disclosing those prices to anyone, resulting in deals to our buyers. Our goal is to unleash the supply and get buyers more deals and inventory options.

LetYouKnow is working hard to change the status quo of the automotive industry by empowering dealers to focus on highly committed buyers. This way, dealerships dont have to spend a large chunk of their budgets on generating leads and their sales teams can focus on tasks they perform best, which is selling cars in face-to-face negotiations and making buyers feel welcomed at the dealership as they complete their transactions and pick up vehicles.

Every match on the LetYouKnow platform is a committed transaction, said Zhukov. Before LetYouKnow, dealers had to spend a significant portion of their budget to acquire leads and then pursue those leads with no assurances that a large fraction of these leads will result in car purchases; whereas, now dealers have a way of getting highly committed buyers at no cost. The dynamic of delegating the task of finding car buyers to an innovative tech company resembles a self-driving technology that auto manufacturers are currently pursuing in their development. We tell dealers that the LetYouKnow team will worry about getting them highly committed buyers.

Maximizing profits for dealers

LetYouKnow opens so many doors to dealers to maximize their profits. Its innovative anonymous listing process with instant buyer matching resulting in highly committed buyers, allows dealers to discount only the portion of their inventory that needs to be moved quickly without disrupting any high-markup transactions. Moreover, LetYouKnow cuts costs in relation to ads, leads and floor planning; while, expanding geographical reach, making dealers more competitive compared to used-car automotive disruptors, such as Carvana and Vroom that target buyers nationwide. Additionally, any LetYouKnow-driven marketing campaigns benefit in-network dealers, as they get matched to more buyers at no cost to them.

We saw a void in the industry, said Leslie McGehee, LetYouKnows CAO. Dealers have a portion of new car inventory that is tough to move and younger consumers are tech-savvy and want to find new car deals without being burdened with endless price negotiations. We solve dealer and buyer challenges.

The anonymous aspect of LetYouKnow plays a large role in profit maximization for dealers. For example, dealers dont have to publicly list their true rock-bottom price and risk a potential buyer walking away, because the competitor will beat that price. LetYouKnow does not pit one dealer against another, rather it provides favorable conditions by the sheer setup of its model for a dealer to truly reveal their rock bottom prices when anonymously listing their inventory. This is a serious upgrade to dealers unlike pitting one dealer against another dynamic, which may sound good to buyers on paper, will actually result in overinflated publicly displayed prices, as dealers will factor in future negotiations and competitive pressures without any assurance that they will successfully get that buyer. With LetYouKnow dealers simply anonymously input their price and are matched with a buyer!

The dealer is empowered to sell cars at different prices without disclosing discounts, said Zhukov. This means they can make a greater profit.

LetYouKnow is a tool that complements dealers portfolios and business strategies and dealers do not have to pay any signup or subscription fees for joining the network.

Zhukov said any industry undergoes changes and if businesses want to stay relevant, they need to serve data-centric consumers. Consumers are also privy to resources for research and if dealers publicly disclose their lowest price, potential buyers will often still try and negotiate a better deal, dissuading dealers from publicly disclosing their true rock-bottom price.

The industry and going forward

Shao said that LetYouKnow is moving forward into the future with an even more streamlined process for dealers. He also said theyre seeking to assist dealers with other services they offer, such as oil changes, alignments, filters, brake service and more. In addition, LetYouKnow is constantly collecting consumer data to make the process more efficient and increase transactions.

We are continuously honing our matching tools to make our participating dealerships run more efficiently, he said.

In general, the automotive space is becoming more digitized. However, McGehee said the industry is still antiquated when it comes to the selling process.

Were poised to give the entire industry a major boost by making it a leader among other e-commerce industries in terms of innovative pricing tools, she said. Its time to turn the page and focus on highly committed buyers rather than leads.
[September 08, 2021] Acquisition Expands Securian Financial's Canadian Distribution

Securian Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Securian Financial Group, announced today it has acquired Armour Group Inc., a distributor of credit and specialty property and casualty products through automobile dealers, recreational vehicle dealers and finance companies in Canada. Headquartered in London, Ontario, Armour Group will continue to operate independently under its current leadership. The terms of the deal-which closed September 1, 2021-will not be disclosed. "The acquisition of Armour Group and access to its broad distribution network diversifies our revenue and gives us a natural opportunity to expand into attractive adjacent markets," said Chris Hilger, Securian Financial's chairman, president and CEO. This is Securian Financial's third Canadian acquisition in five years. The company expanded internationally for the first time in its history in 2017, when it cquired Toronto-based Canadian Premier Life Insurance Company and distributor Valeyo. In 2020, Securian Financial purchased the Canadian block of business from Gerber Life Insurance Company.



"Our business in Canada is growing and we continue making strategic investments to accelerate our momentum in the country," said Hilger. ABOUT SECURIAN FINANCIAL

At Securian Financial, we're here for family. And we're here because of it. We're guided by our purpose: helping customers build secure tomorrows. Since 1880, we've been building a uniquely diversified company that has outlasted economic ups and downs while staying true to our customers. We're committed to the markets we serve, providing insurance, investment and retirement solutions that give families the confidence to focus on what's truly valuable: banking memories with those who matter most. Securian Financial is the marketing name for Securian Financial Group, Inc. and subsidiaries. Insurance products are issued by its subsidiary insurance companies, including Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company, a New York authorized insurer. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc., registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. DOFU 09-2021 1826197 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005177/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Alegeus Appoints Industry Veteran Jacqueline Kosecoff to Its Board of Directors

Alegeus, the market leader in consumer funding technology, today announced it has named Jacqueline Kosecoff to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Kosecoff's appointment reinforces the Alegeus market leadership position and ongoing commitment to enhancing its platform and value proposition. Kosecoff joins the board as the company gears up for its next phase of growth - establishing itself as the number-one white-label technology provider in the consumer funding space, delivering a best-in-industry HSA experience, and scaling its operations for the rapid growth of its client base, which serves millions of consumers and processes billions of dollars of consumer healthcare payments annually. Dr. Kosecoff is a seasoned corporate executive and board member with special depth of knowledge in health services and technology. She helped found and lead private equity-backed companies, including Value Health Sciences and Protocare. She went on to serve as Executive Vice President of PacifiCare and CEO of OptumRx at UnitedHealth Group. Curently, Dr. Kosecoff is working in private equity to identify, select, mentor and manage health companies. She also sits on the board of directors of public companies, including Alignment Healthcare, GoodRx, Houlihan Lokey, STERIS plc and TriNet Group.



"We're thrilled to welcome Jackie as a member of our Board of Directors," said Leif O'Leary, Alegeus CEO. "Her exceptional track record as a customer-focused growth leader in the healthcare technology industry will be instrumental as we continue to unlock the potential of the consumer funding space." "Alegeus is uniquely positioned in one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare, with a flexible, industry-leading platform and an impressive customer base with massive reach in the marketplace," Kosecoff said. "I'm excited to bring my experience and perspective to the board of directors and executive team to help take this company to the next level."

Dr. Kosecoff holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), an MS in Applied Mathematics from Brown University, and a doctorate from UCLA. About Alegeus Alegeus is the market leader in consumer funding solutions, delivering the industry's leading white-label platform that transforms how consumers save and pay for healthcare. Our next-generation technology simplifies the administration of healthcare benefit accounts (including FSAs, HSAs, HRAs, wellness incentive, dependent care and commuter accounts) and COBRA, using data-driven insights to guide consumers to the best coverage, cash and care strategies. More than 350 Alegeus clients - including health insurance plans and third-party administrators - leverage our deep expertise and proven technology to administer benefit accounts for more than 30 million members and to process more than $9.1 billion in consumer healthcare payments annually. As part of the Vista Equity Partners portfolio of companies, Alegeus benefits from increased capital for strategic investments, access to exceptional toolkits, best practices and resources for success, and strong cultural and value alignment focused on talent development and growth. The company is headquartered in Waltham, MA with operations in Orlando, FL and Milwaukee, WI. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005199/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Apella Capital to Establish Partnership with Wealth Partners Capital Group

Apella Capital LLC ("Apella"), a Connecticut-based registered investment adviser ("RIA"), has entered into an agreement to form a strategic partnership to accelerate its growth through acquisition and tap into industry expertise. Apella is pleased to announce that it will receive a minority investment from Wealth Partners Capital Group ("WPCG"), a financial services holding company. Through the entrepreneurism of Founders Pat Sweeny and Dave Connelly and the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Joshua Pace, Apella has emerged as a rapidly growing leader in the RIA industry. Apella provides wealth and investment management services for individuals, families, businesses and foundations, with eleven locations across the country and over $2.4 billion in client assets as of Sept. 1, 2021. "Our firm was built by advisors for advisors, and we are dedicated to providing exceptional advice and creating lifelong client relationships," said Sweeny and Connelly. "We have achieved remarkable growth over the past five years, and we seek to partner with more best-in-class advisors while continuing to offer our clients the finest of factor-based investing. We are excited about our partnership with WPCG given their proven track record of assisting partner firms in achieving their growth goals through M&A." In collaboration with WPCG, Apella will focus on expanding its national presence and partnering with advisory firms that are rooted in a similar investment philosophy, particularly those with a deep commitment to comprehensive financial planning. The WPCG management team will work closely with Apella as it enters its next chapter of growth. "We continue to see significant consolidation in the RIA industry ultimately benefiting advisors and clients," said John Copeland, Managing Partner of WPCG. With a strong client-centric offering and a deep management bench, we believe Apella can become a leading strategic RIA acquirer. We look forward to aligning with Apella and supporting their growth objectives with the goal of sharing their exceptional client service and deep planning expertise with advisors who focus on factor-based investing."



Apella has been strategic in its approach to growth having completed 12 acquisitions to date while experiencing strong organic growth, driven by its radio show and podcast, "Talking Real Money." "Through our partnership with WPCG we will be well-positioned to accelerate our growth trajectory while maintaining a steadfast dedication to clients and M&A discipline," said Pace. "As we further expand our service offering and geographic footprint, we remain committed to bringing the best resources and expertise to our advisors and their clients."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of Q3 2021. Financial and legal terms of the transaction will not be disclosed. About Apella Capital Apella Capital LLC ("Apella") is a national registered investment adviser based in Glastonbury, CT. Built around a select community of like-minded advisors with a focus on factor-based investing and planning, Apella operates 11 offices throughout the U.S. As of Sept. 1, 2021, Apella's assets under management and administration totaled over $2.4 billion. Apella's advisors are dedicated to building lifelong client relationships and providing Advice for Life. For more information, please visit www.apellacapital.com. About Wealth Partners Capital Group Wealth Partners Capital Group ("WPCG") is a financial services holding company, which has invested in and partnered with some of the nation's leading wealth management firms: EP Wealth Advisors, MAI Capital Management, Forbes Family Trust, Merit Financial Group and Apella Capital. WPCG assists its partner firms by identifying and integrating like-minded wealth advisory firms who are seeking access to expanded business capabilities, strategic growth and customized transition solutions. The WPCG management team is led by partners John W. Copeland, Rich Gill and Sean Bresnan. For more information, please visit www.wealthpcg.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005287/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Breckinridge Capital Advisors Expands Distribution to Europe

Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc. ("Breckinridge" or the "Firm"), an independently owned asset management firm specializing in investment grade fixed income investing, today announced plans to expand its distribution to institutional investors in Europe. Headquartered in Boston, Breckinridge will partner with Harrington Cooper, a cross-border distribution provider for asset managers since 2006. Breckinridge has nearly 30 years of experience developing and executing customized investment grade fixed income strategies for financial advisors, consultants, family offices, institutional investors and high net worth individuals. The Firm has also established itself as an industry leader in responsible investing and was among the first asset managers to begin integrating environmental, social and governance ("ESG") metrics with traditional investment execution. For more than a decade, Breckinridge has leveraged proprietary security analysis frameworks, integrating ESG metrics with traditional fundamental financial measures, intended to provide a better understanding of corporate and municipal bond issuers. The ESG frameworks have played a significant role in enabling the Firm to make more informed investment decisions as it seeks to provide investors with reliable income, consistent returns and capital preservation that they expect from investment grade fixed income strategies. Through this new expansion, European investors will now have access to Breckinridge's full-suite of investment capabilities, including ESG integration across sector-focused, multi-sector and sustainable bond strategies in customized separate accounts. "We were among the early practitioners of ESG in the US, particularly in fixed income markets," said Peter Coffin, President, Breckinridge. "While some of the largest asset managers in the world today are helping to advance ESG insights, a decade ago and as ESG was just developing, ESG integration was being pursued by a more limited set of investors. At the time, our independent status proved to be an advantage to our efforts. This sentiment rings true today, and we look forward to working with investors in Europe who are eager to have access to our disciplined approach to ESG." Over the last 15 years, Harrington Cooper has raised over $6 billion of assets across more than 20 highly differentiated investment strategies. Their team boasts strong, long-held relationships with some of the most significant wholesale and institutional investors located across the UK and Republic of Ireland, Continental Europe and Japan. Breckinridge will be Harrington Cooper's only distribution partner that specializes in investment grade fixed income and ESG integration. "Breckinridge is exceptionally unique in its offering," said Harry Dickinson, Managing Partner of Harrington Cooper. "We've seen a gap in adoption of ESG among fixed income managers in Europe, and Breckinridge is very well-positioned to serve clients in an effective and authentic manner considering their deep experience in ESG." "We're thrilled to partner with Harrington Cooper in our expansion into the European market," said Ognjen Soa, Chief Investment Officer, Breckinridge. "We are seeing significant interest from institutional investors in Europe for sustainable investment grade fixed income solutions that incorporate ESG factors. Further, we believe we are well-positioned to address the regulatory requirements specific to Europe in addition to growing concerns around net zero. Our ability to customize portfolios for clients helps to address their needs."



Breckinridge brings to Europe impressive industry accolades. In 2021, Breckinridge was recognized by the ESG Investing Awards as a top company in its category Best ESG Investment Fund: Fixed Income.1 The awards identify and reward the best companies involved in all areas of ESG investing across the globe, celebrating the best in research, ratings, funds and products. The Firm was also awarded US Active Fixed Income Strategy of the Year for its Intermediate Sustainable Government Credit Strategy in 2020 for Pension Bridge's Institutional Asset Management Awards.2 In 2020, Breckinridge also won Impact Asset Manager of the Year by Envestnet and Investment Advisor Magazine.3 About Breckinridge Capital Advisors

Breckinridge Capital Advisors is a Boston-based asset management firm specializing in investment-grade fixed income portfolios. With $46 billion in assets under management, as of June 30, 2021, Breckinridge serves a wide variety of clients ranging from private clients to institutions. Working through a network of investment consultants and advisors, Breckinridge offers sector-focused, multi-sector and sustainable bond strategies in customized separate accounts. For more information, please visit https://www.breckinridge.com/. About Harrington Cooper Harrington Cooper works with world class asset managers, bringing them to the attention of investors in different parts of the world including the UK, continental Europe, the Nordic region and Asia. Harrington Cooper has long-standing relationships with discretionary investment managers, private banks, family offices, multi-managers, insurance companies and pension funds. Established in 2006, the firm sets great store in thoroughly researching investment opportunities that satisfy the demands of professional investors. Harrington Cooper LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; Japan Financial Services Agency; Kanto Local Finance Bureau; and Central Bank of Ireland. For more information, please visit www.harringtoncooper.com. Disclaimer This material provides general and/or educational information and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer of Breckinridge services or products or as legal, tax or investment advice. The content is current as of the time of writing or as designated within the material. All information, including the opinions and views of Breckinridge, is subject to change without notice. Some information has been taken directly from unaffiliated third-party sources. Breckinridge believes such information is reliable but does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. While Breckinridge believes the assessment of ESG criteria can improve overall credit risk analysis, there is no guarantee that integrating ESG analysis will improve risk-adjusted returns or lower portfolio volatility over any specific time period. In addition, sustainable investing may underperform the broader market or other strategies that do not utilize sustainable investing criteria. All investments are subject to risks, including the loss of principal. _____________________________

1 To learn more about the awards and how managers are evaluated, go to: www.esginvesting.co.uk/awards

2 To learn more about the awards and how managers are evaluated, go to: https://iamanagementawards.awardstage.com/#!/judging-methodology--criteria

3 To learn more about the awards and how managers are evaluated, go to: www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/06/24/impact-assetmanager-of-the-year-breckinridge-capital/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005174/en/

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[September 08, 2021] CCT Coating & Converting Technologies is Becoming Part of Swiss ATP Adhesive Systems Group

WOLLERAU, Switzerland and PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The US-based adhesive tape specialist CCT (Coating & Converting Technologies) is becoming part of a leading water-based specialty adhesive tapes manufacturer ATP Adhesive Systems Group based in Switzerland. The combination strengthens the market position of both companies by offering an even wider range of tailor-made solutions to its customers. ATP Adhesive Systems Group is the pioneer and market leader in high-performance adhesive tapes, exclusively focusing on water-based technology for over 30 years. The Company serves a wide range of markets, including construction, medical, transportation, electronics, appliances and general industries, offering tailor-made solutions through its in-house R&D capabilities. ATP employs approximately 450 staff in its production sites in Germany and the UK, and its headquarters and development center in Switzerland.



CCT (Coating & Converting Technologies) has established itself as a leading provider of specialized adhesive tapes in the US, to many of the same markets as ATP over the past 30 years. CCT's founder Robert Dempsey and CEO Rich Hipp will continue to run the firm's operations from their Philadelphia location. Both firms' offer tailor made solutions to its customers -- ATP's R&D and coating expertise and CCT's technology, are highly complementary. ATP and CCT expect to expand its service offering especially to its North American customers.

"We have known Rob and CCT for many years and are delighted to welcome the entire CCT team to the ATP family," explains Daniel Heini, CEO ATP. "We have always viewed CCT as an outstanding platform and cannot wait to start working together. We will significantly invest into CCT's operations to provide its North American customers with the best possible products and services. Our acquisition of CCT again highlights ATP's strong ambition to expand internationally and further diversify its offering." "I am very excited for CCT to become part of ATP  whose DNA is very similar to ours and focuses on offering the best overall value solution to customers," adds Rich Hipp, CEO CCT. "Further, having access to ATP's leading adhesive technology and formulation know-how will deliver great benefits to our customers, while establishing CCT as one of the leading speciality adhesive tape manufacturers in North America." Family investor Bregal Unternehmerkapital had acquired ATP in 2018 and together with its management team is focussing on expanding the business globally. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cct-coating--converting-technologies-is-becoming-part-of-swiss-atp-adhesive-systems-group-301370856.html SOURCE CCT Tapes

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[September 08, 2021] Conga Appoints Dayna Perry as Chief People Officer

Conga, the global leader in commercial operations transformation, today announced the appointment of Dayna Perry as Chief People Officer. Perry brings extensive experience leading global HR teams. Her appointment is one of several executive new hires recently announced, including the addition of Randy Littleson as Chief Marketing Officer, Eric Salava as Chief Revenue Officer, and Grant Peterson as Chief Product Officer. Prior to joining Conga, Perry spent her 25+ year career working with a variety of notable companies in e-commerce, mobile, software, financial, and manufacturing sectors. She has a wide range of experience partnering with the business and creating and delivering a positive employee experience. Over the past seven years she has served in various senior leadership roles at Amazon, supporting its International Consumer Business, Amazon Operations, and Worldwide Customer Service. "As Conga continues to grow and evolve as a global organization, we are very excited to welcome Dayna to the team. Her extensive experience uilding healthy and sustainable organizations-complemented by her deep-rooted passion for open and collaborative cultures-makes her the ideal fit for the CPO role," said Noel Goggin, CEO of Conga. "Dayna exudes positive energy, and her commitment to achieving together aligns perfectly with the Conga Way. We couldn't be happier to have her lead our global people team and, with this gap now filled, we have an executive leadership team primed for the next phase of Conga's journey."



Perry will lead all colleague-related functions, including corporate social responsibility, HR business partnering, engagement, internal communications, leadership development, and total rewards and HRIS. "Conga's commitment to build a truly people-focused culture drew me to this unique opportunity," said Perry. "I look forward to working with the talented team at Conga to scale the people processes and capabilities in readiness for the next chapter of business growth."

Perry holds both a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Her appointment is effective immediately. She will be based out of Conga's Broomfield, Colorado office. About Conga Conga, the global leader in commercial operations transformation, helps businesses simplify and automate their approach to the essential quotes, contracts, and documents that drive commerce. We help our customers become more agile, so they can adapt quickly to change and create a fluid, connected customer experience. Companies choose Conga for the most comprehensive solution set in the market and expert guidance, enabling them to transform the processes and documents surrounding customer engagement, configure price quote (CPQ), contract lifecycle management (CLM), and the complete commercial operations lifecycle. With Conga, businesses evolve their commercial operations to streamline their revenue processes and derive meaningful insights that lead to sustained growth. Conga has global operations across North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more at conga.com or follow Conga on Twitter (News - Alert) : @CongaHQ. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005216/en/

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[September 08, 2021] CSC Appoints Edward Morelli as Senior Managing Director for Delaware Trust Company

CSC (News - Alert) , the world's leading provider of business, legal, tax, and digital brand services, has announced the addition of Edward Morelli as senior managing director to its Global Financial Markets (GFM) division. He will lead the specialized escrow and agency efforts of its wholly owned and fully regulated subsidiary, Delaware Trust Company. In this new role, Morelli will be responsible for growing and expanding the services for the escrow, reinsurance, project finance, and specialized agency markets to better serve our clients. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005015/en/ Edward Morelli (Photo: Business Wire)



"I'm very excited to join Delaware Trust at this momentous time. Unlike many other providers, Delaware Trust is fully dedicated and actively investing in its corporate trust business," says Morelli. "For clients looking for flexibility and superior service, Delaware Trust provides a winning model that maintains all the same protections as the big banks while offering niche expertise and flexibility to put the client first and get the job done."

Morelli will report to Dan Fisher, executive vice president of corporate trust, agency, and independent director services. "Ed Morelli's 'client-first' outlook is an ideal fit for the Delaware Trust team. He has experience executing strategic growth initiatives in new markets, a background in transforming businesses to become more streamlined, and a focus on driving operational excellence and service quality," says Fisher. A corporate trust executive for more than 30 years, Morelli was most recently head of Citibank's specialized agency business and a director within its agency and trust division. He previously held numerous leadership roles in corporate trust at Bank of New York and Chase Manhattan Bank. About CSC CSC is a leading provider of specialized administration services to alternative asset managers across a range of fund strategies, capital markets participants in both public and private markets, and corporations requiring fiduciary and governance support. We are the unwavering partner for 90% of the Fortune 500, nearly 10,000 law firms, and more than 3,000 financial institutions. CSC's Global Financial Markets professionals are located in key financial centers across the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific. We are a global company capable of conducting transactions wherever our clients are?and we accomplish that by deploying experts in every business we serve. To learn more, visit delawaretrust.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005015/en/

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[September 08, 2021] DataArt Acquires SFL, Strengthens Digital Engineering Capabilities

DataArt, a global software engineering firm, today announced its acquisition of SFL, an Armenia-based software development company. The acquisition enhances DataArt's capabilities in digital engineering and is part of the firm's strategy to respond to rising demand for high-end engineering services across multiple markets. Founded in 2006, SFL has become one of Armenia's foremost engineering companies by providing best-of-breed IT solutions to global clients across industries. Focusing on IT strategy and full-cycle software development, SFL develops solutions based on market knowledge, in-depth technology expertise, and high methodological competence. SFL has an exceptionally strong technical team in Yerevan and a well-earned reputation for high-quality service and sharp delivery. "We are pleased to welcome SFL to the DataArt family. By uniting our teams in Yerevan, we are creating the strongest IT team in the region, with a unique cororate culture and endless opportunities for career growth. The merger with SFL reinforces our commitment to invest in Armenia, strengthen our team and enhance client service", said Eugene Goland, President of DataArt.



By leveraging the expertise of SFL's team, DataArt can fulfill ambitions for growth while offering the incoming team access to significant, large scale transformation projects. DataArt will continue to serve existing SFL clients, primarily in the US and Europe.

"We're excited to join forces with DataArt, as their business model is compatible with our company culture and values," said Arsen Gevorgyan, CEO of SFL. "With the company's impressive history of growth, we can now provide even more value for our clients by tapping into DataArt's resource pool in a number of countries." The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in Q3 of 2021. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. About DataArt DataArt is a global software engineering firm that takes a uniquely human approach to solving problems. With over 20 years of experience, teams of highly-trained engineers around the world, and deep industry sector knowledge, we deliver high-value, high-quality solutions that our clients depend on, and lifetime partnerships they believe in. www.dataart.com

@dataart View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005066/en/

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Digital Fortress Enhances Data Center, Colocation Services and Capabilities with a Full Suite of Global Partners

Digital Fortress, one of the fast-growing multi-tenant colocation and wholesale data center providers, has been rapidly evolving throughout 2021 expanding and adding new facilities to offer solutions across ten interconnected key locations in Chicago, Denver, New Jersey, Portland, Seattle and Richmond, Virginia. As a result of its expanded footprint, Digital Fortress announces the formation of a new suite of local and global partners to enhance service and further extend network capabilities within its existing and growing footprint. The assembly of new partnerships includes cloud, network and managed service solutions offered by market leaders, DataPlex Group Limited, Megaport, SinglePoint Global, Sky Data Vault, and Viatel.







DataPlex Group Limited provides a range of technical facilities and services to clients seeking mission-critical wholesale data center services including colocation, private suites, powered shell, and client tailored data centers. DataPlex Executive, Andy Collinge, shares, "Our new partnership will allow Digital Fortress and DataPlex customers to have the capability to expand into new global markets. Our focus is on customer satisfaction and meeting the high standards that our data center customers demand. We are excited to work alongside Digital Fortress and provide North American customers the ability to develop and operate data centers in the European market."

Digital Fortress is also proud to announce its latest partnership, Megaport, a leading global Network as a Service provider with a private Software Defined Network (SDN) that connects to over 760 enabled data centers in 23 countries across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Megaport provides customers with fast, flexible, secure, and on-demand connectivity to leading cloud, network, and managed service providers. Megaport Chief Revenue Officer Rodney Foreman adds, "We are pleased to partner with Digital Fortress to enhance network service capabilities to customers and enable low-latency Software-Defined Cloud Interconnections (SDCI) across the Digital Fortress platform. Megaport's extensive reach of over 230 cloud on-ramps provides Digital Fortress customers with easy, direct, and scalable access to leading global cloud providers. Digital Fortress customers can now provision and manage network services with ease in a point-click-connect manner to meet their evolving business needs."

SinglePoint Global, headquartered in the data center hub of Ashburn, Virginia, is an IT service vendor focusing on solutions and support for customers' productivity and profitability. SinglePoint Global founder, Gregory Browning, shares, "Our partnership with Digital Fortress provides customers with the resources to run their businesses worry-free in regards to their mission-critical equipment, enterprise-level infrastructure and security. Our mission aligns with Digital Fortress' goal to provide custom services to every customer with a market leading approach to primary IT needs."

Sky Data Vault, a top Managed Cloud Services provider headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, has partnered with Digital Fortress to offer Microsoft (News - Alert) Office 365 Backup, managed data backup, disaster recovery and cloud infrastructure to Digital Fortress' rapidly expanding customer base. For each of their service offerings, Sky Data Vault includes complete end-to-end onboarding, service, and support to their customers. Michael Thompson (News - Alert) , Co-Founder and VP of Sales and Strategy of Sky Data Vault, states, "Sky Data Vault will provide a truly 'white glove-service' for all of our service offerings. This will allow the Digital Fortress customer a chance to refocus on their core business while Sky Data Vault provides the day-to-day support of the service and our team of US-based experts at the ready, 24x7x365 if data recovery is required." The partnership between Digital Fortress and Sky Data Vault will ensure Digital Fortress customers the highest quality experience with an industry leader in the backup, disaster recovery, and cloud infrastructure marketplace.

Along with the many new partnerships, Digital Fortress introduced its sister company, Viatel, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Viatel is the leading independent, Irish-owned provider of connectivity, cloud and security solutions. Serving respected Irish companies, multinational corporations and public sector bodies, Viatel has deep strengths in the healthcare, financial services and education sectors. Damien McCann, Executive of Viatel, shares, "Viatel offers Digital Fortress customers the opportunity to expand into the European data center market with confidence to receive great customer service as well as access to the service and capabilities that Digital Fortress has to offer in the North American data center market." Digital Fortress' and Viatel's combined efforts can now support customer requirements across North American and European markets.

Digital Fortress' partnerships enable customers to access additional communications solutions - directly available and accessible from Digital Fortress facilities across the U.S - including disaster recovery, cloud connectivity, colocation management and cloud services. This announcement fortifies Digital Fortress' mission to provide customers with a one-stop shop solution for all digital infrastructure needs.

For more information about how Digital Fortress and its partnerships with DataPlex Group Limited, Megaport, SinglePoint Global, Sky Data Vault, and Viatel can help your business grow and succeed on a local and global scale, please visit: www.digital-fortress.com or contact Jhoan Checo at jhoan.checo@dfcolo.com.

About Digital Fortress

Digital Fortress is a fast-growing multi-tenant and wholesale data center provider offering colocation, network, and cloud access services to large and mid-size enterprises. Since 1994, the company has expanded its nationwide footprint through both organic and inorganic strategies, now operating nine SSAE SOC 1 and II, PCI (News - Alert) , and HIPAA compliant facilities in Washington, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, and Oregon. In 2021, the company acquired a wholesale data center in Richmond, VA offering N+1 concurrently maintainable configurations with up to 25MW of expansion capabilities. All Digital Fortress facilities are carrier-neutral with 24/7 support. For more information visit: www.digital-fortress.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005093/en/
[September 08, 2021] Envoy Solutions Continues Expansion in Mid-Atlantic Region With Acquisition of PJP

GLENVIEW, Ill., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Envoy Solutions, a diversified distribution company, has entered into an agreement to acquire Penn Jersey Paper Co. ("PJP"), based in Philadelphia, PA. The nearly 60-year-old company has a significant presence in the Mid-Atlantic as a market leader in cleaning products, foodservice disposables, and janitorial supplies. PJP prides itself on finding solutions for customers with the company's rich expertise and specialized equipment for small cafes, large catering facilities, and everything in between. PJP also takes a thoughtful and creative approach with disposable packaging that serves a wide range of functions, from improving safety to enhancing marketing. This acquisition is part of Envoy Solutions' ambitious approach to build a national platform offering facilities supplies, foodservice disposables, packaging solutions, and specialty marketing solutions. With this new partnership, Envoy Solutions is well-positioned to achieve its vision of making buildings cleaner and more sustainable, people safer, and operations more productive, every day. PJP is the latest in a series of companies joining Envoy Solutions' growing portfolio, which includes North American, WAXIE, Southeastern Paper Group, and recently announced, Daycon. PJP currently supports 2,000 customers from across Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Virginia. The combined company will employ more than 2,200 workers, operate a network of 42 distribution centers, and support more than 45,000 customers nationwide. "I couldn't be happier that the Furia family has put their trust in Envoy Solutions. I look forward to working wih the whole PJP team," said Mark M. Fisher, CEO of Envoy Solutions. "As we continue to expand our footprint from coast to coast, our customers will increasingly benefit from more products and more solutions, supported by more knowledgeable category experts. Our goal is to leverage best practices from each family-owned business to create the best customer experience, along with the strongest supplier partnerships in the industry."



PJP's owner, Thomas R. Furia Sr., founded Penn Jersey Paper Company in 1963. Through his leadership, the company expanded from a small packaging supplier for supermarkets to a significant distributor of essential products for restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. The company's success now spans three generations; Thomas R. Furia Jr. is President and COO and Thomas Furia III is Vice President of Supply Chain Management. "Our objective was to align ourselves with a partner who values the strength of the PJP brand and whose culture aligns with our Think Customer First strategy," said Thomas R. Furia Jr. "Envoy Solutions provides us with the resources to broaden our position in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast marketplaces. With the addition of PJP, the Envoys Solutions team is enhancing their product offering of foodservice disposables. By joining Envoy Solutions, we are well-positioned to expand our jan-san and commercial foodservice equipment and supplies business. We are excited about our future!"

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of proper hand hygiene and facility cleanliness where people live and work. As PJP joins the Envoy Solutions team, this partnership will dramatically increase resources to support heightened demand of essential products to ensure people are safe and healthy and facilities are clean. About Envoy Solutions:

Envoy Solutions, the nation's premier specialty distribution platform, is helping businesses thrive through a multi-faceted approach to make buildings cleaner and people safer, every day. Our wide array of essential products including sanitary supply, packaging solutions, and foodservice disposables are improving the quality of life at schools, hospitals, offices, and other institutions. Based in Glenview, Ill., Envoy Solutions is the parent company of North American Corporation, WAXIE Sanitary Supply, Southeastern Paper Group, Daycon, PJP, and NVISION. For more information, please visit www.envoysolutions.com About PJP:

PJP is a market leading distributor that provides essential supplies and services to some of the largest businesses in the U.S. Restaurants, bars, supermarkets, schools, and hospitals depend on our vast portfolio of disposable packaging products to operate every day. We take a creative approach with our packaging by deliberately focusing on presentation to enhance the customer experience. PJP was founded in 1963 and is based in Philadelphia, Pa. For more information, please visit www.pjponline.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/envoy-solutions-continues-expansion-in-mid-atlantic-region-with-acquisition-of-pjp-301370734.html SOURCE Envoy Solutions

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[September 08, 2021] Exponential Growth Fuels SnapNurse Expansion Into Arizona

SnapNurse, the largest tech-enabled healthcare staffing platform in the U.S announces its expansion to Arizona, establishing a second office for the quickly growing company. The company logged its exponential growth over the past year. SnapNurse executives met with Governor Doug Ducey in May. As a result of his pro-business agenda, SnapNurse will make significant investments in hiring personnel and procuring office space in Arizona. The company's new 11,000 square foot office will initially house 100 financial and operations employees. The company plans to hire up to an additional 100 employees in Arizona as the business continues to grow. "Arizona is proud to welcome SnapNurse to our growing state," said Governor Ducey. "Throughout our state, creativity and forward-thinking businesses work trelessly to meet Arizonans' needs and enhance their services. With its innovative approach to filling healthcare staffing needs, SnapNurse will be a great fit in the Grand Canyon State. Thank you to Cherie Kloss and the entire team at SnapNurse - and welcome!"



Headquartered in Atlanta and founded in 2017, SnapNurse fills short-term nursing vacancies in less than 48 hours; a disruptive departure from the 14-day average from traditional staffing agencies. "SnapNurse first provided staff to Arizona in the summer of 2020 to deliver life-saving care to multiple facilities in underserved communities all over Arizona," says Cherie Kloss, founder and CEO of SnapNurse. "Most recently, we partnered with the Arizona Department of Health Services to provide staff to administer COVID-19 vaccines to state residents. We're excited to continue investing in the clinicians of Arizona and help meet the state's healthcare needs."

The SnapNurse community includes more than 160,000 clinicians. The company works with more than 1,000 facilities across the country, rapidly filling open positions in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and in allied health roles. About SnapNurse Founded in 2017, SnapNurse is the Atlanta-based nurse staffing company taking the world by storm. Named Atlanta's fast-growing company by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2021, the award-winning platform for short term and long-term nurse staffing is already the industry's emerging tech-enabled staffing platform with more than 150,000 registered nurses serving more than 1,000 facilities, with an average fill time of less than 48 hours. SnapNurse is also the only female and minority-led business of its kind. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005205/en/

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[September 08, 2021] The Financial Advisors Club NFT Project Is The First To Unite Meme Stocks and NFTs

WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If you have been following the crypto space in the past few weeks you have heard about all sorts of NFT trades from influencers like Gary Vee and Faze Banks.

If you have been in the investment world this year, you have heard of the Financial Advisors meme after the historic GME short squeeze in January 2021 - and you can now get your very own Financial Advisor on https://financialadvisorsclub.io/ Tuesday, September 7th, 2021 at 3PM EST. The Financial Advisors Club is a branded meme-inspired series of 10,000 unique NFT mints that will live on the Etherem Blockchain as an ERC721 Token. Degenerates - as the community calls themselves love to wear financial advisors avatars as their profile pictures and why this project is set to be a success. It truly ties the community together and allows members to express their unique identities. Heres what you have to know about the anticipated TFAC drop: Starting on September 9th, the financial advisors community that is known for their love of meme-stocks will be engaging in the project starting Tuesday, September 9th, 2021. After seeing the success and the strength of the community during the GME 2021 short squeeze, there is little doubt that would be able to reproduce the same success in this project. A success that reached the headlines all over the world will be crossing towards the NFT world. Here is how the NFT traits will be distributed: 81% The degens. The herd. The Plebs. The Yoloers. We are the 81%! Each Financial Advisor is unique in their own way. With traits such as hair, emotion, skin tone.! The question is, are you part of the 81% or perhaps you are a bit RARER?!



18.8%



These Are the top 18% of the TFAC collection. With super rare and desirable traits such as Lazer Eyes, Mask, Smoking, Rambo, McDonald's hat, etc. We don't make the rules the big bang event did.



0.2%

0.2% Super Rares. Sexier, Smarter, Bigger Brained? The 0.2% of the TFAC NFT mints are undeniably easier on the eye than the other plebs. The question is, are you part of the 0.2%?



The roadmap that you can find on their website ( https://financialadvisorsclub.io/ ) is filled with exciting plans. Not only will they be partnering up with influencers, but already in PHASE 1, they will be airdropping 20 hand-drawn NFTs of famous real-life characters know by the community. Will we see a Jordan Belfort look-a-like? Lets say tuned on their social media to find out. Additionally, PHASE 2 and 3 include Open Sea royalty shares to their holders, a LoFi Channel as well as using the tax they collect to start their own investment pool for the community that will solely buy meme-stocks and share an equal amount of profits to every holder monthly. This is the perfect community ambiance that we look for when searching for new projects. The best way to get involved with the project is to do so early by minting their NFTs pn Tuesday, September 9th at 3 PM EST. There will be 10,000 avatars for sale at 0.08 ETH. Once the collection is sold out, it will only be available on OpenSea.io as a secondary market. What are Non-fungible Tokens (NFT) Non-Fungible Tokens is a data unit stored in the blockchain that certifies that that specific asset is unique and not interchangeable. In the past recent weeks, there has been explosive growth in 2D/3D picture assets. CryptoPunk #6275 has just sold for 1.32k ETH ($5.1M), and it all indicates that this is just the start of a new sort of investment. The younger generation is starting to prefer to buy NFTs rather than the real state as they believe they will get a better monetary investment in the long run. A simple way to find a great investment is to find new projects and mint the NFTs yourself. What exactly does this mean? Minting is when you become the very first owner of an NFT by buying it directly from the project. This event only happens once and as soon as the project sells out - you can only obtain those same NFTs in the secondary market. How do you find new projects to buy? You ideally want to find projects that are backed either by some sort of utility or some sort of brand - those are known to value the most over time. If you can get both, thats even better. A new project that is about to launch on Tuesday, September 9th, 2021 at 3PM EST is the perfect example that many are intrigued by. Want to know more? Stay tuned! https://discord.com/invite/GvhXqGdZU2

https://www.instagram.com/FinancialAdvisorsClub/

https://twitter.com/tfac__nft

Media Contact -

Financial Advisors Club

info@financialadvisorsclub.io Source Link



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[September 08, 2021] H.I.G. Capital Closes H.I.G. Europe Middle Market LBO Fund at 2 Billion

H.I.G. Capital ("H.I.G."), a leading global alternative asset management firm with $45 billion of equity capital under management, is pleased to announce the closing of its inaugural European Middle Market Fund, H.I.G. Europe Middle Market LBO Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund closed with aggregate capital commitments of 2 billion. The Fund will leverage H.I.G.'s existing European infrastructure to target middle market companies with values up to 1 billion, primarily in Western Europe. Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer, H.I.G. Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, commented: "We are delighted with the continued support from our limited partner base, which reflects their confidence in the capability of our European team and our differentiated value-added investment approach." Markus Noe-Nordberg, Head of H.I.G. Europe Middle Market, added: "The current economic environment in Europe leaves us well-positioned to execute our value-creation strategy. We are confident that our experienced team, and our established local presence, will allow us to successfully navigate this period of uncertainty and deliver value for our investors. The Fund is already more than 25% committed across six investments." Jordan Peer, Managing Director and Global Head of H.I.G. Capital Formation (News - Alert) , added: "The Fund received tremendous support from our global investor base, allowing us to complete an entirly virtual fundraising process. The Fund is comprised of a diverse group of leading investors including foundations, endowments, public and corporate pensions, consultants, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East."



About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with $45 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach: H.I.G.'s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses. H.I.G.'s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance. H.I.G.'s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 300 companies worldwide. The firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.

* Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005124/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Kasasa Announces Howerdon Creek Farms Wins $2,500 Cash Prize at the Downtown Farmers' Market in Downtown Des Moines, IA

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kasasa , the only financial technology partner committed to helping community banks and credit unions take back banking by equipping them with world-class financial products, is proud to announce Howerdon Creek Farms as the winner of its $2,500 cash prize, which serves as a testament to this Downtown Farmers' Market vendor's focus on positive community impact. Howerdon Creek Farms, which has been passed down for three generations and today is comprised of 340 acres of pasture and row crops, is owned and operated by Jason Hirsch. The animals on the farm are raised with ethical and natural standards, with access to open air and plenty of exercise. While farming is Jason's career and livelihood, he also served in the Marine Corps for four years and is a member of the Farmer Veteran Coalition. He is dedicated to raising support for local farmers and believes that consumers deserve better meat. Consumers can purchase from Howerdon Creek Farms at the Downtown Farmers' Market and online. Kasasa sponsored the Downtown Farmers' Market on August 21st, August 28th, and September 4th. Over the course of these three days, shoppers had the opportunity to vote for their favorite vendor  one with strong community ties and impact. To determine the winner, Ksasa selected one ballot at random.



"We believe that small businesses are the heart of communities, and we're proud to continue championing them however we can. It's clear that Howerdon Creek Farms has demonstrated a commitment to supporting local consumers, and we look forward to following their growth and success in the future," said Gabe Krajicek, CEO of Kasasa. "For nearly two decades, Kasasa has been proud to champion community financial institutions, the backbone of local economies." "I am honored to have won this contest," said Jason of Howerdon Creek Farms. "We are grateful to the shoppers who voted for us and to Kasasa, who recognized our dedication to the success of our business, in addition to our efforts to encourage consumers to support local farmers."

At Kasasa's booth, shoppers enjoyed a free digital photo booth and received giveaways, with prizes including Market Bucks that act as cash, canvas totes, koozies, coolers, dog treats, and, as a throwback to the good old days of banking, lollipops. The Kasasa team also visited each vendor to hand deliver reusable coffee tumblers and vouchers for free coffee at the Iowa Coffee Company, a local favorite. Kasasa is committed to providing community banks and credit unions with the best products and digital experiences for account holders. With a mission to help keep money local, Kasasa partners exclusively with community financial institutions  the only place consumers can find their innovative banking solutions. Kasasa serves 900 community financial institutions nationwide, representing 3 million consumer bank accounts across 4,000 branches in all 50 states. For additional information, please visit takebackloan.com/desmoines. About Kasasa

Based in Austin, Texas, Kasasa is a financial technology and marketing provider committed to driving results for over 900 community financial institutions by attracting, engaging, and retaining consumers. Kasasa does this by providing innovative banking solutions that increase loan volume and non-interest income to help drive immediate sources of revenue in a low-rate environment. Its branded retail products, world class marketing, and expert consulting enable community banks and credit unions to recapture market share. For more information, please visit https://www.kasasa.com , or visit them on Twitter or LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kasasa-announces-howerdon-creek-farms-wins-2-500-cash-prize-at-the-downtown-farmers-market-in-downtown-des-moines-ia-301371759.html SOURCE Kasasa

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[September 08, 2021] Levio and Voonyx combine their activities

With this acquisition, Levio continues its growth trajectory as a leader in digital transformation in Canada QUEBEC CITY, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Levio, an information technology (IT) and business consulting firm, joins forces with Voonyx, a software engineering consulting firm. With Voonyx adding more than 120 highly talented professionals to the Levio team, this second acquisition in the summer of 2021 brings the company's consultant count to more than 1,600 across Canada, the U.S. and Morocco, and confirms Levio as the leading digital transformation company in the country. "We immediately felt a connection between the people at Voonyx and our team at Levio. Voonyx is a dynamic and growing company that stands out in the market for the high quality of its consultants and the excellence of its services. Their specialization in the integration of GuideWire and EIS software packages, their expertise in JAVA, web and mobile cross-platform development, combined with Levio's talent pool, will enable us to guide our clients towards the efficient digital transformation of their organizations and generating business value. Levio welcomes these new consultants, who will help deliver value to our clients, while giving them access to new career opportunities and even more rewarding and motivating projects", said Levio President Francois Dion. "For nearly 11 years, the Voonyx team has built an enviable reputation in the consulting services market, both for its expertise in deliverng exceptional quality to our clients and for its people skills. We are very motivated to continue to leverage this expertise in the Levio ecosystem and thus maintain our leadership position, not only in the implementation component, but in the overall digital transformation of our customers.



Joining a Quebec-based company was clearly an important element in our decision. Having a common vision and shared values will greatly facilitate our integration within the group and ensure that everyone is heading in the same direction. Our ambitions are high and we believe we are in an excellent position to provide our customers with an unparalleled service offering", said Philippe Larouche, Co-President of Voonyx. "In our initial discussions with Levio, we identified a great potential for synergies. Our customers will have access to Levio's global solutions for their large-scale transformation projects, both on the business and technology side, while continuing to rely on Voonyx's specialized services in the area of software architecture and development.

We firmly believe that our undisputed expertise in program management, project management, strategic planning, business architecture and an impressive delivery capability, combined with a top team of professionals, is a key differentiator from current industry offerings in terms of performance, efficiency, cost and ease of doing business," added Kevin Bouchard, also Co-President of Voonyx. About Levio Levio is an information technology (IT) and organizational management consulting firm, ranked 2nd among the fastest-growing Canadian companies in the 2019 edition of Canadian Business magazine's Growth 500. The company specializes in helping clients implement digital transformation programs or large-scale projects. Over the past 8 years, Levio has built its reputation on a team of outstanding consultants who deliver large-scale solutions that leverage new technologies to help clients become more efficient and profitable. Levio now employs over 1,600 consultants across its eight offices in Canada, the United States and Morocco. For more information, please visit levioconsulting.com About Voonyx As software engineering experts for nearly 11 years, Voonyx has been helping companies make a technology shift, overhaul their information systems, or implement web or mobile software solutions. Voonyx's expertise covers multiple areas of competence, enabling its clients to perfectly integrate vision and execution. Voonyx has won several awards over the years, including a Fideide in 2020 in the HR Best Practices category and a ranking among the Top 100 Employers in Canada (Small and Medium Business category) for the past 6 years. For more information, please visit voonyx.ca/en SOURCE Levio

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[September 08, 2021] Marshfield Clinic Health System Partners with 4medica to Modernize and Build Laboratory Reference and Outreach Business

MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Marshfield Clinic Health System , an integrated health system of 10 hospitals and more than 60 clinics throughout Wisconsin, has selected 4medicaas its strategic connectivity and data integrity partner to modernize the regional expansion of Marshfield Labs and its reference and outreach business line operations. The partnership will effectively address the need for a clean and reliable data infrastructure to strengthen electronic transmission of lab tests and results and accurate billing. The 4medica Perfect Order for Perfect Payment outreach management platform will help to achieve 100 percent of inbound electronic lab requisitions from Marshfield Labs clients. The automated transmission of lab orders and results will populate patients' test results in the 4medica 4health.me patient health record (PHR), 4medica lab portal and connected electronic medical records (EMRs) for providers. Marshfield Clinic Health System's technology investment in 4medica will provide fully integrated revenue cycle management and clinical lab data workflow. Marshfield Labs is replacing its homegrown legacy systems with carefully chosen technology solutions demonstrating interoperability excellece, which includes the 4medica Perfect Order for Perfect Payment, 4medica Big Data MPI and master data management services.



"We're excited to be part of Marshfield's expansion efforts and bring immediate value to vital community laboratory services," said Gregg Church, President of 4medica. "Streamlining front-end to the back-end processes, 4medica Perfect Order for Perfect Payment receives, processes and aligns electronic orders quickly for faster payment. This integrated approach gives lab administrators better visibility into billing and collections and data management workflows. The resulting higher quality data provides patients greater transparency of co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket requirements at the time of service." In addition, Church explained that with every new hospital expansion, hundreds to thousands of new patient identities are added. Since Marshfield Labs serves as a central reference lab supporting other hospitals and clinics, implementing 4medica's identity-resolution solution ensures its lab network generates the most error-free, trustworthy, and relevant patient and claims data early in the ordering process. The improvements will help Marshfield Labs engage successfully with patients when payment questions arise.

"Every generated patient lab order entering Marshfield's outreach network is cleansed, normalized, standardized and validated to meet our guaranteed reduced ID duplication rate of less than 1 percent," he explained. "Furthermore, every order is scrubbed for medical necessity, insurance eligibility, patient pre-authorization and payments documented to our PHR to ensure that the lab collects on every test performed. Our united solutions help the outreach lab business attain a financially secure future as a profit center when competing against the large national labs." About 4medica

For more than two decades, 4medica solves data integrity, financial and wellness management challenges to achieve true clinical interoperability and transparency. 4medica's Perfect Order for Perfect Payment integrates end-to-end high-volume revenue cycle management services. Our Big Data Management and Clinical Data Exchange cloud solutions facilitate patient identity management and data exchange to ensure the right data is captured at the right time, the first time, guaranteeing an unprecedented 1% patient record duplication rate. 4medica has processed up to 6 billion clinical results representing more than 70 million patient identities. The company connects 40,000-plus physicians to hundreds of ACOs, HIEs, HINs, hospitals, health systems, laboratories, radiology imaging centers and payers nationwide. Learn more at www.4medica.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marshfield-clinic-health-system-partners-with-4medica-to-modernize-and-build-laboratory-reference-and-outreach-business-301371233.html SOURCE 4medica

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[September 08, 2021] Mendix Recognizes Winners of 2021 Customer Impact Awards

- Global leaders in digital innovation honored for their transformative use of enterprise low-code BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mendix , a Siemens business and global leader in low-code application development for the enterprise, today announced the winners of the 2021 Customer Impact Awards. These highly competitive awards recognize the achievements of organizations in making transformative change happen through innovative low-code software solutions to complex business challenges in five categories: Customer Experience, Digital Transformation, Digital Workplace, Innovation, and Market Impact. The Customer Impact Award winners were unveiled today at Mendix World 2021 . The three-day virtual conference is the world's largest annual low-code event, where everyone with a role in enterprise digitalization comes to discover, network, share knowledge, and learn about the tools, techniques, and strategies propelling the low-code software development movement forward. Mendix World is the perfect sMeetting to showcase the latest in low-code technology, and our Customer Impact Award winners represent shining examples of what low-code excellence looks like," said Derek Roos, CEO and co-founder of Mendix. "I get excited when our customers can really show value and success in their business. Across five categories, we aimed to recognize and award companies that have changed their business in impactful ways. Mendix provides the tools, but it's clear that the winners are the true heroes driving transformation in their industries. Congratulations to all of them!" The winners for the Customer Impact Awards include: Customer Experience Winner: Rabobank Rabobank IDB, an online savings bank, built a mobile banking app using Mendix native mobile technology that allows customers in Germany and Belgium to manage their accounts from their phones. Now, 500,000 customers who have trusted Rabobank IDB with billions in savings can access their accounts via a mobile app that enables login and transaction signing using native device features like pin code or biometrics, significantly improving customer satisfaction to the tune of a 4.7 rating in the Apple App Store. Rabobank is now positioned to quickly implement changes based on customer feedback and compete with fintech powerhouses. Digital Transformation Winners: Brighton & Hove City Council and Medtronic Brighton & Hove City Council built an online portal using low-code that provides a single login for 70,000 local residents to view and transact all council services online. The company chose low-code to develop solutions more quickly and consistently. By building the portal, Brighton & Hove City Council digitized city services, including council tax, waste management, visitor and resident parking permit applications, and a school admissions portal. "Mendix was a clear choice for us when compared to other rapid application development platforms because it is geared towards quick, iterative, feedback-orientated development," said Trevor Lee, IT&D Service Manager, DevOps, IT&D, Digital Development. "This has enabled us to work in an increasingly agile way in our design and development cycles." Medtronic is a global leader in medical technology, services, and solutions that operates in 140 countries, employs 105,000 people, and is among the wold's largest medical device companies. Medtronic created a Product Shipment Release Authorization (PSRA) Form on the Mendix platform to automate the process of ensuring that regulatory requirements have been met before shipping medical devices to customers. With customers around the world, Medtronic has different regulatory requirements for different countries. Using low-code, Medtronic developed a platform that simplifies the regulatory compliance process by building in logic that automatically prompts required user input. This has reduced the manual effort required of Medtronic employees to ensure compliance, and increased the accuracy of submissions by pulling data from the company database, determining the documents required for certain countries and automating workflows for the required notifications and approvals.



Digital Workplace Winner: Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) NS, a Dutch state-owned company and main passenger railways operator in the Netherlands, transports more than 1.3 million passengers per day. NS must deal with both planned and unplanned changes to their service. For planned changes, such as events or railroad maintenance, NS needed a new, user-friendly application to replace and expand upon a legacy application and built a Mendix application, known as Gids. The new tool provides NS employees with a central platform to view and update all relevant information and documents about planned railroad maintenance across their over 6,800 km of tracks. "The project was built entirely during the pandemic with a lot of team changes. Despite this, we were able to successfully launch the app, mostly thanks to how much easier Mendix makes understanding an application's functionality, even with no prior experience with the application," said Eline Bijkerk, Mendix consultant at Conclusion Low Code Company.

Innovation Winner: Washington Federal Bank Washington Federal Bank, a retail and commercial bank with a market cap of nearly $2.5 billion and more than 200 branches across eight US states, redefined the online banking experience with a new banking portal built on low-code. Functionality includes enrolling in online banking, retrieving account and transaction details, supporting internal and external bank transfers, and adding or removing bill pay with a customer checking account. Customers get personalized experiences based on their identity and behaviors. In Washington Federal's first six weeks using the Mendix Platform, they exceeded what the previous vendor attempted to accomplish in eight months. "Building an online banking portal is a tremendous undertaking," said Dustin Hubbard, CTO at Washington Federal Bank. "We needed a way to rapidly develop enterprise-grade, external-facing web portals for our clients. The challenge of 'starting from scratch' with no infrastructure or existing toolset was a big hurdle. Additionally, we had to have a solution that could easily integrate with our extensive middle-tier API gateway that had already been built out." Market Impact Winner: IntelliHubSC IntelliHubSC is the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) non-foods industry solution for supply chain compliance, serving companies like Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. Using low-code, the company built a platform which enables the FMCG industry to aggregate supply chain compliance data. Previously, FMCG companies had to either manage compliance manually or use disparate solutions that were not integrated with one another or the company's ERP systems, resulting in gaps of data, non-compliance, and unnecessary risk. "Consumer goods brands do not have a 'one-stop shop' solution to manage supplier compliance and do not know who the suppliers are, where they are, or what brand owners like P&G buy from those suppliers," said IntelliHubSC's program manager. "For the first time in history, IntelliHubSC brings all the data together so brands have a holistic view of supply chain compliance." It's Not Too Late to Assemble at Mendix World Makers from every corner of the enterprise who are dedicated to creating the digital future of their organizations still have time to join dozens of practical and inspiring sessions. For more information about Mendix World and to join now, please visit Mendix World 2021 Registration. About Mendix World Mendix World 2021 is the largest worldwide gathering of low-code experts, technology pioneers, business leaders, industry analysts, and software developers who share their first-hand experiences tackling enterprise digitalization using low-code software development. Thousands of individuals interested in a wide range of digital solutions across multiple economic sectors will be able to choose between live Q&As, learning tracks, demonstrations, and small-group gatherings of solution architects, business strategists, and IT experts attending this year's three-day-long virtual conference. Connect with Mendix Follow @Mendix on Twitter

Connect with Mendix on LinkedIn About Mendix Mendix, a Siemens business and the global leader in enterprise low-code, is fundamentally reinventing the way applications are built in the digital enterprise. With the Mendix platform, enterprises can 'Make with More,' by broadening an enterprise's development capability to conquer the software development bottleneck; 'Make it Smart,' by making apps with rich native experiences that are intelligent, proactive, and contextual; and 'Make at Scale,' to modernize core systems and build large app portfolios to keep pace with business growth. The Mendix platform is built to promote intense collaboration between business and IT teams and dramatically accelerate application development cycles, while maintaining the highest standards of security, quality, and governance  in short, to help enterprises confidently leap into their digital futures. Mendix's 'Go Make It' platform has been adopted by more than 4,000 leading companies around the world. Press Inquiries

Sara Black

sara@bospar.com

(213) 618-1501 Dan Berkowitz

Senior Director of Global Communications

Mendix

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[September 08, 2021] The Messina Group Acquires Segal Communications

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Messina Group (TMG), the global strategic consulting firm founded by political and corporate advisor Jim Messina , announced today the acquisition of Segal Communications , a San Francisco Bay Area-based consumer technology and lifestyle firm founded by Sarah Segal. TMG's acquisition of Segal Communications expands the firm's West Coast presence rooted in its San Francisco office. Sarah has built an agency that shares the same culture and entrepreneurial values as ours. Launched in 2018, Segal Communications quickly established a reputation as a trusted partner providing clients with strategic, creative and nimble results. Today, clients from venture-backed startups to national retail chains work with Segal Communications for the firm's deep experience in media and influencer relations, social, digital and experiential marketing to help evolve, promote and protect company brands. "Sarah has built an agency that shares thesame culture and entrepreneurial values as ours, along with deep expertise to complement our client suite of services," said Jim Messina, CEO of The Messina Group. "Her background as a journalist arms her with an invaluable perspective that we anticipate to be critical as newsrooms continue to transition to digital formats."



Segal began her career as a broadcast journalist before establishing herself as a communications leader and trusted advisor for brands and experts across consumer technology, food, lifestyle, and hospitality industries. Her multidisciplinary team includes other former journalists, agency executives, and influencer relations specialists that work to keep brands relevant with custom campaigns to produce meaningful results. "The Messina Group is admired for its entrepreneurial spirit and passion for growth. It is constantly striving to do best-in-class services for its clients and offer additional services. I'm thrilled for Segal Communications to be a part of this pacesetting team," said Sarah Segal, Founder of Segal Communications. "We look forward to continuing to grow the Segal practice with the support, guidance, and camaraderie of The Messina Group company staff.

The addition of Segal Communications further strengthens TMG's strategic communications capabilities. In 2018, TMG acquired Greenbrier Partners , a firm that consults for some of the world's leading companies, organizations, and individuals, offering expertise in corporate communications and media relations, crisis management and preparedness, and public affairs. TMG also co-founded Amplify , a full service media buying agency that works with TV, cable, radio, and satellite outlets across the country to buy and place commercial advertising. About Segal Communications

Segal Communications is a consumer technology and lifestyle agency that helps the world's leading companies, organizations, and individuals establish their brands, build their reputations, and amplify their stories. The diversity of our experience is as diverse as our client mix. From multinational corporations to disruptive start-ups, the Segal team has a deep understanding of the media landscape and a passion for storytelling. For more information, visit: www.segalcommunications.com . About The Messina Group

The Messina Group is a full-service consulting firm led by Jim Messina, whose revolutionary tactics fusing technology and politics led President Obama's 2012 campaign to victory. With proven experience working across five continents, The Messina Group helps corporations, political parties, governments, and advocacy clients achieve their goals with strategies that are data-driven and measurable. For more information, visit: www.themessinagroup.com . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-messina-group-acquires-segal-communications-301371019.html SOURCE Segal Communications

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[September 08, 2021] MetroNet to Make O'Fallon a Gigabit City

MetroNet today announced plans to build an advanced fiber-optic network in O'Fallon, bringing gigabit-speed internet service to residents and businesses in the city for the first time. MetroNet, the nation's largest independently owned 100 percent fiber-optic provider, will fully fund the construction through a multi-million dollar investment. MetroNet expects construction to begin in O'Fallon next year, with the first customers coming online as neighborhood buildouts are completed. "The City of O'Fallon is pleased to welcome MetroNet to our community," said Mayor Bill Hennessy. "As the first city in the state of Missouri to which MetroNet will provide service, we are thrilled that residents and businesses will be among the first to have access to this new fiber-optic network option." Only about 30 percent of households in the U.S. have access to the gigabit internet speeds (1,000 megabits per second) that fiber-optic networks provide. And only a small handful of cities have fiber broadly available to its homes and businesses, earning them the title "Gigabit City." O'Fallon is now on track to achieve that designation. MetroNet is bridging the digital divide as one of the fastest-growing providers of 100 percent fiber-optic high-speed broadband services in the nation. The company is known for its superior customer service, affordable, symmetrical speeds - meaning both upload and download speeds - of up to 10 gigabits, and no long-term contracts to homes and businesses. The company expects its network to be available to more than one million residential households and business locations in the near term, bringing competition for these services to hundreds of communities. "Our future-proofed network has proven valuable to the cities we partner with, and we are proud to bring that opportunity to Missouri through this partnership with O'Fallon," said John Cinelli, MetroNet CEO. "Cities are faced with a variety of choices when trying to bridge the digital divide. MetroNet builds an impressive technical infrastructure without the use o public funds, which helps cities enormously. We are proud to have quickly become the nation's largest and fastest growing, independently owned fiber-optic provider."



O'Fallon residents will start seeing MetroNet trucks throughout the area as pre-construction begins. In new MetroNet markets, residents receive communication by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to starting, and the company provides additional messaging, such as yard signs, to let residents know when the temporary construction process is beginning in their neighborhood. MetroNet crews are identified by ID tags and branded MetroNet vehicles. Residents and businesses that are interested in MetroNet services may visit MetroNetInc.com to indicate their interest and to receive updates on construction. MetroNet will establish a retail storefront located in O'Fallon for customers to have direct access to customer service and sales.

Additionally, MetroNet plans to hire local market management positions, sales and customer service professionals and service technicians to support the O'Fallon area. Those interested in joining the MetroNet team can visit metronetinc.com/careers to search available positions and to submit applications. About MetroNet: MetroNet is the nation's largest independently owned, 100 percent fiber optic company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana. The customer-focused company provides cutting-edge fiber optic communication services, including high-speed Fiber Internet, full-featured Fiber Phone (News - Alert) , and Fiber IPTV with a wide variety of programming. MetroNet started in 2005 with one fiber optic network in Greencastle, Indiana, and has since grown to serving and constructing networks in more than 120 communities across Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, and Missouri. MetroNet is committed to bringing state-of-the-art telecommunication services to communities - services that are comparable or superior to those offered in large metropolitan areas. MetroNet has been named in the top 50 small and medium companies on Glassdoor and has been honored with a Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award recognizing MetroNet among the Best Places to Work in 2020. MetroNet has been recognized by PC Mag as one of the Top 10 Fastest ISPs in North Central United States in 2020 and Top 10 ISPs with Best Gaming Quality Index in 2021. Broadband Now has recognized MetroNet as the Top 3 Fastest Internet Providers and Fastest Fiber Providers in the Nation in 2020, and #1 Fastest Mid-Sized Internet Provider in two states in 2020. In 2020, MetroNet was awarded the Vectren Energy Safe Digging Partner Award from Vectren. For more information, visit www.MetroNetinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005347/en/

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[September 08, 2021] OpSens Appoints Lori Chmura to its Board of Directors

QUEBEC CITY, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - OpSens Inc. ("OpSens" or the "Company") (TSX: OPS) (OTCQX: OPSSF), a medical device cardiology-focused company delivering diagnostic and treatment solutions based on its proprietary optical technology, today announced the appointment of Lori Chmura to its board of Directors, effective September 8. "The OpSens board continues to evolve to help enable the Company to take advantage of the emerging growth opportunities we are creating with our proprietary sensing technology," said Alan Milinazzo, OpSens Executive Chairman. "We are excited to welcome Lori who brings a strong executive background with highly relevant global commercial experience which will enhance the board's overall capabilities." Louis Laflamme, President and Chief Executive Officer: "In addition to her diverse medical device experience, Lori also brings a clinician's perspective to the table. We look forward to her unique perspective and believe she will make a great addition to OpSens' Board." "I am delighted to be joining OpSens' Board of Directors and to support a market leader with such innovative and impactful products in cardiology," said Mrs. Chmura. "I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experience and point of view as a member of the OpSens' board. The team's commitment to quality, passio, excellence, and execution is remarkable. I look forward to contributing clinical and market insights to the team as they embark upon this chapter of growth, while supporting initiatives which create shareholder value," she concluded.



Lori Chmura brings more than 20 years of experience in the medical device industry. She is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Soundbite, a privately-held medical device company dedicated to developing clinically relevant and innovative solutions, enabled by their proprietary shock wave technology platform, for the interventional treatment of challenging coronary and peripheral arterial diseases burdened by calcium. Prior to Soundbite, Mrs. Chmura led Dune Medical, a privately held company in the women's health space, as the Chief Executive Officer, exiting in April of 2020. Mrs. Chmura began her career as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), working in critical care, trauma, and emergency medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital, Emory University Hospital, and St Joseph's of Atlanta. She transitioned into the medical device industry and has held numerous leadership roles within several blue-chip medical device companies, including Medtronic, Covidien and Johnson and Johnson.

Highly regarded within the industry, Mrs. Chmura is a champion of change management and passionate about delivering growth. She has led numerous Women's leadership initiatives and currently serves on the ADVAMED Women's Executive Network Board (WEN) and is Past President-Elect of the Atlanta Chapter board for the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association. She holds a BSN from Southern Connecticut State University. About OpSens Inc. (www.OpSens.com or www.OpSensmedical.com) OpSens focuses mainly in interventional cardiology. The Company offers an advanced optical-based pressure guidewire that aims at improving the clinical outcome of patients with coronary artery disease. Its flagship product, the OptoWire, is a second-generation fiber optic pressure guidewire designed to provide the lowest drift in the industry and excellent lesions access. The OptoWire has been used in the diagnosis and treatment of over 150,000 patients in more than 30 countries. It is approved for sale in the United States, European Union, Japan, and Canada. OpSens is also involved in industrial activities in developing, manufacturing, and installing innovative fiber optic sensing solutions for critical applications. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, and achievements of OpSens to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the said forward-looking statements. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE OPSENS Inc.

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[September 08, 2021] Oracle Offers Free Training and Certification for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced it will offer Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) training and OCI certification* testing for free worldwide. The new program includes Oracle's entire expert-created OCI learning curriculum for all skill levels and various IT roles. Through this program, learners have access to all OCI courses, delivered digitally, on-demand, and available in 13 languages. Oracle is also offering Oracle Autonomous Database and other certification exams free for a limited time*. Organizations are increasingly choosing to run their mission-critical workloads on OCI because of its ability to run any cloud workload with faster migration, lower cost to operate and on a more secure, globally available platform As OCI customer adoption continues to grow, Oracle has increased investment in programs that provide support to customers and increase access to relevant, hands-on cloud skills training to help them get the most out of the Oracle Cloud.



Oracle's new training program enables people to gain valuable cloud expertise that can be applied to any industry, enabling them to enhance their value and grow their careers. The free training and certification also helps to expand the IT talent pool, making it easier for businesses to acquire or develop the skilled professionals they need to grow and innovate quickly. "Throughout the pandemic, we've seen the IT skills gap become wider and more prominent than ever before due to our heightened reliance on high-tech and cloud skills. This gap not only impacts the people looking for meaningful careers but also companies seeking qualified professionals," said Damien Carey, senior vice president, Oracle University. "By providing free training on arguably the fastest growing cloud technology in the industry, Oracle is helping individuals build the skills they need for successful careers and making it easier than ever for our customers to maximize the value of their Oracle Cloud investment."

Oracle's new program will include: Access to the entire digital OCI training catalogue which includes courses for all levels and multiple roles, accessible anytime and anywhere with 13 languages supported

Hands-on labs through the Oracle Cloud free tier to enable practice in a live environment

An end-to-end Oracle certification experience  from preparation courses and practice exams to testing and credentialing

Live sessions taught by Oracle experts who cover best practices and provide personalized feedback

Career resources to support those who are seeking new job opportunities *Free OCI, Oracle Autonomous Database and other certifications will be available exclusively from Oracle University through December 31, 2021. Free OCI digital training will be available on-going. To learn more about the program, visit the OCI free training and certification page. About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com. Trademarks

Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oracle-offers-free-training-and-certification-for-oracle-cloud-infrastructure-301370611.html SOURCE Oracle

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[September 08, 2021] Prep Ventures Launches New Locally Relevant Mobile App, Prep Junior, To Promote Bilingualism In Young Learners In Singapore

SINGAPORE, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Prep Ventures today announced the launch of Prep Junior, a free-to-download story-based Chinese learning app to help promote Chinese language learning and bilingualism. Prep Junior aims to nurture curiosity and confidence in speaking Mandarin for young learners with stories set in Singapore, and to infuse digital learning in the classroom and at home. Prep Junior is supported by the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism, Pixel  Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Tsinghua X-lab, Tsinghua University's education platform for innovation and entrepreneurship. Prep Junior features more than 150 common Chinese vocabulary terms in interactive stories and games. Packed with locally-inspired day-to-day phrases, animated illustrations of Singapore such as the zoo, hawker centre, supermarket and Jewel Changi Airport, a pet learning companion and music, the app aims to contextualise learning, inspire curiosity and promote bilingualism. A new adventure awaits young learners as they raise a virtual pet by completing animated stories and quizzes, who mimics their growth as they improve their ability to listen, speak and read Chinese. Features of the new game-based app and its learning experience: Explore: Learn about food, sights, occupatons and culture Diverse learning: The language learning journey is unique to every child. To cater for different styles, Prep Junior contains multiple tasks for Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic learning Quizzes: Fun quizzes to check learning progress Journey together in parent-mode: Offers English translation and Hanyu pinyin to help non-Mandarin speaking parents to guide their child at home Raise a pet: Earn dragonballs by completing activities to feed Long Long and keep it happy



Ng Jia Ying , Co-Founder of Prep Junior, said: "The Prep Junior team consists of passionate educators, parents and professionals who share the vision of increasing access to fun, localised content, featuring everyday scenes and vocabulary to help children learn Chinese even in non-Mandarin speaking environments at home, and the importance of nurturing bilingualism at home. This is because through our work experience, and China emerging, we saw the need to learn the language well, but such content often could not be found in local stores and online. Prep Junior was created following extensive rounds of development and testing through playtests, engagement with early childhood and language experts and pre-school teachers. As we also believe education should be accessible, the app is free to download on all mobile devices." About Prep Junior

Prep Junior is an interactive story-based Chinese learning app for young learners. Prep Junior is supported by the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism, Pixel  Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Tsinghua X-lab. Founded by a group of passionate educators, young working professionals and parents, Prep Junior brings children on a learning adventure around Singapore, with original illustrations of familiar sights and sounds of the island city to ignite the joy in learning Chinese and promote bilingualism. Prep Junior is available free-to-download now on Apple App Store and Google Play at this link https://bit.ly/36uXbQo . Find product screenshots and images at this link. For other media enquiries, reach us at askme@preppeople.com . SOURCE Prep Ventures Pte Ltd

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[September 08, 2021] Renowned Industry Leader Oberlin Marketing Partners with Integrity to Expand Future Growth

DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrity Marketing Group, LLC ("Integrity"), the nation's largest independent distributor of life and health insurance products, today announced it has acquired Oberlin Marketing, an independent marketing organization (IMO), based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As part of the acquisition, Dan Oberlin, President of Oberlin Marketing, and Dustin Oberlin, Executive Vice President of Oberlin Marketing, will become Managing Partners in Integrity. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "Integrity is creating a movement to redefine the insurance experience for agents, carriers and consumers and partnering with respected firms like Oberlin Marketing is making it possible," said Bryan W. Adams, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrity Marketing Group. "Dan and Dustin have developed a comprehensive training system that anticipates the challenges their agents will face. Now they can accelerate their growth by adding Integrity's considerable resources to the foundation they have built and see their company scale faster than ever before. Nothing makes us more excited than partnering with a company that has worked tirelessly to build something amazing, and we look forward to bringing the full weight of Oberlin Marketing's experience and expertise to the Integrity family." Dan Oberlin founded the company in 1987 with a penchant for hard work and creating connections with agents. Today, Oberlin Marketing has expanded beyond their Midwest roots, offering a wide range of products for the senior market, including health, life and long-term care insurance and annuities. A well-known industry leader, Oberlin Marketing is renowned nationwide for helping insurance professionals grow their business. Oberlin Marketing has created innovative agent training programs that consider the needs and strengths of each agent. As a result, Oberlin Marketing enjoys a high agent retention rate and serves more than 75,000 Americans annually through thousands of agents across the nation. "At Oberlin Marketing, we've always prioritized engaging with the agents and agency owners who are serving the clients," explained Dan Oberlin, President of Oberlin Marketing. "Part of staying connected to our people means providing the tools and resources they need. The Integrity partnership allows us to take these offerings to the next level, all while providing long-term security for our employees and our clients. The robust technology platform Integrity has created, and is continually refining, will help us build and grow beyond what I imagined when I started in this business 40 years ago. We are ready to keep working hard to accomplish even more as an Integrity partner." Oberlin Marketing can now offer its agents access to Integrity's cutting-edge insurtech platform, which includes proprietary quoting and enrollment tools, data and analytics, MedicareCENTER, product development, and a world-class advertising and marketing firm. All partners can utilize Integrity's shared services, which centralize business functions such as IT, human resources, legal, compliance and accounting. "We've worked hard to earn a solid reputation behind our name, and we were thrilled to observe that Integrity's name reflects their most important value as well," shared Dustin Oberlin, Executive Vice President of Oberlin Marketing. "When it was time to find a partner, Integrity was the natural choice  they offer access to the best plans from the leading carriers, along with cutting-edge technology and an incredible network of industry leaders. This partnership is undoubtedly the right fit for us as we move toward the future, and we know this partnership will expand our capacity to serve even more Americans. We're proud to be part of the Integrity Family and we look forward to playing our part in Integrity's movement to innovate insurance."



Partnering with Integrity creates the opportunity for Oberlin Marketing to share its four decades of expertise with Integrity's network of partners, made up of industry legends and trailblazers. These partners include CSG Actuarial, ThomasARTS, Deft Research, Access Capital, Brokers International and Insurance Administrative Solutions ' third-party administrator, as well as leading call centers Connexion Point, SeniorCare Benefits and Unified Health. In addition, Oberlin Marketing employees are now eligible for meaningful company ownership through the Integrity Employee Ownership Plan.

"As new owners of Integrity, our employees are excited to work harder than ever before to build value in a company we all now own as well," added Justin Reinig, Executive Director at Oberlin Marketing. "Our partnership with Integrity allows us to leverage the resources they provide, from innovative technology to top carrier contracts, to grow faster than we could on our own. Additionally, we have the added benefit of learning from some of the greatest minds in the industry who we can now call partners." For more information about Oberlin Marketing's partnership with Integrity, view a video at www.integritymarketing.com/OberlinMarketing. About Integrity Marketing Group

Integrity Marketing Group, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is the leading independent distributor of life and health insurance products focused on meeting Americans wherever they are  in person, over the phone and online. Integrity is innovating insurance by developing cutting-edge technology designed to simplify and streamline the healthcare experience for everyone. In addition, Integrity develops exclusive products with insurance carrier partners and markets these products through its distribution network that includes other large insurance agencies throughout the country. Integrity's almost 5,500 employees work with over 420,000 independent agents who service more than nine million clients annually. In 2021, Integrity expects to help insurance carriers place over $7 billion in new sales. For more information, visit www.integritymarketing.com. About Oberlin Marketing

Oberlin Marketing, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is an industry-leading brokerage devoted to supporting agents, agency owners and clients with their life and health insurance needs. As a company, they have always been devoted to the personal depth of relationships and have rooted their business practices in a strong moral foundation. Oberlin Marketing has been a trusted and respected resource in the industry since 1987, showing a commitment to back-office support, training, technology integration and introduction of new products  all of which contribute to agent success. They are continually recognized as a leader in the Medicare market in the Midwest, as well as nationally. Oberlin Marketing supports independent agents in 43 different states, managing the ongoing insurance needs of more than 75,000 Americans annually. For more information, visit www.oberlinmarketing.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renowned-industry-leader-oberlin-marketing-partners-with-integrity-to-expand-future-growth-301371343.html SOURCE Integrity Marketing Group, LLC

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[September 08, 2021] RTI to Exhibit and Demo at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2021

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Real-Time Innovations (RTI) , the largest software framework company for autonomous systems, will be exhibiting and demoing at the annual MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2021 , the largest mining event in the world, held from September 13-15, 2021 in Las Vegas. At this years event, RTI will showcase how RTI Connext , based on the DDS standard, enables reliable connectivity by bridging a mining asset and its digital twin across a public wide area network (WAN).

Autonomous and data-centric architectures have come to represent the most cost-effective way to add real-time decision-making and monitoring to the sometimes unpredictable and often challenging business of large-scale mining operations. RTI Connext software enables systems to operate in real-time in inaccessible, remote or hazardous environments. It allows the connected components of a mining system to work as one integrated solution by sharing real-time data reliably and securely. Connext enables mining companies to effectively monitor performance, improve human-machine interactions, optimize operational efficiency, minimize total costs (including downtime, maintenance, repair and replacement costs) and maximize throughput. In addition to the value RTIs mining customers receive in the form of a trusted solution partner RTI Connext provides the lowest total cost of ownership and the leading software architecture for developing intelligent distributed systems with a unique array of tools, design services, training and support.



Stop by booth #868 in the North Hall and see how RTI enables you to bring all of your real-time systems together, acting as one. To learn how RTI Connext adds value to todays complex mining and construction environments, register today for,  Every Asset At Your Site, Working as One , held on September 2 in the U.S. and September 7 in the APAC region.

Event Details

What: RTI at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2021

When: September 13-15, 2021

Where: Booth #868, Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109



For more information about RTI at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2021, including how to schedule a meeting time with executives, please visit: https://bit.ly/3zuejT5 About RTI

Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the largest software framework company for autonomous systems. RTI Connext is the world's leading architecture for developing intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext shares data directly, connecting AI algorithms to real-time networks of devices to build autonomous systems. RTI is the best in the world at ensuring our customers success in deploying production systems. With over 1,700 designs, RTI software runs over 250 autonomous vehicle programs, controls the largest power plants in North America, coordinates combat management on U.S. Navy ships, drives a new generation of medical robotics, enables flying cars, and provides 24/7 intelligence for hospital and emergency medicine. RTI runs a smarter world. RTI is the leading vendor of products compliant with the Object Management Group (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with regional offices in Colorado, Spain and Singapore.



Media Contact:

Madeline Kalicka

Karbo Communications for RTI

240-427-8961

RTI@karbocom.com Cameron Emery

Director of Corporate Communications, RTI

cameron@rti.com



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[September 08, 2021] Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Building Advisor Wins FacilitiesNet.com Vision Award for Analytics & Management Software

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced its recognition in the FacilitiesNet.com Vision Awards . In a year of record-breaking Vision Awards entries, an independent panel of judges chose Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Building Advisor as a winner in the Analytics & Management Software category. Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Building Advisor is a suite of analytic monitoring services that unlocks operational performance and remote maintenance of buildings. The solution provides actionable insights into a building's operations and identifies areas of improvement and faults to help optimize a building's inefficiencies. FacilitiesNet.com is the digital home for readers of Building Operating Management and Facility Maintenance Decisions magazines visited by an average of 135,000 facility professionals a month ranging from building owners, facility executives, operation heads, maintenance engineers. The Vision Awards honor innovation and excellence in products contributing to the efficient, profitable operations and management of institutional and commercial buildings in the United States "We are honored to b recognized by FacilitiesNet in its 2021 awards program," said Manish Kumar, SVP of Digital Buildings, Schneider Electric. "EcoStruxure Building Advisor leverages the latest technological advancements, ensuring facilities and building managers are equipped with the most innovative tools to better enhance their buildings' operations. There has never been a more critical time to invest in building management as mounting regulatory, energy and occupant well-being pressures push building efficiency and resiliency to the forefront."



Kumar continued, "With the implementation of EcoStruxure Building Advisor, facilities and building managers can shift from the conventional approach of reactive, scheduled, and on-site maintenance to a more efficient and effective approach of leveraging remote, automated, continuous monitoring, and condition-based maintenance. Enterprise customers and those with multiple buildings with diverse BMS systems have particularly benefited from the open, BMS agnostic, digital twin technology and global outreach of Schneider Electric to standardize facility operations and maintenance with EcoStruxure Building Advisor." With EcoStruxure Building Advisor, building managers are able to respond more proactively with data-driven decisions to reduce maintenance costs, improve asset value, increase occupant satisfaction, and create more sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. Based on customer results, Schneider Electric has reported a 20% reduction in energy cost to organizations leveraging EcoStruxure Building Advisor, achieving over $20 million in cost avoidance attributable to energy savings and reducing unplanned maintenance costs.

In addition to these cost savings, EcoStruxure Building Advisor also provides: More accurate analysis, diagnoses, and recommendations: Using a Digital Twin approach for HVAC Equipment & Systems makes the accuracy of analysis, detailed diagnosis, and recommendation of corrective actions far superior when compared to human skill-based or rules-based software. This Digital Twin is continuously improved based on information from 200,000 HVAC equipment connected in eight different building categories across 20 countries.

Increased efficiency and productivity: Leveraging a hybrid delivery model of remote HVAC experts and local execution teams, EcoStruxure Building Advisor has enabled completion of over 16,000 tasks, which has saved approximately 260,000 hours of on-site service engineer time to detect, diagnose and create a maintenance ticket.

Improved tenant satisfaction: EcoStruxure Building Advisor helps achieve compliance to ISO50001 standards or sustainability goals based on energy efficiency improvements, improving indoor air quality to make buildings healthier for occupants in the building. Organizations across the world and buildings in life-sciences, healthcare, universities, offices, airports, stadiums use Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Building Advisor to ensure facilities and buildings are safe, reliable, energy-efficient, and sustainable. Boston Scientific, University of Iowa, among many others, have achieved success to meet sustainability goals, claim utility incentives, and improve indoor air quality creating healthier buildings for occupants. If you're interested in learning more about Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Building Advisor, visit here . 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. www.se.com Hashtags: #LifeIsOn #FacilitiesNet2021Awards #EcoStruxure #EcoStruxureBuildingAdvisor SOURCE Schneider Electric Canada Inc.

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[September 08, 2021] Sensors Converge Names Socionext's SC123x Series As 2021 "Best of Sensors" Award Finalist

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Socionext America has been named a 2021 "Best of Sensors" Award finalist by Questex's Sensors Converge, organizers of the annual Sensors Expo and Conference. Socionext's SC123x Series All-in-One 24GHz FMCW (frequency-modulated continuous wave) Radar Sensors has been recognized as the embedded technology that highlights cutting-edge advancements and achievements that are moving the sensors industry forward. Category winners of these prestigious awards will be announced during Sensors Converge, set for September 21-23 in San Jose, CA. Questex's Sensors Converge is the one in-person and virtual event covering the biggest design engineering trends. From sensors and chips to the cloud, Sensors Converge covers the technologies and applications driving innovation today. The finalists of the 2021 Best of Sensors Awards represent the advances in innovations and real-world applications of sensors, as well as the teams and individuals who demonstrate commitment to engineering excellence and overall ingenuity.

SC123x Series Smart RADAR Sensors Provide Unique Benefits

The Socionext SC123x series all-in-one 24GHz FMCW radar sensors measure a compact 9 x 9 x 1mm and feature a wide detection area. They are well-suited for battery operation, with an ultra-low 0.5mW average power requirement for human detecting applications. The series is capable of direct outputs of entry motion, presence detection, and a variety of distance information of the target. All of these capabilities are available without the need for any software development on an external MCU when combined with an embedded high-speed FFT accelerator and lgorithm engine. If paired with an MCU, the SC1233, a product from the series, can also perform 2D angle detection.



The smart SC123x RADAR sensors have multiple antennas integrated inside a single package and provide many benefits and capabilities not available with other types of sensors. Key Features include:

Antenna-in-Package (AIP) technology integrating multiple antennas (both Tx and Rx)

Embedded high-speed FFT accelerator and algorithm engine for quick target characterizations including entry motion, presence detection, distance, and output of data calculating the angle of detected object (SC1233).

Suitable for high volume, mass production by using standard CMOS semiconductor process technology.

Impervious to obstructed view, such as darkness, smoke, fog, dirt, sunlight, and high-temperature environments.

Ability to transition through resins and non-metallic materials.

Draws less power than optical visual camera systems.

Detect moving objects as it actively senses the environment and target, as opposed to PIR, which is dependent on a target's differential temperature profile.

With the embedded algorithm engine, the SC123x radar sensor can output a variety of range data about the moving object, a feature that's not possible with other sensors. "For over three decades, Sensors Converge has been bringing together the most exciting technological advancements and cutting-edge applications from across the industry. The finalists of this year's Best of Sensors Awards underscore just how far-reaching the impacts of these innovations have become, especially over the past 18 months. Socionext personifies the commitment to engineering excellence and overall ingenuity we look for and we are thrilled to recognize their efforts in an extremely competitive field," noted Charlene Soucy, Senior Director, Sensors Converge

"Socionext is honored to be nominated by Sensors Converge for our 24GHz radar sensing technology in the 2021 Best of Sensors Awards embedded technology category," said Teruaki Hasegawa, Head of Socionext's IoT & Radar Sensing Business Unit. " Radar sensors enable a wide variety of applications for monitoring, process control, and human safety. The company is committed to the advancement of sensing technology for improving people's lives in many ways." To learn more about the speakers, innovators, and technologies featured at the event, visit www.sensorsexpo.com. For more information about Socionext radar sensors, visit http://socionextus.com/radar About Socionext America Inc.

Socionext America Inc. (SNA) is the US branch of Socionext Inc. headquartered in Santa Clara, California. The company is one of the world's leading fabless ASIC suppliers, specializing in a wide range of standard and customizable SoC solutions for automotive, consumer, and industrial markets. Socionext provides customers with quality semiconductor products based on extensive and differentiated IPs, proven design methodologies, and state-of-the-art implementation expertise, with full support. For product information, visit SNA's website, e-mail sna_inquiry@us.socionext.com or call 1-844-680-3453. For company news and updates, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

About Sensors Converge

For 36 years Sensors Expo & Conference has brought together the design engineering community to network, share ideas, and define the future roadmap for the sensors industry. In 2021, we're excited to curate a live, in-person experience called Sensors Converge, where the industry can come together, safely, to collaborate and conduct business. Sensors Converge is part of the Fierce Technology Group, a division of Questex, which also produces the Best of Sensors Awards, Fierce Sensors, and daily content and newsletters on Fierce Electronics at www.fierceelectronics.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sensors-converge-names-socionexts-sc123x-series-as-2021-best-of-sensors-award-finalist-301371190.html SOURCE Socionext America Inc.

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[September 08, 2021] Tableau Launches First Online Region in Canada to Support Increased Demand for Data Analytics

The new region in Montreal, Quebec, will provide improved capabilities for Tableau Online customers MONTREAL, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ -- Tableau, the world's leading analytics platform (NYSE: CRM), today announced a new Tableau Online region in Montreal, Quebec. This is the first Tableau Online region in Canada, and seventh worldwide. As part of Montreal's thriving tech ecosystem, it will serve cloud-based analytics to new and existing Tableau Online customers. The new region joins those in Japan, Australia, the United States and Europe, to provide customers with new choices in data locality. Data has gained new value in the last year, as governments, businesses and educators turn to data to help them be more transparent, agile and resilient. This new region will provide Tableau Online customers with enhanced performance and reduce the distance between a customer's data and their analytics service. "Now, more than ever, businesses are changing how they work and it's accelerating their shift to the cloud. This new region is a direct result of the demand we are seeing across Canada for Tableau Online," said Deanna Rigonan, Regional Vice President, Cloud, Tableau Canada. "Our customers need to transform data coming from anywhere into actionable insights for better decision making, and Tableau is helping them do so faster. We are continuing to listen to our customers and deliver on their needs." The new Montreal region reduces latency, with shorter loa times and faster extract refreshes. In line with Tableau's commitment to strengthening data protection for all customers, the region helps make it easier for customers to comply with regional data residency regulations.



"Many of our clients have specific data sovereignty needs," said Richard Seguin, Regional Vice-President Public Sector, Tableau Canada. "This new region enables us to better support our customers in their journey to the cloud." Several Canadian organizations, including Wolseley Canada, already use Tableau Online.

"Moving to Tableau Online has led to greater agility, coordination and data sharing across our business," said Danylo Pawluk, Director of Enterprise Data & Analytics, Wolseley Canada, the country's leading distributor of plumbing, HVAC/R and PVF products. "Having data at our fingertips helps everyone discover new insights so they can make data-driven business decisions and achieve more in their roles." The new Tableau Online region is available to new and existing customers, who may select their preferred location when setting up their Tableau Online site. It is hosted by local AWS infrastructure. To learn more about deploying cloud-based self-service analytics at your organization, visit https://www.tableau.com/products/cloud-bi . The announcement follows Tableau's recent launch of new enterprise capabilities and new enterprise subscription plans that will help customers advance their digital transformations by empowering everyone in an organization with trusted and governed data, driving greater success with data and analytics at scale and better business outcomes. For more information on the latest features and to upgrade to Tableau 2021.3 today, visit https://www.tableau.com/products/new-features . About Tableau, a Salesforce company

Tableau helps people see and understand data. As the world's leading analytics platform, Tableau offers visual analytics with powerful AI, data management and collaboration. From individuals to organizations of all sizes, customers around the world love using Tableau's advanced analytics to fuel impactful, data-driven decisions. For more information, please visit: www.tableau.com . About Salesforce

Salesforce, the global CRM leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to digitally transform and create a 360 view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com . SOURCE Tableau

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[September 08, 2021] Udacity Partners With Workforce Development Board Of Central Ohio To Upskill Central Ohio Job Seekers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Udacity, the online learning and talent transformation platform powering the careers of the future, today launched Digital Career Transformation: Columbus , an upskilling program for Central Ohio job seekers, in partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio (WDBCO) and OhioMeansJobsColumbus Franklin County (OMJCFC) to help people pursue digital economy employment opportunities. "Udacity's Nanodegree programs are helping us offer what central Ohio job seekers need now more than ever - training and experience using in-demand skills that they can develop more quickly than traditional certification programs," said Lisa Patt-McDaniel the President & CEO of the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio. "After a successful pilot run earlier this year, we're excited to partner with Udacity to offer shorter term, flexible programs to central Ohio job seekers so they grow their careers in the digital economy." "Thanks to this partnership with WDBCO, virtually anyone of any background can learn the skills they need to seize life-changing career opportunities in high-paying tech jobs. All for free." said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Udacity. "And just as importantly, employers in the Columbus area can finally fill their hardest to hire, most in-demand roles." DCT: Columbus will feature two phases. In phase one, which runs through October 5, 2021, up to 2,000 learners will be able to participate in a 6-week self-paced "foundational" version of the Nanodegree program they hope to pursueDigital Marketing, Business Analytic, or UX Design. Up to 100 learners who complete phase one would be eligible to continue into phase two, a 3-month structured program that pairs the Nanodegree's self-paced curriculum with weekly instructor-led group sessions to complete real-world projects alongside 25-30 learners. Phase two will run from November 2  February 8, 2022.



In tandem, Udacity is offering career services for learners to receive job search, networking, and mentorship support every step of the way. According to a 2020 survey of Udacity's 128,000 Nanodegree program graduates, 73% who signed up with the intention of advancing their career reported a positive career outcome and 50% percent of graduates reported receiving a 33% median increase in pay. What's more, 7 in 10 Udacity students reported receiving job-ready tech skills. Phase one of the program is free to all participants until program capacity is reached. The deadline to apply for the fall program is September 28, 2021. More information on DCT: Columbus is available here .

About Udacity

Udacity is a global, online training platform powering digital transformation and accelerated time-to-market initiatives for Fortune 500 and Global 2000 enterprises. Udacity programs provide industry-created practitioner skills through a series of "Nanodegree" programs consisting of online courses and real-world projects in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, autonomous systems, and cloud computing, among other disciplines. Udacity collaborates with expert instructors and over 200 global industry partners including AT&T, Google, Facebook, Mercedes-Benz, and NVIDIA to power technical education. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., the private company has operations in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Udacity has raised $163 million in funding to date from investors including Bertelsmann, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures, and Drive Capital. For more information, please visit www.udacity.com . About Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio

The Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio is a nonprofit organization serving as the Strategy and Policy Board for Ohio Workforce Area 11, Columbus and Franklin County. The Board assists in-demand sector employers with developing a talent pipeline and jobseekers with acquiring the skills and credentials for in-demand careers. To learn more visit www.wdbco.org . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/udacity-partners-with-workforce-development-board-of-central-ohio-to-upskill-central-ohio-job-seekers-301370951.html SOURCE Udacity

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[September 07, 2021] OpenSynergy Works with Google and Qualcomm to Deliver Virtualized Android Automotive OS Reference Platform

BERLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenSynergy introduced today the company's new automotive reference platform for virtual Android 11 (based on Trout). With technology from Google and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the reference platform features the integration of the Virtual I/O (VIRTIO) framework into Android Automotive OS, which allows Android to run on any hypervisor supporting the upcoming VIRTIO devices and any system on chip (SoC). The reference platform contains Android 11, a board support package (BSP) from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and the VIRTIO-based COQOS Hypervisor SDK, all of which are running on a Snapdragon Automotive Development Platform (ADP). VIRTIO is an established virtualization standard maintained by the OASIS Open consortium that provides a device sharing framework for devices such as Block, Network, Console, graphics processing unit (GPU), Input, etc. As active members of the consortium, OpenSynergy and Google have worked to expand the scope of the open standards in the automotive domain. As there are missing automotive-specific VIRTIO devices, the two companies are working within the OASIS consortium to close the gap. Furthermore, the collaboration between OpenSynergy and Google aims to allow flexibility to automakers and Tier-1 suppliers to switch between SoCs and hypervisors to best match their needs. The reference platform showcases an Android Automotive OS-based Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC) architecture. Similar to other CDCs, the underlying hypervisor guarantees the secure coexistence of Android (typically a QM system) with systems of higher criticality, such as the real-time OS displaying the telltales on an Instrument Cluster (typically ASIL B). The novelty lies in deploying a fully virtualized Android Automotive OS (Trout), i.e., an Android version with no dependencies on the hardware. Instead of directly accessing the hardware devices, Android accesses these devies using the standardized VIRTIO framework provided by the underlying virtual platform.



A fully virtualized Android Automotive OS can easily be ported onto any hardware supported by the underlying virtual platform. In the case of the COQOS Hypervisor SDK, the hardware is any automotive relevant ARMv8-A-based SoC. The clean architectural separation introduced by VIRTIO makes updating Android and the BSP easy. The reference platform and the usage of virtualized Android Automotive OS were showcased over the last year in several promotional events. Now, customers can access it and develop their specific applications on it. The released reference platform is intended only for research and pre-development purposes and not for series production. Customers can acquire the Snapdragon ADP through Qualcomm Technologies' distribution channels. The reference platform software is now available at OpenSynergy.

Jonathan Siegel, Portfolio Manager of OpenSynergy: "It has been an honor to work with Google and Qualcomm Technologies on such a game-changing project for the automotive industry. After intense years of development, the day has come in which we at OpenSynergy are finally releasing the virtual Android Automotive OS reference platform to the community. We are confident that this will ignite a new dynamic features we did not think of will be developed; easier deployment processes will be implemented. And we look forward to what comes next for VIRTIO-based Android. The community will guide us!" Find more on our website: www.opensynergy.com/coqos-hypervisor-sdk-trial-for-android-reference-platform/ About OpenSynergy OpenSynergy provides embedded software products for the next generation of vehicles. Its hypervisor and communication products pave the way for an integrated driving experience. The automotive virtual platform COQOS Hypervisor SDK integrates a mix of real-time applications and open source solutions on powerful domain controllers. It supports a large bundle of features corresponding to the virtualization standard VIRTIO, creating maximum flexibility: guest operating systems can be used and reused on different Systems on Chips. The automotive leading Bluetooth stack Blue SDK is one of OpenSynergy's communications platforms. It is the reference Bluetooth implementation for many OEMs around the world. The variant Blue SDK Fusion offers a reliable Automotive-Grade Bluetooth stack for AndroidTM Automotive OS. OpenSynergy further provides complimentary Automotive-Grade software components tailored for the AndroidTM Open Source Project (AOSP) to boost Android's adoption in the automotive domain. OpenSynergy also provides engineering services to support the customization of its products. Read more on www.opensynergy.com Contact

OpenSynergy GmbH

Sabine Mutumba

Director of Marketing

Rotherstr. 20

D-10245 Berlin

Tel.: +49 (0)30.60 98 540-41

Email: marketing@opensynergy.com Google and Android are trademarks of Google LLC. Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. The Snapdragon Automotive Development Platform is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. SOURCE OpenSynergy GmbH

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[September 07, 2021] LDI ALERT: Investors With Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead the loanDepot, Inc. Class Action Lawsuit

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of loanDepot, Inc. (NYSE: LDI) shares pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with loanDepot's February 16, 2021 initial public offering ("IPO") have until November 8, 2021 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. The loanDepot class action lawsuit charges loanDepot, certain of its officers and directors, and the underwriters of loanDepot's IPO with violations of the Securities Act of 1933. The loanDepot class action lawsuit was filed in the Central District of California on September 3, 2021 and is captioned Lako v. loanDepot, Inc., No. 21-cv-01449. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the loanDepot class action lawsuit, please provide your information by clicking here. You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at jsanchez@rgrdlaw.com. Lead plaintiff motions for te loanDepot class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than November 8, 2021.



CASE ALLEGATIONS: In its IPO, loanDepot sold 3,850,000 shares of its Class A common stock to the public at a price of $14.00 per share for total proceeds of approximately $54 million, net of underwriting discounts and commissions. Nearly 40% of the shares sold in the IPO were by loanDepot's founder, chairman, and CEO, defendant Anthony Hsieh, and loanDepot's early partner and investor, Parthenon Capital. The loanDepot class action lawsuit alleges that loanDepot's Registration Statement was materially false and misleading and omitted to state that: (i) loanDepot's refinance originations had already declined substantially at the time of the IPO due to industry over-capacity and increased competition; (ii) loanDepot's gain-on-sale margins had already declined substantially at the time of the IPO; (iii) as a result, loanDepot's revenue and growth would be negatively impacted; and (iv) consequently, defendants' positive statements about loanDepot's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

The loanDepot class action lawsuit further alleges that when loanDepot announced disappointing second quarter 2021 results on August 3, 2021, Anthony Hsieh admitted that everything about loanDepot's business is "highly predictable" and thus that loanDepot had perfect visibility at the time of the IPO as to where its business was and was going. By August 17, 2021, loanDepot's stock price fell to $8.07 per share, a more than 42% decline from the IPO price, having plummeted in response to information reflecting the materialization of significant risks misrepresented and omitted from the Registration Statement. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased loanDepot shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the IPO to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the loanDepot class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the loanDepot class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the loanDepot class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery of the loanDepot class action lawsuit is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP: With 200 lawyers in 9 offices nationwide, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is the largest U.S. law firm representing investors in securities class actions. Robbins Geller attorneys have obtained many of the largest shareholder recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever - $7.2 billion - in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. The 2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report ranked Robbins Geller first for recovering $1.6 billion for investors last year, more than double the amount recovered by any other securities plaintiffs' firm. Please visit http://www.rgrdlaw.com for more information. Attorney advertising.

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[September 07, 2021] New Book, US-China Tech War: What Chinese Tech History Reveals About Future Tech Rivalry, by Nina Xiang, Releases Today

HONG KONG, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China Money Network: The new book, US-China Tech War: What Chinese Tech History Reveals About Future Tech Rivalry, written by author Nina Xiang, is published today and available on Amazon.com. The book dives into the history of China's technology development with a focus on the semiconductors industry, and illustrates how this saga of innovation shapes current and future tech clashes between the United States and China. "Everyone is talking about the U.S.-China tech war, but few tried to understand it from a perspective of history," says Nina Xiang, author of the book. "I wrote this book so that readers can understand how the U.S. and China arrived at their current positions." Despite decades of government-led efforts to boost its semiconductor chips industry, China has lagged far behind other countries, and the nation is vulnerable to U.S. trade blockades. US-China Tech War focuses on the semiconductor chip industry, the epicenter of the current US-China teh rivalry.



The book dispels key myths about how China progressed technologically: the whole-nation model, forced technology transfer, and China's efforts to stimulate home-grown tech. The book's deeper analysis into these hyped terms reveals a new angle for China's innovation journey that will surprise readers. "The U.S.-China tech war is not one started with a manifesto from either side or with one defining moment; it's better defined as a war with sporadic barrages and unpredictable battles overlaying a steady hum of preparation," says Nina Xiang. "Some frontlines have already been drawn, especially in regards to semiconductors, 5G, and artificial intelligence. These areas are seeing deepening decoupling between the two countries that is tearing apart decades of globalized supply chains."

The book is currently available on promotion in e-book and paperback formats:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B098YSDSD6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr= About Nina Xiang Nina Xiang is an expert on the Chinese venture capital and technology sector with nearly twenty years of financial and business media experience. She has held editorial positions at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Euromoney Institutional Investor, China Radio International, and China Business Network in Beijing, New York, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. In 2011, she founded China Money Network, a platform tracking China's smart investments and technology innovation. Nina Xiang is part of the team winning an Excellence in Human Rights Reporting honor in SOPA Awards in 2007. She was awarded an Foreign Press Association Annual Scholarship in 2007. She is an agenda contributor for the World Economic Forum and was named Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the ChinaBang Awards 2019. She appears frequently in a range of international media, including the BBC and CGTN. Her previous book Red AI: Victories and Warnings From China's Rise In Artificial Intelligence was the number one new release in its category. SOURCE China Money Network

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[September 07, 2021] ETHOS ASSET MANAGEMENT INC USA Announces Partnership to Finance New Real Estate Fund With PROJECT REVA2 in USA

ETHOS ASSET MANAGEMENT INC USA announced a new long-term financing partnership with PROJECT REVA2, a Washington-based property development project. Ethos, a private project financing provider based in San Diego, California, with global operations, has committed to providing US$ 70 Million with a first financing phase being delivered of US$ 4 Million that will continue for several years. Carlos Santos, CEO of Ethos Asset Management, stated, "We are committed to supporting and providing finance to PROJECT REVA2, a unique and innovative project through our Crisis Financing Facility (CFF). Covid-19 has driven the current global economic situation and has had a significant influence on property owners, brokers, developers, and real estate entrepreneurs. We whole-heartedly support PROJECT REVA2's ambitions to deliver their project providing new homes, offices and commercial spaces, new jobs and to finally commence operations which have been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic." Pya Cope, investor in PROJECT REVA2, stated, "This is a great opportunity for real estate investors who can see the much needed development required and benefits that PROJECT REVA2 will deliver to many communities starting in Washington. I'm honoured and proud to be supporting this great project that is backed by Ethos for the long term, ensuring that the infusion of CAPEX for the investment is performed without putting at risk the investor capital. Ethos have gone to great lengths to commi to the fund in a united partnership between the Project Promoter, investors and local community stakeholders, at every step of this transformational journey."



PROJECT REVA2 is a US-based new, dynamic property development and real estate development project and programme. Pya Cope is President of Baseline Financial Services INC. Pya is a Banking and Business Auditing and Consulting Associate of an elite International funding group, specializing in large scale Commercial projects. During her career, Pya has held roles as Senior Financial Analyst, a trusted adviser and an expert in restructuring undervalued businesses, delivering consistent annual profit targets and increased shareholder value, by adding liquid assets.

Ethos Asset Management (Ethos) is an independent, US-based company with a global reach in resource mobilization and project financing. Providing financing to government and privately promoted projects in every continent and every sector, Ethos has developed a unique risk modulation model which allows them to provide financing in terms not available anywhere in traditional financial markets. Additionally, Ethos provides advice to structure projects and restructure debt. Ethos supports and develops their clients to achieve their long-term goals with confidence. Carlos Santos, CEO of Ethos Asset Management, is actively involved in acquiring and structuring three investment funds. He is directly involved in four business areas of the companies: resource mobilization, project financing, wealth management, and commodities trading. Mr. Santos holds a bachelor's degree in Economics, three Master's degrees in Finance, Banking Accounting and International Taxation, and a Ph.D. being developed in Financial Instruments. You can hear from Carlos Santos, Ethos CEO, in Dubai where he is Guest Speaker and Panellist at The Leaders Without Borders Leadership Summit and International Honours, the #1 gathering of high-achieving level professionals from all across the World, at the Habtoor Palace, Dubai, on 29th - 30th September 2021. For more information about Ethos, please visit https://www.ethosasset.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210907005960/en/

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[September 08, 2021] IBM unveils new generation of IBM Power servers for frictionless, scalable hybrid cloud

ARMONK, N.Y., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the new IBM Power E1080 server, the first in a new family of servers based on the new IBM Power10 processor, designed specifically for hybrid cloud environments. The IBM Power10-equipped E1080 server is engineered to be one of the most secured server platforms and is designed to help clients operate a secured, frictionlessiii hybrid cloud experience across their entire IT infrastructure. The IBM Power E1080 server is launching at a critical time for IT. As organizations around the world continue to adapt to unpredictable changes in consumer behaviors and needs, they need a platform that can deliver their applications and insights securely where and when they need them. The IBM Institute of Business Value's 2021 CEO Study found that, of the 3,000 CEOs surveyed, 56% emphasized the need to enhance operational agility and flexibility when asked what they'll most aggressively pursue over the next two to three yearsiv. Many see the answer to this need in a hybrid cloud computing model, which combines on-premises resources with cloud-based infrastructure and can offer up to 2.5x greater value than a public cloud-only approachv. However not all hybrid cloud models are designed equally. "When we were designing the E1080, we had to be cognizant of how the pandemic was changing not only consumer behavior, but also our customer's behavior and needs from their IT infrastructure," said Dylan Boday, VP of Product Management for AI and Hybrid Cloud. "The E1080 is IBM's first system designed from the silicon up for hybrid cloud environments, a system tailor-built to serve as the foundation for our vision of a dynamic and secure, frictionless hybrid cloud experience." The new IBM E1080 was designed to introduce several key features including: Enhancements for hybrid cloud like planned industry-first, by the minute metering of Red Hat software including Red Hat OpenShift and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 4.1x greater OpenShift containerized throughput per core vs x86-based servers vi , and architectural consistency and cloud-like flexibility across the entire hybrid cloud environment to drive agility and improve costs without application refactoring.

like planned industry-first, by the minute metering of Red Hat software including Red Hat OpenShift and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 4.1x greater OpenShift containerized throughput per core vs x86-based servers , and architectural consistency and cloud-like flexibility across the entire hybrid cloud environment to drive agility and improve costs without application refactoring. New hardware-driven performance improvements that deliver up to 50% more performance and scalability than its predecessor the IBM Power E980 vii , while also reducing energy use and carbon footprint of the E980, allowing customers to do more with less. The E1080 also features four matrix math accelerators per core, enabling 5x faster inference performance as compared to the E980 viii .

that deliver up to 50% more performance and scalability than its predecessor the IBM Power E980 , while also reducing energy use and carbon footprint of the E980, allowing customers to do more with less. The E1080 also features four matrix math accelerators per core, enabling 5x faster inference performance as compared to the E980 . New security tools designed for hybrid cloud environments including transparent memory encryption so there is no additional management setup, 4x the encryption engines per core, allowing for 2.5x faster AES encryption as compared to the IBM Power E980 ix , and security software for every level of the system stack.

including transparent memory encryption so there is no additional management setup, 4x the encryption engines per core, allowing for 2.5x faster AES encryption as compared to the IBM Power E980 , and security software for every level of the system stack. A robust ecosystem of ISVs, Business Partners, and support to broaden the capabilities of the IBM Power E1080 and how customers can build their hybrid cloud environment, including record-setting performance for SAP applications in an 8-socket systemii. IBM is also launching a new tiered Power Expert Care service to help clients as they protect their systems against the latest cybersecurity threats while also providing hardware and software coherence and higher systems availability. Frictionlessiii Hybrid Cloud Experience Drives Modernization on IBM Power E1080

The IBM Power E1080 server helps deliver on the customer demand for a frictionless hybrid cloud experience, with architectural consistency across the entire hybrid cloud estate to simplify management and seamlessly scale applications to meet the dynamic needs of today's world. "We have been long time IBM Power users and are looking forward to being one of the first organizations to test the new IBM Power10-based E1080 system with our mission-critical applications," said Klaus Fehlker at Finanz Informatik. "The new server addresses our demands to continue delivering our services at scale with high resiliency requirements, including new levels of security and improved energy-efficiency. We are also keen to see how the new features can accelerate our journey to hybrid cloud and the infusion of AI into our business applications." When leveraging an IBM Power10-based server, like the E1080, with the cloud-based IBM Power Virtual Server in a hybrid cloud format, the architectural consistency across resources means the often-bespoke mission-critical applications that tend to reside on-premises can be moved into the cloud as workloads and needs demand. This is designed to help clients avoid the prohibitive costs and time required associated with refactoring for a different architecture. The IBM Power E1080 also has the capability to scale instantly with Power Private Cloud for Dynamic Capacity, allowing users to scale up and down with unused CPU capacity as needed and only pay extra for the additional resources they used. This can help improve operational efficiency and flexibility while avoiding server sprawl and lengthy procurement processes by bringing a cloud-like payment model to the datacenter. Further enhancing the cloud-like economics for local hardware, the IBM Power E1080 is the first on-premises system planned to support metering by the minute for both Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat OpenShift, extending capabilities already available on IBM Power Virtual Server. Together, this is designed for even greater customer control of when, how, and where their applications are deployed. "Red Hat has long been committed to delivering choice to our customers, a critical component in how these organizations approach open hybrid cloud deployments. Our collaboration with IBM on Power10 will serve as a continuation of this commitment to support a broad range of architectures," said Stefanie Chiras, senior vice president, Platforms Business Group, Red Hat. "As an architectural foundation for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat OpenShift deployments on-premises metering, IBM Power will offer the scale and flexibility to help customers realize the benefits of open hybrid cloud." Through the close synergy with Red Hat, the IBM Power E1080 offers 4.1x greater OpenShift containerized throughput per core vs compared x86-based serversvi, allowing for more workloads to be deployed simultaneously within a single system. The Power of Ten for Efficiency, Security, and Enterprise AI

The IBM Power E1080 server is built around the revolutionary IBM Power10 processor. Designed by IBM and manufactured by Samsung using 7nm EUV process technology, IBM Power10 is IBM's first commercially available 7nm processor. With IBM Power10 at the heart of the system, the IBM Power E1080 server can deliver up to 30% more performance per core and over 50% better total capacity at the socket and system level as compared to the previous generation IBM Power E980 servervii. This translates to 33% lower energy consumption for the same workload on the IBM Power E1080 as compared to the IBM Power E980x, giving ustomers the platform to consolidate workloads and save on hardware and software costs. For example, an IBM Power customer projected that they could consolidate an industry-standard transactional database running across 126 x86-based servers down to two IBM Power E1080 servers. This projection would translate to an 80% reduction in server energy use and a 70% reduction in per-core software licenses for the customer.



IBM Power10 also provides new enhancements for securing consolidated workloads. The Power10 processor has the capability to scale with transparentxi memory encryption, which is designed to simplify and support end-to-end security without impacting performance. Compared to IBM Power9, accelerated encryption performance is enabled by IBM Power10 having 4x the number of encryption engines per core, and translates into a 2.5x faster per core performance for AES encryption compared to the previous generation of IBM Power serversix. IBM offers security control solutions at every level of the system stack, from the foundational hardware like the processor and memory, to key software like the operating system, hypervisor, and applications. The E1080 uses IBM PowerVM as its built-in hypervisor, which has significantly fewer Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) than competitive hypervisors as catalogued by the US Government National Institute of Standards and Technology's National Vulnerabilities Database (NVD)xii .

Finally, the IBM Power E1080 server and Power10 processor bring new enterprise AI capabilities right to where the data resides, on the server. IBM Power10's four Matrix Math Accelerator (MMA) engines per core that can drive up to 5x improvements for AI inference as compared to the IBM Power E980 serverviii. While the new increased MMAs provide hardware-focused improvement, the IBM Power E1080 also supports bring-your-own-model capabilities with IBM Auto-AI and "no-code" tools. The IBM Power E1080 also supports the Open Neural Network Exchange, or ONNX. Trained AI models available on ONNX, using some of the most popular frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and more, can be deployed on the IBM Power E1080 from x86-based servers with no code changes required. Ecosystem of ISVs and Channel Partners Enhance Capabilities for IBM Power E1080 and IBM Power10

The new IBM Power10 family is supported by a wide range of ISVs, IBM Business Partners, and other external stakeholders that recognize the value of the new platform's capabilities for their customers. Leveraging the SAP Application Performance Standard values benchmark, which measures performance for key SAP applications, the IBM Power E1080 has set a record for an 8-socket system, achieving over 174,000 2-tier benchmark users, 40% greater than the closest x86-based platformxiv.



"The IBM Power10-based E1080 is an ideal platform for clients looking to modernize by running SAP applications in hybrid cloud environments," said Lalit Patil, CTO, Enterprise Cloud Services & HANA Enterprise Cloud, SAP. "With the E1080's record-setting SAPS benchmark score, we look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with IBM to better serve our mutual customers." In addition to SAP, several other ISVs that provide a wide range of services including databases, secure medical records processing, security, AI, and more have announced support for IBM Power10. To read more of their perspectives on this new announcement, please go to: http://www.ibm.com/blogs/systems/innovating-with-isv-partners/ To help these services get into the hands of customers, IBM is working closely with our channel partners so that they can work closely with customers and build solutions that work for them. "As one of the leading IBM Power Business Partners in Europe, we recognize the differentiated value that IBM Power can deliver to our customers," said Udo Sachs, Head of Competence Center for Power Systems at SVA. "In addition to increased performance, the IBM Power10-based E1080 server is designed to help our clients take their core business applications to new levels of security and allow for much more energy efficiency. Both are very critical issues for our customers in today's world." IBM is taking orders for the IBM Power E1080 now, with shipments expected to begin before the end of the month. IBM is also introducing Power Expert Care, which offers a tiered approach to service including Advanced and Premium Expert Care tiers. The simple service tiers and pricing facilitate straight-forward support options for the IBM Power E1080 server, and additional add-ons such as hardware and software system health checks and regular security updates are designed to ensure that the systems stay protected against the latest cybersecurity threats, while also providing software and hardware coherence and higher systems availability. Read more from IBM Power General Manager Ken King on this announcement, here: http://www.ibm.com/blogs/systems/announcing-ibm-power-e1080-engineered-for-agility/. For more information please visit: http://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/power/power10. Statements by IBM regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at the sole discretion of IBM. Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline general product direction and should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision. Any statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties described in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), including its most recent annual report on Form 20-F, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. SAP cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which SAP has no obligation to update and which speak only as of their dates. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please?see?https://www.sap.com/copyright?for additional trademark information and notices.?All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.??

i SPECInt Math: (Power10 2170 peak /120 core)/(1620 peak/224 cores)=2.5

Max System SPECint IBM Power E1080 (3.55-4,0 GHz, Power10) 120 Cores, 8 CPUs SPECint Score 2170 per CPU Score 271.25 per Core Score 18.08 Date: Audit submitted. Max System SPECint Hewlett Packard Enterprise Superdome Flex 280 (2.90 GHz, Intel Xeon Platinum 8380H) 224 Cores, 8 CPUs Intel Xeon Platinum 8380H Speed 2900 Mhz SPECint Score 1620.00 per CPU Score 202.50 per Core Score 7.23 Date: Feb-2021 Link: CPU2017 Integer Rate Result: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Superdome Flex 280 (2.90 GHz, Intel Xeon Platinum 8380H) (test sponsored by HPE) (spec.org) ii IBM Power E1080; two-tier SAP SD standard application benchmark running SAP ERP 6.0 EHP5; Power10 3.55-4.0 GHz processor, 4,096 GB memory, 8p/120c/960t, 174,000 SD benchmark users (955,050 SAPS), AIX 7.2, DB2 11.5. Certification # 2021059. All results can be found at sap.com/benchmark Valid as of 8/27/21 iii IBM Power help deliver a frictionless experience in extending mission-critical workloads across hybrid cloud, without requiring additional middleware or application refactoring iv https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/report/ceo v https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/QMRQEROB vi 1. Based on IBM internal testing of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.8.2 worker nodes running 80 pods each with 10 users using the Daytrader7 workload (https://github.com/WASdev/sample.daytrader7/releases/tag/v1.4 ) accessing AIX Db2 databases. Average cpu utilization for the OCP worker nodes is > 95%. Comparison: E1080 running OCP accessing AIX Db2 on an S922 versus OCP on Cascade Lake accessing AIX Db2 on the same S922. Valid as of 8/26/2021 and conducted under laboratory conditions. Individual result can vary based on workload size, use of storage subsystems & other conditions. 2.IBM Power E1080 (40 cores/3.8 GHz/2 TB memory) in maximum performance mode, 25 Gb two-port SRIOV adapter, 1 x 16Gbs FCA, with PowerVM. E1080 configuration consists of 2 OCP worker lpars each with 10 cores running SMT8 with 256GB of memory and a VIOS lpar with 4 cores and 8GB of memory. PowerVM LPARs were also affinitized on their respect sockets/NUMA nodes. IBM Power E1080 worker nodes run CoreOS Linux 4.18.0-305.10.2.el8_4. CentOS based DayTrader7 containers with Open Liberty 21.0.0.6, IBM Semeru Runtime Open Edition (build 1.8.0_302-b08) Eclipse OpenJ9 VM (build openj9-0.27.0, JRE 1.8.0 Linux ppc64le-64-Bit Compressed References 20210728_167 (JIT enabled, AOT enabled), JVM flag within jvm.options file within containers when starting JVM-->"-XX:-PortableSharedCache". 3.Competitive system: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6248 CPU (Cascade Lake) in performance mode, 40 cores/3.9GHz/512GB memory), 25Gb two-port SRIOV adapter, 1 x 16Gbps FCA, RHEL 8.4 KVM. Cascade Lake competitive configuration of 2 KVM guests as OCP worker nodes with 20 cores running hyperthreading (HT) with 256GB of memory. SRIOV device passthrough from host to KVM guest. The KVM guest's CPU & memory are pinned to host's CPU with respect to their associated NUMA nodes. Cascade Lake worker nodes run worker node OS CoreOS Linux 4.18.0-305.10.2.el8_4. CentOS based DayTrader7 containers with Open Liberty 21.0.0.6, IBM Semeru Runtime Open Edition (build 1.8.0_302-b08) Eclipse OpenJ9 VM (build openj9-0.27.0, JRE 1.8.0 Linux amd64-64-bit Compressed References 20210723_193 (JIT enabled, AOT enabled) JVM flag within jvm.options file within containers when starting JVM-->"-XX:-PortableSharedCache. 4.Database system S922: Model 9009-22G with 22 cores (2400 MHz) and 1TB of memory. S922 configuration consists of 2 AIX lpars each with 8 cores running SMT8 with 131GB of memory, and a VIOS lpar with 2 cores and 16GB of memory. vii Based on published rPerf results for Power E980/12 core compared to IBM Internal rPerf measurements (using the same methodology) for Power E1080/15 core viii 5x improvement in per socket inferencing throughput for large size 32b floating point inferencing models from Power9 E980 (12-core modules) to Power10 E1080 (15-core modules). Based on IBM testing using Pytorch, OpenBLAS on the same BERT Large with SqUAD v1.1 data set. ix AES-256 in both GCM and XTS modes runs about 2.5 times faster per core when comparing Power E1080 (15-core modules ) vs. Power E980 (12-core modules) according to preliminary measurements obtained on RHEL Linux 8.4 and the OpenSSL 1.1.1g library. x Power9 (12c) is 5081 rPerf @ 16,520 Watts (0.31 rPerf/Watt), Power10 (15c) is 7998 rPerf @ 17,320 Watts (0.46 rPerf/Watt) xi Transparent Memory encryption means that the capability does not need any user configuration xii Based on results for keyword "powervm" in National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) "National Vulnerability Database xiv HPE Superdome Flex; two-tier SAP SD standard application benchmark running SAP ERP 6.0 EHP5; Intel Xeon Platinum 8380H 2.9 GHz, 8p/224c/448t, 122,300 SD benchmark users (670,830 SAPS), Windows Server 2016 and Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Certification # 2021006. Sam Ponedal

IBM Media Relations

sponeda@us.ibm.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ibm-unveils-new-generation-of-ibm-power-servers-for-frictionless-scalable-hybrid-cloud-301370461.html SOURCE IBM

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[September 08, 2021] CooTek Announces Second Quarter 2021 Unaudited Results

SHANGHAI, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CooTek (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: CTK) ("CooTek" or the "Company"), a global mobile internet company, today reported unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021. Second Quarter 2021 Highlights Net revenues were US$83.2 million , a decrease of 34% from US$126.4 million during the same period last year due to the continuous restructuring of portfolio products.

, a decrease of 34% from during the same period last year due to the continuous restructuring of portfolio products. Gross profit was US$74.4 million , a decrease of 38% from US$120.7 million during the same period last year.

, a decrease of 38% from during the same period last year. Gross profit margin was 89.4%, compared with 95.5% during the same period last year.

Net income was US$0.3 million , compared with net loss of US$12.4 million last quarter, and net income of US$3.1 million during the same period last year.

, compared with net loss of last quarter, and net income of during the same period last year. Adjusted net income [1] (Non-GAAP) was US$1.1 million , compared with adjusted net loss (Non-GAAP) US$11.1 million last quarter, and adjusted net income (Non-GAAP) of US$4.5 million during the same period last year.

(Non-GAAP) was , compared with adjusted net loss (Non-GAAP) last quarter, and adjusted net income (Non-GAAP) of during the same period last year. The Company's Portfolio Products[2] contributed approximately 99% of total revenues, with a focus on three main categories: online literature, mobile games and scenario-based content apps. June 2021 Operational Highlights Average daily active users ("DAUs") of the Company's portfolio products were 23.5 million, a decrease of 2% from 23.9 million in June 2020 . Monthly active users ("MAUs") of the Company's portfolio products were 70.0 million, a decrease of 16% from 83.5 million in June 2020 .

. Monthly active users ("MAUs") of the Company's portfolio products were 70.0 million, a decrease of 16% from 83.5 million in . Average DAUs of the Company's online literature products were 6.7 million, a decrease of 17% from 8.1 million in June 2020 . MAUs of the Company's online literature products were 18.1 million, a decrease of 36% from 28.4 million in June 2020 . The average daily reading time [3] of our online literature product in the Chinese market, Fengdu Novel's users was approximately 153 minutes in June 2021 , which continued to grow steadily compared with 148 minutes in March 2021 .

. MAUs of the Company's online literature products were 18.1 million, a decrease of 36% from 28.4 million in . The average daily reading time of our online literature product in the Chinese market, Fengdu Novel's users was approximately 153 minutes in , which continued to grow steadily compared with 148 minutes in . Average DAUs of the Company's TouchPal Smart Input were 109.6 million. MAUs of the Company's TouchPal Smart Input were 144.1 million. "We are pleased to return to profitability while keeping a positive quarter-over-quarter revenue growth in the second quarter of 2021," commented Mr. Karl Zhang, CooTek's Chairman. "We remain committed to our content-focused strategy by continuously enhancing our product portfolio and optimizing our product features. We are encouraged by the solid implementation of the business plan driven by our online literature and mobile games products. With enriching and high-quality content incubation, Fengdu Novel has been expanding the exclusive content distribution and IP business. The revenues from the IP business of Fengdu Novel recorded 194% quarter-over-quarter growth. In addition, our mobile games portfolio has been further strengthened both in the domestic and overseas markets. We have strived to ride on the strong performance of Catwalk Beauty, our globally top-ranking casual game, to form a competitive product pipeline. As a special note, for the second half of 2021, we can expect such pipeline with more than 15 games in the domestic market and more than 20 games in the overseas market under the smooth combination of our internal development and external cooperation." Mr. Robert Cui, CooTek's CFO further commented, "As focusing on upgrading our business model, we have been optimizing the balance between our marketing and monetization strategies which resulted in the achievement of group-level profitability in the second quarter of 2021. We will further expand the scale of our product portfolio, improve our user experience and user stickiness and enhance our monetization capabilities. We are confident in delivering a robust and stable long-term growth."







(in millions) Portfolio Products



Portfolio Products

Including: Online literature



DAUs

MAUs

DAUs

MAUs

Jun' 19 27.6

65.1

0.3

1.6

Sep' 19 23.9

67.5

2.0

11.0

Dec' 19 24.7

74.6

4.8

19.3

Mar' 20 25.2

89.2

7.3

29.1

Jun' 20 23.9

83.5

8.1

28.4

Sep' 20 27.7

94.8

10.0

29.5

Dec' 20 27.8

85.8

10.2

29.5

Mar' 21 20.3

58.6

7.5

20.1

Jun' 21 23.5

70.0

6.7

18.1



Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results Net Revenues (in US$ thousands, except percentage) 2Q 2021

1Q 2021

2Q 2020

QoQ % Change

YoY % Change



















Mobile Advertising Revenues 82,078

80,408

125,774

2%

(35)% Other Revenues 1,139

1,144

622

0%

83% Total Net Revenues 83,217

81,552

126,396

2%

(34)% Net revenues were US$83.2 million, a decrease of 34% from US$126.4 million during the second quarter of 2020 and an increase of 2% from US$81.6 million during the last quarter. The decrease compared with the same quarter of 2020 was primarily due to a decrease in mobile advertising revenues. Mobile advertising revenues were US$82.1 million, a decrease of 35% from US$125.8 million during the second quarter of 2020 and an increase of 2% from US$80.4 million during the last quarter. The decrease compared with the same quarter of 2020 was primarily due to the continuous restructuring of portfolio products. Our portfolio products focus on three categories: online literature, scenario-based content apps and mobile games. Mobile games accounted for approximately 55%, online literature accounted for approximately 37%, and scenario-based content apps accounted for approximately 7% in the second quarter of 2021. Cost and Operating Expenses

2Q 2021

1Q 2021

2Q 2020







(in US$ thousands, except percentage) US$ % of revenue

US$ % of revenue

US$ % of revenue

QoQ %

Change YoY % Change





















Cost of revenues 8,801 10%

8,866 11%

5,691 5%

(1)%

55%

Sales and marketing 59,787 72%

70,736 87%

105,999 84%

(15)%

(44)%

Research and development 9,709 12%

9,037 11%

8,103 6%

7%

20%

General and administrative 4,879 6%

5,557 7%

4,136 3%

(12)%

18%

Other operating income, net (1,459) (2)%

(802) (1)%

(446) (0)%

82%

227%

Total Cost and Expenses 81,717 98%

93,394 115%

123,483 98%

(13)%

(34)%























Share-based compensation expenses by function



Cost of revenues 54 0.1%

79 0.1%

71 0.1%

(32)%

(24)%

Sales and marketing 14 0.0%

41 0.1%

61 0.0%

(66)%

(77)%

Research and development 456 0.5%

646 0.8%

862 0.7%

(29)%

(47)%

General and administrative 317 0.4%

538 0.6%

430 0.3%

(41)%

(26)%

Total share-based compensation expenses 841 1.0%

1,304 1.6%

1,424 1.1%

(36)%

(41)%

Cost of revenues was US$8.8 million, a 55% increase from US$5.7 million during the same period last year, and a decrease of 1% from US$8.9 million during the last quarter. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to an increase in content costs we paid to our signed authors and third-party content providers for the publishing and licensing of relevant online literature works and an increase in salary and payroll expenses associated with staff. Gross profit was US$74.4 million, a decrease of 38% from US$120.7 million during the same period last year, and an increase of 2% from US$72.7 million last quarter. Gross profit margin was 89.4%, compared with 95.5% in the same period last year and 89.1% last quarter. Sales and marketing expenses were US$59.8 million, a decrease of 44% from US$106.0 million during the same period last year, and a decrease of 15% from US$70.7 million last quarter. As a percentage of total revenues, sales and marketing expenses accounted for 72%, compared with 84% during the same period last year, and 87% last quarter. The sequential and year-over-year decrease in sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total net revenues was primarily due to the continuous transition of the strategy in relation to the acquisition of new users and the retention of existing users which resulted in the reduction of the user acquisition costs. Research and development expenses were US$9.7 million, an increase of 20% from US$8.1 million during the same period last year and an increase of 7% from US$9.0 million last quarter. The sequential and year-over-year increase was primarily due to an increase in salary and payroll expenses associated with technology R&D staff, and was partially offset by decline in share-based compensation expenses. As a percentage of total net revenues, research and development expenses accounted for 12%, compared with 6% during the same period last year and 11% last quarter. General and administrative expenses were US$4.9 million, an increase of 18% from US$4.1 million during the same period last year and a decrease of 12% from US$5.6 million last quarter. The sequential decrease was mainly due to a decrease in share-based compensation and third-party outsourcing fee, and was partially offset by a rise in professional service fee. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to an increase in salary and payroll expenses associated with G&A staff, professional service fee and third-party outsourcing fee, and was partially offset by decline in share-based compensation. As a percentage of total net revenues, general and administrative expenses accounted for 6%, compared with 3% during the same period last year and 7% during last quarter. Other operating income, net was US$1.5 million, compared with US$0.4 million during the same period last year and US$0.8 million last quarter. The other operating income mainly included government subsidy received. Net income was US$0.3 million, compared with net income of US$3.1 million during the same period last year and a net loss of US$12.4 million last quarter. Adjusted net income was US$1.1 million, compared with adjusted net income of US$4.5 million in the same period last year and adjusted net loss of US$11.1 million last quarter. The achievement of profitability compared with the adjusted net loss last quarter was mainly due to the decrease in sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total revenue driven by the continuous transition of the strategy in relation to the acquisition of new users and the retention of existing users. (in US$ thousands, except percentage) 2Q 2021

1Q 2021

2Q 2020

QoQ % Change

YoY % Change



















Net Income (Loss) 264

(12,398)

3,119

(102)%

(92)% Add: Share-based Compensation related to share options and restricted share units 841

1,304

1,424

(36)%

(41)% Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP) 1,105

(11,094)

4,543

(110)%

(76)% For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, basic and diluted net income per ADS were US$0.004 and US$0.004, and basic and diluted adjusted net income (Non-GAAP) per ADS were US$0.02 and US$0.02, respectively. Balance Sheet and Cash Flows As of June 30, 2021, cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were US$39.0million, compared with US$56.1 million as of March 31, 2021. As of June 30, 2021, restricted cash were US$3.3 million, mainly consisting of amount of US$3.1 million held in the Company's bank account as guarantee deposit for loan facility provided by the bank. As of March 31, 2021, the long-term restricted cash was US$21.5 million held in the Company's bank accounts which were frozen by a local authority in connection with an ongoing investigation related to an alleged illegal act of certain customers. As of June 30, 2021, the relevant bank accounts have been unfrozen. Net cash outflow from operating activities during the second quarter of 2021 was US$17.5 million, compared with net cash inflow from operating activities of US$5.4 million for the same period in 2020 and net cash outflow from operating activities of US$23.0 million during the last quarter. Cash outflow from operating activities during the second quarter of 2021 was mainly due to the decrease in accounts payable driven primarily by the decrease of our user acquisition costs. Net cash outflow from financing activities during the second quarter of 2021 was US$0.1 million, compared with net cash inflow from financing activities of US$3.1 million for the same period in 2020 and net cash inflow from financing activities of US$30.2 million during the last quarter. Cash inflow from financing activities during the first quarter of 2021 was mainly due to the Company issued a convertible note for a principal amount of US$10.0 million and received net proceeds of US$8.9 million from this issuance on January 19, 2021, and the Company issued a convertible note for a principal amount of US$20.0 million and received net proceeds of US$ 18.2 million from this issuance on March 19, 2021. Share Repurchase Plan On May 18, 2020, the Company announced a share repurchase program (the "2020 Program") whereby the Company is authorized to repurchase its class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs with an aggregate value of up to US$20.0 million during the 12-month period starting from May 18, 2020. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had used an aggregate of US$6.0 million to repurchase 1.4 million ADSs under the 2020 Program and recorded as treasury stock. The 2020 Program was terminated on May 17, 2021. Conference Call and Webcast CooTek's management team will host a conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on September 8, 2021 (8:00 PM Beijing Time on the same day), following the results announcement. The dial-in details for the live conference call are: United States: 866-548-4713 Hong Kong: 800-961-105 Mainland China: 4001-209-101 International: 1-323-794-2093 Passcode: 7805619 Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. When prompted, ask to be connected to the CooTek (Cayman) Inc. call. A live webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of CooTek's website at https://ir.cootek.com/. About CooTek (Cayman) Inc. CooTek is a mobile internet company with a global vision that offers content-rich mobile applications, focusing on three categories: online literature, scenario-based content apps and mobile games. CooTek's mission is to empower everyone to enjoy relevant content seamlessly. CooTek's user-centric and data-driven approach has enabled it to release appealing products to capture mobile internet users' ever-evolving content needs and helps it rapidly attract targeted users. Non-GAAP Financial Measure To supplement the unaudited consolidated financial information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"), the Company uses non-GAAP financial measure of adjusted net loss that is adjusted from results based on GAAP to exclude the impact of share-based compensation, and Adjusted EBITDA that is net loss excluding interest income and expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and share-based compensation. The measure should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. The Company believes that the non-GAAP measure help identify underlying financial and business trends relating to the Company's results of operations that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that the Company include in loss from operations and net loss. By making the Company's financial results comparable period over period, the Company believes adjusted net loss and Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to better understand the Company's historical business operations and future prospects and allows for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the management in financial and operational decision-making. In order to mitigate these limitations, the Company has provided specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from the non-GAAP measure. The table at the bottom of this press release includes details on the reconciliation between GAAP financial measure that is most directly comparable to the non-GAAP financial measure the Company has presented. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident," "optimistic" and similar statements. CooTek may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about CooTek's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: CooTek's mission and strategies; future business development, financial conditions and results of operations; the expected growth of the mobile internet industry and mobile advertising industry; the expected growth of mobile advertising; expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of our products and services; competition in mobile application and advertising industry; relevant government policies and regulations relating to the industry and the development and impacts of COVID-19. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and CooTek does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For investor enquiries, please contact: CooTek (Cayman) Inc.

Mr. Robert Yi Cui

Email: IR@cootek.com ICA Investor Relations (Asia) Limited

Mr. Kevin Yang

Phone: +86-21-8028-6033

E-mail: cootek@icaasia.com CooTek (Cayman) Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations (in thousands, except for share and per share data)





Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended





June 30,

March 31,

June 30,

June 30,





2020

2021

2021

2020

2021





US$

US$

US$

US$

US$















Net revenues

126,396

81,552

83,217

233,409

164,769

Cost of revenues

(5,691)

(8,866)

(8,801)

(10,273)

(17,667)

Gross Profit

120,705

72,686

74,416

223,136

147,102

Operating expenses:





















Sales and marketing expenses

(105,999)

(70,736)

(59,787)

(208,435)

(130,523)

Research and development expenses

(8,103)

(9,037)

(9,709)

(14,950)

(18,746)

General and administrative expenses

(4,136)

(5,557)

(4,879)

(7,437)

(10,436)

Other operating income, net

446

802

1,459

836

2,261

Total operating expenses

(117,792)

(84,528)

(72,916)

(229,986)

(157,444)

Income (loss) from operations

2,913

(11,842)

1,500

(6,850)

(10,342)

Interest income (expense), net

211

(313)

(1,336)

234

(1,649)

Foreign exchange (loss) gain, net

(2)

(243)

19



(224)

Fair value change of derivatives





85



85

Income (loss) before income taxes

3,122

(12,398)

268

(6,616)

(12,130)

Income tax expense

(3)





(3)



Share of loss in equity method investment





(4)





(4)

Net income (loss)

3,119

(12,398)

264

(6,619)

(12,134)

Net income (loss) per ordinary share





















Basic

0.001

(0.004)

0.0001

(0.002)

(0.004)

Diluted

0.001

(0.004)

0.0001

(0.002)

(0.004)

Weighted average shares used in calculating

net income (loss) per ordinary share





















Basic

3,084,894,043

3,136,585,226

3,238,319,836

3,094,780,922

3,187,723,620

Diluted

3,222,716,303

3,136,585,226

3,279,417,127

3,094,780,922

3,187,723,620

Non-GAAP Financial Data





















Adjusted Net Income (Loss)

4,543

(11,094)

1,105

(4,254)

(9,989)

Adjusted EBITDA

5,123

(9,924)

3,428

(2,945)

(6,496)

































Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except for share and per share data)





As of





March 31,

2021

June 30,

2021





US$

US$













ASSETS









Current assets:









Cash and cash equivalents

31,413

35,667

Restricted cash

3,238

3,293

Short-term investment

50

50

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$1,126 as of

March 31, 2021 and US$1,180 as of June 30, 2021, respectively

27,425

31,451

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

9,293

8,966

Total current assets

71,419

79,427

Long term restricted cash

21,476



Property and equipment, net

4,916

4,100

Intangible assets, net

360

326

Operating lease right-of-use assets[4]

2,177

1,818

Long-term investments

304

620

Other non-current assets

1,015

1,211

TOTAL ASSETS

101,667

87,502

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT









Current liabilities









Accounts payable

63,819

50,245

Short-term borrowings

15,028

15,162

Accrued salary and benefits

5,389

6,555

Operating lease liabilities, current[4]

1,486

1,322

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

9,697

6,685

Convertible notes

16,547

16,243

Derivative liabilities

1,662

1,577

Deferred revenue

3,114

3,086

Total current liabilities

116,742

100,875

Other non-current liabilities

425

391

Operating lease liabilities, non-current3

688

231

TOTAL LIABILITIES

117,855

101,497

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (continued): (in thousands, except for share and per share data)









As of



March 31,

2021

June 30,

2021



US$

US$









Shareholders' Deficit:







Ordinary shares

33

33 Treasury shares

(5,132)

(5,229) Additional paid-in capital

203,836

206,159 Accumulated deficit

(213,363)

(213,099) Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(1,562)

(1,859) Total Shareholders' Deficit

(16,188)

(13,995) TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT

101,667

87,502 Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (in thousands, except for share and per share data)





Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended





June 30,

March 31,

June 30,

June 30,





2020

2021

2021

2020

2021





US$

US$

US$

US$

US$





































Net cash provided by (used in)

operating activities

5,402

(22,974)

(17,540)

20,362

(40,514)

Net cash used in investing activities

(13,859)

(359)

(565)

(14,628)

(924)

Net cash provided by (used in)

financing activities

3,100

30,150

(135)

(754)

30,015

Net (decrease) increase in cash and

cash equivalents

(5,357)

6,817

(18,240)

4,980

(11,423)

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted

cash at beginning of period

70,026

49,622

56,127

59,966

49,622

Effect of exchange rate changes on

cash and cash equivalents

252

(312)

1,073

(25)

761

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted

cash at end of period

64,921

56,127

38,960

64,921

38,960































Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results (in thousands, except for share and per share data)





Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended







June 30,

March 31,

June 30,

June 30,







2020

2021

2021

2020

2021







US$

US$

US$

US$

US$









































Net Income (Loss)

3,119

(12,398)

264

(6,619)

(12,134)



Add:























Share-based compensation related to share options and

restricted share units

1,424

1,304

841

2,365

2,145



Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP)*

4,543

(11,094)

1,105

(4,254)

(9,989)



Add:























Interest (income) expense, net

(211)

313

1,336

(234)

1,649



Income taxes

3





3





Depreciation and amortization

788

857

987

1,540

1,844



Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)*

5,123

(9,924)

3,428

(2,945)

(6,496)





































* The tax impact to the non-GAAP adjustments is zero.

[1] "Adjusted net income" (Non-GAAP) is a non-GAAP measure, which is defined as net loss excluding share-based compensation related to share options and restricted share units. For further information, please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" at the bottom of this release. [2] "Portfolio Products" is to the mobile applications that we develop and provide to our users and business partners, which exclude TouchPal Smart Input and TouchPal Phonebook. [3] "Average daily reading time" for any day is calculated by dividing (i) the sum of time spent on reading books on our Fengdu Novel for such day, by (ii) the number of Fengdu Novel users who spent time on reading books for such day. The average daily reading time for any month is calculated by dividing (i) the sum of average daily reading time for each day in such month, by (ii) the number of days in such month. [4] On January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASC 842, the new lease standard, using the modified retrospective method. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cootek-announces-second-quarter-2021-unaudited-results-301370931.html SOURCE CooTek (Cayman) Inc.

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[September 08, 2021] King County connects government and education facilities with ADVA FSP 150

ADVA (News - Alert) (FSE: ADV) today announced that King County has deployed its FSP 150 metro edge device to meet growing demand from education, public and government facilities for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity. With support for 100Gbit/s aggregation at the metro edge, ADVA's compact and scalable FSP 150 device enables King County to cost-efficiently migrate its customers to 10Gbit/s Ethernet services. By offering significantly more bandwidth to its customers, King County is enabling the hundreds of government and public sector organizations connected by its Institutional Network (I- NET (News - Alert) ) to digitalize their operations with data-intensive applications and cloud technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005088/en/ ADVA's edge technology is helping King County deliver high-bandwidth services to public institutions (Photo: Business Wire) "The I-Net is a vital resource that provides cost-effective, dependale connectivity at public facilities for communities across the county. Local governments, schools, libraries and our many other partners throughout the region can confidently access even the most data-hungry, latency-sensitive applications. This high-capacity solution at the edge provides robust infrastructure that allows our partners to deliver critical online services to King County residents, regardless of their ZIP code," said Tommy Lee (News - Alert) , manager, I-Net and business development, King County. "ADVA's edge technology is highly scalable because it requires no extra space or power consumption to quickly transition from 1Gbit/s to 10Gbit/s. It creates a genuinely future-proof architecture ready to expand further in years to come."



King County's new edge infrastructure delivers highly reliable MEF (News - Alert) 3.0 demarcation and service aggregation. Built on the ADVA FSP 150-XG400 Series, it features a comprehensive set of assurance functions and provides complete visibility of service quality - a key tool for effective SLA management. The device also includes the industry's only uncompromised pre-activation testing for 100Gbit/s services. Easy to deploy in any environment and highly scalable with many 10 and 25Gbit/s interfaces, the ADVA FSP 150-XG400 Series is ideal for the growing bandwidth needs of government offices, schools, libraries and public health organizations throughout King County. "Our FSP 150 technology is the perfect platform for King County to take the services it provides to the next level. With its high port count, it makes it easy to add new customers and deliver differentiated Ethernet offerings. The technology is not only extremely efficient with a small footprint and low power consumption, but it's also highly interoperable, enabling the new solution to integrate seamlessly with King County's existing network management system," commented John Scherzinger, SVP, sales, North America, ADVA. "King County's drive to deliver excellence and value is something our teams have in common. We're proud to provide an edge network that meets King County's ambitions and is ready to grow alongside the needs of Washington's public institutions."

About ADVA

ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. We're continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. It's these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to today's society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at www.adva.com. Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking (News - Alert) SE, Munich, Germany

www.adva.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005088/en/

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[September 08, 2021] EMnify doubles SIM sales, signs over 250 new customers, and welcomes industry leaders to advisory board in strong first half of 2021

- Cellular IoT connectivity provider reports strong revenue growth in the first half of 2021, marking an impressive rebound from the pandemic year - With 15 percent increase in new hires in H1 2021, EMnify plans to further grow headcount in its German home market as well as North America in second half of 2021 BERLIN, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EMnify, the leading cloud communications platform provider for IoT, delivered solid business results during the first half of the year with rapid growth driven by more than 250 new customers and an over 50 percent increase in active SIMs. In addition to expanding its operational focus, EMnify enhanced its product offerings with support for LTE-M, eSIM, and no-code workflows. The company also welcomed three new industry experts to its industry advisory board, bringing additional expert perspectives in finance, strategy, and operations to broaden its network and accelerate growth. IoT connectivity pioneer broadens scope and expands team The cellular IoT connectivity provider saw a solid increase in revenue in H1 2021, following an impressively resilient 2020. EMnify's positive start to the year included a 15-percent increase in new hires across all levels and saw the release of several key product enhancements, including: The launch of multi-network LTE-M access in 44 countries, allowing IoT businesses to deploy LPWAN-enabled devices in global markets.

EMnify's new eSIM for evaluation, enabling immediate development with its API.

EMnify's integration with Zapier, making it the first wireless IoT vendor to bring no-code automation to cellular IoT management. All updates support EMnify's vision to enable everyone to contribute to the connected world. Successfully maintained high levels of customr satisfaction amidst further expansion plans



Active EMnify SIMs worldwide grew by 53 percent from January through July. The company doubled overall SIMs sold in H1 2021 versus H1 2020  a testament to its resilience and strong pandemic rebound. More than 250 new customers signed in H1 2021, and EMnify continued to maintain a high customer satisfaction score. More than 75 percent of Net Promoter Score (NPS) ratings in the first six months of the year were in the Promoter range (9 or 10)  underscoring EMnify's technical prowess as well as its commitment to customer-centric execution.

In response to growing demand in the North American market, EMnify has begun to establish a local presence in the region, beginning with key sales hires to drive revenue and expand local operations. Industry-leading advisory expertise The business is well-positioned for accelerated growth and will draw from its impressive pool of senior advisory talent to inform strategic decision-making. Michael Kunz, Sven Marlinghaus and Oliver Muhr  seasoned executives with impressive track records in their respective fields  now serve as trusted advisors to the EMnify leadership team. As a senior advisor at Roland Berger within the procurement practice of operations, Sven T. Marlinghaus brings with him more than 20 years of consulting experience gained across the automotive, machinery and TMT sectors.

within the procurement practice of operations, brings with him more than 20 years of consulting experience gained across the automotive, machinery and TMT sectors. Oliver Muhr is an experienced CEO with an impressive track record in value creation for fast-paced SaaS start-ups in Europe , the U.S. and Asia . As CEO of Starmind, a global artificial intelligence SaaS startup, Muhr has tripled sales capacity while focusing on growth and operational excellence.

is an experienced CEO with an impressive track record in value creation for fast-paced SaaS start-ups in , the U.S. and . As CEO of Starmind, a global artificial intelligence SaaS startup, Muhr has tripled sales capacity while focusing on growth and operational excellence. Michael Kunz is a private equity (PE) industry luminary. The former PE leader led EY's PE practice for Germany , Austria , and Switzerland for many years, making it one of the market leaders in tax PE consulting. He has played a key role in shaping the German PE market on the advisory side. "Following an unprecedented 2020 for many reasons, we are pleased to report a strong first half of 2021. Having successfully laid a robust foundation in the first six months of this year, and in line with growth ambitions, we expect to increase 2021 year-end revenue by more than 60 percent. We will continue to grow headcount in Germany, our crucial home market. We are simultaneously establishing a local presence in North America to meet the demands of a growing customer base in the region," said Frank Stoecker, CEO and co-founder, EMnify. "We were also privileged to welcome three new members to the esteemed group of industry leaders that sit on the EMnify advisory board. I am pleased to welcome Sven, Oliver and Michael to EMnify and am proud to have their combined expertise and experience onboard, as we embark on our next chapter." ABOUT EMNIFY EMnify is the leading cloud communication platform provider for IoT that enables businesses with high growth IoT products to scale across networks worldwide with a single API. EMnify is solely dedicated to IoT  unlike traditional CPaaS vendors. Its disruptive solution and customer-centric approach are made possible by a team of international experts that support thousands of companies in more than 70 countries. Founded in 2014by forward-thinking telecommunications experts Frank Stocker, Martin Giess and Alexander Schebler, EMnify revolutionized the industry through its cloud-native service, enabling secure IoT connectivity globally  addressing one of the main issues regarding the IoT sector. To learn more about EMnify, please visit www.emnify.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1283164/EMnify_Logo.jpg

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[September 08, 2021] French Government Selects IDEMIA for the National Digital ID Program

The updated French national eID card (CNIe) was launched in August 2021, and will enable French citizens to complete online transactions using their smartphone. Citizens will receive an authentication request on their smartphone. They will then place their CNIe on the back of their phone, which will communicate using Near-Field Communication technology. The mobile app will securely read and authenticate the personal data held in the card's chip. Citizens will need to provide their consent before authentication. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005240/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) The digital ID system will be issued with a First Level security certificate from the French IT agency, ANSSI, and will therefore comply with the EU eIDAS regulations; Substantial and High1. The system will protect citizens' identity data, and will ensure that only the authorized citizen has control over it. "As a French company, we are extremely proud to work on the national digital ID program. The new CNIe with its highly-secure chip is a great example of combining a physical ID document with a digital ID to securely access online services," said Pierre Llievre, IDEMIA Senior Vice President Digital ID



The FranceConnect platform, which underpins the program, has already attracted over 28 million users and 900 service providers. French citizens will soon be able to securely access these services using their new digital ID. "Our mission is to create and offer a user-friendly means of electronic identification that facilitates and protects the online transfer of citizen identity data, so that transactions cannot be centralized or traced," said Valerie Peneau, General Government Inspector and Director of the France Identite Numerique program

IDEMIA's expertise is helping bring about substantial digital ID changes that are currently underway. Having successfully implemented over 135 online and offline identification programs across the world, IDEMIA meets governments' needs for securer and agile citizen databases, ID documents and online authentication of citizens' identity. About IDEMIA IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, provides a trusted environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect and travel), in the physical as well as digital space. Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, an identity that ensures privacy and trust and guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect one of our greatest assets - our identity - whether for individuals or for objects, whenever and wherever security matters. We provide Augmented Identity for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors. With close to 15,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries. For further details, go to www.idemia.com / and follow @IDEMIAGroup on Twitter (News - Alert) _____________________________ 1 July 23, 2014 eIDAS Regulation 910/2014 is designed to build trust in electronic transactions within the European Union. It creates a common framework for secured electronic interactions between EU citizens and government authorities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005240/en/

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[September 08, 2021] EarlyBird Early Literacy Screener Wins Award of Excellence in Tech & Learning's Best Tools for Back to School

The EarlyBird game-based early literacy assessment from EarlyBird Education has been named a winner in the Primary (K-6) category of the 2021 Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence for Best Tools for Back to School. The Best Tools for Back to School is a new awards program recognizing outstanding education products that support effective teaching and learning as teachers and students head back to school. An Award of Excellenc represents the highest approval rating based on evaluation by actual educators. Evaluation criteria included ease of use, value, versatility, and the product's ability to solve a relevant education challenge.



"As we head into another uncertain year in education, technology will continue to be one of the key drivers for innovation," said Tech & Learning Group Publisher Christine Weiser. "Our judges chose the winning products recognized here for their versatility, compatibility, value, and ability to help schools solve challenges and support continuous instruction. Congratulations to all of our winners." Developed and scientifically validated at Boston Children's Hospital in partnership with faculty at the Florida Center for Reading Research, EarlyBird brings together all the relevant predictors of reading in one easy-to-administer assessment. Students self-administer the EarlyBird screener using a tablet and headset. With just minutes of tablet game play, EarlyBird can predict the potential for dyslexia or other reading difficulties in pre-readers, and support teachers with data and targeted resources so they can intervene earlier.

"Children enter kindergarten with a variety of experiences and differing degrees of readiness for reading," said EarlyBird Education Co-founder and CEO Carla Small. "EarlyBird empowers educators to replace the old 'wait to fail' paradigm with a proactive, preventive tool to identify and support children before they start struggling with reading." About EarlyBird EarlyBird transforms students' lives through the early detection of reading difficulties, including dyslexia. The cloud-based technology platform includes a game-based screening assessment and dashboard that points teachers to customized action plans and evidence-based resources. With EarlyBird, educators can identify children at risk for reading difficulties in the window when intervention is most effective - before they formally learn to read. For information, visit https://earlybirdeducation.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005356/en/

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[September 08, 2021] CLEVR Launches Augmented Reality Field Service Management Solution

Product designed to reduce millions of kilograms in CO2 emissions, reduce up to 25% in costs and tackle staffing challenges by first-time right on-site jobs and remote assistance AMERSFOORT, Netherlands, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CLEVR, the low-code and no-code Software-with-a-Service provider, today announced the appointment of Kay Lankheet as lead for the newly created business unit and the launch of CLEVR Field Services Manager (FSM). This new software solution is designed to dramatically cut costs, shrink the carbon footprint and tackle staffing challenges for companies that dispatch skilled technicians to customers' homes. CLEVR's Field Service Manager is specifically built to meet the needs of companies that provide end-to-end services to homes, offices, and stores, a market expected to top $9 billion by 2026. The back-end application, portals and mobile app software covers the full field service process from installation, maintenance, and repair, including job intake, preparation, planning, route optimization, execution, payment and all the way to archiving. The solution will soon contain a Remote Augmented Reality Assistance option, which empowers smart-home installation companies to provide remote support via a two-way video call and augmented reality (AR), guiding customers through a process of fixing minor issues by identifying and pointing at objects in the real-world, in real-time. This feature is especially valuable today when companies are faced with dire shortages of skilled field workers. "Field services is an area crying ou for new, digitalized, efficient processes," said Kay Lankheet, Squad Lead for CLEVR's Field Service Manager business unit. "Our off-the-shelf solution is easy to use and offers a significantly shorter go-to-market time: just a couple of weeks. CLEVR Field Service Manager enables incumbents and start-ups alike to offer highly digitalized offerings leading to significant cost reductions amounting to millions, an improved customer experience and perhaps most importantly of all, reduced carbon footprint of installation companies by up to 25%."



CLEVR developed Remote Assistance in partnership with Econic, a leader in the e-home industry. Econic seeks to transform 1 million homes to self-powered dwellings called e-homes. Every e-home consists of many sustainable energy solutions, including solar panels, heat pumps, meters, and batteries. The task of delivering millions of installations in a scalable, reliable, high-quality manner that provides high customer satisfaction is extremely challenging. CLEVR Field Service Manager is empowering Econic to deliver on this promise. "Econic expects that Remote Assistance will cut down on-site inspections of all new installations by 25%," said Vincent Damen, product manager for Econic. "By 2023, we will grow to 200,000 new installations annually. A single inspection costs $148.00 (125 euros), so with the projected number we estimate saving $7.1 million (6 million euros) annually as well. In addition, remote assistance will significantly reduce the need to drive to on-site locations by 1 million kilometers, which roughly translates to reducing CO2 emissions by 170,000 kilograms."

CLEVR plans to expand Field Service Manager's capabilities to adjacent market segments such as home security, home-appliance installation, waste management, energy and utilities, telecommunications, IT infrastructure installation and maintenance. Learn more about CLEVR or connect with CLEVR on LinkedIn About CLEVR CLEVR is the low-code and no-code Software-with-a-Service (SWAS) solutions provider and the largest global expert partner. Managers overseeing the digitalization of their companies need skilled and experienced developers to help extract all the value and benefits available from low- and no-code development tools. CLEVR operates in 18 countries with a team of 250 people and supplies over 400 customers, including Continental, ING, eXp Realty, Siemens Financial Services, Achmea, Monuta, Rituals, Cargolux, Nutricia, Kongsberg Marine, Eneco, Stella Fietsen, Mondi Group and T-Systems with solutions, services and tooling. Volpi Capital supports CLEVR's buy-and-build strategy since 2019. Visit www.clevr.com for more information.

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[September 08, 2021] Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave hosted by Chandigarh University and DST concludes with spectacular display of creative and innovative ideas

More than 5000 young and budding innovators from 32 countries participate during this 2 month International Conclave CHANDIGARH, India, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The first-of-its-kind Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave hosted by Chandigarh University concluded today with the display of new ideas and innovative products developed by the students of universities from 32 countries including India, USA, UK, Australia, Italy, and Russia. Chandigarh University hosted the International Innovation Conclave in association with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, with a mission to promote the essence of research & innovation amongst the youth so that next generation of entrepreneurs can be identified from the Universities and Institutions all over the world. The 2-month long International Innovation Conclave was named after the Missile Man of India and former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as a mark of respect for his contribution made in the field of Defense and Space Technology. More than 5000 young and budding innovators from 32 countries participated in the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave during the 2-month long conclave student participants tried to find innovative & technology driven solutions of problems in the field of Agriculture, Health, COVID-19, Waste Management, Water Management, Rural Development. Sai Prasad from IIT Bombay won first position for his innovative idea of Skin spray gun which helps in rapid healing of wounds using patient's own skin in the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Innovation Conclave which ended today t Chandigarh University. Raman & Lakshman from Sethu Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu and Rutvik Mehenge from Trinity College of Engineering won 2nd positions. While Mann Goel from IIT Kanpur, Jai Chachra from Chandigarh University, and Ayushi Sharma from UPES, Dehradun won 3rd positions jointly in the competition. Parkhi from Dass and Brown School, Ferozepur secured first position in the school category while Shankha from S.S Public School secured the 2nd position in the same category. Jams O Rychard from Indonesia won first prize in the International category while Krishna from Brazil secured second position and Marcos got 3rd position in the same category. A total prize money of Rs. 11 lakh was given to the winners of the innovation conclave of various categories.



Dr. Mohit Gambhir (Innovation Director, MoE & Innovation Cell, Govt. of India), Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao (President, University of Southeastern Philippines), Joy King, Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S Embassy, New Delhi, Vikas Sood, Director Nexus, Startup Hub and Incubator, US Embassy and Dr. R.S Bawa, Pro- were the dignitaries who were present during the concluded ceremony of the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam International Conclave. During his inaugural address Dr. Mohit Gambhir said, "The solution which participants have provided is the need of an hour. The entities and the agencies like DST, DBT, Innovation cell of Government of India are working for making a breeding ground for the next generation of entrepreneurs." While emphasizing on the importance of grassroot innovation. He said, "In today's time it is well understood that the future innovations will spring from the base of the pyramid - where everyone will innovate for their needs. This base of the pyramid is very critical for holistic development of society and needs to be trained."

"India currently houses the world's 3rd largest start-up ecosystem and there are over 40,000 registered startups in India. More than 50 firms are there in India which are valued more than over US $ 1 billion. From e-commerce to electric vehicles Indian start-ups are the torch bearers for innovation and entrepreneur's spirit of India," said Vikas Sood, Director Nexus, Startup Hub and Incubator, US Embassy. He further said, "The start-up ecosystem in India is playing a major role in the digitization of India and creating wealth & employment across the segment of the society. The global capital is moving into India at never before pace. There are over 15 startups that have become unicorns since the start of this year and there are still 4 months to go." Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao said, "Everything begins with an idea, in fact most of the things we see all around us, be it technology, medicine, products, infrastructure etc. have been created from small ideas, which later turns into a great invention. Ideas are no longer just concepts, they are now becoming the reality. Even during the time of pandemic this conclave has provided an outlet of innovative ideas to the students and during this 2-month international conclave, students have used their potential to assess the current problems and come up with their innovative solutions." Joy King said, "At a time when the whole world is witnessing a critical situation due to COVID-19. I congratulate the university and the participating students for their successful completion of this conclave which shows the determination and dedication of the young budding entrepreneurs." She further said "Crisis sometimes creates new opportunities and innovators play an important role in the development of any country. Innovation promotes social change while improving the quality of life through new products, equipment, and better services." "Innovators make the country prosperous, because the services and products they produce, enable the development of a new market, increase the national income by creating new jobs," added Joy King. About Chandigarh University Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC. For more information, please visit our website www.cuchd.in.

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[September 08, 2021] IonQ and University of Maryland Establish First-of-Its-Kind National Quantum Lab

IonQ, Inc. (IonQ), the leading developer of quantum computing devices, and the University of Maryland (UMD), an international powerhouse in quantum research and applications, today announced a partnership to create the National Quantum Lab at Maryland (Q-Lab). The Q-Lab will be the nation's first user facility that enables the scientific community to pursue world-leading research through hands-on access to a commercial-grade quantum computer. UMD-affiliated students, faculty, researchers, staff and partners across the country will have an unprecedented opportunity to gain experience with IonQ's industry-leading trapped-ion quantum computer hardware and collaborate with IonQ scientists and engineers. The Q-Lab will be located in the UMD Discovery District, next to IonQ's headquarters in College Park, MD. Leaders in science, engineering, and computing will co-locate in the Q-Lab, empowering them to work together to develop novel quantum applications. The facility will also enable training related to the use of IonQ's commercial-ready quantum hardware. Future generations of quantum programmers will receive best-in-class support as they explore projects at the cutting edge of computing, and graduate prepared to address industry challenges. As part of this new nearly $20 million quantum investment, UMD now has access to IonQ's quantum hardware--some of the most robust in the market. Recent advances in quantum computing--including IonQ's recent demonstration of an industry-first 4x16 multicore quantum architecture--are supporting transformative research across areas including biology, medicine, climate science and materials development. The Q-Lab is expected to significantly democratize access to this innovative technology, generate new intellectual property and attract global scientific and engineering talent to the area. Building on the resources, programming and partnering opportunities provided through UMD's Quantum Startup Foundry and the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, the Q-Lab offers another incentive for entrepreneurs and startups to bring their businesses to College Park and further galvanize the area's robust private sector ecosystem. "No other university in the United States is able to provide students and researchers this level of hands-on contact with commercial-grade quantum computing technology and insights from experts working in this emerging field," said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. "We could not be more proud of IonQ's success and we are excited to establish this strategic partnership, further solidifying UMD and the surrounding region as the Quantum Capital of the world." UMD has long been a global center of excellence in quantum computing and housed one of the laboratories out of which IonQ emerged. This first-of-its-kind Q-Lab builds upon the university's $300 million investment in quantum science and more than 30-year track record of driving advances in quantum physics and technology. The university is home to more than 200 quantum-focused researchers and seven centers, including the newly announced Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation, a multi-institutional effort supported by a $25 million award from the National Science Foundation. "We are very proud that the nation's leading center of academic excellence in quantum research chose IonQ's hardware for this trailblazing partnership," said Peter Chapman, president and CEO of IonQ. "UMD has been at the vanguard of this field since quantum computing was in its infancy, and has been a true partner to IonQ as we step out of the lab and into commerce, industry, and the public markets." The news continues a year of considerable momentum for IonQ. Its trapped-ion quantum computers were recently added to Google (News - Alert) Cloud Marketplace, making IonQ the only supplier whose quantum computers are available via all major cloud providers (Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (News - Alert) ). In addition, IonQ's co-founders joined the White House's National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee to accelerate the development of the national strategic technological imperative. Later this month, following a stockholder vote, IonQ also anticipates becoming the first publicly-traded, pure-play quantum computing company via a merger with dMY Technology Group, Inc. III (NYSE: DMYI) ("dMY III"). About the University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,000 students, 10,000 faculty and staff, and 300 academic programs. As one of the nation's top producers of ulbright scholars, its faculty includes two Nobel laureates, four Pulitzer Prize winners and 59 members of the national academies. The institution has a $2.2 billion operating budget and secures more than $1 billion annually in research funding together with the University of Maryland, Baltimore. For more information about the University of Maryland, College Park, visit www.umd.edu.



About IonQ IonQ, Inc. is the leader in quantum computing, with a proven track record of innovation and deployment. IonQ's 32-qubit quantum computer is the world's most powerful trapped-ion quantum computer, and IonQ has defined what it believes is the best path forward to scale. IonQ is the only company with its quantum systems available through the cloud on Amazon Braket, Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as through direct API access. IonQ was founded in 2015 by Christopher Monroe and Jungsang Kim based on 25 years of pioneering research. To learn more, visit http://www.IonQ.com.

??About dMY Technology Group, Inc. III dMY III is a special purpose acquisition company founded by Harry L. You and Niccolo de Masi for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or assets. Important Information About the Merger and Where to Find It This communication may be deemed solicitation material in respect of the proposed business combination between dMY III and IonQ (the "Business Combination"). The Business Combination has been submitted to the stockholders of dMY III and IonQ for their approval. In connection with the vote of dMY's stockholders, dMY III Technology Group, Inc. III has filed relevant materials with the SEC (News - Alert) , including a registration statement on Form S-4, which includes a proxy statement/prospectus. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed Business Combination and the other matters to be voted upon at the annual meeting and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of such matters. dMY III's stockholders and other interested parties are urged to read the definitive proxy statement, dated August 12, 2021 and any other relevant documents that are filed or furnished or will be filed or will be furnished with the SEC carefully and in their entirety in connection with dMY III's solicitation of proxies for the special meeting to be held to approve the Business Combination and other related matters, as these materials will contain important information about IonQ and dMY III and the proposed Business Combination. On or about August 12, 2021, dMY III mailed the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the transaction. Such stockholders are also be able to obtain copies of these materials, without charge at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, at the Company's website at https://www.dmytechnology.com/ or by written request to dMY Technology Group, Inc. III, 11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 2000, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90025. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may be made directly in this communication. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words "anticipate," "expect," "suggests," "plan," "believe," "intend," "estimates," "targets," "projects," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "forecast" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. 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 press release, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of dMY's securities; (ii) the risk that the transaction may not be completed by dMY's business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by dMY; (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the approval of the merger agreement by the stockholders of dMY, the satisfaction of the minimum trust account amount following any redemptions by dMY'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 transaction; (v) the inability to complete the PIPE transaction; (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 transaction on IonQ's business relationships, operating results and business generally; (viii) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations of IonQ; (ix) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against IonQ or against dMY related to the merger agreement or the proposed transaction; (x) the ability to maintain the listing of dMY's securities on a national securities exchange; (xi) changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting IonQ'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 transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities; (xiii) the risk of downturns in the market and the technology industry including, but not limited to, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and (xiv) costs related to the transaction and the failure to realize anticipated benefits of the transaction or to realize estimated pro forma results and underlying assumptions, including with respect to estimated stockholder redemptions. 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 the registration statement on Form S-4 and other documents filed by dMY from time to time with the SEC. 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 dMY and IonQ 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 dMY nor IonQ gives any assurance that either dMY or IonQ, or the combined company, will achieve its expectations. No Offer or Solicitation This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities, assets or the business described herein or a commitment to the Company or the IonQ with respect to any of the foregoing, and this communication shall not form the basis of any contract, nor is it a solicitation of any vote, consent, or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to or in connection with the Business Combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. Participants in Solicitation dMY III and IonQ, and their respective directors and executive officers, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of dMY III's stockholders in respect of the Business Combination. Information about the directors and executive officers of dMY III is set forth in the Company's Form dMY III's filings with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of IonQ and more detailed information regarding the identity of all potential participants, and their direct and indirect interests by security holdings or otherwise, are set forth in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for the Business Combination. Additional information regarding the identity of all potential participants in the solicitation of proxies to dMY III's stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination and other matters to be voted upon at the special meeting, and their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005403/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Creates Second Generation of Recombinant Spider Silk Silkworms at New Production Headquarters

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (the Company or Kraig Labs), the leading developer of spider silk-based fibers, announces that it is now rearing the second generation of silkworms at the new production headquarters for Prodigy Textiles (Prodigy), the Companys Vietnamese subsidiary.

Prodigy successfully completed rearing the first batch of the Companys specialized silkworms at its new production headquarters in August. Kraig Labs recently moved its Vietnam-based production operations to a new facility located in the heart of agriculture in Vietnam. When originally built, this facility was specifically designed for silkworm rearing and silk production. The Companys factory is now closer to the farms and fields where Prodigys mulberry is harvested, providing greater access to raw materials and reducing production costs. I could not be more impressed with our team in Vietnam and the unwavering dedication to making Prodigy and Kraig Labs an undeniable success, said COO Jon Rice. Having seamlessly completed the move to the new facility and with the kick-off of the second generation of production there, we are well on the way to revolutionizing the global silk markets. The current easing of Covid-9 restrictions, in parts of Vietnam, has allowed the Company to move forward with the construction of finished goods. Kraig Labs is now accelerating the production and evaluation of custom-designed fabric blends for its Spydasilk brand.



To view the most recent news from Kraig Labs and/or to sign up for Company alerts, please go to www.KraigLabs.com/news About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. ( www.KraigLabs.com ), a reporting biotechnology company is the leading developer of genetically engineered spider silk based fiber technologies. The Company has achieved a series of scientific breakthroughs in the area of spider silk technology with implications for the global textile industry. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information Statements in this press release about the Companys future and expectations other than historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are made on the basis of managements current views and assumptions. As a result, there can be no assurance that managements expectations will necessarily come to pass. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as believes, plans, expects, anticipates, foresees, estimated, hopes, if, develops, researching, research, pilot, potential, could or other words or phrases of similar import. Forward looking statements include descriptions of the Companys business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions and goals. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Ben Hansel, Hansel Capital, LLC

(720) 288-8495

ir@KraigLabs.com



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[September 08, 2021] Ethio Lease Appoints Fregenet Getachew Desta as CEO

African Asset Finance Company Inc. ("AAFC"), a U.S.-based non-bank financial and equipment leasing firm, today announced the appointment of Fregenet Getachew Desta as acting CEO of Ethio Lease. In this role Ms. Fregenet succeeds Girum Tsegaye, who left the company to return to the banking industry. Ethio Lease, which provides capital leases to Ethiopian businesses for equipment in a range of vertical markets, is a subsidiary company of AAFC. AAFC was launched in 2017 to address Africa's underserved market for equipment leasing and asset-backed lending, with Ethiopia as its first market. Headquartered in New York, and with offices in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, AAFC is rapidly expanding its offerings to several other markets across the African continent. Ms. Fregenet, who reports to the Board of Directors of Ethio Lease and is a member of the AAFC management team, will lead all activities in Ethiopia. Building on her experience in the health sector, Ms. Fregenet will also contribute to the development of AAFC's medical portfolio throughout Africa. Ms. Fregenet joins Ethio Lease and AAFC with 20 years of experience working in different multinational pharmaceutical companies and International NGOs in the UK, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. She has extensive experience in senior management roles establishing new offices, strategic planning, business development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing & communications. "Fregenet's appointment buttresses our management team and supports our corporate strategy and Ethiopia's economic reforms, as well as strengthens local businesses by providing access to equipment leasing," said Girma Wake, Chairman of Ethio Lease's Board of Directors. "Her broad commercial experience in different organizations, and aross numerous countries, will add a new dimension to our organization and help us grow. I look forward to working closely with her."



"I am excited to join this new sector which I believe plays an extremely important role in serving small and large businesses across Ethiopia and the continent, enabling them access to, and the use of, quality equipment. This directly impacts quality, productivity and growth," said Ms. Fregenet. "Fregenet's addition will enable our growing senior management team to expand access to equipment leasing strategies across multiple African markets," said Frans VanSchaik, CEO and Chairman of AAFC. "Her track record in the health sectors of various African countries will help us establish a strong foothold and grow the medical business across the continent."

In August 2019, Ethio Lease became the first foreign-owned company in Ethiopia to receive a financial services license from the National Bank of Ethiopia. This license enables Ethio Lease to address the equipment and foreign exchange shortages facing Ethiopia by providing local businesses with access to high-quality equipment, allowing businesses to grow their operations and thereby creating jobs and increasing productivity throughout the country. Previously, Ms. Fregenet served as Country Manager, Ethiopia and Uganda, and later as Marketing Head, East Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania & Uganda) at the French Pharmaceutical company, SANOFI. She also served as Marketing, Sales and Communications Director at the International NGO, Population Services International (PSI) Ethiopia. In her recent role as Country Manager at Julphar Pharmaceuticals PLC (Ethiopia), she led the import business and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Factory located in Addis Ababa. She also recently served as the President of the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical & Medical Supplies Manufacturing Industries Sectoral Association. Ms. Fregenet earned a Bachelor of Science in Medical Biochemistry and Master of Science in Molecular Life Sciences Research both from Kings College London. About African Asset Finance Company & Ethio Lease U.S.-based African Asset Finance Company Inc. (AAFC) is a non-banking financial services firm that provides equipment leasing and finance solutions. The firm is headquartered in New York. AAFC's wholly-owned Ethiopian company, Ethio Lease, specializes in providing capital leases (or finance leases) to Ethiopian businesses for equipment in a range of vertical markets. For additional information, please visit www.aafc.com and www.ethiolease.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005250/en/

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[September 08, 2021] SecurityWeek to Host CISO Forum September 14-15, 2021

SecurityWeek will host its 8th annual CISO Forum from September 14-15 as a fully immersive virtual event for security leaders to collaborate and share experiences on a wide range of high-priority issues. SecurityWeek's 2021 CISO Forum, presented by Cisco (News - Alert) , provides an interactive venue for attendees to examine cybersecurity through the eyes of cybersecurity leaders and practitioners. Attendees can expect lively debates, cutting-edge security research, new security technologies and CISO-to-CISO guidance on building and running modern security programs. SecurityWeek editors have hand-crafted an agenda with sessions on the ransomware epidemic, cyber-insurance, zero-trust, cloud asset discovery and management, the skills shortage and remote hybrid work realities. Confirmed speakers and presenters include: Adrian Stone, CISO at Peloton Interactive

Caleb Sima, CISO at Robinhood

Lena Smart, CISO at MongoDB

Jonathan Jaffe, CISO at Lemonade

Fredrick 'Flee' Lee, CISO at Gusto

Shaila Shankar, SVP and General Manager, Cisco Cloud Network and Security

Aanchal Gupta, VP, Azure Security, Microsoft (News - Alert)

Summer Craze Fowler, CISO, Argo.AI

Anne Marie Zettlemoyer, V, Security Engineering, Mastercard

Sounil Yu, CISO, JupiterOne

Marc Rogers, Executive Director of Cybersecurity at Okta



Featured sessions on agenda include:

Fireside Chat with Adrian Stone, VP and CISO at Peloton

Winning Hearts and Minds on the Board

Designing and Architecting Security for a Hybrid World

From Email to Firmware Implant, in Less Than 3 Minutes

CISO Panel: Navigating SBOMs and Supply Chain Security Transparency

The CISO's Guide to Building a Security Dream Team

Panel: The Top 5 Priorities of the Modern CISO

Defenders Playbook for Attack Simulation and Security Posture Validation

How Hacker's Hack: Attacker Methodology & Exploitation Demo

Identity-Focused Security for Your Zero Trust Journey

Securing Our Cloud Environment Against Hackers

Key Insights to Prevent Never-Before-Seen Cyberattacks Historically an invite-only event, registration is complimentary and open to business users as a virtual event for 2021. Register online at: https://register.securityweek.com/ciso-forum Sponsors of the 2021 CISO Forum include: Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Synack, Okta, Recorded Future, Beyond Identity, Proofpoint (News - Alert) , Eclypsium, Synopsys, Corel, Abnormal Security, Cymulate, ReversingLabs and SecurityScorecard. The 2021 CISO Forum kicks off online at 10:45AM ET on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. About SecurityWeek SecurityWeek helps cybersecurity professionals do their jobs better by providing timely news, information, analysis and insights from experts in the trenches. Created by industry professionals and a seasoned news team, SecurityWeek produces actionable content and a portfolio of industry-leading events to help cybersecurity professionals around the globe defend their organizations from increasingly complex cyber threats. (www.securityweek.com) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005680/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Dan Vnuk Brings Transformative and Innovative Leadership to Altruista Health as its New Chief Technology Officer

Altruista Health, a HealthEdge Company, said today that Dan Vnuk has joined the company as Chief Technology Officer, bringing a wealth of transformative and innovative leadership expertise to Altruista and the GuidingCare technology platform. Vnuk is a results-focused leader with more than 20 years of experience driving change across global organizations. He joins from Cotiviti, where he was senior vice president of information technology, infrastructure and security. In that role, he led a global team of 320 people and an IT integration for a $5 billion acquisition. Also at Cotiviti, he built a comprehensive healthcare data ingestion platform from the ground up. During his tenure, the company achieved HITRUST certification across all healthcare verticals. "Dan brings proven leadership in scaling and running large world-class tech teams," said Altruista Health President and General Manager Ashish Kachru. "He has the expertise we need to engineer stable and scalable solutions at an essential moment in the life of the GuidingCare technology platform. With Dan on board, we are ready to sync with HealthEdge and Burgess Group teams to advance a next-gen solution suite addressing the three most important value streams for health plans." Prior to Vnuk's service at Cotiviti, he spent 17 years with Nielsen in increasingly responsible leadership roles with expanding scope. As senior vice president and chief architect of the connected system, he led the design of a Microsoft (News - Alert)  Azure cloud-native data lake solution that brought together data ingestion, data science, business intelligence, a portal, APIs and an applicatio ecosystem into a single platform and design.



Vnuk has prior professional experience as a software engineer at Lockheed Martin (News - Alert) in Albuquerque and holds a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of New Mexico. His bachelor's degree is in physics, from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. About Altruista Health

Altruista Health is a HealthEdge company delivering care management and population health management solutions that support value-based and person-centered care models. Its GuidingCare technology platform integrates care management, care coordination and quality improvement programs through a suite of sophisticated yet easy-to-use web applications. GuidingCare is the largest and most widely adopted platform of its kind in the United States. Altruista Health is a recognized industry leader and was named twice as one of the Top Population Health Management Companies to Know by Becker's Healthcare. Health plans and healthcare providers use GuidingCare to transform their processes, reduce avoidable expenses and improve patient health outcomes. About HealthEdge HealthEdge is the health insurance industry's first digital nervous system to provide automation and seamless connectivity between all parts of a payer's administrative and clinical systems. HealthEdge provides modern, disruptive healthcare IT solutions that health insurers use to leverage new business models, improve outcomes, drastically reduce administrative costs, and connect everyone in the healthcare delivery cycle. Its next-generation enterprise solution suite is built on modern, patented technology and is delivered to customers via the HealthEdge Cloud or onsite deployment. In 2020, Blackstone became the majority owner. HealthEdge and its portfolio of mission-critical technology assets for payers, including The Burgess Group and Altruista Health, are collectively driving a digital transformation in healthcare. Follow HealthEdge on Twitter or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005193/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Simplilearn and University of Arizona Global Campus Launch Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing

- Program Delivered Through a Highly Interactive Online Bootcamp Model - Online Masterclasses provided by the Knowledge Innovation Center, using top instructors from the "University of Arizona Global Campus" and "Forbes School of Business and Technology" BENGALURU, India, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplilearn, the world's leading online bootcamp for digital economy skills training, in collaboration with the University of Arizona Global Campus Forbes School of Business and Technology (UAGC), launched its Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. UAGC has entered the partnership through its Knowledge Innovation Center (KIC), a new continuing education initiative designed to expand UAGC's educational offerings. UAGC, in collaboration with Simplilearn, provides learners the unique combined advantage of academic excellence from UAGC and the Simplilearn's award-winning curriculum to help learners master a set of fundamental and highly critical digital marketing skills. With 100+ hours of learning, requiring 4 to 5 hours weekly from the learners, the program is best suited for students or professionals looking to jump-start a career in digital marketing, especially in roles such as Digital Marketing Manager, SEO/PPC/Social-Media Manager, Content Marketing Manager, and Growth Hacker. The University of Arizona Global Campus is often featured at the top of business school rankings and ranks #2 in the U.S. with 318 Quality Matters (QM) certified courses (Ref link). The Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing is delivered via Simplilearn's bootcamp-style learning delivery model. This high-engagement learning model provides learners with an effective combination of online self-paced videos, live virtual classes, and online masterclasses conducted by top academicians of the University of Arizona Global Campus and industy experts.



With this intensive 5 to 6-month program, learners will gain knowledge on the practical aspects of Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Web Analytics, and Social Media Marketing through tools and hands-on practice. Learners will be further equipped with the fundamentals of digital marketing and receive training in content marketing, PPC, and digital analytics, leading to mastering social media, mobile marketing, and digital strategy. The program also offers a digital marketing Capstone project that allows learners to perform a project in a domain of their choice among Online Fashion, Smartphones, Electronics, FMCG, and Software. On the completion of the program, learners will receive a joint Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing by University of Arizona Global Campus and Simplilearn, university credits toward a degree, along with a UAGC Forbes Alumni conferral. Learners will also receive certificates from Simplilearn for all modules in the learning path.

Speaking about the program, Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer, Simplilearn said, "As economies evolve and businesses become digital-first, reaching audiences through relevant online and social platforms is no longer optional. With these platforms being constantly flooded with content, promotional communication, it is critical for today's marketers to have the skills to ensure they are heard and sustain a strong presence in this environment. Our latest program in Digital Marketing ensures that learners develop relevant and the key digital marketing skills for real career growth, learn them from experts active in the field, work on real-world problems, and get structured guidance, ensuring that learning and career success never stops."

"While the pandemic has disrupted ways of working, it has also pushed companies and educators to be innovators who think and act fast. We are pleased to be working with Simplilearn through our Knowledge Innovation Center to bring digital upskilling to the global audience. Digital Marketing skills will enable the new-age employee to stay ahead of the curve with the advantages of having the latest knowledge in the field. We look forward to working with Simplilearn and to bringing job-relevant learning to aspirants around the world." said, Dr. Paula J.Zobisch, Vice President, Knowledge Innovation Center.

About Simplilearn Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn is the world's leading online Bootcamp for digital economy skills training. Simplilearn offers access to world-class work-ready training to individuals and businesses around the world. The Bootcamps are designed and delivered with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies via live online classes featuring top industry practitioners, sought-after trainers, and global leaders. From college students and early career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and big corporations, Simplilearn's role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs are ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or/and business goals. For more information, please visit www.simplilearn.com/ About KIC & University of Arizona Global Campus: The University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), formerly Ashford University, is an online university operated in affiliation with the University of Arizona. It is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. The Knowledge Innovation Center (KIC) and the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) have formed a strategic alliance to deliver a variety of "continuing education" options ancillary to degree programs. Every KIC course is PLA accredited by the University and is focused on in-demand skills development. For more information, please visit https://knowledgeinnovationcenter.com/about-us/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1100016/Simplilearn_Logo.jpg

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SambaNova Deepens Technical Talent and Executive Leadership Team with Addition of Prabhdeep Singh As VP of Software Product

SambaNova Systems, the company building the industry's most advanced software, hardware and services to run AI applications, today announced the appointment of Prabhdeep Singh as Vice President of Software Product to advance AI products and solutions that empower enterprises and organizations in every industry to deploy next-generation AI at scale.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005259/en/

Prabhdeep Singh, SambaNova Systems Vice President of Software Product. (Photo: Business Wire)

Singh will lead SambaNova's existing software development team, bringing two decades of experience heading up AI initiatives at startups, unicorns and top technology companies. Prior to joining SambaNova, Singh served as Head of AI Products at UiPath, where he founded the company's AI product team and led the development of the AI-powered process automation platform. He previously spent 10 years at Microsoft (News - Alert) and served as Head of Product for its Sales Intelligence AI solution.

"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join SambaNova and lead a dream team of engineers building a fully integrated stack that accelerates deployments and enables customers to undergo AI transformation overnight," said Singh. "As we sit on the cusp of a profound technological revolution, SambaNova is driving the industry and its customers forward into the next era of AI. I'm honored to be a part of that vision."

With years of experience scaling startups and small teams, Singh will further strengthen SambaNova's world-class leadership team. In recent months, SambaNova has continued to add to its depth of industry experts, including the addition of CMO Amy Love and advisory board member Wade Shen, who both joined the company in July.







"SambaNova continues to attract and retain the industry's top talent, and Prabhdeep joins our rapidly growing team as a highly valued addition," said Rodrigo Liang, co-founder and CEO of SambaNova. "As we invest in a full-stack solution that meets the complex needs of our customers, Prabhdeep brings unmatched expertise in software delivering AI solutions in a wide range of verticals and scaling up startups into industry powerhouses."

With AI becoming a business necessity in the global economy, customers need complete AI solutions that can run at scale in a financially viable way. With an integrated full-stack system, including best-in-class AI models, software and hardware, SambaNova provides the most expansive, accessible and impactful AI applications in the world - unleashing AI for everyone, everywhere.

SambaNova's flagship Data Flow-as-a-Service, an extensible AI services platform, enables organizations to jump-start AI initiatives overnight by augmenting existing capabilities and staffing with a simple subscription. The platform is powered by DataScale, an integrated software and hardware platform delivering unrivaled performance, accuracy, scale and ease of use built on SambaNova's Systems Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture.

SambaNova continues to garner accolades throughout the industry, including recognition by Gartner (News - Alert) as a Cool Vendor in its "Cool Vendors in AI Semiconductors" report, and industry awards for Best AI Product in Next-Generation Infrastructure by CogX and VentureBeat's Innovation in Edge Award for 2021. The company was named one of CRN's 10 Hottest AI Chip Makers in 2021 and one of CRN's 20 Coolest Tech Startups Of 2020. SambaNova was also Great Place to Work certified in 2021.

About SambaNova Systems

AI for everyone, everywhere SambaNova Systems is an AI innovation company that empowers organizations to deploy best-in-class solutions for computer vision, natural language processing, recommendation, and AI for science with confidence. SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service, helps organizations rapidly deploy AI in days, unlocking new revenue and boosting operational efficiency. SambaNova's DataScale is an integrated software and hardware system using Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture, along with open standards and user interfaces. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, SambaNova Systems was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries, and hardware and software design experts from Sun/Oracle and Stanford University. Investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel Capital (News - Alert) , GV, Walden International, Temasek, GIC, Redline Capital, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, Celesta, and several others. For more information, please visit us at sambanova.ai or contact us at info@sambanova.ai. Follow SambaNova Systems on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005259/en/
[September 08, 2021] Dihuni Expands Leadership Team to Drive and Support Aggressive Growth in AI, IoT and IT

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dihuni, a leader in artificial intelligence (AI), data center and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, today announced the addition of two industry veterans to its leadership team: Laura Bacon joins as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Finance Officer (CFO), and Steve Fey joins as Consultant, Business Strategy for Smart Buildings. Dihuni CEO Pranay Prakash said, "Our customers have trusted us with their Digital Transformation infrastructure solutions and enabled us to grow continuously. With Laura and Steve's leadership we will continue delivering value in IT, IoT and AI by improving our operations and growth in new market segments. These high-caliber appointments come at an important time when our team is doubling down on our 'Hybrid Commerce' strategy of transactional e-commerce and consultative solutions both delivered with high efficiency and top customer service. I am thrilled to have Laura and Steve join this team." Laura brings over 30 years of senior level and executive experience to Dihuni. As CFO and COO, Laura is responsible for leading all finance, legal, HR and business operation functions for Dihuni. Laura has held various leadership positions in business management and finance including Honeywell/Tridium andGeorgia-Pacific.



Steve is responsible for the strategy and growth of Dihuni's Smart and Connected Buildings business. Steve brings decades of experience in building controls industry from Andover Controls, Tyco Fire and Security, and Tridium. Steve's more recent experience has focused on IT managed services where he served as President for Proxios, a managed service provider in Richmond, Virginia and most recently as CEO of Totem Buildings, a cybersecurity software and services startup for the building controls industry. "I am excited to be part of the Dihuni team. I am impressed with its high growth, global customer base and e-commerce platform," said Laura Bacon. "Dihuni has emerged as a leader in end-to-end Digital Transformation solutions and I'm looking forward to working with Pranay and the team to take the company to the next level."

"Dihuni's focus on converging IoT with IT from a single source is exactly what the Smart and Connected Buildings market needs at this time. I am delighted to help them achieve their growth objectives," said Steve Fey. When compared to 2020, Dihuni has experienced over 400% growth YTD in 2021 despite global component shortages and COVID-19 headwinds. "We have seen increased demand in research, work from home (WFH) solutions, industrial IoT and high-performance server and storage systems. We will continue to add top talent as we grow," Prakash added. For company and leadership info, visit here. About Dihuni Dihuni is a leading provider of Digital Transformation solutions including Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI), data centers and Internet of Things (IoT). With its e-commerce platform, OptiReady products, solutions design and delivery expertise and access to over 500,000 products from hundreds of partners, Dihuni helps customers achieve their desired digital outcomes by ensuring they have the right hardware, software and services to make that happen. Visit Dihuni at https://www.dihuni.com Media Contact : digital@dihuni.com or 703-570-7300 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dihuni-expands-leadership-team-to-drive-and-support-aggressive-growth-in-ai-iot-and-it-301371274.html SOURCE Dihuni

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[September 08, 2021] Red Hat Joins OS-Climate, Lends Open Source Leadership to Financial Services Industry Effort to Address Climate Change

Red Hat, Inc., the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced that it has joined OS-Climate (OS-C), a Linux Foundation (News - Alert) -backed open source project that intends to build the breakthrough technology and data platforms needed to more fully integrate the impacts of climate change in global financial decision-making and risk management. As part of its membership, Red Hat (News - Alert) will provide technical acumen and resources to help OS-C build a "Data Commons" that serves as an open data ingestion, processing and management platform for members to collaborate on standardizing and improving the accuracy of corporate climate and environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. The resulting curated library of public and private sources can then be used to help bankers, asset owners, asset managers and regulators assess climate risk and opportunity as elements of financial decision-making. OS-C is a non-profit, non-competitive organization that seeks to use open source technology and collaboration to align the efforts of the financial community in addressing the challenge of global climate change while preserving the opportunity to innovate and compete in global capital markets. This approach is a crucial component for closing the $1.2 trillion annual gap in investment needed to achieve Paris Climate Accord goals. The organization's members include Allianz, Amazon, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, KPMG, Microsoft (News - Alert) , the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance and many more technology and financial leaders, with membership having tripled since the community's launch in September 2020. Red Hat brings a wealth of experience and expertise in building open source communities for other Linux Foundation projects, serving as a founding member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), the Open Container Initiative (OCI) and many more. Beyond the technical skill to actively contribute code to these initiatives, Red Hat also provides the nuanced understanding of how to encourage collaboration between organizations that would otherwise be competitive in-market. The open source model championed by Red Hat and selected by OS-C is intended to enable the creation of a complex, multi-layered ecosystem for OS-C members, including an open data platform that can be adopted by individual organizations for their own specific uses. This helps to provide a more level data playing field that meets a variety of regulatory requirements, providing global financial institutions with better, deeper views to evaluate climate change risk and opportunity as a core part of finance, banking and investment strategies. OS-Climate Data Commons To help adopt financial flows to the physical and economic market impacts of climate change, financial institutions and banks need a clearer view into an ever-growing tide of related data. To address this need, OS-C is working to build the OS-Climate Data Commons, an open platform that aggregates a variety of structured and unstructured data, from SEC (News - Alert) filings and corporate PDFs to scientific and market research, into a single library of trusted data. OS-C's goal is to make publicly available as much high quality data as possible, while also linking to public and commercial data and enabling its use in open source analytic tools. Red Hat's work around the Data Commons initiative is intended to help create a portable, enterprise-grade data platform that supports members in managing complex data ingestion and processing flows using the latest advances in machine learning. This helps to collate and sanitize public and proprietary data sources, while still supporting compliance requirements around regulatory disclosures. The platform is also intended to provide open, interoperable tooling that organizations can consume alongside their own workflows and internal processes. As part of its membership, Red Hat will commit a team of eight solutions architects, data engineers and software engineers to the project, emphasizing the creation of OS-Climate Data Commons. The company will also provide community management resources to help OS-C establish the proper infrastructure and collaboration processes to effectively egage its growing membership.



Supporting Quotes Chris Wright, senior vice president and CTO, Red Hat

"Developing a common way to understand and model the impact a business has on the climate is the kind of challenging endeavor best suited to broad-scale industry collaboration. By bringing our technical and community expertise to OS-Climate, we're able to help bring open, collaborative standards to bear to help tackle one of the world's most critical issues."

Truman Semans, executive director, OS-Climate

"Building an open source community to address a challenge as wide-ranging as climate change requires more than just code; it requires a holistic approach that starts from the foundation upwards. Red Hat is a proven leader in open source, both at a technological and cultural level, and we're pleased to be able to lean on their vast experience in helping us craft a truly collaborative and impactful ecosystem around OS-Climate and the OS-Climate Data Commons." Rim Tehraoui, chief data officer, BNP Paribas Group

"Having a single global ecosystem where investors, companies, policy-makers and other actors can collaborate with the same data and analytics tools creates opportunities to drive much needed industry convergence and acceleration on climate-related analysis. It is extremely encouraging to have an actor such as Red Hat bringing its wealth of experience in open source technology to help us build a fully portable open climate data platform." Kara Mangone, global head of Climate Strategy, Goldman Sachs

"The importance of climate data and analytics for our firm and clients has continued to grow against the backdrop of an increasingly complex set of sources, approaches and tools. OS-Climate's one-stop shop for essential information and collaborative analytics will enable clients and other stakeholders to more effectively measure progress and accelerate climate investment." Additional Resources Learn more about OS-Climate

Read more about Red Hat's work in open source communities Connect with Red Hat Learn more about Red Hat

Get more news in the Red Hat newsroom

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Follow Red Hat on LinkedIn About Red Hat, Inc. Red Hat is the world's leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver reliable and high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Red Hat helps customers integrate new and existing IT applications, develop cloud-native applications, standardize on our industry-leading operating system, and automate, secure, and manage complex environments. Award-winning support, training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted adviser to the Fortune 500. As a strategic partner to cloud providers, system integrators, application vendors, customers, and open source communities, Red Hat can help organizations prepare for the digital future. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company or its parent International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM (News - Alert) ) may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Red Hat and the Red Hat logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005592/en/

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[September 08, 2021] The Edinburg Center Advances Evidence-Based Services Through Enhanced Netsmart Solutions

The Edinburg Center, a non-profit community-based services agency, advances its evidence-based services through enhanced components of the Netsmart CareFabric platform, creating improved clinical and financial efficiencies as they grow programs to serve through additional service lines to fulfill strategic organizational goals. As one of the initial implementers of the NX version of myEvolv, an ONC-certified electronic health record (EHR) for behavioral health, Edinburg has been able to leverage a next generation technology platform built for extreme usability, to drive efficient and clinician-friendly workflows. Providing easy-to-use workflows focused on clinical-user satisfaction allows providers to recruit and retain the top clinicians in the field. The Massachusetts-based, long-standing Netsmart client expanded their adoption of the Netsmart CareFabric and implemented solutions to fulfill their mission of providing evidence-based, innovative services to promote personal growth and independence, foster hope and enhance the quality of life for the individuals their organization serves. As Edinburg has grown to serve not only adults experiencing intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges but also children and families, individuals experiencing co-occurring disorders, autism and brain injury, the integrated myEvolv platform supports real-time access to an individual's health history and supports one common record across all care settings. "Our Center staff has seen impactful benefits since we transitioned to NX and our clinicians acknowledge the incredible efficiency gained through streamlined workflows that allow them to spend more quality time with their clients and better address their complex needs," said Anne Phillips, Clinical Applications Director, The Edinburg Center. "The new financial functionalities and integrated reporting tools have been a game changer for us. When COVID-19 hit we were able to automate our processes, reducing time spent on overhead functions by 50% and routinely use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure outcomes within one intuitive platform to ultimately deliver better care." The partnership between Edinburg and Netsmart has yielded significant improvements across the Center's programs and the overall user experience has increased compliance and data integrity. By adopting the latest solution available, Edinburg has reported clinician satisfaction of the user-friendly and powerful workflows, such as the new comprehensive assssment to document medical notes and evaluation, and the ability to guide users through documentation based on the context of the clinical record.



Not only is Edinburg taking advantage of the new features available in myEvolv NX, but they've also seen a reduction in the time and effort spend supporting the solution as a result of increased emphasis on community involvement in the design and development process to improve clinician satisfaction with existing workflows such as Feature Uplift and Re-Design, with the end user in mind and greater financial management. The Center will soon leverage a new navigation feature that provides administrators the power to guide best practice navigating based on user type, increased compliance and data integrity via easy to access auditing tools and additional interactive home view widgets for clinicians to manage their caseloads and anticipate faster onboarding of new staff.

"By providing a solid technology platform that strengthens how care and services are delivered, we can help Edinburg deliver on its goal of meeting the specific needs for whole-person care," said Netsmart CEO Mike Valentine. "Netsmart and Edinburg have a shared strategy, to innovate services and collaborate to deliver an integrated, coordinated system of care. We're honored to work alongside them as they seek to improve the lives of children and adults in their community." About The Edinburg Center The Edinburg Center was established in 1977 as a non-profit community-based services agency. The Center's mission is distinguished by our longstanding belief that all people have the potential to learn, the capacity for change and the right to live a meaningful life in the community of his or her choice. Our mission is to provide an array of innovative services which promote personal growth and independence, foster hope and enhance the quality of life of people with mental health conditions, co-occurring substance use conditions and/or developmental disabilities, and brain injury services. The Center maintains a specific commitment to and has an established reputation for successfully providing services to people whose complex needs and challenging behaviors have typically been barriers to community living. Over the past three decades, The Center has grown into a thriving organization which provides a robust range of community services which are based on the unique needs of the individuals we serve. This range includes adult community outreach support services, residential supports, short-term respite care for adults with both mental health conditions and/or developmental disabilities, day treatment services, clubhouse services, outpatient counseling and medication services. We also provide a wide array of services for children and families, which include intensive home-based therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis, outpatient therapy, and therapeutic mentoring. Visit www.edinburgcenter.com to learn more. About Netsmart Netsmart, a leading provider of Software as a Service ( SaaS (News - Alert) ) technology and services solutions, designs, builds and delivers electronic health records (EHRs), health information exchanges (HIEs), analytics and telehealth solutions and services that are powerful, intuitive and easy-to-use. Our platform provides accurate, up-to-date information that is easily accessible to care team members in the human services and post-acute care (which is comprised of home care and hospice and senior living) markets. We make the complex simple and personalized so our clients can concentrate on what they do best: provide services and treatment that support whole-person care. By leveraging the powerful Netsmart network, care providers can seamlessly and securely integrate information across communities, collaborate on the most effective treatments and improve outcomes for those in their care. Our streamlined systems and personalized workflows put relevant information at the fingertips of users when and where they need it. For more than 50 years, Netsmart has been committed to providing a common platform to integrate care. SIMPLE. PERSONAL. POWERFUL. Our more than 2,400 associates work hand-in-hand with our 680,000+ users at our clients across the U.S. to develop and deploy technology that automates and coordinates everything from clinical to financial to administrative. Learn more about how Netsmart is changing the face of healthcare today. Visit www.ntst.com, call 1-800-472-5509, follow us on our CareThreads Blog, LinkedIn and Twitter, like us on Facebook or visit us on YouTube. Netsmart is pleased to support the EveryDayMatters Foundation, which was established for behavioral health, care at home, senior living and social services organizations to learn from each other and share their causes and stories. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005215/en/

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[September 08, 2021] BornTec's CrossCheck Selected by FCT Europe Limited as Premier Regulatory Solution

BornTec, the premier provider of real-time trade surveillance, data analytics, and compliance solutions for the capital markets industry, today announced that FCT Europe Limited has selected CrossCheck to meet its compliance mandates for trade surveillance. FCT, a regulated proprietary trading firm with traders located across Europe, Asia, and North America, is presently growing operations both organically and strategically with its unique approach to trading. FCT's Director, Mario Kyriacou, said: "At FCT, we take compliance seriously. After reviewing several platforms, we determined BornTe's CrossCheck best fit our needs, both today and as we expand. The team at BornTec have been great - hands-on and easy to work with. The solution was essentially turnkey."



BornTec CEO Derek Haworth said: "The success FCT has enjoyed speaks to the vision and execution of the management team and the intelligence and entrepreneurial spirit of all the traders there. As a multi-asset, multi-region buy-side firm, it had specific needs and complexities that we were eager to deliver via CrossCheck's unique data model." In recent months, BornTec has seen a significant increase in implementation of the CrossCheck platform by hedge funds and proprietary trading firms. More of the buy-side has been expanding internal compliance capabilities, easing the burden on brokers and clearing members. To learn more about BornTec's regulatory solutions, contact us.

About BornTec BornTec provides technology infrastructure and services to global banks, futures commission merchants, hedge funds, and asset managers. Providing execution into global exchanges through technology architecture that reduces latencies and offers direct market access, BornTec services clients globally.

http://www.borntec.com About FCT FCT Europe Limited is an FCA-regulated proprietary trading firm that participates in the global capital markets. It is one of the industry's most innovative and forward-thinking firms; with success driven by its steadfast adherence to its core principle of investing in people to drive success for the firm. https://www.fct.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005219/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Temple Health Chooses Comprehensive Mobile Platform from Gozio Health to Provide Seamless Digital Connection with Patients

Gozio Health, an industry-leading, customizable end-to-end mobile platform, announced today a new partnership with Temple Health in Philadelphia, Pa., to provide a digital front door for patients. The first health system in Pennsylvania to launch the fully featured mobile platform, Temple Health will use Gozio's robust functionality to tightly integrate all consumer-facing digital elements into a single mobile application, improving patient access and overall experiences at every point of care. A digital front door strategy is timely, according to a recent digital health consumer survey from Accenture (News - Alert) . Notably, half of consumers surveyed said that a bad digital experience can ruin an entire experience with a provider, and 26% said they would switch to a new healthcare provider for high-quality digital services. "Temple Health always strives to identify better ways to connect with patients and engage them in their care," said Michael A. Young, MHA, FACHE, President and CEO of Temple University Hospital and Temple University Health System. "Digital access has become paramount to the patient experience, and we believe we have found the right partner in Gozio Health to position us for the future of mobile interactions." The Gozio platform enables patients and visitors to access indoor and outdoor navigation as well as patient flow capabilities,ensuring they are guided to locations in the order they need to be accessed. The solution will make it easy for patients and visitors to find onsite amenities, from restaurants to restrooms to ATMs, and will help patients access digital services such as physician directories, appointment scheduling, patient records and more.



"Today's consumers expect quality digital experiences across all aspects of their lives, and healthcare is no exception. In fact, as the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, seamless digital connections in healthcare are now critical," said Joshua Titus, CEO and founder of Gozio Health. "We applaud Temple Health for setting the bar high for digital engagement in Pennsylvania and look forward to a successful partnership." About Gozio Health

Gozio Health offers an end-to-end, customizable mobile platform exclusively for healthcare systems, including digital front door. Gozio's extensible mobile platform enables seamless consumer interactions and provides an anytime, anywhere connection to patients improving their overall experience and access to care. Popular patient engagement features include patented indoor wayfinding with turn-by-turn navigation, virtual visits, physician directories, appointment scheduling, access to electronic health records, Urgent Care and Emergency Department wait times, bill pay and extensive analytics capabilities. For more information, watch the video or visit www.goziohealth.com or find Gozio Health on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Temple Health Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $2.2 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System includes Temple University Hospital (TUH)-Main Campus; TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Jeanes Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; Temple University Hospital - Fox Chase Cancer Center Outpatient Department; TUH-Northeastern Endoscopy Center; The Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center, together with The Institute for Cancer Research, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Fox Chase Cancer Center Medical Group, Inc., The Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center's physician practice plan; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices; and Temple Faculty Practice Plan, Inc., TUHS's physician practice plan. TUHS is affiliated with the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Katz School of Medicine. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005248/en/

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MeridianLink to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences

MeridianLink, Inc. (NYSE: MLNK), a cloud-based technology company that enables banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, specialty lending providers, and consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) to streamline loan decision making and origination, and credit reporting and background screening workflows, today announced its participation in the following upcoming investor conferences.

Chief Executive Officer Nicolaas Vlok and Chief Financial Officer Chad Martin will host virtual meetings with institutional investors at the following events:

Goldman Sachs 11 th Annual Financial Technology Conference on Thursday, September 9, 2021

Annual Financial Technology Conference on Thursday, September 9, 2021 Jefferis Virtual Software Conference on Wednesday, September 15, 2021







MeridianLink (NYSE: MLNK) is a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, specialty lending providers and consumer reporting agencies. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, MeridianLink provides services to more than 1,900 customers, including a majority of the financial institutions on Forbes' 2020 lists of America's Best Credit Unions and Banks. Further information can be found at www.meridianlink.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005233/en/
[September 08, 2021] Insight School of Minnesota Ready to Help Students Navigate These Uncertain Times in Education

Insight School of Minnesota (ISMN), a full-time, tuition-free public-school program of the Brooklyn Center Community School District, is ready to kick off the new school year and give students throughout the state a consistent education option designed to help them reach their full potential. Insight MN students and teachers will open their laptops to start the 2021-2022 school year tomorrow, September 9, 2021. For most families, the new school year comes with cautious optimism. Many families realized during the pandemic that attending school online is a safe alternative that allows them to focus on their child's future. According to a recent survey by Stride, Inc., 91 percent of parents agree that it's important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning. And almost two-thirds of parents would consider full-time online public school after their 2020 pandemic-driven virtual education experience. "Despite such uncertainty, given the pandemic, we are prepared to offer our students the full ISMN experience," said ISMN Head of Shool John Huber. "We've seen our students succeed in some of the most unprecedented times, and I am confident that we can reach even greater heights in the new school year."



Authorized by the Brooklyn Center Community School District and staffed by Minnesota-licensed teachers, Insight MN offers a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. Despite wide-spread evidence of a "COVID slide" of learning loss for students in the U.S. during the pandemic, Stride K12-powered schools like ISMN reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. And in some cases, students enrolled in Stride K12-powered schools experienced learning gains. Students choose online learning for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the flexibility to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs while maintaining a focus on academics. Insight MN's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style. Additionally, full-time high school students have the ability to make up courses through the school's credit recovery program.

Insight School of Minnesota is still accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about ISMN and how to enroll, visit mn.insightschools.net or download the Stride K12 mobile app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices - where families can enroll, prepare for the first day of school and monitor students' academic progress throughout the school year. About Insight School of Minnesota Insight School of Minnesota (ISMN) is an online public-school program of the Brooklyn Center Community School District serving students across the state of Minnesota. ISMN is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of proprietary K-12 curriculum and online education programs. For more information about ISMN, visit mn.insightschools.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005003/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Wells Fargo Launches Integrated Receivables, an AI-Powered Offering, to Help Simplify Accounts Receivables

Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced the availability of Integrated Receivables, a new Accounts Receivable (AR) service that uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic processing to help simplify payment and remittance data capture, re-association, and invoice matching. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005209/en/ Integrated Receivables (Photo: Wells Fargo) "Integrated Receivables allows our clients to spend less time working on piecing together payments data and more time focusing on their core business objectives," said Danny Peltz, head of Treasury Management & Payment Solutions for Wells Fargo. "By automating the capture of payments and the matching of funds to invoices, Integrated Receivables can help produce significant operational cost savings, reduce the risk of incomplete or inaccurate data entry, and accelerate cash flow." Artificial intelligence and machine learning technology enables Integrated Receivables to correct errors and improve matching logic over time, which can help companies devote less time and resources to manually applying payments. "With this solution, the software does the bulk of the heavy lifting behind the scenes," said Chris Noe, Wells Fargo's Head of Treasury Management Product Innovation. "We have incorporated multiple receivables solutions onto a single platform tha is payment channel agnostic. We are able to use artificial intelligence and advanced data capture to memorize historical corrections and apply them automatically and accurately where needed."



Streamlined and configurable implementation Integrated Receivables' customer implementation process is highly-configurable, and has been streamlined by Wells Fargo to help make it easy for clients to get up and running quickly. "Making it easier for our clients to do business with us is a top priority for the organization," said Peltz. "We think they will be impressed with how smooth the setup is for this solution, and how it translates into faster access to working capital."

Integrated Receivables is based on technology from DadeSystems, a leading provider of AR automation solutions. In February of 2020, Wells Fargo made an investment in DadeSystems to support the growth of the company's suite of technology solutions. "We are excited about this extension of our relationship with Wells Fargo," said Bill Zayas CEO, DadeSystems. "Wells Fargo and DadeSystems recognize the potential for accounts receivable automation to improve efficiencies for a wide range of businesses from smaller companies to the largest and most complex." About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is the leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune's 2021 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at https://www.wellsfargo.com/ | Twitter (News - Alert) : @WellsFargo. News Release Category: WF-PS View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005209/en/

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[September 08, 2021] CAI announces partnership with autoLOTO, the groundbreaking Hazardous Energy Management solution

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CAI (www.cagents.com) and autoLOTO (https://www.autoloto.co/) announce a marketing, sales, and implementation partnership to bring the innovative safety software to CAI's worldwide clientele and utilize CAI's technical expertise to drive rapid, efficient installation, and startup of the autoLOTO Lockout/Tagout program. autoLOTO has proven to save time, money, and lives through its revolutionary live visual interface and drastic reduction in human error. CAI's industry-leading project management and commissioning processes will drive seamless implementation, helping to provide first-class customer experiences as the app is launched. Daniel Furbush, President autoLOTO

"autoLOTO is excited about the opportunity to partner with CAI and to bring our life-saving software and application to their global network of mission critical and pharmaceutical clients." Jackie Karceski/span>, CTO, CAI





"CAI is very excited for the partnership with autoLOTO and their innovative technology. We look forward to helping our clients improve their safety profile while saving significant time and money with effective lockouts driven by autoLOTO." ABOUT CAI

Since CAI's founding in 1996, we have delivered nearly a billion dollars in services for hundreds of clients across thousands of projects globally. With offices in the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Korea, Switzerland, India, Ireland, Italy, China, Singapore, and Malaysia, we have built an international team of over 650 professionals providing local support from a global company. Our engineering, technical, and consulting services are fashioned to deliver mission critical facilities with a high level of performance and reliability. When operational readiness and startup are critical, CAI delivers to a higher standard. www.cagents.com. ABOUT autoLOTO autoLOTO is a transformative enterprise application that saves lives through hazardous energy identification and management. autoLOTO seamlessly blends a mobile application, desktop management program, and the clients' physical infrastructure to create a system that makes the Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) process easier, more efficient, and demonstrably safer. www.autoloto.co Contact: David Shenberger, dwshen@cagents.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cai-announces-partnership-with-autoloto-the-groundbreaking-hazardous-energy-management-solution-301370591.html SOURCE CAI

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[September 08, 2021] NASA Readies James Webb Space Telescope for December Launch

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit Dec. 18, 2021, to serve as the premier deep space observatory for the next decade. The agency set the new target launch date in coordination with Arianespace after Webb recently and successfully completed its rigorous testing regimen  a major turning point for the mission. The new date also follows Arianespace successfully launching an Ariane 5 rocket in late July and scheduling a launch that will precede Webb. The July launch was the first for an Ariane 5 since August 2020. Webb, an international program led by NASA with its partners ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency, will launch on an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America. ESA is providing the Ariane 5. The highly complex space telescope is currently resting in its final stow configuration at Northrop Grumman's facilities in Redondo Beach, California. /p>



Washington . "I am inspired by our dedicated team and our global partnerships that have made this incredible endeavor possible. Together, we've overcome technical obstacles along the way as well as challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. I also am grateful for the steadfast support of Congress. Now that we have an observatory and a rocket ready for launch, I am looking forward to the big day and the amazing science to come." The Webb team is preparing for shipment operations, during which the observatory will undergo final closeout procedures and packing for its journey to the launch site. The major elements of the Ariane 5 rocket that will carry Webb into space have safely arrived in Kourou, French Guiana, from Europe.

The Webb telescope's revolutionary technology will explore every phase of cosmic history  from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe, and everything in between. Webb will reveal new and unexpected discoveries, and help humankind understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. For further information about the Webb mission, visit: www.webb.nasa.gov For information about the construction and engineering of the Webb telescope, visit: www.nasa.gov/webb View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-readies-james-webb-space-telescope-for-december-launch-301371440.html SOURCE NASA

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[September 08, 2021] Coin Metrics Expands Team with Top Industry Talent

BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Coin Metrics, the leading provider of crypto financial intelligence, today announced two new leadership hires: Bruce Traan as Chief Index Officer and Shmuel Bulka as General Counsel. These hires come on the heels of the announcement that Coin Metrics completed its SOC 2 Type I review. Combined, these moves cement Coin Metrics' position in the institutional crypto data space. "I am thrilled to announce the addition of such high caliber talent to our team. Both Shmuel and Bruce represent the best in the industry and are a wonderful complement to our already amazingly talented group," said Tim Rice, Coin Metrics' CEO. "They have hit the ground running to bring significant value to our clients and partners." Bruce Traan will assume responsibility for all of Coin Metrics indexing efforts, including index licensing, calculation, and administration services. Bruce joins Coin Metrics from Cboe Global Markets (Cboe) where he was Global Head of Indexes. Cboe is the largest US options exchange and creator of listed options and is well known for the VIX Index. Bruce ws at Cboe for over 15 years. Over those years, CBOE has been at the forefront of expanding global index calculations and ideation for derivatives-based strategy indexes and benchmarks.



Shmuel Bulka likewise joins Coin Metrics as an industry leader in his field. He will assume responsibility for Coin Metrics' legal activities. He was previously General Counsel for the Americas at both Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters where he was responsible for commercial contracting, strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, internal investigations, and litigation. As a result of significant recent growth and anticipated future growth, Coin Metrics is aggressively expanding its team across all levels and functions. Coin Metrics will continue to invest in its people. To see all Coin Metrics' open positions, visit their careers page.

ABOUT COIN METRICS

Coin Metrics is the leading provider of crypto financial intelligence, offering network data, market data, indexes and network risk solutions to the most prestigious institutions touching cryptoassets. Coin Metrics was founded in 2017 as an open-source project to determine the economic significance of public blockchains. Today, we expand on that original purpose to empower people and institutions to make informed crypto financial decisions. We aim to usher the world's premier financial institutions into crypto with the most trusted data and insights. For more information, visit www.coinmetrics.io. Contact:

Katie Chase

katie@coinmetrics.io View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coin-metrics-expands-team-with-top-industry-talent-301371421.html SOURCE Coin Metrics Inc

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[September 08, 2021] Houlihan Lokey Continues Expansion of Its Oil & Gas Group With Key Hire

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced today that Tom Carlson has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the Oil & Gas Group. He is based in Houston. Mr. Carlson joins Houlihan Lokey with more than two decades of experience advising clients across the oil and gas sector on a broad range of transactions. He most recently was a Managing Director in BMO Capital Markets' Energy Group, where he executed mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital raises, and asset divestitures for leading energy companies, particularly in the upstream and midstream sectors. Prior experience also includes banking roles in Citigroup's Global Energy Group and Jefferies & Company's Energy Group. "Tom's expertise and transaction experience spans the full spectrum across key sectors of the U.S. oil and gas industry, and this breadth of experience in meeting clients' strategic needs and objectives amid any situation or market condition make him a perfect fit with our client-service-oriented, cross-product Oil & Gas Group. We're excited to introduce him to our clients around the world as they strategically position themselves in the ever-shifting energy landscape," sid J.P. Hanson, Head of Houlihan Lokey's Oil & Gas Group.



"The combination of Houlihan Lokey's suite of products and services across M&A, A&D, capital markets, restructuring, and valuation, combined with the deep oil and gas industry knowledge, market relationships, and technical team, is a very powerful value proposition for clients," said Mr. Carlson. "I look forward to partnering with my new colleagues to deliver successful outcomes and solutions as the Oil & Gas Group continues to build on its success," he added. Mr. Carlson holds a B.A. in Economics and Managerial Studies with honors from Rice University.

With more than 70 industry-dedicated professionals in six offices around the world, Houlihan Lokey's global Oil & Gas Group provides superior service and achieves outstanding results for its clients in M&A, A&D, capital markets, capital formation, corporate finance, and recapitalizations throughout the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas sector. The group has advised on more than 100 transactions over the past three years across every key global region. About Houlihan Lokey Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm's commitment to client success across its advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past six consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past seven consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by Refinitiv. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005490/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Insurity Joins the MGAA, Providing a Comprehensive, End-to-End MGA Software Set to Members

Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs has announced that it has joined the Managing General Agents' Association (MGAA) to actively work with leaders in the community that will benefit from Insurity's technology solutions. The MGAA is a non-profit organization delivering value to MGAs across the U.K. and ROI by representing members' interests with government and regulatory bodies, maintaining industry professional standards and best practice guidelines, and hosting events to connect brokers, insurers, suppliers, and MGAs. MGAs have historically relied on fragmented technology solutions with few digital capabilities to respond to changing market demands and new opportunities. Trusted by 7 of the top 10 US MGAs and 15 of the top 25 P&C carriers, Insurity's MGA solutions are purpose-built for product distribution and underwriting as well as e-trading, geospatial analytics, intelligent risk placement, and automated capacity management functionality. "Insurity's MGA software automatically integrates across multiple functional areas including pricing, underwriting, proposal generation, policy issuance, and bordereaux production," said Jake Hampton, SVP, Product Management at Insurity. "This allows MGAs to reduce underwriting costs, decrease response times, and create a superior customer experience across the board." Insurity will be showcasing its MGA solutions at the annual MGAA 2021 conference, held on September 15 in London. "We are excited for Insurity to join our supplier prtners," said Michael Keating, CEO of MGAA. "Insurity offers a best-in-class digital platform supported by deep industry expertise to carriers, brokers, and MGAs, allowing them to optimize their business operations. Insurity will provide tremendous value to our members."



"We are looking forward to growing our relationship with the MGAA and expanding our presence in the U.K. market," said Kevin Grimes, SVP and General Manager for MGA Markets at Insurity. "Insurity MGA software and digital capabilities enable insurance distribution and the customer experience to be seamless and efficient for MGAs. We are excited to partner with members of the MGAA and help them quickly capitalize on new opportunities and add value to their organizations." To learn more about how Insurity's MGA software can benefit your insurance organization, 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. About MGAA The Managing General Agents' Association (MGAA) is a UK based not for profit organisation dedicated to representing true MGAs. Formed in 2011, the MGAA also aims to provide a better understanding of what MGAs are and the contribution they make to the insurance industry. The MGAA currently has 155 full MGA members representing over 6bn of underwriting capacity. They are joined by 42 market practitioner members, 88 supplier members. The board of elected directors leads the organisation. In addition, five separate committees deliver benefits for members with a clear aim of shaping the future of delegated underwriting. For more information visit www.mgaa.co.uk, View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005793/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Credit Agricole CIB appoints Danielle Baron Global Head of Structured Finance

Danielle Baron is appointed Global Head of Structured Finance. She reports to Jean-Francois Balay, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Credit Agricole CIB and becomes a member of the Management Committee of the Bank. She was previously Global Head of Power & Utilities. Biography Danielle Baron has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry. She started her career in 1994 at US EX-IM Bank in Washington as a Project Analyst. Thereafter she joined ANZ Investment Bank, where she held various positions in Structured Finance in Hanoi, Melbourne and London, covering Power, Utilities & Infrastructure sectors. She joined HSBC in 2005, focusing on Infrastructure Structured Finance in continental Europe and Latin America. She joined the Power team of Credit Agricole CIB London in 2009, where she led various advisory and arranging mandates in Europe and the Middle Eat. In 2012, she was appointed Head of Energy & Infrastructure for Latin America based in New York, then Global Head of Power & Utilities in Paris three years later.



Danielle Baron holds a Bachelor of Science from Tufts University. About Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (Credit Agricole CIB)

Credit Agricole CIB is the corporate and investment banking arm of Credit Agricole Group, the 12th largest banking group worldwide in terms of tier 1 capital (The Banker, July 2021). Nearly 8,600 employees across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa support the Bank's clients, meeting their financial needs throughout the world. Credit Agricole CIB offers its large corporate and institutional clients a range of products and services in capital markets activities, investment banking, structured finance, commercial banking and international trade. The Bank is a pioneer in the area of climate finance, and is currently a market leader in this segment with a complete offer for all its clients.

For more information, please visit www.ca-cib.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005796/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Neuroscience Drug Development Veteran Mike Poole, M.D., FACP, to Join Cerevance Board of Directors

BOSTON, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerevance, a private clinical-stage drug discovery and development company focused on brain diseases, today announced the appointment of Mike Poole, M.D., FACP, to Cerevances Board of Directors. Dr. Poole currently is Senior Advisor at RBNC Therapeutics, a venture-funded company working on precision therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders, and also serves as an advisor for the Alzheimers Disease Diagnostic Initiative for Gates Ventures. He recently served as senior advisor and head of the COVID-19 therapeutics accelerator at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and previously led external investments in the Global Health Office of the President.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Poole served as Vice President and Head of Neuroscience Innovation at AstraZeneca, and Vice President of Neuroscience Development at Wyeth and Pfizer. He was also a venture partner at Biomatics Capital and at Arch Ventures, focusing on big data and genomics-enabled advances in neuroscience. Dr. Poole earned his medical degree from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. We are delighted to welcome Mike to Cerevances Board and look forward to benefitting from his deep expertise in developing new treatments for brain diseases, said Brad Margus, chief executive officer of Cerevance. His CNS drug development experiences at both large and small organizations will be invaluable as we advance our pipeline of potentially transformative medicines.



Dr. Poole stated, I am delighted to be joining Cerevances Board as the companys NETSseq platform continues to generate rich transcriptional and epigenetic data sets to reveal novel, highly selective targets. I am eager to work with the Cerevance team to advance a number of new programs in areas of critical unmet need. About Cerevance

Cerevance, a private, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on brain diseases, is applying a new technology called NETSseq to reveal transcriptional and epigenetic differences between specific cell types in human brains spanning nine decades in age. NETSseq profiles neuronal and glial cell populations at depths not possible with other approaches, generating unprecedented data sets and insights. The company has thus far partnered with more than 20 brain banks around the world to assemble a growing collection of more than 9,000 clinically annotated, human brain tissue samples from healthy and diseased donors. By applying NETSseq to specific cell types critical to circuits disrupted by disease and comparing vulnerable and resilient cell populations, Cerevances scientists have begun identifying targets and advancing a pipeline of novel therapeutics that modulate them for CNS diseases. Contacts Cerevance:

Robert Middlebrook, +1-408-220-5722 Media:

Andrew Mielach, amielach@lifescicomms.com, +1-646-876-5868



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[September 08, 2021] The Army Educational Outreach Program Teams up with Future Engineers to Launch a 3D Pin Design Challenge to Celebrate and Honor Veterans

Battelle, the lead organization of the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP), is funding a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) challenge in partnership with Future Engineers, an organization that administers free, online STEM challenges for students. Launching today, the "We <3 Veterans Pin Design" challenge invites fourth to eighth grade students to create a digital 3D model of a wearable pin to be 3D printed and distributed to United States veterans at the National Veterans Memorial Museum in Columbus, Ohio. The pins should be designed to show appreciation for U.S. veterans of any service branch. The challenge is free to enter and the landing page features no-cost supporting resources and tools for students and teachers. "Creative and engaging STEM activities, like the 'We <3 Veterans Pin Design' challenge, give students the opportunity to apply STEM concepts in meaningful ways. These experiences spark genuine interest and encourage students to continue exploring a potential future in STEM," Christina L. Weber, Chief o STEM Education & Outreach and AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM HQ).



"At Future Engineers, we strive to develop challenges alongside mission-aligned partners with the goal of inspiring the next generation of innovators. With the 'We <3 Veterans Pin Design' challenge, we hope we can reach students across the country and engage them in STEM in ways that are not only accessible but also fun," Deanne Bell, Founder and CEO of Future Engineers. The competition entries will be reviewed by volunteer judges which will include U.S. service members and veterans. The top 10 finalists will have their designs 3D printed, glued to pin backs (if necessary) and distributed out to veterans who visit the National Veterans Memorial Museum. Finalists will also receive a $100 gift card towards a professional 3D print of their design. The challenge winner will win a 3D printer donated to the school, library or organization of their choice.

About the Army Educational Outreach Program The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) is comprised of Army-sponsored research, education, competitions, internships and practical experiences designed to engage and guide students as well as teachers in STEM. From elementary school through graduate school, students of all proficiency levels, interests, ethnic, economic and academic backgrounds are encouraged to participate in real-world experiences involving these important disciplines. The Army is committed to increasing the STEM talent pool in order to ensure our national security and global competitiveness. For more information on AEOP, visit www.usaeop.com. Follow AEOP on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org. About Future Engineers Future Engineers hosts online contests and challenges for K-12 students. Previous challenges have helped produce historic achievements - from naming NASA's Perseverance rover to manufacturing the first student-designed 3D print in space. All challenges are offered free for student and classroom participation. For more information, visit www.futureengineers.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005838/en/

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One Tech Becomes MicroAI

MicroAI is the new name of One Tech, Inc., the pioneer in edge-native artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) products.

Founded as One Tech, Inc in 2018 by Tokyo-based Systena Corp and Dallas-based Plasma Group, MicroAI initially focused on the industrial internet of things (IIoT) market. In 2021, the company introduced MicroAI AtomML, a breakthrough AI technology that can help businesses in virtually every industry reduce cloud computing and connectivity costs, decrease latency and improve security. To reflect this broader market, the company is changing its brand to MicroAI.

MicroAI delivers personalized AI to edge endpoints using its innovative edge-natve AI technology that embeds ML into connected endpoints to develop device-specific, personalized AI models that enable next-generation functionality around predicted maintenance, IoT edge AI, operational excellence in industrial processing and manufacturing, and endpoint device security.







MicroAI AtomML is used by semiconductor companies and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide today.

About MicroAI

Based in Dallas, MicroAI is revolutionizing and personalizing AI for connected machines, devices, critical assets, and edge servers. The company pioneered a new edge-native AI technology that embeds AI and ML into microcontrollers and microprocessors on connected edge endpoints. This enables device-specific, personalized AI models that provide next-generation functionality in the areas of predictive maintenance, IoT asset performance optimization, end-point asset security, and overall operational excellence. The company's goal is to make edge-native AI accessible to all connected smart devices by simplifying and reducing the time and cost to design, develop, test, and deploy embedded, edge-native AI. For more information, visit www.micro.ai.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005854/en/
IDC Future of Connectedness Survey Finds Connectivity and Network Transformation Are Among Top Priorities to Improve Business and Operational Efficiency

Enterprises have been forced to adapt to a new state of "normal," shifting from traditional office-based operations to distributed environments that must still provide the same level of connectivity, security, and efficiency across the organization. A recent International Data Corporation (IDC) survey found that addressing connectivity across geographies and transforming networks to become more virtual and agile were among the top networking issues that enterprises must address to ensure a more efficient business and operational environment.

Connectivity is a strategic element in every organization's effort to maintain, sustain, and grow its operations. It allows for scalable access anytime anywhere, creates pervasive digital experiences, enables real-time insights, and provides the foundation for business continuity and resiliency. Achieving seamless connectivity with employees, customers, partners, and others will require additional investment, more strategic planning, and greater oversight.

When asked about their investment plans for network connectivity, more than 50% of respondents to the IDC (News - Alert) survey indicated that they expect to increase spending on 5G connectivity, devices, and applications in the next 12 months. And a similar percentage expect to increase their spending on WiFi (News - Alert) -6 hardware, software, and services to bring increased speed, lower latency, and more efficient IoT functionality to large buildings, offices and campus environments.

"IDC believes that the Future Enterprise is best served by adopting a Wireless First strategy for last mile access and connectivity, embracing gigabit performance rates from 5G and WiFi 6 that will enable organizations to stay connected and manage data just as effectively as over copper and fiber," said Paul Hughes, research director, Future of Connectedness at IDC. "These technologies also create and expand new opportunities for industries that depend on connected applications, IoT devices in the field, and management tools to ensure business continuity, resiliency, and safety."

On September 21st, IDC will host a Future of Connectedess webinar that examines the current state of enterprise connectivity, including business drivers and investment priorities for wireless, cloud, collaboration, and edge technologies. Details and registration for this complimentary webinar, featuring Paul Hughes (News - Alert) and IDC Group Vice President Carrie MacGillivray, are available at https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1488782&tp_key=3d44bd5725.







The IDC report, Network Transformation Strategies and Connectivity Road Maps Represent Top Challenges to Achieving Business Agility (IDC #US48133421), provides insight into enterprise wireless infrastructure investment expectations that support business agility-related priorities for connectivity. This document contains data from IDC's Future of Connectedness Survey, conducted in July of 2021.

The report, Enterprises Are Increasing Wireless Technology Investments to Enable a More Agile State of Connectedness (IDC #US48133521), provides insight into enterprise wireless infrastructure investment expectations that support business agility-related priorities for connectivity. This document contains data from IDC's Future of Connectedness Survey, conducted in July of 2021.

About IDC's Future of Connectedness Research Practice

IDC's Future of Connectedness helps organizations recognize the imperative need to address unevenness in connectivity across different environments and locations and provide employees and consumers with digital experiences supported by ubiquitous, reliable and robust connectivity. To learn more about IDC's Future of Connectedness research practice, please visit https://www.idc.com/promo/future-of-x/connectedness.

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005855/en/
[September 08, 2021] Republic Capital Group Receives Minority Stake from Nesvold Capital

HOUSTON and NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Capital Group ("Republic Capital"), a leading investment bank that focuses on the investment management, securities, and fintech industries, is pleased to announce that it has received a minority investment in the firm from Nesvold Capital Partners ("NCP"), a merchant bank that specializes in the financial services industry. Republic Capital, with offices in Houston and New York, represents NCP's fifth deal since the merchant bank launched in September 2020. As part of the transaction, NCP founder, Peter Nesvold, will join Republic Capital's New York office as a partner and Managing Director, and will take an active, day-to-day role in Republic Capital's management and investment banking mandates. Prior to founding NCP, Nesvold was a key principal in the growth of Silver Lane Advisors ("Silver Lane"), which grew from a one-banker practice to the #1-ranked investment bank nationally, guiding asset and wealth management firms through mergers and acquisitions. Silver Lane sold to Raymond James Financial in 2019. Going forward, Nesvold will offer adviory services exclusively through Republic Capital and will continue to make strategic, minority investments through NCP.



John Langston, Republic Capital's founder, remarked: "You can't hire great talent and experience like Peter's, you partner with it. I'm thrilled that Peter has joined our organization as an equity partner, and am convinced that we will be a formidable competitor in financial services investment banking for years to come." "As an investor, my job is to identify extraordinary talent before they become household names in the financial services community," commented Peter Nesvold. "I could not be more excited about partnering with John Langston and his team at Republic Capital. The firm is the best kept secret in asset and wealth management M&A, and is closely tracking Silver Lane's ascent from burgeoning practice to industry leader."

About Republic Capital Group Republic Capital specializes in providing investment banking services to the RIA, asset, and wealth management communities. Republic Capital serves firms throughout the country and clients include a number of industry leaders. Learn more about Republic Capital at www.republiccapgroup.com. About Nesvold Capital Partners NCP is a merchant bank that serves as a strategic partner to, and makes supportive minority investments in, firms in the financial services industry. The firm has a particular focus on asset and wealth management, securities, fintech, and related businesses. Media Contact: Candace Langston, clangston@republiccapgroup.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/republic-capital-group-receives-minority-stake-from-nesvold-capital-301371472.html SOURCE Republic Capital Group

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[September 08, 2021] Global Industry Analysts Predicts the World Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) Market to Reach $171.6 Billion by 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new market study published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., (GIA) the premier market research company, today released its report titled "Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) - 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: 16; Released: April 2021

Executive Pool: 6726

Companies: 174 - Players covered include AU Optronics Corp.; BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd.; Clover Display Ltd.; Densitron Technologies Ltd.; Emerging Display Technologies Corp.; HannStar Display Corp.; Hantronix, Inc.; Innolux Corp.; Japan Display Inc.; Kopin Corp.; Kyocera Corp.; LG Display Co., Ltd.; Microtips Technology; Panasonic Corp.; Powertip Technology Corp.; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corp.; Tianma America, Inc.; Tianma Japan, Ltd.; Universal Display Corp. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Display Type (TFT LCD, OLED, Other Display Types); Application (Mobile Phones/Tablets, Television, Automotive, Other Applications)

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 thousandsof data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry



ABSTRACT- Global Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) Market to Reach $171.6 Billion by 2026

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) estimated at US$146.6 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$171.6 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2.6% over the analysis period. TFT LCD, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 0.7% CAGR and reach US$112.6 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 OLED segment is readjusted to a revised 8.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period.



The U.S. Market is Estimated at $40.6 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $33.3 Billion by 2026

The Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) market in the U.S. is estimated at US$40.6 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$33.3 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 4.9% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 0.6% and 1.9% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 1.1% CAGR. Other Display Types Segment to Reach US$13.7 Billion by the year 2026

In the global Other Display Types segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 2.2% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$8.8 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$10.3 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

https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media

Info411@strategyr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-industry-analysts-predicts-the-world-flat-panel-displays-fpds-market-to-reach-171-6-billion-by-2026--301370087.html SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

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[September 08, 2021] GBV Invests $2,000,000 in Mobility Insight, an Israel Innovation Company, Using ML and AI to Help American Cities Combat Increasing Traffic Congestion and Improve Pedestrian Safety

Global Blockchain Ventures Fund, LP ("Global Blockchain Ventures," "GBV") the blockchain focused investment fund led by Al Weiss and created to "invest in emerging market founders on a mission to change the world" has invested $2 million in funding to Mobility Insight ("Mobi") to support the Company's expansion into the U.S. market. In June 2021, Mobi, announced the establishment of Mobility Insight USA, as a Florida-based company. The announcement took place at the Israel International Innovation Expo. "Dov Ganor and the Mobility Insights team have demonstrated industry leading expertise in traffic related intelligence for more than twenty years, and Mobi has spent the last 7 years building upon and commercializing its business plan and solutions where WAZE left off after its acquisition," comments A.J. Ripin, Strategic Advisor, Global Blockchain Ventures. "I first met Mobi in Tel Aviv during Florida Governor DeSantis' economic-development mission to Israel. GBV is excited to support Mobi and its mission to revolutionize road network demand management and help cities move swiftly toward smart & sustainable mobility." The proceeds will be used as working capital to help Mobility Insights expand its operations in Florida and the United States through talent acquisition, business development, and operations. Mobi's accomplishments include state-wide traffic analytics to the Israeli Ministry of Transport, support of Atlanta's traffic management center in reducing congestion around its downtown events area, including the 2019 Super Bowl, and is currently the analytics provider on a team working with the U.S. Transportation Research Board's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) to develop an analytical framework and KPI-driven practices to support state transportation agencies' decision-making processes to create a scalable Traffic Management as a Service (TMaaS) Platform. "The results that we are seeing today are remarkable," said Vladimir Simon, Head of Economic Planning Department  Israeli Ministry Of Transport, regardingMobi's state-wide Demand model system implementation. "We now have the most advanced, comprehensive understanding of the movement of the people across Israel. We are not aware of any project like this in terms of magnitude and usage of big data technology. We would like to share our experience, our knowledge, and our best practices with Florida to jointly advanced smart and efficient traffic management."



Mobi's system covers the full operational cycle from data fusion to traffic plan automation - by using artificial intelligence, predictive simulations and IoT with connected-vehicle technology, it enables policy makers, transportation planners and traffic controllers to pinpoint bottleneck emergence, disseminate traffic load build-up and pre-empt gridlocks. Mobility situational awareness, real time actionable insights and adaptive traffic network management provide the smart city key to unlock the grid. "Mobi's Traffic Management as a Service (TMaaS) solution orchestrates all the tools that are needed for the full cycle of traffic management. TMaaS enables national, state, and local governments to proactively reduce congestion by maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of their transportation policies, planning, and operations. TMaaS also enables governments to develop new revenue streams to fund infrastructure, such as pay per use," cites Dov Ganor, Mobi's CEO, "We come from the tech hub of Israel to provide a cutting-edge traffic management solution addressing Florida's traffic congestion challenges - to unlock the traffic grid and provide better traveler experience."

About Global Blockchain Ventures Fund, LP Global Blockchain Ventures Fund, LP ("Global Blockchain Ventures," "GBV") is a blockchain-focused venture capital fund specializing in blockchain-enabled applications within synergistic technology platforms including Internet of Things, MedTech, Artificial Intelligence, and Healthcare. www.gbv.fund About Mobility Insight Ltd. Mobility Insight (Mobi) addresses one of the toughest problems of the urban environment - traffic load reaching full network capacity. The company's operational Traffic Management as a Service (TMaaS) cloud software provides an advanced solution for today's traffic network and tomorrow's connected vehicle ecosystem - enabling road authorities to understand traffic dynamics, optimize flow and proactively alleviate congestion across any road network. As such, TMaaS drives digital transformation in the traffic management center, supporting the full decision-making life cycle, from mobility situational awareness, evaluation of alternative mitigation strategies and setting a course of action, to assessment of network impact. TMaaS has established a clear value proposition in effectiveness and efficiency, based on big data fusion, driven by real-time descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, and delivering AI-powered decision support. www.mobilityinsight.net The company headquarters is in Israel and its North American headquarters in Florida, with operational sites on both high demand road networks and state-wide networks - providing road authorities with a turnkey solution to their network's demand and performance management challenges. LEGAL DISCLAIMER The information set forth in this press release includes statements, estimates, projections with respect to our anticipated future performance and other forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "future" or "continue", the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations and are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, estimates and projections are based upon various assumptions that we made concerning our anticipated results and industry trends, which may or may not occur. We are not making any representations as to the accuracy of these statements, estimates or projections. Our actual performance may be materially different from the statements, estimates or projections set forth below. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements to conform them to actual results or revised expectations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005869/en/

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Eutelsat Completes OneWeb Equity Investment

Regulatory News:

Eutelsat (News - Alert) Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) confirms the closing of its $550m equity investment in OneWeb announced on April 27, 2021. Subject to completion of the subsequently announced investments in OneWeb by Bharti and Hanwha, Eutelsat will hold a 17.6% stake.

Rodolphe Belmer, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat, said: "We are delighted to close this investment in OneWeb, giving us a foothold in the Low Earth Orbit segment. We look forward to working in co-operation with OneWeb as its entry into operational service fast approaches, with almost 50% of the constellation now in orbit."

About Eutelsat Communications

Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communicaions 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/20210908005845/en/
[September 08, 2021] ADM Endeavors, Inc. (OTCQB: ADMQ) Announces New Contract with the Klein ISD and New Orders with Dallas Police Department Dive Team (D.U.R.T)

ADM Endeavors, Inc. (OTCQB: ADMQ), announced today that our wholly owned subsidiary, Just Right Products, Inc., has been awarded a new contract with KLEIN ISD for Awards, Trophies, Specialty Clothing and Items. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005298/en/ ADMQ New Contract with Klein ISD and D.U.R.T (Graphic: Business Wire) Klein ISD serves unincorporated portions of northern Harris County, Texas, and includes the communities and neighborhoods of Klein, Kohrville, Louetta, and parts of North Houston. KISD covers 87.5 square miles in Harris County and has 32 elementary schools, ten intermediate schools, and five high schools. This week Bruce and his team will start the fitting process for the cities of Everman and Flower Mound for employees in specific departments. Once the fitting is complete the cities will issue new purchase orders. We are also excited to be selected to make the T-Shirts for the Dallas Police Departments Dive team. The Dallas Underwater Recovery Team (DURT) is a specialized unit of the Dallas Police Department which handles year-round underwater search and recovery work. Klein Independent School District - https://kleinisd.net/

Dallas Police Dive Team - https://dallaspolice.net/division/underwaterrecoveryteam/welcome ADM Endeavors CEO Marc Johnson said, "Bruce Boyce continues to bring in new government contract because of his diligence and great customer service. We have added an additional support person to help him handle the increased work load directly related to all the new business Bruce has brought in. We will continue to support Bruce's department to give him the time needed to add more contracts." >



About ADMQ: Since 2010, our wholly owned subsidiary, Just Right Products, Inc., has been consistently increasing sales, with sales topping $5.6 million over the last 12 months. The Company sells "Anything With A Logo" on its website, www.JustRightProducts.com, developing products ranging from unique business cards to coffee cups, T-shirts to boots, with tens of thousands of other unique products from which to select. Just Right Products, Inc. operates a diverse vertical integrated business in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, consisting of a retail sales division, screen print production, embroidery production, digital production, import wholesale sourcing, and uniforms. www.admendeavors.com

www.fwpromo.com

www.justrightproducts.com

https://uscbdlogo.com

https://247365threads.com/

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https://fortworth.academicoutfitters.com/ Forward Looking Statement:

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any statements that are not historical facts contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "strategy," "expects," "continues," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "would," "will," "estimates," "intends," "projects," "goals," "targets" and other words of similar meaning are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions or economic conditions with respect to the retail industry, the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance of management, actions of government regulators, vendors, and suppliers, our cash flows and ability to obtain financing, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005298/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Sila Rolls out Breakthrough Engineered Material for Li-ion Batteries With WHOOP 4.0, the First Commercially Available Device Powered With Sila Science

Sila, a next generation battery materials company, is bringing to market the most significant breakthrough in battery chemistry in 30 years - the technology to replace graphite anodes - which will usher in a new era of energy storage. Sila's silicon anode chemistry dramatically increases the energy density of batteries, reducing battery size without sacrificing safety or performance. Proven and now commercially available in WHOOP 4.0, the latest fitness and health wearable from WHOOP, the human performance company, Sila science has the ability to unlock innovations in consumer product design, the electric vehicle industry, and renewable energy. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005913/en/ Sila is bringing to market the most significant breakthrough in battery chemistry in 30 years - the technology to replace graphite anodes - which will usher in a new era of energy storage. Sila's silicon anode chemistry dramatically increases the energy density of batteries, reducing battery size without sacrificing safety or performance. (Graphic: WHOOP) Today, Sila's materials increase the energy density of batteries by nearly 20 percent and have the potential to do so by up to 40 percent, without compromising cycle life, power, safety or other performance parameters. This innovation marks a significant step toward the electrification of everything, which has been stalled in recent years by mnimal improvements to traditional Li-ion chemistry. The technology also facilitates the development of new and unique product features for mobile devices not previously possible due to energy density and battery size constraints - better cameras, augmented reality/virtual reality sensors, wireless charging, 5G speeds, and sensors for continuous health monitoring.



"After 10 years, 55,000 iterations, and over a 1,000x manufacturing scale up, the Sila team is the first to industrialize and now make commercially available a new type of lithium-ion chemistry with dramatically higher energy density. Our next-generation materials will drive radical change in product innovation, freeing consumers and device makers from having to choose between better design, more features, and battery performance," said Gene Berdichevsky, CEO and Co-Founder of Sila. "We are running out of time to transition from the fossil fuels economy to the energy storage economy. The path to a sustainable future will be paved with great products and Sila is proud to be enabling those products today." WHOOP 4.0, the most advanced 24/7 fitness and health wearable, is the first product in the market to use next-generation silicon anode materials. Powered with Sila science, WHOOP 4.0 is a smaller, sleeker product with 17 percent higher energy density-enabling a 5-day battery life and enhanced sensors for improved fitness tracking. These advances were achieved without altering existing manufacturing processes, making it faster and easier for WHOOP and its battery manufacturing partner to incorporate Sila materials into its newest wearable.

"One of the greatest barriers to advancing the design of wearable technologies has been the weight and size of the battery technology available," said John Capodilupo, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer at WHOOP. "With Sila, all that has changed. We've been able to transform WHOOP 4.0 from its previous version and load it with new features and capabilities, without battery performance compromise. Just as we have leveraged this new battery advancement to push the wearable industry forward, Sila's technology has the potential to enable exciting design innovation in other categories and products." From chips to displays to cameras to connectivity, consumer electronics pave the way for significant innovations in other industries. So too, with advanced battery materials. Automakers and cell manufacturers are looking to next-generation battery technology - in the pursuit of longer driving range, faster charging, and greater affordability - to reach their electrification goals. Through partnerships with leading auto OEMs and cell makers, Sila is producing innovation at scale to unlock new product design possibilities, remove the current barriers of energy storage, and create a path to the sustainable future we need. ABOUT SILA Founded in 2011, Sila is a next generation battery materials company accelerating energy transformation for a more sustainable future. Sila is industrializing breakthrough science- utilizing their advanced silicon anode materials- to catalyze a new energy storage era that propels radical product innovation and alleviates the world's dependence on fossil fuels. Through deep technical ambition, persistence, and purpose, the Sila team is delivering innovative technology to market today, moving us one step closer to the electrification of everything. Major investors include 8VC, Bessemer Venture Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Coatue, Daimler, In-Q-Tel (News - Alert) , Matrix Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. For more information, visit www.silanano.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005913/en/

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[September 08, 2021] CoreLogic Estimates $16 Billion to $24 Billion in Insured and Uninsured Flood Losses in the Northeast from Tropical Storm Ida

CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released additional loss estimates for Hurricane Ida, following its initial release estimating between $27 billion and $40 billion in insured and uninsured losses from wind, storm surge and inland flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi. According to this new analysis, specifically for the U.S. Northeast, subsequent Tropical Storm Ida caused an estimated $16 billion to $24 billion in insured and uninsured inland flood losses to residential and commercial properties. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005986/en/ Tropical Storm Ida Estimated Residential and Commercial Flood Losses (Damage in $ Billions) (Graphic: Business Wire) Total insured flood loss for residential and commercial properties in the U.S. Northeast is estimated to be between $5 billion and $8 billion, while uninsured flood loss for this area is estimated to be between $11 billion and $16 billion. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts sustained approximately 90% of the losses. "Given the prevalence of multifamily housing and below-ground structures in these areas, we'll see more extreme interior content damages than we typically see in southern coastal areas," said Shelly Yerkes, senior leader, insurance solutions at CoreLogic. "For example, many of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in New York City buildings are in the basements, so contents damage should be substantial." After Hurricane Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon, La. on August 26, it continued to travel northeast as it downgraded to a tropical storm status, bringing devastating rainfall of six-to-nine inches in three hours in New Yok, New Jersey and surrounding states. This record-setting precipitation caused a flash flood event as the rain overwhelmed storm water drainage systems in urban areas where the average monthly rainfall is approximately three inches and little green space exists to absorb sudden inundations of water. Tropical Storm Ida's flood event affected a region nearby Superstorm Sandy's impact area in 2012, which caused extensive storm surge-related flooding along the coastlines and shorelines of the East River and the Hudson River. Catastrophic weather events like these are becoming more common and local governments and property owners are taking note, making infrastructure and home resilience improvements in the wake of the recent storms.



"The flooding from Superstorm Sandy was more severe than Tropical Storm Ida," said David Smith (News - Alert) , senior leader of science and analytics at CoreLogic. "Due to the repairs made in 2012, such as strengthening buildings and infrastructure and addressing deferred maintenance, New York was less vulnerable. Tropical Storm Ida's effects on New Yorkers would have been worse if we hadn't conducted these resilience-based repairs after Superstorm Sandy." This analysis includes residential homes and commercial properties, including contents and business interruption and does not include broader economic loss from the storm.

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 flood modeling using 10m digital elevation model (DEM) and structure- and parcel-based geocoding precision from PxPoint facilitates this realistic view of risk, including both fluvial (riverine) and pluvial (surface) flooding. 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 and commercial properties are also included. Source (News - Alert) : CoreLogic 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/20210908005986/en/

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[September 08, 2021] LuminDx Announces Name Change to Piction Health

LuminDx, a digital health company building an AI-powered smartphone app to help front-line healthcare clinicians quickly and accurately identify skin conditions, today announced that it has changed its name to Piction Health. The name change reflects how the company helps physicians and other clinicians identify and act regarding skin conditions through its AI application that recognizes conditions with the simple upload of a picture. Founded in 2017 by Susan Conover, a graduate of MIT's (News - Alert) System Design and Management Program, the company's app uses computer vision and machine learning to analyze images and related information to provide physicians with a quick way to compare and determine a patient's skin condition. Piction Health is building and combining large scale image collections of skin conditions from institutions worldwide with photographs and information from practicing dermatologists to create an extensive, robust platform to support the ability to help as many patients as possible. "Each year, 2.3 billion people seek help for skin issues worldwide, with two-thirds of these cases evaluated by non-specialists; 5% are misdiagnosed," said Susan Conover, CEO and Founder, Piction Health. "Our mission is to help transform care delivery using AI to support primary care physicians and other clinicians to quickly and appropriately triage patients. Our aim is to improve outcomes for patients and accelerate those patients needing specialty care, so every patient gets the right care at the right time."



"Dermatology software innovation has lagged behind radiology, pathology, and other medical imaging fields," continues Conover. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen virtual care play a major role in effectively helping patients with skin issues remotely. We anticipate this trend will continue going forwarding and Piction Health will be available to help." For more information, visit www.pictionhealth.com. About Piction Health

Piction Health headquartered in Boston, is developing cutting-edge technologies to help primary care physicians and front-line clinicians make quick and accurate decisions for every patient with a skin condition, every time. For more information, http://www.pictionhealth.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005989/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Century Turbo Aero Commander Still Flying Strong

Recently, Hurricane Ida has devastated a significant portion of Louisiana and parts of surrounding eastern states. On August 29, 2021, aircraft N940U dispatched on an aerial survey mission out of Horn Lake, Mississippi, where Sanborn has a hanger for the plane. N940U, a 1969 Turbo II Commander 680W, responded flying another aerial survey mission in its 52-year life, as it always has. With a certificate of air worthiness issued in April of 1969, the aircraft operates daily by Sanborn of Colorado Springs, Colorado who purchased the plane in 2006. N940U is still flying due to its maintenance team consisting of Ed Dent, Katie Heuermann, and Rodney Wingert of Sanborn with support from Ruben Correa of Aerofix Structural Services in Horn Lake. The Sanborn plane, piloted by Shelton (Tait) Fisher, with a camera operated by Randy Jakus, flew numerous missions collecting high-resolution aerial survey imagery in severely devastated parts of Louisiana to aid in response to the hurricane. Landing at airports damaged by the hurricane with no electricity, running water, or toilets, in over 100 degree heat, the airport ground and aircraft crew were able to refuel the plane to keep the mission going. Mr. Fisher commented, "Although the N940U is over 50 years old, it is still a very stable and reliable aircraft that can navigate the thunderstorms and high winds for high-resolution imagery collection." Mr. Fisher also flew N940U in response to Hurricane Maria collecting the entire island of Puerto Rico basing out of Puta Cana, Dominican Republic due to the devastation at the San Juan Airport.



With N940U providing an impressive 52 years of service, Sanborn thanks those employees of the North American Rockwell Corporation in 1969 who built the aircraft and forecasts significant future contributions to aerial survey missions along with the rest of an 11 aircraft fleet operated by Sanborn. ABOUT THE SANBORN MAP COMPANY, INC.

Sanborn (www.sanborn.com) is a preeminent innovator in the geospatial industry, delivering state-of-the-art mapping, visualization, Web GIS and 3D solutions to customers worldwide. Embracing cutting-edge technology, Sanborn specializes in a host of geospatial software products such as, oblique imagery, lidar, orthophotography, 3D visualization, indoor mapping, and more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005269/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Helping Our Communities Stay Safe: PG&E and California Fire Foundation Announce Grantees for Wildfire Safety Funding

The California Fire Foundation (CFF) has awarded a total of $680,000 in wildfire safety grants to 55 local fire departments, fire agencies and community groups. The funding will support purchasing personal protective and specialized equipment for firefighters, defensible space and vegetation management work, fuels and hazards reduction, and fire safety public education and outreach. The grants are part of a broad Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP) that is administered and managed by the CFF. Pacific Gas and Electric Company ( PG&E (News - Alert) ) supports the program with $1.4 million in charitable funding. The program's objective is to raise awareness about wildfire safety and bring resources to underserved communities in high fire-threat areas. The 2021 grantees are listed below. For a 2020 summary of the WSPP, click here. "Once again, we are experiencing an extremely destructive wildfire season throughout the state that is impacting communities far and wide," said Rick Martinez, Executive Director of the California Fire Foundation. "Grant funding from the 2021 Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program aims to bring additional resources to fire departments and local organizations to give them extra support to help keep our communities safe." Since 2018, 200 fire departments and fire agencies statewide have received funding through the WSPP. Funding targets specific communities identified as having extreme or elevated fire risk as identified by the California Public Utilities Commission High Fire-Threat District map. "As California's wildfire risk continues to grow, it will take all of us working together to find solutions to mitigate catastrophic wildfires. We're grateful to partner with CFF in supporting dozens of fire departments, agencies and community groups to bolster key defenses, including tools and strategies to prevent and contain wildfires, and fire safety education," said Carla Peterman, PG&E Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs. The WSPP focuses on two key areas to help keep communities safe: A Wildfire Safety Campaign that features fire safety education, developed by CFF, in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hmong to promote early evacuation during fires. The WSPP has worked hard to overcome language barriers by developing and distributing in-language fire-safety messaging. This campaign includes advertising on radio, television, and digital ads, and outdoor billboards in high fire-threat areas. A Grant Program administered by the CFF through an application process. The CFF awards grants to recipient fire departments, agencies and community groups in support of projects and programs focusing on wildfire/disaster prevention, preparedness and/or relief and recovery assistance. How the Grants Help Communities PG&E's contribution continues a four-year collaboration with CFF. PG&E has provided $4.6 million in total support for fire safety awareness through the WSPP. The charitable contribution is shareholder-funded, not funded by PG&E customers. The CFF, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, aids firefighters, their families and the communities they protect. The CFF's Firefighters on Your Side program, also supported by PG&E, provides multi-lingual, culturally relevant fire safety messaging in both digital and print form, to assist the public in staying safe. List of 2021 WSPP Grantees







AidTeam Arcata Volunteer Firefighters' Association Artois Fire Protection District Bayliss Fire Protection District Big Pine Fire Protection District Briceland Volunteer Fire Department Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County CERV of the Monterey Peninsula Chico Fire Department Clements Rural Fire Protection District COPE Northern Sonoma County Cornerstone Family Counseling Services Cottonwood Fire Protection District Downieville Fire Protection District Elk Creek Fire Protection District (includes Elk Creek Volunteer FD) Elk Volunteer Fire Department Fall River Mills Fire Protection District Foothill Fire Protection District Foresthill Fire Protection District Fortuna Fire Protection District Hemet Fire Department Inter-Canyon League Jackson Valley Fire Protection District Kern River Conservancy Kids Rebuild Lake Pillsbury Fire Protection District Lemon Aide Project Lompoc Fire Department Mosquito Fire Protection District Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council Mountain Valley Fire Department One Step Beyond Orange (News - Alert) County Fire Ord Bend Fire Protection District Penn Valley Fire Protection District Placer Hills/Newcastle Fire Districts Ponderosa Fire Brigade Post Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Rescue Fire Protection District River Delta Fire District Santa Barbara County Fire Department Sequoia Fire Safe Council (Tulare County) - Tulare Co. Resource Conservation District Tehama Conservation Fund Tenants Together The American Lung Association The CREW Tuolumne Rancheria Fire Department Twain Harte CSD (Twain Harte Fire) Unite to Light United Way Fresno and Madera Counties West Stanislaus County Fire Protection District Williams Fire Protection Authority Yurok Fire Department Zamora Fire Protection District

About PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news. About California Fire Foundation The California Fire Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, provides emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect. Formed in 1987 by California Professional Firefighters, the California Fire Foundation's mandate includes an array of survivor and victim assistance projects and community initiatives. cafirefoundation.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006002/en/

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[September 08, 2021] KBS Sells 593,527 Square-Foot LEED-Gold Class A Office Tower in Denver, Colorado

KBS, one of the largest investors in premier commercial real estate, has sold Granite Tower, a 31-story, 593,527 square-foot LEED Gold-certified Class A office tower in downtown Denver, Colorado. The property, part of KBS REIT II, was purchased via a joint venture by CP Group and Related Fund Management. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005525/en/ KBS Sells Granite Tower in Denver, Colorado (Photo: Business Wire) The transaction demonstrates the resilience of superior office assets in ideal locations in key markets across the country, according to Gio Cordoves, Western regional president for KBS. "KBS understands how critical location is to the performance of commercial real estate properties, especially during times of uncertainty and disruption," says Cordoves. "Many investors turn to markets like Denver, which has been growing rapidly for the last 20-plus years and is positioned for continued growth post-pandemic." KBS originally purchased Granite Tower in 2010. Built in 1983 as part of a four-tower development and formerly known as Stellar Plaza and Plaza Tower, the asset today consists of 593,527 square feet of office space. The property, which contains a 774-space, three-level parking structure with 615 spaces dedicated to its office tenants, is adjacent to the Ritz Carlton, at the gateway to Denver's Lower Downtown Historic District (LoDo), and with close proximity to Coors Field and the redeveloped Union Station. KBS recently completed a series of renovations to Granite Tower,which included constructing a brand-new, state-of-the-art, three-story glass lobby. In addition to the soaring glass entry, the new lobby features renowed chef, Troy Guard's restaurant Bubu, modern seating areas, and beautiful marble and wood walls. The renovation also included an open deck offering indoor/outdoor collaboration space for tenants, a new conference room and breakout areas, modern tenant lounge area, a best-in-class fitness center with showers/lockers, and secure bike storage. KBS has also renovated the multitenant corridors and restrooms as well as replaced the HVAC units.



"KBS' recent renovations to Granite Tower are an excellent example of how we take a hands-on approach to managing our properties," says Tim Helgeson, asset manager for Granite Tower and senior vice president for KBS. "It is our attention to detail and forward-thinking strategy with these Class A assets that attract both tenants and investors time and again." Tim Richey, Jenny Knowlton, Chad Flynn, Charley Will and Alex Mulvihill with CBRE represented KBS in the sale of Granite Tower.

"The new modernized experience that KBS has brought to Granite Tower increased its appeal to buyers even in light of the pandemic," says Richey, vice chairman of CBRE. "Office investors who have been watching the Denver market continue to grow have had this property in their sights for years." Attorneys Bruce Fischer and Howard Chu, and paralegal Amanda Kennedy, of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP's Orange (News - Alert) County office, together with attorney Mark Baker in Greenberg Traurig's Denver office, represented KBS as legal counsel in the disposition. "We were very pleased to represent KBS in this significant strategic transaction," said Fischer, Greenberg Traurig's Chair of the West Coast Real Estate Practice and Co-Managing Shareholder of the Orange County Office, who led the Greenberg Traurig team representing KBS. Granite Tower is located at 1099 18th Street in Denver, Colorado. Please find photos of the property here. About KBS KBS is one of the largest investors of premier commercial real estate in the nation. As a private equity real estate company and an SEC (News - Alert) -registered investment adviser, KBS and its affiliated companies have completed transactional activity of more than $43 billion on behalf of private and institutional investors globally. Founded in 1992 by Peter Bren and Chuck Schreiber, KBS acquires and operates prime commercial real estate in some of the most successful epicenters in the country. The firm is committed in its business ethics, its business relationships, and its constant focus on exceeding the expectations of its investors, partners, and tenants. SEC registration as an investment advisor does not imply any particular level of skill or training. For more information on KBS, please visit www.kbs.com. This release may contain 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, including statements relating to KBS Real Estate Investment Trust II's ability to invest in and manage a diverse portfolio, and the performance of Granite Tower and of the Denver, Colorado real estate market. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause KBS Real Estate Investment Trust II's and/or Granite Tower's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. About CP Group Active in the commercial real estate business for over 35 years, CP Group, formerly Crocker Partners, has established a reputation as a premier owner, operator, and developer of office and mixed-use projects throughout the Southeast and Southwest United States. Since 1986, CP Group has acquired and managed over 161 properties, totaling over 51 million square feet and representing over $6.5 billion invested. They are currently Florida's largest and Atlanta's second-largest office landlord and rank 27th largest in the United States. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, the firm has regional offices in Atlanta, Miami, Jacksonville, Dallas, and Washington DC. To learn more about the company, visit CPGcre.com. About Related Fund Management Related Fund Management is the third-party investment manager affiliated with Related Companies and currently manages approximately $9.7 billion in commingled funds and separately managed accounts on behalf of public and private pension plans, endowments, family offices and sovereign wealth funds. RFM currently has a team of 45 professionals headquartered in New York City with additional offices in Dallas and Los Angeles. Since inception in 2010, RFM has invested across all portions of the capital stack and in all major real estate sectors. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005525/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Further Strengthens Pipeline of Diverse Students

As part of its commitment to increasing diversity in the veterinary profession, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) is pleased to announce the expansion of the Ross Vet Articulation Partner Scholarship initiative for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Historically Black Universities and Colleges (HBCUs). The scholarships, which are available to students who intend to begin the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM) program in the 2021-22 academic year, are offered through a growing number of partnerships that now include Saint Peter's University, an HSI, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore, an HBCU. RUSVM, which is part of workforce solutions provider Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), now has six articulation partners to date with HSIs and HBCUs. "By partnering with institutions and organizations that serve a diverse population of students, we can not only create career opportunities for underserved students, but also improve representation in the communities they go on to serve," said Dean of RUSVM Sean Callanan, MVB, CERTVR, MRCVS, PHD, FRCPATH, DIPLECVP. At RUSVM, more than 30% of students enrolled last year identified as a person of color, compared to about 20% nationally as reported by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges1. Click here to read the full story: https://www.adtalem.com/newsroom/press-releases/ross-university-school-of-veterinary-medicine-announces-expansion-of-scholarship-initiative-to-further-strengthen-pipeline-of-diverse-students



About Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine: http://veterinary.rossu.edu About Adtalem Global Education

Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider, partners with organizations in the healthcare and financial services industries to solve critical workforce talent needs by expanding access to education, certifications and upskilling programs at scale. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to the global community. Adtalem is the parent organization of ACAMS, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Adtalem has more than 10,000 employees, a network of more than 275,000 alumni and serves over 82,000 members across 200 countries and territories. Adtalem was named one of America's Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek and one of America's Best Employers for Diversity 2021 by Forbes. 1 https://www.aavmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-AAVMC-Annual-Data-Report.pdf View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006019/en/

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[September 08, 2021] UBS Declares Coupon Payments on 5 ETRACS Exchange Traded Notes

UBS Investment Bank today announced coupon payments for 5 ETRACS Exchange Traded Notes (the "ETNs"), all traded on the NYSE Arca (News - Alert) .







NYSE Ticker ETN Name and

Prospectus

Supplement* Coupon

Valuation

Date Ex-Date Record Date Payment

Date Coupon

Amount Payment

Schedule Current Yield

(annualized) HDLB** ETRACS Monthly Pay 2x Leveraged US High Dividend Low Volatility ETN Series B 8/30/2021 9/10/2021 9/13/2021 9/21/2021 $0.0683 Monthly 8.93% SMHB** ETRACS Monthly Pay 2x Leveraged US Small Cap High Dividend ETN Series B 8/30/2021 9/10/2021 9/13/2021 9/21/2021 $0.1013 Monthly 12.65% PFFL** ETRACS Monthly Pay 2x Leveraged Preferred Stock ETN 8/30/2021 9/10/2021 9/13/2021 9/21/2021 $0.1514 Monthly 7.89% CEFD** ETRACS Monthly Pay 1.5X Leveraged Closed-End Fund Index ETN 8/30/2021 9/10/2021 9/13/2021 9/21/2021 $0.2603 Monthly 10.05% MVRL** ETRACS Monthly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Mortgage REIT ETN 8/30/2021 9/10/2021 9/13/2021 9/21/2021 $0.1635 Monthly 12.71%

* The table above provides a hyperlink to the relevant prospectus and supplements thereto for each of our ETRACS ETNs, which are identified by their names. For more information on each ETRACS ETN, see "List of ETNs". ** "Current Yield (annualized)" equals the current Coupon Amount and the two immediately preceding Coupon Amounts, multiplied by four (to annualize such coupons), divided by the closing Current Indicative Value of the ETN on its current Coupon Valuation Date rounded to two decimal places for ease of analysis. The Current Yield is not indicative of future coupon payments, if any, on the ETN. You are not guaranteed any coupon or distribution amount under the ETN. Note: HDLB, SMHB and PFFL pay a variable monthly coupon linked to 2 times the cash distributions, if any, on the respective underlying index constituents, less withholding taxes, if any. CEFD and MVRL pay a variable monthly coupon linked to 1.5 times the cash distributions, if any, on the respective underlying index constituents, less withholding taxes, if any. Variations in the amount of monthly distributions will lead to large variations in the Current Yield as calculated above. As such, the Current Yield for each is not indicative of future coupon payments, if any, on these ETNs. About ETRACS ETRACS ETNs are senior unsecured notes issued by UBS AG, are traded on NYSE Arca, and can be bought and sold through a broker or financial advisor. An investment in ETRACS ETNs is subject to a number of risks, including the risk of loss of some or all of the investor's principal, and is subject to the creditworthiness of UBS AG. Investors are not guaranteed any coupon or distribution amount under the ETNs. We urge you to read the more detailed explanation of risks described under "Risk Factors" in the applicable prospectus supplement for the ETRACS ETN. UBS AG has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and supplements thereto) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC (News - Alert) , for the offerings of securities to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, along with the applicable prospectus supplement to understand fully the terms of the securities and other considerations that are important in making a decision about investing in the ETRACS. The applicable offering document for each ETRACS may be obtained by clicking on the name of each ETRACS identified above. You may also get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. The securities related to the offerings are not deposit liabilities and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, Switzerland or any other jurisdiction. About UBS UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS is the largest truly global wealth manager, and a leading personal and corporate bank in Switzerland, with a large-scale and diversified global asset manager and a focused 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, 30% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 21% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs more than 72,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This material is issued by UBS AG and/or any of its subsidiaries and/or any of its affiliates ("UBS"). Products and services mentioned in this material may not be available for residents of certain jurisdictions. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Please consult the restrictions relating to the product or service in question for further information. Activities with respect to US securities are conducted through UBS Securities LLC, a US broker/dealer. Member of SIPC (http://www.sipc.org/). ETRACS ETNs are sold only in conjunction with the relevant offering materials. UBS has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by the applicable prospectus supplement, for the offering of the ETRACS ETNs) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read these documents and any other documents that UBS has filed with the SEC for more complete information about UBS and the offering to which this communication relates. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, you can request the prospectus and applicable prospectus supplement, by calling toll-free (+1-877-387 2275). In the US, securities underwriting, trading and brokerage activities and M&A advisor activities are provided by UBS Securities LLC, a registered broker/dealer that is a wholly owned subsidiary of UBS AG, a member of the New York Stock Exchange and other principal exchanges, and a member of SIPC. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a registered broker/dealer and affiliate of UBS Securities LLC. The financial instrument is not sponsored, promoted, sold or supported in any other manner by Solactive AG nor does Solactive AG offer any express or implicit guarantee or assurance either with regard to the results of using the Index and/or Index trade mark or the Index Price at any time or in any other respect. The S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index is a service mark of S-Network Global Indexes, Inc. ("S-Network") and its use is granted under a license from S-Network. S-Network does not guarantee the accuracy and/or completeness of the S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index or any data included therein, and S-Network shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, interruptions, or defects therein. S-Network makes no warranty, express or implied, representations or promises, as to results to be obtained by UBS AG, or any other person or entity from the use of the S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index or any data included therein. S-Network makes no express or implied warranties, representations or promises, regarding the originality, merchantability, suitability, non-infringement, or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall S-Network have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive, consequential, or other damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages. The ETRACS Monthly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Mortgage REIT ETN ("ETN") is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Market Vectors Index Solutions GmbH ("Licensor") and Licensor makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETN or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETN particularly or the ability of the Market Vectors US Mortgage REITs Index to track the performance of the US mortgage REIT market. The ETRACS Monthly Pay 1.5x Leveraged Mortgage REIT ETN ("ETN") is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Market Vectors Index Solutions GmbH ("Licensor") and Licensor makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETN or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETN particularly or the ability of the Market Vectors US Mortgage REITs Index to track the performance of the US mortgage REIT market. UBS specifically prohibits the redistribution or reproduction of this communication in whole or in part without the prior written permission of UBS and UBS accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.  UBS 2021. The key symbol, UBS and ETRACS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. Other marks may be trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved. 1 Individual investors should instruct their broker/advisor/custodian to call us or should call together with their broker/advisor/custodian. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005993/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Culdesac Tempe Announces First-of-its-Kind Mobility Program to Make Car-Free Living a Reality

Culdesac is announcing a first-of-its-kind series of mobility partnerships to make car-free living convenient, affordable, and adaptable for every resident of Culdesac Tempe. The real estate technology company's new mobility partners include Valley Metro, Bird, Envoy, and Lyft. Through these mobility partnerships and other benefits, Culdesac is excited to announce that all Founding Residents will get access to $3,000 a year in mobility benefits, unlocking an ecosystem of options for car-free living. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006045/en/ Culdesac Tempe - Designed by Opticos (Photo: Business Wire) Culdesac, a 1,000-person development in Tempe, Arizona, is set to welcome its first residents in Summer 2022. It will have zero residential parking and no privately owned cars. Instead, residents will get around via rideshare, scooter share, light rail, carshare, and other transportation solutions. Rideshare On the rideshare front, Culdesac and Lyft are announcing an exclusive partnership to revolutionize the way that real estate developers work with rideshare companies. All Culdesac Tempe residents will receive a complimentary Lyft Pink membership, which offers 15% off all Lyft rides, relaxed cancellations, car rental upgrades, and priority airport pickups. Lyft pickup/dropoff locations will also be integrated around the community and on the Lyft app, ensuring seamless rideshare access. Lyft Regional Director Kaled Alhanafi commented, "Lyft is excited to partner with Culdesac to bring people an easy alternative to car ownership, with elevated benefits and on-demand rides through Lyft Pink. We are committed to providing environmentally friendly transportation options to residents in an effort to reduce congestion and emissions."



Scooter share Culdesac is also announcing partnerships with micromobility companies to bring the latest micro-transit technology to the site. Through an exclusive partnership with Bird, Culdesac Temple residents can enjoy discounted pricing and dedicated daily site-wide scooter deployment. This means that Culdesac Tempe residents will never be more than a one-minute walk away from a scooter. Together, Culdesac and Bird are working to redefine how micromobility can be integrated into the fabric of a real estate development from the ground up, from innovative scooter parking solutions to slow zones. Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden - "It is with this kind of revolutionary approach to living and transportation that we can really make waves in combating climate change and reducing our carbon emissions. Sustainable, eco-friendly mobility begins with a commitment to change and a vision to achieve meaningful, measurable results. Bird is proud to be a partner with Culdesac in this groundbreaking development and sees it as the first of many opportunities to introduce eco-friendly micromobility options to communities throughout the world, beginning in Tempe, AZ."

Transit (light rail, streetcar, bus) Given its location on the Smith-Martin/Apache Blvd light rail station, Valley Metro Rail plays an integral role in enabling travel for Culdesac's residents throughout Tempe, Phoenix, and Mesa. Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix amended regional fare policy transforming how residents of Culdesac access the "Valley Metro Platinum Pass," offering unlimited light rail, streetcar, and bus rides. This pass was previously only available to large employers and Culdesac Tempe will give all founding residents a complimentary Valley Metro Platinum Pass paid for by Culdesac. Culdesac CEO Ryan Johnson notes, "Transportation is a feedback loop. The more people use transit, the better the options become. That's why transit is a core part of Culdesac's approach to transportation, and why we're excited to give every founding resident unlimited access to reliable, convenient public transportation." Carshare Culdesac and Envoy have announced a partnership to have an all-EV fleet of on-site dedicated cars available for Culdesac Tempe residents to book by the hour or by the day, with affordable rates starting as low as $5/hr. These cars give residents the flexibility to use the car they need when they need it, to run errands or enjoy a road trip. Envoy CEO Aric Ohana - "Electric vehicles and shared mobility will have an enormous impact on the way we build our cities in the future. We will see changes to building codes as impactful as what we saw from the shift from horse and buggy to the personal automobile. Culdesac exemplifies what can be done by combining mobility as a standard of living. Less parking, more living." All mobility options are open to the general public, making Culdesac Tempe a vital mobility hub for the surrounding neighborhood. Gretchen Reinhardt, member of the local Escalante Neighborhood Association Council, notes that, "So far, over the 26 years I've lived in the Escalante neighborhood, light rail is the single change that has had the biggest positive impact. Culdesac's transportation hub initiatives hold similar neighborhood-wide transformative potential. I am thrilled about the proximity to a neighborhood with a forward-thinking mindset." Culdesac is redefining how real estate developers can offer transportation options to their residents. The mobility innovations of the last decade, including carshare, rideshare, and scooter share, are now fully integrated into the built environment and resident experience of Culdesac Tempe. Culdesac Tempe will be the best place to live car-free in the US. About Culdesac Culdesac is the world's first post-car real estate developer, building and managing the first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the US. Founded in 2018 by former Opendoor founding team member Ryan Johnson and economic development specialist Jeff Berens, Culdesac is backed by Khosla Ventures, Zigg Capital, Initialized Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Y Combinator. The company's headquarters are in Tempe, AZ. For more information, visit culdesac.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006045/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Solo.io Enables Hybrid Application Connectivity for Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Services (EKS) Anywhere, Providing Key Support for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solo.io , the application networking company, is partnering with Amazon EKS Anywhere to provide Kubernetes-native API gateway and service mesh capabilities to their new Amazon EKS Anywhere service. Amazon EKS Anywhere provides a new hybrid deployment option that enables organizations to easily create and operate Kubernetes clusters with GitOps on premises, while also connecting on-premises services and AWS-based services. For organizations looking to adopt this hybrid architecture, they will need application connectivity solutions such as API gateways and service meshes to integrate within hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Solo.io offers full support for Amazon EKS Anywhere running in any environment, bridging these potential gaps with its Gloo Edge for Envoy Proxy and Gloo Mesh for Istio products. As a result, enterprises can deploy consistent, secure, and reliable API gateways and service meshes everywhere they run EKS.

"As prominent leaders in the Istio and service mesh communities, we are proud to partner with AWS to bring enterprise Istio and API gateways to EKS Anywhere to solve application-network challenges on prem and in the public cloud, said Lin Sun, Director of Open Source, Solo.io. A majority of our customers run on AWS, so we are excited to build on our partnership around EKS. EKS Anywhere is an exciting new product that will enable customers to advance their cloud migration strategies, leverage existing on-prem capacity as well as comply with legal requirements such as data sovereignty. Amazon EKS Anywhere is a packaged distribution of EKS designed to run outside the AWS cloud, meaning customers can manage Kubernetes-orchestrated containers on premises and in other providers clouds  often connected back to EKS running in AWS. Amazon EKS customers must solve the service connectivity challenges everywhere they are running workloads, including in EKS Anywhere clusters on premises, across various clusters, or among private and public clouds. However, AWS App Mesh is bound to the AWS cloud, and customers running Kubernetes-orchestrated containerized applications in other environments need additional support. API gateways and service meshes that operate outside of AWS clouds and within hybrid environments are critical, as both help eliminate service connectivity roadblocks associated with traffic routing, security, reliability, and observability. Solo.ios enhanced Istio and Envoy Proxy solutions, Gloo Mesh and Gloo Edge, facilitate application connectivity for Amazon EKS customers. Gloo Mesh ensure connectivity, security, observability, and reliability for Kubernetes, VMs, and microservices applications with multi-cluster and hybrid cloud management. Meanwhile, Gloo Edge is an API gateway and ingress controller built on Envoy Proxy to facilitate and secure application traffic at the edge. Amazon EKS customers can now deploy container-based applications anywhere and enjoy secure, reliable, and consistent management of API gateways and service meshes to provide connectivity for their modern Kubernetes applications. This solution enables consistent GitOps and CI/CD everywhere for AWS and Solo.io customers.



Were pleased to work with AWS to provide customers with application connectivity solutions that can direct traffic between Kubernetes containers, microservices, and other applications running on premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. Amazon EKS Anywhere unlocks the potential for many new use cases, such as workload migration from on premises to public cloud, application modernization, bursting, data sovereignty, and more, said Idit Levine, founder and CEO, Solo.io. Solo.ios products align with the AWS containers business unit, and are particularly relevant to BYO-Kubernetes on Amazon EC2, Amazon EKS, EKS Distro, EKS Anywhere, and AWS Lambda. This AWS-Solo.io partnership will empower more enterprises in financial services, healthcare, telco, manufacturing, and more to easily reap the benefits of their applications minus the configuration headaches. Solo.io is in the Amazon Partner Network (APN) and continues to strengthen the relationship with AWS with innovative solutions for even more enterprises.

Amazon EKS Anywhere is available now. For more technical details, please read our blog. Additional Background for Customers Using Solo.io Products with AWS

From Zero to Gloo Edge in 15 Minutes: Amazon EKS Edition

Multi-cluster Istio on Amazon EKS and EKS Distro

Using Gloo Edge as an ingress gateway for AWS App Mesh

Amazon EKS Distro and multi-cluster operations

Vonage migration to Amazon EKS case study Resources Solo.io Website

Solo.io on Twitter

Solo.io on LinkedIn



About Solo.io Solo.io, the application networking company, delivers API infrastructure from the edge to service mesh, helping enterprises adopt, secure, and operate innovative cloud native technologies. APIs drive microservices and cloud native technologies, forming the foundation for developers, partners and customers to interact with application services quickly, effectively, and securely. Solo.io brings developer and operations tooling to manage and federate security and traffic control and tie together the integration points to enable and observe the application network. Founded in 2017 in Cambridge, MA, Solo.io is backed by Redpoint Ventures and True Ventures. For more information, visit https://www.solo.io/ or follow @soloio_inc. Media Contact Danielle Salvato-Earl

Offleash PR for Solo.io

solo@offleashpr.com



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[September 08, 2021] LiveToBeHappy, Inc. Announces New Investor Relations Partnership with Alpha IR Group

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LiveToBeHappy, Inc. (OTCM: CAVR, soon to be LTBH), a land developer and community home builder in the Southern U.S., with a differentiating technology marketing platform, today announced a partnership with the Alpha IR Group (Alpha IR), to help the Company complete its business transformation and enhance its go-forward investor messaging and engagement strategy.

Kevin Vincent Cox, Chief Executive Officer of LiveToBeHappy, Inc. (LiveToBeHappy), commented, We continue to make strong progress in advancing our transformational M&A strategy, which will reposition LiveToBeHappy as a vertically integrated, leading real estate company with a broader footprint, more diversified revenue stream, and a differentiating technology marketing platform. To complete our strategic messaging associated with these capital markets activities, and to provide a more holistic solution for our investor relations needs post close of these transactions, we have selected the Alpha IR Group to be our advisor moving forward. We are thrilled to be partnering with a strategic investor relations firm like Alpha IR as we look to sharpen our investment brand. We look forward to the expertise and guidance that the team will provide throughout the process and as we pivot to growth. Chris Hodges, CEO & Founder of Alpha IR Group, commented, We are excited to be partnering ith a dynamic company like LiveToBeHappy, with such strong growth potential. LiveToBeHappy has an experienced leadership team with deep real estate, technology knowledge and proven backgrounds driving transformational growth and platform integration. We are confident that Alpha IRs strategic and targeted approach will be instrumental as LiveToBeHappy enhances their investor messaging and brand awareness to drive shareholder value in the future.



About LiveToBeHappy, Inc.

LiveToBeHappy, Inc. is a land developer and community home builder in the Southern U.S., with a differentiating technology marketing platform. LiveToBeHappy, Inc.s wholly owned subsidiary, Sinacori Builders, is a residential land development and custom single- and multi-family home builder in Charlotte, NC. Looking forward, LiveToBeHappy, Inc. has several pending acquisitions under Letters of Intent which are expected to transform the Company into a vertically integrated real estate development company with a broader footprint and more diversified revenue stream. For more information, please visit our website at www.livetobehappy.com. About Alpha IR Group

The Alpha IR Group is a holistic investor relations and transactions/crisis advisory firm that protects, enhances and builds the investment brands of Americas leading companies. Alpha IR brings significant Wall Street, financial, and large agency experience to its clients, while retaining a small company, holistic approach. With deep sector expertise and senior-driven programs, Alpha IR is the right choice to manage its clients reputations, credibility, and ultimately, their valuation. The firm has offices in Chicago, New York, and Boston and represents over $100 billion of equity value trading on todays public exchanges. For more information, please visit: www.alpha-ir.com.

Investor Contacts: Alpha IR Group

Lisa Fortuna or Sam Cohen

LTBH@alpha-ir.com



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Two Harbors Investment Corp. to Participate in the 2021 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference

Two Harbors Investment Corp. (NYSE: TWO), an Agency + MSR mortgage real estate investment trust, announced today that Bill Greenberg, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer, and Mary Riskey, Chief Financial Officer, are scheduled to present at the 2021 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference. The presentation, scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, will include a discussion of the company's investment strategy and outlook.

The presentation will be webcast and made available on available on Two Harbors' website at http://www.twoharborsinvestment.com in the Investor Relations section under the Events and Presentations link. A replay of the event will be available for one year.







Two Harbors Investment Corp.

Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, is a real estate investment trust that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage servicing rights and other financial assets. Two Harbors is headquartered in Minnetonka, MN.

Additional Information

Stockholders of Two Harbors and other interested persons may find additional information regarding the company at the Securities and Exchange Commission's Internet site at www.sec.gov or by directing requests to: Two Harbors Investment Corp., 601 Carlson Parkway, Suite 1400, Minnetonka, MN, 55305, telephone 612-453-4100.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006056/en/
[September 08, 2021] Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of Ten New Airbus A321-200neo Aircraft and Sale & Lease-back of Five New Airbus A320-200neo Aircraft with Spirit Airlines

Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) announced today long-term lease placements for ten new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft and sale and lease-backs of five new Airbus A320-200neo aircraft with Spirit Airlines. The five A320neos are scheduled to deliver to Spirit Airlines in 2021 and 2022 and will be owned by one of ALC's managed aircraft ventures through funds managed by Waterfall Asset Management. The ten A321neos are scheduled to deliver to Spirit Airlines from ALC's orderbook with Airbus beginning in 2023 through 2024. "ALC is pleased to announce this transaction for fifteen Airbus A320 & A321neos with Spirit Airlines," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. "ALC is unmatched in our ability to offer highly customized fleet planning solutions to our airline partners. Combining sale and leasebacks for near term deliveries of Spirit's A320neos on behalf of our managed business with direct placement of ten of our A321neos from our orderbook with Airbus will further enhance Spirit Airlines' overall operations and commitment to maintain a highly competitive, fuel-efficient fleet." "We appreciate our partnership with ALC on the financing of 15 new aircraft delivering now through 2024. This partnership helps us to achieve our previously announced capacity plans for 2022 and 2023, and our targeted growth in 2024, as we Invest in the Guest and deliver new exciting destinations," said Scott Haralson, Chief Financial Officer of Spirit Airlines. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updatedunless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. ALC routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the "Investors" section of ALC's website at www.airleasecorp.com. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult the ALC website regularly for important information about ALC. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, ALC's website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

About Spirit Airlines Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) is committed to delivering the best value in the sky. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This allows our Guests to pay only for the options they choose - like bags, seat assignments and refreshments - something we call A La Smarte. We make it possible for our Guests to venture further and discover more than ever before. Our Fit Fleet is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S. We serve destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and are dedicated to giving back and improving those communities. Come save with us at spirit.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006053/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Uply Media, Inc Grows Value For NFTs With Blockchain Websites Flipping System

Uply Media, Inc a leading company creating Blockchain Websites, today announced Blockchain Websites Flipping System is the ultimate solution to increase the value of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and digital assets. Selecting a valuable Blockchain Domain name that has a proven track record of dot com value, keywords search value, and marketplace use is essential for the success of creating a valuable digital asset. Predicting that Blockchain Websites deemed DWeb (The Decentralized Web) 3.0 are the future of decentralized search online and the time to get in early is now while this trend is still in early infancy stages. Blockchain Websites are also NFTs, operating inside a decentralized ecosystem and created from a Blockchain Domain. They are unique as a new asset class that sits on top of a smart contract, such as the Dot Crypto extension on Ethereum's Blockchain ecosystem. "Blockchain Websites are NFTs that can be developed to add value, they shift beyond just being a collectible and relying on the market to determine value," states Kyle Ransom, Uply Media, Inc's EO, and Co-founder.



The future of decentralized search among Blockchain Websites is the biggest transformation since the first workable prototype of the Internet came in the late 1960s. Blockchain websites are on track to disrupt the Internet origin and are making way for developing new virtual economies. Uply Media, Inc has seen a surge in interest from brands to partner with Blockchain Websites as advertising and marketing partners. Allowing companies to spread brand awareness on Blockchain Websites and connect with consumers through peer-to-peer decentralized engagement.

Learn more about Uply Media, Inc's Blockchain Marketplace. Blockchain Websites prominent key features include: Smart Contracts

Accepting Variety Cryptocurrency Payments

Decentralized Ecosystem

ERC 721, NFTS (Non-Fungible Tokens) A Blockchain Domain is also considered to be a Cryptocurrency Domain that can be purchased below value, developed into Blockchain Websites similar to real estate investing, they are able to be resold for much greater value. An innovative solution for creating digital gold NFTs for fast sustainable growth. Please visit Uply Media, Inc online to order Blockchain Websites Flipping System. About Uply Media, Inc Uply Media, Inc is located in Alpharetta, Georgia operating from Metro Atlanta's top technology hub for innovations. The company is a leading Blockchain Technology Fintech Media Agency. Skilled also in online global publishing and software development. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006119/en/

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[September 08, 2021] Creality Taking Part In The Space Robotics Project Press Conference

BRASILIA, Brazil, Sept. 8, 2021 /CNW/ -- On 8th Sep 2021, Creality officialized a partnership with the Space Robotics Project, which is developed by the Brazilian National Fund for Education Development(FNDE), together with Brasilia's University(UnB), under the institutional support of Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation(MCTI), through the Brazilian Space Agency(AEB). As the official announcement of this project was in form of live event, the main beneficiary of this project -- teachers and students from all over the country joined live. The Chinese Embassy in Brazil also sent their representative to witness this grand live event about helping the local children chasing their space dreams through 3D technology. A company that devoted itself into public welfare Creality, a professional 3d printer manufacturer, specializes in integrating 3D printing software research, 3D printer design, and 3d printer distributing & reselling as a whole. The company has now grown as a well-recognized brand that has more than 1.6 million users around the world, the annual shipment exceeds 1.2 million pieces, and the growth never stops. With over 1000 professional R&D members and over 100 core patents of independent intellectual property rights, Creality is still not satisfied.



The Interesting Space Robotics Project Will Travel Over 11,000Km, Cover 150 Cities in Brazil

The whole project will last 4 months from Aug to Dec. 250 schools in 150 cities across the country will receive the 3D printers sponsored by Creality, and more than 25 schools will be visited by the TECNOMOB unit, a truck transformed into a mobile lab. In the course, each participating school receives licensees to utilize the educational platform, to be downloaded in the students cellphones, computers or tablets. With this fully interactive tool, the students learn how to assemble their own robots, in the device's screen, also learn about NASA's Artemis Mission, which serves as background for the robotics teaching APP. More Than a Single Project: Creality Is Welcoming Further Public Welfare Cooperation Due to the lack of machines and education, 3D technology is still a remote area in most countries, though it is promisingly listed as a critical technology that can change the whole world. This is exactly what Creality is pursuing when carry out public benefit activities. Over the past 7 years, Creality have made no bones about popularizing 3D printing technology for young people around the world, helping underprivileged students in any way they can, printing prosthetic limbs for children who have limb difference in Africa, and opening the doors of design for young designers. As a technology innovation enterprise, Creality has been transmitting 3D printing technology in the spirit of evangelists, so that every household can enjoy the convenience brought by science and technology. So far, Creality's 3D printers have already got good reputations among its users, the brand is also quite in favored by most of 3D printing lovers. However, the principal of helping more people in need never stops. Space Robotics project in Brazil is only a start. In the future, Creality would like to work with any organization from any country to pass along the public welfare spirit, as well as popularizing 3D technology to create a better world. Contact: Lee Larry, lizheng107122@creality.com, +86-19840800992 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/creality-taking-part-in-the-space-robotics-project-press-conference-301370656.html SOURCE CREALITY

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 South Korean-based logistics company to invest $10 million in new facility

 Project to create more than 80 new jobs in Montgomery County

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Shinhung Global USA Inc. officials announced today that the South Korean-based logistics company will invest $10 million to expand its operations by building a new distribution facility in Clarksville. The project will create 83 new jobs in Montgomery County.

As a major supplier for LG Electronics USA, the expansion will put the newest portion of the company in close proximity to LGs appliance manufacturing facility.

Shinhungs Clarksville location represents the companys sole U.S. operations. This expansion takes place only three years after locating in Clarksville and will continue to grow Shinhungs international operations in third-party logistics, global sourcing, forwarding and vendor managed inventory.

Over the last five years, TNECD has supported 10 economic development projects in Montgomery County, resulting in approximately 3,000 job commitments and $808 million in capital investment.

QUOTES

The decision by Shinhung Global USA Inc. to expand in Montgomery County underscores our states proven reputation as a global leader in the manufacturing industry. Since relocating to Clarksville just three years ago, Shinhung has experienced remarkable growth. I am grateful they continue to expand their workforce and invest in Tennessee.  Gov. Bill Lee

The transportation, logistics and distribution industry in Northern Middle Tennessee is booming. This year alone, companies have committed to create approximately 2,000 new jobs while investing $185 million in the region. Shinhung Global USA has been a great partner to Montgomery County and has contributed to the $545 million invested in Tennessee by Korean companies since 2016. We are proud to work alongside this company as it expands its international footprint in Clarksville.  TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe

"Since establishing our company in Tennessee in 2018, there have been many experiences that helped us decide to invest and move forward in building our own warehouse. We are excited to expand in both the state and Clarksville, and we really appreciate the help that this state, the Clarksville Industrial Development Board, and LG Electronics have provided to us as we expand our business. We hope to continue to be a valuable partner to Tennessee and the U.S.  Yu Sung Park, president, Shinhung Global USA Inc.

Welcome to our latest South Korean Company, Shinhung Global USA Inc. Their presence in the Montgomery County Industrial Park will be an important and added benefit in providing logistics and distribution services to LG as they continue producing the No. 1 consumer rated top-load washers in the United States. Shinhung Global USA Inc.s presence in our community helps us grow and diversify our population and our job opportunities. We wish them great success at their new 42-acre site.  Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett

"Shinhung Global USA is another example of our recruitment success breeding more success. Shinhung, which is an importer of industrial supplies, is a great addition to our industrial sector that, in this case, is growing to serve the needs of LG, one of the important international companies that have decided to bring major operations to Clarksville. We welcome Shinhung to our community."  Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts

TVA and Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation congratulate Shinhung Global USA Inc. on its decision to expand operations in Clarksville. We are proud to partner with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council to celebrate Shinhung Globals continued commitment to growth in the Valley.  John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development

This is great news for Clarksvilles economy. Shinhung Global USA Inc. expanding after only three years in Clarksville is a testament to not only the strength of the company but also the business-friendly economy in Montgomery County. Congratulations to Shinhung on their expansion, and I look forward to seeing their continued success in the future.  Sen. Bill Powers (R-Clarksville)

This expansion signifies a milestone for our business community and for Shinhung Global who are known for their innovation in making products that help to meet the needs of consumers. I congratulate Shinhung Global and their employees for their remarkable success.  Rep. Curtis Johnson (R-Clarksville)

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Developments mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment to the state and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.

TNECD Media Contact

Jennifer McEachern

Director of Communications and Marketing

(615) 336-2689

jennifer.mceachern@tn.gov

###
NASHVILLE --- Commissioner Jeff Long will join Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee Senator Becky Duncan Massey and state officials to honor individuals who have displayed outstanding public safety in their communities. The Three Stars of Tennessee Award will be presented to the families of seven courageous individuals who sacrificed their lives for Tennesseans. State officials will also honor first responders who work tirelessly to secure the safety of Tennessee citizens.

WHO: Governor Bill Lee

Tennessee Senator Becky Duncan Massey, Knoxville

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long

Tennessee Office of Homeland Security Director Greg Mays

WHAT: Three Stars of Tennessee Award and First Responders Ceremony

WHEN: Thursday, September 9, 2021

9:00 a.m. CST

WHERE: Hermitage Hills Baptist Church

3475 Lebanon Pike

Hermitage, Tennessee 37076

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Securitys mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee.

###
Inasmuch as American politics has become a dysfunctional dialectic, progressive Kansas City voters rarely consider their circumstances in the middle of the conservative right-wing heartland.

To wit . . .

Activist and Jackson County political contender Justice Horn shares a stark warning with local voters about the upcoming Missouri crackdown against abortion.



Here's the most relevant and accurate assessment of the political situation . . .



"Republicans in the Missouri Legislature are planning to introduce legislation that would ban abortions after six weeks, modeled on the Texas law that would take effect this week. If this bill is filed, passed, and signed into law here in Missouri, it would change the lives of over half of the 500,000 Kansas Citians who call Kansas City home. Its important that we show up, call, and email our state representatives to prevent this bill from going into effect here in Missouri. Moreover, its important that we also realize that as cisgender men, we could never undertand what cisgender woman, transgender indivduals, and non-binary people with uteruses are going through right now. Its our duty though to show up, center those voices, and stand in solidarity with those targeted by this law. "

And then . . . Justice Horn offers a guide to being an equitable progressive ally . . .



"We can start is by understanding that cisgender women are not the only ones who are effected by abortion bans. One thing I have noticed is that for those who may not have the privilege of passing and those who dont quite fit the mold, they often dont make it into discussions around reproductive justice. This can be quite harmful to our transgender and non-binary community members who are also effected by these abortion bans. Its important that we understand as cisgender men that cisgender women, transgender individuals, and our non-binary community members deserve to have visibility. We can ensure that by keeping our language and spaces inclusive for all."



Just a bit more perspective here . . .

"The second place we can start is by understanding that we are not supposed to have an opinion on this issue and that we have no space in this discussion. With great privilege comes even greater responsibility, and we must accept that we could never understand. Our privilege would be better used by showing up, listening, and amplifying the voices of those on the frontline of this. Its important that we also step aside and give the stage to the many people who are touched by these abortion bills being implemented across our country."



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Opinion: What allies can do in the time of abortion bans As I write this, the Republicans in the Missouri Legislature are planning to introduce legislation that would ban abortions after six weeks, modeled on the Texas law that would take effect this week. If this bill is filed, passed, and signed into law here in Missouri, it would change the lives of over half of the 500,000 Kansas Citians who call Kansas City home.

Further reading from both sides of the debate . . .

Texas clinic performed 67 abortions in 17 hours with limited staff: report An abortion clinic in Texas reportedly rushed to beat the clock on the state's new restrictions, performing 67 abortions with one doctor over the course of 17 hours. Texas' law took effect the following day, Sept. 1, effectively imposing a six-week limit on abortions. According to "The 19th," Whole Woman's Health Ft.

Mexico Supreme Court rules criminalizing abortion is unconstitutional Mexico's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that penalizing abortion is unconstitutional, a major victory for advocates of women's health and human rights in the majority Roman Catholic nation.

Texas Gov. Abbott defends new abortion law, vows to 'eliminate all rapists' ASHINGTON - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended the state's restrictive new abortion law Tuesday, saying it doesn't force victims of rape to give birth and vowing to "eliminate all rapists." Abbott, a Republican, took questions from reporters Tuesday morning after an event at which he signed a sweeping election bill into law.

Tripwire CEO out 53 hours after tweeting his opinions on Texas abortion law John Gibson, CEO of Tripwire Interactive - the studio known for making horror games like Killing Floor and - was made to step down a blisteringly quick 53 hours after he tweeted in favor of the controversial Texas abortion law. In the tweet, Gibson says, "Proud of #USSupremeCourt affirming the Texas law banning abortion for babies with a heartbeat.

Media Repeat Junk Science Behind Abortion Ban Laws: Check the Science-There is No Heartbeat at Six Weeks - Ms. Magazine The inaccuracies of the Texas law, repeated by media across the country, are part of a larger anti-abortion movement strategy to spread misinformation about abortion.When media uncritically repeat the factually inaccurate and politically charged language of the anti-abortion movement, they create confusion, spread misleading information about abortion, and perpetuate stigma and bias against abortion, endangering women's health and lives.

Satanists Demand Religious Exemption To Perform 'Abortion Ritual' Illegal Under Texas Law The Satanic Temple (TST) is challenging a Texas law that bans most abortions after a heartbeat can be detected in the unborn child. The Satanists argue that the law restricts their right to free religious practice, referring to abortions as a "religious abortion ritual" and "a ceremony rooted in our deeply-held beliefs" on the TST website.

Abortion fight adds to Biden's growing policy backlog Texas' abortion law adds to the growing number of issues Biden is being pushed to prioritize, including reforming police departments, rewriting immigration laws and raising the federal minimum wage. They're all issues he promised to tackle with speed.

You decide . . .
Tonight we take a peek at police action, law enforcement news and ALLEGED misdeeds.



Check the TKC compilation . . .

Po-Po Provides Big Picture

Police Scorecard ranks KCPD in bottom 5 nationwide, but department says project data is incomplete by: Brianna Lanham Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A new public evaluation of policing in the United States scored the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department 496th out of 500 departments nationwide, but only some agencies responded to records requests for data for Police Scorecard , while others simply provided portions of the requested information, resulting in incomplete data that is not easily comparable.

Meth Town Missing Update



Independence police: 26-year-old woman, her boyfriend no longer missing lexee beckett, zachary daniels SOURCE: KMBC Independence police said a 26-year-old woman and her boyfriend are no longer considered missing.Police said Tuesday that Lexee M. Beckett and Zachary T. Daniels, 23, have been in contact with their families.No other information was released. Independence police said a 26-year-old woman and her boyfriend are no longer considered missing.

More Deets On Operation 100

Kansas City police standoff near 99th, Wornall ends peacefully SOURCE: KMBC A police standoff in south Kansas City, Missouri ended peacefully Tuesday afternoon.Kansas City police said officers were called Tuesday morning to a townhouse near 99th Street and Wornall Road on a report of disturbance involving a person armed with a gun.Authorities said officers contacted a woman outside the home who said that a man armed with a weapon had assaulted her and another woman.She was able to get outside to safety and call police.

Rock Chalk Art Critics Wanted

KU police release picture of suspects accused of damaging art at campus museum by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: LAWRENCE, Kan. - Two people are suspected of damaging four pieces of artwork at the University of Kansas. The artwork was outside on the lawn of the Spencer Museum of Art at the time it was damaged.

Northland Needs Cash

Fundraising campaign set up to restore stolen 7-foot, 400-pound bronze statue The City of Fountains Foundation has set up a GoFundMe page to assist with the $12,000 in unbudgeted repairs. The statue of a Native American woman was stolen from the Francois Chouteau & Native American Heritage Fountain off Northeast Chouteau Trafficway, north of Northeast Parvin Road, overnight in early August.

Nasty Burrito Story Unfolds

Muslim teen speaks out after harassment at Lenexa Chipotle restaurant LENEXA, KS (KCTV) -- Areej Saifan, like many other teenagers, was just trying to work a part-time job while going to college. She worked at a local Chipotle where she says an assistant manager repeatedly harassed her about wearing her hijab.

Tale Of Two Doobies . . .

How Jackson, Clay and Platte counties differ on marijuana possession in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Tuesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas brought together the top prosecutors from Jackson, Platte and Clay counties after weeks of back-and-forth between the offices. One point of conflict? Drug charges - or lack of them.

Golden Ghetto Scare Today

Principal: Oxford Middle School safe after Blue Valley student makes threat KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Parents at a Blue Valley school, Oxford Middle School, were made aware of a threat made against the school on Tuesday. In a letter to parents, Principal Courtney Domoney said "We recently learned that an Oxford Middle student made a threat of violence against our school community."

Meth Town Murder Trial Set

Trial set for July 2022 in death of Independence woman WARNING: Readers may find details in this story disturbing. Two accused killers will now face trial in July 2022 in connection with the death of an Independence woman, whose body was found buried outside a Grain Valley home.Michael Hendricks, 40, and Maggie Ybarra, 30, on appeared Tuesday from jail before Jackson County Judge Joel P.

Festival Gunfire Postscript

Witnesses describe chaos after shooting at SantaCaliGon, some call for increased security INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) -- Some festivalgoers are calling for security improvements after they were caught in the chaos during a shooting at the SantaCaliGon Days Festival Sunday night around 11. Police say a suspect shot four people, including three 16-year-olds and a 25-year-old. All four were treated and released from local hospitals.

Developing . . .


You'll have to forgive TKC . . .



A few weeks back something this prog blog wrote irked me and inspired a 1000 word jag about journalism.

That was my mistake given that I typically error on the side of taking people at their word and considering different perspectives seriously . . . That's pretty much a useless skill and a detriment to career advancement.

Accordingly . . .



A recent missive from the Kansas reflector uncovered SHOCKING deets revealing Kansas republicans attended a MEETING.

God no.

NOT A MEETING!!!

The title sounds salacious but most junkets are overrated for those of us who don't have lavish expense accounts.

Here's a bit more description . . .



Records obtained by Kansas Reflector show the two aides were approved to travel to Atlanta for a summit of senior staff members of attorneys general offices put on by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a group associated with the Republican Attorneys General Association. The group paid for the two aides expenses.



So . .. .

Taxpayers didn't pick up the tab and two low level jerks got some time off to gab with lawyers about the election that wasn't even close in Kansas.



This is captivating stuff.

And so . . .

Last time around TKC advised that people shouldn't donate to the Kansas Reflector.

Cancel that . . .

If this is the future of progressive journalism and the competition that doesn't keep TKC awake at night . . . By all means . . . Donate ALL YOU CAN to this news outlet.

This kind of scintillating content might or might not win the Governor's office again for Guv Kelly . . . But what it won't do is steal away any readers who aren't already desperately bored and likely might find their way back to TKC . . . If only to share tawdry jokes and our appreciation of big booty Instagram models.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
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Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology/Bryan CantwellRecord first-year class: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has started the 2021-22 academic year with a record 643 first-year students, a 17% increase from last years class. Shown here in a 2019 file photo is Deming Hall on the Rose-Hulman campus.
I leave for Croatia end of Sept as its going to be my 10th Wedding Anniversary. I've booked most of my trip and wanting it to be extra special due to the occasion. Some of you may know that I travel there each year. I seem to be having an issue finding a nice place in Komiza as thats where I'll be the latter part of my trip.

Any suggestions as Airbnb can be a hit or miss and I want something really nice not just some apartment.
Hi Blazers,

So sorry to hear about your experiences in Turkey! Definitely, people all around the world have become edgy and these are the hard times for many countries (tourism sector has been badly affected everywhere!).

Regarding suggestions - Zagreb would definitely be a good solution for you since it is cheaper and it's easier to make acquaintances since it is a big city. Also, service wise you would have little more possibilities than in the very touristy areas - our South is gorgeous and worth a visit too, but the season has been prolonged this year and it's still hectic. After the hectic period, it will suddenly become maybe too much deserted. It all depends what do you prefer really.

The end of September should see the colors changing. Here's the live streaming of Plitvice Lakes, one of the best National Parks of the world and UNESCO heritage site.

Regarding your travel, I would suggest flying into Zagreb and then making your way down to Dubrovnik, if you wish to travel. However, the accommodation is still much cheaper in Zagreb than on the coast as I mentioned earlier. Also, it would be easier if you fly into Croatia than drive, in my opinion.

Here are the entrance requirements, please read carefully:

Basically, you will need a proof of paid accommodation, your vaccination certificate and maybe a test too, depending what is your citizenship, you might be asked for a test, in addition to your vaccination.

Also, you will need to fill in Enter Croatia form.

Finally, here are the sights where you might find lot of helpful info:

I hope that helps. Cheers and have a good day.
Good for: Special Occasion Dining, Romantic

Dining options: Dinner, Breakfast, After-hours, Delivery, Reservations

Description: We are running a thriving takeaway service during this Coronavirus Crisis!! Please see our website for the delicious and great value menu, and ordering/collection/payment details. Thank you! The Bathwick Boatman is a tranquil slice of gastronomic heaven, located just 10 minutes stroll from Bath's city centre on the picture-perfect banks of the River Avon. Run by husband and wife restaurateur team Ben and Rosy Hall, the restaurant is set in an old rowing club with beautiful river views and a cosy, rustic ambience. After training in Italy and Spain, Ben worked in Miami before returning home to Britain, and his simple, seasonal menu is full of robust flavours and represents good old-fashioned value for money. The Bathwick Boatman has a divine summer terrace, and is perched just above Bath's historic boating station, where you can hire a punt or a rowing boat for a post-meal paddle.
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
Good for: Romantic, Bar Scene, Business meetings, Special Occasion Dining, Groups

Dining options: After-hours, Dinner, Reservations

Neighbourhood: Central Area/City Area

Description: CUT at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is the third location for master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck's critically acclaimed steakhouse concept. Providing the finest range in beef selections, grilled over hard wood and charcoal, CUT is home to the true steak connoisseur. Choices from around the globe include USDA Prime, Australian Angus, and Wagyu selections from United States, Australia and Japan, and currently offering the uniquely marbled Snow Beef from Uenae Lake Farms, Hokkaido Japan. Our sophisticated menu is complemented by a range of produce and ingredients sourced directly from the Santa Monica's Farmer's Market in Southern California giving guests in Singapore an unparalleled experience of fine food, all while served in a hip, contemporary atmosphere. CUT also features a bar & lounge providing a menu spanning over 50 original, handcrafted cocktails and our "Rough CUTs" lounge menu of delectable bar snacks: open daily from 5:30 P.M. Onward.
Hi,

Just wondering if there was anyone who knows where I can get the standard pcr required to enter barbados in South Wales...Express test in Cardiff doesn't have appointments for the 10th October and have told me that they maybe closing that site, hence why they havnt released dates further than the 3rd Oct.

It is for our honeymoon and needs to be after our flight arrival time (which is 15.40) as the test needs to be done 3 days before. We can't take the test any other day afterwards as we are getting married!

Any help would be appreciated!!

Thank you
Hi All,

Im sorry to ask this as Im sure it happens weekly - but is this still the case, as per the update in August?

I want to arrive in Hungary this month purely for leisure purposes from the UK - and Im just checking a negative test is sufficient.

Thanks.
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  A statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee that towered over Richmond for generations was taken down, cut into pieces and hauled away Wednesday, as the former capital of the Confederacy erased the last of the Civil War figures that once defined its most prominent thoroughfare.

Hundreds of onlookers erupted in cheers and song as the 21-foot-tall bronze figure was lifted off a pedestal and lowered to the ground. The removal marked a major victory for civil rights activists, whose previous calls to dismantle the statues had been steadfastly rebuked by city and state officials alike.

Its very difficult to imagine, certainly, even two years ago that the statues on Monument Avenue would actually be removed, said Ana Edwards, a community activist and founding member of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom Justice & Equality. Its representative of the fact that were sort of peeling back the layers of injustice that Black people and people of color have experienced when governed by white supremacist policies for so long.

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the statues removal last summer amid the nationwide protest movement that erupted after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. But litigation tied up his plans until the state Supreme Court cleared the way last week.

Northam, who watched the work, called it hopefully a new day, a new era in Virginia.

Any remnant like this that glorifies the lost cause of the Civil War, it needs to come down, he said.

The 21-foot (6-meter) bronze sculpture was installed in 1890 atop a granite pedestal about twice that tall. The sculpture was perched in the middle of a state-owned traffic circle, and it stood among four other massive Confederate statues that were removed by the city last summer.

A construction worker who strapped harnesses around Lee and his horse lifted his arms in the air and counted, Three, two, one! to jubilant shouts from the crowd as the crane prepared to wrest the statue away.

Some chanted Whose streets? Our streets! and sang, Hey, hey, hey, goodbye.

Once the statue was on the ground, the crew used a power saw to cut it in two along the generals waist, so that it could be hauled under highway overpasses to an undisclosed state-owned facility until a decision is made about its future.

The job was overseen by Team Henry Enterprises, led by Devon Henry, a Black executive who faced death threats after his companys role in removing Richmonds other Confederate statues was made public last year. He said the Lee statue posed their most complex challenge.

Within hours, the pieces were gone. They were hauled away on a flatbed truck to cheers from the remaining crowd and claps of thunder from a midday storm. The pedestal is to remain for now, although workers are expected to remove a time capsule from the structure on Thursday.

The work proceeded under a heavy police presence, with streets closed for blocks around the area, but no arrests were reported, and no counter protesters emerged.

Those who opposed the statues removal often noted its artistic significance and Virginias centrality to the Civil War. They argued that taking the statues down would amount to erasing a key part of the commonwealths history. As recently as several years ago, key government officials argued for keeping it in place.

After a rally of white supremacists in the city of Charlottesville erupted into violence in 2017, other Confederate monuments started falling around the country. But at the time, local governments in Virginia were hamstrung by a state law protecting memorials to war veterans. That law was amended by the new Democratic majority at the Statehouse and signed by Northam, allowing localities to decide the monuments fate as of July 1, 2020.

Del. Delores McQuinn, a Democrat whose district includes Richmond and who sponsored the 2020 war memorial legislation, said she used to avoid driving on Monument Avenue because she found the statues so offensive. Seeing Lee come down Wednesday was surreal, she said.

The fight, the struggle ... hopefully some of the ancestors feel vindicated, said McQuinn, who is Black and has been an outspoken advocate for a better telling of Richmonds Black history in public spaces.

State Sen. Jennifer McClellan, who represents Richmond and lives in the neighborhood, said the idea of the removal had long felt impossible, though that began to shift after Floyds murder, when the area around the statute became a hub for the growing protest movement and saw occasional clashes between police and demonstrators. The pedestal has been covered by constantly evolving, colorful graffiti, with many of the hand-painted messages denouncing police and demanding an end to systemic racism and inequality.

I physically felt in the air hope, if that makes sense, because I saw multigenerational, multiracial people chanting to take it down and demanding change, said McClellan, who is Black.

The changes to Monument Avenue have remade the prestigious boulevard, which is lined with mansions and tony apartments and is partly preserved as a National Historic Landmark district.

Northam, who after a 2019 scandal involving a racist photo in his medical school yearbook pledged to spend the rest of his term addressing Virginias racial inequalities, has tapped the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to lead a community-driven redesign for the whole avenue.

Christy S. Coleman, executive director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the former president and chief operating officer of the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, said she saw Wednesdays removal as a historical moment in the citys long-running struggle with how to tell its history.

That effort "is perfectly normal for communities to do  question who and what they are, what they value and how they want those values to be reflected, not only in the landscape, but in its laws, she said.
DALLAS (AP)  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday defended a new state law banning most abortions that also does not provide exceptions for cases of rape or incest, saying it does not force victims to give birth even though it prohibits abortions before some women know they're pregnant.

Abbott, a Republican, added that Texas would strive to eliminate all rapists from the streets while taking questions during his first press conference since the law took effect last week.

The comments drew new criticism from opponents of the Texas law that is the biggest curb on abortion in the U.S. since they were legalized a half-century ago, prohibiting abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, which is usually around six weeks. Though abortion providers in Texas say the law is unconstitutional, they say they are abiding by it.

His comments are confusing to me because they certainly do not seem to reflect the realities of this law, said Amy Jones, the chief executive officer of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center.

Recent surveys by the U.S. Department of Justice found that most rapes go unreported to police, including a 2019 survey that found about 1 in 3 victims reporting they were raped or sexually assaulted.

Abbott signed the measure into law in May. Although other GOP-led states have passed similar measures, they have been blocked by courts. Texas' version differs significantly because it solely leaves enforcement to private citizens who can sue abortion providers who violate the law.

Abbott was asked about the new abortion restrictions while signing into law an overhaul of Texas' election rules.

Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them," Abbott said.

Jones said Abbott's statements were both confusing and disheartening. She said shed like to hear more from Abbott on his statement on eliminating rape.

Certainly it is in our mission statement to work to end sexual violence, that is why we exist, but we are also very aware that that is an aspirational goal that yes, we do believe that this is a preventable crime, but it if it were that easy, rape would no longer exist, Jones said.

The Justice Department has said it will not tolerate violence against anyone who is trying to obtain an abortion in Texas as federal officials explore options to challenge the law.

___

Weber contributed from Austin.
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Over the last 24 hours, Russian occupation occupiers seven times opened fire on the Ukraine Army positions.

Thats according to the press center of the Joint Forces Operation HQ, Ukrinform reports.

"Over the past 24 hours, on September 7, seven ceasefire violations by Russia-led armed groups were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation zone," the statement said.

In the direction of the settlement of Zalizne, Russian mercenaries fired at the positions of Ukrainian defenders using easel-mounted anti-tank grenade launchers.

The occupiers also employed small arms near Zaitseve and Novomykhailivka.

In the proximity of the settlement of Vodiane, the enemy used grenade launchers of various systems.

Near Prychepylivka and Novoluhanske, the occupiers engaged Ukrainian positions with MANPADs and small arms.

Also, Russian mercenaries remotely planted POM-2 anti-personnel mines in the area outside Katerynivka.

The Command said a Ukrainian soldier suffered a gunshot wound in one of the enemy attacks. After receiving first aid, he was evacuated to a medical facility. The serviceman is in satisfactory condition and undergoing treatment.

Ukrainian forces returned fire to the enemy shelling, the report stresses.

Ceasefire breaches by Russia-led armed groups were reported to the OSCE monitors through the Ukrainian delegation to the Joint Ceasefire Control and Coordination Center.

As of 7:00 Kyiv time on September 8, no new truce breaches were reported.

im
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, if put into operation, must be subject to European regulations. In this case, Gazprom will not be able to operate it at full capacity and will be forced to use Ukraine's gas transmission system for transit.

This was stated by the Chairman of the Board of the Polish oil and gas company PGNiG, Pawel Majewski, who spoke at the XXX Economic Forum in Karpacz (western Poland), an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Completion of the pipeline, taking into account that it will operate in accordance with European regulations, will mean that Gazprom will not be able to use it at full capacity. If it fails to do so, it will have to continue transmitting gas via Ukraine. This is very important. Ukrainians are our allies in the struggle for energy solidarity and its application in the context of the Nord Stream 2 project," Majewski stressed.

On the issue of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the gas sector, the PGNiG chair stressed that over the past five years, the Polish company had exported to Ukraine more than 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas, including part of it after regasification from the LNG terminal.

He noted that gas deposits in Ukraine are currently estimated as Europes largest  at about 1 billion cubic meters. Therefore, the Polish company together with its Ukrainian partner, ERU (Energy Resources of Ukraine), sees significant prospects of gas production in Ukraine.

"We have previously signed a memorandum on gas exploration in Ukraine. We have an agreement on the use of Ukrainian gas storage facilities, we also have a concession for gas production in western Ukraine near the border with Poland. These deposits are similar to the Polish ones in Podkarpackie Voivodeship and we hope for success," Majewski emphasized.

He added that PGNiG has agreements with Polish companies Geofizyka Torun and Exallo Drilling, which are engaged in gas exploration, seismic research, and drilling, so they are allowed to perform this work in Ukraine.

"Therefore, we perceive the Ukrainian market as very promising," said the chairman of the board of PGNiG.

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The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to modernize and develop the irrigation and drainage sector in Ukraine.

According to the ministrys press service, the Memorandum aims to increase private sector participation in an inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural sector. Investment and expertise of the private sector will contribute to the modernization and development of the irrigation and drainage infrastructure so that the potential of Ukraine's agricultural sector be better unleashed in the global market.

According to the World Bank, irrigating 1 million hectares of land in southern Ukraine, the country's driest region, would require $2 billion in investment. As the state budget is limited, the participation of the private sector in this issue is very important.

Therefore, IFC will cooperate with the government of Ukraine to reform this sector, in particular, to help the government develop a plan for the organization and functioning of a national operator of main irrigation canals, which will be responsible for the maintenance of irrigation systems.

IFC will also support the government in developing a public-private partnership (PPP) model that could effectively meet the sector's large-scale financial needs and attract private investment in irrigation equipment.

The Memorandum defines fundamental principles of structuring the national water operator with corporate governance to the highest international standards. It also creates vital preconditions for attracting billions of investments from private investors, development banks and foreign state financial institutions into rehabilitation and modernization of Ukraines irrigation infrastructure, said Roman Leshchenko, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is one of the five institutions of the World Bank Group. It advances economic development and improves the lives of people by encouraging the growth of the private sector in developing countries.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has received a Kenyan delegation, which is currently visiting Ukraine.

The meeting took place in the context of intensifying our state's relations with African countries in order to fulfill the tasks of Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy, the ministry's press service,

"Ukraine and Kenya are united by long-term ties of friendship and mutual respect. Our country is already well known among Kenyans due to quality education. We have all the prerequisites to strive for more: to strengthen political dialogue, increase trade, and fulfill tourism potential, Kuleba stressed.

Kuleba extended an invitation to his Kenyan counterpart to pay a visit to Ukraine as soon as the epidemic situation stabilizes.

In addition, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Senik and Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya Ababu Namwamba held political consultations. They discussed in detail the steps to intensify relations between Ukraine and Kenya in the political, trade, cultural, educational, tourism, and humanitarian spheres, and carried out an audit of draft bilateral agreements that are under consideration by the parties.

An important topic of political consultations was the interaction between Ukraine and Kenya within international organizations, in particular in the context of Kenya's presidency of the UN Security Council in October 2021.

The parties also paid special attention to the increase in trade. They agreed on a visit of a Ukrainian business mission to Kenya in order to establish direct contacts between Ukrainian and Kenyan businesses. The business mission will be organized via the Council of Exporters and Investors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Senik also confirmed Ukraine's interest in increasing the number of Kenyan students.

As a reminder, the first round of political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers of Ukraine and Kenya took place in Nairobi on December 1, 2016.

In 2020, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Kenya amounted to USD 92.1 million. Ukraine's positive balance was USD 65.1 million. In the first half of 2021, the volume of trade in goods and services between the countries amounted to USD 56.2 million.

According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 132 Kenyan citizens studied in higher education institutions of Ukraine in 2020.

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Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova has elaborated on why Ukraine does not need to be designated by the U.S. government as a Major non-NATO Ally.

She took to Facebook to dwell on her point, Ukrinform reports.

According to Markarova, such status is provided to countries that have no plans or capacities to join the Alliance.

"MNNA is a status for countries that do not plan / cannot join NATO for political or geographical reasons. This is definitely not about us," the ambassador wrote.

The diplomats statement comes amid the initiative by 153 Ukrainian legislators to consider an appeal to the U.S. Congress on providing such status to Ukraine.

Markarova reminded that Ukraine is already NATOs Enhanced Opportunities Partner, which has opened up great opportunities for both pursuing enhanced cooperation with the Alliance and improving Ukraine's interoperability and capacity building.

"Not only is the United States our strategic partner that actively helps us build our capabilities and provides funds and weapons, including lethal aid, it has also just signed during President Zelensky's visit a very strong Framework Agreement between the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the Pentagon on the Strategic Foundations of Defense Partnership, which is the start for our defense partnership to reach a new level, opening the door to specific major projects on which the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already begun working. And its precisely the type of bilateral agreements that mark strategic partnerships with the United States  both of NATO Allies and other countries," Markarova said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov is convening on September 8 an extraordinary parliament sitting to consider a draft resolution to address U.S. lawmakers on granting Ukraine the MNNA status.
Representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Canadian Armed Forces discussed issues of cooperation in the field of personnel management and development of the Ukrainian Army.

Thats according to the defense ministrys press service, Ukrinform reports.

According to the report, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Maliar met in Kyiv with a delegation of the Canadian Armed Forces, headed by Deputy Commander of the Canadian Armed Forces Command, Major General Lise Bourgon, Defense Attache at the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine, Colonel Robert Foster, and Joint Task Force - Ukraine (UNIFIER) representatives Lt. Col. Melanie Lake and Chief Warrant Officer Donovan Crawford.

It is noted that during the event, Maliar discussed with the delegation the issues of reforming the human resources management system at the Armed Forces of Ukraine to align it with NATO standards, as well as the allocation of advisory, material and technical assistance from the Canadian side.

According to the Ukrainian official, a set of tasks for the Euro-Atlantic transformation of military personnel policy is currently being implemented, while NATO principles and approaches in human resource management are being introduced.

Taking into account intensified processes of professionalization in our Army, we focus on the experience and support of NATO Allies in the field of personnel management. Canada's aid in this area is extremely useful and important to us, Maliar emphasized.

She also noted that the meeting testifies to further intentions to deepen military cooperation between Ukraine and Canada in various areas, including in the field of human resource management.

As Ukrinform reported, Canada will additionally allocate CAD 305.9 (about US$250 million) over the next five years to strengthen NATO.

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The Ukrainian delegation to the United Nations has called on the international community to respond to the recent detention in the occupied Crimea of five Crimean Tatars, including First Deputy Chairman of Crimean Tatars Mejlis Nariman Dzhelyalov.

This was stated by Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Yuriy Vitrenko, who spoke at the UN General Assembly at the High-Level Forum on Culture of Peace, according to an Ukrinform correspondent in New York.

The diplomat recalled that pressure on religious communities remains commonplace for residents of the temporarily occupied territories. The tools employed by the occupying power include frequent police raids, demolition of temples, unreasonable registration requirements that affect the legal status and property rights, threats and harassment of the faithful of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Muslim organizations, and Jehovah's Witnesses, said the diplomat.

Dozens of peaceful Muslims, Vitrenko added, have been convicted on fabricated charges of allegedly belonging to Islamist organizations. The latest horrific case is the politically motivated persecution and illegal detention in Crimea by the Russian occupation authorities of five Crimean Tatars, including First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis, Nariman Dzhelyalov, the Ukrainian official said, calling on the international community to act in response.

According to Vitrenko, repressive practices by Russia, particularly in the religious and cultural areas, continue to be a sad reality" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the current alarming trends, he added.

Read also: EU condemns new searches and detentions in occupied Crimea

It was earlier reported that on September 3-4, illegal searches were carried out in Crimean Tatars homes in the occupied Crimea, followed by detentions of Crimean Tatars  public figures and ordinary citizens. Among those detained is Nariman Dzhelyalov, First Deputy Chairman of the Crimean Tatar People's Majlis, who on August 23 took part in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, Ukraines initiative toward deoccupation of Crimea.

The FSB also detained four more activists  Eldar Adamanov, Aziz and Asan Akhtemovs, and Shevket Useinov.

Photo: Refat Chubarov, Facebook

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The Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution, appealing to the international community over the illegal preparation for the holding of Russian State Duma elections in the temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol and the engagement of Ukrainian citizens from the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Resolution No. 5497 was supported by 318 lawmakers, Ukrinform reports.

According to the text of the appeal, MPs call on the international community to apply all necessary means to warn Russias authorities and its occupation administration against holding elections to the State Duma in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine  the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol  and to make impossible participation in the said elections of Ukrainian citizens living in the occupied parts of Donbas.

The Verkhovna Rada also calls on the international community not to recognize the legitimacy of the State Duma elections on September 19, 2021, and the Russian parliaments subsequent decisions if the vote does take place in the temporarily occupied part of Ukraine.

At the same time, Ukrainian parliamentarians ask international partners to impose sanctions against Russias authorities and its occupation administration, which involve Ukrainian citizens living in the temporarily occupied territories in the said elections and thus violate Ukraine's sovereignty.

As Ukrinform reported, Russia has recently been actively discussing the issue of organizing the electoral process to make sure residents of the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions cast their votes in the State Duma elections scheduled for September 19, 2021.

The European Union is concerned about statements about the possibility of involving the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine in Russias parliamentary elections, emphasizing that this would be a violation of the Minsk agreements.

Russia has been persistently pursuing a policy of streamlining the naturalization of Ukrainian citizens residing in the areas of Donbas temporarily beyond Ukraine government control.

In the temporarily occupied Crimea, Russian citizenship has long been forced upon Ukrainian nationals living in the peninsula.

Ukraine earlier said it would not recognize Russian passports issued to Crimean residents in Russias mainland Rostov region and Krasnodarskiy Krai.

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Ukraine will be a major U.S. ally in NATO, not outside the Alliance.

This was stated by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba who spoke with Ukraine24 TV, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine will become a major U.S. ally within NATO, not beyond NATO. To this end, we are implementing a wholesome foreign policy strategy, creating a system of alliances for the security of Ukraine, and deepening cooperation with strategic partners, the foreign minister said.

He stressed that during a visit to Washington, President Volodymyr Zelensky successfully enlisted U.S. support in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities.

"There we signed a new agreement with the United States in the field of security and defense, which in a number of respects are more ambitious than the status of a Major non-NATO Ally," the top diplomat stressed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov is convening on September 8 an extraordinary parliament sitting to consider a draft resolution to address U.S. lawmakers on granting Ukraine the MNNA status.

The draft was authored by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko with the European Solidarity faction.

Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova explained that such status is provided to countries that have no plans or capacities to join the Alliance.

On Wednesday, the Rada profile committee did not support the relevant draft resolution.

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The ambassadors of the G7 countries exchanged views on plans for Ukraine Reform Conference 2022 with Simon Pidoux, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, and representatives of the embassy.

This was said in a statement posted on Twitter account of the UK Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors Support Group in Ukraine.

"Ambassadors welcomed Switzerland's intention for an inclusive approach, including civil society and business participation. Ambassadors welcomed the focus on two key pillars: how progress on reforms, including on judiciary and rule of law, can support peace and stability; and Ukrainian prosperity," the statement reads.

The diplomats expressed hope for productive discussions and tangible results in preparation for the Lugano URC in 2022.

As reported, the 5th Ukraine Reform Conference will be held in the Swiss city of Lugano on July 4-5, 2022 with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian authorities at all levels.

The 4th Ukraine Reform Conference was held at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius (Lithuania) on July 7-8, 2021.

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The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has adopted Bill No. 3637 "On Virtual Assets," which establishes in Ukraine a mechanism for the legal regulation of virtual assets.

According to Ukrinform, 276 MPs voted for the document at its second reading and in its entirety on Wednesday, September 8.

"The law regulates legal relations arising in connection with the turnover of virtual assets in Ukraine, defines the rights and obligations of participants in the virtual assets market, the principles of state policy in the field of virtual assets turnover," the explanatory note to the bill reads.

It states that the adopted document will allow Ukrainian blockchain companies to legalize their own business processes and officially work with the banking system. In addition, this opportunity will be granted to citizens who receive income from transactions with virtual assets.

The bill also forms the legal framework for working in the virtual assets market, determines the legal status, classification, property rights and other key legal definitions. In particular, it determines the list of professional service providers in the virtual assets market and their registration.

According to the document, the regulator of the virtual assets market will be the Ministry for Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Committee on Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and in some cases the National Bank of Ukraine and the National Securities and Stock Market Commission. The explanatory note emphasizes that the granting of legal status to virtual assets will stimulate the development of a new industry in the legal field of the state and will help increase revenues to the state budget through taxes.

"Ukrainians will be able to tokenize property rights and will receive the judicial protection of rights to virtual assets. International cryptocurrencies will legally operate on Ukrainian territory," the explanatory note reads.

Bill No. 3637 "On Virtual Assets" was supported by parliament at its first reading last year and was finalized in accordance with amendments submitted by MPs. After that, on April 28, 2021, the Committee on Digital Transformation recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt this bill at its second reading.

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U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has tapped Robin Dunnigan, a career diplomat with a background in energy, to oversee policy for Central and Eastern Europe at the Department of State, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has reported.

According to the report, she took up her new position on September 7.

Dunnigan, who served as deputy assistant secretary for energy diplomacy in the State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources from 2014 to 2017, will help craft policy toward Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, as well as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

She had been serving at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna for the past three years, first as deputy chief of mission and most recently as charge d'affaires to Austria.

Dunnigan was an early critic of Russian plans to build the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

As Ukrinform reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a working visit to the United States last week. Following talks with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on September 1, the Office of the President of Ukraine issued a joint statement on the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Kuleba called Zelensky's visit to Washington and his conversation with Biden a classic example of win-win deal.

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Ukraine and Moldova are cooperating to increase bilateral tourist flows and overcome the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the tourism sector.

Head of the Ukrainian Hospitality Industry Association Oleksandr Liyev said this during a press conference entitled "Presentation of Moldovan Tourism Products in Kyiv" held at Ukrinform on Tuesday, September 7.

We decided to influence the increase in bilateral tourist flow - from Moldova to Ukraine and from Ukraine to Moldova. In particular, a year ago, the Hospitality Industry Association, at the initiative of the USAID EDGE project, which deals with Eastern Europe, began to cooperate with the National Inbound Tourism Association of Moldova (ANTRIM), Liyev said.

He added that despite the fact that cooperation is now a public initiative, it is supported by the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine and the State Investment Agency of Moldova.

According to the Ukrainian Hospitality Industry Association, in April, with the support of the USAID EDGE project, they conducted online trainings for Moldovan tour operators on creating attractive tourism products for the Ukrainian market. Also in April, UIA resumed regular flights between Chisinau and Kyiv.

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Ukraine and Thailand have discussed mutual recognition of COVID certificates, Ukrinform reports, referring to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance, MP from the Servant of the People faction, Mykhailo Radutsky.

On his Telegram channel, he wrote that Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Poland and Ukraine (concurrently) Chettaphan Maksamphan arrived in Ukraine on his first official visit after the appointment. He was accompanied by the first secretary of the embassy and representatives of the consular department.

Yesterday, as the chairman of the Verkhovna Radas group for inter-parliamentary relations with the Kingdom of Thailand, I was invited to a solemn dinner on the occasion of the arrival of the Thai delegation in Kyiv. Also, the Ukrainian delegation included Yuriy Kisel, MP and deputy head of the group, Mykola Stefanchuk, a member of the group, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radutsky wrote.

According to him, the parties discussed issues of relations between the countries and reached the following agreements: mutual recognition of vaccination certificates, strengthening cooperation in the defense complex, agreed on the issue of the purchase of Ukrainian weapons by Thailand and cooperation in the aircraft industry.

As Ukrinform reported, the Thai Ministry of Public Health approved a decision to mix Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccine doses.

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The Memorandum of Understanding on mutual recognition and exchange of national drivers licenses between Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates will enter into force on October 1, 2021.

According to Ukrinform, this issue was discussed at a meeting between Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine Meri Akopyan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Ukraine Salem Ahmed Ali AlKaabi, the Ukrainian ministrys press service informs.

"On September 8, Akopyan met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Ukraine Salem Ahmed Ali AlKaabi. The parties stressed the importance of the entry into force on October 1, 2021 of the Memorandum of Understanding on mutual recognition and exchange of national drivers licenses, which was signed on February 14, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, between the Interior Ministry of Ukraine and the Interior Ministry of the United Arab Emirates, reads the report.

The parties also discussed the current bilateral cooperation between the Interior Ministries of Ukraine and the UAE and noted its intensification following this year's visit of the Ukrainian delegation to this Middle Eastern country led by the President of Ukraine.

The parties also stressed the successful practical implementation of the agreement on cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism, which was concluded between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the United Arab Emirates in 2018.

For his part, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Ukraine sent an invitation letter to Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky to the World Expo 2020, which is scheduled for October in Dubai.

As reported, on June 9, 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Interior Ministry of Ukraine and the Interior Ministry of UAE on mutual recognition and exchange of national driver's licenses.
On behalf of the Ukrainian World Congress, UWC President Paul Grod congratulated the Ukrainian community on the 130th anniversary of the first Ukrainian settlement in Canada.

Ukrinform reports this with a reference to the UWC website.

Your anniversary coincides with the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraines Independence. As history shows, regardless of time and place, Ukraines independence has always been its priority and the basis that has united generations of Ukrainians around the world, Paul Grod said.

He also thanked the leadership of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and especially President Alexandra Chyczij, who is also the UWC Vice President.

We appreciate your work as part of our large global family, which today unites 20M Ukrainians in 65 countries, Paul Grod said.

According to him, Ukrainians in Canada have been supporting Ukraine for a long time, and the UWC relies on the support of the Canadian diaspora community in promoting Ukrainian interests at the international level, because only together can we be influential and effective.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is delighted to announce that six refugee medical specialists, including some trained as surgeons, anesthesiologists and general doctors have started working in hospitals and clinics across Jordan as United Nations Volunteers.

The employment of these health professionals marks a major step forward in creating additional livelihood opportunities for refugees in Jordan and follows months of discussions between the Ministry of Health and UNHCR about how refugees can contribute to stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a great opportunity and at the same time, an important responsibility for refugees, who have been eager to directly contribute to the national COVID-19 response commented UNHCR Representative to Jordan, Dominik Bartsch. As doctors, nurses, and a wealth of other professions, there is a huge potential for refugees to give back to the country that has been generously hosting them he added.

Back in October 2020, UNHCR put out a call to refugees who had previous experience and qualifications of working in medical professions. After receiving over 300 responses, it was clear that many were eager to put their knowledge to use as the pandemic continued to spread. The six medics initially chosen to work are all specialist doctors from Syria, Iraq and Yemen, who between them have several years of experience.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, refugees have been generously included by the Government of Jordan within the national response plan, able to access health care and medical treatment as Jordanian citizens can. Since January, they have been receiving the COVID-19 vaccine alongside their Jordanian hosts.

As a refugee, I know what it feels like to lose your loved ones, your home, and your country. I am fortunate to have this opportunity to provide aid and to be productive. We feel our value in being active members of our communities says Dr. Waleed who is working in Basma Hospital in Irbid. He sends a message to other refugees, do not give up, improve yourself, hone talents, and be a productive person in the community.

Since the pandemic is still raging across the globe, including here in Jordan, it is expected that even more refugee medics will be asked to join the initial cohort. UNHCR stands ready to support their eventual deployment in close coordination with the Ministry of Health.

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Registered nurse Diane Miller stands in the hot zone, defined by red tape on the floor, as she waits to exchange equipment with a colleague who will remain on the other side of the tape in the COVID-19 acute care unit at UW Medical Center-Montlake on Jan. 26 in Seattle.
Raymond Foss, a lifelong Spokane resident and World War II veteran who turned 100 on Thursday, waves to members of the American Legion Riders Spokane as they parade past him Saturday in front of the North Point Retirement Community. Because COVID-19 lockdowns shut down the nursing home where Foss lives, loved ones organized a drive-by celebration for the centenarian.
A mural shows a young woman wearing a mask, in Bogota, Colombia, on Monday, April 13, 2020. The mu variant was discovered in Colombia in early January.
Looking to the elders in the family, even those not in your direct lineage, can prove useful when trying to trace your family tree. (Dreamstime/TNS)
The death of Marjorie (Marge) Veal Smith occurred Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the chapel of Moores Funeral Home with the Rev. Mac Enfinger officiating. Private burial will follow at Memory Hill Cemetery. Ms. Marge was a native of Washington County an
Milledgeville, GA (31061)

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Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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We are a public institution with a public mission, and a big part of that is to connect with the community, says CBA Dean and Professor of Economics Michelle W. Trawick, Ph.D. This new space will enable us to do that in a much more meaningful way.

Due to be officially unveiled October 15, the Rod Rhoden Business Innovation Center is a 44,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art addition to Mammel Hall that will house programs and resources that focus on building the relationships that grow business and fuel the economy.

It features an Entrepreneurship Lab that will support UNOs Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Franchising; along with the newly-formed School of Accounting; the CBA Scholars Academy; a new business activity center dedicated to public events; and the home for the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education (NCITE) Center of Excellence.

The addition was paid for through a privately funded initiative, with lead gifts from the Mammel Foundation, Rod Rhoden Foundation, Union Pacific Foundation, Jack and Stephanie Koraleski, and Robert Stedman.

It is named for Rod Rhoden, a 1967 business graduate of UNO who has been a leader in entrepreneurship and business for nearly 50 years. Since returning to Omaha in 1971, he has been a major investor in auto dealerships and real estate ventures in the area. He has interest in four auto dealerships in Omaha and Lincoln employing more than 300 people.

In recognition of the Union Pacifics contribution, the colleges outdoor gathering space will be named the Union Pacific Plaza.

Community-engaged research and service will be enhanced through the newly designed and expanded Jack and Stephanie Koraleski Commerce and Applied Behavioral Lab (CABLAB), and the addition of a 184-person business activity center.

Faculty and graduate students in the Department of Homeland Securitys NCITE center will conduct groundbreaking research and create relevant workforce expansion programming that will directly impact many sectors of the metropolitan community.

The new space raises the bar for the School of Accounting, which was changed from the Department of Accounting in 2019.

Accounting students will have state-of-the-art classrooms, student support services, and study areas in the newly designed wing. Entrepreneurship students will have space to work with Omahans on high-tech startup strategies in their Maverick Ventures Bullpen, and the colleges award-winning Scholars Academy program will enjoy dedicated space to advance the education of high-achieving business students.

Endowment contributions from the naming of two classrooms (Deloitte and BKD), the mezzanine (the Sommer Family), and a study space will provide long-term financial support for accounting students, faculty and programs.

Dean Trawick says the center weaves together every aspect of education, research and engagement necessary to enable the college to continue to advance Nebraskas economic growth and workforce development.

Ultimately, we are educators and we are grounded in collaborative relationships with our students, our business partners and the community we support and serve, Trawick says. The Rod Rhoden Business Innovation Center is a platform for excellence today, and for generations of students to follow.
(@fidahassanain)

The Commission has found a list of 37 reservations and handed it over to the government authorities.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 8th, 2021) Election Commission of Pakistan has warned the government of hacking of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and tampering of votes.

The ECP has found 37 points of reservations and handed over the list to the government authorities.



During a meeting of the Senate Committee, the Election Commission pointed out the challenges the system could face if the machines were rolled out in haste.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz has repeatedly insisted that the EVMs are the best solution to rigging in the next general polls and has even prepared a prototype of the machine for the Senate Committee on Parliamentary Affairs to examine.



PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal had said earlier that EVM were rigging machines. Now the ECP wrote that there was not enough time for a large scale implementation of EVMs in the upcoming election.

Pakistans next general polls are slated for 2023.



Other challenges include, lack of secrecy of the ballot, lack of large scale pilot testing and the machines not being financially viable.

The Commission further wrote that the EVMs cannot prevent rigging like booth capturing, pointing out that they were hackable and tamper prone. The software, it highlighted, could also easily be altered.

It is nearly impossible to ensure that every machine is honest, the ECP noted.

The EVMs cannot prevent low voter turnout, low women voter turnout, vote buying, misuse of state authorities and dishonest voting staff, amongst other things, the Commission argued.

The ECP also opined that holding polls across Pakistan in a single day, using EVMs, was not possible.

In order to solve the problems, the ECP suggested that a political consensus be developed in the parliament with all political parties and legal amendments be made to the constitution, law and rules to facilitate EVMs.
(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Sep, 2021 ) :National Assembly Deputy Speaker Muhammad Qasim Khan Suri Wednesday said Pakistan attached high importance to further strengthening and deepening relations with Austria, especially in fields of education and parliamentary cooperation.

Talking to President of the National Council of Austria, Wolfgang Sobotka in Vienna, he urged the Austrian speaker to ask the Austrian government for the revision of travel advisory on Pakistan as security situation in Pakistan had been normalized.

It would help and encourage the Austrian corporate leaders and investors to visit Pakistan and exploit opportunities in a very investment friendly regime, he added.

He briefed about effectiveness of smart lockdown policy of Prime Minister Imran Khan during COVID-19.

He also invited Wolfgang Sobotka to visit Pakistan at his convenience.

Talking about recent developments in Afghanistan, he said peace and stability in Afghanistan were vital for Pakistan and the region.

Pakistan had extended its fullest cooperation and worked with international community for evacuation efforts from Afghanistan, he said and emphasised on an inclusive government in Kabul representing all segments of Afghanistan and respect for fundamental human rights including women rights.

He said Pakistan could not afford any further instability in Afghanistan leading to more refugees' influx and other serious security challenges.

Wolfgang Sobotka recognised importance of bilateral relations with Pakistan and agreed to work together for further strengthening it.

He thanked Pakistan for facilitation in evacuation of Austrian nationals from Afghanistan.

He also agreed to continue mutual cooperation with Pakistan at multilateral fora and support each other's candidatures.

The deputy speaker is currently on an official visit to Austria for participation in the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.
VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th September, 2021) Austria vowed on Wednesday to throw an 18 million euro ($21 million) lifeline to vulnerable people in Afghanistan, where a half of the population depends on humanitarian aid for survival.

"To deal with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the region the government agreed... to unlock 18 million Euros [in aid] from the foreign ministry's Foreign Disaster Fund immediately and without red tape," a statement read.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria wanted to spend money in the region to avert another migrant flow to Europe.

His deputy, Werner Kogler, said this would the biggest disbursement since the disaster fund was set up in 2005.

The foreign ministry said 10 million euros would go to the UN refugee agency, 5 million to the UN Women agency for gender equality and 3 million to the UN World food Programme. Austria spent 11 million euros on humanitarian and development projects in Afghanistan over the past four years.
BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) China made a decision to urgently provide food, winter clothes, vaccines and medicines worth 200 million Yuan ($30.9 million) to Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.

"In line with the needs of the Afghan people, China has decided to urgently provide food, winter goods, vaccines and medicines for a total of 200 million yuan," Wang said, as quoted by the Foreign Ministry in a statement.
(@FahadShabbir)

Finland will issue EU COVID-19 vaccination certificates for its residents inoculated in non-EU countries with vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, the health ministry said on Wednesday

HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) Finland will issue EU COVID-19 vaccination certificates for its residents inoculated in non-EU countries with vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

"The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland will start preparing the technical implementation and operating model which will allow Finland to issue the EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate to people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a non-EU country," the statement read.

Finnish residents vaccinated in non-EU countries will be able to receive their certificates not earlier than late October. Helsinki is also considering whether to issue certificates for those inoculated with vaccines listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization, the ministry specified.

The EU COVID-19 certificate became available in Finland in June, having replaced the national one. The country currently also issues the document for those who received their first dose in another EU state and the second one in Finland.
Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, and Deputy Minister Kostas Fragogiannis will visit Romania and Moldova on Wednesday for high-level talks on bilateral and regional issues of interest

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, and Deputy Minister Kostas Fragogiannis will visit Romania and Moldova on Wednesday for high-level talks on bilateral and regional issues of interest.

In Romania, Dendias will participate in a plenary session of the Annual Reunion of Romanian Diplomacy forum and a teleconference of the defense and foreign affairs committees of parliaments of southern EU states, which will be focused on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya, the Greek foreign ministry said.

The Greek foreign minister's agenda includes a meeting with Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis to discuss bilateral relations, the developments in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and the prospects of EU membership of Western Balkan countries.

Immediately after the meeting with Iohannis, Dendias will depart for Moldova where he will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu. Both politicians will participate in expanded talks and sign a Bilateral Agreement on Social Security.

Dendias will conclude his trip to Moldova after meeting with Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and President Maia Sandu to discuss the strengthening of relations between the two countries as well as between Moldova and the European Union.
RIGA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) Latvia's State Agency of Medicines is looking into two deaths that followed vaccination with an anti-coronavirus shot, the national broadcaster LTV said Wednesday.

The deaths of two senior citizens, in their 50s and 70s, were reported to the drug regulator between August 30 and September 5, alongside some 30 cases of suspected post-shot side effects.

The agency is waiting for autopsy results. A panel of doctors and experts from the Latvian center for disease control and the national vaccination authority will try to determine the cause of the deaths.

Latvia uses shots approved by the European Union, including those made by Pfizer, Moderna, J&J and AstraZeneca. The Baltic nation has not recorded any deaths that could be linked explicitly to vaccination.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) Russian President Vladimir Putin and European Council President Charles Michel held a phone conversation on Afghanistan, emphasizing the need to maintain stability and prevent violence, and expressing readiness to cooperate against the spreading of terrorism, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

"Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and European Council President Charles Michel held a phone conversation, they thoroughly exchanged opinions on the events in Afghanistan.

Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining civilian peace in the country, preventing dialogue, and establishing a real inter-Afghan dialogue for ensuring the Afghan state's integrity taking into consideration the needs of all the population groups," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin and Michel reaffirmed readiness to cooperate to "stabilize the situation and prevent risks of spreading of terrorism, extremism and drug-related crime," the statement read.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Russian Security Council said on Wednesday that Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has started the annual consultations with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi, with developments in Afghanistan expected to be on the agenda

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) The Russian Security Council said on Wednesday that Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has started the annual consultations with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi, with developments in Afghanistan expected to be on the agenda.

The consultations are held as part of Patrushev's visit to the Indian capital. Apart from the security talks, the visit's agenda includes meetings with Indian leadership and bilateral consultations on Afghanistan.

"The Russian-Indian consultations on security have started in India. They are held by Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev from the Russian side and National Security Advisor of the Prime Minister Ajit Doval from the Indian [side]," Russian Security Council spokesman Yevgeny Anoshin told reporters.

The 2020 Russian-Indian consultations could not hold in-person meetings due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, the consultations took place in Moscow, and focused on bilateral military and technical cooperation.

The Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the situation in Afghanistan would be among the issues to be discussed during the security consultations. It also said that the consultations will build on issues discussed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on August 24. The two leaders instructed Russian and Indian senior officials to remain in touch concerning the situation in Afghanistan.

With the start of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in early May, tensions in the Central Asian country has been mounting and culminated with the Taliban (banned in Russia) taking over on August 15. On Tuesday, the radical movement unveiled their caretaker government. The all-male interim government consists mostly of senior Taliban officials, with Hasan Akhund, who has been under UN sanctions since 2001, at the helm.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) The United States will participate in a virtual climate change dialogue hosted by Argentina on Wednesday and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is set to speak at the event, the State Department said.

"The United States will join the High-Level Dialogue on Climate Action in the Americas, hosted by the Government of Argentina, on September 8, 2021. The one-day virtual event will bring together countries in the Americas to discuss our shared commitment to enhancing climate ambition," the State Department said on Tuesday.

Kerry is scheduled to speak during the opening segment of the dialogue alongside heads of state from South America and the Caribbean, as well as the UN Secretary General, among others, the State Department added.

The dialogue is intended to build momentum in anticipation of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12 to include panel discussions on enhancing climate ambition, accelerating climate action through regional cooperation and strengthening climate resilience, according to the State Department.
Uzbekistan welcomes the formation of Afghanistan's interim government and is ready to establish a constructive dialogue with the new authorities, the foreign ministry's spokesman, Yusup Kabulzhanov, said on Wednesday

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) Uzbekistan welcomes the formation of Afghanistan's interim government and is ready to establish a constructive dialogue with the new authorities, the foreign ministry's spokesman, Yusup Kabulzhanov, said on Wednesday.

"Uzbekistan welcomes the formation of an interim government in Afghanistan.

We hope that this decision will serve as the beginning for achieving a broad nationwide consensus and establishing sustainable peace and stability in this country," Kabulzhanov wrote on Telegram.

Uzbekistan's foreign ministry is ready to develop constructive dialogue and practical cooperation with Afghanistan's new state bodies, the spokesman added.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2021) The global coronavirus infection rate has plateaued at roughly 4.5 million cases a week, the WHO's technical lead for COVID-19 said on Tuesday.

"We have reached a plateau of cases all over the world, but that plateau is at a fairly high level of intensity. So there are about 4.4-4.5 million cases every week, and this is certainly an underestimate of the true number of cases that do occur globally," Maria Van Kerkhove said at a Q&A session that was broadcast on social media.

The expert went on to warn that it is too early to become complacent.

"We are definitely still in the middle of the pandemic. We all want it to be over and many people are acting like it is over, it is not over," she added.

The epidemiologist noted a spike in COVID-19 cases and fatalities in North and South America, while in Europe the infection rate is going down but fatalities are up. In Asia, both indicators are trending down.
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Sila is bringing to market the most significant breakthrough in battery chemistry in 30 years  the technology to replace graphite anodes  which will usher in a new era of energy storage. Silas silicon anode chemistry dramatically increases the energy density of batteries, reducing battery size without sacrificing safety or performance.
Father Francis Cui Qingqi, O.F.M., is the sixth bishop nominated by Pope Francis under the terms of the 2018 Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and China.

By Vatican News

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, has confirmed that Father Francis Cui Qingqui, O.F.M., received episcopal ordination on Wednesday, in Wuhan, Hubei province. Pope Francis named Fr Cui as Bishop of Hankou/Wuhan on 23 June 2021; he is the sixth Chinese Bishop appointed and ordained within the framework of the Provisional Agreement on the appointment of Bishops in China.



The Provisional Agreement was signed in Beijing on 22 September 2018 by representatives of the Holy See and China with the shared hope of fostering a path of institutional dialogue and contributing positively to the life of the Catholic Church in China, to the good of the Chinese people, and to peace in the world.

Renewed for another two years in 2020, the Agreement does not directly address diplomatic relations between the Holy See and China, the legal status of the Chinese Catholic Church or relations between the clergy and the authorities of the country. Rather, it is concerned exclusively with the process of appointing bishops, with the pastoral objective of allowing the Catholic faithful to have bishops who are in full communion with the Successor of Peter and at the same time are recognised by the authorities of the People's Republic of China.
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order instructing the U.S. Justice Department and other agencies to review and release some documents related to the FBI investigation of the 9/11 terrorist attack. The order comes just a few days before the 20th anniversary of the tragic event. The declassified information must be released over the next six months. Biden called the executive order, a fulfillment of his campaign promise.

We must never forget the enduring pain of the families and loved ones of the 2,977 innocent people who were killed during the worst terrorist attack on America in our history My heart continues to be with the 9/11 families who are suffering, and my Administration will continue to engage respectfully with members of this community, Biden said in a statement.

The White House recently announced that Biden will visit all three sites of the 9/11 attack for the upcoming memorial. Last month, a group of families of the victims who died in the attack released a public statement. It requested that Biden not attend any Sept. 11 memorial events unless Washington released documents regarding potential Saudi ties to the incident.

The families wrote that they cannot in good faith and with veneration to those lost, sick, and injured, welcome Biden to their hallowed grounds until he fulfills his commitment.

If President Biden reneges on his commitment and sides with the Saudi government, we would be compelled to publicly stand in objection to any participation by his administration in any memorial ceremony of 9/11, given its continuation of policies that thwart Americans rights to hold accountable those who, known evidence reveals, materially supported the 9/11 hijackers, the statement said.

The group, 9/11 Families United, praised Bidens recent executive order. Terry Strada, whose husband died in the incident, said that they are thrilled about Washingtons decision to release more evidence of Saudi connections to the 9/11 attack.

However, she added that much more work needs to be done to rectify the immense damage caused by the 20-year shroud of secrecy. She said that they have been fighting the FBI and intelligence community for too long.

In March, a group of 2,100 9/11 families wrote a letter to President Biden and US Attorney General Merrick Garland criticizing the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ).

Following the passage of the Justice Against State Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), the families had sued Saudi Arabia. They also served a subpoena to the FBI in 2018. They sought documents related to its two investigations into the 9/11 attack, the PENTTBOM investigation between 2001 and 2004, and Operation Encore (2006  2016).

But ever since the subpoena was served, the intelligence agencies, including the FBI, have continually obstructed and impeded us in the lawsuit against Saudi Arabia. Does the Federal Bureau of Investigation work for the American people or for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? the letter asked.

Saudi links to 9/11

The 9/11 Commission that was set up in the aftermath of the attacks called Saudi Arabia a problematic ally in regards to sharing intelligence. The commission found no evidence that the Saudi Arabian government as an institution or as individual senior officials were supportive of al Qaeda that carried out the attack.

However, it did note that the countrys failure to conduct oversight over its institutions created an environment where such activity has flourished. The report noted that Saudi nationals were the main funders of the terror outfit. Saudi Arabia has denied any connection to the 9/11 attacks.

In an interview with NBC News, Brett Eagleson, whose father died in the attack, said that he is convinced that some senior leaders of the Saudi government planned the attack. He is part of a group that has filed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia, accusing the country of being complicit in the event. Eagleson cites a 2017 sworn testimony issued by former Special Agent Stephen Moore who was part of the PENTTBOM investigation of the attacks.

Based on evidence we gathered during the course of our investigation, I concluded that diplomatic and intelligence personnel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia knowingly provided material support to the two 9/11 hijackers and facilitated the 9/11 plot. My colleagues in our investigation shared that conclusion, Moore said in his affidavit.

A 2012 memo related to Operation Encores investigation of the attack stated that Saudi officials, including an employee at the Saudi embassy, had assisted the terrorists who hijacked the plane. The officials provided the terrorists with shelter and trained them in combat.

All previous administrations, Bush, Obama, and Trump, had declined to declassify relevant documents citing state secrets privilege. In May, a group of 22 lawmakers wrote a letter to Attorney General Garland, challenging the state secrets doctrine, insisting that it has no basis in statute.

It is entirely judge-made, and it has frequently been asserted to cover up government misconduct. In many instances, courts have given the executive branch the unilateral power to dismiss a case or withhold information from litigants without needing to show any legitimate concern about the national security sensitivity of the information in question, the letter stated.
Myanmars ousted authorities, the National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the Tatmadaw, the countrys ruling military junta on Tuesday, Sept. 7, while also declaring a nationwide state of emergency.

The NUG has called for open rebellion against the junta rule, prompting attacks on military targets by various pro-democracy militias and ethnic armed groups, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported.

Via a video address on social media the NUG interim president, Duwa Lashi La, asserted that the Tatmadaw illegally seized control of the country by force through a coup detat on Feb. 1 this year.

In a 14-point address, the NUG interim president said peaceful resistance had failed to convince the ruling junta to hand back power to the democratically elected National League of Democracy (NLD) government, and that The peoples resistance against the military dictatorship starts today, Sept. 7.

This revolution is a peoples revolution, and the entire population of the Union of Myanmar must resist Min Aung Hlaings brutal military, Duwa Lashi La added.

The NUG leader called on branches of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias to target the military and their support pillars to take control of their regions, while also directing all levels of local administrators to stop working immediately.

The calls to war were coupled with direction to the public to avoid unnecessary travel and to begin storing adequate amounts of food and medicine to aid PDF units.

The declaration of war follows the Aug. 28 announcement of an alliance between a dozen PDF militia factions.

The 12 militia factions are branches of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) which are primarily based in Myanmars Sagaing region and Chin state but also hail from areas located in the Mandalay and Magway regions as well as Kachin.

In the 7 months following the juntas rise to power security forces have killed 1,051 civilians and have arrested at least 6,313, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

The Tatmadaw says it had no choice but to unseat Aung San Suu Kyis NLD government after claiming the November 2020 election had been stolen through widespread voter fraud.

No evidence of election irregularities have been presented by the ruling junta.

Washington reacts

A U.S. State Department spokesman acknowledged the launch of a peoples defensive war against the ruling junta while calling for peace in the region to allow for the delivery of aid and medicine.

Using the countrys former name, the spokesman said, The United States does not condone violence as a solution to the current crisis in Burma and calls on all sides to remain peaceful, adding that the worsening COVID-19 situation inside Burma underscores the need for a peaceful environment that allows for equitable, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The U.S. embassy in Burma (Myanmar), on Sept. 7, issued a level 4 Travel Advisory  the highest level issued by the Department of State  directing U.S. citizens not to travel to Myanmar or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so due to the greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.

The Travel Advisory states that roadblocks and military operations could become more prevalent in Yangon and throughout the country. The Embassy advises Americans to avoid public gatherings and limit their outside activities.

U.S. citizens currently in Myanmar are also advised to prepare provisions in order to shelter in place if necessary amidst reports of panic-buying by local citizens.
Female prosecutors in Afghanistan fear the Taliban and the thousands of prisoners released by the militant group. These women, who are still in Afghanistan, are calling on the international community for help. Farkhunda Paimani reports. #taliban #afghanistan
James Butty

Two Members of Parliament, Bacede Mabuza and Mathandeni Dube of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, remain behind bars, and another is on the run for their role in what the police call acts of criminality and violations of the law during recent violent pro-democracy protests.

The MPs are charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008. They were arrested while on their way to present a resolution to parliament, on behalf of the people, to amend the constitution to allow the people to have a say in the election of their prime minister.

Thulani Maseko, a lawyer for the two jailed members of parliament and another, Mduduzi Simelane, who is on the run, says the judge on Tuesday postponed again a bail hearing for the two jailed MPs after the government had denied them bail.

He says his clients feel King Mswati IIIs government might be manipulating the case to frustrate the jailed MPs.

Thulani says Judge Mumcy Dlamini raised a new issue on Tuesday when she told the defense to convince her why she should hear their bail application. He says the judge seems to believe that the second bail application should be heard by the Supreme Court.

Thulani says the judge hopes to rule on the bail application September 14.

In Uganda, an opposition member of parliament for the party of Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, says the party is busy trying to do the work for which its members were elected, while President Yowere Museveni, having run out of ideas, is busy coming up with trumped up criminal charges against members of Wines National Unity Party.

Joel Ssenyonyi says President Museveni sees Bobi Wine as the only threat to his administration, and is therefore making up allegations just as the administration did to Dr. Kizza Besigye on several occasions when Besigye was the main opposition leader. He says the Museveni government also brought treason charges against Bobi Wine in 2018.

This comes after a Magistrates Court Tuesday charged two members of parliament from Bobi Wines party with murder and attempted murder for their roles in the recent wave of killings of closed to 30 people in Ugandas Masaka sub-region. Prosecutors say the two MPs had planning meetings prior to the alleged murders.

Ssenyonyi tells VOAs James Butty the party is not worried because such charges will turn out to be false. Wines party won closed to 60 parliamentary seats in the 2020 election.

Ssenyonyi says the party is busy doing what a political party should be doing like building hospitals and schools and buying medicines for hospitals.
Two Ugandan opposition members of parliament were indicted on Tuesday for allegedly orchestrating a wave of machete killings that left dozens dead in the south of the country, a move described as "political persecution" by their lawyer.

For two months, the region of Masaka, located about 150 kilometers southwest of the capital, Kampala, has been living in terror of gangs that have killed around 30 people, mainly the elderly, in their homes at night, according to police.

After two days of questioning by the police, MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Sewanyana were indicted by a court in Masaka on three counts of murder and one of attempted murder, their lawyer, Elias Lukwago, told AFP.

"They have denied all charges. ... This is political persecution by the military regime of (Uganda President Yoweri) Museveni," Lukwago said.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the use of a biased judicial process to meet the political objectives of a ruling party," he added, indicating that they would be held in pretrial detention until September 15 in the high-security prison of Kitalya, near Kampala.

Ugandan police spokesman Fred Enanga explained that Ssegirinya and Sewanyana were arrested after statements by several suspects accusing them of organizing the attacks "to sow fear among the population and make people hate the government.

Both MPs are members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) of opposition leader Bobi Wine, rival of President Museveni in the disputed January election.

Wine, whose real name Robert Kyagulanyi, said the accusations were mounted by the government of Museveni to discredit the opposition.

When the president recently said that the opposition was behind the killings, we thought it was a bad joke. But when the police summoned our MPs, we realized that the regime's plan to involve the leaders of the NUP in the murders was at work, he said.

In a speech last month, Museveni called the perpetrators "pigs" and vowed their doom.

In power since 1986, Museveni, 76, was reelected in January for a sixth term, ahead of Wine, who denounced an electoral "masquerade.

"No matter what the Museveni regime does, one day Uganda will be free, and those accused of crimes because they belong to the opposition will be released," Wine said.

In Masaka, residents called on the government to take strong action to stop the killers.

"We mourn our loved ones who were killed, we live in fear of being killed by gangs armed with machetes," Sarah Kasujja, a 45-year-old trader, told Agence France-Presse. She said her 81-year-old grandfather is one of the gangs victims.

"Some elderly people who lived alone (...) fled their homes to find safety in the cities," she said. "The government should be held responsible for not defending us against the killers. The army and the police were deployed, but they arrived too late.

Ugandan National Council for the Elderly President Charles Isabirye called the wave of killings a "shock to the nation.

"That someone is killing elderly people who live quietly in their homes is inconceivable," he told AFP. "We call on the government to ensure the protection of the elderly in the countryside, and the people behind (the murders) must be identified and punished.
Coronavirus vaccines offer protection not only against infection and serious illness but may also help prevent so-called Long COVID, where symptoms can last for several weeks or months, according to new research from scientists at Kings College London.

There are no official figures, but its thought millions of people worldwide who contracted the coronavirus have suffered from so-called Long COVID, with reported symptoms including muscle pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog lasting longer than four weeks.

The condition remains poorly understood, says British campaigner Ondine Sherwood, who founded the Long Covid SOS campaign group after suffering from the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Amongst medical practitioners, there is a bit of variation in terms of recognition. I think people are still getting told that its due to anxiety. Some doctors dont fully understand this condition, Sherwood told VOA.

It is a case of treating symptoms. Research is ongoing as to the mechanisms of Long COVID and its not fully understood. There are quite a lot of theories, many of which have been backed up with research. But we havent reached the stage where we have targeted treatments, Sherwood added.

The research from Kings College London suggests that coronavirus vaccines halve the risk of suffering from long COVID, for the very low number of people who become infected after vaccination.

The scientists based their research on Britains Zoe COVID study app, which tracked the self-reported symptoms of 1.2 million people between December 2020 and July of this year.

Zero-point-two percent of vaccinated respondents reported being infected with the coronavirus. Of those, 5% reported suffering from long COVID, compared to 11% of unvaccinated people.

So, the vaccine will protect you from becoming ill from the virus. It will also protect you if you do get symptoms from becoming long-term ill from this virus, said Sterghios Moschos, a virologist at the University of Northumbria, who was not involved in the research.

This means that if you get exposed to the virus and youve been vaccinated, the vast chances are that you are not even going to be able to tell if youve been infected. Thats how good the vaccines are, he added.

The findings will fuel the debate over whether to offer vaccines to children, as schools start to reopen. Another recent study in Britain found that one in seven children suffers from Long COVID three months after infection, with headaches and fatigue listed as the most common symptoms.

Britain has yet to approve vaccines for healthy children. In the meantime, measures such as improved ventilation, social distancing and face masks should continue, argues Moschos. We need to continue preventing transmission. We must not rely only on vaccines, he told VOA.

Several countries, including the United States, have already begun vaccination programs for those 12 and older.
One on One with Joe Korkowski, as heard Saturdays on KXRA-1490AM (@7:40am) and KXRA-92.3FM (@8:00am), as well as each Sunday morning on KXRZ Z99.3fm (@10:15am).

The interview is also re-broadcast on Monday mornings on KX92 at 10:00am and on Z99 at 9:10am.
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Morristown, VT (05661)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Is it just me or is the third outing of Ryan Murphys American Crime Story a little light on crime?

Impeachment follows the twisty tale of an unsexy sex scandal that threatened to bring down the most powerful man in the Free World but actually boosted his approval ratings. Somehow the retelling is even less dramatic than the premise, with Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky barely featured in the series premiere. But its not just that the crimes at the heart of the previous installments of ACS were more crime-y; they were more resonant. The People v. O.J. Simpson was about race and celebrity and criminal justice in America; The Assassination of Gianni Versace was a look at 90s homophobia. The first installment of Impeachment, which tracks a mid-career secretary from the day her boss dies to the day she meets Monica, is so far a searing expose on what can happen to democracy when a miserable person grows meddlesome.

We open on a gray January 1998 morning as Monica (Beanie Feldstein, who disappears skillfully behind the White House staffers signature Birkin bangs) moves gloomily among her things, which are exclusively Clinton memorabilia: a stuffed version of Bills real dog, Buddy; the newspaper she saved from the day he won his second term; a copy of Leaves of Grass that we know he gave her. Monicas moving next week  maybe these are the last vestiges of her D.C. chapter, the ones she can hardly bear to pack away. Or perhaps theyre what she is discarding, talismans of the guy she never should have been involved with in the first place.

But before we can ponder, the show rolls into a springy sequence with huge dust him off energy. Monica gets Starbucks. Ace of Base plays as she hits step class. THIS MUST BE THE 90s! screams every single directorial choice. Monica answers a page from Linda Tripp (beepers!), who asks to have lunch at the Pentagon City food court (the mall!), where Monica buys a magazine (Jane!) while being trailed by G-men. In a hotel suite, a suit with an earpiece tells Tom Hankss good son  Colin as Ken Starr pit bull Mike Emmick  that the subject has arrived. As Linda (Sarah Paulson) approaches Monica, a menacing aerial shot captures the crisscrossing shadows cast by a glass cupola. Its the shows third visual register in as many minutes.

An hour ago, Monica was about to break ground on a new life in New York City; now shes starring in a political thriller flanked by FBI agents. She is escorted into a shopping-mall Ritz-Carlton, a Ritz that shares a street address with a Cinnabon. Its so demeaning. Was there no suite available at the Hay-Adams? This is the kind of show that tempts one to Google, so I can confirm that, according to Monicas grand-jury testimony, Lindas betrayal did in fact transpire at a Ritz-Carlton with an adjacent food court. Its also true that Monica demanded Linda be present for her questioning; whats omitted is how many times the panicked 24-year-old pleaded to call her mom.

And then, as too often happens these days, we leave the nail-biting forward action for a 45-minute in the beginning section that starts five years earlier and from which the emotional center of this opening sequence is absent. In 1993, Linda makes herself a breakfast shake (SlimFast!) and heads to the West Wing, where she works for White House counsel Bernie Nussbaum (Kevin Pollak). She corrects an underling for bringing a packet of paper bound with a paper clip when the boss prefers staples, presumably because Linda is fastidious but also a real pill. In the restroom, she runs into Hillary (Edie Falco), who offends Linda for the same reason HRC offends a lot of people: having the nerve to leave the East Wing.

That said, theyre in the middle of a rare good day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. RBG was just confirmed to the Court, but deputy WH counsel Vince Foster is too worried about Whitewater to celebrate. Hes poring over a critical WSJ op-ed instead. To brighten his afternoon, Linda adds a pack of Presidential M&Ms to his lunch tray after grabbing a few for herself (we get it, Ryan: Lindas overweight). Youre a kind person, Vince tells Linda, which is not true to the best of our knowledge. They have a protracted and profoundly awkward interaction about the M&Ms. He leaves some leftovers scattered on the tray for her. The M&Ms she got him are now hers again. The dialogue here can best be described as Twin Peaksy. Vince tells Linda hell be back, but instead the 48-year-old drives to a Virginia park and fatally shoots himself, a tragedy that would birth a few conspiracy theories, including that the Clintons had him killed. Is the show implying that Bill Clintons impeachment can be traced back, domino by domino, to the fact that a WH secretary blamed the First Couple for her nice bosss death? When Linda gets to work the next day, Vinces office is already being cleared of boxes labeled Whitewater, and man, is she suspicious.

CUT TO: Los Angeles in 1994. New mom Paula Jones tells someone on the phone (cordless!) that her husband, Steve, has yet to read the magazine story in which her hotel rendezvous with then-Governor Clinton is outlined. When Steve does read it, hes incensed. They call up lawyer Danny Traylor to help clear Paulas good name, which does not actually appear in the magazine. Paula wants the president to apologize for exposing himself and requesting oral sex, and shell take the apology in the form of a Designing Women walk-on role for her aspiring-actor husband. To get the ball rolling, Danny calls a press conference at CPAC, which was apparently the same sleazy hatefest in 1994 as it more famously became throughout the Trump years. For viewers of a certain age, part of Impeachments interest lies in being reminded of events like this that you only half remember. Paula is painfully shy and refuses to divulge the details of Clintons unwanted sexual advances. The press is as hostile as they were in real life. Is it something that could have been performed without your taking your clothes off? is a line ripped from the actual horror show.

From this point forward, the premiere of Impeachment is 50 percent Paula Jones getting manipulated by men with ulterior motives and 50 percent Linda Tripp making a total dick of herself. Shes humble-bragging, I think, when she tells White House volunteer aide Kathleen Willey (Elizabeth Reaser) that shes going to be subpoenaed in the Whitewater investigation. Shes toying with writing a White House tell-all despite not having much to tell or, it turns out, the stomach to tell it. Even if she hates its current occupants and their pizza parties, Linda likes feeling important, and her White House posting undergirds her delusions of grandeur. Kathleen can barely stand her, though she still confides in Linda when Bill kisses her in the Oval. Shes just always around.

Its not until Bernie resigns that Linda learns exactly how unpopular she is. Shes so awful in her meeting with the incoming WH counsel that he gives her job to Kathleen instead. Eventually, shes promoted up and out of the West Wing to an unglamorous Pentagon post. If Linda was upset about what happened with Vince, now shes enraged. I will get you for this, Linda spits at Kathleen.

As Linda is exiled, Paula attracts powerful admirers. Ann Coulter (Cobie Smulders) thinks the frizzy-haired girl from Arkansas is the right avatar for her Clinton takedown. Lets get her some real lawyers, one of Coulters goons says, an echo of Jeffrey Toobins thesis in A Vast Conspiracy, the book that steers the series. Bill Clinton was guilty, yes, but by the mid-90s, both Democrats and Republicans exploited the courts to settle political disputes. Paula is going to have to sue. This will be tried in the courtroom and not in the media, her new Beltway lawyer concludes at the press conference he calls on the courthouse steps.

Time shifts fast on Impeachment. Its suddenly 1996, and Clinton is running for reelection and Linda has been at the Pentagon for almost two years. It really does suck. Instead of a semi-private carpeted office with fabric lampshades and hygge in the style of Laura Ashley, Lindas got a desk in a cavernous tiled room thats bigger than the White House canteen. She and her cubicle-mate are enemies. She finally snags a temporary office through sustained and vociferous complaining. Linda is nothing if not relentless. In fact, shes still not over her West Wing ouster. After stewing in purgatory, shes finally ready to write that tell-all. If only she had some hot goss.

As if on cue, in walks Monica, a White House intern turned staffer, now banished to the Pentagon  at least for a few months. She and Linda bond over being lightly bullied in school and feeling marooned at DoD. Linda can smell a secret; Monicas judgment is terrible. The fast friends with a 20-year age gap agree to grab a happy-hour drink next week before going home to their respective low-fat frozen dinners. For Linda, an evening alone means calling lit agent Lucianne Goldberg (Margo Martindale) and telling her to save some room on the roster for an ex-WH busybody who knows an intern barred from the West Wing until after the election. For Monica, its a call from her maybe kinda boyfriend, POTUS.

Bills non-presence looms over the premiere, but when he finally shows up, its anticlimactic. Did the hero just arrive or the big baddie? The decision to Tarantino the Impeachment timeline purchases intrigue on the cheap, but somewhere in that choice lies the admission that Linda Tripps conniving isnt the real narrative engine. Shes a disgruntled ex-employee with a vindictive streak longer than the Starr report; Paula is dim to the point of childish; Monica is allowed the backbone to call out her frenemys treachery, but shes still powerless. Impeachment has been touted as putting women at its center, and Im excited to see how that plays out across the series. But in episode one, at least, theyre no more fully rendered than they were on the periphery.

Yes, They Really Did That

 At one point, we randomly overhear Linda confirming Bernies dinner reservation with Roseanne actress Estelle Parsons. The Nussbaums really did have dinner the night Foster died, according to an interview Nussbaum gave for Clintons library.

 Paula Jones really did sketch Bills penis, though according to Toobin, that happened at Bills lawyers request during a deposition: Could you sort of just show me what you mean on that piece of paper? Draw the penis for me. Show me what you mean by the shaft was bent or crooked. Toobin, who coincidentally has had some recent trouble with exposure, named an entire chapter of his book after the incident.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Sergio Soto has been fighting leukemia since he was 15, most of the time with his high school sweetheart, Isabella Cristobal, by his side.

The pair got married in San Francisco on Tuesday, one week after learning Soto has just a few weeks to live.

"No matter what happens with my treatment, or whatever happens, I know she'll always be there, take care of me and stuff, she really makes me happy," Soto said. "So, I knew she was the one for me, so that's why I proposed. She's the love of my life and I really want to be with her forever."

The two 20-year-olds hope their love story will give others hope, especially those battling cancer or those who've lost someone to the disease.

Cristobal had this message: Be positive like Sergio, stay strong and live life one day at a time.

They put the wedding together in just one week.

Mission Bay restaurant The Ramp donated the venue as well as food and drinks.

Noe Valley bridal boutique Lace & Liberty donated the gown and the tux is from Men's Wearhouse.
The North Campus for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is officially open as of Wednesday. It is the only AIDB campus outside of Talladega.

People in Morgan, Limestone, Lawrence, and Cullman County who are deaf and blind can now receive services at the Decatur Regional Center. It allows more people to receive the services they may need to overcome any obstacles and help them live a successful life.

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind opens North Campus in Decatur

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind opens North Campus in Decatur Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind opens North Campus in Decatur Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind opens North Campus in Decatur

It will give you the resources to accept it, to grow, to learn, to live, whatever it is you want to to, AIDB will provide that," said Terrence Robinson.

Robinson lost his vision just before his 30th birthday in 2016. He lives in Morgan County, but the closest AIDB Regional Center was either in Huntsville or the Shoals so he had to travel about an hour each way to receive any services.

He said opening the North Campus will allow easier access to essential tools to people who are blind or deaf.

Itll teach you the necessary skills to live independently, assistive technology, case management, whatever it is you want to do in life, theyll provide you with the services to get you there.

The North Campus is currently building classrooms for STEM and manufacturing, as well as independent living areas, like the Alabama Freedom Center for the Blind.

Robinson previously stayed at the Alabama Freedom Center for the Blind in Birmingham.

He said between the center and AIDB, Robinson learned two vital lessons. "Overcoming and learning to accept my blindness," he said. "Attending the Alabama Freedom Center for the Blind, it gave me the confidence needed and AIDB gave me the resources I needed to excel in life."

The classrooms and living areas are under construction, but people can come to the Decatur Regional Center for job support and help with daily services, like getting an interpreter.

Theyre here to interpret things that you need, you know, you can ask for an interpreter to go to a doctor's appointment, hospital, so a variety of different ways their services are going to help people out," Amber Whitehead signed to an interpreter.

Robinson told WAAY 31 that receiving these services reminded him that nothing can prevent him from achieving what he puts his mind to.

AIDB offers free services to people from birth until death.

Senator Arthur Orr played an essential role in bringing AIDB to Decatur. He said it will help give people who are blind and deaf an opportunity to start a career.

"The best impact it will have is the workforce training and job training," Senator Orr said. "We have a serious need for workers in North Alabama, and deaf and blind folks can be just as competent and capable as anyone else, and with the proper training, well be able to plug them in to help fill our workforce needs here in North Alabama.

They anticipate the North Campus to be completed within 2 years.
One Labor Day weekend camping trip turned into a rescue mission, when three men stumbled upon a wounded bald eagle in New Market.

It was an eerie sight for the campers, as they saw the symbol of American freedom wounded. Something they will not forget for a long time, as many people never get the chance to see a bald eagle in the wild, let alone try to save one's life.

Wounded bald eagle Wounded bald eagle

"Definitely a once in a lifetime experience," says Kyle Vines.

Vines and Weston Brown were looking forward to a relaxing Labor Day weekend, until they stumbled upon something unusual.

"He saw something run across the road, it looked hurt. He thought it was a turkey. We got out and went to go look. When I saw it was a bald eagle, I said guys we need to call help," says Vines.

Brown quickly picked up the phone and called a wildlife specialist.

"He asked me, he said is this an eagle or is it a bald eagle? I said it's a bald eagle, it's got a white head. You know it looks like she's been, she's been wounded you know," says Brown.

A bald eagle, symbol of American freedom, injured by a possible gunshot wound.

"Where she had been there was little pools of blood, she had definitely, definitely suffered a gunshot wound," says Brown.

The wildlife specialist said the men saved the eagle from dying alone in the woods.

"She was badly dehydrated, she was starting to develop blood poisoning, she had a bad infection, and had we waited until the next morning she would have probably been dead," explains Brown.

It turned into a rescue mission these men will never forget.

"It's something that you see on Discovery Channel or National Geographic, and not only are we seeing one in North Alabama you know, we're getting to be a part of its rescue... It just leaves you in awe," says Vines.

Unfortunately, WAAY 31 learned Wednesday morning that the bald eagle the campers found in New Market did not make it.

The executive director of Alabama Wildlife Center said it had been suffering an injury for a while when the men found it. The injury was consistent with a potential gunshot wound, but the X-ray didn't show any bullet fragments so they can't confirm for sure it was a gunshot.
The coronavirus pandemic is now called a war between the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Judy Smith, an Alabama Department of Public Heath officer, said this is a war we can win if more people get vaccinated.

Smith said Alabama cannot afford to lose 12,000 more Alabamians to the virus. She said there can be a resolution to this war, it just takes more people rolling up their sleeves.

Three thousand people across the state have the coronavirus and are in the hospital, fighting for their lives.

At Decatur Morgan Hospital, there are 74 in-patients. Ten of those people are in the ICU, and all 10 are also on ventilators.

Space within hospital walls is limited. Right now, seven positive coronavirus patients are being held in the ER. Some of those patients in the emergency room are waiting for an ICU bed to open up.

The ongoing battle in hospitals is impacting patients and their families, but the heaviest weight remains on the shoulders of overwhelmed health care workers.

"Not only are they exhausted, but we're also making decisions on what they're going to do with their lives," said Smith. "While some of you were at the lake and some of you were having picnics, many of them were in hospitals and medical facilities, unexcused, because they had people they had to take care of."

Cases and hospitalization we're currently seeing may have ties to the Trump Rally and Rock the South. After Labor Day, Smith said she expects a rise in coronavirus cases.

"Let me tell you what happens from here," said Smith. "We got ball games this weekend, we had a big holiday this weekend, and it's great that people were able to get out, I was able to get out, but with a mask on."

It's also important to note that basic health care is being put behind because health care workers are focusing on coronavirus patients.

Smith said we're not at the end, "we're fixing to have another peak."

Kelli Powers, president of Decatur Morgan Hospital, said many people are heading to the emergency rooms and are finding out their health is already in a dire situation.

Powers said individuals should have an oximeter. The tool can be life-saving.

Monitoring your oxygen level is a key way in determining whether or not you need to go to the hospital.

A person can just clip the tool on their finger and read the number that appears. The number is a telling sign of where your health stands.

"If it goes below 90, we want you to come into the emergency room," said Powers. "When you come into the emergency room, and if your oxygen stat is in the 70s, the chance of you living is really low."

CVS, Walmart, and Amazon have the gadgets on sale for less than $20.

Decatur Morgan Hospital's parkway vaccine clinic is still open Monday through Friday. For testing, Powers asks that people go to Westmeade Baptist Church. The testing center is open Monday through Friday.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall wants a Madison County Judge to reverse his decision - dismissing a lawsuit surrounding the removal of a Confederate memorial statue at the Madison County Courthouse in October of 2020.

The lawsuit was over after a the $25,000 fine was paid for violating the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act. The judge dismissed the case last week.

At that point the lawsuit was over. Until now.



The state says the $25,000 fine paid anonymously isn't legal because the state doesn't know who paid the money. Attorney General Marshall wants to make sure Madison County paid the fine and not a private donor.

Once that's the case, the lawsuit can remain dismissed. Until then, the state considers this to be an active "controversy."

There's a hearing scheduled on this here at the Madison County Courthouse Friday at 1:30.

New motion asks judge to revoke dismissal of Madison County Confederate statue case by Luke Hajdasz on Scribd
Health care workers and many others across the state took time to pause and reflect on the 12,000 lives lost to Covid.

Helen Keller Hospital nurses and administration gathered in a courtyard at the hospital to have a moment of silence on Tuesday.

"You work really, really hard. You do everything you can and the patients still pass away and that is taking a big toll," said Teresa Thornton, the director of the hospital's Covid and other critical care units.

WAAY 31 asked Thornton during the moment of silence who she was thinking and praying for.

"My staff. All of my staff. Because, this is emotional," said Thornton.

"They are going through an emotional time because my staff are the ones that are with the critical care people at the end of life. They are the ones having to call families continuously and talk to them."

Thornton said at the beginning of the pandemic they felt supported, but now that love and support has turned into conspiracy-laced theories and bullying.

"We were all heroes. We had people supporting us and supplying things for us. Sending us notes and sending us messages, and now it's like we've become the bad guy because so many are leaving the profession because it's so challenging and emotional and stressful and burned out," Thornton said.

"And people are like, 'Well this is what you signed up for, so deal with it.' This is what we signed up for but not to this length and not this trying," said Thornton.

Volunteer Chaplain Greg Beasley comforts those on the frontlines and people who are losing loved ones to Covid. He shared a prayer at the moment of silence. He said it's time to stop attacking frontline workers and support them.

"Before we start condemning these hospitals and nurses, we need to walk in their shoes for 24 hours. And then when we get behind the keyboard we will see exactly what we need to write and that's, that they are our heroes," said Beasley.

"Think before you write anything because you have not walked in their shoes probably for even one hour."

Right now the hospital has 37 people hospitalized with Covid. Only one of those patients is vaccinated. No one who needs ICU-level care or on a ventilator is vaccinated.

Hospital officials said if you want to help health care workers get vaccinated, they will have a clinic on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the WellCare center. You can walk in and get the Pfizer vaccine.
From the Huntsville Police Department:

The Huntsville Police Department has asked the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to investigate an incident which happened on Treymore Ave. about 5 a.m. on Tuesday, September 7.

Officers responded to the area where a stolen vehicle was located. The suspect attempted to flee the area on foot and was apprehended by officers without incident. The suspect exhibited signs of a possible drug overdose and HEMSI was called to treat him before transporting him to Huntsville Hospital, where he later died.

Following the medical episode at the scene, Huntsville Police contacted SBI to investigate the incident. Any further questions about the incident need to be directed to SBI.

In August 2021, The Huntsville City Council approved a resolution to allow the City to enter an agreement with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for state investigators to conduct investigations for in-custody deaths.
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 82F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.
Italy to begin administering third dose of covid vaccination in September.

Italy is to start giving a third dose of covid-19 vaccines later this month to people with the most fragile immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients, health minister Roberto Speranza has confirmed.

The third round of Italy's vaccination campaign would begin on "the most frail patients" in September, said Speranza, before health authorities decide to continue with the over-80s, nursing home residents and medical workers.

Speranza was speaking to reporters on Monday night at the end of a two-day meeting of G20 health ministers in Rome.

Green Pass

Speranza also said the scope of Italy's covid Green Pass would "soon be extended" as part of efforts to "strengthen the vaccination campaign."

The Green Pass is a digital certificate that shows people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19, and is required in Italy for dining indoors in restaurants as well as for long-distance travel and a host of cultural and leisure activities.

Compulsory vaccinations

The prospect of compulsory vaccination in Italy is also under discussion by the government after premier Mario Draghi confirmed last week that the move is being considered.

Italy's deputy health minister Pierpaolo Sileri told the Corriere della Sera newspaper on Sunday that mandatory vaccinations must be kept as a "last resort" but warned that there are "3.7 million Italians over 50 who are not yet vaccinated."

On Tuesday Italy's coronavirus emergency commissioner General Francesco Figliuolo said that 80 per cent of the population over the age of 12 has received at least one dose of the covid vaccine, putting the country on track to reach its target of 80 per cent fully vaccinated by the end of September.

For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website. For details about the Green Pass - in Italian - see Certificazione Verde website.

Photo credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com.
Prisoners cool down during the summer with gelato from the pope.

Pope Francis sent 15,000 ice creams to prisoners in two jails in Rome, the Vatican has announced, during Italy's record hot summer.

The pope's charity office said it "did not go on vacation" in the summer months, sending the vast amount of gelato to two Roman prisons - Regina Coeli in the Trastevere district and Rebibbia in the outskirts of the capital.

Keeping to an annual tradition, the Vatican charity office also took "small groups of homeless people, or those housed in shelters" to the sea or the lake, at Castel Gandolfo, "for an afternoon of relaxation and a dinner in a pizzeria."

The person in charge of the charity office is the 57-year-old Polish cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope's apostolic almsgiver, or Papal Almoner.

Under Pope Francis, the almsgiver has played an increasingly hands-on role in helping the city's poor, with medical facilities and showers installed for the homeless at St Peter's Square.

More recently the charity office has offered free covid tests and vaccinations to the poor.
Although there have been no head-to-head clinical trials, it appears from evidence gathered in studies before and after the vaccines were authorized that the mRNA versions are superior to the other formulations in widespread use. Modernas vaccine was 94% effective at preventing Covid, that is to say, a symptomatic case of coronavirus infection, and Pfizer-BioNTechs was 95% effective in the trials resulting in their authorization. Those numbers are under assault with the subsequent spread of the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which appears to be better than earlier strains at evading immunity gained from vaccination. Still, data out of New York state show that the vaccines have remained highly protective against hospitalization, even during the period where delta took over.
The problems were the kind that can crop up with any mass rollout  especially by a government  and the immediate disruptions may turn out to be minor and short-lived. Yet they point to a greater unknown that may be far more significant in shaping Bitcoins evolution: Will people actually adopt it? Im reminded of the mid-1990s, when one of the biggest questions for internet investors was how many people would be willing to buy PCs, pay access fees and learn about computers and browsers to take advantage of the worldwide web. Only with mass adoption (which of course happened) would businesses, governments and other entities build the fiber-optic cables, servers and other infrastructure that would make the internet fast, cheap and ubiquitous.
The hopeful read of that last one is that Field should be well aware of the perils of mass auto manufacturing (he no doubt gained some valuable scars with Segway, too). In any case, he brings a hybrid of Detroit and Silicon Valley experience and contacts to Ford. He has intimate knowledge of the ambitions and capabilities of a formidable competitor, Tesla, and a potentially formidable competitor, Apple. His departure from the latter might suggest that particular competitive threat remains far off, but who knows? After all, if turnover in the senior ranks spelled doom, then Tesla would have been finished years ago.
Texas has been known as an economic powerhouse for decades. It has cheap land, no state income or capital gains taxes, and business-friendly regulatory policies that have made it a mecca for those looking to escape the pricey, cramped megalopolises of the coast. This was magnified by generations of pragmatic leaders who invested in education, encouraged the development of wind power to diversify the energy sector and strove to build up the states technology industries. Even culturally, Texas seemed to have it all  diverse, vibrant, relatively safe big cities, and a deep-red countryside for those of a more conservative inclination. No wonder Texas outstripped its sclerotic rival California in terms of population growth for 20 years:
William Pizer and Erin Campbell of Resources for the Future have outlined how this could work. The U.S. would estimate the effects of other policies, apart from pricing, that affect carbon emissions. Here, we bump into the particularly tricky issue with nonprice policies: prices are not observed, the authors note. Nonetheless, there are several alternative solutions. Imagine, for example, a clean air standard for steel plants that requires lowering carbon emissions by a certain amount. An estimate of a price on carbon that could generate the same emissions reductions from steel  the implicit price that the regulation imposes  could then be the basis for a fee on imports.
Besides displaying a lack of public transparency, the focus on Bransons recent space flight risks reopening a debate about space tourisms unusual regulation. Currently the FAA is only mandated to protect the safety of people on the ground and in passing aircraft. Thanks to a Congress-ordered moratorium, the FAA is forbidden from setting binding rules to protect the safety of the crew or passengers until October 2023. Spaceflight participants fly at their own risk, the FAA told me. In this instance, Virgin Galactic was tasked with investigating and submitting a report on the mishap itself, with the FAA providing oversight.
Chinas private education sector could also serve as a warning for other industries that Beijing might view as high-pressure, exploitative or misaligned with national goals. These broad policies fall under the collective mantra of common prosperity, a doctrine put forth by Xi that includes reining in technology companies and reorienting industry toward the greater good rather than individual wealth or fame.While theres no suggestion yet that these private schools will incur any level of state ownership  a process underway for data providers  strict rules on profits, pricing and marketing are akin to de facto nationalization.
Heres how the tracking works: If a parent and child each have an iPhone and set them to share locations, either one can tap on the recipients name in a text message and see where they are on a map at any time. There are also separate apps for tracking a family members location, such as Find My Friends for iPhone users, or for Android users, the location-sharing feature on Google Maps or apps like Life360. If a child goes somewhere after school but is late coming home or gets lost, a parent could easily find them through one of these apps and go pick them up.
Spain colonized the territory once called the Spanish Sahara in 1884. In the mid 1970s, as Spain prepared to pull out, Morocco claimed it and moved in, leading to armed conflict starting in 1976 with the Polisario Front. The front presents itself as the main movement representing the Sahrawis, the regions indigenous people. It had first emerged in 1973 to battle the Spanish colonists with a goal of an independent state. Morocco bases its claim on history. As recently as the 17th century, the kingdom of Morocco stretched from Tangier to Timbuktu, including large parts of the area now called Western Sahara. Moroccos government insists that the territory, which it refers to as its southern provinces, has been a part of the country since the dawn of time. The kingdom disputes Polisarios legitimacy and says Sahrawis living under its sovereignty accept its rule and are represented in parliament and local councils. At the same time, it does not tolerate opponents of its claim voicing their views, whether in the street or in local media. And it restricts the access of independent and foreign news outlets to the territory.
That desire to be believed is a central concept underlying Constands book, a memoir and detailed retelling of the Cosby trials, but also an attempt to urge changes in laws, such as statutes of limitation, that make it harder for accusers to seek justice. The sad truth is that, even amid the #MeToo movement, in which women from all over America spoke about allegations of sexual assault, the country still has a long way to go. Experts say that assault victims frequently do not report the horrors visited upon them because they fear that they wont be believed or that their chances of achieving some form of justice are slim. If they do come forward, they often risk having their characters assassinated, their motives questioned, their finances ruined.
In the painting, by artist Amy Sherald, Taylor is seen not in her technicians uniform but in a fashionable turquoise dress, her hair flowing over her left shoulder, the engagement ring that Walker never had a chance to give her on the ring finger of her left hand. There is no fear on her face. The painting first appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, and is now jointly owned by the African American Museum and the Speed Museum in Louisville, where it went on view in April. It will be shared by the two museums and remain on view at the Smithsonian until May.
It is then that you may suggest that you help her create and send announcements to at least your inner circle. Perhaps you cannot stop her from doing it the greedy way with her own friends, but you will have shown her the proper way to do it  which is really all a mother can do, even when she does manage to get ahead of the situation.
Diggs tells me that he agreed to help start the place, but he wanted it to be community-focused: Its not going to be about me. Twenty-two years on, the museum is managed by CARE and staffed by people who got on-the-job training about vinegar. And it is the towns biggest draw. Roslyn has an annual Vinegar Festival, replete with a royal quart, including a vinegar queen. The museum is open Thursday through Saturday, and only in the summer, but Rougemont says someones generally available if you ask for a tour. She recounts a time she was riding her bike to pick up her mail from the post office, and a family in a big RV asked if they could get a tour. I told them I just needed to run home and grab my key, she says.
Many insurance underwriters have modified their policies to cover an event such as testing positive for the coronavirus while traveling and being required to isolate. For example, Travelex recently announced that it would treat the coronavirus like any other illness. This means that if you, a traveling companion, family member or business partner become ill before or during your trip, you may be eligible for trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical or medical evacuation compensation. Travelex also increased the trip delay coverage limit from $750 to $2,000 on its popular Travel Select policy.
His grandmother said the family was a little hesitant because its hard to know if everyone at school is being as careful as possible. It does give you a little apprehension, she said, adding that she is praying for all at the school.
Office notes of Coffmans call stated: Man says that he went to [Cruzs] DC home to visit him with no answer at the door, and then called to try to arrange a meeting with him over the phone. Directed him to the schedulers email address. He is also looking for contact info for S. Hannity, M. Levin, and R. Limbaugh, the judges ruling said, referring to conservative commentators Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh.
In the Senate, Mr. Stevenson sponsored a bill calling for the end of U.S. aid to Vietnam by 1975. He was also the first chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and helped draft a code of ethics for the Senate. He also served on the Commerce, Banking and Intelligence committees.
She later studied at San Jose State College, now a university, where she became pregnant for the first time. She got an abortion in Mexico and vowed never again to leave the country for medical care. When she became pregnant two more times, she performed two self-induced abortions; one required follow-up treatment in the hospital, where she was questioned by police in 1959, according to the Los Angeles Free Press. Asked whether she had given herself an abortion, she replied: Sure I did. Want me to demonstrate how in court?
With her mother often engaged at work, Ms. Lopez was largely responsible for bringing up her three younger sisters, according to her son. From an early age, she found an emotional release in artwork. It was the one thing that she could do for herself in that period of her life, her son said.
Three months after that shooting on June 2, Umana and Amaya know little more about what happened that night. They said an internal affairs investigator told them that a woman had called 911 and said that Hennessy and another dog had jumped on her outside. The woman was taken to the hospital for a dog bite, police said, and officers had gone to the apartment to investigate.
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.
Ecklund said the Justice Department could mount some kind of civil rights challenges against people trying to enforce the law, and even if that was not immediately successful, doing so could push the dispute through the courts faster. In theory, the government also could provide some kind of backstop for the financial liability providers and others might face, though Ecklund said she did not see a clear mechanism for the Justice Department to do that.
But the company had already foiled some of its restoration timeline, creating confusion for those in and out of the region on how to proceed: Without a reliable sense of when the power might return, those still here were unsure of whether to stay put, and those who had evacuated elsewhere were unsure of when to come back.
The remaining 83% are a mix of people. They include those with Special Immigrant Visas, for people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. or NATO. There are also other visa holders as well as applicants for visas who have not yet completed their processing. The remainder are various types of vulnerable Afghans who would be threatened under the Taliban, such as women and human rights advocates.
While the investigation into the uranium traces has been going on for more than a year, diplomats say the IAEA urgently needs access to the equipment to swap out memory cards so there are no gaps in its observation of activities. Without such monitoring, Iran could produce and hide unknown quantities of this equipment that can be used to make weapons or fuel for power plants.
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The last years have been very difficult for so many reasons, and we desperately need as a nation to see that our government is highly competent, said Oetzel, who focuses on business response to climate change, particularly natural disasters. We need to see competence from our government that they understand the nature of the problem and they understand how the losses do not fall evenly across many communities, and that they can reassure people that theyre going to be able to do something and get people back up and running in a timely manner.
The court has not released its calendar for hearings in the period from Nov. 29 to Dec. 8. But it is possible that it would hear Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Center, about Mississippis ban on most abortions after 15 weeks. Conservative activists are urging the court to use the case to overturn Roe v. Wade.
OMalley is retiring after 12 years as district attorney for Alameda County, which contains the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. Wiley is one of several candidates seeking to replace her, as is Price, who is running as a criminal justice reformer who would tackle police misconduct. Like-minded prosecutors in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Chesa Boudin and George Gascon, are facing recall attempts from critics who say they are too permissive toward criminals.
And now these people are coming back to praise the people who were out to kill, out to kill members of Congress, successfully causing the deaths  successfully is not the word, but thats the word, because its what they set out to do  of our law enforcement, Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday morning.
Yes, we have, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said when asked whether the White House had requested the resignations. And the presidents objective is what any presidents objective is: to ensure you have nominees and people serving on these boards who are qualified to serve on them and who are aligned with your values. And so, yes, that was an ask that was made.
For the Jews, the paschal meal is a memorial, remembering what God once did, what he does now and what he will do again. It is a thanksgiving meal, thanking God for his action through history. It is a sacrificial meal, by which those participating are united with God. It is a covenant meal where the covenant between God and his people is renewed. And it is a communal meal, done with others, not alone.
Although Abdeslam  the only one directly charged with murder  was defiant on Wednesday, he may not be forthcoming about the planning and execution of the attacks. He refused to answer questions in a separate Belgian trial focused on his shootout with police as they sought to apprehend him in the months after the Paris attacks. The Belgian court found him guilty of attempted murder and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
The drill involved training to handle crisis situations in the Arctic. About 6,000 personnel were involved in the exercise which involved 12 emergency scenarios from Murmansk in the west to Chukotka in the east, with 18 government agencies involved, according to the ministry.
The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission in a brief statement said it has learned that civilians who were unable to flee when the town came under control of (Tigray) forces stayed behind on the assurance that that no harm will come to them if they supply them with food. Citing residents and local authorities, it said the people were killed by retreating Tigray forces as Ethiopian and regional forces approached.
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
Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on.
Andy Beshear is governor of Kentucky. This opinion editorial is part of a series from Governors of the states that comprise the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) footprint, as well as the ARC Federal Co-Chair. The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov ) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARCs mis sion is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
By March next year, its likely that US fintech Square  a true believer in bitcoin  will be one of the largest companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

This will be a major change for a market dominated by old world banks and miners, and its also a sign that the cryptocurrency phenomenon is not about to fade away any time soon.

A Senate inquiry is examining how to regulate cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. Credit:Bloomberg

However, it is striking that many in the financial establishment still appear deeply sceptical about bitcoin and its rival crypto cohorts.

Cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among the young, at a time when financial watchdogs remain wary about digital assets as an investment.
The secretary of state and his German counterpart met at a U.S. base in Germany that has become a key transit point for evacuees from Afghanistan.
Kentucky Kingdom is honoring Hometown Heroes with free admission to the park on Sept. 11, 2021, and Sept. 12, 2021, as part of the park's observance of Patriot Day weekend.
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.
The main underground group coordinating resistance to Myanmars military government issued a sweeping call for a nationwide uprising on Tuesday, raising the prospect of spiraling unrest.
The Indiana State Police is looking into the death of an Evansville man who was being held in a correctional facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana.

ISP says its investigation began on Sunday after 42-year-old Matthew Koch was found unresponsive in his P Housing Unit cell at the Miami Correctional Facility, which is located on the site of the Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base in Bunker Hill.

Matthew Koch of Evansville was found unresponsive in his cell on Sunday at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana Matthew Koch of Evansville was found unresponsive in his cell on Sunday at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana

According to ISP, prison staff members attempted to perform life-saving measures on Koch after he was found unresponsive, but he died from his injuries.

Authorities say that foul play is suspected in Koch's death and that it's currently being investigated as a homicide.

Koch was originally arrested back in 2008 after authorities say he kidnapped a woman at gunpoint, drove her on a cross-country trek, and shot her in the leg before giving himself up.

ISP says Koch's autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

No further information has been released at this time.
Allentown, PA (18103)

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Still rather warm and humid with partial sunshine and a late-day shower or thunderstorm..

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Mostly cloudy. Few showers and thunderstorms possible.
Reading, PA (19601)

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Still rather warm and humid with partial sunshine and a late-day shower or thunderstorm..

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Mostly cloudy. Few showers and thunderstorms possible.
Williamson, WV (25661)

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Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

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Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

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Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Willmar, MN (56201)

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Sun and clouds mixed. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

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A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
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Transgender actors and advocates for greater trans inclusion on Broadway gathered in the heart of Manhattans theater district on Monday. Called the Trans March on Broadway, the event was organized in response to producer Cameron Mackintoshs recent statements that transgender casting in classic musicals is a gimmick. Participants seized upon the opportunity for transgender members of the industry to reclaim an ongoing debate about casting, inclusion and access.

Im not marching because of Cameron Mackintosh. Im marching because there is trans erasure in this industry, and I want to have a conversation about trans people, led by trans people, Sis, the actor, activist and founder of the Next Generation Project who organized the march told Variety in an interview before the event.

When I look out, I see so many beautiful faces, Peppermint, the Rupauls Drag Race star and transgender theater actress, said before the gathered crowd Monday afternoon, made up of a few hundred members of the New York theater community. Of the trans faces I see, I see actors, performers, speakers, writers and creators. And I dont see a single gimmick. What I see are opportunities, and its time that theythey who are in the business of Broadwayknow it.

The event, which began in Central Parks Sheeps Meadow at noon and culminated in a march down Broadway to Schubert Alley  the geographic center of the Broadway universe. It drew roughly 200 people and featured speeches from transgender advocates and actors including Sis, Peppermint, Ianne Fields Stewart, Jayae Riley Jr., Qween Jean, and former Jagged Little Pill cast-members Iris and Nora Schell.

The march allowed an opportunity for several of the few transgender actors whove held roles on Broadway, despite a litany of contemporary shows like Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire, which advocates say profit from transgender stereotypes while casting cis gender performers, to share their experiences in the business.

Mackintosh, the powerhouse producer of Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera, subsequently tried to clarify his remarks, insisting that he was speaking specifically about re-casting the lead role in his musical version of Mary Poppins with a trans actress.

Unfortunately, my answer has been misinterpreted to suggest that I am opposed to casting a transgender performer to play the role, Mackintosh said in a statement. This is absolutely not true. I meant only that I would not as a producer disregard the author P.L. Travers original intention for the character.

To be clear, whether a person is trans has no bearing on their suitability for any role in any of my shows, including Mary Poppins, as long as they can perform the role as written, he added. I am very sorry for any distress caused by my remarks being misrepresented. Trans actors are welcome to submit and audition for any of my productions.

Peppermint, who in 2018 became the first Black trans woman to originate a principal role in an original Broadway cast with Head Over Heels, offered what she learned from her experience.

I felt it was my responsibility to be the one person in the production who was the protector of anyone who was trans or gender nonconforming, she told the crowd.

When we were starting to rehearse Head Over Heels, there was one person who identified as nonbinary and was sorting that out during the rehearsal process. They asked their supervisor to use their pronouns and their name, went through so much turmoil, and was eventually fired. I felt so horrible that I couldnt protect this person, she continued, suggesting that the crew members firing was due in part to their transition. This Broadway show that was claiming cred in every newspaper also had other transgender and nonbinary people who were feeling unsafe.

I had to educate everyone else, Peppermint said, speaking before the crowd, which included several Black trans women who carried signs that read We want our stories told, too. I thought I was there to do a job and get on stage and sing some songsbut I was holding seminars backstage, she narrated. I didnt get paid for any of that work, but at the time, it was work that was necessary.

In an interview before the event, Peppermint made it clear why she felt unsupported in her work as a transgender leader. She believes that putting too narrow a focus on Cameron Mackintoshs recent statements is unproductive. What Cameron Mackintosh said only reflected his practices, she told Variety. He was telling the truth about what he thinks. He was giving us a signal that this is where hewhere himself and every other casting director and producer in the business who Ive ever experiencedstand.

Iris, who joined the original Broadway cast of Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissettes 2019 jukebox musical bent on exploring modern issues of social justice, offered hir experiences publicly for the first time.

What happened to me was insidious and violent transphobia, zie told hir audience, gathered in a circle on the expansive Central Park lawn. Ive spent countless hours untangling the messaging in my head that I received from people in positions of power who claimed to support me and my community, and Ive cried in rage about the fact that none of my cisgender cast members spoke out against the transphobia I was facing.

Iris said zie learned of hir position as the companys only transgender actor when zie arrived for rehearsals, and zie soon began to question hir safety at work. I was bombarded with invasive questions about my experiences as a trans person from cast members and members of the creative and producing team. I understand now that my position was simple, zie explained: Offer up my trans experience as consumption as cis people in positions of power took from [my] lived experience, decided what to keep in their cis re-telling of [my] experiences, and chose to call it a trans narrative.

Broadway, Sis told Variety, must continue to be the locus for new and innovative transgender stories and must strive to do so while uplifting the artists producers and creators choose to cast.

If you get a show on Broadway, that show can be licensed, Sis explained in an interview with Variety, just before the activist rallied her crowd and placed a group of open, Black transgender women directly in front of the theaters that have largely excluded them. The minute a Black trans woman leads a new work or an original Broadway cast, that sets a precedent for everything that follows. Every time you cast that show, whether youre in Minnesota or a high school in Texas or a South Korean tour, there must be a Black trans woman who tells that story.

Casting a transgender actor in a Broadway role doesnt have to be at odds with the demands of commercialization, Sis says.

Disney is successful, Apple is successful, because theyve found a way to innovate while making a commercially viable product, Sis explained to Variety before the march. We have to learn to take chances. All performers know that for something to be good, it must be special. You need a gimmick, if you will, she continued, with a wink.

If you want to tell a story, and you need something special, look at whats working, whats hot right now. Lets put people in space on a Broadway stage, she offered, only half joking. Remember the movie Gravity? What if we put the movie Gravity on the stage, and the actress happened to be trans? The gimmick isnt the trans person. The gimmick is seeing someone in space on a Broadway stage. Now, we have a story led by a trans womanthat humanizes and embraces her, and its innovative, said Sis, arguably doing the work over which producers agonize.

You can do two things at once, and theyre things that are of value to this industry, she finished. Tell a story and make money.

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NEW YORK (AP)  The conviction of one of ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos top aides for fraud and accepting bribes was affirmed by a federal appeals court Wednesday.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the case against Joseph Percoco required it to again consider the reach of federal fraud and bribery laws.

Percoco, 52, was a longtime friend and top aide to Cuomo, a Democrat who recently resigned as governor amid sexual harassment allegations.

The appeals court also upheld the conviction of Steven Aiello, 63, a Syracuse real estate executive who was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in funneling bribes to Percoco to gain his influence in an ambitious Buffalo Billion development project aimed at encouraging economic development upstate.

Percoco, convicted of accepting over $300,000 from companies seeking to influence the Cuomo administration, was sentenced to six years in prison. He is scheduled to be released in April 2024.

The scandal was a multi-year black cloud over the Cuomo administration and was frequently cited by critics as proof that Cuomo failed to address chronic corruption in state government, even within his own administration.

In a decision written by 2nd Circuit Judge Richard J. Sullivan, a three-judge appeals panel rejected arguments that a jury at a 2018 trial was improperly instructed on the law by a judge who improperly concluded there was sufficient evidence for convictions.

The 2nd Circuit said it was successfully proven that Percoco accepted bribes and promised to perform official actions to further the interests of an energy company, Competitive Power Venture. And it said prosecutors had proven that Percoco, in a second scheme, agreed with Aiello to advance the interests of Aiello's real estate development company, COR Development Co.

The appeals court agreed with lawyers for Percoco and Aiello that a judge's bribery instructions to the jury fell short of the legal standard that was recently clarified in another New York state corruption case, but it said the error was harmless and the jury would have convicted anyway.

Prosecutors declined through a spokesperson to comment. Messages seeking comment were sent to lawyers for Percoco and Aiello, who has not yet reported to prison.

Trial evidence overwhelmingly showed that Percoco and his co-conspirators understood that payments to Percoco's wife for a low-show job as an education consultant" were in exchange for his help in getting energy company CPV a deal requiring New York state to purchase power from the company, the 2nd Circuit said.

In an amusing moment at trial, the payments were described in coded communications between the co-conspirators in 2012 as ziti," a reference to how payoffs were described by characters on the award-winning HBO series The Sopranos."

The COR Development scheme developed while Percoco was temporarily managing Cuomo's reelection campaign in 2014. The 2nd Circuit said evidence showed Aiello arranged for his company to pay Percoco to take actions to benefit the company.

Prior to leading Cuomo's reelection campaign, Percoco was executive deputy secretary to the governor, a position that gave him power over Cuomo's budget, personnel decisions and operations and a significant role in overseeing labor relations, government affairs and legislative affairs, the appeals court noted.

Percocos power was amplified by his unique relationship with Governor Cuomo; he had worked with Governor Cuomo in a number of roles, and was known for being close to him and his family," the 2nd Circuit said.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana health officials said Tuesday they are revoking the licenses of nursing homes that were evacuated to a warehouse where seven residents died amid deteriorating conditions deemed too squalid to be safe after Hurricane Ida.

The seven homes  all owned by one person  clearly failed to execute their emergency preparedness plans to provide essential care and services to their residents, Department of Health Secretary Courtney Phillips said in a statement.

Authorities found some nursing home residents lying on mattresses on the floor, without food or clean clothes, and detected strong odors of urine and feces throughout the warehouse, located in the town of Independence. Piles of trash were on the floor. Water entered the building, and generators at least temporarily failed, according to officials. Health department lawyer Stephen Russo called the conditions inhumane.

State health officials and Attorney General Jeff Landry have launched investigations into the deaths. A police official said the Tangipahoa Parish warehouse was equipped to handle 300 to 500 people but ultimately took in more than 800, all of whom were evacuated from the seven nursing homes before Ida roared ashore in southeast Louisiana on Aug. 29.

When issues arose post-storm, we now know the level of care for these residents plummeted, Phillips said. She added, Ultimately, lives were lost. These were grandparents, neighbors and friends, and we know families are hurting.

State health officials said the owner, Bob Dean, failed to contact them for help and threw inspectors from the agency off the property when they arrived to review the conditions onsite after receiving reports of problems. Still, authorities said they saw enough two days after the storm to warrant removal of the hundreds of people at the warehouse, and the evacuees were moved over two days to special needs shelters across the state and other locations. Some required hospitalization.

Dean has not responded to messages left by The Associated Press at multiple phone numbers listed for him and his businesses. But he defended the Ida evacuation in a phone interview with WAFB-TV last week.

We only had five deaths within the six days, and normally with 850 people youll have a couple a day, so we did really good with taking care of people, he told the station.

Asked about Dean's comments, Russo replied: I don't think anyone could reasonably reach that conclusion.

Even before the evacuation, Deans nursing facilities and their quality of care received poor federal ratings based on inspections. Medicare.gov gives six of the seven nursing homes the lowest possible rating, and five of the sites were specifically criticized for poor quality of resident care.

Dean, a commercial developer, came under scrutiny in 1998 after an 86-year-old woman bused from one of his New Orleans-area nursing homes prior to a hurricane died waiting with hundreds of other elderly residents to be unloaded at a Baton Rouge shelter. News outlets at the time said the nursing home residents sat in a bus without air conditioning for hours, and then were placed in a building that fire officials said wasnt suitable for a hurricane evacuation shelter.

Three days before revoking the nursing homes' licenses Tuesday, the health department ordered the facilities closed so residents couldn't be sent back. Of the seven deaths of residents reported by authorities, the health department considers five of them storm-related. Few details have been released about the deaths.

The health department said it has provided information about the nursing home evacuation and conditions at the warehouse to Landry's office and local and federal law enforcement agencies.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 86F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
LaPLACE, La. (AP)  Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Louisiana, most of them outside New Orleans, still didnt have power Tuesday and more than half the gas stations in two major cities were without fuel nine days after Hurricane Ida slammed into the state, splintering homes and toppling electric lines.

Kelty Readenour stands on his porch overlooking a sand and debris-covered roadway and homes destroyed by Hurricane Ida, Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, in Grand Isle, La. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LaPLACE, La. (AP)  Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Louisiana, most of them outside New Orleans, still didnt have power Tuesday and more than half the gas stations in two major cities were without fuel nine days after Hurricane Ida slammed into the state, splintering homes and toppling electric lines.

There were also continuing signs of recovery, however, as the total number of people without electricity has fallen from more than a million at its peak, while hundreds of thousands of people have had their water restored.

State health officials, meanwhile, announced that they are revoking the licenses of seven nursing homes that evacuated to a warehouse where seven residents died amid deteriorating conditions after the hurricane.

The disparity in power restoration between New Orleans, where nearly 3/4 of the city had electricity again, and other communities where almost all residents were still in the dark prompted frustration and finger-pointing.

State Rep. Tanner Magee, the Houses second-ranking Republican who lives in the devastated city of Houma in Terrebonne Parish, said he's convinced his region is being shortchanged in favor of New Orleans.

National Guard soldier Tran checks on the well being of residents at the Dryades YMCA, Drive-Thru and walk-up supply Distribution site in New Orleans, La. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses still didnt have power Tuesday and more than half of the gas stations in two major cities were still without fuel more than a week after Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana, splintering homes and toppling electric lines across the state. (David Grunfeld, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

"Its very infuriating to me," Magee said.

Though water was running again in his area, most hospitals in the region remained shuttered and the parish was in desperate need of temporary shelter for first responders and others vital to the rebuilding effort, he said.

Warner Thomas, president and CEO of the state's largest hospital system Ochsner Health warned that it would be "some time" before two Ochsner hospitals  one in Terrebonne Parish and the other in Lafourche Parish  fully reopen. Emergency rooms at the two hospitals, however, were operating.

Carnival Cruise Line announced Tuesday that it will keep one of its ships, Carnival Glory, docked in New Orleans through Sept. 18 to serve as housing for first responders.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said while there had been much progress in restoring water and power, "theres an awful lot of work to be done."

Without power, the Louisiana heat is the hardest thing to cope with, said Kim Bass, who lives in St. John the Baptist Parish. She and her husband are using a generator to keep food refrigerated but have no air conditioning. Water service is intermittent.

A resident dumps debris while gutting his flooded home in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

"So you may have water one minute, then you may not have water for the next two days," Bass said.

In many neighborhoods, homes were uninhabitable. State and federal officials said about 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program. FEMA already has approved more than 159,000 household applications for disaster assistance, according to Louisianas emergency preparedness office.

Shontrece and Michael Lathers looked on despondently as workers wrestled a billowing blue tarp into place over what was left of the roof of their home in the St. John the Baptist Parish town of LaPlace. Idas floodwaters had risen to about 3 feet (1 meter) inside their home and rain that had poured in through the wind-damaged roof obliterated most of the drywall ceilings.

The house will have to be gutted floor to ceiling, Michael Lathers said, adding that he had no idea how much the repairs will cost.

Fuel shortages also persisted across hard-hit areas of the state. More than 50% of gas stations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge remained without gasoline Tuesday afternoon, according to GasBuddy.com.

The power situation has improved greatly since Ida first hit. In the first hours after the storm, nearly 1.1 million customers were in the dark, but that number was down to about 430,000 on Tuesday. With the help of tens of thousands of workers from power companies in numerous states, the states biggest energy provider, Entergy, has been able to slowly bring electricity back, leaving only 19% of its customers in the region without power as of Tuesday.

For residents in the states five hardest-hit parishes in southeastern Louisiana, however, that number is little comfort. Fully 98% of those residents are still without power more than a week after Ida slammed onshore with 150 mph winds (240 kph) on Aug. 29.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Power probably wont be widely restored to St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes until Sept. 17 and until Sept. 29 to Lafourche, St. Charles and Terrebonne parishes, Entergy said Tuesday. The parishes are home to about 325,000 people.

In contrast, nearly all power has been restored in the capital of Baton Rouge, and only 25% of homes and businesses are still suffering outages in New Orleans. Entergy said it expected to have the vast majority of New Orleans brought online by Wednesday. Once areas such as New Orleans have their power restored, Entergy is moving its crews into communities south and west of the city that saw more widespread damage, said Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May.

As Entergy worked to get the lights turned on everywhere, the Louisiana Department of Health reported that the number of people without water had fallen from a peak of 850,000 to 62,000, though about 580,000 people were being advised to boil their water for safety. And grocery stores reopened in some places.

Ida's death toll in Louisiana rose to 15 people Tuesday after the state Department of Health reported two additional storm-related fatalities: a 68-year-old man who fell off of a roof while making repairs to damage caused by Hurricane Ida and a 71-year-old man who died of a lack of oxygen during an extended power outage. The storm's remnants also brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; and Lisa J. Adams Wagner in Evans, Georgia, contributed to this report.
CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island's chief public health officer is announcing one new case of COVID-19 today.

Dr. Heather Morrison, chief medical officer for Prince Edward Island, speaks to the media after she watched three medical staff receive the first COVID-19 vaccines on the island, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Brian McInnis

CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island's chief public health officer is announcing one new case of COVID-19 today.

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Dr. Heather Morrison says the case involves a person in their 40s who recently travelled outside Atlantic Canada.

She says anyone who travelled on Air Canada flight 8330 from Toronto to Charlottetown on Tuesday, Sept. 7 should get tested if they experiences symptoms of COVID-19.

Prince Edward Island has four active reported cases of COVID-19.

About 91.7 per cent of the Island's eligible population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 82.4 has received two doses.

There are more than 43,000 people in P.E.I. who are not fully vaccinated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2021.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias foreign and defense ministers are visiting Indonesia, India, South Korea and the United States to bolster economic and security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region, where tensions are rising with China.

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne speaks in Sydney, Australia, April 27, 2021. Payne and Defense Minister Peter Dutton are traveling to Jakarta, India, South Korea and the United States to bolster economic and security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region where tensions are rising with China. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias foreign and defense ministers are visiting Indonesia, India, South Korea and the United States to bolster economic and security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region, where tensions are rising with China.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defense Minister Peter Dutton left Australia on Wednesday despite pandemic restrictions which continue to make overseas travel rare for government officials.

The trip will prepare for Prime Minister Scott Morrisons visit to Washington, D.C., later this month to meet with U.S., Indian and Japanese leaders in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

FILE - In this July 24, 2019, file photo Australia's Defense Minister Peter Dutton addresses Parliament House in Canberra. Dutton and Foreign Minister Marise Payne are traveling to Jakarta, India, South Korea and the United States to bolster economic and security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region where tensions are rising with China. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk, File)

China has called the so-called Quad an attempt to contain its ambitions.

Payne and Dutton will have their inaugural meeting with their Indian counterparts while in New Delhi.

They will discuss economic security, cybersecurity, climate, critical technology and supply chains, Payne said in statement.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Australia wants to strike a free trade deal with Quad partner India to reduce its economic reliance on an increasingly hostile China.

Australian special trade envoy for India and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said last month that an India-Australia free trade deal would signal the democratic worlds tilt away from China.

The trip by the Australian ministers strongly reinforces Australias active engagement in our region, a government statement said.

Australias tough quarantine restrictions for international visitors mean that Payne and Dutton will meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the United States. The two countries normally take turns hosting the annual meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., last year.

Dutton, who was infected with the coronavirus during a Washington, D.C., visit last year when he was minister for home affairs, said his upcoming U.S. trip is an important opportunity to build on an already-strong defense relationship near the 70th anniversary of the signing of their bilateral defense treaty.

Payne said one of the most pressing issues to be discussed in all four countries is cooperation on the region's recovery from the pandemic.
NEW YORK (AP)  There will be something missing at two Whole Foods stores opening next year: the rows of cashiers.

The Whole Foods Market logo is shown on the front of a store, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Cambridge, Mass. Amazon, which owns the grocery chain, said Wednesday, Sept. 8, that it will bring its cashier-less technology to two Whole Foods stores for the first time, letting shoppers grab what they need and leave without having to open their wallets. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

NEW YORK (AP)  There will be something missing at two Whole Foods stores opening next year: the rows of cashiers.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Amazon, which owns the grocery chain, said Wednesday that it will bring its cashier-less technology to two Whole Foods stores for the first time, letting shoppers grab what they need and leave without having to open their wallets. Cameras and sensors track whats taken off shelves. Items are charged to an Amazon account after customers leave the store with them.

But there will be an option for those who want to shop the old-fashioned way: Self-checkout lanes will be available that take cash, gift cards and other types of payment.

Amazon first unveiled the cashier-less technology in 2018 at an Amazon Go convenience store and has expanded it to larger Amazon supermarkets. But it will be the first time it has appeared at Whole Foods, a chain of more than 500 grocery stores Amazon bought four years ago.

One of the new stores will be in Washington, D.C.; the other in Sherman Oaks, California. They will be stocked with the typical Whole Foods fare, including seafood, fresh-squeezed orange juice and organic vegetables.

Even with the technology, Amazon said it will still hire about the same number of workers for the stores that it normally would, except they will have different roles, helping shoppers in the aisles or at counters instead of standing behind a register. The company declined to say how many people it will hire.

The company also declined to say if it plans to bring the technology to more Whole Foods locations.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias highest court on Wednesday made a landmark ruling that media outlets are publishers of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages.

Dylan Voller speaks to the media during a press conference in Canberra on May 24, 2018. Australia's highest court on Wednesday, Sep. 8, 2021, made a landmark ruling that media outlets are "publishers" of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages and the decision opens the media organizations to be sued for defamation by former juvenile detainee Voller. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP)

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias highest court on Wednesday made a landmark ruling that media outlets are publishers of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages.

The High Court dismissed an argument by some of Australias largest media organizations  Fairfax Media Publications, Nationwide News and Australian News Channel  that for people to be publishers, they must be aware of the defamatory content and intend to convey it.

The court found in a 5-2 majority decision that by facilitating and encouraging the comments, the companies had participated in their communication.

The decision opens the media organizations to be sued for defamation by former juvenile detainee Dylan Voller.

Voller wants to sue the television broadcaster and newspaper publishers over comments on the Facebook pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Centralian Advocate, Sky News Australia and The Bolt Report.

Dylan Voller joins protesters gathering for a march organized by Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR) to mark Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day in Sydney, on Aug. 4, 2017. Australia's highest court on Wednesday, Sep. 8, 2021, made a landmark ruling that media outlets are "publishers" of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages and the decision opens the media organizations to be sued for defamation by former juvenile detainee Voller. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)

His defamation case launched in the New South Wales state Supreme Court in 2017 was put on hold while the separate question of whether the media companies were liable for Facebook users comments was decided.

The companies posted content on their pages about news stories that referred to Vollers time in a Northern Territory juvenile detention center.

Facebook users responded by posting comments that Voller alleges were defamatory.

News Corp Australia, which owns the two broadcast programs and two of the three newspapers targeted in the defamation case, called for the law to be changed.

The ruling was significant for anyone who maintains a public social media page by finding they can be liable for comments posted by others on that page even when they are unaware of those comments, News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller said in a statement.

This highlights the need for urgent legislative reform and I call on Australias attorneys general to address this anomaly and bring Australian law into line with comparable western democracies, Miller added.

Nine, the new owner of The Sydney Morning Herald, said it hoped a current review of defamation laws by Australian state and territory governments would take into account the ruling and its consequences for publishers.

We are obviously disappointed with the outcome of that decision, as it will have ramifications for what we can post on social media in the future, a Nine statement said.

We also note the positive steps which the likes of Facebook have taken since the Voller case first started which now allow publishers to switch off comments on stories, Nine added.

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Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Voller's lawyers welcomed the ruling for its wider implications for publishers.

This is a historic step forward in achieved justice for Dylan and also in protecting individuals, especially those who are in a vulnerable position, from being the subject of unmitigated social media mob attacks, a lawyers' statement said.

This decision put responsibility where it should be; on media companies with huge resources, to monitor public comments in circumstances where they know there is a strong likelihood of an individual being defamed, the statement added.

The High Court decision upholds the rulings of two lower courts on the question of liability.

Courts have previously ruled that people can be held liable for the continued publication of defamatory statements on platforms they control, such as notice boards, only after they became aware of the comments.
BEIJING (AP)  An avalanche of changes launched by Chinas ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinpings vision of making a more powerful, prosperous country by reviving revolutionary ideals, with more economic equality and tighter party control over society and entrepreneurs.

FILE - In this June 28, 2021, file photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen leading other top officials pledging their vows to the party on screen during a gala show ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. An avalanche of changes launched by China's ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: Xi's vision of reviving an idealized early era of vigorous party leadership, with more economic equality and tighter control over society and billionaire entrepreneurs. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

BEIJING (AP)  An avalanche of changes launched by Chinas ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinpings vision of making a more powerful, prosperous country by reviving revolutionary ideals, with more economic equality and tighter party control over society and entrepreneurs.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has called for the party to return to its original mission as Chinas economic, social and cultural leader and carry out the  rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation.

The party has spent the decade since then silencing dissent and tightening political control. Now, after 40 years of growth that transformed China into the world's factory but left a gulf between a wealthy elite and the poor majority, the party is promising to spread prosperity more evenly and is pressing private companies to pay for social welfare and back Beijings ambition to become a global technology competitor.

To support its plans, Xi's government is trying to create what it deems a more wholesome society by reducing childrens access to online games and banning sissy men who are deemed insufficiently masculine from TV.

Chinese leaders want to direct the constructive energies of all people in one laser-focused direction selected by the party, Andrew Nathan, a Chinese politics specialist at Columbia University, said in an email.

Beijing has launched anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns to tighten its control over internet giants, including e-commerce platform Alibaba Group and games and social media operator Tencent Holdings Ltd., that looked too big and potentially independent.

In response, their billionaire founders have scrambled to show loyalty by promising to share their wealth under Xis vaguely defined common prosperity initiative to narrow the income gap in a country with more billionaires than the United States.

A woman walks past propaganda promoting the centennial of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing on Aug. 24, 2021. An avalanche of changes launched by China's ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinping's vision of reviving an idealized early era of vigorous party leadership, with more economic equality and tighter control over society and billionaire entrepreneurs. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Xi has yet to give details, but in a society where every political term is scrutinized for significance, the name revives a 1950s propaganda slogan under Mao Zedong, the founder of the communist government.

Xi is reviving the utopian ideal of early communist leaders, said Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. But of course, huge question marks have arisen, because this will hurt the most creative and lucrative parts of the economy.

Alibaba, Tencent and others have pledged tens of billions of dollars for job creation and social welfare initiatives. They say they will invest in developing processor chips and other technologies cited by Beijing as priorities.

The party's anti-monopoly enforcement and crackdown on how companies handle information about customers are similar to Western regulation. But the abrupt, heavy-handed way changes have been imposed is prompting warnings that Beijing is threatening innovation and economic growth, which already is declining. Jittery foreign investors have knocked more than $300 billion off Tencent's stock market value and billions more off other companies.

I expect that over the next year or two we are likely to see a very rocky relationship develop between the political elite and the business elite, Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Peking University's Guanghua School of Business, said in a report.

Chinese officials say the public, consumers and entrepreneurs will benefit from higher incomes and more regulatory oversight of corporate giants. Parents welcome curbs announced last month that limit children under 18 to three hours of online games a week and only on weekends and Friday night.

I feel this is a good rule, said Li Zhanguo, the father of an 8-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl in the central city of Zhengzhou. Games still have some addictive mechanisms. We cant count on childrens self-control.

The crackdowns reflect party efforts to control a rapidly evolving society of 1.4 billion people.

A woman holds up a soft toy at the Tencent booth during the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Beijing has launched anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns to tighten control over internet giants including e-commerce platform Alibaba Group and games and social media operator Tencent Holdings Ltd. that looked too big and potentially independent. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Some 1 million members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps in the northwest. Officials deny accusations of abuses including forced abortions and say the camps are for job training and to combat extremism.

A surveillance initiative dubbed Social Credit aims to track every person and company in China and punish violations ranging from dealing with business partners that violate environmental rules to littering.

Our responsibility is to unite and lead the entire party and people of all ethnic groups, take the baton of history and to work hard to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi said when he and the six other members of the new party Standing Committee appeared in public for the first time in November 2012.

The party Central Committee shifted its economic emphasis from efficiency to fairness in late 2020, a researcher at a Beijing think tank wrote in August in Caixin, China's most prominent business magazine.

The party moved from early prosperity for some to common prosperity and from capital to labor, wrote Luo Zhiheng of Yuekai Securities Research Institute. He said leaders are emphasizing science, technology and manufacturing over finance and real estate.

Prominent economists have tried to reassure entrepreneurs.

It is impossible to achieve common prosperity through robbing the rich and helping the poor, the dean of the school of economics at Shanghais Fudan University, Zhang Jun, told the news outlet The Paper on Aug. 4.

The 1979 launch of market-style economic reform under then-leader Deng Xiaoping prompted predictions abroad that China would evolve into a more open, possibly even democratic society.

The Communist Party allowed freer movement and encourages internet use for business and education. But leaders reject changes to a one-party dictatorship that copied its political structure from the Soviet Union and watch entrepreneurs closely. Beijing controls all media and tries to limit what Chinas public sees online.

As the previous decade's economic boom fades, Xi sees himself as the only person capable of recreating the momentum, said June Teufel Dreyer, a Chinese politics specialist at the University of Miami.

Party members who worry reforms might weaken political control appear to have decided Chinas rise is permanent and liberalization is no longer needed, said Edward Friedman, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin.

That means anti-totalitarian elements of the reform agenda could be rolled back, Friedman said in an email. That is what Xi is doing, as manifest in his attack on purportedly gay and girlie culture as a supposed threat to a so-called virile militarism."

An Aug. 29 commentary by an obscure writer, Li Guangman, described common prosperity as a profound revolution. Writing on the WeChat message service, Li said financial markets would no longer be a paradise for capitalists to get rich overnight and said the party's next targets might include high housing and health care costs.

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The commentary was reposted on prominent state media websites including the ruling party newspaper Peoples Daily. That prompted questions about whether Beijing might veer into an ideological campaign with echoes of the violent 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, when some 5 million people were killed.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times, a newspaper published by Peoples Daily that is known for its nationalist tone, responded by criticizing Lis commentary. Hu warned in a blog post against a return to radicalism.

The Cultural Revolution was a period of chaos, purposely unleashed by Mao because he felt comfortable in chaos, Nathan said.

This is almost the exact opposite, he said. It is an effort to create tightly structured orderliness.

___

AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Amid the Idaho coronavirus surge that prompted officials to authorize hospitals to ration health care, Army soldiers sent to one hospital have traded their fatigues for personal protective equipment to help treat a flood of infected patients.

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Ann Enderle R.N. checks on a COVID-19 patient in the Medical Intensive care unit (MICU) at St. Luke's Boise Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Idaho public health leaders have activated "crisis standards of care" for the state's northern hospitals because there are more coronavirus patients than the institutions can handle. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare made the announcement Tuesday, Sept. 7. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, File)

BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Amid the Idaho coronavirus surge that prompted officials to authorize hospitals to ration health care, Army soldiers sent to one hospital have traded their fatigues for personal protective equipment to help treat a flood of infected patients.

The conference center at Kootenai Health hospital in the city Coeur dAlene has been converted into a field hospital of sorts  with some of its classrooms filled with hospital beds where patients receive oxygen or get monoclonal antibody treatment, hospital officials said.

At the nearby main hospital building in the city of about 50,000, some emergency room patients receive care in a converted lobby and others get it in hallways. Urgent surgeries have been put on hold and some patients in critical condition are facing long waits for intensive care beds.

The hospital is licensed for 200 regular medical beds  not including the ones designed for children, women giving birth and people experiencing a mental health crisis  and on Wednesday had 218 med surge patients, said Jeremy Evans, the hospital's COVID-19 incident commander.

Meanwhile, about 500 of its roughly 3,600 clinical and staff positions are empty, he said, forcing managers to ask administrative staffers and others to take on additional work like cleaning hospital rooms.

The overwhelmed hospital is at the epicenter of a coronavirus crisis for the northern part of the state  and where state officials this week authorized crisis standards of care status.

That allowed Kootenai Health, where an entire floor has been turned into a makeshift COVID-19 unit, and other hospitals in the region to ration health care during the surge.

Public health officials are warning the health care rationing could soon spread statewide, forcing already traumatized doctors and nurses to make gut-wrenching decisions about who will get life-saving care.

Newly confirmed coronavirus infection cases in Idaho are surging and the state is now averaging more than 950 new cases every day, according Johns Hopkins University  an increase of more than 41% over the past two weeks.

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Jack Kingsley R.N. attends to a COVID-19 patient in the Medical Intensive care unit (MICU) at St. Luke's Boise Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Idaho public health leaders have activated "crisis standards of care" for the state's northern hospitals because there are more coronavirus patients than the institutions can handle. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare made the announcement Tuesday, Sept. 7. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, File)

Idaho is also last among U.S. states with only about 45% of residents having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Just under 40% of residents are fully vaccinated, making Idaho 48th the nation compared to other states and Washington, D.C.

For the rest of the state, we remain dangerously close to crisis standards of care, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen warned Tuesday, when there were just nine available intensive care unit beds in the entire state.

The crush of patients has forced Kootenai Health into doing things that were not normal  way outside of normal  at times, said hospital chief of staff Dr. Robert Scoggins.

Almost every day at this point we are having cardiac arrest from patients when their oxygen levels dip too low and we cant supply them with enough oxygen, he said.

Kootenai Health recently installed a larger oxygen tank in an effort to treat all the patients. If the hospital's caseload grows, Scoggins said, the hospital's oxygen delivery infrastructure  the actual pipes that run through the walls  may not be able to handle the demand.

While many of northern Idaho's smaller, rural hospitals have not been forced to ration health care, they frequently have no place to send their critically ill patients who would normally be transferred to Kootenai Health.

Hospitals in neighboring Washington state would normally help with the overflow, but they are also full of patients, Jeppesen said.

Peter Mundt, the spokesman for Gritman Medical Center in the Idaho city of Moscow said the institution is struggling to find hospital destinations to transfer patients with serious heart problems and other conditions unrelated to COVID-19.

Our ability to accommodate non-COVID patients are very strained at this point, Mundt said. Even though were all different hospitals, we normally work together as collaborative colleagues and peers. We need it to work as a giant system and that system is just under severe strain right now.

In the city of Lewiston, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is also operating at the very edge of our capacity, spokeswoman Sam Skinner said.

Our current situation is worse than its ever been, Skinner said. As we continue to see the COVID-19 surge in our community, the impact on one hospital can quickly have this rippling effect. Our low community vaccination rates are putting an incredible burden on our community.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare moved northern and north-central Idaho into the crisis designation Monday evening, giving hospitals a legal and ethical template to use while rationing care.

The designation will remain in effect until there are enough resources  including staffing, hospital beds and equipment or a drop in the number of patients  to provide normal levels of treatment to all patients.

Under the guidelines, patients are given priority scores based on a number of factors that impact their likelihood of surviving a health crisis.

Those deemed in most in need of care and most likely to benefit from it are put on priority lists for scarce resources like ICU beds.

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Others in dire need but with lower chances of surviving will be given comfort care to help keep them pain-free whether they succumb to their illnesses or recover.

Other patients with serious but not life-threatening medical problems will face delays in receiving care until resources are available.

Jeppesen stressed Tuesday that vaccines are the best way to reduce the demand on hospitals. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that full vaccination with any of the currently available coronavirus vaccines dramatically reduces the risk of requiring hospitalization for a coronavirus infection.

State health officials have also asked people should not go to emergency rooms for asymptomatic coronavirus tests or other matters that can be handled in doctor's offices, but said no one should hold off emergency room visits for potentially serious conditions. They warned people people to be prepared to wait for care.

Idahos hospitals have struggled to fill empty nursing, housekeeping and other health care positions, in part because some staffers have left because they are burned out by the strain of the pandemic and because others have been quarantined because they were exposed to COVID-19.

Late last month, Little called in 220 medical workers available through federal programs and mobilized 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help hospitals cope with the surge.
RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Moroccans voted Wednesday for a new parliament and local leaders in elections that have been reshaped by the pandemic, and whose outcome is hard to predict as opinion polls were not allowed.

Supporters of the Constitutional Union look out from a truck during a campaign tour in Casablanca, Morocco, Monday, Sept. 6, 2021. Voting booths open on Sept. 8 for the North African kingdom's parliamentary elections, in which 395 seats in the upper house of Parliament are up for grabs. Communal and regional elections take place on the same day. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)

RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Moroccans voted Wednesday for a new parliament and local leaders in elections that have been reshaped by the pandemic, and whose outcome is hard to predict as opinion polls were not allowed.

Candidates promised to create jobs and boost Morocco's economy, education and health care. The kingdom has been hit hard by the pandemic, but has Africa's highest vaccination rate so far.

Despite a dip in popularity in recent years, the governing Islamist party is eyeing a third term at the helm of the government if it again wins the most parliament seats. But a recent election reform could limits its powers, and the role of lawmakers is limited by the powers of King Mohamed VI, who oversees strategic decision-making.

I hope that the people we voted for do not disappoint us, said voter Adel Khanoussi, casting his ballot in the capital Rabat. "There are so many projects that should be implemented. The peoples expectations are high."

Turnout was 36% three hours before polls closed.

A Moroccan family walk past electoral paintings representing a political party logos for the upcoming municipal elections in Casablanca, Morocco, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Party logos are, from left, Constitutional Union (horse), "Renaissance and Virtue Party" (Sun), " Justice and Development Party" (Lamp), and at right "Authenticity and Modernity Party" (Tractor), at the El Fida district of Casablanca. To help illiterate people vote, only party logos will appear on ballot papers, and the numbers seen in the image are allocated to each party for displaying purposes only during the campaign. Elections are scheduled Wednesday 8. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)

The outcome of Wednesday's voting is difficult to predict since opinion polls on elections are banned. The race will likely be close and no matter which party comes first, it will likely need to cobble together a coalition with other parties to form the government.

At a school turned polling station in Temara, near the capital, dozens of people stopped in to vote before going to work. Two security officers were stationed outside, and a poll worker took voters temperatures before letting them in.

Once inside, voters are asked to provide their identity cards and hand over their phones before entering the booth. Theyre required to use hand sanitizer, wear a mask and keep 1-meter (3-foot) distances.

A 36-year-old woman who only gave her name as Fatima said she hopes the parliament can bring a new Morocco seen as an advanced world country.

While Morocco has one of the regions strongest economies and a thriving business district in Casablanca, poverty and unemployment are also widespread, especially in rural regions. Morocco has seen thousands of despairing youth make risky, often deadly, trips in small boats to Spains Canary Islands or to the Spanish mainland via the Strait of Gibraltar.

Strict pandemic guidelines restricted candidates ability to reach the 18 million eligible voters. Candidates weren't allowed to distribute leaflets and had to limit campaign gatherings to a maximum of 25 people. As a result, many stepped up efforts on social media instead.

Morocco has registered more than 13,000 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to figures from the Moroccan Health Ministry.

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There were 31 parties and coalitions competing for the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament. Voters will also be selecting representatives for 678 seats in regional councils.

The moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), at the helm of the government since 2011, is seeking a third term. With Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani, the party has campaigned on raising the competitiveness of Moroccos economy.

El Othmani acknowledged that turnout is a challenge in a country where many are disillusioned with politics, but said he was encouraged at his voting station to see good participation of voters of both sexes."

Other major contenders are the center-left Party of Authenticity and Modernity, or PAM, the Istiqlal party and the liberal National Rally of Independents.

Istiqlal general secretary Nizar Baraka said the new parliament should work for the people to get them out of poverty and stop the deterioration of the middle class.

The elections were monitored by 4,600 local observers and 100 more from abroad.
BETHEL, Alaska (AP)  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the pace of moving residents from Newtok, an Alaska community threatened by erosion, to another village, officials said. Money also has been an issue.

BETHEL, Alaska (AP)  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the pace of moving residents from Newtok, an Alaska community threatened by erosion, to another village, officials said. Money also has been an issue.

Nine homes in the new village of Mertarvik that were started last year remain unfinished, and no one has moved from Newtok to Mertarvik since 2019, KYUK Public Media reported. Newtok had an estimated 220 residents last year.

We couldnt get any cabinets because of this COVID thing, said Phillip Carl, Newtok acting tribal administrator.

Patrick LeMay, who is leading the building effort in Mertarvik, said shortages for materials have persisted.

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We got 48 lights that are trapped somewhere in Tennessee floods, to finish the lighting. Theres a shortage of fire extinguishers in the nation, LeMay said. The supply chain has been a disaster.

Many of the workers building homes in Mertarvik are Newtok residents. LeMay said three workers from Newtok contracted COVID-19 in August. Many remaining laborers chose to stop working due to concerns over an outbreak, KYUK reported.

Newtok recently experienced its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began, with 32 residents testing positive last month. About 42% of Newtoks population is vaccinated, compared to about 50% of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region overall.

Relocation costs are estimated to exceed $100 million. In 2019, Newtok saw an infusion of $15 million in federal funding. It has received smaller grants since.

Carl said Newtok lost over 100 feet (30 meters) of its coast since April.

Despite the challenges, work is underway to complete a duplex for teachers in Mertarvik and to finish the nine homes that were started last year. A regional housing authority is adding two more.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The city of Portland, Oregons plan to boycott Texas goods and services over its new abortion law could cost Texas companies millions of dollars a year, officials said Tuesday.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The city of Portland, Oregons plan to boycott Texas goods and services over its new abortion law could cost Texas companies millions of dollars a year, officials said Tuesday.

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Heather Hafer, a spokeswoman with the Office of Management and Finance, said Portland has inked almost $35 million in contracts with Texas-based businesses over the last five years, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

She also said Portland employees have made 19 separate trips to the Lonestar State on official business since 2019, a number she said would have been significantly higher if travel hadn't been stopped for a year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The potential financial impact information comes after Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Twitter Monday called Portland boycotting Texas a complete joke.

"Texas economy is stronger than ever. We value babies and police, they dont, he wrote on the social media site.

The Portland City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the measure, which would halt the city from spending money with Texas businesses as well as forbid employee travel to the state. The ban would be in effect until the state either withdraws the legislation or the law gets overturned in court, according to city officials.

The new Texas law prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks  before some people know they are pregnant. The Texas law differs significantly from laws blocked in other states because it leaves enforcement up to private citizens through lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors.
The domed sanctuary rising in Lower Manhattan, where workers are busy installing translucent Greek marble in time for a ceremonial lighting on Sept. 10, bears little resemblance to the modest parish church that John Katsimatides had discovered years ago.

The domed sanctuary rising in Lower Manhattan, where workers are busy installing translucent Greek marble in time for a ceremonial lighting on Sept. 10, bears little resemblance to the modest parish church that John Katsimatides had discovered years ago.

He often visited the old St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church to say a prayer and light a candle as he went to or from work nearby on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower. The church stood as a quiet oasis amid the soaring financial district.

John Katsimatides was thrilled that there was a Greek church right across the street from where he worked, recalled his sister, Anthoula Katsimatides. St. Nicholas was very special to him.

In the immediate aftermath the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, John's relatives held on to hope that he might have survived. They put up missing-person posters in Lower Manhattan and searched the streets and hospitals for him. But as the days stretched into weeks, our priest insisted that we, for the sake of his soul, read the prayer rites marking his death, Anthoula said. John, 31, a corporate bonds broker at Cantor Fitzgerald, was among the nearly 3,000 people killed on 9/11.

The old St. Nicholas church was also destroyed that day. While no one was killed in the building, it was crushed beneath the falling south tower  the only house of worship destroyed in the attacks.

When we discovered ... that St. Nicholas was also lost, we thought that there was some kind of a message there, that the victims did not die alone, Anthoula Katsimatides said. I remember my mom saying that ... John and the other victims were being cradled by St. Nicholas.

This Sept. 10, the eve of the date 20 years after the nation's deadliest terrorist attack, she'll attend the ceremonial lighting of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, being built to replace the parish church and to honor those who were lost.

The ceremony will be a milestone in a project long beset with bureaucratic tangles and financial woes but now on track for completion next year.

St. Nicholas brings me close to my brother, Anthoula Katsimatides said. Being able to come and worship at the site of my brothers death, in a beautiful chapel that not only honors John but all the victims that died that day and is a symbol of this rebirth, is unbelievably important to me now.

The lighting of the church will come from within. Through an innovative process, interior lights are being designed to illuminate thin panels of marble, mined from the same Pentelic vein in Greece that sourced the Parthenon, the ancient temple in Athens.

The church is being built in an small, elevated park overlooking the World Trade Center memorial plaza, close to the reflecting pools that mark where the twin towers once stood. A huge, bronze sphere that once stood between the towers now stands, dented and damaged, in the park just beyond the chapels doors. Tour and school groups often gather on a flight of steps leading to the shrine.

The shrines concrete shell, passed daily by streams of tourists, has been one of the most visible signs of the unfinished work of the ground zero rebuilding effort. Work to install its marble cladding has proceeded at a fast pace in recent weeks in time for the ceremonial lighting, though the church isn't slated to be completed until next year.

The church is designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, with its dome, windows and iconography inspired by historic former Byzantine churches, including the world-renowned Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. A Greek iconographer is integrating traditional designs with imagery from 9/11, including tributes to slain rescue workers.

The translucent areas of the facade are intended to give the church a dim light, like a beacon of hope, during the night, Calatrava said. Building the church with Pentelic stone adds another level of symbolism, because ... I consider Hagia Sophia the Parthenon of Orthodoxy.

Given its prominent location near the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the shrine is destined to become a signature American expression of Eastern Orthodoxy, an ancient Christian communion that still predominates in Greece and much of Eastern Europe but has a slender share of the U.S. Christian population.

In addition to its sanctuary, the shrine will have a separate space for meditation and reflection for people of all faiths.

Its going to have a rich liturgical life" as a church, said Michael Psaros, vice chairman of the Friends of St. Nicholas, the private entity overseeing the project in cooperation with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. But this beautiful shrine were building belongs to New York, it belongs to the U.S., and it belongs to the world."

That inclusiveness is carrying on what St. Nicholas was in the past, said Olga Pavlakos, vice president of the parish. She was baptized in the old church, where her parents were married and her grandparents worshiped.

Whoever stepped in to St. Nicholas, whether they were Greek, non-Greek, any race, religion, we accepted everybody, she said. If "they were poor, they needed something to eat, they wanted soup, everybody was accepted."

Greek immigrants founded St. Nicholas on Lower Manhattan's Cedar Street in 1916, converting a former tavern into a church and topping it with a small belfry and cross. According to parish lore, newly arrived Greek immigrants came there to offer thanks to St. Nicholas, patron of seafarers.

Whatever we did in St. Nicholas was all volunteer, said Pavlakos. It was a poor parish.

Over the decades, even as the church was islanded by a parking lot and dwarfed by the World Trade Center, parish leaders refused to sell to land-hungry developers. By the turn of the century, its small core of members were still coming in from surrounding boroughs and communities to worship.

Since 9/11, parishioners have worshipped at various parishes in the region. We kept waiting to return, Pavlakos said. We never thought that it would take 20 years.

The archdiocese always intended to rebuild, but the question was where, given all the components involved in reconstruction at ground zero. The archdiocese and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the trade center, ended up in litigation in 2011 before settling on a site on Liberty Street, near the old church. Officials ceremonially broke ground in 2014.

But a new crisis arose.

Costs soared beyond projections, and construction halted in late 2017 after the archdiocese fell behind on payments. The archdiocese, which had financial woes of its own, used $3.5 million in funds dedicated to the shrine for its own operating deficit and had to repay it.

The archdiocese appointed an investigating committee that attributed the St. Nicholas cost overruns to expensive change orders. Those architectural enhancements may have been made with the best of intentions" for a shrine of such significance, but they pushed the cost far above the archdiocese's public disclosures, the committee said in 2018.

The archdiocese also implemented the committee's recommendation of turning the project management over to a separate entity. That entity, Friends of St. Nicholas, led by a core of wealthy Greek-Americans, has completed fundraising for the church, with estimated costs of close to $85 million, and is now raising an endowment for maintenance and security.

The archdiocese is good at a lot of things, but building a national shrine in the most expensive place in the history of Western civilization was not exactly its forte, Psaros said.

Archbishop Elpidophoros, who assumed leadership of the nationwide archdiocese in 2019, said the symbolism of the shrine is important.

Ground zero is worldwide known as as a place of religious hatred and violence, and the results of this religious hatred and violence," he said. Part of our responsibility was to restore the reputation of religion ... as a factor of uniting people.

The project is one of the final components in reconstruction in the section of Lower Manhattan devastated on 9/11. A performing arts center is under construction, due to open in 2023, and an additional office building and apartment complex are planned.

"One of the top priorities has been to move the World Trade Center campus toward completion, and one of the most important aspects of that is the national shrine, Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. The church project is bringing to completion those aspects of the site which are really dedicated to the spiritual memory of the those who were killed in the attack.

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The project has personal significance for the Rev. Alex Karloutsos, longtime vicar-general for the archdiocese. In the hours and days after the 9/11 attacks, he was among clergy offering spiritual support to recovery workers.

People at that point were looking for something sacred, because they had just experienced that which is evil, he said.

Among the surviving artifacts from St. Nicholas was a paper icon of St. Dionysius of Zakynthos  the patron of forgiveness for having forgiven his brother's murderer.

That icon was very poignant, because at the end of the day, for us to go outside of our hatred, we even had to forgive those who destroyed our brothers and sisters," Karloutsos said.

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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.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Technology companies that led the charge into remote work as the pandemic unfurled are confronting a new challenge: how, when and even whether they should bring long-isolated employees back to offices that have been designed for teamwork.

Kelly Soderlund works in a quiet booth at the TripActions office in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. Switching to a hybrid work model is ideal for people like Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. She couldn't wait to return when TripActions partially reopened its offices in June, partly because she missed seeing her co-workers but also because she missed the built-in buffer that her roughly one-hour commute provided between her personal and professional life. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Technology companies that led the charge into remote work as the pandemic unfurled are confronting a new challenge: how, when and even whether they should bring long-isolated employees back to offices that have been designed for teamwork.

I thought this period of remote work would be the most challenging year-and-half of my career, but its not, said Brent Hyder, the chief people officer for business software maker Salesforce and its roughly 65,000 employees worldwide. Getting everything started back up the way it needs to be is proving to be even more difficult.

That transition has been complicated by the rapid spread of the delta variant, which has scrambled the plans many tech companies had for bringing back most of their workers near or after Labor Day weekend. Microsoft has pushed those dates back to October while Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and a growing list of others have already decided wait until next year.

Given how they set the tone for remote work, tech companies return-to-office policies will likely have ripple effects across other industries. Employers next steps could redefine how and where people work, predicts Laura Boudreau, a Columbia University assistant economics professor who studies workplace issues.

Kelly Soderlund, right, works with a colleague at the TripActions office in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. Switching to a hybrid work model is ideal for people like Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

We have moved beyond the theme of remote work being a temporary thing, Boudreau says. The longer the pandemic has stretched on, she says, the harder its become to tell employees to come back to the office, particularly full time.

Because they typically revolve around digital and online products, most tech jobs are tailor made for remote work. Yet most major tech companies insist that their employees should be ready to work in the office two or three days each week after the pandemic is over.

The main reason: Tech companies have long believed that employees clustered together in a physical space will swap ideas and spawn innovations that probably wouldnt have happened in isolation. Thats one reason tech titans have poured billions of dollars into corporate campuses interspersed with alluring common areas meant to lure employees out of their cubicles and into casual collisions that turn into brainstorming sessions.

But the concept of water cooler innovation may be overblown, says Christy Lake, chief people officer for business software maker Twilio.

There is no data that supports that really happens in real life, and yet we all subscribe to it, Lake says. You cant put the genie back in the bottle and tell people, Oh you have to be back in the office or innovation wont happen. 

Kelly Soderlund poses at a workstation in the TripActions office in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. Switching to a hybrid work model is ideal for people like Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Twilio isnt bringing back most of its roughly 6,300 employees back to its offices until early next year at the earliest, and plans to allow most of them to figure how frequently they should come in.

This hybrid approach permitting employees to toggle between remote and in-office work has been widely embraced in the technology industry, particularly among the largest companies with the biggest payrolls.

Nearly two-thirds of the more than 200 companies responding to a mid-July survey in the tech-centric Bay said they are expecting their workers to come into the office two or three days each week. Before the pandemic, 70% of these employers required their workers to be in the office, according to the Bay Area Council, a business policy group that commissioned the poll.

Even Zoom, the Silicon Valley videoconferencing service that saw its revenue and stock price soar during the pandemic, says most of its employees still prefer to come into the office part of the time. There isnt a one-size-fits-all approach to returning to the office, Kelly Steckelberg, Zooms chief financial officer, recently wrote in a blog post.

But the biggest tech companies, which have profited even more than Zoom as the pandemic that made their products indispensable for many workers, arent giving employees much choice in the matter. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have made it clear that they want most of their workers together at least a few days each week to maintain their culture and pace of innovation.

In this photo provided by Kelly Soderlund, shows Kelly working remotely from her home in Walnut Creek, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. Switching to a hybrid work model is ideal for people like Kelly Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. (Kelly Soderlund via AP)

That well-worn creed sounds like backward thinking to Ed Zitron, who runs a public relations firm representing technology companies  and which has been fully remote since it launched in 2012.

The only reason to have an office, he says, is to satisfy managers with vested interests in grouping people together so that they can look at them and feel good about the people that they own ... so that they can enjoy that power.

Switching to hybrid work is ideal for people like Kelly Soderlund, a mother of two young children who works in offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California, for travel management company TripActions, which has about 1,200 employees worldwide. She couldnt wait to return when the company partially reopened its offices in June, partly because she missed the built-in buffer that her roughly one-hour commute provided between her personal and professional life.

When I dont have that, I wake up in the morning, I start doing work and I take my kids to their camp or their daycare, Soderlund says. And then I come back and I work and then we pick them up, make dinner and then I go back to work. So, it feels like its just work all the time.

Soderlund believes being together in an office leads to more collaboration, although she also learned from the pandemic that workers dont need to be there every day for teamwork to happen.

Camaraderie and the need to separate work from home are among the top reasons employees at business software maker Adobe Software cite for coming back to the office, said Gloria Chen, chief people officer for one of Silicon Valleys older companies. Working from home is here to stay, but we also continue to value people coming together, she said.

The transition from the pandemic should enable smaller tech companies to adopt more flexible work-from-home policies that may help them lure away top-notch engineers from other firms more insistent on having people in the office, says Boudreau, the Columbia University scholar.

Labor markets are relatively tight now, so employees have more bargaining chips than they have had in a while, Boudreau says.

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Ankur Dahiya, who launched his software startup RunX last year during the pandemic lockdowns, believes that remote work has helped him hire employees that otherwise may not have been candidates. The eight-worker startup rents a San Francisco office one day a week so Dahiya can meet with employees who live nearby, but other employees are in Canada, Nevada, and Oregon. The workers living outside of California have been flying in once every three months for super productive meetings and brainstorming, says Dahiya, who has previously worked at Facebook and Twitter.

Ive worked in offices for the last 10 years and I know theres just so much time lost, Dahiya says, recalling all the random conversations, lengthy meetings, aimless wandering, and other disruptions that seem to occur in those settings.

Twilios Lake is hoping the remote-work experience will transform employee behavior in the office, too, once they come back. She hopes that the remote experience will have given employees a chance to better understand how their teams work.

I think more than anything it is going to cause us to become more intentional about when, why and how we come together, she says.

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Follow AP coverage of how the coronavirus pandemic is transforming the economy at: https://apnews.com/hub/changing-economy
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday issued an executive order to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician.

FILE - In this July 16, 2021 file photo, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. Gov. Noem is seeking to pass tougher abortion restrictions in South Dakota, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a law banning most abortions in Texas to go forward. Noem said on social media that she wants to look at the laws and make sure South Dakota's abortion restrictions are the strongest.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall File)

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday issued an executive order to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician.

Amid a nationwide push among Republicans to outlaw most abortions, Noem directed the state Department of Health to create rules that abortion-inducing drugs can only be prescribed or dispensed by a state-licensed physician after an in-person examination. South Dakota law already places that requirement on doctors, but the Republican governor's order was made in anticipation that the Food and Drug Administration later this year will allow abortion medications to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.

Access to abortion medication has become a pressing issue after last week a Texas law took effect banning abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before many women know theyre pregnant.

About 39% of abortions in South Dakota last year were done through medication, according to the Department of Health. The state has one clinic that regularly performs abortions. Opponents of bans on telemedicine abortions say the method is safe, and outlawing them would have a disproportionate effect on rural residents who face long drives to the nearest abortion clinic.

"Having an abortion is a private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and its disappointing that Gov. Noem continues to insert herself into the patient-doctor relationship," said Janna Farley, the communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota. "Its clear that the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up in South Dakota."

Noem argues in her order that medicine-induced abortions can be life-threatening and that she made the order in the interest of women's health and safety.

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Physicians, under South Dakota law, are already required to meet with a pregnant woman and perform an examination before scheduling a surgical or medical abortion. Women are required to wait 72 hours before the procedure. The law also requires abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy to be performed in a hospital and outlaws abortions entirely after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless it is a medical emergency.

Noem's order blocks the drugs from being delivered through the mail or other delivery services and outlaws the drugs from being provided in schools or on state property. It also requires licenses for any clinics that only prescribe medicine for abortions and require more stringent reporting on medicine-induced abortions and any health complications related to them.

Similar restrictions, such as an Ohio law that was passed this year, have been blocked by courts from taking effect.

In response to the Texas law taking effect last week, President Joe Biden has vowed to look at "what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions."

Noem's order makes it clear she expects the Legislature to make her order into law next year. She charged that the Biden administration was moving to leverage telemedicine abortions to undermine state laws and make it easier to have an abortion.

"They are working right now to make it easier to end the life of an unborn child via telemedicine abortion," Noem said in a statement. "That is not going to happen in South Dakota."
SYDNEY  Parts of Australias New South Wales state will come out of lockdown Saturday and the government plans to ease restrictions in Sydney once 70% of its residents aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

People wait to get coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. The banner reads: "The COVID-19 makeshift testing site." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

SYDNEY  Parts of Australias New South Wales state will come out of lockdown Saturday and the government plans to ease restrictions in Sydney once 70% of its residents aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

The government on Thursday outlined plans to ease restrictions in Sydney, which has been locked down since June, but it also warned that COVID-19 hospitalizations wont plateau until next month.

Coastal areas north of Sydney, the Murrumbidgee region south of the city and the Riverina to the west will be released from the statewide lockdown Saturday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says Australias most populous state will exit lockdown in a cautious and staged way as vaccination rates rise. In New South Wales, 43% of the population aged 16 and older is fully vaccinated.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Idaho patients in hospital halls amid COVID rationed care

 Ida and COVID-19: Twin-demic slams Louisiana hospitals

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2021, file photo, holding her mother's hand, Brianna Vivar, 14, looks away while receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from pharmacy technician Mary Tran at a vaccine clinic set up in the parking lot of CalOptima in Orange, Calif. The summer that was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March 2021. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

 WHO chief urges halt to booster shots for rest of the year

 COVID-19 surge in the US: The summer of hope ends in gloom

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 Read AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  The state of Hawaii is launching a program that will allow people to use their smart phones to prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The move comes shortly before Honolulu and Maui begin instituting vaccine requirements for patrons of restaurants and other businesses.

State officials say people who have been vaccinated in Hawaii will be able to upload a photo of their paper vaccination card to the Safe Travels Hawaii website to create a digital vaccination record. The website will crosscheck the information with data in the states vaccination database.

A health worker administers a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine inside a mobile vaccination unit in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Bangkok health authorities sent out its first mobile vaccination unit to support its vaccination campaign in the community. The city hopes that the converted bus will help health workers reach those with mobility issues, and people with tight work schedules to get vaccinated. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Diners may show the record to restaurants in lieu of their paper vaccination card.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is buying an extra 250,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Spain as it tries to keep a surge in vaccination rates going during an outbreak of the coronavirus in Auckland.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the doses will arrive Friday and she has also got a second, larger deal in the works with another country.

New Zealand was slow to get its vaccination rollout going but has been catching up to other developed since the outbreak of the delta variant began last month. About 55% of New Zealanders have received at least one dose.

New daily community cases have been decreasing and were down to 13 Thursday. Auckland remains in a strict lockdown and health authorities try to extinguish the outbreak entirely.

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CARSON CITY, Nev.  All 17 counties in Nevada will be subject to an indoor mask mandate by the end of the week.

Rural Eureka County is the states only jurisdiction currently not subject to such a requirement, but its report of high transmission of coronavirus infections for the second week in a row have triggered the mandate to take effect Friday.

Bellows Falls Union High School, in Westminster, Vt., new principal, John Broadley, greets students on their first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)

The reintroduction of masks and the debut of vaccine requirements in venues like sporting events, conventions and some schools has been met with resistance across the state. In the Las Vegas area, Clark County School District Board of Trustees President Linda Cavazos has received death threats since the district approved a requirement for employees to get vaccinations.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  California lawmakers have shelved bills aimed at requiring workers to either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or get weekly virus tests to keep their jobs.

One measure by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks would have required all workers to either get the coronavirus vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Another bill by Assemblyman Evan Low sought to make sure state law protected businesses that choose to require their workers to be vaccinated.

Neither bill will advance this year.

On Wednesday, more than a thousand people gathered at the state Capitol to protest vaccine mandates. Organizers say they wanted to let lawmakers know they oppose the bills.

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ATLANTA  Atlantas public safety net hospital is the latest to temporarily cancel elective surgeries, saying it is overrun with COVID-19 patients.

Grady Memorial Hospital CEO John Haupert said Wednesday that the hospital was inundated with patients over Labor Day.

FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021 file photo, a health worker prepares Pfizer vaccines during the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Pamplona, northern Spain. In a statement Monday Sept. 6, 2021, the European Medicines Agency says it has started an expedited evaluation on whether to recommend a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)

Some other Georgia hospitals have already cancelled elective procedures due to the surge in pandemic cases. More than 5,900 people are in Georgia hospitals with COVID-19.

Gov. Brian Kemp has rejected urgings from two Georgia congressmen that he order elective surgeries be postponed in all Georgia hospitals.

Kemp says the congressmen could better help by persuading the federal government to limit how much staffing companies can charge to provide nurses and other workers to supplement hospital capacity. He also says they should demand clearer federal guidance on plans to provide COVID-19 booster shots.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  Some South Carolina cities are bringing back indoor mask requirements as the states coronavirus outbreak rivals the height of the pandemic last winter before vaccines were widely available.

The cities of Columbia, West Columbia and Cayce in central South Carolina have all adopted requirements that people wear masks in indoor public places except while eating and a few other exceptions.

South Carolina has never had a statewide mask mandate but it allowed local governments to do so in 2020. Most of the mandates faded away after Gov. Henry McMaster ended a 14-month COVID-19 state of emergency in June when the state was seeing about 150 new cases a day.

Now, South Carolina is seeing about 5,400 new coronavirus cases a day, similar to the pandemics peak in January.

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Election officials wearing face masks wait for voters inside a polling station, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Moroccans are choosing a new parliament and new local leaders in elections reshaped by the pandemic. Candidates are promising to create jobs and boost Moroccos economy, education and health care. The governing Islamist party is eyeing a third term at the helm of the government if it again wins the most parliament seats. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi is closing its only remaining field hospital for treating COVID-19 patients during the delta variant surge, but it is still relying on out-of-state workers to help increase ICU capacity in state hospitals.

A state health officials said Wednesday that the field hospital set up by Christian relief charity Samaritans Purse is in the process of decommissioning. A field hospital on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus set up with health care workers from the federal government was decommissioned last month.

The official says Mississippi is seeing a small improvement in hospital bed availability, but ICU capacity continues to be very scarce.

The state had 1,660 people hospitalized for COVID-19 on Aug. 18, compared with 1,285 on Tuesday.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia health officials say some rural hospitals have reached their critical bed capacities as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge statewide.

They are pleading with the public to avoid unnecessary ER visits to let hospitals focus their resources on treating COVID-19 patients.

There were 813 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide Wednesday, just below the record 818 on Jan. 5 when vaccination efforts were starting. There are 252 virus patients in ICUs and 132 patients on ventilators  both all-time highs.

The states coronavirus expert says our hospitals are being stressed in ways that they havent been stressed before.

A healthcare worker inoculates a man with a dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, at a government health center in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In southern West Virginia, for instance, Princeton Community Hospital has no ICU beds available due to an increase in COVID-related patients.

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BATON ROUGE, La.  Louisianas hospitals, crammed with coronavirus patients and Hurricane Ida-related emergency visits, are starting to see a bit of much-needed relief from the latest surge of COVID-19.

Hospitalizations from the coronavirus have been consistently falling over the last three weeks after breaking records and reaching 3,022 patients on Aug. 18.

The state health department reports that that number has now dropped to 1,895. It's the first time it has been below 2,000 since the end of July.

Public health officials caution that hospitals continue to struggle with medical needs tied to cleanup and recovery from Ida.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md.  Maryland is authorizing COVID-19 booster shots for all residents 65 and older who live in congregate care settings.

Gov. Larry Hogan says residents in nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, residential drug treatment centers and developmentally disabled group homes are eligible.

A healthcare worker keeps track of empty Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine vials, at a government health center in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Hogan told a news conference Wednesday that boosters can now be immediately administered.

While the federal government has yet to say when most people should get booster shots, Hogan said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved them for people who are immunocompromised, and a Maryland study indicates many in those facilities are immunocompromised.

He said the state is following CDC guidance but broadening the definition.

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DENVER  A Colorado countys public health department director says officials took three mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics off the streets after workers were harassed while providing inoculations over Labor Day weekend.

Jefferson County Public Health executive director Dawn Comstock says staff at a mobile vaccine clinic in Gilpin County were yelled at and threatened by people passing by, The Denver Post reports.

Comstock says a driver ran over and destroyed signs put up around the vaccine clinics tent.

In a separate incident, someone also threw an unidentified liquid at a nurse working a different mobile clinic in front of a restaurant.

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Student Winston Wallace, 9, raises his hand in class at iPrep Academy on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Miami. Public schools in Miami-Dade County have a strict mask mandate to guard against coronavirus infections. A Florida judge ruled Wednesday, Sept. 8, that the state cannot enforce a ban on public schools mandating the use of masks to guard against the coronavirus, while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  A Florida judge has ruled the state cannot enforce its ban on mask mandates in public schools while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is legal.

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper lifted an automatic stay of his decision last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials exceeded their authority by imposing the blanket ban through executive order.

Cooper says the overwhelming evidence before him in a lawsuit by parents challenging the ban shows wearing masks does provide some protection for children in crowded school settings  particularly those under 12, who are not yet able to get vaccinated.

Were not in normal times. We are in a pandemic, Cooper said during a remote hearing. We have a variant that is more infectious and dangerous to children than the one we had last year.

The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.

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TUCSON, Ariz.  Arizonas second most populous county is prodding its workforce to get COVID-19 vaccinations by requiring employees who refuse the shots to pay more for their health insurance.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to make unvaccinated employees lose discounts amounting to about $1,570 annually. Supervisor Steve Christy voted in opposition, saying the move was wrong and its illegal to penalize workers who choose to not get vaccinated.

The board previously authorized a $300 bonus plus three days of paid leave for county workers who have been vaccinated.

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MADRID  Spanish health authorities have authorized the use of an additional shot of a COVID-19 vaccine only for people with suppressed immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients.

The governments board of experts deemed it was too early to recommend a booster shot for the population at large. Health Minister Carolina Darias says authorities will be studying other groups that could benefit from a third shot.

Nearly 73% of Spain's 34 million people are fully vaccinated.

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WASHINGTON  The summer was supposed to mark Americas independence from COVID-19 but it's ending with the U.S. firmly under the command of the coronavirus, with deaths per day back up to levels in March.

The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks.

The U.S. recorded 26,800 deaths and more than 4.2 million infections in August. The number of monthly positive cases was the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. is averaging over 150,000 new cases per day, levels not seen since January. Deaths are close to 1,500 per day, up more than a third since late August. Overall, the outbreak is still well below the all-time peaks reached over the winter when deaths topped out at 3,400 a day and new cases at 250,000 per day.

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The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1.

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HONOLULU  A resort in the famed tourist mecca of Waikiki will be the first in Hawaii to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees and guests.

Starting Oct. 15, Alohilani Resort will require employees, patrons and guests to show proof theyre fully vaccinated. The requirement will be in place for the six other Waikiki properties owned or operated by the Highgate real estate investment and hospitality management company.

Hotel officials say its the right thing to do as Hawaii struggles with a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations because of the highly contagious delta variant.

There was an average of 706 newly confirmed daily cases across Hawaii between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, according to the state Department of Health. Hawaiis vaccination rate stands at 64%.
OTTAWA - A Federal Court judge ordered the Leaders' Debates Commission to permit reporters from Rebel News Network to fully cover this week's two official televised leaders' debates.

A view of the set for the French-language federal election leaders' debate is shown at the Museum of Canadian History in Gatineau, Que., on Monday, Sept.6, 2021. A Federal Court judge ordered the Leaders' Debates Commission to permit reporters from Rebel News Network to fully cover this week's two official televised leaders' debates. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Radio-Canada/Ivanoh Demers **MANDATORY CREDIT**

OTTAWA - A Federal Court judge ordered the Leaders' Debates Commission to permit reporters from Rebel News Network to fully cover this week's two official televised leaders' debates.

The ruling means reporters from Rebel News Network will be accredited to cover Wednesday's French-language and Thursday's English-language contest between the major party leaders.

The ruling came after Rebel News Network was granted an emergency hearing Tuesday after the commission denied 11 of its journalists the credentials needed to cover the event and ask post-debate questions of the leaders.

Justice Elizabeth Heneghan issued the written order on Wednesday after presiding over two and a half hours of oral arguments on Tuesday from lawyers representing Rebel Media and the commission and reviewing thousands of pages of court documents.

Heneghan wrote that Rebel Media "has satisfied the test for an interlocutory mandatory injunction."

In her one-page order, Heneghan wrote that the commission "is to grant Rebel News Network Ltd. the media accreditation required to permit 1 journalist to participate in person and 10 journalists to participate virtually."

The commission initially denied the Rebel News accreditation request, saying the organization violated its conflict-of-interest rules because it is actively involved in campaigns related to the stories it covers.

Rebel News said that the commission was capricious, unfair, unlawful and arbitrary in denying its journalists the right to fully cover the debate.

While the debate broadcast can be watched by anyone, journalists require accreditation so they can question the leaders afterward.

Rebel, the commission and the federal attorney general filed thousands of pages of court documents between them after the commission issued its rejection just before the start of the Labour Day long weekend.

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Rebel and another organization were initially denied accreditation in the 2019 leaders' debates, but they won access after turning to the court.

The commission said in court documents that in 2019, it did not "publicly publish" the criteria for determining accreditation for media organizations.

In 2021, it updated its media accreditation criteria to explain its rationale behind what it considered "high journalistic standards," the commission said.

Ezra Levant, Rebel's founder, said in a 460-page affidavit filed with the court that the commission was unfairly targeting his organization.

He said the commission's decision to exclude Rebel Media from this week's debates was "deeply suspect  both in substance, purpose, and intent  is contradictory, capricious, and is tainted by logical contradictions, ethical irregularities, circular reasoning, and irrationality."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2021.
Montreal police say a 97-year-old woman died in a fire at a retirement home on Tuesday in northeastern Montreal.

The Montreal Police logo is seen on a police car in Montreal on July 8, 2020. Montreal police say a 97-year-old woman died in a fire at a retirement home on Tuesday in northeastern Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Montreal police say a 97-year-old woman died in a fire at a retirement home on Tuesday in northeastern Montreal.

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Police confirmed today the victim died of her injuries a few hours after being transported to hospital in critical condition.

The arson squad is investigating the fire that broke out about 5 p.m. in a building in the city's Anjou borough.

The Canadian Red Cross assisted residents who had to leave the building, and police say it's not clear where the fire originated or what sparked the blaze.

It was a busy night for firefighters and the police arson squad as they also had to contend with two other suspicious blazes in commercial buildings where authorities found traces of accelerants. No injuries were reported.

A fire in the Montreal suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux caused considerable damage, hitting nearby businesses. A few hours later, firefighters had to combat a blaze in the east-end Montreal district of Tetreaultville.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2021.
BRANDON  Peoples Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier made Brandons Dinsdale Park his third Westman stop during a whirlwind trip of the area.

BRANDON  Peoples Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier made Brandons Dinsdale Park his third Westman stop during a whirlwind trip of the area.

He appeared in Neepawa on Tuesday morning, Dauphin in the early afternoon, and arrived in the city around 5 p.m.

Though it was not the only topic he addressed during his speech, it was clear local focus was on expressing opposition to what he called "COVID hysteria"  vaccine mandates, passports and other methods introduced to control the spread of the coronavirus.

"(Liberal Leader Justin) Trudeau says that he will spend a billion dollars, that we dont have, to be sure that the provinces will be able to implement the vaccine passports all across the country," Bernier said.

"(Tory Leader Erin) OToole said that he wants to have a national registry to know whos going to have the vaccine passport and whos not. We dont want to live in a show me your papers society."

Other than cheers for statements against COVID measures, the biggest audience responses came after Bernier called for cutting all foreign aid and eliminating funding for the CBC.

"Its all about COVID-19, its all about COVID hysteria," Bernier told the Sun when asked what the people of Westman had been talking to him about.

"They want to get back their freedom, theyre very tired of what is happening in this country. Step by step, we are losing our freedoms and people understand that the Peoples Party is the only party that is fighting for them."

On the subject of Manitobas immunization cards and vaccination mandate for public service workers, Bernier said he was against them and no province needs them because even vaccinated people can spread the virus.

Last week, Bernier had an egg smashed on his head during a stop in Saskatoon. On Monday, Trudeau had gravel thrown at him and his people during a campaign stop in London, Ont.

Bernier was asked if anything needed to be done to combat violence on the campaign trail.

"Im against any kind of violence," he said. "I understand that people are free to express their point of view, I believe in freedom of expression, but we dont need that in an electoral campaign and I condemn these actions and that violence."

That condemnation, he said, includes what one of his partys Ontario candidates, Marc Emery, said on Twitter before deleting the post.

"(Trudeau) is a vile leader," the tweet read. "He deserves a much worse fate. Im thinking Mussolini."

Fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini famously had his body displayed in public after being killed in 1945, with passersby abusing his corpse.

"He recused that, I think, he erased his tweet," Bernier said. "Were in a free country. We dont want to go under a dictatorship, so Im fighting for freedom and peacefully and thats the most important."

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While he didnt speculate as to how many he thinks he could win, Bernier expressed a belief his party will be able to pick up seats in Manitoba this time around, after being shut out countrywide in 2019.

Brandon-Souris PPC candidate Tylor Baer spoke to the crowd after Bernier missed his original 4:30 p.m. arrival time, warning the approximately 150 people present would have to get in close to listen because Berniers voice was strained.

As the crowd waited for the man of the hour to arrive, the Sun asked several people if they would be interested in talking about why they wanted to attend the event.

Some declined because they werent interested in talking to the media; several others said they were just there for a picnic and decided to see what the fuss was about.

Despite the number of people allowed for an outdoor gathering getting reduced from 1,500 to 500 by public health Tuesday, the number of people at Dinsdale Park wouldnt have violated any rules.

 Brandon Sun
AS if Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to call a snap vote wasnt challenging enough, Elections Canada staff have had to contend with Manitobas flip-flop on masking as they scrambled to organize polling locations for the Sept. 20 election.

AS if Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to call a snap vote wasnt challenging enough, Elections Canada staff have had to contend with Manitobas flip-flop on masking as they scrambled to organize polling locations for the Sept. 20 election.

Elections Canada said Tuesday that all returning officers had finalized polling stations.

"Theyve had to turn around, basically on a dime and reorganize and replan  and then replan again," said Marie-France Kenny, a regional spokeswoman for the agency.

"Its been a busy time for them, and theyre working really hard."

Even before Trudeau triggered an election on Aug. 15, Elections Canada said polling stations would be subject to provincial COVID-19 rules. In Manitoba, it has had to abide by the provinces decision to ban polling stations from schools.

Local returning officers had signed dozens of short-term leases by the time Manitoba suddenly lifted its mask mandate on Aug. 7, yet some businesses and churches opted to keep requiring masks.

"A lot of our landlords said, well if youre not wearing masks, you cant come in. So then our returning officers had to look for other places," said Kenny.

Elections Canada crafted a policy that they would obey COVID-19 requirements set by landlords, instead of just provincial governments.

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Then Manitoba reversed course, and reinstated its provincewide mask mandate on Aug. 24.

The provincial flip-flop, and resulting changes by Elections Canada, caused headaches for at least three local campaign managers from two parties.

None would speak on the record, but each said the confusion has hampered the effort to make sure people cast a ballot, particularly those who are less comfortable with mail-in or drop-off ballots.

Still, Elections Canada has met its usual schedule of mailing out voter information cards, around three weeks before election day. The cards list locations for voting on Sept. 20, as well as in advance, and how to request mail-in or drop-off ballots.

The agency faced similar difficulties in Saskatchewan, where the government has kept masks optional, though schools can still be used as polling locations in that province.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
With vaccination rates close to 80 per cent and so many more businesses able to be opened, thoughts are shifting towards measures needed to ensure subsequent closures will not be required.

With vaccination rates close to 80 per cent and so many more businesses able to be opened, thoughts are shifting towards measures needed to ensure subsequent closures will not be required.

Among those considerations are the unfortunate occasions when front-line staff at tourism and hospitality operations, for instance, have to deal with customers who refuse to comply with public health regulations.

While that kind of behaviour does not seem like it is rampant, front-line staff  who are already experiencing depletion in their ranks and a clientele who may be experiencing pent up demand  now have added responsibilities such as checking vaccination credentials.

The province recently put out a memo expressing support for business operators, making posters available and indicating that additional material like decals and other visual aids will be forthcoming.

The memo lays out a few steps folks could take if faced with any kind of harassing behaviour from the public, such as:

 Immediately report any threat to law enforcement, taking note of the time and day of occurrences, and document details

 If a visitor to your business is on the property and refuses to comply with public health orders, follow the businesss regular protocols for addressing difficult situations (for instance refusal of service due to intoxication, etc)

 Should the situation escalate, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Karly McRae, the owner of two boutique hotels in Clear Lake, said her staff has not had to call police, but they have come close. (Supplied)

Karly McRae, the owner of the Lakehouse Properties, which operates two boutique hotels in Clear Lake, said her staff has not had to call police, but they have come close.

"I would like to think the people who are vocally opposing the public health rules are the exception," she said. "But at a time when there are labour shortages especially in the tourism business it makes it that much harder for business owners like me, trying to ramp back up and bring staff back and convince them they still want to do the job when there are these added challenges."

Bruce MacKay, general manager of the Holiday Inn Airport West, said he has sensed a shift in attitudes toward some of the restrictions like checking vaccination cards but his property has been lucky in that "it has not reared its ugly head yet."

In addition to all the challenges of reopening, often while short-staffed, operations are also having to deal with online sniping, aggressive phone calls and social media harassment.

Bruce MacKay, general manager of the Holiday Inn Airport West, says he has sensed a shift in attitudes toward some of the restrictions. (Boris Minkevich / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Colin Ferguson, the CEO of Travel Manitoba, the provinces marketing agency for the tourism industry, said everyone wants to be sure the momentum towards reopening continues and while it may be a vocal minority opposing the regulations, it is difficult for industry to open in the face of confrontation.

"I think the message here is the government is providing tools to business to help them get their message across like advice on what to do in the case of confrontation," he said. "This is something the industry supports and they need it."

This is happening while the tourism industry in the province is in the process of creating a tourism industry association that would act as a lobbying body for the industry.

Manitoba is the only province or territory in the country without one.

Colin Ferguson, the CEO of Travel Manitoba. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files)

And while the industry is almost unanimously supportive of the work that Travel Manitoba does as an arms-length agency of the province it cant lobby the government to assist the industry.

John Gunter, the CEO of Frontiers North Adventures, is the chair of the working group established to create an industry association in Manitoba.

"We have been fortunate," he said. "The tourism industry has benefited from the support of Travel Manitoba. They have done a great job."

But Travel Manitoba is a destination marketer and is not in a position to lobby for the issues of concern to the industry.

A recently completed survey of industry stakeholders created a list of about 30 issues that need addressing including labour shortages, the cost of meeting the demands of COVID protocols and housing shortage for the labour the industry needs.

John Gunter, CEO of Frontiers North Adventures, is chair of the working group established to create an industry association in Manitoba. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

One of the next steps is to flesh out some training modules.

"Its not necessarily Travel Manitobas mandate (to offer training programs) but it has graciously done so in the past," Gunter said.

The steering committee will have to decided on a number of potential structures that may or may not require funding to support the organization.

Ferguson said Travel Manitoba is "100 per cent" behind the efforts to create an industry association, acknowledging the potential conflict his organization could find itself in.

With all the disruption afoot, the timing could not be better.

McRae, who is also a member of the working group, said while its not always a popular opinion, she believes the industry is on the verge of a big shake up.

"Im not sure exactly what that will look like but as a tourism business owner we really have to look at wages and protection for those front-line staff who have stayed during the pandemic," she said.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

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Harvest Manitobas new leader says hes ready to help amid the global pandemic and an increased need for support from food banks.

Harvest Manitobas new leader says hes ready to help amid the global pandemic and an increased need for support from food banks.

Vince Barletta will take the reins of president and chief executive officer, beginning Sept. 20. Hes been president and CEO of the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation for the last four years, navigating the health-care charitys operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When I saw there was an opportunity, that Harvest Manitoba was looking for a new leader... to me, it just seemed like a fabulous opportunity to work with an organization that has such a powerful mission," Barletta said.

Hell be commandeering a charity that encompasses more than 325 food banks and agencies. There are thousands of volunteers and staff.

"The next number of months, for me, (are) going to be about listening and learning," said Barletta, 43.

He has a lengthy history of leadership roles in politics and business, including heading an investment attraction initiative for Economic Development Winnipeg. Prior to that, he was a community and economic development director for the province, and a two-term city councillor for Brandon.

Barletta is "honoured and excited" to be joining Harvest Manitoba. "Its an organization that, to me, really embodies the generosity of our community and our province."

Currently, Harvest is seeing increased numbers of clients. About 80,000 Manitobans receive food support every month; pre-pandemic, the average was closer to 60,000.

Barletta offered a rosy view to stepping into his new role during the challenging time, saying these "will be interesting months ahead" but he looks forward to the future.

"Many of our clients are working and just still need that extra help," said Marilyn McLaren, Harvest Manitoba board chairwoman. "I dont think (the numbers are) going to start decreasing any time soon."

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Food donations dried up at the beginning of the pandemic, but theyve rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, McLaren said. The charity collects 11 million pounds of food annually.

Keren Taylor-Hughes, the former CEO, helped create a breakfast program for schools with modest income families.

Barletta and McLaren highlighted a need for donations for Harvest Manitobas school programs  money and food are accepted. Forty-six per cent of the food banks recipients are children. Volunteers are still below pre-pandemic levels, too.

"Its coming back, but it could certainly come back more," McLaren said. "It would be great to have more (volunteers)... in the door."

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
MANITOBAS caretaker premier, who hails from Steinbach, said he expects the province may introduce new initiatives for Pride Week  which ends Sunday.

MANITOBAS caretaker premier, who hails from Steinbach, said he expects the province may introduce new "initiatives" for Pride Week  which ends Sunday.

"I understand that there was a desire to have the Pride flag in Memorial Park," Premier Kelvin Goertzen said when asked Tuesday when and where the Manitoba government would acknowledge the event to support the LGBTTQ+ community. Pride Winnipeg is a virtual event this year because of the pandemic. It runs Sept. 3-12.

"I know theres been acknowledgements in the past. I suspect there will be this week as well," he said at an unrelated event.

Goertzen said the provinces protocol staff are working on arrangements to have the rainbow Pride flag flown at Memorial Park across from the Manitoba legislature.

"I dont think that thats happened before," said Goertzen.

"There are a number of initiatives that are happening and probably some initiatives that havent happened before," he said.

When he was health minister, Goertzen made headlines for failing to attend Pride Week events in his home community of Steinbach.

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In 2017, he said he wouldnt attend even if he was available because the 2016 parade was more about shaming people than pride.

"Last years Steinbach Pride speeches, which I listened to in their entirety, contained many thoughtful comments about making all communities safe for all people," Goertzen said at the time.

"But in addition to these, there were many speeches by politicians and former political candidates that spent time criticizing those who did not attend the event," he said. "I wouldnt stand on a stage at any non-partisan event that dedicated so much of its time to shaming individuals. Pride should be about pride, not shaming."

Pride Winnipegs theme this year is "virtual pride."

"We realized that the best way to care for our community and celebrate Pride is embracing the fact that we need to maintain social distance but can still connect with each other through digital platforms. This theme refers not only to how we will deliver our events (virtually), but also how we want to engage and get together with the (gender, social and relationship diverse) community," it said online.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Manitobas new health minister is being asked to establish a hospital triage protocol in time for the pandemics fourth wave.

Manitobas new health minister is being asked to establish a hospital triage protocol in time for the pandemics fourth wave.

A group of advocates sent 17 recommendations for a health-care protocol to the premier, health minister and Shared Health on Tuesday.

Their goal is to ensure everyone, regardless of age, disability or other health conditions, is given equal access to live-saving treatment during the pandemic.

The group has been lobbying the province to implement and publicize a pandemic triage protocol since last fall. To date, the government has not done so.

"Maybe the fourth times the charm. All we can do is keep pushing and asking," said David Kron, a representative of the Human Rights Triage Protocol Coalition.

"Who knows what the fourth wave is going to look like, and were telling the government that there is a need for a protocol, period.

"There are a lot of questions (about) who gets care when resources are tight, and we just want to have an open discussion about that."

Health Minister Audrey Gordon wouldnt promise to enact a triage protocol.

"We always want to be transparent as a government and as a health-care system, and so we will put in place all the systems and all the information that we believe the public needs to know about. If its triage at that time, well certainly make that available," Gordon said when asked Tuesday if the government would release a triage protocol.

The group recommends the government develop pandemic triage processes and seek feedback from the elderly and people with disabilities. They want to make sure health-care providers are educated about ableism, ageism, disability issues and legal obligations.

In May, then-health minister Heather Stefanson pointed to Shared Healths ethics framework when asked about setting up a triage protocol.

"The ethical framework was put in place to ensure that in the event that a triage protocol is needed, it is there to help doctors put that in place," she said at the time. The framework states health-care leadership should develop a separate triage process for the distribution of finite resources in a pandemic.

Stefansons comments came right before Manitoba began airlifting COVID-19 patients to Ontario hospitals because our ICUs were full.

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Opposition health critic Uzoma Asagwara said its "inexcusable" theres still no triage protocol.

"Theres really no excuse, 18 months into the pandemic, that they wouldnt have already established a triage protocol and made that public."

 with files from Carol Sanders

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Conservative Leader Erin OToole surprised the Canadian public on the weekend by amending the gun-control section of the election platform his party had published Aug. 16. Canadians are used to parties backing away from their election promises once the election is over. Its unusual, however, to see a party discard its principles in mid-campaign, just three weeks after announcing them.

Conservative Leader Erin OToole surprised the Canadian public on the weekend by amending the gun-control section of the election platform his party had published Aug. 16. Canadians are used to parties backing away from their election promises once the election is over. Its unusual, however, to see a party discard its principles in mid-campaign, just three weeks after announcing them.

Flip-flops of this kind invite mockery if they are not well prepared and well explained. A willingness to admit error and accept advice is, however, not necessarily a bad thing. As the opinionated English poet William Blake warned long ago, "The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."

The problem with Mr. OTooles flexibility is that it seems crassly tactical. His gun-rights supporters in western and northern Canada will never vote Liberal or NDP. He has no need to pander to them.

Quebec, however, is another kettle of fish. Ever since the 1989 mass murder at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec opinion has favoured tight restrictions on gun ownership. Mr. OTooles party holds just 10 of Quebecs 78 House of Commons seats. He badly needs more Quebec seats to strengthen his position and threaten Liberal dominance. He wont get them by defending gun-owner rights.

FRANK GUNN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole

In this context, Mr. OToole announced on Sunday that he was backing away from the promise to repeal the Liberal governments assault-weapons ban enacted in 2020. "Its critically important for me to say to Canadians today that we are going to maintain the ban on assault weapons, were going to maintain the restrictions that were put in place in 2020," he said.

The party program still says the Conservatives will repeal the Liberals Bill C-71 (the 2019 firearms legislation) and a related order-in-council banning specific weapons. A footnote was added to the Conservative election platform yesterday to say that all firearms that are currently banned will remain banned.

The partys formal position, therefore, is that the Conservatives will repeal the ban on 1,500 named makes and models of weapons, but those weapons will remain banned. One is left with the distinct impression that Mr. OTooles approach to the issue involves speaking in what seems to be clear language but providing almost nothing in the way of actual clarity.

In terms of black-and-white declarations of intention, its black, if thats what you want to hear. But if you want to hear its white, then its also white.

It might be easier to follow the evolution of Mr. OTooles thought on this point if he had done some thinking out loud about the merits of one policy or another. It might be easier to see what his party will do if we had seen him discussing the matter openly with the gun-rights enthusiasts in his party and bringing them along with him.

In the absence of any discernible thought beyond electoral arithmetic, however, there is no way of knowing what a Tory government would do about assault weapons once the election is over. Nor is there any reason for thinking the party agrees with its leader on this point.
The Manitoba hospital serving many of the least-vaccinated health districts in the province has temporarily closed 10 beds due to a shortage of nurses.

The Manitoba hospital serving many of the least-vaccinated health districts in the province has temporarily closed 10 beds due to a shortage of nurses.

Southern Health regional lead for acute care and chief nursing officer Noreen Shirtliff confirmed Boundary Trails Health Centre  which sits between the cities of Winkler and Morden on the connection between Highways 3 and 14  has shuttered the beds until mid-October.

Shirtliff said while she couldnt give an exact number, there are currently "vacancies" in nurse positions in the emergency department at the hospital.

When asked about the nurse shortage at Boundary Trails, Health Minister Audrey Gordon didn't answer the question. (Alex Lupul / Winnipeg Free Press files)

The situation is due, in part, to trouble the centre has had hiring for term positions: a handful of nurses are away on maternity or other scheduled leaves, and a provincewide shortage means those looking for work are more likely to take one of the many available permanent positions.

"Unfortunately, this isnt unique to Boundary Trails. We have a (nursing) shortage happening in this province," she said Tuesday.

Over-capacity protocols are in place should COVID-19 cases in the region spike again and more beds at the hospital may be needed, Shirtliff said, adding Southern Health was monitoring the situation.

This isnt the first time Boundary Trails has faced a staffing crunch during the pandemic. In May, the hospital closed two of its three operating rooms, after more than a dozen health-care workers had to self-isolate after being identified as COVID-19 close contacts.

A doctor practicing in Southern Health, who asked not to be named by the Free Press, said the 94-bed hospital has had to reassign experienced charge nurses, who typically co-ordinate the connection between patients, nurses and doctors. Additional work to fill gaps has been piled on to those duties, meaning doctors are losing one-on-one time with nurses, the doctor said.

"Unfortunately, this isnt unique to Boundary Trails. We have a (nursing) shortage happening in this province."  Noreen Shirtliff , Southern Health chief nursing officer

"It feels much more scattered, and Ive never worked at a hospital where they didnt have a charge that was just doing charge work," the doctor said.

The doctor said they werent sure how the hospital would be able to get nurses to return should COVID-19 cases get more dire if they arent coming in now  calling the idea "wishful thinking."

"It sounded like sort of a well, we'll think about it later (thing)," the doctor said. "Or maybe if they have the (case) numbers to prove it, and it becomes this urgent thing, maybe there's nurses not currently working or maybe they will pull them out of the testing sites.

"Maybe that will trigger something within the system that then they have the protocol or numbers in line where they can pull from different places."

When asked about the nurse shortage at Boundary Trails, Health Minister Audrey Gordon didnt speak directly about the situation but referenced 400 additional seats in nursing education the province announced in July.

These seats will be available to prospective students starting in the 2022-23 academic year.

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One of the South Health doctors biggest concerns is the health-care system in southern Manitoba suffering under a fourth wave. Boundary Trails serves Winkler and the Rural Municipality of Stanley, the two least-vaccinated health districts in the province.

"As I'm reflecting now back 18 months, I just feel disoriented. I feel like there's several worst-case scenarios that I hope don't happen, like (Boundary Trails) just getting overwhelmed," the doctor said.

"These are community members, yes, I'm angry at, but I love a lot of them, too. There's lots of families in my practice that don't vaccinate, and they have these amazing, smart, witty winsome kids. And it's heartbreaking."

-With files from Maggie Macintosh

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
A group of conservatives, fed up with the provincial government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, is forming a new party that will push for more rights and freedoms for the unvaccinated.

A group of conservatives, fed up with the provincial government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, is forming a new party that will push for more rights and freedoms for the unvaccinated.

"In our parties right now, there is nobody representing what the people really want, and people are feeling like their rights and freedoms are being infringed on, in different ways," said Charlene Hancox-Senow, who is part of the committee working to establish the Keystone Party.

The political party isnt yet registered, but has garnered support in southern Manitoba, including from Winkler Mayor Martin Harder.

Keystone is to be based on eight principles that would align with many PC voters, such as a market economy thats environmentally sustainable, balanced budget, "measures to reduce discrimination within government," and a "robust" justice system that deters crime.

Charlene Hancox-Senow is part of the committee working to establish a new federal party called the Keystone Party. (Supplied)

"The PCs can say 'these are our principles' but if your actions are not backing up your principles, you're losing your credibility among the citizens," Hancox-Senow told the Free Press.

The committee also includes Manitobans who normally vote for the NDP or Liberals, but many are PC voters who dont feel the governing party is listening to the grassroots, she said.

"The only alternative is to create new policies, and create a party that is in the interests of the people."

Volunteers have been talking since spring about starting a party, and gradually ramped up efforts this summer as former premier Brian Pallister faced public criticism from his own cabinet, Hancox-Senow said..

The PC Party of Manitoba has been challenged throughout the pandemic by its rural base. MLAs have pushed behind closed doors to have lighter COVID-19 restrictions, while Winnipeg MLAs have faced constituents furious over hospitals pushed beyond capacity and restrictions doctors said were too late.

"We believe there is a different approach, that hasn't actually been chosen, to all of this. We do support vaccines; we just support the right to choose whether you want one or not," Hancox-Senow said.

"We do feel that the passports infringe on the rights of our citizens; we don't feel that it's backing up the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

The nascent party will have to be careful about who it affiliates with, as some of its principles could be viewed as coded language for far-right beliefs, said political scientist Raymond Hebert.

Keystone Party logo

"It sounds a lot like the People's Party (of Canada)," said Hebert, a professor emeritus at Saint Boniface University.

"People interested in the political scene in Manitoba should be watching this very closely. I actually find it disturbing, but it depends what shape this group takes."

He noted anti-vaccine protesters tossed rocks at Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on Monday, just as Peoples Party Leader Maxime Bernier held a Winnipeg rally against vaccine passports.

"They don't want vaccines mandates, and (feel that) those who insist on not being vaccinated should not pay any penalties, like being barred from airplanes," he said.

"There's definitely a market in southern Manitoba for this kind of, what I would call, extreme-right positioning."

However, Hancox-Senow said her group wants the opposite, by channelling the ongoing rancour into positive change.

"People say how angry they are toward the government, and the answer isn't to go and do rallies; the answer isn't to cause a ruckus but to be part of the change," she said.

"We're not a protest party at all."

Hancox-Senow said Harder is an adviser to the upstart party, which the Winkler mayor did not deny Tuesday.

"I've heard of it, I've had conversations with people who are on the steering committee, but they're at a very beginning stage now," Harder said. "That's all I would like to say about that."

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So far, the party has a simple website in which people can sign up for email updates; it cannot issue memberships until it has registered with Elections Manitoba.

It is attempting to gather signatures from 2,500 eligible voters, which are necessary to submit a formal application. Hancox-Senow stressed those knocking on doors around rural Manitoba are following public health rules.

"We believe very much in respecting authority, so we want to do everything correctly and we're encouraging our volunteers to do the same."

The PC Party did not reply to a request for comment.

 with files from Malak Abas

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Vaccine uptake in Manitoba continues to grow at a snails pace despite the provinces immunization mandate announced last month. Without a significant increase, Manitoba would be lucky to avoid a serious fourth wave this fall.

Vaccine uptake in Manitoba continues to grow at a snails pace despite the provinces immunization mandate announced last month. Without a significant increase, Manitoba would be lucky to avoid a serious fourth wave this fall.

Its been just over a week since the province announced its new proof-of-vaccine rules to access public places such as bars, restaurants, movie theatres and museums.

Since then, the percentage of Manitobans over 12 with at least one dose has barely budged to 82.9 per cent from 81.7 per cent  about one-tenth of a percentage point a day. Its marginally better than the growth rate prior to the announcement.

The percentage of eligible Manitobans with two doses has increased to 77.9 from 76.2 per cent during the same period.

Public health officials still dont know what level of vaccination is required to achieve herd immunity, or to return to some level of post-pandemic normalcy.

Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of the provinces vaccine task force, said it will have to be higher than 80 per cent. However, the exact figure is unknown because new and more contagious variants may come into play. We may never reach it.

"We might not be able to reach the true textbook herd immunity where the virus cant circulate at all in our province," Reimer said Tuesday. "Instead, our goal may be to keep the numbers low enough that while the virus continues to circulate that we are able to continue to provide health care to everyone who needs it in Manitoba."

How low is "low enough?" Probably what we have right now: a few dozen cases a day, mostly among the unvaccinated. At that level, it appears hospitals can absorb the two dozen or so new admissions per week.

But with students returning to school this week and people moving indoors as the temperature falls, cases will certainly rise.

Theres no doubt having more than three-quarters of Manitobans over 12 fully vaccinated will provide most people with significant protection, including keeping the vast majority of them out of hospital. Weve seen evidence of that all year. More than 95 per cent of Manitobans over 70 are fully vaccinated and almost 90 per cent of those in their 60s have both shots.

Looking around the world, we know that there are many, many places where the virus will continue to circulate. This is going to be something that continues to be part of our lives in some way or another for a long time.  Dr. Joss Reimer

Its younger Manitobans who arent adequately protected. About 70 per cent of Manitobans in their 20s and 30s are fully vaccinated and 64 per cent of those aged 12 to 17 have both doses. Thats not high enough. There are also geographical pockets, such as the RM of Stanley (23 per cent) and Winkler (40 per cent), where numbers remain dangerously low.

"Looking around the world, we know that there are many, many places where the virus will continue to circulate," said Reimer. "This is going to be something that continues to be part of our lives in some way or another for a long time."

How much it affects our lives, including the need for public health restrictions, will depend entirely on vaccine uptake.

Reimer continued to cite studies from around the world that show the vaccine is not only safe but extremely effective at reducing serious illness and death. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. Its hard to imagine any reasonable person refuting it.

The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

COVID-19 vaccines are no different than the routine childhood immunizations the vast majority of Canadians receive to control and eradicate a wide range of infectious diseases. There is virtually no public concern about the efficacy or long-term effects of those (including new vaccines introduced over the years), because they are also safe and effective. All approved vaccines in Canada undergo rigorous clinical trials, as COVID-19 vaccines have. All are analyzed on an ongoing basis using real world data.

Manitoba still has a chance to increase its immunization rates to avoid the possibility of a serious fourth wave, where businesses may have to close again and hospital patients start to pile up. The solution to end this is right in front of us: there are nearly a half-million doses of COVID-19 sitting in cold storage in Manitoba. Almost everyone over 12 could be fully immunized by Halloween if they wanted to. Its almost too easy.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA - Five federal party leaders jousted over health and child care, the environment and Quebec identity politics in the first of two official election debates Wednesday evening as they sought to sway francophone voters before election day on Sept. 20.

A composite image of five photographs show, from left to right, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 1, 2021; Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole in St. John's, N.L. on Monday, July 26, 2021; Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in Montreal, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, and Green Leader Annamie Paul in Toronto on Monday, July 19, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick, Paul Daly, Graham Hughes, Chris Young

OTTAWA - Five federal party leaders jousted over health and child care, the environment and Quebec identity politics in the first of two official election debates Wednesday evening as they sought to sway francophone voters before election day on Sept. 20.

With under two weeks to go, millions of voters were expected to tune in to the two-hour French-language debate and then the English-language debate Thursday night.

They come as opinion polls suggest the Liberals and Conservatives are stuck in a tight two-way race, with the NDP and Bloc poised to determine which of the two main parties emerges victorious.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul took part in the Wednesday debate and will convene again Thursday night at 9 p.m. eastern time.

People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier did not meet the criteria established by the independent Leaders' Debates Commission for participation.

Organized by consortiums of broadcasters, both debates are being held at the Canadian Museum of History  its grand hall transformed into a television studio  in Gatineau, Que., just across the river from Parliament Hill.

The topics discussed Wednesday included climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and Indigenous Peoples and cultural identity.

The spiciest exchange, however, concerned issues of Quebec identity and representation when an animated Trudeau turned on Blanchet late in the debate.

You keep forgetting: Im a Quebecer, Im a proud Quebecer, I have always been a Quebecer, I will always be a Quebecer," Trudeau said, his face flushed, while a small smile slid across Blanchet's.

"You do not have a monopoly over Quebec  You take the Quebec governments record as if its your own," Trudeau continued. "You have no right to consider me not a Quebecer."

Blanchet conceded to reporters in English after the debate that it was "probably true" that Trudeau was as much a Quebecer as him.

"But in terms of institutions, this is the Assemblee nationale du Quebec which speaks for Quebec," he said, referring to the French name for the provincial legislature.

Trudeau also disputed that point, saying the notion that believing in federalism rather than independence means one is not a Quebecer is "irresponsible" and "false."

Quebecers are "obviously not" a monolithic block, Blanchet added in French.

Much of the back-and-forth Wednesday revolved around health care and how to pay for it. Moderator Patrice Roy pushed the politicians to spell out how much money they would give the provinces, and whether they would hand over the extra $28 billion in annual funding requested by premiers.

Trudeau pledged an added $25 billion, but "not unconditionally," while O'Toole reiterated his plan to boost health transfers to the provinces by $60 billion over 10 years, "without conditions because it is a matter of respect"  a word he used repeatedly when referring to Quebec.

"I trust the government of Quebec. Why does Mr. Trudeau always interfere in provincial jurisdiction?" O'Toole asked.

However, freshly released costing for the Conservative platform states that only $3.6 billion of that would come in the first five years.

I will increase health transfers in a way thats stable, predictable," O'Toole said.

Trudeau parried that the Tory leader is "not standing up against a two-tier system."

Asked whether vaccination against COVID-19 should be mandatory, Trudeau called the discussion a "false debate" and sought to drive a wedge between his stance and O'Toole's. The Tory leader's position suggests vaccination and rapid testing are equivalent, Trudeau claimed.

This isnt the time to be dividing people. We need to work together," O'Toole rebutted, stressing that vaccination is "essential" but that rapid testing, masks and physical distancing also play a role.

The leaders also made their respective pitches for a greener Canada at the end of a summer that has seen fatal heat waves and wildfires.

Pressed on the fate of the Trans Mountain pipeline, which Ottawa bought from Kinder Morgan in 2018, under a would-be NDP government, Singh insisted he opposed the project but gave no definitive answer on what he would do with it as prime minister: We will take stock of the situation.

Trudeau said Indigenous communities hope to buy the pipeline and could continue to operate it until "we don't need it."

O'Toole stressed that families in Western Canada have a right to economic recovery, while Paul said it should be cancelled. Blanchet, in line with his belief in greater provincial independence, favours handing money from the crude-oil conduit to Alberta to help fund its energy transition.

As the debate wore on, a few dozen protesters, some carrying PPC signs, continued to mingle on the sidewalk but found themselves blocked from coming near the entrance to the museum.

The Conservatives released the costing for their election platform just hours before the leaders began to arrive at the debate venue Wednesday evening, amid mounting criticism from Trudeau over O'Toole's failure to produce the balance sheet for his plan.

Tory platform pledges would add $30 billion to this fiscal year's forecasted budget deficit of $138.2 billion, according to the document, which is based on the parliamentary budget officer's election platform costing baseline. The deficit would then fall substantially each year thereafter, landing at $24.7 billion in 2025-26.

Blanchet threw a pre-debate punch, telling reporters an hour before game time that the billions in child-care funding pledged to Quebec by the Liberal government fails to show up in the Conservatives' five-year plan.

Conservative officials said Wednesday that an O'Toole government would honour the funding deals with provinces for the first year. But after that the Liberal child-care plan  including $6 billion earmarked for Quebec  would be replaced by the Conservatives' promise to convert the existing child-care expense deduction into a refundable tax credit that would cover up to 75 per cent of child-care costs for low-income families.

"Mr. O'Toole does not even understand the daycare system in Quebec," Trudeau said, noting that the most vulnerable Quebecers do not pay fees and so would not benefit from the credit.

The Conservative plan  is $6 billion less in the pockets of the Quebec government, Blanchet added.

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O'Toole reiterated that he will "always respect provincial jurisdiction  We will help all families immediately."

Paul said after the debate that daycare has languished below the radar in part because it's framed as a women's issue, further upping the need to bring more women and other-under-represented groups into leadership roles.

"When I talk about bringing more diversity to politics, this is exactly what I mean," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2021.

 With files from Paola Loriggio and Stephanie Taylor

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly reported that Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said he would give the Trans Mountain pipeline to Alberta. In fact, he said he would give the province money from the pipeline.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesias capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.

Staff and police officers guard the main entrance gate of Tangerang prison in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. A massive fire raged through the overcrowded prison early Wednesday, killing a number of inmates. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesias capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.

Televised footage showed firefighters battling to extinguish orange flames while black smoke billowed from the compound. Indonesian Red Cross officials evacuated the victims to ambulances and dozens of bodies in orange bags were laid in a room of Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta.

Most of the 41 killed were drug convicts, including two men from South Africa and Portugal, but a terrorism convict and a murder were also killed, Indonesias Justice and Human Rights minister Yasona Laoly told reporters.

He expressed his deep condolences for the family of the victims and pledged to provide the best treatment for injured victims.

This is a tragedy that concerns all of us, Laoly said. We are working closely with all relevant parties to investigate the causes of the fire.

A police officers stands guard at the main entrance gate of Tangerang prison in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. A massive fire raged through the overcrowded prison early Wednesday, killing a number of inmates. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

The preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire that started around 1:45 a.m. pointed to a short circuit in one of 19 cells in prison Block C2, Jakarta Police Chief Fadil Imran said. Block C2 was stuffed full with 122 convicts.

After the fire was extinguished, hundreds of police and soldiers were deployed around the prison to prevent prisoners from escaping, Imran told reporters near the scene.

The situation is now under control, Imran said, adding that at least 41 inmates were killed and 80 were injured.

Police officers guard at the main entrance gate of Tangerang prison in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. A massive fire raged through the overcrowded prison early Wednesday, killing a number of inmates. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Eight are hospitalized with severe burns and nine with light injuries are being treated at a prison clinic, the Justice and Human Rights ministry said. Another 64, many suffering smoke inhalation, were evacuated to a mosque in the compound.

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Tangerang prison was designed to house 1,225 inmates but has more than 2,000, said Rika Aprianti, spokesperson for the corrections department at the Justice Ministry.

She said 15 prison officers guarding the cell block were unhurt.

Laoly vowed to make efforts to prevent a similar tragedy, including to fix electricity problems at 477 prisons across the vast archipelago nation.

Jailbreaks and riots that led to fire are common in Indonesia, where overcrowding has become a problem in prisons that are struggling with poor funding and large numbers of people arrested in a war on illegal drugs.

In April last year, inmates angered by restrictions on family visits and the early release of 115 other inmates to curb the spread of the coronavirus set fire to a prison on Sulawesi island. Earlier in 2020, inmates set fire to a prison in Banda Aceh during a riot.

No deaths were reported from those fires.
A 21-year-old Maplewood, Minnesota, man was charged Friday in La Crosse County Circuit Court with having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Cody L. Luten faces felony charges of second-degree sexual assault of a child and repeated sexual assault of the same child.

According to the criminal complaint, Luten had sex with the girl in La Crosse County on multiple occasions between Jan. 14 and June 29. The girl said the two knew each others' ages, and she told investigators, "we talked about it a lot and basically we felt age was just a number." The girl told police she was never forced by Luten.

The complaint says police seized Luten's cell phone, which contained text messages asking the girl to engage in sexual activity.

Police interviewed Luten Aug. 19. The complaint says Luten acknowledged knowing the girl's age. He reportedly told police the sexual contact was "definitely wrong" and said, "It's my fault for going with it instead of not going with it."

Luten is free on a $2,000 signature bond. He has a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 16.

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The Baraboo and Portage newspapers provided another example of irresponsible behavior on Sept. 2. They published another Scott Frostman column in which he insists his right to infect you with the deadly COVID virus overrides your right to stay healthy and live.

When the pandemic first came to the U.S. almost two years ago, both newspapers carried the asinine Michael Reagan columns that pooh-poohed it. Someone at Lee-Capital Newspapers had the good sense to end the Reagan columns, but nothing was done about Frostman. His column about assault rifles was more falsehoods and ignorance than wisdom. His characterization of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as a few nut-job agitators stoking discord made him a laughingstock. His columns about the pandemic go against the best interests of community health.

Why should health experts who are doing their best to fight the deadly pandemic have to fight our local newspapers too?

Letters to the editor are one thing. Asinine letters could be justified by exposing some of the nutcases in the community. But, the newspapers actually pay Frostman and publish him weekly.

We will never know how many illnesses could have been prevented and lives could have been saved had our newspapers behaved responsibly.

Dave Wester, Baraboo
ST. CHARLES, Mo.  A Missouri man secretly installed a video camera in a bathroom at his home and recorded guests during a pool party there, authorities say.

Kyle J. Vandermolen, 40, of St. Charles, was charged Wednesday with one felony count of invasion of privacy.

Police said in charges that during a pool party for about 20 guests on Aug. 29 at Vandermolens house in the East Ashley Place subdivision, a woman using Vandermolens bathroom found a covert video surveillance camera pointed at the toilet. She removed the memory card from the camera and told her husband about it.

The couple took the memory card home and found 11 recordings from that day including two of her urinating and two others that showed her husbands penis reflected in the bathrooms mirror, charges say. The other videos showed four other females removing their swimsuits and sitting on the toilet. One of the videos showed a 4-year-old boy urinating.

The next day, the womans husband and other neighbors confronted Vandermolen at his house, charges said. He admitted placing the secret camera in his bathroom, blamed his behavior on his drinking, said he had sought counseling and apologized.
"We call it the smell of success because it means we've actually encountered one, which is the goal ultimate goal," Ferguson said.

Ferguson was inspired to make "wanted" posters and distribute them across central Texas in feed stores and areas where ranchers and trappers operate. The posters described the need for any spotted skunks that may have been trapped or found as roadkill and showed photos of the creatures. The researchers offered to come pick up the skunk specimens and store them in a designated "skunk freezer."

The researchers also relied on specimens in museum collections, which included spotted skunks found in Central America and the Yucatan. In the end, they had 203 spotted skunk specimens to use for the study and extract DNA. The genetic data revealed that some of the skunks, once considered to be the same species, were in fact very different.

"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,'' said study author Molly McDonough, a biology professor at Chicago State University and research associate at the Field Museum, in a statement.
Wits leads ambitious partnership to drive AI in Africa

The AI Africa Consortium partners with Cirrus AI to bring large-scale AI infrastructure capacity and expertise to the African research community and industry.

We embark on these great undertakings because we remain optimistic about the future of our country and our continent Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), Johannesburg

Wits University today invited Africas research community to join its newly formed AI Africa Consortium which aims to develop a collaborative network focussed on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the application of AI in research and innovation. [Read or download the AI Africa Consortium brochure.]

Addressing the virtual opening of AI Expo Africa 2021, the largest business-focused AI event in Africa, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, announced the ambitious partnership, saying AI and machine learning (ML) offers huge opportunities for development and progress in Africa.

For us to fully participate in the 21st Century, we must use this scientific renaissance to drive innovation and foster the growth of a strong scientific ecosystem. In so doing, we can play an active role in achieving true progress and help steer the socioeconomic trajectory of the African continent, Vilakazi said.

It is for this reason that Wits University has partnered with Cirrus AI, a private sector-led initiative that aims to bring large-scale AI infrastructure capacity and world-class expertise to the doorstep of African universities, research institutions, researchers, and industry collaborators. Cirrus was announced at the AI Expo Africa in 2019.

Cirrus is an initiative that aims to secure funding to establish among other things, the first AI supercomputer hub in Africa which will be located on Wits Universitys campus. Cirrus has already formed partnerships and relationships with stakeholders in the AI space throughout the world, explained Professor Barry Dwolatzky, Director of Innovation Strategy at Wits University. He is the project leader for the AI Africa Consortium.

This partnership will promote and drive AI innovation and entrepreneurship through the infrastructure, engineering capacity, and learning programmes that will be set up. Student participation and training will be central in our efforts to develop AI skills in Africa, he said.

Help us grow Africas research footprint

The Consortium will also lead engagement and coordination with government agencies and non-profit research institutions on the adoption of Cirrus. It will support data science practices across research fields and aid local academic and research institutions to stimulate AI research and advance the application of AI in industry.

Wits University has Africas largest grouping of researchers and postgraduate students working in the disciplines of data science, AI and ML. We invite all members of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) as well as from other universities and research institutions in Africa to join the AI Africa Consortium and help us grow Africas footprint on the global research output map, Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, said in her address at the Africa AI Expo.

Looking ahead

We embark on these great undertakings because we remain optimistic about the future of our country and our continent. There are huge opportunities to create economic activity and solve problems drawing from AI and ML. This will guarantee the future of our society for generations to come, Vilakazi said.

How will the AI Africa Consortium work?

Tier 1 Consortium members will each appoint an ambassador. These ambassadors will participate in what will be known as the Ambassador Advisory Network, responsible for building the network and negotiating benefits on behalf of the members of the Consortium.

What will the benefits be in joining the AI Africa Consortium?

Through international collaborations already established by Cirrus AI, the Consortium will link members with the global AI network, Dwolatzky explained in his presentation to the AI Africa Expo.

Other benefits include:

Providing researchers with access to hardware / software / data and machine learning engineers. Although it is implied it is often overlooked that infrastructure is useless without the supporting engineering to assist in making use of it.

Access to state-of-the-art computing capability where members will have free access to the powerful supercomputing platform housed at Wits University;

A Digital Asset Locker where members will have access to ample storage capacity to store data for use in ML and activities in AI;

A Sandbox where researchers can try out concepts and ideas;

Co-development programmes for AI research and learning;

An annual summer and winter schools programme to build AI skills;

Saloons and Teatime talks to share information across Africa and beyond;

The right to host events at Consortium forums;

Inclusion in Consortium-led proposals and contracts to take part in continent-wide bids for research grants and funding in the field of AI.

AI @ Wits

Stay updated with the latest research news in AI/ML and technology/digital innovations at Wits University:
WHITESTOWN, N.Y. -- The man found dead in the Mohawk River last week has been identified as 37-year-old Adam J. Slavin of Rome.

Authorities responded to an area along the Mohawk River in Whitestown Friday after someone saw a body and called 911 around 3:30 p.m.

Earl Davis // WKTV Earl Davis // WKTV

The Utica police dive team was called in to assist with recovering the body.

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol says the Onondaga County Medical Examiners Office is still trying to determine Slavins cause and manner of death.

Anyone with information about Slavin or his death is urged to call Investigator C.J. Paravati at 315-271-5411.
BARNEVELD, N.Y.  The town of Trenton has lifted the mandatory conservation alert in the Barneveld Water District, but officials are still asking residents to reduce water use as much as possible.

Town Supervisor Joe Smith says most of the several leaks found in the main water line have been repaired and one of the districts two tanks is already full. Residents are advised to conserve water until the second tank fills as well, which Smith says could take a few days.

The issue with the water main was discovered Saturday when some people had no water or very low water pressure. Several leaks were found in the water line between Plant and Church streets in Prospect.

Mohawk Valley Water Authority has been assisting with repairs.
UTICA, N.Y.  Mohawk Valley Health System has sent letters to unvaccinated employees reminding them of the Sept. 27 deadline to get their first dose  or face termination.

On Aug. 16, New York State Health Department issued a vaccine mandate for all health care workers in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and other congregate care settings.

The letter from MVHS says employees must present proof of at least the first dose, or an approved medical exemption, by the September deadline as a condition of continued employment.

The workers have also been told there are no religious exemptions to the mandate.

MVHS has set up pods on their campuses to make the vaccines more accessible to employees.

At the end of July, MVHS President and CEO Darlene Stromstad said roughly 30% of the networks workers were not vaccinated.
ST. JOHN, Ind. (AP)  No shots were fired at a northwestern Indiana high school that was put on lockdown Wednesday morning after a report of a person with a gun, authorities said.

The Lake Central school district posted on Twitter that St. John police took two Lake Central High School students in for questioning but that no shots were fired and all students and staff members were safe.

Police officers from several departments conducted a room-by-room search at the school after being called about 10 a.m., Roger Patz, a police spokesman, told The (Northwest Indiana) Times. A SWAT team was also called to the school in the town of St. John, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of downtown Chicago.

Hundreds of parents swarmed to the school of about 3,200 students as word spread about the lockdown.
Monique Barbut has made many visits to China and is impressed by the country's efforts to tackle climate change. [For China Daily]

For more than 10 years, Monique Barbut, a former executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and special envoy for biodiversity to the French president, has been committed to making the Earth a better place by tackling environmental problems.

Having visited China on a number of occasions, Barbut says she was impressed most by her first visit to areas affected by land desertification in China in 2004  the second year of her official term as UNCCD executive secretary.

During the trip, she went to Baijitan Desertification Control Farm in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and met the farm's head Wang Youde, who made a deep impression on her for his efforts in fighting desertification.

Born in 1953, Wang has spent most of his life on the farm. In the past decades he led his colleagues to build 40,000 hectares of sand fixation forest and managed to control nearly 66,660 hectares of sandy land, effectively preventing the expansion of the Maowusu Desert.

"It's amazing that a man was able to save local farmers," she recalls, "on low incomes and battling a harsh environment through restoration of the degraded land and development of a land-based economy, planning diversified cash plants, goji berry, and dates, and boosting development of environmental tourism."

The trip also brought her an opportunity to visit Kubuqi Desert in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where a green miracle is being realized, with the turning of the barren land and sand hazards to forest and grassland vegetation and agroforestry to support local livelihoods.

In the following years, Barbut visited China almost every year  in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019. "In different areas of the country, each time I find new progress, which makes the region more beautiful in its landscape and more developed in all aspects of the city," she says.

According to data from NASA, about 25 percent of the world's increased green leaf area from 2000 to 2017 came from China.

Between 2016 and 2020, China established a large number of natural reserves, covering 18 percent of its total territorial land. Those reserves have protected 90 percent of the country's plants and 85 percent of the wild animals, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

In last year alone, 6.77 million hectares of forest were planted and more than 2 million hectares of sandy land was kept under control through vegetation improvement.

Also, the country has initiated its first pilot program to construct grassland nature parks last year, with 39 pilots having been launched, covering a total of 147,000 hectares of grassland in 11 provinces and autonomous regions.

Barbut says she is impressed by the government's ability to take action and mobilize the participation of the entire society in terms of protecting the environment and tackling problems or related threats.

"The Chinese government takes commitments seriously. Once the decision is made, all factors in society could be mobilized for implementation. Other factors that are also important include confidence and persistence, the principle of respecting science and respecting nature, and caring about people," she says.

China's greening efforts have not only improved its environment, but also benefited the people. Within the last year, the total output value of the forestry industry hit 7.55 trillion yuan ($1.16 trillion), according to the NFGA.

In August, a senior official from the administration announced the country's greening aim in the next five years, in which forest coverage will hit 24.1 percent by 2025 and the country's forest stock volume will reach 19 billion cubic meters.

"China has been running ahead, from land use planning, sustainable land management to related land-based business development. It has achieved 'zero net growth' in desertification and has achieved a continuous yearly reduction in the area of desertification," says Barbut.

She says she is quite familiar with China's "Two Mountains Theory"  lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, a key concept developed by President Xi Jinping that guides the country's sustainable agenda.

"This remark shares the essence of the basic concept of natural capital developed in the Western world," she says.

"We all agree good ecosystems are the natural capital of social economic development. The natural capital is infinite. Human beings must treat natural resources as invaluable assets, to conserve, protect and respect those resources and sustainably use them."

She says the theory goes very well with the idea behind ecosystem conservation, rehabilitation of degraded land to improve livelihoods and the environment, and finally land degradation neutrality.

"We must never destroy nature to develop. If we do the right things, in the right places at the right scale, we can live in harmony with nature and still achieve remarkable growth," she says.

Barbut emphasizes China has decades of science-based experience in combating land degradation. "Sharing its experience could help promote and benefit the sustainable development of the countries around the world," she adds.

Raising the country's "three north forest shelterbelt" program as an example, Barbut says the program, commonly known as the Green Great Wall, has vastly improved local vegetation coverage, significantly reduced the intensity of dust storms and has also given people not just hope, but a bright future.

She says the program indicated the long-lasting dedication of the Chinese people and long-term persistent policy and strategy of the government. It also demonstrates the way and mechanism to ensure success of a long term.

"At the international level, it also gives confidence to the world that desertification is treatable and curable. Local livelihood can be obviously improved with improvement of ecological services and recovery of the natural resources," she says.

Barbut says she believes that China's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect economic zones in East Asia and Western Europe to benefit the economic development of countries along the route, will bring new vitality to the green development and ecosystem conservation.

She says many countries involved in the initiative share common issues of land degradation, desertification and drought. This could encourage joint action from those countries and regions to address these issues through cooperative research, information sharing, capacity building and project implementation, as well as investment in green economy through public and private partnership.

"We hope for a strengthened cooperation in combating desertification, responding to climate change, and conserving biodiversity in parallel with international trade cooperation in the future. Then, strengthening cooperation in environmental protection along with trade cooperation will be very important for the sustainable development of all mankind," she says.

(Source: China Daily)
Liu Qingji measures his blood pressure at a health service center of a residential compound for relocated villagers in Yukou Town of Fangshan County, north China's Shanxi Province, March 9, 2021. [Xinhua/Liu Liangliang]

China has seen continuously improving basic public services covering education, healthcare, housing, and social security in rural areas in recent years, constantly delivering a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security to rural residents.

Thanks to the country's intensified support for education in rural areas, 99.8 percent of compulsory education providers have met the minimum requirements for running schools, and 96.8 percent of counties nationwide have realized balanced compulsory education. The number of students who dropped out of compulsory education across the country went from over 600,000 to 682, and more students from rural areas have entered colleges and universities.

China has directed more quality medical resources to grassroots health institutions and significantly improved rural medical conditions. By the end of 2020, 509,000 administrative villages had established 609,000 health centers with 1,442,000 medical staff members, and 567 counties had built 4,028 county-level medical communities.

Housing conditions in rural areas have also been improved. Since 2013, 7.9 million rural households, or a total of 25.68 million poor people, have moved out of dilapidated houses built of materials such as beaten earth and timber and moved into proper accommodation. From 2016 to 2020, all the 9.6 million poor rural residents who had been relocated from inhospitable areas had been moved into new homes.

During the same period, China upgraded a program to boost the safety of rural drinking water that benefited 270 million rural residents, of whom 17.1 million were people living below the poverty line. By the end of last year, the country's centralized water supply covered 88 percent of the rural population and 83 percent of rural residents had access to tap water.

Since 2012, China has achieved steady improvement in social security in rural areas, such as refining its unified systems of basic medical insurance and serious disease insurance for rural and non-working urban residents, building a sound social assistance system covering both urban and rural populations, and improving its basic living allowances system.

As a result, the country's basic medical insurance now covers 1.36 billion people, or above 95 percent of the population.

So far, 12.13 million people with disabilities facing financial difficulties have received living allowances, and 14.74 million people with serious disabilities received nursing care subsidies. Last year, 13.41 million temporary assistance grants were disbursed, up 46.1 percent year on year.

Starting from the end of 2017, all rural subsistence allowance standards at the county level have met or exceeded the national poverty line. As of 2020, 19.36 million registered poor people across the country had been given subsistence allowances.

China has also been ensuring a balanced allocation of public resources between urban and rural areas and promoted equitable rural access to basic public services since 2012, with more resources being channeled toward rural areas.

To push forward rural and agricultural development, expenditure on agriculture, forestry, and water conservancy from the central government's general public budget increased from 1.2 trillion yuan in 2012 to 2.5 trillion yuan this year, with an average annual growth rate of 8.5 percent.

The Internet has given a big leg up to China's efforts to improve equality in basic public services. Online education and telemedicine, for example, are introducing higher standard education and medical resources to rural areas. Over 1,100 internet-based hospitals in the country are bringing more convenient medical services for rural residents.

Furthermore, China has improved its care service system for children, women and seniors left behind in the rural areas. There have been 56,000 child welfare supervisors in towns and townships and 675,000 child welfare directors in villages, forming a strong grassroots force for children's care and protection. China has also built more than 20,000 nursing homes and 108,000 mutual-assistance elderly care facilities in rural areas.

(Source: People's Daily Online)
Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, lays a flower basket at a martyrs' cemetery during her investigation tour of East China's Jiangxi Province from July 28 to 30. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, conducted an investigation of Nanchang and Jinggangshan cities, in East China's Jiangxi Province, from July 28 to 30.

Shen promoted the spirit of the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in urban and rural communities, reviewed the Party's history at revolutionary sites, and communicated face-to-face with local women.

Shen urged women's federations at all levels to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech as the main task of Party history learning and education, to put their heart and soul into serving women, to unite and guide women to follow the Party's leadership, and to contribute to realizing the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all aspects.

During her investigation tour, Shen laid a flower basket at a martyrs' cemetery in Jinggangshan, expressing her deep respect for revolutionary martyrs. She learned about the Party's history at a revolutionary museum and a memorial hall. She also visited Gong Quanzhen, widow of Gan Zuchang (1905-1986, the late major general), who has demonstrated the true qualities of a CPC member through her dedication and hard work on rural education and the healthy growth of teenagers.

When talking with the descendants of some women revolutionaries, such as Kang Keqing and Zeng Zhi, Shen said it was necessary to make good use of revolutionary resources, sustain the revolutionary legacy and mobilize more women to publicize revolutionary stories, so that the revolutionary traditions can be carried forward.

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, conducts an investigation tour in East China's Jiangxi Province from July 28 to 30. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

During her visit to communities in Nanchang and Jinggangshan, Shen studied the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech with the local people. Shen called on them to resolutely follow the Party's leadership, to carry forward the great founding spirit of the Party, become builders of the great cause, and to be advocates of civilized social conduct and strive to pursue their dreams.

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, conducts an investigation tour in East China's Jiangxi Province from July 28 to 30. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

In a village in Jinggangshan, Shen communicated with local women and representatives of the most beautiful families. She learned about the needs of their families and talked with them about the building of family, family education and family traditions.

When visiting a childcare center for infants under 3 in Nanchang, Shen said that childcare for children that age is an important livelihood issue related to the interests of women and their families, and that multiple measures should be taken to guarantee inclusive childcare services and help the implementation of the three-child policy.

Shen also expressed concern about primary school students and left-behind children (whose parents have migrated to other places for work) in rural areas. She urged the staff from the women's federation at the grassroots level to implement the campaign of caring for children in the summer vacation, and to help children enjoy a safe and happy vacation.

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, conducts an investigation tour in East China's Jiangxi Province from July 28 to 30. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Shen also conducted field research on the implementation of the campaign encouraging women to make achievements at their posts, the free screening of breast and cervical cancers, and the promotion of employment for women college students. She urged carrying out the Women's Action for Science and Technology Innovation, pushing it to a higher level. She also encouraged local women to participate in the Women's Action for Rural Revitalization, to help build a beautiful countryside and create a better life.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)
Officials are bracing for potential violence in the upcoming right-wing September 18 rally in Washington, D.C.
Five people detained and two firearms recovered after armed police attend incident in Penycae

Armed officers attending a property in Delfryn, Penycae have recovered two firearms.

Police have confirmed that three men and two women have been detained for offences associated with the incident.

Local officers will remain in the area as the property continues to be searched, however there are no ongoing concerns for public safety.

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: Thanks to the local community for your information and assistance.

If you need to contact us about this incident, please use our live webchat https://orlo.uk/RQ5iN or call 101 ref Z132865.

Original: North Wales Police say there is no cause for public concern, as armed officers attend an address in Penycae this morning.

A short statement reads, We are currently dealing with an incident in Delfryn, Penycae.

There is no cause for public concern, however please avoid the area whilst officers deal safely with the incident.

Thank you for your cooperation.

(Thanks to Geraint for the top image)
Plans to redraw the political map of Wales will see Wrexham constituency expanded and the removal of Clwyd South

Plans to redraw the political map of Wales will impact both Wrexham constituencies in a move that would see residents of Ruabon represented by the same Member of Parliament as Welshpool.

Plans have been published today by the Boundary Commission for Wales, an independent organisation responsible for reviewing Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Wales.

The proposals  which would take effect at the next general election  significantly alter constituencies across Wales and would see the number of Welsh MPs in Westminster reduced by around 20 per cent.

There are currently 40 constituencies in Wales, the number of electors in the current constituencies ranges from 42,657 in Arfon to 78,238 in Cardiff South and Penarth.

Under the plans, the number of constituencies in Wales will reduce to 32 with the number of electors increasing to between 69,724 and 77,062 in each electoral seat.

Two north-east Wales constituencies Clwyd South and Vale of Clwyd could be cut, a move which would impact the Wrexham constituency and Flintshire constituencies of Alyn and Deeside and Delyn

They would be expanded under the proposals with electoral wards from both Wrexham and Denbighshire added on.

As part of the plans large sections of the existing Clwyd South constituency would be merged into Wrexham, which is currently represented by Conservative MP Sarah Atherton.

Wrexham is described as currently below the statutory requirements in respect of the size of the electorate.

However under the proposals the the constituency would have 75,596 electors.

This will see areas currently represented by Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes, such as Bronington, Overton, Ponciau and Rhos, included in a larger Wrexham constituency.

Proposals for Clwyd South would see the removal of the existing constituency, with some areas being included in Flintshire wards.

The Commission says it has considered several options as part of the review and proposes to combine the whole of the existing Alyn and Deeside constituency with electoral wards from the existing Clwyd South and Delyn constituencies.

Proposals would see two wards in the County of Wrexham, Brymbo and Minera forming part of the existing Clwyd South constituency, and the Argoed, Leeswood and New Brighton electoral wards from the existing Delyn constituency added to Alyn and Deeside.

The addition of these five wards would see the number of voters increase in Alyn and Deeside to 74,144 from 65,183.

The Commission said it is of the view that these areas are well connected to the existing Alyn and Deeside constituency by transport links, and are similar in character. The Commission is of the view that the proposed arrangement creates a cohesive constituency.

The proposals would also see the likes of Penycae and Ruabon being represented by the same MP as large parts of Powys in a new constituency called Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr.

In its report the Boundary Commission says: The existing Montgomeryshire and Clwyd South constituencies are currently below the statutory requirements in respect of the size of the electorate.

The Commission considered several options, and proposes to combine the existing Montgomeryshire constituency and the electoral wards to the north to include electoral wards from the existing Clwyd South constituency to meet the statutory electorate range.

The Commission considers that including electoral wards from the existing Clwyd South constituency would combine areas that are similar in nature and share similar rural characteristics.

The Commission is of the view that the proposed arrangement would combine the existing Montgomeryshire constituency with an area that would consist of the southern electoral wards of the former Glyndwr district council area.

This constituency would have 72,363 electors.

The proposals were initially put forward by the Conservative UK government in 2012, members of the public will be able to have their say on proposed boundary changes during an 8-week consultation.

The Commission said: We will be particularly interested to hear from people about the extent to which the proposals reflect the local ties in the area, and if people disagree with our proposals, how they think they should be amended.

There are two further rounds of public consultation.

Secretary to the Boundary Commission for Wales Shereen Williams said: Weve had to propose significant changes due to the reduction in the number of Welsh constituencies and thats presented a particular challenge as we seek to develop a map which meets the conditions laid out in the (Parliamentary Constituencies) Act, but also meets the expectations of the people of Wales.

Were confident that our proposals are a strong first attempt to create a workable map of 32 Welsh constituencies.
When the deluge produced by the remnants of Hurricane Ida ravaged New York City last Wednesday, causing unprecedented flooding and the deaths of at least 13 people in the city, the poorer sections of the working class were among the hardest hitincluding those who tragically drowned in their basement apartments.

Among those most immediately affected were food delivery gig workers employed via apps (e.g., GrubHub, DoorDash), who are estimated to number approximately 80,000. With many city residents stuck in their homes or at work, the demand for food delivery spiked, placing increased stress on the delivery workers, who are among the most poorly paid and exploited sections of the citys working class.

Screengrab of video by Twitter user @UnequalScenes shows delivery worker in flooded New York City street

These workers, many of whom are immigrants with marginal incomes at best, in the city with the highest cost of living in the US, were already known for braving all sorts of weather to make a living. When Ida hit, they were forced to endure extremely dangerous and unprecedented conditions, traveling along flooded streets on bicycles and e-bikes, to fulfill orders. A number of the reported deaths from the storm were the result of people being trapped in their cars while trying to navigate inundated roadways.

A widely circulated video shared on Twitter of a delivery worker wading with his bike in water up to his waist surrounded by floating bags of garbage prompted renewed demands that the city institute reforms to the conditions faced by these workers. Such demands have been raised at least since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, over a year and a half ago.

The Democratic Party political establishment in New York, the bought and paid for agents of business, has paid the plight of these workers only lip service, proposing minimal reforms but taking no action that would infringe on corporate profits. While some companies temporarily suspended deliveries in certain portions of the city during the height of the storm, which included some tornado warnings, others did not.

The most Democratic US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the pseudo-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), could muster in support of the workers was a Twitter post requesting, Please do not be the person who orders delivery during a flash flood that the NWS has deemed a dangerous and life-threatening situation. It puts vulnerable people at risk.

Delivery app companies are notorious for terminating workers, who are considered independent contractors and not employees, and, therefore, lack even minimal protections or benefits, for little or no reason. This is done in order to terrorize the workforce, many of whom are undocumented, into acquiescing to the most onerous conditions for fear of deportation.

To make the situation even worse, the companies take no responsibility for repairing or replacing the delivery workers rides. Numerous reports have been posted in the media about motorbikes, which cost around $3,500 each, becoming inoperable due to immersion in floodwaters. This is on top of the wear and tear and thefts of these vehicles under normal conditions, leaving workers with no means of making a living.

Some companies offer meager incentives (reportedly from $2 to $3.50 per delivery) to those willing to make deliveries under difficult conditions, thus exploiting the economic stress on the workers which the companies themselves have created, in order to force the workers into situations which threaten their health and even lives, while making only a marginal improvement in their incomes.

Ligia Guallpa, executive director of the Workers Justice Project, a Democratic Party-associated group promoting Los Deliveristas Unidos, which is attempting to organize delivery app workers, reported that under the conditions experienced during the storm workers barely made enough money to justify the danger and effort they expended.

One worker, Tono Solis, reported that it took him an hour to make one delivery, for which he earned $5, including tip, which he described as a cruel joke. That is a third of the current minimum hourly wage in the city for employers with 11 or more employees. Though, of course, delivery app workers are classified as independent contractors, not as employees, and receive no medical insurance, paid days off, pensions or any other benefits. Even $15 an hour is ridiculously low compared to the citys cost of living. Solis stated that for his whole 9.5-hour workday, which ended at 9:30 p.m., he earned a total of $115, the equivalent of roughly $12 an hour including tips.

Another worker told The City that in 14 hours he made barely more than $200 and had to buy spare parts for his electric scooter, which had been rendered inoperable by the heavy rain.

One company, Relay, imposes the draconian rule that unless a worker completes a minimum of 90 percent of their assigned deliveries, they do not get paid. In addition, workers are not permitted to decline orders, whatever the conditions or distance they have to travel. Companies also impose time limits on the completion of deliveries, applying pressure on the workers to travel at unsafe speeds or take dangerous shortcuts. Workers who do not meet the imposed targets are downgraded by the apps, resulting in being assigned to fewer jobs. Some companies reportedly skim the tips intended for the workers.

In a statement reeking of ruling class hypocrisy, a spokesperson for GrubHub stated, The safety of delivery workers is a top priority.  While we always appreciate the hard work drivers put in to get the job done, no delivery worker for any company or restaurant should ever take an action that would jeopardize their safety. Translation: It is the workers responsibility.

It is especially poignant that, while these poor, largely immigrant workers were risking their lives for meager returns, many of the reported deaths were of similar poor, immigrant families who were forced to live in illegal basement apartments due to the high cost of housing, where they were trapped by flood waters pouring down the entrance stairs. All are victims of the capitalist system. The same is true for delivery workers around the world .

Under conditions of the deepening of the capitalist economic crisis exacerbated by the ever-worsening pandemic, the exploitation of food delivery app workers will only intensify, as indeed it will for all workers. There is no solution within capitalism. The very fact that storms such as Ida and worse have been predicted by scientists for decades as the result of human-induced climate change and yet the capitalist class has taken no meaningful actions to address the root causes or marshalled resources to prepare for the inevitable impacts, demonstrates clearly that this system is incapable of averting the impending disaster. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats or any of their hangers on, such as the DSA, can address this crisis, since they are all tied to the system which is responsible for it in the first place.

As has previously been warned on the WSWS, efforts such as Los Deliveristas Unidos, which are tied to the existing unions, the Democratic Party and, ultimately, the capitalist class, are incapable of addressing the horrendous conditions of the food delivery workers. These organizations accept the limitations of the capitalist system and will only act to blunt opposition and mislead workers into false hope of reform.

Workers in a growing number of fields, such as teaching and automobile production, are breaking free of these anti-working-class organizations to form new organizations of strugglerank-and-file committees, based on the fight for socialism, representing the fundamental interests of the working class. For more information or for help forming a committee, contact the World Socialist Web Site at wsws.org/workers .
Australia Post (AP) announced last week that a majority of workers had voted in favour of a new Enterprise Agreement (EA). The result followed a joint union-management campaign, including the last-minute creation of an online voting portal, promoting a yes ballot.

The sell-out deal offered no improvements to conditions, a measly 3 percent per annum wage riseless than the official CPI increase of 3.8 percentand three more years of upheaval as the company ploughs ahead with its restructuring drive.

This follows a wage freeze last year as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed behind the backs of workers by the Communications Electrical and Plumbers Union (CEPU) and management. The MOU also included a no-strike clause that effectively blocked any opposition to the restructuring of AP through the introduction of the Alternative Delivery Model (ADM).

Under the guise of the pandemic and the CEPU-backed mantra that, were all in this together, the MOU not only froze wages but also greatly increased the exploitation of the workforce by ramming through the ADM.

Under the ADM, the workload of postal workers doubled as they were forced to deliver two rounds on alternate days instead of one round each day. Thousands of postal workers were shunted into vans to deliver parcels and others were not assigned a round but were used as floaters, meaning they could be forced to go to different facilities to fill vacant positions.

The imposition of these onerous conditions by management and the union led to the resignation of hundreds, possibly thousands, of experienced AP workers.

The new EA in no way recoups any of last years lost wages, nor does it reverse the attacks on postal workers or signal an end to the restructuring drive at AP.

The CEPU told members in an email that the EA locks in all your existing conditions, continues to maximise full-time jobs [and] prevents members impacted by letter decline from being sacked. In fact, the Terms of Reference [TOR] document which accompanies the EA makes clear that the CEPU is working hand-in-hand with management to protect the profits of AP.

The TOR states in clause 3.2 that, under a new delivery model: The NWG [National Working Group] will be responsible for developing a framework for delivery operations that:  (c) provides Australia Post with ongoing sustainability, flexibility, profitability and service reliability; (d) meets the current and future needs of Australia Post and the Australian community;  (g) provides Australia Post with the necessary framework to remain competitive in the markets in which it operates; (h) ensures that Australia Post can continue to invest and grow for the future.

The purpose of the TOR is to ensure that AP remains competitive in the market, pitting worker against worker. It mandates the creation of corporatist mechanisms like the NWG and local working groups (LWGs) to implement the new delivery model and ensure the profitability of AP. These are aimed at integrating the union even more fully into APs corporate structures and dragooning a layer of workers behind management.

The union email continued: Importantly, it (EA) seals the fate of the ADM  giving members real control of the modelling of their workplaces to restore the levels of service the public deserve and protect the quality of our members jobs.

In fact, the new delivery model is a continuation of the same restructuring drive that brought about the ADM. The TOR, which provides the framework for implementing this new delivery model, was developed by management and the union after it became clear the ADM had failed to deliver the cost savings demanded by management.

The CEPU hailed the EA result as an overwhelming endorsement of the agreement, but a closer examination of the ballot figures reveals that this is far from the truth.

According to Sue Davies, APs executive general manager (EGM) of People and Culture, only 66 percent of eligible workers cast, and 10 percent of those who did, voted no. This means that in real terms, just 59.4 percent of the AP workforce approved the deal, while 6.6 percent voted against it and 34 percent did not vote or their ballots were deemed invalid.

The vote against the union-management deal was largest in Tasmania (43 percent no), where the state branch of the CEPU felt compelled to call for a no vote amid widespread anger among workers, including a ban on planned industrial action by the Fair Work Commission, the pro-business industrial tribunal. In Victoria, 22 percent of returned votes were against the deal. A state-by-state breakdown of the voter participation rate has not been published by AP or the union, and the private company which conducted the ballot, CorpVote, told the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) it could not provide the details.

The significant opposition to the agreement reflects widespread anger over the imposition of the ADM last year and the blatant disregard of AP and the CEPU for workers health and safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, the CEPUs email to members mentioned COVID-19 only in passing, stating: [The vote] demonstrates just how important security and certainty is to CEPU members as we navigate through one of the worst health and economic disasters our country has ever faced.

In fact, what the CEPU and management are navigating is not how to protect the job security and certainty of postal workers, or their health and safety, as proved by their joint signing of the MOU and then ramming through of the ADM.

Instead they are trying to navigate how to fully take advantage of the massive profit opportunities presented by the surge in parcel revenue during COVID-19 lockdowns while ensuring that operations continue without interruption, despite the escalating threat of economic disasters posed by the pandemic.

The same day as the ballot results were revealed, AP announced annual profits of more than $100 million and a 10.3 percent revenue increase to $8.27 billion. It is by no means a coincidence that AP waited until the phoney 3 percent wage rise had been rammed through before workers learned precisely how much their labour had enriched the company.

The refusal of AP to hire enough full-time workers to handle the massive surge in parcel volume responsible for that revenue growth has led to workers being asked to work Saturdays and Sundays, and contractors putting in up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

Despite this, the backlog of undelivered packages is such that the company was forced to announce on Wednesday, September 1 that parcel collection from retailers would be suspended for three days in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, all currently in lockdown due to COVID-19. AP executive Gary Starr revealed that, on any given day, we have close to 500 people out of our workforce as they follow necessary self-isolation and testing before clearance back to work.

Far from representing stability and certainty, the new EA and the Terms of Reference will lead to a deepening of the attacks on the conditions of postal workers. The only certainty is that the union will continue to enforce every demand of management for continuous restructuring of AP under the new delivery model. The privatisation plans, which underlay the ADM, have not gone away and will only intensify.

Under the anti-democratic framework of the enterprise bargaining system, the union has sought to condemn AP workers to three years without a chance to defend their pay, conditions and health. This system, enforced by the unions, acts as a straitjacket tying workers to the profit interests of their employers and banning almost all industrial action.

The PWRFC sees the EA ballot announcement not as the end, but as the beginning of a genuine struggle for the interests of AP workers. This means a fight, not just against management, but against Australias draconian industrial relations laws, which are supported by the unions and all the major political parties.

The CEPUs ramming through of this sell-out deal, and the experiences of the past year, are a sharp illustration of the need for AP workers to break with the union and take up an independent struggle. We call on workers in all AP facilities to build the PWRFC and fight for the following demands:

 10 percent wage increases per year, with absolutely NO trade-offs.

 All current casual and part-time workers must be offered full-time employment.

 All beats must be filled on the basis of finishing within rostered hours. Relief postal worker numbers must be increased to adequately cover for absent workers.

 No more than 70 parcels per beat per day. Additional drivers must be brought on as full-time employees to deliver the remaining parcels.

 Limits must be placed on the volume of junk mail and postal workers must be granted the right to suspend its delivery when conditions are unsafe, such as during outbreaks of COVID-19.

 Vaccinations must immediately be made available to all AP workers, on company time and with no loss of income or sick leave if time is needed to recover from any side effects. This should be accompanied by an education campaign, conducted by appropriately qualified experts, to equip workers with the scientific understanding necessary to work safely during the pandemic and to address any concerns they may have about the safety of the vaccines.

 Rank-and-file committees must be elected, independent of management and the unions, to organise and fight for the protection of workers health and safety.

 Increase annual leave by two weeks. Return the Authorised Holiday to the Christmas period.

 These measures must be financed by expropriating the profits extracted from Australia Post workers.

 Australia Post must be transformed into a genuine public utility, under real public ownership and the democratic control of the working class, to meet the needs of society, including the basic social right to a secure and affordable postal service.

We invite workers at Australia Post, along with all other delivery workers, to contact the PWRFC at auspostalworkers@gmail.com to discuss this perspective and join the fight.
President Biden arrived Tuesday in areas of New York and New Jersey devastated by Hurricane Ida, pledging action to reduce carbon emissions and to protect Americans from the growing impacts of climate change. But, like his predecessors, Biden and the assemblage of Democrats joining him Tuesday offered nothing more than sound bites.

Bidens first stop Tuesday was to Manville, New Jersey, a town of 10,000 that has suffered from recurring and worsening floods over the past two decades. Manville was devastated by the remnants of Hurricane Ida as record rainfall overwhelmed infrastructure and inundated homes throughout the town, even leading to the explosion of one house. Across New Jersey, at least 27 people died, and several remain unaccounted for. Many drowned in cars on roads that were transformed into raging rivers during the storm.

President Joe Biden and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tour a neighborhood impacted by flooding from Hurricane Ida, September 7, 2021, in Queens. At left is Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In Queens, Bidens next stop, floodwaters killed 10 in basement apartments and upended the lives of thousands more. The exorbitant cost of housing and crushing poverty in New York City have forced tens of thousands of working-class families, often immigrants, to take up residence in illegal below-ground homes with only one way in and out. The deaths are a striking illustration of the impacts of grinding social inequality, failing infrastructure, and worsening climate change.

After touring the destruction in Queens, Biden held a press conference flanked by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other representatives of the Democratic political establishment in New York.

Folks, the evidence is clear, he said, repeating the Democratic Party line. Climate change poses an existential threat to our lives, to our economy. And the threat is here; its not going to get any better. The question: Can it get worse?

Biden knows full well it can and will get worse. His recognition that the nation and the world are in peril echoes warnings by scientists for decades. Yet the Democratic Party in New York and nationally has refused to allocate the resources to build out the needed infrastructure to protect human lives, let alone fundamentally address climate change.

After a chorus of congratulations on issuing a disaster declaration, Biden touted his infrastructure plan as a remedy for the disastrous failures in New York, New Jersey and elsewhere around the country. Even if passed, the paltry bill provides just over $579 billion in new infrastructure spending over eight years, a fraction of what is spent on the military annually.

The infrastructure challenges are monumental. In much of the Ida-ravaged areas of New York and New Jersey, the sewage and stormwater networks are more than a century old, designed at a time before much of the natural flood protection was paved over. It is nowhere near sufficient in todays climate, at 1 degree C warming, let alone a future with 2 or 3 degrees warming.

The maintenance of these systems has been underfunded for decades. Street flooding is by no means limited to record-setting rainfall. Every year common summertime storms inundate streets and houses throughout New York Citys five boroughs.

In the heart of American capitalism and the home of Wall Street, it cannot be said that this is due to a lack of resources. Unfathomable fortunes have been amassed through financial speculation and spent constructing pieds-a-terre in the clouds.

Bidens remarks Tuesday recapitulated the same talking points the Democrats have used for years. He pledged to listen to the scientists, transition to net-zero emissions in the distant future and create good-paying green jobs.

The reality is that these pledges have amounted to nothing. The climate disaster is worsening, not improving. Far from a one-off, Bidens visit to New York and New Jersey piggybacked on his tour last week of Louisiana, where hundreds of thousands remain without power. Later this week, he will head to the West to survey areas ravaged by wildfire.

Bidens inability to offer any more than sound bites to address the climate crisis reflects the fact that the social order he speaks for, capitalism, is incapable of seriously addressing the problem. Stopping and reversing climate change would require the allocation of trillions of dollars in social spending in a massive coordinated global program.

There exists no solution to this crisis within the framework of the nation-state and the capitalist profit system. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that capitalist society cannot deal with the imminent threat of a global pandemic. It certainly cannot and will not sanction the massive allocation of resources and infringements on profit and property required by the global threat. Stopping and reversing man-made climate change requires the socialist transformation of society.
President Jair Bolsonaro used September 7, Brazil's Independence Day, as the occasion for a dress rehearsal of a fascistic coup to overthrow the civilian government and install a dictatorship in Brazil.

Bolsonaro publicly called for the national protests Tuesday as a counter-coup to an alleged plot organized by the Supreme Court (STF) to remove him from power, imprison him, and criminalize the far right in Brazil. Extolling his coup perspective, the fascistic president declared a few days earlier that his destiny is to be arrested, killed, or victorious.

The demonstrations took place in different Brazilian cities and were systematically orchestrated by Bolsonaro's civilian and military advisers. Caravans financed by businessmen and far-right organizations brought groups of protesters from all parts of Brazil to the two main demonstrations held in the capital, Brasilia, and Sao Paulo.

In a choreographed spectacle, Bolsonaro flew by helicopter over the events in both cities before coming down to the platforms and speaking to demonstrators who held banners calling for the overthrow of the Supreme Court, for military intervention, and for the criminalization of communism.

Bolsonaro delivers speech to crowd in Brasilia (Credit: Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/Agencia Brasil)

In Brasilia, where Bolsonaro spoke alongside his vice president, Gen. Hamilton Mourao, and his defense minister, Gen. Walter Braga Netto, he attacked STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who is conducting investigations of the organizers of the very same September 7 demonstrations which are increasingly pointing to Bolsonaro himself. He threatened a coup against the high court if the judge is not removed from office.

The president declared, We cannot continue accepting that a specific person from the region of the three powers [i.e., Moraes] continues barbarizing our population. We cannot accept more political arrests in our Brazil. Either the head of this power manages his own, or this power might suffer what we do not want.

The attack was complemented at the rally in Sao Paulo, where Bolsonaro openly called for Moraes removal and declared that given any decision by Mr. Alexandre de Moraes, this president [himself] will no longer comply. He concluded his speech by stating that only God can take me out of [Brasilia] and that I tell these bastards: I will never be arrested!

During the Brasilia rally, Bolsonaro also declared that he will preside next Wednesday over a meeting of the Council of the Republic, a consultative constitutional body that advises the Brazilian president on national security measures, including the imposition of a state of siege and suspending individual rights.

Although the seriousness of the statement was quickly dismissed by the media, which unanimously took comfort from declarations by Mourao and the congressional leaders that they had not been called for such a meeting, the mentioning of the Council of the Republic can only signify preparations by Bolsonaro for assuming dictatorial powers.

A significant episode preceded the demonstrations on Monday night in Brasilia, when caravans of Bolsonaro supporters broke through Military Police blockades and invaded the Esplanada, or the outdoor mall between the ministry buildings, claiming they would storm the STF the next day. Videos show that the police made no real attempt to stop them, nor did they carry out promised searches of the protesters, either in Brasilia or in Sao Paulo.

The protests themselves were called by prominent politicians connected to the state Military Police forces and by police commanders themselves, who directly called on their soldiers to join the demonstrations. A survey by the Instituto Atlas Intelligence showed that 30 percent of the military police active duty officers were willing to participate in the protests.

Although demonstrators did not invade the STF, as they had threatened, it is very significant that the Supreme Court itself considered calling on the Armed Forces to protect its headquarters, after the Military Police of the Federal District failed to contain the advance of pro-government demonstrators, according to Record reporter Renato Souza.

The September 7 demonstrations represent a high point of a dictatorial turn advanced ever more frantically by Bolsonaro.

This process has included, in recent months, the unprecedented dismissal of the entire command of the Armed Forces on March 31, on the eve of the anniversary of the 1964 military coup; subsequent threats by military commanders against the COVID-19 parliamentary investigation, making it clear that they will not allow any investigation of members of the Armed Forces by the civilian power; and, in August, the vote on Bolsonaros printed ballot proposal, accompanied by a military parade, which demonstrated significant support within the state for Bolsonaro's coup plans.

These events, and particularly the actions orchestrated by Bolsonaro and his clique for September 7, are explicitly inspired by Donald Trump's January 6 coup attempt in the United States.

The weekend leading up to the protests saw the Brazilian edition of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which is headed in the country by the presidents son, Eduardo Bolsonaro. Eduardo directly participated in the preparations for the January 6 coup in Washington, just as Trumps advisers are directly connected to the preparations of the fascistic plots in Brazil.

The Brazilian CPAC had the online participation of Donald Trump Jr., who in his speech explicitly compared the upcoming elections in Brazil with those recently held in the United States and stated that Brazilians will need to choose between socialism and freedom (that is, fascism) in what will be an unfair fight. Businessman Jason Miller, Trumps former adviser, attended the Brazilian CPAC in person. He was detained by the Brazilian Federal Police on Tuesday at Brasilias airport as he was returning to the United States. He was questioned in connection to the same inquiry on threats against democracy that is being attacked by Bolsonaro.

More fundamentally, what is driving the destruction of democratic forms of rule in Brazil, the United States and countries around the world is the profound crisis of the world capitalist system.

In the April 12 statement 57 years after the 1964 coup, Brazil again confronts specter of dictatorship, the World Socialist Web Site described Bolsonaro's dictatorial maneuvers in the context of the deep social crisis driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. We wrote: [The current] grotesque levels of social inequality as well as the imposition of mass killings by COVID-19 are radically incompatible with democratic forms of government. These objective trends are behind the remarkable political events of the past week.

These conditions have only grown worse in the past five months, and the threat of a coup has intensified.
Drivers at NZ Bus in Wellington have told the World Socialist Web Site they were underpaid during the latest COVID-19 lockdown, just as they were last year. They are also concerned about the lack of urgency in organising bus drivers to be vaccinated.

New Zealand entered a nationwide lockdown on August 18 to suppress an outbreak of the highly-infectious and potentially lethal Delta variant of the coronavirus. As of yesterday, there were 694 active cases associated with the outbreak, and 25 cases among travellers returned from overseas.

Almost all the cases are in Auckland, which remains in a strict level 4 lockdown, but there are nine cases in the Wellington region, where restrictions have largely been lifted and businesses and schools reopened as of today. There remains a risk that the outbreak could spread, given that tens of thousands of people are permitted to travel between Auckland and the rest of the country.

A Wellington bus. (Source: Twitter/Roger Blakeley, August 24, 2021)

During the lockdown, bus services in Wellington continued to operate on a reduced schedule to transport essential workers, such as healthcare and supermarket staff. Drivers, including those not required to work, or not working because they are more susceptible to COVID-19, were initially told that they would continue to be paid what they would normally receive.

This has not happened, as three drivers told the WSWS. Their names have been changed for this article.

Jess said: What Im hearing is all drivers are just being paid at that flat eight hour [daily] rate, even if theyre normally rostered on a shift for 8.5 hours, or whatever it is.

Drivers for NZ Bus and Tranzurban were similarly underpaid during last years lockdown, in March-April 2020. Both companies received subsidies to pay their wages from the government and the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), which contracts them to provide public transport services. Many months after the lockdown, some drivers had still not been paid what they were owed.

Another driver, Rob, said that some drivers are missing out on 45 minutes of pay every day. He described the company as crooks who were using the pandemic to exploit the drivers. Theyre holding on to our money. They did it last year, they got berated for it and now theyre doing it again. This isnt an accident, this is a finance company, they know exactly what theyre doing. NZ Bus is owned by Australian-based private equity firm Next Capital.

A third driver, Jack, told the WSWS, I tend to work long hours and lots of overtime. It means that I pay the credit card bills down quicker, pay bills faster and save money for the future. During the lockdown, drivers have missed out on these much-needed overtime payments.

Rob said management had told drivers they would eventually receive a top up to make up for wages lost during the lockdown, but there is no clear indication of when this will happen. He said: I cannot understand why there hasnt been any intervention either by the Tramways Union or the Commerce Commission. The union has remained silent and has not updated its website since August 4.

Rob said many drivers were disenchanted with the union leadership, particularly following a sellout pay deal pushed through in July with a narrow majority. Ive already spoken to drivers who voted for the offer and theyre regretting it, he said. Under the agreement, NZ Bus continues to pay drivers close to the minimum wage, while receiving a subsidy from the GWRC to lift base rates by just over $2 an hour. In addition, overtime and weekend pay rates are being eroded.

Rob said drivers were disgusted with the companys recent newspaper recruitment ad, which declared that drivers were getting exciting opportunities and great rewards. The ad was shared on Facebook by the Council of Trade Unions to help the company recruit. NZ Bus remains drastically understaffed because of its low wages and poor conditions, which have failed to keep up with soaring housing and other living costs.

NZ Bus recruitment ad. This image was shared on Facebook on August 11 by the Council of Trade Unions, which falsely promoted the pay deal as a win for workers.

Drivers also expressed concern about their safety during the pandemic. Two of those who spoke to the WSWS were not vaccinated. Jess said, Weve all been concerned for months that were not in one of the essential worker priority groups for vaccination. She had not yet received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Nationwide, less than one third of the population is fully vaccinated, leaving New Zealand highly vulnerable to the virus. Drivers were not made a priority, despite being among the most exposed workers, coming into contact with hundreds or thousands of people every day. Our buses arent great for ventilation, youre not sealed off or anything, Jess said.

Jack said that the company had told drivers they can book a vaccination but when I booked in to have one, I cant get one until the 16th [of September]. So were not getting priority. Were supposed to be essential workers. If we get infected, how many people are we going to infect?

He said it should be a simple matter for the company, working with the health authorities, to organise everyone to be vaccinated. The fact that this hadnt happened feels like just another way that they disrespect drivers... No one has actually told us: thank you for, in the middle of this outbreak, putting yourself out there and risking your own health.

Jack expressed shock at the large number of deaths among bus drivers internationally. As the WSWS reported in May, at least 60 had lost their lives in London alone. Those who spoke out about the lack of safety measures have been ignored or victimised, including driver David OSullivan, who was sacked.

Im very sorry to hear that, Jack said. It does show that the more a companys focused on money and greed than people, the more COVID will affect it. Mind you, its the drivers who pay the price. I think managements fine. He praised London drivers for forming a rank-and-file safety committee and standing up to management and saying: thats enough.

The situation facing NZ Bus workers is far from unique. There are reports that relief teachers and other irregular or casual workers are going without any pay during the lockdown. The Labour Party-led government is providing millions of dollars in subsidies for businesses, ostensibly to pay staff, but companies receiving the cash can still cut wages by 20 percent.

The trade unions, which function as an arm of management, have not organised any industrial campaign against these attacks. The Socialist Equality Group calls on public transport and other workers to form rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to organise a fight against austerity and for decent wages and conditions, and to campaign for safety for workers during the pandemic.
In Alabama, opposition is building rapidly to reopening policies which are driving a new surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the state. On Thursday, students at Bessemer City Schools (BCS) walked out of classes to protest the lack of transparency from the district about new cases in the district. On Labor Day, emergency room nurses at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital refused to clock in for the night shift, saying that they were overwhelmed with unsafe working conditions, staff shortages, and inadequate pay.

Sixteen-year-old Damon Jones was one of several Bessemer City Schools (BCS) students who spontaneously walked out of classes on September 2 after learning of numerous COVID-19 cases among his peers. The school, he said, had not informed him that he had been exposed to these cases. Jones is afraid of contracting COVID-19 at school or bringing it home to his family. His mother told area reporters that he refused to eat at school and that he stopped riding the bus, because other students were not made to wear their masks correctly.

Its not safe, his mother, Quintina Jones, told reporters. I worry on the daily.

Damon and his mother had both wanted virtual instruction, but the district only opened a few slots; with only a few days open to apply for those slots, he missed the window. He told reporters from local news stations that social distancing was impossible at school and called for measures such as daily temperature checks and regular deep cleanings.

District administrators phoned parents as the walkout began to inform them that students were planning a protest.

I was alerted that they were having a little thing out here for COVID because some of the students had COVID, Amy Diggins, a mother of two BCS students, told CBS 42 reporters. So, I called the board. I couldnt get any answer. I called the school; I couldnt get an answer. So, I came up here and saw all of this, so I just checked my children out.

My concern as a parent, Diggins went on, is just to close it down until you get it right and put them back on virtual learning, and thats just it.

The walkout at Bessemer is a demonstration of growing opposition to the policy of herd immunity among students, particularly working-class students. The city of Bessemer, named after the steelmaking process of the same name, has long been associated with the steel industry in northern Alabama. It was also the location, earlier this year, of a unionization drive by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) at an Amazon facility, which workers voted down by a wide margin when the union made no attempt to connect the campaign to a struggle around concrete demands such as better wages or working conditions.

While district superintendent Autumn Jeter said students would not face disciplinary actions due to the protest, she also denied that there was a problem with either the rate of infection in the districts schools or the districts reporting protocol. She insisted that there is no outbreak at BCS, and claimed that 98 percent of cases at BCS had been contracted outside of school.

As a conciliatory gesture, the BCS Board declared Friday a virtual learning day, with in-person classes resuming on the Tuesday after Labor Day. This does nothing to address the concerns of parents like Diggins and Jones.

Two weeks ago, 4,337 cases of new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alabama schools. On September 2, the same day that Damon Jones and other BCS students walked out, Alabama State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey reported that there were now 9,000 cases in total. By the following day, that number increased to 9,195 on the state dashboard. In a state where many schools refuse to report cases, this number only hints at the real rate of infection.

At the end of August, hospitalizations statewide closed in on Januarys record of 3,087. The previous surge was also closely correlated with school reopenings.

The skyrocketing rate of infection has been a predictable and tragic nightmare for the states hospitals, which were already overburdened and understaffed before the pandemic. On the Sunday before Labor Day, Alabama hospitals reported negative 92 available intensive care unit (ICU) beds. More than half of the states 1,169 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients.

East Alabama Health, which serves a rural and relatively sparsely populated part of the state, lost 26 patients to COVID-19 in the month of August alone.

The spread of the virus has exacted a heavy toll from Alabamas health care workers. On Monday night, about 25 night shift nurses and other emergency room staff at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital in Birmingham refused to clock in, citing poor working conditions, UABs cessation of COVID pay for emergency room staff, and salaries below those of other nursing professionals in the same hospital system.

We just want equal pay like everyone else in the department, one nurse said to local reporters.

A lot of us have worked through both COVID surges, said another. This is round two, and its been very overwhelming...Were still expected to work at max capacity while also being understaffed.

We are extremely exposed, she said, explaining that, as they are the first contact with sick patients, they have no idea what patients COVID-19 status is before treatment. She expressed concerns about the her exposures at work could have on her family. We do have young children and loved ones at home that we have to take all this home to.

Nurses interviewed by the local press all used words such as overwhelmed and stressful to describe their working conditions. Alabama nurses are paid, on average, about eight percent less than nurses in surrounding states. Emergency room nurses are paid even less than ICU nurses in the same hospital system. They said that they had channeled multiple complaints through management before walking out.

On August 27, Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, MD lamented that the state was really in a crisis with COVID-19 cases. Harris said that Alabama ranks fourth nationwide in new cases per capita.

Harris laid the blame at the feet of a populace that has overwhelmingly rejected vaccination, masking, or social distancing efforts. Were seeing this because people dont want to get vaccinated, dont want to change their behavior, he told reporters.

However, while vaccinations and social distancing measures as necessary, governments around the world are attempting to palm the blame for the failure of these efforts on personal responsibility, when in fact they have sabotaged the comprehensive public health strategies of which they form a critical part. Indeed, as the virus spread last fall, Alabama's Republican Governor Kay Ivey declared, You cant have a life without a livelihood. In May of this year, Ivey signed into law Act 2021-493, which prohibits all schools, public or private, from demanding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for enrollment or employment. Just last week, Republican State Representative Chip Brown of Mobile pre-filed a bill that would allow parents to opt out of mask mandates in their children's schools.

It is possible to stop the spread of COVID-19, through a systematic, nationwide and international program of vaccination, contact tracing and, most importantly, the shutdown of nonessential production and schools. Medical experts have calculated that such measures, if implemented, could eradicate COVID-19 within the space of two months. However, the political establishment has flatly rejected such measures as a cure worse than the disease because they would impinge upon the profit interests of the rich. In fact, state governments as well as the Biden administration are abandoning even the half-measures implemented last year to slow transmission.

Throughout the United States, healthcare workers, teachers, and parents are establishing independent rank-and-file safety committees to raise demands for their safety and economic well-being. UAB nurses and Bessemer teachers, students and parents, must act now to develop their own committees to demand the closure of schools and nonessential workplaces, with full compensation guaranteed for teachers, parents, students and workers.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) has called a public meeting on Sunday September 19 at 12 p.m. (AEST) to discuss the campaign launched by the party to defeat the blatantly anti-democratic electoral bills that were rushed through the Australian parliament on August 26. Click here to register.

Behind the backs of the population and with almost universal media silence, the Labor Party opposition marched lockstep with the Liberal-National Coalition to pass these bills through both houses of parliament in a little over 24 hours.

The laws demand that political parties, without parliamentary seats, must treble their membership lists from 500 to 1,500 to remain officially registered so that their party name will appear on ballot papers. This will affect 36 registered parties, including the SEP, which must submit such lists within the next three months under conditions of COVID-19 and widespread lockdowns.

The laws also ban parties from using certain names, notably socialist or communist, if another registered party already claims it.

These laws are an attack on the rights of all parties. More broadly, they are an assault on the rights of the working class as a whole. The aim is to silence the growing opposition to the two-party political establishment. At the 2019 federal elections, 25 percent of voters cast ballots for parties other than Labor and the Coalition.

There is an intimate link between the passage of these bills and the unfolding COVID-19 catastrophe, which has killed millions worldwide and is surging in the two most populous states, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria.

Governments, state and federal, Coalition and Labor, know there is deep-rooted hostility to the demand to lift safety restrictions and reopen the economy in the name of living with the virus, regardless of the infections, illness and death that will result. The spearhead of this campaign is to force children back into classrooms so their parents are compelled to return to work, under unsafe conditions, for the sake of corporate profit.

The requirement for party registration and the submission of 500 members details was first enacted by the Hawke Labor government in 1984. Violating the principle of a secret ballot, it compelled parties to hand over lists of members, opening them up to surveillance and harassment.

The SEP has always opposed these party registration laws. However, it has submitted, under protest, the required 500 electoral members each time registration has been due, in order to exercise the elementary right to stand candidates under the SEPs name.

This online public meeting will outline the SEPs campaign to defeat these anti-democratic laws and demand the repeal of all restrictions on the democratic rights of parties and individuals to run in elections.

At the same time, the SEP is appealing to all supporters and readers to become an SEP electoral member today, join the campaign and help the party retain its registration to defeat this attack.
The trade union-funded Daily Blog, the most significant publication of New Zealands liberal and pseudo-left commentators, last month posted the latest in a long-running series of blogs promoting the lie that the deadly COVID-19 virus originally escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China.

The August 29 post, by editor Martyn Bradbury, contains a breathtaking litany of falsehoods sourced from the US intelligence apparatus and right-wing media. It concludes that former President Donald Trump might have been right all along about the Chinese lab leaking the virus.

A view of the P4 lab inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology is seen after a visit by the World Health Organization team in Wuhan in China's Hubei province on February 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Bradbury, the blogs founder, has for years acted as a craven mouthpiece for Washingtons escalating propaganda campaign against China and its preparations for war. That he has done so without any criticism from the Daily Blogs self-described stable of leading left/centre-left commentators and progressive opinion shapers, reflects what is in reality the right-wing and pro-imperialist politics of this entire milieu.

The Wuhan lab lie serves a definite political agenda: to divert attention from the failure of governments around the world to prepare for, and deal with, the deadly pandemic which has killed more than 665,000 people in the US and, by some estimates, more than 10 million worldwide. At the same time, Washington is whipping up anti-Chinese chauvinism as it escalates its confrontation with Beijing, which it views as the main threat to its global dominance.

In New Zealand, the Labour Party-Greens coalition government has strengthened its military and intelligence alliance with US imperialism since first coming to power in a coalition with the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party in 2017. It has called for a greater US military presence in the Pacific region to push back against Chinese influence, while at the same time boosting funding for NZs military.

So far, the government has not voiced open support for Washingtons Wuhan lab leak conspiracy theory, but has supported an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. The ruling class remains anxious about causing too much damage to relations with China, which received 33 percent of New Zealands exports in the first half of this year.

The Daily Blog supports the Labour-led government, while pushing for it to adopt a more vocal anti-China position in both trade and foreign policy.

Bradburys latest entry, entitled So Covid could have escaped from the Wuhan Lab after all? proclaims: Well, well, well. So the lab leak is plausible? The deep suspicion of China is legitimate.

The main evidence he provides is a link to a Sydney Morning Herald article, reprinted by New Zealand media outlet Stuff on August 28 with the headline Covid-19: US intelligence report says coronavirus may have emerged from lab leak or animals. The article is based on an unclassified intelligence report commissioned by US President Joe Biden.

A classified version of the report prepared by the office of the US Director of National Intelligence was delivered to the White House earlier that week. While Bradbury uses the briefing to try to give credence to the lab leak theory, he fails to note that the Stuff article concedes that the report was inconclusive and that most US intelligence agencies believe that SARS-CoV-2 was probably not engineered in a lab.

In other words, as the WSWS pointed out, despite a giant effort by the US intelligence agencies, their report failed to produce a shred of evidence to substantiate claims by the Trump and Biden administrations, and every major US media outlet, that a lab leak was a plausible scenario.

After presenting his dishonest misinterpretation of the report, Bradbury links to another tendentious article by the Washington Post dated April 14, 2020: State Department cables warned of safety issues at Wuhan lab studying bat coronaviruses by Josh Rogin.

Already in April 2020 Bradbury had seized on this article to declare the Daily Blog was right to target China over COVID-19. Under the headline Oh look at thatChina DID lie about the virus, he regurgitated false charges that Chinese officials had secretly determined they were likely facing a pandemic. Bradbury fulminated: its time to demand answers from the Chinese, not just ask them.

However, Rogins article was completely undermined by the Post s own reporting. When the diplomatic cable was released in July, the newspaper was forced to concede: The full cable does not strengthen the claim that an accident at the lab caused the virus to escape. The cable says nothing that would support Roginsand Bradburysmisleading slant on it.

The Daily Blog editor is consciously aligning himself with the extreme right. The Wuhan lab conspiracy theory was originally promoted in January 2020 by the fascist Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief White House strategist, and his allies among right-wing Chinese expatriates such as Miles Guo.

The fabrication quickly spread among far-right media mouthpieces before being picked up by top White House figures including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who declared in May 2020 that there was enormous evidence that the virus originated in a Wuhan laboratory.

The corporate media has sought to legitimise the conspiracy theory. In May 2021, Nicholas Wade, writing in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, argued that US and Chinese scientists created SARS-CoV-2 through gain of function experiments at the WIV. Wades story was embraced by editorials and op-eds in the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.

In May, President Biden sought to ramp up the offensive against Beijing, calling on the intelligence community to further investigate and report whether COVID-19 arose from a laboratory accident.

The claims against the WIV have been totally discredited. The World Health Organization has described the claim that the virus was deliberately created, as well as the possibility of a laboratory leak, as extremely unlikely.

In July, 21 of the world's leading experts on the origins of infectious diseases published a paper demolishing the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was a man-made virus. The Origins of SARS-CoV-2: A Critical Review, written by international biologists and virologists, led by professor Edward Holmes from the University of Sydney and professor Andrew Rambaut from the University of Edinburgh, concluded that SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is zoonoticthe result of a transfer from an animal source to humans. Our careful and critical analysis of the currently available data provided no evidence for the idea that SARS-CoV-2 originated in a laboratory, Holmes said.

Bradbury ignores the scientific evidence because it does not suit his reactionary political agenda. His blog has for years vented chauvinist filth and xenophobia, ludicrously depicting China as New Zealands economic overlord and portraying Chinese immigrants as a subversive threat. He regularly calls for turning NZ into a fortress with a large scale increase in Navy, Army and Air Force to keep migrants out.

The Daily Blog is backed by the Unite union, the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and the Dairy Workers Union. Its regular contributors include Unite leader Mike Treena former member of the opportunist Socialist Action Leagueformer Unite leader Matt McCarten, liberal columnist Chris Trotter, former Alliance Party MP Liz Gordon, former Greens MP Keith Locke, and John Minto, formerly of the Maori nationalist Mana Party.

These individuals and organisations represent sections of the upper middle class that fully support New Zealand capitalism, which has for decades depended on a strong alliance with US imperialism in order to advance NZs neo-colonial interests in the Pacific region. The blogs relentless promotion of nationalism stems from this layers hostility and fear of any internationally unified movement of the working class against social inequality and war, which would threaten the profit system and the comfortable position of the wealthiest 10 percent of society.
There is widespread anger among teachers and students towards the New South Wales (NSW) Liberal-National governments drive for a full reopening of schools next month, as a COVID outbreak in the state continues to spiral out of control.

The plan for a resumption of in-person teaching was made public in late August, as the state surpassed one thousand daily infections. Case numbers are continuing to grow, while hospitalisations and intensive care admissions have surged over the past fortnight, sparking warnings from nurses and doctors that the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian told the media the full resumpumption of in-person teaching would begin on October 25, with the return of the youngest cohort, Kindergarten and Year 1, and the oldest, Year 12, to the classrooms.

The final year Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination has been used by the government as a spearhead for the dangerous reopenings. Since August 16, Year 12 students outside the worst affected local government areas in Sydney have been able to attend their schools for up to two hours a day, four days a week. HSC exams are to begin on November 9, a delay of just two weeks compared with the schedule prepared before the outbreak.

Years 2, 6 and 11 will return on November 1, with the rest of students resuming classes on November 8.

Attempting to pre-empt objections to its reckless plan, the government has stated that online learning will continue in council areas of concern where case numbers are high.

However, the directive that no school can refuse to accept students who wish to attend and the two hours per day allotment for Year 12 students has already resulted in over a hundred schools in the state being closed due to virus outbreaks since limited lockdown measures were introduced in late June.

The government has sought to cover this up, declaring that for privacy reasons, school outbreaks will not be publicly-listed.

Mandatory vaccinations will be a condition of employment for teachers from November 8. Given the shambolic character of the rollout, however, it is likely that many educators will not be fully-inoculated by that point. Those who are still face the risk of infection and serious illness.

Roughly a third of all infections during the outbreak have been among children and teenagers. Those under 12 are not eligible for any vaccination, while the 12-16 cohort has only recently been approved for inoculation, meaning the vast majority will not have had even a single dose when the reopening begins. The resumption of in-person teaching, which is part of a broader drive to end lockdowns and force the population to live with the deadly virus, threatens a catastrophe along the lines of the situation in the US, where hospital paediatric units are full and educators are dying.

The NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF), working in lockstep with the state government, has cautiously welcomed the governments return to face-to-face teaching plan. Like all of the unions, it is acting as a police force to suppress opposition to the profit-driven endangerment of the workers it falsely claims to represent.

The WSWS spoke to several teachers about the return to school plan.

Stephanie, a primary school teacher in one of the local government areas in Sydney experiencing high infection rates said:

Its crazy. Its putting young children in a very dangerous situation and we are going to see deaths. My colleagues are very worried, especially those who have children themselves. Some teachers cant be vaccinated for medical reasons and they are worried they will pass it on to their families. Its very worrying and all for only four weeks of the school year.

Most of the kids in my area live in high rise apartments, with many of the parents working close by at the Flemington markets. They come from India, Vietnam and other countries where they have seen their families pass away. I dont think they will let their children return to school. Most of them wont let their children out of their apartments. At our school we have multi-generational families and we have cases of whole families who have become infected.

David, a high school teacher who has taught for many years in regional towns with large Aboriginal populations in the states west, commented:

The risk for indigenous Australians is huge. Look what happened with the funeral in Wilcannia. One hundred people travelled from Broken Hill, Cobar and Dubbo to that funeral. It was prior to lockdown so it was within health guidelines. Around 40 contracted the virus. Thats nearly a fifty percent strike rate. Aboriginal people should have been vaccinated as a priority, certainly before the politicians. It is well known that the family is the mortar that holds Aboriginal people together. They see-off their loved ones, they dont let them pass without protocols, without having the family celebrate their lives. They cant be denied that. Everything else has been taken away from them.

I think there is a hidden agenda behind Gladys Berejiklians plan to open schools and that is to open the economy. What has taken place in Sydney is lockdown lite. Its what you have when youre not having a lockdown.

Nicole, who teaches casually in a NSW country town, said:

Teachers were already overworked before COVID hit. Then they had to turn on a dime and learn how to develop online lessons. In my school this also meant developing booklets because our kids often had no access to the internet on their farms. Mobile phone access is limited and expensive, and for those who are online, its slow satellite internet.

I was brought up in Merrylands [a western Sydney suburb with high infection rates] and have many friends there. Their grandchildren may not return to school. Unvaccinated kids and COVID are a real fear among their families. They dont care if the kids dont get it badly, they dont want their kids exposed and ill and bringing it home.

I think the research is very clear. Schools should be properly ventilated with filters that exclude COVID. Too many rooms open onto corridors and have little access to fresh air. Social distancing is impossible. I have seen the extra cleaning...it is laughable. Masks are also an issue. My throat was dry and sore after trying to teach all day. I think its a perfect storm, a recipe for a Delta disaster. Into the fray we send our youngest.

I attended the Committee for Public Education on-line meeting last week, Oppose school re-openings and form rank and file committees and voted for the resolution that was moved. I loved its strength, how it included all educators and how it is doing what our union is not.

Matthew, a teacher in regional NSW, stated:

Even with high vaccination rates, it is mathematically certain that COVID-19 will keep spreading if public health measures are relaxed. Reopening schools before transmission of COVID-19 has ceased will very likely cause the deaths of children, a population that is highly susceptible to the Delta strain.

Teachers must oppose this by forming rank-and -file safety committees independent of the unions, who have at every stage endorsed the governments agenda. We must not allow governments here, or anywhere, to gamble with the lives of children for financial gain.

Frances, a secondary teacher in Sydney, said:

Daily we hear of the disastrous and deadly results of school reopenings in countries around the world. For example, it was reported that nearly 30,000 children in Florida tested positive for COVID-19 in one week after the schools reopened. And yet, the media, the government and the unions continue to spruik the lie that schools are safe.

Last year, after the first wave of COVID-19, the NSWTF opened the way for a return to classrooms with its suggestion that students return in stages, the first to be Year 12 and Kindergarten. Now, with the doubly infectious Delta variant, the same roadmap to return to schools is being used.

The call by the Committee for Public Education for teachers to take matters into their own hands and form rank-and-file safety committees is also doubly urgent.

Katie, a teacher at an independent school in Sydneys inner-west, stated:

I am appalled at the decision of the Berejiklian government to reopen schools under conditions where there is such high community transmission of the COVID virus. The infection rate in Sydney has grown to over 1000 a day, with hundreds being hospitalised. Delta is so contagious, especially amongst young children yet they are forcing Kindergarten and the infant grades back into schools where they have no protection.

Children under 12 cant be vaccinated, so they are really the most vulnerable of the student cohort. In NSW, over 3000 children between 0-9 years of age have tested positive to Covid! Sending teachers and children back into schools under these conditions amounts to social murder. The union covering our staff, the Independent Education Union, is doing nothing to fight this. I agree with the demand of the CFPE for the formation of a rank-and-file safety committee, No return to school in any area where there is COVID-19 community transmission.

The CFPE, a group of rank-and-file educators fighting against the dangerous reopening and for the safety of teachers, school staff and students, can be contacted here:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: @CFPE_Australia
In an example of class justice, the billionaire Sackler family, which fueled and profited immensely from the opioid epidemic through its company Purdue Pharma and its OxyContin medication, was handed immunity last week from all future opioid lawsuits by federal bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, New York. The ruling affirms the capitalist right to profit regardless of the cost in lives.

More than 100 people die in the US every day from opioid overdoses, with preliminary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numbers putting the number of deaths for 2019 at nearly 50,000, an all-time high.

Judge Drains decision is part of a $4.3 billion bankruptcy settlement that involved the Sacklers selling their pharmaceutical holdings and forfeiting ownership of Purdue Pharma. The ruling, which is exactly what the Sacklers demanded, grants releases from liability for harm caused by the companys aggressive and sometimes illegal marketing of the discontinued opioid OxyContin and other opioids. This marketing entailed a coordinated campaign to get doctors to prescribe opioids for everyday chronic pain, which also included bribes to doctors.

In addition to the Sacklers themselves, hundreds of individuals and organizations associated with the Sacklers, such as lobbyists, financial advisors, public relations firms, law firms, drug-makers and laboratories, as well as the Sacklers remaining business empire, are also granted immunity.

The immunity deal effectively shuts down any further investigation into the role played by the Sacklers and their hundreds of associates in the opioid epidemic, despite the fact that there is extensive documentation of the Sackler familys involvement in Purdues operations in and profiting from the opioid epidemic, with Richard Sackler playing a key role in the marketing of the drug as an executive and even afterwards as late as 2012, while former board member Kathe Sackler bragged about coming up with the idea for OxyContin.

Richard Sackler

The Sacklers moved billions from Purdue before the deal, stashing it into other investments and offshore bank accounts that cannot be touched in the settlement.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged in 2020 that the Sacklers committed fraudulent transfer as part of a scheme to hinder future creditors, and the family settled these allegations to the tune of $225 million while denying any wrongdoing in that case as well.

The DOJ filed two legal briefs condemning the release from liability provided to the Sacklers and their associates in the bankruptcy deal on constitutional grounds, arguing that people with potential claims against the Sacklers would be deprived of their right to due process without legal review or compensation.

Purdue Pharma and its attorneys launched a pressure campaign against the DOJ aimed at convincing them to not challenge the plan, with an early draft of a letter from this campaign being obtained by National Public Radio.

For all of the death attributable directly to the Sacklers leadership of Purdue, which pleaded guilty to criminal wrongdoing in its marketing of OxyContin both in 2007 and 2020, not even an apology was issued, and the Sacklers deny any wrongdoing. Drain cynically remarked that A forced apology is not really an apology So we will have to live without one.

Steve Miller, chair of Purdue Pharmas board of directors, voiced his satisfaction with the ruling in a statement to NPR, declaring, Instead of years of value-destructive litigation, including between and among creditors, this plan ensures that billions of dollars will be devoted to helping people and communities who have been hurt by the opioid crisis.

The company that emerges from Purdue Pharma will be allowed to continue the production and selling of OxyContin and other opioid drugs.

According to a report from the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform, chaired by US Representative Carolyn Maloney, the Sackler family wealth totals $11 billion, accrued in large part through sales of OxyContin. The settlement means that the Sacklers will keep the bulk of their fortune.

The report continues, Members of the Sackler family pushed Purdue to use deceptive marketing practices to flood communities with this dangerous painkiller, and now the Sackler family is attempting to use Purdues bankruptcy proceedings to evade individual responsibility for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. This is exactly what has happened.

House Democrats in April called for the passage of the Sackler Act which supposedly would prevent the Sacklers and other non-debtors in the deal from receiving immunity from lawsuits. The settlement details were announced in October 2020, with the protection from liability having already been announced as part of the deal. Only the amount to be paid under the deal was increased since then, with no change in the liability protection.

However, nothing has been done by the Democrats, who have feigned surprise at the ruling. The Democrats along with the Republicans are awash in pharmaceutical company money, with the vast majority of Senate and House members, 72 senators and 302 members of the House of Representatives, cashing a check from the pharmaceutical industry, according to an analysis by Stat News released in June.

Purdue itself spent over $1.2 million in lobbying in the year and a half leading up to the settlement, according to a review of lobbying records by The Intercept, and reportedly was monitoring the Sackler Act, among other proposed legislation. It hired the same public relations firm, Purple Strategies, that BP hired following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

As the WSWS noted in December 2019, protection was already granted to the Sacklers as the settlement was being hashed out: On November 6, federal bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain halted all lawsuits against Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family until April 8, 2020. The extension of protection to the Sackler family was highly unusual because the Sacklers themselves have not yet filed for bankruptcy. Even Judge Drain conceded that the order was extraordinary.

Drain hypocritically called his ruling last week a bitter result and stated that I believe that at least some of the Sackler parties have liability for those [opioid OxyContin] claims. ... I would have expected a higher settlement.'

Drains record reflects the judicial systems class character as a tool of the corporate financial oligarchy, and belies any of the feigned surprise or outrage by the Democrats, who knew full well that he would bow to the Sacklers demand for immunity.

In 2006 Drain approved a plan by Delphi Corporation executives to approve tens of millions in bonuses to Delphi executives while hourly autoworkers faced a wage cut of up to 60 percent and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, claiming it was needed to make Delphi competitive.

In 2012 Drain approved $1.75 million in bonuses for Hostess executives and shortly thereafter approved the liquidation of the company and the destruction of 15,000 jobs, shutting bakeries, distribution centers and stores.

In 2015 Drain ruled in favor of former supermarket chain A&P, allowing the severance pay of about 2,500 workers be cut to 52 percent of what they were entitled to receive under the labor agreement between the company and the unions representing them.

This is just a small glimpse of the class justice that rules not only in Drains court but the capitalist legal system as a whole, as well as the parasitism of an economic system which profits off death and destruction.
On September 1, the strike by the nurses of Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, became the longest in state history. The strike remains at an impasse after the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) agreed to terms with Tenet Healthcare of Dallas, Texasterms that did not satisfy nurses central demand on staffingonly to scuttle the deal when Tenet refused a return to work agreement that would restore nurses to their previous positions. This deal was brokered by a federal mediator over the course of four days of secret negotiations.

While union bureaucrats chastised the for-profit health conglomerate for its refusal to restore nurses positions, filing their eighth unfair labor practices claim, Tenet continued to hire permanent replacements. As of August 31, the hospital counted 164 new hires, robbing nurses of their former roles, hours and pay. That number was up 24 from 140 the week before. Each week, as the union cries foul and appeals for an intervention from the federal government, it sacrifices dozens of striking nurses positions.

The response from the MNA is in keeping with its actions throughout the duration of the strike. Since nurses walked out on March 8, the strike of nearly 700 nurses has been isolated and economically starved. Not one single solidarity strike has been initiated in response to the attacks from Tenet. Even though other MNA bargaining units are in the middle of fruitless contract negotiations with the same demands for safer staffing, the union limits their actions, if any, to political theater.

Striking Worcester nurses. (Credit: WSWS)

Throughout the strike, the MNA has weakened the struggle of all the nurses it represents. It has staged protests not lasting more than a couple of days by nurses employed by Trinity Healthcare, the Cambridge Health Alliance and Cape Cod Hospital. It sent the nurses of the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston on a short 7-day strike and kept to the protocol for such actions by informing the employer of its planned duration, allowing for strikebreakers to be hired and services to continue uninterrupted.

While Tenet wages economic warfare against the nurses on the picket line, spending over $100 million in an unending siege, including $3.1 million on a police detail that the City of Worcester provides, the union has left the nurses to the mercy of the state and offers what it collects in an ad hoc strike relief fund. Per union bylaws, which bureaucrats are quick to note that each member approves, the union does not provide strike pay. Instead, it pays for six-figure salaries for its executives, one of whom is co-chair of the Saint Vincent Hospital bargaining unit.

This strategy is designed to give the labor bureaucracy a cover of legitimacy without threatening the capitalists or their state enforcers. This is not unique to the MNA. Indeed, within the last month the National Union of Healthcare Workers forced workers back into Southern California facilities owned by Tenet Healthcare. Across the country, over the past year unions including the Service Employees International Union in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Illinois; the New York State Nurses Association; the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals; and the Office and Professional Employees International Union in Michigan; to name just a few, have all betrayed health care workers who are confronting the same health crisis within a crumbling capitalist health system.

Following the collapse of the sell-out deal between the MNA and Tenet Healthcare, Tenet and Saint Vincent Hospital management attacked the nurses once again, appealing to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance to reconsider their eligibility for unemployment insurance.

The state agency responded swiftly by suspending benefits payment. Pending a final decision, nurses may be required to pay back what they received over the period from August 4 to September 4. Tenet has legal grounds for this request, as according to Massachusetts law a strike resulting in production below 80 percent of pre-strike levels nullifies striking workers eligibility for unemployment insurance. Conveniently, Tenet reduced its beds in early August by 80, resulting in a capacity of roughly 70 percent of its normal bed capacity of 272.

In a letter to nurses, MNA officials yet again played down the very real threat this latest attack poses to the nurses economic wellbeing. Union Vice President and bargaining unit co-chair Marie Ritacco labelled Tenets recent attack as merely a tactic. Dominique Muldoon, co-chair of the bargaining unit and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, brushed it aside as just a pathetic ploy. Ironically, Ritacco accurately captured the significance of the attackwhile simultaneously diminishing itwhen she said, This is just more retaliation meant to inflict pain.

The union has no better response. By its corporatist nature, it will never raise the demand for a mass workers movement to oppose the dictates of for-profit health care. The best it can do is bury its head in the sand and lead a chorus of One day longer, one day stronger! A coordinated strike by health care workers across the country would require a system of organization categorically different from the balkanized and calcified unions, which serve only the corporatist set-up comprised of labor bureaucrats, corporate executives and the Democratic Party.

The strike by Saint Vincent Hospital nurses has made it this far only due to their determination, not the treachery of their union. To conduct a genuine struggle for safer patient care and safer working conditions requires a mass movement of health care workers, uniting their struggles. For this reason, the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site have called for the formation of rank-and-file committees as a politically independent alternative for workers to take control of their future.
Last month, the state of Virginias Safety and Health Codes Board moved to reduce several restrictions it had put on businesses operating in the state for the purpose of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The move comes alongside Virginias across-the-board reopening in August of K-12 public schools for in-person learning, as well as a mounting social crisis stemming from the ending of the federal eviction moratorium and enhanced unemployment assistance.

The states public health restrictions had been put in place July 2020 during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, consist of mask-wearing, sanitation of work areas and employee education about COVID-19 prevention. Other requirements include having businesses with at least 11 employees formulate an infectious disease and preparedness plan. The rules were later included permanently in state health guidelines in January 2021.

Sky Meadows State Park staff (source: Wikimedia Commons)

The boards 10-4 vote to loosen restrictions will allow employers to give a good faith effort to show they are compliant with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s recommendations. They no longer have to include vaccinated employees in their outbreak preparations. By meeting these less-onerous goals businesses will be deemed in compliance with the states own guidelines. While rendered essentially useless, the state rule will remain on the books until formally changed by Democratic governor Ralph Northam.

According to the Times-Dispatch, [v]arious business groups opposed the rules, which they argued [were] inflexible. The publication cites comments from Nicole Riley, the Virginia state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB). They [employers] are more comfortable with [the CDCs guidelines], and that is what they know. The awareness is much higher on what CDC guidelines are than another state regulation, she stated. The NFIB and other business groups sought a total repeal of the rules.

Throughout the first months of the pandemic the Northam administration sought to posture as more enlightened and public health-conscious than Republican-led states. This threadbare veneer has been shattered in the course of the pandemic, as Virginia has made haste to abandon all basic social distancing and masking requirements, leaving the states residents on their own amid an unparalleled public health emergency.

According to recent numbers, the state is reporting upwards of 3,000 positive cases a day. This contrasts with positive numbers amounting to less than 100 cases detected daily in June. Likewise, hospitalizations are up. In the first days of September there were 1,725 COVID-19 hospitalizations, an increase over June of about 800 percent.

The Northam government has forced school districts to reopen almost entirely on an in-person basis. While masks and vaccinations have been mandated among public school staff, unvaccinated children have been crammed into classrooms at near-capacity. COVID-19 infections among these groups are being hid from the public.

In addition to the states abandonment of public safety, Virginians face a social crisis that is among the worst in the United States. As of spring 2021, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), the states unemployment assistance system, was dead last in the country in its response to the crush of applications requesting pandemic-related aid.

For months, Virginians have been left unable to determine if their applications for unemployment insurance and other 2020 CARES Act assistance programs had even been received by the VEC, let alone accepted or rejected. In May, a federal judge ruled in a class action lawsuit brought by angry Virginia residents that the VEC must give a determination to all applicants by Labor Day, September 6, 2021.

With consummate cynicism, the VEC sought to have the federal courts dismiss the lawsuit in August. The backlog of outstanding unemployment benefits adjudications is effectively gone, VEC Commissioner Ellen Marie Hess told the presiding judge in United States District Court at the time.

This request was rejected by Judge Henry Hudson, who noted in his ruling that the court itself was frequently receiving calls from applicants who have received no assistance from the state. The Court continues to frequently receive telephone calls from individuals reporting difficulties processing their claims and communicating with the VEC, he wrote.

Numerous claimants reacted to the VECs ploy with outrage on social media. Theyre just denying people to move through cases to look like they did their jobs, reads one comment on a Facebook forum.

As in other states, evictions and utility shutoffs have resumed in Virginia. The Democratic Party-controlled state General Assembly allowed a ban on utility shutoffs to lapse on August 31, citing the existence of $120 million in aid to help vulnerable Virginians with paying their bills. However, [i]ts not clear if that money will cover all of the debt that has accumulated, states local station WRIC.

While Virginias Democratic Party-controlled government has moved to pull the rug out from under the states most vulnerable residents, business approval has remained a top priority. According to CNBCs Americas Top States for Business report published in July, Virginia was our Top State before the pandemic in 2019, and is back on top coming out of it.

This is Virginias fifth win, having previously taken the title in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2019more times than any other state, writes an accompanying article in CNBC. According to the Top States report, Virginia was awarded 1,587 points out of a possible 2,500. It scored second in workforce education level and near the bottom in terms of cost of living.
Hundreds of employees of subsidiaries of the Berlin hospital enterprise Vivantes renewed their strike on Friday, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

Over the years the work pressure in Berlins hospitals has reached unbearable levels. The strike rally clearly expressed workers anger over these conditions. The participants repeatedly interrupted the speeches of the senate parties representatives (Social Democrats (SPD), Left and Green Parties), critically heckling their attempts to appease them.

Demonstration of Vivantes employees (Photo:WSWS)

The Verdi trade union is calling these protests to provide an outlet for the workers anger combativeness while at the same time defusing any initiative emanating from employees with pretty slogans and promises of labor-management negotiations.

Union secretary Ivo Garbe opened the rally with a reference to the negotiations between management, the works council and Verdi next Thursday. He demanded a clear commitment from the Berlin Senate to refinance the hospital if the cost of the wage increase could not be borne by the company.

If we dont reach an agreement, a solution, then it looks like we will go on an indefinite strike, Garbe announced to cheers from the demonstrators, who thus underscored their willingness to fight.

Vivantes was founded in 2001 and is owned 100 percent by the State of Berlin, but is run according to private-sector principles, that is, profit-oriented. After the citys reunification, the Berlin Senate classified the states health care system as oversupplied and in the years that followed closed hospitals and laid off more than 4,000 employees.

The senate of SPD and the Left Party (then called PDS) ensured that, starting in 2002, entire divisions were spun off as subsidiaries whose employees were no longer paid according to the public sector pay scale. Affected areas included the food provision, laundry and other service work, including the rehabilitation of patients.

The employees of the subsidiaries are very familiar with the history of this reorganization concept, which they have born the weight of. In that collective restructuring agreement, called TV Future, salary increases, Christmas bonuses and vacation pay were all taken away. In exchange, the company promised to forgo compulsory redundancies.

When the chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives, Raed Saleh, spoke at the rally, he was interrupted repeatedly by hecklers. Saleh told the strikers that he wanted to work together with them. He said the SPD would not allow them to be tread upon. But thats just youve been doing all these years! strikers shouted.

His claim that the SPD demands equal pay for equal work and wants the public sector collective bargaining agreement (TVoD) to apply to everyone was also met with the derisive interruption, Weve been waiting for that twelve years now!

When Saleh then held up a pay slip and feigned indignation at the net monthly wage of 1226 euros, someone shouted, Its your partys fault! His terse response to the hecklers shows the cynical and hypocritical arrogance of the SPD, which wants to preserve the profit system at the expense of workers. Stop complaining, he dismissively told the hecklers. Im on your side after all, man! We all have to pull together.

Saleh claimed he had not made a request to the management of Vivantes, rather gave an order. If the company could not provide equal pay for equal work for private-sector reasons, then Vivantes would simply have to be transformed from a GmbH (limited liability company) into an institution under public law. Like the BVG, he added.

The BVG is the Berlin transit union, and any bus driver could explain to the Vivantes workforce that the working conditions at this institution under public law are similarly miserable and do not guarantee a better wage level.

But then Saleh indicated what he actually meant by equal pay: the gradual raising of pay to the level of the civil service, which itself does not mean adequate remuneration for hard work.

Ivo Garbe put the cost of immediately raising pay to TVoD level at around 35 million euros a year, only to immediately express the unions willingness to draw up a phased plan for this, which would introduce TVoD in full for all employees by the end of 2023i.e., in two and a half years.

This ploy to make the strikers believe that the goal is to achieve the TVoD level, but in reality negotiates for small, incremental nominal wage increases, is intended to weaken the workforces resolve to fight.

The reality of the plans to gradually match pay scales is also shown by the Berlin Charite Hospital subsidiary CFM, where employees have gone on strike for the same goal. Tobias Schulze of the Left Party in the House of Representatives, who was present during this labor dispute, explained that after ten years of struggle, they had obtained a collective agreement that points in the direction of TVoD.

Saleh, Schulze and the representative of the Greens, Andreas Audretsch, used the rally only to advertise their parties election campaigns. On September 26, not only the Bundestag (federal parliament) but also the House of Representatives are up for election in the German capital. Their promises to personally negotiate a good solution will evaporate faster than the echoes from their speeches.

All Senate parties are blaming each other for the miserable situation for us employees. No one wants to be responsible for that, commented a striker from SVL Food Supply and Logistics to the WSWS.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Twenty years have passed since the terrorist attacks that changed the nation and on September 11, 2001, men and women at the Indiana Air National Guard base in Terre Haute stood ready to defend their country.

The day started like most others at the base, with a routine morning meeting. News 10 spoke with Brigadier General (ret.) Jeff Hauser on a sunny day at Hulman field nearly 20 years later.

"9/11 is a day you can remember a lot of things. It was a clear day, about like today," said Hauser, who was the operations supervisor that day.

As the meeting ended, someone told Hauser to check something out. It ended up being a moment that forever changed the nation.

"We walked out and looked at the TV. That was right after the first plane hit the towers. Right when we were watching is when the second plane hit," said Hauser.

All flights in the United States were quickly grounded. Several pilots had just returned to the base after a training deployment, and they were ready for orders.

"We flew to Chicago where the next tallest building in the U.S. was - the Sears Tower or the Hancock Tower," said Colonel (ret.) Chris Colbert.

He was one of the pilots who went up to fly on September 11, 2001. Colbert said crews quickly started prepping planes, despite not knowing what could come next.

"We weren't watching the news. We weren't being told anything. I wondered what the world would be like when we landed back in Terre Haute," said Colbert.

LINK | 20 years later: Paramedic explains diagnosis after terrorist attacks

After a couple of otherwise uneventful hours in the sky, there was a mission.

"A different voice came over the radio... and told us that there was an aircraft that possibly needed escorted," said Colbert.

It was a mysterious assignment at first, with unknowns about what exactly was happening.

"We didn't know if we were to escort a plane that wasn't supposed to be flying. Did we need to escort them to land? The discussion at the time, would we shoot down a hijacked aircraft," explained Colbert.

It wasn't long before they got a closer look at the plane. They noticed the blue and white. Then the 'United States of America' became clear - it was Air Force One with an unplanned flight. The president had gone to Nebraska Offutt Air Force Base after being warned of a further threat to the nation's capitol, but he decided he wanted to return to Washington, D.C.

Colbert might've been in the pilot's seat for this chance encounter, but he says like the other men and women at the base, he was just answering the call.

"There is no fear factor. There really is just, we train every single day, and as of today, we have something to do," said Colbert.

He said several planes took off that day without live munitions. A question at the time was how would pilots neutralize a threat if there was a multitude of hijacked planes.

Colbert told WTHI-TV the base in Terre Haute was one of the only ones in the midwest with live weapons because most bases are attached to civilian airports. Many crews came to Terre Haute on 9/11 to get weapons to be scrambled somewhere else.

Colbert explained if there was a hijacked plane they would shoot it down, but it wasn't clear where the command would come from, or if the decision would be left up to the pilots. He says all these years later, luckily that wasn't a lesson they had to learn.

He said training and experience hopefully would've led them to make the best decision at the time. Colbert also said the preparedness of the Air National Guard is a testament to the depth of their training at the base, which is something Hauser also explained.

LINK | 20 years later: Paramedic reflects on working in NYC on 9/11

"It was all instinctive. With our maintenance, our pilots, everything. Not one person ever questioned anything we've ever done. So, that day, every single person stood up and goes 'what do you need," explained Hauser. "We've never talked to a 22-year-old kid about 'Hey, can you go ram an airliner or shoot one down?"

Colbert teaches aviation at Indiana State University. Hauser is now the Executive Director of the Terre Haute Regional Airport.
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WTHI) - Fire officials visited Eastern Illinois University on Wednesday to share information that could help students.

They said since January 2000, at least 175 people have died in college-related fires in the United States. Seven of those deaths were in Illinois.

Here's what fire officials say to keep in mind when choosing a place to live:
PARKE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Indiana Department of Health sent a Strike Force to Parke County to help combat the rising Covid-19 cases.

The Strike Force is offering free testing and free vaccinations at the Parke County Fairgrounds from 12 P.M. - 8 P.M. September 7th and 8th. This mobile clinic is available to anyone regardless of where you live.

There is no appointment needed and the Strike Force can help up to 300 people a day. This Strike Force will allow Parke County EMS to focus on helping emergencies.

"The drive-through testing and vaccination goes through the side of the ambulance service building. So when my staff isn't out on calls, they help as much as they can," said Julie Lanzone, The Parke County Ambulance Service Director.
WABASH VALLEY, Ind. (WTHI) - Three Wabash Valley counties in Indiana were placed in the red status on the state's COVID-19 map.

The Indiana State Department of Health released updated maps on Wednesday. Sullivan, Clay, and Parke Counties were moved to red or the most severe status in the state.

Parke County had a seven-day positivity rate of 20.57 percent.

Clay County had a seven-day positivity rate of 16.76 percent.

Sullivan County had a seven-day positivity rate of 22.71 percent.

Hospital ICU and Ventilator Usage

When it comes to hospital ICU bed usage, the best data News 10 can get is from the state website, which lists most Wabash Valley Counties together as being in District 7

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security says District 7 includes Vermillion, Parke, Vigo, Putnam, Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Greene Counties.

Here's a breakdown of hospital numbers as of Wednesday, September 8:

ICU Beds in use for non-COVID-19 patients - 33.3 percent

ICU Beds in use for COVID-19 patients - 30.2 percent

ICU Beds available - 36.5 percent

Ventilator Usage in District 7 (District 7 has a total of 79 ventilators available)

Ventilator Usage for non-COVID-19 patients - 13.9 percent

Ventilator Usage for COVID-19 patients - 20.3 percent

Ventilator Usage available - 65.8 percent

Statewide hospital usage

State breakdown of different variant cases

Vigo County COVID-10 cases by age and race
BOSTON (AP)  The wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy says assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison.

The statement from 93-year-old Ethel Kennedy further roils a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.



Sirhan Sirhan, the killer of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Photo Date: 2/9/16. Credit: California Department of Corrections. Sirhan Sirhan, the killer of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Photo Date: 2/9/16. Credit: California Department of Corrections.

Robert F. Kennedy, Photo Date: 1/28/64. Credit: Yoichi R. Okamoto / LBJ Library. Robert F. Kennedy, Photo Date: 1/28/64. Credit: Yoichi R. Okamoto / LBJ Library. License Link

In a brief statement released on Twitter, Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday of Sirhan: He should not be paroled.

Former Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFKs oldest son, has also denounced the possible parole of the 77-year-old Sirhan.

But two other RFK offspring say they support his release.

The California Parole Board found last month that Sirhan no longer poses a threat to society.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - The Board of Aldermen voted 5-2 in favor of the resolution to strongly recommend that city employees get vaccinated against covid.

The Board of Aldermen held a meeting Tuesday night.

Dozens of protesters sat outside Starkville City Hall to argue against a proposal to make vaccinations strongly recommended for city employees. Photo taken: September 7th, 2021.

Peaceful protesters held signs outside Starkville City Hall to fight against city's proposal to make vaccinations strongly recommended for city workers. Photo taken: September 7th, 2021. Peaceful protesters held signs outside Starkville City Hall to fight against city's proposal to make vaccinations strongly recommended for city workers. Photo taken: September 7th, 2021. Dozens of protesters sat outside Starkville City Hall to argue against a proposal to make vaccinations strongly recommended for city employees. Photo taken: September 7th, 2021.

The Board voted 5-2 in favor of the resolution.

Here's what the resolution includes:

Vaccines are strongly recommended for city workers, but not required.

There will be potential consequences for those city workers who choose not to get the covid vaccine.

If employees arent vaccinated, they must wear masks in all city buildings.

Employees who work outside must wear masks if they are in crowded areas and can't social distance.

Fully vaccinated employees will get paid sick time if they get the coronavirus or need to quarantine.

City workers will also get an additional eight hours if they feel sick after getting vaccinated.

Unvaccinated employees will have to use their regular sick leave if they get the virus or need to quarantine.

WTVA reporter Rhea Thornton spoke with Mayor Lynn Spruill prior to the meeting about the vaccine's importance. She also spoke with protesters as they waited anxiously for the vote of the board.

Hear both perspectives in the videos attached.

Edit: Consequences added at 9:44 a.m. on Sept. 8, 2021.

Correction: The correct vote was 5-2, not 7-2 as previously reported.
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Some leaders in Tupelo want to get more people to move to the city, as well as keep the people that are already here. Several department heads will form a task force. The group will work towards finding out what appeals most to people and how to bring that to the city.

Mississippi is one of three states that lost population on the 2020 census. Conventions and Visitors Bureau Executive Director, Neal McCoy, said that's a big reason city leaders decided to start the group.

While leaders can't address every issue in the state, McCoy said they do plan to improve the quality of life for folks in town.

What weve identified is that we really have to work on increasing the attractability of Tupelo, for not only residents but visitors also," said McCoy.

McCoy and heads from at least four other city departments hope to get more people in Tupelo over the next 10 years.

Communications Director Lucia Randle will be one of the group members.

We're excited about the possibilities of pulling everyone together and pulling our resources to provide better events and fun things to do in Tupelo," said Randle.

The task force group will not include any residents, but the group will work with citizens often to hear their opinions.

City leaders hope the new initiative will make a difference for potential residents, visitors, and current residents like Curbow.

I feel like that would be a wonderful benefit. We need to combine everybodys thought process on this to get something in place as quick as possible," said Curbow.

The group will meet for the first time later this week. They will map out goals and later present them to the mayor and city council.
Morgantown, WV (26505)

Today

Rain. Thunderstorms possible...mainly in the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Fairmont, WV (26554)

Today

Light rain this morning with thunderstorms by evening. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Charleston, WV (25311)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High 78F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared Tuesday on Anderson Cooper 360, where the New York Democratt responded to comments made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed one of the nations strictest abortion bills into law earlier in the day, making abortion illegal after roughly six weeks. At the signing, Abbott was asked about the fact that the bill makes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

Why force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term? Abbott was asked. It doesn't require that at all because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. So for one, it doesn't provide that, Abbott answered. That said, however, let's make something very clear. Rape is a crime and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them, and getting them off the streets. So goal number one in the state of Texas is to eliminate rape so that no woman, no person, will be a victim of rape.

Those comments did not sit well with Ocasio-Cortez, who made her feelings very clear to Cooper. Well, I find Gov. Abbotts comments disgusting, and I think theres two-fold. One, I dont know if hes familiar with a menstruating persons body. In fact, I do know that hes not familiar with a woman  with a female or menstruating persons body, Ocasio-Cortez said, later adding, Im sorry we have to break it down  you know, break down biology 101 on national television, but in case no one has informed him before in his life, six weeks pregnant means two weeks late for your period.

He speaks from a place of such deep ignorance, and it's not just ignorance, it's ignorance that is hurting people across the country.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Ocasio-Cortez went on to list a number of reasons a woman could be two weeks late with her period. As for Abbotts claim that hed rid the streets of Texas of all rapists, shes not buying it.

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The majority of people who are raped, and who are sexually assaulted, are assaulted by someone that they know. These arent just predators that are walking around the streets at night. They are peoples uncles, they are teachers, they are family friends, Ocasio-Cortez said. And when something like that happens, it takes a very long time, first of all, for any victim to come forward. And second of all, when a victim comes forward, they don't necessarily want to bring their case into the carceral system. They don't want to re-traumatize themselves when they go to court.

Ocasio-Cortez finished with some harsh words for Abbott.

He speaks from a place of such deep ignorance, Ocasio-Cortez said, and its not just ignorance, its ignorance that is hurting people across this country.

Anderson Cooper 360 airs weeknights at 8 p.m. on CNN.

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Though NBA training camps for the 2021-22 season wont begin until late September, the Rockets are getting a head start as a team with a few days of pre-camp workouts in The Bahamas. Various social media updates from Houstons players confirmed their mid-week arrival.

Its an annual tradition of sorts for the Rockets, dating back to the James Harden era. But even with Harden no longer part of the team, it appears that the initiative will continue into the Jalen Green era.

Veteran forward Danuel House Jr., who is one of only two remaining players (along with Eric Gordon) from the Harden-era playoff teams, recently explained the rationale to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.

Its a fun time. Guys are getting together. Its that time of year again. Its real important off the court. It just gives us time to bond with one another, other than basketball. Once you build a relationship off the court, on the court, teamwork makes the dream work. It teaches us how to respond to one another. It teaches teamwork, chemistry, everything.

Weve got a lot of really young guys, and a couple new faces, said second-year Rockets forward JaeSean Tate. Like House said, this is a time for us to come together and bond.

Its very important for teams to have that bond off the court, Tate concluded. I think the best teams, the closest teams, are the ones that are most successful. Its just getting acclimated with one another, and seeing where each others strengths are, and how we can improve.

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The Bahamas trip prior to training camp also occurred in 2017, 2018 and 2019, but it was scrapped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

See below for social media updates from Houston players.

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Rockets to continue offseason tradition of Bahamas workouts Rockets ranked as having NBA's best offseason in 2021

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Vice President Kamala Harris warned of a national impact if Gavin Newsom is recalled as the states governor next Tuesday, even framing the race within the larger context of the battle for voting rights and abortion rights.

Whats happening in Texas, whats happening in Georgia, whats happening around our country with these policies that are about attacking womens rights, reproductive rights, voting rights, workers rights, she said at a rally in San Leandro, CA. They think if they can win in California they can do this anywhere. Well, we will show them you are not going to get this done. Not here, ever.

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Harris flew from Washington to her home state for what was just a short visit to campaign with Newsom, who is enlisting a number of political stars to help him counter the efforts to oust him. Newsoms campaign plans to debut an ad on Wednesday featuring Barack Obama, while President Joe Biden is expected to campaign for him on Monday, the day before the election.

Rather than swing for undecided voters, Newsoms campaign has put an emphasis on boosting turnout, often by warning of the impact that one of his potential Republican replacements, Larry Elder, would have in a heavily blue state.

Harris speech was just around 10 minutes, but the Newsom campaign is counting on heavy media coverage as another reminder for Californians to turn in their ballots, which were mailed to all registered voters because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Harris said that Newsom has become a target because of his support for workers rights and labor unions.

They wouldnt be trying to recall him but for the fact that he has always stood for reproductive rights, she said. Newsom and his campaign have highlighted Texas new abortion law in their warnings of ousting him, even though, if Elder were to win the governorship, he would face Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. Larry Elders campaign has said that he does not intend to change Californias law, but an anti-abortion activist tweeted last week that he had made pledges on issues such as rolling back funding and appointing judges.

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Harris referred to a news clip that has drawn attention  that of Texas Governor Greg Abbott  and said that what he said just arrogantly dismissed concerns about rape survivors.

Abbott was asked about Texas abortion law and why it didnt make exceptions for cases of rape and incest. Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets, Abbott said.

To speak those words that were empty words, that were false words, that were fueled not only of arrogance but that were vile, that is not who we want in our leaders, Harris said.

More to come

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Violence  or, rather, the threat of violence  haunts every frame of Joao Paulo Miranda Marias debut feature film, Memory House. Set in an Austrian settlement in Southern Brazil, this discomfiting drama tells the story of a man so alienated by the world around him that the stench of death at work and the menacing environment outside it have hollowed him out. That is until his titular dwelling kicks off a transformation that turns Miranda Marias character study into a folk-infused fable for a country in crisis.

Cristovam (played by Antonio Pitanga, an iconic figure of Brazils Cinema Novo) spends his days listlessly working at a dairy factory. Displaced by the very company that now employs him, hes resettled from the North and finds little in common with either his German-speaking employers or his fellow workers. At 81 years old, Pitanga is a towering presence on screen, bringing with him not just a wealth of cultural signifiers (he starred in Glauber Rochas very first film, Barravento) but his laconic demeanor conjures up hidden depths that are slowly peeled back. Etched across his face are the features of a Black man weathered by a system that only sees him as a cog in a machine, a number on a ledger. His eyes barely register any emotion when his boss threatens his pension; his shoulders stoop as he undresses, his co-workers as indifferent to his presence in the locker room as at the cafeteria. His only safe space is his home, a remote house that, over the course of the film, reveals itself to be more than meets the eye. Cristovam begins the film as a sleepwalker all too resigned to slumber, but the thrill of Memory House is seeing him be slowly jolted awake.

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Heres where the films original Portuguese title feels all the more apt. Unlike Memory House, which makes Cristovam sound like hes trapped in a gothic short story, La casa de antiguidades (literally antiquities house) situates his abode as a place where objects and their attendant histories have been discarded. Yet theres also a sense of curation that comes through in that original title; not everything thats old can be restored; not all thats been forgotten can be reclaimed.

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As Cristovam finds himself digging through newfound objects that appear out of nowhere at his place, he plunges deeper into his (and his own countrys) past. Where the world of the Kainz dairy company is awash in antiseptic whites and silvers  the factory looks like a futuristic vision straight out of the 70s  Cristovams house soon pushes him into earthier territory, eventually letting him take on, quite literally, the role of a boiadeiro (or Brazilian cowboy), with a bull-shaped folk mask to match.

As incongruous as this image appears, Miranda Maria treats Cristovams carnivalesque turn with requisite reverence  with menace, even. For this folk figure ends up serving as a metaphorical rebuke to the pristine, and authoritarian, order Kainz wants to maintain: Cristovam may look merely unamused at the required meetings where his bosses sketch out their plan to secede from the rest of Brazil and thus leave its more backward regions behind, their populist rhetoric blending seamlessly with disturbingly conservative views, but as hes forced to confront his discomfort with the life hes been living, its clear theres a bubbling anger that stretches back decades.

Whats most remarkable about Memory House is not just its boldness but its beauty. Despite trafficking in urgent social and economic concerns, the film has a visceral sensibility that finds both poetry and politics in the simplest of images. Its not just Cristovams bull mask (which conjures so much culture and history in its iconicity). Its a shot of a cow bleeding out after being slaughtered, reflected over Cristovams protective gear at the factory. Its a shot of a woman seen from behind, standing tall at the local bars billiard table, her wide stance establishing her as an intimidating presence whos nevertheless the object of everyones lustful gaze. Its the shot of a pale young boy aiming his rifle at the camera, his t-shirt showing his allegiance for a separatist state, who looks at us with disdain and curiosity  and perhaps even fear.

These are frames packed with complex ideas  about capitalisms treatment of its workers as disposable cattle, about womens agency in sexist environments where their every gesture is policed, about racial disparities etched across class and geography that are perpetuated with violence  but they pack a punch because of their simplicity. Lensed by frequent Sebastian Lelio collaborator, Benjamin Echazarreta (A Fantastic Woman, Gloria), Memory House crackles with images and long simmering sequences (many of them wordless, bolstered by Nicolas Beckers ominous score) that drive home its message without ever needing to spell it out.

With its supernatural flourishes and its unsparing take on a Brazil that looks both dystopian and nostalgic in equal measure, Miranda Marias debut feature is an impressive calling card. Memory House is, above all, a fable about identities lost and cultural artifacts in need of recovery that doubles as a thrilling and foreboding ride designed to rattle audiences at home and abroad with equal verve.

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This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.

Few destinations dazzle quite like the Cyclades, which is perhaps why the top eight hotels on this year's list of the 10 best resorts in Greece are on Mykonos and Santorini. Surrounded by the sparkling Aegean Sea, boasting pristine white houses and blue-domed churches, both islands promise revelatory sunsets, endless opportunities for hiking and boating, towns filled with winding, bougainvillea-adorned alleyways, and phenomenal restaurants.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe  to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

Exterior view of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection

Tryfon N. Georgopoulos/Courtesy of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection

The No. 3 hotel, Katikies Mykonos, is the only Mykonian winner this year. Located in Agios Ioannis, looking out toward the sacred island of Delos, the 35-suite hotel is a romantic departure from the island's party scene, while still putting guests a short drive from Mykonos Town.

Andronis  a hotel group with six properties on Santorini  stood strong in the rankings, with Andronis Arcadia at No. 6, Andronis Luxury Suites at No. 7, and Andronis Boutique Hotel at No. 8. The cliffside Andronis Luxury Suites, which one reader said was "luxury at its finest," is as embedded in the iconic Oia landscape as you can be. Its service perfectly embodies Greek hospitality, with another respondent raving that they received the "best hotel service I've ever had anywhere in the world" during their stay.

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The two non-Cycladic winners, Amanzoe (No. 9) and Blue Palace Elounda (No. 10), offer two very different lenses into Greek life. Blue Palace celebrates Cretan opulence ("unparalleled," remarked one reader), in the ritzy waterfront village of Elounda. The 143-acre hotel grounds are home to the chic Isola Beach Club and one of the longest beaches on the island. Amanzoe, on the other hand, is our lone winner on the mainland. One spellbound reader said they'd "never been so mesmerized by a hotel." The Peloponnesian gem fuses inland culture (think: sought-after Greek wineries and UNESCO-protected historic sites) with bliss in the form of Amanzoe's beach club and ocean view villas.

For their No. 1 choice, though, our readers bring us back to Santorini and Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, home of the largest swimming pool along the caldera. Read on to see why readers loved the property so much that it rose from No. 5 in 2020 to earn this year's top spot among the best resorts in Greece.

1. Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini

Aerial view of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection

Courtesy of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection

For T+L readers, this hotel is, with its 99.18 rating, a near perfect resort. The property sits atop Imerovigli, a short walk from the iconic Skaros Rock, offering some of the best sunsets on Santorini (which, it should be said, is widely regarded as the Sunset Capital of the World). With a sprawling, caldera-facing infinity pool, Grace Hotel is "perfection," said a reader who got engaged there in 2018. Another respondent described their stay at Grace Hotel as "the best holiday we have ever had," saying "the hotel is spectacular and the service was excellent." Guests can hike along the caldera to get to Oia, and walk into Fira (the island's capital) from the hotel's central location  and our readers found the town of Imerovigli to be a welcome respite from the island's more crowded spots. A third reader touted not only the "spectacular view" and "impeccable service," but also the hotel bar, a.k.a. the 363 Champagne Lounge, which sits 363 meters (or almost 1,200 feet) above sea level and has a sunset view guaranteed to inspire serious Instagram envy.

Score: 99.18

More information: aubergeresorts.com

2. Canaves Oia Epitome, Santorini

View out from Canaves Oia Epitome

Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Canaves Oia Epitome

Score: 98.44

More information: canaves.com

3. Katikies Mykonos

Interior of a room at Katikies Mykonos

Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Katikies Mykonos

Score: 97.87

More information: katikies.com

4. Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel, Santorini

Canaves Oia Hotel - Grand Suite

Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Canaves Oia

Score: 96.69

More information: canaves.com

5. Katikies Santorini

Katikies Luxury Hotel Santorini Rooms Suites

Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Katikies Santorini

Score: 95.52

More information: katikies.com

6. Andronis Arcadia, Santorini

Eden Villa View at Andronis Arcadia

Tryfon Georgopoulos/Courtesy of Andronis Arcadia

Score: 94.86

More information: andronis.com

7. Andronis Luxury Suites, Santorini

Pool view form Andronis Luxury Suites

Tryfon Georgopoulos/Courtesy of Andronis Luxury Suites

Score: 94.77

More information: andronis.com

8. Andronis Boutique Hotel, Santorini

A pool at Andronis Boutique Hotel

Tryfon Georgopoulos/Courtesy of Andronis Boutique Hotel

Score: 94.61

More information: andronis.com

9. Amanzoe, Porto Heli

Amanzoe, Greece - Dining, Bar, Reflecting pool

Daniel Herendi/Courtesy of Amanresorts

Score: 93.88

More information: aman.com

10. Blue Palace Elounda, a Luxury Collection Resort, Crete

Island Luxury Suite Sea View Private Heated Pool at Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete

Courtesy of Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete

Score: 93.56

More information: marriott.com

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2021.
Activists dont want attention straying from fashions human rights infringements  especially not on the global stage that is New York Fashion Week.

On Thursday morning, organizers from industry groups and corporate watchdogs like SumOfUs, Freedom United and Campaign for Uyghurs will stage a protest outside show venue Spring Studios. Along with speeches from human rights activists, the rally will feature a standing demonstration with models dressed in all-black wearing oversize clothing labels around their necks to draw attention to Uyghur forced labor within fashion.

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Since March 2020, consumers and corporations have been even more aware of the labor behind their labels. With researchers piling up evidence of hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs (the Muslim Turkic ethnic group predominantly living in Xinjiang) performing forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China, everything from cotton and clothing to tomato products has been under sharp scrutiny.

Amid the U.S. tightened sanctions on such products, brands including Nike, Zara, Uniqlo and Hugo Boss have been called out for ties with forced labor or tainted cotton in their supply chains. The protest aims to spotlight the brands in question and fashion labor issues more broadly.

For many of us, fashion represents freedom  to create and be ourselves. But we have to confront the reality that our industry is heavily complicit in forced labor of the Uyghur people in China, commented Sara Ziff, founding director of the Model Alliance, a group in solidarity with organizers. What is happening in China to the Uyghur people is a crime against humanity, and its on us as faces of the industry to refuse to be a part of it.

In addition to the protest, Uyghur advocates and fashion models will be putting together a digital runway show featuring clothes from the Uyghur Collective, a cultural project dedicated to uplifting Uyghur culture.

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Watch: Drone footage shows Arctic glaciers melting

A cruise to Svalbard, the Arctic archipelago, is a long-held dream for many. Visitors hope to see polar bears, reindeer, whales, narwhals and glaciers as they journey through the fjords towards the land of ice and snow.

Now, however, Norway has placed limits on the crowd's tourist activities, with a ban on cruise liners offering rides on helicopters or submarines. Aware that the environment is increasingly coming under threat from climate change and visitor numbers, the Norwegian government recently published proposals limiting visitors in protected areas to 200 per ship, and has reduced the number of spots where they can leave to the ship to 42.

Alongside the strictures, there's also a rule that nobody must wander with 500 metres of a polar bear to avoid disturbing them, and in several regions, drones have been banned, and motor vehicles have been banned from sea ice during the summer months to avoid disrupting seals, polar bears and bird colonies.

A cruise ship heads through Spitzbergen. (Photo by Peter Bischoff/Getty Images)

One liner operator, Scenic Eclipse, has already had its proposals turned down for a submarine offering guests the chance to tour the underwater landscape, at depths of up to 300m.

Norway's Environment Agency has revealed that tourist visits to the region leapt from 29,600 in 1996 to 124,000 in 2019, and a fresh surge is expected post lockdown.

But with only 2,900 permanent residents, they argue, Svalbard cannot sustain the influx of people.

Read more: 'We live in a bubble': What life has been like on the European island with zero COVID cases

Rapid climate change has made the nature in Svalbard more vulnerable. Meanwhile, tourism and traffic has increased significantly. This has left its mark on several places in Svalbard, said a spokesperson.

It has recently been reported, too, that as global warming melts Arctic ice floes, polar bears are struggling to reach each other to mate, and researchers have noted an 'alarming' drop in genetic diversity, as the bears are resorting to inbreeding as a result.

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A polar bear stands on fjord ice at Sabinebukta Bay and scans the horizon. (Getty Images)

The Norwegian Polar Institute in Troms has been studying the polar bears' patterns over Svalbards islands in the Barents Sea since 1995, but over the last few years has noted a dramatic change in both movement and mating habits.

Read more: Svalbard glaciers lost their protective buffer in the mid-1980s and have been melting ever since

Around 60 per cent of the Svalbard region is glaciers, with mountains and fjords making up the rest of the archipelago's geography. There are seven national parks and 23 nature reserves covering two thirds of the area, to protect the delicate environment.

But 2016 was the warmest year on record, with a mean temperature 7.5C above the average over the decades 1961-90, while rainfall was measured regularly on days when snowfall would normally have been expected.

In July 2020, a new record temperature of 21.7 C was measured.

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, one of the most northernmost cities in the world (Getty Images)

Tourist rides over the ice floes will no longer be permitted. (Getty Images)

When the ice melts, it creates more open water. Its darker surface absorbs sunlight instead of reflecting, which heats it up and melts more ice more quickly, increasing the problem.

The new proposals may seem a drop in the ocean under the circumstances - but at this stage, limiting visitors and their activities may be the only feasible way to help protect Svalbard's fragile environments, and threatened animals.

Watch: Rare footage of Arctic narwhals
Photo credit: FX/ Getty

In 2019, it was announced that the third season of the Emmy-winning Ryan Murphy series American Crime Story would be back, focusing on the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky affair that dominated headlines in the 1990s.

Based on Jeffrey Toobin's 2000 book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, the series explores the true story of President Clinton and intern Lewinsky. The best part? Lewinsky herself serves as an executive producer on the series, which represents a long-overdue chance for her to tell her own story.

After the teaser trailer for Impeachment: American Crime Story dropped last month, we've been patiently waiting for the show to hit screens and now, the wait is over. It's now airing in the US, meaning hopefully a UK date isn't too far behind.

Until then, there's plenty to pore over in regards to the show, with preview clips and official images now online. These shots include the stellar cast - including Beanie Feldstein, Clive Owen and Sarah Paulson - in character. Keen to see how they compare to the real life counterparts they're playing in the show? Read on...

Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky



Photo credit: FX/ Getty

Known for her starring roles in Lady Bird and Booksmart, Beanie takes on the portrayal of White House intern Monica, who became a household name after her affair with President Bill Clinton went public.

Clive Owen as Bill Clinton

Photo credit: FX/ Getty

Playing the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, as his affair is made known to the world, is Hollywood leading man, Clive Owen.

Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp

Photo credit: FX/ Getty

Sarah Paulson has played prominent roles in most seasons of American Horror Story, also by Ryan Murphy, and now she takes on Linda Tripp, a civil servant and whistleblower responsible for the recorded Lewinsky voice conversations that publicly revealed the affair.

Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones

Photo credit: FX/ Getty

Annaleigh Ashford plays Paula Jones, another civil servant, who famously sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment over an incident that had allegedly taken place in 1991, when he was the governor of Arkansas. Clinton settled the lawsuit in 1998, agreeing to pay Jones $850,000 in exchange for her dropping the charges.

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Edie Falco as Hillary Clinton

Photo credit: Getty

The Sopranos star Edie Falco portrays Bill's wife, then-First Lady and fellow public figure, Hillary Clinton.

Judith Light as Susan Carpenter-McMillan

Photo credit: Getty

Fans of Ugly Betty and The Politician will recognise Judith Light, who takes on the part of Susan Carpenter-McMillan, a senior advisor to Paula Jones during her time in the public eye.

Margo Martindale as Lucianne Goldberg

Photo credit: Getty

Goldberg is a literary agent who advised Linda Tripp to record Monica Lewinskys private phone calls about her relationship with Clinton. In the series, she's played by The Good Wife star Margo Martindale.

Billy Eichner as Matt Drudge

Photo credit: Getty





Comedy favourite Billy Eichner plays political commentator Matt Drudge, who made it his mission to publish news about the Clinton and Lewinsky scandal.

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Hes already got one of the most enviable real estate collections in all of Hollywood, but Leonardo Dicaprio is still building his portfolio. This time, his attention is on Malibu, where records reveal the perennial A-lister has plunked down $13.8 million for an oceanfront retreat squirreled away in the citys far westward reaches, well out of sight from prying eyes and away from the traffic-thronged downtown area. The off-market deal closed last month.

Back in the day, DiCaprio actually owned three Malibu houses, all of them oceanfront. But he unloaded one of them, a bluftop contemporary, in 2009 for $7.4 million. Another house  a substantially larger affair just outside the Malibu Colony gated community  was sold off in 2013 for $17.4 million to its current owners, New York-based hedge fund mogul Christian Leone and his husband, interior designer Malcolm Kutner. Located on Carbon Beach, the smallish third home remains owned by DiCaprio but has just popped up for sale with an even-steven $10 million asking price, so it too may soon be Leo real estate history.

In 2017, DiCaprio paid $23 million for an all-but-vacant lot atop Malibus pristine Paradise Cove, though it doesnt appear hes done much to develop the property since then. Presumably hell someday complete construction of a lavish, eco-conscious retreat on that land.

For now, however, his $13.8 million crash pad will have to do. Since the house was never publicly offered for sale, photos and insider details are sadly nil. But tax records do show that the two-story structure was built in 2005 and has four bedrooms and five bathrooms in about 3,200 square feet of traditional-style living space. It was sold to DiCaprio by prominent orthopaedic surgeon Rick Delamarter.

Sited atop a relatively secluded and sparsely-used sandy beach, the house is tucked away in Blue Whale Estates, a little-known gated community of only five homes, all of them with direct access to the ocean. Astute real estate watchers will recall that Leo is not the only celebrity resident of Blue Whale Estates  a few years ago, Neil Diamond bought a house in the enclave thats right across the street from the DiCaprio estate. And right next door to the Oscar-winners new place is a strikingly triangular, all-glass house that was designed by starchitect Ed Niles and has long been owned by Elizabeth Kolawa, the prominent CEO of software/tech company Parasoft.

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Aside from his new $13.8 million digs (below) and the $23 million vacant lot, DiCaprios other properties include two multimillion-dollar homes in Los Feliz, a stunningly preserved midcentury modern Palm Springs mansion, several luxury condos in New York City and a private island off the coast of Belize. His main residence, however, remains a three-house, four-parcel compound in L.A.s Bird Streets neighborhood, with jetliner views of the entire city skyline to the Pacific Ocean.

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I-D editor in chief Alastair McKimm has come full circle.

When I moved to New York, that was the holy grail to work on that billboard and it happened for me in 2019, says McKimm of styling the gigantic Calvin Klein billboard that towers over Houston Street in New York City and happens to be just a stones throw away from the SoHo loft he shares with his photographer wife and two children.

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The softly spoken editor and stylist, who has not lost his Northern Irish lilt despite 15 years in New York, originally planned a career in photography but made a last-minute decision to switch his studies to fashion after watching documentary on John Galliano the night before applying to college.

I just thought it was so far from my world and it was kind of like this fantasy world and it just seemed so inspiring and so creative, adds McKimm, dressed head to toe in his signature all-black, mostly Supreme, outfit and sipping coffee at a long wooden dining table in his chic kitchen above his studio.

After graduating, he knocked on the doors of i-D and ended up working with Edward Enninful, now editor in chief of British Vogue, for several years, eventually becoming fashion director until leaving the publication in 2019. That departure proved to be brief, though, as a few months later owner Vice Media approached him to become editor in chief, taking the helm from Holly Shackleton, who left to join Conde Nast International.

In addition to close to 20 years years at i-D, McKimm has also worked closely as a stylist with the likes of Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Tiffany & Co. and Supreme, making his name across streetwear, sportswear, and high fashion. Most recently, Marc Jacobs came calling for his fall 2021 runway collection.

His studio is down on Spring Street so were neighbors. I would just go down there and hang out and see where I can help him. I think he just likes to have people around him that he can bounce ideas off and spar with and get inspired by, says McKimm.

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As for his main day job at i-D, since becoming editor in chief two years ago McKimm has been striving to make the London-born publication more global and build its American audience. Part of that strategy is to put American celebrities on the cover and the latest is Billie Eilish, who McKimm first met on a Calvin Klein shoot when she was just 15 years old. Recently, McKimm flew to Los Angeles to style the cover, shot by British photographer Glen Luchford on a speedway track, with a backdrop of a burning car.

Here, he talks to WWD about his career so far.

WWD: What were your main style influences growing up in Northern Ireland?

Alastair McKimm: My mum might have had the odd Elle or Cosmo, but I was never really interested in fashion. I was always interested in style and identity, which is very much what i-Ds about. I would wear huge clothes and we would all skate and hang out. Like any teenager, it was about which trainers youre going to get and what your friends have and all that stuff. I feel very fortunate that I was a teenager in the 90s just because of the style. Also, there was so much emerging then. Its amazing how even though I lived in Northern Ireland where we werent really part of these movements, I was really into punk and I was really into hip-hop kind of equally, which maybe seems a bit weird at this point to be in both things. Then I got into photography. Photography was really my route into fashion, which is interesting because Im still probably more inspired by photography than fashion to this day. I love image making.

WWD: How did you get into a career in fashion?

A.M.: I was going to go to art school and study photography and I watched this documentary about John Galliano literally the night before I was applying to colleges and art school and I just thought it was so far from my world and it was kind of like this fantasy world and it just seemed so inspiring and so creative. I ended up the next day applying to fashion school. As soon as I graduated I moved to London the next day and the day after that I went to i-D and I knocked on the door, which is a crazy story because you would just never do that today. I just got to know some people there and then I met Edward Enninful, who was the fashion director at the time and he hired me on the spot. I showed him my design work and I think he probably found it quite charming that I was there with my big portfolio of drawings and designs and photography.

WWD: Did you learn a lot from him?

A.M.: Oh, my god, it was like a baptism of fire. It was so crazy. Just this alternate universe of fashion and fashion people and really working at that top level. Obviously i-D was the central focus of his career at that point, but we were also shooting Italian Vogue and Japanese Vogue. Just getting to work on fashion shows and experience travel. I hadnt been on a plane until I was 21. I would always take the boat to Ireland from England. All of a sudden I was coming to New York and going to Paris, Milan and doing all these crazy work trips. He just changed my life, opened my whole world up. For him, I guess it was pretty normal at that time, but he was also pretty young. I was 20 when I started working with him, which was really young, but he was only like 27.

WWD: I guess he was a bit of an old hand by then because hed been a fashion editor since a teenager.

A.M.: Yeah, he was fashion editor when he was 18. It was amazing that he gave me that opportunity as a 20-year-old just out of school.

WWD: You eventually became fashion director of i-D, but left in 2019, only to rejoin as editor in chief a few months later. Why did you leave and was it a no-brainer to go back when you were offered the top job?

A.M.: Id been there in some capacity for my whole career and I had fashion directed for five years and I just felt at that point that I wanted to change things up and give someone else an opportunity to come in as fashion director. Carlos Nazario, whos my fashion director now, was someone I was really pushing to get that role because I think hes such a talent. I just sort of felt it was time for me to go freelance and have a bit more freedom. Then when I talked to [Vice] about being editor in chief I couldnt stop thinking about it. I-Ds just in my blood and I couldnt not do it. I feel very fortunate to get the opportunity because being a stylist and then a fashion director to become editor in chief is a bit of a leap. But because Ive been so immersed in the brand for so long I think people were saying its a very obvious choice, but also very surprising.

WWD: Youre based in New York but most of the editorial team is in London. Was that tricky at first and then did the pandemic make that almost easier because everyone started working remotely?

A.M.: We were really ahead of the curve because wed already been working remotely.

WWD: Youd already heard of Zoom!

A.M.: Exactly! Samuel, who does the casting, is based in Paris, Carlos is based everywhere, my design team at that point were in New York and the editorial team is in London. And we have the team in Paris. So we were already working like that anyway and since I started this role at i-D Ive always worked in my own office. Ive always just been on the phone.

WWD: So you never go to the Vice office?

A.M.: We just go there for meetings sometimes. Ive always just needed that flexibility to be able to work on my other projects. I think its worked out really well. Im sure for the team in London at the beginning it was quite daunting that I wasnt there, but also I think it gives them a lot more autonomy. Everybody feels a bit more empowered to do their job, which I think its really important. Its something that I try to promote. Not to stifle people. Everyones there for a reason. I think the first couple of years of doing this job I was super micro managing the whole thing, but now Im loosening up a little bit. Letting everybody do their part and its working really well and its kind of more exciting for me to see things that Im not across.

WWD: What would you say is the most important medium to you now?

A.M.: Im very excessive so I love it all. Obviously because of the pandemic things slowed down, but we started doing events, launches and merch and all these things that Im really excited about. Were creating merch around Septembers cover star. Its kind of a bit of a pyramid. We need the magazine. The most valuable real estate in publishing is the cover of a magazine. So if you take away the magazine you take away the most powerful asset. The magazine has to be strong.

WWD: Vice recently said its pivoting more to video in general. What does that mean for i-D?

A.M.: I think everything we do has to be 360. Billie Eilish is a perfect example of what we can do as a brand. We did the photo shoot with Ben Latchford, Ben also made a film, theres also a video of Stormzy interviewing Billie, we have BTS, were making merch, were doing ice cream trucks to sell the magazine. Its really exciting how everything can be part of one project and thats why I think video is really important for us, just as everything else is.

WWD: What are your global expansion plans?

A.M.: Weve been doing the United States of i-D project, which is really fun. I think obviously because Im based in New York I really wanted to push into the U.S. as soon as I took the role. A lot of the young skaters and musicians, etc., that I met in New York they didnt know much about i-D so I wanted to start educating the new generation about i-D and how important it was and the history. I always say if you want someone to like the magazine, put them in it, so I just started putting a lot of the great young kids from New York and L.A. in the magazine. I dont see us as a British magazine anymore. Maybe thats because I live in New York, but I just think its a global magazine.

Were in a really fortunate position because weve also become a bit of a leader in music, as well as a fashion magazine. A lot of the music magazines either dont exist anymore or theyre a very different sort of vibe and the photoshoots arent at the same level. Were actually taking musicians and really putting them on a pedestal with high fashion, high photography and really making strong images and style statements around celebrities. If you look at the stars weve been putting on the cover  Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish  its all big U.S. megastars.

WWD: Do you still style for other publications and big brands?

A.M.: Not for other publications. Just brands.

WWD: How do you balance all of that?

A.M.: I have no idea. I think its just that hyper activity of getting it all done in a day. Im really fast and completely addicted to my phone so literally Im working all the time. Doing multiple things at once. For me, i-D is 24-7. I-D is my foundation and everything else is on top of that.

WWD: You worked with Marc Jacobs recently. Tell me more about that.

A.M.: This is our first season and our first show together. Honestly it was the most incredible experience of my career. Having that design background that I have and working with making clothes it was really amazing to work with a designer at that level. Hes such a genius in the way that he would work. We would spend days looking at yarns and fabrics. We just really worked well together. Hes really collaborative. Its funny because I used to work with Saint Laurent for three years and whenever I took on i-D I stopped working with Saint Laurent because of time management basically and because it was in Europe and everything, it was impossible to do both. So I thought I would never work on fashion shows again. Then I met Marc a few months ago and he asked me to work with him on his collection.

WWD: Hes the only person youre working with now on shows, but what are some of the other campaigns youve worked on recently?

A.M.: Recently Ive been doing quite a bit for Calvin Klein. Also for Tiffany, and I work with Supreme. Those are the main clients. Im actually designing a kids collection for Zara at the moment. Thats going to be coming out in the fall. My son will be in the campaign. Hes almost 7. I think thats why I took on the project with Zara kids because of my son basically. Just wanting to make clothes for him. Its the first unisex collection that Zaras doing for kids.

WWD: How has the pandemic changed fashion for the long term?

A.M.: I think were going to have live shows and videos and virtual. I dont think the fashion show is going away. I think the couture shows in July really made that clear that people want to be at fashion shows. Its still undoubtedly the best way to look at collections. But even with Anthony [Vaccarello] of Saint Laurent, he did a live show in Venice but they made a film as well. So either youre at the live event and you see it there or you dont. Theres no video of the live event. They make a film of the collection, which goes out to the press and the public. Everybodys doing both, you know? Its the same as print and digital. One doesnt diminish the other. You just work with both, hand in hand.

For more, see:

Media People: Simone Oliver, Global Editor in Chief, Refinery29

Media People: David Haskell, Editor in Chief of New York Magazine

Media People: Robin Givhan of The Washington Post

Media People: Graydon Carter and Alessandra Stanley of Air Mail

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This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world.

With such a wealth of wildlife to see across Africa, it's easy to forget that the continent also has the kind of awe-inspiring natural grandeur that in any other place would be the main draw. The wide expanses of the Masai Mara, the shores of the Indian Ocean in South Africa, the ocher deserts of Namibia, the vertiginous drama of Victoria Falls  any one of these places would captivate the world even without the scores of fantastical creatures nearby. That's why the best resorts in Africa, which center on relaxing amid this stunning scenery, feel so special  they put the focus on slowing down and just being still, 6 a.m. game drive optional.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe  to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

The properties on this year's list of the best resort hotels in Africa, as voted by readers, have plenty of on-property amenities to keep you entertained, plus natural settings that ensure your chaise lounge will always have a great view. At No. 3 the Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara, you're right on the shores of the Zambezi River, and there's not a bad seat in the house: the balcony bistro tables, spa rooms, poolside loungers, hammock swings, and restaurant seating all face the waterway. And it's clear travelers take note of this prime location. "Views of the Zambezi and the roar of the falls are amazing," wrote one reader of the property. Another mentioned that it's the "best place for gin sundowners on the banks of the river." Voters also highlighted the resort's high-tea experience, as well as the team of staff butlers, who ensure no whim goes unindulged.

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A pool at Matetsi Victoria Falls

Courtesy of Matetsi Victoria Falls

No. 2 the Oyster Box offers a different kind of water view: the Indian Ocean, along South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal coastline near Durban. The resort's 86 rooms, suites, and villas are individually decorated, but share a certain throwback appeal. Details like plantation shutters, floral-brocade upholstery, and vintage botanical prints feel traditional, not trendy, and give the resort a sense of gravitas and refinement. But it's the service that shines, readers said. "We visit a few times every year and have never experienced anything less than the absolute best," wrote one reader. "We love this place, and their team is like family." Another called it "undoubtedly the most exquisite hotel and spa in South Africa." One thing is certain: it's impossible to feel an ounce of stress while reclining on one of the red-and-white-striped poolside loungers, looking out at the Umhlanga Lighthouse and the ocean beyond.

Read on for the scoop on our first-place winner and the full list of the best resort hotels in Africa.

1. Matetsi Victoria Falls, Matetsi Private Game Reserve, Zimbabwe

Interior of Matetsi Victoria Falls

Courtesy of Matetsi Victoria Falls

If fresh, breezy design and killer views are what you're after, look no further than our first-place winner, Matetsi Victoria Falls, which one T+L reader praised as "simply stunning in every way." The property's 18 suites and two villas sit on a nine-mile stretch of land overlooking the Zambezi River, just 25 miles from the splendor of Victoria Falls. The prime location, which one guest called simply "heaven on earth," is a gateway to all the activities of river and falls, including whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, ziplining, fishing, and canoeing. For those after a less high-octane experience, there's a full roster of spa treatments, from body wraps to mani-pedis, along with a library stocked with books and games for unwinding on site. The 136,000-acre Matetsi Private Game Reserve has plenty of wildlife should you want to go for a game drive, ATV excursion, or guided bush walk, but after sampling the elevated fare from the resort's team of Zimbabwean chefs, you may be tempted to spend your days poolside, recovering from your food coma. Even in the bush, the Matetsi team goes above and beyond. "Entering a clearing with a natural waterhole we were surprised by a beautiful setting, our lunch table set up under a tree," said one T+L reader. "Our food was delicious, the service superb. And this was the standard for the rest of our trip  Matetsi Magic!" For this year's voters, that stellar service made a major impression. "The most remarkable part of the experience at Matetsi was the warmth and professionalism of the team there," wrote one T+L reader. "The management team goes above and beyond in serving clients, and this ethos permeates throughout the hotel," another enthused. "Even the lady who gave me my COVID test for my flight was top-notch." These days, that's perhaps the ultimate indicator of flawless hospitality.

Score: 97.50

More information: matetsivictoriafalls.com

2. The Oyster Box, Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa

Presidential suite at The Oyster Box

Courtesy of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

Score: 96.85

More information: oysterboxhotel.com

3. The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara, Livingtone, Zambia

The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara Presidential Suite

Courtesy of The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara

Score: 91.20

More information: anantara.com

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2021.
Like many Americans, designer Jen Sidary knew very little about the Ukraine.

Its one of those countries we hear very little about and many people think its dangerous, she said of her previous ideas of the Eastern European country.

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But last year during the pandemic, one of Sidarys best friends, Dominique Piotet, invited her to Kyiv, where her journey with the country and its creatives began.

My friends and family thought I was crazy and were very worried for me to go, she said bluntly. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made and took my life on a brand new path.

At a dinner for Piotet, Sidary met Nataliya Mykolska, who the designer says has always been a huge advocate helping Ukrainian fashion brands. From there, she linked up with Ulyana Khromyak, and the duo introduced Sidary to a host of Ukrainian designers through their showrooms, factories and by attending industry events.

After spending three decades in the fashion industry and traveling abroad for half of that time I never knew the amount of talent sitting in this country, Sindary explained.  It was like a well-kept secret that needed to be introduced to the world.

From there, the group established a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization called Uyava and Sidary started consulting with Ukrainian brand, 91 Lab. With the help of 91 Lab, the group worked to create the Ukraine Fashion Alliance with a mission to promote global awareness of Ukrainian fashion. Sidary said it formed quickly, all in this very short five-month period.

Its inaugural event brings four brands Stateside to be showcased in SoHos Archetype showroom from Friday to Sept. 16, right in the middle of New York Fashion Week.

Elena Reva, part of the Ukraine Fashion Alliance. - Credit: Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

The mix of brands showcase a wide variety of aesthetics and include 91 Lab, a knitwear focused brand; Elena Reva, special occasion dressing; Foberini, embroidered pieces in boho shapes, and Kachorovska, a footwear and accessories brand.

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Its now my passion to help an underdeveloped country and their fashion industry export internationally, Sidary said. I feel, for the first time in my career, Im doing something to help the people of Ukraine create a better life, not only for the designers, but all of the thousands of people they employ.

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A firearm display rack found by law enforcement in Brian Downey's home. Justice Department

Brian Downey, deputy mayor of Airmont, New York, is facing criminal charges.

Authorities found Downey had unregistered guns and fake badges depicting himself as a federal agent.

Downey was arrested after law enforcement officials executed a search warrant last week.

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A deputy mayor of a city in New York state faces federal charges after authorities discovered unregistered firearms and bogus badges for federal agencies, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday.

Last week, Brian Downey, a Republican who serves as deputy mayor of Airmont, New York, was taken into custody for "purchasing a rifle suppression device over the internet," according to a statement from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities later executed a search warrant on his home and found at least 13 illegal suppressors and 16 unregistered assault weapons, including a short-barrel rifle and sawed-off shotgun.

The firearms were displayed on a rack in a room of Downey's house, which authorities dubbed the "Gun Room," according to the complaint. Alongside the illegal firearms, law enforcement officers also found a small locked box, to which Downey claimed he did not have the combination.

After forcing the box open, it contained "numerous federal badges and credentials" bearing Downey's name from various agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department's Bureau of Prisons, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"Also located within the lock box were Downey's United States passport book, United States passport card, and his New York state commercial driver's license," according to the complaint.

Federal credentials found in the lock box. Justice Department

It was not immediately clear what Downey intended to use the bogus federal badges and unregistered firearms for.

The investigation was a joint effort between US Homeland Security, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, and US postal inspectors, The Journal News reported.

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According to the complaint, Downey was charged with possession of unregistered firearms and possession of federal badges and identification cards following the search warrant. Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh announced Thursday that Downey also faces nearly a dozen state counts of criminal possession of a weapon in relation to the incident.

"Today's arrest of an individual who was entrusted by the public to serve his community is a sad day for our County," Walsh said in a statement last week.

"Our community is without a doubt safer today than it was yesterday," he continued.

Downey was elected as deputy mayor of Airmont in 2019. If convicted, he would be forced to leave office.

It was not immediately clear if Downey had an attorney representing him in the case.

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Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Christian Siriano

New York Fashion Week organizers often employ a key statistic to justify all the fuss: the biannual event brings 230,000 people to the city and raises $532 million in visitor spending per year. But as the concerns about the ongoing pandemic and Delta surge slash guest lists and gut seating arrangements, this number will surely decline.

Labels like Tom Ford, Jonathan Simkhai, LaQuan Smith, Rodarte, and Christian Cowan have all cited reduced capacity when declining fashionistas who wish to attend their shows. Smith, who will be the first designer to host a runway at the Empire State Building, told WWD that only 150 people have been invited compared to his typical 350 guests.



New York Fashion Week Is Back, Even if Its Having an Identity Crisis

Its even more important to be exclusive at this time, he told the trade. Obviously, from a safety perspective, but also because its time to minimize and scale back, zero in on whats important and eliminate the excess.

The New York Post reported that most shows will be between 150 and 200 attendeesinstead of the 500-plus audiences from the pastand most of the audience will be composed of industry professionals rather than friends of the designer and fans.

Lindsey Solomon runs an eponymous fashion and lifestyle communications firm and reps the labels Collina Strada and Sandy Liang. He told The Daily Beast that guest lists for both shows are about one third of what they were pre-pandemic, even with Collina Strada showing outdoors on the Brooklyn Grange rooftop.

I know everyone whos meant to be there, Solomon said. I think [the capacity limits] gives me the opportunity to say, Im sorry but who are you? And I dont mean that in a derogatory sense. If youre meant to be here, you get invited. You dont get to go to everything. Im also more firm in saying, youre going standing [room only].

In the past, Solomon says he has been more lenient with the guest list. I would throw a bone to a cute influencer or someone who just wants to go to Fashion Week, but [this time] Ive had to say Im sorry.

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Less than 24 hours before the Collina Strada show, which takes place Tuesday at 7pm, Solomon said hes received over 200 emails from people who said they forgot to RSVP.

Its too late, he said. I have to prioritize timeliness. If youre RSVPing to me at 12:45 for a 7 oclock show, to be frankevery request with the exception of one, Ive had to say, No, Im sorry. You had three weeks to RSVP.

Solomon added, Its a hard pill for certain people to swallow, [but] it creates more of an ambience. There are less tent rats and more people who need to be there.

Tyler McCall, editor-in-chief of Fashionista, agrees that the limited capacity will inevitably mark a return to more exclusive shows than have been the case over the past several years. But she added another unintended perk: I think it will help disguise that a lot of international press wont be at the shows due to COVID restrictions.

Im acutely aware that the pandemic is hardly over and that having a fashion show is definitely not high on the priority list of things that need to get back to normal, McCall added. I get the sense theres a lot of that awareness and trepidation from folks attending shows this season. It just all feels very Rome is burning.

McCall said she does feel slightly safer at smaller shows, since it limits the amount of people she could potentially be exposed to. Its not a perfect system for sure, but Id rather be at a show with 100 people than one with 500 crammed elbow to elbow in a small space.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Derek Brunson wants a rematch with Israel Adesanya so badly that hes willing to go into enemy territory.

Brunson (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) earned his fifth consecutive victory since a humiliating first-round TKO loss to Adesanya at UFC 230 in November 2018 when he overwhelmed, shut down and submitted Darren Till (18-4-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC) in this past Saturdays UFC Fight Night 191 main event in Las Vegas.

The turnaround has been strong for Brunson in the three years since he shared the octagon with Adesanya (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC), and hes made it clear all along the way that his goal is to get that rematch and redeem what he considers to be one of his worst performances. The fact that Adesanya became champion in the fallout of their fight just makes the possibility of a rematch sweeter.

Brunson wants to run it back so badly with Adesanya, in fact, that hes willing to go into enemy territory. It might be pipe dream in the COVID-19 world, but if the stars could somehow align, Brunson said his perfect world scenario would be to challenge Adesanya in New Zealand and take the title away in front of his people.

I was just thinking how bad I want that fight, how I know I can get the job done, Brunson told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. Shock everybody, surprise everybody. Im so good at going in somebodys backyard and just silencing the crowd. Im not an A-hole with it, but Im going to go enjoy the moment. Thats like the perfect scenario is fight Izzy in his backyard, avenge the loss, take the title for all the marbles. That would be lit.

Brunson said he has no real-world beefs with Adesanya. The champion has what Brunson wants to elevate his career, and only one man can hold that belt at a time, making them natural opposing forces.

In addition, Brunson wants to show that he can do better than the first time. Hes changed teams to Sanford MMA in Florida and has a better grip on who he is as a fighter and person at 37 years old, and he craves for the rematch to show how much hes grown.

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Its all purely competitive, Brunson said. I want to make him eat his words. I want to give him a nickname thats going to stick with him also. I think this could be one of the biggest fights in UFC middleweight history. I think the action is going to be there. Im going to be up for that fight. Ill put in a great training camp, the buildup will be great. I think it has a lot of potential.

I would definitely like to fight Izzy again. I just know that fight  it left a sour taste in my mouth. It wasnt a good representation of myself. Izzy has a lot of hype, a lot of momentum. So I would like to cool that.

If all things were equal, Brunson has done more than enough to earn a UFC title shot. Unfortunately when it comes to the reality, there are many complicating factors involved.

Related

Mick Maynard's Shoes: What's next for Derek Brunson after UFC Fight Night 191 win? Derek Brunson feels bad for Darren Till after UFC Fight Night 191, advises him to fix 'small things' Israel Adesanya responds to Derek Brunson's post UFC FN 191 call out: 'You still a bum...son'

This particularly scenario is tough for Brunson because of timing. Robert Whittaker is the true No. 1 contender at 185 pounds, and hes expected to have a rematch of his own with Adesanya in the first quarter of 2022. Because of that, Brunson is stuck between a rock and a hard place in that he could choose to sit on the sidelines and hopes a title shot comes to him within a reasonable timeframe, or he could stay active and further solidify his spot.

Brunson has already said a matchup with Jared Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) could be an option, but hes also discussing the possibility of being a back up fighter for Adesanya vs. Whittaker. Its too soon after his win over Till to know exactly how everything will play out, Brunson said, but right now hes not closing the door to anything.

Obviously I want the title shot and Im like, Hey, I can wait,' Brunson said. Ive got a lot of businesses and stuff going on that Im not hurting for money. I like to invest my money smartly. But at the same time I like to fight. I just know, Im really confident  and whos to say Adesanya will even win the rematch? Whittakers going to be able to make some adjustments and its going to be a closer fight. But Im just confident in my myself and what I can do and where Im headed. So I really want to get my hands back in there.

I talked to my management yesterday and I asked for the option to have me training just in case somebody gets injured, or somebody gets COVID. What I wont do is I wont throw myself in there properly prepared or training. I would like to be training for the fight and if somebody gets injured then Ill fill in. Then lets say it was a quick fight then two months after that we book my fight. Or somebody gets injured and it drags out, then maybe we book another fight a month after that and Ill already be in shape.

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Twitter reacts to Derek Brunson's dominant finish of Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 191

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Eight Brazilian players at Premier League clubs are set to be barred from playing this weekend over a refusal to release them for international duty.

The PA news agency understands that the Brazilian football federation (CBF) has written to FIFA asking that an automatic restriction be placed on the players from appearing for their clubs between September 10 and 14.

The players are Ederson and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, Liverpool trio Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino, Fred at Manchester United, Thiago Silva at Chelsea and Raphinha at Leeds. The CBF did not request a restriction be placed on Everton forward Richarlison, who was released by the club to play for his country at the Olympic Games this summer.

FIFA in turn has contacted the Football Association and the clubs concerned regarding the Brazilian federations request. The world governing body may impose sanctions if the players do feature for their clubs when classed as being ineligible.

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The Premier League announced prior to the September international window that players would not be released where that involved travelling to countries on the UK Governments coronavirus red list.

Anyone returning from a red-list country or who has been in a red-list country in the 10 days prior to entering the UK must quarantine in a Government-approved hotel for 10 days, which would mean players missing Premier League as well as Champions League and Carabao Cup games.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking for an exemption, but the request was not granted.

Aston Villa did reach an agreement with two of their players  Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia  to play in Argentinas first two World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Brazil, but miss the third against Bolivia.

Argentina players leave the field in Sao Paulo after health officials forced the suspension of their World Cup qualifier against Brazil (Andre Penner/AP)

Tottenham duo Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso are expected to be fined when they return to club duty, PA understands, after travelling without permission.

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All four Argentinians are at the centre of a separate row over allegations that they had declared false information on official forms to the Brazilian health authorities on entering that country and in doing so had broken quarantine rules.

Health authority officials entered the pitch during the Brazil v Argentina match in Sao Paulo on Sunday seeking to deport three of the players on the field at the time, forcing the match to be suspended. The situation was described as crazy by Infantino this week and FIFA has now opened a disciplinary investigation involving both countries national associations.

FIFA is understood to have also received requests from two other South American nations asking for restrictions to be imposed  from Paraguay in the case of Newcastle midfielder Miguel Almiron, and from Chile in relation to Francisco Sierralta of Watford and Ben Brereton-Diaz of Blackburn.

Miguel Almiron could miss Newcastles trip to Old Trafford (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The Mexican federation has requested Raul Jimenez be ineligible for Wolves between September 9 and 13.

It remains to be seen whether clubs will follow the restrictions this weekend, and, unless an agreement can be reached, then the whole situation looks set to flare up again ahead of the October international window.

In previous international windows since the pandemic began, clubs had been allowed to refuse to release players if they would be required to quarantine for five days either on arrival with their national team or on their return to their club.

The Premier League is understood to be continuing its dialogue with the relevant stakeholders around the issue of player release for international duty.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference to announce the opening of a monoclonal antibody treatment site for COVID-19 patients at Lakes Church in Lakeland, Florida on August 21, 2021. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday dismissed rumors about a 2024 presidential run.

"I hear all this stuff and honestly it's nonsense," he said during a press conference.

DeSantis has become a rising star in Republican politics over the past several months.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday threw cold water on talks about him running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

"All the speculation about me is purely manufactured," DeSantis said during a press conference to mark the opening of a new COVID-19 treatment center in Osceola County. "I just do my job. We work hard ... that's what it's really all about, just helping folks here."

"I hear all this stuff and honestly it's nonsense. So I don't really know what to say to rumors," he added.

The governor's outright dismissal of 2024 buzz comes amid Republicans eyeing him as a possible contender in the upcoming presidential election. Recent straw polls show Republican voters ranked DeSantis in second place for the 2024 GOP nomination, behind former President Donald Trump. In polls conducted without Trump on the ballot, DeSantis came in first.

Over the past several months, DeSantis has been thrust into the national spotlight for his Trumpian political style and ability to connect with the party's base. Republicans have praised him for his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns in Florida, his criticism of President Joe Biden, and his promotion of conservative ideologies in partisan culture wars, such as cracking down on social media companies and rejecting critical race theory.

With a prominent endorsement from Trump, DeSantis successfully ran for governor in Florida in 2018. Before that, he was a lawmaker representing Florida's 6th Congressional District since 2013.

DeSantis is among several rumored 2024 GOP candidates, including Trump ally South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Trump's former United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley.

Trump has also made clear that he's considering a possible third bid for the White House in 2024. Sources close to the former president recently told Vanity Fair that Trump is upset with DeSantis' rising popularity in the Republican party. Trump has previously suggested that if he chooses to run in 2024, he would consider DeSantis as his vice presidential pick.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Weston McKennie was suspended for two games and sent back to Italy early after breaching the U.S. mens national soccer team's COVID-19 bubble twice, according to reports.

McKennie spent a night outside the team hotel, ESPN.com reported. TUDNs Hablemos Soccer podcast said he also had an unauthorized visitor in his hotel room on another night. Its not clear when, or where, the violations occurred.

A lot of the questions is starting to get into information that's 'not need to know,  coach Gregg Berhalter said Tuesday. It's a team matter. This is stuff that happens within the team thats not appropriate to share to the outside world.

Asked specifically whether the ESPN report was accurate, Berhalter doubled down on his stance.

This is along the lines of information that's not 'need to know,  Berhalter said. This is a team environment. Any conversations will remain between the team and I, and the team and the staff and the team and Weston. Thats how well leave it. He violated policy. That's as far as I'll go with that.

Weston McKennie reportedly breached the USMNT COVID-19 bubble twice.

Opinion: USMNT off to a disappointing start, but it's not time to push panic button. Yet.

More: France fine without Mbappe; Denmark perfect in World Cup qualies

Berhalter said Monday that McKennie would not play in Wednesday nights game in Honduras, which has taken on greater importance with the USMNT managing only two points in its first two games. McKennie had previously been suspended for Sundays game against Canada, which the midfielder said on his Instagram story was for breaking COVID-19 protocols.

We made this decision not only for the short term, but for the long-term health of the program. And it's not an easy decision, Berhalter said. We did it for what we think is the good of the group, and good of the team.

McKennie is one of the key players on the U.S. mens team. This is not the first time hes been disciplined for violating COVID protocols, however. Juventus suspended him for the Turin derby in April after he had a party at his house, which violated both rules against parties and the national curfew.

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Berhalter said McKennie apologized to him and the team. He also said this wont have any bearing on McKennies future with the USMNT.

There's very rarely going to be a situation where a player would never be allowed back into national team camp. Thats not how we operate, Berhalter said. He's a big part of the team, and I'm sure when he's performing well, hell be back with the team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Weston McKennie violated USMNT COVID protocols twice, per reports
Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny has admitted he could not have expected teenagers Gavin Bazunu and Andrew Omobamidele to shine as brightly as they did in World Cup battle with Serbia.

Bazunu pulled off a string of fine saves, several of them denying in-from Aleksandar Mitrovic the chance to add to his tally of seven goals from his sides first four Group A qualifiers.

And fellow 19-year-old Omobamidele turned in an assured display in defence and came close to snatching victory in Tuesday nights 1-1 draw in Dublin.

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Manchester City keeper Bazunu, currently on loan at Portsmouth, was making his seventh appearance for Ireland, and Norwich defender Omobamidele just his second and his first start.

Kenny said: Listen, I couldnt have predicted that Andrew and Gavin played as well as they did.

Andrew was against Mitrovic and (Dusan) Vlahovic there, really physically powerful guys, but he just has another gear. Hes so quick and his composure  the two players, Andrew and Gavin, their composure is incredible.

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But its early days for them. Andrew has only played seven league games for Norwich. He had a great pre-season, played every minute in pre-season, and I know how highly they regard him there.

They really do regard him highly, and he showed why tonight.

Ireland, who were devastated to lose 2-1 in Portugal last Wednesday after Cristiano Ronaldo scored two late goals to deny them a famous victory, left it late themselves this time, just as they had done to draw with Azerbaijan on Saturday.

John Egan and Shane Duffy celebrate their sides equaliser (Niall Carson/PA)

Trailing to Sergej Milinkovic-Savics 20th-minute header, they were level four minutes from time when the Serbia midfielder blasted an attempted clearance against team-mate Nikola Milenkovic and saw it ricochet into his own net.

Kenny said: We hung in there. It was our third game in six days and it was a tough shift for the players. But they showed great spirit and they fed off the energy of the crowd.

Gavin Bazunu kept us in it for periods because they had a lot of quality, Serbia. Gavin had a tremendous game and we got a break  and we havent had too many of them, so we were delighted to get it.

Were not in the business of celebrating a draw at home, but just in the context of the week I felt we deserved at least four points from the other two games, if not six, so to only have one coming into that game was a real kick in the teeth.
Snagging restaurant reservations and bookings for popular tourist activities has been a struggle for visitors to Maui this summer and it's about to get more difficult as Hawaii grapples with a COVID surge it largely escaped until the past several weeks.

Beginning Sept. 15, customers who want to dine inside at restaurants and bars must show proof they are fully vaccinated. Those who aren't vaccinated will only be allowed to dine outside, where applicable, or order takeout. Children younger than age 12 are exempt.

Bars and restaurants must also close by 10 p.m. starting next week.

Many tourist activities will also see cuts in capacity. Group sizes on tours, snorkeling excursions, fishing expeditions, sunset sails and other excursions, as well as ground transportation providers, will be limited to 50%, down from the current capacity limit of 75%, to promote social distancing.

The new restrictions, which will be in place for at least 30 days, were announced late Tuesday by Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino and other government officials.

"If the (COVID case) numbers don't come down over the next 30 days, we may have to implement stricter rules and stricter mandates,'' he said.

Tourists line up outside the Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman restaurant at Whaler's Village on Kaanapali Beach in Maui in early July. Beginning Sept. 15, only fully vaccinated patrons will be allowed to dine inside.

Maui's new rules come a week after Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced strict new rules for restaurants, bars, museums and other establishments. Beginning Sept. 13 in Honolulu, customers must show vaccine proof or a negative COVID test to enter the establishments. Takeout is excluded.

Victorino said Maui decided not to offer a negative COVID test option for diners and bar patrons because most people generally don't plan their evenings out around a COVID test.

Hawaii has already reported more than twice as many coronavirus cases this year as it did in all of 2020, Johns Hopkins University data shows.

According to the data, Hawaii had been reporting 66,778 COVID-19 cases through Saturday afternoon. It had reported 22,007 cases in all of 2020.

Story continues

'I'm conflicted': Travelers weigh Hawaii plans after governor begs tourists not to come amid COVID-19 surge

Hawaii governor announcement: What it means for travelers

The annual comparisons don't begin to tell how much Hawaii struggled with a wave of cases pushed by the delta variant. In just the last month, Hawaii has reported more cases than it did in all of last year.

In late August, Hawaii Gov. David Ige issued a plea for tourists to stay away from the islands through October due to the damage from the delta variant.

Victorino said Tuesday that tourist numbers have already fallen sharply since the announcement, though some of the declines are seasonal.

"Our numbers have dropped off drastically,'' Victorino said. "They're (tourists) not coming.''

Hawaiian Airlines said in an investor filing Tuesday that bookings have taken a hit and cancellations have increased due to the rise in COVID cases and the governor's comments "that it was not a good time to visit Hawaii.'' As a result, it lowered its revenue forecast for the quarter that ends Sept. 30.

Contributing: Mike Stucka

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID travel restrictions: Maui to limit indoor dining, cut tour sizes
If You Go

Seeking answers

If you have compelling reasons you believe you know who this woman is or think you might be a relative, there is the possibility of comparing DNA. Call the Yakima County Sheriffs Office at 509-574-2500 and speak with Detective Sgt. Judd Towell.

More Information

NamUS, a nationwide information clearinghouse of missing persons cases that offers free, secure, easy-to-use, online technology to help expedite case associations and resolutions, has a case file of the woman whose remains were found near Parker Dam in February 1988.

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/16335
Greensboro, NC (27407)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 86F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.
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Gary Noyd knew there was a good chance he would be drafted, so he chose to join the Marines with a friend. They went in on the buddy system, but never served in the same place after boot camp. His active duty started in January of 1973 and he was honorably discharged from active duty in January of 1975 at the rank for Lance Corporal E3. Gary did his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina and did radio training at San Diego, California. His overseas assignment was Iwakuni, Japan as a clerk. Gary received a Sharp Shooter Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

Sharon Noyd said, The last two brothers drafted in at the end of the war. They lucked out because they didnt have to be on land and in combat.

All five Noyd brothers served and came back home safely. That was not the case for many. The Vietnam War brought a lot of discontent back to the United States. Many veterans were not treated with respect when they returned from duty.

Group leader of Stars, Stripes and Stitches which donated the quilts, Joelle Wacker, said, We know freedom is not free. We have freedom because of the dedication of the Noyd brothers and men and women like the Noyd brothers.
Nebraska family waits for word on brother lost at Pentagon

ELGIN  When Darrell Getzfred went to open his grocery store in the tiny town of Elgin, located in northeast Nebraska, he said the sun was shining through the front windows. He went about his usual business  opening the check-out counters and getting his deposit ready to take across the street to the bank.

At 9 a.m., a customer came running into the store, saying something about the World Trade Center in New York City being hit by an airplane. Getzfred said he and others went to watch the story unfold on television, concerned because one of his six brothers works at the New York Times.

Moments later, he heard even worse news  the Pentagon in Washington D.C. had been hit. That location, sitting in the nation's capitol, was where his older brother, Captain Larry Getzfred worked.

"At first, I just thought about how big of a place it is," the younger Getzfred said. "He has been in the Navy for many years, and has survived many things. I guess I just assumed that everything was going to be alright."

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But as the morning wore on, so did his unsettling feeling that something was wrong.
New Delhi: Indias first-ever elevated Cross Taxiway at Delhi Airport is scheduled to be ready by December 2022.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has completed about 60 per cent of the work on ECT. Once commissioned, the 2.1 km-long dual elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT) will not only help decongest the airport and improve circulation paths of aircraft, but also reduce approximately 55,000 tonnes of CO2 emission annually, said the company.

The 2.1 km-long dual elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT) will also help in enhancing passengers experience, as they will have to remain inside a plane for a much shorter duration after landing or during take-off.

At present, after landing at RWY 29/11 or to take-off from this runway, an aircraft has to cover a distance of about 9 KM. During this period, passengers have to remain inside the plane. After commissioning of the ECT, the aircraft taxiing distance will significantly go down (to just 2 KM) as it will taxi along the taxiway parallel to RWY 11/29 and use the ECT to take a straight path to Terminal 1 or vice-versa.

The ECT will also help airlines to save approximately 350 kg of fuel every time an aircraft uses the taxiing route provided by the ECT from RWY 29/11 to Terminal 1 and vice-versa. This would translate in reduction of nearly 1,114 kg of CO2 emissions for each aircraft taxiing along this route. Annually, the ECT is estimated to reduce emission of approximately 55,000 tonnes of CO2 from aircraft.

In March 2021, DIAL started mounting of girders of ECT across the pillars in the median of Central Spine Road. A total of 590 girders would be mounted. By the second week of July, over 200 girders have already been mounted.

DIAL has ensured that an environment-friendly approach is followed in the construction of ECT. It is using fly ash, a waste product of coal-fired power plants, in the filling material. DIAL is using around 9,715 MT of fly ash in the construction of ECT. If not used, fly ash would have been disposed in specially designed landfills which could lead to leaching of heavy metals into ground water.

Under Phase 3A, DIAL is also constructing 4.4-kilometre-long 4th Runway, parallel to runway 11/29 on the Southern side. Once commissioned the 4th runway would handle the increased traffic movement. Delhi Airport would become the first airport in India to have four operational runways. The 4th Runway also would help reduce Carbon emission significantly.

As part of the expansion project, DIAL is also carrying out integration of the departure and arrival terminals of T1, construction of new T1 Apron, 2.1 km-long dual elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT), landside developments for circulation and connectivity improvements and T3 modification works.

DIAL is working on the mission of building a sustainable future. It includes its highly ambitious plan of becoming Net Zero Carbon Airport by 2030. To fulfil its ambition of becoming a net zero carbon emission airport, DIAL has initiated a number of key infrastructure development projects. One of these initiatives is the development of the Eastern Cross Taxiway (ECT).

DIAL has achieved of Level 4+, Transition accreditation under Airport Carbon Accreditation program of ACI. Delhi Airport is the first airport in Asia Pacific and only the second airport globally.
New Delhi: The much-revered and awaited monsoon festivals of Hartalika Teej is knocking at the door. This year, it will be celebrated on September 9. On this day, women across the country gear up to perform special prayers for the long life of their husbands.

On this day, married women pray to Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati for their abundant blessings. 'Teej' basically refers to monsoon festivals celebrated in various parts of the country.

HARTALIKA TEEJ PUJA TIMINGS:

Hartalika Teej on Thursday, September 9, 2021

Pratahkala Hartalika Puja Muhurat - 06:03 AM to 08:33 AM

Duration - 02 Hours 30 Mins

Pradoshkala Hartalika Puja Muhurat - 06:33 PM to 08:51 PM

Duration - 02 Hours 18 Mins

Tritiya Tithi Begins - 02:33 AM on Sep 09, 2021

Tritiya Tithi Ends - 12:18 AM on Sep 10, 2021

(As per drikpanchang.com)

Teej refers to the third day which falls each month after the new moon or the Amavasya, and the third day after the full moon night of every month. Hartalika Teej Vrat is observed during Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Bhadrapada month, as per drikpanchang.com.

There are various types of Teej celebrated in the country. The monsoon festival of Teej includesHaryali Teej, Kajri Teej and Hartalika Teej respectively.

HARTALIKA TEEJ LEGEND AND SIGNIFICANCE:

As per Hindu mythology, the legend behind celebrating Hartalika Teej has it that Mata Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya was incarnated as Goddess Shailaputri.

Her father has promised to marry her to Lord Vishnu after Narada Muni suggested it. When Goddess Parvati got to know of this, she immediately went to her friend and told her about King Himalaya's plan.

Then, it is believed that Goddess Parvati's friend took her to the forest so that she stays away and the marriage plan which was against her wish never happens.

Then, Goddess Parvati on the third day of the Bhadrapada made Shiva Lingam out of her hair and prayed to the Lord. Shiva was mighty impressed by her dedication and Tapasya, finally agreeing to marry Goddess Parvati.

Soon, Goddess Parvati's family too got to know of her preference and after some convincing, the union between Lord Shiva and Parvati happened. Their wedding was a huge affair where the gods were part of the marriage ceremony. The goddess's mother and father blessed the divinity.

Meanwhile, the Goddess had made Lord Vishnu her brother, as per popular belief.

Since then, the day is referred to as Hartalika Teej. Because Goddess Parvati's female (aalika) friend sort of abducted her (harit) to the forest so that Mata can marry Lord Shiva.

The festival of Hartalika Teej is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of the North Indian Lunar month of Bhadrapada.

HARTALIKA TEEJ RITUALS:

On this day, women dressed in bright new clothes pray to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. They observe a fast (also known as nishivasar nirjala vrat) which commences during the evening of Hartalika Teej and is broken the next day after a full day's observance which involves women not even drinking water.

The devotees pray to Mata Parvati, who prayed with utmost dedication and devotion, to get married to Lord Shiva. The goddess is worshipped under the name of Hartalika or Maa Hartalika.

Hartalika Teej is celebrated with much grandeur chiefly in the states of Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

Here's wishing our readers a very happy Hartalika Teej!
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Wednesday said that it will not allow the public celebration of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in the national capital in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order has been passed by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in view of the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.

''There will be no public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in the national capital in view of the COVID-19 pandemic,'' the Delhi Disaster Management Authority order said.

The DDMA further advised people to celebrate the festival at home.

Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) says Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations will not be allowed at public places in the national capital in view of COVID-19; advises people to celebrate the festival at home pic.twitter.com/94gOpKybAw  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

In an order issued on Tuesday, the DDMA said that district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police will ensure that idols of Lord Ganesha are not set up in a tent or pandal.

Further, it should be ensured that crowds do not gather at any religious or social place. Permission will also not be granted for any procession, it said.

Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated this month and considering the prevailing restrictions on gatherings and congregations and the present situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided that the celebrations of the festival may not be allowed in public places, the DDMA order stated.

The Karnataka government has also banned processions during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and said distribution of food and prasad will not be allowed.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2021: Date, Time, Puja Muhurat and Ganpati festival rituals

The much-awaited auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi will be marked this year on September 10. The day holds greater significance in Maharashtra and is celebrated as one of the major festivals in the state and is a 10-day affair.

Also known by the name Vinayaka Chaturthi, it celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha.

Ganesha Chaturthi on Friday, September 10, 2021

Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat - 11:03 AM to 01:33 PM

Duration - 02 Hours 30 Mins

Ganesha Visarjan on Sunday, September 19, 2021

Time to avoid Moon sighting - 09:12 AM to 08:53 PM

Duration - 11 Hours 41 Mins

Chaturthi Tithi Begins - 12:18 AM on Sep 10, 2021

Chaturthi Tithi Ends - 09:57 PM on Sep 10, 2021

Ganesh Chaturthi Legend

It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born during the Madhyana period (noon) and hence, the recommended Puja timing is in the afternoon. The legend has it that on the tenth day after the Ganpati is immersed, the lord heads back to Mount Kailasha to his parentsLord Shiva and Devi Parvati.

(as per drikpanchang.com)

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New Delhi: In a bid to bolster Indias textiles sector the Central Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday (September 8), approved the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the industry.

We hope that this decision will produce some global champions. The factories based around aspirational districts or Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities will be given priority. It will especially benefit Gujarat, UP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana etc, said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Rs 10,683 crore PLI scheme will boost domestic manufacturing and exports. The newly announced PLI scheme will aim to offer incentives for domestic manufacturing of textiles for MMF (man-made fibre) apparel, MMF fabrics and ten segments/products of technical textiles.

Union Cabinet has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Textiles. Incentives worth Rs 10,683 crores will be provided over 5 years: Union Minister Anurag Thakur pic.twitter.com/eGJq7ebz1y  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

So far, we have primarily focused on cotton textile. But 2/3 share of the international textile market is of man-made & technical textile. This PLI scheme has been approved so that India can also contribute to the production of man-made fibers, Goyal added.

The budgetary outlay of the scheme is Rs 10,683 crore. The textile PLI scheme is also part of the announcement made during the Union Budget 2021-22. The overall scheme with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore covers a total of 13 sectors.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also increased the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat by Rs 40 and for mustard seeds by Rs 400. With the recent hike, the MSP for wheat and mustard now stands at Rs 2,015 and Rs 5,050 per quintal, respectively. Both wheat and mustard are major rabi crops. Also Read: Shriram City Union Finance launches AI-enabled express two-wheeler loans: Here is how to apply

MSP is actually the price at which the government buys produce directly from the farmers. At present, 23 crops grown in Kharif and rabi seasons are covered under MSP, offering a kind of insurance to the farmers. Also Read: Delhi Airports Eastern Cross Taxiway to be ready by December 2022, to help reduce CO2 emission by 55,000 tonnes annually

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New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations (NBE) on Wednesday (September 8) released NEET PG 2021 admit card. Candidates can download the admit card from the official websites nbe.edu.in or natboard.edu.in.

It is mandatory to carry admit card to the NEET PG exam centre for identification purposes. NEET PG 2021 exam will be conducted on September 11 in online mode.

Check steps below to download NEET PG 2021 admit card:

1. Visit the official website of NBE at nbe.edu.in

2. Click on NEET PG 2021

3. Log in using user ID and password generated at the time of registration

4. NEET PG admit card will appear

5. Check the details and download the admit card

6. Take a printout of the admit card

It is to be noted that NEET Admit card will not be sent to the candidates by Post/ Email. NEET will take place for admission to Master of Surgery (MS), Doctor of Medicine (MD), and PG Diploma seats under various Universities/ Institutions in the country.

On Tuesday, the National Testing Agency (NTA) had released the admit cards for NEET-UG 2021 examination. The NEET-UG 2021 exam will be held on September 12 in pen and paper mode. The exam will be conducted at different centres located across 202 cities on September 12 from 2 PM to 5 PM.

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New Delhi: Actress Mallika Sherawat is an avid social media user. A few days back, she posted a throwback video of hers where she can be seen attending an event in a glamourous backless nude-coloured sleek satin gown.

With her hair all tied-up in a fancy bouffant style, Mallika Sherawat oozed oomph in her walk. However, the risque revealing gown made trolls hit back at the Murder actress for wearing such an attire.

One of the users wrote: 'Sab Kuch Dikh Raha Mallika', while another praised her hottness writing, "Gorgeous and Damn sexy".

She got a mixed reaction in the comments section on this throwback video.

Incidentally, a few days back, she had a similar oops moment while stepping out from her car in Mumbai, wearing a green maxi dress. As she walked out, the actress smartly covered her innerwear with a designer bag.

On the work front, Mallika's recent project RK/RKAY had a theatrical release in the US and Canada only. The project is directed by Rajat Kapoor. It features Rajat Kapoor, Mallika Sherawat, Ranvir Shorey, Chandrachoor Rai, Kubbra Sait and Manu Rishi Chadha among others.
New Delhi: Amid a volatile situation in Afghanistan, Taliban takeover and the formation of a new "Islamic Emirate" government in the war-torn country, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will meet his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday in New Delhi.

This comes after the Taliban announced its new caretaker government on Tuesday, consisting of hardliners, devoid of any women in the decision-making process.

As per sources, Patrushev will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. They will discuss the political, security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the sources said.

The high-level India-Russia inter-governmental consultations on Afghanistan will be led by the two NSAs that will include representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence and security agencies.

These consultations will reflect an entirely new situation in Afghanistan created by the withdrawal of US forces. Both countries share similar concerns on terrorism, especially to ensure that the Taliban adhere to their promises and assurances.

Both NSAs will also review activities of terrorist groups including Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, threats from drugs, the role of regional countries and details of Indo-Russia cooperation to meet current and future threats and measures to assist Afghanistan, said the sources.

Earlier, Doval hosted the 11th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security through video conferencing on August 31. His Russian counterpart was also present in the meeting.

India raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed at the meeting of BRICS representatives responsible for national security and said these groups "enjoy state support" and threaten peace and security.

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New Delhi: In the sensational Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiren murder cases, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (September 8) filed its charge sheet, and revealed that dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze paid a huge amount of cash to Shiv Sena leader and former `encounter specialist` of Mumbai Police, Pradeep Sharma to eliminate Hiren.

The NIA chargesheet said, "On March 3, 2021, accused Sachin Waze Shiv met accused Pradeep Sharma at PS Foundation office, Andheri (East), Mumbai during evening time and handed over a rexine bag containing a large amount of cash (bundles of Indian currency note of Rs 500 denomination). Evidence collected during the investigation corroborates the same. Thereafter accused Pradeep Sharma called accused Santosh Shelar to ascertain the registration number of the vehicle arranged by him. Accused Santosh Shelar conveyed the details as to accused Sachin Waze."

The chargesheet further revealed that on realising that the investigation relating to the planting of explosive-laden SUV at Carmichael Road in South Mumbai, near the house of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25, was getting transferred to a senior police officer, Sachin Waze pressurised Hiran to take up the responsibility for the said crime, so that the probe of the case can be vitiated in his favour. But the proposal was turned down by Hiran.

It added that Mansukh Hiran was the only person who was fully aware of the vehicle being parked on the Eastern Express Highway in the direction of Waze. "After having realised that investigation relating to the planting of the explosive-laden SUV and threat letter was getting transferred to a senior officer, accused Sachin Waze, the then Investigating officer pressurised Mansukh Hiran to take up the responsibility for the said crime, so that the investigation of the case can be vitiated in his favour. Accused, Sachin Waze was also assuring Mansukh Hiran that the latter would be immediately bailed out in the said case. The evidence collected during the investigation corroborates the same," read the chargsheet.

It further said, "The investigation has further revealed that Mansukh Hiran turned down the proposal of accused Sachin Waze and own up the responsibility of the crime. Since Mansukh Hiran was the only person who was fully aware of the vehicle being parked on the Eastern Express Highway on the directions of accused Sachin Waze and knowing very well that the keys handed over to Sachin Waze near GPO, CSIO, it would be dangerous for accused Sachin Waze as Mansukh Hiran could reveal the involvement of the accused Sachin Waze in the said crime."

According to the chargsheet, Waze was aware that Hiran was a weak link in the conspiracy and would spill the beans if examined by some other investigating officer. Hence, Hiran was a potential threat to Waze and other conspirators. It is established during the investigation that, Waze and Sharma conspired with others to eliminate Hiran and the task was assigned to Sharma, stated the chargesheet.

Notably, NIA arrested Waze in March in connection with the investigation into the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Mukesh Ambani`s house in Mumbai. Waze is the prime accused of placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani`s house Antilia in Mumbai on February 25.

Waze was also accused of the murder of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found containing explosives materials outside Antilia. Hiran, who had claimed that the SUV had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

Former Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), Waze was later transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in Mansukh Hiren`s death case. He was dismissed from service in May 2021.

Driver's statement key to the case

The National Investigating Agency also filed a driver's statement last week before a special court against Waze and nine others in connection with the recovery of the vehicle with gelatin sticks near Ambani's south Mumbai residence on February 25 and the subsequent murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The driver, who narrated the entire sequence of events leading to the planting of the vehicle near Ambani's house on the intervening night of February 24 and 25, told the NIA that at around 05.30 pm on February 24, he had driven Waze to 'Dnyaneshwari' bungalow, the official residence of the then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

Waze went inside the residence alone and returned in about an hour, the driver said, adding that Waze asked him to change the number plates of Mahindra Scorpio, the explosives-laden vehicle which was placed outside Ambani's residence, and an Innova car, multiple times.

The driver also told the NIA that Waze had asked him to take specific routes and pay toll plazas, adding "At about 2.10 am I was following the Scorpio car driven by Waze at a very slow speed on Carmichael Road. At a particular point, he stopped the Scorpio and parked it on the left side of the road."

"Accordingly, I also stopped my Innova car at a distance of about 40 to 50 meters behind the Scorpio," he said, adding that he returned to the Innova car after about five minutes and removed his face mask and shield.

Waze then asked him to drive ahead, and after a while, the former API (assistant police inspector) realised that his identity card was missing and asked the driver to check in the car (Innova), but it wasn't found. The then came to Waze's residence in neighbouring Thane district, where Waze went inside to search for his identity card.

Waze, however, returned after about 20 minutes, and told the driver that he had probably forgotten the card in the Scorpio. At around 4.30 am they returned to the Carmichael Road, where Waze went inside the Scorpio and returned after a while. Waze then directed the driver to take him to Thane.

The driver also stated that Waze had taken his phone and switched it off when he reported to duty (on February 24). It was returned only after he drove Waze home, the driver told the NIA. The driver further stated that said when he enquired about the entire episode, Waze told him it was a "secret operation", and asked him not to reveal it to anyone.

He added, "On February 26, I was attending the marriage ceremony of a colleague when I came to know about the incident from TV news channels. I was very scared on seeing the said news, but I did not tell this story to anyone."

Besides Waze and Pradeep Sharma, the others accused in the case are Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni and Santosh Shelar. Shinde, Kazi and Mane are former police officers.

The accused have been charged under various Indian Penal Code sections, including for murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance, as well as relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.

In its charge sheet, the NIA said that Sachin Waze placed the SUV near Ambani's house in Mumbai to regain his reputation as a "super cop".

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi: At least 40 people have been rescued so far after a large boat capsized in the Brahmaputra river following a colliding with a ferry near Nimati Ghat in Jorhat district of Assam on Wednesday (September 8).

According to PTI, Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Ashok Barman said that 41 people have been rescued so far and no fatality has been recorded yet. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have commenced a search and rescue operation.

The incident occurred when private boat 'Ma Kamala', headed to Majuli from Nimati Ghat, collided with the government-owned ferry 'Tripkai' which was coming from Majuli. "The boat 'Ma Kamala' capsized and then sank. We do not have much detail at this moment," an official of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department was quoted as saying by PTI.

#UPDATE | Boat accident in Brahmputra river, Assam: There were around 50 people in the boat which met with the accident, out of which 40 people have been rescued, says Jorhat Additional DC Damodar Barman Resue teams on the spot. pic.twitter.com/drcMOWTGVW  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

The capsized boat was also carrying several four-wheelers and two-wheelers that went down the river, the news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern and tweeted, "Saddened by the boat accident in Assam. All possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers. I pray for everyones safety and well-being."

Saddened by the boat accident in Assam. All possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers. I pray for everyones safety and well-being.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2021

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he will visit Nimati Ghat on Thursday. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, I am pained at the tragic boat accident near Nimati Ghat, Jorhat. Directed Majuli & Jorhat admin to undertake rescue mission expeditiously with help of @NDRFHQ & SDRF. Advising Min @BimalBorahbjp to immediately rush to the accident site. I'll also visit Nimati Ghat tomorrow.

In another tweet, Sarma thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for assuring all possible help from the Centre. Adarniya HM Sri @AmitShah had kindly called to enquire about the accident in Nimati Ghat and took an update on the rescue operations and conditions of those rescued so far. He said the Central Government is ready to lend all possible help. Grateful to him, the Assam CM added.

President Ram Nath Kovind said he was deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in the boat accident. "My thoughts go out to the victims, survivors and their families. Rescue and relief efforts are on to save as many lives as possible," he tweeted.

Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in a boat accident in Jorhat, Assam. My thoughts go out to the victims, survivors and their families. Rescue and relief efforts are on to save as many lives as possible.  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 8, 2021

Union Minister of Shipping, Ports and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal talked to Sarma and took stock of the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday (September 8) entered into a Ceasefire Agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki group for a period of one year.

More than 200 cadres of this group along with 83 weapons joined the peace process, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

The Ceasefire Agreement and Agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules were signed on 8th September 2021, the ministry said in a statement.

The government has already signed a framework agreement with NSCN (IM) and ceasefire agreements with other Naga groups namely, NSCN (NK), NSCN (R) and NSCN (K) - Khango.

Earlier, the government had signed Agreement with NLFT (SD) in August, 2019 in which 88 cadres along with 44 weapons joined the mainstream of society in Tripura.

In January 2020, with the signing of Bodo Agreement, more than 2,250 cadres of insurgent groups, including all factions of NDFB, along with 423 weapons and a huge quantity of ammunition surrendered in Assam and joined the mainstream.

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Kolkata: Some miscreants hurled crude bombs at BJP MP Arjun Singhs residence, situated at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Wednesday.

According to locals, some miscreants hurled close to three crude bombs at the main entrance in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

While no member of Arjun Singhs family was hurt, the incident took place in presence of central security right outside the gate. Singh has been provided security cover by the Central government.

Immediately after the incident, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar took to Twitter and wrote, Wanton violence in West Bengal shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions as this morning outside residence of Member Parliament Arjun Singh is worrisome on law and order. Expect prompt action by West Bengal Police. As regards his security the issue has earlier been flagged.

Wanton violence in WB shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions as this morning outside residence of Member Parliament @ArjunsinghWB is worrisome on law and order. Expect prompt action @WBPolice. As regards his security the issue has been earlier been flagged @MamataOfficial.  Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) September 8, 2021

Meanwhile, a huge contingent of the police force from Barrackpore Commissionerate has been rushed to his residence and an investigation has been initiated to identify the culprits.

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New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday (September 7) sought the creation of a joint action plan by Delhi and its neighbouring states to combat high levels of air pollution in the winter season.

Rai said that Delhi will start preparing a "winter action plan" next week and called upon Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to implement the measures the national capital had taken last year to prevent worsening of air quality.

"Last year, we launched the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign to minimise vehicular pollution... Set up a 'Green War Room' to monitor and coordinate anti-pollution efforts. We also conducted an anti-dust campaign which can be replicated in NCR areas of other states," the minister said.

Rai said a group of representatives will call upon the Union environment minister and the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management and discuss the need for a joint action plan which can be enforced in Delhi and neighbouring states to fight air pollution during winters.

"We will discuss with the commission and the Union environment minister the problem of stubble burning in neighbouring states and the steps taken by the Delhi government to solve it," he said.

Rai said Delhi experimented with Pusa bio decomposer, a microbial solution, for fermenting stubble into manure and it yielded good results.

The use of Pusa bio-decomposer should be scaled up and expedited in adjoining states, he said.

"We are now at a juncture where the governments of the states surrounding Delhi need to take cognisance of the bio-decomposing solution. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh need to step up and adopt this measure," Rai said.

"We will take up the issue with the Union minister and the central panel... If efforts in this direction are not expedited, it will be tough to deal with the stubble burning problem," he said.

ALSO READ: All eyes on NSA Ajit Doval ahead of his meeting with Russian counterpart on Afghanistan situation

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The war of words between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu is not going to die down anytime soon, but the Congress party has a unique way of looking at it. The party believes that such disputes can help in coming elections.

The party's in-charge for Punjab Harish Rawat on Tuesday dismissed reports of friction between state Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu, and said if there is any dispute between the two leaders in future, it would be beneficial for the party.

Rawat said that the people assume party leaders in Punjab are fighting because the 'brave' leaders put forward their opinion strongly. "Punjab is the land of braves. People there put their opinion very strongly there and it looks like they will fight. But, there is nothing like that, and they find solutions to their problems. Punjab Congress is solving their issues themselves. We are not doing anything," the Congress leader said.

When asked about the relation between Amarinder Singh and Sidhu, Harish Rawat said, "If there would be a dispute, it would be good for Congress."

Rawat also slammed the BJP government in Haryana and the Centre over protest by farmers, saying it has failed to fulfil promises made to them. He alleged that BJP lures farmers by showing them 'big dreams' but works against their interests after coming to power.

"The BJP lures people including farmers and labourers. But when they get a chance to prove themselves, they do just the opposite. Today the land of farmers is in danger, mandi of farmers, FCI is in danger and the small shops are in danger, " Rawat told ANI.

He said that farmers in Haryana had to face police action. "Haryana has become of land of atrocities on farmers," he alleged.

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New Delhi: The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police has booked BJP MP Kanwar Singh Tanwar for allegedly cheating a real estate company of Rs 65 crore. A senior police officer said that last week a metropolitan magistrate had ordered the police to lodge an FIR against Tanwar in a property dispute case.

In an FIR registered on August 23, Tanwar has been accused of cheating and criminal breach of trust by the director at Brahma City Pvt Ltd. Police say they plan to question the leader soon, as per a report by PTI.

However, the leader has denied any foul play and called it a ploy to malign his image. He (the complainant) is lying to the police and the courts... They are lying about the case. If it all happened in 2010-2015, why wait till now? They are trying to malign my image and my political career. I have already approached the Delhi High Court for justice. I didnt do anything wrong, he said.

Meanwhile, the complainant - Brahma City Private Ltd, told police that they were looking for land in Gurgaon and met Tanwar in 2008-09. The rel estate company paid Rs 84,35,00,000 to the accused and his associate persons or companies for transfer of all rights of 63 acres of land, however, the company never received rights to Tanwars 65 acres of land which had led to disputes.

The FIR said that later, Tanwar asked for an additional Rs 15 crore for arranging 54 acres of land. The company paid a total of Rs 210.18 crore to the accused for transfer of all rights of 63 acres of land. Whereas, as on date, the accused has transferred only 48 acres of land in favour of the company, it said.

According to the agreement executed between them, the total amount receivable by Tanwar against the transfer of all rights of the said 48 acres of land is only Rs 158.75 crore, the FIR stated.

The accused is liable to refund a total sum of Rs 51.43 crore to Brahma City Private Ltd.
New Delhi: In a path-breaking development, the Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has taken a decision to allow the induction of women into the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that there is a piece of good news as a decision has been taken at the highest-level that women will be inducted for NDA, and the chiefs of three Armed Forces have also agreed.

Bhati said the decision had been taken late evening Tuesday (September 7). Justice Kaul said that the court has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves, and sometimes things only move when the court steps in.

"Armed forces are respected forces of this country. But on gender equality they have to do more", said Justice Kaul of the Supreme Court.

The Additional Solicitor General said it will be a ''historic, path-breaking and generational reform.'' The bench responded that the court is extremely glad to learn that the Armed Forces themselves took decisions to induct females in the NDA.

However, the top court emphasized that it is important for it to take a stand on these issues. The top court also asked the Centre to inform: What it is doing now? What is it planning to do in the future?

The Centre said it will file an affidavit regarding its submissions allowing girls into NDA. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Kush Kalra, seeking NDA to open its doors for women aspiring to join the Armed Forces. The plea was argued by senior advocate Chinmoy Pradip Sharma.

The plea also sought a direction from the court to allow women to get trained in the Indian Naval Academy as well.

On August 18, the Supreme Court had said the mindset is not changing and emphasized why judicial orders are required to allow women candidates to take the entrance exam for National Defence Academy (NDA), even after the top court`s judgment expanding the horizons and extending the permanent commission in the Army to women.

The top court passed an interim order allowing women to take the exam slated on September 5. However, Wednesday the top court was informed that the exam has been rescheduled to November 14. The matter has been adjourned to September 22.

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New Delhi: The Indian envoy to Russia Venkatesh Varma has said that India and Russia have a "common position, common approach" when it comes to Afghanistan and both countries are "particularly affected" by the developments in the country with respect to the issue of terrorism, drug trafficking and other issues.

The Taliban takeover of the Afghan national capital Kabul on August 15 surprised the international community and since then heart breaking visuals have emerged from the Kabul international airport of people trying to leave the country.

The ambassador, speaking to RIA Novosti explained, "the situation in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for the entire region....This situation poses threat to the interests of both India & Russia on account of the possibility of rise of terrorist groups, increased drug trafficking, organized crime, the flow of refugees" and also that a "very large amount of very advanced weapons are now in the hands of a large number of armed groups."

The comments come even as Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Indian NSA Ajit Doval will be holding a meeting to discuss Afghanistan in Delhi on Wednesday (September 9).

The meet is part of the permanent consultative mechanism to discuss Afghanistan established after Indian PM Modi and Russian President Putin's talks on August 24.

On the talks, envoy said, "We expect discussions between Indian, Russia to be very in-depth and action-oriented. India & Russia have a lot of common interests in addressing the Afghan situation, including in the field of anti-terrorism."

This is the first visit of Patrushev to any foreign country after the emergency of the Taliban as the dominant force in Afghanistan.

He highlighted the "very fast-moving developments in Afghanistan", including a protests rally in the Afghan capital Kabul which saw anti-Pakistan slogans on Tuesday and was covered by the Afghan and international press.

The rally came days after ISI Chief was seen in the Kabul hotel lobby, sparking worries over Islamabad's continued interference into domestic affairs of Afghanistan.

On the Doha talks and the Troika Plus meetings, the envoy said that they "have not yielded the right results", and when it comes to Afghanistan and both countries are in discussing the "evolving situation including on the issue of recognition of the Taliban."

2020 saw Doha talks-- under which the US and Taliban signed a pact in February that began the process of US withdrawal and later the talks between Taliban and representatives of the former Ghani-led Afghan republic ended as a failure.

Troika format was the US, China and Russia plus Pakistan discussing Afghanistan.

Envoy Verma said, "The Doha Agreement of February 2020, the Troika Plus talks - finally the results of these international efforts were not matched by the subsequent developments", pointing out that that, "it is better that India and Russia work together with respect to Afghanistan. That is the most important lesson for us."

Interestingly, during his interview, the envoy mentioned India's "interest in the stability of Central Asian states" in the backdrop of the Afghan crisis. 3 central Asian states, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan share a border with Afghanistan, and the fear is that crisis can impact them as well.

Both New Delhi and Moscow share close ties with these central Asian countries, with Russia being major security and economic partner due to the soviet connection.

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New Delhi: From possible security implications of Taliban's coming to power in Afghanistan for India to the impact on Russia and the Central Asian region - these were some of the issues discussed when NSA Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Gen Nikolay Patrushev met on Wednesday (September 8), sources said.

"During India-Russia consultations, attention was paid to intensifying joint work of the both country's special services and military bodies. An exchange of views took place on the military, political and socio-economic situation in Afghanistan," the Embassy of Russia in India was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Russian Embassy further said, "They also touched upon humanitarian and migration problems in this country, as well as prospects for Russian-Indian joint efforts aimed at creating conditions for launching a peaceful settlement process on the basis of an intra-Afghan dialogue."

In the Doval-Patrushev talks, both sides deliberated on a coordinated approach in dealing with any possible spilling out of terrorist activities from the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan into India, Russia and the Central Asian region, people familiar with the development said.

During consultations, Secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev & NSA Ajit Doval discussed deepening bilateral cooperation in security with an emphasis on further interaction on anti-terrorist track, combating illegal migration & drug trafficking: Russian Embassy https://t.co/OrSrdKl5wy  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

They said both sides exchanged each other's assessment on possible security implications of the Taliban's capture of power in Kabul and how a coordinated approach can be followed to confront any possible challenge.

The people said the two sides also deliberated on threats from drugs networks operating from Afghan territory, the role of regional countries and details of Indo-Russia cooperation to meet the current and future challenges.

The consultations reflect the close, trusted, special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia that has significantly matured over time, they said.

"The importance of defining parameters of the future state structure of Afghanistan by the Afghans themselves, as well as the need to prevent the escalation of violence, social, ethnic and confessional contradictions in the country, were emphasized," said the Embassy of Russia in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had on August 24 discussed the developments in Afghanistan and expressed the view that it was important for the two countries to work together.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft in the next two decades, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Wednesday (September 8).

In an address at a conference on the Indian aerospace sector, the Chief of Air Staff also talked about the need for developing asymmetric capabilities to bolster the IAF's overall strength in view of challenges from China.

"Looking at the northern neighbour, we have to have niche technologies which must be built in-house by our own industry for reasons of security," the IAF chief said.

Emphasising that India becoming self-reliant in the defence sector is crucial for dealing with various challenge, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the IAF is looking at procuring around 350 aircraft from within the country in the next two decades.

At the same time, he noted that it is a rough projection.

The IAF chief also said the Tejas light combat aircraft project has instilled confidence in the aerospace industry in India and that it has huge potential to grow further.

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New Delhi: Delhi got the country's first functional smog tower near the metro station amid widespread concern over pollution levels in the national capital. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav virtually inaugurated the smog tower at Anand Vihar on Tuesday.

The smog tower is a structure designed as large-scale air purifiers to reduce pollution particles in surrounding areas. Built by Tata Company, the tower has a capacity of 1,000 cubic metres per second, said an ANI report. Forty fans have been installed to provide a design airflow rate of 1000 m3/sec.

The filtration system being used in the smog tower has reportedly been designed by the University of Minnesota with a likely efficiency of 90 per cent. The tower with a height of over 20 meters is of downdraft type with pollution or particulate matter entering from the top of the tower and clean air coming out from the bottom.

On Tuesday, the government also launched a portal, PRANA, to track the progress of the National Clean Air Programme, with Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav saying the country is committed to ensuring clean air and blue skies to everybody.

During the launch event held at the ministry headquarters here on the occasion of 'International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies', Yadav said it was experimental technology and its impact will be observed for two years. "India is committed to ensure clean air and blue skies to all the people of the country, assuring them a healthy and productive life," Yadav said during the event.

Yadav later tweeted, "The focus of policies of Prime Minister Shri @NarendraModi ji's govt are intertwined with sustainable utilisation, protection & conservation of public goods and environment. Happy to share that on International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies inaugurated a Smog Tower in Delhi."

The focus of policies of Prime Minister Shri @NarendraModi ji's govt are intertwined with sustainable utilisation, protection & conservation of public goods and environment. Happy to share that on International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies inaugurated a Smog Tower in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/WA60pDh1xn  Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) September 7, 2021

The Union minister said that in 2018, out of 132 cities, only six had particulate matter (PM) concentration less than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which increased to 11 cities in 2019 and 28 in 2020, adding that 86 cities have shown better air quality in 2019 in comparison to 2018, which increased to 104 cities in 2020.

Yadav further said, "We must look into how policy intervention can help address the issue of air pollution. Air, water, earth are all public goods which can be saved with preventive policies," adding "We are launching the PRANA portal and installing smog tower at Anand Vihar in Delhi. This smog tower is an experiment to see if the technology can be used in the future and reduce pollution. We are committed to clean air for blue skies."

Speaking at the event, MoS, Environment, Ashwini Choubey said a day like International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is marked/celebrated only when the situation is grave. The event was also attended by Central Pollution Control Board Chairman Tanmay Kumar.

Notably, the smog tower was to be installed in 10 months, as directed by the Supreme Court, post which the performance of the tower was to be evaluated for two years. The ministry sought three months extension from the court in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tower, proposed by IIT Bombay, is of downdraft (polluted air comes in from the top of the tower and clean air comes out of the bottom) type for localized reduction of PM2.5 and PM10.

An Advisory Committee, headed by the CPCB chairman, and comprising experts from IITs, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Engineers India Limited (EIL), NTPC Ltd. and NBCC India Ltd. has also been constituted to oversee the progress, review the performance and guide on improvement and optimisation.

Earlier, a 24-metre tall smog tower, the city`s first such structure was installed in the Connaught Place area. On August 23, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had inaugurated the smog tower at Connaught Place.

(With Agency Inputs)

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New Delhi: Even as Kerala witnesses over 20,000 daily COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday (September 7) said all higher education institutions, including technical, polytechnic and medical will be allowed to reopen from October 4 for final year students.

However, the reopening of the institutions will depend on at least the first dose COVID-19 vaccination of all final year students, faculty and staff, PTI reported.

Therefore, all final year students of undergraduate and post-graduate courses, faculty and staff must take the first dose of vaccine this week itself, the CM said during a press meet. Further, Vijayan asked those eligible for the second dose to take the jab as soon as possible.

The CM urged school teachers to complete their vaccination by this week adding that class 10 and 12 students' education was very important. Directing departments of public and higher education to make the necessary arrangements within 10 days, he said that school teachers will be given priority during the vaccination.

Meanwhile, relaxing the existing curbs, Kerala CM withdrew lockdown imposed on Sundays and night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am. The decision to ease the restriction was taken during the COVID-19 review meeting as the weekly test positivity rate fell to 17.91 per cent from 18.49 per cent.

On Tuesday, Kerala logged 25,772 new COVID-19 infections taking the infection tally to 42,53,298. With 189 fatalities, the death toll reached 21,820, a state government release said.

(With agency inputs)

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Chennai: In a shocking incident, Arumugam, a 45-year old man got near the Kalaivanar Arangam campus, where the Tamil Nadu Assembly proceedings were going on and attempted self-immolation.

The issue caused a ruckus at the venue, where media persons and police were gathered in significant numbers. In the nick of time, the man was held by cops and taken away. Cops were also seen emptying a can of water on the man.

Later, it was learned that the man was a native of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. However, the motive behind his act is not yet known.

Tamil Nadu Assembly has been witnessing significant developments on Wednesday. The DMK government passed a resolution, asking the central government to revoke the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin said that CAA was against Sri Lankan Tamils, adding that religion should not be a basis for citizenship and no law can be brought based on religious lines.

Opposing the DMK, BJP legislator Nainar Nagendran said the law is not against Muslims living in India. BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said that DMK was trying to appease minorities by passing the resolution and misleading them.

Earlier, AIADMK members staged a walkout, stating that they were not being allowed to speak. BJP members also staged a walkout after the CAA issue came to the fore.

A handful of state assemblies have passed resolutions against CAA in the past. They include Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The CAA allows non-Muslim minorities (Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian) from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, to acquire Indian citizenship, in order to escape persecution at their home countries. People from such communities of these countries, who came to India prior to December 31, 2014, would not be treated as illegal immigrants, instead, they would be granted Indian citizenship.

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Srinagar: National Conference chief and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday (September 8) said that his party is ready to fight elections whenever it is held.

He said that NC would continue its fight to seek restoration of Article 370 and 35 A.

We dont know when the elections would be held in Jammu Kashmir but we will be a part of elections, said Abdullah who had gone to pay tributes to his father Sheikh Abdullah on his death anniversary at his memorial.

We havent changed our stand regarding Article 370 and 35A, we stand committed for its restoration, he added.

Speaking about the recent developments in Afghanistan with the Taliban taking over control, Abdullah said he hoped that the Afghans run their country peacefully and respect basic human rights values and make good friendly relations to rest of the countries.

Last week, Abdullah had said that his party would sweep polls in Jammu and Kashmir if they are conducted in a fair manner.

I am telling with full authority that we will sweep the elections and our party will be largest in coming elections, Abdullah had said.

Abdullah had said he regretted not participating in the panchayat elections held in 2018.

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New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (September 8) filed a chargesheet against three persons accused of running ISIS propaganda and spreading the violent Jihadi ideology on social media.

The agency listed charges against Mohammed Ameen, resident of Keralas Malappuram, Mushab Anwar from Kannur and Rahees Rasheed from Kollam.

The NIA had registered a suo moto case against seven persons under various sections of IPC and UAPA.

According to the NIA, the accused have been running various ISIS propaganda channels on different social media platforms including Telegram, Hoop and Instagram for propagating the violent Jihadi ideology of ISIS and radicalising and recruiting new members for the ISIS module.

The NIA said that during investigation it found out that after the decline of ISIS Caliphate in Syria and Iraq, Mohd Ameen visited Kashmir in March, 2020 for Hijrah (religious migration) and for engaging in terrorist acts.

(The) accused Mohd Ameen was also involved in raising and distributing funds in connivance with co-accused Rahees Rasheed and Kashmir based accused Mohammad Waqar Lone and his associates for propagating ideology and violent activities of proscribed terrorist organization ISIS in India, the agency said.

The agency further said that the accused were also involved in radicalisation, recruitment, terror funding and grooming like-minded gullible Muslim youth to join proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS through different secured social media platforms.
New Delhi: The Ministry of Education will release the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) - the Indian ranking system - tomorrow, September 9. This is the sixth annual ranking and will be released by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

This year also theres a tough competition between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore top position in the National-level ranking index NIRF.

Since 2019 IIT-Madras has secured the first position in the national ranking, if it wins the spot this year, it will be a hattrick for the institute. IISc Bangalore on the other hand had last won the top spot in 2018.

IISc leads the pack from India in the international rankings while in the Indians ranking IITs secure the best position.

The NIRF was launched in 2015 and it rates education institutes across the country based on several parameters including teaching-learning and resources, research and professional practice, graduate outcome, outreach and inclusivity, and perception.

In 2020, the number of colleges participating in the ranking system had gone up by 20 per cent as compared to 2019. This year too the number is expected to rise.

This year rankings will be released in virtual mode the same way it was done last year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, students will get the overall best educational institutes, best universities, best MBA colleges, best colleges, best medical colleges, best dental colleges, and best colleges in research. As of now, no new category has been announced.

ALSO READ: Supreme Court orders Railways to pay Rs 30,000 to man who missed his flight for train delay

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Mumbai: Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals in Maharashtra, but keeping the COVID situation in mind, the state government has urged its people to celebrate 'Bappa' at home, opt for online darshans and avoid crowding in public spaces.

The Maharashtra Government on Wednesday (September 8) issued an order that the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations will not be allowed at public places in the state in view of COVID-19. As per the directive, people were advised to celebrate the festival at home.

Ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the state government order stated that the celebrations may not be allowed in public places. "It is prohibited to visit the idol of Lord Ganesha or visit the mandap and darshan should be made available online or through electronic means," said a statement released by the Maharashtra Home ministry.

Yesterday, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar urged Mumbaikars to follow 'Mera Ghar, Mera Bappa' (My house, My lord Ganesha) and celebrate the festival at home. Pednekar said, "Being the Mumbai Mayor, I am going to follow `Mera Ghar, Mera Bappa`. I will not go anywhere nor will I bring anyone near my lord. This is important to curb the third wave in the state."According to the Maharashtra health department, the state reported 3,626 new cases on Monday and 37 fatalities due to COVID-19.

Earlier, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had urged political parties to cancel all rallies and religious events in the state. "Public health is very important. Festivals can be celebrated in future. The situation can worsen if the cases of COVID increase. One must give priority to the health of the people so that we can avoid the third wave," Thackeray said. The Chief Minister also said there are clear instructions given to officials to be fully prepared for any such crisis.

In a special plea to all the political parties, the CM had said, "I appeal to all, those in the government and in the Opposition... Please exercise precautions now as peoples` lives are more important. Who would like to impose restrictions on festivals or religious celebrations, but the situation is different now."

(With Agency inputs)



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Jorhat: At least one person died and 20 people went missing after a boat with over 120 people on board sank in the Brahmaputra river after colliding with a ferry steamer near Nimati Ghat in Jorhat district of Assam on Wednesday, officials said.

The accident occurred when the private boat 'Ma Kamala' was headed to Majuli from Nimati Ghat and ferry 'Tripkai', operated by the state's Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department, was coming from the riverine island.

"The boat capsized and sank," an official of the IWT Department said. Another IWT official said more than 120 passengers were on board the boat but many of them were rescued by lifeguards on 'Tripkai'.

A woman died in hospital after she was rescued from the river, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) Chief Executive Officer Gyanendra Tripathi told PTI.

"We have reports of around 15-20 people missing. Several teams of NDRF and SDRF are carrying out rescue operations with support from the Army and para divers," he said.

Three senior officials of IWT Department were suspended on the charge of negligence of duty in connection with the accident, an official statement said.

Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Ashok Barman told PTI that 41 people have been rescued so far and no body has been recovered from the water yet.

"After sinking, it swept around 1.5 km away and stuck in the bed of the river. The boat is upside down now and we are not able to turn it around. Once we can do that, we will be able to see if anybody is stuck there," he added.

Divers from the Army will join the operations with some advanced machines, Barman said.

The boat was also carrying 27 motorcycles, he said.

The NDRF and SDRF have started a rescue and search operation but they are facing difficulties as it was pitch dark after the sunset.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the accident and took an update on the rescue operation and condition of those rescued so far.

"He said the Central Government is ready to lend all possible help. Grateful to him," Sarma tweeted.

The chief minister expressed concern over the accident and directed the district administrations of Majuli and Jorhat to undertake a rescue mission earnestly with the help of NDRF and SDRF.

He also asked minister Bimal Bora to rush to the site of the accident.

Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary is also on the way to Nimati Ghat, around 315 km from Guwahati.

Sarma asked Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha to monitor the developments round-the-clock.

Sarma asked Principal Secretary to the chief minister Samir Kumar Sinha to monitor the developments "round-the-clock".

The CM will visit Nimati Ghat on Thursday to take stock of the situation.

Union Minister of Shipping, Ports and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, who hails from Assam, also expressed deep anguish and concern on the accident in the mighty Brahmaputra.

He too spoke with Sarma over the phone about the accident.

"Officials of the Ministry have been directed to provide all necessary support to help the victims," according to a statement from Sonowal's office.

IWT Department officials said only one ramp at Nimati Ghat is functioning at present as water level in the Brahmaputra is high due to monsoon rain.

"As only one ramp is operational, any outgoing ferry has to give way to the incoming one. 'Ma Kamala' had to leave the ghat to give way to Tripkai. After it had gone just a few metres, the two collided," an official said.

As 'Ma Kamala' is run by private parties, they did not have a system to give tickets to passengers, and hence the exact number of people on the boat at the time of the accident is not known, the official said.

Three senior IWT officials were suspended following the accident for alleged negligence of duty.

"Three officials, namely Bikramaditya Choudhury, in-charge Executive Engineer, IWT, Dibrugarh Division; Mukut Gogoi, in-charge Assistant Executive Engineer, IWT, Jorhat Sub-Division and Ratul Tamuli, Junior Engineer, IWT, Jorhat Sub-Division have been placed under suspension," an official statement said.

Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary ordered senior officials of the IWT Department to rush to the spot.

"I am closely monitoring the ongoing rescue and relief operation. I am deeply saddened by the tragic ferry accident at Majuli. Departmental action will be taken against those found guilty," he added.

Patowary also ordered Transport Secretary Jadav Saikia to enquire about the accident.

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said a party delegation will visit the Nimati Ghat on Thursday to take stock of the situation.

Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi said, "Sad to know about the tragic ferry capsize incident at Nimatighat between Jorhat and Majuli. I urge the govt of Assam to take emergency measures to save the lives of the people."

Assam Jatiya Parishad President Lurinjyoti Gogoi criticised the IWT Department for allegedly failing to take steps to ensure safety of the people though such incidents had taken place earlier.

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United Nations: Slamming Pakistan, India said the country continues to foment a "culture of violence" at home and across its borders as it hit out at Islamabad for using the platform of the United Nations for hate speech against it.

"A Culture of Peace is not just an abstract value or principle to be discussed and celebrated in conferences, but needs to be actively built into global relationships between and among member states," First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Vidisha Maitra said in the UN General Assembly Tuesday during the high-level forum on the Culture of Peace 'Transformative role of the Culture of Peace: Promoting Resilience and Inclusion in Post-COVID Recovery'.

"We have witnessed yet another attempt today by the delegation of Pakistan to exploit a UN platform for hate speech against India, even as it continues to foment a 'culture of violence' at home and across its borders. We dismiss and condemn all such efforts," she said.

India's strong response came after Islamabad's envoy to the UN Munir Akram raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and spoke about the late pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in his remarks in the General Assembly hall that focussed almost entirely on India and not on the forum's theme.

Maitra said there can be no doubt that terrorism, which is a manifestation of intolerance and violence, is the antithesis of all religions and cultures. "The world should be concerned by terrorists who use religion to justify these acts and those who support them in this quest," she said.

Underlining that India will continue to spread the message of humanity, democracy and non-violence, she said India reiterates its call for the application of the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity and impartiality to form the basis of discussions in the United Nations especially on the issue of religion.

"The United Nations including UN Alliance of Civilizations and Member States should refrain from selectivity on such issues which hinders a Culture of Peace," she said.

While noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the interconnectedness and interdependence of humankind like never before, she said even during the pandemic, "we have witnessed an upsurge in intolerance, violence, and terrorism.

"Even in the midst of the pandemic, we face the 'infodemic' challenge which has been responsible for a rise in hate speech and in seeding hatred within communities," she said.

Last year in June, India along with 12 countries had co-sponsored the Cross-Regional Statement on "Infodemic" in the Context of COVID-19, a first of its kind statement by UN Member States.

Maitra told the high-level forum that the principles of democracy, pluralism, compassion, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding form the basis of the Culture of Peace.

"India is called a country of 'unity in diversity'. Our concept of pluralism is based on our ancient ethos of 'Sarva Dharma Sambhav' which means 'equal respect for all faiths'," she said, as she referred to the 1893 speech by India's great philosopher Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago where he had impressed upon India's civilisational ethos of accepting the greatness of all religions.

"India is not just the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but is also the land where the teachings of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism have taken strong root," she said.

"Culture of Peace is the cornerstone of any global order to build inclusive and tolerant societies. Since the adoption of the UN Declaration and Programme of Action in 1999 at Bangladesh's behest, the Culture of Peace agenda has provided an effective blueprint for multilateral action to promote solidarity and understanding," she said.

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New Delhi: India and Russia held a consultation on Afghanistan on Wednesday (September 8), with New Delhi pointing out that given Pakistan has links with the Taliban and has been supporting international terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamabad has "special responsibility" to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to spread terrorism.

During the talks, India highlighted Pakistan's notorious spy agency ISI's links with LeT and JeM, something that has been raised privately and publicly many times.

The talks were led by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the visiting Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev. This is the first visit of Patrushev to any foreign country after the emergence of the Taliban as the dominant force in Afghanistan.

Both sides saw the issue of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan as a threat to India and Central Asia. Three central Asian states - Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan share border with Afghanistan, and the fear is that the crisis can impact them as well.

Both New Delhi and Moscow share close ties with these countries, with Russia being a major security and economic partner due to the Soviet connect.

During the talks, India expressed concerns over security of Afghan minorities - Hindus and Sikhs. India in August evacuated over 500 people, more than 200 of which were Afghans mainly from minority communities - Hindus and Sikhs.

A release by the Russian embassy on Doval-Nikolay talks said, both sides, "touched upon humanitarian and migration problems in this country, as well as prospects for the Russian-Indian joint efforts aimed at creating conditions for launching a peaceful settlement process on the basis of an intra-Afghan dialogue."

While both sides agreed that "there is a lot of uncertainty" as the situation "evolves rapidly in Afghanistan", sources explained that they had convergence of views on many issues like the need for the Taliban to adhere to promises and commitments it had made, rights of women, minorities, flow of weapons to terror groups and smuggling across the Afghan border and Afghanistan becoming the hub of opium production and Islamic radicalisation and extremism.

The visiting top security official called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar. A release from the Indian PMO said, "Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the visit of the Russian delegation led by Secretary Patrushev at a time when major changes are taking place in the region" and asked him to convey "his thanks to President Putin for his constant attention towards the India-Russia Partnership."

India-Russia consultation on Afghanistan in Delhi was a direct outcome of the Indian PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin's talks on August 24. In the 45 minute long conversation, both decided to form a "permanent bilateral channel" for consultations on Afghanistan.

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New Delhi: Very little has changed when it comes to the Taliban after all. With the annoucement of the new government on Tuesday (September 7) and the hardliners leading the group, it has become crystal clear that the new government is just "old wine in a new bottle", India's former diplomats have asserted. What has the Indians worried is the possible implication for the country, especially given the fact that the interim givernment has "a strong Pakistani imprint on it".

The Taliban unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the insurgent group, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, a designated global terrorist of the dreaded Haqqani Network with a $10 million US bounty on his head, as the interior minister.

Though there are some voices in the government such as Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, named as the deputy to the foreign minister, who has spoken of having friendly ties with India, but they are much lower in the pecking order.

Former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh, ex-diplomats Meera Shankar, Anil Wadhwa and Vishnu Prakash noted that the new government had extremist elements and India must continue with its "wait and watch" approach going forward. Rakesh Sood, a former Indian envoy to Afghanistan, said the interim government announced in Kabul dispels any myth about a Taliban 2.0. "This is clearly the same as Taliban 1.0 with ISI fingerprints all over it," he asserted.

In fact, at the high level India-Russia Inter-Governmental Consultations on Afghanistan, sources said that India highlighted links of Pakistan's ISI with terror groups in Afghanistan such as LeT and JeM. India expressed concern over security of minorities, including Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan, sources were quoted by ANI. India emphasized Pakistan's links with Taliban and other international terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, and special responsibility that Pakistan bears to ensure that Afghanistan soil is not used to spread terrorism, the sources added.

Meera Shankar, who served as India's Ambassador to the United States between 2009 and 2011, said one would have to wait and see what the development means for India in terms of the policies that the Taliban adopt. "But it does not appear promising and indeed there is cause for concern because it seems to be old wine in a new bottle because many of the players who have been appointed are the same (that were there in the previous Taliban regime)," she told PTI.

The appointment of Sirajuddin Haqqani to head the interior ministry is a cause of worry and the Doha group which presented the moderate face of the Taliban seems to have been marginalised to a considerable extent, Shankar noted. Noting that it was a setback for India, she stressed that instead of looking at it (the new Afghan regime) in terms of India-Pakistan, what was more important was that it will be a setback for the people of Afghanistan.

She also noted that the presence of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed while the cabinet formation was being discussed, clearly showed that there was an "overt" Pakistani interference and not a subtle one anymore.

Wadhwa, who served as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs before retiring in 2017, said it was quite expected that the government will not be an "inclusive" government as people expected it to be. "The Taliban factions have found their own balance and the extremist elements are prevalent there; the others are sidelined, so basically the Doha faction has been sidelined. To have expected an inclusive government for an outfit like this especially when Pakistan is playing a very strong hand was not really up to reality," he told PTI.

"What has happened is along the expected lines and it is of course a setback for countries like India, the US and the West in general. But I have a feeling that since these countries (West) are far away from the action in Afghanistan, they will gradually over time come to live with it. But the country that will face the brunt of it would be possibly India, perhaps later on countries like Iran and Russia, but not so much China," Wadhwa said.

He asserted that the new government had the imprint of Pakistan's ISI and pointed out that the Haqqani faction holding the Interior ministry, speaks volumes. Agreeing that it was rhetorically a case of "old wine in a new bottle", he said, "right now, yes we are not going to recognize this kind of government but I don't see why we should not have a channel of communication with them."

Echoing similar views on keeping a channel of communication open, Prakash, who has been India's envoy to Canada and South Korea, said that it does not mean recognition or endorsement but it just means "we are having a channel of communication" so that Pakistan does not get a "free run".

Prakash said what was surprising was that even the Doha group had been eased out because they were not considered to be hardline enough, and asserted that "Rawalpindi (a reference to Pakistani Army) was calling the shots".

"I would say that the bottle is old and the wine is old when you have people like Mullah Hasan Akhund, who was the person who ordered the destruction of Bamiyan Buddha, or you have Sirajuddin Haqqani who was instrumental in attacking the Indian embassy, these are the people who know only one language and that is the language of the gun," he asserted.

Talking about Pakistan's influence on Afghanistan now, Prakash said he does not think that anyone in the know of things had any doubt that Pakistan was "holding all the aces". Pakistan has put its own nation at risk by cultivating the Taliban, supporting them, and the entire fight was masterminded by Rawalpindi, he said. "Pakistan's imprint was writ large. You have to be in denial to state that Pakistan's role was limited. It is a different matter whether the Taliban, once it consolidates itself, it will carve out an independent course only time will tell," he said.

Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday said India cannot and should not do business with the government formed in Afghanistan.

Akhund has been named as the Interim Prime Minister, while Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who had led talks with the United States and signed the deal that led to America's final withdrawal from Afghanistan, will be one of two deputies to Akhund. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted by media reports as saying that Amir Khan Muttaqi will be Afghanistan's acting foreign minister while Mullah Yaqoob, son of Taliban's founder Mullah Omar, will serve as the acting defence minister.

(With Agency inputs)

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Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2021: The Ministry of Defence announced vacancies to nearly 400 posts of Civil Motor Driver, Cleaner and other posts and has invited applications from eligible candidates. As per the job notification, the ministry is looking for applications to Civilian Motor Driver, Cleaner, Civilian Catering Instructor and Cook.

The notification specifies that the candidates will be able to apply for the job within 21 days from the release of the notification. The notification date was August 28, 2021 which means the last date to apply is September 17, 2021.

To apply candidates will need to send their complete details along with a self-addressed envelope and all the requisite documents should be sent to The Presiding Officer, Civilian Direct Recruitment Board, CHQ, ASC Centre (South)  2 ATC, Agram Post, Bangalore -07 (for Labour and MTS (Safaiwala) and to The Presiding Officer, Civilian Direct Recruitment Board, CHQ, ASC Centre (North)  1 ATC, Agram Post, Bangalore -07 (for other trades).

CHECK HERE FOR DIRECT LINK TO APPLY

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2021: Vacancy details

ASC Centre (North):

Civil Motor Driver (only for Male Candidates)- 115

Cleaner  67

Cook  15

Civilian Catering Instructor  3

ASC Centre (South):

Labour (only for Male Candidates)  193

MTS (Safaiwala) (preferably male)  7

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2021: Eligibility Criteria

To apply for these posts, the candidate should have cleared his or her matriculation (class 10th).

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2021: Age

The candidate should be between 18 years to 25 years for recruitment to the post of Civil Catering Instructor, Cleaner, Cook, Labor and MTS.

The age of the candidate should be between 18 years to 27 years for recruitment to the post of Civil Motor Driver.

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2021: Selection process

* It must be noted that the candidates will be selected for these posts on the basis of Skill / Physical / Practical Test and Written Test.

* The selection will be made strictly on the basis of merit.

* The selection for all Group C posts will be made solely based on marks obtained by the applicants in the written test and subject to qualifying in the Skill/Physical/Practical test.
New Delhi: The Bengaluru civic agency on Wednesday (September 8) banned animal slaughter and sale of meat in the city on September 10 on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, ANI reported.

On Tuesday, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had restricted the Ganesha Pooja celebrations in the city in public places to three days from September 10 as opposed to the Karnataka government's order which allowed five days' of festivities in districts where the Test Positivity Rate is less than two per cent.

Karnataka | Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) orders ban on animal slaughter and sale of meat on 10th September-Ganesh Chaturthi  ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2021

"Ganesha festival will not be allowed for more than three days in Bengaluru city. There should not be any procession while bringing the idol or during immersion," BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta was quoted as saying by PTI.

Gupta had also informed that Ganesha idols made of plaster of Paris have been banned and the height of the idols has also been capped. Idols installed at homes should be immersed at home only or in our mobile tank. Ganeshas installed at public places should be of (a maximum of) four feet height and should be immersed in mobile tanks. We are also creating immersion tanks. We have also arrived at a decision to ban immersion of idols in lakes," he added.

Earlier, the Karnataka government prohibited any cultural events and processions while bringing the idols to the pooja pandals or during immersions. In the guidelines issued on Sunday, the state government said distribution of food and prasad will not be allowed. The government also capped the limit of people allowed at celebrations and Ganesha idol immersion to 20. Night curfew will remain in effect during the 5-day celebration of the festival in the state, while no celebrations will be allowed after 9 pm, the order said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka logged 851 fresh COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths, pushing the caseload to 29,56,988 and the death toll to 37,441 on Tuesday. The total number of active cases reached 17,432, a health department bulletin said.

The positivity rate for the day was recorded at 0.71 per cent, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) stood at 1.76 per cent. Bengaluru Urban accounted for most of the new cases (248), reported three deaths and saw 362 discharges.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan withdrew the COVID-19 restrictions clamped to keep a check on the rapid rise of the number of novel coronovirus cases. The CM announced on Tuesday that the lockdown imposed on Sundays and night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am has been lifted.

In a press meet, Vijayan said that the decision to ease the restriction was taken during the COVID-19 review meeting as the weekly test positivity rate fell to 17.91 per cent from 18.49 per cent, ANI said in a report.

The weekly TPR for August 31 to September 6 was 17.91 per cent dipping from 18.49 per cent for the period between July 24 and 30. Kerala has recorded 25,772 cases and 189 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Further, the CM said that from October 4, higher education institutions such as including technical, polytechnic and medical will be allowed to operate for undergraduate and graduate final year students.

"Class 10 and 12 studies are very important. So school teachers should also make sure to complete the vaccination by this week or month. Departments of Public Instruction and Higher Education should take steps to ensure that school teachers are vaccinated on priority," he said.

Meanwhile, getting some reason for cheer the 20 more samples that were sent for testing at the NIV laboratory in Pune has returned negative. This just three days after the first Nipah case was reported from Kozhikode.

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New Delhi: The government has appointed 10 merchant bankers including Goldman Sachs (India) Securities, Citigroup Global Markets India, and Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities India to manage the mega initial public offering of country's largest insurer LIC.

Other selected bankers include SBI Capital Market, JM Financial, Axis Capital, BofA Securities, JP Morgan India, ICICI Securities, and Kotak Mahindra Capital Co Ltd, a circular on the divestment department website said.

"Government has finalised the book running lead managers and some other advisors for the IPO of LIC," DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey tweeted.

The disinvestment department had invited applications for the appointment of merchant bankers on July 15. Following this, 16 merchant bankers made presentations for managing listing and partial disinvestment of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is also in the process of appointing a legal adviser for the stake sale and the last date for putting bids is September 16.

Actuarial firm Milliman Advisors LLP India has already been appointed to assess the embedded value of LIC ahead of the IPO, which is likely in the January-March quarter of 2022.

The government is also mulling allowing foreign investors to pick up stakes in the country's largest insurer LIC. As per Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) rules, foreign portfolio investors (FPI) are permitted to buy shares in a public offer.

However, since the LIC Act has no provision for foreign investments, there is a need to align the proposed LIC IPO with Sebi norms regarding foreign investor participation.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had last month cleared the initial public offering proposal of Life Insurance Corp of India.

The ministerial panel known as the Alternative Mechanism on strategic disinvestment will now decide on the quantum of stake to be divested by the government.

"The potential size of the IPO is expected to be far larger than any precedent in Indian markets," the department had said.

The listing of LIC will be crucial for the government in meeting its disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for 2021-22 (April-March). Also Read: Medicine From The Sky project: Medicines, COVID-19 vaccines delivery trial to begin in Telangana

So far this financial year, Rs 8,368 crore has been mopped up through minority stake sales in PSU and the sale of SUUTI (Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India) stake in Axis Bank. Also Read: Facebook, Ray-Ban to unveil smart glasses on September 9: Check features, launch details

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New Delhi: The Meteorological Centre for Konkan region sounded an 'orange alert' for Mumbai and Thane predicting heavy showers till Wednesday, September 9.

Three Maharashtra districts - Mumbai, Thane and Palghar, have been receiving moderate to heavy rains since late Tuesday evening, and heavy showers are expected to continue all through Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forcast.

While Mumbai and Thane have been placed under an orange alert, Palghar is placed under a red alert, indicating chances of extremely heavy rainfall.

#Mumbai Rainfall during past 3 hours:

Moderate to heavy rains over most places in suburbs. Intense to very intense spells very likely over Mumbai and Thane during next 3-4 hours with possibility of thunder/lightning in some areas. pic.twitter.com/1wR55hRvez  Regional Meteorological Center,Mumbai (@RMC_Mumbai) September 7, 2021

The collectors of the two Maharashtra districts appealed people not to venture into rivers, lakes and other water bodies in the next few days and also avoid travelling, unless absolutely necessary. Citizens have been asked to remain vigilant in the wake of heavy rainfall prediction. The people have been asked to not cross bridges located over flooded rivers.

People have been asked to keep a sufficient stock of essential items at home and protect electric meters in their buildings from flood waters. The authorities have also asked people residing near the banks of rivers to stay alert and shift to safer places if the water level rises in their areas.
New Delhi: Superstar Akshay Kumar's mother, Aruna Bhatia breathed her last on September 8, 2021. She has been battling ill health for a long time and was in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Hiranandani Hospital, according to PTI. However, the cause of her death is not yet known.

Akshay Kumar informed his fans and well-wishers about mom's death on social media. He tweeted: She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti

She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 8, 2021

Several celebrities such as Ajay Devgn, Nimarat Kaur, Dia Mirza, Vindu Dara Singh among others extended condolences and mourned the demise of Akshay's mother.

Dear Akki, Heartfelt condolences on your mothers passing away. May Arunajis soul find eternal peace. Condolences to you & your family.

Om Shanti https://t.co/fBEzmsQpnF  Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) September 8, 2021

So very sorry for your profound loss. Deepest condolences and my heartfelt prayers to you and the whole family in this grave hour. Satnaam wahe guru @akshaykumar https://t.co/B7WOxbI6qb  Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) September 8, 2021

Deepest condolences @mrsfunnybones @akshaykumar and family. Our prayers and love to you all in this difficult time https://t.co/PHov95gvNy  Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 8, 2021

Condolences and prayers sir  Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) September 8, 2021

Recently, the Bollywood star rushed back to Mumbai from London, as his mother's condition deteriorated. He was shooting for his upcoming venture titled Cinderella in the United Kingdom.

Last evening, Akshay Kumar took to Twitter to thank his well-wishers for praying for his mother's good health.
Mumbai: Mumbai police have registered an FIR against Bollywood actor Rajat Bedi for allegedly knocking down a pedestrian with his car in suburban Andheri, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on Monday evening near a temple in the Andheri area when the actor was on his way home, he said.

The pedestrian, who was in an inebriated state, suddenly came in the middle of the road and got hit by the actor's car before the latter could apply brakes, the official said.

The actor subsequently took the injured person to the nearby Cooper Hospital and then went to D N Nagar police station where he informed the about the incident to on-duty police officer, the official said.

The injured person was currently undergoing treatment in the hospital, he said.

The police have registered a case against the actor under Indian Penal Code Sections 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), the official said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

Bedi has acted in several films, including Hrithik Roshan-starrer "Koi...Mil Gaya", and "Partner", which featured Salman Khan.
New Delhi: The billionaire beauty mogul Kylie Jenner has confirmed that she is pregnant and expecting her second child with rapper Travis Scott.

Taking to her Instagram handle on Tuesday, Kylie shared the sweetest video, announcing that she is going to be a mom again.

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott are already parents to their three-year-old daughter Stormi Webster.

In the heartwarming video, Kylie can be seen holding a positive pregnancy test and then the clip cuts to Scott, hugging her stomach. Next, the excited parents get in the car with their daughter Stormi for an OBGYN appointment. Kylie and Scott's faces beamed with joy when the doctor told them that the baby is "a couple of days away from a heartbeat."

The 90-second clip also features the moment that Kylie told her mom, Kris Jenner, that she is once again expecting.

Seeing the pictures of the ultrasound, the proud grandma exclaimed, "Wait a second...are you pregnant? Stormi, we're gonna have a baby! This is one of the happiest days of my life!"

Capturing beautiful moments from Kylie's pregnancy journey, the video concluded with an adorable Stormi kissing her mom's growing baby bump.

Kylie kept the caption of her post simple, opting for just a white heart and a pregnant woman emoji. She also tagged Scott.

Her sisters shared their excitement for the newest addition to the Kardashian-Jenner clan in the comments.

"Crying this is so beautiful my blessed angel sister," Kourtney Kardashian wrote.

"Crying!!!!" Kim Kardashian added with heart emoticons.

Kendall Jenner commented, "I can't handle it" and posted heart and smiling face emoticons.

Last month, multiple sources confirmed to People magazine that Kylie and Travis Scott are expecting their second child together. The pair recently got back together after splitting in October 2019.

"Kylie is a few months along. She has a cute bump. She is beyond excited," a source told People magazine at the time, adding that the 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star had been spending time with loved ones away from the public eye during her early pregnancy.

"She has been wanting to give Stormi a sibling for a while. She loves being a mom. She is thrilled that she and Travis are pregnant again. She has been enjoying her pregnancy in private. She has only spent time with close friends and family," the source said.

While Jenner and Scott remained friendly after their breakup and continued to co-parent Stormi, a source told People magazine in June 2020 that the pair had recently become even closer.

"Although they always got along, there is a different energy between them now," the source said.

"Kylie and Travis are very close again. ... They never put any pressure on their relationship. The focus was always on being the best co-parents. They still keep separated homes in Los Angeles because this is what works for them," the source concluded.
Mumbai: Actor Vidyut Jammwal on Wednesday paid a special tribute to 'Bigg Boss 13' winner and popular actor Sidharth Shukla on Wednesday. The actor hosted an Instagram live today at noon where he talked about the late actor.

He started with how Sidharth Shukla was one of the most well-dressed guys in the gym he started going in 2004. He said that there was nobody in the gym who was not scared of Shukla, courtesy his well-built, and added that there was nobody who did not love him. Vidyut said that he always found Sidharth to be a 'real Mard' as he was raised by three beautiful strong women, his mother Rita Shukla and two sisters.

He said that during his struggling days, Sidharth's mother used to feed him homemade food, which was a big thing for him. Vidyut said that since he hailed from Jammu and was away from his family in Mumbai, getting homemade food during those days was no less than a luxury. He added that among all his friends, Sidharth was the only one who had a house and was staying with his family in the city.

Vidyut talked about a lot of qualities of Sidharth, that according to him are hardly seen in men these days. He said that Sidharth was the only man he knew who would never talk about the girl he was. "Whenever someone asked him about a girl he was rumoured to be dating, he would ignore the question," Vidyut mentioned during the tribute session. He also added that Sidharth was never into the pap culture as he would never inform and invite paparazzi to click his pictures.

The 'Commando' actor also mentioned that Sidharth knew about his wit and that it would not be easy to beat him in verbal duets. He added that Sidharth was not only well-bred but also well-read and well versed in both Hindi as well as English. He also spoke about how he used to borrow Sidharth's Hayabusa bike during his modelling days when he wanted to go for shoots or take his friends for rides.

During the tribute session, Vidyut could be seen almost in tears several times, as he remembered his dearest friend, who bid his adieu to the world at an early age.

Sidharth Shukla passed away in the wee hours on September 2. His last rites were performed on September 3.
New Delhi: Successful people fascinate all of us. Most of us believe that things worked out for them because they were born-lucky, but what we often fail to see is the ladder of untiring efforts and determination these people possess to climb up the rooftop of success.

Born in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, Ankit Pandey didnt have much exposure to the outer world, but digital media was something that he was always captivated by.

As years passed and Ankit grew up, he left his home and came to Delhi in search of better career options. It was here, that he decided to start his career as a marketer. He laid the foundation of Vedic Mall, an online and offline store specifically for Indic products manufactured and built-in India which soon got very popular.

In 2011, he created a Facebook group Thalua Club which presented social and political happenings in the country in a humoral and satirical way. To everyone surprise, the group got massively popular and Pandey soon started getting recognition.

In 2014, he started handling election campaigns for his political clients through social media and other advertising mediums. His hard work paid off and the campaigning turned to be massively successful.

Ankit then started InsistPost, a news-sharing website that got immensely popular among people all around the nation followed by another Facebook news portal which he established within a short span of 6 months.

The success story of Ankit Pandey does not end here. In 2019, he was again approached by the political leaders for election campaigning for Lok Sabha General Elections. As it was expected, Ankit was successfully able to create a positive atmosphere for his clients among the voters which helped them achieve unprecedented results.

Ankit has become a source of inspiration for the youth of the country. He is a leading example of how hard work and determination can help you achieve anything despite of all the odds and difficulties in your life.
New Delhi: While the fans are still dealing with the shocking demise of the TVs most favourite actor Sidharth Shukla on September 2, the photos of his upcoming song with his best friend Shehnaaz Gill is going viral on social media.

Yes, you read that right!

Their cute jodi hogged all the limelight during their stint in the popular reality show Bigg Boss season 13 where Sidharth was declared as the winner and since then they became a talking point, with fans trending #SidNaaz on social media. Sidharth and Shehnaaz had undeniable chemistry and rapport on the show. The two also stayed in touch after their Bigg Boss stint and were rumoured to be dating in real life.

Post their stint in the show, the couple became inseparable and were seen together in several music videos including Bhula Dunga and Shona Shona among others.

Now after several days post the demise, a fashion photographer whose official Instagram page handle is called Photographerovezsayed has shared few pictures from Sidnaazs upcoming song and the pictures are going viral on social media.

And now many fan pages are sharing it on their social media.

In the pictures, Sid and Sana are seen twinning in royal blue comfy outfits and are chilling near a beach. Through the pictures, the song looks like a peppy number and would not be a serious one.

The netizens are going gaga over their chemistry and are desperately waiting for their next outing really soon.

Ever since Shehnaaz got to know about Sidharths demise, she has been inconsolable. The same has been witnessed when the actress was first time spotted post his time at his last rites journey. Her first appearance post his untimely death has shaken fans, media and friends.

Shehnaaz Gill was accompanied by her brother Shehbaaz and looked completely heartbroken. She was teary-eyed and inconsolable.

Recently, a prayer meet was conducted virtually from the late actor's family home in Mumbai, which was led by the Brahmakumaris for Sidharth as he was quite spiritually inclined, and was a follower of the religious organisation.

For the unversed, TVs most popular face and Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla died on Thursday (September 2), with many suspecting it to be a heart attack. His viscera samples have been sent to a forensic laboratory for examination though initial reports did not reveal any signs of unnatural death, police and hospital sources told PTI.

The autopsy report of the actor did not mention the exact cause of death, said a police officer on Friday.

On the face of it, there were no signs of unnatural death but the opinion has been reserved," he said, adding that the exact cause of death will be known after reports of chemical analysis of the viscera and histopathology tests were received.

Sidharth Shukla is survived by his mother and two sisters. The actor's last screen outing was Ekta Kapoor's insanely popular show 'Broken But Beautiful 3' in which he played the role of Agastya Rao.
New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on its study visit to Hyderabad, on Wednesday ran into leading Tollywood actor Mahesh Babu at a five-star hotel here.

"What a delightful personality," tweeted Tharoor after the meeting with the actor.

As it happens, at our hotel in Hyderabad, the @TridentHyd, I ran into Superstar MaheshBabu @urstrulyMahesh along with my colleague (& his brother-in-law) @JayGalla, a member of the Committee. What a delightful personality! pic.twitter.com/rhrTDOQBQy  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 8, 2021

"Talking to MaheshBabu @urstrulyMahesh shows you why no one in Hyderabad refers to him without the honorific 'Superstar'! He had just finished knocking out the villain in his next production when we had a chat behind the scenes," wrote Tharoor who posted a video of the meeting.

"As it happens, at our hotel in Hyderabad, the @TridentHyd, I ran into Superstar MaheshBabu @urstrulyMahesh along with my colleague (& his brother-in-law) @JayGalla, a member of the Committee. What a delightful personality!" he tweeted.

Galla Jayadev, a member of Lok Sabha, belongs to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The Parliamentary committee members also planted saplings at Shiparamam as part of Green India Challenge initiated by Rajya Sabha member Joginpally Santosh Kumar.

They appreciated the TRS MP for his novel initiative and called upon all to carry forward the Green India Challenge.

Tharoor, while appreciating the efforts of Santosh Kumar, felt that the fruits of the saplings we plant may be enjoyed by the next generations and that nation building is also the same.
New Delhi: Bank of Baroda's (BoB) mega e-auction of properties across India is kicking off today (September 8, 2021.)

Bank of Baroda properties have a clear title and are available for immediate possession. Customers can also avail bank loan on easy terms. Also the properties, being sold via online auction is free of any brokerage.

During the mega e-auction of properties to be kicked off by Bank of Baroda, prospective buyers and customers can fulfil their dream of buying property across India that involves houses, flats, office space, land/plots and industrial properties.

You can click the below mentioned link by Bank of Baroda and check the gist of properties to be available during e-auction.

https://www.bankofbaroda.in/writereaddata/Images/pdf/List-of-292-propert...

Bank of Baroda says that the details of properties displayed via the link intends to provide a broad understanding of the properties which are scheduled for Mega e-Auction on 08th September 2021. The accurate details and correctness of information for each property should be verified by the prospective buyer independently through Banks Branch/Authorised Officer and own source.

For detailed terms and condition of the sale, customers or prospective buyers must refer Sale e-Auction notice & Terms conditions for each property. Auction Notice & Terms Conditions are available on https://ibapi.in or Banks website https://www.bankofbaroda.in . The information displayed in the link shall not constitute any commitment or any representation on the part of the Bank/Authorised officer, says BoB.

Usually, those properties whose loans could not be repaid i.e. properties on default, are placed in the auction by banks. Such properties are auctioned from time to time by banks through Indian Banks Auctions Mortgaged Properties Information (IBAPI) portal.

"Indian Banks Auctions Mortgaged Properties Information (IBAPI) portal is an initiative of Indian Banks Association (IBA) under the overarching policy of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance to provide a common platform to display details of mortgaged properties to be auctioned online by Banks, starting with Public Sector Banks. Prospective buyers may use this portal to search and view details of properties and participate in the auction process," the Ibapi website reads.
New Delhi: The income tax department on Wednesday said a number of technical issues on the new ITR portal are being progressively addressed and 1.19 crore ITRs for 2020-21 fiscal year have been filed so far.

Giving updates of activities carried out by taxpayers on the portal, the I-T department said over 8.83 crore unique taxpayers have logged into the portal till September 7, 2021, with a daily average of over 15.55 lakh in September.

The Income Tax Return (ITR) filing has increased to 3.2 lakh daily in September 2021.

"A number of technical issues are being progressively addressed and there has been a positive trend reflected in the statistics of the various filings on the portal.... 1.19 crore ITRs for AY 2021-22 have been filed.

"Of these, over 76.2 lakh taxpayers have used the online utility of the portal to file the returns," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in a statement.

The new e-filing portal, www.Incometax.Gov.In, was launched on June 7. It had a bumpy start since the day of its launch with taxpayers and professionals reporting glitches and difficulties.

"The Ministry of Finance has been regularly monitoring the resolution of issues with Infosys Ltd," the statement added.

Infosys was in 2019 given the contract to develop the portal.

"It is encouraging to note that over 94.88 lakh ITRs have also been e-verified, which is necessary for processing by the Centralized Processing Center. Of this, 7.07 lakh ITRs have been processed," it added.

Taxpayers have been able to view over 8.74 lakh notices issued by the department under the faceless assessment / appeal/ penalty proceedings, to which over 2.61 lakh responses have been filed.

An average of 8,285 notices for e-proceedings are being issued and 5,889 responses are being filed in September 2021 on a daily basis.

Over 10.60 lakh statutory forms have been submitted, including 7.86 lakh TDS statements, 1.03 lakh Form 10A for registration of trusts /institutions, 0.87 lakh Form 10E for arrears of salary and 0.10 lakh Form 35 for appeal.

Aadhaar- PAN linking has been done by 66.44 lakh taxpayers and over 14.59 lakh e-PANs have been allotted. These two facilities are being availed of by over 0.50 lakh taxpayers on a daily basis in September 2021.

"It is reiterated that the Department is continuously engaged with Infosys to ensure a smooth filing experience to taxpayers," the CBDT added.

The finance ministry had on August 23 "summoned" Infosys CEO Salil Parekh to explain why issues continued to plague the portal developed by the software major.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the meeting with Parekh, expressed "deep disappointment" over glitches persisting for more than two months after launch and gave him time till September 15 to resolve all issues. Also Read: Bank of Baroda launches 'bob World' app: Now, open bank accounts, apply for loans in minutes

Between January 2019 to June 2021, the government has paid Rs 164.5 crore to Infosys for developing the portal. Also Read: Google apologises for showing Kannada as 'ugliest', court case withdrawn

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#mute
KABUL: The new caretaker government announced by the Taliban comprises five 5 UN-designated terrorists, a close aide of the Islamist militant groups founder as premier, and a wanted man on a US terrorism list as interior minister carrying $ 10 million bounty on his head.

World powers have told the Taliban the key to peace and development is an inclusive government that would back up its pledges of a more conciliatory approach, upholding human rights, after a previous 1996-2001 period in power marked by bloody vendettas and oppression of women.

Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, in his first public statement since the August 15 seizure of the capital Kabul by the insurgents, said the Taliban were committed to all international laws, treaties and commitments not in conflict with Islamic law.

"In the future, all matters of governance and life in Afghanistan will be regulated by the laws of the Holy Sharia," he said in a statement, in which he also congratulated Afghans on what he called the country`s liberation from foreign rule.

The names announced for the new government, three weeks after the Taliban swept to military victory as US-led foreign forces withdrew and the weak Western-backed government collapsed, gave no sign of an olive branch to its opponents.

The United States said it was concerned by the track records of some of the Cabinet members and noted that no women had been included. "The world is watching closely," a US State Department spokesperson said.

Afghans who enjoyed major progress in education and civil liberties over the 20 years of US-backed government remain fearful of Taliban intentions and daily protests have continued since the Taliban takeover, challenging the new rulers. On Tuesday, as the new government was being announced, a group of Afghan women in a Kabul street took cover after Taliban gunmen fired into the air to disperse hundreds of protesters.

The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, girls could not attend school and women were banned from work and education. Religious police would flog anyone breaking the rules and public executions were carried out.

The Taliban has urged Afghans to be patient and vowed to be more tolerant this time - a commitment many Afghans and foreign powers will be scrutinising as a condition for aid and investment desperately needed in Afghanistan.

LATE FOUNDER`S LEGACY IN NEW GOVERNMENT

Mullah Hasan Akhund

Mullah Hasan Akhund, named as the prime minister, like many in the Taliban leadership derives much of his prestige from his close link to the movement`s reclusive late founder Mullah Omar, who presided over its rule two decades ago.

Akhund is long-time chief of the Taliban`s powerful decision-making body Rehbari Shura, or leadership council. He was foreign minister and then deputy prime minister when the Taliban were last in power and, like many of the incoming Cabinet, is under UN sanctions for his role in that government.

Sirajuddin Haqqani

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the new interior minister, is the son of the founder of the Haqqani network, classified as a terrorist group by Washington. He is one of the FBI`s most wanted men due to his involvement in suicide attacks and ties with Al Qaeda.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the movement`s political office who was given his nom de guerre "brother", or Baradar, by Mullah Omar, was appointed as Akhund`s deputy, main Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul.

The passing over of Baradar for the top government job came as a surprise to some as he had been responsible for negotiating the US withdrawal at talks in Qatar and presenting the face of the Taliban to the outside world.

Baradar was previously a senior Taliban commander in the long insurgency against U.S. forces. He was arrested and imprisoned in Pakistan in 2010, becoming head of the Taliban`s political office in Doha after his release in 2018.

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, a son of Mullah Omar, was named as defence minister. All the appointments were in an acting capacity, Mujahid said.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Air Force One, as President Joe Biden flew to New York, that there would be no recognition of the Taliban government soon.

Amir Khan Muttaqi

Originally from Paktia, Muttaqi calls himself a resident of Helmand. He served as minister of culture and information during the previous Taliban government, as well as minister of education. Muttaqi was later sent to Qatar and was appointed a member of the peace commission and negotiation team that held talks with the United States.

Neither militant commander nor religious leader, according to Taliban sources, Muttaqi is the chair of the Invitation and Guidance Commission, which during the insurgency had led efforts to get government officials and other key figures to defect.

Zabihullah Mujahid

The long-time chief spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid has for more than a decade been the key conduit for spreading information on the group`s activities, regularly posting details of suicide attacks through his Twitter account.

No photo of him existed until he gave his first press conference following the fall of Kabul last month, and for years American military intelligence believed Mujahid was a persona for several individuals running the group`s media operations.

ECONOMIC MELTDOWN

Taliban spokesman Mujahid, speaking against a backdrop of collapsing public services and economic meltdown amidst the chaos of the tumultuous foreign pullout, said an acting cabinet had been formed to respond to the Afghan people`s primary needs. He said some ministries remained to be filled pending a hunt for qualified people.

The United Nations said earlier on Tuesday that basic services were unravelling in Afghanistan and food and other aid were about to run out. More than half a million people have been displaced internally in Afghanistan this year.

An international donor conference is scheduled in Geneva on Sept. 13. Western powers say they are prepared to send humanitarian aid, but that broader economic engagement depends on the shape and actions of the Taliban government.

RESISTANCE WILL CONTINUE

On Monday, the Taliban claimed victory in the Panjshir valley, the last province holding out against it. Pictures on social media showed Taliban members standing in front of the Panjshir governor`s compound after days of fighting with the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA), commanded by Panjshiri leader Ahmad Massoud.

Massoud denied that his force, consisting of remnants of the Afghan army as well as local militia fighters, was beaten, and tweeted that "our resistance will continue".

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New Delhi: Reacting to the formation of the Talibans provisional government in Afghanistan, China on Wednesday (September 8) said that the act has put an end to "anarchy" in the Afghan nation and called it a necessary step to restore order.

Announcing an interim government on Tuesday, the Taliban said Mullah Mohammed Hasan Akhund - an associate of the group's late founder, Mullah Omar - will be the acting prime minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will be the deputy PM and Mullah Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on a U.S. terrorism wanted list, will be the interior minister. No women or outsiders have been allotted any post in the government so far, Reuters reported.

Addressing a media brief, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on the Taliban interim government said, We pay attention to the formation of the government.

This has put an end to the anarchy in Afghanistan after over three weeks and the necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue the post war reconstruction," he added.

Further, Wang said that that the Taliban should set up a broad-based and inclusive political structure. We hope Afghanistan will establish a broadly based, inclusive political structure, follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces and live in good terms with other countries, especially its neighbours, PTI quoted Wang as saying.

"We hope the new Afghan administration in the capacity of interim government will broadly solicit the opinions of all ethnic groups and factions and echo the expectations of Afghan people and aspiration of the international community," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson added.

He asserted that China will maintain communication with the leaders of the new Taliban government, adding that the country respect sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.

Besides Pakistan and Russia, China has kept its embassy open in Kabul after the Taliban captured the Afghan capital on August 15 leading to a total collapse of the Ashraf Ghani-led government.

(With agency inputs)

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WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he was certain China would try to work out an arrangement with the Taliban after the Islamic insurgents seized power in Afghanistan on August 15.

Asked if he was worried that China would fund the group, which is sanctioned under US law, Biden told reporters, "China has a real problem with the Taliban. So they`re going to try to work out some arrangement with the Taliban, I`m sure. As does Pakistan, as does Russia, as does Iran. They`re all trying to figure out what do they do now."

The United States and its Group of Seven allies have agreed to coordinate their response to the Taliban, and Washington has blocked the Taliban`s access to Afghanistan`s reserves, most of which are held by the New York Federal Reserve, to ensure they live up to their pledges to respect women`s rights and international law.

But experts say much of that economic leverage will be lost if China, Russia or other countries provide funds to the Taliban.

Italy, current president of the Group of 20 major economies - which include China and Russia - has been trying to set up a virtual G20 meeting on Afghanistan, but no date has been announced, suggesting discord among the group.

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call on Aug. 29 that the international community should engage with the Taliban and "positively guide" them.

China has not officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan`s new rulers, but Wang in July hosted Mullah Baradar, who has since been appointed as deputy prime minister, and has said the world should guide and support the country as it transitions to a new government instead of putting more pressure on it.
New Delhi: 24 hours have passed since the announcement of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan, but so far no major country in the world has rejected this government. No country has called this government a threat to humanity. The silence of the powerful nations around the world on the issue is deafening.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Wednesday (September 8) questioned the global status quo on the new Afghanistan government and Pakistan's gungho over the Taliban rule.

What would be the fate of the people in a country in which a person who used to flog women becomes the Prime Minister, one who trains suicide bombers becomes the Home Minister and one who hijacks planes in the name of Islamic Jihad becomes the Defense Minister!

Nothing can be more shameful for the world than what is unfolding in Afghanistan. Out of the 33 members of the Taliban government announced yesterday, 17 of them have been on the United Nations sanction list.

In the new Afghan government, nepotism was also clearly seen. For example, Mullah Yaqoob, who became the Defense Minister, is the son of the Taliban co-founder Mullah Omar. Mullah Abdul Manan Omari, who became the Minister of Public Works is Mullah Omar's brother.

Khaleel ur Rehman Haqqani, the Refugee Minister, is the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the terror outfit Haqqani network. And Sirajuddin Haqqani, who became the Home Minister, is the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani.

The Afghan government comprises terrorists, drug mafias, and dreaded criminals who have oppressed thousands of women in the name of Sharia law. But the world is still silent.

The United States spent about two trillion dollars i.e. 150 lakh crore rupees in 20 years on the Afghanistan war. It also gave a lot of this money to Pakistan. But today Pakistan is openly supporting the Taliban and the chief of its intelligence agency ISI is in Kabul. Mullah Hassan Akhund, who became the Prime Minister, has very good relations with Pakistan.

This will bring two advantages to Pakistan: Firstly, Pakistan will certainly have influence in the Taliban government. Secondly, Pakistan will get support from the Taliban in spreading terrorism in Kashmir.

Mullah Hassan Akhund becoming prime minister is also quite dangerous. He is on the UN sanction list. Very few people know that it was he who ordered the bombing of the ancient Buddha statue in Bamyan in 2001. This happened when he was a minister. Now he is the prime minister. It is certain that he would try to spread radical Islamist ideology in the region.

However, the Taliban has issued a statement in the name of its supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. There are three key takeaways from it:

The first thing is that the Taliban have said that they will abide by all international laws, agreements and proposals, but the condition is that these laws, agreements and proposals should be in accordance with Islam.

Secondly, they have said that human rights will be protected and the security of minorities will also be taken care of. But this also comes with a caveat that the said rights and protection will be decided on the basis of Islam.

The last thing is that Taliban will give freedom to the people but this freedom will be given according to Sharia law.

Simply put, nothing will change in Afghanistan this time too.

The world has reached a new era of terrorism, where terrorism is getting acceptance and terrorists are forming the government. This is not just a bad joke for the countries with the democratic systems, but also a challenge for them.

The world will have to see 18 million women of Afghanistan being tortured. This will be the biggest slap on the face of the western countries, who make tall claims regarding women and human rights.

The terrorist government will undermine the existence of democracy in the name of jihad and Islam, and the world will probably continue to watch it silently. That is exactly what has happened so far in Afghanistan.

Read more about Taliban here: Taliban's History

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New Delhi: Ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday (September 8) said that leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of his life and that he did it to prevent bloodshed.

In a public statement shared on Twitter, Ghani called the allegations that he carried bags full of money baseless and offered to take an audit of his finances and that of his family.

I owe the Afghan people an explanation for leaving Kabul abruptly on August 15th after Taliban unexpectedly entered the city. I left at the urging of the palace security who advised me that to remain risked setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s, Ghani said in the statement.

Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens, he added.

He wrote that the allegations were baseless that as I left Kabul I took with me millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people. These charges are completely and categorically false.

My wife and I have been scrupulous in our personal finances. I have publicly declared all of my assets. My wife's family inheritance has also been disclosed and remains listed in her home country of Lebanon. I welcome an official audit or financial Investigation under UN auspices or any other appropriate independent body to prove the veracity of my statements here, he said.

He also urged his other former senior officials and political figures to do get their finances audited.

Admitting the massive corruption in Afghanistan, Ghani said, Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president. I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be defeated.

Statement 8 September 2021 pic.twitter.com/5yKXWIdLfM  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) September 8, 2021

Also Read: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani fled with cars and chopper full of cash, says Russian embassy

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Falls Church: The CIA man who briefed President George W Bush on September 11, 2001, and later President Barack Obama on the intelligence that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden has said that he's convinced the Taliban will invite al-Qaeda to rebuild in Afghanistan.

"There is no doubt in my mind," said Michael Morell, who twice served as acting CIA director. "I believe that the Taliban will give safe haven to al-Qaeda, and I believe it will be al-Qaeda's intention to again build its capability so that they can attack us here at home."

Morell spoke at an online forum sponsored by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, which is holding multiple panels this week to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Counterterrorism efforts fall into a pattern, Morell said, in which their capabilities can be easily degraded by a focused effort, but easily rebuilt when that focus fades. He pointed to the time in 2002 and 2003 when the US shifted its focus to Iraq, which he said led to a resurgent al-Qaeda prompting attacks in Madrid in 2004, London in 2005 and elsewhere.

"When our focus got shifted to Iraq al-Qaeda started bouncing back," Morell said.

He said that if al-Qaeda establishes a safe haven in Afghanistan, it can be hard to develop the kind of tactical intelligence that makes it possible to take action against them. He said the US will have to apply the lessons it learned over the last 20 years.

Equally important, he said, is that the US uphold its values as it hunts terrorists. He acknowledged that the years immediately after the September 11 attacks were a controversial period for the CIA when it ran secret prisons and allowed interrogations that many people say crossed the line into torture.

He said those are missions the CIA never should have accepted. "Contrary to conventional wisdom, we were not experienced at interrogations," he said. "Interviewing somebody who is willing to tell you everything, you know, we're really good at that. But getting somebody to talk who doesn't want to talk to you, no experience in that whatsoever."

Raj Parekh, acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who moderated the discussion with Morell, noted during Tuesday's forum that the attack on the Pentagon occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.

"These tragedies are deeply personal for our community," he said. "We join with our neighbours, remembering those when we lost, thanking those who responded to save lives and honoring those who gave their last full measure of devotion."

On Thursday, a panel is planned to discuss the 2006 trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a US court for a role in the September 11 attacks. The judge who presided over the trial, Leonie Brinkema, is scheduled to participate, as a prosecutor and defense lawyer from the trial.

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PARIS: Police in Paris caught three suspected armed robbers after opening fire on their car as they made their getaway from a 10 million euro ($12 million) jewellery heist at a Bulgari store in the French capital on Tuesday.

Three individuals, wearing sharp suits and armed with guns, robbed the recently revamped boutique on the Place Vendome in central Paris where the Ritz hotel is located, shortly before midday, police said.

The three fled in a car while four accomplices took flight on scooters. Police fired shots at the car near the Les Halles shopping mall, less than 2 kilometres away, forcing the trio to try and flee on foot.

The three were arrested after ditching some of their loot, an officer at the scene said, while a manhunt was under way for the four who left on scooters.

Bulgari, which is owned by Bernard Arnault`s LVMH, said no one was hurt during the heist.

Jewellery stores in Paris have suffered a spate of armed robberies in recent months. Crime and security are likely to feature heavily among voters` main concerns in the 2022 presidential election.

"It`s not the first time Place Vendome is targeted," the officer who identified herself as Noura B. told reporters. "(But) these weren`t (just) pistols they were armed with. Using large guns, taking that kind of risk ... is something that happens rarely."

In July, thieves made off with jewellery worth almost 2 million euros ($2.4 million) from a Chaumet store near the Champs-Elysees, although the stolen goods were later recovered and the suspects arrested.

That same month, robbers also struck a Dinh Van jewellery store in central Paris.

The Bulgari store recently underwent extensive renovations, expanded to open onto the Place Vendome and outfitted with marble columns evoking its Rome origins.

The historic Place Vendome is regarded as the heart of French luxury. Labels including Chanel, Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels have invested considerably in prestigious flagships lining the square
KABUL: After days of hectic negotiations and deliberations, the Taliban declared the restoration of their Islamic Emirate and named a new government, excluding other political forces and giving control of internal security to a US-designated terrorist.

The naming of the new caretaker government also came four days before the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that triggered the US invasion of Afghanistan.

While announcing the new interim government, the Taliban chose one of their founders - Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund - as their head, while Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was named his deputy. The Taliban released the names of the new Afghan PM, two deputies and over 25 cabinet portfolios including the Defence, Foreign, Intel ministries.

The Taliban's new Afghanistan regime will have two deputies with the second one being Abdul Salam Hanafi. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is the son of the founder of the Haqqani network, was named interior minister. The network is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

While Amir Khan Muttaqi will be the Foreign Minister, Khairullah Khairkhwa will be the Information Minister and Abdul Hakim will be the Minister of Justice in the new Afghan cabinet.

Mullah Yaqoob has been chosen as the Defence Minister, whereas, Sheikh Mawlawi Noorullah Munir will be the Education Minister. The Intel Chief (National Directorate of Security) will be Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq and the new Afghan Army will be led by Qari Fasihuddin. There will be two deputy FMs namely Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai and Zabiullah Mujahid.

Taliban, on behalf of its Supreme Leader (Amir-ul Muminin) Hibatullah Akhundzada, also issued its first statement highlighting the future policies of the new Afghanistan government and said that it will uphold Sharia law, protect human rights and respect international treaties.

Top highlights of the Taliban's first statement on the new Afghan government

- New Taliban regime will be committed to all international laws and treaties, resolutions and commitments that are not in conflict with Islamic law and the country's national values.

- Taliban will take serious and effective steps towards protecting human rights, the rights of minorities as well as the rights of the underprivileged groups within the framework of the demands of the sacred religion of Islam.

-Taliban will provide a healthy and safe environment for religious and modern sciences to all countrymen within the framework of Sharia.

-Taliban will work for the freedom, functioning and improvement of the media quality. We consider it our duty to take into account the sacred precepts of Islam, the national interests of the country and impartiality in our broadcasts.

- Under the Taliban's regime, Afghanistan's soil will not be used against the security of any other country.

-Taliban assures all foreign diplomats, embassies, consulates, humanitarian organizations and investors in the country that they will not face any problem.

-Taliban assured all talented and professional people, scholars, professors, doctors, scientists, engineers and educated cadres, businessmen and investors of Afghanistan that its Government will value them as Afghanistan desperately need them. Also, the Taliban ask people not to leave the country as the Taliban have no problem with anyone.

- Taliban says military vehicles, weapons, ammunition, government buildings, national property and all things related to the public treasury are the trust of this nation. No one is allowed to destroy, waste or take possession of it without permission of the relevant authorities.

- We want to have a peaceful, prosperous, and self-reliant Afghanistan, for which we will strive to eliminate all causes of war and strife in the country, and our countrymen to live in complete security and comfort.

- We want strong and healthy relations with our neighbors and all other countries based on mutual respect and interaction. Our relations with those countries will be based on the highest interests and benefits of Afghanistan. We are committed to all international laws and treaties, resolutions and commitments that are not in conflict with Islamic law and the country's national values. We also call on the countries of the world to value building strong and cordial political, diplomatic and good relations with us and to also cooperate with us

- The Islamic Emirate will take serious and effective steps towards protecting human rights, the rights of minorities as well as the rights of the underprivileged groups within the framework of the demands of the sacred religion of Islam.

- All Afghans, without distinction or exception, will have the right to live with dignity and peace in their own country, their lives, property and honor will be protected. The Islamic Emirate will strive to protect the Islamic rights of every individual and will provide a safe and comfortable environment for them inside their country.

- Education is one of the most important requirements of the country. Our government will have a duty to provide a healthy and safe environment for religious and modern sciences to all countrymen within the framework of Sharia.

- We will pave the way for the country's development in the field of education and build our country with knowledge and understanding.

-We all know that our country has been suffering from war and economic crisis for more than 40years. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will use all its resources for economic strength, prosperity and development on top of strengthening security. It will manage domestic revenue properly and transparently, provide special opportunities for international investment and various sectors of trade, will work to fight unemployment effectively. Our ultimate goal will be to get our country back on its feet as quickly as possible, and efficiently perform reconstruction and rehabilitation work in our war-torn country, God willing.

-The Islamic Emirate wants Afghanistan to develop as soon as possible and to provide the necessary facilities to its people in all walks of life, and to eradicate poverty and unemployment. For this task, we ask for the help and support of all national businessmen, investors and sensible Afghans who can help uplift Afghanistan out of poverty, strengthen our economy, safeguard our national wealth and use our public treasury as fit to serve the nation.

-Media is an important element of the country. We will work for the freedom, functioning and improvement of the media quality. We consider it our duty to take into account the sacred precepts of Islam, the national interests of the country and impartiality in our broadcasts.

- Our message to our neighbors, the region and the world is that Afghanistan's soil will not be used against the security of any other country. We assure all that there is no concern from Afghanistan and we expect from them the same.

- We assure all foreign diplomats, embassies, consulates, humanitarian organizations and investors in the country that they will not face any problem. The Islamic Emirate is doing its best for their complete security and safety. Their presence is need of our country, so they should carry out their work with peace of mind.

- We do not want enmity with anyone. Afghanistan is the common home of all. We will respect all their rights and legitimate aspirations and use their potential to rebuild the country.

- No one should be worried about the future. The Islamic Emirate, on behalf of its people, is aware of all the problems that our people are facing. Our first attempt and priority are to solve all the problems through legitimate and reasonable means. We are confident that the common people will continue supporting the Islamic Emirate as always. The actions of those scholars, tribal elders and elders are commendable who have raised and are raising awareness among the masses.

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